Book Review: Death by Facebook by Everett Peacock

Title: Death by Facebook
Author: Everett Peacock
Paperback: 312 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace (March 4th 2011)
Genre: Mystery
Read: eBook
Stars: ****/5
Summary: (GoodReads)
A vacationing soldier in Hawaii...
Earth's most active volcano, anxious to repeat itself...
Two murders involving love, madness, friendship, hippies, tsunamis, and the great hereafter...

DEATH BY FACEBOOK by Everett Peacock
Be careful what you say online

Review:

The story plays out in Hawaii where James and Janet have gone for a vacation before he gets deployed to Afghanistan. Janet murders James and the book is about why she did that and the consequences of the murder on the island like a butterfly effect but much closer.

Death by Facebook has a lot of characters but each adds to the story. I found myself relating and feeling for each one of the many characters on the island.

Other than the murder Everett Peacock describes a volcano eruption and its impact on the people on the island. The mix of the kind of people he chooses to tell the story are varied - from a hippie to the police and scientists. The views and reactions of people in crisis fascinated me.

When I picked up this book I thought it would be all about Facebook and a murder but I was pleasantly surprised to find that Facebook played only a small part in the large story. There was so much more happening. The book is written well and grabs the reader. The pace of the story is good with a lot of action.

The book got me thinking about Facebook and just how powerful it could be both to do good and evil. Just how far reaching its messages are and its impact on people.

It also questioned good and evil. Janet starts her journey through the book as an evil person who murders her fiancé but as I went along with the story getting to know her better, I started to question if it was she who was evil or her situation.

I’d recommend this book to all who are looking for something different to read that is still enjoyable.

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Is Amazon trying to monopolise the book readers market?

Amazon seems to be getting very restrictive recently both towards authors and readers. It seems Amazon is trying to increase sales and monopolise the market by forcing authors and sites such as GoodReads to link only to them.

Amazon is forcing authors to restrict their books to only Amazon and I’ll talk about how they’re doing that in a few days.

With readers Amazon seems to be playing a different game. Its targeting sites like GoodReads that use the Amazon API for book data. The new terms of the Amazon API licensing agreement are very restrictive. Amazon requires that books on GoodReads link for sales only to Amazon.com. No other book sites are allowed. The other requirement is that the API data not be used on mobile sites and apps.

This may not impact GoodReads but it impacts us readers. Amazon in simple words is saying we can buy only for them and no one else. That is an infringement on our freedom to choose. GoodReads has chosen to not give in to Amazon and instead move away to other data sources. This means we can continue to compare prices across bookstores. This also means that we can continue to use GoodReads both as a website and an app on the mobile.

Good work GoodReads!

GoodReads has sent out emails to users telling them about moving away from Amazon and asking for help with book details. Here the email I received.

“Dear Freya,

We want to let you know about a change on our site that is impacting some of the books on your shelves. It's important that you read this and take action by Monday, January 30.

For years, we've used Amazon's data for information such as the book title, author, and publication date. Unfortunately, the terms required by Amazon have now become so restrictive that we decided it makes better sense to work with other data sources. However, the deadline to make the transition is Amazon's, and they have told us that we must stop using their data by January 30. We have to meet this deadline.

We've been adding data from other sources and now know which books still need help. You are receiving this email because we need new sources for 2 of the book on your shelves.

First, please be assured that none of your reviews or ratings are in danger. Not a single review, comment, shelving, or rating will be lost in this transition. We have a system in place to preserve your reviews and comments for any books at risk until we can find new sources. That's the most important thing—your data is 100 percent safe.

What can you do? The good news is you can rescue your books. Saving a book is easy. Just click the "Rescue Me!" button next to each book edition that needs help, and fill in the information on the following page. A few keystrokes can help preserve these books for millions of future readers.

It takes only a few clicks, and you will be doing your part to make sure these books remain available for other readers like you. We appreciate the passion you bring to Goodreads, and we apologize for the short notice. If we could have prevented this inconvenience in any way, we would have done it. Ultimately, this change will be better for the members of Goodreads and long-term success of the site.

If you don't want to rescue your books, you can also export your books to a spreadsheet so you have a record of them.

All the best,
Otis & Elizabeth
Goodreads Founders”

I rescued two books and am happy and proud to be a part of GoodReads. Amazon monopolizing the book market seems so like what publishers have done for ages; it should be stopped.

What do you think? Should Amazon be allowed to monopolise the book market? Have you help out with books on GoodReads? Do you support GoodReads?

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Pics of the Week

Photos of me with the dogs are rare, I guess I can't be in the picture and take it too :D
Here's one with Cuckoo that I really love... Its one of those rare moments I have with her :)
The photo wasn't posed, she did come and sit that way with me in a moment of coziness.

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Pics of the Week

This one got my attention for the detail - an old mirror, a fan, a old cupboard, a hangar... and a guy who looks like the caretaker of an old bangla.
I like the old grungy look, it reminds me of ancient places with lots of memories...

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Why Do Entrepreneurs and Small Businesses Need a Social Media Strategy?

The last few years have seen a rise in the use of online networks in India. More and more people are going online now and Facebook has become a common word. A year ago my Mom got herself a Facebook account and today my Granny asks us to login (to the “Diary” ask she calls it or Facebook as we know it) so she can check on her Grandchildren’s updates and photos. My Granny is 85 years old and that says a lot about the use of social media in India.

The age of children using the internet is dropping and more adults are getting comfortable with the internet every day. Facebook and Twitter are now used to share more than photos and life updates – they are a place to share successes, failures and most importantly voice opinions. This is why if you do not get on this bandwagon now, you may lose the race.

Here are a few reasons why you need to take notice of Social Media and Plan a Strategy –

The Way People Buy Has Changed
The way people buy products and what influences them has changed. Today people don’t get swayed as much by ads; that’s where the process starts. An average Joe would see an ad and like what he sees. He then goes online and does a bit of research. He reads about the product and checks reviews. He posts his desire for a product and asks his friends for their opinion on a social site like Facebook or Twitter.

Today this is a crucial point of sale. What his friends say can make or break the sale. Their opinion is an important part of his decision making. So it’s not enough to just sell to him, it’s important to make sure that his friends feel good about your product and promote it.

People Will Talk Even If You’re Not There
My husband recently bought an iPad. He thinks it’s the best tablet device available today but since it comes from Apple - a proprietary company it has its drawbacks. Last week he updated the software and in the process a lot of things stopped working. He has been very vocal about just how upset he is with the iPad and Apple on Facebook.

Consumers today may not always talk about how great a product is but they definitely will tell the world if it doesn’t work. It’s an old sales adage – a happy customer may tell one person or two but an unsatisfied customer will tell TEN.

Customers are talking about your product online – they may say good things or bad, but they are definitely talking about it even if you are not listening.

It’s Not Just The Sale!
It’s no longer about a sale. In this day and age of active participation on Social Networks, you need to win over a customer before, at and after the sale if you want a successful business. Your sales approach, how you conduct the sale and your follow-up will be talked about.

If you have won over a customer on all three counts you can be assured that he/she will evangelise your product and bring in more customers.

Online Communities
Facebook and Twitter are just the tip of the iceberg. A lot of niche communities and groups have sprung up around topics lately. You can start a group on just about anything on Facebook or networks like Ning – from your favourite washing machine brand to your views on Gandhi.

These communities share views and opinions among themselves but a lot of it is also public. They post reviews on sites, comment on blog posts and voice their opinions in conversations online. Their views can make or break your sale.

Today to reach out to your customer you need to move from the traditional ‘push’ marketing method to a ‘pull’ strategy. You need to listen to them, understand their needs, plan your social media strategy and make your information available to them when they want it.

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Ask and You Shall Receive

In recent conversations I’ve come across this question often, “people come to my website, check it out but do not return”. This is a problem a lot of small entrepreneurs and businesses have when they start out. You create a website/product based on what you think people need (if you had researched this before creation, great!) and then you go out and tell them about it. People come and check it out, maybe use it and then leave. But a high percentage does not return to your site repeatedly.

If you want people to come to your website you’re going to have to give them what they want. Understand that you may have researched what they want earlier but this has changed with time or what you offer isn’t enough. The best way to find out is to ask them what they want.

You may have a feedback button on your site but people don’t always use this or tell you what they want upfront. It’s kind of like when you go to a restaurant. The restaurant may have a table or stand with forms asking for your feedback. But how likely are you to fill one? If you had an exceptional meal then you just might but not otherwise. On the other hand if I gave you a form and a pen at your table I am more likely to get feedback and suggestions from you.

So ask your audience, question them in your newsletter. The size of your mailing list does not matter, even if its just 50, ASK. We humans like to suggest and have our suggestions implemented. So ask your audience what they would like to see on your site or in your product.

Don’t limit yourself to your newsletter, go out and ask questions on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and other networks like Quora too. All feedback is valuable.

And most importantly act on the feedback and suggestions you’ve received. That’s what you went through all this trouble for :)

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Starting the Year At The Movies

This year just like the books I’ve read I’d also like to list and rate the movies I’ve seen. Over the years I’ve watched a lot of movies but can never remember them all. This would be a good way to document them.
This year started with the Movies – we watched 3 movies back to back on 1st Jan – The Adventures of Tin Tin, Tinker Tailor, Soldier, Spy and Mission Impossible.

The Adventures of Tin Tin
****/5
I watched this in 3D and absolutely enjoyed it. I can’t wait for the sequel. I’ve always loved Tin Tin and enjoyed the cartoons that would come on TV. I even have them on VHS tape :D
Tin Tin in the movie turned out to be a great looker but I felt Captain Hadock had something missing. Maybe it was his nose that I didn’t like.
The movie is packed with action and there isn’t a boring moment.
We discovered something accidently too – for a 3D movie the front row seats are the best!

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy
****/5
I enjoyed this movie though I think I’d need to watch it again to grasp all the nuances. Be warned this movie needs your full attention or you won’t be able to tie up the loose ends.
It’s a detailed story of finding the traitor in the highest levels of the British Intelligence. There are 4 suspects and it’s a tale of elimination to arrive at the traitor.
A Must Watch!


Mission Impossible – Ghost Protocol
***/5
As always Mission Impossible is a full action masala. movie The movie is made well and should be watched on big screen. The visuals are stunning.
I was very excited about seeing the Burj Khalifa scenes and they didn’t let me down.
A good watch if you’re looking for a mindless masala movie. :D

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Bheeshma's bhishana pratigya and Amba

I’m currently reading ‘The Palace of Illusions’ which is the Mahabharata from Draupadi’s point of view. It’s an interesting take on the epic and it’s got me thinking.

One of the sub-plots is the story of Amba and Bheeshma, which concludes during the war of Kurukshetra. Amba vows revenge on Bheeshma for not marrying her and redeeming her honour. But my question is what stopped Bheeshma from marrying her or why didn’t she just marry his brother Vichitravirya?

Some background: Bheeshma is the eighth son of King Shantanu and Ganga. Ganga had married Shantanu on the condition that he would never question what she does. Back then women didn’t do drastic or crazy stuff I guess so Shantanu didn’t think much of making the promise. But Ganga went on to drown seven sons she bore. At the eighth Shantanu couldn’t stop himself and questioned her. (Why did Ganga drown her sons – these were eight Vasus who had been cursed to be born as humans. Seven had been granted reprieve, so they would be released from life as soon as they were born. But it was the eighth that had master minded the stealing of the wish-granting cow Nandini from Rishi Vashishta. He would be punished with a difficult life.) Ganga did not drown her eighth son Bheeshma as she knew his destiny but she did leave Shantanu.

Shantanu went on to fall in love with a fisherwoman Satyavati. Satyavati’s father was a smart man (so I think), he knew that Bheeshma was next in line for the throne and so turned down Shantanu as Satyavati’s children would not rule. Bheeshma wanting his father to be happy promised the fisherman that he would remain celibate and that Satyavati’s children would inherit the kingdom.

Later he abducts three princesses Amba, Ambika and Ambalika to marry his half-brother Vichitravirya. On reaching Hastinapura Amba tells him she loves another King Salwa, so Bheeshma sends her off to Salwa but Salwa turns her away saying she has been in the company of another man for too long. This brings Amba back to Bheeshma asking him to marry her to save her honour. Bheeshma of course refuses on the grounds of his vow and Amba goes away vowing revenge.

Why did Amba get angry only with Bheeshma, she should have been furious with Salwa for belittling her love. Why didn’t Bheeshma marry her to save her honour. He was only vowed to celibacy, not to being a bhramacharya. And most importantly why didn’t Amba just go ahead and marry Vichitravirya who she had been abducted for in the first place?

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Book Review: Little Blue Envelope Series

Title: 13 Little Blue Envelopes
Author: Maureen Johnson
Paperback: 319 pages
Publisher: HarperTeen (October 1st 2006)
Genre: YA
Read: eBook
Stars: ***/5
Summary: (GoodReads)When Ginny receives thirteen little blue envelopes and instructions to buy a plane ticket to London, she knows something exciting is going to happen. What Ginny doesn't know is that she will have the adventure of her life and it will change her in more ways than one. Life and love are waiting for her across the Atlantic, and the thirteen little blue envelopes are the key to finding them in this funny, romantic, heartbreaking novel.


Title: The Last Little Blue Envelope
Author: Maureen Johnson
Paperback: 282 pages
Publisher: HarperTeen (April 26th 2011)
Genre: YA
Read: eBook
Stars: ****/5
Summary: (GoodReads)Ginny Blackstone thought that the biggest adventure of her life was behind her. She spent last summer traveling around Europe, following the tasks her aunt Peg laid out in a series of letters before she died. When someone stole Ginny's backpack—and the last little blue envelope inside—she resigned herself to never knowing how it was supposed to end.

Months later, a mysterious boy contacts Ginny from London, saying he's found her bag. Finally, Ginny can finish what she started. But instead of ending her journey, the last letter starts a new adventure—one filled with old friends, new loves, and once-in-a-lifetime experiences. Ginny finds she must hold on to her wits . . . and her heart. This time, there are no instructions.

Review:

These two books from Maureen are about Ginny who receives 13 envelopes from her Aunt who has passed away a short while back. Her Aunt is an adventurous spirit and the letters set Ginny off on an adventure that will change the way she sees the world.

There are questions that raise themselves as you read - the fact that Ginny's parents allow her to embark on this journey, especially since Ginny is not allowed to carry a phone or any travel books. The trusting way that Ginny accepts the challenge of the trip even though she isn't the adventurous type then.

But all that said the books are interesting and if you are a travel person you will relate to the books. Ginny's adventures are fun and she learns some life lesson's from her travels. Maureen describes the places and the people well; I could see Ginny walk down many of the lanes described. Ginny doesn't travel to the only to touristy sites, she also goes to many hidden away parts of the cities she travels too. Kudos to Maureen for the research and travel involved.

I did find a few catches though, like - in book 2, Ginny is travelling in a two door car but at some points in the book Maureen writes as if it is a 4 door. :D

The characters are described well and I related to them. Guess I've met people like them while travelling myself. The heroes Keith and Oliver are very real and I liked and felt for them both.

I liked the second book more than the first. That's one of those rare things :)

The books are a quick read and worth reading!

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Pics of the Week

I really like this photo for its colours - they just pop.
And then there's the whole jump, there's something beautiful about that and am envious. Thats something I have to do, I have conquer my fear of jumping with a cycle...

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Pics of the Week

Coffee is something I just love in all its flavours and shades and miss it alot these days. I've had to cut down on it big time due to my migraines. So here's to those lovely caffeinated days... :)

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BlogRoll 2012: Blogs I’ve Followed Until Now

Over the last two years I’ve collected (that’s a good word :D) 490 blog subscriptions but haven’t managed to read even 1/10 of them. So, this year one of my resolutions is to clean up my RSS reader on Google.

And how am I doing this? Well, I’m starting from zilch, scratch. Since I don’t want to lose all I have yet, I decided to ignore all that was before and create a few new folders based on my interests. Now I’m going to add blogs slowly through the year making sure to stick to the habit of reading all that I subscribe to :D and removing feeds that I don’t read over time.

Here are blogs that I’ve founded until now categorized by interest. If you have a blog recommendation in these areas, do let me know. I’m looking out for some interesting blogs. :)

Travel
BreathDreamGo by Mariellen


Craft (Fully DIY)
All Things Paper by Ann Martin


Crafting Queen by Karuna


Book Blogs (Reviews and more)
Chrisbookarama by Chris


Reading Romances by Nat


Of Books and Reading


Behind the Book (All about writing, publishing and marketing books)
A Newbie’s Guide to Publishing by J.A. Konrath


No Publisher Needed by Jim. F. Kukral


The Creative Penn by Joanna Penn


The Book Designer by Joel Friedlander


Have any recommendations? Please leave them in comments :)

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Book Review: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

Title: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
Author: Rebecca Skloot
Paperback: 370 pages
Publisher: Crown Publishing Group (February 2nd, 2010)
Genre: Non-fiction, Science
Read: eBook
Stars: ****/5
Summary: (GoodReads) Her name was Henrietta Lacks, but scientists know her as HeLa. She was a poor Southern tobacco farmer who worked the same land as her slave ancestors, yet her cells—taken without her knowledge—became one of the most important tools in medicine. The first “immortal” human cells grown in culture, they are still alive today, though she has been dead for more than sixty years. If you could pile all HeLa cells ever grown onto a scale, they’d weigh more than 50 million metric tons—as much as a hundred Empire State Buildings. HeLa cells were vital for developing the polio vaccine; uncovered secrets of cancer, viruses, and the atom bomb’s effects; helped lead to important advances like in vitro fertilization, cloning, and gene mapping; and have been bought and sold by the billions.

Yet Henrietta Lacks remains virtually unknown, buried in an unmarked grave.

Now Rebecca Skloot takes us on an extraordinary journey, from the “colored” ward of Johns Hopkins Hospital in the 1950s to stark white laboratories with freezers full of HeLa cells; from Henrietta’s small, dying hometown of Clover, Virginia—a land of wooden slave quarters, faith healings, and voodoo—to East Baltimore today, where her children and grandchildren live and struggle with the legacy of her cells.

Review:

This book has been on my reading-list for a while but I just kept putting it off. I’m glad I got down to it.

The book is about the woman behind the HeLa cells. HeLa cells are the most used cells in research and have contributed hugely to science. They helped with vaccines like polio and research like the method of freezing cells. HeLa was the first cluster of cells to survive and grow in a laboratory; it grew so successfully it is mass-produced. The interesting thing about HeLa cells is that they are cancerous!
These cells and their history is interesting. You can read more here – HeLa on Wikipedia

HeLa cells being interesting as they are I found the story of the person behind the cells and her family more moving. The pathos, the struggle, the love and the bigness they show is heart warming.

The opposites are striking. On one hand HeLa cells get famous and a lot of companies make money. On the other Henrietta’s family don’t even have health care. They don’t know for years how much their mother has contributed to science. They didn’t get their due credit.

Reading the book its clear that Rebecca has spent ages in research. The book is scientific and you’re going to walk away knowing a lot more about cells and cell research but its going to be an interesting read. There is no point at which you get bored. Rebecca has balanced the medical and personal well. I enjoyed the book.

A must read!

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“I’m The Greatest”: Mohammed Ali, The Black Superman

Yesterday was Mohammed Ali’s birthday. Growing up he was one of the people I idolized. Maybe because of all that he did and stood for but I’m more inclined to think it was because of the trippy number in my Dad’s collection.

My first introduction to Mohammed Ali was in a song – Black Superman. I still love that song. It talked about Ali being as agile as a butterfly and quick as a bee. It described him in many ways but the only colour reference was in the title. The song was the first bit of Mohammed Ali to catch my attention; it was only after that that I found out who Mohammed Ali was. And also found out he was actually black. (I’m duh…) :D

Have you heard the song Black Superman by Johnny Wakelin & The Kinshasa Band?



The Lyrics -

This here's the story of Cassius Clay
Who changed his name to Muhammad Ali
He knows how to talk and he knows how to fight
And all the contenders were beat out of sight

Sing, Muhammad, Muhammad Ali
He floats like a butterfly and stings like a bee
Mohammed, the black superman
Who calls to the other guy I'm Ali catch me if you can

Now all you fight fans, you've got to agree
There ain't no flies on Muhammad Ali
He fills the arena wherever he goes
And everyone gets what they paid for

Muhammad, was known to have said
You watch me shuffle and I'll jab off your head
He moves like the black superman
And calls to the other guy I'm Ali catch me if you can

He says I'm the greatest the worlds ever seen
The heavyweight champion who came back again
My face is so pretty you don't see a scar
Which proves I'm the king of the ring by far

Sing, Muhammad, Muhammad Ali
He floats like a butterfly and stings like a bee
Mohammed, the black superman
Who calls to the other guy I'm Ali catch me if you can

Sing, Muhammad, Muhammad Ali
He floats like a butterfly and stings like a bee
Muhammad, the black superman
Who calls to the other guy I'm Ali catch me if you can
I'm Ali catch me if you can

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Umeed Wali Dhoop / Ray of Hope

There are times in our lives when we just feel down and out. Nothing seems right, the eternal questions come back to hound you and leave you lost in a sea of questions and thoughts with no land in site. The answers just evade, it’s like the proverbial straw, only when you grab it you realize it’s a mirage. That was 2011 for me, lots of questions – from myself, family, friends and people – and no answers to be found.

But then 2012 to came along and somehow a switch flipped. I found some answers, yes, but I also realized that some answers didn’t need to be found. They would find you as soon as you stopped looking for them. Life wasn’t about only the questions, it was about so much more. It’s a meaningless existence but yet so meaningful, if you know what I mean :D

I love the new Coca-Cola jingle. The video shares a lot of interesting numbers and stats but the jingle is what I am interested in. The music is great; it’s upbeat and leaves you feeling nice. It’s my phone ringtone now and I look forward to hear it ring these days. :) But all this aside, it says so much about how I started this year and what I see for 2012. (Incidentally the first time I saw it was on Jan 1st.)

This year is a year of hope, new beginnings, experiments, and making sure that nothing will pull me back or down. I intend to smile no matter what life throws at me. There is always hope and a better tomorrow. I want to be happy, that’s my wish for life and nothing is going to stop me from doing that this year. The jingle says all that and more.

If you haven’t seen the video yet, here are the lyrics -

Ummeed Waali Dhoop, Sunshine Waali Aasha
Rone Ki Wajah Kamm Hai, Hansne Ke Bahane Jyada

Zidd Hai Muskurayenge, Khush Rehne Ka Hai Waada
Umeed Wali Dhoop, Sunshine Waali Asha

Tum Dil Se Agar Puchoge, Woh Khush Rehna Hee Chahe
Jab Sache Mann Se Maango, Toh Khul Jaati Hai Raahein
Toh Khul Ke Khusi Lutao, Ye Kya Aadha-Aadha

Umeedon Wali Dhoop, Sunshine Wali Asha
Umeedon Wali Dhoop, Sunshine Wali Asha

And the video



What do you think of the video? Like it? Does the jingle work the magic for you too?

I found a couple of other blog posts about the song and its versions. You can check them out here if you want to know more about the ad –
Coca Cola Ad for 2012... Umeed wali Dhoop... Sunshine wali Aasha... by Puneet
Umeed Vali Dhoop: Happy New Year by Madhav

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How To Add a GoodReads Widget to Your Wordpress Blog

GoodReads has some neat book reader widgets for blogs. You can share information about the books you are reading, books on your shelf, your updates, your reading challenge and more.

To check out what widgets are available for your blog, click on the Edit Profile option in the drop-down next to your Profile Photo.



On your My Account Page select the Widgets tab.

You can now choose the widget you want. You can also specify which shelf would be shown in the widget and other details.

1. If the Preview shown matches what you want for your blog, copy the code.

2. Now go to the Widgets section in your Wordpress blog. The Widgets option is in the Left Column under Appearance on your Wordpress Dashboard.

3. Based on your Blog Template you will see your Sidebars listed on the right of the page. I have three hence they are listed as Sidebar 1, Sidebar 2 and Sidebar 3.



4. Choose which sidebar you want the badge to show in.

5. Now drag the TEXT widget into the Sidebar and paste the code into the TEXT dropdown. (You can use a few HTML codes to create space between plugins and to add comments). If you already have the TEXT widget in the sidebar you can go ahead and add the code. List the blocks of code based on the order you want the widgets shown on your blog.



6. Click the Save option in the Dropdown and you're done. Now check the widget on your blog to make sure it's showing as you'd like it to, else change the options you selected and replace the code with the new code generated.

And voila, you have a badge on your blog. I've added two GoodReads widgets to my blog - The 2012 Reading Challenge and The Most Reacent Books I've Read. Like them? Are you using a GoodReads widget? Which one did you like most?

Update (16/Jun/'13): Wordpress usually gives trouble with javascript and flash and that's what the GoodReads widgets are based on. I don't remember clearly now but I do remember having some trouble when setting up my widgets. My Challenge widget doesn't update for days sometimes, even now. So if you have trouble you could maybe just try another widget?
I came across this alternative way to set-up a Goodreads widget as a wordpress plugin. Maybe this will work for you. You could also complaint and ask for more help on the Bugs group discussion on Goodreads. It seems to be an active discussion with the guys at Goodreads helping out. You'd have to join the group first though.
Thanks to Gail Armstrong for sparking off this extra research with her question :)

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Pics of the Week

I have a thing for the colour blue, I absolutely love it. And if you add the right bits of colour to it, it just gets richer.
Getting the lemon and chilly to stay up there took a lot of patience from us. But Che works hard at his Project and it shows :)

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Pics of the Week

My Family!! I love them to bits. We took a similar picture last year and its nice to look back as the years go by.
The photo was of course a lot of fun. From setting up the frame to getting the flash shy Cuckoo to stay put between shots. For the record, all the dogs didn't like the flash one bit and it took a lot of rubbing to keep them still :D

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The Shear Joy of Riding

Its been two months since I last rode a bike and I hadn’t realized just how much I’d missed it until I rode the Dio a couple of days back.

I’ve been addicted to riding since childhood and I always wanted that which was not readily available. In school I wanted a boys cycle just because I was rebellious, yes, but also because a boys cycle (the one with a bar in the center) felt different, rugged not delicate, just different.

Fast forward to college and I wanted a motorbike, a TVS 50 just didn’t cut it. So one of the first things I bought after I started working was a TVS Victor. I didn’t know how to ride when I took delivery of the bike and I spent a lot of early mornings after that learning from my younger brother. (One of those very few things I learned from him :P Thanks Bro)

Riding was never about the bike for me, well partly but mostly it was about feeling one with the bike, the road like a ribbon on moonlight (thanks A. Noyes), the sun warm on the face and the wind fluffing up my jacket.

I’ve ridden a fair bit in the late two years, but either pillion or in a rush to get somewhere and then that two-month sabbatical. I just missed being able to ride but hadn’t realized what I was missing until a few days back.

I wasn’t riding fast; I was averaging between 40 and 50 but suddenly the world transformed. The bike felt smooth, the throttle calm to my palm, the road a ribbon of night and I was one with my bike. It didn’t matter that it was just a Dio, in that moment we were one, the curves a joy and the straights an observatory. I watched the city around me with a sense of slowness, every detail seemed vivid and clear; as if time slowed down. The world felt beautiful as we rode together.

The above paragraph may sound loony but I think some riders will relate to the feeling. I’ve tried to put it in words but I don’t think words are enough to describe it. But it felt so good I just had to share it. :) It’s such a joy to ride!

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How To Add a Facebook Badge to Your Wordpress Blog

Its been a while since I took a look at the badges Facebook offers and voila! I find some new ones that could be very helpful. I'm going to explore more of them in future but for now I'm going to talk about Facebook Page Badges.

I found two types of Page Badges. The first is available only to owners and admins but the second is available to all, so you can get it for any page you want.


You can get the standard one Here.



Or you can get the Social Like Box Plugin

1. After you've chosen the kind of badge you want, you need to get the code for the page. For the Standard Page Badge select the "Other" option in blog type and copy the code. For the Social Plugin, select the options you want in your plugin (you will see the preview change) and then click on Get Code. Select the IFRAME option in the pop-up and copy the code.

2. Go to the Widgets section in your Wordpress blog. The Widgets option is in the Left Column under Appearance on your Wordpress Dashboard.

3. Based on your Blog Template you will see your Sidebars listed on the right of the page. I have three hence they are listed as Sidebar 1, Sidebar 2 and Sidebar 3.



4. Choose which sidebar you want the badge to show in.

5. Now drag the TEXT widget into the Sidebar and paste the code into the TEXT dropdown. (You can use a few HTML codes to create space between plugins and to add comments).



6. Click the Save option in the Dropdown and you're done. Now check the widget on your blog to make sure it's showing as you'd like it to, else change the options you selected and replace the code with the new code generated (only for social plugin).

And voila, you have a badge on your blog. I've added Chenthil's Photography Page Badge to my blog. Like it? Please 'Like' the page too :D

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Book Review: The Average Indian Male by Cyrus Broacha

Author: Cyrus Broacha
Paperback: 246 pages
Publisher: Random House,India (Nov. 25th, 2011)
Genre: Indian Humour (for want of something better)
Read: Paperback(Library)
Stars: ***/5
Summary: (Flipkart) Name: Average Indian Male; Latin name: manush, purush, aam aadmi, Bunty.

Cyrus is back. And this time as agony aunt and master critic as he sets out to deconstruct a subject we re all familiar with the average Indian male. The mama s boy, the groin scratcher, the man who holds hands with another man, Cyrus tackles these and many other quirks and shortcomings of Indian men in his inimitable style and unfailing logic. Join India s best known funny man as he takes you on this laugh riot like never before.

Review:

I saw the book at the Library and considering it was Cyrus and the blurb said laugh riot, I picked it up.

The book is a fast read and humourous in places too. I DIDN'T laugh loud once through the book though I did smile sometimes but those were rare and in-between.

Cyrus's quirky humour shows up in places and I wish there was more of it through the book. At some places I did think of some of the men I know and their habits and bonded with the book.

Over-all - OK! Cyrus could have been much better and more himself. Definitely not worth a second read!

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9 Reason Why If You Are A Reader, You Should be on GoodReads

If you read books and/or are a book-lover, you should be on GoodReads.com. Here’s why –

1. GoodReads is a networking site for book people. Doesn’t matter what type of book; you are likely to find someone who loves the same type here.

2. GoodReads is a great way to track the books you’ve read over the years. I sometimes forget which books I’ve read, especially after about 10-12 years. GoodReads is a boon for that; that is if it lasts 10-12 years!

3. You can check out the reviews and rating of books before you pick it up. The stats here are a great indicator of the quality of the book. GoodReads also has apps for the mobile to you can access it anywhere, even the book store or library.

4. You can rate and review each book you have read. The review or your book notes are useful when you look back and wonder about a book after a while. I’ve been reading a lot of romance and after a while I forget if I have read the book or what I thought of it.

5. GoodReads has 3 main shelves – Read, Currently-reading and to-read. I find the to-read shelf very helpful to track my future reads. The Read shelf is great to track all the books I have read. You can also create additional shelves to categorise your books. I have an eBooks shelf and a DNF (Did Not Finish).

6. You can take part in Reading Challenges, Win Books from Authors (First Reads) and Vote for Books.

7. GoodReads has a lot of groups and it’s quite easy to find one that suits you. In all my friends I can count the book-reading ones on my fingers. That’s how few readers I knew growing up. But GoodReads gives me the change to connect with people who love the books I do. In a group you can discuss books, authors, and even take part in reading challenges.

8. If groups are not your thing, each book has a discussion space where you can talk about the book with other readers.

9. I also like the Never-Ending Quiz. It never ends and you can play it whenever you feel like it!

On the whole GoodReads is a great site for readers. The trends and stats you see about your reading over time is interesting to put it mildly. I’m yet to give Shelfari a full trial and it maybe better (do you use it?) but for now I highly recommend GoodReads.

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Book Review: The Kane Chronicles

Author: Rick Riordan
Hardcover: 528 pages
Publisher: Hyperion Book CH (May 4, 2010)
Genre: YA Mythology
Read: Paperback
Stars: ****/5
Summary: (GoodReads) Since their mother's death, Carter and Sadie have become near strangers. While Sadie has lived with her grandparents in London, her brother has traveled the world with their father, the brilliant Egyptologist, Dr. Julius Kane.

One night, Dr. Kane brings the siblings together for a "research experiment" at the British Museum, where he hopes to set things right for his family. Instead, he unleashes the Egyptian god Set, who banishes him to oblivion and forces the children to flee for their lives.

Soon, Sadie and Carter discover that the gods of Egypt are waking, and the worst of them —Set— has his sights on the Kanes. To stop him, the siblings embark on a dangerous journey across the globe - a quest that brings them ever closer to the truth about their family and their links to a secret order that has existed since the time of the pharaohs.

Author: Rick Riordan
Hardcover: 464 pages
Publisher: Hyperion Book CH (May 3, 2011)
Genre: YA Mythology
Read: eBook
Stars: ****/5
Summary: (GoodReads) Ever since the gods of Ancient Egypt were unleashed in the modern world, Carter Kane and his sister Sadie have been in trouble. As descendants of the House of Life, the Kanes have some powers at their command, but the devious gods haven't given them much time to master their skills at Brooklyn House, which has become a training ground for young magicians.

And now their most threatening enemy yet - the chaos snake Apophis - is rising. If they don't prevent him from breaking free in a few days' time, the world will come to an end. In other words, it's a typical week for the Kane family.

Review:

Having read the Percy Jackson and the Olympian series and I knew a bit about Greek and Roman mythology but I wasn't sure if I'd enjoy the Egyptian version so I was a bit tentative when picking up the book.

The book starts with a warning that it is a transcription of a digital recording. It's the first time ever that I have seen a warning of this kind in a book. A nice way to say any mythological errors/deviations should be forgiven.

Riordan was great with Greek and Roman mythology, but I think he excelled at Egyptian. I understood so much about Egyptian mythology, its hierarchy and stories while reading the books. I've had an interest in Egypt but wonder now why I never delved into Egyptian Mythology.

The books are written as a dialogue between Sadie and Carter, the brother and sister deo who are trying to save the world from chaos. I wasn't sure how well this would read but I have enjoyed the books. There were times when I felt like telling a character to shut-up but those moments weren't so many that it would spoil the books the books for me.

If you like YA Action Mystery Thrillers, then you should read this series. The third book is scheduled for May 1st and I'm looking forward to it.
Have you read the Kane Chronicles? Liked it?

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Pics of the Week

When posing for this picture I had no clue what Chenthil had in mind. The final outcome just amazes me. It just says so much about how I feel and who I am. The fact that Che thought of this frame says he's on the same road. This is going to be a good journey!

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Pics of the Week

Chenthil has just started a Project 365 in Photos and its already looking to be such fun. I'm looking forward to the experiments and being a part of them. These are my favourites of each week and why I love them...

We took over 15 takes to get this one right. A lot of bending to get the angle right, a change of clothes, and hair work. And that was easy. Then came the hard part of splashing cold cold water on my face over 15 times... burr... This one I'm going to remember for a while.

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Tips to Enhance Your Home Video Recording

In the last couple of weeks Preeti and I have been trying to record a few home videos and we’ve learned so much while recording and editing the videos.

We used a Canon 500D to record and it did a good job with the video but its biggest drawback was that it focuses on the highest volume sound at any point for the audio. That means that every time a dog barked that become the focus point for the audio recording and Preeti speaking got faded out.

We tried Audacity to remove noise from the audio file but found no way to correct these interruptions. Let me correct that, we found a way to remove sharp sounds but that also altered the vocals and we couldn’t seem to enhance just Preeti speaking. [If you know a way to do this please let me know in the comments. :) ]

In the whole process we learned a few things to keep in mind when recording. Here are a few tips you can use to make the video better even before you use editing tools like Audacity and MovieMaker.

1. Find a quite spot if possible. This is quite tough sometimes, especially if you have dogs and kids at home.

2. Record 10 seconds of silence at the start of the video. Do not speak during this time. You can use these 10 seconds as a sound profile in Audacity to remove background noises/hums like the fan, ac, refrigerator, etc. It’s a great way to enhance the audio of the video. Make sure there are no sudden loud sounds during this time, as sudden spikes in the sound profile will impact the entire audio quality.

3. While you are speaking if there are sudden sounds like dogs, construction, vehicles or even airplanes, stop speaking. Wait for the sound to fade away, then go back a sentence and start speaking again. These clips of noise can be deleted later when editing.

4. Record a separate audio track along with the video and audio on a camera. This audio track can be recorded on a range of devices. You can even use your smart phone to record this audio file. A hands free headset mic would work quite well to do this. You can then use this file in to fix the audio in the video.

Once you have a good recording of the audio and video you can use tools like Audacity, MovieMaker 2.6, MovieMaker Live and iMovie to edit and publish your video. There are a lot of videos available on how to use these tools, just Google it :). A quick tutorial will have you all set-up to try out and use these tools.

Do you make home videos? Have tips to add to make them better? Please share them in the comments.

Special thanks to Preeti for letting me help her with her videos and adding her two bits to this article. Preeti is a Wire Haired Dachshund breeder and a great resource on dogs and their behaviour. If you haven't seen her doggies you should at Windward.in.

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2011: A Year in Books

Before I get into the reading challenges I’m taking up this year I thought I’d take a look at the books I read last year.

So I did, and found some interesting stats and patterns from my reading last year. Here’s some of them –

Top Rated Books
Crooked House by Agatha Christie
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
Lessons in French by Laura Kinsale
Slave to Sensation by Nalini Singh
The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella
Shopaholic Takes Manhattan by Sophie Kinsella
Shopaholic Ties the Knot by Sophie Kinsella
Shopaholic and Sister by Sophie Kinsella
The Far Pavilions by M.M. Kaye


My Favourites for 2011

Books –
Crooked House by Agatha Christie
Black Sheep by Georgette Heyer
The Help by Kathryn Stockett
Fall of Giants by Ken Follett
Lessons in French by Laura Kinsale
The Far Pavilions by M.M. Kaye
The Host by Stephenie Meyer

Series –
The Belgariad by David Eddings
Bridgertons Series by Julia Quinn
Percy Jackson and the Olympians by Rick Riordan
Kane Chronicles by Rick Riordan
Shopaholic Series by Sophie Kinsella
The Hunger Games Series by Suzanne Collins

Most Read Authors
Nora Roberts – 9
Rick Riordan - 7
Sophie Kinsella - 6
David Eddings – 4
Eoin Colfer – 4

Most Read Month
February – 11
April – 9
May - 8
August – 8
March – 7
July – 6

Its interesting that the shortest month in the year has the most number of books read!

Most Read Genres
Romance – 29
YA – 29
Fantasy – 26
Paranormal - 13
Historical – 10
Chick-lit – 6

Looking back my choice of books says so much about the year. When I started out I wanted to read more Romance books. Not just the sappy romance but all the new genres I seemed to be seeing – Fantasy, Paranormal, Historical, Regency, etc. I think I accomplished that. I now know the difference between a fantasy romance and a paranormal one.

I found some exceptional books by chance. Don’t miss out on The Help and The Host. And not to forget my all time favourite that I now have parked permanently on my Kindle – The Far Pavillions.

I got the Kindle on June and since then I’ve read 17 books on it. I think that’s a good number. The Kindle has definitely increase the number of books I’m reading by making it easier to carry and access them.

What have you noticed in your reading in 2011? What were your favourite books? What would you recommend I should not miss reading in 2012?

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My 2011 GoodReads Challenge

My favourite book site is GoodReads for many reasons – here’s one.

I took up the Goodreads Challenge last year and aimed to read 50 books in the year. And yippee… I exceeded it. I read 66 books in the year and I’m trilled to have read so many books. 66 books less to read in the world :D

2011 was one the years in which I have read a lot of books and GoodReads has been a huge contributor. The reading challenge was motivating and the groups and members have been such fun to interact with. Growing up only a few of my friends were voracious readers but on GoodReads I’ve met so many more who made reading so much more fun. If you’re a reader you should be on GoodReads.

Here’s some interesting stats Goodreads has about the books I read last year.



Most of the books I read had been published after 1995.
7 books had be published before 1984.
And one was published in 1932!!!



I read 26,148 pages in the year!



I gave 10 books 5 stars!!
And 32 books got 4 stars.
Fall of Giants by Ken Follett was the longest book I read with 985 pages.
And there was only one book I did not finish!

How many books did you read in 2011? Are you on GoodReads?
Send me a friend request – Lets Connect! :)

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Project Facebook Timeline: Why & How To Get Timeline for your Facebook Profile

A friend moved his Facebook profile to the new Timeline and I liked what I saw and thought why not? So, what’s so great about Timeline and why should you switch.

Timeline offers you a way to navigate though someone’s life. You can go back to when they were born, went to college, dated, married, had kids, etc. It’s a great way to skim though the highlights of friend’s life.

Imagine you found a friend from college 10 years after passing out. It’s a thrill to find old friends on Facebook and I’m always on the lookout but when I do find them it seems like there has been such a gap in who they are now and whom I knew. Timeline’s great for that. I can scroll back in time and see the highlights of what my friend has been up to in the last 10 years; I like that idea.

Like a lot of Facebook ideas, Timeline will take sometime to get used to but after a while you’d be wondering how you lived without it. Its one of those things I like and don’t like about Facebook. Mark seems to know what I need better than I do – that’s a bit rattling.

You should get Timeline if you’d like friends to be able to see the highlights of you life. It’s a nice way to tell the story of your life and share those high points.
So how do you get Timeline and what do you need to do to set it up?

Timeline is still a choice but soon it will be rolled out for everyone whether you want it or not. I recommend getting it early, that way you have more time to play with it and set it up.

When you choose to use Timeline, note that there is no going back. You cannot disable it, so think before you hit the Get Timeline button.

To get Timeline for your Facebook account click here.

Aside: If you want to remember what your Facebook profile looked like before Timeline, remember to take screenshots before clicking the button. Here’s how my Profile looked before Timeline. :)



Now that you’ve enabled Timeline, you need to know that it is visible only to you for the next 7 days. Facebook gives you 7 days to set up Timeline the way you want it to look before its published and visible to friends and everyone else (based on your Privacy Settings).

Here’s are things to do in the next 7 days.

1. Add a Cover Image to your profile. This is different from your profile picture and is a great way to say something about yourself. This image can be changed and edited over time as your life story progresses.



My husband and 3 dogs are a big part of my life and say so much about me.

2. Update your profile information. Add in work details, school details, etc. It makes finding you easier (assuming you want to be found :D)

3. Now the most important job to be done; also the one that takes the most amount of time. Go though your Timeline and remove the posts and status messages you don’t want shown in the Timeline. You don’t need to delete them, just hide them.

At the top-right-hand corner of each post you will find a little settings button when you mouse-over the post. Click the button and choose your option.

You can either scroll down the Timeline to go through posts or go to the Activity Log from your Profile page (the button shows just below your Cover image) to do your house keeping.

4. If you’ve cleared up your Timeline before the 7-day deadline, you can go ahead and publish it to make it public or just wait for it to be published after 7 days.

5. Last but not the least – remember that the house keeping you did isn’t a one-time activity. It’s an ongoing job. You should come back from time to time and clear up posts you don’t want seen.

Here’s what my Timeline looks like.



Have you got Timeline for your Facebook Profile? What do you think about it? Like it?

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New Year Resolutions: A Guide to 2012

First up - Happy New Year! Hope this year exceeds all your expectations :-)

For me this year started on a great note. After a very long time (or maybe never) I slept before midnight on 31st and woke up early morning on the 1st. It's my first new year without a hangover in many many years :-D

The 1st was a packed day with family, friends, movies and planning - a good day and good start to the year. There are a lot of things I'd like to do this year and that's where resolutions come in.

New Year Resolutions, I've made them every year and broken them too. Like I've been saying for years resolutions are meant to be broken. But are they really? What if they weren't hard and fast and were just a guideline for the year.

I'd like to plan what I would like to do in the year and at the end look back to see if it worked out to plan.

So here's a few things I plan to do.

Learn to use the Mac well
My Christmas, New Year and a lot of other days combined present was a Mac Book Air. I've been a Linux and Windows user until now and the Mac is an all-new ball game. This year I want to spend time learning to use the Mac effectively and productively. I hope to learn tips and tricks to using the Mac and hope to be comfortable with the system by the end of the year.

Learn a new craft
I love to learn new things and haven’t learned something new in a while. This year a want to learn to do something new. I haven’t made up my mind yet on what it will be but I intend to learn something new. Maybe woodwork, gardening, or a new paper craft. I know a few things like knitting, crochet, quilling, glass painting, etc. Do you have any recommendations?

Blog regularly
I intend to make this blog more regular. There is so much I’d like to talk about and share. This year I hope to do that, I want to review the books I read, the movies I watch, share new things I have learned and of course voice my opinions and rants.

Mission Cuckoo
I have three dogs and they are a handful. This year I hope to spend time with Cuckoo (my first). Give her a lot of exercise both in mind and body. Spend time understanding her and teaching her new tricks. My two small boys need a lot of exercise and love. They don’t like playing so much so the challenge is to see if I can find a game they like to play.

Read 50 books and watch 50 movies
2011 saw me read 65 books. I hadn’t planned to read so many and I’m thrilled that I did. This years target is to read at least 50 books through the year and share them my views about them on the blog. I also want to catch up on movies (I have a huge backlog) and watch at least 50 that I really enjoy.

G Reader subscriptions
I followed a lot of blogs in 2011, so many that I’ve got overwhelmed by the sheer number of them I have to read. This year I’d like to start again from starch. Find blogs that I love to read and redo my Google Reader subscriptions.

Calendars
Calendars have helped me remember and get work done but these again over time have multiplied and just got very clogged. This year I intend to spend time sorting them out and making them productive and useful.

Get more tech savvy
I have a lot of technology around me and use it too but my knowledge is quite limited. This year I will spend time learning to use all electronic devices in my life more effectively. Like this post – I started writing it on the Android phone and now I’m finishing it on the Mac :)

There’s a lot more I’d like to do and I’d like to see what the year looks like in review in 2013. This but just a start…

What are your resolutions for the year? Do you have a to-do list too?

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