I feature in the Forbes 2014 list of Top 100 Celebrity Indian Authors
Tuesday, August 11, 2015
Tuesday, April 8, 2014
Thursday, July 25, 2013
Tuesday, June 25, 2013
Friday, March 1, 2013
Monday, February 18, 2013
Friday, January 4, 2013
Thursday, August 9, 2012
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Monday, October 17, 2011
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Monday, May 23, 2011
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Fields of watermelon burst in China farm fiasco
Watermelons have been bursting by the score in eastern China after farmers gave them overdoses of growth chemicals during wet weather, creating what state media called fields of "land mines."
About 20 farmers around Danyang city in Jiangsu province were affected, losing up to 115 acres (45 hectares) of melon, China Central Television said in an investigative report.
Prices over the past year prompted many farmers to jump into the watermelon market. All of those with exploding melons apparently were first-time users of the growth accelerator forchlorfenuron, though it has been widely available for some time, CCTV said in the report broadcast on May 16th night.
Chinese regulations don't forbid the drug, and it is allowed in the U.S. on kiwi fruit and grapes. But the report underscores how farmers in China are abusing both legal and illegal chemicals, with many farms misusing pesticides and fertilizers.
About 20 farmers around Danyang city in Jiangsu province were affected, losing up to 115 acres (45 hectares) of melon, China Central Television said in an investigative report.
Prices over the past year prompted many farmers to jump into the watermelon market. All of those with exploding melons apparently were first-time users of the growth accelerator forchlorfenuron, though it has been widely available for some time, CCTV said in the report broadcast on May 16th night.
Chinese regulations don't forbid the drug, and it is allowed in the U.S. on kiwi fruit and grapes. But the report underscores how farmers in China are abusing both legal and illegal chemicals, with many farms misusing pesticides and fertilizers.
Friday, May 13, 2011
Monday, April 11, 2011
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Weight A Minute: Top Five Weight-loss Myths Busted
Among the numerous myths floating around us all the times, myths about weight loss keep on surfacing every now and them.
They are all around us: on the Web, friends keep delivering sermons on them or they can be found in the latest issue of a celebrity magazine. On this World Health Day, let’s to rip apart five grave misconceptions related to weight loss.
Myth 1: Giving Up the Breakfast
Skipping breakfast would only undo your efforts of losing weight. A high-nutrient breakfast gives our body the much-needed calorie burning start. Just make sure that your breakfast is composed of healthy stuff like sprouts, juices, etc and it's not equivalent to the heavy meals you enjoy at weddings.
Myth 2: Carbs are my worst enemy
All carbs aren't bad. Soda, a carbohydrate, is bad but broccoli, another carbohydrate, is good. All you need to figure out is which carbs are good for you instead of worrying about the overall carb intake. Rely on veggies, fruits, and high-fiber whole grains (but do not indulge in gluttony). If you can't resist a tempting carb, say an ice-cream, burn it off with exercise.
Myth 3: I shouldn't eat after 6 in the evening
There's no magic time to get done with food for the day. Just stop devouring food which is bad for your health. For instance, if you're watching a late night movie on television force yourself to not eat junk food like ice creams, chips, burgers etc, rather go for salads, fruits etc.
Myth 4: All I have to do is to cut down calories
Not entirely true. While total intake of calories does matter, the source from which you get them is also important. You get almost the same number of calories from a handful of almonds and 3 apples as you would get from a cheeseburger and coke. But you know that you have to choose the former.
Myth 5: All I need is that magic pill to help me shed pounds
Sorry to inform but there are no miracle pills, potions, creams, belts and shoes which can help you grow muscles or cut flab in no time (as they might claim). These supplements may help but then you have to supplement them with right dietary and fitness programmes to extract the benefit out of them.
Friday, April 8, 2011
Saturday, March 26, 2011
MY SEVEN BOOKS (SO FAR) ...
DECEIVERS (Pustak Mahal - Cedar) PUBLISHED : Thriller THE INHERITANCE (Atlantic - Peacock) PUBLISHED : Thriller THE LANDLORD'S SECRET AND OTHER STORIES (Atlantic - Peacock) PUBLISHED : Teenage Fiction / Mystery MILLENNIUM CITY (Prakash Books) ABOUT TO BE RELEASED : Crime / Mystery HIGH ALERT (Atlantic - Peacock) ABOUT TO BE PUBLISHED : Thriller TRUTH IS STRANGER THAN FICTION (Atlantic - Peacock) ABOUT TO BE PUBLISHED : Non Fiction A MILLION SECONDS TO LATE (Popular Prakashan) WILL BE RELEASED IN JULY : Crime / Mystery
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Sunday, February 6, 2011
The most prolific writers in literary history:
The most prolific writers in literary history:
1. MARY FAULKNER (1903-1973) 904 books
Faulkner, a South African writer is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the world's most prolific writer. She wrote under a number of pseudonyms, the most famous being Kathleen Lindsey.
2. LAURAN PAINE (b. 1916) 850 + books
Paine's contribution often goes obscured by the fact that she wrote under over seventy different pen names. Her novels were mainly American western stories with some mysteries and romance stories as well.
3. PRENTISS INGRAHAM (1843-1904) 600 + books
This American dime novelist is said to have been able to write a 35,000-word book overnight. One of his favourite subjects was Buffalo Bill and he managed to turn out over 200 books on that subject alone.
3. JOZEF IGNACY KRASZEWSKI (1812-1887) 600 + books
Kraszewski was a Polish writer of novels, plays, poetry, essays, biographies, history, memoirs, and political sketches.
5. ENID MARY BLYTON (1900? -1968) 600 books
Blyton was a British writer of children's books, which still have massive worldwide appeal. She is famous for creating such classics as the Secret Seven, the Famous Five and Noddy.
6. JOHN CREASEY (1908-1973) 564 books
A British mystery writer and the creator of Inspector West and Gideon.
7. SUYUTI (1445-1505) 561 books
The first author on the list to take us back before modern times. This Arab writer of encyclopaedias wrote on almost every subject and is probably best known for his commentaries on the Koran.
8. URSULA BLOOM (b. 1898?) 520 + books
This English novelist specialised in romances under a series of pen names and also wrote some non-fiction under her own name.
9. GEORGES SIMENON (b. 1903) 500 + books
The name may not be that familiar but having published 200 books under his own name and another 300 under a collection of other names he deserves his place on the list. It is from his most famous literary creation that he is best known, Inspector Maigret.
10. HOWARD ROGER GARIS (1873-1962) 500 + books
American writer of children's books and creator of Uncle Wiggily.
4 minutes ago · LikeUnlike · · Unsubscribe
1. MARY FAULKNER (1903-1973) 904 books
Faulkner, a South African writer is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the world's most prolific writer. She wrote under a number of pseudonyms, the most famous being Kathleen Lindsey.
2. LAURAN PAINE (b. 1916) 850 + books
Paine's contribution often goes obscured by the fact that she wrote under over seventy different pen names. Her novels were mainly American western stories with some mysteries and romance stories as well.
3. PRENTISS INGRAHAM (1843-1904) 600 + books
This American dime novelist is said to have been able to write a 35,000-word book overnight. One of his favourite subjects was Buffalo Bill and he managed to turn out over 200 books on that subject alone.
3. JOZEF IGNACY KRASZEWSKI (1812-1887) 600 + books
Kraszewski was a Polish writer of novels, plays, poetry, essays, biographies, history, memoirs, and political sketches.
5. ENID MARY BLYTON (1900? -1968) 600 books
Blyton was a British writer of children's books, which still have massive worldwide appeal. She is famous for creating such classics as the Secret Seven, the Famous Five and Noddy.
6. JOHN CREASEY (1908-1973) 564 books
A British mystery writer and the creator of Inspector West and Gideon.
7. SUYUTI (1445-1505) 561 books
The first author on the list to take us back before modern times. This Arab writer of encyclopaedias wrote on almost every subject and is probably best known for his commentaries on the Koran.
8. URSULA BLOOM (b. 1898?) 520 + books
This English novelist specialised in romances under a series of pen names and also wrote some non-fiction under her own name.
9. GEORGES SIMENON (b. 1903) 500 + books
The name may not be that familiar but having published 200 books under his own name and another 300 under a collection of other names he deserves his place on the list. It is from his most famous literary creation that he is best known, Inspector Maigret.
10. HOWARD ROGER GARIS (1873-1962) 500 + books
American writer of children's books and creator of Uncle Wiggily.
4 minutes ago · LikeUnlike · · Unsubscribe
10 Books About Real World Crimes
There are a ton of stories and books out there that portray ruthless crimes and brutal murders but real-life crimes books should not only let you in on the hard facts of the crimes committed but also give some insight into the minds of the accused. The following books written after notorious real life- crimes are must reads:
• In Cold Blood
Written in 1966 by Truman Capote, In Cold Blood details the accounts of the brutal murders of Herbert Clutter, who was a wealthy Kansas farmer, his wife and two of their children. After reading a small news clip about the murders with no motives and no suspects, Capote became interested in the case and traveled to Kansas to compile information to write the book. The book is an examination of the intense relationship between two parolees who met in jail and conspired to committ the mass murder of the wealthy family.
• Helter Skelter
Written in 1974 by Vincent Bugliosi and Curt Gentry, Helter Skelter became a bestseller and won an Edgar Award in 1975 for the Best Fact Crime book. The book was written about the murders committed in 1969 by Charles Manson and his followers who were also known as the Manson Family. Vincent Bugliosi was the prosecuting attorney in the the Manson trial and wrote the book based on his knowledge and accounts of what he describes as one of the most horrifying cases he had seen.
• Savage Son
Written by Corey Mitchell, Savage Son tells the story of Bart Whitaker, who was about to graduate from college, when his family was murdered. One night after Bart’s brother opened the front door to their house a masked intruder shot him, his mother, his father and Bart; Bart and his father, Kent survived the attack. The investigation uncovered a double life and a ruthless murder for hire plot on Bart’s behalf. Mitchell became intrigued with the reputed All-American boy and looked into the backgrounds of Bart and his friends, who were also involved with the murders, to write the book.
• Killer Clown: The John Wayne Gacy Murders
Written in 1983, by Terry Sullivan and Peter T. Maiken, Killer Clown recounts the story of John Wayne Gacy who was convicted in 1979 of killing 33 young men. Gacy became known as the “Killer Clown” because he dressed up as a clown at children’s birthday parties and at fundraisers. Sullivan, who was the Illinois prosecuting attorney, wrote the book as he recalled the case, the interviews and the chilling discoveries of the boys all aged between 14 and 21; most were found buried in the crawl space underneath the basement of Gacy’s home.
• The Lives and Times of Bonnie & Clyde
Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow were well known outlaws born in Texas in the early 1900’s who, with the help of their gang, notoriously wreaked havoc in the Central and Southern U.S. during the Great Depression. The book, written by Dr. E. R. Milner, tells of the daily news worthy acts of the group as well as the frustration law enforcement endured as they managed to escape out of reach every single time. Milner spent 10 years researching the crew and their 2 year crime spree.
• While They Slept
Written by Kathryn Harrison, While They Slept recalls the story of 18 year old Billy Gilley, who bludgeoned his parents and 11 year old sister to death in 1984. Harrison writes on the alleged abuse and statements of Gilley, who believed the murder of his parents would free him from the abusive home and environment in which they lived. Gilley’s then 16 year old sister, who was in the home the night of the murders (and is now estranged from Gilley) argued the severity of the abuse and both siblings have made significant contributions with information to the composition of the book.
• Columbine
Written by Dave Cullen, Columbine recalls the 1999 school shootings at Columbine, in which Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold masterminded. Harris and Kleberg attempted to blow up their school but when their bombs didn’t ignite, they took out their guns and sprayed gunfire around the campus in every direction they could. Cullen explores the brutality of the masterminds, which were left in journals, letters, and notes, and compiled thousands of FBI pages, interviews, and files to compile the book.
• The Profiler
Written by Pat Brown and Bob Andelman, The Profiler shows how Pat Brown started her life as a criminal profiler. After a young woman was murdered near her home in 1990, Brown quickly suspected the young man renting a room in her house was responsible. After gathering evidence, police dismissed her accusations thinking she had too much time on her hands. Six years later the young man was finally sought and Brown is now one of the nation’s few female profilers and opens up about her determinations in this book.
• Tacoma Confidential
Written by Paul LaRosa, Tacoma Confidential tells the chilling story of David Brame, the chief of police in Tacoma, Washington who killed his estranged wife, Crystal Brame. Brame shot his wife to death in a busy parking lot a few feet away from their two children. The book explores the chain of events that led up to the murder-suicide, as Barme killed himself immediately following her murder. LaRosa also explains in the book how shocked the community was and how mishandled the investigation became.
• Till Death Do Us Part: Love, Marriage and the Mind of the Killer Spouse
Written by pyschotherapist Dr. Robi Ludwig and Mark Birkbeck, Till Death Do Us Part presents and explores the minds of notorious killers who have murdered their spouses or intimate partners. The book brings to light the personality types of killer spouses with examples from high profile cases such as Scott Peterson, and provides an analysis of their motives for the murders.
• In Cold Blood
Written in 1966 by Truman Capote, In Cold Blood details the accounts of the brutal murders of Herbert Clutter, who was a wealthy Kansas farmer, his wife and two of their children. After reading a small news clip about the murders with no motives and no suspects, Capote became interested in the case and traveled to Kansas to compile information to write the book. The book is an examination of the intense relationship between two parolees who met in jail and conspired to committ the mass murder of the wealthy family.
• Helter Skelter
Written in 1974 by Vincent Bugliosi and Curt Gentry, Helter Skelter became a bestseller and won an Edgar Award in 1975 for the Best Fact Crime book. The book was written about the murders committed in 1969 by Charles Manson and his followers who were also known as the Manson Family. Vincent Bugliosi was the prosecuting attorney in the the Manson trial and wrote the book based on his knowledge and accounts of what he describes as one of the most horrifying cases he had seen.
• Savage Son
Written by Corey Mitchell, Savage Son tells the story of Bart Whitaker, who was about to graduate from college, when his family was murdered. One night after Bart’s brother opened the front door to their house a masked intruder shot him, his mother, his father and Bart; Bart and his father, Kent survived the attack. The investigation uncovered a double life and a ruthless murder for hire plot on Bart’s behalf. Mitchell became intrigued with the reputed All-American boy and looked into the backgrounds of Bart and his friends, who were also involved with the murders, to write the book.
• Killer Clown: The John Wayne Gacy Murders
Written in 1983, by Terry Sullivan and Peter T. Maiken, Killer Clown recounts the story of John Wayne Gacy who was convicted in 1979 of killing 33 young men. Gacy became known as the “Killer Clown” because he dressed up as a clown at children’s birthday parties and at fundraisers. Sullivan, who was the Illinois prosecuting attorney, wrote the book as he recalled the case, the interviews and the chilling discoveries of the boys all aged between 14 and 21; most were found buried in the crawl space underneath the basement of Gacy’s home.
• The Lives and Times of Bonnie & Clyde
Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow were well known outlaws born in Texas in the early 1900’s who, with the help of their gang, notoriously wreaked havoc in the Central and Southern U.S. during the Great Depression. The book, written by Dr. E. R. Milner, tells of the daily news worthy acts of the group as well as the frustration law enforcement endured as they managed to escape out of reach every single time. Milner spent 10 years researching the crew and their 2 year crime spree.
• While They Slept
Written by Kathryn Harrison, While They Slept recalls the story of 18 year old Billy Gilley, who bludgeoned his parents and 11 year old sister to death in 1984. Harrison writes on the alleged abuse and statements of Gilley, who believed the murder of his parents would free him from the abusive home and environment in which they lived. Gilley’s then 16 year old sister, who was in the home the night of the murders (and is now estranged from Gilley) argued the severity of the abuse and both siblings have made significant contributions with information to the composition of the book.
• Columbine
Written by Dave Cullen, Columbine recalls the 1999 school shootings at Columbine, in which Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold masterminded. Harris and Kleberg attempted to blow up their school but when their bombs didn’t ignite, they took out their guns and sprayed gunfire around the campus in every direction they could. Cullen explores the brutality of the masterminds, which were left in journals, letters, and notes, and compiled thousands of FBI pages, interviews, and files to compile the book.
• The Profiler
Written by Pat Brown and Bob Andelman, The Profiler shows how Pat Brown started her life as a criminal profiler. After a young woman was murdered near her home in 1990, Brown quickly suspected the young man renting a room in her house was responsible. After gathering evidence, police dismissed her accusations thinking she had too much time on her hands. Six years later the young man was finally sought and Brown is now one of the nation’s few female profilers and opens up about her determinations in this book.
• Tacoma Confidential
Written by Paul LaRosa, Tacoma Confidential tells the chilling story of David Brame, the chief of police in Tacoma, Washington who killed his estranged wife, Crystal Brame. Brame shot his wife to death in a busy parking lot a few feet away from their two children. The book explores the chain of events that led up to the murder-suicide, as Barme killed himself immediately following her murder. LaRosa also explains in the book how shocked the community was and how mishandled the investigation became.
• Till Death Do Us Part: Love, Marriage and the Mind of the Killer Spouse
Written by pyschotherapist Dr. Robi Ludwig and Mark Birkbeck, Till Death Do Us Part presents and explores the minds of notorious killers who have murdered their spouses or intimate partners. The book brings to light the personality types of killer spouses with examples from high profile cases such as Scott Peterson, and provides an analysis of their motives for the murders.
SOME BOOKS THAT HELPED CHANGED THE WORLD
SOME BOOKS THAT HELPED CHANGED THE WORLD
Das Kapital
Karl Marx
His thinking may not be as popular as it was in the Sixties and Seventies, but it's as relevant. The cardinal critique of the capitalist system.
The Rights of Man
Tom Paine
Written during the heady days of the French Revolution, Paine's pamphlet - by introducing the concept of human rights - remains one of modern democracy's fundamental texts.
The Social Contract
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
'Man is born free; and everywhere he is in chains.' How are we to reconcile our individual rights and freedoms with living in a society?
Democracy in America
Alexis de Tocqueville
This treatise looked to the new country's flourishing democracy in the early 19th century and the progressive model it offered ‘old’ Europe.
On War
Carl von Clausewitz
The first, and probably still foremost, treatise on the art of modern warfare. The Prussian general looked beyond the battlefield to war's place in the broader political context.
The Prince
Niccolo Machiavelli
Written during his exile from the Florentine Republic, Machiavelli's bible of realpolitik offers the ultimate mandate for those (still-too-many) politicians who value keeping power above dispensing justice.
Leviathan
Thomas Hobbes
Hobbes's call for rule by an absolute sovereign may not sound too progressive, but it was based on the then-groundbreaking belief that all men are naturally equal.
On the Interpretation of Dreams
Sigmund Freud
Drawing on his own dreams, plus those of his patients, Freud asserted that dreams – by tapping into our unconscious – held the key to understanding what makes us tick.
On the Origin of Species
Charles Darwin
No other book has so transformed how we look at the natural world and mankind's origins.
Das Kapital
Karl Marx
His thinking may not be as popular as it was in the Sixties and Seventies, but it's as relevant. The cardinal critique of the capitalist system.
The Rights of Man
Tom Paine
Written during the heady days of the French Revolution, Paine's pamphlet - by introducing the concept of human rights - remains one of modern democracy's fundamental texts.
The Social Contract
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
'Man is born free; and everywhere he is in chains.' How are we to reconcile our individual rights and freedoms with living in a society?
Democracy in America
Alexis de Tocqueville
This treatise looked to the new country's flourishing democracy in the early 19th century and the progressive model it offered ‘old’ Europe.
On War
Carl von Clausewitz
The first, and probably still foremost, treatise on the art of modern warfare. The Prussian general looked beyond the battlefield to war's place in the broader political context.
The Prince
Niccolo Machiavelli
Written during his exile from the Florentine Republic, Machiavelli's bible of realpolitik offers the ultimate mandate for those (still-too-many) politicians who value keeping power above dispensing justice.
Leviathan
Thomas Hobbes
Hobbes's call for rule by an absolute sovereign may not sound too progressive, but it was based on the then-groundbreaking belief that all men are naturally equal.
On the Interpretation of Dreams
Sigmund Freud
Drawing on his own dreams, plus those of his patients, Freud asserted that dreams – by tapping into our unconscious – held the key to understanding what makes us tick.
On the Origin of Species
Charles Darwin
No other book has so transformed how we look at the natural world and mankind's origins.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Most widely read books of all time:
The Bible - 3.9 Billion Copies
Quotations from the Works of Mao Tse-tung - 820 Million Copies
The Harry Potter series (by J. K. Rowling) - 400 Million Copies
Lord of the Rings (by J. R. R. Tolkien) - 103 Million Copies
The Alchemist (by Paulo Coelho) - 65 Million Copies
The Da Vinci Code (by Dan Brown) - 57 Million Copies
Twilight - The Saga (by Stephenie Meyer) - 43 Million Copies
Gone With the Wind (by Margaret Mitchell) - 33 Million Copies
Think and Grow Rich (by Napoleon Hill) - 30 Million Copies
Diary of Anne Frank (by Anne Frank) - 27 Million Copies
Quotations from the Works of Mao Tse-tung - 820 Million Copies
The Harry Potter series (by J. K. Rowling) - 400 Million Copies
Lord of the Rings (by J. R. R. Tolkien) - 103 Million Copies
The Alchemist (by Paulo Coelho) - 65 Million Copies
The Da Vinci Code (by Dan Brown) - 57 Million Copies
Twilight - The Saga (by Stephenie Meyer) - 43 Million Copies
Gone With the Wind (by Margaret Mitchell) - 33 Million Copies
Think and Grow Rich (by Napoleon Hill) - 30 Million Copies
Diary of Anne Frank (by Anne Frank) - 27 Million Copies
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Friday, January 14, 2011
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
My first book DECEIVERS can now be previewed on Google Books....(click on the link below)
http://www.a1books.co.in/searchdetail.do?a1Code=booksgoogle&itemCode=8122311458
http://www.a1books.co.in/searchdetail.do?a1Code=booksgoogle&itemCode=8122311458
Sunday, December 19, 2010
An Excerpt From My Book: "A Matter Of Survival"
I am an Olive Ridely Sea Turtle. I get my name from the olive (or green/grey) colour of my heart-shaped shell. I am also called the Pacific Ridely.
I am one of the smallest of sea turtles inhabiting the world’s oceans. I am only about two feet long and weigh just over thirty-five kilograms. The males of my species never weigh more than thirty three kilograms. I have come to the coastal waters bordering this beach called Gahirmatha, located on the eastern coast of the country called India, to nest.
Along with hundreds to thousands of my sisters, I nest two times a year on this beach and deposit between 100 and 110 eggs per nest. Hatchlings emerge from the eggs after fifty or sixty days of incubation in the nest.
After the eggs hatch, the little turtles, my children, along with many thousands of other hatchlings, will travel across the beach to the water – their new home.
Many will not make the short distance from the nest to the sea. They will fall prey to predators like vultures from the sky or jackals and snakes on the ground. But those who cross this most important challenge so early in their lives will, like me, go on to inhabit the waters of the open ocean and the wonderful world just beneath the surface of the undulating waves.
I have travelled many thousands of miles, thru’ choppy seas and dangerous waters, to get here. I do not have many enemies in the ocean – but sharks and killer whales do attack if they are hungry and a sea turtle is the only meal ticket in sight. My sisters and I migrate like this all together, in very large numbers, about twice a year. Once nesting is over, we go back from the beaches and shallow waters to the open ocean – our home.
I live in the middle of the ocean, inhabiting the upper, sunlit regions, where most ocean organisms live. Food is abundant there – lower down, in the unlit zones, water pressure is high, temperatures are cold, and food sources scarce.
I am not vey particular about what I eat: my diet includes crabs, shrimp, rock lobsters, jellyfish and tunicates. If nothing else is available, then even algae works for me. All this is abundantly available in the open ocean, in the upper, sunlit regions, where I live most of the year, except during the nesting season. Then I need to forage in coastal waters and estuaries.
The most remarkable characteristic of my species is our nesting strategy. Hundreds to thousands of us females converge in coastal waters then come ashore simultaneously in a spectacular mass-nesting event known as an “arribada” (this is a Spanish word meaning “arrival by sea”). Human scientists also term this behavior of ours as “synchronized nesting in mass numbers”.
During our massive nesting aggregations, known as arribadas or arribazones, many thousands of us female Olive Ridely Sea Turtles nest in large simultaneous waves over small stretches of beach.
We generally begin to aggregate near nesting beaches approximately two months before nesting season.
How do I know that the time is right for the arribada? Human scientists have conducted research in order to find the answer to this question and have offered several theories.
One theory suggests that we female turtles release a hormonal scent or pheromone that queues the beginning of the event. There is also evidence that these mass-nesting events coincide with certain phases of the lunar cycle. I really do not know. There is this instinct, passed down thru’ the generations, over a period of a million years, that tells my sisters and me – all of us around the same moment (give or take a few days or weeks) – when the time has come to begin our migration to the coast. For humans, this continues to be one of nature’s great mysteries.
The majority of us Olive Ridelys who live in the Indian Ocean nest in two or three large aggregations near Gahirmatha which is located in the Bhitarkanika Widlife Sanctuary of the province of Orissa in the country called India. I am told that this is one of the largest Olive Ridely nesting populations in the world, with about 400,000 of us sisters nesting every year. However, our numbers have come down very much. Legend has it that, not more than twenty years ago, 600,000 turtles, the mothers of our mothers, nested along the coast of Orissa, from Paradip to Chilika, in one week.
Since then, our numbers have reduced. We are suffering high mortality for various reasons. Many hundreds of my sisters have met their deaths due to near shore gill nets and trawl fisheries.
Humans are our biggest enemies. They hunger for our eggs. When given an opportunity, they slaughter my nesting sisters on the beach. They try to catch us at sea, with these huge nets, for commercial sale of both our meat and hides.
We Olive Ridely turtles are widely distributed across the globe in tropical and sub-tropical oceans of the world – but our largest nesting aggregations occur in the beaches of Orissa in the Indian Ocean. Nesting occurs elsewhere along the Coromandel Coast and Sri Lanka, but in scattered locations.
In the Pacific Ocean, arribadas occur only within the tropical eastern Pacific, in Central America and Mexico. In Costa Rico, arribadas occur at Nancite and Ostional beaches. There are two active arribadas in Nicaragua; Chacocente and La Flor; and a small nesting ground in Pacific Panama. My sisters tell me that there were several arribadas in Mexico, yet only one remains at Playa Escobilla in Oaxaca.
The primary threat to my species comes from human predation in the nesting habitat. The arribada with its large congregation of nesting females makes it possible for humans to collect huge quantities of eggs and kill or collect (to sell in the market) hundreds or even thousands of us turtles in one night. This practice of mass harvesting and killing over the past sixty years has caused local populations of Olive Ridelys to plummet in many areas of the globe.
I believe that the total population of my species worldwide has fallen by an astounding fifty percent during the last fifty years.
I believe that humans have labeled my species as endangered.
Another form of human intrusion that threatens us sea turtles is the permanent destruction of the nesting habitat through coastal degradation and so-called ‘development’.
‘Development’ like the huge factory complex and port that are being built near our favourite beaches in Orissa.
‘Development’ like the dredging and excavation activity that will be carried out on vast tracts of seabed near our favourite beaches to enable this port to be built. The digging up of the seabed for creation of the port will also destroy parts of the beaches we love to nest in and will disturb what human scientists call “aquatic ecosystems” – and what I know as sources of food and of life itself.
Where will we go to nest now?
Friday, October 22, 2010
The first buyer of my second book - Shivangi Dhingra....
The first buyer of my second book - Shivangi Dhingra....
Friday, October 15, 2010
My second novel: "The Inheritance" has been published...
Cheers! My second novel: "The Inheritance" has been published. Click on the following link to check out the details and also to place an order on the publisher's website: http://www.atlanticbooks.com/browse/details.asp?id=22396
Monday, October 11, 2010
10 Tips For A Healthy Heart
A strong heart is a result of healthy lifestyle choices. Be active and stress-free.
Today's fast-paced life and workplace pressures escalate stress levels, taking a toll on one's heart. We must realise that the healing power of the body decreases when under stress, leading to many complications like hypertension and poor immunity. Today, even youngsters are prone to heart ailments. So, it's very important to stay healthy and manage your stress levels by understanding the risk factors — high cholesterol levels, stressful lifestyle, smoking, and lack of exercise — following simple changes in lifestyle.
Avoid smoking
Smoking reduces life expectancy by 15-25 years. If you are a smoker, you are twice more likely to have a heart attack than a non-smoker. The moment you stop smoking, the risk of heart attack begins to reduce.
Cut down on salt
Too much salt can cause high blood pressure, which increases the risk of developing coronary heart disease. Watch your diet Try to have a balanced diet. Eat fresh fruits and vegetables, starch foods such as wholegrain bread and rice.
Monitor your alcohol
Too much alcohol can damage the heart muscle, increase blood pressure and also lead to weight gain. Avoid intake of alcohol or at least limit it to one to two units a day, gradually decreasing the consumption.
Get active
At least aim for 30 minutes of moderate exercise a day. Keeping yourself fit not only benefits the heart but also improves mental health and well-being.
Monitor your BP, blood sugar and cholesterol levels
Routine medical check-ups will ring an alarm, if you need medical help.
Manage your waist
Cholesterol deposition in blood vessels begins in the first decade of life. Carrying a lot of extra weight as fat can greatly affect your health. Make small but healthy changes in your diet.
Manage your stress level
If you find things are getting on top of you, you may fail to eat properly, smoke and drink too much. This may increase your risk of a heart attack. Practice yoga/meditation. Take a vacation.
Check your family history
If a close relative is at risk of developing coronary heart disease from smoking, high BP, high cholesterol, lack of physical activity, obesity and diabetes, then you could be at risk too.
Laughter is the best therapy
Laughter anytime will work wonders for you. It is an instant way to unleash the pressure and it makes you feel light.
Today's fast-paced life and workplace pressures escalate stress levels, taking a toll on one's heart. We must realise that the healing power of the body decreases when under stress, leading to many complications like hypertension and poor immunity. Today, even youngsters are prone to heart ailments. So, it's very important to stay healthy and manage your stress levels by understanding the risk factors — high cholesterol levels, stressful lifestyle, smoking, and lack of exercise — following simple changes in lifestyle.
Avoid smoking
Smoking reduces life expectancy by 15-25 years. If you are a smoker, you are twice more likely to have a heart attack than a non-smoker. The moment you stop smoking, the risk of heart attack begins to reduce.
Cut down on salt
Too much salt can cause high blood pressure, which increases the risk of developing coronary heart disease. Watch your diet Try to have a balanced diet. Eat fresh fruits and vegetables, starch foods such as wholegrain bread and rice.
Monitor your alcohol
Too much alcohol can damage the heart muscle, increase blood pressure and also lead to weight gain. Avoid intake of alcohol or at least limit it to one to two units a day, gradually decreasing the consumption.
Get active
At least aim for 30 minutes of moderate exercise a day. Keeping yourself fit not only benefits the heart but also improves mental health and well-being.
Monitor your BP, blood sugar and cholesterol levels
Routine medical check-ups will ring an alarm, if you need medical help.
Manage your waist
Cholesterol deposition in blood vessels begins in the first decade of life. Carrying a lot of extra weight as fat can greatly affect your health. Make small but healthy changes in your diet.
Manage your stress level
If you find things are getting on top of you, you may fail to eat properly, smoke and drink too much. This may increase your risk of a heart attack. Practice yoga/meditation. Take a vacation.
Check your family history
If a close relative is at risk of developing coronary heart disease from smoking, high BP, high cholesterol, lack of physical activity, obesity and diabetes, then you could be at risk too.
Laughter is the best therapy
Laughter anytime will work wonders for you. It is an instant way to unleash the pressure and it makes you feel light.
Friday, October 8, 2010
UK village offers 'public sex'...
(Courtesy: Puttenham Journal)
PUTTENHAM, England — There was the man they called “Bob the Builder,” who wore only a hard hat. There was the naked sunbather who remarked, “Nice day for it, isn’t it?” to a woman taking a walk. And there was the moment, Jules Perkins said, when the dizzying array of sexual forces that have somehow descended on her blameless Surrey village came together all at once, like a scene from a one-size-fits-all X-rated film.
“There were two blokes sitting side by side, watching a man and a woman having sex,” Ms. Perkins said, describing what happened as she strolled with her dog on the hill between her house and the Hog’s Back ridge. “Nearby, there were two men sunbathing together, wearing nothing but tight little white underpants.”
Later, she found a pink vibrator in the bushes.
“I gave it to the police,” she said. “They said, ‘What should we do with it?’ I said, ‘Put it in Lost Property.’ ”
Puttenham, about an hour’s drive from London, has fewer than 2,500 residents and is famous for its ancient church; its friendly pub, the Good Intent; and its proud inclusion in both the Doomesday Book — an 11th-century survey of English lands — and “Brave New World.”
Unhappily for many people here, it is also famous for being featured on lists of good places to go “dogging” — that is, to have sex in public, sometimes with partners you have just met online, so that others can watch. So popular is the woodsy field below the ridge as a spot for gay sex (mostly during the day) and heterosexual sex (mostly at night) that the police have designated it a “public sex environment.”
Public sex is a popular — and quasi-legal — activity in Britain, according to the authorities and to the large number of Web sites that promote it. (It is treated as a crime only if someone witnesses it, is offended and is willing to make a formal complaint.) And the police tend to tread lightly in public sex environments, in part because of the bitter legacy of the time when gay sex was illegal and closeted men having anonymous sex in places like public bathrooms were routinely arrested and humiliated.
Enthusiasts’ Web sites alert practitioners to known dogging locations — more than 100 in Surrey alone — and offer handy etiquette tips for the confused or overly excited.
“Only join in or move closer if you are asked,” advises one site, Swinging Heaven, which says it has more than one million registered members.
Richard Byrne, a senior lecturer in countryside management at Harper Adams University College in Shropshire, said that modern technology has made dogging much more convenient than it used to be, thanks to search engines, Facebook groups and people tweeting about their experiences. “And of course, everybody’s got mobiles,” he said.
Swinging Heaven says that the practice began in Britain in the 1970s, and that the term comes from the phenomenon of voyeurs “doggedly” following people having sex. Others say that practitioners claim to be “walking the dog” when they are, in fact, going out to meet naked strangers in fields.
Britons are a tolerant bunch, and most probably would not care who watched whom doing what in whatever configuration, as long as they all went somewhere else. Why, Puttenham residents wonder, do they have to do it 400 yards from the village nursery school?”
“We have nothing against gays or whoever it is up there,” said Lydia Paterson, who lives here. “It’s just the principle of, ‘What on earth is going on?’ ”
A stroll through the field the other day unearthed no doggers (it was raining) but revealed much evidence of their existence. Debris — used condoms, things made of rubber, pages torn from pornographic magazines, snack wrappers, discarded tea cups — littered the area. The paths were dotted with black mats that people had conveniently left behind for the next time.
Residents have been pressing the authorities to do something, arguing that the government should simply close the rest stop that provides access to the offending field, just off the busy A31 road. That way, people hoping to have sex would have nowhere to park.
But local government officials refused, saying closing it would unfairly penalize motorists who genuinely wanted just to rest and would deprive the owner of the Hog’s Back cafe, also at the rest stop, of his livelihood.
Alternative suggestions, discussed at a recent meeting of the Surrey County Council Cabinet, included deploying rangers to patrol the site on horseback; encouraging hikers to roust doggers with actual dogs; and filling the field with potentially bad-tempered bulls.
“It was like, ‘Are you taking this seriously?’ ” Ms. Paterson said. “One cabinet member said, ‘If you close this site, there could be an increase in suicides because these people have nowhere else to go.’ ”
Some older residents sympathize with the council. “Honestly, it’s been going on for so many years,” said Jennifer Debenham, 71, a customer at the Good Intent.
Referring to a nearby village, an elderly man at the bar piped up, “At Wisley, there are two sites, one for males and one for heteros.”
Mrs. Debenham said, “I think we should just let them get on with it.”
The man added, “If you want to find out more, just put ‘dogging’ into your search engine.”
Meanwhile, frazzled residents trade tales of woe: The half-dressed men who materialize from the shrubbery and theatrically pretend to be foraging for nuts and berries. The Internet reviews (“One site listed us as the No. 2 dogging site in Europe,” Ms. Perkins said wearily). The occasion when an unsuspecting motorist went for a bathroom break in the bushes, only to be surrounded by a crowd of eager men.
“It was the quickest pee he’d ever done in his life,” Ms. Paterson said.
The council has agreed to institute an “active management plan” that might include cutting down some shrubbery and putting in security patrols. And the police recently put up a sign warning people not to engage in “activities of an unacceptable nature.”
“There was a lot of debate over the wording for that sign,” Ms. Paterson said. “I guess they didn’t want to say, ‘Don’t have sex.’ ”
PUTTENHAM, England — There was the man they called “Bob the Builder,” who wore only a hard hat. There was the naked sunbather who remarked, “Nice day for it, isn’t it?” to a woman taking a walk. And there was the moment, Jules Perkins said, when the dizzying array of sexual forces that have somehow descended on her blameless Surrey village came together all at once, like a scene from a one-size-fits-all X-rated film.
“There were two blokes sitting side by side, watching a man and a woman having sex,” Ms. Perkins said, describing what happened as she strolled with her dog on the hill between her house and the Hog’s Back ridge. “Nearby, there were two men sunbathing together, wearing nothing but tight little white underpants.”
Later, she found a pink vibrator in the bushes.
“I gave it to the police,” she said. “They said, ‘What should we do with it?’ I said, ‘Put it in Lost Property.’ ”
Puttenham, about an hour’s drive from London, has fewer than 2,500 residents and is famous for its ancient church; its friendly pub, the Good Intent; and its proud inclusion in both the Doomesday Book — an 11th-century survey of English lands — and “Brave New World.”
Unhappily for many people here, it is also famous for being featured on lists of good places to go “dogging” — that is, to have sex in public, sometimes with partners you have just met online, so that others can watch. So popular is the woodsy field below the ridge as a spot for gay sex (mostly during the day) and heterosexual sex (mostly at night) that the police have designated it a “public sex environment.”
Public sex is a popular — and quasi-legal — activity in Britain, according to the authorities and to the large number of Web sites that promote it. (It is treated as a crime only if someone witnesses it, is offended and is willing to make a formal complaint.) And the police tend to tread lightly in public sex environments, in part because of the bitter legacy of the time when gay sex was illegal and closeted men having anonymous sex in places like public bathrooms were routinely arrested and humiliated.
Enthusiasts’ Web sites alert practitioners to known dogging locations — more than 100 in Surrey alone — and offer handy etiquette tips for the confused or overly excited.
“Only join in or move closer if you are asked,” advises one site, Swinging Heaven, which says it has more than one million registered members.
Richard Byrne, a senior lecturer in countryside management at Harper Adams University College in Shropshire, said that modern technology has made dogging much more convenient than it used to be, thanks to search engines, Facebook groups and people tweeting about their experiences. “And of course, everybody’s got mobiles,” he said.
Swinging Heaven says that the practice began in Britain in the 1970s, and that the term comes from the phenomenon of voyeurs “doggedly” following people having sex. Others say that practitioners claim to be “walking the dog” when they are, in fact, going out to meet naked strangers in fields.
Britons are a tolerant bunch, and most probably would not care who watched whom doing what in whatever configuration, as long as they all went somewhere else. Why, Puttenham residents wonder, do they have to do it 400 yards from the village nursery school?”
“We have nothing against gays or whoever it is up there,” said Lydia Paterson, who lives here. “It’s just the principle of, ‘What on earth is going on?’ ”
A stroll through the field the other day unearthed no doggers (it was raining) but revealed much evidence of their existence. Debris — used condoms, things made of rubber, pages torn from pornographic magazines, snack wrappers, discarded tea cups — littered the area. The paths were dotted with black mats that people had conveniently left behind for the next time.
Residents have been pressing the authorities to do something, arguing that the government should simply close the rest stop that provides access to the offending field, just off the busy A31 road. That way, people hoping to have sex would have nowhere to park.
But local government officials refused, saying closing it would unfairly penalize motorists who genuinely wanted just to rest and would deprive the owner of the Hog’s Back cafe, also at the rest stop, of his livelihood.
Alternative suggestions, discussed at a recent meeting of the Surrey County Council Cabinet, included deploying rangers to patrol the site on horseback; encouraging hikers to roust doggers with actual dogs; and filling the field with potentially bad-tempered bulls.
“It was like, ‘Are you taking this seriously?’ ” Ms. Paterson said. “One cabinet member said, ‘If you close this site, there could be an increase in suicides because these people have nowhere else to go.’ ”
Some older residents sympathize with the council. “Honestly, it’s been going on for so many years,” said Jennifer Debenham, 71, a customer at the Good Intent.
Referring to a nearby village, an elderly man at the bar piped up, “At Wisley, there are two sites, one for males and one for heteros.”
Mrs. Debenham said, “I think we should just let them get on with it.”
The man added, “If you want to find out more, just put ‘dogging’ into your search engine.”
Meanwhile, frazzled residents trade tales of woe: The half-dressed men who materialize from the shrubbery and theatrically pretend to be foraging for nuts and berries. The Internet reviews (“One site listed us as the No. 2 dogging site in Europe,” Ms. Perkins said wearily). The occasion when an unsuspecting motorist went for a bathroom break in the bushes, only to be surrounded by a crowd of eager men.
“It was the quickest pee he’d ever done in his life,” Ms. Paterson said.
The council has agreed to institute an “active management plan” that might include cutting down some shrubbery and putting in security patrols. And the police recently put up a sign warning people not to engage in “activities of an unacceptable nature.”
“There was a lot of debate over the wording for that sign,” Ms. Paterson said. “I guess they didn’t want to say, ‘Don’t have sex.’ ”
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Saturday, September 4, 2010
My first published book: "Deceivers" is now available for purchase online. Just click on the link:
http://www.pustakmahal.com/book/book/bid,,9553A/isbn:9788122311457/index.html
http://www.pustakmahal.com/book/book/bid,,9553A/isbn:9788122311457/index.html
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)