Avijit Roy Assassinated: Avijit Stands For Humanity - By Countercurrents.org

Avijit Roy, a humanist author, an advocate of free expression, scientific ideas and secularism, and a prominent Bangladeshi-American blogger known for speaking out against religious extremism was hacked to death in Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh. The assassination was carried out on the night of February 26, 2015.

Thousands of people including authors, teachers, students, cultural activists, political activists and leaders and ordinary people joined in mourning and protest rallies on Friday and Saturday near the site of the attack. They carried banners reading “We want justice” and “Down with fundamentalism”. They asked the government to move hard against militancy and communalism. Protest rallies and processions were also held in other cities. Scores of organizations across the country condemned the attack.

A BBC report said:

After his death tributes were paid to Avijit Roy from around the world. The US-based Center for Inquiry said it was heartbroken by his brutal murder, describing him as "an eloquent defender of reason, science, and free expression in a country where those values have been under heavy attack".

A Bangladeshi friend in the US told the BBC that Mr.. Roy would be remembered for his courage and warmth.

"He was a wonderful man who through his website encouraged many free-thinking Bangladeshis to challenge conventional religious orthodoxy," the friend said.

"His death shows just how dangerous it is for anybody in the country to speak out without being targeted by the hardliners."

Reports by scores of international media including AP, BBC, CNN, and newspapers and news portals in Bangladesh, France, Germany, India, Japan, the U.K., U.S.A. including The Guardian, Huffington Post, Miami Herald, Irish Independent, Irish Times and Herald Sun said:

The attack on Avijit Roy occurred on a crowded sidewalk as he and his wife, Rafida Ahmed, were returning from a book fair at Dhaka University. Ahmed, also a blogger, was critically injured.

At least two of the attackers hit the couple with meat cleavers. They were on a rickshaw returning from the Amar Ekushey Book Fair when two attackers stopped the rickshaw, dragged them onto the footpath and started hacking them. Dropping their weapons, the attackers ran away, disappearing into the crowds.

They were rushed to the Dhaka Medical College and Hospital where doctors declared Avijit dead during an emergency surgery.

Avijit had suffered three deep gashes on his head, one on the upper part of shoulder, one on eye during the assault, and Bonya lost a finger and suffered deep cut on head and hand.

The assassination, latest in a series of attacks on secular writers in Bangladesh in recent years, occurred in the backdrop of on-going political disturbance carried by the opponents of Sheikh Hasina government as her government publicly announced its policy of zero-tolerance to religious extremism, and is strong handedly trying to weed out the religious extremists. 

There have been a series of similar attacks in recent years blamed on the Islamic militants. 

There is an increasingly visible divide between the secular forces and conservative Islamic groups, which are often covertly connected with Islamist parties. The secularists are urging authorities to ban religion-based politics. Sheikh Hasina has repeatedly said she will not give in to religious extremism, and is carrying out trial of the war criminals for genocide and crimes against humanity. Roy’s killing comes amid a crackdown on hardline Islamist groups, which have increased activities in recent years in the South Asian nation. In 2013, religious militants targeted several secular bloggers who had demanded capital punishment for Islamist leaders convicted of war crimes during Bangladesh's war for independence.

Citing a police official a Dhaka-datelined AP report said:

A previously unknown militant group, Ansar Bangla 7, claimed responsibility for the attack.

Roy, 42, “was the target because of his crime against Islam,” the group said on Twitter.

Roy, a prominent voice against religious intolerance, had been threatened for his writings.

Citing a police official the AP report added:

Roy, an engineer by training, had founded a popular Bengali-language blog Mukto-mona or Free Mind, which featured articles on scientific reasoning and religion.

The blogger's father, Ajay Roy, a retired professor of physics at the Dhaka University, told Avijit had received threatening messages over email and on social media from individuals who were unhappy with his writing. Anujit Roy, his younger brother, said Roy had returned to the country earlier this month from the US and was planning to go back in March. His was living in Georgia.

A BBC report said:

Avijit’s writings on religion angered Islamist hardliners.

Mukto-mona website on Friday bore the message in Bengali "we are grieving but we shall overcome" against a black background.

Ajay Roy said "This Bangladesh which was built by the blood-sacrifice of the martyrs has now turned into a den of militants," he said.

Avijit earlier said he received threats from Islamist hardliners in Bangladesh last year when his book, The Virus of Faith, was released at a book fair.

"The death threats started flowing to my e-mail inbox on a regular basis," he wrote.

"I suddenly found myself a target of militant Islamists and terrorists. A well-known extremist... openly issued death threats to me through his numerous Facebook entries.

"In one widely circulated status, he writes, 'Avijit Roy lives in America and so, it is not possible to kill him right now. But he will be murdered when he comes back.'"

The killing in early 2013 of another secular blogger, Ahmed Rajib Haider, which was blamed on religious hardliners, sparked protests from free-speech supporters and counter-protests from Islamists.

The police say the attack on Mr. Roy was similar to the 2013 murder.

Death threats against atheist writers and bloggers are nothing new in Bangladesh.

Prominent writer Taslima Nasreen had to leave Bangladesh after she received death threats from hard-line Islamists in the mid-1990s.

She wrote on her blog: "Avijit Roy has been killed the way other free thinker writers were killed in Bangladesh. No free thinker is safe in Bangladesh.

"Islamic terrorists can do whatever they like. They can kill people with no qualms whatsoever."

Roy rose to prominence though his prolific writing on his self-founded site, Mukto-Mona - an internet gathering of mostly South Asia free-thinkers, ratio-nalists, skeptics and humanists founded in 2000. Around a dozen books by Avijit, mostly about science, philosophy and materialism, have so far been published.

Some of the last books Avijit wrote, Obisshahser Dorshon (The Philosophy of Disbelief) and Biswasher Virus (The Virus of Faith), were critically well received around the world.

In the Virus of Faith he argues that "faith-based terrorism will wreak havoc on society in epidemic proportions".

In one of his last published articles in the Free Inquiry magazine, Avijit wrote: "To me, religious extremism is like a highly contagious virus. My own recent experiences in this regard verify the horrific reality that such religious extremism is a virus of faith."

He said in the article that a book he published last year "hit the cranial nerve of Islamic fundamentalists" and led to him being targeted by militant Islamists and terrorists.

It also led, he said, to a man openly issuing death threats against him on Facebook.

"Avijit Roy lives in America and so it is not possible to kill him right now," Mr. Roy quoted one threat against him as saying, "but he will be murdered when he gets back."

Born in 1972, Avijit Roy studied microbiology as a graduate and post-graduate at Dhaka University before emigrating to the US city of Atlanta where he was employed as an engineer.

Roy told the Daily Star, Dhaka in February 2007 that the aim of Mukto-mona was to build a society which will not be "bound by the dictates of arbitrary authority, comfortable superstition, stifling tradition, or suffocating orthodoxy - but would rather be based on reason, compassion, humanity, equality and science".

In the interview, he identified illiteracy as an obstacle to "free thinking" in the sub-continent: "South Asia has a major problem of illiteracy, which makes it easy for fundamentalists from outside the region to spread hatred and false propaganda," he said.

"When people cannot read critical texts questioning this propaganda they are more easily deluded by preachers of hatred." 

Two of his recent titles had been launched at the ongoing Ekushey Book Fair.

His writing and blogging had evoked the ire of fanatics and he had been regularly threatened.

Thursday’s attack bore a striking similarity to the one on legendary writer and professor at the Dhaka University Humayun Azad in February 2004.

Azad was also returning to home from the Ekushey Book Fair when he was hacked with machetes by radical militants. He later died in Germany while undergoing treatment.

Militants also hacked blogger Ahmed Rajib Haider to death in a similar attack near his home at Dhaka’s Mirpur in February 2013.

That was barely 10 days after the secular platform Ganajagaran Mancha started its Shahbagh-based agitation.

Islamist radicals had attacked other secular bloggers like Ashraful Alam and Asif Mohiuddin after the Shahbagh agitation polarized opinions in Bangladesh.

They were demanding capital punishment for war criminals and a ban on communal parties like the Jamaat-e-Islami.

A bdnews24.com report [published: 2015-03-01 updated: 2015-03-01] said:

“After paying tributes to the blogger, a friend of Avijit’s father, writer-journalist Shahriar Kabir, blamed militants for the murder and feared Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina might be killed by them. ‘Sheikh Hasina is on the top of their (hit) list. Mukto-Mona bloggers and I follow her in the list. If they (militants) are not identified, Sheikh Hasina will be murdered one day,’ he said.”

Ahmedur Rashid Tutul, publisher of most of the blogger’s books, had also received threats two days after Avijit was murdered.

A Reuters report said:

Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), Bangladesh’s anti-terrorism unit, arrested on Monday Farabi Shafiur Rahman, the main suspect in the killing of Avijit Roy. Farabi Shafiur Rahman was previously jailed for his ties to the extremist Hizbut Tahrir Islamist group.

A RAB spokesman said Farabi had confessed to threatening to kill blogger Avijit Roy.

Last year, Farabi posted on Facebook: "It's a holy duty of Bangalee Muslims to kill Avijit".

The United Nations, the United States, and the U.S.-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) have condemned the attack.

The U.N. has condemned the attack on Avijit and demanded a fast trial of the killers.

The U.S. has termed the incident as “a cowardly assault” and offered assistance in the investigation. U.S. State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki described it as an assault on Bangladesh’s proud tradition of free intellectual and religious speech.

In 2013, Islamist groups called for the execution of bloggers they said had committed blasphemy, according to news reports quoted by CPJ.

Avijit had reported receiving death threats from Islamists to his friends and family and to the UK-based human rights organisation, the International Humanist and Ethical Union, CPJ said;

A bdnews24.com report (“Threat takes book out of list”, 2014-03-16) said:

An online outlet has ‘taken a book off its list’ after a fundamentalist blogger threatened to attack its office on Saturday.

The office of rokomari.com will be attacked if ‘Bishwaser Virus’ authored by Avijit is not taken off its selling list, says Blogger Farabi Shafiur Rahman.

‘Allah’ and His ‘Rasul’ (Prophet Muhammad) had been sarcastically treated in the book, says Farabi, who had been detained for threatening the Imam of Shahbagh movement activist Ahmed Rajib Haider’s funeral prayers.

The rokomari.com does not keep any book of Syed Abul Moksud and Faruk Wasif on the home page, but it does keep Roy’s books including ‘Bishwaser Virus’ (Virus of Belief), Farabi added.

Answering back, rokomari.com’s Chief Executive Officer Mahmudul Hasan Sohagh says Farabi had better rate the book and give his opinion in a review.

As Farabi could not be appeased with this, Avijit’s books were kept on the website as ‘out of print’.

Protesting rokomari.com’s move, Avijit Roy says in a facebook post, “rokomari.com should be unwavering in keeping writers’ liberty. My books have not been banned by the State or the Court.”

“Rather, Farabi faces a lawsuit, in which charges have been pressed against him (over issuing a threat to the Imam, who administered Rajib’s namaz-e-janaza),” he said. Farabi is out on bail since Aug 21 last year.

“We do not ask for taking any religion-based book from the book list. Many books on religions, jihad, written by razakars, are available at the rokomari.com.”

March 2, 2015
Countercurrents.org

idaneram: The man from the hut became the film maker

idaneram: The man from the hut became the film maker:

Bhasi

Born the rural lower cast’s colony Irumpanam at Ernakulam District of Kerala State in South India, Irumpanam Bhasi produced debut feature film named Bodhi, Directed by G Ajayan. The film is based on Kerala’s great poet Kumaran Asan’s ‘Chandala Bhishuki’, Rabindra Nath Tagor’s ‘Chandaalika’ , Laxmi Narasu’s ‘Buddha and His Dhamma’ and Dr. B R Ambedkar’s book also.

The story is about the Monk Anantha and Mathangi – the girl from Chandala the out caste- that is taken Jataka Tale of Lord Buddha’s early birth. The film completed in the year 2008, but not yet released.

The name Irumpanam is related with legendary Asura Goddess Hidumbi – not an Aryan Goddess or Dravidian Goddess coming from ‘Mahabharata’. ‘Vanam’ means forrest. The words Hidumbi and Vanam joined, it became’ Hidumbavanam’ and later ‘Irumpanam’. One of the most acclaimed novelist Mr. M M Menon, in his Novel ‘ Jeevaparyantham’ (Lifelong imprisonment) says both legendary and history of this place widely. And there is place in kochi city called Karikkamuri, it is said that the place is made by the inhabitance from Irumpanam. 

The producer Bhasi Irumpanam himself coming from Pulaya caste also an untouchable caste now called Daliths. His parents were agricultural laborers. Father died and mother still alive at the age of sixties. Except Bhasi, only a sister and she is married, now lives with husband and children.

Bhasi’s childhood was difficulties with poverty and caste crises. So he could not complete his school education and discontinue at 8^th standard. And went to daily wages works with parents. Later he joined as a head load worker with CITU (Centre of Indian Trade Unions), conducted by a leftist political party. In that period he associated with Folk Song Parties and sung many occasions and festivals. Until he took goodwill in folk music, and colleagues compelled him to join them ever and leave from as the head load work. Bhasi remembered that he had also political miss opinion to his cadre party; at last he leaved from them. He sung a folk song as background in his own Cinema; create in tribal language Paniya one of the tribe in Kerala.

Scene from 'Bodhi'

Then he joined Prof. Chandradasans drama troup as an actor.   Prof. Chandradasans is well known for his stage presantation of India’s Great Poet Bhasa’s ‘Karnabharam’. The drama performed many of stage countrywide and abroad. The plot of the play ‘Karnabharam’ is also taken from legend ‘Mahabarata’. But Bhasi acted only Shakespearian plays and Greek, directed by Prof. Chandradasan. But, the experience with Prof. Chandradasan is not good remembered, Bhasi says, and after that he leaved from there too. Then he made a solo Written and directed by K R Remesh named ‘The Hen with Red Beard’, it gave Bhasi more fame in theater art.

In Prof. Chandradasan’s camp Bhasi did meet with G Ajayan , who is also an actor with them. Their friendship grew up there and it lead to them to create the movie ‘Bodhi’ .The script and concept of the movie by Ajayan and money by Bhasi. Sold some of his land Bhasi collected money for the movie, even though his hose is in poor condition with clay-tiled roof and damaged wall. This attempt gave Bhasi more wraths from his own people, and he did not mind it. Monitory crisis did stop making of the movie several times, but borrowed money from somewhere, at last they did their dream to realize in the year 2009, but Bhasi became a debtor to others.   

Let we tribute to Revolutionary Pandit Iyothi Dhass.

Pandit Iyothi Dhass

Let we tribute to Revolutionary Dr.Babasaheb Ambedkar and EV.Ramasamy Periyar’s poineer or forerunner - Pandit Iyothi Dhass. Today his century death anniversary. Dr.Babasaheb's inspiration for writing his "The Buddha and his Dhamma other than Pandit Iyodhi Dhass disciple Lakshmi Narasu work “The Essence Of Buddhism”. I dunno how many Dravida activities know the name "Iyothi dhass" who introduced EV.Ramasamy Periyar in politics" 

  

About Iyothi Dhass

BORN : 20 may, 1845

DIED : 5 may, 1914

He worked for the downtrodden people. He was the 1st person who instrumental in
articulating the idea that the downtrodden people were not only Buddhists
formerly but were the original inhabitants of India which later paved way for
many social movements He was the first Depressed Class Leader who had worked for the

 cause of revivalism of Buddhism in India. In 1898, Dhass founded the 

“Sakya Buddhist Society” ( Indian Buddhist Association). 

 Iyothee Thass was the first modern Dalit social
revolutionary. He succeed in the getting the thousands of acres of lands and
distributed among the landless poor under the scheme of “Panchami Lands”.

EARLY

LIFE : * Iyothee Thass was born in Nilgiris in 1845 and his father was
Kandaswamy. His original name was Kathavarayan. As his teacher's name was
Iyothee Thass, Kathavaraya changed his name into Iyothee Thass. He also
obtained the title of Pandit. He was also a popular Siddha Doctor. He gained
expertise in reading palm leaf manuscripts, Tamil literature, philosophy,
Siddha and had good knowledge of English, Sanskrit and Pali. Iyothee Thass was
the first Dalit to undergo a personal educational revolution. He educated
himself in Tamil, Sanskrit, Pali and English. Because he was self-taught, he
was able to shed new light on Tamil and Pali culture and spirituality. He is a
role model for every Dalit student struggling in casteist, run-down government
schools. He realized, as few others did, that the real revolutionary potential
lay not in urban Dalits, but in the rural Dalits and adivasis. Iyothee Thass
united and organized the various tribes of the Nilgiri Hills (Wayanad in
Kerala, Nilgiris in Tamil Nadu) * 1885 - Launched a magazine 'Dravida
Pandian'.* 1886 - He announcing that the so called Untochables are not Hindus *
1891 - established the Dravida Mahajana Sabha and during 1st census urged the
so called Untochables to register themselves as casteless Dravidians * 1896 -
He moved from Nilgiris to Chennai where he created one Buddhist Temple  

SOCIAL REFORMS : Iyothee Thass was a forerunner
of Dr.Babasaheb Ambedkar and EV.Ramasamy Periyar. He was the first Dalit to use
Dravidian sentimental legacy to liberate Dalits from Hinduism. He did this
based on his deep knowledge of Tamil history, culture and social dynamics. He
was the first Dalit to realize the revolutionary legacy of Buddhism and to use
Buddhism to create social change. While his movement did not transcend religion
into a genuine spiritual movement, it had a tremendous impact in Tamil Nadu and
Sri Lanka. Iyothee Thass created the first ideological media revolution,
writing from his deep personal knowledge to enlighten Dalits on countless
subjects. Still today, his writings are not properly compiled let alone translated.
Iyothee Thass was also an intellectual revolutionary because while most Indians
were running after Western knowledge or imagining airplanes and atoms in the
Vedas, Iyothee Thass revived the Dravidian Siddha system of medicine. The Tamil
Siddhas were among the most revolutionary poets in Indian history. Their strong
assault on not just casteism but the very materialist mentality behind it has a
powerful impact, even in translation, on any materialist, western or eastern.
Iyothee Thass revived this anti-Brahminical medical knowledge system in the
teeth of resistance from the Aryan, Ayurvedic establishment His meeting with
Olcott was a turning point not only in his life but also for the Dalit movement
in many ways. He argued that Tamil Dalits were originally Buddhists. He led a
delegation of prominent Dalits to Henry Steel Olcott and asked for his help in
the re-establishment of "Tamil Buddhism". Olcott helped Thass to
visit Sri Lanka, where he received Diksha from Bhikkhu Sumangala Nayake. After
returning to India, Thass established the ‘Sakya Buddhist Society’ in Madras
with branches in many places including Karnataka. Thass established a weekly
magazine called Oru Paisa Tamizhan   ("One Paisa Tamilan") in Chennai on 19th June

 1907 and its price was 'one paisa'. On 26th August 1908, the name, Oru Paisa Tamizhan, 

was changed into Tamizhan. He published Tamizhan from 1907 to 1914.

 From 17th June 1914 to 26th August 1915, Tamizhan was published by 

Wilson Patabiraman and then from 7th July 1926 to 27th June 1934,

 Kolar Goldvaiyal Pandithamani Appadurai published it, which served as a 

news letter linking all the new branches of the Sakya Buddhist Society. 

The magazine discussed traditions and practices of Tamil Buddhism, 

new developments in the Buddhist world, and the Indian subcontinent's 

history from the Buddhist point of view and edited it till his death in 1914.

 He established of several Panchama schools in chennai. Iyothee Thass,

 with the help of Col. Olcott, set up five schools in the City, 

specifically for the Depressed Class. It was from these schools that the first 

generation of leaders and ideologues emerged. He focused on education and the land issue.

 He interpreted Indian history which can be classified as subaltern history in a true sense.

 Today even uttering the name of Iyothee Thass in the Tamil public sphere has become 

an act of a rebellion. the Dravida parties, Communists and Tamil rationalists. 

Nobody has any regard for Dhass. He died in the year 1914. 

The Central Govt has decided to restore Iyothi Dhass and name to

 “ The National centre for Siddha research in chennai”. Iyothee Thass's teachings

 nurtured and shaped the career of Rettamalai Srinivasan and M.C. Rajah in Tamil Nadu

 Books written:

 He wrote 325 political, 55 literary, 51 social, 109 religious articles in Tamizhan.

 On 3rd February 1909, he wrote an article about voting right to minority.

 Iyothee Thass wrote several articles in the Tamizhan explaining the historical evolution of the society,

 religious traditions and cultural patterns of Tamil Nadu. Dalit political discourses

 dominated the columns of Tamizhan. These bring out a systematic 

argument of the first ever Depressed Class Ideology in Tamil Nadu.

 In Indirar Desa Charithram (History of the Country of Indrars), 

Iyothee Thass declared that in the past, the Subcontinent was known as

 'Indirar Desam' or the 'Land of Indirar'. Indirar was none other than

 the Buddha who had managed to control his five senses successfully.

 His knowledge prompted him to arrive at the conclusion that the

 Panchamas were not Hindus but 'Adi Thamizharhal' (Original Tamils). 

Iyothee Thass also wrote at length on Buddhism, the life of Buddha, his readings,

 the dialogues he had with his disciples, and on the principles of faith and 

action which he upheld. He argued that the text, Thirukural, 

was originally known as Thiri-kural (thiri means three) and it was 

the first Buddhist Text in a Dravidian Language. The Kural content adhered

 to the three Pitakas of the Buddha's Teachings and hence it was known as the Thirukural. 

The idea of Communal Reservation was articulated in 1885 by him.

 Iyothee Thass Pandithar and his Understanding of the History of this Nation 

(It is not India but Indira Desam): Pandithar argues that Gowthama Buddha

 after his enlightenment taught the people of this nation the way of truth. 

Therefore, people of this nation celebrated the Buddha by calling Him as

 Varadhar and Baradhar and also they started calling the two parts of this nation

 as North Baradha Desam and South Baradha Desam. And the Buddha 

was called as the "Indirar" which would refer to the one who conquered the five senses. 

Thus, the way of the Buddha was called as Indira Thanmam, and the nation

 in which he was born was called as Indirar desam. Gradually this name

 "Indirar Desam" turned into be Indhiya Desam (North Indhiyam and South Indhiyam). 

Therefore, it is because of the Buddha this nation was called as Indirar Desam

 and there is no any other reason for this. But the Aryans who invaded this

 Indirar Desam never understood this history and they started calling them 

as Hindus and their religion as Hinduism. And more over they called themselves 

as Indians and those who are in India are Hindus alone. They even say now 

that it is from Hinduism, Buddhism was born and some of the Hindus only became Buddhists.

 Iyothee Thass would claim that the history of this nation was covered and therefore 

the Religion of this nation according to him is Indirar Thanmam 

(the way of the Indirar = the Buddha) and all the people of this nation are Indirars since they 

all followed the Indirar Thanmam. Hinduism had no roots in this Nation.

 Let us celebrate Iyothee Thass for this wonderful explanation and let us call 

ourselves as Indirars and this nation as Indira Desam.

  Reference:  * “The Role of Pandit Iyothee Dhass to the Elevation of Depressed class in Tamil Nadu”

 by R.Suresh Kumar. * “Pandit Iyothee Dhass” by T.Nalini Anbarasu.

 * “Social Reformers Of Modern India” by D.Padmavathy

Tips to Keep Your Computer Running Smoothly

(NewsUSA) – Buying a new computer’s always a thrill — but sooner or later, your fast new machine will start to act like a clunker. Or will it?
With a few simple tips, you can keep your computer running smoothly. Sammsoft (www.sammsoft.com), a company that develops and publishes quality software products designed to secure, protect, maintain and enhance computer users’ experience, provides the following tips:
1. Clean out your computer registry. Every Windows Operating System uses a registry, or a central database that contains all of the settings for low-level operating system components, as well as any applications running on the platform. Every time you save something, run a new application or install or uninstall a program, new information is organized into your registry. But occasionally, the registry records something incorrectly. Over time, registry errors pile up and can start slowing down your computer. But running a registry cleaner, such as Advanced Registry Optimizer 2010 by Sammsoft, will fix registry errors and remove faulty files, helping your computer run quickly and smoothly.
2. Keep viruses under wraps. Run a virus checker regularly. If you have a high-speed wireless connection, don’t use the Internet without a firewall. No antivirus strategy is perfect, so stay away from suspicious-looking Web sites and don’t click on strange links in e-mails.
3. Get rid of unnecessary files. If you haven’t used a program in months or years, delete it to reclaim valuable memory. But always back-up applications in case you want to reinstall them later, and don’t delete applications that you don’t recognize, as Windows might need them to run. Never remove WINDOWS or HOT FIX applications. Also delete cookies and clear your Internet cache before you sign-off your computer.
4. Never turn off your computer before Windows has shut down. Doing so so could harm the hard drive or result in lost data or Windows files.
5. Back up Your Computer. Hardware problems occur more that you might think, and you don’t want to deal with the frustration of losing valuable data. Back up photos, Excel spreadsheets, Word documents — anything that you do not want to lose — on external hard drives or CDs.
For more information, visit www.sammsoft.com.

Dress for Success on a Shoestring Budget

You’ve probably heard it 100 times by now: If you want to make the right impression at work, you need to dress for success. But what exactly does that mean? And how are you supposed to look successful without breaking the bank?

Whether you would like to make a good impression at work or at a job interview or look professional and successful for an important business meeting, your work attire affects how others perceive you.

Luckily, Nygard’s designer women’s clothing pieces makes it easy to look stylish and sensible in the workplace, no matter what your shape or size. The NygardModerate lines, ALIA and Tan Jay, offer great staple wardrobe pieces that are comfortable and versatile. Products found at Nygard can easily be mixed and matched with each other. The colorful printed tops work well layered under a sleek boyfriend jacket as well as on their own with a chunky necklace for added oomph. Plain-colored blouses with ruffled or beaded accents around the collar area can be paired with almost anything.

For those watching their bottom line, Nygard’s recommends this rule of thumb: All you need are four tops, three bottoms and two jackets to mix and match 23 different outfits. For instance, three blouses, a pair of pants, two skirts, two vests and a tweed jacket can be seamlessly mixed together for an entire month’s worth of outfits, without breaking the bank!

Log on to www.nygard.com for jackets, skirts, dresses, pants, tops and more to mix and match! Become a fan on Facebook.

Smart Tech Gift Ideas for Dads and Grads

In June, many families are celebrating dads and grads. Dad certainly deserves a special Father’s Day with all he does throughout the year. And graduating students also merit recognition for all they have accomplished. Now, it’s up to you to find gifts that celebrate these special occasions.

This year, skip the usual suspects, and opt for items tailored to their specific style and personality. For instance, tech gifts are perfect to begin your search, so get the scoop from someone who knows. Emmy Award-winning technology and trends reporter Brett Larson offers his take on the top five tech gifts for both dads and grads.

1. SunBriteTV’s Signature Series SB-4660HD. Give Dad the TV experience he has always wanted with SunBrite’s all-weather televisions. They’re actually designed for outdoor use, which means any backyard can become a modern entertainment space for barbecues, favorite sports games or family movie nights. Imagine the possibilities—you know dad can.

2. LG TONE+ Wireless Stereo Headset. In a world where practically everything is wireless, your headset should be, too. The LG Tone+, with stereo-quality sound and Bluetooth technology, is lightweight and easy to wear. It’s perfect for grads who want to listen to music while working out, or dads who need to make calls while commuting. The noise-canceling technology and long-lasting battery make it ideal in virtually every situation.

3. Dell B1165nfw Mono Laser Multifunction Printer. If dad has a small office or works from home, the Multifunction Printer has everything he’ll need. Its wireless capabilities will let him print all kinds of documents, web content and photos from any mobile device, meaning smartphones and tablets are fair game. The Mono Laser printer can also scan, copy and fax documents, so it also completes any dorm room.

4. Carbonite. Dads and grads, or anyone with a computer, definitely need automatic cloud backup and stress-free data recovery. With one flat fee, Carbonite automatically backs up all of your files via cloud technology. That allows dad or busy students the ability to access stored files from any device with Internet connectivity just by signing in online. Restoring files is easy, so business files, schoolwork and priceless memories aren’t lost forever.

5. VTech InnoTab 2S Wi-Fi Learning App Tablet. Don’t forget any pint-sized grads this year with VTech’s InnoTab 2S. The tablet is great for tots anywhere from 3 to 9 years old and puts them on the fast track to learning. Parents can help kids choose from hundreds of e-books, games, apps and educational videos to find appropriate yet entertaining content. Family vacations and road trips will be a breeze if the little ones are occupied.

For more information or gift ideas, visit www.killerapps.tv.

Women’s Swimwear Has Been Reinvented This Beach Season

Bathing suit season. The words strike fear in the hearts of women of all sizes, conjuring images of teeny-weeny bikinis and the inevitable wardrobe malfunctions. With bottoms that ride down and tops that ride up, women truly get the short end of the stick when it comes to summer swimwear.

That is, until now. Launched in 2009, Ohio-based designer Debbie Kuhn is bursting onto the market with a comfortable new concept that will have you gearing to go this summer: girltrunks. Kuhn designed the two-piece suits because the traditional swimsuit market offered nothing that covered the legs. After accepting an invitation to tube down the Madison River in Montana, she remembers futilely searching the racks at Nordstrom when she had a novel idea.

“Why don’t I pair a tankini top with men’s swim trunks?” said Kuhn. She did just that and wore her newly created swimwear in Montana. “It was a day in time I remember vividly. I felt so liberated, in swimwear of all things, and I wanted to share that feeling with other women.”

We’re glad she did. The trunks fit like Bermuda shorts and are made of a quick-drying polyamide material with mesh lining that dries almost instantly, unlike many traditional women’s bathing suits. They are available at www.mygirltrunks.com in sizes 4-24 and come in two leg-covering lengths. Pair the trunks with a halter or tank top that has a flattering fit, and you have more than a swimsuit. You have an outfit – no cover-up needed.

Like their slogan, “Reinventing swimwear for women,” girltrunks deliver a sense of confidence women so desperately lack during bathing suit season. But the suits don’t just flatter – they’re versatile, too. Swimming, hiking, volleyball, waterparks and building sand castles on the beach; women’s swim trunks lend themselves to any activity. Short to tall, skinny to plus-sized, apple to pear, teenager to grandmother; women no longer must remain prisoners to their beach towels. They now have the freedom to choose.

Women and Cancer: Safeguard Your Future Fertility

Fertility may be the farthest thing from your mind when you’ve just received a cancer diagnosis, but it’s the right time to think about your future family. Cancer treatments can affect your ability to get pregnant or carry a baby to term. Ask your doctor about preserving your fertilitybefore your treatment begins.

Understanding how treatment may affect your fertility is the first step in assessing your options for fertility preservation. Chemotherapy can damage eggs, the sacs holding the eggs and the production of sex hormones. Radiation therapy has similar effects, sometimes causing irregular periods or halting them altogether.

Both treatments can cause infertility immediately or years down the road by inducing early menopause. Premature menopause occurs when a woman’s menstrual cycles end before she turns 40. Surgical treatments removing both ovaries will cause menopause right away. Cancer treatment can also affect a woman’s pregnancy. For example, high-dose radiation to the pelvic area can increase the danger of miscarriages and premature births.

Regardless of the treatment they receive, women diagnosed with cancer have options to protect their fertility. Standard fertility preservation methods include embryo banking, shielding the pelvic region during radiation, and ovarian transposition – when surgeons secure the ovaries in a position away from the radiation field.

The standard treatment for uterine or ovarian cancer is the removal of both ovaries and the uterus, but some women with early-stage cancer that has a low risk of spreading may be able to keep their ovaries. Women with early-stage cervical cancer may choose to have only their cervix removed and keep their uterus and ovaries.

In the future, more options will be available. Researchers are exploring experimental fertility preservation methods such as egg banking and ovarian tissue banking.

Women who undergo cancer treatment can often have a child in the future, but it’s important to know the risks ahead of time. Consult your doctor or oncologist about your chances of success. Or ask your doctor to recommend a reproductive endocrinologist, a fertility specialist. Learn more at savemyfertility.org.

Private and Public Slaves – Ravikumar.

Ravikumar

In a contest where dalit writing is being equated only with autobiography, we present here in book from notes written by B R Ambedkar,which have the characteristics of autobiographical writings. In multi volume writings and speeches of Babasaheb Ambedkar edited by Vasant Moon, these writings can be found in Volume 12, under the title ‘Waiting for a Visa’. The connection between the title and the six autobiographical ‘illustrations’ – as Ambedkar calls them – is not clear. Perhaps, Ambedkar indented adding more to this body of writing but eventually could not. All that the editorial note by Moon says is: “Here are some of the reminiscences drawn by Dr. Ambedkar in his own handwriting. The MSS traced in the collection of the People’s Education Society were published by the society as a booklet on 19^th March 1990. – ed.” If these are some reminiscences, were there more? What Visa was Ambedkar waiting for? We can, however, gather frome the content that Ambedkar wrote at least a few of these available notes in 1935. In the second reminiscences, he refers to his return from London to work in Baroda in 1917. towards the end of this section, he recalls that “18 years has not succeeded in fading away” the memory of the incidence of untouchability he experienced in the Parsi inn. The last ‘illustration’ refers to an incident that happened in march 1938, and must have been written well after that. It is clear that Ambedkar jotted down several such ‘illustrations’ over the years, and perhaps many have been lost. In this edition, we have given separate titles to each episode that Ambedkar recalls, instead of numbering them as in the original.

Though Ambedkar’s works are available volumes, and despite the availability of biography by Dananjay Keer (Dr.Ambedkar: Life and Mission, 1954), and two feature films on the man (Jabbar Patel’s Babasaheb Ambedkar in Hindi, 2000; and Dr Padmavathi-Bharath’s Ambedkar in Telugu, 1992), we learn very title about this personal life. What we know of Ambedkar pertains solely to his public life, his public self. Other than occasional reference to his poor helth in his writings, speeches and letters, it has not been possible for us to know anything about the sorrows and joys that came his way. How was his marital life; what was the nature of his relationship with his son; the kind of friendships he had – we know little about these.

Ambedkar emphasized the role of the individual in society. He was someone who waged a hard battle during the drafting of the Indian Constitution to centralize the individual in its frame work. He also accepted the contribution of the individual to the making of history. However he did not leave behind anything his writing for us to understand and approach him as an individual.

The issues that confront dalits can be understood through the binary of the public and the private. The public has come to connote things and space which are inaccessible for the dalits. Common wells, public roads and cremation grounds are space denied to dalits. If a dalit does well in the open competition of an entrance exam, she is often slotted in the reserved category. In electoral politics, a dalit is not expected to contest from a general constituency. Whatever the law – ironically drafted by Ambedkar – says, this is the reality.

The purpose of Hindu politics has been to restrict and relegate dalits to the ‘reserved’ sectors. The dalits have to defy such social strictures to enter the public sphere. This is a difficult process. Even as we infiltrate these common spaces, we need to retain our singularity, individuality. The process is a problematic as the state of mind of a dalit person who has o make sure he does not touch any other person in the village and also remain untouched by others, and yet is forced to consider the village as his own (‘native place’). In this struggle, there is pressure on dalits to merge the specificities of their selfhood into the collective identity of the (dalit) community.

In the struggle that let to his emergence as the spokesperson and symbol of a community, Ambedkar’s personality has merged into a larger collective, public self. Only when a comprehensive biography is written can Ambedkar’s individual self be reclaimed. The several facts of his personality, if collected, could also be useful for the dalit struggle.

These autobiographical notes, written with the objective of enabling foreigners to understand the practice of untouchability, are relevant even today. The atrocities and the justices continue, and so does the indifference.

To think that one could eradicate untouchability while remaining within Hinduism is similar to the attempt to clean sewage with ditchwater. How long will we resist the clear water of democracy?

Ravikumar

Pondichery

!5 October 2003.

Courtesy: Ravikumar, ‘AMBEDKAR an Autobiographical Notes’,‘NAVAYANA’ Publications.

Moms, Grab Some “Me Time” With These Tips

Moms are the true jacks-of-all-trades. They are the chefs who get meals on the table and lunches packed; the chauffeurs who get kids where they need to be; the doctors who bandage up scrapes; the listeners to problems big and small; the social directors of playdates and parties; and so much more.

With all that they do, moms rarely get a moment to take a break and enjoy a bit of time for themselves.

Dr. Wendy Walsh, busy single mom, TV personality and college professor, understands what it’s like to be busy. Here are her tips for helping other moms sneak a little “me time.”

•    All moms should take a guilt-free break during their busy day. Try arriving at school carpool early. Turn off the car engine, tune into a favorite radio station and reach into your bag for a favorite snack – like a Keebler Granola Fudge Bar. The granola bars are 150 calories and contain 3 grams of fiber*.

•    Watching kids read can remind moms how relaxing it is to escape in the pages of a riveting novel. Get mom-friends together and form a book club, so there’s always an excuse to take a break. Tell kids you’re doing Mommy-homework, because the book club is meeting soon.

•    As the sun sets, parents want to wind down, but sometimes kids, especially colicky babies, wind up. A nice walk is a great way to calm a child down. When the kids get older, keep walking at sunset. It’s a great way to take a break from the chaos of the house and soothe yourself.

From taking a peaceful break to enjoying a favorite snack, the importance of a little break in a very hectic day is key for moms. For more wholesome snack ideas like granola bars, that can be enjoyed by mom and the entire family, visit www.keebler.com.

* contain 5-6g total fat per serving

Insider Look at Leadership Roles for Women

By Linda Verba
For NewsUSA

One of the advancements in women’s rights that we celebrate during Women’s History Month is the freedom to work in any field, and the ability to pursueleadership roles within the companies we work.

It’s a very different story from the 1970s, when women worked in limited fields and earned significantly less than men. While we still have barriers in equal earnings, we do have control over where we choose to grow professionally.

It’s important to find the company that is the best fit for you and provides work-life balance. What if your child is sick – do they allow you to work from home? What if you don’t want to take off on President’s Day – is paid time off a general pool, or is it divided into vacation/sick/holiday time?

The company that encourages women to become leaders with support and materials is the company that will help you achieve your leadership goals.

I chair the TD Women in Leadership initiative at TD Bank, and our goal is to increase representation of women at senior levels by expanding leadership opportunities for women. We offer, for example, a great mentoring program for women across the TD Bank footprint. This year, we’re planning to expand it by implementing one-on-one mentoring for high-potential women.

Choosing a company that fosters that kind of growth for women will not only groom you to rise to leadership at that company, but it will provide personal and professional development.

A good healthcare plan and vacation time are great, but benefits that help you achieve a work-life balance contribute to overall workplace happiness, too.

Life happens. Our kids bring home stomach viruses that take down the whole house. That’s why you should inquire with potential employers about work-from-home policies.

Before you begin your job – and company – search, consider creating a list that includes not just what you want in your next position, but what it is you’re looking for from your next move.

 Linda Verba leads store operations and service programs at TD Bank, America’s Most Convenient Bank. Linda is Chair of TD Women in Leadership (WIL) and leads TD’s Senior Women Leaders Community. In 2010, Linda was named one of the ‘Top 25 Most Powerful Women in Banking’ by U.S. Banker, and ‘2010 Woman of the Year,’ by The National Association of Professional Women, New Jersey chapter.

Shape Yourself Into a Master Salesperson

NewsUSA) – Even if you’ve never so much as sold candy door-to-door for a school fundraiser, you have sales experience. You sell an idea when you persuade someone to your point of view or an image when you meet someone for the first time. So, even if you don’t plan on becoming a professional salesperson, you adapt some of the traits of a master salesperson.

“I’ve met a tremendous amount of talented, successful people. They’ve taught me a great deal, and I’ve appreciated every one of them,” said the late Paul J. Meyer, author of “Pink Slip Proof: How to Control All Future Paychecks.” “When you look closely, it’s no secret how they arrived at their present income and position.”

In his book, Meyer listed five basic qualities shared by every master salesperson:

1. All master salespeople are persuasive and convincing. The ability to persuade isn’t limited to leaders — any time you help someone see something your way, you have made a sale. Top salespeople use every technique at their disposal, including stories, dreams, color and humor.

2. All master salespeople focus on service. Meyer cited the “golden rule” of service — serve others as you would like to be served. A salesperson who goes out of their way to focus on service will likely win their customers’ loyalty.

3. All master salespeople are honest. If you’re a known liar, no one’s going to trust you enough to buy what you’re selling. “Top salespeople are honest, keep their word, work hard, are responsible, incredibly dependable and act with complete integrity in all they do,” said Meyer.

4. All master salespeople are self-motivating. Master salespeople motivate themselves to accomplish goals, no matter how they feel or what other people say. “Self-motivation requires the development of inner strength, conscious will power, overwhelming desire, and the determination to reach any goal you personally want to achieve,” said Meyer.

5. All master salespeople care about other people. The best salespeople genuinely want to leave their clients better off than they found them — they’re not selling to make money, but to give their clients a needed product or service.

For more tips from Paul J. Meyer, purchase the book “Pink Slip Proof: How to Control All Future Paychecks.”