Google Analytics and Flare HTML 5.0 projects

Analytics is the buzzword now and technical communicators cannot stay away from that either.

There is a really interesting discussion going on at the "Users of MadCap Flare" group at Linkedin. The discussion is centered around how Google Analytics can be implemented in a Flare HTML 5.0 project.

It is a good discussion and is pretty useful. Please have a check.

Where are those journalistic principles?

There is something called "principles" in journalism, just like those in other prestigious professions. Besides the cardinal principles of Truth, Verification, and Informed Criticism, there is a thing called uncomfortable "questioning" employed by professional journalists to ferret out information and truth, and to counter canards, lies, and misinformation. Flowing with the tide cannot be journalism in the strictest sense of the Fourth Estate, and it is a characteristic more suited to Public Relations (PR) and spin crafted in corridors of power.

Now, cut to another story. A respected court of law found someone guilty in a serial blast case and sentenced him to six years in jail. As per the law, any convict is eligible for 90 days parole in a calendar year. The convict was released on furlough for 14 days on October 1, 2013 and had applied for an extension of another 14 days, after which he returned to Yerawada on October 30, before being granted parole in December, says a newspaper report.

The media did not create a hullabaloo over this when compared to the slip-of-the-tongue from a politician, or a unsubstantiated corruption allegation.  The media did not create a ruckus until the Bombay High Court today asked what's going on. The court was  hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) challenging the constant extensions to the parole granted to the convict.

For the Indian media, there are obvious biases and prejudices. But it is high irresponsibility when certain things that need to be questioned are brushed under the carpet. The India media never questions certain sections of the society as they derive sustenance and the much needed monies from those quarters. While politicians are pilloried, no questions are asked about certain powerful and influential sections of the society.

Besides corruption, this selective blowing up and pushing down of inconvenient truths are the biggest threats to Indian democracy. It is high time the consumers of Indian media recognize this ugly fact.

Hard rockers Wolfmother set to rock India

Ok. Hard rockers Wolfmother is gonna play live in India for the first time. The band will play in Hyderabad on March 8, at the BITS Pilani Hyderabad Campus, says the Bookmyshow website.

The band rocked to fame with their retro-rock sounding hit, Woman, but my favourite song from the debut album was White Unicorn. And there is no special reason why I like this song.

Suspected Hanta Virus infection in Kerala

After Dengue and Chikungunya, now it is the turn of Hanta virus suspected behind deaths reported from the state of Kerala. Madhu, a 43-year-old rubber tapping worker, died a few weeks ago and is suspected to be a victim of the virus, says The Times of India newspaper.

According to The Hindu newspaper three suspected cases of Hanta virus were reported, but these cases proved positive for Scrub Typhus as well.

While the Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology (RGCB), the premier biotechnology research centre in the capital city, stated that the deaths are caused by Hanta virus, the state Health Department reportedly disputed it.

Hanta Virus infection leads to the fatal Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS), says the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) website. Earlier symptoms include fever, headaches, muscle ache, stomach problems, and chills. Later, shortness of breath appears along with coughing. The virus can also cause the deadly Hemorrhagic Fever with Renal Syndrome.

Rodents transmit this disease and rodent control is the key to the prevention of an epidemic.

Scrub typhus (Orientia tsutsugamushi infection) is transmitted by the bite of larval trombiculid mites. Scrub typhus fever shows clinical similarities to co-endemic diseases such as typhoid, leptospirosis, and dengue, says a paper published in The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

Whatever may be the disease, the people of the state need a confirmation as soon as possible.

Note: Those with high cholesterol levels beware. A paper published in the Public Library of Science (PLOS) says that high cholesterol levels prove dangerous in case of a Hanta Virus infection.

There's more fish out there

Fish resources in the mesopelagic zone are of great interest to scientists. The mesopelagic zone is the vertical layer of the ocean that extends down 200 metres to 1,000 metres. This zone is also called the Twilight zone as the reach of sunlight is less here, but just enough for photosynthesis.

It was earlier estimated that with 1,000 million tonnes, the mesopelagic fish population constitutes the dominant fish biomass in the ocean.  Now, a study by Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) published in the Nature Communications  journal claims that the mesopelagic biomass may be 10 times more than expected.

The new estimates are based on acoustic observations made by the Malaspina expedition. For the scientists, the mesopelagic zone is important as it is through this layer that carbon dioxide must pass to darker lower layers of the ocean.

The exact mechanism of carbon flux and the interactions of living beings in this ocean layer are still unknown. For example, the organisms in this zone play a major role in the amount of oxygen available at the lower depths of the ocean.

The Malaspina circumnavigation expedition is an interdisciplinary research project aimed at studying the biodiversity of oceans. The expedition was led by the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC).

Reference:
“Fish biomass in the ocean may be 10 times higher than estimated: Stock of mesopelagic fish changes from 1,000 to 10,000 million tons.” Science Daily, n.d, n.p, 7 Feb. 2014.
“La biomasa de peces en el océano es 10 veces superior a lo estimado.” Web. 9 Feb. 2014.
“Malaspina Expedition 2010.” Wikipedia. n.d, n.p. Web. 21 March 2013.

The folly of Youth hypothesis in Indian media

It is quite some time that the news channels based in Delhi and Mumbai keep mumbling on how the "youth" will usher in a new India in 2014 by casting their votes for the same old politicians.

Huh! In an article on Mint, Sanjay Kumar, a professor at the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies, debunks the untested hypothesis unleashed by the media.  Excerpts from his article:

"...Banking too much on the youth vote or the votes of the first-time voters may ultimately backfire, the reason being the Indian youth hardly votes as the “youth” or the “young”...Studies indicate the youth have never voted en bloc for any political party, at least not in the last five Lok Sabha elections (1996, 1998, 1999, 2004 and 2009). They have remained divided between various political parties like voters of any other age group are divided between various parties..."

"...It will be a gross misjudgement if someone believes the youth will determine the outcome of the 2014 Lok Sabha election. In a large country such as India, with enormous diversity of language, religion, caste and region, local civic issues or the caste of the candidate or the other identities of the young become an important factor for political mobilization, and the youth not only become a part of that mobilization process, but also get divided on these lines while voting."

So, what conclusion can we derive from the media's "youth" spin? Indirect campaigning or deliberate propaganda?

Drishyam is worth a watch

Jeetu Joseph's Drishyam starring Mohanlal and Meena is a welcome change from the slapstick associated with Malayalam cinema for some decades now.

Mohanlal as Georgekutty is a cable TV operator and film buff, struggling to make both ends meet with a bit of agriculture thrown in for his income. His wife, Meena, reminds frequently him that he has forgotten to live due to his miserly ways, and wants the best in life for her family. The first half is entirely focused on the family and the picturesque land they live in. It belongs to Mohanlal.

Misfortune strikes the family and Georgekutty vows to save the family from the police as well from the long arm of the law. The second half is occupied by how the family struggles to keep themselves together, while Asha Sarath as IG Geetha Prabhakar tries to prove a point.

To me, the second half belonged to Asha Sharath and Kalabhavan Shajon as Constable Sahadevan.This is not to forget the entire cast who had done well in this film. The film successfully retains the suspense till the end.

The only glitch is why Georgekutty failed to consult an advocate. And nobody in the movie seemed to suggest that option.

Overall, a good movie to watch and one that poses questions on the state of family, crime, and morality. The cinematography is good and the songs sounded average. And there was no third-rate comedy lines.

How companies drive away talent

Leaders who pick and quibble and snipe are people who fear that a Mojofied team might threaten their own petty power. If your environment is a snipe-fest, good people won’t stay.

From Ten Ways Companies Drive Away Talent, by Liz Ryan in the Forbes.