Data Care





People studying health informatics acquire expertise in the development of information systems in health organisations, writes Peter Bath, professor of health informatics, Information School, University of Sheffield 

 

Arapidly developing field in health and medicine, health informatics examines how digital information can be used to support patient health and well-being and improve population health. It is important because care for individual patients is highly dependent on the right information being available to health care professionals in the right place at the right time. Large volumes and different types of patient information are generated as part of everyday healthcare. Systems are required to support the collection, storage and use of patient data, e.g., illness symptoms, blood test results, x-rays and electrocardiograms. Health care professionals can then have the right information available to make decisions about patients.

Courses in health informatics are often aimed at postgraduate students, who might come from a variety of backgrounds, including healthcare professionals, such as doctors, nurses, pharmacists, therapists, public health experts, as well as computing and information specialists, such as software engineers, computer programmers, IT managers and information services staff.

Studying health informatics can help health care professionals develop a better understanding of how patient information can be stored, accessed, analysed and utilised to support individual patient care and improve health outcomes. Obtaining a formal qualification allows them to specialise in this area and become involved in the design, development and testing of new systems within hospitals and health organisations, e.g., a new patient electronic records system. This supports career de velopment and progression and gives them the cutting edge when it comes to applying for new jobs or promotion.

For people with a background in computing or information management, studying health informatics can provide new career opportunities for the application of programming skills, the development of software and management of information for health care organisations.A formal qualification in health informatics is often a requirement for career progression and promotion for such specialists within the health sector.

People studying health informatics courses acquire expertise in the development of information systems within health organisations. They study ways of analysing health data, how data are used within public health and for health service management, and how electronic clinical records are developed. This provides job opportunities within the health sector for people with a computing background, as well as career opportunities for health professionals.

New types of health data are being generated and used continuously across the health sector. Genetic data, from DNA profiling, are used to identify genes for life-threatening conditions, for example, cystic fibrosis or breast cancer. Information shared through social media, such as Twitter, is used to monitor outbreaks of infectious diseases. Given the increasing amounts of data generated and used in health care, the career opportunities for people with expertise in health informatics will continue to grow.

Article Courtesy: TOI 

Social Media Best Practices

SOCIAL MEDIA BEST PRACTICES

Handling complaints, criticisms and negative comments on social media

Social media provides a forum for feedback and interaction, and good customer service and public relations is vital when operating an institutional, organizational or brand social media account.
However, social media is a unique environment. Unlike a phone call or letter to the editor, a Facebook post or tweet can either escalate or defuse an issue quickly. On occasion, an issue may become bigger than anticipated or even warranted. Do you respond? How do you respond? Where do you respond?
These tips and examples of best practices in addressing these issues can help:

First, be sure to read these guidelines in their entirety before acting.

Don’t panic
If you have a team, discuss possible scenarios and ways to address each of them. Have a plan of who should respond and/or who approves any response. Know who should be contacted if the conversation needs to be addressed privately for the poster, and work on some general responses that you and your team can use as a guide. Don’t wait too long to address the situation. Move quickly, honestly and proactively.
Document it
Before getting into decision-making, be sure you have a record of what’s being said on your platforms. If the post makes, for example, an accusation or derogatory comment about an individual or group, you will want to have a screenshot should the original post be deleted. You will need proof if the matter is contested or referred to another party, such as student conduct or law enforcement.
Hold back: Don’t delete the comment or post
You have no control over what someone tweets, but you do have the ability to remove comments on other platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and Google+, to name a few. But that doesn’t necessarily mean you should. Deleting a negative comment because it casts your organization in a negative light will only serve to inflame the situation and perhaps draw the interest of others. Deleting a criticism or negative comment gives the appearance of hiding something and will lead others to question your integrity. You should, however, remove inappropriate comments (such as råacist, pornographic or profane posts or personal, derogatory attacks on individuals). You also may block users who abuse the page with these kinds of posts or who are using the account to send spam. Except in extreme cases, a good rule of thumb for blocking is “three strikes and you’re out.”
(Facebook has specific settings that will automatically hide profanity or CAPS. You also can hide/remove personal attacks on other users.)
Should I react?
It’s not uncommon to see negative or damaging posts, tweets and comments on social media. The first question you and your team need to ask: “Is it worth it to respond?” If for example, someone has posted a call for assistance, has had a bad experience, or is looking for answers. Monitor your social media for these kinds of posts/tweets/comments. Sometimes people aren’t looking for a specific response but you may be able to help them resolve their issue(s).
Example: “I hate how hard it is to get a student loan! There you go Penn State, you’ll officially be cancelling my classes because I can’t pay for them on my own. Rant over.”
Proactively responding can help the student AND you.
Response: “Sorry to read this. We will touch base with the Office of Student Aid and see if there is anything further they can do for you.”
—–
Example: “The sidewalks are a mess! I’m going to fall and break my leg out here!”
Let them know that efforts may already be underway, but that you’ve heard them and will try to help.
Response: “The Office of Physical Plant is working hard to remove the snow, but please let us know where it’s bad and we’ll notify them.”
—–
Example: “Hey, Penn State, a student at your school is threatening someone on Twitter. What are you going to do?”
When you see an issue that may appear to be a legal matter or, at the very least, a human resources or student conduct issue, begin gathering as much information as you can. Find the posts in question, and let the people who have called it to your attention know that you are taking it seriously. Do not make judgments on your own and refer the matter to the appropriate agency or staff, with screenshots of both the offending post(s) and complaint(s).
Response: “Thank you for letting us know. We’re looking into it now. Can you email us at ADDRESS with details?”

Stay away from:

• a blatant attack that’s clearly rude and outrageous. More than likely the public will see that this individual has a personal problem.
• a known social media user who is only looking to pick a fight (think troll)
• an escalating situation for which your participation will only lead you to lose restraint and tact.

Take the high road
In these situations there’s no way to win. Focus on the wrongs you can right — and move on. It is critical that you never take it personally or engage or challenge the person negatively. Remember, this is in public, and you are being judged by not only the poster, but all of your followers.
When should I react?
Your account’s history should set the tone for how quickly you respond to questions and comments. Most people recognize that smaller units and organizations can’t monitor and respond all day, every day. You should respond as quickly as possible. For the University’s official accounts, staff strive to respond to comments requiring a response within an hour. That doesn’t mean you should jump immediately without doing a little investigating. If you don’t have an answer, it’s ok to say so — but follow that with what you plan to do to find an answer. Knowing that someone is listening is often more important than getting exactly what you want. But the longer you wait to respond, the angrier your audience will get, so working on finding the needed information is important, and letting the poster know that is your intention is even more important.
Example: “We want to thank you for your patience while we look into this.”
Or, “We’re aware of the issue and we’re working hard to get to the bottom of it.”
If the complainant knows they have your attention, they are more likely to stop spreading the anger.
Focus on listening that doesn’t intrude but instead builds relationships and insights. And only engage when you can deliver value.
If you are receiving multiple complaints or negative comments about the same situation, you may reach a point where it is in your best interest to address it in a single post instead of individual replies. Remember, however, that in many cases this is relative to the size of your community. For an account with thousands of followers, 10 comments may only warrant individual replies. Dozens or hundreds may indicate the need to address an issue in a broader way.
What if the situation is sensitive or volatile?
Honesty and openness is recommended — but there will be times when a conversation should move off of your social media platform. You can first acknowledge the conversation on the platform and then reach out to the individuals privately with a number or name of someone they can talk to about the issue. This protects any personal and private information that may need to be exchanged. In addition, it helps move an unhappy person off of the very public platform to resolve a problem that requires outside intervention. Refer to your team’s plan of action and who the correct point of contact would be in these instances.
As noted above, do not delete the post. It’s ok to admit you made a mistake or to keep that conversation online so people can see it has been handled and hasn’t been ignored.
Stay away from an argument. You will never win. You can still respond, just

• don’t get emotional
• remember that they are a real person
• their complaint may be a favor to you. You’re learning how to respond and people will see that you handled it in a respectful way, so they know they can count on that in the future.

Can I get assistance on social media?
It’s great to get other accounts involved if they truly can help. If someone has a question about a class or an event, tag the proper account to get them involved. People generally feel better seeing that you care and are working with others to get answers for them. In addition, it makes our complex University seem smaller and easier to traverse.
Example: “@Penn_State This is ridiculous. It’s been two months and I still haven’t gotten an admissions decision!”
Response: “@USER Hang in there, all decisions will be made by Jan. 31. @PSU_Admissions can let you know if there’s anything else you should do.”
If you get a question or complaint and are unsure of how to proceed, it’s always best to ask for advice. Contact News & Media Relations Social Media staff at socialmediaoffice@psu.edu or (814) 865-7517 any time to talk it through. Bouncing ideas off another person is a perfect way to not only find a solution, but to also anticipate any follow-up issues.
Be human
People sometimes seem to forget that there are real people behind the social media accounts. Communicate in a friendly but professional tone and show empathy. It’s easy for people to yell at a faceless account, but once people realize a human is reading their posts, answering questions and acknowledging their concerns, they will usually calm down. Offer a real apology if one is needed. It’s ok to admit mistakes or problems. Offer to right a wrong, if you can. Give them your interest and attention. Be sincere. Be friendly. Be human.
And definitely — thank people for positive comments on social media. The good will you spread is infectious.
Stay alert
As a final hint for best practices: Do regularly monitor your accounts for comments and questions. You should also try to stay on top of conversations that may affect you, but may not be specifically mentioned or posted to your accounts. Tools such as Tweetdeck or Hootsuite allow you to establish searches for keywords that are important to you. Twilert is another product that offers Twitter search alerts — think of it as Google alerts for Twitter. You get real-time alerts of Tweets containing your search terms. Google Alerts, as mentioned above, can send you notifications of any mentions on the web about your organization or specific terms your most interested in monitoring.

These guidelines developed by:
Christie Clancy and Geoff Rushton, Penn State Office of Social Media
Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences Social Media Committee

21 Ways To Attract Your Husband Sexually

How do I attract my husband sexually is the million dollar question been asked by a lot of women, who are in sexless marriages.Everyone has their own opinion in regard to sex and its role in marriage. Some people believe that sex play a very small part in marriage, as true as that may be, its value cannot be undermined.
In Stefan Ziglar’s Book Why Sex Matters to keep Romance Alive; he states Lack of sex and intimacy result to unhappy marriages and broken homes. It is a common situation to come by couples who got married because they had sexual chemistry. Sex plays a major part in a relationship, however never the foundation of a stable relationship.
People seek for a life partner or fall in love for companionship where romance and sex plays a crucial role. The chemistry must be there to keep the flame burning and sex helps you to know one another better. When your partner gets to know you inside out, he/she learns to pleasure you and hence make you happy. Happiness is a key factor when it comes to a successful marriage.
According to Corey on www.Simplemarriage.net in his article ‘How to Talk About Sex with Your Spouse’ he states that sex is an essential feature of every marriage. There are numerous of benefits of having sex as it contributes a lot in someone’s life and affects your all-around living; from how you dress, handle stress, act to interrelate with others around you. Sex will spice your life up and make your marriage better as well.
When you have been in a marriage for quite some time, some things such as sex begin to begin to become a routine which can conceive boredom. To men, they experience sex as a legitimate physical need where his sexual desire is impacted by what’s around him, however indomitable by biological factors, exclusively the presence of testosterone in his body. Men are physically satisfied, immediately after sexual release.

Here are some ways to attract your husband sexually

1.Change your wardrobe

By change we mean improve your wardrobe and make it sexier and attractive. It is proven that males are visual beings and when you make grand changes like having better new clothes, it will surely make him notice you more.
Sexy does not have to be exposing, you can invest in having clothes that suit your body type and trendy as well.
Go back to the basics, dress attractively, regardless of whether you’ve added weight or not. Change your wardrobe, throw or give away clothes you’ve been wearing for the last ten years.
Check around and see what is trendy for your age. After all, you don’t want to compete with your daughter or nieces by wearing like a teenager, it makes you look tacky by the way.  Add a dash of confidence and see your sex life coming back to life!

2.To Attract, Be Attractive

I know, we cannot all be supermodels with fit, flawless bodies, but each and every one of us can be attractive in our own skin. Men do not marry women because of their looks but it is one of the factors that keep them hooked.
Don’t be comfortable in hanging out with rags just because you are in the house. Don’t be complacent with your looks just because you are now familiar with your spouse. Spruce up, throw out the old t-shirts, and keep your hair tidy. In an article on ‘wiki-how.com’ the author writes… ‘If you want to catch your husband’s eye again, the first thing you need to do is toss this complacency out’.
Don’t dress up for others and dress down for your husband and be expecting some action. For any woman to attract your husband, you have to be attractive. Never be complacent with your looks just because you are now familiar with your spouse. Always dress up for your husband to make him your number one cheerleader.
If your boss surprisingly popped by your place unannounced and you feel embarrassed by what you are wearing, throw it out. Your husband also deserves to see you in good clothes.

3. Be positive

If there is one trait in women that attract men is a woman with a positive outlook. Men can’t help but be attracted to positive women as they always look forward to meeting women who will give them positive re-enforcements.
Being around a positive woman makes any man to feel stronger, sexier in her presence. Any married couple is prone to face the hard knocks of life together, and at this time is when a man needs a positive partner in life to conquer all these.

4.Get Your Groove on

Before you get it on, dance for him or put on some music and dance with him. Practice a few moves.  Join a dancing class without his knowledge and dazzle him with your new sexy moves. if you are not able to, or you are shy, don’t despair thankfully, romantic songs are very slow.
Put on a song you like or a song you both liked when get together and revive your dating days and slow jam your way to an evening of romance. Put on a song you like or a song you both liked when get together and revive your dating days and slow jam your way to an evening of romance.

5. Have Interest in Sex

Society has shown us that are only men who ought or supposed to be interested in sex. Through this, women can subconsciously lose interest in sex and wait for men to pursue them for it.
When you show your husband you are interested in being intimate with him as well, it will make him feel attractive and assure him you are interested in the relationship with him too. Have a few surprises when he is not expecting it and get to know what he likes.
Make cuddling part of your sleeping regimen most nights and that fire will not burn out. As Martin Gaye, aptly puts it in his song ‘Let’s get in on’, If you want to love me, just let it go. Let it go tonight…Loosen up! Put this song and get it on..

6.Wear Sexy Lingerie

Sex is a product that can be marketed. Yes, don’t be shocked. It’s not about the package, it’s how it has been packaged! We all have been conditioned that slim is sexy, but actually comfort and confidence in your body shape is sexier.
Ask a few friends, which color looks best on you so, no matter your body size or shape, there is lingerie out there that will bring out the sexy you, that will attract your husband sexually. No excuses about weight buy one already and sizzle your man.

7. Make sex fun not a duty to fill in

Sex is one of the primary needs for a healthy marriage. Naturally, the man will ask for it more than the woman and every married woman knows is her duty to make her man sexually satisfied. However, women got sexual needs too and in some cases, some women have a higher libido than their husbands.
Although mostly the men will become more sexually active and the women end up disregarding the value of the sex in the relationship. When a woman seem to be enjoying the sex as the man is, it can end up to kill their sex life, hence infidelity. Show your man no matter what you enjoy the sex as well and it’s not just for procreating to you.

8. Be Confident

What most people do not understand is that foreplay begins outside the bedroom. When your husband is making love to you, he is turned on by what he likes most about you; from how you smell, communicate, eat, walk cook and everything else about you.
Every man wish list is to have a confident partner, who have their own opinion and can defend it; are comfortable in their own skin, regardless of their body size.

9. Be Open-minded

The readiness to explore other possibilities, new ideas and such other things is an aspect that men seek in women they want to love. When one is open-minded, they are able to see another point of view and respect it, even if is not that you share.
When it comes to sex, if your husband suggests something new for you to try out, do not be so uptight and do what you have been doing for ages.

10. Do not be predictable

Men have a weakness for women they can’t control or predict. When you are married, this is a different case as you need to create the mystery in your bedroom matters to keep him wanting more. It is not a must for Thursday nights to be sex nights or Friday to be date nights.
Once in a while when he is tired, you can surprise him with a hot massage or prepare him a relaxing bubble bath and wait for him in sexy lingerie when he’s done. When you have a quarrel and perhaps you are the one to say sorry, do not wait for him to apologize, just give him an awesome sexual favor that you know he will appreciate.

11.Steal time

Someone once said some people will talk to you in their free time; others free their time to talk to you. If you really want sex, you have to steal time for it from your regular activities. Don’t make excuses about how you don’t have time for it, you can create it.
Take time out and enjoy life. It may mean cutting out time from something else, like for instance watching television, but the sacrifice shall pay off. But avoid making a timetable for it; otherwise it becomes an errand for your hubby.
Be spontaneous, do it in different places apart from the norm. Rent a hotel room once in a month and do it without interruptions from other family members

12. Be adventurous

Adventurous is the opposite of boring. Nobody wants a life partner who is boring and uptight. Women who are adventurous use a mix of adrenaline and psychology to attract men.
Naturally, men have an automatic system that kicks into gear when they have an adventure with another person. It is easier to creating an immediate and lasting bond with a man by suggesting doing something extreme, adventurous, unusual or even dangerous. It is important first to understand your spouse’s level of adventure.

13. Become his number one fan

It’s a man’s world out there; In Sherry Argov’s book “Why Men Marry Bitches” She states, men control the world, and women control the men. According to her, B.I.T.C.H stands for ‘Babe in Total Control of Herself’.
When a woman takes control of her actions and reactions in a marriage, she becomes encouraging and supportive on all undertakings the husband embarks on. It is human to be selfish and sometimes the husband or the wife can become selfish which can tear the house apart.
However, when a woman supports her husband’s dreams and goals, she opens up the lock for passionate love for her; and with love, a man will do anything for his supportive wife.  In the bible, Proverbs 14:1 says, the wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down. This proves that the power is in the woman’s hands.

14. Make him your priority

Everyone has a priority in his/her life. As life goes on, other things check in and become of more importance than your marriage. Priority does not suggest you drop everything for him, hence the importance of self-love first. If your marriage is on the rocks, you cannot be productive on other parts of your life.
Lack of sex is one of the obvious signals that your marriage could be failing. It shows the two of you have drifted apart and have gain interest in other things besides your marriage.
This is the time to go back to the basics and reevaluate on details that brought you together by trying to revive the sparkle that used to be there. If you are spending your free time with your girlfriends or your children or at work, make it time for you to be together. It could start by engaging in his interests.

15. Devote in lifestyle habits that boost your libido

It is so easy for one to get used to a certain comfort zone that could make your lifestyle inactive or dreary. Engaging into certain habits can improve your blood circulation hence your libido. Habits such as exercise, having a healthy diet and managing your stress can help you enjoy sex and furthermore make your partner attracted to you.
Exercise boosts endorphins, which lift your mood and increases your energy. When you have a healthy diet it improves your blood circulation hence higher libido.
According to Irwin Goldstein, author of The Journal of Sexual Medicine, he states that when people are overworked and stressed, it leads to a lousy sex life’. Initiate for a simple vacation for you and your partner once in a while.

16. Teasing Talk

It is healthy to be naughty once in a while and men love it! You can speak softly sweet nothings into his ear at unexpected place or time, telling him all the things you would have him do to you or you would like to do to him. Also can send him a MMS or SMS letting him know he is in for a treat. Make him glow or skip a heart beat when he sees a text or a call from you.

17. Take Charge

Men are not good with hints or clues. If he is not getting it by now initiate the date and take charge. Men are also human beings and have the need to feel desired as well.
Instead of going to a shrink or a date and expect him to open up, plan for a hot sexy steamy date, and you will be surprised how he will be able to open up easily aftermath.

18. Do not make him know your next move

He is your partner, perhaps was your best friend before you started drifting apart. Chances are high you know him best more than his best friend or his siblings.
Possibly you have tried to initiate the “the talk” and it didn’t end well and you have a feeling he is getting way to comfortable with the situation and his guard is all up high.
Now is the time to remember what he may have told you he liked when you were dating and surprise him with it.  It can be sexual matters, a trip, a gadget, shoes or anything. Remember that, men are visual beings and that may revive his feelings for you.

19. Make sex Sacred

When you make sex sacred, you connect more on an emotional level with your partner. It happens by making love to your partner by opening your vulnerable heart to them.
Focus on the beginning of the sex and every moment along the way. Have a more sacred connection with your sexuality and make it mutual by giving and receiving. Having more of it and cultivate a richer connection with this revered part of your spirit by making it an important expression of yourself. This will make your partner completely sexually connected to you and will feel he wants more and more of you.

 20. Begin the new journey together

Routine is a great enemy in every marriage. Marriage is a partnership and it takes both  you and your husband to make it successful. To break the routine, you can start by doing something new together. Experience new things together to rekindle what you had while dating.
In Terri Orbuch’s article ‘Bringing Back the Passion’ he says, trying new things together infuses fun into the marriage. Do something that both  you and your husband will enjoy. It can start by making him feel useful by letting him help you out with something he had promised you sometime back.

21. Spruce up your life 

In other words, get yourself a life. Do something interesting with your life and you will always have something to share when he comes home. Being needy is not attractive.
If you keep your life interesting, his interest in you will not wane. But be careful that when you meet other people out there, you won’t disregard him and in the process detach from him emotionally
Put the above into practice and you will be singing ‘All night long’ with Lionel Richie. Remember, good things take time. So don’t be disappointed over one attempt that fails. Integrate the above as you go along and make them part of your life and you will never suffer a rusty patch again!
NB: However, if there is need for professional help, don’t hesitate to seek it. At times, things run deeper than what meets the eye. Avoid as much as possible washing your dirty linen in public, it only makes things worse. All husbands’ are different and have different tastes or desires. When you have no clue on how to attract your husband sexually, always seek for professional help instead of sharing ideas with your friends or relatives. Exposing your love situations to your loved ones will make him drift away further from you. Marriage is a union between two people not between you, him and your friends.
The fact that you want to be able to attract your husband sexually again is an indication of smoke and where there is smoke, there is fire. So get stoking that fire and it will keep on blazing!
Image courtesy of Ambro at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Image courtesy of David Castillo Dominici at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
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A Review on ‘Empty Fists’

A Review on ‘Empty Fists’

                                             -V.R.Bhat Hadinbal 

Effective storytelling is an art that can serve anyone in leadership who seeks to persuade others to his / her point of view. Opinion-based rhetoric is often more polarising than persuasive; while statistics are often go in one ear and out the other. But a careful blending of rhetoric and facts, woven into the right story, can change minds. Shaping an effective story with a point of view is a learned skill or an art. That is where ‘Empty Fist’ rings the bell in reader’s heart. 

Experts use to say “When you need to make an argument about an issue about which you feel very strongly, don’t use rhetoric. tell a story instead.” Story should carry the message what you are supposed to tell the public.  One can transform his/her series of messages into beautiful stories.    

When it comes to persuasion we resist being told what to think but we are open to why we must think it. Good stories have more than a point of view; they have a message. In a sense they are tools of persuasion. If you can answer  two questions: What you want others to do ? and Why you want them to do it?, you will have a clear message. Writer must think whether such  messages are universally accepted?  

Once such great messages starts piling-up, artisan in the writer must look forward for related examples that resemble his/her messages. Say, you want to persuade people to adopt safety standards, tell the story of what happened when someone did not follow safety protocol. If you want to demonstrate the benefits of a new process, use a story to explain how an individual would benefit.

When Real-life examples in the form of stories will dig deep in most of the readers hearts and make them think on such facts. When they react on the facts or messages writer’s dream will come true. Writer must demonstrate his/her conviction through appropriate words that draw pictures,  raising his/her voice on a key point, pausing for emphasis and following through  with well-paced flow.

Using a narrative approach and weaving them into story to tell the facts needs an artistic mind. Powerful storytelling may be or   may not be appropriate for every occasion. Story telling need not be reserved for formal occasions. Once, an executive was telling that he had mentor-boss who had a story for every situation. Mentor would tell stories as a form of coaching. It may be an admonishment, or a pat on the back, or a challenge, he would relate all to the situation called for, and make it a story. As a result, the lessons stuck; the executive had integrated the technique  into his own leadership style.

The book “Empty Fists” contains short stories that focus on various problems and experiences. Here every story teaches the reader a lesson and make him see the real world. It draws readers’ attention on violence, gender issues, selfishness, and money minded materialistic world.

Early part of “Empty Fists” contains a hero  dog named Raju, where in author view the world through dog’s eyes and states a point: “Humans behave worse than animals.” Of-course it is a fact today. Author Mangalam Shiva weaved all these stories using simple English to make easy going for all ages. The  uestion he puts forward can’t be answer fully and It depends upon the reader to ponder on. For example, “Is it our karma which is making us pay for the conscious and unconscious mistakes in our lives? ;what to say about this?

17 short stories anthology, ’Empty Fists”  has  unique, society related message that is bound to leave the reader in a state of self-reflection. Each story has been extensively researched and derives its essence from real life instances, which affect the Indian society. Author Mangalam Shiva discusses sensitive issues as well. He believes that India is not a good country for girls; they are hounded right from conception, until their death. The book explains how rapists have more respect, while the rape victims are shamed.

Many problems affecting the nation such as corruption, rape, women’s rights, child abuse etc are broight under light and  author attempts to handle each issue with a gentle artistic touch. ‘Empty Fists’  is a reflection of our very own lives that we lead with such blissful ignorance without realizing what is happening around or how others lives are affected by us. Author trys to convey  relevant  messages through suitable words to  change this mindset.  And it can be said that  every segment of our society must read this book.

In a sense, style of English used in the book EMPTY FISTS reminds R.KNarayan’s ‘Malgudi Days’,  where in real life instances affecting the  Indian society is narrated in the form of stories. No doubt the author has keen observation and had done much ground work before writing the book. Most of the incidents were collected  from news items of various periodicals and author had beautifully woven  them into single window.

While  portraying a good  stray dog, author trys to sense & smell the activities of very sensitive good dog in early chapters.  It is not that easy for someone to cast a role of good dog unless otherwise he studies such dog’s behavior.  Though it looks like a superstitious dog, such hero dogs are seen  across the world.  Author’s uniqueness can be seen  in these stories.  

"A woman even when filled with despair and on the brink of taking her own life...........will abandon all thoughts of death and rush to the defense of her child ...when danger is perceived”- these type of quotes can seize readers mind for sometime & make them re-read such quotes. Author is successful in bringing out the mothers’ natural instincts. Authors agony about female child is clearly reflected everywhere; mainly in a story called ‘Whirlpool’ author says  "India is not a good place to be born a girl.”Author has illustrated very reasons for the same.

"The black listed suppliers ....after few months registered under different names of firms and continued business as usual I had no sympathy for the innocent victims of these accidents and mishaps It was their destiny that they happened to travel in these trains"-like sentences are self narratory.   Such sentences are being used to warn the world that bribe based lobbying in public works are the main reason for many accidents. Though such sentences come in a train traffic oriented story, it can be applied for any public work.  Such words are creating big impact on readers.

It is better if I take authors quotes that expresses his agony with respect to girls’ life in Inda, Author states:

·        “If a girl-child is conceived in a poor family, she is killed before she is born.

She does not protest.

·        Once she is born, when the poor parents feel that they cannot afford to have a girl in their family, she is killed or abandoned.

She does not protest.

·        If she is allowed to live, as she grows, she is discriminated against - her brothers are favored in terms of nourishment, education and dress. Sons are given preference.

She does not protest.

·        When she is seven or eight years old, she is fondled (discreetly or openly) by her uncles, neighbours, fathers, brothers or grandfathers.

She does not protest.

·        When she goes to school, she is harassed by boys, teachers or principals.

She does not protest.

·        When she goes to the college, she is hounded by boys, lecturers, professors or staff.

She does not protest.

·        When she travels by buses or local trains, she is pawed at by the male vultures.

She does not protest.

·        In her workplace, she is tortured mentally and physically by her male colleagues, supervisors and bosses.

She cannot protest.

·        If she dares to protest at any time, she will be branded a troublemaker, instigator or a slut.

So, she cannot protest.

·        After marriage, she is tortured by her motherin-

law, husband (licensed rape many times), by her

father-in-law, or by neighbours.

She cannot protest.

·        When she bears children, she has to carry the

burden of raising the children, managing her home,

·        in addition to earning money at work.

She does not protest.

·        When her sons get married, she is insulted by her

daughters-in-law, repeatedly.

She cannot protest.

·        In her old age, if she is widowed, her sons neglect

her.

She does not protest.

·        When she dies, it is a great relief for her and…

There is nothing to protest!!” 

He declares, “Every girl in India has to face this WHIRLPOOL” such commendable pieces exposes the dark side of society and create ever lasting impact in the minds of the readers. As per my purview, every Indian must read this book and present it to his/her  realtives and friends.

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You can purchase 'Empty Fists' at Amazon.com & www.notionpress.com 

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5 Indian villages which you must not miss visiting

Villages for us Indians is all about cute mud houses, cow-dung cakes, sitting cross-legged on the terrace with cousins listening to ghost stories from elders and eating fresh produce off fields. It is true that India lives in its village as we are still agro-based economy. So, you city slickers if you want to tour the real India, you must visit its villages and get refreshed with the mitti-ki-khushboo. We give you five unforgettable villages which you must travel to get the real feel of our country.
Hodka, Kutch

Visit this quaint yet fascinating hamlet in the vibrant district of Kutch in Gujarat to discover white stretch lands of the great Rann of Kutch. Most common occupation of the villagers here is making leather goods and oh-so-colourful lovely embroidered items. Best time to visit this place is between October to April.
Banavasi, Karnataka

The village is known for endogenous rural tourism as it is nestled along the banks of river Varada and is blessed with amazing eco-system. You will find ancient relics of the Kadamba dynasty which ruled from here. Streams running with crystal clear waters, green pastures and lovely coconut trees…this place are tucked away in the lap of nature away from the bustling urban life.
Lachen, Gangtok

North-east is like a heaven on earth with its virginal landscapes and unexplored mountain ranges. Lachen, in particular is amazing because it is perched at the altitude of 8500 ft and is devastatingly beautiful. It has some of the most beautiful treks and is a home to the Bhutia tribe, who are inhabitants of this place since 6th century.
Pothanikkad, Kerala

You may have not heard of this village but this little hamlet was the first one to achieve cent per cent literacy rate in whole of India. Though cut off from urban area, this village boasts of high end public and private schools. It is definitely a must to visit such village which has revolutionised education in India.
Shani Shingnapur

Shani Shingnapur is village in Maharashtra which houses a temple worshipping planet Saturn. So far so normal. Delightfully weird thing is that, here villagers do not lock doors of their houses but keep them wide open! So, do not miss visiting this thief-proof village next time you are in Maharashtra.

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