World Heart Day - September 29

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This year in continuation from our 2011 theme of home heart health we will make 2012 the year of cardiovascular disease (CVD) prevention among women and children because:
 Women/children and CVD are not synonymous:
  • CVD is commonly considered an “older persons” and a “man’s” disease
  • Women underestimate their CVD risk; even though almost half of the 17.3 million annual deaths occur in women
 Children are particularly at risk, since they have little control over their environment and can be limited in choices to live heart­-healthily
 Unless action is taken to enable heart-­healthy activity, the children of today are at increased CVD risk later in life
 Women/mothers are often the « gate keeper » to their family’s health hence a key influencer in keeping their hearts healthy
More Visit: http://www.world-heart-federation.org/what-we-do/awareness/world-heart-day/about-world-heart-day/ 

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Cyber Crime or Computer Crime

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Cyber Crime or Computer Crime

Computer crime refers to any crime that involves a computer and a network.

History reveals that the Cyber crime originated even from the year 1820. That is not surprising considering the fact that the abacus, which is thought to be the earliest form of a computer, has been around since 3500 B.C. in India, Japan and China in 1820, Joseph-Marie Jacquard, a textile manufacturer in France, produced the loom. This device allowed the repetition of a series of steps in the weaving of special fabrics. This resulted in a fear among Jacquard's employees that their traditional employment and livelihood were being threatened. They committed acts of sabotage to discourage Jacquard from further use of the new technology. This is the first recorded cyber crime! 


Hacker means someone who finds weaknesses in a computer or computer network.
There is an equivalent term to hacking i.e. cracking, but from Indian Laws perspective there is no difference between the term hacking and cracking. The term hacker is reclaimed by computer programmers who argue that someone breaking into computers is better called a cracker, not making a difference between computer criminals (black hats) and computer security experts (white hats). Some white hat hackers claim that they also deserve the title hacker, and that only black hats should be called crackers.

The term "white hat" in Internet slang refers to an ethical hacker, or a computer security expert, who specializes in penetration testing and in other testing methodologies to ensure the security of an organization's information systems. White-hat hackers are also called "sneakers", red teams, or tiger teams

A "black hat" hacker is a hacker who "violates computer security for little reason beyond maliciousness or for personal gain"

A grey hat hacker is a combination of a Black Hat and a White Hat Hacker. A Grey Hat Hacker may surf the internet and hack into a computer system for the sole purpose of notifying the administrator that their system has been hacked, for example. Then they may offer to repair their system for a small fee.

A social status among hackers, elite is used to describe the most skilled. Newly discovered exploits will circulate among these hackers. Elite groups such as Masters of Deception conferred a kind of credibility on their members.

A script kiddie (or skiddie) is a non-expert who breaks into computer systems by using pre-packaged automated tools written by others

A neophyte, "n00b", or "newbie" is someone who is new to hacking or phreaking and has almost no knowledge or experience of the workings of technology, and hacking.

A blue hat hacker is someone outside computer security consulting firms who is used to bug test a system prior to its launch, looking for exploits so they can be closed.

A hacktivist is a hacker who utilizes technology to announce a social, ideological, religious, or political message. In general, most hacktivism involves website defacement or denial-of-service attacks.

Intelligence agencies and cyberwarfare operatives of nation states.

"Bots: Automated software tools, some freeware, available for the use of any type of hacker"

A vulnerability scanner is a tool used to quickly check computers on a network for known weaknesses. Hackers also commonly use port scanners.
Password cracking is the process of recovering passwords from data that has been stored in or transmitted by a computer system. A common approach is to repeatedly try guesses for the password
A packet sniffer is an application that captures data packets, which can be used to capture passwords and other data in transit over the network.

A Trojan horse is a program which seems to be doing one thing, but is actually doing another. A trojan horse can be used to set up a back door in a computer system such that the intruder can gain access later.

"A virus is a self-replicating program that spreads by inserting copies of itself into other executable code or documents. Therefore, a computer virus behaves in a way similar to a biological virus, which spreads by inserting itself into living cells. While some are harmless or mere hoaxes most computer viruses are considered malicious."

What is Virus? A computer virus attaches itself to a program or file enabling it to spread from one computer to another, leaving infections as it travels. Like a human virus, a computer virus can range in severity. Almost all viruses are attached to an executable file, which means the virus may exist on your computer but it actually cannot infect your computer unless you run or open the malicious program. It is important to note that a virus cannot be spread without a human action.

A worm is similar to a virus by design and is considered to be a sub-class of a virus. Worms spread from computer to computer, but unlike a virus, it has the capability to travel without any human action. A worm takes advantage of file or information transport features on your system, which is what allows it to travel unaided. The biggest danger with a worm is its capability to replicate itself on your system, so rather than your computer sending out a single worm, it could send out hundreds or thousands of copies of itself, creating a huge devastating effect

Viruses are sometimes confused with worms and Trojan horses, which are technically different. A worm can exploit security vulnerabilities to spread itself automatically to other computers through networks, while a Trojan horse is a program that appears harmless but hides malicious functions. Worms and Trojan horses, like viruses, may harm a computer system's data or performance. Some viruses and other malware have symptoms noticeable to the computer user, but many are surreptitious or simply do nothing to call attention to themselves. 

Spyware is a type of malware (malicious software) installed on computers that collects information about users without their knowledge.

Adware, or advertising-supported software, is any software package which automatically renders unwanted advertisements.





The Information Technology ACT 2000

CHAPTER 1 - PRELIMINARY
1) Short title, extent, commencement and application

2) Definitions


CHAPTER 2 - DIGITAL SIGNATURE
3) Authentication of electronic records.


CHAPTER 3 - ELECTRONIC GOVERNANCE
4) Legal recognition of electronic records.

5) Legal recognition of digital signatures.

6) Use of electronic records and digital signatures in Government and its agencies.

7) Retention of electronic records.

8) Publication of rules, regulation, etc., in Electronic Gazette.

9) Sections 6,7 and 8 not to confer right to insist document should be accepted in electronic form

10) Power to make rules by Central Government in respect of digital signature


CHAPTER 4 - ATTRIBUTION, ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND DESPATCH OF ELECTRONIC RECORDS
11) Attribution of electronic records.

12) Acknowledgement of receipt.

13) Time and place of despatch and receipt of electronic record.


CHAPTER 5 - SECURE ELECTRONIC RECORDS AND SECURE DIGITAL SIGNATURES
14) Secure electronic record.

15) Secure digital signature.

16) Security procedure.


CHAPTER 6 - REGULATION OF CERTIFYING AUTHORITIES
17) Appointment of Controller and other officers.

18) Functions of Controller.

19) Recognition of foreign Certifying Authorities.

20) Controller to act as repository.

21) Licence to issue Digital Signature Certificates.

22) Application for licence.

23) Renewal of licence.

24) Procedure for grant or rejection of licence.

25) Suspension of licence.

26) Notice of suspension or revocation of licence.

27) Power to delegate.

28) Power to investigate contraventions.

29) Access to computers and data.

30) Certifying Authority to follow certain procedures.

31) Certifying Authority to ensure compliance of the Act, etc.

32) Display of licence.

33) Surrender of licence.

34) Disclosure.


CHAPTER 7 - DIGITAL SIGNATURE CERTIFICATES
35) Certifying Authority to issue Digital Signature Certificate.

36) Representations upon issuance of Digital Signature Certificate.

37) Suspension of Digital Signature Certificate.

38) Revocation of Digital Signature Certificate.

39) Notice of suspension or revocation.


CHAPTER 8 - DUTIES OF SUBSCRIBERS
40) Generating key pair.

41) Acceptance of Digital Signature Certificate.

42) Control of private key.


CHAPTER 9 - PENALTIES AND ADJUDICATION
43) Penalty for damage to computer, computer system, etc.

44) Penalty for failure to furnish information, return, etc.

45) Residuary penalty.

46) Power to adjudicate.

47) Factors to be taken into account by the adjudicating officer.


CHAPTER 10 - THE CYBER REGULATIONS APPELLATE TRIBUNAL
48) Establishment of Cyber Appellate Tribunal.

49) Composition of Cyber Appellate Tribunal.

50) Qualifications for appointment as Presiding Officer of the Cyber Appellate Tribunal.

51) Term of office

52) Salary, allowances and other terms and conditions of service of Presiding Officer.

53) Filling up of vacancies.

54) Resignation and removal.

55) Orders constituting Appellate Tribunal to be final and not to invalidate its proceedings.

56) Staff of the Cyber Appellate Tribunal.

57) Appeal to Cyber Regulations Appellate Tribunal.

58) Procedure and powers of the Cyber Appellate Tribunal.

59) Right to legal representation.

60) Limitation.

61) Civil court not to have jurisdiction.

62) Appeal to High Court.

63) Compounding of contraventions.

64) Recovery of penalty


CHAPTER 11 - OFFENCES
65) Tampering with computer source documents.

66) Hacking with Computer System.

67) Publishing of information which is obscene in electronic form.

68) Power of the Controller to give directions.

69) Directions of Controller to a subscriber to extend facilities to decrypt information.
70) Protected system
71) Penalty for misrepresentation.
72) Breach of confidentiality and privacy.
73) Penalty for publishing Digital Signature Certificate false in certain particulars.
74) Publication for fraudulent purpose.
75) Act to apply for offences or contravention committed outside India.
76) Confiscation.
77) Penalties and confiscation not to interfere with other punishments
78) Power to investigate offences.

CHAPTER 12 - NETWORK SERVICE PROVIDERS NOT TO BE LIABLE IN CERTAIN CASES
79. Network service providers no to be liable in certain cases

CHAPTER 13 -MISCELLANEOUS
80) Power of police officer and other officers to enter, search, etc.
81) Act to have overriding effect.
82) Controller, Deputy Controller and Assistant Controllers to be public servants.
83) Power to give directions.
84) Protection of action taken in good faith.
85) Offences by Companies.
86) Removal of difficulties.
87) Power of Central Government to make rules.
88) Constitution of Advisory Committee.
89) Power of Controller to make regulations.
90) Power of State Government to make rules.
91) Amendment of Act 45 of 1860.
92) Amendment of Act 1 of 1872.
93) Amendment of Act 18 of 1891.
94) Amendment of Act 2 of 1934.

THE FIRST SCHEDULE (See section 91)
AMENDMENTS TO THE INDIAN PENAL CODE (45 OF 1860)

THE SECOND SCHEDULE (See section 92)
AMENDMENTS TO THE INDIAN EVIDENCE ACT, 1872 (1 OF 1872)

THE THIRD SCHEDULE (See section 93)
AMENDMENTS TO THE BANKERS' BOOKS EVIDENCE ACT 1891 (18 OF 1891)

THE FOURTH SCHEDULE(See section 94)
AMENDMENT TO THE RESERVE BANK OF INDIA ACT, 1934 (2 OF 1934)




REFERENCES
1. http://cybercrime.planetindia.net
2. http://cybercellmumbai.gov.in
3. www.wikipedia.org
4. http://www.mairec.org/IJRIM/Mar2012/3.pdf

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The 2012 Right Livelihood Awards

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The 2012 Right Livelihood Awards


The 2012 Laureates define essential conditions for global peace and security
This year’s group of four Laureates highlights the essential conditions for global peace and security: effective nonviolent resistance, a recognition that the arms industry is part of the problem, human and women’s rights, and the preservation of our precious ecological resources.
The 2012 Right Livelihood Awards go to four recipients. One award is an honorary award, the three other laureates will share the € 150,000 cash award.


credit: Elif Sezginer
HAYRETTIN KARACA (Turkey) receives the 2012 Honorary Award “for a lifetime of tireless advocacy and support for the protection and stewardship of our natural world, combining successful entrepreneurship with effective environmental activism”.




The Jury awards SIMA SAMAR (Afghanistan) “for her longstanding and courageous dedication to human rights, especially the rights of women, in one of the most complex and dangerous regions in the world”.

It is the first time that a Right Livelihood Award goes to Afghanistan.



Gene Sharp credit: Emma Hardy
credit: Emma Hardy
The Jury recognises GENE SHARP (USA) “for developing and articulating the core principles and strategies of nonviolent resistance and supporting their practical implementation in conflict areas around the world”.




The Jury awards the CAMPAIGN AGAINST ARMS TRADE(UK) “for their innovative and effective campaigning against the global trade in arms”.

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World Tourism Day - September 27

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World Tourism Day (WTD) 2012 is being held under the theme Tourism & Sustainable Energy: Powering Sustainable Development. Official celebrations will take place in Maspalomas, Spain (September 27).

Taleb Rifai, UNWTO Secretary-General

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How to Improve Your Memory - TIPS AND EXERCISES TO SHARPEN YOUR MEMORY

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A strong memory depends on the health and vitality of your brain. Whether you're a student studying for final exams, a working professional interested in doing all you can to stay mentally sharp, or a senior looking to preserve and enhance your grey matter as you age, there are lots of things you can do to improve your memory and mental performance.

The brain’s incredible ability to reshape itself holds true when it comes to learning and memory. You can harness the natural power of neuroplasticity to increase your cognitive abilities, enhance your ability to learn new information, and improve your memory.

·         Don't skimp on exercise or sleep
·         Make time for friends and fun - Laughter is good for your brain
·         Keep stress in check
·         Eat a brain-boosting diet
·         Give your brain a workout

Use mnemonic devices to make memorization easier
Mnemonic device
Example
Visual image - Associate a visual image with a word or name to help you remember them better. Positive, pleasant images that are vivid, colorful, and three-dimensional will be easier to remember.
To remember the name Rosa Parks and what she’s known for, picture a woman sitting on a park bench surrounded by roses, waiting as her bus pulls up.
Acrostic (or sentence) - Make up a sentence in which the first letter of each word is part of or represents the initial of what you want to remember.
The sentence “Every good boy does fine” to memorize the lines of the treble clef, representing the notes E, G, B, D, and F.
Acronym - An acronym is a word that is made up by taking the first letters of all the key words or ideas you need to remember and creating a new word out of them.
The word “HOMES” to remember the names of the Great Lakes: Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, and Superior.
Rhymes and alliteration - Rhymes, alliteration (a repeating sound or syllable), and even jokes are a memorable way to remember more mundane facts and figures.
The rhyme “Thirty days hath September, April, June, and November” to remember the months of the year with only 30 days in them.

Chunking - Chunking breaks a long list of numbers or other types of information into smaller, more manageable chunks.
Remembering a 10-digit phone number by breaking it down into three sets of numbers: 555-867-5309 (as opposed to5558675309).
Method of loci - Imagine placing the items you want to remember along a route you know well or in specific locations in a familiar room or building.
For a shopping list, imagine bananas in the entryway to your home, a puddle of milk in the middle of the sofa, eggs going up the stairs, and bread on your bed.

Tips for enhancing your ability to learn and remember
Pay attention. You can’t remember something if you never learned it, and you can’t learn something—that is, encode it into your brain—if you don’t pay enough attention to it. It takes about eight seconds of intense focus to process a piece of information into your memory. If you’re easily distracted, pick a quiet place where you won’t be interrupted.
Involve as many senses as possible. Try to relate information to colors, textures, smells, and tastes. The physical act of rewriting information can help imprint it onto your brain. Even if you’re a visual learner, read out loud what you want to remember. If you can recite it rhythmically, even better.
Relate information to what you already know. Connect new data to information you already remember, whether it’s new material that builds on previous knowledge, or something as simple as an address of someone who lives on a street where you already know someone.
For more complex material, focus on understanding basic ideas rather than memorizing isolated details. Practice explaining the ideas to someone else in your own words.
Rehearse information you’ve already learned. Review what you’ve learned the same day you learn it, and at intervals thereafter. This “spaced rehearsal” is more effective than cramming, especially for retaining what you’ve learned.


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Phelps overall tally now stands at 19

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The gold medal that Michael Phelps won in the U.S. 4x200 metre freestyle relay in Tuesday’s final race at the Aquatic Centre made him the most successful Olympic athlete ever.
His overall tally now stands at 19 (15 gold, two silver and two bronze), surpassing the 18 that Soviet gymnast Larisa Latynina achieved between 1956 and 1964.

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June 19 - Vayanadinam (Day of Reading)

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P N Panicker is known as the Father of the Library Movement in Kerala. He died on 19 June 1995, at the age of 86. The Government of Kerala observes 19 June annually as Vayanadinam (Day of Reading) with a week-long series of activities at schools and public institutions to honour the contributions of P.N. Panicker to the cause of literacy, education and library movement.

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World Blood Donor Day: 14 June

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World Blood Donor Day is day dedicated to "thanking and celebrating voluntary non-remunerated blood donors". It occurs on June 14, the birthday of Karl Landsteiner, the creator of the ABO blood group system, for which he won the Nobel Prize. The first day was held in 2005.

The theme of 2012 world blood donor day campaign-"every blood donor is a hero" focuses on the idea that every one of us can become a hero by giving blood.

One of the main goals of the World Blood Donor Day is to ensure the availability of 'safe blood' for transfusion.

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World Environment Day - June 5

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ലോക പരിസ്ഥിതി ദിനം June 5:
പരിസ്ഥിതി പ്രശ്നങ്ങളെ കുറിച്ചുള്ള അവബോധം വരുത്താനും കർമ്മ പരിപാടികൾ ആസൂത്രണം ചെയ്യാനുമാണ് പരിസ്ഥിതി ദിനം ആചരിക്കുന്നത്. ഐക്യരാഷ്ട്രസഭ ജെനറൽ അസംബ്ലിയാണ് 1972 മുതൽ ഈ ദിനാചരണം ആരംഭിച്ചത്.

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India-Ceylon Railway

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കോട്ടയത്തെ റയില്‍വേ സ്‌റ്റേഷനില്‍ നിന്നെടുത്ത ഒരു ട്രയിന്‍ ടിക്കറ്റുകൊണ്ട് ശ്രീലങ്കയിലെ കൊളംബോ വരെ പോകാമായിരുന്ന ഒരു കാലമുണ്ടായിരുന്നു. 1964 വരെ. അത്ഭുതപ്പെടേണ്ട. അതായിരുന്നു ഇന്ത്യ- സിലോണ്‍ റെയില്‍പാത. ധനുഷ്‌കോടിവരെ ചെന്നെത്തുന്ന ഈ പാതയിലൂടെ യാത്രചെയ്തിരുന്ന ട്രിനാണ് 'ബോട്ട്‌മെയില്‍'.
പണ്ടത്തെ മദ്രാസ് എഗമൂറില്‍ നിന്നും പുറപ്പെടുന്ന ബോട്ട്‌മെയില്‍ കോയമ്പത്തൂര്‍, മധുര, രാമേശ്വരം വഴി ധനുഷ്‌കോടിയിലെത്തുന്നു. അവിടെ ഈ ട്രയിനിനെ കാത്ത് ശ്രീലങ്കയുടെ ജങ്കാര്‍ കിടക്കുന്നുണ്ടാകും- ഇന്ത്യയിലേക്കു വരുന്ന യാത്രക്കാരെയും കൊണ്ട്. ട്രയിനില്‍ വരുന്ന ലങ്കയിലേക്കുള്ള യാത്രികരെയും കൊണ്ട് ജങ്കാര്‍ ശ്രീലങ്കയിലേക്കു തിരിക്കുമ്പോള്‍ അവിടുന്നുള്ളവരെയും വഹിച്ചുകൊണ്ട് ബോട്ട്‌മെയില്‍ തിരികെ പോരുന്നു.
കോട്ടയം, കൊല്ലം ഭാഗങ്ങളില്‍ നിന്നും ഒത്തിരി ജനങ്ങള്‍ ശ്രീലങ്കയിലെ തേയില തോട്ടങ്ങളിലേക്കും റബ്ബര്‍ തോട്ടങ്ങിലേക്കും ജോലിക്കു പോയിരുന്നു. കൊല്ലത്തു നിന്നോ കോട്ടയത്തു നിന്നോ ടിക്കറ്റെടുത്താല്‍ കണക്ഷന്‍ ട്രയിന്‍വഴി കോയമ്പത്തൂരോ മധുരയിലോ ഇറങ്ങി ബോട്ട്‌മെയില്‍ വഴി കൊളംബോ വരെ പോകുവാനുള്ള സൗകര്യമുണ്ടായിരുന്നു. (പഴയ കൊല്ലം ചെങ്കോട്ട മീറ്റര്‍ഗേജ് പാതയാണ് ഇതിനുവേണ്ടി കൂടുതലും ഉപയോഗിച്ചിരുന്നത്)
1962 ഡിസംബര്‍ 22 ന് ഇന്ത്യന്‍ മഹാസമുദ്രത്തില്‍ വീശിയടിച്ച ചുഴലിക്കാറ്റ് ഒന്നാകെ തകര്‍ത്തുകളഞ്ഞത് ഈ ഇന്ത്യ- ശ്രീലങ്ക സഞ്ചാര ബന്ധത്തെയായിരുന്നു. വിനോദ സഞ്ചാരത്തിനുപോയ ഇരുന്നൂറോളം വിദ്യാര്‍ത്ഥികളുള്‍പ്പെടെ ബോട്ട്‌മെയിലിനെ ചുഴലിക്കാറ്റ് ഇന്ത്യന്‍ മഹാസമുദ്രത്തിന്റെ അടിത്തട്ടിലേക്കു വലിച്ചുകൊണ്ടുപോയി. ആരും രക്ഷപ്പെട്ടില്ല. വലിഴയൊരു പട്ടണമായി ഉയര്‍ന്നു വന്നുകൊണ്ടിരുന്ന ധനുഷ്‌കോടി തകര്‍ന്ന് നാമാവശേഷമായി. പാമ്പന്‍പാലവും തകര്‍ന്നു.
മലയാളിയായ ഇ ശ്രീധരന്റെ നേതൃത്വത്തില്‍ പുതുക്കിപണിത പാമ്പന്‍പാലത്തിലൂടെ ഇപ്പോള്‍ രാമേശ്വരം വരെയെ ട്രയിനുള്ളു. ധനുഷ്‌കോടി തകര്‍ന്ന കെട്ടിടങ്ങളുമായി 'പ്രേതനഗര'മെന്ന പേരില്‍ ഇന്നും ജീവിക്കുന്നു

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