How to Stop Pathankot Style Military Camp Attack

March 25, 2019 ~ bjcharles ~ Leave a comment

This post is long due. From the time Pathankot attack happened I had this idea lodged in my head, waiting to be shared.

One thing I was thinking is the outdated system of using sentry to check the credentials of the visitors before letting them gain entry to a unit or barrack. The age old ways of check-post, verifying ID cards, allowing access by looking at dress, are things of the past.

What I have in my mind is about using technology to monitor, screen and check the person before allowing them entry. Even now there are many technology which are available – such as sensor, IoT, smart readers, etc.

Pathankot Attack

The attack to the military camp happened this way – the attackers dressed in dressed in Indian Army uniforms, barged inside the military camp. This modus-operandi is quite common in most guerrilla operations or terrorist attacks. All such attacks uses that time advantage to get past the gatekeepers and get away with the mission.

So, is there a way to screen the military staff or the truck in which they are riding without looking at the badge or vehicle number?

Sensor for Every Military Personal and Vechile

The concept of carrying ID proof is redundant in this century. What the Indian Army would require is a smart ID card with a embedded of chip or sensor.

How will Sensor or smart ID help!

Every security personnel will carry this sensor ID card which will slightly thicker than the credit card. It will have a battery, a sim card and other electronic device which should can only be activated by a thumb impression.

How this sensor embedded ID Card Help Indian Military?

1. All security personnel must carry this ID card.
2. The control room will have have a special program to monitor each jawan or officer. Their location, and ID number will be tracked on the screen.
(Probably, we can take cue from some hollywood movie where we see infra-red image of soldiers. Similarly, there should be a way to spot all personal.)

3. At the check post area, there’s not much need for physical checking of ID card. The sensor reader which is placed away at the gates will read the card and notify the security personal manning the entry points of the camp.
4. A person in a military uniform is not taken as a military staff. There’s no way a person duping as a military person can gain entry into the gates.

5. Even if someone makes a duplicate ID Card, the tracking software will pick this new card and alert the security people
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Is there a similar sensor based ID card used by military? Do we have expertise to make one like this? What about make in India program by Modi, which will be a safety feature on all camps in sensitive regions.

I don’t know if Indian military have thought of such plans?

I would I could be in the team looking after such technology and give my suggestions.

———-

RESPECT ALL
SUSPECT ALL
INSPECT ALL

( I saw this at the entry gates of ASC College and Training Centre) at Bangalore. When I entered this campus, they asked for my ID Card and did the usual verification. The guards where entering the details in a book ( an obsolete way). Instead a camera should pic each persons pic, another cam should take a pic of the id card and it’s done. The camera should be a high-end camera which will be connected to a database.

Run a Tea Shop In Trivandrum

March 23, 2019 ~ bjcharles ~ Leave a comment

Kerala Style Tea Maker – Poster Picture

Years has passed, but still I remember Nair’s tea shop at Kaimanam. I used to stay in that area and used to frequent his shop to drink colored juice. I often take my cycle to visit this shop and during such visits I remember seeing tea drinkers calling him fondly by him “Naire”. Customers would come to his shop and say ‘Naiyaree Uro Medium Tea’. This Nair man had a happy face with a belly, wore loose shirt, and ran a successful tea shop.

Though I never had a tea from his shop, I still think of the people who gather at his tea shop to have hot sizzling tea. It was during late 80′ or mid 80’s when we were staying at Neeramankara. The fizz drink I was my fav, which was around 20 or 25 paise. He used to open these soda bottles with different kind of opener – fizz sound and I would drink wholeheartedly the fizzy water which had all the psychedelic colors.

These drinks were locally filled soda were filled in unique cod bottles ( one with the marble inside).

Running a Tea Shop in 2019 in Trivandrum

Today, most tea shops in Trivandrum are run by enterprising Tamilians. There’s one called Ganesh Tea Stall at Kumarapuram, one more near GG Hospital, and a Aaryas restaurant which I visit for a quick coffee in the morning.

All these tea shop have a common thread – it’s run by hard working and polite Tamilians. The name of shops are Balaji, Ganesh, Aaryas, etc. Also, these shops are doing good business – which means the returns is good.

Where are the Locally Run Tea Shops? Where’s the Nair’s tea shop?
I think, Malayalee’s should rethink their plan of going to Gulf region and think of starting something in their home-ground. A tea shop is a good business, provided they are familiar with the business of making tasty and fresh snacks and food.

There are many small bites which they can sell – Vada, Vazhaka fry, Bonda, Egg bonda, Samosa, Peripe vada, Uniiappam, Sukiyan, Madakusa, Ellaappam, Valsan, Cake, Mundirikottu, cutlet, kappa and kandhari mulagu chamandi ( Chai Kadi in Tipppasandara, Bangalore sells it ), diamond cuts, etc.

After seeing too many tea shops sprouting in this locality, I too have a desire to open one in my locality. But right now I’m cash strapped. Probably, when I save some money from my terrarium or Blogging Classes, I will invest in a tea business.

What’s your observation about Tea Business in Trivandrum?

Will you open one or suggest someone to open a shop? Will you sponsor or be a part sponsor to such a venture?

Suppose you start one or help someone to set-up a tea business, then will you make it unique?

Kovalam Connection Lost

March 20, 2019 ~ bjcharles ~ Leave a comment

Sands of time

Kovalam Beach – beach-beds

Closed Shop – Closed forever

A month back, I got a call from a colleague saying that one of colleague’s photo has appeared in the obituary coloum of newspaper. I was shocked. She was the only one who I knew in Kovalam beach. I couldn’t belies that I wont’ be seeing her again – selling odd stuffs at Kovalam beach.

Another Loss – Another Void

Each death is a loss – a loss that can’t be filled by another person. It takes time to build a bond, know a person, and often years to build that acquaintance. And woof, it’s gone! All of a sudden, that person is not seen around – just the memory, images just linger.

Will my visit to Kovalam beach be the same?

What a loss!

Do you feel this way when you loose someone whom you had known for years? How do you reconcile with the lifetime loss?

Do it In the Living Years

March 20, 2019 ~ bjcharles ~ Leave a comment

Two days ago, one of my aunt passed away. With her, we have lost one of the last remaining old gen blood relative and that shrinks the relatives base in Trivandrum.

For some time she was ailing and her death followed her husband’s passing. He died at the age of 92. He had sharp memory little the point he fell ill and was bedridden for few months.

After both their death, I felt that I should have done or given or taken something when they were alive.

Given – I should have helped them with my resources. I often said a lie to myself that I don’t much to give, so let me give then next month, and so many months passed. Me, without a job was not earning, except for the money which my wife earns. So, it was a convenient to say that I will give them cash when I get something extra.

Done – I wanted to gift her a good bed sheet. After seeing the grayed bed sheet, I feel I will buy a clean while sheet from Commercial street and gift her. Christmas came and went, still I postponed it. Now, she don’t need anything from me. Now, I could only buy white socks and gloves which she will take to her grave.

Taken – I always wanted to video record their thoughts about the life in 60’s or 70’s or 80’s. Their memory of how family worked, how relatives joined together, how life has changed. Again, I didn’t do it in the right time. And that precious record of their voice, their thoughts is lost forever.

What a pathetic feeling – wasted time, wasted chance to be of use! This is not the first time I’m feeling like this!

In the Living Years
Things that are to done now should be done. Why sit on a project, why postpone a visit, why delay in gratification?

Often the song by Mike + The Mechanics – The Living Years reminds me of how I should have done things in those living years.

Feeling like I have wasted my life, my time to be more remarkable.

Invite to Volunteering

March 15, 2019 ~ bjcharles ~ Leave a comment

This screenshot from a website side-panel area show how clearly they have presented information about something they care about – Volunteer. First they are asking visitors to have a look at the volunteering page. Next line is for those preparing to register for volunteering.

Simple Call-to-Action

Though it looks simple, it’s a well written, loaded with relevant facts useful for potential volunteers.

How do Indian Organizations ask for Volunteers?

I bet, most Indian companies, or NGOs or Government sites have any outright information about volunteering. They would be ready to details of tender, application, etc on their side panel. I feel we are not utilizing this free and generous contribution people are willing to take.

If any company or organization is serious about volunteering, then it’s the time to go back and check what is lacking. Is it the value propositioning or the lazy outlook of volunteers.

James Altucher Points to Think and Act

March 14, 2019 ~ bjcharles ~ Leave a comment

From James Altucher’s Blog

This is for someone close to me – who insist on using the word – Pattathialla in Malayalam, which loosely translated would mean I can’t.

I tried different ways to tell her to avoid this word – suggesting her to use a positive word, or just stop repeating the word in every context. So, far it hasn’t helped!

Why Repetitive Words are Best Avoided

Repetition is easy on the brain – it’s like auto playback. It’s like giving your brain nothing to do. Why should we let the powerhouse sleep!

Imagine a script given to a tele-caller – just follow this. No Risk, No Fun! Or, if you are given the option to think and talk, then you are not a machine, you are a human. It’s not easy, but it’s creative.

Another analogy I can this – brain has many compartments or something like pigeon hole where we keep ideas, thoughts and such. For example, the customary greeting such as How are you, Good Morning, How was your weekend? etc., are recorded and kept in one such hole for easy retrieval. There’s no effort, it’s just an automatic expression.

Forget Me Not – Dementia or Alzheimer’s
Also, I feel that letting our brain on an inactive state can lead to dementia or Alzheimer’s disease. ( a continuous decline in thinking, behavioral and social skills ) Source; Mayoclinic

I may be right, or wrong. But, the idea is about about using beautiful expression in language that repeating and repeating the same word.

Just a question – How would a you take a class where the lecture is just repeating the same idea? Imagine, a teacher who stitch words, uses it wisely to convey an idea in an interesting way.

Having said that, we too use repetitive words in our conversation, but if it’s too repetitive, it’s a question we have ask ourselves.

Tree Blooms in Bangalore

March 14, 2019 ~ bjcharles ~ Leave a comment

At Cambridge layout – Yellow Canopy

It’s blooming time in Bangalore. The roadside trees along Indira Nagar side are flushed with tresses of pink, white, and yellow flowers. It’s a sight that will turn any head – from the faceless men in suits to darling angles to arthritic fellas like me.

Won’t you stop by to take a closer look? Won’t you thank for these little joys?

To know further about these flowering trees, I googled and here are the results. Thanks to all those tree friends who have written about the habitat, origin and traits of these trees.

1. Yellow Flowering Tree is tabebuia-aurea

2. Article in Hindu about the delicate trumpet shaped pink flower Tabibuea Rosea

3. Falling burst of yellow and pink

4. Flowering trees in Bangalore

5. Joy of this flower wreath

6. Repository of tree names – location wise listing

12th Main Indira Nagar

Next to Lavonne

Blooms

Lane and Tree Blooms

Domlur

12th Main Bloom

Living with Excuses

March 14, 2019 ~ bjcharles ~ Leave a comment

Get Read, Go!

We keep hearing many things about excuses, procrastination and many such things. However, I like the bang-on approach of taking over excuses. Get things done!

Skip Paying Parking Fee

March 14, 2019 ~ bjcharles ~ Leave a comment

I’m not sure if you’re like me when it comes to paying parking fee! Few times this has happened to me – I skipped paying parking fee.

In such instances, I get a rush of some weird satisfaction or saving or escape or a reward for not paying the parking fee ( say it could be Rs 10 or Rs 5).

Parking Fee Ticket

Couple of days back when I went to Banaswadi Railway station to see off my spouce. I had parked my scooter outside the parking area as there was no convenient space to park it inside. It was evening time and as soon as I parked a guy came and handed over some kind of parking ticket.

After a while I returned to take the scooter. No one was seen around. I didn’t wait too long as I took my scooter out of the area. Woooh!

And so I left without paying the parking fee.
I felt like a little victory, some kind of saving, something similar to a feeling when the librarian skips to collect late due charges from you. I wonder if it’s the same feeling one get while taking samples from hotel room or from an airline?

I don’t think the people who break such rules are that bad a lot – probably it’s like a harmless act which is the work of some common gene.

Whatever it is, I felt so good when I skipped paying that 10 bucks. Is it that I said to myself that this is not worth the amount, etc.

#littleconfessions