Tell me It's Not True!

When I was a little boy my mother used to warn me, "to stay away from the road, and play among friends of large group. Do not accept any goodies from unknown persons and not to go to them if they call you. They could be from a big construction site. They take you away and cut your head and put it in the foundation of their structure to keep away from evil."

As life went on many truth from childhood happens to be just another fairy tale, but this cutting-head-for-construction truth remained, maginified with stories from different people and places. I am in the middle of believing and not beliveing it. There seem to be no logic in it. Please somebody, tell me it's not true!

Speeding Up Your Computer- Some Tips

Well here am I with the post I have promised, but sure it isn't going to be so big as I thought because Mr. Kong's checklist is meant for making up a good client computer on a network, meaning much of the options on the computers are disabled (something you won't like).

Try a few of the following tips and see if they appeal you enough. I am impressed though.

Right-click My Computer > Properties > Advanced > Performance Settings... > Visual Effects > Adjust for best performance (This removes most of Windows XP's bells and whistles and greatly improves performance.); and then

Advanced > Virtual Memory > System Managed size > Set > OK > OK (Click No to restart.)(This enables Windows to manage its own Virtual Memory for low memory systems.)

Right-click Desktop > Properties > Desktop > No picture > Black background Screen saver > (None) screen saver or 'Blank' Appearance > Effects > Uncheck all except "Use the following method to smooth edges of screen font" Settings > Resolution > 1024 × 768 pixels for 17" monitor. Colors set to 16 bit. (Removing desktop wallpaper and reducing colour depth reduces video memory use (usually taken from main RAM)) Click Apply. Advanced Settings... > Set font size to 120% (for better word clarity on 17" monitor) > OK > OK (Click No to restart.)

Start > Run... > "msconfig" > Boot.ini > Click /NOGUIBOOT and Timeout = 3 seconds.

Now restart Windows XP. There will be a blank screen for a while because no graphics is loaded.

After Windows XP is logged on, uncheck the remainder.

Try these also!

Open My Computer > Right click on C: hard drive> Properties > Uncheck "index drive for faster searching" Do the same for all hard drives.

On My Computer > Tools > Folder Options > View > Uncheck "Automatically search for network ..." (This speeds up opening Windows Explorer and browser.)

Right click My Computer > Manage > Services and Applications > Services > Server > (Right click) Properties > Startup Type = Disabled. (This disables File and Print sharing on the workstation. Saves RAM if you are not sharing files/printers on this workstation.)

Control Panel > Sound Settings > Sound Scheme = No Sounds. (This removes Windows sounds (however, the computer can still play music).

Control Panel > Security Settings > Disable Automatic Windows Updating. (This reduces unnecessary internet traffic. Keep one or two fast computers to 'set to notify'.)

Control Panel > Remove Windows Components > Remove all unnecessary components (e.g. Games, Accessories except Calculator and Paint, MSN, Networking, Outlook Express, Messenger) (This removes unnecessary Windows components. You can remove IE if you are planning to install Firefox. However, if you remove IE, you cannot use Windows Update from the workstation.)

Restart

In addition have you used CCleaner software? Well this does magic in fixing registry errors, and remove temporary and deleted files (you know deleted files still occupy space in your hard drive.) Just download this 3.2 MB software and install; it is very easy to use.

And what about Disk Defragmentation? You did it before? Well this process that is there in your computer, which will arrange the files in your computer memory thereby freeing a lot of space.

Finally, I bet you know this: Antivirus! You must have one installed on your computer. Will two do better? More than one is as good as not having or worse! So just have one. Update it as required. Never let anybody open there storage devices in your computer without scanning. Sometimes you have to be unkind.

Post Card from Around the World

Well this time it is from Singapore. My teacher Ms. Loh, yes a Singaporean, makes sure that I receive a post card from her on every important occasion and from every country she travels to. I have her card from China, India, Russia, England, Paris, Hongkong …I forgot some of them now. It is funny that the receiving end’s address never changes, I am forever fixed here. Something great about her is that she doesn’t mind me not replying.

The card this time is meant for the Independence Day of her country 9^th August though it seems to taken 23 days to reach me. I asked about 9^th August to Mr. Kong and he laughed. He didn’t realize at all amidst his travel and troubleshooting.

Ms. Loh was my lecturer in Paro College of Education 2004 to 2005. She was a great teacher. She still believes that post cards are better than email.

Note: Apologies for not post the tips for speeding up computer right away, just because this one seemed more exciting at the moment as I hold her card.

Let’s call it a day!

The whole day I was with computer and usually by now I would have long gone into slumber but you know when something is achieved you want to try your luck on another. Infact today I achieved more than just something. Mr. Kong Ming was on his fourth (may be fifth) visit to our school. Precisely he is a volunteer from Singapore working in the MoE for Bhutan WIRED Project sponsored by his government. He was actually our facilitator but necessity made him a great computer troubleshooter.

This morning we began our work on setting a domain server which is meant to connect the five member schools, Bajothang HSS, Drukgyel HSS, Chukha HSS, Punakha HSS and ChumgangLSS with MoE to share resources on the new teaching method (the soul of the project). However, there were million things to be done before we could actually begin;

· The Operating systems (Windows Xp) must be upgraded to SP 3 (Sp 3 Patch is 316 MB and requires 24 hours to download, god! What is wrong with the Broadband?)
· Windows Xp must be the Professional Edition (not Home Edition) (Gosh, many of the computers are installed with the Home edition; each reformatting process takes about an hour)
· The Internet browser should be Firefox (of course this is not so hard)
· The computer must have good Antivirus software (Where do we get good antivirus in Bhutan? Well Symantec is there, pirated though just like all other software)
· And the worst of all was, the computer speed must be good and that takes the most of the energy…I think I will give the whole chunk of tips to speed up your computer in my next post

• The actual server setting can be done only after a few days it seems...

Mr. Kong skipped his lunch and didn’t mind missing the dinner but I did. I often reminded him, “Let call it a day” It was he who deserved rest and he did seem to want it. By and by we stumbled on hundred problems and made me a better computer man (well I am thought of as a computer repairer in the area) and the best part was the speeding-up-computer tips, of which Kong has already made a checklist (I will really make it in my next post; I do have his permission) When we finally came out of the computer lab it was dark and raining. It had never occurred to me that there is such great charm in calling it a day after sweating myself to death and coming alive out of it with lot of thing to keep for a life time…it didn’t end there though…we continued more troubleshooting after dinner on my computer…ha ha ha my eyes are aching so bad I think let’s really call it a day!

Crocodile Sighting in Wangdue

Of course the picture of crocodile here is from google and photoshop brought it to Wangdue but there are rumor of sighting of crocodile in the Punatshangchu. I wonder if it can survive in the chilly glacier water but people say once there was a group of them in Punakha, later washed away by the '94 flood. Thus, there is a possibility.

The Indian labourers seem to have seen it.

So far it existence is not confirmed and it has not posed any threat to lives of people and animal but if it is really there then it is necessary for everybody to know. The concern body, perhaps RSPN should confirm it and take necessary precautions to safe the reptile from people and people from the reptile. Meanwhile I am always ready with the camera, let's see if I am lucky enough to be the first to photograph it without being eaten.

More than Spiderman

My son Jigme is just 14. He is a super footballer; I know he will play for our country one day. But what I didn't know about him was; back from school he came straight to and made me promise that I won't share with anybody about what he was going to tell me,

"Promise dad?"

"promise"

"Are you sure about your promise?"

"Yes, I cross my heart and hope to die,"

He then came close to my ear and whispered, " I am Spiderman!"

There are many a moments in my days when he reminds me to laugh with his wit. I know he is not a spiderman, he is more than that! I don't know what he will bring home today, everyday is a surprise with this boy!

Gifting me my Lost Dream

Eight years ago, I proudly walked the gate of Kuensel for my first “Best Story of the Month” certificate. That was just the beginning of the long road. The next month I saw my name again. I had been unkind to Writing then; from the prize money I bought watercolor and brushes. I was appreciated more for my paintings those days. Of all the prizes for poem, short story and paintings that followedI was moved by the “Best Short Story Writer of the Year” award Drukgyel school gave me. I changed my dream. I wanted to become a writer. I used to say, my dreams may change me but I won’t change my dream.

By the end of another year I had completed 30 short stories, edited them over hundred times, and kept them aside for publishing. I designed a cover for the book, wrote the introduction, even the acknowledgement. Everything had to be edited over years…many names changed in my acknowledgement. Perhaps there are none now.

How many stories you have finished by now? If someone asks me this question, my answer is: 30. I never wrote again. It’s not that I gave up so quick, I had to give up eventually. I went from publisher to publisher, printing press to government agency with no money in my pocket. I finished several shoe soles to return disappointed every night. Everybody promised me something and none did anything actually. They say it is not profitable. I even said I want no money out of that!

I spent thousands in printing manuscript and binding them for submission and many of the publishers have a copy with them, may be not anymore (they may not know that I spent all my pocket money on those). What left me disheartened and discouraged is not that they didn’t accept it but they rejected without even reading a story. I know it is not my fault at all but why to write in a place where even publishers can’t read.

Thus, I lost my dream…

But dreams die hard. My friends and teachers from good times regard me as a writer, thank you so much, even if I am far from it. Sometimes I run into strangers who tell me that they read my story or poem and express how good I am, thank you for the pleasant surprises, in those brief moments you reminded me of something great. And most of all, my friend Nagwang never leaves me alone, just as Kezang Namgyel is. They squeeze stories out of me with their good intentions. I owe these two guys my best dream. Thank you for gifting me my lost Dream.

Burglary on the Rise; Police taking forever to bring them down

Perhaps people would blame it on the unemployment crisis but thirty years from now almost no one was employed. Everyone earned their own living with what is possible with their honest ability and toil. Then youths were considered pure and innocent. What has happened now?

Villages are deserted with fertile lands deprived of farmers and people are roaming the streets of confused towns where they are unwanted. Towns themselves are filled with half-satisfied and I-want-more people how can they treat you good?

Once people used to say, “Don’t send your children to Thimphu, that place spoils them.” And it is the otherwise now or may be it always was, “Don’t send you children to Thimphu; they are spoiling the beautiful Town.”

It was never dreamt of that an ancient town like Wangdue could be infested with wasted children; threat to themselves for sure but threat to society. Leave aside those long-hair-red-eye boys hanging out in the evenings and picking up fights, Wangdue has serial Burglar at large.

There are different categories of thieves, those after car tyre and fuel and those that break into shops and houses for money and gold. What was happening in Phuntsholing sometime ago is now here in Wangdue. Police may have received about hundred complains of burglary of similar nature within this one year and they are still far from catching the culprit. Sometimes I feel if I am given the contract to hunt down this group of youth I can give a deadline. But deadline for police seems forever.

Fact File:

1. They seem to have a cutting device to smoothly break the lock without much sound (no sound was heard by the neigbhours nor the broken-locks are left behind)
2. They keep track of who goes on vacation (they always strike the right house)
3. They are only after money and gold (Not even laptops are taken from the houses they broke in)
4. They wear gloves (no finger prints are ever left behind)
5. They drink (they have taken wine from several houses)
6. They take their own time (they break open every single lockers and drawers)

My conclusion:

They are a group of youth with no work. They are into drugs, drinking and smoking for which they need money. They are inspired by their initial success and are now carrying on with better ideas like gloves and iron-cutters. They are careful about not taking the things which can be used against them as tracking device.

Million Dollar Question:

Why are they still at large and successfully operating week after week for years when police has all the clues and suspects?

Obituary

Four days after the tragedy, some eyes are still full of tears. I may be among the many who still couldn't believe it at all. When I close my eyes to sleep I see roaring river rumbling downstream, hardly letting me sleep. I watch TV until sleep comes over me. Three days we were along the river but we still couldn't recover his body... Now finally we search no more and perhaps we consider him alive among us, for if he is dead we must have his body...

Sigay- Our beloved

(11.11.1990 to 01.08.2009)

We deeply mourn the sudden and untimely demise of our dear friend, student and brother Sigay who left us on the afternoon of August 1st 2009. We pray for his soul and may god bless his family with strength to over come the lose.

Bajo School Family

Tragedy in Bajo

Death is inevitable, we accept, but when it comes in a life of a young boy I lose faith in god. Sigay is a class XI science boy. This afternoon he had gone for a dip in the punatshangchhu along with two of his friends; none a good swimmer. Before long he has disappeared into the muddy river. It breaks my heart to think what must have been his plan after the cool dip for the sunny Saturday afternoon?

Sigay has made his parents proud last winter and may be they are counting on him ever more, but here we are searching along the Punatshangchhu bank for his body- may be we would not get it even. What are we to tell his parents? God, what will come over them when they hear that their son has drowned?

While he was among us he was just another boy but now as he goes everybody is after him, whole Wangdue is talking about him: how he was? what he said in the morning? how is he in studies? More so all his teachers, friends, high officials and arm forces who has never known him are scanning the river bank for him. For the world just another boy is dead but for For him and his family the whole world has ended. I pray for his soul and hope god give his family strength to overcome the cruel fate.