Kongregate: Online Community Gaming

One thing I truly love in games is puzzles. It stimulates my brain and there is a unique pleasure in the mental tiredness after playing a tough puzzle game.

Now a days a variety of puzzle games are available online. I have searched game sites from a HTML5 and SWF rich contents to a plain old text and link based game sites. But there is one game site that really caught my attention. Yes! Kongregate .com

It has an array of games you might have never played. I have layed around 27 games of various categories; Action, Puzzles, Strategy, Shooting, Racing etc. The games I have played are all fresh types. The idea and the game play are superb. Out of Five games you play at least four would be new ones. This site allows you to become a member. On becoming a member you are awarded 15 points and your gaming journey starts from there. Every game has a target you have to achieve to get points. Every games has three difficulty levels; Easy medium and hard. Completing a said levels in each game gives you certain points on each difficulty levels.

This is one gaming site which hosts a large community of independent games developers. There is a programming forum for people to ask and answer questions. It also includes information on how people can get started in flash game developing. Along with the programming forum, there is an official Kongregate Developer Center that is available in English and Chinese. There are regular contests for developers to participate in. The prizes for the weekly, monthly and mobile; the weekly prizes are $250 for 1st, $150 for 2nd and 3rd. For the monthly $1500 for 1st, $1000 for 2nd, $700 for 3rd, $500 for 4th, $250 for 5th up to 9th. The prizes for the mobile are $1000 for 1st, $500 for 2nd, $250 for 3rd. The prizes are drawn from the number of votes each developer gets for his or her game.

 This is worth spending time. It is worth the entertainment!

I forgot I used to blog!

Q: How do you know you have not written a blog for a long time?
A: You are not even aware that the link/URL to your blog has changed!!

This has happened with me. No one else!!

I did not even know that my Blog URL has changed from omkarkalbag. blogspot. com to omkarkalbag. blogspot. in

When did it happen, I know not...

The only relief is that I have not forgotten the blogger Id and password! But I have forgotten the purpose why I write blogs. That I do not have time to write then is a different story!

My last post on this blog was on Aug 7, 2011. Since then writing a post never struck me! Too many things were happening all of a sudden. After shifting out from Mumbai to another city, settling here was quite unsettling at first. I was surrounded by new language, new areas to explore, new ways to get the work done and so much more!

Now, most of the work is completed. A time came when I had to think of spending the time fruitfully. That was when I was reminded of my long lost blogging hobby. I spent an hour reading what all posts I wrote since the inception of the blog and was amazed how I managed to scribble out all this. I have written 152 posts excluding this post and one unpublished post on this blog! Although my blog does not have much readership, I wrote all of them for my self.

I do love writing or at least expressing my self. This blog is one way to do it! So I need Ideas to revive blogging. I have now opened the comments page to invite new ideas. What do I write about? Till then I'll work out some ideas myself! If I do not get any ideas, it is better to close this blog. with one "Bye-Bye" post. Why waste electricity and time over things I wont do?

In the next post: Whether I'll continue blogging or end it?

First Indian to receive Crans Montana Award

The Art of Living Founder, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, became the first Indian to receive the Crans Montana Forum Award in Belgium on June 24. "You (Sri Sri) represent, today, hope to people in conflict," says Jean-Paul Carteron, Chairman and Founder, in a letter.

Since 1989, the Crans Montana Forum has been awarding individuals who fight for peace, democracy and liberty. Several Presidents and Prime Ministers have received this award. President of the United States of America, Barack Obama; Former Prime Minister of Portugal and current President of the European Commission, José Manuel Barroso; Current President of Finland, Tarja Halonen; Current President of the African Development Bank, Donald Kaberuka; Current Chancellor of Germany, Angela Merkel are some of the previous recipients of this award.

Sri Sri was also invited to share his vision of a stress-free, violence-free world at the Crans Montana Forum 21, on June 24, in a session entitled: 'Shaping a new world for tomorrow – The necessity of identifying & implementing common values.' Sri Sri's message of a one-world family and his three decade-body of work in reviving human values have transformed communities across 151 nations. Tribes in Africa, villages in rural India, troubled youth in Iraq, Bosnia and Kosovo have adopted Sri Sri's call to action: inner peace to outer peace.

The Art of Living celebrated 30 years of service to humanity on July 2 and 3 in Berlin through the World Culture Festival. The organization has been serving people through projects that empower the individual, provide freedom from trauma and stress in crisis areas, and rehabilitates victims of violence and prison inmates. It teaches yoga and meditation, emphasizing on using the breath to relax and manage stress. A key component is the Sudarshan Kriya, a health-promoting breathing technique. The organization also holds special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations (UN), and he is active in numerous other international bodies and committees in the areas of health, education and sustainable development.

The Angrezi Bhasha

I have always been intrigued by the eminent columnist like Vir Sanghvi, Shekhar Gupta, Bachi Karkaria, Jug Suraiya, Swaminathan S. Anklesaria Aiyar, et. al. the way they present an issue and the angles they expose, the ideas they project. The fluency of their language, their command over it is simply astounding. These people can simply pick any national issue under the sun and can speak extemporaneously in an eloquent manner. After reading the entire column written by them, you need to take a pause to digest what they say. It's never a general gossip on a petty issue. It is mostly controversial issues these people write on. Even if they were to write a column on food, like Vir Sanghvi's Rude Food in Hindustan Times, its so magnificently written!

It is my dream since childhood to write an article. Its seed was sown by my English teacher who always used to shout at me for my horrible English. Yes, for very horrible English. My 400 words essay would have atleast 25 spelling mistakes, 15 grammatical errors, and handwriting absolutely illegible. My teacher saw no hope in me, leave alone my English!! My English teacher was confident that  would never score above 40 marks in English in my SSC (Std. 10th) exams. Well, I scored 56 against my teachers expectations.

Strangely, without any effort my English improved, as in my Std XII th exams, I scored 70. A whoooping 70 I could say! My Old English Teacher protested that it was due to lowering of the standard at higher levels. Yes, that's partially true as it gives comfort for the vernacular medium students. But never a word of appreciation from her. In my first year of degree on commerce, I joined "English Literary Association" an extra-curricular activity by my college. It promoted English Language and was a sandbox for honing literary skills. It gave enough room to make mistakes. It also served as a platform to display latent literary talents. I got a third prize in the story writing competition in my first year. In the second year, I was a contributing columnist for my college mag, named Pankh (The Wings) I received a second prize in poetry reading competition and the article in the college mag. In the third year, I was elected as the College Mag Editor. I could script a couple of editorials for the mag till the onus of Third year examination took toll on my health. I had to shun "Other Activities" and dedicate more time towards final year studies in 2003. It was after a long hiatus, I got an opportunity with an industrial magazine where I wrote a very small conference visit report. I am still in good term with the editor of that industrial magazine and take some time out every week to have a lengthy chat on any damn topic. He has been an inspiration to many things and habits in my life.

One habit that he has instilled in me is reading the articles of eminent columnists of Indian journalism. Just reading them gives two advantage right away. One, they give you a kaleidoscopic view on a run of the mill issue. and secondly, their rich language enhances your comprehension. In my case I fought all odds and have lived up to my dream, or at least dared to live up to my dream. If I can, anyone can.

Following are the link to the blogs of the famous columnists of India.
http://www.virsanghvi.com/ (You ought to know him..)

http://www.indianexpress.com/columnist/shekhargupta/ (Indian Express Editor-in-Chief)
http://livefist.blogspot.com/ (A Blog by Shiv Aroor - Indian Defence Columnist)
Kushwant Singh
http://blogs.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/erratica/ (Bachi Karkaria)

There are many more.. If you are one of those who always wished to have a good command over English, then you can do so in simple way. Just read columns by the journalists mentioned above. More you read, more the exposure to the current events and familliarity with the writers language. You may also come across some tough vocabulary hurdles, never mind. Just refer to an Engoish Dictionary. Just with in a couple of months of regular and patient practice, your communication will improve. In the worst case, your comprehension (Ability to understand what is written or said) will definately increase.

Communication is an art. It can entice one's heart or can enrage one's mind. But always remember the ultimate purpose of the words is to bring peace in heart and silence in mind.

--
O.A.K.