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Friday, January 14, 2011

Plagiarism & Blog-hackers


Plagiarism & Blog-hackers

By Roopa Sreedhar


Giri & I went to Mauritius in April 2007. It was a very beautiful Island.

After many months, we were traveling to Pandavapura, in Mandya District and took the by-pass road after Mandya for the first time. The scenic beauty of this place took my breath away. I was transported back to the Sugarcane fields of Mauritius once again. Our Mauritian taxi Driver Bijay had 100s of acres of land & had informed us that he cultivated 18 types of sugar. Really?

The Indian Sugar Cane fields were no less mesmerizing than their international family. We saw ahead of us a few small hillocks that seemed to stand on a thick green carpet. Having not read many blogs about this place, we parked our car at the base of the hill and inquired about this place. The next month I wrote the following invite & created our first trek to Kunti Betta.

" About the Place: Kunti Betta is a hillock near Pandavapura in Mandya District. The place is rich in history & heritage. Pandavapura features during the Mahabharata period. It is said the Pandavas ended their exile of 14 years in Pandavapura. Here is where Bheema slayed Bhakasura, the demon. A top Kunti betta, one can see the utensil shaped rocks which were apparently used by Pandavas for cooking. Sugarcane is grown in abundance in the fields around this place, giving it a feel of Mauritius . The multitude of canals passing by the fields gives the location an exotic look. On a sunny day, one can take a dip in any of the well maintained canals.
The Chunchanghatte falls, Melukote and the newly excavated temple of Venugopalaswamy on the Cauvery river basin are very close by. The backwaters of KRS is at a distance of 20 km from here.
One can take a dip in the nearby canal and visit the nearby spot where centuries old Temple is being excavated. - Roopa Sreedhar"

And then I saw a spate of websites copying the original text & populating their pages without mentioning the author's name. More time I spent on their sites, it was enough to point that these sites were museum of stolen text from other websites. Original content from many of my blogs appeared on these sites. They had also stolen from the best travel blogs on the internet of many avid travelers and travel bloggers. I could identify many original blogs of known trekkers.

It is one thing to refer to blogs sites and travel book and plan a travel, and another to create a site based on others travels. But copying from someone's book and publishing the same book again is nothing short of Plagiarism.
Some people I know are very good photographers. How would it feel if their original photographs were taken without permission to create a museum photography site?

Online thieves like this kill creativity.


Cheers to all original bloggers and blogger community!
Roopa Sreedhar


To all blog-hackers: If you don't have the talent to compile & write, go find another hobby.
We are not offering our services as Ghost Writers to you blog thieves.

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

22 - 23 January 2011-Relaxing Weekend & Trek to Kudremukha

22 - 23 January 2011
Relaxing Weekend & Trek to Kudremukha

Kuduremukha, also referred to as 'Samseparvata' is a mountain range in Chikkamagaluru district, in Karnataka, India. It is also the name of a small town situated near the mountain. The name Kuduremukha (as it is known by the natives) literally means 'horse-face' and refers to a particular picturesque view of a side of the mountain that resembles the same.

The sleepy town of Kudremukh is primarily an iron ore mining town where the government run Public Sector Kudremukh Iron Ore Company Ltd. (KIOCL) operates. It is noted for its scenic beauty. Owing to the dense forests, sighting wildlife can be challenging, though the area is rich in wildlife. Nonetheless the drive through the forest ra
nges can be enchanting and exhilarating. Three important rivers, the Tunga, the Bhadra and the Nethravathi are said to have their origin here. A shrine of goddess Bhagavathi and a Varaha image, 1.8 m within a cave are the main attractions.

The Tunga river and Bhadra river flow freely through the parklands. Kadambi waterfalls area definite point of interest for anyone who travels to the spot. The animals found there include the malabar civet, wild dogs, sloth bear and spotted deer.
Source: Wikipedia



Distance: approximately 338 km from Bangalore

Schedule:

21-Jan-2011:

  • 09:00 PM: leave from a common point in Bangalore.

22-Jan-2011:

  • Reach the estate by early morning
  • Hike to Kudremukha peak & get back by early evening
  • Those not interested in the hike can relax at the homestay near Bhadra river
  • Picnic lunch atop the hill
  • Return to the estate by evening
  • Bonfire if rain permits

23-Jan-2011:
  • Brunch at the estate
  • Chill out in nearby waterfalls
  • Leave by noon
  • Depart to Bangalore after lunch, and arrive in Bangalore by late night.

COST:
The cost per head is Rs 2300/- (INR Two thousand three hundred only) and includes
1 Nights stay at the estate, Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Coffee/Tea, Transport to & fro Bangalore, Forest entry fee, Guide Fee, Campfire (if rain permits), Local attraction Entrance Fee, basic medical kit, activity fee

Does not include any personal expenditure, non vegetarian meals, dinner on the way & dinner on the way back


Banking
Bank: Axis Bank
Branch: Banashankari
Account Name: TAG India
Axis Bank Account Number: 102010200008617

Call us to confirm your participation. Please email the Transaction Details to info@tagindia.net with the subject “Jan 11 – Kudremukh Holiday – Transaction Details”
Rules:

1. After the announcement of final list, anyone dropping out has to bear the cost of Transportation & Food. (Transport & Food already booked/ordered)

2. In case of trekking, every group will have a Leader and a trailer - Decision taken by them would be the FINAL. Suggestions from trekkers are welcome but expecting maximum co-operation to Leaders. Trekking schedule/plan is designed without knowledge of Seasonal situation, Wildlife activity and anything which could go wrong at that time. Expecting high level of patience with respect to change in schedule/plan.

3. TAG INDIA is a media for adventure/nature enthusiasts in Bangalore to come together and participate in eco-friendly adventure activities. TAG INDIA , TAG INDIA TEAM, Trek Leaders, and other TAG INDIA members are NOT responsible for loss of belongings or life of any participant. Please be very serious about this note. Take care of your own belongings and respect your life.

4. Littering & shouting in the wilderness is prohibited. Night stay is arranged in estate property. We will be having very simple and basic facilities. Luxury not included.

5. While on a trek, group should move together in a single-line formation, with no one going too far ahead or behind. Be independent. Carry one's own pack. Backpack not to exceed 15 kg. Wear dull, mud or khaki color cloths, which generally do not attract wildlife, avoid bright colors.

6. Consumption of alcohol is not allowed in any of the TAG INDIA TREKS.

7. Do not tease any living being in forest - from small plant, worm to elephant.

8. Making your trip a great experience is in your hand. Help yourself to follow the guidelines and enjoy the fun and adventure :-)


Things NOT to carry:
Liquor, narcotic drugs & ego


Best Regards,
TAG INDIA Team
www.tagindia.net
9886162404

Shoot only pictures; Capture only memories; Leave only footprints