Nielsen/NetRatings done for the Newspaper Association of America (NAA)revealed recently that the percentage of Internet users visiting newspaper Web sites hit all-time highs in September. It says, Over 47.3 million people visited online newspapers that month, the largest rise in readership since the NAA began tracking online usage in January 2004. That represents 31.9 percent of all (US?) Internet users, up 15.8 percent from the same period last year.

Now, the best part on the web I feel is 'RSS Syndication' - Many of us do have the Copyright tags and the partial Creative commons Licence but inspite, Newspapers, websites and blogs go for the RSS Syndication and if you don't, you are apt to trail behind with generating Traffic and that means, losing on the traffic Revenue too!

Yahoo News offers dozens of RSS feeds you can read in My Yahoo! or using third-party RSS news reader software. With MY Yahoo, Newsgator, FeedDemon, Pluck and many other RSS Readers, the reach is into a one stop Read with no need to visit individual websites. Yahoo! News RSS feeds are also offering thumbnails of related photos for stories in RSS feeds, giving a richer news experience.

What I can't understand is their strategy in taking RSS feeds in their Yahoo News Category and still in Beta, Yahoo News do generate the RSS.xml code for news websites (sambhaav)/news Blogs for incorporating news but when the Yahoo news search for news and blogs is performed, the results land you to add to "My Yahoo" and yet, the site is not found in search! How very strange!!! I guess, Yahoo and Google are going super speeds with Beta version but its now to see how far their Projects run smooth!

Btw, the Sambhaav.com has faced a Technical snag and the server is undergoing some Upgrades, hence, I am really sorry for those who missed on the news for three days. Yeah, much worse, we missed out the impressions with the Revenues!!! That's the part of the Tech ....way to go.....

- ilaxi

Day before yesterday, Gujarat Chamber of Commerce in Ahmedabad had its Executive Committee and members meet with Narendra Modi, followed by dinner. As a biz person, actively involved with the Ladies wing committee, I happened to meet Narendrabhai who incidently belongs to my own native place 'Vadnagar'. A tech savvy CM and I happened to be told years ago that he surfs all newspapers early in the morning. At least, this had made us alert to update Sambhaav regularly lest we may not bear the fury of the CM.....!

During the speech to the Business persons, Narendrabhai in his usual expert orator skills mentioned about the developments in Gujarat.

One thing that strike the chord is what he said of the Economy rise with potentials towards more people entering into Gujarat, esp. Ahmedabad. The mega city is turning to glamour with Biz centers and Malls spawning visinity and the branded products are great attraction to consumers. Narendrabhai quoted the Narmada project and mentioned where once scooters use to go through the canal, its at least the water seen now. I guess its the Chimanbhai Patel and Keshudada's work left incomplete now covered by Modi Government. Am I right? Well, we the janta look for results and not who's who done it! Narendra bhai mentioned that any place you find, there is some development work in progress in Gujarat. (It's only city roads that give bumpy and ditchy rides! The car suspension is in danger whether you drive a wagor R or a Viva or Brand BMW/Mercedes)

Crowned with another Award glory recently, Narendrabhai mentioned of Travel Year 2006 and he's right when he mentions that Rajasthan has great places but in the whole of India, Gujarat has the most highest heritage spots. He beamed that the chamber should seriously consider its next meet at a place like Lothal - why, even I say, it can be Vadnagar:-) the place of Tansen, Tana Riri folktale. Another important mention was of Agro Processing and he called for all business persons to think over and find great developing areas in this field.

Now, whatever people say, this is a new gen CM who is always on the move with some Projects and winning hearts of people with his flawless Oratory skills and of coz, his management is excellent as his team work excel towards developing Gujarat. By next year and NRI comes to India, sure he sees the results! If not, meet our CM!

- ilaxi

14th November and India celebrated the Universal Children's Day on the day when Jawaharlal Nehru was Born. Somebody in email did ask me when exactly did India start celebrating Children's Day after Nehru's Death but aah, I fail to find this. If any one of you know the exact year when India started celebrating C-day, please do email me.

I feel its the need of the hour to pledge: To liberate every child from the web of Malnutrition, poverty, illiteracy and abuse. The Department of Women and Child Development, Ministry of Human Resource Development has indeed come out with nationwide program for holistic development of children below 6 years and expectant and lactating mothers too.

However, children's day is yet far away for celebrations for the child laborers in India. They work 10 to 12 hours a day under hazardous conditions sometimes, many kids doing small chores for a living too. Even kite making and crackers factories have child workers and at this tender age, they are abused, illiterate and face poverty.

I remember a 10 year old boy who polished my shoes and went to a studio with my hundred rupee note to get his pic so that I can put him in 'freesouls' page in sambhaav but aah, reluctantly he turned up after six months only to tell me that the money was grabbed by his Dad who drunk himself! Gosh....and that chaiwala boy who appeared in Freesouls was abused by his Dad and had to work hard to earn money for living.

It's here to see what actions are taken to pull these kids out from their diversed situation and time to look into their needs. Kids are after all, the future of the nation!

- ilaxi