Give up mobile? Some would rather lose a finger

Booze, Sex, Shampooing: Survey Finds What People Will Willingly Give Up For Smartphones

TIMES OF INDIA  04.07.2018

What would you be willing to give up in order to keep using your smartphone? Some say they would rather lose one of their five senses than give up their smartphone. And worryingly, some say they’d even sacrifice a finger for their phone.

A new survey by Tappable, a UK-based app development agency, has revealed that 23% of millennials in the UK would choose smartphones over their five senses, while 38% would give up drinking for their device. Meanwhile, 15% said they would swap sex for smartphones, and 10% said they would even be willing to cut off a finger rather than give up their mobile phones.

A female respondent, who wished to remain anonymous said: “I can’t live without my phone, it’s integrated into every part of my life. To give up travelling, sex or my social life would render my phone useless — they are all completely co-dependent.” Researchers spoke to over 500 millennials in the United Kingdom aged 18-34 for the survey.

Entertaining as it might be, this statistic brings to mind the conversation surrounding smartphone addiction that has been consuming various companies, adults, and teens. While some argue that it’s on the product and platform creators to help control our dependence on mobile devices, others say it’s our own responsibility — and a good first step is knowing where you stand.

In another survey conducted by app-based phone service Visible in the US, over 1,180 millennials aged between 18 and 34 were asked what they would you be willing to give up in order to keep your smartphone privileges for a week. As it turns out, 41% of millennials said they would be willing to quit shampooing for a week.

All respondents owned a cellphone and were split almost evenly by gender using the census’ breakdown.

In the survey, 54% of respondents said they would be willing to give up movies and TV for a month, while 28% said they would give up their pet, 23% chose their phone over caffeine, and a small 17% took the ‘take my toothbrush but not my cell phone’ approach.

Given the capabilities of smartphones, it isn’t a surprise that consumers would be willing to prioritise them more than they did a decade ago. But these results are an interesting look at how a generation that has lived with smartphones for most of their adult life sees their mobile devices as necessity over luxury. AGENCIES



CURIOUS CASE OF SCREEN ADDICTION

A tiny mobile that’s not a distraction

Many of the most popular smartphones currently on the market come with big screens. But while this can make watching films or gaming easier, it means that the devices are becoming more intrusive. In the hopes of reducing the impact of smartphones on our lives, one designer has developed a concept for a tiny three-inch phone. Pierrick Romeuf has designed ‘minima’. It has most of the features of larger devices. The phone works with a hybrid smartphone-smartwatch operating system, meaning it can fit any apps in a miniature form. The main face is touchscreen and there are three side buttons, for back, home and camera. DAILY MIRROR

As lynchings rise, govt tells WhatsApp to curb rumours

‘It Can’t Evade Accountability & Responsibility’

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

New Delhi: 04.07.2018

Looking to clamp down on rumours that have led to lynching of innocents on suspicion of child lifting, the government on Tuesday asked Facebook-owned instant messenger WhatsApp to take urgent steps to prevent spread of “irresponsible and explosive messages” on its platform. The warning comes at a time when there have been repeated cases of violence provoked by posts circulated on popular messaging apps where passersby have been targeted.

The ministry of electronics and IT (MeitY) said WhatsApp “cannot evade accountability and responsibility”, in a stern message to the world’s most popular messenger which is widely used for sharing messages, events, videos and data. Police forces have been struggling to deal with “fake and motivated” messages that have inflamed passions.

Terming the “unfortunate killings” in states like Assam, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tripura and West Bengal as “deeply painful and regrettable”, the IT ministry said abuse of platforms like WhatsApp “for repeated circulation of such provocative content” was a matter of deep concern.

In the past, in situations like riots or in terrorism-affected areas, states have been suspending use of internet to check rumours.



Check fake news flow, WhatsApp told

“MEITY has taken serious note of these irresponsible messages and their circulation on such platforms. Deep disapproval of such developments has been conveyed to the senior management of WhatsApp and they have been advised that necessary remedial measures should be taken to prevent proliferation of these fake and at times motivated/sensational messages,” the statement said.

Tthe government also plans to seek suggestions from Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp on checking circulation of such material with representatives being called for a meeting to be convened by the home ministry.

Noting that miscreants were repeatedly circulating provocative messages triggering a spate of violence, it said the government had “conveyed in no uncertain terms that WhatsApp must take immediate action to end this menace and ensure that their platform is not used for such malafide activities”. Over the past few months, there have been a number of instances where mobs were instigated by fake WhatsApp messages.

The decision to call representatives of social media platforms was taken at an inter-ministerial meeting on June 16, chaired by home secretary Rajiv Gauba, where the issue was discussed in detail.

SC asks Centre, states to take stern action against cow vigilante groups

New Delhi: Asking the Union and state governments to take stern action against cow vigilante groups unleashing violence, the Supreme Court on Tuesday said it would attempt to lay down guidelines for compensation to victims of vigilante violence.

Refusing to buy senior advocate Indira Jaising’s argument that the compensation scheme must give special weightage to victims on the basis of their religion, gender and caste, a bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices A M Khanwilkar and D Y Chandrachud said ‘victim” was a generic word and anyone could be a victim irrespective of the category she belonged to. TNN

Kottayam woman elated to get Saudi driving licence

Jaikrishnan.Nair@timesgroup.com

Kottayam: 04.07.2018

A 46-year-old Keralite who had moved to Saudi Arabia three years ago has become one of the first few Indian women to obtain a driving licence after the Saudi kingdom lifted its decades-old ban on women drivers.


For Telma Jose, driving is not just a passion but a symbol of freedom. So, when the kingdom issued a notice to grant licence to women from June 24, she joined the queue for her right to drive on June 26, cleared the test and was issued a licence by noon that day.

Telma worked at Norfolk and Norwich university hospitals before joining King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre in Riyadh as a nursing administrator in 2015. In England, she used to drive her own car. So, when she came to Saudi, one of her biggest regrets was that she couldn’t get behind the wheel of a vehicle.

“In England, I depended on my Mini Cooper to go to places. But in Saudi I felt tied down as I had to depend on taxi every time. After the relaxation in the ban, I applied for a licence and was asked to appear for a test drive on June 26,” she said, adding her passion for driving began in 2009 with her British driving licence.

That licence helped her, as she did not have to write the theory exam and only had to submit a medical certificate with her online application, followed by a test drive for a licence, valid for the next five years. However, Telma still cherishes driving through the streets in England.

“England roads are safer when compared to India and Saudi. The drivers are disciplined, follow traffic rules and signals. In Saudi, speeding is common and a lot of accidents occur daily. We have to be extra careful,” said Telma, who is on a 45-day vacation in Kerala with her family.



FREE TO DRIVE: Telma Jose is among the first Indian women to obtain a driving licence after Saudi Arabia lifted its ban on granting licences to women

ASSEMBLY SNIPPETS

TN government announces Haj subsidy

04.07.2018
Six months after the Centre withdrew Haj pilgrimage subsidy to Muslims, the Tamil Nadu government on Tuesday announced an annual subsidy of ₹6 crore for the pilgrims. Making a suo motu announcement in the assembly, chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami said the state government had been extending subsidy to Hindus to take up pilgrimage to Mansarovar in China and Muktinath in Nepal. “The state government will extend a ₹6 crore subsidy to Muslims for Haj pilgrimage,” Palaniswami said. “I am happy to state that 3,728 pilgrims will take up Haj pilgrimage this year under the scheme,” the chief minister said.

Safety kits for construction workers: The Tamil Nadu government on Tuesday announced safety kits to 25,000 labourers working in the construction sector. Making a suo motu announcement in the assembly, chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami said the move was to ensure the safety of construction workers. “Each worker will get a kit costing ₹2,000. The kit will have footwear, helmet, reflective jacket, gloves and protective eyewear,” Palaniswami said. The chief minister announced that a new building would be constructed for the Directorate of Industrial Safety and Health in Coimbatore at a cost of ₹4.3 crore.

CCTV cams to be set up in girls’ hostels: Chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Tuesday announced that CCTV cameras will be installed in 502 government girls’ hostels across the state. Palaniswami said it would benefit 31,940 students studying in schools and colleges.

No stoppage of PDS supply to ration card holders: The Tamil Nadu government on Tuesday announced that there would not be stoppage of supply to ration card holders, who did not avail the subsidized commodities even upto five months. Tamil Nadu food minister R Kamaraj said the Union government had recently issued an advisory and not a policy decision to stop the supply to those who give a break of three months.

NEW LAUNCHES

Law colleges in Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur opened

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:  04.07.2018

Chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Monday launched a slew of programmes in law and prison, higher education and information technology department. Two law colleges at Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur were opened through video conferencing from the CM chamber in Secretariat.


Following the recommendations of former judge of Madras high court, Justice P Shanmugam’s commission of inquiry, the state government shifted Dr Ambedkar Law College in Broadway to Tiruporur block in Kancheepuram district and Tiruvallur block in Tiruvallur. “The law colleges will function from this academic year onwards,” said an official release. Kancheepuram campus has come in an area of 6.3 hectares at ₹57.41crore with adequate infrastructure, while Tiruvallur in 20 hectares. Both institutions will cater to 1,205 and 1,123 students respectively.

The state government has integrated three of its revenue department services, including community, income and birth/death certificates in the Union ministry of information technology’s UMANG mobile application, facilitating users to download. Palaniswami launched the service, along with TN e-governance agency’s open portal, www.tnsevai.tn.gov.in/citizen to access 20 services from the revenue department.

The chief minister launched distribution of HD set top boxes of TN Arasu Cable TV Corporation and gave away the equipment to five subscribers as a token gesture. The set top boxes come at a price of ₹500 and could be obtained from local cable operators, said an official release.

Enrol your kid and get uniform, gold & ₹5,000

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Coimbatore: 04.07.2018

Villagers of Konarpalayam near Annur in Coimbatore have found a novel way to boost enrolment in the primary school there — by offering a 1g gold coin, ₹5,000 and two sets of free uniform for the first 10 children who enrol.

The effort has paid dividends. “Three children have joined the school,” says a beaming Rajesh Chandrakumar Y, headmaster of the school. “Three more students have shown interest in joining. I will get them tomorrow.”

The school which started in 1996 with 165 students gradually started losing sheen as residents of the largely agrarian Konarpalayam shifted to neighbouring places due to crop failure.



NOVEL WAY: A notice put out by villagers of Konarpalayam

Big craze for English drove students away

By the 1990s, the student strength had fallen to just 10.

As the craze for English medium schools grew, the strength further dropped to five in the past decade. “After I joined five years ago, I could manage to enrol only six students,’’ says Rajesh. With the population falling to just 65 families, there was nothing he could do.

That’s when the state government decided to shut schools which had less than 10 pupils by accommodating students and teachers in neighbouring schools. Apart from the headmaster, the school also had a teacher, Banumathi.

Rajesh had a meeting with villagers and the idea to incentivise children was born.

Sekar, a businessman from the village, offered to give a one-gram gold coin while village head Selvaraj came forward to offer ₹5,000 each for the first 10 students. The villagers pitched the idea to education department officials who also gave their approval to the initiative.

“We did not want the school to be shut down. Neighbouring villages have schools with a good number of students. It’s a pride for our village also to have a school. So, at any cost, we want to save the school and we are happy that our efforts are bearing fruit,” said Selvaraj.

Education officials appreciated the move and have agreed to participate in a function to be organised where the children would be given the gold coin and cash.

Thief makes away with 66 litres of milk in 2 days, caught on camera
TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:  04.07.2018

The milk thieves are back. A surveillance camera in Kodungaiyur has caught one suspect stealing milk sachets from trays left on the roadside by vendors early in the morning.


Police said the culprit made away with 66 litres of milk over two days in Kodungaiyur. Investigators who inspected footage from the CCTV camera found that the thief used a moped to get around steal the milk and make his getaway.

Sanjay, who runs a milk parlour on Sidco Nagar main road in Kodungaiyur, found milk sachets missing from trays left in front of his shop. He checked the camera footage and found the same man had stolen the milk on both days.

On June 24, 36 litres of milk sachets were missing from Sanjay’s milk parlor .

On July 2 he found 30 litres missing from his milk tray. The same person was seen stealing in both the occassions.

The Kodungaiyur police has registered a case based on Sanjay’s complaint and searching for the suspects with the help of the CCTV camera footage.

Milk vendors association president S A Ponnusamy said, “If the police took strong action against the suspects, the second incident could have been averted.”

He further added, “The police neglected Sanjay’s complaint and initially they refused to accept his complaint. They denied acting, as it was the responsibility of the shop keeper to safeguard his goods properly.”

“We have identified the suspect and trying to trace the man,” a police officer said. “We have his vehicle registration number. In both the incidents, he used the same vehicle. He looked out for neighbours in the vicinity before walking towards the shop and stealing the sachets.”



CAUGHT IN THE ACT: In this grab from surveillance footage, the thief steals milk in Kodungaiyur