Safety and Security Risks When Using Facebook

There is no doubt that the biggest social networking site taking over the whole globe is Facebook. Since it’s the biggest thing the online world has ever seen for the last several years, it’s critical that you understand the guidelines and policies listed on the site. They’re very useful in keeping you informed with various aspects of the site and how it runs.

You should know by now that for every website that you go to, there’s always a good chance of encountering good and bad users. Facebook can be accessed by just about anybody so it’s imperative that you are wise and conscious with how you distribute or share information about yourself on it (and other social networking sites for that matter).

Identity theft is one of the biggest concerns in the online world today. They are real and can devastate a person’s life if the person isn’t aware of what’s going on.

The internet is fun to be on nowadays since it helps you to keep in touch with your old and new friends, family and associates. You can share content such as pictures with anyone who has an internet connection, play games seamlessly through a virtual portal, being aware of announcements and updates of certain events and entertaining friend requests. Such things have prompted users to come back for more and what many aren’t aware of is the fact that they are vulnerable to online predators and criminals.

So what should you do to help protect yourself from the bad guys out there? Here are just some helpful things that can help you in the long run if you follow them religiously:

1. Understand how the security feature works on Facebook.
As you are well aware, Facebook is known for periodically modifying its security settings. You will observe posts from the site of the changes being made with regards to its security features that lets other users see content that you don’t want them to view. It’s critical that you look into this carefully and see if the changes can significantly affect you in some way.

2. Don’t reveal too much information on Facebook.
One of the most obvious ways of getting in trouble within the biggest social networking site is by revealing too much information on just about everything (including yourself). You should be aware of the things that you’re sharing, be it your profile, wall posts, messages and even the content that you share such as pictures and videos. You’ll never know, criminals would use whatever it is you post for their own evil means.

3. Pay attention to links, e-mails or friends
Social networking sites these can be penetrated by online criminals who use sites like Facebook to gain information about you. This can occur through a sent or posted link, which will in turn eject a virus or spyware to retrieve personal information about you. If you happen to receive a link that you find suspicious, ask your friends about it or simply delete it.

With the evolution of technology, cyber criminals are more smarter than ever. If you are constantly paying attention for any suspicious activity that comes your way, you can shield yourself from identity theft and other online criminal acts.

Facebook Tricks, Tips & Hacks

Almost half of all the sharing that happens online is done on Facebook. This in itself is testament enough that Facebook does the job of connecting people fairly well. However, there are some tips and tricks that can allow you to get more out of Facebook and this article contains a list of some of the best such Facebook tips.

Stop Hackers on Facebook
Are you worried about hackers hacking your Facebook account and posting stuff you don't want them to? Just read the linked post to protect yourself from most basic hacks.

Change Facebook's Theme
Are you bored with the default blue colored Facebook theme and want to get rid of it? Go change it to something super cool.

Facebook Galaxy Theme

Post an Empty/ Blank Status
Are you tired of constantly thinking new and interesting status updates for your Facebook friends? Then, post an empty status and show your friends that you denounce the thinking that if your status isn't cool, you aren't either. Just go to Facebook, hold Alt and press 0, 1, 7 and 3 respectively and click Post. This will post the null character as your status which basically is an empty space. Laptop users can do this after activating the Number Lock.

This is how the empty status looks like.

Get Text Messages and Subscribe to the RSS feed of your Notifications
Go to Facebook's notifications page and click on the RSS link to find the RSS feed containing all your recent notifications. You can then subscribe to this feed in any desktop based RSS reader to instantly know about new notifications. To get text messages, click on get Text messages link on the Notifications page.

Change Facebook's Posted via text
Have you noticed that when you update your Facebook status from a mobile, Facebook adds a "Posted via Mobile" link at the bottom of it? You can change that to say hilarious things like "via Carrier Pigeon" or "via My Bedroom." To do this, just go to PostedVia, choose a delivery option and update your status or post to a friend's wall.

 I posted this status from the unreleased iPhone 5 ;) 

Know when friends Unfriend you
Facebook notifies you when someone adds you as a friend but Facebook does not notify you when someone unfriends you. If you wish to access this data, you can use Social Fixer Facebook extension, which will not only allow you to do this but a lot more too.

Use Dynamic Facebook Profile Links to Fool your Friends
This is a funny use of technology to have fun with your friends. Just say some mean things in your status and then include this link -> www.facebook.com/profile.php?=1233445566. This may look like a link to a specific person's Facebook profile but in reality, it redirects users to their own profile. This happens because of the missing 'id' parameter. You can change the numbers to anything you like.

Find Exactly What you are looking for on Facebook
If you ever had trouble finding a friend or a specific post by one of your friend, you should definitely take a look at the Facebook page on searching. It will help you to get acquainted not only with how Facebook search works but also enable you to get the most out of it.

Access Facebook Chat on Your Desktop
Have you ever wanted to chat with your Facebook friends without opening a web browser? Desktop based applications like Digsby can allow you to stay connected with all your friends even when you close your web browser. This is much similar to chatting with Yahoo! Messenger or Google Talk chat client.

Why Facebook is Blue in Color?

When you open Facebook, the first thing that you notice is the blue color it uses. Ever wondered why is Facebook so blue in color and not changing its color scheme?

Ever since they started as 'thefacebook', Facebook has stayed with the blue color. Although major changes have been made in the Facebook theme since then, the major unchanged thing has been the blue color.

Facebook from its early days when it was known as  thefacebook

An exciting fact: In its earlier days, thefacebook.com required you to have an  .edu email id to join.

Everywhere from its login page to Facebook groups, you find only blue.

Facebook Login Page. All Blue!

The reason for this is that  Mark Zuckerberg, the young founder of Facebook is red-green color-blind and blue is the richest colour for him which he confirmed in an online interview with Leo Laporte.

Another important commercial factor for using blue color is the fact that most colors tend to distract the viewers. Blue on the other hand acts as a transparent background to the main content as visible to the human brain due to which most popular websites tend to use the blue color. It can easily be called a webmaster's favorite color. Blue color is also sometimes referred to as 'Nirvana' for the brain.

All these factors make blue a prominent color on Facebook.

Change Facebook Theme, Color & Appearance

Facebook is a social networking site which enables people to connect with friends and people around. That's how Facebook is usually introduced. However, Facebook is beyond the need of being introduced as almost everyone is on it. Despite its popularity, Facebook has one flaw; the default blue theme is really boring.

Some even consider it an annoyance while visiting Facebook. As Facebook does not allow users to change its theme like MySpace used to, users are left with no other option but to bear the theme Facebook wants them to use.

However, it is relatively easy to change the Facebook theme to a stylish one using an addon and custom themes which are available free of cost on the internet.

An example of the final outcome would be something like in the image.

This is the Ferrari theme. More themes are available for you to choose.

Requirement: The basic requirement for this to work is to have Mozilla Firefox or Google Chrome as your browser.

Steps to achieve this: If you use Google Chrome, click here. Mozilla Firefox users should carry out the following steps to successfully change Facebook theme.

1. Open Mozilla Firefox and install 'Stylish' addon.
2. Follow the basic steps to install the addon.
3. Restart Firefox after successfully installing the Stylish addon.
4. Login to your Facebook Account and click on the small 'S' button in your Firefox status bar.
5. Click on "Find Styles for this Site" to open a new tab with free themes to use for Facebook.
6. Click on any theme and a preview will be shown.
7. If everything is fine in the previewed theme, click on "Install with Stylish" button at the top right corner of the page.
8. A dialog box will open.
9. Click on Install in the dialog box.

Steps for Google Chrome

1. Install Stylish for Chrome from the Chrome Web Store.
2. Navigate to Facebook.com and click on the S button.
3. Click on "Find Styles for this Site" to open a new tab with free themes to use for Facebook.
4. Click on any theme and a preview will be shown.
5. If everything is fine in the previewed theme, click on "Install with Stylish" button at the top right corner of the page.

Now whenever you open Facebook, it will show the theme that you have installed with Stylish instead of the boring old blue theme.

Top 5 Gadgets Invented by Ingenious Engineers

Ever since humans began to experiment with self-made tools, civilizations throughout the course of recorded history have gradually developed various forms of technology to help make their lives easier and more efficient. Our humble beginnings with simple tools, however, have grown into something much more over the past few thousand years: We’ve eventually worked our way up to developing incredible technologies that have launched us into space and connected us together like never before.

cc licensed flickr photo shared by digitpedia

Some of our greatest technological milestones have involved “gadgets:” that have improved our lives and astounded us simultaneously. Since a complete list of gadget-related technological milestones is probably very extensive, here’s our list of the top five gadgets throughout history.

5. Antikythera Mechanism
If you’ve never heard of this or even have trouble pronouncing “Antikythera,” don’t feel out of the loop: The only one ever made was built in first century BC. What makes the mechanism so incredible and worth mentioning is that it was far ahead of its time. When a disoriented crew of sponge divers discovered it in 1901 amongst an ancient shipwreck off the coast of the Greek island Antikythera, they noticed that it was a corroded mechanism consisting of precisely-machined gears.

After decades of study, researchers determined it was a crank-powered mechanical calendar. The three dials of the mechanism designated – among other things – the 365-day Sothic Egyptian calendar, the Greek Zodiac, sun and moon positions, the date, and more. While these functions are commonplace in modern technology, what makes the Antikythera Mechanism truly incredible and noteworthy is that it was not only one of the first true “gadgets” in history, but also the earliest ancestor of the modern computer.

4. Cameras
Although most of us today are able to easily snap a picture at a moment’s notice with a handheld device, it wasn’t always this way. The first camera made its debut over a thousand years ago in the form of a pinhole camera, a device which would project an inverted image when light was passed through a small hole. This eventually developed into the “camera obscura,” which utilized a similar effect.

It wasn’t until 1837, however, when the first true camera – the daguerreotype – came around. Cameras continued to evolve and improve, and by the turn of the century, many consumers could purchase them. Photography continued to make leaps and bounds during the twentieth century, with digital cameras making their debut in the 1970s. Today, we’re able to take photographs and film events with incredibly small devices.

3. Telephones
In the late nineteenth century, the most efficient form of communication was the telegraph. Alexander Graham Bell and Elisha Gray, however, had a slightly different perspective: What if sounds could be carried over wires? The two of them worked separately on their own telephones, making various leaps and bounds along the way. Eventually, both of them rushed to the patent office on the same day once their individual telephones were complete. Unfortunately for Gray, Bell was the first one there, therefore earning him the patent.
Since then, the telephone has made numerous improvements. We’ve gone from using landlines to talking amongst each other wirelessly from any place in the world.

2. Computers
Although the title of “first computer” usually goes to devices such as the aforementioned Antikythera Mechanism, computers as we know them today didn’t come around until the mid-1950s. Before that, “computers” were essentially mechanical calculators; some of which could even be programmed.

During the 50s and 60s, computer programming saw its beginnings through the FORTRAN Computer Programming Language, the first form of the Internet came into shape, the floppy disc was developed, and the first video game – “Spacewar” – was created. Eventually, International Business Machines (IBM) introduced the first consumer computer in 1974, followed shortly thereafter by other computers such as the Apple I. Over time, consumer computers became increasingly advanced, resulting in the incredible multi-featured machines we use today.

1. Smartphones
Since it combines all of the previous gadgets and more, it’s not difficult to see why the smartphone holds the #1 spot on our list. Modern smartphones have allowed us to not only call people from nearly any location, but also browse the Internet, check e-mail, play games, and much more; all on a single handheld device.

5 Android Apps To Protect Your Phone From Criminals

Mobile security is a major area of concern for personal as well as corporate users. Since Android powered phones occupy the largest share of the smartphone market, they are increasingly being targeted by hackers and cyber criminals. With this increase, there is an increased chance that you too will encounter malware. So, what can be done about it?

Photo by Alan Cleaver on Flickr

You can install some security apps available to prevent malware from stealing your private information and causing data loss. Here are five such free apps to help prevent malicious software from harming your Android smartphone:

1. Avast Free Mobile Security
The Avast Free Mobile Security app offers anti-malware and anti-theft features. If a malicious website is visited while surfing, this application will warn the user. This application will also identify potentially dangerous applications that may be installed on the Android device. SMS and call filtering allows users to block incoming messages and unwanted calls based on contacts and specific time of day that people call.

Avast is known for its firewall and enhanced anti-theft features. This application can perform full scans on installed apps and also on the SD card. The scans can take place manually or automatically.

2. AVG Mobilation Anti-Virus Free
AVG Mobilation Free helps to prevent viruses and malware from infecting your phone. This anti-malware software offers theft protection to protect against unexpected losses. This app also offers track and control capability that will allow consumers to find their phones if they are separated from them. The phone’s data can be locked or erased remotely.

Users can make calls, surf the web, download music and apps safely with the use of this security app. The app scans files, settings and web activity for potential malware. SMS inbox is also protected against hackers and scammers.

3. Lookout Mobile Security
Lookout Mobile Security offers free malware protection and backup for contacts. This application also provides remote locating for phones and tablets. If the account is upgraded, features such as  App Privacy manager, image backup, remote locking and remote data erase are available. Scans can be conducted on daily or weekly basis. Data may also be backed up on the Lookout servers. Most users back up call history and pictures. The most recent activity on the phone can also be seen.

4. Norton Mobile Security Lite
Norton Mobile Security Lite offers free malware protection for Android users. This application also features remote locking and remote locating. Norton Mobile Security Lite offers browser protection, remote camera control and a remote alarm .

If the phone is lost, the device data may be erased remotely. The remote functionality is initiated by SMS text commands. The application checks for virus datanase updates weekly, and it can be updated more or less frequently. The focus of the application is to provide anti-malware and anti-theft services. SIM cards are not protected with this Android security application.

5. NQ Mobile Security
NQ Mobile Security is another free anti-malware application. This security application features a firewall, contact backup and remote location functionality. The traffic monitor tracks data usage. An app optimizer ensures that applications are performing at the phone's full capability.

Staying Safe On Your iPhone

By now, it is certainly safe to say that Apple has gained a wider following than just the young, tech-savvy demographic that initially seemed to flock to Mac products. While Mac computers (and specifically the MacBook Pro) have steadily arisen in popularity, the brand’s move to household name is built largely on their fleet of iOS products, and specifically the iPhone. Apple boasts intuitive-yet-sophisticated software as at least one reason that users from a broad range of demographics are drawn to their products.

Most users will find the transition into using an iPhone fairly smooth and will have very few problems with the basic usability of their phone even without much research or practice. While this is definitely a good thing, many users tend to settle into a rut, using only the basic functions of the device and failing to capitalize on additional features. In many cases, this simply means less entertainment so it might not be a big concern. In others, however, it might mean less security and that should definitely be a concern. The iPhone has several security features enabled by default but users (particularly those new to iOS products) should at least be aware of a few additional safety features.

1. Auto-lock and Passcode

The iPhone is set by default to Auto-Lock after 1 minute without use but this setting can be disabled (Settings > General > Auto-Lock) or set to auto-lock after 2, 3, 4 or 5 minutes. When combined with the Passcode Lock setting, Auto-lock is a simple, yet effective, safety feature. When Passcode Lock is activated (Settings > General > Passcode Lock), it requires that a 4-digit code be entered before the phone is unlocked. Enabling both of these settings will prevent unauthorized activity on your phone (be it your 2 year old son or a stranger that has found your lost phone).

2. Wi-Fi Settings

One of the big advantages of an iPhone (or any Smartphone) is Wi-Fi support. This advantage can also be a potential risk because it opens up the possibility that hackers access your phone data via the web. One simple precaution can be taken by enabling the Ask to Join Networks feature (Settings > Wi-Fi > Ask to Join Networks). When this feature is enabled, an alert will pop up before automatically joining any new or unknown Wi-Fi network. This feature gives you the ability to only join networks you trust.

3. Device Usage Restrictions

The iPhone now allows users to enable specific usage restrictions (Settings > General > Restrictions). This setting allows you to block the use of certain features such as Safari, YouTube, or the Camera. It also allows you to block music and video content based on various rating systems. Many users with children take advantage of these settings but it is also a good way to avoid viewing or hearing explicit content unintentionally.

Know if your PC is infected with Viruses, Trojans or other Malware

The reason why most computer malware are so deadly is because many users fail to recognize whether they have been infected or not. Had they detected the infection at an earlier stage, the damage caused could have been greatly reduced. As each virus is programmed differently, it becomes difficult to identify a virus outbreak. However, there are some general symptoms that make it easy to detect an infected computer. Here are some of them:-

1) Programs won't start or crash suddenly: If some system programs like the task manager or registry editor have suddenly stopped working or crash randomly without any visible reason, it is more than likely that your computer has got some form of worm that is attaching itself to various programs and thus, corrupting their code. A virus modifying registry entries to prevent these programs from running could also cause this.

2) Unusual Network Traffic: If even after closing your browser and other applications that may use the internet, you see that your computer is still downloading or uploading anything, then your computer is possibly infected with some form of spyware that is either downloading other viruses to your computer or is uploading your private information to a remote computer. In case you use a wifi connection, it is also possible that your neighbors are using your network. If that indeed is the case, you need to make sure that wireless network is properly secured.

3) Internet Connection not available or is slow: If suddenly, your internet connection has stopped working or has become extermely slow, it is possible that a malware is the cause. However, problems with your internet service provider could also be the cause of such issues.

4) Annoying Popups or Redirection to Strange Websites: If there has been an increase in the number of annoying popups while browsing the internet or your web browser redirects you to a different website from the one you wanted to visit, a virus or adware might be the cause.

5) Computer won't boot: If your computer has suddenly stopped booting, it is possible that some malware has modified your computer's system files. In such a situation, re-installing or repairing your operating system might be the only solution.

6) Slow Computer: Some viruses are designed specifically for this purpose. Malware programmers achieve this by designing viruses that increase your CPU's usage level to 100%. If on running the Task Manager, you find that your CPU's usage is constantly at 100% level, a malware might be the cause.

7) Programs start automatically: Some viruses and adware automatically start strange programs on your computer in order to show unwanted advertisements or simply to frustrate users.

8) Unusual File Associations: Some viruses change .exe or other file associations which prevents these files from opening. Some viruses also do this to automatically start themselves when a file of a particular type is started.

9) Security Software Disabled: Most malware disable antiviruses and firewalls to prevent themselves from being detected. If only a single software stops working, it might be a specific software failure issue. If it is a general trend and almost every security software is facing this issue, a virus infection is most likely.

10) Weird Behaviour: If your computer automatically starts sending emails or opens strange applications randomly or does things different from its "normal" behaviour, your computer is most likely compromised by malware.

Most malware infections can however be avoided by using a powerful antivirus software and following some best security practices.

Enable Task Manager disabled by Administrator or Virus in Windows

Windows Task Manager is used to view details about processes running on your computer. Since it can be used to terminate programs that are misbehaving or are viruses disguised in the form of harmless programs, most spyware and viruses disable it to prevent themselves from being closed through it. Some administrators also disable Task Manager to prevent users from closing important security programs like antiviruses and anti-malwares.

In such situations, running the Task Manager will give the "Task Manager has been disabled by Administrator" error. However, there are some techniques you can use to re-enable task manager and close those harmful programs manually. This article contains few such simple techniques you can use to regain access to Task Managing privileges.

Enable Task Manager from Registry in Windows 8, 7, XP or Vista

Registry Editor is an inbuilt Windows tool that is used to modify registry keys which tell Windows how it should work. A simple registry modification can be used to bypass the Task Manager block. To do so, just follow the steps:-

1. Click on Start. Go to Run. If you use Windows 8, Windows 7 or Windows Vista, go to Search.
2. Type regedit and press Enter. Registry Editor will start. If Registry Editor is also disabled, you will first need to enable registry editing.
3. Through the left hand navigation pane, navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\ Windows\ Current Version\Policies\System. If the System key is not there, you will need to create it.
4. In the work area, locate "DisableTaskMgr". If this value is not there, you will need to create a new DWORD value called DisableTaskMgr. Double click on it. A window will pop up.
5. Enter its value data as 0 and press OK.
6. Close Registry Editor. If Task Manager is still disabled, restart your computer.

Enable Task Manager from the Group Policy Editor (Gpedit.msc)

Windows Task Manager in Windows 7

Group Policy Editor is a feature in Windows which is used to edit local policy settings. It can also be used to enable Task Manager. To do so, just follow the steps given below:-

1. Open Start Menu. Windows XP users click on Run. Windows 8.1, Windows 8, Windows 7 and Vista users, go to Search.
2. Type gpedit.msc and press Enter. Group Policy Editor Window will show up.
3. From the navigational pane at the left hand side, go to: User Configuration>Administrative Templates>System>Ctrl+Alt+Del Options.
4. In the work area, double click on "Remove Task Manager" and set its value to Disabled or Not Configured.
5. Restart your Computer or Log Off and Log back On to apply the changes.

Group Policy Editor is not available on home editions of Windows.

Enable Task Manager by Running a CMD Command

Command Prompt can also be used to directly enable Task Manager.

1. Open Notepad.
2. Copy the code given below and paste it.

REG add HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System  /v  DisableTaskMgr  /t REG_DWORD  /d /0 /f

3. Save the File as TaskManager.bat.
4. Run TaskManager.bat as Administrator if you use Windows 8, Windows 7 or Windows Vista. In Windows XP, simply open the file. A command prompt window will flash for a second and then disappear indicating successful execution. After running the batch file, you will be able to again use Task Manager. If Task Manager is still not available, restart your computer.

Create a Registry(.reg) file for enabling Task Manager

If you are unfamiliar with manually editing the Registry, you can create a Registry file which will automatically modify the Registry Key to re-enable Task Managing. To create one such file:-

1. Open Notepad or any other text editor.
2. Copy the code given below and paste it as it is in it.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00 [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System] “DisableTaskMgr” =dword:00000000

3. Save the file as Enable Task Manager.reg or *.reg.
4. Open the file by double clicking on it.
5. Registry Editor will ask you for confirmation. In the confirmation Window, click Yes.
6. Task Manager would immediately be accessible. If it is not, restart your computer.

The techniques mentioned in this article work on Windows 8.1, Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows XP and Windows Vista

How to Start Windows in Safe Mode Easily

Safe Mode is a special diagnostic mode in which Windows runs with the minimum amount of features. As the features are limited, Windows does not load unnecessary startup items and runs only those files and drivers that are necessary for the basic functioning of the operating system. This allows users to remove recently installed programs that might be preventing Windows from starting correctly. As Windows does not start unnecessary programs while in Safe Mode, Safe Mode can also be used to remove viruses and malware that cannot be removed normally without risking the infection getting worse.

There are different ways in which you can get into the Safe Mode in Windows. They depend on the version of Windows you are using.

In this article:

1. Steps for Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 users
2. Steps for Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP and previous versions
3. Force Windows to start in Safe mode
4. Which Safe Mode option should you choose?

Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP and Previous versions

If you are using these versions of Windows, you can try the following methods.

The Trusted F8 key method
1) Restart your computer if it is on.
2) Right before the system starts to boot, start tapping the F8 key continuously.
3) This should load the Windows Advanced Options boot menu.
4) Select a Safe Mode option based on your need using the arrow keys and press Enter.
5) Windows will start in Safe mode. To get out of Safe mode, simply restart your computer.

This method should work on Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows 2003 and Windows ME. However, if it does not, you can always force Windows to boot in Safe Mode if your computer is working "properly".

Faulty Startup Method
If the F8 key method does not take you to the Advanced Options boot menu, you could try turning your computer off when it boots into Windows. Upon next restart, Windows will notice that the computer did not boot successfully and take you to the Advanced Options boot menu. Then, select a Safe mode option based on your need. This method is risky and should only be tried as a last resort. It could result in some of your files being deleted which could make your Windows installation unusable.

Windows 8 and Windows 8.1

The F8 key method does not work on Windows 8 and 8.1. Hence, getting onto Safe Mode requires the following steps:-

If your PC is working properly:
1) On the Windows Start Screen, type Advanced. In the search results, click on the Settings category.
2) Click on Advanced startup options.
3) Under the Advanced Startup heading at the bottom of the General Settings screen, click on Restart now.
4) Your computer will restart and you will be taken to the Advanced Startup Options menu. To easily reach this menu, on Windows 8 start screen, you could choose restart while holding the Shift key.
5) Click on Troubleshoot and then on the Advanced Options button.
6) Now, click on Startup Settings.
7) At the Startup Settings Screen, click on Restart.
8) Your computer will restart to Advanced Boot options from where you can choose a Safe mode option based on your need.

You can also force Windows to start in Safe mode.

If your PC is not working properly:
Windows 8 monitors your PC's startup for problems and when an error is detected, it automatically takes you to the new Recovery mode with the message "Recovery. It looks like Windows didn't load correctly." In this case:-

1) Select Advanced Repair Options and then click on Troubleshoot.
2) Click on the Advanced Options button.
6) Now click on Startup Settings.
7) At the Startup Settings Screen, click on Restart.
8) Your computer will restart to Advance Boot Options from where you can choose a Safe mode option based on your need.

Force Windows to restart in Safe Mode using the System Configuration Utility

Most users looking to boot Windows in safe mode will have a computer that is not working properly. Unfortunately, this method will not help them as it requires the user to have a working computer.

Steps:
1) On Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP and previous versions of Windows, click on Start. Go to Run in Windows XP and previous versions and go to Search in Windows 7 and Vista. On Windows 8, go to the Start screen. Alternatively, press Windows key+R to load the Run dialog box.
2) Type msconfig and press Enter.
3) This will start the System Configuration Utility.
4) On Windows XP, go to the BOOT.INI tab and check /SAFEBOOT. On Windows 8, Windows 7 and Windows Vista, go to the Boot tab and check Safe Boot.
5) Click OK.
6) Click on Restart in the following dialog box.-

Your computer will restart in Safe mode.

Different Safe Mode Options. Which to choose?

These are the various safe mode options available in Windows. You can choose one based on the features you require.

Safe Mode
This is safe mode in its most basic form without any extra features. It is useful for troubleshooting most common problems .

Safe Mode with Networking
This offers additional support of connecting to the internet or any other network. This is useful when your PC has a problem which might require you to frequently use the internet to troubleshoot.

Safe Mode with Command Prompt
This option will allow you to use all the unique features of the Windows command prompt while in Safe mode.

How to Secure a Wireless Wi-Fi Network

With the world going wireless in every sphere of technology, the question of security has often been raised. The same is true for wireless internet networks or Wi-Fi networks with hackers and Wi-Fi intruders always looking for ways to gain access to unsecured networks. There are several reasons why you might want to protect your Wi-Fi network. Prominent among them include better privacy, reduced internet bills and faster internet speeds.This post contains few simple techniques you can use to make sure that your wireless network is as secure as it possible can be.

Protect your Wireless Internet Network

1) Encrypt your Wi-Fi Network: When you use a Wi-Fi network for accessing the internet, every piece of data you send and receive over the air can be easily snooped by anyone with the right set of tools. Packet sniffers can be used by even the most novice of users to sniff your data. This means that a hacker can not only see which websites are you accessing but also get the login details of your personal and professional accounts.

Encryption basically involves scrambling the data that is transmitted and received by you while using a wireless network. This means that even if a hacker intercepts your data transmission, (s)he will not be able to exploit the information contained within it.

There are two encryption standards available that you can use: WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) and WPA (Wireless Protected Access). WEP is the older standard of encryption and can now be bypassed in a matter of minutes. WPA is relatively newer but it still has security holes. AirCrack and coWPAtty are two free tools that allow anyone to easily crack WEP and WPA encryption using bruteforce technique. WPA2 is the latest standard and is what you must use if you want the highest level of protection for your wireless network. The encryption keys used change each time a device accesses the network making WPA more difficult to hack.

The encryption used by all devices in the network must be the same for the network to work properly. Your network will only be as secure as its least secure device. Make sure all devices you use support WPA2 encryption. Use a strong encryption key. Make sure that it is longer than 10 characters and contains a mixture of capital and small letters, numbers and symbols. Do not use common words and stuff that people can guess about you as your password.

2) Replace default passwords on your router with strong passwords: The biggest mistake most wireless internet users make is not changing default passwords on their routers. Hackers utilize public databases that contain default passwords and usernames from virtually every manufacturer. This enables them to change the security settings of your router according to their needs. Using a strong password for your router ensures that hackers and miscreants cannot change your network's security settings. To change the password on your router, visit Administration settings on your router's settings page. Also, do not store passwords in browsers as they can be easily made visible.

3) Change default SSID
Your network's SSID or Service Set Identifier is the name of your wireless network. Usually, the SSID is the name of the router's manufacturer along with the model number of the router. Changing it to not display this information prevents you from giving additional information about your router to prospective hackers.

4) Do not broadcast your SSID
Hiding SSID prevents unsophisticated and inexperienced hackers and wifi intruders from determining that your network exists. Hiding your SSID is relatively easy and the option to do so is usually under basic wireless settings on your router's settings page. However, it is important to note that some devices, including those running newer versions of Windows, will show every network even if they cannot identify its name. Moreover, your network will still contain the SSID in data packets making unmasking ridiculously easy with tools like inSSIDer, Kismet and Commview for WiFi.

5) Use scary names to discourage Wi-Fi theft: If your wireless network has a name like C:\virus.exe, most people who might otherwise access your network will not for the fear of getting their devices infected. You can use your creativity to find more dangerous names for your wireless network.

6) See Connected Devices List: Almost every new router will have a page which displays the list of every device that is connected to the network. You should check this page at regular intervals to see that unknown devices are not leeching your network. When you see an unknown device, you can be certain that someone has breached your network. You can try AirSnare, a free utility which scans your network for unexpected MAC addresses and also looks into DHCP requests.

7) Turn off Guest networking: While most routers will have guest networking disabled by default, it always pays to see that you may not have accidentally enabled it. Guest networking allows others to access your network.

8) Enable MAC address based filtering: Media Access Control or MAC address identifies each device connected to your network. MAC address is an alphanumeric key separated by colons. Enabling MAC address based filtering allows only devices having particular MAC addresses to access your network. You need to enter the MAC address of every device you wish to allow to connect to your network on your router's settings page. This prevents unknown devices from connecting to your network even if they know your password. To find the MAC address of your computer, open command prompt and execute “ipconfig /all” without quotes.

While it may prevent inexperienced users from getting access to your network, experienced hackers and advanced users can use a wireless network analyzer like Nmap and then change the MAC address of his computer with another free tool MAC Shift.

9) Keep your firmware up to date: Router vendors regularly release firmware updates and post them on their websites. You should occasionally check the manufacturer's website to see if a new firmware update has been released. Newer routers will automatically inform you when new firmware is available.

10) Reduce wireless signal range: If you reduce the range of your wireless network, common sense tells that it will prevent hackers located at a distance from detecting your network. This has the advantage that if hackers do not know that a wireless network exists, they will not try to break into it. You can place your router at places which would block the Wi-Fi signals. While this technique is advantageous, a hacker keen on hacking into your network will just have to use a larger antenna to pick up your router's signals. Moreover, reducing the range of your wireless network might cause troubles for genuine users.

11) When not using your internet network, turn it off: This is self explanatory. If you are not using your network, turning it off saves you from giving extra time to hackers to try and hack into your wireless network. While it may be impractical to turn every device on your network off every time you are not using the network, it still is advisable to do so during extended periods of non use.

If you follow all these techniques, your Wi-Fi network will be a lot more protected and hackers will have a tough time breaking into it.

iPhone Tips and Tricks

Whether you are a new user or a seasoned user of Apple’s iPhone, you're most likely not making use of your smartphone to the absolute maximum. With these simple tips and tricks, you won’t learn everything about your iPhone, but you will definitely become a more proficient user.

You can take a screenshot.
From saving content you view on your mobile browser to taking quick snaps of funny texts, taking a screenshot can be incredibly useful in a lot of ways. Taking a quick snap of whatever is on your iPhone’s display is super quick and easy; simply press the home key at the bottom of your phone at the same time as the button at the top of the device. Your screenshot will be saved to your camera roll.

Have Fun With Siri
If you add the address for people in your contact list and then ask Siri to take you to them, she will give you directions to their house. Telling Siri about your relations will cause her to ask to remember them. If you agree, she will remember. Then, whenever you ask her to name your relation, she will. e.g. Telling Siri that Rebecca is my sister will make her tell that Rebecca is your sister whenever you ask the question, "Who is my sister?"

Instant Scrolling
If you have scrolled down a really long web page, then just tap the bar on the top of your screen to immediately be taken to the top of it.

Automatic Backup
To automatically backup your iPhone on iCloud, go to Settings > iCloud > Storage & Backup and turn on iCloud Backup. This will automatically backup your phone's critical data without the need to synchronize it again and again.

Caps Lock
To type in capital letters, just enable Caps Lock on your phone by double tapping the Shift arrow.

Extend Battery Life
If you feel that your iPhone's battery performance is below par, you can increase it by disabling 3G, Bluetooth and push notifications. Just go to Settings> General> Network to do this.

Use the Home Button
Pressing the Home button once will take you to your Main Screen. Pressing it twice will take you to Spotlight Search which you can use to search everything on your phone.

Control what appears in Spotlight search
To control what appears in Spotlight search, go to Settings> General> Spotlight Search and select according to your needs.

Block Inappropriate Content
To do so, go to Settings> General> Restrictions and tap Enable Restrictions. This will allow you to add a pass code and select which apps you want to make accessible.

Download Apps and Music on all your iProducts
If you have many Apple devices and don't want to download the same apps or music on them again and again, you can enable automatic downloads for apps, music and iBooks by going to Settings> Store.

Send Read Receipts in iMessage
You can let others know when you have read their text messages by enabling "Send Receipts" from Settings> Messages.

Close Programs Running in the Background
Just double tap the Home Button, then hold your finger down on the app you would like to close. Then, once it starts shaking, tap the red minus icon to close. This will be of huge help if you find that your phone is running slowly.

You can be a master of autocorrect.
If you are typing a note or an e-mail, you may have had some issues with the iPhone’s autocorrect or autocomplete features. Sometimes the results from this feature are helpful and right on, but other times they are anything but helpful. If you pay attention when you type, you don’t have to be at the mercy of your iPhone. A little textbox will pop up and recommend a spelling or a completed word; to accept it press the space key. If you don’t want to accept the word, tap the tiny “x” that appears next to it. This can help you avoid some faux pas when texting.

Create your own dictionary.
Speaking of autocorrect and autocomplete, you can create your own dictionary. When you enter a custom dictionary, your phone will autocorrect and autocomplete the things you type by inserting words you actually use. To do this, go to “Settings” and then “General.” In this menu, scroll down to the shortcuts area and tap “Add New Shortcut.” Not only will this let you enter in custom dictionary words, but you can also enter in shortcuts so that your abbreviations will end up inputting complete words in texts and emails.

Have custom ring tones for less money.
Your iPhone comes with many ringtones and message tones, but these are the same sounds that millions of other iPhone users are utilizing. If you want something unique, you may be tempted to shell out big bucks for custom ring tones. If you like to assign special ringtones to certain people or groups, this may cost you a lot. So, in order to get ringtones without breaking the bank (and taking away your app budget), you should look at applications that allow you to make ringtones out of songs you already have on your phone. Some of these cost money and should only be bought if you want to create a lot of ringtones. If you are only looking to turn out a couple of tones, you can even get a free version of these popular apps.

Block your number from other people’s caller ID.
Blocking your number can be helpful for any number of reasons. Maybe you don’t want an ex that you need to call to have your new number, or possibly you are using your personal number for business, but you don’t want professional contacts to have your personal digits. You can block your number easily from the “Settings” menu. There, you should go to the “phone” area and select the “Show My Caller ID” option; there you need to slide over to “no.” To switch it back on, follow the same steps and slide over to “yes.”

Multitask like nobodies’ business.
One of the reasons many preferred Android to the iPhone was because it offered better multitasking. As the iOS developed, multitasking has improved. When you need to quickly switch from one app to another, you simply have to press the home button to leave an app. Then double click the home key again to reveal your most recently used apps at the bottom of the screen. A quick swipe of the finger will allow you to flick through all recently used applications, allowing you to quickly hop from one application to another; thus making you more productive.

Connect a Laptop or Desktop Computer to a TV Easily

Suppose you wish to watch a movie or share a slide-show of pictures with your family on your PC but have a screen that leaves much to be desired. In such a situation, you can connect your computer to a television screen to allow your entire family to enjoy comfortably.

There are many ways in which you can connect your laptop/ computer to a television. However, the overall video quality will be different for different methods. You can choose which one to use based on the quality or the availability of hardware. The first step is to know what type of ports and connections your TV and computer have. If you already know the type of ports and connections available on your hardware, you can directly jump to Step 2. If not, then the different types of ports are explained in detail below:-

Different types of PC to TV connection ports

1) RCA/Composite: The oldest and the lowest quality connection available. They are the Yellow, Red and White connections most of us are familiar with. Yellow is used for composite video, white for left analog audio and red for right analog audio.

2) S-Video: S-Video or Super Video offers slightly better quality than Composite connections. As it is one of the oldest type of connections available, most televisions and computers have it. There are two types of S-Video ports, one containing 4 pins and the other containing 7 pins. This type of connection is used only for video. So you will need to connect an audio cable from your computer's headphone jack to the red and white audio inputs on your TV if you want audio to work.

3) VGA(Video Graphics Array): Most computers and televisions have a VGA port. It offers much better quality than S-Video and should be preferred if you have a HDTV. Older CRT TVs however, will not have a VGA port and will require a PC to Television converter. Just like S-Video, VGA also does not support audio and will require an additional audio cable.

Different types of connecting cables to connect computers to TVs

4) DVI: Digital Video Interface offers much better quality than VGA connections. Most laptop computers and HD TVs will have these connections. Just as the name suggest, this type of connection can be used only with digital TVs. Also like the previous two, DVI connections also require the use of an audio cable for audio to work.

5) HDMI: The highest quality connections available. Most HD TVs will have this connection, however, chances are that your computer would not. If your computer happens to have a HDMI connection port, this should be preferably used. If your computer doesn't, you can use an HDMI to DVI adapter to convert HDMI to DVI.

Step 2: Once a common type of port between the two devices is recognized, you will need the right connector cable to physically connect them. The different types of connector cables are pictured above. If you do not find two matching types of connection ports, you will need an adapter to make the connections type match.

Step 3: After connecting the two devices, on your TV, select the external input with which your TV is connected to the computer. It may be HDMI1 or AV1 depending on how you have made the connection. This is much similar to how you select input from your DVD player.

If you have followed the steps correctly, your TV should now be displaying your computer's screen.

Important: If your computer is not recognizing the external display, you must connect the TV before starting your computer. If the picture appears distorted, you will need to change the screen resolution of your TV by altering the display settings from your computer. Most older TVs will support only one display resolution while newer TVs will support plenty of them.

Make Your Keyboard Type (Any) Message Continuously-VBS Trick

This VBS trick can make any of your friend's keyboard type any message continuously. Open Notepad, copy the code given below and save the file as Tricks.vbs or *.vbs. You will need to restart your computer to stop this. Try this after closing all important programs.

Set wshShell = wscript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
do
wscript.sleep 100
wshshell.sendkeys "This is a Virus. You have been infected."
loop

Send this file to your friends as an email attachment to see the fun.

Create a Harmless Funny Virus with Notepad-Continuously eject CD/DVD drives

This VBS trick will create a code which will continuously eject all your connected Optical drives. If you put them back in, it will pop them out again. Copy this code and paste it in Notepad as Virus.vbs or *.vbs.

Set oWMP = CreateObject("WMPlayer.OCX.7")
Set colCDROMs = oWMP.cdromCollection
do
if colCDROMs.Count >= 1 then
For i = 0 to colCDROMs.Count - 1
colCDROMs.Item(i).Eject
Next
For i = 0 to colCDROMs.Count - 1
colCDROMs.Item(i).Eject
Next
End If
wscript.sleep 5000
loop

Double click to open this file and you will be impressed by this awesome trick.

Make your Computer Talk

Have you ever wondered how can you make your computer speak whatever you input to it like in the movies? Would it not be fun? If only it was possible! Rejoice, because now it is possible. Well, if you wish to know how to do this, then you have come to the right place. With this trick, you can create a script in Windows which will make your computer speak whatever you input to it.

To create one such talk script, follow the steps given below:-

Steps

1. Open Notepad.
2. Copy and paste the exact code given below.

          Dim Message, Speak
          Message=InputBox("Enter text","Speak")
          Set Speak=CreateObject("sapi.spvoice")
          Speak.Speak Message

    3. Click on File Menu, Save As, select All Types in Save as Type option, and save the file as Speak.vbs or "*.vbs".

    4.  Double click on the saved file, a window will open like the one in the image. Enter some text in enter text column and click OK.

Now your Computer will speak / talk what you typed in Step 4. Try it yourself.

Windows Compatibility: This VBS file can be executed on all versions of Windows including Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7 and Windows 8.

Personal Experience: I personally showed this trick to many of my friends and they were literally left awestruck. You too can impress your friends by making your PC talk and be the Computer Wiz.

Matrix Falling Code Effect - Notepad CMD (.BAT) Tricks

Inspired by the movie Matrix, this falling code trick is extremely popular on social networking websites. Copy and paste the code given below in Notepad and save the file as "Matrix.bat" or *.bat.

@echo off
color 02
:tricks
echo %random%%random%%random%%random%%random%%random%%random%%random%
goto tricks

Matrix Falling Code Effect - Notepad Trick

Creating Thick and Thin Glass and Plastic

Another feature of the mia_material shader is the ability to simulate thickness and thinness in the material itself without
creating extra geometry. This can be very useful, especially for glass surfaces.
1. Continue with the scene from the previous section, or open the helmet_v06.ma file from the chapter10
\scenes folder at the book’s web page.
2. In the Hypershade, create two new mia_material_x nodes. Name one thinGlass and the other thickGlass.
3. Apply the thinGlass shader to the glassShield object in the Outliner.
4. Apply the thickGlass material to the lampShields group in the Outliner.
5. In the Attribute Editor for the thinGlass material, use the Preset button to apply the glassThin preset.
6. In the Attribute Editor for the thickGlass shader, apply the glassThick preset.
7. Create another test render from the renderCam camera.
The lamps at the top of the helmet have a chrome reflector behind the thick glass, which adds to the reflectivity of the
material. The settings to control thickness are found under the Advanced Refractions controls. Along with the standard Index
Of Refraction setting, there is an option for making the material either thin-walled or solid. You also have the option of
choosing between a transparent shadow and a refractive caustic that is built into the material (the caustics render when caustic
photons are enabled and the light source emits caustic photons; for more information on caustics, consult Chapter 9).
1. Open the Hypershade window, and create another mia_material_x node. Name this one plastic. Apply this shader to
the plasticParts group in the Outliner.
2. Open the Attribute Editor for the plastic shader, and apply the translucentPlasticFilmLightBlur preset.
3. Create another test render.
This preset creates very translucent plastic using glossy refractions. In this situation, it seems a little too transparent. Use
the following settings to make the plastic look more substantial:
a. In the Diffuse section, set Color to a dim pale blue.
b. In the Reflection section, set Color to a dark gray, and set Glossiness to 0.35.
c. In the Refraction section, set Color to a dark blue and Glossiness to 0.52.
d. Scroll down to the Ambient Occlusion section, and activate Ambient Occlusion.
e. Set Ambient Light Color to a light gray.

History of Computer

Each generation of computer is characterized by a major technologicaldevelopment that fundamentally changed the way computers operate, resulting inincreasingly smaller, cheaper, more powerful and more efficient and reliabledevices.
The various generations of computers an listed below :

(i) First Generation (1946-1954) :
In 1946 there was no 'best' way ofstoring instructions and data in a computer memory. There were four competingtechnologies for providing computer memory: electrostatic storage tubes,acoustic delay lines (mercury or nickel), magnetic drums (and disks?), andmagnetic core storage.
The digital computes using electronic valves (Vacuum tubes) are knownas first generation computers. the first 'computer' to use electronic valves(ie. vacuum tubes). The high cost of vacuum tubes prevented their use for mainmemory. They stored information in the form of propagating sound waves.
The vacuum tube consumes a lot of power. The Vacuum tube was developedby Lee DeForest in 1908. These computers were large in size and writingprograms on them was difficult. Some of the computers of this generation were:
Limitations of First Generation Computer
Followings are the major drawbacks of First generation computers.
1.  They used valves or vacuumtubes as their main electronic component.
2. They were large in size, slow in processing and had less storagecapacity.
3.  They consumed lots ofelectricity and produced lots of heat.
4.  Their computing capabilitieswere limited.
5. They were not so accurate and reliable.
6.  They used machine levellanguage for programming.
7.  They were very expensive.
Example: ENIAC, UNIVAC, IBM 650 etc



(ii)  Second Generation(1955-1964) :
The second-generation computer used transistors for CPU components& ferrite cores for main memory & magnetic disks for secondary memory.They used high-level languages such as FORTRAN (1956), ALGOL (1960) & COBOL(1960 - 1961). I/O processor was included to control I/O operations.
Around 1955 a device called Transistor replaced the bulky Vacuum tubesin the first generation computer. Transistors are smaller than Vacuum tubes andhave higher operating speed. They have no filament and require no heating.Manufacturing cost was also very low. Thus the size of the computer got reducedconsiderably.
It is in the second generation that the concept of Central ProcessingUnit (CPU), memory, programming language and input and output units weredeveloped. The programming languages such as COBOL, FORTRAN were developed duringthis period. Some of the computers of the Second Generation were                                                                          
1. IBM 1620: Its size was smaller as compared to First Generationcomputers and mostly used for scientific purpose.
2. IBM 1401: Its size was small to medium and used for businessapplications.
3. CDC 3600: Its size was large and is used for scientific purposes.
Features:
1.  Transistors were used insteadof Vacuum Tube.
2.  Processing speed is fasterthan First Generation Computers (Micro Second)
3.  Smaller in Size (51 squarefeet)
4. The input and output devices were faster.
Example: IBM 1400 and 7000 Series, Control Data 3600 etc.


(iii)  Third Generation(1964-1977) :
By the development of a small chip consisting of the capacity ofthe 300 transistors. These ICs are popularly known as Chips. A single IC hasmany transistors, registers and capacitors built on a single thin slice ofsilicon. So it is quite obvious that the size of the computer got furtherreduced. Some of the computers developed during this period were IBM-360,ICL-1900, IBM-370, and VAX-750. Higher level language such as BASIC (BeginnersAll purpose Symbolic Instruction Code) was developed during this period.  Computers of this generation were small insize, low cost, large memory and processing speed is very high. Very soon ICsWere replaced by LSI (Large Scale Integration), which consisted about 100components. An IC containing about 100 components is called LSI.
Features:
1. They used Integrated Circuit (IC) chips in place of the transistors.
2. Semi conductor memory devices were used.
3.  The size was greatly reduced,the speed of processing was high, they were  more accurate and reliable.
4.  Large Scale Integration (LSI)and Very Large Scale Integration (VLSI) were also developed.
5.  The mini computers wereintroduced in this generation.
6. They used high level language for programming.
Example: IBM 360, IBM 370 etc.


(iv) Fourth Generation :
AnIC containing about 100 components is called LSI (Large Scale Integration) andthe one, which has more than 1000 such components, is called as VLSI (VeryLarge Scale Integration). It uses large scale Integrated Circuits (LSIC) builton a single silicon chip called microprocessors. Due to the development ofmicroprocessor it is possible to place computer’s central processing unit (CPU)on single chip. These computers are called microcomputers. Later very largescale Integrated Circuits (VLSIC) replaced LSICs. Thus the computer which wasoccupying a very large room in earlier days can now be placed on a table. Thepersonal computer (PC) that you see in your school is a Fourth GenerationComputer Main memory used fast semiconductors chips up to 4 M bits size. Harddisks were used as secondary memory. Keyboards, dot matrix printers etc. weredeveloped. OS-such as MS-DOS, UNIX, Apple’s Macintosh were available. Objectoriented language, C++ etc were developed.
Features:
1.  They used Microprocessor(VLSI) as their main switching element.
2. They are also called as micro computers or personal computers.
3.  Their size varies fromdesktop to laptop or palmtop.
4.  They have very high speed ofprocessing; they are 100% accurate, reliable,  diligent and versatile.
5.  They have very large storagecapacity.
Example: IBM PC, Apple-Macintosh etc.


(v)    Fifth Generation (1991-continued) :
5th generation computers use ULSI (Ultra-Large Scale Integration)chips. Millions of transistors are placed in a single IC in ULSI chips. 64 bitmicroprocessors have been developed during this period. Data flow & EPICarchitecture of these processors have been developed. RISC & CISC, bothtypes of designs are used in modern processors. Memory chips and flash memoryup to 1 GB, hard disks up to 600 GB & optical disks up to 50 GB have beendeveloped. fifth generation digital computer will be Artificial intelligence.

अंगरक्षक

"साहेब, इथे २ मृतदेह सापडले आहेत..." हवालदार बोलला तर इन्स्पेक्टर राहुल वॉकी टोकि (walky-talyky) ठेवून पळत पळत त्या जागेवरती पोहचला. "पाण्यामध्ये राहिल्या कारणामुळे देह एवढा फुगला आहे कि नीट ओळखणं पण कठीण आहे..." राहुल तिकडे पोहो
चताच हवालदार बोलला. हे एकदम स्पष्ट माहिती पडत होतं कि एक मृतदेह मुलीचा आहे आणि दुसरा कोणा मुलाचा.

"ह्म्म्म... एक मृतदेह तर इन्स्पेक्टर संतोषचा वाटत आहे. हाताच्या ट्याटू (tatoo) वरून वाटतं. वाटतंय संतोषच्या केसशी ह्याचं काही घेणं देणं आहे. घेवून चला ह्यांना मुर्दाघरामध्ये, बघूया ह्याचं काय करू शकतो ते". राहुल बोलला आणि परत आपल्या जीप मध्ये बसून पोलीस स्टेशन निघाला.

२ दिवस आगोदर

"ऐक रे... तू कमीशनर (Commissioner) असशील स्वतःच्या घराचा. तुला एकदा सांगितलं ना कि उद्या मनीषला एका बंदिगृहातून दुसऱ्या बंदिगृहात शिफ्ट करायचं आहे, तर मान्य कर ना."

"हि धमकी तू कोणा दुसऱ्याला दे. जर मी असल्या धमक्यांना घाबरणारा असलो असतो तर कधीच पोलीस फोर्स जॉईन नाही केली असती. मला माहित आहे कि तुम्ही मनीषला शिफ्ट ह्या कारणासाठी करत आहात कि रस्त्यामध्येच त्याला फरार करू शकाल. मी जेव्हा पर्यंत जिवंत आहे तो पर्यंत तर हे होणार नाही."

"स्वतःचा नाही तर स्वतःच्या १९ वर्ष्यांच्या मुली बद्दल तरी काही विचार कर कमीशनर (Commissioner). मुंबईसारख्या शहरात तर तिला पाठवलं आहेस, पण तिची रक्षा कशी करणार? चल डील करूया, तुझ्या मुलीच्या जीवाच्या बदली मध्ये मनीषच्या शिफ्टिंगचा ओर्डर. मान्य आहे?"

"मला काहीच मान्य नाही आहे. आणि राहिला प्रश्न माझ्या मुलीचा, ती एकदम सुरक्षित आहे. मीने पण काही कच्चा खेळ खेळला नाही आहे."

"ठीक आहे, मग परत उद्या सकाळी १० वाजता फोन करेन. आशा करतो कि तेव्हा पर्यंत तू सगळे पेपर्स तैयार करून ठेवशील मनीषच्या शिफ्टिंगचं " आणि फोन कट झाला.

कमीशनर (Commissioner) ने फटाफट एक नंबर फिरवला, "संतोष.... सगळं काही ठीक आहे ना तिथे.... आज आक्रमण होवू शकतं. माझ्या मुलीला माझ्या पर्यंत पोहचवण्याची जबाबदारी तुझी आहे"

"सगळं काही एकदम ठीक आहे. ती माझ्या नजरेसमोरच आहे साहेब. मी तिला घेवून मुंबईला परत येतो." संतोष बोलला आणि फोन कट केला. कमीशनर (Commissioner) ने पुन्हा एक नंबर फिरवला.

"हेल्लो... बेटा.. कशी आहेस तू.. आणि हा आवाज कसला आहे"

"पप्पा मी मित्राच्या पार्टी मध्ये आहे. आपण नंतर बोलू"

"बेटा मी काय बोलतोय ते लक्ष्य देवून नीट ऐक... तुझ्या जीवाला धोका आहे. माझा एक इन्स्पेक्टर तुझ्या जवळ येईल आणि लवकरच तुला घेवून तो परत इथे येणार. इन्स्पेक्टरच नाव संतोष आहे. जपून राह."

"काय पप्पा तुम्ही पण. छोट्या छोट्या गोष्टींवर चिंतीत होता... काहीच नाही होणार मला.."

"जसं मी सांगतो तसं कर बस. मला पुढे काही ऐकायचं नाही आहे." कमीशनर (Commissioner) बोलला आणि फोन कट केला. "हि आज कालची मुलं... हा विचार करतात कि ह्यांचे आई वडील वेडे आहेत. एवढी महत्वपूर्ण गोष्ट आहे आणि ह्या मुलीला पार्टीची पडली आहे." तो आपल्या बायकोशी बोलला.

दुसरीकडे मुंबई च्या एक भरपूर प्रसिद्ध डिस्को मध्ये मानसीचा पार चढला होता. "यार... हि तर हद्च झाली, कोणत्यापण छोट्या मोठ्या क्रिमिनल च्या धमक्यांना घाबरून माहित नाही पप्पा माझ्या जीवनात का अडचणी टाकतात. कधी इथे शिफ्ट करतात तर कधी तिथे. हेच कारण आहे कि ह्या वयात पण आज पर्यंत माझा कोणी बॉय फ्रेंड नाही बनला."आपल्या केसांना पाठी करत आणि वोडकाचा सिप घेत मानसीने प्रियाला सांगितले.

"अरे.. बोलत आहेत म्हणजे काही महत्वपूर्णच असणार. चिंता नको करूस सगळं काही ठीक होईल.. तो बघ तो सुंदर मुलगा फिरत आहे, जो काही दिवसांपासून तुझा पाठलाग करत आहे" प्रिया बोलली तर मानसी ने तिच्या इशाऱ्याकडे बघितले जिथे तो मुलगा उभा होता. एकदम कसरती शरीर, छोटे छोटे केस, डोळ्यांवरती एवढ्या रात्रीपण काळा चष्मा आणि हलक्या मिश्या. त्याला आपल्या जवळ येताना बघताच मानसीच हृदय जोर जोरात धडधडायला लागलं.

"मानसी... मी इन्स्पेक्टर संतोष... आपल्या कडे वेळ भरपूर कमी आहे. लवकर माझ्या बरोबर चल."

"मला कुठेच नाही जायेचे आहे" मानसी त्याला बोलली.
"वेळ नाही आहे मानसी, मला हेल्पलेस नको करूस" तो तिच्या अजून थोडं जवळ होवून बोलला. तेव्हा एक गोळी चालली आणि संतोषच्या कानाच्या जवळून निघून गेली आणि पाठी ठेवलेल्या बाटल्यांना लागली. सगळ्या डिस्को मध्ये गडबड सुरु झाली. "बघितलं... लवकर उठ" संतोष बोलला आणि मानसीचा हाथ पकडून तिला पाठीच्या दरवाज्याच्या इथे खिचायला लागला. त्याने आपल्या शर्टातून एक बंदूक पण काढली होती. जसे ते बाहेर आले तर संतोष ने पहिल्यापासून इथे आणलेली आपली लैंड लोवर कडे निघाला. तेव्हा पायांचा आवाज आला आणि संतोष ने मानसी ला चावी देत बोलला, "हि घे चावी, गाडीला वळवून इथे घेवून ये. मी ह्या लोकांना थांबवतो." मानसी चावी घेवून गाडीच्या दिशेने पाळायला लागली आणि संतोष जवळच पडलेल्या एका लोखंडाच्या बोर्डाच्या मागे जाऊन लपला. तेव्हा त्याने बघितले कि समोरून २ लोकं पळत पळत येत आहेत. निशानेबाजी मध्ये संतोष निपुण होता. त्यांना निशाणा साधला आणि ठीक त्या दोघांच्या डोक्याच्या मधोमध एक एक गोळी मारली. दोघेही जागच्या जागीच मेले. तेव्हापर्यंत मानसी पण गाडी घेवून आली होती. त्याने लवकर मानसीला प्यासेंजर (Passenger) सीटवर जायचा इशारा केला आणि तिच्या शिफ्ट होताच त्याने स्वतः गाडीचा ताबा घेतला आणि गाडी भरधाव पळवली.

ते थोड्या अंतरावरती गेले होते कि तेवढ्यात संतोष ने आपला फोन उचलला आणि एक नंबर फिरवला, "मानसी माझ्याबरोबरच आहे. आम्ही लवकरच पोहचू." तो बोलला आणि फोन कट केला. नंतर गाडी मध्ये ठेवलेल्या वॉकी टोकि (walky-talyky) ला ट्यून करू लागला, "त्या गुंडांनी मोबाईल एवजी वॉकी टोकि (walky-talyky) वापरायचं उचित समझल कारण मुंबईचा एरिया जास्त नाही आहे. नशिबाने मी त्यांची फ्रिक्वेन्सी पकडू शकतो आणि मला माहिती पडणार ते आपला कुठे लपून वाट तर नाही बघत आहेत." त्याचं एवढं बोलणच होतं कि एक सिग्नल पकडायला लागलं.

"पुलाजवळ गाड्या उभ्या करा. कोणती पण गाडी जाऊ देवू नका. आम्हाला कोणत्या हि परीस्थित मानसी पाहिजे." एक जोरदार आवाज ऐकू आली.

"ओह नो. वाटतंय आपण फसलो आहे. मला गाडी कच्च्या रस्त्यावर घ्यायला पाहिजे. कारण आपण ह्या हिल च्या टोकावरतीच आहोत, ह्याच्यामुळे जास्त परिणाम नाही होणार, पण ती जागा पक्का उबड खाबड असणार. एकदम घट्ट पकड. तुला काही ईजा झाली तर माझी नोकरी जाणार" संतोष बोलला.

मानसी इतक्या वेळेपासून फक्त संतोषलाच बघत होती. ती विचार करत होती कि ज्या माणसाला मॉडेल व्हायला पाहिजे, तो पोलिसाची नोकरी करत आहे. बघूनच माहिती पडतं कि संतोषला व्यायामाची आवड आहे. त्याचे मोठे मोठे बळकट स्नायू बघून कोणतीही मुलगी त्याच्यावर एका क्षणात फिदा होईल, तर मानसी का नाही होणार. तिने आपली सीट बेल्ट बांधली आणि बोलली, "तुम्ही एवढ्या रात्री पण चष्मा का लावता?"

"म्याडम (madam) हि दुनिया खूप खराब आहे. काहीच माहिती नाही पडत कि कोणाचं हृदय गोरं आणि कोणाचं काळ. कोणाकडून धोका खाण्याहून चांगलं आहे सगळेच काळे दिसो. कमीत कमी माणूस सावध तरी राहील."

"अच्छा.. तर मी पण तुला काळीच चांगली वाटते काय.."

"असली काहीच गोष्ट नाही आहे म्याडम.. घ्या चष्मा काढून टाकतो आपला." तो बोलला आणि चष्मा काढून टाकला. "आणि ह्या मिश्या आणि दाढी आणि मेकअप मास्क पण" ती बोलली आणि त्याने हे सगळं पण काढून टाकलं.

"हा खरा चेहरा न दाखवणं पण काही फंडा आहे काय...?"

"म्याडम प्रत्येक मनुष्याची एक स्वतःची जीवन शैली असते. पोलिसांची ३/४ जीवन असंच नोकरी करता करता संपून जाते. मला असं नाही पाहिजे कि गुंडे मला माझ्या बाकीच्या जीवनात सतवायला आले पाहिजे. एकदा कोणी चेहरा ओळखला जर कुठे पण लपलो, तर येतातच दरवाजा ठोकवायला." तो बोलला तर मानसी हसायला लागली.

"तसं तू खूप इंटरेस्टिंग आहेस..." आत्ता तीच बोलणं संपलं पण नव्हतं कि संतोष ने गाडी कच्च्या रस्त्यावर उतरवली. गाडीला भरपूर झटके लागत होते आणि मानसी ने खिडकीच्या वरच्या ह्यांडलला घट्ट पकडलं होतं. काही अंतर गेल्यावर जेव्हा समतल जमीन आली तर संतोष ने गाडी थांबवली आणि हेडलाईट बंद केली.

"बाहेर या म्याडम. वाटतंय आजची रात्र इथेच घालवावी लागेल."

"का... आपण इथून जाऊ का नाही शकत..."

"जाऊ तर शकतो पण फक्त उलट, हि जी नदी इथे वाहते आहे ना, हिला पार करण्यासाठी त्या ब्रिज वरून जाणे गरजेचे आहे. तिथे आपली वाट ते बघत आहेत. रात्र इथेच घालवायला लागणार."

"चला चांगलंच आहे... खुल्यामध्येच राहू.... पण इथे किती गारवा आहे. चल आग जळवूया."

"आग जळवून आपली पोजिशन त्यांना सांगूया... तुम्ही आराम करा... हे विचार करायचं काम माझ्यावर सोपवून द्या. मी करेन जे काही करायचे आहे ते."

"पण ह्या गारव्याच काय करू....." मानसीला फक्त बहाणा पाहिजे होता संतोषला बहुपाश्यात घेण्याचा.

"गाडी मध्ये एक गोधडी आणि तुझी आवडती वोडका आहे, त्याला पी आणि गोधडी मध्ये शिरून जा. गारवा पळून जाईल."

"आणि तुम्ही...?"

"आमचं काय आहे म्याडम.... सरकारी नोकर आहोत... गरव्यामध्येच पडून राहू... खरं तर मला झोपायचं पण नाही आहे रात्रभर... इथे माझा डोळा लागला, आणि तिथे ते गुंडे येवून काय खेळ खेळतील माहिती पण नाही पडणार..."

"तुम्ही कोणा वरती पण विश्वास नाही करता ना.."

"बिलकुल कोणा वरती पण नाही... जमानाच असा आहे. ज्याच्यावर विश्वास करा, तोच गोळी मारतो." संतोष ने गोधडी आतमधून काढली आणि वोडकाची बाटली पण. नंतर नाईट विजन दुर्बीण काढून बघायला लागला, "आत्ता तर रस्ता साफ आहे. लांब लांब पर्यंत तर कोणी नाही आहे. फक्त काही तासांचा अवधी आहे, फक्त काही अडथळा नाही आला पाहिजे." मग त्याने फोन उचलला आणि परत एक नंबर दाबला. "आम्ही ब्रिज पासून लांब आहोत. माझा निर्देशांक नोट करा. पिकअप पाहिजे मला लवकरात लवकर" आणि काही नंबर सांगायला लागला. "हो, दिवस होण्याचीच वाट बघायला लागणार" आणि फोन कट केला.

"तर सकाळ पर्यंत आपण दोघे इथेच राहणार काय ह्या जंगलात... एकट??"

"हो.. आणि काही उपाय पण नाही आहे. तुम्हाला भीती तर वाटत नाही आहे ना...!"

"नाही... मला विश्वास आहे कि तू माझी रक्षा करणार. शेवटी पप्पाने काही विचार करूनच तुला माझा अंगरक्षक बनवला आहे."

"हो हो... अंगरक्षक बनंव आत्ता... चल आत्ता हि गोधडी घे अंगावरती. जर तुला सर्दी जरी झाली तरी माझं काही खैर नाही." संतोष बोलला..

"तू कधी पर्यंत असंच लक्ष देत राहणार... येवून माझ्या जवळ बस ना. शीर तू पण ह्या गोधडी मध्ये." वोडकाच्या सिप घेत मानसी बोलली.

"जर तुझ्या पप्पांना समझल ना म्याडम... तर मला कायमस्वरूपी थंड करून टाकतील. मी इथेच ठीक आहे."

"अरे ये ना... कोण सांगणार पप्पांना? तू कि इथली शांतता? मी तर नाही सांगणार..." मानसीच्या किती तरी आग्रहानंतर संतोष तिच्याबरोबर त्या गोधडीत शिरला. त्या दोघांनी आपली पठाण एका झाडाशी टेकवली होती आणि गोधडी ओढून ते नदी कडे पाहात होते. नदीच्या पाण्याचा वेग खूप होता.

"तुला कधी भीती नाही वाटत ह्या नोकरीमध्ये?" त्याच्या शरीराचा स्पर्श भेटला म्हणून मानसीला मजा येत होती.

"भीती त्यांना वाटते ज्यांना स्वतःवरती विश्वास नसतो. माझ्या बरोबर असं काहीच नाही आहे. ड्युटी करतो आणि आपलं घर चालवतो"

"कोण कोण आहे तुझ्या घरात..."

"कोणच नाही आहे... एकटा आहे, आणि खुश आहे" मानसीच्या सारखं सारखं वोडका त्याच्या समोर करण्यामुळे त्याच पण मन होत होतं आणि त्याने पण एक मोठा सिप मारला होता.

"कशी बायको पाहिजे तुला" मानसी त्याच्या अजून जवळ होत बोलली. आत्ता ती त्याला एकदम चीपकली होती.

"कधी विचार नाही केला म्याडम आणि प्लीज थोडं श्वास घेण्यासाठी तरी जागा सोडा. माहिती आहे गारवा आहे, एका अनोळखी मुलीच्या एवढ्या जवळ होणं चांगलं नाही वाटत."

"हा हा हा... बाल ब्रह्मचारी टाईप आहे म्हणजे. अरे कधी तरी असं करशीलच... माझ्यामध्ये काय वाईट गोष्ट आहे...."

"वाईट गोष्ट तर नाही आहे, रिस्क भरपूर आहे इथे. माझ्या नोकरीचा रिस्क, आपल्या जीवाचा रिस्क. बस चुपचाप हि पी आणि झोपून जा..." संतोष ने बाटली परत तिच्या जवळ देत बोलला... मानसी तर पहिल्या पासून टुन्न झाली होती. आणखी पिऊन कधी तिचा डोळा लागला, तिला माहितीपण नाही पडलं. जेव्हा सकाळी तिची झोप उडाली तर तिच्या अंगावरती गोधडी बरोबर संतोषच ज्याकेट पण पडलेलं बघितलं, परंतु तरीपण तिची थंडी नाही जात होती. संतोष पण तिच्या जवळ नव्हता. तिने तिची नजर इकडे तिकडे फिरवून बगितलं तर संतोष लांब उभा दुर्बीण घेवून काही तर बघत होता. ती उभी झाली आणि आपले कपडे झाडायला लागली. काही क्षणातच संतोष तिच्याजवळ आला.

"तुम्ही तर एकदम कुंभकर्णासारखी झोपता म्याडम... ११ वाजले आहेत. मला लांबून एक बोट येताना दिसत आहे. कदाचित तुम्हाला घ्यायला पाठवली असेल. वाटतंय काम झालंय.."

"चला चांगलं झालं... हा एवढा घाणेरडा वास कुठून येतोय?"

"माहिती नाही... कदाचित आजू बाजूला कोणी जनावर मेला असेल. त्याचंच असणार... नदीवर जाऊन आपलं हाथ पाय धुवून घ्या...."

"आपण अजून पर्यंत निघालो का नाही... आपण गाडीमध्ये बसून सुद्धा जाऊ शकलो असतो..."

"गाडीचा टायर पंक्चर झाला आहे. जसं मी सांगतो तसं कर प्लीज... जास्त वेळ नाही आहे." संतोष एवढं बोलला तर मानसी पळत पळत नदी कडे गेली आपले हाथ पाय धुवायला. तेव्हा तिने बघितले कि एक बोट तिच्याकडे येत आहे. दिसायला तर मोटरबोट सारखी दिसत होती पण आवाज बिलकुल नव्हता... तिने थोडावेळ वाट बघितली पण जस जशी मोटरबोट जवळ येत गेली, तिच्यामध्ये भीती वाढत गेली. त्या मोटरबोटीच्या समोर काळे कपडे घालून काही गुंडे टाईपचे लोकं उभे होते, ज्यांच्या हातामध्ये मोठ मोठ्या बंदुका होत्या. ती पळत परत आली आणि सगळं काही संतोषला सांगितलं.

"घाबरू नकोस मी आहे ना. बस माझ्या बरोबर राह. सगळं काही ठीक होईल."तो बोलला आणि आपली बंदूक काढली. दोघेही झाडाच्या मागे लपून मोटरबोटच्या जवळ येण्याची वाट बघत होते. "माझ्या पाठी पाठी ये... माझ्या खांद्यावरती हाथ ठेव जेणेकरून तू माझ्यापासून वेगळी ना होवो." तो बोलला आणि हळू हळू झाडाची आड घेवून मानसीला नदीच्या जवळ घेवून जात होता. आत्ता मोटरबोट पोहोचली होती, त्यामधून ते भीमकाय ४ माणसं खाली उतरली आणि त्यांच्याबरोबर एक सफेद कपडेवाला माणूस पण खाली उतरला. मानसी आणि संतोष त्या लोकांच्या एकदम जवळ येवून पोहचले होते. संतोष ने मानसीचा हाथ पकडला आणि तिला खेचत लवकर त्या लोकांकडे घेवून गेला.

"वेलकम रवी आम्हाला पूर्ण विश्वास होतं कि तू आमचं काम जरूर करशील.."

"काम झालं आहे... पैसे कुठे आहेत..." संतोष बोलला, मानसीचा हृदय तिच्या कंठाशी येवून पोहचला होता.

"हे घे पैसे... पूर्ण ५ लाख रुपये आहेत.... जशी डील झाली होती..." त्या माणसाने नोटांनी भरलेली पिशवी संतोषला देत बोलला...

"आणि हि घे मुलगी... जसं डील झाली होती."

मानसी निशब्ध उभी होती... राहून राहून तिच्या डोक्यात संतोषने बोललेली गोष्ट येत होती,
"म्याडम (madam) हि दुनिया खूप खराब आहे. काहीच माहिती नाही पडत कि कोणाचं हृदय गोरं आणि कोणाचं काळ. कोणाकडून धोका खाण्याहून चांगलं आहे सगळेच काळे दिसो. कमीत कमी माणूस सावध तरी राहील."

"हिचा बाप जेवढं विचार केलं होतं, त्याहूनही जास्त फट्टू निघाला. मनीषला सकाळी ९ वाजताच शिफ्ट करायचा प्लान बनवला. ठीक १०.३० ला आम्ही त्याला फरार पण केला. आत्ता हिची आम्हाला काहीच जरुरत नाही आहे. हिला परत सोडून ये." तो माणूस बोलला. त्याच्याबरोबरचे गुंडे संतोषच्या गाडीमधून काही तरी काढत होते.

"परत तर नाही सोडू शकत हिला... आज पर्यंत पोलिसांपासून वाचत आलो आहे कारण हा चेहरा कोणीच नाही पहिला आहे. पण हि मुलगी तर पूर्ण खेळच बिघडवून टाकेल."

"तर हिचं काय करायचं ते कर..."

"प्लीज मला सोडून द्या... मी कुणालाच काही नाही सांगणार... प्लीज.... मी तुमच्या पुढे हाथ जोडते..."

"मी पहिलेच बोललो कि मी कोणावरती पण विश्वास नाही करत" मानसीच्या डोक्यात परत तेच शब्द फिरले, "जमानाच असा आहे, ज्याच्यावर विश्वास करा, तोच गोळी मारतो..." आणि ह्याच्या अगोदर ती काही बोलेल किंवा करेल, एक जोरदार आवाज आला आणि तिच्या डोळ्यांच्या मध्ये येवून एक गोळी लागली. ती तिथेच पडून मेली... "तुमच्या गुंडांनी माझ्या गाडीमधून संतोषचा पण देह काढला असेल, दोन्ही देहांना नदी मध्ये फेकून द्या... जेव्हा पर्यंत किनाऱ्या वरती येईल तोपर्यंत मी ह्या देशाच्या बाहेर असेन..." एवढं रवी बोलला आणि नोटांची पिशवी घेवून तो आपल्या गाडी कडे निघाला.


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