Echoes

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Is Bina Shah no longer a columnist at Chowk.com?

Please explain.

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Ok Chowk editors - Here is a feedback for you

Chowk survey

Friends

Chowk editors write that "We value your voice as much as ours". It is feedback time. Some of you joined me creating this feedback. Thanks for doing that. Following feedback is based on people who responded and does not represent a scientific study. Results may be skewed because few respondents (I think only one) may have had fun with survey site. Presented data is from survey. Comments are mine. Enjoy (or complain if you want- I don`t care)

1. Is Farzana Versey proper choice for Chowk editor?

I do not think that is a million dollar question for most of us. Outcome does not affect us in real life. Number of active participants of Chowk appear to have gone down in last 5 years and now it only gets few loyal visitors. Farzana got 35% yes vote and that is quite impressive.

Yes	11
No	20
Total	31

2. How successful Chowk has been in meeting its stated objectives? (1- not at all, 5 - most successful)

Chowk states

Chowk is a platform to publish, discuss and debate writings on a variety of issues that are important to the people of India, Pakistan, and other South Asian countries. It is a place to:

express and exchange ideas
discover eclectic thoughts
get useful information
meet new people
engage in social change
enjoy and educate yourself

In general there appears to be almost 40% clear-cut "no" votes. "Engage in social change" score shows very clearly that Chowk is not contributing toward any social change. My personal feeling is that interaction on Chowk has converted many moderates to hard-core fanatics. Still, an above 50% should be quite satisfactory for editors.

	No	May be	Yes	Score
express and exchange ideas	14	8	9	53%
discover eclectic thoughts	14	7	10	55.40%
get useful information	15	6	10	54.80%
meet new people	16	2	13	56.20%
engage in social change	20	2	9	46.40%
enjoy and educate yourself	13	8	10	54.80%

3. Rate following interactors on the basis of whether you will like to have them as friend in real life

This is fun part. Almost all chowkies hate other chowkies ;-). Dost-Mitter is a clear winner of popularity contest. You can make your own conclusions about people at the bottom of the list.

	No	May be	Yes	Score
Atif	14	6	10	52.60%
Saleem	15	2	18	66.60%
TAhmed	20	6	3	37.20%
Scout	15	6	10	53.60%
Farzana	21	4	6	42.00%
Yaseer	17	3	10	50.60%
Behram	21	5	4	36.60%
Urstruly	13	11	6	50.60%
Dost-mitter	9	10	11	62.60%
Temporal	14	4	11	53.00%
Zeena	16	9	6	49.60%
FerozK	12	7	11	55.40%
Sadna	12	8	10	54.00%
Godot	19	6	6	45.20%
Faisaluno	19	5	6	45.40%
Khamakhwa	14	5	11	53.40%

I was never ever mean or rude or abusive to Farzana Versey. I know her, since 2002 on chowk. I never liked her articles. I never liked her ideas. I have always criticised her in the past , but, with respect. I never ever disrespected Farzana versey. I have the right to criticise writters in a healthy way, not in an abusive way. I have all the right to my opinion, so, do you.

Any one can criticise any time ,but, the only thing I hated and I was extremely mad at is/ was , when someone abuses Honourable and respectable people in a an extremely derogatory way.

I do not have any personal issues with Farzana Versey. Infact, I do not know her personally. I do not wish to know her either in person. But, this is all virtual world and all of us have equal right to show our dislike or criticism over someone , who will be chief editor of a web site, where we spent our precious time . Our time is also very important , I have to see who is running the show. This is important for me.
Chowk staff
Please, look at the post , where did I show my mean behaviour towards farzana Versey?? I am critical, I will be critical , I was critical. Look at the following words......................
{{{Farzana Versey
Don`t you know the international rules and regulations of internet????
If, you do, you also have to set strict rules here or else, resign from your chief editor ship. I believe, Saminasha will be much much better CHIEF EDITOR. She has all the sense to run a web site. or Temporal was the best for running this web site......
As for as Farzana Versey is, yes I never liked her articles. But, choosing her as chief editor of chowk and then her response that she will not be responsible for Un Plugged , she will not appreciate COMPLAINTS, she will not take care of any abuse or porno pictures here, makes me nuseated, this is sick, absolutely sick...................
Being chief editor is a very sensitive job. It is samething, if some President of country after being elected announces that he will not be responsible for any CRIME in the country. All criminals are wellcome to committ crimes in this country iunder my rule.
Sorry, I can`t be part of this new version of crime chowk.com .................... }}}}}}}}}}}}}}

Now, where did I abuse her??? Yes, I can`t be part of a web site where chief editor encourages abuse by showing indifference or by discouraging complaints...................
I believe
Healthy criticism is the most CONSTRUCTIVE thing to do for the improvement of any web site . If, all I do praise, praise and praise ................
Well, that won`t work. I am not here to form groups. If, you dislike some ionteractors here on this web site. I don`t care, that is your own personal choice. Unless you abuse any female, I won`t say a word. You have all the right to dislike or to be critical about anyone here.

But, I will stand for women rights, if, you will abuse women here .

I respect all as a fellow interactor. I request all NOT TO PATRONIZE me . I will NOT PATRONIZE you, either.

If, Farzana Versey will show us an improved , unbiased, decent and NON abusive web site. I will definitely admire her. But, if, she will not care whats going on. She doesn`t deserve my admiration.
PS:-Even, though I did not like her indifference for UP abuse for women, still as a courtsey, I congratulated her and sent her virtual roses on her appointment as cheif editor. I still do. But, I reserve my right of admiration for her. Thanks

Ana! Ana!! you too brutus!! Harassing a poor creature like me...
My survey feedback is ready. Will post as soon as Chowk allows it.

1) Name one boradcast, print, or web where the editor is selected based on popularity contest?

Answer: All the main stream media from Fox news to The New Republic.

friend,

why don`t you (and perhaps some of the others) just walk away without the whining. go wine yourself instead! obviously, not everyone is being heard here. there is ``being heard`` and then there is ``noise.`` deal with what category you fall into and move on.

and ask yourself this. . . have godot`s posts been filtered often enough for his thinking that some of us get what`s coming to us. if you can`t think hard enough, the answer is no. so why cry like a baby, chin up dude, move on.

``speak wisely -- you will be heard!`` LOL

and i`m addressing this to you risking being removed, because this is just noise as well. just like ninetysomething percent of the posts have been. contribute wisely, man. that is what really matters. ye rona dhona drama spamming nahiN chalega! hargiz nahiN!

i am the weakest link. goodbye!

There is too much whining in this section from farigh people. For your
benefit and ours, put a limit of 100 words max. Most sensible people
are able to formulate a suggestion in that space.

Dear Ms. Editor, after reading your editorial (another brick in your head) I, a relatively new member at Chowk, appreciate all that you are set to do. Good luck with running this place. Here are two more suggestions.

(I am not a computer technical person, so #1 may not be technically doable).

#1. The homepage real estate is too dense, it should be less crowded. Many a times, quality stuff gets buried under so much mish-mash. If there can be a scrolling banner type mechanism to display some of the stuff which is mostly archival, can be accessed by clicking “More”. Similarly, I-Logs – no need to display all the recent I-Loggies, just display “Today’s I-Logs” – and if someone is interested in reading, can click on “More”. The saved-up real estate can be used for other more important announcements, features, etc.

#2. One of the things that attracted me to this place was an active Indian participation. Keeping that in mind, I think there can be some mechanism to have collaboration (or combative collaboration). Chowk should have a weekly bi-Column (not as in homosexuals) but a regular feature presenting two different perspectives (an Indian, and a Pakistani) on current affairs – e.g., Earthquake, Scooter Libby, Bush in Asia, etc. In this bi-Column, two guest writers will write brief (there should be word limit of say 150 max) standpoints.. (((Obviously more thought needs to go into it))). The name of this feature column can be “Line of Control”. Unlike the regular contributions, this Column will only discuss current happenings, pretty much like “Week In Review” of the Sunday NYTimes, or like the featured articles in the World Press Review or similar to the now defunct CNN’s Cross-Fire, Hannity and Colms, Thelma and Louise, you get the idea. This bi-Column will be pretty much like WPR but limited only to Indian and Pakistani PsOV.

Here’s a little sample:

---

Atal B. Hindu – Reporting from Vesakhapatnam

The recent bombings in Amman Jordan clearly indicate that the chickens have come home to roost. Jordan has for too long stayed on the sidelines (despite having cordial relations with Israel) and have done nothing to address the religious fanaticism in the Arab world. If anything, Jordanian Secret Police has been complacent in silencing the voices of change, both within its borders, and within Middle East at large. Jordan has the highest rate of Honor Killing per capita in the world… Down with the King…… blah blah blah……


Aulad K. Khan – Reporting from Peshawar

The bombs in Jordan only prove that the struggle to liberate Iraq has now moved beyond its borders. The female freedom fighter who is arrested by Jordanians lost 4 of her brothers to the bullets of the occupying Zionists. Ina Lilaha Waina Alahe Rajioon… It is incumbent upon the Islamic world to stand together with our brothers and sisters in Iraq. Death to America…. Blah blah blah….

Chowk editors,
Look look, Godot is stalking me ;-) She is not doing anything meaningful, no feedback, no suggestions. Only thing she is doing is ``criticism`` and that too of me.

Do I have your kind permission to draw her attention to your rule ``Dialogue between interactors will not be carried in this section. ``. You may also tell her that ``survey`` will finally help you what I/we ``think about the site, the editorial and the overall look``. Also tell her that ``dangal`` ki zagah unplugged per hai.

Chowk editor
I am requesting you one more time to stop Godot. She is stalking and harassing me. She has no right to indulge in private interactions on this board.

Re: # 90

``friend``

Getting too hot for you in the kitchen? Running for cover, eh?

Where are your answers? Why don`t you tell the Editor what to do with your posts on this board?

what is the editors nic while interacting on chowk....

Chowk editor
Godot is harrassing me.. Ban her nick.