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Entertainment, technology, hurricanes dominate 2005 blogs
MUMBAI: What occupied blogs in 2005? Surely not politics. In the US, it was entertainment, technology and natural disasters that took centrestage, according to marketing intelligence firm Intelliseek’s BlogPulse.com.
Intelliseek CTO Sundar Kadayam says, “Blogs have emerged as a worldwide phenomenon that touches nearly every aspect of everyday life, commerce, technology, media, entertainment, politics, even the coverage of natural disasters and news events. BlogPulse.com is a search engine and analysis tool. It provides daily analysis from an index of more than 20 million blogs about top issues, personalities, blogs, blog posts, news stories and key phrases.”
Michael Jackson and Britney Spears generated more celebrity buzz than other entertainers. Boing Boing and Engadget were the two most popular blogs, Sin City was the most popular movie, and bloggers referred to the online encyclopedia Wikipedia for information about “podcasting” and “Hurricane Katrina” more than any other topic or issue.
In a newsy year filled with natural disasters, the Pope’s death and the war in Iraq, which news story did bloggers cite most often? That honour fell to an April essay Unitarian Jihad a call for moderation and reasonableness in politics and religion, written by Jon Carroll of the San Francisco Chronicle.
The top 10 people/personalities were Harry Potter, President George Bush, the late Pope John Paul II, Britney Spears, Michael Jackson, Johnny Depp, Tom Cruise, the late Terri Schiavo, Brad Pitt and Karl Rove.
The top 10 links to Wikipedia from blogs were podcasting, Hurricane Katrina, Ajax (a web programming script), Flying Spaghetti Monster (blogger Bobby Henderson’s alternative theory to “intelligent design”), US, Wiki, Folksonomy, London subway bombings, Web 2.0, RSS, meme (shared online info/activities) and intelligent design.
The top 10 online news sources cited by blogs were Yahoo! News, BBC, New York Times, CNN, Washington Post, MSNBC, Guardian Unlimited, San Francisco Chronicle, USA Today and Yahoo! Finance. Others of note were Fox News (No. 21), Canada.com (No. 32), NPR (No. 43) and The Onion (No. 70).
The top 10 movies were Sin City, Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, Serenity, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Batman Begins, Sideways, Napoleon Dynamite, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and War of the Worlds.
In 2005, the Committee to Protect Bloggers launched a campaign to free two Iranians who were imprisoned for blogging. Bloggers worldwide continue to struggle to define their roles and rights under the umbrella of freedom of speech.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
