Thursday, December 9, 2010

WRAPUP 1-India to widen telco probe as top mogul backs govt

NEW DELHI, Dec 9 (Reuters) - India on Thursday widened a probe into the country's biggest corruption case to include decisions made during the main opposition party's rule, a move that may take steam out of a campaign against the government.

The probe into the 2008 grants of telecoms licences that the state auditor said lost India $39 billion in potential revenue will now examine licencing procedures when the main opposition was in power and which have been cited in court as a precedent.

The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has forced parliament shut, demanding the Congress-led government set up a parliamentary probe into the case, the largest of a raft of corruption cases that have emerged in recent months.

Telecoms Minister Kapil Sibal's decision to ask a retired judge to probe decisions from 2001 onwards, which would include those of the BJP during its rule until 2004, could put the party on the defensive and allay fears the political deadlock could spill over to the February session of parliament.

Andimuthu Raja, who resigned as telecoms minister in November after the report, and whose homes have been searched in the case, had defended himself saying he followed past norms and the Supreme Court had asked police working on the case to look back to 2001.

Singh and his government have been struggling to contain the damage from India's "season for scams" which includes a bribe-for-loans scandal which implicated state-run banks and sizeable private companies and, graft at the Commonwealth Games.

The cases have taken the sheen off India's image as an investment destination, and the parliamentary deadlock has delayed the passage of key reforms including a much awaited law for the easing of land acquisition for industry.

Investors have shrugged off widespread corruption as part of the risk of doing business in emerging markets, but remain wary of any regulatory changes and of decisions that could affect existing foreign investments, such as those made in telecoms firms being probed.

On Thursday, top Indian mogul Ratan Tata appeared to give some support to the government, citing telecoms policy "flip-flops" during the BJP's rule and terming the auditor's estimate of losses as "hypothetical."

"Whatever may be said, it must be recognised that the recent policy broke the powerful cartel which had been holding back competition and delaying implementation of policies not to their liking," Tata said in a letter released by his publicist.

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Price List from Poorvika Mobile Store | Www.poorvika.com

Www.poorvika.com is the official website of Poorvika mobile world. Poorvika mobile world provides all major brand of mobiles, basic to higher end, such as Nokia, Sony Ericsson , Samsung, Motorola, LG, I Mate, O2, Philips, Fly, HTC, Blackberry and etc. because Poorvika mobile world is a multi branded show room. Their motive is to satisfy their customers with their range of multi branded products displayed in their showrooms. So they serve customers of all walks of life style and they make them feel comfortable. The information of Poorvika mobile world and Price List from Poorvika Mobile Store is provided below.




Store location of Poorvika mobile:

Kodambakkam
No.30 Arcot Road (Opp Meenakshi College ),
Kodambakkam,
Chennai- 600024.
Phone: 42155762

T.Nagar
No.66/90 Pondy Bazar( Near Naidu Hall ),
Tnagar,
Chennai - 600017.
Phone: 42605517

Kilpauk
No.188 B Poonamallee High Road,
Taylors Road Bus stop
Kilpauk,
Chennai - 600010.
Phone: 42859559

Pallavaram
No.1 G.S.T. Road Near Annamalai Hotels ,
Pallavaram,
Chennai - 600042.
Phone: 42073136

Virugambakkam
No.20/155 Arcot Road,
Virugambakkam,
Chennai- 600092.
Phone: 42016273

Perambur
No.150/253 Papper Mills Road,
Near Venus Theater,
Perambur,
Chennai - 600011
Phone: 43555179

Adyar / Thiruvanmiyur
# 3 & 4, Shop No.J 10, LB Road
Thiruvanmiyu,
Chennai - 600 041
Phone: 45511702

Purasawalkam
Old - 213 / New 170, Kabilvasthu Complex,
Purasawalkam High Road,
Purasawalkam,
Chennai - 600 041.
Phone: 43539187

Adambakkam
57 Vellalar street,
Mount Medavakkam Main road
Adambakkam,
chennai-600088

Poonamallee
126 / 731 trunk Road,
Poonamallee,
Chennai-600056

Old Washermanpet
525 Thiruvotriyur High Road,
Near Pandiyas Hotel, Old Washermanpet,
Chennai-600021.

Anna Nagar
24 IInd Avenue, Thirumaniamman Naga,
Thirumangalam, Anna Nagar West,
Chennai-600040.

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

4-Year-Old Boy Shoots Mother With Shotgun


A 23-year-old Kitsap woman was taken to the hospital yesterday with non-life-threatening injuries after her four-year-old son shot her in the side with a semiautomatic shotgun.

The woman told detectives that she didn't hear the boy loading the weapon because she had her back turned and was talking on the phone. She also said she had no idea how he got access to the shotgun. But she does know how he got the cartridge.

According to the Kitsap County police, the boy's father had given him the cartridge earlier after the child had shown an interest in firearms. (Well, duh.) Apparently the gift did not also include a stern warning about how he shouldn't use it to shoot his mother. Maybe his grandma can be the one to deliver that lesson.

The Top Pickpocketing Cities Around the World

Beware of the top pickpocketing cities of the world. If you’re planning on traveling to any of these cities in the near future, be sure to pay spec...

Pickpocketing Cities
Via: TravelInsurance.org

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Arundhati Roy has accepted Pakistan citezenship





Indian author Arundhati Roy has accepted Pakistan citezenship, reports Spooftimes.com Arundhati Roy has thanked Pakistan government and feels that she has been truely honored.

As a part of the deal Ms. Arundhati Roy will convert her religion to that of Pakistan state relligion and will marry Osama Bin Laden, Pakistan official's chief guest, reports Press Association of Pakistan.

Arundhati Roy will become Osama Bin Laden's 71st wife, one less than the promised number of wife he would get if he continue to live in Pakistan.

"I feel that I am more close to Him now, I have one more to go before I hit the magical number of 72 wives. I am sure Arundhati Roy will make a good wife, I have already decided her to call firely lady," says Osama Bin Laden.

Arundhati Roy says she really liked Osama Bin Laden and thinks that he could really become a global model for men all over the world. "He is such a charmy man, his beard makes me feel orgasmic and I just can not control my feeling whenever I see him on Television. Meeting him in real life would be dream come true for me."

Monday, October 18, 2010

Hair an indicator for heart attacks

High levels of the stress hormone cortisol in hair may be a strong predictor of heart attacks months in advance, said Canadian researchers in the journal Stress.

Issues such as jobs, marital or financial problems are linked to an increased risk for developing cardiovascular disease, including heart attacks.



But until now a biological marker was not available to measure chronic stress and so predict — several months in advance — who may be most at risk of a heart attack.

“Traditionally, cortisol has been measured in serum, urine, and saliva. All of these matrices measure cortisol levels in the last hours to days and, therefore, do not reflect the stress response over prolonged period of time,” said study authors Stan Van Uum and Gideon Koren of the University of Western Ontario.

But, cortisol is also captured in the hair shaft.

On average, hair grows one centimeter each month and so by examining a six-centimeter-long strand of hair, it is possible to determine stress levels over a longer period.

The researchers looked at hair samples from 56 men admitted for heart attacks to the Meir Medical Centre in Kfar-Saba, Israel and compared these to hair samples from 56 men hospitalized for non-cardiovascular health issues.

The heart attack patients were found to have higher cortisol levels in their hair.

And after accounting for known risk factors such as diabetes, hypertension, smoking and a family history of coronary artery disease, “hair cortisol content emerged as the strongest predictor of acute myocardial infarction,” the study concluded.

via...
http://news.zakhas.com/2010/09/hair-an-indicator-for-heart-attacks/

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Goa Beaches – Tours and Travel Special (part1)

Goa Beaches – Tours and Travel Special (part1)




Saturday, October 16, 2010

Hungry Puppy Amazing photo

Hungry Puppy Amazing photo

Friday, October 15, 2010

Surprising Meditation Experiences

Meditation serves as a foundation for changes. It prepares the mind for new experiences, because it removes negative thinking and other impurities.

Meditation has many benefits but there are some meditation experiences that are not widely known. Some of them are unusual, some exciting, some even scary. I think it is fair for you to know a different side of meditation which is not often discussed.




I can straight away say that despite strange meditation experiences it is worth practising meditation. Benefits outweigh the temporary discomfort to a high degree.

Different meditation experiences

When you start meditating you see only benefits. You notice that you become much more peaceful only after a couple of meditation practices. You become less reactive to negative incidents and your positivity rises to a high degree.

This is the stage that is exciting but most people fail to pass to the next stage because they fall back to their old habits and start taking shortcuts in meditation – they shorten meditation time, do not concentrate on their breathing or mantra and fail to allocate less noisy times for meditation.

Those that continue meditation (after two weeks or so) get to the next stage. They enter deeper meditation and start experiencing fourth dimension. This happens because they finally establish deeper connection with the source and the source shows itself through the person.

You start getting meaningful dreams that show you how you are doing on your path and what changes you need to make. Dreams can also show the glimpse of the future and different warnings.

You become much better at manifesting if your regularly meditate. Because your negative emotions, thinking and beliefs are gradually disappearing, your manifestations reach you faster and you get more synchronicities along the way.

Your eating habits change. You are likely to become vegetarian, then vegan, then go raw, if you continue meditating. Meat is out of the question for serious meditators because you start perceiving the meat of animals to be the same as the meat of humans.

You understand life better, you understand what pain animals feel and you certainly would not want to hurt some animal. It just feels so cruel when I see someone eating meat. By eating meat people are polluting their bodies with negative energy that comes from the animal that was slaughtered.

When you keep meditating, a specific energy starts concentrating in your root chakra (at the base of the spine). This energy is called Kundalini. The energy starts moving up until it reaches the crown chakra. This happens over a very long time. When it goes through your crown chakra (your head) you may become enlightened. Something to look forward to!

However, if Kundalini energy starts moving up too fast, you may experience very extreme discomfort that even lead some people to insanity. So it’s important not to mix meditation with other psychic experiments or anything of that nature. I will explain what to do if you awaken this energy too fast at the bottom of this article.

When you get into the deep meditation, it is easy to reach non-physical beings. If you want to communicate with your spirit guides (tried), your angels (did not try) or enlightened human beings that once lived on earth, you can do that. Of course, that comes with practice and willingness to establish such connection.

You get involuntary body movements. When your nervous system is being cleansed, you will get various contractions and spasms in different parts of your body.

That is all normal and do not get scared if that happens. I have experienced very slight movements of my fingers mostly, but I know some people experience severe movements of the whole body. It just depends how much junk you need to get out of your body.

Most people start meditation without knowing what their actual experiences will be like. They usually start meditating because they know that they can become more peaceful and less negative. But they often do not research meditation experiences fully, therefore they get scared when something unusual happens to them.

If you only meditate for the peace of mind and positivity, you cannot go far in meditation. Of course, elimination of negativity is taking place all the time during meditation, but the more you meditate, the deeper into meditation you get.

You cannot avoid experiencing fourth dimension and other meditation experiences if you keep meditating. It would be the same as driving to another city and expecting to see the views of your old city. It does not work this way.

However, if you feel that you move faster than you should, you can cut on meditation time and do spinal breathing before meditation as long as you feel that you are not ready to experience more. You can also do some grounding activities like watching movies, going for a walk or eating heavy food. Such activities will not let you progress faster than you can handle.

Simona Rich is a success mentor that gives advice about self improvement and goal-setting. Her website http://www.Personal-Development-Coach.net is full of free articles and great tips about creating better future, wealth, positive thinking and other self-help resources.

This website also offers a free test to assess your progress in personal development.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Simona_Rich

Thursday, October 14, 2010

How to Make Your Breasts Beautiful with Exercises

Exercise 1 for Beautiful Breasts. Pressure

Applying pressure is the simplest exercise for your bust. Stand tall facing the wall, lean against it with your hands. Press against the wall as hard as you can, as if you want to move it, keep on pushing for 10 seconds. Relax, shake your hands. Do a set of 10 repetitions.




Exercise 2 for Beautiful Breasts. Elbows Touch

Stand tall, bend your hands slightly in the elbows, keep your hands on your hips. Try to touch your elbows one to the other behind your back, do not do it in jerks, but rather do it slowly, stretching the muscles for 10-15 seconds. Repeat 8 times.
Exercise 3 for Beautiful Breasts. Palms Pressing

The next exercise for beautiful breasts is as follows: join your palms in front of the chest and press them hard against each other for 3-5 seconds. Repeat 8-10 times.
Exercise 4 for Beautiful Breasts. “Dry” Breast-Stroke

If you can not go to a swimming pool, do this effective exercise to improve the tone of your breast. Stand tall, nestle up to the wall, squeeze the pectoral muscles and make movements, as if you are breast-stroke swimming. Do a hundred slow strokes, keep your pectoral muscles tense all the time.

Finishing Exercises for Beautiful Breasts with Posture Exercise

The best way to finish this set of exercises for your bust is to do an exercise which targets your posture. Take a thick book, put it on your head and walk around the house for a few minutes like that, trying to keep it on your crown. This will help you relax the muscles effectively and give them the needed working tone. If you can not walk like that, at least try standing with the book on your head. You can hold on to a chair or the wall, but do not lean against the wall.

Friday, October 8, 2010

young john lennonjohn lennon photos

young john lennonjohn lennon and yoko onojohn lennon peacejohn lennon albumjohn lennon smoking

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

mahalaya SMS, mahalaya messages

N-Nav chetna
A-Akhand jyoti
V-Vighna nashak
R-Ratjageshwari
A-Ananddayi
T-Trikal drshi
R-Rakshan karti
A-Anand mayi Ma Nav Durga bless you..!Happy Navratri






This Navratri light the lamp of happiness, prosperity and knowledge, Happy
Navratri!

Thursday, September 30, 2010

Allahabad high court-news on ayodhya-Live NDTV

Flash: Allahabad HC rules by majority that disputed land in Ayodhya be divided into 3 parts, say lawyers. Land to be distributed among Waqf Board, Nirmohi Akhara, party for `Ram Lalla', say lawyers. Status quo will be maintained at the disputed site in Ayodhya for 3 months, claim lawyers Ravi Shankar Prasad and K N Bhatt (PTI)

NDTV 24x7: Live TV - Watch Live TV Free - Free Live TV on NDTV

NDTV 24x7 Live Television

http://www.ndtv.com/video/live/channel/ndtv24x7

Watch NDTV Live Online | Free Online NDTV Tv Channel

Saturday, September 25, 2010

World Heart Day 2010 | 10 simple tips | Wallpapers

World Heart Day was created to inform people around the globe that heart disease and stroke are the world's leading cause of death, claiming 17.1 million lives each year.
On World Heart Day, we call on everyone to take responsibility for their own heart health and say "I work with Heart". By outlining 10 simple steps that can be taken and encouraging people to start by taking at least one; healthy diets, physical activity and saying no to tobacco is advocated.

10 simple tips

1. Healthy food intake - Eat at least 5 servings of fruit and vegetables a day and avoid saturated fat. Beware of processed foods, which often contain high levels of salt.

2. Get active & take heart - Even 30 minutes of activity can help to prevent heart attacks and strokes and your work will benefit too.

3. Say no to tobacco - Your risk of coronary heart disease will be halved within a year and will return to a normal level over time.

4. Maintain a healthy weight - Reducing weight, especially together with lower ed salt intake, leads to lower blood pressure. High blood pressure is the number one risk factor for stroke and a major factor for approximately half of all heart disease and stroke.






5. Know your numbers - Visit a healthcare professional who can measure your blood pressure, cholesterol and glucose levels, together with waist-to-hip ratio and body mass index (bmi). Once you know your overall risk,you can develop a specific plan of action to improve your heart health.

6. Limit your alcohol intake - Restrict the amount of alcoholic drinks that you consume. Excessive alcohol intake can cause your blood pressure to rise and your weight to increase.

7. Insist on a smoke-free environment
Demand a tobacco ban - ensure your workplace is 100% smoke-free
Support the adoption of smoking - cessation services encourage your employer to provide help to those wanting to quit tobacco

8. Bring exercise to the workplace - Include physical activity in your working schedule - cycle to work if this is possible, take the stairs, exercise or go for a walk during your lunch breaks, and encourage others to do so too

9. Choose healthy food options- Ask for healthy food at your work canteen, or find nearby cafes or restaurants that serve healthy meals

10. Encourage stress-free moments -whilst stress has not been shown to be a direct risk fact or for heart disease and stroke, it is related to smoking, excessive drinking and unhealthy eating, which are risk factors for heart disease.
- Take time for lunch away from your workplace to get some fresh air
- Have regular breaks during the day - try stretching or exercising for 5 minutes twice a day

Friday, September 24, 2010

SEARCH FOR EXAM RESULTS OF 2010 Ajit Newspaper | Ajit Daily Punjabi Newspaper | Ajit E-Paper Online

Ajit newspaper is leading daily punjabi news paper. This is based in Jalandhar ( Punjab) and have most readers in the resignal read-ship among other daily Newspaper.

According to the website of Ajit newspaper the Daily Ajit which World’s No. 1 Punjabi Newspaper is frequented by Punjabi folks from across the world.This newspaper is widely acclaimed by the common people, as it publishes all the information related to their daily life.

The Ajit Daily Newspaper Jalandhar is available in both ePaper and Hardcopy format. ePaper format of Ajit is just like reading the printed newspaper but online.

Check out details about Ajit Newspaper http://ajitjalandhar.com/ official site

If you want to read Ajit E-Paper Newspaper online Visit at http://newspaper.ajitjalandhar.com/

Sathyam Cinemas| Mayajaal |Devi Mutiplex |TicketNew Book Online ...


Following are the websites for booking movie tickets in Chennai: TicketNew: Book tickets for Sangam Cinemas,Abhirami ,Kamala , Albert,Kasi,Woodlands,Prarthana.
Sathyam, Devi, Escape Cinemas, Inox, Abirami, Sangam, Albert, Udayam, Kamala, PVR Cinemas and others. The suburban theatres which will screen Endhiran are Kasi, Brindha, Thyagaraja, Devi Karumari and others. Mayajaal, which is in the ...
Endhiran Ticket Booking (Chennai). Escape Cinemas : 4224 4224. Devi : 42082255. Inox : 4265 8888. PVR Cinemas : 0124 4708 080. Abirami Mega Mall : 2642 4477. Rakki Cinemas : 94447 26666. Mayajaal : 2473 1125. Sangam : 4208 2233 ...

Vajiram and Ravi IAS Coaching Institute | Vajiram and Ravi Website

Vajiram and Ravi is one of the premier coaching institutes for preparing students for IAS Examinations. The institute was founded by Prof P Velayutham. Giving Civil Services examination is not an easy task for students and if institutes such as Vajiram and Ravi are there students need not worry much. With their guidance and practice many students have been clearing IAS examinations since the establishment of the institute. The success rate is seen to be quite high every year. There are in total three levels before one can clear the Civil Services examinations. They are Preliminary test, Main Examination and Personality Test.
Examination help rendered by Vajiram and Ravi

The examinations in which Vajiram and Ravi help out the students are

* Indian Administrative Services (IAS)
* Indian Foreign Services (IFS)
* Indian Police Services (IPS)
* Indian Revenue Services (IRS)
* Indian Railway Traffic Services (IRTS)

And many more
Courses Offered by Vajiram and Ravi
Priliminary cum Main Exam

The duration of the course is 20 weeks and it starts in the first week of October. Public Administration, Psychology, Sociology, Political Science and Geography are taught for preliminary examinations. For the main exam. Public Administration, Psychology, Sociology, Political Science, General Studies, Commerce, Accountancy and Geography are taught. The course is divided in two parts. The first part is of 16 weeks’ duration and the second of 15 weeks’ duration. The main examination course commences from the 3rd week of March.
Personality Test

In this course overall grooming of the students is done and they are prepared to face the interview. They aim at making the students alert, good decision makers, have logical and analytical thinking, develop social and leadership skills. The course lasts for about 10-15 days and mock sessions of personalised interviews are conducted.

Interview Program

The duration of the program is about a week. Subjects taught in this program are national and international current affairs, administrative issues, economics and mock interviews.

Vajiram Test Series- This is conducted for the preparation of Prelims. The test series is conducted on the following subjects: general studies, public administration, commerce, geography, political science. These test series include study material, practice tests, strategy session and explanatory session. The fee charged is Rs 8500 for General Studies and Rs 7500 for other optional subjects.
Subjects offered by Vajiram and Ravi

* General studies
* Public administration
* Sociology
* Psychology
* Commerce and accountancy
* Geography
* Political science
* Philosophy

Postal guidance by Vajiram and Ravi

Postal guidance for students is also available who are not based in Delhi or for the ones who cannot make it to the institute. They are sent study material is sent in two to three lots through courier. The first is sent in January, the second in either last week of September or the first week of October. It takes about a week for the study material to reach the students. The fee is Rs 2000 for sending study material by post.
Contact Details of Vajiram and Ravi

Vajiram and Ravi

Institute for Civil Services Examination, 79, Old Rajinder Nagar Market, New Delhi-60

Ph: 011-25734058, 25820000, Email: vajiramandravi79@gmail.com
Vajiram and Ravi Website

www.vajiramandravi.com

Thursday, September 23, 2010

coaching center for any competitive examinations

Guidelines to those who are going for any coaching center for any competitive examinations

1. Regularly attend all classes in time



2.Copy what ever teacher write on the board



3.Listen carefully and try to understand the concept







4.Use pencil to draw circuits and graphs



5.Study only standard books and underline important concepts and equations



6.Solve atleast last 10 years of question papers of GATE/IES/IETE etc



7.Write all the exams conducted by institute after serious preparation



8.Use long book (white papers) of 200 pages and write any two subjects in each subject and bring all the books every day



9.Clarify the doubts after or during the class



10.Unless you solve the problems, you can’t understand the subject



11.Don’t join any batch in the middle



12.Discuss the subject among the friends



13.Daily you have to prepare atleast 4 hours



14.Class notes are better than any material



15.Selection of the institute, duration ( long term, short term, week end etc), distance from the home also important



16.Site in the class, where you are able to see the board clearly and it is also audible and visible



17.Tell the difficulties to concerned faculty without any delay



18.Short term coaching and long term preparation is good for above average students



19.Long term coaching and short term preparation is good for below average students



20.

a.I listen I forgot

b.I see I remember

c.I do I learn



Wish u all the Best

New Bajaj Pulsar 135 cc Light sports 2010 showroom price and user review

Bajaj Pulsar 135CC LS mileage and price

Bajaj Auto claims, Pulsar as the second largest selling motor cycle in India. New Bajaj 135 cc Light sports is priced at 53,000 ex showroom Delhi.

As we all know new Bajaj Pulsar was the trend setter during earlier 2005 and Bajaj came with so many design changes which made this two wheeler better and better. Now in 2010 Bajaj is again adding more punch to Pulsar 135cc . Bajaj auto limited announced the latest changes to new Bajaj Pulsar 135cc. Bajaj had added a sports type read mud guard which added a sporty look. The new model showcases an all black engine and a half chain casing to further enhance the looks of the already stylish pulsar 125.
The headlamp and new design fuel tank is pretty much attractive. The black mat finish allow wheels is too sexy. It is also equipped with digital LCD console , LED tail lamp. Now if you check the engine, it is high performing 134.66 cc , 4 stroke, air cooled, 4 valve, single cylinder, SOHC , DTS-i petrol engine with five speed gears. This engine delivers an output of 9000 rpm with 11.4 Nm at maximum torque at 7500 rpm. For an average India , mileage is the thing which matters most, Bajaj pulsar 135 LS offers a mileage of 48 KMPL in city limits and on highway it provides 59 KMPL mileage. This is pretty much amazing mileage for such a powerful and stylish bike.




Bajaj Pulsar 135cc LS Features:

LED tail lamps
Gas charged rear suspension
Digital instrumentation
Split seats
Clip-on handlebar
Alloy wheels
Handlebar weights
Spilt grab rail

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Ahead of Ayodhya verdict, Gujarat appeals for peace

The Gujarat government Wednesday urged the people not to be swayed by the Ayodhya verdict and appealed to them to maintain peace in the state.

‘With the municipal corporation election next month and the Ayodhya judgment round the corner, the need of the hour is to help the state march towards progress,’ Chief Minister Narendra Modi said here.

‘My humble appeal to all citizens is that though you would be eagerly waiting the judgment (Ayodhya verdict), please do not be swayed by excitement as it will not benefit anyone. Kindly remember that Gujarat had laid to rest, for the past several years, the ghost of violence and curfew,’ the chief minister said.

Modi warned that the enemies of the country are closely watching the developments.

‘Let us not allow anti-social elements to succeed in destroying our peaceful social fabric. I appeal to all of you that let us take the development of Gujarat further towards the path of progress with peace, self-control and patience,’ he added.

A three-judge special bench of the Allahabad High Court is scheduled to pronounce the verdict in the Babri Masjid-Ramjanmabhoomi dispute Sep 24.

IANS

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Whither the Commonwealth Games?


With just two weeks to the 2010 Commonwealth Games, the first to be held in the Commonwealth's most populous nation, the event has run into trouble. The president of the Commonwealth Games Federation, Michael Fennell, yesterday announced:

"Many nations that have already sent their advanced parties to set up within the village have made it abundantly clear that, as of the afternoon of 20 September, the Commonwealth Games village is seriously compromised. Significant operational matters remain unaddressed."

The Scotland team added in a statement: "On arrival in Delhi on Thursday last week, Team Scotland officials found that building works had fallen seriously behind schedule and that its allocated accommodation blocks were far from finished and in their view, unsafe and unfit for human habitation.

"After representation to the organising committee, Scotland was reallocated finished accommodation, but which still required serious cleaning and maintenance to bring it up to the necessary Games-ready standards. This has now been largely addressed by the Scotland team management, cleaning the seven-storey tower block from top to bottom themselves with assistance from Delhi Games volunteers.

"However, many of the other blocks in the Residential Zone still remain in a highly unsatisfactory state ... During the last few days, despite repeated promises, only slow progress has been made, to the extent that there are now grave concerns as to whether the village as a whole will meet the health and safety standards required to host all 71 CGAs and their 6,500 team members, which are due to start arriving on 23 September."

These are not the first problems to afflict the Delhi Games. As Bloomberg notes: "The lead-up to the four-yearly Games, which feature about 8,000 athletes from the UK and its former colonies and dependencies, has been marred by allegations of corruption and mismanagement, an outbreak of dengue fever, monsoon floods and the 19 Sept. shooting of two Taiwanese nationals at the city's Jama Masjid mosque that raised fears over athletes' security."

Discus thrower Dani Samuels, last year's world champion, today became the first member of the Australian team to pull out of the Delhi Games over security concerns. An Australian TV crew had already helpfully exposed security problems by carrying a case for an explosive detonation kit into the main arena without being stopped.

Despite all of this, the Games will probably go ahead. Most major sporting events are plagued by stories about the unpreparedness of the venues in the run-up. It would surely be too politically embarrassing at this late stage to abandon Delhi. The Indian government had taken the Games on board as an opportunity to prove the nation's modernity. This in itself is something of a curio, because some might argue that the Commonwealth Games are an anachronism. When they began in 1930 they were known as the British Empire Games, but they gradually mutated into The Commonwealth Games, the third largest multi-sport event in the world.

Entry into the event depends upon membership of the Commonwealth, which is largely made up of former British colonies. This means that many of the world's sporting superpowers do not compete: the US, Russia, Germany, Brazil, Italy. But this is true also of other high-profile sports that are mostly held dear by former British empire nations, such as cricket and rugby union.

After so many Commonwealth/Empire Games have been held in Britain, Australasia and Canada, India's Games mark an important cultural break. Only Jamaica in 1966 and Kuala Lumpur in 1998 have taken the event away from the, let's admit it, majority white Commonwealth countries.

Not all athletes were committed to the Delhi Games, even before the current burst of stories. European Championship double gold-winning distance runner Mo Farah had already pulled out of the event, as had heptathlete Jessica Ennis and cyclist Chris Hoy, because the Games clash with cycling's European Championships.

Are the Commonwealth Games an anachronism whose course has run? Or are they a fine old tradition, worthy of maintenance for uniting disparate nations and giving athletes from many smaller nations a chance at glory?

via
http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2010/sep/21/whither-the-commonwealth-games

Yuvraj makes way for Pujara | Yuvraj Singh dropped



Yuvraj makes way for Pujara | Yuvraj Singh dropped

The decision wasn't unexpected. An illness had forced Yuvraj to cede his spot to Suresh Raina in the second Test against Sri Lanka. Raina made a century on debut and kept his place despite Yuvraj being fit for the third Test. He then contributed a crucial cameo that helped level the series.

With Yuvraj struggling in the tri-series that followed, the writing appeared on the wall. The National selection committee, which met here at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium on Monday, replaced Yuvraj with Cheteshwar Pujara, the 22-year-old Saurashtra batsman who has been prolific in first-class cricket.

Indian squad: M.S. Dhoni (capt. & wk), Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, V.V.S. Laxman, Suresh Raina, Harbhajan Singh, Amit Mishra, Zaheer Khan, Ishant Sharma, Sreesanth, Pragyan Ojha, M. Vijay, and Cheteshwar Pujara.

Rest of India squad for Irani Cup: Yuvraj Singh (capt.), Abhinav Mukund, Shikhar Dhawan, Virat Kohli, S. Badrinath, Saurabh Tiwary, Parthiv Patel (wk), Piyush Chawla, R. Ashwin, Jaydev Unadkat, Umesh Yadav, R. Vinay Kumar, Manish Pandey, Abhimanyu Mithun, and Ravindr

via
http://www.thehindu.com/


Yuvraj Singh unhappy for not getting Test Selection BreakingNewsOnline.
Yuvraj makes way for Pujara The Hindu
From Test, Yuvraj pushed to the Rest Indian Express
Hindustan Times - Calcutta Telegraph
Yuvraj Singh has been left out of the Indian squad for the two-Test cricket series against Australia which begins on October 1.

Sunday, September 19, 2010

Chennai Super Kings loses out in super over


Having made 51 to help Victoria Bushrangers tie Chennai Super Kings' score of 162, David Hussey starred in the Super Over to win his side the match.

Hussey hit R. Ashwin for three sixes, as Victoria made 23 runs in the Super Over. Clint McKay restricted Suresh Raina and M. Vijay to enable Victoria register its second win in three league games in the Champions League Twenty20 tournament.

It was a cruel fate for Chennai, which had survived Aaron Finch's breath-taking cameo and put itself in a position to win the game.

Finch smashed Doug Bollinger for four fours and R. Ashwin for three sixes to race to 41 off 16 balls. Victoria, as a result, was on 43 without loss after 3.1 overs.

However, Ashwin got his revenge with a carrom-ball. Bollinger then bowled Brad Hodge, but Matthew Wade and David Hussey counter-attacked.

Muttiah Muralitharan broke the 55-run partnership when he had Wade caught behind and struck next ball, dismissing Andrew McDonald.

David Hussey and Rob Quiney put on 36 before Raina's double-strike in the 18th over reduced Victoria to 142 for six. With 12 needed in the final over, McKay struck Raina for six but chipped a catch to the bowler next ball. Dirk Nannes holed out, leaving Victoria requiring six off three balls. Peter Siddle struck the fourth ball for four over extra-cover.

Dhoni and Raina combined for an overthrow that gave Victoria the single to tie the scores, but they did better next ball to run out Bryce McGain.

Earlier, Vijay (73, 53b, 5x4, 2x6) started uncertainly, taking nine balls to get off the mark.

Despite losing Michael Hussey and Raina, Vijay didn't lose a step. With M.S. Dhoni also finding the boundary, Chennai seemed in control. But John Hastings and McKay reduced Chennai from 135 for two to 146 for five with three deceptive slower balls.

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Lions take on Mumbai in ACLT20 opener

With spot-fixing clouds still around, the extravagant Airtel Champions League Twenty20 starts on Friday in South Africa.

The second season of the league kicks off with the underdogs, Highveld Lions playing against a team which landed in South Africa as hot favourites, Mumbai Indians.




Any team that has Sachin Tendulkar is bound to be viewed with respect, fear and a lot of affection. The fear factor will of course play for the bowlers every time Tendulkar walks out into the middle. Despite finishing second best in the IPL, the Mumbai Indians were arguably the most complete side of the tournament.

The Indians have a solid batting line-up with the likes of Shikhar Dhawan, JP Duminy, Kieron Pollard and Saurabh Tiwary. Dangerous and destructive. The reason why Mumbai Indians present such an all-round enigma is because they have some extremely potent bowlers stacked up in their ranks. Lasith Malinga and Harbhajan Singh with Dwayne Bravo will be an envious attack to have in South Africa. Mumbai will of course keep their fingers crossed for Zaheer Khan to be fit in time.

While the Warriors are filled with an array of international stars, the Highveld Lions pride themselves on making use of the available local talent.

Besides Petersen, Neil Mckenzie is the other international player of repute in the squad. The Lions recently signed former Proteas skipper Kepler Wessels as the team’s strategic consultant hoping to utilise his expertise knowledge. Wessels was the coach of Chennai Super Kings during the inaugural edition of IPL in 2008.

With that being said, it will not be easy for Mumbai Indians to see off the Lions' challenge. The Lions' over a period of time have built a resistant character. They have been in the worst of situations and bounced back. The biggest example can be their domestic campaign, where they won the inaugural T20 Championship in South Africa but were on the back foot and lingering around the bottom half of the table since then. However, this season, they turned it around and finished runners up to the Warriors.

Another factor which could prove to be vital during the match could be the team chemistry. The Mumbai Indians' players meet every year for a month or so, whereas, the Lions play as a team all season long. Even though Mumbai Indians is a much more talented team on paper, one cannot count the Lions out.

The Mumbai Indians have specialists in all the areas of the field, whereas, the Lions’ side comprises of at least half a dozen all rounders. It is yet to be seen whether the specialists will be able to overcome the resistance of the all rounders.

The Lions will be out to prove a point as they have already been labelled as the underdogs. Petersen, the Lions’ captain, claimed that their side will not roll over and die, instead, they will play to win every match. On the other hand, Mumbai Indians, the heavyweights of the tournament will look to kick start their campaign with a win. It is more a matter of pride than just two points. The opening match of the Airtel Champions League T20 is sure to provide fireworks to the supporters all around the world.

http://www.espnstar.com/cricket/cl-t20/news/detail/item496716/Lions-take-on-Mumbai-in-ACLT20-opener/

Monday, August 2, 2010

Maruti restarts selling LPG WagonR in old version



With the development of an LPG variant of its latest generation WagonR yet to be complete, the country's largest car-maker, Maruti Suzuki India, has resumed selling the alternate option in the old version of the model. After launching the new generation WagonR in April, the company had discontinued
the 'Duo' variant of the old WagonR, which had both petrol and LPG options.

"We are now selling the 'Duo' and it will continue till the LPG variant of the new WagonR is ready. The work on new LPG is going on," Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) Chief General Manager (Marketing) Shashank Srivastava said.

'Duo' was contributing about 20-22 per cent of total WagonR sales, which stood at 10,000-12,000 units a month and the LPG variant is priced at Rs 3.68 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi).

When asked about likely timeline for launching the model, he said: "The R&D team has just started the work and it is unlikely that the LPG variant will be ready in this fiscal."

Meanwhile, the company will launch the factory-fitted CNG version of WagonR in this month. Along with, four other models -- Alto, Estilo, Eeco and SX4 -- will be launched on a single day in the second week of the month.

Earlier MSI Executive Officer (Marketing and Sales) Mayank Pareek had said the company stopped the production of the 'Duo' and any decision of launching the LPG variant of new WagonR would depend on market demand.

The company launched the new generation WagonR at a price range between Rs 3.28 lakh and Rs 3.81 lakh, adding one more model to the highly price competitive compact car segment.

The new WagonR is developed from the latest platform of the vehicle that is available in Japan. The car is powered by the BS-IV compliant 998cc K-series engine.

MSI had invested Rs 290 crore in upgrading the WagonR, which has been sold nearly 9 lakh units since 1999.

The new WagonR is pitted against the likes of newly launched models, including the Chevrolet Beat (priced Rs 3.41 lakh-Rs 4.43 lakh) and Ford Figo (Rs 3.49 lakh-Rs 3.99 lakh), and Hyundai i10 (Rs 3.47 lakh-Rs 3.83 lakh), among others.

Saturday, July 31, 2010

iPhone 'faces rising challenge' from Android handsets


Apple's iPhone will likely dominate the high-end smartphone market in the next five years but faces strong competition from handsets using Google's Android platform, a research firm said.

By 2015, total mobile application downloads in the Asia-Pacific are forecast to reach 5.30 billion, of which 597.15 million, or about 11 per cent, will be for the iPhone, technology industry consultancy Ovum said.

Downloads of iPhone applications are estimated at 62.16 million in 2010, rising to 597 million downloads in 2015, Ovum said in an analysis released just days before the launch of the new-generation iPhone 4 in another 17 countries and cities worldwide on Friday.

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Will Google Buzz dethrone Twitter and Facebook?

Google on Wednesday unveiled their Google Buzz platform, which is the search engine giant's newest foray into the social media side of things.

Bradley Horowitz, Google’s vice president for product management introduced the product along with Todd Jackson, the product manager for Google Buzz. According to Jackson, Buzz is 'a new way to communicate within Gmail', and said that it has five major features - Auto-following, Rich, fast sharing experience, Public and private sharing, Inbox integration, and 'Just the good stuff'. It cannot be denied that Buzz is an amalgamation of Google Wave, Twitter, Facebook and Friendfeed. Like in Twitter @replies are supported.

Like in Facebook your posts can be assigned public and private settings. Also, like in Facebook an Email will be sent to you when a comment is posted on your post. Expectedly, comments are updateed in real time. But here's the interesting part - when someone comments on your post in Facebook, an Email which is sent to you shows the comment, while in Buzz the email directs you to the Buzz that you have created along with the new comments.

Google Buzz provides links to websites, content from around the web like Picasa, Twitter, Flickr etc. Thumbnails of pics are also shown automatically. Google Buzz can be used with Gmail, you will find a tab right under the inbox, labeled 'Buzz'. Keyboard shortcuts are the same as the ones in Gmail. Also, Google Buzz can be accessed via mobiles. Moreover, Buzz locates where you are, and sends you your own location, and even asks you if its right. Using mobiles you can use Buzz while talking, as it supports voice recognition.

It remains to be seen if Google Buzz can truly dethrone Twitter and Facebook, its too much to hope for, but considering Google's stranglehold on the market and its funds, the thought doesn't seem that far fetched. Google Buzz, like Wave is expanding via invites.

Kings XI Punjab not sold: Preity Zinta | honda | IPL

The Hero Group has not acquired Kings XI Punjab, one of the eight franchisees of the Indian Premier League (IPL) T20 cricket tournament, the company as well as Preity Zinta, the co-owner of the team, clarified Wednesday.

"Hi everyone! Just want to clarify that we have not sold the team to Hero Honda! Another example of how the media can get it all wrong," Preity posted on her Twitter page Wednesday following TV channel reports that the team had been bought over.

"The reports are absolutely baseless. Neither has the group acquired Kings XI nor was it in talks for such an acquisition," said a spokesperson from the Hero Group.

Kings XI Punjab is co-owned by actor Preity and industrialists Ness Wadia, Karan Paul, and Mohit and Gaurav Burman. Kings XI Punjab is led by Kumar Sangakkara, while Tom Moody is the coach.

"It is not true -- totally baseless. We have not sold Kings XI Punjab to anyone. These are just speculations. We have no information regarding this," added Anil Srivatsa, the chief executive of the franchisee, said reacting to reports.

"I don't know from where this news has emerged. We are also verifying from where these reports have come" .

The group is a sponsor of several major sporting events, including a high-profile golf tournament and has set up the Hero Indian Sports Academy to recognise, build and award outstanding talent within the country.

The third edition of the IPL begins March 12 with holders Deccan Chargers taking on Kolkata Knight Riders in Mumbai.

Girl student dies of suspected Swine flu

A 21-year old girl student of a private college on Avarampalayam is suspected to have died of swine flu on Tuesday. Deepakani had a respiratory track infection and was admitted to a private hospital a few days ago.

The swab test has shown her to be positive for swine flu on Monday.

However, by then it was too late and she had already developed severe complications of the flu.

Deepakani was then taken to the Coimbatore Medical College and Hospital for treatment on Tuesday, sources said. She died even before being admitted at the hospital, they said.

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

"White Ribbon" tipped as early Oscar favorite

Germany's black-and-white entry has won top awards, including the Palme d'Or at Cannes and the Golden Globe in Hollywood, making it the frontrunner, award watchers and critics said.

Other foreign films that received Oscar nominations on Tuesday included France's gritty crime drama "Un Prophete" ("A Prophet") and Peru's mournful entry, "The Milk of Sorrow," which won the top prize at the Berlin film festival.

Rounding out nominations were Israel's "Ajami" and "El Secreto de Sus Ojos" ("The Secret in Their Eyes") by Argentine director Juan Jose Campanella, who is the only director to have a film previously nominated in the category.

"I am superstitious so I don't want to count my chickens before they hatch," Haneke told Reuters by phone from his home in Vienna through a translator. "It's very good for business if you win it -- and of course just the honor."

"White Ribbon" explores a sinister series of crimes in northern Germany on the eve of World War One, and Oscar pundits think its past awards have boosted its exposure among Oscar voters.

"It is the frontrunner and has gained a lot of recognition," film critic Emanuel Levy said. But he was quick to note that the category sometimes yielded surprises.

Israel's "Waltz with Bashir" was expected to win in the foreign language category last year but was beaten by Japan's "Departures."

PERU'S FIRST NOMINATION

And the slow-paced "The Milk of Sorrow" was not favored to win at the Berlin festival this year. Yet it scooped up the main award and has proven popular with fans.

"Sorrow" is Peru's first Oscar nomination in the best foreign language film category. It revolves around a girl named Fausta, who is the product of a rape inflicted on her mother during two decades of rebel violence in the country.

"It's such a big thing for us. It's like somehow our country is showing its memory to the world," 33-year-old Peruvian director Claudia Llosa told Reuters. "This film shows that somehow we can pull something beautiful out of darkness."

"Un Prophete" French director Jacques Audiard said in a statement he felt "bewildered" and "immense gratitude" by the nomination of his film about a young man who is sentenced to six years in prison and must use his ingenuity to survive a dangerous standoff between gangs.

Jewish filmmaker Yaron Shani, who co-directed and co-wrote "Ajami" with Palestinian Scandar Copti, said he hoped the Oscar nod would lure fans to theaters. Set on the streets of Jaffa's Ajami neighborhood, the crime drama explores divergent views among the city's Muslims, Christians and Jews.

All the directors said a nomination would give their films a boost in the tough U.S. market for foreign language movies.

"If the film wins the Oscar it will be amazing of course, but it is more important for getting the message out and trying to reach more people," Shani told Reuters.

Perth girl is 'brainiest' Aussie student

A 14-year-old girl's knowledge of neuroscience has led to her crowning as Australia's "brainiest" student.

Uma Jha, from Perth's Shenton College, in inner-west Shenton Park, outsmarted more than 4000 national competitors to win the 2010 Australian Brain Bee Challenge.

The neuroscience competition tests high school students on a range of topics, including intelligence, memory, emotions, sleep, Alzheimer's disease and stroke.

In front of a live audience in Sydney on Monday, Uma competed against other state winners in the national final of the competition, which included a brain-teasing anatomy exam, doctor-patient diagnosis and a neuroscience quiz.

"The competition was tied right up until the end and it was a really nerve-wracking finish," Uma said after the event.

"I've never won a national science competition before, so it's amazing."

As the Australian Brain Bee Champion, she will travel to California for the International Brain Bee Challenge in August.

Competition national organiser and Queensland Brain Institute professor Linda Richards said it would be a fantastic opportunity for Uma.

"She has shown that she has a special talent and passion for neuroscience and we're very proud of her to be representing Australia at the international level," Prof Richards said.

The Australian runner-up was Andrew Li, from James Ruse Agricultural High School in NSW.

Monday, February 1, 2010

Rahul attacks Sena, MNS for tirade against N-Indians

Bodhgaya (Bihar), Feb 1 (PTI) AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi today attacked Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray and the MNS for their tirade against people from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.

"In Maharashtra, MNS leader Raj Thackeray keeps on saying throw out people of Bihar and UP. But, who killed the terrorists who had attacked Mumbai? They were the NSG guys from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and from the rest of the country. At that time they did not say throw away Biharis," he said.

Gandhi made the remarks at an interactive session with workers of Youth Congress and NSUI here and while addressing a conference on Dalit youth leadership development in Bihar.

The Congress leader said in lighter vein "if terrorists have to be fought with, let Biharis remain there."

Asking the youth to change Bihar, Gandhi lamented lack of development in the state.