Friday, August 29, 2008

Mystery Chinese iPhone worker becomes Internet star



Mystery Chinese iPhone worker becomes Internet star


Thu Aug 28, 2008 1:40am EDT
CANBERRA, (Reuters) - A Chinese factory worker has become an Internet sensation after a picture of her smiling and flashing a peace sign to a co-worker testing an Apple iPhone stayed on the phone that was sold to a man in Britain.
Photos of the unidentified, smiling woman were posted on the Apple discussion website MacRumours.com by a customer identified as "markm49uk" from Kingston-upon-Hull and quickly posted around other sites.
"Not sure if this is or is not the 'norm' but I just received my brand new iPhone here in the UK and once it had been activated on iTunes I found that the home screen (the screen you can personalize with a photo) already had a photo set against it!!!!" he wrote.
"It would appear that someone on the production line was having a bit of fun - has anyone else found this?"
Some people voiced concern that the woman could now lose her job while others joked on the website that they were considering returning their phones because they did not come loaded with a photo.
"I think its a kind of personal touch. It's nice. Maybe every phone that gets a full quality test should have its tester's picture taken and left on there. And the working conditions look pretty good," wrote one.
Taiwanese company Foxconn assembles the iPhones for Apple in Shenzhen in southern China but calls to the company by Reuters went unanswered.
However Foxconn spokesman Liu Kun told the South China Morning Post in Hong Kong that the woman had been identified but her details would not be released. She had also been assured by her bosses that her job was safe.
Liu said the photos were taken in the testing department as part of a normal procedure and only one phone was known to be affected so far.
(Reporting by Belinda Goldsmith, editing by Miral Fahmy)

Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav: Free India's First Individual Olympic Medal Winner


Full Name: Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav

Born: January 15, 1926(1926-01-15)

Died: August 14, 1984 (aged 58)

Residence: Satara,Maharashtra,India

Occupation: Wrestler

Claim to Fame: Men's wrestling Bronze at 1952 Helsinki (Bantamweight)


Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav (January 15, 1926 – August 14, 1984), or KD Jadhav, widely known as 'Pocket Dynamo', was independent India's first individual Olympic medalist when he won the wrestling bronze medal at the 1952 Helsinki Games. Since 1900 when Norman Pritchard won two silver medals in athletics, India had won gold medals only in field hockey, a team sport. For nearly half a century, his would remain the only individual medal for India at the Olympics until Leander Paes won a bronze in 1996.

Hailing from a wrestling background, Jadhav was an ardent fan of sports, mainly wrestling, kabaddi, running, swimming and others. His father, a wrestler himself taught Jadhav about the sport and despite being the youngest in the family managed to grasp the game and outclassed everyone. Gradually he began emerging as undisputed wrestler in the area and soon was competing in national events.

Jadhav was fleet footed, which made him different from other wrestlers of his time. English coach Rees Gardner saw this trait in him and trained him prior to 1948 Olympic games.
In the 1948 London Olympics, he participated in the flyweight category finishing sixth. Four years later, before the selection for Helsinki Olympics, Jadhav alleged that nepotism among officials prevented him from getting selected for the Olympics.
According to him, they intentionally gave him one point less that the eventual winner at the Madras Nationals, and this ruled him out of the Olympics. He did not bow down to corrupt officialdom and appealed to Maharaja of Patiala seeking justice. Fortunately the Maharaja of Patiala loved sports, saw his point, and arranged his entry in Olympic trials where he floored his opponent and won an entry in the Olympics.

Now Jadhav faced his next set of problems. He had to arrange for money for his travel to Helsinki. Even the principal of Kolhapur's Rajaram college, Mr. Khardekar, mortgaged his house for a sum of Rs. 7,000 to pay for his travelling cost. Local shopkeepers from his village Goleshwar, in Karad district presented him with groceries and other items of use.
At Helsinki, Jadhav had to fight seven bouts in all in the 52 kg freestyle event.
In the first five, he met opponents from Europe and the Gulf countries and took barely five minutes to dispose them off. In the sixth round, his opponent was the famed Shonachi Ishi of Japan. Ishi's novelty of the ankle hold surprised Jadhav, but when he counterattacked, Ishi attempted rolling fouls which were penalised giving Jadhav a win.

Unfortunately his next bout was soon after this sapping bout. This was officially not permissible, but since there was no Indian official to lodge an official protest, he had to face this bout within less than half an hour of this bout with Ishi.

The tired Jadhav took on his next opponent, Manod Bekov of Russia. It is believed that had Jadhav not been tired from his previous bout, he would have defeated Bekov in no time, but tired as he was, he was beaten by Bekov and had to settle for a bronze.

Despite his loss, his was a unique achievement in India. Yet like most talented individuals in developing countries, he was largely forgotten. A principal reason for his oblivion was that in India cricket dominates and all other sports invariably take a backseat.

There was no fanfare from his return to Helsinki. No newspaper interviews, no television. Televison in fact was not born in India then! There was however a small felicitation for him at Mumbai's Shivaji Mandir auditorium in Dadar. Interestingly there was also a cavalcade of 101 bullock carts from Karad to his village.

After this glorious moment he slid into oblivion and despite serving in the state police was living in poverty until he died - almost certainly a broken man - in 1984 in a road accident.
A tribute to his sterling feat is that it remained unmatched for 56 long years. In the 2008 Beijing Olympics, Sushil Kumar ultimately won bronze in wrestling equaling - not beating - Jadhav's feat!


Source: Wiki

Airoli

Airoli is an up-and-coming suburban node or part of the City of Navi Mumbai. It's definitely a developing part of the city and is already among the most popular and largest part of this satellite City.

Chances are that many of the Town folks or even those hailing from the Western suburbs may not have been here much and know about this place, but it's an ideal place to invest in right now, as the realty sector in this area is set to boom even more.

Airoli is already a favorite among the BPO and KPO employees who find it easier to commute between the thriving hotbeds of outsourcing and other new economy industries and enterprise that are based around Airoli. The rooms are also cheap and as against the rumors of safety issues, it's a good place to stay which fulfills most of the requirements of a middle-class family.

Although there are a lot of good things to be said about this place, there are some less than perfect aspects that I would like to point out.

Load shedding and power cuts are a reality that many in Airoli, and other parts of Navi Mumbai and Mumbai City proper are faced with everyday and are getting accustomed to. The prices of food and other essentials, as well as consumer durables are higher here for some reason. Although the people are good to you, they know when there is a profit to be made and the price could well depend on what they perceive you to be.

Travel is another hassle that I'm faced with everyday. At least from where I reside, the place seems to be marooned right in the middle of the best way to travel back and forth Mumbai, the Local Trains, and because of this fact, commuting to the city can be a real task that you endure everyday.

The Bus service from the Nahur Station from the Central Line leaves a lot to be desired. At present there are just two buses that ply in this route as per what I know, and if you happen to be lucky enough to find a bus with less than a less than ideal frequency, chances are the driver will rarely halt at the stop or if he does, be ready to get your bones squeezed.

Now you would ask, if I'm so fussy about my mode and the comfort of my travel, why I don’t travel by a rickshaw. I would have, but the journey which should cost me 20 bucks could easily hit me back by 40, with the drivers declining to go past the Toll Station. And some rickshaws don’t even have a meter, and you trust your luck and hope that the journey is worth it.

The only saving grace is, if it is really that is the vehicles that ply employees to and fro from offices that are happy to give you a ride for a slight charge, but make sure you decide on a charge before hand, because ideally it is five Indian rupees, but if the driver or his assistant senses that you are new, you could end up coughing up a lot more.

Although I'm thankful for this alternative transport, I'm not sure whether this is even legal. The real dilemma in mentioning this here is, rather than helping the situation I might end up ruining it. The authorities may end taking action actions against those who are earning an alternative source of income, which is what their general reaction is.

All I can do at present is hope for the best and wish that if anybody does happen to read this, will see the real issue here. Ciao!

Friday, August 22, 2008

Celebrating the 369th Year of Chennai on 29th August

Reliving the day British Administrator Francis Day was granted privileges in “Medraspatam”

CHENNAI: This is the story of the beginning of Chennai, the founding of a city. On this day, August 22, in 1639, British Administrator Francis Day is reported to have received the grant for privileges in Medraspatam, as it was referred to then. It was officially ‘granted’ that day, and the rest, too, is history.

According Vestiges of Old Madras by Henry Davison Love, the Naik’s grant, probably drafted by Day, was delivered with a letter signed by Day. Three copies are extant, but only one bears a date, 22nd July 1639, where July is probably a slip for August, since Day did not reach Madras until July 27, Love noted. The original document relating to the grant of the Fort St. George site to the British East India Company is said to have been signed at Chandragiri Fort in what is now in Andhra Pradesh.

The original text of the grant read thus:

‘The firman granted Mr. Day for privileges in Medrasspatam by the Nague Damela Vintutedra.
(O.C. No. 1690, 22nd July
{ ?Aug }, 1639 )
‘Firman granted by Damela Vintatedro Nague unto Mr. francis Day, Cheife for the English In Armagon, in behalfe of the Honble company for their tradeing and fortifieing at Medraspatam, to this effect as followeth:-

‘Whereas Mr. Francis Day, Captain of the English at Armagon, upon great hopes by reason of our promises offten made unto him, hath repaired to our port of Medraspatam and had personall Conference with us on behalfe of the Company of that Nation, Concerning their trading in our territories and friendly comerce with our subjects ; wee out of our spetiall Love and favour to the English, doe grant unto the said Captain, or whomsoever shall bee deputed to Idgitate the affaires of that company, by vertue of this firman , Power to direct and order the building of a fort and Castle in or about Medraspatam, as they shall thinke most Convenient , the Charges whereof, until fully and wholly finished to bee defrayed by us, but then to bee repaied when the said English shall first make their enterance to take possession thereof.
And to make more full Expression of our effection to the English Nation, wee Doe Confirme unto the said Mr. Francis Day, or whatsoever other Substitutes or Agents for that Company, full power and authority to governe and dispose of the Government of Madraspatam for the terme and space of two yeares. Next Insueing affter they shall be seated there and possest of the said fortifications; and for the future by an Equall Division to receive halfe the Custom and revenuewes of that port.
‘Moreover, Whatsoever goods or Merchandize the English Company shall either Import or Export, forasmuch as Concernes the dutyes and Customes of Medraspatnam, they shall not only for the Prementioed two years in which they injoy the government , but for ever after, be Custom free. Yett if they shall Transport or bring any commodities up into, or through my Countray, then shall they pay halfe the dutyes that other Merchants pay, whether they buy or sell the said Commodities either in my Dominions or in those of any other Nague whatsoever.
‘Also that the said English Company shall perpetually Injoy the privileges of mintage(e) without paying any Dewes or dutyes whatsoever, more then the ordinary wages or hire unto those that shall Quoyne the moneyes.

‘Iff the English shall Accquaint us before they deliver out any moneys to the Merchants, Painters, Weavers &c, which are or shall hereafter reside in our prementioned port or territories, and take our word for their sufficcency and honest dealeing, then doe wee promise, in case those people faile in their performances, to make good to the English all such sumes of money as shall remaine on their Accounts, or Else deliver them their persons, if they sahllbe found in any part of my territories.

‘That whatsoever provisions the English shall buy in my Countrey, either for their fort or ships, they shall not be liable to pay any Custom or Dutyes for the same.
‘And if any shipp or vessell belonging to the English ( or to any other Countray whatsoever which tradeth or shall come to trade at that port) shall by misadventure suffer shipwrack and bee driven upon any part of my territories, they shall have restitution upon Demand of whatsoever can bee found remaining of the said wrack.
Source: Hindu

New PlayStation and PSP unveiled


Sony has announced details of its latest PlayStation 3 gaming console and handheld PlayStation Portable.
A 160 GB PS3 was unveiled at the Leipzig games conference that will go on sale on 31 October in Europe and November in the US.
Also shown off was a wireless keypad which interfaces with PS3 controllers that will allow touch typing. Upgrades to the PlayStation Portable include a built-in microphone and an anti-reflective screen.
Bundle deals
The new 160 GB PS3 will be sold as a bundle that includes a limited edition of Uncharted: Drake's Fortune, and will go on sale 31 October for 449 euros (£355), and shortly thereafter in the US for $500.


The recently announced 80 GB version has now started shipping and will sell for 399 euros or $400.


No UK prices have yet been given and may end up being higher than direct conversions suggest.


"Consumers also are utilising PS3 as an entertainment hub for their digital media, placing content such as their entire music collection on the hard drive," said Jack Tretton, who heads up the American part of the entertainment giant's games arm.


"The 160GB PS3 system addresses this growing consumer demand."


In the US, the 160GB version will come with a voucher for the PlayStation Network game PAIN; European buyers will instead receive vouchers worth 70 euros for downloadable content.


A wireless keypad, designed to work with the existing PS3 controllers, was also shown off, to allow direct typing rather than use of the on-screen keyboard.


The keypad is Bluetooth-enabled, and at the touch of a button converts into a touchpad-style mouse. No price for the keypad was given.


Sony also unveiled an upgraded version of the PlayStation Portable, called the PSP 3000. With the same dimensions of the PSP Slim & Lite, the new version sports an antireflective screen with a wider palette of colours and higher contrast ratio.


It will also have a built-in microphone for headset-free use of the built in Skype interface as well as the voice functions in some games.


The PSP 3000 will hit shelves worldwide 15 October, bundled with the game Ratchet and Clank for $200 in the US and 199 euros in Europe.

Microsoft Releases PhotoSynth 3-D Photo Stitching Service

Microsoft's PhotoSynth enables users to create navigable, three-dimensional visual "tours" by stitching together digital photos to recreate scenes that can be shared online.
By J. Nicholas Hoover,Aug. 21, 2008

It'll cost a pretty penny for that plane ticket to Italy, lodging and other expenditures required to step into a gondola on the Grand Canal in Venice, look around, and have the gondolier take you closer to points of interest along the canal. But with Microsoft's new PhotoSynth software and Web site, you can now take a free digital tour that consists not of video, but of an array of photos stitched together to recreate the scene in three dimensions.
PhotoSynth allows users to combine an array of photos of a single location into a navigable, three-dimensional image called a "synth" and upload it to Photosynth.net to share with the world. The technology, which originated in a Microsoft Research project, is an altogether new way of putting photographs together.
"The photo hasn't fundamentally changed since it went digital," says Alex Daley, group product manager for Live Labs, which incubated the PhotoSynth technology before its release. He describes PhotoSynth as a "creative medium similar to photo or video, but just a little bit different."
PhotoSynth requires photographers to think a little bit differently about how they take pictures of a scene. It won't combine photos unless they are "synthy," that is, unless they overlap one another so that they can be meshed together.
For now, PhotoSynth is a consumer product, but Microsoft sees potential for commercial uses as well. "If you think about the commerce scenarios, you have this ability to provide a generalized overview of that that you might not have been able to before," Daley says. Take, for example, the possibility of a real estate site with navigable virtual tours of houses. Synths can be made to allow users to navigate around corners and objects as well as view an image in a 360-degree round.
PhotoSynth will be free, and Microsoft hasn't decided on a way to monetize it, or even if it ever will be monetized via advertising or licensing of the technology for commercial use. "It's more about engaging our online customers," Daley says.
Microsoft is moving the PhotoSynth team from Live Labs to MSN, and more specifically Virtual Earth. Users can tag photos with longitude and latitude today, but Microsoft aims to allow people to soon navigate to synths via Virtual Earth. Microsoft isn't yet further detailing other future integration with MSN and Virtual Earth, though the company says there are more plans ahead.
PhotoSynth can't yet create an image from a collection of pre-existing photos taken by many people, but such capability could be on the way. At the SIGGRAPH graphics conference last week, the company presented a paper titled "Finding Paths Through The World's Photos" that could create such images. "This version of PhotoSynth is only the tip of the iceberg," Daley says.
Other limitations: water and shiny surfaces don't yet synth well, and for now, PhotoSynth only runs in Windows. A Mac version is in the works, but with no set release date. PhotoSynth requires users to download an 8 Mbyte plug-in that creates the synths and to have or sign up for a Windows Live ID. It runs in Microsoft Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox, but only on Windows today. Users are given a large amount of online storage -- 20 Gbytes or more than 60 synths of 150 photos apiece.
For now, all synths that get uploaded are open for public viewing, though people can choose to copyright their synths, make them available for use under the Created Commons license or place them in public domain. Users can rate and comment on each other's synths. Synths can also be embedded into a third party Web site. Going forward, users might be able to restrict synths to a smaller group of people.

Source: InformationWeek

Has Palm gotten its groove back?


Devotees of Palm’s Treo brand of smartphones (whoever is left raise your hands) have a new model to get excited about: the Treo Pro.
On Wednesday the company announced it would begin selling a sleeker and more elegant version of its once popular Treo for a suggested price of $549 in the United States. It is being sold here without a contract – meaning you can choose between AT&T or T-Mobile’s G.S.M. networks and switch at will. It will also work with many wireless networks in Europe and Asia, which makes it easy for customers to take abroad.
The Treo Pro is powered by the largest battery Palm has ever used in a device giving it five hours of talk time and 250 hours of standby. (It’s 4.49 inches by 2.36 inches wide.)
It also has a one-touch Wi-Fi button for easy Internet access and a switch that silences a ringing phone immediately. (That way you don’t have to fiddle with turning it off or, worse, hanging up on someone if you don’t want to be bothered.) The screen saver too shows clearly whether there is a message waiting or a call missed. And there is a center button which flashes too if a voicemail is waiting, as well as one-button access to e-mail or the calendar.
Palm, which has been beset by trouble the last few years, hopes the Treo Pro will bring back a little of the consumer-friendly sheen Palm has lost to competitors like Research in Motion and Apple. Next year will be the real test. That is when it plans to introduce a device using the new operating system Palm’s engineers are furiously working on.

Source: Business Week and NY Times

Thursday, August 21, 2008

India's Best Olympics Ever

I know it might seem a bit of an overstatement when you consider the overall haul of medals in this particular Olympics of 2008 in Beijing was 3, at least so far, as there are still some disciplines to go. But, like the saying goes, every great journey has a beginning and these three medals should only be looked upon as a start towards attaining the status of a respectable sporting nation.

Among these medals, one of the more positive points has been that all three medals came in different discipline. Bronze came in Wrestling, Boxing has guaranteed us a medal, and Shooting where Abhinav Bindra gave India its first individual gold ever. So there is case for optimism that these three different disciplines can give us more medals in the future.

What the athletes and sports in India generally needs is for the entire nation, not just the administrators and the politicians to make sure that we devote some more time in these sports, and make sure that we focus on these sports as well as other sports which are being neglected and give our young boys and girls the best opportunity to make their country proud.

Also, the influential elite of this nation should also keep in mind that rewarding a champion is good and must be encouraged, but we should also keep in mind it is much tougher to give rise to a champion than merely showering them accolades although it might be well deserved. After the dusk has settled and we look back at the these memorable Olympics, we should get our priorities right. Its time we help create many more champions who the adoring fans like me can shower with all at our disposal. Let's say Amen to that. Ciao.

Well done boys!!

India's Olympians: Boxer, wrestler bring glory home


New Delhi: India's fledgling Olympic campaign got a big boost on Wednesday when two men from the heartland of Haryana gave India its best ever medal haul at any Olympics.
The dismal record – of getting no medals at the Games – that’s been held for the last 56 years, is on the brink of being broken with India's Olympians assured to return home with at least three medals.
But how did it come about?
While shooter Abhinav Bindra’s shot at fame is stuff history is made of, India's wrestler Sushil Kumar won three consecutive rounds to win the bronze in the freestyle 66kg category on Wednesday. He is the second wrestler to do so after KD Jadav in the 1952 Games.
Sushil Kumar: Wrestling with fate
Sushil defeated Leonid Spiridonov of Kazakhstan 3-1 in the repechage match of the men's freestyle wrestling 66kg to win India's India's first wrestling medal since the 1952 Helsinki Games.
With his first-round conqueror reaching the final, Sushil got a reprieve, as it were, and a place in repechage, which then gave him a chance to win three bouts in a space of 75 minutes and bring in India's second ever Olympic wrestling medal.
Sushil, a resident of Boprala village in West Delhi's Najafgarh area, won the fight in the extra 30-second period to ensure a podium finish, when everyone had lost hope after his first round loss Wednesday morning.
Sushil had gone down to Andriy Stadnik of Ukraine on points. But his slender hopes hung on the results of his conqueror, Stadnik, who went on to reach the final. That gave Sushil an extra lease of life as all wrestlers losing to the two finalists then contest the repechage.
Here's Sushil Kumar's path to that Bronze Medal in Beijing:
He lost in the quarterfinal of the 66kg category wrestling to Andriy Stadnik of Ukraine 1-3 on Wednesday morning.
But he fought back in the Repechage 1st Round bout.
Sushil beat Doug Schwab of the USA 3-1.
Then in his second repechage Round he beat Albert Batyrov of Belarus again 3-1 and then finally in the Bronze medal bout he overcame Leonid Spiridonov of Kazakhastan 3-1
Vijender Kumar: The model boxer
For eight minutes around half past 6 on Wednesday evening, it was almost as if all work had stopped. Millions stayed glued to their TV sets to watch what could be the most inspiring fight in his entire career.
Indian middleweight boxer Vijender Kumar carved out an emphatic 9-4 victory over Ecuador's Carlos Gongora in a lop-sided quarterfinal at the Workers' Gymnasium. Both losing semifinalists are given bronze in the discipline.
Vijender never kept anyone in doubt about his victory since the bout started.
Vijender looked indefatigable and his nimble footwork stood him in good stead as the Indian tired out his opponent and connected most of his blows to run away with the game.
Once he got himself into a 3-0 lead, Vijender decided he was not going to do anything silly and started evading, with a desperate and exasperated Gongora chasing him all over.
Vijender is assured of at least a bronze as he goes into the semi-final bout on Friday because both the losing semi-finalists are awarded bronze at the Olympics.


Source: IBNLive

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Top 10 Medal Winners at the Olympics

Number 1: Name: Michael Phelps; Country: United States; Event: Swimming; Olympics: 2004-2008 Summer ; Gold: 14; Silver 0; Bronze: 2 Total: 16

Number 2; Name: Larissa Latynina ; Country: Soviet Union; Event: Gymnastics; Olympics: Summer 1956-1964 Gold: 9; Silver 5; Bronze: 4; Total: 18

Number 3; Name:Paavo Nurmi ; Country: Finland; Event: Athletics ; Olympics: 1920-1928 Summer ; Gold: 9; Silver: 3; Bronze: 0 ; Total: 12

Number 4; Name:Mark Spitz ; Country: United States; Event: Swimming ; Olympics: 1968-1972 Summer; Gold: 9; Silver: 1; Bronze: 1; Total: 11

Number 5; Name:Carl Lewis ; Country: United States; Event: Athletics ; Olympics: 1984-1996 Summer; Gold: 9; Silver 1; Bronze:0 ; Total: 10

Number 6; Name: Bjørn Dæhlie; Country: Norway; Event: Cross-country skiing ; Olympics: 1992-1998 Winter; Gold:8 ; Silver; 4 Bronze: 0; Total: 12

Number 6; Name: Birgit Fischer ; Country: Germany; Event: Canoeing ; Olympics: 1980-2004 Summer; Gold: 8 ; Silver: 4; Bronze: 0; Total: 12

Number: 7; Name: Sawao Kato; Country: Japan; Event: ; Gymnastics Olympics: 1968-1976 Summer; Gold: 8; Silver; 3Bronze: 1; Total: 12

Number 8; Name: Jenny Thompson; Country: United States; Event: Swimming; Olympics: 1992-2004 Summer; Gold: 8; Silver; 3 Bronze: 1; Total: 12

Number 10; Name: Matt Biondi; Country: United States; Event: Swimming; Olympics: 1984-1992 Summer; Gold: 8; Silver: 2; Bronze: 1; Total: 11

Detailed list of the Winners : Wiki Source

The ouster of Musharraf throws up many questions for India

General Parvex Mushraff, who later came to be known as President Musharraf was a colossal figure in South Asia politics and the world at large post 9:11, especially, after his support for the 'Global War on Terror'.

On the night after his ouster and possible Amnesty from Saudi Arabia, India couldn't help itself, no matter how much it would like to disown this fact, has to look at the possible ramifications of his, for a lack of a better word, eviction from the seat of power.

Here I list some of the more obvious and immediate impacts, and questions this throws up:

No matter what his critics may say, Musharraf was a liberal, comparatively modern a person with the gusto to take risk for the greater good. India will have to hope that the next in command will have some of those qualities when they sit across the table for dialogue. Because, some hard decision has to be made if there is to be any progress
On the issues that concern these two countries.

Mushraff was prepared to face down the competition from the fanatical elements inside Pakistan. Will a democratic government have the same willingness to neglect, what is a sizeable number of the voting public who sympathize with these rogue elements, as the establishments like to call them?

With Mushraff gone, will the army step up its uninvited efforts to impose itself on the democratic institutions.

Will the democratic entities have the desire, willingness and the capability to use an 'Iron Fist' to suppress possibility of episodes like 'Las Masjid', if it were to be repeated?

Now what happens to the 'War on Terror'? Will the democratic parties go out of its way to help the US did and risk it's popularity among the people? And will the US continue to support Pakistan by way of grants, loans, and military supply.

Pakistan is soon to witness a power struggle from the vacuum that’s been created by the departure of Mushraff. It could all very soon resemble a cycle of events that has played itself out in Pakistan more often than any Pakistani will want to remember.

The new comers to power will have to show some quick results as the patience of the people, especially in the sub-continent runs thin. If that is the case, and the government doesn’t perform to the expectations of the public, the masses could very well start regretting the ouster of Mushraff.

The Pakistan leadership will have to come out clean on where it stands with respect to Kashmir, the War on Terror [Inside as well as outside Pakistan], economy, and relationship with Afghanistan, response to religious fundamentalism and extremism, and most importantly, relations with India.

Unstable Pakistan is the worst news that India could hope for. So, let's hope that things will sort itself out in the near future and both the government of this great nations could concentrate on what is most important, a better life and greater future for it's people.

Monday, August 18, 2008

Musharraf Ousted By Democracy



Pervez Musharraf took power in a bloodless coup and later led a reluctant nation into the U.S.-led war on terror — an alliance that won him plaudits in the West but fueled anger at home.
While few doubted he wanted a stable, religiously moderate Pakistan, his commitment to democracy was shaky during his nearly nine years in power.
As his political fortunes waned last year, he resorted to emergency rule, rounding up thousands of opponents and sacking independent-minded Supreme Court judges who could have barred his re-election to a third term as president.
He leaves the presidency reviled by many of his countrymen and with Pakistan in the grips of a wave of Islamic militancy, its border regions widely viewed as a haven for al-Qaida.
Musharraf yielded on Monday to months of immense pressure from bitter rivals who swept February elections. Facing the humiliation of impeachment, in what would have been a first for Pakistan, Musharraf chose to go — but not without a last burst of the defiant self-confidence that marked his long domination of the country.
"They want to impeach me now. Why do they want to do it?" a downcast Musharraf said in a televised address in which he denied any wrongdoing. "Do they want to cover their failure?"
His political demise was as tortured as his arrival was swift.
The former military commando seized power in a 1999 coup from then-prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, who is now one of the leaders of the ruling coalition that pushed Musharraf out.
Sharif had ordered Musharraf's dismissal as the army chief while flying home from a visit to Sri Lanka and denied his plane landing rights in Pakistan, even as it ran low on fuel. On the ground, the army seized control, and after he landed, Musharraf took charge. He promised to install "true" democracy.
His decision to side with Washington after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks earned him favor in the West and a much-needed injection of aid that helped rescue Pakistan from bankruptcy and the status of an international pariah.
But his popularity plummeted in 2007 with his imposition of emergency rule and firing of judges — moves that ruling coalition officials say were illegal and could be used to justify impeachment.
Musharraf yielded on Monday to months of immense political pressure from bitter rivals who swept February elections. Facing the humiliation of impeachment, in what would have been a first for Pakistan, Musharraf chose to go — but not without a last burst of the defiant self-confidence that marked his long domination of the country.
"They want to impeach me now. Why do they want to do it?" a downcast Musharraf said in a televised address in which he denied any wrongdoing. "Do they want to cover their failure?"
He was widely credited with seeking peace with rival India. While a lasting solution to the core dispute over Kashmir remains elusive, the dialogue dramatically reduced the chance of a cataclysmic future conflict.
Musharraf, who described his military uniform as his "second skin," led Pakistan's army for nine years and only ceded control in late 2007. He often harked back to his time as a commando and was famously unruffled by two huge al-Qaida bombings against him within 11 days in December 2003 in which he escaped injury.
Born August 11, 1943, in New Delhi, India, the middle son of a diplomat, Musharraf's family joined millions of other Muslims in migrating westward when predominantly Hindu India and Islamic Pakistan split during independence from Britain in 1947. Riots and fighting left more than a million dead and many million homeless.
In the army, Musharraf said he was almost court-martialed for indiscipline but was saved by his bravery during Pakistan's second war with India.
He spent seven years in the elite Special Services Group and rose through the ranks, but was relatively unknown when Sharif promoted him over two other generals to army chief in 1998.
The next year, he masterminded a military operation at Kargil, the first Pakistani push into the Indian-held part of Kashmir since the 1971 war. The offensive nearly brought the nuclear neighbors to a new conflict.
Musharraf's relationship with Sharif grew tense after the prime minister agreed to withdraw the Pakistani troops.
The coup that brought Musharraf to power was bloodless and widely welcomed in Pakistan. Sharif, meanwhile, was convicted of hijacking and sentenced to life imprisonment, but agreed in 2000 to go into exile in Saudi Arabia. He only returned last year, vowing political revenge. His party is now the second-largest in the ruling coalition.
After Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on New York and Washington, Musharraf faced a bleak choice. Pakistan had been instrumental in the rise of the Taliban in neighboring Afghanistan in the mid-1990s — the Islamist regime which played host to al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden.
Despite fears of a backlash in Pakistan, Musharraf threw his lot in with the United States, earning more than $10 billion in aid for the near-bankrupt country in the years that followed.
The decision enraged Islamic hard-liners, and al-Qaida called for Pakistanis to "uproot" Musharraf. He escaped at least three reported assassination attempts between 2002 and 2003.
He held flawed elections in late 2002, and only after changing the constitution to give himself sweeping powers to sack the prime minister and Parliament. He then reneged on a promise to stand down as army chief by the end of 2004.
But Musharraf could not shake off doubts about his legitimacy as president. Fearing the judiciary would block his continued rule, he fired the Supreme Court chief justice Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry in 2007, triggering a mass movement by lawyers against military rule.
When the chief justice was reinstated by the court and the opposition grew in strength, Musharraf declared a state of emergency and replaced Chaudhry and other independent-minded justices.
While he struggled to manage domestic political affairs, pro-Taliban and al-Qaida militants were asserting control over vast tracts of Pakistan's northwestern frontier and launching a series of shocking suicide attacks on key political figures — former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto among them.
Under pressure at home and abroad to restore civilian rule, Musharraf stepped down as army chief, but rejected repeated calls to resign the presidency, saying his rule was crucial to the country's survival during one of the most turbulent eras in its history.
Though he won another five-year term, Musharraf faced a major national crisis following Bhutto's assassination in December, with opposition supporters demanding he resign for not protecting her and taking to the streets with chants of "Musharraf, killer." Musharraf's government blamed Islamic militants.
After his opponents won the February parliamentary elections, Musharraf found himself largely sidelined. The army, his former power base, said it wanted to avoid interfering in the political scene. And as the months have worn on, the U.S. has also toed a tricky line, not disavowing Musharraf while trying to develop relations with the new civilian leaders.
In his personal life, Musharraf has a reputation for being something of a bon vivant. He likes good food, traditional Pakistani music, Urdu poetry and fine clothes. He is known to enjoy dancing to Western music at parties.

Source : Associated Press

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Education

Education; there has been so much said and written about Education that if you mention anything about Education anymore, it would not be much more than stating the obvious.

While that being the case, I would sill like to highlighting some interesting things about education, and some of the extra benefits that it brings along with it.

Education gives you bragging rights.

Has it over occurred to you that your Education is among the first thing that props in an conversation you are having with any new acquittance. If you happen to have a decent education or are in the process of acquiring one, you immediately have some extra bragging rights. For some reason, education is directionally associated with the capabilities and intelligence of a person.

Education allows you to face your Boss down

There are some industries with an of skilled workforce, and there are some which are not as blessed. So, if you happen to be in an industry which has a wealth of talented replacements, the Bosses here hold the upper hand. And they dictate terms to their employee. There are some head honchos who are always dangling the sword or the threat of the Pink Slip to have better bargaining power and hold a leveraged position in many conversations.

But, education gives you the option to Face him Down. It gives you the confidence to look the Boss face to face and call a spade a spade, cos you know, and more importantly your Boss appreciates the strength of education.

Smart girls will always end up choosing the more educated breed

Girls, who care of a stable and peaceful future will always end end up choosing the more educated lot, no matter what the world and the advertisement may tell you. It is the fact. All the rebels without a cause and the macho who is all brawn no brain is going to lose out. So, the educated man, who seems an underdog at the onset is going to pip everyone at the line.

Monday, August 11, 2008

The World's Newest War Zone




We are certainly living in a dangerous time. The so-called civilized world, which is a self proclaimed pacifier is responsible for three war zones; Afghanistan, Iraq and now the latest one, Georgia.

There is more and more evidence of the military powers willingness to flex their military muscle as soon as they get a chance. The Russians, who have been silence since the end of the Cold War have, under the aggressive stewardship pf Vladimir Putin started to assert themselves more pro actively at the world stage.

This is directly related to the attempt by the US and Nato to expand their influence in eastern Europe and Central Asia, which the Russians don't consider friendly to say the least favorably.

The US, who is falsely labeled as the custodian of peace and justice is left tongue tied on this issue, as the US is itself responsible for a couple of war zones of its own. Here the Russian sensed an opportunity to impose itself on its smaller neighbor, notwithstanding who is to be blamed for the current standoff; all while the world was too busy with Olympics and terrorism, what Irony!

In a world where diplomacy is seen as way to overcome all issues, this episode stands out as a testimony to the the fact the current current diplomatic channels and its mechanism is faulty and needs a drastic overhaul.

US, who made the diplomatic set ups like UN and the Security council seems like an unwanted hurdle started this trend with their invasion of Iraq, and now the Russians have all but ignored its existence.

If more and powers start to use these bodies as a tool against the have-not's like Iran, South Korea and Iraq, serious doubts will emerge as to the use and purpose of these international bodies.

Although I'm not claiming to support Iran or North Korea, isn't rule and regulations meant for all, and is not subject how influential you are or how many votes you can garner or whether you enjoy veto power.

Although, a resolution will be brought out and ceasefire brokered, but shouldn't this have been avoided. Why are lives of people people taken away why we sit and talk. Even as write this, there are still more lives being lost.

How did this come to this? Is the diplomatic channel too slow to hep anyone in time? Is the hegemonic tendencies of some states causing a security risk to other others? Do we need the resurgence of the Non-Aligned Movement? These are some of the question which have to be answered at the earliest.

Power cuts in New Bombay

Power cuts in nothing for Navi Mumbai, (New Bombay). Here power cuts could vary from a couple of hours to as long as the authorities deem fit, which is dictated by the need of South Mumbai and the whims and fancies of the authorities.

I have just one problem. Recently, the excuse given for the rampant power cuts, apart from the routine load shedding was blamed for the lack of rains. I really don't know the technicalities there, but one connection I can make was that the promise was made when we were in the middle of an impending election. Should i read anything more into it or is it just a coincidence. I hope it is.

But, even after we've been blessed by the rain gods and have been clobbered with rainfall, there seem to be no end in sight for the power cuts. Take for instance, at my place in Airoli, we had a succession of 5 power cuts. 3 in the day and 2 in the night which make sleep miserable as the bugs and mosquitoes come out to play.

If this is the current state of affairs, i cant imagine what will be the situation when the unforgiving summer hits. Lets hope for the best, and hope that electricity providers show us some mercy!!

Abhinav Bindra gives India an ideal Independence Day gift



Abhinav Bindra scripted a historic day for India and Indian Sports today morning. This day will hopefully be remembered as the day which resurrected dormant India as far as achievements in sports is concerned. It was a fitting Independence Day gift for India.

Although it was a long time coming, it was all the more delicious when it did come. After an hiatus of almost 26 years, India won gold at the Olympics.

More amazingly, this was India's first individual gold medal performance. It is almost unfathomable that a country of 1.3 billion people didn't have an Olympic Champion to call their own.

It's a day all Indians can be proud of. And fittingly, the Gold came in China. This was as close India could have come to winning a Gold in their own backyard - at least in the recent future after the debacle of the Commonwealth Games. The Chinese played perfect hosts and came in second.The Olympics has just become very special to the Indians other than the celebrating Chinese.

I would like to make one confession here. I didn't really expect India to win any Olympic gold in this Olympics; and am I happy to be proved wrong or what!!


Abhinav Bindra, a child prodigy, who began to start shooting at the age of 5, who had a shooting range built into his house as a gift by his father, was always destined for greatness. Also, this gesture by a father is an indication of the lack of facilities sportsperson have in India.

Lets forget the negatives. It's a day to savor for all Indians. So, lets go ahead and celebrate this day before we are disrupted by any bad news. Don't let anyone spoil this day for us. Let's hope for another medal, preferably a gold, and I'm sure it won't take as long as it took for this gold.


Well done Abhinav Bindra. We are proud of you.

Monday, August 4, 2008

Cricketers want Cricket to be part of the Olympics




Adam Gilchrist is leading a player push for Twenty20 to be included in the 2020 Olympics, believing it is an essential step in securing the game's global future. With the start of the Beijing event less than a week away, Gilchrist says the cricket "pipedream" is a "potential reality" following the success of the new format and the Indian Premier League.

"It doesn't matter where the 2020 Olympic Games are held, but many of us who've experienced international Twenty20 cricket and the IPL are convinced that cricket should bid to become an Olympic sport in time for the Games," Gilchrist wrote in the Deccan Chronicle. Cricket was part of the 1900 Olympics before being cut, but last year it gained "recognition status" from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for two years.

"We have a responsibility to grow our game in new territories and amongst the women of the world," Gilchrist wrote. "I believe the Olympic Games is the vehicle the sport should use to aggressively sell the message of our sport to all 202 competing Olympic nations, so our sport is strong and robust in countries where it is currently played, and exciting and ground-breaking in countries who haven't yet caught the 'cricket-bug'."

To receive "programme status" at the 2020 Olympics, cricket would need to be approved by the IOC at a meeting seven years before the event. Twenty-six sports are part of the Beijing schedule and there are currently two vacancies for future Games. Golf, karate, baseball, softball, rugby sevens and roller sports are among the disciplines currently competing for the right to be involved in 2016.

Gilchrist believes it is time to start serious lobbying. "Between 2009 and 2013 cricket would promote itself to the IOC as a prospective sport and, if we get it right, cricket will be invited to the Olympic party in 2020," he said.

Each Full Member cricket board has been asked by the ICC to have two national men and women players complete Olympic questionnaires. The responses in Australia have been favourable and Gilchrist, a key performer in the IPL, has also sounded out excited colleagues from Australia, South Africa and England.

Gilchrist experienced the surge of interest in Twenty20 during his time with the Deccan Chargers earlier this year and is convinced the IPL revolution has "changed cricket forever". Now he wants the BCCI's officials to work with the ICC to help take it to the Olympics.

"They would be investing in the future of the sport because by having a men's and women's competition at the Olympic Games many more countries would be drawn to cricket," he said. "It wouldn't surprise me if countries like the USA, China, Italy, France and Japan become competitive very quickly in Twenty20, especially in women's Twenty20. I believe that in time the success of cricket at the Olympic Games will lead to more Test-playing nations, something that the sport will need in the coming century."

Gilchrist feels the aim is realistic. "The Olympic movement knows it needs to increase its presence in the Asian subcontinent as India, Pakistan and Bangladesh contribute nearly 22% of the world's population. In theory, this is a win-win for the Olympic movement and the ICC and its members."

India collected only a silver medal in Athens in 2004 while Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh failed to finish in the top three of any event. Cricket would dramatically increase each of the nations' chances of reaching the podium while lifting interest in the subcontinent.

Next year's Twenty20 World Championship in England will be held over 16 days, one day shorter than the Olympic programme. Supporters of cricket's push believe the length of the tournament - and its high-energy matches - is another valid reason for its inclusion.



Source : Cricinfo