Muslim Organisations force closure of Aurangazeb exhibition and Its implications

An exhibition named  "Aurangzeb as he was according to Mughal records."at the prestigious Lalit Kala Akademi (LKA) by journalist Francois Gautier was forced to shut down due to  to protest by people affiliated to the Tamil Nadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam, Manitha Neethi Paasarai and other Muslim organisations.

The Prince of Arcot Nawab Mohammed Abdul Ali also lend his voice  to shutdown the show as according to him the paintings amounted to "fabrication and distortion of history". He was particularly enraged by two miniatures -- the first depicted Aurangzeb's army destroying the Somnath temple and the second showed the destruction of the Kesava Rai temple in Mathura.

I am amazed why should these Muslim organizations join issues here? Why are they feeling obliged towards Aurangzeb? It is a well know fact that among many Hindus the name of Aurangzeb evokes the same passionate hatred as do the names of Mahmud of Ghazni and Muhammad of Ghori. It was Aurangzeb who ordered all temples destroyed, among them the Kashi Vishwanath temple, one of the most sacred places of Hinduism, and had mosques built on a number of cleared temple sites. Other Hindu sacred places within his reach equally suffered destruction, with mosques built on them. A few examples: Krishna's birth temple in Mathura; the rebuilt Somnath temple on the coast of Gujarat; the Vishnu temple replaced with the Alamgir mosque now overlooking Benares; and the Treta-ka-Thakur temple in Ayodhya. The number of temples destroyed by Aurangzeb is counted in four, if not five figures. Aurangzeb did not stop at destroying temples, their users were also wiped out; even his own brother Dara Shikoh was executed for taking an interest in Hindu religion; Sikh Guru Tegh Bahadur was beheaded because he objected to Aurangzeb's forced conversions.

It is outrageous that someone is supporting a Tyrant like Aurangzeb just because he happens to be a Muslim!  If we expend this logic would the same Muslim organizations protest if we hold an exhibition on 1971 War with Pakistan!  A further stretch of this logic would make some  Christian Organizations to  protest any exhibition on British.

It is more outrageous considering the Tamil Nadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam(TMMK) is electoral ally of DMK and the "Mother" Secular CPM! 

The pictures that caused the protest:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Technorati Tags: Appeasement,Religioin,Secularism

Should India become a Hindu rashtra?

Interesting question. My answer is we donot have to become a Hindu Rastra. We ARE a Hindu Rashtra.

France overthrew Monarchy to "Become" Democratic nation. In Russia the Bolsheviks overthrew Czars to "Become" communist country. In India what have we to overthrow to become Hindu Rashtra? 

The confusion arises because we equate Hinduism with Western  religions like Christianity. But in reality Hinduism is not a religion it is a way of life adopted by the people who used to live in this landmass.Indian Supreme court in a land mark Judgement in the matter of Bramchari Sidheswar Shai & Ors. etc. .... Appellants Versus State of West Bengal etc  says

When we think of the Hindu religion, we find it difficult, if not impossible, to define Hindu religion or even adequately describe it. Unlike other religions in the world, the Hindu religion does not claim any one prophet; it does not worship any one God; it does not subscribe to any one dogma; it does not believe in any one philosophic concept; it does not follow any one set of religious rites or performances; in fact, it does not appear to satisfy the narrow traditional features of any religion of creed. It may broadly be described as a way of life and nothing more.

So if Hinduism is a way of life being practiced by more than  80% of the inhabitants what else we need to do to make this a Hindu Nation? For all practical purpose we are a Hindu nation, Getting written into constitution is just a "legality"  Rest is the question of the minorities. The question of Minorities was famously answered by Guru M.S. Golwalkar, the second Sarsanghchalak of RSS in his book "Bunch of Thoughts". He writes

So, all that is expected of our Muslim and Christian co-citizens is the shedding of the notions of their being 'religious minorities' as also their foreign mental complexion and merging themselves in the common national stream of this soil. As far as the national tradition of this land is concerned, it never considers that with a change in the method of worship, an individual creases to be the son of the soil and should be treated as an alien. Here, in this land, there can be no objection to God being called by any name whatever. Ingrained in this soil is love and respect for all faiths and religious beliefs. He cannot be a son of this soil at all who is intolerant of other faiths.

Guruji's theory on tolerance of Hindu Society was proven during the time of Last Government when We had a Hindu Prime Minister, Muslim President, Christian Defence Minister, Sikh Army Chief and a catholic Opposition Leader. After elections, the power was handed over to "Sikh Prime Minister". Did we hear a whimper of protest?

Rahul to ‘discover India’ - by helicopter

Almost 52 Years after his grandfather wrote "Discovery of India", India's crown price has embarked on a yatra which his backroom managers has christened "Discover India’ yatra. Who can blame him for this effort, afterall the poor guy has spend most of his time slogging for livelihood in foreign countries.  The communal fascist Opposition should appreciate that  he is atleast making an effort to overcome his naiveness  about the country.

According to media reports, Rahul Baba wants to reach out to the "last man in the society" to familiarize himself with the “emerging issues” of the country and “the problems faced by crores of  people” thru this yatra. He would be  taking a chopper to the location perhaps to understand the problems being faced by common people while traveling on a chopper.

I am not sure whether his Spanish girl friend Veronique is accompanying him or not.  It would have been good idea to give her the photo opportunity and the opportunity to learn about "aam Admi" afterall she is the next potential Prime Minister Candidate.

Rahul will commence his tour from Orrisa where he would be addressing  a "Jungle Bachao" rally. Mr. Gandhi would take time and mingle with tribal people and youth, the Congress leaders are confident that his visit would make a big impact on the political scenario in the State. The congress leaders in Orissa should curb their enthusiasm as  his "special attention" in Uttar Pradesh or Gujarat failed to make any  difference in these states. In Uttar Pradesh, Congress came last in the Seat tally. We all know the situation in Gujarat. With election results in UttarPradesh and Gujarat, he ended up " the last man standing"

Technorati Tags: Rahul,Politics,Congress,Politicians

Father getting paid to look after his Kids!

Should a father be paid for looking after his kid especially if the kid is as troubled as Britney Spears? Atleast it seems so, if we believe the the news reports.

According to documents from Wednesday's impromptu court hearing, Jamie Spears will now be paid a weekly compensation of $2,500 from his daughter's estate for acting as her conservator. He has also been authorized to lease a car on the estate's dime.

Not a Bad Deal I would say!

Technorati Tags: Celebrity News

Making of a "Lal Masjid's Jamia Hafsa girls madrassa in India

Everyone is aware of the Jamia Hafsa Madrassa in Pakistan. The girls from this madrassa were in forefront during the Lal Masjid Saga. The controversial Lal Masjid (Red Mosque) was focus of bloody confrontation between Pakistani security forces and radical students from in the centre of the capital, Islamabad. In another incident, some 40 Jamia Hafsa girls entered a home in the neighbourhood and dragged out the three women inside, accusing them of running a brothel. Tied up in white sheets, the women were dragged through the neighborhood and into the Jamia Hafsa, where they were imprisoned for two days. They also took two policemen hostage, in retaliation for the arrests of two teachers suspected of involvement in the kidnap.

We Indian watched the entire saga amazed and perhaps might have even thought that this will never happen in India. But we are wrong a Jamia hafsa is in making right in our backyard.

Early this week, Saidabad police station in Hyderabad arrested a Mohtasin Billa said to be a close associate of Nasir, the alleged Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami (HUJI) militant, arrested last month in Karnataka. Billa was arrested in connection with a case registered against him in Saifabad police station for participating in the attack on a Gujarat police team in 2004. The Commissioner said Billa was also wanted in connection with another case in Gopalpuram police station where he was found to be in possession of seditious literature and compact discs.

Within 45 minutes of Billa’s arrest, about 50-odd burqa clad women — mostly students of the madrasa and activists of Darsgah Jihad-o-Shahadat(Institute for Holy War and Martyrdom) — stormed past the police guard, injured the outnumbered women constables and ransacked the police station where Billa was being held. The Saidabad police station had to seek additional reinforcements to control the women who smashed windowpanes and furniture, and attacked police personnel. Maulana Abdul Aleem Islahi father of Mohtasin Billa runs the Girls Madrassa. 

Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) T Prabhakar Rao says

Their anger and the manner in which they were talking indicate the kind of indoctrination they have received at the madrasa.

Is YS Rajasekhar Reddy who has set new standards in Appeasement Listening?

Technorati Tags: Religion,Terrorism,Social

This century Asian century: UK

Addressing about 350 British ambassadors at the 'Foreign and Commonwealth Office Leadership Conference' UK Foreign secretary David Miliband has said

"In economic and military terms, the US will have at least another generation as the global superpower. Nevertheless, this century may come to be known as the Asian century,"

He asked British diplomats to reorient their world-view considering that power is moving from west to east, with the integration of China and India into the world economy.

I am sure UK has reasons to worry

Almost 100 years back,  Jamsetji Tata, founder of the Tata group, was barred entry into Mumbai's swish Watson hotel, then the preserve of the white nabobs. Humiliated, Jamsetji vowed to create a hotel that would rival the Watson. The result was the Taj Mahal hotel at the Gateway, arguably one of India's best-known five-star hotels.

The Tata Group setup by Jamsetji Tata  went on to acquire British Steel(Now Corus)  Europe's second largest steel producer for long a symbol of British industrial nationalism.

Recently, British linguist, David Dalby, has predicted that India will soon become "the center of gravity of the English language," with the largest number of English speakers.

Now what do it mean to have "Largest Number of English Speakers". Professor David Crystal, one of the world's foremost experts and author of the Cambridge Encyclopedia of the English Language explains

"In language, numbers count. There are more people speaking English in India than in the rest of the native English-speaking world. Even now, if you ring a call centre, often it's an Indian voice you hear at the end of the phone. As the Indian economy grows, so might the influence of Indian English,"

This will lead to Fragmentation of English Language, forcing speakers routinely to learn two varieties of the language — one spoken in their home country and a new kind of Standard English with pronounced Indian characteristics. The new Standard English's likely Indian characteristics would signify the end of the primacy of American English. Future users of global Standard English might routinely say

"I am thinking it's going to rain" rather than the British "I think it's going to rain"

With all the changes happening with English Speaking crowd, The old TV Sitcom Series "Mind Your Language"  would become redundant. I guess there should be new "Mind Your Language" Series in this Brits should take the seat left vacant by Ranjeet Singh or Jamila Ranjha. 

Technorati Tags: International,India

Sex: Marathon or 100m race

According to the research, led by Eric Corty, from the Behrend College in Erie, Pennsylvania has shattered many long held beliefs and perhaps given some "breathing space" for us guys.

According to the research, "action" lasting between three and seven minutes was ‘adequate’, but anything less was ‘too short’ and beyond 13 minutes was ‘too long’.  A word of caution, the action donot include "prep work".

This extraordinary research published in the international Journal of Sexual Medicine was supposedly designed to help calm couples’ unrealistic beliefs who believed in night long Marathon and  anything less was considered a "affront" to "horsepower"

I was just wondering is America trying to push their "Fast Food" culture here also or is it really  "its Quality NOT the quantity that Matter"

But hold on Guys, it donot end here especially for the Lazy married folks who don't pull their weight when it comes to housework and child care. A recent book "The Lazy Husband: How to Get Men to Do More Parenting and Housework," suggests that equitable sharing of housework can lead to a happier marriage and more frequent sex. Literally speaking "No Gain without Pain"

I now personally think that the research by Eric Corty is a Grand Conspiracy to get the men to Slog  more at Home. It almost sounds like a efficiency consultant saying "We helped you save 1 Hr there, you spend that 1 Hr here" and the Guys sheepishly replying "I rather spend my 1 Hr. there"

This "line of blackmailing" has already yielding result in US. In the U.S., time-use diary studies show that since the '60s, men's contribution to housework doubled from about 15 percent to more than 30 percent of the total. Over the same period, the average working mother reduced her weekly housework load by two hours.

Technorati Tags: Sex,Humor

Vajpayee 'Bhishma Pitamah' of politics: Manmohan Singh

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said on Wednesday his government was seeking the "broadest possible consensus" on a contentious nuclear deal with the United States. I didnot realize that this would include flattery also.

Mr.  Singh invoked Mahabharatha in the Rajya Sabha to entice BJP to support the deal. He said

Bhishma Pitamah of Indian politics Atal Bihari Vajpayee should listen to his conscience and let national interest prevail upon narrow politics

In such situation Lord Rama would have been a better Person to invoke as he was a better example for carrying out his Raja Dharma. He even denounced his wife on the altars of Raja Dharma. Unfortunately, Mr. Singh might be limited by the choices of Epics he can invoke. Its only long since his Government trashed the Ramayana and Lord Rama as figment of Imagination

Technorati Tags: Politics,Manmohan Singh,UPA

iIPOD the universal Device

These Days just about everyone and their dog seems to have an iPod.  So much so that Levi Strauss company, has announced  that they will be selling specialized jeans designed to hold an iPod. Now if you are bored with using your iPOD as a Portable Music Player. Here are some of other innovative uses of iPOD.

1. lose weight with your iPod

Nike and Apple are making the iPod compatible with gym equipment. The Companies on Tuesday said they are working with several gym equipment makers and the health clubs 24-Hour Fitness and Virgin Athletic Health Clubs to allow members to plug their iPod Nano into cardio equipment.

The Nanos would track workouts, set goals and upload the information to a Nike website. The new technology is expected to hit more than 500 gyms worldwide this summer.

2. iPod as Flashlight

During the major blackout in 2003, many New Yorkers improvised after nightfall and used the light generated by their iPods to get around their apartments. It was a makeshift way of doing things. But now there is a more formal way of using your iPod to light your way. For about $13, you can purchase Griffin’s iBeam, an attachment that will quickly turn your iPod into a combo flashlight and laser pointer. As they say, be prepared.

3. iPod in to a Universal Infrared Remote Control

You can turn iPod in to a universal infrared remote control which can be used to control all your home electronic equipment, or just about anything that uses a remote control.

How? Basically, you have to  "record" the "sounds" an infrared remote makes on a PC and then put them on an iPod as songs. Adding a special sound-to-IR converter then turns those sounds back to IR and allows you to use your iPod as a remote control. As an added bonus, it works up to 100 feet. It's a slick all-in-one unit and we're never going back to 6 remotes ever again.

4. Stethoscope Trainer

It seems the lab coats at Temple University have discovered that med students learning to use a stethoscope recognize the sounds of different heart conditions better if they train their ears with recordings of the conditions on iPods.

According to an article in MacNewsWorld, students trained by listening to the sounds of ailing hearts over and over again, up to 400 heartbeats per ailment. After normal stethoscope training student usually recognize the the different sound about 40% of the time, but after a session with the iPod student successfully IDed the sounds up to 90% of the time!

5. Test Cheating

It has been widely reported  that students are apparently using the iPod to cheat on exams. During tests, they’ll apparently sneak earbuds into their ears and tap into valuable formulas, class notes, voices recordings, etc. Others will even write out crib notes and enmesh them within song lyrics.

6. Self Hypnosis Trainer

One of the apps promoted being promoted  MacZot is "Pzizz". Pzizz generates a sound file which can be put into an iPOD. Tghe sound file will generate  soothing sounds and voice designed to help you take really good naps or help you sleep. You open the app, choose your nap type and how many you wish to generate.

Word of caution donot try it on when you are in Office

7. Last but not least Paperweight/Paperclip

Yes, your two hundred + dollar iPod can serve as an excellent paperweight. It is just heavy enough to keep those all-important pages from flitting away in a breeze.

The new iPod shuffle, with its metal clip can also serve as an emergency paperclip.

Hey, when you really need a weight or a clip you use what is available; it just so happens that the iPod is better at being a paperweight/paperclip than its competition. Go Apple!

Its time BBC Gets its अ, आ, इ, ई, right

BBC Website spells Hindi wrong!

Technorati Tags: Humor

India rise as Soft "Super" Power

It was Joseph S. Nye, Jr., former dean of the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, who coined the phrase "Soft Power" a decade and a half back. Soft power , according to Nye, is the ability to attract and persuade rather than coerce. It stems from the attractiveness of a nation's culture, ideals and policies.

The soft power of a country rests primarily on three resources: its culture (in places where it is attractive to others), its political values (when it lives up to them at home and abroad), and its foreign policies (when they are seen as legitimate and having moral authority.)

Until recently, soft power was largely a US monopoly..It is generally believed that the Cold War was won as much by Voice of America, Motown and Hollywood as it was by Ronald Reagan's  'Star Wars' program.

Even before the arrival of Gorbachev back in the 1980s, Regis Debray, the French philosopher, champion of guerrilla warfare and pal of Che Guevara had presciently concluded that there was "more power in blue jeans and rock and roll than the entire Red Army." Michael Eisner of Disney was not off base when he said in 1995 that "...the Berlin Wall was destroyed not by force of Western arms, but by force of Western ideas. And what was the delivery system for those ideas? It has to be admitted that to an important degree it was American entertainment. Inherent in the best and worst of our movies and TV shows, books and records is a sense of individual freedom and the kind of life liberty can bring. It's in the movies of Steven Spielberg; it's in the songs of Madonna; it's in the humor of Bill Cosby."

In the immediate aftermath of the fall of communism, American soft power was at its height. MTV had gone where the CIA could never penetrate. The warblings of Michael Jackson and Madonna were the Muzak of the new world disorder, their visages glaring out from every corner of the globe like statues of Lenin in the old Soviet Union. The arrival of CNN and the English-dominated Internet secured the global conquest: America now dominated the metaworld of images, icons and information.

However, Affairs in Middle East changed all this. Now the position of US as "Sole Soft Super Power" has been undermined. This has resulted in Opinion Leaders like Nelson Mandela saying , "America is a threat to world peace."

For decades, any mention of India or China conjured up images of under-clothed, underfed and over-populated nations preaching a combination of socialist dogma and political revolution. To a Western world in the throes of post-war consumerism, they seemed hopelessly disconnected.

During the same time,  India and China are acquiring soft power and turning the tables. Now, as India and China are acquiring their own soft power, they are turning the tables. Recently, US National Security Council, the country's apex intelligence body, was warning its citizens that the growth and power aspirations of the two Asian countries posed serious threats, people in Washington D.C. were queuing up to attend a film festival titled 'From Beijing to Bollywood'.

In a opinion poll conducted for the BBC by the international polling firm GlobeScan (http://www.globescan.com/) together with the Program on International Policy Attitudes (PIPA) at the University of Maryland ranking the most popular or admired countries, India came  second behind China for a 'significantly improved global stature.' Citizens of only 17 out of 26 countries gave India the rating of 'positive influence on the world.

The survey also suggested that five least admired countries in our world are ranked in order: (1) Israel (2) Iran (3) America (4) North Korea. In fact, its a revelation that USA was considered more Negative influence than North Korea(A prominent member of Bush's Axis of Evil)

It is a statement of  India's rise as Soft "Super" Power when Indian movies like Monsoon Wedding were box-office successes in the US or when Tamil film "Muthu" attracts  more than 127,000 viewers in a 23-week run, netting the theater about $1.7 million—its biggest gate of the year. So far, nearly 500,000 Japanese have paid to see "Muthu" either on the big screen or on video.

In fact, popularity of Bollywood actors can be gauged from the fact that Time Magazine  called Shah Rukh Khan "probably the most recognizable actor in the world". In Damascus only publicly-displayed portraits that were as big as those of then-President Hafez al-Assad were those of Amitabh Bachchan. Ask any Malay(from Malaysia) teenager these days, and names like Hrithik Roshan, Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Aishwariya Rai, Juhi Chawla roll down from their tongues without much difficulty.

India's achievements in the field of education are also being acclaimed internationally. According to former UN under Secretary General Shashi Tharoor "These days, the US puts the IITs on par with, say the MIT," If not anything it did manage to get  David B eckham tattoo  his wife's name  in Hindi on his forearm six years ago.

The Indian food is so popular in England that  Indian curry houses employ more people than the iron and steel, coal and shipbuilding industries combined!

India's use of soft power as a foreign policy tool was visible in Afghanistan after the Taliban fell. The then foreign minister, Jaswant Singh, was one of the first dignitaries to fly into Kabul. But unlike other visitors, Singh, who was eager for India to replace Pakistan as the neighbour of influence, packed his plane not with supplies of food or medicines, but with tapes of Hindi movies and music that were quickly distributed.

The Indian TV soap opera "Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi", dubbed into Dari, is telecast on Tolo TV. It's the most popular television show in Afghan history, considered directly responsible for a spike in the sale of generator sets and even for absences from religious functions which clash with its broadcast times.

One Reuters dispatch recounts how robbers in Mazar-i-Sharif stripped a vehicle of its wheels and mirrors recently during the telecast time and wrote on the car, in an allusion to the show's heroine, Tulsi Zindabad. That's soft power, and India does not have to thank the government or charge the taxpayer for its exercise. Instead, Indians too can simply say, Tulsi Zindabad

India has always believed it is a cultural superpower. Finally, the government is putting its money where its mouth is. The amounts are pitifully small, but it’s the thin end of the wedge.  In his Budget speech, P Chidambaram gave out an extra Rs 75 crore to MEA’s culture wing, Indian Council for Cultural Relations, "to develop India’s soft power".  The Rs 75 crore outlay is in addition to ICCR’s operating budget of Rs 77 crore. Together, this adds up to a pitiful Rs 152 crore, which doesn’t even begin to compare with say, the UK.  The British Council gets a £190 million subsidy from the British foreign office, and its operating budget is £460 million (close to Rs 3,600 crore.)

India rise as Soft "Super" power will prevent a new generation of Indians from becoming "clones" of a dominant US culture. But we still have a long distance to travel, Still  If we  ask someone a question in Hindi on the train, for example, they reply in English just to show they know it.  But We are quietly reasserting our identity.

Tail Piece: Effect of US Softpower on Russian President Boris Yeltsin

Technorati Tags: India,Softpower

In Search of a Second Miracle

India will soon get its first female saint. And no, its not Mother Teresa.  Sister Alphonsa from Kottayam, Kerala has pipped Mother Teresa, who is "more well-known and a Nobel laureate".

The Missionaries of Charity indicated that they were ""trying their best to fast-track the procedure of conferring sainthood on Mother Teresa".

The Vatican has to find another miracle before they can declared Mother Teresa as a saint. Her first Miracle was "healing of an Indian woman with a cancerous tumour."

Sister Alphonsa was beatified after a handicapped boy of Kottayam was cured of his deformity as he prayed at Alphonsa’s tomb.

I am still waiting to hear a word from the enlightened scientific and CPM led Atheist community in India on their opinion on these Miracles.

Technorati Tags: Church

Suicidal Monkey

Technorati Tags: Humor

Republicans decry use of Obama's full Name "Barack Hussein Obama"

Republican National Committee Chairman Mike Duncan formally denounced on Thursday the Tennessee Republican Party's use of Barack Obama's full name in a recent news release questioning the Illinois senator's commitment to Israel.

The statement in question, which was released Monday, said the state party is joining a "growing chorus of Americans concerned about the future of the nation of Israel ... if Sen. Barack Hussein Obama is elected president of the United States."

Technorati Tags: Obama,USA

Role Reversal: Tatas gifts 65,000 books to poor US kids

The Tata Group North America has joined First Book, a non-profit organisation, in a programme to distribute 65,000 new books to children from low-income families across the US.
Second grade students from Dodge Park Elementary School in Maryland were the first students to receive the brand new books on Wednesday with the support of the Tatas.

Kyle Zimmer, president of First Book, said,

"First Book is tremendously grateful for the generous support of the Tata Group and its companies, which will help to share the joy of reading and learning with thousands of children in need across the United States".

Signs of Changing times?

Technorati Tags: TATA,USA,India

Murder of Mahatma Gandhi: Truth

This is one of most outrageous lie being propagated  against Sangh. Communists and self Styled Seculars has used this Lie to beat Sangh at every opportunity. 

Lets examine some facts which will try to disprove some of popular notions

Truth 1: Godse had Severed his links with RSS

Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated by  Nathuram Godse, who felt that Gandhi had betrayed the Nations cause.
The sworn enemies of RSS ganged-up  instantly and tried to use this tragic incident to finish of RSS. They accused RSS to be responsible for the Murder! RSS was banned. Sri M. S. Golwalkar, the Chief of RSS along with thousands of RSS workers were arrested.
The primary accusation against RSS was "Godse was member of RSS". The fact was Godse had severed his connections with RSS long back and had in fact turned into one of its bitter critics. Godse himself explained in the court the reason why he had severed his connections with Sangh and categorically declared “I left the RSS.” Godse didnot agree with RSS on many points; for example, its refusal to get involved in day-to-day politics or to become an appendage of any political party. Hence he decided to form a militant volunteer body by himself. Accordingly in 1942 he launched the Hindu Rashtra Dal.

Also, another fact  which most of self styled seculars ignore is Godse had stated in court that he was once a Congress member also earlier

Truth 2: Sardar Patel's statements

His speech broadcast over AIR from Lucknow, as appearing in ‘The Hindu’ of Madras, dated January 7, 1948.

“Sardar Patel realised that they (RSS) were not actuated by selfish motives. The situation demanded they should strengthen the hands of the Government and assist in maintaining peace.
“He also had a word of warning ‘to those who were in power in the Congress’. He said, ‘In the Congress those who are in power feel that by virtue, of their authority they will be able to crush the RSS. You cannot crush an Organisation by using the danda’. The danda is meant for thieves and dacoits. After all the RSS men are not thieves and, dacoits. They are patriots who love their country.”

To a letter from Pt. Nehru pressing him to find out the RSS connection in the affair, Sardar Patel categorically stated in his reply of 27th February 1948,

“I have kept myself almost in daily touch with the progress of investigation regarding Bapu’s assassination case... All the main accused have given long and detailed statements of their activities... It also clearly emerges from these statements that the RSS was not involved in it at all.”

The Verdict No. 1

The much awaited judgment over the Gandhi murder trial was pronounced. It put the seal of justice, on what was already evident - that the RSS had no hand, direct or indirect, in the crime. Nor was there any countrywide conspiracy involving thousands as was made out to be. The RSS was so completely exonerated that the name of RSS did not figure at all in the judgment even as a remote cause.

It is well known that the Government’s communiqué of February 4, 1948, banning RSS centered round many wild charges,

The communiqué said

“....... It has been found that in several parts of the country individual members of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh have indulged in acts of violence involving arson, robbery, dacoity murder and have collected illicit arms and ammunitions. They have been found circulating leaflets exhorting people to resort to terrorist methods, to collect fire arms, to create disaffection against the Government and suborn the Police and the Military. These activities have been carried on under a cloak of secrecy...

“...The objectionable and harmful activities of the Sangh have, however, continued unabated and the cult of violence sponsored and inspired by the activities of the Sangh has claimed many victims. The latest and the most precious to fall was Gandhiji himself.”

But the Government’s communiqué of July 12, 1949, announcing the lifting of the ban, did not even so much as mention any of these charges, including Gandhiji’s murder. Instead it centered round the funny argument that since RSS had agreed to have a written constitution, the Government of India had come to the conclusion that the RSS should be given an opportunity to function!

Verdict No. 2 Kapur Commission

After a lapse of over two decades, the Government again instituted another enquiry under T. L. Kapur, a retired Judge of the Supreme Court in 1966. The Commission sat at different places, - examined no less than 101 witnesses and 407 documents before it published its Report, in 1969.
One of the important witnesses was Sri R. N. Bannerjee, I.C.S. (Witness 19) who was the Home Secretary of the Central Government at the time of the murder. The evidence of Shri R. N. Bannerjee was:

“It has not been proved that they (the accused) were members of the RSS which shows that they (the accused) were believers in a more violent form of activities than mere parades, rallies, physical exercises, and even shooting practices.” (Kapur Commission Report, Vol. 1, Page 165)

The Kapur Commission categorically declared:

“An experienced administrator like Mr. R. N. Bannerjee has stated that the RSS as such were not responsible for the murder of Mahatma Gandhi, meaning thereby that one could not name the organisation as such as being responsible for that most Diabolical crime, the murder of the apostle of peace, the like of whom the world, does not see excepting after centuries.” (Ibid, page 76)

Still More Verdicts: Self Styled Seculars even had to Apologize to RSS

The Statesman on January 15, 2000 published an Article by A.G. Noorani’s “RSS & Services, A Half Century’s Gory Record” in RSS was accused of Murder of Mahatma Gandhi

When the article was published in the Statesman on January 15, 2000, the RSS office in New Delhi filed a defamation suit against A. G. Noorani, C. R. Irani, Ravindra Kumar (Editor and Managing Editor of the Statesman, respectively), and Devvrata (cartoonist), in a New Delhi court. When two of these men did not respond to the court summons, non-bailable warrants were issued against them. The case even went to the Delhi High Court. When the accused realized that they would not be able to escape the guilty verdict, they begged the court that they be allowed to submit an unconditional apology to the RSS. Finally, on February 25, 2002 A.G. Noorani submitted a written apology to the Court in which he regretted writing the article. He promised that the newspaper would publish his apology prominently within a fortnight in the editorial pages. This was done on March 3, 2002. The apology says the following:

Clarification: “We wish to clarify that the publication was made without malice and with no intention to denigrate or defame any person or persons, or RSS. We regret the publication.” (The Statesman, March 3, 2002)

Finally

So over a period of last 50 years RSS has been Declared innocent of Courts NOT ONCE NOT TWICE BUT THREE TIMES!! Never in history has any Organization been declared innocent so many times but still continues to be accused!!!

The Swayamsevaks in its "pratah smaran pranam" recalls a long list of great personalities who have enriched the national heritage at different times in history. A section of the concluding part of this invocation (in Sanskrit) is the para :

Dadabhai Gopabhandhu Tilako Gandhiradrita |

Ramano Malaviyascha Sri Subramanya Bharati. ||

Here the people mentioned are - Dadabhai Naoroji, Gokhale, Tilak, Gandhi, Raman , Madan Mohan Malviy and Subramanya Baharati . This is the new and updated version. But if you examine RSS history carefully, then you get to know that Gandhi's name was not included as an after thought. Even as early as 1946-47, when Gandhi was alive, his name was remembered along with some other living great ones; but later on, the names of the living were dropped and a new set of Stotras brought into usage. The present one is called EkAtmataa Stotra, which includes the above Sloka.

 

Please also refer RSS and Sardar Patel here

Interesting Religious Survey in USA: Hindus compete with Jews to Outperform!

Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life  has conducted an extensive survey Based on interviews with more than 35,000 Americans age 18 and older, the survey details the religious affiliation of the American public.

The result of survey is very interesting:

1. 48% of Surveyed Hindus were Post Graduate or above. Jews were distant Second with 35%
2. 43% of Hindus are in Highest Income Group($100,000 Plus) second only to Jews who are at 46%
3. It shows 44 percent of Americans have switched religious affiliations (If shifts among Protestant denominations are included)
4. The Roman Catholic Church “has experienced the greatest net losses as a result of affiliation changes”
5. Sixteen per cent of American adults say they are not part of any organised faith, which makes the unaffiliated the country’s fourth-largest “religious group”.
6. Evangelical Protestant Churches form the biggest Group with 26.3%. Followed by Catholic who form 23.9% of Population. While Hindus form approx. 0.4% of Population

Income Distribution of Various religions: 43% of Hindus are in Highest Income Group($100,000 Plus) second only to Jews who are at 46%

 

Education Distribution of Various religions: 48% of Surveyed Hindus were Post Graduate or above. Jews were distant Second with 35%

 Spread of Evangelical Protestant Churches: Evangelical Protestants who are more conservative in their approach are more concentrated in East Coast of United States

Spread of Catholic Churches: Catholic  are more concentrated in West  Coast & Central Region of United States

Obama and the Trinity United Church of Christ

Barack Obama states that he has been an active member of Trinity United Church of Christ for the last twenty years. No problem with his belief's but the website of the Trinity United Church of Christ has several revealing and Interesting  written postings

This from the TUCC website –

We are a congregation which is Unashamedly Black and Unapologetically Christian... Our roots in the Black religious experience and tradition are deep, lasting and permanent. We are an African people, and remain "true to our native land," the mother continent, the cradle of civilization. God has superintended our pilgrimage through the days of slavery, the days of segregation, and the long night of racism. It is God who gives us the strength and courage to continuously address injustice as a people, and as a congregation. We constantly affirm our trust in God through cultural expression of a Black worship service and ministries which address the Black Community.

The Pastor as well as the membership of Trinity United Church of Christ is committed to a 10-point Vision:

1. A congregation committed to ADORATION.
2. A congregation preaching SALVATION.
3. A congregation actively seeking RECONCILIATION.
4. A congregation with a non-negotiable COMMITMENT TO AFRICA.
5. A congregation committed to BIBLICAL EDUCATION.
6. A congregation committed to CULTURAL EDUCATION.
7. A congregation committed to the HISTORICAL EDUCATION OF AFRICAN PEOPLE IN DIASPORA.
8. A congregation committed to LIBERATION.
9. A congregation committed to RESTORATION.
10. A congregation working towards ECONOMIC PARITY.

Trinity United Church of Christ Website

Centaur Sale Corruption Charge Against NDA a Farce: CBI

After three years of investigation, CBI has concluded its inquiries on Sales of Centaur Hotels and found nothing wrong in the privatization process.

In 2002, NDA Disinvested the loss-making Centaur hotels. However, when things came to a head when UPA came to power in 2004 with the support of the Left who demanded that the UPA not only cancel the sale but also investigate NDA Disinvestment Minister Arun Shourie’s “personal role” in it. 

According to CBI

“The CBI was asked to look into the points raised by the CAG report. But our investigation hasn’t revealed any irregularities and preliminary enquiries have been shut down.”

However Communist parties are not letting it go. CPI’s D Raja said,

“We do not know on what grounds and facts the CBI has given the clean chit. We have to see them.”

UPA Govt. should show honesty and apologize to Arun Shourie for raising unsubstantiated charges against him. It would do well if they ignore the "Barking Dogs"

Source

Meredith Whitney: The Gal with Balls

Meredith Whitney is the lady whose research note on Citigroup in late October triggered a $369bn sell-off in global equities.

She even received death threats last year for this. She has again dramatically  reduced her forecast for the Citibank this year, giving warning that the shares could fall by more than a third.

In an investor note , Ms Whitney has cut her earnings per share estimates for 2008 from $2.70 to only 75 cents and said that these revised estimates "could still prove optimistic"

I was always amazed at the Guts of this lovely lady. I guess being married to former World Wrestling Entertainment champion Death Mask has its advantages ;)

India can intercept and destroy objects in Space: Dr APJ Abdul Kalam

India has the requisite capabilities to identify, and target, satellites and other objects in Space, according to the nation's ex-president and also father of India's missile programme, Dr APJ Abdul Kalam. Queried by the media if India could deploy same capabilities as the US when faced with similar eventualities, as when they destroyed a satellite in Space last week, Dr Kalam replied in the affirmative.

Talking to the media on the sidelines of a two-day International Conference on Avionics Systems (ICAS-2008) here, Dr Kalam said, ''We have the ability to intercept and destroy any spatial object or debris in a radius of 200 km. We will definitely do that if it endangers Indian territory.''

Dr VK Saraswat, chief controller, R&D (MSS), the man associated with India's ballistic missile defence system agreed with Dr Kalam's assessment. ''We have the technological capabilities. It is just a matter of time before we could place the necessary wherewithal to meet such requirements,'' he said.

''We can predict and can always tackle such challenges,'' he said.

Source

In US case, A US warship successfully shot and destroyed a stray American spy satellite before it pierced the Earth's atmosphere at a distance of 150 Miles (242 KM) .

RSS chief Sudarshan criticises Raj Thackeray

RSS chief K S Sudarshan has come down heavily on Maharashtra Navanirman Sena (MNS) leader Raj Thackeray for his alleged comments against outsiders saying it was aimed at bagging votes.

Joining BJP stalwart L K Advani who had earlier lashed at Raj for his 'biased' comments, Sudarshan said "the outcry by Raj is against the Constitution and tradition of the country".

Sudarshan, who was addressing a public meeting here on Sunday, said the MNS chief was only interested in garnering votes.

"Raj's offensive against the north Indians in Maharashtra has threatened to destroy the fabric of brotherhood and amity," the RSS chief said.

How to Increase Your Metabolism

 

If you're trying to lose weight and think your metabolism might be the culprit, there are changes you can make to improve it. But with the commercialism surrounding "metabolism-enhancing" products, it can be hard to separate fact from fiction (or advertising) and pin down techniques that are scientifically proven to change one's metabolism.

Steps

1. Understand what metabolism is.

   In the simplest terms, metabolism is the rate at which your body burns calories. The rate differs significantly from person to person. You and your friend can have the same activity level, diet, and weight but still gain or lose weight at different rates based on differences in metabolism.

2. Determine what is influencing your metabolism. There are some factors that you can change, and some factors that you can't.
   • Age - metabolism slows 5% per decade after age 40[1]
   • Sex - men generally burn calories faster than women[1]
   • Heredity - you can inherit your metabolic rate from previous generations[1]
   • Thyroid disorder - problems in the thyroid gland can slow metabolism but this is rare[1]
   • Proportion of lean body mass - metabolism increases with muscle mass[1]
3. Calculate your resting metabolic rate (RMR).

   RMR is often used interchangeably with basal metabolic rate (BMR); although they are slightly different, estimating either is sufficient for the purpose of losing weight. To calculate your RMR, use the Mifflin-St Jeor equation (which is more reliable than the Harris-Benedict equation[2]). There are also calculators online that can do this for you:

   • RMR = 9.99w + 6.25s - 4.92a + 166g-161
   • w = weight in kilograms; if you know your weight in pounds, divide by 2.2 to get your weight in kilograms
   • s = height in centimeters; if you know your height in inches, multiply by 2.54 to get your height in centimeters
   • a = age in years
   • g = gender = 1 for males, 0 for females
4. Adjust your diet accordingly.

   Your RMR will tell you how many calories you need to maintain your body at rest. Your daily consumption to maintain your weight should be:[3]

   • RMR x 1.15
   • E.g. RMR = 2000, so the maintenance intake is 2000 x 1.15 = 2300
   • To lose weight safely, consume no more than your maintenance intake but no less than your RMR.
   • Count calories by recording what you eat and looking up how many calories each food item contains (either on the food packaging or in tables provided in books or online).
5. Eat small, frequent meals.

   Extending the time between meals makes your body go into "starvation mode", which means it'll hold onto as many calories as possible and store them as fat. This is why fasting and skipping meals will only make things worse. In addition to having four to six small meals per day[4] eating healthy snacks will also increase metabolism.[1]

6. Drink water.

   As with food, depriving your body of water can encourage it to "hoard" rather than "burn". In order to encourage your liver to focus on metabolism rather  than water retention, make sure you drink an appropriate amount of water.

7. Boost metabolism temporarily with aerobic exercise.

   Different activities burn different quantities of calories, but the important thing is to raise your heart rate and sustain the activity for approximately 30 minutes.

8. Boost metabolism in the long run with weight training.

   Muscle burns more calories than fat (73 more calories per kilogram per day, to be exact)[1] so the more muscle you build, the higher your resting metabolic rate (RMR). Every bit of muscle that you gain is like a little factory that burns calories for you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This is the only way to increase RMR, which accounts for 60 to 70 percent of the calories you burn daily.[5]

Tips

• There are no "fat-burning" foods. You might've heard that certain foods (like celery and grapefruit) increase metabolism, but it's just a myth.[4] While some foods and drinks like red peppers and green tea have been studied for their potential metabolism-increasing properties, there is no conclusive evidence that whatever influence they have on metabolism is significant enough to result in weight loss.[1]

• However, some believe that certain extremely low-calorie foods, such as celery, cause the body to burn more calories in the act of consumption than are absorbed by the body. Still, half an hour walking will burn many more calories than half an hour of chewing celery.

• Always consult a dietician or doctor before making a major change in your diet and exercise routine.

Warnings

• Avoid smoking as a weight-loss method. While nicotine is a metabolism booster and appetite suppressant, the health hazards far outweigh any benefits.
• Expect your metabolism to slow down as you lose weight. The more weight your body is carrying, the more calories your body has to burn in order to sustain itself, even at rest. When you begin restricting your calorie intake, you'll lose weight relatively easily because your body's high caloric needs are not being met. But after you begin to shed the weight, the body has less mass to carry and thus needs fewer calories. In order to continue losing weight, you will have to restrict your caloric intake even further in order to maintain a difference between what your body needs and what you are providing.[1] Let's go through a hypothetical example:
  • You are 200 lbs and your body needs 2500 calories a day to sustain itself.
  • You cut down your caloric intake to 2000 calories.
  • You lose 25 lbs. Now your body only needs 2250 calories to sustain itself because it's carrying less weight.
  • If you continue with your 2000 calorie per day diet (the diet that helped you lose the first 25 lbs) you will still be losing, but at half the speed. In order to maintain a steady weight loss you will need to reduce your caloric intake further. However, it is at the utmost importance you do not try to consume fewer calories than your RMR!
  • Another possible problem: If you continue with your 2000 calorie per day diet (the diet that helped you lose the first 25 lbs) you may actually gain weight back because of varying levels of exercise. Let's say you lose 50 lbs. on your 2000 calorie diet. Your sustaining calories might be 1800. You're actually consuming enough calories to gain weight, but how would that happen if you had stayed to your diet. This can happen when your exercise has burned through many calories. If you slowed on exercise at this point you would actually gain weight again. The point here is to recheck your RMR when you lose weight and compare it to your consumption.

Related wikiHows

• How to Decrease Your Metabolism
• How to Lose Weight Fast
• How to Calculate Your Body Mass Index (BMI)
• How to Gain Weight

Sources and Citations

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/guide/make-most-your-metabolism
2. ↑ http://www.adajournal.org/article/PIIS0002822305001495/abstract
3. ↑ http://books.google.com/books?id=gRrp3yphhC0C&pg=PT259&lpg=PT259&dq=%2B%22caloric+intake%22+%2Brmr&source=web&ots=En__f5a15l&sig=j7IwWkrMdgfTuDb5Fd27QqWNW14
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/rev-up-your-metabolism
5. ↑ http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/features/jump-start-your-metabolism

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Increase Your Metabolism. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

Obama dressed as Somali Elder

The Associated Press photograph portraying  Obama wearing a white turban and a wraparound white robe presented to him by elders in Wajir, in northeastern Kenya. Obama's estranged late father was Kenyan and Obama visited the country in 2006, attracting thousands of well-wishers

How cartoons caused total shutdown of YouTube for two hours

YouTube suffered a system-wide outage on Sunday that lasted two hours according to Keynote Systems, which measures Web site performance.

The BBC reported that Pakistan's attempts to block access to YouTube may have been inadvertently been responsible for the outage. Earlier in the day, Pakistan shutoff access to the video site to its country's residents in response to the posting of cartoon.

The BBC Web site's technology editor, Darren Waters, says that it's likely that--to prevent Pakistan's residents from accessing the site--Pakistan Telecom hijacked YouTube's IP and passed that information on the country's Internet service providers so that queries to YouTube would be redirected. However, the details were apparently leaked by Asian ISP PCCW, leading to the global blackout, the BCC reported.

Reminds me of Famous Nana Patekar Dialogue "Saala Ek Machar, Admi ko Hijra banadeta hai"

Undersea Internet Cable disruption, A Sabotage?

Recent Internet outages have affected 85 million users in Middle East, North Africa and South Asia.

The trouble began on 30 January 2008 when  two cables were cut off the Egyptian Mediterranean coast,  disrupting Internet and telephone traffic in India and Several Middle Eastern Countries.  The two cut cables "accounted for as much as three-quarters of the international communications between Europe and the Middle East."  These cuts were initially attributed to dragging ship anchors caused by rough waters in the eastern Mediterranean. But later, the Egyptian Ministry of Communications and Information Technology said video footage of coastal waters in the region of the two cables showed there was no ship traffic for 12 hours preceding and 12 hours following the time of the cable cuts.

A few days later, another undersea cable was found cut in the Persian Gulf, 55 kilometers off Dubai. It was followed by reports of another damaged undersea cable between Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Soon another report mentioned a cut undersea cable running through the Suez to Sri Lanka. The Khaleej Times reported on February 4, 2008 that as many as five undersea cables were damaged, including a cable in the Persian Gulf near Bandar Abbas, Iran; and SeaMeWe4 undersea cable near Penang, Malaysia.

There is no logical explanation for the sudden damage to nearly five undersea cables in the course of a week.

Was it sheer coincidence that Iran government’s planned to inaugurate its Iran Oil Bourse between Feb. 1 and 11 for trade in ‘non-dollar currencies’. If Iran manages to open its own Oil Bourse, there is a very good possibility that  GCC will trade there on account of geographic proximity. This will make Iran the main hub for oil deals in the Middle East. A functional Iranian Oil Bourse, selling oil tankers in non-dollar currencies, would be a terrible snub to America.

The "Iran Oil Bourse (IOB)" system is planned to work as a "Peer to Peer" network using the Internet rather than the traditional centralized method to avoid the market manipulation by intermediary traders which affects other oil trading centres. With complete elimination of Internet connectivity to Iran , this launch may have been severely disrupted.It would also put doubts on the mind of potential users on the reliability of the system.  

Attukal Pongala - The largest religious union of women

Thousands of women on Friday participated in the 'Pongala' festival at the Attukal Devi temple, famed as the "Women's Sabarimala" for attracting one of world's biggest female devotional congregations.

The entire city turned into a virtual sea of women since the day-break as devotees poured in from far and wide and joined the local crowd to participate in the annual ritual, which made the temple enter Guinness Book of World Records.

The Attukal pongala festival is all set to break its own record. The festival, which entered the Guinness Book of World Records in 1997 for being the largest religious gathering of women, has now received the go-ahead from the Guinness authorities to update its record.
In 1997, the Attukal pongala festival entered the Guinness Book with the participation of 15 lakh devotees. This year, the Attukal Bhagavathy Temple Trust authorities are expecting 25 lakh devotees, Trust members said at a news conference here on Wednesday.

I guess "liberals" should start a new movement to allow men to take part in this event and give a writ petition in High Court

RSS launches SAVE GANGA campaign thru Ganga Sanskriti Pravah Yatra

The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has launch a 99-day 'Save Ganga' campaign. This is first time RSS is directly getting involved in a environmental Program.

The rally will start from Gangasagar where the river merges into the sea and go all the way up to the river's source at Gangotri. One of the high points of the campaign will be when Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader L.K. Advani and RSS chief K.S. Sudarshan will participate in a special yagna, or fire ritual, in Varanasi.       Hindu clerics, including the four Shankaracharyas, yoga guru Swami Ramdev, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar as well as Ramjanmbhoomi Trust president Mahant Nritya Gopal Das will join what the RSS has billed as the Ganga Sanskriti Pravah Yatra.

"Pollution and commercialization has increased a threat to river Ganga. The society is also polluting Ganga in the name of development. We believe this initiative would help in creating awareness regarding cultural and water pollution," said Indresh Kumar, All India Karamkarini Member of the RSS.

Daytime dozing may up stroke risk

The next time you feel drowsy while watching the television or reading a newspaper, just get yourself a cup of coffee. Nodding off inadvertently during the day may increase your risk of a stroke.
A team of researchers in the United States has carried out a study and found that daytime dozing raises the risk of a stroke by nearly two to four fold, particularly in people who are a little aged.
"Our study suggests that daytime dozing may be an important and novel stroke risk factor," according to lead researcher Professor Bernadette Boden-Albala of the University of Columbia.

Obviously (or Should we say Unfortunately) Its not Working in India

The Need of Hour: More Hanna Yasir's

The finale of the week-long Nheralath music festival lived up to the tradition of religious harmony of Thirumandhamkunnu Temple. Seated in front of the portraits of the Bhagavati and the legendary Sopana sangeetam maestro Nheralth Rama Poduval, Hanna rendered ‘multi-religious’ keerthans’ in Jaunnpuri, Mohanam raga and Arabhi raga.

Hanna has earlier sung at the music festivals of Kalpathy and Subramania Temple, Paloor. Hanna’s two-hour performance at the Bhagavata Navaha Satram at Manidweepapuri, Padinjattumuri near Malappuram, recently won her much fame.

“Music is divine. It’s beyond all religions. Nothing should be allowed to be a barrier to the flow of music,” says her father, Karuvattil Yasir.

MY SALUTE TO THE FATHER AND DAUGHTER DUO

Aussie PM Kevin Rudd & his Chinese Passion

Kevin Rudd, the non-Chinese world's first Chinese-speaking prime minister seems to be in a hurry to Rub India's the wrong way.

Australia's Labor government says it will scrap a deal to sell uranium to India, reversing a decision taken by the previous government, unless New Delhi signs up to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

He also  dealt a lethal blow to a budding "Asian Arc of Democracy" that was actively pushed by then Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe that appeared designed to isolate Beijing.

Kevin Rudd Speaking in Mandarin

Instead, Australia has decided to improve relations with China and has just launched the first "strategic dialogue" between the two countries with Stephen Smith, the new Australian foreign minister, meeting with his Chinese counterpart, Yang Jiechi.

During the bilateral strategic meeting, Smith informed Yang that Australia would no longer participate in the quadrilateral strategic dialogue, which also involved the United States, Japan and India.

Rudd’s avowed lifelong interest in China, its language and its history, is born of a childhood interest and led to a diplomatic and private career in Beijing. He was even invited by Brookings Institute president Strobe Talbott to speak in Washington on the rise of China and its strategic implications for the US-Australia alliance. With this background, It seems Mr Rudd is going out of way to please China, last Year Mr Rudd impressed Chinese Premier Mr Hu with his Mandarin Skills. He used the language to welcome Mr Hu to Sydney during a luncheon hosted by Prime Minister John Howard.

Is India's Foreign Ministry (being remotely driven by CPM) taking Note!

TATA: Truck to Nano

1954
Tata launched its first Mercedes Benz diesel truck, Telco.

1977
Tata manufactures its first commercial vehicle at its plant in Pune.

1986
Tata launches its first light commercial vehicle from Telco, the Tata 407.

1992
Tata Estate, Telco's second passenger vehicle launched by JRD Tata and Ratan Tata.

1994
Tata Motors released its multi-utility car, Tata Sumo in the year 1994.

1998
Ratan Tata drives the first Tata Indica off the assembly line

1998
Tata Motors produced an SUV, Tata Safari. It was the first SUV to be designed, developed and manufactured entirely in India.

2002
Tata introduced India's most competitive indigenous sedan, the Indigo.

2004
Tata Motors acquires Daewoo Commercial Vehicle Company, South Korea. The first range of Tata Novus vehicles from Tata Daewoo is launched soon after.

2008
Tata Motors launched the most-awaited car of the year, its one-lakh car called Nano, at the 9th Auto Expo.

Nepal Maoist launch Shrill attack on Indian Political Parties from India!

Top-rung Maoist leader and party's central committee member C P Gajurel launched a scathing attack on Indian Opposition Party BJP by holding it responsible for "sabotaging" the April elections to the Constituent Assembly of  that country. C P Gajurel had come to the Chennai to attend a meeting of an Indo-Nepalese forum.

Speaking at the program he said, "Elections have been postponed thrice... The US and the BJP and its sister organisations such as VHP and RSS in India do not want the elections to be held for their own vested interests,"

I am amazed at the audacity of  a foreign political player to launch an attack on India's Opposition Party while in India!!!

It seems Indian backers of Nepal Maoist CPM and Congress has given them an Open Cheque!

 

News

February 19 day on which Era of two despots comes to an end.

Yesterday Fidel Castro who ruled cuba for over five decades resigned as Cuba's President, effectively ending the ailing Communist icon's iron-clad rule. Castro, who took power in a 1959 revolution, was the world's longest-serving head of government. He handed over power to his Brother Raúl Castro.

With the end of  Soviet era proved catastrophic for President Castro's revolution. Moscow in effect pulled the plug on the Cuban economy by refusing to take its sugar any more.

Still under American blockade and with its Soviet lifeline cut off, chronic shortages and empty shelves in Cuba were inevitable. Tempers grew shorter as the food queues grew longer.

By the mid-1990s, many Cubans had had enough. Thousands took to the sea in a waterborne exodus to Florida. Many drowned. It was a crushing vote of no-confidence in their leader. Even his own daughter Alina Fernandez prefers a life of exile as a dissident in Miami to rule under her "despotic" father.

In 2006, Forbes magazine estimated Castro's personal fortune at $US900 million ($980 million) - almost double the fortune held by Queen Elizabeth. Castro denied the claims.

In another Landmark event, Pakistan’s two centrist opposition parties have routed the pro-Musharraf Pakistan Muslim League (Quaid-e-Azam), a pillar of the military-backed regime that has ruled for eight years, speeding the country towards a return to democratic rule.

Long Live Democracy

Believe on your own Peril!

This is a photograph that everybody is familiar with, its picture of Famous Qinghai-Tibet railroad. The Tibetan antelopes and the train on the Qinghai-Tibet railroad appeared simultaneously in the eye of the camera.  This photograph was selected as one of the top 10 most memorable photographs of 2006 and its author received innumerable honors.

"The antelopes in the photograph are real.  The overpass bridge is also real.  But they were taken at two different time and stitched together using photoshop!

 

The influential America-based Science magazine published a photo which it claimed to be of a wild South China tiger, which was taken in northwest China.
The magazine quoted Gary Koehler of Washington State's Department of Fish and Wildlife as saying that "it's tremendously exciting news, if it can be substantiated".  The photograph, purporting to be the first sighting of a South China tiger for more than 30 years. The photo was chosen from 71 digital and film photos, reportedly taken by a local farmer named Zhou Zhenglong in early October in Zhenping County, Shaanxi Province.

However when a netizen broke the bubble when he posted online what he claimed was a "convincing proof" that the pictures are fakes - a New Year picture of a tiger (above) that hangs on the wall of his home!!!

Raoudram Mamooty beating his fan at malappuram

Pathetic!!! That poor guy was extending his hand for shake hand. A civilized man will never beat a person extending his hand for shake hand.

No GandhiGiri here!

Malaysian police used water cannon and tear gas on Saturday to break up an anti-government protest by ethnic Indians carrying roses to symbolise a peaceful demand for justice. The demonstrators consisting of about 300 men, women and children, gathered near Parliament House were defying a ban on rallies.

The children in the group were led by Hindraf chief Wayathamoorthy’s five-year-old daughter Vvaishnnavi, who wanted to present roses to Badawi and had last month written a letter to him urging him to be present at Parliament house to receive the flowers.

In Sudan even Donkeys commit suicide

Reports coming in from the UN Mission say that donkeys in Malakal,  are being severely mistreated by their owners, leading to their casualties.

Two cases of donkeys “taking their own lives” have been cited in a UN report filed by the Indian Army recently. In the first incident, according to the report, an overworked donkey preferred to be beaten to death by his master rather than pulling a heavily loaded cart through the market.

In the other case, a donkey jumped in to the Nile river, along with its load of a water barrel. “A donkey, who had decided to end his miserable and wretched life, ran towards the Nile. As he approached the banks, he plunged into the river and moved towards the current and the strong current of the mighty river swept it to a watery grave,”” says the report, written by Major Shambhu Saran Singh, posted at the UN mission. “He (the donkey) was still tethered to the water cart he was pulling when he decided to go and drown.”

Why Seculars failed to Condemn Raj Thackeray

The most intriguing feature of the ongoing turmoil in Maharashtra provoked by Raj Thackeray's posturing against North Indian migrants was the total silence of those professing to be the watchdogs of Secularism!

I am yet to hear Sonia Gandhi taking a strong stand against Raj Thackeray. Neither did CPM who have an opinion in everything ranging from Palestinian Issue to China have an opinion on this issue. Perhaps Sonia Gandhi had more important issues like membership of the Order of Leopold Association to be distracted by the antics of a small-time politician in Mumbai. and CPM Leaders were busy ducking Bottles being thrown by their Drunk Followers.

Or was it a calculated assault by an interloper on the traditional vote base of the country's most enduring saffron alliance? It followed the methodology of a party that tacitly built up Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale to outmaneuver the Akalis and pumped up the ULFA in Assam to cripple the AGP.

Sonia and Order of Leopold

In a unique honor, Belgium on Saturday conferred the Order of Leopold, the country's second highest civilian award, on Sonia Gandhi, Congress president and United Progressive Alliance chairperson, for her "constructive nationalism" and her efforts to foster a multicultural, tolerant society in India.

I am not sure what they mean by constructive nationalism?is she being awarded for the effort she took to construct her "nationalism" here? 

Anyway, The Order of Leopold  is one of the three Belgian national honorary Orders. It is the highest Order of Belgium and is named in honour of King Leopold I.  The decoration was established in 1832 and is awarded for extreme bravery in combat or for meritorious service of immense benefit to the Belgian nation.

Now what is this meticulous service which our Madam Sonia has given to Belgium? And it is hilarious as this award also recognise Extreme Bravery in Combat. During the India-Pakistan war of 1971 (coinciding with the liberation struggle of Bangladesh), under emergency provisions, the leave applications of all Indian Airlines pilots were cancelled so that they could be used for providing logistical support. The only exception was Rajiv Gandhi, a full-time pilot with Indian Airlines. Sonia Gandhi nee Maino, who now claims that she is an Indian till her last breath, flew off to Italy with Rajiv Gandhi and their two children.

After news came in that the Congress and Indira Gandhi had been defeated in 1977, Sonia Gandhi nee Maino packed an overnighter and, with husband and children in tow, took refuge in the Italian embassy in New Delhi's Chanakyapuri. It took the combined efforts of Indira Gandhi, Sanjay Gandhi and the other 'bahu' of the household, Maneka Gandhi nee Anand, to convince her to return to the Gandhi home.

Responding to the honor conferred on her, Sonia said, "I do believe that by conferring this distinction you are recognizing not the individual that I am, but the values that I have imbibed and stand for." Ahem Ahem...

2,500 years ago, a city bigger than Athens in Orissa

From under the ruins of an ancient fort on the outskirts of Bhubaneswar, archaeologists have dug out the remains of a 2,500-year-old city which they believe was bigger than classical Athens.

"The city had four gateways and could have housed up to 25,000 people. Even classical Athens had only 10,000 people," said R K Mohanty from Deccan College, Pune, who was part of the excavation team which also had members from the Archaeological Survey of India and University of California.

Eighteen pillars were found among the remnants of the grand city at Sishupalgarh, a ruined fortification first discovered 60 years ago. The findings include debris of household pottery and terracotta ornaments, pointing to an advanced lifestyle led by the people who lived there. The polished potteries even have ownership marks on them. 

Sishupalgarh was once ruled by the Kalinga kings.

2,500 years ago, a city bigger than Athens in Orissa-India-The Times of India

Crocodile tears?

Tears are every woman's most powerful and manipulative weapon.

Hillary Clinton used this weapon most effectively atleast twice during her battle for the Presidency of the United States.

Just as the political commentators were writing her off after shock defeat at Iowa, she got a little chocked up during an appearance before supporters at a coffee shop. The Media wend Ga Ga over getting an opportunity to see the softer side of otherwise her ice-queen reputation. We are not sure whether this gave her the much required boost for New Hampshire primary. but consider this, just before the elections Obama led the former first lady 39 percent to 29 percent. But Hillary Won the Elections!

And then the day before Super Tuesday, Clinton was all in Tears again, this time during an event at her alma mater, Yale: "Well, I said I would not tear up; already we're not exactly on the path," she's quoted as saying. Guess what She also won the Super Tuesday Marginally.

Now with both Obama and Hillary being neck to Neck,  how many more times will we have to sit through Hillary's teary-eyed confessions.

Now everyone is asking the question uppermost in the mind(of atleast us Dimwit Guys) is whether those tears were real? and can Hillary weep her way to the White House?

of course how can we dimwit men really understand the politics of crying. Our own tears, by and large, are restricted to unimaginative basics: bereavement, heartbreak and India losing at Cricket.

Did you know?

1. The Muslim population in Israel totaled 1.142 million people in 2005, which constitutes 16 percent of the country's population(6.9 Million). The Muslim population in Israel is growing at a faster rate than the Jewish population, and is expected to reach 2 million by the year 2025 making up 22 percent of the Israeli population
2. Indian passports prohibited travel to Israel as late as 1992