Politically Speaking

Google is a privacy time bomb

2008-05-04T05:28:00.003+05:00

And then there were four

Google is one of about four search engines that matter. There are many more than four engines, but only about four have the technology to crawl much of the web on a regular basis. As of July 2003, Yahoo owned Overture, Alltheweb, AltaVista, and Inktomi, and finally dumped Google in February 2004. Everything needed to turn Yahoo into a major search engine was now under Yahoo's roof.

It is still possible that Yahoo will shoot themselves in the foot with all of this firepower -- their desire to monetize everything appears to be high on their agenda. But so far, after only a year, Yahoo has shown that their main index search results are on a par with Google's. This is true despite the fact that Yahoo has has infiltrated some pay-per-click links into the main index. One reason for Yahoo's success is that Google's main index, though free from paid results, has declined considerably since early 2003. Amazingly, there is on average only a 20 percent overlap between Yahoo's first 100 results and Google's first 100 results for the same search -- and still, Yahoo is just as good as Google. These days there is so little room at the top of the search results heap, that any combination of algorithms will produce acceptable results. The main difference now is in the depth of the crawl.

Microsoft recently developed their own engine because they found themselves squeezed between the advertising engine of Overture and the search engine Inktomi -- both of which became Yahoo property. In 2003 Microsoft began experimenting with their own crawler. Their new engine was launched in early 2005. If Microsoft puts their greed on a back burner for a few years, by doing deep crawls and presenting a clean interface, they could do to Google what they did to Netscape. There is no "secret sauce" at Google -- we now believe it was all hype from the very beginning. (To the extent that there ever was a secret sauce, the recipe is now known by countless ecommerce spammers, which makes it a liability rather than an asset.) Thousands of engineers in hundreds of companies know how to design search engines. The only real questions are whether you can commit the resources for a deep, consistent crawl of the web, and how aggressively you want to use your search engine to make money.

That gives us Google, Yahoo, and Microsoft. The last one worth watching is Teoma/AskJeeves. Their search technology is good, and they seem serious about expanding their crawl. It remains to be seen how deeply and consistently they will be able to crawl websites with thousands of pages.

Google is easily top dog. They provide about 75 percent of the external referrals for most websites. There is no point in putting up a website apart from Google. It's do or die with Google. If we're all very lucky, one of the other three will soon offer some serious competition. If we're not lucky, we will be uploading our websites to Google's servers by then, much like the bloggers do at blogger.com (which was bought by Google in 2003). It would mean the end of the web as we know it.

It is worthwhile to understand the pressures that the average, independent webmaster is under. And given that Google is so dominant, it's important to understand the pressures that are being brought to bear on Google, Inc. It does not take too much imagination to recognize that there's a struggle going on for the soul of the web, and the focal point of this struggle is Google itself.

At one level, it's a struggle for advertising revenue. The pundits look at only this level, and are unanimous that the only advertising model on the web with any sort of future is one where little ads appear after being triggered by keyword searches, or by the non-ad content of a web page. For example, a search for Google Watch may show some ads on the right side of the screen for wrist watches. While the technique doesn't work for this example, often it serves its purpose. There is only so much pixeled real estate that the average user can be expected to survey for a given search. Today up to half of each screen is dedicated to paid ads on Google, as compared to the ad-free original Google. Everyone wants a piece of this new wave in web advertising, and Google is making a lot of money.

Unfortunately, early evidence suggests that Yahoo is less interested in pure search algorithms, than in acquiring market share in a pay-for-placement and/or pay-for-inclusion revenue stream. The same may be true for Microsoft. Even Google, dazzled by the sudden income from advertising, must be wondering why they go to all that trouble and expense to crawl the noncommercial sector. Those public-sector sites, such as the org, edu and gov domains, do not provide direct income, even though the web would be unattractive without them. All the excitement over a revived online ad market, pushed by pundits hoping for another dot-com gold rush, is beginning to look like the days when AltaVista decided that portals were the Next Big Thing. That notion caused AltaVista to lose interest in improving their crawling and searching -- which is how Google succeeded in the first place.

There has been almost no interest in establishing search engines that specialize in public-sector websites. Where is the Library of Congress? Where are the millions of dollars doled out by the Ford Foundation? How about the United Nations? Why can't some enlightened European entity pick up the slack? Everyone is asleep, while the Internet is getting spammed to death.

At another level, it's a struggle over who will have the predominant influence over the massive amounts of user data that Google collects. In the past, discussions about privacy issues and the web have been about consumer protection. That continues to be of interest, but since 9/11 there is a new threat to privacy -- the federal government. Google has not shown any inclination to declare for the rights of its users across the globe, as opposed to the rights of the spies in Washington who would love to have access to Google's user data.

Much of the struggle at this new level is unarticulated. For one thing, the spies in Washington don't talk about it. Congress has given them new powers, without debating the issues. Google, Inc. itself never comments about things that matter. The struggle recognized by Google Watch has to do with the clash of real forces, but right now all we can say is that potentially this struggle could manifest itself in Google's boardroom.

The privacy struggle, which includes both the old issue of consumer protection and this new issue of government surveillance, means that the question of how Google treats the data it collects from users becomes critical. Given that Google is so central to the web, whatever attitude it takes toward privacy has massive implications for the rest of the web in general, and for other search engines in particular.

Call it class warfare, if you like. Because that brings up the other major gripe that Google Watch has with Google. That's the PageRank problem -- the fact that Google's primary ranking algorithm has less to do with the quality of web pages, than it has to do with the "power popularity" of web pages. Their approach to ranking is anti-democratic, in that already-powerful pages are mathematically granted extra power to anoint other pages as powerful.

It's not that we believe Google is evil. What we believe is that Google, Inc. is at a fork in the road, and they have some big decisions to make. This Google Watch site is trying to articulate and publicize the situation at Google, and encourage more scrutiny of their operations. By doing this, we hope to play a small part in maintaining the web as an information tool that is more useful for the masses, than it is for the elites.

That's why we and over 500 others nominated Google for a Big Brother award in 2003. The nine points we raised in connection with this nomination necessarily focused on privacy issues:

1. Google's immortal cookie:
Google was the first search engine to use a cookie that expires in 2038. This was at a time when federal websites were prohibited from using persistent cookies altogether. Now it's years later, and immortal cookies are commonplace among search engines; Google set the standard because no one bothered to challenge them. This cookie places a unique ID number on your hard disk. Anytime you land on a Google page, you get a Google cookie if you don't already have one. If you have one, they read and record your unique ID number.

2. Google records everything they can:
For all searches they record the cookie ID, your Internet IP address, the time and date, your search terms, and your browser configuration. Increasingly, Google is customizing results based on your IP number. This is referred to in the industry as "IP delivery based on geolocation."

3. Google retains all data indefinitely:
Google has no data retention policies. There is evidence that they are able to easily access all the user information they collect and save.

4. Google won't say why they need this data:
Inquiries to Google about their privacy policies are ignored. When the New York Times (2002-11-28) asked Sergey Brin about whether Google ever gets subpoenaed for this information, he had no comment.

5. Google hires spooks:
Matt Cutts, a key Google engineer, used to work for the National Security Agency. Google wants to hire more people with security clearances, so that they can peddle their corporate assets to the spooks in Washington.

6. Google's toolbar is spyware:
With the advanced features enabled, Google's free toolbar for Explorer phones home with every page you surf, and yes, it reads your cookie too. Their privacy policy confesses this, but that's only because Alexa lost a class-action lawsuit when their toolbar did the same thing, and their privacy policy failed to explain this. Worse yet, Google's toolbar updates to new versions quietly, and without asking. This means that if you have the toolbar installed, Google essentially has complete access to your hard disk every time you connect to Google (which is many times a day). Most software vendors, and even Microsoft, ask if you'd like an updated version. But not Google. Any software that updates automatically presents a massive security risk.

7. Google's cache copy is illegal:
Judging from Ninth Circuit precedent on the application of U.S. copyright laws to the Internet, Google's cache copy appears to be illegal. The only way a webmaster can avoid having his site cached on Google is to put a "noarchive" meta in the header of every page on his site. Surfers like the cache, but webmasters don't. Many webmasters have deleted questionable material from their sites, only to discover later that the problem pages live merrily on in Google's cache. The cache copy should be "opt-in" for webmasters, not "opt-out."

8. Google is not your friend:
By now Google enjoys a 75 percent monopoly for all external referrals to most websites. Webmasters cannot avoid seeking Google's approval these days, assuming they want to increase traffic to their site. If they try to take advantage of some of the known weaknesses in Google's semi-secret algorithms, they may find themselves penalized by Google, and their traffic disappears. There are no detailed, published standards issued by Google, and there is no appeal process for penalized sites. Google is completely unaccountable. Most of the time Google doesn't even answer email from webmasters.

9. Google is a privacy time bomb:
With 200 million searches per day, most from outside the U.S., Google amounts to a privacy disaster waiting to happen. Those newly-commissioned data-mining bureaucrats in Washington can only dream about the sort of slick efficiency that Google has already achieved.

How big are we?

2008-04-27T14:58:00.009+05:00

If you are having trouble in keeping things in perspective, just look at these Comparisons.

THIS is really fascinating - it's rather dazzling to see it presented this way.

I certainly thought this was enlightening. beyond our sun ... It's a big universe.

Antares is the 15th brightest star in the sky.
It is more than 1000 light years away.

Now how big are you? And how big are the things that upset you day to day?
Or for that matter, the things that are important?
Keep Life In It's Real Prospective

Police Cars or Sports Cars?

2008-04-25T13:12:00.001+05:00

German Police Car, Lamborghini Gallardo, Max Speed 320km/hr

Japan, Lancer Evo IX, Max Speed 280km/hr

France ...Pegaut... Sports GT

Spain, Audi TT, Max Speed 280km/hr

Now for the Ultimate Police Car in the World !!!
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Pakistan'i Jeep !!!

Max Speed not disclosed due to Security Reasons ...))

Funny Animation

2008-04-24T14:12:00.000+05:00

Funny Animation

Udderly amazing self-milking cow

2008-03-27T00:17:00.001+05:00

A cow in India has amazed dairy farmers by releasing milk completely unaided.

It's not always easy to milk a cow using the usual methods, but this cow doesn't need any human help to fill a bucket with milk.

Speedy puzzle-solving parrot

2008-03-27T00:04:00.002+05:00

Mar 26 - A parrot solves chain puzzles faster than visitors at a Tokyo botanical garden.

The New World parrot remains undefeated, leaving her human competitors baffled by her speed.

Frances Yoon reports.

SPITZER vs. UNITED STATES

2008-03-16T04:02:00.002+05:00

JUSTICE KENNEDY delivered the opinion of the Court, joined by Justices Souter, Ginsburg, Breyer, and Clinton

Just seven years ago, this Court proclaimed: "Liberty protects the person from unwarranted government intrusions into a dwelling or other private places. In our tradition the State is not omnipresent in the home. And there are other spheres of our lives and existence, outside the home, where the State should not be a dominant presence. Freedom extends beyond spatial bounds. Liberty presumes an autonomy of self that includes freedom of thought, belief, expression, and certain intimate conduct. The instant case involves liberty of the person both in its spatial and more transcendent dimenstions."

Those words were, of course, the opening lines of our landmark decision in Lawrence v. Texas. Those words are as important today as they were in 2003. This case, too, presents an issue of liberty, this time time outside the home, involving thought, expression, and intimate conduct. In this case, too, the State should not be a dominant presence.

This case presents the issue we carefully reserved in Lawrence. See Slip Op. at 18 (noting that that case did "not involve . . . prostitution"). We now conclude that the liberty recognized in Lawrence applies equally to private, consensual sexual conduct by adults, in whatever form of intimacy those adults design. The fact that the arrangement might, in some sense, be thought commercial does not necessarily indicate that it is anything other than consensual.

The reasoning of Lawrence fully extends to the conduct at issue here. The government has attempted to criminalize consensual adult sexual relationships, merely because that consent involves a financial transaction. Though given the name "prostitution," that ancient pejorative, full of moral condemnation, cannot survive the realities of modern understandings of the right of individuals to make their own choices in matters "involving the most initimate and personal choices a person may make in a lifetime, choices central to personal dignitiy and autonomy." Slip op. at 13, quoting Planned Parenthood v. Casey, 505 U.S. 833, 851 (1992).

As we noted in Lawrence, and as is likewise true here, [t]he petitioners were adults at the time of the alleged offense. Their conduct was in private and consensual." We noted, in Lawrence, the long line of cases supporting the constitutional right to privacy with respect to consensual sexual conduct, from Griswold to Eisenstadt to Roe to Carey to Casey. We swept aside Bowers v. Hardwick as a deviant case, departing from our norms. As we said in Lawrence, "a person relationship that, whether or not entitled to formal recognition in the law, is within the liberty of persons to choose without being punished as criminals." Slip Op. at 6. "When sexuality finds overt expression in intimate conduct with another person, the conduct can be but one element in a personal bond that is more enduring." Id. One need not endorse the sexual conduct at issue here -- one may recognize its emotional harm to third parties, such as spounses and children -- yet still recognize that an intimate sexual relationship, "whether or not" entitled to the law's embrace, cannot incur the laws condemnation. The record here shows a long relationship. The petition certainly cannot be punished as a criminal for that relationship. To do so would be to deny him the "right to define [his] own concept of existence, of meaning, of the universe, and of the mystery of human life" -- matters "[a]t the heart of liberty." Lawrence, quoting Casey.

As in Lawrence, we acknowledge that "for centuries there have been powerful voices" to condemn prostitution "as immoral. The condumnation has been shaped by religious beliefs, conceptions of right and acceptable behavior, and respect for the traditional family. * * * These considerations do not answer the question before us, however. The issue is whether the majority may use the power of the State to enforce these views on the whole society through operation of the criminal law. 'Our obligation is to define the liberty of all, not to mandate our own moral code.'" Slip op. at 10 (quoting Casey). That liberty, as we demonstrated in Lawrence, evolves with our sense of evolutions in social understandings, reflected in changed perceptions both in the United States, and, especially, in enlightened nations of western Europe, like the Netherlands. See id. Slip op. at 11-12. As in Lawrence, so too here: "The right the petitioners seek in this cae has been accepted as an integral part of human freedom in many other countries. There has been no showing that in this country the governmental interest in circumscribing personal choice is somehow more legitimate or urgent." Slip Op. at 15.

There is no persuasive basis for distinguishing the Lawrence Liberty here. Moral condemnation is not, as we have shown, a persuasive or legitimate basis for laws interfering with intimate sexual liberty. Again, in Lawrence, we observed (following JUSTICE STEVENS's dissent in Bowers), that "'the fact that the governing majority in a State has traditionally viewed a particular practice as immoral is not a sufficient reason for upholding a law prohibiting the practice.'" , Slip Op. at 17. Nor is the fact that the arrangement may have a commercial element sufficient to distinguish this case. Abortion, which we have held to be an essential aspect of liberty, usually involves a commercial transaction. That does not lessen the liberty-refuge that we think should not be doubted.

This case, like Lawrence, involves "two adults who, with full and mutual consent from each other, engaged in sexual practices common to a [prostitution] lifestyle. The petitioners are entitled to respect for their private lives. The State cannot demean their existence or control their destiny by making their private sexual conduct a crime. The right to liberty under the Due Process Clause gives them the full right to engage in their conduct without intervention of the government." Slip Op. at 18. There is, as we have often said, "a realm of personal liberty which the government may not enter." Casey, supra at 847. The Mann Act furthers "no legitimate [government] interest which can justify its intrusion into the personal and private life of the individual."

We conclude where we began, with the stirring words of Lawrence, this time from its penultimate paragraph:

"Had those who drew and ratified the Due Process Clauses of the Fifth Amendment or the Fourteenth Amendment known the components of liberty in its manifold possibilities, they might have been more specific. They did not presume to have this insight. They knew times can blind us to certain truths and later generations can see that laws once thought necessary and proper in fact serve only to oppress. As the Constitution endures, persons in every generation can invoke its principles in their own search for greater freedom."

We uphold petitioner Spitzer's "search for greater freedom." We therefore reverse his conviction on constitutional grounds. We have no need to reach the question of the proper construction of the federal statute at issue here, for we rest our decision on the more fundamental ground that liberty protects consensual prostitution. The statute cannot constitutionally applied to the conduct for which petitioner was prosecuted.

It is so ordered.

Hillary Is "Misleading The American Public"

2008-03-16T02:56:00.003+05:00

Greg Craig, former counsel to Bill Clinton and now Obama supporter, sat down for an interview with National Journal. His comments reflected more strongly a memo he had penned last week, suggesting that Hillary's claims of experience were overblown. An excerpt from the interview:

Q: I want to welcome Greg Craig. He is a Washington attorney and a senior adviser to the Barack Obama campaign. And he was, back in the Bill Clinton administration, the assistant to the president and special counsel and at that time a senior foreign policy adviser to President Clinton's administration. Welcome, Greg.

Craig: Nice to be here, Linda.

Q: So you have written a provocative memo for the Obama campaign making the argument that Hillary Clinton's experience as first lady, in terms of its relevance to being commander in chief and an expert on foreign policy, may have been exaggerated. How so?

Craig: Well, that was the point of my memo. If you're running for president on the basis of your claims of experience, when you then cite examples, you should be careful to be accurate. The evidence should be accurate. And my point is that Senator Clinton and her supporters have in serious ways overstated, if not grossly exaggerated, the nature of her experience. Take the Irish peace process -- which was a lengthy and arduous and difficult negotiation. She said, initially, that "I helped bring peace to Northern Ireland." Well, if you took the many, many heroes who were responsible for achieving that agreement -- I could name 20 people in Ireland. Primarily, the Irish were responsible for doing this, and the Americans were strong supporters.

But it's a little bit presumptuous for the first lady, who would meet people and support people to take credit away from the Irish themselves who did it. Terry McAuliffe said, "We would not have peace today had it not been for Hillary's hard work in Northern Ireland." That's just not true. This morning, Senator Clinton said on NPR that the role that she played in the Irish peace process was "instrumental." Well, that's not accurate. That's an overstatement. And anybody who is really knowledgeable about what went on, including George Mitchell, who wrote a book about it -- he wrote a book about the peace process, and he never mentioned any role whatsoever that Senator Clinton, or the first lady at the time, played.

Q: Well, you know, of course, that the Clinton campaign immediately put out a memo quoting George Mitchell saying that she did play a positive role over the decade in bringing peace to Northern Ireland.

Craig: Well, playing a positive role is a little bit different than claiming that you were instrumental. She wasn't involved in the tough negotiations. She played no role in resolving the tough issues. She met on one occasion in the White House with Ian Paisley and Martin McGuinness, and that was nice. It was a photo opportunity. She traveled to Ireland with her husband and met with the women, and the women, of course, were heroic in their work for peace. But she can't take credit for bringing the women together. They were the courageous ones that did it themselves. What she said was, "It's a good thing you're doing it. We're all for you. I hope you're successful." That's not instrumental. That's not bringing peace to Ireland.

Q: You also say that the claim that she has passed the commander in chief test, then, is not supported by this record.

Craig: No, I think, look -- I think she would be a capable commander in chief. I think Barack Obama, who is my candidate, would also be a capable commander in chief. I'm not denigrating that. What I'm saying is that when you talk about evidence of experience, you should be accurate as to what your role really was. Here's another example -- she claims that she negotiated the opening of the borders in the former Republic of Macedonia, and she arrived the day after that had been achieved. She traveled there, but she had nothing to do with the negotiations. And Ambassador [Robert] Gelbard, who was very much involved, said that she really didn't play any role in that at all and that it's a mistake and not accurate for her to take credit for it.

Q: And again, of course, you know that the Clinton campaign has said that former senior foreign policy adviser to the Clinton administration, Richard Holbrooke, said she did play a role.

Craig: She claims that she negotiated the opening of the borders -- that's not accurate, and Ambassador Holbrooke would be the first to agree that that's not accurate.

Q: So let's just put this on a scale of one to 10 here. Are we talking exaggeration, or are we talking about something more serious, such as not being truthful?

Craig: Well, I think it's exaggeration. It's inflated résumé. It's in that category. I think she is misleading the American public on the nature of her experience.

Q: But was that experience, do you think, that is -- having a lot of influence with advisers, giving private advice to her husband -- was that experience that has helped prepare her to be commander in chief?

Craig: Oh, I don't doubt that. The point that I am making is that her claims of the nature of that experience are overstated. The fact is she did not sit in on national security meetings. She did not have a security clearance. She did not attend meetings in the situation room. She conducted no negotiations. She did not manage any part of the national security bureaucracy. She did not have her own national security staff. That's the fact. Now the experience that she did have -- watching and sometimes sitting in the room where discussions were going on and also meeting heads of state and foreign ministers -- that is good experience, and it's invaluable to understanding how the world works when it comes to international organizations as well as international negotiations.

Q: Let's talk for a second about your own candidate, Barack Obama. You did say earlier that certainly Senator Clinton's experience as first lady gives her some preparation that is important. She did travel to -- what was it? -- 80 countries, and Barack Obama has been in the Senate just a few years.

Craig: Three years.

Q: How does his foreign policy experience possibly stand up to hers?

Craig: Well, I don't think that you necessarily look at the number of years in Washington as the basis for judging whether someone is going to be a good commander in chief. On that score -- Dick Cheney, Donald Rumsfeld -- they've been many, many years in Washington, D.C. Longevity isn't what you look at. I think what you want to look at is judgment.

The point I would make about Senator Obama is that on foreign policy issues, not only the ones that he has framed and debated in the campaign, but also prior to this -- his speech in 2002, when he laid out the reasons that he was opposed to the invasion of Iraq and the war in Iraq, and those reasons turned out to be prophetic. He actually predicted very much of what has happened in Iraq and why we should not have gone in in the first place. He's served on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and he's got a record of good judgments and strong views on this that, I think, make him fully qualified to be a good commander in chief.

Q: OK, well, very interesting perspective from Greg Craig, who is a senior adviser to the campaign of Barack Obama. Greg, thank you so much for being with us.

Craig: Not at all. I enjoyed it.

First Florida, now Michigan joins the do-over primary party

2008-03-15T00:31:00.007+05:00

WASHINGTON - Michigan Democrats agreed Friday to push a do-over primary in early June to give them a say in the close presidential race between Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama.

Amid talks with the two campaigns, the four Michigan Democrats said in a statement they were "focusing on the possibility of a state-run primary in early June which would not use any state funding." Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, one of the Democratic participants, said a likely date is June 3.

"This option would require the passage of legislation by the state legislature, and we look forward to working with the members of the legislature in the coming days to see if this option can be made a reality," the Democrats said.

Other Michigan Democrats working on the plan were Democratic National Committee member Debbie Dingell, Sen. Carl Levin and United Auto Workers President Ron Gettelfinger.

To go forward, any plan would require the approval of the two campaigns, the Democratic National Committee, state party leaders and Gov. Jennifer Granholm, who is backing Clinton.

Michigan Democrats need to act quickly because the politically divided legislature will have to sign off on the deal and approve how to spend the privately raised funds for a new election. Members of the Democratic-controlled state House and Republican-controlled state Senate leave at the end of the month on their two-week spring break.

The contest must be held by June 10 for the results to count under DNC rules.

The national party punished Michigan and Florida for moving up their primaries before Feb. 5, stripping them of all their delegates. The two states have been struggling to come up with alternative plans to ensure their delegates are seated at the national convention this summer in Denver.

Michigan held its primary Jan. 15 and Florida voted Jan. 29. Clinton won both, although she was the only major candidate on the Michigan ballot.

Kilpatrick said although she is optimistic, Detroit City Clerk Janice Winfrey has expressed concern they may not have the time or manpower to pull it off. She said they are trying to work through those issues.

Florida Democrats said they will make a decision by Monday on whether to hold a dual mail-in and in-person re-vote. But the plan floated this week faces opposition from the state's Democratic congressional delegation, and Obama has also expressed concerns about security and accuracy of a mail-in vote organized so quickly. Democratic National Committee rules require the vote to be scheduled by June 10.

Rare CCTV Footage of Suicide Bombings in Lahore

2008-03-13T07:30:00.001+05:00

CCTV Footage of the Twin Suicide Bombings in Lahore

AQ Khan’s family threatens direct action

2008-03-13T07:10:00.003+05:00

Henny Khan, the loyal Dutch wife of Dr AQ Khan, has for the first time issued a direct threat to the government, saying the time for “low-profile, patriotism and national interest” is over and if her husband’s situation did not change “we will undertake whatever action we deem necessary”.

Henny Khan, in her first strongly-worded statement since her husband was humiliated and detained by the Musharraf regime in 2004, has now sent a note to The News. Analysts said if the AQ Khan family decided to break their silence, they could grossly embarrass the government and reveal a lot of things that the military regime of General Musharraf had forcibly concealed.

The first impression one gets from this unprecedented communication is that the AQ Khan family had decided to stop acting on the orders of the government to stay in a low-profile mode and had reached the conclusion that now it would not be blackmailed any more in the name of “patriotism and national interest”.

Ms Khan also handed over a list of demands to the present and future government. “As the family, we are not requesting a public profile. All we ask is that Dr AQ Khan be allowed to lead a normal life, attend his NGO office, meet his friends, take his family out for dinner and be given the freedom that was promised by Gen Musharraf himself.”

Ms Khan who left her own country to live with the top nuclear scientist of Pakistan seemed to have finally run out of patience. In recent months, Dina Khan, daughter of AQ Khan, used to defend her father in the media by giving his side of the story on important issues concerning her father.

It is now quite clear that after years of reclusion, the family seems to have decided to challenge all the claims and accusations against Dr Khan and start confronting the government. The family has now vowed that it would use all available means to get freedom for Dr Khan who is in detention for the last four years.

A recent report in The News “AQ Khan’s release not in sight” on March 6 by Qudssia Akhlaque actually made Ms Henny Khan to give her reaction. The report said: “On the future of Dr AQ Khan, sources in the Strategic Plans Division hinted that the status quo would be maintained as it was considered imperative for his own safety and the country’s national security.” The status quo referred to is his so-called “protective custody”.

Henny Khan hit back on Tuesday by saying: “Allow me to point out that three attempts have been made on the life of the president. Is he being kept in protective custody for his own safety, even though there does not seem to be a dearth of those who wish him ill?”

Ms Khan referred to a statement of Ch Shujaat Hussain who had said: “Within this protective framework, we will make all efforts to provide him an environment which is conducive to the health and sanity of a national hero who has played a definite role in creating a nuclear Pakistan.”

Ms Khan commented on Shujaat Hussain’s statement by saying: “Again allow me to point out that, though Mr Shujaat himself was instrumental in negotiating the deal in which Dr Khan was to take the full blame on himself and, in return, was to be granted pardon with full freedom of movement and travel within Pakistan, his government did nothing to implement their part of the deal. Now, after 4 years of broken promises, we hear talk of working within this protective framework.”

She maintained that it was the same Ch Shujaat who, in an interview on Feb 5, 2004, said: “He (AQ Khan) has saved the country a second time”. The report in The News had observed that the dominant view in defence policy circles was that as long as the AQ Khan issue was alive, it would be difficult for Pakistan to give him a public profile.

Reacting to this observation, Henny Khan retorted: “Now it was not acceptable to the family any more as we think the time for low profile, patriotism and national interest is over. We will allow whichever government comes to power sufficient time to take some sort of action in my husband’s case. If nothing is forthcoming, we will undertake whatever action we deem necessary.”

The Best Speech I’ve Ever Heard Steve Jobs Give

2008-03-13T04:45:00.004+05:00

With the annual Macworld Conference & Expo set to kickoff this week, you’re probably going to see Steve Jobs and Apple all over the news media. Apple will probably announce the launch of a cool new product and the gadget blogs will be all a buzz to weigh in on the latest news.

While thousands swarm the crowded Moscone Center in San Francisco like they do every year to hear Jobs’ keynote address, I invite you to take a look at one of his other speeches. It is his commencement address given to Stanford University in 2005. I love it because it is very inspirational and he is not trying to sell you on anything except hope. It is quite possibly the best speech I’ve ever heard Steve Jobs give.

10 Surefire First Date Conversation Tips

2008-03-13T04:36:00.002+05:00

Photography by Delgoff.

Let’s face it, first dates are tough. After you’ve finally figured out where you’re going to take her, what you’re going to wear, and what cologne to put on, you still have one tall order to fill: What are you going to talk about? This is where many women say most men come up short.

We asked 35 real women to tell us what men should know about conversation on a first date. This is what they said.

1. Make Eye Contact

During your conversation, maintaining good eye contact is crucial. This shows her that you are both paying attention and have nothing to hide. Pretend it’s like Star Trek and use your tractor beam on her, but don’t do the longing eyes googly moogly stuff. Your eye contact should be direct, but remember it’s not a staring contest.

“Eye contact is good, but keep your focus on my face. Do not stare at my chest. When I’m talking, I want to know you’re paying full attention. Don’t stare around the room and definitely don’t glance at your cell phone, even if your best friend just texted the score of the game.” - Gina

2. Be Confident

The same way dogs can smell fear, a woman can smell insecurity a mile away. Don’t think for a second they don’t know the difference between a cocky and confident man. You should project an air of quiet confidence at all times. If you’re insecure, stay home.

“Your date will be just as nervous as you so don’t be shy…because if you’re both quiet the date will be even more uncomfortable.” - Geraldine

3. Follow the 40/60 Rule

There’s a reason why we were born with two ears and only one mouth and that’s because it’s harder and requires much more effort to be a good listener. Give her your full attention. Practice the 40/60 Rule. You should be talking 40% and listening 60% of the time. Two ways to show you are listening is to paraphrase and ask good follow-up questions. You don’t have to tell her your whole life story; just leave clues. If she is interested, she’ll ask you–let her play Nancy Drew.

“Don’t reveal too much on the first date. A little mystery is always appreciated.” - Sylvia

“While a date is about getting to know someone, too many ‘I’s’ comes off as self-centered. Instead, ask ‘Do you’ or ‘Have you,’ wait for response and then add your two cents.” - Pearl

“Don’t brag about your Benz, your money, your house, or your $500 jeans. Unless the girl is a money-hungry hussie, all that superficial crap is not impressive. It’s more irritating than anything.” - Ella Mei

4. Tell Her What You Are Passionate About

When we talk about things we are truly passionate about, there is almost always a certain type of energy or excitement we exude. Tell her about what makes you tick, what gets you going, the projects you are involved with and how much fun you have doing it.

“I wouldn’t have said yes to the first date if I didn’t already think he was cute. On the first date, what I’m really looking for is for him to show me he has some fire under the hood.” - Kelli

5. Make Her Laugh

They say humor is the shortest distance between two people. Heed this advice and make her laugh so hard the pasta noodle comes out her nose. If you can make her laugh at least 5 times during the date, you’re halfway home.

“It’s good to be funny, so make jokes, but don’t be too schtick-y. I would avoid overly sexual jokes, or anything that could be seen as racist or sexist (at least until you get to know her better).” - Emily

“I’ll be honest, if a guy can make me laugh on a first date, there will definitely be a second.” - Patricia

6. Show Her Your Carmen Sandiego Side

Travel is always a great conversation piece. Talk about where you’ve been, what you learned, what you saw, and where you want to go next. If you’ve done your job, she’ll be picturing herself with you on that next trip. Oh and if you’ve never really left the shire all that much–shame on you!

“Nothing interests me more than a guy that is well-traveled. It shows he is willing to step out and see new things. It’s boring when a guy says ‘Oh, I don’t leave the city much’ or ‘I’ve only been to LA and Vegas.’” - Gina

7. Concentrate on Me Too’s

Concentrate on trying to say “me too.” If she says she loves reality shows, you should say me too! (provided that you do like them). This can be done with movies, TV shows, music, books, hobbies and practically anything. The key here is to try to find things that you are both interested in and you’ll find that things get easier from there.

“Relate to her on the same favorite movie or type of movie you like and analyze them with her. Challenge her on what she thought about the ending.” - Mira

“Shoot for something meaningful–not too deep as it will scare her, but meaty enough to have a real exchange about–but also quirky.” - Dominique

8. Show Her You’re Plugged In

Talk about what’s current. You don’t have to know about all the latest celeb gossip or be up on all the current events (chances are she’s not either). But do notice what’s current with her. Maybe she got a new haircut since the last time you saw her at so and so’s party. Or maybe tell her again what caught your eye about her in the first place. Let her know that you notice her (women love that stuff).

“Give her a compliment or make a comment on something you know she specifically wore for the date. It could be an article of clothing, her hair, shoes, or something decorative like a bracelet. Noticing the little details of the effort she’s made goes a long way.” - Lory

9. Don’t Say We Unless You Mean Wii

Even if the date is going really well don’t jump the gun and talk about future plans together. This will only get you more dates with your PS3 or Xbox. Sure it might work with some women, but majority of the time it scares them off.

“Don’t assume a second date is a given or start saying ‘we this’ and ‘we that.’ Take it slow because you don’t want to come on too strong, too soon.” - Danica

10. Don’t Just Be Yourself, Be You-nique

I know you were waiting to hear “Just Be Yourself,” but you are not going to get that stock answer here. Just be yourself is an old standby answer that everyone will tell you because it’s easy to say and also requires no effort. If you are truly into this woman, I challenge you to go above and beyond your usual table talk and be You-nique. Standout! Being you-nique is all about being interesting. Talk about things she’s probably never heard of before. Make her feel like she’s never met anyone else like you. If you follow this last tip just right, I can assure you she’ll be raving to all of her friends about you and calling you for the second date.

***

I’d like to thank all the women who submitted their tips. I truly had a lot of fun writing this piece. If you enjoyed this article please consider emailing it to someone or Digging or Stumbling it. Thanks.

The Top 15 Songs to Get You Pumped Up

2008-03-13T04:28:00.003+05:00

photography by flattop341

There are moments in life when you need to get jacked up. They could be when you’re preparing for a big presentation, going to the gym or for a run, getting ready for a big game or just needing to feel the blood and adrenaline rushing through your veins to remind you that you are alive.

Music consisting of a pattern of sounds and silences constructed into an art form is the most consistent way that I know to get amped up. A top 10 list is too restrictive, so I busted out 15 highly diversified, high-octane gems (in no particular order). Enjoy.

“Killing in the Name of” by Rage Against the Machine

Zach de la Rocha brings an unbridled fire that rages through his lyrics, and his pleas for activism make you want to take on the whole world. With a war waging in Iraq, there is no better time than now to dust off this track and listen to Zach’s poetic guttural overture to think and act for ourselves and not do what we’re told.

“Blood” by Pearl Jam

“Blood” is Eddie Vedder’s punch in a 1-2 combination that knocks you down to the canvas looking for oxygen. If you want to lift a small Volkswagen off the ground or just need to get amped at the gym, this track will get you there. This is one of the craziest songs I’ve seen live in concert. With the combination of a strobe light in the background and Eddie going ballistic, the crowd was worked up into such a frenzy that the riot police subsequently quelled with a pepper bomb (like a stink bomb but filled with OC gas).

“Rock N Roll Star” by Oasis

Oasis bangs out this masterpiece that reminds you what you really wanted to be as a kid. You’ll want to take your car and drive really far but there’s no easy way out.

“For Reasons Unknown” by The Killers

The Killers crank out an anthem of longing for that time when things were right and perfect with that special someone. With one deep breath and one big step, Brandon Flowers will get you up and jumping for when your heart beat like it used too.

“Where the Streets Have No Name” by U2

There is never enough that can be said about this magnum opus. The best is the live version from Boston. You could tear down walls and build and burn down love with this as your soundtrack. Because really, it’s all you can do.

“Kickstart My Heart” by Motley Crue

Vince Neil, Nikki Sixx, Mick Mars and Tommy Lee created one of the best songs to get you pumped up ever. Their hard-living lifestyle and general decadence was the inspiration for this 80’s anthem.

“In 1987, Sixx suffered a near-fatal heroin overdose. He was declared legally dead on the way to the hospital, but one medic refused to give up and gave Sixx two shots of adrenaline to the heart, bringing him back to life. His few minutes in death were the inspiration for the band’s song “Kickstart My Heart.”

Play it loud enough and you might even be tempted to sky dive naked from an airplane.

“Rock and Roll” by Led Zeppelin

“Rock and Roll” is how the west was won. Robert Plant, Jimmy Page, John Paul Jones and John Bonham bust onto the scene in 1968 and we’ve been counting our lucky stars ever since. This should be your first track that you listen to when you get behind the wheel of a Porsche, Ferrari or Lamborghini for the first time. Crank it all the way up, stomp the gas pedal to the floorboard and beg the cops to catch you as you wave them the middle finger. They might carry you back to jail, but you won’t forget about the time you rock and rolled.

“Soldier” by Eminem

Eminem’s “Soldier” is a perfect workout song. You’ll get so jacked up that your shoulders will hold so much, won’t budge, never fall or fold up. Even if your collar bones crush or crumble.

“Hit ‘Em Up” by Tupac

Tupac’s “Hit ‘Em Up” is a lyrical assault on Biggie Smalls. 2Pac accused Biggie of setting him up in regards to his shooting in 1994. What’s better than a revenge song to get you charged up? Nothing because you’re about to feel the wrath of a menace.

“Master of Puppets” by Metallica

“Master of Puppets” is one of the first songs I listened to as a teenager. Kirk Hammett and James Hetfield kick off this killer track with what Total Guitar magazine called “the greatest riff of all time.” If it doesn’t get your blood pumping, you’re clinically dead.

“Welcome to the Jungle” by Guns N’ Roses

Gun’s N’ Roses gives Metallica a run for their money with “Welcome to the Jungle.” You know where you are? You’re in the jungle, baby. You’re gonna die. There’s not much I can add to top your appetite for destruction.

“Cochise” by Audioslave

“Cochise” can best be illustrated by watching the music video. Fireworks mixed with a devilish bass line and Chris Cornell’s throaty rage to go and save yourself. Can you ask for much more?

“Feeling This” by Blink 182

Tom DeLonge, Mark Hoppus and Travis Barker lay all out on “Feeling This.” Show me the bedroom floor. Show me the bathroom mirror. “Feeling This” will show you the way you move. And that I got no regret right now.

“A Decade Under the Influence” by Taking Back Sunday

Taking Back Sunday delivers with “A Decade Under the Influence.” Adam Lazzara and John Nolan’s screaming back and forth that they got a bad feeling about this takes angst to the next level. Juices will be sure to be flowing.

“Johnny B. Goode” by Jimi Hendrix

Finally, Jimi Hendrix finishes off with a live rendition of Chuck Berry’s “Johnny B. Goode.” Asking the crowd if it’s too loud, they respond “No way!” Ranked by Rolling Stone as the 7th greatest song of all time, the guitar licks and driving beat will have you yelling, “Go, go, Johnny, go, go!” It’s literally a rock-and-roll version of the American dream. For that blessing, we can never give Chuck Berry enough praise.

Did I leave something off the list? Feel free to leave a comment with your top 5.

Gym Etiquette: Do You Make These Mistakes?

2008-03-13T04:15:00.002+05:00

The gym represents so many things to different people. For some, it is a safe haven after a taxing day at work. For others, it is a glorified happy hour to pick up dimes (chicks). But for most, the gym is an ally to fight that never ending war: “The Battle of the Bulge.”

Whether you’re a weekend warrior at Average Joe’s Gym or a meat-headed freak from Globo Gym, there are a few rules of etiquette to follow so you don’t end up being “that guy.”

The Fashion Show

Loose clothing is optimal. CLEAN shirts, sweatpants, athletic shorts, and sneakers will do. Please leave the cutoff jean shorts and pajama pants at home.

Wipe Me Down

Imagine Patrick Ewing at the foul line in triple overtime. Now imagine Patrick Ewing bench pressing and no ball boys there to wipe up his mess. Kinda gross. Most gyms have brown paper towels for a reason, so use them when needed or bring your own towel.

Starbucks

Do a few reps, drink a cup of coffee, read the New York Times, update your fantasy team, do another set, wait 15 minutes, then repeat. Are you (expletive) serious!? Stop hogging the equipment. Hogging will only irritate other gym patrons who actually give a (expletive) about their workout.

Avoid Bad Form

What good are all those swinging and swaying motions during your barbell curls if you’re not intending to audition for “So You Think You Can Dance?” Using hip thrust momentum to get that weight up does not impress the judges. Those out-of-control, spastic gyrations only invite injury.

Gym goers should use strict form during their workouts. Lifting weights require controlled movements to achieve that “orgasmic” pump as Arnold refers to. The “pump” is a great indication that you are performing the exercise correctly. One more rep!

Beware of B.O.

There is nothing worse than having someone with rank body odor jump on the treadmill next to you during your workout. Yes, it is true that women can smell pheromones, but they don’t want to smell your stank ass.

Eye Candy

At times the gym can be one big meat market. There is nothing wrong with noticing that Jessica Biel booty walking by, but don’t make it a staring contest. Next time, use the mirrors at a 45 degree angle to check out that hottie.

10 Guys and a Bench

Workout partners are great to have on so many levels. A partner to push you to your max is the best supplement a guy could have in his diet. But do you really need 10 guys to spot you? One person lifts, then the next, then the next, etc. It’s like a merry-go-round. This falls into the same category of the Starbucks idea. How many more sets you guys got? “We’ll be here for awhile” is not the answer I want to hear.

Nice Rack

All gyms require you to re-rack your weights when you’re done. It would bother me too if I couldn’t find the matching dumbbell that’s on the other side of the gym.

Man in the Mirror

People fail to realize that the mirror is a great workout tool but not so much for narcissistic purposes. Use the mirror to check if your form is up to par. When you see your muscles being worked, veins start popping out, and you know that it’s working. Seeing is believing. Like equipment, the mirror must be shared with all gym goers. Jumping in front of someone during their seated military press will disrupt their focus and make them go “Hulk Smash” on your head.

I’m sure there are tons of other points I have not touched on. Feel free to leave some of your suggestions in the comments section.

Shower with 100 Women? Yes, Please.

2008-03-13T04:09:00.001+05:00

images courtesy of The Shower Project

This is one of those stories where someone tells you about it, and you automatically want to check it out because you’re like no fuckin way.

“The Shower Project Goal: Shower with 100 women by the end of 1999 and document it.

It has been almost a decade now since “The Shower Project” was launched, but still to this day I find it truly remarkable that this man actually pulled it off.

Project Background: I work in the film industry and about a year and a half ago on the set of a film, the grip/electric guys were convinced I was pretending to be gay to “get” women. They would walk by me when I had my arm around a women and whisper things like, “We’re on to you, Brian.” Anyway, to taunt my taunters I thought I would shower with several of these women and take a picture of it. I thought about it and talked about it and finally obsession set in and I set a goal to shower with 100 women by the end of the year. “

So do you have a favorite girl from the shower project? (I like Girl #94 & #98) Let us know who your favorite girl was by leaving a comment below.

Note: There is no nudity on the site.

How to Keep the Woman in Your Life Happy

2008-03-13T03:55:00.000+05:00

Since the dawn of mankind, men and women have boggled their minds trying to understand one another. Moreover, men have struggled to figure out what it takes to make the women in their lives happy.

Honestly guys, while women can be very complex, most don’t require much to keep them happy. I asked both single and attached women alike, “What does it take to keep you happy in a relationship?” In no particular order, here’s how they answered in the form of ten helpful tips.

1) Be yourself. This is the probably the easiest piece of advice one could give you, but it’s simply the truth. For instance, don’t act like a “bad boy” just because she’s only dated “bad boys” in the past. There’s a reason why she fell for you in the first place, so just continue being yourself, cause it’s working for you.

2) Do little things for her. Offer to pick-up her dry cleaning or buy her a bag of her favorite gummy bears; these simple gestures show that you care and are thinking of her on a regular basis, says Patty, 26. There’s a fine line though, she continues, “Don’t get whipped. You gotta have some of your own stances to remain of interest to her.”

3) Appreciate her. Remember to say please and thank you, and don’t be afraid to tell her that you appreciate all she does for you. Nidia, 28 says, “I have a sense of value about myself and I want to know that he values me just as much.” Not taking each other for granted and appreciating her is key in a good relationship.

4) Keep your eyes on her. Girls get that guys have a wandering eye—a Victoria Secret model look-alike comes in your line of vision, and we know you’re going to gawk! (Girls do it too, but we’re just more tactful and/or slick about it.) When you’re with your girl, be respectful and keep all googly-eyed staring to a minimum. This is not to say only have eyes for her, but definitely be mindful that this behavior may bother her and mess with her self-confidence.

5) Keep her laughing. A good sense of humor is another no-brainer way to keep your girl. Kudos to you if making her laugh comes naturally, but don’t worry if she doesn’t get your humor right off. Keep her laughing, as “it will be harder to make her mad with a smile on both your faces,” proclaims Patricia, 29.

6) Take interest in something she’s passionate about. You love sports and she loves the ballet. It’s not necessary to be into the same things, however, understanding the reasons why she’s passionate about ballet wouldn’t be a bad idea. Showing interest in something she cares about shows you care about her, and infinitely makes her feel good about herself and the relationship.

7) Keep yourself groomed. Okay, you got her…but that’s not an open invitation to stop caring about your appearance! Keep eating healthy and hitting the gym. Continue to shave (unless she likes you scruffy), trim unwanted ear and nose hairs, and wear clean and stylish clothes. (If you never cared much about these grooming rituals, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to start.)

8) Be open to getting to know her family and friends. “If he is open to the idea [of getting to know them], it means he cares about knowing who is important in your life, and the people that helped shape the way you are,” states Kyla, 25. It’s a great way to show your gal that you’re serious; a commitment statement. “Also, having a guy who is confident enough to have fun hanging out with [your] friends is a great trait.”

9) Be considerate. For instance, if you’re running late to meet her or decided to join a few co-workers for drinks before heading home, be considerate and let her know. I know what you’re probably thinking—it’s unnecessary because you don’t keep tabs on each other and she’s not your “keeper”. That’s not the case at all. “Telling us ahead of time that you have to cancel or are running late is always a good idea and will result in a better outcome…especially if an argument is involved,” says Patricia, 29.

10) Be open to trying new things. Don’t let your relationship become too predictable and monotonous. Keep things fresh – be willing to try new things together. “It keeps [the relationship] enjoyable and you learn more about the person’s likes and dislikes,” Monina, 25 says.

Obviously, there are some girls that require much more attention and care than the aforementioned. Provided she’s not super needy or a gold-digger, following these simple tips can make a difference in your relationship, whether it’s new and blossoming or long-term and solid.

Evolution of a Manager

2008-03-13T03:24:00.004+05:00

New Manager

 10 PRINT "HELLO WORLD"
 20 END

Middle Manager

 mail -s "Hello, world." bob@b12

 Bob, could you please write me a program that prints "Hello, world."?

I need it by tomorrow.

^D

Senior Manager

 % zmail jim

I need a "Hello, world." program by this afternoon.

Chief Executive

 % letter
 letter: Command not found.

% mail
 To: ^X ^F ^C

% help mail
 help: Command not found.

% damn!
 !: Event unrecognized

% logout

Kershaw has stuff to make team

2008-03-11T18:04:00.005+05:00

FT. MYERS, Fla. -- The Dodgers don't want to rush Clayton Kershaw. But their fifth-starter job is up for grabs and left-handers with 97-mph fastballs don't grow on trees.

For now, Kershaw remains in Minor League camp. But his debut with the big leaguers earlier this week was eye-catching. It's now assumed he will be a Major Leaguer this year, the only question is when.

Could it be by Opening Day?

"I wouldn't be surprised," said Russell Martin, who caught Kershaw's inning against Washington on Tuesday night.

"For the first time in a big league game -- wow. He's got just a heavy, heavy fastball and an easy delivery. He's very deceptive. His curveball, it just drops off the table. I think it's the best curveball I've ever caught, to be honest. He keeps the ball down. You can see he's a tremendous competitor, giving up a home run to the first batter, getting into a bases-loaded jam and bearing down to strike out two guys to get out of it.

"It's just how easy he throws. He's mechanically sound. I don't think he needs to learn anything mechanically. He looks polished. He wasn't holding anything back, he was just going after it. He's only 19. Man, that's impressive."

Martin said even with the hype that has accompanied Kershaw, he saw things he didn't expect.

"A left-hander throwing 97 with a power curve, that's pretty unique," Martin said. "And he's got a changeup, but he only used it once. He didn't really need it. They couldn't get the bat head out, so why help them? I heard a lot of things about the guy, but I like to make my own opinion. A lot of young guys get called up early and have done well. Hopefully, he can be one of those guys."

Kershaw, a first-round Draft pick in 2006, will turn 20 on March 19. Fernando Valenzuela was still 19 when he debuted as a Dodgers reliever and 20 when he backed into an Opening Day start in 1981. The next thing the Dodgers knew, it was Fernandomania.

The Fernandos come along about once a generation. The Dodgers thought they might have had another one in Edwin Jackson, who debuted on his 20th birthday in 2003 and beat Randy Johnson. But a quick flameout (he's trying to rebound after a trade to Tampa Bay) makes Jackson the poster child for rushed talent wasted.

If the Jackson debacle isn't enough to make management cautious, there also are the cases of high school left-handers Greg Miller and Scott Elbert, whose promising careers have been slowed by injuries.

So management must weigh whether Kershaw is one of the five best starting pitchers in the organization on Opening Day, against whether his career is best served with more seasoning. It's entirely likely that both are true.

Jason Schmidt won't be ready the first time the fifth-starter spot comes up April 8. Esteban Loaiza is the leading candidate, with Hong-Chih Kuo, Eric Stults and Jason Johnson in the mix. But none of them can make scouts row buzz like Kershaw.

"I wouldn't be shocked," pitching coach Rick Honeycutt said of Kershaw opening the season in his rotation. "The stuff is there -- it's electric. His poise is uncanny for his age. But is all the other stuff there? Is it a complete package? You can go back to Edwin Jackson, but this guy is primarily a pitcher, whereas Edwin was a converted position player -- an athlete.

"I've only seen Clayton pitch one inning of a Minor League game and one inning of our game. You look at his stats and see he had more walks than you want to see for the level (67 in 122 innings last year). So you just want to be sure he's fully equipped before you throw him into the situation. It's only a matter of time. But when's the right time for the young man?"

Honeycutt said there are no specific plans for Kershaw to pitch in another Major League exhibition game, as the current pitchers in camp need their innings, but he hoped to see Kershaw in one or two games before the club leaves Florida for Arizona on March 17.

Clayton Kershaw Has Curves

2008-03-11T17:58:00.002+05:00

I tell you, that curve is a thing of beauty. When a 19-year-old A-ball prospect — a highly-touted one, yes, but still — can buckle the knees of a decent major league hitter with his stuff, it’s pretty special. The kid needs to make the majors one day so I can watch curveballs like that all the time.

Kershaw’s performance in Florida has brought out the Promote Him to Los Angeles crazies. I mean, yes, our fifth starter currently appears to be Esteban Loaiza. That’s a little disconcerting. But it doesn’t mean the Dodgers can’t do well, and it certainly doesn’t mean there’s any reason to rush Kershaw to the majors before he’s ready.

According to The Baseball Cube, Kershaw’s career minor league stats are like this:

10-7, 159 IP, 117 H, 217 K, 72 BB, 17 WP, 2.72 ERA, 1.19 WHIP

Divide those up by levels for better analysis.

GCL Dodgers (Rookie): 2-0, 37 IP, 28 H, 54 K, 5 BB, 8 WP, 1.95 ERA, 0.89 WHIP
Great Lakes Loons (A): 7-5, 97.1 IP, 72 H, 134 K, 50 BB, 8 WP, 2.77 ERA, 1.25 WHIP
Jacksonville Suns (AA): 1-2, 24.2 IP, 17 H, 29 K, 17 BB, 1 WP, 3.65 ERA, 1.38 WHIP

I put wild pitches in there because I think, combined with his walk rate, it’s indicative of how he needs to develop better control — even when he’s not walking people, he’s still a little unrefined in the control department. At Great Lakes, he had a walk rate of over 4 1/2 walks per nine innings, and when he got to Jacksonville, it jumped to over six walks per nine innings. That’s a lot of walks. To his credit, his hit rates are all under 7 per nine and his strikeout rates are all over 10 per nine, but this is all minor league stuff. I’m no expert, but I don’t think that, in the majors, his walks would go down and he’d maintain the hit and K rates. Call me crazy.

If we see him in September, I’m okay with that, but I’d hate for him to be rushed to the majors just because someone had a panic attack about how our fifth starter isn’t very good. That’s why he’s a fifth starter. That’s no cause for alarm given what we have in the rest of the rotation. If we had held on to Brett Tomko and Mark Hendrickson and planned to use them as starters, then yeah, I’d worry, but that’s not the case. The Dodgers need to be careful with this kid and not trade him anywhere and then bring him up when he can’t possibly abuse minor league hitting any further. Rushing him could be costly. Maybe it won’t be, but is that a chance you want to take?

The kid has a serious heater and a nasty curve, and I can’t wait to see him make the big club. Now is just not the time.

Kershaw will stay a while with Dodgers

2008-03-11T17:54:00.002+05:00

he day that started with Manager Joe Torre's maintaining that the 19-year-old left-hander wasn't contending for a spot in the rotation ended with his revealing that the organization's top prospect would spend the remainder of the spring in major league camp. The decision to move up Kershaw from minor league camp, Torre said, was made before Kershaw threw only 10 pitches in a 1-2-3 fourth inning in the Dodgers' 4-0 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Sunday in front of 9,293, the largest crowd to ever see a game at Holman Stadium.

"It won't hurt him to be around the camp and be able to have the experience," said Torre, reemphasizing the Kershaw wasn't being looked at as a potential member of the rotation.

Kershaw said he was surprised by the news, which was first delivered to him by pitching coach Rick Honeycutt.

"I'm pretty excited," he said.

And, from Russell Martin's view behind home plate, pretty spectacular.

"He keeps his fastball down and knee high," Martin said. "There's not really much you can do with a 96-mile-per-hour fastball knee high. And he has that tremendous breaking ball. The hitters have to pick one because if they're sitting on one, they can't hit the other. He's pitching like a major-league pitcher. You can just tell by how the hitters are reacting to his stuff, getting jammed, buckling on curveballs."

Buckling on one of those curveballs and striking out looking to end the inning was Sean Casey. Earlier, Kershaw retired Mike Lowell on a popup and J.D. Drew on a broken-bat groundout.

"I wish he had a Red Sox uniform on," Boston Manager Terry Francona said. "I can see why he's the buzz of spring training."

Relayed Francona's words, Torre replied with a grin, "Tell him it's tampering and I'll report him to the commissioner's office."

In a more serious moment, Torre stressed the importance of not rushing the kid.

"The thing that we have to make sure we put first is what's best for him," Torre said. "What's best for him is going to be the best for the organization in the long term."

Loaiza impressive

Esteban Loaiza, who is in line to be the Dodgers' fifth starter, struck out four batters over three scoreless innings. His health problems behind him, Loaiza said he has been able to be consistent with his throwing motion, something he struggled to do in his injury-riddled 2007 season.

Torre was impressed, noting how Loaiza worked his way through a Red Sox lineup that included David Ortiz, Manny Ramirez and Lowell.

On the mend

Closer Takashi Saito said that he didn't feel any pain in his strained right calf during fielding drills and that he would throw a side session today. "I'd have to put more pressure on my leg, so I still feel uncertain. But if I'm afraid, I can't advance." . . . With Andruw Jones by his side to translate, Torre spoke to infield prospect Tony Abreu, who rushed himself back from an injury only to hurt himself again in his spring debut Friday. "I just let him know that we want to get him well," Torre said. . . . Nomar Garciaparra remained sidelined because of swelling in his right hand. . . . Backup catcher Gary Bennett, who was inactive for two days because of back spasms, resumed activity. . . . Mark Sweeney, who had his knee drained last week, also started working out again. . . . Until Sunday, the largest crowd to see a game at Holman Stadium was 9,028 fans on March 10, 1991 for a contest against the New York Mets. . . . Matt Kemp's second home run of the spring was a monster, a three-run shot against Daisuke Matsuzaka that cleared the grassy knoll behind the left-field fence.

Lawmaker wants you to show yourself online

2008-03-11T17:51:00.002+05:00

One of the great things about the internet is to be able to post on forums or leave comments somewhere yet remain completely anonymous. Well if one Kentucky lawmaker has his way, anonymous internet postings may be going the way of the buffalo.

Representative Tim Couch filed a bill this week to make anonymous posting online illegal. The bill would require anyone who contributes to a website to register their real name, address and e-mail address with that site. Their full name would be used anytime a comment is posted.

If the bill becomes law, the website operator would have to pay if someone was allowed to post anonymously on their site. The fine would be five-hundred dollars for a first offense and one-thousand dollars for each offense after that.

He says it will cut down on online bullying...but c'mon, isn't that half the fun of posting online?

Ethan Bortnick Makes His Second Appearance on the Tonight Show

2008-03-11T17:49:00.001+05:00

I don’t have a faint clue as to who he is, but Ethan will be appearing to promote his newly released DVD and CD - “Live in Concert By Me Ethan Bortnick” on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno on March 10, 2008.

Young Musician, Pianist, Composer Ethan Bortnick will be on a promotional tour, promoting the in-store release of his first ever live DVD titled “Live in Concert - ‘By Me’ - Ethan Bortnick.” Ethan is making history as the youngest entertainer, composer and musician to record a DVD with his own live concert for worldwide distribution.

The first stop is the Tonight Show with Jay Leno on March 10, 2008. Ethan will be chatting with Jay Leno and then performing some of his pieces from the DVD.

Ethan has performed solo concerts and has also performed for live audiences of over 20,000 people on many occasions. Ethan has wowed audiences with his skills and personality and has played to the astonishment of Patti LaBelle, Jay Leno, Cameron Diaz, Diane Sawyer, Nelly Furtado, Jason Alexander, Rush Limbaugh, Pamela Anderson, Martha Stewart, John Voight, and many more musicians and celebrities.

“Ethan has the makings of a virtuoso; he has perfect pitch, plays over 200 songs from memory, and exhibits extreme improvisational skills,” says producer and Managing Partner of Savor Records, Lily Saborit.

Ethan Bortnick

2008-03-11T17:40:00.003+05:00

7 Year Old Musician and Composer Ethan Bortnick Makes His Second Appearance on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno on March 10, 2008 Ethan will be appearing to promote his newly released DVD and CD - "Live in Concert By Me Ethan Bortnick."

Miami, FL, March 07, 2008 - Young Musician, Pianist, Composer Ethan Bortnick will be on a promotional tour, promoting the in-store release of his first ever live DVD titled "Live in Concert - 'By Me' - Ethan Bortnick." Ethan is making history as the youngest entertainer, composer and musician to record a DVD with his own live concert for worldwide distribution.The first stop is the Tonight Show with Jay Leno on March 10, 2008. Ethan will be chatting with Jay Leno and then performing some of his pieces from the DVD.Ethan has performed solo concerts and has also performed for live audiences of over 20,000 people on many occasions. Ethan has wowed audiences with his skills and personality and has played to the astonishment of Patti LaBelle, Jay Leno, Cameron Diaz, Diane Sawyer, Nelly Furtado, Jason Alexander, Rush Limbaugh, Pamela Anderson, Martha Stewart, John Voight, and many more musicians and celebrities."Ethan has the makings of a virtuoso; he has perfect pitch, plays over 200 songs from memory, and exhibits extreme improvisational skills," says producer and Managing Partner of Savor Records, Lily Saborit.

Spitzer is linked to prostitution ring

2008-03-11T16:59:00.002+05:00

Gov. Eliot Spitzer has informed his most senior administration officials that he had been involved in a prostitution ring, an administration official said this morning.

Mr. Spitzer, who was huddled with his top aides early this afternoon, had hours earlier abruptly canceled his scheduled public events for the day. He is set to make an announcement about 2:15 this afternoon at his Manhattan office.

Osama, Mullah Omar not Pakistan’s enemies

2008-03-10T18:15:00.001+05:00

* Maulana Faqir says US biggest terrorist in world

KHAR: A pro-Taliban leader in the Tribal Areas said on Sunday that Al Qaeda chief Osama Bin Laden and fugitive Taliban militant leader Mullah Omar were “not enemies of Pakistan”.

Addressing a rally near Khar, the main town of Bajaur tribal district bordering Afghanistan, Maulana Faqir Muhammad said that US President George W Bush was the “biggest enemy” of Pakistan.

Biggest terrorist: “America is the biggest terrorist in the world and the current war in Pakistan has been imposed as a consequence of American policy,” Faqir said.

“As compared to Pakistani rulers, Osama Bin Laden and Mullah Omar are the biggest well-wishers of Pakistan. They are not enemies of Pakistan,” he said.

“US President Bush is the biggest enemy of Pakistan … Pakistani rulers’ backing of Bush has caused grave harm to the country,” Faqir said, referring to the close alliance between Washington and President Pervez Musharraf in the US-led ‘war on terror’.

“The mujahedeen have the right to wage jihad against the rulers in the nooks and corners of the country as a result of continued operations against them. We do not want to capture the government, but we want imposition of an Islamic system in the country,” Faqir said.

He had told a press conference in December that Osama was possibly in “some safe area inside Afghanistan”, adding that if he came to Bajaur “we will give him a warm welcome.”

Faqir’s relatively new umbrella group, the United Taliban Movement of Pakistan, is said to have been established to unite Taliban activities in the semi-autonomous tribal belt and other parts of northwestern Pakistan.

Security forces have fought increasingly fierce battles against Al Qaeda and Taliban militants in the tribal belt since 2003.

The Taliban were ousted from power in Afghanistan by a US-led invasion in November 2001, shortly after the September 11, 2001 attacks, blamed on Osama. Musharraf has been seen in Washington as a bulwark against Al Qaeda and the Taliban, but northwestern Pakistan has seen the worst of a wave of violence blamed on Al Qaeda and Taliban militants that has swept the country in recent months. AFP

Murree Declaration - A landmark Achievement for Democracy in Pakistan

2008-03-10T17:27:00.003+05:00

Six-point Murree Declaration --- Text of the summit declaration The News, March 09, 2008 MURREE: Following is the text of the six-point summit declaration regarding the formation of the government finalized between the Pakistan People’s Party and the Pakistan Muslim League (N) at Murree on Sunday. PML (N) leader Mian Nawaz Sahrif and co-chairman PPP Asif Ali Zardari signed this declaration in Bhurban on Sunday. Text: 1-Allied parties, the Pakistan People’s Party and the Pakistan Muslim League (N) resolve to form a coalition government for giving a practical shape to the mandate, which was given to the democratic forces by the people of Pakistan on February 18, 2008. 2-This has been decided in today’s summit between the PPP and the PML (N) that the deposed judges would be restored, on the position as they were on November 2, 2007, within 30 days of the formation of the federal government through a parliamentary resolution. 3-The parties agreed that all allied parties would fully support the candidate for the position of the prime minister, nominated by the PPP. The PML (N) suggested that the candidate for prime minister should be such person who can take ahead the common agenda of the allied parties. 4-The parties agreed that the speaker and the deputy speaker of the national assembly would be from the PPP while the speaker and the deputy speaker of the Punjab assembly would be from the PML (N). 5-Both the parties agreed that the PML (N) would be a part of the federal government while the PPP would be a part of the Punjab government. 6-This is the solid opinion of the leaderships of both the parties that the allied parties are ready for forming the governments and the sessions of the national and provincial assemblies be summoned immediately.

Restoring the judges
By Ahmad Faruqui, Dawn, March 10, 2008 WITH those words, 19th century British statesman William Gladstone coined a phrase that has echoed in political and legal discourse ever since. Indeed, he could have been speaking about Pakistan today. A miscarriage of justice took place in Islamabad exactly one year and one day ago. It has not been rectified. The defining moment for the incoming, popularly elected government will come when it tackles the issue. It should think of the constitutional legacy of Quaid-i-Azam M.A. Jinnah, who was also one of the subcontinent’s finest attorneys. The Quaid would have been proud of the role played by Iftikhar Chaudhry, Aitzaz Ahsan, Munir Malik and their cohorts in last year’s movement for judicial independence. They are the real heroes of 2007. Their deeds inspired the Black Coat Revolution when thousands of attorneys took to the streets in defence of civil law and in defiance of martial law. Without their courage and exemplary conduct, which has won global acclaim, there would have been no democratic revolution on Feb 18. Unfortunately, even though three weeks have elapsed since the general elections, the need to restore the 63 judges is not visible in the political agenda of the electoral winners. This lack of priority may well be the handiwork of the Bush administration. It continues to meddle in Pakistani politics even though the electorate voted overwhelmingly against the King’s party, in large measure because Musharraf was seen to be an American puppet. The White House, depressed at the electoral outcome, is doing its utmost to salvage the Musharraf presidency. That is the view of many including Barbara Boxer, a US Senator from California. She is aghast that while Washington is busy spending billions of dollars in Iraq to set up a judiciary, it is taking no action to help restore the judiciary in a country which already has one. Ms Boxer poses a rhetorical question: “Imagine what would happen if President Bush went to the microphone and said: ‘Today I’m firing the Supreme Court and all the judges can go home!’” She opines that the Bush administration has concluded that re-seating the deposed judges would lead to Musharraf’s removal from office. The White House is doing everything it can to prevent that from happening and does not care that this undercuts its commitment to democracy. Tom Malinowski, Washington advocacy director for Human Rights Watch, has reached a similar conclusion. He adds that by failing to take a strong and vocal position on the restoration of the deposed judges, Washington is not helping to control the rising anti-American sentiment in Pakistan. Notwithstanding his plummeting popularity at home, Bush still seems to wield considerable influence in Pakistan. Sadly, many Pakistani political leaders and even some analysts have begun to argue that judicial restoration is not in the country’s interest. The first job, according to this argument, is to restore democracy to the country. They contend that if the new government takes up the issue of judicial restoration, it will be sucked into a quagmire. But people who put forward this argument are subscribing to a double standard. Where were these ‘defenders of democracy’ when Musharraf was dismantling the Constitution, removing the judges of the Supreme Court at will and arresting the most senior attorneys of the country as if they were thugs and hooligans? Those who are objecting to judicial restoration are trying to have it both ways. They are either supporting democracy or they are supporting dictatorship, since without an independent judiciary, there is no democracy. We don’t have to wait for history to pass judgment on them. Their canard stands exposed. Some have equated the restoration of the judges with the impeachment of Pervez Musharraf. Since the latter requires a two-thirds majority in parliament, and since this seems to be beyond reach, the proponents of this view are suggesting that the former issue be tabled. But removal of the judges, as many eminent jurists have argued, requires a simple majority which is clearly in hand. Some assert it can be ordered by the Cabinet. The impeachment issue is nothing but a diversion. The new political leadership has to deliver on the heavy mandate for change that the electorate has conferred on it or it will undermine its credibility. The voters have declared that they want illegal acts committed by the Musharraf regime to be nullified. The new parliament will not be breaking any law if it restores the judiciary. Some have argued that a restored judiciary will be beholden to the new political parties and will be unable to function in an unbiased fashion. Non sequiturs deserve no response. Others have argued that if Musharraf’s back is pushed to the wall, he will declare another emergency and may even proclaim martial law (but that would almost certainly lead to his handing over power to Gen Kayani). If any purpose is to be served by the general elections and if the restoration of democracy is to carry any meaning, then all such political intimidation has to be faced down. There is no room for threats in a democracy. The Pakistan Resolution was not passed in 1940 so that the voice of the people would be muffled by the barrel of a gun 68 years later. A final argument is that Musharraf should be kept in power because he has given Pakistan the gift of democracy; that it would be ungrateful on the part of those who have won the elections to vote against their benefactor. This is tantamount to saying that the sacrifices made by the jurists and lawyers should be forgotten and that these brave men should be allowed to slip into history without a trace. Such a travesty of justice should not be allowed to stand. It rewards extra-judicial tampering with the Constitution and sets a terrible precedent. It is time for the nation to turn a new leaf. March is always a good month for spring cleaning in the northern hemisphere so why should Pakistan be any exception? There is no turning back. The new order has arrived and the old order must perish. Democracy cannot co-exist with dictatorship. The new leadership should not fear the overhang of the previous regime. It derives its power from the people. The day it thinks its power derives from Musharraf, that day it will become powerless. In the coming weeks, the forces that stand for change will duel it out on the political stage with the forces that stand for the status quo. This conflict evokes two French proverbs: “No army can stop an idea whose time has come”, which comes from Victor Hugo, and “The more things change, the more they stay the same”, from Alphonse Karr. Hopefully, in this encounter Hugo will trump Karr. Should that not happen, more sacrifices will be required to put democracy back on track and the country on the road to sustainable political and economic development.

Bush vetoes bill banning waterboarding

2008-03-10T16:39:00.003+05:00

President Bush said Saturday he vetoed legislation that would ban the CIA from using harsh interrogation methods such as waterboarding to break suspected terrorists because it would end practices that have prevented attacks.

Justice DVNO music video

2008-03-10T16:36:00.000+05:00

I'm so excited about this video, if it doesn't win something, I'll throw myself onto the train tracks. ENJOY!

Scandal, intrigue on the YouTubes: Hot hot sex

2008-03-10T16:26:00.005+05:00

YouTube is investigating a sudden surge in traffic that boosted a clip of a Brazilian pop band to the top of its most viewed video chart.

The clip called Music is My Hot Hot Sex is by the Brazilian electro band Cansei De Ser Sexy and it has been viewed by nearly 90 million people.

However, in just three weeks, it got 40 million views pushing it from tenth place to YouTube's top position and the surge has left YouTube fans wondering if the 'books have been cooked'.

Hunter S. Thompson

2008-03-10T16:23:00.001+05:00

Rare footage of the man who everybody wants to know about. It seems that even Thompson was confused and torn by his own self image that he himself had helped to mold in his books.

Obama overwhelms Clinton, wins Wyoming by 23 percent

2008-03-10T16:16:00.003+05:00

Obama captured the Wyoming caucuses, winning an amazing 61 percent of the votes to Clinton's 38 percent. Obama now has won 13 caucuses to Clinton's three, showing a particularly distinct strength in the Mountain West. And a humorous side note: It turns out that Clinton's infamous "3 a.m. girl" is a staunch Obama supporter!!

Energy Saving Tips

2008-03-07T02:46:00.001+05:00

There are many ways in which you can use energy more efficiently and save money at the same time. EDF Energy have put together the following energy saving tips that will help you reduce your fuel bills at little or no cost.

TIPS AT NO COST

Curtains

At night, pull the curtains to stop heat being lost through the windows
Take care not to drape curtains over radiators as this will funnel heat straight out of the windows

Heating

Turning the thermostat down by just 1°C can cut as much as 10% off your heating bills
You can also save on running costs by heating your home for an hour less each day
Never cover the air flow vents on electric heaters

Water

Remember not to set the thermostat too high on your water heater; 60°C/140°F is usually adequate for bathing and washing
Use a shower if you have one and you'll save time, money and water
Remember to put the plug in your basin or sink - leaving hot water taps running is both wasteful and expensive
If you have a dripping tap ensure it is repaired quickly. In just one day, you could waste enough hot water to fill a bath

Lights

Remember to turn off lights when you leave a room for long periods

Television and Hi-Fi

Switch off your TV, video and Hi-Fi at the set. Standby can use as much as 10%-60% of the electricity that would be used by the device if it was switched on.

Fridges and Freezers

Defrost fridges and freezers regularly to keep them running efficiently
Don't put hot or warm food straight into the fridge - let it cool down first
Where possible, position your fridge or freezer away from cookers or heaters

Washing machines

Where possible wait until you have a full load before using your washing machine
Alternatively, use the half-load or economy programme if your machine has one
Remember: modern washing detergents work just as well at low temperatures

Dishwashers

If you have a dishwasher use the low-temperature program unless you have very dirty dishes

Cooking

Here are some ways to save energy when you cook:

Use the right size pan for the food and cooker hob
Keep saucepan lids on - this enables you to turn down the heat
Don't use more water than you need
Use a kettle to boil water for cooking
Use a toaster rather than the grill to make toast
Avoid over-filling the kettle for just one drink but be sure to cover the element

TIPS WITH LITTLE COST

Low energy light bulbs

Use low energy light bulbs wherever you can as they use less than a quarter of the electricity used by ordinary light bulbs and can last up to 15 times longer!

Hot water cylinder jacket

Putting a lagging jacket around your hot water tank and insulating hot water pipes can pay for itself in a few months and go on saving you money for years to come

Always choose a British Standard jacket

Draft Proofing

Put draught strips around windows and outside doors and fit a flap across the letter-box

Safety First! Gas, oil and solid fuel appliances need fresh air to function properly and safely. So if you are using such appliances NEVER block off ventilation in the rooms they are in!

The following tips cost more, but they'll help you save more too:

Loft insulation

If you are prepared to invest more in making your home energy efficient, lost insulation can help you reduce your fuel bills significantly. Up to 25% of heat loss occurs through lofts which are not insulated! So although this is not a low cost option, it will soon pay for itself in lower energy bills, therefore it makes economic sense. A minimum thickness of 250mm glass fibre or mineral wool is recommended.

Cavity wall insulation

Insulation can be put into cavity walls and can save up to 35% of heat loss through walls, but this work should always be carried out by a qualified installer. If you live in rented accommodation, you should get your landlord's permission before you start the work.

Beckhams buy prime locations

2008-03-07T02:39:00.002+05:00

David Beckham's bulge may have come under scrutiny in an Armani underwear ad, but that hasn't deterred Prime Minister Gordon Brown from inviting the soccer star to No. 10 Downing Street for a private meeting. It's all for a good cause though, the LA Galaxy midfielder says the PM has an interest in sports and helping Beckham's football academy. Some say the Prime Minister is pinning his hopes on Beckham to help England secure the rights to host the 2018 World Cup. The meeting at the exclusive Downing Street address highlights just how far he has come from his beginnings in a modest terrace in Leytonstone, East London.

The former Manchester United and Real Madrid soccer star catapulted into superstardom when he met and married Posh Spice – of the Spice Girls – during the ‘90s. Since then, the couple, who have now moved from Spain to a prime location in California, have travelled the world living in sumptuous multi-million dollar properties. They reportedly paid $US18.2 million for their latest mansion, which is a six-bedroom Italian villa-style manor nestled in the Hollywood Hills. The single-story retreat is set on 1.25 acres, boasts city and ocean views, nine bathrooms and a swimming pool, all set behind iron gates at the end of a private drive. The pair paid for their latest home from their Hazelhurst Trust, a name that stems from the first house Beckham bought – a four-bedroom abode on Hazlehurst Road at Worsley in Greater Manchester.

The Beckhams moved to California last year after David scored a $US 250 million five-year contract with the LA Galaxy soccer team, ending his playing stint with Real Madrid. Although the couple plan to sell their home in Spain, they intend to keep their Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire home north of London, affectionately nicknamed ‘Beckingham Place’.

But Victoria, whose singing career as Posh Spice has been revived with the Spice Girls’ world tour, says she’d give it all up and move into a council flat if it meant staying together with Becks and their three sons Brooklyn, 8, Romeo, 4, and Cruz, 2. Victoria told OK! Magazine, “Sometimes I see a couple who've just finished work, sitting in their car, and she's got a Barclay's bank badge on and he's got his Dixon's badge on, and they're going home for dinner. “Sometimes that looks nice to me, but we all want something we don't have. I can't do without love. I would rather live in a council flat with David than in Beckingham Palace without him.”

The Beckhams have an impressive array of other properties in prime locations:

La Moraleja, Madrid: The Beckham family moved into a £4.5 million home in La Moraleja, then in 2006 they moved into a £5 million mansion in the city.

Domaine Saint-Vincent, France: In 2003, the Beckhams paid £1.5 million for a 19th century manor house in the South of France, which is said to be haunted.

Palm-Jumeirah, United Arab Emirates: Said to be a gift from the Crown Prince of Dubai, the villas on this palm tree shaped development are valued between £800,000 and £1.7 million.

Story: Angela Erini

Looking at Boobs is as healthy as 30 mins gym workout !

2008-03-07T02:31:00.001+05:00

As per scientific research conducted recently, staring at women's breasts is good for men's health and makes them live longer ! Researchers have discovered that a 10-minute ogle at women's breasts is as healthy as half-an-hour in gym...

Princess Diana's bed a prime location

2008-03-07T02:11:00.005+05:00

Princess Diana's brother is creating controversy again after throwing open the doors to his sister's ancestral home - even allowing guests to sleep in a bed she once shared with Prince Charles. For the bargain price of £30,000 you can stay overnight at Althorp.

After Diana's death in 1997, Charles Spencer closed Althorp to the public, but now the gates have reopened in a bid to make money to maintain the grand estate. The venue, which is located in Northamptonshire about 90-minute drive north of London, proves to be a popular, if not controversial, tourist attraction and comes complete with souvenir shop, snack bar and a merry-go-round. Diana's famous wedding gown is also on display for those wanting to reminisce.

In a special promotion to American Express’ ultra-exclusive Centurion cardholders, Spencer advertised that guests could have unlimited access to the estate. They could even sleep in the Princess of Wales’ room – a room Diana once shared with Prince Charles. However, Diana’s burial site on Althorp’s island is out of bounds.

Spencer has backed his decision to let the 500-year-old estate. “Althorp has hosted corporate and private hospitality for clients for 30 years,” he said in a statement. “This is a normal way of helping with the upkeep of an historic house.”

A Spencer spokesperson says it now costs about half-a-million pounds a year to maintain Althorp. The pricey parties and rentals also help make up for declining visitors to the Northamptonshire estate.

Althorp is open to the public from July 1st to September 30th, except for August 31st, the anniversary of Diana's death.

Story: Angela Erini and AP

Court finds model innocent based on breast size

2008-03-06T01:27:00.003+05:00

A Japanese model with a 44-inch bust has been cleared of breaking and entering an apartment via a hole kicked in the door after a court decided she was too well-endowed to squeeze through. Skip to 3 mins 40 seconds in the video of this link to watch a dejected Serena Kozakura demonstrate that she'll never have a successful career as a cat burglar.

“I used to hate my body so much, but it was my breasts that won in court”, said Serena to reporters after the ruling.

In other news, global warming still a problem.

Could $5 a month save the music industry?

2008-03-06T01:21:00.004+05:00

The Songwriters Association of Canada proposes a $5 monthly fee on subscribers’ Internet bills that would make it legal to download music and hopefully save the failing music industry.

THE PROBLEM

Sales of CDs are down 20 per cent worldwide and 35 per cent in Canada, compared to 2006.

An estimated 1.6 billion music files are downloaded in Canada each year on "grey-market" peer-to-peer systems, representing $1.6 billion in lost revenue, using the iTunes price model of 99 cents per download.

World without Humans (Part 2)

2008-03-06T01:18:00.000+05:00

Aftermath: Cities Crumble
If mankind were to disappear from the Earth, buildings would begin to crumble under natural stresses.

World without Humans (Part 1)

2008-03-06T01:16:00.001+05:00

Aftermath: Population Zero
If mankind were to disappear from the Earth, buildings would begin to crumble under natural stresses.

Clinton v Obama: What's really at stake?

2008-03-06T00:20:00.006+05:00

...only our civil liberties.

"Mrs. Clinton’s approach to the subject is that of a top-down progressive. Her speeches about privacy suggest that she has boundless faith in the power of experts, judges and ultimately herself to strike the correct balance between privacy and security.

In the Senate, Mr. Obama distinguished himself by making civil liberties one of his legislative priorities. He co-sponsored a bipartisan reform bill that would have cured the worst excesses of the Patriot Act by meaningfully tightening the standards for warrantless surveillance.

Once again, he helped encourage a coalition of civil-libertarian liberals and libertarian conservatives. The effort failed when Hillary Clinton joined 13 other Democrats in supporting a Republican motion to cut off debate on amendments to the Patriot Act."

Clinton Camp insisting on ReVote in Florida & Michigan

2008-03-06T00:20:00.001+05:00

CNN Money reports Great Depression coming

2008-03-06T00:17:00.000+05:00

The Middle East -The Gaza Bombshell

2008-03-06T00:06:00.002+05:00

Vanity Fair: After failing to anticipate Hamas’s victory over Fatah in the 2006 Palestinian election, the White House cooked up yet another scandalously covert and self-defeating Middle East debacle: part Iran-contra, part Bay of Pigs. With confidential documents, corroborated by outraged former and current U.S. officials, David Rose reveals how President Bush, Condoleezza Rice, and Deputy National-Security Adviser Elliott Abrams backed an armed force under Fatah strongman Muhammad Dahlan, touching off a bloody civil war in Gaza and leaving Hamas stronger than ever.

Iraq War Still Matters to Democratic Voters

2008-03-05T23:50:00.000+05:00

Iraq War Still Matters to Democratic Voters

The Latest Target of Thieves

2008-03-05T01:24:00.002+05:00

When Brad Lipman took his family out for dinner in July 2006, he had no idea it would end up costing him $1,800. Lipman paid for the $60 meal with his debit card. After the waiter took the card, someone swiped it through a portable "skimmer." This handheld electronic device allowed the thief to copy Lipman's account information and security codes, and clone his card.

Over the following week, the culprit drained Lipman's checking account and tapped into his overdraft line. He didn't realize anything was amiss until his credit union called him about some unusual charges. "It's hard to explain the feelings of violation," says Lipman, 40, owner of a lending company in Thousand Oaks, California. "Someone had their hand directly in my money."

Many people wrongly assume that debit cards offer the same protection against fraud as credit cards. But when a debit card is stolen or copied, there's no grace period while you contest the charges. Your cash has already been electronically zapped from your checking account. And if it falls short, as Lipman's did, you could face expensive overdraft charges that your bank isn't required to repay.

Debit cards have overtaken credit cards as Americans' plastic of choice for in-store transactions—33 percent debit, compared with 19 percent credit. Financial experts often recommend them as a money-management tool. Three years from now, debit card use will account for more than half our retail purchases, according to the Nilson Report, a payment-systems industry publication.

Debit cards have become the latest target of thieves, and it's not just random cases like Lipman's. In early 2007, hundreds of customers of a national chain restaurant in Sioux City, Iowa, learned their debit card numbers had been stolen. Thieves made cloned cards and are using them in stores in California and northern Mexico. And in 2006, the TJX Companies, which owns T.J. Maxx and Marshalls, reported one of the largest customer-data breaches ever: 45.7 million debit and credit card numbers were stolen from the retailer's computer systems over an 18-month period. Authorities still don't fully know the scope.

There's little you can do to predict a mass retail theft. But you can be smarter about how you use your card to avoid these and other common pitfalls. In addition to scams, hidden overdraft fees are at an all-time high, not to mention surprise holds and mismanagement traps that could land your account in the red faster than the ATM can spit out your receipt.

Know When to Hold 'Em

When Ann Agent of Portland, Oregon, was planning to attend a children's book publishing conference in Tulsa, Oklahoma, she booked her hotel room over the phone by debit card. She and three colleagues intended to split the bill and each pay the hotel directly at checkout time.

Two days into the conference, Agent's husband called from home to read her a letter from her bank: Her checking account was overdrawn, and she was being charged $35 a day in overdraft fees. "I thought there had to be a mistake," Agent, 45, says. "I keep close track of my account balance."

Turns out when Agent reserved the room, the hotel "blocked," or held, enough money in Agent's account to cover the entire four nights' stay, plus miscellaneous charges, amounting to $580. This blocked every available penny she had and caused her to overdraw. The charges weren't reversed until Agent returned home the following Monday.

Holds are common practice in the travel and hospitality industry. They're the merchant's way of ensuring you'll pay your bill. If you rent a car, the agency could block several thousand dollars to make sure you return the vehicle. Some restaurants will place debit card holds for large parties, and a friendly bartender can put a hold on your card if you start a tab. The hold is usually removed within five business days, sometimes much sooner.

Gas stations are notorious for holds. On a Friday morning in January 2005, Jessica Hathaway of Allentown, Pennsylvania, bought $22.29 of gas by debit. On Saturday, the 34-year-old single mother of three checked her bank balance and learned she was almost broke. Right before the gas station debited Hathaway's account for the gas, it imposed a $75 block.

"I was living paycheck to paycheck. I didn't have much extra in my account, and this $75 charge worried me all weekend," she says. Hathaway was out of luck—and cash—until the following Tuesday, when her bank released the hold.

The kind of hold Hathaway described is a standard preauthorization for signature (non-PIN) transactions. Stations vary widely in their hold amounts. Because Hathaway bought gas before the weekend, her hold may have taken longer than usual to clear.

Avoid the Trap

Leave your debit card at home when traveling. "People should use a credit card, even if they don't any other time," advises Clark Howard, consumer advocate and radio host of The Clark Howard Show. Never use a debit card any place your card is taken out of sight, like a restaurant. Book dinner reservations on a credit card. If you must use debit at a gas station—a hot spot for skimming—use your PIN inside or at the pump. Your card is safest if it stays in your hand, and typing in a PIN eliminates the hold.

UK used Astrologist to fight Nazis

2008-03-05T00:50:00.001+05:00

British intelligence chiefs tried to guess Hitler's plans by studying his horoscope, according to files released by the National Archives. Hungarian Ludwig von Wohl persuaded senior intelligence figures that he could replicate the forecasts of the Nazi leader's personal astrologer.

He claimed that if London knew what advice Hitler, a Taurean, was getting, then they would know his next move.

16 ways to save $100

2008-03-05T00:45:00.002+05:00

As the government and Federal Reserve campaign to head off a recession, many families are working hard to save money and reduce debt. Credit-card debts and other loans hang over us like a sword. By saving modest amounts, however, you can reap big rewards over time. And that doesn't require clipping coupons and washing out used coffee filters. Here are easy ways you can save $100 or more this year:

1. Plug into bargain electricity.
Mickey Greenblatt was spending nearly $250 a month on electricity for his home in Potomac, Md. When the retired executive called his utility company to find out why his bills were so high, the company offered to do a free home-energy audit. Greenblatt learned that simple things such as running his dishwasher at night rather than during the day could cut his bill by 40 percent. Taking advantage of such options as off-peak rates can save most consumers $100 a year.

Savings are also possible under "load management" programs. You get discounts for allowing your utility company to put a device on your water heater and air conditioner that switches them off briefly during periods of high demand.

2. Hit the brakes on automobile-insurance rates.
You can save substantially by increasing the deductibles on the comprehensive and collision portions of your policy. According to the Insurance Information Institute, raising collision deductibles from $200 to $500 could reduce your collision and comprehensive coverage by 15-30 percent. Squeeze out additional savings by asking about every possible discount, such as for carpooling, air bags, annual mileage below 10,000 miles -- even for teenage drivers with grade averages above a B.

3. Challenge your property tax.
Ruth Rejnis, author of Squeeze Your Home for Cash, recommends going to your local assessor's office and finding out what property taxes your neighbors are paying. If your house is similar but your taxes are higher, you may want to challenge your bill. Also, read the description of your home. Errors in square footage or the number of bathrooms could mean an overcharge. The assessor's office or local board of tax review can tell you how to file an appeal.

4. Shop for a bargain bank.
Look for free checking and no ATM fees. Also, if you have direct deposit of your paycheck, your bank might waive its monthly fee.

5. Remedy pricey prescriptions.
Cut your bills in half by buying generic drugs instead of name brands. Also, buy your prescriptions via mail order through a drugstore chain or your company health plan.

6. Pay off your plastic.
If you carry a credit-card balance from month to month, pay it back pronto. A $1000 balance at 18 percent blows nearly $200 a year in interest. If you can't pay it off in full, transfer your debt to a lower-rate card.

7. Say no to car extras.
Your car dealer may sell rustproofing and fabric protection at $100 a pop, and paint protection for as much as $250. "Usually these extras are the dealer's way to squeeze more money out of you," says Bob Elliston, author of What Car Dealers Won't Tell You. Do-it-yourself fabric protector costs about $10 a bottle. Paint protection is unnecessary, since most cars have many layers of paint. And skip rustproofing: cars come already treated so that they won't need it.

8. Take a longer waiting period for disability insurance.
If you can't work, disability insurance pays your living expenses. Many employers offer this. But if you must buy your own, accept the longest waiting period before benefits kick in -- as long as you can cover those expenses, suggests Shelly Branch, author of Dollar Pinching: A Consumer's Guide to Smart Spending. A healthy male carpenter earning $40,000 annually could pay up to $1800 a year for a policy with a 30-day wait. With a 90-day wait it could cost $800 to $1100.

9. Cancel mortgage insurance.
When you buy a house with less than 20 percent down, your lender may insist you buy private mortgage insurance (PMI) to protect against default. The average cost of this insurance is $45 a month, or $540 a year. However, once you have 20-percent equity (either because you've paid down your mortgage or because area property values have risen), you may be allowed to cancel the PMI.

10. Explore DRIPs.
If you buy stock, you can save on brokerage commissions by enrolling in a dividend reinvestment plan (DRIP). Offered by more than 900 companies, DRIPs allow shareholders to buy stock directly. You may have to be a shareholder of record, however, so find out if you'll need to use a broker to buy your first few shares. Then enroll in the DRIP.

11. Buy straight from the Treasury.
Another way to bypass brokers and save money on fees is to buy Treasury notes, bills or bonds directly. The minimum investment is $1000 for bonds and for notes with maturities between five and ten years, $5000 for notes with shorter maturities and $10,000 for bills. Ask the nearest branch of the Federal Reserve Bank for an application for a Treasury Direct account.

12. Clean out your closet.
When you deduct charitable donations of clothing at tax time, do you just guess $100? William Lewis, author of Cash for Your Used Clothing, says most people underestimate the worth of such items.

Before you donate, price each item against similar ones sold at the store where you drop them off. If you're in a 28-percent tax bracket, a donation worth $400 will earn you a tax deduction of at least $112.

13. Skip the service contract.
Extended warranties on electronics are rarely a good deal. According to Tom Garman, a Virginia Tech professor of consumer affairs, most product breakdowns occur in the first year and are covered by the manufacturer's warranty.
14. Flex your company's flexible spending account.
These accounts allow you to set aside part of your pretax salary for dependent-care costs and unreimbursed medical expenses. You decide at the beginning of the year how much money you want to set aside in the account. The downside is that if you don't use all the money, you lose it. However, if you're in the 28-percent tax bracket and allocate $500 to cover your health-insurance deductible, you'll cut taxes by $140.

15. Buy in bulk.
Items you may use a lot, such as paper towels and diapers, are often far cheaper when you buy in quantity. For example, Alan and Denise Fields, co-authors of Baby Bargains, say new parents buy an average of 2400 disposable diapers in their baby's first year alone. Diapers that cost 20 cents apiece in the packages sold at grocery shops and drugstores might go for 15 cents when bought in bulk at a discount store or warehouse club. Just a nickel a diaper could add up to an annual savings of $120.

16. Rethink your vacations.
"Homestay" programs offer free lodging all over the world to travelers who are themselves willing to host other members in their homes. Some groups charge an annual membership fee, but your savings can easily be worth more than a hundred dollars a day.

Monitors criticise Russian poll

2008-03-03T15:00:00.001+05:00

Source: BBC News

Mr Putin (left) congratulated Mr Medvedev late on Sunday

The only Western observer group monitoring Russia's presidential election says the poll was flawed.

Observers from the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) said Russia's "democratic potential" was unfulfilled.

Dmitry Medvedev, President Vladimir Putin's chosen successor, won a landslide victory in Sunday's poll.

His opponents say the poll was marred by violations, including coercion to vote - a charge denied by Moscow.

With nearly 100% of the ballots counted, Mr Medvedev won 70.23% of the vote, Russia's election commission said.

Mr Medvedev said he hoped to work in an "effective tandem" with Mr Putin as his prime minister.

Mr Medvedev's nearest rival was Communist leader Gennady Zyuganov, with 17.76% of the vote. He vowed to go to court over alleged fraud, Itar-Tass news agency reports.

'Like plebiscite on Putin'

"The results of the presidential election are a reflection of the will of an electorate whose democratic potential was, unfortunately, not tapped," the PACE 22-member observer mission said in a statement on Monday.

"In the elections, which had more the character of a plebiscite on the last eight years in this country, the people of Russia voted for the stability and continuity associated with the incumbent President [Putin] and the candidate promoted by him.

"The president-elect will have a solid mandate given to him by the majority of Russians," the statement said.

The PACE monitors also said that the "election repeated most of the flaws revealed during the Duma elections of December 2007". Mr Putin's United Russia party won a huge majority in the December parliamentary election.

"Candidate registration concerns could not have been accommodated, putting into question the degree of how free the election was.

"Equal access of the candidates to the media and the public sphere in general has not improved, putting into question the fairness of the election," the PACE observers said.

Last month, the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe - the continent's main election watchdog - decided to boycott the polls because of Moscow's restrictions.

In response, Russia's foreign ministry called the monitors' decision "unacceptable".

Only 300 international observers were monitoring the 96,000 polling stations on Sunday.

Russian poll observers said many state sector workers had been told by their bosses to vote.

Kasparov calls Russian elections 'dirtiest' in nation's history

2008-03-03T13:52:00.002+05:00

Garry Kasparov said that Russia’s election were the "dirtiest" in the nation's history.

"There are no illusions that what is being called elections was the most unfair and dirtiest in the whole history of modern Russia," Kasparov said at a news conference, pointing at reports of massive vote violations.

"We fully realize that it's useless to seek the truth in Russian courts," he added.

Kasparov, who heads the Other Russia coalition of opposition groups, was arrested and jailed for five days for leading a protest rally in Moscow on Nov. 24. His group was not allowed to run for parliament.

Kasparov said that activists of the pro-Kremlin youth group Nashi, which means Ours, attacked his group's office Monday.

Earlier Monday, Nashi held a rally in Moscow, mobilizing its supporters to thwart what it described as a possible attempt by U.S.-backed "thieves and traitors" to mount protests and seize public buildings and squares. A U.S. Embassy spokeswoman called the claim "ridiculous."

Medvedev 'to continue Putin work'

2008-03-03T13:46:00.002+05:00

Mr Putin (left) congratulated Mr Medvedev late on Sunday

Dmitry Medvedev has vowed to continue the course of predecessor Vladimir Putin after winning a landslide victory in Russia's presidential election.

With nearly 100% of the ballots counted, the election commission has announced he won 70.23% of the vote.

Mr Medvedev said he hoped to work in an "effective tandem" with Mr Putin as his prime minister.

As president, he said, he would control foreign policy with the defence of Russian interests his chief priority.

Mr Putin, he confirmed, would be moving out of the Kremlin.

Mr Medvedev's nearest rival was Communist leader Gennady Zyuganov, with 17.76% of the vote. He vowed to go to court over alleged fraud, Itar-Tass news agency reports.

We will increase stability, improve the quality of life and move forward on the path we have chosen

Dmitry Medvedev

The mainly pro-Kremlin media have welcomed a Medvedev victory.

The Izvestia newspaper said the vote was a "triumph of the majority" that created a "bridge to the future for Russia".

Mr Putin late on Sunday congratulated Mr Medvedev on his big lead when they appeared together at a rally in Moscow's Red Square.

Speaking to reporters later, Mr Medvedev said his policies would be "a direct continuation of that path which is being carried out by President Putin".

Asked about foreign policy, he said "the president defines Russia's foreign policy according to the constitution".

Russia's priorities would, he said, continue to be its fellow ex-Soviet republics.

On where Mr Putin would work as prime minister, he said "the place of the prime minister and the government is the White House", referring to the government building a few miles from the Kremlin.

A first deputy PM, Mr Medvedev was the clear favourite from the start and enjoyed generous television coverage.

Mr Putin, who has been in office for eight years, was barred by the constitution from seeking a third term, but has pledged to serve as Mr Medvedev's prime minister.

'Irregularities'

Turnout was high, at 69.65%, officials said. But there were reports that many workers were told by their bosses to vote.

Various inducements were also offered to mobilise voters, including cheap food, free cinema tickets or toys, correspondents say.

After polls closed Mr Zyuganov said there had been widespread irregularities.

"We will go to court over this," Itar-Tass quoted him as saying.

The Kremlin has dismissed claims of fraud.

There has been very little scrutiny of voting by Western election observers, many of whom stayed away.

The main independent Russian observer group, Golos, said the turnout was impossibly high in some regions.

Charges over 'abandoned' NY girl

2008-03-03T13:35:00.000+05:00

The case captivated New York after images of the girl emerged

A New York cabbie who took an infant to a fire station claiming it had been left in his cab has been charged with lying to help friends abandon the baby.

Klever Sailema, 44, had been hailed when he dropped off the six-month-old girl on Thursday, in a case that caught the city's imagination.

He initially told police a man had got into his cab carrying the baby, but had vanished after asking him to stop.

Police now say Mr Sailema was helping a family that could not cope with her.

Officers say that a day after Mr Sailema dropped her off at the fire station, they learned that the baby's mother was a 14-year-old girl from the Bronx district of New York.

Feeling terrible

The family allegedly decided to abandon the child when the teenager ran away from home after a violent row with her father.

Mr Sailema says he never meant any harm

Police say Mr Sailema became involved because he was dating the sister of the baby's father.

Investigators believe she persuaded the driver to help the overwhelmed family.

Mr Sailema have been charged with filing a false report.

In an interview published on Sunday, he told the New York Post newspaper that he was only trying to assure the baby's safety.

"It wasn't my intention to hurt anybody," he is quoted as saying.

"Every time I lied, I though it would end there. I felt terrible."

The baby, who has not been named, has been placed in a foster home.

Iran blames US for Iraq 'terror'

2008-03-03T13:19:00.002+05:00

Ahmadinejad visited one of Iraq's most powerful Shia Muslim leaders

On the first-ever visit to Iraq by an Iranian president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad has accused the US of bringing terrorism to the region.

He also called on Washington to change its standpoint towards Iran and said it had to understand that the Iraqi people did not like America.

A BBC correspondent says many Iraqis see the visit as the culmination of a process of normalisation in ties.

The two countries fought a war when Saddam Hussein invaded Iran in 1980.

The BBC's Jim Muir adds that Mr Ahmadinejad has not been welcomed by all Iraqis, since some agree with the Americans' view that Iran supports extremist militias in Iraq and is to blame for much of the trouble there.

US weapons call

Mr Ahmadinejad, who arrived in Baghdad on Sunday, made his remark about the US and terrorism after US accusations that Iran was supporting militants.

"Six years ago, there were no terrorists in our region," he said after talks with Abdel Aziz al-Hakim, head of Iraq's largest Shia Muslim political bloc, the Supreme Council of the Islamic Revolution in Iraq (Sciri).

"As soon as the others landed in this country and the region, we witnessed their arrival and presence."

Earlier, at a news conference with Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, the Iranian president said it was not Tehran's fault that Iraq "does not want the US".

On Saturday, US President George W Bush, speaking at his ranch in Texas, called on Iran to "quit sending in sophisticated equipment that's killing our citizens".

The Iranian leader is due to end his visit on Monday. Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki has said a number of agreements will be signed.

'New page'

Iraqi leaders extended a warm welcome to the Iranian president, who flew into Baghdad airport and travelled into the city centre by car.

US forces are not involved in security for the visit and did not provide helicopters.

After talks with President Talabani, Mr Ahmadinejad said the visit had opened a "new page" in Iran-Iraq relations.

Prime Minister Maliki said his talks with Mr Ahmadinejad had been "friendly, positive and full of trust".

Despite the reconciliation between Baghdad and Tehran, many analysts believe that in the long term, the two countries are destined to be rivals for regional power.

During the long war between them in the 1980s, many of the prominent Shia now in positions of power in Iraq fled to Iran as Saddam Hussein cracked down on internal dissent.

The US-led overthrow of Saddam Hussein's regime allowed them to return from exile.

Trade is now growing between the two countries and tourism, in the form of Iranian pilgrims visiting major Shia shrines in Iraq, is booming.

Nato fears over Dutch Islam film

2008-03-03T13:05:00.000+05:00

The film has been condemned by several Muslim countries

Nato's secretary general says he fears the airing of a Dutch film criticising Islam will have repercussions for troops in Afghanistan.

Jaap de Hoop Scheffer's comments came after Afghans protested on Sunday against the film being made by far-right Dutch MP Geert Wilders.

The Dutch government has warned Mr Wilders that the film will damage Dutch political and economic interests.

Mr Wilders says the film is about the Koran but has given few details.

In the past, he has called for the Koran to be banned and likened it to Adolf Hitler's Mein Kampf.

The project has already been condemned by several Muslim countries, including Iran and Pakistan.

Nato's secretary general said he was concerned about his troops after the protests against the film in Afghanistan.

"If the [troops] find themselves in the line of fire because of the film, then I am worried about it and I am expressing that concern," he said in a television interview.

'Kick out forces'

On Sunday, hundreds of Afghans took to the streets in the northern city of Mazar-i-Sharif to protest against the film.

Demonstrators burned Dutch flags, and called for the withdrawal of Dutch troops from the Nato force.

The demonstrators say they will step up their protests unless the Afghan government expels the troops.

Mr Wilders is the leader of the Dutch Freedom Party

The protesters also criticised the recent republication of caricatures of the Prophet Mohammad in several Danish newspapers, and called for the withdrawal of Danish troops.

"We don't want our government to have any diplomatic relations with these two countries," Maulawi Abdul Hadi, one of the protesters, told the Associated Press news agency.

"We don't want Danish and Dutch troops in Afghanistan. They should be kicked out of the Nato forces here."

Mr Wilders has said he expects his 15-minute work will be shown in the Netherlands in March and released on the internet.

Dutch authorities have told him he may have to leave the country for his own safety amid reports of death threats.

Submission

Mr Wilders' film is called Fitna, an Arabic word used to describe strife or discord.

He has said his film will show how the Koran is "an inspiration for intolerance, murder and terror".

Mr Wilders leads the Freedom Party, which has nine seats in the Dutch parliament.

He has had police protection since Dutch director Theo Van Gogh was killed by a radical Islamist in 2004.

Van Gogh's film Submission included verses from the Koran shown against a naked female body.

Iran president begins historic Iraq trip

2008-03-02T14:23:00.004+05:00

BAGHDAD: Mahmoud Ahmadinejad began on Sunday a historic visit to Iraq -- the first ever by an Iranian president -- hoping to boost ties with Baghdad with which Tehran fought a bitter eight-year war. When asked if Ahmadinejad had arrived in Baghdad, Iraq's Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari said: "Yes. "I am here to receive him at the airport." Ahmadinejad arrived in Baghdad airport at around 9:05 am (0605 GMT) and is heading a large delegation including Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki. Ahead of the two-day trip Ahmadinejad said the trip is expected to be a "major step in deepening brotherly relations" between the two Muslim neighbours. Speaking to reporters in Tehran on Saturday, he reiterated Iran's belief that the "insecurity, disagreement and tension" in war-ravaged Iraq were a result of a "plot" by the United States, the arch-enemy of Iran. "It is the American practice to present others as guilty wherever they are defeated," he said, dismissing US allegations of Iranian meddling in Iraq. "Is it not funny that those with 160,000 forces in Iraq accuse us of interference?" US President George W. Bush, in a scathing response, told his counterpart during a press conference in Texas with visiting Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen that Iran must be told to "quit sending in sophisticated equipment that's killing our citizens." The US military in Iraq says that Iran is supplying weapons and training for anti-US insurgents. Iran denies the charges. Ahmadinejad's visit to Shiite-majority Iraq is set to underline Western concerns about Iranian influence in the region that Washington alleges extends to aiding militants in Iraq and also destabilising Lebanon. The trip is a strong show of support by Tehran for the Shiite-dominated government of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki. Ahmadinejad's visit also aims "to tell the US it is us and not you who have influence in Iraq. Do not think that you can do whatever you like over there," said Mohammad Sadegh al-Hosseini, an Iran-based expert on Iranian-Arab affairs. " Iran is also going there to brush aside any ambiguities that it is responsible for instability in Iraq," he added.

30 killed, 35 wounded in Kohat suicide attack

2008-03-02T14:02:00.003+05:00

Sunday, March 02, 2008
KOHAT: The death toll in Darra Adamkhel suicide attack reached 30, while 35 were wounded.

According to official sources notables from five clans of Darra Adamkhel held a Jirga in Zarghon Khel. The suicide bomber struck the assembly immediately after the meeting was ended, killing 30 persons including three critically wounded that succumbed to their injuries at hospitals.

Earlier, the wounded were shifted to hospitals as emergency was declared at local medical facilities.

Fifteen critically wounded have been transferred to Lady Reading Hospital in Peshawar, while remaining were shifted to other hospitals of Kohat and Peshawar.

The notables in their meeting had decided to burn houses of those tribesmen and impose fine who will provide shelter to foreign miscreants

Local tribal elder Haji Saif Wazeer had called the Jirga.

Security has been tightened in the area after the attack.

Girls are always Forgiven : A funny Video

2008-03-02T05:20:00.000+05:00

A video that shows how girls are always forgiven.

The Facebook Song

2008-03-02T05:05:00.000+05:00

Who doesn't use facebook?

Eye Bet It Hurt

2008-03-02T04:59:00.001+05:00

You may have a tattoo, you may have a piercing, but I doubt youve ever considered having a needle stuck in your eye in an attempt to dye it blue. Have you?

Nokia Morph

2008-03-02T04:55:00.001+05:00

Searches are up for Nokia Morph, a new concept mobile phone that was unveiled at a design exhibition at the New York Museum of Modern Art recently.

Naked Ambition

2008-03-02T04:47:00.000+05:00

Some are calling it "The Day The Internet Died", whilst fans of freckled naked ginger girls posing with scarves call it "The Day Lindsay Lohan Pretended To Be Marilyn Monroe". Which isnt nearly as catchy.

Shave Your Hairy Legs Woman

2008-03-02T04:20:00.000+05:00

One of my first jobs was working in an office as the mail guy. My boss was a woman, which wasn’t a big deal except that for some reason she would refuse to shave her legs. I have no clue why, but whenever she wore skirts I could cringe when I saw her Bigfoot legs.

Fortunately there were a few hot women to look at also. A few offices down was one of these. She was fresh out of college and plenty hot. Eventually one thing let to another and we started hooking up on a regular basis. During the work day we would leave each other flirtatious notes on each others desks.

During my morning delivery one day I was stopped by my woman boss and she told me she needed to see me in her office. When I talked in she shut the door behind me, gets close to me, and puts my hand on her hairy thigh. I’m thinking WTF is going on!

She then tells me that she got the little note I wrote her and that she has had an eye on me too. I figure out later that I must have swapped a message for my boss with the one meant for my office fling.

World's first eyeball tattoo

2008-03-02T03:55:00.002+05:00

SQUEAMISH readers might want to look away now as we unveil the world's first ever EYEBALL TATTOO.

The freaky procedure was carried out to turn a body-art fan's eye blue.

And it took FORTY insertions of the needle to get the job done.

Volunteer Pauly Unstoppable, from Canada, has perfect vision but jumped at the chance to be the first punter.

See the toe-curling shots in the gallery below. But be warned - the pictures are very graphic.

Brave Pauly said he had full confidence in the team working on him - but urged people not to try it at home.

He added: "The procedure was extensively researched and done by people who were aware of the risks and possible complications and that it should not be casually attempted.

"Now that this experiment has been started, please wait for us to either heal or go blind before trying it."

What the hell was he inking?

Not to be Inserted into Penis! [WTF PIC]

2008-03-02T03:22:00.002+05:00

Maybe they're just trying to cover all their bases.

Engineer v Manager

2008-03-02T03:00:00.000+05:00

A man in a hot air balloon realised he was lost. He reduced altitude and spotted a woman below. He descended a bit more and shouted,
"Excuse me, can you help me? I promised a friend I would meet him an hour ago, but I don't know where I am."

The woman below replied,
"You're in a hot air balloon hovering approximately 30 feet above the ground. You're between 40 and 41 degrees north latitude and between 59 and 60 degrees west longitude."

"You must be an engineer," said the balloonist.

"I am," replied the woman, "How did you know?"

"Well," answered the balloonist, "everything you told me is technically correct, but I've no idea what to make of your information, and the fact is I'm still lost. Frankly, you've not been much help at all. If anything, you've delayed my trip."

The woman below responded, "You must be in Management."

"I am," replied the balloonist, "but how did you know?"

"Well," said the woman, "you don't know where you are or where you're going. You have risen to where you are due to a large quantity of hot air. You made a promise, which you've no idea how to keep, and you expect people beneath you to solve your problems. The fact is you are in exactly the same position you were in before we met, but now, somehow, it's my fault."

Marathon Man

2008-03-01T12:54:00.005+05:00

One of the '70's most memorable contributions to the suspense genre, Marathon Man (1976) is notable on many levels. The film brought together two of the leading exponents of screen acting for their respective generations--Dustin Hoffman and Laurence Olivier--to combine their talents for a taut and solid thriller. Directed at a breathless clip by British veteran John Schlesinger, the film boasted some of the most harrowing sequences committed to celluloid at its time, and they have lost none of their power over the subsequent years.

William Goldman's riveting screen adaptation of his own novel introduces us to Thomas "Babe" Levy (Hoffman), a driven Columbia grad student whose every waking moment seems spent finding some way to exorcise the demons of his past. When not steeped in pursuit of the dissertation that he believes will vindicate the memory of his father, a professor pushed to suicide after being targeted in the McCarthy witch hunts, he's donning his track gear and pushing himself to exhaustion in preparation for the Olympic marathon.

Babe's existence is irrevocably changed when he's visited by his older brother Doc (Roy Scheider) who happens to be in town on business. As it happens, Doc is a U.S. intelligence agent, and one of his duties has been to serve as a go-between for the fugitive Nazi war criminal Christian Szell (Olivier), who has traded certain secrets for an undisturbed life of seclusion in South America. Szell had been prodded to leave his safe house by the death of his NYC-based brother, intending to find his sibling's fabulous cache of diamonds taken from Holocaust victims. Doc locates and confronts Szell upon his arrival; believing the agent is after the gems, the aged Nazi mortally stabs him. Doc staggers back to Babe's apartment and dies in his arms.

This, unfortunately, only serves to lead Szell's thugs to Babe, who kidnap him and take him to an abandoned warehouse. In the film's chilling signature sequence, Szell subjects the immobilized Babe to his particular gift for torture--dental surgery with ancient tools and no anesthetic--with the intent of extracting information that the terrorized student does not possess. After Szell's sadistic cruelty ("Is it safe?") produces unconsciousness and nothing more, the demented dentist turns to other means of locating the hidden treasure. At the earliest opportunity, Babe breaks from his captors, his training allowing him to outdistance their pursuit. Returning home, the onetime pacifist breaks out the very gun his father used to end his life, and sets out for a final confrontation with Szell.

Much has been made of the on-set tensions between the two primary players. Olivier was 69 when he signed on to the project, and the great lion of the stage's health was already in serious decline; everyone, including Olivier, was surprised when he cleared the studio's insurance exam. Approach to craftwork became a battlefront of sorts for the classically-trained Olivier and the Method actor Hoffman. After Hoffman announced that he had been awake for two straight days to get into the part, Olivier's response was "My dear boy, you look awful. Why don't you try acting?"

Later in the course of rehearsal, Hoffman and Olivier were working on their climactic confrontation, and the younger actor insisted upon trying improvisation. "After a glance at Schlesinger as referee," Donald Spoto wrote in Laurence Olivier: A Biography, "Olivier had to muster all his professionalism to agree to something he neither believed in nor felt up to." The performers began walking around the rehearsal hall, with the only marked results for Olivier being a painful swelling in his ankles. "'Part of it,' says Goldman, who watched helpless, 'was Hoffman's need to put himself on at least an equal footing with this sick old man.'...The spectacle pained everyone in the room and quickly became a talking-point in the industry," Spoto recounted.

While Marathon Man opened to strong reviews and brisk receipts, it was by and large ignored by the Academy at Oscar® time, with only a Supporting Actor Nomination for Olivier's remarkable effort. As recounted in Gene D. Philips' John Schlesinger, the filmmaker observed at the time, "Judging from the Oscar® nominations we are obviously not popular...I wonder if Hollywood will ever forgive me for (adapting Nathanael West's biting industry indictment) The Day of the Locust (1975)."

Producers: Sidney Beckerman and Robert Evans
Director: John Schlesinger
Screenplay: William Goldman (also the play)
Cinematography: Conrad L. Hall
Art Direction: Jack De Shields
Music: Michael Small
Film Editing: Jim Clark
Cast: Thomas Levy (Dustin Hoffman), Dr. Christian Szell (Laurence Olivier), Henry Levy (Roy Scheider), Peter Janeway (William Devane), Elsa Opel (Marthe Keller), Professor Biesenthal (Fritz Weaver).
C-126m. Letterboxed. Closed captioning.

by Jay S. Steinberg

Kajukenbo is an Hawaiian martial...

2008-03-01T12:34:00.001+05:00

Kajukenbo is an Hawaiian martial art, combining Karate, Judo, Kenpo and Chinese Boxing.
This video is not sped up, and each of these blows and arm bars hurt like the dickens.

Bhutto Murder Suspect Arrested - Or Protected?

2008-02-29T06:43:00.002+05:00

Source: IPS News

ISLAMABAD, Feb 28 (IPS) - The arrest of top militant leader Qari Saifullah Akhtar may have brought Pakistani intelligence agencies closer to discovering any conspiracy behind the Dec. 27 assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto. But many believe the opposite to be true.

Qari, chief of the militant group Harkatul Jehadul Islami (HUJI), banned for its links with the al-Qaeda and Taliban, was arrested on Monday for alleged involvement in an earlier attempt on Bhutto’s life on Oct. 18 when the cavalcade carrying her from Karachi airport, after years in exile, was attacked by a suicide bomber leaving 150 people dead.

Sherry Rehman, spokeswoman for Bhutto’s Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), told IPS: ”Even after his arrest, many in establishment circles say that Qari has actually been taken into protective custody.”

In a book, published posthumously in January, Bhutto had identified Qari as being involved in the suicide attack on her homecoming rally. In the book, ‘Reconciliation: Islam, Democracy and the West,’ Bhutto said it was Qari “to whom intelligence officials in Lahore had turned to for help before her homecoming on Oct. 18, 2007″.

Qari’s release from prison, three months before Bhutto’s return home, has aroused suspicions that he was tasked with organising the October bombing. “Although no one is sure if there was a link between the release of Qari and the murder of Bhutto, one is constrained to ask as to how and why an al-Qaeda linked dreaded terrorist was set free, after three years, before Bhutto’s homecoming,” Rehman said.

Pakistan’s caretaker interior minister Lt. Gen. (retd) Hamid Nawaz told presspersons on Tuesday night that Qari was seized on Monday from the Ferozewala area close to Lahore along with his three sons. “Most probably, Qari Saifullah is involved in the Oct. 18 suicide attack on the welcome procession of Bhutto,” Nawaz said.

So far, the government has been satisfied with blaming Baitullah Mehsud, leader of the Tehrik-e-Taliban in Pakistan, for the assassination. Mehsud has denied any involvement.

Bhutto said in her book: “I was informed of a meeting that had taken place in Lahore where the bomb blasts were planned. However, a bomb maker was needed for the bombs. Enter Qari Saifullah Akhtar, a wanted terrorist who had tried to overthrow my second government in 1990s. He had been extradited by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and was languishing in Karachi central jail. According to my sources, the officials in Lahore had turned to Qari for help.”

Hashmat Habib, a lawyer for Qari, told IPS that he was arrested at a shrine near Lahore where he had gone to offer prayers and that the charges against him were still not known. Habib conceded that Qari had been released by the authorities in mid-2007 after keeping him behind bars for two years and nine months without being charged. This is despite the fact that Qari was arrested and extradited from the UAE on Aug. 7, 2004 on the request of the Pakistan government on charges of plotting twin suicide attacks on President Pervez Musharraf in December 2003.

Wajid Shamsul Hassan, a former High Commissioner of Pakistan to Britain and a close associate of Bhutto, said: “What happened after Qari Saifullah was let go by the Musharraf regime is not known. What is known is that instead of trying to prosecute and convict him, the authorities chose to keep him in custody without filing any criminal charges, giving credence to reports of his being a handy tool of the intelligence establishment who is used and dumped whenever required.” That is why, Wajid said, Qari was quietly released by the agencies before Bhutto’s return though he was involved in twin suicide attacks on Musharraf.

On reasons behind Qari’s sudden release, his lawyer Habib said: “My client had quoted Pakistani intelligence sleuths as saying, at the time of his release, that if they had not picked him up there were chances that the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation would have taken him away (for his alleged al-Qaeda and Taliban links). The agencies, while setting him free, also warned him to be careful saying that, otherwise, he would be picked up again.”

Hassan Abbas, the author of a book ‘Allah, Army and America: Pakistan’s drift into Extremism,’ told IPS: “Pakistani authorities had described Qari Saifullah’s arrest as a major blow to the al-Qaeda sponsored terrorist network and its local affiliates in Pakistan. He was further painted as a close aide of Osama bin Laden and Mullah Mohammad Omar, who was working as the operational head of al-Qaeda in Pakistan. Qari was first arrested way back in 1995 for having plotted a coup against the second Bhutto government which was foiled by the then army chief Gen. Waheed Kakar.”

Abbas said that immediately after the dismissal of the Bhutto government in 1996, Qari was released. He went to Afghanistan and was inducted into the cabinet of Taliban leader Mullah Omar as advisor on political affairs.

Qari was one of the few Taliban leaders who escaped with Mullah Omar after the fall of the Taliban regime to United States-led forces late 2001, taking shelter in Pakistan’s South Waziristan. He then fled to Saudi Arabia and later moved to the UAE from where he was arrested and deported to Pakistan in August 2004.

Who wants to get Fired?

2008-02-28T05:57:00.004+05:00

PARIS: Mariam, a 28-year-old employee at a retail chain in France, went to great lengths to get fired.

She knew she wouldn't be eligible for unemployment payments if she simply quit. Mariam asked her company flat-out to fire her, but she was turned down. Then she simply stopped showing up for work. Her wish was granted at last - she was fired, went on the dole and found a new job six months later.

Soon, such convoluted yet surprisingly common schemes may be a thing of the past. An unusual new proposal, prompted by President Nicolas Sarkozy's push for a more flexible labour market, would allow employees to get unemployment payments even if they quit.

Business leaders and government officials brush off questions about whether this could encourage more people to go on government handouts. They insist that a variety of new reforms will work in harmony to create jobs and cut joblessness in a labour market tainted by deception and inertia.

Lawyers and observers of France's business world say people often ask their bosses to fire them instead of quitting unsatisfying jobs, because they're afraid of losing the safety net of unemployment payments and terrified of not finding another job soon. The unemployment rate stands at 8.3 per cent; the average length of unemployment is more than 9 months.

Schemes like Mariam's are a symptom of how those fears have made workers risk-averse, and of just how much France's rigid labour market needs to change. Mariam asked to be identified by her middle name only, because she lied to her new employer about how she left her last job.

'Made in China' but with warning

2008-02-28T05:38:00.005+05:00

BEIJING: A Beijing clothing market, famous for selling fakes, has started selling its own line of brand-name products - with a warning to counterfeiters to stay away.

The Beijing Silk Street Co Ltd, which owns a multi-storey market that is filled with hundreds of clothing shops - many of which sell Burberry and Ralph Lauren fakes - has launched its own Silkstreet line of shirts, ties, scarves, teacups and other goods, the general manager of the market said Friday.

"For over 30 years, we've always been selling other people's clothes," George Wang said. "We've never sold our own."

He hopes to capitalize on the influx of foreign visitors for the Olympics.

Wang said the move was a way to start to enforce intellectual property rights and show that better quality comes with real goods.

But he warned that if anyone tried to sell fake Silkstreet goods, they will be dealt with "according to the law". Counterfeit goods remain widespread in China, despite occasional crackdowns, because laws against the practice are rarely enforced.

The market has a program to crack down on fake goods, Wang said, such as giving a 20 percent discount on rent for stalls that sell real goods.

But many of the shops in the Silkstreet market still sell fake good.

"The quality and look is good," shopkeeper Xu Meiling said of Silkstreet shirts, comparing them favorably to fake foreign-brand shirts hanging in dozens of stalls.

The new Silkstreet brand shirts go for 180 yuan (US$25, euro17). Fake Paul Smith and other name-brand shirts cost 150 yuan (US$21, euro14) for a she said.

Wang says he wants big-name brands like US apparel maker North Face, who recently won a lawsuit against the market for infringement, to open stalls in the market. So far they are "hesitant", he said, fearing their brand name will be tainted by association with the market.

In September 2006, five global luxury brand names - Burberry, Chanel, Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Prada - won 10,000 yuan (US$1,387, EUR 940) in compensation from a joint lawsuit against Silk Street and five of its tenants, the first case in China to end in such a settlement.

US Democrats pick real donkey as mascot

2008-02-28T05:33:00.002+05:00

DENVER: A jackass will play a prominent role when US Democrats meet in August to nominate their presidential candidate.

Mordecai, a 7-year-old donkey, bested nine other hopefuls on Saturday in a contest to become the official live mascot for the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver.

As a tie-in to the convention, the donkey pageant was held during the mule and donkey show at the National Western Stock Show, an annual Colorado event where livestock and horse ranchers gather to buy and sell breeding stock.

Sen. Ken Salazar and other Democratic dignitaries served as judges.

Before the contest began, Leah Daughtry, another contest judge and chief executive of the Democratic National Convention Committee, said she was looking for "traits our candidate will have also -- the right amount of vigour and energy, a cool temper but feisty when you need to be."

In 1828, opponents of Andrew Jackson called him a "jackass" for his populist candidacy, according to the Democratic National Committee's website. Jackson turned the tables by using the donkey on his campaign posters. Decades later, famed political cartoonist Thomas Nast used the beast to represent some Democratic viewpoints in his cartoons and the mascot stuck.

After 10 youths paraded the contestants around the arena, the judges held their caucus and reached a unanimous decision.

As if to show he was ready for prime time, Mordecai took a bow and rolled in the dirt before the vote was announced.

Mordecai's owner, Curtis Imrie, a two-time Democratic congressional candidate from southwestern Colorado, said his donkey will do the Democrats proud.

"He'll be the party animal of the party, now that he's the official mascot,'" Imrie said.

Viagra to boost pilots' performance?

2008-02-28T05:21:00.002+05:00

JERUSALEM: It might harm their reputation, but Israel's air force is considering giving its combat pilots Viagra to improve their performance - in the air.

A recent study conducted by Israeli doctors among mountain climbers in Africa found a link between erectile dysfunction drugs and improved performance in high altitudes, the mass-selling Yediot Aharonot reported on Thursday.

The active ingredient in the drugs was found to make climbers perform better in an environment with less oxygen, which causes fatigue and dizziness.

This has led army doctors to consider giving jet fighter pilots - who can fly at altitudes of up to 50,000 feet (15,000 metres) - the same drug, the report said.

"The Viagra family of drugs is considered effective in these conditions because when there is a long shortage in oxygen it leads to high blood pressure in the lungs, and the drugs help fight that," the report quoted military medical sources as saying.

Stupid English Teens.... British Education Standards.

2008-02-28T05:05:00.003+05:00

LONDON: Mahatma Gandhi never existed while Britain's wartime Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill was a fictional character. Don't fret. This
is only what most Britons think about the great leaders.

According to a survey carried out in Britain, many believe that Mahatma Gandhi and Churchill are just mythical figures like Florence Nightingale, popularly known as the 'Lady with the Lamp'.

In fact, almost a quarter of the population have the popular notion that Churchill, "the greatest Briton of all time", was made up.

Moreover, despite his celebrated military reputation, 47 per cent of respondents feel the 12th-century English King Richard the Lionheart is fictional, according to the survey of 3,000 British teens.

In contrast, a number of fictitious characters like Sherlock Holmes, King Arthur and Eleanor Rigby were given real life status.

While almost 65 per cent of respondents believe that mythical figure King Arthur existed and led a round table of knights at Camelot, 58 per cent of teens think that Holmes really lived at 221B Baker Street.

Fifty-one per cent of respondents believed that Robin Hood lived in Sherwood Forest, robbing the rich to give to the poor, while 47 per cent believed Eleanor Rigby was a real person rather than a creation of The Beatles.

The poll also revealed that nearly three quarters of those surveyed did not read history books while and 61 per cent admitted that they changed channels rather than watching historical programmes on television.

"While there's no excuse for demoting real historical figures such as Churchill, the elevation of mythical figures to real life showed the impact good films could have in shaping the public consciousness.

"Stories like Robin Hood are so inspiring that it's not surprising people like to believe these characters truly existed," the British media quoted Paul Moreton, the Head of UKTV Gold channel, which commissioned the poll, as saying.

Marines Changing P-19 Tire in Iraq "Funny"

2008-02-28T04:27:00.000+05:00

'No 1' plate goes for a record in UAE

2008-02-27T08:33:00.001+05:00

ABU DHABI: Without batting an eyelid, a UAE businessman dished out a record 14 million dollars for a car licence plate at an charity auction in the United Arab Emirates on Saturday.

"It is not huge compared to my family's fortune," Saeed Abdel Ghaffar Khouri said after bidding 52.2 million dirhams (14.2 million dollars) for an Abu Dhabi licence plate bearing the single number "1".

"The price is fair. After all, who among us does not want to be number one," Khouri said.

Emirates Auction which organised the sale said on its website that it had been expected to set a new world record for the most expensive car licence plate in the world.

In May, another citizen of the oil-rich UAE spent more than five million dollars to buy a licence plate bearing the number "5".

Funds from the auction at an Abu Dhabi luxury hotel will be given to charities, including one that will set up a hospital for casualties from road accidents.

Buyers battled it out on Saturday for 90 low digit licence plates, spending a total of 89 million dirhams (about 24 million dollars), said Abdullah al-Mannaei of Emirates Auction.

Australia seeking fatter mailmen

2008-02-27T08:28:00.001+05:00

SYDNEY: Australia's postal service has increased the maximum weight for mailmen and women by 15 kg (33 pounds) in an attempt to attract more "posties", local media reported on Tuesday.

Australia Post had a weight limit of 90 kgs (198 pounds) for "posties" because its 110cc motorcycles had a safe working limit of 130kg (286 pounds) -- that's 40kg (88 pounds) for letters and up to 90 kgs for mailmen and women fully clothed.

But after talks with motorcycle manufacturer Honda it was agreed the bikes could safely carry a "postie" weighing 105 kgs (231 pounds), said Sydney's the Daily Telegraph newspaper.

But the "posties" will only carry 25 kgs of mail.

The union representing mailmen and women said the 90 kg limit had caused recruitment headaches for Australia Post, but the company denied it had staffing problems.

"Testing found a rise in rider weight up to a maximum of 105 kgs would not have any significant effect on the stability, handling or safety of their 110 cc motorcycle," an Australia Post spokesman told the newspaper.

"By raising it from 90 to 105 kilograms means there will be other people that can now apply," he said.

For great sex, head to the church!

2008-02-27T08:24:00.001+05:00

MELBOURNE: One would've never thought of going to the church for a better 'sex' life, but now a Church in Australia is doing just that by inviting around 25,000 households around Eltham and Montmorency, for a course in sex, marriage, adultery and pornography.

Riverside Church pastor Andrew Newbold and his wife Megan have launched a four-week series on sex, marriage, adultery and pornography. They have in fact gone ahead with advertising about this seminar on a flyer that reads: "the best sex you'll ever have."

In the flyer on can see two pairs of feet, belonging to Newbold and his wife Megan, protruding from under the sheets. It says sex is supposed to be fun, so why does it feel like everyone else is having all the fun? It's not supposed to leave you feeling guilty, frustrated or empty.

"Lots of people have asked, 'why would the church want to talk about sex in the first place?' That's a ridiculous question because everyone else is talking about it, and it's something God created. At Riverside we deal mostly with young adults, who have been more exposed to sexuality than any previous generation, but that doesn't mean they are handling it well. There's a lot of confusion out there," Theage.com.au quoted Mr Newbold, as saying.

In fact, he boasted off statistics to prove his point saying: people are having sex younger, with an average age of 15.8 years at first encounter, and relationships are getting shorter, at an average of three months. The largest consumers of internet pornography are children aged 12 to 17.

He said that in America, 90 per cent of eight to 16-year-olds have viewed online pornography, 80 per cent of that hardcore. 1 in 6 Australian men have paid for sex, while 26 per cent of women and 8 per cent of men say they have been forced or frightened into unwanted sexual activity.

Thus, Mr Newbold said that a need for a teaching series on sex is absolutely essential.

In the first week he talked about the link between human sexuality and God. While in the second week he will deal with affairs and adultery - "how to affair-proof your marriage, because it doesn't begin when you book a hotel room," he said.

The third week belongs to sex and singles, and week four asks what's the big deal about pornography.

Riverside Church was launched 5 years ago in Montmorency with a congregation of 16, and now it attracts about 350 people to its Sunday service.

Earlier teaching series have dealt with relationship baggage, identity and finances. The next, later in the year, is on secrets.

Paul McCartney snaps underwear models

2008-02-27T08:20:00.001+05:00

LONDON: After a bitter experience with his former wife Heather Mills, it seems that Sir Paul McCartney is still interested in models.

The Beatle star was spotted snapping photographs of models in underwears as they queued up to get pictures of him backstage, a British tabloid reported on Friday.

"Agent Provocateur hired loads of promotional girls in skimpy undies. They're all taken with Macca and he seemed keen on them too -- so much so, he got his camera out and started snapping away," a source was quoted as saying.

Bank error makes man millionaire

2008-02-27T08:13:00.003+05:00

NEW YORK: A man in New York who discovered that millions of dollars had mysteriously appeared in his bank account, and withdrew more than $2 million, has been arrested on charges of grand larceny, prosecutors said.

Benjamin Lovell, 48, pleaded innocent on Tuesday to charges that he withdrew money from a Commerce Bank account that had been opened by someone with the same name, prosecutors said.

The account belonged to Woodlawn Trustees Inc, a Delaware property management company, and was listed under the name of its finance director, who is also named Benjamin Lovell, court papers said.

Lovell had just $800 in his own Commerce Bank account when he went to make a deposit, but a teller, mistaking the Woodlawn account for Lovell's personal account, told him that his account contained more than $5 million, prosecutors said.

Lovell made multiple withdrawals even though he knew that the money was not his, prosecutors said. He used the money to buy jewellery for his girlfriend and to make several investments, they said.

Commerce Bank and Woodlawn Trustees did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The Legal Aid attorney representing Lovell could not be reached for comment either.

Lovell is being held on $3 million bail. He faces up to 25 years behind bars if convicted, prosecutors said.

'Girl' at school was 39-year-old man

2008-02-27T08:07:00.002+05:00

TOKYO: A Japanese man was arrested for trespassing this week after turning up at a high school dressed in a girl's uniform and a long wig, local police said.

Thirty-nine-year-old Tetsunori Nanpei told police he had bought the uniform over the Internet and put it on to take a stroll near the school in Saitama, north of Tokyo.

When students standing outside the gates started to scream at the sight of him, he dashed inside the school grounds, hoping to blend in with the crowds of teenagers, the paper said. They also screamed, forcing the man to flee, losing his wig in the process. A school clerk pursued him and stopped him at a nearby riverbank, the paper said.

Police confirmed the arrest of the man in school uniform and wig but declined to give further details.

Man sets off fireworks in police station

2008-02-27T08:03:00.001+05:00

BEIJING: A Chinese telecom company official, known for his philanthropic services, allegedly ransacked a police station along with seven others and injured 12 cops after he was instructed not to set off fireworks in connection to the Spring Festival.

The general manager of a telecom company, and others were persuaded by police at Dazhou in Sichuan province not to burst crackers in front of a complex as it was a forbidden area, local public security said.

However, the man was seriously offended by the police's refusal to allow fireworks, it said.

As police took away another person who lit crackers, the man was enraged further and took some others along with him, smashed the door of a police patrolling car and led them into the police station, breaking the furniture and beating police officers, the bureau said.

Twelve police officers were injured in the attack, including a woman official who fainted after being badly beaten, official Xinhua news agency said.

All were arrested for violently disturbing the police from executing public duties, it said.

The man, Zhang Jiuyuan was chosen as "2006 Top Ten Star Philanthropist" of Sichuan Province in 2007 for donating money for rural infrastructure construction and undergraduates. He was also nominated as "Top Ten Star Philanthropist" of Dazhou city in January.

Many Chinese cities including Dazhou have lifted the ban on fireworks.

The Dazhou government asked the public not to set off firecrackers in the downtown area before the Spring Festival holiday from Feb 7 to Feb 12.

Bursting crackers during the Spring Festival to drive away the evil spirits is part of the Chinese tradition.

Plane crashes into couple’s garden!

2008-02-27T07:56:00.002+05:00

LONDON: An elderly couple had a lucky escape after a plane crashed into their garden as they sat watching TV.

Eileen Watling, 71, and her husband Alfie, 83, were settling down on to watch a movie on television when the aircraft landed in Eileen's conifers.

"It was so sudden. We'd just started watching a film when there was an almighty crash. We thought the whole house had collapsed,” Scotsman quoted Eileen, as saying.

"I looked out of the window and saw the conifers had come down and there were no electricity lines. Then I saw the plane," she added.

The two people in the plane, the pilot and a passenger, had minor injuries as their two-seater Cessna 172 came down in the Watlings' garden in Folkestone, shortly after taking off from nearby Rochester airport.

The plane had narrowly missed a neighbour's house opposite, before hitting power cables and crashing into trees next to the couple's garage, yards from their bungalow.

"When the pilot came out, he was covered in blood – then the passenger came down out of the trees. I managed to get them into the conservatory and got a towel to stop the bleeding from the pilot's head,” Eileen said.

"He said: 'I'm so sorry to do this to you'. And I said: 'Not to worry; your health's more important'," she added.

Following that, the pilot and his passenger were taken to William Harvey Hospital in Ashford for treatment.

It is believed that the plane might have been travelling too low due to the foggy conditions.

"They were flying at 500ft. We're at 600ft here, but because of the fog blanket they didn't see what the problem was," Eileen said.

"We realise just how lucky we've been. The plane was 10ft from our neighbour's house. If it had hit them first, it could have exploded. Somebody was looking out for us," she added.

Horse racing bet turns $1 into $2 mn

2008-02-27T07:51:00.004+05:00

LONDON: A British man celebrated his 60th birthday in unexpected style at the weekend when a 50 pence ($1) bet on the horses turned him into an instant millionaire.

Fred Craggs, from Yorkshire in northern England, was not even aware of his win when he walked into a branch of the William Hill betting agency to see how he had done with his accumulator bet.

When he was informed of his good fortune he was said to have turned rather pale and muttered that he had better go home to tell his wife.

His coup was selecting eight winners running at various courses around the country -- starting with one called "Isn't That Lucky" and finishing with "A Dream Come True" -- at odds of 2,000,000 to one.

"This is the most amazing bet ever placed since betting shops were made legal in 1961," William Hill spokesman Graham Sharpe said on Monday.

Tennis ban on kid for loud grunting

2008-02-27T07:44:00.004+05:00

MELBOURNE: A nine-year-old girl in Australia has been banned from playing tennis – because of her loud grunting.

Lauryn Edwards was told by her local club that she could no longer play her favourite sport after a complaint was lodged by an opposition player.

The Mt Carmel Tennis Club, in Sunbury, told Lauryn's stunned parents, Duncan and Ruth, that the grunting had become too much.

Lauryn’s dad described the ban as pathetic and has contacted Tennis Australia and Tennis Victoria for advice.

Lauryn's favourite player is Russian star and notorious grunter Maria Sharapova but his father said that his daughter's grunting was nowhere near Sharapova's level and had been exaggerated.

"It's pretty slight and now and again she hits it hard and makes a loud noise and that's it," News.com.au quoted him, as saying.

"From just one comment, this has all blown up stupidly. There's no rule against it, so they've made a rule against it,” he added.

He said that the club had asked him for an assurance Lauryn would remain silent on the court.

"They told me to guarantee she won't grunt or she can't play," he said.

"How can I guarantee that? She's been doing it since she was really little. She's her own person. What do they want me to do? Put Band-Aids over her mouth? They made her cry on the court when they told her.

"She was in such a state that I had to bring her home mid-match,” he added.

Kosovo PM: We will defend every inch of Kosovo

2008-02-27T07:30:00.003+05:00

PRISTINA: Prime Minister Hashim Thaci warned on Tuesday that Kosovo was prepared to defend every inch of its territory, which he said had been recognised as an independent state by the international community.

"We will never allow Kosovo's territorial integrity, which has been internationally recognised, to be jeopardised," Thaci told reporters on a visit to the central village of Racak.

"Not an inch of Kosovo's territory must be touched by anyone," he said, warning that the authorities were prepared to "use defence mechanisms for the territory of Kosovo."

"Institutions function as in every state," he added. The authorities were in "permanent touch" with the UN mission in the former Serbian province and were also cooperating with NATO-led peacekeepers (KFOR) deployed in the territory, Thaci said.

Kosovo's Albanian-majority parliament unilaterally declared independence from Serbia on February 17 and was promptly recognised as a new state by the United States and a number of EU countries.

But the move was vehemently opposed in Belgrade and by Russia and was followed with a series of protests in Serbia and northern Kosovo, populated mostly by the Serbs.

No July deadline for N-deal: US

2008-02-27T07:21:00.003+05:00

WASHINGTON: The Bush administration has said there was a "little bit more time" than the July deadline suggested by a top lawmaker for the Indo-US nuclear deal to be passed in the US Congress, while stressing that any internal pressure within India to quickly move the deal forward was "good".

White House Press Secretary Dana Perino was asked to comment on a statement made by Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Joseph Biden during his recent visit to New Delhi, were he said the nuclear deal has to be taken up in Congress by June and ratified by July.

Any new US administration will "renegotiate" the deal, Biden had said.

But Perino said, "We have a little bit more time than that, obviously, on the calendar before the end of the president's term. But if there's internal pressure from inside India for them to move more quickly, I think that's good. And I saw a report today that said that there are some elements within India that are very supportive of getting the deal done."

When asked if President George W Bush was in touch with New Delhi to push for the nuclear deal, Perino replied: "We are in touch with different levels of government throughout - here at the National Security Council and the State Department".

Police and lawyers clash in Orissa

2008-02-27T07:11:00.003+05:00

BERHAMPUR (ORISSA): A clash erupted between police and agitating lawyers who raised slogans opposing Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik's visit to a hospital accusing him of inaction in meeting their demand to set up a circuit bench of the Orissa high court in the city.

When the advocates, wearing black badges, attempted to break the police cordon near the MKCG Medical College Hospital it led to a minor clash, the police said.

Besides shouting slogans against Patnaik, the lawyers also attacked the government for setting up a commission to look into the demand for high court benches.

Claiming that there was no major confrontation or clash, Berhampur superintendent of police Nitinjeet Singh said "the agitating advocates tried to break the police cordon and we only pushed them back."

Ganjam Bar Association president S N Rath claimed two advocates sustained injuries in the incident, but police did not confirm it.

In order to prevent any major flare up, the authorities clamped prohibitory orders under section 144 and tightened security in the area for about an hour.

As all the four entrance gates of the hospital premises were cordoned off and barricaded, the patients had to wait outside.

Blunder: Geography in Maths book of Bihar schools

2008-02-27T07:05:00.003+05:00

PATNA: If you want to study Geography, pick up the Mathematics book. Absurd as it may sound, hundreds of students in Bihar found phrases like duniya gol hai and other geographical concepts in their Maths textbook.

In a shoddy case of binding error, the Maths textbook meant for Class V students for schools under Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan ended up carrying portions from a Geography book meant for Class VII.

While the blunder was committed by the Bihar State Text Book Publishing Corporation in 2007, state HRD minister Brishen Patel admitted to the "mistake" in the assembly only on Tuesday. He was careful enough to point out that it wasn't a printing error, but a mistake at the stage of binding over which the ministry has no control.

The printer's contract was cancelled and payment stopped for this blooper, and no work will be allotted to the firm in the future, said Patel. A joint panel was also formed to look into the causes of this embarrassing gaffe.

RJD Minister Abdul Bari Siddiqui, who raised a question regarding the errors in the Assembly, also wondered whether there was any mechanism to check the contents and quality of school textbooks. To this, Patel said checking of textbooks was primarily the responsibility of the SCERT.

India test fires submarine-launched ballistic missile

2008-02-27T06:55:00.003+05:00

NEW DELHI: India on Tuesday tested its K-15 submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) from a submersible pontoon launcher off Visakhapatnam, amid some indications that the test was "not fully successful".

Sources said the missile, which has a strike range of 700km, did not meet all the pre-flight parameters laid down for the test conducted from the launcher submerged under the sea just before 1pm. On being contacted, DRDO officials refused to say anything, holding that only M Natarajan, the scientific advisor to the defence minister, could clear the position over the test-firing of K-15.

"A test like this, even though from a pontoon launcher and not an actual submarine, generates an immense amount of data... The exact position can be given only after a detailed analysis," said an official. It has taken around 10 years for India to even come to this stage of testing an SLBM, which has remained the preserve of the Big Five countries - US, Russia, China, France and UK.

DRDO chief controller Prahlada had told TOI earlier this month that this test would be the final test of K-15, which would then be ready to be integrated with the "mother ship". The "mother ship", of course, is a reference to the three indigenous nuclear-powered submarines being built at Visakhapatnam in the 25-year-old ATV (advanced technology vessel) project, which will overall cost around Rs 20,000 crore. The first of the three 6,000-tonne ATVs, each designed to carry 12 vertical-launched nuclear-tipped SLBMs, will be 'ready to go to sea' for trials by early 2009.

It will, however, take two to three years for the two-stage solid-fuelled K-15 to be integrated with the first ATV and then be test-fired from it.

When this happens, India will finally achieve its long-standing aim to have an operational 'nuclear weapon triad'. India already has Agni-I (700-km range) and Agni-II (2000-km-plus) ballistic missiles, as also the Agni-III (3,500-km) which has been successfully tested only once so far, as the land-based nuclear deterrent. Fighters like Sukhoi-30MKI and Mirage-2000s, which can be jury-rigged to carry nuclear weapons, constitute the air-based leg. But the absence of nuclear-powered submarines, armed with the capability of fire nuclear-tipped missiles from under the sea, has been a gaping hole in India's strategic capabilities.

The first test of Agni-III missile in July 2006, incidentally, had flopped miserably. Though the second test in April 2007 was successful, it will take at least three to four tests more for this China-specific missile to be fully-ready.

Matthew Hayden calling the off-spinner an "obnoxious little weed"

2008-02-27T06:47:00.003+05:00

HOBART, February 26: India's Harbhajan Singh on Tuesday came under a fresh attack by Australian cricketers with opener Matthew Hayden calling the off-spinner an "obnoxious little weed", a remark which has the potential to create more bad blood between the two teams.

The Indian spinner, who was at the centre of a racism row involving Andrew Symonds, has borne the brunt of the Australian sledging during the explosive tour which has been marked by a series of verbal exchanges between rival players.

"Its been a bit of a long battle with Harbhajan, the first time I ever met him he was the same little obnoxious weed that he is now", Hayden said on Brisbane radio.

"His record speaks for itself in cricket. There is a certain line that you can kind of go to and then you know where you push it and he just pushes it all the time.

"That's why he has been charged more than anyone that's ever played in the history of cricket," Hayden said.

Hayden's fresh salvo came a day after the Indian team management lodged a written complaint with Match Referee Jeff Crowe regarding Australia players' "provocative" behaviour.

Hayden and Harbhajan were involved in an ugly tussle at the SCG on Sunday with the Indians claiming that the Australian opener had termed the Indian a "mad boy."

However, Hayden made light of the incident and claimed India was complaining because "they are losing every game they are playing."

"I called him a bad boy," Hayden insisted.

"He took offence to that, I thought that was quite funny. I said mate you should be flattered, it's a clothing range," Hayden said.

Meanwhile, former Australian fast bowler Rodney Hogg also lashed out at the Indians.

"Ive really had a gutful of their whinging, this is international sport, obviously people are going to say things to try to unsettle you," Hogg said.

"It's not tiddlywinks. So long as it's not racial they shouldn't have a problem.

"As far as I am concerned if the heat is too hot in the kitchen then that's too bad.

"I reckon they should appoint an Asian referee for Indian games because when it's a non-Asian referee nothing against Jeff Crowe they never feel as if they are being listened to."

Hayden said he had told Ishant Sharma to settle down and on Monday quipped he would like to meet the stringbean paceman in a boxing ring.

"He is just young. I have said to him many times, you are 19, take it easy, Hayden said.

"At the end of the day you are 19, why don't you just worry about your bowling for a while," he added.

BCCI hits out at Aussies for sledging Indian team

2008-02-27T06:36:00.001+05:00

MUMBAI, February 25: The India cricket board on Monday hit out at the Australian cricket team for indulging in sledging and provoking the Indians, saying such behaviour by the hosts was unnecessary and not good for the game. "The way the Australians are behaving is not good (for the game). They should not sledge our team members. It's not necessary," said BCCI secretary Niranjan Shah. Shah was reacting to the happenings during the Sydney tri-series tie on Sunday in which Aussie all-rounder Andrew Symonds provoked young Indian fast bowler Ishant Sharma for which the latter was docked 15 per cent of his match fees by ICC match referee Jeff Crowe. "They (Aussies) should restrain from such things and not get into another problem", the BCCI official said. But he did not comment on the complaint lodged by Indian manager Vimal Soni about the Aussies' behaviour with the match referee. Shah defended Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni for his comments after Sunday's loss to Australia wherein the wicketkeeper had asked the senior players to start delivering the goods. "He's the captain and whatever advice he (Dhoni) wants to give (to his teammates) he can give," the BCCI secretary said. Shah also said the World Cup under-19 team which has reached the semi-finals in Kuala Lumpur would be protected from being distracted by franchises eager to recruit them for the April 18-June 1 Indian Premier League. "We don't want any distraction for our cricketers and the board will decide which team they will go to," he said

Judges restoration is the first priority

2008-02-27T06:10:00.001+05:00

Tuesday, February 26, 2008
LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League (N) Chief Tuesday reiterated his resolve for restoration of judiciary and sovereignty of the parliament in the country by defeating dictatorship.

Addressing a press conference here, PML-N Chief termed the restoration of judiciary his foremost priority and added that his party is against the role of armed forces in the politics of the country.

“We will prove our two-third majority in tomorrow’s parliamentary parties’ meeting,” he claimed.

Nawaz Sharif denied presence of any differences between his party and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and ruled out the possibility of engaging in negotiations with Pakistan Muslim League-Q.

He informed the journalists that Shahbaz Sharif was nominated as the Parliamentary leader of Punjab Assembly on Tuesday.

PML-N Chief said the dictatorship will be crushed to pieces paving the way for democracy to reign supreme.

He said the account will be settled for the atrocities unleashed on his party workers.

He maintained that talks with Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and other parties are positively in progress, adding, ‘Our agenda is Pakistan and we want to steer it clear of crises.’

Nawaz Sharif said that an associate of President Musharraf acknowledged the rigging in the 2002 polls, adding the rigging in elections is tantamount to betrayal to your country.

PML-N chief said that the rulers are having eyes on circumstances to grab the opportunity and flee the country; however the judges would be restored to their offices and they would decide the eligibility of the Pervez Musharraf.

He said, ‘People from Q-League want to talk to us; but, we don’t want to enter any dialogues with them.’

On this occasion, Nawaz Sharif thanked the residents of Rawalpindi by saying, ‘I thank the people of Rawalpindi, who returned our trusts to us and the big-mouths were so badly routed in the elections that they would not come to politics again,’ adding the person whose even credibility is at stake after losing from two NA seats, is talking about forming a new political party.

Free speech 'shrinking' in Russia

2008-02-27T06:00:00.003+05:00

Courtesy: BBC NEWS

Russian freedom of speech is "shrinking alarmingly" under President Vladimir Putin, says Amnesty International.

The murders of outspoken journalists go unsolved, independent media outlets have been shut and police have attacked opposition protesters, said the report.

It also said "arbitrary" laws were curbing the right to express opinion and silencing NGOs deemed to be a threat by the authorities.

The report comes ahead of Russian's presidential elections on 2 March.

The director of Amnesty International UK, Kate Allen, said: "The space for freedom of speech is shrinking alarmingly in Russia and it's now imperative that the Russian authorities reverse this trend."

She said dissent could be a matter of life or death in the case of outspoken journalists like Anna Politkovskaya, who was shot dead in Moscow two years ago.

The 52-page Freedom Limited report warned any opposition demonstrations could suffer heavy clampdowns in the coming days, as Amnesty said had happened in the run-up to past elections.

First Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, whom President Putin has named his favoured successor, is expected to be elected in this Sunday's poll.