Friday, March 11, 2011

Tsunami in japan

A massive earthquake has hit the north-east of Japan, triggering a tsunami that has caused extensive damage.
Japanese television showed cars, ships and even buildings being swept away by a vast wall of water after the 8.9-magnitude earthquake.
The quake has sparked fires in several areas including Tokyo. At least 32 people were killed, officials said.
It struck about 250 miles (400km) from the capital at a depth of 20 miles. There have been powerful aftershocks.
The tremor, measured at 8.9 by the US Geological Survey, hit at 1446 local time (0546 GMT). Seismologists say it is one of the largest earthquakes to hit Japan for many years.
A tsunami warning was extended across the Pacific to New Zealand in the south and North and South America to the east.
The Red Cross in Geneva warned that the tsunami waves could be higher than some Pacific islands, Reuters news agency said.
Coastal areas in the Philippines, Hawaii and other Pacific islands were evacuated ahead of the tsunami's expected arrival.
Wall of water Strong waves hit Japan's Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures, officials said, damaging dozens of coastal communities. Kyodo news agency said a 10-metre wave (33ft) struck the port of Sendai in Miyagi prefecture.
Japan's NHK television showed a massive surge of debris-filled water sweeping away buildings, cars and ships and reaching far inland.
Motorists could be seen trying to speed away from the wall of water.
Farmland around Sendai was submerged and the waves pushed cars across the runway of the city's airport. Fires broke out in the city's centre.
Another fire was reported to be burning in the turbine building of the Onagawa nuclear plant in Miyagi prefecture.
The UN's nuclear agency said four nuclear power plants had shut down safely. Prime Minister Naoto Kan said there had been no radiation leaks.
Police and local officials said at least 32 people had been killed in the earthquake and tsunami. It is believed the death toll could rise significantly.
In Iwate prefecture, also near the epicentre, an official said it was difficult to gauge the extent of the destruction.
"Roads were badly damaged and cut off as [the] tsunami washed away debris, cars and many other things," said Hiroshi Sato, a disaster management official in Iwate.
'Seasick' The earthquake also triggered a massive blaze at an oil refinery in Ichihara city in Chiba prefecture near Tokyo, engulfing storage tanks.
There were reports of about 20 people injured in Tokyo after the roof of a hall collapsed on to a graduation ceremony.
Residents and workers in Tokyo rushed out of apartment buildings and office blocks and gathered in parks and open spaces as aftershocks continued to hit.
Many people in Tokyo said they had never felt such a powerful earthquake.
In central Tokyo, Jeffrey Balanag said he was stuck in his office in the Shiodome Sumitomo building because the elevators had stopped working.
"There's no panic but we're almost seasick from the constant rolling of the building," he told the BBC.
Bullet train services to northern Japan were halted and rapid transit in Tokyo was suspended, stranding many workers in the city centre.
About four million homes in Tokyo suffered power outages.
In a televised address, Prime Minister Naoto Kan extended his sympathy to the victims of the disaster and said an emergency response headquarters had been set up.

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Ayodhya :Verdict tomorrow

The Supreme Court  rejected the plea to defer the verdict in the Ram Janambhoomi-Babri masjid title suit slated to be delivered by the Lucknow bench of the Allahahad high court.

Hearing the special leave petition filed by retired bureaucrat Ramesh Chand Tripathi seeking deferment of the verdict to explore the possibility of an out-of-court settlement, a Supreme Court Special Bench comprising Chief Justice of India S H Kapadia and Justices Aftab Alam and K S Radhakrishnan decided to reject the plea.

Earlier, Attorney General G E Vahanvati, appearing before a three-judge special bench headed by Chief Justice S H Kapadia, said the most preferred solution to the problem would be a settlement, but it has not taken place and the uncertainty which is prevailing should not be allowed to continue.

"Settlement, if any possible, we welcome it but we do not want any uncertainty," he told the bench which reserved judgment for 2 pm after two hours of arguments from various parties.

Monday, September 27, 2010

Ayodhya Down the years

The disputed Ramjanmbhoomi-Babri mosque site has been contentious for over a hundred years now.

The property dispute, or the title suit, went to court in 1949, soon after the idols of Ram and Sita were placed there. Today, the Supreme Court will decide whether the Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court should pronounce verdict in the 60-year-old case just yet.

Chief Justice of India, SH Kapadia, along with Justice Aftab Alam and Justice KS Radhakrishnan will decide on petitioner Ramesh Chandra Tripathi's plea to defer the verdict.

The High Court bench is to decide who the land belongs to and what stood here first, a temple or a mosque. One side in the legal battle claims that this has been a mosque for 400 years. The other side says an ancient temple was demolished to build that mosque. They say this is the birthplace of Lord Ram

Ayodhya case

Supreme Court will hear today a petition that will decide whether the High Court of Allahabad should defer or not the delivery its judgement on one of the longest running title disputes.

A three judge bench, comprising of Chief Justice of India S. H. Kapadia, Justice Aftab Alam and Justice K. S. Radhakrishnan, has been formed for today's hearing. The Attorney General of India has also been asked by the court to be present on behalf of the Government of India.

Earlier this month, the High Court of Allahabad had announced that it was ready to pronouce its judgement in Ram Janma Bhoomi - Babri Masjid title suit, and set 23-Sept-2010 as the judgement day.

Looking into the sensitivity of this case the central government had sounded a general security alert, leaders have been since moving around asking the people to maintain their calm. Bulk SMS and MMS services have been banned throughout the country.

A significant factor to be considered in today's relevance is that one of the judges on the bench hearing the title suit in the High Court is due to retire this month end and could have a delaying impact if the judgement is not pronounced before 1 October 2010.

Saturday, August 14, 2010

Indian Independence day

On August 15th as India celebrates its 63rd independence day,

"At stroke of midnight, on 15 August 1947, India became an independent nation." This was preceded by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru's famous speech titled Tryst with destiny.


At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom. A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends, and when the soul of a nation, long suppressed, finds utterance..... We end today a period of ill fortune, and India discovers herself again.

If we are unable to quote our first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru's speech in verbatim, the gist of comprehending this speech can surely ignite a strong passion of patriotism. Not many of us, young Indians have ever bothered brushing up on our old, dusty pages on books of Indian history, for their lies a world so different from modern India soaked with unspoken figures of deaths of innumerable Indians who died for our sake in the hands of our oppressors so that we can lead the plush, comfortable lives of luxury that we are now living. However, not many of us even realize that our country , India, is the greatest model to world and the first country ever to win independence through non-violence under the able leadership of the charismatic leader of our time, Mahatma Gandhiji.

Our Indian history like our vibrant culture of so many diversities in terms of religion, culture and traditional values can be a large canvass to depict our origins which has provided accommodation to change like no other country in this world. No country in the world can boast of such a cultural amalgamation.

The Day of Indian Independence is a day of celebration for every Indian to commemorate our jubilant victory over the British who ruled our country for nearly three centuries. It is to this success that every Indian stands up, chin held up with pride and salutes one another Jai Hind to mark 59th anniversary of Indian victory.

Saturday, July 17, 2010

A symbol for indian rupee

Finally, the Rupee has a symbol like other major global currencies!
In a historic event, a five-member jury set up to finalise symbol for the rupee selected the design presented by IIT-ian D Udaya Kumar.
The Union Cabinet approved the symbol on Thursday noon. The Indian rupee is now the fifth currency in the world to have a distinct identity. The rupee will join the elite club of US dollar, British pound-sterling, Euro and Japanese yen to have its own symbol.
A proud D Udaya Kumar said: "My design is based on the Tricolour, with two lines at the top and white space in between. I wanted the symbol for the Rupee to represent the Indian flag. It is a perfect blend of Indian and Roman letters: a capital 'R', and Devanagari 'ra', which represent rupiya, to appeal to international and Indian audiences."
"I worked on it for few months and made numerous designs. Finally, I shortlisted 8 to 10 designs and then refined them further till I got this one," he said.
"I will be joining the design department at IIT-Guwahati on Friday, and am overwhelmed by the response so far. My phone has not stopped ringing since morning," he added.
Meanwhile, Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni said after the Cabinet meeting in Delhi on Thursday that the symbol will be printed or embossed on currency notes and coins.
Soni said that the government will try that the symbol is adopted within six months in the country and globally within 18 to 24 months.
The symbol will feature on computer key boards and software so that it can be printed and displayed in electronic and print, she said.
Soni said it would also help in distinguishing the Indian currency from rupee or rupiah of countries like Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Indonesia.

Monday, July 12, 2010

Paul the Psychic Octopus

We’re sad and yet glad that the World Cup is over. Sad because it was fun and exciting and we actually hung out more with friends than we have in months because we were always getting together to watch the game, and sharing it with pals worldwide through Twitter. Although the Netherlands-Spain final was the kind of shitty game that makes people who don’t like soccer continue to not like soccer, it wasn’t representative of the tourney as a whole. Sad because there was so much to see and ponder in “the beautiful game.”
But we’re also glad because things that are fun and exciting are the most fun and exciting when they come and go and leave you wanting more.
Of course, the breakout star of the Cup was not Ronaldo or Kaka or Messi but an unassuming mollusk whose psychic powers amazed the world. Yes, it was Paul The Psychic Octopus whose stunning 8-for-8 predictions have left scientists and sports fans reeling with questions regarding cephalopod intelligence, the possibilities of psychic powers, and tentacled understanding of the passing game and the offsides rule.
Housed in a German zoo, Paul correctly predicted all of the German team’s results — including their losses to Serbia and Spain — and Spain’s win over the Netherlands. His method of communicating his predictions to his keepers was a bit unorthodox — Paul would choose a tasty bit of oyster from one of two boxes, each adorned with the flags of the competing teams in each contest — but it worked. He surpassed the efforts of other would-be animal seers at the same zoo: Petty the pygmy hippo, Leon the porcupine and Anton the tamarin monkey all picked wrong in other games. A South American dolphin named Sayco announced his pick and the headline “Dolphin favors Argentina” but we all know how that turned out. Paul’s biggest rival, Mani the Parakeet, picked the Dutch squad in the final.

No, it was Paul who made headlines this time out — but his terrific run in the World Cup followed a lesser performance in the 2008 European Cup where he incorrectly picked Germany to beat Spain in the final.
So how did Paul do it? Octopi have the largest brain of any mollusk, and the limits of their brain capacity are still being studied — they can learn, use tools and recognize complicated patterns and devise cunning strategies for getting food. But they are color blind, leading skeptics to say Paul’s picks were base on the varying attractiveness of the national flags. Since there were only two choices, most say Paul’s picks are the result of random chance, like flipping a coin. But even octopus experts can’t say with certainty what really happened:

Friday, July 2, 2010

The flying car

If you are dreaming of a car that can also fly in case of traffic jams, it could soon come true as the United States aviation authority has given its green signal for the commercial production of such a vehicle.
The vehicle 'Terrafugia Transition' is a two-seater car that can convert from road to air in less than a minute, without the driver leaving the vehicle.
Developed by former NASA engineers and built by a small American company from Massachusetts, Terrafugia Inc, the vehicle can travel at speeds of up to 90 mph in car mode with its wings folded.
The wings then unfold for flight mode in which it can cruise at a speed of 115 mph for up to 500 miles on a tank of unleaded gasoline, the Telegraph reported.
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has granted the Transition an exemption -- allowing it to be classified as a 'light sport aircraft' despite being 120 pound over the limit.
The 'roadable aircraft', which is powered by the same 100-bhp engine whether it is on the ground or in the air, will require a 'Sport Pilot license' to fly.
It can take off or land at any public use general aviation airport with at least 2,500 feet of runway.
According to its manufacturer, one of the major advantages of the Transition over ordinary light aircraft is safety, as in the event of inclement weather, it can simply drive home instead of either being grounded or flying in unsafe conditions.
With a deposit money of $10,000 (Rs 460,000), nearly 70 people have already booked the car which is expected to cost $194,000 (about Rs 90 lakh), the company said.
Founded in 2006 by award-winning Massachusetts Institute of Technology-trained aeronautical engineers and management whizkids, Terrafugia is a company with a mission: to provide innovative solutions to the challenges facing personal aviation.
The result: the Transition Roadable Aircraft.
Its unique design allows the Transition to fold its wings and drive on any surface road with a modern personal airplane platform.
Once at the airport, the wings extend and the aircraft is ready.
Powered testing of the Proof of Concept has been ongoing since the second half of 2008.
Construction, testing and certification of the Production Prototype will follow completion of the Proof of Concept's testing programme.
To date, Terrafugia remains privately funded by a group of accredited individual investors.
The company is based just outside Boston in Woburn, Massachusetts, USA.
Performance
  • Cruise: 100 kts (115 mph)
  • Rotate: 70 kts (80 mph)
  • Fuel burn: 5 gph (gallons per hour)
  • Fuel tank: 20 gallons
  • Useful load: 430 lbs
  • On road: 30 miles per gallon, highway speeds
  • Light Sport Aircraft (LSA)
1 US gallon = 3.78 litres
Convenience
  • Front wheel drive on the ground
  • Automotive-style entry and exit
  • Automated electromechanical folding wing
  • No trailer or hangar needed
  • Cargo area holds skis, fishing poles or golf clubs
Safety
  • Drive in case of inclement weather
  • Proven 100 hp Rotax 912S engine
  • Full vehicle parachute available
  • Modern glass avionics
  • Automotive crash safety features
Dimensions
Folded:
  • 6 feet 9 inches tall
  • 6 feet 8 inches wide
  • 18 feet 9 inches long
Airplane:
  • 6 feet 3 inches tall
  • 19 feet 2 inches long
Wingspan:
  • 27 fee 6 inches
Cockpit:
  • 51 inches at the shoulder
Terrafugia Transition can take off or land at any public use general aviation airport with at least 2,500 feet of runway.
On the ground, the Transition can be driven on any road and parked in a standard parking space or household garage. Once on the ground, with the wings folded, the vehicle can be driven on any road.
The Transition is powered by a certified aircraft engine that runs on unleaded automotive gasoline. Perfect for trips between 100 and 500 miles, the Transition is not designed to replace anyone's automobile.
After landing, the pilot activates the electro-mechanical wing folding mechanism from inside the cockpit.
The wings fold, once at the root and once at the mid-span, and are stowed vertically on the sides of the vehicle in less than 30 seconds.
Simultaneously, the engine power is directed to the front wheels with a continuously variable transmission.
Before flying, the pilot extends the wings and performs a standard preflight. The engine power is directed to the propeller for flight through a carbon fibre drive shaft.
If bad weather is encountered en route, the pilot can land and drive without worrying about ground transportation.
At the destination airport the pilot can fold the wings and drive off the airfield without having to move bags or arrange for additional transportation.
Driving and flying can be combined between multiple airports as it is not necessary to take off and land at the same field.

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

High tides in mumbai

The Brihan Mumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has alerted a high tide of 4.70 metres at 1521 hours on Wednesday.

"Any tide above 4.5 metres is coupled with heavy rains and is a matter of concern," Joint Municipal Commissioner S S Shinde said.

Another tide of 4.07 metres is expected at 1421 hours, the civic body said.

"We appeal to Mumbaikars not to venture into the sea and stay away from the coastline area as a high tide has been predicted today," Shinde added.

The civic body had earlier said that the city would witness high tides measuring about 4.70 metres till June 17.

In the month of June, there will be tides from June 13 to 17 measuring between 4.58 m to 4.73 m, the BMC had said.

Heavy rains coupled with strong winds lashed the city and its suburbs on Wednesday, disrupting air and rail traffic and leading to water logging in many areas.

The city received 60.77 mm rainfall since Tuesday. Colaba in south Mumbai received 78.6 mm and suburban Santacruz received 95.0 mm, the MET department said.

On July 26, 2005, the metropolis saw unprecedented floods as 944 mm of rainfall coincided with a 4.48 m tide.

Friday, May 7, 2010

Terrorism today

The world , as you know is infected with terrorists who are brainwashed by their so called mentors to Do Or DIE.

I have a question....

If dieing for your ideologies is so easy why are the so called terrorist leaders alive today. they should have setup an example & died before brainwashing thousands of innocent teens to be human bombs or to die while on a killing spree. what is achieced by this?

The best eaxample of this is Kasab who is sentenced to death by the Indian Judiciary for killing hundreds of innocent people on the streets of Mumbai. What did he get out of it?

Can anybody explain to me what is behind all this brainless ideologies. I just cannot understand.

Thursday, May 6, 2010

Judgement Day for Kasab-the Killing Machine

At around 12.15 pm, Judge Madan Tahilyani arrived late in the courtroom which was packed to the capacity. He was about to deliver the verdict on the case known as the 26/11 Mumbai attacks. This was the unique case where a Pakistani national Ajmal Kasab was tried in a terrorism case in India .

It was the case where India and Pakistan are engaged in high-level diplomacy. This is the case whose potential is still unfolding.

This is the case which India is showcasing to Pakistan that in India the 'rule of law' prevails and court judgements are free and fair. This is the case whose verdict will bleed many families in Pakistan because they know their children died for a useless and fruitless cause which was not worth fighting for.

Kasab, the main accused, came minutes after court started. He was gheraoed by policemen as soon as he sat next to Fahim on the bench. He was wearing a white salwar kameez, clean but wrinkled. He had a little stubble on his face. He kept looking at the floor. For almost next 90 minutes he didn't move. Not even once did he turn around to look at the media's enclosure to his left. When the court proceedings began on May 8, 2009, Kasab used to look into eyes of many media men and women frequently. The judge used to reprimand him for his playful conduct.

But since last the few months, his solitary confinement is having an effect. Ramesh Mahale, chief investigating officer, disagrees. He claims Kasab is playing smart. He says, "Only in the courtroom, before the media, he is 'acting'. Otherwise he behaves normally."

However, on Monday, when he was about to be declared guilty Kasab sat on the bench like a wooden statue. No emotions and no eye contact. It's difficult to judge anyone correctly without having eye contact.

This lone-surviving Pakistani accused, who has a Rs 300 million security operation around him, was the centre of attraction.

Judge Tahilyani took his own time to read the final verdict. He ensured that television journalists kept patience and listened to him. He forbade the media from leaving court till his entire explanation was over. This courtroom has many air conditioners, a fine audio system and full-proof security.

He told journalists, who wanted to flash the news of Kasab's conviction, "Don't leave the room till I give permission." Tahilyani has his way of handling situation with a carrot and stick approach.

Before pronouncing the historic verdict, the judge told Kasab to stand up in his box.

Then, in Hindi he told Kasab that, "Aap ke khilaf khun karne ki aur saazish karne ka aarop hai. (You were charged for murder and conspiracy) You are found guilty."

He also tried to educate journalists by giving a detailed account of his verdict. He said his verdict is 1,522 pages long. "I am not going to read the entire verdict," he said.

Then, he went on to explain in detail that since the case was so voluminous he has made it simpler by preparing 14 tables. That are attached to the verdict and all details of the tables are explained in the findings.

He said this case contained large numbers of casualties, arms and ammunitions so to sum up all details in context he has prepared tables.

Like the first table contained the nature of crime committed, which police company was assigned investigations and name of the police investigations under which place the crime falls. Table two gave entire details of 166 deaths in the attacks. A column in the table showed where they were killed, another column on nature of injuries.

The third table attached to the judgment showed 238 injured people's names and a column narrating the nature of injuries, details of medical examination/treatment.

Another table showed the details of medical reports, nature of injuries etc. One table showed a panchnama made of arms like AK-47 rifles and pistols. Table nine and ten showed details of all empties and bullets and cartridges found at the places of crime. The judge said that tables show details of seizures and comments of the ballistic reports. Table 14 showed various types of DNA tests that the court got.

Interestingly, Monday's judgment has accepted almost all the investigation into 26/11 except Arun Jhadhav, a Mumbai policeman's statement that the court found 'exaggerated'.

Jadhav was in the police vehicle in which senior police officers Hemant Karkare [ Images ], Vijay Salaskar and Ashok Kamte [ Images ] were killed. Also, the court has said it's not sure how Karkare and Kamte were killed because the bullets went through their bodies and empties found around didn't match with the terrorists' rifles.

As soon as judge started narrating how he has accepted that Kasab had forged an I-card of an Indian college and said he has convicted him for forgery, there was an excitement in the courtroom. The judge acknowledged that the US Federal Bureau of Investigations testimony was important. He said that the FBI's findings on the global positioning system used by the terrorists was vital. FBI's proof of how ten terrorists travelled from Karachi to Mumbai was accepted as evidence.

It was music to ears of Public Prosecutor Ujjawal Nikam when the judge, in his first half hour, kept saying, "I have accepted your case."

As he started accepting the evidence one by one, many knew, as expected, that Kasab will be pronounced guilty. The judge first talked about Kasab's offence of around 66 deaths under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code. He said he found Kasab guilty of directly killing seven people that included policeman Tukaram Ombale. The judge said Kasab's rifle's bullets tally with those on these seven victims.

The court also said that 47 people were killed by Abu Ismail and Kasab. He says he appreciated the prosecution's evidence in this case. The court was very appreciative of photographer Sebastian D'Souza's testimony where he narrated how he took Kasab's picture while he on the killing spree at CST station.

One of the most important things that judge said while delivering the judgment was that he has accepted Kasab's statement made before a magistrate but he has also taken care to see that corroborative evidence is taken into account.

Kasab has retracted his statement that narrated his journey from Pakistan to India and his actions on 26/11. But the judge said Kasab's retraction is 'bald' without any reasons.

He said the law of prudence required that confessions of accused are corroborated by evidence. The judge assured that he has taken care of it. The court's decision was heavily depended on the confession of Kasab that was retracted.

The judge said he has accepted the evidence that Kasab was not at all under duress when he made the confession before the magistrate after his arrest. The court found him guilty of conspiracy charge also for which only circumstantial evidence exists.

The court has found Kasab guilty of deaths that occurred at other places also where he was not present.

The judge made 196 points in the 85-page summary of his 1,522-page judgment. The judge said, "These are crimes committed not by a normal criminal but by a committed man who wanted to wage war against India."

Friday, November 13, 2009

26/11 -A year After

I read a news item recently regarding the terrorist attack on Mumbai on 26/11 last year. The news stated that the bulletproof jackets worn by the police officers who were fighting the terrorists from Pakistan were substandard & were from a lot which was rejected earlier & accepted later. You know what that means.

Substandard equipment was purchased by the Government of India which ultimately led to the death of top police officials like Hemant Karkare just because they were wearing so called bulletproof jackets which were not bulletproof at all.

Is that the value we have for the lives of the brave people who fight to keep us & our country safe?

GUYS, PLEASE HELP ME IN RAISING VOICES AGAINST THIS ACT OF CORRUPTION WHICH HAS TAKEN PLACE RIGHT AT THE TOP & LED TO THE LIVES OF OUR VALIANT OFFICERS.

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Coolest Calmest Place On Earth!!!!!!!!!!


In a study to assess the many factors that affect astronomy, a joint US-Australian research team has found the ideal location for an observatory -- known simply as "Ridge A".

The untouched stretch of Antarctic terrain has been dubbed the coldest, calmest and driest place on Earth. It is expected to yield images of the heavens three times sharper than any ever taken from the ground.

The team combined data from satellites, ground stations and climate models to assess factors that affect astronomy -cloud cover, temperature, sky-brightness, water vapour, wind speeds and atmospheric turbulence.

The researchers pinpointed a site -- known simply as Ridge A -- that is 4,053m high up on the Antarctic Plateau. It is not only particularly remote, but extremely cold and dry.

The study revealed that Ridge A has an average winter temperature of minus 70 degree Celsius and that the water content of the entire atmosphere there is sometimes less than the thickness of a human hair.

It is also extremely calm, which means that there is very little of the atmospheric turbulence elsewhere that makes stars appear to twinkle: 'It's so calm that there's almost no wind or weather there at all,' says Dr Will Saunders, of the Anglo-Australian Observatory and visiting professor to UNSW, who led the study.

'The astronomical images taken at Ridge A should be at least three times sharper than at the best sites currently used by astronomers,' says Dr Saunders.

'Because the sky there is so much darker and drier, it means that a modestly-sized telescope there would be as powerful as the largest telescopes anywhere else on earth,' the expert added.

They found that the best place in almost all respects was not the highest point on the Plateau -- called Dome A 00 but 150km away along a flat ridge.

'Ridge A looks to be significantly better than elsewhere on the Antarctic plateau and far superior to the best existing observatories on high mountain tops in Hawaii and Chile,' says Dr Saunders.
The finding was published on Tuesday in the Publications of the Astronomical Society.

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Wednesday, July 22, 2009

The New Online Experience!

What exactly is ShopWiki?
Shop wiki is really an experience in online Shopping you must have.

ShopWiki revolutionizes online shopping since it finds every store on the internet by crawling like Google. Traditional shopping sites will only show you stores that have PAID for placement, and ShopWiki will give a shopper everything.

For a shopper, this means they can find anything and everything for sale on the web at ShopWiki.com. More products from more stores means better deals and savings for your readers.

ShopWiki is an Internet shopping search engine founded in 2005 and launched in early 2006. It was founded by the former DoubleClick CEO Kevin P. Ryan, the former CTO and DoubleClick co-founder Dwight Merriman and Eliot Horowitz. Their primary distinguisher is crawling the internet for stores instead of using data feeds from merchants.

What more does a online searcher want if he gets every thing he wants under one site.

So guys what are you waiting for? Get clicking & start shopping.

Tide of the Century

The “Tide of the Century” may hit Mumbai on 24th July 2009.

Mumbai could be facing a re-enactment of the catastrophe that devastated life and property four years ago—perhaps on the very same dates. While the severity of the flooding would probably be unabated, better preparedness and closer co-ordination among government bodies, corporate & general public can help in minimizing its impact.

What caused floods in 2005?

Mumbai is at an average elevation of 10-15 meters above sea level and receives an annual rainfall of 2,200 mm out of which 50% is in the month of July.

On 26 July 2005, Mumbai got a record single day rainfall of 944mm (42% of the city’s annual rainfall). This coupled with a high tide of more than 4.8m, overwhelmed the drain-age systems and flooded the city.

Mumbai lost close to $200 million of revenue and over 1,000 lives. The floods also caused serious damage to property, infrastructure and left serious diseases in its wake. Many were even traumatized.

Mumbai faces a similar situation now!

The Municipal Corporation of Greater Mumbai (MCGM) has indicated the possibility of a high tide of 5.01m & 5.05m on 23rd and 24th July 2009 respectively.

The South West Monsoon which is expected to hit Mumbai by 10th June could prove disastrous if it rains heavily on any of these two days. Low lying areas could experience flooding even with moderate rains.

While MCGM has apparently undertaken measures to improve the city’s disaster management capabilities, it is imperative for individuals & corporate’s to review their pre-paredness for responding effectively.

Checklist- Preparing for the 'danger days'

Before :

• Restrict all non-essential travel on critical days. Advise inbound travelers as well
• Familiarize yourself & family/colleagues with warning signs, alert systems & designated high land areas
• Be aware of the potential flooding zones and the evacuation routes
• Keep all the emergency contact numbers handy
• Stock food, drinking water and other essential emergency supplies
• Dispose all garbage and inform public authorities of any clogged drainage
• Teach children, how & when to call first responders and train them on flood response drills**

During :

If Indoors:

• Turn off the electric supply
• Using the available source of communication, intimate your family members
• Use battery operated radio to get latest emergency information
• If instructed by authorities to evacuate, do so immediately

If Outdoors:

• If stranded in a vehicle, exit the vehicle and move to a higher land
• Avoid walking / travelling through any flooded routes
• Avoid unnecessary calling on Emergency Contact Numbers
• Rely on authentic information & don’t spread rumours

After :

• Don't return/enter your home until authorities declare it safe`
• Help neighbours who may need assistance
• Watch out for poisonous insects & reptiles
• Beware of loose electrical wires
• Beware of water borne diseases
• Go for Medical checkups if exposed to flood waters
• Discard any food item which has been in contact with the flood water
• Contact your insurance company for claims
• Consult a crisis counsellor in case of post traumatic stress syndrome

Emergency Contact Details

Disaster Help Line 108
Mumbai Police 100
Fire Brigade 101
Central Complaint Registration System 1916
Medical Emergency 101
Local Ward
Office HR
Family Acquaintance
Family Doctor
Insurance Company

* For respective Ward Representative & Emergency Contact Details visit www.mcgm.gov.in

Friday, July 3, 2009

Railway Budget

Union Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee presented the Railway Budget for 2009-10 in Parliament on Friday.

Here are some highlights of her Railway Budget speech:

* Banerjee says an expert committee will be set up to advise her on implementation of the so-called economically unviable but socially desired projects.
* "My priorities will include better passenger amenities, safety and security and provision of good quality food and drinking water," says Banerjee.
* Railway ministry has plans to develop important stations through private-public partnership. These include CST Mumbai, Nagpur, Pune, Howrah, Sealdah, Varanasi, New Delhi, Lucknow, Jaipur, Kanpur, Chennai Central, Thiruvananthapuram Central, Secunderabad, Bangalore City, Byappanahalli, Ahmedabad, Bhopal, Habibganj, Agra Central, Chandigarh, Kolkata, New Jalpaiguri, Puri and Kochi.
* Railways to develop multi-functional complexes with shopping malls, food stalls, medicines and variety stores in different parts of the country.
* Infotainment services to be provided in major long-distance trains, Banerjee says.
* Banerjee says an expert committee will be set up to advise her on implementation of the so-called economically unviable but socially desired projects.
* Develop 50 stations as world class stations
* Improvement of trains amenities
* Railways is trying to keep up with change
* Committed to the cause of the underpreviliged.
* India wants better rail connectivity.
* Book stores, PCOs to be set up across stations
* Infotainment services on Rajhandi and Shatabdi trains
* To take the private-public partnership route to develop stations
* Priority for food and water on trains
* Developing multi-functional complexes at stations
* Priority to passenger amenities
* Rail projects shouldn't be gauged by economic viability but governed by social viability: Mamata
* To set up panel for financing unvaiilable rail projects

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