Personal and Social Diary: Albert Ashok, A Stranger in the Crowd

India court denigrates 'immoral live-in' relationships

2012-01-19T19:12:00.000-08:00

India court denigrates 'immoral live-in' relationships

Source : BBC

Live-in relationships are still frowned up by society in India

A court in the Indian capital, Delhi, has said that live-in relationships are immoral and an "infamous product of Western culture".

Judge Surinder S Rathi made the remarks after sentencing an Indian woman for killing her Nigerian partner.
Justice Rathi said the live-in relationships were "a fad that is visible only in urban areas".
Though the Supreme Court has endorsed them, live-in relationships are still frowned upon by society in India.
Justice Rathi of the trial court said live-in relationships are still perceived as immoral in India.
"Evidence available on record shows that the immorality of this relationship was further aggravated by the unabated flow of liquor and smoke," he was quoted as saying by The Indian Express newspaper.
In 2010, the Supreme Court dismissed a number of cases against a Tamil actress who spoke in support of the right of women to have pre-marital sex. The court also endorsed the right of unmarried couples to live together.
Actress Kushboo was accused of outraging public decency and 22 cases were filed against her in 2005.

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India court backs rights of unmarried couples

Kushboo's comments created a stir

The Supreme Court in India has endorsed the right of unmarried couples to live together in a case involving an actress accused of outraging public decency.

A three-judge panel in Delhi pointed out that even Hindu Gods Lord Krishna and Radha were co-habiting lovers.
Actress Kushboo was appealing to the court to quash more than 20 cases filed against her in 2005.
In a 2005 interview she said it was not wrong for women to have pre-marital sex as long as they took precautions.
She said that it was also "not fair of any educated youth to expect his wife to be a virgin".
The remarks stirred controversy in a conservative country where pre-marital sex is still a cultural taboo.
Some Tamil nationalist political groups accused the actress of making derogatory and obscene remarks against Tamil culture.
Several cases have been filed against her across Tamil Nadu in various courts under different sections of the Indian penal code.
If found guilty, she faces imprisonment or a fine.
Central tenet
"When two adult people want to live together, what is the offence?" the judges said. "Living together is not an offence. Living together is a right to life."
The judges said they were "not bothered" by Kushboo's personal views and reserved judgement on her petition.
Marriage remains a central tenet in India, with weddings celebrated in lavish style and many households made up of extended families.
The BBC's Geeta Pandey in Delhi in India says that pre-marital sex will remain taboo in India - despite Wednesday's ruling - and live-in relationships are rare and frowned upon by society.

Source : BBC

The first jobs of Celebrities

2011-10-20T00:31:00.000-07:00

Superstar Rajnikanth did many jobs including that of a manual labourer before becoming a bus conductor, and later a succesfull actor.

Akshay Kumar used to worked as a chef and waiter at a restaurant in Bangkok before embarking on a Bollywood adventure.

Singer Mariah Carey was a coat check girl who got fired for having a poor attitude!

Handsome Australian Hugh Jackman made his living as a clown at kids' parties for about three years, earning $50 a show!

Jack Nicholson before becoming an actor, was working in the mailroom at MGM.

Talk show host Oprah Winfrey's first job was at a local grocery store.

Pop diva Madonna survived on her dreams and the meagre income she used to get from a job at 'Dunkin' Donuts' when she arrived in 'Big Apple'

Before he got the license to kill, Sean Connery worked as a milkman, bricklayer, lifeguard and coffin polisher. Now, can u believe it?

Al Pacino and Quentin Tarantino used to work as cinema ushers. While Tarantino was quite happy about his job given that fact that he could watch movies everyday, Al Pacino got fired from the job.

Stallone's life was harder than Rocky Balboa's. He used to work as a lion cage cleaner at Central Park Zoo. After finding himself homeless, Stallone had to no other way but to act in a porn flick for a mere $ 200.

Gorden Sumner aka Sting worked as a bus conductor, construction labourer, tax officer and teacher before becoming a successful musician.

Mick Jagger was once a porter in a mental hospital.

Bon Jovi's first job was making Christmas decorations!

Pamela Anderson used to be a fitness instructor before. Her figure says it all!

In her teens, Megan Fox worked for a smoothie shop.

Jennifer Aniston used to work as a bike messenger in New York City and Telemarketer before making it big in Hollywood.

Lady Gaga used to work as a waitress at a restaurant in NY.

Brad Pitt used to work for El Pollo Loco restaurant on Sunset Boulevard often dressing up in a chicken costume!

Nicolas Cage used to sell popcorn at the Fairfax Theater.

Queen Latifahused to work for Burger King, before getting expelled after losing her temper at work.

Tom Hanks used to be a popcorn and peanuts vendor

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Harrison Ford still enjoys carpentry. He was a self-taught carpenter whomade cabinets for George Lucas. It was his cabinet-making job that landed him a tiny role in Lucas' 'American Graffiti.' Rest is history. xxxxxx

The once handsome Mickey Rourke had a face too good for a movie theater usher. Luckily, he got noticed.

Sandra Bullock used to worked as a bartender while in college.

Marlon Brando was a high school drop out. He even worked as a ditch digger among many other jobs in his youth.

Sharon Stone and Rachel McAdams had worked with Mc Donalds when they were young.

Hollywood's handsome hunk George Clooney used to sell suits, worked in department store, and even in construction sites.

Captain Jack Sparrow used to sell ballpoint pens in his early life!

Tom Cruise wanted to become a catholic priest and he even joined a Franciscan seminary! He would have become a hunky priest, but God had different plans!

Source : Yahoo

You may covet their fame and fortune now, but back in the day, you would never have wanted to trade places with some celebrities and business leaders. Many of the rich and famous had to work horrible jobs for chump change — we’re talking pumping gas and cleaning girls' locker rooms — before making it big.
Donald Trump:

Trump, now a filthy-rich real-estate investor and host of the hit NBC show "The Apprentice," got his start collecting soda bottles for the deposit money. Later, he went around with rent collectors to see how that business worked.

Michael Dell:

The founder and CEO of Dell washed dishes at a Chinese restaurant before starting his namesake computer company.

Johnny Depp:

As a youngster, Depp donned makeup for his gig in a KISS tribute band and also dressed up as part of the faux B-52s, as well as Iggy Pop. Back then, Depp pocketed about $25 on bad nights; now he makes about $25 million per year.

Walt Disney:

Before he dominated the cartoon and amusement-park empire, Walt Disney worked as an ambulance driver in France during World War I. He took the gig after he was rejected from the Army for being underage.

Jim Carrey:

Before he had people in stitches, this funny guy worked as a janitor mopping floors at a tire factory. He took the job at age 15 after his father became unemployed. Carrey also had a another job as a security guard. The comedian credits his early lessons in strife and toil for instilling his love of comedy: He visited local comedy clubs to relieve stress.

Suze Orman:

Today, she tells people how to spend their money, but during her early years, Orman bussed tables to make a buck. The personal-finance guru, who barely made it to college, also washed dishes.

Clint Eastwood:

This ruggedly handsome actor, director and businessman started out as a pool boy. He later worked as a gas-station attendant and a firefighter. Eastwood also played ragtime piano at a bar in Oakland, Calif.

50 Cent:

The multiplatinum-record-selling American rapper began his working life selling drugs in Queens, N.Y. The rapper says that the hard life taught him how to manage his music empire in areas such as dealing with distributors and marketing new products to customers.

Quentin Tarantino:

This filmmaker, known for flicks such as "Kill Bill" and "Reservoir Dogs," was an usher at an adult movie theater in Southern California. Despite the job's sleaziness, Tarantino once told Charlie Rose, "To me, the greatest job a person could ever have was being an usher at a movie theater, you know. You get to go to a movie theater all day long, and then you get to see all the movies for free." Tarantino later worked as a video-store clerk.

Chris Rock:

This comic started his career as a busboy at a Red Lobster franchise in Queens, N.Y. Always on the lookout for material, Rock recalled his experience in a skit on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" in 2003. Rock quipped, "The thing about Red Lobster is that if you work there, you can't afford to eat there. You're making minimum wage. A shrimp costs minimum wage." Rock then bussed tables at Comic Strip Live in Manhattan and was allowed to try out his own jokes on stage.

Jennifer Aniston: Aniston's beginnings entailed far worse than donning too few pieces of flair: She was both a telemarketer and a waitress before hitting it big as Rachel on "Friends."

Lucille Ball: Always a goofball, Lucille Ball was reportedly fired from an ice-cream shop for not remembering to add bananas to banana splits.

Warren Beatty: Before he exploded onto the movie scene in 1961's "Splendor in the Grass," Beatty reportedly worked as a rat catcher.

Marlon Brando: Talk about a dull job: The Godfather became a ditchdigger after he was expelled from military school.

Michael Douglas: The New Jersey-born actor really did live the blue-collar life for a hot minute when he got his first job as a gas-station attendant.

Tom Hanks: This everyman actor started out as a popcorn and peanuts vendor at the Oakland Coliseum in California and once worked as a hotel bellhop carrying bags for a number of stars.

Stephen King: Solitary work can inspire writers, and Stephen King found his spark when he worked as a janitor. King's experience cleaning the girls' locker room helped inspire his novel "Carrie." He also worked at a mill bagging loose fabric, as well as at a laundromat.

Madonna: This successful singer and actress worked at Dunkin' Donuts as a teenager. She later went on to dance and model to pay the rent before she bounded onto the music scene in the early 80s. Today, Madonna ranks as the 21st richest celebrity in the world.

Brad Pitt: When he was a struggling young actor, Pitt drove limos, moved refrigerators and dressed as a giant chicken for a Mexican restaurant. Pitt is currently the 10th highest paid celebrity in the world.

Julia Roberts: Before she became famous, Roberts worked in an ice-cream shop.

Steven Spielberg: Spielberg used to work outside keeping the bugs away from fruit trees. Today, Forbes magazine estimates his worth at $3 billion. A few years ago, LIFE magazine named Spielberg the most influential person of his generation.

Robin Williams: Robin Williams worked as a street mime and in an ice-cream shop before he got into acting.

George Steinbrenner: The principal owner of the New York Yankees since 1973, Steinbrenner's first "job" was helping his siblings raise the family's chickens — for a few dollars a week. He sold the eggs to neighbors in his small hometown of Bay Village, Ohio. He even killed and dressed chickens for folks who wanted a fresh one.

Mariah Carey: This beauty-school dropout turned music diva was fired from her job as a hat checker. Today, she's one of the most successful female vocalists of all time and boasts the most No. 1 singles for a solo artist in the United States.

Rachael Ray: The face of this cooking-show hostess, television personality and author is everywhere these days, but it used to be stuck behind the candy counter at Macy's in New York City. The job wasn't a complete bust, however, as Ray eventually managed the fresh-foods department, which helped pave her way to her TV cooking career. Today, Ray is worth tens of millions of dollars.

Source : Focus

50 Celebrity First Jobs

Nicolas Cage – Sold popcorn at a movie theater
Charles Bronson – Coal Miner
David Lee Roth – Hospital orderly
Paula Abdul – Laker Girl
Clint Eastwood – Pool Boy
Sean Connery – Lifeguard
Mick Jagger – Hospital Porter
Cyndi Lauper – Emptied dog kennels
Steve Buscemi – Firefighter
Ozzy Osbourne – Slaughterhouse Worker
Gwen Stefani – Worked at Dairy Queen
Rod Stewart – Grave Digger
Queen Latifah -Worked at Burger King
Warren Beatty – Rat Catcher
Alec Baldwin – Bouncer
Kanye West – Worked at the Gap
Jason Lee – Worked behind the counter at a Taco Bell
Whoopi Goldberg – Bricklayer
Mickey Rourke – Movie Theater Usher
Claiy Aiken – A counselor at the YMCA
Marlon Brando – Ditch Digger
Matthew McConaughey – Cleaned out chicken coops
Donald Trump – Rent Collector
Gene Simmons – Newspaper Delivery Boy
Jon Bon Jovi – Made Christmas decorations
Keith Richards – Tennis Ball Boy
Russell Simmons – Worked at Orange Julius
Nancy Grace – Worked the candy counter at Sears
Henry Fonda – Worked for a credit agency
Pamela Anderson – Fitness Instructor
Jennifer Aniston – Telemarketer
Lucille Ball – Sold ice cream
Michael Douglas – Gas Station Attendant
Robin Williams – Street Mime
Danny DeVito – Hair stylist
Garth Brooks – Boot Store Salesman
Drew Carey – in the Marine Corps.
Kurt Cobain – Janitor
Evangeline Lilly – Flight Attendant
Jerry Seinfeld – Sold lightbulbs
Sting – Teacher
Vin Diesel – Bouncer
Eddie Vedder – Gas Station Attendant
Christopher Walken – Lion Tamer in the circus
Julia Roberts – Worked behind the counter in an ice cream shop
James Dean – Tested stunts for the game show “Beat the Clock”
Walt Disney – Ambulance driver
Carmen Elektra – Danced at a theme park in Ohio
Tom Cruise – Bell Hop
Faith Hill – Receptionist

Source :.glamorati

Famous school/college dropouts

2011-10-09T17:54:00.000-07:00

Did you know that Apple co-founder Steve Jobs was a college dropout? Some people are too smart to be confined to the classroom walls! Here's a look at other famous school/college dropouts.

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Here's something not many people know about Subhash Chandra Goel :The Zee chairman dropped out after standard 12.Subhash Chandra started his own vegetable oils unit at 19. It was, in a manner of speaking, his first job. Years later, a casual visit to a friend at Doordarshan gave him the idea of starting his own broadcasting company. We all know how that story ran.Chandra knew nothing about programming, distribution or film rights. What he did understand quite well was the Indian sensibility though. Funded by UKbusinessmen, Zee came into being as India's first satellite TV network.Today, it reaches 320 lakhs homes, connecting with 20 crores people inSouth Asia alone. The network also covers Asians in America, the Middle East,Europe, Australia and Africa, making this dropout a very rich one.

Michael Saul Dell (1965- ) joined the University of Texas at Austin with the

intention of becoming a physician. While studying there, he started a computer company in his dormitory, calling it PC's Limited. By the time he
turned 19, it had notched up enough success to prompt Dell to dropout. In 1987, PC's Limited changed its name to Dell Computer Corporation. By 2003, Dell, Inc. was the world's most profitable PC manufacturer.

Dell has won more than his fair share of accolades, including Man of the Year from PC Magazine and EM>CEO of the Year from Financial World .Forbe s, in 2005, lists him as the 18th richest in the world with a net worth of around $1600 Crores. Not bad for just another dropout.

FORMER AMERICAN IDOL JUDGE SIMON COWELL DROPPED OUT OF SCHOOL AT AGE 16 AND LANDED A JOB IN THE MAILROOM AT EMI. AT 23 HE LEFT TO START HIS OWN RECORD LABEL, FANFARE.

AMERICAN AVIATOR CHARLES LINDBERGH, THE FIRST PERSON TO FLY SOLO ACROSS THE ATLANTIC OCEAN, QUIT THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN AND TOOK FLYING CLASSES INSTEAD.

GENIUS DIRECTOR QUENTIN TARANTINO IS A HIGH SCHOOL DROPOUT WHO WENT TO WORK IN A VIDEO STORE FOR HIS LOVE FOR MOVIES.

STEVEN SPIELBERG WAS NOT KNOWN FOR HIS ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE. INTERESTINGLY, HE EVEN FAILED TO GET ADMISSION INTO A FILM-MAKING INSTITUTE!

SIR RICHARD BRANSON HAD A DIFFICULT TIME IN SCHOOL BECAUSE OF HIS DYSLEXIA. HE LEFT SCHOOL WHEN HE WAS ONLY 16.

DORIS LESSING, WON THE NOBEL PRIZE FOR LITERATURE IN 2007, HAD TO END HER FORMAL SCHOOLING WHEN SHE WAS 14. SHE HAD WORKED AS A NANNY, TELEPHONE OPERATOR, STENOGRAPHER, AND A JOURNALIST BEFORE BECOMING A NOVELIST AT THE AGE OF 31.

FASHION DESIGNER RALPH LAUREN, THE FOUNDER OF POLO, LEFT THE CITY COLLEGE OF NEW YORK BUSINESS SCHOOL TO DESIGN TIES FOR BEAU BRUMMEL. HE LAUNCHED POLO LATER THAT SAME YEAR.

AFTER THE WONDER EFFECT OF FACEBOOK, ZUCKERBERG PACKED HIS DREAMS AND LEFT HARVARD TO RELOCATE TO SILICON VALLEY.

WIKILEAKS FOUNDER JULIAN ASSANGE ATTENDED THE UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE, MAJORING IN PHYSICS AND MATHEMATICS. HE RECEIVED ONLY A MINIMUM GRADE FOR MATH AND LEFT THE UNIVERSITY SOON TO START HIS OWN VENTURE.

LARRY ELLISON, ORACLE CO-FOUNDER, ATTENDED THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS BUT LEFT AT THE END OF HIS SECOND YEAR, AS HE SKIPPED THE EXAMS FOLLOWING THE DEATH OF HIS ADOPTIVE MOTHER. HE THEN WENT TO THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO, BUT DIDN'T STAY BEYOND A TERM.
Larry Ellison
Lawrence Joseph Ellison (1944-), co-founder and CEO of Oracle Corporation, founded his company in 1977 with a sum of $2,000. Once a school dropout, he is now, according toForbe s, one of the richest people in America with a net worth of around $184 crores. The figure also makes him the ninth richest in the world. As a young man, Ellison worked for the Ampex Corporation, where one of his projects was a database for the CIA. He called it Oracle, a name he was to reuse years later for the company that made him famous. Interestingly, the organisation's initial release was Oracle 2. The number supposedly implied that all bugs had been eliminated from an earlier version. Ellison is quite a colourful man, and has long dabbled in all kinds of things. Want to learn more? Try his biography, The Difference Between God and Larry Ellison.

AFTER SCORING A NEAR-PERFECT 1590 ON HIS SATS, GATES ENROLLED AT HARVARD BUT LEFT WITHOUT A DEGREE TO START MICROSOFT CORP.
Bill Gates
William Henry Gates III (1955-), along with Paul Allen, co-founded Microsoft Corporation, the world's largest software maker. Bill Gates, the wealthiest person in the world with an estimated net worth of $480 crores (Rs 211,200 crore!), is probably the best-known college dropout. Gates attended an exclusive prep school in Seattle, went on to study at Harvard University, then dropped out to pursue software development. As students in the mid-70s, he and Paul Allen wrote the original Altair BASIC interpreter for the Altair 8800, the first commercially successful PC. In 1975, Micro-Soft - later Microsoft Corporation - was born. Three decades on,

Gates has been Number One on the Forbes 400 for over a dozen years. And here's something you probably didn't know: The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation currently provides 90 per cent of the world budget for the attempted eradication of polio.

RELIANCE FOUNDER DHIRUBHAI AMBANI WAS ONLY 16 WHEN HE LEFT FOR ADEN TO WORK AS A CLERK OWING TO FINANCIAL ISSUES IN FAMILY.

Dhirajlal Hirachand Ambani (1932-2002) was born into the family of aschoolteacher. It was a family of modest means. When he turned 16,Dhirubhai moved to Aden, working first as a gas-station attendant, then as aclerk in an oil company.He returned to India at 26, starting a business with a meagre capital of $375.

By the time of his demise, his company - Reliance Industries Ltd - had grown to become an empire, with an estimated annual turnover of $120 crores!
Dhirubhai was, in his lifetime, conferred the Indian Entrepreneur of the 20thCentury Award by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce andIndustry. A Times of India poll in the year 2000 also voted him one of the biggest creators of wealth in this century. Dhirubhai's is not just the usual rags-to-riches story. He will be remembered as the one who rewrote Indian corporate history and built a truly global
corporate group. He is also credited with having single-handedly breathed life into the Indian stock markets and bringing in thousands of investors to the bourses.

STEVE JOBS GOT HIMSELF ENROLLED IN REED COLLEGE IN OREGON, BUT ONE SEMESTER LATER, HE DROPPED OUT.
Steven Paul Jobs (1955-) and Apple Computer are names that have long gone together.

Born in the United States to an unknown Egyptian-Arab father, Jobs was adopted soon after birth. After graduating high school, he enrolled in Reed College, dropping out after one semester.

In 1976, 21-year-old Jobs and 26-year old Steve Wozniak founded Apple Computer Co. in the family garage. Jobs revolutionised the industry by popularising the concept of home computers.

By 1984, the Macintosh was introduced. He had an influential role in the building of the World-Wide Web, and also happens to be Chairman and CEO of Pixar Animation Studios.

Today, with the iPod, Apple is bigger than ever. Incidentally, Jobs worked for several years at an annual salary of $1. It got him a listing in the Guinness Book as `Lowest Paid Chief Executive Officer.' He was once gifted a $9 crores jet by the company though. And his net worth? Moer than $3 billion.

Master blaster Sachin Tendulkar never attended a college.

And There are a lot names you will find in the links below
http://www.angelfire.com/stars4/lists/dropouts.html http://www.angelfire.com/stars4/lists/dropouts.html

http://www.scribd.com/doc/8476056/World-Famous-DropOutsLater-Billionaires

Source: Yahoo

London Riots : Time photos, a document of present violence

2011-08-11T05:04:00.000-07:00

A string of photos from Time . com posted below. You can see the photos online on their website Click the link http://www.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,2087234,00.html

Riot Photos from TIME

London, August 10, 2011
Workmen clean up the charred remains of Reeves furniture shop in Croydon, south of London, on August 10, 2011, following riots in the area on Monday night.
London Riots: A Blast from the Past or a Glimpse of the Future?

Manchester, August 10, 2011
Damage to a fashion retail store in Manchester City Centre, August 10, 2011, following a fourth night of violence in Britain. The country's worst riots in decades raged into Wednesday as youths ran amok in Manchester and the industrial Midlands but London was quiet with 16,000 police swamping the streets to stem violence.

Liverpool, August 9, 2011
A rioter walks through a burning barricade in Liverpool, August 9, 2011.

Manchester, August 9, 2011
A fire in a Miss Selfridge clothing store, Manchester city centre, northern England August 9, 2011.

Birmingham, August 9, 2011
Looters carry boxes out of a home cinema shop in central Birmingham, England, August 9, 2011. Thousands of policemen prepared to deploy on London's streets on Tuesday night to head off rioters and looters who have rampaged through parts of the British capital virtually unchecked for the past three nights.

Engulfed
People take photographs of a burning car during riots in Birmingham City Center on August 9, 2011, in Birmingham, England. After three nights of rioting and looting in and around London, the chaos is starting to spread to other cities around Britain.

London Riots: A Blast from the Past or a Glimpse of the Future?

Total Loss
A policeman and his dog walk towards a burning car in central Birmingham, England, August 9, 2011.

The Throng
Youths scream during riots in Birmingham City Center on August 9, 2011, in Birmingham, England.

London, August 9, 2011
Row houses smolder on London Road, just north of Croydon town center on August 9, 2011 in London.

Billowing
The Sony distribution center in Enfield is engulfed in fire on August 9, 2011 in London.

Aftermath
Firefighters examine the wreckage of Party Store after a fire during last night's rioting at Clapham Junction on August 9, 2011, in London.

Charred
A street cleaner hoses down the street around burned out mini cars set alight during riots in Hackney in London August 9, 2011. Prime Minister David Cameron is to hold crisis talks on Tuesday after three nights of riots, looting and arson in many parts of London and three other cities.

Major Blaze
Firefighters battle a large fire that broke out in shops and residential properties in Croydon on August 9, 2011 in London, England.

Hellfield
Fire destroys a Sony warehouse in Enfield in north London August 9, 2011. Enfield has been targeted two nights running.

Watch and Burn
A bystander looks at a blazing store after looters rampaged through a shopping mall in Woolwich, southeast London, August 8, 2011.

London, August 8, 2011
A shop is set on fire as rioters gather in Croydon.

Clarence Road, Hackney
Riot police walk through an area of rioting, August 8, 2011.

Barricade
Rioters set fire to barricades they constructed, Hackney, August 8, 2011.

Shelves
Looters in a convenience store, Hackney, August 8, 2011.

Run to Safety
Residents of Hackney flee the violence, August 8, 2011.

London, August 8, 2011
A masked rioter walks past a burning car in Hackney, the site of continued rioting.

London, August 8, 2011
Rioters and bystanders force open a Carhartt store in Hackney.�

Streets on Fire
A police officer in riot gear stands in front of a smoldering car in Hackney on August 8, 2011, following the third night of rioting in London.�

London, Aug. 7, 2011
Sunday night in London saw a wave of copycat criminal activity across London in a second night of looting and disorder following the riots in Tottenham on the night of Aug. 6, 2011. More than 100 people were arrested as officers were attacked, police vehicles damaged and shops looted and damaged. The riots extended to regions such as Enfield, Walthamstow and Waltham Forest in North London and Brixton in the south of the city. This police car shows severe damage caused by youths in Enfield on Aug. 7.

Sunday, Aug. 7, 2001, London
A police officer stands guard in front of a burned police car in Tottenham, North London, after a demonstration concerning the death of a local man turned violent and cars and shops were set ablaze.

Rubble
Burned-out cars lie in the road after riots on Tottenham High Road in London on Aug. 7, 2011.

Collateral Damage
People walk past a burned-out van after riots on Tottenham High Road in London on Aug. 7, 2011.

Debris
Cars burned by rioters sit amid police vehicles in Tottenham, North London, on Aug. 7, 2011.

Shards
A man looks out the broken window of a mobile-telephone shop that was looted overnight at Tottenham Hale Retail Park in Tottenham, North London, on Aug. 7, 2011.

The Day After
A police officer patrols as firemen continue to douse buildings set alight during riots in Tottenham, North London, on Aug. 7, 2011.

Confrontation
Protesters face off against lines of riot police on Tottenham High Road. They were inspired by youths protesting the Aug. 6, 2011, killing of a man in an attempted arrest by armed police in London.

Courtesy :Time

Why the riot in london

2011-08-11T04:06:00.000-07:00

Why the riot in london, Many views from different sources ----
A police officer in riot gear directs fellow officers to clear bystanders away from a burning car in the London borough of Hackney on Aug. 8, 2011

Not since the blitz during World War II have so many fires raged in London so intensely at one time. It started with a riot in the working-class, multiracial borough of Tottenham in North London on Saturday, Aug. 6, sparked by peaceful protests against the police shooting of a man from a notorious local estate. By the early hours of Tuesday, Aug. 9, Britain's capital was in chaos as gangs of rioters rampaged through high streets across the city, torching businesses and homes, looting stores and attacking lines of police who were struggling — and largely failing — to stop the violence from spreading. Liverpool, Manchester and Birmingham weren't far behind; within three days, the London crisis was a national one.

In a statement released on Tuesday morning, London's Metropolitan Police Service described the violence on the evening of Aug. 8 as the worst in living memory. Six thousand police took to the streets. They made more than 200 arrests overnight, bringing the total to more than 450 since the rioting kicked off. Forty-four police sustained injuries on Monday night; one officer broke several bones after a car drove into him. Fourteen members of the public are also known to have been hurt, including a man in his 60s who sustained "life-threatening head injuries." Over the 24-hour period ending at 9 a.m., police had received about 21,000 emergency calls — 400% more than normal.

Those calls came from across the capital, as apparently spontaneous eruptions of violence and arson hit areas as far apart as Clapham in the south of the city, Ealing in the west and Hackney in the east. The only common factor seemed to be that each incident involved high streets attractive to gangs of looters. Any notion that the violence would remain a small, localized eruption of anger over an isolated incident, confined to an area with plenty of social problems, poverty and disengagement, was brutally dispelled as the rioters, communicating through BlackBerry messaging and Twitter accounts, moved from borough to borough, from inner-city Peckham to suburban Croydon. There, a 26-year-old man who was found alive in a car with a gunshot wound later died in a hospital.

The first escalation started on Monday afternoon in Hackney, a poor, ethnically diverse borough with low homeownership, high welfare dependency and large housing estates — the classic profile for tension, according to previous experience. Hackney's main shopping street became a battleground between police and rioters who smashed into boarded-up shops to escape with whatever they could carry, with clothes and sneakers being a particular target. Near the Pembury Estate housing project, four youths beat a photographer whom they accused of being with the "feds," while others threw bricks and stones at police. Accounts from witnesses suggested that a growing number of women were participating in the violence.

But even as politicians and community leaders debated whether the riots were the latest, inevitable result of social exclusion and government spending cuts, news broke later that evening of an eruption in Ealing, a relatively affluent, leafy middle-class area in the west of the city. Then it was Croydon, many miles south of Hackney and not a neighborhood usually seen as a tinderbox. Reports of violence followed from across London — Camden Town, Waltham Abbey, Brixton, Notting Hill — as borough after borough, with little to link them, fell victim to the chaos and arson.

Throughout the evening, local residents voiced concerns over what they perceived as a lackluster response from police. "My neighbor's house is on fire. It's absolutely bedlam on the streets," a frantic onlooker told news crews near a fire in Clapham, a neighborhood increasingly popular with young families. "People have been openly looting this area for the one or two hours since I got here, and the police have been ineffectual. They've done nothing." In the absence of a more robust police response, one video shows looters calmly sizing up various stores and deciding what they'd like to steal. In Croydon, a fire at a furniture store grew larger and larger as the nation watched on television. Fire crews were delayed because the police could not guarantee their safety.

Theresa May, the Home Secretary, flew back from her summer holiday in Switzerland on Monday to deal with the crisis. She ruled out both sending the army onto the streets and deploying water cannons to disperse the crowds, a move advocated by London's former mayor Ken Livingstone. Authorities have used the high-pressure spray to control mobs in Northern Ireland, but they have never utilized them on the mainland. "The way we police in Britain is not through use of water cannon," May told Sky News. "The way we police in Britain is through consent of communities." Fresh in her mind, no doubt, is the lingering criticism of the police force's response to the G-20 protests in 2009. Britain's high court ruled in April that Met police broke the law when they surrounded and cordoned off large crowds of protesters — including nonviolent ones — for extended periods of time (a police tactic known as "kettling"). A police officer will face trial in October after Ian Tomlinson, a protestor he allegedly pushed to the ground, collapsed and died shortly afterward.

As the violence spreads beyond London and police resources grow even more strained, May will face mounting pressure to call out the cannons. Fellow politicians have already spoken in favor of harsher tactics. "I find it strange that we are willing to use these sort of measures against the Irish, yet when Englishmen step out of line and behave in this atrocious and appalling way, we are happy to mollycoddle them," Patrick Mercer, a Conservative MP and former army officer, told the Daily Telegraph. "If the police want cannons, then they should be allowed to use them. I have used water cannons myself, and I found them extremely effective."

Even without the cannons, though, the police response appears to be toughening. In Clapham, forces deployed armored vehicles known as Jankels in the early hours of Tuesday morning to drive off a crowd of 150 looters who had broken into local shops. Senior London officers have subsequently announced that they will fire plastic bullets at looters if necessary. And during his first televised comments on the matter, Prime Minister David Cameron vowed that 16,000 police officers — an increase of 10,000 over last night — will be on duty Tuesday evening. He had a clear message for the arsonists, looters and vandals attacking their own country. "You will feel the force of the law," he said. "If you are old enough to commit these crimes, you are old enough to face the punishment."

London Riots: Fires Spread on Third Night of Violence

Why riots break out in London?

It’s not new that riots broke out in London after the killing of a member of the Jamaican immigrant community on Sunday.

After World War Two, immigrants came to London to work in industries such as British Rail and London Transport, mostly from Jamaica. It was also the beginning of racial tensions between the Jamaican Black immigrants and local Whites. Being a poor and unemployed community, they were prone to robbery and theft and often involved in riots following arrests or killings by the local police. Some 250,000 Jamaicans live in London.

The first traces of racial unrest appeared in 1958 when a large number of Carribbean immigrants’ houses were attacked by about 400 Whites in Notting Hill leading to tension in the area and arrests of more than 140 people.

Again in 1976, Notting Hill Carnival with 150,000 participants from the community led to riots targeting the police who were seen harassing the community youth.

In 1979, a protest against racism held in Southall by about 3,000 members of the Anti-Nazi League turned violent over a New Zealand-born UK migrant Blair Peach’s killing by the police. About 21 policemen were injured in the incident and more than 300 were arrested.

In less than a year, a local housing scandal denying equal rights to the community led to riots in St. Pauls in Bristol. Nearly 19 policemen were injured in the incident and 130 people were arrested. Next year saw another massive riot breaking out in Brixton. More than 350 people were injured 100 vehicles damaged and 28 buildings set afire. Another riot in Toxteth in Liverpool saw looting and damage of 70 buildings. Moss Side in Manchester, Chapel Town and Handwork suburb in Birmingham also witnessed riots.

In 1985, a Jamaican mother searching for her son was killed by the Metropolitan Police which led to immediate provocation resulting in a two-day arson and rioting in Brixton, Handsworth.

A decade later in 1995, Brixton saw another riot triggered by the killing of a youth from the community in police custody.

In 2001, racial tension between Asian Muslims and local whites in Oldham led to riots in the area and in Hare Hills alleging wrongful arrest of a youth by Yorkshire police. More than 300 policemen were injured and an equal number of people were arrested.

Ten years later, on August 7, 2011, killing of a local community member by the local police led to looting and riots for three consecutive days in Tottenham, Brixton, Birmingham, Liverpool, Bristol, Enfield Town and other parts of London.

Unlike the past riots, the latest one was triggered almost instantly with the help of social media networks like FaceBook and Twitter spreading rumours on BlackBerry messenger.

A writer by name Kami, however, disagrees: “People who protest in the western countries are rioters, looters, and violent enemies of the good state, so social media is the ‘catalyst.’ In Egypt and elsewhere, social media was the tool that made revolution against evil dictators possible.”

Irrespective of the social media, the growing unemployment and poverty among the immigrants in London is one major reason often cited by analysts, but with the economy dwindling, there is hardly any hope for a better future.

Source: MFMonitor

Why riot?

No-one wants to hear social and economic justifications for rioting, least of all anyone in the UK political class. But justification is not what is at stake. The issue is explanation, as that will determine the response.

Prime Minister Cameron, and London mayor Boris Johnson, have a very simple explanation: it is opportunism, a chance to smash, grab, burn and run.

Their response, therefore, is a simple policing one. Increase the numbers of police forces on the street, and arrest more people. Some go further. Liberal MP Simon Hughes called for the use of the water cannon. Tory MEP Roger Helmer urged that the army be sent in, and looters shot on sight. With towns and cities rioting across the UK, involving at least thousands of youths, this would result in a bloodbath - if a condign one by Helmer's standards.

In fact, the government's response is totally empty: it amounts to saying, people loot because they want to loot, a circular argument that explains nothing. The question remains: why here, why now? The immediate spark was the shooting dead, in Tottenham, North London, of Mark Duggan by an armed police unit. This is not the first such killing. Between 1998 and 2010, 333 people died in police custody, and not one officer was convicted for any of the deaths.

The circumstances of the killing are as important. Police initially led the public to believe that Duggan had shot first. This is untrue. The bullet lodged in a police radio, said to come from his gun, was actually a police issue bullet. Police also failed to inform the family, who found out about the death from the media. And when a protest outside local police headquarters took place, officers ignored pleas for dialogue with those present. Later, according to eyewitnesses, they assaulted a 16-year-old girl with batons and shields. There followed a night of rioting not witnessed in Tottenham since the Broadwater Farm riots of 1985.

Since then, riots have spread to dozens of London towns and suburbs, as well as to other cities such as Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester and Gloucester. Most rioting is taking place in poor areas where there are pre-existing antagonisms between the police and young people. And, as the riot squad's aura of invincibility has been shattered by their inability to contain the early riots, it seems plausible that others have seen the opportunity to have a go. As young people interviewed on BBC Newsnight explained, "we first lost respect of the police, then we lost fear of the police". This comes amid a major national crisis for police, whose corrupt relationship with the News International empire has recently been under scrutiny.

It also follows a generation of painstaking efforts to overcome antagonisms between police and black communities. A watershed in this respect was the verdict of the inquiry into the death of Stephen Lawrence, a young black man murdered by racists in the south-east town of Eltham, acknowledging 'institutional racism' in the police. Racist policing did not come to an end, and nor did brutality. But relations were significantly improved. Yet the ongoing culture of violence and racism in the police, which may have been behind the death of Mark Duggan, could now destroy the gains made by police on this front. This has added to the uncertainty in the police's handling of the riots.

There is also a class dimension at work. Young people have suffered the most from the recession, with youth unemployment reaching a record high of 20 per cent. Cuts to education and local amenities have hit them particularly hard. In Haringey borough, where Tottenham is situated, local youths interviewed for The Guardian newspaper predicted that cuts would result in riots. When rioters are interviewed for the media, they often foreground class issues, as well as hatred for the government. One witness told the New York Times that he felt the rioters were taking on "the ruling class". Rioters interviewed for the BBC explained that it was about expressing hatred for the government, and "showing the rich we can do what we want". For these young people, there is a fleeting sense of power and freedom in such actions.

The taboo on such explanations is perfectly understandable from the government's point of view. Liberal leader Nick Clegg, before the 2010 election, predicted that if the Tories implemented deep spending cuts, there would be riots. He is now part of a coalition with the Tories, carrying through cuts amounting to a fifth of the government's budget. They have an interest in denying any responsibility for this situation.

But if the government are wrong, then a simple policing response won't work. Police bullets sparked this situation; it is unlikely that police batons can resolve it. A few totemic arrests and convictions may placate the siege mentality and lust for punishment of some, but it will leave the terrain prepared for further unrest. Nothing short of justice, for those affected by cuts and police brutality, will suffice.

Richard Seymour is a London-based writer and PhD student.

source : ABC online

Looters carry boxes out of a home-cinema shop in central Birmingham, in central England, on Aug. 9, 2011

London Riots: Why the Violence Is Spreading Across England

By William Lee Adams / London

The morning after riots gripped its main shopping thoroughfare, parts of Ealing, northwest London, looked less like a middle-class suburb and more like a war zone. On the night of Aug. 8, a group of hooded youths ran up the street throwing trash bins while others stomped on the top of police patrol cars. Still others shattered through glass phone booths and set cars on fire, not far from the town's picturesque rows of Victorian houses. Simon Kirby, who runs Flower Haven, a small florist, says his brother phoned him at 6:30 a.m. to let him know that his shop's windows had been smashed and his floral displays ransacked. The violence sickens him, but he understands why disaffected youth — whom he thinks traveled to Ealing from elsewhere — would lash out. "If they had something to do, if they had money and jobs, they wouldn't do this," he says. "They see footballers who all have lots of money but aren't very bright, and they want to know why they don't have any."

In the three days that followed the initial riots in Tottenham, disgruntled youth across the country have shown they're ready for a riot — and whatever status and material objects their disobedience may confer on them. By 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, mobs were disturbing the peace for the fourth consecutive evening. In Manchester, hundreds of youth — some clad in balaclavas, others in ski masks — fought running battles with police. In Salford, a nearby suburb, separate groups of hooligans looted a liquor shop and set a clothing store on fire. In Nottingham, a group of at least 30 men firebombed a police station. And in Birmingham, a hit-and-run driver killed three men who had taken to the streets to protect local shops. That unrest followed copycat lootings and violence that had already taken place in other major hubs including Bristol and Liverpool. Nationwide, police have now made more than 1,000 arrests.

Paul Bagguley, a sociologist at the University of Leeds, believes rioting will continue to spread to other cities unless police step up their intervention. The brigands hurling bricks through windows aren't doing so out of solidarity with the people of Tottenham. "They are making a rational calculation that they can go out and do this," he says. "They see on television and the Internet people looting shops, going in and walking out with new mobile phones and flat-screen TVs. And no one is stopping them." That might explain the images of one teenager calmly texting someone on her phone as she stands among looters in a computer store in Croydon or of the looters in Brixton who stood in line to try on a pair of stolen sneakers.

Bulking up the police presence — 16,000 officers policed the streets last night, compared with 6,000 the night before — did much to turn off would-be vandals. London saw relative calm for the first time since Aug. 6, though there were a few minor clashes as community vigilantes took security into their own hands. The decision to release images of rioters, culled from CCTV footage, on the London police's Flickr page and via the BBC on Tuesday afternoon has also sent a strong message that authorities — and the wider public — want to see justice served. The police's Flickr page received around 3 million hits within five hours of going live. (Read "The Great Riot of London: The Stakes for David Cameron.")

But arrests resulting from those photos may not come for months, if at all. And they will do little to resolve the underlying issues that are now boiling over. Racial tensions have fomented much of the anger that's being released, and that informs the deteriorating relationship between officers and the communities they police. In the past five years, the number of black and South Asian people stopped and searched by the police in the country has nearly doubled to 310,000. "Most of the time the police don't find anything," Bagguley says. "I think what we're seeing is partly a consequence of those tactics." That many of the looters come from high-crime areas that are heavily policed strains the relationship even more. The riots in Hackney on the afternoon of Aug. 8 reportedly kicked off after one of these searches. (See more about the events in Ealing.)

Social scientists say it's too simplistic to make a direct connection between Britain's austerity cuts and the mob violence. But the effects of those cuts may influence idle young people. The issue, sociologists say, is not that youth are unemployed. It's that they're unoccupied — and therefore more likely to loiter on the streets and in shopping centers, and to get wrapped up in the madness of rebellion. Tottenham, for instance, is in the borough of Haringey, where the local council had to shut 8 of its 13 youth centers at the beginning of July. The centers had offered courses on everything from beauty treatments to DJing, and services ranging from sexual-health tests to exam revision. "A lot of those radicalized youth who were on the street Saturday night would have been going to those youth centers," says Clifford Scott, a senior lecturer in social psychology at the University of Liverpool. "They no longer had anywhere else to go."

As the sun set on Tuesday evening and the country braced for a fourth night of riots, the BBC rolled footage of still more disturbances, this time in Wolverhampton, a town northwest of Birmingham. Groups of youth dressed in black hoodies ran down the street and set to attacking shops. Back in Ealing, local MP Virendra Sharma walked through the town after nightfall to reassure residents that peace had returned to the community. Businesses shut at 3 p.m. Many boarded up their windows anyway.
— With reporting by Sonia Van Gilder Cooke / London and Thomas K. Grose /

source :Time

Riot police stand in line as fire rages through a building in Tottenham, north London

London riots: why did the police lose control?

The police have become so sensitive to the issue of race that it is impairing their ability to do the job.

What caused these riots and why did the police lose control? Some commentators think the disorder was understandable and justified; some say the police “had it coming”; others that the violence was only to be expected given the unemployment and poverty in the area.

Some local people told journalists of their resentment towards the police. One student said: “The police never talk to us, they ignore us, they don’t think we’re human in this area.” A youth worker claimed: “The way the police treat black people is like we’re nothing.” And a retired accountant who has lived locally for 30 years reported that some of the police “behave in an arrogant manner that puts people’s backs up”.

Other residents who witnessed people carrying off carpets, trainers and watches noticed that they included individuals of all “colours and creeds”, suggesting an outburst of sheer lawlessness rather than righteous retaliation for past racial slights.

Did the police inflame the initially peaceful crowd protesting about the shooting last Thursday of Mark Duggan? It will be impossible to answer that question until the independent inquiry is complete. But what should we make of another theory, that the police handled the rioters with kid gloves because they were paralysed by fear of being called racist?

Anyone in touch with police leaders will know that most are fully signed-up supporters of the doctrine that the police should use force only as a last resort. As one of the famous “nine principles of policing”, published in 1829 at the very founding of the Metropolitan Police, puts it, the police should “use physical force only when the exercise of persuasion, advice and warning is found to be insufficient… and to use only the minimum degree of physical force which is necessary on any particular occasion”.

This was the policy of the Met during the recent protests against student fees. It had worked well enough a few days earlier when the trade unions held a march against the cuts, but the student protests turned violent. Reluctance to use force is right and we should be reluctant to reproach the police for it. However, a second attitude was at work in Tottenham. Since the Macpherson report of 1999 the police have been hyper-sensitive about race. This attitude has now become so paradoxical that they find themselves standing aside when members of ethnic minorities are being harmed. The people who ran shops, or who lived in the flats above, were not given the protection they deserved.

The police have been made to feel that they are the “white police”, and that they lack legitimacy in “black areas”. This unfortunate attitude began with the report by Lord Scarman on the Brixton riots of 1981. He said: “There is widespread agreement that the composition of our police forces must reflect the make-up of the society they serve.” He found that ethnic minorities were significantly under-represented. Soon after the Macpherson report made a similar observation in 1999, the Government set a recruitment target for ethnic minorities of 8 per cent.

Scarman’s remark that the police should reflect the make-up of society is profoundly wrong. The police have never been representative of the social or ethnic breakdown of society. Police officers are people who have been chosen because they deserve to wear the uniform, not because of their ethnic status. They are individuals who deserve to be part of a profession that upholds the law without favour or affection, malice or ill-will. So long as that remains true, then every officer is entitled to respect, whether black or white, male or female. The legitimacy of the police has nothing to do with the racial composition of the force. It has to do with impartial enforcement of the law.

Instead of upholding strict impartiality, in 2002 police leaders published a “hate-crime manual” via the Association of Chief Police Officers. It was a defining moment that undermined the highest traditions of policing. The ideal of impartial justice was dismissed with particular scorn. “Colour blind” (in quotation marks to signify its implausibility) policing was defined as “policing that purports to treat everyone in the same way. Such an approach is flawed and unjust. It fails to take account of the fact that different people have different reactions and different needs. Failure to recognise and understand these means failure to deliver services appropriate to needs and an inability to protect people irrespective of their background.” Impartial justice was now “unjust” and it’s not surprising that many rank and file officers have had difficulty accepting the new approach. But their concerns have been given short shrift. They were to be “retrained” or disciplined. And yet it was not easy for officers to be sure how they could stay out of trouble. In another section of the manual they were told: “Anyone who is unable to behave in a non-discriminatory and unprejudiced manner must expect disciplinary action. There is no place in the police service for those who will not uphold and protect the human rights of others.”

In this kind of atmosphere, it’s not surprising that officers in charge of a riot think it safer to wait for orders from the top rather than use their discretion to protect the public without fear or favour.

Another element of police practice contributed to their failure. The police do not have deep roots in most localities and especially areas such as Tottenham. Few, if any, officers live locally. In earlier times, policing was seen as primary prevention, based on a visible uniformed presence. Gradually, under pressure to appear more “efficient”, policing became more a matter of reaction and detection. Officers waited for calls and responded as fast as possible, while teams of investigators tried to solve past crimes. Only in the past couple of years has it begun to be accepted that primary prevention has its merits, and the Government is supposed to be moving towards neighbourhood policing with named officers covering particular areas and charged with getting to know everyone. An officer who knows the law-abiding locals as well as the miscreants is in a much stronger position when things go wrong than the officer whose “response unit” has been called in to deal with some trouble every now and then.

Coalition cutbacks in the number of police officers have also been blamed for the riots. It goes too far to blame the Government, when the immediate perpetrators were unequivocally at fault, but cutting police numbers doesn’t help. The Coalition plans to cut spending on the police by 20 per cent. In the 12 months to the end of March 2011, the number of officers fell by 4,625 to 139,110. The number of community support officers also fell by 1,098 to 15,820. At the same time the number of police volunteers, or special constables, increased by 2,916.

So much for the underlying factors, but even after they have been taken into account, there has been an inexcusable failure of police leadership in the first few days of these riots. CCTV pictures of looting are now available and it seems likely that the police would have been watching from their control rooms. If they could see the window of a carpet shop or a jewellers being smashed and looters taking their pick of the goods, why didn’t they immediately dispatch a dozen officers to arrest every culprit? There are always people who are willing to become criminals for a day if they calculate that there is little chance of being caught. It seems likely that televising the fact that the police would just stand there while mass looting took place led to its spread to other localities the next night.

Being reluctant to use force can be admirable. But when events have got out of control, the fullest use of police powers is justified. The present generation of police leaders gained promotion by mastering the art of talking about “issues around” racism or bearing down on hate crime “going forward”. Learning the management buzz words of the last few years has not produced leaders able to command men in a riot. The injuries sustained by officers show that we have plenty of men and women prepared to be brave when needed, but they are lions led by donkeys who listened a bit too intently to the sociology lectures about “hate crime” at Bramshill police college.

David Green is Director of Civitas

Source : The Telegraph

Why I Took to the Streets with the Anti-Riot 'Vigilante' Group in Enfield

Patrick Hayes

Political journalist and commentator for spiked; Institute of Ideas

If I hadn't been there to report on it, I would have gone along to the Enfield anti-riot 'vigilante' patrol regardless. Like many of the hundred-or-so people who patrolled the streets of the North London town on Tuesday night, I'd spent the previous night indoors watching nihilistic thugs rampage outside, looting, burning and smashing things up on the television. Also like the Enfield residents, I was frustrated by the police's complete failure to gain control of the riots and their kid glove, risk-averse approach, meaning looters could often carry on regardless of the police's presence.

On the train to Enfield, I had been reading dozens of tweets claiming the anti-riot patrol was a front for far-right organisations and an excuse for racist chants and violence. The reality was nothing of the sort. There were no weapons being carried and no violence erupted at all. Yes, the majority of people there were white and working class, but there was also a range of people from different ethnic backgrounds. Indeed I found, if anything, people on the patrol were overly awkward about the fact they were white. One guy told me he had been worried he'd be seen as a racist by taking part: 'There's no getting around the fact that a lot of the rioters are black,' he told me, 'but you can't just do nothing just in case someone calls you a racist.'

During the course of the patrol on Tuesday, which I report upon in detail here, I heard no racist chants and, while there was plenty of discussion about football, there was very little political discussion and nothing that could be characterised as 'far-right' (although I understand in other places, such as Eltham, this may have been the case). As a libertarian Marxist - on completely the other end of the political spectrum to groups like the BNP and National Front - at no point did I feel uncomfortable with the discussions that took place. The anti-riot patrollers were largely a boisterous group of working class men, aged between 20-40, who felt let down by the police and that they could no longer be trusted to protect their communities.

So why have there been such negative, knee jerk responses to the anti-riot groups and continual attempts to smear them and align them with fascist groups? The anti-vigilante attitude, in the media, by the chattering classes and among the police, reveals both their alienation and disdain for ordinary working-class communities. They see a crowd of people as a 'public order problem'. And they are scared of nothing more than the sight of groups of white working-class men - racist progroms-in-the-making - who speak in the wrong sort of un-PC language and who are loud and confrontational, and would rather they just dispersed and went home.

But why should they? Why should it only be institutions that have the blessing of the authorities, like the Women's Institute or Neighbourhood Watch Schemes, that get to influence their local areas and have a say? Why shouldn't completely informal groups get to do that too? In my view, the fact that these groups have no link to the state or to the political class is actually a positive thing. Rather than being driven by the outlook of political gain or point-scoring, they are instead often driven by a basic love for their neighbourhoods and a desire for peace and respect. In many ways, what better people are there than that to police these riots?

The idea of informally organised community groups taking a role in maintaining public order and taking on rioters are an anathema to the police and the political classes who would rather we stayed at home and depended on them. But the truth is, we actually don't need the police to run every aspect of our lives. The reason these citizens groups, such as the anti-riot patrol in Enfield, now look shocking to some is because we are so used to bowing to third-party observers - whether it's CCTV cameras, ASBOs or police mediation of community problems - that we have outsourced authority for our communities and our neighbourhoods to other parties.

Over a long period of time, the notion of looking out for each other, helping each other, has been undermined precisely by the rise of the interfering state. That is the only reason these so-called 'vigilantes' look weird. We no longer even expect people to care for, or look after, their areas. It now seems alien to us, weird, as if there must be ulterior motives.

Which is what makes the impulse behind locals patrolling the streets in Enfield; Sikh groups protecting their temple in Southall; the Turkish community protecting their shops in Stoke Newington, something that should be welcomed. Given the complete failure of the state to provide even the most basic securities to people in the UK over the past week, I'd rather take to the streets with these so-called 'vigilante' groups any day of the week than cower at home, powerless, and watch nihilistic thugs rampage through our towns and cities.

Source : Huff Post

Golpark, Dumdum, a chapter in my life.

2011-08-07T21:04:00.000-07:00

Golpark, Dumdum, a chapter in my life.

I am a writer and an artist, age about 50 years old. I have a lot contribution to my land and country in the field of ART and CULTURE, about 100,000 students of art use my books every year. I live in Kolkata, West Bengal, India. I have some grievance and want to share it with other Indians and as well as foreigners. I expect to draw attention of some human rights activists. If such thing happens to me it is happening everywhere. But it should be curved and bring under control and should not recur to other civillians.

On 22^nd July 2011, One of my girl friend ( age about 45yrs) came to visit me at night 10 o clock, because at day time I remain busy and out of home) she never came earlier at my home, she was supposed to go spending little time with me. Her name is B. From 19^th July to 23 rd July, My group of exhibition was going at Chemould Art Gallery, Park street, Kolkata. Participants are from different states, Dinabandhu Sahoo from Odisha, Mukta Gupta from JamshedPur, Paban Roy from Deoghar and etc. I invited them to stay at my home till exhibition is ended. So, many came and stayed at my home. I have my family, they live in other states for their service and study at present. So , There were no problem staying guest at my home. I lived in a rented house at Golpark, Dumdum, Kolkata. I am a respectable man in the area, I have almost no personal touch with neighbours, because I am so busy with my art and literature and my freelance job with Publishers and other human rights jobs. But people knew me.

House owner’s Name Gopal Kundu. I lived here for over 6 years with my family. On 22^nd July 2011, when My girl friend came to visit me with in minutes the sons of Gopal Kundu and wife of Gopal Kundu knocked my doors. They suddenly assaulted me, saying you have brought woman at night and you leave my home just now. I told them she is my family friend, They argued ‘ you cant bring a woman at night’ I said, ’ at day I am out of home, when she would come?’ They humiliated me saying a lot abusive words, I tried my best to convince that in my home I can bring my guest, they said I cant. They shouted and brought local friends of them. Inside my home by then a lot of people. All are women and men came to assault me and my girl friends. They called my Family and came to know that she is my old friend and nothing wrong, but by then a lot people making me an object of fun. An extreme humiliation. They were manhandling me and my girl friend. They would not let her go. And they put lock on my entrance doors.

My question is what the Indian constitution or civil rights say about this situation? Am I guilty letting my girl friend come in my house?

Can a House owner forcefully barge and assault on its tenant at night? And Humiliate, torture mentally, defame publicly?

They tried to intimidate with their friends and family, and made me write on a blank sheet they I should leave their house within 30 July 2011. ( Actually, They were insisting me to vacate their house once their terms were over, I told the house owner Gopal Kundu to vacate this premise on December 2011. But His wife and two sons were against this extension of time , they were insisting me to leave as soon as possible. But I did not know they were find an opportunity to throw me away of their house.) and they forced me take a photo with my girl friend at night by their camera and mobile camera. Their friends also taken our photos and spread it through their friends.

My question is: can they force me write to vacate in a blank sheet and harass me, torture me mentally and physically ?

Can they take our photos forcefully and spread through their mobile phone camera system? They are not doing some illegal action ? They have attacked my privacy in the case of getting inside of my room and assaulting me and spreading our photos forcefully taking it by them and their people.

Can you lock your respectable tenants inside so that he cant go out even he falls sick? I live on my own these days, My family lives far away in a different states, so, I cant take a maid or friend or relative to live with me to look after me from illness? What is human rights to say? And what our Indian constitution says?

I called a few friends they sent police , police came about at night 1 am. They came with house owner and knocked me. I told that they have locked me ? Police were not interested and said I have not done well letting my girl friend come in at night and threatened me they can arrest me for this offence and even they can make some fabricated case against me and lock me inside police station for atleast three months without a bail? I was really shocked and frightened by the police behavior , so, kept quiet. And police gone. Finally , The culprits, the house owners wife and sons and their family made me more humiliated and left. I spent the night in shock. when gone. I took a photo of my grill doors of entrance and next morning they unlocked one entrance which entrance they use. And I took another photos of my locked doors. To remember the atrocities they have done to me.

I am more embarrassed and worried thinking about my girl friend’s plight. She lives nearby, 15 minutes away of bus rides, when her family and neighbor would come to know about it may create some problem.

My house owner’s wife, sons, and their wives and family assaulted on me , tortured me and my girl friend mentally and physically, broke my privacy , forced me write to vacate their house, took forcefully our photos and spread by their mobile and, defamed me wrong way, locked me inside.

I ask to my civilized friends, can they do it to me legally ? If they can’t do it then I want them punished by legal way?

When I am discouraged by my friends that I have no money, so, I cant go legal way and punish the culprits. So, I left their home on 29^th July 2011 being frustrated.

And this situation led another problem on 29^th July 2011.

On 29^th July 2011, I was leaving the house at golpark, dumdum. Because they (the house owners wife, sons, wives and family) have forcefully made me write to vacate their house and threatened me with local goondas (hoodlums) to vacate the rooms otherwise they would torture or kill me and forcefully throw away all my belongings. My belongings were about 10 000 books and canvases, and my computer and etc. of my family , like kitchen wares clothings and many more things.

On 29^th July Friday, I was just loading on a matador vehicle. It was evening 7 pm. A band of goondas, mostly they are rickshaw pullers, car drivers and local hoodlum came forward. And tried to snatch my belonging, I tried to stop them and asked whats the matter is going. They said they have given a loan of Rs. 10 000 to my wife, I said ok if it is so, give me a document that you have legal claim, I would pay it instantly but don’t touch it. They said you bring your wife here now. I said how it is possible, she not here for more than years, and why I shall bring her now. My wife says she has not taken. I understood it was their tricks to loot and rob my belongings. My expensive TV and computer. When People are gathering, the house owner from their first floor were watching. The rickshaw puller, Name Kartick and a car driver name shakti and other tried to push me in a dark place, I was shocked and made to stay on the main road . on then they started to hit me abd made me bleeding. I called so many people no one came on my rescue. I was so frustrated. Then they were beating my sons too. I was frightened. I ran to police station but police behaved me roughly. They threatened me we shall arrest you. I was literally crying that my innocent highschool studying son is in danger, hoodlums are beating , police were indifferent. Finally , they told me they are sending police from ghughudanga. I was completely frustrated. And on returning my home I found they have took my son along with them and some of my belongs among them a TV and my computer. I went to a man of my locality his name is Rabi sen ( Rabi da) I told him I want to meet their demand , I would pay 10 000 Rupees but save my computer and TV. He told his boys. They again called the hoodlums. By that time police came. Rabi came to know who called to police, if police is there Rabi da will not work to save my belongings. He told me to say no help from police the local people would do to solve problem. I was concentrating on my computer. Because if its gone all my art works and clients ready works worth a lot would be gone. So, I was desperate to save my computer. I told police to go away, I just took no risk. Because situation is not favourable to me, and I have no financial strength to fight. I paid 10, 000 Rupees to the hoodlums, they gave back my computer and TV and they gone laughing like they won a victory. I remained grieving. People are taking chances. Around 11 pm , at night I got back my computer and TV, and with sorrow and crying eyes I left Golpark, Dumdum. In which area I lived for about 20 years.

Some hoodlums came and beat me without any cause or my wrong involvement, robbed me, took money and gone. If this happens where is the security? Police ‘s role is critical. They threatened me wrong way two times. But did not dare to arrest me, when I said I am a human rights activist and a writer and artist. But I am concerned about common people. My ego is burning me, why I cant live the way I am? Why Police do not help common people?

What our Indian constitution does to secure a respectable man?

ooooooooooooooooooooxooooooooooooooooooooooBelow more details

29^th july 2011, around 9p.m. I was uploading my house hold belongings on a matador van.

Santosh basak, or something like that was the matador driver. I contacted him from nager bazaar stand. Because, I had to shift within 30^th july . Kartick, a rickshaw van puller, came with a demand that he had given a loan Rs. 10,000 to my wife. He wants his money. I said well, give me a proof I shall pay you all. But he failed , he, shakti, a diminutive men, black complexioned, short height, car driver, and more a few rickshaw pullers and others low level people, attacked me, and snatched my computer set, TV, worth of 30 thousand. They were drunk.

It was at the gate of Gopal kundu’s house, Gopal kundu and his two sons and his entire family from their ground floor saw them but did not came to rescue. It was seen by other people also. They beat me and my son.

I called Ashok Roy, he was calling his friend, and over phone he heard me and tried to support me., I called Kashinath chakladar, he seemed not ready to help me. He said to call Biplab Talukdar. But at that time I had no opportunity to note down and call Biplab, Actually, I wanted them to stop the ruffians and security. I called K. L. Maity. Maity sounded li’l embarrassed. The hoodlums held my son captive and forced him write something. I went running to police station, they were threatening me to arrest saying I keep woman at night. Finally, when they got a phone from some of my friends they told me to leave the police station. They would send police from ghughudanga Phanri. Nak unchu was there.

When I did not get my support and security, I went to meet Rabi sen, an influential man of Golpark. I told him all and want to pay Kartick to save my computer . because My computer had important works which I created for a publication house. Finally, he called his boys , in the meantime, police came, and Robi Sen told me to say police to move away and do it the transaction by local people. But police on the register noted my name and fathers name and gone. Around 11 o clock, I paid the money withdrawn by my son from my atm card, and took my computer back. I yielded to the hoodlums all because to save my computer.

The behavior I saw and witnessed of the police was just disgusting. The police is the worst force of civil society. If you have no influence in society you die without justice.

------------------------------------------------------x---------------------------------

They have confined me locking in my room with keyof their own on my door knobs, intimidating way, forced me write something wrong, that I never did, and took a photo with a lady by their mobile and spread it through other friends.Can they break in one’s house and violate one’s privacy?

I want to know some legal advice. Please read it and help me.

I am an artist and writer. I run a few artists and writers organisation. I live alone. all my family lives separately. As an organiser I faced some problems: here it follows in my comment below:

I visit different states, and stay at my artists and writers friends home. So, when they come Kolkata, they also want to stay with me. It is not for money, it is just sharing our ideas on art and writing. we enjoy. On 19 th july our group exhibition started at Chemould art Gallery.Kolkata. Three participant friends came from different states. On 18th, One woman artist arrived at my home straight. her family is familiar to me. she stayed twodays, with her another artist from Odisha came and stayed. On 21^st july the woman artist got news that her daughter is sick so she left. My neighbours and my landlord, the women folks, watched people coming and going. On 22nd,one day before my group show at chemoulf closes, a woman friend came to visit me at night around 10 pm. when she entered, after some time my landlord just with his family members, about 6 or 7 members were knocking at my door, they got information that some woman is living with me, it was about 10 o clock, when I opened they saw the woman, they asked me who she is, I told she is my family friend, and we know eachother for a decades. But they were shouting, saying, is it time for a woman to meet a man? I said whats wrong? They then plunged on the woman and locked me with a lock and key of them ,so that I dont flee, they were shouting and breaking my things, and abusing me with vulgar words. They called local people who are their friends, they threatened me and forcing me to throw away all my belongings, they tried humiliate me informing my son and daughter, but when they came to know that the woman is really known to our family, they disappointed. Then they understood it is their mistake. On then to save their face they tried to make us guilty. They brought a blank paper, and made me forcefully signed that I am involved in an illegal activities with a lady, so, I have to leave their house within few days. Many neighbours whom they called came and supported the house owner. they forcefully took photos of me with the lady, the lady did not expect such behaviour suddenly, because, she respects me alot. and used to come to have some solution and suggestion when she faces problems in her life. We have been fabricated what was not expected. Finally, I called a few friends and police, Police came at about 1 am, midnight, local police, a subinspector with other police men got in . I told them they have locked me, the subinspector said they will open it. But he threatened me saying he can arrest me and anytime with a petty case he can confine me without bail for long 3 months. And gone. I got a serious mental shock. After some time, when everyone gone, I think about myself, that throughout whole my life I did some good for this country, about a 100 school and college books I wrote and students are using them for last 25 years. If my situation is such, what will be the plight of common good people. Police are influenced by the perpetrators. Talking , coming, staying by two senior citizen inside their home after evening Is it offence? Forcefully making someone a wrong statement is it allowed by Indian constitution? Taking photos forcefully, intimidating with opposite sex and spreading it through sms, is it allowed by India’s legal system? Finally, I want to

know what my action should be, what I can do to heal my wound. Or Have I really done some wrong letting my old friends to be in my house, or sheltering in my house? If so, I will be more careful in future while someone would ask for shelter and come to visit me. Another question, As I am a senior lonely man, cant I keep a house maid with me when I am sick and need someone’s care? What is the legal cells answer?

I am not ashamed of this incident, I have not done anything wrong , can I have legal protection? Please, if you have time, help me writing your view.

If you have any comments you can write me: albertashok at yahoo dot com

Rabin Mondal has been felicitated at Jeebonananda sabhaghar

2011-07-04T16:59:00.000-07:00

Rabin Mondal has been felicitated at Jeebonananda sabhaghar

5th July 2011

Born 1929. Graduated from Calcutta University in 1952. Studied at the Indian College of Arts and Draftsmanship, Kolkata, 1956-58. Founder-member, Calcutta Painters and Calcutta Art Fair. Member, Charukala Parishad, Government of West Bengal. Member, General Council, Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi, 1979-83. Awarded Abanindra Puroskar by the Government of West Bengal, 2002. Featured in documentary film on Contemporary Indian Painters, 1985, and "Destination Art", a serial profiling five modern Indian painters, directed by Samir Dutta. Subject of a documentary film by Buddhadev Dasgupta, called "Rabin", made in 2003. Represented at Osian's auctions in Mumbai, curated by Neville Tuli. Edited Drawings by 14 Contemporary Artists of Bengal, 1970. Exhibitions: Many one-man shows in Kolkata, New Delhi, and Mumbai since 1961. Participated in many group shows in India and abroad, including the National Exhibition of Art, New Delhi; AIFACS; Jehangir Art Gallery; Third Triennale India 1975; Tokyo Biennale, 1984; and Contemporary Indian Art, Dhaka, Bangladesh, 1992. Collections: Major private and public collections in India and abroad, including the National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi; Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi; Ministry of Industries, Government of India; College of Art, New Delhi; Tata Engineering and Locomotive Works, Jamshedpur; Chicago downtown Gallery, USA.

Rabin Mondal's works are mainly figurative. He paints in bold strokes and creates tableaux, whose themes are universal. The faces of his figures stare at you out of the canvas, strange and pensive, but also strong and defiant. Not yet beaten, surviving by sheer force of spirit. The artist mostly uses dense pigments in blacks and reds, with only occasional moss green and turquoise colors seeping through. His contemporary paintings still have a primitive feel to them, which communicates with the viewer at a very primal level.

Shatak Ekush, an organisation had organised the whole event
Dignitaries Like Ashok Mitra, Mrinal Ghosh, Anita Roychoudhury, Manosij Mazumdar, Shanti Nath, Shankarlal Bhattacharya
Sandip Roy , an eminent art critic made an documentary film on Robin Mandol' painting exhibition

The hall was full of audience
Robin Mandal is being felicitated by Ashok Mitra

Nandita choudhury greeted him with a flower bouquet

Malay Chandan saha was being honoured by Anita Roy choudhury

Sandip Roy is being honoured by Rabin mandal

Pabitra Sarkar reading his poem
Mrinal Ghosh, an art critic, speaking on Rabin Mondal's life and works
The hall was full with dignitaries and personalities

Jahar Dasgupta, Sandip Roy and Manasij Mazumdar

Age-gap couples

2011-05-18T20:59:00.000-07:00

Source : MSN

MSN Celebrity writers, 18/05/2011

Celebrity age-gap couples

They say age is just a number, and it definitely is for these celebrity couples…

WENN

We have come to terms with the fact that celebrities fall in love at lightning speed, marry within six months and have children with strange names. And we've also accepted the fact that a large percentage of these celeb couples have a sizeable age gap between them.

Photos: Mind the gap

The latest blonde to catch Leonardo DiCaprio's eye is Gossip Girl star Blake Lively, 13 years his junior. Brian McFadden's ex-fiancée Delta Goodrem, 26, has put such a spell on teenager Nick Jonas that he's taken off his purity ring! And, at 50, Sean Penn is literally twice Scarlett Johansson's age but that hasn't stopped the smitten pair shacking up together.

All this and more in our gallery of celebrity couples made up of toy boys, cougars and sugar daddies.

Nick Jonas and Delta Goodrem

We definitely didn't see this hook-up coming! Delta is the glamorous 26-year-old Aussie songbird who recently dumped Brian McFadden after six years together. Baby-faced Nick Jonas is 18 and the youngest of the Jonas Brothers and until this week he'd worn a purity ring, vowing to remain a virgin until he married! They fell for each other while recording a song together - the same way Delta met Brian - and were happy to be snapped holding hands (sans ring) on a night out this week.

Scarlett Johansson and Sean Penn

Wire

Scarlett Johansson, 26, only filed for divorce from Ryan Reynolds in December but she is already head over heels for Sean Penn and recently moved into his Malibu mansion. We guess we can see the appeal - the 50-year-old Oscar winner is massively influential in Hollywood and a tireless charity campaigner, both traits that Scarlett admires. Weird though, that the sexy starlet is only six years older than Sean's daughter!

Eva Longoria and Eduardo Cruz

Big

Following her recent divorce, Eva Longoria is seeing Penelope Cruz's dreamboat brother, Eduardo, who is 11 years younger than the Desperate Housewife. We like

Katie Price and Leandro Penna

Katie Price isn't one to take things slow - after briefly meeting Leandro Penna at a party in February, she paid for her new toy boy to fly to London to visit her and she's also been to his homeland to meet his folks. Oh, and he doesn't speak much English, but somehow we don't think Katie wants to do any talking..

David Schwimmer and Zoe Buckman

David Schwimmer is best known for his role as unlucky-in-love geek Ross in Friends, but his real life couldn't be more different. He recently married his British girlfriend Zoe Buckman, who is 19 years younger than him, after a whirlwind romance.

Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher

Demi Moore practically coined the term 'cougar' when she began dating Ashton Kutcher, 15 years her junior, in 2003. The two married in 2005 and are still a couple, and Demi seems to be looking younger with each passing year. Maybe one day she'll end up looking younger than her man?

Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes

Tom Cruise is a whopping 16 years senior to wife Katie Holmes. That means he was driving a car before she was born, which is one way to look at it.

Madonna and Jesus Luz

Rex

Madonna is still occasionally seen with toy boy lover Jesus Luz, above, but since October last year the energetic 52-year-old also been spotted out with Brahim Zaibat, a 24-year-old dancer. Both men are more than half her age... how does she do it?!

Sam Taylor-Wood and Aaron Johnson

There are a whopping 23 years between Kick Ass star Aaron Johnson and artist Sam Taylor-Wood, the mother of his child. They met when she directed the 20-year-old in a John Lennon biopic and after two years together they are still going strong.

Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones

Michael Douglas married Catherine Zeta-Jones fully aware of their 25-year age gap. Supposedly, when the two met he told her "I'd like to father your children." His wish came true: they now have two kids. Of course, Catherine is closer in age to Michael's son from a previous marriage (they're only 10 years apart) than she is to her husband. Quite the family tree!

Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon

Mariah Carey made headlines a couple of years ago when she married actor Nick Cannon, 10 years her junior, after dating for less than two months. People were sceptical about their speedy relationship combined with the age gap, but things are going well for the loved-up pair and they recently had twins.

Rod Stewart and Penny Lancaster-Stewart

Rod Stewart and Penny Lancaster-Stewart are 26 years apart, which is bound to raise a few eyebrows. However, the two have been together for about 10 years; we have to admit they seem to be the real deal. Hopefully Penny's prepared to push a wheelchair in years to come.

Marilyn Manson and Evan Rachel Wood

Rex

Marilyn Manson and Evan Rachel Wood dated on and off for a few years and got engaged in early 2010, but the 42-year-old rocker and the 23-year-old actress eventually succumbed to the 19-year age gap and broke up before Christmas.

Harrison Ford and Calista Flockhart

Age is clearly just a number to Calista Flockhart and Harrison Ford, who got together in 2002 despite the huge 22-year age gap. They married last June after more than eight years together.

U.S. poet laureate Kay Ryan

2011-04-27T08:23:00.000-07:00

2011 Pulitzer Winner for Poetry
By John O’Rourke

Former U.S. poet laureate Kay Ryan’s poetry reflects “her own unique combination of wit and soul, clarity and depth,” says Robert Pinsky, also a former poet laureate. Photo by Christina Koci Hernandez
It is hard to imagine another living American poet with as unconventional a career as Kay Ryan’s. The daughter of an oil driller, she was raised in the Mojave Desert, attended community college, and later began writing poems using a deck of tarot cards to jump-start them. Anxious to master her craft, Ryan designed an exercise consisting of shuffling the deck each day, turning one card over, and then writing a poem about it. Looking back, she says the experience “gave me range and gave me habit. I had to write about love, death, force, whatever was on that particular card.”

Ryan says she also found inspiration in the popular Ripley’s Believe It or Not! books. And unlike many of her contemporary colleagues, her poems freely employ rhyme. Add to that a lifetime of teaching remedial English at a community college in Marin County, Calif., and a stint tutoring convicted murderers at San Quentin, and you begin to understand why her poetry is singular.

Now 65, Ryan struggled for decades to be noticed (she self-published her first collection of verse). All that has changed in recent years. Her work has appeared regularly in The New Yorker, The Atlantic, and Poetry. A two-term U.S. poet laureate, she has amassed numerous honors, among them the Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize for lifetime achievement. Last week, her latest collection, The Best of It: New and Selected Poems, earned Ryan a Pulitzer Prize.

In announcing the award, the Pulitzer committee praised her “body of work spanning 45 years, witty, rebellious, and yet tender, a treasure trove of an iconoclastic and joyful mind.”

Ryan is “utterly thrilled,” by the award, she says. “I guess it means that in terms of anything that I’ve ever hoped for from the outside world…I’ve been given. So it’s relaxing. It’s very relaxing.”

At tonight’s Robert Lowell Memorial Lecture, at the Photonics Center at 7:30 p.m., Ryan will read from The Best of It, followed by a question-and-answer session and book-signing.

The semiannual lecture honors American poet Robert Lowell, who famously taught Anne Sexton, Sylvia Plath, George Starbuck, and many other poets at BU in the 1950s. Also reading tonight will be Katherine Hollander (GRS’06,’14), whose poems frequently draw on historical subjects, German and Yiddish fairy tales, and Greek and Inuit myths for inspiration. Hollander describes herself as Ryan’s “opening act.”

Robert Pinsky, a College of Arts & Sciences professor of English and a three-time U.S. poet laureate, says Ryan’s poetry reflects “her own unique combination of wit and soul, clarity and depth.” Speaking of Hollander, Pinsky says her “imagination and ear mark her as a natural poet; she epitomizes the brilliant, superb young writers who come to BU’s MFA program.”

Reviewing The Best of It in the New York Times last year, Dwight Garner says Ryan’s work has a “darting mischievousness,” and describes her poems as “slim as runway models, so tiny you could almost tweet them.”

Ryan concedes that she favors brevity in her poems and often chooses little things as subjects. “It is much more gratifying for me to feel the immensity in something small. I feel much more strongly about a rock than I feel about the Grand Canyon,” she says. “It’s much more evocative for me. I’m overwhelmed by the Grand Canyon. The rock invites me. It doesn’t swallow me.”

Unlike most writers, Ryan takes delight in clichés, and her poems often display a kind of mordant wit. “I don’t think there’s any division between the ridiculous and the sublime. I don’t make a distinction between the two,” she says. “I just think, what a pity that we just don’t have more fun with language.”

The poet admits that she loves to make an audience laugh at readings. “It’s fun to be in real time, where you can either blow it or you can think of something really good right then,” she says. “It kind of excites the mind to be in mildly frightening circumstances, like in front of an audience of a couple of hundred strangers.”

The Robert Lowell Memorial Lecture is tonight, Monday, April 25, at 7:30 p.m., at the Photonics Center, 8 St. Mary’s St., Room 206. The event is free and open to the public. A question-and-answer session, book-signing, and reception immediately follow.

The Robert Lowell Memorial Lectures are funded by Nancy Livingston (COM’69) and her husband, Fred M. Levin, through the Shenson Foundation, in memory of Ben and A. Jess Shenson.

John O’Rourke can be reached at orourkej@bu.edu.

Sexy Sex Robots

2011-04-19T22:40:00.000-07:00

I have come across awebsite which I think would give you pleasure.

Sexy Sex Robots You Can Have Sex With

Companionship: it is often difficult and costly to obtain. With these sexy sex robots, it's just costly! They're just like prostitutes, except they are nicer, have made better life choices, and only store razor blades in their underwear if you want them to.

Credit: True Companion, LLC

Roxxxy

Roxxxy is made by True Companion, LLC, which stands for Limited Liability Corporation. That means when she becomes self-aware and simultaneously electrocutes and ingests your genitals, you can’t sue. Roxxxy won’t only lie still and pretend to be back home in Kentucky while you drip monkey sweat all over her, she’ll talk to you, too. She can’t move on her own, but can make pre-recorded sounds through an internal loudspeaker. After you make your abomination, she can talk about all manner of subjects, including the Manchester United “football” team. Because that’s what all men want, right? Incessant chatter after sex? Her creator was, I shit you not, inspired to make the doll after the September 11th attacks. USA! USA!

Credit: Warner Bros.

Pris (Blade Runner)

Pris is a “pleasure model” replicant created to look just like Daryl Hannah cut her own hair with children’s safety scissors and a live wire. She’s kind of hot in a vengeful ghost that stalks the Hot Topic way, but she only has orb modules for the mecha-Aryan Rutger Hauer, who gives her a passionate kiss after Indiana Jones “retires” her with his pistolero.

Credit: honeydolls.jp

Honey Dolls

It’s not just about you—you want to make sure the sex robot’s enjoying herself too, right? The Japanese Honey Dolls will moan and simulate climax as you perform your disgusting worm dance thanks to built-in sensors that activate the MP3 player when touched (the actual sounds come out the speaker in her skullbox). You make a good point: this wouldn’t be a Japanese company without being absolutely fucking disgusting, would it? Ah, we’re in luck: this one has sex dolls modeled on nubile teen girls. While the other dolls have their eyes open, these teen girls are fast asleep “dreaming.” Nice to know you can have a peaceful dream while being ravaged by the man who drugged your wasabi Capri Sun on the subway.

Credit: Le Trung

Source : http://www.ugo.com/tech/11-sexy-sex-robots

Hugh Hefner And Crystal Harris

2011-04-19T21:49:00.000-07:00

Hugh Hefner has never been one for tradition. Three girlfriends at one time will do that to a guy. And now, his fiance Crystal Harris is embracing Hef's style by ditching the idea of wearing white to her upcoming wedding. Hefner, 84, will exchange vows with the 24 year old on 18 June and Harris has now revealed she won't be wearing white to the wedding. Instead she is honoring her husband to be by wearing Playboy's signature pink color.

She told People.com, "The dress is not going to be white. I love pink! So, the dress will be pink and Hef and I want the wedding to be just a lot of different colors and to just look beautiful."?

The couple has also ordered a strawberry cake and flowers in fuchsia and turquoise.? Their engagement was announced in December over twitter and drew immediate reaction from Hef's ex-girlfriend Holly Madison. She released a statement saying that she questioned Harris' intentions.

"I'd like to see Hef settle down. I just want it to be with the right person, and I feel like he's making a hasty decision. I'm not sure Crystal is the best thing for him."

Playboy founder Hugh Hefner, 84, is engaged to Crystal Harris, 24. The thrice married Hefner tweets his happiness, saying “this is the happiest Christmas weekend in memory.” I’m sure daughter Christie loves that.

Hugh Hefner and Crystal Harris

Crystal Harris was the December 2009 Playboy Playmate of the Month. Christie Hefner is the 58 year old daughter of Hefner’s first wife, Mildred Williams. She stepped down from her position of Playboy Chairman and CEO in January 2009.

Surprisingly, Hefner says of some portion of his married past he was “faithful to a wife for eight years.”

Crystal Harris

Hugh Hefner excited about impending marriage
Mon, Apr 18, 2011
85-year-old Hugh Hefner excited about his marriage with 24-year-old Crystal Harris.

Playboy owner Hugh Hefner is excited about his marriage to fiancee Crystal Harris in June and says all arrangements have been made.

"I'm not nervous at all, I'm excited, June is a big month. Crystal and I will be in London opening a new club, then we'll come back and get married at the mansion!" Hefner said.

Harris, 24, has made most of the arrangements. Hefner says she is a relaxed bride-to-be. "Everything is in place. She is the one for me!" said Hefner, who will tie the knot for the third time.

"It's going to be a very special year. It's the Chinese year of the rabbit, so the bunny is back!, " Hefner added.

His first wife was Mildred Williams. They married in 1949 and a decade later parted ways. In 1989, Hefner married model Kimberley Conrad. Their divorce came through in 2004 after a separation of 11 years.

Source : Yahoo

Last Supper 'is commemorated a day late'

2011-04-18T23:39:00.000-07:00

Last Supper 'is commemorated a day late'
By ANI | ANI – Sun, Apr 17, 2011
Source:in.news.yahoo.com

Sydney, Apr 17 (ANI): A new book by a Cambridge University physicist claims that Jesus Christ's last supper - the final meal that he shared with his 12 Apostles in Jerusalem before his crucifixion - is commemorated a day late.

Prof Colin Humphreys, who was knighted last year for his contribution to science, argues that the last supper Jesus Christ shared occurred on Wednesday, April 1, AD33, rather than on a Thursday as traditionally celebrated in most Christian churches, reports the Sydney Morning Herald.

The theory could explain the apparent inconsistencies between the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke - which say the Last Supper was a Passover meal - and that of John, which says Jesus was tried and executed before the Jewish festival.

It would also explain another puzzle: why the Bible has not allowed enough time for all events recorded between the Last Supper and the Crucifixion.

Colin's book, 'The Mystery of the Last Supper', out this week, uses astronomy to re-create calendars, plus detail drawn from texts such as the Dead Sea Scrolls to propose a timeline for Jesus' final days.

"The claim I make is that we're misinterpreting some parts of the Gospels because we don't understand sufficiently life in the first century AD," he said.

Colin argues that Jesus celebrated Passover early using the pre-exilic calendar, which the Jews used before their exile in Babylon.

It would have been understood by early Christians as operating alongside the official Jewish calendar, he said.

The theory could be controversial as it questioned traditional beliefs but Colin said the key revelation was of tolerance.

"I think Jesus is really reaching out to all sorts of people when he chooses not to use this official Jewish calendar," he added. (ANI)

Kala mela : Art Camp at Deoghar Jharkhand

2011-03-17T21:03:00.001-07:00

The dream and women, acrylic on canvas, 24 x 30 inches

Kala mela : Art Camp at Deoghar Jharkhand, 13th to 15th march 2011

See also the link given below ( click the link )

ডিস্ট্রিক্ট কাউন্সিল অফ কালচার, কালাহান্ডি : “অল ইন্ডিয়া পেইন্টিং এগজিবিশান অ্যানড ওয়ার্কশপ”

RAW Foundation, a social and educational organization

Student can visit http://rawfoundation.blogspot.com/

---------------------------------o------------------------------------------

Through one of my students Mantu Bera, Mr Paban Roy director of Kornik, came to know and invited me to attend an Art camp, in Deoghar Jharkhand state. So, on 12th march we reached at howrah station to catch train, from Kolkata, me and my painting student DR. Naboday Paul (MBBS) was with me, had set out for Deoghar, Jharkhand.

This is busy Howrah station:
We two are waiting...

We reached Jasidih Junction by 3.45 am in the early morning. a deserted look of the station

the IB guest house where we stayed, the picture of the gate from open road.

the guest house
a big campus
in the lawn, me and Dr. Nabadoy paul
R N Bose Bangla Library, Station Road , Deoghar, where the Art camp held

The entrance of the R N Bose Bangla Library, A boul image greeting us all
Director of Kornik, A cultural organisation, Mr Paban Roy and Sudha Pandey, the sweet couple who greeted us all and organized the camp.
Kala mela From the open station Road Deoghar.
The first day had a nice look of the spot where all artists worked together
Lighting lamp ceremony, we all renowned painters had came forward to light lamps a simbol of lighting the world, a beginning of an important good work, inauguration ceremony

Sakila Rehman, the collage artist, and Jayanto khan at the backdrops
sakila is being interviewed by local journalists , husband Akbar shekh in the middle
from Gwalior, Hajaribag , Jamshedpur , Delhi, and from other diferent states painters came to join the art camp. here, Dinesh singh, Ujjal Ghosh and another painters with me
Mr Paban Roy and Sudha Pandey, the sweet couple who greeted us all

artists are working on canvases

All woman artists Arunima Kapoor (Noida) , Kamini vaghele ( Jhansi), Bhawbna Ghosh (Hajari bagh) and others are with me.
Me and Sakila
Before Sakila rehman ( the celebrity collage artist), me and Ujjal ghosh from Hajari bagh

Most women criticize I am anti feminist, so, none came forward to spend a little time with me. I remained alone. But on the contrary, all my poems and paintings are on the theme the women or on the power of women. I am very unlucky, I could not draw their attention. This painting titled ' Woman and dream' proves my fondness for womankind. You can see my works on women Click here
Dr. Naboday paul painted this, three women
We went to visit Baidyanath Dham, temple, 'babar mondir' most crowded and busy pandas ( agents of priests and commodity sellers) are soliciting. To me these are nuisance creating trouble to public, there should be strict administration from Govt side for the benefit of pilgrims

Very beautiful temple
Dr Naboday paul among crowds
me, on the foreground

with me Jahar Dasgupta, Malay Saha, Akbar Sekh (husband of Sakila Rehman)
Sakila Rehman at baidyanath Dham
very charming and innocent look, very nice lady

Mukta Gupta, Kartick Prosad and me relaxing and Sanjib Gupta
Manoj Routh , kalahandi, painted this , he works on tribal people of ODISHA
Bibhas and Nabadoy sharing pleasantries
Me and Arunima Kapoor, from Delhi, a young painter worked on women
Shambhu Jana, samar, Jayanta Khan Sandip Goldar
A list of names, participant painters was set next to the gate
on the third day The S P of Deoghar, Subodh prasad had his speech, he said he is with all cultural people and with a helping hand, bravo.
we left our temporary shelter, the guest house,

photographs credit : Sandip Goldar, one of my painting student, Kharagpur.

Me and Kamini
sharing my experience of this camp with others on a stage, so much light they have thrown on my face I was very much puzzled, I could not see the audience.
last day on 15th March we sat together most painters ,
kamini, me, mantu and malay
sandip at the left yellow shirt and mukta at the right
I am receiving honour from district SP subodh prasad
I am receiving honour from district SP subodh prasad
On the stage we all stood together to have a memorable snap

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Photo: Sandip Goldar

Tsunami hits north-eastern Japan after massive quake

2011-03-11T02:25:00.000-08:00

Tsunami hits north-eastern Japan after massive quake

source : BBC

Tsunami hits north-eastern Japan after massive quake

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, and numerous casualties are feared.

It struck about 250 miles (400km) from the capital at a depth of 20 miles. There have been powerful aftershocks.

The tremor hit at 1446 local time (0546 GMT). Seismologists say it is one of the largest earthquakes to hit Japan for many years.

At the scene

Roland Buerk BBC News, Tokyo

When the earthquake hit, buildings in Tokyo swayed. Walking was like crossing the deck of a ship at sea.

People poured down from their offices and stood in the street staring up.

A large fire seemed to have broken out in one part of the city and, in another place, injured people were being brought out of a station.

The authorities immediately issued a tsunami warning.

In Tokyo, public transport has been suspended, elevators are switched off in many buildings and thousands of people have gathered in squares and around train stations.

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The tsunami warning was extended to the Philippines, Indonesia, Taiwan, the Pacific coast of Russia and Hawaii.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said the wave could extend as far as Chile.

Tsunami waves hit Japan's Miyagi and Fukushima prefectures, officials said, damaging dozens of coastal communities.

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 the coastal city of Sendai was submerged and the waves pushed cars across the runway of the city's airport.

'Seasick'

The earthquake also triggered a number of fires, including one 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, rapid transit in Tokyo was suspended and some nuclear power plants automatically shut down.

Prime Minister Naoto Kan said there had been no radiation leaks.

In a televised address, he extended his sympathy to the victims of the disaster and said an emergency response headquarters had been set up.

He said the earthquake had a magnitude of 8.4 while the US Geological Survey said it measured 8.9.

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Massive quake hits Japan; triggers Tsunami

At 2.46 pm Japan time, an earthquake measuring 8.9 on the Richter scale struck in mid-ocean at a depth of 24.4 km, 130 km (80 miles) from the coastal city of Honshu and 373 km (231 miles) from Tokyo.

The quake, which was followed 30 minutes later by an aftershock registering above 7, triggered 13 meter high waves that struck the coast off Honshu, washing away cars and people and destroying buildings.

All power is down in the affected region, and all trains and buses have been stopped in Tokyo. Narita International airport has also been shut down for inspection of runways and other facilities. The country's nuclear plants have all been shut down as a safety measure.

We bring you updated information as received; refresh for the latest:

3:12 pm: Little things make a big difference. The Japanese government, currently battling the worst earthquake to hit the quake-prone country in 140 years, found the time and sensitivity to do the little things: reports say that with cellphone services out of whack, the government has made all pay phones free of charge to enable people to stay connected at a time of considerable chaos.

3:07 pm: Residents in the Phillippines have been warned to evacuate and move to high ground, with weather experts predicting the first waves of the tsunami to strike around 6 PM local time. The Coast Guard has been put on high alert, and rescue teams have been placed in a state of emergency alert.

3:05 pm: Authorities in Taiwan have warned that tidal waves triggered by the Japan quake could reach the eastern coast of the Island at around 5.30 PM local time, and also possibly hit the north-eastern port of Keelung by 6:00 pm.

3:03 pm: The US Geological Society meanwhile has reported a secondary quake, timed at 5.12 PM Japan time, of magnitude 6.2, also near the eastern coast of Honshu. More

3:00 pm: In another illustration of how social media is supplementing, even exceeding, the work of news agencies, the CitizenTube initiative features videos of the Japan quake shot by the people themselves. Watch video

2:41 pm: Within half an hour of the quake, the Twitter monitoring service Tweet-O-Meter indicated that tweets out of Tokyo were streaming in at the rate of over 1,200 per minute.

2:40 pm: Tsunami alert issued across US West Coast; evacuation on in Hawaii.

Photos: Tsunami damages northern Japan

2:30 pm: 11,000 evacuated in Russia in the wake of Japanese tsunami

2:29 pm: With a massive electricity and communications blackout impacting the quake-hit area, estimates of the toll and damages will take a considerable time to be collated. For now, the Japanese government is officially reporting five dead, AP reports.

2:27 pm: Though the Sensex fell over 200 points in reaction to the news of the quake, no lasting impact on the economy is expected, say experts. More

2:24 pm: The United States Geological Survey, which has been tracking the quake and its aftermath, has pegged the Japan quake at 8.9 on the Richter scale. That makes this the 5th biggest earthquake in history, ahead of the February 2010 quake in Chile. See chart

2:22 pm: Four million homes in Japan have no power supply.

2:21 pm: Sendai airport in northern Japan flooded.

2:17 pm: Japanese news agency Kyodo reports that as many as 14 public structures are on fire in Tokyo.

2:15 pm: The Japan Meteorological Agency in a press statement warned that aftershocks of a possible magnitude of 7 and above on the Richter scale could happen in a month, consequent on today's quake.

2:15 pm: AP reports that Russian authorities have evacuated over 12,000 residents of the far-eastern Sakhalin Island and its neighborhood as a consequence of the tsunami warning.

2:05 pm: Biggest quake since 1995, say Japanese met officials.

2 pm: Blaze continues at major oil refinery. Fires break out in Tokyo as well. Aftershocks continue in Tokyo. Casualty numbers trickling in.

1:55 pm: Kudan Kaikan auditorium collapses: 600 had gathered for a graduation ceremony, 30 seriously injured.

1:53 pm: Television studio cameras shake as aftershocks continue.

1:52 pm: Tsunami warnings for Australia, New Zealand.

1:45 pm: Japan's disaster management team is headed by its prime minister Naoto Kan. One of the biggest earthquakes ever to hit the country, says met office.

Tsunami may hit Indonesia, Hawaii next.

1:26 pm: Japan has swung into disaster control mode following a tsunami and massive earthquake on Friday.
The country has shut down all its ports, airports and nuclear installations.

World television channels showed cars and boats being swept onshore by huge tidal waves. A bigger tsunami is feared.

Ravi Shingari, director, KPMG, Japan, told CNN-IBN over the phone that the Japanese were not as shocked by the tremors as the Indians.

The nearest city to the epicenter is the coastal city of Honshu, 130 km (80 miles) from the quake center. Tokyo is 373 km (231 miles) away.

The quake was approximately 24.4 KM deep within the ocean. Al Jazeera is running a live stream of the disaster:

Japanese prime minister Naoto Kan said no radiation leak had been reported from any nuclear installation.

The authorities had no casualty numbers, and said they were concentrating on 'relief and rescue'.

Thousands of passengers are trapped in trains, which have stopped mid-way. Prime minister Kan said they would be rescued, and appealed to people in all parts of Japan to be vigilant.

Prime minister Kan is addressing the nation. 'Stay calm', is his message.

The tidal waves were 13 feet high, met reports say.

Buildings in Tokyo shook and made creaking sounds, according to an Indian executive working in that city.

An oil refinery is on fire, and the fire authorities are fighting a losing battle.
People are milling around Tokyo station as all trains and buses have been halted.
Stranded passengers can't find any taxis either.

1 pm (India time): All airports have been closed in Japan as the authorities fear fires will break out following the tsunami.

Japanese public broadcaster NHK showed cars, trucks, houses and buildings being swept away by the tsunami.

Earthquakes are common in Japan, one of the world's most seismically active areas. The country accounts for about 20 percent of the world's earthquakes of magnitude 6 or greater.

Reuters reports: A massive 8.8 magnitude quake hit the northeast coast of Japan on Friday, shaking buildings in the capital Tokyo, causing "many injuries", at least one fire and triggering a four-metre (13-ft) tsunami, NHK television and witnesses reported.

There was also a warning of a 10-metre tsunami following the quake, Japan's biggest in 7 years.

The public broadcaster showed flames and black smoke billowing from a building in Odaiba, a Tokyo suburb, and bullet trains to the north of the country were halted.

Black smoke was also pouring out of an industrial area in Yokohama's Isogo area.

TV footage showed boats, cars and trucks floating in water after a small tsunami hit the town of Kamaichi in northern Japan.

"The building shook for what seemed a long time and many people in the newsroom grabbed their helmets and some got under their desks," Reuters correspondent Linda Sieg said.

"It was probably the worst I have felt since I came to Japan more than 20 years ago."

Passengers on a subway line in Tokyo screamed and grabbed other passengers' hands. The shaking was so bad it was hard to stand, said Reuters reporter Mariko Katsumura.

The U.S. Geological Survey earlier verified a magnitude of 7.9 at a depth of 15.1 miles and located the quake 81 miles east of Sendai, Honshu. It later upgraded it to 8.8.

The Tokyo stock market extended its losses after the quake was announced. The central bank said it would do everything to ensure financial stability.

Japan's northeast Pacific coast, called Sanriku, has suffered from quakes and tsunamis in the past and a 7.2 quake struck on Wednesday. In 1933, a magnitude 8.1 quake in the area killed more than 3,000 people. Last year fishing facilities were damaged after by a tsunami caused by a strong tremor in Chile.

Earthquakes are common in Japan, one of the world's most seismically active areas. The country accounts for about 20 percent of the world's earthquakes of magnitude 6 or greater.

source : Yahoo


	Location	Date UTC	Magnitude	Lat.	Long.	Reference
1.	Chile	1960 05 22	9.5	-38.29	-73.05	Kanamori, 1977
2.	Prince William Sound, Alaska	1964 03 28	9.2	61.02	-147.65	Kanamori, 1977
3.	Off the West Coast of Northern Sumatra	2004 12 26	9.1	3.30	95.78	Park et al., 2005
4.	Kamchatka	1952 11 04	9.0	52.76	160.06	Kanamori, 1977
5.	Offshore Maule, Chile	2010 02 27	8.8	-35.846	-72.719	PDE
6.	Off the Coast of Ecuador	1906 01 31	8.8	1.0	-81.5	Kanamori, 1977
7.	Rat Islands, Alaska	1965 02 04	8.7	51.21	178.50	Kanamori, 1977
8.	Northern Sumatra, Indonesia	2005 03 28	8.6	2.08	97.01	PDE
9.	Assam - Tibet	1950 08 15	8.6	28.5	96.5	Kanamori, 1977
10.	Andreanof Islands, Alaska	1957 03 09	8.6	51.56	-175.39	Johnson et al., 1994
11.	Southern Sumatra, Indonesia	2007 09 12	8.5	-4.438	101.367	PDE
12.	Banda Sea, Indonesia	1938 02 01	8.5	-5.05	131.62	Okal and Reymond, 2003
13.	Kamchatka	1923 02 03	8.5	54.0	161.0	Kanamori, 1988
14.	Chile-Argentina Border	1922 11 11	8.5	-28.55	-70.50	Kanamori, 1977
15.	Kuril Islands	1963 10 13	8.5	44.9	149.6	Kanamori, 1977
Updated 2010 March 29

Source : USGS

In Japan, Prime Minister Naoto Kan addressed the nation, saying the government will do "everything possible to minimize the damage" and calling for international assistance. "We ask the people of Japan to exercise the spirit of fraternity and act fast and to assist one's family and neighbors," Kan said.

Several countries, including Russia and South Korea, pledged support, putting emergency crews on standby. The U.S. military - which said all its personnel in Japan were accounted for - announced it was coordinating with Japan's government.

President Obama, who was briefed on the quake about 4 a.m., said the United States "stands ready to help the Japanese people in this time of great trial."

Authorities ordered evacuations from low-lying areas on the U.S. island territory of Guam in the western Pacific, but the tsunami passed that area without causing significant damage, according to news reports.

In Japan, the quake struck at 2:46 p.m. local time (12:46 a.m. in Washington). According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the quake struck at a depth of about six miles, about 80 miles off the coast east of Miyagi Prefecture, a mostly rural but still densely populated part of Honshu, Japan's largest island.

Comment: Allow a dignified death or not

2011-03-07T04:21:00.000-08:00

By R Shankar, India Syndicate, 07/03/2011

Comment: Allow a dignified death

Source : MSN

India has finally said a big no to mercy killing. The Supreme Court verdict on Monday in the Aruna Shanbaug case has finally laid to rest the debate on whether a patient lying in a "persistent vegetative state" can get a dignified death.

The ruling came in the case of Aruna who has been lying in a painful and vegetative state in Mumbai's KEM Hospital for over 37 years after a brutal sexual assault.

Those who favoured mercy killing had pleaded before the court that feeding of the nurse should be stopped immediately so that she can have a dignified ending.

Aruna, a nurse from Haldipur, Shimoga, Karnataka, was brutally assaulted by Sohanlal Bhartha Walmiki, a ward boy at Mumbai's King Edward Memorial Hospital on Nov 27, 1973, as she was changing her clothes in the basement of the hospital. As she was having her periods, Walmiki sodomised her after choking her with a dog chain.

The asphyxiation caused due to the dog chain round Aruna's neck cut off oxygen supply to her brain resulting in `death' of a critical part of the brain stem and cervical cord injury leaving the nurse cortically blind and had reduced her to a vegetative stage.

Walmiki attacked Aruna as she had ordered him about and had castigated him for sloppy work. The ward boy is now a man in his fifties, free man and is reportedly working in Delhi.

The apex court ruling came in a case filed by activist Pinki Virani who contended that Aruna cannot see or speak properly and keeping her alive violates her right to live with dignity.

As the case took various emotional twists and turns, the apex court appointed senior doctors to examine Aruna and present their views on euthanasia. Dr JV Divatia, Dr Roop Gurshani and Dr Nilesh Shah subsequently examined Aruna and submitted a report in which they said that the nurse responds to devotional music, gets upset when people crowd around her and is fond of certain food items. Hence, the panel said, Aruna may not be completely vegetative.

Though the Supreme Court has rejected Aruna's death wish, it is also not fair to keep terminally ill patients in excruciating pain and agony. The court should lay guidelines under which mercy killing should be an option in the following two circumstances:

1-Patient cannot decide: Mercy killing should be allowed in very special and extra-ordinary cases where hope of living is dead and the pain and agony are unbearable. If a panel of reputed senior doctors unanimously agree that there is absolutely no hope of a recovery, and if the patient cannot independently decide on the death wish, the patient should be allowed to die.

2-Patient can decide: If a patient who wants to die as he or she is suffering from a terminal ailment and doctors agree that there is no hope of recovery, doctors should be legally allowed to put the patient to permanent sleep.

WHAT IS EUTHANASIA?

The official medical definition of euthanasia is: Deliberate and intentional killing of a human being by a direct action, such as a lethal injection, or by the failure to perform even the most basic medical care such as the provision of nutrition and hydration, necessary to maintain life.

Euthanasia is also called:

Voluntary Euthanasia: Mentally competent patients who want to end thier lives in order to relieve either physical or emotional distress which they declare unacceptable.

Medically Assisted Suicide: Patients are provided with the means and assistance to commit suicide.

Involuntary Euthanasia: Patients who are not in a position to give consent for a peaceful ending because of immaturity such as a newborn infants, mental disability, mental or physical illness or coma. In these instances, it is decided by others -- relatives or ativists -- that the person should be killed.

Euthanasia has, however been rejected by many countries. In 1996, the Australian House of Representatives quashed the Northern Territory Euthanasia Legislation that favoured mercy killing. Other nations who have strongly recommended against legalising euthanasia are: Canada 1982, Victoria 1987, Great Britain 1994, New York State 1994.

WHERE IS EUTHANASIA LEGAL

Euthanasia is legal in The Netherlands, Switzerland, Belgium, Norway, Sweden, Germany, Finland, Luxembourg, Albania and Thailand. A few States in the US too have what is called 'Death with Dignity Act'.

DIGNIFIED END: Doctors of death or angels of mercy?

There are cases where doctors have `helped' terminally ill patients to meet a dignified end. Here are a few `doctors of dignified death':

Jack Kevorkian

Kevorkian, was infamously or famously (depending on which side of euthanasia you are) called `Dr Death'. An Armenian-American pathologist, he started off by photographing the eyes of dying patients. Seeing their agony, pain and suffering, he started offering 'death counselling'. He issued advertisements too. He is reported to have helped over 130 people to `have a peaceful and permanent death.' Though he has been hitting the headlines off and on, he was intensely debated when he made a film on Thomas Youk, a terminally ill patient who was put to death. The film was shown on the popular American TV series called '60 Minutes'.

John Bodkin Adams

Adams was an Irish-British general practitioner who allegedly 'killed' 160 patients between 1946 and 1956. He was put on trial and found guilty in 13 cases classified as prescription fraud, lying on cremation forms, obstructing a police search and failing to keep a dangerous drug registered. But a turn-around came in 1957 when Judge Devlin ruled that "causing death through the administration of lethal drugs to a patient, if the intention is solely to alleviate pain, is not considered murder even if death is a potential or even likely outcome".

Dignitas

Switzerland-based Dignitas is probably the only 'recognised assisted dying group' that helps patients with terminal illness and severe physical and mental illnesses to die peacefully. The patients are assisted by qualified doctors and nurses. The group also renders help for assisted suicide if those seeking help are of sound judgement. These suicide seekers should obtain a detailed medical report from a qualified and recognised psychiatrist that endorses the patient's condition as fulfilling the specifications of the Federal Court of Switzerland.

Source: India Syndicate

Aruna Shanbaug will live, says Supreme Court

New Delhi: The Supreme Court Monday rejected a petition for the mercy killing of Aruna Shanbaug, who has been in a "persistent vegitative state" for the past 37 years after being sodomised by a hospital sweeper but permitted passive euthanasia subject to a declaration by a high court to this effect.

An apex court bench of Justice Markandey Katju and Justice Gyan Sudha Misra delivered the ruling while rejecting a petition moved on Shanbaug's behalf by her friend and social activist Pinki Virani.

Justice Katju said that active euthanasia is illegal as there is no statutory provision to support it.

However, the court said: "Passive euthanasia is permissible under certain conditions with the approval of the high court."

It further said the high court will grant its approval after getting the opinion of three eminent doctors and hearing the government and the close relatives of the terminally ill patient sought to be put under passive euthanasia.

The court said though Virani is performing a laudable social service, the staff, doctors and nurses of Mumbai's King Edward Memorial Hospital, where Shanbaug is admitted have a greater right over her and only they can decide whether to opt for passive euthanasia or not.

"She (Virani) cannot claim to be as close and attached to Aruna Shanbaug as King Edward Memorial Hospital staff and nurses," the bench ruled.

Active euthanasia is a state where a patient is given a lethal injection to bring him to sleep, while passive euthanasia involves withdrawing the life support system from a patient.

Source: IANS

http://news.in.msn.com/national/article.aspx?cp-documentid=5002196

Court quotes a poem, lets `Q' walk free

2011-03-04T20:17:00.000-08:00

05/03/2011

Court quotes a poem, lets `Q' walk free

New Delhi: Twenty five years gone, Rs. 250 crore spent, two extradition cases lost in international arena, no “legally sustainable” evidence in hand. Underlining these, a Delhi court on Friday exonerated Italian businessman Ottavio Quattrocchi from penal charges in the 1986 Bofors payoff case and approved a CBI application seeking withdrawal of his prosecution.

Reached for comments in Italy, Quattrocchi told The Indian Express: "I am relaxing. God bless."

While delivering the verdict, Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Vinod Yadav recited Sahir Ludhianvi: "Woh afsana jise anjaam tak lana na ho mumkin, use ek khoobsurat more dekar chhorna hi achha (It's better to end a story on a good note in case it cannot be brought to a logical end)."

"The very question which stares us at our faces is whether it is justified for the Government of India to continue to spend on the extradition of Q, which may or may not ultimately happen during his lifetime. Can we allow this hard earned money of aam aadmi of India to be spent on these type of proceedings, which are not going to do any good to them, after almost 25 years of the so-called arms deal. The answer would be a big No," CMM Yadav said in his 73-page judgment.

Adjudicating the CBI's plea on the triple test of good faith, bonafide and public interest, he said it was clear in the last 21 years when the prosecution against Quattrocchi was on that "despite spending through its nose for about these years, the CBI has not been able to put forward legally sustainable evidence with regard to conspiracy in the (Bofors payoff) matter."

While the allegation pertained to a kickback amounting to Rs. 64 crore, the CBI, by 2005, had already spent around Rs. 250 crore on the case "which is sheer wastage of public money," Yadav said.

The court accepted the contention of Additional Solicitor General P P Malhotra regarding the two failed attempts to get Quattrocchi extradited that these would act as an adverse precedent for any more attempts by the Government of India.

The CMM noted that while the El Dorado court in Argentina had described the extradition proceedings as for "political reasons," the court in Malaysia had discussed, besides legalities, the merits of the case while dismissing the CBI's petitions.

"A joint reading of the judgments of both the countries would reveal that on facts of case, both countries expressed that offence of conspiracy and cheating was not made out against Q, as the terms of the agreement between the Government of India and M/s AB Bofors did not prohibit induction of foreign agents in the contract and in any case, if there was violation of any term of contract, that only leads to civil consequences and not penal consequences," the CMM said, adding that extradition requests were not entertained on sound reasoning.

Referring to a Delhi High Court judgment that had ordered quashing of a related FIR in the case, the court noted that all other accused persons, besides Quattrocchi, had either died or the proceedings against them, including those against M/s AB Bofors, had been quashed.

"Therefore, the decision of the learned Special Prosecutor of CBI, seeking withdrawal of prosecution against Q on the face of it appears to be bonafide and in the larger public interest. Accordingly, the learned Special Prosecutor of CBI is allowed to withdraw prosecution against Q. Consequently, Q stands discharged from this case," CMM Yadav ruled.

Source: The Indian Express

Also see

Bofors payoffs: Twists and turns in case against Quattrocchi

Secret report on fake notes blames Pak

2011-03-04T20:11:00.000-08:00

05/03/2011

Secret report on fake notes blames Pak

New Delhi: A secret Government report, that claims to be based on a “million intelligence inputs,” has named officials in the Pakistan High Commissions in Dhaka and Kathmandu as being responsible for not only manufacturing but also distributing Fake Indian Currency Notes (FICN).

For the first time, the Government has put a figure to the value of FICN in "circulation" -- Rs. 16,000 crore, and linked it to at least 15 cases of terrorist funding.

The 65-page report, obtained by The Indian Express, categorically blames Pakistan for running what it calls a "sophisticated buisness enterprise covering many countries."

It lists 28 important "FICN network operator gangs" out of Bangkok, Bangladesh, Nepal and Pakistan which are "so well established that they could also be used for arranging hide-outs, for easy and secure communication channels to subversives and safe launch-pads for espionage agents."

The report says that 36.8% of large FICN seizures (above Rs. 10 lakh) over a five-year period have been "directly" sourced from Pakistan and the remaining "indirectly" -- with consignments first sent to a "staging-post" country and seized while on their second or third-leg journeys into India.

The report contains a list of 11 officials purportedly of the Pakistan Government either associated with the ISI or the High Commission.

"Regular intelligence feeds are available with numerous references to the FICN trade in Bangladesh and Nepal where menion of the Pakistan High Commission and its officials (by name), facilitating the trade, are common...there are impeccable inputs to suggest that in Dhaka, FICN is supplied by the 'Embassy' and transported by the 'Embassy vehicle."

Some of the "officials" mentioned in the report:

* Brigadier Shaukat Mahmood Sufi is described as a "senior Pak ISI officer coordinating the entire programme." Since 2007, he made 12 visits to Bangkok, 10 to Dhaka and 14 to Colombo.

His role in the FICN racket was exposed when the Thai police arrested members of his network in Bangkok in June 2007. On July 11, 2007, Sufi handed over two bags containing FICN to his Nepalese contacts before departing for Pakistan.

A week later, on July 18, Sufi returned to Bangkok and met Yunus Ansari and another Nepalese national, Parmeshwar Mahato. Sufi introduced then to other ISI officials in the Pakistan mission in Bangkok before he left for Pakistan on July 21, 2007. On October 10, 2007, Thai officials detained Nepalese nationals Parmeshwar Mahato and Chokat Mahto Khulwat and recovered FICN worth Rs. 1.2 crore from them.

* Rattan, an official posted at the Pak High Commission (PHC) in Dhaka, is tasked with distributing FICN to local operatives in Bangladesh and onward supply into India. The report states: "Upto October 2010, Pak officials were given rewards for infusing FICN into distribution channels on commission basis but now the new system provides for fixed monthly allowances." Mir is another associate of Rattan and posted in the High Commission in Dhaka.

* Aftab Afzal, a visa counselor at PHC in Dhaka, is described as "an important conduit for FICN supply at PHC Dhaka" in close touch with FICN operative Imran Mollah of Paltan (possibly Paltan Bazar). Also mentioned are Geelanai Sahab, working at the PHC in Dhaka, and ISI officials Ghulam Ali Mirani and Gulam Shabbir.

"On account of increasing difficulties in pushing FICN through Bangladesh and Nepal into India, network operators are (now) exploring the Pakistan-Guangzhou-India route using commercial containers. They assess that increasing trade between India and China has led to a large number of containers arriving by the sea route in India," says the report.

The report underlines terrorist links with FICN distribution and lists 15 cases of arrests, seizures and interrogation where FICN was linked to terrorist financing. For example, the report reveals how David Headley -- the Lashkar mastermind behind 26/11 now in US custody -- confessed to having been given Rs. 2.5 lakh in FICN in Pakistan by his handler for a trip to India to plot the Mumbai attack.

Source: The Indian Express

Why you shouldn't trust someone who scratches his or her nose!

2011-02-22T20:49:00.000-08:00

Why you shouldn't trust someone who scratches his or her nose!

By ANI | ANI – Sat, Feb 19, 2011

London, Feb 19 (ANI): Body gestures say a lot about a person - whether they look up or scratch their nose, or even tilt their head.

Now, body language expert Peter Collett, author of the 'Book Of Tells' talks about the different gestures people make and what they mean.

SCRATCHING NOSE: When you're not telling the truth, you instinctively want to cover up the source of the lie - your mouth - so no one can see you're fibbing. But because that's too obvious, people disguise it by scratching their nose.

LOOKING UP: if you look up you're seeking help from above. People with a sense of self-importance also do it, suggesting they're in contact with the Almighty, reports the Daily Mail.

BLINKING: It's a sign someone's worried, excited or even lying as they're under stress and thinking very rapidly.

LIP NIBBLING: Lip nibbling, whether biting the lower lip or a corner of the mouth with the upper teeth, prevents someone from speaking, so it's used by people who want to stop themselves from saying something.

TILTING HEAD: Often used by a woman to flirt and appear more attractive.

It appeals to a man because it lowers her height; -mimics a baby putting its head on its mother's shoulder; and exposes the neck. As the neck is one of the most vulnerable parts of your body, showing it to someone is a way of saying, "I trust you implicitly."

FURROWED BROWS: Lowering the brows is a dominance gesture used mainly by men, which tells people, "I may be looking at you, but I'm in charge."

SHIFTING WEIGHT: When you want to escape from a conversation, you shift your weight from side to side or back to front.

Men also sometimes do this when chatting to a pretty girl to make themselves appear energetic.

OPEN HANDS: Showing the palms of your hands is a friendly -gesture showing that you have peaceful intentions. It indicates acceptance, good intentions and that you're open to new ideas.

Hiding them, on the other hand, shows that you don't want to give anything away.

FOOT POINT

The way your foot is facing indicates what you're thinking. Follow the line of someone's foot and it will show you what they're most interested in - if it's the door, they want to leave. (ANI)

A gievance call, Media and the character of Indian postal department

2011-02-18T18:49:00.000-08:00

A gievance call, deaf media and the character of Indian postal department

I sent this grievance call to most small and biggest news media, but it seems no one hears and ready to carry the news, It means that the poor and the weakest person has no support from society and I sent my grievance to concerned department of ministry and offices but I dont see any light and hope of my grievance. So, I feel much frustration, and you can imagine how many people feel such depression and frustration unnoticed and unrecorded. I dont see also any hope by any humanrights group to fight for such cause.

The same grievance I posted earlier click here to read
Here I am adding a few mails that can prove my appeal to government

I sent mails to the following recipients mocit@nic.in, indiapost.wnx@gmail.com, gurudas.kamat@nic.in,
saurabh.gupta@nic.in, unmesh.wagh@nic.in, rbsudhakar@nic.in,
rajinder@sansad.nic.in, meerahanda@indiapost.gov.in, shaque@nic.in,
ptskumar@indiapost.gov.in, secretary-posts@indiapost.gov.in,
sujit_k_saha@rediffmail.com, rupenbiswas@yahoo.co.in,
helpdesk.imo@indiapost.gov.in

-------------------------------------------------------
From: Gurudas Kamat MOS(C&IT) gurudas.kamat@nic.in>
Date: Wed, Feb 2, 2011 at 5:21 PM
Subject: Fwd: Six months over my gift parcel is not delivered by Post Office.
To: pgsectiondakbhavan@gmail.com

The message is forwarded for necessary action under intimation to this office.

(Unmesh Sharad Wagh)

OSD to MOS(C&IT)(K)

to see the image of the mails please click the image and zoom

fromPG Section

to		Albert Ashok
date		Thu, Feb 3, 2011 at 10:35 AM

No. 2-04/2011-PG

Dear Sir/Madam,

Please refer to your complaint addressed to the Hon'ble MOS (C &IT) (K). The case is being forwarded to West Bengal Postal Circle for further disposal. You may please await further correspondence from the concerned Circle Office. The e-mail ID of W.B. Circle is cpmg_wb@indiapost.gov.in.

Inconvenience caused to you is sincerely regretted.

PG Section

Dak Bhavan

New Delhi-110116

From: PG Section <pgsectiondakbhavan@gmail.com>

To: cpmg_wb@indiapost.gov.in

Sir/Madam,

This complaint received from Hon'ble MOS(C&IT) (K) is being forwarded for necessary action and early compliance. The case is being dealt in the Directorate under File No. 2-04/2011-PG. It is requested to furnish a detailed report along with the copy of reply sent to the complainant and other enclosures, within 10 days positively as per the orders of the Office of the Hon'ble Minister.

PG Section

Dak Bhavan

New Delhi

-------------------------------------------------

I want to draw your attention to whom it may concern

Last 20 th July 2010, A gift Parcel was sent from Japan, and on 23 rd July 2010, it has reached to Indian counterpart of Postal service, from then on it has not reached to the recipient, and still I am in dark whether my gift will reach me at all, today 11th oct 2010. Its going to be three months and how long it will take for Indian postal service to deliver the item to its recipient or it is vanished by postal service people on the way?

Who is responsible and who will answer my question? Hello minister, journalist , citizen of India and Human rights activists can you help me ?

A sensitive and emotional question I put before you.

Here I have all my documents scanned and uploaded to support my word. I am afraid the corruption of Postal department and custom are yet to explore.

Below a document from Japanese Post office to my friend EMIE Matsushima, has written that the parcel is for long with Indian Post Office, they had sent this document ( below) to EMIE Matsushima on last 21 dec 2010

image 1

Image 2.

Image 3.

image 4.

image 5.

Helpless citizen and corruption of postal department (with custom)

Indian Government has given authority to some unworthy people or people who are corrupted from top to bottom in the arena of public service. Because of that people are not getting governments due service, resulting a commotion against public servants and government.

Government is paying more to these public servants or employees so that they can serve better. But it seems, these public servants or employees think the government is there forefather’s property and the service will be run according their whim and interest. If this is the situation, I think government is poking people to insanity and forcing people take action by their own hand making a chaos, an unwanted disquiet situation.

I want to draw the attention of Indian government, concerning authorities, ministers, people who keep an watch on corruption and Human Rights on this topic.

My grievance is :

I am an Indian and I have given a considerable size of contribution to my country for last 30 years in education and cultural field. A part of cultural and educated people know me well. My pecuniary condition or financial state is very poor. I never got any assistance from any government and non government org. I don’t expect too. But I expect as a citizen of India, my small service to this nation will not be stopped by any government or non-government org. and my natural movement of activity will not be hindered.

As an artist I needed a camera, but due to very low financial state I could not buy. One of my friend in Japan, sent me her used camera as a gift. I was elated very much; she sent it on last 20 th July 2010. (See the image no 4 and 5). She sent me her scanned papers of postal delivery order. I saw it in website of Japanese post office. It reached on 23rd July in India. ( see image No 1,2 and 3).
Still today , I have no formal intimation or information from Indian Post office and custom office that someone from Japan sent me a gift.

Hello Minister, how you take this? How long your postal department will take a parcel delivery to its recipient? Is it a corruption on your department or custom officials side? Who will shoulder the loss of my profession? And such type of offence your department is doing to how many common people? Do you have an account?
Why I did not have my gift, Can you look into the matter and punish the offenders who cause
innumerous people stress, tension and grief? The government who can not feed people but should not cause any damage to its citizen.

My friend sent me her papers duly scanned through email, so, that I can have confidence and ask local post office. I have faith on my local post peon as they know me and deliver any letter or parcel in time. After waiting one month quietly I went to post office and talked to senior authority but could not tell me anything, I told them it is in Japanese postal website shows its delivered on 23rd july to Indian concerning authority. But Post office told me that as soon as the parcel will come to this local post office it will be delivered to me. I asked other post man who often comes at my home for mail delivery. He said, foreign parcels are under custom inspection, so you have to look in custom office. But he could not shed light which custom office. So I told some of my police ( higher authority) and public servant friends, they told that I should not go to any custom office because custom people are not trusted they may complicate things more. Anyway, I came to know that there is a foreign post post office in Kolkata where foreign parcel comes first and get registered for inspection.
Finally, I found a close friend working in custom office. I gave her my documents she has sent me to some officer in the foreign post office ( Foreign Post Office, 12, Kiran Shankar Roy Road, kolkata) who might help me regarding this parcel of camera and other assorted things.
So , probably, 7th Sept mustering some courage I went to foreign post office and waiting a lot after 2 pm the officer got in I am waiting for. I introduced myself he took little care and saw in his department’s computer that the parcel is lying with them. He assured me it will be released verbally. He instructed me to write an application demanding the parcel and attaching papers if I have any. And told me to come again on 13th September. (See Image No 6 and 7)

The office is not meant for all public. If you have any purpose you have to write and sign in a guest book. From 11 o clock to 2 pm, for 4 long hours I saw inside confidential rooms where they check foreign parcels and the work culture. Actually it is a place for gossiping who are working in table. I dont know whether all are present in time. You know if there is gossiping the work process will naturally slow down. I saw (I wish I could have a sting operation or record the custom culture) a few officers just opening every parcel and handling roughly and repacking all . Before repacking they are checking all very closely and talking things as if there own property, listing all articles in a register copy and checking all, if things are not mentioned they are not keeping back things on the same parcel. You will not know if anything is stolen by them and damaged by them ever. Such type of work may be in all countries I wonder! And repacking such a way that it never been opened by any agent. The officials are laughing, chatting, throwing parcels without any proper care, whether the articles break or damage they dont have any care. But when parcels will be delivered no one will know what the senders sent. And you have to receive the goods with out any proper inspection. and can not claim if anything missing. Sometimes many stationary things we send inside a parcel or box without listing because we believe the parcel will not be opened by any agent through its journey senders to recipient. My faith has been shattered. The thief is there in the system.
As I did not know the officer I came to meet so I looked for him at every section , downstairs and upstairs and asked many officers. I heard an officer is saying loudly to another officer from his table ‘ USA goods, parcels should be released faster.’ I guess their work is not natural way, the service system is controlled by some force. And unnatural means there are unnatural force exist.

On 13th sept 2010 I went again with an application and duly submitted. The officer gave me a receipt, ( see image no 6) told it will take time. He did not care that his officer had instructed him to entertain my case. He seems indifferent. I reported again to the officer who comes at office late, he said hopelessly ‘ Ok , we shall call you leave your phone number. Finally, I returned home spending whole day lost. Today, 11th oct 2010 No one came from Post office or called me regarding my parcel.
If it is the situation how can we trust our Postal system and department.

And who in this country will help common citizen if such things recur time and again.
Hello Minister are you listening?
I have full faith in Indian government it will take apprpiate care in public service and look into public grievances.

Image 6.

Image 7.

Today I took a finger shot ( see below the image) that tells the parcel is lying with kolkata Ems speed post center.
I am waiting to see how long it will take for Indian postal department to deliver my gift to me.
This parcel involves some souvenir and sensitive personal letter. If they are lost It is my misfortune, I would think as Indian government is always indifferent except their vote craze.

Join in and stand for election in the organization

2011-02-09T01:56:00.000-08:00

Join in and stand for election in the organization

Dear International Member,

Join in and stand for election in the organization

We are committed to being an open organization where everyone's voice is heard.

Because we wanted to be open to anyone in the world – we launched a new initiative called 'International Membership' in August 2007. This initiative asked people who did not have a national office to join in and become a member of Amnesty International regardless of where they lived.

We even made International Membership free – so that anyone could join in.

So what's happening now?
From 2011, a delegation of international members - elected by the international membership - will contribute their expertise to our internal decision making process. As you may know, Amnesty International makes its internal decisions in a democratic way, and your delegation will now be able to play a part in this process by participating in key internal conferences.

The first international member delegation will be elected online in April 2011 and will attend the 2011 International Council Meeting (ICM). The three candidates with the most votes will also attend the 2012 and 2013 Chairs Forums (CFM). The delegation will comprise around 4 representatives – the delegation size will depend on the size of the international member community in April 2011.

This and future delegations will help set the strategic agenda for Amnesty International's work.

What do you need to do to nominate yourself?
As long as you have been a member for more than 18 months and are at least the age of 18 years at the time of your application to attend the ICM in 2011, you can consider putting yourself forward for election. Potential candidates will need to find a seconder, someone who also has been an International member for 18 months, to support their application. We recommend that you use the Activism Centre or Amnesty International social networking profiles to find other International members.

Once all the nominations are in place, all international members will be sent an email inviting them to vote online to select their representatives.

What is expected of elected representatives?
The members of the delegation will need to commit to giving their time to preparing for and attending the meetings, and then report back to the international members community after the event. Please note that the working languages of our international meetings are English, French and Spanish.

FIND OUT MORE
To explain this new system, we have set up a website with further information, questions and answers and contact information. Please take this opportunity to find out more about how you can help Amnesty International make decisions, by drawing on the expertise of its membership. The website links to the nomination area where you can submit your nomination.

Website link: http://amnestyicm-info.votebyinternet.co.uk/

Thank you,
Janet MacLean, Chair of the International Council Meeting
Karen Moeskops, Online Election Officer

KEY DATES

Deadline to submit your nomination: 20 March

Elections open between 17 April and May 1

Results announced: 8 May

THE MEETINGS

14-19/20 August 2011 International Council Meeting (ICM) – Biennial, 6/7 day meeting
Delegation attends ICM and then reports back to international members

Beginning 2012 CFM – Annual, 3 day meeting
Delegation (of top three) attends CFM and then reports back to international members

Mid 2013 CFM – Annual, 3 day meeting
Delegation (of top three) attends CFM and then reports back to international members

INDIA :Journalist who reported on health issues gunned down

2011-02-09T01:18:00.000-08:00

2 February 2011

Journalist who reported on health issues gunned down

A journalist who had received death threats after publishing a story about an operation gone wrong was shot dead last week outside his residence near Raipur district, India, report the International Press Institute (IPI), the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and Reporters Without Borders (RSF).

Two masked gunmen shot Umesh Rajput, a reporter with the Hindi-language daily "Nai Dunia", on 23 January.

According to IPI, police are interrogating a female health worker who had apparently threatened to kill Rajput two weeks before his death. He had recently published an article about a man who developed an eye infection after an operation.

Found near his body was a note written in red ink that said, "If you don't stop publishing news, you will die."

IPI says it is the second murder of a journalist in the state of Chhattisgarh recently. On 20 December, unidentified gunmen murdered reporter Sushil Pathak in Bilaspur district. The police have yet to make any arrests.

According to CPJ, local news reports said that police suspected the threats might be a cover for a murder by Maoist insurgents. Violence between the insurgents, government security forces and state-supported vigilantes has escalated in recent years in the area.

For instance, says CPJ, local media reported explicit death threats to three journalists based in the southern district of Dantewada in Chhattisgarh state - which appeared to come from a vigilante group fighting the long-running Maoist insurgency in the area. Rajput was not one of the journalists mentioned in the threats.

While India is known for its vibrant and free media, journalists outside major cities continue to confront violence and threats. India ranks 12th on CPJ's 2010 impunity index, which highlights countries where journalists are slain and killers go free.

Source : IFEX

Sebi, RBI on watch for illicit Swiss money coming back home

2011-01-24T21:44:00.000-08:00

Sebi, RBI on watch for illicit Swiss money coming back home

23 Jan, 2011, 06.30PM IST,PTI

NEW DELHI: Financial regulators Sebi and RBI have enhanced vigil on Indian entities routing their funds from secretly-held Swiss bank accounts to India through Dubai and other locations, on fears of getting exposed for stashing the money in the European nation.

The stepped-up vigil for money laundering activities by the country's two financial regulators comes in the midst of suspicion that there could be some Indian entities in the list of over 2,000 Swiss bank accounts that are expected to be disclosed soon by whistle-blower website Wikileaks.

While banks in the Middle East have seen a sudden spurt in their deposits in past few months, queries mailed to Swiss Bankers Association remained unanswered on whether the banks there have seen a rise in withdrawals.

It is feared that the Indian entities having accounts in Swiss banks might move their funds to Middle East and other locations and then route them back to India, either into the stock market through FIIs or the FDI route.

While Sebi is responsible for oversight on funds flowing into or out of capital markets, RBI approval is needed for FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) inflows for many sectors. Besides, RBI also monitors flow of overseas funds into stock market through foreign or overseas banks.

Sources said that Sebi and RBI are taking a pre-emptive stance to guard against any possible flow of illicit money to the country and would broaden the scope of their oversight by indulging other institutions such as banks and brokers, only after firm indications of such capital flows.

The sectors suspected to be vulnerable for such funds could be real estate, agriculture and infrastructure, which are among the 'sunrise' segments of the Indian economy and have large-scale fund requirements, they added.

Sources said that all the funds held by Indian entities in Swiss banks might not necessarily be illicit wealth, but include genuine funds that are not willing to take a chance given the negative publicity generally associated with Swiss banks.

The issue of money lying in Swiss banks has become a matter of intense debate in India, with opposition parties and even the courts asking the government to take concrete action against those having stashed black money overseas.

Besides the expected Wikileaks expose, there are also fears that revised tax treaties that India is working on with various countries including Switzerland might lead to some stern action against the tax offenders in the country.

However, the government might not make public the names of entities it gets through the information exchange mechanism of these treaties, as this might lead to breach of the treaty and also hinder the enforcement actions.

Source : The Economics Times

Unearthing Indian black money in Switzerland

HP Agarwal / January 24, 2011

The Government of India has signed a Protocol with the Government of Switzerland in August 2010 for the purpose of amending the Tax Treaty between the Swiss Confederation and the Republic of India. The protocol has been signed with the intent to enable the Government of India to access the accounts maintained in the Swiss banks by the Indian tax evaders and to gather such other informations as may be necessary to tax the unaccounted money stashed in Switzerland. The Government of India took note about the money kept by the Indian tax eva-ders in Swiss Banks, which is estimated at around $462 billion. The effort of the government is to bring the money back to India and also to collect due taxes which might have been evaded.

However, this protocol which was intended to take effect from 01st Jan, 2011 has not entered into force yet, since the entire legal requirements and other procedures which are necessary for giving effect to the amending protocol have not been notified by the Governments of the contracting States. The amendment is still to be approved by the Swiss Parliament.

The above step of the Government has been widely acclaimed by the public at large. Infact, a Public Interest Petition is also being heard by the Hon’ble Supreme Court these days where the Apex Court has taken this problem very seriously and has questioned the government by observing “it is a pure and simple theft of the national money. We are talking about mind-boggling crime. We are not on the niceties of various treaties”.

It is however felt that unearthing black money kept in Switzerland may not be as simple an exercise as is being communicated by the Government circles. Amendment of Tax Treaty with Switzerland will certainly help, but this alone will not be enough and sufficient to rope in those who have stashed money outside India.

Let us not forget that a particular individual’s money may infact be lying in the name of a different person, quite often a foreigner to India. It is unthinkable that any clever Indian would keep money in a Switzerland Bank in his own name. It is also reported that the money in Switzerland may also be in the name of some discretionary off-shore trusts. Likewise, there would be difficulties in tracing the trail of money if the money is invested by the person concerned outside Switzerland or in circuitous manner with the protective layer of several tax haven countries. It is also possible that the money is kept in safe custody like locker etc. instead of bank accounts. In all such cases, a mere amendment to the tax treaty may not be sufficient.

The protocol involves a cumbersome procedure whe-reunder the Indian compe-tent authority has to provide exhaustive and exact details about the persons in respect of whom information is required from Switzerland. What about the cases where such an exhaustive information is not available with the Indian authorities?

It is also to be kept in mind that a person who maintains bank account in Switzerland for the purpose of parking the unaccounted money earned in India by dodging the Indian tax and other authorities must be an intelligent and powerful man. Such a person will also know how to close his account and transfer all his funds to other places without leaving any trail. For this he does not require much time.

In this context the action of the government to announce an amendment in August 2010 and to give it wide publicity is more than enough to give a chance as well as time for transfer of funds to other safe tax havens. It is like an intimation of the raid before the raid is actually conducted.

It is felt that all this publicity about amendment in the tax treaty will only help the offenders to escape.

The author is a Sr Partner in S S Kothari Mehta & Co. E-mail: hp.agrawal@sskmin.com

Source : Business standard

Indian Swiss accounts now proven
20 Jan 2011,
It's now proven there are Indian acounts with almost trillions stashed away in Swiss bank acounts. There is global pressure for India to act and nail those who've stashed away billions in secret Swiss accounts. In the first direct confirmation of Indian black money in Swiss Banks, John Christiansen, the director of Tax Justice Network, the tax evasion watchdog - says India can do a lot more if it wants to get back Indian money in Swiss accounts. Swiss Finance Ministry has promised to help India with details of particular accounts if the government provides proof that tax evasion has taken place. Meanwhile, even as the global pressure builds, the issue was reportedly also discussed in the Cabinet meeting. Global watchdogs say it has been proven beyond doubt that a large chunk of the money in Swiss banks is from India. Leading international tax advocacy groups are now demanding that India act to ensure that India use its international clout to access the information on these accounts. In a clear indication that the government is buying time on the black money controversy, both the Cabinet and Central bureau of direct taxes says, it is working proactively to get details of the Swiss black money. The Supreme Court pulled up the Government for withholding information on black money stashed in foreign banks, saying it is not just limited to tax evasion but a "mind boggling crime" amounting to theft and plunder of national wealth having security ramifications. The apex court made the observation while hearing a petition filed by noted criminal lawyer Ram Jethmalani, who along with some retired bureaucrats and police officers, approached it seeking directions to the government to take steps to bring black money to the tune of one trillion dollars stashed in foreign bank back to the country. The Centre's contention before the court is that it was a case of tax evasion and it cannot make public the names of Indian account holders. Source : Times Now SC pulls up govt on black money issue Dhananjay Mahapatra, TNN, Jan 19, 2011 NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday chided the government for restricting names of those with black money stashed abroad to Liechtenstein Bank account details disclosed by Germany. It said the government was wrong in treating black money as a tax issue when it was simple and pure theft of the Indian economy. The court said information from banks in all countries was needed. ( Read: Ex-Swiss banker gives secret documents of super rich to WikiLeaks ) Criticizing the government for not making public all the names on the list, the apex court said plunder of the nation had taken place. ( Read: Indian names in Swiss bank disclosure to WikiLeaks ) "It is a pure and simple theft of the national money. We are talking about mind-boggling crime. We are not on the niceties of various treaties," remarked a bench comprising justices B Sudershan Reddy and S S Nijjar, while hearing a petition by former law minister Ram Jethmalani and others for retrieving Indian black money stashed in foreign banks. The remark by the bench came when Solicitor general Gopal Subramanium was explaining various steps taken by the government under the Double Taxation Avoidance Act. The court was unhappy that the government filed an affidavit restricting information relating to the money amounting to Rs 43 crore deposited by 26 persons in Liechtenstein Bank in Germany. "This is all the information you have or you have something more?," the bench asked. The apex court said since it was dealing with a serious issue in a public interest litigation, it would not hesitate to expand the scope of the petition. Meanwhile the government said it was ready to share information with the Supreme Court but not make it public since it was in the process of getting more details of foreign accounts of Indians from other countries under the DTAA regime. A Congress spokesperson said the government was doing everything possible to bring back the black money stashed abroad. ( Read: Declare names of Swiss bank account holders: BJP ) On Tuesday, senior BJP leader L K Advani referring to the issue had said he had great hope that the Supreme Court would act on the issue of black money stashed in foreign banks as people like Ram Jethmalani and K P S Gill have taken up the matter. ( Read: BJP, Congress spar over black money issue ) "Eminent people like Ram Jethmalani, Subash Kashyap and K P S Gill have approached the court on the issue. I have a great hope in the Supreme Court," Advani had said. "An international organisation has said that more than Rs 20 lakh crore of Indian money is stashed is foreign banks. If it is brought back, it will satisfy infrastructure needs of the country," Advani said. ( Read: Black money trail: 'India drained off Rs 20 lakh crore during 1948-2008' ) Times of India Karat slams laxity in seizing black money in foreign banks 2011-01-23 ccess insightful information... ...now Free, Instant & Unlimited www.worldstreetfundamentals.com Agartala, Jan 23 (IANS) The United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government is not taking any steps to bring back black money stashed away by Indians in foreign banks, Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) general secretary Prakash Karat said here Sunday. 'The Supreme Court is also not satisfied with the central government's inaction over the black money issue,' Karat told reporters. 'The laxity of the government in unearthing black money stashed (away) in Swiss Bank accounts and other tax havens has been exposed by the recent observations of the apex court,' he said. 'Unaccounted and ill-gotten wealth, amassed through tax evasion, money laundering and other illegal means, put in Swiss Bank accounts should be confiscated by the Indian government,' the CPI-M leader said. The money should be brought back to India and the 'details of the account holders must be made public', he said. According to Karat, any delay in undertaking these steps would be unacceptable. Criticising the UPA government's decision to allow foreign investment in retail trade, the CPI-M general secretary said that the Left parties would resit forward trading by foreign companies in essential items. He said to agitate against the price rise, a week-long agitation would be held from Feb 3 across the country. A mass gathering would be held in New Delhi Feb 9, in which leaders of nine non-Congress and non-Bharatiya Janata Party parties would participate. Source : Sify

Indians are poor but India is not a poor country

2011-01-24T20:27:00.000-08:00

Recently, I got a message which was forwarded by many people, I think the news has some truth : read it below

“ Indians are poor but India is not a poor country”,says one of the Swiss bank
directors. He says that “280 lacs crore (280,00,000,000,0000) of Indian rupees is deposited in Swiss banks which could be used for

‘ tax less’ budget for 30 yrs.
Can give 60 crore jobs to all Indians.
From any village to Delhi - 4 lane roads.
Forever free supply to more than 500 social projects.
Every citizen can get monthly 2000/- for 60 yrs.
No need of world bank & IMF loan.

Think how our money is blocked by rich politicians. We have full rights to bring charges against corrupt politicians and confiscate these monies .

Read the last para in the report -
Money lying in Swiss banks may hit markets via P-notes- Analysis-Markets-The Economic Times

Updated figures per the Swiss Banking Association report 2008

Deposits In Swiss Bank ~

Top 5
India---- $1891 billion
Russia----- $610 billion
China------ $213 billion
UK-------- $210 billion
Ukraine ----------- $140 billion
Rest of the world ----$300 billion

Source: Swiss Banking Association report 2008

Do you know this is more money than ALL the money in ALL the banks in India taken TOGETHER ! This shows how corrupt the beurocrat netas and their relatives are... Its high time to get that money back to India...

source
cccccccccccccccccccccccccccccc
BRP Bhaskar: The black money chase
January 24, 2011
Source : The Gulf Today
According to a message circulating in cyber space, a Swiss bank official has said Indians are holding “280 lakh crore rupees” (about $606,000 million) in secret accounts in that country. It is safe to assume the figure was cooked up locally. After all, a Swiss bank official is unlikely to use very Indian terms like “lakh” (100,000) and “crore” (10 million).

Also in circulation is a purported extract from a Swiss Banking Association report of 2006 which says Indians hold the most black money in banks there. The five countries mentioned in it as the biggest sources of black money are: India $1,456 billion, Russia $470 billion, UK $390 billion and Ukraine $100 billion.

These figures, too, appear to be fabrications. The Association’s annual reports for several years, including 2006, which are available on the web, do not contain any information about foreign black money deposits. The Global Financial Integrity (GFI) report of the US-based Center for International Policy, published this month, says the developing countries had lost about $6.5 trillion during 2000-09 on account of illegal money transfers. Its list of 10 countries which suffered the most losses does not include India.

The fact is that there is no reliable data on money held abroad by Indian nationals. However, last week, the Supreme Court, while hearing a set of public interest petitions, appeared ready to give credence to reports that Indians hold an estimated $1 trillion in foreign bank accounts.

The petitions, which have been pending before the court for nearly two years, are now receiving increased attention in the light of recent revelations about various corrupt deals, including the 2G scam, which led to the resignation of a central minister.

The government’s counsel handed over to the court in a sealed cover a list of 26 Indians with secret bank accounts in Liechtenstein, obtained from the German authorities. He informed the court that the Income-tax department had raised a demand of Rs242.6 million from the 18 resident Indians whose names figure in the list. The court expressed displeasure at the government’s inability to get information about money held in other tax havens. It also upbraided the authorities for focusing on tax evasion, overlooking corruption and other criminal acts involved in the generation of black money, and called for a comprehensive report by Thursday.

Black money, generated in the country and stashed away in foreign banks, has been a source of worry for the Indian authorities for a long time. To begin with, the offenders were mainly industrialists who under-invoiced exports and over-invoiced imports. Corrupt politicians and officials are believed to have joined their ranks later.

The government offered amnesty on a few occasions with a view to drawing black money into the tax net. The efforts were not great successes.

Switzerland is probably the most favoured parking station of Indian black money. Under an agreement negotiated last year, the Swiss government was to give India access to secret bank accounts of Indians beginning this month. Since the Swiss parliament has not adopted the necessary protocol, the agreement has not come into force yet.

The Indo-Swiss agreement has only limited application. It cannot be invoked to seek information about pre-existing bank accounts. Even with regard to new accounts, the Swiss commitment is confined to providing administrative assistance to track cases of tax evasion and fraud. The Swiss Bankers Association has said it will not permit “fishing expeditions.”

With the apex court calling for action to unearth black money and the Bharatiya Janata Party, the main opposition, demanding a law to track down money in secret foreign accounts, pressure is mounting on the government to act.

According to S. Gurumurthy, a chartered accountant and columnist who has a record of exposing some corporate misdeeds, the government lacks the will to go after foreign bank accounts since its own leadership is not free from blemish. In this context, he cites a 1991 article in Schweizer Illustrierte, a Swiss magazine, which said Sonia Gandhi, who is now chairperson of the ruling United Progressive Alliance, was controlling secret accounts with 2.5 billion Swiss francs (equal to $2.2 billion) in her son’s name at that time.

Gurumurthy, whose pro-BJP sympathies are well-known, steers clear of the question why the BJP did nothing to bring back the money in foreign bank accounts when it was in power from 1999 to 2004. Obviously there is more in the black money issue than meets the eye.

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Below an old news form Time

"People Think India Is a Poor Country. It Is Not"

When he served as India's finance minister from 1996 to 1998, Palaniappan Chidambaram became known as a forceful economic reformer. After a stint in the political wilderness, Chidambaram returned to his old job last year in a new role: poverty fighter. He spoke to Time's Aravind Adiga in his office in New Delhi.

TIME: You said in your budget speech that "India is not a poor country, yet a significant proportion of our people are poor." Are you trying to redefine India's image?
Chidambaram: Yes. A number of people both within India and abroad think India is a poor country. It is not. The bulk of India's people remain poor because we are not able to give basic education to our children, we are not able to impart skills to our young men and women, and we are not able to get productive work out of them. If we can get another 200 million to 300 million people to join the ranks of those engaged in productive activity, India's GDP will soar.

TIME: Your budget earmarks a lot of money to help the poor. Many Indians are skeptical that it will ever reach them.
Chidambaram: I have taken note of the skepticism. We'll monitor not only the spending but also the outcomes. To the extent possible, I will travel around the country to see for myself what is happening.

TIME: There's a focus on rural poverty in your budget. What about India's urban poor?
Chidambaram: In urban areas, I believe that hardly anyone goes without food; there is always some kind of income. But their poverty stems from the environment in which they live�lack of sanitation, lack of drinking water, medical care. The answer to urban poverty is to get rid of the blight of slums and build proper homes with basic facilities.

TIME: You quote Nobel prizewinning economist Amartya Sen in your speech.
Chidambaram: Sen argues that it's growth that expands freedom. There is a belief among some sections that even with low growth, you can achieve your social objectives. I don't share that view. Growth is paramount. As long as I keep India on a 7%-plus growth path, as long as we keep inflation within limits and do not slow down our efforts to open up India's economy, reduction of poverty will follow.

TIME: Won't India's bureaucracy defeat your efforts to help the poor?
Chidambaram: It is easy to blame the bureaucracy, yet it's the same bureaucracy that delivers in one place and fails to deliver in another. A bureaucracy is like a horse. It is only as good as the rider. If leadership is sound, we can extract results from the bureaucracy.

TIME: What role can foreign investment play in India's efforts to fight poverty?
Chidambaram: We can learn from China that as long as we are masters of our own house, there is no reason to fear foreign investment. It can also help us devise better ways of delivering social goods such as health care.

TIME: Your budget spends on the poor without punishing the rich. Is this a sign that India has moved beyond socialism in its attempt to fight poverty?
Chidambaram: Socialist goals remain valid. What we are trying to do is devise and invent better means to achieve those goals.

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Wikileaks@ 40 Indians black money

Rudolf Elmer, a former employee of Swiss-based Bank Julius Baer, told Britain's Observer newspaper that the files contain details of about 2,000 accounts held in offshore financial centers. He says the account holders include celebrities, business leaders and lawmakers from the US, Britain and Asia. Elmer is scheduled to hold a press conference in London Monday with a representative from the secret-spilling website. The banker previously leaked documents to WikiLeaks in 2007. He has been ordered to appear before a Zurich regional court on Wednesday to answer charges of coercion and violating Switzerland's strict banking secrecy laws. The Indian politicians and Corporates honchos are shivering with the news, as per Assange(Founder of Wikileaks), there are 40 Indians placed in the list. He may release the list within a week time. The media may start speculating on names in the list, especially in AP media. These news channels may probe all political scams and corporate scandals happened since independence of India. Of course, the partial list restricted to one bank in the Switzerland; there are the several banks in Switzerland which allow to deposit the unaccounted money by providing the complete secrecy, out of these banks UBS is the biggest. If UBS officials leaks the information, the entire system will get exposed.

Wikileaks@ 40 Indians black money

Rudolf Elmer, a former employee of Swiss-based Bank Julius Baer, told Britain's Observer newspaper that the files contain details of about 2,000 accounts held in offshore financial centers. He says the account holders include celebrities, business leaders and lawmakers from the US, Britain and Asia. Elmer is scheduled to hold a press conference in London Monday with a representative from the secret-spilling website. The banker previously leaked documents to WikiLeaks in 2007. He has been ordered to appear before a Zurich regional court on Wednesday to answer charges of coercion and violating Switzerland's strict banking secrecy laws.

The Indian politicians and Corporates honchos are shivering with the news, as per Assange(Founder of Wikileaks), there are 40 Indians placed in the list. He may release the list within a week time. The media may start speculating on names in the list, especially in AP media. These news channels may probe all political scams and corporate scandals happened since independence of India. Of course, the partial list restricted to one bank in the Switzerland; there are the several banks in Switzerland which allow to deposit the unaccounted money by providing the complete secrecy, out of these banks UBS is the biggest. If UBS officials leaks the information, the entire system will get exposed.

Other Source

Switzerland ready to help India on black money issue

Source The Indian Express
Thu Mar 11 2010

Switzerland has changed its attitude on tax havens and is ready to give assistance to India on the issue of black money stashed in its banks, a former lawmaker has said.

"Under international pressure, Switzerland has changed its attitude concerning tax havens and is ready to give assistance in this regard to India," said Rudolf Strahm, a former MP who held the post of Federal Price Regulator till recently.

India and Switzerland are currently renegotiating the bilateral double taxation treaty, which would help the Indian authorities to seek details of Indians who have secret Swiss bank accounts.

While there is no official figure on the huge amounts of unaccounted money kept in Swiss banks, a petition moved by former Law Minister Ram Jethmalani and others claims that the amount involved is around Rs 70 lakh crore.

The Swiss government has already signed about 20 bilateral agreements with 20 countries on double taxation, Strahm said.

"There is a process of change of attitude in Switzerland concerning this capital from abroad," Strahm, a former MP of ruling Social Democratic Party who is on a visit to India, said.

Strahm said the Swiss government has declared that it will give official assistance to countries on the issue of tax evasions.

"We are prepared for discussions with other countries on the issue. It is up to those countries to negotiate with the Swiss government," Strahm said.

Asked about black money in Swiss banks from this country, he said India too can enter into an agreement with Switzerland on double taxation.

"I think the tax havens in Switzerland will change and will be corrected. In the last two years, we have very strong philosophy inside the government towards the question of tax evasions," he said.

Strahm is on 11-day visit to India during which he proposes to highlight the advantages of the vocational education and training programmes in Switzerland which have immensely helped meeting its industry requirements.

He said the Gujarat government has evinced interest in adopting such vocational education model which combines education and practical training.

Seek details about black money from Swiss Banks: CPM tells Govt

Feb 23, 2009
New Delhi With one of the Swiss banks agreeing to provide information to the US about its account-holders, the CPI(M) on Monday demanded that the UPA government should seek details of Indians who have illegally stashed funds in Switzerland and other tax havens.

The CPI(M) Polit Bureau said it is imperative that the UPA government demand details of Indian account-holders from Swiss banks and from banks in other tax havens.

“In the case of India, it is not only a case of tax evasion but also of funds being illegally stashed abroad, or used for money laundering,” the CPI(M) said in a statement.

The CPI(M) reminded the government that UBS, the largest Swiss Bank, has agreed to provide information to the US of account-holders who are suspected to have evaded taxes in America while British Prime Minister Gordon Brown has also called for such an action.

“If the (UPA) government is serious about stopping black money and raising resources to meet growing economic crisis, it must take steps to bring back the unaccounted, or, ill-gotten wealth of Indians abroad,” the party said.

The Swiss banks with secret accounts are known to hold substantial sum of money deposited by Indians, it said adding “these funds amounting to billions of dollars were either illegally taken out of the country or were deposited in Switzerland and other tax havens instead of being repatriated to India.”

Source :Express India

Advani hopes Supreme Court will act on black money issue

January 18, 2011
Ahmedabad, Jan 18 (PTI) Senior BJP leader L K Advanitoday said that the he has great hope that the Supreme Courtwould act on the issue of black money stashed in foreignbanks.

"Eminent people like Ram Jethmalani, Subash Kashyapand KPS Gill have approached the court on the issue. I have agreat hope in the Supreme Court," Advani said.

"An international organisation has said that more thanRs 20 lakh crore of Indian money is stashed is foreign banks.

If it is brought back, it will satisfy infrastructure needs ofthe country," Advani said here on the sidelines of a municipalcorporation function.

In his recent blog post Advani had also written, "bypursuing the matter, the Supreme Court will earn the lastinggratitude of the Indian people by forcing Government to bringback all this wealth."

Advani also lashed out at the Congress-led UPAgovernment on the issue of price rise.

"The Central government has totally failed to controlinflation. Huge increase in prices of essential commoditieshas made life of common people very difficulty and has alsomade the nation suffer", Advani said. .

In a reply to a question on reported cabinet expansion plans of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the veteran BJP leadersaid, "when this government is already involved in numerousscams, reshuffling of cabinet will not help. From what I haveheard, there is lot of tug of war going on after the reportsof reshuffling came".

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Govt in a fix over money in foreign banks

G. Srinivasan

New Delhi, Jan 23

Source: The Hindu Businessline

The thorny issue of unearthing unaccounted money stashed abroad by Indians of dubious disposition in Swiss banks and other tax havens is emerging as a big bone of contention between the Government and the Opposition parties led by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the CPI (M), following the strictures of the apex court on the subject.

The exasperated UPA government, in its second innings, is now in the unenviable predicament of a medley of miseries triggered off by the eruption of corruption charges, following the Commonwealth Games scam, the 2G spectrum allocation scam and the Adarsh land scam in Mumbai and the unrelenting food inflation that threatens to derail its growth story. These, coupled with the inability of the government to assure the agitated Opposition on the recovery of stashed money abroad by sordid trusts/companies/individuals of Indian origin, might threaten to render the forthcoming Budget session of Parliament a long winter of woes to the Treasury Benches!

While the BJP senior leader, Mr Advani, accused the UPA government of not taking ‘proactive steps on this front is motivated by the fear of self-incrimination” without alluding to any individual in the Congress Party, the Polit Bureau of the CPI (M), in its statement on Friday, said “unaccounted and ill-gotten wealth, amassed through tax evasion, money laundering and other illegal means” must be “confiscated by the Union government from the Swiss Bank and brought back to the country”.

Prosecution

Even as the government is concerned and keen on realising the tax evaded on the money stashed abroad through its tax authority channels with its overseas counterparts and tax havens through various negotiations, including entering into double taxation avoidance agreements (DTTAs), most of the political parties pitch for getting the funds stashed abroad to be eventually brought back into India.

They say that domestically just as in individuals or firms the evaded amount, once detected, entails penalty and seizure of assets if the source of income is not legal, the Government should exercise its options to prosecute persons of Indian origin involved in this clandestine transaction with foreign banks or tax havens, once the Article on exchange of information under the said DTTAs is forged and brought into vogue.

But, the Finance Ministry is pleading difficulty in doing this because our laws do not hold water extra-territorially unless the Article on exchange of information under the DTTAs mutually provides for it.

Even in the case when German authorities have let information available to the Indian authorities on accounts concerning Indian nationals with the LGT Bank of Liechtenstein, the disclosure was governed by the secrecy provisions of the said Article of the DTAA to be used only for the tax purposes.

Yet, in a response to a written query in the Rajya Sabha on December 7, the Union Finance Minister, Mr Pranab Mukherjee, conceded that assessment proceedings were reopened and completed in respect of 18 cases of the beneficiaries and “penalty proceedings for concealment of income heave separately been initiated in all these cases”.

Penalty for concealment

Thus, the tax authorities in India are going full throttle not only to realise the tax on the evaded income but also to get penalty for concealment of income which would be prohibitively high to the surreptitious trusts/ beneficiaries of the culpably covert heist.

If this were feasible, the next step of forcing those nefarious elements to part with at least a plausible chunk of their ill-gotten wealth could also be attempted through various official and diplomatic channels with other countries and tax havens.

This is what the political parties in the country are demanding from the ruling party and their plea for disclosing the names of such individuals is only the tip of the treasure trove the country could legitimately lay claim to if the governing class shows the requisite gumption and grit. This is possible because India has identified 22 priority countries/jurisdictions for entering into tax information exchange agreements (TIEAs), even as the new Protocol signed on August 20, 2010 by India and Switzerland would enable the former to obtain banking information relating to any period beginning on or after April 1, 2011 in specific cases.

The latter is a small comfort because the new protocol with Switzerland cannot examine or reopen past cases that had taken or would take place till March 31, 2011!

geeyes@thehindu.co.in

Kamasutra could make you a victim of a hack attack

2011-01-15T21:43:00.000-08:00

Kamasutra could make you a victim of a hack attack

On Saturday 15 January 2011, 12:02 AM

Washington, Jan 14 (ANI): According to a security research firm, the Kamasutra might make you a victim of computer hackers.

Security research firm Sophos has said that a Powerpoint file demonstrating more than a dozen different sexual positions is malware in disguise.

The file, called 'Real kamasutra.pps.exe,' masquerades as a legitimate PowerPoint deck but the minute you open the file to browse, your computer runs a program that lets hackers remotely control your computer.

"It's interesting, obviously, because of the rather old-school technique of trying to get you to click on the file by appealing to the cave man inside everybody," ABC News quoted Graham Clulely, a senior technology consultant at Sophos, as saying.

Hackers can then access your every computer file, watch your every keystroke, steal your passwords to online bank accounts and steal your identity.

Clulely suggested that users be suspicious of unsolicited messages, especially those with attachments.

"Something like this arriving out of the blue, all your alarm bells should be ringing," he said.

"Think with your brain, not with your trousers." (ANI)

Source : Yahoo

Why Salman Rushdie's book was burned

2011-01-10T07:45:00.000-08:00

society review by maureen freely

Why Salman Rushdie's book was burned

Sunday, January 9, 2011

In the opening pages of this dense but fascinating polemic, Kenan Malik describes how the fatwa against Salman Rushdie changed his life. The Indian-born son of a Hindu mother and a Muslim father, Malik had grown up in Britain amid "Paki-bashers" and the racist National Front. It was racism that had driven him into far-left politics as a student, but it was the Enlightenment ideals of equality and social justice that he took with him when he graduated. Malik became a research psychologist and occasional journalist with a commitment to activism.

In January 1989, he was shocked when 1,000 Muslims marched through the northern city of Bradford and ceremonially burned a copy of Salman Rushdie's novel "The Satanic Verses" in front of a police station. Almost overnight, he writes, the image of that burning book became an international "icon of the rage of Islam." Yet it made no sense to Malik, who had organized anti-racist protests in Bradford three years earlier. Where had the rage come from? And why was it dressed in religious clothing?

He received his first answer from a man Malik identifies only as Hassan, a former Trotskyite and an acquaintance who had become disaffected with the "white left" and with the fearful and obsequious Muslims of their fathers' generation. Hassan saw a "need to defend our dignity as Muslims" so that no one - "racist or Rushdie" - could trample on it. Hassan had become an "errand boy to the mullahs," Malik writes, "inspired by bookburners, willing to shed blood for a thousand-year-old fable that he had never believed in."

In the chapters that follow, Malik charts the circuitous route by which Hassan and so many others found solace in a virulently anti-Western, political Islam that bore little relation to the faith of their immigrant parents, for whom religion was "deeply embedded [but] never all-consuming," expressing "a relationship with God, not a sacrosanct public identity." If Britain now has a problem with homegrown suicide bombers, it is, he asserts, because of policies that have not only impeded integration but have taught an entire generation of immigrants that they are not truly British, that they do not - and never will - belong.

Malik looks favorably upon the United States, which in his view sees itself as a nation of immigrants and so offers a positive narrative for newcomers. Britain, however, has kept immigrant communities separate. Rather than address immigrants directly, it has handed them over to the care of self-appointed community leaders who use their positions to enrich themselves and push a conservative religious agenda. It is they who have created a breeding ground for Islamist fundamentalism.

Malik argues that jihad as we understand it is a thoroughly modern concept, forged not just in the mountains of Afghanistan but in Western cities. He shows how the media and the wizards of geopolitics stoked the fire from the outset, with the book-burners of Bradford becoming pawns in a power struggle between Iran and Saudi Arabia. Each had been investing ambitiously in organizations in Britain and elsewhere to promote its own extreme brand of Islam.

Though by issuing a fatwa the Ayatollah Khomeini got the upper hand in the Rushdie controversy, Britain's Muslims did not take orders from any imam or ayatollah. The bombers who took part in the coordinated attacks on London's transportation system in 2005 were influenced by al-Qaeda and the Taliban. But, Malik says, they were full of Western narcissism - middle-class, entitled, disinclined to deny themselves modern pleasures. Their ease with contemporary mores cut them off from Islamic traditions. "Today's jihadist does not submit himself to the will of the collective," Malik writes. "Only through death do jihadists join their imagined community."

After beginning his story with a book-burning, Malik ends it with the bombing nearly 20 years later of the London publisher of Sherry Jones's "Jewel of Medina," a novel about the prophet Muhammad's youngest wife. The Rushdie book-burning in 1989 sparked intense debate over the reach of free expression, especially when it offends religious sensitivities. By the time of the 2008 bombing, however, it was generally accepted that free speech must take into account Britain's many diverse religions - which sounds likes a move toward greater tolerance and integration.

But in Britain the issue is more complicated than that. The nation lacks an equivalent of the First Amendment, and though it has a tradition of free expression, there is no clear legal defense for it. Since 2008, it has been illegal to incite religious or racial hatred. Because the law is vaguely worded, it can be used against anyone who criticizes religion in the public domain. Britain's unelected Muslim leaders were among those who proposed the law, and they continue to have a powerful influence on the definition of religious hatred, both in the courts and in the media.

Few writers have untangled the paradoxes and unintended consequences of political Islam as deftly as Malik does here. But in the end his real subject is not Islam. It is Britain's mismanagement of immigration and how this has led to the weakening of its purchase on Enlightenment values and, most particularly, free expression. Though confined to the British case, the book offers a cautionary tale that will speak to everyone concerned about the worldwide erosion of civil and human rights after Sept. 11, 2001.

bookworld@washpost.com

Maureen Freely is a professor at the University of Warwick and the translator of five books by the Turkish novelist and Nobel laureate Orhan Pamuk.

FROM FATWA TO JIHAD

The Rushdie Affair and Its Aftermath

By Kenan Malik

Melville House. 266 pp. $25

Source : The Washington Post

Person of the year : Mark Zuckerberg.

2010-12-15T20:44:00.000-08:00

For connecting more than half a billion people and mapping the social relations among them; for creating a new system of exchanging information; and for changing how we all live our lives, Mark Elliot Zuckerberg is TIME's 2010 Person of the Year.

Mark Zuckerberg

By Lev Grossman Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2010

On the afternoon of Nov. 16, 2010, Mark Zuckerberg was leading a meeting in the Aquarium, one of Facebook's conference rooms, so named because it's in the middle of a huge work space and has glass walls on three sides so everybody can see in. Conference rooms are a big deal at Facebook because they're the only places anybody has any privacy at all, even the bare minimum of privacy the Aquarium gets you. Otherwise the space is open plan: no cubicles, no offices, no walls, just a rolling tundra of office furniture. Sheryl Sandberg, Facebook's COO, who used to be Lawrence Summers' chief of staff at the Treasury Department, doesn't have an office. Zuckerberg, Facebook's CEO and co-founder and presiding visionary, doesn't have an office.

The team was going over the launch of Facebook's revamped Messages service, which had happened the day before and gone off without a hitch or rather without more than the usual number of hitches. Zuckerberg kept the meeting on track, pushing briskly through his points — no notes or whiteboard, just talking with his hands — but the tone was relaxed. Much has been made of Zuckerberg's legendarily awkward social manner, but in a room like this, he's the Silicon Valley equivalent of George Plimpton. He bantered with Andrew "Boz" Bosworth, a director of engineering who ran the project. (Boz was Zuckerberg's instructor in a course on artificial intelligence when they were at Harvard. He says his future boss didn't do very well. Though, in fairness, Zuckerberg did invent Facebook that semester.) Apart from a journalist sitting in the corner, no one in the room looked over 30, and apart from the journalist's public relations escort, it was boys only. (See pictures inside Mark Zuckerberg's inner circle.)

The door opened, and a distinguished-looking gray-haired man burst in — it's the only way to describe his entrance — trailed by a couple of deputies. He was both the oldest person in the room by 20 years and the only one wearing a suit. He was in the building, he explained with the delighted air of a man about to secure ironclad bragging rights forever, and he just had to stop in and introduce himself to Zuckerberg: Robert Mueller, director of the FBI, pleased to meet you.

They shook hands and chatted about nothing for a couple of minutes, and then Mueller left. There was a giddy silence while everybody just looked at one another as if to say, What the hell just happened?

It's a fair question. Almost seven years ago, in February 2004, when Zuckerberg was a 19-year-old sophomore at Harvard, he started a Web service from his dorm. It was called Thefacebook.com, and it was billed as "an online directory that connects people through social networks at colleges." This year, Facebook — now minus the the — added its 550 millionth member. One out of every dozen people on the planet has a Facebook account. They speak 75 languages and collectively lavish more than 700 billion minutes on Facebook every month. Last month the site accounted for 1 out of 4 American page views. Its membership is currently growing at a rate of about 700,000 people a day. (See a Zuckerberg family photo album.)

What just happened? In less than seven years, Zuckerberg wired together a twelfth of humanity into a single network, thereby creating a social entity almost twice as large as the U.S. If Facebook were a country it would be the third largest, behind only China and India. It started out as a lark, a diversion, but it has turned into something real, something that has changed the way human beings relate to one another on a species-wide scale. We are now running our social lives through a for-profit network that, on paper at least, has made Zuckerberg a billionaire six times over.

Facebook has merged with the social fabric of American life, and not just American but human life: nearly half of all Americans have a Facebook account, but 70% of Facebook users live outside the U.S. It's a permanent fact of our global social reality. We have entered the Facebook age, and Mark Zuckerberg is the man who brought us here. (See pictures of Facebook's overseas offices.)

Zuckerberg is part of the last generation of human beings who will remember life before the Internet, though only just. He was born in 1984 and grew up in Dobbs Ferry, N.Y., the son of a dentist — Painless Dr. Z's slogan was, and is, "We cater to cowards." Mark has three sisters, the eldest of whom, Randi, is now Facebook's head of consumer marketing and social-good initiatives. It was a supportive household that produced confident children. The young Mark was "strong-willed and relentless," according to his father Ed. "For some kids, their questions could be answered with a simple yes or no," he says. "For Mark, if he asked for something, yes by itself would work, but no required much more. If you were going to say no to him, you had better be prepared with a strong argument backed by facts, experiences, logic, reasons. We envisioned him becoming a lawyer one day, with a near 100% success rate of convincing juries."

To learn more about the extended version of this article, exclusively available on Amazon Kindle, go to time.com/expandedpoy

Picture yourself as TIME's Person of the Year. Create and share your TIME Person of the Year cover.

source : Time

Only Connect Essay

By Richard Stengel Wednesday, Dec. 15, 2010

"On or about December 1910, human character changed."
— Virginia Woolf, 1924

She was exaggerating — but only a little. Woolf saw a fundamental shift in human relations taking place at the beginning of the 20th century "between masters and servants, husbands and wives, parents and children." Those changes, she predicted, would bring about transformations in every sphere of life, from religion to politics to human behavior. Few would say she got it wrong.

A century later, we are living through another transition. The way we connect with one another and with the institutions in our lives is evolving. There is an erosion of trust in authority, a decentralizing of power and at the same time, perhaps, a greater faith in one another. Our sense of identity is more variable, while our sense of privacy is expanding. What was once considered intimate is now shared among millions with a keystroke.

More than anyone else on the world stage, Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg is at the center of these changes. Born in 1984, the same year the Macintosh computer was launched, he is both a product of his generation and an architect of it. The social-networking platform he invented is closing in on 600 million users. In a single day, about a billion new pieces of content are posted on Facebook. It is the connective tissue for nearly a tenth of the planet. Facebook is now the third largest country on earth and surely has more information about its citizens than any government does. Zuckerberg, a Harvard dropout, is its T-shirt-wearing head of state. (See portraits of TIME's 2010 Person of the Year: Mark Zuckerberg.)

Evolutionary biologists suggest there is a correlation between the size of the cerebral neocortex and the number of social relationships a primate species can have. Humans have the largest neocortex and the widest social circle — about 150, according to the scientist Robin Dunbar. Dunbar's number — 150 — also happens to mirror the average number of friends people have on Facebook. Because of airplanes and telephones and now social media, human beings touch the lives of vastly more people than did our ancestors, who might have encountered only 150 people in their lifetime. Now the possibility of connection is accelerating at an extraordinary pace. As the great biologist E.O. Wilson says, "We're in uncharted territory."

All social media involve a mixture of narcissism and voyeurism. Most of us display a combination of the two, which is why social media are flourishing faster and penetrating deeper than any other social development in memory. Social media play into the parts of human character that don't change, even while changing the nature of what once seemed immutable. (See pictures of Facebook's overseas offices.)

Like two of our runners-up this year, Julian Assange and the Tea Party, Mark Zuckerberg doesn't have a whole lot of veneration for traditional authority. In a sense, Zuckerberg and Assange are two sides of the same coin. Both express a desire for openness and transparency. While Assange attacks big institutions and governments through involuntary transparency with the goal of disempowering them, Zuckerberg enables individuals to voluntarily share information with the idea of empowering them. Assange sees the world as filled with real and imagined enemies; Zuckerberg sees the world as filled with potential friends. Both have a certain disdain for privacy: in Assange's case because he feels it allows malevolence to flourish; in Zuckerberg's case because he sees it as a cultural anachronism, an impediment to a more efficient and open connection between people.

At 26, Zuckerberg is a year older than our first Person of the Year, Charles Lindbergh — another young man who used technology to bridge continents. He is the same age as Queen Elizabeth when she was Person of the Year, for 1952. But unlike the Queen, he did not inherit an empire; he created one. (The Queen, by the way, launched a Facebook page this year.) Person of the Year is not and never has been an honor. It is a recognition of the power of individuals to shape our world. For connecting more than half a billion people and mapping the social relations among them (something that has never been done before); for creating a new system of exchanging information that has become both indispensable and sometimes a little scary; and finally, for changing how we all live our lives in ways that are innovative and even optimistic, Mark Elliot Zuckerberg is TIME's 2010 Person of the Year.

See pictures inside a Facebook server farm.

Picture yourself as TIME's Person of the Year. Create and share your TIME Person of the Year cover.

WikiLeaks' advocates are wreaking 'hacktivism'

2010-12-12T21:24:00.000-08:00

Falkenrath Says Corporate Moves Versus WikiLeaks Valid

Dec. 8 (Bloomberg) -- Richard Falkenrath, a principal at the Chertoff Group and a Bloomberg Television contributing editor, discusses decisions by corporations, like MasterCard Inc. and Amazon.com Inc., to suspend use of their brands by WikiLeaks, which released thousands of secret U.S. military and State Department documents. Falkenrath speaks with Erik Schatzker on Bloomberg Television's "InsideTrack." (Source: Bloomberg) (Bloomberg)

WikiLeaks' advocates are wreaking 'hacktivism'

By Ian Shapira and Joby Warrick

Washington Post Staff Writers
Sunday, December 12, 2010
In England, a 26-year-old advertising agency employee caters to multinational clients but on the side has been communicating with a secretive band of strangers devoted to supporting WikiLeaks.

Halfway around the world, a 24-year-old in Montana has used a publicly available - and, according to security experts, suddenly popular - software program called Low Orbit Ion Cannon with the goal of shutting down Web sites of WikiLeaks' perceived enemies.

Since releasing a vast cache of diplomatic cables this month, the anti-secrecy group WikiLeaks has been the focus of intense criticism: for divulging classified materials, embarrassing the U.S. government and potentially endangering lives. But it has also engendered the frenzied support of an expanding and loosely defined global collective that seems intent on speaking out - and in some cases waging war on WikiLeaks' behalf.

The most prominent of those groups is known as Anonymous, which this past week sought to disable the Web sites of several U.S. companies as part of what it called Operation Payback.WikiLeaks has also drawn the support of traditional civil rights organizations and advocacy groups, which see the controversy surrounding WikiLeaks as an important test of U.S. commitment to freedom of the Internet.

Several groups have expressed dismay over recent statements by U.S. politicians suggesting that WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange should be branded an international terrorist or perhaps even assassinated. In a series of ads to be published in U.S. newspapers this week, the Australian activist group GetUp calls on Washington to "stand up for our shared democratic principles of the presumption of innocence and freedom of information."

But it is the activities of Anonymous and its members that have caused the greatest stir online. In addition to launching "denial of service" attacks on various Web sites, the group's members have issued open letters in support of WikiLeaks and sought to drum up support for Assange as Time magazine's "Person of the Year." (By Sunday, he was in the No. 1 spot in Time's poll, with nearly 400,000 votes.)

When contacted through Twitter, Anonymous members said in recent days they have been driven by fears of civil rights intrusions and totalitarian futures.

"Whether the fear is logical or not, I see a lot of aspects of George Orwell and Aldous Huxley's dystopias coming into play in a lot of the U.S. government's policies," said the Montana man, who said he was a staffer at a group home for mentally disabled adults.

The man, who declined to be named because he said he feared arrest, compared the attacks on U.S. companies' Web sites - known to some as "hacktivism" - to earlier versions of civil protests: "It was like the sit-ins during the 1960s when you had college students taking up space in restaurants."

Now, Anonymous is helping a wider audience comb through the WikiLeaks documents in a new campaign called Operation Leakspin. On the social media Web site Reddit, the Montana member of Anonymous said he helps moderate a "sub-Reddit" section where users sift through various leaked State Department cables. Reddit users post comments, vote on which cables are the most revelatory and click back to WikiLeaks' site to view the entire cable.

The Montana man said Reddit allows the Anonymous movement, whose members chat with one another on hard-to-find servers and in instant message rooms, to influence a broader readership.

"Rather than putting these cables on our own server, we're making it more available to everyone. We got everyone's attention with the distributed denial of service attacks, so now we're looking more at what's in the leaks," he said. "The call now is to stop the attacks. I didn't do much of those. I wasn't one of the people who thought it was necessary, but what I think doesn't matter. The majority has to think it."

It's unclear how many people consider themselves as part of the Anonymous movement. Various Twitter groups seemingly affiliated with the organization provide rough estimates of its influence: Anonops has nearly 10,000 followers; Operation Leakspin has more than 1,300 followers; Anonymous Operations has about 1,200 followers.

The group achieved some infamy two years ago when WikiLeaks published the private emails of former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin and said it received the files from Anonymous.

Anonymous members meet on other Web sites, whose addresses are publicized on Twitter or elsewhere. They issue announcements on www.anonops.blogspot.com , featuring information about the locations and times of upcoming demonstrations supporting Assange in London or at a local courthouse.

"PROTEST!" reads one headline on the Web site, announcing a demonstration on Tuesday outside the Westminster Magistrates' Court in London. "Julian Assange will be appearing at court for a bail hearing please come and make your voice heard!"

On anonymousfreedom.org , members urge people to go on Reddit and focus on particular countries: "We are, at the moment, particularly interested in china and iran!" the site says, directing people to cables between the State Department and overseas embassies regarding sales of Chinese sales of weapons to Iran; or to Kenya against Somalia.

In England, the 26-year-old ad agency employee said he communicates with fellow Anonymous members on hard-to-find Internet Relay Chat rooms where hundreds of users can talk to one another without disclosing their identities. The movement, he said, is inspired by many literary sources, including science fiction writer Isaac Asimov and his "Foundations" series about the future.

"The whole Asimov series is about the lack of transparency, but after time, everything becomes clear," he said. "A lot of the people in Anonymous have grown up with the Internet and see a future where the Internet is cut back, where we have no net neutrality, and there are different tiers of service and it isn't free to all.''

The English member of Anonymous guided a Post reporter to a chat room of fellow members who had nicknames like "steerpike," "pheadanon" and "Grommell."

There, on a collaborative site called Piratepad.net, Anonymous members tapped out their reasons for defending WikiLeaks. "We've seen the power the Internet can have in organizing the masses," one member said. "Look at the protests in Iran. I fight for wikileaks because I don't want to live in a future where people cannot talk about dissent without attracting the notice of government bouncers in black suits."

Another person revealed a more ulterior motive in the Piratepad chat room: "The most important result from doing these attacks is the media exposure," the Anonymous member wrote. "It does provide somewhat of a rush, and it is very empowering to note how many people are passionate about their freedom. We are here for exposure, period, NOT damage."

shapirai@washpost.com warrickj@washpost.com

The Washington Post

how bees see world in UV

2010-12-12T21:02:00.000-08:00

Database shows how bees see world in UV

By Neil Bowdler Science reporter, BBC News
11 December 2010

Creeping Zinnia as we see it (left) and with UV shades made visible (right). The petals appear two-toned to bees, the concentric colours drawing them towards the nectar

Researchers are being offered a glimpse of how bees may see flowers in all their ultra-violet (UV) glory.

The Floral Reflectance Database (FReD) was created by researchers at Imperial College London and Queen Mary, University of London.

It enables researchers to "see" plant colours through the eyes of bees and other pollinating insects.

Bees have different colour detection systems from humans, and can see in the UV spectrum.

Details of the free database are published in the open-access journal PLoS ONE.

"This research highlights that the world we see is not the physical or the 'real' world - different animals have very different senses, depending on the environment the animals operate in," said Professor Lars Chittka from Queen Mary's School of Biological and Chemical Sciences.

"Much of the coloured world that's accessible to bees and other animals with UV receptors is entirely invisible for us. In order to see that invisible part of the world, we need this special machinery."

How a cactus appears in UV light

The researchers collected what's called "spectroreflective" measurements of the petals and leaves of a large number of different plants. These measurements show the colour of plants across both the visible and invisible spectrum.

Users of the database can then calculate how these plants appear to different pollinating insects, based on studies of what different parts of the spectrum different species see.

Scientists have inferred what colours insects see by inserting microelectrodes into their photoreceptors, and by using less invasive behavioural studies.

Seeing the world as insects may see it can reveal "landing strips" which are invisible to the human eye. These act to guide insects to the nectar they feed on.

These landing strips might take the form of concentric circles of colour or dots.

"Quite often, you will find in radial symmetrical patterns that there is a central area which is differently coloured. In other flowers there are also dots in the centre which indicate where there is basically an orifice for the bee to put in its tongue to extract the goods."

Greenhouse use

But what is the point of such a tool beyond giving researchers an insect's view?

Professor Chittka says seeing these invisible colours may have commercial applications in the greenhouse and beyond.

"Every third bite that you consume at the dinner table is the result of insect pollinators' work. In order to utilise insects for commercial pollination purposes, we need to understand how insects see flowers.

"We need to understand what kind of a light climate we need to generate in commercial glass houses to facilitate detection of flowers by bees."

Co-author Professor Vincent Savolainen, from Imperial College London, says the database also offers us new perspectives on how plant colour evolved.

"We hope this work can help biologists understand how plants have evolved in different habitats, from biodiversity hotspots in South Africa to the cold habitats of northern Europe," he says.

"FReD's global records may show how flower colour could have changed over time, and how this relates to the different insects that pollinate them, and other factors in their local environment."

Source : BBC

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