Wow....
We had always believed that we can beat them .....
Now this is an even story for all Indians in every categories of sports. We had never crossed the mark. We don't have any discipline in sports for which we can say, we are the best. Not in cricket too. When we start to believe that we are good in this sport, the sudden loss, may be the law of average, we again start believing that no we were up against some mighty opponents and that is the reason we lost again. Come on, how many years more we spend with this capacity full of resource/ people like this.
Yesterday was the day, when every other thing came down to blush and it was all India show again. It felt good being a soccer fan. It always felt good being an Indian.
Today I am not discussing the soccer, but let myself write something for my country. We always talk of showering goodies on to people who has won the tournament, but we always forget the sport which has made them rich, our country proud. We get satisfied with the performance of one of our gems and forget that the money could be spent on the sport. We believe in our heroes out in Colosseum but forget the trainer or the training ground. We want to spend on the total flower with nice and wonderful colours, but we forget about their budding ground.
No, I am not taking any bit away from our heroes, They have made us proud. What happened eventually has made us believe, no they are not aliens. They are great because what they have done has at least started the in flow of money.
They had made someone in our country believe that the sport they are from need some light. Money cannot buy us everything but it can buy the best infrastructure. Money cannot give us pleasure but at least it can give us the place where we can rest. Money cannot buy a life, but at least it can provide the safest and strongest nursery for the same.
Let me share with you an event which made me feel like anything. I am not disclosing whom i am talking about. Presently i am not at my hometown, I am on national roaming nowadays. I always remembered that the AFC Cup final is scheduled the same day. After my work when i checked the score in Internet from the mobile device, I found India was leading by 3-0. Believe me, I couldn’t believe the score. When I felt it was the real I was happy and started praying India don’t lose. I reached my resting place and saw someone seeing Olympics. Hockey was being played between Holland and some other country. I said him we need to see the football coverage, the finals, India is leading, he was least moved and was not interested.
If this be the condition of any sport in our country how can we move up. What we need is money spent for good cause of infrastructure. This will give us a good nursery for the buds and the bloomed stuff. Then we need the talents. They don’t come like that. We need strong comprehensive talent search programs. Then we need good trainers. Inprofessionall ground, there is no difference betweenIndiann & foreign trainers. What must be the parameter must be the quality of their training. The next thing must be the exposure to the arena they need to enter. These words are very hypothetical, and the top bench must know what to do. He last but not the least thing must be the modern awareness programs. Intoday'ss world we call the same as sports marketing.
The only reason for me writing this article is to see our heroes again, again and again lifting the pride of our country. We want to make ourselves believe, yes we can do it, not once because there was weaker competitors, but because we are the best. We don’t need super-heroes to help us, but we need people who may call themselves heroes in their discipline.
When I see the Olympics medal tally, I think when will we be like them. When I see the Football world cup, I start to think when will we play like them. When I see anyone lifting pride of their own country, I feel good for their devotion, and start expecting maybe me or any of my country men/ woman will have the chance of sharing the same joy. I live in future, and dream of future.
“And God said, Let there be light; and there was light…..”
Jai Hind…..!!
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Monday, December 10, 2007
200+ For Sourav Ganguly : Three Cheers for DADA ....
Sourav Ganguly struck an epic 239 and fellow left-hander Irfan Pathan hit his maiden century as India tightened the noose around Pakistan in the third and final cricket Test in Bangalore on Sunday.Ganguly stole the show on the 2nd day with his vintage batting as he made a magnificent 239, hitting 30 boundaries and two sixes in 361 deliveries.
In the absence of Shoaib Akhtar, Pakistan found it really hard to make any sort of impression against the left-hander, who looked in absolute command. Debutant Yasir Arafat was the most successful bowler for Pakistan as he took five for 161 in his 39 overs.
Irfan Pathan also his outing with the bat as he posted his maiden Test century. Pathan, made 102, added 178 runs for the seventh wicket as India made the most of batting on a good wicket.
Yuvraj Singh smashed a magnificent 169 on day one, adding 300 runs for the fifth wicket with Ganguly as India recovered in quite after being reduced to 61 for 4.
India leads the three-match series 1-0. They won the first Test in Delhi by six wickets, while the second Test in Kolkata ended in a draw.
All Courtesy : Rediff
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Follow the words of HEART
You follow your heart when it comes to friends and family
Do You Follow Your Heart or Your Head?
Brought to you by Tickle
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
President Pratibha Patil's first address to the nation
President Pratibha Patil Tuesday advocated reforms to ensure that the benefits of economic liberalisation reach all people so that the dream of freedom fighters of all-round prosperity is achieved. In her first address to the nation on the eve of Independence Day, Patil said: "We have to take special care to bring in egalitarian reforms to ensure that the full benefit of economic liberalisation reaches people at all levels.
"Growth, when unevenly spread, dwarfs overall prosperity. Only through socially inclusive growth can there be sustained consistency in our growth rates," the 72-year-old President said in her maiden address after assuming office in July.
She said that the country has "to ensure equitable growth for all. The fruits of economic development must necessarily touch, especially, the living and working conditions of our toiling masses and people below the poverty line."
With this, she said, the dream of the freedom fighters of transforming political freedom into a vehicle for attaining the goal of equality and prosperity for all would be achieved. She pointed out that the "empowerment of our economically deprived section of the society still remains unaccomplished". "Progress must relate to the lives of the people and we have to conscientiously discharge our responsibilities towards uplifting the socially and economically disadvantaged and weaker sections of society," she said.
The President said there was a need "to weld" the entire nation into a strong, unassailable entity in which there was no room for distrust between people. "For any nation and its people to become great, there is a need to pursue the path of collective vision," Patil said. She said the more developed should inspire and enthuse the less developed to race ahead on the road to development and there should be an endeavour to fostering an environment of "cooperative federalism and collective pursuit of national goals".
As the country's first woman President, Patil did not forget to mention the contribution of the fairer sex in building the nation. She said "history bears sufficient proof that our womenfolk have excelled themselves not only as able home-makers but in devoting themselves to the noble task of nation building".
"Let us resolve that they are not left marginalised in our society," she said and stressed that women should be made harbingers of sustainable development. While stressing on increasing the reach of representative institutions to the common man, she said: "Our endeavour should be to stamp out the imperfections and entrench democratic decentralisation to ensure participative decision-making of the people in the planning process at the grassroots level to build a vibrant India.
"Along with such decentralisation, it is equally important to provide a morally superior and clean administration," she said.
In her speech, she touched on various sectors including agriculture. Patil said in the coming years, the country would "need to ensure that agriculture becomes more rewarding with formulation of appropriate policies, measures and technologies".
She also stressed the need for holistic education, saying: "While we foster an atmosphere conducive to promoting higher standards of academic excellence, we should not overlook the need to nurture a system of holistic education that teaches positive values and makes good citizens."
Pointing to the need to intensify cooperation to fight the global challenges of terrorism, poverty, ignorance and disease, Patil said: "We stand for friendship with all nations and will continue to work for international peace and security.
"Today, India is poised to take flight into this open sky of success and perfection, and as loyal citizens of this country, it is our duty, as individuals and as a nation, to ensure that we do not let this unprecedented moment in time to go unutilised for the dream of a strong, robust and prosperous India," she said.
Taken from Rediff
"Growth, when unevenly spread, dwarfs overall prosperity. Only through socially inclusive growth can there be sustained consistency in our growth rates," the 72-year-old President said in her maiden address after assuming office in July.She said that the country has "to ensure equitable growth for all. The fruits of economic development must necessarily touch, especially, the living and working conditions of our toiling masses and people below the poverty line."
With this, she said, the dream of the freedom fighters of transforming political freedom into a vehicle for attaining the goal of equality and prosperity for all would be achieved. She pointed out that the "empowerment of our economically deprived section of the society still remains unaccomplished". "Progress must relate to the lives of the people and we have to conscientiously discharge our responsibilities towards uplifting the socially and economically disadvantaged and weaker sections of society," she said.
The President said there was a need "to weld" the entire nation into a strong, unassailable entity in which there was no room for distrust between people. "For any nation and its people to become great, there is a need to pursue the path of collective vision," Patil said. She said the more developed should inspire and enthuse the less developed to race ahead on the road to development and there should be an endeavour to fostering an environment of "cooperative federalism and collective pursuit of national goals".
As the country's first woman President, Patil did not forget to mention the contribution of the fairer sex in building the nation. She said "history bears sufficient proof that our womenfolk have excelled themselves not only as able home-makers but in devoting themselves to the noble task of nation building".
"Let us resolve that they are not left marginalised in our society," she said and stressed that women should be made harbingers of sustainable development. While stressing on increasing the reach of representative institutions to the common man, she said: "Our endeavour should be to stamp out the imperfections and entrench democratic decentralisation to ensure participative decision-making of the people in the planning process at the grassroots level to build a vibrant India.
"Along with such decentralisation, it is equally important to provide a morally superior and clean administration," she said.
In her speech, she touched on various sectors including agriculture. Patil said in the coming years, the country would "need to ensure that agriculture becomes more rewarding with formulation of appropriate policies, measures and technologies".
She also stressed the need for holistic education, saying: "While we foster an atmosphere conducive to promoting higher standards of academic excellence, we should not overlook the need to nurture a system of holistic education that teaches positive values and makes good citizens."
Pointing to the need to intensify cooperation to fight the global challenges of terrorism, poverty, ignorance and disease, Patil said: "We stand for friendship with all nations and will continue to work for international peace and security.
"Today, India is poised to take flight into this open sky of success and perfection, and as loyal citizens of this country, it is our duty, as individuals and as a nation, to ensure that we do not let this unprecedented moment in time to go unutilised for the dream of a strong, robust and prosperous India," she said.
Taken from Rediff
Threat to Nokia Customers (Matsushita Battery)
To all Nokia Customers
A product advisory for the Nokia-branded BL-5C battery manufactured by Matsushita Battery Industrial Co. Ltd. of Japan between December 2005 and November 2006. This product advisory does not apply to any other Nokia battery.
Nokia has identified that in very rare cases the affected batteries could potentially experience over heating initiated by a short circuit while charging, causing the battery to dislodge. Nokia is working closely with relevant local authorities to investigate this situation.
Nokia has several suppliers for BL-5C batteries that have collectively produced more than 300 million BL-5C batteries. This advisory applies only to the 46 million batteries manufactured by Matsushita between December 2005 and November 2006. There have been approximately 100 incidents of over heating reported globally. No serious injuries or property damage have been reported.
Consumers with a BL-5C battery subject to this advisory should note that all of the approximately 100 incidents have occurred while charging the battery. According to Nokia's knowledge this issue does not affect any other use of the mobile device. Concerned consumers may want to monitor a mobile device while charging that contains a BL-5C battery subject to this product advisory.
While the occurence in the BL-5C batteries produced by Matsushita in the time-period specified is very rare, for consumers wishing to do so, Nokia and Matsushita offer to replace for free any BL-5C battery subject to this product advisory.
The BL-5C batteries which are subject to the product advisory were used with the following Nokia models or separately as accessories:
Nokia 1100, Nokia 1100c, Nokia 1101, Nokia 1108, Nokia 1110, Nokia 1112, Nokia 1255, Nokia 1315, Nokia 1600, Nokia 2112, Nokia 2118, Nokia 2255, Nokia 2272, Nokia 2275, Nokia 2300, Nokia 2300c, Nokia 2310, Nokia 2355, Nokia 2600, Nokia 2610, Nokia 2610b, Nokia 2626, Nokia 3100, Nokia 3105, Nokia 3120, Nokia 3125, Nokia 6030, Nokia 6085, Nokia 6086, Nokia 6108, Nokia 6175i, Nokia 6178i, Nokia 6230, Nokia 6230i, Nokia 6270, Nokia 6600, Nokia 6620, Nokia 6630, Nokia 6631, Nokia 6670, Nokia 6680, Nokia 6681, Nokia 6682, Nokia 6820, Nokia 6822, Nokia 7610, Nokia N70, Nokia N71, Nokia N72, Nokia N91, Nokia E50, Nokia E60
“Nokia” and “BL-5C” are printed on the front of the battery. On the back of the battery, the Nokia mark appears at the top, and the battery identification number (consisting of 26 characters) is found at the bottom. If the battery identification number does not contain 26 characters, it is not subject to this product advisory.
If you are interested to know if your battery is part of this product advisory, please follow the two steps below:
1) Switch off your mobile device and check the battery model. If your battery is not a BL-5C model, you are not included in this product advisory and your product will not be replaced.
2) If your battery is a BL-5C model, remove the battery and check the 26-character identification number from the back of the battery. Enter the identification number (http://www.nokia.com/batteryreplacement/en/) in the field below and you will be advised if your battery may be replaced.
Text taken from Nokia
A product advisory for the Nokia-branded BL-5C battery manufactured by Matsushita Battery Industrial Co. Ltd. of Japan between December 2005 and November 2006. This product advisory does not apply to any other Nokia battery.
Nokia has identified that in very rare cases the affected batteries could potentially experience over heating initiated by a short circuit while charging, causing the battery to dislodge. Nokia is working closely with relevant local authorities to investigate this situation.
Nokia has several suppliers for BL-5C batteries that have collectively produced more than 300 million BL-5C batteries. This advisory applies only to the 46 million batteries manufactured by Matsushita between December 2005 and November 2006. There have been approximately 100 incidents of over heating reported globally. No serious injuries or property damage have been reported.
Consumers with a BL-5C battery subject to this advisory should note that all of the approximately 100 incidents have occurred while charging the battery. According to Nokia's knowledge this issue does not affect any other use of the mobile device. Concerned consumers may want to monitor a mobile device while charging that contains a BL-5C battery subject to this product advisory.
While the occurence in the BL-5C batteries produced by Matsushita in the time-period specified is very rare, for consumers wishing to do so, Nokia and Matsushita offer to replace for free any BL-5C battery subject to this product advisory.
The BL-5C batteries which are subject to the product advisory were used with the following Nokia models or separately as accessories:
Nokia 1100, Nokia 1100c, Nokia 1101, Nokia 1108, Nokia 1110, Nokia 1112, Nokia 1255, Nokia 1315, Nokia 1600, Nokia 2112, Nokia 2118, Nokia 2255, Nokia 2272, Nokia 2275, Nokia 2300, Nokia 2300c, Nokia 2310, Nokia 2355, Nokia 2600, Nokia 2610, Nokia 2610b, Nokia 2626, Nokia 3100, Nokia 3105, Nokia 3120, Nokia 3125, Nokia 6030, Nokia 6085, Nokia 6086, Nokia 6108, Nokia 6175i, Nokia 6178i, Nokia 6230, Nokia 6230i, Nokia 6270, Nokia 6600, Nokia 6620, Nokia 6630, Nokia 6631, Nokia 6670, Nokia 6680, Nokia 6681, Nokia 6682, Nokia 6820, Nokia 6822, Nokia 7610, Nokia N70, Nokia N71, Nokia N72, Nokia N91, Nokia E50, Nokia E60
“Nokia” and “BL-5C” are printed on the front of the battery. On the back of the battery, the Nokia mark appears at the top, and the battery identification number (consisting of 26 characters) is found at the bottom. If the battery identification number does not contain 26 characters, it is not subject to this product advisory.
If you are interested to know if your battery is part of this product advisory, please follow the two steps below:
1) Switch off your mobile device and check the battery model. If your battery is not a BL-5C model, you are not included in this product advisory and your product will not be replaced.
2) If your battery is a BL-5C model, remove the battery and check the 26-character identification number from the back of the battery. Enter the identification number (http://www.nokia.com/batteryreplacement/en/) in the field below and you will be advised if your battery may be replaced.
Text taken from Nokia
Thursday, November 30, 2006
Saurav Ganguly Back In Indian Team
Ten months after Sourav Ganguly was unceremoniously dropped from the national side, the former India captain was on Thursday included in the Test squad for South Africa.Chairman of Selectors Dilip Vengsarkar said the Indian batting had failed in the one-dayers in South Africa and that is why "experienced players have been brought back".
V V S Laxman, who was rushed to South Africa to replace an injured Rahul Dravid, was also named as vice captain of the Indian test team.
Other players who have found a place in the Test squad include Delhi opener Gautam Gambhir and Punjab pacer V R V Singh.
Buddha smiles
Ganguly last played for India against Pakistan earlier this year. Reacting to his inclusion, the Bengal Tiger said, "I hope to do my best and just go out and play."
"We have played well on bouncy wickets and have been successful. We did well in Australia and the same group of players are back," he added.
Pointing out that he had played well for the past 10 years, Ganguly maintained he would take one series at a time and was happy that he had got his place back in the team.
Elsewhere, in Kolkata, West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadev Bhattacharjee expressed happiness at Ganguly's return and said the move should have taken place earlier.
"That's great. It's a very good news. But I feel he should have been taken back earlier," said Bhattacharjee, an ardent fan of Ganguly.
The first Test of the three-match series starts on December 15.
The team: Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid, V V S Laxman, Wasim Jaffer, Gautam Gambhir, Virender Sehwag, M S Dhoni, Dinesh Karthick, Sachin Tendulkar, Irfan Pathan, Anil Kumble, Harbhajan Singh, Munaf Patel, Zaheer Khan, S Sreesanth.
(With PTI inputs)
Monday, November 20, 2006
Stop Online Child Abuses ....!!
Do not misunderstand its only a request
The innocent victims of Internet child abuse cannot speak for themselves
But you can.
With your help, we can eradicate this evil trade.
We do not need your money.
We need you to light a candle of support http://www.lightamillioncandles.com
We're aiming to light at least One Million Candles by December 31, 2006.
This petition will be used to encourage governments, politicians, financial institutions, payment organisations, Internet service providers, technology companies and law enforcement agencies to eradicate the commercial viability of online child abuse.
They have the power to work together. You have the power to get them to take action.
Please light your candle at lightamillioncandles.com or send an email of support to light@lightamillioncandles.com.
Together, we can destroy the commercial viability of Internet child abuse sites that are destroying the lives of innocent children.
Kindly forward this email to your friends, relatives and work colleagues so that they can light a candle too. Please spare a minute for this cause.
For http://www.lightamillioncandles.com
But you can.
With your help, we can eradicate this evil trade.
We do not need your money.
We need you to light a candle of support http://www.lightamillioncandles.com
We're aiming to light at least One Million Candles by December 31, 2006.
This petition will be used to encourage governments, politicians, financial institutions, payment organisations, Internet service providers, technology companies and law enforcement agencies to eradicate the commercial viability of online child abuse.
They have the power to work together. You have the power to get them to take action.
Please light your candle at lightamillioncandles.com or send an email of support to light@lightamillioncandles.com.
Together, we can destroy the commercial viability of Internet child abuse sites that are destroying the lives of innocent children.
Kindly forward this email to your friends, relatives and work colleagues so that they can light a candle too. Please spare a minute for this cause.
For http://www.lightamillioncandles.com
Sunday, November 19, 2006
'Prithvi' Test Launched
November 19th India : 'Prithvi' test launched : -
Balasore (Orissa), Nov 19 (PTI) 'Prithvi', India's sophisticated surface-to-surface medium range missile, was test fired from the integrated test range (ITR) at Chandipur-on-sea, about 15 km from here, today.
Mounted on a mobile launcher, the indigenously built single-stage missile was test fired at 0955 hours from the launch complex no. 3 of the ITR, defence sources here said.
The missile has a range of 150 to 250 km which can be enhanced with a reduced payload.
Today's flight trial of Prithvi was carried out as "part of the country's air defence exercise", according to a defence source.
Some more trials of the missile, as a target missile, may also be conducted in the coming weeks, the source said.
The 8.65 metre high and one metre thick missile has already been inducted into the Army and two specially trained missile groups had been raised to handle the sophisticated missile.
With a launch weight of 4.6 tonne which included payload of one tonne, Prithvi can use both solid as well as liquid propellant.
The missile takes 300 seconds to reach the target located at a distance of 150 km.
As a safety measure, the Balasore district administration had temporarily evacuated 600 families (2786 persons) from villages located within a two km radius of the ITR launch pad to two large shelters this morning.
Balasore (Orissa), Nov 19 (PTI) 'Prithvi', India's sophisticated surface-to-surface medium range missile, was test fired from the integrated test range (ITR) at Chandipur-on-sea, about 15 km from here, today.
Mounted on a mobile launcher, the indigenously built single-stage missile was test fired at 0955 hours from the launch complex no. 3 of the ITR, defence sources here said.
The missile has a range of 150 to 250 km which can be enhanced with a reduced payload.
Today's flight trial of Prithvi was carried out as "part of the country's air defence exercise", according to a defence source.
Some more trials of the missile, as a target missile, may also be conducted in the coming weeks, the source said.
The 8.65 metre high and one metre thick missile has already been inducted into the Army and two specially trained missile groups had been raised to handle the sophisticated missile.
With a launch weight of 4.6 tonne which included payload of one tonne, Prithvi can use both solid as well as liquid propellant.
The missile takes 300 seconds to reach the target located at a distance of 150 km.
As a safety measure, the Balasore district administration had temporarily evacuated 600 families (2786 persons) from villages located within a two km radius of the ITR launch pad to two large shelters this morning.
Other informations : -
- Prithvi-I has a 150 km range and a 1,000 kg payload. It has been in army service since 1994.
- Prithvi-II has a 250 km range and a 500-750 kg payload. It is currently in Air Force service. It was first test-fired on January 27, 1996.
- Prithvi-III, which has a 350 km range and a 1,000 kg payload, is currently under development. It is a longer-range, naval version of the Prithvi and is also referred to as the Dhanush. Prithv-III was first successfully tested September 21, 2001, and according to statements made by India's ministry of Defense, it will soon be operationalized and integrated into the Indian Navy
Thanks to : PTI
Saturday, November 18, 2006
TAJ MAHAL - Serving to India's Pride For Centuries
Wah !! Taj Boliye
Talking about India Tourism, We start with Taj Mahal. Some believe it as the eighth wonder built here on EARTH. Its a wonderful sight to see TAJ at mid-night in a full moon night. If you have a chance to see TAJ, just go for it.
View of Taj Mahal from front-side
The Tāj Mahal (Hindi: ताज महल; Persian/Urdu: تاج محال) is a monument located in Agra, India, constructed between 1631 and 1654 by a workforce of 22,000. The Mughal Emperor Shāh Jahān commissioned its construction as a mausoleum for his favourite wife, Arjumand Bano Begum, who is better known as Mumtāz.
The Taj Mahal (sometimes called "the Taj") is generally considered the finest example of Mughal architecture, a style that combines elements of Persian, Indian and Islamic and The Taj Mahal has achieved special note because of the romance of its inspiration. While the white domed marble mausoleum is the most familiar part of the monument, the Taj Mahal is actually an integrated complex of structures.
Origin and inspiration
Visiting Agra in 1663, the French traveller François Bernier gave the following description of the Taj Mahal and Shah Jahan's motive for building it.
"I shall finish this letter with a description of the two wonderful mausoleums which constitute the chief superiority of Agra over Delhi. One was erected by Jehan-guyre sic in honor of his father Ekbar; and Chah-Jehan raised the other to the memory of his wife Tage Mehale, that extraordinary and celebrated beauty, of whom her husband was so enamoured it is said that he was constant to her during life, and at her death was so affected as nearly to follow her to the grave."
Threats !!
Interest in Mehtab Bagh has been piqued by increasing concern for the Taj and its grounds, which are threatened by urban sprawl, too many tourists, and air pollution that eats away at the shrine's marble exterior.
Two historians pointed out the Taj Mahal may already be tilting and could crumble or sink if the government of Uttar Pradesh, the state in which the Taj is located, did not pay immediate attention to the monument's immediate surroundings.
Of particular concern is the Yamuna river, which flows close to the Taj Mahal and now trickles rather than flows.
Of particular concern is the Yamuna river, which flows close to the Taj Mahal and now trickles rather than flows.
Friday, November 17, 2006
The classical ZIZU (Zinedine Zidane) Head - BUTT Part 2
Now how you view the whole thing depends largely on your national perspective, as nicely demonstrated by a viral email i received this morning... Just scroll down and check it
As seen by the Germans
As seen by the French
As seen by the Italians
As seen by the Americans
As seen by the press
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
Does RELIGION mean something away from HUMANITY ?????
The United States has determined that Osama 
bin Laden is the orchestrator of the 1998 bombings of two U.S. embassies in East Africa, the October 2000 attack on the USS Cole in the Yemeni port of Aden, and finally, the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the Pentagon and World Trade Center which killed over 3000 people. This man who has declared holy war on the U.S. -- a wealthy Saudi Arabian exile believed to be hiding in the mountains of Afghanistan with a $5 million bounty on his head.
LOOKING BACK : -
Al Qaeda was founded in 1988 by Osama bin Laden
Bin Laden, son of a billionaire Saudi businessman, became involved in the fight against the Soviet Union’s invasion and occupation of Afghanistan, which lasted from 1979 to 1988 and ended with a Soviet defeat at the hands of international militias of Muslim fighters backed by the U.S., Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. Together with Palestinian Muslim Brotherhood leader, Abdullah Azzam, bin Laden ran one of seven main militias involved in the fighting. They established military training bases in Afghanistan and founded Maktab Al Khidamat, or Services Office, a support network that provided recruits and money through worldwide centers, including in the U.S.
Bin Laden and Azzam had different visions for what to do with the network they had established. Bin Laden decided to found Al Qaeda, based on personal affiliations created during the fighting in Afghanistan as well as on his own international network, reputation and access to large sums of money. The following year Azzam was assassinated. After the war ended, the Afghan-Arabs, as the mostly non-Afghan volunteers who fought the Soviets came to be known, either returned to their countries of origin or joined conflicts in Somalia, the Balkans and Chechnya. This benefited Al Qaeda’s global reach and later helped cultivate the second and third generations of Al Qaeda terrorists.
Following the first Gulf War, Al Qaeda shifted its focus to fighting the growing U.S. presence in the Middle East, particularly in Saudi Arabia, home to Islam’s most sacred shrines. Al Qaeda vociferously opposed the stationing of U.S. troops on what it considered the holiest of Islamic lands and waged an extended campaign of terrorism against the Saudi rulers, whom bin Laden deemed to be false Muslims. The ultimate goal of this campaign was to depose the Saudi royal family and install an Islamic regime on the Arabian peninsula. The Saudi regime subsequently deported bin Laden in 1992 and revoked his citizenship in 1994.
In 1991 bin Laden moved to Sudan, where he operated until 1996. During this period, Al Qaeda established connections with other terror organizations with the help of its Sudanese hosts and Iran. While in Sudan, Al Qaeda was involved in several terror attacks and guerrillaactions carried out by other organizations. In May 1996, following U.S. pressure on the Sudanese government, bin Laden moved to Afghanistan where he allied himself with the ruling Taliban.
Between 1991 and 1996, Al Qaeda took part in several major terror attacks. Al Qaeda was involved in the bombing of two hotels in Aden, Yemen, which targeted American troops en route to Somalia on a humanitarian and peacekeeping mission. It also gave massive assistance to Somali militias, whose efforts brought the eventual withdrawal of U.S. forces in 1994. Bin Laden was also involved in an assassination attempt against Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak in Ethiopia in June 1995. Two major terrorist actions against the U.S. military in Saudi Arabia, a November 1995 attack in Riyadh and the June 1996 Khobar Towers bombing, also fit Al Qaeda’s strategy at the time, but their connection to Al Qaeda is not entirely clear. There is little evidence to suggest a significant connection between bin Laden and the first World Trade Center bombing in 1993.
After moving to Afghanistan, bin Laden escalated his anti-American rhetoric. In an interview with the Independent in July 1996, bin Laden praised the Riyadh and Dhahram attacks on U.S. forces in Saudi Arabia, saying it marked “the beginning of war between Muslims and the United States.” He did not take responsibility for the attacks, but said that “not long ago, I gave advice to the Americans to withdraw their troops from Saudi Arabia.” On August 23, 1996, bin Laden issued Al Qaeda’s first “declaration of war” against America, his “Message from Osama bin Laden to his Muslim brothers in the whole world and especially in the Arabian Peninsula: declaration of jihad against the Americans occupying the Land of the Two Holy Mosques (Saudi Arabia); expel the heretics from the Arabian Peninsula.”
In February 1998 bin Laden and several leading Muslim militants declared the formation of a coalition called the International Islamic Front for Jihad Against the Jews and Crusaders to fight the U.S. Member organizations included Al Qaeda, the Egyptian Islamic Jihad led by Dr. Ayman al-Zawahiri, the Egyptian Islamic Group, and organizations engaged in Kashmir and Bangladesh. Bin Laden was appointed to head the Front’s council (shura). The militants signed a fatwa (religious opinion) outlining the Front’s ideology and goals. The fatwa was published in a London-based Arabic paper, Al Quds Al Arabi; it called on all Muslims to “kill the Americans and their allies - civilians and military,” wherever they may be.
Subsequently, Al Qaeda escalated its war against the U.S. In August 1998, Al Qaeda bombed two U.S. embassies in East Africa (Nairobi, Kenya, and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania) killing more than 200 people, including 12 Americans. In retaliation, the U.S. attacked targets in Sudan and Afghanistan. In October 2000, Al Qaeda bombed the U.S.S. Cole, an American guided-missile destroyer at Aden, Yemen, killing 17 American servicemen. It committed its most devastating attack on September 11, 2001, when 19 Al Qaeda operatives hijacked four passenger planes and drove two into the Twin Towers in New York City and one into the Pentagon; a fourth plane crashed in rural Pennsylvania. Nearly 3,000 people were killed in the attack.
Thanks to Anti-Defamation League and wgbh educational foundation
SYNOPSIS : -
Not moving into any issues about who was wrong let me conclude by saying that these assassinations resulted in death of thousands and if not lakhs. Many of them didn't even know OSAMA BIN LADEN or his JEHAD. How long can this continue ???
Are we not becoming a fear machine ???
Once activated we start praying for our own. When will we understand HUMANITY. Or is it a BIG JOKE FOR THIS CENTURY ???? Are we guided only by RELIGION and not by the BLOOD, which itself says that the colour is INDIFFERENT. Its a question to this society and the fear guns from this society itself ?????
How long will it take to answer ???
Please comment to tell about your views ....
Sunday, November 05, 2006
Will justice be done? ........
Celebrity crimes hog the headlines for a while and then disappear ... just like the victim and the likely perpetrator.
WHAT do Natasha Singh and 900 people in Gujarat have in common? They are all dead, murdered in cold blood. But a macabre ending is not the only thing they share.
It's understandable if you ask, "Natasha, who?" Her CV is brief, for she was young and just setting off on life's journey. She came of Jordanian-Indian parentage, studied at St. Stephen's College, did a brief stint in modelling and teaching before deciding that photography was her true calling. The only notable thing she did was to marry Jagat Singh and when the marriage started to unravel, have the temerity to cross him.
The police believe that Natasha Singh committed suicide by jumping from an upper floor of a Delhi hotel; her family believes she was pushed. There is enough evidence to support both sides. But even if she did kill herself, it's likely that she was pushed. Not literally, but figuratively: Natasha Singh and her boyfriend had been physically attacked (the latter publicly by her ex-husband), she had received a stream of abusive messages, allegedly from Jagat Singh and she was embroiled in an ugly custodial battle with him over her two children. She had even lodged police complaints citing threats to her life.
But it's unlikely that her death will be investigated seriously; the suicide theory suits Jagat Singh and so, after a routine investigation, the case will be closed. After all, Jagat Singh is the son of Natwar Singh, political bigwig, AICC member, former minister and Gandhi family confidante.
The Natasha Singh "suicide" will then join the roster of celebrity crimes, which hog the headlines for a week or two and then disappear, forever, from public view. The victim is forgotten, except by the immediate family. What is worse is that the likely perpetrator of the crime is forgotten by the police, the prosecutors and by the law. He resumes, as if the interruption never happened, his position of power and influence in society.
The list is very long, but just the more familiar names will do. Nitish Katara, the executive allegedly murdered by a Punjab politician's son because he was romantically involved with his sister; the rape and murder of law student Priyadarshini Mattoo ; the killing — in front of a roomful of eye witnesses — of model Jessica Lal ; the gruesome Tandoor murder ... Then there is the BMW hit and run case where the son of a retired navy admiral ran into and killed a number of policemen on duty but was given the freedom to study in the United States; the Puru Rajkumar case in Mumbai where the actor's son ran over and killed several slum dwellers and got away with a light fine.
And the murder of badminton champion Syed Modi, whose alleged killer was not only set free because of insufficient evidence but married Modi's widow and became a minister. And now, hot off the presses, the Gulshan Kumar murder in which 18 of the 19 accused have been let off for lack of evidence.
What the judge said on freeing the accused in the Priyadarshini Mattoo case sums up the whole sorry state of affairs. "Though I know," he said, "the defendant is guilty, my hands are tied. As a judge, I can only go by the evidence provided by the investigating agencies." The Mattoo case was in Delhi; the Gulshan Kumar case in Mumbai. Two distinct investigating agencies in two of the biggest and most developed cities. The end result is the same. A rapist and murderer walks free in one case; in the other, the hired gun gets caught and convicted. The people who hired him will live happily ever after.
This, then, is what Natasha Singh and the victims of the Gujarat carnage have in common besides their unnatural deaths. Any hopes their families may have of getting posthumous justice rest with the investigating agencies. Any thoughts that may cross their minds that the killers will be punished for their crimes depend on the evidence unearthed by the police. Any faith they may have in the judicial system isn't tested because even the fairest judge can only weigh the proof that's presented to him. And the proof and the evidence is never adequately presented. In some cases because of incompetence; in cases involving the rich and the powerful, because of wilful neglect.
But these are post facto considerations. The rot starts much earlier, right at the beginning. Because what Natasha Singh and the Gujarat victims also share is the same milieu; an atmosphere where there is no respect for law and order. Natasha Singh may not have been murdered, she may have been merely pushed, nevertheless the ones who did the pushing knew that they could "influence" the investigations.
Jessica Lal was murdered, but her killer knew that his connections would ensure that even an open-and-shut case could be shut. The people who killed and burnt and raped in Gujarat felt similarly empowered too. They knew the police were on their side; they knew State Government was on their side; they knew that even the Central Government was with them. Why would they, then, be afraid? That's why no one, not one single individual who is rich or powerful has been put into jail in the last 50 years.
That's why no rioter, not a single one has been punished for the communal disturbances that have broken out in our country every few years. And when these killers walk around freely like you and me, a time will come when some of us too will become like them, killers who walk free.
Originally published by Mr ANIL DHARKER @ The Hindu
Reposted here to urge common mass whats happening ??
WHAT do Natasha Singh and 900 people in Gujarat have in common? They are all dead, murdered in cold blood. But a macabre ending is not the only thing they share.
It's understandable if you ask, "Natasha, who?" Her CV is brief, for she was young and just setting off on life's journey. She came of Jordanian-Indian parentage, studied at St. Stephen's College, did a brief stint in modelling and teaching before deciding that photography was her true calling. The only notable thing she did was to marry Jagat Singh and when the marriage started to unravel, have the temerity to cross him.
The police believe that Natasha Singh committed suicide by jumping from an upper floor of a Delhi hotel; her family believes she was pushed. There is enough evidence to support both sides. But even if she did kill herself, it's likely that she was pushed. Not literally, but figuratively: Natasha Singh and her boyfriend had been physically attacked (the latter publicly by her ex-husband), she had received a stream of abusive messages, allegedly from Jagat Singh and she was embroiled in an ugly custodial battle with him over her two children. She had even lodged police complaints citing threats to her life.
But it's unlikely that her death will be investigated seriously; the suicide theory suits Jagat Singh and so, after a routine investigation, the case will be closed. After all, Jagat Singh is the son of Natwar Singh, political bigwig, AICC member, former minister and Gandhi family confidante.
The Natasha Singh "suicide" will then join the roster of celebrity crimes, which hog the headlines for a week or two and then disappear, forever, from public view. The victim is forgotten, except by the immediate family. What is worse is that the likely perpetrator of the crime is forgotten by the police, the prosecutors and by the law. He resumes, as if the interruption never happened, his position of power and influence in society.
The list is very long, but just the more familiar names will do. Nitish Katara, the executive allegedly murdered by a Punjab politician's son because he was romantically involved with his sister; the rape and murder of law student Priyadarshini Mattoo ; the killing — in front of a roomful of eye witnesses — of model Jessica Lal ; the gruesome Tandoor murder ... Then there is the BMW hit and run case where the son of a retired navy admiral ran into and killed a number of policemen on duty but was given the freedom to study in the United States; the Puru Rajkumar case in Mumbai where the actor's son ran over and killed several slum dwellers and got away with a light fine.
And the murder of badminton champion Syed Modi, whose alleged killer was not only set free because of insufficient evidence but married Modi's widow and became a minister. And now, hot off the presses, the Gulshan Kumar murder in which 18 of the 19 accused have been let off for lack of evidence.
What the judge said on freeing the accused in the Priyadarshini Mattoo case sums up the whole sorry state of affairs. "Though I know," he said, "the defendant is guilty, my hands are tied. As a judge, I can only go by the evidence provided by the investigating agencies." The Mattoo case was in Delhi; the Gulshan Kumar case in Mumbai. Two distinct investigating agencies in two of the biggest and most developed cities. The end result is the same. A rapist and murderer walks free in one case; in the other, the hired gun gets caught and convicted. The people who hired him will live happily ever after.
This, then, is what Natasha Singh and the victims of the Gujarat carnage have in common besides their unnatural deaths. Any hopes their families may have of getting posthumous justice rest with the investigating agencies. Any thoughts that may cross their minds that the killers will be punished for their crimes depend on the evidence unearthed by the police. Any faith they may have in the judicial system isn't tested because even the fairest judge can only weigh the proof that's presented to him. And the proof and the evidence is never adequately presented. In some cases because of incompetence; in cases involving the rich and the powerful, because of wilful neglect.
But these are post facto considerations. The rot starts much earlier, right at the beginning. Because what Natasha Singh and the Gujarat victims also share is the same milieu; an atmosphere where there is no respect for law and order. Natasha Singh may not have been murdered, she may have been merely pushed, nevertheless the ones who did the pushing knew that they could "influence" the investigations.
Jessica Lal was murdered, but her killer knew that his connections would ensure that even an open-and-shut case could be shut. The people who killed and burnt and raped in Gujarat felt similarly empowered too. They knew the police were on their side; they knew State Government was on their side; they knew that even the Central Government was with them. Why would they, then, be afraid? That's why no one, not one single individual who is rich or powerful has been put into jail in the last 50 years.
That's why no rioter, not a single one has been punished for the communal disturbances that have broken out in our country every few years. And when these killers walk around freely like you and me, a time will come when some of us too will become like them, killers who walk free.
Originally published by Mr ANIL DHARKER @ The Hindu
Reposted here to urge common mass whats happening ??
Friday, November 03, 2006
Clash Of The Titans : ICC Champions Trophy 2006 Finale
Will it be them ?????
or
Will it be them ?????
Australia are the defending world cup winners whereas the West Indians are the defendinng mini-world cup winners.
Australia is yet to win this tournament and at the same time West Indians though have fought well had to qualify for the tournament.
Ponting or Lara .. who's going to smile ..
Gayle or Martyn ... Whos going to be K.O. man
Everything waits for us. Its just days left. For the time being why dont you express your views.
or
Will it be them ?????
Australia are the defending world cup winners whereas the West Indians are the defendinng mini-world cup winners.
Australia is yet to win this tournament and at the same time West Indians though have fought well had to qualify for the tournament.
Ponting or Lara .. who's going to smile ..
Gayle or Martyn ... Whos going to be K.O. man
Everything waits for us. Its just days left. For the time being why dont you express your views.
Umrao Jaan 2 On Move
Genre : Period Drama
Co-Starring : Shabana Azmi, Abhishek Bachchan, Suniel Shetty, Divya Dutta, Himani Shivpuri, Puru Raaj Kumar & Kulbhushan Kharbanda
Director : J.P. Dutta
Date of Release : November 3rd, 2006
How will it be ??? Will it be like the old legend or will it move pass everything ....
So what are you waiting for. Comment ....
Shah Rukh Khan turns 41
First of all let me wish you Happy Birthday. We all call him Shahrukh King Khan. The first time he was introduced to the Bollywood industry, he was a stammering lover boy hero with "K...k...k...kiran" image. Its years and ages now. The best thing about him is that he has matured a lot with time. The last film i saw was "DON". Its rocking.
Today, November 2, Shah Rukh Khan turns 41.
Its a tribute to the hero ......
Shah Rukh Khan Filmography (Thanks to apunkachoice)
Don ( Shah Rukh Khan, Priyanka Chopra, Arjun Rampal, Isha Koppikar)
Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna ( Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Rani Mukherjee, Preity Zinta, Abhishek Bachchan, Arjun Rampal, Kiron Kher)
Paheli ( Shah Rukh Khan, Rani Mukherjee, Juhi Chawla, Amitabh Bachchan, Sunil Shetty, Anupam Kher)
Swades ( Shah Rukh Khan, Gayatri Joshi, Kishori Ballal, Master Smit Sheth)
Veer Zaara ( Shah Rukh Khan, Preity Zinta, Rani Mukherjee)
Main Hoon Na ( Shah Rukh Khan, Sunil Shetty, Amrita Rao, Naseeruddin Shah, Sushmita Sen, Zayed Khan)
Kal Ho Na Ho ( Shah Rukh Khan, Preity Zinta, Saif Ali Khan)
Chalte Chalte ( Shah Rukh Khan, Rani Mukherjee)
Hum Tumhare Hain Sanam ( Shah Rukh Khan, Madhuri Dixit, Salman Khan)
Devdaas ( Shah Rukh Khan, Aishwarya Rai, Madhuri Dixit)
Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham ( Amitabh Bachchan, Jaya Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Hrithik Roshan, Kajol, Kareena Kapoor)
Asoka ( Shah Rukh Khan, Kareena Kapoor, Danny Denzongpa, Hrishitaa Bhatt, Rahul Dev)
One 2 Ka 4 ( Shah Rukh Khan, Juhi Chawla, Jackie Shroff)
Mohabbatein ( Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Uday Chopra, Jugal Hansraj, Jimmy Shergill, Shamita Shetty, Kim Sharma, Preeti Jhangiani, Aishwarya Rai)
Kuch Kuch Hota Hai ( Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol, Rani Mukherjee, Salman Khan)
Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge ( Shah Rukh Khan, Kajol)
Pardes ( Shah Rukh Khan, Mahima Chaudhary, Amrish Puri)
Koyla ( Shah Rukh Khan, Madhuri Dixit)
Dil To Pagal Hai ( Shah Rukh Khan, Madhuri Dixit, Karisma Kapoor, Akshay Kumar)
Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani ( Shah Rukh Khan, Juhi Chawla, Shakti Kapoor)
Hey Ram ( Kamal Haasan, Rani Mukherjee, Shah Rukh Khan, Naseeruddin Shah)
Josh ( Shah Rukh Khan, Aishwarya Rai, Priya Gill, Chandrachur Singh, Sharad Kapoor)
Baadshah ( Shah Rukh Khan, Twinkle Khanna, Rakhee Gulzar, Amrish Puri, Johnny Lever)
Hey everybody what are you waiting for. Give me some comments.
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Amitabh Bachchan's 64th Birthday
It's tough being a superstar.
Amitabh Bachchan, who turned 64 today, attended a music launch on Monday night, and seemed perfectly content to bask in the shadows.
Accompanied by son Abhishek and wife Jaya, the Big B was in attendance to release Rajeev Goswami's debut album, Mujhe Pyar Se Matlab.
The show provided an introduction to the debutant, who evidently prefers to be called RG, a man Abhishek Bachchan calls 'the finest dancer I've even seen.'
Perhaps in a futile attempt to let the rush die down, the Bachchans entered the venue two and a half hours late. Even as cameramen thronged the famous family, MTV VJ Sophie took the stage to acquaint us with RG, an associate of choreographer Vaibhavi Merchant.
With speakers tuned to treble overkill, the music interludes were thankfully brief, but the same couldn't be said for the VJs' painful accent.
The Big B sat up ahead, slackjawed and utterly bored, understandable given the grammatically-challenged spiel being spouted about him on the stage. He just seemed glad to not be in the spotlight.
But with Bachchan, that doesn't ever last long, does it? The irksome compere pounced on the occasion with a "it's your birthday tomorrow, sir" announcement, in a bewildering tone suggesting that the news would surprise Amitabh.
The day-away-from-64 icon was then inevitably dragged onto stage, and a birthday cake was cut.
Perhaps the evening's only saving grace was that RG didn't choose to sing Happy birthday.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY Sir ..... from a very small fan.
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