Don't Worry:(Be Happy:)!

*When Bobby McFerrin first sang his classic song,"Don't Worry,Be Happy,"I felt as if he were singing my thoughts to the world.I have struggled a lot in early age of life.I have a very dark side,a side that has struggled a lot with depression.I spent most of my professional career studying,learning,struggling,and writing about happiness and related topics.Still,i m struggling to create own identity in life.I believe,If you stop struggling,then you stop life.I've always known that,despite resistance and objections from the more serious segment of society,people have an innate capacity for happiness.And when we are happy,we not only enjoy our lives more than when we are not,but we are far more competent,productive,and creative.Without the internal distractions of anger,depression,frustration,and especially worry,our relationships flourish,stress is diminished,new doors are opened, and our lives run smoothly.I began to look carefully at the people I respected and admired,people who had "made it"in their given fields except politics.I looked at writers,athletes,media person,businessmen and women,entertainers,speakers,therapists, entrepreneurs,corporate executives,and other professionals.And what I learned amazed me!While there were certainly all types of people—women,men,conservative,liberal, left-brained,right-brained,street smart,Harvard educated,and so on—who had made it really big,there was a thread of consistency that ran through virtually everyone:They didn't worry about money!:) Interestingly enough,the lack of worry preceded the success,and was not a by-product of it.An inner,unshakable confidence permeated their entire existence.They were creative problem solvers,great negotiators, and clever creators.They had an ability to see the big picture,they knew the formulas for success.And the best part of it all was that,in almost all cases,it appeared that the nonworriers,the successful people I was studying,truly loved their lives and the way they spent their time.They had fun!:) So much in my life began to change,especially the way I related to people.Failure didn't concern me as much,criticism was handled in stride,rejection seemed like information to guide me in a new direction instead of something to immobilize me, hurdles seemed less like obstacles and more like opportunities,and everything,all of it,seemed like more fun.I had more energy,worked a lot smarter,surrounded myself with good people,caring parents and terrific teachers,and watched my creativity and confidence soar.I tried things I never would have dreamed of attempting.Not everything turned to gold,but some of it did.And that which didn't,always turned out to be a great learning experience at early phase of life.In The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success,Deepak Chopra discusses this "law of giving." He describes giving and receiving as two sides of the same coin. The more you give,the more you get back.He's right!But you don't give because you want something. You give because giving is its own reward.It's fun.As you learn to worry less, you'll also learn to trust your heart as much or more than your head.While you will be doing better in different aspects of your life,you'll also be doing more for other people.You'll be far less preoccupied with success;yet ironically,you'll become more successful,much more.You'll trust that everything will be okay.And it will. Mother Teresa reminds us,"We cannot do great things on this earth.We can only do small things with great love."I have certainly found this to be true.However,I have also discovered,as have thousands of others,that as we worry less we are more willing to do those small things with great love.Rather than postponing the giving of our time,energy,ideas,or money,we learn to give freely,from the heart. I cannot adequately put into words how good life can be when worry is diminished.For me,abandoning worry has opened a world of possibilities for both my inner and outer worlds.Life without worry has opened new doors and created freedom thatuntil a few years ago,I never thought were possible.So,"don't worry;Be Happy"—I know this can happen for you,too.I personally strongly believe that everything happens for a good reason as it is in some way helping you to achieve what you are trying to do in life. Remember"It is not work that kills men,it is worry.Work is healthy;you can hardly put more on a man than he can bear.But worry is rust upon the blade.It is not movement that destroys the machinery,but friction.":)Finally,i wanna say It’s okay if you disagree with my points as this world would be a boring place if everyone thought the exact same.:)

"HT Leadership Summit":Bush expresses 'deepest condolences' for 9/11 and 26/11 victims.

*Former US president George W. Bush Saturday expressed his "deepest condolences" to the victims of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack and their families.Addressing the HT Leadership Summit here, he noted that the anniversary of the 26/11 terror attacks was round the corner.Like 9/11 in America, 26/11 served as a "moment of clarity" in India, he said.Pointing out that both the US and India had held democratic elections this year, he congratulated Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the Congress on their electoral victory.He favoured a United Nations Security Council (UNSC) seat for India, saying on Saturday that India has "arrived" as a strong democratic country in the world.He also wanted India and the US to work together to win the war on terror in Afghanistan to bring peace and stability in the region."We must see the possibility of a seat for India in the United Nations Security Council," Bush said, speaking at the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit in New Delhi.
Life has changed,but not my respect for India:Turning on the charm offensive, former US president George W. Bush said here Friday that he had been looking forward to coming to India and "saying namaste"."I am an old retired guy, so I appreciate the opportunity to share my thoughts with you," Bush said in his opening remarks at the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit.Amid much laughter from the audience, he said about his days since retiring as US president: "I suggested Laura take up cooking, she suggested I take up washing dishes."
He said he was using his free time to write a book. "I am giving a fair number of speeches and incredibly I get paid for it.""Life has changed but some things haven't changed... like my respect for India," Bush added.Referring to the commonalities between the people of the two giant democracies, the US and India, he said: "Our nations are united by our interests, our values... We share a great appreciation for your robust and free press.""I really, really like your prime minister," Bush said about Manmohan Singh.
Obama election'was uplifting moment':Barack Obama's election as president of the US was an "uplifting moment", his predecessor and Republican rival George W. Bush said here Saturday.The election of Obama, a Democrat and the US' first African American president, "was an uplifting moment for our democracy... not my first choice, but I wish him every success", Bush said amid laughter at the HT Leadership Summit here.

MBA employment outlook:Not as bad as expected..!

*The global financial crisis has hit the international managerial job market hard, yet MBAs seem to be fairing better than unqualified managers in general.
European Union unemployment has risen by 1.2% to 7.9% in April 2009, compared to 6.7% a year ago (US unemployment has risen by 3.3% in the same period).MBAs have not been insulated from this crisis, but early career service feedback suggests the percentage finding employment within three months of graduation will not be significantly different from a year ago.
An opportunity for Indian MBA graduates may be smaller companies in Europe, Asia, Australia and Canada, where the visa environment remains favourable. A benefit of the MBA qualification is that each school has a large alumni network, often working in high growth small and medium sized enterprises, and when the job market in one sector falters, many of these alumni come back to the school seeking to hire young talent whom they otherwise might not be able to attract. The USA has reduced the availability of visas, making it difficult for Indian MBAs to remain working in the country after their graduation. By contrast, these other countries have favourable working visa envornments for new Indian MBA graduates – a big benefit to smaller companies looking to hire MBAs.
Another reason MBAs are faring relatively well, despite the recession, is the continued hiring into the consulting industry, which traditionally recruits about 30% of MBA graduates. Strategy firms like AT Kearney are looking for experienced MBAs to staff a growing number of assignments looking at ‘efficiency-savings’ and ‘strategic reviews’ throughout Europe. Financial services firms traditionally hire 30-35% of international MBAs. In 2009, it is expected that the proportion will be closer to 25%, which is not bad considering over 325,000 people worldwide have been laid off in this sector in the last twelve months. Stephanie Ahrens, MBA Recruiter at Morgan Stanley explains “those of us that have seen downturns in the economy in the past know that a recruitment freeze is not the answer. MBAs are much desired in our business for building a pipeline of future leaders and innovators. We are committed to hiring MBAs in 2009 and beyond, despite current challenging market conditions.”
Sarah Crawford,Head of European MBA Recruiting at Goldman Sachs confirms that “Goldman Sachs is running an active intern and full-time MBA hiring program this year. MBAs offer a unique set of general management, leadership and communication skills.” Crawford adds “We have recently interviewed Russian, Turkish, Arabic,Danish,Dutch,German,Portuguese and Spanish speakers for our Summer MBA intern program.” To some extent the crisis is stimulating MBA demand in financial services. Fennah at Cranfield points to a big uplift in contracting opportunities for experienced MBAs, especially in finance and insurance. “Many companies have cut back too sharply and they need experienced contractors to complete projects, or fill specialist roles vacated by people who have been retired early.”
Strong domestic growth rates and renewed investor confidence since the victory of the Congress Party, is stimulating local employer demand for Indian MBAs. TopMBA.com continues to see a growing number of Indian companies recruiting MBAs, especially amongst multinational companies operating in India. Professor Prem Chandrani of S.P.Jain Institute in Mumbai confirms that local demand for Indian MBAs is strong at present. Michael Joseph of Olam International recruits many Indian MBAs because their “complete business understanding is a necessity.”
Mr. Sunil Bellara, Director of Capgemini India maintains that MBA's have always proved to be assets to the organization they join: “Today it is not just the MNC's but also the Indian pure play companies across all industries that invest in hiring MBA's. Professional management is not just a topic of seminar and panel discussions: it has become a reality in the workplace. The current slowdown may have impacted average salaries on account of skewed offers from US being less, but in real terms now is the time when industry needs these graduates the most."In addition, many MBAs – typically 5-10% - also start their own business and a recession is often a good time to plan and initiate such a project, with the domestic Indian market an attractive proposition for many budding entrepreneurs.
The message from all business school career directors is that this year MBAs have to be prepared for an intensive job search, complimented by career flexibility. But as long as global trade remains open, demand for international MBAs will remain resilient.Finally,Now We can hope for best but do prepare for worst.:)

Kareena kapoor and Saif come together in KJ's movie "Qurbaan"..!..!

*Kareena kapoor and beau Saif Ali Khan will come together after Tashan once again in forthcoming flick Qurbaan.Marking Rensil D Silva’s directorial debut,the film revolves around the tragic episode of 9/11 in New York and how the lives of people around the incident changed.Answering questions on whether there were similarities between Qurbaan and recently released film New York,starring John Abraham,Katrina Kaif and Neil Nitin Mukesh,the director replied,I saw “New York”.The two films are similar but I did not re-shoot my film. The two films have a different interpretation of the theme (of terrorism).While “New York” is about the aftermath of 9/11,the characters in“Qurbaan”have moved on. According to me,9/11 is no more the clinching point of global terrorism.Look at what is happening to Pakistan vis-à-vis the Taliban.Global terrorism has gone much beyond 9/11. “Qurbaan” is more about the impact of extremism.The twin towers of the World Trade Centre were attacked in 2001.Today, the reality of terrorism has changed.“Qurbaan” will reflect that reality.

The movie is being produced by Karan Johar and the producer who has been getting bolder and bolder with every successive film, has introduced a love-making scene between the real-life and reel-life couple in the film. Kareena and Saif, who play a married couple, are shown in an intimate love-making scene in the film, which the director insists is critical to the story plot. He is, however, aware of audience perceptions and is afraid that the love-making scene will over shadow the strong message that the film Is intended to deliver.He says,The love-making sequence, though absolutely essential to the film is explicit and honest enough to become a focal point of interest for the audience. There’s enough sexual repression in our country. A section of the audience might decide to see the film only to see the real-life couple making love on screen. It would be tragic.

Responding to questions on how difficult it was to have the scene shot among the rest of the crew, he defensively answered,The set had been cleared of the entire crew except the director and cameraman.“It was not an easy sequence to shoot.Kareena and Saif were thorough professionals and were able to do the difficult scene so smoothly because of their comfort level.It was an aesthetic experience. And I hope the audience treats it that way.

Kareena kapoor has reportedly requested the director to delete the love-making sequence as she is conscious about her image with the release of the scene and the film.The director,however,maintains that the sequence is integral to the development of the plot of the film.Now,we’ve to wait n watch…lol!

Ajay Devgn&Groups wish 'All the best' to Indian Team for CT.

*The multi starrer film,All the Best is making a lot of news these days.Here’s another piece of news for you…Apparently, the star-cast of Ajay Devgan’s All the Best came together for a special music video wishing all the luck to the Indian Cricket Team for the forthcoming Champions Trophy in South Africa beginning this week. The star cast of Ajay Devgn's ALL THE BEST has come together in a special video wishing the Indian cricket team all the best for the forthcoming Champions Trophy. 

It all happened when the ESPN sports channel approached director Rohit Shetty for the music video. Ajay Devgan, an ardent cricket fan was all game and shot the video last week along with co-stars Sanjay Dutt, Bipasha Basu, Fardeen Khan and Mugdha Godse. 

Rohit Shetty says, "We shot the video in Filmistan.It's a special promo on cricket with the stars wearing masks of different cricketers and cheering the cricketers. The song is meant to wish the Indian cricketers before every game. It's an association between the channel and the All the Best team. They wanted to me to direct the promo for the Championship Trophy."Rohit adds,"The cast wishes the cricket team and says'Yeh Diwali Hogi Cupwali' and then they start dancing to the title track."Speaking about the video, set against the background of a cricket stadium, it is choreographed by Seemaa Desai while Pritam has given the music.

The video is currently on ESPN and news channels, where all the dancers are seen wearing the Indian cricket team's outfits.

*‘All The Best' finishes in record time:- Producer Ajay Devgan and director Rohit Shetty have finished the shoot of the film ‘All The Best - Fun Begins’ in record time.The film is all set for a Diwali release.  The cast and crew, who have shot in various locales in Mumbai and Goa,just wrapped up their last schedule in Hyderabad. The tentative date of the release is October16, 2009.  The shooting of this mega-budget film started on May 7and just finished in mid-July.

Global recession ending:-OECD

*The global recession is coming to an end faster than thought a few months ago and may already be over, but recovery will rely on massive government spending and low interest rates for some time,the OECD said on Thursday.The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development issued forecasts showing a broad return to economic expansion in the third quarter of 2009.It also said that while authorities needed to map out a strategy for withdrawal of fiscal and monetary stimulus once recovery was surer,now was no time to economies off life support.

The recovery might prove a little stronger than previously predicted, OECD chief economist Jorgen Elmeskov told Reuters in an interview where he elaborated on the forecasts for several key economies."Compared with expectations a few months ago, we now have a recovery which ... may be coming a little earlier and it may be slightly stronger because financial conditions have improved more rapidly than we assumed a few months ago," Elmeskov said.

The OECD forecasts show a third-quarter return to annualized quarter-on-quarter growth in the United States of 1.6 percent,1.1 percent in Japan,and 0.3 percent in the 16-country euro zone, led by its two largest economies,Germany and France.

The pickup that started with a "quite dramatic turnaround" in China,India and other Asian emerging market economies in the second quarter remained heavily dependent on government stimulus and ultra-low interest rates across the world, Elmeskov said.

TURNING POINT FOR G7:-While it predicted continued third-quarter contractions in Britain and Italy,and a rise followed by a fourth-quarter dip for Japan,the OECD said the broad picture for the G7 group of industrialized powers was better.

The forecasts, including information up to Sept 2, show the euro area turning positive in both of the last two quarters of 2009 after five straight quarters of contraction.Indeed,a monthly business survey on Thursday showed an index measuring activity in the euro zone manufacturing and services sectors combined now edging into expansion territory in August.

The OECD now expects 2 percent annualized growth in the euro zone in the fourth quarter, compared with its June prediction for a 0.5 percent contraction.On Thursday, the European Central Bank raised its staff projections for euro zone GDP this year and next, predicting growth in 2010 of between -0.5 percent and +0.9 percent.

The previous OECD growth forecasts for the United States had been zero and 0.5 percent for the third and fourth quarters -- now upped to 1.6 percent and 2.4 percent respectively.The OECD forecasts came on the eve of a meeting of finance ministers from the G20 group of developed and developing economies,at which they are likely to agree it is too soon to begin withdrawing stimulus measures.

The global jobs crisis..!

*New reports on unemployment,poverty and hunger released this week demonstrate that the global economic crisis is being used to effect a basic restructuring of social relations characterized by long-term high unemployment and the impoverishment of the working class.

An Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) study released Wednesday reports that by the end of 2010,10 million jobs will

 likely be lost among member states,bringing to 25 million the number of jobs eliminated in the thirty-member group of industrialized nations since the economic crisis began at the end of 2007.The OECD unemployment rate climbed to 8.3 percent in June, the highest on record dating back to World War II,and a sharp increase from the close of 2007,when unemployment stood at 5.6 percent.

Among member states, Spain has the highest unemployment rate,at 18.1 percent, and is joined by two other countries hard hit by the housing bust—Ireland and the US—with the sharpest increases in unemployment this year. Since the beginning of 2007,unemployment rates in Spain,Ireland and the US have increased by 9.7 percent,7.8 percent and 4.5 percent,respectively.

Official unemployment in the US stands at 9.7 percent and will surpass 10 percent next year, the OECD predicts.Unemployment levels in Germany,France,Italy and Canada are expected to

 rise rapidly by the end of next year,reaching 11.8 percent,11.3 percent,10.5 percent and around 10 percent, respectively.

The OECD report singles out high unemployment among youth as a particularly dire problem.For 15-24 year-old workers,the OECD predicts that unemployment in Spain will rise to nearly 40 percent next year, in Italy and France to about 25 percent,in Turkey to 23 percent, and in the UK and US to around 18 percent.

The trend toward impoverishment among young workers is substantiated by a report in Friday’s USA Today analyzing recent American census data. The newspaper concludes that the incomes of young and middle-aged workers “have fallen off a cliff since 2000.”

“People 54 or younger are losing ground financially at an unprecedented rate in this recession,” the article reports. It notes that “household income for people in their peak earning years—between ages 45 and 54—plunged $7,700 to $64,349 from 2000 through 2008,after adjusting for inflation.”

Indian Navy launches home-built stealth destroyer"INS Kochi".

*The Indian Navy Friday launched the country’s second indigenously built stealth warship INS Kochi.The 6,800-tonne destroyer,built by the Mazagaon Docks Ltd (MDL),was ceremoniously launched by Madhulika Verma, wife of Naval chief Admiral Nirmal Verma.

INS Kochi,the second destroyer of Project 15-A built by the MDL,is 163 metres long, encompasses state-of-the-art weapons, sensors,stealth features,an advanced action information system,sophisticated power distribution and other advanced features. The ship will also be fitted with advanced weapons systems that will include the supersonic surface-to-surface BrahMos missile, the Israeli ‘Barak’Long Range Surface-to-air missile (LRSAM) and the Multi-Function (Mfstar) radar system that would provide accurate data on surface and air targets.

It will also be fitted with the supersonic BrahMos surface-to-surface missiles in collaboration with the Defence Research Development Organisation,twin-tube torpedo launchers,anti-submarine rocket launchers and AK-630 rapid fire guns.

For the first time,MDL used ‘pontoon assisting launching method’ in collaboration with a Russian firm Baltizky Zavod.In this method,pontoons are welded to the hull, which gives buoyancy and helps overcome tidal constraints.The ship is expected to be ready for commissioning into the navy by 2012,preceded by the first warship of Project 15-A,INS Kolkata which will join the fleet next year.

MDL chairman and managing director Vice-Admiral (Retd) H.S. Malhi said the Project 15-A ships represent “a major landmark in show-casing India’s warship design and manufacturing capability”.

Earlier,Admiral Verma said the responsibilities of the navy have increased many folds after the 26/11 terror attacks and there is a need for unified command for coastal security....Jai Hind!

Leander Paes&Lukas Dlouhy Won US Open Men's Double

*Leander Paes and Czech Dlouhy scripted a 3-6,6-3,6-2 win in the men’s doubles final over Bhupathi and his Bahamian partner.

The match was heading for a straight-set wash out for Bhupathi and Knowles but Paes enlivened the match with his inspiring play and changed the complexion of the game.

His sparkling play infused life into the match and Dlouhy complemented him well to emerge winners after a confidence shaking first set lapse.

For Paes it is his fifth men's doubles Grand Slam crown,41st overall, and second with Dlouhy.It was also second title of the year for the seasoned Paes, who won French Open in June along with Dlouhy.

The defeat for Bhupathi means that he has not won a men's doubles Grand Slam crown in seven years. Interestingly, his last victory came at the US Open only when he triumphed with Max Mirnyi in 2002.

He had won the Australian Open mixed doubles title with Sania Mirza at the start of the season.Bhupathi and Knowles made a spiffing start by opening up a 2-0 lead after breaking Paes in the second game but their rivals retaliated by breaking the Bahamian in the third.

Paes' backhand slice return off Knowles' service earned them a breakpoint which they converted when the Indian fired a volley between their rivals, making the score 2-2.Paes dropped his serve again in the sixth game but Knowles this time made amends and held his serve in the next to earn a 5-2 cushion.

Bhupathi, who served with great control all through, had no problem in sealing the first set in the ninth game.

Paes and Dlouhy overcame a disastrous start to the second set and played enthralling tennis with emotions flying high.Dlouhy dropped his serve in the first game and Knowles held his to shot up to 2-0 lead but Paes and Dlouhy won four games in a row to go up 4-2.

The sixth game produced scintillating tennis as Paes hit some stunning and measured service return winners to earn as many as five breakpoints and finally converted the last to break Bhupathi for the first time in the match.

However, Paes failed to hold his serve yet again in the next game but the damage was neutralised as Knowles too dropped his serve in the eighth game.Dlouhy then served out the set, converting their third chance and the match stretched to the decisive third set.

Carrying on with the momentum, the Indo-Czech continued their good work and earned an early break.Knowles' double fault after Bhupathi's unforced volley error in the third game gave their rivals that crucial opportunity to push for the win.

Paes and Dlouhy then saved three breakpoints in the next game, broke their rivals in the seventh game and served out the match in the eighth game at love.

Tendulkar&Harbhajan shine in big win Vs Srilanka in Compaq Cup.

*India 319 for 5 (Tendulkar 138, Yuvraj 56*, Dhoni 56) beat Sri Lanka 273 (Kandamby 66, Harbhajan 5-57) by 46 runs.

The ghost of batting under the R Premadasa lights was almost buried tonight.Sachin Tendulkar's master class, an 86th international century close to his best, almost became a footnote on a night of punches and counter-punches. Sri Lanka knew being ultra-aggressive was the only way of going about this huge chase, and they counterattacked every time a wicket was lost. Thilina Kandamby, batting at No. 7, almost pulled off a heist against India for the second time in his short career, but the loss of early wickets had left him with too much to do.

Don't go by the 46-run margin. India's fielders and fast bowlers were rattled during the frenetic chase. It was their spinners, Harbhajan Singh, Suresh Raina and Yuvraj Singh, who saved them the embarrassment. They took critical wickets at critical points and Raina's dismissal of Chamara Kapugedera in the 43rd over, with 68 runs and the batting Powerplay to go, proved to be the decisive blow. A pumped-up Harbhajan then finished off what he started, dismissing the last three batsmen in a hurry. He had earlier taken two wickets in the eighth and 10th over of the innings to rein in an explosive start to the chase.

When Harbhajan came on for his first spell, Tillakaratne Dilshan and Sanath Jayasuriya had jolted the Indian team out of a dream afternoon. Sixty runs were scored in seven overs and all three fast bowlers were clueless. Harbhajan's first over was a masterpiece. With a slip and leg slip in place, and a strong on-side field, he invited Dilshan to take the risk and hit through the off side. Dilshan took the bait - he didn't have many choices - got one boundary through cover, and was bowled the next ball.

In his next over, Harbhajan got Mahela Jayawardene with a doosra, and India were on all-out attack. Three more bowlers took wickets in the first over of new spells, though failing to bring Sri Lanka's run-rate down, which was helped by Thilan Thushara's pinch-hitting. But after they lost the fifth wicket, Kumar Sangakkara and Kandamby settled in for longer innings.

Sangakkara was unfortunate when his bat slipped out of his hand and landed on the top of the stumps in the 28th over. With four wickets left, and 138 to get, it seemed over but Kandamby and Kapugedera had other ideas. They didn't panic, kept the singles and the odd boundaries coming, and were helped by sloppy fielding - India missed at least two run-outs and an easy catch.

With 80 required in the last 10 overs, five of which would be bowled under field restrictions, India relied on the spinners. Raina and Yuvraj gave nine runs in Nos. 41 and 42 and, in the 43rd, Raina got the ambitious shot out of Kapugedera, ending a 70-run stand in 15 overs. Harbhajan then came on to finish his third five-for in ODIs.

The beauty of the chase was that it overshadowed a classy knock by Tendulkar, who rolled back the years, and then some. He stroked, ran and yearned for runs like it was the 1990s, but unlike those days he didn't need to take any risks on the way to setting what looked like a total safe beyond doubt.

This was Tendulkar's ninth international century since May 2007, to go with seven scores in the 90s. Judging by this form, 100 international hundreds have become a distinct possibility. A measure of the bowlers' helplessness lay in the fact that the first time he hit a ball in the air was to reach his fifty, that too off a free hit. With Tendulkar batting the way he was, who needed aerial shots?

He shared valuable partnerships with Rahul Dravid, Dhoni and Yuvraj, especially crucial being the one with Dravid. Tendulkar and Dravid, walking out with 73 years and 762 ODI caps between them, took charge of what has looked a shaky batting line-up: their 95-run opening stand took them to No. 6 on the all-time partnership aggregates in ODIs.

Tendulkar you simply couldn't take your eye off. Albeit on a flat track, Tendulkar and Dravid were prepared to work hard in sapping conditions, their shirts turning to dark blue with sweat even before the shine went off the white ball.

Nuwan Kulasekera and Thilan Thushara didn't serve up loose half-volleys or long hops; Tendulkar had to work for every forceful shot. The first ball he faced he punched sweetly off his toes, wide of mid-off for three. In the fourth over, he took a similar delivery and wristed it wide of mid-on for three. We were on to something.

A string of lovely boundaries followed, the best being the punches through a tight cover ring, and the late flicks from off and middle stump to midwicket and cow corner. After Dravid's dismissal, Tendulkar added 110 with Dhoni, who kept the tempo up.

By then Tendulkar had started taking the odd chance, stepping out, making room, and hitting Jayasuriya and Mendis over extra cover. One such shot off Mendis, in the 29th over, took him into his 90s and serenely, with ones and twos, came the hundred. After the hundred came the cramps, and when Tendulkar opted for a runner we were reminded for the first time it was in fact the year 2009.

Dravid came back to run,but Tendulkar did most of the calling. The bowlers showed no mercy, Malinga bowling a mix of bouncers and yorkers. Tendulkar's response was to hit Mendis for a six inside-out and reverse-sweep two boundaries in three balls. After he got out in the 46th over, trying one reverse-sweep too many, Yuvraj's big hitting got India 42 runs, which also proved crucial in the end.

"Vandana Preyasi"The Lady With The Toughest Job In Bihar

“Vandana Preyasi”achievements are exemplary,as the is district magistrate of Siwan,Bihar she has set her eyes for conducting a fair and fearless lok sabha elections 2009 in Bihar.Known for her intrepid and fierce doggedness,she has clearly left indelible footprints in her domain.Her no nonsense has often put her on sticky wickets but every time the officer proves a point when she raises her voices.Known for bold steps taken during her previous assignments as SDO in Barh and later as the DM of Siwan,She is credited for reiging in the many of the mighties politicians in Siwan and Barh-Mokama area infamous for guns and goons.

Earlier in 2007,Preyashi's ire was felt by don-turned-ruling Janata Dal-United (JD-U) legislator Anant Singh. Known as Chhote Sarkar in the area, the lawmaker from Mokama found all his food grain godowns sealed by the official after the state government ordered all the godowns in the state to be shifted to market committees. She was also famous because there had not been a single violent incident during the panchayat polls in Barh and Mokama in 2006 when Preyashi was the sub divisional officer.Preyashi has been spending hours out in the field, meeting voters, inspecting campaign vehicles herself,assessing the security at the polling booths and spreading the word that the strictest action will be taken against anyone who breaks the law on polling day.

"You have to delegate and trust.The grassroot work force has to be motivated and you have to lead by example,"says the district magistrate who has built up a credible reputation in her relatively short career.Now,Vandana Preyasi has been posted as new DM of my hometown”Bhagalpur”.Welcome to our Hometown….May God bless her always!

TITAN Salvage Team nominated for the IMO’s 2009 Exceptional Bravery at Sea Award

The TITAN Salvage team involved in the dramatic, 12-hour cliff-top rescue of the 25 crewmembers onboard the grounded cargo ship Fedra and one rescue swimmer last year has been nominated for the International Maritime Organization’s 2009 Award for Exceptional Bravery at Sea.

Salvage Officer Nigel Raithby, Salvage Foreman Terry Barrows, Assistant Salvage Master Stephen Wood, Salvage Engineer Mike Wood, Salvage Master Jim Conroy and Project Manager and TITAN Managing Director Dan Schwall each received commendation letters from IMO Secretary-General E.E. Mitropoulos for their courageous actions in rescuing the Fedra crew during rough storm conditions at Gibraltar’s Europa Point.

On Oct. 10, 2008, Raithby, Barrows, Stephen Wood, Mike Wood, Conroy and Schwall were in Gibraltar managing another salvage operation, the New Flame, when the Fedra, a 35,886 bulk carrier ran aground off Europa Point during storm force weather. The vessel sustained substantial damage during the grounding and broke in two at the bulkhead of the five and six cargo holds, as the carrier crashed onto Europa Point. Despite hurricane force winds and heavy rain, the TITAN team worked diligently for 12 hours to rescue the 25 crewmembers and rescue swimmer that were stranded on the deck of the vessel near cargo hold two. Risking their own lives, the salvage team used a crane, man basket and harness to rescue the stranded crewmembers as the vessel crashed against the rocky cliff.

“The TITAN team that was on site in Gibraltar carries a unique skill set. These skills, combined with quick thinking and resourcefulness, enabled us to do what needed to be done to ensure a successful outcome. Helping to save the lives of these 26 people was far more rewarding than any salvage job we have ever completed,” Conroy said.

The IMO Award for Exceptional Bravery at Sea is an annual award established to provide international recognition for those who, at the risk of losing their own life, perform acts of exceptional bravery, displaying outstanding courage in attempting to save life at sea or in attempting to prevent or mitigate damage to the marine environment.

Information about TITAN can be found at www.titansalvage.com

Why Indian IT sector will fare better than China?

*China and India-the two countries that are under consideration for the future leaders of the world economy. They are considered to be the economies that can carry the world in this slump times also.

But if comparison is to be made regarding these economies, China irrespective of such a huge IT manufacturing hub lacks in the networking. China has large potential resources lying with it. The foreign investments flowing in the country has helped China to progress so well. The large manufacturing units, foreign investments and the huge internet penetration have helped China to do so better on the global front.
If India is to be considered, no doubt it lags at points where China is picking but still has much potential to compete. If few recent years are considered India has also registered a growth rate of approximately 7% which is more or less same to the growth rate of China. Even India has attracted many foreign investments recently and the last year’s foreign influx of $ 6 billion is worth considering. But if compared to China it is just one-tenth of what China had been successful to attract. The love of foreign investors and skepticism towards India is thoughtful.

The reasons for such large disparity are poor infrastructure, low connectivity, poor educational ratios, low penetration of Internet and broadband and the last but the most impacting is the economy drivers. The Chinese economy is export driven and attracts more foreign influxes where as India concentrates more on domestic market rather than thinking for brighter prospects of international trade. The good part is that India has also redefined its policies and has gelled with global economy. The recently framed policies favor the Indian growth on global front and to redefine its position in global mart. These policies have gelled India with the foreign markets and India is now considered far better networked than China.’

The recent reports confirmed that manufacturing hub China is lagging behind if the foreign connectivity is considered. India is far better on the foreign fronts and has made its presence strongly felt in the world map. According to Global Information Technology Report 2008-2009 China is lagging by seven positions from India. India ranks 50th and China is standing at 57thposition. The Indian economy is lacking so much because of the root factors like the improper infrastructure, low literacy rates, political imbalances and the Governmental policies. It has started to work on these weaknesses and the result is worth praising.

With the advent of policies favoring the economical growth India.Jai Hind!:)

"Final Destination"retains lead at box office.

*Reigning champ "The Final Destination" fended off a challenge from Sandra Bullock's latest romantic comedy to lead the U.S. Labor Day holiday box office in North America for a second weekend,according to studio estimates issued on Sunday."The Final Destination," the fourth movie in a horror franchise about disastrous occurrences, earned $12.4 million during the three days beginning Friday. The 10-day haul for the Warner Bros release rose to $47.6 million, buoyed by premium pricing for 3D screenings.

Warner Bros is a unit of Time Warner Inc."All About Steve," a critical bomb starring Bullock as a lovelorn crossword-puzzle expert, followed with $11.2 million, the best performance among three weak newcomers.

That marked a considerable drop from the $33.6 million launch of her previous hit "The Proposal" in June. "All About Steve" co-star Bradley Cooper did even better that month with the $45 million debut of his summer smash "The Hangover."

But the new picture played in 2,251 theaters, about 900 less than either "The Proposal," "The Final Destination" or "The Hangover." It was also released at a time -- the dying days of summer--when the studios are clearing out underperformers so they can focus on their awards-season hopefuls.

"We're thrilled with the number,"said an official at 20th Century Fox, a unit of News Corp. Bullock also produced the movie, whose audience was about two-thirds female,according to Fox.

"Inglourious Basterds" slipped one place to No. 3 with $10.8 million, taking the three-week tally for Quentin Tarantino's World War Two picture to $91 million. It needs just $17 million more to become his biggest film in North America, a title currently held by his 1994 breakthrough "Pulp Fiction" ($108 million).

The new film's foreign total stands at $83 million, and it already ranks as Tarantino's highest-grossing release in eight markets, including Germany, Russia and Turkey.

"Basterds"was co-financed by the closely held Weinstein Co and General Electric Co's Universal Pictures.

Of the other two new releases, both targeted at male youngsters, "Gamer" opened at No. 4 with $9 million, and "Extract" at No. 10 with just under $4.2 million.

Lionsgate's "Gamer" stars Gerard Butler ("300") as a heroic killer frantically reducing the population count. Miramax Films' "Extract," another workplace satire from "Office Space" director and "Beavis and Butt-head" creator Mike Judge, stars Jason Bateman and Mila Kunis.Lionsgate is a unit of Lions Gate Entertainment Corp. Miramax is a unit of Walt Disney Co.

Michael Jackson Was the Baby Daddy!

*Now that Michael Jackson has been laid to rest, it's time to bury something else: the baby-daddy story.

Michael Jackson was his children's parent. He was his children's father. For all intents and purposes, he was the baby daddy.

Time to move along,folks.Nothing to see here.

What about Arnold Klein? What about Mark Lester? What about Macaulay Culkin?

Culkin was dragged into the story by a denounced British tabloid report. Time to move along,folks.

And even though Klein and Lester thrust themselves into the story with talk of their generous contributions, so to speak, there is still nothing to see here.

Klein and Lester, sperm donors though they may be,are not dads,daddies or baby daddies. They are, as Stephanie M. Caballero,an attorney specializing in reproductive law, explained it to us, "genetic contributors."

"If you have no other documentation, or no other action that shows you as the parent…then you're not a daddy," Caballero says.

True, anyone can challenge anything—sperm donors (such as the one in this Texas case) have even sued for custody. But when we asked Theresa Errickson, a surrogacy lawyer, whether she could recall any instance in California, Jackson's home state, in which a sperm donor prevailed, she said, "Not that I'm aware of at all."

So, to sum up, the law favors the parent. The parent being the one who is parenting. Like Michael Jackson was.

"The public wants to know who quote the 'dad' is," Caballero says, "but legally Michael Jackson is."

By all accounts and appearances, Michael Jackson's three children aren't confused about the arrangement, either. They are his children. He was their father. Those were their tears they shed after his death. If someday they want answers as to the particulars of their DNA, then that's their right.

But until that day, and maybe even after it, we don't need the record set straight by anyone other thanPrince, Paris or Blanket on something that isn't crooked. Even Klein and Lester have essentially acknowledged,if not celebrated,Jackson's fatherhood.

In the end, there is no mystery.There is no scandal.There is no story.