| |
TN gets first Internet radio
Madurai – July 31, 2005 – The People Education for Action and Community Emancipation (Peace) Trust in Dindgul has launched the first Internet radio in Southern Tamil Nadu, the w.w.w.pasummaiulagam.com. Mr. J. Jaul Baskar, the chairman of the trust, said that the radio service was launched with an aim to create awareness about the importance of the environment among the rural people. It has everything that a normal radio service provides, except that it gives importance to the problems of the people and the environment.
The Asian Age – August 1, 2005
Go Top
Coming soon, smoke-free cigarette
The world’s first smokeless and tobacco-free cigarette has been cleared for commercial release and is due to go on sale early next year. The smoke and tobacco free cigarette, which uses a rechargeable heating coil in a plastic cigarette-sized stick to dispense nicotine without smoke, should soon be available for the same cost as normal cigarettes. NicStic’s inventors have claimed that their invention will reduce passive smoking as it will allow smokers to “light up” without annoying others, thereby avoiding the increasing smoking bans in public places.
ANI, London
Hindustan Times – August 3, 2005.
Go Top
Hackers "out" discovery of 10th planet
Michael Brown, the scientist, who discovered a 10th planet in our solar system, was apparently forced into laying his planetary cards on the table after a hacker, who had breached his servers, threatened to expose the findings, according to a report in the South African Sunday Telegraph.
Brown, a scientist at the California Institute of Technology, and his colleagues first photographed the object at the Palomar Observatory, near San Diego, two years ago, but they sat on the information until they could further analyze data available this January, according to the report. The scientists still haven't determined its exact size--it will take six more months for that.
Brown scrambled to arrange a press conference this weekend following word that his secure server with the information had been hacked.
What scientists--and now, the world--know about the planet is that it's the farthest-known object in the solar system, or about 97 times farther from the sun than Earth. The planet's temporary name is 2003 UB313. Seems like hacker code.
Courtesy: Sysman Computers Private Limited, Mumbai.
Go Top
Cameras and Bodyguards are yielding to high-tech military-style gear
Robot security guards patrol the grounds. Visitors who show up at the enforced steel door at the center of the property must present a biometric passport and submit to an iris scan. Inside, computers and security personnel track the identities of the visitors as they move from one room to the next. Security technology is fast becoming a part of everyday civilian reality – for those who can afford it. One big reason behind the demand for high-tech hyper security is that a lot of cool-gear is fast becoming available. Security systems can be switched to vacation mode with a touch of a button to automatically repeat the previous two weeks’ lighting and curtain movements, simulating the presence of owners. Flying robots surveillance guards are as easy to use as home computers. All mail are privately scanned for traces of poisons and bomb materials. In Japan, Sohgo Security Services has a prorto-type robo cop called Alskok that uses infrared beams to spot intruders, then shoots them with a paint-gun(police can easily spot them). At a meter tall and weighing 118 kilos, robot X patrols on a set of six sturdy wheels. If it catches an intruder with its motion detectors, it sets off a dense cloud of smoke, shouts prerecorded warnings and can chase the intruder at 10 kilometers per hour via remote control. Israeli company Steadicopter has just introduced a fully automatic unmanned helicopter – the first to be sold to civilians. The 2-meter-long, 15 kilo copter, which will be available for $150,000 by the end of the year, is being marketed to wealthy individuals. It transmits live camera footage to a base station.
Emily Flygn
Newsweek – July 25/August 1, 2005.
Go Top
Pak passports missing
Islamabad – Interpol has sought data form Pakistan on some 41,000 passport books stolen even before they were issued, to prevent them from falling in the hands of terrorists and the human trafficking mafia. Interpol officials identified a clear link between terrorist activities and the use of stolen or forged passports and have sought data from the Pakistan Interior Ministry.
P.T.I
The Indian Express – August 6, 2005.
Go Top
Discovery is back home
Washington – August 9, 2005 - A collective sign of relief went up on Tuesday when the NASA’s first space shuttle re-entered the earth’s atmosphere without a hitch and then coasted along for a smooth landing at California’s Edwards Air Force Base at 5.11 a.m. local time. “Discovery is home,” excited a NASA official. Discovery’s 14-day space odyssey and safe return is being viewed as a big morale-booster for NASA. The new ability to closely monitor the shuttle with remote cameras is reckoned to be a big boost for safety parameters.
S. Rajagopalan
Hindustan Times – August 10, 2005.
Go Top
The Euro English: Time to Learn!
The European Commission has just announced an agreement whereby English will be the official language of the European Union rather than German, which was the other possibility.
As part of the negotiations, the British Government conceded that English spelling had some room for improvement and has accepted a 5- year phase-in plan that would become known as "Euro-English".
In the first year, "s" will replace the soft "c". Sertainly, this will make the sivil servants jump with joy.
The hard "c" will be dropped in favour of "k". This should klear up konfusion, and keyboards kan have one less letter.
There will be growing publik enthusiasm in the sekond year when the troublesome "ph" will be replaced with "f". This will make words like fotograf 20% shorter.
In the 3rd year, publik akseptanse of the new spelling kan be expekted to reach the stage where more komplikated changes are possible. Governments will enkourage the removal of double letters which have always ben a deterent to akurate speling.
Also, al wil agre that the horibl mes of the silent "e" in the languag is disgrasful and it should go away.
By the 4th yer people wil be reseptiv to steps such as replasing "th" with "z" and "w" with "v".
During ze fifz yer, ze unesesary "o" kan be dropd from vords kontaining "ou" and after ziz fifz yer, ve vil hav a reil sensibl riten styl.
Zer vil be no mor trubl or difikultis and evrivun vil find it ezi tu understand ech oza. Ze drem of a united urop vil finali kum tru.
Und efter ze fifz yer, ve vil al be speking German like zey vunted in ze forst plas.
If zis mad you smil, pleas pas on to oza pepl.
Email from Sysman Computers – August 3, 2005
Go Top
GOOD SECURITY PRACTICE: TOP 10 GUIDELINES
The following measures feature in much of the advice given on this website. They provide a general reference point for businesses or organisations putting new security measures in place.
Many of them will help protect against crime as well as terrorism and other security threats. More detailed advice on specific threats and counter-measures is available elsewhere in this section.
Take time to carry out a risk assessment. What kind of threats might you be facing? What is the likelihood of these happening? Where are your vulnerable points? Seek counter terrorist advice through the Counter Terrorist Security Advisor (CTSA) at your local police force. If you are building or acquiring new premises, try to plan your security measures from the outset. This is likely to be more efficient (in both time and expense) than adding on security measures at a later date. Make security awareness part of your organisation's culture. Put someone at Board level in charge. Arrange regular briefings for staff on what they should be looking out for, and keep notices up-to-date. Take your staff seriously if they identify potential threats. Train staff in emergency and evacuation procedures, and rehearse them regularly. Give more specific training to anyone you think might have to handle a bomb threat. Ensure good basic housekeeping in and around your buildings - for example, keep public areas tidy and well-lit, remove any unnecessary furniture, keep garden areas free from dense shrubbery. Look at the access points to your premises. Keep them to a minimum. Consider introducing passes for staff and procedures for booking in visitors and contractors. Searching of bags may also be desirable but, as with other measures, should be proportionate to the threat and also carefully explained to staff. Look also at vehicle access and parking arrangements. Consider introducing a barrier system, and arranging your car park so that unauthorised vehicles cannot get close to your building. Consider the range of physical measures - locks on windows and doors, CCTV, alarms, lighting - and install them according to your circumstances. Ensure they are working and arrange regular checks. Look at your mail-handling procedures. Consider setting up a mailroom away from your main premises, and train staff in emergency procedures. When recruiting staff or hiring contractors, ensure that they are who they say they are by checking documentation. Follow up references. Once employed, follow good employment practice and in particular ensure that staff have the opportunity to voice grievances and concerns. Look at how you might protect your information. Ensure that those who supply, operate and maintain your IT systems are reputable and reliable. Possible security measures range from enhanced IT security to disposing carefully of any confidential waste. Plan now for Business Continuity - how you will continue to function if something happens which means your premises or IT systems are out of action.
Source: Unknown
Email dated August 1, 2005, from Varun Arya, Director, AIM, Jodhpur
Go Top
The Bank Account of Life
- Imagine there is a bank that credits your account each morning with $86,400.
- It carries over no balance from day to day.
- Every “evening” deletes whatever part of the balance you failed to use during the day.
- What would you do?
- Draw out every cent, of course!!!!
- Each of us has such a “bank”. It’s name is TIME.
- Every morning, it credits you with 86,400 seconds.
- Every night it writes off, as lost, whatever of this you have failed to invest to good purpose.
- It carries over no balance.
- It allows no overdraft
- Each day it opens a new account for you.
- Each night it burns the remains of the day.
- If you fail to use the day’s deposits, the loss is yours
- There is no going back. There is no drawing against the “tomorrow.”
- You must live in the present on today’s deposits
- Invest it so as to get from it the utmost in health,happiness, and success!
- The clock is running.
- Make the most of today
To realize the value of ONE YEAR….
 Ask a student who failed a grade
To realize the value of ONE MONTH…..
ask a mother who gave birth to a premature baby
To realize the value of ONE WEEK……
ask the editor of a weekly newspaper
To realize the value of ONE HOUR……
ask the lovers who are waiting to meet.
To realize the value of ONE MINUTE…..
ask a person who missed the train.
To realize the value of ONE SECOND….
Ask a person who just avoided an accident.
To realize the value of ONE MILLISECOND…..
ask the person who won a silver medal in the Olympics.
- Treasure every moment that you have!
- And treasure it more because you shared it with someone special, special enough to spend your time. And remember that time waits for no one.
- Yesterday is history.
- Tomorrow is mystery.
- Today is a gift.
- That’s why it’s called .....the Present!!
- Friends are a very rare jewel, indeed.
- They make you smile and encourage you to succeed.
- They lend an ear.
- They share a word of praise, and they always want to open their heart to us.
- Show your friends how much you care…..
- Show your friends how much you care….. Send this to everyone you consider A FRIEND.
Email dated 9.8.2005 from Mr. Suresh Panicker.
Go Top
IIT brings instant cheer in a cuppa
Kolkata – August 10, 2005 – IIT Kharagpur’s food and agriculture department has come up with a new technology – Instant (Soluble) Tea Technology – that will make tea-making considerably easier. All you need to do is take a pinch of the instant tea, stir it into a cup of hot or cold water, add sugar and milk – and your tea is ready. It took 5 years to develop the technique. “Fresh tea leaves contain about 75 per cent moisture, which is taken away while preparing normal tea leaves. What we did was to utilize that extra moisture to make soluble tea powder,” Prof. Mishra explained. He claims tea manufacturers can reuse the pulp to make normal tea. IIT Kharagpur has received a patent for their invention.
MOU Chakraborty
Hindustan Times – August 11, 2005.
Go Top
Muslim theology – Coming together
After some careful deliberations in a hotel in Jordan’s capital, Amman, the world’s leading Muslim scholars made a series of pronouncements designed to affirm their own authority, soften differences and deal a blow to advocates of terror. In several ways, the muftis and professors agreed to minimize their own differences and work together to promote what they regard as “good theology” over some superficial, violence-promoting interpretations of Islam that have circulated, electronically and in print, all over the world. Among the scholar’s main conclusions is that no body who accepts Islam’s basic beliefs should be denied the label Muslim. Equally important, the scholars announced a sort of “mutual recognition” agreement between Islam’s eight main schools of legal interpretation: four Sunni ones, the two main Shia traditions, the Ibadis of Oman and the small but prestigious Zahiri school – these schools’ leaders will never concur on every thing, but they recognize each other’s authority in their respective communities. The pronouncement should act as a restraining influence in Iraq, by denying Suni Muslims any right to attack their Shia compatriots at heretics. Many scholar cite the notorious fatwa, or religious ruling, issued in 1998 by Osama bin Laden and his comrades from Egypt, Pakistan and Bangladesh, to justify attacks on “Crusaders” (i.e. westerners) and Jews.
The Economist – July 30, 2005.
Go Top
‘Ice chest, hair bleach went into bombs’
New York – Though the items were mundane, unlikely to attract much attention: Ice chests, hair bleach, food preservatives, commercial refrigerators and small chemical tablets like those used in the military to heat field rations, they were all key to the creation and delivery of the powerful backpack bombs that four men used to kill 56 people in the July 7 attacks on London’s transport system, New York City police officials said this week. The bombs were packed with hexamethylene triperoxide diamine, or HMTD, a volatile explosive brewed from the bleach, the preservatives and the heat tablets. They stored the unstable concoction in high-grade refrigerators, installed in a rundown apartment in the northern city of Leeds, to keep it cool and thus prevent it from blowing up prematurely or losing its potency. They carried the bombs in coolers to a station in Luton where they caught a train to London, the official said.
William K. Rashbaum/NYT
The Indian Express – August 5, 2005.
Go Top
Hijackers beware: you will be shot
New Delhi – August 14, 2005 – The anti-hijack policy under 1982 Anti-Hijacking Act is being revised. Highly placed sources told Hindustan Times that to avoid a repeat of Kandhar, which compelled the NDA regime to set free a high risk terrorist, the new policy cleared recently by the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) rules out negotiations on hijackers demands. Sources said, “We are examining the existing anti-hijacking law to ascertain whether we need to amend it or whether the new policy can be brought into play by merely changing rule. While giving effect to the 1970 Hague Convention for Suppression of Unlawful Seizure of Aircraft, the Act applies to the whole of India and “any offence there under committed outside India by any person”.
Vinod Sharma
Hindustan Times – August 15, 2005.
Go Top
Peace in view as Indonesia, Aceh rebels sign accord
The Indonesian government and Aceh separatist rebels signed a historic peace accord on Monday, aimed at ending decades of bloodshed in a region devastated by last year’s tsunami. The separatists dropped their long-held demands for independence and to allow the creation of political parties in the province and to withdraw non-local security forces by the end of the year. Military and civilian officials from the European Union and the Association of Southeast Asia Nations are to monitor implementation of the deal. Indonesian President said in Jakarta, “Indonesians including my brothers in Aceh, let us appreciate the significant event as something that we should be proud of.”
AFP
Hindustan Times – August 16, 2005.
Go Top
Fake currency: CBI chief expresses serious concern
New Delhi – On Tuesday, Director, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) said the Naik Committee had estimated the number of fake currency notes in circulation in the country at 61,000 million pieces valued at Rs.1,69,000 crores till the year 2000. He said such a huge gap in estimated circulation and seizures offered serious challenge to the law enforcement agencies. He further added, “Intelligence inputs and evidence from the investigations have revealed that organized international group of criminals based abroad, particularly in our neighbourhood, have of late taken up the activities of printing and circulation of fake Indian currency notes with a view to financing terrorists, trafficking of drugs, smuggling in arms and explosives for the purpose of destabilizing the economy of the country. He regretted that unlike in some of the developing countries, India did not have the concept of federal offence, and therefore the CBI could not take up any case suo motu.
Special Correspondent
The Hindu – August 19, 2005.
Go Top
Water or Cups? – Lessons to Learn
A group of working adults got together to visit their University lecturer. The lecturer was happy to see them. Conversation soon turned into complaints about stress in work and life.
The Lecturer just smiled and went to the kitchen to get an assortment of cups - some porcelain, some in plastic, some in glass, some plain looking and some looked rather expensive and exquisite.
The Lecturer offered his former students the cups to get drinks for themselves.
When all the students had a cup in hand with water, the Lecturer spoke:
"If you noticed, all the nice looking, expensive cups were taken up, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is normal that you only want the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress. What all you wanted was water, not the cup, but we unconsciously went for the better cups."
"Just like in life, if Life is Water, then the jobs, money and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold/maintain Life, but the quality of Life doesn't change."
"If we only concentrate on the cup, we won't have time to enjoy/taste the water in it."
"Faith gives us a new vision of the world. Without it we see only the darker side of life. We are still slaves. It is faith which liberates us and makes us see the Spirit of power and love at work in our lives."
Email dated 20.8.2005 from Sysman Computers.
Go Top
Book vending machines
Paris – Parisian book-lovers desirous of a dose of Dumas in the dead of night or some Stendhal on a Sunday can turn to a new development in automated distribution – the book vending machine. Five bright yellow ‘Livre a toute heure’ machines, stocking 25 contemporary and classic titles, have been installed around the city over the past six weeks, the latest in the cavernous Chatelet metro station. “People have cravings for literature just as they do for bars of chocolate, fizzy drinks or all the other things you can now buy from machines,” said Xavier Chambon of the bookshop chain Maix-Lives. Among the titles on offer are Homer’s Odyssey and Alice in Wonderland, but also practical books such as 100 Delicious Recipes.
Guardian Newspapers Limited 2005
The Hindu – August 23, 2005.
Go Top
Earth’s core spins faster than crust
The giant iron ball at the center on the Earth appears to be spinning a bit faster than the rest of the planet. The solid core that measures about 1,500 miles in diameter is spinning about one-quarter to one-half degree faster, per year, than the rest of the world, scientists from Columbia University’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign report in Friday’s issue of the journal Science. The faster spin of the core was proposed in 1996 by two of the current study’s authors, Paul Richards of Lamont-Doherty and Song. As the planet is divided into 360 degrees of longitude, a core spinning one-quarter to one-half degree faster than the outer-surface may take between 700 and 1400 years to get one revolution ahead.
AP
Hindustan Times – August 27, 2005.
Go Top
Do You Know: All About Stamps
The first stamp in the world was released on May 6, 1840 in England. The first erotic stamp, a nude, and triangular in shape, was released in South Africa on September 1, 2853. The first Indian stamp, released in Sindh in 1854, was called Scinde Dawk. ‘Scinde’ was the British spelling of Sindh while ‘Dawk’ is the anglicised spelling of ‘Dak’ or post. To this day, India’s first stamps are referred to simply as the Sciende Dawks. The first international postcard was released in 1865. In India, the first erotic postcard was released in 1879. The concept of the adhesive stamp was introduced in England on May 6, 1840. Prior to this, the correspondence was done in folded letters known as prestamped letters. The first thematic collection was exhibited in 1908 by philately auction house Stanley Gibbons. They offered stamps arranged according to the subject.
Hindustan Times – August 28, 2005.
Go Top
Flying through security: “Registered Traveller”
One morning, Bill Connors went to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and marched past at least 50 people waiting in a security line. Slipping into a special lane, Connors approached a machine resembling a kiosk and peered into a glass surface the size of a salad plate. Instantly, the machine’s computer scanned the unique patterns in Connor’s left iris and verified his identity. He stepped to the front of the security line and through the metal detector. “At least three people asked me what was that all about,” Connors recalled. “I said I am a Registered Traveller. They were all like, ‘Well, how do you get that?” For nearly a year since the government launched Registered Traveller System, the answer was simple: You don’t. Only 10,000 customers of participating airlines – have been allowed to sign up for the expedited-screening programme as it has been tested in five airports. That vision would revolutionize air travel by giving anyone willing to pay an $80 to $100 annual fee the promise of line-free security screening. Applicants who pass criminal and terrorist background check would have an iris image or fingerprint stored in a computer. Enrollees would have their own line and be less likely to face “secondary screening”. “We have thousands of very frequent travellers who would like an expedited way to go through security,” says American Airlines spokesman Tim Wagner.
USA Today
Hindustan Times – August 29, 2005.
Go Top
PHQ to mount video vigil on all city police stations
New Delhi – The Delhi Police have decided to install web-based cameras in all police stations in the city by the end of September, 2005, which will facilitate video conferencing between the police headquarters and any police station at all hours, making it possible for senior officers to monitor the activities inside the police station. These cameras will not only prevent cases of illegal detention but also improve the overall performance of the police stations. “CCTVs were earlier installed in police stations, but these web-based cameras will facilitate video conferencing between the headquarter and even distant police stations like Najafgarh. The SHO and other staff will know that they are being constantly watched by senior officers who can question them any time,” said police commissioner.
Times News Network
The Times of India – August 29, 2005.
Go Top
Indian brain in CIA council
New Delhi – The Central Intelligence Agency’s National Intelligence Council (NIC) will now have an Indian brain, Prof. Sumit Ganguly, holder of the Rabindranath Tagore chair in history in the University of Indiana, Bloomington. The NIC will use Ganguly’s expertise on South Asia, specially India, as it seeks to interpret events and prophesy trends in South Asia. Ganguly’s appointment comes as US and India have embarked on an ambitious relationship to change the contours of the global nuclear order, signing a deal in July that gives India access to civilian nuclear technology.
Indrani Bagchi/TNN
The Asian Age – September 1, 2005.
Go Top
Delhi Police Advisory: Let’s Fight Terror Together
Senior Citizens First.
Do not touch unclaimed objects.
Do not let your house to unknown persons.
Before selling your car, motorcycle or scooter, check the credentials of buyer.
Identifying a terrorist
By clothes unsuited for the time of the year e.g. wearing a coat or jacket in summer.
A person trying to blend with his surroundings by his dress and behaviour, though he doesn’t belong to the group.
Anything protruding unnaturally under his clothings as these could be arms or explosives.
Identifying a suspicious vehicle
Number-plate looks “improved” or mismatched (different front and back plates).
A vehicle parked suspiciously for a prolonged time in a central place or in a no-parking area.
The vehicle’s rear part sags noticeably.
In case you suspect something
Call 100 at once, and give as many details as possible about the suspect or the vehicle.
While giving information to the police on telephone number 100, try to keep an eye on the suspect or vehicle from a safe distance. Wait for the arrival of the police force.
During a terrorist attack
Leave the site immediately, move t an open space or a protected area.
Avoid as best you, proximity to tall buildings, glass windows and vehicles. Obey police instructions.
As soon as the incident is over
If police have not arrived yet, call 100 immediately. Follow instruction of police and rescue teams.
Do not form or join a crowd.
Leave the area immediately, there may be additional explosives planted around.
Make way for rescue vehicles.
Observe your surroundings and report to the police immediately for any suspect or additional explosive changes.
If you have any information that may help in apprehending suspects or locate a vehicle involved, report to the police.
If you are a car dealer
Satisfy yourself about the bonafides of both parties, particularly the buyer before finalising the deal and more so if the buyer is from outside Delhi.
By insisting on identification documents, photocopies of which should be retained by you.
By being particularly careful while organizing a deal involving Ambassador cars and motorcycles as they are most likely to be used for terrorist incidents.
If you are a landlord or a property dealer
By not letting out your premises without satisfying yourself about the antecedents of the tenant. By reporting to the nearest Police Station call 100 about any suspicious person trying to rent out premises.
If you own a guest house, lodge or hotel
By insisting on identification documents before giving a room to a guest.
By reporting to the nearest Police Station call 100 about any suspicious guest.
You can also help
By reporting suspicious and unclaimed objects like hand bags, packets and other such things or any suspicious looking person in your vicinity to the Police Control Room Tel.No.100.
For Immediate Police Help Call: 100, 23490304, 23490310,
Sunday Hindustan Times – August 7, 2005.
Go Top
Food for Thought
Humour in Heaven
St. Peter and Satan were having an argument one day about baseball. Satan proposed a game to be played on neutral grounds between a select team from the heavenly host and his own hand-picked boys. “Very well,” said the gatekeeper of Heaven. “But you realize, I hope, that we’ve got all the good players and the best coaches..” “I know, and that’s all right,” Satan answered unperturbed. “We have got all the umpires.”
The Times of India – August 3, 2005.
Go Top
|
|
