Light Within

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Despite different announcements by the government the prices of commodities keep rising all the time. Unchecked price hike is particularly visible at three occasions; before and during Ramadan, before and after annual budget and in between whenever prices of Petrol go up.

All nation and economies around the world respect their national and religious festive celebrations and reduce prices, announce clearance sales and help every one to make purchases. Pre Christmas sale is one of the best examples. Contrary to this spirit, we face unchecked price increase before and during Ramadan and before sacred occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr. “The present situation indicates that rulers are not consumer friendly as they are backing hoarders, investors, capitalists besides working on the agenda of IMF and WB,” says PRM President Dr Aasim Sajjad, “sugar crisis was witnessed widely and the government pledged to deal with hoarders with iron hands but now situation was out of control” he added.

Market scouting shows that fruits and vegetable prices at the advent of the Holy month of Ramadan went spiraling high by 80/100 percent. More than 25 daily commodities like sugar, rice, pulses, chicken, beef, mutton, vegetables and fruits have shot up in local markets.

In a country that used to be famous around the world being cheapest as for as the food is considered, wholesalers and retailers, particularly of fruits and vegetables are enjoying a free hand to fleece the consumers in Holy month despite of all the official claims. The price of Flour is already raised by 5 to 8 Rupees per Kg. Dates are available from 100 Rs to 150 Rs a Kilo while Chicken is being sold at around 240-260 Rs. Besan is regularly used in Ramadan for making Pakoras for Iftar and its price now days is around 58 to 64 Rs a Kilo. Yogurt is being sold at 64 to 68 Rs while a liter of milk costs 45 to 58 Rs (show a discrepancy for fresh and tetra packs). Sugar prices have broken all the previous records and it has been sold at 54 to 64 Rs per Kg. There are reports about shortage of these commodities also. Utility Stores are unable to supply the desired amount of commodities and unavailability of products is causing nuisance. Despite of being honest and helpful at least in Holy month the retailers exploit the needs of public in Ramadan. Even the lower middle class person tries to eat nutritious fruits daily but how can they afford such prices?

The main commodities which showed an increase in their prices in July 2009 over June 2009 include Potatoes (29.33%), tomatoes (28.39%), eggs (20.37%), vegetables (17.32%), mash (14.59%), chicken (9.83%), moong (8.87%), gram whole(6.94%), onions (6.93%), gur (4.91%), masoor (4.48%), gram split (3.25%), fresh fruits (3.08%), food prepared/preserved(3.02%), oil cakes (2.91%), wheat flour (2.50%), tea (2.46%), meat (1.86%), sugar refined (1.72%), wheat (1.69%), rice (1.42%), beans (1.33%) and besan (1.06%).

Owais Mughal

Yes literally. Today I read in news that Pakistan is leading the region in per person annual sugar consumption. On average, every Pakistani is now consuming 25 kilograms of sugar every year. Please take few seconds to think about it. Take your eyes off the monitor and for few seconds imagine what I just wrote….shabash - Teek hai - bilkul Teek - every Pakistani…25 kilograms of sugar….in one year. wow.

Trailing behind Pakistan are other countries of the region like India with 14 kg/person, China with 11 kg/person and Bangladesh with 10 kg/person.

It is expected that in 2009, Pakistan’s sugar demand is going to be 4,350,000 tonnes. Pakistan is expected to produce 3,600,000 tonnes of sugar locally while the rest will have to be imported.


I also want to quote a line from a Urdu daily today which reads like this: The sweet obsessed Pakistani nation consumes sugar worth of Rs 200 billion annually.

The above situation however, does not give us the complete picture of what is currently going on with sugar market in Pakistan.

With the advent of Ramadan, and amidst all rumors of usual sugar hoarding there is a full fledged sugar crisis at hand in Pakistan. I am sure most of our readers are aware of the usual blame game that is going on between Govt and opposition on who is making the most profit. But the reality on street is that price of sugar in retail has hit Rs 52/kilogram in Karachi market and in rest of the country it is even higher. Government is claiming that utility stores will sell sugar for Rs 38/kg but when will it happen, remains to be seen.

Few days ago I was reviewing Shahabnama where it was mentioned that once in Ayub Khan’s time sugar shortage happened. Ayub Khan’s agriculture minister in those days was A. Hoti who overnight got the laqab of cheeni chor (sugar thief) from the public. Where ever this Minister went people used to shout ‘cheeni chor cheeni chor’. It is said that Minister actually took the title to heart and remedied the situation by going against sugar hoarders. Times have changed. Today I think any protest like this will not even ‘move a lice on the ear’ (kan pe jooN rengna) of any Minister.

So as I see it we have two issues at hand. While government needs to come hard on sugar hoarders and official planners who couldn’t foresee an impending shortage before hand, we as a nation also need to cut down on our ‘cheeni’ (sugar - not Chinese) consumption.

Did I also mention yet that same news which talked about 25kg/yr number also claimed that every 5th Pakistani is diabetic. While I cannot confirm this number, you can see the direct connection between the two phenomena. 25kg sugar = 0.2×178 = 35.6 million diabetic patients in Pakistan. wow.

I’ll close this post on this famous Urdu idiom: meetha meetha hup hup, kaRwa kaRwa thoo thoo (sweet attraction, bitter repulsion)

Sugar Trivia:

Despite Pakistan’s enormous sugar consumption we still lag other regions like North America where annual sugar consumption is 38 kg/per person. Oceania including Australia is 45 kg/person and in South America annual sugar consumption is 46.5 kg/person.

Search statistics show that people search for celebrities. Ironically, this can be dangerous for their computers. “Searching for Jessica Biel is most likely to get your computer infected with spyware, adware, spam, phishing, viruses and other malware hosted on these sites,” excuse me, the McAfee’s Third Annual Report reveals, “previously Brad Pitt was the most dangerous web celebrity and now Jessica Biel tops the list.” Beyoncé maintained her #2 slot, and continues as the overall most frequent followed by Miley Cyrus, Ashley Tisdale and Lindsay Lohan, Heidi Montag and Jessica Alba.

Report reads that you search for “Jessica Biel” or “Jessica Biel downloads,” “Jessica Biel wallpaper,” “Jessica Biel screen savers,” “Jessica Biel photos” and “Jessica Biel videos” and have a one in five chance (a huge 20% chance!) of landing at a web site that’s tested positive for online threats, such as spyware, adware, spam, phishing, viruses and other malware.”

McAfee list of 15 top most risky celebrities to search online are Jessica Biel, Beyoncé, Jennifer Aniston, Tom Brady, Jessica Simpson, Gisele Bundchen, Miley Cyrus, Megan Fox and Angelina Jolie, Ashley Tisdale and Brad Pitt.

Go ahead and search them if you have to.

Is anyone still using the landline phone? Is seems no one is using but those good old landlines are still working and also advancing. Panasonic’s latest cordless phone, the KX-TG7432 is an example.

Like previous Panasonic phones, its base unit contains a digital answering machine, and you can park extension handsets around the house; they all communicate wirelessly.

What is new is that cellphone technologies are being added to the KX-TG7432; the clickable navigation joystick, huge, bold, black-and-white screen displays icons. You can summon a list of messages on any handset, and listen to the most important ones first. The phone also offers Do Not Disturb, which lets you establish certain hours during which the phone doesn’t ring. Cool! What is more, between rings, a synthesized voice calls out the name of whoever’s calling.

The handset design is neat and comfortable; the audio is incredibly clear and lifelike; the keys are big, rubberized and illuminated. Nits to pick: when you call in for your messages, you can’t change your outgoing greeting. Also, there’s no two-line version with these features.

Other feature like Call block, Night mode, Expandable up to 6 handsets, Ringer ID, 16-Minute all digital answering system, Visual call waiting / Call waiting deluxe compatible, 4-Way conferencing, Intercom between handsets, Shared phonebook, Headset jack and belt clip included and more make it much more functional.

Lately, a survey about gender computing preferences crossed my desk top. The survey cover a lot of areas from what men and women do differently when online. Inspired by the survey, we at Techno Station presents our own empirical observations.

Machines cant differentiate between users; who is man and who is women. But users’ preferences and the ways users work on computers can clearly indicate who is who? Male users prefer faster download speed to easier navigation and quick toggling between portals and multi tasking. Female users prefer easier usage, easier navigations, and easier accessibility instead.

Male and female have consensus that that easier usage is one of the most important factor in assessing website usability. It is in the second most important factor that gender differences come into play. Men prefer fast download speeds second, while women prefer easy navigation. Customization was found to be the least important factor in web usability , consistent with a previous design factors research.

At Techno Platforms, we know that more women would read press releases and or users manuals where as male world prefer learning by doing. Exactly as men would be less likely to ask for directions while lost while to-ing and fro-ing in a new area, male users are less likely to go through details and users instructions before hitting action keys. Female are more likely to learn before they act online.

What are your observations? How you prefer?

A deal finalized Wednesday between the United States and Switzerland paves the way for a potentially historic disclosure of Swiss bank secrets: the names of thousands of Americans suspected of using secret accounts to hide money from the IRS.

Under the agreement, UBS -- Switzerland's largest bank -- is expected to turn over the names of Americans who controlled 4,450 accounts that are currently open or have been closed.

The secret accounts at one point held as much as $18 billion, the IRS said.

"We will be receiving an unprecedented amount of information," IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman told reporters Wednesday morning.

The settlement follows a long-running effort by the U.S. government to penetrate Swiss bank secrecy and catch tax evaders.

The U.S. government had been seeking a federal court order demanding that UBS identify the holders of 52,000 accounts. The Swiss government vowed to prevent such a disclosure, leading to weeks of negotiations.

Switzerland was fighting to preserve the reputation for privacy that has made its banking industry a global powerhouse and a pillar of the Swiss economy.

The deal includes concessions that might make it easier for Switzerland to argue that its tradition of secrecy survived the battle.

The United States agreed to narrow its request.

More importantly, the United States agreed to drop its federal lawsuit against UBS and pursue the information through a Swiss legal channel under a tax treaty between the two countries.

The U.S. government tried to use that channel last year but got nowhere. Switzerland has agreed to handle the request differently this time.

Switzerland has not explicitly promised to identify the holders of the 4,450 accounts, but the two sides said that is the expected result, suggesting that the new U.S. request is mainly a formality and the outcome is preordained.

Under Swiss law, the affected depositors would have the opportunity to contest the release of their names and account information. But that, too, could be a hollow exercise. Under an interpretation of U.S. law, they might be required to disclose such appeals to the Justice Department, rendering moot any attempt to remain anonymous.

In February, to avoid criminal prosecution, UBS agreed to pay the U.S. government $780 million and admitted that it schemed to defraud the United States by helping Americans hide money from the IRS. At that time, the Swiss provided the names of 200 to 300 American depositors, which shows how much farther Switzerland is moving on the issue.

Some details of the settlement were not disclosed. The criteria the U.S. government used to narrow its request remain under wraps. That leaves UBS depositors guessing as to their personal risk of exposure and keeps them under pressure to seek leniency by turning themselves in to the IRS.

It could also obscure any shift in Switzerland's bank secrecy standards.

Laptops and cell phone are converging; laptops are shrinking in size and price where as cell phones are expanded in size and capabilities. It seems that soon both the gadgets will fully overlap each others’ functionalities.

Tiny laptops, called netbooks with built-in cellular modems, at low, subsidized prices are already in market.

Now Verizon Wireless – one of the largest U.S. wireless carrier – is going to follow selling a netbook model made by Hewlett-Packard.

The H-P Mini 1151NR, a version of H-P’s Mini 1000 series with a cellular modem built-in sports a 10.1-inch screen, and yet is very compact. It weighs just 2.45 pounds, is about an inch thick, and is only about 10 inches long and 6.5 inches deep. It has an Intel Atom processor, common in netbooks; runs Windows XP; and includes one gigabyte of memory, a built-in Webcam and an 80-gigabyte hard disk. Like most netbooks, it includes Wi-Fi, but lacks a DVD drive.

This netbook seems an adequate light-duty computer. The Verizon H-P netbook works at a reasonable speed. I can download and run common third-party programs like Firefox and iTunes. The built-in Verizon software for managing the cellular and Wi-Fi connections also works well, and can be upgraded to a new version with added features.

Those who travel a lot and like using a cellular modem, the machine is compelling.Give it a whirl. {#}

"Without Twitter, World Wide Web may be a lonely place. After desktop publishing and blogging, Twitter is another notable online phenomenon everyone seems to be enjoying," writes S A J Shirazi in Techno Biz Magazine Aug 2009. Read here!

Founding Editor of Pakistaniat.com, our very own Dr. Adil Najam has just been awarded the Sitara-i-Imtiaz by the government of Pakistan for his contribution and public service in the field of environment and development policy.

Adil is known to all of us as the founder of this blog, but his full time work is as the Frederick S. Pardee Professor of Global Public Policy and the Director of the Pardee Center for the Study of the Longer-Range Future at Boston University. At Boston University he also serves as a Professor of International Relations and of Geography and Environment.

Innovations and inventions started from the Chinese in older days and are going back to them. A twenty year old Chinese farmer, Wu Zhongyuan, built a helicopter for himself. The material used by him to build the helicopter is totally indigenous. He has made use of wood from an elm tree, a motorcycle engine and steel pipes. The helicopter's engine is 150cc. The blades are wooden and the structure is made from steel tubes. The trial flight took the helicopter to the height of 800 meters. It took Wu Zhongyuan three months to build the helicopter and cost him around US $ 1600.00.

Wu Zhongyuan did not have any formal education in aviation or aeronautics. He claims to have made use of his knowledge of Physics he learnt in his middle school. Wu Zhongyuan will not be able to fly his helicopter as the government has stopped him from doing so for safety reasons. The effort made by Wu Zhongyuan will certainly many others to follow him. It's now only a matter of time, following Wu Zhongyuan, we may soon find cheaper helicopters coming up in the market just like cars.
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Sony has introduced its second eBook which is easily accessible and affordable for consumers. "We firmly believe consumers should have choice in every aspect of their digital reading experience," said Steve Haber, president of Sony's Digital Reading Business Division. "Our goal is to expand the market and provide greater access to what consumers want to read when they want to read it - whether they buy, borrow or get it for free."

The Reader Pocket Edition, available in a variety of colors, including navy blue, rose and silver, has a five-inch electronic paper display packaged in a stylish chassis. It fits into a purse or jacket pocket, and is easy to navigate. The device can store about 350 standard eBooks and provides up to two weeks of reading enjoyment on a single battery charge.
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This automated kitchen is dream kitchen of any family. Easy to open and close as per your choice, you can find the things you require without any loss of time. Finger print recognition makes the kitchen cabinets safe from their access by children.
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By Lt Col® Muhammad Zaman

MR. Manmohan Singh, the Prime Minister of India has told the US President Mr. Obama that he is outdated and away from reality about Pakistan. Pakistan is already imploded. Mr. Obama is 10 minutes behind history as he doesn’t see it now because of the dust clouds thrown up by the collapse, but once they disperse, he will see the scale of calamity (The News May 27, 2009). To cover up the process of Indian disintegration, Mr. Singh is using the smoke screen through electronic and print media. India was shining a few years ago, now it is incredible India. The future slogan is”NAACH INDIA NAACH” (DANCE INDIA DANCE). For the information of Mr. Obama, the future of India is bleak and the world needs to be very careful.

Twenty two of out of 29 states of India are asking for independence from the Indian union. There are more than 100 private armies fighting the Indian army for independence. (START: National Consortium for the study of terrorism and response to terror; The News dated 1/12/2008 and http://www.start.umd.edu/data/tops/terrorist_organizations_by_country.asp). Nearly 2,420 defense personnel including 544 officers have been killed only in Kashmir during the last 10 years. (The News 27/6/08). More than 25000 to 30,000 army personnel have been killed by the freedom fighters in other 21 states of India during the last 10 years.

Some of these private armies are: Achik National volunteer Council (ANVC), Adam Sena, Adivasi Cobra Force (ACF), Al Barq, Al Faran, Al Hadid , All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF), Al Medina , Al Mansoorain, Al Zulfiqar, Ananda Marga, Azad Hind Sena, Babbar Khalsa International (BKI), Birsa Commando Force(BCF), Bodo Liberation Tigers(BLT), Borok National Council of Tripura(BNCT), Communist Party of India-Moist, Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist(CPN-M), Dima Halam Daoga(DHD), Gurkha Janamukti Morcha, Gurkha National Liberation Front, Gurkha Peoples Liberation Front, Harkat ul Jehad ul Islami (HuJI), Harkat ul Mujahideen, Hindu Sena Rashtriya Sangh Party, Indian Mujahideen, International Sikh Youth Federation, Islami Inqalabi Mahaz, Islamic Defence Force, Islamic Liberation Army of Assam, Islamic National Front, Islamic Revolutionary Front, Jammu and Kashmir Islamic Front, . Jhanashakti, Jihad Committee, Kamtapur Liberation Organization, Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup(KYKL), Kangeipak Communist Party, Karbi Longri North Caher Hills Resistance Force(KNPR), Khalistan Zindabad Force, Khalistan Commando Force, Khalistan Liberation Army, Khalistan Liberation Front, Khalistan National Army, Kuki Liberation Army (KLA), Kuki National Army, Kuki National Front, Kuki Revolutionary Army, Lashkar e Jabbar (LeJ), Maoist Communist Center(MCC), Mujahideen al Mansooran, Muslim United Liberation Tigers of Assam, National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB), National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT), National Militia of Tripura, National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Isak-Muivah (NSCN-IM), National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Khapalang (NSCN-K), Peoples Guerrilla Army, Peoples Liberation Army (PLA), Peoples Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK), Peoples United Liberation Front (PULF), Peoples War Group(PWG), Rashtrya Savek Singh (45000 branches throughout India ), Revolutionary Peoples Front (RPF), Save Kashmir Movement, Socialist Democratic Front of Tripura, Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), The Naga National Council, Tripura Defence Force, Tritiya Pratuti Committee, Ukranian Reactionary Force, United Bengali Liberation Front, United Achik National Front, United Kuki Liberation Front(UKLF), United Islamic Revolutionary Army, United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA), United Peoples Democratic Solidarity (UPDS), Zomi Revolutionary Army. There are 3 dozen independence movements in Tripura (The News 1/12/08), 36 private armies in Assam (The News 1/12/08), 39 private armies in Manipur (The News 1/12/08), Assam has 2 dozen separatist organizations. (Myth of united India by Maryam Mahboob (25/7/08) on Ahmad Qureshi.com dated 20/11/08). Four hundred tribes are fighting the Indian army in a narrow piece of land, called the chicken’s neck. (Myth of united India by Maryam Mahboob (25/7/08) on Ahmad Qureshi.com dated 20/11/08).


RSS, a Hindu militant organization has 45000 branches in India with more than three million militants/terrorists and is headed by former PM Bajpai (Jang 16/12/08). Their job is to kill the Muslims and Christians. Burn their schools, mosques and churches. Hindus accuse the Christian priests of bribing poor Hindus and converting them to Christianity. (The News 26/8/08). Hindus burnt 600 churches, 440 mosques; killed 200 Christians and 2010 Muslims and more than 4000 Christians escaped to jungles during 2008 (Nawa-i-Waqt 29/8/08) Police officials who burnt the Muslims alive in Gujarat were given medals of bravery. (Jang 16/12/08)

The Sikh organizations in India and world wide have asked the Indian Government to remove all nuclear weapons from Punjab as they are not a party to the Indo Pakistan disputes. (Dawn 28/1/09)

Then there are Naxalites (also known as Maoists and Marxist-Leninist Revolutionaries) who control the RED CORRIDOR (Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Eastern Utter Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Bihar). Their 22000 soldiers control 1/5th of Indian forest, control most of the fertile lands with heavy deposits of iron, coal, lime stone and bauxite.(Myth of united India by Maryam Mahboob(25/7/08) on Ahmad Qureshi.com dated 20/11/08). Out of 608 districts of India, Mao’s control 240 districts. Mr. Manmohan Singh, as PM of India has stated this to be the greatest threat to the Indian Union. (The News 1/12/08) and also said that these independence movements are an obstacle in the economic developments of India. (Nawa-i-Waqt 14/12/08) Maoists are encircling urban areas, upgrading their weapons and mounting frontal attacks on the security forces. They are present in 13 of India’s 29 states. They have reached the outskirts of New Delhi. Maoists regularly use landmines and grenades to attack vehicles of security forces, power lines, government buildings, rail lines and factories aiming to cripple economic activity over a large area. Maoists are now recruiting hundreds of poor villagers to bolster their ranks and are equipped with automatic weapons, shoulder rocket launchers, mines and explosives. In 2008, more than 1000 attacks by Maoists were reported (Daily Times 11/2/09)

Now there is PAKISTAN emerging in the heart of India. In the Dante Wada district of Chhattisgarh, the Northern banks of the Indrawati River, are called Pakistan because they shelter suspected Maoist guerillas.(DAWN 8/6/09)and Indian army has failed to uproot them. Depressed from how New Delhi is suppressing local Assamese people who want to carve a separate homeland out of India. People in Assam waved Pakistan's flags in five districts in September 2008 (AhmedQuraishi.com REPORT Tuesday, 7 October 2008). Assamese Saluted The Green and The Crescent Pakistan's Flag as a Symbol of Freedom in India. After Kashmir, the rest of the hundred or more freedom movements in India see Pakistan as a symbol of liberty and freedom. Indian officials in New Delhi were so disturbed by this that they invoked patriotism while asking newspaper editors across India to black out any news about the freedom movements and hoisting of Pakistani flag. A student delegation also visited the State governor and told him that the freedom fighters/miscreants were shouting slogans like Pakistan zindabad [Long live Pakistan] through loudspeakers in Dalgaon and some other border areas,” according to a report in The Assam Tribune. The Indian Express reported this story in one paragraph and Indian media persons saw a Pakistani flag in Sonaripara and Mohanpur villages and took photographs of them.


During the first 11 months of 2008, 2,235 Indians died of terrorist attacks in Delhi, Assam, Gurat, Maharashtra Manipur, Mizoram, Nagaland, Rajasthan and Tripura alone. (The News 1/12/08). In 2007, terrorist related deaths stood at 2,598. Between 1994 and 2005, 47,371 people died of terrorist attacks. (The News 1/12/08)

Forty per cent of Indian population are born on the foot paths, live on the footpaths and die on the footpaths without any access to education and health care. 800 MILLION Indians live on less than 50 cents a day. (DAWN 16/10/08). Because of poverty, the incredible Indian women are sold in the markets. There is one market about 50 km from the

Capital Delhi, in District Mewat, where about 10,000 women are sold every year for 5,000 to 20,000 per woman. (Nawa-i-Waqt 4/2/08).

A flourishing business in the major cities of India is “RENT A WIFE”. The customers can get poor man’s wife for a day, a week or even a month. Rent a WOMB Business is thriving in incredible India. About 400 In –vitro fertilization clinics (IVF) are providing 30,000 children to the foreigners every year. Poor Indian SURROGATE women charge 6000 to 40,000 Indian rupees (about 120 to 800 US $ depending on their education) per child. Indian government plans to earn about 2 billion US dollars per year by 2012. It is a market economy said Kamal Parpyani, Managing Director of health tourism company Life Smile. (DAWN 23/10/2008). Surrogate mothers are often poor women who opt to carry a

Stranger’s baby to help pay education, housing and food costs for their families. (Dawn 7/8/08)

In HIMACHAL PRADESH, 2 or more brothers cannot afford to have separate wives because of poverty. Typically the marriages are arranged and women have two husbands. But some wives have three or four depending on how many brothers are there in a family.

(CNN Polygamy Special, India CNN, 29 October 2008, by Sara Sidner). Four thousand farmers committed suicide during 2008-9after failing to pay off debt. (The News 18/4/08).

Bihar government has asked the Beharis to eat rats and asked restaurants to offer rats in the menus. Mr. Jitan Ram Manjhi, Bihar’s minister said that rat’s meat is healthy and alternative to expensive rice or grain. In Bihar, rats are already eaten by the Mushars, a group of lower class Hindus as well as the poor section of the society. (Dawn 19/8/08). Bengal’s tea workers survive on rats, snakes (Dawn 3 Feb 2009). During the hearing on a public interest petition seeking food for the hungry in the country, counsel Colin Gonsalves said, lakhs of people in the country were dying of hunger. “There were no snakes or rats left in the plantations as all these had been caught and eaten by the hungry workers and their families, he said.” A shocked Supreme Court sought the West Bengal government’s response on an expert panel’s report which said that deaths due to starvation among workers of abandoned tea gardens has assumed disastrous proportions. Thousands of jobless families have survived by eating rats and snakes in their villages, said in a report by Sukumar Gaine, convener of the Right to Food and Work in West Bengal Network and Anuradha Talwar, adviser to the apex court’s commissioner to probe the situation arising out of starvation deaths in West Bengal (Daily Jang 26/9/08)

Indian army comes near Pakistan’s border and carries out frequent exercises. During the last 6 months, it has carried our 4 major exercises (each costing one billion rupees per hour). India has purchased more than 1000 tanks during the last 7 years in addition to the already 1000 tanks held by the Indian Army meant for BLITZKRIEG type of attack? Now something about the Indian army.

The authorized strength of officers in Indian army combat unit is 20 to 24. Most units have 50% or fewer officers. The Indian army is fast losing its best officers who can easily make to the top ranks. (Dawn 16/6/08). Sensing the gravity of the situation, Indian armed forces immediately promoted 4000 army, navy and IAF officers as the demand for pay rise increased and senior officers refused to go for advanced professional courses. In addition Indian army has added1896 new senior level posts from Colonel to General in October 2008 (Nawa-i-Waqt 4/10/08) to boost up their morale.

In the National Defense Academy Maharashtra, only 192 out of 300 cadets reported last year. In the Indian Military Academy Deradun, only 86 cadets reported against 250 seats in 2008. In the National Defense Academy Pune, 108 cadets did not report for duty Daily (Jang 26/9/08).

The authorized strength of officers in the Indian army is 46,615 and the shortage is of 11,238. Fifteen Colonels refused to go on Higher Command Course and Higher Defense Management Courses which are a must for promotion. (Dawn 10/6/08) Eight hundred army officers went on early retirement in 2008. Since 2003, more than 10,000 officers from infantry, mechanized infantry and armored corps have gone on early retirement. Because of depression, not taking interest in the profession, insecurity due to frequent postings for fight against separatist movements in 22 states of India, unfair system of promotion, senior officer’s rude and unfair treatment, low pay and allowances, low morale, huge casualties and prolonged absence from the families while on duty in Kashmir, Siachen Glacier, and internal security duties against t Maos, infighting between the fundamentalist Hindus and Muslims/Christians/Low casts/Sikhs etc and about 100 soldiers commit suicide every year.

Unfortunately relations between two neighbours need trust, taking care of each others interests and helping each other out. Indian leadership has not recognized the existence of Pakistan. India is in illegal occupation of Kashmir, Hyderabad, Junagarh, Goa, Manavdar and 400 islands which were to be a part of Pakistan. With the help of USA, Russia and Israel, India broke Pakistan into two.Now Indians are busy in the destabilization of Pakistan by giving material, financial and human support in FATA and Baluchistan. Indian electronic and print media is busy in fanning unrest in Pakistan. What will the Indian government achieve? A continuous hostility, more weapon purchases from abroad, a bigger armed forces and more nuclear weapos. At what cost? Poverty, more loans, more interference from foreign powers. What if a similar leader with hostile attitude that of India comes to power in Pakistan, India will not exist for more than18 months. I bet.

Indian PM is advised to mind his own business and stop advising Obama. No country is sincere to India or Pakistan. They are sincere to their own countries. While their factories run, our poor people are dying of hunger. Let us come on the table and resolve the issues as the Europeans have done. Pakistan is a super power and no country can dare harming it (Insha Allah).

Come forward as servants of Islam, organise the people economically, socially, educationally and politically and I am sure that you will be a power that will be accepted by everybody.
Muhammad Ali Jinnah

Expect the best, Prepare for the worst.
Muhammad Ali Jinnah

My message to you all is of hope, courage and confidence. Let us mobilize all our resources in a systematic and organized way and tackle the grave issues that confront us with grim determination and discipline worthy of a great nation.
Muhammad Ali Jinnah

No nation can rise to the height of glory unless your women are side by side with you.
Muhammad Ali Jinnah

No struggle can ever succeed without women participating side by side with men.
Muhammad Ali Jinnah

Our object should be peace within, and peace without. We want to live peacefully and maintain cordial friendly relations with our immediate neighbours and with the world at large.
Muhammad Ali Jinnah

Pakistan not only means freedom and independence but the Muslim Ideology which has to be preserved, which has come to us as a precious gift and treasure and which, we hope other will share with us.
Muhammad Ali Jinnah

That freedom can never be attained by a nation without suffering and sacrifice has been amply borne out by the recent tragic happenings in this subcontinent.
Muhammad Ali Jinnah

There are two powers in the world; one is the sword and the other is the pen. There is a great competition and rivalry between the two. There is a third power stronger than both, that of the women.
Muhammad Ali Jinnah

Think 100 times before you take a decision, But once that decision is taken, stand by it as one man.
Muhammad Ali Jinnah

We are victims of evil customs. It is a crime against humanity that our women are shut up within the four walls of the houses as prisoners. There is no sanction anywhere for the deplorable condition in which our women have to live.
Muhammad Ali Jinnah

We should have a State in which we could live and breathe as free men and which we could develop according to our own lights and culture and where principles of Islamic social justice could find free play.
Muhammad Ali Jinnah

With faith, discipline and selfless devotion to duty, there is nothing worthwhile that you cannot achieve.
Muhammad Ali Jinnah

You have to stand guard over the development and maintenance of Islamic democracy, Islamic social justice and the equality of manhood in your own native soil.
Muhammad Ali Jinnah {Thanks to Jamil A}

I am a dark-skinned African American woman with features that reflect my ancestry. Debates regarding Light vs. Dark and other biases have plagued our race for years and continues to impact millions of Black women. The deeply rooted intra-racial contempt that lies beneath this inane "compliment" is the reason I've chosen to spark dialogue surrounding the topic of self-hatred in our culture. It saturates every aspect of our lives, dominating the perspectives of our generation as a whole. We culturally are so influential, at times inadvertently, that we affect all with the words we utter and the images we portray. It lends to the theory of systemic racism. I'm authoring this piece because I'm miffed by this reality and would like to share my views on these subjects.

People travel for many reasons; to see the things they can not see at home, to get away from the routine of life and work, to meet interesting people, to study different cultures and or to seek spiritual solace. For last decade, TGD has become a unique village to attract large number of foreigners. Only in year 2000 travelers (including experts in different fields and social workers) from 40 different countries visited this village. And, most houses in TGD have built guest rooms for visitors who come here and stay as paying guests in homely atmosphere – clean linen, local cuisine and traditional hospitality. From Gogera one can ride a traditional horse drawn Tonga or an auto rickshaws to TGD on Gogera-TGD Heritage Trail.

History and archeology make for good tourism that is largely a function of prosperity. The more money people have the more of it they will spend on travel and other intellectual pursuits. Today, worldwide tourism is an unprecedented 4.4 trillions dollars industry expected to be 10 trillions by 2010. Now once every beach, airport and other conventional tourist spots feel crowded like a cinema hall, people are constantly looking for quiet, unique and brand new destinations. Millions of tourists come to Asia every year. But the irony is that out side world does not know about Pakistan or has a distorted image of it; hence tourists cannot plan to visit. After all, Pakistan has much more to offer than many other countries combined together.

Tourism in Pakistan is only in an embryonic state. There is a need to develop sustainable tourism; a concept that implies that action taken now should be for the benefit of, and not on the expense of, future generations. Both Public and Private sectors should be motivated to come forward to support tourism in the country. And, there is a lot of untapped potential in this field.

Historically, archaeologically and geographically Pakistan is a place of antiquity and great importance. No ordinary coldness of phrasing can express the surprise and delight, with which one makes acquaintance with the heritage sites spread all over Pakistan. In part three of the report, some places of interest for visitors have been described.

Gogera Fort is located in historic tapestry. Besides activities in TGD and famous Harrapan ruins, there are many other reasons to visit the area and the Fort. Some of the interesting places around Gogera Fort have been mentioned in elsewhere in the blog.

A Global Strategy for a balanced and representative World Heritage List, adopted by the World Heritage Committee in 1994, aims to ensure that the List reflects the world's cultural and natural diversity of outstanding universal value. Conferences and studies aimed at implementing the Global Strategy have been held or are planned in Africa, the Pacific region, the Arab region, the Andean region, the Caribbean, central Asia and Southeast Asia.

Remember the start of aviation is attributed to a flight that last 13 second only. Now aviation industry has grown so much and flying machines serving different purpose are very common. There is new concept in personal aviation; a single seater lightweight sport helicopter that combines low weight and corresponding low flying costs in an easily transportable design which would make this flying machine the ultimate in personal aviation. The mini "Muecke" (also called mosquito) is will be powered by a shaft driven turbine and will have counter rotating blades. It will not require require a tail rotor, instead utilizing movable paddles at the tip of the rotor blades which act like a kind of thrust vectoring of the turbine exhaust to help make course corrections in forward flight as well as in hover.

It is different than the Mosquito XE Ultralight Kit Helicopter. The "Muecke" is more like the Two-seater Hummel fold up helicopter in concept. The Muecke can be tilted forward by hand and moved along like a hand barrow.
The personal aviation industry will continue to grow as more people take advantage of the liberal rules introduced by in somce countries that require as few as 20 hours of flight time to qualify for a sport pilots license.

There certainly is a demand for more Ultralight aircraft such as the "Muecke" concept as the personal aviation is growing popular fast.

Without Twitter, World Wide Web may be a lonely place. After desktop publishing and blogging, Twitter is another notable online phenomenon everyone seems to be enjoying.

What is a Twitter? Well, it depends on whom the question is asked. For millions of ordinary people with access to a computer and an Internet connection, Twitter is an easy way to self publish their thoughts, concerns, and feelings or a means of talking to each other and sharing whatever they want to. To some Twitter still is a place to answer simple question; What are you doing? Some others say it is a voice that is being heard in this din. Twitter is an outlet on so many levels for so many people and a real time media (it is not about something that happened yesterday rather it is about what is happening now). Dubbed as microblogging or moblogging, Twitter may be vanity site and a short cut to fame for many as Tweets are ego gratifying sometime. For e-marketers Twitter is a quick tool for building businesses and brands.

As per popular literature, Twitter is the microblogging platform that allows you to create a stream of very short posts (called "tweets) that others can follow and reply to. Their yet uncluttered site reads, “Twitter is a service for friends, family, and co–workers to communicate and stay connected through the exchange of quick, frequent answers to one simple question: What are you doing?” But what I see is that Twitter is much more than just a way to tell your friends about what you're doing.

Imagine, over 14 million users, who visited Twitter 99 million times last month (May 2009) to read posts tapped out with cell phones and computers. Individually, many of those 140-character “tweets” seem childish or immature but taken collectively, the stream of messages can turn Twitter into a surprisingly useful tool for solving problems and providing insights into the digital mood. By tapping into the world’s collective brain (call it a pulse of the online world), researchers of all kinds have found that if they make the effort to dig through the non serious looking comments, the live conversations offer an incisive glimpse into public opinion — and even help them shape it.

Twitter is a rapidly evolving Web phenomenon; changing every day. It has already came a long way since it was first invented. What used to be just a place where you could tell people "what you are doing", it is a place where you can meet and follow interesting people, companies or communities, where you can tap into the collective conscious of the world, where you can also take part in experiences or as I try to do, where you can ask for insights or subject of your interests. A great majority of Twitter users are silent observers who only listen (Internet statistics say only 10% produce tweets, and 90% listen).

In addition to contributing and connecting to others, Twitter is a place where you come to listen. You can even ask them if anyone got any ideas how to solve a problem or what people feel about a topic? I am amazed at the response I get whenever I ask a question or help; I often do to harvest fresh ideas on different subjects on hand .


Twitter now disseminate information, interpret them for us as per tweets writers’ perceptions and initiate debates. Surf some and one can finds tweets of any kind and type: subject oriented, complimenting or criticizing perspectives, incisive observations, or deeply personal lascivious thoughts and very intimate details of personal life (some give these details staying behind the walls of anonymity while some do it overtly and even solicit comments and call it freedom of choice). Early adopters of the twitter practices, who are in the middle of, and enjoying, an evolution of information technologies think that form of Tweets will keep changing over period as tools improve and technology matures.

It is not that only Tweets are changing. The trend is turning passive users into active surfers and writers. Tweets necessarily make people to read, analyze and write.

Though Twitter like the Internet itself is a global in nature and cannot be segregated or reviewed on the basis of geography yet while writing this I came across a tool called TweetMondo that gives the location of other Twitter users near you. Results will depend on the location you enter – whether it be a broad (Pakistan) or precise location (Lahore, Karachi). You can login to TweetMondo with your Twitter username and password you can enter your location in the (Where are you?) box. You can also select a location from the “Tweetcloud” located at the bottom of the page. Try! It is a real fun. Of cause, I tried to find Pakistan Twitter users. Local Twitter users are a whole new world out there. As anywhere else, Pakistan Twitter users offer a view of what is thought in public and discussed in private. Tweets here vent, flirt, point out stories and tell jokes. They also waffle, whine, or weasel. Some folk showcase their work with by lines of their own choosing or propagate a cause. Some users are producing surprisingly good qualities while some others are sloppy and direction less.

Pakistan Twitter landscape seem to be very innovative; oozing out with individualism and diversity. During my hunt, I have seen users announcing launch or a product and some whining ‘wish you were here with me.’
There are still some impediments, the most obvious being access to technologies, lack of purpose to reach out to the world and matters of ego and social background. What all one is willing to open to others? Tweets exchanges and email conversations with local Twitter users bloggers revealed some more reservations: People are afraid to speak up. Masteries of language, technical, or compositional skills are another set of barriers for those who do not have them. Muhammad Yaqoob, a famous Social Media advocate and a Twitter users says, "Though these days Twitter is as easy as signing in for email account and operating it yet those who are gifted with writing skills are often Web novice and those who are skilful Internet users have nothing much to say."

There are almost as many critics as there are enthusiasts of Twitter trends that is growing exponentially. But evidence is that Twitter has already become more than just a passing whim. Critics, however, say that this 'inconsequential chatter' has given rise to plagiarism of a different king and the whole thing is nothing but recycling. There is hardly anything original in tweets.

Some users just mark their presence; create an account, post initial entry and forget about it. A few Twitter users decide to dump their labor of love in cyber graveyard for good after some time due to variety of reason: Twitter as an activity ceases to have an importance in their lives, or they do not have enough to say it in their tweets. Tayyab Ilyas, an online journalist and a techie, "I started using Twitter because I have an opinion and I wanted to have a place where I could voice my views about things around. Moreover, everyone else in my circle was using Twitter. Writing is very daunting job sometimes. The stress of multiple updates every day became a distraction in my work and I left it after doing it for a few months."

Twitter users are a natural fit with each other and the fraternity is fast growing. Simple philosophy is this: "You mention me in your blog and I mention you in mine," and it goes on and on. Twitter users are keen to see what others are saying in their tweets so they keep up with as many as they can, especially those who are like minded. Confession: Well, I am found of seeing what others publish in their tweet that I do not know and who all are following me. I also try to see people who are behind tweets.

In general, tweets are interesting, thought provoking, and sometime utterly entertaining and fun. In fact, the ability for users to constantly update at Twitter makes them perfect forum for individuals to express themselves in so many creative ways. Twitter is an enriching experience on the World Wide Web for those who publish tweets as well as for those who lurk around and just read. My recommendation: Join the party; it is on round the clock. And look for me when you are there.

Updates: Twitter Resources



LogoTwitter is a free web app that lets you create Twitter-like logos with your own text. This app is completely free and you can download these logos to use them any where you want. It provides you with several logo customization options, like you can change the colour of border, text and background, size of logo and you can even get the logo in transparent background. It’s a very simple tool to create logos of your Twitter IDs in Twitter style.

What else, you should be following me here. No?

Lately, AT&T Small Business InSite has launched a new Web destination designed by and for small business owners. The Company is celebrating the launch by giving a Small Biz Tech Makeover to one lucky prize winner.

AT&T small business products and services help update your business operations and give you a leg up on the competition. One lucky Grand Prize winner will experience first-hand the AT&T advantage with a complete makeover for their small business. You can enter to win exciting new AT&T products and services (including Samsung Epix smartphones, 1-year subscription to AT&T Tech Support 360SM Advanced Service Package; 1-year subscription to AT&T UNIX or Windows Enhanced Web Hosting services; AT&T Web Design service; 1-year subscription to AT&T Unified Messaging; Digital Express Direct Mail Extreme Membership along with the first 500 postcards; AT&T Connect five (5) Integrated Edition Named Hosts Web conferencing), one-on-one consultation from a leading technology expert, Windows Small Business Server 2008 Standard from Microsoft. It is simple; just tell them why your small business needs a technology makeover and you could win.

This is a golden opportunity for any small business owners. I’m going to have to come up with some ideas for my own “small business.” Being from area where best Pashmina is produced. I want to sell authentic Pashmina Shawls and other Pashmina products online. I have always wished to reach out to more people; so I guess I need to work on the marketing aspect.

I suggest small businesses owner to have a look at AT&T Small Business InSite and see what they are offering and how they can take them to the next level. Don’t miss the chance to win.

Sheik Manzoor Ilahi was commissioner Bahawalpur when Nawab of Bahawalpur was alive and Nawab of Kalabagh was the Governor.

Sheik Manzoor Ilahi writes: I was going to attend Commissioners’ Conference in Lahore when the Nawab of Bahawalpur sent for me and asked to convey to the Governor that the agricultural reforms should not be imposed upon Abbasi family in his life because he knows better how to look after the interests of his protégé. I got the chance to approach the Governor in a dinner hoisted by him at the end of the conference. Nawab of Kalabagh was sitting sandwiched between American Council General and the British Deputy High Commissioner when I overheard the Governor telling them, “I have told Mr. President so many times that no kind of democracy is feasible in this country.”

Ahan, so the Governor was opposed to the democracy which President Ayub Khan was about to give to the masses through 1962 constitution. When I gave him the message of the Nawab of Bahawalpur, the Governor spontaneously said, “Please tell Nawab Sahib to leave the issue alone.

Children are never thankful what ever the parents do for them.” I was surprised.

Now one knows what destiny has in store for any one. Nature was speaking through the mouth of the Governor it seems (The Governor was murdered by his son.)

Robotics is developing and robots are reaching the next level of self-awareness (sort of). Honda's ASIMO humanoid robot can now be controlled with thought alone - and with a little help from brain machine interface technology. Distinguishing brain activities with high precision without any physical motion, but just human thought alone has become possible.

Honda Research Institute with collaboration from Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International and Shimadzu Corporation has developed the world’s first Brain Machine Interface (BMI) technology that uses electroencephalography and near-infrared spectroscopy along with newly developed information extraction technology to enable control of a robot by human thought alone. While conventional machine-interface uses devices such as switches which need to be operated by a user’s hands or feet, BMI uses brain activity data measured by various devices and enables non-contact control of the machines. This technology will be further developed for the application to human-friendly products in the future by integrating it with intelligent technologies and/or robotic technologies.

When the user imagines moving one of four predetermined body part options, ASIMO complies with a corresponding movement. The setup detects changes in brain waves and cerebral blood flow, which is analyzed on a real-time basis to translate what the user imagined.

What happens is that during the human thought process, slight electrical current and blood flow change occur in the brain. What is next? I keep wondering.

Sprint Nextel and Palm will start selling their heavily anticipated Pre smart phone early next month. The touch-screen model that was introduced by Palm to early this year is being considered as Apple iPhone competitor.

The Pre, which has a slide-out keyboard, includes features new to mobile devices such as the ability to open several screens or programs simultaneously. Slide out the keyboard for faster and easier texting. Close it up and rotate Pre for music, websites, photos, and videos in full widescreen glory. You get the best of both worlds in one beautifully designed phone. Text messages and calendar appointments appear as notifications at the bottom of the screen. You will know what is going on without being completely interrupted or losing your train of thought. It will initially work only on Sprint's network.

Pre can pull different online calendars into one view, bringing users the information they want without having to search for it. Pre links contacts from different sources, giving one place to find what users need. And Pre delivers incoming messages and notifications in an intuitively subtle way, letting users react or respond however they want. People, events, information that matters. With Palm Pre, it’ll come to you. How it is going to make life easier. No?

In Cooperation With:
SPARC (Ghayyoor Obaid) & TTTC (Omar M. Ali), Pakistan
CAT (Njini King Caro), Cameroon
TM (Ricardo Coslez), Colombia

Introduction

This article again refers to “housing”, the architectural, economical and philosophical aspects of which have already been discussed. In this article we will discuss the scientific and technological aspect (Architecture, Urban & Regional Planning) which however are not totally independent of other areas of the culture. As clear-cut diagrams and illustrations mean more than words for the engineer and scientist, the accompanying text may be considered a literary explanation of the important inter-relationship. A very simple text for the illustrations would probably not appropriately describe the total picture.

Housing in Rural, Urban and Fully-Autonomous Entities

In the following we will discuss the very basic questions of "housing" and describe the range of possibilities between the Rural Entity and the Fully-Autonomous entities, in the middle of which is the most widely practiced concept of Urban entity. Seen from a total perspective, the Urban entity is the subject as well as the object, because the actors in this system are not able to act freely as they are bound by the compulsions and dictations of economy. The actors are forced to act in the way as they do because the system does not allow any other alternative. And: the actors in the system don’t even realize that they are not acting of their own but actually are being acted upon !

The complexity of the urban infra-structure has reached its technological climax, the innovativeness of which is marginal. Should the human organism be laid out in the manner which corresponds to modern industrial way of production, i.e. with highly differentiated functions, it would require a space of more than 10 cricket fields. This example amply describes the limitations of the so-called development. It is in-effective, wasteful, ruins the environment and leads to over-exploitation of resources.

Dubai as a metaphor of out-dated construction techniques is suitable with its fantastic design-results at all levels and without any logic. The model therefore is: A major destruction of environment and misuse of resources is taking place through short-term investments and the mis-use of foreign labourers, who are even happy and not aware that they are actually contributing to destruction of their own traditional cultures. The transformation actually reflects a successful implementation of a totally-outdated economic system, which becomes possible only when the state actors do not realize their mistake and it is characteristic of the ruling elite.

The terminology used in the illustrations enable us to imagine what is coming and to develop a point of view over it. The "new" is actually not really new, rather it has developed parallel to the existing system without being noticed.

In the existing system, generally named as Urban Entity (UE), there are hardly any logical repairs possible in the system as these under the garb of "Problem Solutions" actually represent a "Problem Deferment"!. Solutions have to be judged according to their making sense because, not everything that can be accomplished also makes sense! Infact, only the least will make sense. The sense is actually made when a self-restriction is imposed. “Luxury” in this sense would be the voluntary sacrifice of the available and restriction of the consumption!

Terms like “Sustainability”, “Resource Protection”, “Environmental Protection” are empty words, as long as they are not filled with logical content, they do not remain without influencing the existing system and the relevant behavior and way of life. “Renewable Energy”, is another empty term, which suggests something, which is scientifically nonsense, because energy actually cannot be renewed (see: Law of Conservation of Energy). At the most, it can be transferred (energy change). In this way we can also explain another phenomena related to the educational sector: The number of educated persons does rise with the increase in population and holders of academic degrees but not necessarily the number of intelligent persons!

Continuous creation of newer models in Marketing of products is a waste of energy and resources. This also refers to sectors, which appear far from the industrial background, namely the health sector, the educational sector etc. In totality these measures are actually a mountain of income generating measures. The residents of an Urban Entity are forced to submit to these measures. In the past when the total number of participants was very limited,, the system still functioned on the limited scale but its deficiencies become immediately evident when applied on a global scale.

Urban Life today means:

- expensive living,

- high density of residents per square kilometer,

- increasing infra-structure costs with increasing productivity of the individual, who
works on more efficient machines

- sinking tax income through uniform and global production (the individuals are
exchangeable, when the same thing is produced globally),

- higher water consumption,

- higher energy consumption,

- increasing environmental pollution,

- increasing social problems,

- unhealthy way of living, etc.

The more affluent here can equalize some of the problems through their purchasing power, but they are actually part of an old system and actually live on the cost of the general public.

The technology therefore needs to avail literary and philosophical help in order to clarify things otherwise it will continue to confuse problem-deferment with problem-solution. It is necessary to prefer voluntary self-restraint over the income generation!

Conclusion

The article can go into more depth in professional literature, where it reaches mostly the specialists. In case of a holistic approach, there are apparently unimportant remarks regarding other areas, which may normally appear not to belong to the subject area, but are helpful in understanding the total picture by the reader. The article about "Autonomous Entity” points out information about a closed system or hides behind new ideas (for example the Zero and Plus energy houses). The transportation system points to the Flettner Rotor in the context of mobility and water and the Savonius Rotor in the context of Energy Transfer.

Traveling for leisure or pleasure is a result of growing economic activities and prosperity, quality lifestyle, increasing awareness and above all wish to “be there and do that.”

I have been traveling whenever I could. When it comes to planning, best is to plan ahead and reserve the services you need along the route. As more and more people are traveling, and getting what you want may become difficult at popular places in the absence of advance booking and information. What is more, you can look for special deals and save this way.

One of the best places to start your travel plan is Travelgrove – a search engine that helps its users find the best deals on airfares, hotel rentals, car rentals, cruise deals and vacation packages. This site can help you from start to end. At Travelgrove, users can find different vacation packages and choose what suits them. I was amazed to see the choices available there. Similarly their travel guide section is information rich and travelers can learn about various travel destinations from Hawaii to Mexico and whole lot in between.


Travelgrove is neatly laid out, uncluttered and users friendly site. Search function is very efficient. I have made it a starting point for planning their trips. You too can start here.

What else, I should be planning to go to my annual vacation at Travelgrove now.

Setting up a web site for selling online required hiring of a webmaster. However, you don't need one any more. Google has launched a widget which they call it a gadget under the name of Google Checkout Store which facilitates development of an online store in a few minutes. Web hosting is free. Sellers need to use Google Docs spreadsheet where they can manage the store inventory. One of the preconditions for developing web site via Google Checkout online payment service is that they must have a Google Checkout seller account. Setting up of the store is simple and easy. There are three steps involved to set up a store.

1. Sign up for Google Checkout
2. List products in a spreadsheet
3. Embed the gadget anywhere

Sellers can learn how to use the widget by through a tutorial offered by Google.

World's first affordable, zero-emission car has been unveiled by Nissan. The car has a capacity of five adult passengers with a range in excess of 160km (100 miles). Nissan's car, Nissan Leaf, will be available in Japan, Europe, and the United States in the second half of 2010.

Nissan President and CEO Carlos Ghosn has described Nissan LEAF as a 'tremendous accomplishment in which all of the company's employees can take pride'. The most important feature of the car is its zero emission platform and power train. It has Connected Mobility: Advanced intelligent transportation (IT) system. Nissan is yet to announce its price. Being echo friendly, the car is also likely to draw tax benefits to the buyers. An effort has been made to have less mechanical parts and complexity making it maintenance and pocket friendly.

Most of the technical aspects are in line with cars in the same class to which consumers are used to today. Using a quick charger the car can be charged upto 80% in less than thirty minutes. Overnight charging at home through 200V power outlet will take approximately eight hours.
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Attitude tourism - to be distinguished from, say, adventure or seeing the sights - is generally not a particularly satisfying activity. Ideas and those who hatch them tend not to leave behind things large or attractive enough to ogle. So you may go to a place of great historic value but find nothing worth the visit. Lasbela tract is a case in point. Usually, you are left, if you are lucky, with a plaque or just an intrinsic thought. So I expected, more or less, nothing in Lasbela.

What I got was signs in lieu of plaques, hot wind, remnants of crumbling columns, and a long view of the undergrowth of thorny bushes, some wildflowers, functional Persian wells and rocky hilltops covered with camel and sheep droppings. It was all prosaic and quiet and yet real enough to propel me into another fit of wonder: I was driving on the tract where Alexander and Muhammad Bin Qasim had treaded.

One does not have to travel to have fun alone. I understand that. But I know of few surer ways to achieve what I find to be probably my happiest state - wonder - to stick a figurative pin into a map and then experience the grand surprise of seeing someplace I have only identified on maps but not seen before, someplace that inevitably and overwhelmingly exceeded my expectations.

Inhabited for centuries, town Bela is a wonder in many ways. The town is situated in a plain called Lasbela in Balochistan (Pakistan) with its own distinct history. The tract derives its name from the word "Las" which means a plain – surrounded by hill ranges, the greater part of the area is a flat plain, and Bela is the main town at the apex of the plain over 100 kilometers from Karachi. From the early period of history till the rise of the Jamoot tribe in the middle of the eighteenth century, only a few facts are known and recorded about the history of Lasbela.

Time seemed to me to be a greater mystery in Bela. The whole town had the air of being in a time-warp, lost and with its fibers still connected to some bygone era. Bela has been identified with the ancient place Armabel - the place that was visited by Alexander. Mohammad Bin Haroon, one of the Generals of Mohammad Bin Qasim lies buried here. The last resting place of Robert Sandeman, the first British Chief Commissioner of Balochistan is also here. There are numerous sites and caves of prehistoric period around Bela in area of Kud River. There are boulder hills in the neighborhood, which are the remains of ancient settlements. The caves hewed out of solid conglomerate rock situated some 20 kilometers to the north of Bela town are other marvels worth visiting. The Grad Mosque in Bela is an exemplary accomplishment of Muslim architecture.

On his way back from South Asia Alexander passed through Lasbela, according to Thomas Holdich's account, "After Alexande's death, one of his generals, Seleukas Nickator, became ruler of central and Western Asia. For many centuries after this, nothing can be traced about the history. In early seventh century the ruler of Armabel (present Bela) was a Buddhist Somani. Chach usurped the throne of the dynasty of Sindh and marched to Bela in 636 AD. Chach was cordially received at Bela and was impressed with the loyalty of the people of Bela."

The area also lay on the route followed by the young Muslim General Muhammad-Bin-Qasim in 712 AD. On his way to Sindh, Mohammad-Bin-Qasim marched through Bela accompanied by his General Muhammad Bin Haroon. The power of the Arabs lasted towards the end of the tenth century. Afterwards, the area appears to have come under the influence of the Sumras, who asserted their independence when the power of the Abbaside caliphs declined. The Sumras gained a position of supremacy in the middle of the eleventh century. The Sammas under Jam Umar eventually overthrew them in 1333. The Sammas reigned till 1523 when they were defeated and their power was completely broken by Shah Hussain Argon. The succeeding period is again obscure. The chiefs of the Gujar, Ranjha, Gunga and Burfat tribes, who are still found in Bela, are said to have exercised a semi-independent power previous to the rise of the Jamoot tribe. When the British advancement extended beyond Sindh, Jam Mir Khan-II was exercising powerful political control over the affairs of these areas. In agreement with the British, the family ruled until Pakistan came into existence.

Geographically, the district can be divided into the alluvial plain that surrounds Bela and extends southwards up to the bay of Sonmiani and the hilly regions situated east and west of this plain. The plain itself consists of alluvium deposits of rivers. At the edge of the plain, around the margins of the adjoining hilly regions and near the coast, lie raised sea-beaches, some 15 to 25 meters above sea level. The east of the alluvial plain exhibits the greatest variety of rocks forming the hill ranges, which are separated by valleys. The hilly region is situated on the west of the alluvial plain and extends along the Makran coast.

"Lasi" is a geographical term, which applies to all the tribes other than Baloch and Brahvi, Med, Khoja and Hindus who are settled in Lasbela. The principal Lasi tribes are only five in number: Jamoot, Ranjha, Sheikh, Angaria and Burraf. These are called the Panjraj or the five tribal confederacies. Under each Raj are a large number of heterogeneous groups. The few Afghans are mostly nomads, except the Buzdars, who are flock owners and wander about. Minor tribes include the Gunjas, Sinars, Sangurs, Burfats, Chhuttas and Khojas. A good number of Hindus are also residing in Uthal, Bela and Hub. In many places that I had been, I01 heard the Lasis speaking a new dialect.

The land offers exciting landscape. The great span of arid wastelands with a fierce but hospitable tribal people makes the place very thrilling for cautiously curious going to this region. Desolate shrubs, hamlets and Persian wells, relieve the dull brown of the fields.

Not only is the earth good in Lasbela, but some of the people also leave an unforgettable impression. There was my host Muqeem Kumbhar, landlord and agriculturist by profession and local historian in leisure time. He had arranged an evening with a nomad family who had a large herd of camels. We were served Kurut – curry made by dried meat and dried milk. It tasted wonderful. As a sweet dish, there was honey on the food mat, wild honey straight from the wilderness. I must have looked more than usually astonished since Kumbhar explained that there are wild bees in droves and pesticides or some other problem must have driven them here from neighboring areas. The honey had a faint tang of wild berries, a beautiful, lingering taste.

After the dinner we sat under the star-studded sky to chat with the elders of the family. They had seen and knew so much and were more interesting than history books. Obviously, life of the nomads is incredibly difficult even in modern times despite having transistor radios, tape recorders, cell phones and florescent lights.

A trip to this region is a wonderful for those who know the art to become happy when they have an enriching experience. After three days in the area, I turned back for a last look. There was nobody there, nothing but the shrubs swinging with the wind!

Microsoft has announced the date of release of their latest PC operating system named as Window 7. The date of release is October 22, 2009.This window operating system s going to replace the previous operating system Windows Vista. The claims are that the new operating system will be simpler to use, and more functional, with less of what you don't need and more of what you do. Microsoft is working closely with its partners to ensure that present users of Windows Vista are able to switch over to Windows 7 on its release. Microsoft’s OEM Division Corporate Vice President Steve Guggenheimer, announced this at a keynote address at Computex 2009 in Taipei, “What we’re doing with Windows will continue to improve people’s lives so that that technology enables them to communicate better, make tasks simpler and new things possible,” he says. “Our partners in the hardware space, our competitors in software — the entire industry is doing incredible things.”
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Every now and then we buy different gadgets, appliances and what not. All these things come in packed in different packings. Very often the packages are difficult to open and our impatience to open these the earliest frustrates us. At times, our mishandling of the package to open it causes injury to our selves or damage to what it contains. It's better to have a package opener. This package opener available at cheap price runs on three AA batteries. It can open the package just like butter. It will be handy to use every time we buy something packed in some sort of container. It will save you from the possible injury and also possible damage to the content while opening its packing.
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Portable gadgets have become our everyday use necessities. We have got so much used to living with these that it is difficult to imagine living without them even for a day. All these gadgets are dependent on electric charging once a day or little less or more. Electricity is readily available so we take the charging of these gadgets for granted. Apparently, saving a bit of electricity by using alternate means to charge our gadgets at individual level will not make much of difference either in terms of saving electricity or the bill. However, if we come to think of it at a large scale i.e. almost everyone choosing to charge the gadgets without using electricity, it will, certainly, make a lot of saving of electricity implying saving of fossil fuels which are depleting fast the world over. It will reduce the pollution too.

Here is a gadget charger which is not dependent on electricity, in stead, it charges the gadgets using wind energy. All you need to do is to place the charger close to an open window for ten minutes or so and it would be ready to charge your cell phone, iphone or any other such like gadget. If the wind is not blowing, you need to wind it for five minutes to charge your cell phone. Wind-harnessing device features an alarm clock and a portable electronic gadget charger. Sol-Air device also carries an alarm clock. It has a photo-luminescent casing which captures sunlight and causes it to glow when it is dark.
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