saarang IIT rocks

Saarang the culturals of IIT started this week and it saw a crowd more than 800 every day!!
the evening OAT shows were really awesome.the first day saw choreo night which was awesome. the second day saw decibels and light music band which was really awesome. third day saw one of the tight jam packed lucky ali and karthick shows that one has ever seen. it was rockin audience and the songs were simply mind blowing. further review about saarang to be updated.

why did stick market crash????

Black Monday saw bloodbath on Dalal Street as the Indian stock markets crashed by over 1430 points in afternoon trade (the market has since then recovered somewhat), reminding investors that there is no one-way bet on the stock market.

Why did this huge fall happen?

Many factors. One, there is a change in the global investment climate. One of the primary triggers is the huge fear of the United States' economy going into a recession with foreign institutional investors trying to reallocate their funds from risky emerging markets to stable developed markets. Analysts are now expecting a cut in US interest rates.

Hedge funds and FIIs could have been the biggest sellers in the Indian markets, booking profits and making the most of the unprecedented bull run that has dominated the Indian stock market for a long time now.

The current volatility is also linked to global bourses. There is a big correlation among global markets. The presence of hedge funds across asset classes, along with increased global movement of capital, has increased event-related volatility.

Volatility in commodities markets has also significantly affected equity markets.

A combination of global and local factors is affecting this market, said Mihir Vora of HSBC Mutual Fund, on NDTV Profit. On the global front, other emerging markets were down nearly 20% so India is playing catch-up, he said.

On the local front there has been a huge build-up in derivatives positions and volatility led to margin calls. Also many IPOs have sucked out liquidity from the primary market into the secondary market, said Vora. At current levels it would be a buy call and we would not advise investors to wait to catch the bottom, he added.

How long will the markets keep falling?

Analysts expect the markets to continue to be choppy for a while till global liquidity and commodity prices settle in. With the markets falling, a technical correction in the derivatives segment has perpetrated a larger fall.

The Sensex can fall another 10-15%, said Adrian Mowat of JP Morgan, on NDTV Profit.

India is trading at 65% premium to emerging markets and India is playing catchup with other declining global markets, he added. There is no need to get very pessimistic that this is the end of equity investing in India, he said. This could be seen as a buying opportunity and we will re-visit market valuations after the correction, he added.

India cannot escape a global meltdown. With fears of an impending US recession high, no country is likely to be spared.

jodha akbar music review

Jodha akbar an a r rahman musical released its music very recently and mark my words rahman has given an another sensational music to it
especially the azeen o shaan song is simple mind blowing. it ll attract any kind of music lover with the way its composed and with the beats it has.
it also contains soft melody which keeps u much relaxing especially the song called in lamhon ki daaman mein sonu nigam s voice has been pretty perfect. everyone seems to be eagerly waiting for the release of the film on feb 15th..

most of the songs show the perfect musical excellence of rahman.

all in all jodha akbar goin to be a musical hit of 2008
expecting for the film on feb 15th!!!

Apple unveils world's slimmest laptop - weighing just 3lbs

Apple has unveiled the world's slimmest laptop computer - the Mac-Book Air. The £1,199 computer, which measures three quarters of an inch at its thickest point, has a 13.3in screen and a full-size keyboard. The machine, available in two weeks, can be ordered from today. "We've built the world's thinnest notebook without sacrificing a full-size keyboard or a full-size display," said Steve Jobs, Apple's CEO.
"It's hard to believe it's a high-performance notebook. It's an amazing feat of engineering."

Apple also announced that its new online film rental service will make movies available for watching on computers, current-generation iPods or iPhones.
Customers will be able to download films from iTunes Movie Rentals to watch within 30 days of renting. Once it has started playing, the film must be watched within 24 hours.
"Most of us watch movies once, maybe a few times, and renting is a great way to do it," said Mr Jobs. "It is less expensive and doesn't take up space on our hard drive when we are done."
New films will be available from Apple Movie Rentals 30 days after their release on DVD. A 1,000-title catalogue will be on offer for U.S. customers by the end of February. The service starts in the U.S. today and will be made available internationally later this year.
With the backing of all the major film studios including Paramount, Disney, Universal and 20th Century Fox, the scheme could mean the end for DVDs, say experts.
"This could make the battle for the next-generation DVD irrelevant," said Stuart Miles of gadget website Pocket Lint.
"This is a clear sign from Apple and the film studios that they believe physical discs will simply go away, in the same way downloads have replaced the music CD."

How Stock Market Works!!!

It was autumn, and the Red Indians asked their New Chief if the winter was going to be cold or mild. Since he was a Red Indian chief in a modern society, he couldn't tell what the weather was going to be like .
Nevertheless, to be on the safe side, he replied to his Tribe that the winter was indeed going to be cold and that the members of the village should collect wood to be prepared.

But also being a practical leader, after several days he got an idea. He went to the phone booth, called the National Weather Service and asked "Is the coming winter going to be cold?" "It looks like this winter is Going to be quite cold indeed," the meteorologist at the weather service Responded.

So the Chief went back to his people and told them to collect even more Wood. A week later, he called the National Weather Service again. "Is it going to be a very cold winter?" "Yes," the man at National Weather Service again replied, "It's definitely going to be a very cold winter."

The Chief again went back to his people and ordered them to collect every scrap of wood they could find. Two weeks later, he called the National Weather Service again. "Are you absolutely sure that the winter is going to be very cold?" "Absolutely, " The Man replied. "It's going to be one of the coldest winters ever."

"How can you be so sure?" the Chief asked. The weatherman replied, "The Red Indians are collecting wood like Crazy."

This is how the stock markets work!!!

IIM GROUP DISCUSSION TIPS

GROUP DISCUSSION
A group discussion (GD) is a simulated exercise, where you cannot suddenly put up a show, since the evaluators will see through you easily. In this page you can find tips on GD and how to handle them to ensure a positive outcome.

Here's how most group discussions work

• Normally groups of 8-10 candidates are formed into a leaderless group, and are given a specific situation to analyze and discuss within a given time limit.
  
• The group may be given a case study and asked to come out with a solution for a problem.
  
• The group may be given a topic and asked to discuss on the same.

A panel will observe the proceedings and evaluate the members of the group.

OBJECTIVE
Lets start from the basic. One needs to know what one's objective in the group is. A good definition of your objective is - to be noticed to have contributed meaningfully in an attempt to help the group reach the right consensus. What does this essentially mean?

1. The first implication is that you should be noticed by the panel. Merely making a meaningful contribution and helping the group arrive at a consensus is not enough. You have to be seen by the evaluating panel to have made the meaningful contribution. What does that mean in practice?
   • You must ensure that the group hears you. If the group hears you, so will the evaluator. That does not mean that you shout at the top of your voice and be noticed for the wrong reasons.
   • You have to be assertive. If you are not a very assertive person, you will have to simply learn to be assertive for those 15 minutes. Remember, assertiveness does not mean being bull-headed or being arrogant.
   • And most importantly, you have to make your chances. Many group discussion participants often complain that they did not get a chance to speak. The fact is that in no group discussion will you get a chance to speak. There is nothing more unacceptable in a GD than keeping one's mouth shut or just murmuring things which are inaudible.
   • Participate in as many practice GDs as possible before you attend the actual GD. There is nothing like practice to help you overcome the fear of talking in a GD.
   
   
2. The second important implication is that making just any sort of contribution is not enough. Your contribution has to be meaningful. A meaningful contribution suggests that
   • You have a good knowledge base
   • You are able to put forth your arguments logically and are a good communicator.
   • The quality of what you said is more valuable than the quantity. There is this myth amongst many group discussion participants that the way to succeed in a group discussion is by speaking loudly and at great length. One could not be more wrong. You must have meat in your arguments.
   
   
Therefore, think things through carefully.

Always enter the room with a piece of paper and a pen. In the first two minutes jot down as many ideas as you can.

When you jot down points, keep these pointers in mind.
If it is a topic where you are expected to take a stand, say for example, "Should India sign the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty?" note down points for both sides of the argument. It will be useful on two counts -
• One, if you do not start the GD and are not amongst the first five speakers and find that everyone in the group is talking for the topic, then it makes sense to take the alternate approach and oppose the topic even if you initially intended to talk for the topic.
• Second, it helps to have a knowledge of how group members who take a stand diametrically opposite to yours will put forth their argument and to be prepared with counter arguments.


3. Everybody else will state the obvious. So highlight some points that are not obvious. The different perspective that you bring to the group will be highly apprecaited by the panel. Some pointers on being relevant while having a different perspective are:
   • Be careful that the "something different" you state is still relevant to the topic being debated.
   • Can you take the group ahead if it is stuck at one point?
   • Can you take it in a fresh and more relevant direction?
   
   
4. The last implication is that you must be clearly seen to be attempting to build a consensus.
   • Gaining support or influencing colleagues is the mantra adopted by many a successful Business Leaders.
   • Nobody expects a group of ten intelligent, assertive people, all with different points of view on a controversial subject to actually achieve a consensus. But what matters is "Did you make attempts to build a consensus?"
   • The reason why an attempt to build a consensus is important is because in most work situations you will have to work with people in a team, accept joint responsibilities and take decisions as a group.
   • You must demonstrate the fact that you are capable and inclined to work as part of a team.

WORLDS MOST AMAZING HOUSES

JOEY THE TV SERIES

From three of the executive producers behind the mega-successful hit series "Friends" comes the highly anticipated new comedy "Joey." Multiple Emmy, Golden Globe and SAG Award nominee Matt LeBlanc reprises his "Friends" role as charming and still-single Joey, who has struck out on his own and moved to Hollywood, hoping to truly make it as an actor.



Joey says goodbye to a time when his friends were his family and welcomes the chance to turn his family into his friends. After reuniting with his high-strung sister Gina (Emmy winner Drea de Matteo, "The Sopranos"), a strong and sexy hairdresser, Joey moves in with her genius 20-year-old son, graduate student Michael (Paulo Costanzo, "Road Trip"), who literally is a rocket scientist. What Joey lacks in book smarts, however, he more than makes up for with his people skills, making him the best new friend his nephew could ask for.

Dubai plans world's largest hotel

DUBAI (Reuters) — Dubai is planning to build the world's largest hotel as part of a $27 billion resort project unveiled on Monday to spearhead the Gulf emirate's drive to become a global tourism hub.

Promotional video of the Bawadi project showed a 10 km (6.2 miles) long resort strip that resembled Las Vegas without the casinos — its 31 hotels modelled on ancient Egyptian palaces, Hollywood, London's Houses of Parliament and even the moon.

Dubai's fantastic, even bizarre developments, including a ski slope in the desert and man-made islands shaped like palm fronds, helped draw some 6 million tourists last year to a tiny desert land that is fast running out of oil.

Dubai hopes to make that 15 million tourists a year over the next decade even as its richer neighbours plough record oil revenues into new mega-projects to try to emulate Dubai's success in weaning its economy off energy exports.

"The launch of this project effectively signals the next major phase in tourism development in Dubai as we look forward to the next eight years of major growth," said Saeed al-Muntafiq, chief executive of Tatweer, the Dubai government-owned project developer.

Muntafiq said at the launch ceremony that Dubai, one of seven members of the oil-exporting United Arab Emirates, would need to build 70,000-80,000 new hotel rooms over the next decade to meet its expansion plans.

Bawadi will have more than 29,000 hotel rooms, nearly double the number now available in Dubai, and will be able to host more than 3 million tourists by 2016.

The centrepiece of the resort will be the 6,500-room Asia Asia Hotel which Tatweer says will be the largest in the world. The MGM Grand Las Vegas, now the largest hotel in the world, has 5,044 rooms.

The first phase of the project, which includes the Asia Asia hotel, will be operational by 2010.

Tatweer will invest 40 billion dirhams ($10.9 billion) in the project, building the Asia Asia and Bawadi's infrastructure, Muntafiq said. The rest of the money will come from investors.

"We have been talking to several leading names in the (leisure) industry and they have all expressed strong interest," Muntafiq told reporters, declining to name any potential investors.

He said Tatweer had no plans to issue either debt or equity to raise its share of the investment.

Dubai is pouring hundreds of billions of dollars into infrastructure and real estate developments and is already home to an estimated 17% of the world's cranes.

Other governments in the world's biggest oil exporting region are following suit and more than $1 trillion worth of infrastructure projects are in the pipeline across the region.

magic in Sciencs

The Sticky Card

This is a really old trick but it always fools your audience. Get a playing card and tell your friends to stick it to the wall. It must stay on the wall when you let go. They will not be able to do it. Then take the card and stick the card to the wall. It will stick for you. The trick is when you walk to the wall drag your feet and build up static electricity. For this trick leather soled shoes work the best. It does not work well in hot or wet weather.

---

Amazing Matches

This trick only takes a few seconds. Ask a friend to drop a box of matches so that it stands up. It should be dropped from 4 or 5 inches high. They won't be able to meet the challenge. But when you try, you will amaze everyone. When you try it, you cover up the box with your palm and slide open the drawer with your thumb. Why does the drawer keep the box from falling over? When your audience dropped the box the insides and the outer part of the box hit at the same time causing the box to fall over. When you drop the box the outer part touched the ground first. The drawer slides down slowly. Because of the friction, it stops the box from bouncing and falling over.

---

Air Pressure Magic

Amazing! A full glass of water held upside down without losing a drop of water! Fill a glass to the top with water. Place a piece of paper on top of the glass. Flip the glass upside down really fast and let go of the paper. The water is pushing the paper down but the air around the paper is pushing it up with a stronger force. You can help it by pushing the paper firmly on top of the glass so that no water leaks out. Construction paper works best. Have fun!

INTERNATIONAL B SCHOOL LISTINGS AND RANKINGS

ATTENTION GMAT ASPIRANTS FROM MUMBAI

We now also offer GMAT Classroom Coaching in Mumbai (...more)

TOP MBA COLLEGE RANKINGS - INDIA & USA

The US NEWS LATEST RANKINGS OF TOP BUSINESS SCHOOLS FOR MBA IN USA

Rank	Institute (Scores Accepted: Graduate Management Admission Test - GMAT)
1	Harvard University
2	Stanford University
3	University of Pennsylvania (Wharton)
4	Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Sloan)
5	Northwestern University (Kellog)
6	University of Chicago
7	Columbia University (NY)
7	University of California - Berkeley (Hass)
9	Dartmouth College (Tuck)
10	University of California - LA (Anderson)
11	Duke University (Fuqua)
11	University of Michigan - Ann Arbor (Ross)
13	New York University (Stern)
13	University of Virginia (Darden)
15	Yale University (CT)

The BUSINESS WEEK RANKING OF TOP BUSINESS SCHOOLS FOR MBA IN USA

Rank	Institute (Scores Accepted: Graduate Management Admission Test - GMAT)
1	Northwestern University (Kellog)
2	University of Chicago
3	University of Pennsylvania (Wharton)
4	Stanford University
5	Harvard University
6	University of Michigan - Ann Arbor (Ross)
7	Cornell University
8	Columbia University
9	Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Sloan)
10	Dartmouth College (Tuck)

The ECONOMIC TIMES Business School (India) Survey (Recruiters' Perception)

Rank	Marketing		Finance		HRM		Systems
1	IIM-Ahmedabad		IIM-Bangalore		XLRI, Jamshedpur		IIM-Bangalore
2	IIM-Bangalore		IIM-Ahmedabad		IIM-Ahmedabad		IIM-Calcutta
3	IIM-Calcutta		IIM-Calcutta		IIM-Bangalore		IIM-Ahmedabad
4	IIM-Lucknow		IIM-Lucknow		IIM-Calcutta		IIM-Lucknow
5	XLRI, Jamshedpur		IIM-Indore		IIM-Lucknow		IIM-Indore
6	IIM-Indore		IIM-Kozhikode		IIM-Indore		IIM-Kozhikode
7	IIM-Kozhikode		XLRI, Jamshedpur		IIM-Kozhikode		XLRI, Jamshedpur
8	FMS, Delhi		FMS, Delhi		FMS, Delhi		JBIMS, Mumbai
9	JBIMS, Mumbai		JBIMS, Mumbai		JBIMS, Mumbai		FMS, Delhi
10	SP Jain, Mumbai		SP Jain, Mumbai		IMT, Ghaziabad		IMT, Ghaziabad
11	IMT, Ghaziabad		IMT, Ghaziabad		SP Jain, Mumbai		SP Jain, Mumbai
12	MDI, Gurgaon		MDI, Gurgaon		MDI, Gurgaon		MDI, Gurgaon
13	NMIMS, Mumbai		NMIMS, Mumbai		SIBM, Pune		NMIMS, Mumbai
14	SIBM, Pune		SIBM, Pune		SCMHRD, Pune		NITIE, Mumbai
15	NITIE, Mumbai		NITIE, Mumbai		XIM, Bhubaneshwar		SIBM, Pune

The BUSINESS TODAY B-SCHOOL RANKINGS for MBA in INDIA

(Note: We do not approve of the 2006 rankings done by this magazine because institutes that are not even recognised by AICTE have been given high rankings. Hence have not updated the data)

2005 Rank	2004 Rank	2003 Rank	Institute
1	1	1	Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIM-A)
2	2	2	Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore (IIM-B)
3	6	8	Faculty of Management Studies (FMS), Delhi
4	3	3	Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta (Kolkata) (IIM-C)
5	4	4	XLRI, Jamshedpur
6	7	5	Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow (IIM-L)
7	14	NR	Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT), Delhi
8	5	6	Symbiosis, Pune
9	8	7	Jamnalal Bajaj Institute of Management Studies (JBIMS), Mumbai
10	17	10	Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies (NMIMS), Mumbai

INTERESTING FACTS

1. If you yelled for 8 years, 7 months and 6 days, you would have produced enough sound energy to heat one cup of coffee.

(Hardly seems worth it)



2. If you fart consistently for 6 years and 9 months, enough gas is produced to create the energy of an atomic bomb.

(Now that's more like it)



3. A pig's orgasm lasts for 30 minutes.

(In my next life I want to be a pig)

(How'd they figure this out, and why?)



4. Banging your head against a wall uses 150 calories an hour.

(Still can't get over that pig thing)

(Don't try this at home...maybe at work?)



5. Humans and dolphins are the only species that have sex for pleasure.

(Is that why Flipper was always smiling?)

(And pigs get 30-minute orgasms? Doesn't seem fair)



6. The strongest muscle in the body is the tongue.

(Hmmmmmmmmm........)



7. Right-handed people live, on average, nine years longer than left-handed people do.

(If you're ambidextrous do you split the difference?)



8. The ant can lift 50 times its own weight, can pull 30 times its own weight and always falls over on its right side when intoxicated.

(From drinking little bottles of...?)

(Did taxpayers pay for this research??)



9. Polar bears are left handed.

(Who knew....? Who cares? How'd they find out, did they ask them?)



10. The catfish has over 27,000 taste buds.

(What can be so tasty on the bottom of the pond?)



11. The flea can jump 350 times its body length.

It's like a human jumping the length of a football field.

(30 minutes...can you imagine?? And why pigs?)



12. A cockroach will live nine days without it's head, before it starves to death.

(Creepy)



13. The male praying mantis cannot copulate while its head is attached to its body. The female initiates sex by ripping the male's head off.

(Honey, I'm home. What the....)

(Well, at least pigs get a break there...)



14. Some lions mate over 50 times a day.

(In my next life I still want to be a pig ... quality over quantity)



15. Butterflies taste with their feet.

(Oh, Geez) (That's almost as bad as catfish)



16. An ostrich's eye is bigger than it's brain.

(I know some people like that.)



17. Starfish don't have brains.

(I know some people like that too.)


Interesting Facts II

1. Mosquito repellents don't repel. They hide you. The spray blocks the mosquito's sensors so they don't know you're there.

2. Dentists have recommended that a toothbrush be kept at least 6 feet away from a toilet to avoid airborne particles resulting from the flush.

3. The liquid inside young coconuts can be used as substitute for blood plasma.

4. No piece of paper can be folded in half more than 7 times.

5. Donkeys kill more people annually than plane crashes.

6. You burn more calories sleeping than you do watching television.

7. Oak trees do not produce acorns until they are fifty years of age or older.

8. The first product to have a bar code was Wrigley's gum.

9. The king of hearts is the only king without a mustache.

10. A Boeing 747s wingspan is longer than the Wright brother's first flight.

11. American Airlines saved $40,000 in 1987 by eliminating 1 olive from each salad served in first-class.

12. Venus is the only planet that rotates clockwise.

13. Apples, not caffeine, are more efficient at waking you up in the morning.

14. The plastic things on the end of shoelaces are called aglets.

15. Most dust particles in your house are made from dead skin.

16. The first owner of the Marlboro Company died of lung cancer.

17. Michael Jordan makes more money from Nike annually than all of the Nike factory workers in Malaysia combined.

18. Marilyn Monroe had six toes. (rumor)

19. All US Presidents have worn glasses. Some just didn't like being seen wearing them in public.

20. Walt Disney was afraid of mice.

21. Pearls melt in vinegar.

22. Thirty-five percent of the people who use personal ads for dating are already married.

23. The three most valuable brand names on earth: Marlboro, Coca-Cola, and Budweiser, in that order.

24. It is possible to lead a cow upstairs...but not downstairs.

25. A duck's quack doesn't echo and no one knows why. (Or does it? http://www.acoustics.salford.ac.uk/acoustics_world/duck/duck.htm)

26. The reason firehouses have circular stairways is from the days when the engines were pulled by horses. The horses were stabled on the ground floor and figured out how to walk up straight staircases.

27. Richard Millhouse Nixon was the first US president whose name contains all the letters from the word 'criminal.' The second was William Jefferson Clinton.

28. Turtles can breathe through their butts.

29. Butterflies taste with their feet.

30. In 10 minutes, a hurricane releases more energy than all of the world's nuclear weapons combined.

31. On average, 100 people choke to death on ball-point pens every year.

32. On average people fear spiders more than they do death.

33. Ninety percent of New York City cabbies are recently arrived immigrants.

34. Elephants are the only animals that can't jump.

35. Only one person in two billion will live to be 116 or older.

36. Women blink nearly twice as much as men.

37. It's physically impossible for you to lick your elbow. (or can you? http://www.uvm.edu/~dfisher1/random/elbow.jpg http://www.uvm.edu/~dfisher1/random/elbow2.jpg)

38. The Main Library at Indiana University sinks over an inch every year because when it was built, engineers failed to take into account the weight of all the books that would occupy the building.

39. A snail can sleep for three years.

40. No word in the English language rhymes with 'MONTH.'

41. Average life span of a major league baseball: 7 pitches.

42. Our eyes are always the same size from birth, but our nose and ears never stop growing. SCARY!!!

43. The electric chair was invented by a dentist.

44. All polar bears are left handed.

45. In ancient Egypt, priests plucked EVERY hair from their bodies,

including their eyebrows and eyelashes.

46. An ostrich's eye is bigger than its brain.

47. TYPEWRITER is the longest word that can be made using the letters only on one row of the keyboard.

48. 'Go', is the shortest complete sentence in the English language.

49. If Barbie were life-size, her measurements would be 39-23-33. She would stand seven feet, two inches tall. Barbie's full name is Barbara Millicent Roberts.

50. A crocodile cannot stick its tongue out.

51. The cigarette lighter was invented before the match.

52. Almost everyone who reads this will try to lick their elbow.

Salma Hayek grows beard for Freak show

Los Angeles: She sported heavy eyebrows in her Oscar-nominated portrait of artist Frida Kahlo, and now actress Salma Hayek is embracing even more conspicuous facial hair for her next film role -- as a bearded lady.

In what will be her first movie since becoming a mother last fall, the 41-year-old actress has signed on to star opposite John C Reilly in Universal Pictures' family horror drama Cirque du Freak the studio said on Friday.

The film, to be directed by Paul Weitz (American Pie, About a Boy), is based on a best-selling children's book series by Darren Shan.

Reilly, currently starring in the rock biopic satire Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story, will play a vampire who drafts a teenager to serve as his assistant.

The youth is then turned into a half-vampire and goes to live in a circus of freaks that includes Hayek's character. She will play a bearded lady named Madame Truska.

The Mexican-born beauty, who gave birth to a daughter in September, earned an Oscar nomination for her title role in the 2002 film Frida, about the unibrowed artist.

She currently is an executive producer of the ABC hit television comedy Ugly Betty and has a recurring role on the series. Universal is a unit of General Electric Co's NBC Universal.

POLLOCK ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT!!!!

Former South African cricket captain and fast bowler, Shaun Pollock has announced his retirement from international cricket, following the second day’s play of the third test match against the West Indies in Durban on Friday .

Pollock, 34, said the current third and final Test would be his last and he would retire from the international cricket after the one-day series against the West Indians.

His final appearance will be at the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg on 3rd February.

His announcement follows his outstanding bowling performance, which helped the Proteas to restrict the West Indies for 139 runs on the opening day on Thursday.

Pollock was dropped for the first two tests but came back with figures of four for 35 from 11 overs. His stint also included two maidens.

“I’d like to thank Cricket South Africa for allowing me the opportunity of representing my country for the last 12 years,” he said.

“I thoroughly enjoy the honour and privilege of wearing the Protea badge and take with me some remarkable memories having played against some great players.

“I realise I have been blessed by God and feel I have nurtured my talents to the best of my abilities,” Pollock said.

Pollock, the nephew of legendary South African cricketer Graeme Pollock and son of former South African fast bowler, Peter Pollock, started playing for South Africa twelve years ago in the home series against England.

He cemented his place in the team with some excellent performances and found a steady bowling partner in Allan Donald. They were to be the mainstay of South African bowling till Donald’s retirement.

After the late Hansie Cronje was banned from cricket for match-fixing, Pollock took over the captaincy in April 2000.

He was eventually replaced by Graeme Smith after South Africa’s poor performance in the 2003 Cricket World Cup.

He has the lowest economy rate of any bowler to have taken 300 ODI wickets, and he is also the first South African and only the tenth player in the world to take 400 Test wickets.

Besides South Africa, Pollock has also played for Africa XI, World XI, Dolphins and Warwickshire.

The South African all-rounder said he had decided at the beginning of the season that it would be his last but he had not made an announcement because he had not been picked for any of South Africa’s first six Tests.

“I had wanted to make an announcement at the beginning of the West Indies series but having been left out of the New Zealand games (earlier in the season) the last thing I wanted was to catch a game just for sentimental reasons or as a last hurrah,” he said.

Pollock said he believed his timing was right.

“It is pleasing to see the wealth of budding (South African) bowling talent in the wings and I am happy that I am finishing on my own terms.”

Pollock is playing in his 108th Test. He has also scored 3781 runs to rank among the leading all-rounders of all time.

Pollock has played in 298 one-day internationals, scoring 3476 runs and taking 387 wickets.

INSIDE I AM LEGEND !!!!!!!!!!!!

Imagine the bustling chaos of New York City suddenly quiet, still and devoid of life -- save for a solitary man and his canine companion, walking down a desolate, overgrown Fifth Avenue. That unsettling vision sets the scene for the postapocalyptic future of "I Am Legend," in which a mutated virus originally developed to cure cancer has wiped out the planet. Dr. Robert Neville (Will Smith) is the last man standing, a virologist who searches for a cure by day and barricades himself against roving bands of infected, bloodthirsty zombies by night.

Barry Wetcher, SMPSP Will Smith stars as Robert Neville in "I Am Legend." See more movie images.

"I Am Legend" is based on a 1954 novel of the same name by Richard Matheson. It was adapted in 1964 as "The Last Man Standing" with Vincent Price and again in 1971 as "The Omega Man," starring Charlton Heston. This latest incarnation was a monumental logistical and technical challenge for the filmmakers and a psychological one for Smith, who single-handedly carries the film.

In this article, we'll outline the process of bringing this $150 million-plus movie to the screen and hear firsthand from Smith, director Francis Lawrence and co-screenwriter Akiva Goldsman.

The third remake of "I Am Legend" hit many roadblocks on the way to the multiplex. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Ridley Scott were about to shoot it in 1997 when Warner Bros. balked at the $108 million budget. Tom Cruise, Michael Douglas and directors James Cameron and Guillermo del Toro were variously interested or attached, and Will Smith and Michael Bay nearly made an R-rated version in 2002, but the similarly themed "28 Days Later" stole that thunder.

Three years later, Akiva Goldsman and Francis Lawrence, who worked together on "Constantine," revisited the idea as character-driven, PG-rated survival story and got a green light from Warner Bros. Once Smith came aboard, they refined the concept, incorporating some elements from previous screenwriter Mark Protosevich.

"That started in February 2005, and we started officially prepping in May 2006," says director Francis Lawrence. "We shot from September till the beginning of April. We were under-budget in production and we finished a couple days early." That seems almost miraculous in terms of what was required to make it happen. Next, we'll learn about the enormous undertaking of shooting on the "deserted" streets of Manhattan.

teeny veenies!!!

>>*TWO TOUGH QUESTIONS I CAME ACROSS WHILE READING A BOOK*>>>>

Question 1:>>>>If you knew a woman who was pregnant, who had 8 kids already, three >>who were>>deaf, two who were blind, one mentally retarded, and she had >>syphilis,>>would you recommend that she have an abortion?>>>>Read the next question before looking at the response for this one.>>>>

Question 2:>>>>It is time to elect a new world leader, and only your vote counts.>>Here are the facts about the three candidates.>>>>Candidate A. Associates with crooked politicians, and consults with>>astrologists. He's had two mistresses. He>>also chain smokes and drinks 8 to>>10 martinis a day.>>>>Candidate B He was kicked out of office twice, sleeps untilnoon , >>used opium>>in college and drinks a quart of whiskey every evening.>>>>Candidate C He is a decorated war hero. He's a vegetarian, doesn't >>smoke,>>drinks an occasional beer and never cheated on his wife.>>>>>>Which of these candidates would be your choice?>>>>>>Decide first... no peeking, and then scroll down for the response.>>>>>>>>..>>>>..>>>>..>>>>..>>>>..>>>>..>>>>..>>>>..>>>>..>>>>..>>>>..>>>>..>>>>..>>>>..>>>>..>>>>..>>>>..>>>>..>>>>..>>>>..>>>>..>>>>..>>>>..>>>>..>>>>..>>>>..>>>>..>>>>..>>>>..>>>>..>>>>..>>>>.. *>>>>Candidate A is Franklin D. Roosevelt (american>>prez. during WWII)*. *>>>>Candidate B is Winston Churchill(British PM during WWII) **>>>>Candidate C is Adolph Hitler(u kno who during WWII). **>>>>>>And, by the way, on your answer to the abortion question: **>>>>If you said YES . . .>>>>.. . . you just killed Beethoven - Gr8 musician *>>*>>Pretty interesting isn't it? Makes a person think before judging >>someone. *>>

infy Q3 net up 25%

Software major Infosys Technologies on Friday posted 25.22 per cent increase in consolidated net profit at Rs 1,231 crore (Rs 12.31 billion) for the quarter ended December 31, compared to Rs 983 crore (Rs 9.83 billion) for the same quarter in 2006.
Total income of the group increased 19.25 per cent to Rs 4,429 crore (Rs 44.29 billion) for the third quarter ended December 31, from Rs 3,714 crore (Rs 37.14 billion) in the corresponding quarter ended December 31, 2007, Infosys Technologies informed the Bombay Stock Exchange.
The company reported 23.79 per cent increase in net profit at Rs 1,186 crore (Rs 11.86 billion) for the third quarter, compared to Rs 958 crore (Rs 9.58 billion) for the same quarter ended December 31, 2006.
Total income of the company rose 18.12 per cent from to Rs 4,151 crore (Rs 41.51 billion) for the quarter ended December 31, against Rs 3,514 crore (Rs 35.14 billion) in the year ago period.
Infosys [Get Quote] crossed $3 billion in revenues in the first nine months (April-December 2007) of the current financial year.
Infosys Q3 net profit includes Reversal of Tax povision of Rs 50 crore
Infosys pays $26 million overtime to settle California Wage Issue
Guidance for FY08
The company expects its revenues to grow 20 per cent in fiscal 2008.
In dollar terms, FYO8 revenues of $4.17 billion
FY08 revenues seen at Rs 16,627 crore
FY08 guidance assumes tax reversal of Rs 101 crore.
Q4 revenues seen at Rs 4477 crore versus Rs 4501 crore.
FY08 EPS seen at Rs 81.07 and Q4 EPS seen at Rs 21.38
Releasing the results in Bangalore on Friday, S 'Kris' Gopalakrishnan, CEO and managing Director, Infosys Technologies, said: "We believe that our ability to handle large complex programmes using the global delivery model provides a compelling value proposition to global customers seeking efficiency in a challenging macro environment."

for more details copy and paste the following url
http://www.rediff.com/money/2008/jan/11infy.pdf

Taare Jameen Par movie of year 2007

People donot miss the film taare jameen par.its one must watch film. the film was rated as the movie of the year 2007 though it was released almost at the end. it would make any stone hearted human melt for the kids. i almost started cryin on watching the climax. its sucha wonderful climax it has. the story basically revolves around a boy ishaan who seems to be a little slow pickin up in studies but seems to grow in the dimension of art and colour. if u r expecting for an aamir khan film then better don hav that. i myself started wondering whether aamir was there in the film or not but later found him to be the supporting role. the boy can be stated as the boy who lived the age. over all its a spectacular film and aamir deserves a 10 on 10 for hius experimental direction which seemed to have worked really well. taare jameen par aasmaan ko hila diya!!!!!

symonds who broke the pact with bajii !!!

Melbourne, Jan 11 (ANI): Team India's manager Chetan Chauhan has blamed Australian all-rounder Andrew Symonds for violating the oral pact the latter had with Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh for not lodging complaints against each other.
Chauhan said that after having a heated argument in a one-day international in October last year, both the players met in Mumbai to diffuse the tension existing between them.
"In Mumbai they had a friendly pact, an oral pact," said Chauhan, adding, "I would say the first person to have broken that pact was the person who has complained. (Symonds) has said it everywhere that it was he who started it. The cause started from there and then the effect came in."
According to media reports, at that point of time in Mumbai Symonds was forced by his team-mates to report the matter to the match referee, but the Australian all-rounder said he wanted to sort it out man to man.
Symonds spoke to Harbhajan in the Team India's dressing room and the latter had apologised saying that he would not do it again, sources said.
Commenting on the recent spat between Symonds and Harbhajan, Chauhan said, "He (Symonds) has admitted that he had said something to provoke Harbhajan. So there was a cause and an effect.
"We tried our best to scale down the controversy, but were told that the Australian players were adamant to press charges," The Australian quoted him, as saying.
Confirming his spat with Harbhajan, Symonds said that he couldn't stop himself after seeing that Harbhajan had patted Brett Lee on the bottom with his bat.
"I have no idea why he did it,'" said Symonds, adding, "I was standing nearby and when I saw what happened, I thought, that's not on."
Citing this incident as a reason for his acts, Symonds said: "I am a firm believer in sticking up for your team-mate so I stepped in and had a bit of a crack at Harbhajan, telling him exactly what I thought of his antics. He then had a shot back, which brings us to the situation we're facing."
With the fate of tour yet not clear, international cricketers' association (FICA) chief executive Tim May came out in favour of Australian skipper Ricky Ponting and Symonds.
"After the recent Australian tour of India, the racism issue was front-page news and in particular the offending term monkey,'" said May, adding, "For people to dump unceremoniously on a player who has the conviction and strength to report an alleged example of racial abuse is tantamount to accepting racism in our midst."

Could I power my computer or my TV with a bicycle?

To answer this question, you need to know two things:

1. How much power does a computer or a TV consume?
2. Can a person generate that much power with a bicycle?

If you have a normal desktop computer and monitor sitting on your desk, then it probably consumes something around 200 watts. With a bigger monitor, it probably pushes toward 250 watts, but 200 is a good average. A large color TV consumes about the same amount of power.

If you have read How Horsepower Works, you know that 1 horsepower is equal to 746 watts. So a person would have to generate about 0.27 horsepower to power a computer. Assuming that the generator is not 100-percent efficient, this means that a person would have to generate about a third of a horsepower to run a desktop PC.

If you look at the chart on this page, you can see that, unless you are an Olympic athlete, it would be tough for you to generate a third of a horsepower on a bicycle for any substantial length of time. A "normal person" might be able to sustain a third of a horsepower for half an hour before falling off the bike from exhaustion.

The solution to the problem would be to use a laptop computer instead of a desktop PC. Because laptops are designed to run off batteries, they are very efficient. A laptop might consume 15 watts. It would be extremely easy to generate 15 watts (0.02 horsepower) on a bicycle.

How many calories would you burn doing this? To generate 1 watt for an hour, you burn about 0.85 calories. Rounding up, that's about 1 calorie per watt-hour. So you would burn about 15 calories per hour using your bike to power your laptop. At that rate, a single 60-calorie chocolate-chip cookie could power a laptop for four hours!

TATA NANO car that fits everyone withina lakh

Mr. Ratan N. Tata, Chairman of the Tata Group and Tata Motors, today unveiled the Tata ‘NANO’, the People’s Car from Tata Motors that India and the world have been looking forward to. A development, which signifies a first for the global automobile industry, the People’s Car brings the comfort and safety of a car within the reach of thousands of families. The People’s Car will be launched in India later in 2008.

Speaking at the unveiling ceremony at the 9th Auto Expo in New Delhi, Mr. Ratan N. Tata said, “I observed families riding on two-wheelers – the father driving the scooter, his young kid standing in front of him, his wife seated behind him holding a little baby. It led me to wonder whether one could conceive of a safe, affordable, all-weather form of transport for such a family. Tata Motors’ engineers and designers gave their all for about four years to realise this goal. Today, we indeed have a People’s Car, which is affordable and yet built to meet safety requirements and emission norms, to be fuel efficient and low on emissions. We are happy to present the People’s Car to India and we hope it brings the joy, pride and utility of owning a car to many families who need personal mobility.”

Stylish, comfortable

The People’s Car, designed with a family in mind, has a roomy passenger compartment with generous leg space and head room. It can comfortably seat four persons. Four doors with high seating position make ingress and egress easy.

Yet with a length of 3.1 metres, width of 1.5 metres and height of 1.6 metres, with adequate ground clearance, it can effortlessly manoeuvre on busy roads in cities as well as in rural areas. Its mono-volume design, with wheels at the corners and the powertrain at the rear, enables it to uniquely combine both space and manoeuvrability, which will set a new benchmark among small cars.

When launched, the car will be available in both standard and deluxe versions. Both versions will offer a wide range of body colours, and other accessories so that the car can be customised to an individual’s preferences.

Fuel-efficient engine

The People’s Car has a rear-wheel drive, all-aluminium, two-cylinder, 623 cc, 33 PS, multi point fuel injection petrol engine. This is the first time that a two-cylinder gasoline engine is being used in a car with single balancer shaft. The lean design strategy has helped minimise weight, which helps maximise performance per unit of energy consumed and delivers high fuel efficiency. Performance is controlled by a specially designed electronic engine management system.

Meets all safety requirements

The People’s Car’s safety performance exceeds current regulatory requirements. With an all sheet-metal body, it has a strong passenger compartment, with safety features such as crumple zones, intrusion-resistant doors, seat belts, strong seats and anchorages, and the rear tailgate glass bonded to the body. Tubeless tyres further enhance safety.

Environment-friendly

The People’s Car’s tailpipe emission performance exceeds regulatory requirements. In terms of overall pollutants, it has a lower pollution level than two-wheelers being manufactured in India today. The high fuel efficiency also ensures that the car has low carbon dioxide emissions, thereby providing the twin benefits of an affordable transportation solution with a low carbon footprint.

My first blogpost

for years i wondered how to start a blog. and wat to write!!but now atlast am wrting my first blog .i hav got exactly no clue wat to write abt so just starting witha self intro. am bharath age 21 living in chennai .like to read book but hate to read it again!!likes-watching movies and hanging out with friends.
in this blog i intend to give some valuable scientific info as am one science freak!!!
hope to see everyone here