Moment of Love

Afzal Guru: Delhi parliament attack plotter hanged

2013-02-09T07:35:00.001-08:00

Officials said Mohammed Afzal Guru, who had been on death row since 2002, was executed at Tihar jail near Delhi. Afzal Guru had always denied plotting the attack, which left 14 dead. India has stepped up security and announced a curfew in Indian-administered Kashmir, where news of the execution was expected to spark unrest. Executions are very rare in India - Afzal Guru's was only the second since 2004, after Mohammed Ajmal Kasab, the sole surviving attacker from the 2008 Mumbai attack was executed in November. "This is only about the law taking its course," Home Secretary RK Singh said. Pakistan-backed attack? Hundreds of police and paramilitary personnel have been deployed in towns and cities across Indian-administered Kashmir to try to contain any unrest sparked by the execution. Claimed in its entirety by both India and Pakistan, Kashmir has been a flashpoint for more than 60 years and two wars have been fought over it. The December 2001 attack was one of the most controversial incidents in recent Indian history, correspondents say.

Five rebels stormed India's parliament in Delhi on 13 December 2001, killing a gardener and eight policemen before they were shot dead by security forces. India blamed the attack on the Jaish-e-Mohammed militant group, which it said was backed by Pakistan. Pakistan denied involvement in the attack but relations between the two countries nosedived as their armies massed about a million troops along the border. Afzal Guru, a former fruit seller, was one of two men sentenced to death for helping to plan the attack, although the sentence of Shaukat Hussain was later reduced on appeal to 10 years in jail. Guru was found guilty of arranging weapons for the attackers and of membership of Jaish-e-Mohammed, both of which he denied. Two other people accused in the case, SAR Geelani and Afsan Guru, were acquitted due to a lack of evidence. Afzal Guru's appeal was first refused by the Supreme Court and then the president. From:bbc.co.uk

New Year Celebration By Beer Festival 2012

2011-12-25T07:34:00.000-08:00

Wish all of you happy new year 2012 to get online new year sms and scrape.Beer festtival week start on 1st jan 2012 to 10th jan 2012.

Get more Srape for new year 2012. A Beer Festival is an organised event during which a variety of beers (and often other alcoholic drinks) are available for tasting and purchase. Beer festivals are held in a number of countries. A Beer Exhibition is usually synonymous with a Beer Festival but, whilst a beer festival may involve a limited range of beer styles or manufacturers, with an emphasis on entertainment, use of the term "beer exhibition" places emphasis on sampling or tasting a wide range of beers, usually craft-brewed in a variety of different styles by various brewers.
There may be a theme; for instance beers from a particular area, or a particular brewing style such as winter ales. Beerex is a commonly used portmanteau word coined in 1977 as an abbreviated form of Beer Exhibition. Source : wikipedia

Virender Sehwag's record knock hailed by cricket fraternity

2011-12-08T20:16:00.001-08:00

NEW DELHI: The cricket fraternity hailed Virender Sehwag for becoming the highest scorer in the history of one-day cricket with a phenomenal 219, describing the feat as an "incredible" achievement and good omen ahead of the Australian tour later this month.

Virender sehwag PROFILE
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The big-hitting Indian opener in the process surpassed teammate Sachin Tendulkar's 147-ball 200 not out he had scored against South Africa on February 24 last year in Gwalior.
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Sehwag, who achieved the feat in the fourth ODI against the West Indies at Indore on Thursday, was eventually out after facing 140 balls and hitting 25 fours and seven sixes at the packed Holkar Stadium.

Former India captain Sourav Ganguly led the tributes, saying the feat was expected given his positive attitude.

"The double hundred will be a big morale booster for him with the tough Australian tour lined up. You will find the bowling attack, conditions different Down Under. This double ton will give him a big confidence for sure ahead of the Australia tour.

"This is a great achievement and I congratulate Sehwag for the amazing feat. He has captained the Indian side on and off for a short while and I believe he could make up as a good captain. He is a gambler, a player who loves to take risks. If he keeps getting opportunity as a captain, he will come up with many such milestones," said Ganguly.

Chairman of selectors Kris Srikkanth described Sehwag as one of the greatest players he has ever seen and termed the feat as 'incredible'.

"I am very happy for Sehwag. He is one of the greatest players I have ever seen. He missed his double century (175) during the World Cup game against Bangladesh at Mirpur. But today he has achieved the feat which I would like to describe as incredible," said Srikkanth.

Srikkanth felt it was important for Sehwag to hit peak form before the Australia series.

"He is an amazing player and it's very important that Sehwag touches the peak form by the time India leave for Australia.

"The greatest thing about Sehwag is that he is an honest person. He was blaming the openers for not getting enough runs on the board during this ongoing series. The top-order included himself also and he did not mince word before criticising himself. So he is a very straight-forward kind of a person," added the chief selector.

Asked who he thought would have crossed the 200-mark barrier in ODIs, Srikkanth promptly replied, "West Indian great Vivian Richards, Sachin Tendulkar and Sehwag. These are the guys capable of reaching the milestone."

Srikkanth said that Sehwag has matured as a player and his coming back to form is a good sign for Indian cricket.

Former Pakistan leg-spinner Abdul Qadir said he always believed in Sehwag's attacking mindset.

"I have always remained a great fan of Sachin Tendulkar and when he scored the double hundred against South Africa, one name that crossed my mind was Sehwag. In my view, other player who could have scored double ton was Sri Lankan opener Sanath Jayasuriya because he also plays an attacking brand of cricket.

"Both Sehwag and Jayasuriya have the talent and ability to score a double hundred and can only touch the mark. I would like to extend my congratulations to all Indians for Sehwag scoring a double hundred," said Qadir.

AN Sharma, Sehwag's childhood coach, said the feat was long overdue and it was satisfying watching his student score a double ton.

"It was long overdue. I always used to tell him whenever he stepped on the field that this time you have to score a double hundred. It was very satisfying finally watching Viru score 200 runs with such strokeful display. He has always played attacking game and that helped him achieve the milestone.

"I hope Viru will be back to his usual self after this inning. My congratulation to him," said Sharma.

Former Indian cricketer Abbas Ali Baig said, "Once Sehwag gets going, it's very difficult to stop him. I am delighted and congratulations to him."

Meanwhile, the batsman was flooded with congratulatory messages in the virtual world.

"I say it again! I never saw sir Viv (Vivian Richards) bat but I have seen Sehwag bat! What a player... 219 in a one day game is next to impossible!" Indian cricketer Yuvraj Singh wrote on his Twitter page.

Teammate and pace spearhead Zaheer Khan wrote on Sehwag's twitter page, "Cheers! congratulations!! way to go buddy!"

West Indies' explosive opener Chris Gayle wrote, "Well, I did watch some of that innings by Viru.... Brilliant striking!! Congrats on ur 219.. That's child abuse! The Mask would say, Smoking!"

England cricketer Kevin Pietersen also lavished praise on Sehwag, calling him a genius.

"If you are a cricket fan, pls switch your tv's on right now & watch a genius bat.. Sehwag destroying the WI.. World record coming.." Pietersen wrote on his Twitter page.

India players Dinesh Karthik and Murali Vijay too were in awe of Sehwag.

"It's a great effort. Once he got a triple hundred (in Tests) it was just a matter of time for him to bring up this one. I am a big fan of him. The fact that he can even dispatch good balls to boundaries makes him so different," Karthik said.

Vijay said, "I was just watching it. I am so happy for him. It's unbelievable. He is such a great batsman. He batted like himself."

Former chief selector, Kiran More described Sehwag as one of the greatest cricketer India had ever produced.

"One of the greatest cricketer India ever had. He is one of the biggest destroyers of spin bowling. Be it Test, one-day or T20, he bats with equal flair. If you see the records, Indian Test cricket have improved tremendously in last 10 years and Viru is a key factor.

"The results are showing. He will be a vital cog in the Indian wheel in their upcoming tour Down Under. He has done well in difficult conditions and on various types of pitches. We can't compare Sachin with Sehwag. When he came, he tried to copy Sachin. But Sehwag has played very freely since then," More said.

Former Test player Deep Gupta said: "Only I am not surprised. It was coming I knew. Great achievement. He deserves every bit of it. Vintage Sehwag. That's the diff between a great player and a good player. Suddenly come to form."

Former national selectors Sambaran Banerjee and Pranab Roy also heaped praise http://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifon Sehwag.

"Virender Sehwag always steals the show when he plays. He is an extraordinary talent. In today's innings he showed exceptional commitment, the way he was diving to save run-outs, says a lot. He was not in his casual self. Sehwag is simply terrific," Banerjee said.

Roy said: "Sehwag's batsmanship is all about taking risk but with perfection. He takes a lot of risks but he balances with amazing perfection, that's unbelievable. He is definitely one of the greatest batsmen. Whenever he gets going, India wins a match.

"This knock will definitely give Mahendra Singh Dhoni and co a huge confidence ahead of the crucial Australia tour. I don't want to compare him with Sachin Tendulkar. If you have respect for both then don't compare."

Indian tennis players Mahesh Bhupathi and Sania Mirza were effusive in congratulating Sehwag.

"Holy cow is all I am gonna say about that innings. Amazing stuff by Viru. As Johnny Mac would say "you can't be serious," said Bhupathi.

"What an achievement. What a player. Hats off to Sehwag," said Mirza.

Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar said, "Congrats Viru for that incredible 219 which was an epic inning! What timing and energy, indeed SehWhacked. Respect."

Indian Premier League CEO Sundar Raman said, "If one did not see Viru's innings could easily mistake the scorecard for a game of book cricket!"
FROM - timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Prince William marriage: World joins in British royal wedding celebrations

2011-04-29T09:33:00.000-07:00

LONDON: They wore Kate and William face masks in Hong Kong, donned plastic tiaras and wedding dresses in Sydney and knocked back jugs of Pimm's and roast beef served on red, white and blue plates in Paris.

As thousands packed the streets of London to celebrate the wedding of Britain's Prince William and Kate Middleton on Friday, millions more around the world joined in the fun.
Royal-themed parties were held from Beijing to New York, while up to 2 billion people worldwide were expected to watch the wedding on television, the British government estimated.

In Australia, a Queen Elizabeth look-a-like greeted crowds glued to a large outdoor screen in Sydney and a Melbourne hotel offered "wedding guests" traditional British food and drink, such as Yorkshire pudding, gin and tonic and Pimm's, a fruity alcoholic drink.

Sydney's gays and lesbians held a same-sex royal wedding party, with guests enjoying slices of a giant wedding cake baked by Gaycakes and a gift bag containing a booklet on same-sex marriages.

In the former British colony of Hong Kong, which switched from British to Chinese rule in 1997, pubs and bars were decked out in Union Jack flags as live footage of the celebrations were beamed to champagne-sipping party-goers.
"It's bigger than the World Cup final," said Edward Stockreisser, a British expatriate watching the wedding with his fiancee. "We're in an Irish pub in Hong Kong and everyone's watching the TV...people really care about them."

In a shopping mall on Kowloon, on the other side of the harbour, crowds of locals wore red, white and blue hats and waved flags. Some wore William and Kate masks.

BREAKFAST IN NEW YORK

Royal wedding fans braved an early morning in New York to mark the big day with street celebrations and to watch three couples tie the knot in Times Square. Cable TV station TLC sought to boost ratings by organising the weddings on a stage erected above the busy intersection in Manhattan.

"It's amazing it's the same day, it feels a little bit for them," said groom Hector Abreu, 27. "No, it's for us," butted in his future bride Candice Chapman.

About 200 people gathered in Manhattan's Greenwich Village to watch the wedding on TV and to munch on a British breakfast in a restaurant bedecked in Union Jack flags.

In Beijing, many expatriate Britons gathered at private houses to watch the ceremony on TV, while a lucky few were invited to a garden party at the British ambassador's house.

In cosmopolitan and wealthy Shanghai, the Langham Xintiandi hotel was hosting a gala charity dinner with British dishes.

"The dessert will be a chocolate biscuit cake similar to what Prince William himself has requested for his wedding cake," the hotel's communications officer, Taylor Chen, told Reuters.

Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak was among 1,000 guests at the UK embassy in Tel Aviv who enjoyed ale and strawberries.

In the garden of the British embassy in Dubai, around 1,200 people sat under sunshades and trees decorated with Union Jacks, watching the wedding on two large screens. They wore straw hats to protect themselves from the scorching sun and tucked into baked potatoes.

There was music, dancing and a children's tea party in the sunny southern Spanish town of Rojales where British expatriates and locals watched the wedding on giant screens.

"It's a huge celebration, there are about 1,200 people here, 50-50 British and Spanish," said event organiser Linda Sage.

Around 400 guests celebrated at the British Ambassador's residence in Paris, sipping champagne and nibbling on beef and horseradish sauce kebabs and egg sandwiches.

Ambassador Sir Peter Westmacott, deputy private secretary to William's father Prince Charles in the 1990s, told Reuters: "If Britain, by having some fun, can spread a bit of happiness around the world then great, and that's what we've done."

Tourists gathered at the Pont de l'Alma bridge in the French capital, an unofficial monument to William's mother Princess Diana since her death in car crash there in 1997.

A large heart-shaped frame of white carnations and roses was left with a note, saying: "Thinking of you on this special day."
from-economictimes.indiatimes

Lara Dutta Got Married With Mahesh Bhupathi

2011-02-22T04:53:00.000-08:00

The Bollywood babe Lara Dutta exchanged wedding vows with the Tennis superstar Mahesh Bhupathi in Goa.The star studded wedding vows been held catholic style at Taj Aguada in Goa.Though the couple got married in Bollywood style on 16th of Feb in Mumbai.Both of them were engaged last year itself.

Lara Dutta was wearing a white gown and Mahesh Bhupathi was wearing a black suit.Lara was wearing a diamond necklace which was created by Anmol Jewellers.The media though was not allowed in the wedding ceremony.Its been in news that about 250 guests are being invited in this special wedding ceremony.

Among celebrities Priyanka Chopra,Dia Mirza,Celina Jaitley,Ritesh Deshmukh attended.From the fashion world designers Wendell Rodricks with fashion model Sheetal Malhar attended the marriage.From the Sports world Mahesh Bhupathi's doubles partner Laender Paes was present with his wife Rhea Pillai.
by:allvoices.com

Valentine's Day kissing celebration

2011-02-14T04:37:00.000-08:00

Thai couples break world record for kissing

February 14, 2011 17:18 IST
PATTAYA, Thailand — It was one long kiss -- one world-breaking embrace for mankind.

Seven couples locked lips for more than 33 hours to celebrate Valentine's Day in this southern Thai beach resort town in what organizers claim is the longest recorded smooch in history.

The previous record -- 32 hours, 7 minutes and 14 seconds -- was set in 2009 by a couple in Germany, according to Guinness World Records.

Fourteen mostly Thai pairs entered the contest when it kicked off Sunday morning at 6 a.m. local time. By Monday afternoon, half were still smooching away on the white-marble corridor a shopping mall, where tourists gawked and smiled at the spectacle, snapping pictures with glowing mobile phones behind a red rope.

"We didn't think we would find anybody that could break the record," said Somporn Naksuetrong, the manager of Pattaya's Louis Tussaud's Waxworks museum, which organized the competition. That seven couples apparently did so, he said, "is amazing."

The last couple left kissing wins a diamond ring worth 50,000 Thai Baht (US$1,606), and a 100,000 Baht (US$3,213) cash prize.

According to the rules, the lovebirds' lips cannot part at any time. They are allowed to drink water, coffee, milk or juice -- but only through straws while continuing to kiss. They also have to remain embraced during bathroom breaks possible every three hours -- accompanied by contest monitors.

The harshest rule: no sitting or sleeping. One woman participating with her boyfriend fainted just half an hour after it began Sunday.

Despite its reputation for having one of the biggest sex industries in the world, Thailand is still a conservative nation where kissing in public -- even a small peck -- is frowned upon. Participants had to show proof they were either married or truly a couple -- a letter from both parents or a marriage certificate was acceptable.

"We want to show that love is meaningful and powerful," Somporn said.

"It's not easy to stand there and kiss for that long," he said. "They really have to help each other and support each other."

Louis Tussaud's Waxworks -- a Pattaya wax museum, is under the management of Ripley's World of Entertainment. Representatives of Guinness World Records were not immediately available to comment, but Somporn said they were aware of the contest.

The couples who took part were mainly Thai and ranged in age from 21 to 51. There was one German man with a Thai woman, and also a gay couple.

The record for the longest kiss was set by Nikola Matovic and Kristina Reinhart in Germany in February 2009, according to the Guinness Book of Records, whose officials will have to verify the latest milestone for it to become official.
source: ctv calgary

Valentine's Day

2011-02-13T11:50:00.000-08:00

Romantic legends

Saint Valentine's Day, commonly shortened to Valentine's Day, is an annual commemoration held on February 14 celebrating love and affection between intimate companions. The day is named after one or more early Christian martyrs, Saint Valentine, and was established by Pope Gelasius I(first) in 496 AD. It was deleted from the Roman calendar of saints in 1969 by Pope Paul VI(sixth), but its religious observance is still permitted. It is traditionally a day on which lovers express their love for each other by presenting flowers, offering confectionery, and sending greeting cards (known as "valentines"). The day first became associated with romantic love in the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in the High Middle Ages, when the tradition of courtly love flourished.

Modern Valentine's Day symbols include the heart-shaped outline, doves, and the figure of the winged Cupid. Since the 19th century, handwritten valentines have given way to mass-produced greeting cards.
The Early Medieval acta of either Saint Valentine were expounded briefly in Legenda Aurea. According to that version, St Valentine was persecuted as a Christian and interrogated by Roman Emperor Claudius II(second) in person. Claudius was impressed by Valentine and had a discussion with him, attempting to get him to convert to Roman paganism in order to save his life. Valentine refused and tried to convert Claudius to Christianity instead. Because of this, he was executed. Before his execution, he is reported to have performed a miracle by healing the blind daughter of his jailer.

Since Legenda Aurea still provided no connections whatsoever with sentimental love, appropriate lore has been embroidered in modern times to portray Valentine as a priest who refused an unattested law attributed to Roman Emperor Claudius II(second), allegedly ordering that young men remain single. The Emperor supposedly did this to grow his army, believing that married men did not make for good soldiers. The priest Valentine, however, secretly performed marriage ceremonies for young men. When Claudius found out about this, he had Valentine arrested and thrown in jail.

There is an additional modern embellishment to The Golden Legend, provided by American Greetings to History.com, and widely repeated despite having no historical basis whatsoever. On the evening before Valentine was to be executed, he would have written the first "valentine" card himself, addressed to a young girl variously identified as his beloved, as the jailer's daughter whom he had befriended and healed, or both. It was a note that read "From your Valentine."

Valentine's Day is mentioned ruefully by Ophelia in Hamlet (1600–1601):

To-morrow is Saint Valentine's day,
All in the morning betime,
And I a maid at your window,
To be your Valentine.
Then up he rose, and donn'd his clothes,
And dupp'd the chamber-door;
Let in the maid, that out a maid
Never departed more.
—William Shakespeare, Hamlet, Act IV, Scene 5

John Donne used the legend of the marriage of the birds as the starting point for his Epithalamion celebrating the marriage of Elizabeth, daughter of James I of England, and Frederick V, Elector Palatine on Valentine's Day:

Hayle Bishop Valentine whose day this is
All the Ayre is thy Diocese
And all the chirping Queristers
And other birds ar thy parishioners
Thou marryest every yeare
The Lyrick Lark, and the graue whispering Doue,
The Sparrow that neglects his life for loue,
The houshold bird with the redd stomacher
Thou makst the Blackbird speede as soone,
As doth the Goldfinch, or the Halcyon
The Husband Cock lookes out and soone is spedd
And meets his wife, which brings her feather-bed.
This day more cheerfully than ever shine
This day which might inflame thy selfe old Valentine.
—John Donne, Epithalamion Vpon Frederick Count Palatine and the Lady Elizabeth marryed on St. Valentines day

INDIA

In India, in the antiquity, there was a tradition of adoring Kamadev, the lord of love; exemplificated by the erotic carvings in the Khajuraho Group of Monuments and by the writing of the Kamasutra treaty of lovemaking. This tradition was lost around the Middle Ages, when Kamadev was no longer celebrated, and public displays of sexual affections became frowned upon. Around 1992 Valentine's Day started catching in India, with special TV and radio programs, and even love letter competitions. The economic liberation also helped the Valentine card industry.

In modern times, Hindu and Islamic traditionalists consider the holiday to be cultural contamination from the West, result of the globalization in India. Shiv Sena and the Sangh Parivar have asked their followers to shun the holiday and the "public admission of love" because of them being "alien to Indian culture". These protests are organized by political elites, but the protesters themselves are middle-class Hindu men who fear that the globalization will destroy the traditions in his society: arranged marriages, hindu joint families, full-time mothers (see Housewife#India), etc.

Despite these obstacles, valentine's day is becoming increasingly popular in India.

However, leftist and liberal critiques of Valentine's day remain strong in India. Valentine's Day has been strongly criticized from a postcolonial perspective by intellectuals from the Indian left . The holiday is regarded as a front for Western imperialism, neocolonialism, and the exploitation of working classes through commercialism by multinational corporations. Studies have shown that Valentine's day promotes and exacerbates income inequality in India, and aids in the creation of a pseudo-westernized middle class. As a result, the working classes and rural poor become more disconnected socially, politically, and geographically from the hegemonic capitalist power structure. They also criticize mainstream media attacks on Indians opposed to valentine's day as a form of demonization that is designed and derived to further the valentine's day agenda.
By - wikipedia

Mirren's sexy senior moment

2010-06-29T21:42:00.000-07:00

PROFILE | Age-defying actress Helen Mirren hopes her body of movie work speaks for itself

This is what 64 looks like these days. It comes in the form of gorgeous Helen Mirren, who in recent years has been caught in swimsuit photos that landed in the pages of magazines everywhere.
Forget all the child-woman stars out there. It's Dame Mirren who was proclaimed one of the sexiest women on the planet.

"Oh, dear," Mirren says of her age-defying status in Hollywood. "I don't think anyone would think I'm sexy if they could see me first thing in the morning! But it's still incredibly flattering."
Two words for her sex-symbol status: unretouched photos.
"Oh, I was holding my tummy in on a vacation," says Mirren of one 2008 beach shot. "I was being photographed by my husband and, at that moment, a paparazzi jumped out on the beach in Hawaii and took that picture. There must be other shots on the beach that day that are far less flattering. You saw the tummy sucking in shot.
"In the other pictures you see the truth vs. the reality," she says with a warm laugh.

The London native, who starred in "The Queen" and on TV's "Prime Suspect," would rather be known for her body of work. She stars for her director-husband, Taylor Hackford, in "Love Ranch," opening Wednesday. It's a bittersweet love story set in late 1970s Nevada in the first legal brothel. Mirren plays a madam, with Joe Pesci as her hubby.
Their lives are thrown into an upheaval when a heavyweight boxer from South America (Sergio Peris-Mencheta) comes to the Ranch, and a love triangle among the three principals results in murder.
The idea of Mirren playing a madam has created a few gasps and even more chuckles. "It's fabulous, isn't it?" she poses. "I've gone from Madam Tolstoy to a madam. What a fabulous job I have."
To research the role, Mirren spoke with a working madam. "She was absolutely invaluable," says Mirren, who adds that the biggest lesson was that being a madam is just a job. "It's a business and you must approach it as a businesswoman."
The director added another twist.
"Me as a madam married to Joe Pesci is something only my husband could come up with," she insists. "But I understood his casting once we got to the set. I felt when I watched Joe and I together on film that you really did believe that the two of us were married to each other. "
After Mirren shook off brothel life, she joined director Julie Taymor for a version of Shakespeare's "The Tempest," due in December. "It was an amazing experience," Mirren says of playing Prospera. "Normally my role is played by a man, but Julie changed it."
In October, Mirren will be seen starring with Bruce Willis in the action film "Red."
She isn't sitting behind a desk. "I play a retired CIA agent and I have action scenes and stunts," says the unstoppable Mirren. "It was harrowing, of course, but that's what made it fun to do.
"I went from Shakespeare to running around with guns," she says. "How fabulous!"
As for maintaining her gorgeous figure, Mirren says,"I was given a good body. But I do feel guilty when I don't work out. I think, 'Oh, you could do better.' "

Source:suntimes.com

'The Bachelor: Jason and Molly's Wedding': The Top 10 Moments

2010-03-12T23:02:00.000-08:00

Last night, ABC gave us front-row seats to the Feb. 27 nuptials of Jason Mesnick and Molly Malaney, which host Chris Harrison referred to as “one of the most anticipated weddings of all time” with a totally straight face. That’s not rice you’re seeing in the photo, it’s rain. Which brings us to…
1. For some reason (the Bachelor producers are evil?), their wedding planner wasn’t able to give them a Plan B for their outdoor ceremony. They began the service during a break in the clouds — with Molly walking down the aisle to Jason Castro singing “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” — but midway through Molly’s self-penned vows, there was a downpour. All the guests had clear umbrellas, but no one thought to hand a couple to the best man and maid of honor to keep the bride and groom dry? Or, you know, maybe someone could’ve erected a large, elegant canopy over the wedding party area earlier in the day? Jason and Molly didn’t seem to mind — it just made the day all the more memorable. But I would’ve been pissed to have gotten my new green Manolo Blahniks soaked.
2. That moment when Molly’s uncle officiating the ceremony told the guests to be seated and the camera panned back to Chris Harrison, who threw it to commercial.
3. The look on Molly’s face when her uncle asked if anyone objected to the wedding. Actually, a lot of people were looking around as though Bachelor producers might have arranged for a Melissa Rycroft cameo. She’s married, she’s over it! And the only thing Nikki, one of Jason’s former suitors, should’ve objected to was the furry pink coat single mom Stephanie was wearing.

4. Jason Castro was left standing in the rain by himself singing “That’s What I’m Here For” as the wedding party and guests moved inside for the reception.
5. Gavin DeGraw, Molly’s favorite singer, performed her favorite song, “Follow Through” for the couple’s first dance. Amazingly, with 300 guests and a camera crew around them, they made that moment theirs. Very sweet.
6. Of course, we got updates on past Bachelors. Charlie O’Connell and Sarah Brice didn’t mention that they’re developing a reality show with Oxygen, but we got the premise: He wants to buy a home and move back in together, she won’t live with him again until he puts a ring on it.
7. Ryan Sutter spoke (!) and recalled his televised wedding with Trista: “Some would say it was a little bit overboard on the pink.” Trista denied this and claimed they had white flowers along with the pink ones. Then she awkwardly wished the couple a baby boy — in addition to Mesnick’s son, Ty, of course. (Ty, by the way, was at the wedding but wasn’t allowed to be filmed because his mother and Jason decided together — yeah, right — that he shouldn’t be on-camera anymore.)
8. Jillian Harris and Ed Swiderski are planning a wedding, but considering the only thing I remember about their screentime was Ed’s ill-advised heavage, I hope it’s not turned into a two-hour event. I would, however, watch a half-hour special should DeAnna Pappas end up marrying her boyfriend, Stephen Stagliano, whose twin brother Michael courted Jillian during her season. (Also, I would not be surprised if someday we saw a sex tape of Jake Pavelka and Vienna Girardi leaked. We already saw the foreplay as he rolled her around on the bed trying to prevent her from watching him kiss another woman on an episode of The Bachelor.)
9. Jason and Molly had the tamest Vegas Bachelor and Bachelorette parties ever. Naturally, the women went to a spa, then got an in-room stripper lesson, while the men gambled. But kudos to the unidentified guy who toasted Jason by saying, “Of all the women Jason’s proposed to, I think Molly’s the best.” (Also, props to Jason’s brother Larry, who later outed Jason at the rehearsal dinner for having a doll collection when he was young. Jason looked genuinely mortified.)
10. It’s a tie between the paparazzo being put in a headlock and taken to the ground at the wedding location (because no one is going to shoot this wedding, except for ABC), and Molly’s sister-in-law pretending to use an outfit-coordinating web site (I refuse to name it) to dress herself for the rehearsal dinner.
Your turn. What did you think of the ceremony? Weren’t the vows a bit anticlimactic after we heard Molly and Jason describe their love and struggle to get through the last year for an hour beforehand?

Source: popwatch.ew.com

2010 Oscars: A Mixed Bag of Predictability

2010-03-08T23:57:00.000-08:00

John Hughes' films were never really appreciated critically the way they should've been. Sure, any child of the 1980s idolized the man, but for some reason, his comedies - despite their winning characters and overall humor and heart - were often forgotten and never dubbed instant classics when they came out. That sentiment probably still lives on, which is why I was so delighted that the late filmmaker was honored like an icon at last night's Oscar telecast.

Sure it seemed out of place - and rightfully so - but it was poignant to see Brat Packers like Molly Ringwald, Matthew Broderick, Ally Sheedy and even Judd Nelson take the stage and pay tribute to a man taken away from us far too soon. Sadly that homage was one of the few surprises of the night. Throughout the evening, the awards played out as many would expect: the predicted winners won (we all knew Avatar's" hype had dwindled and that all the acting races were sown up since December), the telecast was bloated, and there were unnecessary roadblocks throughout - take that dreadful and awkward dance sequence and Christoph Waltz meandering speech.

And, it wasn't all bad. On a positive note, the evening moved forward nicely for the first hour with top awards like Original Screenplay and the Supporting Actor/Actress awards being handed out. The show started on a high (if you saw it - shout out to Cablevision - perhaps I'll switch to Fios now - you charge too much and you threw your customers under a bus yesterday) with a surprise appearance and musical number by Neil Patrick Harris (trifecta anyone? First the Tonys, then the Emmys, and now the Oscars) to introduce the Oscar hosts. While Harris was nice to watch it was a foreshadowing of things to come when five actors would introduce the five actors nominated only to have last year's winner - um - reintroduce the nominees again.

While it was uneven, co-hosts Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin opened the show by bouncing jokes and jabs off each other - one quip about Meryl Streep being a Nazi sympathizer was odd but absolutely hilarious. Still, there was a sense of been there done that. Martin and Baldwin are a wonderful pair. We've seem them work seamlessly on "Saturday Night Live," but their jokes seemed a little recycled (a Matt Damon/Ben Affleck joke - really?) and never really had a golden moment because the show was - as always - long winded. Don't blame the pair though - they did bring their A-game - perhaps Martin more than Baldwin but he's got more experience. Maybe I'm being too picky. I just think there needs to be some unpredictability in the hosting duties especially when you have such a predictable winners circle. Watch Zach Galifianakis' uncanny and unpredictable opening monologue on "Saturday Night Live" this weekend and you'll see what I mean. You didn't know where he was going, but you wanted to watch every minute of it. Sign him up next year, please.

Some of the producers' choices also seemed to distract and expand the show for absolutely no reason. Did we really need Taylor Lautner and Kristen Stewart presenting at all - never mind introducing a montage of horror movies? On a related note, is Twilight really worthy of being incorporated in that montage? Perhaps for its dialogue? Zing.

Anyway, that's small potatoes because years from now this telecast will be remembered as the year a woman won Best Director and James Cameron's ego shrunk a little. But altogether, this show improved on last year's Hugh Jackman mess. It moved quicker, was far funnier, avoided any close-up shots of Mo'nique's hairy legs, and picked its self up each time it stumbled. Let's just hope for some unpredictability next year... Again, if it's not going to come from the winners, let it come from the hosts.

Source:huffingtonpost.com

A very happy Women’s Day

2010-03-07T22:39:00.000-08:00

Good morning! A very happy Women’s Day to all of you… and why just women, why not all? I’m sure, even men would like to celebrate the stupendous success that women have achieved in a variety of fields for over a century now. When we celebrate the Women’s Day our first salute ought to go to those women who have willed themselves to stand behind (despite their own accomplishments) and look after their families, who have chosen to put everything else aside and let their children take prominence in their lives and hearts.

Yes, I’m talking about a ‘homemaker’ — a professional in her own right, someone who tirelessly works day and night without a demur (protest) and has the gumption (courage) to smile behind the tears of joy for every successful step that her kid takes. She’s there everywhere — running behind her child’s missed bus, haggling (negotiating) with the vegetable vendour and making every effort to make her family comfortable. She’s your quintessential (typical, ideal/ pronounced as KWIN- TAY- SEN- SHUL) mother, who happily gives up on her favourite chocolate pastry because her daughter wants some more. And, no, please don’t drop a tear on her sacrifice; for she deserves a resounding (loud) applaud for a job well done!

Since it’s the Woman’s Day, let’s talk about some Indian women writers who have made their mark in the field of English writing: Shashi Deshpande, a Sahitya Academy Award winner for her novel The Long Silence. She has zealously (enthusiastically) written short stories, novels and children’s books in English.

Kiran Desai, the winner of Man’s Booker’s Prize and the National Books Critics Circle Fiction Award for her novel The Inheritance of Loss.

Women writers like Anita

Desai and Kamala Markandaya have taken up perennial (lasting) themes like men-women relationships for their books. Voices in the City, a novel by Anita

Desai talks about the intricacies in the lives of the lead characters.

Kamala Markandaya’s Nectar in a Sieve or A Handful of Rice or Some Inner Fury are novels that leave a lasting impression on the readers’ minds by their stark portrayal of truth.

Bharati Mukhejee, Shobha De, Arundhati Roy, Jhumpa Lahiri, Namita Gokhale, Krishna Sobati are just a few names of the present day Indian women writers who have touched upon delicate contemporary issues with a modern approach. Reading them is an eye-opener, for their writings show the tremendous leaps that women have taken over the past few years.

How are their writings relevant to you as far as learning English goes? It’s always easier to understand the Indian writers, more so, if the subjects of their books are taken from your everyday lives. So when you pick up a book, by let us say Kamala Das, it will be more comprehensible to you than a book by Maya Angelou.

Source: ANTU MAM

Building Long Term Relationships: The Spiritual Power of Love

2010-02-23T04:26:00.000-08:00

When creating a long term relationship it is important to understand the concept of love. The spiritual power of love is something that we hear about, but have we had the opportunity to really understand its meaning? Sometimes this can become confusing, as we mistake spiritual love for other forms.
Spiritual love is not a sentimental cloying where our need is to possess. It isn't the chemistry of lust or pheromones that cause us to act on instinct. Spiritual love is a combination of the heart and mind, unselfishly acting on the behalf of another. I emphasize "unselfishly" here, because there is no room for a hidden agenda with spiritual love.
Spiritual love has as its primary intention, the well-being of that which it is directed towards. It is far less important what one receives from the love object, than what one is able to give. It is a more detached love, more objective than what we normally experience in our daily relationships. Although we can put plenty of "heart" into it, we lose nothing by giving it away. We needn't have the love returned, no one is under any obligation, etc.
So, why does this have such power? Perhaps it is because this is the purest form of energy we can project as spiritual beings. Being free from attachment or expectation, yet full of caring and compassion, there is a healing power inherent in it which is capable of deep transformation for both the sender and the recipient. Also, we are told that this is the creative energy which brought us into being from our Source. This is the functional nature of the Divine. It certainly makes sense, as this is the good stuff which can breathe new life into a soul who is going under for the last time. Are you beginning to see why building a long term relationship can benefit from understanding of this concept
The greatest saints, masters and teachers of our history are known primarily for their expression of this intangible, yet powerful quality. From their expression of spiritual love, sprang miracles.
Recently, someone wrote to me and said that common sense told her that we could not bless others. I disagree. Through the power of this golden energy, we shower those around us with the most magnificent blessings the human spirit can imagine. This is the truest power there is. Blessing another is an acknowledgment of their ability to tap into this reservoir of love and find it for themselves.
Long term relationships are build from understanding the true principals and power of this all loving energy.

source:circlesoflight.com

"Til Death Do Us Part"

2010-02-20T04:13:00.000-08:00

Last night on Private Practice, both Sam and Naomi struggled with their mixed emotions as Maya prepared to wed Dink. Addison battled some internal conflict of her own.
Jealous Cooper suspected Charlotte's new beau was abusing his meds, which took a surprising turn at the end of the night.
Addison wants to talk to Sam about how she is seeing someone, but a baby about to be born prematurely interrupts.
Pete calls an ambulance, Naomi and Addison. This week's impossible Private Practice decision (they have more per season than any show in history) is particularly tough.
The baby is 25 weeks old, everything is going wrong, and a full battery of surgeries, ventilators, and incubators will be needed ... just to give him the slimmest of odds.
Addison suggests tactfully that they don't allow it to suffer. The parents, Pete and Naomi are want to fight. Addison decides to do as they advise and operate anyway.
Sadly, it doesn't go well and in the end, the parents come to realize she's right, a miracle simply isn't in the cards. They cry as they hold their baby for the first - and last - time.
It's moving and depressing, but at least it's realistic and well-acted.
Cooper is out to get Charlotte's new boyfriend. Not out of jealousy, he says (yeah, right), but for his Oxycontin scamming ways. He passive-aggressively rats him out (this is Coop).
When she rebuffs him (who saw that coming), he confronts the guy himself. Cooper at least convinces him to talk to Violet, where he gets snippy and reveals he has real problems.
Charlotte is still unmoved by her ex's meddling, until he messes up at work and her ass-kicking side rears its ugly head. Dude better be checking into rehab or he's gonna be fired.
At Maya's wedding (more on that shortly), Coop shows up with someone else, much to Charlotte's chagrin. But they quickly change that and "consummate" something themselves!
Wow, just like that. Are you excited for Cooper & Charlotte Round II?
At the beginning of the episode, Dell is offering up marriage advice and consolations to Maya. He's probably the only one doing so, given the unusual circumstances surrounding it.
Her pissed mom won't come to her shotgun wedding, and her dad, while a little more supportive (he at least legally signed off) is clearly less than psyched about the whole ordeal.
Luckily Dink's mom is there to pick up the slack and is trying to put a positive spin on the wedding at every turn. Admirable as that is, what Maya really wants is her own mother.
But instead of being touched by Maya's gesture, Naomi decides nothing makes up letting her daughter down and ruining her life (her words)... than abandoning her again now.
After Dell tells Sam to get his head in the game and act like he's actually happy for Maya, rather than merely showing up, Sam gives his ex-wife a lecture she was overdue for.
The gist: Don't miss your daughter's wedding. Otherwise, you'll be missing your daughter ... for good. No matter how difficult things are for her, Naomi comes around at the end.
The wedding is a dream come true ... or at least as close to it as a pregnant 16-year-old's wedding can be. Sam killed with his big toast about being Maya's "anyway" friend.
Because no matter what happens, he loves her anyway. Talk about an appropriate story to tell at this event. Almost makes you forget that there was any animosity in the family.
The only animosity there was? Sam telling Addison he doesn't want to see her. Period. Pete is his friend, he says, and he's clearly stung by her dalliances with him. Ouch.

Source:tvfanatic.com/2010/02/private-practice-review-til-death-do-us-part/

BASKING IN LOVE

2010-02-18T20:35:00.000-08:00

“The gifts, the holidays, the dinners, the dresses and all the wooing appeal to youngsters instantly. But as you grow older and get more mature, you realise that all those gifts and presents on Valentine’s Day are immaterial. You stop attaching your emotions to materialistic things,” says Monika Trivedi, a freelance journalist and activist. “As long as you can bask in the warmth, love and care of your lover/ spouse, even a sparkling, priceless solitaire ring that he may have gifted you on your last Valentine will not match up with the glow and passion that you feel from within,” she adds.

The celebrations and greetings on V-Day began as a Hallmark initiative. “However, today it is over commercialised. You don’t need expensive gifts to woo your partner. A dinner or a movie can make you equally happy,” quips Monika. “Although I would still say that it is fun to celebrate V-Day, what with our stressful lives and hectic schedules not even giving us a breather! Sometimes you can take the liberty of indulging yourself in such momentary pleasures,” says she.

Having said that, V-Day celebrations have taken a backseat for Monika for the past few years. “Earlier my hubby made sure that he got a gift for me on the eve of every Valentine,” says she. “Although he isn’t a diehard romantic! (she tells me on the sly, when I ask her to recall her memorable gifts.) I think I was the one to give him more memorable gifts. A surprise holiday in Goa was an unforgettable moment for him. I called his secretary, cancelled his appointments and handed him the air tickets,” recalls Monika, who is now happily married for 22 years. However, she’s quick to point out that the term ‘complete happiness’ does not exist in her dictionary. “Happiness is a relative concept. As long as you are loved unconditionally and completely cared for, and as long as you can depend on someone 100 per cent, you will be happy,” says she. “Earlier, I used to put lipstick and perfume and look my best when my hubby came back home from work. But as the years passed by, I learnt to be my real self and so did he,” adds she. That’s what years of togetherness (and love) does to you!

Source: sakaaltimes.com/SakaalTimesBeta/20100213/5666471360055301007.htm

Love story dominates Valentine's Day at perfect time

2010-02-16T04:52:00.000-08:00

Cast member Jennifer Garner poses at the premiere of Valentine's Day at the Grauman's Chinese theatre in Hollywood, California February 8, 2010.Photo:Xinhua

The Warner Bros.' romance Valentine's Day premiered with warm acclaims and bountiful ticket sales over the weekend, making it the top grossing movie on Valentine's Day, the North America box office authority said on Sunday.

Among the top five movies that excel in movie theater ticket receipts, three debuted on Friday and are projected to grab the first three places for three days over the weekend.

Valentine's Day, a female-oriented pastiche of love tales, will sell 52.4 million dollars worth of tickets by the close of business Sunday night. The North America box office authority said it is the best President's Day Weekend opener ever. It tells a story of a diverse group of Los Angelenos who navigate their way through romance and heartbreak over the course of one Valentine's Day.

Perched at the second place is Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief, a 20th Century Fox adventure opening with 31. 1 million dollars in estimated sales. It tells how a teenager who, after discovering he's the descendant of a Greek god, sets out on an adventure to settle an ongoing battle between the gods.

"The Wolfman" from Universal opened in third place with a projected 30.6 million dollars of ticket sales. A remake of the 1941 classic starring Lon Chaney Jr., it features a talented cast including Oscar winner Sir Anthony Hopkins ("Silence of the Lambs") , the young and blossoming starlet Emily Blunt (The Young Victoria) and is directed by Joe Johnston ("Hidalgo"). However, critics blame it for lack of suspense and wanting in solid features of a horror movie.

James Cameron's 3D sci-fi epic Avatar slipped from last week' s No. 2 into fourth place, garnering 22 million dollars over the weekend. However, the Fox release has harvested 659.6 million dollars in sales in the United States and Canada in a nine-week run.
# Source: Xinhua
# [13:17 February 15 2010]

DiManno: Chinese love story is pure gold in Olympic pairs

2010-02-16T04:48:00.000-08:00

VANCOUVER — Two decades after they were first yoked on the ice, three years after they were joined in marriage and barely six months after they unretired, Shen Xue and Zhao Hongbo are finally Olympic champions.

Gorgeous in presentation, effortless in technical execution and warmly embraced by the crowd, the Chinese Mr. and Mrs. beamed at one another throughout their free skate here Monday night, showing all the love and emotion previously withheld in their magnificent career.

He whispered in her ear when it was over, she looked adoringly in his eyes. Then they each jumped halfway over the boards to hug their coach.

Their routine was not without flaws; Xue almost fell on Hongbo on an overhead lift dismount. And, in the kiss 'n cry afterwards, awaiting their marks, Xue was shaking her head – clearly didn't think the score would be good enough to overtake compatriots Pang Qing and Tong Jian.

Then the numbers flashed: 139.91 for the free skate, a season's best, and 216.57.

They were golden.

Pang and Tong had to settle for silver. Reigning world champions Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szokowy took bronze.

For the Canadians, it was an evening of similar but mixed results: Anabelle Langlois and Cody Hay will go home happy with a ninth-place finish; Jessica Dube and Bryce Davison will go home sad with a sixth-place finish.

While just over seven points separated the two Canadian couples at the conclusion of the pairs competition, they've had vastly different Olympic Games.

After all the setbacks, injury issues, a national title left undefended a year ago whilst one rehabbed and the other practised alone, Langlois and Hay acquitted themselves better than expected on Vancouver's figure skating ice.

For Dube and Davison, these Games proved an underwhelming experience and a disappointment – no medal, which was always a very long shot at best, but no sense of a job well done either, which stings more.

"That wasn't exactly what we wanted to do,'' Davison said after a routine that featured botches on both their parts. "We were all over the place.''

More specifically, Dube was on the ice after failing to hold her side-by-side triple Salchow – deja vu from the previous evening's short program – and later over-rotating on a throw triple Lutz; Davison was hopelessly out of union on a change-foot combination spin. Their one-handed lifts were gorgeous, though.

"We finished the program, we're not in an ambulance, we're alive,'' shrugged Davison. And he wasn't just being sarcastic. This couple famously suffered a ghastly accident a few years ago, Davison's blade slicing Dube's face.

Theirs was a beautifully choreographed routine, skated to The Way We Were, poignantly emotive and engaging the audience, as the couple had hoped. "The crowd held us in it, the way they were cheering,'' said Davison. "They really had us keep the emotion up.''

For Canada 2, Langlois and Hay, these Olympics continued to unfold satisfyingly – if not quite as cleanly as the night before. Langlois fell on side-by-side triple Salchows and there were a few other small bobbles. But, for the most part, their Grand Canyon Suite performance was entirely respectable.

The routine earned them a season's best score of 115.77, 179.97 overall. Dube and Davison were 121.75 and 187.11 overall.

"It was an experience unlike anything I could have ever imagined and probably unlike anything I'll ever experience again,'' said Hay, of his first Olympics.

Canada's prospects for figure skating medals improves with the launch Tuesday of the men's event, short program competition.

Three-time national titleist Patrick Chan of Toronto, an Olympic scrubeenie, will test his all-around excellence against the quad-prowess grit of some pretty spectacular global veterans, including defending champion Evgeny Plushenko has come out of retirement to contest for more gold after 3 1/2 years on the non-judged shelf. Two-time world champion Stephane Lambiel of Switzerland sat out a season before returning to the International Skating Union competitive fold last summer and consistently performs the quad toe loop.

Joining the clutch of world title holders past is the world title holder present, Evan Lysacek of the U.S.

Not that Chan seems worried.

"The level of preparation before I skate is so high now,'' Chan told reporters after practice yesterday. "I blink and get my skates on. I am so focused on my training. Each practice has been very productive. Everything is very consistent.

"I'm in the zone already.''
Source:Toronto Star

The Bachelor's Chris Harrison: It's Definitely Not Over with Ali!

2010-02-10T20:09:00.000-08:00

We have uncovered the real reason Ali went AWOL on The Bachelor last night: The show was trying to save a little cashola by docking pay from host Chris Harrison.

"It's in my contract that they have to pay me every time I say 'This is the final rose,'" Chris just told me over the phone. "No rose ceremony, no pay."

Of course, he's joking. (Sorry, all you consipracy lovers!) But Chris did give the scoop on why Ali left, whether she'll be back (hint: yes!) and if there's any hope for Jake and Ali...

First things first. The drama you saw last night with Ali leaving the show to keep her job was 100 percent real and unscripted, according to my favorite Hollywood straight-shooter and host with the most, Chris Harrison.

"People are so funny with all these ‘scripted' allegations," he tells me with a laugh. "They're saying, ‘You guys did this last season with Jake!' And it's like, ‘We didn't do it, his boss did.' Same thing with Ali. We didn't do it, her boss did! It's real life."

So perhaps we shouldn't count Ali out just yet? "I know he has strong feelings for her," Chris says. "I know he does. I talked to Jake this morning, and he said it was tough to watch her leave again last night. I asked if he considered promising Ali that she was the one so she'd stay, and Jake said, ‘Well, she wasn't the one. She was one of the front runners.' He said she needed to decide on her own and he didn't want to be desperate and beg, but he really didn't want her to go."

According to Chris, the decision was tough on Ali, who works as an advertising account manager. "She loves her job and we tried to make it work, but in the end her boss said you've got to choose. Do you want to do the show or do you want your job?"

And while Chris understands Ali's decision—"You want to be the romantic and do what Nicholas Sparks would have you do, but you can't fault her for loving her career"—it will have repercussions in next week's island-adventure episode. "Obviously people have left before, but when you leave the final four, they've gone to a place of being really serious, so everything is exponentially exaggerated with how big of an impact it is."

So is Jake happy with his final choice? And is Vienna really that big of a b...er, witch? Stand by for Part Two of Bachelor Scoop with Chris Harrison, and prepare for what will be a pretty shocking ending to many fans...

Source:eonline.com/uberblog/watch_with_kristin/b166419_bachelors_chris_harrison_its_definitely.html

Moment of Love

2010-02-10T06:01:00.000-08:00

The brief statement below reminds us of the common humanity we share with all people in our world. Take a moment to read these words slowly and drink in the beautiful message here. By choosing to focus less on what divides us, and more on what unites us, we can more effectively build a brighter future for us all.

Every person in the world has a heart.

Every heart has a place within
that wants only to love and be loved.

Let us connect with that
place of love in our own heart
and in the hearts of all around us.

Let us take a moment now
to open to the heart connection
we share with all people through love.