Worldinside..

2011-11-06T23:09:00.000-08:00

Pawan Kalyan

Born Konidela Kalyan Babu 2 September 1971 (age 40)[1][2] Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India Residence Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India Other names Pawan Kalyan, Power Star[3][4] Occupation Actor, Director, Screenwriter, Action Choreographer, Choreography, Playback Singer, Producer Years active 1996 – present Spouse Renu Desai (2009 – present)[5] Children Akira Nandan, Aadhya Pawan Kalyan (Telugu: పవన్ కళ్యాన్);(born Konidela Kalyan Babu on 2 September 1971)[6] is an Indian film Actor, Director, Screenwriter and Action choreographer in Telugu cinema. He made his debut in 1996 with Akkada Ammayi Ikkada Abbayi and then went on to star in blockbuster films like Suswagatham, Tholi Prema, Thammudu, Badri, Khushi,Jalsa and Theenmaar.[7] He is popularly known as "Power Star" Pawan Kalyan in the media.[8][9] Contents [hide] 1 Personal life 2 Career 2.1 1996–2001 2.2 2003–present 3 Filmography 3.1 Actor 3.2 Action Choreographer 3.3 Playback singing 3.4 Choreography/Songs Visualization 4 References 5 External links [edit]Personal life Pawan Kalyan is born to Konidela Venkat and Anjana Devi. He is the youngest brother of Chiranjeevi, a prominent Actor, Politician in Andhra Pradesh and Producer Nagendra Babu.[10] After the divorce with spouse Nandini,[11] Pawan Kalyan was married to Renu Desai on 28 January 2009, an actress who co-starred with him in the movies Badri and Johnny.[11] The couple is blessed with two children, a son named Akira Nandan born in 2004, and a baby girl named Aadhya born in 2010. Pawan Kalyan's favorite director is Akira Kurosawa and hence he named his son after him as Akira Nandan. His wife Renu Desai is an Actress and a Costume designer for most of his films. Kalyan is trained in martial arts.[12][13][14][15] He holds a black belt in karate[16] and has displayed his skills in several of his films. He publicly performed his martial arts skills at several auditoriums.[17] He was awarded the title 'Pawan', symbolizing Hanuman. From then, Kalyan Babu became popular as Pawan Kalyan.[18][19][20] His brother-in-law Allu Aravind is an Indian film producer. Ram Charan Tej and Allu Arjun are other actors from the family. Pawan Kalyan is a vegetarian. He is highly influenced by Che Guevara, Jiddu Krishnamurti and Swami Vivekananda's philosophy.[21] [edit]Career [edit]1996–2001 Pawan kalyan is considered as the highest crowd puller and box office opener after chiranjeevi despite of his wavy career graph till date. Pawan Kalyan entered the Telugu movie industry with Akkada Abbai Ikkada Ammayi as Kalyan Babu. This film was an average flick at the box office. However, he was noticed for his Martial Arts. After his first movie, his second movie Gokulamlo Sita was an above average flick but his next movie Suswagatham was a hit. With three movies to his credit he became a bankable star. In 1998, Tholi Prema released. It initially had average talks but the treatment and the storyline along with melodious and balanced music by Deva and fresh treatment from debutant director, A. Karunakaran took the movie to great heights and so did the image of Pawan Kalyan. Tholi Prema is a milestone in Pawan Kalyan's career. It is the movie which made the audience recognize the talent in him. The movie also received 6 Nandi Awards and Winner of National Award for the Best Feature Film(Telugu).[22][23] After the surprise blockbuster Tholiprema, Pawan acted in Thammudu (1999). This film was loosely inspired from Aamir Khan's film "Jo Jeeta wohi Sikandar" with the difference being that Pawan Kalyan played the role of a kickboxer. The comedy scenes along with love and action were perfectly mixed in this film and the movie become a blockbuster. After Thammudu, Kalyan teamed up with another debutant director, Puri Jagannadh, for his next film, Badri. Initially the film was rated as an above average movie but later it became to be one of the biggest hits of Pawan Kalyan's career. During the shooting of Badri, Producer A. M. Rathnam signed him for a simultaneous production of his movie(Vijay has acted in the Tamil version) Khushi. Khushi directed by S. J. Surya exploited Kalyan's loverboy-cum-action hero image. The ego clashes between the protagonists (Kalyan and Bhoomika) were widely appreciated and the film went on to become the biggest hit of his career. The trade pundits started comparing his box office performance with that of his elder brother Chiranjeevi. Thammudu, Badri, Chiranjeevi's Daddy and Khushi's action sequences were choreographed by Pawan Kalyan which were well appreciated by the audiences and added a new dimension to Kalyan's loverboy image. He then went on to become the first South Indian actor to star in Pepsi ads. [edit]2003–present After the release of Khushi, Pawan Kalyan took a long gap of two years in his film career. He went to Japan for a brief period to learn a martial art called Aikido. He learnt this stunt to use in his first directorial venture Johnny. Despite the poor box office performance, the movie has attracted a cult following. His next release Gudumba Shankar directed by Veera Shankar and produced by Nagendra Babu did moderately well at the box office.Balu ABCDEFG which was released on 6 January 2005 was directed by A. Karunakaran. The film was produced by C. Ashwini Dutt under his production company Vyjayanthi Movies. The movie was a good grosser at the box office; it ran for 100 days successfully in 8 theaters in Andhra Pradesh. On 3 May 2006 Bangaram was released which was directed by a Tamil director Dharani and was produced by A.M. Ratnam who was the producer pawan kalyan's blockbuster Kushi was the producer of Bangaram. The movie was an average grosser at box office and the producer was safe with whooping of 2 crores of profit.In the same year Annavaram was released directed by Bhimaneni Srinivasa Rao of Suswagatham fame. Mega Supergood Films produced the film released on 29 December 2006, proved to be an above average grosser at the box office. The soundtrack of the film, released on 14 December 2006, received a good response. It is a remake of the Tamil film Thirupaachi, which starred Joseph Vijay and Trisha Krishnan.Pawan Kalyan's pet project Satyagrahi, which he was supposed to direct, got shelved in 2006 due to unstated reasons. His fans have expressed verbally that they want him to get back to it. In 2008, Jalsa directed by Trivikram Srinivas released and received good reviews and became one of the biggest hit in his career which collected more than Rs 45 crores worldwide and proved profitable to the distributors. The movie went on to become one of the highest grossers in 2008 and Pawan Kalyan was nominated for Filmfare Award for Best Actor. The soundtrack of the film was launched on 29 February 2008. The audio rights were sold to Aditya Music for 90 lakhs,[4][5] the highest for a Telugu film till date.[6] The music got very good reviews from websites and an excellent response from the public itself.[10] The music has been topping the charts since its release.Devi Sri Prasad received the 2008 Santosham Best Music Director Award for his work on the film's music.[24] His subsequent release Puli arrived on 10 September amidst huge expectations because of big names associated with Pawan Kalyan like A.R.Rahman, Binod Pradhan and S. J. Surya but the movie turned out to be a big disappointment but the soundtrack got overwhelming positive reviews and became a hot seller. The audio sales reached a total of 1.6 lakhs of CDs in the first three days, which is an all-time record in Telugu film history.[25] Actor turned Producer Ganesh Babu produced Pawan Kalyan latest movie Theenmaar directed by Jayanth C. Paranjee the remake of Love Aaj Kal which released on 14 April 2011.Movie got very good reviews from all leading websites. Given the moderate budget and superb openings, the movie has managed to do a good business and ended up being a commercial and critical success.[26] Pawan Kalyan has finished his part of shooting for an untitled Jesus Christ Movie under the direction of Singeetam Srinivas Rao. At present he is busy working on Panjaa with Vishnuvardhan which is gearing up for December release. Pawan Kalyan has already committed to work on another movie after Panjaa shooting is completed. The movie is titled as Gabbar Singh which is the remake of Bollywood Blockbuster Dabangg and will be directed by Harish Shankar. Actor Year Film Role Notes 2012 Prince of Peace Filming 2012 Gabbar Singh Gabbar Singh Filming 2011 Theenmaar Arjun Palwai, Michael Velayudham 2011 Panjaa Jackson Robert Filming 2010 Puli Komaram Puli 2008 Jalsa Sanjay Sahu 2007 Shankardada Zindabad Suresh Special appearance 2006 Annavaram Annavaram(Pothu Raju) 2006 Bangaram Bangaram 2005 Balu ABCDEFG Balu, Ghani 2004 Gudumba Shankar Shankar dhikshitlu, Kalyanji Anandji 2004 Shankar Dada MBBS Special appearance 2003 Johnny Johnny Also director 2001 Khushi Siddu, Sidhartha Roy 2000 Badri Badri, Badrinath 1999 Thammudu Subhash, Subbu, Subramanyam 1998 Suswagatham Ganesh 1998 Tholi Prema Balu 1997 Gokulamlo Seetha Pawan 1996 Akkada Abbai Ikkada Ammayi Kalyan [edit]Action Choreographer Year Film Notes 1999 Thammudu 2000 Badri 2001 Khushi 2001 Daddy Only one sequence 2003 Johnny 2004 Gudumba Shankar 2011 Theenmaar Pre Climax fight [edit]Playback singing Year Film Song 2003 Johnny "Nuvvu Sara Taguta", "Ravoyi Maa Countryki" 2004 Gudumba Shankar "Killi Killi" [edit]Choreography/Songs Visualization Year Film Songs 1999 Thammudu All songs except " Made in Andhra" and "Kala Kalalu" 2000 Badri "Bangala Kathamulo","I am an Indian" and "Yeh Chikitha" 2001 Khushi All songs except "Ammaye Sanaga" and " Gajja Gallu" 2003 Johnny All songs 2004 Gudumba Shankar All songs 2006 Annavaram "Neevalle Neevalle"

i Phone5

2011-06-04T21:31:00.004-07:00

iPhone 5 to be Thinner, Smaller,

iPhone 5 (or the iPhone 5G, as some are calling it) rumours are flying thick and fast already.
Will there be a rush release to erase memories of the iPhone 4′s antenna problems? Maybe not – with the Verizon iPhone 4 Apple showed it wasn’t afraid to tweak the current iPhone design.
iPad 2 review
Will the 5th generation iPhone deliver ultra-fast mobile internet? Will it ever end up on Verizon in the US?
Let’s raid the iPhone 5 rumour fridge to find the tomatoes of truth amid the stinky stilton of baseless speculation.
iPhone 5 release date will be in the summer…
UPDATE: The Apple Worldwide Developers’ Conference 2011 date has been announced as 6 June 2011, so it’s possible we’ll see the iPhone 5 break cover there. However, Jim Dalrymple at The Loop says that this year’s WWDC will be about software, not hardware, with Apple focussing on iOS and Mac OS.
Apple’s established a rhythm with iPhone releases, with new models appearing in late June or early July each year. It’s a safe bet that the iPhone 5 release date (UK and US) will also be late June or early July.
As Beatweek magazine points out, Apple’s A-Team can’t be everywhere at once; by staggering the releases of the iPad 2 and the iPhone 5, they get to work their magic on both devices.

A new report from China has stated that Q3 (which still includes July) is now the earliest we will see the iPhone 5, after the disaster in Japan pushed back supply of key components.
…or maybe the iPhone 5 launch date will be earlier
iLounge said its source reckoned Apple would push the iPhone 5 release date forwards – possibly to January 2011 – because of the iPhone 4 antenna problems, although iLounge itself said the claim was “hard to believe”. The source could be confusing the Verizon iPhone and the iPhone 5.
The usual July release date was mentioned by Engadget’s source too in January 2011 – meaning the standard release cycle looks set to continue.

On 22 February, we reported that Craig Berger, an analyst at FBR Capital Markets, claimed that some components manufacturers are still ramping up and so the iPhone 5 release date could now be delayed until September.
The iPhone 5 will have a different form factor to the iPhone 4 – or will there be an iPhone 4S or iPhone 4GS first?
WSJ: “Separately, Apple is also developing a new iPhone model, said people briefed on the phone. One person familiar said the fifth-generation iPhone would be a different form factor than those that are currently available… it was unclear how soon that version would be available to Verizon or other carriers.”
This has since been backed up by reports from Engadget we reported on 17 January 2011, which state the design will be a ‘total rethink’.
Of course, since the iPhone 3G was followed by the 3GS it’s possible the new iPhone won’t be a total refresh and we’ll see an iPhone 4S (or iPhone 4GS) before an iPhone 5.
However, reports from China have backed up the larger-screened, metal chassis-sporting iPhone 5 rumours, so the redesign still seems firmly on the cards.
UPDATE: An Apple patent that we reported on on 7 April 2011 suggests that we could see the bezel put to good use on the new iPhone. The patent describes how visual indicators and touch-sensitive buttons could be incorporated to the space around the iPhone screen.
There might also be a cheaper, smaller iPhone 5 – an iPhone nano
A prototype version of a smaller iPhone is said to exist, built to ward off competition from cheap Android handsets.
Rumours around an iPhone nano picked up again on 13 February when the Wall Street Journal claimed that the so-called ‘iPhone nano’ exists and may even be on sale later this year.
Those iPhone nano rumours may hold little truth, though. As we reported on 18 February, the New York Times cites an anonymous source who says there will be no smaller iPhone from Apple. “The size of the device would not vary,” says the source.
A white iPhone 5?
The Economic Daily News is reporting that white iPhone 5 glass is being shipped, with a supplier called Wintek being the sole touch panel vendor for the white iPhone.
iPhone 5 pictures
A spurious photo of an iPhone 5 front case has been unearthed by a Chinese reseller, suggesting that the next Apple handset will feature an edge-to-edge display. We’re not convinced it’s a genuine Apple part, though.
On 17 March 2011, we reported on another supposed set of leaked iPhone 5 cases, this time looking remarkably similarly to iPhone 4 cases.
A new metal back?
A rumour we covered on 7 March 2011 suggests that the new iPhone will do away with the glass back and opt instead for a metal back which will act as a new iPhone antenna.
The iPhone 5 specs will be evolutionary, not revolutionary
According to the Chinese Economic Daily News (via AppleInsider), with the exception of Qualcomm chipsets – which would replace the current Infineon chipsets in the iPhone 4 – Apple’s sticking with the same suppliers for the 2011 iPhone 5G components.
We’d expect the basics of the iPhone 5 specs to get a bump – more memory, faster processor, and more storage.
The specs? A new antenna, 1.2GHz processor (possibly dual-core) and a larger screen: 3.7″ instead of 3.5″. The iPhone 5 may also be made from a new kind of alloy, or maybe meat.
In other rumours which surfaced on 15 February 2011, Digitimes is reporting on information supposedly leaked from component suppliers that claim the iPhone 5 will feature a larger, 4-inch screen. Digitimes quotes the source as saying that Apple is expanding the screen size “to support the tablet PC market as the vendor only has a 9.7-inch iPad in the market.”
UPDATE: On 22 March 2011, China Times also reported that the iPhone 5 will feature a 4-inch display.
We’re also hearing word of a multi-core design, in keeping with the rest of the mobile world, as Apple looks to improve both battery life and performance.
The iPhone 5 will also get a massive graphical boost as it moves to a dual-core GPU – this could herald true 1080p output from the new device, according to our news story on 18 January.
UPDATE: On 10 March 2011 it emerged that the A5 chip, found in the new iPad 2, looks to be headed to the iPhone 5, bringing enhanced functionality and dual-core power.
The iPhone 5 specs may include a digital wallet
There’s been some speculation that Apple might include Near Field Communication (NFC) technology in the iPhone 5G, turning it into a kind of credit/debit card. However, as Techeye.net notes, “Apple has looked into NFC before” so this might not be imminent.
However, with the tech being inside the Google Nexus S, the time for NFC may finally be here.

PAY PHONE: Apple patents show how a near field communication-equipped iPhone 5 could act as a kind of credit card
UPDATE: On 24 February 2011, we reported that an Apple patent has revealed an e-wallet icon on the iPhone homescreen. This adds credence to the rumour that iPhone 5 will feature NFC.
However, on 14 March 2011, reports in The Independent cited sources from ‘several of the largest mobile operators in the UK’, who said that Apple told them not to expect NFC in the iPhone 5. So perhaps we’ll have to wait for iPhone 6 for that.
But who to believe? On 22 March 2011 China Times reported that the new iPhone will include an NFC chip.
The iPhone 5 specs may include LTE support
At least one analyst thinks the iPhone 5 will support LTE, super-fast mobile broadband, in the US. That would make the iPhone 5G a 4G phone, which won’t be confusing at all. LTE is certainly coming – AT&T plans to roll out its LTE service in 2011 – but an LTE iPhone has been rumoured for a while. USA Today floated the idea of an LTE iPhone on Verizon last year.
The iPhone 5 could have an 8 megapixel camera
Speaking at a live Wall Street Journal event, Sony’s Sir Howard Stringer was talking about the company’s camera image sensor facility in Sendai, a town that was recently ravaged by the recent Japanese earthquake and tsunami.
According to 9to5Mac, he said something along the lines of, “Our best sensor technology is built in one of the [tsunami] affected factories. Those go to Apple for their iPhones… or iPads. Isn’t that something? They buy our best sensors from us.”
The iPhone 5 price won’t change
If the iPhone 5 is an evolutionary step like the move from the iPhone 3G to the iPhone 3GS then we’d expect the price to stay more or less the same, although in the UK higher VAT rates may well mean a higher price tag.
The iPhone 5 built for 4G is COMING in 2011!!!
The all new iphone 5 release date of October 2011! NEW iPhone 5 review. Lots of speculation is going around on the new iPhone 5… in HD!!
Verizon Wireless has released a CDMA version of the iPhone 4 and is hoping to land the iphone 5! Verizon confirms they are making network changes to bring the new iphone to their network. The new iPhone 5 is going to be loaded with awesome new features like video chat on 3g and 4g (no longer restricted to WiFi only), face recognition and extreme downloading. (List of possible features below). Just when you think there is nothing else to come up with, more and more and more technology comes out. And it is on the rise, and not just at Apple, Inc!
This iPhone 5 will be equipped with a speedy dual core A5 chip processor and higher more powerful graphic chips that can deliver higher video resolutions (5-9 times better) and amazing “still” images when taking pictures, AND it will make multi-tasking a lot faster.
There are a few networks attempting to get their 4G network off the ground. T-mobile would be a likely carrier since they are GSM already and have the largest 4g network. Sprint has a 4G network already but is suffering from customer service.
They will definitely have the 3G version of iPhone, but with the new iPhone 5 (4g speeds) coming out, will they compete?! Regardless, there is much anticipation on how many people will leave AT&T for Verizon Wireless because of AT&T’s lagging on app restrictions like Slingplayer and Google Voice and Skype (on 4g network, not Wi-Fi).
AT&T’s restrictions have caused the percentage of people that are JailBreaking their iPhones to rise since Jail Breaking usually comes with Cydia which is the app store for jail broken phones. Most of the applications, ringtones, and even iphone themes!…are free with Cydia. Winterboard is part of the download, and it very easily add’s the changes to your phone so you dont have to figure how to do it on your own…it is VERY automated.
The Palm Pre on Sprint and HTC EVO (Sprint now offering a 4G network) has made an attempt at being competitive with iPhone and Blackberry…and it seems they are making head way, although with the iPhone 4 released and the iPhone 5 on the way, they are sure to lose. Oh ya, the Blackberry Torch? = Nice try… but that browser is NOT full HTML. The new Triton Blackberry 4G sounds impressive!
iPhone 5 looks promising in terms of being sleek, packed with new hardware and finally less restrictions. Very exciting.
A few features of iPhone 5:
Thinner! With shiny glass back piece – 9.3 mm thick.
Face Recognition Security
Face Time (Video Chat) access on 3G AND 4G (available currently but only on 3G)
Custom SMS tones
Custom E-mail alerts with ability to assign different tones to each email address
A new, sleeker body design.
OLED screen.
Scratch proof and shatter proof screen
Wireless sync with iTunes
32G (basic) and 64G of memory. You’re sure to never run out.
Extended battery life = 14 hours talk time on 3G and 7 hours on 4G. Standby 600 hours.
Hi Definition audio.
Messaging indicator light.
True GPS built in.

New Apple iPhone 5 features and pricing will surprise all of us. Although it is yet to be released and there is no official information about any specific release date yet, but there is definitely a lot of speculation around it. As per the information, iPhone 5 is scheduled to be released in the summer of 2011, coinciding with Apple’s traditional June-July and would release of new iPhone models. As far as I’m concerned, January 2011 also seems to be a nice release date. This can also help Apple correct the antenna problem evident in the current iPhone 4. They can also introduce another version 4 with the rectification rather than waiting for fifth installment.
There are reports that iPhone 5 will definitely have an improved operating system, (iOS 5), which will have the ability to access 4G networks. It will also boast of extremely fast processor (1.5 GHz), improved battery life which will have up to 14 hours of talk time on 3G and 7 hours on AG. The fifth-generation model will also have additional carriers apart from AT&T. Verizon is most likely to be another career. Video chat on 3G and 4G networks will also be a reality, which is currently usable only on WiFi. The groundbreaking face recognition technology and high video resolution ability will also be packed with newer features. And to top it all, a powerful 8 megapixel camera is supposed integrated with iPhone 5. The new phone may also have radiofrequency identification as well. Imagine this, with the feature, you can use the iPhone just like use your credit card. If this happens, you can forget about waiting in the queue at the checkout forever. You can simply pay for your items wirelessly by waving your iPhone over the panel. This is the new patented technology that is going to be introduced by Apple. The patent depicts how a powerful RFID loop can be built into the circuitry of the iPhone or iPod touch screen.
And that’s not all, the next iPhone memory is going to be a gigantic 64 GB. It would also include more storage as against the current capacity of a iPhone 4 which only has 16 GB and set it to GB of memory.
If you thought iPhone for is really sleek and thinner than 3gs, iPhone 5 will surprise you more. It is going to be even thinner than the current one and will have a shiny glass back piece. The screen will be completely scratch and shatterproof. The mobile phone users will be able to assign different tones to different e-mail accounts. True GPS will be built-in too.
Don’t fret, here’s the good news. The price for the iPhone 5 will be very similar to the current price of iPhone 4.

Stock Market

2011-06-04T21:16:00.002-07:00

Stock valuations look attractive to long-term investors who can bear volatility

As the annual results of most of the companies have already been announced and factored in, the markets will look at the onset of the monsoons and global economic factors for directions. The Met Department has predicted a normal monsoon, but on the global economic front there are indeed many minefields . How well the global central banks navigate through these minefields will determine the direction of the domestic stocks markets in the near future.

Negative news all around

Apart from South America, no other continent seems to be free from critical macroeconomic imbalances. The global factors clouding over the stock markets are the US economy's grow derailing, political crisis in the MENA region, calibrated slowdown in India and China, decline in GDP in flood-hit Australia, and the crisis of defaults in the Euro region.

The Euro zone is facing rating downgrades for its member countries. The one that is occupying the maximum mind-space of analysts is Greece. There is intense debate among analysts on Greece defaulting on its debts. The question that is now asked around is not 'if ' Greece will default on its debt but 'when' it will default. Credit rating agencies have downgraded Greece's bond ratings deeper last Wednesday. With Greece's debt outstanding touching USD 450 billion, it brought back memories of Lehman Brothers' collapse. Lehman Brothers' outstanding when they went bankrupt was to the tune of USD 600 billion.

European central bankers have a very difficult job on their hands. It they let Greece default it could trigger a chain reaction. All European banks that have lent to Greece will start defaulting, and this could end in another 2008-like situation . On the other hand, if they continue to bail out Greece, it could trigger protests in richer Euro nations due to wrongful use of taxpayers' money.

Domestic issues

The domestic markets also have to face a wall of worries . Inflation is showing no signs of decline. Rate hikes have impacted growth but not inflation. Corporate results show that growth is going to slowdown in the current year and earnings would be not matching up to last year's which were pretty good.

Companies are struggling with high input costs and rising interest rates. The investment sentiment had been severely dampened with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) hiking interest rates by almost 400 basis percentage points. This has pulled down economic growth to the slowest pace in the last five quarters at 7.8 percent in the fourth quarter of the financial year 2011.

However, investors must understand that the decline in GDP numbers is actually a good thing. It's RBI's aim to cool the economy down to bring down inflation. So, a positive way of looking at these numbers would be to say the RBI's monetary policy measures are taking effect. Consequently, India along with other emerging economies, is somewhere in the middle or racing towards the end of the monetary tightening cycle.

On the other hand, if you look at the US, it will only begin to 'tighten' by letting the second phase of the quantitative easing (QE2) end in June, and then slowly start the rate hike cycle.

So, there is some glimmer of hope that economic macros could limp back to normal in a year's time for economies such as India. Further, the stock valuations here look very attractive to long-term investors who can bear some volatility along the way. These factors contribute to emerging markets outperforming other markets relatively in the near to intermediate terms. However, till the macroeconomic factors in other parts of the globe play out, it will still be uncertain times for the stock markets here.

A stock is a small share that represents a partial ownership of a company. Stocks are issued by companies in order to raise capitals and are bought by investors in order to acquire a portion of the company. Even a small share of the company will give the investors the right to have a say in how the company is run. Although they gain a portion of the company’s profits, investors do not carry an obligation to the company in cases of defaults or lawsuits.

Stocks are issued by companies to raise capital. A cash injection is needed for either property acquisition or company expansion. Every stock is limited to a particular number of shares. The growth potential and perceived health of the company influences the market adjustment of the par value of the stocks.

Investors buy stocks with the belief that the company will grow continuously to raise the value of their shares. Acquiring stocks from a new company is considered to be more risky than buying shares from a well-established company but the potential gain is much greater. People who invested in Microsoft shares gained a lot of profit due to the exponential rise of the company.

Only those companies which are listed on public exchanges like the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) or the National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotation System (NASDAQ) are capable of stock trading. The shares from the companies listed on public exchanges can be bought and sold on the open market. Buying a partial ownership in smaller companies that are not listed on a stock exchange is also possible but that is a very different type of investment.

An individual investor hires a broker to make transactions for him. A broker takes specific orders from the investor regarding the buying or the selling of stocks. These orders may include some specific instructions to trade at a price that the market will bear or at a price that the investor will prefer. The broker then tries to execute the investor’s orders by searching for either a buyer or a seller. The broker receives a commission on the sale.

Stocks have a lot of advantages over savings investments because they represent ownerships in a particular company. This gives the investor a certain right to participate in making decisions for the company. Some important company matters require voting and one stock is equivalent to a single vote. Partial company ownership also allows the stockholders to benefit from the company’s profits which are distributed in the form of dividends. These may be issued one or twice a year at the discretion of the company directors.

A prospering company causes the value of the stocks and the profits to increase while a suffering company causes the value of the stocks and the profits to decrease. Stocks, when compared with savings investments, both carry a higher risk of losing money and a higher potential of earning money. A good knowledge of the different stock markets and the various investment strategies can help investors to minimize their losses.

Larissa Riquelme, Lingerie Model

2011-06-02T05:58:00.001-07:00

Larissa Riquelme, Lingerie Model, Will Run Naked If Paraguay Wins World Cup (PHOTOS)

Paraguay's success at the World Cup continued on Tuesday, with the country's soccer team beating Japan on penalty kicks to advance to the tournament's quarterfinals. Now, with only eight teams remaining, the Paraguayans may have a few more fans to help win it all.

The lingerie model's ample cleavage - complete with mobile phone - has become one of the talking points of the World Cup after pictures of Larissa Riquelme cheering on her team in some figure-hugging tops were published around the globe.

She hit the headlines after declaring if Paraguay won the tournament she would happily run down the main street in Asuncion naked - matching an earlier pledge by Argentina coach Diego Maradona to do the same in Buenos Aires.

Larissa Riquelme, a curvy lingerie model who loves her national team, has been cheering the Paraguay squad on from Asuncion, clad in revealing outfits. The 24-year-old beauty has pledged to run naked through the streets "with my body painted with the colors of Paraguay" if Paraguay wins the World Cup.

Thousands of Paraguayan men depressed by the nation's heart-rendering defeat to Spain in the World Cup have been given something to cheer about with the news lingerie model Larissa Riquelme is to honour her pledge to strip naked.

The gorgeous football fanatic is not the first person to promise to streak in the event of a World Cup win. Argentina's coach Diego Maradona was the first prominent person to issue such a guarantee, and his team has also made the quarterfinals. Scroll down for pictures of Riquelme cheering her team on. Are you rooting for Paraguay now?

New styles of Rana..

2010-05-29T00:57:00.000-07:00

Rana Daggubati
(upcmoing telugu star in Bollywood)..
Ramanaidu Daggubati, (bornon 14 December in Chennai, Tamil Nadu), more popularly known as Rana, is a Telugu film actor. He is the son of popular producer D. Suresh Babu, the grandson of D. Ramanaidu and the nephew of actor Venkatesh. He is also the nephew of Nagarjuna Akkineni, and his cousin is also a movie star known as Naga Chaitanya.

He made his film debut with Leader written and directed by Sekhar Kammula, which hit the theaters on 19th February 2010
Career
...........
Grandson of Telugu movie moghul Dr. D. Ramanaidu and producer D. Suresh Babu’s son, Rana is making his debut as the lead actor in a political thriller that is all set to launch this year (2009). Having inherited a passion for cinema from his family, Rana produced his very first film in 2006 “A Belly full of Dreams”, which won him the National Award for the best film.

Before embarking on an acting career, Rana was a successful Digital Post entrepreneur, accredited with having transformed the evolution of the postproduction landscape in South India. Having identified an emerging need for digital services he established DI and state-of-art postproduction technologies through his company, Spirit Media.

After the success of Spirit Media, Rana underwentxcxzc intensive training in acting. After his uncle, Telugu actor Venkatesh, Rana hopes to carry on the family legacy, not just behind the camera but in front of it as well. His debut performance in his current film ‘Leader’ directed by Sekhar Kammula established himself as an accomplished actor.

1st film is 'Leader'
2nd is 'Dum Maaro Dum'

Dum Maaro Dum in Hindi, directed by Rohan Sippy starring Abhishek Bachchan and Bipasha Basu as the lead pair with Aditya Pancholi, Pratiek Babbar, Rana Daggubati and others in the cast. The film will be distributed by Fox Star Studios India which is an offshoot of 20th Century Fox and Satellite Television Asia Region (STAR), both of which are owned by Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation, USA.

Fox Star Studios is based in Mumbai (erstwhile Bombay), India. It is heartening to see American businesses continuing to expand into Indian entertainment business, ultimately bringing back money into our country while providing entertainment value to the Indian mass market. Fox Star Studios has already tasted success in distributing two consecutive India-oriented global blockbusters - Slumdog Millionaire (Blu-Ray) and the Shahrukh Khan-Kajol starrer My Name Is Khan (Blu-Ray) and of course made record-breaking revenues with James Cameron's Avatar (Blu-Ray).
According to the report, Dum Maro Dum will have extensive shots in Goa, India and marks the Bollywood debut of Telugu film actor Rana Daggubati.

Rohan Sippy has delivered two successful Hindi films already - Kuch Naa Kaho (DVD) starring Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai, and Bluffmaster (DVD) with Abhishek Bachchan and Priyanka Chopra. Ramesh Sippy, the director of the legendary SHOLAY (DVD), is the father of Rohan Sippy.

Pratiek Babbar is the son of Bollywood veteran Raj Babbar and legendary actress Smita Patil. His other upcoming 2010 films include Dhobi Ghat and My Friend Pinto.

The 6'3" tall Telugu movie hero Rana Daggubati debuted in the Telugu film industry with Leader (2010).

Fashion Designing..

2010-05-28T22:51:00.000-07:00

'''Fashion design''' is the [[art]] concerned with the application of [[design]] and [[aesthetics]] to [[clothing]] and [[Fashion accessory|accessories]]. Fashion design is influenced by cultural and social attitudes, and has varied over time and place. Fashion designers work in a number of ways in designing clothing and accessories. Some work alone or as part of a team. They attempt to satisfy consumer desire for aesthetically designed clothing; and, because of the time required to bring a garment onto the market, must at times anticipate changing consumer tastes. Some designers in fact have a reputation which enables them to set fashion trends.

Fashion designers attempt to design clothes which are functional as well as aesthetically pleasing. They must consider who is likely to wear a garment and the situations in which it will be worn. They have a wide range and combinations of materials to work with and a wide range of colours, patterns and styles to choose from. Though most clothing worn for everyday wear fall within a narrow range of conventional styles, unusual garments are usually sought for special occasions, such as [[evening wear]] or party [[dress]]es.

Some clothes are made specifically for an individual, as in the case of [[haute couture]], or [[Ready-to-wear|off-the-rack]]. Today, most clothing is designed for the [[mass market]], especially casual and every-day wear
href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Nz67RBfox_c/TesQC-Zkl4I/AAAAAAAACgE/i1_JSngTgvQ/s1600/16112008529-001.jpg">

==Structure==
Fashion designers can work in a number of ways. Fashion designers may work full-time for one fashion company, known as 'in-house designers' which owns the designs. They may work alone or as part of a team. Freelance designers work for themselves, selling their designs to fashion houses, directly to shops, or to clothing manufacturers. The garments bear the buyer's label. Some fashion designers set up their own labels, under which their designs are marketed. Some fashion designers are self-employed and design for individual clients. Other high-fashion designers cater to specialty stores or high-fashion department stores. These designers create original garments, as well as those that follow established fashion trends. Most fashion designers, however, work for apparel manufacturers, creating designs of men’s, women’s, and children’s fashions for the mass market. Large designer brands which have a 'name' as their brand such as [[Calvin Klein]], [[Gucci]], or [[Chanel]] are likely to be designed by a team of individual designers under the direction of a designer director.
==Designing a collection==
A fashion collection is something that designers put together each season to show their idea of new trends in both their high end couture range as well as their mass market range. It is considered to have a [[planned obsolescence]] usually of one to two seasons. A season is defined as either autumn/winter or spring/summer.
==Designing a garment==
Fashion designers work in different ways. Some sketch their ideas on paper, while others drape fabric on a dress form. When a designer is completely satisfied with the fit of the ''toile'' (or muslin), he or she will consult a professional pattern maker who then makes the finished, working version of the pattern out of card. The pattern maker's job is very precise and painstaking. The fit of the finished garment depends on their accuracy. Finally, a sample garment is made up and tested on a model.

==History==
Fashion design is generally considered to have started in the 19th century with [[Charles Frederick Worth]] who was the first designer to have his [[label]] sewn into the garments that he created. Before the former [[draper]] set up his ''maison couture'' (fashion house) in [[Paris]], clothing design and creation was handled by largely anonymous seamstresses, and high fashion descended from that worn at royal courts. Worth's success was such that he was able to dictate to his customers what they should wear, instead of following their lead as earlier dressmakers had done. The term ''couturier'' was in fact first created in order to describe him. While all articles of clothing from any time period are studied by academics as costume design, only clothing created after 1858 could be considered as fashion design.

It was during this period that many design houses began to hire artists to sketch or paint designs for garments. The images were shown to clients, which was much cheaper than producing an actual sample garment in the workroom. If the client liked their design, they ordered it and the resulting garment made money for the house. Thus, the tradition of designers sketching out garment designs instead of presenting completed garments on models to customers began as an economy.
==Types of fashion==
The garments produced by clothing manufacturers fall into three main categories, although these may be split up into additional, more specific categories:

===Haute couture===
{{Main|Haute couture}}
Until the 1950s, fashion clothing was predominately designed and manufactured on a [[made-to-measure]] or [[haute couture]] basis ([[French language|French]] for high-fashion), with each garment being created for a specific client. A couture garment is made to order for an individual customer, and is usually made from high-quality, expensive fabric, sewn with extreme attention to detail and finish, often using time-consuming, hand-executed techniques. Look and fit take priority over the cost of materials and the time it takes to make.

===Ready-to-wear===
{{Main|Ready-to-wear}}
Ready-to-wear clothes are a cross between haute couture and mass market. They are not made for individual customers, but great care is taken in the choice and cut of the fabric. Clothes are made in small quantities to guarantee exclusivity, so they are rather expensive. Ready-to-wear collections are usually presented by fashion houses each season during a period known as [[Fashion Week]]. This takes place on a city-wide basis and occurs twice a year.

===Mass market===
{{Main|Mass market}}
Currently the fashion industry relies more on mass market sales. The mass market caters for a wide range of customers, producing ready-to-wear clothes in large quantities and standard sizes. Cheap materials, creatively used, produce affordable fashion. Mass market designers generally adapt the trends set by the famous names in fashion. They often wait around a season to make sure a style is going to catch on before producing their own versions of the original look. In order to save money and time, they use cheaper fabrics and simpler production techniques which can easily be done by machine. The end product can therefore be sold much more cheaply.

There is a type of design called "kitsch" design. . . originated from the German word "kitschen" meaning ugly or not aesthetically pleasing.
Another way to describe the term "kitsch" is "wearing or displaying something that has passed its fashion date and is therefore no longer in fashion. so if you are seen wearing a pair of pants that was once worn in the 80's it is seen to be known as a "kitsch" fashion statement.Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2010-11 Edition, Fashion Designers, on the Internet at http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos291.htm (visited March 09, 2010).

==Income==
{{globalize}}
Median annual wages for salaried fashion designers were $61,160 in May 2008. The middle 50 percent earned between $42,150 and $87,120. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $32,150, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $124,780.. Median annual earnings were $52,860 (£28,340) in apparel, piece goods, and notions - the industry employing the largest numbers of fashion designers.[http://www.umsl.edu/services/govdocs/ooh20022003/ocos090.htm]
==Fashion education==
[[Image:Fashionclass3.jpg|right|thumb|250px|A classroom filled with [[sewing machine]]s and [[mannequin]]s.]]
[[Image:UTEvoFash.jpg|thumb|right|A student [[fashion show]], 2007]]
There are a number of well known art schools and design schools world wide that offer degrees in fashion design. The most notable of design schools include [[Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising]] [[Fashion Institute of Technology]], [[Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design]], [[Pratt Institute]], [[London College of Fashion]], and [[University of Westminster]] in [[London]]; [http://www.fashion-federation.com Fashion Federation], [[Parsons The New School for Design]] in [[New York City]] , [[Politecnico of Milan]], [[Columbia College Chicago]], and [[International Institute of Fashion Design]], and [[National College of Arts]] (NCA) in Pakistan.

==Areas of fashion design==
Many professional fashion designers start off by specializing in a particular area of fashion. The smaller and the more specific the market, the more likely a company is to get the right look and feel to their clothes. It is also easier to establish oneself in the fashion industry if a company is known for one type of product, rather than several products. Once a fashion company becomes established (that is, has regular buyers and is well-known by both the trade and the public), it may decide to expand into a new area. If the firm has made a name for the clothes it already produces, this helps to sell the new line. It is usually safest for a company to expand into an area similar to the one it already knows. For example, a designer of women's sportswear might expand into men's sportswear. The chart below shows the areas in which many designers choose to specialize.

==World fashion industry==
Fashion today is a global industry, and most major countries have a fashion industry. Some countries are major manufacturing centres, notably [[China]], [[South Korea]], [[Spain]], [[Germany]], [[Brazil]], and [[India]]. Five countries have established an international reputation in fashion design. These countries are [[France]], [[Italy]], the [[United Kingdom]], the [[United States|United States of America]], and [[Japan]].

===American fashion design===
The majority of American fashion houses are based in New York, although there are also a significant number in [[Los Angeles]], where a substantial percentage of clothing manufactured in the US is actually made. There are also burgeoning industries in [[Miami]] and [[Chicago]], which were once centers of American fashion. American fashion design is dominated by a clean-cut, casual style, reflecting the athletic, health-conscious lifestyles of some American city-dwellers. A designer who helped to set the trend in the United States for sport-influenced day wear throughout the 1940s and 50's was [[Claire McCardell]]. Many of her designs have been revived in recent decades. More modern influences on the American look have been [[Calvin Klein]], [[Ralph Lauren]], [[Anna Sui]], [[Donna Karan]], [[Kenneth Cole]], [[Marc Jacobs]], [[Elie Tahari]], [[Michael Kors]], [[Vera Wang]], [[Betsey Johnson]] and [[Tommy Hilfiger]].

===British fashion design===
London has long been the capital of the UK fashion industry and has a wide range of foreign designs which have integrated with modern British styles. Typical British design is smart but innovative yet recently has become more and more unconventional, fusing traditional styles with modern techniques. Among the most notable UK fashion designers are [[Burberry]], [[Paul Smith (fashion designer)|Paul Smith]], [[Vivienne Westwood]], [[Stella McCartney]], [[John Galliano]], [[Jasper Conran]] and [[Alexander McQueen]] The last British Haute Couture House is said to be [[Saint-Hill & Von Basedow]].

===French fashion design===
Most French fashion houses are in Paris, which is the capital of French fashion. Traditionally, French fashion is [[Chic (style)|chic]] and stylish, defined by its sophistication, cut, and smart accessories. Among the many Parisian couture houses are [[Balmain]], [[Louis Vuitton]], [[Chanel]], [[Yves Saint Laurent (brand)|Yves Saint Laurent]], [[Christian Dior]], [[Givenchy]], [[Balenciaga]] and [[Chloé]], who display their work at the designer collections that are held twice a year. Also, French fashion is internationally acclaimed and [[Paris]] is symbolically the home of [[fashion]], yet the [[Global Language Monitor]] in 2009, have placed it 3rd in the Media, after [[Milan]] and [[New York]].
===Italian fashion design===
Italy currently leads the world in fashion and [[Milan]] is the capital of fashion in the world. Most of the older Italian couturiers are in [[Rome]]. However, [[Milan]] and [[Florence]] are the Italian fashion capitals, and it is the exhibition venue for their collections. Italian fashion features casual elegance and luxurious fabrics. The first Italian luxury brand was the [[Florence|florentine]] [[Salvatore Ferragamo]] (who has exported exquisite hand-made shoes to the U.S. since the 1920s); among the best-known, exclusive fashion names, another florentine [[Gucci]] is the greatest-selling Italian fashion brand, and third greatest in the world, with worldwide sales of $7.158 billion dollars.[http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/toc/06_32/B399606globalbrands.htm "Best Global Brands: The 100 Most Valuable Brands"], [[Vera Bradley]] ''[[BusinessWeek]]'' Other well-known Italian fashion houses include: [[Valentino Garavani]], [[Dolce & Gabbana]], [[Etro]], [[Emilio Pucci]], [[Roberto Cavalli]], [[Versace]], [[Giorgio Armani]], [[Fendi]], [[Borbonese]], [[Prada]], [[Loro Piana]], [[Byblos]], [[Alberta Ferretti]], [[Moschino]], [[Ermenegildo Zegna]], [[La Perla]], [[Agnona]], [[Laura Biagiotti]], [[Lancetti]], [[Iceberg]], [[Carlo Pignatelli]], [[MIla Schön]], [[Roberta di Camerino]], [[Krizia]], [[Trussardi]] and [[Missoni]]. Even though [[Milan]] is the national and worldwide capital of fashion, [[Rome]], [[Florence]], [[Turin]], [[Naples]] and [[Venice]] also contain many high-end fashion boutiques and are international capitals.

===Swiss fashion design===
Most of the Swiss fashion houses are in [[Zürich]]. The Swiss look is casual elegant and luxurious. The fabrics manufactured in St. Gallen are exported to the most important fashion Houses all over the World (Paris / New York / London / Milan/ Tokyo). The first Swiss luxury brand is [[Alvoni]] from the italo/Swiss designer [[Marianne Alvoni]].

===Japanese fashion design===
Most [[Culture of Japan|Japanese]] fashion houses are in [[Tokyo]]. The Japanese look is loose and unstructured (often resulting from complicated cutting), colours tend to the sombre and subtle, and richly textured fabrics. Famous Japanese designers are [[Yohji Yamamoto]], [[Kenzo Takada|Kenzo]], [[Issey Miyake]] (masterful drape and cut), and [[Comme des Garçons]] 's [[Rei Kawakubo]], who developed a new way of cutting (comparable to [[Madeleine Vionnet]]'s innovation in the 1930s).

==Fashion design terms==
* A '''fashion designer''' conceives garment combinations of line, proportion, color, and texture. While sewing and pattern-making skills are beneficial, they are not a pre-requisite of successful fashion design. Most fashion designers are formally trained or apprenticed.
* A '''[[Pattern (sewing)|pattern maker]]''' (or ''pattern cutter'') drafts the shapes and sizes of a garment's pieces. This may be done manually with paper and measuring tools or by using an AutoCAD computer software program. Another method is to drape fabric directly onto a dress form. The resulting pattern pieces can be constructed to produce the intended design of the garment and required size. Formal training is usually required for working as a pattern marker.
* A '''[[tailor]]''' makes custom designed garments made to the client's measure; especially suits (coat and trousers, jacket and skirt, et cetera). Tailors usually undergo an apprenticeship or other formal training.
* A '''[[Textiles|textile designer]]''' designs fabric weaves and prints for clothes and furnishings. Most textile designers are formally trained as apprentices and in school.
* A '''[[stylist]]''' co-ordinates the clothes, jewelry, and accessories used in fashion photography and catwalk presentations. A stylist may also work with an individual client to design a coordinated wardrobe of garments. Many stylists are trained in fashion design, the history of fashion and historical costume, and have a high level of expertise in the current fashion market and future market trends. However, some simply have a strong aesthetic sense for pulling great looks together.
* A '''[[buyer]]''' selects and buys the mix of clothing available in retail shops, department stores and chain stores. Most fashion buyers are trained in business and/or fashion studies.
*A '''[[seamstress]]''' sews ready to wear or mass produced clothing by hand or with a sewing machine, either in a garment shop or as a sewing machine operator in a factory. She (or he) may not have the skills to make (design and cut) the garments, or to fit them on a model.
* A '''[[teacher|teacher of fashion design]]''' teaches the art and craft of fashion design in art or fashion school.
* A '''custom clothier''' makes custom-made garments to order, for a given customer.
* A '''[[dressmaker]]''' specializes in custom-made women's clothes: day, cocktail, and evening dresses, business clothes and suits, trousseaus, sports clothes, and lingerie.
* An '''[[illustration|illustrator]]''' draws and paints clothing designs for commercial use.
* A '''[[fashion forecaster]]''' predicts what colours, styles and shapes will be popular ("on-trend") before the garments are on sale in stores.
* A '''[[Fashion model|model]]''' wears and displays clothes at fashion shows and in photographs.
* A '''[[fit model]]''' aids the fashion designer by wearing and commenting on the fit of clothes during their design and pre-manufacture. Fit models need to be a particular size for this purpose.
* A '''[[Fashion journalism|fashion journalist]]''' writes fashion articles describing the garments presented or fashion trends, for magazines or newspapers.
* An '''alterations specialist''' ('''alterationist''') adjusts the fit of completed garments, usually ready-to-wear, and sometimes re-styles them. NOTE: despite tailors altering garments to fit the client, not all alterationists are tailors.
* An '''Image Consultant''', '''wardrobe consultant''' or '''fashion advisor''' recommends styles and colors that are flattering to the client.

==Footnotes==
{{reflist}}
* [http://www.reviewfashion.com/ "Fashion advice"]"Fashion design is the art dedicated to the creation of wearing apparel and lifestyle. Please see also Fashion for a more complete definition.

Komaram Puli..

2010-05-28T22:23:00.000-07:00

Komaram Puli is an upcoming Telugu film. It is a high voltage action entertainer directed by S. J. Surya, who previously directed Kushi with Pawan Kalyan. Komaram is taken from the surname of the Gond martyr Komaram Bheem, who fought against the erstwhile Asaf Jahi dynasty for the liberation of Hyderabad State. The music for the film is composed by A. R. Rahman. The film is produced by Singanamala Ramesh. Pawan Kalyan will be portraying a cop in this film; he has gone through a makeover to suit himself to the role of a powerful cop with a moustache. Nikisha Patel is playing the lead female role as superident of police in the movie and actress Shriya Saran is doing a guest appearance in a song. The other prominent stars in the movie include Manoj Bajpai, Charan Raj, Nassar, Jyothi Krishna, Bhrahmaji, Ali, and Girish Karnad. It is believed that the project is worth Rs. 40 crore. Allu Aravind of Geetha Arts who produced the hindi version of Ghajini and magnum opus Magadheera has obtained the distribution rights of the film for Rs. 50 cr. from Singanamala Ramesh.

Komaram Puli is an upcoming Telugu film. It is a high voltage action entertainer directed by S. J. Surya, who previously directed Kushi with Pawan Kalyan. Komaram is taken from the surname of the Gond martyr Komaram Bheem, who fought against the erstwhile Asaf Jahi dynasty for the liberation of Hyderabad State. The music for the film is composed by A. R. Rahman. The film is produced by Singanamala Ramesh. Pawan Kalyan will be portraying a cop in this film; he has gone through a makeover to suit himself to the role of a powerful cop with a moustache. Nikisha Patel is playing the lead female role as superident of police in the movie and actress Shriya Saran is doing a guest appearance in a song. The other prominent stars in the movie include Manoj Bajpai, Charan Raj, Nassar, Jyothi Krishna, Bhrahmaji, Ali, and Girish Karnad. It is believed that the project is worth Rs. 40 crore. Allu Aravind of Geetha Arts who produced the hindi version of Ghajini and magnum opus Magadheera has obtained the distribution rights of the film for Rs. 50 cr. from Singanamala Ramesh.
Sound track
The Original Soundtrack and Background Music is composed by Oscar Award winning film composer A. R. Rahman. This is straight Telugu film for which A. R. Rahman
Song Artist(s)
Puli Gharshana : Vijay Yesudas, Blaaze, Reena Bhardwaj
Raa Ante Raanu : Karthik (singer), Sadhana Sargam
Picchi Kucchi : Udit Narayan, Madhushree, Malgudi Subha
Power Star Ku Salaam :A. R. Rahman, Benny Dayal, Shreya Ghoshal, Tanvi Shah,
Nuvve Naalo : Naresh Iyer, Shreya Ghoshal
Daggara Raavoy : Sunidhi Chauhan, Geetha Madhuri, Karthik
Chinnaga Chekkaga: Hariharan, Sujatha

Komaram Puli
Directed by : S. J. Surya
Produced by : Singanamala Ramesh
Written by : S. J. Surya
Pawan Kalyan
Starring : Pawan Kalyan
Nikesha Patel
Nassar
Girish Karnad
Shriya Saran(cameo)
Music by : A. R. Rahman
Cinematography : Binod Pradhan
Distributed by : Geetha Arts
Country : India
Language : Telugu
Budget : INR 40 crore

Blackberry..

2010-05-28T21:58:00.001-07:00

Blackberry Bold 9700 in India at price Rs. 31900 with attractive features
Recently we saw a large number of dual SIM cheap handsets targeted towards Rural India and majority mass. It is high time since we came across any high budget business smart phone. Research In Motion (RIM) the makers of Blackberry smartphones today announced the launch of the BlackBerry Bold 9700 with scintillating looks and amazing features. Blackberry Bold 9700 is available in India at price of Rs. 31900. The new Bold 9700 has all the basic ingredients of original black model with new whitish finish to its exterior casing.

The Blackberry Bold 9700 smartphone is 3G enabled and also boasts of its connectivity options with WiFi, Bluetooth and USB 2.0 being present. However, it lacks infrared port, which has become obsolete these days. Besides its connectivity issues, it sports 3.2 MP camera which comes with 2048 x 1536 pixel. In addition, it has autofocus, LED flash and Image stabilization to give decent image quality. However, I am slightly disappointed with its 3.2 MP camera, given its price tag of Rs. 31500. The likes of Xperia and Satio smartphones have 8MP and 12MP respectively within that price range.

The Blackberry Bold 9700 uses the Blackberry OSv5 as its operating system and comes with a nice processing speed of 624 MHz. Thus you can easily watch videos, or access internet without much of a lag. Its multimedia options are also up to the mark with its music player being capable to support nearly all media formats.

In Blackberry Bold 9700 multimedia features, it allows to sync music files, in the handset with user's PC or laptop files , 256MB of inbuilt memory which can be expanded with micro SD card.Blackberry Bold 9700 comes with a powerful 1500mAh Li-Ion battery which claims to provide up to 6 hours of talk time and 16 days of standby time. Its good battery option can let you watch movies flawlessly for a longer period.

So it would be worth to buy this 3G enabled smartphone, however the majority of the mass can not afford it.

Women smokers on the rise in India...

2010-05-28T21:54:00.000-07:00

Women smokers on the rise in India with BPOs, MNCs major smoking hub: study

It is more shocking rather than surprising that India sees a growing number of female smokers. Yes it is shocking for a country like India where culture, values and society play an immense role and especially on topics like female smoking. According to a recent study there are more and more women taking to smoking to kill stress, monotonous lifestyle and lethargy.

For the purpose of study a survey was conducted on employees from BPO and Media fields and it was found that out of every one thousand women in India, 150 are smokers. But what could be the possible reason for such large number of percentage of women taking into smoking? Well the answer is that smokings today has become more a fashion statement and in their quest to update them with the latest fashion trends women do not even shy away from smoking. Another possible reason could be the job profile today’s Indian women find themselves in.

The study revealed that women top the smoking charts particularly in BPO sectors, media and even in top MNCs in the country. It is more their job status than anything else and to be in sync with the modern times women start smoking under peer pressure. Another contributing factor is a high disposable income these women are able to earn at a very young age.

The study also focused on the trends of smoking in BPOs and big MNCs. The study revealed that initially women join such groups where there are both smokers and non-smokers and become passive smokers. But in due course of time these passive smokers eventually become active smokers as they are in constant touch with the smokers all the time. Lead researcher, Dr. Gauravi Mishra, Tata Memorial Hospital, said, “The non-smokers because of being in constant touch with the smokers become passive smokers and eventually active smokers which is the prevailing trend.”

The shift to the nicotine consumption in the form of cigarettes by women working in such BPOs is mostly due to peer pressure and very remotely due to stress or any other such reason. The study further revealed an alarming fact that many educated young smokers are largely unaware of the possible ill-effects of smoking. Out of 646 employees (both men and women) a good number of respondents were under the age of 20 years and among the 41% smoking participants, 8% were women with cigarettes being their favorite tobacco product.

Kites movie review: Kites Hindi movie with top rating on star cast, story

2010-05-28T21:32:00.000-07:00

Much awaited Kites movie has been released On this Friday (May 21). Earlier, Kites movie star cast Hrithik Roshan super star of Bollywood, and Barbara Mori actress from Mexico, were gaga about all around for the Kites for its unique love story and technologically advance actions scenes; this Kites movie review will give you all the details. Kites has been released in two versions, on in 90 minutes remixed format which is named Kites: The Remix and other 130 minutes format which is named Kites.

Before the Kites movie release, people have witnessed soaring consecutive Kites movie controversy regarding behind the scenes romance between Barbara Mori and Hrithik Roshan, and more recent, his break-up with Barbara in
Cannes and coming out as henpecked husband.

Well Kites movie controversy aside, coming over to the Kites movie review again, now, movie has launched and it has certainly to some extent pleased the great words of Hrithik and Barbara, nevertheless, it losses the attention substantially, as story reveals and we come to know that this is something we have seen in Hollywood movies without songs and dance.

Kites movie romantic scene takes the toll in the Kites movie, and Kites movie story is far from the logic, reason and reality, and the only thing believable in the story is ‘Love’. Hrithik is a salsa teacher in Las Vegas, who have a dedicated student in Ranaut as Gia, who is the daughter of the Mexican richest gangster. They’re about to marry each other, when Hrithik as Jay, sees his future brother-in-law’s fiancee Natasha as Barbara. Herein the conflict infuses and story moves to give us some of best actions scenes ever made in Bollywood.

Kites movie songs and dance, makes the Kites movie roll and rock, and Hrithik dance is really best, which audience will be excited to see. Rakesh Rashon has given good music, and smooth music ‘Zindagi..do pal ki’ is really beautiful, but somehow, music is rated average. Anurag Basu experiential hand in love and romance is again witnessed in Kites similarly like in Gangster.

Kites movie star cast Barbara and Hrithik love scenes are beautiful and assert their chaste love with strictly directed intimate scenes of romance which is never consummated in Kites movie. Any Poet will say that its a poetic experience watching this movie and tag it as must watch movie for escape from real live love experience to adorned and flowery pure love.

Cast and Crew of Kites movie
- Hrithik Roshan as Jay
- Barbara Mori as Natasha
- Kangna Ranaut as Gina
- Kabir Bedi as Bob

Director: Anurag Basu
Producer: Rakesh Roshan
Story by: Anurag Basu, Robin Bhatt and Rakesh Roshan
Music Director: Rajesh Roshan

Saddam Hussien..

2010-05-28T11:09:00.000-07:00

Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti (Arabic: صدام حسين عبد المجيد التكريتي Ṣaddām Ḥusayn ʿAbd al-Majīd al-Tikrītī[1]; 28 April 1937[2] – 30 December 2006)[3] was the President of Iraq from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003.[4][5] A leading member of the revolutionary Ba'ath Party, which espoused secular pan-Arabism, economic modernization, and Arab socialism, Saddam played a key role in the 1968 coup that brought the party to long-term power.

As vice president under the ailing General Ahmed Hassan al-Bakr, and at a time when many groups were considered capable of overthrowing the government, Saddam created security forces through which he tightly controlled conflict between the government and the armed forces. In the early 1970s, Saddam spearheaded Iraq's nationalization of the Western-owned Iraq Petroleum Company, which had long held a monopoly on the country's oil. Through the 1970s, Saddam cemented his authority over the apparatuses of government as Iraq's economy grew at a rapid pace.[6]

As president, Saddam maintained power during the Iran–Iraq War of 1980 through 1988, and throughout the Persian Gulf War of 1991. During these conflicts, Saddam suppressed several movements, particularly Shi'a and Kurdish movements seeking to overthrow the government or gain independence, respectively. Whereas some Arabs venerated him for his aggressive stance against foreign intervention and for his support for the Palestinians,[7] other Arabs and Western leaders vilified him as the force behind both a deadly attack on northern Iraq in 1988 and, two years later, an invasion of Kuwait to the south.

By 2003, the administration of U.S. President George W. Bush perceived that Saddam remained sufficiently relevant and dangerous to be overthrown. In March of that year, the U.S. and its allies invaded Iraq, eventually deposing Saddam. Captured by U.S. forces on 13 December 2003, Saddam was brought to trial under the Iraqi interim government set up by U.S.-led forces. On 5 November 2006, he was convicted of charges related to the 1982 killing of 148 Iraqi Shi'ites convicted of planning an assassination attempt against him, and was sentenced to death by hanging. Saddam was executed on 30 December 2006.[8] By the time of his death, Saddam had become a prolific author.[9][10][11][12] Among his works are multiple novels dealing with themes of romance, politics, and war.[13][14][15][16]

Contents [hide]
1 Youth
2 Rise to power
2.1 Modernization program
2.2 Succession
3 Secular leadership
4 Foreign affairs
4.1 Iran–Iraq War
4.2 Tensions with Kuwait
5 Gulf War
6 Postwar period
7 2003 invasion of Iraq
8 Incarceration and trial
8.1 Capture and incarceration
8.2 Trial
9 Execution
10 Marriage and family relationships
11 List of government positions held
12 See also
13 References
14 Further reading
15 External links

15 External links

Youth
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Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti was born in the town of Al-Awja, 13 km (8 mi) from the Iraqi town of Tikrit, to a family of shepherds from the al-Begat tribal group, a sub-group of the Al-Bu Nasir (البو ناصر) tribe. His mother, Subha Tulfah al-Mussallat, named her newborn son Saddam, which in Arabic means "One who confronts"; he is always referred to by this personal name, which may be followed by the patronymic and other elements. He never knew his father, Hussein 'Abid al-Majid, who disappeared six months before Saddam was born. Shortly afterward, Saddam's 13-year-old brother died of cancer. The infant Saddam was sent to the family of his maternal uncle Khairallah Talfah until he was three.[17]

His mother remarried, and Saddam gained three half-brothers through this marriage. His stepfather, Ibrahim al-Hassan, treated Saddam harshly after his return. At around 10 Saddam fled the family and returned to live in Baghdad with his uncle Kharaillah Tulfah. Tulfah, the father of Saddam's future wife, was a devout Sunni Muslim and a veteran from the 1941 Anglo-Iraqi War between Iraqi nationalists and the United Kingdom, which remained a major colonial power in the region.[18] Later in his life relatives from his native Tikrit became some of his closest advisors and supporters. Under the guidance of his uncle he attended a nationalistic high school in Baghdad. After secondary school Saddam studied at an Iraqi law school for three years, dropping out in 1957 at the age of 20 to join the revolutionary pan-Arab Ba'ath Party, of which his uncle was a supporter. During this time, Saddam apparently supported himself as a secondary school teacher.[19]
Revolutionary sentiment was characteristic of the era in Iraq and throughout the Middle East. In Iraq progressives and socialists assailed traditional political elites (colonial era bureaucrats and landowners, wealthy merchants and tribal chiefs, monarchists).[20] Moreover, the pan-Arab nationalism of Gamal Abdel Nasser in Egypt profoundly influenced young Ba'athists like Saddam. The rise of Nasser foreshadowed a wave of revolutions throughout the Middle East in the 1950s and 1960s, with the collapse of the monarchies of Iraq, Egypt, and Libya. Nasser inspired nationalists throughout the Middle East by fighting the British and the French during the Suez Crisis of 1956, modernizing Egypt, and uniting the Arab world politically.[21]

In 1958, a year after Saddam had joined the Ba'ath party, army officers led by General Abd al-Karim Qasim overthrew Faisal II of Iraq. The Ba'athists opposed the new government, and in 1959 Saddam was involved in the unsuccessful United States-backed plot to assassinate Abdul Karim Qassim.[22]Rise to power

Saddam Hussein after the successful 1963 Ba'ath party coup

Saddam Hussein in Cairo after fleeing there following the failed assassination attempt against Qassim

Army officers with ties to the Ba'ath Party overthrew Qassim in a coup in 1963. Ba'athist leaders were appointed to the cabinet and Abdul Salam Arif became president. Arif dismissed and arrested the Ba'athist leaders later that year. Saddam returned to Iraq, but was imprisoned in 1964. Just prior to his imprisonment and until 1968, Saddam held the position of Ba'ath party secretary.[23] He escaped from prison in 1967 and quickly became a leading member of the party. In 1968, Saddam participated in a bloodless coup led by Ahmad Hassan al-Bakr that overthrew Abdul Rahman Arif. Al-Bakr was named president and Saddam was named his deputy, and deputy chairman of the Baathist Revolutionary Command Council. According to biographers, Saddam never forgot the tensions within the first Ba'athist government, which formed the basis for his measures to promote Ba'ath party unity as well as his resolve to maintain power and programs to ensure social stability.

Saddam Hussein in the past was seen by U.S. intelligence services as a bulwark of anti-communism in the 1960s and 1970s.[24] Although Saddam was al-Bakr's deputy, he was a strong behind-the-scenes party politician. Al-Bakr was the older and more prestigious of the two, but by 1969 Saddam Hussein clearly had become the moving force behind the party.
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, as vice chairman of the Revolutionary Command Council, formally the al-Bakr's second-in-command, Saddam built a reputation as a progressive, effective politician.[25] At this time, Saddam moved up the ranks in the new government by aiding attempts to strengthen and unify the Ba'ath party and taking a leading role in addressing the country's major domestic problems and expanding the party's following.

After the Baathists took power in 1968, Saddam focused on attaining stability in a nation riddled with profound tensions. Long before Saddam, Iraq had been split along social, ethnic, religious, and economic fault lines: Sunni versus Shi'ite, Arab versus Kurd, tribal chief versus urban merchant, nomad versus peasant.[26] Stable rule in a country rife with factionalism required both massive repression and the improvement of living standards.[26]

Saddam actively fostered the modernization of the Iraqi economy along with the creation of a strong security apparatus to prevent coups within the power structure and insurrections apart from it. Ever concerned with broadening his base of support among the diverse elements of Iraqi society and mobilizing mass support, he closely followed the administration of state welfare and development programs.

At the center of this strategy was Iraq's oil. On 1 June 1972, Saddam oversaw the seizure of international oil interests, which, at the time, dominated the country's oil sector. A year later, world oil prices rose dramatically as a result of the 1973 energy crisis, and skyrocketing revenues enabled Saddam to expand his agenda.

Within just a few years, Iraq was providing social services that were unprecedented among Middle Eastern countries. Saddam established and controlled the "National Campaign for the Eradication of Illiteracy" and the campaign for "Compulsory Free Education in Iraq," and largely under his auspices, the government established universal free schooling up to the highest education levels; hundreds of thousands learned to read in the years following the initiation of the program. The government also supported families of soldiers, granted free hospitalization to everyone, and gave subsidies to farmers. Iraq created one of the most modernized public-health systems in the Middle East, earning Saddam an award from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).[27][28]

To diversify the largely oil-based Iraqi economy, Saddam implemented a national infrastructure campaign that made great progress in building roads, promoting mining, and developing other industries. The campaign revolutionized Iraq's energy industries. Electricity was brought to nearly every city in Iraq, and many outlying areas.

Before the 1970s, most of Iraq's people lived in the countryside, where Saddam himself was born and raised, and roughly two-thirds were peasants. This number would decrease quickly during the 1970s as the country invested much of its oil profits into industrial expansion.

Nevertheless, Saddam focused on fostering loyalty to the Ba'athist government in the rural areas. After nationalizing foreign oil interests, Saddam supervised the modernization of the countryside, mechanizing agriculture on a large scale, and distributing land to peasant farmers.[19] The Ba'athists established farm cooperatives, in which profits were distributed according to the labors of the individual and the unskilled were trained. The government also doubled expenditures for agricultural development in 1974–1975. Moreover, agrarian reform in Iraq improved the living standard of the peasantry and increased production.

Saddam became personally associated with Ba'athist welfare and economic development programs in the eyes of many Iraqis, widening his appeal both within his traditional base and among new sectors of the population. These programs were part of a combination of "carrot and stick" tactics to enhance support in the working class, the peasantry, and within the party and the government bureaucracy.

Saddam's organizational prowess was credited with Iraq's rapid pace of development in the 1970s; development went forward at such a fevered pitch that two million people from other Arab countries and even Yugoslavia worked in Iraq to meet the growing demand for labor.
Succession

In 1976, Saddam rose to the position of general in the Iraqi armed forces, and rapidly became the strongman of the government. As the ailing, elderly al-Bakr became unable to execute his duties, Saddam took on an increasingly prominent role as the face of the government both internally and externally. He soon became the architect of Iraq's foreign policy and represented the nation in all diplomatic situations. He was the de facto leader of Iraq some years before he formally came to power in 1979. He slowly began to consolidate his power over Iraq's government and the Ba'ath party. Relationships with fellow party members were carefully cultivated, and Saddam soon accumulated a powerful circle of support within the party.

In 1979 al-Bakr started to make treaties with Syria, also under Ba'athist leadership, that would lead to unification between the two countries. Syrian President Hafez al-Assad would become deputy leader in a union, and this would drive Saddam to obscurity. Saddam acted to secure his grip on power. He forced the ailing al-Bakr to resign on 16 July 1979, and formally assumed the presidency.

Shortly afterwards, he convened an assembly of Ba'ath party leaders on 22 July 1979. During the assembly, which he ordered videotaped (viewable via this reference[29]), Saddam claimed to have found a fifth column within the Ba'ath Party and directed Muhyi Abdel-Hussein to read out a confession and the names of 68 alleged co-conspirators. These members were labelled "disloyal" and were removed from the room one by one and taken into custody. After the list was read, Saddam congratulated those still seated in the room for their past and future loyalty. The 68 people arrested at the meeting were subsequently tried together and found guilty of treason. 22 were sentenced to execution. Other high-ranking members of the party formed the firing squad. By 1 August 1979, hundreds of high-ranking Ba'ath party members had been executed.[30][31]
Secular leadership

To the consternation of Islamic conservatives, Saddam's government gave women added freedoms and offered them high-level government and industry jobs. Saddam also created a Western-style legal system, making Iraq the only country in the Persian Gulf region not ruled according to traditional Islamic law (Sharia). Saddam abolished the Sharia courts, except for personal injury claims.

Domestic conflict impeded Saddam's modernizing projects. Iraqi society is divided along lines of language, religion and ethnicity; Saddam's government rested on the support of the 20% minority of largely working class, peasant, and lower middle class Sunnis, continuing a pattern that dates back at least to the British colonial authority's reliance on them as administrators.

The Shi'a majority were long a source of opposition to the government's secular policies, and the Ba'ath Party was increasingly concerned about potential Shi'a Islamist influence following the Iranian Revolution of 1979. The Kurds of northern Iraq (who are Sunni but not Arabs) were also permanently hostile to the Ba'athist party's pan-Arabism. To maintain power Saddam tended either to provide them with benefits so as to co-opt them into the regime, or to take repressive measures against them. The major instruments for accomplishing this control were the paramilitary and police organizations. Beginning in 1974, Taha Yassin Ramadan, a close associate of Saddam, commanded the People's Army, which was responsible for internal security. As the Ba'ath Party's paramilitary, the People's Army acted as a counterweight against any coup attempts by the regular armed forces. In addition to the People's Army, the Department of General Intelligence (Mukhabarat) was the most notorious arm of the state security system, feared for its use of torture and assassination. It was commanded by Barzan Ibrahim al-Tikriti, Saddam's younger half-brother. Since 1982, foreign observers believed that this department operated both at home and abroad in their mission to seek out and eliminate Saddam's perceived opponents.[32]

Saddam justified Iraqi nationalism by claiming a unique role of Iraq in the history of the Arab world. As president, Saddam made frequent references to the Abbasid period, when Baghdad was the political, cultural, and economic capital of the Arab world. He also promoted Iraq's pre-Islamic role as Mesopotamia, the ancient cradle of civilization, alluding to such historical figures as Nebuchadnezzar II and Hammurabi. He devoted resources to archaeological explorations. In effect, Saddam sought to combine pan-Arabism and Iraqi nationalism, by promoting the vision of an Arab world united and led by Iraq.

As a sign of his consolidation of power, Saddam's personality cult pervaded Iraqi society. Thousands of portraits, posters, statues and murals were erected in his honor all over Iraq. His face could be seen on the sides of office buildings, schools, airports, and shops, as well as on Iraqi currency. Saddam's personality cult reflected his efforts to appeal to the various elements in Iraqi society. He appeared in the costumes of the Bedouin, the traditional clothes of the Iraqi peasant (which he essentially wore during his childhood), and even Kurdish clothing, but also appeared in Western suits, projecting the image of an urbane and modern leader. Sometimes he would also be portrayed as a devout Muslim, wearing full headdress and robe, praying toward Mecca.
Foreign affairs
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See also: Saddam Hussein – United States relations
See also: Iraq–Russia relations
In foreign affairs, Saddam sought to have Iraq play a leading role in the Middle East. Iraq signed an aid pact with the Soviet Union in 1972, and arms were sent along with several thousand advisers. However, the 1978 crackdown on Iraqi Communists and a shift of trade toward the West strained Iraqi relations with the Soviet Union; Iraq then took on a more Western orientation until the Persian Gulf War in 1991.[33]

After the oil crisis of 1973, France had changed to a more pro-Arab policy and was accordingly rewarded by Saddam with closer ties. He made a state visit to France in 1976, cementing close ties with some French business and ruling political circles. In 1975 Saddam negotiated an accord with Iran that contained Iraqi concessions on border disputes. In return, Iran agreed to stop supporting opposition Kurds in Iraq. Saddam led Arab opposition to the Camp David Accords between Egypt and Israel (1979).

Saddam initiated Iraq's nuclear enrichment project in the 1980s, with French assistance. The first Iraqi nuclear reactor was named by the French "Osirak". Osirak was destroyed on 7 June 1981[34] by an Israeli air strike (Operation Opera).

Nearly from its founding as a modern state in 1920, Iraq has had to deal with Kurdish separatists in the northern part of the country.[35] Saddam did negotiate an agreement in 1970 with separatist Kurdish leaders, giving them autonomy, but the agreement broke down. The result was brutal fighting between the government and Kurdish groups and even Iraqi bombing of Kurdish villages in Iran, which caused Iraqi relations with Iran to deteriorate. However, after Saddam had negotiated the 1975 treaty with Iran, the Shah withdrew support for the Kurds, who suffered a total defeat.
Iran–Iraq War
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Main article: Iran–Iraq War
In 1979 Iran's Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi was overthrown by the Islamic Revolution, thus giving way to an Islamic republic led by the Ayatollah Khomeini. The influence of revolutionary Shi'ite Islam grew apace in the region, particularly in countries with large Shi'ite populations, especially Iraq. Saddam feared that radical Islamic ideas—hostile to his secular rule—were rapidly spreading inside his country among the majority Shi'ite population.

There had also been bitter enmity between Saddam and Khomeini since the 1970s. Khomeini, having been exiled from Iran in 1964, took up residence in Iraq, at the Shi'ite holy city of An Najaf. There he involved himself with Iraqi Shi'ites and developed a strong, worldwide religious and political following against the Iranian Government, whom Saddam tolerated. However, when Khomeini began to urge the Shi'ites there to overthrow Saddam and under pressure from the Shah, who had agreed to a rapprochement between Iraq and Iran in 1975, Saddam agreed to expel Khomeini in 1978 to France. However this turned out to be an imminent failure and a political catalyst, for Khomeini had access to more media connections and also collaborated with a much larger Iranian community under his support whom he used to his advantage.

After Khomeini gained power, skirmishes between Iraq and revolutionary Iran occurred for ten months over the sovereignty of the disputed Shatt al-Arab waterway, which divides the two countries. During this period, Saddam Hussein publicly maintained that it was in Iraq's interest not to engage with Iran, and that it was in the interests of both nations to maintain peaceful relations. However, in a private meeting with Salah Omar Al-Ali, Iraq's permanent ambassador to the United Nations, he revealed that he intended to invade and occupy a large part of Iran within months. Later (probably to appeal for support from the United States and most Western nations), he would make toppling the Islamic government one of his intentions as well. Iraq invaded Iran, first attacking Mehrabad Airport of Tehran and then entering the oil-rich Iranian land of Khuzestan, which also has a sizable Arab minority, on 22 September 1980 and declared it a new province of Iraq. With the support of the Arab states, the United States, and Europe, and heavily financed by the Arab states of the Persian Gulf, Saddam Hussein had become "the defender of the Arab world" against a revolutionary Iran. The only exception was The Soviet Union, who initially refused to supply Iraq on the basis of Neutrality in the conflict, although in his memoirs, Mikhail Gorbachev claimed that Leonid Brezhnev refused to aid Saddam over infuriation of Saddam's treatment of Iraqi Communists. Consequently, many viewed Iraq as "an agent of the civilized world".[36] The blatant disregard of international law and violations of international borders were ignored. Instead Iraq received economic and military support from its allies, who conveniently overlooked Saddam's use of chemical warfare against the Kurds and the Iranians and Iraq's efforts to develop nuclear weapons.[36]

In the first days of the war, there was heavy ground fighting around strategic ports as Iraq launched an attack on Khuzestan. After making some initial gains, Iraq's troops began to suffer losses from human wave attacks by Iran. By 1982, Iraq was on the defensive and looking for ways to end the war.

At this point, Saddam asked his ministers for candid advice. Health Minister Dr Riyadh Ibrahim suggested that Saddam temporarily step down to promote peace negotiations. Initially, Saddam Hussein appeared to take in this opinion as part of his cabinet democracy. A few weeks later, Dr Ibrahim was sacked when held responsible for a fatal incident in an Iraqi hospital where a patient died from intravenous administration of the wrong concentration of Potassium supplement.

Dr Ibrahim was arrested a few days after he started his new life as a sacked Minister. He was known to have publicly declared before that arrest that he was "glad that he got away alive." Pieces of Ibrahim's dismembered body were delivered to his wife the next day.[37]

Iraq quickly found itself bogged down in one of the longest and most destructive wars of attrition of the twentieth century. During the war, Iraq used chemical weapons against Iranian forces fighting on the southern front and Kurdish separatists who were attempting to open up a northern front in Iraq with the help of Iran. These chemical weapons were developed by Iraq from materials and technology supplied primarily by West German companies.[38]

Saddam reached out to other Arab governments for cash and political support during the war, particularly after Iraq's oil industry severely suffered at the hands of the Iranian navy in the Persian Gulf. Iraq successfully gained some military and financial aid, as well as diplomatic and moral support, from the Soviet Union, China, France, and the United States, which together feared the prospects of the expansion of revolutionary Iran's influence in the region. The Iranians, demanding that the international community should force Iraq to pay war reparations to Iran, refused any suggestions for a cease-fire. Despite several calls for a ceasefire by the United Nations Security Council, hostilities continued until 20 August 1988.

On 16 March 1988, the Kurdish town of Halabja was attacked with a mix of mustard gas and nerve agents, killing 5,000 civilians, and maiming, disfiguring, or seriously debilitating 10,000 more. (see Halabja poison gas attack)[39] The attack occurred in conjunction with the 1988 al-Anfal campaign designed to reassert central control of the mostly Kurdish population of areas of northern Iraq and defeat the Kurdish peshmerga rebel forces. The United States now maintains that Saddam ordered the attack to terrorize the Kurdish population in northern Iraq,[39] but Saddam's regime claimed at the time that Iran was responsible for the attack[40] and US analysts supported the claim until several years later. (See also Halabja poison gas attack - Early U.S. allegations of Iranian involvement.)

The bloody eight-year war ended in a stalemate. There were hundreds of thousands of casualties with estimates of up to one million dead. Neither side had achieved what they had originally desired and at the borders were left nearly unchanged. The southern, oil rich and prosperous Khuzestan and Basra area (the main focus of the war, and the primary source of their economies) were almost completely destroyed and were left at the pre 1979 border, while Iran managed to make some small gains on its borders in the Northern Kurdish area. Both economies, previously healthy and expanding, were left in ruins.

Borrowing money from the U.S. was making Iraq dependent on outside loans, embarrassing a leader who had sought to define Arab nationalism. Saddam also borrowed a tremendous amount of money from other Arab states during the 1980s to fight Iran, mainly to prevent the expansion of Shiite radicalism. However, this had proven to completely backfire both on Iraq and on the part of the Arab states, for Khomeini was praised as a hero for managing to defend Iran and maintain the war with little foreign support against the heavily backed Iraq, and only managed to boost Islamic radicalism in the Arab states. Faced with rebuilding Iraq's infrastructure, Saddam desperately sought out cash once again, this time for postwar reconstruction
Gulf War
..........
On 2 August 1990, Saddam invaded and annexed Kuwait, thus sparking an international crisis. Just two years after the 1988 Iraq and Iran truce, "Saddam Hussein did what his Gulf patrons had earlier paid him to prevent." Having removed the threat of Iranian fundamentalism he "overran Kuwait and confronted his Gulf neighbors in the name of Arab nationalism and Islam."[36]

The U.S. had provided assistance to Saddam Hussein in the war with Iran, but with Iraq's seizure of the oil-rich emirate of Kuwait in August 1990 the United States led a United Nations coalition that drove Iraq's troops from Kuwait in February 1991. The ability for Saddam Hussein to pursue such military aggression was from a "military machine paid for in large part by the tens of billions of dollars Kuwait and the Gulf states had poured into Iraq and the weapons and technology provided by the Soviet Union, Germany, and France."[36]

U.S. President George H. W. Bush responded cautiously for the first several days. On one hand, Kuwait, prior to this point, had been a virulent enemy of Israel and was the Persian Gulf monarchy that had had the most friendly relations with the Soviets.[48] On the other hand, Washington foreign policymakers, along with Middle East experts, military critics, and firms heavily invested in the region, were extremely concerned with stability in this region.[49] The invasion immediately triggered fears that the world's price of oil, and therefore control of the world economy, was at stake. Britain profited heavily from billions of dollars of Kuwaiti investments and bank deposits. Bush was perhaps swayed while meeting with British prime minister Margaret Thatcher, who happened to be in the U.S. at the time.[50]

Co-operation between the United States and the Soviet Union made possible the passage of resolutions in the United Nations Security Council giving Iraq a deadline to leave Kuwait and approving the use of force if Saddam did not comply with the timetable. U.S. officials feared Iraqi retaliation against oil-rich Saudi Arabia, since the 1940s a close ally of Washington, for the Saudis' opposition to the invasion of Kuwait. Accordingly, the U.S. and a group of allies, including countries as diverse as Egypt, Syria and Czechoslovakia, deployed a massive amount of troops along the Saudi border with Kuwait and Iraq in order to encircle the Iraqi army, the largest in the Middle East.

During the period of negotiations and threats following the invasion, Saddam focused renewed attention on the Palestinian problem by promising to withdraw his forces from Kuwait if Israel would relinquish the occupied territories in the West Bank, the Golan Heights, and the Gaza Strip. Saddam's proposal further split the Arab world, pitting U.S.- and Western-supported Arab states against the Palestinians. The allies ultimately rejected any linkage between the Kuwait crisis and Palestinian issues.

Saddam ignored the Security Council deadline. Backed by the Security Council, a U.S.-led coalition launched round-the-clock missile and aerial attacks on Iraq, beginning 16 January 1991. Israel, though subjected to attack by Iraqi missiles, refrained from retaliating in order not to provoke Arab states into leaving the coalition. A ground force comprised largely of U.S. and British armoured and infantry divisions ejected Saddam's army from Kuwait in February 1991 and occupied the southern portion of Iraq as far as the Euphrates.

On 6 March 1991, Bush announced:“ What is at stake is more than one small country, it is a big idea — a new world order, where diverse nations are drawn together in common cause to achieve the universal aspirations of mankind: peace and security, freedom, and the rule of law. ”

In the end, the over-manned and under-equipped Iraqi army proved unable to compete on the battlefield with the highly mobile coalition land forces and their overpowering air support. Some 175,000 Iraqis were taken prisoner and casualties were estimated at over 85,000. As part of the cease-fire agreement, Iraq agreed to scrap all poison gas and germ weapons and allow UN observers to inspect the sites. UN trade sanctions would remain in effect until Iraq complied with all terms. Saddam publicly claimed victory at the end of the war.
Postwar period

Iraq's ethnic and religious divisions, together with the brutality of the conflict that this had engendered, laid the groundwork for postwar rebellions. In the aftermath of the fighting, social and ethnic unrest among Shi'ite Muslims, Kurds, and dissident military units threatened the stability of Saddam's government. Uprisings erupted in the Kurdish north and Shi'a southern and central parts of Iraq, but were ruthlessly repressed.

The United States, which had urged Iraqis to rise up against Saddam, did nothing to assist the rebellions. The Iranians, who had earlier called for the overthrow of Saddam, were in no state to even intervene on behalf of the rebellions due to the disastrous state of its economy and military. Turkey opposed any prospect of Kurdish independence, and the Saudis and other conservative Arab states feared an Iran-style Shi'ite revolution. Saddam, having survived the immediate crisis in the wake of defeat, was left firmly in control of Iraq, although the country never recovered either economically or militarily from the Gulf War. Saddam routinely cited his survival as "proof" that Iraq had in fact won the war against the U.S. This message earned Saddam a great deal of popularity in many sectors of the Arab world. John Esposito, however, claims that "Arabs and Muslims were pulled in two directions. That they rallied not so much to Saddam Hussein as to the bipolar nature of the confrontation (the West versus the Arab Muslim world) and the issues that Saddam proclaimed: Arab unity, self-sufficiency, and social justice." As a result, Saddam Hussein appealed to many people for the same reasons that attracted more and more followers to Islamic revivalism and also for the same reasons that fueled anti-Western feelings. "As one U.S. Muslim observer noted: People forgot about Saddam's record and concentrated on America...Saddam Hussein might be wrong, but it is not America who should correct him." A shift was, therefore, clearly visible among many Islamic movements in the post war period "from an initial Islamic ideological rejection of Saddam Hussein, the secular persecutor of Islamic movements, and his invasion of Kuwait to a more populist Arab nationalist, anti-imperialist support for Saddam (or more precisely those issues he represented or championed) and the condemnation of foreign intervention and occupation."[36]

Saddam, therefore, increasingly portrayed himself as a devout Muslim, in an effort to co-opt the conservative religious segments of society. Some elements of Sharia law were re-introduced, and the ritual phrase "Allahu Akbar" ("God is great"), in Saddam's handwriting, was added to the national flag.

Relations between the United States and Iraq remained tense following the Gulf War. The U.S. launched a missile attack aimed at Iraq's intelligence headquarters in Baghdad 26 June 1993, citing evidence of repeated Iraqi violations of the "no fly zones" imposed after the Gulf War and for incursions into Kuwait.

The UN sanctions placed upon Iraq when it invaded Kuwait were not lifted, blocking Iraqi oil exports. This caused immense hardship in Iraq and virtually destroyed the Iraqi economy and state infrastructure. Only smuggling across the Syrian border, and humanitarian aid ameliorated the humanitarian crisis.[51] On 9 December 1996 the United Nations allowed Saddam's government to begin selling limited amounts of oil for food and medicine. Limited amounts of income from the United Nations started flowing into Iraq through the UN Oil for Food program.

U.S. officials continued to accuse Saddam of violating the terms of the Gulf War's cease fire, by developing weapons of mass destruction and other banned weaponry, and violating the UN-imposed sanctions and "no-fly zones." Isolated military strikes by U.S. and British forces continued on Iraq sporadically, the largest being Operation Desert Fox in 1998. Western charges of Iraqi resistance to UN access to suspected weapons were the pretext for crises between 1997 and 1998, culminating in intensive U.S. and British missile strikes on Iraq, 16–19 December 1998. After two years of intermittent activity, U.S. and British warplanes struck harder at sites near Baghdad in February 2001.

Saddam's support base of Tikriti tribesmen, family members, and other supporters was divided after the war, and in the following years, contributing to the government's increasingly repressive and arbitrary nature. Domestic repression inside Iraq grew worse, and Saddam's sons, Uday and Qusay Hussein, became increasingly powerful and carried out a private reign of terror.

Iraqi co-operation with UN weapons inspection teams was intermittent throughout the 1990s.
2003 invasion of Iraq
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The U.S. continued to view Saddam as a bellicose tyrant who was a threat to the stability of the region. During the 1990s, President Bill Clinton maintained sanctions and ordered air strikes in the "Iraqi no-fly zones" (Operation Desert Fox), in the hope that Saddam would be overthrown by political enemies inside Iraq.

The domestic political equation changed in the U.S. after the September 11, 2001 attacks; in his January 2002 state of the union address to Congress, President George W. Bush spoke of an "axis of evil" consisting of Iran, North Korea, and Iraq. Moreover, Bush announced that he would possibly take action to topple the Iraqi government, because of the alleged threat of its "weapons of mass destruction." Bush claimed, "The Iraqi regime has plotted to develop anthrax, and nerve gas, and nuclear weapons for over a decade... Iraq continues to flaunt its hostility toward America and to support terror."[53][54] Saddam Hussein claimed that he falsely led the world to believe Iraq possessed nuclear weapons in order to appear strong against Iran.[55]

With war looming on 24 February 2003, Saddam Hussein took part in an interview with CBS News reporter Dan Rather. Talking for more than three hours, he expressed a wish to have a live televised debate with George W. Bush, which was declined. It was his first interview with a U.S. reporter in over a decade.[56] CBS aired the taped interview later that week.

The Iraqi government and military collapsed within three weeks of the beginning of the U.S.-led 2003 invasion of Iraq on 20 March. The United States made at least two attempts to kill Saddam with targeted air strikes, but both failed to hit their target, killing civilians instead. By the beginning of April, U.S.-led forces occupied much of Iraq. The resistance of the much-weakened Iraqi Army either crumbled or shifted to guerrilla tactics, and it appeared that Saddam had lost control of Iraq. He was last seen in a video which purported to show him in the Baghdad suburbs surrounded by supporters. When Baghdad fell to U.S-led forces on 9 April, Saddam was nowhere to be found.
Incarceration and trial
Capture and incarceration
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Main articles: Operation Red Dawn and Interrogation of Saddam Hussein
In April 2003, Saddam's whereabouts remained in question during the weeks following the fall of Baghdad and the conclusion of the major fighting of the war. Various sightings of Saddam were reported in the weeks following the war but none was authenticated. At various times Saddam released audio tapes promoting popular resistance to the U.S.-led occupation.

Saddam was placed at the top of the U.S. list of "most-wanted Iraqis." In July 2003, his sons Uday and Qusay and 14-year-old grandson Mustapha were killed in a three-hour[57] gunfight with U.S. forces.

On 14 December 2003, U.S. administrator in Iraq L. Paul Bremer announced that Saddam Hussein had been captured at a farmhouse in ad-Dawr near Tikrit.[58] Bremer presented video footage of Saddam in custody.

Saddam was shown with a full beard and hair longer than his familiar appearance. He was described by U.S. officials as being in good health. Bremer reported plans to put Saddam on trial, but claimed that the details of such a trial had not yet been determined. Iraqis and Americans who spoke with Saddam after his capture generally reported that he remained self-assured, describing himself as a "firm but just leader."

According to U.S. military sources, following his capture by U.S. forces on 13 December Saddam was transported to a U.S. base near Tikrit, and later taken to the U.S. base near Baghdad. The day after his capture he was reportedly visited by longtime opponents such as Ahmed Chalabi.

British tabloid newspaper The Sun posted a picture of Saddam wearing white briefs on the front cover of a newspaper. Other photographs inside the paper show Saddam washing his trousers, shuffling, and sleeping. The United States Government stated that it considers the release of the pictures a violation of the Geneva Convention, and that it would investigate the photographs.[59][60] During this period Hussein was interrogated by FBI agent George Piro.[61]

The guards at the Baghdad detention facility called their prisoner "Vic," and let him plant a little garden near his cell. The nickname and the garden are among the details about the former Iraqi leader that emerged during a 27 March 2008 tour of prison of the Baghdad cell where Saddam slept, bathed, and kept a journal in the final days before his execution.[62]

On 30 June 2004, Saddam Hussein, held in custody by U.S. forces at the U.S. base "Camp Cropper," along with 11 other senior Baathist leaders, were handed over legally (though not physically) to the interim Iraqi government to stand trial for crimes against humanity and other offences.

A few weeks later, he was charged by the Iraqi Special Tribunal with crimes committed against residents of Dujail in 1982, following a failed assassination attempt against him. Specific charges included the murder of 148 people, torture of women and children and the illegal arrest of 399 others.[63][64] Among the many challenges of the trial were:
Saddam and his lawyers' contesting the court's authority and maintaining that he was still the President of Iraq.[65]
The assassinations and attempts on the lives of several of Saddam's lawyers.
Midway through the trial, the chief presiding judge was replaced.

On 5 November 2006, Saddam Hussein was found guilty of crimes against humanity and sentenced to death by hanging. Saddam's half brother, Barzan Ibrahim, and Awad Hamed al-Bandar, head of Iraq's Revolutionary Court in 1982, were convicted of similar charges. The verdict and sentencing were both appealed but subsequently affirmed by Iraq's Supreme Court of Appeals.[66] On 30 December 2006, Saddam was hanged.[8]
Execution
Main article: Execution of Saddam Hussein

Saddam was hanged on the first day of Eid ul-Adha, 30 December 2006, despite his wish to be shot (which he felt would be more dignified).[67] The execution was carried out at Camp Justice, an Iraqi army base in Kadhimiya, a neighborhood of northeast Baghdad.

The execution was videotaped on a mobile phone and he and his captors could be heard insulting each other. The video was leaked to electronic media and posted on the Internet within hours, becoming the subject of global controversy.[68] It was later claimed by the head guard at the tomb where his body remains that Saddam's body was stabbed six times after the execution.[69]

Not long before the execution, Saddam's lawyers released his last letter. The following includes several excerpts:“ To the great nation, to the people of our country, and humanity,

Many of you have known the writer of this letter to be faithful, honest, caring for others, wise, of sound judgment, just, decisive, careful with the wealth of the people and the state ... and that his heart is big enough to embrace all without discrimination.

You have known your brother and leader very well and he never bowed to the despots and, in accordance with the wishes of those who loved him, remained a sword and a banner.

This is how you want your brother, son or leader to be ... and those who will lead you (in the future) should have the same qualifications.

Here, I offer my soul to God as a sacrifice, and if He wants, He will send it to heaven with the martyrs, or, He will postpone that ... so let us be patient and depend on Him against the unjust nations.

Remember that God has enabled you to become an example of love, forgiveness and brotherly coexistence ... I call on you not to hate because hate does not leave a space for a person to be fair and it makes you blind and closes all doors of thinking and keeps away one from balanced thinking and making the right choice.

I also call on you not to hate the peoples of the other countries that attacked us and differentiate between the decision-makers and peoples. Anyone who repents - whether in Iraq or abroad - you must forgive him.

You should know that among the aggressors, there are people who support your struggle against the invaders, and some of them volunteered for the legal defence of prisoners, including Saddam Hussein ... some of these people wept profusely when they said goodbye to me.

Dear faithful people, I say goodbye to you, but I will be with the merciful God who helps those who take refuge in him and who will never disappoint any faithful, honest believer ... God is Great ... God is great ... Long live our nation ... Long live our great struggling people ... Long live Iraq, long live Iraq ... Long live Palestine ... Long live jihad and the mujahedeen (the insurgency).

Saddam Hussein President and Commander in Chief of the Iraqi Mujahed Armed Forces

Additional clarification note:

I have written this letter because the lawyers told me that the so-called criminal court—established and named by the invaders—will allow the so-called defendants the chance for a last word. But that court and its chief judge did not give us the chance to say a word, and issued its verdict without explanation and read out the sentence—dictated by the invaders—without presenting the evidence. I wanted the people to know this.[70] ”
— Letter by Saddam Hussein

A second unofficial video, apparently showing Saddam's body on a trolley, emerged several days later. It sparked speculation that the execution was carried out incorrectly as Saddam Hussein had a gaping hole in his neck.[71]

Saddam was buried at his birthplace of Al-Awja in Tikrit, Iraq, 3 km (2 mi) from his sons Uday and Qusay Hussein, on 31 December 2006.[72]

New Ramcharan-Orange

2010-05-28T06:41:00.001-07:00

sandeep

2009-11-24T05:21:00.000-08:00

Linkin Park

2009-11-01T04:10:00.000-08:00

Linkin Park - MTV World Stage (24.07.09) Live

01. What I've Done
02. Faint
03. Bleed It Out
04. New Divide

http://rapidshare.com/files/264450212/PLMVWd.Age217090_varsh.part1.rar">Rapid 1

http://rapidshare.com/files/264452504/PLMVWd.Age217090_varsh.part2.rar">Rapid 2

http://rapidshare.com/files/264455733/PLMVWd.Age217090_varsh.part3.rar">Rapid 3

http://rapidshare.com/files/264457281/PLMVWd.Age217090_varsh.part4.rar">Rapid 4

MJ (1958-2009) "Michael Jackson's Tour of India"

2009-07-07T03:27:00.000-07:00

MJ (1958-2009)

I Love U"MJ"miss u.. Bad (1987)Thriller (1982)Invincible (2001)HIStory (1995)Dangerous (1991)Blood on the Dance Floor (1997)Ben (1972)Music And Me (1973)One Day In Your Life (1981)Off the Wall (1979)Forever, Michael (1975)Got to be There (1971)

Homeless Woman Reaches Out to President at Town Hall Meeting

2009-02-11T05:22:00.000-08:00

...

President Barack Obama walks off stage to greet Henrietta Hughes as she asks a question during a Town Hall Meeting at the Harborside Event Center February 10, 2009 in Fort Myers, Florida. Obama visited the town to discuss the American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)more pics »

As President Barack Obama fielded questions from the audience at a Town Hall Meeting Tuesday in Fort Myers, Fla., one woman captured the hearts of her fellow Floridians and the attention of a sympathetic press corps.

Henrietta Hughes stood up and explained the severity of her situation:
I have an urgent need, unemployment and homelessness, a very small vehicle for my family and I to live in. The housing authority has two years' waiting lists, and we need something more than the vehicle and the parks to go to. We need our own kitchen and our own bathroom. Please help.
The President asked Hughes her name and told her his staff would meet with her after the Town Hall Meeting. ABC News reports that Hughes was soon flooded with offers for help soon after.
After the president left, reporters crowded around Hughes, doing one interview after another. People in the crowd handed her business cards and cash. Florida Rep. Nick Thompson has offered her and her son a home in La Belle, a town about two hours from Ft. Myers.

7.6 cms Full Touch

2009-02-10T07:48:00.001-08:00

S.6 cms Full Touch Screencreen

The Cookie's large 7.6 cms diagonal touch display provides an optimized interface for all forms of multimedia content. It is ideal for watching movies, taking pictures, browsing the Internet, playing games, and creating and editing drawings and documents - ensuring the ultimate multimedia experience.

Star-studded romantic comedy

2009-02-10T07:41:00.000-08:00

"He's Just Not That Into You" took top spot at the North American box office this weekend, final figures showed Monday.

The movie, based on the best-selling book of the same name, stars Ben Affleck, Jennifer Aniston, Drew Barrymore and Scarlett Johansson as a group of young people struggling to make sense of their relationships.

The Baltimore-set film raked in 27.8 million dollars in its opening weekend after debuting in 3,175 theaters, industry tracker Exhibitor Relations said.

In second place was "Taken", the revenge thriller set in Paris featuring Liam Neeson as a retired CIA agent seeking the gang of sex traffickers who have kidnapped his daughter.

The Pierre Morel-directed action movie took 20.5 million dollars in its second week of release.

The animated children's adventure "Coraline" came in third place bagging 16.8 million dollars in its first weekend.

Another new arrival, "The Pink Panther 2" came in at fourth, with 11.6 million dollars, beating comedy "Paul Blart Mall Cop" -- the tale of a security guard turned hero -- which trailed in fifth with 10.9 million.

The sci-fi thriller "Push" came in sixth, earning just over 10 million dollars to edge out ten-time Oscar-nominated "Slumdog Millionaire," which took 7.2 million after 13 weeks on release.

Clint Eastwood's "Gran Torino," remains the highest grossing film in the top 10. The tale of a foul-mouthed Korean War veteran earned another 7.16 million for an overall take of 120.2 million over nine weeks.

"The Uninvited" -- a ghoulish tale of death and haunting -- stood in ninth place with 6.3 million trailed by the family flick "Hotel for Dogs", which earned 5.7 million.

2009-01-11T06:42:00.000-08:00

Angelina Jolie quitting Hollywood?

Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie is planning another long break from acting in 2009, fuelling speculation that she is set to quit the silver screen for good.

The 'Mr. and amp; Mrs. Smith' actress had also taken most of 2008 off to prepare for the arrival of her twins Knox and Vivienne, and is now planning another long hiatus, reports contactmusic.com

The actress has often spoken of her desire to put her family before films.

'I have had a year off, and I may work for a few months. But, if I do, I'm probably going to take another year and a half or two. I'm going to work a lot less,' Jolie said.

2009-01-11T05:35:00.000-08:00

Why, Nag is clashing with Mega star?

The close friendship between Nagarjuna and Chiranjeevi is developing cracks beyond repairable stage. The people around them and the political pressures on both, are creating unprecedented distance between them. Nagarjuna who is under the influence of Congress Party, and its boss Y.Rajasheka Reddy, could not make his mind in favour of his close friend Chiranjeevi YSR Govt bagged him by giving necessary sanctions to construct shopping malls and other commercial complexes in his seven acres land attached to Annapurna Studios. Nagarjuna is planning to start construction activities very soon after getting all clearances.

Praja Rajyam party office, which is located near the Annapurna Studio, badly in need of some place for its parking, and requested for the same with Nagarjuna Although he is willing to extend his hand of friendship to Chiru , certain pressures from Congress Party and its boss made him think twice in this regard. Refused by him, Praja Rajyam office bearers took this by heart , succeeded in creating gap between the friends. Would the Mega star directly approached Nag in this regard and had perfect interaction with him, as he did several times in earlier, he shall not loose a friend like him. Personally, Nag may not lose anything except their friendship, but Chiranjeevi is loosing a lot more compared to Nag.

Nag’s canvassing for YSR welfare schemes, and further campaigning programmes planned for him during the election seassion, is going to make a big difference for Chiranjeevi and his Praja Rajyam party. Nag and Chiru who are in rival parties obliged to criticise each other though unwillingly in the coming elections that certainly make a wide gap between them.

2009-01-11T05:29:00.000-08:00

Airtel offers FREE SMS2.0 Service Upgrade...

Airtel Cellular Services provider along with affle has launched SMS2.0 services which are upgraded versions of normal SMS. Affle is currently operating in Thailand, UK, India, Singapore, and USA as a mobile media company with affle being the innovator of this service. Airtel currently has 55 million-odd customers all over india which they are currently targetting to use this service.

This new SMS2.0 service would enable the users to find relevant content services with better messaging features. The service offers free content to users which is completely relevant to their interest with the application being installed into the customer’s mobile handset.

The mainly targetted audience of this new service is the youth who are currently the highest users of sending SMS & MMS. These are the audience who would be more interested in user relevant content like free jokes, movie updates, news, cricket etc all integrated into one application useful to the users.

The service is currently free and is available to all the Airtel Users as a FREE upgrade. If you are a Airtel subscriber you can avail this service by sending a SMS to 543210 with the Message “SMS2″ with no charges to use this service and incase you are not a Airtel subscriber then you can read this article on Free mobile phone wallpapers & ringtones

2009-01-11T05:26:00.000-08:00

Madonna, Guy Ritchie ‘extend truce to five times a year for kids’ sake’

London, Jan 11: Former couple Madonna and Guy Ritchie have reportedly decided to extend their truce to five times a year for the sake of their children.

The warring pair, locked in a sour custody battle for kids, were said to have made peace during Christmas as the Queen of Pop flew down to her ex-hubby’s native England to celebrate the festive evening as a family.

And now, both the separated celebrities have allegedly nodded in favour of continuing the peace deal throughout 2009 and to meet during important days for Rocco, eight, their adopted son David, three, and Lourdes, Madonna’s 12-year-old daughter from a previous relationship.

“When it comes down to it, they are both parents and they want to do what’s right for their children,” News of the World quoted a friend close to Guy as saying.

“Christmas was something done through gritted teeth, but it worked out in the end and was a success for the kids.

“But the children aren’t stupid, especially Lourdes who is old enough to understand what’s been going on. There was a lot of pain and nastiness last year,” he added.

2009-01-11T05:10:00.000-08:00

Akshay Kumar becomes the highest income tax payer in Bollywood

Mumbai, Jan 11: Bollywood’s ‘Kung Fu King’ Akshay Kumar has become the highest income tax payer amongst the Filmi stalwarts by paying a humungous amount of Rs19 crore.

Akki has even surpassed the ‘King Khan’, SRK, who has paid a sum of Rs 15 crore. Hrithik Roshan has figured at the third place on the celebrity tax payer list, with a payment of Rs 8 crore and of course, ‘Mr Perfectionist’ Aamir comes fourth, having paid Rs 7 crore as income tax.

This news doesn’t come as a surprise, as Akki has been crowned the current Box Office King, after having a string of hit flicks that include- ‘Namastey London’, ‘Heyy Babyy’, ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa’, ‘Welcome’ and the super hit ‘Singh Is Kinng’, which broke all records in India and overseas.

2009-01-10T21:41:00.000-08:00

Deepika on her inspiration, options and choices

Mumbai, Jan 10: Deepika Padukone, who landed on Bollywood with quite a big thud in the form of ‘Om Shanti Om’, made everyone turn and take notice of her efforts in ‘Bachna Ae Haseeno’, and actually seems to have found her feet in ‘Chandni Chowk To China’. Considering the fact that she is only two years old in B-town, it is surprising that her presence is all pervading.

She has topped many ‘sexy’ polls, been on the cover of most of the ‘in vogue’ magazines and has never been caught looking anything but heavenly. All this without the ritualistic drop of clothes to reveal a bikini-figure!

In a conversation with a website, she talked about why hasn’t she followed her contemporaries and skipped the bikini-ritual till now. “`It`s not a conscious decision to do it or to not to do it. It`s like - the requirement has never come up. But more than anything, I always think that one should be comfortable with what you`re wearing and I think if those girls thought that it was required and if they can carry it off, which they have done very well, it`s cool,`` she said.

Recently beau Ranbir Kapoor accidentally hurt Katrina while shooting. Since, she has done a lot of stunts with Khiladi Akshay Kumar, and managed to come off it all unhurt, she said, “Well you know these things are bound to happen. While Ranbir`s never attempted action before; and I`m sure he`ll learn. With someone like Akshay? He`s just too good at it to make a mistake.``

When Katrina comes into the scene, she automatically becomes an arch competitor in personal as well as professional field. But Deepika is cool and has no green-jealous-itches. “I haven`t seen any of her recent films, but I think considering where she`s come from, she`s done a fantastic job. She`s definitely come a long way. She`s been in the industry for longer than I have and she`s learnt fast. She is definitely an inspiration for a lot of young girls like me who`ve just started off.”

2009-01-10T09:46:00.000-08:00

Who’s buying Satyam shares?

MUMBAI: Satyam was clearly the focus of all speculative action on the stock markets
on Friday, before the bourses recessed for the weekend.
Rumours about who could
be buying into the stock flew thick and fast as 30 crore of Satyam shares changed hands. Since most institutional investors had dumped Satyam shares over the past two trading sessions, market players were eager to know who bought those shares.

Although a definite answer to this is possible only after the settlements are completed next week, the rumours persisted. On Friday, Satyam's stock on the NSE touched an all-time low of Rs 6.30 and closed at Rs 23.75, down over 40% on the day. Of the 30 crore shares traded, about 8 crore shares, or about 12% of the company's total shareholding, were marked for delivery.

While market players speculated if construction major L&T was buying additional shares of the troubled IT major, names of two other corporate houses one based in Mumbai with interests in telecom, financial services, power & infrastructure and entertainment, and the other in Kolkata were doing the rounds.

Market players were, however, divided if any corporate house would touch Satyam now. For some, the main deterrents are the imminent legal cases in India as well as the US class action lawsuits against Satyam and its directors, head of a domestic financial services company said. ‘‘Probably corporates would look at buying only parts of the company's businesses but not the whole of the company. Taking over the whole of the company could also mean taking on its now undefinable liabilities'' the company official said.

However, with Satyam's stock price at sub-Rs 25 level and the company valued at about Rs 1,600 crore, there could be some bravehearts, including seasoned speculators and arbitrageurs to bet on a turnaround, the head of institutional services at a local brokerage said. ‘‘If the day's low was Rs 6.30, the average price for some could be in the Rs 10-15 region. At that level you could always find someone willing to take a bet on a definitive turnaround in the company and hence multiple profits,'' said the official. Another head of a local brokerage with substantial presence in the retail broking space also confirmed that some of the company's clients were buying into the counter.

If past instances are anything to go by, then such speculative activity is possible. In 2004, when RBI announced the merger of hugely mismanaged Global Trust Bank with PSU major Oriental Bank of Commerce, the stock price of GTB had fallen to as low as 78 paise. At that time, it was almost clear that GTB shareholders will not get anything from the takeover by OBC.

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