On Jay Parkhe's RADAR

India invites France to participate in road development prog - Business News - News - MSN India

jayparkhe@gmail.com — Thu, 26 May 2011 04:10:43 PDT

New Delhi, May 25 (PTI) India today invited France to participate in its highways building programme for developing world-class infrastructure using advanced technologies in the road sector, including traffic management and tolling.
"Road Transport and Highways Minister C P Joshi who is on a visit to France has invited it today to participate in the Ministry''s flagship programme - National Highways Development Project (NHDP)," a Transport Ministry official said.
Both the countries have already inked a pact for bilateral cooperation in the transport sector in 2000. The Indo-French Joint Working Group set up under the provisions of this MoU has already met seven times so far.
The government has envisaged a massive investment to the tune of Rs 3 lakh crore under NHDP and 60 per cent of it is estimated to come from the private sector.
The official said Joshi would be leaving for Germany tomorrow to participate in International Transport Forum (ITF)-2011 held at Liepzig followed by a visit to Spain.
"The objective of his visit is to draw the mutual benefits...resulting in enhancement of bi-lateral cooperation for exchange of technical expertise, sharing of advanced technologies towards the betterment of transport infrastructure," an official statement said.
It added that since the countries being visited have excellent transport infrastructure and advance technology, the visit would prove beneficial to India for developing world-class transport infrastructure.
The Minister had reached Paris yesterday and met Thierry Mariani, Minister of State for Ecology, Sustainable Development, Transport & Housing, Government of France.
During the visit Joshi will also meet Jose Blanco Lopez, Minister of Public Works and Transport, Government of Spain besides visiting some transport facilities in Madrid.

via news.in.msn.com

The Bin Laden Operation: Tapping Human Intelligence - STRATFOR

jayparkhe@gmail.com — Thu, 26 May 2011 02:17:55 PDT

Since May 2, when U.S. special operations forces crossed the Afghan-Pakistani border and killed Osama bin Laden, international media have covered the raid from virtually every angle. The United States and Pakistan have also squared off over the U.S. violation of Pakistan’s sovereign territory and Pakistan’s possible complicity in hiding the al Qaeda leader. All this surface-level discussion, however, largely ignores almost 10 years of intelligence development in the hunt for bin Laden.

While the cross-border nighttime raid deep into Pakistan was a daring and daunting operation, the work to find the target — one person out of 180 million in a country full of insurgent groups and a population hostile to American activities on its soil — was a far greater challenge. For the other side, the challenge of hiding the world’s most wanted man from the world’s most funded intelligence apparatus created a clandestine shell game that probably involved current or former Pakistani intelligence officers as well as competing intelligence services. The details of this struggle will likely remain classified for decades.

Examining the hunt for bin Laden is also difficult, mainly because of the sensitivity of the mission and the possibility that some of the public information now available could be disinformation intended to disguise intelligence sources and methods. Successful operations can often compromise human sources and new intelligence technologies that have taken years to develop. Because of this, it is not uncommon for intelligence services to try to create a wilderness of mirrors to protect sources and methods. But using open-source reporting and human intelligence from STRATFOR’s own sources, we can assemble enough information to draw some conclusions about this complex intelligence effort and raise some key questions.

The Challenge

Following the 9/11 attacks, finding and killing bin Laden became the primary mission of the U.S. intelligence community, particularly the CIA. This mission was clearly laid out in a presidential “finding,” or directive, signed on Sept. 17, 2001, by then-U.S. President George W. Bush. By 2005 it became clear to STRATFOR that bin Laden was deep inside Pakistan. Although the Pakistani government was ostensibly a U.S. ally, it was known that there were elements within it sympathetic to al Qaeda and bin Laden. In order to find bin Laden, U.S. intelligence would have to work with — and against — Pakistani intelligence services.

Finding bin Laden in a hostile intelligence environment while friends and sympathizers were protecting him represented a monumental intelligence challenge for the United States. With bin Laden and his confederates extremely conscious of U.S technical intelligence abilities, the search quickly became a human-intelligence challenge. While STRATFOR believes bin Laden had become tactically irrelevant since 9/11, he remained symbolically important and a focal point for the U.S. intelligence effort. And while it appears that the United States has improved its intelligence capabilities and passed an important test, much remains undone. Today, the public information surrounding the case illuminates the capabilities that will be used to find other high-value targets as the U.S. effort continues.

The official story on the intelligence that led to bin Laden’s Abbottabad compound has been widely reported, leaked from current and former U.S. officials. It focuses on a man with the cover name Abu Ahmed al-Kuwaiti, a Pakistani Pashtun born in Kuwait who became bin Laden’s most trusted courier. With fluency in Pashto and Arabic, according to media reports, al-Kuwaiti would be invaluable to al Qaeda, and in order to purchase bin Laden’s property and run errands he would also need to be fluent in Urdu. His position as bin Laden’s most trusted courier made him a key link in disrupting the organization. While this man supposedly led the United States to bin Laden, it took a decade of revamping U.S. intelligence capabilities and a great deal of hard work (and maybe even a lucky break) to actually find him.

The first step for U.S. intelligence services after Bush’s directive was focusing their efforts on bin Laden and the al Qaeda leadership. Intelligence collection against al Qaeda was under way before 9/11, but after the attacks it became the No. 1 priority. Due to a lack of human intelligence in the region and allies for an invasion of Afghanistan, the CIA revived connections with anti-Taliban forces in Afghanistan and with Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) directorate in order to oust the Taliban government and accrue intelligence for use in disrupting al Qaeda. The connections were built in the 1980s as the CIA famously operated through the ISI to fund militant groups in Afghanistan fighting the Soviet military. Most of these links were lost when the Soviets withdrew from the Southwest Asian state and the CIA nominally declared victory. Pakistan, left with Afghanistan and these militant groups, developed a working relationship with the Taliban and others for its own interests. A coterie of ISI officers was embedded with different militant groups, and some of them became jihadist sympathizers.

U.S. intelligence budgets were severely cut in the 1990s in light of the “peace dividend” following the fall of the Soviet Union, as some U.S. leaders argued there was no one left to fight. Intelligence collection was a dirty, ambiguous and dangerous game that U.S. politicians were not prepared to stomach. John Deutch, the director of the CIA from 1995 to 1996, gutted the CIA’s sources on what was known as the “Torricelli Principle” (named after then-Rep. Robert Torricelli), which called for the removal of any unsavory characters from the payroll. This meant losing sources in the exact kind of organizations U.S. intelligence would want to infiltrate, including militants in Southwest Asia.

The CIA began to revive its contacts in the region after the 1998 U.S. Embassy bombings in Nairobi, Kenya, and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. While the U.S. intelligence community was looking for bin Laden at this time, he was not a high priority, and U.S. human-intelligence capabilities in the region were limited. The United States has always had trouble with human intelligence — having people sitting at computers is less of a security risk than having daring undercover operatives running around in the field — and by the end of the 1990s it was relying on technological platforms for intelligence more than ever.

The United States was in this state on Sept. 12, 2001, when it began to ramp up its intelligence operations, and al Qaeda was aware of this. Bin Laden knew that if he could stay away from electronic communications, and generally out of sight, he would be much harder to track. After invading Afghanistan and working with the ISI in Pakistan, the United States had a large number of detainees who it hoped would have information to breach bin Laden’s operational security. From some mix of detainees caught in operations in Afghanistan and Pakistan (particularly with the help of the ISI), including Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and Abu Farj al-Libi, came information leading to an important bin Laden courier known by various names, including Abu Ahmed al-Kuwaiti. (His actual identity is still unconfirmed, though his real name may be Sheikh Abu Ahmed.)

The efficacy of enhanced interrogation and torture techniques is constantly debated — they may have helped clarify or obfuscate the courier’s identity (some reports say Mohammed tried to lead investigators away from him). What is clear is that U.S. intelligence lacked both a sophisticated and nuanced understanding of al Qaeda and, most important, human sources with access to that information. With the United States not knowing what al Qaeda was capable of, the fear of a follow-on attack to 9/11 loomed large.

Anonymous U.S. intelligence officials told Reuters the breakthrough came when a man named Hassan Ghul was captured in Iraq in 2004 by Kurdish forces and turned over to the United States. Little is known about Ghul’s identity except that he is believed to have worked with Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and to have given interrogators information about a man named “al-Kuwaiti” who was a courier between al-Zarqawi and al Qaeda operational commanders in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Ghul was then given over to the Pakistani security services; he is believed to have been released in 2007 and to now be fighting somewhere in the region.

While U.S. intelligence services got confirmation of al-Kuwaiti’s role from al-Libi, they could not find the courier. It is unknown if they gave any of this information to the Pakistanis or asked for their help. According to leaks from U.S. officials to AP, the Pakistanis provided the National Security Agency (NSA), the main U.S. communications interception agency, with information that allowed it to monitor a SIM card from a cellphone that had frequently called Saudi Arabia. In 2010, the NSA intercepted a call made by al-Kuwaiti and began tracking him in Pakistan. Another U.S. official told CNN that the operational security exercised by al-Kuwaiti and his brother made them difficult to trail, but “an elaborate surveillance effort” was organized to track them to the Abbottabad compound.

From then on, the NSA monitored all of the cellphones used by the couriers and their family members, though they were often turned off and had batteries removed when the phones’ users went to the Abbottabad compound or to other important meetings. The compound was monitored by satellites and RQ-170 Sentinels, stealth versions of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), which were reportedly flown over the compound. According to The Wall Street Journal, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) even built a replica of the compound for CIA Director Leon Panetta and other officials. The NGA is the premier U.S. satellite observation agency, which could have watched the goings-on at the compound and even spotted bin Laden, though it would have been difficult to confirm his identity.

Some of these leaks could be disingenuous in order to lead the public and adversary intelligence agencies away from highly classified sources and methods. But they do reflect long-believed assessments of the U.S. intelligence community regarding its advanced capability in technology-based intelligence gathering as well as the challenges it faces in human-intelligence collection.

The Utility of Liaison Relationships

Historically, U.S. intelligence officers have been white males, though the CIA has more recently begun hiring more minorities, including those from various ethnic and linguistic groups important to its mission (or at least those who can pass the polygraph and full-field background investigation, a substantial barrier). Even when intelligence officers look the part in the countries in which they operate and have a native understanding of the cultures and languages, they need sources within the organizations they are trying to penetrate. It is these sources, recruited by intelligence officers and without official or secret status, who are the “agents” providing the information needed back at headquarters. The less an intelligence officer appears like a local the more difficult it is to meet with and develop these agents, which has led the United States to frequently depend on liaison services — local intelligence entities — to collect information.

Many intelligence services around the world were established with American support or funding for just this purpose. The most dependent liaison services essentially function as sources, acquiring information at the local CIA station’s request. They are often made up of long-serving officers in the local country’s military, police or intelligence services, with a nuanced understanding of local issues and the ability to maintain a network of sources. With independent intelligence services, such as Israel’s Mossad, there has been roughly an equal exchange of intelligence, where Israeli sources may recruit a human source valuable to the United States and the CIA may have satellite imagery or communications intercepts valuable to the Israelis.

Of course, this is not a simple game. It involves sophisticated players trying to collect intelligence while deceiving one another about their intentions and plans — and many times trying to muddy the water a little to hide the identity of their sources from the liaison service. Even the closest intelligence relationships, such as that between the CIA and the British Secret Intelligence Service, have been disrupted by moles like Kim Philby, a longtime Soviet plant who handled the liaison work between the two agencies.

Since most U.S. intelligence officers serve on rotations of only one to three years — out of concern they will “go native” or to allow them to return to the comfort of home — it becomes even more challenging to develop long-term human-intelligence sources. While intelligence officers will pass their sources off to their replacements, the liaison service becomes even more valuable in being able to sustain source relationships, which can take years to build. Liaison relationships, then, become a way to efficiently use and extend U.S. intelligence resources, which, unlike such services in most countries, have global requirements. The United States may be the world’s superpower, but it is impossible for it to maintain sources everywhere.

Liaison and Unilateral Operations in the Hunt for Bin Laden

In recent years, U.S. intelligence has worked with Pakistan’s ISI most notably in raids throughout Pakistan against senior al Qaeda operatives like Abu Zubaydah, Ramzi bin al-Shibh, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and Abu Farj al-Libi. We can also presume that much of the information used by the United States for UAV strikes comes through sources in Pakistani intelligence as well as those on the Afghan side of the border. Another example of such cooperation, also to find bin Laden, is the CIA’s work with the Jordanian General Intelligence Department, an effort that went awry in theKhost suicide attack. Such is the risk with liaison relationships — to what extent can one intelligence officer trust another’s sources and motives? Nevertheless, these liaison networks were the best the United States had available, and huge amounts of resources were put into developing intelligence through them in looking for major jihadists, including bin Laden.

The United States is particularly concerned about Pakistan’s intelligence services and the possibility that some of their officers could be compromised by, or at least sympathetic to, jihadists. Given the relationships with jihadists maintained by former ISI officers such as Khalid Khawaja and Sultan Amir Tarar (known as Colonel Imam), who were both held hostage and killed by Pakistani militants, and most famously former ISI Director Hamid Gul, there is cause for concern. These three are the most famous former ISI officers with links to jihadists, but because they were (or are) long retired from the ISI and their notoriety makes them easy to track to jihadists, they have little influence on either group. But the reality is that there are current ISI and military officers sympathizing or working with important jihadist groups. Indeed, it was liaison work by the CIA and Saudi Arabia that helped develop strong connections with Arab and Afghan militants, some of whom would go on to become members of al Qaeda and the Taliban. The ISI was responsible for distributing U.S.- and Saudi-supplied weapons to various Afghan militant groups to fight the Russians in the 1980s, and it controlled contact with these groups. If some of those contacts remain, jihadists could be using members of the ISI rather than the other way around.

Due to concerns like these, according to official statements and leaked information, U.S. intelligence officers never told their Pakistani liaison counterparts about the forthcoming bin Laden raid. It appears the CIA developed a unilateral capability to operate within Pakistan, demonstrated by theRaymond Davis shooting in January as well as the bin Laden raid. Davis was a contractor providing security for U.S. intelligence officers in Pakistan when he killed two reportedly armed men in Lahore, and his case brought the CIA-ISI conflict out in the open. Requests by Pakistani officials to remove more than 300 similar individuals from the country show that there are a large number of U.S. intelligence operatives in Pakistan. Other aspects of this unilateral U.S. effort were the tracking of bin Laden, further confirmation of his identity and the safe house the CIA maintained in Abbottabad for months to monitor the compound.

The CIA and the ISI

Even with the liaison relationships in Pakistan, which involved meetings between the CIA station chief in Islamabad and senior members of the ISI, the CIA ran unilateral operations on the ground. Liaison services cannot be used to recruit sources within the host government; this must be done unilaterally. This is where direct competition between intelligence services comes into play. In Pakistan, this competition may involve different organizations such as Pakistan’s Intelligence Bureau or Federal Investigation Agency, both of which have counterintelligence functions, or separate departments within the ISI, where one department is assigned to liaison while others handle counterintelligence or work with militant groups. Counterintelligence officers may want to disrupt intelligence operations that involve collecting information on the host-country military, or they may simply want to monitor the foreign intelligence service’s efforts to recruit jihadists. They can also feed disinformation to the operatives. This competition is known to all players and is not out of the ordinary.

But the U.S. intelligence community is wondering if this ordinary competition was taken to another level — if the ISI, or elements of it, were actually protecting bin Laden. The people helping bin Laden and other al Qaeda operatives and contacts in Abbottabad were the same people the CIA was competing against. Were they simply jihadists or a more resourceful and capable state intelligence agency? If the ISI as an institution knew about bin Laden’s location, it would mean it outwitted the CIA for nearly a decade in hiding his whereabouts. It would also mean that no ISI officers who knew his location were turned by U.S. intelligence, that no communications were intercepted and that no leaks reached the media.

On the other hand, if someone within the ISI was protecting bin Laden and keeping it from the rest of the organization, it would mean the ISI was beaten internally and the CIA eventually caught up by developing its own sources and was able to find bin Laden on its own. As we point out above, the official story on the bin Laden intelligence effort may be disinformation to protect sources and methods. Still, this seems to be a more plausible scenario. American and Pakistani sources have told STRATFOR that there are likely jihadist sympathizers within the ISI who helped bin Laden or his supporters. Given that Pakistan is fighting its own war with al Qaeda-allied groups like Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, the country’s leadership in Islamabad has no interest in protecting them. Furthermore, finding an individual anywhere, especially in a foreign country with multiple insurgencies under way, is an extremely difficult intelligence challenge.

Assuming the official story is mostly true, the bin Laden raid demonstrates that U.S. intelligence has come full circle since the end of the Cold War. It was able to successfully collect and analyze intelligence of all types and develop and deploy on-the-ground capabilities it had been lacking to find an individual who was hiding and probably protected. It was able to quickly work with special operations forces under CIA command to carry out an elaborate operation to capture or kill him, a capability honed by the U.S. Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) in the development of its own capture-and-kill capabilities in Iraq and Afghanistan. The CIA is responsible for missions in Pakistan, where, like the JSOC, it has demonstrated an efficient and devastating capability to task UAV strikes and conduct cross-border raids. The bin Laden raid was the public proof of concept that the United States could collect intelligence and reach far into hostile territory to capture or kill its targets.

It is unclear exactly how the U.S. intelligence community has been able to develop these capabilities, beyond the huge post-9/11 influx of money and personnel (simply throwing resources at a problem is never a complete solution). The United States faced Sept. 11, 2001, without strategic warning of the attacks inspired by bin Laden, and then it faced a tactical threat it was unprepared to fight. Whatever the new and improved human-intelligence capabilities may be, they are no doubt some function of the experience gained by operatives in a concerted, global campaign against jihadists. Human intelligence is probably still the biggest U.S. weakness, but given the evidence of unilateral operations in Pakistan, it is not the weakness it used to be.

The Intelligence Battle Between the U.S. and Pakistan

The competition and cooperation among various intelligence agencies did not end with the death of Osama bin Laden. Publicity surrounding the operation has led to calls in Pakistan to eject any and all American interests in the country. In the past few years, Pakistan has made it difficult for many Americans to get visas, especially those with official status that may be cover for intelligence operations. Raymond Davis was one of these people. Involved in protecting intelligence officers who were conducting human-intelligence missions, he would have been tasked not only with protecting them from physical threats from jihadists but also with helping ensure they were not under the surveillance of a hostile intelligence agency.

Pakistan has only ratcheted up these barriers since the bin Laden raid. The Interior Ministry announced May 19 that it would ban travel by foreign diplomats to cities other than those where they are stationed without permission from Pakistani authorities. The News, a Pakistani daily, reported May 20 that Interior Minister Rehman Malik chaired a meeting with provincial authorities on regulating travel by foreigners, approving their entry into the country and monitoring unregistered mobile phones. While some of these efforts are intended to deal with jihadists disguised within large groups of Afghan nationals, they also place barriers on foreign intelligence officers in the country. While non-official cover is becoming more common for CIA officers overseas, many are still traveling on various diplomatic documents and thus would require these approvals. The presence of intelligence officers on the ground for the bin Laden raid shows there are workarounds for such barriers that will be used when the mission is important enough. In fact, according to STRATFOR sources, the CIA has for years been operating in Pakistan under what are known as “Moscow rules” — the strictest tradecraft for operating behind enemy lines — with clandestine units developing human sources and searching for al Qaeda and other militant leaders.

And this dynamic will only continue. Pakistani Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir told The Wall Street Journal on May 6 that another operation like the bin Laden raid would have “terrible consequences,” while U.S. President Barack Obama told BBC on May 22 that he would authorize similar strikes in the future if they were called for. Pakistan, as any sovereign country would, is trying to protect its territory, while the United States will continue to search for high-value targets who are hiding there. The bin Laden operation only brought this clandestine competition to the public eye.

Bin Laden is dead, but many other individuals on the U.S. high-value target list remain at large. With the bold execution and ultimate success of the Abbottabad raid now public, the overarching American operational concept for hunting high-value targets has been demonstrated and the immense resources that were focused on bin Laden are now freed up. While the United States still faces intelligence challenges, those most wanted by the Americans can no longer take comfort in the fact that bin Laden is eluding his hunters or that the Americans are expending any more of their effort looking for him.

The Bin Laden Operation: Tapping Human Intelligence is republished with permission of STRATFOR.

Will you still buy the iPad 2? - Crave - CNET Asia

jayparkhe@gmail.com — Thu, 26 May 2011 02:15:38 PDT

The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry. Apple may have learnt from the production woes when it launched its first iPad to avoid a shortage for its iPad 2, but the recent explosion at the Foxconn plant may have derailed its plans. According to research firm IHS iSuppli, the accident could reduce tablet production by 500,000 units this quarter if the plant is shut down until the end of June.
While this may appear huge, that amount is merely a drop in the ocean as Foxconn's Shenzhen plant is already en route to producing 7.5 million iPad 2 units in Q2 2011. The real impact of the explosion would be the scrutiny placed on Apple and Foxconn regarding their corporate social responsibility practices.
While Apple is only a customer of Foxconn and does not run its operations, after the series of suicides and media coverage on factory working conditions, the Cupertino company may have also been implicated. Despite attempts at repairing its reputation by setting up suicide nets and showing off the company recreational facilities, the damage had already been done.
While the jury is still out on whether Foxconn was indeed negligent, we wonder if this would affect consumer confidence. Would you still buy the iPad 2?

via asia.cnet.com

Good I bought it two weeks ago. There seems to be a long waiting period in Croma and Reliance showrooms for the 3G and 64 GB versions.
I am quite happy with 32GB WiFi version.

A Year in Review [Infographic] | North Star Alliance

jayparkhe@gmail.com — Thu, 26 May 2011 01:36:33 PDT

via northstar-alliance.org

STAND UP WHILE YOU READ THIS POST! [INFOGRAPHIC] | North Star Alliance

jayparkhe@gmail.com — Thu, 26 May 2011 01:27:49 PDT

Sitting down, which most of us do for at least eight hours each day, might be the worst thing we do for our health all day. This is according to a recent infographic compiled by Medical Billing and Coding which shows the health implications of sitting, which the average person now spends 9.3 hours per day doing. This is not new news, however, as this infographic only further highlights what a number of studies have been suggesting over the past few years.

Recently, a report published in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise found those who sit for most of the day were 54% more likely to die of heart attacks. What is perhaps even more frightening is that many of us, from truck drivers to office workers, are likely to spend even longer than 9.3 hours a day sitting down. What can we do to change this? Check out these graphically organized stats from Medical Billing and Coding which highlight downside of sitting, and the upside of…well, getting up.

Click to see full-size image.

Leave us a comment to let us know what you think!

via northstar-alliance.org

Print Release

jayparkhe@gmail.com — Thu, 26 May 2011 00:29:11 PDT

Dr C.P. Joshi Visits France, Germany & Spain to Discuss Bilateral Cooperation in Road Transport Sector
Dr. C.P. Joshi, the Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways has left for a visit to France, Germany and Spain from 23 to 28 May, 2011. The objective of his visit is to draw the mutual benefits from one–to- one interaction as well as the interaction during the International Transport Forum (ITF)-2011 held at Liepzig, Germany resulting in enhancement of bi-lateral cooperation for exchange of technical expertise, sharing of advanced technologies towards the betterment of transport infrastructure in our country.
Since the countries being visited have excellent transport infrastructure and advance technology in the road transport sector, including the traffic management and tolling, the visit is considered to be timely and beneficial to India for developing the world-class transport infrastructure as per the Flagship Programe of National highways Development Programme. (NHDP). The Minister reached Paris yesterday and met Mr. Thierry Mariani, Minister of State for Ecology, Sustainable Development, Transport & Housing, Government of France to discuss the bilateral cooperation. India and France have already signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for bilateral cooperation in the Road Transport sector in 2000. The Indo-French Joint Working Group set up under the provisions of this MoU has already met seven times so far.
Today, the Minister is participating in the International Transport Forum (ITF) -2011 at Liepzig, Germany and is intending to have a meeting with Dr. Peter Ramaauer, MdB, Federal Minister of Transport, Building and Urban Development, Germany and Dr Jose Bianco Lopez, Minister of Public Works and Transport, Government of Spain. The theme for the ITF 2011 is ‘Transport for Society’ with the main focus on the users- “Putting People First”. Areas of deliberations include Shrinking budgets and growing demands, equitable access to road transport, Transport, health and environment, making transport safer, creating liveable and sustainable societies, E-safety challenges, meeting people’s needs in policy and planning etc.
Tomorrow Dr. Joshi will depart for Madrid (Spain) on the invitation of Dr. Jose Blanco Lopez, Minister of Public Works and Transport, Government of Spain. On 27th May, 2011, he will visit some transport facilities in Madrid and will have a bilateral meeting with the Minister of Public Works. On 27th May, 2011 the Minister will attend the presentation on India’s plans in the Road Transport sector. The bilateral meeting between Dr. Joshi and Minister of Public Works and Transport, Government of Spain will be followed by a lunch with Indo-Spanish Enterprises co-hosted by the both the Ministers of India and Spain. There will be technical visit in Madrid to the Traffic Control Centre of the Traffic General Direction and the Madrid Calle 30 (i.e. Madrid Road Network).
The technical visit to Guadarrama Tunnel, Traffic Control Centre and San Rafael Toll Station on 28th May, 201 will conclude the visit to Madrid Considering the potential and bilateral cooperation, a MoU is being processed with the Ministry of Public Works and Transport, Spain and Ministry of Road Transport and Highways of India.

via pib.nic.in

Column Five Media – GOOD Infographic: Grenade or Aid? - Infographic Design, Content Creation, Social Media Strategy, Interactive Infographics

jayparkhe@gmail.com — Wed, 25 May 2011 23:30:37 PDT

In this collaboration with Good, we looked at the United States’ military spending versus foreign aid. We found some very interesting facts and figures, check out the full-size infographic by clicking below.

via www.columnfivemedia.com

Ethical Corporation's Management Blog: CR professionals as 'master storytellers'

jayparkhe@gmail.com — Wed, 25 May 2011 23:21:40 PDT

CR professionals as 'master storytellers'

via crmanagementblog.blogspot.com

jayparkhe@gmail.com — Wed, 25 May 2011 23:19:19 PDT

Life Is A Journey

View more presentations from Coach Bay

Work of art - Artless

jayparkhe@gmail.com — Wed, 25 May 2011 22:08:04 PDT

via artless-artists.posterous.com

Experiments with HDR - avalokarts

jayparkhe@gmail.com — Wed, 25 May 2011 22:01:52 PDT

Experiments with HDR

What is HDR? - from Wikipedia
In image processing, computer graphics, and photography, high dynamic range imaging (HDRI or just HDR) is a set of techniques that allow a greater dynamic range of luminance between the lightest and darkest areas of an image than current standard digital imaging techniques or photographic methods. This wide dynamic range allows HDR images to more accurately represent the range of intensity levels found in real scenes, ranging from direct sunlight to faint starlight.
Examples - from the web

The two main sources of HDR imagery are computer renderings and merging of multiple photographs, the latter of which in turn are individually referred to as low-dynamic-range (LDR)[2] or standard-dynamic-range (SDR)[3]photographs.
Tone-mapping techniques, which reduce overall contrast to facilitate display of HDR images on devices with lower dynamic range, can be applied to produce images with preserved or exaggerated local contrast for artistic effect.
My attempts:

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Like aiways there is a hardway and there is the easier one. Typically, in the hardway, you shoot - about 4 or 5 snaps - of the same scene at different lighting conditions and then use special technique/software to merge the snaps into one to get the effect. The resulting image will be rich in color and depth and will have a 3D quality to it.

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But i took the easier way and installed HDR conversion software ;-)

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One has control on the color,temperature,sharpness etc. And you fiddle around with it till the snap feels right.

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There plenty of HDR software out there in the market. Useful for post- shoot editing.

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Avalok in HDR:

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Don't be timid

- Live your Life in High-definition.

via avalok.posterous.com

Ministry-wise PIB releases

jayparkhe@gmail.com — Wed, 25 May 2011 21:55:55 PDT

Infographic - Most Creative Resumes

jayparkhe@gmail.com — Wed, 25 May 2011 05:07:39 PDT

Visual cv by Monica Yael Garcia

By admin on May 23, 2011

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23May

"Tree" resume by Laura De Valencia

By admin on May 9, 2011

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09May

Infographic resume by Sneha Kochak

By admin on May 4, 2011

0

04May

Infographic CV by Daniel Tyrrell,...

By admin on April 28, 2011

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28Apr

Infographic resume by Joshua Kelly

By admin on April 27, 2011

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27Apr

Lovely poster-resume by Emmanuel...

By admin on April 27, 2011

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via mostcreativeresumes.com

today is National Tap Dance Day

jayparkhe@gmail.com — Wed, 25 May 2011 01:19:20 PDT

Did you know...

... that today is National Tap Dance Day? This day celebrates
the birthday of Bill Bojangles Robinson, the king of tap
dancers. Robinson was born on May 25, 1878, in Richmond,
Virginia.

~~~

Today's Inspirational Quote:

"Don't ever confuse the two, your life and your work. That's
what I have to say. The second is only part of the first."

-- Anna Quindlen

We are joining the Walk at Mumbai in India - Are you?

jayparkhe@gmail.com — Tue, 24 May 2011 21:33:34 PDT

Walk the World 2011

On 29 May 2011 people from 60 countries around the globe will collectively stand up against hunger during the annual Walk the World event. In its eighth year, Walk the World still inspires colleagues from all over the world to organise unique activities in order to put hunger on the global agenda.

The walk is again organised by TNT and partners WFP, Unilever and DSM. It is supported by celebrities, government dignitaries, royalty, UN agencies, employees and their friends and families and as well as recipients of WFP food assistance. Together, they will walk across 24 time zones in 24 hours. From Denmark to Brazil and from Canada to the Philippines, countries all over the world are busy organising local walks.
Help us to raise awareness and money to support WFP’s efforts to provide free school meals to 20 million poor children each year. It only costs just 25 US cents to give a child a nutritious school meal.

Join today and make a difference!

For more information please visit walktheworld.wfp.org.

Print Release

jayparkhe@gmail.com — Tue, 24 May 2011 21:03:28 PDT

Press Information Bureau
Government of India
Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions
24-May-2011 19:49 IST

Brief CV of Cabinet Secretary Designate Ajit K. Seth
The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet has approved the appointment of Shri Ajit Kumar Seth, IAS (UP: 74) Secretary (Coordination & Public Grievances), Cabinet Secretariat, as the next Cabinet Secretary with effect from 14.06.2011 for a period of two years or till further orders, whichever is earlier; and also his appointment as OSD in the Cabinet Secretariat with effect from the date of his assumption of charge to 13th June, 201, in the rank and pay of Secretary.
Shri Ajit Seth has been Secretary (Coordination) in the Cabinet Secretariat, since January 2009. Shri Seth is from the 1974 batch of the IAS and belongs to the Uttar Pradesh Cadre. He did his B.Sc (Hons.) and M.Sc. in Chemistry from St. Stephen’s College, New Delhi and also M. Phil in Life Sciences from the Jawaharlal Nehru University. He subsequently also obtained a Master’s Degree in Development Finance from the University of Birmingham. Shri Seth has served in different capacities in the Government of India as well as in the States. For 5 years he was Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Textiles, Government of India.
Earlier in the 1980s Shri Seth served in the Ministry of Commerce and he served for over 3 years as First Secretary in the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations at Geneva, Switzerland.
While in the state in Uttar Pradesh, Shri Seth served as Principal Secretary (Rural Development), Principal Secretary (Vigilance) and Secretary (Home and Confidential) besides stints in Industries and Cooperatives Departments. He also served as Divisional Commissioner of Kumaon Division in Nainital and District Magistrate of Mainpuri and Lucknow districts.

via pib.nic.in

Ministry-wise PIB releases

jayparkhe@gmail.com — Tue, 24 May 2011 20:58:31 PDT

HR HEADLINES

jayparkhe@gmail.com — Tue, 24 May 2011 05:14:17 PDT

Manpower Group Survey Reveals Talent Shortage In Research And Development

Manpower Group India released the results of its sixth annual shortage survey, and said that 67% of employers in India are experiencing difficulty filling critical positions within their organizations. Manpower Group’s sixth annual Talent Shortage Survey reveals one in three employers worldwide is struggling to fill key vacancies. In India, the jobs employers have most difficulty filling are those of Research and Development, Sales Manager and IT staff as opposed to last year’s jobs of Skilled Trades, Cleaners and Domestic Staff, and Accounting and Financing Staff. Sanjay Pandit, MD, Manpower Group India said: “While not all employers are feeling the pain associated with the global talent shortage, external forces mean it is likely that they will soon feel the pressure. Businesses need to adopt a long-term approach to ensuring they have the talent they need to achieve their business objectives. While talent cannot be “manufactured” in the short term, a robust workforce strategy will ensure a company’s business strategy is supported by having the talented people they need to execute it.”

Source : 19-05-11 Moneycontrol.com Compiled by www.naukri.com

Xerox Unit Adds Jobs Under New Lenovo Contract

PC maker Lenovo Group Ltd. said that it has retained a division of Xerox Corp. to provide customer service help from a call center in North Carolina. Lenovo said the deal will create 300 jobs in North Carolina's Research Triangle area, 50 of those with Lenovo and 250 with Xerox's Affiliated Computer Services unit. ACS and Xerox currently employ 3,600 people in North Carolina. In addition, Lenovo's Global Services team is also adding 100 new tech support positions in multiple locations around the world in cities including Bratislava, Beijing and Bangalore.

Source : 23-05-11 SIfy.com Compiled by www.naukri.com

Infosys To Start Development Center In Shanghai: Jobs For 8000 Engineers Likely

India’s leading Information Technology Services Company, Infosys (INFY) announced that they have laid the foundation of their new development center campus at Zizhu Science and Technology Park in Shanghai, China. Infosys will invest $125-150 million to develop a state of the art campus featuring software development labs, data centers, training facilities, food courts, a 1500 seater auditorium, gym, and other recreational facilities. Infosys issued a statement saying this is one of the largest investments in China by any software company. The ceremony was graced by Infosys founder N.R. Narayana Murthy, Infosys, Mr. T.V. Mohandas Pai (board member), Dr. S. Jaishankar, Ambassador of India to China and Mr. Rangarajan Vellamore, Chief Executive Officer, Infosys Technologies (China) Co., Ltd along with other senior officials.

Source : 27-05-11 Crazyengineers.com Compiled by www.naukri.com

Ma Foi Sees Huge Job Opportunities In Healthcare Sector

The Indian healthcare employment scene has been on the upswing compared to the global markets. In 2010, the sector saw 33,77,652 jobs created in the country and by this year-end, a total of 36,26,152 jobs with at least 15 per cent wage inflation is expected. Biotech companies, health insurance companies, hospitals, diagnostic laboratories and pharmacies are hiring as well. With over 4.7 million professionals in demand over the next 10 years the sector is a consistent employer. Penetration of health insurance, setting up of new healthcare facilities in tier2 and tier 3 cities( which are opening up new avenues for employment generation), growth of medical tourism for alternative therapies like Homoeopathy and Ayurveda are also providing new job opportunities.

Source : 21-05-11 Pharmbiz.com Compiled by www.naukri.com

Indian Firms Hiring Workers In North America

India's outsourcing giants, faced with rising wages at home, are looking for growth opportunities in the US with many of them hiring workers in North America. With Washington crimping visas for visiting Indian workers, some companies such as Mumbai-based Aegis Communications are slowly hiring workers locally as their largest corporate customers are based in North America. Aegis, a subsidiary of India's Essar Group, an energy, telecom and metals conglomerate, is quoted as saying it's pioneering the next generation of outsourcing: putting the work close to its global customers. Its executives call the practice "near-sourcing", "diverse shoring" and, sometimes, "cross-shoring". Companies such as Tata Consultancy Services , Genpact and Infosys are the largest users of the H-1B visa programme and have collectively brought as many as 30,000 workers into the country in a year on H-1B or other visas. But the companies that use the visa programmes have faced opposition from US labour unions as well as age-discrimination lawsuits from American tech workers alleging that they were passed over by the hiring practices.

Source : 23-05-11 Mangalorean.com Compiled by www.naukri.com

Citi Chief Vikram Pandit Wins A Big Pay Deal

Mr. Pandit earned a token annual salary of $1 as he steered Citigroup back into the black over the last two years. Citi’s board awarded him as much as $16.5 million in stock and options as well as a cash payment valued at more than $6.65 million as part of a special profit-sharing programme for top executives.The payouts will be spread over the next four years and are subject to Pandit’s meeting certain performance goals. They will be in addition to his regular salary and annual bonuses. The announcement comes as Citigroup recently posted its fifth consecutive quarterly profit and completed a reverse stock split that, with the stroke of a pen, ratcheted its share price to more than $40 from $4.Just three short years ago, Citigroup was in such dire straits that it twice needed to be rescued by the government. With the bank receiving more than $45 billion of federal aid, questions swirled about whether Mr. Pandit would remain at the helm. The large retention award seems to put those questions to rest.

Source : 20-05-11 Deccan Herald Compiled by www.naukri.com

Netambit To Hire 300 In Bangalore In Next Two Months

NetAmbit, India's leading financial services distribution company, has plans to hire 300 new employees at its Bangalore centre. The centre is already providing jobs to 350 people and aims to double in size over the next two months. The company, which has been growing in the last four years, is now looking at a rapid ramping up of operations with the growing awareness of diverse financial services.The company which has presence across tier 2/3/4 cities and towns, has grown from 13 to 154 locations between FY''06 and FY''10.

Source : 20-05-11 Yahoo.com Compiled by www.naukri.com

Lakshmi Venu Appointed Vice President Of Sundaram Clayton

Lakshmi Venu, daughter of TVS Motor CMD Venu Srinivasan, has been appointed as the vice president (global business development and strategy) for Sundaram Clayton Ltd, the holding company of TVS Motors. According to a company announcement, she would continue in her current role as director-strategy of the company.In September last year, the company appointed the 28-year-old Lakshmi Venu as director (strategy), in the rank of a managing director, of the company. Lakshmi Venu is soon going to be daughter-in-law of Infosys co-founder and chief mentor N R Narayana Murthy.

Source : 20-05-11 Business Standard Compiled by www.naukri.com

Citibank Appoints Vikram Sud As Head Of Asia Pacific

Citigroup appointed Vikram Sud as head of Operations and Technology (O&T) for the Asia Pacific region. Working from Mumbai, Mr. Sud would be responsible for managing the Bank’s operations, technology and shared services across 18 countries. Vikram Sud joins Citi from Kotak Mahindra Group where he served as the Group Chief Operating Officer since 2006. Earlier, in his 20-year international career, he has been with Citibank holding senior leadership positions in O&T across various businesses in the Bank. He also served as the CEO and founder of eServe International, Citigroup’s BPO venture in India, which was acquired by Tata Consultancy Services in 2008.

Source : 19-05-11 Moneycontrol.com Compiled by www.naukri.com

Slow Turnover Rate For CEO’s

About 11.6% of CEOs left their job last year, the slowest rate of turnover since 2003, according to an analysis of 2,500 public companies released by consulting firm Booz & Co. The rate dropped from 14.3% in 2009.The drop in turnover came on the tail end of the worst recession in decades and might have been due, in part, to companies and CEOs hunkering down and avoiding change as they weathered the storm, said Booz & Co. senior partner Mr. Gary Neilson.CEO ousters tend to take time to work their way through company boards. So while some of the turmoil in 2009 might have caused company directors to stay the course in 2010, last year's rebound might make CEO departures more prevalent this year, says Mr. Neilson.

Source : 17-05-11 Wall Street Journal Compiled by www.naukri.com

Aditya Gahlaut Appointed HSBC India Business Banking Head

HSBC India has appointed Aditya Gahlaut as Head of Business Banking for HSBC in India. In this role, he will be responsible for providing strategic direction and day-to-day management of the group’s SME business in India. Mr. Gahlaut joined the HSBC Group in 2000 and has had experience across commercial banking, corporate banking and retail banking businesses.

Source : 23-05-11 Hindu Business Line Compiled by www.naukri.com

Tata Steel Announces 1500 Job Cuts In Europe

India's Tata Steel said it would cut 1,500 jobs at plants in Britain because of falling demand for structural steel. Trade unions described the plans as a 'devastating blow' to the regions in northeast England where the plants are based.The Indian firm said it was proposing to close or mothball part of its Scunthorpe plant, near Hull, putting at risk 1,200 jobs, as well as cutting 300 jobs at its sites on Teesside, further in the Northeast. Tata said it arrived at the 'difficult' decision after incurring losses in its long products division for the past two years, particularly due to a decline in the construction industry.

Source : 23-05-11 Moneycontrol.com Compiled by www.naukri.com

Women Expect Less Pay From The Start In Canada

Despite decades of apparent gains toward workplace equality, Canadian women starting their careers still expect to earn considerably less than men and wait longer for promotions, a sweeping new study has found.A review of responses from 23,000 university students across Canada about their career expectations found that young women expected an average initial salary 13.5 per cent lower on average than young men aiming for equivalent jobs. And women expected to wait an average of 12 per cent longer than men to get their first promotion. The young women’s expectations for raises also lagged well behind men’s: They anticipated salaries after five years of working that were, on average, 17.5 per cent less than men anticipated.

Source : 20-05-11 CTVnews.com Compiled by www.naukri.com

Rajesh Nellore Joins Axeon’s Advisory Board

Axeon, Europe’s largest independent supplier of lithium battery systems announced the appointment of Dr Rajesh Nellore to its Advisory Board.An automobile veteran with over two decades of global experience; Dr. Nellore was till recently the CEO and Managing Director (India) of PSA Peugeot Citroen, where he guided the European company on its India entry plans for the past 3 years. Prior to this, he served as General Manager of Johnson Controls Inc. where he was responsible for expanding verticals, including purchasing, supplier management and logistics. He has also served with distinction in senior positions at General Motors, Saab and Fiat.

Source : 19-05-11 India Infoline Compiled by www.naukri.com

The Hindu : News / National : IIM professors retort to Ramesh’s comments

jayparkhe@gmail.com — Tue, 24 May 2011 05:13:05 PDT

Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh’s remarks that faculty of the premier IITs and IIMs are “not world class” on Tuesday prompted a retort from the teachers who termed them as “simplistic” which showed “tremendous ignorance.”
Mr. Ramesh kicked up a controversy on Monday by claiming that the faculty of the IITs and IIMs are “not world class” but said these institutions are “excellent” because of the quality of students.
“It shows that Jairam Ramesh has shown tremendous ignorance about the intellectual capabilities of these institutions. I would not deny the fact that these institutions needs to do much more,” said Anil Gupta, a Professor with IIM-Ahmedabad.
However, he said, it was not right to say that the faculty was not contributing.
“But to say that faculty is not making any contribution and it is just because of the quality of students... then people should take the CAT scores and give job to them. Why do not the companies give jobs on the basis of CAT scores?” he questioned.
Sebastian Morris, another professor at IIM-A, said Mr. Ramesh’s remarks were “simplistic.”
“If you look at it, a fairly significant part of the faculty in IIMs and IITs would be having same qualification and same background as the faculty in the top class institutions, which means they have done their PhDs abroad,” he said.
Mr. Ramesh had also said there was hardly any worthwhile research from these institutes.

via thehindu.com

Why loss of 2 P-3 Orions is a big blow to Pakistan - Rediff.com News

jayparkhe@gmail.com — Tue, 24 May 2011 03:39:30 PDT

Prev Next

Its long range and long loiter time have proved invaluable assets during Operation Iraqi Freedom as it can view the battlespace and instantaneously provide that information to ground troops, especially US Marines.
The P-3C has advanced submarine detection sensors such as directional frequency and ranging (DIFAR) sonobuoys and magnetic anomaly detection (MAD) equipment. The avionics system is integrated by a general purpose digital computer that supports all of the tactical displays, monitors and automatically launches ordnance and provides flight information to the pilots.
In addition, the system coordinates navigation information and accepts sensor data inputs for tactical display and storage. The P-3C can carry a mixed payload of weapons internally and on wing pylons.
The P-3 can be outfitted with a variety of sophisticated detection equipment. Infrared and long-range electro-optical cameras plus special imaging radar allow it to monitor activity from a comfortable distance.
It can stay aloft for extremely long periods, and its four powerful Allison T56-A-14 engines support high-altitude reconnaissance and low-altitude pursuits. And like all good hunters, the P-3 can carry a variety of weapons.

via rediff.com

Map of Kashmir lands Economist in censor trouble - Hindustan Times

jayparkhe@gmail.com — Tue, 24 May 2011 01:20:45 PDT

The Economist magazine has accused India of hostile censorship after officials prevented the distribution of the latest edition, because of a map showing the disputed borders of Kashmir. Customs officers ordered that 28,000 copies of the news weekly should have stickers manually placed over
a diagram showing how control of Kashmir, a tiny Himalayan region, is split between India, Pakistan and China.

Both India and Pakistan claim the whole of the Himalayan region and have gone to war twice over its control since 1947.

India imposes tight restrictions on all printed maps, insisting they show all of Kashmir as being part of India.

"India is meant to be a democracy that approves of freedom of speech," John Micklethwait, editor in chief of The Economist, told AFP.

"But they take a much more hostile attitude on this matter than either Pakistan or China."

He added: "This is an act of censorship, and many wise and sensible voices in India see it has no point."

The map is used an an illustration for the front page story of the latest edition of the magazine on "The world's most dangerous border" between India and Pakistan.

The Economist still hoped to distribute the edition once the stickers had been added. The map is available on The Economist's website.

Kashmir is divided between the two nuclear armed neighbours along a de facto border known as the Line of Control. It closely matches the frontline of fighting at the end of the first India-Pakistan war over Kashmir in 1947.

"We are just told 'it is the law of India'," Micklethwait said.

"The map is impartial, accurate and fair. We show everyone's claims, and it is also realistic as it shows where the unofficial border actually falls."

The magazine has clashed in the past with authorities. In December an entire issue of the Economist was pulped on the censors' orders over a map of the region, and its publishers predicted the May 21 edition was likely to hit trouble.

The offending maps of The Economist and other foreign publications are routinely targeted by the censors' office, which stamps each page stating that the borders as shown do not reflect India's claims.

"As a point of principle we are against changing our articles," said Micklethwait, speaking by telephone from London on Monday.

"So we mentioned the problem in a piece pointing out how touchy India is on this."

The magazine also printed a warning saying the map was likely to be censored.

"Unlike their government, we think our Indian readers can face political reality," it said.

Sham Lal, a senior official in the ministry of information and broadcasting, declined to comment on Micklethwait's remarks.

"We have no knowledge and no comments to make on this matter," he told AFP.

Wilson John, a Pakistan expert at the Observer Research Foundation think-tank in New Delhi, said that the map was seen as a national security issue by the government.

"This is about sovereignty," he said.

"I'm not surprised as this behaviour is an accepted norm in India.

"Mapping in this region has been an issue for many decades and, because the territorial dispute is far from resolved, maps will remain a problem."

He added that the country was generally proud of having a free press but that Kashmir "always creates sensitivities that have to be kept in mind".

Muslim-majority Kashmir has been a flashpoint since it became part of Hindu-majority India at partition in 1947, when British colonial rule of the subcontinent ended. India and Pakistan nearly went to war over the region again as recently as 2002.

Relations between the countries have improved since then, but were hit by the Mumbai attacks in 2008 when Pakistan-based militants killed 166 people.

Micklethwait said India was now an increasingly modern economic powerhouse with a growing number of Economist readers.

"Other publications have had the same problems, but perhaps we have been more in their face," he said.

"China will not distribute whole issues for other reasons, but there is no country I know in the world that takes the extreme attitude that India does."

via hindustantimes.com

Rajiv Gandhi IIM at Shillong definitely world-class: Digvijay Singh | Faking News

jayparkhe@gmail.com — Tue, 24 May 2011 01:13:40 PDT

After union environment minister Jairam Ramesh claimed that the faculty at IITs and IIMs were not world-class, senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh has begged to differ a little. The former Madhya Pradesh CM has claimed that while the first six IIMs were not be world-class yet, the seventh IIM at Shillong, named after Rajiv Gandhi, was definitely world-class because it was named so.

“IITs and IIMs are the results of the vision Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru had for the modern India. He created these institutions through acts of parliament around 60 years ago to be world-class, but the successive government failed to do their duty unless the seventh IIM was named after Shri Rajiv Gandhi,” Digvijay Singh claimed, expressing deep anguish that none of the IITs were yet named similarly.

Digvijay Singh showing the tried and tested way forward to become world-class

Mr. Singh claimed that in order to realize Nehru’s dreams of having world-class educational institutes in India, the government should immediately take over the management of all the existing and proposed IITs and IIMs and name them after members of the Nehru-Gandhi family, apart from implementing world-class government policies in their day to day functioning.

“I even disagree with Jairam Ramesh that all the students of IITs and IIMs are world class,” Diggy Raja further claimed, “In fact, I have specific information and phone call records to prove that many of them support BJP and RSS, especially online. To the best of my knowledge, only students residing at Nehru Hall of IIT Kharagpur are anywhere near world-class for obvious reasons.”

To support his argument, Digvijay Singh has challenged Jairam Ramesh and union HRD-cum-telecom minister Kapil Sibal to disagree with his assertion that naming institutions after a member of Nehru-Gandhi family was an exercise in futility towards achieving world-class status.

Both the cabinet minister refused to comment when Faking News tried to get a response.

“I told you so; they agree and I’d soon meet them with my proposal,” Digvijay Singh said, with a smile.

Sources suggest that Digvijay Singh has proposed renaming IIM Ahmedabad after Indira Gandhi and removing the name “Ahmedabad” as it gave it a “communal” color and was the biggest roadblock in the way of the institution becoming a world-class b-school. Unconfirmed sources suggest Digvijay Singh could further propose Rahul Gandhi’s name as the new Director of IIM Ahmedabad.

While the political reactions were on expected lines, students at IIM Ahmedabad, who consider themselves world-class or at least the best in Asia-Pacific, have rejected Digvijay Singh’s ideas as “ridiculous”. Students are confident of coming up with a PowerPoint Presentation and Excel Sheet to “upgrade” their faculty to be world-class.

via fakingnews.com

today is What Hath God Wrought

jayparkhe@gmail.com — Tue, 24 May 2011 01:09:07 PDT

Did you know...

... that today is What Hath God Wrought? Day? In 1844, Samuel
F. B. Morse opened the first commercial telegraph line between
Washington DC and Baltimore, Maryland, by sending the
following message: "What hath God wrought?"

~~~

Today's Inspirational Quote:

"We could have bought a small yacht with what we spent on our
dog and all the things he destroyed. Then again, how many
yachts wait by the door all day for your return?"

-- John Grogan

Is even one of our institutions world class, asks Kapil Sibal - The Economic Times

jayparkhe@gmail.com — Tue, 24 May 2011 01:06:58 PDT

Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh's statement that the IITs and IIMs did not have world class faculty was backed Tuesday by his colleague Kapil Sibal , who questioned whether India had world class institutions, and by others in the field.
"In the situation today, is even one of our institutions world class? If it is world class, it must be in the top 100, 150 institutions in the world. That is not evident," Sibal said, a day after Jairam Ramesh declared that the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs) had quality students but not faculty.
Sibal also said the environment minister must be talking about his own experience.
"Of course, Jairam is talking about himself because he is a world class student and he is an IITian himself, so he has insider knowledge himself," Sibal told NDTV.
Ramesh had Monday said the IITs and IIMs, the country's top educational institutions, were surviving only because of their quality students but did not have world-class faculty.
Supporting the environment minister's view, alumni associations from IIT Delhi and IIT Kharagpur demanded higher salary and perks for IIT teaching faculty to attract new minds in faculty to sustain IIT brand globally.
"Opening of new IITs by government without recruiting new faculty has already burdened the existing faculty in IITs. Almost every citizen in the country is paying education cess to ensure that our gurus (IIT and other teachers) are paid well. Most of the IITs are already facing faculty shortage," IIT Kharagpur Alumni Association member Y.P.S. Suri told IANS.
"The current pay scales of IIT faculty are so unattractive that a fresh graduate from IIT attracts more salary," he said.
Programme director of the IIT Delhi Alumni Association V.K. Saluja agreed. "We appeal to the government to make faculty salary levels inspiring enough to attract new minds. Adding new IITs has made this problem more acute and hence the urgency of the matter," he said in a statement

via economictimes.indiatimes.com

Ideological twins ! Identical views.

IIT, IIM faculty not world class: Ramesh - The Times of India

jayparkhe@gmail.com — Tue, 24 May 2011 00:02:45 PDT

The outspoken environment minister Jairam Ramesh kicked up yet another controversy rubbishing the Indian Institutes of Technology and Indian Institutes of Management on Monday at a public event in Delhi.
"There is hardly any worthwhile research from our IITs. The faculty in the IIT is not world class. It is the students in IITs who are world class. So the IITs and IIMs are excellent because of the quality of students not because of quality of research or faculty," Ramesh told reporters on the sidelines of a function.
The reaction came when reporters asked Ramesh why the National Centre for Marine Biodiversity at Jamnagar was being set up as a joint venture with Reliance Industries Limited (RIL). He said the decision was taken as a world class research centre cannot be built in a "governmental set up" and can never attract young people. Asked whether there was any conflict of interest in collaborating with Reliance, the minister said, "Life is one large conflict of interest."
Ramesh is an IIT graduate himself. His comments struck as odd because he has commissioned studies to IIT Delhi for the reforms he is making in environmental clearance mechanism within the environment ministry.
HRD sources expressed surprise at the comment of Ramesh. A top source said, "It's unbecoming on part of a Union minister to publically criticise institutions under another ministry.
One official said, "Environment ministry itself has commissioned these premier institutions to undertake many studies."
Ministry sources also said there is a constant endeavour to improve and therefore a number of committees have been set up for IITs/IIMs to prepare them for fresh challenges and rectify their working, be it quality of faculty, research or students. The Anil Kakodkar committee has given a comprehensive report on reforms in the IIT system while a series of committees looked into the working of IIMs. Even reforms in Joint Entrance Examination for IITs have been brought in to suit with the changing times.

via timesofindia.indiatimes.com

WOW! I really wonder what is a "World Class" definition as per the Minister? I am sure the Ex-IITian draws his definitions/ standards inspired from the Aamir Khan film " 3 Idiots".
What a shame !

Sidin Vadukut: How to talk about cricket without knowing anything | Page 2 | ESPN Cricinfo

jayparkhe@gmail.com — Mon, 23 May 2011 23:43:32 PDT

The next time the conversation turns to cricket and people turn to you for inputs, fire one of these:

"But if you compare this to that innings in Sharjah…" There is no need to know which innings. If anyone clarifies, just agree with him or her. Nobody really remembers any innings from Sharjah. Except two of Sachin's.

"When you think about it, it was a pretty good toss to lose." When used early enough in a match, this sounds very pundit-like. When people ask you why, just point at the TV and say: "Look at the ground, dude!"

"Ha ha ha! At least they don't have to score 21 off one ball!" Use whenever someone is batting and you sense desperation. Or if it begins raining. This refers to a notorious moment of cricketing history that South Africa have never really recovered from.

"Whatever! This format is meaningless…" Use anywhere, at any moment in any match. And say it with disdain. You will sound either modern or purist, depending on what match it is.

"He looks a little like that Yorkshire player from the 70s no?" No one will want to admit that they know nothing at all about county cricket. So they will hem and haw and try to avoid your question. You will look like a genius.

via espncricinfo.com

014.jpg from thedesigninspiration.com - StumbleUpon

jayparkhe@gmail.com — Mon, 23 May 2011 23:08:33 PDT

Check out this website I found at stumbleupon.com

jayparkhe@gmail.com — Mon, 23 May 2011 22:08:17 PDT

How the i pad has changed us

View more presentations from cxpartners

Efforts on to strengthen energy, infrastructure: PM - Economic Times

jayparkhe@gmail.com — Mon, 23 May 2011 21:28:35 PDT

The government today said it has continued its efforts to strengthen the country's energy and infrastructure sectors, which have been identified as key areas for India's economic growth momentum going forward.
"We continued our efforts at strengthening the energy and infrastructure sector during 2010-11," Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said in the UPA government's 'Report to the People'.
Notably, the country has achieved record capacity addition in the power and the renewable energy sectors.
Singh, further said that in the power sector the country saw a record capacity addition in a single year in the last six decades.
"During the 2010-11, a capacity of 12,160 MW has been commissioned, which is the the highest ever capacity addition in single year during the last six decades," the government said.
The government's plan to prioritise allocation of natural gas to sector such as power and fertilisers would enable generation of an additional 6,200 MW of power and save Rs 3,000 crore annually in fertiliser subsidy.
In the previous fiscal, the government has added a record 3,157 MW capacity in the renewable energy sector.
Besides, domestic crude oil production increased by 11 per cent over the previous year to 37.7 million metric tonne in the 2010-11. At the same time availability of natural gas touched 169 mmscmd recording a major growth from 105 mmscmd in 2008-09.
In the nuclear sector, with the commissioning of the fourth unit at the Kaiga station in Karnataka nuclear fuel capacity in January this year, there are now 20 operating reactors in the country with a total installed capacity of 4,780 MWe.
In the infrastructure sector, the government seems to be completing the road projects at a good pace. During the last fiscal, 50 road projects of 5,060 km were awarded, while around 15,450 kms of national highways have been completed under the National Highways Development Project until March 31, 2011.
When it comes to shipping, the capacity of Indian ports during 2010-11 crossed 1 billion tonnes per annum and this is a major landmark for the country's port sector.

via articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com

Ministry-wise PIB releases

jayparkhe@gmail.com — Mon, 23 May 2011 21:14:54 PDT

today is Linnaeus Day

jayparkhe@gmail.com — Mon, 23 May 2011 01:24:08 PDT

Did you know...

... that today is Linnaeus Day? This day celebrates the
birthday of Carolus Linnaeus, the Swedish naturalist who is
known as the father of biology. He was born Carl von Linne on
May 23, 1707.

~~~

Today's Inspirational Quote:

"There is no kind of ultimate goal to do something twice as
good as anyone else can. It's just to do the job as best you
can. If it turns out good, fine. If it doesn't, that's the way
it goes."

-- Chuck Yeager

9 killed, several airplanes destroyed in air force base attack in Pakistan

jayparkhe@gmail.com — Mon, 23 May 2011 00:01:34 PDT

via news.xinhuanet.com

Travel sector relief over Iceland volcano ash cloud - Telegraph

jayparkhe@gmail.com — Sun, 22 May 2011 22:30:01 PDT

via telegraph.co.uk

Naval Aviation Base Attacked in Karachi, Pakistan | STRATFOR

jayparkhe@gmail.com — Sun, 22 May 2011 21:16:01 PDT

via stratfor.com

Wipro comes under tax surveillance for 'Body shopping' after Infosys - The Economic Times

jayparkhe@gmail.com — Sun, 22 May 2011 21:09:55 PDT

About six months ago when India's second-largest software company, Infosys, was slapped with a Rs 450-crore tax demand, the industry felt it was an outrageous decision by revenue authorities who argued that onshore contracts, infamously called body shopping, were not export of software.

For the taxman, it was export of manpower, a claim that shocked the IT industry and sparked queries in Parliament. The debate is unlikely to end in a hurry. Wipro, the country's third-largest software exporter, has now come under tax scrutiny for the same reasons.
Tax authorities have not yet made a claim on Wipro, but have sent the company a 'scrutiny notice' seeking details of services provided to clients for the assessment year 2008-09. "The contention is the same, that the companies are exporting manpower not services," said a tax official aware of the matter and the communication sent to Wipro.
Wipro's IT business is over $5 billion in revenues. Wipro, Infosys and other software companies have been claiming benefits under Section 10A of the Income Tax Act, which deals with benefits for software export income. Replying to an ET query, Wipro said, "We do not respond to assessment proceedings."
So far, besides Infosys, the Income-Tax Department has sent notice to a smaller IT firm, iGate, asking it to pay Rs 11 crore for exemption claimed earlier for these services. The other point the department has put forward to buttress its argument in one of the notices is that Section 10A/10AA relates to tax-free income arising out of exports while deputing software professionals overseas cannot be done within software technology parks (STPs), export-oriented units, or special economic zones (SEZs).
Onshore development refers to the practice of IT companies sending their staff to work in overseas markets, including the US and Europe. Under such arrangements, the foreign company pays the Indian firm for the services of each professional while the domestic company pays a daily allowance over and above the salary paid to them. Software firms currently pay no tax on this income, claiming deduction under Section 10A of the Income Tax Act.
The I-T Department has argued that such contracts involve export of manpower and not export of software as the professionals are under the control and supervision of the company abroad that also owns the services they render or products they develop. In case of Infosys, the department has also challenged what it calls the dual benefits claimed by IT companies.
It wants them to reduce the expenses incurred in foreign exchange to pay professionals sent abroad from the total export turnover. Infosys CFO V Balakrishnan had earlier told ET, "Most of our onsite work has a linkage with our offshore work... We are a company which complies with law, both in substance and form, in all jurisdictions where we operate."
In a report released earlier this year, analyst James E Friedman with brokerage Susquehanna International Group said, "Infosys had an onshore income of $2.01 billion in FY08, for which it has been charged $89 million, or an incremental tax rate of 4.4%. We estimate that applying a similar levy to Wipro would reduce EPS to $0.41 from $0.47 (effectively zero growth)."

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via economictimes.indiatimes.com

Eurofighter Typhoon frontrunner to bag the $11 billion Indian Air Force Multi-Role Combat Aircraft contract - Economic Times

jayparkhe@gmail.com — Sat, 21 May 2011 20:10:24 PDT

via articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com

Eurofighter Typhoon frontrunner to bag the $11 billion Indian Air Force Multi-Role Combat Aircraft contract - Economic Times

jayparkhe@gmail.com — Sat, 21 May 2011 20:09:42 PDT

Eurofighter Typhoon frontrunner to bag the $11 billion Indian Air Force Multi-Role Combat Aircraft contract
May 20, 2011, 03.07pm IST
Tags:
United Kingdom|
Michael Christie
LONDON: Eurofighter Typhoon is the front-runner for the USD 11 billion contract Indian Air Force Multi-Role Combat Aircraft deal, a senior official of the BAE Systems has said indicating that if the contract goes through a part of fighter manufacturing would be off loaded to India.
"The negotiation for crucial commercial terms will begin next month," Michael Christie, Senior Vice President, BAE Systems India told a group of visiting journalists at BAE Systems' production centre at Warton, Lancashire, in UK yesterday.
India had short-listed French Dassault Rafale and Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets for the project to acquire 126 fighters, while rejecting American Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet, Lockheed Martin F-16, Sweden's Gripen and Russian MiG-35 fighters.
Dassault and Europefighter have been asked by the Ministry of Defence to extend the offer validity.
"If Typhoon is chosen, the order for the contract will be firmed up in the first quarter of next year and "delivery of aircraft will begin in 2015," Christie indicated.
According to Christie, Typhoon is a generation ahead of Chinese aircraft J10 Thunder.
"China also unveiled a proto-type of J20. But typhoon is one of the most advanced aircraft, The missile capability of the aircraft and radar capability are of a different level," he said.
It is built by a four-nation European consortium - Britain, Germany, Italy and Spain - with Britain and Germany having 33 per cent stake each.
Answering a question on indigenisation of HAWK, Christie said "The indigenisation programme is very successful".
India had contracted to receive 66 HAWK - 26 built in the UK and 42 under licence by HAL in Bengaluru under a 1 billion pound agreement and the contract was widened by New Delhi to purchase 57 more HAWKs under licence production.
Today, the Indian Tricolour is flying proudly outside the BAE Warton production centre, along with the British flag, thanks to the massive Indian order, which is keeping the company going.
Christie said that India is keen to have 70 per cent of the Typhoon to be produced in India and the 30 per cent in the UK.
BAE is keen to make India a partner of the Consortium, Christie said.
Asked whether India could export HAWK, Christie said, the existing agreement does not allow it.
"We are in discussion to find how we can do that". Christie said, adding, "Typhoon has taken us to the next generation of aircraft".
"If India were to finalise the agreement for Typhoon, it will be produced in Bengaluru. They will have to create new space for it in Bengaluru", he said.
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October 4, 2007
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via articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com

Mukesh Ambani's house shows lack of empathy for poor: Ratan Tata - The Economic Times

jayparkhe@gmail.com — Sat, 21 May 2011 20:09:10 PDT

Mukesh Ambani's 27-storey house, Antilla, at Altamont Road in south Mumbai

via economictimes.indiatimes.com

An year after Managalore Air crash

jayparkhe@gmail.com — Sat, 21 May 2011 19:27:03 PDT

Press Information Bureau
Government of India
Ministry of Civil Aviation
21-May-2011 17:16 IST

One Year After the Mangalore Crash
Air India Express Boeing 737 aircraft met with an accident 22nd May 2010 at Mangalore. The accident was investigated by the Court of Inquiry appointed by the Government and the report made available in April 2011.The accident shook the aviation industry and led everyone to undertake a look at safety oversight system of DGCA, aerodrome, air navigation, airlines, flight operations, training of pilots and all other related areas. While efforts to build and strengthen a robust civil aviation safety oversight system in DGCA were already underway, which Federal Aviation Administration of USA had confirmed during their audit of DGCA in 2009, immediate steps were taken after the accident to instil and restore confidence of the travelling public. Some of the immediate actions included a reassurance drive in the areas of aerodromes, airworthiness and operations which included inspections of all critical airports, confirmation on adherence to approved maintenance programmes by airlines, availability of approved documentation and assurance on following of regulations by the airlines. Intensive spot checks on the tarmac, checks on maintenance hangars/ stores and night inspections were undertaken during the period. Special Operations surveillance drive was undertaken wherein emphasis on adherence to SOPs, ALAR/ Monsoon Circulars, Stablised approach for safe landing, review of missed approach – ‘Go around’ policy, presence of Cabin crew in cockpit in case of one pilot leaving the cockpit, FOQA and CRM was ensured.
A Civil Aviation Safety Advisory Council (CASAC) was formed on May 28, 2010 with the mandate to strengthen aviation safety environment through synergisation of available expertise in areas of airlines, airworthiness, operations, air navigation, aerodromes, aircraft engineering, human performance. Special invitees to the Council include FAA, ICAO Experts, IATA, Airbus, Boeing, Bombardier etc. This is an ongoing initiative under the Chairmanship of Secretary (Civil Aviation). The Council gets its technical inputs from working groups covering Operations (Fixed wing and helicopter sub-Groups), Aerodromes, Air Navigation Services, Airworthiness General Aviation and Helicopters. Based on the reassurance drive several issues in the three areas of aerodromes, operations and airworthiness came up. Immediate actions to address the deficiencies have been taken up during the past one year. Several safety related circulars have been issued and implementation ensured. These include presence of Cabin crew in cockpit in case of one pilot leaving the cockpit, Cabin Crew to interact with pilots on intercom during period of lean cockpit activity, in the event of incapacitation of PIC, copilot to take over control and in the event of PIC not responding to calls of copilot regarding ‘go around’, assertiveness by copilot to be encouraged. Regulatory provision for penal action for reporting for duty with alcohol consumption has been made. Pilots are being subjected to Breath Analyser test prior to flights. License are being suspended for three months in case of first BA positive and on second BA positive instance, the licence is cancelled.
In a move to step up the quality of training Captains, the period of Instructorship/ Examiner-ship has been restricted to 5 years with proficiency check every 2 years. Increased oversight for selection of trainers, quality of training imparted by trainers, integrity of simulator training have been introduced. Breath Analyser Test has been mandated for approval of Training Captains and Pilots with BA ‘positive’ report have been debarred from becoming Training Captains. Existing Training Captains if found BA ‘positive’ are debarred from training Captain list for three years.The process for approval of foreign pilots has been made stringent wherein background checks are being done to ensure that these pilots have accident free record. The experience requirements for the foreign pilots have been enhanced and the pilots are subjected to Proficiency Checks before approval is granted by DGCA. These pilots are being subjected to same medical standards as the Indian pilots.
Many of the issues relating to condition and facilities at aerodromes which came up during the reassurance drive of critical aerodromes have been taken up with Airports Authority of India as well as Defence authorities for immediate corrective action. These relate to Friction test for condition of the runway, markings, location of Precision Approach Path Indicator (PAPI) for realignment with aiming point marking, adequacy of runway end safety area (RESA), Installation of localiser antenna frangible structures at identified airports of AAI, calibration of equipment such as ILS and VOR/DME In order to smoothen the licensing process, an Aerodromes Directorate has been set up in AAI with support staff. DGCA has undertaken a special drive for licensing of AAI airports. As on date, 42 airports for public use have been licensed by DGCA as against 29 in January 2011 of which 32 are AAI airports. There were 6 AAI licencsed airports in November 2010. The Committee set up by the Government to examine the Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) of crewmembers has submitted its report to the Government in September 2010. The report has been accepted and based on the recommendations of the Committee, a draft regulation has been prepared and comments invited. These comments are being reviewed for finalisation of the regulation.
Review of the recommendations made by the Court of Inquiry of the Mangalore crash has revealed that action has already been initiated by DGCA on the issues raised in the report by DGCA during the last one year and the organisation and the Government is sensitive to safety of aircraft operations. Government and DGCA are committed to sustain and enhance safety oversight system through proactive regulation making and its compliance by approved organizations. The real challenge today is to manage phenomenal growth of air traffic with safety.

via pib.nic.in

Today is Greek Philosopher's Day?

jayparkhe@gmail.com — Sat, 21 May 2011 04:09:40 PDT

Did you know...

... that today is Greek Philosopher's Day? Plato, one of the
great Greek philosophers and author of The Republic and other
books, was born on May 21, 429 B.C.

~~~

Today's Inspirational Quote:

"Apply yourself both now and in the next life. Without effort,
you cannot be prosperous. Though the land be good, you cannot
have an abundant crop without cultivation."

-- Plato

Anna Hazare to visit Bangalore - The Times of India

jayparkhe@gmail.com — Fri, 20 May 2011 19:56:45 PDT

Social activist Anna Hazare will be in Bangalore on May 27 and 28. The 72-year-old Gandhian who went on an indefinite fast demanding drafting of the Lokpal bill will address Banagloreans during his stay.

via timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Mediclaim mess - The Times of India

jayparkhe@gmail.com — Fri, 20 May 2011 19:56:17 PDT

The Ahmedabad Medical Association (AMA) has warned that after implementation of new guidelines from this week, people who buy cashless policy or renew their medical insurance under the Preferred Provider Network (PPN) will have less number of doctors and hospitals to choose from. The association claimed that quality of treatment would also suffer as the fixed rate for procedures will not allow them to get the best treatment despite high insurance cover.
There are 1,500-odd hospitals in the city of which 90-odd have inked MoUs with third party administrators (TPAs) appointed by general insurance companies (GICs) and would offer cashless mediclaim treatment as part of the PPN to be established here.
A majority of corporate hospitals which tend to a large number of patients in the city are still wary of joining the PPN as they say that the rate for almost all minor-major procedures has been fixed at an extremely low rate at which it would be impossible to provide best healthcare to patients.
"The fixed rates for all patients will restrict the quality of medical care which is provided to the patients. In many patients, there are medical complications during a surgery, in some, there is a need for a better implant. In such cases the cost of treatment is higher. If the rates are fixed irrespective of the insurance cover, the patients will stand to lose," said CEO of HCG Medisurge Dr Bharat Gadhvi.
Medical director of Shalby Hospital Dr Pradeep Doshi said that there are patients who have a higher medical cover and want to choose a better implant, better rooms and better services. "This kind of cost ceiling being imposed by TPAs is restrictive and will lead to substandard medical care in the country," said Dr Doshi.
Meanwhile, secretary of AMA Dr Mehul Shah said that this is a serious issue and needs to be represented by both the medical fraternity as well as the common man. "People are made to pay 6 per cent extra premium while selling cashless policies. The decision of the insurance companies with TPAs to change the rules will forbid the good choices of the patients. If people are ready to pay, how can the insurance companies decide that they will be allowed medical care of only a certain rate," said Dr Shah.

via timesofindia.indiatimes.com

U.S. envoy to India warns against another Mumbai-style attack

jayparkhe@gmail.com — Fri, 20 May 2011 19:52:42 PDT

U.S. envoy to India warns against another Mumbai-style attack

English.news.cn 2011-05-21 10:04:40 Feedback Print RSS

by Ted Regencia

CHICAGO, May 20 (Xinhua) -- The outgoing U.S. ambassador to India warned Friday against another terrorist attack in the South Asian country, saying it could spark serious conflict with its neighbor and fellow nuclear state of Pakistan.

Speaking before members of Chicago's foreign affairs establishment, Timothy J. Roemer said that while "great progress" has been made in terms of counter-terrorism cooperation between India and Pakistan, a single violent event could alter that tenuous relationship.

"If another Mumbai attack takes place in India, if we are not able to work with India to deflect that attack, it very well could lead to increased tensions and possibly some kind of exchange between these two nuclear nations," Roemer said.

That is why it is crucial for the United States to assist India maintain its security and avert terrorist threats before they happen, said the Indiana-born diplomat and former congressman.

Roemer highlighted the "intelligence-sharing" between the U.S. and India as proof of that security cooperation, citing as a specific example the case of David Headley, who is under American custody.

Headley is a Chicago-based Pakistani-American accused by India of helping plan the Mumbai attack. The U.S. initially blocked India's access to Headley arousing suspicions in New Delhi that Headley is double-agent also working for the U.S., an accusation the CIA denied.

Last week, Roemer called on Pakistan "to do more" and "to show progress and results" in prosecuting members of the Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), the group India held responsible for the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attack that killed more than 100 people.

Meanwhile, Roemer told his Chicago audience that U.S.-India relations "is the defining partnership of the 21st century."

"India is important to the United States because of who they are and where they are," Roemer said citing India's proximity to Pakistan and Afghanistan, where American forces are battling al-Qaida and Taliban forces for almost a decade.

The U.S. and India have a common interest "in fostering a peaceful and stable South Asia," Roemer said. "South Asia is an area of both much promise and much peril."

India also plays an important role in determining the future of Afghanistan, according to Roemer. Last year he visited the war-torn country to identify specific projects it can work on with the Indian government such as "women empowerment and agriculture issues."

"The United States and India share a very common strategic interest in the outcome for the people of Afghanistan," he stressed.

In the economic front, the U.S. continues to eye India's rapid growth as an opportunity for many American businesses, said Roemer citing the 17 percent increase in U.S. export to India in 2010.

via news.xinhuanet.com

8 Words That Should Never Appear in Your Twitter Bio | BNET

jayparkhe@gmail.com — Fri, 20 May 2011 19:45:45 PDT

did find a lot of awful Twitter bios, though.

Capturing the essence of your business in 160 characters is tough. (It’s also tough to know how many people are actually reading or responding to your tweets.)

Since every word counts, pretend I’m a potential customer or client. Here’s how I react to the following words in a Twitter bio:

“Passionate.” Can you be “passionate” about four or five things? One passion, maybe; four passions are interests, not passions. And really: Can anyone truly be passionate about “delivering lasting customer value” or “teaching small businesses to harness the power of social media” or “providing lasting solutions to common business problems”? Focused, yeah. Driven, sure. Passionate? Save that for your significant other.

“Authority.” As Margaret Thatcher said, “Power is like being a lady; if you have to say you are, you aren’t.” If you have to say you’re an authority, you aren’t. Show your expertise instead. “Speaker at TED Conference” indicates a level of authority. “Social media authority” reads as “I spend way too much time on Facebook.”

“Workaholic.” I suppose the intent is to say, “My nose is to the grindstone 24/7.” If you really do work that much, describe the successes all that effort produced instead. “Workaholic” has negative connotations and implies tremendous effort without tangible results. Potential customers don’t care how much you work — they care about what you get done.

“Guru.” Forget the explanation; I just hate this one. (If you respond positively to “guru,” I would love to know why.) I also hate “sage,” “connoisseur,” “guerilla,” “whiz,” “ninja,” and other allegedly clever descriptors. Don’t be clever for clever’s sake.

“Serial entrepreneur.” A few people start multiple, successful, long-term businesses. They truly are serial entrepreneurs. The rest start one business that fails or does okay, try something else, and keep rinsing and repeating until they find a formula that works. Those people are entrepreneurs. (And there’s nothing wrong with being “just” an entrepreneur!) If you have two or three solid successes under your belt, listing them can be powerful. If not, just say what you do now.

“Technologist.” I found lots of definitions for a technologist. My favorite is, “A person who uses scientific knowledge to solve practical problems.” So: Is that really what you do? Many people who claim to be “technologists” just like cool new products and applications. They’re interested in technology (again, nothing wrong with that!) but they are not technologists. If you use scientific knowledge to solve practical problems, share an example. Otherwise just say, “I love my new iPad 2!”

“Strategist.” Strategists look at the present, envision something different, and develop approaches to make their vision a reality. For example, I sometimes help manufacturing plants improve productivity and quality. There are strategies I use to identify areas for improvement, but I’m in no way a strategist. I don’t create something new; I apply my experience and a few proven methodologies. Very few people are strategists; most “strategists” are actually coaches, specialists, or consultants who use what they know to help others. 99% of the time that’s what customers need — they don’t need a strategist. Be who you are.

“Unique.” We’re all individuals, we’re all different, we’re all unique — and we all know it. If I’m considering hiring you or buying your products, “unique” means nothing to me. Tell me why you are better.

Here’s what catches my eye: Plain language without hyperbole, exaggeration, or fluff.

While expressing personality and flair may work in some cases, if you use Twitter for business purposes plain language and accurate descriptions are what potential followers — and potential customers — really want to see.

Related:

via bnet.com

Innovation: Idea, Create and Accelerate - News at London Business School

jayparkhe@gmail.com — Fri, 20 May 2011 19:38:27 PDT

World leaders in business and government will debate innovation and entrepreneurship at London Business School’s Global Leadership Summit on 23 May.

George W Buckley, Chairman, President and Chief Executive of 3M; Sir Martin Sorrell, Founder and Chief Executive, WPP; António Horta-Osório, Chief Executive Officer, Lloyds Banking Group; David Sproul, Chief Executive Elect, Deloitte UK and Better Place founder Shai Agassi are among the speakers addressing delegates at this year’s Global Leadership Summit, which is sponsored by Deloitte.

Business, innovation and skills secretary Vince Cable will deliver a keynote address to the 650-strong business audience at the Summit. Dr Cable, who is also president of the Board of Trade, will focus his speech on the role of innovation and entrepreneurship in the future of the UK plc.

This year’s programme brings together chief executives from some of the world’s most innovative organisations, social entrepreneurs and leading London Business School academics, who will be addressing an audience of businesspeople, students and London Business School alumni.

Among the topics up for debate are:

Do big companies innovate?

How do you set the scene for innovation?

Creating a culture of innovation: How important is the role of a CEO?

Social innovation: For profit or social benefit?

Sir Andrew Likierman, Dean, London Business School, said: “I’m really pleased to welcome such a high calibre of speakers and panellists to this year’s Global Leadership Summit. Entrepreneurship and innovation are the key drivers of growth for both business and the economy in normal times. They are crucial right now in creating jobs to help economies emerge from the financial crisis.

“We’ve been teaching the subject for over 25 years and many of our top faculty are engaged in this area of research. London Business School is a place to meet existing and budding entrepreneurs and to hear fresh and original thinking.”

Chaired by CNN anchor Charles Hodson, the day will include a number of panel sessions, and big ideas break-out sessions led by four London Business School faculty members, looking at customer focus and innovation, business design, building a culture of constant innovation, and management myths

via london.edu

Ministry-wise PIB releases

jayparkhe@gmail.com — Fri, 20 May 2011 09:41:25 PDT

Air Marshal Browne to be next IAF chief - Rediff.com India News

jayparkhe@gmail.com — Fri, 20 May 2011 04:33:09 PDT

Air Marshal N A K Browne, an ace MiG-21 and Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter pilot, will be the next chief of Indian Air Force.

59-year-old Browne, vice chief of IAF, will take over from Air Chief Marshal P V Naik when he retires in July this year.

"The Appointments Committee of Cabinet recently cleared Air Marshal Brownes name as the next head of the IAF," Air Force officials said in New Delhi [ Images ].

An alumnus of National Defence Academy, Browne was commissioned into the fighter stream of the IAF on June 24, 1972.

Besides MiG-21, Jaguars and Sukhoi-30 MKI, he has flown the vintage fighter Hunters and subsequently commanded a Jaguar Squadron.

He has logged in almost 3100 hours of flying. Before taking over as the Vice chief of the Air Staff in January 2011, he was the AOC-in-C of Western Air Command, IAF's most vital operational command.

Browne also did a training stint with the Royal Air Force in the United Kingdom and the Air Command and Staff College, Alabama, USA.

He served as an instructor at the Tactics and Air Combat Development Establishment and the Tri-services Defence Services Staff College in Wellington.

During his 38-year-long career, he has also served as Joint Director at Air War Strategy Cell at Air Headquarters, Chief Operations Officer and Air Officer Commanding of a SU-30 base.

His other important assignments are as Assistant Chief of the Air Staff (intelligence) at Air Headquarters.

He was also responsible for establishing the Indian Defence Wing in Tel Aviv, Israel in April 1997 where he served as the defence attache till July 2000.

Under his command, the first landing of an AN-32 transport aircraft took place at Nyoma Advance Landing Ground, located at an altitude of 13,300 feet in Leh, in September 2009.

via rediff.com

today is Are You Somebody Day

jayparkhe@gmail.com — Fri, 20 May 2011 01:20:35 PDT

Did you know...

... that today is Are You Somebody Day? This day celebrates all of
us who are good but not yet Somebody. Celebrate you as you.
Make a list of what you do, what you have done, and what you
want to do. Build your self-esteem!

~~~

Today's Inspirational Quote:

"Do not be too timid and squeamish about your actions. All
life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the
better. What if they are a little course, and you may get your
coat soiled or torn? What if you do fail, and get fairly
rolled in the dirt once or twice. Up again, you shall never be
so afraid of a tumble."

-- Ralph Waldo Emerson

today is Fingerprint Evidence Day

jayparkhe@gmail.com — Fri, 20 May 2011 00:31:40 PDT

Did you know...

... that today is Fingerprint Evidence Day? The first criminal
case in the U.S. in which fingerprint evidence was admitted
into court occurred in New York City in 1911. Burglary suspect
Caesar Cella was convicted by prints identified by Detective
Sergeant Joseph Faurot.

~~~

Today's Inspirational Quote:

"I try to avoid looking forward or backward, and try to keep
looking upward."

-- Charlotte Bronte

Ministry-wise PIB releases

jayparkhe@gmail.com — Fri, 20 May 2011 00:25:37 PDT