Venus, Moon conjunction on New Year's Eve

Venus, Moon conjunction on New Year's Eve

New Delhi, Dec 30 : As the sun goes down Wednesday evening, two of the brightest objects in the winter sky - Venus and Moon - will get together to bid farewell to 2008.

A beautiful conjunction of Venus and the slender crescent Moon will be visible in the southwestern sky for hours after sunset on New Year's Eve.

"The winter sky is very clear and you can have a spectacular vision of the celestial activity even with naked eyes," Nehru Planetarium director N. Rathnasree told IANS.

"Venus blazes high and alone in the western sky at dusk. It will remain a beacon in sky throughout January, shining brighter than any other dot of light in the sky," Rathnashree added.

Venus and Jupiter spent all of December 2008 blazing away in the western sunset sky. At the start of December, the two planets were side by side. Then, day by day, throughout December, they drifted apart.

"Watching Venus and Moon in conjunction is a wonderful way to end the new year," said amateur astronaut Avinash Gupta.

No News edition 11 - 2009 - a long walk ahead

Photo Speaks - Wish you all a Blessed New Year

Expats Prefer Sending Money Home over New Year Bash

Expats Prefer Sending Money Home over New Year Bash
Lily B. Libo-on KT photos by Mukesh Kamal 29 December 2008

DUBAI - In normal times, expatriates here would have loved to celebrate the New Year.However, these are not normal times. The impact of the recession on the UAE has made them think twice before spending their hard-earned money on festivities.

So, they are sending money home.

Lorie, a 25-year-old Filipino, is living with her entire family in Sharjah. But, she said her family took a painful decision of not celebrating the holiday 
season. “We always celebrate Christmas and New Year. But, two of my brothers have lost their jobs due to the economic crisis creeping into the UAE companies. We need to save a lot for the coming days. We have to send money home for their young kids to continue schooling. This is a bad year for us.”

Daya, a 50-year-old Sri Lankan expatriate who has been working in Dubai for 14 years, says she would forego her usual annual buying of new clothes and jewellery for the New Year celebration.

“I will not even celebrate by preparing food for friends and families because my husband is down with cancer. He has been in the hospital for the past three months. I am on my way to my brother’s house to pass on medicines and cash to be hand-carried to Sri Lanka by his mother-in-law. My husband needs this more than the exotic food and new clothing,” she said tearfully.

She spoke highly of her Indian employers because of their understanding of her situation.

They increased her salary and, even bought her medicines. “I am so thankful I have this kind sponsor,” she added.

Mohammed Hassan, 31, said he preferred to send money to his family back home.

“Even if I wanted to celebrate, I could not do it. My family needs the money more than me. What is the use of celebrating if your family will be starving back home? This is not the time to buy new clothes and excellent food to celebrate. Things have changed. Food is costly now. Rents are rising. I have to save,” he stressed.

Similarly, Wiji, 50, said his family back in Sri Lanka always celebrate the New Year by going to the Buddhist temple, preparing food for friends and families, and buying new sets of clothes to wear specially on New Year. “But, here, it is not important anymore because my family is not with me,” Wiji said.

Daya, Hassan, Wiji and Lorie belong to different backgrounds and traditionally, they celebrate New Year. But, now, all are in unison saying, family comes first, before celebration.

Asanas for reconditioning the nervous system

Asanas for reconditioning the nervous system

Express Features : 20 Dec 2008

The brain & the spinal cord along with the nerves emanating constitute the nervous system of the body.

The nervous system is divided into two main systems; the central nervous system (CNS) and the peripheral nervous system (PNS). Central nervous system consists of the brain and spinal cord.

The brain keeps the body in order. Its main job is to get the information from the body and send out instructions.

Peripheral nervous system consists of all other neural elements. Cranial nerves, spinal nerves & many other micro nerves start in the rear of the backbone & spread through a nerves net work & terminate in the brain.

A healthy central nervous system (brain and spine), healthy glands and healthy internal organs are the secret of vitality and rejuvenation & enable one to remain level headed in stressful situations.

The power & activeness of the body depends on the power & activeness of the brain.

Yogasanasa, Pranayama & Meditation contribute a lot for maintaining a healthy, active & powerful brain.

The following sets of four Asanas are very helpful to pump in blood to the brain & the spinal cord in extra quantity & add energy for all round development of the body & the mind.

UTTANPADASANA 30 DEGREES Lie flat on your back on the mat with legs straight. Place the arms close to the body with the palms facing downwards. Make sure the whole body is relaxed.

Inhale & raise your legs off the floor to 30 degrees, just two feet above the floor.

Hold it there for minimum ten counts or according to your body capacity. Then while exhaling, bring the legs back to the floor.

NAUKASANA (Same lying down position) Now extend your arms over the head. Take deep breath & lift your arms, shoulders and head from one side and lift both the legs right from thighs from the other side just few inches above the floor. Raising the body from both sides should look like the shape of a boat. Hold it there for some time.

URDHVANAUKASANA Now from second Asana (Naukasana), you are coming into Urdhvanaukasana.

Without any jerk or sudden force, inhale; gently sit up on your hips with arms up in the front. In this position, you are extending the arms in the front & legs are upward. Hold it there for some time.

DRONASANA From the third Asana you are coming into Dronasana. Just hold the legs & try to touch the knees with the forehead. Hold it there for some time. Then relax. Repeat the set of these four Asanas 3-5 times.

NOTE If you feel shakiness in the legs or your nervous system is weak, you can take support of the wall for all these Asanas. Those suffering from hypertension, heart disease, spondilitis & people who have been operated on abdomen should consult an expert before practicing it. In case of any query, contact: Dr Rita Khanna Mobile: 09849772485 Ph:-040-65173344 Email: ritukhanna57@hotmail.com

The Spirit of Zen

The Spirit of Zen

S BS Surendran 25 Dec 2008 for Express Buzz
KOCHI: The adaptation of Zen-feng shui in our homes especially in gardens enhances the positive 'chi' of the building. We spend a lifetime earning and trying to meet up with our materialistic requirements and when we decide on investing in a property be it an independent home or apartment, we try to invest in a space which ushers in prosperity and happiness into our lives.

In simpler terms zen is understanding yourself and your environment.

The same philosophy exists in feng shui too. Merely placing objects or correcting a space without the positive affirmation or clear thought for achievement does not bring about the change of energy in a space. Our positive intention to move towards our target and aim is well supported by the feng shui of the particular place.

For instance, in a baker’s place products such as cookies are baked in different shapes and forms but the basic ingredient that is the dough is same for all and tastes similar too. In the same way, all things in the universe - the sun, the moon, the stars, mountains, rivers, people, and so forth - have different names and forms, but they are all made from the same substance. The universe is organised into pairs of opposites: light and darkness, man and woman, sound and silence, good and bad. But all these opposites are mutual, because they are made from the same substance though the difference lies in the names and forms. The substance is what remains if you don’t delve deep into its form.

This philosophy is very similar to the ancient Chinese philosophy of feng shui.

Arrangement and order plays a vital role in zen and in feng shui too. The Japanese art of floral arrangements, Ikebana is said to express the life of the flowers. Ikebana traces its history back to the 6th century when the Buddhist priests offered flowers to appease the spirits of the dead. By the middle of the 15th century, Ikebana became an art form independent of its religious origins but still maintained its symbolic overtones of representing the balance between heaven, man and earth. As is a poem or a lovely painting Ikebana expresses both the beauty of an object and the longing in our own hearts through the blooms.

In feng shui the use of fragrant fresh flowers and lush green plants are often suggested as enhancements for the flow of chi. For most of us we bring flowers into our home - whether from the florists or our own gardens - not just for placing them in a vase and then setting them aside. In the art of placement, we look for the right flower to decorate the appropriate compass direction of the home and the layout.

The pathway leading unto the main door could be enhanced if gravel or white powder from crushed stones are used as the top layer. In case the pathway from the door to the gate is sloping downwards, it is believed that the energy rolls back and goes out of the gate.

A simple and symbolic cure for this would be to place two large round stones on either sides of the gate. Many offices and homes in the Eastern countries display a pair of lions or even lion-headed dogs on either sides of the main door.

A pathway with plenty of hedges and greenery along with water feature enhances the energy of the building and at the same time makes it very inviting.

S BS Surendran

Master Fengshui Consultant and Traditional Vaastu Practitioner fengshui@fengshuiserver.com

Second Phase of Cleaning Operations starts at Kochi

Second Phase of Cleaning Operations starts at Kochi

Express News Service First Published : 27 Dec 2008 KOCHI: The second phase of cleaning operations of the mosquito eradication project, organised jointly by the Kochi Corporation and the National Rural Health Mission (NHRM), started in Kochi on Friday.


The first round of cleaning of small drains and other breeding grounds at the 71 divisions of the Corporation has been completed. Each division has been allotted Rs 10,000 for the first and second phase of the project.

The main objective of the project is to permanently destroy the mosquito breeding sources using fogging machines.

“After the first phase, the mosquito index is comparatively low in the recent survey done by NHRM. The project is highly effective, the number of dengue outbreaks were low after the commencement of the project,” said District Medical Officer, K T Ramani.

Around 750 specialised officers have been trained and appointed for the second phase operations. These officials will visit households with the message to dry up the breeding sites of mosquitoes.

An awareness programme, will be organised as part of the second phase, in the last week of December in association with the schools, offices, resident associations and hotel owners’ association in the city.

As a special initiative, the authorities have also decided to organise special awareness programme, ‘Edu-Campaign’ for school children in January.

“The decisions for the further actions will be taken as per the report of NHRM after the completion of the second phase, in the meeting to be held in January,” said N A Mani, Chairman, Health Standing Committee. “The government is also planning to allot Rs 10,000 for further cleaning actions after the review meeting”, he said.

Mumbai Cares - Because All We Have Is Us

A little bit of anger once in a while isn't necessarily a bad thing, so long as it's converted into positive energy. Mumbai has been boiling over with rage at our political leaders for their apathy towards the security of ordinary, innocent people.

But there's a danger that after a few days of blowing off steam in the form of marches, posters and SMSs, we'll return to business as usual - and allow our politicians to return to business as usual. To allow that would be a waste of yet another opportunity to make a difference. So many lives would then have been lost in vain. There are encouraging signs, though, that this time it's going to be different, that the people of Mumbai will not forget that they are determined to make change happen. The Times of India has been flooded with offers to help the families of the less affluent victims of the terror attack. What's equally heart-warming is that many of our readers have offered their time and expertise to worthwhile initiatives undertaken by civil society groups.

We would like to be able to direct all such offers in the appropriate direction so that something tangible, something good can come of them. Mumbai Cares is an initiative which extends a helping hand to the families of the victims of Mumbai terror attack. This is not merely a charitable cause, but an attempt to create a self-help group by caring citizens.

You can contribute by selecting one or more of the following options.

1. Time

Time is the most important gift that one can give to another human being. Many families have been left without members with whom they spent wonderful times. We cannot replace them. But we can help them in difficult times. You can contribute in many ways: providing moral support, being an adviser (for example, in financial planning and help with the deceased's paperwork), a simple act like babysitting, especially with one parent now gone or alerting the rest of the group on more serious help (for example, need for a psychiatrist or serious financial help).
How many hours per week can you contribute towards this mentorship role for the next few weeks? hours
Do you have experience in psychiatric counselling?YesNo

2. Be a vigilant citizen

Would you like to receive special training which can help you identify such threats in advance? YesNo

3. Want to adopt a child orphaned during the attacks?YesNo

4. Financial Support

While it's assumed that this attack has only affected the well-to-do, ground realities are different: the affected people include families of hotel service/security staff, police personnel and other common citizens out to make a living.The "Mumbai Cares" fund set up with the support of Times Foundation seeks to provide monetary support to the families of the victims of the attacks. Please send your cheque drawn in favour of:
"Times Foundation (HDFC Bank a/c No. 0601000137448)" and send it by courier/registered post to:

Mumbai Cares Cell
The Times of India Building
Dr DN Road (near CST)
Mumbai 400001
India.

Smart soldiers first to die in action?

Smart soldiers first to die in action?
20 Dec 2008, AGENCIES (from TIMES OF INDIA)

A team of researchers studied Scottish soldiers who survived World War II and found that they were less intelligent than men who gave their lives defeating the Third Reich, a new study of British government records concludes.

The 491 Scots who died and had taken IQ tests at age 11 achieved an average IQ score of 100.8. Several thousand survivors who had taken the same test — which was administered to all Scottish children born in 1921 — averaged 97.4.

The unprecedented demands of the second world war — fought more with brains than with brawn compared with previous wars —might account for the skew, says Ian Deary, a psychologist at the University of Edinburgh, who led the study.

His team’s study melded records from Scottish army units with results of national tests performed by all 11-year-olds in 1932. The tests assessed verbal reasoning, mathematics and spatial skills.

“No other country has ever done such a whole-population test of the mental ability of its population,” Deary says. Other studies have found that childhood IQs accurately predict intelligence later in life.

Deary’s team had previously theorised that less intelligent men were more likely to be rejected for military service. The new study appears to refute that suggestion. Men who didn’t serve were more intelligent than surviving veterans, and of equal intelligence to those who died.

Tendulkar is a gracious god : British media

Tendulkar is a gracious god : British media

London, PTI:

Tendulkar offered balm to a country which was devastated by terror attacks in its finacial capital yet he remained a modest god, according to a write-up in 'Daily Telegraph'.

Sachin Tendulkar is god to billion Indians but he is a "gracious god" who lifts his people out of the pit of despair in the wake of Mumbai terror attacks, a leading British newspaper said, paying tribute to the champion batsman who has "not a scrap of ego".

Tendulkar offered balm to a country which was devastated by terror attacks in its finacial capital yet he remained a modest god, according to a write-up in 'Daily Telegraph'

"He (Tendulkar) is an unlikely-looking god. He stands there in the middle dwarfed by the gigantic Andrew Flintoff and the strapping Yuvraj Singh, a boy-like figure with a cherubic face whose Michelin man-style pads come half way up his thigh," Simon Hughes wrote.





"The poor Indian lifts his hands to Sachin Tendulkar in supplication; Give us respite, a sense of liberation; lift us up from the dark pit of our lives to well-lit places of the imagination with your skill-wrought perfection. He has not a scrap of ego. He is a gracious god. We will never see his like again".

The writer said that Tendulkar never shirked his enormous responsibility and spent considerable time preparing for a game.

"Tendulkar never shirks this enormous responsibility. He spends almost every waking hour seeking that perfection, practising, planning, preparing. He rings his brother, the man who knows his game best, every day, talking bowlers and bat angles and shot selection. He looks at the pitch and contemplates how he will make runs on it. He is thankful of his talent and dutifully delivers it to his public, the majority of whom have nothing," Hughes wrote.
A self-effacing man who keeps his emotions private, Tendulkar's inner urge to express the hurt caused to him by the audacious terror attack at the city he was born and brought up led him to dedicate his century in Chennai to the people of Mumbai and India, but he admits it was not his nature to play the role of a statesman too often.

"Sometimes I do it, but it is not my way," Tendulkar was quoted as saying by the newspaper.

"Tendulkar lives in Bandra, in the north of Mumbai, Bollywoodville. But he often goes south to Colaba with family and friends, to eat in the Taj Mahal Palace hotel or the Oberoi.

"The Mumbai attacks were close to home and affected him deeply. The England players remarked on his extra patience and intensity at the crease. This time he was doubly determined to lift his people out of their pit," the article said.

Tendulkar wields a heavy bat unusual for his small frame, but he says he would not be the same batsman without his willow.

"I like a bow in it. I can't bat with anything else. I would not feel right at the crease," the master batsman said.

The Obama Speechwriter - Helping to Write History

The Obama Speechwriter - Helping to Write History
By Eli Saslow Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, December 18, 2008

The job requires him to work unnoticed, even in plain view, so Jon Favreau settles into a wooden chair at a busy Starbucks in the center of Penn Quarter. Deadline looms, and he needs to write at least half a page by the end of the day. As the espresso machines whir, Favreau opens his laptop, calls up a document titled "rough draft of inaugural" and goes to work on the most anticipated speech of Barack Obama's life.

During the campaign, the buzz-cut 27-year-old at the corner table helped write and edit some of the most memorable speeches of any recent presidential candidate. When Obama moves to the White House next month, Favreau will join his staff as the youngest person ever to be selected as chief speechwriter. He helps shape almost every word Obama says, yet the two men have formed a concert so harmonized that Favreau's own voice disappears.

"He looks like he's in college and everybody calls him Favs, so you're like, 'This guy can't be for real, right?' " said Ben Rhodes, another Obama speechwriter. "But it doesn't take long to realize that he's totally synced up with Obama. . . . He has access to everything and everybody. There's a lot weighing on his shoulders."

Especially now, as Favreau and the rest of Obama's young staffers begin a transition that extends far beyond new job titles. Three months ago, Favreau lived in a group house with six friends in Chicago, where he rarely shaved, never cooked and sometimes stayed up to play video games until early morning. Now, he has transformed into what one friend called a "Washington political force" -- a minor celebrity with a down payment on a Dupont Circle condo, whose silly Facebook photos with a Hillary Rodham Clinton cutout created what passes for controversy in Obama's so far drama-free transition.

Favreau believes he will transition well if he focuses exclusively on writing, which is why he has buried himself in the inaugural address. He moves while he writes to avoid becoming stale -- from the Starbucks, to his windowless transition office, to his new, one-bedroom condo, where the only furniture in place is a blow-up mattress on the hardwood floor. He sometimes writes until 2 or 3 a.m., fueled by double espresso shots and Red Bull. When deadline nears, a speech consumes him until he works 16-hour days and forgets to call home, do his laundry or pay his bills. He calls it "crashing."

Last month, Favreau met for an hour in Chicago with Obama and adviser David Axelrod, as is their habit before important speeches. Obama told him to make the inaugural address no longer than 15 or 20 minutes, and they agreed to theme it around, Favreau said, "this moment that we're in, and the idea that America was founded on certain ideals that we need to take back." Obama asked for a first draft by Thanksgiving. Favreau explained that he had planned a vacation and promised a draft by this week.

During his vacation, Favreau e-mailed notes to himself via BlackBerry while visiting friends in Manhattan and talked about structure at his family's Thanksgiving dinner. He listened to recordings of past inaugural addresses and met with Peggy Noonan, Ronald Reagan's speechwriter, to seek advice. One of Favreau's assistants researched other periods in history when the United States faced crises; another interviewed historians such as David McCullough.

Still more daunting is the list of things Favreau can't think about as he writes the inaugural. He went for a run to the Lincoln Memorial last month and stopped in his tracks when he imagined the mall packed with 3 million people listening to some of his words. A few weeks later, Favreau winced when Obama spokesman Bill Burton reminded him: "Dude, what you're writing is going to be hung up in people's living rooms!"

"If you start thinking about what's at stake, it can get paralyzing," Favreau said.

Obama sometimes jokes that Favreau is not so much a speechwriter as a mind reader. He carries Obama's 1995 autobiography, "Dreams From My Father," with him almost everywhere and has memorized most of his famous keynote speech from the 2004 Democratic National Convention. He has mastered Obama's writing style -- short, elegant sentences -- and internalized his boss's tendency toward reflection and ideological balance.

Favreau's job is "to be like a baseball umpire," one co-worker said, and perform his task so deftly that nobody notices him. He listens to Obama tell stories in his office and spins them into developed metaphors, rich in historical context. When Obama delivers a speech on the road, Favreau studies the recording and notes the points at which Obama departs from the text so he can refine the riffs and incorporate them next time.

In four years together, Obama and Favreau have perfected their writing process. Before most speeches, Obama meets with Favreau for an hour to explain what he wants to say. Favreau types notes on his laptop and takes a crack at the first draft. Obama edits and rewrites portions himself -- he is the better writer, Favreau insists -- and they usually work through final revisions together. If Favreau looks stressed, Obama sometimes reassures him: "Don't worry. I'm a writer, too, and I know that sometimes the muse hits you and sometimes it doesn't. We'll figure it out together."


"The president-elect understands that Jon is a rare talent. He knows what he's got," said Obama spokesman Tommy Vietor, who also worked in the Senate office. "There's a mutual respect and appreciation between them, and the president-elect trusts Jon's instincts and ability. It's a partnership."

They stumbled upon it by accident in 2004, when Obama, just elected to the Senate, needed to hire a speechwriter. He brought Favreau, then 23, into the Senate dining room for an interview on his first day in office. They talked for 30 minutes about harmless topics such as family and baseball before Obama turned serious.

"So," he said. "What's your theory on speechwriting?"

Awkward silence. Favreau, just graduated from Holy Cross, had talked his way onto Sen. John F. Kerry's presidential campaign in 2003 and had become a press assistant, arriving at the office at 3 a.m. to clip newspapers. The speech he had given as class valedictorian circulated around the staff, and Favreau eventually got a shot at speechwriting. He wrote well and rose to the top of the department, but there was never any time to formulate theories. Now, Favreau looked at Obama and went with his gut.

"A speech can broaden the circle of people who care about this stuff," Favreau said. "How do you say to the average person that's been hurting: 'I hear you. I'm there. Even though you've been so disappointed and cynical about politics in the past, and with good reason, we can move in the right direction. Just give me a chance.' "

"I think this is going to work," Obama said.

Favreau worked for more than two years in Obama's Senate office before moving to Chicago to help with the presidential campaign. He hired speechwriters Rhodes and Adam Frankel -- and, a year later, former Clinton speechwriter Sarah Hurwitz -- and together they crafted the speeches Obama delivered on the night of each primary.

The writers could sometimes crank out a 1,500-word speech in one or two days, working in Obama's Chicago headquarters almost until sunrise. Sometimes, it took Favreau and his team hours to conceptualize the opening few lines. They gathered in a tiny office and formed sentences out loud, each word mulled and debated, until suddenly -- yes! -- they could envision the whole speech.

"When we were on, we could finish each other's thoughts," Frankel said. "We knew where we were going next. We were in total alignment on those speeches."

One Saturday night in March, Obama called Favreau and said he wanted to immediately deliver a speech about race. He dictated his unscripted thoughts to Favreau over the phone for 30 minutes -- "It would have been a great speech right then," Favreau said -- and then asked him to clean it up and write a draft. Favreau put it together, and Obama spent two nights retooling before delivering the address in Philadelphia the following Tuesday.

"So," Obama told Favreau afterward. "I think that worked."

Favreau wrote a first draft of the Democratic National Convention acceptance speech, but his boss thought it lacked direction. Obama rewrote it, and it ended up almost 15 minutes too long. Favreau spent three days traveling across the country with Obama so they could trim the speech, editing until a few hours before Obama stepped to the lectern in front of more than 84,000 people in Denver.

The writers could sometimes crank out a 1,500-word speech in one or two days, working in Obama's Chicago headquarters almost until sunrise. Sometimes, it took Favreau and his team hours to conceptualize the opening few lines. They gathered in a tiny office and formed sentences out loud, each word mulled and debated, until suddenly -- yes! -- they could envision the whole speech.

"When we were on, we could finish each other's thoughts," Frankel said. "We knew where we were going next. We were in total alignment on those speeches."

One Saturday night in March, Obama called Favreau and said he wanted to immediately deliver a speech about race. He dictated his unscripted thoughts to Favreau over the phone for 30 minutes -- "It would have been a great speech right then," Favreau said -- and then asked him to clean it up and write a draft. Favreau put it together, and Obama spent two nights retooling before delivering the address in Philadelphia the following Tuesday.

"So," Obama told Favreau afterward. "I think that worked."

Favreau wrote a first draft of the Democratic National Convention acceptance speech, but his boss thought it lacked direction. Obama rewrote it, and it ended up almost 15 minutes too long. Favreau spent three days traveling across the country with Obama so they could trim the speech, editing until a few hours before Obama stepped to the lectern in front of more than 84,000 people in Denver.

The writers could sometimes crank out a 1,500-word speech in one or two days, working in Obama's Chicago headquarters almost until sunrise. Sometimes, it took Favreau and his team hours to conceptualize the opening few lines. They gathered in a tiny office and formed sentences out loud, each word mulled and debated, until suddenly -- yes! -- they could envision the whole speech.

"When we were on, we could finish each other's thoughts," Frankel said. "We knew where we were going next. We were in total alignment on those speeches."

One Saturday night in March, Obama called Favreau and said he wanted to immediately deliver a speech about race. He dictated his unscripted thoughts to Favreau over the phone for 30 minutes -- "It would have been a great speech right then," Favreau said -- and then asked him to clean it up and write a draft. Favreau put it together, and Obama spent two nights retooling before delivering the address in Philadelphia the following Tuesday.

"So," Obama told Favreau afterward. "I think that worked."

Favreau wrote a first draft of the Democratic National Convention acceptance speech, but his boss thought it lacked direction. Obama rewrote it, and it ended up almost 15 minutes too long. Favreau spent three days traveling across the country with Obama so they could trim the speech, editing until a few hours before Obama stepped to the lectern in front of more than 84,000 people in Denver.

For Election Day, Favreau wrote two speeches -- one in case of a win and another for a loss. After Obama learned that he had won Pennsylvania and essentially secured the presidency, he called Favreau to make final word edits on the victory address. "Okay, this all sounds good," Favreau said when Obama finished making his changes. "And hopefully we never have to think about that other one again."

All told, Favreau spent more than 18 months on almost constant deadline, staying up until 5 a.m. during the financial crisis to craft speeches for the next day and waking up at 8 a.m. to obsess over the daily tracking polls, which he started calling "daily crack."

When the pressure wore on Favreau, he unwound like a 27-year-old, sending prank e-mails to friends at the Obama offices or playing the video game Rock Band in the Lincoln Park group house he shared with six campaign staffers. He visited Axelrod's office and sought advice. He called his best friend, Josh Porter, when he felt ready to break down.

"A few times he called at midnight, sounding just done," Porter said. "He would be like, 'I don't know if I can do this anymore. I'm in over my head. I'm starting to freak out.' "

But there were also moments of euphoria, when Favreau would catch himself choking up while riding in the motorcade or rehearsing with Obama backstage. Before he entered Grant Park on election night, to stand in the VIP section with his parents and younger brother to hear Obama speak, Favreau sent a quick e-mail to Porter at 9:07 p.m. The subject line read: "Dude."

"We won," Favreau wrote. "Oh my God."

Two weeks after the election, Favreau accepted a new job that essentially came with a new life. He moved back to Washington, hired a real estate agent, bought his first apartment and ordered furniture from Pottery Barn that sits unopened in nine boxes lined against his wall. He will need to buy more jackets and ties to replace his preferred outfit of jeans and a sweater. Friends joke that Favreau suddenly turned 40 this year -- but he still shows flashes of 27.

At a party at his parents' house over Thanksgiving vacation, he danced and posed awkwardly next to a cardboard cutout of Clinton. A buddy uploaded photos onto Facebook, reporters discovered them, and suddenly experts were debating Favreau's maturity on television. Favreau called Clinton and Obama to apologize. They told him not to worry, but he still does.

How is this supposed to work, anyway? Do Favreau and the rest of Obama's young staffers transform to meet the formalities of the White House, or does the White House change to accommodate them? For almost two years during the campaign, Favreau and his speechwriting staff came to work in jeans and communicated via instant messaging. When they needed to write, they crammed together into a closet-size room, feet on the table, downing energy drinks and ordering takeout late into the night.

"We were always informal -- that's Favs's style," said Rhodes, one of the speechwriters. "I don't think he ever scheduled a meeting where we all sat down at a table and said, 'Here's what we have to do this week.' And if he had, we probably would have laughed at him."

But now Favreau and the other senior speechwriters are preparing to move into separate offices and expand their staff. Favreau expects to hire four or five more writers -- including a few who focus on foreign policy -- and he's unsure how to manage them. "My biggest strength isn't the organization thing," he said. A few of the other speechwriters have volunteered to help train and direct new hires.

Obama's speeches are likely to evolve, too. Some will focus more on policy, Favreau said, and a few dozen bureaucrats will want to parse each word. Andrei Cherny, a former White House speechwriter for Vice President Al Gore, called Favreau after the election to congratulate him and then warned that, in the White House, "the scrutiny and the power is unlike anyplace else."

"We know that we're going to have to approach the White House our way and have some fun with it," Favreau said, "because that kind of attitude is what made us successful."

No matter how it goes, Favreau believes this will be his last job in politics -- "anything else would be so anticlimactic," he said. Someday, he wants to write in his own voice, for himself.

"Maybe I'll write a screenplay, or maybe a fiction book based loosely on what all of this was like," Favreau said. "You had a bunch of kids working on this campaign together, and it was such a mix of the serious and momentous and just the silly ways that we are. For people in my generation, it was an unbelievable way to grow up."

Experimentation key to regain form: Anand to Dravid

Experimentation key to regain form: Anand to Dravid
New Delhi, PTI (Deccan Herald 19th December 2008)

Anand said he had first hand experience of losing form and overcoming it in his initial days and could empathise with the former India captain. What I did after Dortmund was that I kept on experimenting for 7-8 months. I could not really recover as I was experimenting only randomly...''


World chess champion Viswanathan Anand today felt out-of-form Rahul Dravid ought to experiment with his technique to regain lost touch.

Anand said he had first hand experience of losing form and overcoming it in his initial days and could empathise with the former India captain.

The chess ace said he was shocked to discover that he just could not strike form in the 2000 Dortmund tournament after a successful run that year.





"Once I started doing badly I thought of drawing my remaining games," Anand said, hinting that the defensive strategy did not work.

"What I did after Dortmund was that I kept on experimenting for 7-8 months. In that period also I could not really recover as I was experimenting only randomly. It was just very difficult. (But) perhaps that will help him recover faster," he said in reply to a query.

Anand, who recently defeated Russia's Vladimir Kramnik to retain his World Championship title in Bonn, Germany, was visiting the capital for the first time after his extraordinary feat of winning the honour in all three formats of game -- knock-out, round-robin and matchplay.

Anand, requested to say a few words about former cricket captain Sourav Ganguly, playing the last first-class game, said, "It must be funny to know this is your last match. (Garry) Kasparov had said the same thing. The rest of the world would be looking back but you have to sit and play or stand and play in his (Ganguly's) case," he said.

"It's an end to a wonderful career, which he could justifiably be proud of," Anand added.
On his interaction with current India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni in Chennai during the felicitation ceremony organised by the All India Chess Federation, Anand said he perceived the cricketer as very "warm" and "playful".

Anand was presented a diamond ring by Dhoni on behalf of the AICF.

"It was a brief meeting. But I think he was very playful. Before he presented the ring to me he said 'I hope Bhabhi (Aruna) will allow me to present you this ring'.

"He came across as a very warm person," he added.

Asked what he told Dhoni, the World Champion in Twenty20 cricket, Anand said, "just two words -- 'Good Luck'. Because it was a very brief interaction".

Is Bengaluru changing from Green to Red?

Is Bengaluru changing from Green to Red?

The road and city developments have finally started their effects on Bengaluru's historical and living monuments. The beautiful trees with branches spreading across the street giving it the cool and clean environment. All that will be history very soon. Going, going, Gone and Gone. Whether, efforts to re-plant to preserve the ecological balance is to be seen. But, that is a question to be asked, may be after a minimum of 2 to 3 years. For the time being, it is axing time.

Dubai Municipality Plans 10-fold Hike in Fines for Overflowing Sewage at Labour Camps

Dubai Municipality Plans 10-fold Hike in Fines for Overflowing Sewage at Labour Camps

Joy Sengupta 15 December 2008 for KHALEEJ TIMES

DUBAI - As overflowing sewage tanks continue to dog many labour accommodations in Al Quoz and parts of Sonapur, the Dubai Municipality is planning a 10-fold increase in the fine for owners of these camps.

In a talk with this reporter on Sunday, Salem bin Mesmar, Assis tant Director-General for Health, Safety and Environment Control, said the fine for accumulation of sewage in the labour camps will be increased to Dh10,000 from Dh1,000. “With many accommodation owners not acting swiftly and seriously enough, the civic body needs to make them understand about the gravity of the situation,” Mesmar said.

Overflowing of sewage from the tanks has been a frequent problem for the past several months in many camps in Al Quoz and Sonapur. As these camps are not connected to the drainage, sewage has to be transported in tankers to Al Aweer Sewage Treatment Plant. The delay in removing sewage results in overflowing of tanks.

Mesmar said the responsibility of ensuring clean and hygienic accommodation is with the owners.

“The owners have to ensure that the camps are clean. Overflowing sewage poses serious health hazards. The municipality has come across a lot of complaints but many of these owners don’t take them seriously at all. In addition to the increased fines, the municipality will intensify inspections,” the official said.

Mesmar added that by the end of this month, a huge ‘lagoon’ will be set up in Lehbab area where 500 tankers can dispose of sewage at a single time. “This temporary arrangement will ease the pressure at the Al Aweer plant for the time being and the trucks will be able to visit the accommodations on a regular basis.

The first phase of the new Jebel Ali Sewage Treatment Plant will be ready by June next year which will further reduce pressure on the Al Aweer Plant,” the official said.

Clustering for excellence

Clustering for excellence

R. KRISHNAMOORTHY for THE HINDU

The concept is aimed at enabling higher education institutions to put their facilities to optimum use and address the infrastructure and academic needs.

The idea of establishing clusters of advanced centres was mooted by the Kothari Commission as one of the possible means for extension of excellence from the centre to the periphery.

Taking the cue from the Western systems, the National Knowledge Commission has recommended that autonomous status be given to some clusters of colleges as part of restructuring undergraduate education. On its part, the University Grants Commission has been pursuing the project of clustering higher education institutions to put the facilities to optimum use and address the infrastructure and academic needs.

Against this backdrop, the Tamil Nadu State Council for Higher Education is encouraging universities to form clusters and derive the benefits of mutual cooperation in the forms of sharing Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in teaching-learning; opportunities for teachers to develop and offer new innovative credit courses thereby improving the standard of education in the members of the cluster; possibilities of opening up new areas of knowledge, promoting research and extension, institution of scholarships, and coming up with common research publications and newsletters.

Each cluster of voluntarily partnering colleges, as per the proposed system, should consist of a few well developed and established institutions and newly started self-financing colleges, under the regulation of the affiliating university. The cluster will have a shared vision based on the principles of equal status; collective decision-making; autonomy and accountability; and independence and interdependence.

According to a framework for cluster formation readied by the Bharathidasan University for consideration of the Tamil Nadu State Council for Higher Education, the cluster of colleges shall progressively share existing facilities in partner colleges and undertake common ventures for promoting access, equity and quality of education. The concept note states that the government should facilitate setting up of clusters through liberal grants, and encourage government and government-aided colleges for introducing new programmes in addition to the aided programmes introduced in the clusters on a permanent basis.

The vital advantages of cluster formation listed in the concept note are opportunities for new and developing colleges to avail specialised resource persons working in the developed colleges; opportunities for students to register for courses in any other college of the cluster; and promotion of cross-cultural development.

The likely disadvantages are there could be reservations if sharing of resources is one-sided, and problems may arise in accommodating more students in one course from other institutions taking into consideration the size of the available classrooms or laboratories. The solution advocated to solve these problems is signing of agreements for sharing services at mutually agreed costs.

The most important advantage under the cluster system is the scope for developing cost-intensive infrastructure in constituent colleges of clusters through submitting joint project proposals. National funding agencies are eager to provide liberal funding for such proposals, the vice-chancellor of Bharathidasan University, M. Ponnavaikko, told a gathering of principals at a recent meeting.

With the objective of implementing the cluster concept from the next academic year, Bharathidasan University has already nominated coordinators at the district-level to generate the lists of programmes that could be pursued in each college under the CBCS by mid-January 2009.

MBA in media and entertainment

MBA in media and entertainment

The Indian media and entertainment industry is expected to grow at a 19 per cent Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) to reach an overall value of Rs. 1.15 trillion by 2012 from its present size of Rs. 513 billion, according to a report published by PWC for the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry.

This represents a huge growth opportunity for highly qualified and trained professionals in this field.

Understanding this requirement, Manipal University has designed a programme to cater to this growing demand.

The two-year MBA in Media and Entertainment has specialisations in Film, Broadcasting, New and Interactive Media and Event Management. Admissions are now open for the January 2009 intake. Manipal University is offering this course in association with Whistling Woods International.

The first year of the programme will be conducted at the Manipal University Off-Campus in Bangalore, covering all general management subjects and media case studies.

Training

The second year will consist of hands-on training at the Whistling Woods International in Mumbai.

The course is new, exciting and truly industry-focussed, combining managerial tools and frameworks with an in-depth understanding of the creative processes that are involved in the media and entertainment industry.

The programme prepares the students to be well-rounded media professionals and opens up avenues for exciting and successful careers in one of the fastest growing sectors — the media and entertainment industry.

Upon graduation, the students can have a choice of careers in international and Indian production houses, news and entertainment channels and event management companies, functioning as either business/marketing managers or creative/production managers.

The last date to submit applications is December 22. The programme, which will commence from January 2009, is open to those who have completed any undergraduate degree.

For further details, log onto www.manipal.edu/me or call +91 97400 67213 or write to mbame@manipalu.com

Talent Share Year-End Fest 2008

Act now and SHARE your child's creative talent to the world around. Send their works with the following details to team1dubai@gmail.com before 30th December 2008:

Name:
Date of Birth:
Class:
School:
Place:
Parents Name:
Contact Telephone No(s):
Contact address : e-mail
Contact Address by Post:

Passport office shatters Saina’s dream

Passport office shatters Saina’s dreamHYDERABAD:
13 Dec 2008, 0048 hrs IST, M Ratnakar,TNN

A day after she considered herself lucky to qualify for the world’s top badminton tournament, teen sensation Saina Nehwal was in for a rude shock when she was told by the regional passport office here that her passport could not be renewed before next Monday.

Saina was jumping with joy on Thursday after hearing that she had been included in the main draw of the Yonex-Sunrise BWF World Super Series Masters Final to be held in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, from December 18 to 21.

Little did she know that people of her own city would be so insensitive as to deny her the chance to play in the prestigious event.

Saina had applied for the renewal of her passport on December 2 and was given a December 10 date for delivery. However, the RPO failed to keep its promise and ever since, Saina has been making rounds of the RPO.

When she got the news of her qualification, she sought an appointment with the passport officer on Friday but her request was brushed aside, with the officer’s secretary telling her to come on Monday.

Deeply shocked, Saina told TOI that she had lost all hope of participating in the Masters Final. "I am terribly shocked. I will be missing a chance to participate in the best event in the world. Even if I manage to get the passport on Monday, I don’t think I can make it as I have to obtain a visa from Chennai," said Saina.

Wondering how she could have persuaded the RPO staff, Saina said, "I told her I am the country’s top shuttler and this is a rare opportunity, but she would not listen. I was treated very badly. This is not the way to treat sportspersons. I am deeply hurt."

The 18-year-old is shaken because this opportunity comes at a time when she is in great form. "I am in great shape now. I thought I can do something great in this particular tournament," said Saina.

Only the eight best players in the world make the cut for this $5 lakh prize money tournament, the highest ever, and Saina qualified after China pulled out all its players from the event.

Photo Speaks - Final journey

Just chill chill chill - it's rain and thunder at Abu Dhabi

It's very rare you get to enjoy this type of weather in Abu Dhabi. So just chill chill chill....

Have a great holiday. Eid Mubarak to all my readers. Let love and peace prevail.

37th UAE National Day - 2nd December 2008

New traffic Plans in Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi is seeing plenty of traffic changes these days. New routes, new layouts etc and more to facilitate the smooth flow of traffic in and around the city to aid the new road works currently in progress. Added with the tourists flow to the city for the UAE National Day and Eid Al Adha, moving around within the city limits is not going to be an easy task anymore. One thing that has to be commented is the organised manner at which the authorities structure these works and direct and guide the traffic. Extremely praiseworthy.

Photo Speaks - There is a photographer in you

They say there is a creative talent in every one. And I modify it a bit more and say with this photo - there is a photographer in everyone of you. A passing shot of a truck driver's assistant / or a friend touring Abu Dhabi this morning with his camera. What a view from up! Robert M. Pirsig, the author of the book Zen and the art of Motor Cycle Maintenance might re-write his title, if he get such a tour. Utilise this extended holidays and capture some precious and unseen moments and pass it here for the world to see.

Dubai Dolphinarium

It's raining in Abu Dhabi - 03 December 2008

37th UAE National Day - 2nd December 2008 - Update 3 - Fireworks

37th UAE National Day - 2nd December 2008 update 2

37th UAE National Day - 2nd December 2008 update 2
Largest Flag

37th UAE National Day - 2nd December 2008 update 1

37th UAE National Day - 2nd December 2008 update 1

Suzuki bikes Emirates Boat Show

Free Entry for Women, Children in Al Ain

Free Entry for Women, Children in Al Ain
ParksLana Mahdi 1 December 2008 KHALEEJ TIMES

AL AIN — Changes are about to take place for the upkeep and running of parks and gardens in the Garden City.

To start with, entry to the public parks in Al Ain will be free for women and children, the Al Ain Municipality announced.

Al Ain city has 71 gardens that are spread out across the city.

The director of community Services for the Al Ain Downtown Sector at Al Ain Municipality said the civic body is conducting a comprehensive study to privatise the gardens and parks administration at the municipality.

“The swimming pools of Al Bisrah Garden will be operated by a private company as it is one of the biggest and most developed public swimming pools here,” he said.

No News edition 10 - No Not This Time... We are Indians

Emirates Boat Show Abu Dhabi held at Abu Dhabi International Marine Sports Club 25-29 Nov 2008

Emirates Boat Show Abu Dhabi held at Abu Dhabi International Marine Sports Club 25-29 Nov 2008