Do you know that notebooks have many more use besides just for typing, play games or browsing the internet? Check these out!
Saturday, August 23, 2008
Friday, August 22, 2008
Google, Verizon Close to Mobile Search Deal
Google is nearing a wide-ranging partnership with Verizon Communications that would make it the default search provider for all the company's devices, The Wall Street Journal has reported, citing people familiar with the matter.
The deal would see Verizon (NYSE: VZ) replace its homegrown mobile search engine with Google's, creating an all-in-one service that would allow users to access the Web and applications such as ringtones through the same interface, with the companies sharing ad revenue.
The Journal reported that the companies have yet to agree on how much information about users' searches Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) would be able to access. Detailed search histories would help Google better target its ads, but carriers like to keep their subscriber data in house.
Mobile search ads remain a nascent market. Research firm eMarketer estimates spending on mobile search ads to hit $102.3 million this year, though it expects that figure to jump to $1.4 billion by 2012.
For years, analysts have been heralding the imminent explosion of mobile ads, though the breakthrough has yet to arrive, due in part to slow connection speeds, poor interfaces and carriers' reluctance to open access to their networks to content and service providers.
That last condition has been the root of some friction between Google and Verizon. When the Federal Communications Commission was crafting rules for the 700 MHz wireless spectrum auction last year, Verizon Wireless, a joint venture of Verizon Communications and Vodafone (NYSE: VOD), took to the courts to nullify a condition requiring the winning bidder to open its network to all types of software and devices.
The FCC held its ground, and the open-access rule remained in place for the auction, provided that the bidding for that portion of the spectrum reached a minimum price. Thanks in part to Google's participation in the auction, that floor price was reached, so the open-access requirement will force Verizon, which won about half of the spectrum available, to open its network to all comers.
Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) has maintained that it was prepared to take home a slice of the airwaves if it won, though the company admitted that the main reason for its participation was to trigger the open-access requirement.
Verizon has indicated that it would begin opening up its networks to third-party devices and applications on its own, and even said it would support Google's forthcoming Android platform, but following the spectrum auction, Google filed a petition (PDF) asking the FCC to ensure that Verizon honored the open-access requirements.
With a forthcoming ad partnership, much of that bad blood could be behind them.
For Google, which did not immediately respond to requests for comment for this story, the deal would give it a major inroad into a market that it expects to be huge. By subscribers, Verizon is the second-largest mobile provider in the country, and the rumored deal earned some early praise from Wall Street.
"We think such a relationship would potentially be a material positive for Google, as it pursues market share and growth in a category that Chairman and CEO Eric Schmidt recently described as possibly a bigger opportunity than the more traditional Internet, due largely to the number of mobile handset and devices worldwide," Standard & Poor's analyst Scott Kessler wrote in a research note.
The largest carrier, AT&T (NYSE: T), has an extensive partnership with Yahoo, which also has ambitious designs on the mobile market.
Verizon is interested in eventually placing the Google search bar on its home screen, and could seek to extend the partnership to Verizon's Web properties and its FiOS TV service, the Journal reported.
Citing company policy, a spokesman said "Verizon is not commenting on rumors and speculation."
By: Kenneth Corbin
The deal would see Verizon (NYSE: VZ) replace its homegrown mobile search engine with Google's, creating an all-in-one service that would allow users to access the Web and applications such as ringtones through the same interface, with the companies sharing ad revenue.
The Journal reported that the companies have yet to agree on how much information about users' searches Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) would be able to access. Detailed search histories would help Google better target its ads, but carriers like to keep their subscriber data in house.
Mobile search ads remain a nascent market. Research firm eMarketer estimates spending on mobile search ads to hit $102.3 million this year, though it expects that figure to jump to $1.4 billion by 2012.
For years, analysts have been heralding the imminent explosion of mobile ads, though the breakthrough has yet to arrive, due in part to slow connection speeds, poor interfaces and carriers' reluctance to open access to their networks to content and service providers.
That last condition has been the root of some friction between Google and Verizon. When the Federal Communications Commission was crafting rules for the 700 MHz wireless spectrum auction last year, Verizon Wireless, a joint venture of Verizon Communications and Vodafone (NYSE: VOD), took to the courts to nullify a condition requiring the winning bidder to open its network to all types of software and devices.
The FCC held its ground, and the open-access rule remained in place for the auction, provided that the bidding for that portion of the spectrum reached a minimum price. Thanks in part to Google's participation in the auction, that floor price was reached, so the open-access requirement will force Verizon, which won about half of the spectrum available, to open its network to all comers.
Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) has maintained that it was prepared to take home a slice of the airwaves if it won, though the company admitted that the main reason for its participation was to trigger the open-access requirement.
Verizon has indicated that it would begin opening up its networks to third-party devices and applications on its own, and even said it would support Google's forthcoming Android platform, but following the spectrum auction, Google filed a petition (PDF) asking the FCC to ensure that Verizon honored the open-access requirements.
With a forthcoming ad partnership, much of that bad blood could be behind them.
For Google, which did not immediately respond to requests for comment for this story, the deal would give it a major inroad into a market that it expects to be huge. By subscribers, Verizon is the second-largest mobile provider in the country, and the rumored deal earned some early praise from Wall Street.
"We think such a relationship would potentially be a material positive for Google, as it pursues market share and growth in a category that Chairman and CEO Eric Schmidt recently described as possibly a bigger opportunity than the more traditional Internet, due largely to the number of mobile handset and devices worldwide," Standard & Poor's analyst Scott Kessler wrote in a research note.
The largest carrier, AT&T (NYSE: T), has an extensive partnership with Yahoo, which also has ambitious designs on the mobile market.
Verizon is interested in eventually placing the Google search bar on its home screen, and could seek to extend the partnership to Verizon's Web properties and its FiOS TV service, the Journal reported.
Citing company policy, a spokesman said "Verizon is not commenting on rumors and speculation."
By: Kenneth Corbin
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Intel Inside Your TV
Intel is moving forward with its ambitious plan to spread the Intel Architecture (IA) to places it's never been. At this week's Intel Developer Forum (IDF), for example, the chip giant announced plans to put Intel inside your TV.
Eric Kim, senior vice president and general manager of the Digital Home group, announced during yesterday's keynote, the Intel Media Processor CE 3100, the first System on a Chip (SoC) Intel's specifically built for consumer electronics devices, in particular high definition televisions.
Kim noted that prior efforts to bring the Internet to televisions always involved a browser, evoking memories of Web TV, the set top box and keyboard that provided Internet access through the television, but had an extremely primitive interface that was not particularly well received.
The CE 3100 would allow for a direct pipeline of content, no browser needed, such as high-definition video, home-theater quality audio and advanced graphics, plus all the benefits of Internet connectivity. Kim said it could go into a set-top device, television or any connected device, like a DVD player.
The tiny chip, smaller than a penny, contains a three-channel DDR2 memory controller, dedicated multi-channel dual audio DSPs (define), a 3D graphics engine and support for multiple peripherals, including USB 2.0 and PCI-Express, plus support for high definition video codecs (define) like MPEG-2, H.264 or VC-1.
Intel isn't going alone with the CE 3100. Yahoo (NASDAQ: YHOO) announced it will make a framework, called the Widget Channel, available for TV's with the CE 3100. Similar to Yahoo's Widgets for Windows desktops, it will allow you to put different content widgets on your TV for quick access to information, like news and weather.
The Widget Channel will use the same Yahoo Widget Engine, also known as Konfabulator, to run the software on your TV. Widgets written for PCs will apparently work with the TV version of the software. Among the widgets is the Sidebar, which docks to the right side of the screen, just like the Vista desktop.
here will also be a Blockbuster widget, letting people view high definition movie trailers before they go out to rent movies, one for Yahoo's Flickr photo hosting site, and one for Twitter, the popular networking application.
To support this new embedded processor, Intel also announced the formation of The Intel Consumer Electronics Network, which will support developers of content for Internet-connected CE device.
Intel plans to ship the Media Processor CE 3100 to consumer electronics manufacturers beginning next month. It has already lined up TV makers Samsung Electronics and Toshiba as customers.
Eric Kim, senior vice president and general manager of the Digital Home group, announced during yesterday's keynote, the Intel Media Processor CE 3100, the first System on a Chip (SoC) Intel's specifically built for consumer electronics devices, in particular high definition televisions.
Kim noted that prior efforts to bring the Internet to televisions always involved a browser, evoking memories of Web TV, the set top box and keyboard that provided Internet access through the television, but had an extremely primitive interface that was not particularly well received.
The CE 3100 would allow for a direct pipeline of content, no browser needed, such as high-definition video, home-theater quality audio and advanced graphics, plus all the benefits of Internet connectivity. Kim said it could go into a set-top device, television or any connected device, like a DVD player.
The tiny chip, smaller than a penny, contains a three-channel DDR2 memory controller, dedicated multi-channel dual audio DSPs (define), a 3D graphics engine and support for multiple peripherals, including USB 2.0 and PCI-Express, plus support for high definition video codecs (define) like MPEG-2, H.264 or VC-1.
Intel isn't going alone with the CE 3100. Yahoo (NASDAQ: YHOO) announced it will make a framework, called the Widget Channel, available for TV's with the CE 3100. Similar to Yahoo's Widgets for Windows desktops, it will allow you to put different content widgets on your TV for quick access to information, like news and weather.
The Widget Channel will use the same Yahoo Widget Engine, also known as Konfabulator, to run the software on your TV. Widgets written for PCs will apparently work with the TV version of the software. Among the widgets is the Sidebar, which docks to the right side of the screen, just like the Vista desktop.
here will also be a Blockbuster widget, letting people view high definition movie trailers before they go out to rent movies, one for Yahoo's Flickr photo hosting site, and one for Twitter, the popular networking application.
To support this new embedded processor, Intel also announced the formation of The Intel Consumer Electronics Network, which will support developers of content for Internet-connected CE device.
Intel plans to ship the Media Processor CE 3100 to consumer electronics manufacturers beginning next month. It has already lined up TV makers Samsung Electronics and Toshiba as customers.
Nice and Coolest Apple Mods
Some people just aren’t content with their Apple Products. Taking the design to a new dimension with weird modifications & design “upgrades.” Then there’s those who aren’t privileged enough to own an Apple Product but will try anything to make anything they own look like an Ipod or an Iphone.
Furry Monster Ipod Case
Apple Iboy
Sony Ericsson Iphone
Mac G4 Fish Tank
Nintepod Shuffle
Walkpod
Facebook Tops MySpace as Social Sites Globalize
The social networking arms race has gone global. A recent report from online metrics firm comScore (NASDAQ: SCOR) revealed that social networking sites such as Facebook, MySpace, Orkut, Bebo and Hi5 have collectively seen their traffic rise by 25 percent over the last year.
Of course, the popularity contest is usually dominated by talk of Facebook vs. MySpace. In April, Facebook overtook MySpace to become the world's largest social network. The new report shows that Facebook posted 153 percent growth in unique visitors from June 2007 to June 2008. In that same period, MySpace grew just 3 percent.
In June, Facebook logged 132.1 million unique visitors, compared with MySpace's 117.6.
comScore credits much of Facebook's global surge to its translation applications, which has enabled more than 15 foreign-language versions of the site.
The news serves as but the latest reminder of the importance of global audiences to online media brands -- particularly as North American advertising revenues and user growth slow.
Overall social networking growth in North America, up just 9 percent from June 2007 to June 2008, appears to be leveling off. In emerging markets, however, traffic to the social sites is still increasing rapidly. The number of unique visitors to social networks in Africa and the Middle East increased 66 percent, comScore found.
"While the social networking trend first took off in North America, it is beginning to reach a point of maturity in the region," Jack Flanagan, comScore executive vice president, said in a statement. "However, the phenomenon is still growing rapidly in other regions around the world -- especially as the established American brands turn their focus to developing markets."
The second-biggest gainer was Hi5, which saw its global reach double to more than 56,000, a jump which comScore attributes to its localization strategy. Also posting impressive gains in global reach were the social networks Friendster (50 percent), Orkut (41 percent) and Bebo (32 percent).
Despite its near-flat global growth, MySpace, which still has the largest U.S. audience, says it is succeeding where it counts: engagement.
Citing comScore data, MySpace boasts that its users spent 20 percent more time on its site this June than a year earlier, giving it a nearly threefold edge over Facebook in terms of time spent on the site.
More time spent on the site, of course, equate to more ad impressions, a crucial metric for social networking sites, which are still struggling to figure out how to monetize their content. Engagement was the watchword of AOL's hype surrounding its $850 million acquisition of Bebo earlier this year.
By Kenneth Corbin
Of course, the popularity contest is usually dominated by talk of Facebook vs. MySpace. In April, Facebook overtook MySpace to become the world's largest social network. The new report shows that Facebook posted 153 percent growth in unique visitors from June 2007 to June 2008. In that same period, MySpace grew just 3 percent.
In June, Facebook logged 132.1 million unique visitors, compared with MySpace's 117.6.
comScore credits much of Facebook's global surge to its translation applications, which has enabled more than 15 foreign-language versions of the site.
The news serves as but the latest reminder of the importance of global audiences to online media brands -- particularly as North American advertising revenues and user growth slow.
Overall social networking growth in North America, up just 9 percent from June 2007 to June 2008, appears to be leveling off. In emerging markets, however, traffic to the social sites is still increasing rapidly. The number of unique visitors to social networks in Africa and the Middle East increased 66 percent, comScore found.
"While the social networking trend first took off in North America, it is beginning to reach a point of maturity in the region," Jack Flanagan, comScore executive vice president, said in a statement. "However, the phenomenon is still growing rapidly in other regions around the world -- especially as the established American brands turn their focus to developing markets."
The second-biggest gainer was Hi5, which saw its global reach double to more than 56,000, a jump which comScore attributes to its localization strategy. Also posting impressive gains in global reach were the social networks Friendster (50 percent), Orkut (41 percent) and Bebo (32 percent).
Despite its near-flat global growth, MySpace, which still has the largest U.S. audience, says it is succeeding where it counts: engagement.
Citing comScore data, MySpace boasts that its users spent 20 percent more time on its site this June than a year earlier, giving it a nearly threefold edge over Facebook in terms of time spent on the site.
More time spent on the site, of course, equate to more ad impressions, a crucial metric for social networking sites, which are still struggling to figure out how to monetize their content. Engagement was the watchword of AOL's hype surrounding its $850 million acquisition of Bebo earlier this year.
By Kenneth Corbin
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
In China, all Olympic Medalists are Striking Gold
BEIJING — Canoeists are not exactly the glamour athletes of China's Olympic team. Their sport is one of the most obscure in the country. But if they manage to add to China's gold-medal harvest this week, they will be rewarded with instant wealth.
One of Beijing's biggest breweries - located just down the road from the Olympic canoe/kayak basin - is pledging a cash bonus of $150,000 to any Chinese canoeist who wins gold at the Olympics. Any silver or bronze medalists will get bonuses of about $75,000 or $30,000.
In addition to these prizes, more bonuses could be showered on the medalists from various governments, corporate sponsors and private businesses. The potential bonanza would be the biggest that China's little-known canoeists have ever received.
The prize from the beer company is just one example of how China's Olympians are cashing in on the booming economy and the fast-growing resources of Chinese governments. Its medal-winning athletes will be the best rewarded in the country's history. Sports has become a big business in China in recent years, especially because of the rise of celebrity culture in this nominally Communist country. And of all the sports that have gained popularity in China in recent years - including soccer and basketball - the Olympics is by far the biggest phenomenon in the country this year.
China's elite athletes, including Yao Ming of basketball and Liu Xiang of hurdling, have already been rewarded with multimillion-dollar contracts from advertisers and corporate sponsors.
Even after withdrawing from the Olympics because of an injury this week, Mr. Liu managed to retain all of his corporate sponsorships, which earned him an estimated $24-million last year. He is one of the most famous faces on Chinese television and billboards, thanks to his advertising deals with Coca-Cola, Nike, Cadillac, Visa, and more than a dozen Chinese companies. They have all pledged to keep supporting him, despite his shocking pullout from the Games on Monday.
Mr. Yao is even wealthier than the famous hurdler, with an income of about $57-million last year, according to an estimate by Forbes magazine.
China's richest female athlete is diving champion Guo Jingjing, who has won two gold medals at the Beijing Olympics. She has endorsement deals with dozens of companies, including McDonald's, Toshiba and Avon, and her annual income is estimated at more than $2-million.
This huge flow of money is a dramatic change from the 1980s, when China's first Olympic champion was rewarded with a monthly salary increase of 48 yuan (worth about $7 at today's exchange rate).
When Xu Haifeng captured China's first-ever gold medal by winning the men's free pistol event at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, the government gave him a bonus of 9,000 yuan (about $1,400).
In comparison, the first Chinese champion of this year's Games was Chen Xiexia, a weightlifter from the southern province of Guangdong. The Chinese news media estimates that she will receive bonuses of five million yuan (about $770,000).
The average Chinese gold-medal winner this month will receive about three million yuan (about $460,000) in prizes and bonuses, according to an article in Titan Sports, a Chinese sports newspaper.
Even the least-known Chinese medal winners are cashing in. The Bank of East Asia, a leading bank in Hong Kong, is awarding about $44,000 to every gold medalist on China's national fencing team.
One of Beijing's biggest breweries - located just down the road from the Olympic canoe/kayak basin - is pledging a cash bonus of $150,000 to any Chinese canoeist who wins gold at the Olympics. Any silver or bronze medalists will get bonuses of about $75,000 or $30,000.
In addition to these prizes, more bonuses could be showered on the medalists from various governments, corporate sponsors and private businesses. The potential bonanza would be the biggest that China's little-known canoeists have ever received.
The prize from the beer company is just one example of how China's Olympians are cashing in on the booming economy and the fast-growing resources of Chinese governments. Its medal-winning athletes will be the best rewarded in the country's history. Sports has become a big business in China in recent years, especially because of the rise of celebrity culture in this nominally Communist country. And of all the sports that have gained popularity in China in recent years - including soccer and basketball - the Olympics is by far the biggest phenomenon in the country this year.
China's elite athletes, including Yao Ming of basketball and Liu Xiang of hurdling, have already been rewarded with multimillion-dollar contracts from advertisers and corporate sponsors.
Even after withdrawing from the Olympics because of an injury this week, Mr. Liu managed to retain all of his corporate sponsorships, which earned him an estimated $24-million last year. He is one of the most famous faces on Chinese television and billboards, thanks to his advertising deals with Coca-Cola, Nike, Cadillac, Visa, and more than a dozen Chinese companies. They have all pledged to keep supporting him, despite his shocking pullout from the Games on Monday.
Mr. Yao is even wealthier than the famous hurdler, with an income of about $57-million last year, according to an estimate by Forbes magazine.
China's richest female athlete is diving champion Guo Jingjing, who has won two gold medals at the Beijing Olympics. She has endorsement deals with dozens of companies, including McDonald's, Toshiba and Avon, and her annual income is estimated at more than $2-million.
This huge flow of money is a dramatic change from the 1980s, when China's first Olympic champion was rewarded with a monthly salary increase of 48 yuan (worth about $7 at today's exchange rate).
When Xu Haifeng captured China's first-ever gold medal by winning the men's free pistol event at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, the government gave him a bonus of 9,000 yuan (about $1,400).
In comparison, the first Chinese champion of this year's Games was Chen Xiexia, a weightlifter from the southern province of Guangdong. The Chinese news media estimates that she will receive bonuses of five million yuan (about $770,000).
The average Chinese gold-medal winner this month will receive about three million yuan (about $460,000) in prizes and bonuses, according to an article in Titan Sports, a Chinese sports newspaper.
Even the least-known Chinese medal winners are cashing in. The Bank of East Asia, a leading bank in Hong Kong, is awarding about $44,000 to every gold medalist on China's national fencing team.
The parallel Olympics taking place in Beijing
"So let me try this one more time,” said a British journalist from Channel 4 TV. A Chinese girl, half his size, sneaked up from behind and tried to grab the microphone out of his hand. He pulled it back hard, and continued undaunted: “I think I speak on behalf of everyone in this room when I say I don’t believe I have received an answer to my question: Is the International Olympic Committee (IOC) embarrassed by the way the Chinese authorities are treating the journalists?” It was his fourth attempt.
This took place at press conference last Friday, in the aftermath of a much publicized incident where John Ray, an ITV reporter, got manhandled by the police as he was trying to film a pro-Tibet protest.
If the IOC was indeed embarrassed, it never became known, but certainly the Beijing Organizing Committee (BOCOG) was – not so much by the incident but surely by the tone of the questions. Without any notification, it simply canceled Saturday’s press conference. And on Saturday, it canceled the Sunday press conference.
A friend of mine – an experienced Olympic reporter for a major international news agency – told me: “In Beijing there are two Olympiads taking place in parallel: The first is happening inside the venues, and the second is what is going on inside the press room.”
He is actually quite right. The first one is moving along just fine. Michael Phelps won an unprecedented eight gold medals and, within the first two days of athletics, two world records were broken in a spectacular way. It seems that as far as sport goes, these Games will be long remembered in history. In addition, from an organizational standpoint everything seems perfect, almost in a clinical sort of way.
But at the Main Press Center, things seem to be developing within a parallel universe, one that the organizers refuse to acknowledge. Their consistent refusal to respond to questions has irked journalists, creating almost a pack mentality, with one hostile question followed by another. With each passing day, more and more journalists arrive at the large hall on the first floor of the Intercontinental Hotel expecting not to receive answers but to participate in a different kind of event. “The press briefing used to be the place you unfortunately had to go,” a journalist who regularly covers the IOC meetings told me. “Now they are begging to go in my place.”
The situation has spilled over onto the front pages of major newspapers, in articles and columns. The journalists are demanding answers – sometimes the kind of answers they wouldn’t receive in their own countries. The Chinese organizers are upset that their guests don’t seem to appreciate the tremendous efforts they’ve made to accommodate them. “We welcome the media to our country,” said Wang Wei, an articulate Chinese spokesperson. “You just have to understand we have our own style of democracy and you have to respect the country’s system.”
“Mr Wang, let me pick up from where we left off two days ago,” said the Beijing correspondent for the South China Morning Post. “How many applications for protests were filed, and how many permits were granted?”
Tomorrow’s press conference has been canceled again.
Stratos Safioleas was the international media manager for the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens.
This took place at press conference last Friday, in the aftermath of a much publicized incident where John Ray, an ITV reporter, got manhandled by the police as he was trying to film a pro-Tibet protest.
If the IOC was indeed embarrassed, it never became known, but certainly the Beijing Organizing Committee (BOCOG) was – not so much by the incident but surely by the tone of the questions. Without any notification, it simply canceled Saturday’s press conference. And on Saturday, it canceled the Sunday press conference.
A friend of mine – an experienced Olympic reporter for a major international news agency – told me: “In Beijing there are two Olympiads taking place in parallel: The first is happening inside the venues, and the second is what is going on inside the press room.”
He is actually quite right. The first one is moving along just fine. Michael Phelps won an unprecedented eight gold medals and, within the first two days of athletics, two world records were broken in a spectacular way. It seems that as far as sport goes, these Games will be long remembered in history. In addition, from an organizational standpoint everything seems perfect, almost in a clinical sort of way.
But at the Main Press Center, things seem to be developing within a parallel universe, one that the organizers refuse to acknowledge. Their consistent refusal to respond to questions has irked journalists, creating almost a pack mentality, with one hostile question followed by another. With each passing day, more and more journalists arrive at the large hall on the first floor of the Intercontinental Hotel expecting not to receive answers but to participate in a different kind of event. “The press briefing used to be the place you unfortunately had to go,” a journalist who regularly covers the IOC meetings told me. “Now they are begging to go in my place.”
The situation has spilled over onto the front pages of major newspapers, in articles and columns. The journalists are demanding answers – sometimes the kind of answers they wouldn’t receive in their own countries. The Chinese organizers are upset that their guests don’t seem to appreciate the tremendous efforts they’ve made to accommodate them. “We welcome the media to our country,” said Wang Wei, an articulate Chinese spokesperson. “You just have to understand we have our own style of democracy and you have to respect the country’s system.”
“Mr Wang, let me pick up from where we left off two days ago,” said the Beijing correspondent for the South China Morning Post. “How many applications for protests were filed, and how many permits were granted?”
Tomorrow’s press conference has been canceled again.
Stratos Safioleas was the international media manager for the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Obama to Choose His No.2
American voters should know this week who will join Barak Obama as No. 2 on the Democratic presidential ballot, a critical decision for the first-term senator who is fighting off Republican John McCain 's bid to paint off him as untested and unready for the White House.
Democrats open their national convention a week hence in Denver, Colorado, and Obama's choice of a running mate remains the primary unanswered question as the party gears up for the final push to oust the Republicans from the executive mansion.
Top contenders for the vice presidential spot were Evan Bayh, a middle-of-the-road Indiana senator with an extensive Democratic pedigree; Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine, who leads a Republican-leaning state that Obama needs to put in his column in the Nov. 4 election, and long-serving Delaware Senator Joseph Biden, chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee who undertook a weekend trip to Russian-occupied Georgia.
Democrats open their national convention a week hence in Denver, Colorado, and Obama's choice of a running mate remains the primary unanswered question as the party gears up for the final push to oust the Republicans from the executive mansion.
Top contenders for the vice presidential spot were Evan Bayh, a middle-of-the-road Indiana senator with an extensive Democratic pedigree; Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine, who leads a Republican-leaning state that Obama needs to put in his column in the Nov. 4 election, and long-serving Delaware Senator Joseph Biden, chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee who undertook a weekend trip to Russian-occupied Georgia.
Monday, August 18, 2008
Shabana Azmi could not buy home in Mumbai
Indian actress, Member of Parliament and renowned social activist Shabana Azmi revealed that she and her husband Javed Akhtar could not buy a flat in Indian city of Mumbai due to religious discrimination.
In an interview with local TV, Azmi said with a tinge of bitterness: 'I cannot get a house in Mumbai. I wanted to buy a flat in Mumbai and it wasn't given to me because I was a Muslim and I read the same about Saif Ali Khan.'
'Now, I mean, if Javed Akhtar and Shabana Azmi cannot get a flat in Mumbai because they are Muslims, then what are we talking about?,' said Azmi.
Noted Bollywood actor Shabana Azmi felt that she was unhappy that there was discrimination against the Muslim community in India. Muslims were being forced to move to Jewish areas because of religious prejudice, she said.
Azmi further said Inda was cener of controversies and disputes while Muslims were serving the country in a better way. Khans heroes are ruling the industry, she commented.
Apprehending that the lingering Kashmir crisis could lead to a Hindu-Muslim divide elsewhere in the country, Azmi, also a noted social activist, sounded bitter for being unable to buy a house in Mumbai because she is a Muslim.
She said that Indian democracy lacks the understanding of security for minorities while Indian politics makes only 'token gestures' to Muslims but never addresses the 'real issues' afflicting them.
'I think there is not enough understanding of the fact that in a democracy how you treat the security of the minority must be a very important part for the success of a democracy,' she said. 'You cannot only make token gestures. Token gestures are made, but real issues are never addressed.'
Responding to a query on her feelings about the Western perception of 'Islam as a threat and Muslims as figures of fear and hate', Azmi said she felt 'exasperation, anger, hurt and bewilderment'.
She also blamed politicians for promoting a stereotype image of the Muslim community and stifling their moderate and liberal voices, but added that there was a fledgling resurgence of liberalism in the community.
Meanwhile, Indian politician, responding to Shabana Azmi’s allegations, said Muslims were given the key positions in India including President, Chief Justice and captain of cricket team while Khan heroes were ruling the film industry.
In an interview with local TV, Azmi said with a tinge of bitterness: 'I cannot get a house in Mumbai. I wanted to buy a flat in Mumbai and it wasn't given to me because I was a Muslim and I read the same about Saif Ali Khan.'
'Now, I mean, if Javed Akhtar and Shabana Azmi cannot get a flat in Mumbai because they are Muslims, then what are we talking about?,' said Azmi.
Noted Bollywood actor Shabana Azmi felt that she was unhappy that there was discrimination against the Muslim community in India. Muslims were being forced to move to Jewish areas because of religious prejudice, she said.
Azmi further said Inda was cener of controversies and disputes while Muslims were serving the country in a better way. Khans heroes are ruling the industry, she commented.
Apprehending that the lingering Kashmir crisis could lead to a Hindu-Muslim divide elsewhere in the country, Azmi, also a noted social activist, sounded bitter for being unable to buy a house in Mumbai because she is a Muslim.
She said that Indian democracy lacks the understanding of security for minorities while Indian politics makes only 'token gestures' to Muslims but never addresses the 'real issues' afflicting them.
'I think there is not enough understanding of the fact that in a democracy how you treat the security of the minority must be a very important part for the success of a democracy,' she said. 'You cannot only make token gestures. Token gestures are made, but real issues are never addressed.'
Responding to a query on her feelings about the Western perception of 'Islam as a threat and Muslims as figures of fear and hate', Azmi said she felt 'exasperation, anger, hurt and bewilderment'.
She also blamed politicians for promoting a stereotype image of the Muslim community and stifling their moderate and liberal voices, but added that there was a fledgling resurgence of liberalism in the community.
Meanwhile, Indian politician, responding to Shabana Azmi’s allegations, said Muslims were given the key positions in India including President, Chief Justice and captain of cricket team while Khan heroes were ruling the film industry.
President Pervez Musharraf Has Give Resigned
ISLAMABAD: President Pervez Musharraf announced in a televised address to the nation Monday that he had decided to resign after nine years in power to avoid the threat of impeachment.
"After viewing the situation and consulting legal advisers and political allies, with their advice I have decided to resign," a grim-faced Musharraf said, backed by Pakistani flags and a portrait of the country's founder.
"I leave my future in the hands of people."
Musharraf made the shock announcement after denying that any of the impeachment charges against him could stand and launching into a lengthy defence of his time in power.
"Not a single charge in the impeachment can stand against me," Musharraf said. "No charge can be proved against me because I never did anything for myself, it was all for Pakistan."
He said that there was now law and order in the country, that human rights and democracy had been improved and that Pakistan was now an crucial country internationally.
"On the map of the world, Pakistan is now an important country, by the grace of Allah," he said.
"After viewing the situation and consulting legal advisers and political allies, with their advice I have decided to resign," a grim-faced Musharraf said, backed by Pakistani flags and a portrait of the country's founder.
"I leave my future in the hands of people."
Musharraf made the shock announcement after denying that any of the impeachment charges against him could stand and launching into a lengthy defence of his time in power.
"Not a single charge in the impeachment can stand against me," Musharraf said. "No charge can be proved against me because I never did anything for myself, it was all for Pakistan."
He said that there was now law and order in the country, that human rights and democracy had been improved and that Pakistan was now an crucial country internationally.
"On the map of the world, Pakistan is now an important country, by the grace of Allah," he said.
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Beijing Olympics 2008 Pics
Beijing Olympic 2008 Ceremony
Beijing held its formal opening ceremony today for the 2008 Summer Olympics. The ceremony, held in the National Stadium known as the Bird's Nest, was attended by thousands, and watched by millions more on television. Below are some highlights of the nearly 4-hour performance.
The Olympic rings are illuminated during the Opening Ceremony for the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics at the National Stadium on August 8, 2008 in Beijing. (Photo by Adam Pretty/Getty Images)
Artists perform during the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games opening ceremony on August 8, 2008 at the National Stadium in Beijing. Over 10,000 athletes from some 200 countries are going to compete in 38 differents disciplines during the event, between August 9 to 24. (WILLIAM WEST/AFP/Getty Images)
Artists perform around an illuminated Globe during the Opening Ceremony for the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics at the National Stadium on August 8, 2008 in Beijing. (Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
Percussionists with their Fou drums stand prior to the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games in Beijing on August 8, 2008. (AFP PHOTO / Jewel Samad) 
Percussionists hit their Fou drums at the start of the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games in Beijing on August 8, 2008. (AFP PHOTO / Joe Klamar )
Percussionists take part in the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games in Beijing on August 8, 2008. (FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP/Getty Images)
Artists perform during the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games at the National Stadium, also known as the "Bird's Nest", on August 8, 2008. The three-hour show at Beijing's iconic national stadium was set to see more than 15,000 performers showcase the nation's ancient history and its rise as a modern power. (AFP PHOTO / Olivier Morin)
An artist in a space suit performs during the Opening Ceremony for the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics at the National Stadium on August 8, 2008 in Beijing. (Vladimir Rys/Bongarts/Getty Images) 
Drummers perform during the Opening Ceremony for the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics at the National Stadium on August 8, 2008 in Beijing. (Adam Pretty/Getty Images)
A dancer performs during the Opening Ceremony for the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics at the National Stadium on August 8, 2008 in Beijing, China. (Jeff Gross/Getty ImagesBeijing Olympics 2008
Beijing Olympics 2008 has just started on August 8, 2008. Where can you get accurate Olympics results of all games? If you are huge sports fan like me, you do not want to miss a single moment of action. Beijing Olympics 2008 National Stadium, which is the center piece of Beijing Olympics 2008, was recently named the "Birds Nest" because of its structure.
Beijing Olympics stadium has a very huge seating capacity of more than 80,000 people and will be the host of several games such as athletic events, soccer and much more.
The Chinese government has completely renovated their subway system for the Olympics. Thousands of tourists are expected for the grand event. According to a report, eight new stations were built with one being linked directly to Beijing International Airport. All the tickets for Olympics have already been sold.
The program setup of Olympics 2008 is quite similar to that of the Athens Olympics 2004. There are a total of 302 events with 165 events for men and 127 for women. There are 10 mixed events in the Olympics too. The buzz is definitely about the 10 new events that have been added. One of them is cycling. Several new and old sports make the Olympics an event that cannot be missed by anyone.
For the first time in history the 2008 Beijing Olympics will be broadcast and produced in HDTV (high definition television). It is estimated that there will be over four billion views for this event. You can check your local TV stations as almost every channel will be broadcasting the Olympics.
A major concern for the Olympics is the amount of air pollution in China. The Chinese government is trying its best to reduce the air pollution during the event. It will close several factories and minimize traffic to avoid excessive pollution. They have also put nearly one million flowers in Beijing alone to reduce pollution.
I wish all the athletes good luck. May every athlete perform at its best and gives the spectators and themselves an awesome mega event that can never be forgotten. Best of Luck!!
Friday, August 8, 2008
Olympic Swim Stadium to be Covered in Bubble Wrap
BEIJING -- Organizers unveiled the "Watercube" swimming venue Monday, one of the more stunning structures built for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
After a little more than three years of construction, the facility was officially handed over to the Beijing organizing committee, with President Liu Qi on hand.
The venue has 6,000 permanent and 11,000 temporary seats. Like the 91,000-seat National Stadium -- the "Bird's Nest," which will be completed in March -- both are seen as works of art and will anchor the Olympic Green area.
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Website Traffic! Techniques and Tips
Website Traffic You can get for your website without spending big amount. If you want to increase your web traffic and you want to make your site a profitable website for your online business then there are many techniques and tricks for getting your website traffic without making it expensive. Some of those cheap website traffic techniques include article directories, SEO, blog posting and even forum posting.
One of the most practical and most effective ways is submitting articles to “article directories”. These articles should contain a link or two back to your own site, which can help you increase your website traffic from readers who may be interested in watching more of what you are offering.
Search engine optimization is another inexpensive way for getting website trafficwebsite traffic. to your website. Using proper search engine optimization your website will become more search engine friendly. Include your keyword in the domain name of the website and include keywords in the first paragraphs of your pages as well as the title of the page. These SEO techniques will help you for increase more
Website traffic technique which you can use, are to join and participate in forums. Finding a forum that is related to your website content is even better. You can then easily post discussions and even start threads that can be useful to other forum members. You can pull much traffic by making entertaining or informative posts and don’t forget to have a link to your site in your signature file or your member profile for increase more website traffic.
Without spending any money you can increase your website traffic simply by following these techniques. Remember, effective usage of relevant keywords in your posts, proper SEO methods, article submissions and forum posting can all become invaluable but inexpensive tools for driving traffic to increase website traffic.
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