Dynapod

It is illegal to point a laser pointer at an aircraft, so please be careful where you point !

Careful with these wmds!

American union targets Blackstone to expose private equity ills

By Stephen Foley in New York
Published: 02 April 2007

One of America's fastest-growing unions is promising to bring a European-style campaign against private equity to the US for the first time - and the organisation has chosen as its first target the flotation of Blackstone, the world's premier buy-out firm.

The Service Employees International Union says that the US has lagged behind Europe in launching a debate about the effects of private equity's takeover of large parts of the economy. And it says that as increasing numbers of its members in the healthcare, property services and the public services are transferred to private equity-owned companies, it wants to ensure they get fair treatment at the same time as industry executives reap huge personal fortunes from the deals. continue...

British oil worker taken hostage in Nigeria

By Matt Dickinson
Published: 02 April 2007
Diplomats were trying yesterday to secure the release of a British oil worker kidnapped from a rig in Nigeria. continue.....

The end of a 'nightmare' for Briton detained in Guantanamo

By Kim Sengupta
Published: 02 April 2007

A British resident released from Guantanamo Bay after five years has spoken of the "horrific experience" he endured and his relief at the end of a "nightmare".
Bisher al-Rawi said freedom for him was "bittersweet" with the knowledge that others remained incarcerated. He urged people in this country not to forget the "hopelessness" and "extreme isolation" being suffered by those he left behind. continue......

Robert Fisk: The war of humiliation

Published: 02 April 2007.
Our Marines are hostages. Two more were shown on Iranian TV. Petrol bombs burst behind the walls of the British embassy in Tehran. But it's definitely not the war on terror. It's the war of humiliation. The humiliation of Britain, the humiliation of Tony Blair, of the British military, of George Bush and the whole Iraqi shooting match. And the master of humiliation - even if Tony Blair doesn't realise it - is Iran, a nation which feels itself forever humiliated by the West.

Oh how pleased the Iranians must have been to hear Messers Blair and Bush shout for the "immediate" release of the luckless 15 - this Blair-Bush insistence has assuredly locked them up for weeks - because it is a demand that can be so easily ignored. And will be.

"Inexcusable behaviour," roared Bush on Saturday - and the Iranians loved it. The Iranian Minister meanwhile waited for a change in Britain's "behaviour". continue

Ask Bill Miller

Good Morning:  I will be interviewing Bill Miller, manager of Legg Mason Value Trust, this week. He's famous for beating the S&P 500 for 15 years straight from 1990 to 2005. I'm including him as a new master investor in the third edition of "The Neatest Little Guide  to Stock Market Investing," chapter two, "How The Masters Tell  Us To Invest."   I would like to invite you to submit one burning question for Mr. Miller to me prior to my interview with him. Please, just one question and only after you've put in some time to understand his approach. Please don't waste this chance by asking basic questions such as, "What's a P/E ratio?" or "Do you think Dell is a good buy now?" Let's try to get something of lasting value from him.  To better understand his style, please read the following:  His Fourth Quarter 2006 commentary  A November 15 article about him in Fortune  His Third Quarter commentary  After you've read those, consider whether there's anything you'd like to ask him, and send your question to me.  I'll provide his responses later.  Warm regards, Jason Kelly  Jason Kelly & Co. Plaza Kei 101 Wakamatsu-cho 615-6 Sano, Tochigi 327-0846 Japan 

Life Without Microsoft

April 01, 2007 | archives

On March 12, I wrote an article called Life Without Microsoft that made these points:

• Vista is not selling well
• PCs and traditional software are a hassle to upgrade and maintain
• Tech support is so unhelpful that it's non-existent
• Open source, free software such as Firefox, Thunderbird, Linux, and Open Office are better alternatives to traditional software
• Online-only software such as Google Apps is a better way to get work done with less hassle

At the end of that weekend's letter, I asked for feedback from my subscribers. I received a great deal of thoughtful, detailed, informative responses which I've sifted and edited down to a real-world follow-up worthy of your time.

Each subject presents my commentary followed by thoughts sent by Kelly Letter subscribers.

Use An Apple Macintosh
This is a great suggestion, and one that I'm considering for my next round of office upgrades in a few years. Macs are elegant, and they may finally have a chance to grab more market share now that the internet is erasing the compatibility issue. Anything you can do online with a PC, you can do with a Mac. Same site addresses, same applications, same scripts getting work done.   more

eVoice - What's your number?

Get more privacy, more control with your voice messages.
With eVoice Plus™ you'll have a number that delivers all your voicemails straight to your email inbox so messages can be received without interruption.

• Pick a local eVoice number
• Retreive messages by email or phone
• Get new message notification via cell phone
• more
  

Sun Innovation Blog

Tuesday Mar 27, 2007

Sun SPOT on Project Blackbox - The Eyes and Ears on Your Mobile Datacenter

Imagine you've set up your Project Blackbox datacenter to perform mission-critical tasks in a remote location. Wouldn't you want to know if it was opened, jarred unexpectedly, or if the temperature or humidity went too high? A myriad of things can happen when the systems are powered down that wouldn't be known to remote managers. more

Ex-Aide Says He’s Lost Faith in Bush

April 1, 2007 By JIM RUTENBERG

AUSTIN, Tex., March 29 — In 1999, Matthew Dowd became a symbol of George W. Bush's early success at positioning himself as a Republican with Democratic appeal.

A top strategist for the Texas Democrats who was disappointed by the Bill Clinton years, Mr. Dowd was impressed by the pledge of Mr. Bush, then governor of Texas, to bring a spirit of cooperation to Washington. He switched parties, joined Mr. Bush's political brain trust and dedicated the next six years to getting him to the Oval Office and keeping him there. In 2004, he was appointed the president's chief campaign strategist.

Looking back, Mr. Dowd now says his faith in Mr. Bush was misplaced.

In a wide-ranging interview here, Mr. Dowd called for a withdrawal from Iraq and expressed his disappointment in Mr. Bush's leadership. more

The Government must stop its war against small farmers and the land

PEOPLE’S AGENDA FOR REJUVENATION OF INDIAN AGRICULTURE
The Government has declared a war against India's small farmers. In Nandigram, in Vidharbha, in Punjab, peasants and small farmers are being killed by Government policy.
In Nandigram, the peasants were killed because their land was earmarked for an SEZ and they resisted the land grab. The Chief Minister of Bengal stated "that 63% of the population continues to depend on agriculture for its livelihood is a sign of backwardness". In other words there are too many small farmers, and their number must be reduced by taking away their land for car factories and chemical factories, even though automobile and chemical factories will not be able to provide livelihoods for all the displaced peasants.
In Vidharbha farmers are being killed for Monsanto's profits and because of falling prices of cotton due to U.S subsidies. The Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture has reported the total failure of the P.M's Vidharbha package. The package failed because it was more of a Monsanto aid package than a farmer relief package. ..more

The Green Century

Vandana Shiva
Seeds of Self-Reliance

Vandana Shiva will never forget a lesson she learned at the age of 13. Her parents, who like many educated Indians had supported Mohandas Gandhi's struggle against colonialism, insisted on wearing clothing made only of homespun cotton. One day Vandana, having returned from a boarding school to her home in the Himalayan foothill town of Dehra Dun, demanded a nylon dress, the fashion adopted by her rich friends. Her mother, a teacher turned farmer, agreed. "If that is what you want, of course you shall have it," she said. "But remember, your nylon frock will help a rich man buy a bigger car. And the cotton that you wear will buy a poor family at least one meal."

Now 50, Shiva still chuckles when she tells the story. "Of course, I did not get that frock," she says. "I kept thinking of some poor family starving because of my dress." True to her upbringing, Shiva has made it her mission to fight for social justice in many arenas. With a doctorate in physics from the University of Western Ontario, she has been a teacher, an ecologist, an activist, a feminist and an organic farmer.

Her pet issue these days is preservation of agricultural diversity. It is under assault, she says, from global companies that encourage farmers to grow so-called high-yielding crops that result in a dangerous dependence on bioengineered seeds, chemical fertilizers and toxic pesticides. As a result, hundreds of traditional crops are disappearing. Too many farmers, she contends, purchase expensive seeds that cannot adapt to local conditions and require more investment in chemicals and irrigation. Hundreds of debt-ridden Indian farmers, Shiva points out, have committed suicide during the past five years because of failed harvests.

But there is hope. Many farmers are returning to traditional methods promoted by Navdanya (Nine Seeds), an organization based in New Delhi that Shiva helped found 11 years ago. Navdanya encourages farmers to produce hardy native varieties of crops that can be grown organically with natural fertilizer and no artificial chemicals. The group works in an area for three years, helping local farmers form their own self-supporting organization and seed bank. Navdanya has spread to some 80 districts in 12 states and has collected more than 2,000 seed varieties. It has set up a marketing network through which farmers sell their organic harvest. Farmer Darwan Singh Negi, with Navdanya's aid, switched to organic methods five years ago and grows six types of rice on his three-acre farm in the state of Uttaranchal. His farm's productivity is similar to that of his neighbors' nonorganic farms, but he spends almost 70 percent less for fertilizers, pesticides and seeds.

Shiva's many detractors call her naive, pointing out that chemical fertilizers, pesticides and genetic engineering rescued India from its eternal cycles of famine and huge debts from importing food. She responds that high-tech agriculture is a short-term solution that will ultimately destroy the land. Shiva has by no means proved that organic agriculture alone can feed a burgeoning world population. But Navdanya has shown that in some areas, organic farmers with a knowledge of local conditions and traditional methods can achieve high yields at little cost to the environment. In India at least, Navdanya sets an eco-friendly standard that agribusiness must show it can outperform. The challenge for genetic engineers is to create seeds adapted to particular locales that enable farmers to reduce, not increase, the use of chemicals.

If nothing else, Navdanya provides an alternative approach to modern farming. Shiva wants to preserve nature's bountiful variety in a world too vulnerable to humanity's penchant for standardization. She counsels us to be more humble in the care of our environment. "You are not Atlas carrying the world on your shoulder," she says. "It is good to remember that the planet is carrying you."

— By Meenakshi Ganguly/New Delhi ... more

The Not-So-Quick and the Dead

Overheard in New York Guy #1: Yeah, so I was like, dead for two minutes. Guy #2: Fuck yeah, dude! You fuckin' died! [High five] What was it like? Guy #1: I dunno, dude, I was dead! --Brooklyn Industries, Williamsburg more

This Has Been Another Presentation of Alternate Histories

Man #1: Think about it, though -- all great men have a great woman supporting them, giving them confidence, encouraging them. No matter what happens, they know she will be there when they get home at night.
Man #2: Yeah. Imagine if Coretta Scott King had been a nag and laid it on him when he got home at night -- Dr. King, with all that shit he was dealing with, would've been like, 'Hell no, I'm movin' to Cali!'
Man #1: For reals!

--R train  ..more

Her Dreadlocks Were a Total Loss, Though

Overheard in New York
Chick #1:    Yeah, she threw up in her bed.
Chick #2:    And then she walked around throwing up all over the room.
Guy:           Well, maybe it's a blessing in disguise because it finally got her to wash her sheets.

--Houston & Broadway .. more

Why Camus Wrote The Plague

Overheard in New York
Chick #1: You can't, like, wear all black.
Chick #2: Well, not unless you're a beatnik.
Chick #1: What's that?
Chick #2: You know, the guys who wear berets and play the bongos?
Chick #1: Like the French?
Chick #2: [Nods.]
Chick #1: Who knew they had bongos in France?!

--Manhattan-bound 7 train

Overheard by: Smarter than these two - more

Overheard in New York | The Voice of the City

It's Like Learning the Truth about Santa All Over Again

Woman in wheelchair: These models are fantastic!
Man pushing her: These aren't models.
Woman in wheelchair: Oh, no!

--Bodies Exhibit, South St Seaport

Overheard by: Jablayblay         more

Microsoft's Brighter Vista

Soft Start for the System May Yield to Strength Ahead As Chip Glut Pares PC Costs
March 27, 2007; Page C12

Microsoft decided to name its new operating system after a view of distant prospects. The choice is apt. Although 20 million copies of Vista have been sold since the January launch, Microsoft boss Steve Ballmer has been forced to rein in analysts' early expectations for the operating system. The company's stock has taken a hit as a result, falling 9% since Vista's launch. But the system's disappointing start may have paved the way for a big jump in adoptions in the near future.  more

A Home For You in the Galilee at Kfar Hanassi

Enjoy the benefits of living in a friendly community

.... the dark side of victory and defeat...

"...... the dark side of victory and defeat, final proof, like the dead who are buried within hours, that war is indeed about the total failure of the human spirit" Robert Fisk The Great War for Civilization (p.968)

Taxi to the Dark Side

International Documentary Feature Competition 2007, 105 mins Interests: Documentary, Asian, War This documentary murder mystery examines the death of an Afghan taxi driver at Bagram Air Base from injuries inflicted by U.S. soldiers. In an unflinching look at the Bush administration's policy on torture, the filmmaker behind Enron: the Smartest Guys in the Room takes us from a village in Afghanistan to Guantanamo and straight to the White House. In English and Pashtu. Sat, Apr 28, 8:30pm - Clearview Chelsea West Theater 2 Sun, Apr 29, 9:45pm - AMC 34th Street Theater 13 Tue, May 1, 6:30pm - AMC 34th Street Theater 10 Wed, May 2, 3:00pm - AMC 34th Street Theater 10 Thu, May 3, 3:00pm - AMC Kips Bay Theater 15 2007 Tribeca Film Guide

Vista reviewed: Why the future could be more expensive than you expect

Microsoft's new system is streets ahead of XP, but is not without its problems, says James Daley Published: 31 March 2007 Bill Gates's Microsoft has become the company that people love to hate. And while much of the anger directed its way seems to be based purely on its size and ability to dominate the global software market, campaigners now have a new reason to be cross with the giant. The long-awaited launch of its Vista operating platform earlier this year is costing both home and business users time and, even worse, money. Few Vista users disagree that the platform is a cut above its predecessor, Windows XP. But while Vista is easier to use, looks better and is much more secure, the internet chat forums are awash with complaints about glitches in the system. Even Microsoft admits that some pieces of key hardware are still not compatible with the new software. So if you're thinking about upgrading your PC from XP Vista, is it worth the cost? more

Ancient riddle of the Great Pyramid's construction is turned inside out

By Steve Connor, Science Editor Published: 30 March 2007
It was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world, and the only one of them to remain standing today.
Yet the story of how the Great Pyramid of Giza was actually built has remained a mystery for more than four millennia - until, perhaps, now.
A French architect believes he has finally solved one of the most puzzling construction problems in history by working out how the ancient Egyptians built such a massive structure without the benefit of iron tools, pulleys or wheels. more

WTO rules against US on online gambling

By Daniel Pimlott in New York Published: March 30 2007 17:12
The US could be forced once again to rewrite laws on online gambling after a World Trade Organisation ruling that it had failed to comply with an earlier decision.
In a case brought by the tiny Caribbean nation of Antigua and Barbuda, a WTO arbitration panel said on Friday that the US was defying a WTO ruling made in 2005.  more

Camp Delta inmate 'who helped MI5' to be freed

By Robert Verkaik, Law Editor Published: 30 March 2007
A British resident held for nearly five years at Guantanamo Bay is to be set free after a breakthrough in negotiations between the US and Britain.more

Russia and US accused of abusing men freed from Guantanamo Bay

By Andrew Osborn in Moscow
Published: 29 March 2007

The Kremlin and the United States have been accused of flouting international law in a report which tells the little-known story of seven Russian men freed from Guantanamo Bay. more

Sarkozy's policies blamed for riot at Eurostar terminal

By John Lichfield in Paris
Published: 29 March 2007

A running fight between police and youths at a Paris railway station amid distraught commuters and tourists turned into a pitched political battle yesterday, casting a shadow over the forthcoming presidential elections. more

US keen to avoid 'escalation of tensions' with Iran following capture of British sailors

By Rupert Cornwell in Washington
Published: 29 March 2007

Despite its latest large scale naval exercises in the Gulf and the dispute over Teheran's nuclear programme, the US claims it is doing its utmost not to add to the new tensions between the West and Iran following last Friday's capture of 15 British sailors and marines by Iranian forces.

"There is no escalation of tensions on our part," Dana Perino, the White House spokeswoman, told reporters yesterday, after announcing that President Bush had discussed the crisis with Iran in a video conference call with Tony Blair - a discussion, she insisted, scheduled well before the incident. more

Mugabe faces the music in Tanzania as police launch mass arrest of opponents

By Daniel Howden in Harare
Published: 29 March 2007

Robert Mugabe was fighting for his political life last night as he launched mass arrests of opposition leaders at home and flew to Tanzania for a showdown with regional leaders. more

'Lung-burning' gives hope for asthma patients

By Jeremy Laurance, Health Editor
Published: 29 March 2007

Scientists have developed the first non-drug therapy for asthma in the biggest advance in treatment of the condition for a decade.

Researchers who treated patients with moderate to severe asthma by inserting a probe into their lungs and "burning" the muscle tissue found it cut their asthma attacks by a half.

No drug treatment developed in the past 10 years has achieved an equivalent improvement. The scientists described the results as "very encouraging" and said the treatment offered a "new option" for patients whose condition was poorly controlled by drugs.

More than five million patients in Britain suffer from asthma and around 70,000 are admitted to hospital each year with life-threatening attacks. If proved in further studies, the new treatment, called bronchial thermoplasty, could help reduce the 1,000 deaths from asthma a year. more

Technology Counts - FREE - Full Access

Dear Educator:

Come take a look! Our 10^th edition of Technology Counts is now online.  During the edweek.org Spring Break Open House, you can access the entire report for FREE.  See how far educational technology has come in the past decade and explore where experts see it going in the future.  While you’re at it, check out some of our past reports and our most recent edition of Quality Counts.

Some features you shouldn’t miss in this year’s Technology Counts:

• Are America’s schools making optimal use of the new digital tools they have received? Get up to speed.
• Check out the timeline of key educational technology trends over the past decade.
• See if your state made the grade in our Detailed State Reports.
• Read A Digital Decade to see where educational technology has been and where it's going.

You have a little over 2 weeks left to see the report – the doors will close on April 15. 

Best regards,
Virginia B. Edwards
Editor and Publisher

Look Out, Al!

Look Out, Al!

TV: Prajwala tonight on NewsHour on PBS

Subject: Prajwala tonight on NewsHour
Hi....
Tonight, the NewsHour with Jim Lehrer will broadcast a report on Prajwala, an outstanding anti-trafficking organization based in Hyderabad. I first learned of the founder, Sunitha Krishnan, from SAJA, so THANKS. She is impressive beyond belief, ............ Fred (de Sam Lazaro) More on Prajwala.

TONIGHT: NYC panel with top reporters/editors

From The Deadline Club The NYC Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists On March 28, the New York chapter of SPJ is hosting a reporting panel. Reporters and editors from the NY Times, Wall Street Journal, NY Post, Forbes and the Associated Press will be recounting their biggest exclusives and how they got them. The panel is free and open to all. Guests just need to rsvp. Wednesday, March 28 Getting The Story: How To Break News Ahead Of The Competition How do New York’s top journalists get those headline-grabbing stories? Find out at the Deadline Club’s March 28 reporting panel, where the best in the business will recount their biggest scoops and exclusives. A Q&A session with the audience will follow. Panelists:

• Brian Toolan—National Editor, Associated Press
• Murray Weiss—Reporter and Criminal Justice Editor, New York Post
• Vikas Bajaj—Business Reporter, The New York Times
• Paul Davies—White Collar Crime/ Legal Affairs Reporter, The Wall Street Journal
• Elizabeth MacDonald—Senior Editor, Forbes Magazine

Moderator: Frank Ucciardo—Correspondent, CBS News When: Wednesday, March 28, from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. Where: Associated Press headquarters, 450 West 33rd St., between 9th Ave. and 10th Ave. Please check in with the security desk in the ground floor lobby. To attend, please RSVP.

"Taxi To The Dark Side" Accepted to the Tribeca Film Festival!

"Taxi to the Dark Side", a new film from Alex Gibney, will have its World Premiere at the 2007 Tribeca Film Festival. For more information, please visit Tribeca Film Festival 2007.

"Taxi to the Dark Side" is a documentary murder mystery that traces the homicide of an Afghan taxi driver at the Bagram Air Force Base from Afghanistan to Guantanamo right up to the corridors of power in Washington. This disturbing and often brutal film is the most incisive examination to date of the entire arc of the Bush Administration's policy on torture.

The film is written, directed and narrated by Alex Gibney; executive produced by Donald G. Glascoff, Jr., Robert Johnson, Sid Blumenthal; produced by Eva Orner, Susannah Shipman and Gibney; shot by Maryse Alberti and Greg Andracke; and edited by Sloane Klevin.  http://jigsawprods.com/

:: the daily grind ::

Compadre John Miller serves up the freshest, most aromatic, richest, boldest tasting, Daily Grind, from the world over. In his own words,  all the unfit news, the New York Times deems, unfit to print.

Don't - Wednesday, March 21, 2007

dontaskiversary

With 'affordable housing' buildings for sale, tenants worry | csmonitor.com

The US blocked the sale of Brooklyn's Starrett City complex until the buyers can prove it will stay affordable.

By Alexandra Marks | Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor

 

NEW YORK

With dozens of 20-story apartment towers looming behind her, Lashonda Carmichael looks out over a frozen inlet to the bay and the world beyond Brooklyn.

"This is where I come for peace of mind," she says as she balances her 2-year-old son on her hip.

Since she was a child, Ms. Carmichael has roamed these shores on the edge of this massive, affordable housing complex where she grew up. Most New Yorkers know it as Starrett City. Global economic forces now threaten to disrupt her calm and that of the almost 14,000 other tenants, almost 90 percent of whom pay rents below market rates.

That's because the complex is still on the auction block for a whopping $1.3 billion, despite Friday's decision by the federal government to block the sale. While the decision is a major blow to the proposed buyers, they insist they are committed to making the deal work...more

ITALY: AGA KHAN'S ISLAMIC TREASURES GO ON SHOW

Parma, 23 March (AKI) - The Italian city of Parma, better known for its fine foods and tradition of opera, is for two months hosting an exhibition of some of the finest Islamic art collection of the Aga Khan, the spiritual head of the Ismaili sect and international businessman. "Splendours of the Court" which opened Friday is being housed in the Palazzo della Pilotta and contains the basis of what will be displayed in a new museum to be built in Toronto, Canada in 2009. The show in Parma is part of a wider cultural programme "Arts and Music from the Islamic World" which runs through May... more

Complete Access to edweek.org

Dear Educator:

Our doors are wide open – come on in for FREE!

Until April 15, you can access all that edweek.org has to offer – all FREE!  Your access is totally UNLIMITED, so you can enjoy everything that premium subscribers see every day.

While you’re visiting edweek.org, you shouldn’t miss:

• The transcript of last week’s very popular chat on reaching gifted children with guests Karen Isaacson and Tamara Fisher, the co-authors of Intelligent Life in the Classroom—Smart Kids & Their Teachers.
• Is the No Child Left Behind Act working?
• Was it free speech or was it promoting illegal drug use? Supreme Court Weighs ‘Bong Hits’ Speech Case.
• Last year’s Technology Counts is still online, as are many other useful archives.  Read about how states and districts are beginning to build digital data systems that can drive decisions in the classroom and the boardroom.

If you like what you see on edweek.org, get even more out of this open house by adding a 4-week subscription to Education Week in print.  This trial offer of 4 weeks of online and print access is only available for a limited time at http://www.edweek.org/go/4weektrial.

Remember, our 10^th edition of Technology Counts is almost here! Be sure to check back this Thursday, March 29, to see how far educational technology has come in the past decade and explore where experts see it going in the future.  In the meantime, check out some of our past reports and our most recent edition of Quality Counts.

Join us at our open house today, www.edweek.org, and be sure to pass along this open house invitation to a colleague.

Best regards,

Virginia B. Edwards
Editor and Publisher

How the press keeps missing the facts about working mothers

COMMENTARY | March 19, 2007

E.J. Graff of Brandeis University's Schuster Institute for Investigative Journalism says recurring media reports citing a trend among educated women to drop their careers rather than try to get to the top are inaccurate and the result of lazy reporting... more

How a superpower can end up losing to the little guys

COMMENTARY | March 23, 2007

A Harvard scholar explores the implications of his recent research on asymmetric conflicts, which shows that strong actors are losing to the weak more and more often over time, and gleans some important lessons about the United States and Iraq. (First of two parts.)... more

Contractors rarely face disciplinary action in Iraq

ASK THIS | March 15, 2007

Legal roadblocks and red tape have protected civilian contractors in abuse cases, even in Abu Ghraib. Administration critics say the contractors are sometimes encouraged by the military or the CIA to use harsh interrogation techniques, knowing they won’t be prosecuted... more

Not much regard for Bush in his Latin America tour

COMMENTARY | March 19, 2007

The overseas press: Latin American editorial writers didn’t much care for Bush on his tour there, and there often wasn't any love lost for Chavez, either... more

11 ways to report on Gitmo without upsetting the Pentagon

COMMENTARY | March 13, 2007

Torture expert Karen Greenberg describes how the standard media tour of Guantanamo is designed to deny the realities that are hidden just out of sight.... more

Victory Is Not an Option - washingtonpost.com

The Mission Can't Be Accomplished -- It's Time for a New Strategy

By William E. Odom
Sunday, February 11, 2007; B01

The new National Intelligence Estimate on Iraq starkly delineates the gulf that separates President Bush's illusions from the realities of the war. Victory, as the president sees it, requires a stable liberal democracy in Iraq that is pro-American. The NIE describes a war that has no chance of producing that result. In this critical respect, the NIE, the consensus judgment of all the U.S. intelligence agencies, is a declaration of defeat... more

Retired General William Odom argues for immediate withdrawal

The Hugh Hewitt Show

2-15-07 at 8:16 PM

HH: Welcoming now to the Hugh Hewitt Show General William Odom. General, a real pleasure to make your acquaintance. Thanks for being on the program, thanks for your service.

WO: Thank you for the opportunity to be on your program.

HH: Now I read with great interest your piece in Sunday’s Washington Post on February 11^th, Victory Is Not An Option, and a piece very similar to it from 2005, General, and I’d like you to explain to the audience who haven’t had a chance to read it what you think America should do in Iraq right now.

WO: Well, we can’t do much of anything that’s useful for ourselves until we begin to withdraw. We are diplomatically and strategically paralyzed in Iraq. As we begin to move out, countries who are not very cooperative with us, or wish us evil, are going to be worried about the aftermath. We cannot stabilize the whole region by ourselves. We’re going to need really important allies, not just our allies that we’ve bought to come in there with us for the invasion. And we’re going to need them both on the borders of Iraq, and we’re going to need Europeans, Indians, Chinese, Japanese and others to help us. ...more

The Jerusalem Post - Report: 775,000 children live in poverty

The Statistics Are In And They Are Alarming..... more

Winged Migration

Can someone please send a copy of this to the Cheney family

Tuesday, March 20 at 8pm

Winged Migration

Jacques Perrin's Oscar-nominated documentary captures the beauty and wonder of bird migration around the world, literally offering a bird's-eye view of flight patterns through 40 countries and the seven continents.

This should be repeated on Ch 21!

Sent in by OMcIntyre

NY EVENT: "Office Tigers" outsourcing documentary

From: Thom Powers
India-based documentary comes to Stranger Than Fiction

@ IFC Center TUES, MAR 27 - 7:30 pm: OFFICE TIGERS Q&A with director Liz Mermin Order tickets The director of Beauty Academy of Kabul examines another comic situation of east meets west, this time at the high-end outsourcing firm in India. The company Office Tiger was profiled in a memorable New Yorker article and later gave Mermin full access.  Rarely do we get such a candid look inside a coporation. The American bosses bring a Dale Carnegie style management approach that plays out like a non-fiction version of "The Office." The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival. Mermin is currently shooting a new documentary in Bombay, going behind the scenes of a Bollywood film. She's taking a break from her schedule to make this New York appearance. WHERE: IFC CENTER 323 Sixth Ave @ 3rd St Subways: Take A, B, C, D, E, F or V to W. 4th St./Washington Square or the 1 to Christopher St./Sheridan Square. WHAT IS STRANGER THAN FICTION?: Thom Powers hosts this series of exclusive screenings for documentary film lovers. Each week, he presents a sneak preview, lost gem or special event, including discussions with filmmakers and special guests. Afterwards,the conversation continues in the IFC bar.

SAJA-NY: author William Dalrymple at Asia Society - Monday, March 26th

Terrific event, folks. When Dalrymple spoke on his last book tour, many of you attended his wonderful NYC talk at the Metropolitan Museum of Art... You will learn a lot from him (bio below) From: Aseem Chhabra Asia Society, South Asian Journalists Association (SAJA) New York Chapter and the Indo American Arts Council (IAAC) present Meet the Author - William Dalrymple "The Last Mughal: The Fall of a Dynasty Delhi, 1857" Monday, March 26 at 6:30 pm Reception and Book signing follows. Asia Society, 725 Park Avenue at 70th St New York City $7 Student w/ID, Seniors; $10 Members (including SAJA members); $15 Nonmembers To register ONLINE CLICK HERE To register by PHONE call (M-F 10am to 5pm): 212-517-ASIA To register by FAX (credit card orders only please): 212-517-8315 About the book: From the author of The City of Djinns: A Year in Delhi and The White Mughals comes the compelling story, drawn from a treasure trove of Indian historical documents, of Bahadur Shah II the last Mughal emperor and the final days of his capital Delhi before its ignominious destruction by the British in 1857. Dalrymple will be interviewed by historian and author Maya Jasanoff (Edge of Empire: Lives, Culture, and Conquest in the East, 1750-1850). About the author William Dalrymple was born in Scotland and brought up on the shores of the Firth of Forth. He wrote the highly acclaimed bestseller In Xanadu when he was twenty-two. The book won the 1990 Yorkshire Post Best First Work Award and a Scottish Arts Council Spring Book Award; it was also shortlisted for the John Llewellyn Rhys Memorial Prize. In 1989 Dalrymple moved to Delhi where he lived for six years researching his second book, City of Djinns, which won the 1994 Thomas Cook Travel Book Award and the Sunday Times Young British Writer of the Year Award. From the Holy Mountain, his acclaimed study of the demise of Christianity in its Middle Eastern homeland, was awarded the Scottish Arts Council Autumn Book Award for 1997; it was also shortlisted for the 1998 Thomas Cook Award, the John Llewellyn Rhys Prize and the Duff Cooper Prize. A collection of his writings about India, The Age of Kali, won the French Prix D'Astrolabe in 2005. White Mughals was published in 2003, the book won the Wolfson Prize for History 2003, the Scottish Book of the Year Prize, and was shortlisted for the PEN History Award, the Kiryama Prize and the James Tait Black Memorial Prize. William Dalrymple is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and of the Royal Asiatic Society. In 2002 he was awarded the Mungo Park Medal by the Royal Scottish Geographical Society for his ‘outstanding contribution to travel literature’. He wrote and presented the television series Stones of the Raj and Indian Journeys, which won the Grierson Award for Best Documentary Series at BAFTA in 2002. His Radio 4 series on the history of British spirituality and mysticism, The Long Search, won the 2002 Sandford St Martin Prize for Religious Broadcasting and was described by the judges as 'thrilling in its brilliance... near perfect radio. In December 2005 his article on the madrasas of Pakistan was awarded the prize for Best Print Article of the Year at the 2005 FPA Media Awards. June 2006 he was awarded the degree of Doctor of Letters honoris causa from the University of St Andrews “for his services to literature and international relations, to broadcasting and understanding”. In 2007, The Last Moghal won the prestigous Duff Cooper Prize for History and Biography. William is married to the artist Olivia Fraser, and they have three children. They now divide their time between London and Delhi.
Reviews from abroad:
[Dalrymple] builds an urban narrative [of Delhi] as evocative as Richard Cobb's depiction of Revolutionary Paris . . .
There is so much to admire in this book - the depth of historical research, the finely evocative writing, the extraordinary rapport with the cultural world of late Mughal India. It is also in many ways a remarkably humane and egalitarian history. . .
This is a splendid work of empathetic scholarship. As the 150th anniversary of the uprising dawns there will be many attempts to revisit these bloody, chaotic, cataclysmic events; but few reinterpretations of 1857 will be as bold, as insightful, or as challenging as this.- David Arnold, Times Literary Supplement
Brilliantly nuanced . . . Dalrymple has here written an account of the Indian mutiny such as we have never had before, of the events leading up to it and of its aftermath, seen through the prism of the last emperor's life. He has vividly described the street life of the Mughal capital in the days before the catastrophe happened, he has put his finger deftly on every crucial point in the story, which earlier historians have sometimes missed, and he has supplied some of the most informative footnotes I have ever read. On top of that, he has splendidly conveyed the sheer joy of researching a piece of history, something every true historian knows . . . I had thought that Dalrymple would never surpass his performance in writing From the Holy Mountain, but The Last Mughal has caused me to think again. - Geoffrey Moorhouse, The Guardian.
A riveting account . . . It is neither wholly a biography of Zafar, nor solely the story of the siege and capture of Delhi. Instead Mr. Dalrymple charts the course of the uprising and the siege, weaving into his story the unfolding tragedy of Zafar's last months. The animating spirit of the book is Delhi itself . . .
It is here that the originality of [Dalrymple's] new book lies. - The Economist

[The Last Mughal] shows the way history should be written: not as a catalogue of dry-as-dust kings, battles and treaties but to bring the past to the present, put life back in characters long dead and gone and make the reader feel he is living among them, sharing their joys, sorrows and apprehensions . . .
Dalrymple's book rouses deep emotions. It will bring tears to the eyes of every Dilliwala, among whom I count myself. - Khushwant Singh, Outlook India

You Can Stop "Normal" Aging | PARADE Magazine

New research reveals surprising facts about our changing bodies.

You Can Stop ‘‘Normal’’ Aging
By Dr. Henry S. Lodge

Published: March 18, 2007

From your body’s point of view, “normal” aging isn’t normal at all. It’s a choice you make by the way you live your life. The other choice is to tell your cells to grow—to build a strong, vibrant body and mind.... more

CRICKET: Police say Pak coach was murdered

From SAJA E-mail Lists Amazing story: Jamaican police now say Bob Woolmer, the Pakistani coach, was murdered by strangulation. Keep track of the story here The World Cup will continue, depsite the death of Woolmer, who is a British citizen (and was born in India). Here is his official site, with tributes and more

For the Christian Right, Gay-Hating Is Just the Start

G and I listened and talked with Chris Hedges, the award winning journalist and religious/political  comentator as he talked about the rising danger of the Religious Right to our country...as presented in his new book, American Fascists, The Christian Right and the War on America.The following article deals with issues which he discussed..with great passion

He focused on the Rights efforts to dehumanize groups as evil deviants who could be used as scapegoats. The first have been gays, lesbians, Muslims and Secular Humanists...the same kind of beginning as in previous Fascist countries...These are serious threats....

For the Christian Right, Gay-Hating Is Just the Start

By Chris Hedges, Truthdig
Posted on March 19, 2007, Printed on March 22, 2007
http://www.alternet.org/story/49160/

On the morning of March 8 in Sioux Center, Iowa, a bus parked outside a hotel was found covered with anti-gay slurs, along with a hate-filled message on a piece of cardboard reading: "God does not love feary fags."

The bus was one of two that were transporting some 50 lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students, along with supporters, on the start of a two-month trip to 32 Christian colleges with policies that discriminate against those who are not heterosexuals. The Equality Ride, as it is known, organized by Soulforce, had first traveled to Sioux Center to visit Dordt College, a school that counts "sexual activity with someone of the same gender" as possible grounds for "an employee's discharge or a student's dismissal." .... more

Chris Hedges is the former Middle East bureau chief for The New York Times and the author of "American Fascists: The Christian Right and the War on America" and "War Is a Force That Gives Us Meaning."

© 2007 Independent

Higher-Ed Superpower

By David Ignatius
Friday, March 9, 2007; A21

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. -- When people think about American power in the world, they usually list the country's forbidding arsenal of bombers, aircraft carriers and troops. Yet America's greatest strategic asset these days might not be its guns but its universities.

Higher education is arguably the last area in which the United States dominates the world. We're discovering the limits of military power in Iraq, the pressures of economic competition from China and India, the vulnerability of our financial markets to sudden changes abroad. But in this globalized world, American universities remain the gold standard. And thanks to aggressive university presidents, they are widening their lead................ more

ReligionLink - Islam: a guide to U.S. experts and organizations

AUG. 7, 2006

ISLAM
Islam: a guide to U.S. experts and organizations

Islam was put under a microscope by the terrorist attacks of 9/11. Before that, although there were more than 1,200 mosques and more than 1 million Muslims regularly worshipping in the United States, Islam seemed a distant, foreign faith to many Americans.

Since then, the demand for accurate, nuanced and balanced information about Islam and Muslim people has grown, as has the number of scholars in the field. There is no official count, but scholars say demand and opportunity for academics who study Islam has risen significantly since 2001. Some say that jobs now outnumber qualified applicants, but note that a whole new generation of scholars is in graduate school. Job postings for scholars of Islam in American colleges and universities numbered 50 in 2002, 50 in 2003, 71 in 2004 and 67 in 2005, according to the American Academy of Religion, which runs an online employment service.

Classes – particularly those on politics, gender and contemporary Islam – are full, giving more students at more universities background in Islam. Knowledge matters, whether these students move on to careers in business, medicine, education or other fields. According to a 2005 Pew Research Survey, people who are most knowledgeable about Islam express more favorable opinions of Muslim-Americans and Islam than people who are less familiar with it........ More

# Indian online community: Sulekha.com

Welcome to Sulekha.com, the biggest and most popular member-generated community and social/professional networking hub integrating social media and local commerce services. Millions of Indians express, interact and transact through Sulekha’s portfolio of highly popular, complementary services in 25 cities in India and worldwide...... ...... ....More

Feeling tired? 6 tips for more energy

By Joy Bauer

TODAY nutritionist

Updated: 10:35 a.m. CT March 14, 2007

If you can’t get out of bed in the am, fall asleep at your desk in the afternoon, have trouble keeping up with your kids or find yourself dragging through the day, the following SIX strategies can help increase your energy level! http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17598214/

SAJA/AAJA NEWSMAKER EVENT + MOVIE SCREENING

Journalists interested in Taiwan and/or international affairs are invited to a special reception hosted by Ambassador Andrew Hsia, Director-General of The  Taipei Economic & Cultural Office in New York (bio below)

Tuesday, March 20, 2007
6:30-8:30 pm; followed by a movie screening of "Splendid Float" (2004 Golden Horse Award winner for the Best Taiwanese Film and opening film at 2005 Asian American Film Festival (details below).

Location: Taipei Economic and Cultural Office, 1 East 42nd St., between Fifth and Madison Aves.

This is a unique opportunity to meet a leading international diplomat and ask questions about recent developments in Taiwan and the region. Drinks and Chinese food will be served. In addition, there will be an optional screening of the award-winning Taiwanese movie, "Splendid Float" (details below). When you RSVP, please indicate whether you will be staying for the movie, too.

RSVP REQUIRED: Please fill in the one-minute form

Journalists and journalism students are welcome to bring one guest each.

Last year, SAJA & AAJA hosted a similar event with the Sri Lankan ambassador
and plan to work on other countries as well. Suggestions and contacts for
others welcome - please write to saja@columbia.edu

ABOUT AMBASSADOR HSIA
Ambassador Andrew Li-Yan Hsia
Director-General
Taipei Economic And Cultural Office in New York

Place of Birth: Taipei, Taiwan
Family: Married to Lisa Cheng with two children

Education:
1985-1988 Research Studies, Queen Mary College, London England
1981 LL.M., University College, London, England
1980 M. Litt., International Law, New College, Oxford, England
1976 MA, Graduate School of Diplomacy, National Cheng Chi
University, Taipei
1972 LL.B., Fu-Jen Catholic University, Taipei

Career:
2001- Director General, Taipei Economic & Cultural Office in New York

1998-2001 Director-General; Department of International Organizations, Ministry
of Foreign Affairs
APEC (Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation) Senior Official

1996-1998 Deputy Representative, Taipei Economic and Cultural Office,
Canada (Ottawa)

1994-1996 Director of Secretariat, Taipei Economic and Cultural
Representative Office, U.S.A.(Washington, D. C.)

1989-1994 English Interpreter to the Prime Ministers, Taipei, Taiwan

1992-1994 Deputy Director, Dept. of Information and Cultural Affairs, Ministry
of foreign Affairs (MOFA), Taipei, Taiwan

1990-1992 Special Assistant to the Political Vice Minister, Ministry of Foreign
Affairs (MOFA), Taipei, Taiwan

1989-1990 Chief, Administrative Section, Coordination Council for North
American Affairs, MOFA, Taipei, Taiwan

1982-1985 Specialist, Dept. of North American Affairs, Ministry of Foreign
Affairs (MOFA), Taipei, Taiwan

Honors:
1976 Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Scholarship
1985 Recipient of the Social Science Scholarship
1999 Recipient of Sun Yun-Suan Fellowship

o o o o o o

ABOUT THE MOVIE:
Splendid Float 2004 Fiction color 74min
Roy (James Chen) leads a double life. By day, he's a
Taoist priest in Taipei, mostly busy performing
funerary rites. By night he's Rose, one of four drag
queens who tour the towns and villages of northern
Taiwan, putting on lip-synch shows on the back of
their gaudily lit truck. After a show in Keelung, Rose
meets the macho young fisherman Sunny; they make love
and start thinking about finding a way to live
together. But then Roy is called to summon Sunny's
soul home from the sea; his lover has drowned in an
accident ... It's both sad and funny, weighty and
frivolous, absurd and romantic.

About the Director
Zero CHOU, born in Keelung, Taiwan in 1969. Creatively
and productively as she is, her works are both poetic
and philosophically provocative that .amazingly make
the content and the form an excellent combination..
She has been valued .the most talented documentary
director in the recent years of Taiwan., who has
often won the prizes in various film festivals.

A Conversation with Mira Nair, director of "The Namesake"

Mira Nair has been doing a lot of events around her highly-acclaimed new movie, but SAJA has asked her to a quieter event for us on Friday night. All are  welcome. No charge. She does have to leave at 7:15, so please be on time. We  will also be raffling copies a coffee-table movie about the book as well as its  soundtrack - we'll get Mira to sign them.

Please note a second newsmaker event next week below this event, with the Taiwan ambassador. Pass onto your friends in NYC.

South Asian Journalists Association, New York Chapter presents:

A Conversation with Mira Nair, director of "The Namesake," playing in NYC and  five other cities now - opening across the country over the next two weeks.

Friday, March 16, 2007 5:45-7:15 pm
Columbia Journalism School
116th St & Broadway, room 607B
Subway: #1 to 116th St/Columbia University
Ask for J-school when you enter the main campus

5:45-6:15: Networking
6:15-7:15: A conversation with Mira Nair, moderated by Aseem Chhabra + your Q&A
No charge. No RSVP required.

See SAJAforum.org coverage of "The Namesake"
Opening weekend box office numbers

Review Roundup

SAJAers Cover the Movie

Screenings later that night - perhaps a group can head downtown after...
Paris Theatre,4 West 58th Street
7:50pm | 10:20pm

AMC Theatres Empire 25,234 West 42nd Street
8:35pm | 11:35pm

Angelika Film Center,18 W. Houston Street
9:35pm | 10:20pm | 12:15am

THE NAMESAKE is the story of the Ganguli family whose move from Calcutta to New York evokes a lifelong balancing act to meld to a new world without forgetting the old. Though parents Ashoke and Ashima (Irrfan Khan, Tabu) long for the family and culture that enveloped them in India, they take great pride in the opportunities their sacrifices have afforded their children. Paradoxically, their son Gogol (Kal Penn) is torn between finding his own unique identity without losing his heritage. Even Gogol's name represents the family's journey into the unknown. Helmed by the Academy Award(r)-nominated Mira Nair, THE NAMESAKE is based on the best-selling novel of the same name by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jhumpa Lahiri.

"A spellbinding exploration of love and belonging" - Elle

"Thoroughly engaging, terrifically moving" - Premiere

"A glory on a huge colorful canvas" - Wall Street Journal

*** Official Selection - Toronto International Film Festival ***

*** Official Selection - Telluride Film Festival ***

*** Official Selection - Dubai Film Festival ***

*** Official Selection - London Film Festival ***

Powerball Drawing Info 15 Mar 2007

06:52:50 -0500

04 27 30 39 44 Powerball 18
Powerplay 2

The estimated Grand Prize was:
$161,400,000 ($77,700,000 cash).
There was no Grand Prize Winner.

The next Powerball drawing will
be on Saturday, March 17th, 2007
with an estimated Grand Prize of
$183,000,000 ($88,200,000 cash).

Religion and U.S. Grand Strategy by Michael Vlahos - The Globalist > > Global Society

By Michael Vlahos

How did the U.S. invasion of Iraq become its "liberation?" How did a war designed to save the world from Iraqi "weapons of mass destruction" become a war to save the Iraqi people? And looking ahead, how has the liberation of oppressed people everywhere — at times and places of our own choosing, whether they want to be liberated or not — become a core American mission? Michael Vlahos explains.

http://theglobalist.com/StoryId.aspx?StoryId=3230

Tanzania gives investors key concessions

Tanzania gives investors key concessions

Story by WASHINGTON AKUMU in Arusha 

Publication Date: 3/13/2007

Tanzania yesterday rolled out the red carpet for investors, with President Jakaya Kikwete unveiling a raft of sweeteners for foreign capital.

They include cutting the number of licences required by new businesses, new land ownership laws and fresh regulations to govern the relationship between workers and the owners of capital.... more

Iraq: Reporting & Essays: The New Yorker

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/index/Iraq

Teacher of the Year makes science real

New Hampshire's Carolyn Kelley uses 'the new three-Rs approach' to education: rigor, relevance, and relationship.

By Stacy A. Teicher | Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor

N.H. Teacher of the Year: Carolyn Kelley of the Seacoast School of Technology in Exeter.
MELANIE STETSON FREEMAN – STAFF


EXETER, N.H. - The only time Carolyn Kelley sits in her chair during this class is the minute it takes to set up the interactive whiteboard that's linked to her computer. On her desk sits the classic science room décor: a blankly staring skull. But that's it for bored looks. Once Ms. Kelley takes her place in front of the 15 high school sophomores seated at tables in a "U" formation, there's no lack of liveliness in the faces looking back. ........ more

Big lighting firm leads move to phase out incandescent bulb

A coalition led by Royal Philips Electronics is twisting the dimmer on Thomas Edison's famous invention.

By Mark Clayton | Staff writer of The Christian Science Monitor

Aiming to slow global warming through energy efficiency, a coalition led by the world's largest lighting manufacturer is planning to phase out energy-wasting incandescent light bulbs in the United States by 2016............... More

PAK: Editorial on current situation

Omar R. Quraishi, op-ed pages editor at Pakistan's "The News," asked me to circulate this. His e-mail: omarq@cyber.net.pk The News March 13, 2007 Editorial All the makings of a police state The events since Friday make extremely depressing reading for anyone remotely concerned about the state of the nation. The continued virtual house arrest of the suspended chief justice of Pakistan, Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, is a black spot on this government that will be difficult -- one would say, almost impossible -- to erase from public memory. As if the humiliation of Justice Chaudhry being summoned to Army House and being asked to explain to the president (wearing army fatigues) the allegations contained in a now-controversial letter was not enough, one now learns that since Friday the suspended chief justice of Pakistan and his family have had their telephone lines disconnected, their mobile phones taken away and have been prohibited from watching television or reading newspapers. According to several reports, most quoting Justice Chaudhry's family members, the house of the suspended chief justice is swarming with officials of the intelligence agencies and no one is allowed to enter the premises, though retired air force chief Air Marshal Asghar Khan did manage to argue and walk past the guards and meet Justice Chaudhry. In doing all of this, the government has clearly overstepped its authority. Justice Chaudhry, if Article 209 has been followed and read properly, has had a reference filed against him for misconduct and abuse of office. However, preventing him from meeting people and restricting his and his family's movement, and not letting him establish contact with anyone outside his residence gives the impression as if the government considers him a dangerous criminal who is a clear and present danger to society. What the government has been doing since Friday is only going to exacerbate the crisis and lower its credibility -- already quite low -- in the eyes of (it can be safely said) most Pakistanis because they will think that if this can happen to a chief justice of the Supreme Court then ordinary citizens might just as well forget about receiving their constitutionally guaranteed right to due process and a fair hearing. By denying the suspended chief justice the right to move around freely, to meet whoever he wishes or even to talk to the media, the government is in violation of the Constitution, and specifically of the constitutional process by which a member of the Supreme Court is to be removed from office. Surely, the president, the prime minister, members of the federal cabinet and even the brother judges of Justice Chaudhry would agree that his is a case of convicting without even being given a fair hearing. Surely, it can be seen that Article 209 does not authorise the president, or anyone for that matter, with the power to restrict the physical movement of a judge against whom a reference has been filed and to bar him from using any link to the outside world. A lot of damage has already been done by this full frontal assault on the judiciary of the country. Of course, no one should defend a judge, no matter how august he may be, if he indulges in conduct unbecoming of his office and misuses his official powers. But allegations should not be equated with proof and conviction -- something that the government's actions suggest is the case -- and the method and process outlined in the Constitution need to be followed. This constitutional method does not have any provision for physically restricting a judge under investigation from moving about freely and stripping away his officially entitled privileges -- the latter can be done only after the investigation has been carried out and a recommendation for removal made by the Supreme Judicial Council and acted upon by the president. Even in that eventuality, the action should not be seen as high-handed and vindictive -- which seems to be the case now, despite the fact that the charges against Justice Chaudhry remain mere allegations. As has been reported widely, on the day of his suspe nsion following the filing of the presidential reference, Justice Chaudhry was stopped from entering the premises of the Supreme Court building and escorted to his house by a senior police official. Even now, with a reference filed against him but none of the charges proved, the suspended chief justice should be free to visit his office if he so wishes because there is nothing in the Constitution that prevents any judge of the Supreme or High Courts, and against whom a reference has been filed with the Supreme Judicial Council, from attending his office. There is one other point as well: ministers should not consider the people of this country to be bumpkins who cannot see what is going on. When told that Air Marshal Asghar Khan had met Justice Chaudhry who told him that he (Justice Chaudhry) had no access to the phone, TV or newspapers, one member of the federal cabinet expressed surprise and then went on to say that this itself was proof that the chief justice was free to meet people. Surely, the hordes of journalists, politicians and well-wishers standing outside the gates of Justice Chaudhry's official residence and denied entry by the security staff posted there speak of an entirely contrary situation, one that really puts official claims that he is free to meet anyone to shame. The government needs to extricate itself from this ugly situation before it spirals out of control. Any delay in repairing the damage can only convince most Pakistanis that they live in a country that has all the makings of a police state. Also, equally importantly, the government needs to understand that for the sake of its own credibility this farce needs to come to an end.

Child Reciting from the Holy Qur'an

  Recitation of the Qur'an

a little pregnant: Leftovers

http://www.alittlepregnant.com/alittlepregnant/2007/02/leftovers.html

make one of my brilliant ideas into reality on 43 Things

http://www.43things.com/things/view/524

http://www.43things.com/about/view/learn_more

Tips for improving your handwriting

By Dyas A. Lawson

You’ve decided you want to improve your handwriting and you’re probably hoping a fountain pen will do the trick -- maybe a friend told you it would. Maybe you’re just adventurous and you want to try your hand at calligraphy (or you might, once your handwriting improves). Good for you! more........

BRILLIANT MAGAZINE

Brilliant!

Timecave: Email Scheduling and Reminders

http://www.timecave.com/timecave/about.jsp

Email Alibi - delayed email service

Email Alibi.

March 13, 2007.

Home

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WORKSHOP: Sree class on "Figuring Out Blogs & Whatever's Next" on March 22 in Downtown Manhattan

My next public workshop, on March 22 at MediaBistro. Please share with
anyone who might interested.

Figuring Out Blogs, Podcasting, Wikis, and Whatever's Next
A three-hour workshop taught by Sree Sreenivasan, Columbia Journalism School professor and WNBC-TV's Tech Reporter
DETAILS: http://www.mediabistro.com/courses/cache/crs2500.asp

WHEN
Thursday, March 22, 2007
6:30-9:30 pm

WHERE
mediabistro.com
494 Broadway (Spring & Broome),New York, NY 10012
We're located in the Soho section of Manhattan, on the east side of Broadway just north of Broome Street. Nearest subways are B/D/F/Q at Broadway/Lafayette, 6 at Spring, or N/R/Q/W at Canal.

Course Details
There is much confusion about blogs, bloggers and blogging. Is this the end of journalism as we know it? Or is it just another small step in the evolution of media? Are any worth following? You will get answers to these and other questions at this workshop. You will go home with plenty of useful ideas from this fun, informative, fast-paced seminar.

In this seminar, you will learn about:

* Blog basics
* The best blogs for and by media professionals
* Blogs that are changing America and the world
* How to read blogs without drowning in too much info
* How to create a blog and raise your Google rankings
* Why journalists should and should not be blogging
* What to expect next: photoblogging, videoblogging, tagging, podcasting, wikis, RSS, XML

PRICE
$65 ($50 for Avant Guild members)

LIMITED SEATING: Sign up in advance:
http://www.mediabistro.com/courses/cache/crs2500.asp

ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR:
Sree Sreenivasan is a leading technology expert and WNBC-TV's tech reporter. He is also Dean of Students at Columbia University's journalism school, where he runs the new media program. His tech reports can be seen on Thursday morning at 6:40 am and Monday evenings at 5:50 pm on Channel 4 (he previously spent six years as WABC's Tech Guru). His work explaining technology has appeared in The New York Times, BusinessWeek, Rolling Stone and Popular Science (where he's a member of the "Geek Chorus"). He is co-founder of SAJA, the South Asian Journalists Association, a group of 1,000+ journalists across the US and Canada. In March 2004, Newsweek magazine named him one of the 20 most influential South Asians in the nation. More on his work at http://www.sree.net

See video of his WNBC appearances here, along with his latest tips:

http://www.wnbc.com/technology

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CRIME: Three from India Indicted for Online Brokerage Scheme

CRIME: Three From India Indicted for Online Brokerage Intrusion Scheme
http://www.sajaforum.org/2007/03/crime_three_fro.html

Two men in Chennai and one Indian who lives in Malaysia have been indicted in what the Justice Department is calling a "hack, pump and dump" scheme of breaking into the accounts of online brokers. From the press release (in full below):

"A federal grand jury in Omaha, Neb., has indicted three individuals on charges of conspiracy, fraud and aggravated identity theft stemming from a high-tech, international fraud scheme designed to hijack online brokerage accounts for profit, Assistant Attorney General Alice S. Fisher of the Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Joe W. Stecher for the District of Nebraska, FBI Executive Assistant Director for Criminal Investigations Michael A. Mason, and Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chairman Christopher Cox announced today."

"The 23-count indictment, returned in January 2007 and unsealed today, charges Jaisankar Marimuthu, 32, a resident of Chennai, India, and Chockalingam Ramanathan, 33, a resident of Chennai, India, each with one count of conspiracy, eight counts of computer fraud, six counts of wire fraud, two counts of securities fraud, and six counts of aggravated identity theft as part of this "hack, pump and dump" scheme. The indictment also charges Thirugnanam Ramanathan, 34, a native of India and resident of Malaysia, with one count of conspiracy, two counts of computer fraud, and two counts of aggravated identity theft."

This is the first time that anyone's been arrested overseas for an "online brokerage intrusion scheme" in the U.S.

"As part of this ongoing investigation, at least 60 customers and nine brokerage firms in the United States and elsewhere have been identified as victims, with one of the brokerage firms reporting more than $2 million in losses."

VIDEO: Boy Genius and US State Capitals

Earlier today, Kiran Khalid sent around a note that said: "If you do nothing else today, watch this. Really, it's both endearing and remarkable." She was talking about the video below, which shows a kid named Madhava, who looks about four, naming the capitals of the 50 U.S. states. His father, speaking in Tamil, names the states and the boy rattles off the capitals. My wife, shoulder-surfing as I watched the clip, says "that's so cute... and brilliant." He nails them all. The clip has been played almost 900,000 times (891,053 as of March 10 at 11:59 pm; there are also more than 3,400 comments and 49 video responses - be sure to read through/watch some of them. It's a fascinating/scary discussion). Anyone know anything more about this kid? Has anyone done any stories on him? Boy Genius and U.S. State Capitals

Powerball numbers for 03/10/2007 are:

14 18 34 42 43 Powerball 32
Powerplay 5

The estimated Grand Prize was: $142,300,000 ($68,600,000 cash).
There was no Grand Prize Winner.

The next Powerball drawing will be on Wednesday, March 14th, 2007 with an estimated Grand Prize of $165,000,000 ($79,500,000 cash).

The Turntables That Transform Vinyl - The New York Times

By ANNE EISENBERG (NYT); Money and Business/Financial Desk

Late Edition - Final, Section 3, Page 5, Column 1, 1159 words

LONG-PLAYING records are gathering dust in the homes of many music lovers, who hope to hear their contents one day on a CD player or iPod. Now, an updated version of another audio relic, the phonographic turntable, may provide a fairly inexpensive way to do that. Two new consumer ...

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