Information Technology & Entertainment News | Latest Bollywood News, Music, Gossips, Celebrity

Shah Rukh Khan I am sad, I am angry

2009-08-15T07:27:00.000-07:00

He was allowed to go only after Indian Embassy officials vouched for him.Shah Rukh was reportedly on his way to Chicago to attend an Independence Day parade.

Speaking to NDTV over the incident, Shah Rukh said his name popped up on their computer, and then he was taken for questioning.

“My name popped up on their computer. I was taken to a room for questioning. I was questioned for two hours,” said Shah Rukh.

The actor said that he was not even allowed to use his phone.

“This is not the first time this happened to me. I am glad my family was not travelling with me,” he added.

However, the actor denied the incident to be racial bias.

Reacting to the incident, Shah Rukh’s close friend and Bollywood filmmaker Karan Johar said that he was shocked at the incident. He also said that Shah Rukh was upset over the whole episode.

However, Shah Rukh is not the first Bollywood personality to face such harassment. Kabir Khan, director of hit films like ‘Kabul Express’ and ‘New York’, was denied a visa initially because of his surname.

Talking to NDTV, Kabir Khan said that such incidents have been happening since 9/11.

The incident comes close on the heels of the ex-president APJ Abdul Kalam being frisked earlier.

PTI adds:

Reacting to the incident, Shah Rukh said that after he was stopped he sent messages to his home, his secretary and Congress MP Rajiv Shukla, who informed the Indian Mission which came to his rescue.

“I have always been worried about travelling to America. I shy away from all this. I don’t look like a terrorist going to do anything to the country,” he said.

“I did feel bad. I felt angry. I am glad my family wasn’t there. God knows what they would have done to them,” Khan added.

Other detention ordeals:

It’s not the first time that Indian actors have become victims of racial profiling abroad. Here’s a list of those who have gone through similar ordeal.

2002: Kamal Hassan was detained at the Toronto airport in Canada for his “Islamic” last name by airport officials.

2002: Megastar Aamir Khan was strip searched and interrogated at the Chicago airport.

2008: Film director Kabir Khan was also detained at least three times last year when he was shooting in United States for his film New York.

2008: Actor Neil Nitin Mukesh was also questioned because the officials thought that he wasn’t Indian.

2009: Southern superstar Mammooty was detained because his name on the passport was Muhammad Kutty Ismail.

Pakistan is to celebrate 62nd Independence Day

2009-08-15T07:18:00.000-07:00

Nations far older than Pakistan continue to debate the meaning of loaded terms such as ‘freedom’ and ‘independence.’ In our country, that debate is particularly multifaceted. After all, even at this nation’s inception, freedom meant more than one thing: independence from British colonial rule, the option of choosing a new homeland, and the promise of living without the burden of oppression that minorities are subjected to.

Over the years, freedom has meant different things to Pakistani citizens – from Dhaka to Kashmir and beyond. But the meaning of freedom has always been negotiated and contested. Think, for a moment, of all the different contexts in which we champion our freedom: we had free and fair elections in February 2008; the lawyers’ movement agitated for a free judiciary; the freedom of our media was compromised during emergency rule in 2007; and most of the young couples who fall victim to the practice of karo kari are termed by the media as ‘freewill couples.’

Just this year, or even in the past few days, the idea of freedom has been floated and interrogated in many different contexts by Pakistani citizens. After Gojra, and similar attacks on minority communities, can we say Pakistanis are free to practice the religion they want? Just months after the Taliban assumed control of Malakand, can we say that all Pakistanis are free to educate their children and avail of any medical treatment they want?

And what of independence? What does an independent judiciary signify in a country where parallel justice systems proliferate? And what can a desire for independence mean for a nation in light of recent demands for a separate province for Seraiki speakers, or even recent comments by the Khan of Kalat?

On Independence Day, TheCurrentAffairs.com invites its readers to debate these issues to help generate a better understanding of what ‘independence’ and ‘freedom’ mean in present-day Pakistan.

Kareena Kapoor Wallpapers,Pictures,Images

2009-07-19T08:01:00.000-07:00

The most stylish lyrics (songs) in Bollywood

2009-07-19T07:41:00.000-07:00

Last five years have witnessed the rain of creativity in penning down lyrics. ‘Dhan Te Nan’ is one such creation of Vishal Bhardwaj which is a part of his forthcoming directorial venture Kaminey. Kaminey comes across as an interesting film with this song already topping the charts. So, we thought of bringing you a list of songs which have umpteen style quotients attached to them. Here, we go with ‘Dhan Te Nan’.
Dhan Te Nan (Kaminey)- This track definitely comes as a refreshing treat for the music-lovers who crave for originality in creative endeavours. Kaminey is slated to release in August. However, ‘Dhan Te Nan’ has already caught the attention of one and all for its unconventional lyrics and music.

Aey Ganpat Chal Daru La (Shootout at Lokhandwala)- Shootout at Lokhandwala has all the important components in it to make big at the box-office. However, music again got its audiences head over heels to watch the film and make it a big success. ‘Aey Ganpat Chal Daru La’ became one of the unique selling points and in-fact is the most stylish tracks till date composed in B-Town.

Read full news here

Cat Fight between Bipasha and Mugdha

2009-07-19T07:35:00.000-07:00

Though Producer Kumar Mangat’s claims that, shoot of ‘All the Best’, in Goa went off smoothly but there was visible tension on the sets between the two ladies Bipasha and Mugdha.The story goes that Bipasha and Mugdha were constantly insecure about the length of footage being given to the other in a song. Suddenly, Bipasha felt that Mugdha couldn’t dance and began teaching the newcomer a few steps.
“Problems between the two actresses escalated during the second song, which also has them sharing screen space. They refused to speak to each other even when it was absolutely necessary and director Rohit Shetty and choreographer Bosco Caesar found it quite difficult to handle the situation,” said a source from the unit.
The animosity eventually reached a point where the two actresses flatly refused to shoot together. Mugdha initially refused to talk about the issue. On being probed further she said, “Bipasha and I were cordial with each other.Bipasha refuted the news and said, “Ridiculous, everybody was together and having fun while shooting. There were no cold vibes between anybody.”

Career is more important than kids: Aishwarya

2009-07-19T07:04:00.000-07:00

It is said that one can never leave the taste of success when one becomes prone to it, similar is the case with former Miss World and an eminent Bollywood actress Aishwarya Rai Bachchan.The actress has raised the speculation as she conveyed openly that career has more importance in her life than having kids.
She said, “If I want to remain in the film industry then I need to stay fit.News is that people are worried as it will be two years since Abhishek-Aishwarya’ wedding and still she is not going to add another member to the Bachchan family.
She said that she will not give birth to a child till her career is at a high. Therefore she wants to totally focus on her career right now and Abhishek also agrees with the same.

Hybrid Solar Cells Shine

2009-07-19T03:46:00.000-07:00

As the race to create clean, renewable power heats up, the solar industry is focusing on a technology in hopes of producing utility-scale energy.
Concentrating photovoltaic (CPV) solar power -- which marries traditional solar photovoltaic technology to large-scale concentrated solar power plants -- could ramp up utility-scale solar production, advocates say, especially in niche markets. But as with all developing technologies, the effort faces significant hurdles.
CPV technology involves magnifying the sun's energy hundreds of times via lenses or mirrors and focusing it onto small, extremely efficient photovoltaic cells. By magnifying the solar energy, the technology can reduce the amount of semiconductor material needed for the photovoltaic cell.

Read full news here

Space Shuttle Endeavour launch delay for lightning

2009-07-19T02:12:00.000-07:00

11 lightning strikes were reported near the seaside launch pad of space shuttle Endeavour. For that reason NASA scrubbed space shuttle Endeavour's Saturday evening launch.
NASA technicians said they will need at least another day to check critical systems. They did not found any damage after an electrical storm Friday afternoon yet. After all the testing has been completed and whether to fuel Endeavour for a possible Sunday evening launch. Liftoff would be at 7:13 p.m. if NASA attempts to launch Sunday.
Mike Moses, chairman of that team, said there were 11 lightning strikes within three-tenths of a mile of the pad, although none of them struck the shuttle, external tank or the two solid rocket boosters.
At the pad, the shuttle has an elaborate lightning protection system with sensors and wires to direct lightning away from the shuttle and its rockets.
"The lightning protection system did its job," he said.
Sunday's weather is expected to slightly better, with conditions 60 percent favorable for launch. The main concern will be thunderstorms.
Endeavour should have blasted off to the international space station in mid-June, but was grounded by potentially dangerous leaks of hydrogen gas. Repairs to a misaligned plate on the external fuel tank, which hooks up with a hydrogen vent line, solved the problem.
The shuttle and its crew are set to deliver and install the third and final piece of Japan's $1 billion space station lab, named Kibo — Japanese for hope. The first two sections flew up last year.

How Dr Shah Rukh Khan keeps his awards

2009-07-12T06:12:00.000-07:00

On Friday, Shah Rukh Khan was presented an honorary doctorate in arts and culture by the University of Bedfordshire. Dressed in ceremonial robes, King Khan was his usual charming self. And just like his acting roles, SRK wants to take his scholarly duties seriously.

Apart from film awards, SRK was honoured with the Padmashri in 2005. Internationally he was conferred the Order of The Arts and Literature Award by the French government in 2007 and last year Malaysia's Datuk honour, similar to British Knighthood.
SRK mentioned that all his awards go .....
“On one wall, where I have my personal desk, where I keep my scripts, I have the Padmashri, the French honour the Malaysian honour. This one will go there. The Filmfare awards are in front of me. So I am like a megalomaniac, self-centered person who likes to be surrounded by his awards,” he said.

Latest Mobile Phones: The 3G Technology Handsets With Latest Fascinating Features

2009-07-06T04:56:00.000-07:00

There are several latest mobile phones in the market which come with a lot of stunning features and gorgeous look. These features are proved to be very helpful for the people.

This is the 3G technology era and in this era each and everyday people want to experience new things with innovative thoughts and ideas. Nowadays people like to perform their daily work with the help of electronic devices. In the recent times, mobile phones have become the indispensable needs of the people.

There are several brands in the arena of mobile phones which are competing with each other. The brands like Motorola, Nokia, BlackBerry, Sony Ericsson and Samsung etc.can be taken as instances. All these brands have launched a lot of mobile phones with outstanding features and wonderful looks. Some of the latest mobile phones which can be taken as instances are Apple iPhone 3G S, BlackBerry Storm 9500, HTC Magic, LG GC900 Viewty 2 and Nokia N97 etc.

Read Full story here.

Michael Jackson "MJ" Passed Away at 50

2009-06-28T12:07:00.000-07:00

The King of Pop Michael Jackson was announced dead today after paramedics found him in a coma at his Bel-Air mansion, according to law enforcement.
Michael Jackson rushed to hospital, UCLA Medical Center but Jackson was not breathing anymore. According to LA Times, Jackson was in full cardiac arrest when rescue units arrived on scene.

The circumstances of Jackson's death remain unclear. However LOS Angeles Police department robbery-homicide detectives have opened an investigation on Jackson cause of death and confirmed that no evidence of criminal wrongdoing.

We all know that Michael contributed a lot in music industry, and nobody could do it more better than the King of Pop - the stunning child singer who fronted the Jackson 5 - the dynamite of Jackson Family.

His music was all-around, funk and rock, black and white, power chords and ballads. Thriller, remember that moonwalk? How about Man in the Mirror, and the controversial Billie Jean? These are a few of Michael Jackson greatest hits, He's a truly brilliant music artist.

Michael Jackson Death Spurs Spam, Viruses

2009-06-28T06:37:00.000-07:00

Less than 24 hours after Michael Jackson's death, fraudsters are exploiting public interest with their attempts to spread spam and malware. Security researchers say they've observed hundreds of cases of malicious messages masquerading as information about Jackson's death. Some of them, they say, popped up within minutes of the news.

Avoiding these threats isn't difficult, though: It's just a matter of staying one step ahead. Here are some of the attackers' tactics and what you can do to keep from falling victim.

Read full story here

Death of the trackball mouse

2009-06-28T06:11:00.000-07:00

Ever wonder what happened to the track ball that was so famous in the 90’s? People swore by the logitech “giant ball” mouse.. Sure you can still get the trackball at retailers but those seem to be getting fewer and fewer in numbers. Gamersyndrome has a great article on the “death of the trackball”. I personally never understood the trackball, even after using one I thought it was annoying and cumbersome. Any readers out there still uses a trackball mouse?

Cell Phone GPS Tracking - Is it Possible?

2009-06-23T05:42:00.000-07:00

The modern world has a lot to offer and one is cell phone GPS tracking. Is that really possible?
Maybe you're wondering if a cell phone truly has a GPS feature. That is possible nowadays, thanks to the advanced technology of our times. Mobile communications is far more advanced today because of the GPS. Orbiting satellites in outer space can provide you with the information you need by transmitting the data to your cell phones.
If you're lost or if someone close to you is lost, you can make use of the cell phone GPS tracking system. Business people can benefit from this cell phone feature because they can now track all their business matters. The cell phone is not merely for contacting business associates and loved ones but now it can be used as a navigation tool.
Licensed companies will provide you with the information you need and you can also access detailed records for certain requests. You can also have the option to slip away from the service by selecting the 'hide' icon on your cell phone.
However, there are certain hot issues today in using a cell phone GPS tracking. Some people say that their right to privacy is being invaded.
So be sure to do business with a licensed GPS company provider so that you will know that you're safe and protected at the same time.
Issues should not get in the way if you want to get a cell phone GPS tracking service. It might be an additional cost on your part but the benefits are great.
Darryl Power is a writer of GPS Articles. Visit http://www.gpsgloblepro.com/ and read more on Cell Phone GPS Tracking and Motorcycle GPS systems.

Inflatable Tower Could Reach the Edge of Space

2009-06-21T04:31:00.000-07:00

Researchers say that a giant inflatable tower could carry people to the edge of space without the need for a rocket, and could be completed much sooner than a cable-based space elevator.Inflatable pneumatic modules already used in some spacecraft could be assembled into a 15-kilometre-high tower, say Brendan Quine, Raj Seth and George Zhu at York University in Toronto, Canada.If built from a suitable mountain top it could reach an altitude of around 20 KM, where it could be used for atmospheric research, tourism, telecoms or launching spacecraft.The tower does a similar job as the proposed space elevator. But while the elevator envisages using ribbons woven from superstrong nanotubes - a material that is as yet non-existent - the tower would use materials that are already available.

Whoes The Winners of IIFA 2009 ?

2009-06-14T08:24:00.000-07:00

There were no surprises for the evening as expected, IIFA awards went to stars who had already bagged a Filmfare this year.

Best Film
Jodhaa Akbar

Best Actor in a Leading Role – Male
Hrithik Roshan – Jodhaa Akbar

Best Actor in a Leading Role – Female
Priyanka Chopra– Fashion

Best Director
Ashutosh Gowariker – Jodhaa Akbar

Best Actor in a Supporting Role – Male
Arjun Rampal – Rock On!!

Best Actor in a Supporting Role – Female
Kangna Ranaut – Fashion

Best Actor in a Negative Role
Akshaye Khanna – Race

Best Story
Neeraj Pandey – A Wednesday!

Best Debutant Star – Male
Farhan Akhtar

Best Debutant Star – Female
Asin

Outstanding Achievement by an Indian in International Cinema
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan

Best Actor in a Comic Role
Abhishek Bachchan – Dostana

Best Music
A R Rahman – Jodhaa Akbar

Best Lyrics
Javed Akhtar – Jashn-E-Bahara (Jodhaa Akbar)

Best Playback Singer – Male
Javed Ali – Jashn-e-Baharaa (Jodhaa Akbar)

Best Playback Singer – Female
Shreya Ghoshal – Teri Ore (Singh is Kinng)

Best Dialogue
Manu Rishi – Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye!

Best Background Score
A R Rahman

Star of the Decade – Male
Shah Rukh Khan

Star of the Decade – Female
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan

Music Director of the Decade
A R Rahman

Giving Aishwarya Rai Star of the Decade was over the top though. Folks what do you think about the awards?

SRK to do dangerous stunts in Don2

2009-06-14T08:12:00.000-07:00

Director Farhan Akhtar’s sequel to Don would show SRK doing more dangerous and breath taking stunts in Don 2.

Farhan talking about SRK’s shoulder surgery says, He’s always game for the audacious. But the health problems really frustrate him.”

Priyanka Chopra who starred in the Don will also be back in Don2 albeit in a more racy avatar.

Producer Ritesh sidhwani says, “We’re very much going ahead with the original cast Shah Rukh, Priyanka, Boman Irani, Arjun Rampal and Om Puri.Only those who died in the original won’t return, obviously.”

Also, for obvious reasons, this time there won’t be a double role for Shah Rukh. What he will be be doing is, some of the most heart-in-the-mouth stunts ever done by any leading man and certainly SRK’s most audacious actioner yet.

For this Shah Rukh needs to recover from this year’s back surgery. Says a source, “This is why he allotted dates in 2009 to Karan Johar’s My Name Is Khan. It requires very little physical exertion whereas Don 2 is a kick-ass role.”

We’re shooting Don 2 in Dublin .No Indian film has been shot there. We want to make sure that the sequel goes ahead of the first film. While the first part was a remake the sequel is an original script and would be much tougher to film for Shah Rukh and Farhan.”

Big Entertainment on Sony Ericsson W995 phone

2009-06-14T07:44:00.000-07:00

It’s being dubbed as the ultimate on-the-go entertainment experience. The Sony Ericsson W995 Walkman phone certainly packs in a lot in terms of entertainment. Media Go - a new software that debuts with this phone — transfers, plays and organises entertainment media in most formats without much hassles.

Watching videos is a great experience because of the good resolution and also because of the size of the screen — 2.6 inch. The built-in stand ensures hands-free viewing as well and battery power backs up two feature-length films. Video that is transferred from a PC to this phone does not play in low resolution or bad quality.

The extra Pocket Home Theatre speakers — MS410 — add a wow factor to this phone and can be clipped on externally to pump up the volume. It takes the sound experience to another level.

If you’re an audio freak this is the phone for you. The clear sound quality, whether it’s through the phone’s built in speakers or through any headphone connected with the 3.5-mm jack, enhances all your favourite music. The FM radio feature is also available in the W995 and premium HPM-77 headphones come with the package. In fact, here’s a gadget that doesn’t put you off listening to music on a phone. A 8GB memory stick micro comes in handy to save a huge amount of photos, video clips and audio.

If sound is the USP of the W995, the 8.1 megapixel camera comes with some bells and whistles of its own. It features a 16x digital zoom and offers photo fix, face detection and smile detection. Pictures can, in fact, be printed up to a full A3 size without having to compromise on quality. Video blogging, video light and video stabiliser, too, are featured in this phone.

Other features include geo-tagging, GPS, Google Maps and a three-month trial version of Wayfinder Navigator. Finally, the Walk Mate software will help you keep tabs on your fitness quotient by enabling you to measure the number of steps that you take daily.

World Largest Mobile Phone set record

2009-06-03T20:37:00.000-07:00

Among the assorted methods to contact Guinness World Records, dialing a special number combination - 4.57 x 3.42 x .74 m (15 x 11.2 x 2.5 ft) - became Cricket Communications’ and Samsung Mobile’s hotline to Guinness World Records success.
Envisioned for the two companies by creative agency ‘Neverstop, Inc.’, the fully-operational, scaled-up SCH-r450 mobile phone was fabricated in North Hollywood, California by model-making and set construction studio ‘Merritt Productions, Inc.’

Cricket Cell Phone - World Biggest Mobile Phone World Record Video

The green hulk of a phone was completed within approximately 5 weeks, and privately verified by Guinness World Records adjudicator Danny Girton Jr. on 4 March at Merritt Productions. The phone was then transported to Chicago, Illinois, where it was publicly unveiled to dozens of curious and excited onlookers. All spectators gathered were also encouraged to make calls or to send text messages from the Guinness World Records certified ‘largest mobile (cell) phone.’

Digital Sky Technologies invests $200 Million in FB

2009-05-28T10:37:00.000-07:00

By siliconindia news bureau

Bangalore: Facebook has announced that a Russian Internet-investment group, Digital Sky Technologies has invested $200 million in the company. This will give Digital Sky Technologies a 1.96 percent equity stake at a $10 billion valuation. Digital Sky is run by Russian businessman and Internet investor Yuri Milner. It has stakes in a number of Russian Internet properties like Mail.ru, and a Polish social-networking site.

Wall Street Journal on Friday had correctly reported that Digital Sky had offered to invest $200 million in Facebook at a $10 billion valuation. The report also claimed that Digital Sky might offer to buy between $100 million and $150 million in Facebook common stock at a $6.5 billion valuation. In the press release, Facebook informed that Digital Sky is planning to purchase at least $100 million of Facebook common stock from existing stockholders. Even though Digital Sky will get $100 million worth of share but they will not get a board seat.

Since Digital Sky already has some experience in social networking site, it was easy for Facebook to accept the offer. "One of the things that's most interesting about Digital Sky is in their portfolio they have a large number of social networks. Each is able to monetize in different ways but all are effective," said Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook CEO at a press conference.

Warid brings green technology to Pakistan

2009-05-28T10:28:00.000-07:00

Lahore—The green technology has finally landed in Pakistan – another first by Warid Telecom. To protect environment by introducing the environment friendly or green energy for mobile in Pakistan, Warid is in lead to introduce/deploy solar powered Macro Base Stations (BTS).

The non-hybrid site is 100% powered on solar energy thereby reducing carbon dioxide emissions and noise pollution, both of which are unfriendly to the environment. The solution also reduces pressure on Pakistan’s overall energy supply which further benefits the environment.

Environment-friendly Solar Powered Macro BTS allows Warid to extend its network reach to the rural areas of the country where there is no commercial power or frequent electric failures. Solar power system integrated with energy storage can also provide backup power during the worst power outages. Every residential PV system reduces greenhouse gas emissions as much as removing one car from the road.

In four year of operations Warid has covered 450 cities and having further ambition to aggressively expand its network coverage especially in small and medium sized cities, suburban areas, countryside, as well as in mountainous areas with poor transportation links.

Hip Hop Music 2009

2009-05-28T06:05:00.000-07:00

ACE HOOD - CHAMPION (FEAT. RICK ROSS & JAZMINE SULLIVAN)

ACE HOOD - LOCO WITH THE CAKE

ACE HOOD - YOU SEE IT (FEAT. CHOPPER CITY)

BALI - I DON’T GIVE A FUCK (FEAT. PAPA DUCK & ACE HOOD)

BROOKE HOGAN - HEY YO! (FEAT. COLBY O’DONIS)

FRANKIE J - BRING IT BACK

GLASSES MALONE - SUN COME UP REMIX (FEAT. T-PAIN, RICK ROSS & MACK 10)

GUCCI MANE - MO MONEY (FEAT. OJ DA JUICEMAN)

HOT STYLZ - THIK AND FYE (FEAT. TWISTA)

J MONEY - FIRST NAME, LAST NAME (FEAT. YOUNG JEEZY)

LIL SCRAPPY - HOMOCIDE (FEAT. BUN B)

James Makes Money

Download the update Hip Hop music songs from here!!!

Web service Twitter proposes TV competition series

2009-05-27T05:39:00.000-07:00

The social-networking service said that it has teamed with Reveille productions and Brillstein Entertainment Partners to develop an unscripted series based on the site, which invites 140-character postings from members around the world.

The show would harness Twitter to put players on the trail of celebrities in an interactive, competitive format.

The producers call their proposed series the first to bring the immediacy of Twitter to the TV screen.

Read full story here.

Scientists test superjet technology in Australia

2009-05-26T11:54:00.000-07:00

An Australian Department of Defence handout of the launch of a test vehicle as part of a hypersonics trial in Woomera, South Australia. Australian and US scientists have successfully tested hypersonic aircraft technology which could revolutionise international flight, officials said

Australian and US scientists have successfully tested hypersonic aircraft technology which could revolutionise international flight, officials said.

Read full story here!!!

Web 2.0 application developed to recommend television programmes

2009-05-26T11:45:00.000-07:00

A group of researchers from the University of Vigo, Spain, has developed a Web 2.0 application that filters the programming schedules of hundreds of television channels to recommend programmes that viewers are most likely to be interested in, according to their tastes, timetables and other users' recommendations. This new social network is already being used by students and is freely available on the Internet.

The era of channel-hopping by television viewers trying to find a programme they like is almost over. The range of channels on offer has expanded spectacularly over recent years with the development of digital platforms, cable television and DTT, meaning it is now impossible for viewers to keep tabs on everything being shown and programmes they might want to watch.

Read full story here

The Largest Airplane in the World - Antonov 225

2009-05-23T10:40:00.000-07:00

When the Wright brothers flew their first plane they were elated. They had accomplished a feat no man had ever dreamed possible. Today we have planes of varying shapes and sizes, carrying individuals, small groups of passengers, cargo and packages, or hundreds of people at a time.

Despite the advances in technology over the years, it’s still difficult to comprehend something as monstrous as the Antonov 225 staying afloat in the skies. Contrary to popular belief, an aircraft of this size does not have a very recent design history. As a matter of fact, the Antonov 225 has been trailing the skies since the late 1980’s.
The Birth of the Antonov 225

The Largest Airplane in the World - Antonov 225

The Antonov 225 was not designed without purpose. In the 1980’s the Soviet space program realized there was a need for a plane large enough to transport their Buran space shuttle. After it flew on December of 1988, the original plane was put on display at the Paris Air Show.

Antonov 225 currently has a maximum gross weight of 1.323 million pounds and can carry either internal cargo weighting up to 550,000 pounds or external cargo weighting up to 440,000 pounds.

he current Antonov 225 has completed dozens of commercial flights as well as those involved in humanitarian efforts. The plane has delivered supplies all over the world, including Iraq, and has been contracted by the United States and Canadian governments. The An-225 even found its way into the Guinness Book of World Records.

While astounding in size, there’s no doubt that the Antonov 225 is one of the most incredible airplanes to ever take flight. Hopefully the completion of the second plane in 2010 will serve to open the doors for additional opportunities, especially as far as humanitarian and relief efforts are concerned.

Scientists Develop Plastic That Grows on Trees

2009-05-21T05:35:00.000-07:00

Some researchers hope to turn plants into a renewable, nonpolluting replacement for crude oil. To achieve this, scientists have to learn how to convert plant biomass into a building block for plastics and fuels cheaply and efficiently. In new research, chemists have successfully converted cellulose -- the most common plant carbohydrate -- directly into the building block called HMF in one step.

Read full story

The World’s Smallest Car

2009-05-20T20:49:00.001-07:00

47-year-old Terry Watkins from The UK, has created the world’s smallest car ~ 39 inches tall, 26 inches wide and 51 inches long which is almost half the size of the current world record holder. The little car is powered by the engine found on lawn mower and has got the chassis from children’s toy car. Watkins has put on working headlights and tail lights, windshield wipers, signals and horn, and he got his license plate making it fully street legal. This little car can speed up to 40mph and it gets 70 miles per gallon. Video after the break.

Reference By: http://dvice.com/archives/2009/05/british-guy-bui.php

Palm Pre coming to US on June 6

2009-05-20T20:32:00.000-07:00

Palm Pre has finally got an official release date. It’s now confirmed that it’ll be released by Sprint in the United States on June 6.

Starting June 6, this long-awaited smart phone will be made available nationwide in the US, not only via Sprint, it can also be obtained from others such as Best Buy, Radio Shack and selected Wal-Mart locations. You just need to pay for $199 after a $100 mail-in rebate for a Sprint’s 2-year contract that gets you either a Everything Data plan or Business Essentials with Messaging and Data plan.

This webOS-powered handset will also come with a couple of accessories such as a Touchstone charging dock ($49.99), and a Touchstone back cover ($19.99). Or they can be purchased together in the Touchstone Charging Kit that costs $69.99.

Reference By: http://www.unwiredview.com/2009/05/19/palm-pre-officially-coming-on-june-6-for-199-with-a-sprint-contract/

Nokia 6600i slide 5Mpix Mobile Phone Now Available

2009-05-20T05:46:00.000-07:00

Nokia introduces the new 6600i, the successor of the 6600 slide, which is the cellphone maker’s smallest 5 Megapixel slider. The 6600i is a 3G phone with a 2.2-inch LCD display, a 5 Megapixel camera with dual LED flash, integrated media player, Bluetooth and a microSD card slot.

The 6600i slide is based on Nokia’s Series 40. It is compatible with Ovi Store. The phone will be released in Q3 2009 for about Euro 200.

Home Remedies to Avoid Swine Flu

2009-05-18T21:24:00.000-07:00

Swine influenza is common in pigs in the midwestern United States (and occasionally in other states), Mexico, Canada, South America, Europe (including the United Kingdom, Sweden, and Italy), Kenya, Mainland China, Taiwan, Japan and other parts of eastern Asia.

Home Remedies to Avoid Swine Flu:

Always cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing; ideally use something disposable like a tissue. Avoid touching your face, nose or mouth too frequently with your hands since swine flu appears to be transmitted through respiratory droplets in the same fashion as the common cold.
Wash your hands frequently with soap and water since swine flu like other viruses can be contracted by touching objects contaminated by the virus. It's unsure how long the swine flu virus can survive on surrounding surfaces.
Though alcohol based hand sanitizers don't routinely kill viruses they probably do offer some limited protection in preventing swine flu infections.
If swine flu infections have been medically confirmed in your area consider avoiding large public gatherings. Individuals can be contagious with the swine flu virus for several day before demonstrating any signs or symptoms of infection. Be particularly careful about indoor gatherings where air circulates poorly.
If you're really paranoid and don't mind looking odd then consider wearing a respiratory mask. This barrier method does offer some basic protection against infection though not all masks are created equally. Higher quality masks capable of filtering out some respiratory infections are more expensive.
If you start feeling ill with cold or flu-like symptoms do not go to work. Stay home and begin the usual home remedies for colds and flu. Contact your health care provider, local health department or hospital emergency room if your symptoms worsen or fail to improve for information about where to go to be screened for possible swine flu infection.

Symptoms of Swine Flu:
Just like the regular flu, the symptoms of swine flu are similar. Some of the common indications of swine flu are cough, sore throat, fever, chills, headache, body aches and tiredness. Some people affected with the disease also report vomiting and diarrhea. Lack of any unique symptom makes it very difficult to detect the presence of the virus in the body. Thus, it is always useful toconduct proper testing if any of the said symptoms are occurring.

Reference By: http://ezinearticles.com/?id=2272719

Second World War Tank Found After 62 Years

2009-05-18T20:34:00.000-07:00

WW II Russian tank with German markings uncovered after 62 years. WW II Buffs will find this interesting. Even after 62 years (and a little tinkering), they were able to fire up the diesel engine!
A Komatsu D375A-2 bulldozer pulled the abandoned tank from its tomb under the boggy bank of a lake near Johvi , Estonia . The Soviet-built T34/76A tank had been resting at the bottom of the lake for 56 years. According to its specifications, it’s a 27-ton machine with a top speed of 53km/hr.

2nd World War Tank Found After 62 Years

From February to September 1944, heavy battles were fought in the narrow, 50 km-wide, Narva front in the northeastern part of Estonia . Over 100,000 men were killed and 300,000 men were wounded there. During battles in the summer of 1944, the tank was captured from the Soviet army and used by the German army.

At that time, a local boy walking by the lake, Kurtna Matasjarv, noticed tank tracks leading into the lake but not coming out anywhere. For two months he saw air bubbles emerging from the lake. This gave him reason to believe that there must be an armored vehicle at the lake’s bottom. A few years ago, he told the story to the leader of the local war history club ‘Otsing’. Together with other club members, Mr. Igor Shedunov initiated diving expeditions to the bottom of the lake about a year ago. At the depth of 7 metres they discovered the tank resting under a 3 metre layer of peat.

The pulling operation began at 09:00 and was concluded at 15:00, with several technical breaks. The weight of the tank, combined with the travel incline, made for a pulling operation that required significant muscle. The D375A-2 handled the operation with power and style. The weight of the fully-armed tank was around 30 tons, so the active force required to retrieve it was similar. A main requirement for the 68-ton dozer was to have enough weight to prevent slippage while moving up the hill.

After the tank surfaced, it turned out to be a “trophy tank” that had been captured by the German army in the course of the battle at Sinimaed (Blue Hills) about six weeks before it was sunk in the lake. Altogether, 116 shells were found on board. Remarkably, the tank was in good condition, with NO RUST, and alll systems (except the engine) in working condition. This is a very rare machine, especially considering that it fought both on the Russian and the German sides. Plans are underway to fully restore the tank. It will be displayed at a war history museum in the Gorodenko village on the left bank of the River Narv.

Above The World Entertainment R&B Singer Kicks Down the Door of Opportunity American Idol Style

2009-05-17T20:51:00.001-07:00

R&B performer Rodney Louis Baker is shaking up the independent music scene these days. Known for his innovative stage performances and marketing skills he has once again set what may be a huge trend among his fellow independents. With the blessing of his parent company Above The World Entertainment Baker has as he calls it "made the first official internet pitch to Simon Fuller of 19 entertainment and American Idol finalist Adam Lambert". The pitch just about cripples the notion of indie artist not being able to cut through the red tape to get a fair listen.

The simple fact that 19 entertainment and Adam Lambert are mentioned in the historical pitch Baker taps into the massive exposure that 19 entertainment, American Idol and Adam Lambert are receiving. However slim the chances are of getting Lambert or his company to record his composition "get it on" Baker also knows there is a good chance that his music will be heard by a new audience either way. The video is a basic slide show of Adam in some Idol moments, it plays a penetrating Track composed by Baker that may suit Adam quite well.

American Idol Top Three Performer
The final three contestants in American Idol 2009 performed on the show last night hoping to impress judges and the public before next week’s final.
This week’s theme was ‘Judge’s choice/ contestants choice’ meaning they each got to pick a track for the trio to sing.

Read the full news here

Pakistan would not provide nuclear details to any country, says Gilani

2009-05-17T11:43:00.000-07:00

Islamabad, May 17: Amid consistent demands from the international community for sharing details of its nuclear establishments, Pakistan Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani has said that no foreign country would be handed over any details in this regard.

“We are determined to retain nuclear deterrence at all costs while ensuring foolproof security of our nuclear assets. No use of coercion, direct or indirect, will ever force Pakistan to compromise on its core security interests,” The Nation quoted Gilani, as saying.

Gilani claimed that Pakistan has world-class security arrangements for its nuclear armaments and that questions being raised over their safety were an effort to malign the country’s image internationally.

“Pakistan has developed and operationlised an immaculate nuclear weapons security regime and insinuations to the contrary are plain mischievous and designed to create doubts in the minds of the people of Pakistan,” he said.

Commenting on the Swat military operation, Gilani said the government had taken all the political parties into its confidence before launching the operation.

He said the Taliban was given maximum time to let the process of dialogue continue and peace deal work, but they (Taliban) did not abide by the accord.

“They (Taliban) wanted to make a state within state and were working on a foreign agenda,” Gilani added.

He expressed hope that the Pakistan Army would be able to achieve its target in the war which was very important for the country’s survival.

“We can’t afford to lose the war, as otherwise country’s survival is at stake,” Gilani said. (ANI)

A story line to push the economy

2009-05-17T11:32:00.000-07:00

NEW HAVEN, Conn. — Since hitting bottom in early March, the world's major stock markets have all risen dramatically. Some, notably in China and Brazil, reached lows last fall and again in March, before rebounding sharply, with Brazil's Bovespa up 75 percent in May compared to late October 2008, and the Shanghai Composite up 54 percent in roughly the same period. The stock market news just about everywhere has been very good since March.

Does this suggest that the world economic crisis is coming to an end? Could it be that everyone becomes optimistic again at the same time, bringing a quick end to all our problems?

During a boom, people considering getting into asset markets weigh the fear of regret if they don't against the pain of possible loss if they do. There is no authoritative answer about what the "right" decision is, and no consensus among experts about the proper level of exposure to these markets. Should it be 30 percent stocks and 70 percent in housing? Or the reverse? Who knows?

So the ultimate human decision must be based on the relative salience of these discordant emotional factors. In a boom environment, the emotional factors are biased toward getting into the market.

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Amitabh launches 10th int'l Indian film awards

2009-05-10T13:15:00.000-07:00

MACAU:The legendary Indian actor Amitabh Bachchan appeared in Macau at a press conference on Friday (08 MAY 2009) to launch the 10th International Indian Film Awards (IIFA).

The awards are set to be held in Macau, China next month after touring to South Africa, Singapore, Thailand, Holland and Great Britain.

The three day event will be held at Venetian Hotel from June 11 to 13.

Bachchan, who serves as the IIFA brand ambassador, said he was pleased the awards were spreading their wings.

"It's been a fantastic journey year after year we have been trying to build IIFA into more than just being another award ceremony coming out of the Indian film industry but adding so many more aspects to it."

The success of British director Danny Boyle's film 'Slumdog Millionaire' brought Bollywood to the attention of the global cinema.

The actor stressed the importance of a good relationship between the Indian movie industry and Hollywood:

"Yes we welcome, we welcome Hollywood. We welcome them because they bring great technology, we welcome them because they have larger funds. We hope that there are many collaborations taking place now between Indian cinema and in Hollywood where jointed films going to be produced. And hopefully this will become much larger and much bigger."

More than 600 million viewers are expected to watch the IIFA ceremony throughout the world.The event is also expected to be a good boost for Chinese tourism. AGENCIES

Deepika Padukone On Ramp picture

2009-05-10T12:48:00.000-07:00

Deepika Padukone

Deepika Padukone, who walked the ramp for Tarun Tahiliani at the Delhi Fashion Week, was in her element. The looker was a natural on the ramp, and she felt at home on it, too. “Delhi is the hub of fashion and where I started modelling,” she said.

So, has a lot changed since her days as a model? “The scene backstage was almost the same. The only new thing was the many international faces, which is encouraging,” she says.

Deepika is now based in Mumbai, but she’s all for Delhi designers. “The clothes that they make are wearable and very creative,” she says. Maybe that’s why she’s coming back to walk the ramp again this week – at the Wills Lifestyle India fashion Week, for Ranna Gill and Rina Dhaka, and she says she’s going to catch up with friends in Delhi.

Pakistani forces drive Taliban from key town

2009-05-10T11:49:00.000-07:00

ISLAMABAD,Pakistan(CNN),Pakistan's military intensified its drive against the Taliban in the country's restive tribal regions Wednesday, reclaiming a key town in the northwest district of Buner.

The military says it killed 50 militants in the operation, while one security officer was killed and three were wounded, Maj. Gen. Athar Abbas, a Pakistani military spokesperson told the press in Rawalpindi.

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Spam helps kill the planet

2009-05-10T11:33:00.000-07:00

Once you read this piece of news, chances are you’ll never look at spam the same way again. Just when we thought that all spam did was to cost plenty of time and money to filter it out, in addition to providing malicious links that could cripple an entire company’s network with a cleverly installed trojan no thanks to the curiousity of some in the company who failed to adhere to rules concerning clicking unverified links, we now have word that spam will also help in the cause of global warming. How does it achieve this? Well, it becomes an environmental scourge by damaging the planet after contributing more greenhouse gas during the course of sending and weeding out spam.

McAfee, the security firm has made a study known as “Carbon Footprint of Spam”, touting a mind-blowing figure that shows the world expends 33 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity, or 33 terawatt-hours, to send, route, and filter spam messages. This is roughly the equivalent of juice required to power 2.4 million homes, where that energy use will emit an equivalent amount of greenhouse gases as 3.1 million passenger cars that drink up 2 billion gallons of gasoline. Talk about leaving not only a trail of destruction across corporate networks and home computers, but spam will also impact our environment in a negative manner! This places even more importance on spam filtering that saves both the environment and money.

Apparently, the same study by McAfee points towards savings of 135 TWh of electricity per year with spam filtering, which is equal to the removal of 13 million cars from the road. Imagine if every e-mail inbox comes with state-of-the-art spam filtering (they didn’t say this, but they would secretly hope for you to use McAfee products), spam could be reduced by up to 75% - similar to 25 TWh per year, that is a reduction comparable to the removal of 2.3 million cars off the road. Now that you know all this, what are you going to do on your part to combat spam and save the environment simultaneously?

Scientists working on Death Star laser

2009-05-09T11:49:00.000-07:00

The National Ignition Facility at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory is working on creating a laser which can compress and heat a single fuel capsule to more than 180 million degrees in order to trigger a thermonuclear reaction. In short, they’re building a Death Star Laser. But for good, not evil. The idea is to create a kind of miniature sun on earth that would supply “limitless, safe, and carbon free energy.”

Normally, fusion – which is the bonding together of heavy atoms to create energy – takes place in hot environments like stars, but with 192 giant lasers, the NIF is attempting to create the same kind of reaction here on earth. The reaction will be accomplished by super heating the outside of a fuel capsule containing about one millionth of a pound of deuterium and tritium. This will cause the interior of the capsule to compress while the exterior explodes much like a star does. The biggest challenge? Containing the reaction as 180 million degrees will melt just about any known substance here on earth. But the reaction itself may be the key to containing it as, according to the NIF, the reaction consumes the cooler outer region faster than the capsule can release the hotter elements, thereby containing it.

Serious ignition testing is scheduled for next year. Then its’ bound to be a horse race to see if it can beat the Hadron collider in destroying the planet.

Two New Technologies that Imitate the Worm

2009-05-09T11:07:00.000-07:00

Worms are taking over technology!The first is a cleaning robot that you see in this picture here.It is developed by Panasonic,and it is known as the Fukitorimushi.I don’t speak Japanese, but it should translate into “cleaning worm”. Like a Roomba, it can somehow sense dirty spots on the floor and clean them up.It does it in an odd way, as it moves across the floor like an inchworm. I am assuming that it does this to imitate the human motion of scrubbing the floor, and captures the dust and grit in its nanocloth sleeve.

So why is the worm being used as a model for new technology? Personally, I think someone has been watching too many episodes of Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles. In case you haven’t been watching it, there is a liquid metal terminator that takes the form of a wiggly worm.

With all these worm-like robots, I can’t help but wonder if we are seeing the beginning of robot evolution. It started with the nanobot, but will it end with the humanoid robot? And will that end be a terminator? Oh, the future looks so bright.

The 5 Most Expensive Addictions

2009-05-09T09:41:00.000-07:00

Despite growing publicity about ’soft’ addictions, drinking, smoking, drug abuse, overeating and gambling still are the most costly to society.

1. Alcohol. Estimated annual cost: $166 billion. Binge drinking hits the unemployed harder on a per capita basis — 10.4%, vs. 8.4% of employed people. It is most prevalent in small metropolitan locales, rather than big cities or rural areas. The $18 billion spent on alcohol and drug treatment last year represented 1.3% of all health care spending.

2. Smoking. Estimated annual cost: $157 billion. The tab includes $75 billion in direct medical expenses, with the rest in lost productivity from ill patients missing work. Given the low-tax (or no-tax) underground cigarette economy on the Web and on Indian reservations, it’s unlikely that sales and usage have dropped much over the past decade, official government statistics notwithstanding.

3. Drugs. Estimated annual cost: $110 billion. Like alcohol, illicit drug use is more prevalent among the unemployed. Most addicts are also heavy drinkers, though only a small minority of alcoholics are drug abusers. Crystal meth has followed marijuana, cocaine and heroin as the drug of choice among the young set.

4. Overeating. Estimated annual cost: $107 billion. Overeating increases the risk of many health problems, including heart attacks. Obesity causes 14% of attacks suffered by males and 20% of those suffered by females, the National Institutes for Health says, and fewer than a third of adults get regular exercise. The bulk of the $107 billion is the direct cost to treat heart disease, osteoarthritis, hypertension, gall bladder disease and cancer.

5. Gambling. Estimated annual cost: $40 billion. Addicted gamblers often feel compelled to chase after bad bets with more money in the hope of winning back their losses. And some who catch the fever develop the need to periodically raise the betting stakes to keep the same thrill. Also, addicts often face job loss, bankruptcy and forced home sales, and they are at greater risk to commit crimes like forgery and embezzlement.

Cluster bomb technology used for seed planting

2009-05-09T06:49:00.000-07:00

Anti War activists hate cluster bombs – mostly because they can be used to deploy anti personnel mines which don’t get picked up long after the last bullet has been fired. And when they go off, even children are victims. But can the technology be harnessed for more constructive and green purposes? Designer Hwang Jin Wook seems to think so and as such, he came up with the “Seedbomb.”

The concept is amazingly simple and represents the coolness of out of the box thinking. Instead of tiny bombs known as “bomblets” or anti personnel mines, the SeedBomb has Seed capsules aligned in a cluster configuration. Each cluster of capsules is packed into a single bomb with dozens of others and when the bomb reaches optimum altitude, the clusters are released to embed all around the impact area. Each capsule contains soil and seeds housed in a biodegradable plastic. The soil is packed with plant rich nutrients and moisture enough to allow the plant seed to germinate (the plastic canister acts as a defacto greenhouse) and grow until the plant can sustain itself. As the plant matures, the biodegradable plastic canister deteriorates until there’s nothing left.

The idea is brilliant for deploying to areas stricken by desertification or deforestation. And It’s easy to see the Forestry department using them to reseed areas that have recently fallen victim to wildfires or bark beetle infestation. But can just planting plants change an environment? Not on it’s own, but if you consider that with all the golf courses it has, that the average temperature of Palm Springs has DROPPED 20 degrees in the last 25 years, it’s worth looking at.

World’s Tallest Lego Tower

2009-05-09T06:40:00.000-07:00

Once again, the record for the world’s largest Lego tower has fallen. Last year, the Lego bricks towered 96 feet over Toronto. This year, in celebration of Lego’s 50th anniversary, participants at Legoland in Windsor, UK built a tower resembling a Viking longboat mast that managed to hit the 96.13-feet mark.

Worlds Tallest Lego Tower