Billy Bob Thornton's Daughter Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison

Credit: Celebrity News October 7, 2011 AT 11:56AM By Rebecca MacateeAP Photo/Orange County Jail

Billy Bob Thornton's estranged daughter was sentenced Thursday to 20 years in prison for a child's death, the Orlando Sentinel reports. Amanda Brumfield was convicted on a charge of aggravated manslaughter after the 2008 death of her goddaughter.
PHOTOS: Celebs in court
Brumfield, 32, had initially faced a murder charge for the death of 1-year-old Olivia Madison Garcia, who died while in her care.
She was babysitting Olivia overnight in October 2008 and claimed that the little girl hit her head while attempting to climb out of her playpen; prosecutors deemed it "impossible" that a fall from such a short height could cause a 3.5-inch fracture on the child's skull.
PHOTOS: Stars' mugshots
Olivia's mother Heather Murphy said Brumfield's sentence sentence was "more than I expected... I feel justice has been served."

David Beckham: Baby Harper Is Giving Me Gray Hair!

Moms & Babies October 3, 2011 AT 12:48PM By Zach Johnson

Raising a baby girl isn't easy!
David Beckham, who welcomed his first daughter with wife Victoria in July, tells WSJ Magazine that baby Harper has taken a toll on his famous coif.

"I got my first gray a few years ago, and a couple more since we've had the little girl," the 36-year-old (also father to sons Brooklyn, 12, Romeo, 8, and Cruz, 6) reveals. "I definitely feel different than I did 10 years ago."


That's not the only sign of aging the soccer star has noticed. Beckham has endured knee trouble and a ruptured Achilles over the years, in addition to a slight stress fracture of his spine.
"It takes a while for the Achilles to warm up," he admits. "Once I've had my coffee, I'm good."


A professional soccer player since 1992, the sexy Brit hopes to play for his national team during the London Olympics in 2012. "I don't just want to be a coach or manager," Beckham tells WSJ Magazine. "I want to play."

VIP Hotspot: CO-OP Food & Drink

Who's hungry?
CO-OP Food & Drink is a modern American brasserie and sushi bar located in downtown NYC at 107 Rivington Street in the Hotel on Rivington.
CO-OP pairs high quality interpretations of modern American cuisine with an extensive selection of sushi, sashimi, and other raw items. In addition to salads, raw options and a la carte sushi rolls, CO-OP offers a variety of warm plates, like the Truffle Mac & Cheese, as well as deluxe plates like the Rivington Steak Frites.
Drinks at CO-OP are also an adventure, and the wine list features solely American wines as a reflection of their locally sourced, sustainable philosophy.
The decor (designed by DeVinn Bruce) is inspired by California during the early '70s intermingled with the gritty edge of NYC's Lower East Side.
This hotspot is a favorite of Twilight hunk Kellan Lutz, What's Your Number? star Anna Faris, Josh Hartnett, Chloe Sevigny and countless other celebs.
WIN NOW! To enter to win a $200 gift certificate at CO-OP, email your full name, date of birth, daytime phone number and address to Giveaways@UsMagazine.com before 10/13. You must include "VIP Hotspot" in the subject line in order to be eligible.

Three women share Nobel Peace Prize 2011

Nobel Peace Prize awarded to two Liberian and one Yemeni women

OSLO, Norway: The 2011 Nobel Peace Prize was awarded on Friday to Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Liberian peace activist Leymah Gbowee and Tawakkul Karman of Yemen for their work on women's rights.

The Norwegian Nobel Committee honoured the three women "for their non-violent struggle for the safety of women and for women's rights to full participation in peace-building work."

"I am very very happy about this prize,'' said Karman, a 32-year-old mother of three who heads the human rights group Women Journalists without Chains. She has been a leading figure in organizing protests against President Ali Abdullah Saleh that kicked off in late January as part of a wave of anti-authoritarian revolts that have convulsed the Arab world.

"I give the prize to the youth of revolution in Yemen and the Yemeni people," Karman said.

Johnson Sirleaf, 72, is a Harvard-trained economist who became Africa's first democratically elected female president in 2005.

She faces a presidential poll this month. She was seen as a reformer and peacemaker in Liberia when she took office. But recently, opponents in the presidential campaign have accused her of buying votes and using government funds to campaign. Her camp denies the charges.

Liberia was ravaged by civil wars for years until 2003. The country is still struggling to maintain a fragile peace with the help of UN peacekeepers.

Liberian peace activist Leymah Gbowee, organized a group of Christian and Muslim women to challenge Liberia's warlords. In 2009 she won a Profile in Courage Award, an honor named for a 1957 Pulitzer Prize-winning book written by John F Kennedy, for her work in emboldening women in Liberia.

Karman's father is a former legal affairs minister under Saleh. She is a journalist and member of Islah party, an Islamic party.

"We cannot achieve democracy and lasting peace in the world unless women obtain the same opportunities as men to influence developments at all levels of society," the prize committee said. 

Bollywood News Gossips – Latest Hot Actresses Upcoming Movies Wallpapers Pics Photos 2011

Zarine Khan – She does not take help from Salman Khan

(1) Zarine Khan is currently looking for a big house in Bandra and she is fed up of Salman Khan Name cropping up in every story connected to her.

They are friends and she doesn’t like using his name for everything. She is capable of finding a home herself and refuses to seek his help for such petty things.

She is currently living in a one BHK apartment and is looking for a bigger flat but the rents in Bandra are sky-high and she doesn’t have a lavish budget.

Zarine Khan Next Movies 2011 - ‘Housefull 2’ and Tamil film ‘Karneekaran’

(2) As per Latest Bollywood Interviews, she said that, "I was offered a lot of item numbers but I wasn't really comfortable. Character Dheela I would not call an item number because it was a funsong and I had Salman in it along with me. I knew nothing would go wrong."

"I am open to such songs where there is no vulgarity or sleaziness."

"The first schedule of Housefull 2 has been completed and now we are gearing up for the next schedule, which will start from next month. I am also doing a Tamil film titled Karikalan with Vikram."

Obama tasks ex-DD man to sell US colleges

WASHINGTON: Suresh Kumar's passage to the United States and its citizenship was different from the standard route. A former Doordarshan newscaster - a contemporary of Salma Sultan and Kabir Bedi - Kumar, an alumnus of Delhi's Hindu College, studied management in Mumbai and worked his way through Greece, Indonesia, Singapore and Canada before coming to the US in the 1980s to teach at Thunderbird School of Management and Rutgers University. "So my model is a little different," he muses, "most people come to US to study and then go to India to teach."

Early next week though, Kumar will travel to India to hawk the virtues of an American education system of which he was not a beneficiary but is now certifiably an expert. As the US Assistant Secretary of Commerce and Director General of the US and Foreign Commercial Service, he is one of the Obama administration's highest ranked Indian-Americans, a spectacular rise in government. Tasked now with leading a Department of Commerce Education Industry Trade Mission to India, he is also pointman for an education export initiative that will take 21 US colleges and universities to New Delhi, Chennai, and Mumbai to connect US educational institutions to potential Indian students and universities.

Not that US education system needs much salesmanship in India. For nearly a decade, India among all countries has been sending to the US the highest number of students, whose population is now upwards of 105,000. But the inflow has tailed off during the last year, and China has retaken the lead. It's a statistic that has furrowed some brows in both academia and government, considering that Indian students plow in more than $ 2 billion annually into the US economy.

Why the Indian admissions are falling off is not quite clear. Indian students are certainly exploring other options such as Canada, Australia, UK and Europe, but anecdotal accounts suggest they could also be staying home for further studies, unsure whether forking out $ 100,000 for a US degree is worth it given the economic downturn and visa and immigration issues that have made headlines. If that is the case, then the US is quite happy to bring its education wares to India.

In any case, the developments coincide with President Obama's National Export Strategy in which India is considered a ''priority market,'' and selling education and technology to India is a key component. Kumar's mandate is not just to attract more Indian students to study in America, but also lubricate the passage of US universities and schools to India, either directly, through collaboration, or even through distance education. A bill before the Indian parliament that enjoins US universities to reinvest their profits in India (and therefore bans repatriation) is not something that has thrilled Washington, but the US is looking at working around this issue, Kumar indicated in an interview on Wednesday.

While Kumar will be in India, India's human resources minister Kapil Sibal will be in Washington DC parlaying with Hillary Clinton in what's termed as the US-India higher education summit. Washington makes no secret of the fact that it considers education an industry and a commodity worthy of export initiatives (measuring ''India's higher education market potential, estimated in the billions of dollars'') it also feels education is an integral part of the strategic partnership between the two countries ''because of its impact on fostering collaboration on critical issues that we face today.''

A Commerce Department brief ahead of Kumar's visit notes that India aims to increase gross enrollment of high school graduates in higher education to 30 percent by 2020, which means almost tripling the enrollment from the present 14 million to 40 million. Presently, the Indian population in the relevant age group enrolled in a higher education course is more than that of Europe, USA, and Australia combined. The United States, whose leadership in education is still unquestioned, is well-positioned to help India reach its higher education enrollment goals, the report notes. As a small benefit, it will also bump up US trade figures with India, which are sharply lower than its figures vis-a-vs China.

latest song 2011

Doc: Sodomy act 'unlikely' for Anwar in his condition

Dutch orthopaedic surgeon Dr Thomas Hoogland took the witness stand for the second consecutive day and was cross-examined by the prosecution in the Sodomy II trial.

Yesterday he told the court the extent of Opposition Leader Anwar Ibrahim's injury as a result of a police assault he suffered after being sacked as deputy prime minister in 1998.

Anwar had surgery on the fourth and fifth lumbar of his lower back in 2004, which had subsequently restricted his mobility and movement.

Hoogland also testified that following inspections done last month, he believes Anwar cannot undertake  any vigorous activity.

Yesterday also saw Kuala Lumpur High Court judge Mohamad Zabidin Mohd Diah striking out the subpoenas served on Prime Minister Najib Razak and his wife, Rosmah Mansor, to testify as witnesses.

Lead defence counsel Karpal Singh has indicated they will appeal yesterday's ruling, which they will file later today.

The hearing may not continue in the afternoon as Najib, who is also finance minister, will be tabling the 2012 Budget.

LIVE REPORTS  

8.45am: Trial begins with High Court judge Mohamad Zabidin Mohd Diah presiding. Dr Thomas Hoogland is called to take the witness stand.

Timeline: Steve Jobs

By Martin Stabe, Sean Smith and Steven Bernard

Steve Jobs, the founder of Apple, has died.
The fortunes of Apple, which briefly became the world’s largest company by stock market value earlier this year have been closely associated with Mr Jobs. Concern over his health has been nearly as big a driver of Apple’s share price as the company’s rapidly rising profits. Apple shares fell 5 per cent in after-hours trading following his resignation as chief executive in August.
In this interactive timeline, the FT looks at key moments over the last 40 years for Mr Jobs and his company.


Steve Jobs, the Apple co-founder and former chief executive regarded as one of the most important American business leaders of his generation, died on Wednesday at the age of 56, after a long struggle with pancreatic cancer.
His death was announced late on Wednesday by Apple’s board, which said: “Steve’s brilliance, passion and energy were the source of countless innovations that enrich and improve all of our lives. The world is immeasurably better because of Steve.”

In a business career that spanned more than three decades, Jobs did more than anyone else in his lifetime to bring personal computing and digital entertainment to ordinary people.

As the news of his death spread thousands of Apple customers and fans of Jobs posted heartfelt appreciations on social networking sites, and tributes poured in from former colleagues and former foes alike.
US president Barack Obama led the tributes. “By building one of the planet’s most successful companies from his garage, he exemplified the spirit of American ingenuity,” Mr Obama said.
“Steve was among the greatest of American innovators – brave enough to think differently, bold enough to believe he could change the world, and talented enough to do it,” the president said in a statement.
“Steve was fond of saying that he lived every day like it was his last. Because he did, he transformed our lives, redefined entire industries, and achieved one of the rarest feats in human history: he changed the way each of us sees the world.”

FT Tech Hub: Remembering Steve

A look at the tributes flooding in from around the world

After returning to lead the Silicon Valley group in 1997 Jobs built Apple into the world’s leading consumer technology company before resigning as chief executive in August of this year and handing over to current chief executive Tim Cook, his longtime deputy.
Jobs had been battling a recurrence of cancer since being diagnosed in 2004. During the second of three medical leaves, he received a donor’s liver in a transplant operation two years ago. He is survived by his wife Laurene and four children, as well as his sister, the novelist Mona Simpson, with whom he was reunited as an adult.
Jobs co-founded Apple Computer in 1976 with his longtime friend Steve Wozniak and also founded Pixar, the computer animation company later sold to Walt Disney.
In a letter to investors at the time of his resignation as Apple chief executive, Jobs said: “I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple’s CEO, I would be the first to let you know. Unfortunately, that day has come.”
Bob Iger, chief executive of Disney, where Jobs was a director and the largest individual investor, said: “Steve was such an original, with a thoroughly creative, imaginative mind that defined an era.”
Though his name was on many Apple patents, he borrowed, bought or popularised other ideas closely associated with the company’s rollercoaster fortunes. He eschewed market research and served as a one-man focus group, colleagues said.
He insisted on total control over Apple hardware and software – not as a designer himself but as a fan, ordering products he wanted to use.
“He’s someone who had amazing taste and could get great work out of other people”, said biographer Leander Kahney, who edits Cultofmac.com, a daily Apple news website.

Interactive Timeline

Steve Jobs at Apple Key moments over the last 40 years

“The world rarely sees someone who has had the profound impact Steve has had, the effects of which will be felt for many generations to come,” Bill Gates, Microsoft founder, said in a blog post. “For those of us lucky enough to get to work with him, it’s been an insanely great honour. I will miss Steve immensely.”
Jobs learnt business tactics only because he had to. After he lost a power struggle and left Apple in the 1980s, the company floundered until it reached the brink of bankruptcy. His return in 1997 began a historic corporate comeback that accelerated with the iPod in 2001, the iPhone in 2007, and the iPad, which was introduced last year but already brings in more revenue than the company’s Mac computers.
After permanently upsetting the balance of power in the music and phone industries, Apple’s tablets are now dramatically shaking up the computer industry, where Mr Jobs began. The performance has made millionaires out of many Apple employees and even large ordinary shareholders, who briefly saw the company become the world’s most valuable earlier this year. In stock capitalisation, it is now behind only Exxon-Mobil.
Additional reporting by Richard Waters, Chris Nuttall and Alan Cane

Palin drops out of presidential race

Former Alaska governor Sarah Palin ended her months-long flirtation with a presidential bid Wednesday, announcing in a letter to supporters that she will use her influence next year to help elect Republicans from statehouses to the White House.
Palin’s announcement, which also cited the needs of her family, ends nearly a year’s worth of media speculation about her political aspirations that she fuelled with regular public comments and posts on Twitter and Facebook and with a high-profile bus tour over the summer that included stops in key early-voting states.
Among the questions now are whether she will choose to play a role in winnowing the Republican field or confine herself to remaining one of President Barack Obama’s chief adversaries. GOP strategists said Wednesday that Palin’s popularity with tea party activists and her fundraising prowess would help any candidate she aligns herself with.
Several presidential contenders quickly issued complimentary statements after Palin’s announcement, suggesting that the courtship for her endorsement has begun.
Sarah Palin is a good friend, a great American, and a true patriot," Texas Gov. Rick Perry said in a statement. She will "continue to be a strong voice for conservative values and needed change in Washington," he added.
Palin’s decision did not come as a surprise to most political strategists, who believed it was too late for her to build a winning organisation so close to January, when primary voting is expected to begin.
In that respect, the news ends an era for Palin, who rocketed to stardom after being chosen by Republican Senator John McCain, as his running mate in 2008 and since then has become something of a cultural phenomenon. Speculation about whether she would run again for national office has never stopped.
Yet some Republicans, and Palin herself, said the announcement also represents a new beginning, allowing the Fox News commentator, tea party favorite and prodigious fundraiser to continue wielding political influence through the 2012 election cycle."
You’re unshackled, and you’re allowed to be more active," Palin said in a radio interview with Mark Levin. In a letter to supporters read aloud on Levin’s show and later posted on Facebook, Palin said: "We need to continue to actively and aggressively help those who will stop the ’fundamental transformation’ of our nation and instead seek the restoration of our greatness, our goodness and our constitutional republic based on the rule of law. In the coming weeks, I will help coordinate strategies to assist in replacing the president, retaking the Senate and maintaining the House."
Palin’s decision virtually seals the Republican field after months of uncertainty about who else might jump in. More than in past years, the nominating contest thus far has been characterized by an unsettled electorate that has yet to coalesce around a single candidate. Voters have bounced from one favorite to the next, and donors have pleaded with leaders who had already said no.
With Palin’s announcement Wednesday, just a day after New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie reaffirmed his own decision to sit out the race, those pleas are probably finished."
Republican voters may not be settled, but the Republican field is," said GOP strategist Alex Castellanos, who supported Mitt Romney in 2008 but is uncommitted so far this time around. It’s time to "start the game," Castellanos added. "Play ball."
Romney has emerged as the front-runner, but his support is not deep, largely because of conservatives’ reservations about his moderate positions on some issues and his advocacy for health-care reform while governor of Massachusetts. Other candidates, including Perry and Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., have soared in popularity and just as quickly fallen as voters have looked for an alternative to Romney.
News of Palin’s decision elicited a variety of reactions from Republicans, some of whom said she made the only possible choice given that most GOP voters, according to polls, had already decided they didn’t want her to run. Some Republicans were critical of Palin’s flirtation with a presidential bid, which they viewed as a thinly veiled effort to retain her celebrity."
Palin had everything to lose by running," said Mark McKinnon, a GOP strategist who worked for McCain in 2008. "Now she preserves her celebrity status, her power to generate fees and her ability to be a king- and queen-maker with her political support and PAC money."
For months, Palin has been stoking rumours that she would get into the race, launching a flashy "One Nation" bus tour that took her to New Hampshire and Iowa; telling Newsweek she could win; taking shots at Obama on Facebook and Twitter. But she never built the kind of political operation considered necessary for a serious campaign.
As time passed, she kept pushing back her own personal deadline, at first saying she would decide by the end of the summer, then by the end of September, then October or later."
She has her own political base; she certainly generates media attention and she can raise money," said Ed Rollins, a strategist for Bachmann. "There’s no doubt in my mind, if she had started a year and a half ago, she could have been a serious candidate. But it would have been thrown together. I don’t think it’s possible for her to have done it now."
Rollins added that he wouldn’t be surprised if Palin runs for president down the road or for one of Alaska’s Senate seats. But even last week, Palin cast doubt on that possibility, expressing doubts about a campaign in an interview with Fox News’s Greta van Susteren. She said a campaign might be "too shackle-y" for "someone like me, who’s a maverick. You know, I do go rogue and I call it like I see it."
While she maintains a loyal fan base, Palin reached a tipping point in polls months ago. Had she gotten into the race at this late stage, she would have been a second-tier candidate at best. She polls in the single digits, gets mixed reviews on her leadership qualities even among Republicans, and performs poorly against Obama in head-to-head match-ups.
In the latest Washington Post-ABC News poll, 66 percent of Republican and GOP-leaning respondents said they did not want Palin to run.

 

Do You Know General Knowledge Questions along with Interesting Facts

Q.  What is the currency of 'Tonga' ?

A.  Panga

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Q.  What is the currency of 'Solomon Island' ?

A.  Dollar

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Q.  What is the currency of 'Papua New Guinea' ?

A.  Kina

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Q.  What is the currency of 'New Zealand' ?

A.  New Zealand Dollar

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Q.  What is the currency of 'Nauru' ?

A.  Dollar

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Q.  What is the currency of 'Fiji' ?

A.  Fiji Dollar

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Q.  What is the currency of 'Australia' ? 

A.  Australian Dollar

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Q.  What is the currency of 'Venezuela' ?

A.  Bolivar

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Q.  What is the currency of 'Uruguay' ?

A.  Peso

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Q.  What is the currency of 'Surinam' ?

A.  Guilder

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Q.  What is the currency of 'Peru' ?

A.  Nuevosol

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Q.  What is the currency of 'Paraguay' ?

A.  Guarani

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Q.  What is the currency of 'Guyana' ?

A.  Dollar

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Q.  What is the currency of 'French Guyana' ?

A.  Franc

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Q.  What is the currency of 'Ecuador' ?

A.  Suere

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Q.  What is the currency of 'Colombia' ?

A.  Peso

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Q.  What is the currency of 'Chile' ?

A.  Peso

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Q.  What is the currency of 'Brazil' ?

A.  Cruzeiro

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Q.  What is the currency of 'Bolivia' ?

A.  Boliviano

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Q.  What is the currency of 'Argentina' ?

A.  Austral (Pesu)

Do you know (Lyrics) -Enrique Iglesias

 

Do you know by Enrique Iglesias with lyrics

History of Ganesh Chaturthi - Ganpati

Ganesh Chaturthi, one of the most sacred Hindu festivals, celebrates the birth of Lord Ganesha - the supreme God of wisdom and prosperity. This annual occassion is observed by the whole of Hindu community with great fervor and piety. Do you know how this festival came to be practiced? If not, scroll down and read our informative article on the history and origin of Ganesh Chaturthi. Know all about the earliest Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations and how it evolved over the time.

Ganesh Chaturthi or "Vinayak Chaturthi" is one of the major traditional festivals celebrated by the Hindu community. It is observed in the Hindu calendar month of Bhadrapada, starting on the shukla chaturthi (fourth day of the waxing moon period). Typically the day falls sometime between August 20 and September 15. The festival lasts for 10 days, ending on Ananta Chaturdashi, and is traditionally celebrated as the birthday of Lord Ganesha.

According to Hindu mythology, Lord Ganesha is the son of Shiva (The God of Destruction in the Hindu Holy Trinity of Creator-Preserver-Destroyer) and Parvati (Shiva’s consort). The cutest and most lovable Indian God, Ganesha or Ganpati has the head of an elephant on which rests an elegant tiara, four podgy hands joined to a sizeable belly with each hand holding its own symbolic object - a trishul or a trident in one, an ankush or goad (made from his very own broken tooth) in another, a lotus in the third and a rosary (which is sometimes replaced by modaks, his favourite sweet) in the fourth. Revered as the deity of auspiciousness and wisdom, Lord Ganesha is also famous for being a trickster and for his profound sense of humour.



It is believed that Lord Ganesh was born on a fourth day (chaturthi) of the bright fortnight of the Hindu lunar month of Magh. Since then, an association between Ganesh and chaturthi has been established. Thus the festival dedicated to the worship of Lord Ganesha on this chaturthi day is named as Ganesh Chaturthi.

There is a curiously interesting tale about the birth of Ganesha. It is believed that once while Parvati was bathing, she created a human figure from some unguent and balm, gave him life and asked him to guard the door while she bathed. After a long period of meditation on Mountain Kailash (Lord Shiva’s abode), Shiva chose that very moment to drop by to see his better half, but was abruptly stopped by the man-god Parvati had posted at the door. Outraged by the cheek of this stranger, Shiva cut off his head only to discover moments later that he had killed Parvati’s son! For fear of enraging his wife, Shiva immediately dispatched his ganas (attendants) to get him the head of the first living creature they could find. Well, the first living creature happened to be an elephant. As instructed, the head was chopped off and brought back to Shiva, who placed it on Parvati’s son’s body, bringing him back to life. This elephant-headed god was welcomed into the first family of the Hindu heavens and named Ganesha or Ganapati, which literally means the chief of the ganas, or the attendants of Shiva. Ganesha is the foremost god of the Hindu pantheon. This brave guardian of the door to Parvati’s bath is beheld today as the most auspicious God of new beginnings. He is worshipped during every festival and before people undertake a journey or embark upon a new venture. You will also see him carefully guarding entrances to temples and homes, peeping out of calendars and happily gracing marriages and other such occasions.



It is not known when and how Ganesh Chaturthi was first celebrated. But according to the historian Shri Rajwade, the earliest Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations can be traced back to the times of the reigns of dynasties as Satavahana, Rashtrakuta and Chalukya. Historical records reveal that Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations were initiated in Maharashtra by Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaja, the great Maratha ruler, to promote culture and nationalism. And it had continued ever since. There are also references in history to similar celebrations during Peshwa times. It is believed that Lord Ganapati was the family deity of the Peshwas. After the end of Peshwa rule, Ganesh Chaturthi remained a family affair in Maharashtra from the period of 1818 to 1892.

1857 was a landmark year for India and moreso in the context of Indian freedom. It was the year of Sepoy Mutiny, an armed rebellion against the ruling British Empire by the Indian soldiers. This was the first war that India waged to gain back her independence from her white rulers. Though unsuccesful, this battle marked the beginning of the Indian struggle for independence. Many orators, leaders and freedom fighters all over India teamed to put up a united resistance to the British domination. One of these eminent leaders was Bal Gangadhar Tilak, an Indian nationalist, social reformer and freedom fighter. Greatly esteemed by the Indian people, especially of Maharashtra, Tilak was commonly referred to as "Lokmanya" or "he who is regarded by the people". It was Tilak, who brought back the tradition of Ganesh Chaturthi and reshaped the annual Ganesh festival from private family celebrations into a grand public event.

Lokamanya saw how Lord Ganesha was worshipped by the upper stratum as well as the rank and file of India. The visionary that he was, Tilak realized the cultural importance of this deity and popularised Ganesha Chaturthi as a National Festival "to bridge the gap between the Brahmins and the non-Brahmins and find an appropriate context in which to build a new grassroots unity between them" in his nationalistic strivings against the British in Maharashtra. He knew that India couldn't fight her rulers until she solved the differences within her own. Hence, to unite all social classes Tilak chose Ganesha as a rallying point for Indian protest against British rule because of his wide appeal as "the god for Everyman".



It was around 1893, during the nascent stages of Indian nationalism, that Tilak began to organize the Ganesh Utsav as a social and religious function. He was the first to put in large public images of Ganesha in pavilions and establish the tradition of their immersion on the tenth day. The festival facilitated community participation and involvement in the form of learned discourses, dance dramas, poetry recital, musical concerts, debates, etc. It served as a meeting place for common people of all castes and communities, at a time when all social and political gatherings were forbidden by the British Empire for fear of conspiracies to be hatched against them. An important festival during the Peshwa era, Ganesha Chaturthi acquired at this time a more organized form all over India largely due to Lokmanya's efforts.

Since then, Ganesh Chaturthi has been celebrated throughout Maharashtra as also in other states with great community enthusiasm and participation. With the independence of India in 1947, it was proclaimed to be a national festival.

Today, Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated in the states of Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh and many other parts of India. The festival is so popular that the preparations begin months in advance. Days before the actual worship, homes are cleaned and marquees erected at street corners to house the idols of the Lord. Elaborate arrangements are made for lighting, decoration, mirrors and flowers. The artisans who make the idols of Ganesh vie with each other to make bigger and better sculptures. The sizes of the relatively larger ones range anywhere from 10 meters to 30 meters in height. These are installed in marquees and in homes prior to the Puja (worship). During the festival days, the Lord is worshiped with great devotion and prayer services are performed daily. The duration of the Lord's stay varies from place to place; once the worship is complete, the statues are carried on decorated floats to be immersed in the sea after one, three, five, seven and ten days. Thousands of processions converge on the beaches to immerse the holy idols in the sea. This procession and immersion is accompanied with dancing and the sound of exciting drum-beats, devotional songs and exploding firecrackers. As the idol is immersed amidst loud chants of "Ganesh Maharaj Ki Jai!" (Hail Lord Ganesh), the festival comes to an end with pleas to the Lord to return the next year with chants of "Ganpati bappa morya, pudcha varshi laukar ya" (Hail Lord Ganesh, return again soon next year). Tourists from all over the world come to witness this wonderful event in the sun kissed beaches of Goa and Mumbai.



While celebrated all over India, Ganesh Chaturthi festivities are most elaborate in states like Maharashtra, Goa (It is the biggest festival for Konkani people all over the world), Gujarat, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, and other areas which were former states of the Maratha Empire. Outside India, it is celebrated in Nepal by the Newars.

In the 21st century, with the world turning fast into a global village, Ganesh Chaturthi is now celebrated all over the world, wherever there is a presence of a Hindu community.

World population

In 1801, when the first complete world census was carried out, the world’s population was 1 billion. China had 295 million people, India 131 million, Russia 33 million, France 27 million, Ottoman Empire 21 million, Germany 14 million, Spain 11 million, Britain 10 million, Ireland and the USA 5 million.
World population landmarks:
2 billion people : 1927
3 billion people : 1960
4 billion people : 1974
5 billion people : 1987
6 billion people : 1999
6.9 billion people : 2010
7 billion people : 2011
As in July 2010, China has a population of 1.3 billion; India 1.2 billion, USA 307 million. Britain has a population of 61 million, Russia 141 million, France 62 million, Germany 82 million.

Upcoming Bikes & Scooters in 2011 & 2012-2013

1. Bike Name: TVS NeoExpected Launch: October 2011
Estimated Price: 48,000 INR

2. Bike Name: TVS ApacheExpected Launch: October 2011
Estimated Price: 95,000 INR

3. Bike Name: Hero Honda DieselExpected Launch:  January, 2012
Estimated Price: 1, 50,000 INR

4. Bike Name: Piaggio Vespa LxExpected Launch: January 2012
Estimated Price: 55,000 INR



Upcoming Bikes in 2012- 2013: -

1. Royal Enfield Classic Chrome

2. Honda Vision

3. KTM Duke 200

4. KTM Duke 350

5. Mahindra Mojo

6. Ducati Superbike 1199

7. New Yamaha R15

8. New Mahindra Stallio

Beer brands, types, styles and brewing

Worldwide, 20,000 brands of beer are brewed in 180 styles, from ales, lagers, pilsner and stouts to bitters, cream ales and iced beers.
Beer has been a popular beverage for a long time. Babylonian clay tablets show detailed recipes of beer making in 4300 BC. Beer was also brewed by the ancient Chinese, Assyrians and Incas.
An Egyptian text of 1600 BC gives 100 medical prescriptions using beer. A few years ago, the New Castle Brewery in England brewed 1,000 bottles Tutankhamun Ale from a 3,200-year old recipe found in the sun temple of Queen Nefertiti.
Commercial beer making was established in 1200 AD in present-day Germany. In 1506, the German Purity Law is issued, specifying that beer ingredients must only be water, barley, wheat and hops. Bottling of beer started in 1605.
Making beer
Brewing is the process of changing water and grain into beer through a yeast catalyst. The quality of the water is extremely important. Hard water produce a bitter ale, soft water produce bitter lager. Barley or hops, or a combination of them, is used for the grain.
Getting dry grain ready for fermentation is called malting. The grain is steeped in water until it sprouts. The sprouting or germination is not allowed to end naturally but is interrupted either by drying or roasting in kilns.
Barley
Barley has been a grain of choice for thousands of years. The longer the roasting of the malted barley, the darker the beer. Barley, or wheat beers have a sweet taste.
Hops
Hops are herbaceous climbing vines and look like a cross between pine cores and artichokes. The bitter, dry flavor of hops counterbalance the sweetness of malt.
Yeast
Sugars in the malted grains are converted into alcohol by yeast. Different yeast ferment sugars into different flavors. For ales, top fermentation yeast is used, while bottom fermentation yeast is used for lagers.
The beer making process starts by germinating the grain, then steeping the resulting malt in hot water to get the wort. Base wort contents means the percentage of wort in the beer before fermentation. The alcohol contents is roughly one third of the base wort contents.The wort is boiled (brewed) and hops are added. After brewing, fermentation starts by adding yeast. After fermentation, the wort is drown into tanks where it is allowed to condition or age. Yeast and hops are sometimes added in a secondary fermentation process.
Ales and Lagers
Ales, stouts and several other types of brews, like porter, are top-fermented. The top-fermentation yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, usually produces stronger alcohol contents than the bottom-fermentation yeast, Saccharomyces carlsbergi, but the latter produces more quality-consistent brew. Lagers are bottom-fermented.
Ales usually are heavily hopped, and include bitters, brown ales, cream ales, mild ale, pale ale, India pale ale, barley wine and several other types. There are two types of the aboriginal ale still brewed in Europe. They are Belgian “lambic” and Finnish “sahti”, which is brewed from rye malt. They are brewed on wild yeast and spontaneous fermentation. Both have very distinct tastes.
The word “lager” is German and means “storage”, which refers to the lager (storage) fermentation. The main fermentation of both ales and lager are done on the similar temperature for 7-14 days. After that time the ale, depending on the type, may be ready for bottling. With lagers, this is only the start. After the main fermentation the beer is pumped into lager (storage) tanks with temperature some 10 deg C lower than room temperature. It is then let to mature and ferment for several weeks, usually 6-10 weeks. At 270 days, the longest lager fermentation is for that of Budejovicky Budvar brewery’s Bud Strong.
Best taste
The best taste usually is acquired at an alcohol contents of 4.7% ethanol per volume. Less than that results in a beer with a bland taste. More than that and the higher alcohols (butanol, pentanol etc) become overpowering and spoils the taste.
The strongest beer type by alcohol content is doppelbock, which is usually 8%-10% ethanol by its volume content. The strongest beer brand in production is German “Eisbock”, with some 14% ethanol by volume.
Ice beer is produced by freezing the brew and filtering the ice crystals, increasing the alcohol content. This process was already known in the Middle Ages to “cold-distil” brandy from wine, and the ancient Chinese produced rice hooch that way. The Canadians adopted the cold-distillation method for ice beer.
Beer factoids
The oldest brewery in Munich, the Augustiner brewery, was founded in 1294, when, on the order of the bishop of Freising, an Augustinian monastery was established at the Haberfeld, just outside the gates of the city. Munich was famous for its breweries operated by monks.
A true pilsner comes from the Pilsner, Czech Republic. The original pilsner was Pilsner Urquell (Plzensky Prazrod), meaning “The Original Spring of Pilsen.” It still is one of the most popular pilsner in the world.
The first beer brewery in the US opened in Manhattan in 1623. But the oldest continuing brewery, running since 1829 is Yuengling in Schuylkill County in Pennsylvania.
The first Octoberfest was held in 1810 in Munich, Germany. It started as a wedding celebration.
Löwenbrau of Munich was founded 1373.
The Czech Republic has the highest per capita beer consumption in the world, at 155 litres (40 gal).
Sake, the Japanese rice brew, is closer to beer than wine by its production method.
The English word “brewer” refers to a male beer-maker; “brewster” to a female.
Beer and ale volumes
4 gills = 1 pint
2 pints = 1 quart
4 quarts = 1 gallon
9 gallons = 1 firkin
2 firkins = 1 kilderkin
3 kilderkins = 1 hogshead
2 hogsheads = 1 butt
Many thanks to Susanna Viljanen of Finland for contributing to this story

Indonesia – largest archipelago in the world

Indonesia is the 4th most populous country in the world, with 240 million people. The 300 ethnic groups speak 365 different languages. Bahasa Indonesia is the official language. Other languages include Acehnese, Ambonese, Batak, Buginese, Ceramese, Dayak, Halmahera, Javanese, Minahasa, Sundanese, Sasak, Tetum, and Toraja.
Indonesia is the largest archipelago in the world. It covers almost 2 million square km, an area the size of Australia, but only 20% is land, the rest is water. There are five major islands and about 30 smaller island groups. The main islands are: Sumatra, Java/Madura, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, and Irian Jaya. In total, Indonesia comprises of 13,667 islands, of which about 6,000 are inhabited. The capital is Jakarta.
In the 1600′s, the Indonesian Moluccas islands were called the Spice Islands. Trade in spices promised great wealth to early Europeans, and it is the search for a route to these spices that led to the great voyages of Ferdinand Magellan, Christopher Columbus and others.
Some of the most interesting animals are found in the Indonesian tropical climate. The Komodo dragon (varanus komodoensis), the world’s largest lizard, grows to 3 metres (9,8 ft) long. The dwarf buffalo is one of the rarest animals in the world, and the Badak Jawa is a one-horned rhino. Indonesia is known worldwide for ornamental fish species and the Rafflesia arnoldi, the largest flower in the world, found only in certain parts of Sumatra.
Indonesia falls in the tropical zone, and has an average humidity of between 70% and 90%. The country is predominantly mountainous with some 400 volcanoes, of which 100 are active.
East Timor won independence from Indonesia in 1999, becoming an independent nation on 20 May 2002. It is a narrow, mountainous island covering 34,20 sq km (13,200 sq m), inhabited by about 4 million people who are of Papuan and Malay descent.

Zodiac Sign - Gemini 2011 Monthly Horoscopes

Gemini (May 21- Jun 20)

A sign known for always changing its mind, Gemini will have little to debate about this year. The Gemini 2011 yearly horoscope shows that things are pretty clear cut. There will be some attacks on your career but for the most part, your financial situation will not be affected. Your love life will be satisfying and will not require any major decisions. Your health will need a bit of maintenance, so basic self-care is no longer optional. In other words, Gemini, you’re looking at a year where the path is pretty obvious, so you can find yourself some peace.

Gemini in 2011

Gemini 2011 Career and Income Horoscope

Brace yourself, Gemini. When 2011 starts, you will find yourself a target in the workplace. People will be coming after what you’ve got and do their best to take it. Stay strong. Keep your head up, do good work and do not be afraid to toot your own horn. Make a point of letting those in charge know exactly how much you are accomplishing, so that those with sabotage in mind fail in their efforts to undermine you. The Gemini 2011 yearly horoscope shows that, i f you can weather the storm - and unfortunately, it looks as though that will be the majority of the year - you are in for major growth come November or December.

Gemini 2011 Love, Family and Social life Horoscope

The Gemini 2011 yearly horoscope shows that when it comes to relationships, you are your usual, indecisive self. This is not the year to make any major decisions but every impulse within you will be weighing the pros and cons. Odds are good that you will ache to make a major life change from January to June, but this hemming and hawing is just going to cause stress. Here’s a tip Gemini 2011 can be a bit more fun if you appreciate what you have. You have excellent friends, family and interpersonal relationships! So, take the time to notice. Develop these relationships. Slow down, smell the flowers and stop thinking that the grass is greener over there. Instead, enjoy the luxury of peace in your relationships that 2011 has given you.

Gemini 2011 Education and Traveling Horoscope

The tortoise wins the race. The Gemini 2011 yearly horoscope shows that there could be career attacks in the earlier part of the year, it would be a great idea to brush up on your skills. Attend the conferences, learn the latest programs and show those in charge that you are interested in remaining a step ahead. Relax and take a break sometime in the fall. Give yourself a long vacation - you deserve it.

Gemini 2011 Health Horoscope

The Gemini 2011 yearly horoscope shows that there will be some ups and downs healthwise, so it’s prudent to be on top of all of the areas that will help you out. Don’t put off basic things until the last minute, like making doctor visits. Check up and check in, so that you can deal with problems quickly if they arise. Luckily, you have a wonderful support staff around you that you can lean on when you need help. Just don’t be afraid to ask for what you need.

Gemini 2011 Monthly Horoscope

Gemini February 2011 Horoscope

During the beginning of this month you might have the opportunity of having a better position in your current job, or even finding something new.  However, you need to be careful when considering making any major purchases or investments.   Mars will be in Aquarius on the 15th bringing you options for fun and adventure. Travel may be possible.  Mercury and Venus in Sagittarius allow you a great chance to develop rewarding personal and business relationships.

Gemini February 2011 Horoscope

Remember, you need to be thrifty.  Venus, in Capricorn on the 4th, may cause financial challenges to continue from January into this month.  For the first three weeks the New Moon and Full Moon can provide opportunity to take a personal or business trip.  You may receive an opportunity to communicate with an inspiring friend, listen and heed their advice.  Be on the lookout for positive money-making options.

Gemini March 2011 Horoscope

With Mars and Mercury in Pisces, your solar tenth house, the energy could lead to an interesting career project for you.  Be patient and smart.  If you don't take that business trip in Feb., this month may be a better time for informative seminars.  Increase your circle of friends and get more involved with networking groups.  Have fun but don't let money issues get in the way.

Gemini April 2011 Horoscope

If you have become involved with a networking group, let another skilled person take care of the financial issues.  Enjoy being by yourself this month.  One of your friends may threaten the relationship when your values differ.  You might have dating opportunities but be careful.  The energy this month may be a little off.

Gemini May 2011 Horoscope

Your daily life may be really hectic due to this month's full moon.  It's important to take a breather and relax.  Focus on getting better sleep.  Then you'll be in better shape and mood to socialize with friends.  You'll have more energy to declutter and clean house, maybe have a yard sale.  Mars, Mercury and Venus will be joining Uranus in Aries, which means you could meet someone and develop a special relationship.

Gemini June 2011 Horoscope

You may have ups and downs with money issues.  Don't get too extravagant in your social activities.  There could be trouble when dealing with money and friends together.  You might meet a special person this month.  Listen and learn more about him/her, you never know where it might lead to.  Have fun this summer!

Gemini July 2011 Horoscope

You will have that extra charm and attraction around you this month. But this month will also need you to decide on a friendship or romantic relationship that you have been trying to maintain against your will. Take extra care of your finances and don’t let anyone tamper with it. Great time to get better acquainted with your neighbors, distant relatives and community people. Possible raise for you or your mate but budgeting and financial planning may need attention.

Gemini August 2011 Horoscope

An upbeat month, you will have time to rethink and plan your personal life and fall projects. A vacation is in the offing so get to some good place with great scenery to refresh your spirits. Choose your words carefully when conversing with relatives and immediate family members. Tempted to resume a past relationship – think twice. You may have an increased income but if planning a home-based business with a little financial investment, it may not turn out as expected.

Gemini September 2011 Horoscope

Be cautious with investments this month. Things may not be what they seem and you may be in for a loss if you do not invest wisely. Your home is your haven and you and your family will enjoy time together. Parents of teens should make efforts to know their friends better. If your sixth sense tells you to be wary watch your kids closely, especially in the last week. Money-wise your bank account could be growing

Gemini October 2011 Horoscope

A traffic ticket and a tiff with your workmates are likely so go slow. Planets in your 5 th house Libra indicates time for hobbies, family and sports. Take time to review investments and retirement account carefully. Plan for long term gain and remember your children’s education fund requirement. Friendships will provide you with quality time so socialize and have fun. If you meet your former love interest don’t get carried away. Money-wise your past performance will earn you rewards. Business travel is also on the cards.

Gemini November 2011 Horoscope

This month you are prone to minor health problems like cold and flu – stay warm, eat well and get plenty of rest. Home-life may be hectic but think twice before starting any new projects. Singles may have a love-at-first-sight romance or even engagements. Choose words carefully to avoid misunderstandings. You may land yourself a good deal on holiday gift but social events and dates can get expensive.

Gemini December 2011 Horoscope

Unexpected financial change for you this month – winning lotteries or facing unusually high expense, getting a fabulous gift or facing an investment loss – money matters need caution. With your lively spirit you will be a favorite on the social scene, make the most and mix and mingle – someone out there could do you a great favor in the near future. Money-wise heed to your sixth sense, use your creativity than stretching your budget. Avoid shopping around 18 th you may not get what you need.

Why is it called a hamburger although it contains no ham?

During a trip to Asia in the early 1800s, a German merchant – it is said – noticed that the nomadic Tartars softened their meat by keeping it under their saddles. The motion of the horse pounded the meat to bits. The Tartars would then scrape it together and season it for eating. The idea of pounded beef found its way back to the merchant’s home town of Hamburg where cooks broiled the meat and referred to it as it as Hamburg meat.
German immigrants introduced the recipe to the US. The term “hamburger” is believed to have appeared in 1834 on the menu from Delmonico’s restaurant in New York but there is no surviving recipe for the meal. The first mention in print of “Hamburg steak” was made in 1884 in the Boston Evening Journal.
The honor of producing the first proper hamburger goes to Charlie Nagreen of Seymour, Wisconsin, USA. In 1885 Nagreen introduced the American hamburger at the Outgamie County Fair in Seymour. (Seymour is recognized as the hamburger capital of the world.)
However, there is another claim to that throne. There is an account of Frank and Charles Menches who, also in 1885, went to the Hamburg, New York county fair to prepare their famous pork sausage sandwiches. But since the local meat market was out of pork sausage, they used ground beef instead. Alas, another hamburger.
The first account of serving ground meat patties on buns – taking on the look of the hamburger as we know it today – took place in 1904 at the St. Louis World Fair. But it was many years later, in 1921, that an enterprising cook from Wichita, Kansas, Walt Anderson, introduced the concept of the hamburger restaurant. He convinced financier Billy Ingram to invest $700 to create The White Castle hamburger chain. It was an instant success. The rest of the history, we might say, belongs to McDonald’s.
And, no, a hamburger does not have any ham in it. Well, it’s not supposed to. Hamburger meat usually is made of 70-80% beef and fat and spices.
Why is a hotdog called a hotdog?
In 1987, Frankfurt, Germany celebrated the 500th birthday of the frankfurter, the hot dog sausage. Although, the people of Vienna (Wien), Austria will point out that their wiener sausages are proof of origin for the hot dog. (By the way, ham, being pork meat, is found in hotdogs.) In “Every wonder why?” Douglas B. Smith explains that the hotdog was given its name by a cartoonist.
A butcher from Frankfurt who owned a dachshund named the long frankfurter sausage a “dachshund sausage,” the dachshund being a slim dog with a long body. (“Dachshund” is German for “badger dog.” They were originally bred for hunting badgers.) German immigrants introduced the dachshund sausage (and Hamburg meat) to the United States. In 1871, German butcher Charles Feltman opened the first “hotdog” stand in Coney Island, selling 3,684 dachshund sausages, most wrapped in a milk bread roll, during his first year in business.
In the meantime, frankfurters – and wieners – were sold as hot food by sausage sellers. In 1901, New York Times cartoonist T.A. Dargan noticed that one sausage seller used bread buns to handle the hot sausages after he burnt his fingers and decided to illustrate the incident. He wasn’t sure of the spelling of dachshund and simply called it “hot dog.”
Eating
Recipes for placing meat between slices of bread date back to Roman times. However, that was for steak, not minced meat. Thus, the steak burger is older than the hamburger!
Sausage is one of the oldest forms of processed food, having been mentioned in Homer’s Odyssey in the 9th century BC.
The tongue is a muscle with glands, sensory cells, and fatty tissue that helps to moisten food with saliva. You cannot taste food unless it is mixed with saliva. For instance, if salt is placed on a dry tongue, the taste buds will not be able to identify it. As soon as saliva is added, the salt dissolves and the taste sensation takes place.
There are 4 basic tastes plus umami. The salt and sweet taste buds are at the tip of the tongue, bitter at the base, sour along the sides, and umami along the center of the tongue.

What are the odds of winning?

You have seen how a handful people were lucky enough to win a big lottery or hit that $1 million jackpot at a casino. (And you wished them happiness with their new wealth, of course.) How often have you wondered if it is worth playing the lotto or gambling? In short, what are the odds of winning?
Calculating the odds
Wagering against a randomizing value is risky. It mostly is a game of chance but you can increase your chances of winning for instance at poker or blackjack by requiring some skill. It also will help if you educate yourself somewhat in probability theory. Unfortunately you won’t be able to cut a deal with the father of probability theory, Girolamo Cardano, who was a friend of Leonardo da Vinci, because he passed away in 1576. Even if you had such opportunity, Cardano, an ardent gambler, would probably have advised you to carefully consider Nicolaus Bernoulli’s St. Petersburg Paradox.
The odds of winning your local lottery is around 18 million to 1, that is 18,000,000 to 1. The odds of winning Powerball can be as high as 50 million to 1 and higher. The odds of being struck by lightning is actually lower! (The odds of your government fixing the economy is much higher.) However, believe it or not, you have a bigger chance – odds as low as 100,000 to 1 – to win at the casino or online casino.
Keep in mind that in most countries you do pay taxes on your winnings. In the United States you’ll pay 28% tax on your lottery pay-out and up to almost 40% when winning millions. Also keep in mind that you can deduct lottery and gambling losses.
Good! May I play?
Of course you may! While the small number of Muslim-dominated countries with sharia law do not allow gambling, most countries allow gambling, playing the lotto or slot machines, either at casinos or online roulette, even in the United States.
If you’re American, please note the local laws on online playing because the exact legal situation with regards to US online casinos varies from state to state. But regardless of your home state, any law against online gambling affects the casinos and financial institutions and not the players themselves.
The BIG winners
To win, you have to play. As these lucky players did:
1989: at the age 76, Elmer Sherwin won $4,6 million on a megabucks jackpot progressive slot. 16 years later, in 2005 at the age 91, he won another $21 million.
1997: late Australian billionaire Kerry Packer won $20 million at Las Vegas MGM Grand – but 2 years later he lost $28 million on the tables.
2000: two couples, Larry and Nancy Ross, from Michigan, and Joe and Sue Kainz, from Illinois, share the Mega Millions jackpot of $363 million.
2002: Andrew Whittaker Jr wins $314,9 million on American Powerball lottery.
2003: a young guy walked away with $39,7 million from the The Excalibur Hotel and Casino.
2005: Dolores McNamara wins $160 million on the EuroLotto.
2006: 8 meat packers share in a Powerball $365 million.
2007: a retired auto worker from Ohio wins $314 million on the Powerball; 2 ticket-holders, one from New Jersey and one from Georgia, share $390 million.
2009: a business owner from Greece hit the $8,69 million jackpot with a Microgaming online game.
2011: Jim and Carolyn McCullar, from Washington state, and Holly Lahti, from Idaho, won the Mega Millions jackpot of $380 million.
2011: Scottish couple Colin Weir and his wife Chris win $262 million on the EuroMillions.
The above are just a few examples.
Do you have a gambling problem?
Don’t get too excited! Watch yourself! Don’t get addicted to gambling. If you check several of these points, you may have a real problem if you:
Spend more money on gambling than you had planned.
Are easily annoyed if something disturbs you while gambling.
Chase your losses, trying to win back money that you’ve lost.
Loose your sense of time and stay in the game longer than planned.
Don’t tell the truth to people that are close to you.
Don’t quit when you’re up, but continue gambling until the money is gone.
Have a strong belief that you will make big wins.
Think that you lose because you didn’t play well enough.
Spend more and more time gambling and thinking about gambling.
Need to play higher to get the same excitement.
Spend more on gambling than you let your friends know.
Choose gaming before family, friends or work.
How to win the most: Put love before money.

What Jesus looked like

The best-selling Jesus movie, Jesus of Nazareth (1977), starred the attractive blue-eyed Robert Powell. If a modern version of the movie had to be produced one can easily imagine attractive actors like Brad Pitt or Johnny Depp portraying Jesus.
But what did the real Jesus look like? And what did other famous religious figures look like physically?
Buddha
There is, of course, more than one Buddha. The first buddha, who is known as The Buddha (‘enlightened one’) was Prince Siddhartha Gautama Shakyamuni, the sage of the Skakya tribe from north India. It is not known when exactly he lived but it is thought to be any time between 563 and 483 BC, thus some 2 500 years ago.
We also do not know what The Buddha looked like. There were no images or descriptions of any kind made during his lifetime because he requested that none be made. It is, however, thought that he was a tall, slim fellow and had jet black hair. Being from that northern region, his complexion probably was a smooth golden brown. Images of The Buddha were created only 500 years after his death and most depict the above description.
The fat Buddha – the one you usually find in gift shops – is the buddha named Hotei or Pu-Tai. He is based on a Chinese Zen (Ch’an) monk who lived at the end of the first millennium, thus over 1 000 years ago. He is generally known as the jolly or the laughing Buddha but in China he is known as the Friendly One or Loving One. Obviously we know what he looked like.
Muhammad
Muslims do not allow images of their prophet, Muhammad ibn ‘Abdullāh, to be made in any format therefor were up in arms, literally, when he was portrayed in cartoons in Norwegian newspapers and elsewhere. Although there are no pictures, portraits or statues of the prophet Muhammad there are many text based descriptions.
In his biography on the prophet Muhammad, author Athar Husain explains: “Transmitted from Ali, may God be pleased with him, who, when asked to describe the Prophet, peace be upon him, would say: He was not too tall nor too short. He was medium sized. His hair was not short and curly, nor was it lank, but in between. His face was not narrow, nor was it fully round, but there was a roundness to it. His skin was white. His eyes were black. He had long eyelashes.”
Other descriptions has him with as above average height with a large and prominent forehead and, also, long, thick eyelashes. Some sources describes his mouth and his eye as large – he was thought to have been blind in one eye.
But others explains the prophet Muhammad as short and fat. For instance, in Sunan Abu-Dawud, Book 40:  “When Ubaydullah saw him, he said: This Muhammad of yours is a dwarf and fat.

   Jesus

Jesus was a Jew. So he obviously most likely looked like a Jew: olive skin complexion, prominent nose, curly dark hair, perhaps green or blue eyes. As with the other religious figures there are no images of descriptions made of Jesus during his lifetime. Images of Jesus appeared long after his death (or ascendance into heaven).

Modern depictions of Jesus as an tall, attractive guy is probably wrong. For one thing, in the time that any of these character lived the average height of people was much shorter than today – 5 ft 1 inch. Perhaps they, with the exception of the prophet Muhammad, were taller than average but it is not known as certainty.

There is one description of Jesus in the Old Testament, made more than 5  000 years before he was born. Isaiah 52 describes Jesus as follows:
“… like a root out of dry ground. He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him.”
The way they walk
Whatever these religious figures really looked like it is doubtful that any of them would turn heads if they walk down the street today. There is less doubt that none of these figures, including Brad Pitt and Johnny Depp, except one could walk on water.
In the time of Jesus a person of 33 years old was a senior
The real face of Jesus
What did Jesus look like according to Muhammad
The picture is called The Head of Christ, painted by Walter Sallman in 1941. More than 500 million copies of it has been sold.

The great global climate change quick guide

Did the earth get hotter? Yes. Is it common? Yes. Since 1900, the average temperature has increased by 0.7 degrees Celsius. Over the past 300 years, the temperature has risen by about 0.6 °C. Of course, we didn’t have cars and electricity for most of this time. So the great climate debate is not if the earth is getting hot or not but if or how we earthlings are having an impact on the global climate.
The first person to suggest climate change due to human activities was made by Swedish scientist Svante Arrhenius, in 1896. However, American geophysicist Roger Revelle is credited for making the first high-level global warming predictions, in 1965. Now, everyone from grandma to the United Nations is in on the debate. The only ones sitting out are the bookies, perhaps because long term predictions about the climate are too risky.
Hot and cold cycles of earth
65 million years ago the earth was hotter than now. 15,000 years ago there was the Ice Age, with temperatures about 7 °C colder than today. From 800 to 1300 AD it was hotter again, melting the sea ice, allowing Vikings and other groups to cross oceans and colonize lands; it is referred to as the Medieval Warm Period. But from 1300 to 1900 it was colder again, that period dubbed the Little Ice Age. And then, as said, it got hotter again.
2006 was the warmest year on (recent accurate) record with an average temperature of 12°C (55°F) which is 1.2°C (2.2°F) above the 20th Century mean. But 2007 was the coldest in much of the Southern Hemisphere with Australia and South America recording record low temperatures. Europe and North America experienced cold waves during 2009 with record rainfalls in many areas.
Between 1870 and 1993, global sea levels rose at an average rate of 1.7 mm per year. Between 1993 and 2003, they rose by 3.33 mm per year. This is mainly due to the polar ice caps melting – they have shrunk by one third over the past 150 years. Yet, in October 2009 the sea ice extent in the Southern Hemisphere was 2% above averages of the past decade.
The human factor
So, compared with solar activity and the general climate cycles of earth the rise in temperature should be halting about now and turn toward another little ice age. But here is the problem: according to IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Control) the impact of human activities is some ten times that of natural and solar factors. The fear is that our influence will cause irreversible catastrophes.
The world’s oceans are believed to absorb about half of the total carbon emissions from human activities and those from cows. The world’s tropical forests absorb the equivalent of the total carbon dioxide emissions from the United States. Fortunately we do not drink seawater – not even fish do, they get their water intake by eating other fish and osmosis – but we massively can reduce the chopping down of trees by buying less luxury wooden items, we can also drive less and walk more, and we can throw our weight against the great global warming finance swindle.

Did you know that

Did you know that...(28) Falconry: a noble pursuit of Korea's past
By Robert Neff

In the late 19th century, Westerners were delighted with the great variety of birds that thrived in Korea. Chief amongst them was the pheasant. Isabella Bird Bishop declared, “Pheasants are literally without number and are very tame; I constantly saw them feeding among the crops within a few yards of the peasants at their work.” According to William E. Griffis, “The skilled fowler understands perfectly how to imitate the cries of various birds, particularly that of the pheasant calling his mate. By this means most of the female pheasants are captured.”

In the 1880s, Griffis insisted that Korean bird-hunters never shot “on the wing” but instead ambushed the birds when they landed. To the Westerner, who only hunted with guns and dogs, this seemed strange. In 1921, an early American gold miner in northern Korea suggested that the reason Koreans did not hunt with guns was because the Japanese forbid them to own firearms. He wrote:

“The Koreans are not allowed any firearms, so do not do much hunting except a little with hawks. They catch hawks and starve them and then liberate them to catch pheasants and other birds. When the hawk catches the bird the hunter steps in and takes the bird away from the hawk. It sounds odd but you would be surprised how many they catch.”

But how accurate were these observation? Falconry has a long history in Korea as evidenced by a painting in a Goguryeo (37 B.C.-668 A.D.) tomb. Despite the Confucian belief that hunting was a trivial pursuit of men without virtue, many noblemen were quite fond of this form of entertainment ― including members of the royal family. Apparently Mt. Eungbon (said to resemble a falcon) was a favored spot for royal hunters.

In the 1930s, hunting for pheasants with falcons could only legally be done from the first of November to the first of April. One Korean hunter boasted to Sten Bergman, a Swedish zoologist, that in one season, with just one hawk, he managed to bag 300 pheasants. Perhaps not as impressive as the hunter who claimed “he sometimes got between twenty and thirty pheasants a day but had to walk or run 100 li (approximately 55 kilometers) to do it.”

Obtaining and training falcons was no easy matter. According to Bishop:

“To obtain them three small birds are placed in a cylinder of loosely woven bamboo, mounted horizontally on a pole. On the peregrine alighting on this, a man who has been concealed throws a net over the whole. The bird is kept in a tight sleeve for three days. Then he is daily liberated in a room, and trained to follow a piece of meat pulled over the floor by a string. At the end of a week he is taken out on his master’s wrist, and slipped when game is seen. He is not trained to return. The master rushes upon him and secures him before he has time to devour the bird.”

It was extremely important to get the falcon before it ate too much. Once full, the falcon would no longer hunt.

Once trained, these birds were very expensive. Bishop claimed that they brought as much as 9 dollars a bird ­ a princely sum considering that servants could be hired for a couple of dollars each month.

Of course, such valuable and noble birds attracted less than honorable attention. According to professor Chun Myung-sun, the Korean idiom “shi ch’i mi tte da” meaning “to feign ignorance” has its origin in the theft of falcons. The falcons were marked with tags on their tails indicating their ownership, but occasionally, unscrupulous people removed them and then claimed the birds as their own.