Sports in the Limelight

The world is busy watching the Soccer World Cup. I am keeping up with the World Cup through internet and especially through Twitter. I would like to share a few interesting tweets on World Cup here:

            This World Cup is working out like WW2 - France have forfeited, the USA turned up late, and England are left to fight the Germans!

Another one: This WC we see the Rise of Asia, Dominance of South America & Fall of Europe. A new order is being set up.

New Zealand and Slovenia, though having a population of only a few million, have already shown their mettle. South Korea and Japan have moved to the round of 16. Italy and France, the two finalists of the last World Cup, have already been knocked out. And through the draw of the round of 16, we can tell that out of Argentina, England and Germany only one can reach the semis. This WC is turning out to be the most exciting in the recent history. Though Argentina, Brazil & Netherlands look strong at the moment, one game can change everything.

By the time this article gets published, we would already have a new World Champion. I am hoping for the one who has never won it. Let us all wait till 11^th July.

            The other thing that is hogging the Sports pages these days is Wimbledon. Federer and Nadal had nervous starts. A Federer – Nadal final would be an exciting affair. Williams sisters are going smoothly. Sania Mirza returned from the first round itself. And we have also seen the longest match (11 hours, 5 minutes) in tennis history. John Isner finally defeated Nicolas Mahut, scoring 70–68 in the fifth set. Let’s see how the rest of the grass tournament proceeds by.

The cricket fans of the Indian sub-continent were also glued to their TV sets watching the Asia Cup. India finally won it after a gap of 15 years. That too without Sachin, Sehwag and Yuvraj in the team. 2011 Cricket World Cup is near and we have big hopes with this team.

                        One great news for all Badminton fans is that Saina Nehwal after winning back-to-back titles, India Open Grand Prix and the Singapore Open Super Series in the last two weeks, has marched ahead of three Chinese players in the women's singles charts for her career-best ranking of World No. 3. 

In the news related to Basketball in India, sports and entertainment agency IMG and Indian conglomerate Reliance Industries have signed a 30-year deal with the Basketball Federation of India (BFI) to develop the sport and its infrastructure, and possibly start a pro league in the next three to five years.

One of the major tournaments that will generate excitement in the near future is the Soccer Asia Cup 2011 in January. India is one of the participating teams. It is in Group C along with South Korea, Australia and Bahrain. So no big hope here.

The 2010 Commonwealth Games are between 3rd October and 14th October. Prestige of India as a host of a major sporting event is on stake. Pray that with all the negative news making the rounds, India comes out with flying colours as a warm and competent host.

            The 2010 FIBA World Championship, world basketball tournament for men's national teams, will be hosted by Turkey from August 28 to September 12, 2010. India here lost out in the qualifying round itself.

The 16th Asian Games will be held in Guangzhou, China from November 12 to November 27, 2010. In the last Asian Games, India won a total of 53 medals, including 10 golds. Hope this time, we increase our tally.

With other annual tournaments already in the 2010 Sports Calendar, we can not wish for more.

Young, educated on Nitish's mind

"A la Rahul Gandhi who has been stressing on greater role for youths in party and politics, Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar too is learned to be looking for young and educated people who can be entrusted with the task of representing people."

Read further...Young, educated on Nitish's mind

FBI allegations against 'Russian spies' in US

"Court papers setting out the allegations against 10 people arrested on suspicion of spying for the Russian government reveal details worthy of a Cold War spy novel.

The espionage ring was allegedly trained by the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR), whose headquarters are known as Moscow Centre."

Read further...FBI allegations against 'Russian spies' in US

Wikipedia 'breeding' paedophiles

"An investigation has revealed that Wikipedia has become a home base for a worldwide network of paedophiles.

According to the investigation, paedophiles are campaigning on the famous online encyclopaedia and are trying to lure more and more people."

Read further...Wikipedia 'breeding' paedophiles

The price of entry | The Economist

"People on work visas account for 70% of legal migrants to Germany, for instance, but only 5.6% of those entering America, the original land of opportunity. Most of the rest get in because a member of their family is already in the country."

Read further...The price of entry | The Economist

A Saudi tower: Mecca versus Las Vegas

"Mecca already boasts dozens of fancy international hotels. At the current building rate it could have 80,000 hotel rooms by 2015. The Mecca Clock Royal Tower Hotel, with more than 800 rooms, occupies what will soon be the world’s second-tallest building, a structure incorporating the world’s biggest clock, with faces at least six times the size of Big Ben’s, and capped by a spire topped with a golden crescent. The hotel building forms just part of part of the Abraj al-Bait complex, a Gotham City-like eruption of seven huge towers, conveniently sited a stone’s throw from the Great Mosque."

Read further...A Saudi tower: Mecca versus Las Vegas

ATM security flaws could be a jackpot for hackers

"'ATMs are not as secure as we would like them to be,' Jeff Moss, founder of the Black Hat conference and a member of President Obama's Homeland Security Advisory Council said. 'Barnaby has a number of different attacks that make all the money come out.'"

Read further...ATM security flaws could be a jackpot for hackers

How developed is Bihar, really?

"Some economists argue that it is Bihar’s investment in road building and construction in the last three years that is responsible for an overall increase in gross state domestic product (GSDP), and that there is little change in the growth rates of other sectors in the economy. They say that reports of Bihar’s economic miracle are driven by newspaper headlines which, in turn, are predicated on state government advertising in these periodicals. This line of argument is as specious as claims that it is honey, and not water, that runs in the Sone today.

The fact is that Bihar’s society and economy are seeing changes that haven’t been seen in the earlier regime. These could be regressive, or could be progressive. But this much is true: Things are different today and it is this difference that the people will evaluate while voting in October-November this year."

Read further...How developed is Bihar, really?

Space, just 100km from Bangalore

"Set to come up on a sprawling 1,600 acres at a whopping Rs 18,500 crore investment at Bagepalli in Chickballapur district, it will be the first of its kind in the country."

Read further...Space, just 100km from Bangalore

The FIFA World Cup 2010 shows how soccer's balance of power is changing

"Several of the traditional powers suffered ignominious defeats (Serbia 1, Germany 0 on Friday) or embarrassing draws considering the opposition. Italy, defending champions and number five in the FIFA rankings, tied 1-1 Sunday evening with New Zealand, FIFA-ranked 78. It was only the second point New Zealand had ever gained�at a World Cup, according to ESPN."

Read further...The FIFA World Cup 2010 shows how soccer's balance of power is changing

Sania and the Indian woman’s happily ever after myth

"A recent study found that in the US, the proportion of wives who earn more than their husbands risen more than five-fold since 1970. “In 1970, just 4% of American wives earned more than their husbands. That figure rose to 22% in 2007. Men are still the bigger earners in one in four marriages but with a far smaller proportion of wives not working, the income gap is smaller. Most married men did not have a working wife 40 years ago. Now they do,” the Guardian newspaper reports."

Read further...Sania and the Indian woman’s happily ever after myth

Is Twitter here to stay? - We The People

"In recent times Twitter has grabbed headlines in the mainstream media. For lakhs of Indians, it has provided a democratic platform to express an opinion. Is Twitter a passing fad which will die once a new invention of social media comes up? We The People debates the phenomenon."

Watch the video: Is Twitter here to stay?

Bolt will not compete at Commonwealth Games

"Jamaican triple Olympic champion Usain Bolt will not compete in the New Delhi Commonwealth Games from Oct 3-14 because they are too late in the year, coach Glen Mills told Reuters on Saturday."

Read further...Bolt will not compete at Commonwealth Games

Nicolas Anelka joins disgraced hall of shame

"Pablo Larios: World Cup 1982
It was off field antics of the extra marital variety that resulted in Pablo Larios being dismissed. The revelation that the Frenchman was having an affair with the wife of team-mate Michel Platini rocked the French camp and Larios was given the axe."

Find out the complete list...Nicolas Anelka joins disgraced hall of shame

Google releases command line tool for accessing Web services

"Google has announced the availability of a new tool called GoogleCL that will allow users to interact with the company's popular Web services directly from the command line."

Read further...Google releases command line tool for accessing Web services

TED Blog: Q&A with Ananda Shankar Jayant: The power of myth and metaphor

"Before her TEDTalk posted today, the TED Blog caught up with classical Indian dancer Ananda Shankar Jayant. After being diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008, she continued dancing and gave an amazing performance at the TEDIndia conference in November 2009. Now in remission and still enjoying life to its fullest, she gives an update on her health and explains in detail how metaphor, narrative and dance carried her through some of her darkest times."

Read further...TED Blog: Q&A with Ananda Shankar Jayant: The power of myth and metaphor

Formula One driver and constructor standings

Driver and constructor standings after

the Canadian Grand Prix in Montreal on Sunday.

Drivers

--------

1. Lewis Hamilton (Britain) McLaren 109 points

2. Jenson Button (Britain) McLaren 106

3. Mark Webber (Australia) Red Bull 103

4. Fernando Alonso (Spain) Ferrari 94

5. Sebastian Vettel (Germany) Red Bull 90

6. Nico Rosberg (Germany) Mercedes GP 74

7. Robert Kubica (Poland) Renault 73

8. Felipe Massa (Brazil) Ferrari 67

9. Michael Schumacher (Germany) Mercedes GP 34

10. Adrian Sutil (Germany) Force India 23

11. Vitantonio Liuzzi (Italy) Force India 12

12. Rubens Barrichello (Brazil) Williams 7

13. Vitaly Petrov (Russia) Renault 6

14. Sebastien Buemi (Switzerland) Toro Rosso 5

15. Jaime Alguersuari (Spain) Toro Rosso 3

16. Kamui Kobayashi (Japan) Sauber 1

17. Nico Huelkenberg (Germany) Williams 1

18. Pedro de la Rosa (Spain) Sauber 0

19. Heikki Kovalainen (Finland) Lotus 0

20. Karun Chandhok (India) HRT 0

21. Lucas Di Grassi (Brazil) Virgin 0

22. Jarno Trulli (Italy) Lotus 0

23. Bruno Senna (Brazil) HRT 0

24. Timo Glock (Germany) Virgin 0

Constructors

-------------

1. McLaren - Mercedes 215 points

2. RedBull - Renault 193

3. Ferrari 161

4. Mercedes 108

5. Renault 79

6. Force India - Mercedes 35

7. Toro Rosso - Ferrari 8

8. Williams - Cosworth 8

9. BMW Sauber - Ferrari 1

10. Lotus - Cosworth 0

11. HRT - Cosworth 0

12. Virgin - Cosworth 0

U.S. steps up Web security focus after iPad breach

"The FCC announcement on Friday comes one day after the Federal Bureau of Investigation said it had opened a probe into a security breach of the iPad that exposed personal information of AT&T Inc (T.N) customers, including several high-ranking government officials."

Read the complete article: U.S. steps up Web security focus after iPad breach

Uranium affecting mental health of kids in Punjab

"The presence of the radioactive element has strengthened doubts that depleted uranium used by US tanks in Iraq and Afghanistan was travelling through air, reaching not just Punjab but Delhi as well."

Read further...Uranium affecting mental health of kids in Punjab

Motivational Bakar

Most of my school and college friends are 'Bakar'. 'Bakar' means one who can speak on any topic continuously. My friends are not only 'Bakar', I think they are among the best in this field. One section of this 'Bakar' field is 'Funda Baazi', i.e. to give motivational or spiritual 'Gapp'. Many a times we have recorded these 'Bakar' and showed them to others.
Just a few days back I had my appraisal meeting with my Project Manager. This was my first official meeting with him. Because of the occasion I was very calm and composed. But then my Project Manager was in another mood. He himself started a motivational talk, what we call 'Funda Baazi'. I was surprised and at the same time comfortable. He showed me a video of Harsha Bhogle giving a lecture at IIM Ahmedabad. I really liked that video.
That day when I returned to my home, I downloaded the complete video. First I saw it alone and then I showed it to my room mates. All were very impressed. I even posted the video's link on my Facebook account and it got many 'Likes'.
I am here embedding both the parts of the video for the rest of my friends to watch them.


Harsha Bhogle @ IIMA - Video [1st part]

Cycle of life: Play wise, play fool to achieve your goal

"Sometimes in life, we have to play the fool because our seniors and our peers, and sometimes even our juniors like it. That does not mean we lose in the game of life. It just means allowing others to win in one arena of the game, while we win in the other arena of the game. We have to choose which arena matters to us and which arenas do not."

Read the complete article...Cycle of life: Play wise, play fool to achieve your goal

What will be left after the oil spill?

"Oil is above, around and beneath me; out of sight somewhere way below lurk yet more dark clouds of oil. This is now America’s worst environmental disaster, according to the White House. The beaches are clogged not only with oil, but with clean-up workers, TV crews and politicians. But it is here, beneath the slick, that its destructive power will be most felt."

Read the complete article...What will be left after the oil spill?

World Cup 2010 : Players on Twitter, Follow your Favorite Player

"Below is the list of players, their positions and Twitter Profiles"

List --> World Cup 2010 : Players on Twitter, Follow your Favorite Player

Football World Cup kicks off today in South Africa

"This is the World Cup, the biggest ever. Earth-shaking in its size, symbolism and significance. And not just in the numbers alone, but in the sense of a movement, of rebirth, and of pride. For centuries, Africa got the raw end of most deals. This is the one occasion, when it gives back - with a smile and a warm embrace."

Read further...Football World Cup kicks off today in South Africa

Official Google Blog: The art of a homepage

"Google Search home now comes with Background Photos"

Read further...Official Google Blog: The art of a homepage

UN imposes new sanctions on Iran

"The UN today imposed a new round of sanctions on Iran in an attempt to force it to comply with international demands over its nuclear programme – even though a defiant Tehran insisted punitive measures will change nothing.

The US, which spent five months forging the package, urged Iran to 'choose a wiser course' after security council resolution 1929 was passed by 12 votes today. Brazil and Turkey, which brokered a nuclear fuel swap deal with Iran last month but which was effectively dismissed by the west, voted against. Lebanon abstained. The failure to achieve unanimity is widely seen as having weakened the resolution."

Read further...UN imposes new sanctions on Iran

BP buys search term oil spill from Google

"BP Plc has bought terms such as 'oil spill' from search engine providers including Google Inc to help direct Internet users to its website as it attempts to control the worst oil spill in U.S. history."

Read further...BP buys search term oil spill from Google

Apple’s iPhone 4 Launch – The Nuts and Bolt

"Sure, you already peeped the next version of the iPhone months ago, thanks to that hapless Apple engineer’s fateful beer-haus outing.

But Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs filled in many blanks about the gadget on Monday during a nearly two-hour on-stage unveiling of the iPhone 4 in San Francisco at the Apple developers’ conference."

Read further...Apple’s iPhone 4 Launch – The Nuts and Bolt

Cricket Australia considers new 40-over format

"Cricket Australia is considering introducing a completely new limited-overs format as soon as next season, in what could be another nail in the coffin of the 50-over game. The Australian has reported that the CA board will this week discuss a domestic tournament of 40-over games, with each team to bat for two innings of 20 overs."

Read further...Cricket Australia considers new 40-over format

India slips in Global Peace Index, Pak among bottom five

"India ranked a low 128th on this year's Global Peace Index (GPI) after it slipped six positions though it was ahead of violence-hit Pakistan, which was placed among the five countries which were least peaceful.

Internal conflicts, terrorism and human rights abuses were the factors assessed by the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP) to quantify global peacefulness in the only study of its kind in 149 countries."

Read further...India slips in Global Peace Index, Pak among bottom five

Interesting facts and figures about WC 2010…

"Including the 2010 edition, a total of 76 teams will have taken part in the World Cup finals. This includes teams which either no longer exist or have undergone a transformation."

Read further...Interesting facts and figures…

Australia will be a tough nut to crack

"If they somehow get out of their group and England manage to do so from theirs, it could lead to a second-round Ashes showdown. Upton Park part 2, anyone?"

Read further...Australia will be a tough nut to crack

Messi on a mission

"'I don't think I've reached my peak yet,' he says, his appetite for success undiminished. 'My dream is to win the World Cup with Argentina and then to go and repeat what we've achieved at Barcelona, and to keep on going after that. My aim is to keep improving day by day. I want to keep on growing, I want to learn the things I don't know and to keep working on the things I do know so that I don't forget them.'"

Read further...Messi on a mission

How the African nations have fared so far

"Two days remain for the FIFA World Cup to be kicked-off for the first time on African soil. Here is a look at African nations' World Cup records:

The first match featuring an African team took place in 1934 (Italy) and was played between Egypt and Hungary."

Read further...How the African nations have fared so far

After the Xinjiang Protests

"Before last summer, few people outside China had heard of the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region. Few knew it was the country’s largest province (about the size of Western Europe), and home to a people culturally and linguistically distinct from the Han Chinese, who constitute an ethnic majority in China. Uighurs are Sunni Muslims, speak a Turkic language closely related to Uzbek, and generally look Central Asian."

Read further...After the Xinjiang Protests

World's tallest apartment building in Mumbai by 2014

"Mumbai will have the world's tallest residential building, nearly half a km in height, by 2014, providing an unhindered view of the city from all sides.

City-based realty group Lodha Developers will collaborate with two New York-based firms to build an over 450 metre residential tower at Worli in south-central Mumbai at a cost of Rs.2,000 crore ($424.67 million), the company said here Tuesday."

Read further...World's tallest apartment building in Mumbai by 2014

Adobe acknowledges critical security flaw in software

"Adobe has acknowledged a 'critical' security flaw in its Reader, Acrobat and Flash Player software.

Adobe says the vulnerability potentially enables hackers to take control of affected computer systems."

Read further...Adobe acknowledges critical security flaw in software

How we talk to God and what it says about us

What is the appropriate way of communicating with God? Indians talk to God in the first person. Just as we address our mother, we also use the familiar tu or tum with him. This is true also of Muslims, and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan qualifies his praise of God in the song Allah Hoo by saying: “Tu hi meray Muhammad ka Khuda hai (because you are the God of my Muhammad)”. Though the English language does not have such hierarchy, the word used to address God, “Thou”, is Indo-European and derived from tu.

Read further...How we talk to God and what it says about us

Better quality in the beautiful game

"Football is easily the most globalized sport, especially after the removal of all limits on foreign players playing in European club football. With the total commercialization of club football, as Milanovic puts it, “the introduction of labour mobility under the conditions of uneven concentration of financial power of the clubs will have increased concentration of club quality.”"

Read further...Better quality in the beautiful game

Pakistan terror attack probe links Sarkozy to corruption

"Morice based his demand on the fact that the judges investigating the May 8, 2002 attack believe it was not part of Al Qaeda's terror war against the West, but rather the result of political infighting among French right-wing politicians, in which Sarkozy apparently played a major role."

Read further...Pakistan terror attack probe links Sarkozy to corruption

Facebook 'Like' button draws privacy scrutiny

"Widespread use of the Like button allows Facebook to track people as they switch from CNN.com to Yelp.com to ESPN.com, all of which are sites that have said they will implement the feature.
Even if someone is not a Facebook user or is not logged in, Facebook's social plug-ins collect the address of the Web page being visited and the Internet address of the visitor as soon as the page is loaded--clicking on the Like button is not required. If enough sites participate, that permits Facebook to assemble a vast amount of data about Internet users' browsing habits."

Read further...Facebook 'Like' button draws privacy scrutiny

Sonic to buy DivX for $ 323 million

"Digital media company Sonic Solutions agreed to acquire video compression software maker DivX Inc for about $ 323 million in cash and stock, to boost its Internet-based video delivery products.
The deal will help Sonic, known for its Roxio digital media players, expand its relationships with retailers and consumer electronics manufacturers."

Read further...Sonic to buy DivX for $ 323 million

Warren Buffett at a glance

"Buffett, 79, bought Berkshire, a struggling textile mill, in 1965. The mill is gone, but Berkshire's market value is roughly $189 billion, Reuters data show. Berkshire owns roughly 80 companies.

It ended last year with $59 billion of stock investments in companies such as American Express, Coca-Cola, Procter & Gamble and Wells Fargo."

Read further...Warren Buffett at a glance

BSE 'T' group stocks soar as punters ramp up prices

"The Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) moved over 600 stocks — nearly one-fifth of the total stocks listed on the bourse — to the trade-to-trade, or ‘T’ group, last month, to curb speculative activity.

Only delivery-based transactions are allowed in the ‘T’ group; traders can not take intra-day positions. This a preventive action on the part of the exchange to reduce systemic risk arising from excess speculation. If the activity in a stock dies down after its inclusion in the ‘T’ group, it is a fair indicator that much of the interest till then had been speculative and not based on fundamentals."

Read further...BSE 'T' group stocks soar as punters ramp up prices

Top 20 Well-Being City List

"Districts from Orissa, Bihar and Jharkhand figured prominently in the bottom 20 of the well-being index, reflecting poor quality of life in the region. Seven districts of Orissa, six of Bihar and two of Jharkhand were in the bottom 20 list."

Read further...Top 20 Well-Being City List

In victory, a bitter message for Mamata Banerjee

"there was a rather unpalatable message for Railway Minister and party chief Mamata Banerjee, hidden in the fine print: the TC has failed to touch the halfway mark, winning only 27 of the 81 municipal corporations – including the prestigious Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), which it swept. This is even though the Left Front secured only 18 corporations, down from the 54 it held in 2005, and the Congress failed to reach the double digit-mark, plateauing at seven, down from 16 last time. How has this happened? This is because no party has managed a majority in at least 25 civic bodies."

Read further...In victory, a bitter message for Mamata Banerjee

Govt already planning new base year for key economic data

"The National Statistical Commission (NSC), under C. Rangarajan, has recommended that the base year be updated every five years. Officials in the ministry of statistics and programme implementation (Mospi) say that as 2004-05 is already six years past, it needs to be updated quickly."

Read further...Govt already planning new base year for key economic data

50 days of Manipur blockade

"The Naga students' union wants greater autonomy for the hill districts and that NSCN leader Muivah be allowed to visit the hills. But it is a shocking state of affairs in Manipur and questions as to why the blockade isn't attracting more attention."

Read further...50 days of Manipur blockade

Don’t be in a hurry to build your career

"Subroto Bagchi gives some tips for success. The best being not to hurry in building your career. In almost 4 decades of professional life, there's no need for rushing"

Read further...Don’t be in a hurry to build your career

India, Pakistan resolve Baglihar issue

"India and Pakistan have resolved at the meeting of the Permanent Indus Water Commission here the issue of water flows in the Chenab river being affected during the initial filling of the Baglihar dam in 2008. Pakistan has decided not to raise the matter further."

Read further...India, Pakistan resolve Baglihar issue