Friday, January 27, 2012

wow! surprise, the great sudhakar is a member now. i am really happyy

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

this is australia, mate -court. national geogaraphic channel

The smooth, sandy shorelines of Australia’s Whitsunday Islands and the natural wonder of the surrounding Great Barrier Reef draw tourists from around the world. Many of the 74 islands are designated national park land while others play host to luxurious island resorts.

Lightning flashes over Ayers Rock, a landmark red sandstone monolith that draws tourists to Australia's center. Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park houses the rock, called Uluru by Aborigines, the continent's original inhabitants

The remote Kimberley region in Western Australia features dramatic landscapes filled with river gorges and sandstone formations that were featured in the 2008 film Australia. The Kimberley is also home to the massive boab tree, close relative of the African baobabs

Aborigines kick up dust in a dance at sunset. The original inhabitants of Australia, Aborigines were there for more than 40,000 years before white men arrived. European settlers brought disease and politics to the continent, severely endangering the Aborigines’ distinct culture, language, and lifestyle.

The sky stretches far and wide above cowgirls—or jillaroos—on a cattle ranch in Queensland. Ranching is serious business in Australia.

A heavy-lidded koala keeps its cool nestled in an Adelaide tree. These eastern Australian residents spend most of their time dozing in eucalyptus trees, waking up at night to feed on the trees' tough leaves.

A joey gets a ride from its mother in Victoria. A national symbol of Australia, the eastern grey kangaroo has been known to leap up to 29.5 feet (9 meters) in a single bound as it traverses eastern mainland Australia. The eastern grey is one of approximately 63 species that are native to Australia.

.Eight towering limestone monoliths make up the Twelve Apostles that sit on Great Ocean Road in southeastern Australia. The structures, once a part of the towering mainland cliffs, now sit about 80 feet (24 meters) high and 20 feet (6 meters) wide in the midst of crashing waves

The Sydney Opera House is an iconic image of Australia’s largest city and provides multiple venues for different types of entertainment. The distinctive roof of the opera house is created from interlocking “shells” that form a terraced platform where pedestrians can stroll in the Sydney sunshine.

The world-famous Melbourne Cricket Ground was built in 1853 after the Australian government forced the 15-year-old Melbourne Cricket Club to move locations. Today the site is the largest stadium in Australia and has played host to Pope John Paul II, the 1956 Summer Olympics, and musical acts like The Police

Brightly colored bathing boxes line the sand at Brighton Beach. Victorian morality created the huts, situated close to the shoreline so women could slip into their bathing costumes and race to the water discretely

King penguins crowd Macquarie Island, which is halfway between Australia and Antarctica and home to thousands of migratory seabirds and elephant seals. The oceanic island is the exposed part of the undersea Macquarie Ridge, which is formed by the meeting of two tectonic plates.

The Remarkable Rocks, a series of weather-sculpted boulders that perch on a granite dome above the sea, draw visitors to Flinders Chase National Park on south Australia's Kangaroo Island.

Crystal Shower Falls is just one natural attraction in New South Wales's Dorrigo National Park. Boardwalks on the forest floor and the treetop level let visitors experience the rain forest up close.

The threatened Australian sea lion is found only in the Great Australian Bight, which arcs around the southern shore of the continent. The mammal is distinguished by an unusual breeding cycle that occurs every 18 months and has pups suckle for a year and a half.

Monday, January 23, 2012

HOYSALA TEMPLES

Five Hoysala temples off the tourist map

Belur, Halebeedu and Somnathpur might be big hits among tourists but the Hoysala dynasty was known to have built over 1,500 shrines, of which only 400 have been discovered. Lakshmi Sharath recommends five lesser-known but no-less splendid Hoysala temples that are off the radar of most tourists

By Lakshmi Sharath | Yahoo Lifestyle Entertainment – Tue, Jan 17, 2012 1:30 PM IST

The Hoysala temple at Hulikere

“Hoy Sala " (Strike Sala!) said guru Sudatta Muni to his student Sala, who was in armed combat with a tiger. The beast had just attacked the duo, who were immersed in rituals at a Durga or Vasantha Parameshwari temple in the village of Sasakapura or Sosevur. The student struck the animal in one blow, immortalizing himself and his victim. Pleased, the guru instructed Sala to establish a kingdom. Thus was born the Hoysala dynasty, with Sosevur as the capital.

We are a country that loves stories. There are tales for everything from deities to devils, from demi-gods to mortals. You will often hear this story told and retold if you are in Malenadu in Karnataka. Almost every Hoysala temple has this tale carved in stone, making it a royal emblem.

The dynasty that ruled Karnataka for over 400 years is known more for its temples than its battles. It is believed that they built over 1,500 shrines, of which more than 400 have been discovered today. Of these only three have made it to the tourist map - Belur, Halebeedu and Somnathpur. My journeys have taken me to barely 30 of them, of which I would now recommend about five.

Angadi

When a dynasty owes its origins to a myth, one has to see the place where the story was set. It is believed that Sala’s Sosevur is Angadi, a small hamlet in Chikmagalur district of Karnataka. Deep inside coffee plantations lies the temple of the Goddess, along with the ruins of more temples and Jain basadis. The priest will narrate the story and show you the temple where Sala killed the tiger. Although historians dismiss the myth, they do believe that the basadis here are the earliest of the monuments built by the Hoysalas. Small mud roads take you uphill into dense coffee plantations. As you follow the roads, you reach a rugged path that takes you to the basadis. Another path leads you to the three temples, which were completely in ruins when I chanced upon them. They are the Chennakesava, Patalarudreshwara and Mallikarjuna temples. Surrounding you are verdant plantations and all that you can hear is the chirping of birds, with hardly a soul around.

Doddagaddavalli

On the route to Belur from Hassan lies a small green board that says “Doddagaddavalli”. Follow the arrow and drive through the detour and you will see lush fields and coconut trees all along the way. As the eyes get blinded by the greenery, you see the first glimpse of this beautiful 12th century temple, built by a merchant, with a lake in the background and fields all around it. A quaint hamlet with a handful of houses interrupts you, as you finally land right on the doorstep of the temple. It is a Lakshmi temple with shrines dedicated to Kali, Shiva and Vishnu and the only Hoysala temple with four towers or vimanas. A serene lake completes this picture-perfect monument as you look up to see the Hoysala crest basking in the sun.

Hulikere

Hulikere is not a temple but the only Kalyani or step-well that I have seen in the Hoysala monuments. Located barely a few kilometers from the Hoysaleshwar temple in Halebeedu, the step-well has several shrines alongside it. The Pushpagiri hill looks down on this small dusty hamlet and Hulikere often becomes the playground for the village kids who head here to play “This is Queen Shantala Devi ‘s private pond,” says the watchman, adding that it is called Hulikere because the security arranged by the king for his queen was so secure that even a tiger could not walk around it. So much for names and myths!

Koravangala

Three brothers competed with each other to build the most beautiful Hoysala temple right here in Koravangala, near Hassan. But all that we saw was a 12th century Dwikuta or a temple with two vimanas or towers dedicated to Shiva called Bucheswara. It was built by a wealthy officer Buchi after he won the war against the Cholas, although he lost his sons in the battle. The inscriptions here say that Buchi vied with his brothers Govinda and Naka, whose temples lie absolutely in ruins beside a dry lake bed.

Marle

Twin temples dedicated to Keshava and Siddeshwara lie in a quiet remote village called Marle in Chikmagalur district. The village spoke of tribal chieftain Poysala Muruga, one of the earliest founders of the dynasty. Yet, today, you barely see a soul around you as you walk along dry fields and patches of land to see the temples virtually lost to the sky and earth. The two lie side by side, adorned with some flowers left by a priest from the neighbourhood.

Saturday, January 21, 2012

indian-couples-norway-nightmare-family-appeals-to-president-to-intervene-

Click to Expand & Play

New Delhi: As an Indian couple battles in Norway for the custody of their two children - taken away and sent to foster care by the Child Protective Services - the grandparents of the children, accompanied by CPM leader Brinda Karat, met President Pratibha Patil today.

"This is a kind of kidnapping. They are refusing to co-operate with the Indian government. We are scared and waiting in anticipation. The President has assured us that she will take action," said Shikha Chakraborty, grandmother of the children.

Last May, Norway's Child Protective Services took away Anurup and Sagarika Bhattacharya's children, a three-year-old son and one-year-old daughter, and placed them in foster care.

The drastic measure was taken because, according to the child protective services, the couple were not bringing the children up properly. What did they do wrong? They fed the children with their hands and the infants slept in the same bed as the parents. (Comment here)

"My son was sleeping with my husband. They said he should sleep separately from your son," said Mrs Bhattacharya.

"Feeding a child with the hand is normal in Indian tradition and when the mother is feeding with a spoon there could be phases when she was overfeeding the child. They said it was force feeding. These are basically cultural differences," said Mr Bhattacharya.

Recently, the Indian Embassy in Oslo stepped in and an officer even met the children, though the parents were not allowed to.

Norway's Child Protective Service is a powerful body charged with protecting the rights of children living in difficult family situations. But there are many reports of excesses.

"There has been a report in UN in 2005 which criticized Norway for taking too many children in public care. The amount was 12,500 children and Norway is a small country," said Svein Kjetil Lode Svendsen, lawyer.

The Bhattacharyas' visas expire in March. If they don't get their children by then, the couple will be forced to stay on.

"What we have thought is we are not going to apply for visa for my children. But if the case doesn't get sorted we have to apply because we cannot come back to India without our children," said Mr Bhattacharya.

It's a nightmare that, at this moment, seems without end.

child-seen-tying-ministers-shoe-laces-at-a-function-in-madhya-pradesh

Click to Expand & Play

Chhindwara: Madhya Pradesh minister Gauri Shankar Bisen, who is often been in news for various controversies, has landed himself in trouble yet again. At a public function in Chhindwara on Friday, a boy was seen tying the minister's shoe laces - not just once but twice.

According to reports, while a road project inauguration function was underway, Cooperatives Minister Bisen reportedly called the boy, believed to be a tribal school student, to tie his shoe laces.

Sensing media persons present at the function taking note of his act, the BJP minister's supporters quickly whisked him away. The boy is now reportedly untraceable.

Union Minister Kamal Nath was also present at the function when the incident happened. He was sitting right next to Bisen, who is a cabinet minister in the Shivraj Singh Chouhan-led state government. In his defence, the union mister said he "did not notice" the boy tying Bisen's shoe laces. "I did not notice it. And if I had seen it, I would have of course condemned it there and then. In my 31 years of representing the Chindwara district in Parliament, this is the most obnoxious event that has happened. It deserves to be condemned. I was hurt that it happened at an event where I was present."

The issue has given state Congress leaders fresh reasons to attack Bisen and the BJP.

"This act shows the attitude of Bisen towards tribals and minor students. It is also another example of the kind of ministers in the Shivraj Singh Chouhan cabinet. We will protest soon on the issue to get Bisen removed from the cabinet," said Congress spokesperson KK Mishra. (With IANS Inputs)

Friday, January 20, 2012

pepe, the idiot

Pepe stamps on Messi’s hand

During the Copa del Rey quarter-final cameras caught Real Madrid’s Pepe stamping on Lionel Messi’s hand, but the question is – will he receive a punishment?

Portuguese centre-back Pepe, who has a history of violent acts in football looks set to be in trouble once again with the Spanish Football Federation.
The Real Madrid player, who was already booked for several nasty challenges throughout the game was seen deliberately stamping on Lionel Messi’s hand.
Referee Muniz Fernandez did not see the incident and Pepe was subbed by Jose Mourinho moments later.
Manchester United forward Wayne Rooney tweeted : ” What an idiot, Pepe!”

Teenager invents anti-molestation device for women- news from cnn ibn

New Delhi: A young inventor, Manu Chopra, may soon change the way women travel in the country. He has invented an anti-molestation device for women, which can be worn as a wrist watch.

Many women from the national capital have faced terror on the roads of Delhi, which has a high rate of crime against women. Some of them may have survived to tell the tale, but it has not been easy dealing with the aftermath.

But the young teenager Manu Chopra now has invented an anti-molestation device for women, worn like a wrist watch. This device works to give electric shocks to attackers based on the speed of nerve impulses.

The average speed of nerve impulses transmitted from the brain to other parts of the body is 60 metre per second. In case of any attempt of molestation, the speed of the nerve impulses increase to 119 metre per second. It is then that this device detects the increased nerve impulse and stings the attacker with a small electric shock of 0.01 amperes. On contact, the attacker is left paralysed for a few moments, giving the victim time to escape.

Chopra was one of the 20 young innovators selected from a group of 5,000 to work under the guidance of former President APJ Abul Kalam. His innovation has won him accolades from Kalam himself and the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad.

Although the anti-molestation device is still at a developmental stage, Chopra, with the help of the National Innovation Federation has already started stepping ahead to make his device commercially available. His first potential customer is his school principal.

Ritu Pathak, the Principal of GD Goenka School said, "Yes, I will use the product once it is commercially available and I'm confident about it."

The device may not be of use to men, since it can only detect the female hormone, but Manu's invention is a start and with the right commercial backing and a little streamlining it could instill a feeling of safety and confidence in women.

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Norway authorities take away Indian couple's kids, say feeding with hands wrong

NDTV Correspondent, Updated: January 17, 2012 08:05 IST
email

New Delhi: Anurup and Sagarika Bhattacharya - an Indian couple from Kolkata are living a nightmare in Norway. Their children - a three-year-old son and one-year-old daughter - were taken away from them by Norway's child protective services and placed in foster care eight months ago.

The drastic measure was taken because, according to the child protective services, the couple were not bringing the children up properly. What did they do wrong? They fed the children with their hands and the infants slept in the same bed as the parents.

"My son was sleeping with my husband. They said he should sleep separately from your son," said Mrs Bhattacharya.

"Feeding a child with the hand is normal in Indian tradition and when the mother is feeding with a spoon there could be phases when she was overfeeding the child. They said it was force feeding. These are basically cultural differences," said Mr Bhattacharya.

Recently, the Indian Embassy in Oslo stepped in and an officer even met the children, though the parents were not allowed to.

Norway's Child Protective Service is a powerful body charged with protecting the rights of children living in difficult family situations. But there are many reports of excesses.

"There has been a report in UN in 2005 which criticized Norway for taking too many children in public care. The amount was 12,500 children and Norway is a small country," said Svein Kjetil Lode Svendsen, lawyer.

The Bhattacharyas' visas expire in March. If they don't get their children by then, the couple will be forced to stay on.

"What we have thought is we are not going to apply for visa for my children. But if the case doesn't get sorted we have to apply because we cannot come back to India without our children," said Mr Bhattacharya.

It's a nightmare that, at this moment, seems without end.

Read more at: http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/indian-couples-norway-nightmare-kids-taken-away-for-feeding-with-hands-167660?pfrom=home-lateststories&cp