Info!!!

Digital Camera

2006-08-17T10:43:00.000-07:00

Points you should note while buying a digital camera are:

Resolution:
Although a decent resolution is necessary, investing just on resolution does not necessarily make sense. When 2-3 MPixel camera is sufficient for most of us, I have seen people put hundreds of dollars into getting a 6.3 MPixel one.
There are two places where higher resolution comes in handy:
Printing : When you are going to develop your photos to huge prints, higher resolutions come in handy. But ask yourself, how many times are you going to print larger than 5x10? To help you make a decision, here is a table of Resolution to printable size table:

Digital Camera Resolution Chart
Capture Resolution	Video Display*	Print Size***
Capture Resolution	Video Display*	2x3"	4x5"/4x6"	5x7"	8x10"	11x14"	16x20"
320x240	Acceptable	Good	Acceptable	Poor	Poor	Poor	Poor
640x480 - 0.3 Megapixel	Good	Excellent	Good	Poor	Poor	Poor	Poor
800x600	Excellent	Photo Quality	Very Good	Acceptable	Poor	Poor	Poor
1024x768	Excellent	Photo Quality	Excellent	Good	Acceptable	Poor	Poor
1280x960 - 1 Megapixel	Excellent	Photo Quality	Photo Quality	Very Good	Good	Poor	Poor
1536x1180	Excellent**	Photo Quality	Photo Quality	Excellent	Very Good	Acceptable	poor
1600x1200 - 2 Megapixel	Excellent**	Photo Quality	Photo Quality	Photo Quality	Very Good	Acceptable	Acceptable
2048x1536 - 3 Megapixel	Excellent**	Photo Quality	Photo Quality	Photo Quality	Excellent	Good	Acceptable
2240x1680 - 4 Megapixel	Excellent**	Photo Quality	Photo Quality	Photo Quality	Photo Quality	Very Good	Good
2560x1920 - 5 Megapixel	Excellent**	Photo Quality	Photo Quality	Photo Quality	Photo Quality	Excellent	Very Good
3032x2008 - 6 Megapixel	Excellent**	Photo Quality	Photo Quality	Photo Quality	Photo Quality	Photo Quality	Excellent

Cropping: When you have not enough optical zoom to zero into the subject, or you want to take a photo which is not of regular size (like panoramic ones), you might want to take the photo and later crop (delete portions of it from borders) the photo on a computer. From my experience, after the first few months of buying the DigiCam, you won't have time to do cropping most of the time. For long distance photography, it's better to invest on a camera with good optical zoom. For Panoramic photographs, there are digital cameras (at least Canon has this feature) which allows you to take wide panoramas in stitch-assist modes (each shot is aligned to the next shot on the screen).

Optical Zoom:
A lot of lower end digital cameras claim significant digital zoom. Some of them increment the zoom factor by multiplying Digital and Optical zooms ( i.e. a camera with 3x optical and 4x digital zooms claims to have 4X2=8x total zoom!!). It is better to discount the digital zoom part totally, as, it is effectively extrapolating your pixels (and losing details in the process). To do digital zoom, your photo editing computer will be much more effective than your camera. It's better to invest in a camera with good optical zoom that other bells and whistles.
Shutter Delay:
A regular film camera operates in the following mode: when you press the shutter, the barrier between the outside world and the film gets removed for a brief period of time, allowing the chemicals on the film to react to the external light, thus capturing a 'photo' of it. On the other hand, a digital camera has a sensor plate (CCD or CMOS) in place of the film. As soon as the shutter is pressed, the barrier gets removed in the same manner as the film camera for a minute amount of time. But, instead of chemicals reacting to light (which can happen all over the film simultaneously), a processor starts reading the info from the sensor plate. This, depending on the capabilities of the camera, can take a significant time, causing a shutter lag (delay between pressing the shutter and capturing the photo). Research the shutter lag of the camera you are planning to buy before committing on it.
Night Shot:
You'll have one of the major set-backs while shooting at lowlight with a digital camera. In case of a film camera, the shots taken at lowlight can be dim, but they will always be smooth. Whereas for digital cameras, the image taken at lowlight will not be smooth but significantly grainy, giving it that ghostly look. Do a little research on the nightshot capabilities of the camera you are going to buy. Another major disadvantage of digital cameras is significant red-eye. This phenomenon is present in the film cameras too. But digital cameras, being smaller and smaller, the distance between the lense and the flash has reduced, enhancing the red-eye problem.
Battery Type:
This is of not much concern if you are buying and using the camera in the same geographical region. But if you are buying the camera, say in USA, and sending it to, say India for your kid brother, you might take the battery type used by the camera into consideration. A replacement of the proprietary rechargeable batteries used in the compact digital cameras may not be available everywhere.
Also, you might want to consider buying a spare battery for you. Going on a long camping trip, you don't want to run out of bettery. If you go for long trips to back-country, away from civilization (meaning BestBuy, CircuitCity or Frys!!), you might want to consider cameras that take standard (AA/AAA) batteries.

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"All the desirable things in life are either illegal, expensive, fattening or married to someone else!"
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Scientists conjure true 'cloaking' device

2006-07-17T09:35:00.000-07:00

A way to vanish matter before your eyes has become a serious possibility thanks to theoretical research announced today by British and American scientists.

When built, the device theorised by the research could achieve a similar magical effect to that seen in Harry Potter movies, where the trainee wizard dons a special cape and becomes invisible.

The research suggests a way to build a 'cloaking' or shielding device that renders whatever is placed inside it invisible. It would also nullify the effects of other electromagnetic radiation - meaning that objects sitting within the cloak would be impervious to radar detection.

The scientists from Imperial College London and Duke University, USA, announced their findings in a paper published in Science Express today (26 May).

"Just as in the Harry Potter film, nobody would be able to see an object if it was cloaked, as it's in a spacewarp, and that's exactly what our stuff would do," says Professor Sir John Pendry of the Department of Physics at Imperial College London and first author of the research.

The researchers propose to build a special material that wraps around an object and which would 'grab' light heading towards it and make it flow smoothly around the object rather than strike it. To an observer the light would appear to have behaved as if there was nothing there.

Sir John explains the concept by likening it to water flowing around a stick in a stream. "Water flows around the obstacle and continues smoothly on behind the stick downstream. That's the idea behind our theory."

Study co-authors David Schurig and David Smith of Duke University, are now attempting to build the special material, called a metamaterial, that will do the grabbing of light and achieve this effect in reality. The first device is likely to be at a very small scale, just a few tenths of a centimetre across.

However, the special effects of the cloaking device would not be limited just to light rays, but would extend to all other field lines, including lines of force. This suggests other novel uses, for example in an interventional MRI scanner, where metallic instruments and other sensitive measuring equipment cannot be used due to the scanner's very strong magnetic fields. Instruments contained within such a cloaking device could however be used safely.

Unlike other stealth or cloaking solutions currently under development, the proposed device would also operate across a range of frequencies, not just one. "Ours would be a broadband cloak," says Sir John.

Since the cloak could also be tuned to apply to any ranges of frequency on the electromagnetic spectrum, it could also shield objects at the radio frequencies used by radar. In fact, says Sir John, this is where the device may eventually make the biggest impact.

Fortunately, he says, the technical challenge of making the device is less exacting than that for another of his ideas, the perfect lens, and he expects the first to be made within one or two years, for radar applications.

"If you can make the right metamaterials you will be almost there. They should be much easier to make than those required for perfect lenses, since our cloaking device doesn't need to be made to a perfect quality to achieve the right result."

The inspiration for the theory builds on work undertaken by Sir John and a former graduate student Andrew Ward over a decade ago, which demonstrated not only a theoretical new way of steering light but, as it was later realised, a means of 'ripping' a hole in space.

"What this device would really do is a bit like making a black hole" said Sir John,"There would be no communication between the object that is cloaked and the outside world."

The research was supported with funding from EPSRC (Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, UK) and DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, US).

ENDS

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Blaming your faults on your nature does not change the nature of your faults!!!
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Top 100 Engineering Colleges In India

2006-07-16T01:11:00.000-07:00

A recent flurry of private institutes has helped improve the scene, especially in south India


Rank	Name of Institute	City	G/P	IC (30)	I&F (20)	PS (15)	II (15)	P 20)	T (100)

Government = G; Private = P; Intellectual capital =IC; Infrastructure and Facilities=I&F; Pedagogic Systems=PS; Industry Interface=II; Placements=P; T= Total;

1	IIT Kanpur	Kanpur	G	28.3	18.9	13.8	13.2	18.5	92.7
2	IIT Kharagpur	Kharagpur	G	27.9	18.8	13.7	13.5	18.3	92.2
3	IIT Bombay	Mumbai	G	27.2	18.6	13.0	13.7	18.7	91.2
4	IIT Madras	Chennai	G	26.7	18.3	13.3	12.9	17.8	89.1
5	IIT Delhi	Delhi	G	26.1	18.5	12.7	13.4	18.1	88.8
6	BITS Pilani	Pilani	P	25.8	17.8	13.5	13.5	17.3	87.9
7	IIT Roorkee	Roorkee	G	25.5	18.6	12.9	12.4	16.3	85.6
8	IT-BHU	Varanasi	G	23.9	18.2	12.7	11.9	15.9	82.6
9	IIT Guwahati	Guwahati	G	25.2	18.1	12.5	10.5	15.1	81.4
10	College of Engg, Anna University	Guindy	G	25.3	16.7	12.4	12.8	14.1	81.3
11	Jadavpur University, Faculty of Engg & Tech	Calcutta	G	25.2	16.4	11.7	11.4	15.4	80.1
12	Indian School of Mines	Dhanbad	G	24.7	15.5	12.2	12.2	14.7	79.3
13	NIT	Warangal	G	24.9	16.9	11.8	11.5	14.0	79.1
14	BIT, Mesra	Ranchi	P	23.6	13.7	12.3	12.3	14.2	76.1
15	NIT	Trichy	G	24.0	17.3	10.4	10.5	13.5	75.7
16	Delhi College of Engineering	New Delhi	G	22.4	15.9	12.6	10.8	13.8	75.5
17	Punjab Engineering College	Chandigarh	G	22.0	17.7	10.1	09.3	15.8	74.9
18	NIT	Suratkal	G	23.9	17.1	10.3	10.1	13.3	74.7
19	Motilal Nehru National Inst. of Technology	Allahabad	G	22.8	16.5	11.3	09.9	14.1	74.6
20	Thapar Inst of Engineering & Technology	Patiala	p	21.6	16.3	12.3	12.2	12.0	74.4
21	Bengal Eng and Science University, Shibpur	Howrah	G	23.0	15.7	12.0	10.5	12.1	73.3
22	MANIT	Bhopal	G	23.5	16.3	10.6	10.4	12.4	73.2
23	PSG College of Technology	Coimbatore	G	21.8	14.9	09.8	13.6	12.8	72.9
24	IIIT	Hyderabad	G	21.3	16.3	10.3	10.7	13.9	72.5
25	Harcourt Butler Technological Institute	Kanpur	G	23.0	15.5	11.3	10.2	12.4	72.4
26	Malviya National Institute of Technology	Jaipur	G	22.5	16.5	10.4	09.2	13.0	71.6
27	VNIT	Nagpur	G	21.8	15.7	10.8	10.2	12.5	71.0
28	NIT	Kozhikode	G	21.9	16.8	09.9	10.2	11.9	70.7
29	Dhirubhai Ambani IICT	Gandhinagar	P	22.7	16.3	10.6	09.6	11.2	70.4
30	Osmania Univ. College of Engineering	Hyderabad	G	22.7	14.0	10.3	10.9	12.4	70.3
31	College of Engineering, Andhra University	Vishakhapatnam	G	22.5	12.7	10.7	10.8	13.5	70.2
32	Netaji Subhas Institute of Technology	New Delhi	G	22.0	16.5	09.3	09.7	12.0	69.5
33	NIT	Kurukshetra	G	21.8	15.7	09.9	09.6	12.0	69.1
34	NIT	Rourkela	G	20.4	14.6	10.3	10.3	13.3	68.9
35	SVNIT	Surat	G	20.3	14.2	10.1	10.6	13.6	68.8
36	Govt. College of Engineering	Pune	G	21.2	12.2	11.1	11.5	12.7	68.7
37	Manipal Institute of Technology	Manipal	p	21.7	12.8	11.2	10.4	12.5	68.6
38	JNTU	Hyderabad	G	21.8	12.5	10.9	10.2	12.9	68.3
39	R.V. College of Engineering	Bangalore	p	20.6	13.2	10.8	10.6	13.0	68.2
40	NIT	Jamshedpur	G	19.9	13.4	10.4	10.4	14.0	68.1
41	University Visvesvaraya College of Engg.	Bangalore	G	22.0	13.3	09.6	09.9	12.8	67.6
42	VJTI	Mumbai	G	20.3	12.6	10.7	10.5	13.4	67.5
43	Vellore Institute of Technology	Vellore	P	20.3	16.9	09.8	10.1	10.3	67.4
44	Coimbatore Institute of Technology	Coimbatore	G	20.4	13.0	10.8	12.2	10.9	67.3
45	SSN College of Engineering	Chennai	P	21.4	12.7	11.3	11.2	10.6	67.2
46	IIIT	Allahabad	G	19.2	13.6	12.0	10.5	11.8	67.1
47	College of Engineering	Trivandrum	G	19.3	16.1	08.9	09.4	13.3	67.0
48	NIT Durgapur	Durgapur	G	20.5	12.4	11.3	10.7	12.0	66.9
49	SIT	Calcutta	G	22.9	13.4	10.1	08.9	11.5	66.8
50	Mumbai University Inst of Chemical Tech	Mumbai	G	20.2	12.5	11.4	10.0	12.6	66.7
51	Sardar Patel College of Engineering	Mumbai	p	20.1	12.7	10.2	10.4	13.2	66.6
52	P.E.S. Institute of Technology	Bangalore	p	19.5	13.1	11.0	11.7	11.0	66.3
53	Maharashtra Institute of Technology	Pune	p	20.3	13.4	10.0	10.2	12.3	66.2
54	Amrita Institute of Technology & Science	Coimbatore	p	19.8	12.2	12.1	10.5	11.5	66.1
55	National Institute of Engineering	Mysore	p	19.6	11.9	12.0	10.2	12.2	65.9
56	B.M.S. College of Engineering	Bangalore	p	19.7	13.1	10.9	09.6	12.3	65.6
57	Laxminarayan Institute Of Tech.	Nagpur	G	20.3	12.4	10.3	10.1	12.4	65.5
58	Nirma Institute of Technology	Ahmedabad	p	19.3	13.9	10.2	10.0	12.0	65.4
59	IIIT	Pune	G	19.4	12.6	10.2	10.3	12.7	65.2
60	Amity School of Engineering	Noida	p	19.7	13.5	09.3	10.1	12.5	65.1
61	JNTU	Kakinada	G	19.8	12.9	09.8	10.1	12.4	65.1
62	S.J. College of Engineering	Mysore	P	19.7	12.8	10.8	09.4	11.9	64.6
63	Chaitanya Bharathi Inst. of Technology	Hyderabad	P	19.3	13.3	09.8	09.2	12.9	64.5
64	IIIT	Bangalore	G	19.0	11.6	12.1	10.7	10.9	64.3
65	SRM Institute of Science and Technology	Chennai	P	21.0	12.4	09.3	08.4	13.1	64.2
66	SASTRA	Thanjavur	P	18.5	13.2	12.0	10.3	10.1	64.1
67	Bangalore Institute of Technology	Bangalore	P	19.5	11.8	10.5	10.2	12.0	64.0
68	The Technological Inst. of Textile & Sciences	Bhiwani	G	19.7	12.9	11.3	09.3	10.7	63.9
69	IIIT	Gwalior	G	19.7	12.7	10.2	10.3	10.9	63.8
70	JNTU	Anantpur	G	18.9	12.4	11.3	09.0	11.8	63.4
71	M.S. Ramaiah Institute of Technology	Bangalore	P	18.7	14.2	10.1	08.7	11.5	63.2
72	Gitam	Vishakhapatnam	P	19.2	14.8	10.6	06.2	12.3	63.1
73	NIT	Hamirpur	G	18.3	14.8	09.7	07.9	12.2	62.9
74	NIT	Jalandhar	G	19.6	12.7	09.3	09.1	12.2	62.8
75	SV University Engineering College	Tirupati	G	19.8	11.5	10.3	10.1	10.7	62.4
76	NIT	Raipur	G	18.7	13.1	09.6	09.1	11.8	62.3
77	Vasavi College of Engineering	Hyderabad	P	19.6	14.1	09.6	07.1	11.8	62.2
78	The ICFAI Inst of Science and Technology	Hyderabad	P	20.5	08.4	11.9	11.6	09.7	62.1
79	NIT	Patna	G	19.7	12.2	10.7	09.2	10.2	62.0
80	Cummins College of Engg for Women	Pune	G	20.1	08.7	11.7	11.3	10.1	61.9
81	VIT	Pune	P	17.9	11.2	11.7	10.0	10.5	61.3
82	Shri Ramdeo Baba K.N. Engineering College	Nagpur	P	18.7	13.3	10.4	08.2	09.7	60.3
83	Muffakham Jah Engineering College	Hyderabad	P	17.1	12.2	08.1	10.2	12.4	60.0
84	Karunya Institute of Technology	Coimbatore	P	18.1	12.1	08.9	08.4	12.3	59.8
85	D.J. Sanghvi	Mumbai	P	18.2	12.9	08.1	09.5	11.0	59.7
86	Sathyabhama Engineering College	Chennai	P	17.6	12.4	09.5	08.2	11.8	59.5
87	Kongu Engineering College	Erode	P	17.8	12.7	09.3	08.5	11.2	59.4
88	Mepco Schlenk Engineering College	Sivakasi	P	17.5	13.8	08.7	08.5	10.8	59.3
89	Guru Nanak Dev Engineering College	Ludhiana	G	17.7	12.4	08.6	08.8	11.6	59.1
90	Hindustan Inst of Engineering Technology	Chennai	P	18.9	11.3	09.2	09.3	10.2	58.9
91	SDM College of Engineering	Dharwad	P	16.5	12.7	08.0	09.6	11.7	58.5
92	R.V.R. & J.C. College Of Engg	Guntur	P	16.8	12.1	09.6	08.7	11.2	58.4
93	Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi	New Delhi	G	19.8	10.2	08.8	08.7	10.8	58.3
94	K.L. College of Engineering	Veddeswaram	P	17.8	12.8	09.4	07.5	10.7	58.2
95	Dharmsinh Desai Institute of Technology	Nadiad	P	16.1	12.1	10.3	09.1	10.1	57.7
96	S.G.S. Institute of Technology & Science	Indore	G	16.1	11.3	09.8	09.5	10.3	57.0
97	Jabalpur Engineering College	Jabalpur	G	15.9	12.5	08.2	08.5	11.8	56.9
98	Sree Chitra Thirunal College of Engineering	Trivandrum	P	15.5	12.5	07.9	08.7	09.9	54.5
99	G.H. Patel College of Engg & Technology	Vallabh Vidyanagar	G	15.1	12.8	09.5	07.4	09.6	54.4
100	Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology	Bhubaneshwar	P	14.9	12.9	08.1	08.5	09.8	54.2

Source:
The Outlook (I guess!)
But its from a very famouse National Magazine.
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The world is a tragedy for those who feel and a comedy for those who think!
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Cackes!

2006-07-13T10:11:00.000-07:00

OK - Now that you've made your choice, scroll down to see what research says about you!

ANGEL FOOD CAKE... Sweet, loving, cuddly. You love all warm and fuzzy items. A little nutty at times. Sometimes you need an ice cream cone at the end of the day. Others perceive you as being childlike and immature at times.

BROWNIES... You are adventurous, love new ideas, are a champion of under dogs and a slayer of dragons. When tempers flare up, you whip out your sabre. You are always the oddball with a unique sense of humor and direction. You tend to be very loyal.

LEMON MERINGUE... Smooth, sexy, & articulate with your hands, you are an excellent after-dinner speaker and a good teacher. But don't try to walk and chew gum at the same time. A bit of a diva at times, but you have many friends.

VANILLA CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE ICING... Fun-loving, sassy, humorous. Not very grounded in life; very indecisive and lack motivation. Everyone enjoys being around you, but you are a practical joker. Others should be cautious in making you mad. However, you are a friend for life.

STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE... Romantic, warm, loving. You care about other people and can be counted on in a pinch. You tend to melt. You can be overly emotional and annoying at times.

CHOCOLATE ON CHOCOLATE... Sexy; always ready to give and receive. Very creative, adventurous, ambitious, and passionate. You can appear to have a cold exterior but are warm on the inside.Not afraid to take chances. Will not settle for anything average in life. Love to laugh.

ICE CREAM... You like sports, whether it be baseball, football, basketball, or soccer. If you could, you would like to participate, but you enjoy watching sports. You don't like to give up the remote control. You tend to be self-centered and high maintenance.

CARROT CAKE... You are a very fun loving person, who likes to laugh. You are fun to be with. People like to hang out with you. You are a very warm hearted person and a little quirky at times. You have many loyal friends.

DON'T FORGET PUT YOUR CHOICE OF DESSERT IN SUBJECT BOX ABOVE BEFORE YOU FORWARD

Terror strikes

2006-07-11T11:12:00.000-07:00

8 BLASTS ROCK MUMBAI; 140 DEAD, 300 INJURED

Source: CNN-IBN

Terror strikes

Six major explosions rocked Mumbai on Tuesday. The first blast took place at 1825 hrs (IST

New Delhi: Eight major explosions rocked Mumbai on Tuesday. The serial blasts occurred at Borivili (two), Khar, Meera Road, Matunga, Jogeshwari, Bhayander railway stations and a seventh on the Khar-Santacruz subway.

140 people are feared killed and over 300 people injured in the serial blasts.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh announced Rs 1 lakh compensation to the families of the dead.

Mumbai Helpline Number: 022-22005388

Western Railway helpline numbers: STD Code:022 - 23004000, 23014373

The available hospital-wise break up of the dead was as follows:

Borivali: Bhagwati hospital 24 dead (23 male and one female).
38 dead at Sion hospital.
Nine dead at Santa Cruz hospital.
Parel, south-central Mumbai: 18 dead at KEM hospital.
Vile Parle: 26 dead at Cooper hospital.
Bandra: 22 dead at Bhabha hospital.

Western Railway sources have said that train services are likely to be restored by Wednesday morning after spot check of the tracks.

All seven blasts were high-intensity explosions and initial reports said wired timing devices were used in all the cases.

Some of the injured were taken to the nearby V N Desai Hospital.

Eyewitnesses at Matunga railway station said the RPF jawans arrived only half-an-hour after the blast occured.

Rescuers used bedsheets and other pieces of clothes that were on hand to remove the dead and injured from trains and platforms to nearby hospitals.

Limbs were strewn and blood was splattered all over the compartments where the blasts took place while all the coaches suffered excessive damage, most of them being ripped off.

Since all explosions took place when the trains were either getting into the railway stations or leaving the stations, police officials suspect that either the explosive devices were remote-controlled or fitted with timer devices.

Many of the passengers from adjoining compartments, who were not injured in the blasts, sustained injuries while attempting to jump out of moving trains.

The passengers themselves lent a helping hand in removing the dead and moving the injured out of the mangled train compartments and shifted them to adjoining places from where they were taken to hospitals.

Sources said it was not possible to comment on the nature of explosives used in the blasts as forensic experts and the bomb detection and disposal squads are reaching the spots to collect evidence.

Ammonium nitrate, which is commonly available, had been consistenly used in previous blasts in Mumbai and looking at the nature of damage that has occurred to the railway compartments, police officials do not rule out the possibility of the use of the same chemical in Tuesday's blasts.

The first blast occurred at Khar on a train going from Church Gate to Borivili. The explosion took place at 6:25 PM between Santacruz and Khar station.

CNN-IBN Correspondent Jency Jacob, who was on the train, said the blast took place in a first-class compartment. He said several blood-stained bodies were seen lying on the tracks.

All the explosions took place in first-class compartments of the trains. The Matunga blast appears to be the most severe blast at the moment.

The first five blasts occurred within a span of 15 minutes. Some of the injured have been taken to the Raheja hospital in Mahim.

Another 20 injured were admitted to the KEM hospital in Central area of Parel, hospital sources said.

Rescuers used bedsheets and other pieces of clothes that were on hand to remove the dead and injured from trains and platforms to nearby hospitals.

Mumbai city has been put on red alert, all local trains on Western Railway have been stopped.

Relief and rescue operations have been affected because of heavy rains.

All local phones, including mobile services, in the city has been jammed apparently due to congestion in the system as anxious people tried to reach their loved ones.

All major railway stations, temples and major monuments in and around Mumbai have been cordoned off. All Western Railway services have been suspended.

Mumbai Police Commissioner AN Roy has appealed to the people of Mumbai to remain calm.

Union Home Secretary V K Duggal said that there is no connection between the Mumbai blasts and the Kashmir blasts, which took place earlier on Tuesday.

Intelligence sources, however, said the terror strikes were an attempt by the terrorists to divert India's attention from elections which are being held in Pak-occupied-Kashmir on Tuesday.

Police Commissioner Roy said the blasts could be related to the terrorists who were arrested a few days back. Police had also recovered huge consignments of RDX from several places, including Aurangabad, Nasik and Malegaon.

Intelligence sources said parts of Maharashtra have become haven for terror modules.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has called a special meeting on 1930 hrs (IST) on Tuesday to review security measures across the country.

All airports across the country have been put on high alert. However, no airport will be closed. Delhi has also been put under high security alert. Security has been stepped up in all the sensitive installations in the Capital.

A red alert has also been declared in Bangalore. Police have taken positions outside all vital installations.

INSAT 4C Crash!

2006-07-11T11:08:00.000-07:00

GONE UP IN SMOKE: INSAT-4C was to be the third satellite in the INSAT-4 series.

Big jolt to INSAT mission, rocket breaks up mid-air

From: CNN IBN

Sriharikota: In a major blow to India's space programme, the second operational flight of the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle GSLV-F02 ended in a failure on Monday.

Seconds after a perfect takeoff, the 49-metre-long launch vehicle, deviated from its trajectory and plunged into the Bay of Bengal.

The three-stage 414-tonne launch vehicle of the ISRO, which lifted off from Satish Dhawan Space Centre on Monday evening, started under-performing right from the start and veered off its path after travelling a few kilometres into the sky.

The 2.2 tonne satellite cost Rs 100 crore; the rocket cost Rs 150 crore.

While there was no immedate reaction from ISRO on the fiasco, officials described it as a big setback.

GSLV-F02 was carrying a 2,168-kg INSAT-4C, the latest satellite of the Indian National Satellite System series, aimed at augmenting the Direct-To-Home television services, facilitate video picture transmission, digital satellite news gathering and provide VSAT connectivity to National Informatics Centre.

INSAT-4C is the second satellite in the INSAT-4 series. The lift-off took place at 1738 hrs IST , exactly one hour behind schedule.

The launch was originally scheduled at 1638 hrs IST. It was deferred till 1715 hrs IST, before it was fixed at 1738 hrs IST. It was not immediately known whether adverse weather conditions posed a threat as the sky remained overcast.

ISRO Chairman G Madhavan Nair was to explain the reasons for the delay at the post-launch press conference.

The much-awaited launch then came unsuccessful with the GSLV, carrying the satellite, deviating a little bit from its chartered path, ISRO sources said.

After the vehicle lifted off from the launchpad at 1738 hrs IST, there was a slight deviation from its path, following which ISRO officials put the entire system on 'emergency condition.'

ISRO immediately declared an emergency and several areas near the launch site were evacuated as a precvautionery measure.

ISRO's Milestones

2005	Successful launch of INSAT-4A by Ariane from Kourou French Guyana, (December 22, 2005). ISRO's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, PSLV-C6, successfully launched CARTOSAT-1 and HAMSAT satellites from Sriharikota(May 5, 2005).
2004	The first operational flight of GSLV (GSLV-F01) successfully launched EDUSAT from SDSC SHAR, Sriharikota (September 20, 2004)
2003	ISRO's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, PSLV-C5, successfully launched RESOURCESAT-1 (IRS-P6) satellite from Sriharikota (October 17, 2003). Successful launch of INSAT-3E by Ariane from Kourou French Guyana, (September 28, 2003). The Second developmental launch of GSLV-D2 with GSAT-2 on board from Sriharikota (May 8, 2003). Successful launch of INSAT-3A by Ariane from Kourou French Guyana (April 10, 2003).
2002	ISRO's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, PSLV-C4, successfully launched KALPANA-1 satellite from Sriharikota (September 12, 2002). Successful launch of INSAT-3C by Ariane from Kourou French Guyana, (January 24, 2002).
2001	ISRO's Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, PSLV-C3, successfully launched three satellites -- Technology Experiment Satellite (TES) of ISRO, BIRD of Germany and PROBA of Belgium - into their intended orbits (October 22, 2001). The first developmental launch of GSLV-D1 with GSAT-1 on board from Sriharikota (April 18, 2001)
2000	INSAT-3B, the first satellite in the third generation INSAT-3 series, launched by Ariane from Kourou French Guyana, (March 22, 2000).

1999	Indian Remote Sensing Satellite, IRS-P4 (OCEANSAT), launched by Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C2) along with Korean KITSAT-3 and German DLR-TUBSAT from Sriharikota (May 26, 1999). INSAT-2E, the last satellite in the multipurpose INSAT-2 series, launched by Ariane from Kourou French Guyana (April 3, 1999).
1998	INSAT system capacity augmented with the readiness of INSAT-2DT acquired from ARABSAT (January 1998).
1997	INSAT-2D, fourth satellite in the INSAT series, launched (June 4, 1997). Becomes inoperable on October 4, 1997. (An in-orbit satellite, ARABSAT-1C, since renamed INSAT-2DT, was acquired in November 1997 to partly augment the INSAT system). First operational launch of PSLV with IRS-1D on board (September 29, 1997). Satellite placed in orbit.
1996	Third developmental launch of PSLV with IRS-P3 on board (March 21, 1996). Satellite placed in polar sunsynchronous orbit.
1995	Launch of third operational Indian Remote Sensing Satellite, IRS-1C (December 28, 1995). INSAT-2C, the third satellite in the INSAT-2 series, launched (December 7, 1995).
1994	Second developmental launch of PSLV with IRS-P2 on board (October 15, 1994). Satellite successfully placed in polar sunsynchronous orbit. Fourth developmental launch of ASLV with SROSS-C2 on board (May 4, 1994). Satellite placed in orbit.
1993	First developmental launch of PSLV with IRS-1E on board (September 20, 1993). Satellite could not be placed in orbit. INSAT-2B, the second satellite in the INSAT-2 series, launched (July 23, 1993).
1992	INSAT-2A, the first satellite of the indigenously-built second-generation INSATseries, launched (July 10, 1992). Third developmental launch of ASLV with SROSS-C on board (May 20, 1992). Satellite placed in orbit.
1991	Second operational Remote Sensing satellite, IRS-1B, launched (August 29, 1991).
1990	INSAT-1D launched (June 12, 1990).

1988	INSAT-1C launched (July 21, 1988). Abandoned in November 1989. Second developmental launch of ASLV with SROSS-2 on board (July 13, 1988). Satellite could not be placed in orbit. Launch of first operational Indian Remote Sensing Satellite, IRS-1A (March 17, 1988).
1987	First developmental launch of ASLV with SROSS-1 satellite on board (March 24, 1987). Satellite could not be placed in orbit.
1984	Indo-Soviet manned space mission (April 1984).
1983	INSAT-1B, launched (August 30, 1983). Second developmental launch of SLV-3. RS-D2 placed in orbit (April 17, 1983).
1982	INSAT-1A launched (April 10, 1982). Deactivated on September 6, 1982.
1981	Bhaskara-II launched (November 20, 1981). APPLE, an experimental geo-stationary communication satellite successfully launched (June 19, 1981). RS-D1 placed in orbit (May 31, 1981) First developmental launch of SLV-3.
1980	Second Experimental launch of SLV-3, Rohini satellite successfully placed in orbit. (July 18, 1980).
1979	First Experimental launch of SLV-3 with Rohini Technology Payload on board (August 10, 1979). Satellite could not be placed in orbit. Bhaskara-I, an experimental satellite for earth observations, launched (June 7, 1979).
1977	Satellite Telecommunication Experiments Project (STEP) carried out.

1975-1976	Satellite Instructional Television Experiment (SITE) conducted.
1975	ISRO First Indian Satellite, Aryabhata, launched (April 19, 1975). Becomes Government Organisation (April 1, 1975).
1972-1976	Air-borne remote sensing experiments.
1972	Space Commission and Department of Space set up (June 1, 1972). ISRO brought under DOS.
1969	Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) formed under Department of Atomic Energy (August 15, 1969).
1968	TERLS dedicated to the United Nations (February 2, 1968).
1967	Satellite Telecommunication Earth Station set up at Ahmedabad.
1965	Space Science & Technology Centre (SSTC) established in Thumba.
1963	First sounding rocket launched from TERLS (November 21, 1963).
1962	Indian National Committee for Space Research (INCOSPAR) formed by the Department of Atomic Energy and work on establishing Thumba Equatorial Rocket Launching Station (TERLS) started.

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The world is a tragedy for those who feel and a comedy for those who think!
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The World's Fastest Cars

2006-07-10T10:34:00.000-07:00

These are the fastest cars based on acceleration (in seconds) from 0 to 60 MPH.
The fast and furious :-

Acceleration of 60 km/Sec Make Brand

2.6 1994 Dauer 962 LeMans
2.7 2000 Chevrolet Camaro Concept ZL1
2.7 2000 Dodge Hennessey Viper Venom 800TT

2.7 - 1999 Leblanc Caroline
2.7 - 1993 Dauer 962 Le Mans
2.8 - 1996 Renault Espace F1
2.9 - 1991 Audi Avus Quattro
2.9 - 1997 Callaway C7 Corvette
2.9 - 1997 Dodge Viper GTS-R
3.0 - 2003 Bugatti 16/4 Veyron
3.1 - 1995 Ford GT-90
3.1 - 1993 Jaguar XJR-15
3.1 - 1998 Koenigsegg CC
3.1 - 1991 Lotec C1000
3.1 - 1991 McLaren F1
3.1 - 1995 Yamaha OX99-11
3.2 - 2002 Koenigsegg CC 8S
3.2 - 1992 Bugatti EB110 SS
3.2 - 1996 Quadraduce
3.3 - 1997 McLaren F1
3.3 - 2001 Saleen S7
3.3 - 1987 Vector Avtech WX3
3.4 - 1992 Bugatti EB110 GT
3.4 - 1985 Koenig Competition Evolution
3.4 - 1994 Schuppan 962CR
3.4 - 1987 Westfield SEI
3.4 - 1997 Dodge Viper Venom 600 GTS
3.5 - 2002 Pagani Zonda C12-S 7.3
3.5 - 2002 FERRARI ENZO
3.6 - 2002 Lamborghini Murci�lago
3.6 - 2003 Ferrari Enzo
3.6 - 2001 Lamborghini Diablo
3.6 - 1997 Porsche 911 GT1
3.6 - 1987 Porsche 959
3.6 - 199 RUF Porsche CTR-2
3.7 - 1991 BMW Nazca C2
3.7 - 1996 Ferrari F 50
3.7 - 1994 Lamborghini Diablo SE30 Jota
3.7 - 1996 Porsche 911 GT2
3.8 - 2003 Dodge Viper SRT-10
3.8 - 2000 Porsche 911 Turbo
3.8 - 1997 Campagna T-Rex
3.8 - 1992 Jaguar XJ220
3.8 - 1996 Lamborghini Diablo SV
3.8 - 1998 Lotus GT1
3.8 - 1994 Ultima Spyder
3.9 - 2001 B. Engineering Edonis
3.9 - 2003 Viper SRT/10
3.9 - 1987 Ferrari F 40
4.0 - 2002 Chevrolet Corvette Z06
4.0 - 2000 Dodge Viper ACR Coupe
4.0 - 2001 Porsche Carrera GT
4.0 - 2003 Porsche 911 GT2
4.0 - 1993 Lamborghini Diablo SE30
4.1 - 2001 Ferrari 550 Barchetta
4.1 - 1990 BMW Nazca M12
4.1 - 1993 Lamborghini Diablo VT
4.1 - 1996 Lamborghini Diablo Roadster
4.2 - 2000 BMW Z8
4.2 - 2000 Ferrari 360 Modena
4.2 - 2002 Ferrari 575 M Maranello
4.2 - 1994 TVR Cerbera
4.2 - 1985 Vector W8 Twin Turbo
4.3 - 2003 Porsche 911 GT3
4.3 - 1996 Bugatti EB112
4.4 - 2002 Aston Martin Vanquish
4.4 - 2002 Lotus Esprit V8
4.4 - 1988 Cizeta Moroder V16T
4.4 - 1997 Dodge Viper GTS
4.4 - 1997 Gillet Vertigo
4.4 - 1996 Mega Mont� Carlo
4.4 - 1996 Porsche 911 Turbo
4.4 - 1996 Spectre R42
4.4 - 1990 TVR Griffith
4.4 - 1996 Vector Aeromotive M12
4.5 - 2003 z06 Corvette
4.6 - 1996 Dodge Viper RT/10
4.6 - 1994 Ferrari F 512 M
4.6 - 1996 Ferrari F 355 GTS
4.6 - 1996 Ferrari F 355 Spider
4.6 - 1982 Lamborghini Countach
4.7 - 2003 Mercedes-Benz SL600
4.7 - 1992 Aston Martin Vantage
4.7 - 1996 Chevrolet Corvette ZR1
4.7 - 1997 Ferrari F 550 Maranello
4.7 - 1985 Isdera Commendatore
4.7 - 1996 Lotus Esprit S4S
4.7 - 1997 Rinspeed Mono Ego
4.8 - 1997 Chevrolet Corvette C5
4.8 - 1996 Lotus Esprit V8
4.8 - 1997 Panoz Roadster
4.9 - 2002 Acura NSX
4.9 - 1994 Chaterham Seven HPC
4.9 - 1989 De Tomaso Guara
4.9 - 1996 Ferrari F 355 Berlinetta
4.9 - 1996 Ford Mustang

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"All the desirable things in life are either illegal, expensive, fattening or married to someone else!"
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Never light a candle in AC Room!

2006-07-08T02:20:00.000-07:00

Prevention is better than cure.

A friend (Saudi) in another group (Armco) passed away last week due to carbon –monoxide poisoning. It happened when HE lighted an aroma therapeutic candle for the night in a room with Air-conditioner ON .

Due to lack of oxygen in the room, the burning of the candle cannot fully oxidise & thus forms dangerous carbon monoxide.

Carbon monoxide will prevent oxygen exchange in the lungs, resulting in the Person dozing off to a state of unconsciousness & eventually death in less than an hour, depending on the room size.

This email is to make you aware of such danger when lighting aroma therapeutic candles in any un-ventilated rooms.

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"When everything's coming your way, you're in the wrong lane. "
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Cooking an Egg with a Mobile Phone!

2006-07-05T19:57:00.000-07:00

Mobile Cooking!!!!

with Suzzanna Decantworthy
additional research: Sean McCleanaugh

Many students, and other young people, have little in the way of cooking skills but can usually get their hands on a couple of mobile phones. So, this week, we show you how to use two mobile phones to cook an egg which will make a change from phoning out for a pizza.

Please note that this will not work with cordless phones.

To do this you will need two mobile phones -they do not have to be on the same network but you will need to know the number of one of them. The only other items you will need are:

1. An egg cup, (make sure that the egg cup is made of an insulating material such as China, wood or glass - plastic will do. DO NOT use stainless steel or other metal).

2. A radio, AM or FM - you can also use your hifi.

3. A table or other flat surface on which to place the phones and egg cup. You can place the radio anywhere in the room but you might as well put it on the table.

How To Do It:

1. Take an egg from the fridge and place it in the egg cup in the centre of the table.

2. Switch on the radio or hifi and turn it up to a comfortable volume.

3. Switch on phone A and place it on the table such that the antenna (the pokey thing at the top) is about half an inch from the egg (you may need to experiment to get the relative heights correct - paperbacks are good if you have any - if not you may be able to get some wood off cuts from your local hardware shop).

4. Switch on phone B and ring phone A then place phone B on the table in a similar but complementary position to Phone A.

5. Answer phone A - you should be able to do this without removing it from the table. If not, don't panic, just return the phone to where you originally placed on the table.

6. Phone A will now be talking to Phone B whilst Phone B will be talking to Phone A.

7. Cooking time: This very much depends on the power output of your mobile phone. For instance, a pair of mobiles each with 2 Watts of transmitter output will take three minutes to boil a large free range egg. Check your user manual and remember that cooking time will be proportional to the inverse square of the output power for a given distance from egg to phone.

8. Cut out these instructions for future reference.

Note: We cooked our egg during the evening using free local calls, if you were to cook an egg for lunch it would cost £3.00 - not cheap but you do have the convenience.

Phone A > > > > Egg < < < < Phone B

Subject: How to Cook an Egg with Mobile Phones

I might add it takes approximately 2 minutes of speaking on a cellular phone for the radiation to cross the protective Blood Brain Barrier. So when ever there is a land line available use it in preference to your cell.

Enjoy the interesting article I received from the Raw Family...

How Two Russian Journalists Cooked an Egg with their Mobile Phones

Vladimir Lagovski and Andrei Moiseynko from Komsomolskaya Pravda Newspaper in Moscow decided to learn first-hand how harmful cell phones are. There is no magic in cooking with your cell phone. The secret is in the radio waves that the cell phone radiates.

The journalists created a simple microwave structure as shown in the picture. They called from one cell phone to the other and left both phones on talking mode. They placed a tape recorder next to phones to imitate sounds of speaking so the phones would stay on.

After, 15 minutes: The egg became slightly warm.

25 minutes: The egg became very warm.
40 minutes: The egg became very hot.
65 minutes: The egg was cooked. (As you can see.)

Conclusion ..1: Cooking eggs with mobile phones is possible but very expensive ($4.55 or 123 Rubles).

Conclusion ..2: All this talk of danger is exaggerated; even if your brain gets cooked, it would take a couple hours of talking on a cell phone.

Conclusion ..3: We don't recommend carrying cell phone in your pants.

Photos by Anatoly Zhdanov. Translated into English by Victoria Boutenko.

Source: Komsomolskaya Pravda, April 23, 2006
http://www.kp.ru/daily/23694.4/52233/print

HOT WHEELS 4 WHEELCHAIR USERS

2006-06-26T20:40:00.000-07:00

Style has rarely been a priority in industrial design for the disabled - until now that is. Designed in Hungary, the Kenguru is a car specially designed for wheelchair users. The car's interior space has no front seat – just a space built to house the driver's own wheelchair so all he/she has to do is simply roll in through the extra large car doors and into position. The wheelchair locks into place, within easy reach of the car's controls which are
centred around a joystick. It's light years away from the current options for disabled drivers, which involve having to hoist themselves into the driver's seat of standard cars.

Contributed by:
Billy T

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"All the desirable things in life are either illegal, expensive, fattening or married to someone else!"
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A History of the Months and the meaning of their names

2006-06-26T20:39:00.000-07:00

January -- Janus's month
Middle English Januarie
Latin Januarius "of Janus"
Latin Janu(s) "Janus" + -arius "ary (pertaining to)"
Latin Januarius mensis "month of Janus"
Janus is the Roman god of gates and doorways, depicted with two
faces looking in opposite directions. His festival month is January.

Januarius had 29 days, until Julius when it became 31 days long.

February -- month of Februa
Middle English Februarius
Latin Februarius "of Februa"
Latin Februa(s) "Februa" + -arius "ary (pertaining to)"
Latin Februarius mensis "month of Februa"
Latin dies februatus "day of purification"
Februarius had 28 days, until circa 450 BC when it had 23 or 24 days
on some of every second year, until Julius when it had 29 days on
every fourth year and 28 days otherwise.

Februa is the Roman festival of purification, held on February
fifteenth. It is possibly of Sabine origin.

Intercalaris -- inter-calendar month
Latin Intercalaris "inter-calendar"
Latin Mercedonius (popular name) "?"
Intercalaris had 27 days until the month was abolished by Julius.

March -- Mars' month
Middle English March(e)
Anglo-French March(e)
Old English Martius
Latin Martius "of Mars"
Latin Marti(s) "Mars" + -us (adj. suffix)
Latin Martius mensis "month of Mars"
Martius has always had 31 days.

March was the original beginning of the year, and the time for the
resumption of war.

Mars is the Roman god of war. He is identified with the Greek god
Ares.

April -- Aphrodite's month
Old English April(is)
Latin Aprilis
Etruscan Apru
Greek Aphro, short for Aphrodite.
Aprilis had 30 days, until Numa when it had 29 days, until Julius
when it became 30 days long.

Aphrodite is the Greek goddess of love and beauty. She is identified
with the Roman goddess Venus.

May -- Maia's month
Old French Mai
Old English Maius
Latin Maius "of Maia"
Latin Maius mensis "month of Maia"
Maius has always had 31 days.

Maia (meaning "the great one") is the Italic goddess of spring, the
daughter of Faunus, and wife of Vulcan.

June -- Juno's month
Middle English jun(e)
Old French juin
Old English junius
Latin Junius "of Juno"
Latin Junius mensis "month of Juno"
Junius had 30 days, until Numa when it had 29 days, until Julius
when it became 30 days long.

Juno is the principle goddess of the Roman Pantheon. She is the
goddess of marriage and the well-being of women. She is the wife and
sister of Jupiter. She is identified with the Greek goddess Hera.

July -- Julius Caesar's month
Middle English Julie
Latin Julius "Julius"
Latin Julius mensis "month of Julius"
Latin quintilis mensis "fifth month"
Quintilis (and later Julius) has always had 31 days.

Julius Caesar reformed the Roman calendar (hence the Julian
calendar) in 46 BC. In the process, he renamed this month after
himself.

August -- Augustus Caesar's month
Latin Augustus "Augustus"
Latin Augustus mensis "month of Augustus"
Latin sextilis mensis "sixth month"
Sextilis had 30 days, until Numa when it had 29 days, until Julius
when it became 31 days long.

Augustus Caesar clarified and completed the calendar reform of
Julius Caesar. In the process, he also renamed this month after
himself.

September -- the seventh month
Middle English septembre
Latin September
Latin septem "seven" + -ber (adj. suffix)
Latin september mensis "seventh month"
September had 30 days, until Numa when it had 29 days, until Julius
when it became 30 days long.

October -- the eighth month
Middle English octobre
Latin October
Latin octo "eight" + -ber (adj. suffix)
Latin october mensis "eighth month"
October has always had 31 days.

November -- the nineth month
Middle English Novembre
Latin November
Latin Novembris mensis "nineth month"
Novembris had 30 days, until Numa when it had 29 days, until Julius
when it became 30 days long.

December -- the tenth month
Middle English decembre
Old French decembre
Latin december "tenth month"
Latin decem "ten" + -ber (adj. suffix)
December had 30 days, until Numa when it had 29 days, until Julius
when it became 31 days long.

From
Planoromeo

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"When everything's coming your way, you're in the wrong lane. "
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BIOS Beep Codes

2006-06-26T20:14:00.000-07:00

AMI BIOS Beep Codes

1 Short Beep One beep is good! Everything is ok, that is if you see things on the screen. If you don't see anything, check your monitor and video card first. Is everything connected? If they seem fine, your motherboard has some bad chips on it. First reset the SIMM's and reboot. If it does the same thing, one of the memory chips on the motherboard are bad, and you most likely need to get another motherboard since these chips are soldered on.

2 Short Beeps Your computer has memory problems. First check video. If video is working, you'll see an error message. If not, you have a parity error in your first 64K of memory. First check your SIMM's. Reseat them and reboot. If this doesn't do it, the memory chips may be bad. You can try switching the first and second banks memory chips. First banks are the memory banks that your CPU finds its first 64K of base memory in. You'll need to consult your manual to see which bank is first. If all your memory tests good, you probably need to buy another motherboard.

3 Short Beeps Basically the same thing as 2 beeps. Follow that diagnosis above.

4 Short Beeps Basically the same thing as 2 beeps. Follow that diagnosis above. It could also be a bad timer

5 Short Beeps Your motherboard is complaining. Try reseating the memory and rebooting. If that doesn't help, you should consider another motherboard. You could probably get away with just replacing the CPU, but that's not too cost-effective. Its just time to upgrade!

6 Short Beeps The chip on your motherboard that controls your keyboard (A20 gate) isn't working. First try another keyboard. If it doesn't help, reseat the chip that controls the keyboard, if it isn't soldered in. If it still beeps, replace the chip if possible. Replace the motherboard if it is soldered in.

7 Short Beeps Your CPU broke overnight. Its no good. Either replace the CPU, or buy another motherboard.

8 Short Beeps Your video card isn't working. Make sure it is seated well in the bus. If it still beeps, either the whole card is bad or the memory on it is. Best bet is to install another video card.

9 Short Beeps Your BIOS is bad. Reseat or Replace the BIOS.

10 Short Beeps Your problem lies deep inside the CMOS. All chips associated with the CMOS will likely have to be replaced. Your best bet is to get a new motherboard.

11 Short Beeps Your problem is in the Cache Memory chips on the motherboard. Reseat or Replace these chips.

1 Long, 3 Short Beeps You've probably just added memory to the motherboard since this is a conventional or extended memory failure. Generally this is caused by a memory chip that is not seated properly. Reseat the memory chips.

1 Long, 8 Short Beeps Display / retrace test failed. Reseat the video card.

Phoenix BIOS Beep Codes

These audio codes are a little more detailed then the AMI codes. This BIOS emits three sets of beeps. For example, 1 -pause- 3 -pause 3 -pause. This is a 1-3-3 combo and each set of beeps is separated by a brief pause. Listen to this sequence of sounds, count them, and reboot and count again if you have to.

1-1-3 Your computer can't read the configuration info stored in the CMOS. Replace the motherboard.

1-1-4 Your BIOS needs to be replaced.

1-2-1 You have a bad timer chip on the motherboard. You need a new motherboard.

1-2-2 The motherboard is bad.

1-2-3 The motherboard is bad.

1-3-1 You'll need to replace the motherboard.

1-3-3 You'll need to replace the motherboard.

1-3-4 The motherboard is bad.

1-4-1 The motherboard is bad.

1-4-2 Some of your memory is bad.

2-_-_ Any combo of beeps after two means that some of your memory is bad, and unless you want to get real technical, you should probably have the guys in the lab coats test the memory for you. Take it to the shop.

3-1-_ One of the chips on your motherboard is broken. You'll likely need to get another board.

3-2-4 One of the chips on your motherboard that checks the keyboard is broken. You'll likely need to get another board.

3-3-4 Your computer can't find the video card. Is it there? If so, try swapping it with another one and see if it works.

3-4-_ Your video card isn't working. You'll need to replace it.

4-2-1 There's a bad chip on the motherboard. You need to buy another board.

4-2-2 First check the keyboard for problems. If nothing, you have a bad motherboard.

4-2-3 Same as 4-2-2.

4-2-4 One of the cards is bad. Try yanking out the cards one by one to isolate the culprit. Replace the bad one. The last possibility is to buy another motherboard.

4-3-1 Replace the motherboard.

4-3-2 See 4-3-1

4-3-3 See 4-3-1

4-3-4 Time of day clock failure. Try running the setup program that comes with the computer. Check the date and time. If that doesn't work, replace the battery. If that doesn't work, replace the power supply. You may have to replace the motherboard, but that is rare.

4-4-1 Your serial ports are acting up. Reseat, or replace, the I/O card. If the I/O is on the motherboard itself, disable them with a jumper (consult your manual to know which one) and then add an I/O card.

4-4-2 See 4-4-1, but this time is your Parallel port that's acting up.

4-4-3 You math coprocessor is having problems. Run a test program to double-check it. If it is indeed bad, disable it, or replace it.

Low 1-1-2 Your motherboard is having problems

Low 1-1-3 This is an Extended CMOS RAM problem, check your motherboard battery, and motherboard.

Contributed by:
GIRISH

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"When everything's coming your way, you're in the wrong lane. "
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INDIANS BEWARE OF THESE ORGANISATIONS

2006-06-20T02:41:00.000-07:00

BEWARE OF THESE BANKS
Looking at the rising complaints against ICICI Bank, Citibank, and Standard Chartered Bank , we request consumers to properly read their documents and keep a record when dealing with these banks, especially regarding credit card and housing loan. These three banks are biggest defaulters and do not resolve consumer problems easily. Be aware of their terms in writing. Keep a perfect record of all correspondence with them. If they do not agree to written communication, immediately stop their services.

BEWARE OF NOKIA
Nokia assures that their handset is covered under insurance. They even provide a certificate of insurance. But the condition is that if the handset is lost/stolen, you have to lodge an FIR to seek claims. The catch here is that the police station does not lodge FIR for loss of handsets, they only
register NC. So you will never get insurance claims on basis of NC.
Nokia is selling some of its degraded products that have software problems. If you come across such problem in a new set, do not waste your time in running around service centres as it is not going to help much, ask for a replacement with a new set.
DO NOT BUY NOKIA 6260

BEWARE OF AIR DECCAN
Their confirmed bookings are highly unreliable and of no guarantee that u will be allowed to fly. The booked tickets get cancelled without intimation to consumer only to be known by him when he goes to the airport to catch his flight.

BEWARE OF COUNTRY CLUB, BANGALORE
They advertise that if you take their membership, a plot of land will be given free of cost near Golden Spa at Coconut Grove. Please note Golden Spa is 35 Kns from Bangalore and the said plot of land is over 100 Kms from Bangalore. Based on false promises and with arrangement with Citibank and ICICI Bank, this team cheats the consumers of his money by asking payments through credit card.

BOOK TELESALES & RECOVERY AGENTS
If you receive unwanted advertisement / telemarketing call from any company or recovery agents. Ask their telephone number and report to the police. File a police complaint against the Chairman of the company.

BEWARE OF TATAINDICOM BROADBAND
Their promises to get you a broadband connection within a week is not to be relied upon. Once your money is stuck (about Rs. 2000), it takes lot of pains to recover it back.

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CAREFUL WHEN DEALING WITH THESE COMPANIES / PRODUCTS
LIST OF WORST COMPANIES AGAINST WHOM WE RECEIVE COMPLAINTS VERY FREQUENTLY
AIRLINES: Air Deccan
BANKS: ICICI bank, Citibank, Standard Chartered Bank
BUILDERS: Parimiti Buildcon (Thane), Madras City Co-op Bldg. Soc (Chennai)
CARS: Tata motors, Hyundai
CREDIT CARDS: SBI credit card, Citibank, Standard Chartered
CELLPHONE SERVICES: Tata Indicom Broadband, Airtel, BPL mobile
HOME APPLIANCES: Videocon, Godrej,
HOME BUSINESS: Kenya Star Tea
INSURANCE: National Insurance Co., New India Assurance
MOBILE PHONES: Nokia 6260
TIMESHARE: Royal Goan Beach Club (Goa), Happy Home Constructions
(Bangalore), Country Club India Ltd. (Bangalore)
TRANSPORTERS: Sky Packers and Movers (Mumbai), Packways Pvt. Ltd.(Mumbai),
Sai Packers and Movers (Mumbai)

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ARE U BEING HARASSED BY CONSUMER COURTS?
WE ARE GATHERING INFORMATION ON CORRUPT JUDGES, REGISTRARS & CLERKS
We have received many complaints from consumers that they are being harassed in the consumer courts when they go there to submit consumer complaint and attend hearings. They are not being served properly by the clerks, and the judges keep on giving hearing dates without arriving to judgment. These acts are contrary to the purpose of setting up of consumer courts that were basically meant to help the consumers. Please inform us if you have experienced or witnessed harassment or corruption. Inform us the exact time, date, and location of the incident in writing through duly signed letter. Your details will not be disclosed on this website, but you should be ready to co-operate when action against these people is initiated by nabbing them through proper channel.

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For further clarifications you may contact:

Sri.ARUN SAXENA
International Consumer Rights Protection Council
B-9/55, Vijay Nagari,
P.O. Kasarvadavali,
Thane (West) 400601
Mumbai - India
Telephone: 91(022) 25972605, Cell: 9819598004, E-mail:
mail@icrpc.org<mail%40icrpc.org>
E-mail ID:
consumerhelp@sify.com <consumerhelp%40sify.com>,
consumerguidance@yahoo.com<consumerguidance%40yahoo.com>,
icrpc@rediffmail.com <icrpc%40rediffmail.com>,
mail@icrpc.org<mail%40icrpc.org>,
complaint@icrpc.org <complaint%40icrpc.org>
Website: http://www.icrpc.org

The above information is circulated by B.M.Santosh (Member, ICRPC, Thane) in the due interest of harassed consumers and the consumer who are about to be harassed in the near future!

B.M.Santosh
(Member, ICRPC, Thane)
#4B, 5th Main, Bank of Baroda Colony,
Puttenahally, J.P.Nagar 7th Phase,
Bangalore-560078, Karnataka, INDIA
Ph: +91 94489 71881
E-mail ID: bmsantosh@rediffmail.com <bmsantosh%40rediffmail.com>

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"If you want something you never had, do something you have never done."
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First Time in Human History.

2006-06-16T20:26:00.001-07:00

Mars is going to be a second moon of earth for a day.

NO ONE ALIVE TODAY WILL EVER SEE THIS AGAIN.

The Red Planet (MARS) is about to be spectacular! This month and next, Earth is catching up with Mars in an encounter that will culminate in the closest approach between the two planets in recorded history.
The next time Mars may come this close is in 2287. Due to the way Jupiter's gravity tugs on Mars and perturbs its orbit, astronomers can only be certain that Mars has not come this close to Earth in the last 5,000 years, but it may be as long as 60,000 years before it happens again.
The encounter will culminate on March 27th when Mars comes to within 34,649,589 miles of Earth and will be (next to the moon) the brightest object in the night sky. It will attain a magnitude of -2.9 and will appear 25.11 arc seconds wide. By August 27, Mars will look as large as the full moon to the naked eye. Mars will be easy to spot.
At the beginning of August it will rise in the east at 10p.m. and reach its azimuth at about 3 a.m. by the end of August when the two planets are closest, Mars will rise at nightfall and reach its highest point in the sky at 12:30a.m. That's pretty convenient to see something that no human being has seen in recorded history. So, mark your calendar at the beginning of August to see Mars grow progressively
brighter and brighter throughout the month.

Share this with your family, friends, children and grandchildren .

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"If you want something you never had, do something you have never done."
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Smoking Facts for Everyone!!!

2006-06-16T20:26:00.000-07:00

What's in cigarettes?
Cigarettes contain disgusting things that you would never think about putting in your body. For example, cigarettes contain tar, carbon monoxide and chemicals like DDT, arsenic and formaldehyde (a gas used to preserve dead animals).
The tobacco in cigarettes also contains nicotine--the drug that makes smoking addictive. All of these things are bad for your body. Nicotine raises your risk of heart attack and stroke. Tar and carbon monoxide cause serious breathing problems. And you know tobacco smoke causes cancer.

What's the real deal with tobacco?
Tobacco is toxic to your body. It causes more health problems and early deaths than all illegal drugs combined. On top of that, tobacco is addictive. This means that once you start using it, your body starts to need it. The longer you use tobacco, and the more you use, the harder it is to stop. Everyone who smokes started by "just trying it." That's how the habit and the addiction begin.

Is chewing tobacco as bad as cigarettes?
Yes. Both cigarettes and chewing tobacco are toxic (poison) to your body. We hear more about the harm cigarettes do to the body, but chewing tobacco can also hurt the body. Chewing tobacco can cause sores and white patches in your mouth, as well as diseases and cancers of the mouth, gums and throat. Chewing can give you bad breath, discolor your teeth and cause tooth loss. And one chew contains 15 times the nicotine of a cigarette (meaning the risk of addiction is much higher).

The numbers?
4,500,000 -- The estimated number of children and adolescents in the United States who smoke.
6000 -- The estimated number of people under the age of 18 who try their first cigarette each day.
70 -- The percent of smokers 12 to 17 years old who wish they had never started smoking.

It's never too late to quit.
If you smoke, it's not too late to make a change. To quit, you must break your addiction to nicotine and your habit of smoking. Your habit is the behavior that goes with your tobacco use, such as lighting a cigarette when you get out of school.

Reasons not to smoke.

Expensive (over $1000 a year for a pack a day)
Bad breath
Stained teeth and hands
Cough/sore throat
Problems breathing
Feeling tired and out of breath
Wrinkles (more, sooner)
Arguments with parents, friends
Cancer risk
Heart disease risk
Gum disease risk
Bad smell in your clothes, hair, skin
Cigarette burns in your car or on your clothes
Risk of secondhand smoke to people around you

Things to do instead of smoking

Chew sugarless gum
Call a friend
Chew sunflower seeds, ground mint leaves or caffeine-free herbal tea leaves
Go to a movie or another place where you can't smoke
Take a walk or work out
Remind yourself why you want to quit

Steps to make quitting easier:
Pick a stop date. Choose a date 2 to 4 weeks away so you can get ready to quit. If possible, choose a time when things in your life will change, like when you're about to start a break from school. Or just pick a time when you don't expect any extra stress at school, work or home. For example, quit after final exams, not during them.
Make a list of the reasons why you want to quit. Keep the list on hand so you can look at it when you have a nicotine craving.
Keep track of where, when and why you smoke. You may want to make notes for a week or so to know ahead of time when and why you will crave a cigarette. Plan what you'll do instead of smoking (see list above for ideas). You may also want to plan what you'll say to people who pressure you to smoke.
Throw away all of your tobacco. Clean out your room if you have smoked there. Throw away your ashtrays and lighters--anything that you connect with your smoking habit.
Tell your friends that you're quitting. Ask them not to pressure you about smoking. Find other things to do with them besides smoking.
When your stop date arrives, Stop. Plan little rewards for yourself for each tobacco-free day, week or month. For example, buy yourself a new shirt or ask a friend to see a movie with you.

Will I gain weight when I quit?
Some people gain a few pounds. Other people lose weight. The main reason some people gain weight is because they eat more food as a substitute for smoking. You can avoid gaining weight by watching how much you eat, staying busy and working out.

How will I feel when I quit?
You may feel edgy and irritable. You also may get angry or upset faster, have trouble concentrating and feel hungrier than usual. You may have headaches and cough more at first (while your lungs are clearing out). All of these can be symptoms of withdrawal from nicotine. Keep in mind that the worst symptoms will be over in a few days. However, you may still have cravings for tobacco. Those cravings have less to do with nicotine addiction and more to do with the habit of smoking.

What about nicotine gum or nicotine patches?
These products may help you if you feel like you can't quit on your own or you have serious withdrawal symptoms. But don't use the gum or patch without talking to your doctor first. These products were not designed for teens and could make you sick if you use them the wrong way. You may need to follow special instructions.

What if I can't quit?
You can quit. Most people try to quit more than once before they succeed. So don't give up if you slip. Just don't go overboard and buy a whole pack of cigarettes. Instead, think about why you want to quit. Think about what happened to make you slip. Figure out how you'll handle that situation differently next time. Then recommit yourself to quitting. You can do it!

Contributed by:
Girish

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"When everything's coming your way, you're in the wrong lane. "
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How we can check the expiry of LPG cylinders:

2006-06-16T20:25:00.002-07:00

Information must share.....
Have u ever heard about LPG gas cylinder's expire date?
How to find LPG cylinder's expiry date?
Very important information. Do you know that there is an expiry date (physical life) for LPG cylinders?
Expired Cylinders are not safe for use and may cause accidents.
In this regard please be cautious at the time of accepting any LPG cylinder from the vendor.

Here is how we can check the expiry of LPG cylinders:
On one of three side stems of the cylinder, the expiry date is coded alpha-numerically as follows A or B or C or D and some two digit number following this e.g. D06.
The alphabets stand for quarters -

A for March (First Qtr),
B for June (Second Qtr),
C for Sept (Third Qtr), &
D for December (Fourth Qtr).

The digits stand for the year till it is valid. Hence D06 would means the cylinder can be used till December 2006. Share this message with everyone you know, UR kind cooperation ca create awareness among the public & avoid some probable accidents.

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"When everything's coming your way, you're in the wrong lane. "
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The Taj's Other Story

2006-06-16T20:25:00.001-07:00

If you have ever visited the Taj Mahal then your guide probably told you that it was designed by Ustad Isa of Iran, and built by the Moghul Emperor, Shah Jahan, in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal. Indian children are taught that it was built in 22 years (1631 to 1653) by 20,000 artisans brought to India from all over the world.

This story has been challenged by Professor P.N. Oak, author of Taj Mahal: The True Story, who believes that the whole world has been duped. He claims that the Taj Mahal is not Queen Mumtaz Mahal's tomb, but an ancient Hindu temple palace of Lord Shiva (then known as Tejo Mahalaya), worshipped by the Rajputs of Agra city.

In the course of his research, Oak discovered that the Shiva temple palace had been usurped by Shah Jahan from then Maharaja of Jaipur, Jai Singh. Shah Jahan then remodelled the palace into his wife's memorial. In his own court chronicle, Badshahnama, Shah Jahan admits that an exceptionally beautiful grand mansion in Agra was taken from Jai Singh for Mumtaz's burial. The ex-Maharaja of Jaipur is said to retain in his secret collection two orders from Shah Jahan for the surrender of the Taj building.

The use of captured temples and mansions as a burial place for dead courtiers and royalty was a common practice among Muslim rulers. For example, Hamayun, Akbar, Etmud-ud-Daula and Safdarjung are all buried in such mansions.

Oak's inquiries begin with the name Taj Mahal. He says this term does not occur in any Moghul court papers or chronicles, even after Shah Jahan's time. The term 'Mahal' has never been used for a building in any of the Muslim countries, from Afghanistan to Algeria.

'The usual explanation that the term Taj Mahal derives from Mumtaz Mahal is illogical in at least two respects. Firstly, her name was never Mumtaz Mahal but Mumtaz-ul-Zamani,' he writes. 'Secondly, one cannot omit the first three letters from a woman's name to derive the remainder as the name for the building.'

Taj Mahal is, he claims, a corrupt version of Tejo-mahalaya, or the Shiva's Palace. Oak also says that the love story of Mumtaz and Shah Jahan is a fairy tale created by court sycophants, blundering historians and sloppy archaeologists. Not a single royal chronicle of Shah Jahan's time corroborates the love story.

Furthermore, Oak cites several documents suggesting that the Taj Mahal predates Shah Jahan's era:

* Professor Marvin Miller of New York took samples from the riverside doorway of the Taj. Carbon dating tests revealed that the door was 300 years older than Shah Jahan.

* European traveller Johan Albert Mandelslo, who visited Agra in 1638 (only seven years after Mumtaz's death), describes the life of the city in his memoirs, but makes no reference to the Taj Mahal being built.

* The writings of Peter Mundy, an English visitor to Agra within a year of Mumtaz's death, also suggest that the Taj was a noteworthy building long well before Shah Jahan's time.

Oak also points out a number of design and architectural inconsistencies that support the belief that the Taj Mahal is a typical Hindu temple rather than a mausoleum.

Many rooms in the Taj Mahal have remained sealed since Shah Jahan's time, and are still inaccessible to the public. Oak asserts they contain a headless statue of Shiva and other objects commonly used for worship rituals in Hindu temples.

Fearing political backlash, Indira Gandhi's government tried to have Oak's book withdrawn from the bookstores, and threatened the Indian publisher of the first edition with dire consequences.

The only way to really validate or discredit Oak's research is to open the sealed rooms of the Taj Mahal, and allow international experts to investigate.
Source:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A5220

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Blaming your faults on your nature does not change the nature of your faults!!!
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The world's most widely spoken languages

2006-06-16T20:25:00.000-07:00

What are the world's most widely spoken languages?

This question is a very interesting one that has a rather
complicated answer.  Estimates of how many people speak a language
are quite general and can vary considerably.  For example, English
estimates vary from 275 to 450 million, Spanish from 150 to over 300
million, Hindi from 150 to 350 million, and Russian from 150 to 180
million.

To further complicate matters, the definition of "speaker" can be
vague.  Some surveys of languages give information on native
speakers only.  Others count both native speakers and secondary
speakers (those who use the language regularly or primarily even
though it is not their native language).

Lastly, it is important to consider not only the population (number)
of language speakers, but also the geographic distribution of these
languages.  Some languages have relatively large populations of
native speakers but are used almost exclusively in a few countries.
On the other hand, other languages have relatively small populations
of native speakers but are used in many different countries as an
official or national language.

The Summer Institute for Linguistics (SIL) Ethnologue Survey (1999)
lists the following as the top languages by population:
(number of native speakers in parentheses)

Chinese* (937,132,000)
Spanish (332,000,000)
English (322,000,000)
Bengali (189,000,000)
Hindi/Urdu (182,000,000)
Arabic* (174,950,000)
Portuguese (170,000,000)
Russian (170,000,000)
Japanese (125,000,000)
German (98,000,000)
French* (79,572,000)
* The totals given for Chinese, Arabic, and French include more than
one SIL variety.  See chart for full details.

The following list is from Dr. Bernard Comrie's article for the
Encarta Encyclopedia (1998):
(number of native speakers in parentheses)

Mandarin Chinese (836 million)
Hindi (333 million)
Spanish (332 million)
English (322 million)
Bengali (189 million)
Arabic (186 million)
Russian (170 million)
Portuguese (170 million)
Japanese (125 million)
German (98 million)
French (72 million)
The following list is from George Weber's article "Top Languages:
The World's 10 Most Influential Languages" in Language Today (Vol.
2, Dec 1997):
(number of native speakers in parentheses)

Mandarin Chinese (1.1 billion)
English (330 million)
Spanish (300 million)
Hindi/Urdu (250 million)
Arabic (200 million)
Bengali (185 million)
Portuguese (160 million)
Russian (160 million)
Japanese (125 million)
German (100 million)
Punjabi (90 million)
Javanese (80 million)
French (75 million)
However, in terms of secondary speakers, Weber submits the following
list:
(number of speakers in parentheses)

French (190 million)
English (150 million)
Russian (125 million)
Portuguese (28 million)
Arabic (21 million)
Spanish (20 million)
Chinese (20 million)
German (9 million)
Japanese (8 million)
Thus, if you add the secondary speaker populations to the primary
speaker populations, you get the following (and I believe more
accurate) list:
(number of speakers in parentheses)

Mandarin Chinese (1.12 billion)
English (480 million)
Spanish (320 million)
Russian (285 million)
French (265 million)
Hindi/Urdu (250 million)
Arabic (221 million)
Portuguese (188 million)
Bengali (185 million)
Japanese (133 million)
German (109 million)
The following is a list of these languages in terms of the number of
countries where each is spoken.  The number that follows is the
total number of countries that use that language (from Weber, 1997):

English (115)
French (35)
Arabic (24)
Spanish (20)
Russian (16)
German (9)
Mandarin (5)
Portuguese (5)
Hindi/Urdu (2)
Bengali (1)
Japanese (1)
The number of countries includes core countries (where the language
has full legal or official status), outer core countries (where the
language has some legal or official status and is an influential
minority language, such as English in India or French in Algeria),
and fringe countries (where the language has no legal status, but is
an influential minority language in trade, tourism, and the
preferred foreign language of the young, such as English in Japan or
French in Romania).  For a complete breakdown of each and an
accompanying chart, click here.

After weighing six factors (number of primary speakers, number of
secondary speakers, number and population of countries where used,
number of major fields using the language internationally, economic
power of countries using the languages, and socio-literary
prestige), Weber compiled the following list of the world's ten most
influential languages:
(number of points given in parentheses)

English (37)
French (23)
Spanish (20)
Russian (16)
Arabic (14)
Chinese (13)
German (12)
Japanese (10)
Portuguese (10)
Hindi/Urdu (9)

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"When everything's coming your way, you're in the wrong lane. "
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Do U Know?

2006-06-04T00:58:00.001-07:00

Ants don't sleep.
Owls have eyeballs that are tubular in shape, because of this; they cannot move their eyes.
A bird requires more food in proportion to its size than a baby or a cat.
The mouse is the most common mammal in the US.
A newborn kangaroo is about 1 inch in length.
A cow gives nearly 200,000 glasses of milk in her lifetime.
The Canary Islands were not named for a bird called a canary. They were named after a breed of large dogs. The Latin name was Canariae insulae - "Island of Dogs."
There are 701 types of pure breed dogs.
A polecat is not a cat. It is a nocturnal European weasel.
Tapeworms range in size from about 0.04 inch to more than 50 feet in length.
A baby bat is called a pup.
German Shepherds bite humans more than any other breed of dog.
A female mackerel lays about 500,000 eggs at one time.
It takes 35 to 65 minks to produce the average mink coat. The numbers for other types of fur coats are: beaver - 15; fox - 15 to 25; ermine - 150; chinchilla - 60 to 100.
The animal responsible for the most human deaths worldwide is the mosquito.
The biggest pig in recorded history was Big Boy of Black Mountain, North Carolina, who was weighed at 1,904 pounds in 1939.
Cats respond most readily to names that end in an "ee" sound.
A cat cannot see directly under its nose. This is why the cat cannot seem to find tidbits on the floor.
Pigs, walruses and light-colored horses can be sunburned.
Snakes are immune to their own poison.
An iguana can stay under water for 28 minutes.
Cats have more than one hundred vocal sounds, while dogs only have about ten.
The biggest member of the cat family is the male lion, which weighs 528 pounds (240 kilograms).
Most lipstick contains fish scales.
Rats multiply so quickly that in 18 months, two rats could have over a million descendants.
Each day in the US, animal shelters are forced to destroy 30,000 dogs and cats.
A shrimp's heart is in their head.
A pregnant goldfish is called a twit.
A cockroach will live nine days without its head, before it starves to death.
The cat lover is an ailurophile, while a cat hater is an ailurophobe.
A woodpecker can peck twenty times a second.
It may take longer than two days for a chick to break out of its shell.
Dragonflies are one of the fastest insects, flying 50 to 60 mph.
Despite man's fear and hatred of the wolf, it has not ever been proved that a non-rabid wolf ever attacked a human.
There are more than 100 million dogs and cats in the United States.
Americans spend more than 5.4 billion dollars on their pets each year.
Cat's urine glows under a black light.
The largest cockroach on record is one measured at 3.81 inches in length.
It is estimated that a single toad may catch and eat as many as 10,000 insects in the course of a summer.
Amphibians eyes come in a variety shapes and sizes. Some even have square or heart-shaped pupils.
It would require an average of 18 hummingbirds to weigh in at 1 ounce.
Dogs that do not tolerate small children well are the St. Bernard, the Old English sheep dog, the Alaskan malamute, the bull terrier, and the toy poodle.
Moles are able to tunnel through 300 feet of earth in a day.
Howler monkeys are the noisiest land animals. Their calls can be heard over 2 miles away.
A quarter of the horses in the US died of a vast virus epidemic in 1872.
The fastest bird is the Spine-tailed swift, clocked at speeds of up to 220 miles per hour.
There is no single cat called the panther. The name is commonly applied to the leopard, but it is also used to refer to the puma and the jaguar. A black panther is really a black leopard. A capon is a castrated rooster.
The world's largest rodent is the Capybara. An Amazon water hog that looks like a guinea pig, it can weigh more than 100 pounds.
The poison-arrow frog has enough poison to kill about 2,200 people.
The hummingbird, the loon, the swift, the kingfisher, and the grebe are all birds that cannot walk.
The poisonous copperhead snake smells like fresh cut cucumbers.
A chameleon's tongue is twice the length of its body.
Worker ants may live seven years and the queen may live as long as 15 years.
The blood of mammals is red, the blood of insects is yellow, and the blood of lobsters is blue.
Cheetahs make a chirping sound that is much like a bird's chirp or a dog's yelp. The sound is so an intense, it can be heard a mile away.
The underside of a horse's hoof is called a frog. The frog peels off several times a year with new growth.
The bloodhound is the only animal whose evidence is admissible in an American court. 98% of brown bears in the United States are in Alaska.
Before air conditioning was invented, white cotton slipcovers were put on furniture to keep the air cool.
The Barbie doll has more than 80 careers.
To make one pound of whole milk cheese, 10 pounds of whole milk is needed.
99% of pumpkins that are sold for decoration.
Every 30 seconds a house fire doubles in size.
The month of December is the most popular month for weddings in the Philippines.
A one-ounce milk chocolate bar has 6 mg of caffeine.
Carbon monoxide can kill a person in less than 15 minutes.
The largest ever hailstone weighed over 1kg and fell in Bangladesh in 1986.
Ants can live up to 16 years.
In Belgium, there is a museum that is just for strawberries.
The sense of smell of an ant is just as good as a dog's.
Popped popcorn should be stored in the freezer or refrigerator as this way it can stay crunchy for up to three weeks.
Coca-Cola was originally green.
The most common name in the world is Mohammed.
The name of the entire continents end with the same letter that they start with.
The strongest muscle in the body is the tongue.
TYPEWRITER is the longest word that can be made using the letters only on
one row! Of the keyboard.
Women blink nearly twice as much as men!!
You can't kill yourself by holding your breath.
It is impossible to lick your elbow.
People say, "Bless you" when you sneeze because when you sneeze, your heart
stops for a millisecond.
It is physically impossible for pigs to look up into the sky.
The "sixth sick sheik's sixth sheep's sick" is said to be the toughest
Tongue twister in the English language.
If you sneeze too hard, you can fracture a rib. If you try to suppress a
sneeze, you can rupture a blood vessel in your head or neck and die.
Each king in a deck of playing cards represents great king from history.
Spades - King David
Clubs - Alexander the Great,
Hearts - Charlemagne
Diamonds - Julius Caesar.
111,111,111 x 111,111,111 = 12,345,678,987,654,321
If a statue of a person in the park on a horse has both front legs in the
air, the person died in battle. If the horse has one front leg in the air,
the person died as a result of wounds received in battle. If the horse has
all four legs on the ground, the person died of natural causes.
What do bulletproof vests, fire escapes, windshield wipers and laser
printers all have in common?
Ans. - All invented by women.
Question - This is the only food that doesn't spoil. What is this?
Ans. - Honey.
A crocodile cannot stick its tongue out.
A snail can sleep for three years.
All polar bears are left-handed.
American Airlines saved $40,000 in 1987 by eliminating one olive from each
salad served in first-class.
Butterflies taste with their feet.
Elephants are the only animals that can't jump.
In the last 4000 years, no new animals have been domesticated.
On average, people fear spiders more than they do death.
Shakespeare invented the word 'assassination' and 'bump'.
Stewardesses are the longest word typed with only the left hand.
The ant always falls over on its right side when intoxicated.
A dentist invented the electric chair.
The human heart creates enough pressure when it pumps out to the body to
squirt blood 30 feet.
Wearing headphones for just an hour will increase the bacteria in your ear
by 700 times.
The cigarette lighter was invented before the match.
Most lipstick contains fish scales
Like fingerprints, everyone's tongue print is different

From:

Abusaad Khan
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"When everything's coming your way, you're in the wrong lane. "
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Understanding Broadband

2006-06-04T00:58:00.000-07:00

First of all, you must know some of the jargon! The word broadband itself simply is defined as a high speed Internet service that gives you continuous access to the Internet on a consistent basis. Broadband includes a technology called ADSL which stands for Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line and requires a special modem to access the line.

This technology uses standard copper telephone lines to provide Internet access speeds from 1.5 to 9 megabytes per second. DSL technologies or Digital Subscriber Lines use a higher frequency than standard telephone communication.

There are several types of DSL configurations including ADSL or Asymmetrical Digital Subscriber Lines, HDSL or High data rate DSL, and VDSL or Very High Data Rate DSL. A DSL line dynamically increases the capacity of ordinary copper wire. Since the signal is stronger the closer you are to the DSL Access Multiplexor or DSLAM the faster your signal will be the closer you are to the DSL provider's Central Office or distribution point.

DSL lines are typically used for small business and residential customers. Of course as your needs grow, it should be understood; that the more data you need to transfer, the larger the pipe (Internet access line or physical copper wire) you need to transport the data. This is where more sophisticated forms of broadband come in for business use.

The technical terms for this type of broadband is measured by the amount of data that the line transfers. T1 -Transmits data in the range of 1.5 million bits per second and primarily used by small and medium sized business with heavy upload and Internet traffic. A T-1 line is usually leased by bandwidth used. Typical uses are large graphic files, photographs, sound files, music, video, etc. However, your company should evaluate the amount of data and computers that are connected for Internet Access at the same time. T1 lines in the United States carry a 24 pulse code modulation (PCM) signal using time-division multiplexing (TDM).

These lines use copper wire which usually connect major metropolitan areas. There are a number of high quality companies that offer T1 Broadband and you will find that prices do vary so it is important that you compare.

You may also find that your local cable provider may have introduced their version of broadband which actually can emulate one side of a T1 connection . However, you should be aware... You may actually get 1.5 mpbs on the download side, but when you try to upload a file, your bandwidth is cut down to about 1/10th. A cable connection is made for residential customers to surf the Internet with great speed and download files, but not made for you to upload with great speed. This slow upload limit is the major difference between a real T1 line and cable.

There are many types of broadband connections that are much faster circuit than T1, these range from T3 (3 times faster than T1) to OC-48, and a frame relay connection which really are the same thing just MUCH larger pipes (lines) that can transmit the data. I have found while working with broadband providers you really need a persona coach to help guide you through the process.

Not only can personal coaches such as ImageLink Networks guide you through the red tape, the efficiency that comes from our presence and telecom knowledge will save you time and money in the end. It is important to seek an unbiased opinion and research for the best real time price for your T1 line. Broadband is a commodity, and changes as new subscribers come online in specified areas. To make a long story shorter, you are ready for a broadband connection if you are tired of waiting for a standard dial up to connect and download.

Do not be confused, dial up companies use a standard phone line to connect you to their server to bring you an Internet connection. One thing is for sure, if you ever experience a broadband connection via cable, T1, T3, DS-3, or better you will never ever go back to dial up.

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"When everything's coming your way, you're in the wrong lane. "
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Money-Saving Beauty Secrets

2006-06-04T00:50:00.000-07:00

Stretch Your Beauty Dollars
Getting gorgeous doesn't mean you have to empty out your wallet. Try these low-cash, high-style beauty ideas instead:

1. Scrub up at home.
Forego exfoliating treatments at a spa and whip up your own: Mix a handful of coarse sugar crystals with some olive oil, and use to slough off dead skin in the shower.

2. Fake a perfect manicure.
Soak nails in lemon juice to nix stains, then use a nail buffer to make tips shiny. No polish required!

3. Maximize your lipstick.
Your favorite lipstick can go the distance when you change its finish! Apply lipstick over a thin layer of Vaseline for a glossy look; pat on with a fingertip for a stain; dust with loose powder for a matte look; and mix with a bit of dark shadow for an evening effect.

4. Use hair products wet and dry.
Instead of investing in two different styling aids, use one for all of your needs: Apply a hair cream to damp locks to tame frizz, then smooth on a bit when hair is dry to smooth flyaways. Or use gel on wet hair for hold, then add some more to dry hair for shine.

5. Hit the drugstore.
Most drugstore cosmetics are related to department store brands: L'Oreal to Lancôme, Jane to Estee Lauder. That means the cheaper versions use the same cutting-edge technologies as their pricier sisters. Best low-cost bets: Mascara and lipstick.

6. Invest in all-over color.
For a so-chic, monochromatic look, wear the same shade on cheeks and lips (and eyes, if it's not too rosy). Nars and Stila make top-notch all-over color products that are well worth their price.

7. Try a multipurpose miracle.
Vaseline and Smith's Rosebud Salve are wonders: Use them as lip balm or gloss, to make eyebrows glossy, to moisturize cuticles, and to soothe dry skin patches. The bonus: They're super cheap!

8. Go for all-purpose moisture.
A giant bottle of Cetaphil lotion -- under $10 at the drugstore -- works on face, body, even the roughest of heels. Plus, it's noncomedogenic, so it won't cause blemishes!

9. Stake out salon training nights.
Most top hair salons offer low-cost cuts on training nights, where student stylists work their magic (under the close watch of their more senior colleagues).

10. Don't be fooled by high-price skincare.
Dermatologists consistently recommend their old (low-cost) favorites: Neutrogena, Purpose, and Cetaphil cleansers and moisturizers.

From:

Girish Nair

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"When everything's coming your way, you're in the wrong lane. "
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7 reasons why BPOs rocks..........

2006-06-04T00:49:00.000-07:00

Love it or hate it, but you can't ignore it.

Such is the BPO and call centre wave that has hit India from all sides. Much has been written about how hectic a career it is; how rotating shifts play havoc with your health. And how irate callers dump on you. But little has been written about the benefits that call centre employees enjoy, but people in mainstream jobs don't. Here's unearthing some of the offbeat positives of working in a call centre.

1)Educational Courses :

This is by far the biggest advantage of working for a call centre. Education doesn't stop as soon as you sign the appointment letter. Most call centres and BPO companies have affiliations with educational institutes to offer part-time management and even technical courses to employees.

In some cases, they offer massive discounts on course fees and in others even foot the entire bill for your education. And if you think that the institutions are of the never-heard-of-college-of-management category, think again. These institutes are reputed ones, who charge hefty fees for their management programmes .

2)Health and diet plans :

We not talking about medical health benefits here. These health plans help you stay fit on a day-to-day basis. While most call centres have well-equipped gymnasiums, certain others go a step ahead and offer you customised diet plans charted by trained dieticians. Market survey e-Serve boasts of a whole new diet plan programme called the Energiser, aimed at boosting the energy levels through correct food patterns. e-Serve's deputy HR manager Rohit Gulati tells us more about the plan. "We have both domestic and international operations. Our customer service executives have to interact with people other countries like United Kingdom and Australia. This results in shifts and of course a call centre job is sedentary one. So correct nutrition is very important keeping energy levels up. We have dieticians who analyse the body type and physical makeup of an employee and then give a proper diet plan that he or she should follow, " says Rohit.

The plan mentions both the kinds of foods that should be consumed and the exercises that should be done. The company also has a subsidised canteen that offers light healthy foods as well.

e-Serve is one of the few that have customised diet plans. But most of the call centres have canteens with a wide variety of foods. Rajni Khanna, senior HR executive, WNS says, "We have a Café Coffee Day outlet and an ice cream parlour in our premises in addition to a subsidised cafeteria that serves multi-cuisine meals." Some even offer free meals, especially for night shifts.

3)Life, accident and medical insurance :

Unless an irate customer comes to settle a complaint with you for a service malfunction, there's nothing life threatening about this job. Yet BPO companies offer accident, life and medical insurance for their employees, religiously paying the premium every year. Some of them even cover the dependents of the employees in their insurance plan. Market survey WNS' Khanna says, "Our company provides life insurance of Rs 2, 00, 000, accident insurance of Rs 4, 00, 000 and medical insurance of Rs 1, 50, 000 to employees."

These benefits are offered by almost all big BPO companies including the likes of J P Morgan Chase, SITEL, Daksh, e-Serve, ICICIOneSource, and Accenture among several others. The amounts offered vary from company to company and from one level of hierarchy to the other.

4) Retention bonus :

Almost every other company offers festival bonuses. But how many offer you a bonus just because you stuck around long enough? Call centres do.

Considering the speed with which call centre executives move around, the perk is no surprise.
Market survey
"We offer our employees retention bonus if they complete a period of more than a year in employment with us, " says Fredrick Rozario from the HR department of Daksh. He also tells us that if an employee doesn't avail the leaves that are allotted to him or her in a month, he or she can redeem them against money. However, e-Serve's Gulati stresses that retention bonus, though available, is offered to select employees only. "However, depending on the employee's performance, we offer them regular performance bonuses," he says. Generally, the retention bonus is a lump sum amount given after a year's service. Post that, every six months a retention bonus is offered to those who stick on.

5) Stress Management :

Most call centres boast of fully equipped gymnasiums. And some, to minimise the stress faced by employees, hold yoga and stress management classes by experts of alternative therapy.

Market survey
In WNS, yoga instructors have batches for giving individual attention to those who want to fight the ravages of day-to-day stress. Some of the offices of e-Serve have gyms too. Where they don't, there are discounted memberships to clubs in the vicinity. ICICIOneSource and Daksh, however, are two companies that have no provisions for a gym yet. Taking the health wave forward, some call centres like WNS offer their employees a medical centre that is open round the clock, free check-ups and medication. Nurses and doctors are available round the clock to take care of any emergencies.

6) Accommodation:

In metros, accommodation is always a problem. Though mainstream companies do provide accommodation to their employees, they restrict the benefit to top level employees. Not so with call centres! Many of them house outstation employees for one to two weeks in their guesthouses till they find suitable accommodation. Others offer permanent accommodation on a sharing basis.

Market survey
Gulati tells us about e-Serve's policy. "We take a few employees and give them a large apartment to stay in. The rent and the deposit are taken care of by the company," says Gulati. The amount deducted from the salary for house rent is minimal.

7) And a host of other benefits…

Other softer benefits are also up for grabs for call centre executives. "In addition to free credit cards from ICICI Bank, we keep getting offers from other companies. The latest offer right is from telecom provider Orange. If we take up a connection, we get 1000 minutes of talk-time free ,"says 24-year-old Nilesh* who works with ICICIOneSource. Contest and monthly employee rewards are also part of the BPO culture. Most of the times, 'employee of the month' awards are cash awards. In addition, certain funds are allocated to centres for fun activities like picnics, personality contests and parties. The cost of commuting between work and home is saved because call centres offer pick up and drop service from your doorstep. The bottomline: Working on regularly rotating shifts is no piece of cake. But the benefits above, in addition to a vibrant team and relaxed and informal work culture, can make the experience a sweet one!

* Name changed to protect identity

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"When everything's coming your way, you're in the wrong lane. "
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Interesting Article on Mobile Service Operators

2006-05-28T20:51:00.000-07:00

Well I don't know about the validity of the contents...but then its really convincing!!!

Interesting article from a friend

There are diff freq ranges for mobile transmission (800Mhz,900Mhz,1200Mhz,1800Mhz)

BSNL uses 800Mhz and 900Mhz freq ranges.

Hutch uses 900Mhz and 1200Mhz..

Where as Airtel uses the highest(1800Mhz) freq for transmitting the signals.

As u know Energy of a wave is depends on its frequency, that is more the freq more the energy.

So the waves transmitted by Airtel are the most energetic...

So they impact ur brain cells the most..The chances to get a brain cancer is more likely…

I myself got the proof recently…

You must be aware of a sticker available in market which people stick to the back of their cell...

It glows when u make or receive calls..The reason behind is while making or receiving calls, the intensity of the wave is maximum…

The bulbs in the sticker converts a part of this energy to electrical energy and glows…

So if bulbs are able to draw the amount of energy they need from mobile waves, think of the amount of exposure ur brain cells r getting to this energetic waves by talking on mobiles…

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"When everything's coming your way, you're in the wrong lane. "
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Lock your machine on Mouse Click !!!!!

2006-05-28T20:49:00.000-07:00

Feel hard to press CTRL+ALT+DEL to lock your machine ?????? Try this and create the icon on desktop to lock the machine.

1. Right click an empty spot on the desktop, point to New and
click Shortcut.

2. In the Create Shortcut dialog box, type the following in the 'Type the location' of the item text box: " rundll32 user32.dll,LockWorkStation" remove quotes while typing.

3. Click Next.

4. In "Type a name for this shortcut", type "<name>" (any name
as u wish) and Click Finish

5. Create a shortcut in your shortcut bar & use it

Speacial Thanks to,

GIRISH KUMAR. M

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"When everything's coming your way, you're in the wrong lane. "
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WOMEN....!!! THIS IS IMPORTANT......

2006-05-27T20:01:00.000-07:00

Ladies... In light of the increasing rape and murder cases, I think it is important to read the following info for your own safety.

Things women should know to stay safe: Please take the time to read these pointers. There may just be one or two you hadn't thought of. After reading
this, forward it to someone you care about. It never hurts to be careful in this crazy world we live in.

1. Tip from Tae Kwon Do: The elbow is the strongest point on your body. If
you are close enough to use it, do it!

2. If a robber asks for your handbag, DO NOT HAND IT TO HIM . Toss it away from you.... he is probably more interested in your handbag than you and he will go for the handbag. RUN LIKE MAD IN THE OTHER DIRECTION!

3. If you are ever thrown into the boot of a car: Kick out the back tail
lights and stick your arm through the hole and start waving. The driver won't see you but everybody else will. This has saved lives.

4. Women have a tendency to get into their cars after shopping, eating, working, etc., and just sit (doing their cheque book, or making a list). DON'T DO THIS! A predator could be watching you, and this is the perfect opportunity for him to get in on the passenger side, and attack you. AS SOON AS YOU GET INTO YOUR CAR, LOCK THE DOORS AND LEAVE.

5. A few notes about getting into your car in a car park:

A.) Be aware: look around you, look into your car, at the passenger side floor, and check the back seat.

B.) If you are parked next to a big van, enter your car from the passenger door. Most attackers surprise their victims by pulling them into their vans while the women are attempting to get into their cars.

C.) Look at the car parked on the driver's side of your vehicle, and the passenger side. If a male is sitting alone in the seat nearest your car, you may want to walk back into the shop, or work, and get a guard/policeman to walk you back out. IT IS ALWAYS BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY. (And better paranoid than dead.)

6. ALWAYS take the lift instead of the stairs. Stairwells are horrible
places to be alone (and the perfect crime spot.)

7. If the predator has a gun and you are not under his control, ALWAYS RUN!
The predator will only hit you (a running target) 4 in 100 times; and even
then, it most likely WILL NOT be a vital organ. RUN!

8. As women, we are always trying to be sympathetic: STOP IT! It may get you
raped, or killed. Ted Bundy, the serial killer, was a good-looking, well
educated man, who ALWAYS played on the sympathies of unsuspecting women. He
walked with a cane, or a limp, and often asked "for help" into his vehicle
or with his vehicle, which is when he abducted his next victim.

9. Another Safety Point: Someone just told me that her friend heard a crying baby on her porch the night before last, and she called the police because it was late and she thought it was weird. The police told her 'Whatever you do, DO NOT open the door." The lady then said that it sounded like the baby had crawled near a window, and she was worried that it would crawl to the street & get run over. The policeman said, "We already have a unit on the way, whatever you do, DO NOT open the door.

"He told her that they think a serial killer has a baby's cry recorded and uses it to coax women out of their homes thinking that someone dropped off a baby. He said they have not verified it, but have had several calls by women saying that they hear babies' cries outside their doors when they're home alone at night. Please pass this on and DO NOT open the door for a crying baby.

I'd like you to forward this to all the women you know. It may save a life.
A candle is not dimmed by lighting another candle. I was going to send this
to the ladies only, but guys, if you love your mothers, wives, sisters, daughters,
etc., you may want to pass it onto them, as well.

Send this to any woman you know that may need to be reminded that the world
we live in has a lot of crazies in it and it's better safe than sorry. The above is directed at women but remember, guys you may also be targeted the same way or your girlfriend/wife .

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If the real world were a book, it would never find a publisher.
Over-long, detailed to the point of distraction - and ultimately without a major resolution.