My laptop and ipod

Finally i accomplished my long cherished dream of buying a laptop and an ipod. really excited. i bought a leneovo laptop with the config - 2 GB/250 GB and all other standard features; black colour. ipod is the new generation ipod nano chromatic (silver colour)...it is really cool....Now it will be fun when i travel next month to kerala.

the truth about Pakistan...it is serious threat for us Indians...

I will like to thank the author (Colonel Anil Athale (retd))
of this piece of knowledge that I have taken ...it is a wonderfull article giving us a good understandign the existing Political/Legal/Economic/Social demorgraphics prevalent in Pakistan...A wonderfull read indeed....

The recent surrender by the Pakistani State to the Taliban in the Swat valley may well turn out to be a watershed in the history of the Indian subcontinent. In terms of long-term impact, this may even overshadow the recent Mumbai massacres. All signs point to the 'Talibanisation' of Pakistan. Here are several pointers:
I A Rehman writing in the Dawn newspaper on February 12 says 'the Pakistani armed forces were indoctrinated in General Zia-ul Haq's rule to reserve senior posts for genuine Islamists. The Pakistan army may have the capacity to kill hordes of people, but it will not -- and cannot -- do that.' The army and the State may well disintegrate if it does.
General Ashfaq Kayani, son of a former soldier, is the first non-elite chief of the Pakistani army. Given his socio-economic background, he is more likely to be part of the 'natural' constituency of the Taliban.
We have the example of Iran -- on February 11, 1979, when the mass upsurge to impose 'Islamic rule' reached its zenith, the Iranian army declared its 'neutrality' in the ongoing conflict. This sealed the fate of the Shah of Iran. A similar happening in Pakistan is very likely.
Slumdog Jihadis: The Dawn on December 18, 2008, quoted the Pakistan Planning Commission's Deputy Chairman Sardar Asef Ahmad Ali that poverty had skyrocketed to above 40 per cent in the country, leaving millions helpless. It is these poor/unemployed/uneducated people that are cannon fodder for the jihadis. The interrogation of the lone surviving Mumbai terrorist Ajmal Kasab's story fits the bill. There are such 48 million Ajmals waiting in Pakistan to be primed against India.
As a student of military history, I found it extraordinary that Indians were always blissfully unaware of developments in their neighbourhood. No ruler of Delhi ever woke up when the enemy crossed the Khyber Pass. The first stirrings of action were usually when the enemy was at the gates, at Panipat, just a day's march from Delhi.
Indians have been made to totally forget the holocaust that they faced in past; the name Hindukush itself means 'Hindu killer', a reminder of the days when thousands of Indians died on the mountain slopes while being taken to Central Asia as slaves.(the Encyclopaedia Britannica quoting a 12th century traveller Ibn Batua).
Nearer our times, the 1981 UN declaration of Universal Human Rights writes; 'Among the genocides of human history, the highest number of people killed in the small span of time is in Bangladesh in 1971. An average of 6,000 to 12 000 people were killed every single day. This is the highest daily average in history.' The lower estimate shows that 15 lakh were killed, a majority of them Hindus. A commission of inquiry appointed by the Pakistan government, the Hamidoor Rehman Commission, has recorded testimonies of Pakistani army officers who have quoted General Amir Abdullah Khan Niazi asking the question 'How many Hindus have you killed today?' as a matter of routine. We have forgotten this recent episode as well.
Demography is destiny
Pakistan has a very high rate of population growth. Although it has declined from three percent at the time of the census in 1981 to the present 1.9 per cent it is still the highest among populous countries of more than 50 million, except Nigeria. The more reliable indicator of population growth is the total fertility rate -- the number of children born to a woman in her reproductive span. Pakistan's TFR is four. A TFR of 2.1 is considered replacement level which leads to a stable population.
In Pakistan, the under-15 population is 37 per cent of the total. Given the poor education, health and skills of this youth, they are fodder for jihad and little else. With the mullahs constantly drumming that all of Pakistan's ills are due to the evil Hindu India/Zionist Israel/Christian America troika, Pakistan's biggest export for a long time is likely to be terror.
If by some miracle, Pakistan is to implement population control tomorrow, it will take two to three decades for it to take effect. Even if the re-brainwashing was to begin now, again it is bound to take time. The sad fact is that neither of these things is happening either tomorrow or any time soon.
Impact of the economic meltdown
For decades over 25 percent of the Pakistani labour force was employed in the oil-rich Middle East. With the economic downturn and lower oil prices, the boom is over. The Dubai shopping festival was a flop this year. The returning labour force will only add to the unemployment in the country.
In any case, Pakistan has very little industry and its agriculture is confined to Punjab and parts of Sindh. Most of the country's landmass is arid and unfit for agriculture. Rural poverty will gallop in the near future.
Ripe for implosion
The politics of extremism as represented by the Taliban, the economic meltdown and demographic pressure all point to a major implosion in Pakistan. Are we ready for the fallout?
Despite this threat staring in our face there is a palpable lack of national unity -- another Indian trait. In the last four years, we have let our defence apparatus go to seed, so much so that we have lost the conventional edge over Pakistan.
Given this situation the only option for India is to 'isolate and contain' Pakistan. That still leaves the million dollar question about Pakistan's nuclear weapons. Here one hopes that all those joint exercise with special forces of the US, UK, Israel, China and Russia were in preparation for this very contingency.
If not, then God save the world!

Layoff Tracker (Total employees laid off in recession)

This is such a wonderfull thing that Klaus Kneale has complied. He has complied the Number of layoffs since Nov. 1, 2008, at America's 500 largest public companies (Total announced layoffs at America’s 500 largest public companies as measured by a composite ranking of sales, profits, assets and market value since Nov. 1 2008. Includes layoffs at subsidiaries, joint ventures, and majority owned companies). As of Feb 18th 2009 the total lay off count inn America stands at - 471224.

India should act firmly (read militarily) if Pakistan is to be taken over by Taliban and they trade their guns against India.

Let me start this particular piece of write up with a confession - I have never been so afriad/larmaed in my entire life as for the past 3 or so days. Taliban almost having full control over SWAT province is so bad for us Indians. Yes it is true SWAT province is some 180 odd kms from the capital Islamabad (I think Surya pet is around 140 kms from Hyderabad and it is less distant than Vijayawada-Hyderabad). We should be very clear if at all Taliban does eventually take over Pakistan and they think to spread their ideologies across the borders into India and spread there sphere of influence then our goverment should be unequivocal in its approach to militarily and diplomatically (in its strictest sense) decimate them. We have taken this sentiment of being a peace loving nation far too much and sometimes offence is indeed the ebst form of defense. For some thing like Taliban or the Al Qaeda to come to our borders and try to exert their militray power should never be combatted by dialogue. it has to be dealt with our might and should teach them a lesson. We need to be the aggressor. I am really tensed and worried by this incident. Werae indeed a secular and peace loving nation and doing well as a nation. This is the last thing that all of us need in our doorsteps. I am atleast expecting our political heirarchy to be very vigilant to the activities happening in our immediate neighbours placvea nd not be lost in election hysteria. May be it is our first real test after a long long time and it has to be dealt in a very firm manner. Also we should not be listening to anyone else and do not need their advice. it is our problem and we will ahve to solve it.

Writing Assignments - I am available

Although I have good job in hand and a happy man to do that but writing has always been my passion. So this small post is to all those who have some interesting writing assignments with them then I am more than willing to chip in(It can be on anyhting). You can reach me at - ajitpnair@yahoo.co.in

2009

I really do not know...what is in store for us in 2009 but 1 thing is positive always...HOPE. Yes we all carry this with us and let us think something in the right direction. When i look around i find most things depressing/negative be it business/politics or the daily life for a middle classer like me sandwitched as always betweent he potential of doing something great but unable to do so - always aspiring and motivated by the Narayana Murthy's and Nilekeni's of this world. But when it is the occassion of new year and this being your first blog post let us all think good and only that and hope that this new year of 2009 be a great year for all (although i just heard of the Guwahati bomb blast; never understand what somebody gets by killing someone).
I have lots and lots of inner ambitions carrying with me and hoping that this years is the year to fulfill some of them.

Happy New Year wishes to one and all. May God Bless all of us.

An advertisement on Narayana Murthy.

This is a great advertisement on the leading business entrepreneurs in India and very knowledgble. Source my friend - Susheel Pandey.

iPod creator leaves Apple

Tony Fadell, referred to as 'father of the iPod', is leaving Apple. Seven years ago, it was Tony Fadell who led a team of designers and engineers to introduce the iPod. It was his idea to club a Napster-like music store with a hard drive-based MP3 player. Sleek and stylish, the product soon became one of the most hottest selling products from Apple.

He has now chosen to spend more time with his family.

Apple has announced that the iPod division vice president Tony Fadell and his wife, Danielle Lambert, who is vice president of the company's human resources department, are leaving to spend more with their family.
Fadell, will however remain as an adviser to CEO Steve Jobs.

Mark Papermaster will now head the iPod and iPhone engineering teams. Papermaster has 25 years of product and technology experience. He was working as vice president at IBM.

Fadell toyed with the idea of inventing a new MP3 player. However, he had to struggle before his idea was finally accepted. He was turned down by RealNetworks and Phillips. It was Apple, which showed interest in the project.

SOurce - rediff.com

The Thrifty Billionaires

Warren Buffet bought his Omaha, Neb., home in 1958 for $31,500. Today, Buffett is about $50 billion richer, but he still lives in the same place.
The penny-pinching nature of America's second-wealthiest man is legendary. He drives a Cadillac. He prefers burgers and Cherry Cokes to a pricey steak. When a waiter once tried to pour him some rare vintage wine, Buffett covered his glass and said "No thanks, I'll take the cash."

He isn't the only frugal billionaire. While big spenders like Oracle's Larry Ellison grab headlines for antics like buying the longest yacht in world, the thrifty rich lie low--and spend little in comparison. Expect converts: A recent survey of 439 high-net-worth families by wealth-research firm Prince & Associates found 59% are cutting back their spending.
Yet such reductions might actually be hard for John Caudwell, whom we valued at $2.3 billion this March. He cuts his own hair and buys his clothes off the rack.
"I don't need Saville Row suits," he told a Forbes reporter last year. "I don't need to spend money to bolster my own esteem."
Same goes for India's Azim Premji, who turned his dad's cooking-oil business into technology giant Wipro. Worth some $12.7 billion, he still drove a Ford Escort for eight years before trading it in for a new Toyota Corolla. He usually walks to work from his nearby home. Premji often stays at budget hotels when traveling in India and reportedly wears non-branded suits and flies economy. Paper plates were used at a luncheon in honor of his son Rishad's wedding a few years ago.
Ingvar Kamprad is the seventh-wealthiest man in the world, but you wouldn't know it if you met him. The Ikea founder, worth an estimated $31 billion, usually wears denim shirts and decorates his home with his company's low-cost furnishings. He drives a 1993 Volvo.
"How the hell can I ask people who work for me to travel cheaply if I am traveling in luxury?" says Kamprad. "Best to stay in touch with the real world."
This kind of toned-down spending may grow more pronounced among many of the world's billionaires. While they have plenty of money on paper, their net worth is often tied up in investments. To make even bigger bets, they might leverage their assets. During times of market turmoil like these, their liquidity can dry up very quickly. Aubrey McClendon was forced to sell a gigantic stake in his company Chesapeake Energy because of margin calls. Fellow American billionaire Sumner Redstone recently sold $400 million in Viacom and CBS shares to keep his creditors at bay (see "Margin Calls Ignite Billionaire Fire Sale").
Russian billionaires, who gained a reputation for unbridled extravagance in recent years, have been even harder hit. Oleg Deripaska, Alisher Usmanov and Suleiman Kerimov all recently faced margin calls--and sharp hits to their wealth. While these billionaires scramble to raise cash, Buffett is sitting on a pile of it. In the past couple months, his Berkshire Hathaway put $3 billion into General Electric and $5 billion into Goldman Sachs. Buffett received sweetheart terms in both deals because he's one of the few people with billions to invest in this tough market. Good advice for anyone, billionaire or not: Count your pennies and buy on sale.
Source Yahoo & Forbes.

can this train move?

Great picture this - Pilgrims cling on to a departing train after attending an annual religious congregation in Multan on November 2. The annual three-day Dawat-e-Islami congregation concluded with collective noon prayers.

Source - rediff.com