Right to property - the new human right

Taking a cue from courts in the US and UK, the Supreme Court has taken a view that the right to property is now a human right.

Referring to several landmark decisions passed on the law of adverse possession of property, the Bench comprising Justices Dalveer Bhandari and H S Bedi noted, “The right of property is now considered to be not only a constitutional or statutory right but also a human right.” Quoting from a decision passed by an English court, the Bench said, “Human rights have been historically considered in the realm of individual rights such as right to health, right to livelihood, right to shelter and employment, etc. But now human rights are gaining a multifaceted dimension. Right to property is also considered very much a part of the new dimension.”

Therefore, even claim of adverse possession has to be read in that context,” the apex court remarked taking an ‘activist approach’ similar to the English courts. “But what is commendable is that the dimensions of human rights have widened so much that now property dispute issues are also being raised within the contours of human rights,” Justice Bhandari, writing the judgement, said.

 

The bench said the Central Government should “seriously consider” a change in law to prevent squatters from dishonestly enjoying property. “There is an urgent need of a fresh look regarding the law on adverse possession. We recommend the Centre seriously consider and make suitable changes in the law of adverse possession,” it ruled while dealing with a provision of law which requires that the burden of proof lies on owners to show that they have the title to and have been in possession of the property and were dispossessed within a period of 12 years from the date of filing the suit.

 

Technorati Tags: Property,law,rights,constitution,india,justice,government,real estate

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1 GB Video upload to youtube

Youtube has released a webuploader through which upto 10 files (max 1 GB) can be uploaded

Though you could also upload large video files to YouTube earlier, it required you to download the desktop based uploader software but now you can send big videos to YouTube from the web browser itself without requiring any software.

Other than file size, YouTube had imposed another limit on the duration of the video clip. You were not supposed to upload any video that was longer than 10 minutes in length and I think that was in place to prevent people from upload full movies and TV shows onto YouTube. Google has decided to keep the 10 min limit intact. Have to still find out how to make a 10 min 1GB movie.

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ICICI: Is it a "run-on-the-bank" ?

Stung by rumours that it was passing through a troubled phase, ICICI Bank Tuesday asked its customers not to panic, saying rumours about the financial strength of the bank are baseless and malicious.

"ICICI Bank is aware that rumours are being repeatedly being circulated in certain centres regarding the financial strength of the bank. "The bank states that these rumours are baseless and malicious," ICICI Bank CEO and Managing Director K.V. Kamath said Tuesday.

The statement comes amidst reports that the bank's customers were queuing up before its branches in some cities particularly in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh fearing that ICICI were facing major financial crunch.

Debunking suggestions that there could be a 'run-on-the-bank', ICICI statement gave detailed financial position to establish that it was in a very sound position with assets of over Rs 4,84,000 crore and a networth of over Rs 47,000 crore. 

Press Release - KV Kamath (PDF)

RBI Statement (PDF)

 

Technorati Tags: Life Insurance,Car Insurance,Debt Consolidation,Credit Cards,Loans,Mortgages,Bankruptcy,Investing,Bonds,Online Trading,Online Banking,Business Credit,Consumer Credit,ICICI,Indian

 

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iSoft Expands India operations

iSOFT has recently announced the opening of its Global Development Center in Bangalore. The company aims to expand its Indian operations with an increased workforce at the development center.

“The new facility will double our capacity in Bangalore, which is an important market for us both because of its strategic location and the knowledge-base that is available.

Technorati Tags: isoft,software,india

We will be undertaking high-end product development at its Centre of Excellence, providing unique and exciting opportunities to work on cutting-edge technology for a select number of the city’s most innovative IT individuals,” Govind S, Managing Director, iSOFT.

The company promises to offer Indian solution specialists opportunities to work on end-to-end product development from technology and architecture to coding and release rather than working only on a part of the project lifecycle.

The facility also boasts of a demo setup that simulates a patient walkthrough across multiple departments of a typical hospital. Also present on the occasion was Aminur Rahman, Australian Trade Commissioner & Consul General, and board members and senior executives of iSOFT from Australia and the United Kingdom.

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The true face behind Kaya- Save your Skin

There are many beauty shops with the word "clinic" attached to its name out there claiming to give you a good skin and even better hair. Firstly, one should know to differentiate between a beauty parlor in the name of a clinic and a real clinic. “Beauty parlors in the name of clinics” has one dermatologist and men/women in classy uniforms to convince you they are skilled dermatologist associates, woo hoo watch out. The real clinic has a doctor and a nurse to attend to the patient.

To know the works of a clinic go for a consultation before you enroll yourself for any package and spoiling your skin. Let’s take Kaya for example and step into the “skin clinic” first. You are greeted by the best looking faces you can find in the city or maybe even the country. Then you get a quick sitting with the doctor, they do a skin analysis and show you the deepest and most ugly looking scars and pores on your skin. They force you to take a laser hair removal patch for free, whole cost on them and they go about doing one square inch of your skin whether you want it or not. In the first place you were not even interested in it and you still end up doing something you did not want. Next they are already pushing and you are caught in their marketing skills of selling you the minimum package starting at 10 grand. If you ask for a single sitting they claim you will see no difference and skin is tender and needs care and only in the 5^th sitting you will see some change which is exactly costing you 10 grand.

Smooth talkers they are and you’re on your way to book your first sitting in the hope of getting to sport the best skin and dreamily go ahead with one swift swipe of your card which you will regret more and more as you progress through the first few sessions. Only the first sitting is done by a doctor and there is a upcoming doctor associate who is watching the whole process-“show” to experiment on the very next customer who is in for a second sitting and for the first surprise. The doctor who did your analysis and your first sitting is oh so busy with other customers (I never use the word patient cos they are running a business) or did not come in for the day at all. Anyway you decide to go through it as you will not get another appointment in another two weeks and you don’t really know that the associate who stepped into your doc’s shoes just learnt her first lesson one hour ago.
The so-called associate-in-charge has no background on skin or even gone through a crash course in dermatology. And as for the following sessions you will have some more associates practicing on your skin as you cant ask for your last associate as she has other clients now and wont be free and again would you want to wait for another tow weeks to go through the same ordeal. Believe me even booking for a session after two weeks will bring you a new associate. Each of them, other than the doc, have no clue on your skin or what sessions you have been through in the previous sittings. I did not get the difference I was looking for, and when I confronted the doctor with all that I went through she said, you might want to go through another set to get the best looking skin. We did not promise you clear skin in 5 sessions and another set would give the best looking skin without a spot. I nodded my head in agreement and walked out of Kaya promising never to go back.

My skin stayed the same with proper care for two months and it was getting back to what it was before going to Kaya. I finally walked into a referred dermatologist’s clinic soon and I am glad I did. It costs me lesser, I am in good hands and also the doc is aware of what sessions I went through and advices on what works for my skin. I have better looking skin with one session every 20 days or 30 days. All you guys and gals wanting to wear your best skin by going to Kaya, I have one word of caution, “BEWARE”. Don’t waste your money, honey!!!

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Vaaranam Aayiram - Music Review

Click here for Movie review

The superhit duo of Gautam Menon and Harris Jeyaraj have once again come out with a splendid album catering to the masses. The album which has got seven songs is a sure shot hit amongst the youth especially who have been waiting for this album for quite some time. Though an enthusiastic choreographer had posted a few songs of this film earlier it has not dampened the spirit of the eager fans.
Adiye kolluthey rendered by Krish, Benny and Shruthi Hassan sets the heart beat raising and sure to become a youth anthem in the days to come.
Anal Maelea by Sudha Raghunathan is a soft melodius number which syncs very smoothly with the listener.
Ava Enna a folk song rendered by Karthik and Prasanna is a good one.
Mundhinam song which has a prelude with Surya's voice is a very sweet romantic number sung by Naresh Iyer and Prasanthini.
Nenjukul Peithidum by Hariharan, Devan and prasanna is again a good meldious number.
Thoduvanam by Clinton and S.P.B. Charan is a fast paced number which is sure to captivate the listeners.
Yethi Yethi a rap number by Benny, Naresh Iyer and Solar Sai reminds you of minnale tunes is a fast paced one.
On the whole the Vaaranam Aayiram Team has met the expectations in their album and has made fans to look eagerly forward for the movie which will be hitting the screens next month.

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Sakkarakatti - Movie Review

V Creations Sakkarakatti has got lot of surprises for the viewer.

First Surprise : After completing film studies in the US how did the debutant director Kalaprabhu chose this story as his first film

Second : How did Bhagyaraj and Dhanu zero in on this script as a launch pad for their kids

Third : First 50 mins into the film comes Interval with two songs in it and the second half which is also for 50 mins has got four songs.

On the whole a movie with 100 mins (1 hour and 40 mins) running time out of which the 6 songs occupy close to 30 mins and the rest 70 mins is what the movie is all about.

The movie begins with Yuvraj called as “Raj” (Shantanoo) who is about to join college with a group of four friends begin their go happy life. As the “Elay” song comes to an end we hear in the background the voice of the hero that the jolliness in their life is to be disturbed by love. And in the next scene we see Deepali (Ishita) get down from her car and the hero immediately has the “love at first sight” feelings and with thoughts of her all over his mind goes home and knocks at his house when we get introduced to Reema (Vedhika) who happens to be the relative of Raj and they have come from coimbatore to chennai for Reema to do her college.

All three Raj, Deepali and Reema go to the same college and with in few scenes the lead Raj and Deepali express their love towards each other and immediately the song “Chinnama” plays on where the hero and heroine jump from one building to another with a group of graphic mummies also following them. When all these things go smoothly and we expect some twist in the story, Reema who wants to talk with Raj in a coffee shop (They go to Marrybrown to have a coffee!!!) and tells him that she is in love with him though she admits knowing that he and Deepali are in love. Raj convinces her and when they part Reema gives him a rose and a hug which is seen by Deepali and thinks that she is been cheated.

Minutes later the audience in the theatre are in for a big surprise when “Interval” appears so soon.

Post Interval Raj convinces Deepali that he truly loves her and she also gets convinced that he is not a cheat and immediately she visits Raj's home and finds Reema there with Raj's mother where she comes to know that they are both related. Its surprising to find that when the son is in first year of college the mother tells to a girl who comes to visit him to go to his bedroom!!! and find him there. And after the usual lovely dialogues she again comes back to see Reema in Raj's Hand.

When we get bored of the same sequences again and again the director decides its time to finish the movie as his 100 mins deadline is coming to a close we find some silly scenes which the director thinks would be apt for the ending and finishes the movie.

Shantanoo in his debut films fails to perform as he remains stiff in most of the scenes and newcomer Ishita also fails to perform. The only performer to a certain extent is Vedhika who comes for 7 to 8 scenes in the movie.

The movie has got good songs by A.R.Rahman and except for the “Taxi Taxi” song all other songs picturization with lots of amateur graphics or sans graphics is a big disappointment.

The Hero and Director who wanted to know the reaction of the audience were present for the first day first show at Sathyam Cinemas must have known at the end of the show what would be the fate of their debut product.

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Morgenavisen Jyllands-Posten Conterversial Ads

The people who portrayed Prophet Muhammed as cartoons and got into trouble are up again with more trouble. This time with MK Gandhi frying meat and holding a can of beer. May be this is the way they try to popularise their brand.

 

 

Technorati Tags: nelson,mandela,dalai,lama,gandhi,morgenavisen,jyllands,posten,conterversial,advertising,muhammed,prophet

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Difference between iphone & stone

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Deception - Movie Review

The Movie begins with Jonathan Mcquarry (Ewan Mcgregor) an audit manager sitting late at night in the conference room with an intent to complete the left out work for the day and when he checks out the time on his wrist watch “10:53” comes a voice when we see Wyatt Bose (Hugh Jackman) a lawyer enters in and strikes a conversation which Jonathan is not being used to but at the same time he is open to experiencing new things.

Few scenes ahead Jonathan and Wyatt get to be good friends and then suddenly Wyatt gets a call on his mobile that he has to fly to London on a business trip. As usual Jonathan and Wyatt have the same model of the mobile and the usual unintentional swapping of mobiles takes place. When Jonathan receives few calls on Wyatt’s mobile it happens to be different voices of women popping the same question “Are you free tonight?” and eventually Jonathan says yes and the next moment he finds himself in the company of many women night after night without the pressure of actually getting committed as it happens to be a sex group where well to do men and women connect and he becomes a member by virtue of Wyatt’s mobile.

In the group he comes across a woman whom he knows only by her initial ‘S’ (Michelle Williams) and he feels a kind of affection which he did not find amongst other women. After meeting ‘S’ he avoids other callers on the mobile and then he again gets a call from ‘S’ asking him to meet him at China Town where the story gets a dramatic turn and Jonathan finds himself attacked in the hotel room and ‘S’ goes missing. Then the real villain comes up and trades a huge international fund transfer for the safety of ‘S’ and Jonathan who is keen on ‘S’ eventually accepts the offer. As Jonathan tries to be clever the villain acts smarter by double crossing him.

In all movies be it Hollywood, Bollywood or Kollywood the hero has to finish things off and save the good from the evil but in this movie the hero does the fraudulent international fund transfer to a bank in Madrid and then follows it up with a very smart move which has the villain off-guard. Will Jonathan get to see ‘S’ alive or not forms the remaining part of the movie.

The movie partly produced by Hugh Jackman has brilliant cinematography by Dante Spinotti. The story and the screenplay is a great let down.

Certified “A” for content and certain intimate scenes this movie is an average one.

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Nova Thin Client to be available on Tata Teleservices

Tata Teleservices along with Novatium has recently introduced a thin-client based network computer called the Nova netPC. The computer which is the result of a partnership between the two companies aims to provide a simple and affordable computing solution for the masses.

The system is a thin-client based network computer which can support both Microsoft  Windows and Linux operating systems. It can run local applications using USB peripherals. The system will be able to access Internet via Tata’s fiber broadband services. With all the systems connecting to a centralized server, software updates and virus scans will be done automatically.

 

About NetPC: It has to be linked to a server. It has no configuration as there is no processor. Server-centricity allows for generous storage, high speed and guarantees data privacy through an authentication process. The server can be hosted by a company for its own use or by a telecom/cable operator who has the last-mile running to the home, and can provide the computing services inclusive of internet for a monthly fee.

 

NetPC supports applications based on voice, streaming video, data and graphics. Needs no upgrades at the server level, which acts as the processor and storage device. The service provider provides the upgrades and the applications you need and takes care of the viruses with his anti-virus software. Has virus protection and needs no UPS because data is stored and protected in the server. You can switch on to the page you left in case of power failure without losing any data. It provides for rich graphics and multimedia capability.

 

Advantages: Low rate of obsolescence; technology will remain "current" for at least eight years as upgrades are done centrally; zero maintenance costs; offers roaming access under the grid system as data is not locked up in a hard disk.

 

Disadvantages: User has to pay a fixed sum to the service provider, does not have a CD-ROM, though a pen drive can be used.

 

Technorati Tags: Spyware,Cell Phone Plans,Calling Cards,VOIP,Spam Filter,Anti Virus Protection,Satellite,Anti Spam Software,Cellular Phone Rental,Online Marketing,Helpdesk Software,Laptop Computer

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Undeniable phrases by Vijayakanth

MINDBLOWING: Tamil Star VIJAYAKANTH'S Dialogues in English

 

1) U can study and get any certificates. But u  cannot get ur death certificate

 

2) U may have AIRTEL or BSNL connection but when u sneeze u ll say HUTCH 

 

3 ) U can bcome an engineer if u study in engineering college. U cannot bcom a president if u studies in Presidency College

 

4 ) U can expect a BUS from a BUS stop ..... u cannot expect a FULL from FULL stop

 

5) A mechanical engineer can bcom a mechanic but a software engineer cannot become a software

 

6 ) U can find tea in teacup. But cannot find world in world cup 

 

7) U can find keys in Keyboard but u cannot find mother in motherboard.

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Computer Masculine or Feminine

A SPANISH Teacher was explaining to her class that in Spanish, unlike English, nouns are designated as either masculine or feminine.

'House' for instance, is feminine: 'la casa.'
'Pencil,' however, is masculine: 'el lapiz.'

A student asked, 'What gender is 'computer'?'

Instead of giving the answer, the teacher split the class into two
groups, male and female, and asked them to decide for themselves whether computer' should be a masculine or a feminine noun. Each group was asked to give four reasons for its recommendation.

The men's group decided that 'computer' should definitely be of the
feminine gender ('la computadora'), because:

1. No one but their creator understands their internal logic;

2. The native language they use to communicate with other computers
is incomprehensible to everyone else;

3. Even the smallest mistakes are stored in long term memory for
possible later retrieval; and

4. As soon as you make a commitment to one, you find yourself
spending half your paycheck on accessories for it.

(THIS GETS BETTER!)

The women's group, however, concluded that computers should be
Masculine ('el computador'), because:

1. In order to do anything with them, you have to turn them on;

2. They have a lot of data but still can't think for themselves;

3. They are supposed to help you solve problems, but half the time they ARE the problem; and

4. As soon as you commit to one, you realize that if you had waited a little longer, you could have gotten a better model.


The women won.

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Shoot that sheep (Flash Game)

This game focuses on simple reaction time in which you need to press a button once you see a sheep running. A 3 second penalty if you press the button without a sheep running. Quite simple, but tells you when to actually go and de-stress.

Reaction time (RT) is the elapsed time between the presentation of a sensory stimulus and the subsequent behavioural response. RT is often used in experimental psychology to measure the duration of mental operations, known as mental chronometry. The behavioural response is often a button press but can also be an eye movement, a vocal response, or some other observable behaviour.

    * Simple reaction time is usually defined as the time required for an observer to detect the presence of a stimulus. For example, an observer might be asked to press a button as soon as a light or sound appears. Mean RT is approximately 180 to 200 milliseconds to detect visual stimuli, whereas for sound it is around 140-160 milliseconds

    * Go/No-Go reaction time tasks require that the observer press a button when one stimulus type appears and withhold a response when other stimulus types appear. For example, the observer is to press the button when a red light appears and not respond when a green light appears.

    * Choice reaction time tasks require distinct responses for each possible class of stimulus. For example, the observer may be asked to press one button if a red light appears and a different button if a yellow light appears.

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Truth is: Chauvinists earn more!

A dedicated survey of researchers prove that, mean with chauvanistic attitude earn more. Research from University of Florida organizational psychologists Timothy Judge and Beth Livingston recently published in the Journal of Applied Psychology.

 

"Men who hold traditional ideas of gender roles such as “a woman’s place is in the home” earn more than men with more egalitarian views."

 

Between 1979 and 2005 dedicated researchers Judge and Livingston interviewed more than 12,000 people in a nationally representative sample about their ideas about the proper roles of women and men, as well as about their earnings, education and religious beliefs.

 

What conclusions came out of this massive pool of data? Sexism just might pay. Men in the study who said they had more traditional views of gender roles made an average of about $8,500 more annually than those who had less traditional attitudes controlling for job complexity, number of hours worked and education level.

 

The researchers conclude by speculating that the gender pay gap may have as much to do with psychology as it does with economics, but also note that more research is needed to suss-out a full explanation of the phenomenon.

 

Trackback

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Understanding Marketing Strategies

1. You see a gorgeous girl at a party. You go up to
her and say: "I am very rich. "Marry me!"

- That's Direct Marketing..."

2. You're at a party with a bunch of friends and see a
gorgeous girl. One of your friends goes up to her and
pointing at you says: "He's very rich. "Marry him."

-That's Advertising..."

3. You see a gorgeous girl at a party. You go up to
her and get her telephone number. The next day, you
call and say: "Hi, I'm very rich. Marry me"

- That's Telemarketing..."

4. You're at a party and see gorgeous girl. You get up
and straighten your tie, you walk up to her and pour
her a drink, you open the door (of the car)"Marry Me?"

- That's Public Relations..."

5. You're at a party and see gorgeous girl. She walks
up to you and says:"You are very rich! "Can you marry ! me?"

- That's Brand Recognition...

6. You see a gorgeous girl at a party. You go up to
her and say: "I am very rich. Marry me!" She gives you
a nice hard slap on your face."

- "That's Customer Feedback..."

7. You see a gorgeous girl at a party. You go up to
her and say: "I am very rich. Marry me!" And she
introduces you to her husband."

- "That's demand and supply gap..."

8. You see a gorgeous girl at a party. You go up to
her and before you say anything, another person come
and tell her: "I'm rich. Will you marry me?" and she goes with him -

"That's competition eating into your market share..."

9. You see a gorgeous girl at a party. You go up to
her and before you say: "I'm rich, Marry me!" your
wife arrives."

- "That's restriction for entering new markets..."

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Future of Digital Cinematography - RED ONE Camera

Red One camera which is being touted as the next major revolution in digital cinematography is being introduced in India for the first time by a debutant director Arun Vaidhyanathan of “Achchamundu Achchamundu”(Tamil) which has got Prasanna and Sneha in the lead. This Camera is considered a revolution in cinematography as the camera does not use the conventional film rolls but only uses a Hard Disk to record the actions and it also brings together the comfort of having the output quality of 35mm film without the hassles of film rolls.

Interestingly very few Hollywood films have tried this technology and Kollywood has gone ahead in using this technology in a big way as Kamal Hassan's magnum opus “Marmayogi” which will have Trisha and Shreya as its leading ladies will also be shot in this format.
Achchamundu Achchamundu which is in the post-production stage had Chris Freilich in-charge of the camera and if latest reports are to be believed Kamal Hassan is also looking for a foreign cinematographer for his Marmayogi.

In Indian cinema where any new changes from the conventional one will have to be backed by a Super hit, Redone to be debut in India by Arun Vaidhyanathan's “Achchamundu Achchamundu” will have the Rs.100 crore magnum opus “Marmayogi” as its major trump card to gain its popularity in India.
Technorati Tags: Achchamundu,Kamal,Trisha,Shreya,Marmayogi,Prasanna,Sneha,Redone

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Are you a PC?

Microsoft asks you what kind of PC you are and you can hit the big screen in Times Square, appear in online advertising, and join the PC Gallery on Microsoft's site (microsoft.com/windows)

Microsoft's new advertising campaign - Life without walls,  displays your photos or short videos in Times Square or in the Microsoft website.

Watch the ads here Link >>

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Picasa 3 (beta): The new name for photo organizer

Sync your Picasa 3 and Picasa Web Albums edits

Tired of having to manually re-upload your photos after making further edits? By enabling 'Sync to Web,' edits made to your photos in Picasa 3 are automatically transferred to your corresponding online albums.

You can sync the following changes:

• Picasa 3 edits (Basic Fixes, Tuning, and Effects)
• Photos added or deleted in Picasa 3
• Captions, tags, or geotags

Getting started

The Sync to Web button is located on the right side of each folder or album header. When you click this button, you'll first be prompted to upload the photos in that folder or album to Picasa Web Albums. You can change the upload size, album privacy setting, or even add a watermark to your uploaded photos. When the upload is complete, any subsequent Picasa 3 edits to those photos will automatically transfer to your online album.

Troubleshooting

You can disable the sync feature at any time by clicking the Sync to Web button again, or by selecting Disable Sync in the drop-down menu to the right of the Share button in the folder or album header. All your photos and their edits up to this point remain online, but any new edits and changes will no longer be synchronized.

The following changes don't transfer to your online albums:

• Reordering photos
• Changes made to folder or album properties
• Changes made to filenames

Retouch your images

Always want to be airbrushed? Use the Retouch tool to remove unsightly blemishes and improve photo quality. It can also help you to restore old photos with marks, water stains, and scratches to excellent condition.

When editing any photo, just click the Retouch button on the 'Basic Fixes' tab. Adjust the size of your brush, and use the mouse scroll wheel to zoom in and out of the photo for precise edits. Click once to highlight the area you'd like to retouch, and then find another portion of the picture that should take the place of your highlighted area. Hover over this replacement area and click a second time.

Preview image files with Picasa Photo Viewer

The photo viewer is a fast, lightweight application for viewing images on your desktop or through Windows Explorer. Installed with Picasa 3, it lets you to take a quick look at images without having to fully open the Picasa 3 program.

What you can do with the photo viewer:

• Add stars, zoom in and out with your mouse scroll wheel, rotate, or proceed to Picasa 3 to make more extensive edits.
• Upload directly from the photo viewer to Picasa Web Albums or Blogger. Jump right into emailing or printing as well.

From your computer desktop or from within Windows Explorer, just double-click any image file to launch the Picasa Photo Viewer. You can reconfigure the file types that the photo viewer will display by clicking the Tools menu in Picasa 3 and selecting Configure Photo Viewer.

If you'd prefer to use a different application to view certain file types, deselect the file types that the photo viewer shouldn't open. To disable the Picasa Photo Viewer entirely, click the 'Don't use Picasa Photo Viewer' option.

Create and edit movies

Combine your photos, videos, and music into a movie or use the editing room to trim your existing movies.

Creating movies

Use the movie maker to combine your photos, videos, and music into a movie, and create a Windows Media file. Share it with friends by uploading it directly to YouTube.

About the movie maker:

• You have complete creative control - change the music sync, the slide duration, and slide transition style, among other things.
• Supported audio formats include mp3 and .wma.
• Add text slides: Create a title slide or a divider to provide some context. You can choose to include your photo captions as well.

There are two ways to launch the movie creation screen:

• Create a movie for all photos in a folder or album by clicking the Create Movie Presentation button in the folder or album header.
• If you'd like to pick and choose photos from different collections, place them in the Photo Tray and click the larger Movie button in the Photo Tray.

• Use the Movie, Slide, and Clips tabs to alter movie settings, add text to slides, and insert new images, respectively. When you're satisfied, click Create Movie. Once created, use the Upload to YouTube button to share your creation with family and friends.
• Depending on the number of images and size of your audio file, the movie creation process can take a significant amount of time. Can't create the entire movie in one sitting? No problem, just click the Close button, and you'll be prompted to Save Draft. You can pick up your work at any time in the 'Movies' folder.

Editing movies

When playing any video in Picasa 3, explore these features:

• Use the In and Out buttons in the lower-right corner to trim a shorter clip. Rotate your video using the Rotate buttons in the Photo Tray. Click Export Clip to output a newly trimmed or rotated video.
• Use the Take Snapshot button to capture a single frame of the video.
• Use the Play full screen button in the lower-right corner to watch the large version. Or use the zoom slider to adjust the size of the video in the Picasa editing window.
• Use the . and , keys on your keyboard to step the video frame-by-frame.

Capture your screen

Instantly take and import your screen captures and webcam captures into Picasa 3.

Screen captures

Press PrtScn to capture a shot of your entire screen. Ctrl+PrtScn will capture the highlighted window. These images will be placed in the 'Screen captures' folder.

If you're having trouble importing screen captures, make sure Picasa 3 is open. Screen captures won't be imported if the application is closed.

Webcam capture

This is webcam importing made simple: Capture video or stills from within Picasa 3, and import them in the same instant. Make sure your webcam is operational, and then click the Webcam Capture button on the top button bar. The Capture tool will let you take and import video and stills.

If the Webcam Capture button is inactive, first make sure your webcam is set to go. Then try closing Picasa 3 and opening it back up.

Add text or watermarks to your photos

You can easily personalize your photos using the Watermark and Text tools.

Watermarks

Help protect your images by stamping a watermark on all images that you export or upload. The watermark signature will be placed in the lower right-hand corner.

Upload photos with watermarks

Click the Tools menu in Picasa 3, select Options, then click the Web Albums tab. Select the option labeled 'Add a watermark for all uploads.' Type the text for the watermark in the field below the option.

Export photos with watermarks

When you click the Export button in the Photo Tray, you can select the 'Add a watermark' checkbox to include a watermark on your exported images. Type the text for the watermark in the field below the option.

Text

Use the Text tool to add text quickly and easily to your photographs; you can even print the result. You can edit the style, size, color, and alignment of the text, as well as drag it to your desired location on the photo.

When editing a photo, click the Text button on the 'Basic Fixes' tab to access the tool. Do you want to add the same text to multiple photos? From the main Library view, click the Edit menu and select Copy Text to copy the text you've placed on one photo. Then select Paste text to apply it to all other selected photos.

The text change isn't permanent. Once you've added your text, you'll see a 'Show Text' checkbox on the 'Basic Fixes' tab for that image. Deselect the checkbox and the text will disappear.

Print captions

Your captions are about to see a little more action. You can now print your captions or photo file names on or below your photos.

Control the style and color of your printed caption, in addition to the width and color of the printed photo border. After you've selected the photos you'd like to print, click the Print button in the Photo Tray. Click the Border and Text Options button to add borders and adjust the style and placement of your printed text. Click Apply to preview your work, and OK to accept the changes.

Upload easily to Picasa Web Albums

Use the Drop Box to hold quick uploads and upload throttling to multi-task during your upload.

Drop-box upload

The Drop Box is an online album that serves as a holding pen for your quick uploads. Click the Upload to your Web Albums DropBox button located above your photo on the 'Edit Photo' screen to upload a single picture directly to your Picasa Web Albums Drop Box.

Upload throttling

You can choose to have Picasa 3 reserve some of your Internet bandwidth for surfing the Web while you're doing large uploads to Picasa Web Albums. During your upload, the dialog box will have an option labeled 'Don't eat all my bandwidth.' Just select this checkbox, and then continue multi-tasking.

Control your Picasa Web Albums settings

If you have an online album in Picasa Web Albums, you can now control the online settings through the corresponding folder or album in Picasa 3.

There are a few different controls located in the drop-down menu to the right of the Share button in the folder or album header:

• Adjust the privacy of your online album.
• Change the online image size.
• Delete an online album.
• Sync your edits to your online album. You can also choose to apply 'Sync to Web' to starred photos only.
• Use 'Refresh Online Status' to pull your captions, tags, and geotags that you've added in Picasa Web Albums down to your photos in Picasa.

Troubleshooting

• The button's only available for folders or albums that have been uploaded to Picasa Web Albums.
• You must be signed in to your Google Account for Picasa Web Albums. You can sign in by clicking Sign in to Web Albums in the upper-right corner of Picasa 3.
• You will only be able to adjust the online image size if you have enabled 'Sync to Web.'

Manage folders on your computer

It's now possible to move entire folders around on your hard drive from within Picasa 3.

From the folder list, right-click the folder you'd like to move, and select Move folder. Choose your desired destination or create a new folder altogether.

These moves are permanent on your hard drive, so make sure you properly stow your folders.

Get more information about your photos

We've added new icons and tools to the Library view to quickly communicate useful information about your photos.

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Prince of Persia (Original Flash Game)

The game is set in Ancient Persia. As a child, Jordan Mechner had enjoyed the tales from the The Book of One Thousand and One Nights, and the settings for this game are changed to Persia. The Prince is an orphan, living off the streets of Persia. One day, he scales the palace walls to catch a glimpse of the Princess, whose beauty is like "moonrise in the heavens". His feelings are reciprocated by the Princess as well, commoner though he is.

 

The game starts with the Sultan of Persia being called away for a war in a foreign land. Sensing opportunity, the evil Vizier Jaffar seizes the throne for himself. The Prince is imprisoned, since Jaffar has designs on the Princess. The Princess is also imprisoned and is given an hour to decide: she would have to either marry Jaffar or else, die. The Prince therefore has 60 minutes to complete the game by saving the Princess and killing Jaffar.

 

The twist is that the game is played in real time, so the Prince must quickly complete the quest without breaks. On some platforms it is possible to save the game at the start of each level, though the time limit still applies. The only way to lose the game is by letting the time expire. If the Prince is killed, the game will restart from the beginning of the level, or in some levels, at a mid-way checkpoint.

Technorati Tags: Prince of persia,online,games,flash,original

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Pandhayam – Nitin Satya & Sindhu Tolani

Technorati Tags: Sindhu,Tolani,Nitin Satya,Tamil,movie,pandhayam

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Blackberry Bold rolls out with Airtel

Airtel and Research In Motion (RIM) today introduced the highly anticipated BlackBerry® Bold™ smartphone to customers in India. Priced at Rs. 34990, the BlackBerry Bold would be available by the end of September 2008 at Airtel authorized channels nationally.
The launch of BlackBerry Bold marks the beginning of a new era in business mobility in India. Crafted from premium materials inside and out, the BlackBerry Bold smartphone is the first BlackBerry® smartphone to support tri-band HSDPA high-speed networks around the world, providing superior functionality and performance for business professionals and power users.

The BlackBerry Bold smartphone integrates 802.11 a/b/g Wi-Fi® and GPS, which can pinpoint the user's location and supports location-based applications and services. It comes with a beautiful half-VGA (480x320 resolution at 217 ppi) color LCD that is fused to the undersurface of the lens, making images and videos appear in stunning definition and clarity. The smartphone also comes with rich multimedia capabilities including a media player for music, videos and photos and a 2 megapixel camera with video recording.

Rich multimedia functionality with desktop-style web pages

The BlackBerry Bold smarpthone features a 2 megapixel camera with video recording capability and an enhanced media player that can display pictures and slideshows quickly, play movies smoothly in full screen mode, and manage an entire music collection. Audio can be played over the handset’s dual speakers in rich, stereo sound, and when using headphones or external speakers, the media player gives the user an equalizer with 11 preset filters – like "Lounge", "Jazz" and "Hip Hop" – that boost or soften audio ranges to create the perfect ambiance.

Managing music, pictures and video is made easy with the inclusion of Roxio® Media Manager for BlackBerry® as well as Roxio Photosuite® 9 LE in the BlackBerry® Desktop Manager software. Users can enhance pictures and create photo albums on the computer. For users that manage their collection with iTunes®, the new BlackBerry® Media Sync application provides a simple way to sync iTunes digital music collections with the smartphone*.

The BlackBerry Bold smartphone also comes with a newly enhanced, high performance browser, giving users an on-the-go web browsing experience with desktop-style depiction. The trackball mimics a mouse, making it easy to navigate sites in "Page View" or "Column View" or to zoom in on specific parts of a web page, while various emulation settings allow users to choose between the full desktop-style HTML content and layout or the mobile version.

Outstanding performance with superb phone features

Powering its robust communications and multimedia capabilities, including phone, email, messaging, organizer, browser, camera and media player, the BlackBerry Bold smartphone comes with a next-generation 624 MHz mobile processor, 128 MB Flash memory plus 1 GB on-board storage memory, and a microSD/SDHC memory card slot** that is conveniently accessible from a side door. DataViz® Documents to Go® is also preloaded, enabling users to edit Microsoft® Word, Excel and PowerPoint files directly on the smartphone.

The BlackBerry Bold smartphone also features a new acoustic design that increases the size of the phone’s audio sweet spot, improving listening quality and clarity. It comes with support for hands-free headsets, stereo headsets, car kits (including car kits that adhere to the Bluetooth Remote SIM Access Profile) and other Bluetooth peripherals, noise cancellation technology that offsets background noise, a powerful speaker phone and support for polyphonic, mp3 and MIDI ring tones.

Robust email and messaging

The BlackBerry Bold smartphone works with BlackBerry® Enterprise Server, which enables advanced security and IT administration within IBM® Lotus® Domino®, Microsoft® Exchange and Novell® GroupWise® environments, as well as BlackBerry® Professional Software for small businesses. It also works with BlackBerry® Internet Service, which gives users access to up to 10 supported work or personal email accounts (including most popular ISP email accounts).

 

* Certain music files may not be supported, including files that contain digital rights management technologies
** MicroSD/SDHC memory cards are available today in configurations of up to 8GB and the BlackBerry Bold is expected to support upcoming 16GB microSD/SDHC cards

 

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Technorati Tags: Airtel,Blackberry,Bold,mobile,phone,India,RIM

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Understanding Sexual Harassment

Every individual has the right to feel secure, comfortable, and respected in his or her workplace. In many, or even most, office environments, employees are treated with the dignity and respect they deserve. Unfortunately, even with extensive information and educational materials available on the subject of sexual harassment and its legal and ethical dangers, a number of individuals remain the victims of sexual harassment in the workplace.By understanding what exactly constitutes different forms of sexual harassment, hopefully more people can become aware of the possible effects of their actions (if they could be perceived as hostile or inappropriate). Additionally, individuals who are the victims of sexual harassment will hopefully be empowered to stand up for themselves and demand the respect they deserve.

Quid pro Quo Sexual Harassment:
Perhaps the most commonly thought of form of sexual harassment is known as quid pro quo sexual harassment. In Latin, quid pro quo means "something for something". With this form of sexual harassment, an individual in a managerial position (eg. a manager or supervisor) will either· Offer a lower-level employee additional benefits or work privileges in exchange for sexual favors· Threaten a lower-level employee with the loss of benefits or work privileges, or possible termination, if they do not engage in some sort of sexual activityIn cases of quid pro quo sexual harassment, not only is the individual making the sexual advancements guilty of harassment, but the company and top-level executives can be held responsible as well, as managers and supervisors are usually considered to be acting on behalf of their superiors.

Hostile Work Environment:
Another type of sexual harassment that can show up in workplaces is known as hostile work environment sexual harassment. A hostile work environment is created when individuals create an environment that makes one or more employees feel uncomfortable or victimized in the workplace because of either subtle or overt sexual materials or actions.

Examples of actions that could create a hostile work environment may include:

Unwanted physical contact · Flirtatious behavior · Sexually explicit emails, jokes, or picturesThis particular type of sexual harassment is especially dangerous in the workplace because individuals often do not think about how their actions may be perceived by their co-workers.What one person may consider a relatively harmless joke might be extremely offensive to another person. To prevent creating a hostile work environment, all employees should take into consideration the feelings and opinions of their co-workers to prevent offense

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More Trouble for Ranbaxy

Indian Pharma Major Ranbaxy had got into trouble when US Food and Drug Administration's ban on 30 of its generic medicines due to poor production standards in two of its manufacturing facilities in India. Days after this ban Ranbaxy has got into more trouble when canada's drug regulator “Health Canada” has now issued a notice that they are going to be doubly cautious about the company's drugs that are being marketed in canada. Incidentally Ranbaxy Canada is being ranked as the ninth largest pharma company in canada by virtue of its sales volume.
Close to the actions of these two countries other countries like Germany, UK and Newzealand have also initiated their Drug regulators to check on the production standards of the company's two manufacturing facilities at Paonta Sahib in Himachal Pradesh and Dewas in Madhya Pradesh, India.
It is now upto the company to come clean on the quality issues on the two controversial plants in India as sales volume close to $1.6 Billion is at stake for the pharma major in the markets of US, UK, Europe and North America.

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New Air Ticket

Technorati Tags: Airlines,airtickets,watch,new,technology

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Will the world end in 2012

Several experts from across the globe are predicting that the earth is likely to end by the year 2012. The reason could be a human effect or natural disaster. From Chinese theories to scientific predictions the most likely date is the year 2012.

SCIENTIFIC EXPERTS from around the world are predicting that five years from now, all life on Earth could well come to an end. Some are saying it'll be humans that would set it off. Others believe that a natural phenomenon will be the cause. And the religious folks are saying it'll be God himself who would press the stop button. The following are some likely arguments as to why the world would end by the year 2012.

Reason one: Mayan calendar

The first to predict 2012 as the end of the world were the Mayans, a bloodthirsty race that were good at two things -- building highly accurate astrological equipment out of stone and sacrificing virgins.

Thousands of years ago they managed to calculate the length of the lunar moon as 329.53020 days, only 34 seconds out. The Mayan calendar predicts that the earth will end on December 21, 2012. Given that they were pretty close to the mark with the lunar cycle, it's likely they've got the end of the world right as well.

Reason two: Sun storms

Solar experts from around the world monitoring the sun have made a startling discovery. Our sun is in a bit of strife. The energy output of the sun is, like most things in nature, cyclic and it's supposed to be in the middle of a period of relative stability. However, recent solar storms have been bombarding the earth with lot of radiation energy. It's been knocking out power grids and destroying satellites. This activity is predicted to get worse and calculations suggest it'll reach its deadly peak sometime in 2012.

Reason three: The atom smasher

Scientists in Europe have been building the world's largest particle accelerator. Basically, its a 27 km tunnel designed to smash atoms together to find out what makes the universe tick. However, the mega-gadget has caused serious concern, with some scientists suggesting that it's properly even a bad idea to turn it on in the first place. They're predicting all manner of deadly results, including mini black holes. So when this machine is fired up for its first serious experiment in 2012, the world could be crushed into a super-dense blob the size of a basketball.

Reason four: The Bible says it

If having scientists warning us about the end of the world isn't bad enough, religious folks are getting in on the act as well. Interpretations of the Christian Bible reveal that the date for Armageddon, the final battle between good an evil, has been set for 2012. The I Ching, also known as the Chinese Book of Changes, says the same thing, as do various sections of the Hindu teachings.

Reason five: Super volcano

Yellowstone National Park in United States is famous for its thermal springs and old faithful geyser. The reason for this is simple -- it's sitting on top of the world's biggest volcano and geological experts are beginning to get nervous sweats. The Yellowstone volcano has a pattern of erupting every 650,000 years or so, and we're many years overdue for an explosion that will fill the atmosphere with ash, blocking the sun and plunging the earth into a frozen winter that could last up to 15,000 years. The pressure under the Yellowstone is building steadily, and geologists have set 2012 as a likely date for the big bang.

Reason six: The physicists

This one's case of bog -- simple maths mathematics. Physicists at Berkeley University have been crunching the numbers. They've determined that the earth is well overdue for a major catastrophic event. Even worse, they're claiming that their calculations prove that we're all going to die, very soon. They are also saying that their prediction comes with a certainty of 99 per cent; and 2012 just happens to be the best guess as to when it occurs.

Reason seven: Earth's magnetic field

We all know the Earth is surrounded by a magnetic field that shields us from most of the sun's radiation. What you might not know is that the magnetic poles we call North and South have a nasty habit of swapping places every 750,000 years or so -- and right now we're about 30,000 years overdue. Scientists have noted that the poles are drifting apart roughly 20-30 kms each year, much faster than ever before, which points to a pole-shift being right around the corner. While the pole shift is under way, the magnetic field is disrupted and will eventually disappear, sometimes for up to 100 years. The result is enough UV outdoors to crisp your skin in seconds, killing everything it touches.

Forwarded by Shiva Ganesh

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Raman Thediya Seethai : Movie Review

This is the first time I have seen a Cheran’s movie and I was impressed pretty much. To start with, I had an invite to watch the preview show from one of the heroes, Nitin Satya.

The story starts in a plush green Nagercoil, south of Tamilnadu. A beautiful garden where there is Cheran (Venu) and Vimala Raman (Renjitha). An usual “Bride seeking” formality. Venu requests a few minutes with Renjitha.

He opens up his past life, where he was extremely stressed by studies and all, due to which he had spent a few days at the mental asylum and starts stammering as he gets stressed. Rejitha instantly rejects him saying that her dreams of her husband are different.

There starts his journey to find his perfect bride. Then the second prospect, Vidya, accepts him but on the day of the wedding runs away with her lover. To save the girls family from shame, Venu runs off from the wedding hall just before the wedding. Manivannan (Vidya’s father) feels that he has done a big sin and promises to search for a bride and get Venu married.

By this time, Venu is extremely dejected, while he meets Nedumaran (Pasupathy). Nedumaran is a blindman, who RJs a show on Self confidence. Venu travels with Nedumaran and his wife, TamizhIsai (Gajala), who narrate their love story to him. Nedumaran gives him confidence and tells him to be enthusiastic.

After his meeting with Nedumaran, Venu puts on more focus on his Wedding card business and gets busy with work. Meanwhile, Manivannan is on the search for the perfect match and finds one more prospect (again) in Nagercoil. They (Venu & Mani) reach Nagercoil but the meeting gets delayed. While Venu is out on the street to shop for a mobile charger, he sees Vidya (Mani’s daughter) and follows her to find out she is pregnant and in shambles. He helps with food and pays for her medical tests. While in the hospital he meets Renjitha again and tells her to help Vidya when she comes back for treatment. Vidya feels bad for her stupidity and explains her situation. He gives her some money for her treatments and leaves back to the lodge. The next day he meets up with the prospective bride, and tries to explain his past life, and stammers as usual. To his surprise, she interrupts and tells him that she knows everything about him. But, she asks for a month’s time to understand each other, by way of email / chat and mobile.

Next day while he is travelling in an auto he gets to meet Nitin Satya (The auto driver, Gunasekaran). Sekar tells them his past life, and also about how he left robbery as a sacrifice for his lover. And, Nitin’s lover happens to be the latest prospect whom he has met. As Venu hears Sekar’s sincerity in his love for girl and the sacrifices he has gone through, Venu changes his mind against the temporary approval. He meets the girl and explains to her how much Sekar loves her and how he will take care of her for his entire life.

Meanwhile he gets a call from Renjitha who informs him that Vidya is in a bad state and is admitted. Venu rushes to the hospital and calls Manivannan also for aid. While in the hospital for quite a few days, love blossoms in Renjitha’s heart. But she is too scared and embarrassed to tell him as she was the first one to reject him.

He gets a call from Nedumaran and understands that he has to meet his next prospect, Navya Nair the police inspector. How the story turns and how he the “married happily ever after” takes the story to the end.

A masterpiece acting by “Ethartha Nayagan” Cheran, who has almost lived the character rather than acting. Beautiful pieces of acting by Pasupathy and Nitin Satya. Nitin Satya being a newbie to this field, has shown great improvement over the movies and has become a promising hero in his next movie “Pandhayam”.

Good direction by Jagannathan. I am sure he will make his mark in the Tamil film industry.

Conclusion: Good family movie for the season.

Rating:

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