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Sad Demise of Sathya Sai Baba on April 24 2011 7:40 AM

2011-04-24T22:15:00.000-07:00

This spiritual guru has done many good work and done many thing for common people. From the year 2005 Sathya Sai Baba used wheelchair after accident and also due to age, he was also suffering from health related problems that forced him to make fewer public appearances. In 2006 he suffered a fractured hip when a student standing on an iron stool slipped and both the boy and stool fell on Sathya Sai Baba. After that, he gave darshan from a car or his porte chair.

Sathya Sai Baba was admitted to a hospital at Prashantigram at Puttaparthi on 28 March 2011 as had complain of respiratory related problems. Fighting for nearly 1 month finally he passed away, during his stay in hospital his condition slowly went from bad to worst, he died on 24 April at 7:40 IST. His funeral is scheduled to be held on 27 April 2011. Many of his devotees, came to hospital to have ;ast glimse of him and did cause law and order concerns. More police were expected to be deployed for his funeral.

His body is to lie in state for two days. Karnataka declared 25 and 26 April as days of mourning and Andhra Pradesh declared 25, 26 and 27 April as days of mourning. The government of Karnataka is also organising chartered buses to Puttaparthi - it will really help all devotees to visit him for last salutation.Many of his devotees also payed tribute at a temple.

Political reactions were swift with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and opposition leader Lal Krishna Advani offering their condolences. Lalu Prasad Yadav and southern politicians such as the Karnataka Chief Minister B. S. Yeddyurappa, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, former chief minister J. Jayalalitha and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy also offered their condolences.

Others from different fields such as cricket and entertainment reacted to his death - Sachin Tendulkar,who canceled his birthday celebrations, although he did play an IPL cricket match in Hyderabad on the day though he refrained from referring to Baba's death. Amitabh Bachan to Mukesh Bhatt to Ricky Martin showered flowers on his work and duties he perform for the common people.

Chaitra Navratri 2011

2011-04-09T12:42:00.000-07:00

There are four Navratri in a year. Right now Chaitra Navratri 2011 is going on. It is the festival where people pray to goddess shakti for blessings and kill evil inside and surrounding of their body and mind.

Navratri 2011 dates during Chaitra month in April 2011 are from April 4 to April 12, 2011.

Prayer/ Slok of Durga maa

“Ya Devi Sarvabhuteshu shri rupen sansthita
namas tasye namas tasye names tasye namo namah”

Aarti of Durga maa:

Jai Ambe Gauri, Mayya Jai Shyama Gauri...
Tumko Nishidin Dhyavat, Tumko Sabdin Sevat, Hari Brahma Shivji... Jai!!

Manga Sindoor Virajat, Teeko Mrigmad Ko, Maiya Teeko Mrigmad Ko...
Ujjwal Se Dou Naina, Ujjwal Se Dou Naina, Chandra Vadan Neeko… Jai!!

Kanak Saman Kalevar, Raktambar Raje, Maiya Raktambar Raje…
Raktapushpa Galmala, Lalpushpa Galmala, Kantahan Har Saje… Jai!!
s
Kehari Vahan Rajat, Khadag Khappar Dhari, Maiya Khadag Khappar Dhari…
Sur Nar Munijan Sewat, Sur Nar Munijan Sewat, Tinke Dukkhahari… Jai!!

Kanan Kundal Shobhit, Nasagre Moti, Maiya Nasagre Moti…
Kotik Chandra Diwakar, Kotik Surya Diwakar, Samrajat Jyoti… Jai!!

Shumbhu Nishumbha Vidare, Mahishasur Ghati, Maiya Mahishasur Ghati…
Dhoomra Vilochana Naina, Madhura Vilochana Naina, Nishidin Madmati… Jai!!

Brahmani Rudraini, Tum Kamala Rani, Maiya Tum Kamala Rani…
Aagam Nigam Bhakhani, Aagam Nigam Bhakhani, Tum Shiv Patrani… Jai!!

Chaunsath Yogini Gavet, Nritya Karen Bhairon, Maiya Nritya Karen Bhairon…
Bajat Tal Mridanga, Bajat Dhol Mridanga, Aur Bajat Dumroo… Jai!!

Bhuja Char Ati Shobhit, Var Mudra Dhari, Maiya Var Mudra Dhari…
Manwanchhit Phal Pavat, Man Iccha Phal Pavat, Sewat Nar Nari… Jai!!

Kanchan Thal Virajat, Agar Kapoor Bati, Maiya Agar Kapoor Bati…
Malketu Mein Rajat, Malketu Men Rajat, Koti Ratan Jyoti… Jai!!

Durgaji Ki Aarti, Jo Koi Nar Gave, Maiya Jo Sunder Gave…
Kahat Shivananda Swami, Ratata Shivananda Swami, Sukh Sampati Pave!!

Jai Ambe Gauri, Mayya Jai Shyama Gauri...
Tumko Nishidin Dhyavat, Tumko Sabdin Sevat, Hari Brahma Shivji!!

Have faith and keep clean yourself from inside and think always positive

Brahmins of free India

2011-02-07T09:15:00.000-08:00

Here I am writing some important aspect of Brahmins facing problems in India; I am not pointing any of my fingers towards the governing bodies of India. Please take this view as just from a point of view not as an attack on anybody.

In the year 1947 India was independent and started governing itself. As days passed as years passed India started to gains it foot in the World Map.

Then came one big hurdle - Arakshan – seat reserved for minorities and backward classes.

Brahmins with good qualifications then also they are defeated by other OBC and minorities class to get good seat in good Colleges and Universities. This is the same case with getting Government jobs.

Brahmins had to and still suffering a lot.

People who didn’t had ability they use to get good government job but others with good knowledge had to suffer so people started moving to private company or went to foreign country for better future.

Because of seat reservation there was great brain drain in India, especially Brahmins have to forget government granted universities and jobs due to reservation.

The great saints of India once said that “Days will come when India will be ruled by foreigners and Hindus have to suffer a lot. And in future no one will respect Brahmins”.

Now a days the best scientist, doctor, IAS, etc from Brahmin background are to be seen in private held institutes.

Fitness in your busy life

2008-10-08T00:35:00.000-07:00

Many people find it difficult to maintain perfect body and a healthy lifestyle while running their own frantic lives. Whether you are the father or mother with two children trying to keep your house in order, and both of them are working, then time management is always an issue.

Fitness should be included in your daily routine of life, and no matter how busy you may be. It is matter of your viewpoint and getting your mindset right to implement fitness plan in your daily life. Finding a balance between work, home and exercise is an almost impracticable task for most people. However, it can be work out if you really want to remain fit.

The most comfortable way to balance between exercise and work is to write down your schedule. Include what time you get up, what you do before you go to work, how long it takes you to get to work, and what you do while at work. Finally, how long you take to get home from work and what time you go to bed.

Once you have noted down your schedule that you should be able to make a change in your daily routine. After you wake up try to exercise for 15 mints, if your office is near to your house then try to take cycle or walk to your office. During lunchtime, try to exercise during lunch break. Try to walk back from office to your house and before going to sleep try to meditate, as it will help you a lot.

Conclusion
Fitness exercise throughout your busy schedule is not as tough as it seem. Little bit of change in your lifestyle can help you out. Do exercise as much as you can and you will find that you are getting fitter and fitter in no time.

Courtesy: Dhanraj Ashish Chakraborty

Make your forefather stronger by reading story and 7th chapter of Bhagwath geeta

2008-09-19T03:17:00.000-07:00

Make your forefather stronger by reading story and 7th chapter of Bhagwath geeta

Read the story first, then read the 7th Chapter of
Bhagwath geeta. After reading do say " I am giving the punya of
reading and listening (you and your family members who listen the
story and geeta) of geeta to my forefathers"

I hope you got the point and will utilize the same.

Importance of reading 7th Chapter of Bhagwath Geeta

One day Godess Parvati asked shiva what is the importance of reciting
and listening the satmoh adhaya (7th Chapter) of Bhagwath Geeta. Lord
Shiva said to Parvati, "Today I will tell you the importance of
reading and listening the 7th chapter of geeta."

In a city named patliputra, shankukaran use to stay. He uses to give
party to King, Nobles and other but never engage himself into the
service of almighty. One day he was going to other city for his fourth
marriage, in between when he and his family friends were resting a
snake came there and bite him. Shankuran did get medical assistance
but nothing could help him out and he died.

After sometime he (Shankukaran) took birth as Snake and he was
thinking that he will not give his treasure (full of diamonds, gold
etc) to his sons and he will guard the treasure. As days passed he was
bored of his duty of guarding the treasure and he came in the dreams
of his son and told about his situation. At morning, all the brothers
told to each other about their dreams. The middle son, named Shiv went
to the place where he saw in dreams and started to dig. At that time a
big snake emerge from nowhere and started asking to Shiv "Who are you?
What are you doing here? Why are you digging?" Then Shiv told the
snake that I am Shiv, I am your Son and came here to get the treasure.
The Snake laughed and told his on to help him to get moksha, Shiv
asked his father " father, how can I help you to get moksha?" Father
told him " My Son, Shiv do call on Brahmins and asked them to recite
7th chapter of Bhagwath Geeta as nothing else can give me Moksha."
Shiv went back and told his brother about this and all the Son
performed the rituals as Shankukaran told to Shiv. Shankukaran did
attain Moksha and he gave his treasure to his Sons. Shankukaran's Son
did use his treasure in building temples, dam and food storage room.

In this way Oh Parvati by reading and/or listening the 7th chapter of
Bhagwath Geeta people do attain Moksha.

Chapter 7 of Bhagwath Geeta

Bhagavad Gita, Chapter Seven: Knowledge of the Absolute.

Lord Krishna is the Supreme Truth, the supreme cause and sustaining force of everything, both material and spiritual. Advanced souls surrender unto Him in devotion, whereas impious souls divert their minds to other objects of worship.

sri-bhagavan uvaca
mayy asakta-manah partha
yogam yunjan mad-asrayah
asamsayam samagram mam
yatha jnasyasi tac chrnu

"The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: Now hear, O son of Pritha, how by practicing yoga in full consciousness of Me, with mind attached to Me, you can know Me in full, free from doubt."

jnanam te ’ham sa-vijnanam
idam vaksyamy asesatah
yaj jnatva neha bhuyo ’nyaj
jnatavyam avasisyate

"I shall now declare unto you in full this knowledge, both phenomenal and numinous. This being known, nothing further shall remain for you to know."

manushyanam sahasresu
kascid yatati siddhaye
yatatam api siddhanam
kascin mam vetti tattvatah

"Out of many thousands among men, one may endeavor for perfection, and of those who have achieved perfection, hardly one knows Me in truth."

bhumir apo ’nalo vayuh
kham mano buddhir eva ca
ahankara itiyam me
bhinna prakritir astadha

"Earth, water, fire, air, ether, mind, intelligence and false ego—all together these eight constitute My separated material energies."

apareyam itas tv anyam
prakritim viddhi me param
jiva-bhutam maha-baho
yayedam dharyate jagat

"Besides these, O mighty-armed Arjuna, there is another, superior energy of Mine, which comprises the living entities who are exploiting the resources of this material, inferior nature."

etad-yonini bhutani
sarvanity upadharaya
aham krtsnasya jagatah
prabhavah pralayas tatha

"All created beings have their source in these two natures. Of all that is material and all that is spiritual in this world, know for certain that I am both the origin and the dissolution."

mattah parataram nanyat
kincid asti dhananjaya
mayi sarvam idam protam
sutre mani-gana iva

"O conqueror of wealth, there is no truth superior to Me. Everything rests upon Me, as pearls are strung on a thread."

raso ’ham apsu kaunteya
prabhasmi sasi-suryayoh
pranavah sarva-vedesu
shabdah khe paurusam nrsu

"O son of Kunti, I am the taste of water, the light of the sun and the moon, the syllable om in the Vedic mantras; I am the sound in ether and ability in man."

punyo gandhah prithivyam ca
tejas casmi vibhavasau
jivanam sarva-bhutesu
tapas casmi tapasvisu

"I am the original fragrance of the earth, and I am the heat in fire. I am the life of all that lives, and I am the penances of all ascetics."

bijam mam sarva-bhutanam
viddhi partha sanatanam
buddhir buddhimatam asmi
tejas tejasvinam aham

"O son of Pritha, know that I am the original seed of all existences, the intelligence of the intelligent, and the prowess of all powerful men."

balam balavatam caham
kama-raga-vivarjitam
dharmaviruddho bhutesu
kamo ’smi bharatarsabha

"I am the strength of the strong, devoid of passion and desire. I am sex life which is not contrary to religious principles, O lord of the Bharatas [Arjuna]."

ye caiva sattvika bhava
rajasas tamasas ca ye
matta eveti tan viddhi
na tv aham tesu te mayi

"Know that all states of being—be they of goodness, passion or ignorance—are manifested by My energy. I am, in one sense, everything, but I am independent. I am not under the modes of material nature, for they, on the contrary, are within Me."

tribhir guna-mayair bhavair
ebhih sarvam idam jagat
mohitam nabhijanati
mam ebhyah param avyayam

"Deluded by the three modes [goodness, passion and ignorance], the whole world does not know Me, who am above the modes and inexhaustible."

daivi hy esa guna-mayi
mama maya duratyaya
mam eva ye prapadyante
mayam etam taranti te

"This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of material nature, is difficult to overcome. But those who have surrendered unto Me can easily cross beyond it."

na mam duskritino mudhah
prapadyante naradhamah
mayayapahrta-jnana
asuram bhavam asritah

"Those miscreants who are grossly foolish, who are lowest among mankind, whose knowledge is stolen by illusion, and who partake of the atheistic nature of demons do not surrender unto Me."

catur-vidha bhajante mam
janah sukritino ’rjuna
arto jijnasur artharthi
jnani ca bharatarsabha

"O best among the Bharatas, four kinds of pious men begin to render devotional service unto Me—the distressed, the desirer of wealth, the inquisitive, and he who is searching for knowledge of the Absolute."

tesam jnani nitya-yukta
eka-bhaktir visisyate
priyo hi jnanino ’tyartham
aham sa ca mama priyah

"Of these, the one who is in full knowledge and who is always engaged in pure devotional service is the best. For I am very dear to him, and he is dear to Me."

udarah sarva evaite
jnani tv atmaiva me matam
asthitah sa hi yuktatma
mam evanuttamam gatim

"All these devotees are undoubtedly magnanimous souls, but he who is situated in knowledge of Me I consider to be just like My own self. Being engaged in My transcendental service, he is sure to attain Me, the highest and most perfect goal."

bahunam janmanam ante
jnanavan mam prapadyate
vasudevah sarvam iti
sa mahatma su-durlabhah

"After many births and deaths, he who is actually in knowledge surrenders unto Me, knowing Me to be the cause of all causes and all that is. Such a great soul is very rare."

kamais tais tair hrta-jnanah
prapadyante ’nya-devatah
tam tam niyamam asthaya
prakritya niyatah svaya

"Those whose intelligence has been stolen by material desires surrender unto demigods and follow the particular rules and regulations of worship according to their own natures."

yo yo yam yam tanum bhaktah
shraddhayarcitum icchati
tasya tasyacalam shraddham
tam eva vidadhamy aham

"I am in everyone’s heart as the Supersoul. As soon as one desires to worship some demigod, I make his faith steady so that he can devote himself to that particular deity."

sa taya shraddhaya yuktas
tasyaradhanam ihate
labhate ca tatah kaman
mayaiva vihitan hi tan

"Endowed with such a faith, he endeavors to worship a particular demigod and obtains his desires. But in actuality these benefits are bestowed by Me alone."

antavat tu phalam tesam
tad bhavaty alpa-medhasam
devan deva-yajo yanti
mad-bhakta yanti mam api

"Men of small intelligence worship the demigods, and their fruits are limited and temporary. Those who worship the demigods go to the planets of the demigods, but My devotees ultimately reach My supreme planet."

avyaktam vyaktim apannam
manyante mam abuddhayah
param bhavam ajananto
mamavyayam anuttamam

"Unintelligent men, who do not know Me perfectly, think that I, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, was impersonal before and have now assumed this personality. Due to their small knowledge, they do not know My higher nature, which is imperishable and supreme."

naham prakasah sarvasya
yoga-maya-samavrtah
mudho ’yam nabhijanati
loko mam ajam avyayam

"I am never manifest to the foolish and unintelligent. For them I am covered by My internal potency, and therefore they do not know that I am unborn and infallible."

vedaham samatitani
vartamanani carjuna
bhavisyani ca bhutani
mam tu veda na kascana

"O Arjuna, as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, I know everything that has happened in the past, all that is happening in the present, and all things that are yet to come. I also know all living entities; but Me no one knows."

iccha-dvesa-samutthena
dvandva-mohena bharata
sarva-bhutani sammoham
sarge yanti parantapa

"O scion of Bharata, O conqueror of the foe, all living entities are born into delusion, bewildered by dualities arisen from desire and hate."

yesham tv anta-gatam papam
jananam punya-karmanam
te dvandva-moha-nirmukta
bhajante mam drdha-vratah

"Persons who have acted piously in previous lives and in this life and whose sinful actions are completely eradicated are freed from the dualities of delusion, and they engage themselves in My service with determination."

jara-marana-mokshaya
mam asritya yatanti ye
te brahma tad viduh krtsnam
adhyatmam karma cakhilam

"Intelligent persons who are endeavoring for liberation from old age and death take refuge in Me in devotional service. They are actually Brahman because they entirely know everything about transcendental activities."

sadhibhutadhidaivam mam
sadhiyajnam ca ye viduh
prayana-kale ’pi ca mam
te vidur yukta-cetasah

"Those in full consciousness of Me, who know Me, the Supreme Lord, to be the governing principle of the material manifestation, of the demigods, and of all methods of sacrifice, can understand and know Me, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, even at the time of death."

Courtesy
Dhanraj Ashish Chakraborty

M. S. Subbulakshmi

2008-09-13T01:37:00.000-07:00

M.S.Subbulakhsmi was born on 16 Sep, 1916 as Kunjamma to Shanmukhavadivu (Veena Vidwan), in a musical family, in the temple town of Madurai situated in the state of Tamil Nadu in South India. M.S. started learning Carnatic music from a very early age.

She gave her first public performance during the Mahamaham festival at Kumbakonam at the age of eight, and released her first recording at the age of ten. She began her Carnatic classical music training under Semmangudi Srinivasa Iyer and then Hindustani classical training under Pandit Narayan Rao Vyas. By the age of 17, Subbulakshmi was giving concerts on her own, including major performances at the Madras Music Academy, a prestigious center for the study and promotion of Carnatic music. Performance in Carnatic music concerts, was until then, a domain, traditionally reserved for men. She performed a vast variety of musical forms in different languages including Tamil , Telugu , Sanskrit, Hindi, Malayalam, Kannada, Bengali , Gujarati and Marathi.

MS Subbulakshmi traveled to London, New York, Canada, the Far East, and other places as India's cultural ambassador. Her concerts at Carnegie Hall, New York; the UN General Assembly on UN day in 1966; the Royal Albert Hall, London in 1982; and at the Festival of India in Moscow in 1987 were significant landmarks in her career.

With the death of her husband Sadasivam in 1997, she stopped all her public performances. M.S.Subbulakshmi died on December 11, 2004 after a brief illness, due to complications relating to pneumonia and cardiac irregularities.

To millions across the world, she lived a life as the symbol of humility and will forever remain a legend.

Listen to MS Subbalaxmi - Kousalya Supraja Rama

Boomp3.com

Tata Nano: Revolution for car makers & designers

2008-01-21T02:14:00.000-08:00

Tata Motors Ltd makes public the world's cheapest car on Thursday (10th Jan 2008), bringing car ownership closer to many middle class millions of consumers in emerging markets.

"Let me assure you and our critics the car we have designed will meet all safety norms and all foreign environmental criteria," Chairman Ratan Tata said as he proudly announces the Nano as "People's Car" at the 9th Auto Expo in New Delhi.

It's an amazing feat no doubt to come out with such a thought for a four wheeler to cost around $2500 (INR 100000) addition money have to put on. Let me give you the complete picture:

Ex factory price - 100000.00
Excise duty - 16% on 100000.00 = 116000.00
Vat - 12.5% = 145000.00
Dealer margin - Rs.3500.00 = Rs.148000.00
Road tax & insurance = Rs.10000.00
Approx. it will cost Rs.1580000.00
All of you will be paying Rs.160000.00

It must have taken a lot of efforts to design such a marvel automobile. Good Job done by Tata Motors. However it is tough time ahead for the government and us "The people of India" to keep up to the changes made by these groups as we are going to face lot of parking problems even traffic problems are going to rise like anything.

Why do we expect Tata to think of the infrastructure and parking space while creating what they're supposed to? Why doesn't a Politician notice the traffic Jam at major cities of India or the condition of the roads in the cities/towns of the country and think of a change? The car (if true) would be an eco-car, which means using it would be better than the existing various class cars. I don't see any reason why Tatas or any other should stop innovating ideas. Of course they're there to make money from consumers. It's the consumers' choices to buy/use the car. It has to be the governments' responsibility to work on improving the facilities of the changing India. Of course there would be tough times ahead for all of us.

Tatas' Rs 1-lakh small car will be 4-seater vehicle and will get 25 kilometers (15.5 miles) per liter and in performance terms will match most of the small car around. Booking will only start on the month of June. People of India are thrilled and many of them are able to resist getting their hand on it. We could see millions of them rushed to Auto Expo to have glimpse of the "Nano." Maharashtra and Delhi made it clear that the owner of Nano should have parking space and it is going to create lot of traffic problems.

The People's Car's has a rear-wheel drive, all-aluminium, two-cylinder, 623 cc, 33 PS, multi point fuel injection petrol engine and lower pollution level than two-wheelers being produced in India, today. The high fuel efficiency also ensures that the car has low carbon dioxide emissions, thereby providing the twin benefits of an inexpensive transportation solution with a low carbon footprint. In short, we can say that "Nano" is environment-friendly car.

Written by
Dhanraj Chakraborty

Fashion World Description

2008-01-03T05:21:00.000-08:00

Market Place

Market Place provides the price trend information on fibers and basic
textile raw materials world-wide. The Market Place is best place for
decision makers, analysts, manufacturers, since it provides vital
information to make decision on the happening price trends.

The Market Place can assist you in making strategic decisions like
buying and selling of the raw materials, which is very essential in
evaluating the final product cost.

Online business networking for the fashion/apparel industry

An online business networking guide to the clothing and textile
industry, which gives you the complete access to world of fashion
online. It is one of the best offering and comprehensive view of
everything that is relevant to fashion and style. From our website you
will find jobs, forums, news resources, articles, library and much
more ...

It is a fast, easy-to-use, simple and reliable for all the
international/national companies and buyers willing to find, get in
touch, and do business with each other.

How can help grow their business

Can help the registered members to get in touch with other FN
members to expand their business, as each members are from different
business such as some of them belong to textile, apparel or any other
fashion related business. The members can contact each other and
develop good relation and start or maintain their respected business
thru us and with good profit in their hand.

The registered members will get access to our company forums, events,
library and other section where they will get much more information
related to their business , which will help them to keep updated in
fashion world.

General invitation mailer

Respected Sir/Madam,

Greeting from http://www.ab.com

We hereby invite you to join fashion-networks. After registration you
will be able to access our forum, job, library, news and article
section that will be useful for you business growth.

Do see our some of the best news, article and forum links as under:

a
b
c
d

Once you get registered with us we will get back soon.

Thanking you
Content Manager

Internet marketing

2007-12-01T22:41:00.000-08:00

Internet marketing is creating lots of buzz, because many people is coming together in one place at a time, and providing businesses almost unlimited opportunities to market themselves.

The great advantages of internet for businesses is online stores, online customer support centers, IT outsourcing and many more. The business provider and customer don't have to run with computer to one place to another for their business (service/product) and the internet gives unlimited area for marketing their respected projects.

In internet marketing there are many advantages, like the online business operator didn't have to run from offices to offices, for example if the business was not using internet, then it had to spent lots of money to get office, employees, computers, fax, phones and many tools.

Internet user reduces taxes and open great opportunity for advertising their respected products for billions of customer at one place at one time.

This internet is real boon for small business holder; it is very much cost saving for them, which attracts many other small businesses to this beautiful space of internet marketing.

The big companies pay lots of attention, as they find internet marketing a vast field to invest and to get double in return.

Most of small business owners are used to meeting with their yellow page representative once a year to order their advertisement. Other than that, many small business owners tend to use a shot in the dark approach to marketing. Business is good, does who don't do anything.

Business is bad run a newspaper advertisment, or sends out a direct e-mail to everyone. This is hasty marketing at its worse.

The giant companies have been advancing old and developing new internet marketing strategies in order to expand their goods and services.

One of the oldest and most popular strategies in internet marketing is creating websites, distributing banners and newsletters, place ads and chat/conference rooms in order to establish fast, valuable and qualitative customer support services and feedback.

Most effective Internet marketers are the combination of art and science and illusion and general ide and most important logic and ill-logical is better than the unsuccessful marketers - because it takes both to achieve best possible results.

Internet has provided scope for every type of business in a wider and more diversified market and it has emerged as top business tool for all businesses and for their customers.

Internet marketing is such a place, where everyone from small to big players can enter and do good business and can make their respected position for themselves.

Internet marketing is vast and who ever had got right nod is the winner.

Courtesy: Dhanraj Chakraborty

Diamonds are for Eve

2007-12-01T22:31:00.000-08:00

In this beautiful world, diamond plays an important role for all the women's of this beautiful world. This precious stone is such a material, which excite all genres of women and of different class (Rich, Middle class or Upper middle class). Diamond is such a stone, that come handy in all occasion, and females need some excuse to grab the opportunity to wear them. In leading fashion week ˜collection" many renowned jewelry designers gather to showcase their talent to the masses. Jewelry of different design and style is exhibited and models fire the ramp with their style and luring "jewelry" with diamonds glitter the surroundings with its spark.In all of the known jewelry fashion show, we can find jewelry designer get maximum customer for their respected products as soon as the model walks on ramp. But we can see that the new designer have to struggle a bit, if the new designer had some good contacts and very close and good friends from celebrity circle, than his/her work get noticed. Africa is the continent, where we can find abundant raw "diamond" deposit. Many labour get into the mine, and after doing many hard work, they get this raw material, till all mines are filled with raw material, the miners are very much dependent on this, as their family is on their shoulder to maintain.

This raw material is taken to factory for polishing purpose and given an appropriate and attractive shape, according to its shine and appearance. We can say South Africa is one of the leading producers of diamond. African countries, like Botswana, Namibia are good in polishing diamonds.In India, Surat is one of the main cities, which is famous for diamond and it is also known as diamond city of India. The Diamond city of India is daily exporting and importing diamonds in billions of dollar. The business is flourishing in very big way. Many businessmen come here to do business, and they do good business.

Recently, we have found out many European countries are also taking great interest in Surat, This particular city is ranked, ahead of many past/present big diamond players. From old times, diamond is considered one of the passionate item, those who could posses it, were rich and famous by good or bad publicity, and there is some Myth behind diamond possessing and some diamonds to be considered cursed or blessed, and many old story revolts around the world, stating some of the bad and good experience by possessing the gems/diamonds. We always attach some kind of myth or story with all type of precious stone and possessions, which belongs to us.Not only women, but even men go mad behind these wonderful precious stone. In this generation men like to wear diamond rings, piercing their tongue, and wear it with gold, sliver and platinum chain. We can find that, wearing chain is becoming instant famous among the guys of this generation, not only in West but East is also following the suit.Diamond trade is on all time peaks, and its appearance in all over the corner of the world is creating brilliant results of export and import sector. Export/Import of diamond is on high, mostly all the countries are doing good business in diamond trading business (Export/Import). Many of the leading exporter and importer of diamond have signed MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) for trade purpose.

We can find variety of precious stone of various sizes, weight and purity in world. In this world, many of them must have heard of KOHINOOR diamond, which is consider one of the most precious diamond in this world, KOHINOOR was in North India, before Britishers took it to England for their King & Queen, the diamond was cut into two pieces and was placed on the crown of them. Now we can find it in museum, but when Queen & King use to possess it on her crown, they use to feel pride and feel the pride of being powerful.The Diamond rings are in great demand from time to time, generations to generations. Rings are very much in use in the time of engagement or during the marriage time. In every culture or any part, during the time of marriage, birth, or even death: the diamonds and jewelry take an important place.India is mainly famous for polishing & marketing of diamonds.

The mining countries (Botswana, Congo, South Africa etc) source the raw material to India for further process. But now, the situation is going to change in very different way. The mining countries are planning to polish and market the raw material, which could be very bad for the countries like India. India may loose many jobs (who polish the raw stone). In the western part of India, many people are engage in lakhs in the business of polishing diamonds.

Courtesy: Dhanraj Chakraborty

Google Entering Mobile Phone Market?

2007-10-10T01:14:00.000-07:00

As sales for the iPhone rocket, Google looks to enter into the competitive mobile phone market. Insiders revealed that Google will release their own phone sometime early next year.

However the company might not only be competing with Apple’s iPhone. According to the New York Times, the company looks to compete with Windows mobile by creating their own software to allow other manufacturers to use. For more on the story and information regarding the gPhone, keep watching WebProNews.

Rains hit normal life in Kolkata

2007-09-24T05:09:00.000-07:00

Normal life in the city continued to be disrupted for the second consecutive day on Monday due to heavy rains.

Durga Puja is approaching and if this rain continues than it will be really bad news for the devotees.

Almost all the low lying areas in the city's southern and northern areas were waterlogged causing serious disruption in vehicular movement. While tram services were withdrawn from many areas, buses waded through deep waters causing inconvenience to commuters. Eastern Railway was running skeleton suburban train services as the tracks were flooded.

Kolkata Municipal Corporation said they were running all the pumping stations to drain out water but heavy rain was causing disruption. Weathermen forecasted more rain due to a depression over Orissa.

Heavy rains had caused collapse of mud houses and dwellings in several villages in Howrah and North and South 24 Parganas district in which five persons were killed on Monday.

NY Fashion Week shows off feminine dresses

2007-09-06T02:03:00.000-07:00

A woman's best dress up for spring fashion success? Spring 2008 styles shown at Wednesday's opening of New York Fashion Week were more loose and feminine than the ladylike, polished fall fashions now in stores.

Gwen Stefani's L.A.M.B. collection offered both mod frocks and sexy sheaths. BCBG Max Azria showed sheer, flowy dresses, while Abaete turned to '40s-inspired sheaths and halters for the collections shown at Bryant Park.

New York Fashion Week lasts eight days, previewing the spring-summer looks of 60 designers for fashion editors, retail buyers and stylists. Highlights this season will include Ralph Lauren celebrating his 40 years in fashion with a black-tie dinner Saturday night.

Dresses have been a strong trend the past three fashion cycles, but what started with short, boxy shifts in the spring morphed into shirtdresses for fall. It seems next season's shape — at least in early shows — is a loose sheath, one that glides over an hourglass shape without sticking to it.

For men, Nautica showed shorter hemlines while Perry Ellis experimented with different textures, such as bamboo fiber.

Diana on her 10th death anniversary remembered by whole world

2007-08-30T20:43:00.000-07:00

Millions across the world are paying tribute to Princess Diana 10 years after her death in Paris crash. Britain is marking the 10th anniversary of Princess Diana's death with a royal memorial service and a string of other tributes to the "people's princess". With wrangling over legacy and conspiracy theories over her death still rife, Diana's sons Prince William and Prince Harry, her ex-husband Prince Charles and Queen Elizabeth II, will mark the tragedy with a solemn service in London.

Her sons, aged 15 and 12 when their mother died aged 36 after a high-speed car crash in a central Paris road tunnel, now are officers in the British army. They were to give personally-selected readings during the service at their regimental chapel. Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, head of the Anglican church, has written two prayers for the occasion. Among the 500 guests will be Prime Minister Gordon Brown, his predecessor Tony Blair, who famously described Diana as the "people's princess," and pop singer Elton John, who sang an adapted version of "Candle In The Wind" at Diana's funeral a decade ago.

But Charles's second wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall -- who Diana dubbed "the rottweiler" and blamed for her divorce from the heir to the throne in 1996 -- will not be attending. Although royal officials initially insisted she would be there, Camilla announced Sunday that she did not want to "divert attention from the purpose of the occasion," reportedly on advice from the queen. Camilla will be out of London on Friday and is set to jet off on a Mediterranean holiday without her husband soon afterwards, London's Evening Standard newspaper reported. Royal officials never officially comment on travel arrangements. Mohamed Al Fayed, the father of Diana's lover Dodi Fayed, who also died in the August 31, 1997 accident, was not invited to the service. Al Fayed claims that Diana and his son were killed by the British establishment and senior royals in a conspiracy designed to stop the princess marrying a Muslim.

Last year, the former head of London's Metropolitan Police, Lord John Stevens, ruled out any plot and said the crash, which also killed chauffeur Henri Paul, was a "tragic accident". French investigators concluded that Paul, an employee of the Fayed-owned Ritz Hotel, was well over the legal alcohol limit when he drove Diana and Dodi to the latter's Paris apartment with paparazzi in hot pursuit. Al Fayed, who also owns London department store Harrods, is holding a two-minute silence in the emporium an hour before the memorial service Friday. Staff and customers are invited to join.

Diana's death generated an unprecedented outpouring of public grief in Britain. One million people poured onto the streets of London for the funeral and some say the episode changed the country. The tragedy also forced the royal family to present itself as a more open and inclusive institution. But a decade on, she still divides opinion between Britons who miss her empathy and glamour, and those who are uncomfortable with the sentimentality her death unloosed.

Australian feminist Germaine Greer described Diana as "a moron" this month, but prime minister Brown hailed her as "an extraordinary woman" who "still has the remarkable ability to move and inspire." A steady stream of Diana fans have been tying flowers and cards to the gates of Kensington Palace, her former London residence, where hundreds of thousands of bouquets were left in the days after her death. "She was a jewel in the crown," said Stephen Jones, who was there laying flowers with his wife and two children.

"She really shone, she was the sparkle which is now missing." "Field Of Flowers," a new series of sculptures there, echoes this through 10 golden dandelions 3.5 metres (11 feet) high, topped with 630 flower heads, each of which has been gold-leafed by a visitor. The palace is also hosting an exhibition in her memory, as is London's National Portrait Gallery. Diana's childhood home, Althorp, in central England, where she is buried, is breaking with tradition by opening to the public on the anniversary.

The BBC is re-screening her funeral in full on a digital channel, while two national newspapers, The Times and the Daily Mail, issued special Diana supplements Thursday. Another stream of Diana pilgrims is expected to go to the Pont d'Alma tunnel where Diana and Dodi died.

The Taj Mahal or Tejo Mahalaya and the Controversy Surrounding Its Origins

2007-08-14T03:17:00.000-07:00

The Taj Mahal, located near the Indian city of Agra, is one of the world's greatest architectural treasures. The almost supernatural beauty of the Taj Mahal and its grounds transcends culture and history, and speaks with a voice of its own to visitors from all over the world of feelings that are common to all humanity.

There are two stories of how the Taj came to be.

The Taj's Love Story
It has been called the most beautiful temple in the world, despite the fact that it was built at the cost of much human life. The Taj Mahal is a real monument of one man's love for a woman. The story is a sad one, told many times. But it never hurts to tell it again. In 1631, when his wife died in childbirth, the emperor Shah Jahan brought to Agra the most skilled craftsmen from all Asia and even Europe, to build the white marble mausoleum that is the Taj Mahal. He intended to build a black marble mausoleum for himself, and the link between the two was to be a silver bridge. This fantastic plan suffered a dramatic and permanent setback when the Shah himself died.

Its stunning architectural beauty is beyond description, particularly at dawn and at sunset when it seems to glow in the light. On a foggy morning, it looks as though the Taj is suspended in mid-air when viewed from across the Jamuna river. This is, of course, an illusion. The Taj stands on a raised square platform with its four corners truncated, forming an unequal octagon. The architectural design uses the interlocking arabesque concept, in which each element stands on its own and perfectly integrates with the main structure. It uses the principles of self-replicating geometry and a symmetry of architectural elements.

If you don't want the huge crowds to distract you from your view, try arriving just as it opens or is about to close. A few minutes alone in the perpetually echoing inner sanctum will reward you far more than several hours spent on a guided tour. Especially if your tour guide is Murbat Singh, who makes it his job to find a new comic slant on the Taj story every time he tells it. To really do the Taj Mahal justice, you should plan to spend at least a full day in the grounds, to see this stunning piece of architecture at dawn, midday, and at dusk. The colours and atmosphere of the gardens and the Taj itself constantly change throughout the day. Under moonlight the marble glows.

The Taj's Other Story
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.

Raj Patel debuts in Archies comics

2007-08-07T03:46:00.000-07:00

The motley crew of Riverdale has a brand new member. Raj, an Indian American character, made his debut this month in ‘Out-Raj-ous Behaviour’ featured in the latest issue of the Archie digest. Together with an increased focus on the African-American Chuck Clayton character and Veronica’s friend Ginger Lopez, it seems that Archie Comics is making a concerted effort to make their books more diverse. My editor, Victor (Gorelick), asked me if I had any ideas for a character of Indian ancestry. I did some research into the culture and I also sat down to come up with a personality that was distinct from the other Archie characters and could bring something new to the Archie pantheon, creator Fernando Ruiz said in an interview to comicon.com.

According to Ruiz, Raj has just moved into Riverdale High and likes sci-fi movies, building models and making films. And, he’s just as impulsive as Archie. Coming up with Raj’s look was one of the biggest challenges of creating the whole character. I wanted a character that reflected his background without looking like a caricature and still fit in seamlessly with the other characters. In terms of personality, I wanted to give him an interest that was unique and could be strongly associated with the character. Many of Archie’s friends have a signature interest. Chuck loves art and comics. Jughead loves food.

Betty loves... well, Archie! Raj loves films. His main interest is making his own movies and so he’s often going around with a camcorder recording his friends’ crazy antics, adds Ruiz. Ruiz has given Raj a perky appearance. He’s a bit smaller than most of Riverdale’s males. His lively, optimistic personality is portrayed as much through his wardrobe, bedroom and expressive face, as it is through his words. So, how will Archie and gang relate to Raj? Archie and his friends are a very friendly and cordial bunch. They welcome and take to Raj right away. Archie is the first of the Riverdale gang to meet Raj, who has just moved to Riverdale.

They both become fast friends, but Raj’s interest in film, art and sci-fi makes it natural for him to be friends with Chuck and Jughead, says Ruiz. As for the rest of the family, there aren’t much background details but they do look good. Raj’s father Ravi Patel is a doctor and his character is along the lines of Mr Lodge, only younger and Indian. Mona Patel, Raj’s mother, is a lovely, elegant looking lady, who apparently has the ability to change clothes between panels. Younger sister Tina is an Indian Veronica; and judging by her body language in the few panels she appears in, she shares more than looks with the inimitable Veronica.

Computer printers as harmful as cigarettes

2007-08-01T03:52:00.000-07:00

Beware, computer users! Your office printer could be posing as much danger to your lungs as a drag on a cigarette, according to Australian scientists. After an investigation, researchers from Queensland University of Technology have revealed that some laser printers emit potentially dangerous levels of tiny toner-like materials in the air which could harm one's lungs. "These ultra-fine particles are capable of infiltrating the lungs and causing lasting damage on the scale of inhaled cigarette smoke," the Sydney Morning Herald reported, quoting researcher Prof Lidia Morawska as saying.

According to her, "These (printer) particles are tiny like cigarette smoke particles and, when deep inside the lung, they do the same amount of damage. "The health effects from inhaling ultra-fine particles depend on particle composition, but the results can range from respiratory irritation to severe illness such as cardiovascular problems or cancer." The conclusion came after the university's International Laboratory for Air Quality and Health examined 62 printers and found that 17 were "high-particle emitters".

The study, published in the American Chemical Society's Environment Science and Technology journal, found indoor particle levels in the office air increased five-fold during work hours due to printer use. "Printers emitted more particles when the toner cartridge was new, and when printing graphics and images as they require greater quantities of toner," Prof Morawska was quoted by the daily. However, she said that the emission levels varied a lot between different machine makes, models printer age, cartridge model and cartridge age.

Railway in India need some changes

2007-07-30T21:10:00.000-07:00

As i am one of the regular traveller of train and whatever disadvantage the train has that to be rectified as soon as it is possible.In train every boggie should have a big dustbin and in every row of the boggie there should be medium size dustbin.

The dustbin should be clean and place new cover in every 2 hrs of travel. people should be advise to use it and not to throw the waste anywhere in the train or station. try to keep the train, station and our nation neat and clean.

Courtesy: Dhanraj Chakraborty

Indian Sanskrit scholar built and flew aircraft before Wright brothers

2007-07-24T02:16:00.000-07:00

Talpade – The Indian Sanskrit scholar who built and flew a mercury engine aircraft in 1895, 8 years before the Wright brothers!

Shivkur Bapuji Talpade, flew an unmanned aircraft, eight years before the Wright brothers demonstrated on December 17th 1903 that it was possible for a ‘manned heavier than air machine to fly’. But, in 1895, eight years earlier, the Sanskrit scholar Shivkar Bapuji Talpade had designed a basic aircraft called Marutsakthi (meaning Power of Air) based on Vedic technology documented in ancient Sanskrit manuscripts. His demonstration flight took place before a large audience in the Chowpathy beach of Bombay. The importance of the Wright brothers lies in the fact, that it was a manned flight for a distance of 120 feet and Orville Wright became the first man to fly. But Talpade’s unmanned aircraft flew to a height of 1500 feet before crashing down and the historian Evan Koshtka, has described Talpade as the ‘first creator of an aircraft’.

This historic day in 1895 (unfortunately the actual date is not mentioned in the Kesari newspaper of Pune which covered the event) was witnessed by the famous Indian judge/ nationalist/ Mahadeva Govin-da Ranade and H H Sayaji Rao Gaekwad.
It is important to note that Talpade was no scientist, just a sanskrit scholar who had built his aircraft entirely from the rich treasury of India’s Vedas.

Shivkar Bapuji Talpade was born in 1864 in the locality of Chirabazar at Dukkarwadi in Bombay. He was a scholar of Sanskrit and from his young age was attracted by the Vaimanika Sastra (Aeronautical Science) expounded by the great Indian sage Maharishi Bhardwaja.

Surprisingly according to the bi-monthly Ancient Skies published in USA, the aircraft engines being developed for future use by NASA also uses mercury bombardment units powered by Solar cells! Interestingly, the impulse is generated in seven stages.

The mercury propellant is first vapourised fed into the thruster discharge chamber ionised converted into plasma by a combination with electrons broke down electrically and then accelerated through small openings in a screen to pass out of the engine at velocities between 1200 to 3000 kilometres per minute! But so far NASA has been able to produce an experimental basis only a one pound of thrust by its scientists a power derivation virtually useless. But over 100 years ago Talpade was able to use his knowledge of Vaimanika Shastra to produce sufficient thrust to lift his aircraft 1500 feet into the air! Maharaja Sayaji Rao Gaekwad of Baroda was a great supporter of the Sciences in India, and was willing to help Talpade with
funds to build his aircraft and the mercury engines.

But the success of an Indian scientist was not liked by the Imperial rulers. Warned by the British Government the Maharaja of Baroda stopped helping Talpade. Talpade passed away in 1916 unhonoured, in his own country. It is said that the remains of the Marutsakthi (the aircraft
Tapade built) were ‘sold’ to a British company by Talpade’s relatives.

WEB 2.0 is the new Web a bigger bang?

2007-07-23T22:52:00.000-07:00

Have you ever thought about the difference between using the Internet in the late 1990s and in 2007?

The most important and revolutionary change that has come about on the net is the gradual rise of a new collaborative Web.

This new Web environment has so become a part of our daily lives that the Time magazine named its Person of the Year for 2006 as 'You'. The decision was based keeping in mind the role played by this phenomenon in changing the way people use the Internet.

According to the magazine: "The story of 2006 was a story about community and collaboration on a scale never seen before. It's about cosmic compendium of knowledge Wikipedia and the people's network YouTube and the online metrolpolis MySpace. It's about the many wresting power from the few and helping one another for nothing and how that will not only change the world, but also change the way the world changes."

A number of definitions are being put forward to explain this growing phenomenon. The most widely used explanation of the concept was given by O'Reilly Media in 2004, who termed it as Web 2.0.

According to it, Web 2.0 refers to second-generation of web-based services - social networking sites, wikis, blogs, User Generated Content (UGC) - that accentuate online collaboration and sharing among users. It is an arena where the web is a dominant platform compared to the desktop.

Collaborative platform
What actually has changed in last few years? In the past, the Internet was primarily a platform for one-way interaction where people used to get information or services by going online.

But now Internet users are engaged in a two-way collaborative platform with an amazing array of web services like tagging, blogging, vodcasting, podcasting, and social networking among others.

In the words of Tim O'Reilly, Web 2.0 is based on social software where the users not just consume the content but generate it.

Technically, Web 2.0 has ensured the replacement of the personal computer as a platform by the net.

Now a host of services like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and many others are available on the internet and users don't need to install costly softwares on their PCs. They can directly use these tools on the net and save their work there itself.

Growing trend
Now, what exactly is a Web 2.0 website and how does it affect the lives of millions logging onto the net. So, for all those who have little or no clue about this new concept, here's a list of some of the sites and services.

BlogsSocial NetworkingPhoto/Video sharingContent Aggregators/Bookmarking
There are hundreds of Web 2.0 websites that are catering to the increasing appetite of the online community. According to a business report, more than 1000 Web 2.0 companies were started in Silicon Valley last year.

The rise of this new Web can be attributed to the need for a more collaborative platform. The web pages on the original web were too static and there was no way a user could have contributed or customized them the way he wanted.

User primacy
But Web 2.0 is a different ballgame. Now Internet users can contribute and create all types of content - from text to pictures to videos to personal information to open source software.

There are also a variety of innovative and rich Web 2.0 applications that are being used by youngsters, students and almost all who seek knowledge. The most prominent among them being Nuvvo, Schoolr, Learn Without Limits, and Qunu.

Another reason for the immense popularity of the Web 2.0 concept is the continuous rise in the number of Internet users.

On the other hand, doubts have also been raised about the reach and low user involvement of Web 2.0 sites.

According to a study by US Internet firm Hitwise, only 0.16 per cent of visits on YouTube by users are to seek to upload video for others to watch. Also, only two-tenths of one per cent of visits to Flickr are to upload new photos.

But despite low user involvement it can be said that the new collaborative Web has certainly changed the lives of Internet users.

Web 2.0, seen by many as a confluence of technology, people, and their attitudes, has changed the way we think and use the Internet.

CREDIT: NDTV.com

Interesting facts about India

2007-07-16T05:25:00.000-07:00

The facts about India are divided as under:

History
India is the world's largest, oldest, continuous civilization. Although modern images of India often show poverty and lack of development, India was the richest country on earth until the time of British invasion in the early 17th Century. Christopher Columbus was attracted by India's wealth. India never invaded any country in her last 10000 years of history. India is the world's largest democracy. The four religions born in India, Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism, are followed by 25% of the world's population Chess (Shataranja or AshtaPada) was invented in India.

Varanasi, also known as Benares, was called "the ancient city" when Lord Buddha visited it in 500 B.C.E, and is the oldest, continuously inhabited city in the world today. The art of Navigation was born in the river Sindh 6000 years ago. The very word Navigation is derived from the Sanskrit word NAVGATIH. The word navy is also derived from Sanskrit 'Nou'.
Medicine Sushruta is the father of surgery. 2600 years ago he and health scientists of his time conducted complicated surgeries like cesareans, cataract, artificial limbs, fractures, urinary stones and even plastic surgery and brain surgery. Usage of anesthesia was well known in ancient India.

Over 125 surgical equipment were used. Deep knowledge of anatomy, physiology, etiology, embryology, digestion, metabolism, genetics and immunity is also found in many texts.
Ayurveda is the earliest school of medicine known to humans. Charaka, the father of medicine consolidated Ayurveda 2500 years ago. Today Ayurveda is fast regaining its rightful place in our civilization.

Math
The value of "pi" was first calculated by Budhayana, and he explained the concept of what is known as the Pythagorean Theorem. He discovered this in the 6th century long before the European mathematician. India invented the Number System. Zero was invented by Aryabhatta. Bhaskaracharya calculated the time taken by the earth to orbit the sun hundreds of years before the astronomer Smart. Time taken by earth to orbit the sun: (5th century) 365.258756484 days.

Academic
The World's first university was established in Takshashila in 700 BCE. More than 10,500 students from all over the world studied more than 60 subjects. The University of Nalanda built in the 4th century BCE was one of the greatest achievements of ancient India in the field of education.

Grammar constitutes one of India's greatest contributions to Western philology. Panini, the Sanskrit grammarian, who lived between 750 and 500 BCE, was the first to compose formal grammar through his Astadhyai.

Hindus were/are the best.

Water vapour detected on alien world

2007-07-11T21:47:00.000-07:00

Water vapour has been found in the atmosphere of a Jupiter-like planet outside our solar system.

Planetary scientists had predicted that "hot Jupiters" - massive gas giants orbiting perilously close to their host stars - would have water vapour in their atmospheres. In April, astronomers claimed they had found some using the Hubble Space Telescope, but many dismissed the evidence as flawed.

Now Giovanna Tinetti of University College London and her colleagues have used the Spitzer Space Telescope to probe HD 189733b, a hot Jupiter orbiting a star just 63 light years from Earth. They studied starlight in three infrared bands centred around wavelengths of 3.6, 5.8 and 8 micrometres, and found that when the planet crossed the face of the star, the light dimmed in a manner consistent with the absorption of light by water vapour.

The team had predicted just such a dimming. "This is the first strong evidence of it," says team member Jean-Philippe Beaulieu of the Astrophysics Institute in Paris.

CREDIT: New Scientist magazine

UFO in India

2007-07-09T21:45:00.000-07:00

UFO in India

UFO Sighting In India Two unidentified flying objects were spotted hovering/manouvering over Karnal (Haryana) and Delhi. DC of Punjab refused to comment and had a verbal fight with a tv reporter.. Conspiracy? On Sunday 8th July, Karnal town and Delhi North India there have been numerous reportings of UFO sightings.

On March 2007 ATC also reported some sort of Unidentified object surfacing on their radar and before they could send their plane it just disappear.

Coming back to Sunday event, People called up TV Stations reporting to have seen two light globes hovering in the skies,rotating and flying at different altitudes at great speeds for three hours this phonomenon was spoted. There have been hundreds of witnesses calling up the News channels.

Zee News, IBN7 and many more covered it...Aaj Tak made it sure that this is hoax.

2007-07-09T01:38:00.000-07:00

Life Away in Solar System Could Be Different From Earth

The search for life elsewhere in the solar system and beyond should include efforts to detect what scientists sometimes refer to as "weird" life -- that is, life with an alternative biochemistry to that of life on Earth -- says a new report from the National Research Council. The committee that wrote the report found that the fundamental requirements for life as we generally know it -- a liquid water biosolvent, carbon-based metabolism, molecular system capable of evolution, and the ability to exchange energy with the environment -- are not the only ways to support phenomena recognized as life. "Our investigation made clear that life is possible in forms different than those on Earth," said committees chair John Baross, professor of oceanography at the University of Washington, Seattle.

The report emphasizes that "no discovery that we can make in our exploration of the solar system would have greater impact on our view of our position in the cosmos, or be more inspiring, than the discovery of an alien life form, even a primitive one. At the same time, it is clear that nothing would be more tragic in the American exploration of space than to encounter alien life without recognizing it."

The tacit assumption that alien life would utilize the same biochemical architecture as life on Earth does means that scientists have artificially limited the scope of their thinking as to where extraterrestrial life might be found, the report says. The assumption that life requires water, for example, has limited thinking about likely habitats on Mars to those places where liquid water is thought to be present or have once flowed, such as the deep subsurface. However, according to the committee, liquids such as ammonia or formamide could also work as biosolvents -- liquids that dissolve substances within an organism -- albeit through a different biochemistry. The recent evidence that liquid water-ammonia mixtures may exist in the interior of Saturn's moon Titan suggests that increased priority be given to a follow-on mission to probe Titan, a locale the committee considers the solar system's most likely home for weird life.

Besides the possibility of alternative biosolvents, studies show that variations on some of the other basic tenets for life also might be able to support weird life. DNA on Earth works through the pairing of four chemical compounds called nucleotides, but experiments in synthetic biology have created structures with six or more nucleotides that can also encode genetic information and, potentially, support Darwinian evolution. Additionally, studies in chemistry show that an organism could utilize energy from alternative sources, such as through a reaction of sodium hydroxide and hydrochloric acid, meaning that such an organism could have an entirely non-carbon-based metabolism.

Researchers need to further explore variations of the requirements for life with particular emphasis on origin-of-life studies, which will help determine if life can exist without water or in environments where water is only present under extreme conditions, the report says. Most planets and moons in this solar system fall into one of these categories. Research should also focus on how organisms break down key elements, as even non-carbon-based life would need elements for energy, structure, and chemical reactions.

The report also stresses that the future search for alien life should not exclude additional research into terrestrial life.

Space missions will need adjustment to increase the breadth of their search for life. Planned Mars missions, for example, should include instruments that detect components of light elements -- especially carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, phosphorous, and sulfur -- as well as simple organic functional groups and organic carbon. Recent evidence indicates that another moon of Saturn, Enceladus, has active water geysers, raising the prospect that habitable environments may exist there and greatly increasing the priority of additional studies of this body.

Credit: NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL

NASA's Mars rover Opportunity is scheduled to begin a descent

2007-07-05T23:12:00.000-07:00

NASA's Mars rover Opportunity is scheduled to begin a descent down a rock-paved slope into the Red Planet's massive Victoria Crater. This carries real risk for the long-lived robotic explorer, but NASA and the Mars Rover science team expect it to provide valuable science.

Opportunity already has been exploring layered rocks in cliffs around Victoria Crater. The team has planned the descent carefully to enable an eventual exit, but Opportunity could become trapped inside the crater or lose some capabilities. The rover has operated more than 12 times longer than its originally intended 90 days.

The scientific allure is the chance to examine and investigate the compositions and textures of exposed materials in the crater's depths for clues about ancient, wet environments. As the rover travels farther down the slope, it will be able to examine increasingly older rocks in the exposed walls of the crater.

"While we take seriously the uncertainty about whether Opportunity will climb back out, the potential value of investigations that appear possible inside the crater convinced me to authorize the team to move forward into Victoria Crater," said Alan Stern, NASA associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters, Washington. "It is a calculated risk worth taking, particularly because this mission has far exceeded its original goals."

The robotic geologist will enter Victoria Crater through an alcove named Duck Bay. The eroding crater has a scalloped rim of cliff-like promontories, or capes, alternating with more gently sloped alcoves, or bays.

A meteor impact millions of years ago excavated Victoria, which lies approximately 4 miles south of where Opportunity landed in January 2004. The impact-created bowl is half a mile across and about five times as wide as Endurance Crater, where Opportunity spent more than six months exploring in 2004.

The rover began the journey to Victoria from Endurance 30 months ago. It reached the rim at Duck Bay nine months ago. Opportunity then drove approximately a quarter of the way clockwise around the rim, examining rock layers visible in the promontories and possible entry routes in the alcoves. Now, the rover has returned to the most favorable entry point.

"Duck Bay looks like the best candidate for entry," said John Callas, rover project manager at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. "It has slopes of 15 to 20 degrees and exposed bedrock for safe driving."

If all of its six wheels continue working, engineers expect Opportunity to be able to climb back out of the crater. However, Opportunity's twin rover Spirit lost the use of one wheel more than a year ago, diminishing its climbing ability.

"These rovers are well past their design lifetimes, and another wheel could fail on either rover at any time," Callas said. "If Opportunity were to lose the use of a wheel inside Victoria Crater, it would make it very difficult, perhaps impossible, to climb back out."

"We don't want this to be a one-way trip," said Steve Squyres, principal investigator for the rovers' science instruments, Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y. "We still have some excellent science targets out on the plains that we would like to visit after Victoria. But if Opportunity becomes trapped there, it will be worth the knowledge gained."

CREDIT: Science at NASA

Zorse has a Zebra dad and mom Horse

2007-07-05T01:39:00.000-07:00

Zorses, or zebroids, are normally stripy all over and have a zebra dad and a horse for a mum, but a zorse at a zoo in Germany is changing all that.hahahahahaha.

Human can create wonder and this is one of the wonder.

Eclyse the zorse is a bit different because her mum's a German zebra and her dad's an Italian horse, giving her a patchy coat that's stripy and plain. Hmmmmmmmm isn't it interesting.

Vets are worried that other zebras won't accept her so they're looking for a boy pony to share her field. That so cool..

Archaeology of Ayodhya

2007-07-04T00:31:00.000-07:00

In the year 2003: The ASI reportThe Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) excavated the mosque site at the direction of the Allahabad Bench of the Uttar Pradesh High Court in 2003.

The archaeologists reported evidence of a large 10th century structure similar to a Hindu temple having pre-existed the Babri Masjid. A team of 131 labourers including 29 Muslims - who were later on included on the objections of the Muslim side[citation needed] - was engaged in the excavations. In June 11, 2003 the ASI issued an interim report that only listed the findings of the period between May 22 and June 6, 2003. In August 2003 the ASI handed a 574-page report to the Lucknow Bench of the Allahabad High Court.

Some results of the 2003 ASI report:
Period 1000BC to 300BC:The findings suggest that a Northern Black Polished Ware (NBPW) culture existed at the mosque site between 1000 BC and 300 BC. A round signet with a legend in Asokan Brahmi , terracotta figurines of female deities with archaic features, beads of terracotta and glass, wheels and fragments of votive tanks have been found.

Sunga Period. 200 BC:Typical terracotta mother goddess, human and animal figurines, beads, hairpin, pottery (includes black slipped, red and grey wares), and stone and brick structures of the Sunga period have been found.

Kushan period. 100-300 AD:Terracotta human and animal figurines, fragments of votive tanks, beads, bangle fragments, ceramics with red ware and large-sized structures running into twenty-two courses have been found from this level.

Gupta era (400-600 AD) and post-Gupta era:Typical terracotta figurines, a copper coin with the legend Sri Chandra (Gupta), and illustrative potsherds of the Gupta period have been found. A circular brick shrine with an entrance from the east and a provision for a water-chute on the northern wall have also been found.

11th to 12th century:A huge structure of almost fifty metres in north-south orientation have been found on this level. Only four of the fifty pillar bases belong to this level. Above this lied a structure with at least three structural phases which had a huge pillared hall.

Radar searchIn the January 2003, Candadian geophysiscist Claude Robillard performed a search with a ground-penetrating radar. The survey concluded the following:

"There is some structure under the mosque. The structures were ranging from 0.5 to 5.5 meters in depth that could be associated with ancient and contemporaneous structures such as pillars, foundation walls, slab flooring, extending over a large portion of the site".

Claude Robillard, the chief geophysicist stated the following:
"There are some anomalies found underneath the site relating to some archaeological features. You might associate them (the anomalies) with pillars, or floors, or concrete floors, wall foundation or something. These anomalies could be associated with archaeological features but until we dig, I can't say for sure what the construction is under the mosque."

Hari-Vishnu inscription:During the demolition of the Babri mosque in December 1992, three inscriptions on stone were found. The most important one is the Hari-Vishnu inscription inscribed on a 1.10 x .56 metre slab with 20 lines that was provisionally dated to ca. 1140. The inscription mentioned that the temple was dedicated to "Vishnu, slayer of Bali and of the ten-headed one" [Rama is an incarnation of Vishnu who is said to have defeated Bali and Ravana]. The inscription is written in the Nagari Lipi script, a Sanskrit script of the 11th and 12th century. It was examined by world class Epigraphists and Sanskrit scholars (among them Prof. A.M. Shastri).

PillarsPillar bases were first discovered by the ASI's former director-general BB Lall in 1975. In the Babri Mosque were at least fourteen stone pillars that have been dated to the early 11th century and more pillars were found during excavations buried in the ground near the mosque.

Two similar pillars were also found placed upside down by the side of the grave of Fazle Abbas alias Musa Ashikhan. This Muslim saint was the person that incited Mir Baqi to destroy the Janmasthan temple and build a mosque on it.

Hindus in India and World

2007-06-29T02:21:00.000-07:00

During Islamic rule in the Indian sub-continent

The Muslim conquest in the Indian subcontinent led to widespread carnage as Muslims regarding the Hindus as infidels slaughtered and converted millions of Hindus. Will Durant argued in his 1935 book "The Story of Civilization: Our Oriental Heritage" (page 459):

“The Mohammedan conquest of India is probably the bloodiest story in history. The Islamic historians and scholars have recorded with great glee and pride of the slaughters of Hindus, forced conversions, abduction of Hindu women and children to slave markets and the destruction of temples carried out by the warriors of Islam during 800 AD to 1700 AD. Millions of Hindus were converted to Islam by sword during this period.

There is no official estimate of the total death toll of Hindus at the hands of Muslims. Estimates have stated that over 13 centuries and over the entire subcontinent, the number of Hindus that died at the hands of the Muslims goes up into the millions. There have been several occasions when the Bahmani sultans in central India (1347-1528) killed around 80,000-100,000 Hindus over a short period of time, which they set as a minimum goal, to their anti-Hindu campaigns

“The massacres perpetuated by Muslims in India are unparalleled in history, bigger than the Holocaust of the Jews by the Nazis; or the massacre of the Armenians by the Turks; more extensive even than the slaughter of the South American native populations by the invading Spanish and Portuguese.”

Prof. K.S. Lal, suggests a calculation in his book Growth of Muslim Population in Medieval India which estimates that between the years 1000 AD and 1500 AD the population of Hindus decreased by 80 million. Even those Hindus who converted to Islam were not immune to persecution, as per the Muslim Caste System in India as established by Ziauddin al-Barani in the Fatawa-i Jahandari., where they were regarded as "Ajlaf" caste and subjected to severe discrimination by the "Ashraf" castes.

By Arabs
Muslim conquest in the Indian subcontinent began during the early 8th century, when the Umayyad governor of what is now Iraq, Hajjaj responded to a casus belli provided by the kidnapping of Muslim women and treasures by pirates off the coast of Debal, by mobilizing an expedition of 6,000 cavalry under Muhammad bin-Qasim in 712 CE. Records from the campaign recorded in the Chach Nama record temple demolitions, and mass executions of resisting Sindhi forces and enslavement of their dependents. This action was particularly extensive of Debal, of which Qasim is reported to be under orders to make an example of while freeing both the captured women and the prisoners of a previous failed expedition. Bin Qasim then enlisted the support of the local Jat, Meds and Bhutto tribes and began the process of subduing and conquering the countryside. Capture of towns was also usually accomplished by means of a treaty with a party from among his "enemy", who were then extended special privileges and material rewards.However, his superior Hajjaj is reported at objecting to his method by saying that it would make him look weak and advocated a more hardline military strategy:

“ It appears from your letter that all the rules made by you for the comfort and convenience of your men are strictly in accordance with religious law. But the way of granting pardon prescribed by the law is different from the one adopted by you, for you go on giving pardon to everybody, high or low, without any discretion between a friend and a foe. The great God says in the Koran [47.4]: "0 True believers, when you encounter the unbelievers, strike off their heads." The above command of the Great God is a great command and must be respected and followed. You should not be so fond of showing mercy, as to nullify the virtue of the act. Henceforth grant pardon to no one of the enemy and spare none of them, or else all will consider you a weak-minded man. ”

In a subsequent communication, Hajjaj reiterated that all able-bodied men were to be killed, and that their underage sons and daughters were to be imprisoned and retained as hostages. Qasim obeyed, and on his arrival at the town of Brahminabad massacred between 6,000 and 16,000 of the defending forces. The historian, Upendra Thakur records the persecution of Hindus and Buddhists:

“ When Muhammad Kasim invaded Sind in 711 AD, Buddhism had no resistance to offer to their fire and steel. The rosary could not be a match for the sword and the terms Love and Peace had no meaning to them. They carried fire and sword wherever they went and obliterated all that came their way. Muhammad triumphantly marched into the country, conquering Debal, Sehwan, Nerun, Brahmanadabad, Alor and Multan one after the other in quick succession, and in less than a year and half, the far-flung Hindu kingdon was crushed, the great civilization fell back and Sind entered the darkest period of it's history. There was a fearful outbreak of religious bigotry in several places and temples were wantonly desecrated. At Debal, Nairun and Aror temples were demolished and converted into mosques.[Resistors] were put to death and women made captives. The Jizya was exacted with special care.[Hindus] were required to feed Muslim travellers for three days and three nights.[8]. ”

Other historians and archealogists such as J E Lohuizen-de Leeuw, takes the following stance of events proceeding the sack of Debal:

“ In fact, we have clear evidence that the Arabs were very tolerant towards both Buddhists and Hindus during the rest of the campaign and throughout the time they ruled Sind...Of course that does not mean that no monuments were ever destroyed, for war always means a certain amount of damage to buildings but it does prove that there was no wanton and systematic destruction of each and every religious center of the Buddhists and Hindus in Sind.[9] ”

Mahmud of Ghazni
Mahmud of Ghazni was an Afghan Sultan who invaded the Indian subcontinent during the early 11th century. His campaigns across the gangetic plains are often cited for their iconoclastic and plundering targeting of Hindu temples such as those at Mathura and looked upon them as "jihad".

Pradyumna Prasad Karan further describes Mahmud invasion as one of putting "thousands of Hindu's to the sword" and making a pastime of "raising pyramids of the skulls of the infidels".[11][12] Holt et al. hold an opposing view, that he was "no mere robber or bloody thirsty tyrant" . Mahmud shed no blood "except in the exegencies of war",[13] and was tolerant in dealings with his own Hindu subjects, some of whom rose to high posts in his administration, such as his Hindu General Tilak

Mahmud of Ghazni sacked the second Somnath Temple in 1026, and looted it of gems and precious stones and the famous Shiva lingam of the temple was destroyed and it's fragments taken away to Ghazni where they were used as stepping stones of a mosque.

In the Delhi Sultanate
The first Muslim Empire of India, the Sultanate of Delhi, was established in 1210 CE by Turkic tribes that invaded the subcontinent from Afghanistan. Many temples were looted and destroyed. Infamous cases are the destruction of the Somnath.

Muhammad Ghori
Muhammad Ghori conducted genocide of Hindus at Koi (modern Aligarh), Kalinjar and Varanasi, according to Hasan Nizami's Taj-ul-Maasir, 20,000 Hindu prisoners were slaughtered and their heads offered to crows.[15]

Qutb-ud-din Aibak
Historical records compiled by Muslim historian Maulana Hakim Saiyid Abdul Hai attest to the iconoclasm of Qutb-ud-din Aybak. The first mosque built in Delhi, the "Quwwat al-Islam" was built after demolishing the Hindu temple built previously by Prithvi Raj and leaving certain parts of the temple outside the mosque proper. This pattern of iconoclasm was common during his reign, although an argument goes that such iconoclasm was motivated more by politics than by religion.

Iltutmish
Another ruler of the sultanate, Shams-ud-din Iltutmish, conquered and subjugated the Hindu pilgrimage site Varanasi in the 11th century and had continued the destruction of Hindu temples and idols that had begun under the first attack in 1194.

Firuz Shah Tughlaq
Firuz Shah Tughluq was the third ruler of the Tughlaq dynasty of the Delhi Sultanate. The "Tarikh-i-Firuz Shah" is a historical record written during his reign that attests to the systematic persecution of Hindus under his rule. In particular, it records atrocities on Hindu Brahmin priests who refused to convert to Islam:

“An order was accordingly given to the Brahman and was brought before Sultan. The true faith was declared to the Brahman and the right course pointed out. but he refused to accept it. A pile was risen on which the Kaffir with his hands and legs tied was thrown into and the wooden tablet on the top. The pile was lit at two places his head and his feet. The fire first reached him in the feet and drew from him a cry and then fire completely enveloped him. Behold Sultan for his strict adherence to law and rectitude. ”

Under his rule, Hindus who were forced to pay the mandatory Jizya tax were recorded as infidels, their communities monitored and, if they violated Imperial ordinance and built temples, they were destroyed. In particular, an incident in the village of Gohana in Haryana was recorded in the "Insha-i-Mahry" (another historical record written by Amud Din Abdullah bin Mahru) where Hindus had erected a deity and were arrested, brought to the palace and executed en-masse.

In 1230, the Hindu King of Orissa Anangabhima III consolidated his rule and proclaimed that an attack on Orissa constituted an attack on the king's god. A sign of Anangabhima's determination to protect Hindu culture is the fact that he named is new capital in Cuttack “Abhinava Varanasi.” His anxieties about further Muslim advances in Orissa proved to be well founded.

Vijayanagara

Main article: Vijayanagara

The city flourished between the 14th century and 16th century, during the height of the Vijayanagar Empire. During this time, it was often in conflict with the kingdoms which rose in the Northern Deccan, and which are often collectively termed the Deccan Sultanates. The period saw brutalities from both sides. In 1366, Bukka I captured the Muslim region of Mudkal and slaughtered all but one inhabitant. The lone survivor of this carnage is supposed to have taken the news to Mohammad Shah, the Sultan of the Bahamani sultanate. In response the sultan ravaged the Hindus [20]. In 1565, the empire's armies suffered a massive and catastrophic defeat at by an alliance of the Sultanates, and the capital was taken. The victorious armies then razed, depopulated and destroyed the city over several months. The empire continued in slow decline, but the original capital was not reoccupied or rebuilt.

In the Mughal empire
The Mughal Empire was marked by periods of tolerance of non-Muslims, such as Hindus, Christians and Sikhs, as well as violent oppression and persecution of those people. The reign of Aurangzeb was particularly brutal. No aspect of Aurangzeb's reign is more cited - or more controversial - than the numerous desecrations and destruction of Hindu temples. Aurangzeb banned Diwali, placed a jizya (tax) on non-Muslims and matyred the ninth Sikh guru Tegh Bahadur. The confrontation with the Sikhs took Aurangzeb and his henchmen an endless series of atrocities against Sikhs which included torturous execution of several Sikhs including the eight and ten years old sons of Guru Gobind Singh by alive-burial.

During his reign, tens of thousands of temples were desecrated: facades and interiors were defaced and their murtis (divine images) looted. In many cases, temples were destroyed entirely; in numerous instances mosques were built on their foundations, sometimes using the same stones. Among the temples Aurangzeb destroyed were two most sacred to Hindus, in Varanasi and Mathura. In both cases, he had large mosques built on the sites.

The Kesava Deo temple in Mathura, marked the place Hindus believe was the birth place of Shri Krishna. In 1661 Aurangzeb ordered the demolition of the temple, and constructed the Katra Masjid mosque. Traces of the ancient Hindu temple can be seen from the back of the mosque. Aurangzeb also destroyed what was the most famous temple in Varanasi- the Vishwanath Temple. The temple had changed location over the years, but in 1585 Akbar had authorized its location at Gyan Vapi. Aurangzeb ordered its demolition in 1669 and constructed a mosque on the site, whose minarets stand 71 metres above the Ganges. Traces of the old temple can be seen behind the mosque. Centuries later, emotional debate about these wanton acts of cultural desecration continue. Aurangzeb also destroyed the Somnath temple in 1706.

According the Hindu claims the Mughals supposedly also destroyed the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, at the birthplace of the Hindu deity Rama. On top of it, they built the Babri Masjid, which has since been a source of tensiosn between the Hindu and Muslim communities.

In Kashmir
The Hindu minority in Kashmir have also been historically persecuted by Muslim rulers. While Hindus and Muslims lived in harmony for certain periods of time, several Muslim rulers of Kashmir were intolerant to other religions. Sultãn Sikandar Butshikan of Kashmir (AD 1389-1413) is often considered the worst of these. Historians have recorded many of his atrocities. The Tarikh-i-Firishta records that Sikandar persecuted the Hindus and issued orders proscribing the residence of any other than Muslims in Kashmir. He also ordered the breaking of all "golden and silver images". The Tarikh-i-Firishta further states: "Many of the Brahmins, rather than abandon their religion or their country, poisoned themselves; some emigrated from their native homes, while a few escaped the evil of banishment by becoming Mahomedans. After the emigration of the Bramins, Sikundur ordered all the temples in Kashmeer to be thrown down......Having broken all the images in Kashmeer, (Sikandar) acquired the title of ‘Destroyer of Idols’".

During European rule in the Indian subcontinent
The Goa Inquisition, was established in 1560 by Portuguese missionaries. It was aimed primarily at Hindus and wayward new converts and by the time it was suppressed in 1774, the inquisition had had thousands of Hindus tortured and executed by burning. The British East India Company engaged in a covert and well-financed campaign of evangelical conversions in the 19th century. While officially discouraged conversions, officers of the Company routinely converted Sepoys to Christianity, often by force. This was one of the factors that led to the Indian Rebellion of 1857.

Persecution of Dalits

Main articles: Dalit and Indian Caste System

Dalits, formerly known as "untouchables", include the members of Hindu society who are not included in the "caste system" as having a varna. Many Dalits have converted from Hinduism to Christianity, Islam and Buddhism. However, there has been at least one alleged instance of a group conversion of 3,500 Dalits back to Hinduism from Christianity, after it was alleged that Christians gave the Dalits "neither financial security nor social status."[

Under the 2,500 year old caste system, Dalits were considered as the lowest or outside the system. They were assigned the most menial of jobs, and enjoyed none of the rights that higher-caste Hindus did. They were not allowed to enter toilets, share water or food, or even so much as to touch or let their shadow fall over a higher-caste Hindu. In general, the sons of Dalits also took up these same tasks and in this way the entire Dalit community were relegated in Hindu society and persecuted by some Hindus. The caste system is now formally banned by the Indian government, and acts of violence against Dalits are considered crimes. Much of the legislation in regards to protecting Dalits remains completely unenforced. Dalits are presented with university quotas which allow them to achieve better paying jobs with lower marks than the higher castes. While this practice was meant to last 10 years after independence, it has instead increased. This has caused uproar amongst higher castes, leading to the 2006 Indian anti-reservation protests. They have been at least one attempt to encourage them to take on roles of leadership in Hindu society.

Discrimination against Dalits has all but disappeared in the urban public sphere, though prejudices remain in the private sphere. However incidents of violence still occur, especially in rural regions, that Dalits are still subject to persecution. In the Indian province of Rajasthan alone for instance, between the years 1999 and 2002, crimes against Dalits average at about 5024 a year, with 46 killings and 138 cases of rape. According to Human Rights Watch, over 100,000 cases of rape, murder, arson, and other atrocities against the Dalits are reported in India every year. Human Rights watch suspects the actual figure to be higher, given that Dalits do not tend to expect justice from their police for crimes against them.[37] Dalits were also targeted by Muslim rioters in the Gujarat riots, many being burnt alive.

Contemporary persecution
While the vast majority of Hindus live in Hindu-majority areas of India, Hindus in other parts of South Asia and in diaspora have sometimes faced persecution. The Hindu American Foundation's Hindus in South Asia and the Diaspora: A Survey of Human Rights 2005 report surveyed the status of human rights for Hindus in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Fiji, Pakistan, and the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir. The report was based on media coverage, reports from human rights organizations, and firsthand accounts related to human rights violations perpetrated against Hindus because of their religious identity.

In the Indian subcontinent
Hindus, like Muslims, Sikhs, and members of other religious groups, experienced severe dislocation and violence during the massive population exchanges associated with the partition of India, as members of various communities moved to what they hoped was the relative safety of an area where they would be a religious majority. Hindus were among the between 200,000 and a million who died during the rioting and other violence associated with the partition.

India
In 1954, the Federal Government of India passed the Hindu Marriage Act that prohibited Hindu males in India from marrying more than one wife. Although by modern standards polygamy is a frowned upon act, the purpose of this act specifically only targeted Hindus, but did not mention any other religious groups, including Muslims, which are the 2nd biggest religious demographic and the 2nd biggest Muslim population in the world. Scholars believe the purpose was to entice Muslims to stay in India by giving their men the option to take more than one wife which is established as acceptable under Islamic Law.

Jammu and Kashmir
Pakistan has been covertly financing Islamic Terrorism in Kashmir. Islamic terrorists have routinely engaged in attacks on Hindu pilgrims in both Kashmir and neighboring Jammu. Kashmiri militants have consistently persecuted Hindus in the region, as well as moderate Muslims suspected of siding with the India. Kashmiri Pandit Hindus, who have been residents of Kashmir for centuries, have been ethnically cleansed from Kashmir by Islamic militants. In particular, the Wandhama Massacre in 1998 was an incident in which 24 Kashmiri Hindus were gunned down by Islamists disguised as Indian soldiers. Many Kashmiri Hindus have been killed and thousands of children orphaned over the course of the conflict in Kashmir.

Northeast India
In recent years, large parts of Northeastern India have become Christianized owing to the fervent activities of missionaries. In these states, especially Nagaland Hindus are not able to celebrate Durga Puja and other essential festivals due to harassment and killing by Christian Terrorist groups. In Tripura, the NLFT has targeted Swamis and temples for attacks. The Baptist Church of Tripura is alleged to have supplied NLFT with arms and financial support and encouraged the murder of Hindus, particularly infants.[45] A conventional tactic of the terrorists is to torch houses of Hindus with the residents still in it. They have been known to raid Hindu sanctuaries and shoot all the members.[46]

West Bengal
Main article: Morichjhanpi
The Left Front communist party government of the state of West Bengal executed a brutal massacre of low-caste Hindus in Morichjhanpi in 1978. The Morichjhanpi massacre was perpetrated by the communist government on poor Bengali Hindu refugees who were ethnically cleansed from Muslim-majority East Pakistan/Bangladesh during the Partition of India. They were migrating from other states in India where they had settled as refugees after the Partition of India. The attempt was seen by the communists as an "aggressive encroachment" so they manufactured allegations of "violating the forest act" and used it as a pretext to harass the refugees.The Morichjhanpi incident refers to the actions throughout 1979 when thousands of settler families were brutally evicted from the island. The incident resulted, directly or indirectly, in hundreds of deaths, including 36 refugees killed in police firings on January 31, 1979. In spite of a pathetic fightback by some of the islanders, several thousand settlers were eventually removed over the course of the year.

Bangladesh
The HAF report documents the long history of anti-Hindu atrocities in Bangladesh, a topic that many Indians and Indian governments over the years have preferred not to acknowledge. Such atrocities, including targeted attacks against temples, open theft of Hindu property, and rape of young Hindu women and enticements to proselytizationconvert to Islam, have increased sharply in recent years after the Jamat-e-Islami joined the coalition government led by the Bangladesh National Party.

Bangladesh has had a troublesome history of persecution of Hindus as well. A US-based human rights organisation, Refugees International, has claimed that religious minorities, especially Hindus, still face discrimination in Bangladesh. The government of Bangladesh, a nationalist party openly calls for ‘Talibanisation’ of the state. However, the prospect of actually "Talibanizing" the state is regarded as a remote possibility, since Bangladeshi Islamic society is generally more progressive than the extremist Taliban of Afghanistan. Political scholars conclude that while the Islamization of Bangladesh is real, the country is not on the brink of being Talibanized .In 1971 at the time of the liberation of Bangladesh from East Pakistan, the Hindu population accounted for 15% of the total population. Thirty years on, it is now estimated at just 10.5%. The ‘Vested Property Act’ previously named the ‘Enemy Property Act’ has seen up to 40% of Hindu land snatched away forcibly. Since this government has come into power, of all the rape crimes registered in Bangladesh, 98% have been registered by Hindu women. Hindu temples in Bangladesh have also been vandalised . The United States Congressional Caucus on India has condemned these atrocities.

Bangladeshi feminist Taslima Nasrin's 1993 novel Lajja deals with the anti-Hindu riots and anti-secular sentiment in Bangladesh in the wake of the destruction of the Babri Masjid in India. The book was banned in Bangladesh, and helped draw international attention to the situation of the Bangladeshi Hindu minority.

On October 2006, the United States Commission on International Religion Freedom published a report titled 'Policy Focus on Bangladesh', said that since its last election, 'Bangladesh has experienced growing violence by religious extremists, intensifying concerns expressed by the countries religious minorities'. The report further stated that Hindus are particularly vulnerable in a period of rising violence and extremism, whether motivated by religious, political or criminal factors, or some combination. The report noted that Hindus had multiple disadvantages against them in Bangladesh, such as perceptions of dual loyalty with respect to India and religious beliefs that are not tolerated by the politically dominant Islamic Fundamentalists of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party. Violence against Hindus has taken place "in order to encourage them to flee in order to seize their property".The previous reports of the Hindu American Foundation were acknowledged and confirmed by this non-partisan report.

On November 2, 2006, USCIRF criticized Bangladesh for continuing persecution of minority Hindus. It also urged the Bush administration to get Dhaka to ensure protection of religious freedom and minority rights before Bangladesh's next national elections in January 2007.

Pakistan
There has been severe and often institutionalized persecution of Hindus by Muslims in Pakistan since its formation in 1947. The increasing Islamization has caused many Hindus to leave Hinduism and seek emancipation by converting to other faiths such as Buddhism, Christianity, and Islam. Such Islamization includes the blasphemy laws, which make it dangerous for religious minorities to express themselves freely and engage freely in religious and cultural activities. Minority members of the Pakistan National Assembly have alleged that Hindus were being hounded and humiliated to force them to leave Pakistan. In addition to the ethnic cleansing of Hindus following the Partition of India in 1947, the Hindus in Pakistan are subjected to anti-blasphemy laws, hate propaganda, attacks, and forced conversions. Hindus in what is now Pakistan have declined from 23% of the total population in 1947 to less than 2% today. The HAF report condemns Pakistan for systematic state-sponsored religious discrimination against Hindus through "anti-blasphemy" laws. It documents numerous reports of Hindus being held as "bonded laborers" in slavery-like conditions in rural Pakistan, something repeatedly ignored by the Pakistani government. Pakistan aggressively portrays its struggle against India as a Hindu-Muslim conflict, making it clear that its own Hindu minority is fair game for persecution.

1971 Bangladesh atrocities
Main articles: 1971 Bangladesh atrocities and Operation Searchlight
During the 1971 Bangladesh atrocities there were widespread killings and ethnic cleansing of civilians in Bangladesh (then East Pakistan under Pakistani occupation), and widespread violations of human rights carried out by the Pakistan Army, which was supported by political and religious militias during the Bangladesh Liberation War. In Bangladesh, the atrocities are identified as a genocide, which is disputed by Pakistan. Many of the victims were Hindus, and the total death toll was in the millions. TIME magazine reported that "The Hindus, who account for three-fourths of the refugees and a majority of the dead, have borne the brunt of the Muslim military hatred."

Masih incident
On June 29, 2005, police in Nowshera, NWFP, arrested Christian janitor Yousaf Masih on blasphemy charges. Witnesses claimed Masih had burned pages of the Qur'an while disposing of trash for his employer. Following his arrest, a mob of between 300 and 500 protesters destroyed a Hindu temple and houses belonging to Christian and Hindu families in the city. While police arrested some perpetrators after the fact, under the terms of a deal negotiated between Islamic religious leaders and the Hindu/Christian communities, police released all of them without charge. Police released Masih from custody on bail on August 6, 2005.

Forced Conversions
Forced and coerced conversions of religious minorities to Islam occurred at the hands of societal actors. Religious minorities claimed that government actions to stem the problem were inadequate. Several human rights groups have highlighted the increased phenomenon of Hindu girls, particularly in Karachi, being kidnapped from their families and forced to convert to Islam.[citation needed]

Hindu women have also been known to be victims of kidnapping and forced conversion to Islam. Krishan Bheel, a Hindu member of the National Assembly of Pakistan, came into news recently for manhandling Qari Gul Rehman.

On October 18, 2005, Sanno Amra and Champa, a Hindu couple residing in the Punjab Colony, Karachi, Sindh returned home to find that their three teenage daughters had disappeared. After inquiries to the local police, the couple discovered that their daughters had been taken to a local madrassah, had been converted to Islam, and were denied unsupervised contact with their parents.

[edit] Temple Destruction
Several Hindu temples have been destroyed in Pakistan. A notable incident was the destruction of the Ramna Kali Mandir in former East Pakistan. The temple was bulldozed by the Pakistan Army on March 27, 1971.The Dhakeshwari Temple was severely damaged during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, and over half of the temple's buildings were destroyed. The main worship hall was taken over by the Pakistan Army and used as an ammunitions storage area. Several of the temple custodians were tortured and killed by the Army though most, including the Head Priest, fled to their ancestral villages and to India and therefore escaped death.

In 2006, the last Hindu temple in Lahore was destroyed to pave the way for construction of a multi-storied commercial building. The temple was demolished after officials of the Evacuee Property Trust Board concealed facts from the board chairman about the nature of the building. When reporters from Pakistan-based newspaper Dawn tried to cover the incident, they were accosted by the henchmen of the property developer, who denied that a Hindu temple existed at the site.

Several political parties in Pakistan have objected to this move, such as the Pakistan People's party and the Pakistani Muslim League-N. The move has also evoked strong condemnation from in India from minority bodies and political parties, including the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Congress Party, as well as Muslim advocacy political parties such as the All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat. A firm of lawyers representing the Hindu minority has approached the Lahore High Court seeking a directive to the builders to stop the construction of the commercial plaza and reconstruct the temple at the site. The petitioners maintain that the demolition violates section 295 of the Pakistan Penal Code prohibiting the demolition of places of worship.

Bhutan
The Hindus of Nepalese origin have been living in Bhutan since nineteenth century. On a 1980 census, the Bhutanese Druk autocracy found a significant population of ethnic Nepalese (mostly Hindus) which they interpreted as a danger to the Druk domination. [70] The monarch imprisoned a Brahmin democratic movement leader Tek Nath Rizal and forced the Hindus "to observe dress codes and etiquette characteristic of Northern Bhutanese, under threat of punishment". The Hindus were then tortured and expelled from the nation. Approximately 103,000 of such refugees including Hindus, Kirats etc are living in Nepal, which was the only Hindu nation left when they were exiled.

In other countries
The Hindu presence in countries outside South Asia is small but growing. Historically, there have been large Hindu populations in Indonesia, Cambodia, Fiji, and the Philippines. There have been Hindus in Guyana, Suriname,and Malaysia since the 19th century. The twentieth century saw the growth of Hindu communities in Saudi Arabia, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

The persecution of Hindus have risen in several of these countries, especially in Muslim dominated countries such as Malaysia and Afghanistan.

Afghanistan
The Taliban regime in Afghanistan had committed atrocities on the Hindu minority in the country. 500 Hindu families disappeared in Afghanistan shortly after the Taliban came to power.

During the Taliban regime, Sumptuary laws were passed in 2001 which forced Hindus to wear yellow badges in public to identify themselves as such. Hindu women were forced to dress according to Islamic hijab, ostensibly a measure to "protect" them from harassment. This was part of the Taliban's plan to segregate "un-Islamic" and "idolatrous" communities from Islamic ones. In addition, Hindus were forced to mark their places of residence identifying them as Hindu homes.

The decree was condemned by the Indian and United States governments as a violation of religious freedom. Widespread protests against the Taliban regime broke out in Bhopal, India. In the United States, chairman of the Anti-Defamation League Abraham Foxman compared the decree to the practices of Nazi Germany, where Jews were required to wear labels identifying them as such. The comparison was also drawn by California Democrat and holocaust survivor Tom Lantos, and New York Democrat and author of the bipartisan 'Sense of the Congress' non-binding resolution against the anti-Hindu decree Eliot L Engel. In the United States, congressmen and several lawmakers wore yellow badges on the floor of the Senate during the debate as a demonstration of their solidarity with the Hindu minority in Afghanistan.

Indian analyst Rahul Banerjee said that this was not the first that Hindus has been singled out for state-sponsored oppression in Afghanistan. Violence against Hindus has caused a rapid depletion in the Hindu population over the years. Since the 1990s many Afghan Hindus have fled the country, seeking asylum in countries such as Germany.

Fiji
Hindus in Fiji constitute approximately 38% of the population. During the late 1990s there were several riots against Hindus by radical elements in Fiji. In the Spring of 2000, the democratically elected Fijian government led by Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry was held hostage by a guerilla group, headed by George Speight. They were demanding a segregated state exclusively for the native Fijians, thereby legally abolishing any rights the Hindu inhabitants have now. The Hindu minority are denied any land owning rights and are routinely attacked and harassed. Several dozen Hindu temples have been vandalized or destroyed by arson or looting.

The methodist church of Fiji repeatedly calls for the creation of a Christian State and has endorsed forceful conversion of Hindus after a coup d'etat in 1987.

Indonesia
Hinduism and Islam relationship in Indonesia have been benign for most parts of Indonesia due to the ingrained cultural influence. Hinduism was the indigeneous religion in Indonesia before the arrival of Islam in the 14th century, until the conversion of the local Acheh ruler to Islam. With the ruler's conversion, the majority of the people gradually converted to Islam. Islam spread east from Acheh to Java and gradually converted the people to Islam. Traces of Hindu influence remain in the Indonesia language, literature and arts. Early Hindu architecture can be seen in temples built by the Srivijaya, Kediri and Majapahit kingdoms.

In the present day, Hindus are subjected to renewed persecution to convert their faith by Christian missionary group and Christian evangelism in the temple town of Terupati has angered Hindus.Also, Hindus in Bali are persecuted by certain segments of the Muslim population.

Kazakhstan
In 2005 and 2006 Kazakh officials persistently and repeatedly tried to close down the Hare Krishna farming community near Almaty.

On November 20, 2006, three buses full of riot police, two ambulances, two empty lorries, and executors of the Karasai district arrived at the community in sub-zero weather and evicted the Hare Krishna followers from thirteen homes, which the police proceeded to demolish.

The Forum 18 News Service reported, "Riot police who took part in the destruction threw personal belongings of the Hare Krishna devotees into the snow, and many devotees were left without clothes. Power for lighting and heating systems had been cut off before the demolition began. Furniture and larger household belongings were loaded onto trucks. Officials said these possessions would be destroyed. Two men who tried to prevent the bailiffs from entering a house to destroy it were seized by 15 police officers who twisted their hands and took them away to the police car."

The Hare Krishna community had been promised that no action would be taken before the report of a state commission – supposedly set up to resolve the dispute – was made public. On the day the demolition began, the commission's chairman, Amanbek Mukhashev, told Forum 18, "I know nothing about the demolition of the Hare Krishna homes – I'm on holiday." He added, "As soon as I return to work at the beginning of December we will officially announce the results of the Commission's investigation." Other officials also refused to comment.

The United States urged Kazakhstan's authorities to end what it called an "aggressive" campaign against the country's tiny Hare Krishna community.

Malaysia
Approximately nine percent of the population of Malaysia are Tamil Indians, of whom nearly 90 percent are practicing Hindus.Indian settlers came to Malaysia from Tamil Nadu in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Between April to May 2006, several Hindu temples were demolished by city hall authorities in the country, accompanied by violence against Hindus. On April 21, 2006, the Malaimel Sri Selva Kaliamman Temple in Kuala Lumpur was reduced to rubble after the city hall sent in bulldozers .

The president of the Consumers Association of Subang and Shah Alam in Selangor State has been helping to organise efforts to stop the local authorities in the Muslim dominated city of Shah Alam from demolishing a 107-year-old Hindu temple. The growing Islamization in Malaysia is a cause for concern to many Malaysians who follow minority religions such as Hinduism.

Many Hindu advocacy groups have protested what they allege is a systematic plan of temple cleansing in Malaysia. The official reason given by the Malaysian government has been that the temples were built "illegally". However, several of the temples are centuries old[85].

On May 11, 2006, armed city hall officers from Kuala Lumpur forcefully demolished part of a 60-year-old suburban temple that serves more than 1,000 Hindus. The "Hindu Rights Action Force", a coalition of several NGO's, have protested these demolitions by lodging complaints with the Malaysian Prime Minister.

Another form of persecution is the requirement by the Malaysian government for the annual Thaipusam procession to obtain a police permit under the Internal Security Act, which by the anti-discriminatory standards of most nations, is flawed as it requires permits only for Hindu religious festivals.[citation needed]

Russia
Hindus in Russia have been subject to discrimination. For example, significant obstacles have been placed to the construcition of a Hindu temple in Moscow. It was reported that some influential official of Russian Orthodox Church propagated misinformation and defamation, e.g., describing Krishna as an "evil demon".

Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia is an Islamic theocracy, and officially does not tolerate any other religion. Hindus are considered polytheists by Islamic law, which is used as a justification for greater discrimination in calculating accidental death or injury compensation. According to the country's "Hanbali" interpretation of Shari'a, Hindus receive 1/16 of the amount a male Muslim receives.

On April 1 2005, Saudi authorities demolished a clandestine makeshift Hindu temple in an old district of Riyadh and deported three worshipers found there, in act that is considered as persecuting Hindus by Paul Marshall.

Trinidad
Indians, predominantly Hindus, came as indentured laborers in 1838 to British Guyana and later to Trinidad, Jamaica, Grenada, St. Lucia, Martinique, Guadeloupe and Surinam. During the initial decades of Indian indenture, Indian cultural forms met with either contempt or indifference by the Christian majority. Hindus have made many contributions to Trinidad history and culture even though the state historically regarded Hindus as second-class citizens. Hindus in Trinidad struggled over the granting of adult franchise, the Hindu marriage bill, the divorce bill, cremation ordinance, and others.After Trinidad's independence from colonial rule, Hindus were marginalized by the African-based People's National Movement. The opposing party, the People's Democratic party, was portrayed as a "Hindu group", and other anti-Hindu tactics were used against them. Hindus were castigated as a "recalcitrant and hostile minority". Hindus were alienated by such Christian communal groups. The support of the PNM government to creole art forms in Carnivals, while their public rejection and ridicule of Hindu art forms, was a particular source of contention for the Hindu minority. The displacement of PNM from power in 1985 would improve the situation.

There has been persistent discontent among the Hindus with their marginalization. Many Christianized groups portray Hindus as "clannish, backward and miserly".During the General Elections of 1986, the absence of the Bhagavad Gita and the Quran at polling stations for required oath-taking was interpreted as a gross insult to Hindus and Muslims. The absence of any Hindu religious texts at the official residence of the President of Trinidad and Tobago during the swearing in of the new Government in 1986 was perceived as another insult to the minority communities since they were represented in the government.The exclusivist Christian symbolism operative in the country's top national award, the Trinity Cross, has persistently stung Hindu religious sensibility. This was to climax in 1995 with the refusal of the Hindu Dharmaacharya to accept the award, while issuing a statement that his action should be seen as an opportunity for those in authority to create a national award that recognizes the plurality of religious beliefs in this country. The national education system and curriculum have been repeatedly accused of such majority-oriented symbolism. The use of discernibly Christian-oriented prayers at Government schools, the non-representation of Hinduism in approved school textbooks, and the lack of emphasis on Hindu religious observace evoked deep resentment from the Hindu community. Intensified protests over the course of the 1980s led to an improvement in the state's attitudes towards Hindus[89].The divergence of some of the fundamental aspects of local Hindu culture, the segregation of the Hindu community from Trinidad, and the disinclination to risk erasing the more fundamental aspects of what had been constructed as "Trinidad Hinduism" in which the identity of the group had been rooted, would often generate dissension when certain dimensions of Hindu culture came into contact with the State. While the incongruences continue to generate debate, and often conflict, it is now tempered with growing awareness and consideration on the part of the state to the Hindu minority. Hindus have been also been subjected to persistent proselytization by Christian missionaries. Specifically the evangelical and Pentecostal Christians. Such activities reflect racial tensions that at times arise between the Christianized Afro-Trinidadian and Hindu Indo-Trinidadian communities.

United States
The rise of the Indian American community in the United States has brought about some isolated incidences of attacks on them, as has been the case with many minority groups in the United States. Attacks specific to Hindus in the United States stem from what is often referred to as the "racialization of religion" among Americans, a process that begins when certain phenotypical features associated with a group and attached to race in popular discourse become associated with a particular religion or religions.

In the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks in the United States, Indian American Hindus in the United States, together with adherents of other religions from the same community of the Indian Americans (mainly Muslims and Sikhs), have faced isolated instances of attacks on them, often for "looking Middle-Eastern" or being mistaken for Muslims. Notable instances include the attack on a Hindu temple dedicated to Krishna in Matawan, New Jersey which involved firebombing with a Molotov cocktail and instances of some Hindus being verbally assasulted and/or harassed.

Belarus
The tiny Hindu communities of Belarus have seen some of the worst persecutions in former Soviet Union. Most of the Hindus are either imprisoned in the notorious jails or are living as refugees in USA and other countries. See Also: Light of Kailasa - The first Hindu movement in Belarus.

Wake up People-HINDUS….. We have to prove that we are BEST.

Ice lingam at Amarnath to reduce its size by one-tenth

2007-06-28T22:12:00.000-07:00

Due to rapid melt-down and if the mercury continues to raise then the size of Ice-Lingam (Lord Shiva) size will keep on decreasing. Weather will affects the shape and size of the ice lingam. Due to rising temperature around the cave shrine the size and height of the lingam has reduced considerably.

Four lakh devotees are on their way to visit the lingam not withstanding the weather vagaries.

The temperature in Srinagar has shown an upward trend in the past week and today's maximum temperature shot up to 32.5 degree celsius making it the hottest day of the season so far.

The minimum temperature rose to 20.1 degrees which is four degrees above normal.

Mummy of Egyptian Queen Hatshepsut found?

2007-06-28T04:08:00.000-07:00

Hatshepsut was the fifth pharaoh of the Eighteenth dynasty of ancient Egypt. She is considered by many historians to have been the most powerful and successful woman in ancient Egypt.

The attempt failed as evidence of her reign survived but the attempted historical revisionism of Thutmose III may have inspired Hatshepsut' s supporters to move her mummy to a safer location.

Really we found her... Mystery mummy is lost female pharoah. She use to dress like a man and wearing a false beard. But when her rule ended, all traces of her mysteriously disappeared, including her mummy. Reason behind it as said that her stepson (Thutmose III) damage all trace after her death. Statues and monuments to her were destroyed and she was written out of the official histories.

Hatshepsut was behind of this Discovered in 1903 in the Valley of the Kings, the mummy was left on site until two months ago, when it was brought to the Cairo Museum for testing, Egypt's antiquities chief Zahi Hawass said. DNA bone samples taken from the mummy's pelvic bone and femur are being compared with the mummy of Queen Hatshepsut's grandmother, Amos Nefreteri, said molecular geneticist Yehia Zakaria Gad, who was part of Hawass' team."

Hatshepsut is really the one, that is good for the world of History to add her and give her due back as adding her in our world history page.

Interface Announces Pending Sale of Its Fabrics Division

2007-06-20T04:53:00.000-07:00

Interface, Inc. (Nasdaq: IFSIA), a worldwide floorcoverings and fabrics company, today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell its fabrics division in an all-cash transaction valued at up to $70 million. The division, known as InterfaceFABRIC, is a leading producer of interior fabrics and upholstery products, which it markets under the Guilford of Maine(R), Chatham(R) and Terratex(R) brands, and provides specialized automotive textile solutions.

The fabrics division will be sold to an affiliate of Sun Capital Partners, a leading private investment firm. According to the terms of the agreement, Interface will receive approximately $63.5 million in cash proceeds at the closing of the transaction, with potential for an additional $6.5 million in cash proceeds, subject to the division meeting certain performance metrics over the subsequent six to eighteen months period. The transaction is expected to close during the third quarter, subject to regulatory review and other customary closing conditions.

Upon closing, the transaction is expected to be accretive to Interface's results by approximately $0.05 to $0.08 per diluted share on an annualized basis. In the second quarter of 2007, the Company expects to reflect the fabrics division as discontinued operations in its financial statements, and record an after-tax, non-cash loss of approximately $9.0 million, or $0.15 per diluted share, as well as other after-tax exit costs and expenses estimated at $5.0 million, or $0.08 per diluted share, as a result of the transaction (of these exit costs and expenses, the Company estimates that between $3.8 million to $6.0 million represent pre-tax cash costs and expenses). The final loss and expenses related to the disposition will be determined after the closing of the transaction based upon the closing balance sheet of the division.

For the full year 2006, the fabrics division generated revenue of $161.2 million and an operating loss of $27.3 million, and had depreciation and amortization of $9.4 million. These full year 2006 results include the operations of Interface's former European fabrics business, which was sold in April 2006. The divested European fabrics business accounted for sales of $17.3 million and an operating loss (after a $20.7 million goodwill impairment charge) of $19.6 million in 2006.

Source: Interface, Inc.

Unifi Announces Venues for Analysts' Briefings

2007-02-03T07:12:00.000-08:00

Unifi, Inc. (NYSE: UFI) announced last week on its second quarter earnings conference call that the Company is planning on conducting a series of analysts' briefings at the end of February. From the responses the Company has received, the following is a schedule of the locations planned:

Monday, February 19th, 2007 -- New York
Wednesday, February 21st, 2007 -- California (San Francisco-Tentative)
Thursday, February 22nd, 2007 -- California (Los Angeles-Tentative)

Analysts interested in attending one of these briefings should contact Rebecca Landas directly at (336) 316-5676 or rlandas@unifi.com.

Unifi, Inc. (NYSE: UFI) is a diversified producer and processor of multi- filament polyester and nylon textured yarns and related raw materials. The Company adds value to the supply chain and enhances consumer demand for its products through the development and introduction of branded yarns that provide unique performance, comfort and aesthetic advantages. Key Unifi brands include, but are not limited to: aio(R) -- all-in-one performance yarns, Sorbtek(R), A.M.Y.(R), Mynx(R) UV, Reflexx(R), Repreve(R), MicroVista(R) and Satura(R).

Courtesy: Unifi, Inc.

Fashion religion news and articles: True Religion Apparel to Open New Branded Store at The Galleria in Houston, TX

2007-01-24T07:29:00.000-08:00

Fashion religion news and articles: True Religion Apparel to Open New Branded Store at The Galleria in Houston, TX

Santorini related to Atlantis ?

2006-12-21T07:58:00.000-08:00

According to my research on Santorini having relation with Atlantis, I came to know that in the year 1966 at Akroteri, a city was found on Santorini, archeologist James Maber Jr. thought that this is the lost Atlantis, the reason behind thinking of Atlantis, is when the carbon dating system was used, he found out that the city was buried by a volcano eruption, which dated around 1550 BC to 1500 BC and their Atlantis name croped up.

Some scholar rubbish this radiocarbon dating, some support it. Santorini is related to Atlantis or not, this story is in circulation for long-long time and have been passed from generation to generation, that an island was present, which was magical, divine in nature and very advance, named Atlantis.

As this was pass on orally, their were no written literature, but
during the time of Plato, the great Greek philosopher, wrote the story about Atlantis, around 375 BC. He penned the entire story, which came down from forefathers to father then to their sons.

People are divided in this issue, many says Atlantis is mythical, some
says it is extraterrestrial and some says it never existed.

Some day the truth will be out to the world, very soon.

David Kohler elected to Interface Inc BoD

2006-10-28T08:01:00.000-07:00

Interface, Inc., a worldwide floorcoverings and fabrics company, today announced the election of David Kohler to its board of directors. (This addition brings the total members of the Company's board of directors to 11, of which 9 are independent directors.) Mr. Kohler, age 40, is Group President of the Kitchen and Bath Group for Kohler Co., a global leader in the manufacture of kitchen and bath products, tile, cabinetry, engines and power generation systems, and an owner/operator of golf and spa destinations.

Mr. Kohler was previously a chairman of the National Kitchen and Bath Association's Board of Governors of Manufacturing. He is currently a member of the board of Kohler Co., and has previously served on the board of Menasha Corporation, a privately-held manufacturer. In 2004, he was named one of Builder Magazine's 50 Most Influential People in Home Building. Mr. Kohler holds a Master's degree in management from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University, and a Bachelor's degree in political science from Duke University.

Daniel T. Hendrix, President and Chief Executive Officer, commented, "We are very pleased to welcome David to Interface's board of directors. His extensive experience in designing, manufacturing and marketing products for the consumer products and homebuilding markets, throughout North America and Asia, will be very valuable to our company as we continue to build our business. We look forward to his contributions."

Interface, Inc. is a recognized leader in the worldwide interiors market, offering floorcoverings and fabrics. The Company is committed to the goal of sustainability and doing business in ways that minimize the impact on the environment while enhancing shareholder value.

The Company is the world's largest manufacturer of modular carpet under the InterfaceFLOR, FLOR, Heuga and Bentley Prince Street brands, and, through its Bentley Prince Street brand, enjoys a leading position in the high quality, designer-oriented segment of the broadloom carpet market. The Company's InterfaceFabric business is a leading producer of interior fabrics and upholstery products, which it markets under the Guilford of Maine, Chatham and Terratex brands, and provides specialized automotive textile solutions.

Source : Interface, Inc.

Polymer Group Inc declares Management Changes

2006-10-02T10:09:00.000-07:00

Polymer Group, Inc. announced that James Schaeffer is no longer chief executive officer of the company. William Hewitt, chairman of the board of directors of the company since April 2003 and a director since March 2003, will serve as interim chief executive officer.

Hewitt, who has significant experience in various executive and director- level positions with public companies, will be assisted in leading the company by an operating committee consisting of three of PGI's senior executives. They are Michael Hale, vice president and general manager, U.S. Nonwovens; Fernando Espinosa, vice president and general manager, Latin America; and Willis "Billy" Moore III, vice president and chief financial officer.

PGI will launch a search for a successor to lead the global nonwovens company and continue its growth. The search will focus on executives who can continue the positive momentum built by PGI over the past three and one-half years.

"PGI has a strong management team that has worked hard to ensure we have the proper strategies and initiatives in place to grow and succeed in the long-term," Hewitt said. "We have a broad base of industry veterans who have been the backbone of our success to date and will be the foundation of our success going forward."

"This company has improved remarkably since I became involved three and a half years ago," Hewitt continued. "During this period, PGI has significantly improved its balance sheet and recorded successive increases in annual sales to $948.8 million for fiscal 2005. Additionally, PGI has successfully positioned itself to be able to realize a vision of becoming the leader in its industry. By no means will this event change our commitment to our mission and vision or our commitment to our employees, customers, suppliers and shareholders."

As previously announced on August 11, 2006 and as disclosed in the Company's Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended July 1, 2006, the Audit Committee of the Board began an internal investigation and engaged special counsel to assist it with the investigation of certain transactions between the Company and an equipment supplier and related matters. In particular, the investigation focused on uncertainties regarding the economic substance of 4.0 million Euros in cash proceeds to be received under the terms of two settlement agreements entered into by the Company with the equipment supplier during the quarter ended July 1, 2006, the relationship of those agreements with other services agreed to be purchased by the Company from this equipment supplier, and drafts of other contracts being negotiated with this equipment supplier. As a result of such uncertainties, the Company concluded that the appropriate accounting treatment under generally accepted accounting principles was to defer recognition of any and all income associated with the settlement agreements until such uncertainties were resolved. Therefore, no financial statement recognition was attributed to the settlement agreements by the Company as of and for the three and six month periods ended July 1, 2006.

As a result of the investigation, it was determined that the relationship of the settlement agreements to other services agreed to be purchased by the Company from the equipment supplier and other contracts being negotiated with the equipment supplier appear not to have been fully or fairly reported to the Company's Chief Financial Officer, other members of management of the Company responsible for the preparation of the Company's financial statements, and the Board.

After being advised of these circumstances, the Board determined that it no longer had confidence in the ability of Mr. Schaeffer to continue in his capacity as CEO and Board member and asked for his resignation. Pending receipt of his resignation, the Board has relieved Mr. Schaeffer of his duties as CEO. Mr. Schaeffer does not hold a position on any Committee of the Board. The Board also asked for the resignation of James Snyder, Vice President of Global Purchasing, whose activities were also included in the investigation, and pending receipt of his resignation, the Board has relieved him of his duties as an officer of the Company.

With respect to the financial statement recognition attributed to the settlement agreements, the results of the investigation further confirm the appropriateness of the accounting conclusions previously reached by the Company as described above and as more fully detailed in Note 18 to the Company's Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended July 1, 2006. Accordingly, the Company has concluded that the financial statements for all prior periods fairly present, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the Company, and that no restatement of any such prior period financial statements is required.

Hewitt's previous management positions include president and CEO of The Union Corporation (NYSE), a leading credit and receivables management firm that was sold in 1998 to Outsourcing Solutions Inc. Prior to The Union Corporation, he was a founder and executive vice president of First Manhattan Consulting Group, which serves the financial services industry; a founding vice president of ROI Consulting, where he managed large technology projects; and a department manager and large project manager at TRW. He is currently board chairman of Global Vantedge and has been a member of the board of directors of Rexene Chemical (NYSE), OSI, and Zibex.

Polymer Group, Inc., one of the world's leading producers of nonwovens, is a global, technology-driven developer, producer and marketer of engineered materials. With the broadest range of process technologies in the nonwovens industry, PGI is a global supplier to leading consumer and industrial product manufacturers. The company operates 22 manufacturing facilities in 10 countries throughout the world.

Courtesy : Polymer Group, Inc.

True Religion Apparel to Open 2nd Los Angeles Store on N. Robertson Boulevard

2006-09-09T09:18:00.000-07:00

True Religion Apparel Inc announced the continued retail expansion for its growing lifestyle apparel collection with the signing of a new store lease in Los Angeles. This will be the second True Religion Brand Jeans store to open in the Los Angeles area following the December 2005 opening in Manhattan Beach.

This new store will be located on arguably the trendiest street in Los Angeles - N. Robertson Boulevard. Described as "the Mecca for hip Los Angeles," N. Robertson Boulevard houses such high-end boutiques as Madison, Lisa Kline, Nanette Lepore, MAC, Maxfield Blue, Les Habitudes, Ted Baker and Armani Casa, as well as one of the best known restaurants in Los Angeles, The Ivy, known as the place for celebrity spotting.

The N. Robertson store will be the third full-price store retail lease signed this year following one in New York's SoHo shopping district, and one on Collins Avenue in Miami's South Beach, and is expected to open after the SoHo and South Beach stores, which currently are scheduled in the fourth quarter of 2006.

This new store, with 1,226 square feet of selling space, will carry the entire True Religion line of clothing, including Men's, Women's, and Kid's denim jeans, jackets, shirts, T-shirts, skirts, fleece hoodies and pants, as well as the increasingly expanding line of sportswear, including knits, wovens, loungewear and outerwear.

"N. Robertson has always been high on our list of the most desirable retail locations as it combines the exclusiveness of Beverly Hills and the cutting edge coolness of Melrose Avenue," said Michael Buckley, president of True Religion Apparel, Inc. "Our True Religion customer already shops here, so we are simply making our products even more accessible."

"Robertson is one of the top shopping streets in Los Angeles, attracting celebrity clientele and the most fashionable Angelenos and international tourists to this hip retail location," said Jeff Lubell, chairman and chief executive officer. "This is yet another example of our team's commitment to identifying and executing the opportunities that complement our lifestyle collection and our growth strategy."

True Religion Apparel, Inc. is a growing, design-based premium global lifestyle brand. The company designs, manufactures and markets True Religion Apparel products, including its premium True Religion Brand Jeans.

Its expanding product line, which includes high quality distinctive styling and fit, may be found in premier department stores and boutiques in 50 countries including the United States, Canada, Germany, United Kingdom, France, Spain, Scandanavia, Greece, Italy, Mexico, South America, Australia, South Africa, the Middle East, Korea, Japan, and China.

Source : True Religion Apparel, Inc

Louis LVMH delivers excellent results for the first half of 2006 - Operating profit rises 35% - Net profit improves 46%

2006-09-09T09:06:00.000-07:00

LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, the world’s leading luxury products group, recorded a 19% increase in profit from recurring operations during the first half of 2006 and a 35% increase in operating profit.

Each of the business groups recorded double-digit growth in profit from recurring operations, a performance which is even more noteworthy in view of the strong growth in the first half of 2005.

Group share of net profit grew 46% compared to the first half of 2005. This increase was mainly attributable to the Group’s improved operating profitability and financial results.

Bernard Arnault, Chairman and CEO of LVMH, commented:
“Our performance during the first half of the year once again demonstrates the exceptional appeal of our brands as well as the coherence and effectiveness of our strategy. The Group again recorded double-digit growth in its results and continued to improve its profitability. Revenue growth over the summer has continued the trend we saw at the beginning of the year. Numerous product launches alongside growth of our core brands, both in our traditional markets and in the emerging countries, should allow LVMH to continue its progress in the second half of the year in a well oriented economic environment. All these elements enable us to confirm our objective of a very significant increase in results for 2006.”

Wines & Spirits: continued growth in volumes

Wines & Spirits achieved an 11% increase in profit from recurring operations in the first half of 2006. A strong innovation program, combined with sustained marketing, was carried out during the period. Progress in high potential countries, notably China and Russia, accelerated while recently acquired brands, Glenmorangie and Belvedere, pursued their repositioning and expansion in core markets.
The Wines & Spirits brands have collectively achieved a remarkable performance driven by strong growth in sales volumes. Moët & Chandon and Dom Pérignon enjoyed significant growth in Japan. Veuve Clicquot benefited from particularly strong demand in Europe and in the United States.
Hennessy cognac confirmed its momentum in its target markets, notably the United States and China, and its premium qualities enjoyed the highest levels of growth.

Fashion & Leather Goods: continued exceptional growth of Louis Vuitton

Fashion & Leather Goods improved profit from recurring operations by 13%, taking the operating margin above 30% in the first half of 2006.
With double-digit organic growth in revenue, Louis Vuitton continues to reinforce its market position and to deliver exceptional profitability. Its performance in Europe and in Asia was particularly strong. The success of its new leather goods lines, which already have waiting lists around the world, and the launch of its first eyewear collection, illustrate Louis Vuitton’s impressive creative abilities.
Fendi’s performance was sustained by the excellent reception to its Spring-Summer 2006 collection; with the B.Fendi bag being one of the leading products of the season. The brand has developed its store network and has improved its profitability. Loewe, Marc Jacobs and Donna Karan are also progressing well.

Perfumes & Cosmetics: success of innovations

Perfumes & Cosmetics posted an 80% increase in profit from recurring operations. Parfums Christian Dior continued to win market share and improved profitability. All product categories have seen good momentum throughout all markets. The exceptional launch of its skincare product Capture Totale, the continued progress of J’Adore and the remarkable success of the make-up range have been the main drivers behind the development of the brand. Guerlain has confirmed its momentum in its target markets in the first half of 2006, in particular in Asia and Europe. Its new skincare range, Orchidée Impériale, has been enormously successful. Parfums Givenchy has benefited from the strong performance of Very Irresistible and BeneFit continues to develop rapidly.

Watches & Jewelry: strong growth in profitability

Watches & Jewelry has seen a strong rise in its results, more than doubling its recurring operating margin, which now exceeds 10%.

TAG Heuer had strong growth during the period in both revenue and profit. The brand highlighted its move towards the high end of the market with its Carrera, Link and Aquaracer lines and made significant gains in market share. Zenith had good momentum with the successful launch of Class Open. Montres Dior confirmed the considerable success of the Christal line. Chaumet continued to advance with the success of the automatic watch Dandy.

Selective Retailing: further improvement in results

DFS continued to focus on gaining Asian clientele and maintained rigorous control of costs despite the weakness of the Yen. Sephora performed remarkably in Europe and in the United States, continuing to win market share and further improving its profitability.

Outlook for 2006

Revenue in July and August 2006 confirms the continuation of the Group’s growth trend experienced since the beginning of the year. In a well oriented economic environment, LVMH will continue to grow thanks to the Group’s global market leadership and its numerous new product launches planned before the end of the year. All the above factors allow the Group to confirm its objective of a very significant increase in results for 2006.

Our policy of focusing on quality across our entire product range, combined with the dynamism and unparalleled creativity of our teams will enable us, once again in 2006, to reinforce LVMH’s global leadership position in luxury products.

An interim dividend payment of 0.30 Euros will be paid on December 1, 2006.

Source : Louis Vutton (LVMH Goup)

Tandy Leather Factory Inc Reports 5% Sales up in August

2006-09-09T08:58:00.000-07:00

Tandy Leather Factory Inc reported that sales for the month of August were $4.4 million, an increase of 5% from $4.2 million last year. Year to date sales are up 10% to $36.1 million in the current year from $32.9 million last year.

Retail Leathercraft posted a 13% sales increase for August, with sales totaling $1.7 million compared to $1.5 million in August 2005. The 46 comparable stores' sales were flat for the month. The 16 stores opened since July 2005 added August sales of $271,000. Year-to-date sales for Retail Leathercraft are $14.1 million this year, a 22% increase over sales of $11.2 million for the same period of 2005. As of the end of August, the same store sales gain for the 42 comparable stores is 7% for the year.

Wholesale Leathercraft posted sales of $2.6 million for August. Within the Wholesale Leathercraft division, the comparable wholesale centers' sales were $2.1 million for August, down 2% from August 2005 sales. The National Account group's sales were up 5% from August 2005. For the year to date, Wholesale Leathercraft sales are $20.9 million compared to $20.5 million in 2005, an increase of 1.8%.

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Wray Thompson, commented, "August was another tough sales month, particularly at our Tandy Leather retail stores. However, as we had indicated previously, we were not expecting great sales results in August. We still believe we will finish the quarter with a strong September, which will start the momentum for the holiday shopping season."

Tandy Leather Factory, Inc., headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, is a specialty retailer and wholesale distributor of a broad product line including leather, leatherworking tools, belt buckles and adornments, leather dyes and finishes, saddle and tack hardware, and do-it-yourself kits.

The Company distributes its products as The Leather Factory through its wholesale distribution centers and as Tandy Leather Company through its retail stores. Its common stock trades on the American Stock Exchange with the symbol "TLF."

Source : Tandy Leather Factory, Inc.

Award-Winning Zihaad Wells to blow creative as Design Director

2006-08-27T00:21:00.000-07:00

To further enhance its burgeoning design talent, True Religion Apparel Inc announced the appointment of Zihaad Wells to the newly created position of design director, reporting directly to founder and CEO, Jeffrey Lubell. Wells, a premium denim and casual lifestyle veteran, earned wide acclaim as a progressive and innovative designer at Levi Strauss & Co. Europe, where he was part of the leadership responsible for engineering the successful Levi's Red and Levi's Vintage clothing concepts, as well as Levi's Type One, paving the way for that company's remarkable achievements with those product lines in Europe.

"Few designers are as intimately knowledgeable about the history of denim as Zihaad and we believe he brings to True Religion an insatiable drive to push the boundaries of design, silhouette, fabric and finish to bring about product innovation," said Jeff Lubell, chairman and chief executive officer. "Additionally, he has a unique talent for being at the forefront of emerging trends and for interpreting a distinctive design perspective in the collections that he develops. We are ecstatic to welcome Zihaad to our team."

"We were struck by his innovative ideas and his presence as a leader in the design room," said Michael Buckley, president. "Zihaad is a creative manager with a thorough understanding of the branded denim market and has experience working closely with every aspect of the production process - crucial as we expand our collections to become a premium global lifestyle brand."

Wells, 31, began his fashion design career in 1998 with Levi Strauss & Co. and became one of the company's youngest designers. He progressed quickly to senior designer and was appointed creative manager in 2004, directing both the men's and women's casual wear product lines with a focus on denim. During his tenure at Levi's, Wells received an excellence award for the development and success of Levi's Red and Levi's Type One jeans product lines and handled the redesign and fit of the 501 jean.

Wells holds a bachelor of arts degree with honors and an ND in fashion design and technology from the London College of Fashion. He is a member of the Royal Society of Arts and received the RSA Design Award in 1998.

True Religion Apparel, Inc. is a growing, design-based premium global lifestyle brand. The company designs, manufactures and markets True Religion Apparel products, including its premium True Religion Brand Jeans. Its expanding product line, which includes high quality distinctive styling and fit, may be found in premier department stores and boutiques in 50 countries including the United States, Canada, Germany, United Kingdom, France, Spain, Scandinavia, Greece, Italy, Mexico, South America, Australia, South Africa, the Middle East, Korea, Japan, and China.

Source : True Religion Apparel Inc

United States : Xerium Technologies declares Management Appointments

2006-07-30T06:08:00.000-07:00

Xerium Technologies Inc , a leading global manufacturer of clothing and roll covers used primarily in the paper production process, today announced the appointments of Josef Mayer to Executive Vice President--Business Development and Joan "John" Badrinas Ardevol to President--Clothing Europe, effective July 26, 2006. The Company has also reorganized its European clothing management structure along functional lines, representing a move away from the regional structure that had been in place previously.

Mr. Mayer, 55, has served as Xerium's President--Clothing Europe since 2003 and president of the Company's clothing business in Germany since 2001. From 2003 through 2005, Mr. Mayer also had responsibility for the company's Asia Pacific clothing operations. Mr. Badrinas, 52, joins Xerium Technologies from Trelleborg AB, where he was the President of Trelleborg Automotive Europe since 2000.

Thomas Gutierrez, Xerium's Chief Executive Officer, said, "Josef has been spending an increasing amount of his time on business development opportunities for the Company, and this appointment reflects the importance of that role to the Company overall. The addition of John Badrinas to the management team allows Josef to focus full-time on these opportunities. I expect that Josef's deep knowledge of and experience in the paper industry, particularly in Europe but also globally, will be a great asset in his new position. We are delighted to welcome John to Xerium. He is a proven leader with a demonstrated ability to run a significant European business unit of a multi-national organization. We believe that the move to a functional management structure for the European clothing business, a move which Josef had started, will enhance the efficiency and focus of that business."

The Company also announced its plans for Stewart Hay to assume the newly created position of Vice President of Advanced Process and Product Development in the third quarter of 2006. Mr. Hay, 45, who is expected to move to the Company's headquarters in North Carolina, has been in charge of the Company's clothing operations in Japan since July 2004. Mr. Hay's responsibilities in Japan would then be assumed by existing management in the Company's Australia/Asia operations.

Mr. Gutierrez said, "I am excited about this new role for Stewart. He has significant research and development experience in the industry, and this new position will allow us to better utilize those skills on a company-wide basis."

Xerium Technologies, Inc is a leading global manufacturer and supplier of two types of products used primarily in the production of paper: clothing and roll covers. The Company, which operates around the world under a variety of brand names, owns a broad portfolio of patented and proprietary technologies to provide customers with tailored solutions and products integral to production, all designed to optimize performance and reduce operational costs. With 36 manufacturing facilities in 15 countries around the world, Xerium Technologies has approximately 3,900 employees.

Source : Xerium Technologies, Inc

United States: True Religion Apparel to continue retail expansion

2006-07-25T08:06:00.000-07:00

True Religion Apparel, Inc. (Nasdaq:TRLG) today said it is continuing the retail expansion for its growing lifestyle apparel collection with the signing of a new store lease in Miami Beach's fashionable South Beach community. The Miami Beach, Florida location follows on the heels of a proposed store in New York's SoHo district and is expected to open concurrently in December 2006, in time for the Christmas shopping season.

The store with 2,000 square feet of selling space will be located on Collins Avenue, among other high-end stores such as Intermix, Nicole Miller, MAC Cosmetics and Barney's. The store will carry the entire True Religion line of clothing, including Men's, Women's, and Kid's denim jeans, jackets, western shirts, T-shirts, skirts, fleece hoodies and pants, as well as the increasingly expanding line of sportswear, including knits and wovens.

"Expanding our retail store base is an important component of our growth strategy, and we are excited about establishing a presence in the vibrant South Beach shopping district," said Michael Buckley, president of True Religion Apparel. "This brings the number of stores that will be showcasing the entire True Religion collection to three by year-end and keeps us on pace for continued expansion in 2007."

"Arguably, Miami's South Beach is this country's French Riviera or Ipanema Beach, attracting a high level of fashion savvy U.S. and international tourists to this one-of-a-kind retail location," said Jeff Lubell, chairman and chief executive officer. "This is an excellent example of our team's ability to identify and execute on opportunities that complement our lifestyle collection and growth strategy."

True Religion Apparel, Inc. is a growing, design-based lifestyle brand. The company designs, manufactures and markets True Religion Apparel products, including its premium True Religion Brand Jeans. Its expanding product line, which includes high quality distinctive styling and fit, may be found in premier department stores and boutiques in North America, Europe the Middle East and Japan.

Source : True Religion Apparel, Inc.

United States : kimberly-Clark to transmit Q2 2006 earnings conference call

2006-07-21T22:15:00.000-07:00

Kimberly-Clark Corporation will webcast a discussion of its second quarter 2006 results at 9 a.m. CDT on Wednesday, July 26. Chairman and CEO Thomas Falk and Senior Vice President and CFO Mark Buthman will participate in the live webcast. A news release detailing the results will be issued via PR Newswire and First Call earlier that same day.

A link to the broadcast and related presentation slides will be provided through the Investors section of Kimberly-Clark's Web site at www.kimberly-clark.com. The webcast will be available for replay for approximately three weeks through the link provided on the Web site.

Kimberly-Clark will continue to post the date of future quarterly earnings releases and related webcasts on its Web site. Interested stockholders and others should monitor the Web site for these announcements.

Kimberly-Clark and its well-known global brands are an indispensable part of life for people in more than 150 countries. Every day, 1.3 billion people--nearly a quarter of the world's population--trust K-C brands and the solutions they provide to enhance their health, hygiene and well-being. With brands such as Kleenex, Scott, Huggies, Pull-Ups, Kotex and Depend, Kimberly-Clark holds the No. 1 or No. 2 share position in more than 80 countries.

United States : Amazon.com to Webcast Q2 2006 Financial Results Conference Call

2006-07-16T22:10:00.000-07:00

Amazon.com Inc announced today that it will hold a conference call to discuss its second quarter 2006 financial results on July 25, 2006, at 2:00 p.m. PT/5:00 p.m. ET.

The event will be webcast live, and the audio and associated slides will be available for at least three months thereafter at www.amazon.com/ir.

Source : Amazon.com Inc

United States : Tandy Leather Factory to Open Retail Store in Minnesota

2006-07-16T07:09:00.000-07:00

Tandy Leather Factory Inc announced that its new Tandy Leather retail store opens next week in St. Paul, MN. This new store completes the company's twelve planned store openings in 2006 and brings the number of Tandy Leather retail stores to 62. The store will be located at 1614 White Bear Avenue.

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Wray Thompson, commented, "We have been pleased with the performance of our Minneapolis store and expect similar results from the St. Paul store. Jason Pate, a 15-year leatherworker who managed stores for the former Tandy Leather for 6 years, will be managing the store."

Tandy Leather Factory Inc, headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, is a specialty retailer and wholesale distributor of a broad product line including leather, leatherworking tools, buckles and adornments for belts, leather dyes and finishes, saddle and tack hardware, and do-it-yourself kits. The Company distributes its products as The Leather Factory through its wholesale distribution centers and as Tandy Leather Company through its retail stores.

Source : Tandy Leather Factory Inc

United States : JAKKS Pacific to declare results for Q2 2006

2006-07-16T06:50:00.000-07:00

JAKKS Pacific Inc will announce 2006 second quarter and first six month results on Wednesday, July 19, 2006. The Company will also hold a teleconference and webcast to discuss these results and may discuss future plans and prospects.

Anyone interested will be able to listen to the teleconference, scheduled to begin at 6:00 a.m. PDT (9:00 a.m. EDT) on July 19th, via the Internet at www.jakkspacific.com, www.CompanyBoardroom.com, or www.StreetEvents.com. These websites will host an archive of the teleconference for 30 days.

A telephonic playback will be available from 9:00 a.m. PDT on July 19th through 11:59 p.m. PDT on August 18th. The playback can be accessed by calling 888-266-2081, or 703-925-2533 for international callers, pass code "937169."

JAKKS Pacific Inc is a multi-brand company that designs and markets a broad range of toys and consumer products. The product categories include: Action Figures, Art Activity Kits, Stationery, Writing Instruments, Performance Kites, Water Toys, Sports Activity Toys, Vehicles, Infant/Pre-School, Plush, Construction Toys, Electronics, Dolls, Dress-Up, Role Play, and Pet Toys and Accessories.

The products are sold under various brand names including JAKKS Pacific®, Play Along®, Flying Colors®, Creative Designs International(TM), Road Champs®, Child Guidance®, Pentech®, Trendmasters®, Toymax®, Funnoodle®, Go Fly a Kite®, Color Workshop®, JPI(TM) and Plug It In & Play TV Games(TM). JAKKS and THQ Inc. participate in a joint venture that has worldwide rights to publish and market World Wrestling Entertainment video games.

Source : JAKKS Pacific Inc

United States : AE Outfitters to give free movie ticket to its customers who try jeans

2006-07-10T04:53:00.000-07:00

Click here Lingerie New Style

American Eagle Outfitters announced an exciting event to reward all AE customers, as well as anyone who loves a good pair of jeans and the movies. American Eagle has formed a partnership with AMC Theatres to offer free movie tickets to the first one million customers who try on a pair of AE jeans at select American Eagle stores. The popular retail brand is creating awareness for its new line of Back To School jeans by combining two of its customers' favorite pastimes, shopping at American Eagle and going to the movies.

For two weeks starting July 11, American Eagle expects to distribute a million movie tickets in stores as customers try on AE's new collection of Back To School jeans. Everyone is also invited to visit ae.com to enter a national online sweepstakes for a chance to win a lifetime supply of AE jeans and AMC movie tickets. Full contest rules can be found at ae.com. The American Eagle/AMC Try-On movie tickets are valid at more than 300 AMC theatre locations nationwide.

"We are so proud of this season's new denim assortment that we've teamed up with AMC Theatres to thank our customers with a free movie ticket just for trying on a pair of our new AE jeans," said Susan McGalla, president and chief merchandising officer for the AE brand.

This season's new Back to School denim selection features more than six new cool cuts and a variety of new washes including:

Women's Fits:

* Skinny 77 -- This is the must have fit of the season, featured in all the magazines. City chic with heels or boho and down to earth with warm fuzzy boots and flats, this fit is tapered and long. Perfect for dancing all night or hanging with friends all day

* Straight 77 -- This fit is similar to the skinny, offering the same silhouette in the waist and hips, but is not as tapered giving more room from knee to ankle. It is perfect with flip flops or flats

* BOYFRIEND -- With a sexy top fit this fit sits low and straight on the waist with a wideleg. This fit is sexy but relaxed

* AE ARTIST -- This fit is the sexiest of all AE fits with an extreme low rise and slim leg. It is a fun fit that is great for going out, day to night

* HIPSTER -- AE's most classic, authentic jean. It is slim and features a clean leg. It sits slightly higher on the waist

Men's Fits:

* BOOTCUT -- This is an everyday, casual fit. It is comfortable and easy to wear

* LOW RISE BOOT -- This fit is slimmer and sexier than the regular bootcut. You can dress it up or dress it down and it looks great with a tee shirt or a blazer

* LOOSE -- This fit has the most casual, relaxed attitude of all

* LOW RISE STRAIGHT -- This fit is a modern classic. It is an easy to wear straight leg that can be dressed up or down and sits comfortably low on the waist

American Eagle Outfitters is a leading retailer that designs, markets and sells its own brand of laidback, current clothing targeting 15 to 25 year-olds, providing high-quality merchandise at affordable prices. AE's original collection includes standards like jeans and graphic Ts as well as essentials like accessories, outerwear, footwear, basics and swimwear.

American Eagle Outfitters currently operates 799 stores in 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, and 71 AE stores in Canada. AE also operates, which offers additional sizes and styles of favorite AE merchandise and ships around the world. The company plans to open MARTIN + OSA, a new sportswear concept targeting 25 to 40 year old women and men, in the fall of 2006.

Source : American Eagle Outfitters

United States : JAKKS Pacific & Pokemon USA join hand for Master Toy

2006-06-22T08:14:00.000-07:00

JAKKS Pacific, Inc. (Nasdaq:JAKK) and Pokemon USA, Inc. announced today that the two companies have signed a Master Toy licensing agreement under which JAKKS(TM) Pacific will develop, manufacture and distribute a diverse line of toys and related products based on the hugely popular Pokemon(R) brand. JAKKS Pacific and Pokemon USA will officially announce the agreement at a press conference at Pier 81 in New York City preceding the opening of the Licensing 2006 International Show.

Pokemon is the collective name for more than 380 characters that one can find, catch, train, trade, collect, and use in battle against rivals in the quest to become a Pokemon Master. With more than $25 billion in worldwide retail sales, Pokemon is a global pop culture phenomenon credited with making Japanese animation mainstream in the U.S.

Categories covered in the agreement include action figures, play sets, accessories, role-play items, plush, plug-and-play items, craft activity kits, stationery, writing instruments and seasonal products, including kites and pool toys.

"This new deal with Pokemon is an incredible milestone for JAKKS Pacific," said Stephen Berman, President and COO, JAKKS Pacific, Inc. "Pokemon, with its vast universe of characters, continues to capture children's imaginations today, for the same reasons it has over the past 10 years -- engaging story lines and universal themes like friendship and teamwork. We are extremely proud that they have chosen JAKKS as their Master Toy partner, and we are ready to take the Pokemon brand into its next phase of growth with a stellar line-up of products."

Berman continued, "JAKKS has been in the action figure business since our inception, and we know what it takes to make and keep an action figure line fresh in the market. Pokemon has all the makings of a thriving toy line because it is an evergreen brand that has built a core collector following as well as a new generation of fans."
"JAKKS Pacific, a leader of innovative toy design, has a unique understanding of what kids want. That, coupled with its speed to market, merchandising capabilities, unique product offerings and creative management, were attractive qualities that reeled us in," said Akira Chiba, President, Pokemon USA. "JAKKS' ability to manage aggressive roll-out schedules and to continually offer fresh assortments at retail keeps kids coming back for more. JAKKS' proposal for the toy line was visionary and we are thrilled to be partnering with a young, innovative company."

Pokemon just announced that beginning this fall, the ninth season of the top-rated animated TV series, Pokemon: Battle Frontier, will air on Cartoon Network. Also, on June 3rd, episodes of Pokemon Chronicles launched during the Toonami block. A new direct-to-video title, the eighth Pokemon movie, Pokemon: Lucario and the Mystery of Mew, is set for release in September. In addition, Nintendo of America will launch new video games including Pokemon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team/Blue Rescue Team for the Nintendo DS(TM) (Blue) and Game Boy(R) Advance (Red) and Pokemon Ranger for the Nintendo DS(TM).
JAKKS plans to launch the Pokemon product line in North America in Spring 2007, as well as various international territories, including Canada, South America, Central America, Mexico and more.

About Pokemon USA
Pokemon USA, Inc., a subsidiary of The Pokemon Company in Japan, manages the property outside of Asia which includes licensing, marketing, the Pokemon Trading Card Game, an animated TV series, home entertainment, the official Pokemon website, and online retail center www.pokemoncenter.com. Celebrating its 10th worldwide anniversary in 2006, Pokemon was launched in Japan in 1996 for play on Nintendo's Game Boy(R) and has since evolved into a global cultural phenomenon. Pokemon was introduced in North America in September 1998 and today is one of the most popular toy and entertainment properties in the world. For more information, visit www.pokemon.com.

About JAKKS Pacific, Inc.
JAKKS Pacific, Inc. (NASDAQ:JAKK) is a multi-brand company that designs and markets a broad range of toys and consumer products. The product categories include: Action Figures, Art Activity Kits, Stationery, Writing Instruments, Performance Kites, Water Toys, Sports Activity Toys, Vehicles, Infant/Pre-School, Plush, Construction Toys, Electronics, Dolls, Dress-Up, Role Play, and Pet Toys and Accessories. The products are sold under various brand names including JAKKS Pacific(R), Play Along(R), Flying Colors(R), Creative Designs International(TM), Road Champs(R), Child Guidance(R), Pentech(R), Trendmasters(R), Toymax(R), Funnoodle(R), Go Fly a Kite(R), Color Workshop(R), JPI(TM) and Plug It In & Play TV Games(TM). JAKKS and THQ Inc. participate in a joint venture that has worldwide rights to publish and market World Wrestling Entertainment video games. For further information, visit www.jakkspacific.com.

Source : JAKKS Pacific, Inc.

United States : Polymer Group Inc set up New Spunbond Line in North Carolina

2006-06-22T08:01:00.000-07:00

Polymer Group Inc announced it has installed a new spunbond line at its Mooresville, North Carolina facility to produce the highest quality materials available to the market for diapers and other applications.

The major plant expansion represents approximately a $40 million investment by the company and adds about 50 jobs locally. The new spunbond line will give PGI the leading hygiene market share in North America, where demand for its products continues to grow.

The engineered materials produced on the new line will be softer and lighter and have improved barrier qualities for use in diapers, feminine hygiene and incontinence products, as well as industrial filtration applications.

Elected officials from the state of North Carolina, town of Mooresville and Iredell County joined with company officials and business, community and industry leaders in opening ceremonies for the new line today. The line is currently capable of producing product and is expected to ramp up through the third quarter of 2006.

"This new spunbond line, along with our expansions around the globe, is part of a strategic growth plan," said PGI's chief executive officer James L. Schaeffer. "It's all part of growing strong and growing smart. We are growing strong by adding capacity where it's needed. And we're growing smart by driving technology and innovation."

"The company chose North Carolina for this latest expansion because of its skilled workforce and access to local research and educational facilities, the growing industry cluster of nonwovens resources in the state, and a business- friendly environment," said Mike Hale, PGI's vice president and general manager, U.S. nonwovens.

PGI also has announced plans to relocate its corporate headquarters from North Charleston, South Carolina to Charlotte, North Carolina by the end of next month, bringing together 100 employees in leadership, administration and other positions into one location. With the corporate move, PGI will employ approximately 450 workers in the state.

Polymer Group Inc, one of the world's leading producers of nonwovens, is a global, technology-driven developer, producer and marketer of engineered materials. With the broadest range of process technologies in the nonwovens industry, PGI is a global supplier to leading consumer and industrial product manufacturers. The company operates 22 manufacturing facilities throughout the world.

Source : Polymer Group Inc

United States : Smith & Wesson to present Q4 & fiscal ‘06 financial results

2006-06-13T23:15:00.000-07:00

Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation, parent company of Smith & Wesson Corp, the legendary 154-year old global provider of products and services for safety, security, protection and sport, announced that it plans to release its fourth quarter and full fiscal 2006 financial results on Thursday, June 15th 2006, after the close of the market.

The full text of the press release will be available on Smith & Wesson's Web site at http://www.smith-wesson.com under the Investor Relations section.

On Thursday, June 15th 2006, Smith & Wesson will host an analyst conference call that may include forward-looking statements. The conference call will be web cast by CCBN and is scheduled to begin at 5:00 pm Eastern Daylight Time.

Smith & Wesson Corp is one of the world's largest providers of firearms, accessories and services for the global safety, security, protection and sport markets. It also markets a variety of products including firearm safety/security devices, shooting protective gear, knives, apparel, footwear and other accessory lines.

Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation

United States : Amazon.com debutes fashionable Video Footage of M. Night Shyamalan's ''Lady in the Water'' Picture Book

2006-06-13T23:12:00.000-07:00

Never-Before-Seen Footage of Acclaimed Filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan Reading and Commenting on His Much-Anticipated Children's Bedtime Story

Amazon.com premiered exclusive video footage today of Academy Award-nominated director M. Night Shyamalan reading and commenting on his new children's book, "Lady in the Water," to be released on June 21. Beginning today, this footage is available exclusively on Amazon.com at www.amazon.com/ladyinthewater-book, and will run through the theatrical release of Warner Bros. Pictures' feature film "Lady in the Water" scheduled to open in theaters nationwide on July 21.

Originally written by M. Night Shyamalan as a bedtime story for his own children, "Lady in the Water" is an imaginative reading experience that inspires readers to observe the world around them and consider their purpose on earth. Like all of Shyamalan's work, this story offers a dark mystery with surprising twists, a touch of magic, and a powerful message at the end.

"The storybook is based on the actual bedtime story that I told my own kids, so it skews younger than the movie," said Shyamalan. "The movie is kind of intense and I really didn't hold back in terms of the suspense. But hopefully, the way the book is written, it can be something a 4- or 5-year-old can enjoy reading with their parents."

"M. Night Shyamalan has captured the attention of moviegoers around the world with his thought-provoking and inspiring cinematic productions," said Laura Porco, Amazon.com's director of media merchandising, North America. "With this book, Shyamalan proves he is just as profound a writer as he is a filmmaker. We are thrilled to provide our customers with this incredible footage of Shyamalan captivating his audience yet again, this time through the written word."

The five-minute video features him reading from the book and providing insightful commentary on how the book came to be.

"Lady in the Water" will be released on June 21. The book is currently available for pre-order on Amazon.com (www.amazon.com) for $12.23 -- a savings of 32 percent.

Amazon.com Inc, a Fortune 500 company based in Seattle, opened on the World Wide Web in July 1995 and today offers Earth's Biggest Selection. Amazon.com seeks to be Earth's most customer-centric company, where customers can find and discover anything they might want to buy online, and endeavors to offer its customers the lowest possible prices. Amazon.com and other sellers offer millions of unique new, refurbished and used items in categories such as health and personal care, jewelry and watches, gourmet food, sports and outdoors, apparel and accessories, books, music, DVDs, electronics and office, toys and baby, and home and garden.

Source : Amazon.com Inc

Canada: Hart Stores Inc Q1 sales up 15%

2006-06-13T23:10:00.000-07:00

Hart Stores Inc, an operator of mid-sized department stores, has reported sales of $28.7 million for the first quarter ended April 29th 2006, an increase $3.8 million or 15.1 percent over sales of $24.9 million in the same period last year.

The net earnings for the first quarter of fiscal 2007 were $13,000 or $0.00 per share compared to net earnings of $123,000 or $0.01 per share in the corresponding quarter in the prior year. It were affected by pre-opening expenses incurred in the opening of new stores and expenses related in the preparation of the new head office and distribution facility which was occupied during the second quarter in May.

The company opened two new stores during the quarter both in Ontario in the towns of Arnprior and Parry Sound and re-opened its store in Sudbury Ontario that had been closed due to smoke damage.

"We are pleased with the sales increase in the first quarter this year with a same store sales increase of 4.6 percent and are encouraged by the positive performance of our new stores in Ontario," said Michael Hart President and CEO of Hart Stores, "We are continuing with our planned expansion in that market with the scheduled opening of three additional locations in the fall season, situated in Hamilton, Port Colborne and Kapuskasing."

Harry Hart, Executive Chairman of Hart Stores announced, "For the fourth consecutive year, the Board of Directors is pleased to declare a dividend. This year's dividend of $0.10 per share represents a 25 percent increase over last years dividend and will be payable on July 12th 2006 to shareholders of record on June 22nd 2006."

Subsequent to the quarter end the company finalized a mortgage financing of $8 million secured by its new 220,000 square foot facility housing the new head office and distribution centre which is now fully operational. The new facility will provide the company with the infrastructure crucial to continue with its strategic expansion plans.

Hart Stores Inc operates a network of 73 mid-sized department stores under the Hart, Bargain Giant and Géant des Aubaines banners. The stores are located in secondary and tertiary markets throughout Eastern Canada where the company has established a dominant position in many of the communities that it serves.

The stores offer an extensive and differentiated selection of national and exclusive fashion apparel brands as well as family footwear, home furnishings, giftware, toys and seasonal goods.

Hart Stores Inc

United States: Timberland Company launches new footwear line

2006-06-13T22:56:00.000-07:00

Footwear maker Timberland Company has announced the introduction of a new line of advanced footwear for trail running enthusiasts under the GoLite brand.

The GoLite footwear line is inspired by the extreme challenges of sky runners and their need for ultra-light, technically advanced footwear. Gaining in popularity among mountain athletes worldwide, skyrunning is a cross-pollination of ultra-running, trail running and adventure racing at high altitudes.

Designed and developed by a specialized team within the award-winning Timberland Invention Factory, the new GoLite footwear line combines three key ingredients: the Invention Factory's focus on innovation and problem-solving, GoLite's cutting edge lightweight design ethic and long-standing commitment to the trail running category, and The Timberland company's strong footwear development capabilities.

The result is a groundbreaking new footwear formula that challenges the way outdoor athletes and the industry think about trail running shoes.

The GoLite footwear line will be unveiled at this summer's Outdoor Retailer show. The market launch is slated for spring 2007, with distribution targeted at specialty outdoor and running shops.

In connection with this, Timberland has acquired certain assets of GoLite LLC, including trademarks, for an undisclosed amount. The launch of GoLite footwear will enable the GoLite brand to serve outdoor enthusiasts from head to toe.

GoLite footwear will be managed out of Timberland's Stratham, New Hampshire headquarters and GoLite apparel, equipment, and accessories will continue to be led by GoLite founders Demetri and Kim Coupounas, operating as an independent company out of their headquarters in Boulder, Colorado.

"GoLite and Timberland are authentic outdoor brands grounded in functional and purposeful innovation," said Jeffrey Swartz, Timberland's President and CEO. "GoLite's core essence is ultra-lightweight apparel and gear that delivers the highest level of performance. They've raised the bar in the outdoor market, and we look forward to building upon this ideal in the performance trail running footwear category."

GoLite co-founder and CEO Kim Coupounas said, "Our companies share many values, including our dedication to excellence, innovation, and being good corporate citizens. We are honored to be working with a company that is a global leader in premium quality footwear and corporate social and environmental responsibility."

The GoLite footwear business will be spearheaded by industry veteran Bill Dodge, who recently joined Timberland as Senior Director, GoLite Footwear. Dodge has deep experience in leadership positions for product, brand, and new business launches with Salomon and New Balance over the last 16 years.

Reporting to Gary Smith, Senior VP and GM of Timberland's portfolio of outdoor brands, Dodge will be responsible for all aspects of the launch and sustained growth and evolution of the GoLite footwear franchise.

With this launch, the portfolio of outdoor brands being managed by Timberland now includes Timberland Outdoor Performance, GoLite footwear, Mion and SmartWool.

Timberland is a global leader in the design, engineering and marketing of premium-quality footwear, apparel and accessories for consumers who value the outdoors and their time in it. Its products are sold worldwide through wholesale channels as well as Timberland retail stores.

GoLite, based in Boulder, Colorado, sparked a lightweight revolution in 1999 when it introduced a full range of ultra-lite equipment and clothing for backpacking and other outdoor adventures that rocked the outdoor sports world. Today it sponsors professional athletes in trail running, adventuring racing, fast-packing, and thru-hiking and regularly shares ‘fast + lite’ techniques in outreach seminars around the world.

Timberland Company

United States: Quaker Fabric Reports alteration to its five year, senior secured credit facility

2006-06-06T22:18:00.000-07:00

QUAKER FABRIC CORPORATION announced an amendment to its five year, senior secured credit facility.

"We have reached agreement with our lenders on certain changes to our loan documents. These changes, including certain changes in the financial covenants in the documents, are intended to continue to provide the company with access to the capital resources needed to support its business operations and ongoing restructuring and repositioning initiatives," commented Larry A. Liebenow, Quaker's President and CEO.

Quaker also announced the retention of Alvarez & Marsal Securities, LLC (A&M), a part of Alvarez & Marsal, LLC, a New York-based global professional services firm, to advise the company in connection with a proposed refinancing, the proceeds of which would be used to provide the company with additional working capital and to repay all or a portion of the company's existing indebtedness under its senior secured credit facility.

"We remain grateful for the ongoing support of our workforce, our suppliers and our customers, as we continue to pursue our business development objectives," Mr. Liebenow added.

Quaker officials noted that the company would be making a Form 8-K filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission later this week with respect to this most recent amendment to its loan documents and its retention of A&M.

Quaker Fabric Corporation is a leading manufacturer of woven upholstery fabrics for furniture markets in the United States and abroad, and the largest producer of Jacquard upholstery fabric in the world.

SOURCE: QUAKER FABRIC CORPORATION

United States : Zumiez Inc comparable store sales progress 18.2% for four-week period

2006-06-01T03:42:00.000-07:00

Zumiez Inc a leading specialty retailer of action sports related apparel, footwear, equipment and accessories, announced that total net sales for the four-week period ended May 27, 2006 increased 39.5 percent to $15.0 million, compared to $10.7 million for the four-week period ended May 28, 2005.

The company's comparable store sales increased 18.2 percent for the four-week period, versus a comparable store sales increase of 10.2 percent in the year ago period.

To hear the Zumiez prerecorded May sales message, please dial (877) 519-4471 or (973) 341-3080, followed by the conference identification number #6130350.

Zumiez is a leading specialty retailer of action sports related apparel, footwear, equipment and accessories. Our stores cater to young men and women between ages 12-24, focusing on skateboarding, surfing, snowboarding, motocross and BMX. We currently operate 182 stores, which are primarily located in shopping malls and our web site address is www.zumiez.com.

Courtesy : Zumiez Inc

Pratt Fashion Show a preview of industry’s creative designers

2006-05-28T22:13:00.000-07:00

Pratt Institute will introduce a year’s worth of creative work by the talented students in Pratt’s Fashion Design Department at the annual Pratt Fashion Show on Wednesday, May 10.
Pratt honored designer Diane von Furstenberg at this year’s show at The Manhattan Center, located at 311 West 34th Street. The event was free and open to the public, but tickets are required. Doors opened at 4:30 p.m.

Pratt hosted a private party in honor of von Furstenberg immediately following the show from 7-9 p.m. at the Hudson Hotel, located at 356 West 58th Street in Manhattan. Attendance at the after party was limited to fashion industry professionals, special guests, and press.

The Pratt Fashion Show featured the students’ best designs, pre-selected by a panel of fashion industry critics, across several categories of apparel including women’s, men’s, children’s, evening, bridal, sportswear, lingerie, lounge, resort, and costume design.

“The Pratt Fashion Show promises to showcase designs that define the direction of the fashion industry’s future,” says Rosie DePasquale, chair of the Pratt Fashion Design Department.
“The students have been working relentlessly to ensure that the work on stage illustrates the talent and drive they embrace as young, fresh designers. The support of an icon such as Diane von Furstenberg provides a tremendous amount of inspiration to the students and reminds them of what can be achieved with dedication to the art of fashion design.”

Von Furstenberg received the first Pratt Institute Fashion Icon Award during the show in recognition of her status as one of the most influential designers in the world. Her collections are sold in the most exclusive retail stores in more than 50 countries, and her designs are sought and worn by style makers, celebrities, and chic women worldwide.

In 2005, von Furstenberg received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Council of Fashion Designers of America.

Vogue editor-at-large André Leon Talley will present the Pratt Institute Fashion Icon Award to von Furstenberg and will introduce a short video featuring the highlights of her remarkable career.

Talley initially joined Vogue in 1983 as fashion news director and also served as creative director. He was nominated for an Emmy Award for his weekly segment called “Vogue’s Talley” on Metro TV’s “Full Frontal Fashion.”

The Pratt Fashion Design Department is part of the School of Art and Design at Pratt Institute and is one of the oldest programs of its kind in the country. Applications have increased nearly 50 percent over the last five years making the program the most popular among undergraduate applicants to Pratt Institute.

Art and Design College ‘Pratt’ offering undergraduate and graduate degree programs in the schools of architecture, art and design, information and library science, and liberal arts and sciences. Pratt is located on 25 landscaped acres in the Clinton Hill section of Brooklyn and has a Manhattan campus in a large, newly renovated building on West 14th Street.

Courtesy : Pratt institute

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