Indian Govt opens doors to bloggers!!!

If you are a serious blogger, the Indian government may just open its doors to you.
India is in the process of framing rules for granting accreditation to Internet journalists and bloggers for the first time, taking a reality check on an evolving world of net writers who could shape opinion and who have already been granted access to official corridors in countries such as the US.

Read on...

I wonder when will I get the pass the same way other journalists get ;)
-Nishant

A big quake in Chile...

A powerful earthquake rattled Chile's remote northern Andes near the Bolivian border Monday, killing at least eight people and causing widespread damage at several mountain villages.
The quake had a preliminary magnitude of 7.9, according to both the US Geological Survey and Chilean officials, making it the world's third strongest temblor since a mammoth quake set off an Asian tsunami in December.
The quake struck at 6:44 p.m. and was centered in a remote, sparsely populated area in the Andes mountains, about 1,800 kilometers miles north of Santiago, the capital. (AP). Read on...

In another news there were mild tremors in Bombay too. Read on...

I myself did not experience any tremors being in Santiago which is quite at a distance form the epicentre!!!!

Teenager gives birth at 140 kph

An 18-year-old Thai gave birth in the passenger seat of a Mercedes Benz which was doing 140 km per hour (85 mph) to try to get her to hospital in time, The Nation newspaper reported on Thursday.
Juthamas Srimongkol, who was only seven months pregnant when she went into labour on Wednesday, was rushed to hospital in her father-in-law's luxury saloon, but delivered a son 19 km (12 miles) short of their destination, the newspaper said.
Doctors said both mother and baby, who weighed in at 1.8 kg (4 lb), were safe although they would be kept in hospital for around two weeks.

Read on...

Humans talking to animals - Possible!

Imagine a device that would let you "talk" with your dog or cat. One that could help you ask a cow a question or converse with a dolphin. Two Arizona scientists say computers may someday bridge the language gap between humans and other animals.

"You could have this little thing hooked to your belt and you could speak and it could be translated into animal language," says John Placer, a computer scientist at Northern Arizona University.
It sounds like pure science fiction, and at this point it is. "We're a long way off from that," says Placer. But he and biologist Con Slobodchikoff, also of NAU, are working toward this very goal. The two are applying principles of artificial intelligence and fuzzy logic to animal language systems in the hope of cracking the code.

Read on...

Online gamer murders for cyber-sabre stabbing!

This one is another article which I came across surfing Animesh's blog...

A Shanghai online game player who stabbed a competitor to death for selling his cyber-sword has been given a suspended death sentence, which in effect means life imprisonment, state media said Wednesday.

The case had created a dilemma in China where no law exists for the ownership of virtual weapons.

Qiu Chengwei, 41, stabbed competitor Zhu Caoyuan in the chest after he was told Zhu had sold his "dragon saber," used in the popular online game, "Legend of Mir 3," the China Daily said.

Read on...

Honey, I Shrunk the PC!

Scientists at the University of Arizona have discovered how to use quantum mechanics to turn molecules into working transistors in the lab, a breakthrough that might one day lead to high-powered computers the size of a postage stamp.

Results of the as-yet-unpublished study came together just weeks before Canadian researchers performed a similar feat using chemical means. That experiment appeared in the journal Nature last week. Together, the two studies could bring the final frontier in nanocomputing -- a single-molecule transistor -- considerably closer to reality.

Read on...

Anti-aging gel, blue cheese from IIT!

Question: What is common to the following?

• A chemical to prolong shelf life of fruits.
• A gel that reducing the process of aging.
• Sweet tea for diabetics.
• Blue cheese.

Answer: Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi.

Yes, IIT-Delhi has decided to monetise the research undertaken at its laboratories by taking it to the market for the benefit of consumers.

Henceforth the research at IIT-Delhi will not end up as mere articles in journals. Instead, the findings of these research projects will be converted into market-friendly products.

Read on...

Rs 24 lakh for a bottle of whisky!

Yes, you read that right. A bottle of whisky for Rs 24 lakh.

Wine major Whyte and Mackay Ltd on Tuesday announced the sale of the final bottle available from the world's most expensive limited-edition bottling of The Dalmore 62 Years Old single highland malt scotch whisky for £30,000 (approx Rs 23.80 lakh).

The bottle, dubbed 'The Matheson', was the last in a limited- edition bottling to be sold. The company also sold two bottles of The Dalmore 50 Years Old.

Read on..

I just hope that the normal cost whisky doesn't reach this high ;) A lot of us including me will be deeply hurt :D

- Nishant

Blond Lalu!

Lalu... As soon as this name rings in my ears, a lot emotions dwell up in my heart and one of them is Laughter also...

To add to the long list of wiered news attached with the India's most controversial politician, rediff is reporting a sale of a doll with blond hair named Laluji!!!

Read on and do post some comments...

Another huge cyber criminal act

This morning I read this post at Animesh's blog and it really gave me shivers about the amount of damage our perfunctory behaviour or laziness can do... Thanks Animesh....

Shamelessly copying the article here :)

Business Week is reporting on a crackdown by the feds on a group of hackers called the ShadowCrew.

I strongly recommend that all of you read this article till the end and realize that installing a firewall and antivirus is not an optional thing anymore.Also, please update your software timely.

Please do not ignore the flashing windows update icon on your desktop.
Interestingly, most of these things are free.Windows Update - Please update your windows machines regularly. Turn on that auto update.
or better
Install Linux

Also, Install Firefox to surf the web instead of Internet Explorer.

Install Thunderbird to check your mail instead of outlook.

Remember to use Ad-Aware and Spybot periodically to check your system for spyware.Install Sygate Firewall.
The Free version [linked here] is also very easy to useInstall AVG anti-virus. The linked version is also free.So you see, you can secure your system for free.. it is easy and simple.. just like you can secure your home with a few simple practices [like locking your main door]Please post a comment if you think this blurb from me was helpful.. or if you think something was missing.

I am going to follow all the precautions suggested by Animesh in my new laptop which will be with me soon, hope you guys also do the same :).

- Nishant

Too SeXXXy for Dot-Com!!!

The internet's primary oversight body approved a plan Wednesday to create a virtual red-light district, setting the stage for pornographic websites to use new addresses ending in "xxx."
Adult-oriented sites, a $12 billion industry, probably could begin buying "xxx" addresses as early as fall or winter depending on ICM's plans, ICANN spokesman Kieran Baker said. The new pornography suffix was among 10 under consideration by the regulatory group, which also recently approved addresses ending in "jobs" and "travel."
"It will further help to protect kids," said John Morris, staff counsel at the Washington-based Center for Democracy and Technology. Morris predicted some adult sites will choose to buy "xxx" web addresses but others will continue to use dot-com.
Read on...