Super Star Rajni

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2011-11-30T14:29:00.000-08:00

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10-man England suffer defeat in Ukraine

2009-10-10T15:55:00.000-07:00

World Cup - England winning run ended by Ukraine

England's unblemished record in World Cup qualifying was spoiled as a 10-man side lost to Ukraine.
Ukraine beat 10-man England 1-0 at the Dnipro Stadium to end Fabio Capello's unblemished record in World Cup qualifying Group 6.
Serhiy Nazarenko's deflected strike in the 29th minute gave his side a crucial victory in their bid to secure a play-off place.
Robert Green was sent off in the 16th minute after bringing down Artem Milevskiy for a penalty and although Andriy Shevchenko missed the resulting spot kick, Oleksiy
Mikhailichenko's side held on for a deserved win to end England's eight-match winning run.
A frenetic opening to the match came to a head when goalkeeper Green was shown the red card for upending Milevskiy after the forward stole in behind Rio Ferdinand.
But Shevchenko proceeded to find the outside of the post from the spot as England were handed a reprieve in Dnipropetrovsk. The warning was not heeded.
Aaron Lennon was England's most potent outlet in the opening 10 minutes but the Tottenham winger had to make way for David James in the wake of Green's dismissal as England lost their shape and attacking drive.
Capello's side have been lauded for their unerring efficiency so far in the campaign, but their first-half performance was less clinical than chaotic.
Ukraine had six attempts on target compared to England's one as Nazarenko gave Ashley Cole a torrid time down the hosts' right and one such effort from the edge of the area took a wicked deflection off the left-back to beat the helpless James as the midfielder capped a fine display.
Frank Lampard came tantalisingly close to drawing the visitors level moments after Nazarenko's opener, but he slid his shot wide of Andrei Pyatov and the far post after being put through by Steven Gerrard.
The dangerous Milevskiy then struck the post with a rasping shot from 25 yards which had James comprehensively beaten on the half-hour as the forward almost doubled Ukraine's lead.
The fluid play which marked out England's eight wins from successive matches was not apparent as their fragmented forward play yielded a scarce amount of clear-cut chances.
Gerrard made way for James Milner as Capello reshuffled his side's formation with Rooney supporting the increasingly isolated Emile Heskey, who was later replaced by Carlton Cole, but the Italian could not fashion a tangible improvement.
Yaroslav Rakitskiy hammered a long-range left-footed shot which had James at full stretch as he tipped the ball away for a corner after being called into action once more.
Lampard and Rooney combined on two occasions around the Ukraine penalty area but to no avail as England grew increasingly agitated by Ukraine's stout defending.
James made another impressive point-blank stop as substitute Andriy Yarmolenko's marauding run saw him skip past the flat-footed Ferdinand but his effort was parried away by the keeper, who was determined to make a statement.
Rooney went agonisingly close in the final minute of the 90 as the nine-goal forward drilled a low shot narrowly wide of Pyatov's far post, but that was England's final attempt in earnest to salvage something from the match.
The visitors piled forward in search of a late equaliser as the home fans implored the referee to blow his whistle, but Ukraine clung on to preserve their slender advantage.
The victory took Ukraine to 18 points, one ahead of Croatia. Ukraine complete their fixtures with a trip to pointless Andorra on Wednesday while Croatia visit Kazakhstan.
England, meanwhile, will be left to rue a frantic and ultimately decisive opening period as their 100 per cent record was brought to an abrupt halt.
Elsewhere in Group 6, two goals by midfielder Timofei Kalachev helped Belarus to a 4-0 victory over Kazakhstan.
Maxim Bordachev scored the only goal of the first half in the 23rd minute, before Kalachev doubled the lead with a 25-yard drive in the 69th.
Substitute Leonid Kovel grabbed the third in the 86th minute, before Kalachev ended the scoring with a header in the third minute of added time in the western Belarussian city of Brest.

Obama 'surprised and humbled' by Nobel win

2009-10-09T11:24:00.000-07:00

Barack Obama has said he was "surprised and deeply humbled" to have been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

The US President, who says resolving the Middle East conflict and reducing nuclear weapons are among his top priorities, won the prestigious international accolade for "extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and co-operation between peoples".
t an unscheduled press conference at the White House, Mr Obama joked: "This was not what I expected to wake up to this morning".
He added: "To be honest, I do not feel that I deserve to be in the company of so many of the transformative figures that have been honoured by this prize, that have inspired me and the entire world in their courageous pursuit of peace."
I do not view it as recognition of my own accomplishments but rather as affirmation of American leadership on behalf of aspirations held by people in all nations."

The President said the award would be accepted as "a call to action" for all nations to confront the challenges of the 21st century.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Obama had inspired many people.

The prize, worth $1.4 million (£880,000), will officially be handed over to Mr Obama in Oslo on December 10.

By www.SUPERSTARRAJNI.com

Huge asteroid 'less likely' to hit Earth in 2036

2009-10-08T17:16:00.000-07:00

Threat that a massive asteroid could slam into Earth in 2036

Space agency Nasa has declared it's now looking less likely that a massive asteroid will hit Earth in 2036.
US space agency Nasa has sharply downgraded the threat that a massive asteroid could slam into Earth in 2036.
Apophis was discovered in 2004 and is two-and-a-half times the size of an American football field.
It captured widespread attention after calculations suggested it might pose a threat to the planet.
There is now a one-in-250,000 chance of a collision with Earth in 2036, according to new calculations by Nasa's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in California.
This was sharply down from an earlier estimate of a one-in-45,000 chance.
At first, astronomers feared the 885ft (270-metre) asteroid had a 2.7% chance of colliding with Earth in 2029.
Later calculations ruled out a collision in that year, leaving 2036 as the encounter posing the greatest danger.
Apophis is now expected to sail about 18,300 miles (29,450km) above Earth's surface on April 13, 2029 - closer than some satellites.
Even though scientists are certain it will not hit the Earth, the Los Angeles Times said they are less sure about how the close approach will affect the asteroid's orbit.
The deflection caused by the 2029 encounter will be significant," Steve Chesley, of JPL's Near-Earth Object Programme office, told the paper.
"We're not worried about 2029. We're worried about its future trajectory."
JPL is to present its results at the conference of the American Astronomical Society in Puerto Rico on October 8.
The refined orbital determination further reinforces that Apophis is an asteroid we can look to as an opportunity for exciting science and not something that should be feared," Near-Earth office manager Don Yeomans said.

By www.SUPERSTARRAJNI.com

Ten money mistakes to avoid

2009-10-08T06:49:00.000-07:00

We reveal ten of the worst money mistakes - and how to ensure they don't trip you up.
1. Missing a payment on your balance transfer credit card (or paying late)
There's nothing better than a top balance transfer credit card for kicking your debts into touch. This is a great way a putting a full stop on your interest payments for a while, giving you plenty of time to chip away at your balance.
Of course, it's never good to make late or missed payments on any credit card, but it's particularly bad news for balance transfer cards. If you break the rules, your card provider usually has the right to cancel your 0% deal there and then, leaving you with a very costly debt with an average APR of 16%.
Luckily, all you need to do to is set up a direct debit payment from the word go, to make sure that doesn't happen.
2. Paying the minimum monthly repayment on your credit card
Just because you can pay a tiny amount off your credit card every month, that doesn't mean you should.
I think it's a real worry that some card providers are sneaky enough to set the minimum monthly repayment below the amount of interest you'll be charged. In other words, your repayments won't even cover the interest you're racking up, let alone reduce the actual debt itself.
My advice: pay the maximum monthly payment you can afford, not the minimum monthly payment you're allowed to Otherwise, you may never get rid of your debt.
3. Leaving your savings to languish
Ok, it's not the end of the world if your savings don't earn the best possible rates, but why should you put up with it? I suggest you review your savings at least every six months to check how competitive your accounts are. If they're falling behind then switch pronto. You can do this easily by comparing everything on offer at our savings centre.
4. Withdrawing money from your cash ISA
Cash ISAs are a great way of earning a tax-free return. Current rules only allow £3,600 to be saved in any tax year (although this is about to increase for the over-50s).
But did you know if you've already paid in the full amount, and then you make a withdrawal, you won't be able to replace the money until the new allowance becomes available to you at the start of the next tax year?
If you need to get your hands on some cash, your ISAs should be the last port of call.
5. Underinsuring yourself
When it comes to life insurance, we tend to underestimate the amount of cover we should have. This could leave your family with a real financial nightmare if the worst happens to you.
6. Buying at the top of the market, or selling at the bottom
Whether it's property or shares, buying at the top of the market, or selling at the bottom, is a surefire way to lose an awful lot of money.
Of course, it can be extremely difficult to judge where the top or bottom might be, but do think very carefully before you take the plunge. For new homeowners, facing negative equity as soon as you step on the property ladder is a situation best avoided.
7. Missing the best mortgage deal
It's tricky in these post credit crunch times to get the best mortgage.
After all, the top deals are normally reserved for borrowers with a 25% or 40% deposit. But that's no excuse for taking your eye off the ball.
Your mortgage is probably your biggest monthly bill by far, so it makes sense to cut it down as much as possible.
So, whenever you come to the end of a deal, make sure you look around for a competitive replacement.
8. Starting your retirement planning too late
There's no doubt the sooner you start paying into a pension the better. After all, they love nothing more than decades and decades in which to grow.
Most pensions invest in the stock market, which should be a long-term strategy to iron out the troughs and capitalise on the peaks. Even if you're not using a pension - perhaps you prefer ISAs or property instead - don't leave it too late.
9. Forgetting the open market option
Most pension savers will buy an annuity when they retire to convert their pension pot into an income.
When the time comes for you to take benefits from your pension, you must, must, must shop around for the best deal. This is known as exercising the open market option (OMO).
The difference in annuity rates paid by the best and worst annuity providers is huge, so you could really lose out by choosing the wrong one.
10. Overstretching your budget
Finally, there's no point in avoiding all these mistakes, if you then go and splurge too much money. Overspending is easily done if you don't keep a tight rein on your finances. Good budgeting is the key.

By www.SUPERSTARRAJNI.com

Canada to pay for Prince Charles tour - at the host country's expense

2009-10-08T02:48:00.000-07:00

Canada to pay for Prince Charles tour

In a cost-cutting move Prince Charles and his wife are set to tour Canada at the host country's expense.
Canada is to foot the bill for Prince Charles's official tour of the country next month, his office said Wednesday.
The Prince of Wales and his wife Camilla are to tour between November 2 and 12, with an Airbus plane provided by Ottawa set to fly them to and from Britain and around Canada, Clarence House said.
Britain, however, is to pay for the royal protection officers accompanying the couple, the residence added.
Charles is heir to the throne in Britain, Canada and 14 other realms, including Australia, New Zealand and Jamaica.
The plane will be a military plane used by the Canadian prime minister, the Clarence House spokesman said, adding that it would not be empty during its trips to Britain to collect and return them, but would be used for "military purposes".
British newspaper The Sun said they were "recession-busting plans" that would see the royal couple "hitch a lift on a military jet to save taxpayers a fortune" instead of chartering a private jet.
Charles has visited Canada 14 times over the past 39 years. His last visit was in 2001. It will be the first official visit for Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall.
The royal couple plan to visit 12 cities in four provinces, including stops in St. John's, Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Victoria and Vancouver.
The trip is "aimed at meeting a cross section of Canadians, including young people, charity and voluntary workers, members of the Canadian Armed Forces as well as the general public," Clarence House said.
Queen Elizabeth II is set to make her 25th visit in 2010.

By www.SUPERSTARRAJNI.com

Top court strips Berlusconi of immunity

2009-10-07T11:41:00.000-07:00

ROME - Italy's top court has overturned a law that shielded Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi from possible prosecution.

Italy's top court overturns a law shielding Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi from prosecution, potentially opening the way for the billionaire to face charges of bribery, influence peddling and tax fraud. It is unlikely the court verdict itself will force him to resign though.
The flamboyant prime minister pushed the law through after he returned to power in 2008, but legal authorities in the city of Milan challenged it in the Constitutional Court.
The ruling potentially opens the way for the billionaire prime minister to face charges of bribery, influence peddling and tax fraud -- but it is unlikely the court verdict itself will force him to resign.
It's a political ruling, but ... Berlusconi, the government and the majority will continue governing, as the Italian people have asked them to do with their votes in every occasion since April 2008," Berlusconi spokesman Paolo Bonaiuti said in a statement posted on the Web site of Berlusconi's Il Popolo della Liberta party.
And Berlusconi told reporters, "We are going forward. We've ruled without the lodo (law) before and will continue. And thank God there is Silvio, because otherwise the Italians will be in the hands of these leftists.
We go forward. I will go to the trials that touch them and uncover all of their lives. Viva I'Italia and viva Berlusconi."
Opposition leader Lanfranco Tenaglia, meanwhile, said in a statement posted on the Partito Democratico Web site, "Justice has been done. The constitutional court confirms itself as an island of reason.
As we have said from the beginning, the Alfano law is an unjust law and an illegitimate one that was finally canceled with a clear technical decision."
The law was designed to shield from prosecution the country's president, its prime minister, and the heads of both houses of parliament.
The Constitutional Court found the law violated Section 3 of the constitution, which requires that all Italians be equal before the law, and Article 138, which says laws must be consistent with the constitution, the court's press office said in a statement.
The 15-judge court may reveal more about its decision-making process in the future, but is not required to do so.
The court hearing on the law lasted a little under two hours on Tuesday, with three lawyers arguing Berlusconi's case and one representing the legal authorities of Milan.
Arguments focused on whether every Italian is included under the provision on equality under the law, with Milan arguing they must be.
One of Berlusconi's attorneys, Niccolo Ghedini, said the prime minister is a special case, Italian media reported.
Despite the many scandals surrounding him, Berlusconi remains popular, consistently scoring approval ratings well over 50 percent.
His private life has been in the spotlight since his wife of 19 years, Veronica Lario, filed for divorce in May.
The split followed reports that Berlusconi went to the birthday party of an 18-year-old girl, with whom Berlusconi has denied having an inappropriate relationship.
And the Spanish newspaper El Pais has published what it said were photos of racy parties at Berlusconi's villa on the island of Sardinia, including one picture that showed scantily clad women.

By www.SUPERSTARRAJNI.com

Watch out for this phone scam - half a million consumers are being ripped-off every year

2009-10-07T07:06:00.000-07:00

We reveal how half a million consumers are being ripped-off every year by miss-selling of land lines.
It's said that a recession brings out the worst in people. That certainly seems to be the case with scammers and crooks.
Only a couple of weeks ago I wrote about the sharp rise in mobile phone identity theft seen this year in Don't get caught out by this new fraud . And now a new type of scam has been exposed, once again involving communications. This time it's landline mis-selling.
BT has launched a new campaign, alongside the Trading Standards Institute, to raise awareness of the scam and call on Ofcom to show some teeth and fight against the scammers.
How does it work?
Landline mis-selling is essentially switching which phone company a customer is registered with, against their wishes.
There are various subtle techniques employed to do this, such as getting the customer's signature or agreement by posing as a different provider, or convincing the customer to sign their name in order to 'get more information'.
However, even more cynical techniques are also rife, particularly 'slamming', where consumers are switched completely against their wishes. Indeed, on occasion this happens without the customer even being aware of it - they only realise what has happened when they receive their bill.
How big a problem?
Now, I had never heard of landline mis-selling, but it is clearly a pretty significant problem. Half a million Brits - that's one in every 40 households - fall victim to the scam each year, according to Ofcom itself.
Indeed, for BT alone, more than 800,000 of their customers have complained of being duped in this way.
The proposed answer - pin codes
The campaign from BT and Trading Standards has suggested that the best way to prevent customers being scammed would be to give customers their own pin code.
Whenever you want to switch provider, you call your existing company for the code, and then pass it onto the new supplier. Only once they have the code can they take you on a customer.
However, there are some pretty serious flaws with this idea in my view.
First of all, it's not as if your existing company will hand over your pin code without a fight. Chances are you will be put under all sorts of pressure to stay. Also, even if they do eventually get your code out of them, inevitably it will not be a straightforward process - it never is when trying to leave a service provider.
And it's not exactly convenient is it?
My final problem is that, in some cases, customers agree to sign up only to, say, broadband services, but then find out once they get their bill that they have also been signed up to calls as well. How would having the pin code prevent this from happening?
I'm not sure it would.

By www.SUPERSTARRAJNI.com

Food bug present on 65% of chicken

2009-10-06T22:55:00.000-07:00

A bug that causes 55,000 people to fall ill every year is reportedly present on 65% of chicken on UK sale.
A food bug that causes 55,000 people to fall ill every year is present on 65% of chicken on sale in the UK, research has showed.
Campylobacter, which causes diarrhoea, cramping and abdominal pain, was found in almost two thirds of chicken samples tested, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) found. Salmonella was in 6% of samples.
The illness, which can be prevented by properly cooking meat, usually lasts one week, although some people don't show any symptoms.
Those with compromised immune systems are at risk of the bug spreading to the bloodstream and causing a life-threatening infection, according to the US-based Centre for Disease Control.
The levels of campylobacter in chicken remain almost unchanged since the agency's last survey in 2001 and Andrew Wadge, director of food safety at the FSA, said it showed more action needs to be taken by the poultry industry.
He said: "The continuing low levels of salmonella are encouraging, but it is disappointing that the levels of campylobacter remain high.
It is obvious more needs to be done to get these levels down and we need to continue working with poultry producers and retailers to make this happen.
Other countries like New Zealand and Denmark have managed to do so, we need to emulate that progress in the UK."
Campylobacter is the most common bacterial cause of food poisoning, according to the FSA.
As well as chicken it can be found on other meat, unpasteurised milk, and untreated water.

By www.SUPERSTARRAJNI.com

Tesco makes £1.4 billion profit - In its half-year

2009-10-06T11:15:00.001-07:00

Tesco has announced its half-year pre-tax profits of £1.42 billion, an increase of 1.5 per cent on a year earlier.
The group generated sales of more than £1 billion a week, coming to a total of £30.4 billion.
Like-for-like sales rose 2.7 per cent in the UK, which is slower than the growth achieved by its rivals such as Sainsbury's.
However, the firm says recent moves to enhance its Clubcard customer reward strategy are paying off, and says it has seen a "significant improvement" in its performance compared with its competitors.
The company also announced that it has created 6,500 jobs in the six month period, while chief executive Sir Terry Leahy said that Tesco was "well-placed for the global recovery".
The supermarket chain's statement said its strategy had "delivered pleasing growth in challenging times".
Finance director Laurie McIlwee said falling inflation had taken the shine off the like-for-like figures, as the company passed a comparative period last year of high commodity prices.
He said Tesco had now started to see its sales figures run at around the same rate as the rest of the industry: "It has actually converged and performance is much stronger relative to the rest of the market," he said.
He added that Tesco usually does better in a period of deflation because of the company's "everyday" value products.

By www.SUPERSTARRAJNI.com

Halloween events around the world

2009-10-04T16:04:00.000-07:00

We explore creepy tours through the streets of Edinburgh, a Nordic cruise and a spooky Disney Land trip.
Halloween Ideas in the UK In Edinburgh the Halloween fun will be centred on Real Mary King's Close, which is located just off the Royal Mile.
This is the place to find unexplained paranormal activity as costumed guides lead guests on ghostly tours through the warren of buried streets below the Royal Mile to find out more about the supernatural activity that has been experienced on the Close, such as unexplained scratching sounds from within a bricked up chimney breast and the sounds of a tavern, long since closed.
Hear tales of witchcraft during a time when residents were tortured to admit their guilt, then burnt at the stake at Castle Hill, and listen to unnerving legends of plague victim bodies chopped up by butchers and tossed into the Nor Loch.

Halloween Ideas in Europe

For those looking for ghosts out on the open seas DFDS are offering a specially designed Halloween Mini Cruise.
The spooky family cruise will depart October 30th with travellers urged to pack their witches outfits and black cats. With Halloween games, live entertainment, spooky cocktails and prizes for the best fancy dress costumes, there is plenty to keep everyone frighteningly amused!
During Halloween terror takes over every nook and cranny of this resort near Barcelona, so why not start the fright fest by walking through the haunted passageway Horror en Penitence; or experience moments of genuine panic on terrifying rides such as and the infamous, and hair raising, Furious Baco.
Alternatively you can try your luck surviving the outdoor ghost walk, La Selva del Miedo, during the dead of night. Visitors also can shudder at spine tingling shows such as La Hora Gore, Terror en el Lago and Vamp Frenzee, all of which are set to the rather macabre sounds of the Penitence Horror Band.

Halloween Ideas in the US

Nobody does Halloween like America and this year there is a chance to celebrate Vegas style.
To be at the heart of the annual horror show guests can stay at Harrah's Hotel - perfect for the full Vegas Halloween experience. Join the frightful but fun Ghouls Gone Wild party at Harrah's Carnaval Court; the only outdoor Halloween party on the Las Vegas Strip.
Prepare to scare as cash prizes of $5,000 will be awarded for the most terrifying costumes. Enjoy live music, psychic and tarot card readings, and special Halloween cocktails from some of the world's top bartenders.
Not scary enough? Extend the horrifying antics, move the party on to the Ghost Bar at the Palms Hotel.
The legendary Ghost Bar Halloween party combines the opportunity to show off your ghoulish costumes with an eclectic mix of music.
Ghost Bar's 360-degree open air sky-deck gives you the chance to survey all the Halloween festivities this glistening city has to offer.
Finally, what better place to head for some terror-fic thrills this All Hallows' Eve than Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando?
Not to be missed is Mickey's Not-So-Scary Halloween Party, which will see the park transformed into a frightfully fun Haunted Hollow, where children of all ages will be encouraged to don their favourite Halloween costume and go trick or treating around the theme park, collecting plenty of goodies on the way.

By www.SUPERSTARRAJNI.com

Hope fades for teen swept out to sea

2009-10-04T10:51:00.000-07:00

Hope is fading for a teenager who vanished after being swept into the sea during a night out.
Hope is fading for a teenager who vanished after being swept into the sea during a night out, coastguards have said.
Jack Saunders, of Wrexham, went to get a closer "look at the sea" near the New Memorial on Blackpool's north promenade around midnight on Sunday morning.
The 18-year-old was hit by a wave which dragged him into the water and his friends alerted the emergency services.
He had been enjoying a night out with 11 friends before he went to look at the water.
According to the coastguard, the weather was almost a force seven gale with strong winds causing large waves to crash onto the slipway.
Mr Saunders was swept into the water along with two friends who went to see if he was OK. The pair managed to scramble ashore and were taken by ambulance to Blackpool Victoria hospital. But there was no sign of Mr Saunders.
A major search co-ordinated by the coastguard and police was launched and called off at 3am on Sunday. It began again at first light but so far Mr Saunders has not been found and it is feared he has drowned.
Liverpool coastguard watch manager, Su Daintith, said: "The tragic incident that occurred last night just goes to highlight both how powerful, and how dangerous the sea can be, especially when there are strong winds and gales.
In weather such as this we would advise members of the public to stay as far away from the edge of the promenade as possible, always staying the appropriate side of railings and boundaries to prevent accidents like these happening. Our thoughts are with the family at this time.
The Welshman's family and friends at home in Wrexham have been informed and appointed with family liaison officers from Lancashire Constabulary.

By www.SUPERSTARRAJNI.com

Five-year-old witnesses 'gangland' killing

2009-10-03T11:25:00.001-07:00

Gangland-style execution

A five-year-old child has witnessed a gangland-style execution in Tottenham, North London.
A five-year-old child witnessed a gangland-style execution when the driver of the car he was travelling in was shot dead at traffic lights.
A high-powered black Honda motorbike pulled up alongside 23-year-old Oktay Erbasli's Range Rover and the rider opened fire at point-blank range.
Mr Erbasli managed to stagger a few yards from his car before collapsing in the street. He was rushed to hospital where he was later pronounced dead.
The boy - who is not believed to be related to Mr Erbasli - was sat in the car along with a female friend of Mr Erbasli as the shots were fired. Both escaped injury, the Metropolitan Police said.
The shooting took place at around 4pm at the junction between Great Cambridge Road and Roundway in Tottenham, north London.
Officers want to trace the rider of the Honda motorbike and the rider of a Suzuki motorbike after both vehicles were seen speeding from the scene shortly after the fatal shots were fired.
Detective Chief Inspector Andy Redwood from the Homicide and Serious Crime Command said: "This was a busy rush hour junction and we appealing to the public who may have been in the area at the time, have any knowledge of these vehicles and can assist with information on those involved in this shooting to contact the incident room immediately."
Police are also keen to speak to the occupants of two cars seen near the Range Rover at the time of the shooting. Both vehicles were travelling ahead of Mr Erbasli's car and sped off at high speed along the A10 after the shooting.
One was a silver Vauxhall Astra and the other a blue Toyota. Police said Toyota may have accident damage to the rear as the Range Rover is believed to have hit this vehicle during the incident.
A post-mortem examination will be held at Haringey Mortuary. One man arrested at the scene has been released

By www.superstarrajni.com

Ten ways to keep car repair costs down

2009-10-03T11:16:00.001-07:00

10 ways to keep car repair costs down

Expert offers ten simple ways to run your car more cheaply and avoid being stung by hefty repair bills.
1. Many local councils run MOT centres for their own vehicles which are also open to the public. You still have to pay the test fee, but as the garages don't usually do repairs there is no incentive for them to fail you. Be aware that if your car needs major repairs they will have to be done somewhere else.
2. Choose garages wisely - ask for recommendations from friends, family, neighbours and other people you trust. Look for an garage before you need one to avoid being rushed.
3. Ignoring small problems can be dangerous as well as being a false economy. Regular checks and servicing will decrease the likelihood of potential breakdowns and all the expense and inconvenience that goes with it.
There are many simple, regular checks that even the least mechanically-minded can carry out. Believe me, if I can do it, you can do it. A good example of this is checking tyre pressures once a month and before long journeys or carrying heavier loads than usual. Under-inflated tyres increase fuel consumption and are dangerous. Make regular checks on your coolant and oil to avoid nasty surprises.
4. Control your driving technique - avoid rapid acceleration and heavy braking as this has the biggest influence on fuel consumption and wear and tear. Short journeys are also expensive. If your trip is under 10 minutes then your fuel consumption will be high and you will almost certainly be causing a wear and moisture problem in your engine and exhaust.
5. Buying a second hand car can be fraught with problems. For peace of mind, you can make sure the car you are buying is not stolen, repaired from a 'write off' or has finance outstanding from a previous owner. The AA and RAC both run checking services and you can also get full inspections which cost from £142.00 and £134.95 respectively, for non-members.
6. Keep your car serviced on time. If you don't it could invalidate your warranty if you have one. Keeping a good service record is also crucial when you come to sell the car.
7. Shop around for breakdown cover deals – some insurers provide it as part of the deal and it is always nearly included when you buy a new car.
8. Get your car professionally inspected before its warranty expires - this will highlight any faults. And get them repaired for free.
9. Before taking your car in for an MOT, familiarise yourself with elements of the MOT test. Many people do not realise that their car can fail on minor problems such as blown bulbs, empty windscreen washers and wobbly mirrors – all of which can be remedied quickly and easily by you before the test.
10. Log on to the RAC and AA websites – even if you are not a member. They are both packed with great information on buying and driving cars, safety, maintenance and and ways to save money.
There was also a controversial proposal from cycling groups that motorists should become legally responsible (and automatically liable for insurance and compensation) for all crashes involving cyclists or pedestrians, regardless of whether they are at fault. In other words: two wheels good; four wheels bad.

By www.superstarrajni.com

Swine flu cases rise by 50% In A Week

2009-10-01T16:40:00.000-07:00

Swine Flu Cases Rise By 50% In A Week

The number of people developing swine flu in the UK has risen 50% in the past week, official figures show.
The number of cases of swine flu in the UK has risen by 50% to 14,000 in the past week, according to official figures.
Sky News understands that the first batch of flu vaccine is expected at hospitals on October 14.
This will be given to front-line health workers and the most vulnerable patients first.
Family doctors will get their first batches on October 19.
Around 4.7m batches of the vaccine were due to be delivered by end of September but only 300,000 were delivered.
The government's chief medical officer Professor Sir Liam Donaldson told Sky News: "We've not quite seen a doubling (in cases), which is better news.
"Normally at this point in the second wave of a pandemic we would be starting to see explosive increases in numbers. We're seeing it steadily mounting.
"On vaccination, the good news is that we've got approval of the vaccine at European level and we're expecting to be able to start administering in the second part of October."
Asked if there was enough vaccine available, he replied: "We'll actually have enough to treat the priority groups to begin with.
"Ultimately, the virus is going to be around for quite a time, so everybody will have the chance to be protected, even though some people probably get the disease before the vaccine's available.
"But we can only produce a vaccine as quickly as modern technology will allow."

By www.superstarrajni.com

Fish used to help reduce car crashes

2009-10-01T16:37:00.001-07:00

Robot cars to mimic shoals of fish

A technology based on fish behaviour is being developed to help prevent car accidents.
With humans having been industrialised for only a short time it's hardly surprising that nature has better solutions to many problems than we currently have. Nissan is testing that theory, looking at the behaviour of fish with its EPORO (EPisode O (Zero) Robot) robot car. It's not the first time Nissan has turned to Mother Nature for inspiration either, with its 2008 Bomimetic Car Robot Drive BR23C Concept inspired by the flight of the bumblebee. This year Nissan is looking at the behaviour of schooling fish with its EPORO; specifically the ability of shoaling fish to move as one without colliding into each other, regardless of the environment.
The EPORO is being shown at the CREATEC in Japan, an annual exhibition showcasing cutting-edge electronic and information technologies. There Nissan will demonstrate its shoaling behaviour with six EPOROs navigating instinctively though a course and without colliding. Like fish, their behaviour follows a few basic rules of 'collision avoidance', 'travelling side-by-side' and 'approaching'. To do so fish use sight and a lateral line sense, whereas the EPORO uses a laser range finder as the lateral sensor and ultra wide band radio communication for sight.
"We, in a motorized world, have a lot to learn from the behaviour of a school of fish in terms of each fish's degree of freedom and safety within a school and high migration efficiency of a school itself. In EPORO, we recreated the behaviour of a school of fish making full use of cutting-edge electronic technologies," said Toshiyuki Andou, Manager of Nissan's Mobility Laboratory and principal engineer of the robot car project. "By sharing the surrounding information received within the group via communication, the group of EPOROs can travel safely, changing its shape as needed."
While it all might sound a bit fishy, Nissan's research could see a future where traffic flows more freely and accidents are a thing of the past.

By www.superstarrajni.com

Recession hits US super-rich

2009-10-01T06:40:00.001-07:00

The American super-rich have been hit by the recession, with billions of dollars knocked off the fortunes of the country's wealthiest men and women, new research has found.
According to business magazine Forbes, the top 400 richest people in the US have lost a collective 300 billion dollars (£188 billion) in the last 12 months.
Among those taking a financial hit in the period were Microsoft founder Bill Gates and philanthropic businessman Warren Buffett. They saw their personal wealth shrink by seven billion dollars (£4.4 billion) and 10 billion dollars (£6.3 billion) respectively.
Both still have a way to go before they have to resort to searching the house for loose change. Gates, with an estimated fortune of 50 billion dollars (£31 billion), tops the Forbes 400 list, with Buffett coming in second with 40 billion dollars (£25 billion).
But their drop in fortunes helped drive the overall money pot of the US super-rich downwards.
Faltering capital markets and real estate prices were blamed for the net worth of the Forbes 400 falling from 1.57 trillion dollars (£982 billion) in 2008 to 1.27 trillion dollars (£794 billion).
In all, 314 returning members of the elite Forbes 400 club registered a loss, while a further 32 fell off the list completely.
Chat show host Oprah Winfrey was among those seeing their fortune dwindle over the last year, down by 400 million dollars (£250 million) on 2008.
One of those missing the cut this year was Allen Stanford. The business tycoon and cricket entrepreneur is facing fraud charges and didn't make it on the list due to his assets being frozen.

By www.superstarrajni.com

Beauty queen resigns over 'undie' fraud

2009-10-01T03:47:00.000-07:00

Miss Singapore World resigns after lingerie fraud

Beauty queen Miss Singapore World has given up her crown after it emerged that she had stolen credit cards to go on a shopping spree for lingerie.
Ris Low had come under public pressure to be stripped of her 2009 title, after local media reported she stole seven credit cards last year while working at a medical clinic, buying goods worth about S$8,000 (2,200 pounds) including gold anklets and phones.
Organisers of the pageant ERM World Marketing said she had resigned Tuesday of her own accord. She will no longer represent Singapore at the Miss World finals to be held in South Africa in December, but her replacement has not yet been decided.
Low had also been criticised for her poor English, mispronouncing "bikini" in a recent video, leading others in multicultural Singapore to spring to her defence and soul-searching on websites about the national character.
"If there was a beauty contest for countries, how do you think Singapore would fare on the world stage? We seem to have the aesthetic qualifications. But with a very ugly personality," said blogger Solofigure09 on the Straits Times newspaper's website.

By www.superstarrajni.com

Naked Brooke Shields photo removed - aged 10

2009-10-01T03:43:00.000-07:00

Tate Modern 'removes naked Brooke Shields photo'

A nude photo of Brooke Shields, aged 10, has been removed by an art gallery on police advice.
The Tate Modern has removed a nude photo of actress Brooke Shields as a child after a police warning about obscenity, the Guardian newspaper said Thursday.
The Tate Modern, one of Britain's most prestigious art galleries, had been planning to include the photo of Shields, aged 10, wearing heavy makeup and taken from the knees up, in its new Pop Life exhibition which opens to the public Thursday.
The picture taken by American artist Richard Prince and called Spiritual America, was removed from display by gallery officials after a visit from the police Obscene Publications Unit, according to the Guardian.
A Metropolitan Police spokesman confirmed that officers from the unit had met Tate staff Wednesday.
"The officers have specialist experience in this field and are keen to work with gallery management to ensure that they do not inadvertently break the law or cause any offence to their visitors," he said.
The image of Shields was of potential concern to police because it was of a 10-year-old, and could be viewed as sexually provocative, the newspaper said, quoting sources.
The work, which is a photograph of a photograph, was shown recently in New York, without attracting major controversy, at the Guggenheim Museum, it said.
A Tate spokeswoman said the display had been "temporarily closed down" and the catalogue for the exhibition withdrawn from sale, the newspaper said.
The work had been accompanied by a warning about its sensitivity, and the Tate had sought legal advice before displaying it.

By www.superstarrajni.com

The Great President of USA Abraham Lincoln quote

2009-09-30T11:55:00.000-07:00

A letter he wrote to one of his generals in the south after the Civil War.
I am President the the United States. I have full overall power and never forget it,because I will exercise it.

By http://www.superstarrajni.com/

Cool facts about Turtles and Crocodiles

2009-09-30T11:53:00.000-07:00

In turtles it is the temperature of the eggs during incubation that determines the sex of embryos.Cool eggs and you get male turtles.Female turtles arise from hot aggs.
In crocodiles,females arise from hot or cold eggs,while male crocodiles thrive in eggs between these two extremes.

By http://www.superstarrajni.com/

Bee swarm attacks crash victims

2009-09-28T18:20:00.001-07:00

Swarm of bees attack crash victims

A tragic road accident in Turkey took a bizarre twist when a swarm of bees attacked the victims and their rescuers.
One person died and five others were injured when a van stacked with beehives crashed into a truck on a road near the Mediterranean resort of Marmaris.
But around 20 people including police and paramedics were hospitalised after the angry bees began to sting them.
Beekeepers were rushed in to help rescue the victims. They wore protective clothing as they fought their way through the swarm.
Those hurt in the crash were eventually put on stretchers and taken away by ambulance.
Emergency crews sprayed water and insecticide at the insects to keep them at bay.

By www.superstarrajni.com

US COMEDY: Television Series Friends set for the big screen

2009-09-28T18:13:00.000-07:00

Television Series Friends set for the big screen :Friends - the movie

The stars of hit television series 'Friends' are to reunite to make a movie, according to reports.
Fancy heading to the cinema with your Friends? According to James Michael Tyler, who played Gunther on the hit TV show, plans are underway for Friends – The Movie.
Ever since the show came to an end in 2004 there have been constant rumours of a cinema adaptation of the series – and Tyler insists that Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matt LeBlanc, Matthew Perry and himself were all in talks with studio bosses with a bid to release the film in 2011, according to the News of the World.
Tyler told the newspaper, "Friends The Movie is definitely on. I still keep in touch with a lot of the cast and they say that they are really keen. I am definitely on board to do the film. "
I really loved my time on the show and I am looking forward to meeting up with the old gang again.
He added, "I just hope we can do justice to the show in a film."
If the cast reprise their roles for the movie it's sure to replicate the same level of success that the big screen version of Sex and the City achieved.
Are you excited about a movie version of Friends or do you think they should leave the show alone?
Let us know your thoughts.
Leave a Comment on this article below.

By www.superstarrajni.com

Face of Tesco is illegal immigrant

2009-09-27T14:52:00.001-07:00

Face of Tesco is illegal immigrant

A checkout girl picked to model in Tesco advertising has been exposed as an illegal immigrant.
A checkout girl picked to model for Tesco in a glossy advertising blitz has been exposed as an illegal immigrant.
Fatou Cham, 32, came to the UK from Gambia, West Africa, in 1998 on a student visa but stayed after it expired in 2001.
Miss Cham, who works at the Tesco store, in Beckton, east London, was chosen from hundreds of hopefuls to model the Florence and Fred clothing range for an ad campaign used in women's magazines.
Next to a picture of Miss Cham modelling a blue dress and heels were the words: "Designed by F&F. Priced by Tesco. Modelled by Fatou, checkout number 6, Tesco, east London."
Immigration officers questioned her at her home in East Ham, east London, on Monday.
The mother-of-three was unavailable for comment when contacted by Sky News Online.
She was quoted in the Sunday Mirror as saying: ""I came here for a better life and never set out to deceive anyone.
"I just want to stay here with my family and be happy."
She said she had been excited to be chosen for the Tesco campaign and had hoped it would bring her other opportunities."Now it has all gone horribly wrong," she added.
Her solicitor Jamil Trawally told the paper: "I am sure she was brought to the attention of the police because of the Tesco campaign."
Miss Cham initially came to the UK to study banking, economics and finance at London Metropolitan University.
Her mother and eldest child were allowed to join her in the UK in 2000. Her two other children were born in Britain.
Miss Cham applied to stay in the UK when her student visa ran out but was refused permission.
A further application in January this year was also turned down and she has appealed to the High Court.
When Miss Cham joined Tesco in 2002, overseas citizens just needed a national insurance number to work in the UK.
But since 2004 they have been required to have a valid work visa, although this did not apply to those already in employment.
A Tesco spokeswoman said: "As soon as we were made aware of this issue by the UK Border Agency we co-operated fully with the investigation.
"We carried out all the checks required by law and the authorities have confirmed that they are satisfied that we followed the correct procedures."
A UK Border Agency spokesman said: "The UK Border Agency expects people with no right to be here to return home voluntarily, if people do not we will remove them."

By www.superstarrajni.com

New cars for the rich and famous

2009-09-27T12:15:00.001-07:00

New cars for the rich and famous

We check out the latest flashy cars built for super-rich pop stars and Premier League footballers.
There was a definite green tinge to the air at Frankfurt, but it wasn't all electric cars and low-CO2 hybrids. That would be boring. The appeal of motor shows lies in the chance not only to see the type of cars we'll be taking our kids to school in at some point, but also to get up close and personal with the type of metal only Premiership footballers can afford - and a couple that even they won't be able to get their hands on.
But if you weren't able to get to Frankfurt, fret not, for here we take you through the stuff that would have been making you sick with envy on the stands.

CAR: Lamborghini Reventón Roadster
COST: £1,000,000
REAL COST: One wig per journey
The Lamborghini Reventón is based on the Murcielago but has an interior inspired by a fighter jet and a body apparently styled by Batman's tailor. Only 15 copies of this drop-top edition will be made, and each will cost exactly €1.1m - or about £995,000 in proper money. A 670bhp V12 propels it to 62mph in 3.4 seconds. Want one? Call 1-800-what-credit-crunch. Only joking, they're probably already all sold.

CAR: Brabus E V12 'one of ten'
COST: £450,000
REAL COST: Your dignity
In taking power so seriously, Brabus has become possibly the silliest niche carmaker ever. We mean that in a good way. Its Frankfurt offering, though, is frankly ridiculous: the Merc E Class-based V12 will demolish 100mph from standstill in 9.9 seconds and has a set of rear wheel spats to improve airflow for stability at its 217mph top speed. Well, that's what Brabus says they're for - we know they're really inspired by the first-generation Honda Insight. Brabus loves a bit of green car action. Not.
CAR: Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Gullwing
COST: £150,000 (approx)
REAL COST: A garage roof extension
You'd think that the joint efforts of Mercedes and McLaren would produce a car of epic goodness. Sadly the resulting SLR was a bit of a duffer, relatively speaking. This is Mercedes' riposte - a supercar that pilfers its history by pillaging the gullwing doors of the legendary 300SL and adding them to a menacing body shrouding a 563bhp 6.2-litre V8. We're promised it will handle too, which it will have to if it's to hold a candle to the next car on this list...
CAR: Ferrari 458 Italia
COST: £150,000 (approx)
REAL COST: Irresistible coolness
The 'basic' Ferrari just happens to be shaping into the best one this time around. Ferrari chose Frankfurt to give the all-new 458 Italia its debut, showing a car whose heart-melting shape is clearly inspired by the Enzo - compared to which it's the best value car this side of a Tata Nano. See, according to Schumacher (who helped develop it), the 458 Italia is quicker than the £1m invitation-only Enzo around Ferrari's test track. £150k sounds dirt-cheap now, right.
CAR: Audi e-tron
COST: £N/A
REAL COST: An odd feeling of tranquillity
Wrapped in a shell resembling the R8 supercar is an all-electric drivetrain capable of knocking out 62mph in 4.8 seconds, and the battery won't go flat until 150 miles are done with. Nice. Individual motors power each wheel, and although Audi won't confirm production, there's every chance something like this alternatively powered R8 clone will see limited production for well-heeled environmentalists. The e-tron is Audi's Tesla, basically.
CAR: Aston Martin Rapide
COST: £150,000
REAL COST: Constant requests for lifts
Look familiar? Look again. The extra shut lines behind the front doors on this Aston tell you this is the British maker's family hatchback. The Rapide is a bona-fide supercar (well, in terms of price anyway) rather than a very expensive hatch like the Porsche Panamera, and it's built for people who basically can't be bothered with the hassle of running an Aston and an SUV, as is the norm. Add two useable seats to the DB9's basic shape and viola! A V12 runabout is born. Sales start early 2010.
CAR: Audi R8 Spyder
COST: £112,000
REAL COST: Your reputation as an affable person
Audi loves a good new model, and this one is one of the more predictable; Audi was always going to make a show-off's version of the sublime R8. On this list its £110,000 makes it look cheap, but this is far from a lacklustre drop-top. Based on the V10 R8, the Spyder gets four-wheel drive and 525bhp, making it one of the fastest convertibles on the planet.
CAR: Rolls-Royce Ghost
COST: £200,000
REAL COST: 'Poor man's Roller' jibes
Phantom too cumbersome for you? How about this then: the compact Roller? The Ghost is Rolls-Royce's 'driver's car' and will be knocked out at the astonishing rate of 1,000 per year. Like much on this list, it has a very powerful V12 under the bonnet and shows a cynical disdain for the environmental concerns of fellow motorists. Convertible and coupé versions will follow, plus, we hear, a stripped out 'Cup' version for track days. That's not actually true.
CAR: Bentley Mulsanne
COST: £220,000
REAL COST: 'Poor man's Roller' jibes
The Mulsanne has four fewer cylinders than the Rolls-Royce Phantom it will vie with for sales, but its mammoth 885lb.ft of torque means owners will feel more than adequately powered. We can't be sure yet, but it's a good bet the Bentley will emit less carbon dioxide per mile then, good for all kinds of 'you dirty boy' type name-calling directed towards Phantom owners at the gentleman's club. In fact, put bio-ethanol in it, as is a possibility, and appearing in a rap video has never been cleaner.

By www.superstarrajni.com

Man marries four woman on same day

2009-09-27T09:22:00.001-07:00

Man marries four woman on same day

A man has married four women at the same time during a ceremony attended by hundreds of people.

A South African man married four women at the same time during a ceremony attended by hundreds of people.
Milton Mbhele turned up in a white limousine and gave each of his four brides rings and a kiss.
South African law recognises traditional polygamous marriages. Even President Jacob Zuma has three wives.
Yet, while polygamy remains common among several tribes including the Zulus, simutaneous weddings are rare.
44-year-old Mbhele said the joint celebration would save money by combining the festivities.

By www.superstarrajni.com

One Thousand Yoga Fans Flock To Peace Island - bought the island for £2.5m

2009-09-27T07:19:00.000-07:00

A mass pilgrimage is under way to a Scottish island bought and renamed in the name of peace by followers of a controversial yoga movement.

Wee Cumbrae, a 700-acre island off the Ayrshire coast, will now also be known as Peace Island after the purchase by devotees of Patanjali Yog, a brand of yoga practised by millions.
Around 1,000 people are travelling to their new island base for its blessing by their main man, the guru known as Swami Ramdev.
A distinctive figure in saffron robes with his long flowing locks and beard, he has attracted criticism due to his controversial views and claims about the powers of his yoga.
Ramdev has said the physical movement and breathing techniques involved can help cure cancer and treat AIDS.
Recently, he described homosexuals as "sick people" and said they should be sent to hospitals for treatment.
The furore has not stopped two Indian-born entrepreneurs turning Wee Cumbrae into Ramdev's new branch headquarters on the Clyde.
Glasgow care home owners Sam and Sunita Poddar bought the island for £2.5m in July and have now given it dual identity - they call it Shanti Dwipam, Sanskrit for Peace Island.
Sunita credits Patanjali Yog with curing her of severe obesity and says she and her husband hope to turn the island into a popular yoga and meditation retreat.
"Our aim is to make Wee Cumbrae a worldwide destination with something for the whole family to enjoy,".
"Whether it is experiencing the rejuvenating and healing powers of Yog Pranayam and Ayurved, exploring the magnificent history of the island, enjoying the many walking trails, or experiencing the many gifts of nature this beautiful island has to offer, we want to make Wee Cumbrae accessible for everyone."
A cure for the logistics would help on this rocky, uninhabited island.
As yet, there is no definite long-term plan on how to accommodate the hoped-for masses.
For the day of the blessing, a flotilla of boats has been commissioned to sail from Largs and Fairlie on the mainland.
The historic ceremony will see the island more populated than it has been for centuries.
Devotees have travelled thousands of miles to witness a traditional Hawan blessing, making it one of the largest invasions off the Ayrshire coast since the Vikings were fought off in 1263.
Happily, the yoga army is sailing up the Clyde to make peace, not war.

By www.superstarrajni.com

Largest hoard of Anglo-Saxon gold ever found.

2009-09-24T02:27:00.001-07:00

Anglo-Saxon gold hoard discovered

A 55-year-old metal detectorist has unearthed the largest hoard of Anglo-Saxon gold ever found.
The staggering discovery, on private farmland in Staffordshire, will redefine perceptions of Anglo-Saxon England, experts predict.
The Staffordshire Hoard has been declared to be treasure by South Staffordshire Coroner Andrew Haigh
Terry Herbert, from Burntwood, Staffordshire, came across the hoard as he searched a field near his home with his trusty 14-year-old detector.
Experts said the collection of more than 1,500 pieces - which will be officially classified by a coroner as treasure - is unparalleled in size and may have belonged to Saxon royalty. The hoard, believed to date back to the seventh century, contains around 5kg of gold and 2.5kg of silver, far bigger than previous finds - including the Sutton Hoo burial site.
It may take more than a year to value the collection and, given its scale, the financial worth of the hoard cannot be estimated.
Leslie Webster, former keeper at the British Museum's Department of Prehistory and Europe, said: "This is going to alter our perceptions of Anglo-Saxon England as radically, if not more so, as the Sutton Hoo discoveries. (It is) absolutely the equivalent of finding a new Lindisfarne Gospels or Book of Kells."
Many of the items in the hoard are warfare paraphernalia, including sword pommel caps and hilt plates, often inlaid with precious stones. The exact location of the discovery has not been disclosed but it is understood to be near the Lichfield border in South Staffordshire.
Mr Herbert, who has been metal detecting for 18 years, came across the buried hoard in July after asking a farmer friend if he could search on his land. He said: "I have this phrase that I say sometimes; 'spirits of yesteryear take me where the coins appear', but on that day I changed coins to gold. I don't know why I said it that day, but I think somebody was listening and directed me to it.
"Maybe it was meant to be, maybe the gold had my name on it all along, I don't know. My mates at the (metal detecting) club always say if there is a gold coin in a field I will be the one to find it. I dread to think what they'll say when they hear about this." He added: "This is what metal detectorists dream of, finding stuff like this. But the vast amount there is is just unbelievable."

By www.superstarrajni.com

Tanvir the tiger is a 'scaredy cat'

2009-09-22T11:57:00.001-07:00

:A "scaredy-cat" Bengal tiger has damaged his species' fearless reputation after getting stuck at the top of a 15ft activity tower.

Two-year-old Tanvir was affectionately branded a "wimp" by keepers at Noah's Ark Zoo Farm in Wraxall, Bristol, after spending more than 24 hours at the summit.
The playful animal took just minutes to scale the tower, which has branch-like platforms to test the tigers' ingenuity. But after shinning up the structure on Monday morning, he was too frightened to come down.
The zoo said Tanvir was likely to gingerly descend the "enrichment tower" when his hunger became unbearable - although tigers can go for five days without eating.
Spokeswoman Samantha Cordrey said: "He's quite a mischievous little tiger and yesterday he went up his enrichment tower for the first time. There's a smaller tower, of about 5ft, and even that took him half an hour to get down from, so he's a bit of a scaredy cat.
"He's still stuck at the top today. Every time he gets to the edge, he looks out, puts a paw over, and thinks 'No, I'm not doing it!' He will make his way down when he gets too cold or hungry. He got up there within seconds but he can't get back down. It was made to challenge him but he's a bit of a wimp.
"He's on a big platform, just lying down. He will call to you but won't climb down. He stands up, looks around, stretches out his paw to see how far he thinks it is, then decides against it.
"People think tigers are ferocious animals without fear but they can get scared quite easily. They are not as full-on as people think."Going up and giving food to timid Tanvir, who has been with the zoo since the summer, would only prolong his stay in the tower, she added.
On the ground he lives with two other tigers - Kushkja, aged six, and eight-year-old Khan.

By www.superstarrajni.com

World's oldest man reveals his secret

2009-09-22T07:11:00.000-07:00

:World's Oldest Man Parties On 113th Birthday

:The world's oldest man has celebrated his 113th birthday - revealing he takes one aspirin a day to stay healthy.

Walter Breuning celebrated his milestone with a party at his home in the Rainbow Retirement Community in Great Falls, Montana.
He told those gathered: "Remember that life's length is not measured by its hours and days, but by that which we have done therein.
"A useless life is short if it lasts a century.
"There are greater and better things in us all, if we would find them out. There will always be in this world - wrongs. No wrong is really successful.
"The day will come when light and truth and the just and the good shall be victorious and wrong as evil will be no more forever."
The 113-year-old, considered to be the world's oldest man, attributes his long life to eating well and keeping physically and mentally active.
He also says he takes one aspirin a day.
Mr Breuning is in such good shape that he still strolls the halls of the retirement home, wearing a suit and tie, and walks the ramps to his second-floor apartment.
He was born on September 21, 1896, in Melrose, Minnesota.
In 1912, he became a railway worker, which led him to Montana in 1918. He stayed in the job until retiring in 1963.
Mr Breuning has outlived all of his family.
He lost his wife in 1957 after 35 years of marriage - they did not have any children.

By www.superstarrajni.com

Why electric cars are the future

2009-09-22T01:16:00.001-07:00

Frankfurt Feature: Why electric cars are important
Frankfurt was without doubt one of the biggest, most lavish motor shows ever seen, and the irony of that won't pass many people by; the car economy is in such a sorry state right now that Governments across the globe are throwing millions at saving it.
But life goes on, and the combined issues of sheer traffic volume and a limited supply of oil give the industry two good reasons to think about alternatives to internal combustion. People will always need cars, so we need to limit their impact while making sure that we can build them without depleting the earth's natural resources. Step in the electric car.
Electric cars: the negative past
It might seem as though the electric car is a fairly modern phenomenon, but in fact, until Henry Ford came along, electric cars were in far more widespread use than their internal combustion counterparts.
The first electric car was built in the mid 1830s by a Scot called Robert Anderson, and their development continued right through the 19th Century, with Britain, France and America all developing electric vehicles - for the wealthy, of course. By the start of the 20th Century, horseless carriages were available in electric, steam and internal combustion forms, but because the electric ones were quiet, easy to start and had no tricky gear shifting to worry about (controls were way more complicated back then), they were the most popular choice. One particular example, called the Phaeton (no relation to VW's limo) could reach a heady 14mph and keep going for 18 miles. Not bad.
But then in 1908 Henry Ford came along with his pesky Model T, an internal combustion car that cost about a third of the price of an average electric one and had a much greater range. Roads were getting better and longer by that time, making short-range cars as practically useless as they are now, so gasoline won the day. The electric car was outmoded.
Electric cars: the positive present
With the world taking America's lead and adopting petrol power, electric cars were put on the back burner for decades, the odd one springing up very occasionally as a novelty item (Sinclair C5, anyone?) or postal delivery van.
But internal combustion is a complex matter. Fuel comes from crude oil, of course, which is of finite supply and largely comes from territories that are politically sensitive, shall we say: about 80 percent of the world's accessible oil reserves are in the Middle East. Estimates regarding when supplies will run dry vary and are based on a number of complex factors, and probably of more pressing concern is the environmental issue. Reducing dependence on foreign oil is beneficial from a political and consumer price point of view - no more wild fuel cost fluctuations based on crude oil prices - but conventional wisdom points towards the sky as a more urgent reason to switch to electric power. Without going into the whole ozone layer or dead polar bears debate, CO2-free cars seem like a good call for Planet Earth. Oddly, 19th Century technology seems to be the clean, green answer to our problems.
Electric cars: the fresh future
However, after 100-odd years we're so used to the wonderful, exciting and plain useful thing the oil-powered car has become that we expect the electric car to meet that standard. Clearly, it doesn't, yet.
Necessity is the mother of invention though, and over the last few years makers have, finally, started to unlock the potential of the electric car. The 'chicken and egg' situation of manufacturers holding back because of a lack of charging infrastructure, and Governments holding back on implementing one because of lack of cars is finally being broken; only last week the Energy Technology Institute pledged £11m to setting up car charging stations in nine UK cities.
Lo and behold, Frankfurt is awash with electric cars, some of which look - whisper this - really exciting. We're yet to have a proper debate about the environmental impact of actually making these cars and their batteries, but for now there's hope on the horizon. Our daily runabouts will be clean, green, cheap electric cars with decent ranges and quick re-charging abilities, which will allow us to enjoy our internal combustion cars as 'weekend playthings' for years and years to come.
Tomorrow's world
So, we've picked out five electric stars of Frankfurt, with links to our live show reports, for you to put in your pipe and, erm, breathe the fresh air.

By www.superstarrajni.com

Bear seriously Injures Nine people In Bus Station Horror

2009-09-21T01:33:00.000-07:00

:A bear injured nine people before being shot dead in a shop at a Japanese bus station.

Four were seriously hurt in the attack in Nyukawa, a small mountain town about 140 miles west of Tokyo, with the most severe suffering serious wounds to the face.
Others suffered broken bones, but none of the injuries are believed to be life-threatening.
The four foot Asian black bear entered the station parking area from a mountain path and began chasing a visitor.
Another visitor tried to beat back the bear with a stick, but the bear retaliated, seriously injuring the man.
Several employees then tried to help the injured man, but were also wounded by the bear, according to reports.
Other people tried to chase it off by honking car horns but ended up only causing it to run into the terminal's building, injuring more people in the process.
An employee was able to corner the bear in a souvenir shop by spraying a fire extinguisher and then trapping by closing the shop's shutters.
Police arived with local hunters and the animal was shot dead.
The rest stop is on a mountainous road that is open during summer months only to licensed buses and taxis. The area is popular with tourists for its scenic views.
Bear attacks are said to be rare in the area but this is the most dangerous time of year as the animals are feverishly looking for food to prepare for the winter hibernation.

By www.superstarrajni.com

Calling for the creation of independent and sovereign Tamileelam

2009-09-20T05:50:00.000-07:00

Calling for the creation of independent and sovereign Tamil Eelam, based on Vaddukkoadai Resolution (VR) was the last spontaneous and definite mandate by Eezham Tamils in a totally free and democratic atmosphere. As the need for democratic political organisation unfolds afresh, Tamils have to take up the thread directly from the VR. The Thimphu principles and all the other formulas put forward subsequently under the duress of powers, and failed as negotiation models, do not get precedence over the VR as bases for political organization. Mu’l’livaaykkaal was not the real defeat. The defeat comes only when Tamils are made to politically denounce their heart-felt aspirations. The diaspora needs to peruse and correct course of any proposal that stops just at self-determination. In UN charter and in international law it is just an empty phrase that doesn’t protect nations or ethnicities.

The Vaddukkoaddai Resolution of 1976, calling for independent, sovereign, Tamil Eelam in the North and East of the island of Sri Lanka was a proclamation of all democratic Tamil political parties, including Ceylon Workers Congress, the then united political party of the Upcountry Tamils. The Eezham Tamil voters of the North and East overwhelmingly endorsed it in the 1977 elections. Thus it was a definite democratic mandate of Tamils and so far they didn’t get another chance to democratically tell what is in their heart.

The Thimphu principles of 1985 were a diluted version of Vaddukkoaddai Resolution, after truncating independence and sovereignty and stopping just at Tamil nation, homeland and self-determination. The Thimphu principles, diluted to facilitate negotiation with Colombo, were jointly put forward by all the Tamil militant organizations of that time. There was no mandate of the people. The most important fact to be noted is that the Indian Establishment that was always keen in nullifying Tamil independence in the island was behind making Tamil militancy then under its influence agreeable to the principles as a minimum platform for negotiation.The Indo-Sri Lanka agreement of 1987 imposed on Tamils touched only the point of homeland, that too temporarily, and it was recently breached by Colombo. There was no credible mandate as the LTTE boycotted and the elections took place under the coercing presence of the Indian military. However, the provincial government elected under it finally felt it necessary to declare independent and sovereign Eelam, before winding up and while the Indian military was present.The Oslo communiqué of 2002 was a further dilution of Vaddukkoaddai in another way, by its adoption of an invented phrase ‘internal self-determination’. Norway and some other powers that later became the Co-Chairs were behind making the LTTE agreeable to experiment negotiation with this dilution. Again there was no mandate of people.The ISGA of 2004, which has reference to Vaddukkoaddai but not to Thimphu, was only an interim proposal during the Co-Chair sponsored peace. It was apparently a move of the LTTE to supersede Oslo Communiqué. The mandate it received from Tamils has to be considered limited as the elections took place with the 6th Amendment to the constitution in effect. Its only electoral validity today is that it binds the TNA.Even after considerably diluting the freely mandated aspirations of Vaddukkoaddai Resolution to suit their geopolitical agenda, India and the Co-Chairs miserably failed in making the Sri Lankan state agreeable for experimenting political solutions.Had they succeeded, there would have been a different course of events and they would have had a standing in telling the Tamil mind to consider experimenting within a united Sri Lanka. But they chose the path of brutally abetting or allowing a crushing military defeat and open as well as barbed-wire incarceration of the whole nation of Tamils in the island.Eezham Tamils are now left with the option of politically organising themselves afresh. In the emerging scenario of democratic organisation of Eezham Tamil politics there need to be no place for Thimphu, Oslo or any other – non mandated, experimental, and failed negotiation formulas extended by militancy under duress of powers.If there is democracy then nothing should prevent the democratic stream to get back to what was last mandated by people and what has become the heart-felt need of Eezham Tamils more than ever now, and to begin the political process and negotiation from that point.However, the very forces that have inflicted military defeat on Tamils are now all out to defeat them politically by capturing, hijacking or deviating the democratic politics of Tamils.India and the West compete in subtle ways in this exercise, adopting crude as well as highly sophisticated methods. Preparations, institutional arrangements and recruitments have been done long back as it was their foregone conclusion to inflict military defeat on Tamil nationalism.The powers have carefully studied the non nation-centred ‘virtue’ of sections of Tamil elite or rather weakness of the Eezham Tamil nationalism, cultivated since colonial times to always orientate their politics in terms of the interests of others - British colonial interests, Colombo-centric interests, Indian interests, Western interests and there was a time when some were orientating it to the interests of Russia and China. The elite politics of Eezham Tamils - except for the rare occasion of Vaddukkoaddai Resolution, and that too is said to be a result of youth pressure - was always hiding its mind fearing for others and was thinking in terms of others. Influenced and discouraged by calculated power machinations, campaigns and Karunanidhis, the murmur heard in some elite circles now is that if a powerful armed struggle has failed, what could be achieved through democratic politics and claiming for what the heart aspires is only bravado.They fail to see that it is more legitimate and more workable in democratic organisation to come out boldly with what you feel righteously deserving, register the claim and then to fight for it or negotiate until acceptable results are achieved.This is possible only when we have the guts to independently evolve our politics firmly by ourselves first and then only to relate it to others. Of course this is not possible when we start looking at ourselves through the eyes of others. This mindset is the biggest impediment to our political organisation.Mu’l’livaaykkaal was not the real defeat. Colombo and the powers know it. Their victory comes only when Tamils are made to politically denounce their heart-felt aspirations. It is in order to achieve this victory much easier, they advice or find agents to advise Tamils to drop their national aspiration, even though democratically registering a national aspiration could in no way be considered an obstacle for negotiation.Powers have created a desperate situation for Eezham Tamils hoping their will power would wither even politically. But one should not fail to see that if not for Tamils, for the sake of their own interests, the powers have to find out solutions very soon in the island. Tamils have to be ready with their own politics to face the situation.In the past, the failure of democratic Tamil politicians in adhering to people’s emotional needs with firmness and their inability to resist undue power interests, paved way for the rise and acceptance of militancy.Tamils should take care that their political organisation now needs to be truly representative of their aspirations and needs to be firm in negotiation if they want to uphold democracy and avoid another rise of militancy. No need to say the powers should respect this reality, as they too share the fear. It is now an acid test for the emerging democratic politics of Eezham Tamil nationalism.The move in the diaspora for transnational government of Tamil Eelam is not only for negotiating the liberation and emancipation of Tamils in the island of Sri Lanka but it is also an alternative government of the diaspora, standing for the global unity, cultural identity, development and global status of the diaspora. The move for this government needs not to bother about anyone in proclaiming the independence and sovereignty of Eezham Tamils in the island and requesting a mandate from the people in the diaspora.Self-determination, as it is understood in contemporary times is a vague term when applied to people or ethnicities. According to UN charter 1(2), self-determination is interpreted as existing only in state-to-state relationship. Legally, it protects only states. “Self-determination does not entail the right to be independent, or even to vote for independence” (Geoffrey Robertson, Penguin 2008, p165).“International law provides no right of secession in the name of self-determination” (Rosalyn Higgins, Peoples and Minorities in International Law, 1995, p33).“At best, the people’s right to self-determination connotes the right of all citizens to participate in the political process, but this gives power to majorities and not to minorities (Robertson, ibid). The diaspora needs to seriously peruse and correct the course of any proposal that stops just at self-determination.The Tamil National Alliance in the island, operating under constraints of Colombo and India, should not on its own, denounce the independence and sovereignty of Eezham Tamils and should not agree for experimenting anything other than a confederation with the right to secede, is an opinion strongly felt in the diaspora.Emerging Tamil politics needs to act with far sight. The present scenario of geopolitics is not going to remain the same. The national aspiration for independence and sovereignty, which is a hard reality for Eezham Tamils today, may also get re-defined. In any future possibility of shared sovereignty, either regionally or globally, the Eezham Tamils should be able to find their niche smoothly without again facing the tragedy they have undergone for ages.It is with sadness most of the Eezham Tamils look at a few Marxists among them, especially of the former ‘Peking Wing’, who denounce separate nationalism for Eezham Tamils. The Marxist Communist Party of India also has adopted a similar line.It is hard to understand that if national liberation of Eezham Tamils oppressed on ethnic grounds and ‘Eezham’ as a political unit is not acceptable to them, in what way the united Sri Lankan nationalism and Sri Lanka as a political unit upheld by them is ideologically justifiable. While viewing Tamil national struggle as serving imperialism, they practically serve the very imperialism by weakening the struggle. Ironically, many Sinhala Marxists see justice and recognise the Tamil national struggle in the island.The Marxists contributed immensely to the social progress of Eezham Tamils in the past. They have a duty in structuring and strengthening the Tamil nation further, through achieving social equality. The democratisation of politics is an atmosphere conducive for them, but they should not deprive Tamils getting their contribution by keeping Tamil national liberation as an untouchable topic, by not participating in it and by not recognising that their goals can be better achieved by accepting Tamil nationalism as a unit to apply their progressive ideas and shaping it at home and in transnational governance.

Vaddukkoaddai and Thimphu

By http://www.superstarrajni.com/

Artist David Hockney slams smoking ban

2009-09-20T05:41:00.000-07:00

:Artist David Hockney has said he loathes the Labour Government for interfering in his life by introducing the smoking ban.

The 72-year-old lifelong smoker is backing a cross-party group of MPs who want the ban to be relaxed, so people can light up in designated rooms in pubs.
Hockney told the BBC's Politics Show that he was appalled to find that his local cafe in east Yorkshire no longer allowed people to smoke at tables outside, because they were frightened that smoke would waft inside and breach the law.
He said Prime Minister Gordon Brown and his predecessor Tony Blair were responsible and added: "I loathe them for it."
Hockney also took a swipe at the Government's "nanny state attitude", saying that if ministers had told the late TV chef Keith Floyd to give up rich food, alcohol and cigarettes in order to live longer, "he would have said to them that's not what I call living. Up yours!
"That's what someone should say to Brown, to his face - what on earth are you doing?" he went on. The artist said he would happily give the Prime Minister his views if they met but added that he did not move in political circles.
Smoking was banned in England in all public indoor spaces, including work places, pubs, restaurants and nightclubs in 2007. The ban also applies in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

My view on this: Why smoker want to smoke any where they want? you do not see people watching porn on the street or having sex in public,If they do than they get arrested even if he is a movie star and he does it in a car, wow, so my view is you have freedom to smoke outside without getting arrested,so why push it.If you want to smoke outside, please do so, but do not make others smoke your 2nd hand smoke, smoking should be banned where people wait for services, e.g bus stops, out side shopping centre.

By www.superstarrajni.com

President Obama to host Israeli-Palestinian talks

2009-09-20T02:51:00.001-07:00

:Israel has ignored President Obama's calls to freeze construction of settlements. by CNN

WASHINGTON - President Obama will host meetings Tuesday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, the White House announced Saturday.

The meetings come as hopes for renewed Israeli-Palestinian talks have dimmed despite diplomatic efforts of former Maine Sen. George Mitchell, the U.S. envoy for the Middle East, who capped off last week's visit to the region with a second round of talks with both sides.
The meetings, set for the sidelines of next week's U.N. General Assembly session in New York, are "another sign of the president's deep commitment to comprehensive peace that he wants to personally engage at this juncture," Mitchell said in the White House statement.
Obama will talk with each leader separately before all three meet together, the White House said.
Mitchell failed to get a trilateral meeting on the sidelines of next week's U.N. General Assembly session in New York, according to an Israeli government official Friday, who declined to be named because of the sensitive nature of the talks.
Mitchell had been working to broker a last-minute deal before the start of the Jewish New Year, which began at sundown Friday, and the Muslim Eid al-Fitr holiday this weekend. One of the sticking points has been the issue of an Israeli settlement freeze.
The United States and Israel have publicly disagreed on Israeli plans to build more housing on land the Palestinians regard as theirs, and Obama administration demands for a complete freeze have been ignored by the Netanyahu government.

Israel recently approved the construction of 455 new units -- in addition to the about 2,500 already in various stages of construction -- in the West Bank, over the objections of Washington.
Abbas has so far rejected resuming talks with Israel until the Jewish state halts all settlement building in the occupied West Bank and in predominantly Palestinian East Jerusalem.
After Mitchell's meeting with Abbas on Friday, the chief Palestinian negotiator, Saeb Erakat, told reporters that the settlement issue had not been resolved.
"The senator informed us that there is not an agreement yet with the Israeli side," Erakat said. "And we once again reiterated that there are no middle-ground solutions for settlements. A settlement freeze is a settlement freeze."
In an interview Thursday with Israeli Channel 2, Netanyahu downplayed the importance of Obama's calls for a settlement freeze.
"There are 2,400 units that are currently being built, and another 500 that we approved. Do you want to call that a freeze? I don't call it a freeze, I call it a slowdown in building -- I am willing to do that to help the process and in parallel to preserve normal life of the residents [of the settlements]."
Earlier in the week, Netanyahu said in a closed-door Knesset committee meeting that Israel would agree only to a partial reduction of housing construction and for a limited time, not the year the United States would like, said a government official who did not want to be identified because he was not authorized to speak about the meeting.
Netanyahu said no agreement had been reached on the length of time for the building hiatus, the source told CNN.
Netanyahu has said in the past that a moratorium would not apply to East Jerusalem, which Israel claims as part of its sovereign capital since taking the territory away from Jordan during the Six Day War in 1967. Palestinians want East Jerusalem to be the capital of a future Palestinian state.

By www.superstarrajni.com

First look at new Grand Theft Auto add-on

2009-09-19T14:17:00.000-07:00

:Hands on with GTA IV: The Ballad of Gay Tony

It's not the size of the hard drive that matters; it's what you can do with it that counts.
Speaking purely objectively, since you can only download GTA IV Episodes onto an Xbox 360 this gives Microsoft considerable bragging rights. On the flip side there's no Uncharted 2 for the Xbox guys. Life can really suck on both sides of console war.

Anyhow back to GTA IV for today, and the second, and final, Add-On episode available exclusively to Xbox 360 gamers. Earlier this year we had The Lost and Damned, a gritty tale of biker gangs taking an eye for an eye or just for the hell of it. Now we're looking forward to The Ballad of Gay Tony, described by Rockstar as the glitter ball counterpart to the grunge of The Lost and Damned.
Cutting to the chase, "...Gay Tony" is laugh-out-loud hilarious on a couple of counts. First of all the action is so overblown you'll bust a gasket as cop cars and helicopters succumb to your awesome new firepower. Second, a guy called Yusuf - an up and coming crime lord voiced by Omid Djalili. Almost every line is an absolute killer.
The new episode is also stylish as hell, with a kick-ass new protagonist Louis Lopez hailing from the Dominion Republic. Nothing will be known about Louis' background until we get to play through the whole story next month. We're quite certain the guy is military trained however, because he handles guns and explosives as though second nature. Louis is also big into sky diving and base jumping, capable of pin-pointing a moving target from miles out in order to arrive on the scene unnoticed. Okay, this doesn't always work out, but there are always the fireworks to fall back on.

Louis is currently right-hand man to nightclub owner Tony ‘Gay Tony' Price. Since Tony is in plenty of trouble with suspicious shareholders in Liberty City's "Maisonette 9" and "Hercules" hot spots, Louis is following orders to bring it all back under control - though passers-by could easily confuse this with all hell breaking loose.
For example during the mission dubbed "Dropping In", Louis parachutes onto the roof of a skyscraper belonging to Liberty City's hockey team The Rampage. The whole place gets shot to shreds, and then blown to pieces using the all-new sticky grenades and proximity mines. When Louis is done with all that, he jumps out of a top floor window to parachute safely (or not) onto the back of a moving flat-bed truck.
Or, in "For the Man Who Has Everything" - starring Yusuf on terrific form - the general idea is to steal the front carriage of a moving train. Yusuf says he wants to build a Submarine Train Car (don't even ask). Louis gamely balances along the top of the fast moving train, firing explosive at police helicopters that duly spin out of control, smash into buildings, or else disintegrate in a ball of flame. They keep coming. Louis keeps shooting. It's ridiculously good fun.
Our demo ended with "Sexy Time" which indeed it was. Speed boats. Military grade helicopter (The Buzzard). Onboard rocket launcher. A big millionaire playboy Yacht begging to go boom... imagine the possibilities. The reality is even better.
As with The Lost and Damned, we're looking at several more solid hours of GTAIV gameplay in Ballad of Gay Tony. And this can be further extended because each mission is now broken down into percentage ratings for completion time, accuracy and suchlike. The idea behind Post Mission Stats being to repeat missions for perfect scores - the first time this has appeared in GTA on a home console (it first showed up in Chinatown Wars on DS).
The fun factor is amplified thanks to a bunch of silly new weapons, among them the AA-12 shot-gun that fires the explosive rounds we mentioned earlier. Also a Magnum type hand cannon that'll lift targets off their feet. An enhanced sniper rifle could prove useful from rooftops or high-flying helicopters - showing off the increased vertical distances enhanced especially for this final chapter.
Further gameplay variation includes will include nightclub management - that is, making sure matters don't get out of hand, or showing the dance floor some tricks. The focus is very much on Liberty City's nightlife
So there you go Xbox 360 guys, the final instalment in the landmark GTAIV saga. It's available via download from 29 October on Xbox LIVE for those of you with GTAIV still sitting at home. Alternatively there's a stand-alone disc being released containing both The Lost and Damned and The Ballad of Gay Tony, and you won't need the GTAIV disc to play these.

By www.superstarrajni.com

Cash crisis for university students

2009-09-19T02:20:00.001-07:00

:Cash Crisis For Students Off To University

As many as 50,000 students will start university next week without all the loans and grants they expected.

The Student Loans Company, the firm tasked by the government with distributing the loans, has failed to process thousands of applications.
The backlog is being blamed on the numbers of people applying for financial help.
University applications are up 17% on last year and it has been revealed that 120,000 students have applied for finance in the past month alone.
Students have complained of missing post, long waits to get through to the helpline, and when they do, no useful advice from the staff who are supposed to help.
Vice-chancellors have been asked to be lenient with students who don't have the correct funds in place at the start of term. Many universities say they'll do what they can to make sure students are enrolled on time.
The government told Sky News Online that it has: "...been assured that more than three quarters of a million students have now had their application for funds approved and others are being processed as swiftly as possible.
"The Student Loan Company has bought in extra resources to deal with enquiries, including additional telephone lines and operators."
Nevertheless, universities begrudge the fact that they are being asked to cover for what they see as the incompetence of others.

By www.superstarrajni.com

Ferrari reveals stunning 202mph car:Frankfurt supercar: Ferrari 458 Italia

2009-09-17T17:00:00.000-07:00

:You've probably already seen the pictures of the Ferrari F430 replacement by now, but we can officially confirm that the 458 Italia is indeed as stunning in the flesh as we'd hoped it would be.
What's all the fuss about?
Any new Ferrari is going to cause a stir, but the replacement for its 'bread and butter' model is about as exciting as it gets. The 458 Italia might be the most junior Ferrari lots of money can buy, but it's by no means a watered down supercar. Its top speed is 202mph and it will get to 100km/h (that's 62mph in old money) in just 3.4 seconds thanks to a 4.5-litre, 562bhp V8 engine and a shape more slippery than Ronnie Biggs. In fact, Michael Schumacher claimed during its unveil that it's quicker than an Enzo around Ferrari's Fiorano test track. Yikes.
Any new technology?
Ferrari is keen to stress that the CO2 emissions the 458 doles out are the cleanest in the segment. Granted, that's arguably the same as claiming you're the most intelligent Big Brother housemate, but 320g/km of CO2 and 20.6mpg are actually impressive considering the 9,000rpm V8 performance on offer.
Inside, traditional indicator stalks are eradicated too in favour of innovative wheel mounted units. And as for the rest of the cabin, we can confirm it's as wonderfully tactile as we'd hoped for - though it's asymmetrical air vents take some getting used to. We'd like the opportunity...
When can I buy one?
Sometime during Spring 2010 is the suggested release date for the 458 Italia, although Ferrari has put so much time and cost into developing the car that it will justifiably charge more for it than the F430 it replaces - expect around £150,000.

By www.superstarrajni.com

US abandons European missile shield plan

2009-09-17T11:27:00.001-07:00

:The US has abandoned plans for a missile defence shield in eastern Europe.

President Barack Obama said he was dropping plans to base interceptor missiles in Poland and build a radar system in the Czech Republic.
Russia welcomed the decision to scrap the programme, which had complicated US efforts to enlist Moscow's support over Afghanistan, Iran and nuclear arms control.
The shield was intended to defend against long-range missile launches from "rogue" states like Iran. But Russia saw it as a threat to its own missile defences and its overall security.
Mr Obama said he had decided to drop the plan - formulated under the George W Bush administration - in favour of "stronger, smarter and swifter" defences that were "proven and cost-effective".
Critics of the shield plan had warned that the technology had not been tested in realistic battle conditions.
Mr Obama said he had assured the heads of state of Poland and the Czech Republic of America's commitment to defending its Nato allies.
Pentagon officials said the decision to move away from the shield was based on intelligence indicating Iran is focused on developing short and medium-range missiles rather than the long-range intercontinental missiles originally feared.
Eastern European states, especially Poland and the Baltic states, saw the missile plan as a symbol of US commitment to the defence of the region against any encroachment by its former Soviet rulers 20 years after the end of communist rule.

By www.superstarrajni.com

Beyonce sued over perfume plan

2009-09-16T12:47:00.000-07:00

:Teen clothing retailer Abercrombie & Fitch is suing singer Beyonce Knowles over her plans for a fragrance named after Sasha Fierce, her alter ego.

Abercrombie & Fitch says in a lawsuit filed in the federal court in Ohio the star's intention to use the name constitutes trademark infringement, unfair competition and deceptive trade practices.
The company, based in New Albany, Ohio, says its Abercrombie & Fitch Trading Co subsidiary has owned the Fierce trademark since 2002 for its own men's fragrance.
It is asking the court to order Knowles to halt her plan to sell a fragrance with a similar name.
The firm says sales of its fragrance have exceeded 190 million dollars and 2009 sales are projected at 64 million dollars.

Beyonce sued by Abercrombie & Fitch over fragrance

The singer Beyonce Knowles has been sued by Abercrombie & Fitch Co over her intent to use its "Fierce" trademark on a fragrance to be launched in early 2010.

In a federal lawsuit filed Tuesday in Columbus, Ohio, Abercrombie said Knowles' plan "poses a likelihood of confusion" for consumers that could deprive it of control over a mark it has used since 2002, and perhaps cost it sales.
Representatives of Knowles were not immediately available for comment.
Abercrombie said it has sold more than $190 million (115 million pounds) worth of fragrance under the Fierce name, and expects $64 million of sales in 2009.
The New Albany, Ohio-based company said the fragrance gives off a "signature" scent that is regularly dispersed in its 350 retail stores through scent machines or by employees.
"A&F's intent is that all garments that leave the store have the Fierce scent attached to them," the company said.
The fragrance maker Coty Inc has signed an agreement to market Knowles' fragrance.
Knowles, often known solely by her first name, is one of the world's best-known singers, after having risen to fame as lead singer of Destiny's Child.
Last November, her album "I am ... Sasha Fierce" debuted at No. 1 on the U.S. Billboard 200 chart. On Sunday, the song "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)" from that album won the Video of the Year award at the MTV Video Music Awards.

By www.superstarrajni.com

How to get extra holiday cash:If you're jetting off abroad this summer

2009-09-15T06:37:00.000-07:00

But never fear. Here are my five top tips for getting the best-value deal out there:
1. Shop around!
As with all decisions related to financial products, do as much research as you possibly can. Exchange rates, fees and charges can vary widely, so don't assume everyone is offering much the same thing.
For example, the exchange rates offered by high street banks are likely to be a lot less competitive than those from currency specialists.
And often one 'brand' of currency provider (e.g. Thomas Cook) will offer different rates of exchange depending on whether you're dealing with a high street branch, an online transaction or an airport outlet.
2. 'Commission-free' isn't everything
I thought 'commission-free' meant you were getting the best possible deal on your foreign currency. In fact, the lack of commission is only half of the story.
Of course, the exchange rate is also crucial. Essentially, the 'best' exchange rate will allow you to get the most foreign currency for your sterling. And very often, commission-free outlets offer poor exchange rates to make up their cut.
So - if you want the best deal, you need to pin down a combination of the best exchange rate and the lowest rate of commission.
Having said that, keep an eye out for the currency dealers who still charge high rates of commission on particular transactions. For example, many still charge a commission fee for Sterling travellers cheques - which typically adds 1% to 1.5% to their price.
3. Plan ahead
In your holiday excitement, don't leave it until the last minute to get your foreign currency. Airports and hotels are two of the worst places to change your money, because a) the exchange rate is usually appalling and b) you'll probably be hit with a commission fee as well. Arrgh!
I know that sounds obvious - but we've all done it, haven't we?
4. Dodge delivery charges
Don't make the mistake of bagging a good conversion deal, only to be walloped by a hefty delivery charge of £5 .
Instead of having the currency delivered to your home or work address, give yourself enough time to collect it from a high street branch, or from the airport.
5. Credit cards can be costly
Just when you thought you had everything covered... You also need to watch how you pay for your foreign currency.
If you use a credit card, you're likely to be charged a cash-handling fee of around 2.75% of the amount spent. So if at all possible, pay by debit card - or by cash - instead.
Where to start
As a pointer, Travelex Online usually tops the 'best value foreign currency' tables. The Travelex Online 'promise' guarantees it will offer the best overall price for your foreign currency - or refund the difference.
However, the rates, deals and fees associated with holiday money are constantly changing - so it's a good idea to spread your net a little wider as well.

By www.superstarrajni.com

Watch out for these scams: 10 of the biggest scams

2009-09-15T06:35:00.000-07:00

Over the years, scammers and fraudsters have come up with more and more inventive ways to swindle us out of our hard-earned cash.
And unfortunately, when times get tough, more of us become susceptible to these cunning schemes.
So I've decided it's time to give you the run-down on ten of the worst scams to watch out for so that you can avoid being ripped off!
1) Phishing emails
The trap: Emails which appear to have been sent from your bank and ask you to reset or confirm your security details by clicking on a link. The reality: More often than not, these links take you to a fake website with the aim of getting hold of your personal or financial details to defraud you. So whatever you do, don't click on these links and delete the email immediately.
2) Bogus holiday clubs
The trap: You're approached by a scratchcard tout or receive a phone call telling you you've won a 'free' holiday. All you need to do is to attend a presentation to collect your prize.
The reality: At the presentation, you'll be persuaded to sign up to an exclusive club and pay a fee for the privilege. But you'll probably find you've bought little more than access to an internet booking service offering the same service you could find in your local travel agent.
3) Emails from 'friends in need'
The trap: You receive an email from a friend claiming he has lost his wallet and passport abroad and desperately needs money to pay for his hotel bill and his flight home.
Often your friend will tell you all phone lines have been disconnected and the only method of contact available is email. He'll then ask you to wire over some money to help him out, making out this will be repaid upon his return.
The reality: The email is not from your friend, but from a scammer who will happily run off with your hard-earned cash and perhaps even ask for more.
4) Lotteries
The trap: You receive a letter or email to say you've won a large sum of money in a lottery. Hurrah! But when you phone up to claim, you'll be told you need to pay a fee to collect your winnings.
The reality: Hand over the fee and you'll never see your money again - or your prize. It is illegal for a real lottery to charge any sort of fee so if you're told you need to pay, steer clear. And remember - if you haven't bought a ticket, how can you have won a prize?
5) Weight loss aids
The trap: Advertisements promising you'll be able to lose weight with minimal effort thanks to the wonders of a revolutionary pill, patch or cream.
The reality: Usually there's no scientific evidence to back up these claims, and you'll end up spending money on a bogus drug that will make absolutely no difference to your weight.
6) Advance fee fraud (the Nigerian or 419 scam)
The trap: You receive an email or letter from what appears to be businessmen or officials from Nigeria or another African country offering to transfer large sums of money into your bank account to get it out of the country. You're told you can keep a large chunk of this cash, but need to pay a fee to cover the transaction costs and legal fees.
The reality: These emails/letters are from conmen who will simply disappear with any money you give them. What's more, because you'll have to hand over your personal and bank details, you can expect these crooks to empty your bank account while they're at it.
7) Work at home schemes
The trap: You see an advert in the newspaper or on a lamppost offering you a significant income for minimal work - such as envelope stuffing or craft assembly work.
The reality: What you won't be told is that you might have to pay up front for supplies to carry out the job or to cover hidden costs. You may also find your 'employer' refuses to pay you, claiming your work isn't up the right standards, or that you only get commission for signing up more people.
8) Car matching
The trap: After placing an advertisement for your car in the newspaper or online, you receive a call from someone promising to match you with a buyer. You're then asked to pay a fee for the match - often around £80-£99.
The reality: The call was from a fraudster, there's no buyer and you can kiss goodbye to your cash.
9) Mobile phone insurance
The trap: Not long after buying a new mobile phone, you receive a call from the shop you bought it from, and are offered a fantastic insurance deal.
The reality: After handing over your bank details you discover your mobile phone isn't insured after all and the person on the phone wasn't who he said he was. By which point, your bank account is looking decidedly less healthy.
10) Pyramid schemes
The trap: You pay a fee to join a scheme but are offered the opportunity to make bags full of money fast by simply recruiting other people into the scheme.
The reality: These schemes are illegal and although the people at the top of the 'pyramid' might make money, it won't be much. And as soon as the pyramid stops growing, there's no money to be made.

By www.superstarrajni.com

Queen Mum's letter reveals WWII escape

2009-09-13T15:23:00.001-07:00

:Queen Mother's war letter released

A letter from the Queen Mother which describes the dramatic moment Buckingham Palace was bombed during a Second World War air raid has been released to mark the publication of the royal's official biography.

The note tells how Queen Elizabeth and King George VI heard a diving Nazi plane then seconds later the "scream" of a bomb which flew past them and landed in the palace's internal courtyard on September 13 1940.
The royals had delayed heading down to the palace's air raid shelter because the King had asked his wife to take an eyelash out of his eye.
The attack left three workmen injured and the Queen Mother described in her letter how she was shaken by the explosions.
The correspondence was penned for the royal's mother-in-law, Queen Mary, and is featured in the Queen Mother's official biography written by William Shawcross which is published later this week.
It was one of hundreds of letters from the royal archive used by the biographer to chronicle the life of the royal who died in her sleep at the age of 101, in 2001, with the Queen at her bedside.
The former monarch begins the letter, written on Windsor Castle headed notepaper, by telling her "darling Mama" how she went to see if her husband was making his way to the shelter after a "red" warning was announced at the palace.
But instead of rushing downstairs for cover, the King asked his wife to take an eyelash out of his eye and soon afterwards they heard the "unmistakable whirr-whirr of a German plane" before the bomb landed.
The Queen Mother wrote: "I saw a great column of smoke and earth thrown up into the air, and then we all ducked like lightening into the corridor. There was another tremendous explosion, and we and our two pages who were outside the door, remained for a moment or two in the corridor away from the staircase, in case of flying glass.
She added: "My knees trembled a little bit for a minute or two after the explosions."

By www.superstarrajni.com

Eight-year-old girl found hanged

2009-09-13T10:58:00.000-07:00

:An eight-year-old girl was found hanged in her bedroom, police have said.

The girl was found at her home in Moor Street, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, at about 9am on Saturday.
Detective Superintendent Adrian Pearson said: "We are investigating the full circumstances of this death with our colleagues at children and young people's services.
"Detectives have interviewed both the girl's parents, while a five-year-old boy who was also living at the address has been taken into local authority care."
A post-mortem examination carried out on Saturday evening confirmed the cause of the girl's death as hanging.
Specialist police officers are working with social services at Nottinghamshire County Council to find out how the tragedy happened.

By www.superstarrajni.com

13-year-old Dutch girl planning to sail solo around the world

2009-09-06T10:34:00.000-07:00

:Mother comes out against Dutch girl's solo sail

:The mother of a 13-year-old Dutch girl planning to sail solo around the world has come out against the expedition.

Laura Dekker had intended to begin the two-year voyage on September 1 but a court blocked her departure and placed her under supervision.
"If it was up to me, I would not let Laura go," her mother Babs Muller told Dutch daily De Volkskrant this weekend.
Until now she had not criticised her daughter's plan out of fear of losing contact, she said, but added: "I would rather have a daughter I never see again than a dead daughter."
Muller, 48, who has lived apart from Laura and her father since Laura was six, said she thought her daughter was technically capable of making a world trip but she was worried about her safety in ports and psychological isolation at sea.
The court ruled the trip posed risks to Dekker's psychological development and ordered a psychologist and child protection authorities to examine how she would cope alone on the boat. A hearing is due on October 26 to examine their findings.
Laura, who was born on her parents' boat and spent her first four years at sea, said after the ruling she still planned to make the trip on her 8.3-metre (27-foot) yacht Guppy.
"She has been deluded, I think. You see, her father is everything for her. Laura trusts him 100 percent. Everything he says counts," Muller told the newspaper.
Last month, British 17-year-old Mike Perham became the youngest person to sail around the globe single-handed, after nine months at sea.
Muller, who joined an Italian circus when she was 21, said she understood her daughter's wish.
"I was like her, although I wasn't 13 of course. But my parents were also worried to death about me," Muller said.

By http://www.superstarrajni.com/

Japan's First Lady: 'UFO Took Me To Venus'

2009-09-03T17:00:00.001-07:00

:The new first lady of Japan has described receiving a visit from a UFO and meeting a Hollywood actor in a past life.

Miyuki Hatoyama and her incoming Prime Minister husband Yukio Hatoyama have been propelled into the global media spotlight by his sensational election win.
Mr Hatoyama - who is nicknamed "the alien" - scored an historic victory on Sunday, booting the ruling party out of office for the first time since 1955.
His wife has spoken publicly of an apparent alien visit, and said she was taken to a "beautiful place" two decades ago.
"While my body was asleep, I think my soul rode on a triangular-shaped UFO and went to Venus," she wrote in a book called Very Strange Things I've Encountered.
Her then-husband told her it was probably a dream, but she said she thinks her current spouse, Mr Hatoyama, would not have been so dismissive.
Mrs Hatoyama cuts a flamboyant figure in the Japanese media. She has worked as a cookery writer and an actress, and often appears on television chat shows.
During one programme, she claimed she became friends with Hollywood actor Tom Cruise after meeting him in a previous incarnation.
"He was Japanese in his past life, and we were together so when I see him, I will say, 'Hi. It's been a long time,' and he will immediately understand," the 66-year-old explained.
Mr Hatoyama, the grandson of a former prime minister, is expected to be confirmed as the country's next leader on September 16.
His Democratic Party of Japan toppled the Liberal Democratic Party in last week's vote, ending an unbroken stint of more than 50 years in power.

By www.superstarrajni.com

Fears over new police taser gun

2009-08-24T10:30:00.001-07:00

:Police could be equipped with a new wireless Taser "shotgun" with a range of more than three times that of current models.

The Guardian reports the eXtended Range Electronic Projectile (XREP) could be employed by forces in the fight against crime.
The gun is said to fire a series of barbed electrodes delivering a 20-second, 500-volt shock up to 98ft away. Traditional Taser weapons fire two darts attached to wires and have a range of around 25ft.
Taser International, which makes both weapons, said the new model is a "revolutionary" step that will help police immobilise suspects from much further away.
But critics said the weapon could cause "serious injury" to the target's head and face.
Amnesty International UK's arms programme director Oliver Sprague said: ""We're seriously concerned about this latest weapon by Taser. This is effectively a shotgun that fires electric-shock bullets."

BY www.superstarrajni.com

Raiders steal £1m jewels in one minute

2009-08-24T05:47:00.000-07:00

:Police have revealed six robbers took less than a minute to take gems and jewels worth more than £1 million from a shop in central London.

The raid took place in Knightsbridge on August 19, less than a fortnight after the £40m heist at Graff in Mayfair.
The attackers launched the smash-and-grab raid on Mozafarian after riding up on three motorbikes, rushing in and breaking open display cabinets.
Store owners said the most expensive item taken was a £500,000 diamond necklace.
The store's boss Sokol Salia said: "We knew something was wrong when the motorbikes left the road and drove up on the pavement.
"There were six big guys with helmets and one smashed the door. All you could hear was the din of broken glass. They came in and took almost everything. There was a huge panic."
Four staff and an elderly customer were inside at the time but they were not injured.

BY www.superstarrajni.com

Stars Talking Dirty | Let's Talk About Sex...

2009-08-20T05:44:00.000-07:00

Angelina Jolie Stars Talking Dirty Let's Talk About Sex...

Stars Talking Dirty
Angelina Jolie

Click here: to get a free, cool and sexy animated avatar of yourself!
(On being pregnant with Brad Pitt's child)"It's great for the sex life. It just makes you a lot more creative. So you have fun, and as a woman you're just so round and full."

(On her teen romp with another girl)"You're young, you're drunk, you're in bed, you have knives; sh** happens..."

Stars Talking
DirtyMel B
"I use a little vibrator called a Pocket Rocket - and it does the trick every time."

Stars Talking
DirtyMadonna
"When I get down on my knees, it is not to pray."

Stars Talking Dirty

Lindsay Lohan
"I hate sleeping alone. I like being able to be in different relationships... being able to see a few people. I'm not really like a crazy addict. I mean I enjoy having sex."

Stars Talking Dirty

Pete Wentz
(On sex with his wife, Ashlee Simpson-Wentz)"It was the single best sexual encounter I've ever had. We were in the Soho Grand Hotel, and there was a mirror, and I was like, 'Oh my God, you're banging the girl of your dreams and you're watching it right now.'"

Stars Talking Dirty

Lisa Rinna
"I took striptease lessons, and it really put me in touch and at ease with my body."

Stars Talking Dirty

Heidi Klum
(On her husband, Seal) "We just make time. We just say, 'Hey baby, 2 o'clock in the attic, 6 o'clock in the closet. The front closet.'"

Stars Talking Dirty

Sharon Stone
"Women might be able to fake orgasms. But men can fake a whole relationship."

Stars Talking Dirty

Pamela Anderson
(On Hugh Hefner and his Playboy bunnies)"Hef's sleeping with them all... I've actually walked in on him. There's baby oil, there's toys flying every which way, there's all these girls naked. It was like watching a movie. I was standing in the doorway just looking - for a really long time."

Stars Talking Dirty

Kate Hudson
"Sexual energy really does drive me. ...My mother's the same as me. My parents always said: 'Sex is the best thing in the world. When you start having it you're going to love it.'"

Stars Talking Dirty

Lily Allen
(On her school days) "I was doing things with boys that I shouldn't have been doing at such a young age. I was doing blow-jobs."

Stars Talking Dirty

Janet Jackson
(On her boyfriend, Jermaine Dupri)"I'm way more open, and I know that probably sounds crazy. But he's taken me places I haven't been before. I love stripping too because I know he loves it."

Stars Talking Dirty

Megan Fox
"I have the libido of a teenage boy. I'd rather have sex all the time than leave the house."

Stars Talking Dirty

Jessica Alba
"Guys are visually stimulated. They're easy to manipulate. All you have to do is dress up in a sexy outfit. Girls just have this power over guys. Guys are sort of stupid that way."

By http://www.superstarrajni.com/

Reward offered to catch jewellery robbers

2009-08-14T11:59:00.000-07:00

:A £1 million reward is being offered in a bid to catch the robbers who pulled off Britain's biggest jewellery heist.

The two armed men escaped with 43 items worth almost £40 million from Graff Jewellers in London's West End last Thursday.
Detective Chief Inspector Pam Mace, head of Barnes Flying Squad, said: "I think this is the biggest reward that has ever been offered for a crime of this type."
The money is being put up by Tyler and Company, on behalf of interested insurers, for information leading to the identification, arrest and prosecution of the criminals and recovery of the stolen property.
The robbers threatened staff inside the jewellers with handguns and shots were fired outside as they made their getaway.
It is believed they first used a blue BMW to escape but then switched to a silver B-class Mercedes registration number LV06 HFA and also a Volkswagon Sharan, registration number RA07 XEV.

BY www.superstarrajni.com

Biggest gems heist in British history.

2009-08-11T13:44:00.000-07:00

£40m stolen in jewellery shop heist

Police are hunting robbers who stole items worth nearly £40m in what is believed to be the biggest gems heist in British history.

Two smartly-dressed armed robbers stole jewellery worth almost £40 million from Graff Jewellers in London's West End last Thursday.
Scotland Yard issued CCTV images of the duo as they conned their way past a security guard at the prestigious shop in New Bond Street, Mayfair.
Once inside they pulled out two handguns and threatened staff before snatching expensive rings, bracelets, necklaces and watches.
After arriving in a black taxi, they fired two warning shots into the ground as they escaped in a series of vehicles across Soho.
Detective Chief Inspector Pam Mace, of the Flying Squad, said the pair are "extremely dangerous".
She said: "This was a well planned robbery with a number of vehicles used to help the robbers escape. These men are extremely dangerous and fired at least two shots in busy London streets as they made their getaway. Someone knows who these men are.
"They would undoubtedly have spoken about it beforehand or boasted about it afterwards. I would urge anyone who recognises them, knows the whereabouts of the jewellery or has any other information to contact us."
The heist dwarfs what is thought to be Britain's previous biggest jewellery robbery, a £23 million raid at the same store in 2003.

BY www.superstarrajni.com

Parrot beats punters in SKorean stocks flutter

2009-08-07T11:52:00.001-07:00

:A five-year-old female parrot named Strawberry has proved smarter than human investors in a stock investment contest, organisers said on Friday.

The parrot from Papua New Guinea finished third in the six-week contest which ended on Wednesday, said Paxnet, an online stock market information provider.
Ddalgi (strawberry) competed with 10 stock investors. Each started with 60 million won (48,380 dollars) in cyber money and traded 10 million won worth of stocks in each transaction.
Human investors picked any stocks they wanted. The parrot, using its beak, made random choices from balls representing 30 blue chips including Samsung Electronics.
"The outcome of our contest was amazing. Ddalgi stood third with her investment return standing at 13.7 percent," Paxnet general manager Chung Yeon-Dae told AFP.
Human investors averaged a 4.6 percent loss, with only two outperforming the parrot -- one by 64.4 percent and one by 21.4 percent.
The human investors, who mostly chose to trade shares of small and medium-sized firms, each made an average of 190 trades over the six weeks. Organisers gave the parrot seven chances to pick shares over the same period.
"Our experiment proved that making long-term investments in blue chips is safe and effective," Chung said.

By www.superstarrajni.com

Freed U.S. journalists on way home from North Korea By Bill Clinton

2009-08-05T02:59:00.000-07:00

:Former President Clinton meets Tuesday with North Korea leader Kim Jong Il.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Wednesday expressed happiness and relief at the release of two journalists, on whose behalf her husband, former President Bill Clinton, sought amnesty from North Korea.

"Obviously I am very happy and relieved to have these two young women, Laura Ling and Euna Lee, on the way home to their families," the top U.S. diplomat said on arriving in Nairobi, Kenya, for an economic forum.
"I spoke to my husband on the airplane, and everything went well. We are extremely excited that they will be reunited soon when they touch down in California," the secretary of state said. "It is just a good day to be able to see this happen."
North Korea pardoned Ling, 32, and Lee, 36, after the former U.S. president arrived in Pyongyang.
They were arrested in March while reporting from the border between North Korea and China and sentenced in June to 12 years of hard labor on charges of entering the country illegally to conduct a smear campaign.
In a phone call to their families in July, Ling and Lee said the North Koreans were open to granting amnesty if a high-level envoy, such as former President Clinton, were willing to travel to Pyongyang, a senior administration official said.
That is when the families and Al Gore -- Clinton's vice president and whose California-based media outfit Current TV employs Ling and Lee -- appealed to Clinton.

:In an official North Korean photo, President Clinton receives flowers on his arrival Tuesday in Pyongyang.
:Clinton was dispatched to Pyongyang after the United States determined his mission would be successful, the official added.
The official stressed that Clinton's trip was strictly a private humanitarian mission and did not include pressing international issues, including North Korea's nuclear program, on the agenda.
The official said President Barack Obama called the women's families Tuesday evening and expressed relief that they would be reunited soon.
Doug Ling, Laura's father, reacted to the news outside his home in Carmichael, California, with, "One of the best days in my life ... I figured, sooner or later, they'd be back."

In Los Angeles, family friend Welly Yang said the Ling family had "done everything they could, while respecting the North Korean government, to try and get Laura home."
He predicted that Ling would remain a journalist. "Despite this terrifying experience, I can't imagine that Laura would give up her passion to tell stories that otherwise wouldn't be heard."
"We want to thank the Obama administration for its continuous and determined efforts to achieve this outcome, and President Clinton for his willingness to undertake this mission," Current Media co-founders Gore and Joel Hyatt said in a written statement.
"All of us at Current are overjoyed at Laura and Euna's safe return. Our hearts go out to them -- and to their families -- for persevering through this horrible experience."
Accounts differ on whether Clinton offered an apology.
"Clinton expressed words of sincere apology to Kim Jong Il for the hostile acts committed by the two American journalists against the DPRK after illegally intruding into it," North Korea's state-run KCNA news agency reported.
"Clinton courteously conveyed to Kim Jong Il an earnest request of the U.S. government to leniently pardon them and send them back home from a humanitarian point of view.
However, the U.S. administration official said he knew nothing about an apology. He said Clinton met for a total of three hours and 15 minutes with the North Korean leader but said he did not know what issues were discussed.
But he said that Clinton's views on a verifiable denuclearization of the Korean peninsula are "well known."
KCNA said "the meetings had candid and in-depth discussions on the pending issues between the DPRK and the U.S. in a sincere atmosphere and reached a consensus of views on seeking a negotiated settlement of them."
The report said Clinton then conveyed a message from Obama "expressing profound thanks for this and reflecting views on ways of improving the relations between the two countries."

But White House spokesman Robert Gibbs had told reporters in Washington before the announced agreement that Clinton was not carrying any message -- written or oral -- from Obama.
Gibbs added that the former president last spoke with Obama during a White House visit in March. He described Clinton's trip as a "solely private mission to secure the release of two Americans."
The report from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the nation's official name, described the agreement to release the journalists as "a manifestation of the DPRK's humanitarian and peace-loving policy.
"The DPRK visit of Clinton and his party will contribute to deepening the understanding between the DPRK and the U.S. and building the bilateral confidence."
Clinton's mission came as the United States and its allies in the region are seeking to persuade North Korea to return to nuclear disarmament talks, which have stalled. North Korea conducted its second nuclear bomb test in May and has conducted several missile tests since. The United Nations has responded to those tests by tightening and expanding sanctions on the nation.
North Korea and the United States were on opposite sides in the 1950-1953 Korean War and had no regular contacts before a 1994 crisis over North Korea's nuclear program. North Korea agreed then to halt the development of nuclear weapons but abandoned that accord and withdrew from the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty in 2003.

:Supporters rally for U.S. journalists Euna Lee and Laura Ling on June 4 in Seoul, South Korea.
:Clinton had considered visiting North Korea in 2000 near the end of his second term as president. His secretary of state, Madeleine Albright, had gone to Pyongyang in early 2000 to meet with Kim.
The 67-year-old North Korean leader is widely reported to have suffered a stroke a year ago and is believed to be grooming his youngest son, Kim Jon Un, as his successor.

BY www.superstarrajni.com

Swine flu: how to protect yourself

2009-08-04T13:00:00.000-07:00

:The numbers paint a bleak picture; up to 65,000 deaths from swine flu over the next few months, 100,000 people a day falling ill, 360,000 people requiring hospital treatment and around 30% of the population coming down with the virus this year.
The number of deaths has more than doubled in the past week and doctors’ surgeries are reporting a huge increase in the number of cases. But put these numbers into perspective – 65,000 represents a worst case scenario and for many of the millions of people who will probably get swine flu, most will only experience mild symptoms.
And before you rush out to try and get your hands on a year’s supply of antiviral drug Tamiflu, there are a number of easier ways to boost your body’s defences and reduce the chances of getting swine flu. Read about them now.

by www.superstarrajni.com

12 ways to protect against swine flu

2009-08-04T12:37:00.001-07:00

:Stress attacks your immune system, weakening your defences against viruses like swine flu, so it is essential that you do all you can to keep your anxiety levels at a minimum. Make sure you get plenty of sleep, take a yoga class, have a massage, socialise with friends or try anything else that helps you to unwind.

:Staying fit and healthy can help to strengthen your immune system and protect you from falling ill, because exercise is one of the best ways to boost your body’s defences. Adults should try and do at least 30 minutes of exercise five days a week and anything that gets your heart rate up, such as running or cycling, is particularly good for you.

: Another sure-fire way to damage your immune system is to bombard your body with an unhealthy diet. You need as many vitamins and minerals as you can get, so chow down on plenty of fruit and vegetables, oily fish and generally follow a healthy, balanced diet to get your defences up.

:To really get your immune system squeaky clean and firing on all cylinders, make sure you eat lots of antioxidant-rich foods. These mighty little compounds fight free radicals (which damage your body’s cells) in your system and protect you against illness. Berries, red wine, dark chocolate, tea (especially green) and grapes are excellent sources of antioxidants.

:While we do not doubt that you shower and change your underwear on a regular basis, it is essential that you prevent the spread and limit your chances of contracting swine flu by taking extra precautions. The NHS advises that you cover your mouth when you sneeze and cough, sneeze into a tissue and dispose of them carefully, wash your hands regularly with soap and water and frequently clean any hard surfaces such as door handles and kitchen worktops in your home.

:Diet? Check. Exercise? Check. But what about an extra supplement to help you fight off swine flu? Look no further than ginseng, which is great at keeping the immune system strong and destroying any invading viruses.

:Your body is much stronger when it is hydrated – so do everything you can to get through your 2.5 litres a day. Our top tip is to keep a large bottle of water on your desk and make sure you empty it down your throat as many times as it takes to reach your daily allowance. This will keep your body functioning properly, not to mention give you much softer, clearer skin (an extra bonus)!

:As an extra immunity strengthener, make sure your diet is packed with foods rich in selenium. Selenium helps the body to produce antioxidants and prevent cellular damage from free radicals. Chicken, oily fish, oysters and shellfish are excellent sources.

:The tiny (but expensive) cups of this green stuff may look a bit gross, but wheatgrass juice actually tastes fine and is excellent at clearing your body of toxins and making sure your organs are in perfect working order. If you don't want to drink it undiluted, try mixing it with some sparkling water.

:Yet another compound which helps to protect your immune system, zinc can be taken as a supplement or by eating shellfish, dairy products and eggs. Zinc is also thought to prevent premature ageing, so you can take care of your wrinkles at the same time.

:Our digestive system is full of bacteria – some bad and some good. Taking a daily probiotic is thought to improve the balance of microbes in the intestine, thus boosting the immune system and helping to fight of infections.

:Your body cannot produce vitamin C on its own, yet it needs it to keep your immune system healthy and fight off disease. It is up to you, then, to make sure you are getting enough of the stuff. Citrus fruits, strawberries, kiwis, broccoli and other dark green leafy vegetables are all fantastic sources.

BY http://www.superstarrajni.com/

Hollywood Kollywood Bollywood Top Films and Box Office Take

2009-07-31T18:51:00.000-07:00

HOLLYWOOD BIG HITS

Tom Hanks

1988 Big $151,668,774
1992 Sleepless in Seattle $227,799,884
1993 Philadelphia $206,678,440
1994 Forrest Gump $677,387,716
1995 Apollo 13 $355,237,933
1995 Toy Story $361,958,736
1996 That Thing You Do! $25,857,416
1998 Saving Private Ryan $481,840,909
1998 You've Got Mail $250,821,495
1999 Toy Story 2 $485,015,179
1999 The Green Mile $286,801,374
2000 Cast Away $429,632,142
2002 Catch Me if You Can $352,114,312
2002 The Terminal $219,417,255
2004 The Polar Express $303,200,434
2004 The Da Vinci Code $758,239,851
2007 The Simpsons Movie $526,759,734
2009 Angels & Demons $478,869,160
2010 Toy Story 3 filming/pre-production

KOLLYWOOD BIG HITS

Rajni [ DOB December 12, ]

Sivaji Gross revenue Rs.450 Crores(USD 90 Mn)

Kamal Haasan [ DOB born November 7, 1954 ]

By http://www.superstarrajni.com/ and http://www.michaeljackson50.com/

Falling Down: "The Rocket Launcher"

2009-07-31T12:51:00.000-07:00

Falling Down: "The Rocket Launcher"

Falling Down: "Golfing"

Falling Down: "Whammy Burger"

"The Mexican Gang Scene" from "Falling Down"

Falling Down: "Drive-By"

Falling Down Trailer

Falling Down Ende (german) GOOD BITS

Panic aboard flight as croc takes mid-air stroll

2009-07-31T10:16:00.001-07:00

A baby crocodile triggered panic among passengers on an EgyptAir flight from Abu Dhabi to Cairo on Friday when it took a leisurely stroll on board the aircraft, airport officials said.

Terrified passengers screamed at the sight of the 30-centimetre (one-foot-long) reptile as it made its way under seats and down the aisle.
Crew members managed to corner and capture the croc and handed it over to authorities when the plane landed in Cairo, where it was to be housed at the Giza zoo.
All of the passengers were questioned about the crocodile, but none admitted bringing it on board.
In August 2007 the authorities seized more than 250 baby crocodiles, snakes and chameleons which a Saudi man tried to smuggle out of Egypt. The menagerie also ended up at Giza zoo.

By www.superstarrajni.com

The vicious current account trap

2009-07-28T02:42:00.001-07:00

:If you've recently opened a new current account, and haven't yet got around to closing your old one, you might not think anything of it. But did you know that leaving dormant accounts open can potentially prove financially disastrous?

That's because hidden in the small print there's often a whole host of sneaky charges you've never even noticed... And these can do some serious damage to your wallet - even on an account you never use or thought you'd closed.

So in this article, I'm going to highlight some of the fees and charges you need to keep an eye open for...

Sneaky fees
Certain current accounts require you to pay in a set amount of money each month - and while this may seem acceptable while you're using the account, if you rarely use your account and forget to pay in the required amount, you could get hit with a series of charges.
The Alliance & Leicester Premier Direct Current Account, for example, offers a very tempting interest rate of 6% AER for the first year. But once that first year is up, the rate drops to just 1%. So, at that point, the financially savvy among you might decide to transfer your funds to a better account. And rightly so.
But if you fail to close the Alliance & Leicester account properly, or even worse, forget to do it all together, you could find that what started out as a fabulous little current account, quickly turns into a nightmare. That's because the Alliance and Leicester account requires you to pay in at least £500 each month. Fail to do this, and you'll be charged an underfunding fee of £5 per month.
While £5 might not seem too terrible as a one-off fee, if you don't realise you're being charged (and why would you, if you thought you'd closed down your account or forgotten all about it), these fees will soon stack up.
What's more, if the £5 charge sends you into your overdraft, the sting will be doubly as painful. That's because once the first year is up, the Alliance & Leicester current account starts charging an overdraft usage fee of 50p per day, up to a monthly charge of £5. So that's an extra £5 a month on top of the £5 you're already paying.

Even worse, if you don't already have an overdraft in place, you'll be charged a whopping £5 for each day you're overdrawn (for no more than 20 days in each month)! So that means, just for failing to pay in your £500 one month, you could be charged a total of £105! And that's just for one month - imagine what the costs would stack up to over the course of three or four months.
Alliance & Leicester isn't the only current account to charge for not funding the account sufficiently. The First Direct 1st Account, for example, normally charges £10 a month - but it's free when you pay in £1,500 each month. So again, you need to watch out for this.
Not-so-charming charges
Another problem with current account is that usually you will have set up several standing orders and direct debits. Unfortunately it can be very easy to set these up, but not so easy to cancel them. So if you need to cancel a direct debit, make sure you check it's cancelled properly - otherwise you could be hit with some very hefty charges.
For example, let's say you have a Natwest Current Plus account which you never really use, but there's about £5 sitting in it. You thought you'd recently closed two direct debits, only they are actually still active. Because you don't have enough funds in your account, your payments will bounce back and Natwest will charge you a whopping £38 for each unpaid item.
What's more, if this then takes you into an unarranged overdraft, you'll be hit with more fees. In this case, you will be charged a monthly maintenance fee of £28. So two unpaid items at £38 and a maintenance fee of £28, takes you to £104 for the month!

Halifax operates a similar policy and charges £35 per unpaid item. Again, if you then go into an unarranged overdraft, you'll be charged £28 per month. So, using the example above, this would cost you a total of £101 a month.
Barclays, on the other hand, operates slightly differently by offering a Personal Reserve. This means extra funds are available to use in case you don't have enough money in your current account (and you don't have an overdraft) or in case you have used up the limit of your overdraft.
If you go into this reserve, you will be charged £22. You can then make as many transactions as you like over a five-day period and not get charged again, providing you don't exceed your personal reserve limit. If you exceed your limit, Barclays will charge you £8. And if you use your reserve again, after the five-day period is up, you'll be charged another £22.
You can read more about how this works in Bank charges have NOT got cheaper .
These fees are clearly going to hurt your wallet, but you should also be aware that missed payments can also damage your credit rating. So it's really important to make sure this doesn't happen to you.

Closing an account
If you do want to close a current account, you need to go into your local bank/building society branch with all your cards and unused cheques. It's also a good idea to bring along some form of identification such as a passport or driving licence.
If you really can't go in person, write a letter to your bank/building society requesting them to close your account. You will need to include your name, address, and account number in your letter. You should request that they send the remaining balance to you.
You will then need to shred any remaining cheques and cut up your cards - usually it's best to cut your card through the chip and through the magnetic strip. You will need to confirm to your bank/building society that you have done so.
Direct debits and standing orders
If you need to cancel a standing order, your best bet is to contact your bank/building society to inform them.
However, if you want to cancel a direct debit, you should contact the organisation the payment is going to and explain you want to cancel the payment. As an extra precaution it can be a good idea to contact your bank/building society as well to ensure they know you want to cancel the payment. That way you have covered all bases - and no one should try to take a payment from you.
So before you do anything else, check to see whether you have any dormant current accounts still open - if you do, shut them down immediately. Otherwise you could get stung by some very nasty fees.

By www.superstarrajni.com

Teenager spared jail over White House prank call

2009-07-27T16:40:00.001-07:00

:A teenager who phoned the White House and claimed there was a bomb in central New York has escaped a jail sentence.

19-year-old Thomas Hutchinson of Durlstone Crescent, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, sparked an international terrorism investigation after the "drunken prank" in May 2008
He called the White House switchboard and said there was a device in Madison Square Gardens.The operator pressed a malicious call trace button and the call was found to be a hoax and located to the UK.
Hutchinson, who was 17 at the time, initially denied the charge but pleaded guilty in court.
He has been handed a six-month suspended jail sentence, ordered to carry out 250 hours of unpaid work and pay £70 costs.

By www.superstarrajni.com

Bleriot XI marks 100 years since Channel flight

2009-07-25T08:26:00.001-07:00

:A restored original of the plane in which Louis Bleriot crossed the Channel 100 years ago on Saturday successfully repeated the French aviator's historic feat.

A Bleriot XI cloth-and wood monoplane dating from 1934, identical to the one flown by Bleriot on July 25 1909, took off around 9 am (0700 GMT), watched by several hundred enthusiasts.
Around 40 minutes later it landed without problems in the English Channel port of Dover.
Pilot Edmond Salis, wearing a leather aviator cap and goggles, with a life vest strapped to his back, told reporters before take-off that the flight was "rather exceptional."
Louis Bleriot surely asked himself the same questions as us before taking off, but there was more uncertainty then, since nobody had ever done it before him," said Salis, who has notched up dozens of flying hours in the aircraft.
Around 300 French, British and Belgian pilots were due to join in the tribute later Saturday, flying in waves over the Channel on board microlight aircraft, seen as the closest modern equivalent to Bleriot's plane.
Bleriot's 37-minute flight between Les Barraques near Calais -- since renamed Bleriot-Plage (Bleriot beach) -- and Dover convinced a sceptical public that aviation had a future.
He covered the 43 kilometres at an average speed of 65 kilometres (just over 40 miles) an hour, landing in a field at the foot of Dover castle.
The same Bleriot XI has already been flown over the Channel three times to mark various commemorations, including the 50th anniversary of the first flight.

By www.SUPERSTARRAJNI.com

Turn your CDs into cash

2009-07-25T05:37:00.001-07:00

:I took longer than most to get addicted to my iPod but now it really does feel like a additional limb. It is now ranked with essentials such as cash, mobile and door keys.

My excitement at being able to find and download single tracks and more has yet to dwindle. All the while, my mammoth - and at one time much-loved - CD collection is gathering dust. All the favourites have been uploaded and 'sync'd. Now the discs lay forgotten, rather like Woody in Toy Story when Buzz Lightyear comes along.
I still have every one of the vinyl albums and 7"s that I bought as a teenager but really don't feel the same sense of sentimentality about the CDs. It's hard to justify hanging onto them now. Most people with large CD collections could probably do with reclaiming the space, not to mention make a few quid. It's about time I sold them.
But my first thought is about the security of my iTunes music. If I flog my CDs and then my computer dies (gulp) then my world will fall silent and my bank account will weep.
Digital sales have long since overtaken CD sales and as the likes of Tesco and Amazon take a share of the market from iTunes, many people are spending a lot of money on downloads. It all adds up.
There are a couple of options here - you can back up to an external hard drive or burn your library onto.....erm, CDs. One thing you shouldn't rely on is your home insurance. Research by Privilege Insurance reveals that the average music downloader would pay £282 to replace their music downloads and the cost will rise £25 each year as digital music collections grow.
It also found that almost a quarter of music downloaders have had their collections wiped out by equipment failure. Privilege offers unlimited cover fpr digital downloads through its home insurance. Other firms such as Churchill and More Th>n provide generous amounts. But they are in the minority as most insurers will pay out zilch. So check your small print and make your own arrangements to back up.
Four ways to make money from your CDs.
There are various choices and it depends a great deal on what's in your collection and how much effort you can put in.
1. Selling via a specialist website
This is the first hurdle as there are many anecdotal reports of problems getting the site to recognise codes. Many sellers also report a lack of interest in lots of titles, although some had unexpected success with CDs by the likes of S Club 7 and Max Bygraves. Users also say that classical albums seem particularly in demand. If you do get an offer from the site, it could be for less than £1 so don't expect great riches. The advantage of this site is the potential for a quick sale and it's completely free to use.
If you accept the offer, you then fill in your details and you'll be sent some postage-paid envelopes so you can send off the CDs. Once Music Magpie receives them, you'll be paid within about 10 days. You can also sell DVDs and games.
It's still worth checking out Amazon first just in case you have something that is in demand. If not, you have nothing to lose.
Selling via Amazon
You're probably used to buying from Amazon but it can also be great for selling, particularly if you have a deleted, rare or collectible CD. In some cases, shoppers may be searching for a CD which is no longer available and you if you have it you can pretty much set your price.
Amazon charges the buyer a flat rate of £2.75 to cover post and packing so if you get your bubble-wrapping down to a fine art then you can make money from the fee. This is why many sellers list products for just a penny. I strongly recommend getting proof of postings for every item you send.
Listing is pretty straightforward as there is a a code search system to get you started for each product. Amazon notifies you by e-mail when an order has been placed. You simply pack and deliver your item to the customer. A word of caution, however. When I used this service a couple of years ago I found that the sale notification emails were not getting through to me.
This meant I had no idea the product had been sold (and money paid) and then customers were unhappy when their item was delayed. I complained to Amazon about this twice but they were not interested so I stopped using it.
Hopefully this gremlin has been fixed but it's worth checking your account regularly to make sure you don't miss any notifications.
To join the Sell on Amazon programme, you pay a monthly subscription fee of £28.75 so you need to know that you have enough to sell to cover the costs.
Then you can list as many items as you want, as there are no listing fees. But on top of the monthly fee, you will be charged a commission ('referral') fee for each product that is bought. This is currently 16p for each CD.
There is no long-term commitment required to sign up and you can unsubscribe at any time. You can also sell books, DVDs and games.
Selling on eBay
As with the other sites, it's easy to get product information online as you list. But if you are listing CDs individually this can be a chore. You may want to consider eBay for specialist or rare CDs although it could be ideal for job lots of cheaper discs you want to offload in one go.
When you list an item on eBay, you are charged an 'Insertion Fee' which is based on the item's starting price or reserve price (or whether you want to offer a 'Buy it now' option), plus fees for any optional listing features you choose such as extra photos and high profile listing.
Listings priced at between £1 and £4.99 will attract a 15p insertion fee.
If your item is sold then you also pay a 'Final Value Fee' which is a 10% of the item's sale price. This is capped at £40.
Downsides include the hassle of many trips to the Post Office. It's crucial to get proof of posting for every single item, as eBay is rife with buyers who either don't receive items or claim they don't.
The onus is on you to prove that the item was posted in the first place and if it never arrives you will need to refund the buyer and claim back the costs from Royal Mail.
Car boot sales
This is not a realistic option is you are just selling a handful of CDs but if you have a garage/loft/spare room full of junk then why not get rid of the whole lot in one sitting? If you're hoping to maximise profits it is worth doing some research by spending a bit of time at one or two local sites to see how well-attended they are and how what sort of prices are being asked.
Some sales start at the crack of dawn and others at lunchtime. It's well worth getting there as early as you can to secure a good spot and get set up in time for the early birds.
Enlist a friend to help so that you can keep the cups of tea coming and also give you a chance to have a look at other pitches to check out the competition; it's useful to know if a guy round the corner is flogging CDs for 50p each when yours are £3.
You may find that there is an initial rush and then crowds ebb and flow but be patient, be prepared to drop your prices or offer things in a job lot and consider setting a time limit so you are not stuck there all day.
Many people reduce anything they have left in the hour before they want to leave so that they don't have to take it home. You will be charged a flat fee per car - around £10 and it's also worth starting off with a small float of change.

By www.SUPERSTARRAJNI.com

How America Fell Out Of Love With Becks

2009-07-24T13:08:00.000-07:00

:When David Beckham moved to America in 2007 he was football royalty – he made Cristiano Ronaldo look like an extra from Emmerdale! But, two years on, the Hollywood honeymoon is over for Golden Balls.

When David Beckham and his family touched down at LAX Airport in July 2007, hundreds of fans and paparazzi were at the airport to welcome their new hero. They may not have known much about football, but they knew a superstar when they saw one and they quickly accepted Posh and Becks into the Hollywood A-list.

The Beckhams’ arrival in the US was so hyped that Madame Tussauds introduced a special Welcome To America exhibit featuring then-president George W Bush greeting David and Victoria. Add to that a party thrown in their honour by two of the biggest stars in the world, Tom Cruise and Will Smith, and it was official: the Beckhams had arrived.
But fame was only half of it – football was the reason for the move. And initially, things were looking good. Shortly after Becks took to the pitch at LA Galaxy, ticket sales swelled to their highest level and attendance at away matches increased by up to 10,000. Same goes for merchandise – sales of David Beckham’s number 23 shirt exceeded 350,000 by spring this year, reports The Guardian.
More proof of David’s Stateside fame came at last year’s Teen Choice Awards where millions of American teenagers voted Becks the best male athlete, ahead of golfing legend Tiger Woods and basketball star Kobe Bryant. And for Americans who don’t like sport, it was hard to ignore the recent Armani underwear campaign, where Becks stripped to his pants on traffic-stopping 50-foot high billboards across the country.
But despite his fame, fortune and fans, David has failed to live up to expectations on the pitch. As the highest paid player in Major League Soccer history, with potential earnings of up to £125 million, his arrival in Los Angeles was expected to completely change American soccer.
Becks was expected to lead LA Galaxy to the top of the table and raise the standard and profile of football in a country were the sport has limited popularity. But, so far, that hasn’t happened. Injuries and poor form have resulted in disappointing results for Becks, much to the annoyance of Galaxy supporters.
Things weren’t helped when Becks tottered off to Italy during LA’s off-season, joining AC Milan on loan to keep him match-fit for England games. He was only meant to stay until the start of the US season but after goal-scoring success in Italy, there were rumours the club wanted to keep him on. Cue a public admission from David that, despite his five-year contract with Galaxy, he was seeking a permanent transfer to Milan. Not surprisingly, most LA Galaxy fans were outraged.
Due to money issues – AC Milan wouldn’t pay Galaxy’s asking price – the deal never happened. But David extended his stay in Milan until early July, which meant he missed the entire first half of the American season.
His first home game back in LA took place on Sunday July 19. Disgruntled fans let their feelings be known, holding up banners reading ‘Go home fraud’, ‘Here before you, here after you, here despite of you’ and ‘Part time player’, and booing whenever Becks had possession of the ball.
One particularly angry fan managed to do what years of nasty chants from British football fans have never achieved – make Becks lose his cool. At half-time, after enduring 45 minutes of booing from the sidelines, David ran towards the edge of the pitch and attempted to jump the advertising hoarding to reach the fan, but was held back by security guards. He later regained composure and attempted to shake the spectator’s hand, to no avail.
And it’s not just angry fans making themselves heard. His own Galaxy teammate Landon Donovan criticised Becks in a new book called The Beckham Experiment. In it, Donovan said Beckham's level of dedication to the Major League Soccer club had waned since his arrival in 2007, despite the former England skipper being paid "more than double anybody in the league".
In response, Becks said Donovan was unprofessional for speaking out without confronting him first: "In every football player's eyes throughout the world it would be unprofessional to speak out about a teammate, especially in the press and not to your face.”
So with fans turning against him, his own teammates unhappy and reported offers coming from Europe and the Premier League, it might be time for David to accept his love affair with America is over and start packing his designer bags for home.
Should Becks come home? Have your say David Beckham special... LEAVE YOUR COMMENTS BELOW!

By www.SUPERSTARRAJNI.com

Gatwick briefly shut after emergency landing

2009-07-24T07:13:00.000-07:00

:Gatwick briefly shut after emergency landing

London's Gatwick Airport was temporarily shut on Friday after a flight from Paris to Cardiff experienced problems en route and had to make an emergency landing, a spokesman said.

There was an emergency landing by a Flybe aircraft, which is now sitting on the side of the runway," the spokesman said.
It was not immediately clear what had affected the aircraft but the spokesman said there were no injuries on board following the emergency landing.
The aircraft was flying from Charles de Gaulle airport to Cardiff in Wales.
Sussex Police said the runway reopened about 30 minutes after the incident and that 11 flights were diverted during the closure.
Gatwick is the world's busiest single-runway airport and Britain's second busiest airport after Heathrow, handling around 34 million passengers a year.

By www.SUPERSTARRAJNI.com

Darkness falls in Asia during total eclipse, luring masses

2009-07-22T02:51:00.000-07:00

:The longest solar eclipse of the century cast a wide shadow for several minutes over Asia and the Pacific Ocean Wednesday, luring throngs of people outside to watch the celestial spectacle.

Day turned into night. Temperatures turned cooler in cities and villages teeming with amateur stargazers.
The total eclipse could be seen starting in India on Wednesday morning and moving eastward across Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Vietnam, China and parts of the Pacific.

Millions cast their eyes towards the heavens to catch a rare view of the sun's corona.
Cloud cover in some areas prevented people from fully savoring the phenomenon. Still, many were awed.
Tim O'Rourke, a 45-year-old freelance photographer from Detroit, Michigan, lives in Hong Kong but traveled up to Shanghai -- touted as one of the best spots to watch the eclipse.
The longest solar eclipse of the century cast a wide shadow for several minutes over Asia and the Pacific Ocean Wednesday, luring throngs of people outside to watch the celestial spectacle.
A woman looks through a refractor telescope with a solar filter on top of the roof of a school in Hong Kong.
Day turned into night. Temperatures turned cooler in cities and villages teeming with amateur stargazers.
The total eclipse could be seen starting in India on Wednesday morning and moving eastward across Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Vietnam, China and parts of the Pacific. Millions cast their eyes towards the heavens to catch a rare view of the sun's corona.
Cloud cover in some areas prevented people from fully savoring the phenomenon. Still, many were awed.
Tim O'Rourke, a 45-year-old freelance photographer from Detroit, Michigan, lives in Hong Kong but traveled up to Shanghai -- touted as one of the best spots to watch the eclipse. "It was pitch black like midnight," said O'Rourke, standing in People's Square with what appeared to be a crowd of thousands.
Definitely not disappointed we came. Of course it would have been much better with nice weather, blue skies. But still it was a great experience, it was a lot of fun." he said.
Total eclipses occur about twice a year as the moon passes between the Earth and the sun on the same plane as Earth's orbit. Wednesday's event lasted up to more than six minutes in some places.
In India, where an eclipse pits science against superstition, thousands took a dip in the Ganges River in the Hindu holy city of Varanasi to cleanse their souls, said Ajay Kumar Upadhyay, the district's most senior official.
The ritual turned into tragedy when an 80-year-old woman died and eight others were injured in what was called a stampede in some media reports. Upadhyay called the incident a "commotion" during sacred rituals in Varanasi."Apparently, the woman died because of suffocation and after that there was some commotion, in which some eight other elderly women were injured. But it was not a stampede-like situation," .
It was sunny skies in Hong Kong for the eclipse, where students, parents and the elderly flooded a primary school to watch in the southern Chinese enclave. The local astronomy society gave a presentation on how an eclipse happens and children climbed up ladders to look through two large telescopes on the school roof -- packed with skygazers -- to catch a glimpse of the moon moving across the sun.
Others looked through binoculars covered with solar filter paper or through a large rectangular block labeled "Large Solar Filter," where they could take pictures of the moon moving over the sun.
Astronomy enthusiast Louis Chung, 13, brought his teacher to the school to witness the eclipse. "City folks wouldn't usually be able to see this. Nature is wonderful. It is awesome to know that nature can provide such spectacular sights," said Chung, a member of the Hong Kong Astronomical Society.
Nature is incredible, and there is too much we don't know about," said another Hong Kong local, Yee Ping, a journalist for a financial newspaper. "We try to know more and see by our own eyes so we can feel the power of nature."
Richard Binzel, an astronomer at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, said the total eclipse will first be visible at sunrise in India and about four hours later just east of Hawaii.
A partial eclipse will be visible as far south as northern Australia and as far north as Siberia, he said.In some cultures, legends and folklore surrounds eclipses.
In India, an eclipse is considered inauspicious. Women forbid pregnant daughters-in-law from going outside out of the belief that their children could be born with marks.
Some temples won't offer any prayers on the day of an eclipse - such as the one next to the planetarium in Mumbai, which said it won't even light a stick of incense.
In Chinese tradition, there is a story about a heavenly dog eating the sun.
As the story goes, people would make noise to scare off the dog and rescue the sun, said Bill Yeung, president of the Hong Kong Astronomical Society.
In ancient China, we shared the same impression with our Indian friends that a solar eclipse was not a good thing," .
Some of the more unusual ways to see Wednesday's eclipse include a cruise ship that will travel along the centerline off Japan and from aboard a 737-700 chartered plane in India.
More conventional viewing parties in Shanghai had been planned along the beach, in a park and in skyscrapers.
A music festival has been organized in Japan's Amami island, with more than 6,000 people expected, and Japanese television has shown rows of tents set up on Akusekijima island.
The witnesses of the eclipse will range "from the farmer who only knows legends of eclipses and may not know this is happening at all to the world's experts who have come specifically to the Shanghai region to make the most detailed scientific analysis possible," added Binzel, the MIT astronomer.Bob Johnson, of Sasketchewan, Canada, applied for his first passport to come and see the eclipse in Shanghai.
During totality, we didn't see anything. We saw up to 60 percent partial eclipse but then the clouds came in and it downpoured," said Johnson. "I am not really disappointed. I'm a lot happier than yesterday because I didn't think I'd see anything. The partial was beautiful."

By www.SUPERSTARRAJNI.com

The Best Favourite Quotes Part 02

2009-07-21T13:17:00.000-07:00

The Best Favourite Quotes Part 02

Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere.
Albert Einstein
Never apologize for showing feeling. When you do so, you apologize for truth. Benjamin Disraeli
Instead of giving a politician the keys to the city, it might be better to change the locks. Doug Larson
The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity. Ellen Parr
If voting changed anything, they'd make it illegal. Emma Goldman
There is only one way to happiness and that is to cease worrying about things which are beyond the power of our will. Epitectus
You can discover what your enemy fears most by observing the means he uses to frighten you. Eric Hoffer
A celebrity is a person who works hard all his life to become well known, then wears dark glasses to avoid being recognized. Fred Allen
The man of knowledge must be able not only to love his enemies but also to hate his friends. Friedrich Nietzsche
You must be the change you wish to see in the world. Gandhi
Those are my principles. If you don't like them I have others. Groucho Marx
Writing is good, thinking is better. Cleverness is good, patience is better Hermann Hesse
If you hate a person, you hate something in him that is part of yourself. What isn't part of ourselves doesn't disturb us. Hermann Hesse
I have enough money to last me the rest of my life, unless I buy something. Jackie Mason
Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself. Leo Tolstoy
Love thy neighbour as yourself, but choose your neighbourhood. Louise Beal
God has no religion. Gandhi
If you tell the truth you don't have to remember anything. Mark Twain
Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much.
Oscar Wilde
To the man who only has a hammer, everything he encounters begins to look like a nail. Abraham Maslow

By www.SUPERSTARRAJNI.com

The Best Favourite Quotes Part 01

2009-07-21T13:02:00.000-07:00

The Best Favourite Quotes Part 01

Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake. Napoleon Bonaparte
Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power. Abraham Lincoln
When I do well, I feel good; when I do badly, I feel bad, and that is my religion.Abraham Lincoln
Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt. Abraham Lincoln
You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can not fool all of the people all of the time. Abraham Lincoln
The direct use of force is such a poor solution to any problem; it is generally employed only by small children and large nations. David Friedman
Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Albert Einstein
A clever person solves a problem. A wise person avoids it. Albert Einstein
Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand. Albert Einstein
When you sit with a nice girl for two hours, you think it's only a minute. But when you sit on a hot stove for a minute, you think it's two hours. That's relativity. Albert Einstein
The third-rate mind is only happy when it is thinking with the majority. The second-rate mind is only happy when it is thinking with the minority. The first-rate mind is only happy when it is thinking. A. A. Milne
Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing. Benjamin Franklin
History teaches us that men and nations behave wisely once they have exhausted all other alternatives. Abba Eban
I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody. Bill Cosby
If at first you don't succeed, find out if the loser gets anything. Bill Lyon
The less you know, the more you believe. Bono
Don't ever wrestle with a pig. You'll both get dirty, but the pig will enjoy it. Cale Yarborough
There are many who dare not kill themselves for fear of what the neighbours will say. Cyril Connolly
The greatest obstacle to discovery is not ignorance - it is the illusion of knowledge. Daniel J. Boorstin
You can do anything, but not everything. David Allen

By www.SUPERSTARRAJNI.com

How safe is your job?

2009-07-19T07:12:00.000-07:00

The 10 safest jobs in a recession

As unemployment soars to its highest mark in over a decade, more and more of us are wondering how safe our job is.
If you are one of the 2.38m people now out of work, and are unlikely to find the same type of work again, a career change will be forced on you.
Many of us, on the other hand, will welcome the opportunity to try something new. But which are the safest career choices at a time of economic slowdown?
A recent report by the UK's largest recruitment company, Hays, has the answers. It has outlined 10 sectors which offer the greatest security in the current climate. It should also give all you job-hunters out there some much needed room for optimism.

1. Education

Children still need to go to school in a recession, and their numbers don't decline in line with economic output. So teachers should enjoy good job security during a downturn.
A massive shortage of science, maths and head teachers makes the sector a safe bet. New schools being built are also giving construction companies a boost.
While manufacturing and service industries can always reduce staff numbers as their workload falls, demand doesn't fall in schools during a recession so there is less scope for shedding employees," says a spokesman for the Institute for Employment Studies (IES).
"That's that's not to say there is never any room for cost-cutting, though," he adds.

2. Health and Social Care

As with education, the demand for doctors, social and healthcare workers is undiminished, regardless of the economic climate. And the Government doesn't want to make unemployment worse by cutting jobs in essential services.

According to the Labour Market Report, the sector grew for the twelfth month running in June.

This Government is committed to keeping unemployment down and therefore health, education and social services will continue to hire," says Michael Moran, the chief executive of Fairplace, an "outplacement" agency that helps employers find jobs for redundant employees.

3. Social and "green" housing

This sector requires accountants, builders and housing officers, as the Government steps up it commitment to creating affordable housing. Similarly, public funds are to pumped into environmentally friendly projects - the mass insulation of Britain's housing stock was recently proposed - as a means of boosting the economy and cutting carbon dioxide emissions.

4. Accountants/finance directors/compliance officers

In the wake of the financial crisis, closer supervision of banks is the order of the day. These are some of the professionals whose services are more in demand in a downturn, as companies pull out all the stops to survive, or as failed firms are wound up or sold on.

Accountants with insolvency skillsets are much sought after at present," says Mr Moran, "as are finance directors with experience of restructuring debt for companies in danger of breaching their agreements with their lenders.

Compliance/risk officers are another good example, he adds: "With the widespread awareness that excessive risk-taking got banks - and so the wider economy - into their current difficulties, companies are stepping up their efforts to monitor potentially disastrous transactions and to comply with the tighter regulations that the financial crisis is bringing."

5. Internal audit

For the same reason, internal auditors are in demand as companies attempt to reign in their spending. Hays adds that this sector will come out on top when companies start hiring once more.

6. Insurance

In times of downturn, consumers look to protect themselves against hardship by increasing the amount of insurance cover they buy. This is accompanied by a surge in claims activity, much of which is fraudulent.

As a result, there is demand for employees across the sector: especially in claims handling, underwriting and business development.

Senior staff are also required - good news for any former big earners out there.

7. Credit control and Purchasing

As companies, desperate to see money flowing in to the coffers, focus increasingly on late payments of outstanding bills, expertise in this area is highly sought after.

Similarly, with profits margins under pressure, improving the efficiency of the supply chain has seen demand for staff responsible for purchasing and procurement soar - both in the private and public sector.

8. Energy

Britain needs a new tranche of power stations to replace ageing nuclear plants and the most polluting fossil-fuel-burning facilities. If building doesn't start soon, the country is expected to face blackouts within a few years.
Those who get jobs as engineers, say, working on one of these projects are probably safe until it is complete - and they often last many years.

9. IT

Information technology specialists remain much sought after, says Mr Moran. "Typically, the more specialised the skill, the better," he says, "with the proviso that it's a skill in demand.
The fear of all specialists is that the market moves and they find themselves unemployable."
And, as with the examples above, the sector in which you are working is as important as the job you do. For example, an IT specialist is likely to have better job security working for the NHS than in a bank.

10. Public transport projects

If you're working for a contractor on a new road or railway, for example, you are in the private sector - but the money being spent still comes from the Government, not the consumer. And again, the budgets tend to be made available in advance.
So jobs such as this tend to be safe - at least for the duration of the project.
The Government may put more resources into this kind of programme to take up the spare capacity in the economy that occurs in a recession.

By www.SUPERSTARRAJNI.com

India's space odyssey: Moon dreams move east

2009-07-18T16:10:00.000-07:00

: India holds its first rocket launch from a fishing village in southern India on November 21, 1963.

NEW DELHI, India - Flashback to 1984: As a child, I am glued to my family's black-and-white television set for our daily dose of evening entertainment and news on India's national broadcaster.

But this is no ordinary newscast: Prime Minister Indira Gandhi is speaking via videolink with astronaut Rakesh Sharma, who is aboard a space station.
Indian pride soared as Squadron Leader Sharma, an Indian Air Force pilot, became the first in the nation to explore the celestial realm, part of a joint mission with what was then the Soviet Union.
I don't remember what show it was, but it etched India's "astronomical feat" in the minds of those who watched it, including a 10-year-old like me.
But the Indian connection to space was much older than that milestone.
In the country's space calendar, November 21, 1963, is a key date: It marks the first rocket launch from a fishing village in southern India.
Nike-Apache, a two-stage sounding rocket imported from the United States, took off that day from Thumba, a site that eventually became a favorite location for similar experiments by international scientists.
So far, there have been some 2,200 sounding-rocket launches from that facility, according to the Vikram Sarabhai Space Center.
But the South Asian nation's space program has been far more expansive -- the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has more than 60 events that it lists as "milestones" since 1962-63, which includes the successful use of polar and geosynchronous satellite launch vehicles.Fast forward to 2008: The country launches its first unmanned mission to the Moon in what is being seen as the 21st-Century, Asian version of the space race between the United States and the USSR - but this time the two nations involved are India and China.
In September of that same year, a Chinese astronaut took a spacewalk, his country's first.
A month later, India sent Chandrayaan-1 - Chandrayaan means "moon craft" in Sanskrit -on a two-year mission to take high-resolution, three-dimensional images of the lunar surface, especially the permanently-shadowed polar regions.
The craft, carrying payloads from the United States, the European Union and Bulgaria, will search for evidence of water or ice and attempt to identify the chemical composition of certain lunar rocks.
Nonetheless, India maintains competition does not drive its space program.
Vikram Sarabhai, seen as the father of India's space program, made this case for government funding of the program in the 1960s:
We do not have the fantasy of competing with the economically-advanced nations in the exploration of the Moon or the planets or manned space-flight," Sarabhai said, according to ISRO's Website.
But we are convinced that if we are to play a meaningful role nationally, and in the community of nations, we must be second to none in the application of advanced technologies to the real problems of man and society," said Sarabhai, in what the agency described as a "vision" for India's space endeavors.
Earlier this year, the Indian government increased the federal budget for space research to around $1 billion from some $700 million, ISRO spokesman S. Satish told CNN, as scientists propose to send astronauts into space by 2015 on solely Indian missions.
ISRO was also studying the feasibility of sending a manned craft to the Moon by 2020, Satish said, adding that plans for unmanned Mars missions in the coming years have not been finalized.
The space agency dropped a TV-sized probe on the Moon last November that it said sent sufficient signals to the mother craft before a crash landing.
But the country's space ambitions are not limited to public research endeavors, Satish said.
We have just entered the commercial satellite launch market," he said, including what ISRO noted is now the world's largest constellation of remote-sensing satellites.
These satellites, according to the Vikram Sarabhai Space Center, capture images of the Earth that are used in a range of applications - agriculture, water resources, urban development, mineral prospecting, environment, forestry, drought and flood forecasting, ocean resources and disaster management.
Another major system, or INSAT, is used for communication, television and meteorology.
"We have mastered the space technology in these 40 years.
We have already sent an unmanned mission to the Moon and now we look forward to sending a manned one there," Satish said.

By www.SUPERSTARRAJNI.com

Early Life Rajni

2009-07-17T05:00:00.000-07:00

Rajni was born on December 12 1949 in Karnataka, India. He was the fourth child to his parents Ramabai and Ramoji Rao Gaekwad. His original name was Shivaji Rao Gaekwad. He lost his mother at the age of five. He had his schooling at the Acharya Patasala in Bangalore and then at the Vivekananda Balak Sangh, a unit of the Ramakrishna Mission. His mother tongue is Marathi, though he has not done any movie in it. Before starting his career in the film industry, he had to take up all sorts of odd jobs. He served as a bus conductor for Karnataka state transport corporation in Bangalore. It was during this time that he nurtured his acting interests by performing in various stage plays.

By www.SUPERSTARRAJNI.com

International Football - Beckham booed on return

2009-07-17T04:52:00.001-07:00

:David Beckham made a quiet return to the MLS while he was booed by the crowd as LA Galaxy beat New York Red Bulls 3-1.

But the England international said, after playing a minor role in the LA Galaxy's convincing win over Major League Soccer's worst team, he was pleased to be back with his team-mates.
Beckham spent the off-season with Milan in Italy and his extended loan spell there led Landon Donovan, the Galaxy captain, to publicly question Beckham's commitment to the LA team.
It's to be expected. Sometimes it's nice to get the boos. It gives you inspiration, especially when we play like we did," said Beckham.
Beckham and Donovan later buried the hatchet in a meeting brokered by their manager, former US national team coach Bruce Arena.
Given all the circumstances and issues, I think he had a great game," said Arena.
Donovan said the chemistry between the two on the right side of midfield was "fantastic".
Donovan was by far the better player on the night, scoring one goal and setting up another in the Galaxy victory.
Beckham appeared a step behind and lacked his trademark deft passing. He was substituted in the 70th minute on a night the temperature read 86 degrees at kick-off.
Arena praised Beckham's attitude and said he played longer than expected.
"At half-time, I said 60 minutes, and he told me: '65, 70,'" Arena said.
He's got a great attitude and stepped right in... there was never a doubt in our mind that these guys would work together. We expect him to be like all the other guys, and that's what he wants."
The allure of the league's highest-paid player may have worn off on the fans - only 23,238 attended Thursday's match, half the number that took in the match last year and a third of the fans that showed up for Beckham's debut the year before.
I don't know. The first year was impressive, but we are in a recession, maybe that's part of it," Beckham said.
Beckham has said he expected to find another loan deal when the current MLS season ends, with the goal of staying in England manager Fabio Capello's plan for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

By www.SUPERSTARRAJNI.com

Lost moon landing documentary re-released

2009-07-16T16:59:00.000-07:00

A film documenting the Apollo 11 space mission has been released by NASA, 40 years after the moon landing took place.
The film was commissioned by NASA not just to illustrate the landing itself, but also the preparation that went into the mission, and the immense public interest it sparked.
The original recording of Moonwalk One, which was filmed in 1969, has been collecting dust under a desk ever since.
It was only when a British producer contacted the director that it emerged he had kept a copy.
The film is being re-released to celebrate the 40th anniversary of man stepping foot on the moon's surface for the first time.
As I look back on the film I think I did exactly what I intended to do, and that was to make a film that someone could look at decades, perhaps hundreds of years later," said director Theo Kamecke.
He added: I was there watching as the rocket was fired off, and that was a pretty memorable moment.

By www.SUPERSTARRAJNI.com

Tamil Nadu Actresses Phtos: COOL

2009-07-15T14:06:00.000-07:00

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Rajinikanth - History

2009-06-20T08:44:00.000-07:00

Tamil: ரஜினிகாந்த்

Rajinikanth (Tamil: ரஜினிகாந்த்; Kannada: ರಜನೀಕಾಂತ್; Marathi: रजनीकांत(bornShivaji Rao Gaekwad on December 12, 1950 in Bangalore Karnataka, India) is an Indian film actor.
Rajinikanth's mass popularity and appeal is largely drawn from his mannerisms and stylized delivery of dialogue. He received India's third highest honour, the Padma Bhushan, for his contribution to Indian cinema.
Apart from his film career, he is a well known philanthropist and also serves as a notable influence in the politics of Tamil Nadu. Other than acting, Rajinikanth worked as a screenwriter, film producer, and also a playback singer.
Popularily referred to and credited in films as "Superstar" and often referred to as "thalaivar" (meaning leader in Tamil), Rajinikanth debuted as an actor in 1975 under the direction of K. Balachander in supporting roles.
He was later favored in portraying antagonistic characters and gradually rose to acting in lead roles. Being a well known film artist to several regional film industries of India, he also appeared in the cinemas of other nations, including American cinema.
He was reportedly paid Rs.26 crore (about $5.3 million USD as of 2009) for his latest blockbuster Sivaji: The Bossmaking him the highest paid actor in Asia after Jackie Chan

Early life

Rajinikanth was born as Shivaji Rao Gaekwad in a Marathi family in Bangalore, India with ancestry from the village of Nachikuppam in Krishnagiri district, Tamil Nadu.
He was the fourth child of his parents, Jijabai and Ramojirao Gaekwad, a police constable He lost his mother at the age of eight.
He attended elementary school at the Acharya Paathshala in Basavanagudi, Bangalore and then at the Vivekananda Balaka Sangha. Rajinikanth struggled a lot during his early age because of his family's low income.
Although his mother-tongue is Marathi, he has not yet acted in any Marathi films.
He worked with various jobs in Bangalore and also attended a theatre for stage plays.
Before starting his career in the film industry, he used to practice stunts at the Rama Hanuman Temple at a hill near his house. He then primarily worked as a bus conductor for the Bangalore
Transport Service in Bangalore.His charisma and style were noted by the passengers who travelled with him and gave him suggestions in becoming an actor. It was during this time that he nurtured his acting interests by performing in various stage plays.
Acting career
Rajinikanth joined the Madras Film Institute in 1973 along with a fellow bus driver and completed a basic course in acting. In the film institute he was helped by his Vice Principal, A. Prabhakaran.
After he graduated from the film institute another popular hero Chiranjeevi fondly called as megastar also joined the same institute. They both became close friends later.
Rajinikanth has acted in over 200 films, which includes Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam, Hindi, English and Bengali films. Rajinikanth made a foray into Bollywood with Andha Kanoon but did not make as much of an impact as he had in the south.
He still appeared in several Hindi films, such as Chaalbaaz, Uttar Dakshan, Geraftaar and Hum. He made his debut in an American film, in a supporting role, with the movie Bloodstone in 1988 with much fanfare in India at the time of its release.
However, the movie was unsuccessful in the United States. He also made brief stints in German- and Japanese film industries. His film Muthu was dubbed into Japanese and later turned out to become a major hit in the country, ultimately creating a huge Japanese fan-following for him. In 2005, his film Chandramukhi was dubbed in German and released in all German-speaking nations.
Supporting roles: 1975-1979
Rajinikanth's first film was in Tamil cinema, where he was initially casted in supporting roles, debuting as a cancer patient in Apoorva Raagangal in 1975. The film was directed by K. Balachander, who is constantly referred to by Rajinikanth as his own "guru" or mentor. The following year, Rajinikanth acted in his first Kannada film, Katha Sangama, directed by Puttanna Kanagal.
Though Rajinikanth refers to director K. Balachander as his mentor, it was director S. P. Muthuraman who actually revamped Rajinikanth’s image entirely.
Muthuraman first experimented with him in a positive role in Bhuvana Oru Kelvikkuri (1977), as a villain in the first half of the film and a protagonist in the second. Around this time Mullum Malarum (1978), directed by J. Mahendran, established Rajinikanth in the Tamil film arena as a film hero.
The success of Bhuvana Oru Kelvikkuri prompted Muthuraman to make a mushy melodrama with Rajinikanth as a hero sacrificing everything for his siblings in Aarilirunthu Arubathu Varai (1979).
These films were the turning points in Rajinikanth’s career; he changed from an actor who merely enthralled the audiences to one who could also evoke emotions. The acceptance of Rajinikanth sans his stylized mannerisms proved he had at last become a "star" from a "common actor." His film roles were mainly as a villain during the period 1975 to 1977, co-starring frequently with Kamal Haasan as the protagonist, in movies like 16 Vayadhinilae, Moondru Mudichu and Avargal.
In 1978, Rajinikanth acted in the film Bairavi, in which he was referred as Superstar. He was given such an unique title by the producer Kalaipuli S.Thanu.
Gaining popularity: 1980-1989
Rajni as portrayed in his first commercial success Billa (1980).
During this phase of his career, when he was reaching dazzling heights, Rajinikanth abruptly chose to quit acting, but was coaxed back. He continued acting with the blockbuster Tamil film Billa, which was a remake of the blockbuster bollywood movie Don.
With its phenomenal success he was accepted as a full-fledged hero. Billa was followed by a row of hits, namely Murattu Kaalai, Pokkiri Raja, Thanikattu Raja, Naan Mahaan Alla, Pudukavithai and Moondru Mugam. K. Balachander’s first home production, Netrikan proved to be yet another milestone in Rajni’s career.
He acted in his first cameo role alongside Meena Durairaj, who was a child actor then, in the movie Anbulla Rajinikanth (1984). More box-office hits dominated the 80's with Padikkathavan, Thee, Velaikaran, Dharmathi Thalaivan, Mr. Bharath, and Maaveeran. In his 100th movie, Sri Raghavendra, he played the Hindu saint Raghavendra Swami.
The superstar decade: 1989-1999
Padayappa (1999), Rajni's 150th film, was a blockbuster hit, rewriting all previous box-office records.
The vast majority of his movies released during the nineties were extremely successful, notably Thalapathy, Mannan, Annamalai, Uzhaippali, Veera, Baasha, Muthu,Arunachalam and Padayappa. Rajni wrote his first screenplay and acted as a special appearance in the film Valli (1993) which however failed to make an impact at the box office. With continuous successful hits he became the first actor to enjoy 98% success rate.
Films like Thalapathi, mannan, annamalai veera basha muthu etc created huge box office records which turned kollywood into a double multi core business industry. This made him as the highest paid actor in the entire film circuit where he was paid more than his contemparies namely Amitabh, Chiranjeevi and Kamal.
His cult classic Baasha, released in 1995, went on to become a massive blockbuster and is routinely touted by his fans and critics alike as the movie which elevated him from being just another very popular actor with loads of charisma to an almost demigod status in the eyes of the masses.
His film Muthu was the first Tamil film to be dubbed into Japanese as Muthu: The Dancing Maharajah and became very popular in Japan. Throughout this decade, Rajinikanth established himself as a box office phenomenon; all of the films mentioned in this era were all formulaic mass entertainers which routinely succeed in box office.
It can be argued that it was also during this time that Rajinikanth started to converge with politics, whether that confluence was voluntary or not is debatable, but the objective fact cannot be disputed that as his films began to take on a whole new dimension in terms of expectations, hype and revenue, his political clout also steadily rose with the cinematic tide as well.
This trend began with the release of Annamalai in 1992 and arguably climaxed during the time of Padayappa's release in 1999. Being his 150th film, Padayappa, directed by K. S. Ravikumar, undoubtedly turned out to be the largest blockbuster in his career.
Indulging in politics: 2002
The new millennium began very well for Rajinikanth; Padayappa had rewritten previous box office records. Finally, after more than a three year sabbatical from cinema, at 52 years of age, he starred in his home production, Baba which released on August 15, 2002 amidst much fanfare and extreme hype.
The film was a poor grosser box-office as it had failed miserably to meet the expectations due to a very weak screenplay, which Rajinikanth himself had written, his second stint at screenplay writing after Valli.
The thin screenplay revolved around the story about a gangster who later engages in spirituality and when compared to his previous film, Padayappa, it was a colossal disappointment.
Although the film grossed enough to cover its budget, it was viewed as a tremendous loss when compared to his previous box office successes throughout his career. It fell short of market expectations and the high bids reportedly translated to heavy losses for the distributors. Rajinikanth himself repaid the losses incurred by the distributors. Rajni thereafter reported that he was to quit acting, hence taking part in social and political activities.
Return to success: 2005-2007
Rajni's first breakthrough role since Padayappa was in Sivaji: The Boss (2007)
After the Baba debacle, Rajinikanth mulled over numerous scripts with many directors, including K. S. Ravikumar, and finally chose to act in director P. Vasu's Tamil remake of Manichithrathazhu, Chandramukhi. Many people within the industry had written Rajni off after the Baba fiasco, essentially saying "the bloom was off the rose" and that "the gold does not glitter anymore".
In essence, many viewed Chandramukhi as Rajinikanth's comeback film, his make or break movie and in the end, when it was released on April 14, 2005, it went on to create new box office records and smashed his own previous records and once and for all removed any doubt within the industry with regards to Rajinikanth's box office clout and incomparable appeal to the masses.
Chandramukhi broke the record of being the longest running Tamil film, as of 2007. Just after Chandramukhi's release, it was reported that AVM Productions were to produce a film directed by S. Shankar starring Rajinikanth, the largest collaboration yet for a Tamil film.
The film was titled Sivaji: The Boss and released on June 15, 2007 after two years of filming and meticulous production. With massive international anticipation, it subsequently went on to become a major blockbuster, being ranked among other major Bollywood and Hollywood releases of the year.
Sivaji became the first Tamil movie to be charted as one of the top-ten best films of United Kingdom and South Africa box-offices upon release.
Kuselan controversy: 2008
Following Sivaji, Rajinikanth worked with P. Vasu again for Kuselan, a remake of the Malayalam film Kadha Parayumbol, in which Rajinikanth was given only a cameo role. He acted as himself, a superstar in the Indian film industry, and as a best friend to the main character, played by Pasupathy.
Kuselan's release was large like all other films of his, including sales of promotional items such as M&M's Kuselan chocolates in the United States and Kuselan trading cards provided in Sunfeast Biscuit packages in India.
Despite the mass hype prior to release, the film opened to below average reviews. P. Vasu was also condemned for mentioning Rajinikanth as the hero of the film when he was seen in only a few scenes of the film as a cameo.
Critics claimed that Kuselan was a film that taught everyone a lesson of filmmaking. Some distributors incurred major losses due to the film, creating Kuselan's box office results similar to Baba, for which Rajni voluntarily settled with his own budget.
Future projects
During the course of the production for Sivaji, Ocher Studios, the animation company of Rajinikanth's daughter Soundarya Rajinikanth, in association with Adlabs announced their intention of producing a CGI animation film starring an animated version of Rajinikanth.
He will be lending his voice to the lead character (based on his likeness) and the project is titled Sultan: The Warrior; it will be directed by his daughter Soundarya Rajinikanth with music provided by A. R. Rahman.
The movie is scheduled for a release in 2009. Rajinikanth has also been signed to work with the Sivaji team of S. Shankar and A. R. Rahman once again for another movie, an supposed science fiction thriller tentatively entitled Endhiran. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan will play opposite Rajinikanth as heroine for the first time.
The film is touted to be the biggest and costliest film venture yet in India. It is being produced and distributed by Sun Pictures and slated for theatrical release in early 2010.
A. R. Murugadoss had previously shown interest in directing Rajinikanth in his next feature film after Ghajini. It is also said that Rajinikanth had voluntarily wanted to be cast in Pyramid Saimira's next production, in order to compensate for the colossal flop of Kuselan.
Awards and honours
Rajinikanth was named as one of the influential persons in South Asia by Asiaweek. He has won a Filmfare Best Tamil Actor Award for Nallavanuku Nallavan in 1984 and Muthu in 1994 respectively. Rajinikanth, despite these awards, has not yet received a National Film Award.
Between 1977 and 2005, Rajinikanth received several awards from Tamil Nadu State Film Awards, Filmfare Awards, Cinema Express and Filmfans Association for his on-screen performances and off-screen contributions in writing and producing.
He has received awards in the Best Actor category for his performance in the films Sivaji, Chandramukhi, Padayappa, Peddarayudu, Baasha, Muthu, Annamalai, Thalapathy, Velaikaran, Sri Raghavendra, Nallavanuku Nallavan, Moondru Mugam, Enkeyo Ketta Kural, Aarilirunthu Arubathu Varai, Mullum Malarum and 16 Vayathinile. He received an award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for Bhuvana Oru Kelvi Kuri. He has also received awards in Best Story Writer and Best Producer categories for Valli.
He has also received other honours such as the Raj Kapoor Award in 2007 from the Government of Maharashtra.
He was named and honoured with the Padma Bhushan award, India's third highest civilian honour, in 2000 from the Government of India.
In September 2005, Rajinikanth won the Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actor for his role in the film Chandramukhi. Recently, he was selected as the Indian Entertainer of the Year for 2007 by NDTV, competing against the likes of Shah Rukh Khan
2010 Rajni becomes the CM of Tamil Nadu.

By www.SUPERSTARRAJNI.com