Thursday, February 25, 2010



HIGHLIGHTS OF RAILWAY BUDGET 2010
February 24


NO HIKE IN PASSENGER FARES
Cancer patients travel free in AC3
Concession to film industry and press. Children upto 18 yrs travel free
To launch 10 more duronto trains
Aims at electrification of 1,000 km route in FY11
Special train named ' Bharat Tirth' to connect Himachal to Kanya Kumari. (all over the country).
Janmabhoomi train: connected areas in western sectors, linking Jodhpur, Lalgarh, etc. To run every week
Karmabhoomi: sleeper trains introduced for the unorganised sector
Introduction of ladies special trains in the name of Matribhumi
Work under Mumbai suburban area under MUTP phase 1 to be completed this year, and under phase 2 to be completed by March 2014
Kolkata Metro to be extended inside the city, 5 stations to be renamed.
Funding for METRO RAIL projects up 5%
FY11 operating ratio pegged at 93.2%
Impact of 6th Pay Commission at Rs 55,000 cr
Will link western corridor development deal with Japanese firm in March
Cost sharing projects bagged from Andhra Pradesh Government
Propose to run a special train from West Bengal to Bangladesh
Importance given to north East states in this Budget.
FY11 Gross Traffic Receipts seen at Rs 94,700 crore
To acquire 80,000 new wagons
FY11 working spend seen at Rs 87,100 crore
To beat FY10 freight target by 8 million tonnes
To start door-to-door service for freight movement
To launch tourist trains on 16 routes
To introduce 54 new trains  in FY11
Will launch double-decker trains on pilot basis
Allocation for implementing 1,000 km news lines in a year almost doubles to Rs 4,411 crore. Passenger amenities Rs 1,200 cr
Appropriation for pension fund at Rs 14,500 cr
Budget estimates for 2010-11 : Special efforts for deficit to be cleared
Expenditure of 783 cr after meeing the dividend liability
Budget estimates: Target for freight set at 944 million tonnes (up 54 million metric tonnes)
Non core business earning seen at Rs 1,000 cr
Cuts freight on foodgrains, kerosene by Rs 100 / wagon
Training insitution for railways for the south and south east Asian countries
Dedicated passenger corridor (Golden Rail corridor) project to be set up
Propose to start execution of Sonpur Dankuni section this year through PPP mode
Plan to create railway eco park
plans propose to introduce a GPS based driver guidance service
22.6 million free CFL lights already distributed
Premium tatkal service for parcel and freight movement
Autmobile and ancillary hubs in 10 different locatins on PPP mode
5 wagon industry in JV-PPP mode, in Secundrabad, Andhra Pradesh, Guwahati, Orissa and Haldia
Wagon repair shop in Mumbai
Agrees to set up railway coach factory in Singur if land is available; Intergral coach factory in Chennai
Rae Bareli coach factory, the work will begin within a year. Also in Bengal, Kerala, Bihar.
To modernise the CLW from its present 200 locomotives to 275
Railway will establish strong research partnership with institutes like IIT, CSIR etc
Corporate Social Responsibilty thorugh expansion of Rashtriya Swastha Yojana
Railways has 80,000 women employees. creches and hostels to be set up for children of women employees
MoU with health and HRD Ministry; 101 secondary hospitals, and multi functional hospitals with AIIMS and Vellore to be set up
Staff Welfare: 'House for all' scheme for railways employees
NO INCREASE IN FREIGHT TARIFF.
Railways to be the lead partner in Common Wealth Games 2010. Also to introduce special train for the games.
To provide increased employment opportunity in railways through sports quota
To promote sports, wil build  five sports complexes in Delhi, Secundabad, Chennai Kolkata and Mumbai.
To strengthen the RPF security force; Mahila bahini -  for security of women to be introduced
Will construct underpasses at railway stations to counter problem of lack of usage of foot overbridges.
3,000 level crossings to be mended this year, rest to be done in within next 5 years.
Core projects of TPWS for implementing safety and preventing accidents
Twin strategy for safety and security.
To expand the scope of 'mushkil ashan' e-ticket mobile vans.
Introducing modern trolleys at all imp stations to assist senior citizens, physically handicapped and children
Six bottling plants on PPP basis to provide clean water at cheaper rates to passengers
Upgradation of 94 stations. Propose to take up another 93 multi functional stations.
Examination fee to be exempted for minority, and women, with income less than Rs 50,000 in a year
Increased financial power of field officers at the local level.

117 trains will be flagged off
Target: To implement 1,000 route km in one year , 25,000 km in Vision 2020
However, will set up business model -- need of the hour is to invite domestic investments through PPPs.
No privatisaton of railways, says is proud of 14 LAKH employees.
To set up a special task force to clear proposals for investments within 100 days
Only 10,419 km of railways added between 1958 and now.
Vision 2020 goals broken up in to short, medium and long term projects. The latter two will require funds and can be done in 5 years.
Mission is continuous development and goal is to unite the country through railway connectivity
Budget made keeping in mind the economic viability of the projects as well as social responsibility.
Mamata Banerjee presents Railway Budget 2010.

WHEN GOD LISTENS

FACTBOX - Sachin Tendulkar Reuters – Sachin Tendulkar raises his bat to acknowledge the cheering crowd as he walks back to the pavilion during …
REUTERS – Sachin Tendulkar became the first batsman to score 200 runs in one-day internationals on Wednesday in the second ODI against South Africa in Gwalior, India. The 36-year-old former India captain earlier in the day broke the world record for the highest individual score of 194 by Pakistan's Saeed Anwar and Zimbabwe's Charles Coventry on his way to 200 not out off 147 balls with 25 fours and three sixes. Here are six facts about one of the all-time greatest batsmen and the face of Indian cricket for over two decades. * A teenage prodigy, Tendulkar was born on April 24, 1973 in Mumbai and made his test debut against Pakistan as a curly-haired 16-year-old, becoming the youngest Indian test player. A year later, he hit his maiden test hundred in England. * Tendulkar holds a number of batting records, including the aggregate one-day runs (17,598) and centuries (46). He also holds the record for most test hundreds (47). * He had two unsuccessful terms as India captain, the first aged 23 in 1996 before being axed 17 months later after his batting suffered. He was reappointed in 1999, but stood down after a 3-0 test series rout in Australia the following year. * Tendulkar was named player of the 2003 World Cup, scoring a record 673 runs to help India reach the final, where they lost to Australia. The next year, he equalled compatriot Sunil Gavaskar's world record of 34 test hundreds while compiling 248 not out, his highest score, in Australia. * Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1997. * Surpassed West Indies' Brian Lara as the highest test run-scorer in 2008. Lara had scored 11,953 runs before he retired from international cricket in 2007. Tendulkar has scored 13,447 test runs.

India batsman Sachin Tendulkar believes his record score of 200 not out in a one-day international is beatable.
Tendulkar, 36, became the first player to hit a double century in a 50-over international in India's victory over South Africa in Gwalior on Wednesday.
"No record is unbreakable. But I would be happy if an Indian breaks my record," he said.
"I do not play for records. I enjoy my cricket and I play with passion. I have done this for 20 years."
Pakistan's Saeed Anwar and Zimbabwe's Charles Coventry held the previous record of the highest individual score in an ODI with 194 before Tendulkar's innings.
The Indian legend reached 200 in the final over of his side's innings and he achieved it off 147 balls.
I'm enjoying my cricket and I'm playing the way I want to play
Sachin Tendulkar
"I knew I would get my chance in the over," said Tendulkar. "I will remember this innings. But I will not compare it with my other efforts."
He added: "I do not play for records. I enjoy my cricket and I play with passion. I have done this for 20 years.
"I thought about the 200 mark for the first time when I was probably 175-plus and only 42 overs had been bowled.
"I felt I had a chance, but I didn't think of it seriously until I got really close. Only then I thought there was an opportunity to be had."
Tendulkar holds the record for most runs in ODI's and Tests and is planning to continue revelling in the kind of form which helped him reach his 200 landmark.
"I'm enjoying my cricket and I'm playing the way I want to play," he said.
"I've done whatever I thought was best for the team.
"I have made a few bad decisions as a batsman, but I think as long as I know in my heart that what I think is right for the team, I'm going to do just that."

Thursday, February 18, 2010


Indian Premier League 3 Fixtures (IPL 2010 Schedules - Revised)
Sr Day / Dt IST GMT Team vs Team Venue
Mar-2010
1 Fri-12 20:00 14:30 Deccan Chargers vs Kolkata Knight Riders DYP - Mumbai
2 Sat-13 15:00 09:30 Mumbai Indians vs Rajasthan Royals Mumbai
3 Sat-13 20:00 14:30 Kings XI Punjab vs Delhi Daredevils PCA - Mohali
4 Sun-14 16:00 10:30 Kolkata Knight Riders vs Bangalore Royal Challengers Eden - Kolkata
5 Sun-14 20:00 14:30 Chennai Super Kings vs Deccan Chargers MAC - Chennai
6 Mon-15 20:00 14:30 Rajasthan Royals vs Delhi Daredevils Ahmedabad
7 Tue-16 16:00 10:30 Bangalore Royal Challengers vs Kings XI Punjab MCS - Bangalore
8 Tue-16 20:00 14:30 Kolkata Knight Riders vs Chennai Super Kings Eden - Kolkata
9 Wed-17 20:00 14:30 Delhi Daredevils vs Mumbai Indians FSK - Delhi
10 Thu-18 20:00 14:30 Bangalore Royal Challengers vs Rajasthan Royals MCS - Bangalore
11 Fri-19 16:00 10:30 Delhi Daredevils vs Chennai Super Kings FSK - Delhi
12 Fri-19 20:00 14:30 Deccan Chargers vs Kings XI Punjab Nagpur
13 Sat-20 16:00 10:30 Rajasthan Royals vs Kolkata Knight Riders Ahmedabad
14 Sat-20 20:00 14:30 Mumbai Indians vs Bangalore Royal Challengers Mumbai
15 Sun-21 16:00 10:30 Delhi Daredevils vs Deccan Chargers Nagpur
16 Sun-21 20:00 14:30 Chennai Super Kings vs Kings XI Punjab MAC - Chennai
17 Mon-22 20:00 14:30 Mumbai Indians vs Kolkata Knight Riders Mumbai
18 Tue-23 20:00 14:30 Bangalore Royal Challengers vs Chennai Super Kings MCS - Bangalore
19 Wed-24 20:00 14:30 Kings XI Punjab vs Rajasthan Royals PCA - Mohali
20 Thu-25 20:00 14:30 Mumbai Indians vs Chennai Super Kings Mumbai
21 Fri-26 20:00 14:30 Rajasthan Royals vs Deccan Chargers Ahmedabad
22 Sat-27 16:00 10:30 Kings XI Punjab vs Kolkata Knight Riders PCA - Mohali
23 Sat-27 20:00 14:30 Bangalore Royal Challengers vs Delhi Daredevils MCS - Bangalore
24 Sun-28 16:00 10:30 Rajasthan Royals vs Chennai Super Kings Ahmedabad
25 Sun-28 20:00 14:30 Deccan Chargers vs Mumbai Indians Nagpur
26 Mon-29 20:00 14:30 Delhi Daredevils vs Kolkata Knight Riders FSK - Delhi
27 Tue-30 20:00 14:30 Mumbai Indians vs Kings XI Punjab Mumbai
28 Wed-31 16:00 10:30 Chennai Super Kings vs Bangalore Royal Challengers MAC - Chennai
29 Wed-31 20:00 14:30 Delhi Daredevils vs Rajasthan Royals FSK - Delhi
Apr-2010
30 Thu-01 20:00 14:30 Kolkata Knight Riders vs Deccan Chargers Eden - Kolkata
31 Fri-02 20:00 14:30 Kings XI Punjab vs Bangalore Royal Challengers PCA - Mohali
32 Sat-03 16:00 10:30 Chennai Super Kings vs Rajasthan Royals MAC - Chennai
33 Sat-03 20:00 14:30 Mumbai Indians vs Deccan Chargers Mumbai
34 Sun-04 16:00 10:30 Kolkata Knight Riders vs Kings XI Punjab Eden - Kolkata
35 Sun-04 20:00 14:30 Delhi Daredevils vs Bangalore Royal Challengers FSK - Delhi
36 Mon-05 20:00 14:30 Deccan Chargers vs Rajasthan Royals DYP - Mumbai
37 Tue-06 20:00 14:30 Chennai Super Kings vs Mumbai Indians MAC - Chennai
38 Wed-07 16:00 10:30 Rajasthan Royals vs Kings XI Punjab SMS - Jaipur
39 Wed-07 20:00 14:30 Kolkata Knight Riders vs Delhi Daredevils Eden - Kolkata
40 Thu-08 20:00 14:30 Bangalore Royal Challengers vs Deccan Chargers MCS - Bangalore
41 Fri-09 20:00 14:30 Kings XI Punjab vs Mumbai Indians PCA - Mohali
42 Sat-10 16:00 10:30 Deccan Chargers vs Chennai Super Kings DYP - Mumbai
43 Sat-10 16:00 10:30 Bangalore Royal Challengers vs Kolkata Knight Riders MCS - Bangalore
44 Sun-11 16:00 10:30 Delhi Daredevils vs Kings XI Punjab FSK - Delhi
45 Sun-11 20:00 14:30 Rajasthan Royals vs Mumbai Indians SMS - Jaipur
46 Mon-12 20:00 14:30 Deccan Chargers vs Bangalore Royal Challengers DYP - Mumbai
47 Tue-13 16:00 10:30 Mumbai Indians vs Delhi Daredevils Mumbai
48 Tue-13 20:00 14:30 Chennai Super Kings vs Kolkata Knight Riders MAC - Chennai
49 Wed-14 20:00 14:30 Rajasthan Royals vs Bangalore Royal Challengers SMS - Jaipur
50 Thu-15 20:00 14:30 Chennai Super Kings vs Delhi Daredevils MAC - Chennai
51 Fri-16 20:00 14:30 Kings XI Punjab vs Deccan Chargers Dharmasala
52 Sat-17 16:00 10:30 Bangalore Royal Challengers vs Mumbai Indians MCS - Bangalore
53 Sat-17 20:00 14:30 Kolkata Knight Riders vs Rajasthan Royals Eden - Kolkata
54 Sun-18 16:00 10:30 Kings XI Punjab vs Chennai Super Kings Dharmasala
55 Sun-18 20:00 14:30 Delhi Daredevils vs Deccan Chargers FSK - Delhi
56 Mon-19 20:00 14:30 Kolkata Knight Riders vs Mumbai Indians Eden - Kolkata
57 Wed-21 20:00 14:30 1nd Semi-Final - Team 1 vs Team 2 MCS - Bangalore
58 Thu-22 20:00 14:30 2nd Semi-Final - Team 3 vs Team 4 MCS - Bangalore
59 Sat-24 20:00 14:30 Play-off for 3rd Place - Team A vs Team B DYP - Mumbai
60 Sun-25 20:00 14:30 Final of IPL 2010 - Team 1 vs Team 2 DYP - Mumbai

India win thriller despite heroic Amla


February 18, 2010
Text size: A | A
India 643 for 6 dec (Sehwag 165, Laxman 143*, Dhoni 132*, Tendulkar 106) beat South Africa 296 (Amla 114, Petersen 100, Zaheer 4-90, Harbhajan 3-64) and 289 (Amla 127*, Harbhajan 5-59, Mishra 3-78) by an innings and 58 runs



Harbhajan Singh's five-for handed India a tense win, India v South
 Africa, 2nd Test, Kolkata, 5th day, February 18, 2010
Harbhajan Singh answered India's call with spin bowling aggressive and patient, smart and persistent © AFP

They couldn't get Hashim Amla out at all so India, down to three bowlers and led by an exceptional Harbhajan Singh, found a way around him, leaving him stranded with nine mandatory balls to go and sealing a heart-stopping, series-levelling win that also meant they retained the top spot in the ICC rankings. As was fitting, it was Harbhajan who brought about the final wicket with a slider to the left-hand batsman Morne Morkel, who had put together a 76-minute last-wicket stand with Amla. The final few steps didn't come easy for India: the last three wickets batted out 53.3 overs to set up a beautiful Test-match finish.
For eight hours and 19 minutes in this innings, which took to 23 hours and 22 minutes the total time he's spent at the wicket for the series, Amla saw everything: offbreaks, topspinners, unintended doosras, big legbreaks, googlies, bouncers, full ones, a blow to the elbow, the bowlers' joy, their frustration, and Harbhajan's eruption on taking the last wicket. At every stage - when he reached fifty or his hundred, when he was hurt, when he was concentrating, when he was defending, during those final few overs of counting each delivery down, and when he was walking back after one of the biggest disappointments he has experienced on a cricket field - the calm expression on his face was unchanged.
Amla batted like the Monk who didn't need to sell a Ferrari, and it took a special bowling effort to deny his side the series win. Harbhajan answered India's call with spin bowling aggressive and patient, smart and persistent, and came up with that wicket-taking delivery when it had deserted the other bowlers.
If Amla never looked like getting out, Harbhajan never looked like letting anyone settle. India had 98 overs to get seven wickets but 52.2 of them were a write-off: they were bowled to Amla, and this man was not going to get out. Not today. They did well, though, to create enough pressure in the remaining overs - despite two dropped catches - to finish off the match with 16 minutes remaining in the day's play.
India woke up to a bright and sunny day, but were thwarted in the first session by Amla and Ashwell Prince. For about two hours, Amla kept killing their hopes, Prince kept raising them only to not edge to hand. Finally, just when the draw started to become the favoured result, Harbhajan came back for his second spell of the day, from his favoured High Court End.
In the first spell, he had tried to get Prince lbw in a fashion similar to the one in the first innings, and failed. In his second he went over the stumps and made it difficult for Prince to judge which deliveries to leave. The leg line troubled Prince, and finally he jabbed at one outside off and lobbed it to mid-off.
Amit Mishra once again produced the special delivery out of nowhere, this time a googly to take out AB de Villiers in the penultimate over before the lunch break, the third time he had taken a wicket just before a break in the innings. de Villiers' was the big wicket because he was the one batsman capable of using his feet and hitting spinners off their length.

Hashim Amla stood between India and victory, India v South Africa,
 2nd Test, Kolkata, 5th day, February 18, 2010
India couldn't dismiss Hashim Amla all day, but got all his partners instead © AFP
In the second spell, six overs each either side of lunch, Harbhajan looked menacing with almost every delivery. After lunch, Harbhajan went on to suggest JP Duminy might become his new Ponting. Offbreak, offbreak, slider. Duminy caught in front again. Dale Steyn didn't have a clue about deliveries spinning down the leg side, and kept getting beaten. Harbhajan smartly moved round the stumps, and trapped him too.
Thereafter Amla found an able partner in Parnell, who looked much more assured than Steyn, and helped by a dropped catch by Suresh Raina at a wide fourth slip, played out 24.2 overs. Amla manipulated the strike well: out of eight overs that Harbhajan bowled during that stand, Parnell got away by facing only 12 balls from the best bowler around.
A soft shot befitting a No. 9 arrived duly, after which Amla shielded Paul Harris for a while. From facing four balls of each over, he gradually let Harris face three each, and by the time Harris generated enough confidence in Amla, a soft shot befitting a No. 10 came by. Ishant got both the wickets, but 8.3 more overs had been negated.
That started the most exciting period of the match. Morkel batted solidly along with Amla, they both judged the leaves well, they both defended with soft hands, they both frustrated India more with every passing delivery. Towards the end, mind games began. Amla took a single late in a Mishra over to face Harbhajan in the next over, Dhoni removed Harbhajan and tried the part-time stuff from Sachin Tendulkar and Sehwag, and got Harbhajan to bowl at Morkel again.
Nothing gave. Amla seemed to have found a partner who was holding his nerve well. The desperation on Indian faces kept getting more and more apparent with every passing delivery. With 3.2 overs to go, Amla cut Tendulkar towards the boundary, took a single so as to face two more overs as opposed to one. Sehwag hoped it would reach the boundary as he chased, but slyly tried to kick it over when he saw it stop inches before the rope. Just to keep Morkel on strike. That's how much it mattered.
Amla duly played out the next over, Dhoni duly saved Harbhajan for the over after that. Harbhajan had six more balls left, from the High Court End. The first pitched middle, turned away. The second pitched leg, and broke towards off. The third was the killer slider, Morkel made his first mistake in 60 deliveries. Harbhajan roared, Amla's expression didn't change much.

RSS

Tuesday, February 16, 2010


Lalit Modi taps away on his laptop, Mumbai, January 19, 2010
Lalit Modi was secretive about the identity of the English club that wants to invest in the IPL

Lalit Modi, the IPL commissioner, claims a leading English football club is interested in bidding for a new team in the fourth edition of the IPL next year. In an interview to the Times, Modi - also the Champions League Twenty20 commissioner - said he was in talks with the Marylebone Cricket Club who were also apparently eager to become involved in the IPL.
"There is a football club, a very famous football club in the UK, very interested in bidding," Modi said. "[They are] probably one of the most famous football clubs - that's all I can say. Probably top three. They are interested in taking a stake."
Responding to speculation in the Indian media, Modi later said on his Twitter page that the club in mention was not Chelsea.
A report in the Sun named Manchester City as the team looking at buying a franchise. It said: "The club's mega-rich owners believe their Abu Dhabi base is perfect for a new team as the IPL continues its global expansion."
The IPL will include two more teams from the 2011 season and will auction the franchise rights at a base price of $225 million ahead of the third season, which starts in India on March 12, and will invite potential investors this week. That figure - double of what the most expensive franchise was sold for in 2008 and more than four times the base price in that first auction - is, in an uncertain market, a sign of the league's confidence in itself and the Twenty20 format.
According to Modi, the MCC would be a value addition to the IPL and open up the possibility of taking the bandwagon overseas to Lord's. "I have talked [to MCC] last night and they are quite interested," he said.
Keith Bradshaw, the MCC chief executive, did not deny he had been approached but would not confirm to join the IPL. "At the moment, our finances are focused on the redevelopment of the ground," he said.
The league's expansion will see a much longer fixture list - 94 games as opposed to 59 in the first two seasons if the format remains the same - and accommodating it in the 45-day window without compromising players' fitness, and keeping the international calendar in mind, will be a challenge.
Established players' careers end (or take a long break) either through retirement (whether for personal reasons or injury) or because the selectors think someone else can do the job better. Retirements take the decision out of the selectors' hands – they only have to work out how to replace what is lost; the harder call is when a dip in form signals terminal decline, or who has to be omitted to accommodate someone whose form and ability simply screams “pick me!”. Getting those decisions right is what justifies a selection panel.
England's selectors have done quite well at this recently. Andrew Flintoff's retirement was met with a lot of worry about how he would be replaced, but he was hardly missed in South Africa. There is no one specific player who replaces him, but what he brought to the team is being covered. Super Fred, the great all-rounder only really played between 2004 and 2006; thereafter, Flintoff's value to the team was as a mid-innings specialist.
An hour and a half's batting would bring 60 or 70 quick runs, demoralise the opposition bowlers and buoy the England tail so that what had looked like being a mediocre 264 turned into a healthy 380. The lack of five-fors shows that he was no destroyer, but his special gift was coming on with a 58-over-old ball and nabbing three middle-order wickets to start a slide, cutting what had bid fair to be 480 to a manageable 305.

Matt Prior, Stuart Broad and Graeme Swann have all shown themselves capable of the rumbustious cameo with the bat, and Swann and Broad are now regularly chipping in with those mid-innings spells. Between them, they usually now produce the impetus which Flintoff provided. What the selectors got right was predicting that would happen, allowing them to pick Ian Bell – much criticised at the time – whose batting was crucial to winning at Durban and drawing at Newlands.
The transition between specialist swing bowlers was also pretty smooth. When England lost the first Test on their tour of New Zealand in 2008, they took the tough decision that Matthew Hoggard should be replaced by James Anderson, who responded with a five-for and England went on to win the series. Hoggard complained bitterly for months that it had been one bad match that did for him, but the selectors have to be praised for getting it right.
South Africa's selectors, on the other hand, got it wrong in a similar situation. They really had little choice but to pick Makhaya Ntini for the first Test. Steyn was injured, and an attack of Morne Morkel, Friedel de Wet and Wayne Parnell would have been horribly inexperienced and what Ntini certainly has is experience.
However, it was painfully apparent at Port Elizabeth that Ntini had lost his zip. But his 390 career Test wickets tempted the selectors to give him the nod ahead of de Wet for Kingsmead. Strauss made mincemeat of him and set up England's big first innings total, and thus South Africa prevented themselves from winning the series as they should have.
To be fair, they have recognised that whatever fine qualities Ashwell Prince has as a No. 5 or 6, he can hardly open a beer can, let alone a Test innings, and Alviro Petersen's debut hundred has rewarded them.
For the future, the big question is how the Indian selectors are going to deal with the inevitable loss of Dravid, Laxman and Tendulkar. Will they have the courage to wield the axe when it becomes necessary, or will they leave it to them to retire? Of course, there is no point in dropping legendary players unless and until there are players ready to take over and as yet there is little sign of any serious challengers emerging, so perhaps it will not matter. But if their constant dithering about what would be a good bowling attack is anything to go by, it will be chaos.

 

Saturday, February 6, 2010

I PAD FINALY RESPONDS

The best way to experience the web, email, photos, and video. 
Hands down.

All of the built-in apps on iPad were designed from the ground up to take advantage of the large Multi-Touch screen. And they work in any orientation. So you can do things with these apps that you can’t do on any other device.

Safari

The large Multi-Touch screen on iPad lets you see web pages as they were meant to be seen — one page at a time. With vibrant color and sharp text. So whether you’re looking at a page in portrait or landscape, you can see everything at a size that’s actually readable. And with iPad, navigating the web has never been easier or more intuitive. Because you use the most natural pointing device there is: your finger. Scroll through a page just by flicking your finger up or down on the screen. Or pinch to zoom in or out on a photo. There’s also a thumbnail view that shows all your open pages in a grid, to let you quickly move from one page to the next.

Mail

See and touch your email in ways you never could before. In landscape, you get a split-screen view showing both an opened email and the messages in your inbox. To see the opened email by itself, turn iPad to portrait, and the email automatically rotates and fills the screen. No matter which orientation you use, you can scroll through your mail, compose a new email using the large, onscreen keyboard, or delete messages with nothing more than a tap and a flick. If someone emails you a photo, you can see it right in the message. You can also save the photos in an email directly to the built-in Photos app. And iPad works with all the most popular email providers, including MobileMe, Yahoo! Mail, Gmail, Hotmail, and AOL.

Photos

With its crisp, vibrant display and unique software features, iPad is an extraordinary way to enjoy and share your photos. For example, the Photos app displays the photos in an album as though they were in a stack. Just tap the stack, and the whole album opens up. From there, you can flip through your pictures, zoom in or out, or watch a slideshow. You can even use your iPad as a beautiful digital photo frame while it’s docked or charging. And there are lots of ways to import photos: You can sync them from your computer, download them from an email, or import them directly from your camera using the optional Camera Connection Kit.

Video

The large, high-resolution screen makes iPad perfect for watching any kind of video: from HD movies and TV shows to podcasts and music videos. Switch between widescreen and full screen with a double-tap. Because iPad is essentially one big screen, with no distracting keypad or buttons, you feel completely immersed in whatever you’re watching.

YouTube

The YouTube app organizes videos so they’re easy to see and navigate. To watch one, just tap it. When you’re watching in landscape, the video automatically plays in full screen. And with its high-resolution display, iPad makes the latest HD YouTube videos look positively amazing.

iPod

With the iPod app, all your music is literally at your fingertips. Browse by album, song, artist, or genre with a simple flick. To play a song, just tap it. iPad even displays album art at full size. Listen to your music with the powerful built-in speaker or with wired or Bluetooth wireless headphones.

iTunes

A tap of the iTunes icon lets you browse and buy music, TV shows, and podcasts — or buy and rent movies — wirelessly, right from your iPad. Choose from thousands of movies and TV shows (in both standard and high definition), along with thousands of podcasts and millions of songs. Preview songs before you buy them. Or just sync iPad with the content you already have in your iTunes library on your Mac or PC.

App Store

iPad runs almost 140,000 apps from the App Store. Everything from games to business apps and more. And new apps designed specifically for iPad are highlighted, so you can easily find the ones that take full advantage of its features. Just tap the App Store icon on the screen to browse, buy, and download apps wirelessly, right to the iPad.

iBooks

The iBooks app is a great new way to read and buy books.1 Download the free app from the App Store and buy everything from classics to best sellers from the built-in iBookstore. Once you’ve bought a book, it’s displayed on your Bookshelf. Just tap it to start reading. The high-resolution, LED-backlit screen displays everything in sharp, rich color, so it’s easy to read, even in low light.

Maps

Finding your way is a completely new experience on iPad. Tap to view maps from above with high-resolution satellite imagery, up close with street view, or with topography in a new terrain view — all using Google Services. Search for a nearby restaurant or landmark, then get directions from your current location.

Notes

With its expansive display and large, onscreen keyboard, iPad makes jotting down notes easy. In landscape view, you see not only a note-taking page but a list of all your notes. iPad even circles the current note in red, so you can see where you are at a glance.

Calendar

iPad makes it easy to stay on schedule by displaying day, week, month, or list views of your calendar. You can see an overview of a whole month or the details of a single day. iPad even shows multiple calendars at once, so you can manage work and family schedules at the same time.

Contacts

The Contacts app on iPad makes finding names, numbers, and other important information quicker and easier than ever before. A new view lets you see both your complete contacts list and a single contact simultaneously. Need directions? Tap an address inside a contact and iPad automatically opens Maps.

Home Screen

The Home screen gives you one-tap access to everything on iPad. You can customize your Home screen by adding your favorite apps and websites or using your own photos as the background. And you can move apps around to arrange them in any order you want.

Spotlight Search

Spotlight Search allows you to search across iPad and all of its built-in apps, including Mail, Contacts, Calendar, iPod, and Notes. It even searches apps you’ve downloaded from the App Store. So no matter what you’re looking for, it’s never more than a few taps away.

Accessibility

iPad comes with a screen reader, support for playback of closed-captioned content, and other innovative universal access features — right out of the box. There’s no additional software to buy or install. These features make iPad easier to use for people who have a vision impairment, are deaf or hard of hearing, or have a physical or learning disability.
 

THE GLOBAL THINGS

What is GPS?

satellite

The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a satellite-based navigation system made up of a network of 24 satellites placed into orbit by the U.S. Department of Defense. GPS was originally intended for military applications, but in the 1980s, the government made the system available for civilian use. GPS works in any weather conditions, anywhere in the world, 24 hours a day. There are no subscription fees or setup charges to use GPS.

How it works

GPS satellites circle the earth twice a day in a very precise orbit and transmit signal information to earth. GPS receivers take this information and use triangulation to calculate the user's exact location. Essentially, the GPS receiver compares the time a signal was transmitted by a satellite with the time it was received. The time difference tells the GPS receiver how far away the satellite is. Now, with distance measurements from a few more satellites, the receiver can determine the user's position and display it on the unit's electronic map.

GPS Screens

A GPS receiver must be locked on to the signal of at least three satellites to calculate a 2D position (latitude and longitude) and track movement. With four or more satellites in view, the receiver can determine the user's 3D position (latitude, longitude and altitude). Once the user's position has been determined, the GPS unit can calculate other information, such as speed, bearing, track, trip distance, distance to destination, sunrise and sunset time and more.

How accurate is GPS?

Today's GPS receivers are extremely accurate, thanks to their parallel multi-channel design. Garmin's 12 parallel channel receivers are quick to lock onto satellites when first turned on and they maintain strong locks, even in dense foliage or urban settings with tall buildings. Certain atmospheric factors and other sources of error can affect the accuracy of GPS receivers. Garmin® GPS receivers are accurate to within 15 meters on average.

GPS Signals

Newer Garmin GPS receivers with WAAS (Wide Area Augmentation System) capability can improve accuracy to less than three meters on average. No additional equipment or fees are required to take advantage of WAAS. Users can also get better accuracy with Differential GPS (DGPS), which corrects GPS signals to within an average of three to five meters. The U.S. Coast Guard operates the most common DGPS correction service. This system consists of a network of towers that receive GPS signals and transmit a corrected signal by beacon transmitters. In order to get the corrected signal, users must have a differential beacon receiver and beacon antenna in addition to their GPS.

Satellite Diagram

The GPS satellite system

The 24 satellites that make up the GPS space segment are orbiting the earth about 12,000 miles above us. They are constantly moving, making two complete orbits in less than 24 hours. These satellites are travelling at speeds of roughly 7,000 miles an hour.

GPS satellites are powered by solar energy. They have backup batteries onboard to keep them running in the event of a solar eclipse, when there's no solar power. Small rocket boosters on each satellite keep them flying in the correct path.

Here are some other interesting facts about the GPS satellites (also called NAVSTAR, the official U.S. Department of Defense name for GPS):

  • The first GPS satellite was launched in 1978.
  • A full constellation of 24 satellites was achieved in 1994.
  • Each satellite is built to last about 10 years. Replacements are constantly being built and launched into orbit.
  • A GPS satellite weighs approximately 2,000 pounds and is about 17 feet across with the solar panels extended.
  • Transmitter power is only 50 watts or less.

What's the signal?

GPS satellites transmit two low power radio signals, designated L1 and L2. Civilian GPS uses the L1 frequency of 1575.42 MHz in the UHF band. The signals travel by line of sight, meaning they will pass through clouds, glass and plastic but will not go through most solid objects such as buildings and mountains.

A GPS signal contains three different bits of information - a pseudorandom code, ephemeris data and almanac data. The pseudorandom code is simply an I.D. code that identifies which satellite is transmitting information. You can view this number on your Garmin GPS unit's satellite page, as it identifies which satellites it's receiving.

Ephemeris data, which is constantly transmitted by each satellite, contains important information about the status of the satellite (healthy or unhealthy), current date and time. This part of the signal is essential for determining a position.

The almanac data tells the GPS receiver where each GPS satellite should be at any time throughout the day. Each satellite transmits almanac data showing the orbital information for that satellite and for every other satellite in the system.

Blocked  Signal Diagram

Sources of GPS signal errors

Factors that can degrade the GPS signal and thus affect accuracy include the following:

  • Ionosphere and troposphere delays - The satellite signal slows as it passes through the atmosphere. The GPS system uses a built-in model that calculates an average amount of delay to partially correct for this type of error.
  • Signal multipath - This occurs when the GPS signal is reflected off objects such as tall buildings or large rock surfaces before it reaches the receiver. This increases the travel time of the signal, thereby causing errors.
  • Receiver clock errors - A receiver's built-in clock is not as accurate as the atomic clocks onboard the GPS satellites. Therefore, it may have very slight timing errors.
  • Orbital errors - Also known as ephemeris errors, these are inaccuracies of the satellite's reported location.
  • Number of satellites visible - The more satellites a GPS receiver can "see," the better the accuracy. Buildings, terrain, electronic interference, or sometimes even dense foliage can block signal reception, causing position errors or possibly no position reading at all. GPS units typically will not work indoors, underwater or underground.
  • Satellite geometry/shading - This refers to the relative position of the satellites at any given time. Ideal satellite geometry exists when the satellites are located at wide angles relative to each other. Poor geometry results when the satellites are located in a line or in a tight grouping.
  • Intentional degradation of the satellite signal - Selective Availability (SA) is an intentional degradation of the signal once imposed by the U.S. Department of Defense. SA was intended to prevent military adversaries from using the highly accurate GPS signals. The government turned off SA in May 2000, which significantly improved the accuracy of civilian GPS receivers.

Tuesday, February 2, 2010

THE BOOM BOOM MATTERS


Lahore: All-rounder Shoaib Malik would lead Pakistan in the lone T20 international against Australia, which would be played in Melbourne on February 5, following regular T20 captain Shahid Afridi being banned for two matches on ball-tampering charges.

"Malik will lead the Pakistan team in the only Twenty20 match against Australia in the absence of Afridi," The Daily Times quoted a Pakistan cricket Board (PCB) spokesperson said here.



Malik will be the third captain on this tour, after Mohammad Yousuf and Afridi.

The International Cricket Council (icc) had slapped a two-match ban on Afridi after video footage showed him 'tampering' with the ball by 'chewing' its seam during the fifth and final one-day international against Australia in Perth on Sunday.