Monthly Archives: March 2012

Eight Hot Social Networks of Future

by

0


 

Facebook was the first one to set a benchmark in social networking by showing the world how a simple idea from three Harvard dropouts could change the way the people interact, meet, do business and even sleep. Sites like Pinterest and Foursquare also gained millions of customers following the same path with a slight change of social principles.

Some of the people still think Facebook is the last word in social networking. But check out these budding networks. Even though many of them apply the same social principles- incorporating location based services and binding the people on taste graphs- they help people to meet and socialize, not in digital life, but in real.

In the numerous new social networks, there are a few which stand out on the functionality and beauty by which they attract millions. Mashable had made a list of the best among them, which could be the social networks of the future.

Highlight

Highlight is now the hot topic in social world. The geo location based social app surfaces information about the people who is near you in real time. It runs GPS, 24/ 7 in the background to keep you always connected. With the app, you can simply know everything about the highlight users who are sitting in a football field, if you find some interesting profiles which meet your tastes, you can send them a direct message or “highlight” them so that they will be notified about the same. The privacy features also allows you to be invisible from the rest of users by simply “pausing.”  

Forecast


Here is a service which is definitely for the future. Since all the networks around you keeps a log of your past and present, forecast asks what you plan to do in the future. The developers hope that Forecasting your acting class or yoga section tomorrow night will encourage and inspire other friends to join the fun. Simply, it’s a fun and simple way for friends to share where they’re going.

Fancy

Fancy lets you “fancy” anything in the world. It then files your “fancy’d” products into a sorted digital wish list. The eye catching site is very similar to Pinterest except the fact that you can actually buy the products on Fancy.

Localmind

Localmind is for the local, spontaneous social users. It gathers all the information from the nearby users about events, restaurant specials, offers and attractions happening now. It gathers the location specific information from Facebook and foursquare check-ins. It will also award you with points for providing fruitful information and location advice to others.

Glancee

Glancee helps users to make meaningful connections to new people. It explores the profiles of the people around you to discover the hidden connections including common friends, mutual interests and notify you so that you can meet up and create beautiful connections. It quietly works in the background saving all the information in the app diary regarding your encounters and events.

Sonar

Sonar works in coordination with your Facebook, Twitter and Foursquare accounts. Once after surveying the accounts, Sonar determines your most appropriate connections and it will help you to learn more about the people in vicinity and assist you in activities including networking and online dating.

Path

Path is a smart online journal which helps you share life with your dear ones. You can post everything from your photos, the music you listen to, where you are, who you are with and when you wake and sleep. You can also post these path updates to social networks like Facebook, Twitter and Tumblr.

Gogoboat

Gogoboat is like the travel guide Pinterest. You can get tips from the travelers, see where your friends have travelled, and share your own travel stories and photos to help others.

 

The Curious Case of Sachin and the Century

by

0


The relationship between Sachin Tendulkar and his international centuries is very strange. His century has won matches for India but they have also been scored in lost and drawn/tied encounters. That proves that Sachin may be the greatest batsman to play cricket, but he is a mere human being, not God as envisioned by his followers. In fact, he himself told the media after the loss against Bangladesh that he doesn’t think of himself as a God! He may have scored his 100th century at Mirpur but it ended in a losing battle, where Bangladesh emerged victorious due to three half centuries, and a couple of quick-scored 40s.

  But before we move ahead, lets talk about the breakup of his centuries. Out of his 100 100s, Tendulkar has scored 20 against Australia, with 11 coming in Tests and 9 in one-dayers. Sri Lanka has been his second favourite opponent since he has scored 9 tests and 8 one day centuries against them, taking the tally to 17. Kiwis have faced Sachin’s wrath (read century) on 9 occasions (4 in tests, 5 in ODIs) while he has scored 2 tests and 5 ODI centuries against arch-rivals Pakistan. 12 times he has scored tons against South Africa, 7 in tests and 5 in limited overs while 7 out of his 100 centuries have come against the West Indies (3 in Tests, 4 in ODIs). 9 times he has raised his bat after scoring a century against England (7 Tests, 2 ODIs) while Bangladesh have had to bear the brunt of his excessive scoring on 6 occasions, 5 times in Tests and once in one dayers, that too last Friday. 8 times he has stroked his way past 100 against Zimbabwe (3 in Tests, 5 in one dayers), 4 times against Kenya and once against Namibia.

 In all, he has scored 51 centuries in Tests and 49 in one dayers. Out of those 51 Test centuries, 20 have seen India win the match, 11 have gone down in a lost cause where 20 have safely drawn the match for Team India. Out of his 49 ODI tons, 33 have seen India emerge victorious, 14 have seen India lose whereas 1 each ended in a drawn (due to rain) and tied encounter. On the whole, this proves that a century is no longer the guarantor of success, but everyone would give a guarantee that Sachin’s hunger for runs has made him a gem of a cricketer!

By umersharif

Related articles

War Over the World’s Largest Hindu Shrine

by

4


 

A foundation-laying ceremony has been held in Patna, Bihar earlier this month for the creation of what is said to be the tallest Hindu temple anywhere in the world – which is nothing unusual in India. But what became a matter of diplomatic confrontation between India and Cambodia is the same proposed Hindu temple in the banks of Ganges River as it’s the replica of Cambodia’s Angkor Wat, the country’s most popular tourist attraction and national symbol. Mahavir Mandir Trust, a privately run India-based religious organization, is behind this 100 crore project and ‘bhoomi pujan’ (land purification) has been held at the site near Hajipur.

The massive replica of the 12th century Cambodian temple will be called ‘Virat Angkor Wat Ram Mandir’ and will be build in a sprawling 40-acer site on the Hajipur-Bidupur road near Ismailpur village.

The Cambodian government called the move to make a higher replica of its national symbol a “shameful act” and warned that this could affect the future relationships with India. “’There is only one Angkor Wat in the world, it is Cambodia’s Angkor Wat temple, which was listed as one of the world heritage sites in 1992,” Cambodia’s Minister of Culture and Fine Arts, Him Chhem, told reporters in Phnom Penh.

 

 

Related articles

World’s Richest Politicians

by

0


 

No one gets into politics to get rich, but politicians happen to be one of the wealthiest figures on the planet. Business Insider came up with a list of the world’s 23 richest politicians which includes local officials and members of Congress, foreign ministers and royal heirs.

1. Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz:

King Abdullah has a net worth of $21 billion. He resides in Saudi Arabia. He reigns in the country that controls 20 percent of known oil reserves. He became the King of Saudi Arabia in 2005. Ever since he has focused on developing cities to foster economic improvement and has also set up several welfare projects and two universities, one of which is for girls.

 2.Hassanal Bolkiah:

Sultan Bolkiah resides in Brunei and has been head of state since 1967. His net worth is $20 billion. His fortune comes from the oil and gas industry. He has an extensive auto collection (reportedly 7,000 cars) and Istana Nurul Iman, his official residence, is one of the world’s largest palaces at 21, 52,782 square feet.

3.Michael Bloomberg:

Michael Bloomberg is the founder and owner of the financial news and information company Bloomberg LP, which has over 3, 00,000 subscribers. He has a net worth of $18.1 billion. The New York Mayor has an M.B.A. from Harvard Business School and is serving his third term as New York City mayor.

4. Sonia Gandhi:

The President of Indian National Congress has a net worth of $2-19 billion. Sonia is originally from Italy. As leader of the Congress party, she played a key role in reviving the party’s fortune and power.

 

5. Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan:

Sheikh Khalifa runs the world’s biggest sovereign wealth fund, the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority.  His net worth is $18 billion. He resides in United Arab Emirates and is the President (And emir of Abu Dhabi). It was also reported that he controls 97.8 billion proven oil reserves.

 

6. Vladimir Putin:

The Russian Prime Minister has a net worth of $180,000-$40 billion. Putin had served as President from 1999 to 2008. It has been reported that Vladimir has investments in Gazprom, Surgutneftegaz, and Gunvor (an oil-trading company). In 2007, Time Magazine named Putin as the person of the year.  Putin is also rumored to be worth as much as $40 billion, based on investments.

7. Savitri Jindal:

Another Indian is on the list. Savitri Jindal is the Member of the Legislative Assembly in Haryana. Her net worth is $13.2 billion. Day & Night News reported that Jindal was one of the richest women in India in 2011. She also serves as a non-executive board member of O.P. Jindal, the family’s steel and power conglomerate, which is run by her sons currently.

 

8. Zong Qinghou:

Zong is the Member of National People’s Council, China. He has a net worth of $10.8 billion. He is the Chairman and CEO of the beverage empire Wahaha Group. Recently CNN Money named him as one of the 15 businessmen to have most influenced China, while Forbes reported that he is expanding into the department store and natural resource sectors.

 

9. Serge Dassault:

Serge is the Senator of France. He has a net worth of $8 billion. Dassault is the chairman of Groupe Dassault and owner of Le Figaro, a French daily paper. His father, Marcel Dassault founded the Dassault Aviation. His philanthropy, Foundation Serge Dassault, sponsors programs for pediatric cancer and handicapped adults.

10. Silvio Berlusconi:

Silvio is the Member of Parliament, Italy. He has a net worth of $7.8 billion. Berlusconi is Italy’s longest serving prime minister and resigned in November 2011. In the early 1970s he launched Telemilano, which grew into Mediaset, Italy’s biggest media company.

 

11. Hans-Adam II:

Prince Hans-Adam II is the prince of Liechtenstein. He has a net worth of $4-$7.6 billion. He studied management and economics at the University of St. Gallen and received the Licentiate degree in 1969. He is the owner of LGT banking group and an impressive art collection, which is up for display at the Liechtenstein Museum.

 

Related articles

Simple Water-Saving Tips for the Outdoors

by

1


With summer here , here are ten simple outdoor water-saving tips to help you conserve water and save money.

1.Adjust your sprinklers so that they’re watering your lawn and garden, and not the street or sidewalk.

2.Water early in the morning (before 10am) or later in the evening (after 6pm) when temperatures are cooler and evaporation is minimized.

3.Set it, but don’t turn it! Whether you have a manual or automatic system, be sure to adjust your watering schedule.  As the weather changes, so will your landscape’s watering needs.

4.Water established lawns about 1 inch per week (a bit more during hot, dry weather).  

5.Inspect your overall irrigation system for leaks, broken lines, or blockage in the lines.  A well maintained system will save you money, water, and time.

6.Consider replacing some grass area with low water use plants and ornamental grasses. They are easier to maintain than grass, look beautiful, and require far less water.

7.Group plants with like watering needs. Creating “watering zones” in your garden will allow you to give each plant the water it requires – not too much or too little.

8.Add a shut-off nozzle to your garden hose and save about 5-7 gallons each minute your hose is on.  

9.Adjust your mower to a higher setting. A taller lawn provides shade to the roots and help retain soil moisture, so your lawn requires less water.

10.Water in several short sessions rather than one long session to allow for better water absorption and to prevent run-off.

12 Years of Govt. Service, Dy Collector worth 118 Crore

by

0


The Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on Wednesday claimed to have unearthed assets worth over Rs 118 crore allegedly belonging to a Deputy Collector posted in Raigad district of Maharashtra, adjacent to Mumbai.

The raids, which began late last night, were carried out simultaneously at 26 different premises belonging to Nitish Janardhan Thakur and continued all through the day, ACB officials said in a release.

He and his family mainly own properties at Alibag, Belcade, Kolgaon, Gotheghar, Chikhali, (all villages in Alibag tehsil), Kandivali, Borivali, Gorai, Vile Parle, Andheri and Ghatkopar (all Mumbai suburbs), and Murud, valued collectively at 118.39 crore, ACB said. A senior ACB official said he also owns a Land Rover, Mercedes and Honda CRV.

The other objects that were recovered include three watches worth Rs 20 lakh, two diamond bracelets worth Rs 6 lakh, three music systems worth Rs 7 lakhs, an imported 74-inch LED TV worth Rs 22 lakh, six crystal busts worth Rs 18 lakh, 11 pairs of imported shoes worth Rs 35,000 each, a jacuzzi worth Rs 9 lakh, and 100 tolas of gold.

Thakur, his wife Meenal, mother Chhaya, and brother Nilesh have been arrested and offences have been registered under Prevention of Corruption Act as well as IPC at the Alibag police station.

He has not been produced before the court yet. The 36-year-old official was posted as Deputy Collector from 1988-2010, and was suspended following charges of corruption two years ago, the release added.

Nitesh in 2008 went on a sick leave without intimating his superiors and allegedly started “settling realty disputes”. Nonetheless, Nitesh filed a writ petition in the HC alleging that ACB officials were harassing him. He claimed that in 2000, one Ramesh Gharat, on account of a row concerning distribution of ancestral property, filed a complaint with the ACB.

(With inputs from PTI)

Related articles

World’s 10 Most Polluted Cities

by

1


The environmental problems in the world are growing rapidly, and are putting a strain on the environment, infrastructure and the natural resources. Based upon the level of polluting particles in the air, the 10 most air polluted cities in the world are listed below. To put it into perspective, New York City averages 21 micrograms per cubic meter.

10. Kanpur, India:

On position ten is Kanpur, India. The city records for 209 micrograms of polluting particles per cubic meter. The city has an alarmingly high air pollution level and the reasons accounted for it being one of the most polluted cities are the emission of hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and other harmful gases. The vehicles seem to largely contribute to the ever-increasing air pollution. Kanpur is also home to the largest tanneries in India, which are also the primary source of the pollution throughout the city.

9. Yasouj, Iran:

On the ninth place is Yasouj in Iran. It records for 215 micrograms of polluting particles per cubic meter. Yasouj is known for their sugar processing plant and coal power plant which generates electricity for the entire area. The city is still in the process of constructing a new private oil refinery.

8. Gaborone, Botswana:

Gaborone in Botswana takes the eighth position on the most polluted cities list. The city records for 219 micrograms of polluting particles per cubic meter. Gaborone is the capital and the biggest city in Botswana. It is one of the most rapidly growing cities in Africa, though, veldt fires from the dry winters and dirty second-hand vehicles are the main source of pollution in the city.

7. Peshawar, Pakistan:

Peshawar in Pakistan takes the seventh position. The city records for 219 micrograms of polluting particles per cubic meter. Peshawar is located in a valley and is the administrative center for the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan.  Its enormous expansion and influx of migratory workers has caused a boom in urban pollution. It is also a key city from where the U.S. launches many of its strategic campaigns in Afghanistan.

6. Kermanshah, Iran:

Kermanshah in Iran ranks sixth on the most polluted cities list. It records for 229 micrograms of polluting particles per cubic meter. Kermanshah is located in western Iran and is well-known for its oil refineries and manufacturing. It was once an agricultural center, but has since then emerged as an industrial center.  It has become one of the chief importing/exporting gates of Iran.

5. Ludhiana, India:

Ludhiana in India shares the fourth position with Quetta in Pakistan. Ludhiana records for 251 micrograms of polluting particles per cubic meter. Ludhiana is the largest city in the state of Punjab, and one of the richest in the whole of India. They produce 50 percent of India’s bikes and 60 percent of their tractor parts.

4. Quetta, Pakistan:

Quetta records for 251 micrograms of polluting particles per cubic meter. Quetta is a high-altitude city well-known as the “Fruit Garden of Pakistan” because of its diverse plant and animal life. The city is also a transportation hub known for its railways and airport.

 3. Sanandaj, Iran:  

Sanandaj in Iran is the third most polluted city in the world. It records for 254 micrograms of polluting particles per cubic meter. It is another city of western Iran famed for its numerous manufacturing industries. They produce cotton, carpets, woodwork, and metal ware. Outside the city is a landscape of beautiful hills and mountains, but the city itself has turned into a sea of smog and commerce.

2. Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia:

The second most polluted city is Ulaan Baatar in Mongolia. The city records for 279 micrograms of polluting particles per cubic meter. Ulaan Baatar is not only the capital of Mongolia but it also serves as the country’s transport and industrial center. It manufactures nearly everything, from textiles to processed foods to cement and just around the corner are the coal mines powering these industries.

 1. Ahvaz, Iran:

Ahvaz in Iran is the most polluted city in the world. It records for 372 micrograms of polluting particles per cubic meter. The Iranian capital of Ahvaz is found to have the highest annual average for outdoor air pollutants. It is an oil center, transportation hub, and industrial city. The city is known for producing sugar and silk, and for linking roads, rails, and pipelines to ports in the Persian Gulf.

Related articles

Sonia Gandhi: World’s Fourth Richest Politician

by

3


Sonia Gandhi is the world’s fourth richest politician, said Business Insider, a U.S. based internet news aggregator and publisher. As per the report, the UPA chairperson’s wealth is currently valued at $2-19 billion (Rs 10,000-45,000 crore).

The wide range given, $2-19 billion is a giveaway that these numbers may have been plucked out of a hat.

As per Netapedia, an online encyclopedia about India’s politicians and the political events, Sonia Gandhi has movable assets worth 1, 17, 70,468 and immovable assets worth 20, 24,300. This financial information was as per affidavit filed before the 2009 general elections.

Firstpost’s own estimate, based on income disclosed by Sonia Gandhi during the last general elections and the income-generating assets she owns, suggests that her annual income cannot be more than Rs 50-75 lakh.

Given the wide range within which her assumed wealth is estimated, it is obvious that Business Insider is not sure what the numbers really are. The online publication has sourced the story to a website called ‘World’s Luxury Guide’. Luxury Guide in turn traces its information to five other sources like OpenSecrets.org, Forbes.com, Bloomberg.com, Wikipedia.org, and Guardian.co.uk.

Related articles

Criminals, Crorepatis & Non-Graduates; It’s Indian Politics

by

0


 

Politics pays really well, much more than any other profession as our parliament and state assemblies have become hubs of crorepatis, just as all but three members of the new Goa assembly are millionaires. Politics works as an asylum for criminals that half of the newly elected MLAs in UP have declared criminal cases against them. Politics is a profession of high pay and absolute job security where education is not the primary criterion of eligibility and so, 45 percent of the newly-elected in Punjab Vidhan Sabha are non-graduates.

The new crorepati list from the recently held assembly elections in 5 states shows the fact that the not-so-rich are getting marginalized in Indian politics and in the electoral process. While 101 out of 117 MLAs in the Punjab Assembly are crorepatis, 37 out of 40 elected candidates in the Goan assembly have declared assets worth more than 1 Core. According to the data published by Association for Democratic Reforms, an NGO working towards strengthening governance and democracy in the country; narrates a story quite different than we are used to. Contrary to the popular belief, it’s not people with genuine social conscience, but with deep pockets the political parties prefer to give the tickets to contest. And as a matter of fact, it’s these financially well off candidates stand a good chance to win the constituencies than people with real political zeal but less economical backup.

 

Related articles