Saturday, January 14, 2012
Monday, January 9, 2012
Why is the US marriage rate falling sharply?
For the first time in memory, unmarried Americans will soon outnumber those who are married, according to the latest research. So is this a watershed moment?
At first glance it would appear that, in common with many Western countries, marriage is in terminal decline in the United States.In 1960, 72% of all American adults were married; in 2010 just 51% were, according to the Pew Centre. The number dropped sharply by 5% in the most recent year, 2009-10.
"I think we are on the cusp of seeing marriage becoming less central to our life course and in framing the lives of our nation's children. So I think it is a major moment in that regard," says Bradford Wilcox, director of the National Marriage Project and a sociology professor at the University of Virginia.
In the UK, women are, on average, waiting until the age of 30 before getting married, while the average age of a UK bridegroom is 32. In both countries the number of weddings is at an all-time low.
Chicago Tribune syndicated advice columnist Amy Dickinson believes the increase in no-fault divorces and tougher child support laws are two reasons behind the falling popularity of married life in America.
"It is no longer necessary to be married to someone in order to pursue financial support and I believe this has had a huge impact on couples who have children together and, let's say, 20 years ago would get married in order to establish legitimacy and then, hence, get financial support."In some communities single parenthood is now the norm, she argues, and Americans have become more comfortable with "non-traditional" households.
America also has the world's highest divorce rate - and that has undoubtedly shaken the confidence of many young people in the institution of marriage.
Rhyan Romaine and her partner Seth have been together for six years but have resisted pressure from friends and family to rush into marriage.
"Seth comes from a family of divorce and has seen how it's affected his life and his family.
"He says he couldn't imagine even thinking about marriage until we had been together for 10 years and I said as long as we are happy together we will stay together," says Miss Romaine.
"I think it's a fear that I have too, even though my parents are married. It's scary, having seen personal friends who have got married right out of college and who now are in their early thirties and dating again."
But Miss Romaine, a regional grant director for the American Loan Association, believes there is still a "lot of pressure" on young women to get married in America, where the idealised, fairytale wedding remains a staple of Hollywood romantic comedies and reality TV shows.
"I call it the 'marriage crazy'," she says. "All of a sudden this fever comes over women at a certain age. They get to about 24 or 25 and they have to hurry up and get married."
For many young people, marriage is simply the next item on their personal "checklist" after high school, college and career, she argues.
'Latin model' The Pew Centre research, which suggests marriage is falling out of favour far less quickly among college graduates than less educated groups, would appear to bear this argument out.
Nearly two-thirds of American adults with college degrees (64%) are married, compared with just 47% among those with a high school education. That is in sharp contrast to 1960, when the most educated and the least educated were about equally likely to be married.
"There has been a realisation among college-educated Americans that marriage is actually a pretty good idea, even if they don't like to talk about it in public," argues Bradford Wilcox."On things like abortion, on hot-button global social issues, Americans who are college educated are more liberal.
"But when it comes to thinking about how they are going to govern their own lives, their own family lives, our sense from the data is that they are more marriage-minded, they are more conventional about family life."
Mr Wilcox, whose Virginia University team researched the impact of the recent recession on American marriages, is concerned that marriage is "withering" among middle and lower income groups, with potentially disastrous effects on American society and the economy.
"I think we are moving more towards a classically Latin model, where the powerful and the privileged have strong, stable families and access to decent income and decent assets. And everyone who is not in that upper third is worse and worse off."
But perhaps it is a little premature to write the obituary for the American marriage just yet.
The sharp 5% decline in the number of new marriages in the US between 2009 and 2010, revealed by the Pew research, may simply be down to short-term economic factors.
With the cost of the average wedding running at about $20,000 (£12,946) many couples are opting for a longer engagement to give them more time to save up, according to Kyle Brown, of the American Bridal Association, which represents America's multi-billion dollar wedding industry.
But, he adds, his members have noticed "an increase in the beginning process of wedding planning, on items such as gowns, in the past three months".
"I would expect to see an uptick in the number of weddings in 2012 and 2013," he says. "It is purely down to economics."
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Carbon emissions 'will defer Ice Age'
Human emissions of carbon dioxide will defer the next Ice Age, say scientists.
The last Ice Age ended about 11,500 years ago, and when the next one should begin has not been entirely clear.Researchers used data on the Earth's orbit and other things to find the historical warm interglacial period that looks most like the current one.
In the journal Nature Geoscience, they write that the next Ice Age would begin within 1,500 years - but emissions have been so high that it will not
"At current levels of CO2, even if emissions stopped now we'd probably have a long interglacial duration determined by whatever long-term processes could kick in and bring [atmospheric] CO2 down," said Luke Skinner from Cambridge University.
Dr Skinner's group - which also included scientists from University College London, the University of Florida and Norway's Bergen University - calculates that the atmospheric concentration of CO2 would have to fall below about 240 parts per million (ppm) before the glaciation could begin.The current level is around 390ppm.
Other research groups have shown that even if emissions were shut off instantly, concentrations would remain elevated for at least 1,000 years, with enough heat stored in the oceans potentially to cause significant melting of polar ice and sea level rise.
Orbital wobbles The root causes of the transitions from Ice Age to interglacial and back again are the subtle variations in the Earth's orbit known as the Milankovitch cycles, after the Serbian scientist Milutin Milankovic who described the effect nearly 100 years ago.
The variations include the eccentricity of the Earth's orbit around the Sun, the degree to which its axis is inclined, and the slow rotation of its axis.
These all take place on timescales of tens of thousands of years.
The precise way in which they change the climate of the Earth from warm interglacial to cold Ice Age and back every 100,000 years or so is not known.
On their own, they are not enough to cause the global temperature difference of about 10C between Ice Age and interglacial. The initial small changes are amplified by various factors including the release of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere as warming begins, and absorption of the gas by the oceans as the ice re-forms.
It is also clear that each transition is different from previous ones, because the precise combination of orbital factors does not repeat exactly - though very similar conditions come around every 400,000 years.
The differences from one cycle to the next are thought to be the reason why interglacial periods are not all the same length.
Using analysis of orbital data as well as samples from rock cores drilled in the ocean floor, Dr Skinner's team identified an episode called Marine Isotope Stage 19c (or MIS19c), dating from about 780,000 years ago, as the one most closely resembling the present.
The transition to the Ice Age was signalled, they believe, by a period when cooling and warming seesawed between the northern and southern hemispheres, triggered by disruptions to the global circulation of ocean currents.
If the analogy to MIS19c holds up, this transition ought to begin within 1,500 years, the researchers say, if CO2 concentrations were at "natural" levels.
As things stand, they believe, it will not.
Loving CO2 The broad conclusions of the team were endorsed by Lawrence Mysak, emeritus professor of atmospheric and oceanic sciences at McGill University in Montreal, Canada, who has also investigated the transitions between Ice Ages and warm interglacials.
"The key thing is they're looking about 800,000 years back, and that's twice the 400,000-year cycle, so they're looking at the right period in terms of what could happen in the absence of anthropogenic forcing," he told BBC News.
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Russian toddler lost in Bryansk pavement collapse
A toddler in Bryansk in western Russia is missing after falling through a hole that opened up as his mother took him for a walk.
The pavement gave way because of a burst hot-water pipe, emergency officials said.
The boy's mother, 26, was pulled alive from the hole by her traffic police officer husband, reports say.
But he was unable to rescue his son who is presumed to have died after his pushchair fell into the sewer below.
"The woman managed to grab on to the edge of the collapsed pavement, which saved her life," a Bryansk official was quoted as saying.
Her husband had apparently been on duty in the area and rushed to the scene, climbing down into the hole with the aid of a rope to pull his wife to safety.
Named by Russian media as Tatyana Didenko, she was taken to hospital in shock.
Remnants of the toddler's clothing were found by search teams but there was no sign of his body, according to regional emergency official Oleg Yankov.
The cause of the pavement collapse is unclear but investigators are looking at problems with the construction of a local sewage plant.
Bryansk regional governor Nikolai Denin told Russia 24 TV that recent mild weather could have caused a pipe to rupture, leading to sand below the pavement being washed away.
Investigators have opened a criminal manslaughter case.
The pavement gave way because of a burst hot-water pipe, emergency officials said.
The boy's mother, 26, was pulled alive from the hole by her traffic police officer husband, reports say.
But he was unable to rescue his son who is presumed to have died after his pushchair fell into the sewer below.
"The woman managed to grab on to the edge of the collapsed pavement, which saved her life," a Bryansk official was quoted as saying.
Her husband had apparently been on duty in the area and rushed to the scene, climbing down into the hole with the aid of a rope to pull his wife to safety.
Named by Russian media as Tatyana Didenko, she was taken to hospital in shock.
Remnants of the toddler's clothing were found by search teams but there was no sign of his body, according to regional emergency official Oleg Yankov.
The cause of the pavement collapse is unclear but investigators are looking at problems with the construction of a local sewage plant.
Bryansk regional governor Nikolai Denin told Russia 24 TV that recent mild weather could have caused a pipe to rupture, leading to sand below the pavement being washed away.
Investigators have opened a criminal manslaughter case.
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Iran death sentence for 'CIA spy' Amir Mirzai Hekmati
A US man of Iranian descent has been sentenced to death by a court in Tehran for spying for the CIA.
Amir Mirzai Hekmati was "sentenced to death for co-operating with a hostile nation, membership of the CIA and trying to implicate Iran in terrorism," semi-official Fars news agency said.The 28-year-old's US-based family say he was in Iran visiting grandparents.
The sentence comes at a time of fresh tensions between Iran and the West over Tehran's nuclear programme.
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Monday that further sanctions imposed by the West "will not have any impact on our nation".
"The Islamic establishment... knows firmly what it is doing and has chosen its path and will stay the course," he said in a speech broadcast on state television.
Televised 'confession' Iran says that, as a former US marine, Mr Hekmati received training at US bases in Afghanistan and Iraq before being sent to Iran for his alleged intelligence-gathering mission.
Iranian officials said his cover was blown even before he had arrived in the country, because he had been spotted by Iranian agents at the US-run Bagram military air base in neighbouring Afghanistan.
On 18 December, Mr Hekmati was shown on Iranian state television allegedly confessing to being part of a plot to infiltrate Iran's intelligence services for the CIA.Televised confessions form a central part of Iran's political and judicial system, the BBC's Iran correspondent James Reynolds says. But human rights organisations strongly question their validity.
During his trial later in December, according to Fars, Mr Hekmati admitted he did have links to the CIA, but had never intended to harm Iran.
"I was deceived by the CIA... Although I was appointed to break into Iran's intelligence systems and act as a new source for the CIA, I had no intention of undermining the country," Fars quoted him as saying.
Mr Hekmati's family, who live in Arizona, say the charges against him are fabricated and that he was in Iran to visit his grandmothers - and they had "struggled to provide Amir with an attorney in Iran".
His father, Ali Hekmati, a college professor in Flint, Michigan, said his son joined the US military in 2001 and served in the Marines, where he was an Arabic translator.
At the time of his visit to Iran and subsequent arrest, Amir Hekmati was working in Qatar as a contractor for a company "that served the Marines", Mr Hekmati was quoted by the Associated Press as saying.
The US has demanded his release, saying he has been "falsely accused".The state department said Swiss diplomats in Iran - who handle Washington's interests because of an absence of US-Iran diplomatic relations - were not allowed to see Mr Hekmati before his trial.
Mr Hekmati has 20 days to appeal against the sentence.
'Red line' The sentence further heightens the tensions which rose after the US said it would impose new sanctions on Iran's central bank and the European Union would impose an embargo on Iran's oil exports.
In response to the sanctions threat, Tehran has threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz - a key route from the Gulf through which 20% of the world's traded oil passes.
US defence chiefs on Sunday warned that they would take action if Iran closed the strait.
Defence Secretary Leon Panetta said such a move would cross a "red line" and "we would take action and reopen the strait."
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Nigeria fuel strike brings country to a halt
A general strike in Nigeria over the elimination of a fuel subsidy has brought the country to a standstill.
Shops, offices, schools and petrol stations around the country closed on the first day of an indefinite strike.Thousands of people gathered in Lagos and other cities to protest at the loss of the subsidy which has meant a doubling of fuel and transport costs.
In the northern city of Kano, 20 people were injured as police fired tear gas and shot live rounds in the air.
President Goodluck Jonathan has said the subsidy was economically unsustainable.
The normally bustling streets of Lagos are quiet, with the exception of police patrols and protesters on their way to rallies.
Several thousand people have gathered at Gani Fewehinmi park in the city and more are arriving all the time, says the BBC's Mark Lobel in Nigeria's commercial capital.
There have been reports that one protester was shot dead in Lagos.In the main northern city of Kano, police fired tear gas and shots in the air to disperse thousands of protesters who were converging on the governor's office. Twenty people were injured, says BBC Hausa Service reporter Yusuf Ibrahim in the city.
In Abuja, pickets closed the airport, preventing flights from arriving or leaving, says the BBC's Ibrahim Shehu Adamu in the Nigerian capital.
Also in Abuja, there are reports that youths camping in the city's Eagle Square were cleared out overnight by police using tear gas.
In the northern city of Kaduna, there is a heavy police presence and the streets are quiet, with all shops closed, says the BBC's Abdullahi Kaura Abubakar.
Ilorin, a large city in south-west Nigeria, was also at a standstill, a man who runs market stalls told the BBC. He said he ordered his staff to stay at home after he saw two vandalised cars.
Smuggled fuel There have been angry protests since the subsidy ended on 1 January as fuel and transport costs have doubled and other costs have risen as well.
Most of Nigeria's 160 million people live on less than $2 (£1.30) a day, so the sharp price increases have hit them hard.
"With these increases, the cost of transport has gone up and this has also affected the cost of food, and the basic necessities of life, such as rents, school fees and medical bills," said Chris Uyot, a spokesman for the Nigeria Labour Congress, one of the strike's organisers.
A similar strike in 2003 saw Nigeria almost entirely shut down. It ended with a partial climbdown, when the government agreed to reduce the subside, rather than scrapping it altogether.
While the strike is expected to affect oil workers too, industry sources do not expect the industrial action to significantly affect crude exports, Reuters news agency reports.
Despite being a major Opec oil producer, Nigeria has not invested in the infrastructure to produce refined fuel, so has to import much of its petrol.
With the subsidy, fuel was much cheaper in Nigeria than neighbouring countries, so some of it was smuggled abroad.
Members of parliament have called on President Goodluck Jonathan to reconsider, but he has said the subsidy was economically unsustainable.He made a televised address on Saturday to defend the the subsidy cut and other government austerity moves.
"We must act in the public interest, no matter how tough, for the pains of today cannot be compared to the benefits of tomorrow."
The deregulation of the petroleum sector was, he insisted, the best way to curb corruption and ensure the survival and growth of the economy.
Nigerians queued to buy petrol ahead of the strike He said that top government officials would, from this year, take a 25% pay cut, and foreign trips would also be reduced.
The government says it will spend the $8bn (£5bn) it saves each year by scrapping the subsidy on improving health, education and the country's erratic electricity supply.
However, many Nigerians fear it is more likely to end up in the pockets of corrupt officials.
Last month, International Monetary Fund (IMF) head Christine Lagarde praised President Jonathan's efforts to reform the Nigerian economy but cautioned that the country should become less reliant on oil exports for revenue.
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Thursday, January 5, 2012
Kushwaha row: BJP doublespeak on corruption?
New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP's) anti-corruption plank has taken a hit after its leadership rejected the demand to reverse the decision of inducting scam-tainted leader former BSP MLA Babu Singh Kushwaha in Uttar Pradesh.
A day after he switched loyalties and moved to the BJP, the CBI raided former Mayawati minister Babu Singh Kushwaha. An FIR has been filed against him in the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) scam, but sources say that he is unlikely to be arrested for now. He is believed to be co-operating with the investigators. An embarrassed BJP claimed that the raids were a Congress-BSP plot.A visibly embarrassed BJP top brass went into a huddle. A retreat now as they did with DP Yadav in 2004 could be counterproductive. So, the BJP did the next best thing, denying Kushwaha a party ticket, but playing the caste card.
For the BJP now, offence is the best defence. In UP's complex caste matrix, the party now wants to reach out to backward Keori votes through Kushwaha, but on the flip side, the question is will it not disturb the BJP's core urban voteback in the state.
A section of the party, though, was clearly upset, including LK Advani who rode a rath recently to campaign against corruption.
The UP state BJP working committee member IP Singh has even been suspended after he spoke out against the top brass decision to induct Kushwaha into the party. IP Singh had said, "The decision to bring Kushwaha in was a blunder. The BJP must review its decision and show him the door."
So the BJP remained divided over the entry of Kushwaha, even as BJP Vice President Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said that the tainted former minister will not be given a ticket, nor will he be their star campaigner.
The NDA allies were not impressed either. However, for the Congress though, it was an opportunity to strike back.
Watching all the chaos, the question is whether the Congress is the prince. The more all the opposition parties squabble amongst themselves, the better the Congress's chance of getting new votes.
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Monday, January 2, 2012
NASA probes reach moon for gravity-mapping mission
CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (Reuters) - Two robotic probes began orbiting the moon Sunday in preparation for an unprecedented mission to map the lunar interior.
NASA's twin Gravity Recovery And Interior Laboratory, or GRAIL, spacecraft wrapped up 2.6-million-mile journey to put themselves into lunar orbit on Saturday and Sunday.
Over the next two months, the probes' 34-mile-high orbits will be adjusted to get them into optimal position to measure the pushes and pulls of the moon's gravity, data that scientists can use to model what is inside the moon.
"Pop the bubbly and toast the moon," NASA wrote on its Twitter feed after the first GRAIL spacecraft finished a 40-minute braking maneuver at 5 p.m. EST (2200 GMT) on New Year's Eve.
The second spacecraft followed suit 25 hours later. Both are needed for the intricate gravity-mapping mission scheduled to begin in March.
"Everything is looking good," NASA wrote as ground control teams received radio signals Sunday confirming the second spacecraft's arrival. "It's going to be a great 2012."
Over the next two months, the probes' orbits will be tweaked until they are flying in formation low over the lunar poles. As the spacecraft fly over denser regions of the moon, they will speed up slightly in response to the extra gravitational tugs.
By constantly measuring changes in the distance between the two craft, scientists can create a gravity map of the moon. The changes in speed will be as subtle as a fraction of a micron per second. A micron is about the width of a red blood cell.
The data will be used to model the moon's interior, a key piece of information still missing despite more than 100 previous missions to the moon, including six human expeditions during NASA's 1969-1972 Apollo program.
Scientists believe the moon formed when an object about the size of Mars smashed into Earth shortly after the formation of the solar system about 4.5 billion years ago. But questions about how the moon evolved remain.
One longstanding question is why the far side of the moon is so different from the side that permanently faces Earth. The near side is filled with large, dark plains formed by ancient volcanic eruptions, while the far side is virtually all highlands.
The mission is scheduled to last 82 days, but if the solar-powered probes, built by Lockheed Martin Corp , survive beyond the next lunar eclipse in June, the $496 million mission could be extended for a more detailed mapping survey.
NASA's twin Gravity Recovery And Interior Laboratory, or GRAIL, spacecraft wrapped up 2.6-million-mile journey to put themselves into lunar orbit on Saturday and Sunday.
Over the next two months, the probes' 34-mile-high orbits will be adjusted to get them into optimal position to measure the pushes and pulls of the moon's gravity, data that scientists can use to model what is inside the moon.
"Pop the bubbly and toast the moon," NASA wrote on its Twitter feed after the first GRAIL spacecraft finished a 40-minute braking maneuver at 5 p.m. EST (2200 GMT) on New Year's Eve.
The second spacecraft followed suit 25 hours later. Both are needed for the intricate gravity-mapping mission scheduled to begin in March.
"Everything is looking good," NASA wrote as ground control teams received radio signals Sunday confirming the second spacecraft's arrival. "It's going to be a great 2012."
Over the next two months, the probes' orbits will be tweaked until they are flying in formation low over the lunar poles. As the spacecraft fly over denser regions of the moon, they will speed up slightly in response to the extra gravitational tugs.
By constantly measuring changes in the distance between the two craft, scientists can create a gravity map of the moon. The changes in speed will be as subtle as a fraction of a micron per second. A micron is about the width of a red blood cell.
The data will be used to model the moon's interior, a key piece of information still missing despite more than 100 previous missions to the moon, including six human expeditions during NASA's 1969-1972 Apollo program.
Scientists believe the moon formed when an object about the size of Mars smashed into Earth shortly after the formation of the solar system about 4.5 billion years ago. But questions about how the moon evolved remain.
One longstanding question is why the far side of the moon is so different from the side that permanently faces Earth. The near side is filled with large, dark plains formed by ancient volcanic eruptions, while the far side is virtually all highlands.
The mission is scheduled to last 82 days, but if the solar-powered probes, built by Lockheed Martin Corp , survive beyond the next lunar eclipse in June, the $496 million mission could be extended for a more detailed mapping survey.
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Saturday, December 31, 2011
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
The skinny on Victoria's Secret fashion show
Start with 19 gorgeous half-naked models, throw in a $2.5 million bra and a few wings that weigh up to 50 pounds a pair, and you have the elements of this year's Victoria's Secret fashion show. The 2011 show airs Tuesday in more than 90 countries, proving that the definition of "sexy" may be the same on all seven continents.
Dazzling women in glitter, wearing sky-high heels with elaborate underwear, are some of the obvious reasons more than 9 million viewers tuned in to last year's show.
But with this year's scheduled performances by Jay-Z, Kanye West and Nicki Minaj, who knows how many fans are also anticipating the celebrity showcase? Joining the group of stars, Adam Levine will perform as he walks the runway with girlfriend and Victoria's Secret model Anne Vyalitsyna.
A Victoria's Secret model's diet Nine million viewers may sound like an large number of people gazing at pretty women in bras and panties. But who wouldn't want to see this spectacle?
"The show fulfills a fantasy, and not just the obvious one of gorgeous women in their underwear," said Glamour magazine contributing style editor Tracey Lomrantz.
"Everything about it is over the top, from the performances to the sets to the shoes. It lets the audience have a kind of escapist moment to a place where everything is sparkly and idyllic," Lomrantz added.
Glitter won't be the only thing glistening on the New York runway.
This year, model Miranda Kerr will be wearing the traditional $2.5 million Fantasy Treasure Bra. That's right, this Angel will be gleaming in a bra encrusted with more than 3,400 hand-placed gems.
Aside from the million-dollar rocks, beauty products from the Victoria's Secret collection will be used on all 19 models. If you're keeping track, almost 40 cans of hairspray will be used, and 21 makeup artists will use products exclusively from the VS makeup collection, according to HollywoodLife.com.
The combination of the fashion, makeup and celebrity performances will help create this year's spectacle on a grand scale. Pretty faces on bodies with killer curves don't hurt.
Famous VS models -- or should we say Angels -- like Adriana Lima, Chanel Iman and Erin Heatherton have some of the most envied bodies that both men and women admire.
"It's interesting how many women say they use the show as a motivator to hit the gym or to finally start their diets," Lomrantz said.
And although men often gaze at the toned bodies strutting the catwalk, some are sure not to confuse fantasy with reality.
"It is important to remember, as with all fashion shows, that what you see on the runway is not what you will see in a store -- it's a projection of desire," Esquire magazine's Matt Sullivan said.
These angels aren't always naturally blessed with the bodies they have. Many of the models follow a strict diet and exercise regimen. Lima admited to The Telegraph that she has been working out with a personal trainer every day since August.
Fast-forward to nine days before the show, and the only thing she eats or drinks are protein shakes made with powdered eggs. Speed up to the final 12 hours, and Lima doesn't consume a speck of anything -- not even water.
"No liquids at all, so you dry out. Sometimes you can lose up to eight pounds just from that," Lima told The Telegraph.
Although they put in hard work, the VS Angels end up envied. Not only do these tall beauties effortlessly balancing heavy decorated feathers in nothing but lingerie and a smile attract Nielsen ratings, but the taping of the show enjoys its fair share of media coverage.
"When there is an event this big, people pay attention," fashion blogger Mark St. James said. "When models look this flawless and graceful, you can't help but fall victim to their provocative lingerie, powerful femininity and, of course, sex appeal."
Ladies, it's almost time to whip out your little pink bag, pump up the hair and put on your best "Vicky C" garments in anticipation of this year's show. Men, pop the popcorn, call your friends and get ready to gather around the TV to admire the models and rock out to the musical guests.
According to St. James, "Victoria's Secret is the Cirque du Soleil of lingerie. The ever-increasing popularity of the Victoria's Secret shows comes from the excitement of being apart of a world where Angels are stunningly beautiful, the industry's top musical talent performs live, and power and sexual energy pour from the runway every year."
And thanks to the Victoria's Secret fashion show, we're even closer to seeing a real-life heaven on Earth.
Dazzling women in glitter, wearing sky-high heels with elaborate underwear, are some of the obvious reasons more than 9 million viewers tuned in to last year's show.
But with this year's scheduled performances by Jay-Z, Kanye West and Nicki Minaj, who knows how many fans are also anticipating the celebrity showcase? Joining the group of stars, Adam Levine will perform as he walks the runway with girlfriend and Victoria's Secret model Anne Vyalitsyna.
A Victoria's Secret model's diet "The show fulfills a fantasy, and not just the obvious one of gorgeous women in their underwear," said Glamour magazine contributing style editor Tracey Lomrantz.
"Everything about it is over the top, from the performances to the sets to the shoes. It lets the audience have a kind of escapist moment to a place where everything is sparkly and idyllic," Lomrantz added.
Glitter won't be the only thing glistening on the New York runway.
This year, model Miranda Kerr will be wearing the traditional $2.5 million Fantasy Treasure Bra. That's right, this Angel will be gleaming in a bra encrusted with more than 3,400 hand-placed gems.
Aside from the million-dollar rocks, beauty products from the Victoria's Secret collection will be used on all 19 models. If you're keeping track, almost 40 cans of hairspray will be used, and 21 makeup artists will use products exclusively from the VS makeup collection, according to HollywoodLife.com.
The combination of the fashion, makeup and celebrity performances will help create this year's spectacle on a grand scale. Pretty faces on bodies with killer curves don't hurt.
Famous VS models -- or should we say Angels -- like Adriana Lima, Chanel Iman and Erin Heatherton have some of the most envied bodies that both men and women admire.
"It's interesting how many women say they use the show as a motivator to hit the gym or to finally start their diets," Lomrantz said.
And although men often gaze at the toned bodies strutting the catwalk, some are sure not to confuse fantasy with reality.
"It is important to remember, as with all fashion shows, that what you see on the runway is not what you will see in a store -- it's a projection of desire," Esquire magazine's Matt Sullivan said.
These angels aren't always naturally blessed with the bodies they have. Many of the models follow a strict diet and exercise regimen. Lima admited to The Telegraph that she has been working out with a personal trainer every day since August.
Fast-forward to nine days before the show, and the only thing she eats or drinks are protein shakes made with powdered eggs. Speed up to the final 12 hours, and Lima doesn't consume a speck of anything -- not even water.
"No liquids at all, so you dry out. Sometimes you can lose up to eight pounds just from that," Lima told The Telegraph.
Although they put in hard work, the VS Angels end up envied. Not only do these tall beauties effortlessly balancing heavy decorated feathers in nothing but lingerie and a smile attract Nielsen ratings, but the taping of the show enjoys its fair share of media coverage.
"When there is an event this big, people pay attention," fashion blogger Mark St. James said. "When models look this flawless and graceful, you can't help but fall victim to their provocative lingerie, powerful femininity and, of course, sex appeal."
Ladies, it's almost time to whip out your little pink bag, pump up the hair and put on your best "Vicky C" garments in anticipation of this year's show. Men, pop the popcorn, call your friends and get ready to gather around the TV to admire the models and rock out to the musical guests.
According to St. James, "Victoria's Secret is the Cirque du Soleil of lingerie. The ever-increasing popularity of the Victoria's Secret shows comes from the excitement of being apart of a world where Angels are stunningly beautiful, the industry's top musical talent performs live, and power and sexual energy pour from the runway every year."
And thanks to the Victoria's Secret fashion show, we're even closer to seeing a real-life heaven on Earth.
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Crazy about Country Music
There's a standing joke that if you play a country song backward, the singer gets re-hired, wins back his girl, finds whatever he's lost, quits crying and leaves the bar. Employed, happily married and sober? Doesn't sound much like America these days.Authenticity is what defines country music, says Karla Lawson, a morning host for Nashville's WSIX country radio station.
"It's so real and accessible and down-to-earth and relatable," she says. "It's really the most honest music out there."
The Country Music Association's 45th annual awards show airs live on Wednesday, November 9, at 8 p.m. on ABC. The show consistently ranks in the top four among the most-watched awards shows on television, alongside the Oscars, Grammys and Golden Globes, says CMA media relations director Scott Stem.
Joining favorites like Rascal Flatts and Kenny Chesney on stage this year will be rock singer Grace Potter, pop artist Natasha Bedingfield and Motown mogul Lionel Richie, who has an upcoming country duets album called "Tuskegee."
"Country as a genre has changed ... and the audience has reflected that," Lawson says.
To be fair, country music's popularity has been on a steady incline for more than 20 years, Billboard country chart manager Wade Jessen says.
Singers like Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood broke down the barrier between plaid and pleather in the early 1990s. Even if you weren't stompin' your boots just yet, you were probably secretly humming Shania Twain's "I Feel Like a Woman," Billy Ray Cryus' "Achy Breaky Heart," or Faith Hill's "This Kiss."
The list of artists who have gone country since then is lengthy: Kid Rock, Sheryl Crow, Bon Jovi, Uncle Kracker, Hootie & the Blowfish's Darius Rucker, Jewel -- even Jessica Simpson. But if the last year has shown us anything, it's that America's gone a little bit country and a little less rock 'n' roll. As Brantley Gilbert sings, "Country must be country-wide."
Things really heated up in late 2010, when viewers tuned in to watch actress Gwyneth Paltrow make her live singing debut with "Country Strong" at the CMAs. Then Justin Bieber sent a million tweens into a frenzy when he announced that he'd be teaming up with country group Rascal Flatts to record a duet in 2011.
In February, Lady Antebellum swept the Grammys, winning record of the year and song of the year. In March, Lady Gaga put out a country version of her single "Born This Way" (although I have to say, Little Big Town did it better).
Even "Footloose," originally pure '80s pop, got in on the action. The movie was country-fied in its 2011 remake. Blake Shelton sang the movie's theme song and was joined on the soundtrack by country artists Zac Brown, Big & Rich, Jana Kramer, Ella Mae Bowen and more. Shelton has invited Kenny Loggins -- the original "Footloose" singer -- to perform with him at the CMAs.
But wait, the roundup is not done yet. The first three national anthem singers at the World Series were country artists: "American Idol" winner Scotty McCreery, Trace Adkins and Ronnie Dunn (of the former Brooks and Dunn). Bieber added a song featuring The Band Perry to his new Christmas album. Jason Aldean and Lady Gaga were the first artists announced for the Grammy nominations concert.
Oh yeah, and Adele wants in on the country action as well.
The 23-year-old reportedly plans to go country for her next album, saying discovering American country musicians was "like (being) a 4-year-old in a candy shop who's discovering sweets again."
CMA's Stem isn't surprised. "I always claim that everyone likes country music -- they just don't want to admit it," he says with a laugh.
Artists like Taylor Swift have certainly added a "hip" factor to the country music industry. But it's the stories and the soul that keeps fans coming back, Stem says.
"We are a very real-life music, based on real-life experiences. Who among us hasn't had our hearts broken? Who hasn't lost a loved one, found love or not gotten the job we wanted? It covers (everything from) the sad to the happy to the silly."
Now that sounds more like America.
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So many dragon tattoos!
Rooney Mara plays Lisbeth Salander in "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo," to hit theaters on Tuesday. But Mara's character isn't the only one who has inked a -- you guessed it -- dragon on her bod. Here are a few celebs who have channeled Salander's now-famous tat:
Pink showed off her dragon tattoo while performing on German program "Wetten, dass ...?" in 2006. 
Angelina Jolie flashed her dragon tattoo at the Golden Globes in 1998. She later topped the tat with "Billy Bob" for her second husband, Billy Bob Thornton. However, she has since had the ink removed. The geographical coordinates of her children's birthplaces have taken its place. 
David Arquette sports a dragon tattoo on his calf. Rarely photographed in shorts, the actor's tattoo was visible as he climbed into a dunk tank at the Kinerase Skincare Celebration in 2007. 
Spinnerette lead singer Brody Dalle, formerly with The Distillers, showed off her tat at the Kerrang! Awards in 2004.
Victoria Beckham, better known as Posh Spice when this photo was snapped in 1998, once sported a temporary dragon tattoo on her arm. Share This
Friday, December 16, 2011
PHOTOS: Indian batting comes good in drawn Oz warm-up tie
Sachin Tendulkar hit a quickfire 92 before retiring as India's first warm-up match on their tour of Australia against a Chairman's XI ended in a draw after rain forced end of play on Friday.Tendulkar, who will be looking to notch his 100th international career century in the four-Test series that begins in Melbourne on December 26, grabbed his 92 runs off 132 balls with 15 fours.
He showed class as he went about his innings without much fuss. His strokeplay was magnificient as he got into the groove in time for the first Test.
Tendulkar-Laxman tame inexperienced bowling
Tendulkar was smooth as silk against the inexperienced Aussie bowler. He picked off-spinner Glenn Maxwell for special treatment, slamming his to the boundary at will.He teamed up with VVS Laxman (57) to get some batting practice going. Both batsmen were in fine touch, striking the ball sweetly to punish the Aussie rookie bowlers. Both, then, retired at tea with the tourists on 240 for three chasing 399 for victory.
Tendulkar came to the crease at the dismissal of Gautam Gambhir (35) in the 21st over and gathered his runs over the next 39 overs, facing 132 balls and hitting 15 fours in through his innings.
132-run stand between Tendulkar-Laxman
Tendulkar shared a 132-run fourth wicket stand with an equally elegant Laxman which drove the hosts to despair. Laxman, who took 66 balls for his 50, also retired like Tendulkar after stroking 57 classy runs.
India had reached 320 for six in the 84th over of their innings when rain forced play to be abandoned at Manuka Oval, which will also host their second and final warm-up match for the Boxing Day Test against another Chairman's XI next week. Image: VVS Laxman congratulates Sachin Tendulkar on completing his half-century
Boyce only one to impress amongst Aus bowlers
Uncapped opener Ajinkya Rahane (three) and Virat Kohli (one) were the only tourists not to rack up the runs on what has proved to be a good batting surface with skipper Rahul Dravid and Rohit Sharma (56 not out) also having solid knocks.
None of the Chairman's XI has any realistic chance of making the Australia team for the Test series but spinner Cameron Boyce added a notch to his belt with the wicket of Dravid on his way to figures of two for 74 when the former India skipper was caught for 45 at mid-off by Peter George. He also had the wicket of Kohli against his name.
Image: Cameron Boyce of the Chairman's XI is congratulated by teammates after dismissing Virat Kohli
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Opposition clamours for Chidambaram's resignation for ‘favouring former client'
Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram faced Opposition ire in Parliament on Thursday, as it demanded his resignation in the wake of allegations, as reported in the media, that he helped a Delhi-based hotelier who was once his client.In the Lok Sabha, noisy scenes were witnessed during Zero Hour with the BJP and the AIADMK members trooping into the well demanding his dismissal. As the House was drowned in the din, it was adjourned till 2 p.m. But similar uproar continued when it reassembled, leading to an adjournment for the day.
In the Rajya Sabha too, BJP members waved copies of The Pioneer which carried a report alleging that the Home Ministry directed the withdrawal of FIRs earlier this year against the hotelier who was charged with cheating and forgery. The Upper House was adjourned briefly. Mr. Chidambaram, who is already facing a boycott by the NDA, was not present in either of the Houses when the issue was raised by the Opposition.
As the government mounted a damage control exercise, Delhi's Lieutenant-Governor Tejendra Khanna later in the day revoked the withdrawal of prosecution against S. P. Gupta, owner of the five-star Metropolitan Hotel in the heart of the Capital and Sunair Hotels.
Union Home Secretary R.K. Singh told reporters that Mr. Chidambaram had no role in the controversy. He claimed that the draft of a letter sent by the Home Ministry to the Delhi government for withdrawal of the FIRs had not been shown to the Home Minister, the Home Secretary or the Joint Secretary concerned.
The three FIRs accuse Mr. Gupta of misusing the names of the late Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi, and Congress president Sonia Gandhi and defrauding a firm — VLS Finance — of several crores of rupees.
In a statement, the Home Ministry said: “The Home Minister is unable to recall at this distance of time whether he appeared in a case concerning M/s Sunair Hotels Private Limited at any time between 1999 and 2003.”
The Home Ministry had never said that the case should be withdrawn, Mr. Singh said. “The Home Minister categorically wrote on the file that only the advice of the law should be forwarded to the Delhi government and no advice should be given from the Home Ministry. There was no question of conflict of interest.''
He explained that the issue came up before the Ministry when it received a petition from Mr. Gupta stating that a civil matter was being made out to be a criminal matter.
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Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Don’t blame Congress for black money: Tewari
New Delhi: Taking part in the debate in Lok Sabha on black money, Congress’ Manish Tewari on Wednesday hit back at the Opposition asking them not to politicise the issue.
Appealing to the Opposition to seek a consensus on the issue, Tewari said Congress governments cannot be blamed for black money problem.
On Opposition’s charge as to why the government is not revealing the names of illegal account holders, the Congress leader said the UPA government cannot do the same as it is not permissible under the laws of Switzerland where most of such accounts are located.
He further said the amount of black money stashed abroad is not known, and added black money generated in India is huge.
Agreeing with BJP leader LK Advani, who initiated the debate, on shadow economy corrupting politics, Tewari said the parallel economy in India was estimated to be over Re 1 trillion.
He also said that every third dollar invested in India is routed through some tax haven.
Appealing to the Opposition to seek a consensus on the issue, Tewari said Congress governments cannot be blamed for black money problem.
On Opposition’s charge as to why the government is not revealing the names of illegal account holders, the Congress leader said the UPA government cannot do the same as it is not permissible under the laws of Switzerland where most of such accounts are located.
Agreeing with BJP leader LK Advani, who initiated the debate, on shadow economy corrupting politics, Tewari said the parallel economy in India was estimated to be over Re 1 trillion.
He also said that every third dollar invested in India is routed through some tax haven.
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Petrol prices may go up by 65 paise from Friday
New Delhi: Petrol prices may be hiked by Rs 0.65 per litre this week if state-owned oil firms manage to get political approval for the move.
While a fall in the rupee to an all-time low of Rs 53.75 per US dollar has resulted in an increase in the cost of oil imports, international rates of gasoline -- against which domestic petrol prices are benchmarked -- have also increased, a top source at a state-run oil firm has said.
"The under-recovery on petrol is Rs 0.55-0.56 per litre. After adding local sales tax, the desired increase in Delhi comes to Rs 0.65-0.66 a litre," he said, adding that the oil companies will review prices tomorrow and any change will be effective from December 16.
State-owned oil firms have cut petrol prices on two occasions in the past one month after international oil rates eased.
The companies reduced petrol prices by Rs 2.22 per litre, or 3.2 percent, from November 16 and followed this with a Rs 0.78 per litre cut from December 1.
The source, however, could not say if oil companies will go ahead with increasing prices tomorrow, in line with the practice of changing rates every fortnight. "The actual loss to us is only 50-55 paise. We can tolerate it for another fortnight if need be," he said.
Public sector oil firms, which revise petrol prices on the 1st and 16th of every month based on the average international rates of the previous fortnight, may informally consult the parent Petroleum Ministry before taking a decision.
Parliament is in session and an increase in petrol prices may lead to protests by Opposition parties.
The price of gasoline has averaged USD 111.11 per barrel in Singapore this month, up from USD 108.25 a barrel in the previous fortnight.
While a fall in the rupee to an all-time low of Rs 53.75 per US dollar has resulted in an increase in the cost of oil imports, international rates of gasoline -- against which domestic petrol prices are benchmarked -- have also increased, a top source at a state-run oil firm has said.
"The under-recovery on petrol is Rs 0.55-0.56 per litre. After adding local sales tax, the desired increase in Delhi comes to Rs 0.65-0.66 a litre," he said, adding that the oil companies will review prices tomorrow and any change will be effective from December 16.
State-owned oil firms have cut petrol prices on two occasions in the past one month after international oil rates eased.
The companies reduced petrol prices by Rs 2.22 per litre, or 3.2 percent, from November 16 and followed this with a Rs 0.78 per litre cut from December 1.
The source, however, could not say if oil companies will go ahead with increasing prices tomorrow, in line with the practice of changing rates every fortnight. "The actual loss to us is only 50-55 paise. We can tolerate it for another fortnight if need be," he said.
Public sector oil firms, which revise petrol prices on the 1st and 16th of every month based on the average international rates of the previous fortnight, may informally consult the parent Petroleum Ministry before taking a decision.
Parliament is in session and an increase in petrol prices may lead to protests by Opposition parties.
The price of gasoline has averaged USD 111.11 per barrel in Singapore this month, up from USD 108.25 a barrel in the previous fortnight.
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Get iPads, Mumbai school tells students
MUMBAI: Mumbai's Podar International School has instructed all its students to buy iPads in order to take part in the learning process. Vandana Lulla, school director-principal , issued a circular last week that claims the management's decision to use the Apple iPad 2 in the classroom has been welcomed by parents. Some parents , however, feel the move is impractical, distractive and may hamper the growth of students.
The circular states, "Parents now have the choice of either purchasing the iPad 2 from the school on an outright basis or avail of a financial scheme on offer. You also need to indicate if it will be purchased by you on your own."
The school has told the parents to indicate their choice on a form issued by them to help them negotiate bulk orders. The parent of a class II student said, "There has been no consensus on the issue among parents. I am opposed to the move as it will hamper, rather than aid a kid's education.
I would prefer my kid to learn and write using traditional methods , instead of exposing him to advanced gadgets at a tender age. " Another parent said, "I will shift my student to another school as it is purely a money-making racket.
It is an irrational decision as examinations will be conducted using the conventional format and not on iPads."
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CBI suspects Bhanwari's husband, to file report
New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) will file a status report in the Bhanwari Devi case in the Rajasthan High Court on Thursday in which the agency is likely to say that her husband Amar Chand is involved in her abduction.
Sources say the CBI has found a witness in Amar Chand's driver in the Bhanwari Devi case. They say CBI investigation has revealed that Amar Chand was misleading investigators when he said his car was to be repaired so he could not accompany Bhanwari on September 1, the day on which she went missing and has been untraceable till now.
Amar Chand's driver and the garage mechanic, where the car was reportedly sent, have said the car was not repaired on September 1.
The status report will also include revelations by sacked Rajasthan water resources minister Mahipal Maderna, who is already in CBI custody. Maderna has reportedly accepted about his relationship with Bhanwari but has denied knowledge about her alleged killing.
Congress MLA Malkhan Singh Bishnoi, who represents the Luni constituency in Rajasthan Assembly, has already been summoned by the CBI for questioning.
Bishnoi's Jodhpur residence was raided by the CBI on Wednesday in connection with the Bhanwari Devi case. The CBI had on Tuesday pasted a notice outside the residence of Bishnoi warning him to appear before the agency at 11 am on December 14 for answering questions related to the missing case of Bhanwari Devi or face legal action.
The raid were carried out after Bishnoi failed to appear before the CBI. Tuesday's notice was the third one as Bishnoi has failed to respond to two notices issued by the CBI earlier.
Bhanwari Devi, an auxiliary nurse, went missing from Bilara on September 1.
Sources say the CBI has found a witness in Amar Chand's driver in the Bhanwari Devi case. They say CBI investigation has revealed that Amar Chand was misleading investigators when he said his car was to be repaired so he could not accompany Bhanwari on September 1, the day on which she went missing and has been untraceable till now.
Amar Chand's driver and the garage mechanic, where the car was reportedly sent, have said the car was not repaired on September 1.
The status report will also include revelations by sacked Rajasthan water resources minister Mahipal Maderna, who is already in CBI custody. Maderna has reportedly accepted about his relationship with Bhanwari but has denied knowledge about her alleged killing.
Congress MLA Malkhan Singh Bishnoi, who represents the Luni constituency in Rajasthan Assembly, has already been summoned by the CBI for questioning.
Bishnoi's Jodhpur residence was raided by the CBI on Wednesday in connection with the Bhanwari Devi case. The CBI had on Tuesday pasted a notice outside the residence of Bishnoi warning him to appear before the agency at 11 am on December 14 for answering questions related to the missing case of Bhanwari Devi or face legal action.
The raid were carried out after Bishnoi failed to appear before the CBI. Tuesday's notice was the third one as Bishnoi has failed to respond to two notices issued by the CBI earlier.
Bhanwari Devi, an auxiliary nurse, went missing from Bilara on September 1.
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India set to exploit Australia, says Dhoni
INDIA captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has vowed to give his touring side the best possible chance to exploit Australia's weaknesses, and is well aware this campaign is perceived as his nation's greatest chance to win a series on Australian soil.
Four summers ago, India's campaign was undermined by a rushed preparation, and Dhoni, whose team will assemble in Canberra today ahead of two tour matches, said the tourists would not make the same mistake again. ''It depends on how we prepare ourselves during the 12 days before the Test match and how we adapt to the conditions,'' Dhoni said before leaving India. ''Most of the batsmen have played there before. We are hoping we will do well there. Even last time [in 2007-08], we had a very good chance and we did really perform well. It is not that if the opposition is not doing well it will be a best chance for us. We have to play to the level of the kind of talent that we have got and not worry about such things.''
India's batting, led by Sachin Tendulkar, is strong and experienced but much will depend on whether fast bowlers Zaheer Khan and Ishant Sharma can stay fit, with the attack expected to be rounded out by paceman Umesh Yadav and spinner R Ashwin.
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Cricket Australia to revert to expert opinion for man of match award
Cricket Australia will revert to a panel of experts to decide man of the match awards after Doug Bracewell failed to win a public vote despite bowling New Zealand to victory in the second Test in Hobart on Monday.
Bracewell's six wickets for 40 runs in Australia's second innings were decisive in the Black Caps winning their first Test across the Tasman Sea since 1985, as they drew the series 1-1.
The 21-year-old lost out to the Australia opener David Warner, who made an unbeaten 123, in a vote conducted among subscribers of a mobile telephone company which is a major sponsor of Australian cricket.
"We were always running a bit of a trial for these two Tests with those man of the match awards, but we will definitely revert back to an expert's choice for that decision about man of the match," the Cricket Australia chief executive, James Sutherland, told Melbourne's Radio 3AW on Wednesday.
Bracewell's six wickets for 40 runs in Australia's second innings were decisive in the Black Caps winning their first Test across the Tasman Sea since 1985, as they drew the series 1-1.
The 21-year-old lost out to the Australia opener David Warner, who made an unbeaten 123, in a vote conducted among subscribers of a mobile telephone company which is a major sponsor of Australian cricket.
"We were always running a bit of a trial for these two Tests with those man of the match awards, but we will definitely revert back to an expert's choice for that decision about man of the match," the Cricket Australia chief executive, James Sutherland, told Melbourne's Radio 3AW on Wednesday.
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Setback for Australia; Tim Paine out for 4 months
In yet another setback for an Australian test squad depleted by injuries, backup wicketkeeper Tim Paine is expected to be sidelined for a further four months after surgery on his finger.
The 27-year-old Paine has not played any first-class cricket for Tasmania this season after re-injuring his right index finger during a warm-up match.
Cricket Australia doctor Trefor James on Wednesday said Paine’s recovery had been slower than anticipated.
“It is clear that the fracture has not healed as expected and the best course of action is for Tim to undergo further surgery,” James said.
Paine, who has played four tests, was to undergo surgery later Wednesday.
Australia starts a four-test series against top-ranked India at Melbourne on Dec. 26 and is in upheaval after a seven-run loss to New Zealand on Monday cast doubt over the immediate international futures of opener Phillip Hughes, No. 3 Usman Khawaja and veterans Ricky Ponting, Mike Hussey and Brad Haddin.
The lack of experienced backup for Haddin takes pressure off his selection as wicketkeeper.
After winning the first test against New Zealand by nine wickets, Australia had to settle for a drawn series following the loss in Hobart on Monday. No. 8-ranked New Zealand captured its first test win on Australian soil since 1985 when Doug Bracewell inspired a batting collapse and finishing with 6-40 as Australia slumped from 159-2 to be all out for 233 chasing 241 to clinch a 2-0 series win.
Pace spearhead Mitchell Johnson is out for four months and 18-year-old fast bowler Pat Cummins isn’t expected to return until late in the series against India. Allrounder Shane Watson, top-order batsman Shaun Marsh and veteran seamer Ryan Harris are all due to return from injuries at some stage during the four tests against India.
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Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Ponting or Hussey may be axed: Border
Selectors might be forced to axe Ricky Ponting or Mike Hussey from the Australian cricket team for the upcoming four Tests against India after their dismal show in the just-concluded series with New Zealand, feels former captain Allan Border.
“I think one of the old boys will go,” Border told Fox Sports show Inside Cricket.
“I think Hussey or Ponting will go.”
While Hussey’s dip in form is recent, Ponting has been without a Test hundred for almost two years now and former Australian players feel the ex-captain is creating a tough situation for himself by not stepping down voluntarily.
“He’s a great of the game, he’s been fantastic for Australian cricket,” spin legend Shane Warne said.
“Now you’ve got the situation where he’s not performing.
So now everyone’s going to talk. It’s going to annoy Ricky, it’s going to annoy the team ... it is just the worst scenario possible when he decided to play on.
“I want Punter to get runs but when you see him getting out like this, it’s just disappointing. I think we’ve got to say ‘what are you going to do?’”
The view was echoed by former pacer Damien Fleming.
“Without putting a time limit on your career, you leave yourself open to this,” former Australia paceman Damien Fleming said.
“If he said he wanted to play the summer six months ago I reckon the selectors would have gone with that. But he’s said before the Hobart Test that he wants to continue on. Well, his figures are making it really hard for him to get a game,” he added.
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Indian economy has capacity to overcome crisis: Pranab
Concerned over slowdown, finance minister Pranab Mukherjee on Tuesday said the government will make efforts to build broad consensus on reforms as the economy has resilience to overcome the problem.
He said questions have been raised whether the economy is going to be derailed in
the wake of IIP figures turning negative and overall growth slowing.
"We have the capacity and resilience to overcome the crisis," he said, winding up a debate on Appropriation Bill in the Rajya Sabha.
The industrial production declined by 5.1 per cent in October, while the rupee crossed all time low of Rs 53 to a dollar.
The House later returned the Bill, granting Parliamentary approval for extra expenditure of Rs 63,180 crore for the current fiscal.
The finance minister said that for the economy to recover, it has to be demonstrated that Parliament and other institutions can function without disturbance.
He expressed disappointment over frequent disruptions in Parliament. "Let us not institutionalise instability in Parliament", he said, adding coalition governments have become stable since 2000.
Against the backdrop of difficult economic situation, he said political parties have to demonstrate that Parliament and other institutions function and it will have its impact on the government and confidence will return in the economy.
On its part, he said, "The government will not be found lacking in building consensus on broad economic policies."
Denying a perception that there is paralysis in decision making process, the finance minister said, "It is not so."
The government, he said, has taken a number of decisions which include national manufacturing policy, incentives to small industries and package to debt-ridden handloom weavers
He said questions have been raised whether the economy is going to be derailed in
the wake of IIP figures turning negative and overall growth slowing.
"We have the capacity and resilience to overcome the crisis," he said, winding up a debate on Appropriation Bill in the Rajya Sabha.
The industrial production declined by 5.1 per cent in October, while the rupee crossed all time low of Rs 53 to a dollar.
The House later returned the Bill, granting Parliamentary approval for extra expenditure of Rs 63,180 crore for the current fiscal.
The finance minister said that for the economy to recover, it has to be demonstrated that Parliament and other institutions can function without disturbance.
He expressed disappointment over frequent disruptions in Parliament. "Let us not institutionalise instability in Parliament", he said, adding coalition governments have become stable since 2000.
Against the backdrop of difficult economic situation, he said political parties have to demonstrate that Parliament and other institutions function and it will have its impact on the government and confidence will return in the economy.
On its part, he said, "The government will not be found lacking in building consensus on broad economic policies."
The government, he said, has taken a number of decisions which include national manufacturing policy, incentives to small industries and package to debt-ridden handloom weavers
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Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Mayawati government stole cash from poor in UP, says Rahul Gandhi
Rahul gandhi accused UP CM Mayawati of stealing the money given by the Centre for the poor, as he embarked on a five-day public contact tour of the poll-bound state on Tuesday.
He said the CBI would expose the multi-crore National Rural Health Mission scam.
"We had sent money for the poor. It was not for Mayawati or (former family welfare minister Babu Singh) Kushwaha. An inquiry is on and we will soon know who parked how much," Rahul said at a public meeting in the Ramnagar assembly constituency of Barabanki, from where he started the tour. "Kushwaha now claims his life is in danger from his own colleagues," the Congress general secretary added.
Rahul drew a moderate crowd at Ramnagar's Government Inter College and received a warm reception at the Rani Bagh Ground in Kaiserganj, Bahraich. His third and last public meeting of the day at the Ramlila Ground was not very encouraging.
Trying to clarify his controversial statement of November 14 that the people of UP beg in Maharashtra, he said: "The state is suffering not only because of caste politics but also because of the 'studio politicians'. (When) I said in a meeting in Phulpur that the people of UP go to Mumbai and Delhi in search of job and beg there, these 'studio politicians' created an unnecessary hue and cry on television."
He added: "The truth is that these politicians hate the poor. They never share meals with them or drink water from their wells. They don't open their car window to ask a begging child where he/she hails from. I do all that. I feel bad to know they hail from UP."
Warning the crowd, Rahul said: "You don't know what conspiracy is going on against you and how you have been pushed towards beggary. You have been deprived of your basic rights. The only way to bring UP to the path of growth is to vote for the Congress."
Rahul acknowledged that he could not claim to "know poverty". "I am not in a position to claim that I understand poverty. But we fall sick after drinking dirty water. This is how I try to see and understand it," he said.
As Rahul spoke, it became clear that the Congress is not only eyeing the ruling BSP's Dalit and Brahmin votebank, but also wooing the Muslims and OBCs, who support the SP.
He alleged that it was a government of criminals during the SP's rule, and Mail Today, New Delhi, Wednesday, November 23, 2011 NEWS 3 'Maya govt stole cash from poor' Rahul Gandhi starts five-day public contact tour in Uttar Pradesh People reach out to Rahul during his Jan Sampark Yatra in Bahraich on Tuesday. now there was a corrupt BSP government. "I feel angry and want to change the trend. Why don't you feel angry at the mess?" he asked.
More than 70 per cent weavers in the state are Muslims. Rahul said: "We have announced a loan waiver for the weavers. We have also decided to give them loans at cheaper interest rates."
The road to success may not, however, be smooth for the Congress as its leaders are clearly divided. The supporters of Union steel minister Beni Prasad Verma and national SC commission chairman P.L. Punia clashed in Bahraich without any known reason. Sources said Verma and Punia were trying to sideline each other.
Violence over black flag
Congressmen thrashed SP workers at the Rani Bagh Ground in Kaiserganj after they showed Rahul a black flag. On November 14, Congress leaders had beaten up the SP's Abhishek Yadav for a similar act in Phulpur. SP leader Shivpal Singh Yadav said: "Our workers were assaulted in Phulpur and Bahraich. This is how the Congress wants to contest the polls. The people will give it a fitting reply."
He said the CBI would expose the multi-crore National Rural Health Mission scam.
"We had sent money for the poor. It was not for Mayawati or (former family welfare minister Babu Singh) Kushwaha. An inquiry is on and we will soon know who parked how much," Rahul said at a public meeting in the Ramnagar assembly constituency of Barabanki, from where he started the tour. "Kushwaha now claims his life is in danger from his own colleagues," the Congress general secretary added.
Rahul drew a moderate crowd at Ramnagar's Government Inter College and received a warm reception at the Rani Bagh Ground in Kaiserganj, Bahraich. His third and last public meeting of the day at the Ramlila Ground was not very encouraging.
Trying to clarify his controversial statement of November 14 that the people of UP beg in Maharashtra, he said: "The state is suffering not only because of caste politics but also because of the 'studio politicians'. (When) I said in a meeting in Phulpur that the people of UP go to Mumbai and Delhi in search of job and beg there, these 'studio politicians' created an unnecessary hue and cry on television."
He added: "The truth is that these politicians hate the poor. They never share meals with them or drink water from their wells. They don't open their car window to ask a begging child where he/she hails from. I do all that. I feel bad to know they hail from UP."
Warning the crowd, Rahul said: "You don't know what conspiracy is going on against you and how you have been pushed towards beggary. You have been deprived of your basic rights. The only way to bring UP to the path of growth is to vote for the Congress."
Rahul acknowledged that he could not claim to "know poverty". "I am not in a position to claim that I understand poverty. But we fall sick after drinking dirty water. This is how I try to see and understand it," he said.
As Rahul spoke, it became clear that the Congress is not only eyeing the ruling BSP's Dalit and Brahmin votebank, but also wooing the Muslims and OBCs, who support the SP.
He alleged that it was a government of criminals during the SP's rule, and Mail Today, New Delhi, Wednesday, November 23, 2011 NEWS 3 'Maya govt stole cash from poor' Rahul Gandhi starts five-day public contact tour in Uttar Pradesh People reach out to Rahul during his Jan Sampark Yatra in Bahraich on Tuesday. now there was a corrupt BSP government. "I feel angry and want to change the trend. Why don't you feel angry at the mess?" he asked.
More than 70 per cent weavers in the state are Muslims. Rahul said: "We have announced a loan waiver for the weavers. We have also decided to give them loans at cheaper interest rates."
The road to success may not, however, be smooth for the Congress as its leaders are clearly divided. The supporters of Union steel minister Beni Prasad Verma and national SC commission chairman P.L. Punia clashed in Bahraich without any known reason. Sources said Verma and Punia were trying to sideline each other.
Violence over black flag
Congressmen thrashed SP workers at the Rani Bagh Ground in Kaiserganj after they showed Rahul a black flag. On November 14, Congress leaders had beaten up the SP's Abhishek Yadav for a similar act in Phulpur. SP leader Shivpal Singh Yadav said: "Our workers were assaulted in Phulpur and Bahraich. This is how the Congress wants to contest the polls. The people will give it a fitting reply."
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