Negotiator to engage Somali pirates





A map to provide context:

<!--QuoteBegin-"Acharya"+-->QUOTE("Acharya")<!--QuoteEBegin--><img src='http://www.globalresearch.ca/articlePictures/Indian%20Ocean%20Bases.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image' /><!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->


I would want IAF refuelling facilities in Oman too.


Looks like IN is forward basing ships in Seychelles. As that island nation already has an Indian MEA presence the GOI should use them as the negotiator.

<!--emo&:o--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/ohmy.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='ohmy.gif' /><!--endemo--> MUMBAI: If this Diwali is just that little bit less noisy, an NGO called Andhashradha Nirmulan Samiti (Superstition Eradication Samiti) can take
some of the credit. Thanks to the samiti’s initiative, well over one lakh students across the state have signed a pledge, promising that they will either not burst firecrackers or drastically cut expenditure on them.

The 'Cracker-free Diwali campaign' was launched nearly two months ago, with samiti activists personally visiting over 500 schools in 16 districts, including Mumbai, Thane, Pune, Nashik, Latur and Aurangabad, to expound on the ill-effects of firecrackers to students. "We told them that crackers cause tremendous air and noise pollution, trouble animals and senior citizens, and result in fatal accidents. Above all, we impressed upon them the fact that these crackers are manufactured by child labourers in the age group of five to 15," Samiti chairman Narendra Dabholkar told TOI.

The activists were "overwhelmed" by the students' response.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mu...how/5125759.cms

US Govt (FTC) is forcing new rules for bloggers to disclose their financial perks/reimbursements/affiliations.

Some reading material:
http://ftc.gov/os/2009/10/091005endorsemen...desfnnotice.pdf

http://overlawyered.com/2009/10/required-f...ger-disclosure/
http://prawfsblawg.blogs.com/prawfsblawg/2...-this-link.html


Glad to say we at IF are <i>kangal</i>-broke and never received a dime from anyone; ain't worried about this <!--emo&--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif' /><!--endemo-->

Now what about other bloggers and forums in desi cyber-landscape?

<b>DMK threatens Tamil Actor Vijay
</b>
Chennai, Sept. 7: Rahul Gandhi’s plans to revive his party in Tamil Nadu by taking on board film star Vijay have suffered a setback with the actor backing out on the eve of the Congress MP’s three-day tour.

Apparently, the DMK is behind the about-turn of the 35-year-old actor.

Vijay has informed the state Congress that he will not be able to share the dais with Rahul — who is scheduled to arrive in Madurai tomorrow — at a public meeting at Coimbatore on Thursday.

Although many had expected Vijay to join the Congress at the programme, sources close to him had clarified that his appearance with Rahul would have only been a statement of intent, with the formal entry likely to have happened later.

The political baptism of Vijay, who has starred in 48 films, was also meant to give an added impetus to Vettaikkaaran (Hunter), his Diwali release which comes after his last three films bombed and raised doubts about his ability to be among the top five box-office draws in Tamil cinema.

Vijay had met Rahul in Delhi in August when the Congress general secretary had reportedly offered to make him the chief of the Tamil Nadu Youth Congress.

For Vijay, already bitten by the political bug and having floated the Vijay Makkal Iyakkam (Vijay People’s Movement) to convert his fan base into a political outfit, Rahul’s invite proved timely.

Rahul, who has put the state Youth Congress on a membership drive, had calculated that Vijay’s appeal, especially among the youth, could be a winning formula to recapture the ground the Congress has lost to the Dravidian parties since being voted out in 1967.

The advantage would be greater if actor Vijayakanth’s DMDK was brought on board. The Congress could then even take the calculated risk of fighting the 2011 state polls without ally DMK’s help.

But the DMK apparently had other plans as it did not want its hegemony challenged by an energised Congress, already peeved at being denied a share of the power despite its life-saving support to the M. Karunanidhi government.

As a first step, a Chennai marriage hall owned by Vijay received a notice from police two weeks ago asking for a pandal to be removed on the ground that it was impeding traffic.

Vijay and his father, film director S.A. Chandrasekar, remained unfazed, till the DMK unleashed its next weapon. A producer considered close to the DMK reportedly met Chandrasekar with the stern message that if his son continued to hobnob with the Congress, none of his future films would find a theatre for their screening.

Since Vijay’s future as a star hinged on Vettaikkaaran, which incidentally has been purchased by Sun Pictures, owned by the Marans, relatives of Karunanidhi, the father-son duo decided to deep-freeze their political ambitions, at least temporarily.

“I am in no position to speak to any section of the media at present,” Chandrasekar said over the phone when contacted for a comment. But a director close to Vijay said the actor, in the face of such open threats from the state’s ruling party, had decided to retreat tactically to fight another day.

“His decision to join hands with Rahul has only been deferred and not jettisoned,” the director added.

The Congress has chosen to watch and wait, but decided to go ahead with the membership drive for its youth wing regardless of Vijay’s plans.

“The response has been tremendous, especially in villages where Rahul has caught the imagination of the youth. So, for the present, we will build on that and if Vijay joins us later, we will take that as a bonus,” said Congress Rajya Sabha MP C. Gnanadesikan.

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1090908/jsp/...ry_11465352.jsp

<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Police free 2 Hindus from abductors</b>

ISLAMABAD: In compliance with Supreme Court orders, the Sukkur police on Friday submitted a report to the apex court stating that it had recovered two kidnapped Hindu men, <b>while a third one was found dead.</b>
Taking suo motu action on an application by Sukkur Press Club President Saleha Pat for the recovery of three Hindus – Vikram, Mahendar Kumar and Govinda Lal – Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry had ordered the immediate recovery of the abducted men. The Sindh provincial police officer (PPO) submitted a report to the SC on Friday, stating that police had arrested Ghulam Asghar Soomro, Ijaz Ali Jatoi and Zaman and recovered Vikram and Govind Lal safely, but Mahendar was found dead. The report said efforts were being made for the arrest of the remaining accused. staff report<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

http://www.cnbc.com/id/30308959?slide=1

US:
External debt (as % of GDP): 95.09%
External debt per capita: $44,358
Gross external debt: $13.627 trillion (2008 Q3)
2008 GDP: $14.330 trillion

France:
External debt (as % of GDP): 168%
External debt per capita: $78,070
Gross external debt: $5.001 trillion
2008 GDP: $2.978 trillion

Switzerland:
External debt (as % of GDP): 264%
External debt per capita: $171,478
Gross external debt: $1.304 trillion (Q4 2008)
2008 GDP: $492.6 billion

Hong Kong:
External debt (as % of GDP): 295%
External debt per capita: $93,539
Gross external debt: $659.93 billion (Q4 2008)
2008 GDP: $223.8 billion

UK:

External debt (as % of GDP): 336%
External debt per capita: $153,616
Gross external debt: $9.388 trillion (Q4 2008)
2008 GDP: $2.787 trillion

Ireland:

External debt (as % of GDP): 811%
External debt per capita: $549,819
Gross external debt: $2.311 trillion (Q4 2008)
2008 GDP: $285 billion

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/world/...4254205666.html

I would like to take about the difference between the major religions. Hinduism/Buddhism are Teacher/Parent religions, whereas Abrahamic religions are King religions.

Primitive man heard thunder and lightning and thought God, up there, must be angry about something. Sure enough, fire and floods followed, destroying everything. Hence a fear of God! You see this fear reflected in Abrahamic religions. Amazingly the oldest religion, Hinduism, does not teach us to fear God! Truly divine, truly mind-boggling!

Anyway back to the 2 types of religions, Abrahamic religions made God in the image of their king. Most kings in those days were men, so God had to be a man. A King issues orders, commands and passes out judgements. Sound familiar? When one is brought before the King, one fell to their knees and shook with fear, for this man could order their death! Here again, fear of God returns in another form. In these religions a devotee is reduced to a Servant, slave, or subject. These people have their back bent and are usually down on their knees.

The danger with these religions as we are seeing with the terrorism, is that it takes away personal responsibility. They call themselves soldiers of God, the problem with being a soldier is that you must obey commands. When a superior says kill, you must kill, whether it is a women or even a child. This is why terrorists and cults mostly come from within these religions. Young men are told that they are servants of God, God is telling them to go kill, and so they must!

The problem here is with the mindset - a mindset of being reduced to being a slave, subject or servant, blindly obeying orders.


To continue, Hinduism/Buddhism are teacher religions. We are students of God, that is clearly evident with Krishna imparting us the Gita and the Buddha.

We must act like students not blind animals obeying God. A teacher wants her students to discuss various issues from various viewpoints. Disagree if you feel that you are right, even with the teacher. Your realize that this is democracy in action.

Ever wonder why muslim pakistan has so much trouble with democracy while Hindu India does not? Many westerners thought India would go the same way as other newly formed countries, dive into a strongmen ruled country, but India continues to surprise them. To me it is no surprise, as long as India is Hindu, it will remain a democracy!

Act like students of God, sit or stand before the teacher. Love and respect the teacher, never fear the teacher. Once we start kneeling before God like the muslims do and lowering ourselves to a subject or slave level, we cease to be Hindus.

Watch the video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsX6LYdNBNw

Chopper carrying Andhra Pradesh CM missing
Wed Sep 2, 2009 7:19pm IST


HYDERABAD (Reuters) - A helicopter carrying Y.S.R. Reddy, chief minister of Andhra Pradesh, went missing near a dense jungle while on a routine district tour early on Wednesday, officials said.

"The chief minister's chopper still remains untraced," K. Rosiah, the state finance minister said in Hyderabad.

"I am appealing to people to please help us in search operations," he said, hours after the air traffic control room lost contact with the helicopter in bad weather.

Air Force officials said five helicopters were scanning the state's Kurnool and Chittor districts for the missing chopper.

"So far, we have not found it," Wing Commander T.K. Singha, told Reuters in New Delhi.

http://news.google.com/news/more?pz=1&ncl=...okBJ0rM&topic=h