Media In India/elsewhere

[Guest]

It is frontline. Indian communist are bought by India enemies. Irony Indian communist are in power.
In Hindi they say "<b>dono haath ghee mein aur saar kadhai mein</b>"

[utepian]

Mushy as messenger of peace! Excuse me but I still cannot stop laughing.
<img src='http://img116.exs.cx/img116/1231/z7shysterical.gif' border='0' alt='user posted image' /><img src='http://www.verabrandes.de/lachen.gif' border='0' alt='user posted image' /> <!--emo&:roll--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/ROTFL.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='ROTFL.gif' /><!--endemo-->

[Guest]

<b>An open letter to Shekhar Gupta </b>

Respected Shekhar Gupta,


I have lot of respect for your caliber and acumen but could not stop
myself from expressing my views on your article titled “Khan saheb in Kashi”
which published today ( 26 August, 2006) in Indian Express. In this article you
had showered lot of praise for late Shehnai maestro Ustad Bismillah Khan which
he deserve, but your attempt to portray Ustad as spokesperson of Muslim society
in India is difficult to digest. Ustad Bismillah Khan was not the first Muslim
artist or literary person to get influenced with Hindu ethos and values, we have
examples of Raskhan, Rahim, Darashikoh before us who composed poems in the name of Krishna or other Hindu deities but they do not represent their mainstream
society. Mainstream Muslim society follows dictum of Muslim personal law board
and Shahi Imam of Bukhari who pronounce national song as anti-Islamic.

In your words “That’s why India’s view of the war against
terrorism has to be entirely different from the western world”, I am totally
agree with this intelligent conclusion and due to this difference America was
able to avoid any big terrorist attack on their soil for more than six years and
India witnessed major terrorist attacks in every three months in last one year-
July 2005, Terrorists targeted Ram Temple in Ayodhya but attaempt was foiled
with out any causality ( so it will not counted attack in secularist
definition), Before Diwali festive in October 2005, four serial blasts took
place in which more than two dozen people lost their lives and more than 50
people were injured , In December Bangalore based Indian institute of sciences
was targeted , In March 2006 before Hindu festival Holi another holiest place of
Hindus Varansi was attacked with causality of 20 odd people, and finally in
month of July 2006, Mumbai commuters become target of Islamic
terrorists.

In last one year we have lost more than 300 people between us but
intellectuals in this country still feel proud to declare themselves as
different from others in tackling terrorism, yes we are different because our
heart never bleeds for Hindus. They have destiny to be killed as they were
butchered in Kashmir and still being slaughtered by followers of religion of
peace.

I am sorry to say but our political establishment and intelligentsia
behaves like ostrich on this very issue of Islamic terrorism. Either they try
to evade reality or they are hard headed realistic and afraid to speak the
truth. How long this theory of “some angry Indians “will work. 17 years back our
intelligentsia befooled us in Kashmiri terrorism as those incidents were handy
work of some frustrated and misguided youths but now these youths have come out of valley with their ammunitions to kill innocent Hindus in temples, railways,
Buses and Shopping malls. What could be motive behind these perpetrators, why
Madrassa teacher of Baghpat Md Zubair along with Imam of Phulpur Waliullah
killed innocent Hindus in Varansi . Why Engineers, doctors of Muslim community
lend their support to those terrorists who planted bombs in Mumbai commuters.
I know you are atheist people and do not have any fear to almighty but
spare some time to stand before mirror and ask yourself how honest and unbiased
you people are in your approach. This is not question of hostility with any
fellow community it is question of national security. You people know very well
what you doing and what will be consequences of this.

I want to remind your interview with Sharad Pawar in “Walk the talk”
in which you tried to put your words in Pawar’s mouth that attack on Mumbai
commuters was targeted to Gujratis only but on both of occasions he did not
oblige you and confessed those attacks were well planned and deigned to target
one community and spare other. How shameful to read that an editor has no
hesitation in glorifying a lie of Sharad Pawar in name of Muslim interest, is it
do not reflect dual character of English media to dig everything in Gujrat
riots to punish Hindus and hide facts in other cases to save Muslim mafias. It
reflects the nature of our media people for whom India is country of only one
community.

The most disturbing and dismaying part of this article is this para,
“----Even by angry Indian Muslims, are not directed against some evil global
power or symbols. Nor are they meant to support some pan-Islamic cause,
Palestine or even for that matter, Kashmir.”

It surprise me a lot how an Editor of stature of Shekhar Gupta can float
some generic idea. If Indian Muslims anger is not directed to any evil global
power (read it America), how Left and Samajwadi party were able to mobilize
thousands of Muslims on streets against journey of American president to India.

If Muslims in India do not support Pan-Islamic cause, Palestine or even for that
matter Kashmir , how come Left parties were able to garner immense support in
Kerala in last assembly elections with their campaign totally based on communal
foreign policy. And not only this even Indian government has taken some minor
decisions on this front to appease its constituencies which want government to
be soft for Palestinian cause, as per example Prime minister declared he will
attend NAM meet in coming September to support Iranian nuke programme instead UN summit.

Indian delegation in Human rights council in UN condemned Israel after its attack on Palestine in retaliation to kidnapping of its two soldiers; Indian parliament was quick to condemn
Israel on its war against Lebanon which was provoked by Lebanon himself. Indian
defence minister postponed his visit of Israel in month of June and after
publication of caricature of Prophet in some European magazine and demonstration
of Muslims worldwide on this issue, Indian government did not allow Danish prime
minister to come to India on his official visit. These decisions indicate how
global Islamic politics has say in key policy matters.

Several other things do not come out in open because our media has
imposed a volunteer censorship on itself in Muslim matters, we read every day in
newspapers that terrorists are being arrested from every part of nation but we
are unable to know about their motive, preparations and ideology thanks to our
media which translate political correctness in true spirit of words.
How Indian Muslims are Islamic seminaries in India could be given clean
chit in background of revelation of plot to attack transatlantic air lines ,
during investigation British authorities have confirmed 6 out of 23 conspirators
were followers of Tablighi Jamat a fundamentalist Islamic sect whose roots come
to India. This sect was founded by Mohammad Ilyasi in 1927 to indoctrinate
converted Hindus in radical Islam and now it headquartered in Nizamuddin in
national capital Delhi.

Indian people have several examples when Muslims in India has shown their
adherence to Islamic ummah or Islamic teachings rather than national spirit. Our
political establishment never tries to read this mentality of Muslims instead
they were pampered with more privilege which ultimately resulted in alienation
of this community.

Respected Shekhar Gupta your article is one episode in that series. If
any Muslim in India shows some symptoms of patriotism he was portrayed as he has obliged to this nation, we have lot of classical Hindu artist but none of them
become part of your story but Ustad becomes headline , because you also counted
him as Muslim first and Indian after that who obliged this nation by singing
Rag bhairvi for Allah, it was a news because he was not follower of Hindu ethos
and values. This school of thought has damaged Muslims and alienated them.

I still have in my mind one editorial of one of English news paper after
Indian victory on English cricket team in Netwest trophy in 2001. In final of
this tournament India got victory with glorious performance of Md Kaif and
Yuvraj Singh after top order batsman collapsed on modest total. On other day of
this match that news paper questioned now what Hindu fundamentalist will say
after victorious performance of Md Kaif. This editorial was clear indicator
that who divide celebrities or icons in name of religion. This is not
solution of any problem. Every Indian knows, it is not Md Kaif, Ustad Bismillah
khan, Azim Prem ji , President Abdul Kalam who are fighting for Jihad they are
followers of Islamic preachers and Islamic intellectuals who indoctrinate them
with theory of atrocity on Muslims and false propaganda of Islam in danger.
Islamic terrorism is nourished by this false propaganda and every person who
supports this theory indirectly lends its support to
terrorism.

Indian express has declared “journalism of courage” as its motto but it
seems its editor is highly influenced with those Ulemas who declared Indian
media as spies of America and Israel and want to dissociate himself with rest of
media of India. The most striking feature of this article is writer’s emphasis
on evolution of new idiom and strategy to fight against terrorism , this idea is
in consonance to idea of Mahesh Bhatt which he floated in a seminar organized by
Jamait-Ulema-Hind in parliament annexie on 20and 21 of August. This seminar will
be remembered for media bashing and could prove to be starting point for regime
of Muslim censorship in Media.

[Guest]

<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>The media again </b>
Pioneer.com
<i>Government's handling of Mumbai's dozen arrested for breaking the law in Amsterdam was replete with policy blunders, says François Gautier</i>

In the matter of the 12 men arrested aboard the Northwest flight in Amsterdam, the Indian media has shown once again that it has no independence of thought and individuality, as it totally embraced the Government's point of view.

In these days of suicide bombers, anybody who refuses to sit down, switch off cell phone and generally behaves suspiciously on an international flight, is bound to be arrested and submitted to rigorous interrogation in jail. The funny thing is that nobody highlighted the fact that the 12 men were Muslims better than the Government and media. The smart thing would have been to keep a low profile and if at all protest, then do so on behalf of Indian citizens, regardless of their religion.

The other striking aspect of this story is that the Indian media has been totally one-sided. Many Dutch and European newspapers published stories of passengers who confirmed that the 12 passengers did get up when told to be seated, did refuse to switch off their cell phones which they exchanged between themselves and did behave in an aggressive manner. Instead, the Indian Press carried tear-jerker stories of innocent Muslim being harassed just because of their religion. Who does one believe?

At least the Press could have published both sides of the story. The Dutch are peace loving people and certainly one of the more easy going governments in Europe. Once more, in summoning the Dutch Ambassador to a farcical protest, the Government has lost some more credibility in the eyes of the international community.

Who is the Indian Government trying to please? Its Muslim community in the fond hope that it will be appeased and keep quiet? But will it really be grateful? If this were indeed true, every time a bomb went off in a crowded Delhi market, a Varanasi temple, or a packed Mumbai train in the name of Allah, the entire Indian Muslim community should have inserted advertisements in newspapers, appeared on TV and condemned collectively the horror in the name of Islam.

But they do not do so; indeed, many Muslims justify these horrors because of what is supposedly done to Muslims in Kashmir, Pales-tine or Kosovo.

Are Kashmiri Muslims martyrs? Certainly not. J&K is the most pampered State in India, where people have been living on Government subsidies without working for virtually all of the last 15 years. It is not the Indian Army which started the war in Kashmir, but jihadis funded by Pakistan and Saudi Arabia who hounded out 400,000 Kashmiri Hindus who had never raised their hands or even voices against their Muslim brothers.

And what is true of Kashmir is probably true of Palestine and Chechnya as well. One remembers with a shudder what Muslim militants did to innocent children in Beslan. They want to pose as persecuted, but in fact, if you look at their history, they have been the most ruthless, the most bloody-minded, the most persistent persecutors of all persecutors, including Portuguese and Spanish.

How to explain, <b>then, the near servile attitude of the Government and its submissive press (or should we say 'purchased', as it is said generally that 90 per cent of the editorial space in one of India's leading papers can be bought)? </b>True, the Congress has always believed that it can come to power by wooing Muslims - and it has vigorously done this since 1947. <span style='font-size:14pt;line-height:100%'>But there is a deeper reason which nobody wants to name: Naked fear. The ferocity of the Islamic invasions, their unparalleled ruthlessness, have left a deep impact on the Hindu psyche. Hundreds of thousands of people massacred, millions taken in slavery, women raped, temples razed, idols smashed.</span>

Five hundred years later, the indiscipline of Hindus, their near panic at the least sign of trouble, their refusal to face the enemy, their insistence on being good people, the persistence of the Hindu intelligentsia to see in hidebound Muslims the best of friends, when for such a Muslim there is no worse enemy than an idol worshipping Hindu, is a direct consequence of the terror wrought by Babar, Aurangzeb or Tughlaq.

<b>Today, the descendants of Babar have chosen to blow themselves up in airplanes. They think that by doing this they are serving Allah and that they will go to heaven after furthering their dreams of converting the world to Islam</b>. Not only do the mullahs encourage them, but the Muslim community in the world, too, feels it is at least partly justified because of imaginary injustices and perceived hurts against Islam.

Everybody insists that Samuel P Huntington was wrong in his theory about the clash of civilisations. But it is happening right now under our very eyes and it will continue for many more years. But our Marxist intellectuals are still in the denial mode, which in itself is a death wish, or at best the attitude of cowards.

It will become more and more difficult to travel by air in the coming years because of general insecurity about flying. Soon, people will also become selective about which airlines are safe. According to US intelligence sources, one of India's leading private airlines is dubious. There will be more such identification and profiling. All this will take away our freedoms, and we have to thank the Islamists for this.
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

[Guest]

<span style='color:red'>No Ban On Arab News Chanels in India</span>

Indian broadcast laws as an anti-Arab 'conspiracy'
Wed, 2006-08-30 03:52
P.R. Kumaraswamy
http://www.asiantribune.com/index.php?q=node/1768

Earlier this month, an Arab daily published from Saudi Arabia charged that India has banned "Arab TV channels under pressure from Israel." Citing Saudi businesswoman who was unable to watch her favourite Arab channels during a visit to Mumbai, the Arab News charged that New Delhi "has succumbed to mounting Israeli pressure and ordered a nationwide ban on the broadcast of Arab television channels."

According to the daily, unnamed sources "within the government" described the move as an exercise "to browbeat Arabs and show them as terrorists. The government is subscribing to the absurd arguments that channels like Al-Jazeera and Al-Arabiya promote hatred and encourage terrorism."

<span style='color:red'>In its assessment, this unfriendliness towards the Arabs was in contrast to past Indian policies under Mrs. Indira Gandhi. It viewed the ‘ban’ as a sad reflection of India’s democracy. </span>

This allegation was quickly picked up sections of India as it fitted fits well within the ideological worldview of the Indian Left. <span style='color:red'>The Communist Party of India condemned "the ban on Arab TV stations, while allowing all other channels which support Israel’s aggression and horrendous acts of bombing." </span>Describing it an "unfriendly move", it called on the government to lift the ban.

However, as it turned out, there was no ban. Less than 24 hours after the story first broke, the union government, through the junior Foreign Minister E Ahmad, denied any ban against Arab TV channels. He attributed the ‘disappearance’ of the Arab channels to their failure to confirm to the new down linking guidelines that were issued last November.

In a subsequent statement in the Lok Sabha, Information and Broadcasting Minister Priyaranjan Dasmunsi declared that all channels that had failed to conform to the new guidelines were taken off air. Describing the row as "a malicious and baseless accusation against the government by interested quarters", he disclosed that these Arab TV networks "had not applied to be down linked in India" while as many as 65 channels from abroad applied for the same.

Even if one ignores the technical and legal issues, one can not ignore the commercial angle. The extend of Arabic knowledge in India is still marginal. A vast majority of the Indian Muslims who recite Quran in its original are not well-versed in Arabic. Their recitation of the holy book should not be seen as a proof of their Arabic knowledge. In other words, if one does not watch mandarin channels in Saudi Arabia, it was not because Riyadh is anti-Chinese but because it is commercially less viable.

Two, the speed with which the Left embraced the unverified allegations also indicated the prevailing political climate in India. In recent years, the Middle East has become a highly charged foreign policy issue in India. It has become politically correct and publicly popular to join the anti-Americanism. This is most apparent in the public reactions in India to situations such as Iranian nuclear controversy, Iraqi quagmire and the Lebanese crisis. They are largely due to narrow domestic calculations, pressures from the Left, ideological blindness, partisan politic, lopsided Indian understanding of the Middle East complexities. For the vocal segment of the Indian intellectuals, it is fashionable again to be anti-Israeli.

Three, not many Indian know that Al-Jazeera is not banned in Israel but is available through the cable networks. For long, Israel also had regular correspondents and journalists from the Qatar-based news channel that has been regularly critical of Israel. If the channel is available to its citizens, it becomes illogical for Israel to seek its banning in other parts of the world, including India.

On the contrary, many Arab states including Saudi Arabia from where Arab News is published, has banned any media contacts with Israel. Arab and Muslim journalists who visit or make professional contacts with Israeli leaders are regularly condemned, isolated and even threatened physically. In countries such as Egypt and Jordan, national press associations act against their members who visit the Jewish State.

Four, Al-Jazeera has another interesting angle. Despite public criticisms, an Israeli mission functions from the Qatari capital. In July this year, Israel went to the extent of officially naming Ro’i Rosenblit as the head of its mission in Doha. In short, the hostilities of the al-Jazeera broadcast did not prevent Israel from seeking, maintaining and even publicizing its relations with Qatar. On the contrary, such a situation offers an additional incentive for Israel to court that Arab country.

Five, the row underscores a much larger problem. Over the years, the Middle East has become a harbinger of conspiracy theories. Unable to find logical explanations for global events, a vast majority of Middle Eastern leaders, commentators and ordinary public have imbibed conspiracy theories. It is often easier to embrace a conspiracy than to look for hard and often uncomfortable answers.

Indeed for years Pakistan charged that there was an Indo-Israeli conspiracy against the larger Islamic world. Gradually sections of Egyptian media joined the chorus and accused that New Delhi exploded some Israeli devises during the nuclear tests India conducted in May 1998. Now the Indian broadcasting laws are seen as an anti-Arab conspiracy. Instead of looking at the non-compliance by Arab TV channels, people have argued that India has adopted an anti-Israeli policy due to Israeli and American pressures.

So, it is not surprising that the Arab News, did not carry the official Indian rebuttal.

P R Kumaraswamy teaches at Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi

[Bharatvarsh]

<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Post-9/11, fear has gripped all artistes
Priyanka Dasgupta
[ 1 Sep, 2006 0057hrs ISTTIMES NEWS NETWORK ]

KOLKATA: A debate has started whether the decision of Aasish Khan, son of sarod maestro Ustad Ali Akbar Khan, to declare himself a Hindu and assume the surname Debsharma reflected the paranoia of a section of Muslims around the world.

In a post-9/11 increasingly paranoid world, where terror has become synonymous with Muslims, a number of celebrities feel South Asians are looked at with suspicion.

Lyricist Javed Akhtar said the paranoia "is unreasonable, unfair and illogical. Anybody with brown skin and a Muslim name feels insecure these days. People are suffering from racial and communal biases and sadly enough, we can’t do much about it."

Reacting to another incident that made headlines, he said that while he was sympathetic towards the Dutch government which had detained 12 Indian Muslims, "people are overreacting in the West. In all these seven years of presidentship, all that George Bush has managed to do is to make this an insecure world".

The insecurity has apparently forced a number of Indian classical Muslim musicians to dress in formal suits instead of their usual kurta pyjamas while travelling abroad.

What's worse is that the fear has gripped all musicians irrespective of religious identity. Singer Manomay Bhattacharya, who plans to go to the US on September 20 for a four-city tour, is worried about how airport
officials will react to his beard.

Bhattacharya said: "People often call me Khan bhai for my pathan looks. There is fear lurking in every corner and I can’t even shave off my beard because that’s the way my passport picture looks!"

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/artic...945431.cms<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
But when Kamala Das becomes "Suraiya" it's genuine conversion based on free will and a progressive decision.

[Guest]

Also notice the tone of the report - shows the loaded mindsets of Times Of India (Times of which India???)

"....the music fraternity stunned by Aasish’s claim...."
"...Aasish's 'reinvention' is that his ancestors were Hindus...."

[acharya]

<b>Prime Ministers Speech on Internal Security versus George Bushs National Strategy for Combating Terrorism </b>

The Tuesday conclave of Chief Ministers on internal security came and went with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh expected to spell out his Government's strategy to combat terrorism. It coincided interestingly with the U.S. President George Bush's unveiling a revised National Strategy to Combat Terrorism by the United States. The contrasts are stark. Some in the United States like the former U.S. Secretary of State Madeline Albright have praised India's approach to tackling terrorism. While such misplaced praise might be comfort to some in the ruling party and its allies, that praise has to do more with the domestic politics in the United States than to do with an objective assessment of how effective is India's strategy against terrorism, if there really was one. Offstumped has analyzed, compared and contrasted Prime Minister's speech with George Bush's NSCT.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said on Tuesday that intelligence agencies had warned more terrorist attacks were likely, possibly on economic and religious targets as well as on nuclear installations. The Centre has presented a grim picture by admitting that cross-border terrorism has spread to the hinterland. The Prime Minister's speech spanned 18 paragraphs. It opened with the need for improving center state co-ordination in dealing with security as “Law and Order” is a state subject. Right of the Prime Minister made it clear that his Government thinks Terrorism is a “Law and Order” problem and by implication a conventional crime requiring conventional responses. Let us take a further look at what the Prime Minister had to say.

The Prime Minister informed the CMs about the Home Minister Shivraj Patil's Proposals on how to deal with Terrorism. The main stress was on capacity building and improving the capability of the States and Centre. In a pitiable 3 sentences the Prime Minister disposed off the new proposals by asking the States to hire more policeman and to improve intelligence. The Prime Minister then moved on to make clear once again where his Government's priorities lie. Left wing extremism, terrorism, and how to assuage feelings of insecurity among our minorities, specially Muslims.

That was it folks, not a single word on Mumbai or the 200 Mumbaikar deaths.

The Prime Minister's address while offering no new vision or strategy for securing the homeland and defeating terrorism was loaded with obtruse language. The Prime Minister's choice of word's also reflected almost a reluctance to take terrorism head on when he said

Concern about the increasing activities of externally inspired and directed terrorist outfits in the country is justified .

While recognizing that terrorist modules and 'sleeper cells' exist in some of our urban areas, all of which highlight the seriousness of the threat, the bureuacrat in the Prime Minister once again came to the fore with the setting up of formation of a special panel of ministers, which would include the federal interior minister and chief ministers of select states to monitor the spread of Maoist violence and coordinate efforts to counter it.

The meeting comes in the aftermath of the serial blasts in Mumbai after which Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had observed that the past responses to deal with terrorism and naxalism had been "inadequate".

So if “Past Responses were inadequate“ how much better is the present. From the Prime Minister's speech it is clear that his Government continues to be reluctant to deal with terrorism head on. To him Terrorism is a Law and Order Problem and addressing it starts and ends with the Beat Constable. While 3 sentences in his entire speech were dedicated to what needs to be done to address terrorism, 3 paragraphs were dedicated to address muslim sensitivities.


Contrast this with the American National Strategy for Combating Terrorism also unvieled today.

The American National Strategy is a 29 page document divided into 7 chapters. It begins by recognizing the realities of the fight against terrorism. It lists the successes to date and the challenges faced. It then goes onto characterize who is the Terrorist Enemy. It then lays out a Strategic Vision for the fight against terrorism. It then, most importantly lays the endgame of How to Win Against Terrorism. The strategy to win against terrorism has two components. A long term approach of advancing democracy. A short term approach on 4 fronts. Preventing attacks by terror networks. Denying access to weapons to terrorist regimes to use them. Denying support and sanctuary for terrorists in rogue states. Denying terrorists control of any nation that they could use as a base and launching pad for terror. The NSCT concludes by how to Institutionalize the Strategy for Long Term Success.

There you have it folks, the abject contrast and seriousness between how the World's largest Democracy takes terrorist threats and how the World's Oldest Democracy deals with Terrorism. For weeks now we have been fed with pearls of wisdom from well meaning folks like Shekhar Gupta in the Indian Express, that India's battle against terrorism cannot be an all encompassing “War on Terror“ U.S. Style. Fair enough, but that is no excuse for not having a well thought out National Strategy that defines the problem, identifies the enemy, lays out a vision for how to win against the enemy and then details out long term and short term approaches and most importantly focuses on Institutionalizing the strategy. That has been the biggest problem with our approach. It has no Institutional Sanctity and hence no hope in hell of long term success. With every change in government the politics of the day is allowed to bias and color the government's approach be it TADA, POTA or the proposed insiduous Prevention of Communal Violence law. Add to this mix Minority Appeasement and the Strategy is a non-starter, a still born one at that.


What about the Opposition and the media have they fared any better in establishing accountability for 7/11 and demanding a National Strategy. Offstumped takes a critical look at how the Opposition BJP and CPI-M have responded as well as how the media has responded since the 55 days after July 11th.


For weeks now the Bharatiya Janata Party, the only political hope for the Indian Right has been flogging the Vande Mataram horse to death while going completely silent on the Mumbai Blasts. Admitting that the BJP is in the process of undergoing change where the second generation leaders would emerge on top, Jaitley admitted public opinion has not leaned towards his party over the past two years. He said the party is required to concentrate "exclusively" on issues like price rise, economy and security, "rather than allow every third day some irrelevant controversy within us to surface, which diverts public opinion from the UPA's failures.". So why is the BJP so obsessed with trying to make a political point on the Vande Mataram issue while relegating the Mumbai Blasts to the back burner ? Part of the reason is to polarize political opinion in UP by forcing the muslim political leadership to take a sharp stance on the issue. But how is this helping the BJP across the country. Not a whole lot if one were to go by how the Left has pretty much donned the mantle of Opposition and is setting or rather subverting the agenda. The CPI-M has completely the shifted the public debate away from security and terrorism by holding the UPA Government to ransom. It does so partly on account of the critical support it lends to the Manmohan Government for its survival. But more so it is its friends in the media that have been lending it a helping hand along the way, giving undue coverage to its subversive agenda every step of the way. So who are these closet communists ?
<b>
At the one end of the spectrum is N. Ram, chief editor of The Hindu. A rather ironic name for this newspaper to cling on to, for neither in its political colors nor in its editorial slant is it in anyway Hindu. N. Ram delivering the Naren Sen Memorial Lecture, 2006, on "the Danger of Imperialism and the role of the Media" made amply clear where his political moorings lie. Offstumped has analyzed his lecture and the recurring theme in his lecture "Imperialism" brings to mind images of Don Quixote battling imaginary wind-mills. Point to note Naren Sen in who's memory the lecture was being delivered was a Communist Trade Union Leader form Kolkota. The parallel universe that the likes of N. Ram and his fellow leftist psuedo intellectual dwell in became quite apparent when Ram went on to rant that the
</b>
“Government of Iran has stood up to imperialism much better than the Manmohan Singh Government."

This is where the hypocrisy of the left in India comes to the fore. These allegedly godless, atheist, rational non-believers are the most fervent defenders of the rabid, unapologetically Islamic Clerical Regime of Iran. So in their perverse value system a repressive regime that swears by religious fundamentalism is more righteous than a democratic regime elected by universal adult franchise in a secular state. So much so for rationality. The callousness and indifference of the psuedo intellectuals epitomized by N. Ram to Indian Citizens Lives is highlighted amply when N. Ram goes on to lament loss of life in Lebanon

"where Israel continues to demonstrate its contempt for international law, where was the voice of the Indian Government,"

but not a word of regret, remorse, anger, or accountability on the 200 Mumbaikar deaths during the 7-11 Mumbai commuter train serial bomb blasts. So in the Left's value system Indian and mostly Hindu Deaths at the hands of Islamic Terrorists are not even worth the Hezbollah Islamic Terrorist Deaths in a remote foreign country at the hands of a Jewish Military. The first while not worthy of even a mention, the second is an international crime.

<b> N. Ram's hypocrisy becomes crystal clear when he alludes to the "five news filters" referred to by Noam Chomsky for Offstumped has on multiple occassions exposed how The Hindu's Harish Khare, Siddharth Varadarajan, Vidya Subramanian manufacture consent.
<span style='color:red'>
Offstumped has analyzed the editorial page in The Hindu from July 11th to date to highlight the extent to which The Hindu has manufactured consent by taking the CPI-M's line on focusing on the Israel Lebanon Hezbollah conflict and completely ignoring the 7-11 Mumbai Bomb Blasts.</span>

Op-ed columns on Anti-US, Iran, Israel Lebanon Hezbollah Conflict - 2/9, 26/8, 25/8, 22/8, 21/8, 19/8, 14/8, 13/8, 11/8, 10/8, 9/8, 8/8, 7/8, 4/8, 3/8, 2/8, 1/8, 29/7, 28/7, 26/7, 25/7, 24/7, 22/7, 21/7, 20/7, 18/7, 15/7, 12/7

Op-ed columns expressing Muslims Concerns - 29/8, 23/8, 18/8, 16/8, 15/8, 14/8, 5/8, 26/7, 19/7, 17/7, 14/7, 12/7</b>

Op-ed columns on accountability for 7-11 - 17/8, 5/8, 21/7, 18/7, 17/7, 13/7, NO Lead editorial on 12th July.

N. Ram signed off his lecture giving a clear signal to his fellow closet communists in the media that the role of the media was "agenda building" and more specifically "left of center pro-communist agenda building". It can be seen from the above analysis what kind of agenda building N. Ram is referring to. <span style='color:red'>The kind that toes the CPI-M's line, ignores Indian Hindu deaths at the hands of terrorists butgoes out of its way to defend terrorist regimes in the middle east. N. Ram did not just stop with this signal but he also outlined for his closet communist buddies in the Indian Media, Newspapers and Television News Channels how they could accomplish this - by not just reporting and of course coloring the reportage with one's opinions, biases and prejudices but to go a step further and unapologetically campaign. So who are these close communist buddies that N. Ram was signalling to help his pals Karat and Yechury. Well one just has to look at the anchors and op-ed columnists across the Hindustan Times, Outlook India, NDTV, CNN-IBN to spot them. Offstumped has taken up the crusade to out these closet communists in the coming days. Keep an eye on this column. </span>

The effect of the N. Ram CPI-M line is quite evident in how the larger news media like Indian Express and the UPA Government and more specifically Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi have reacted to the Mumbai Blasts. This is quite evident in the recent spate of news articles on Muslims as a community being targeted in Mumbai and how the Mumbai Blasts investigation is hardening attitudes and encouraging ghettos. While it is not anybody's case that the Muslim community must be harassed, it is quite apalling that seems to be pretty much what everyone from the Media to the ruling dispensation are talking about. The Indian Expess has been running a daily series on this subject by Seema Chisti and today had an op-ed piece. The Hindustan Times has 3 articles on this subject alone today.

Laudable as maybe the concerns around harassment what about the accountability for the blasts ? The situation has an eerie parallel with 1993. Sharad Pawar's admission that he had invented a fictitious blast in a muslim neighbourhood to maintain communal harmony exemplifies the mindset with which the Congress addresses terrorism. It is a mindset that puts the Cart before the Horse.

The Prime Minister in his remark's at the Chief Minister's conclave confirmed this mindset with his repeated assertions on muslim sensitivities. This leads one to question if the Congress UPA Government has a strategy at all to tackle terrorism. The Prime Minister has told us what we already know and has asked state governments to do what they have already been doing. So if everything the Prime Minister has said and done is the same as the past, which by his own admission was inadequate what guarantees is he offering for the future. <span style='color:red'>With friends like The Prakash Karat, Sitaram Yechury lead Left and their buddy N. Ram it is clear that the Congress as adopted their perverse value system. It is a value system where security for Indian Citizens amounts to nothing specifically when amongst dead on 7-11 in Mumbai were Hindu Gujarati Diamond Merchants. In their perverse value system dead Islamic Terrorists matter more. It is unfortunate that an intransigent government and a misplaced media outrage have allowed this perverse value system to shift the debate away from Terrorism completely onto addressing Muslim sensitivities</span>

Offstumped Bottomline: Clearly present response from the government, media and opposition is no different from the past despite Manmohan Singh's wishful thinking. Terrorism has been reduced to a Law and Order Problem which can be addressed by hiring more beat constables and giving them a lot of software to improve intelligence while their political bosses deal with misplaced outrage all around on Muslim Sensitivities.

What about accounting for the 200 Mumbaikar Deaths ? Why arent tough questions being asked of the Intelligence Failures leading upto the Blasts, the emergency response in the immideate aftermath of the blasts and the floundering investigation subsequently. Why arent tough questions being asked on how the Intelligence is being overhauled, how terrorism is going to be pre-empted ? Why isnt anyone asking the real question if we are any safer since July 11th 2006 ?posted on Tuesday, September 05, 2006 6:03 PM
http://o3.indiatimes.com/yossarin/archive/...05/1498112.aspx

[Guest]

Link from toilet paper's economic times<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Mumbai is nowhere near as bad. Yet consider this. An estimated 3,500 people die of train mishaps in Mumbai annually. If that does not affect the economy, why should 200 killed in bomb blasts? <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

How low they can go?

[Guest]

On The Hundi
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->This is the gist of readers' appraisal:
<b>  "The common thread in many of these messages is that The Hindu is
partisan and prejudiced. Some of the points that make are: The paper has
turned into an ideological document; there is disproportionate coverage
to CPI(M) Politbureau members wherever they speak; a mindset prejudiced
against all right-wing people; obsession for Muslims and their welfare;
an anti-American bias. "</b> 
 
http://www.cybernoon.com/DisplayArticle.as...hild=mediawatch
  Analysing 'The Hindu'

Friday, September 15, 2006 11:8:22 IST
 
Despite its staunch readership, this newspaper is not without its
critics, a point raised by the paper's Reader's Editor, K. Narayanan (4
September, 2006) in his very revelatory column 
 
The Hindu is one of the most respected newspapers in India. Few papers
can stand comparison with it in terms of credibility; it is admittedly
conservative and makes no bones about it. It does not sell editorial
space, nor does it cater to sex, as some dailies do. Yet it has its
staunch readership. If The Times of India has a "readership" (which is
different from circulation) of 7.4 million – the largest in India, The Hindu
emerges second among English dailies with 4.05 million readers,
followed by Hindustan Times with 3.85 million readers. But The Hindu is not
without its critics, a point raised by the paper's Reader's Editor, K.
Narayanan (4 September, 2006) in his very revelatory column.
 
  In the first place, The Hindu does not publish astrological forecasts
as some dailies do. The Hindu had never done that. But astrological
forecasts have their votaries, just as stock market prices have theirs.
Narayanan writes a regular daily column in one of which he explained why
the paper did not carry a column on astrological forecasts. He also
carried the views on the subject of the editor-in-chief. But obviously,
their points of view were not acceptable to a certain section of readers.
And they wrote back in anger.
 
  Editor browse through the readers grouses
  Narayanan writes (4 September): "I did not deride them (those who
love astrological forecasts) nor question astrology or its practice. That
these words could arouse passions and emotions and produce an avalanche
of mail — some of them personal abuse — was a revelation". It is
difficult to believe that there are, among The Hindu's readers, many who
would go to the extent of abusing the paper's Readers' Editor, a person of
high journalistic standing.
 
  According to Narayanan, many of the letters he has been receiving are
defamatory, "not fit to print". Newspapers ombudsmen are familiar with
what it calls 'campaign' or 'hate mail' — as even an editor can tell.
Editors take that in their stride. But Narayanan had other things to
deal with that he has been frank enough to admit. He writes: "(Of the)
large number of mails I get from different parts of the country, many of
them (are) from old, long-time readers. The common thread in many of
these messages is that The Hindu is partisan and prejudiced. Some of the
points that make are: The paper has turned into an ideological document;
there is disproportionate coverage to CPI(M) Politbureau members
wherever they speak; a mindset prejudiced against all right-wing people;
obsession for Muslims and their welfare; an anti-American bias.
 
  The demand is made that the paper should represent 'both sides of the
ideological coin so that the readers would decide the merits and
demerits of the issue!' While conceding the paper's "entitlement to have its
own ideology, prejudices, biases etc, it cannot have pretensions of
adherence to core values".
 
  Some readers had other grouses even more serious. One charge was that
the space devoted to national news is inadequate. Another charge was
that the space devoted to national news is inadequate. Another charge was
that there was a preponderance of stories from The Guardian and The New
York Times in the Op-Ed pages, which could do with more writings on
national issues.
 
  One reader who claimed to have been a Hindu reader for 55 years had
this to say: "more than two pages on Iraq, Lebanon etc and nothing for
Maharashtra, Orissa floods. You are averse to report on Kashmir,
Nagaland etc. Your readers will have no knowledge about matters happening in
other parts of the country".
 
  Many readers felt that except when there is a disaster or a political
upheaval, states, especially those in the North East, do not get
attention in The Hindu. That, according to Narayanan is "overstating a partly
valid case". As he put it: "Regular newsletters from states on the
Op-Ed page is one suggestion they (readers) make: they feel this can help
avoid lopsidedness such as three articles on Lebanon on the Op-Ed page
on one day. Or the attention that the Pathak Report on the Oil-for-Food
scam and Jaswant Singh's book received, when crores of people were
reeling under floods in three major states which also had a devastating
effect on the economy".
 
  Then there was another reader who wrote to say that The Hindu
highlighted "meaningless statements" of politicians like Natwar Singh and
Jaswant Singh and published their large-size pictures on Page 1 even while
claiming that the paper was short of space. Another reader demanded
"balanced reporting"; and how did he describe it? To him "balanced
reporting" meant (1) giving equal prominence to different viewpoints on the
same page and the same day (2) publishing counterviews and rejoinders and
(3) publishing what is newsworthy on a given day and not worrying too
much about balance.
 
  Narayanan met this criticism in his own style: He wrote: "An article
on the editorial or Op-Ed Page takes a particular view, or voices a
strong opinion that is generally in tune with the paper's policy.
Counter-views are accommodated in the 'Letters to the Editor' column". Where
warranted, a rejoinder also gets space. 'Balance in reporting' cannot be
in the literal sense; space is given to opposing views, but it need not
be equal; not need it be given the same prominence, 'same page, same
day' (which) is neither feasible nor practical. Care is taken to see that
generally both sides are presented and overall there is fair
presentation. Accuracy, fairness, balance – readers set high standards.
Fulfilling their expectations is the target for all the journalists in 'The
Hindu'.
 
  But with decisions being made every minute, every hour, every day,
the achievement varies. It is impossible to be totally objective in this
decision-making…"
  This is as straightforward and honest a reply that can be expected
from any Readers' Editor or Ombudsman.
 
  Ideal newspaper, a myth not reality
Newspapers have their own stands. Nobody forces a reader to buy any one
newspaper. India is a democracy and one has access to a dozen
newspapers that often give different points of view on the same subject. No
newspaper can be completely 'objective' – certainly not in the sense that
some readers define objectivity.
  Credit should be given to 'The Hindu' even for appointing an
Ombudsman who openly presents readers' views in this regular daily column on
Op-Ed page. There is no such thing as an 'Ideal' paper. Sometimes a
particular news item does get more coverage than it deserves and one may
call it 'hype'. But often it is not done deliberately.
 
  Admittedly, more space was given to Jaswant Singh and his unfortunate
reference to a 'mole' – a word that he didn't use. How one wishes that
every important national paper – and one can identify half a dozen of
them – hired an Ombudsman to receive comments, assess them and give
transparency to all editorial work! Congrats to 'The Hindu'.

<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

[Guest]

<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--><b>Bennett, Coleman picks up 12% stake in Gujarati daily </b>
Tuesday, 10 October , 2006, 17:13
New Delhi: Bennett, Coleman & Co Ltd (BCCL), the publishers of English daily The Times of India, has picked up 12 per cent equity in Gujarati daily Sandesh.

BCCL and The Sandesh Ltd, the publishers of Sandesh, have also signed a business cooperation and arrangement agreement for cooperation in advertising sales, marketing and printing.

The agreement was signed on October 6 and the proposal has been sent to market regulator SEBI and Bombay Stock Exchange for approvals, a BCCL release said here.

The 12 per cent preferential stake in Sandesh, which has five editions and a readership base of 46 lakh, is fresh equity and would not dilute the promoters' stake.

<b>"This agreement will go a long way toward meeting the new aspirations of readers in Gujarat and create more value for advertisers," </b>the BCCL Managing Director, Vineet Jain, said.
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

[agnivayu]

Consequences of Abhrahamic Fascist media and cultural domination.


http://www.ibnlive.com/news/dalit-bias-res...sm/23605-3.html

Dalit bias result of Hindu fascism?
Amrita Tripathi
CNN-IBN
Posted Monday , October 09, 2006 at 21:40
Updated Monday , October 09, 2006 at 22:47
Email Email Print Print
UNEQUAL BEFORE GOD: The shudras were not created from any part of the divine body so they are treated unequal.

New Delhi: Kanshi Ram was the creator of modern Dalit politics. But it was B R Ambedkar who was the founder of the entire Dalit movement. And much of Ambedkar's work is centred on a critique of Hinduism, which looks down upon Dalits.

It began with the Rig Veda. In the the Purusa Sukta, or the hymn of man, there is a describtion of how exactly Brahma created people and the different castes of Hinduism.

The Brahmins were created from the head, the kshatriyas from the shoulders, the vaishyas from the thighs and the shudras from the feet.

Since the untouchables were not created from any part of the divine body, they are treated unborn and unequal from the start.

This becomes the basis for the Dalit critique of Hinduism.

“There is a struggle between hunger for equality and dignity in this country, a basic human instinct and all shastras want to suppress that,” says Sunil Sardar, Convenor of Truth Seekers Society International.

Dalit intellectuals say Hinduism is a form of spiritual fascism where those at the top of the hierarchy are content and unwilling to change.

They say, reformation of Hinduism is essential, but impossible, because if you take out the Vedas and all other references to caste, then what system are you left with?

"To reform, it needs to throw away existing spiritual texts. Which book do you read as a Hindu book without reference to caste? On average 1,500 people are converting to Christianity per day and about 10-50 people per day converting to Islam," says Dalit activist Kancha Ilaiah.

The Dalits are fed up with a system of that denies them a shot at equality even in the eyes of God.

It's not surprising then that they decide to convert into a system which gives them a hope, or at least a fair chance to get to the top of the pecking order.

Dalit critics also often bring up the status of women in Hinduism. They say women face equal discrimination.

If you look at the Kena Upanishad, there's a line about a mosquito which has a better chance of attaining moksha (salvation) by flying into a temple, than a woman who prays there. And that sure is one reason why the voices calling for reform of Hinduism are getting stronger.

(With Prachi Jatania in Hyderabad)

[acharya]

'Petition to President: No mercy for a Terrorist. Mohammed
Afzal Guru must be hanged for his terror act!"

This is hosted at iVarta (News India):
http://www.ivarta.com/cause/iv005_afzal.aspx

[Guest]

The same concern needs also to be shown in favour of execution of death sentance in respect of those who who burn/kill women for insufficient dowry.All the accomplishes of such criminals should also face the death sentance.

[Guest]

Mass murder should be punished with death penalty, ASAP. There purpose is to destroy whole country. I hope you have no sympathy with terrorist.

Those who kill or rape women should be given death penalty.

Only difference, there should not be no hurry to kill those who rape or burn women because they better rot in prison. Long prison time will discourage other to repeat same with there daughter in law. But longer terrorist stays in prison will invite more attacks. As we have seen in Maqbool Bhatt and Azhar case.

One should differentiate between common criminal and mass murders.

I am for death penalty for even eve teasers.

[Guest]

<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->If you look at the Kena Upanishad, there's a line about a mosquito which has a better chance of attaining moksha (salvation) by flying into a temple, than a woman who prays there.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I have been trying to verify if this is actually true. I am unable to find any references to mosquitoes in the Kena, or any, Upanishad. Can someone help?
Update: <b>It is certainly not in the Kena Upanishad. Click here for the translation.</b>

[Sunder]

<!--QuoteBegin-vishwas+Oct 15 2006, 10:51 AM-->QUOTE(vishwas @ Oct 15 2006, 10:51 AM)<!--QuoteEBegin--><!--QuoteBegin--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->If you look at the Kena Upanishad, there's a line about a mosquito which has a better chance of attaining moksha (salvation) by flying into a temple, than a woman who prays there.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I have been trying to verify if this is actually true. I am unable to find any references to mosquitoes in the Kena, or any, Upanishad. Can someone help?
Update: <b>It is certainly not in the Kena Upanishad. Click here for the translation.</b>
[right][snapback]59139[/snapback][/right]
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
It's not in any upanishad to the best of my knowledge. Liberation by flying into a temple or woman praying in a temple? Sounds outside the fold of the upanishadic teachings.

[Guest]

<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->If you look at the Kena Upanishad, there's a line about a mosquito which has a better chance of attaining moksha (salvation) by flying into a temple, than a woman who prays there.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

Such nonsense!

Why do all who can't stop talking about women's rights in hinduism forget completely about the HUGE shAkta (& shaiva) scripture!

Many shAkta (& shaiva) text clerly enunciates divinity of women and also superiority of female gurus over male gurus.

<b>Durga-saptashati</b> says (in nArAyaNI stuti: chapter 11, verse 5):

<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->vidyAH samastAH tava devi bhedaH, striyaH samstA sakalA jagatsu
<b>Devi (goddess Durga), all vidyA's are your various forms , and so are all the women in the world </b><!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

I was just reading <b>tripurArNava-tantram</b>, and I will quote from it:

devI asks shiva about the correct method of getting initiation (dIkShA) from a guru for sick people, mentally reatarded people and women. Shiva replies: (verses 196, 197)

<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->yoShitsu niyamo nAsti sarvAstAH gururIritAH, 
mukhya-mantramAtravatI yA sApi gururuttamA  (196)
<b>There is no rule for women, they are all called guru.
Just by getting the main mantra, women become gururUpa (of the form of guru). </b>

mukhya-mantrAnupadished-anyat pustakam arpayet
naiva punso-adhikAraH syAt strIH yataH paradevatA  (197)
<b>After giving the main mantra to women, for the rest just hand them over the whole book.
This privilege is not for men.  Women are themselves highest divinity (paradevatA) .</b><!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

[Guest]

<!--QuoteBegin-vishwas+Oct 15 2006, 01:21 AM-->QUOTE(vishwas @ Oct 15 2006, 01:21 AM)<!--QuoteEBegin--><!--QuoteBegin--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->If you look at the Kena Upanishad, there's a line about a mosquito which has a better chance of attaining moksha (salvation) by flying into a temple, than a woman who prays there.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I have been trying to verify if this is actually true. I am unable to find any references to mosquitoes in the Kena, or any, Upanishad. Can someone help?
Update: <b>It is certainly not in the Kena Upanishad. Click here for the translation.</b>
[right][snapback]59139[/snapback][/right]
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

This is a white lie of the first order. Kenopanishad has no such mention of any mosquito, nor of any such woman.

By the way as a side note. Vishwas ji, please be careful when using that site you quoted for Upanishads. That is based upon the 'translations' by Max Muller the great. SO just be careful. Better and more accurate translations are available on the web. One resource which I find useful, having translations of 108 Upanishads, by reputable Hindu sanyasis is this: http://celextel.org/108upanishads.html.

Also http://www.granthamandira.org/ has many granthas in general in downloadable pdf format, along with Vaishnava interpretations both in Hindi and English; with original Sanskrit.

[Guest]

Another excerpt from <b>tripurArNava-tantram</b> regarding nature of guru, shiva says to Goddess pArvatI:

<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->shreShTho varNa-vayor-j~nAnaiH gurumevam parIkShayet
strIbhyaH sarvottamA dIkShA tatra mAtuH shatottarA (20)
<b>Superior in varNa, age and knowledge such examined (by shiShya) should be the guru
Best initiation (dIkShA) is by a female guru, and 100 times better if by one's own mother.</b>

vayasA-api kanIyasyo namaskAryAH striyaH sadA
yoShid-alpa-vayaskApi gurutvArhA varAnane. (21)
<b> Even if younger in age, all women are worthy of always being bowed to in reverence.
A woman younger in age is also worthy of being one's guru, O Goddess pArvatI (varAnanA). (This is an exception to the rule given above that a guru should be older in age). </b>
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

From jayaratha's commentray on <b>tantrAlokaH</b> of abhinavagupta, following chapter 1 verse 13:

<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->yoktA samvatsarAt siddhiH iha punsAm bhayAtmakAm
sA siddhiH tattvaniShThAnAm strINAm dvAdashabhiH dinaiH
<b> That siddhi (accomplishment) that fearful men take a year (12 months) to accomplish,
that same siddhi is attained by women having faith in the supreme in only 12 days </b><!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->