The Most Favorite show Knight Rider is Back with KITT and Micheal , A real entertainment gift for 2008 new year

"Knight Rider" is back, and on February 17, 2008 the new series will kick-off with a 2-hour movie event.

On December 12, we got the first look at the three KITT cars they'll be using for the flick (and hopefully series one day if the writers strike doesn't continue – sorry, different topic.) In the original series, it was the T-Top Pontiac Trans Am. In 2007, it's an updated Ford Mustang Shelby GT500KR. And not only that, there's three different cars playing the part.

Today, at the NBC Studios in Burbank -- between the studio for "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" and "Access Hollywood" -- the new cars were unveiled with a pseudo demonstration with one of the stunt cars. They even gave KITT his own parking spot next to Jay Leno – I guess he won't be using that for a while.

The first car shown was a remote car – no driver! Some really cool stuff! There are two people who control it by a remote control; the thing just moves on its own, opens the doors on its own, drives from side to side. See, as a kid, you always wonder about how the car drove by itself – now I know.

Anyway, the other two cars aren't by remote; they're real cars, including the stunt car. The last car had the cast of the movie there – Justin Bruening (Mike Traceur), Deanna Russo (Sarah Graiman), Bruce Davison (Charles Graiman), and Sydney Tamiia Poitier (Carrie Ruvai).

This "Knight Rider" is a sequel to the original series, which Justin says is definitely a plus for the storyline. "Being a fan of the show, I was very excited about; I didn't want them to mess with [it] – you don't mess with 'the original' anything, it's never really as good. I love the fact that it just continues the story, and there's a huge gap, so within this show, we can go backwards, forwards. We can do anything because there are huge gaps in there to fill in."

Justin's character of Mike Traceur is the son of Michael Knight, but "I clearly don't know that right away," he says. "He's the reluctant hero, an ex-Army Ranger that obviously in the end becomes a hero even though he doesn't want to be. With the writers strike, I haven't gotten a new episode so I don't know if he likes being a hero, but whatever, we'll find out."

Deanna plays the daughter of Charles Graiman, the inventor of KITT. She told ComingSoon.net about the bonding time she had getting to know how the real KITT moves. "We were doing some pretty crazy stunts up in Newhall on this crazy, windy mountain road; it was pretty exciting. I was actually in the passenger seat, and nobody was behind the wheel. They have this amazing rig, a stunt driver locked down to the top of the car on the roof. He's a very talented because at no point did I feel that my life was in danger. Well, ok, I gotta say, I'll be honest with you, the very, very first time I rode in KITT as a passenger, even though I was in the driver's seat, I wasn't in control of the car, it was a little scary. It kind of felt like Mr. Toad's Wild Ride, but real. After that first exciting thing, now it just feels like a roller coaster; it's a really cool job. I'm so glad you guys got to check out some of these things because we've been really excited to share it and talk about it."

It was Sydney who just put it bluntly of how awesome this show is really going to be. "It's cool, I think it's a real true kind of staying true to the original idea of the show. There's just cooler stuff we can do, and it's even more kind of weirdly relevant today, because it's actually believable that you can have a car that talks and does all this stuff and that it actually happens. The car itself is super cool and you guys saw the attack mode version, when it came in and popped those crazy 360s or whatever. Just the car itself is really the coolest thing I've seen so far. Certainly there's going to be some interesting stuff that the car does in the movie. And now I think it's even more, for the kids that didn't grow up in the '80s and didn't see [the original] 'Knight Rider,' I think it's something they can totally identify with and it's not so foreign."

The Hoff makes a small cameo in this movie to pass the torch to Justin. It was a surreal experience for him getting on set and seeing the real Michael Knight. "It's definitely one of the highlights of my life, something I can tell my grandkids. It's a lot to process all at once I have to say. It still hasn't sunk that – I don't even tell people what I do because it sounds ridiculous. When I told my friends when I found out, I didn't tell them. They would call and say, 'What have you been up to? You been filming anything?' 'Yeah, I got a job. I'm Knight Rider!?' (in a questioning manner). I don't know any other way to say it than that. And obviously, they're all really excited 'cause we watched it growing up."

The question you're all wondering – who is voicing KITT? The answer: Will Arnett! Sorry all you William Daniels fans out there, he's not back.

But with Will Arnett as the voice, you know there's going to be some of that good humor thrown in. "We all joke around on set with funny things that KITT might say," noted Deanna. "Will Arnett is a brand-new addition to the show, and we're so excited to have him on board. When I first heard talks of him being on it, I was just clamoring with joy. I'm a huge fan of 'Arrested Development'! His voice alone is very memorable, so I think he's a perfect fit for KITT. I'm just really excited to hear what he does with it; there are so many choice one could make."

One thing's for sure, "Knight Rider" is back and better than ever! Stay tuned for more from the cast of the NBC movie when it premieres February 17th.




Extract From, http://www.comingsoon.net

See Trailer http://www.knightrideronline.com/news/2007/12/new_knight_rider_teaser.php

KNIGHT RIDER *********************************** 2008 **********************

Overview

Director:

Steve Shill

Writers:

David Andron (writer)
Glen A. Larson (characters)

Release Date:

17 February 2008 (USA) more

Genre:

Action more

Plot Summary:

Mike Tracer a bitter former Army Ranger and failed race car driver, just got a new lease on life, neither... more

Plot Synopsis:

This plot synopsis is empty. Add a synopsis

Plot Keywords:

Artificial Intelligence / Gadget Car / Talking Car / Detective / Character Name In Title

Production Notes/Status:

Status:

Pre-production

Comments:

Status Updated:

2 November 2007

Note:

Because this project is categorized as being in production, the data is subject to change; some data could be removed completely.




Justin Bruening (pictured here) plays Mike Tracer
(Michael Knight’s son) in the new “Knight Rider”.

From left to right: Deanna Russo, Justin Bruening
Bruce Davison and Sydney Tamiia Poitier.

Resources -www.hollywoodchicago.com/
******************************************************

NBC officially announces new Knight Rider

'KNIGHT RIDER' REVS UP TO RETURN TO NBC FOR SPECIAL TWO-HOUR MOVIE EVENT ON FEBRUARY 17 AS NEW KITT CAR IS REVEALED

"Knight Rider" Cast Justin Bruening, Deanna Russo, Sydney Tamiia Poitier and Bruce Davison Participate at the Unveiling Event Showcasing the Customized KITT Ford Mustang to Be Featured in Movie

Dave Bartis ("Heist," "The O.C.") and Doug Liman ("Mr. and Mrs. Smith," "The Bourne Identity") to Serve as Executive Producers; David Hasselhoff, the Star of the Original "Knight Rider" Series, Appears as a Special Guest Star in His Original Role as Michael Knight

NBC Also Forms Partnership with Ford Motor Company That Provides for Unique Content Opportunity

BURBANK - December 12, 2007 - As "Knight Rider" -- NBC's iconic 1980s television classic that became a runaway success, comes roaring back to life on the network with an updated sequel that will air as a two-hour movie event on Sunday, February 17 (9-11 p.m. ET) -- NBC unveiled the new customized KITT Ford Mustang to be featured in the series in a press event held at NBC's Burbank Studios today.

The movie stars Justin Bruening ("Cold Case," "All My Children"), Deanna Russo ("NCIS," "The Young and the Restless"), Sydney Tamiia Poitier ("Veronica Mars," "Grindhouse") and Bruce Davison ("Breach," "Close to Home"). In addition, David Hasselhoff (NBC's "America's Got Talent") -- who starred in the popular lead role as Michael Knight for four seasons during the original series -- returns as the same character in a special guest-star appearance. Will Arnett (NBC's "30 Rock," "Blades of Glory") will provide the voice of KITT.

Dave Bartis ("Heist," "The O.C.") and Doug Liman ("Mr. and Mrs. Smith," "The Bourne Identity") serve as executive producers. NBC also has an arrangement with Ford Motor Company that provides for a unique content opportunity that makes the Ford Mustang one of the stars of the movie.

The three cars to be employed in the series include the KITT Hero -- a Ford Mustang Shelby GT500KR that is playing the part of the everyday Hero car with 540 horsepower; the KITT Attack -- a super high-speed version of the Ford Mustang Shelby GT500KR Hero car that transforms into Attack mode with the help of air-ride technology and specialized body parts -- and a KITT Remote, which is a driverless Ford Mustang Shelby GT500KR version of the Hero vehicle.

As the original story resumes, the new KITT (Knight Industries Three Thousand) is absolutely the coolest car ever created: its supercomputer capable of hacking almost any system; its weapons systems efficient; and its body -- thanks to its creator's work and nanotechnology -- is capable of actually shifting shape and color. Plus, its artificial intelligence makes it the ideal crime-fighting partner: logical, precise and possessing infinite knowledge. It is the ultimate car -- and someone will be willing to do anything to obtain it.

Sarah Graiman is a 24-year old Ph.D candidate at Stanford University, following in her genius father Charles' (Davison) footsteps. But when men attempt to abduct her, Sarah receives a mysterious call from KITT warning her that he's a creation of Charles, who also invented the first KITT 25 years ago -- and that her father is in serious danger.

Sarah and KITT track down her best friend from childhood, Mike Tracer (Bruening), a 23-year-old ex-Army Ranger, whom Sarah hasn't seen since he left home at 18. Having served in Iraq, Mike is now jaded and lost and initially resistant. Eventually he agrees to help Sarah and the two set out to discover who's behind the attempt to procure KITT and find Charles. Along the way, Carrie Rivai (Poitier) plays the agile yet tough FBI agent who has a long-standing friendship with Charles and Sarah. Due to those ties, she is brought into the mix to help in the search.

David Andron is supervising producer and writer. Steve Shill ("Dexter," "The Tudors"), also a co-executive producer, directs the two-hour movie from Universal Media Studios and Dutch Oven Productions.

Resources - http://www.knightrideronline.com/

2008 Telepic/backdoor pilot

Michael Knight behind the wheel of KITT

Main article: Knight Rider (2008 film)

On September 26, 2007, NBC announced that it is creating a two-hour backdoor pilot to air later this season.^[8] In the new version, Justin Bruening will star as the estranged son of Michael Knight, Mike Tracer.^[9] Deanna Russo will play Tracer's one-time girlfriend and love interest, Sarah Kamen.^[9] Bruce Davison will co-star as her father, physicist Charles Kamen.^[9] Wayne Kasserman co-stars as Mike's roommate and friend.^[10] David Hasselhoff is also being approached to appear as Michael Knight.^[9]

KITT will be portrayed as a black 550 HP Ford Shelby GT500KR Mustang.^[11]

Supervising producer Dave Andron ("Raines") is writing the pilot script, Doug Liman and Dave Bartis ("The O.C.", "Heist") to executive produce.^[9]

Variety reports that Transformers inspired Ben Silverman's decision to revive Knight Rider because smallscreen effects are sophisticated enough to have a weekly series with shape shifting cars (though the 1990s series Viper, heavily influenced by Knight Rider, shared the same concept)

NBC announced on December 13, 2007 that the new 2-hour pilot will air on February 17, 2008. Two new cast members were also announced; Will Arnett of Arrested Development fame will be the voice for the new K.I.T.T Mustang, and Sydney Tamiia Poitier, daughter of Sidney Poitier, will play FBI agent Carrie Ruvai.^[12]

Resources - http://en.wikipedia.org

THE GOOD NEWS ***************************

1. David Hasselhoff (NBC’s “America’s Got Talent”) – who starred in the popular lead role as Michael Knight for four seasons during the original series – returns as the same character in a special guest-star appearance.

2. The new KITT car will have some “Transformers”-like shape-shifting abilities. The story’s scientific explanation is “nanotechnology”.

Resources - hollywoodchicago.com/

Michael Jackson - Still A Hero in My World - A Gratitude

I can still feel the day that Michael Jackson was freed from the charges of child abuse. Those days I thought, there are many perpetrators like thieves , robbers , terrorists , drug dealers , Doctors who are doing strikes , killers etc.But Michael Jackson is a singer can’t compare with anyone in the world.Who never has done those things and has bad habits like those.


In my childhood , I liked him because the music beats of his songs. I don’t know what about the song because I was unable to understand the language of English when the song goes speed up with quick words .But, with growing with realizing his intentions from the songs , still I can’t realize How he has written down so much meanings in songs .Yet to find out ! We can feel how he has loved us and whole world from the bottom of his heart. He was living with natural world with environment friendly, passing through natural beauty.

Children, after about 5-8 years , don’t trust them. I have many stories (Tell you later) fabricated by children for their own gain or avenge from others who made them hearts break or advices that they don’t like. Exactly I can tell the true stories, because I works with children more than hundreds in past 12 years at my educational center. When the age comes to 15-16 they’re more inclined to tell lies and going to hide many stories of their own. When that comes to the side of Crush or Love , all the stories they’ve told are on imaginable false stories. When we question them, they’re in fluency in speech to give answers then, any other will feel they’re innocents and true.If it comes to REVENGE, the words emit from the mouths are very very cruel , will be able to vanish any others reputation with their own, aftermath.

Heal The World, Will You Be There, You’re Not Along, Remember The Time, black Or White, Don’t Care About Us and Cry are some remarkable tracks can’t compare with any other songs ever except “ No matter what” , “ Different Beat” , etc. of Boyzone’s.I really feel Michael Jackson is innocent . Those like robbers, fishermen ( Who kills innocent fish), butchers(animal slayers), and many more like drug sellers even Cigarettes and Arracks dealers are the dangerous people must subjected to the death from hanging , not the social entertainers and preachers like Michael Jackson . Every one has sins according to the lord Buddha . But with comparing we must have knowledge to understand somewhat of others as humans.

Dear, Michael Jackson, I don’t think you’ll see this article ever. But, someday, some of your fans will be able to get to know there are some people out there who were backing Michael Jackson and made sounds on behalf of him. This is a gratitude for the entertainment you have given for me from my childhood. Michael Jackson, you are a wonderful person speaking in songs to hearts, has able to covert my sorrow and tears in to happiness and great positive expectation to the winning future.

May Gods Bless you !
May the Triple Gem Bless you !
May The Lord Buddha Bless You !
Hope another fantastic milestone is ahead !

( If you’re a fan of Michael Jackson, please leave a comment here as to gratitude for him)

SWEDEN

SWEDEN***********************************

---

The Nation*****

The Middle Ages

The Middle Ages

-- The Nation***

Want to lose that baby weight? Get some sleep

Want to lose that baby weight? Get some sleep

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Researchers presented a conundrum to new mothers on Monday, saying that women who want to lose the extra weight gained in pregnancy should try to get more sleep.

They found that mothers who slept five hours or less a day when their babies were six months old were three times more likely than more rested mothers to have kept on the extra weight at one year.

“We’ve known for some time that sleep deprivation is associated with weight gain and obesity in the general population, but this study shows that getting enough sleep -- even just two hours more -- may be as important as a healthy diet and exercise for new mothers to return to their pre-pregnancy weight,” said Erica Gunderson of Kaiser Permanente, which runs hospitals and clinics in California.

Gunderson and colleagues studied 940 women taking part in a study of prenatal and postnatal health at Harvard Medical School in Boston.

The women who slept five hours or less a night when their babies were six months old were more likely to have kept on 11 pounds (5 kg) of weight one year after giving birth, they found.

Women who slept seven hours a night or more lost more weight, they reported in the American Journal of Epidemiology.
The researchers acknowledged this may pose a dilemma to new mothers, given that infants sleep so fitfully.

“With the results of this study, new mothers must be wondering, ‘How can I get more sleep for both me and my baby?’ Our team is working on new studies to answer this important question,” said Dr. Matthew Gillman of Harvard Medical School and Harvard Pilgrim Health Care.
(Reporting by Maggie Fox; Editing by Will Dunham and John O’Callaghan)

---The Nation

Teach them well

Teach them well

Make this season about giving

Of course kids love getting presents at the holidays, but what truly makes the season special is the genuine sense of goodwill all around them. That’s why now is the best time to show a child how to spread that warmth by helping others

The Nation

Courage to initiate change
When a child improves someone else’s life, he sees that he can change the world around him — and even himself — for the better, says Cathryn Berger Kaye, author of The Complete Guide to Service Learning. For 6-year-old Cleo Payne of Pelham, NY, volunteering at her local park has shown her the big impact of a small gesture. “A park is nice and relaxing, but if it’s all messed up, no one wants to come there,” she says. “I like burying the bulbs so there can be flowers again.”

Compassion for all beings
Helping people in need lets kids flex their caring instincts. Same goes for working with animals. “The kindness, understanding, and patience that kids learn in caring for pets segues to gentleness with peers,” says Charlotte LeFrank, programme coordinator at the Child Abuse Prevention Council in Windsor, Ontario.

Danny Gottfried, 12, of North Andover, MA, recently spread the kindness message at his “ASPCA birthday party” by asking friends to bring toys for the animals at a local shelter rather than gifts for him. “The animals were so bored, and I have a whole room of things to play with,” says Danny, who has two cats adopted from his local ASPCA.

Enthusiasm for teamwork
Working with others toward a common goal shows kids that sharing responsibility can have a bigger impact than going it alone. Take 7-year-old Natalie Antupit of Seattle. To aid tsunami victims, she spearheaded a fund-raising bake sale at her school. “I liked working with my friends, and it was easier with people helping,” she says. “It made me feel really good to help people I didn’t know.”

Powerful pride
Volunteering is a win-win experience for kids: Every little bit they do helps, and that, in turn, is a great self-esteem booster. “Realising they did something to make someone else smile is priceless,” says Spaide. “You can’t match that feeling.”

It’s never too early to expose your child to philanthropic activities, says Kathy Saulitis, director of youth and family outreach at the Points of Light Foundation & Volunteer Center National Network, a group that promotes volunteering. To motivate children to give back, follow these expert tips.

Start small
Teach your toddler about generosity by encouraging her to share her toys, rewarding her for helping around the house, or showing her how to give a loving hug to someone who is crying or hurt.

Praise kindness
When your child does something nice for someone, compliment him. Say, “Thank you for helping Mommy pick up those clothes” or “It’s so nice of you to share your book with Timmy.”

Set an example
Let your kids see you doing generous acts — even helping an elderly person grab something from a high grocery shelf will make an impression. “If parents do it, children will do it,” says Saulitis.

Talk about reaching out
Slip a newspaper article about a family in need under your child’s plate and discuss it over dinner or direct her attention to causes that spring from the news. “We have talked a lot as a family about Hurricane Katrina — imagining what it would be like to lose your home, school, even friends,” says Kelly Collison, 46, of Cincinnati.“As a result, my 10-year-old son, Quinn, started selling milk shakes and lemonade door-to-door to raise money for the Red Cross.”

Get their input
By asking your child for her ideas (e.g., “Our neighbour, Mr. Andrews, is sick. What should we do?”), you’re saying that her opinions count. “This makes a kid feel valued, which empowers and motivates her,” says Saulitis.

Remember the end goal
Showing kids the full circle of their volunteer work makes them want to do more. After your child has collected canned food for the homeless, take her with you to drop it off at the shelter or church so she can see firsthand the results of her work.

Appeal to their interests
Encourage your child to choose an activity that he’s passionate about. “Kids love to show what they’re good at,” explains Saulitis. “And the more you draw on their abilities, the more motivated they become.”

Children who love animals can...
• Bake dog biscuits or cat treats and deliver them to a local animal shelter. Or visit the animals to give them much-needed love.
• Walk or bathe the pet of an elderly or sick neighbour.
• Choose a cow or another animal to buy for a family in a developing country through Heifer International (heifer.org).
Children who love being around younger kids can...
• Teach a young neighbour to ride a bike, tie his shoelaces, or tell time.
• Collect money from family members and take a deserving child to lunch and a holiday play. (Ask your local church for suggestions for whom to take.)
• Tutor younger kids after school.
Children who love nature can...
• Organise a litter patrol for the schoolyard or neighbourhoods playground.
• Help plant flowers at a local park.
• Cut and arrange fresh flowers and deliver them to patients at a local hospital.
Children who love the arts can...
• Make holiday greeting cards and give them to the elderly at a senior centre.
• Offer to do gift-wrapping for an elderly neighbour or an overstressed new mom.
• Help paint a hospital, shelter, or community-centre mural. (Go to artistshelpingchildren.org for local projects.)
Children who love to read can...
• Lead story times at libraries and shelters.
• Collect books and magazines from neighbours and deliver them to shelters, day-care centres, and hospitals.
• Read to elderly nursing-home residents who have vision problems.
Children who love interacting with people can...
• Visit a convalescent home and take wheelchair-bound patients for walks.
• Go to a homeless shelter and play with the kids who live there.
• Put together simple bag lunches and distribute them to the homeless.
• Organise a canned-food drive at school and prepare and serve the food to the homeless at a local church or shelter.

****

Sir Arthur C. Clarke completes 90 ‘orbits around the sun

---

Sir Arthur C. Clarke completes 90 ‘orbits around the sun’

By Thilina Heenatigala
Sir Arthur Charles Clarke, is a writer, under-water explorer, science popularizer and futurist, - the last surviving member of what was sometimes known as the “Big Three” of science fiction, which included Robert A. Heinlein and Isaac Asimov. He completes his 90th orbit today, December 16, 2007.

The achievements of Arthur C. Clarke, unique among his peers, bridge the arts and sciences. His works and his authorship have ranged from scientific discovery to science fiction, from technical application to entertainment, and have made a global impact on the lives of present and future generations.

Arthur C. Clarke is the son of an English farming family, born in the seaside town of Minehead, Somerset, England on December 16, 1917. As a young boy, he enjoyed star gazing and reading old American science-fiction pulp magazines. After secondary school and studying at Huish’s Grammar School, Taunton, he was unable to afford a university education, and then he moved to London in 1936, and pursued his early interest in space sciences by joining the British Interplanetary Society. There he started to experiment with astronautic material in the BIS, contributed to the BIS Bulletin, and began to write science fiction.

As with so many young men at the time, when World War II started in 1939, he joined the Royal Air Force, eventually becoming an officer in charge of the first radar talk-down equipment. He was involved in the early warning radar defence system which contributed to the RAF’s success during the Battle of Britain. Clarke actually spent most of his service time working on Ground Controlled Approach (GCA) radar. Although GCA did not see much practical use in the war, after several more years of development it was vital to the Berlin Airlift of 1948-1949. He was demobilised with the rank of Flight Lieutenant.
Later, his only non-science-fiction novel, Glide Path, was based on this work.

After the war, he returned to London and to the BIS, becoming its president in 1947-50 and again in 1953.
His most important contribution - geostationary satellites, would be ideal telecommunications relays. He was the first in the world to propose this concept, doing so in a paper privately circulated among the core technical members of the BIS in 1945. The concept later was published in a UK periodical magazine, Wireless World in October of that year as a technical paper “Extra-terrestrial Relays” laying down the principles of the satellite communication with satellites in geostationary orbits - a speculation realised 25 years later.

During the evolution of his discovery, he worked with scientists and engineers in the USA, in the development of spacecraft and launch systems, and addressed the United Nations during their deliberations on the, ‘Peaceful Uses of Outer Space’. His invention has brought him numerous honours, such as the 1982 Marconi International Fellowship, a gold medal of the Franklin Institute, the Vikram Sarabhai Professorship of the Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad, the Lindbergh Award and a Fellowship of King’s College, London. Today, the geostationary orbit at 42,000 kilometres is named The Clarke Orbit by the International Astronomical Union.

After leaving the RAF in 1946, he resumed his formal studies and was awarded a Fellowship at King’s College, London where he obtained first class honors in Physics and Mathematics in 1948.

While Clarke had a few stories published in “Fanzines” between 1937 and 1945, his first professional sales appeared in Astounding Science Fiction in 1946: “Loophole” was published in April. The first story Clarke sold professionally was “Rescue Party”, written in March 1945 and appearing in Astounding Science in May 1946. Along with his writing, Clarke briefly worked as Assistant Editor of Science Abstracts (1949) and also contributed to the Dan Dare series.

Thereafter he devoted himself to writing full-time from 1951 onward. He went on to become a prolific writer of science fiction, renowned worldwide and with more than 70 titles to his name. Among his many non-fiction works, “Profiles of the Future” (1962) looked at the probable shape of tomorrow’s world and stated his “Three Laws”.

In 1948, he wrote “The Sentinel” for a BBC competition. Though the story was rejected, it changed the course of Clarke’s career. Not only was it the basis for A Space Odyssey, but “The Sentinel” also introduced a more mystical and cosmic element to Clarke’s work. Many of Clarke’s later works feature a technologically advanced but prejudiced mankind being confronted by a superior alien intelligence. In the cases of The City and the Stars, Childhood’s End, and the 2001 series, this encounter produces a conceptual breakthrough that accelerates humanity into the next stage of its evolution.

He met and quickly married Marilyn Mayfield, an American, on June 15, 1953. They split in December 1953, although the divorce was not finalized until 1964. As Clarke says, “The marriage was incompatible from the beginning. It was sufficient proof that I wasn’t the marrying type, although I think everybody should marry once”.

In 1954, Clarke wrote to Dr. Harry Wexler, then chief of the Scientific Services Division, U.S. Weather Bureau, about satellite applications for weather forecasting. From these communications, a new branch of meteorology was born, and Dr. Wexler became the driving force in using rockets and satellites for meteorological research and operations.

Clarke first visited Colombo, Sri Lanka (at the time called Ceylon) in December 1954 and started to give up his interest in space, for the ocean. About the reasons, he said: “I now realise that it was my interest in astronautics that led me to the ocean. Both involve exploration, of course - but that’s not the only reason. When the first skin-diving equipment started to appear in the late 1940s, I suddenly realized that here was a cheap and simple way of imitating one of the most magical aspects of spaceflight - weightlessness.”

Clarke has lived in Sri Lanka since 1956, first in Unawatuna on the south coast, and then in Colombo. He has long been an avid scuba diver and a member of the Underwater Explorers Club. Living in Sri Lanka also afforded him the opportunity to visit the ocean year-round. It also inspired the locale for his novel The Fountains of Paradise, in which he first described a space elevator. This, he believes, ultimately will be his legacy, more so than geostationary satellites, once space elevators make space shuttles obsolete.

In 1959, with his colleague/friend, late Herschel Gunewardena, he founded the Ceylon Astronomical Association (now known as Sri Lanka Astronomical Association). Through the Association, Clarke and his colleuges did a tremendous amount of work to improve sceince-astronomy in Sri Lanka.

In 1964, he started to work with the noted film producer Stanley Kubrick on a science fiction movie script. As the idea developed, it was decided that the story for the film was to be loosely based on Clarke’s short story The Sentinel, written in 1948 as an entry in a BBC short story competition. Originally, Clarke was going to write the screenplay for the film, but this proved to be more tedious than he had estimated. Instead, Kubrick and Clarke decided it would be best to write a novel first and then adapt it for the film upon its completion. However, as Clarke was finishing the book, the screenplay was also being written simultaneously.

Four years later, he shared an Oscar nomination with Kubrick at the Hollywood Academy Awards for the film version of “2001: A Space Odyssey”. Then, in 1985, he published a sequel, “2010: Odyssey Two” and worked with Peter Hyams on the movie version. Their work was done using a Kaypro computer and a modem, linking Arthur in Sri Lanka and Peter Hyams in Los Angeles, leading to a book “The Odyssey File - The Making of 2010.”

In television, Clarke worked alongside Walter Cronkite and Wally Schirra for the CBS coverage of the Apollo 12 and 15 space missions. His thirteen-part TV series Arthur C. Clarke’s Mysterious World in 1981 and Arthur C. Clarke’s World of Strange Powers in 1984 has now been screened in many countries. He made part of other TV series about space, such as Walter Cronkite’s Universe series in 1981.

In 1988, he was diagnosed with post-polio syndrome and since, has needed to use a wheelchair most of the time. On 10 September 2007, while commenting on the Cassini probe’s Flyby of Iapetus, Clarke mentioned that he now is completely wheelchair-bound by polio, and does not plan to leave Sri Lanka again. But as he says, quote- “ Being completely wheel-chaired doesn’t stop my mind from roaming the universe – on the contrary!”

In early 1998, with Prince Charles visiting Sri Lanka in order to make the investiture, Clarke was scheduled to be made a knight. During this time – just before the ceremony took place- a British tabloid, The Sunday Mirror, claimed in a sensationalist story that Clarke was an avowed paedophile, giving supposed quotations from Clarke about the harmlessness of his predilection for boys. Clarke released a statement saying that, “the accusations are such nonsense that I have found it difficult to treat them with the contempt that they deserve.” He also added, “I categorically state that The Sunday Mirror’s article is grossly defamatory and contains statements which in themselves and by innuendo are quite false, grossly inaccurate and extremely harmful.” He later asked that the investiture of his knighthood be delayed, “in order to avoid embarrassment to His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales during his visit to Sri Lanka.” In answer to the newspaper’s allegations, Clarke was investigated by Sri Lankan authorities, who eventually dismissed the accusations. The Sunday Mirror later printed a retraction and Clarke was made a Knight Bachelor on May 26, 2000, in a ceremony in Colombo.

Three wishes...

As Sir Arthur C. Clarke turns 90 this year, on December 16th, on a recent message he released for his birthday he says, “As I complete 90 orbits, I have no regrets and no more personal ambitions. But if I may be allowed just three wishes, they would be these:
Firstly, I would like to see some evidence of extra-terrestrial life. I have always believed that we are not alone in the universe. But we are still waiting for ET’s to call us – or give us some kind of a sign. We have no way of guessing when this might happen – I hope sooner rather than later!

Secondly, I would like to see us kick our current addiction to oil, and adopt clean energy sources. For over a decade, I’ve been monitoring various new energy experiments, but they have yet to produce commercial scale results. Climate change has now added a new sense of urgency. Our civilization depends on energy, but we can’t allow oil and coal to slowly bake our planet…

The third wish is one closer to home. I’ve been living in Sri Lanka for 50 years – and half that time, I’ve been a sad witness to the bitter conflict that divides my adopted country.
I dearly wish to see lasting peace established in Sri Lanka as soon as possible. But I’m aware that peace cannot just be wished -- it requires a great deal of hard work, courage and persistence.”

The writer
is General Secretary of Sri Lanka Astronomical Association.
http://aalk.lakdiva.net
http://thilinaheenatigala.blogspot.com
thilina_atn@yahoo.com
Send your well-wishes and greetings to Sir Arthur on his 90th birthday at http://sirathurcclarke90.blogspot.com
Watch his birthday message at http://thilinaheenatigala.blogspot.com

Citi HiTz, 24 Hours Sinhala Movie Channel , launched !!!

Citi HiTz, launched !!!

A new channel dedicated for the entertainment in Sinhala Language has begun today, 10th december. This channel is now available via Diolog Satellite TV in southern region of Asia. Below facilities are available on that channel called " Citi HiTz".

1. Un-Interruption Movies, without adds.
2. Sinhala Language films
3. Tel dramas , The whole drama without interruptions can be seen in one day.not wants to wait till next week or the day to watch remain parts.
4. Not government restrictions affected.
5. Awards winning ceremonies
6. Programmes of Film songs in Sinhala.
7. Seen of movies making.
8. New information and news only regarding film industry.
9. Making new films calling "Home Box Office" to broadcast via "CitiHiTz".
10. The only Satellite Sinhala Films channel , not available FTA (Free To air on normal antenna).

Hope this "CitiHiTz" will go through the world via many satellites reaching thousands of people worldwide. Now , subtitles aren't available. If DTV ( Dialog TV) sells this channel to other networks like "Dish TV", TaTa, etc. many people will be able to watch Sinhala Films with subtitles. Now, It's too early to predicts. We wish "CitiHiTz" untouchable great future !

Fairness fever

Fairness fever

Sudu... a pathological obsession

By Namini Wijedasa

http://www.lakbimanews.lk/

Even as we speak, Hollywood stars are digging into their pockets to pay for an artificial tan. Essentially, they want to be brown for Christmas - because they are “sick of pasty, white winter skin”.
Legions of other white-skinned people are sunning themselves on beaches in warm countries hoping to look like us when they get home.
Back here, though, advertisements for fairness creams are competing for public attention with bomb alerts and emergency numbers. A popular brand promises unmatched radiant fairness in four weeks. Beautiful, dark skinned women dramatically improve their marriage prospects by using the product (and presumably whitening their skins). Others clinch lucrative modelling contracts or TV jobs that they couldn’t secure as darker incarnations of themselves. There is even a fairness meter on offer, to determine just how much whiter your skin has become after piling on these creams.

Not only women

The fairness market is booming. And how? Soaps and creams have hit the shelves in Sri Lanka. Other products - including foaming cleansers, day lotions and night creams - are being sold through multi- level marketing and ‘down-liners’.
Unilever said that, according to LMRB Sri Lanka, 40% of Sri Lankan households buy fairness creams annually. Around 11% of households in Sri Lanka buy fairness creams monthly. Fair & Lovely has a 69% market share and sales have doubled over the past five years. “In short, the category of skin lightening or fairness creams is on a growth momentum in Sri Lanka,” Unilever concludes.
So, what is it about Sri Lanka and its fixation with fair? For one thing, the marriage proposals - as oft quoted as they may be - continue to entertain. Fairness is marketed (in different combinations) as a virtue that makes a person more marriageable. Pretty, fair, tall. Fair, pretty, smart. Slim, fair, pretty and very fluent in English. Very fair. Fair, slim, very pretty. Fair, slim with an excellent character and a new car (the car should do the trick, if nothing else does). By contrast, fairness is rarely used as a male qualification in the marriage proposals section. The parents of prospective bridegrooms are more likely to market their height, education and income than colour of skin. But they do look for “fair, pretty, slim” partners! The cheek of it, one might add.
Many Sri Lankan women hope to produce fair skinned children, particularly girls. I consider myself to be a relatively informed - dark skinned - modern woman. I know that skin colour is hereditary. Be that as it may, I confess that even I had a phase during my pregnancy when I downed glasses of warm milk and expensive imported saffron in the bizarre belief that my daughter would be born fair. I cringe when I recall this... but there it is. I know others who did the same and lamented that the seemingly timed-tested trick didn’t work.
Incidentally, my daughter was born rather white but that is more because she had just spent nine months inside an ill-lit womb with no hope of sunshine. However, I do still catch myself hoping (against myself) that her skin will retain the buttery colour it has now taken on.
Often, society insists on paleness as a prerequisite for beauty. It’s not uncommon to hear someone comment that somebody is “dark but beautiful” (kalu wunata lassanai). There are songs that take pains to emphasise that a certain kalu kella is prettier than other sudu kello. People even talk about skin colour in casual conversation. Much of this is harmless, although sometimes dark skin can be used as a derogatory label. For instance, yakek wagey kalui.

Clear skin

“I suppose people prefer fair skin because it’s prettier to look at,” mused renowned beautician Nayana Karunaratne, founder of the Sri Lanka Association of Hairdressers and Beauticians. “It has nothing to do with Western concepts or the colonial hangover because Sri Lankans wanted to be fair even before the white people came here. They applied various things on their skin for this purpose.”
Asked whether she felt fair skin was more attractive, she said: “No. I think the most beautiful asset is clear skin. A lot of black men and women look fantastic with clear, shining, healthy skin.”
Questioned, then, whether she thought the passion for paleness was harmful, she replied: “I don’t think it’s a bad thing at all, wanting to be a little fairer.” At the same time, she cautioned strongly that, “No one can never ever become fairer than what he or she was born with. That is one hundred per cent sure.”
Skin can, however, get burnt strongly and harshly in Sri Lanka’s climate. “Most sunburn can be removed very easily,” Nayana said. “But to be effective, bleaching and skin lightening products have to be used monthly because the epidermal layer renews itself every 28 days. So you may acquire a lighter skin, provided it was originally light, but unfortunately it’s going to fall off next month my dear, and you will have to start over.”
Nayana said also that skin lightening products are not harmful because they mostly use fruit acids to do the job. Unilever said Fair & Lovely uses a combination of vitamin B3 and UV-A + UV-B sunscreens.
The company maintained, too, that Asian women do not use skin lightening creams to look like European women. Most Asian women aspire to a tone which is one or two shades lighter than theirs.
On a psychological level, however, this fairness obsession can be traumatic for some. A friend has a dark skinned daughter and a fair skinned one. Both are beautiful, with exquisite features.
The dark one is just five-years-old. The fair one is two. Both have often been exposed to discussions about the difference in their skin colour. One day, they were sharing a bathtub when my friend spied the dark one rubbing her hands over the fair one’s arms and then rubbing her own skin, saying, “I want to be white like you.”
My friend also recalls going to a party where several women, observing her fairer offspring, pointedly told her: “You have a beautiful daughter.” My friend responded sharply: “Thank you, but I have two beautiful daughters.” Not that it made a difference. The fairness madness is too ingrained in the Sri Lankan psyche.
So it endures, this mania. People everywhere in the country are aspiring to achieve greater whiteness - or white greatness. But judging by the marriage proposals, there aren’t many women who need assistance.
Every other marriageable girl in the country is already fair. And pretty. And slim.

Why men like to marry younger women

Why men like to marry younger women

Why men like to marry younger women

By Roger Highfield, Science Editor

Last Updated: 12:01am GMT 05/12/2007

The reason that men like to marry women who are years younger than themselves has been discovered: they have more grandchildren as a result.

Read the Human Life History Project And it turns out that men have the most children when their partners are around 15 years their junior. Michael Douglas, 63, married a much younger Cathering Zeta Jones, 38 There are many more well known "May to December" relationships such as Tony Curtis, 82, and Jill Vandenburg, 40, Des O'Connor, 75, and Jodie, 38, Michael Douglas, 63, and Catherine Zeta Jones, 38, or the late Anna Nicole Smith who married an ailing 89 year old oil tycoon when she was only 26. Indeed, records show that most men marry younger women. A study published today in the journal Biology Letters, provides evidence that the reason for these unions is that men prefer young women due to their high fertility while women prefer older men due to their wealth and high social status, which make them good providers for the offspring. Although this idea has been around for a long time, few studies have been done to show that this is true and have demonstrated that more and healthier children are the result.

Now Dr Samuli Helle, University of Turku, has found the answer with the help of a study of the nomadic Sami, the "reindeer people" of Finland.

Finnish parish records from the 17th to 19th century on three Sami populations, who depended on reindeer herding, fishing and hunting for their livelihood, make it possible for researchers to disentangle the effects of medical progress on the number and life span of Sami men who married only once.

What they found was that the men maximized their "evolutionary fitness" - ability to pass on their genes to future generations - by marrying women who were 14.6 years younger, and vice versa.

"Those men had the highest number of offspring surviving to adulthood," said Dr Helle, who did his study with Drs Virpi Lummaa of the University of Sheffield and Jukka Jokela of the ETH in Zurich.

"Young Sami women were the most fertile and had the highest reproductive value, whereas older Sami men had acquired enough skills needed for successful hunting, fishing and reindeer herding and, most importantly, wealth to be good providers for the progeny and thus desirable mates," they conclude.

However, most couples failed to marry with this huge age difference, usually opting for a small difference, suggesting that there were social factors at work too, so that Sami society frowned as much on a big age difference as we do today.

Last week, Dr Helle reported another Sami study which showed that warm years skewed birth sex ratio towards males, so that one per cent more boys were born for each degree C rise the previous year.

Similar findings have been seen in Germany and, in the late 20th century Europe, more males we born in southern latitudes than in northern latitudes. But Dr Helle said the underlying reason and the mechanisms are not understood.

There are still around 75,000 Sami ("sapmelas" in Sami) and their homeland ("Sapmi" in Sami) reaches from Central Norway and Sweden through the northernmost part of Finland and into the Kola Peninsula.

A Great Drawing , From School to Universe !

From school to Universe !

This Drawing is one of the most colorful pictures we've seen. Has drawn by, Chaturi Himashi, 14 years student of Matara Central College, Sri Lanka.She has the ability to rise up her talent in time to come with age, 'cose still she a very small child with ability.

We are proud of you having with us. Because she is a one of student of our institite, The Future Global Educational Center, (T.F.G.E.) in Matara, Southern Provence of Sri Lanka.

She's drawn this one to send for a competition in India.
But, not going to send it explaining there are some incorrect parts in the picture. She said , with that reasons it'll not be able to win in the competition.

An Indian Man marries dog as atonement

Man in India marries dog as atonement

AP Photo: P. Selvakumar, left, places a garland on a sari-draped former stray female dog named Selvi...

NEW DELHI - A man in southern India married a female dog in a traditional Hindu ceremony as an attempt to atone for stoning two other dogs to death — an act he believes cursed him — a newspaper reported Tuesday.

P. Selvakumar married the sari-draped former stray named Selvi, chosen by family members and then bathed and clothed for the ceremony Sunday at a Hindu temple in the southern state of Tamil Nadu, the Hindustan Times newspaper said.

Selvakumar, 33, told the paper he had been suffering since he stoned two dogs to death and hung their bodies from a tree 15 years ago.

"After that my legs and hands got paralyzed and I lost hearing in one ear," he said in the report.

The paper said an astrologer had told Selvakumar the wedding was the only way he could cure the maladies. It did not say whether his situation had improved.

Deeply superstitious people in rural India sometimes organize weddings to dogs and other animals, believing it can ward off certain curses.

The paper showed a picture of Selvakumar sitting next to the dog, which was wearing an orange sari and a flower garland.

The paper said the groom and his family then had a feast, while the dog got a bun.

Colombo-Kandy: From footpath to expressway

Colombo-Kandy: From footpath to expressway

- JP

In 1972, Ceylon Observer Features Editor Eustace Rulach satirised Sri Lanka’s road and transport system in an article titled, `Tourist Ceylon in the year 2072.’ It is about a group of foreigners travelling from Colombo by tourist coach to the Katunayake airport. Two hours later, the tired and shaken passengers clamber off the coaches. One elderly tourist tells another, “I heard my grandpa talk about this trip to the airport from the city, and that it took longer than the flight to Bangkok. My God! That was eighty years ago, and I thought he was joking!”

Our road conditions are not far different today from what they were in 1972 owing to the increasing volume of vehicular traffic. Sri Lanka’s annual loss due to faulty road systems is around Rs.200 billion, according to a survey that the Moratuwa University conducted a few years ago. Needless to say this problem will continue until the planned network of expressways linking the country’s major towns and cities are completed.

How did our grand parents and their elders cope with such situations? To begin with they did not face the transport difficulties we face today. There were four very good reasons for this: (1) life moved at a much lower pace and people travelled less (2) an excellent railway system that was almost never hampered by work stoppages or strikes (3) there was far less vehicular traffic on the highways and (4) towns were much less congested. In the very early part of the last Century, the Galle-Colombo road - say from Moratuwa to Pettah - was half the width of what the same stretch is today.

There were no motor vehicles in Sri Lanka and most parts of the world until the beginning of the 20th Century since the first petrol-driven automobile was invented only in1885. Although the Dutch (1658-1796) constructed a network of roads encircling the island’s coastal belt this country’s most important road - the Colombo-Kandy highway - was built only after the Kandyan Kingdom fell to the British.

But around 2000 years ago at the peak of the ancient Sinhala civilisation our kings did construct some excellent roads and mileposts some of which were discovered in Anuradhapura and Polonnaruwa. These however were built long before Sri Lanka’s encounter with the Western powers and the subsequent establishment of the Kandyan kingdom.

Following the European occupation of the Maritime Provinces the Kandyan Kings did not allow the building of any roadways linking the hill country with the low lands for a very good reason. The non-existence of a road network made it extremely difficult for the foreign forces occupying the coastal areas to reach the hill capital. The jungle bordering the kingdom was kept thick and only footpaths were allowed to penetrate it.
This environment was ideal for waging guerilla warfare against any invader. The policy made good dividends in an age when ox caravans, horse-back and palanquins were the principle means of transport.

At the time it took as long as 10 days to reach Kandy along the cart-track-cum-foot path from Colombo whereas today it is a matter of two-and-a-half-hour journey by motor vehicle or train.
When the British decided to open up the jungle and build a roadway it was primarily for military purposes rather than for public use. Later with the dawn of the coffee era the road began to serve commercial objectives as well.
The credit for the construction of the Colombo-Kandy road goes to Governor Sir Edward Barnes who assumed office in 1820. While the first sod was cut in 1820 and the trail was completed in 1821, the road was not open to traffic until 1825. Even then it had a few culverts and bridges that were not completed until 1833 and the metalling was not begun until 1841.

Contract labour was employed to build the part of the road which went through the low country. This work was under the direction of Captain Frazer who was noted for his lurid language. When complaints were made against him Governor Barnes responded by saying that Frazer was just the man for the job since it required a person who was willing to “dam the streams” and “blast the rocks.”

Another military officer, Major Skinner was appointed to build a portion of the Kandy Road from Ampitiya to Warakapola, just above the half-way mark. He noted in his diary that the natives with whom he had to work were “totally unskilled labourers who had never seen a yard of made road in the country, for the best of reasons that such a thing did not exist”.
The villagers that Skinner mentions were working under a system inherited from the Sinhala Rajakariya system, under which the tenant of a property might be required to do two-weeks work for the State. A similar system prevailed in England in the Middle-Ages. Since labour was not paid, it was necessarily inefficient. Even worse was that the whole labour force changed every two weeks and a new labour force had to be taught how to exactly set about working.

This system, which was abolished in 1832, was going on all along the Kandyroad though there was also a Corps of Pioneers recruited for the purpose. Skinner’s fellow officers were a cheerful hard-working crowd and it appears that some of them died due to excessive drinking rather than by accidents during road building.

A bigger menace was malaria - called ‘jungle fever’ in those days since its connection with the mosquito was then unknown.
Building the road to the hill country literally became an uphill task since every night wild elephants broke down the embankments. In addition marshes, quagmires, swamps, pools and puddles posed a major challenge to the engineers and workers. But completed the road was enabling travellers to get to Kandy within a day by horse-drawn carriage.
While the road was under construction in 1822 a pontoon bridge was thrown across the Kelani River to span it at Grandpass. This bridge carried all the traffic that passed the point until the Victoria Bridge was opened for traffic in 1895.

The Gordon Bridge across the Hingula Oya was completed in 1822 and a few other minor bridges too came up by 1825. Two other important bridges - one across the Maha Oya at Mawanella and the other across the Mahaweli Ganga at Peradeniya were both completed in 1832.
The latter was of course spanned by the famous Wedge Bridge comprising one single span of 250 feet. Although it was to be done entirely of satin-wood some milla was substituted for its lower ribs during the latter part of the construction due to a shortage of satin wood. However it did not reduce its value for it was a piece of master-craftsmanship.

This was designed on the instructions of Lt. General John Frazer based on the system of wedge bridges. The bridge was constructed in Colombo and on completion transported to Peradeniya where it was erected by Captain A. Brown without a single nut or bolt of any kind!
This too withstood all the traffic for 72 long years until an iron structure replaced it in 1905. A model of this satin-wood bridge was taken to be exhibited permanently in the South Kensington Museum in London.
After the Kandy Road was opened to the public, toll points (a modern day feature in developed countries) were established at the bridge of boats at Grandpass, Atulugama, Ambepussa Bridge, Anguruwella, Kadugannawa Pass and the Peradeniya Bridge.

No uniformity of rates prevailed in the early period and occasionally it led to confusion and exploitation of road users. To rectify this defect an Ordinance titled, “For establishing an uniform rate of tolls on the road from Colombo to Kandy...” was passed in 1841. These tolls were chargeable upon passengers, carts, carriages, cattle and other animals and goods.
There were also concessions to certain people enumerated in the Ordinance and the Government Agent was the proper authority to direct the toll-keepers in writing to permit cattle driven to grass, persons with agricultural implements or with seed grain to cultivate their land and school children to and fro, to pass a point.

The Colombo-Kandy Road ended the Hill Capital’s virtual isolation from the rest of the country. It also brought a new source of revenue to the Colonial Government as well as immense wealth to several hundred entrepreneurs with the opening up of land for coffee cultivation, soon afterwards.
The dawn of the motor vehicle era, saw a mixture of both old and new modes of transport on the Colombo-Kandy Road as elsewhere. These included what we today call ‘old crocks’ or vintage cars and buses with rubber (bulb) horns, long footboards and cranks (used for starting the engine), bullock carts, horse-drawn carriages and ox-drawn buggies.

Lake House was among the companies that operated a Colombo-Kandy bus service beginning in the 1920s. Horse drawn carriages continued to ply on our roads till about the late 1930s. However even in the mid 1950s I remember seeing as a child a few pony-drawn carriages in the Anuradhapura town.
The length of the island’s road network today is about 92700 km. The roads linking the provinces belong to the A class while those connecting the districts belong to B class. These roads are 11600 km in total length. The roads belong to the C, D and E categories are 16500 km long and unclassified roads are 64000 km.
New challenges - however - are bound to occur with the completion of expressways. . The problem however is that neither the police nor the emergency rescue services, pedestrians’ and local residents, are aware of road safety issues linked to super highways of this type.

According to Romesh Fernando, a one-time public awareness specialist at a Swedish consultancy firm, such expressways will require new facilities such as emergency phones at regular intervals to alert traffic police and emergency services. New regulations, he states, would also be necessary to facilitate the use of seat belts, speed control in designated lanes and the halting of vehicles.

www.friday.lk

Indian girl born with eight limbs stable

BANGALORE, India, Saturday (AFP) -

A two-year-old Indian girl separated from her conjoined twin was doing well today after regaining consciousness for the first time after a gruelling 27 hours of surgery. Lakshmi, who had been born with eight limbs, was under observation at the intensive care unit of Sparsh Hospital in this southern Indian city where doctors completed the surgery Wednesday.

This handout picture shows Indian girl Lakshmi, who was born with eight limbs sitting on her mother Poonam’s lap at a hospital in Bangalore. AFP

“Lakshmi is in satisfactory condition and all her parameters are within normal limits,” said T. Ramesh, the hospital spokesman. Chief paediatric surgeon Sharan Patil, who led the team of 36 medics that performed the surgery -- the first of its kind in India -- said that the little girl was “stable.”She regained consciousness on Friday and was in good spirits, able to open her eyes and move her fingers and toes slowly, Patil said earlier.

Yesterday afternoon, doctors took her off the ventilator to which she had been attached. They plan to shift her from intensive care to a private ward in about two days and put her on a schedule of physiotherapy to strengthen her legs and teach her how to walk. Prior to surgery doctors gave Lakshmi an 80 percent chance of surviving the procedure.

Her parents, who are from a remote district in the eastern Bihar state, were allowed to spend about 15 minutes with her on two occasions on Friday and were happy to see her conscious and recovering from the surgery, said the doctor. The girl, born with four arms and four legs, had the extra limbs removed in the operation after having been born fused at the pelvis to a headless “parasitic twin” that stopped developing in the womb.

She had absorbed the organs and body parts of the undeveloped foetus, a condition that occurs once in 50,000 conjoined twin births, requiring the rare, risky operation. Doctors said the girl would have been unlikely to live into her teens with her condition.

Lakshmi was brought to Bangalore by her parents Shambhu, a manual labourer, and Poonam, for the surgery. The hospital bore the cost of the operation, estimated at 2.4 million rupees (about 60,000 dollars).

Ban on cell phones for under 18s In Sri Lanka ?

Ban on cell phones for under 18s?

By Nadia Fazlulhaq
The Sunday times

The Ministry of Child Development and Women’s Affairs is hoping to introduce a ban or implement strict regulations in 2008 over the use of mobile phones by youth under 18.

The main intention of bringing the ban is to minimize the misuse of mobile phones by youngsters and to minimize abuses through mobile phones Ministry Secretary Mrs. Indrani Sugathadasa said that although any legal documents have not been prepared, Minister Sumedha Jayasena has given directives to organize discussions with relevant authorities, including the Attorney General’s Department.

“Youth under 18 are very vulnerable. Many children and youth send SMSs which has a bad impact on language use and watching pornography through mobile phones is a great threat to their mental development. We also see many youngsters misusing camera phones Playing games through mobile phones ” she said.

How to Become Rich Someday ! _Part 2

How to Become Rich Someday

There are many way to become rich, but many more to become poor. Of course it's usually not easy and many quick methods involve a lot of risk. so take your time and follow these steps to build your wealth.

Note that people have different perceptions of what it means to be rich. In this article we will define rich as having a fortune higher than $1 million.

Steps

Start by investing in your most important asset: Your mind

1. Doing well in school and getting an education in a high-paying profession such as doctor, lawyer, economist, etc. will give you a head-start and a safe economic position.
2. Learn about basic economics such as Compound interest and investment strategies.
3. Develop yourself all your life. Increase your professional skills, leadership skills, financial skills, social skills and general life skills. Making yourself valuable will increase your chances regardless of your path to riches.
4. Develop a vision; why should you become wealthy? Based on this, set your goals. You wont rise up unless you are able to build and focus your ambition.

Invest

1. Start investing as early as possible. Do not wait until you have "enough" money to invest. You will end up with a larger account in the end if you start investing a small amount early and keep adding more regularly.
2. Make smart investments

If you don't understand what you are investing in, don't. Start with something easy like index funds. They have fewer ups and downs than individual stocks, and you will not have all your eggs in one basket.

1. For safety: Stay as debt free as possible. A paid-for education and a paid-off house will enable you to invest more money in the stock market or your own business. Only gear up low-risk investments with loans.
2. Starting now is better than never starting. The power of compound interest can make anyone wealthy. Example: Investing only $10 every year at 15 % annual profit will give you over $1,3 million after 70 years.

Start your own business

1. It is always better to be an employer than an employee, if you are disciplined and able to devote time and money. Learn all you can about running a business. Take a class. Ask an experienced business owner for advice. Be careful, though. Many businesses fail, especially in their first year. You could end up with considerable debt, no savings, and no benefits. Get help!
2. Entrepeneurs make up the majority of millionaires, it is high risk, but it is also the most likely way to become truly wealthy. Few people amass great wealth through other means. Less than 1 % become a millionaire through "other" means such as being a rockstar, winning the lottery, etc. So unless you inherit wealth your best shot is doing this.
3. Note that you can start your own business part-time. For example by going into real estate, purchasing, renovating and selling homes is a commong way for building wealth for people without money to invest.

Be Smart

1. Learn about budgeting, credit, and debt. Learn how credit cards work! If you get into debt early it can sabotage your progress.
2. Put an amount of money in the bank monthly. 10, 20, 30 dollars is good - $100 is better. By the time you get old, retirement would be easy. (See segment about compound interest).
3. If you are in college and can't afford an apartment and don't like those nasty dorms, then gather with 3 or 4 people, and buy a good sized house while splitting the payment. It'd probably cost less than a apartment.

Extremely high risk/dubious morality: not covered in this article

• Stealing
• Lottery
• Gambling
• Importing drugs
• Seducing a rich person with the hopes of marrying into wealth

On the other hand, there haven't been covered any specific ways in this article.

Please update........

Sources : Wikihow.com

Bopath Ella’s captivating cascade

A day in the life of...
Bopath Ella’s
captivating cascade

Text and photography by W. A. Mahil

The Nation
True to its name, Bopath Ella fall dazzles! A frothy white foam bursts forth from Kuru Ganga which starts from the Adams Peak mountain range. The sheet of water that comes crashing down envelops the area in a fine mist.

As you approach the waterfall, the sound of water echoes all around. When you look up, practically nothing is visible except for a blinding white curtain, which against the sunlight makes the surrounding rolling hills look blue.

Bopath Ella is Sabaragamuwa’s most picturesque waterfall, as voiced by every visitor to this place. The breathtaking spot is about five kilometres away from Kuruwita on the Colombo-Ratnapura main highway. The perennial waterfall is a hot spot for picnickers and lovers from all over the island. The place is too charming to be ignored.

Travelling about five kilometres from Kuruwita, the narrow road branches off on to the right which is motorable for half a kilometre, after which you have to park your vehicle at the car park, maintained by Kuruwita Pradeshiya Saba for a charge of 30 rupees, and wade through a shallow stream to reach the waterfall. For those who can’t wade in the water to reach the waterfall there is a canoe operating in the stream by a villager.

During holidays, visitors throng the area and many people are seen bathing at the small shallow stream at ground level. Unmindful of the crowd, I walked on the pebbled muddy road leading to the waterfall. While absorbing the lush beauty of the environ, I could not ignore the severe environmental pollution in the place. Specially the young crowds who come there to enjoy, take liquor and leave the broken bottles causing grave environmental pollution in the vicinity of the waterfall.

The villagers in the area have a tremendous opportunity to earn their livelihood by selling various goods to the visitors, setting up their stalls beside the road. I learnt from the trader who sells foods to visitors in the spot, that these are evergreen and semi-evergreen forests where small animals like rabbits and fox and a few varieties of birds are occasionally spotted in the periphery. Back to the falls, the continuous stream of white foam at a height of 30 metres, is definitely a sight worth freezing.

It is interesting to see how the waterfall is compartmentalized. The gushing stream actually crashes down like a Bo leaf between two huge rock boulders, curves and forms a second sheet of water. After the steep fall, the water gathers and cascades over another rock boulder.

There are several small streams straying off here and there by the side where you can relax and spend as much time as you want at Bopath Ella falls, even for a whole day.

****

Girl Born With 4 Arms, 4 Legs Has Successful Surgery

Lakshmi Tatma Had a 25 Percent Chance of Dying During Surgery

(AP Photo)

By NICK SCHIFRIN
NEW DELHI, India, Nov. 7, 2007

In the desperately poor corner of Bihar, India, she was a miracle.

Tiny Lakshmi Tatma was born two years ago with four arms and four legs. The local population considered her the manifestation of a goddess. Her parents named her after the four-armed Hindu goddess of wealth.

A local circus even tried to buy her, but her parents chose health over fame and asked a team of doctors to remove her extra limbs. The surgery, conducted in Bangalore, ended successfully this afternoon.

"The child has withstood the procedure in an excellent manner," Dr. Sharan Patil, the team leader who planned the surgery for more than a month, told reporters outside the Sparsh Hospital. "This girl can now lead as good a life as anyone else."

It took more than 30 surgeons 27 hours to not only remove two of Lakshmi's arms and two of her legs but also to rebuild much of her body and save her organs. They say the chances of death were as high as 25 percent.

The cost of such a complex procedure would have been $625,000, far too great for the Lakshmi's family to afford. The hospital's foundation paid.

"We are very grateful to all the doctors for seeing our plight and deciding to help us," Tatma's father, Shambhu, told The Associated Press.

The doctors "worked relentlessly through the night to make the operation successful," Patil said, adding there had been "no setback at any stage of the surgery."

Half a Twin

Lakshmi Tatma, 2, sits in the lap of her mother, Poonam, a day before the marathon surgery

Lakshmi is essentially one half of a conjoined twin without a living sibling. Her condition is called ischiopagus. In the womb, a "parasitic twin" stopped developing, but Lakshmi absorbed its arms and legs, its kidneys, its stomach and chest cavities as well as a series of nerves.

The surgery removed the extra body parts and unfused Lakshmi's spine from her twin's. To rebuild her pelvis, surgeons used tissue from the twin. And to save her kidney, doctors said, they had to remove it from the "parasitic abdomen" and move it into Lakshmi's own abdomen. She may still need more surgeries.

Conjoined twins occur in about one in every 200,000 births, and their survival rate can be as low as 5 percent.

Tutankhamun's mummy to Be Displayed for 1st Time

Tutankhamun's mummy to Be Displayed for 1st Time

http://emi-argentina.blogspot.com/

The mummy of King Tutankhamun will soon go on display for the first time, exposing the bare face of the boy king, Egyptian officials have announced. The mummy will be removed from its sarcophagus and placed in a climate-controlled glass case in the antechamber of the pharaoh's tomb in Luxor in November (see Egypt map).

"I am taking [the mummy] out to show it to the public for the first time," said Zahi Hawass, secretary general of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities.

The move is part of an effort to preserve the mummy, which has been in poor condition since it was first discovered, Hawass explained.

Archaeologist Howard Carter unearthed Tutankhamun's treasure-filled tomb in 1922, the first discovered with its riches so intact.

But Carter and his team partly destroyed the mummy in search of more treasures buried with the pharaoh, separating it into 18 sections, Hawass said.

Humidity and heat, much of it generated by the breath of the tomb's 5,000 daily visitors, have also taken a toll.

"Right now the mummy has no special protection from the humidity in the tomb," Hawass said. "The new case will be specially sealed to protect it from this sort of damage."

The pharaoh's remains will be partially rewrapped in linen with the face of the pharaoh left uncovered, according to Mansour Boraik, general supervisor of the Supreme Council of Antiquities in Luxor.

Officials hope the display will increase the number of visitors and generate profit for the conservation of other Egyptian antiquities.

"The 'golden boy' has magic and mystery that bring people from all over the world," Hawass said.

(Hawass is a National Geographic Society explorer-in-residence. National Geographic News is a division of the National Geographic Society.)

The mummy has been examined four times before, but it has never been seen by the public.

In 2005 Hawass opened the sarcophagus to perform a series of CT scans that allowed researchers to create a reproduction of the king's face.

(See photos of Tut's mummy and reconstructed face.)

"I was fascinated with his face," said Hawass, who noted the king's buck teeth are similar to those of the pharaoh's royal ancestors.

"Meeting King Tut face to face was very personal. … It was an important moment in my life."

Tutankhamun became pharaoh at the age of nine, ruling for only ten years in the 14th century B.C. before meeting an untimely death.

(Read: "King Tut Died From Broken Leg, Not Murder, Scientists Conclude" [December 1, 2006].)

Awakening the Curse

Exposing the mummy is likely to resurrect the myth of the pharaoh's curse, once believed to bring tragedy to those who disturb the tomb.

Most famously, Carter's sponsor, Lord Carnarvon, died shortly after entering the tomb from an infected mosquito bite.

Other tragedies were also blamed on the curse, and some experts have said ancient toxins lying in the tomb could have played a role.

"There is always mystery about King Tut, and it will never stop," Hawass said.

"Of course this will reawaken fears of the curse, as any new project involving the tomb or the mummy always does."

"I don't believe in the curse at all," he added. "But the gold, the intact tomb, the curse—all this history makes everybody fascinated by King Tut."