Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Anti Racism

One of the poems that i read in the mail.
This poem was nominated by UN as the best poem of 2006, Written by an African Kid

When I born, I black
When I grow up, I black
When I go in Sun, I black
When I scared, I black
When I sick, I black
And when I die, I still black

And you white fellow
When you born, you pink
When you grow up, you white
When you go in sun, you red
When you cold, you blue
When you scared, you yellow
When you sick, you green
And when you die, you gray

And you calling me colored??

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Top 10 Richest men in the world

#1 Warren Buffet

Age: 77

Fortune: self made

Source: Berkshire Hathaway

Net Worth: $62.0 bil

Country Of Citizenship: United States

Residence: Omaha, Nebraska , United States, North America

Industry: Investments

Marital Status: widowed, remarried, 3 children

Education: University of Nebraska Lincoln, Bachelor of Arts / Science Columbia University, Master of Science

America's most beloved investor is now the world's richest man. Soared past friend and bridge partner Bill Gates as shares of Berkshire Hathaway climbed 25% since the middle of last July. Son of Nebraska politician delivered newspapers as a boy. Filed first tax return at age 13, claiming $35 deduction for bicycle. Studied under value investing guru Benjamin Graham at Columbia. Took over textile firm Berkshire Hathaway 1965. Today holding company invested in insurance (Geico, General Re), jewelry (Borsheim's), utilities (MidAmerican Energy), food (Dairy Queen, See's Candies). Also has noncontrolling stakes in Anheuser-Busch, Coca-Cola, Wells Fargo. Insurance operations flourished in 2007. "That party is over. It's a certainty that insurance-industry profit margins, including ours, will fall significantly in 2008." The Oracle of Omaha issued a challenge to members of The Forbes 400 in October; said he would donate $1 million to charity if the collective group of richest Americans would admit they pay less taxes, as a percentage of income, than their secretaries. Had long promised to give away his fortune posthumously. Irrevocably earmarked the majority of his Berkshire shares to charity in 2006, mostly to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Gift was valued at $31 billion on day of announcement; donation will far exceed that sum so long as Berkshire shares continue to rise.


#2 Carlos Slim Helu & family

Age: 68

Fortune: self made

Source: telecom

Net Worth: $60.0 bil

Country Of Citizenship: Mexico

Residence: Mexico City , Mexico, Latin America

Industry: Communications

Marital Status: widowed, 6 children

Education:

Second-richest man in the world this year; even richer than Microsoft's Bill Gates, at least for now, thanks to strong Mexican equities market and the performance of his wireless telephone company, America Movil. The son of a Lebanese immigrant, Slim made his first fortune in 1990 when he bought fixed line operator Telefonos de Mexico (Telmex) in a privatization. In December, America Movil struck a deal with Yahoo to provide mobile Web services to 16 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. A widower and father of six, Slim is a baseball fan and art collector. He keeps his art collection in Mexico City's Museo Soumaya, which he named after his late wife. In recent years, he has donated close to $7 billion worth of cash and stock to fund education and health projects, and to the revitalization of Mexico City's downtown historical district.


#3 William Gates III

Age: 52

Fortune: self made

Source: Microsoft

Net Worth: $58.0 bil

Country Of Citizenship: United States

Residence: Medina, Washington , United States, North America

Industry: Software

Marital Status: married, 3 children

Education: Harvard Drop Out

Harvard dropout and Microsoft visionary no longer the world's richest man. Blame Yahoo: Microsoft shares have fallen 15% since the company boldly attempted to merge with the search engine giant to better fight Google for Internet dominance. Gates is preparing to give up day-to-day involvement in the company he cofounded 33 years ago to spend more time focused on his philanthropic endeavors. Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has $38.7 billion in assets, donates to causes aimed at bringing financial tools to the poor, speeding up the development of vaccines (for AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis), bettering America's lagging high schools. Sells 20 million Microsoft shares every quarter, proceeds going to private investment vehicle Cascade; more than half of net worth now outside of Microsoft. Company spent $6 billion to land Web ad firm Aquantive last May. Would-be rival to Apple's iPod, the Zune, not yet a hit. Believes Microsoft's far-flung bets, including 10-year affair with Internet-based television, may soon pay off; says next 10 years will be the "most interesting" in software history


#4 Lakshmi Mittal

Age: 57

Fortune: inherited and growing

Source: steel

Net Worth: $45.0 bil

Country Of Citizenship: India

Residence: London , United Kingdom, Europe & Russia

Industry: Manufacturing

Marital Status: married, 2 children

Education: St Xavier's College Calcutta, Bachelor of Arts / Science

Heads world's largest steelmaker, $105 billion (sales) ArcelorMittal, which accounts for 10% of all crude steel production. Just delivered 580 tons to be used in construction of the World Trade Center memorial in New York. With 44% stake, is the company's largest shareholder. Longtime resident of London is Europe's richest resident


#5 Mukesh Ambani

Age: 50

Fortune: inherited and growing

Source: petrochemicals

Net Worth: $43.0 bil

Country Of Citizenship: India

Residence: Mumbai , India, Asia & Australia

Industry: Manufacturing

Marital Status: married, 3 children

Education: University of Bombay, Bachelor of Chemical Engineering Stanford University, Master of Business Administration

Asia's richest resident heads petrochemicals giant Reliance Industries, India's most valuable company by market cap. His fortune is up $22.9 billion since last year, making him the world's second biggest gainer in terms of dollars. The biggest gainer was his estranged brother Anil, who ranks 6th in the world just behind his older brother. The sons inherited their fortune from their late father, renowned industrialist Dhirubhai Ambani. But they couldn't get along and in 2005 their mother brokered a peace settlement breaking up the family's assets. Mukesh is using some of his money to build a 27-story home


#6 Anil Ambani

Age: 48

Fortune: inherited

Source: diversified

Net Worth: $42.0 bil

Country Of Citizenship: India

Residence: Mumbai , India, Asia & Australia

Industry: Diversified

Marital Status: married, 2 children

Education: University of Bombay, Bachelor of Arts / Science University of Pennsylvania Wharton School, Master of Business Administratio

The year's biggest gainer, Anil Ambani, is up $23.8 billion in the past year, and is closing gap with estranged brother, Mukesh, who ranks one spot ahead of him in the world at number five. The sons inherited their fortune from their late father, renowned industrialist Dhirubhai Ambani. But they couldn't get along and in 2005 their mother brokered a peace settlement breaking up the family's assets. A marathon runner, his biggest asset is his 65% stake in telecom venture Reliance Communications. He recently raised $3 billion from the highly anticipated initial offering of his Reliance Power, the biggest in India's history. Despite the hype, the stock tumbled 17% immediately after its February listing. In a bid to appease investors, company's board recently approved the issue of bonus shares. Still feuding with brother Mukesh: battling him in court over a gas-supply


#7 Ingvar Kamprad & family

Age: 81

Fortune: self made

Source: Ikea

Net Worth: $31.0 bil

Country Of Citizenship: Sweden

Residence: Lausanne , Switzerland, Europe & Russia

Industry: Retailing

Marital Status: married, 4 children

Education:

Peddled matches, fish, pens, Christmas cards and other items by bicycle as a teenager. Started selling furniture in 1947. Now his company Ikea, which sells hip designs for the cost conscious, is one of the most beloved retailers in the world, with an almost cultlike following. Ikea now has stores in 40 countries, from Sunrise, Florida, to Guangzhou in China. As egalitarian as his brand, Kamprad avoids wearing suits, flies economy class and frequents cheap restaurants. Has been quoted as saying that his luxuries are the occasional nice cravat and Swedish fish roe. Says his home is furnished mostly with his own Ikea products. Last May was awarded the Global Economy Prize by the University of Kiel for his contributions to society


#8 KP Singh

Age: 76

Fortune: inherited and growing

Source: real estate

Net Worth: $30.0 bil

Country Of Citizenship: India

Residence: Delhi , India, Asia & Australia

Industry: Real Estate

Marital Status: married, 3 children

Education:

Singh is now the world's richest real estate baron after listing his real estate development company DLF in 2007. The offering helped triple his fortune to $30 billion this year, up from $10 billion. A former army officer, known as K.P., he joined his father-in-law's Delhi Land & Finance in 1961. Singh later built DLF City in Gurgaon, his showpiece township on the outskirts of Delhi, by acquiring land from farmers. Over time, he transformed it into one of India's biggest real estate developers. Group plans to raise another $1.5 billion by listing a subsidiary in Singapore. A keen golfer, he now leaves son Rajiv, daughter Pia to run operations.


#9 Oleg Deripaska

Age: 40

Fortune: self made

Source: Russian Aluminum

Net Worth: $28.0 bil

Country Of Citizenship: Russia

Residence: Moscow , Russia, Europe & Russia

Industry: Diversified

Marital Status: married, 2 children

Education:

Former metals trader survived the gangster wars in the post-Soviet aluminum industry. His holding company, Basic Element, now owns Russian Aluminum (UC Rusal), automobile manufacturer GAZ, aircraft manufacturer Aviacor and insurance company Ingosstrakh. In 2006 Rusal, SUAL and Glencore International, of Switzerland, merged their aluminum assets into the United Company Rusal, the world's largest aluminum producer. Married to a relative of Yeltsin, Deripaska has been busy expanding UC Rusal's activities in Russia and abroad, moving it into aluminum production in Nigeria and China. To integrate vertically, has signed agreements to produce coal in Kazakhstan and invest in a nuclear power plant in eastern Russia. Attempting to get a stake in Norilsk Nickel, which co-owner (and fellow billionaire) Vladimir Potanin is fighting.


#10 Karl Albrecht

Age: 88

Fortune: self made

Source: Aldi

Net Worth: $27.0 bil

Country Of Citizenship: Germany

Residence: Mulheim an der Ruhr , Germany, Europe & Russia

Industry: Retailing

Marital Status: married, 2 children

Education:

Germany's richest man. After World War II Karl and his younger brother, Theo, developed their mother's corner grocery store into discount supermarket giant Aldi, which now has more than 8,000 stores and $67 billion in sales. They eventually split ownership and management of the chain into North and South regions. Now retired, Karl used to manage more profitable southern half of Aldi's business in Germany. Fiercely private: Little known about him other than that he apparently raises orchids and plays golf.





Monday, November 10, 2008

End of Dadagiri


When Dhoni handed over the captaincy to Ganguly after the fall of the 9th wicket in the last test of the series at Nagpur.It was symbolic of what Ganguly would be remembered as "The Best Indian Captain". His firebrand attitude towards cricket changed lot of things and is responsible for the ascent in Indian cricket.He took over the captaincy when Indian cricket was at doldrums after the match fixing scandal.
His arrival as captain marked an era of optimistic change in Indian cricket be it making Steve waugh wait;backing of youngsters like sehwag,yuvraj and zaheer.
He made aggression in him to spread throughout the team.A team which Dhoni has finally inherited,whose foundation was laid down by Sourav. (Dravid and Kumble were just a stopgap options for me)Hope Dhoni takes Indian cricket to the place where it belongs i.e. To the No 1 position.


Dada's career started in Australia as an 18 yr old.It was subject to lot of criticisms.And it eventually let to him getting axed from the side.He was later drafted into the side on the 1996 tour of england.There he made one and all stand up and admire his off-side genius.He went on to score Test century at debut,a record which still stands un-paralled in the annals of Indian cricket.His off side play was a treat to watch. Rahul Dravid had once commented "On the offside there's Ganguly and then there's God".He had the immense talent and precision of finding the fence even there were 8 on the offside.Also one of my fav shots was the down the wicket slog over mid-off that he had developed later on his career.He played this shot to the best of fast bowlers.Also his footwork against slower bowlers esp Left arm spinners was a treat to watch.



He would be remembered for taking India to the ODI world cup final,for his mesmerizing bowling spells at Toronto.His fighting 124 in the epic Dhaka final against Pakistan,His opening stands with Sachin.


Also he would be remebered for his tiffs with Greg Chappell and his eventual axing from the team also for numerous controversies that plagued his wonderful and vast career.
And definitly for his comebacks and his ability of showing grit and determination when it mattered the most.The ability that Indian cricket lacked the most.

It would have been an ultimate climax to the fairytale career of this great cricketer that he would have scored a Test Century in his final test.But fate had it otherwise and wished Sourav to bow out like the great DON.But still a fitting finale where he ended his career on his own terms with head hold high, in a series where he scored a century and a 86 against the (once)mighty and unbeatable Australia side.A side for whom ganguly had been more than just a thorn in the flesh or as aussies wud put it a royal pain in the a**.

I would like to end this blog with one of the most defining moments of Indian cricket. (3rd only to the 2 world cup triumphs acc to me)





Test Career Batting and Fielding
M I RUNS HS Ave 100 50 SR Ct
110 181 7935 239 41.78 15 34 51.28 71

Test Career Bowling Statistics
Balls Runs Wkts BB Ave Econ
3111 1681 32 3-28 52.53 3.24

Kurt Cobain's sucide note

Kurt Cobain's suicide was the most vital reason for his immortality. His
early death left everyone in a mystery questions were raised as in why such a young,successful and popular musician would contemplate ending his life at such an early age?

There were many theories put into place
(i)His wife Courtney had hatched a plan to kill him

(ii)He was depressed due to the sad state of the music industry and tired by the rockstar way of life

(iii)And the most absurd of 'em all.That he is still alive and his death was a hoax
so that he could escape from all the publicity.

I leave all the conclusions to you but i only wish that he could have committed suicide (or watever) after releasing few more albums.

Btw foll is the suicide note of Kurt Cobain wherein he states the reason for committing the act.



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To Boddah

Speaking from the tongue of an experienced simpleton who obviously
would rather be an emasculated, infantile complain-ee.
This note should be pretty easy to understand.
All the warnings from the punk rock 101 courses over the years,
since my first introduction to the, shall we say, ethics involved
with independence and the embracement of your community has proven to
be very true. I haven't felt the excitement of listening to as well as
creating music along with reading and writing for too many years now.
I feel guity beyond words about these things.For example when we're
back stage and the lights go out and the manic roar of the crowds
begins., it doesn't affect me the way in which it did for Freddie
Mercury, who seemed to love, relish in the the love and adoration from
the crowd which is something I totally admire and envy. The fact is,
I can't fool you, any one of you. It simply isn't fair to you or me.
The worst crime I can think of would be to rip people off by faking it
and pretending as if I'm having 100% fun. Sometimes I feel as if I
should have a punch-in time clock before I walk out on stage. I've
tried everything within my power to appreciate it (and I do,God,
believe me I do, but it's not enough). I appreciate the fact that
I and we have affected and entertained a lot of people. It must be
one of those narcissists who only appreciate things when they're gone.
I'm too sensitive. I need to be slightly numb in order to regain the
enthusiasms I once had as a child.On our last 3 tours, I've had a much
better appreciation for all the people I've known personally, and as
fans of our music, but I still can't get over the frustration, the
guilt and empathy I have for everyone. There's good in all of us and I
think I simply love people too much, so much that it makes me feel too
fucking sad. The sad little, sensitive, unappreciative, Pisces, Jesus
man. Why don't you just enjoy it? I don't know!I have a goddess of a
wife who sweats ambition and empathy and a daughter who reminds me too much of what i used to be, full of love and joy, kissing every person she meets because everyone is good and will do her no harm. And that terrifies me to the point to where I can barely function. I can't stand the thought of Frances becoming the miserable, self-destructive, death rocker that I've become.
I have it good, very good, and I'm grateful, but since the age of seven,
I've become hateful towards all humans in general. Only because it
seems so easy for people to get along that have empathy. Only because
I love and feel sorry for people too much I guess.Thank you all from
the pit of my burning, nauseous stomach for your letters and concern
during the past years. I'm too much of an erratic, moody baby! I don't
have the passion anymore, and so remember, it's better to burn out
than to fade away.
Peace, love, empathy.
Kurt Cobain
Frances and Courtney, I'll be at your alter.
Please keep going Courtney, for Frances.
For her life, which will be so much happier without me.

I LOVE YOU, I LOVE YOU!




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