Extra-terrestrial Microbes Rained in Kerala?

Last updated on: January 7, 2006 at 11:24 am By Desh Kapoor

Is it raining Extraterrestrial microbes in Kerala, India? This paper from Louis and Kumar seems to suggest.. although their earlier papers have not been received with much enthusiasm before... A paper to appear in a scientific journal claims a strange red rain might have dumped microbes from space onto Earth four years ago. But the report is meeting with a shower of skepticism from scientists who say extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof—and this one hasn’t got it. The scientists agree on two points, though. The things look like cells, at least superficially. And no one is sure what they are. Read more

Hindi Movies on Google Videos

Last updated on: January 6, 2006 at 11:43 pm By Desh Kapoor

Meanwhile here are a couple of movies on Google Videos for free! Neal and Nicky Apharan It seems like they are infringing the copyright but as Venkatesh reports its rather tough to get the infringement Read more

Americablog broke the Amanpour phone tap

Last updated on: January 6, 2006 at 7:12 pm By Desh Kapoor

Here's some more from the blog that first broke the news on Amanpour! [Background: We reported earlier today that NBC's Andrea Mitchell, while interviewing New York Times' reporter James Risen (the man who broke the domestic spying scandal) asked Risen if there was any evidence to suggest Bush was spying on US journalists. When Risen said none that he knew of, Mitchell then pressed the issue again and asked if there was any evidence that Bush was spying on CNN's Christiane Amanpour. We reported on the fact that Mitchell seemed to know something, and shortly thereafter NBC deleted the section of the transcript dealing with Amanpour.] Read more

CNN's Amanpour's phone tap

Last updated on: January 6, 2006 at 6:58 pm By Desh Kapoor

This is an interesting story - Christian Amanpour - that fearless lady journo from CNN - who goes in various places is under surveillance as her phones get tapped! This administration is gonna end the "freedom" as America knew it. Now, if a journo needs a story she will talk to many characters - some unsavory for sure.. now, if every one knows that these folks in media are being tapped.. would the stories come out in "first-person" EVER?? If I was a targetted person and an American journalist approached me.... I will show her my middle finger! Read more

Google and Yahoo in Media War!

Last updated on: January 6, 2006 at 4:55 pm By Desh Kapoor

Here is more on the Google and Yahoo Video and TV war.. and the warning to the other media giants: Two ascending Internet giants, Google and Yahoo, are to make plain today that they intend to move aggressively beyond the Internet browser and onto the television screen. The two companies, already the most popular services for searching and organizing the vast information on the World Wide Web, want to perform the same function for television, which will increasingly be delivered over the Internet. Indeed, much of the innovation at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, where top executives of both companies are speaking today, revolves around video gadgets of all sizes that connect online to new programming services. Read more

10 steps to Quit Smoking

Last updated on: January 5, 2006 at 9:14 pm By Desh Kapoor

The eHow network has this interesting "How to Quit Smoking".... this process could be used for any other addiction too.. what say? Below are the 10 steps: Steps: 1. Ask yourself why you want to stop smoking. 2. Write your answers on a piece of paper and carry it with you. 3. Use it to remind yourself of why you want to stop, whenever you feel like smoking. 4. Fill out a "stop smoking contract" and have a family member or friend sign it. Throw away all your cigarettes, lighters and ashtrays. Read more

Did Jesus Exist?

Last updated on: January 5, 2006 at 5:36 pm By Desh Kapoor

What if the court decides that Jesus is a figment of imagination? He never lived? I was reading Vivekananda a few days back and he was differentiating between "Hindu" religion and others. While others are based on a personality and get their sustenance from the "power" of that ONE person.. Hinduism is a more "open source" kind of philosophy.. Krishna was important.. but He is nothing if He had not been able to deliver Vedas in a concise manner called Gita! He "derives" sustenance FROM the pool of philosophy rather than the other way around as it is in other traditions. Take out the Prophet and Islam collapses.. ditto for Christianity.. Read more

Hotel collapses in Saudi Arabia with Pilgrims: 23 dead

Last updated on: January 5, 2006 at 5:07 pm By Desh Kapoor

All of a sudden everything around the world seems to be collapsing - the mine.. the Ice Rink.. now this hotel.. and its not like these things are happening in a Third World country either! A hotel at the gates to the shrines here collapsed Thursday as millions of Muslims gathered for the annual hajj, security officials said. Pan-Arab satellite television reported dozens killed or injured. Security officials said the Al Ghaza Hotel had collapsed. A French pilgrim who was at the scene said that 23 people had died. .... read more Read more

Google to offer new video download service

Last updated on: January 5, 2006 at 4:57 pm By Desh Kapoor

Google is surreptiously but surely moving towards the direction of an entertainment giant too.. it could give the online firms like Yahoo and AOL a good run for their money and probably take off the rug from under their feet! Google Inc is to allow users of its site to buy videos from content partners in an upgrade to its video-search service, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter. The newspaper said Google will announce its plans to allow consumers to buy television shows or other videos that can be downloaded onto their computers at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas on Friday. Read more

Books recommended by Indian President APJ Kalam

Last updated on: January 5, 2006 at 4:50 pm By Desh Kapoor

These five books were recommended by the Prez in his interaction with the kids... - Empires of the Minds by Denis Waitly - Journey into Light by G Venkataraman - A Brief History of Time by S Hawking - Parallel Worlds by Michao Kaku - The Best of Indian Physics by Dr Siddharth. Havent read any of them! Will need to get my hands on at least some of them soon... If any of you have read these books - please do give a brief review here if you can.. will be helpful for all! Read more