Let us all do something this year....

44th President of United States

Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.

Place: Capitol Hill, Washington DC, US
Date: January 20, 2009
People gathered: Estimated 2 million!
Gathered for: To witness swearing in of America's first black President
Name: Barack Obama



"President" Obama's first speech

My fellow citizens:


I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the sacrifices borne by our ancestors. I thank President Bush for his service to our nation, as well as the generosity and cooperation he has shown throughout this transition.


Forty-four Americans have now taken the presidential oath. The words have been spoken during rising tides of prosperity and the still waters of peace. Yet, every so often, the oath is taken amidst gathering clouds and raging storms. At these moments, America has carried on not simply because of the skill or vision of those in high office, but because We the People have remained faithful to the ideals of our forebearers, and true to our founding documents.


So it has been. So it must be with this generation of Americans.


That we are in the midst of crisis is now well understood. Our nation is at war, against a far-reaching network of violence and hatred. Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age. Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered. Our health care is too costly; our schools fail too many; and each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet. Video Watch the full inauguration speech »


These are the indicators of crisis, subject to data and statistics. Less measurable but no less profound is a sapping of confidence across our land -- a nagging fear that America's decline is inevitable, and that the next generation must lower its sights.


Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America: They will be met.


On this day, we gather because we have chosen hope over fear, unity of purpose over conflict and discord.


On this day, we come to proclaim an end to the petty grievances and false promises, the recriminations and worn-out dogmas, that for far too long have strangled our politics.


We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things. The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.


In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of shortcuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the fainthearted -- for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things -- some celebrated, but more often men and women obscure in their labor -- who have carried us up the long, rugged path toward prosperity and freedom.


For us, they packed up their few worldly possessions and traveled across oceans in search of a new life.


For us, they toiled in sweatshops and settled the West; endured the lash of the whip and plowed the hard earth.


For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn.


Time and again, these men and women struggled and sacrificed and worked till their hands were raw so that we might live a better life. They saw America as bigger than the sum of our individual ambitions; greater than all the differences of birth or wealth or faction.


This is the journey we continue today. We remain the most prosperous, powerful nation on Earth. Our workers are no less productive than when this crisis began. Our minds are no less inventive, our goods and services no less needed than they were last week or last month or last year. Our capacity remains undiminished. But our time of standing pat, of protecting narrow interests and putting off unpleasant decisions -- that time has surely passed. Starting today, we must pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, and begin again the work of remaking America.


For everywhere we look, there is work to be done. The state of the economy calls for action, bold and swift, and we will act -- not only to create new jobs, but to lay a new foundation for growth. We will build the roads and bridges, the electric grids and digital lines that feed our commerce and bind us together. We will restore science to its rightful place, and wield technology's wonders to raise health care's quality and lower its cost. We will harness the sun and the winds and the soil to fuel our cars and run our factories. And we will transform our schools and colleges and universities to meet the demands of a new age. All this we can do. And all this we will do.


Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions -- who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans. Their memories are short. For they have forgotten what this country has already done; what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage.


What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them -- that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply. The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works -- whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. And those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account -- to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day -- because only then can we restore the vital trust between a people and their government.


Nor is the question before us whether the market is a force for good or ill. Its power to generate wealth and expand freedom is unmatched, but this crisis has reminded us that without a watchful eye, the market can spin out of control -- and that a nation cannot prosper long when it favors only the prosperous. The success of our economy has always depended not just on the size of our gross domestic product, but on the reach of our prosperity; on our ability to extend opportunity to every willing heart -- not out of charity, but because it is the surest route to our common good.


As for our common defense, we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals. Our Founding Fathers, faced with perils we can scarcely imagine, drafted a charter to assure the rule of law and the rights of man, a charter expanded by the blood of generations. Those ideals still light the world, and we will not give them up for expedience's sake. And so to all other peoples and governments who are watching today, from the grandest capitals to the small village where my father was born: Know that America is a friend of each nation and every man, woman and child who seeks a future of peace and dignity, and that we are ready to lead once more.


Recall that earlier generations faced down fascism and communism not just with missiles and tanks, but with sturdy alliances and enduring convictions. They understood that our power alone cannot protect us, nor does it entitle us to do as we please. Instead, they knew that our power grows through its prudent use; our security emanates from the justness of our cause, the force of our example, the tempering qualities of humility and restraint.


We are the keepers of this legacy. Guided by these principles once more, we can meet those new threats that demand even greater effort -- even greater cooperation and understanding between nations. We will begin to responsibly leave Iraq to its people, and forge a hard-earned peace in Afghanistan. With old friends and former foes, we will work tirelessly to lessen the nuclear threat, and roll back the specter of a warming planet. We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.


For we know that our patchwork heritage is a strength, not a weakness. We are a nation of Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus -- and nonbelievers. We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.


To the Muslim world, we seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West: Know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.


To the people of poor nations, we pledge to work alongside you to make your farms flourish and let clean waters flow; to nourish starved bodies and feed hungry minds. And to those nations like ours that enjoy relative plenty, we say we can no longer afford indifference to suffering outside our borders; nor can we consume the world's resources without regard to effect. For the world has changed, and we must change with it.


As we consider the road that unfolds before us, we remember with humble gratitude those brave Americans who, at this very hour, patrol far-off deserts and distant mountains. They have something to tell us today, just as the fallen heroes who lie in Arlington whisper through the ages. We honor them not only because they are guardians of our liberty, but because they embody the spirit of service; a willingness to find meaning in something greater than themselves. And yet, at this moment -- a moment that will define a generation -- it is precisely this spirit that must inhabit us all.


For as much as government can do and must do, it is ultimately the faith and determination of the American people upon which this nation relies. It is the kindness to take in a stranger when the levees break, the selflessness of workers who would rather cut their hours than see a friend lose their job which sees us through our darkest hours. It is the firefighter's courage to storm a stairway filled with smoke, but also a parent's willingness to nurture a child, that finally decides our fate.


Our challenges may be new. The instruments with which we meet them may be new. But those values upon which our success depends -- hard work and honesty, courage and fair play, tolerance and curiosity, loyalty and patriotism -- these things are old. These things are true. They have been the quiet force of progress throughout our history. What is demanded then is a return to these truths. What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility -- a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation and the world; duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.


This is the price and the promise of citizenship.


This is the source of our confidence -- the knowledge that God calls on us to shape an uncertain destiny.


This is the meaning of our liberty and our creed -- why men and women and children of every race and every faith can join in celebration across this magnificent Mall, and why a man whose father less than 60 years ago might not have been served at a local restaurant can now stand before you to take a most sacred oath.


So let us mark this day with remembrance, of who we are and how far we have traveled. In the year of America's birth, in the coldest of months, a small band of patriots huddled by dying campfires on the shores of an icy river. The capital was abandoned. The enemy was advancing. The snow was stained with blood. At a moment when the outcome of our revolution was most in doubt, the father of our nation ordered these words be read to the people:
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"Let it be told to the future world ... that in the depth of winter, when nothing but hope and virtue could survive... that the city and the country, alarmed at one common danger, came forth to meet [it]."


America. In the face of our common dangers, in this winter of our hardship, let us remember these timeless words. With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come. Let it be said by our children's children that when we were tested, we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back, nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God's grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.

Source: CNN.com, timesofindia.com

Happy New Year 2009

Obama is the US president!

Another man to live his dreams!!!

Videos of Barack Obama claiming victoy in the US 2008 elections. The first African-American to ever climb the stairs of the White House.

Listen to his opening statement...

Part-1



Part-2



Part-3

Google turns 10!!!

The Google doodle (as seen on Google.com homepage) on its 10th birthday (today) is explained by Marissa Mayer, VP Search Products & User Experience, and Dennis Hwang, Webmaste, on the official google blog (http://googleblog.blogspot.com) -

Today you'll see a special design that commemorates our 10th birthday. We've incorporated a little bit of history by using the original Google logo from 1998. And since everyone keeps asking what we'd like for our birthday (besides cake and party hats) -- the first thing we thought of was a nice new server rack.

(Interesting) Did you knows about Google -

1. When the "Google Guys" (Larry Page and Sergey Brin) met at Stanford, and started a search engine... it was initially called BackRub! It was so widely used in Stanford that many times the servers went down. A web archive from the stanford library saying that the search engine is down is below (click on the link) - Sorry, many services are unavailable due to a local network faliure beyond our control. We are working to fix the problem and hope to be back up soon. 12/4/97

2. The academic paper they submitted at Stanford explaining the PageRank algorithm is here. Click on this link - Academic paper.

3. Google's first headqurters.... was a garage!!! Click here to know more on the house that helped build Google.

4. Google's April fools jokes -

Google MentalPlex - (Year 2000) - FAQ and Illustrations for correct usage :))
Googlunaplex - (2004) - Google hiring for its new research centre on the moon!!
Google Romance - (2006) - Google Romance is a place where you can post all types of romantic information and search for your Soulmate! :)

Read on for more of Google history here - Google Timeline

Happy Birthday Google!!! :))

Dream of a producer - Debutant producer Ravi Rai has sent "Tingya" to Oscar as an independent category.

After the selection of Aamir Khan's directorial debut, Taare Zameen Par (TZP) as the official Indian entry for the Oscars, Marathi film 'Tingya' is set to enter in nomination of the coveted award through independent entry. The Marathi film 'Tingya' directed by debutant Mangesh Hadawale is based on the on the issue of farmer suicides in Maharashtra. The plot of the film deals with the life and surroundings of six year child named Tingya and his obsession for his bull. The makers of the film said that 'Tingya' will be sent to Oscars as an independent entry in the Foreign Language Film category.

Produced by Ravi Rai, 'Tingya' has garnered much of appreciation in all national and international film festivals apart from winning 37 awards including five international ones. The film has also bagged two awards at Pune Film Festival. The child artist of the film Shrad Geokar has also clinched the Critics' Award for Best Actor at the Pune Film Festival.

Read on - TINGYA pips CHAK DE INDIA, TZP

India's entry @ the Oscars this year is....

Taare Zameen Par
Source - TimesOfIndia

Today the FFI (Film Federation of India) announced that the Amir Khan's directorial debut Taare Zameen Par will be India's official entry for the Oscar award for the best foreign film category.

A wonderful movie indeed.. desevers to be showcased at the world stage. Im sure that it will be appreciated by one n all. It has already won these many awards...

2008 Filmfare Awards

1. Best Movie- Aamir Khan (producer)
2. Best Director - Aamir Khan
3. Best Story - Amole Gupte
4. Critics Award Best Performance - Darsheel Safary
5. Best Lyricist - Prasoon Joshi

2008 Star Screen Awards

1. Best Director - Aamir Khan (shared with Shimit Amin for Chak De India)
2. Best Debut Director - Aamir Khan
3. Best Supporting Actor - Aamir Khan
4. Special Jury Award - Darsheel Safary
5. Best Child Artist - Darsheel Safary
6. Best Story - Amol Gupte
7. Best Dialogue - Amol Gupte
8. Best Lyricist - Prasoon Joshi

2008 Zee Cine Awards

1. Zee Cine Award for Best Director - Aamir Khan
2. Zee Cine Award for Best Lyricist - Prasoon Joshi, Maa
3. Zee Cine Award for Most Promising Director - Aamir Khan
4. Zee Cine Award - Critics' Choice Best Actor - Darsheel Safary
5. Most Promising Debut (Child Artiste) - Darsheel Safary
6. Zee Cine Award for Best Story - Amol Gupte

Best foreign film category at Oscar -

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has mailed Foreign Language Film award entry forms to 96 countries. As per the Academy’s press release, in order to qualify for the 2008 awards "a film must be released in the submitting country between October 1, 2007, and September 30, 2008, and be publicly screened in 35mm or 70mm film or in a qualifying digital cinema format for at least seven consecutive days in a commercial motion picture theater.

"The dialogue track must be predominantly in a language or languages other than English. Accurate English subtitles are required.

"Entry forms and film prints must be received at the Academy by Wednesday, October 1, 2008. Only one picture will be accepted from each country."

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Plot of Taare Zameen Par
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Ishaan Awasthi(Darsheel Safary) is an eight-year old boy who hates school. Every subject is difficult for him and he perpetually fails his exams. He also lacks motor coordination skills and finds it difficult to throw a ball in a straight line. Rather than helping him, his teachers and classmates subject him to constant acts of public humiliation. At the same time, Ishaan's internal world is rich with wonders that no one else seems to appreciate:magical lands filled with color and animated animals;letters which morph into an advancing army of spiders; and adventures in space between the battling planets 9 and 3.

It is no better at home. His father (Vipin Sharma) is a successful and busy executive who expects the best from his boys. His mother (Tisca Chopra) is a housewife who is perpetually frustrated by her inability to help Ishaan excel. Ishaan's elder brother Yohaan (Sachet Engineer) is a successful scholar/athlete, a fact which Ishaan is constantly reminded of. After discovering that Ishaan "bunked" school (in addition to having poor grades), his parents send him to boarding school to be 'disciplined'.

Life at the boarding school does not help Ishaan to excel, despite being befriended by Rajan (Tanay Cheda). Instead, he sinks into a perpetual state of fear and depression as he now has to contend with the added trauma of separation from his family. This changes, however, when a new temporary art teacher "Nikumbh Sir" (Aamir Khan) joins Ishaan's boarding school. Nikumbh, with his characteristic teaching style that is markedly different that his strict predecessor, soon becomes popular among the students. He begins to notice that Ishaan is unhappy and a non-contributor to activities in the class (despite creating an atmosphere in the class that actively seeks contribution from the students). Disturbed, Nikumbh begins to review Ishaan's past work and determines that all of his "failures" are actually reflective of dyslexia.

On his day off, Nikumbh visits Ishaan's parents and asks to review more of his work. He is also stunned by the sophistication of Ishaan's paintings. Nikumbh tells Ishaan's parents that Ishaan is a bright child who processes information differently than the other children in class. He describes dyslexia to them and clarifies that this is a neurological condition which is not a sign of low intelligence. He also tells them he can provide extra tutoring which will help Ishaan succeed. To support this argument, Nikumbh highlights Ishaan's artistic ability as demonstrated by his many paintings and creative works-of-art. In order to make his point, Nikumbh demands that Ishaan's father read a box with Japanese text. When Mr. Awasthi states that he cannot read the text, Nikhumbh reprimands him. In doing so, Nikhumbh demonstrates to them what Ishaan struggles with on a daily basis.

When he returns to the school, Nikumbh brings up the topic of dyslexia one day in class and offers a list of famous people who are considered dyslexic: Albert Einstein, Leonardo Da Vinci, Walt Disney, Agatha Christie, Thomas Edison, Pablo Picasso, and actor Abhishek Bachchan. As the students are leaving the classroom Nikumbh asks Ishaan to stay back. At that time Nikumbh reveals that he has experienced the same difficulties with dyslexia. Nikumbh also conveys the same information to the principal of the school and asks if he can act as a tutor for Ishaan. After gaining the Principal's assent, Nikumbh then proceeds to teach Ishaan using remedial techniquesLalita Lajmi (who portrays herself in the movie). Ishaan, with his strikingly creative style is declared the winner, while his teacher, Nikumbh (who paints Ishaan's portrait) is declared the runner up. developed by specialists in the area of dyslexia. Ishaan soon develops interest in language and mathematical skills and his grades improve. Towards the end of the year, Nikumbh organizes an art fair for staff and students alike. The competition is judged by

When Ishaan's parents meet his teachers on the last day of school, they are speechless over the changes in him as he has improved in all of his subjects. Before leaving for the holidays, Ishaan runs to hug his teacher. The film ends with a freeze frame shot of Ishaan being tossed in the air by Nikumbh as if he were flying.

Cast -

• Aamir Khan as Ram Shankar Nikumb
• Darsheel Safary as Ishaan Awasthi
• Tanay Cheda as Rajan Damodran
• Sachet Engineer as Yohaan Awasthi/Dada
• Tisca Chopra as Mrs. Awasthi/Mama
• Vipin Sharma as Mr.Awasthi/Papa

For more visit TaareZameenPar.com - Official website of TZP

Bear v/s Bulls of World Stock Market

Last few weeks Stock market has seen the biggest slump in recent times. With Lehman filing for bankruptcy and other financial institutions dragging, its really a bad time for investors. The ripple effect can be seen - low investments, small companies closing, jobs lost, delay in new projects/ventures etc etc. The bearish market is here to stay for sometime. Some researchers say that it could see swings for another 3-6 months depending on how the federal banks pump money and support these companies.

Talking of market, there are two prominent figures that is refered to always in Stock Market. The Bear and the Bull - two animals associated with the stock market movement. Now, i was just wondering why bear and bull... why not giraffe and rat, or horse and snail.... u know!

For those who don't spend a lot of time on Wall Street/sensex, bulls and bears refer to opposite trends in the stock market. According to Investor Words, a bull market is "a prolonged period in which investment prices rise faster than their historical average." Conversely, a bear market means "a prolonged period in which investment prices fall, accompanied by widespread pessimism." So, bulls good, bears bad...

No one's quite sure how the two animals came to symbolize the market, but there are a few theories floating around. According to Motley Fool, a bear market earned its name because bears tend to swat at things with their paws in a downward motion (as in "the market's going down"). A bull market, on the other hand, got its name because bulls swing their horns upward when they strike (as in "the market's going up").

Another theory proposes that the animals' personalities are behind the symbolism. Bears move with caution, while bulls are bold and like to charge ahead. So a "bearish" investor thinks the market will go down, while a "bullish" investor thinks it's headed up.

Now you know why bear v/s bull!!!! :)

The Battle Inside

One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people. He said, "My son, the battle is between 2 wolves.

"One is Evil. It is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority and ego.

The other is God. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith."

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, "Which wolf wins?"

The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."

India makes it to the Elite Club

India could not have been kept out of the elite club any longer. Well, there is no better illustration of India's impeccable stature at the world stage... Today the NSG has given a go ahead to the India-Centric wavier of Nuclear fuel supplies. Surely an historic day for India. The magnitude of this gesture/decision is very significant as far as India is concerned. When the 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) approved a US plan to engage in nuclear trade with India, it means that India is no more isolated from the Elite club of nuclear nations to exchange nuclear technology/fuel for civilian purposes. More than that i feel the world recognises India, values and trusts its commitment to the non proliferation of nuclear technology/weapons. I use the words recognises, values and trusts because, India has shown great maturity in its nuclear program that it was just a matter of time that the world rewarded India and backed the Indo-US nuclear deal. Mind you, this recognition comes without india signing NPT or even the CTBT. In other words India's commitment and its moratorium on conducting further nuclear tests and its non-proliferation is seen almost as being on par with NPT agreement. This is stupendious victory for India, and history has always shown that India is unique and special, and cannot be seen like any other nation around the world. India is indeed incredible, thats the voice that seems to be buzzing at the NSG meet. With the Indo-US Civil Nuclear Cooperation being approved and given a go ahead, India has finally come out of the 34-year old nuclear apartheid. India was barred from holding any nuclear trade with any of the NSG member nations after the May 1998 Pokhran tests by India. With the help of US proposal to NSG, this fencing has been demolished so that it clears/paves the way for India to have bilateral nuclear commerce with any of the NSG member nations.

As pointed out on my previos blog, the three vital points of Indo-US nuclear deal seeing light were-

1] Get the US congress to change laws which will permit America to extend civilian nuclear help to India,

2] Get the Nuclear Suppliers Group to accept the deal and be open to nuclear cooperation with India and

3] Have IAEA to prepare India-specific safeguards, which indicates that the nuclear rules and regulations which apply to NPT countries will not be the same for India.

India and US have successfully crossed the first two hurdles. The thrid one is all procedural now for both the nations to start the nuclear co operation.

Well done India!!!!!

India and US have emerged from the all the hurdles and hassles, in getting the nod for this deal, which is indeed historic and very important for the energy security of India and or the Indo-US relations.