R.I.P Steve Jobs

“Steve was among the greatest of American innovators - brave enough to think differently, bold enough to believe he could change the world, and talented enough to do it.”

“Steve, thank you for being a mentor and a friend. Thanks for showing that what you build can change the world. I will miss you.”

For those of us lucky enough to get to work with him, it's been an insanely great honor.”

“He not only gave me a lot of personal advice and encouragement, he showed all of us how innovation can change lives."

Steve Jobs

“No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don’t want to die to go there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because death is very likely a single best invention of life.”

“I’m as proud of what we don’t do as I am of what we do.”

“Quality is more important than quantity. One home run is much better than two doubles.”

“People think focus means saying yes to the thing you’ve got to focus on. But that’s not what it means at all. It means saying no to the hundred other good ideas that there are. You have to pick carefully.”

R.I.P Wangari Muta Maathai

First woman in central or eastern Africa to hold a Ph.D., first woman head of a university department in Kenya, first African woman to win the Nobel Prize in Peace.

Professor Wangari Muta Maathai

Wangari Maathai with her Nobel Prize in 2004

Wangari Maathai dancing when she returns to Nairobi with her prize in 2004

Born in 1940 in Nyeri, Wangari Maathai was able to pursue higher education, a rarity for girls in rural areas of Kenya. She earned her biology degree from Mount St. Scholastica College in Kansas and a master's degree at the University of Pittsburgh.

When she returned to Kenya, Wangari Maathai worked in veterinary medicine research at the University of Nairobi, and eventually, despite the skepticism and even opposition of the male students and faculty, was able to earn a Ph.D. there. She worked her way up through the academic ranks, becoming head of the veterinary medicine faculty, a first for a woman at any department at that university.

Wangari Maathai's husband ran for Parliament in the 1970s, and Wangari Maathai became involved in organizing work for poor people and eventually this became a national grass-roots organization, providing work and improving the environment at the same time. The project has made significant headway against Kenya's deforestation.

In 1991, Wangari Maathai was arrested and imprisoned; an Amnesty International letter-writing campaign helped free her.

In 1997 Wangari Maathai ran for the presidency of Kenya, though the party withdrew her candidacy a few days before the election without letting her know; she was defeated for a seat in Parliament in the same election.

In 1998, Wangari Maathai gained worldwide attention when the Kenyan President backed development of a luxury housing project and building began by clearing hundreds of acres of Kenya forest.

 In 1999 she suffered head injuries when attacked while planting trees in the Karura Public Forest in Nairobi, part of a protest against continuing deforestation. She was arrested numerous times by the government of Kenyan President Daniel Arap Moi.

In January, 2002, Wangari Maathai accepted a position as Visiting Fellow at Yale University's Global Institute for Sustainable Forestry.

And in December, 2002, Wangari Maathai was elected to Parliament, as Mwai Kibaki defeated Maathai's long-time political nemesis, Daniel Arap Moi, for 24 years the President of Kenya. Kibaki named Maathai as Deputy Minister in the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources and Wildlife in January, 2003.

Wangari Maathai died in Nairobi in September 25, 2011 while having treatment for ovarian cancer.

10 steps to build wealth

1. Understand the Power of Compounding: it looks odd to realise that the power of compounding is NOT taught well at school! They give you some simple examples — rarely are you taught the POWER! Even people working in financial services do not appreciate the power of compounding. Ignore this only at YOUR OWN PERIL.

2. Understand the Power of NOW: LEARN the power of starting to compound as soon as possible in life. If you have not understood, NO TIME LIKE TODAY..pick up the pen, call the advisor, click on the net — whateva…just start, NOW, TODAY.

3. Understand the Power of Regularity — start a SIP AND make sure you do it regularly — not missing a single month. If by chance you do miss a month of investing, immediately pick up a cheque and send it in! At the end of a YEAR you should have invested 12* Amount being invested every month. If suddenly you have money, top up the SAME account.

4. Understand the power of Not Touching the Money for 'n' years: Capital and Wealth creation needs long periods of growth. If you do not touch the money for any sundry purpose, leave it untouched. This helps in compounding. REmember this for life!

5. Understand the power of LEARNING: If you are willing to wish to invest in equities — directly or through mutual funds,    learn as much  as possible about equities. Invest in learning, before you invest your money.

6. If you do not (or will not) learn about equities, never mind, learn the power of indexing in equities!

7. Learn simple things like keeping your accounts in an excel sheet and keep track of the paise….the rupee will take care of itself. Track your income, collect all monies due, track your expenses, track your investing and returns.

8. For events which you know invest. For sad events which MAY happen,insure. You never know….

9.Remember delayed gratification may not be easy, learn it. Food which gives 30 seconds of pleasure on the tongue stays in your waist for 30 years. I understand this….but when I see a sweet I still fall for it. Knowing and implementing are completely different animals. Alas!

10. Invest in education, training, health, travel and fun. Very important to remember do not forget the present for doing something great in the future. The future is important, but the present is vital.

9/11 10th ANNIVERSARY, OBAMA URGES NATIONAL UNITY

President Barrack Obama

Plane going to hit the tower

Today is the 10^th anniversary of 9/11 terrorist attacks which occurred in USA on September 11, 2011 in which nearly 3000 people died.

In his weekly address, The United States President Barrack Obama sought a balance between remembering and moving forward. He also tried to summon the feeling of unity that existed after terrorists killed nearly 3,000 people.

"They wanted to deprive us of the unity that defines us as a people. But we will not succumb to division or suspicion," Obama said. "We are Americans, and we are stronger and safer when we stay true to the values, freedoms and diversity that make us unique among nations."

Obama thanked American troops who have served in the post-Sept. 11 wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. He praised the military successes that led to advances against al-Qaida and the killing of the group's leader, Osama bin Laden.

He also reaffirmed his commitment to winding down the conflicts he inherited.

"Yes, we face a determined foe, and make no mistake — they will keep trying to hit us again," Obama said. "But as we are showing again this weekend, we remain vigilant. We're doing everything in our power to protect our people."

TATA MOTORS CEO RESIGNS

Carl Peter Forster

The CEO of TATA MOTORS LTD, Carl Peter Forster (57) has resigned after serving the company for less than two years. He joined the company in 2010 coming from GENERAL MOTORS CO. where he was the head of European operations.

“I deeply regret that my personal circumstances make it difficult for me to continue to perform the challenging duties of managing the thriving global activities of the Tata Motors group with its main activities in India and the UK and increasingly in additional overseas markets,” Forster said in the release. “I am glad to continue my association with Tata Motors.”

 Forster’s resignation is a “setback” as the company struggles to boost sales at home in India. “He was one of the strong pillars for JLR,” said Pramod Amthe, an analyst with Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc in Mumbai. “His exit as the head of the business is definitely negative. Investors may not get the same level of comfort they used to get from talking to Carl.”

“The board respects Carl-Peter’s personal circumstances that led to this move,” Chairman Ratan Tata said in an e-mailed statement today. “We would like to thank him for his contributions to the successful development of our company. Forster will continue to be associated with the company as a non-executive member of the board.”

Terrorist attack in the capital city of India

A high intensity briefcase bomb rocked the crowded reception area in the Delhi High Court killing 11 people and injuring 76 today in a major terror attack that struck the Capital after a gap of three years. The blast occurred at 10.14 AM between Gate No.4 and 5 when around 200 visitors, mostly litigants, were waiting in queue to get passes to enter the premises. Several lawyers were also present at that time.

For more stories visit the links below;

http://in.news.yahoo.com/live--blast-outside-delhi-high-court.html;_ylt=Av_JmyGr9DO6xOsWX8cDGW27scB_;_ylu=X3oDMTRlajBkZWhmBGNjb2RlA3dlaWdodGVkY3QuYwRtaXQDTW9zdFBvcHVsYXIgRlAEcGtnA2U4M2E4ZTE3LTVhMTYtMzFhOC04MWMwLWJiMWU2OWNkN2QzNgRwb3MDMQRzZWMDbW9zdF9wb3B1bGFyBHZlcgM4NWVjYmJkZS1kOTZlLTExZTAtODE2Mi03Mzc2M2JlODYzMDM-;_ylg=X3oDMTFrdmw2c2k2BGludGwDaW4EbGFuZwNlbi1pbgRwc3RhaWQDBHBzdGNhdAMEcHQDc2VjdGlvbnMEdGVzdAM-;_ylv=3

http://in.news.yahoo.com/lawyers-berate-delhi-police-blast-100533839.html

http://in.news.yahoo.com/high-court-blast-19th-attack-delhi-15-years-072952016.html

http://in.news.yahoo.com/delhi-high-court-functions-lunch-123109212.html

http://in.news.yahoo.com/high-court-horror-splattered-blood-flying-body-parts-094731318.html

Japan's Prime Minister has resigned

Japan's Prime Minister, Naoto Kan

Follow the following links:

http://www.daijiworld.com/news/news_disp.asp?n_id=113549

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/japan/8723962/Japans-prime-minister-Naoto-Kan-resigns.html

http://www.voanews.com/english/news/asia/Japan-PM-Resigns-as-Party-Head-128451048.html

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44283145/ns/world_news-asia_pacific/

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/aug/26/naoto-kan-resigns-japan-pm

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-14675445

Astronomers have discovered planet made with diamond

Astronomers think they’ve found a star that was transformed and condensed into a planet made of solid diamond. An international research team made the discovery with scientists from Australia, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the United States, including Michael Kramer from the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy in Bonn, Germany.

The team was able to detect the “diamond planet” with the 64-meter radio telescope in Parkes, Australia, and found that it orbits an unusual star known as a pulsar. The astronomers consolidated their findings with follow-up observations with the Lovell radio telescope in the United Kingdom and one of the Keck telescopes on Hawaii. The pulsar and its planet lie 4,000 light-years away in the constellation Serpens. The system is about a seventh of the way toward the galactic center from Earth and is part of the Milky Way’s plane of stars.

Pulsars are small spinning stars the size of cities like Cologne that emit a beam of radio waves. As the star spins and the radio beam sweeps repeatedly over Earth, radio telescopes detect a regular pattern of radio pulses.

For more stories visit the following links:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/story/2011/08/26/science-diamond-planet.html

http://in.reuters.com/article/2011/08/25/idINIndia-58978420110825

http://news.yahoo.com/surprise-alien-planet-made-diamond-discovered-181402842.html

http://www.manchester.ac.uk/aboutus/news/display/?id=7336

Steve Job has resigned as CEO of Apple

Steve Jobs (co-founder of Apple)

Tim Cook & Steve Jobs

Timothy D.Cook (the new CEO of Apple)

Mr. Jobs, who underwent a liver transplant following pancreatic cancer, said he could no longer meet his chief executive's duties and expectations.The Silicon Valley legend will become chairman of the firm.The 56-year-old has been on medical leave for an undisclosed condition since 17 January.

"I have always said if there ever came a day when I could no longer meet my duties and expectations as Apple's CEO, I would be the first to let you know. Unfortunately, that day has come," he said in a brief letter announcing his resignation.

I will say to investors: don't panic and remain calm, it's the right thing to do. Steve will be chairman and Cook is CEO," said BGC Financial analyst Colin Gillis.

"Investors are very comfortable with Tim Cook even though Jobs has been a driver of innovation and clearly an Apple success. Tim has shown Apple can still outperform extremely well when he's been acting as CEO," said Cross Research analyst Shannon Cross.

"I don't know if it's a health issue. I don't know if it is a shock. Most likely it was going to happen at some point. Why today versus another day? I don't know."

For more story go to the following links;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aK2AArI4vh0&feature=relmfu

http://in.finance.yahoo.com/news/Apple-shares-pressure-Jobs-reuters-2020692681.html?x=0&.v=1

http://in.finance.yahoo.com/news/Investors-undaunted-Apple-reuters-302541474.html?x=0&.v=1

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-14659127

Russians to open space hotel

Russians plan to open a space hotel in 5years to come. This will be the first space hotel in history. This space hotel is expected to be launched in 2016.

The hotel will float 250 miles above the earth and will be able to accommodate a maximum of seven people at a time. Tourists who want to check in will have to undergo special training that can take up to three months, depending on the type of spacecraft they fly to the hotel. The firm says that stays can range from three days to six months.

There is no much to do up there apart from watching TV and using the internet to communicate with the people on ground. I guess most of the tourists who will benefit more are those who will be going there for the sake of doing research.

Menus will be chosen before the clients are launched. Food is prepared on the ground and shipped to space, dehydrated." No impulsive late-night snacking then. There will be no shower, but you can clean yourself with wet wipes. Fun! You can't seek solace in alcohol either, because it’s banned on board.

There is no doubt that spending vacation on space will inspire travel stories like no other. This will be a new experience that most of the people would which it to happen to them. But the question is, will it be affordable? Russia's space hotel, or “Commercial Space Station” as it’s officially called, will be aimed at crazy-rich space tourists, as well as corporate and industrial researchers. In other words, not you.  

For more information visit the links below:

http://orbitaltechnologies.ru/

http://mashable.com/2011/08/18/commercial-space-station/

August 15, the Independence Day of India

Today India is celebrating its Independence Day. It was August 15 1947 when India got her Independence from the British. This was after the struggling for Independence for several years. The struggling for Independence was led by Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi who is the father of India.

Visit the following links to see what is happening today in India:

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/as-nation-celebrates-64-yrs-of-freedom-pm-vows-to-end-corruption/832115/

http://www.breakingnewsonline.net/cricket/3388-manmohan-singh-talks-economy-on-64th-independence-day.html

http://www.thehindu.com/news/article570829.ece

http://www.microfinancemonitor.com/2011/08/15/corruption-stalks-indias-65th-independence-day/

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2011%5C08%5C15%5Cstory_15-8-2011_pg7_18

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (The father of the India Nation)

Mahatma Gandhi

Mahatma Gandhi in his childhood

Mahatma Gandhi in the dandi salt march 

Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948) was the pre-eminent political and ideological leader of India during the Indian independence movement. A pioneer of satyagraha, or resistance to tyranny through mass civil disobedience, a philosophy firmly founded upon ahimsa, or total nonviolence. Gandhi led India to independence and inspired movements for civil rights and freedom across the world. Gandhi is often referred to as Mahatma (or "Great Soul," an honorific first applied to him by Rabindranath Tagore). In India, he is also called Bapu (or "Father") and officially honoured as the Father of the Nation. His birthday, 2 October, is commemorated in India as Gandhi Jayanti, a national holiday, and worldwide as the International Day of Non-Violence.

Gandhi first employed non-violent civil disobedience as an expatriate lawyer in South Africa, in the resident Indian community's struggle for civil rights. After his return to India in 1915, he set about organising peasants, farmers, and urban labourers in protesting excessive land-tax and discrimination. Assuming leadership of the Indian National Congress in 1921, Gandhi led nationwide campaigns for easing poverty, expanding women's rights, building religious and ethnic amity, ending untouchability, increasing economic self-reliance, but above all for achieving Swaraj -the independence of India from foreign domination. Gandhi famously led Indians in protesting the British-imposed salt tax with the 400 km  Dandi Salt March in 1930, and later in calling for the British to quit India in 1942. He was imprisoned for many years, on many occasions, in both South Africa and India.

Gandhi strove to practice non-violence and truth in all situations, and advocated that others do the same. He lived modestly in a self-sufficient residential community and wore the traditional Indian dhoti and shawl, woven with yarn he had hand spun on a charkha. He ate simple vegetarian food, and also undertook long fasts as means of both self-purification and social protest.

For more information about Mahatma Gandhi visit the following links:

http://www.mkgandhi.org/biography/index.htm

http://www.iloveindia.com/indian-heroes/mahatma-gandhi/index.html

http://history1900s.about.com/od/people/a/gandhi.htm

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0003987/bio

http://www.indianchild.com/mahatma_gandhi.htm