There are only 29 pieces of this Taj Mahal-embossed gold coin available for sale.

Want one? Well, you’ll have to fork out $1,40,000 or approximately Rs. 63 lakh for one of these limited edition solid gold coins.

Why? Firstly, because the coin weighs in at over 2lb, that’s about a kilo. And prices of gold have shot through the stratosphere; just 10gm costs Rs. 20,000 right now.

Secondly, the Taj Mahal gold coin is studded with 68 hand-set Cartier diamonds. That’s a lot of bling for packed into just one kilo.

The gold coin has been produced in France for the Franklin Mint – a private American mint that manufactures limited editions collectibles including a 550gm gold-plated miniature Mercedes, where the gold costs more than $25,000 and scarily real-looking Michelle Obama dolls (unfortunately, not gold-plated!).

The Taj Mahal coin comes in a $7,000 leather case designed by French luggage designer Goyard.

The gold coin is on sale in the US.

India’s financial website Moneycontrol.com was hacked last week, as unknown hackers inserted a malicious code inside the website’s pages, making visitors to it vulnerable, US based cyber security firm Websense Security Labs said in its security alerts released on Tuesday.

According to the San Diego based Websense, the main Indian site of Moneycontrol.com was compromised and injected with malicious code on November 6, 2010. The injected code redirected users to an exploit website. “Once a user visited the Moneycontrol.com, the malicious code took the user’s browser quietly to an exploit website http://www.Brenz.pl – in a typical “drive-by” attack. Brenz.pl is an exploit site pre-loaded with an exploit kit called Eleonore,” says Websense Labs Senior Researcher Elad Sharf.

Exploit kits contain malicious programs which can be downloaded to infect a particular computer. “A list of exploits are delivered to the user’s browser once Brenz.pl is visited and any successful attempt of exploitation results with the user being infected with a Trojan called Virut,” Mr Sharf adds. Virut is a file infector that targets .exe and .scr files, extensions used for applications and scripts respectively. The site was cleaned up the next day.

Active injected codes can potentially impact a site’s performance. When a website is injected with code that leads to an exploit site, visitors generally experience hanged or slow browsers, and often a a browser crash, as well, says Sharf.

Eleonore on the other hand has potential to exploit common vulnerabilities in applications like Adobe Reader, Mozilla Firefox and Internet Explorer.

According to CERT-in, India’s Computer Emergency Response Team at Ministry of IT, SQL injection attacks are on the rise. Such an attack is designed to inject an iframe into the website source which will force visitors to download a javascript file, says CERT-in. Many websites have been found infected with such scripts. After successful exploitation, malware such as Trojans are downloaded to the user’s system, says the agency. It advises caution even while visiting trusted websites.

May the joy, cheer,
Mirth and merriment
Of this divine festival
Surround you forever.
May the happiness,
…That this season brings
Brighten your life
And, hope the year
Brings you luck and
Fulfills all your dearest dreams!
Happy Deepavali & A very Happy & Prosperous New Year

 

A big concern on top of urban transportation planner’s mind is how to speed up the traffic: putting more buses on the road will jam the roads even worse and deteriorate the air; building more subway is costly and time consuming. Well, here is an cheaper, greener and fast alternative to lighten their mind up a bit: the straddling bus, first exhibited on the 13th Beijing International High-tech Expo in May this year. In the near future, the model is to be put into pilot use in Beijing’s Mentougou District .

Proposed by Shenzhen Hashi Future Parking Equipment Co., Ltd, the model looks like a subway or light-rail train bestriding the road. It is 4-4.5 m high with two levels: passengers board on the upper level while other vehicles lower than 2 m can go through under. Powered by electricity and solar energy, the bus can speed up to 60 km/h carrying 1200-1400 passengers at a time without blocking other vehicles’ way. Also it costs about 500 million yuan to build the bus and a 40-km-long path for it, only 10% of building equivalent subway. It is said that the bus can reduce traffic jams by 20-30%.

Here is the presentation by Song Youzhou, chairman of  Shenzhen Hashi Future Parking Equipment Co., Ltd.

“What you can see from the video is traffic jams, what you can hear is noise, and there is also invisible air pollution. At present, there are mainly 4 types of public transits in China: subway, light-rail train, BRT, and normal bus. They have advantages and disadvantages, for example, subway costs a lot and takes long time to build; BRT takes up road spaces and produces noises as well as pollution to the air. How to develop environmental-friendly public transportation? Straddling bus provides a solution. Let’s watch a demonstration.

The straddling bus combines the advantages of BRT, it is also a substitution for BRT and subway in the future. As you all know, the majority vehicle on the road is car, the shortest vehicle is also car. Normally our overpass is 4.5-5.5 m high. The highlight innovation of straddling bus is that it runs above car and under overpass. Its biggest strength is saving road spaces, efficient and high in capacity. It can reduce up to 25-30% traffic jams on main routes. Running at an average 40 km/h, it can take 1200 people at a time, which means 300 passengers per cart.

Another strength of straddling bus is its short construction life cycle: only 1 year to build 40 km. Whereas building 40-km subway will take 3 years at best. Also the straddling bus will not need the large parking lot that normal buses demand. It can park at its own stop without affecting the passage of cars. This is what the interior looks like: it has huge skylight that will eliminate passengers’ sense of depression when enter.

There are two parts in building the straddling bus. One is remodeling the road, the other is building station platforms. Two ways to remodel the road: we can go with laying rails on both sides of car lane, which save 30% energy; or we can paint two white lines on both sides and use auto-pilot technology in the bus, which will follow the lines and run stable.

There are also two ways in dealing with station platform. One is to load/unload through the sides; the other is using the built-in ladder so that passengers can go up and to the overpass through the ceiling door.

Straddling bus is completely powered by municipal electricity and solar energy system. In terms of electricity, the setting is called relay direct current electrification. The bus itself is electrical conductor, two rails built on top to allow the charging post to run along with the bus, the next charging post will be on the rails before the earlier one leaves, that is why we call it relay charging. It is new invention, not available yet in other places.

The set here is super capacitor, a device that can charge, discharge and store electricity quickly. The power it stores during the stop can support the bus till the next stop where another round of charging takes place, achieving zero toxic gas throughout the process.

About the ultrasonic waves put forth from the end of the bus, that is to keep those high cars or trucks away from entering the tunnel. Using laser ray to scan, cars get too close to the passage will activate the alarm on the bus end. Inside the bus, there are turning lights that indicate a the bus is intending to make a turn to warn the cars inside. Also radar scanning system is embedded on the walls to warn cars from getting too close to the bus wheels.

Nowadays many big cities have remodeled their traffic signaling system, to prioritize public buses, that is to say when a bus reaches a crossing, red light on the other side of the fork will turn on automatically to give buses the right of way. Our straddling bus can learn from this BRT method. The car can make the turn with the bus if that is the direction it wants to go too; if not, the red light will be on to stop the cars beneath while the bus take the turn.

The bus is 6 m in width and 4-4.5 m high. How will people get off the bus if an accident happens to such a huge bus? Here I introduce the most advanced escaping system in the world. In the case of fire or other emergencies, the escaping door will open automatically. I believe many of you have been on a plane. Planes are equipped with inflated ladder so people can slide down on it in emergency. I put the escaping concept into the straddling bus. It is the fastest way to escape.

The bus can save up to 860 ton of fuel per year, reducing 2,640 ton of carbon emission. Presently we have passed the first stage demonstration and will get through all of the technical invalidation by the end of August. Beijing’s Mentougou District is carrying out a eco-community project, it has already planned out 186 km for our straddling bus. Construction will begin at year end.

Thank you”.

Indian T20 team fared miserably at the WorldCup T20.

Probable reasons floating around:

• The team was too tired due to IPL matches.
• The team members made enough money in IPL; so WCT20 does not matter much.
• The IPL parties were too much tiring.
• Match-fixing ? (not ruled out)
• Strategies were known, as they were shared during the IPL matches between players of different countries.

Well, whatever the reasons, the fact remains that the IPL took its toll on the WorldCup T20. Had the had some time to rest, probably they would have fared better.

IPL made everybody a millionaire. But what is the cost of failure of the Indian T20 team? Low rankings (does that matter, if your pockets are full); afterall the Indian public cheers the players, all the time they are on the field.

1. In prison, they spend the majority of their time in an 8′x10′ cell. At work, I spend most of my time in a 6′x8′ cubicle.

2. In prison, they get three free meals a day. At work, I only get a break for one meal and I have to pay for it.

3. In prison, you get time off for good behavior. At work, I am rewarded for good behavior with more work.

4. At work, I must wear a badge at all times. In prison, they provide you with clothing with the ID conveniently sewn into the clothes.

5. At work there is a dress standard but I must buy my own clothes. In prison there is a dress standard, but they supply the clothes for you.

6. At work I must carry around a security card and unlock and open all the doors myself. In prison, a guard locks and unlocks all the doors for you.

7. In prison, they can watch TV and play games. At work, I can be fired for watching TV and playing games.

8. In prison, you have full medical coverage with no deductibles. At work, you get partial coverage and pay all the deductibles yourself.

9. In prison, all expenses are paid by the taxpayer, with no work on their part. At work, you get to pay all the expenses to go to work, and then deduct the taxes from your salary to pay for the prisoners.

Where would you like to be?

According to press article,

Scientists have claimed that when a man refuses to apologize to a woman for something wrong he has done, he could put her at risk of a heart attack.

A study has found that women who are starved of an apology for rude or hurtful behaviour suffer an increase in blood pressure, which can raise the risk of a heart attack or stroke.

The research also showed that those who hear a well timed sorry calm down more quickly, with their blood pressure returning to normal 20% faster. On the other hand, a mans blood pressure takes 20% longer to recover after an apology suggesting men become more worked up after hearing an admission of guilt.

Results of tests indicate that there are potentially healthy benefits to forgiveness and apology.

So guys, go ahead and say “Sorry” (of course, alongwith “I love you”), if you wanna enjoy your married bliss life longer.

Laws across the world on use of cellphones while driving:

In the United Kingdom,from 27 February 2007,motorists who are caught using a handheld mobile phone while driving will have three penalty points added to their license in addition to the fine of 60 pounds.

Israel,Japan,Portugal and Singapore prohibit all mobile phone use while driving,including use of hands-free devices.

New Zealand banned hand-held cellphone use from November 1,2009.

Many states in the United States have banned texting on cellphones while driving. Illinois became the 17th American state to enforce this law.

India implemented this law in Sep 2009. Using cellphones in the drivers seat is illegal. Phones include hand-held,hands-free,operated through bluetooth,permanently installed or integrated into the wiring of the vehicle. Dialling and receiving calls, texting, playing games, listening to music, taking photos and shooting videos on phones is also not allowed while driving.The rules apply even if the vehicle is stationary,  in a traffic snarl or at a traffic signal, for instance. Here the license is impounded and you forgo the right to drive.

What does the Kuwait law say? How strictly is it implemented?

A look around the cars on roads (traffic accidents) and you will have an idea of the law is flouted, as if it is a pleasure activity.

Article by Pritish Nandy in TOI - source

“Many of us knew of Arthur Andersen, the global consulting firm. But when it broke up and morphed into Accenture, not many made the exact connection. The connection was made on that fateful day when the media decided to out Tiger Woods for his sexual transgressions. Suddenly all the brands he had endorsed, from Accenture to Nike, made it to the headlines of every newspaper, with eager readers panting to find out who drops him first. A golfer worth a billion dollars is not the worlds most loved person, however much he may be admired. But this columns not about celebrity hunting.Its about controversy. The power of controversy.
Nothing builds a brand quicker than controversy. The uglier the controversy,the more profitable its outcome. You can ask me why this happens in a world where we are always taught to sidestep trouble,walk the straight and narrow. The reasons simple: Controversy polarises opinion. When public opinions polarised on any issue,be it Tiger Woods or MNIK, Raj Thackeray or Mayavati, Husain or Bt Brinjal, it immediately grabs headlines. You cant help but notice it. In fact,everyone notices it and then,thanks to the net,everyone reads up everything on it. No amount of paid publicity can ever achieve the phenomenal reach controversy delivers. A broken theatre and a few torn hoardings can give an unbearably boring film screaming front page coverage for days on end,and fans a righteous cause to fight for. Yes,it was the Sena that made MNIK such a success. There was little buzz about its promotions till Saamna attacked it and SRK cleverly turned the table on them.
This brings me to the smart art of conflict management. Take an issue,any issue. Instead of spending a fortune on putting out your point of view,its much easier to design an emotionally charged controversy around it so that people can take extreme positions. Make it a clear love/hate choice and,before you know it,everyones on one side or the other. The commercial objectives will be instantly realised. Funnily,no controversy ever goes to waste. The worms in Cadbury chocolates led to Amitabh Bachchan being brought in to repair the brands image. He not only repaired the image but brought the brand back into business, stronger.
Every time consumer activists attack soft drinks,they sell more,almost as if by consumer defiance. The more we rant about transfats,the more people flock to fast food counters. Its not only the young who refuse to have health concerns forced down their throat; everyone resents being told what not to do. Any pressure exerted, be it not to see MNIK or not to drink Coke or not to eat a burger at McDonalds only helps to increase their sales. Word of mouth, an old aphorism we used in the context of movies that people saw, liked and spread the word about, no longer works. People want to make their own choice these days. A tiny movie called Thanks Maa has got rave reviews this week. Will they sell one extra ticket. Unlikely. Will the film be around in theatres long enough to reap the benefit of word of mouth publicity. Unlikely. Quality and saleability walk on divergent tracks these days.
Actually good, clean entertainment is no longer in great demand. Good, healthy,nourishing food hasnt even taken off. Brain dead cinema rules. So does wicked food. The moment you talk about wholesomeness,you drive away consumers. Good is confused with bland. It works on the same principle that Sarat Chandra (author of Devdas and Parineeta) once espoused, that the more you denigrate a woman, the more you call her immoral, the more attractive she appears to everyone else. Simple question: Would you rather spend an hour with Mother Teresa, listening to her homilies, or with Angelina Jolie risking your perfect marriage.
So lets not kid ourselves. If you have something to sell,go make such a huge controversy around it that the world stops dead in its tracks. Husains fortunes were flagging when the saffronites went for him. Tyeb, Souza, Gaitonde, even young Subodh Gupta had hijacked his best selling tag. Auction after auction saw Husain’s prices tanking. Now,post this silly controversy,hes back–right on top. Raj Thackeray followed the same strategy in politics,instigating one controversy after another,to ensure that he created a space for himself in Maharashtra politics. Its not a unique strategy. Balasaheb Thackeray, Mayavati, Jayalalitha, Mamta Banerjee, and even Sonia Gandhi used every controversy to further their political cause. Each controversy helped consolidate their presence in politics,enhanced their play. Just as Sanjay became a bigger star after Khalnayak and his stint in jail. Salman has hit a purple patch with every controversy. Saif even got a Padma Shri for riling the Bishnois.
It all goes to prove the point: If success is what you seek,go get yourself a controversy. Or else,consign your dreams to oblivion.”

Wish you all a HAPPY HOLI – the Indian festival of colors, which comes with a wonderful message “Set aside all your personal differences, atleast, for a day, embrace each other and try to spread joy in the world, like those wonderful colors”.