More Google in my life !

Thanks to Guru Shankar, I got my gmail account today: spamarty@gmail.com :-)
With this, google is fast becoming the most widely visited site in my daily life (search, news, blog and now e-mail) !!!

Next generation of mobile services

Mobile technology is expanding our design toolkit beyond the desktop, and those who embrace this technology to enhance the core functions of their products will offer their users a superior experience. Find out more about the new mobile services that you can ask for in the near future.

http://www.boxesandarrows.com/archives/location_and_presence
in_mobile_data_services.php

Tax exemptions might become history soon

Outlining the roadmap to achieve 7-8 per cent economic growth on sustained basis, the Economic Survey on Wednesday indicated major initiatives in the Union Budget to overhaul tax system, slash deficit, contain prices and boost agriculture and industry.

more details @ http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/768560.cms

Briton won India's first Olympic medal

Over the years, the Olympic Games have become a part of Indian life but it was not until 1928 that the country made an official entry into this multi-discipline extravaganza. India, however, was represented in one form or the other, starting with Briton Norman Pritchard and his two silver medals, one in the 200 metres and the other in the now discontinued 200 metres hurdles at the Paris Games of 1900.Though the record books give Normal Pritchard's nationality as Indian, there is no evidence of the country having sponsored him.

for more details http://www.123bharath.com/olympics-2004-athens/index.php?action=fullnews&id=4253

Daughter's wedding and teak-trees

Bengalis know how to meet the sky-rocketing costs of a wedding - plant a teak-tree when a girl child is born.  By the time the girl grows up, the tree will fetch enough money for her wedding !

Read it in 'Small seed, big idea'.  The author of this article criticizes Naidu for doing away with panchayat system in Andhra Pradesh.

Tale of two wannabe states

Kuldeep Nayyar takes a look at the demand for two separate states - Telangana and Vidarbha - in his regular column 'Between the lines' in the Deccan Herald.

His opinion on Telengana...
The reality is that the experiment of Vishal Andhra Pradesh (concept of Govind Vallabh Pant, "who was vetting the States' Reorganization Commission's recommendations") did not click. Fears of the Telengana people that they would lose in Andhra Pradesh their identity,seem to have come true. What they said before the Commission some 50 years ago that Telengana might be converted into a colony by the enterprising coastal Andhra stands more or less justified. 

On Vidarbha....
That there is a deep-rooted regional consciousness in Vidarbha is there for all to sec- The Marathi-speaking districts of Madhya Pradesh continue to stick out like a sore thumb. If and when Vidarbha were to be constituted as a separate state, it would be the biggest cotton growing area in the country, making it viable. The States' Reorganisation Commission rightly said: "There is prima facie enough evidence to suggest that Vidarbha can be stable and prosperous state even if it stands by itself.

And on both....
Both Vidarbha and Telengana are a viable proposition. As separate territories, they will catch up with their parent states rapidly. Both of them are sizeable areas, compact and coherent. There is no reason why they will not be financially on their own. The experience shows how Himachal Pradesh and Haryana prospered after they separated from Punjab.

Probation for Naidu

Naidu, Is doing an excellent job defending his Laptop policies in the Andhra Pradesh's legislative assembly. 
 
Hope he comes out of all the investigations without many scratches.
 
A long way to go for him as leader of opposition. 
 
 

Welcome, Ravi

Today, I've added Ravichandra, my buddy at IBM to my blog. He'll be sharing this blogspace from now on. Being a techie, expect him to blog on tech-related stuff, apart from the main topics of this blog.

Hearty welcome to you, Ravi !

Telengana figures in President's speech

President Abdul Kalam makes a one-sentence reference of Telangana in his address to the Houses of Parliament.

"The government will consider the demand for the formation of a Telangana state at an appropriate time after due consultations."

This led TRS leaders to compare K Chandrasekhar Rao with Mahatma Gandhi !

"Gandhi led the Indian freedom struggle with non-violence and peace as weapons. Chandrashekhar Rao too led a peaceful movement for three years," said TRS MLA Nayani Narasimha Reddy and senior leader S Madhusudhanachary .

Yes, he is the same Chandrasekhar Rao who threatened a river full of blood !!

Hyderabad's loss is Silverstone's gain

Silverstone in Great Britain benefits if Hyderabad opts out as new F1 racing venue, reports crash.net. Here's how they saw the change of guard in Andhra Pradesh...

According to Reuters, Chandrababu Naidu, the man behind plans to bring a grand prix to Hyderabad, lost out in voting late last month, and has been replaced as chief minister by a man who does not share his vision.

:-)

F1 race project hits road block

"We are not in a position to afford Rs 10,000 crore for a racing expedition which is an annual feature while our priorities are different and we have urgent and serious issues to address," says YSR.

I always wondered whether we really need this !?