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Tuesday, December 14, 2010
When Neil Armstrong stepped on the moon for the first time
Wonder what really happened when Neil Armstrong first stepped on the moon? Well, here's what he wrote to NPR blogger Robert Krulwich that may quench your curiosity too.
In an article he wrote for 'Krulwich Wonders,' Krulwich pondered why the 1969 Apollo 11 astronauts didn't venture more than 90 yards from the Lunar Module.
And interestingly, NASA astronaut Armstrong responded to Krulwich's blog by sending him a long email.
In the message, Armstrong gave a wonderfully vivid explanation as to what it was like on the lunar surface and why they were limited by what they could do.
"It is true that we were cautious in our planning. There were many uncertainties about how well our Lunar module systems and our Pressure suit and backpack would match the engineering predictions in the hostile lunar environment," Discovery News quoted Armstrong as writing in the e-mail.
To ensure the Apollo astronauts stayed cool Armstrong said, "We were operating in a near perfect vacuum with the temperature well above 200 degrees Fahrenheit"-NASA had designed a water-cooling system that pumped water around the astronauts' bodies. But this was the first time it was being used, so there were uncertainties about its performance."
"To verify the cooling system's performance after a lunar walk, the astronauts got back into the re-pressurized lunar module and "were able to drain and measure the remaining water in the backpacks to confirm the predicted," he pointed out.
To minimize any unforeseen incidents, the pair had a strict mission plan, but that didn't mean Armstrong didn't stray just a little. He wrote, "Preflight planners wanted us to stay in TV range so that they could learn from our results how they could best plan for future missions. I candidly admit that I knowingly and deliberately left the planned working area out of TV coverage to examine and photograph the interior crater walls for possible bedrock exposure or other useful information. I felt the potential gain was worth the risk.
How Saturn's rings and inner moons were formed
According to a new study, Saturn's rings and inner moons were formed after the collision of a large satellite with the planet.
Saturn's rings are at present 90 to 95 percent water ice. Previous studies suggest that the rings formed when a small satellite was disrupted by an impacting comet.
"This scenario would have likely resulted in rings that were a mixture of rock and ice, rather than the ice-rich rings we see today," said Dr. Robin M. Canup, associate vice president of the SwRI Planetary Science Directorate in Boulder.
But the new study links the formation of the rings to the formation of Saturn's satellites.
Previous studies suggest that that multiple Titan-sized satellites originally formed at Saturn, but as their orbits spiralled into the planet, they were lost.
As they neared Saturn, the heat would cause its ice to melt and its rock to sink to its center. Such a satellite crosses the region of the current B ring, planetary tidal forces strip material from its outer icy layers, while its rocky core remains intact and eventually collides with the planet.
This produces an initial ice ring that is much more massive than Saturn's current rings.
"The new model proposes that the rings are primordial, formed from the same events that left Titan as Saturn's sole large satellite, " said Canup.
"The implication is that the rings and the Saturnian moons interior to and including Tethys share a coupled origin, and are the last remnants of a lost companion satellite to Titan."
During its extended mission, the Cassini spacecraft will measure the rings' current mass and will indirectly measure the pollution rate of the rings.
Now rent an apartment for a night at world''s tallest tower
For those who would like to spend a night at the world''s tallest tower, an online company in the UAE is offering a lucrative deal.
An overnight stay at a fully furnished apartment in Burj Khalifa can now be hired for as much as USD 285 and the deal announced by a Dubai-based firm comes with groceries, if needed.
Fitted with air conditioners, wireless Wi-Fi access point and work desks with PCs, the property can accomodate a maximum of four persons with a bedroom furnished with a double bed and two sofa beds.
However, if you are looking for a panoramic view of the 188-floor tower you are bound to be disappointed because the apartment is located on the 19th floor.
Burj Khalifa has 900 studio, up to four-bedroom apartments, while it also has Armani Residences with 144 fully furnished private apartments.
It offers luxurious recreational and leisure facilities including four swimming pools, an exclusive residents'' lounge, health and wellness facilities.
At mosphere, the world''s highest fine dining restaurant at Level 122 and At the Top, the world''s highest observatory deck with an outdoor terrace on Level 124 are the other attractions.
The deal is available at mydubaistay.com.
The lighter side: Top 8 WikiLeaks jokes
The WikiLeaks scandal has created nothing short of a storm worldwide, but there's a lighter side to everything. So here are the top eight WikiLeaks jokes to see the funnier side of it all.
8. WookieeLeaks: The leaked secrets are being seen in the realm of 'Star Wars.' For instance, Twitter users are posting messages under the tag 'WookieeLeaks'.
"Sources close to the Emperor claim that he was aware of the tragic design flaw that allowed Rebels to destroy the Death Star," goes one post.
7. David Letterman, antiterror mastermind: A State Department cable, according to news reports, was headlined 'David Letterman: Agent of influence.'
The point? American comedy or popular TV shows in Saudi Arabia might prevent youngsters from becoming terrorists, reports the Christian Science Monitor.
6. It's a generational thing: Jon Stewart of 'The Daily Show' brought in Aasif Mandvi, who said, "It's the 21st century, what I've coined the 'information age,' a glorious Utopian datascape in which everyone has a right to know everything about everyone. It's why I get to see your [private parts] at the airport."
5. The Onion website: The Onion website reveals, "Threats and aid offers equally ineffective in forcing Vladimir Putin to put a shirt on during diplomatic negotiations."
After a few more items, the Onion discloses a final secret, "U.S. diplomatic privacy measures are terrible."
4. Hitler: WikiLeaks is the latest story line to be overlaid onto a 'Downfall' scene in which Hitler rants in front of his inner circle.
In one, Hitler calls Assange and tries to get him interested in new details about the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
And another 'Downfall' parody shows Hitler getting angry because hackers have shut down access to WikiLeaks websites.
3. Sarah Palin hunts Assange: Video news reports by Next Media Animation (NMA), a Taiwan-based company, show Assange trying to obtain documents by personally sneaking into government buildings while Sarah Palin grabs her gun, apparently ready to help hunt him like a caribou.
2. "Well, that WikiLeaks founder, Julian Assange, turned himself in to police in England today," Jay Leno said this week on late night TV.
"When the judge asked him where he lived, he said he didn't want to give out that information. Well, you can understand that. Everybody has the right to privacy, don't they?"
1. Rep. Jack Kimble, a faux congressman from California, told his Twitter followers on Wednesday, "I have been attacked by Wikileaks. They have changed all the prices in my campaign shop to ridiculously low levels."
Comedian Jimmy Fallon said, "WikiLeaks supporters ... have hacked Sarah Palin's credit card information after she criticized founder Julian Assange. Sarah [is] very upset and hopes suspicious charges to her account can be 'refundiated.' "
The Big Question
Radia's machinations ensured that her boss Ratan Tata was never at a loss at the minister's hands.
Conversation with Sunil Arora
Sunil Arora, a 1980 batch IAS officer of Rajasthan cadre, was CMD of Indian Airlines between 2000 and 2005. In mid-2009, when there were talks of Ratan Tata being brought on the board of directors of Air India, Radia tried to push Arora's candidature for the post of the Air India CMD. Below is an excerpt from the telephonic conversation between Radia and Arora on June 1, 2009.
Sunil Arora, Former Indian Airlines chief: I believe that in this so-called spectrum allocation, the biggest beneficiary is the younger brother (read Anil Ambani).
Radia: Absolutely. That's why it's important to reverse the tide.
Arora: How come the younger brother is the biggest beneficiary and you people are supporting him (Raja) like anything?
Radia: I will explain it to you. It's a very complex issue.
Arora: We will talk on the other phone.
Radia: My client, Tata, has also been a beneficiary in this (2G scam).
Arora: Okay.
Conversation with Madhav Joshi
Madhav Joshi is Chief Legal Officer and Company Secretary of Tata Teleservices (Maharashtra) Ltd. Radia was in constant touch with him, providing him inside information about the future policy decisions being made by the DoT. Below are the excerpts from the telephonic conversation between Radia and Madhav on July 8, 2009.
Radia: "Madhav, the Government's view is? I have had a long chat with Mr Chandolia just now, spent about half-an-hour on the phone with him. The Government view is that we are not as of now looking at the Subodh Kumar report. We are going to send it to TRAI and that is going to take six months. In the meantime, whatever is our existing policy, subscriber-based, will continue. And therefore, while he assures that while we are in the queue, therefore, Anil Ambani can't get his 1.8 till we are given our 4.4 because we are effectively in the queue for those circles. Therefore his 1.8 will come only after we get our 4.4."
Conversation with Ratan Tata
Below are the excerpts from the 18-minute-long conversation between Radia and Tata on June 11, 2009.
Radia: "Anil (Tata Teleservices MD Anil Sardana) and I had gone to meet up the minister. And I've been meeting him separately. The sense I'm getting is that while he is moving ahead as far as 3G is concerned, the sense I'm getting is that he seems to be quite hell-bent on this 6.6 MHz going to Anil Ambani and I have told him that I will oppose it vehemently unless we get all our spectrum." She could be further heard briefing Tata on the strategies she was deploying to get him more spectrum.
Radia: "So we have moved two-three processes. One, we want harmonisation of spectrum to start, with harmonisation taking place, lot of spectrum will get cleared in some of areas. The second thing I said to him is that there is about 5 MHz coming in from defence on 2G. What I'm proposing on that is that you first give us our 4.4 in Delhi from that."
Radia: "Raja has promised me that he is not going to do anything in a hurry. I think he will not. I made Kanni speak to him as well. He is not going to do anything in a hurry at all. He has promised that. So we (have) got some time and I'm gonna meet Dr Sarma (TRAI chairman) again on Monday."
Below is the excerpt from the conversation that Radia had with Tata on July 7, 2009 when he was in Israel.
Tata:"The only concern I have is that Maran is going hammer and tongs for Raja. And I hope Raja doesn't trip or slip."
Radia: "No, he hasn't because chief justice has issued a statement that no minister called the high court judge. So that's clarified. In any case that didn't happen so Maran made to look like a fool now. So in any case, Ratan, even if there was a problem that would happen, as far as that is concerned, it is Kanni who will come back into that power position and not Maran. That's a given. That's decided between them But there is no such thing that Raja is done. So that's perfectly alright."
Conversation with Sunil Arora
Sunil Arora, a 1980 batch IAS officer of Rajasthan cadre, was CMD of Indian Airlines between 2000 and 2005. In mid-2009, when there were talks of Ratan Tata being brought on the board of directors of Air India, Radia tried to push Arora's candidature for the post of the Air India CMD. Below is an excerpt from the telephonic conversation between Radia and Arora on June 1, 2009.
Sunil Arora, Former Indian Airlines chief: I believe that in this so-called spectrum allocation, the biggest beneficiary is the younger brother (read Anil Ambani).
Radia: Absolutely. That's why it's important to reverse the tide.
Arora: How come the younger brother is the biggest beneficiary and you people are supporting him (Raja) like anything?
Radia: I will explain it to you. It's a very complex issue.
Arora: We will talk on the other phone.
Radia: My client, Tata, has also been a beneficiary in this (2G scam).
Arora: Okay.
Conversation with Madhav Joshi
Madhav Joshi is Chief Legal Officer and Company Secretary of Tata Teleservices (Maharashtra) Ltd. Radia was in constant touch with him, providing him inside information about the future policy decisions being made by the DoT. Below are the excerpts from the telephonic conversation between Radia and Madhav on July 8, 2009.
Radia: "Madhav, the Government's view is? I have had a long chat with Mr Chandolia just now, spent about half-an-hour on the phone with him. The Government view is that we are not as of now looking at the Subodh Kumar report. We are going to send it to TRAI and that is going to take six months. In the meantime, whatever is our existing policy, subscriber-based, will continue. And therefore, while he assures that while we are in the queue, therefore, Anil Ambani can't get his 1.8 till we are given our 4.4 because we are effectively in the queue for those circles. Therefore his 1.8 will come only after we get our 4.4."
Conversation with Ratan Tata
Below are the excerpts from the 18-minute-long conversation between Radia and Tata on June 11, 2009.
Radia: "Anil (Tata Teleservices MD Anil Sardana) and I had gone to meet up the minister. And I've been meeting him separately. The sense I'm getting is that while he is moving ahead as far as 3G is concerned, the sense I'm getting is that he seems to be quite hell-bent on this 6.6 MHz going to Anil Ambani and I have told him that I will oppose it vehemently unless we get all our spectrum." She could be further heard briefing Tata on the strategies she was deploying to get him more spectrum.
Radia: "So we have moved two-three processes. One, we want harmonisation of spectrum to start, with harmonisation taking place, lot of spectrum will get cleared in some of areas. The second thing I said to him is that there is about 5 MHz coming in from defence on 2G. What I'm proposing on that is that you first give us our 4.4 in Delhi from that."
Radia: "Raja has promised me that he is not going to do anything in a hurry. I think he will not. I made Kanni speak to him as well. He is not going to do anything in a hurry at all. He has promised that. So we (have) got some time and I'm gonna meet Dr Sarma (TRAI chairman) again on Monday."
Below is the excerpt from the conversation that Radia had with Tata on July 7, 2009 when he was in Israel.
Tata:"The only concern I have is that Maran is going hammer and tongs for Raja. And I hope Raja doesn't trip or slip."
Radia: "No, he hasn't because chief justice has issued a statement that no minister called the high court judge. So that's clarified. In any case that didn't happen so Maran made to look like a fool now. So in any case, Ratan, even if there was a problem that would happen, as far as that is concerned, it is Kanni who will come back into that power position and not Maran. That's a given. That's decided between them But there is no such thing that Raja is done. So that's perfectly alright."
Keralite's score formula to be used in rain-hit IPL matches
A system developed by Kerala engineer V. Jayadevan for computing target scores in interrupted one-day and Twenty20 (T20) cricket matches has got the Indian cricket board's nod for use in the next edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL).
Speaking to IANS, Jayadevan, 46, said that he made a presentation on his system, called the 'VJD', at the Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) technical committee meeting in Chennai Friday.
'I spent half an hour with the committee headed by former India captain Sunil Gavaskar and answered queries. I was then told that my system would be put into practice in the next edition of IPL (a domestic professional Twenty20 cricket competition in India),' said Jayadevan.
His formula is applicable in both one-day and T20 forms of cricket.
Jayadevan, a civil engineer, holds a Master's degree in building technology from the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras. He is currently deputy director, publications division, in the Kerala Engineering Research Institute near here.
'Since 2007, the BCCI has used my model in about 30 domestic matches,' said Jayadevan.
He said he accidentally developed an alternative to the Duckworth-Lewis (D/L) mathematical formula, currently used for calculating the target for a team batting second in interrupted matches, after starting work a decade ago.
'The D/L formula uses a concept of resources available and resources used, while my model employs the concept of normal and target scores. The method is capable of satisfactorily handling any number of interruptions during any stage of a the game,' added Jayadevan.
Even though he has been working on this for the past one decade, it was only recently that he got a financial assistance from the BCCI.
'Over the years, I have made certain modifications in my model and the one that is going to be used in the IPL is the model I fine tuned in 2007,' added Jayadevan.
The BCCI, after being convinced of this new model and agreeing to put in practice in the next edition of IPL, has agreed to present this model to the International Cricket Council.
Sachin's ODI 200 in 'Time' magazine's top 10 sports moments
Iconic Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar's record-breaking ODI double century has found a place in the Time magazine's top 10 sports moments of the year.
"Certain sports milestones seem simply unreachable: In cricket, it's the one-day double-hundred: no man had ever produced 200 runs for his team during a one-day international match," 'The Time' said.
"In February, however, India's Sachin Tendulkar, the greatest run scorer of all-time, hit the magic milestone against a powerful South African squad.
"Tendulkar smacked three "sixes" - the cricket equivalent of a home run - during his epic performance, and the build up to 200 was exhilarating.
"When he reached 199, the home crowd in Gwalior waved Indian flags, and roared, knowing they were about to witness history. The diminutive Tendulkar, dubbed "The Little Master," slapped a single past the South African fielders. The world's 1.5 billion cricket fans had a moment they'd never forget," it said.
Nokia vs Android: Requiem?
By Tarmo Virki, European Technology Correspondent
HELSINKI (Reuters) - Mobile maker Nokia's Symbian operating system is on the ropes, its lead being stripped away blow by Android blow, but if its new boss throws in the software towel now, the relief will be brief and the scars permanent.
Stephen Elop, appointed Nokia's chief executive three months ago, is due to present his plans to arrest the market leader's decline early next year, and there are siren voices that would have him turn his back on mobile software and focus on handsets.
The runaway success of rival Apple's iPhone and its online App Store took Nokia by surprise, and while the Finnish firm still makes eight phones for every iPhone sold, for many quarters Apple has generated a bigger profit from its phone business than Nokia.
Following Apple's footsteps, Google rolled out its open-source Android operating system, which has become the standard for smaller phone makers. On current trends it will surpass Nokia's old workhorse Symbian in 2011 as the world's most used mobile OS.
"The software battles have been fought and won by Google and Apple. Nokia can either join the winning camp, or wither in a status quo of software wars already lost," said Alexander Peterc, analyst at Exane BNP Paribas.
Elop's personal history -- a former Microsoft executive -- gave vigour to rumours that Nokia would decide to use Google or Microsoft software in its smartphones.
This week in San Francisco, Android chief Andrew Rubin fuelled speculation further by ducking the question on possible talks with Nokia, while saying its new management was open to new ideas.
Nokia has undoubtedly had a rough time of it this year. Its shares have have fallen 15 percent, while the Stoxx Europe 600 Technology index has gained 13 percent.
It's entirely possible that by embracing Android its shares could avoid the punches for a while and rise a little; the company's costs would fall and it would enjoy the effects of moving with the newcomer's momentum instead of fighting to preserve a shrinking corner.
For his part, Elop said in October that using external software was an unlikely step.
Not just unlikely, but unwise, say others.
"When Nokia picks Android, investors will sell their shares," says John Strand, CEO of Danish telecoms consultancy Strand Consult. "That would be the day Nokia turns itself into a Dell of the mobile world."
He has a point; Nokia shares trade at 11.3 times next year's earnings, well below Apple's 16 times, but ahead of computer maker Dell's 9.1 times. At Dell's valuation, Nokia shares should be at 6.19 euros, not the 7.62 euros they traded for on Thursday.
Dell's gross margin is 18 percent, while Nokia's is still 31 percent, with Apple standing at 38 percent.
STRATEGIC ASSET
And the logic goes much deeper than just share price.
"For a company that regards software as a key strategic asset, shifting to Android and losing control of its own destiny would not be considered a viable option," said CCS Insight analyst Geoff Blaber.
"I do not think it would be a solution. That would be a failure," said Alan B. Lancz, president of wealth management firm Alan B. Lancz & Associates, which holds Nokia stock.
"Software is going to be a key component of their success; that's the reason they brought in Stephen."
To avoid becoming just a hardware manufacturer, Nokia is redoubling its efforts to develop its new open source smartphone platform MeeGo into a formidable rival to iPhone and Android.
Earlier this year Nokia and Intel, the world's largest semiconductor firm, merged their mobile Linux versions into MeeGo, which has reached consumers through one small tablet manufacturer, but Nokia delayed its rollout into 2011.
In October Elop dropped Symbian into the background of Nokia's software strategy, and all Nokia phones software will be developed with cross-platform Qt technology.
"It's providing an easier developer environment than the old Symbian tools, which were quite complex," Jo Harlow, the head of Nokia's smartphone unit, told Reuters in a recent interview.
Adam Leach, analyst with research firm Ovum, says selling the Qt story to external developers will be the key to success.
"They need to convince a lot more developers -- the ones currently working with Apple's iOS and Android. Developers need to buy into the story around Qt," Leach said.
Easier said than done.
When Alexandre de Rochefort, CFO of Gameloft, the world's second-largest mobile gaming firm, was asked last month of his company's plans for Qt development, he said he had not heard of the technology. But he was fluent in explaining the nuances of different Android versions.
Big B refuses Mallika
Long ago Mallika Sherawat had commented that the idea of Amitabh Bachchan running in slow motion was the sexiest image she could think of him and that embarrassed the senior actor a lot...
Big B says no to Mallika
Amitabh Bachchan has refused to work with Mallika Sherawat. Bachchan was approached by Kushan Nandy to work in a film. Mallika Sherawat had already spoken to the director and told him that she was ready to work with him if he could ensure that she gets to work with Amitabh Bachchan in it. But somehow that was not to be as Bachchan refused to share screen space with Ms Sherawat.
Long ago Mallika Sherawat had commented that the idea ofAmitabh Bachchan running in slow motion was the sexiest image she could think of him and that embarrassed the senior actor a lot. Bachchan too was told by his boss at home Jaya Bachchan not to work with a person like Mallika who was known more for her bold statements than her films. But then a lot of water has flowed under the bridge after that; the Big B is still not keen to work with her. Director Kushan Nandy is now looking at other actresses who could feature in the film with Bachchan.
Monday, December 6, 2010
Airlines pay no heed to govt on arbitraty fares
A day after Union civil aviation minster Praful Patel promised " corrective action" to check unreasonable fare hikes by airlines, all airlines on Sunday continued to charge exorbitant rates for last minute bookings. A visit to several ticket counters at Terminal 3 of Delhi airport revealed the obvious.
Jet Airways, just about two hours before departure, offered a full fare economy Delhi- Mumbai (7.45 pm) ticket at Rs 19,000. The airline, in order to cash in on the desperate latecomers, even offered ' flexi check in timing' less than 60 minutes before the flight.
Jet normally asks passengers to report two hours in advance. In the afternoon, Jet offered a full fare economy ticket at Rs 18,417 for the Delhi- Mumbai evening flight (8.35 pm). The morning flights were full.
A popular travel website offered economy class for Jet, for time slots (12 pm- 6 pm), at a price ranging between Rs 12,000 and Rs 16,000.
Air India's economy class ticket for the same destination, was available for Rs 14,200. This was offered about three hours before departure at 9 pm.
A travel website offered a reasonable fare of Rs 9,800 in the afternoon. And on Saturday, the evening flight for Mumbai was available at unbelievably low price of around Rs 6,500.
The officials at the ticket counters admitted that fare prices keep fluctuating. Kingfisher's Delhi- Mumbai flight was sold out and officials at the counter refused to share details of last minute fares.
In the afternoon, economy tickets for the evening flight for Mumbai were available at a price range of Rs 12,000 to Rs 14,000.
All tickets for Delhi- Mumbai evening flights for the low cost carriers like Indigo, GoAir, JetLite, SpiceJet were sold out.
These carriers offered fares which were almost on a par with full service carriers, ranging between Rs10,000 to Rs 16,000. A frequent flier on the Delhi- Mumbai sector, Rahul Sidana, recounted his experience. He had planned to fly to Mumbai on November 16 at the last minute, but was forced to postpone it because of exorbitantly high fares. This is what he was offered: SpiceJet ( SG103) at Rs 15,708, GoAir ( G8) at Rs24,272.
What is more shocking is Azim Siddiqui's case. SpiceJet denied him entry on Sunday because he arrived 40 minutes before the scheduled takeoff time of 9.25 pm.
But GoAir was willing to accommodate passengers, subject to availability, exactly 40 minutes before the flight (10.40 pm Delhi- Mumbai) at a price of Rs 20,000. Siddiqui said: "I had a Mumbai- Delhi refundable return ticket but was told it was of no value. They refused to refund and suggested me to buy another ticket for tomorrow, which was available at a price of Rs 11,000, that too one way." Siddiqui then decided to buy a GoAir ticket, available at Rs 9,000.
A few minutes after Siddiqui bought his GoAir ticket, the clerk at the counter told this correspondent there would be last- minute cancellations and tickets would be available 40 minutes before takeoff. But the spot fare would be above ` 20,000 for the Delhi- Mumbai at 10.40 pm.
This proves that the Union aviation ministry's threats had little effect on the airlines. An aviation analyst said Delhi- London return economy tickets, if booked in advance, is available at Rs39,000.It is shocking that domestic airlines are offering one- way ticket at Rs 25,000 for a Delhi- Mumbai flight.
To address these problems, the directorate general of civil aviation ( DGCA) will meet representatives of full service airlines on Monday.
KAST- MINUTE FARES OFFERED ON SUNDAY
Jet Airways charged Rs 19,000 for a full fare economy Delhi- Mumbai ticket on its 7.45 pm flight two hours prior to departure. The airline, which normally asks passengers to report two hours in advance, even offered 'flexi check in timing', ie less than 60 minutes before the flight . Jet charged Rs 18,417 for full fare economy ticket on the Delhi- Mumbai 8.35 pm flight in the afternoon.
GoAir offered tickets at Rs 20,000 exactly 40 minutes before the flight. Air India economy class tickets for the 9 pm flight for the same destination, were available for Rs 14,200 about three hours before departure. The same ticket was charged only Rs 9,800 in the afternoon. Kingfisher refused to share details of last minute Delhi- Mumbai flight fares. All tickets for Delhi- Mumbai evening flights for the low cost carriers such as Indigo, GoAir, JetLite, SpiceJet were sold out.
Jet Airways, just about two hours before departure, offered a full fare economy Delhi- Mumbai (7.45 pm) ticket at Rs 19,000. The airline, in order to cash in on the desperate latecomers, even offered ' flexi check in timing' less than 60 minutes before the flight.
Jet normally asks passengers to report two hours in advance. In the afternoon, Jet offered a full fare economy ticket at Rs 18,417 for the Delhi- Mumbai evening flight (8.35 pm). The morning flights were full.
A popular travel website offered economy class for Jet, for time slots (12 pm- 6 pm), at a price ranging between Rs 12,000 and Rs 16,000.
Air India's economy class ticket for the same destination, was available for Rs 14,200. This was offered about three hours before departure at 9 pm.
A travel website offered a reasonable fare of Rs 9,800 in the afternoon. And on Saturday, the evening flight for Mumbai was available at unbelievably low price of around Rs 6,500.
The officials at the ticket counters admitted that fare prices keep fluctuating. Kingfisher's Delhi- Mumbai flight was sold out and officials at the counter refused to share details of last minute fares.
In the afternoon, economy tickets for the evening flight for Mumbai were available at a price range of Rs 12,000 to Rs 14,000.
All tickets for Delhi- Mumbai evening flights for the low cost carriers like Indigo, GoAir, JetLite, SpiceJet were sold out.
These carriers offered fares which were almost on a par with full service carriers, ranging between Rs10,000 to Rs 16,000. A frequent flier on the Delhi- Mumbai sector, Rahul Sidana, recounted his experience. He had planned to fly to Mumbai on November 16 at the last minute, but was forced to postpone it because of exorbitantly high fares. This is what he was offered: SpiceJet ( SG103) at Rs 15,708, GoAir ( G8) at Rs24,272.
What is more shocking is Azim Siddiqui's case. SpiceJet denied him entry on Sunday because he arrived 40 minutes before the scheduled takeoff time of 9.25 pm.
But GoAir was willing to accommodate passengers, subject to availability, exactly 40 minutes before the flight (10.40 pm Delhi- Mumbai) at a price of Rs 20,000. Siddiqui said: "I had a Mumbai- Delhi refundable return ticket but was told it was of no value. They refused to refund and suggested me to buy another ticket for tomorrow, which was available at a price of Rs 11,000, that too one way." Siddiqui then decided to buy a GoAir ticket, available at Rs 9,000.
A few minutes after Siddiqui bought his GoAir ticket, the clerk at the counter told this correspondent there would be last- minute cancellations and tickets would be available 40 minutes before takeoff. But the spot fare would be above ` 20,000 for the Delhi- Mumbai at 10.40 pm.
This proves that the Union aviation ministry's threats had little effect on the airlines. An aviation analyst said Delhi- London return economy tickets, if booked in advance, is available at Rs39,000.It is shocking that domestic airlines are offering one- way ticket at Rs 25,000 for a Delhi- Mumbai flight.
To address these problems, the directorate general of civil aviation ( DGCA) will meet representatives of full service airlines on Monday.
KAST- MINUTE FARES OFFERED ON SUNDAY
Jet Airways charged Rs 19,000 for a full fare economy Delhi- Mumbai ticket on its 7.45 pm flight two hours prior to departure. The airline, which normally asks passengers to report two hours in advance, even offered 'flexi check in timing', ie less than 60 minutes before the flight . Jet charged Rs 18,417 for full fare economy ticket on the Delhi- Mumbai 8.35 pm flight in the afternoon.
GoAir offered tickets at Rs 20,000 exactly 40 minutes before the flight. Air India economy class tickets for the 9 pm flight for the same destination, were available for Rs 14,200 about three hours before departure. The same ticket was charged only Rs 9,800 in the afternoon. Kingfisher refused to share details of last minute Delhi- Mumbai flight fares. All tickets for Delhi- Mumbai evening flights for the low cost carriers such as Indigo, GoAir, JetLite, SpiceJet were sold out.
Wikileaks: Kerala, TN are training hubs for Lashkar
Islamic terror groups could have big bases in Tamil Nadu and Kerala, Wikileaks cables now reveal.
A 2009 cable, signed by secretary of state Hillary Clinton, says the Laskhar-e-Taiba had surveyed Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka, and was in the process of setting up training camps. It also says itplanned to kill Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi. In another revelation, Hillary says Saudi donors are supporting Sunni terror groups across the world.
Gunman Kasab, arrested in connection with the 2008 Mumbai blasts, had confessed on video that the Lashkar recruited him to carry out a suicide attack by paying off his father. Kasab later told the court he had made that confession under duress.
The police were not completely oblivious to the problem, though. In 2007, police were talking about 50 Lashkar militants being active in the south, especially Karnataka.
In 2008, nine low-intensity blasts rocked Bangalore. A woman was killed. In 2010, two bombs went off at Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore, just before an IPL match, injuring six. The Karnataka police arrested Abdul Naseer Madani, a radical Islamist from Kerala, on charges of plotting the blasts. Andhra Pradesh was not spared either. In 2007, two blasts went off at Hyderabad. Two years on, the Andhra Pradesh police arrested 13 men, and sent out an alert to neighbouring states.
The Intelligence Bureau had said it had picked up some intercepts suggesting that cities in the south could be targeted. In September 2009, Rediff reported:
"It is now confirmed that many southern modules carried out the serial blasts in the country. Following the blasts there was a major crackdown on the cadres and sleeper cells. Even the interrogation of various terrorists revealed that the southern module carried out the blasts.
The most important factor that came out during the interrogation was that the entire southern module was directly linked to the Gulf module. However, the recent crackdown has had a disastrous effect on the Lashkar's plans. Sources say that the south modules were being majorly financed by the Gulf module."
2010: India’s Year of Scandals
Where scandals are concerned, Raja, Kalmadi, Chavan, Radia and Yeddyurappa are clear winners this year, but Raja also wins the lifetime award for pulling off the biggest scandal ever in India.This was clearly the year of scandals. It was also the year of leaks (and not just WikiLeaks). How did scandal after scandal spill out this year? Perhaps something happened somewhere that emboldened whistle-blowers. The Bofors scam in the '80s and fodder scam in the 1990s were considered big when they broke, but they look minuscule and inconsequential when compared to this year's scandals. Here's a quick rewind:
A Raja: Without question, Raja is the shahenshah of scandals in India. India has seen big scandals, but the scale of Raja's 2G spectrum scandal is so mind-boggling that it took a couple of years for even the whistle-blowers to make sense of it. An intrepid reporter called Gopikrishnan first began digging up how spectrum licences had been undersold. Soon, television channels got hold of the government auditor's report, which said the scandal had cost the nation Rs 1.76 lakh crore. It took some weeks before the opposition could get Raja sacked. So where did the booty go? Raja is a DMK leader from Tamil Nadu, and the talk is that he took a lot of the cash to his leaders back home. Kapil Sibal, the new telecom minister, is talking about cancelling ill-gotten licences. But the original buyers have resold the licences and booked profits, so his action could only penalise those who bought stolen stuff, and not the ones who actually did the stealing. In any case, as Shah Rukh would say, picture abhi baaki hai.
Suresh Kalmadi: As sports administrator, Kalmadi has been the blue-eyed boy of the Congress for three decades. Roped into politics by Sanjay Gandhi, Kalmadi (54) has enjoyed support from the top, which is why he must have believed he could get away with anything. That wasn't to be. This year, when the Commonwealth Games came to India, he was shamed, first for not getting the stadiums and the games village ready in time, and then for allegedly pocketing millions. He was booed when he rose to make a speech at the Games inauguration. He continues to claim innocence, but his deputies Lalit Bhanot and T S Darbari have reportedly squealed on him. Media investigations have already revealed he bought everything from soap dispensers to airconditioners to sports equipment at astronomically jacked-up prices. His official website says he has a glorious vision for Pune for 2020, but his city is unlikely to stand by him as it has done in the past.
A Raja: Without question, Raja is the shahenshah of scandals in India. India has seen big scandals, but the scale of Raja's 2G spectrum scandal is so mind-boggling that it took a couple of years for even the whistle-blowers to make sense of it. An intrepid reporter called Gopikrishnan first began digging up how spectrum licences had been undersold. Soon, television channels got hold of the government auditor's report, which said the scandal had cost the nation Rs 1.76 lakh crore. It took some weeks before the opposition could get Raja sacked. So where did the booty go? Raja is a DMK leader from Tamil Nadu, and the talk is that he took a lot of the cash to his leaders back home. Kapil Sibal, the new telecom minister, is talking about cancelling ill-gotten licences. But the original buyers have resold the licences and booked profits, so his action could only penalise those who bought stolen stuff, and not the ones who actually did the stealing. In any case, as Shah Rukh would say, picture abhi baaki hai.
Suresh Kalmadi: As sports administrator, Kalmadi has been the blue-eyed boy of the Congress for three decades. Roped into politics by Sanjay Gandhi, Kalmadi (54) has enjoyed support from the top, which is why he must have believed he could get away with anything. That wasn't to be. This year, when the Commonwealth Games came to India, he was shamed, first for not getting the stadiums and the games village ready in time, and then for allegedly pocketing millions. He was booed when he rose to make a speech at the Games inauguration. He continues to claim innocence, but his deputies Lalit Bhanot and T S Darbari have reportedly squealed on him. Media investigations have already revealed he bought everything from soap dispensers to airconditioners to sports equipment at astronomically jacked-up prices. His official website says he has a glorious vision for Pune for 2020, but his city is unlikely to stand by him as it has done in the past.
Niira Radia: No one had heard of Niira till November this year. Suddenly, thanks to the leaking of phone transcripts in which she was talking to India's who's who, everyone was talking about her. That, in a less scandalous context, would have been an astounding PR accomplishment. Anyway, Niira is a PR diva who could call up anyone -- Ratan Tata, Mukesh Ambani, Barkha Dutt, Vir Sanghvi -- and discuss anything. India is gaping as it is told that a PR consultant was mediating between the Congress and the DMK, and influencing the choice of telecom minister in the world's fastest growing telecom market. Her conversations are now being examined by the income tax authorities, and two magazines, Open and Outlook, have published call transcripts, embarrassing not just industrialists and politicians but journalists as well. Politician Amar Singh and industrialist Ratan Tata have both said private call transcripts should not be aired in the media. Niira may have helped Raja get the job that allegedly helped him pull off the biggest swindle of all time. She has also brought glamour, spice, and intrigue to this year of scandals.
Ashok Chavan: Countries get emotional over wars. As Maharashtra's Chief Minister, Chavan didn't realise how volatile things could get if he were caught cheating martyrs' families. Chavan helped his relatives buy flats at Adarsha Housing Society in Mumbai. It appears he and his predecessors allowed the high-rise to come up on defence land because they were getting something in return. The building is in trouble now, and Sonia Gandhi had no choice but to ask Chavan to leave. What damage he has caused to the party will be known when elections are held, but the Congress just couldn't afford to have a chief minister who would be seen as a crook without a heart.
Yeddyurappa: Considered the dumbest of this year's scamsters, Yeddyurappa was caught changing the status of government land to help his sons. Real estate is more precious than gold in Bangalore, and his actions couldn't have escaped the watchful eyes of the Deve Gowda family, also majorly into the land business. Earlier chief ministers like S M Krishna and Dharam Singh have also given away government land cheap to their near and dear ones, but they knew how to cover their tracks. H D Kumaraswamy, Deve Gowda's son and former chief minister, has been at Yeddyurappa's throat, pulling out documents to show how extensively Yeddyurappa and his men have grabbed land. By Kumaraswamy's estimate, the scandal amounts to Rs 5,000 crore. The BJP's central leadership was demanding action against the UPA and stalling parliament to demand a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe into the spectrum scandal, and was clearly embarrassed by Yeddyurappa's brazen ways. Many factions are active in the Karnataka BJP. The Reddy brothers, children of a police constable, have earned enough money from mining (many say illegal) to be able to compete with the Mittals of the world. They have their own agenda, and have been inconsistent in their likes and dislikes. Yeddyurappa turned all of this to his advantage, and defied his party's leaders, who wanted him to go. He wasn't so dumb, after all. He also allegedly paid off whoever was against him in Delhi, but significantly, his party's supreme leader L K Advani refused to see him. He has returned to Bangalore victorious, but his enemies aren't going to keep quiet for long.
Ashok Chavan: Countries get emotional over wars. As Maharashtra's Chief Minister, Chavan didn't realise how volatile things could get if he were caught cheating martyrs' families. Chavan helped his relatives buy flats at Adarsha Housing Society in Mumbai. It appears he and his predecessors allowed the high-rise to come up on defence land because they were getting something in return. The building is in trouble now, and Sonia Gandhi had no choice but to ask Chavan to leave. What damage he has caused to the party will be known when elections are held, but the Congress just couldn't afford to have a chief minister who would be seen as a crook without a heart.
Yeddyurappa: Considered the dumbest of this year's scamsters, Yeddyurappa was caught changing the status of government land to help his sons. Real estate is more precious than gold in Bangalore, and his actions couldn't have escaped the watchful eyes of the Deve Gowda family, also majorly into the land business. Earlier chief ministers like S M Krishna and Dharam Singh have also given away government land cheap to their near and dear ones, but they knew how to cover their tracks. H D Kumaraswamy, Deve Gowda's son and former chief minister, has been at Yeddyurappa's throat, pulling out documents to show how extensively Yeddyurappa and his men have grabbed land. By Kumaraswamy's estimate, the scandal amounts to Rs 5,000 crore. The BJP's central leadership was demanding action against the UPA and stalling parliament to demand a Joint Parliamentary Committee probe into the spectrum scandal, and was clearly embarrassed by Yeddyurappa's brazen ways. Many factions are active in the Karnataka BJP. The Reddy brothers, children of a police constable, have earned enough money from mining (many say illegal) to be able to compete with the Mittals of the world. They have their own agenda, and have been inconsistent in their likes and dislikes. Yeddyurappa turned all of this to his advantage, and defied his party's leaders, who wanted him to go. He wasn't so dumb, after all. He also allegedly paid off whoever was against him in Delhi, but significantly, his party's supreme leader L K Advani refused to see him. He has returned to Bangalore victorious, but his enemies aren't going to keep quiet for long.
Read all about India’s Hall of Shame of 2010 - corruption, scandals, broken promises and injustice to the already wronged.
2010 YEAR IN REVIEW:---- CLASH OF THE TITANS
There's never a dull moment in our lives, especially when A-list personalities and celebs get into a war of words. Now with most wars taking place in the public domain and new media like Twitter, we can catch the verbal duel from the comfort of our desks, live, as it were.From epic clashes between titans to starlets letting loose in 140 characters, these people gave us enough food for thought - and laughs - in 2010. Some were well-worded, some will go down in history for the words used, some rode on the coattails of someone else's words, but the mud-slinging, in one word, was epic. Here are some of the most prominent wars of words that coloured the landscape of this year a violent red.
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