30 June 2011

Hilarious Collection Of Photos Of Soldiers Seeing The Funny Side Of Life On The Frontline

Someone get him a dog tag...

Soldiers are known for their black humour on the frontline as they see the funny side of life in the face of adversity.

But these military personnel have taken things a step beyond in these hilarious images from the battlefield.

These photographs, released by slightlywarped.com, celebrate the best humour from our soldiers, airmen and sailors.

A man and his dog: This canine shows off his surveillance skills as he looks through binoculars next to an armed soldier

A man and his dog: This canine shows off his surveillance skills as he looks through binoculars next to an armed soldier

Call the cavalry: Soldier aims fire on the back of a tiny donkey

Call the cavalry: Soldier aims fire on the back of a tiny donkey

Diversion: Soldier stands behind this roadblock marked with some wishful thinking

Diversion: Soldier stands behind this roadblock marked with some wishful thinking

Bombs away: Soldier hangs strapped to the wing of an aircraft pretending to be a missile

Bombs away: Soldier hangs strapped to the wing of an aircraft pretending to be a missile

A Knight's Tale: Soldiers joust on bicycles in front of a crowd of military personnel enjoying the revelry

A Knight's Tale: Soldiers joust on bicycles in front of a crowd of military personnel enjoying the revelry

Undercover: A soldier's camouflage uniform hides him in a slightly more domestic situation than it was intended

Undercover: A soldier's camouflage uniform hides him in a slightly more domestic situation than it was intended

Mousetrap: A soldier tests out this homemade giant vermin catcher with a bottle of beer at an army base

Mousetrap: A soldier tests out this homemade giant vermin catcher with a bottle of beer at an army base

Woman behind the wheel: A female pilot hangs her handbag on the controls of this military aircraft

Woman behind the wheel: A female pilot hangs her handbag on the controls of this military aircraft

In this collection you will find some great images of the men and women in uniform managing to raise a smile, even when their lives are on the line.

There are the two airmen, dressed in full pilot’s uniform including helmets, racing down the runway with model airplanes strapped around their waists.

Then there is the female pilot flying a jet with her handbag dangling from the airplane’s controls.

Look out for the giant mousetrap that has been made back at base, which is being tested by a soldier with a beer bottle.

Technology: This spoof photo shows off the U.S. government's next generation stealth fighter

Technology: This spoof photo shows off the U.S. government's next generation stealth fighter

Taking a break: This pilot enjoys a magazine while seated in the back of a military fighter jet

Taking a break: This pilot enjoys a magazine while seated in the back of a military fighter jet

Read for take off: Two airmen in full pilot uniform race down the runway with two model aircraft around their waists

Read for take off: Two airmen in full pilot uniform race down the runway with two model aircraft around their waists

Hitching a lift: This soldier tries to get a ride back home to Florida from the frontline

Hitching a lift: This soldier tries to get a ride back home to Florida from the frontline

Disguise: This photo shows a Coca-Cola lorry hidden by army camouflage

Disguise: This photo shows a Coca-Cola lorry hidden by army camouflage

Bow and arrow: This soldier uses his gun in a slightly less conventional way

Bow and arrow: This soldier uses his gun in a slightly less conventional way

Suicidal teens welcome! A spoof sign hangs in the window of an army recruitment centre

Suicidal teens welcome! A spoof sign hangs in the window of an army recruitment centre

There is also soldier taking some time out from his duties in full camouflage gear who is disguised by the garish sofa he is lying on.

Another picture shows a Coca-Cola lorry also in full camouflage.

A soldier is also pictured standing at a desert roadblock painted with ‘Car bombs must exit’.

The images were provided courtesy of slightlyawkward.com.

Mizoram Declared Smoke-Free State

smoke_free

Aizawl, Jun 30
: Mizoram, which had earned a dubious distinction of being the heaviest tobacco-consuming state, was today declared a 'smoke-free' state. Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla, who formally made the declaration during a ceremony at the CM's office here today, described it as a great achievement and attributed it to the 22-year-long untiring efforts of the Indian Society on Tobacco Health (ISTH) Mizoram Chapter, led by wife Lal Riliani.

"The declaration of smoke-free state means that smokers are being cornered," Lal Thanhawla said.

Pointing out that passive smoking is more harmful than smoking itself, Lal Thanhawla made a fervent appeal to all smokers to give up the bad habit for the sake of their health and that of others. "If we follow the Bible, which tells us to be Holy, we can make this Christian-dominated state a totally smoke-free state," he said.

The Chief Minister was happy to see a positive trend regarding smoking in public places.

Health Minister Lalrinliana Sailo, who graced the function as the guest of honour, said that smoke-free environment will make Mizoram a better and healthier place to live in.

Chief Secretary Vanhela Pachuau gave a ppt on COPTA 2003, putting emphasis on the responsibilities of government officials in enforcing the rules.

Dr Jane R Ralte, state nodal officer for Mizoram State Tobacco Control Society (MSTCS), reported that 3,077 persons have been arrested for smoking in public places following several raids conducted during October 2008 to June 2011.

A revenue of Rs 84,503 was collected from fines, she said.

The function also saw the presence of ministers, parliamentary secretaries, MLAs and officials.

Arunachal Pradesh Becoming Safe Haven For Militants

By Anurag K

naga_militants

Guwahati, Jun 30
: Arunachal Pradesh, which shares its eastern boundary with the troubled region of Myanmar, and has a large number of insurgents, has become a favourite transit route and operation base for several militant outfits from neighbouring Nagaland and Assam.

Besides the lack of coordination among state police forces of Assam, Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh, the rugged and thickly forested terrain of the state has made it favourable for insurgents to escape the heat of sustained counter-insurgency operations in Assam and Nagaland.

Security sources said Arunachal Pradesh's eastern districts of Tirap and Changlang bordering Myanmar have become a hotbed of insurgents of late.

The area is infested with factions of the Naga rebels – National Socialist Council of Nagaland - Khaplang and National Socialist Council of Nagaland - Isak-Muivah – besides anti-talks faction of the National Democratic Front of Bodoland and United Liberation Front of Assam. The NDFB, in fact, has infiltrated the forested area in Arunachal Pradeah bordering North Assam.

The Naga rebel groups are notorious for their extortion operations in Arunachal districts besides engaging in the occasional turf war between them for control over not territory. Arunachal Pradesh does not have sufficient manpower as well as equipment to put up a strong challenge before rebel groups armed to the teeth with sophisticated weapons.
The NSCN rebels are constantly trying to expand their area of operation to other parts of the sparsely populated hill state.

The twin districts of Tirap and Changlang have become one of the few remaining strongholds of the anti-talks faction of the ULFA. The outfits, besides remote controlling its operations in eastern Assam's industrial belt, use the area as transit route to its Myanmar base.

The anti-talk faction of National Democratic Front of Bodoland is very active in districts of West Kameng, East Kameng, Papum Pare, West Siang and East Siang which share boundary with Assam.

All these insurgent groups of the neighbouring states have hatched a design to promote small local insurgent groups within Arunachal Pradesh during the last few years for their advantage. There have been reports that one of those small outfits, Arunachal Naga Liberation Front, recently merged with the NSCN-K.

However, the small Arunachalee outfits hardly pose as much a threat as the bigger outfits from the neighbouring states. The sparsely populated and thickly forested steep hills of Arunachal Pradesh have provided a natural shield to these outfits against security forces.

These outfits resort to rampant extortions in areas close to inter-state boundary with Assam and Nagaland. Politicians and government officials too face the threat of extortion in those areas.

Human Misery Of Drug Crossroads

Police reveal a hoard of spasmo proxyvon, a prescription drug which addicts mix with water and inject like heroin / Anjulika Thingnam - Panos London

Police reveal a hoard of spasmo proxyvon, a prescription drug which addicts mix with water and inject like heroin / Anjulika Thingnam - Panos London

By Takhelchangbam Ambravati

A popular joke among the people of Manipur is that A is for Arms, B for Bandhs (strikes), C for Curfew, and D for Drugs. This grim alphabet reflects the sad reality of the state. Tragically those that feel the impact most are women and children.

Manipur shares a porous border of almost 400km with Myanmar. Most of the arms and drugs, especially heroin, are smuggled into Manipur from Myanmar. Other abused drugs such as spasmo-proxyvon (SP) tablets are brought in from other parts of the country. These strong painkillers are usually prescribed for stomach cramps. In Manipur drug users mix the capsules with water and inject them. This produces a weak opium-like high lasting for a few minutes – but for much less money than heroin.

Generations have been wiped out in Manipur due to the abuse of heroin and SP. In fact, the high rate of HIV/AIDS in the state is mainly due to the transmission of the disease among intravenous drug-users (IDUs) who then pass it on to their sexual partners and then potentially to their children. As of January this year we have just over 38,000 people who live with HIV/AIDS, according to official figures. Roughly a quarter of them are women. Many other women, like me, struggle behind as widows of husbands who died due to HIV/AIDS.

In addition, lots of women are being used as couriers for drugs for petty amounts of money. There have been lots of cases where these women also became addicts. Many of the women who become addicts or who get infected with HIV through their spouses have been forced out of their homes. They are often forced to work as sex workers to earn their daily dose of drugs. Our society often looks with disdain at these women, but forgets that they too are victims of circumstances.

Would there be so many people abusing drugs if they were not abundantly and easily found on the streets of Manipur? Due to the ongoing armed conflict situation, Manipur must have one of the highest concentrations of state security forces in the country. There are so many checkpoints on the roads and so many policemen are recruited throughout the year. So how do these illegal drugs make their way into Manipur? How can we not suspect that there are many influential people, may be policemen or politicians, involved in the trade?

We might not have enough to prove this but the consequences of the illegal trade are quite visible. So many programmes and policies on HIV/AIDS have been framed and implemented by the government, but all these have failed to bring about perceptible signs of improvement. There is an apparent lack of political will in almost all issues in Manipur.

The state government formed the Manipur Legislative Forum on HIV/AIDS, comprising all Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs). Yet they failed to even evaluate how many people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA) there are in their respective Assembly Constituencies or assess what their needs are.

We tried lobbying our own MLA to get whatever money was allotted for HIV/AIDS in his local area development fund used towards the nutrition, education and treatment of PLHA in his Assembly Constituency. But like the others, he also confined the activities to awareness programmes. There has been a lot of awareness programmes since the 1990s so I wish he had used the money in a new direction.

anjulika-thingnam1

As told to Thingnam Anjulika Samom

source: panos.org.uk

Assam Govt Targeting RTI Activist Akhil Gogoi?

By Sumon K Chakrabarti

Guwahati: He has rattled the government in Assam with his anti-corruption crusade for two years now. Award-winning RTI activist Akhil Gogoi's - who has exposed corrupt ministers - luck ran out after he led a protest of thousands against eviction of settlers in Guwahati last week. Police firing killed three protestors, including a nine-year-old boy.

Tarun Gogoi's government arrested him two days later on several serious charges - instigating violence, rioting, vandalism, destroying government property but his arrest has snowballed into a major controversy. On Tuesday, the Chief Minister charged him of having links with ULFA and Maoists but then admitted that there was no direct evidence.

There are several questions the government is unable to answer. Why was Akhil Gogoi arrested before a high-level committee even submitted their report on last week's violence in Guwahati? Why has no action been taken against police officers, who ordered to open fire on protestors, so far? Why did Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi make allegations against Akhil Gogoi without any proof?

These unanswered questions have led many to believe that the state government is trying to muzzle the lone voice against corruption in Assam. And Akhil Gogoi's supporters have not just decided to go on a hunger strike till he is released, they will also sue Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi for defamation.

29 June 2011

Mizos To Celebrate 25 Years Of Peace

Aizawl, Jun 29 : As the historic Mizo Accord turns 25 years on Thursday, Mizoram Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla today extended greetings to Mizos across the globe.

The Mizo Accord was signed on June 30, 1986 between then outlawed Mizo National Front, led by Laldenga and the Union Government, putting an end to the 20-year-long insurgency and ushered in a new era of peace in this Northeast Indian state.

In his message, the chief minister said his government accords top priority to the law and order situation so that the people of state can march forward to catch up with the rest of the country.

Stating that his government remains committed towards promoting the welfare of the poor, Lal Thanhawla said the flagship new land use policy, which aims to uplift the poor, has been launched.

To generate more power, the government had vigorously pursued big projects like the 210 MW Tuivai Hydel project, 60MW Tuirial Hydel project and 460MW Kolodyne hydel project while smaller projects like 3MW Maicham II small hydel project and 12 MW Serlui B hydel project have been completed, the chief minister said.

Among many others, the Mizoram Government had taken major initiatives to explore the huge sports potential in Mizoram, the chief minister said in his message televised from DDK and local cable channels.

The 25th anniversary of Mizo Accord will be observed under the aegis of Mizoram Kohhran Hruaitute Committee, a committee of major church leaders in Mizoram, at Vanapa Hall here on Thursday.

The state government has not arranged a separate function to mark the historic day. Chief minister Lal Thanhawla and main opposition party Mizo National Front president and former Chief Minister Zoramthanga will deliver speeches at the function.

The 'Remna Ni' or Peace Day is a landmark occasion for the people of Mizoram as they feel that it signalled renewal of hope for peace, progress and real development of Mizoram.

The political disturbances started during the tribulation of the bamboo flowering (Mautam) famine which left a deep scar on the minds of some Mizos and was interlinked with a secessionist movement that was to follow.

A voluntary organisation Mizo National Famine Front (MNFF) took up arms on February 28, 1966 in a bid to achieve its goal to separate the state from the India Union.

The Mizo hills were immediately declared a 'disturbed area' and security forces were inducted to maintain the law and order situation.

The disturbances lasted for two decades during which the land had to weather many storms.

Home Secretary G K Pillai on his tenure

Home Secretary G K Pillai

Sheela Bhatt in New Delhi

Union Home Secretary Gopal Krishna Pillai is retiring on June 30 after 39 years in service. Bureaucrats in India are made of hard stuff but Pillai injected some soft power to the job by making the home ministry accessible to the media, by responding on his cell phone all the time, by giving quotes to television cameras parked outside his office and by implementing policy to the satisfaction of his boss, Home Minister P Chidambaram.

Pillai and his wife Sudha, also an IAS officer now retired and re-inducted into the Planning Commission, were dubbed as the "power couple". What worked for Pillai was his level of confidence in what he was doing. His father and grand-father were also civil servants.

Pillai knew how to approach files and dispense it with efficiency. He was quite clever, like many Indian bureaucrats, in not treading on political landmines. He earned kudos when he was joint secretary in charge of the north-east (1996-2000). He showed sensitivity in his approach and tried to bring the north-east closer to New Delhi.

As commerce secretary his stint got a mixed response. His penchant to fast-track approval for SEZs made many farmers, NGOs and activists unhappy. As commerce secretary his total commitment to the government policy on privatisation and liberalisation in the ministry made him unpopular amongst poor farmers and NGOs fighting for land rights.

However, no one can doubt that the man knew his job and also its potential early in life.

As district collector of Quilon, Kerala (1982-85) he showed his mettle. He helped Kerala's cashew, coir and handlooms industries in a big way.

As his distinguished career comes to an end, in a conversation with rediff.com's Sheela Bhatt, he shared a few thoughts on the socio-economical turbulence that India can't escape, on his boss P Chidambaram's intellectual honesty, on the Maoists unacceptable agenda and the important police reforms that he tried to implement.




'Unless you have well-trained policemen, you have lost half the battle'

A Central Reserve Police Force trooper stands guard outside the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Delhi

You were a richly-experienced bureaucrat before you became home secretary. What are the new things about India that you learned while sitting on this chair, particularly about India's law and order and internal security situation?

This was a very hectic, very tiring and very challenging assignment. We had our share of troubles, left-wing extremism and getting our act together in terms of shaping policy. I think, the most suffering I have gone through is due to lack of sleep. I think, throughout this assignment I have managed just five hours of sleep daily. I want to catch up on my lost sleep when I retire (laughs).

I think, my assignment has been satisfying. We have managed to put key focus on law and order and we have managed to keep the focus on important police reforms. Primarily, making sure that the recruitment of policemen is made more transparent and merit-based. If recruitment is not proper we will have weak characters remaining in the system. That is something which we have tried to tell our states.

We have tried to augment the capacity of the training system, substantially. Thanks to Vijay Kelkar of the 13th Finance Commission who provided us with Rs 2,200 crore for building up better infrastructure for police training institutions in the states.

We have vastly improved the training institutes of Border Security Force, Central Reserve Police Force, Indo Tibetan Border Police. I believe that unless you have well-trained policemen, you have lost half the battle.

If you look back at the last two years, what is your most important achievement?

You can't quantify. In the home ministry, when you come to office you never know how your day would end unlike the commerce ministry when I knew what and how I will do things in office hours. The developments of the day overshadowed my planning. It can be Gorkhaland, Telangana, the north-east, Maoists or Kashmir.

'We don't have a consensus on how to tackle left-wing extremism'

Border Security Force soldiers patrol the fenced border with Pakistan near Jammu

Which was the current affairs issue in which you invested your heart and brain, both?

I would say getting many difficult things through. Like, the merit-based system in police recruitment to which home minister was deeply committed to. I took a personal interest in improving the training of policemen. When the 13th Finance Commission was almost ready to file its report to the government, Kelkar included our request for funds for police training. We went at the last minute and he still incorporated it. In the home ministry we took key decisions within time-limits in spite of many problems.

What are your regrets?

I think, we don't have a consensus on how to tackle left-wing extremism.

We have not been able to get it in order. Not only amongst our political parties, even in the government itself, there is a lack of consensus. There is delay in the National Intelligence Grid and National Counter-Terrorism Centre. The NCTC hasn't yet come up. In fact, the NCTC is in limbo. The NATGRID is approved in principle but it's delayed substantially.

What could you not accomplish in spite of trying hard?

I think the Delhi police bill which I wanted to complete with all the elements of police reforms that we have envisaged. We wanted to make it the model bill for the rest of the country. Now, the draft resolution is ready and has gone to the law ministry.

The issues are resolved and it will take six months more. I would have loved to have done it when I was home secretary. It gives more independence to the police, it involves issues of fixed tenure, better system of recruitment, training and transfers. It has police accountability, community policing etc.

'Chidambaram only wanted results'

Chidambaram in Lalgarh in West Bengal

How did you find P Chidambaram as your boss? Is he arrogant, as many people allege?

In all my 39 years of service the most intellectually challenging years have been the last two years working with Chidambaram. He is a perfectionist, he wants results. He wants things to be done yesterday. We did so many things.

Chidambaram, in one sense, is the only minister who comes before the media every month and says what he did during the month. All the decisions, like purchases of weapons, setting up of institutions, regional hubs, training courses, he would share. We showed our performance. We put up everything on our website. It's there to check and verify. He provided true leadership and made us work to double our capacity.

Is he arrogant?

I don't think so. He is quite willing.

What's his biggest strength?

His big strength is his intellectual honesty. He is very clear what he wants. He is logical. Once he selects a particular plan, he will stick to it. He gives very clear directions. We all knew what exactly we have to do. There was no confusion at all. This is what you are supposed to do this month; this is what you will be doing next month.

It was a challenge to us.

What you are describing is his management capability to handle bureaucrats. But some ask, does he understand issues from the people's point of view?

I think his objective was very clear. He had come in at difficult times. He wanted results. He didn't care how you do it. He would ask, are you performing or not performing? That's all!

How To Watch 1000 Seasons Of US TV Free

By Nick Broughall

Hulu

What TV looks like in America, where internet services let you watch what you want, when you want. Picture courtesy Hulu  

  • Americans watch loads of telly
  • They watch it free, on computers

IMAGINE a world where you could legally and freely watch any episode of any TV show ever made.

A world where you could stream high-definition movies to your television for a couple of dollars a week, with an almost unlimited selection to choose from.

Customers in the US can almost experience this right now through internet services like Hulu and Netflix.

Hulu offers over 1000 seasons of television programming with more than 29,000 episodes available for free with a few minor advertisements, or $US8 a month for even more content.

Meanwhile, Netflix users pay $US8 a month to stream as many movies as they want as many times as they want.

But thanks to copyright law, anyone living outside of the US is blocked from using these amazing services.

Fortunately, there is a simple way to get around this restriction by using a commonplace technology called VPN.

VPN stands for virtual private network.

It’s most commonly used by businesses to let employees remotely connect to the company network without compromising security.

But it can also be used to convince overseas websites that you are in a country that has access to its services.

Here’s how it works: you set up your computer with either a free or paid VPN service and, once activated, point your computer’s browser at the Hulu or Netflix website.

The services you previously couldn’t access will now be available to you. It's as simple as that.

There are, however, a few downsides.

Firstly, VPNs can be slow. If your internet connection isn’t fast enough, you could find streaming video continually stopping to buffer, which would make the whole process more effort than it’s worth.

The second issue is that Hulu and Netflix know all about VPNs, and many popular VPN services are actually blocked by these sites.

Quite often this can be overcome by stopping your VPN and starting again, though.

The third issue is how you get the geo-restricted content onto your television.

Screen-sharing devices like the McTiVia, which bundles VPN software with each $299 purchase, encourage Australians to access Hulu on the big screen, but it's a substantial investment.

The other alternative is good, old-fashioned cables.

NOTE: The legality of using VPNs to access international entertainment services is debatable - copyright campaigners will argue it's illegal, but under Australian parallel import law it's not.

However, using VPNs to access services from Hulu or Netflix definitely contradicts each companies terms of service, although like the conditions attached to iTunes, they aren't necessarily enforceable by law.

So here's our list of the top five VPN Clients:

HotSpot Shield, (free)
Hotspot Shield is one of the most attractive VPN services on the market. It’s free, and it’s incredibly simple to setup. Simply download and install the software, and it will do the rest of the hard work for you.

Hulu does recognise computers using it though, so you might need to try a few times to get it to work for you.
Link to Hotspot Shield

Secret Neo-Nazi Symbols Revealed

Openly Nazi symbols such as the swastika are banned in Germany. Neo-Nazis get...

Peter Jülich

Openly Nazi symbols such as the swastika are banned in Germany. Neo-Nazis get around the law by using secret combinations of letter and numbers such as 14 and 88. A new book, "Das Versteckspiel" ("Hide and Seek"), explains the meaning of such codes. Here, a right-wing extremism with tattoos including the number 14 and the "white power" fist logo.

Very few people know the real meaning of such codes, says Michael Weiss, a...

Marek Peters

Very few people know the real meaning of such codes, says Michael Weiss, a German expert on right-wing extremism who is one of the authors of the brochure. Nordic-style symbols, as seen on the back of this man's jacket and as a tattoo on his arm, are also popular with right-wing extremists.

The number 8 is also a common neo-Nazi symbol. Extremists use it to stand in...

Marek Peters

The number 8 is also a common neo-Nazi symbol. Extremists use it to stand in for the letter H, for Hitler. Here the combination spells out the word "hate." Max H8 is a German streetwear label.

Some neo-Nazis have co-opted imagery previously used by the left-wing. The flag...

Marek Peters

Some neo-Nazis have co-opted imagery previously used by the left-wing. The flag symbols here looks similar to those used by German anti-fascists.

The demonstrator holding the bullhorn is sporting the Black Sun or sunwheel...

Marek Peters

The demonstrator holding the bullhorn is sporting the Black Sun or sunwheel symbol, which is popular with neo-Nazis, on his vest (2006 photo). The man on the right appears to have pieces of adhesive tape on his hoodie, which he could be using to conceal banned symbols.

Here, a right-wing extremist (holding flag) has clearly been inspired by Adolf...

Marek Peters

Here, a right-wing extremist (holding flag) has clearly been inspired by Adolf Hitler's personal look. The man next to him is wearing a T-shirt from the clothing firm Masterrace Europe, whose products are worn by neo-Nazis.

Some neo-Nazis have taken to wearing the kaffiyeh scarf (seen on the right), a...

Marek Peters

Some neo-Nazis have taken to wearing the kaffiyeh scarf (seen on the right), a symbol of Palestinian nationalism, "as a symbol of struggle against Israel," says Weiss.

The ancient symbol of the triskelion is also used by right-wing extremists. The...

Marek Peters

The ancient symbol of the triskelion is also used by right-wing extremists. The clothing label Fred Perry, which made the polo shirt seen here, has long been popular with skinheads of all political persuasions and is worn by some German neo-Nazis. The firm has taken pains to distance itself from the scene.

Neo-Nazis prepare for a demonstration in Dresden in February 2011. "Many of...

dpa

Neo-Nazis prepare for a demonstration in Dresden in February 2011. "Many of these people no longer stand out," says expert Michael Weiss.

Here, a right-wing extremist in Berlin wears a shirt featuring the inscription...

ddp

Here, a right-wing extremist in Berlin wears a shirt featuring the inscription "Frontbann 24," the name of an organization that was banned in 2009. The name is inspired by a Nazi organization that was founded in 1924.

Thor Steinar is one of several German clothing labels associated with neo-Nazis.

Marek Peters

Thor Steinar is one of several German clothing labels associated with neo-Nazis.

Thor Steinar is one of the clothing labels mentioned in the book, which is...

dpa

Thor Steinar is one of the clothing labels mentioned in the book, which is aimed at raising awareness of far-right codes.

One of Thor Steinar's logos is seen in a 2006 photo.

DPA

One of Thor Steinar's logos is seen in a 2006 photo.

Neo-Nazis have been adopting elements of other clothing styles in recent years....

DDP

Neo-Nazis have been adopting elements of other clothing styles in recent years. These right-wing extremists have a very similar look

... to these left-wing demonstrators protesting against a neo-Nazi rally in...

AFP

... to these left-wing demonstrators protesting against a neo-Nazi rally in Dresden.

The shaved-head look remains popular, though. Here, a far-right rally in Berlin...

AFP

The shaved-head look remains popular, though. Here, a far-right rally in Berlin in May 2010.

History as her stories

By C.K. Meena

Lucky Lobster can be called a political play


LIFE'S PLAY Lucky Lobster

That Swar Thounaojam hails from Manipur was an inconsequential detail in the context of her debut “Fake Palindromes” staged this January, but a matter of inescapable significance when it came to her second play, “Lucky Lobster”, staged at Ranga Shankara last weekend. Try as she might to universalise it by refusing to name places or characters, it ends up addressing those for whom the ‘North-East' blurs into a single amorphous entity. Like the Kashmir ‘situation' we often talk of the Manipur ‘situation', which we reduce to Maoists, army bullets, naked mothers and Irom Sharmila. The playwright avoids such clichés and, through the narratives of women who run a market in Imphal called Ema Keithel, draws attention to the history of her troubled state. The four teenagers on stage who ask questions classroom-lesson-fashion represent various social groups at different points in the play: the ignorant audience, a bunch of outsiders documenting the oral histories of the local people, and the new urban generation that doesn't care for the past and lives entirely in the present.

There is a problem with history lessons, though. In the hands of the wrong teacher they can be tedious. Why does the director/playwright choose to make her lead actors read out (or pretend to) long sections of text for a good half hour or more? And make the schoolchildren look conspicuously bored out of their wits for the entire length of the play? And, to cap it all, make them move about continuously? This is hugely distracting. Not only does the spectator, who has at most two eyes, find it difficult to take in seven things at a time, but the restlessness on stage also infects her. Occasional, relevant movements to break an actor's monologue can be justified: for instance, when Lakshmi Krishnamurty, who convincingly plays the confused old vendor living in the past, talks of the changes she resents, the schoolchildren keep blocking her path while she speaks of how crowded her town has become. If showing uninterested school kids is pressing the point, so is the academician's (played by Vijay Nair) reading out an entire jargon-packed thesis on women's empowerment. The irony is lost after a few minutes although Nair attempts to bring in light relief through his periodic ear-and-throat-clearing noises. Half way through, when the play snapped out of recital mode into actual theatre with Nair enacting an event, the energy level rose; it peaked with the subsequent narratives of the two younger vendors, particularly those of Anu H.R.

All told, this is a political play that deals with authority and repression. It begins with a (Manipuri) nonsense verse “Te-te tena-wa” set to the tune of “Jana Gana Mana”, which degenerates into a cacophonic shouting that clearly symbolises disturbance and conflict. The powerful stories of women whose sons have disappeared — either killed by the state or recruited by militants — are not specific to any state or even country. Vendors relocated from an old market into a new one, teenagers with money to burn… the playwright has constantly tried to generalise human experience.

Before the play began the audience was invited to walk on stage and examine an ‘installation'. This consisted of some strong portrait shots and backlit images of presumably Ema Keithel and its women vendors (taken by Deepika Arwind), all the props in the play (including a teapot and glucose biscuits), and a silent, looped video showing a woman in the grip of either extreme grief or possession. If this was meant to draw us into the atmosphere of the play it didn't work. Had the photos been strung up along the last landing leading to the auditorium entrance, one could have lingered over them on the way in. Ambient sounds recorded in the market played through speakers would have captured the mood.

Thounaojam seems to have a penchant for catchy but mystifying titles. This one is a reference to an essay by David Foster Wallace (this uber-cool po-mo dead dude who is suddenly all the rage) in which he countered the belief that the lobster feels no pain when dunked in boiling water. Lucky lobster if feels no pain. Hmm. That requires quite a stretch of the imagination.

Admission For The Right Price!

Bribery scam rocks Delhi University

Money mantra for mission admission

By Amit Singh and Sidhant Maheshwari

New Delhi, Jun 29 : DU vice-chancellor Dinesh Singh expressed shock at the expose of another scam within days of a fake certificates racket being busted at the varsity.

Disillusioned with the sky-high cut-offs, serpentine queues and cumbersome admissions process at Delhi University? If you have ready cash, then there's no reason to worry. For the right price, doors to some of the best colleges of the varsity will open up for you. Going by the claims of certain current and former DU students, if you have deep pockets, then what's on your marksheet doesn't matter.

In the eye of the storm: Sri Venkateswara College was
also mentioned by the touts. (Inset) Govind

No fear
Despite detection of the recent fake certificates scam at DU, touts are still active at the varsity. After MiD DAY found out that certain people were taking money to provide seats to aspirants at DU Colleges, two of our reporters went undercover, one as a prospective student, and appeared at ARSD College on Tuesday. We contacted the National Students' Union of India (NSUI) helpdesk and met a person named Govind, who claimed to be NSUI president at the college. His name is mentioned in the pamphlets being circulated around the varsity during the admissions season. Govind was unwilling to help at first.

But after we declared that we were told about him by a friend who had used his services earlier, he slowly started to give in. After further inquiries we found the phone number of a person named Himanshu, who is currently studying at ARSD College, and is also involved in such activities. We were informed that he was a close ally of Govind. The latter asked us to speak with Himanshu first and to do what he said.

On calling up Himanshu, we got to know that this 'outfit' operates in several colleges. Not just ARSD, but institutes like Sri Venkateswara and Ramjas are in the ambit too. Himanshu asked us to come back on Friday. But when we told him that we wanted the admission on Tuesday itself and were ready to pay the 'charges' the same day, his interest was aroused. He told us that he could get us admitted in colleges like Ram Lal Anand (Evening) and Aurobindo on Tuesday. He even claimed that if we spared some extra cash, he could get the student transferred to colleges like Sri Venkateswara in the next academic year.

For right price
Later when asked about the 'charges' for admissions, we were told that the price of a seat at Atma Ram Sanatan Dharma (ARSD) College is Rs 90 thousand, for Ram Lal Anand College (Evening) it's Rs 80-90 thousand and at Sri Venkateswara College it is Rs 3-4 lakh. You can also pick the particular stream of your choice. After this, we contacted Govind who also talked to Himanshu and said that he will help us, at the right price of course.

Choices galore
He asked the 'prospective student' his choice of course and college. He also wanted to know his percentage in class XII boards. Then he asked the reporter to leave photocopies of his class X and XII marksheets along with a phone number. Himanshu even asked us to meet him at Satya Niketan Market near Sri Venkateswara College. But later he had a change of plans and we could not meet him. Meanwhile, Dr Rajesh Mohan, Principal, ARSD College, did not want to comment on this issue. He said: "I don't know what has happened. I will only comment after I see it in the newspaper."

Disbelief
Dr P Hemalatha Reddy, Principal, Sri Venkateswara College was shocked to hear such allegations against the college. She said, "Our college has a foolproof system. People outside the college can say anything but we are very strict in checking the documents. We have a three-level system of verifying these certificates and I don't think anyone can pass through that with money and sources." The principal of Ram Lal Anand (Evening) College was not available for comment. "This is shocking. It is a mockery of education. Young people like NSUI members should not be indulging in forgery. It's a crime and they should be caught and taught a lesson," said Mahendra Chaudhary, State President (Delhi), NSUI.

Big deal
More details of the conversation with Govind:
Reporter: Is there any possibility of getting an admission in BSc. Physics (H) in ARSD?
Govind: I think at this point of time it won't be possible. However, you can come on Friday. We will work something out. Who gave you my contact?
Reporter: Abhishek (Ex-ARSD College President)
Govind: Can you connect me to Abhishek once?
Reporter: I don't know him directly. I got his number from a common friend. I was asked not to reveal his identity... What are the charges for other colleges apart from ARSD?
Govind: In RLA (Eve), the amount would be the same as ARSD. However in Venky the amount would just get double. Again negotiable.
Reporter: That's too much. I would want an admission in Venky if you charge less.
Govind: Till last year we got many students admitted at a price much lower than this. But this year it has become tough. You must be hearing about police crackdowns. So we have to be very cautious.
Reporter: OK, will let you know.
Govind: Submit a copy of your certificates to us. Also mention your mobile number at the back so that we can contact you later as and when required.
Caught on camera
Excerpts of MiD DAY's conversation with Govind:
Govind:
It's difficult to get admission in ARSD. We could help in getting a seat in either Sri Venkateswara or Ram Lal Anand College (eve.).
Reporter: Venky will do. But what would it cost?
Govind: I will have to check (starts calling a friend).
Reporter: Ask for RLA (eve.) also. Also, in case there is any college in North Campus.
Govind: Only Ramjas in North campus.  (After talking to his friend over phone) ARSD will also be possible. Venky and RLA (eve) definitely. In fact, in RLA (eve), you can get admission today itself.
Reporter: What are the charges?
Govind: Around Rs. 90,000. However it would be negotiable when you come to pay.


Some things never change
In a similar investigation in June 2009, MiD DAY had caught up with Intikhab Alam, a self-proclaimed messiah for those who could not make it to the ever-rising cut-off of the Delhi University. The reporter had asked him to secure admission for his cousin in B Com (Hons) at a college. Alam asked our reporter to meet him at Delhi University Student's Union office at 11 am on Wednesday.

The MiD DAY reporter was at the meeting spot dot on time. However, Alam was nowhere to be seen. The reporter called up Alam, who asked him to come to a house in Old Gupta colony, about three kms away from the campus. Narrow, congested lanes took the reporter to a dingy room where Alam was sitting on a chair in front of a laptop. The room was typical of a student living in a PG accommodation. Apart from two chairs, there was a rickety study table and a low bed.

Alam started enquiring about the wherewithal of the reporter and asked general details about the cousin for whom admission was being sought. "My cousin scored 75 per cent in his 10+2," the reporter told Alam. He was also told that the cousin is from Orissa. Once assured that the 'customer' is genuine, Alam started showing his true colours.

"Admission is no problem; you will get it any college of your choice. But you have to pay up and the price is non-negotiable," he told the reporter. When asked about his price list, Alam quoted Rs 1,50,000 for the most prestigious colleges like St Stephen's, SRCC, Hindu and Sri Venkateswara College. While admission in colleges such as Hansraj and Kirori Mal will cost Rs 1,25,000, said Alam.

"You have to pay Rs 20,000 in advance and give copies of the documents. Then fill the common admission form and forget everything else," he said. Alam claimed that once the payment was made, the name of the candidate would appear in the first cut-off list of the college of his choice. "Admission guaranteed," he quipped with a smile. The reporter fixed the deal for a seat in the Sri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC) for Rs 1,50,000. Once the deal was sealed, the reporter came out, saying he will get in touch in a day or two with all the pre-requisites.

Transit: The Lose-Lose Game



By Sayeeful Islam

It is in the interest of both Bangladesh and India to have a win-win and sustainable relationship. Global trends show economies benefit by integration of markets. The proposed transit / corridor through Bangladesh would be used for transporting goods from one part of India to the other part. A strange case of segregating economies instead of integrating -- the growth scenario promoted by global agencies such as the ADB and World Bank.

The transit accord of 1973 made sense when it was formulated. Bangladesh had just attained independence and the country was in ruins. Almost everything was imported. Today it is a different reality. Bangladesh is a manufacturing hub. This year Bangladesh will export goods worth $20 billion. If we can compete globally and add value to the consumers all over the world, why should we not join hands with the people of the Indian North East (NE) and provide them with their necessities?

Today, we are the most logical export partner for the people of the NE. Goods that the small traders need could be reached there in a day from Sylhet, Comilla and Chittagong. They can form partnerships with Bangladeshi business much easier than with others hundreds of miles away.

Concurrently we can use the raw materials that the North East India has in abundance and use our extensive manufacturing capability for processing and re-export.

This is the only way integration and the development of the region and the economic wellbeing of the peoples would be speedy, sustainable and inclusive. Instead of connecting the two parts of India economically bypassing Bangladesh, the people of the region would be best served if connectivity between Bangladesh and the NE was enhanced.

Though the Indian Government has earmarked $1billion as aid for developing our transport infrastructure geared to transit, the people of Bangladesh want trade not aid. The big question is -- why should we take the economic and dependency burden of this aid package when the foundations on which it is being promoted go squarely against all interests of Bangladesh and of the economic wellbeing of the people of the region.

Transit is being promoted on myths -- the regional economic integration myth

As per the present draft of the transit proposal -

a. Goods will be conceptualised, designed, manufactured, packaged and put into sealed containers.

b. The goods will then travel through Bangladesh territory.

c. They will then be unloaded in the NE. There they will be warehoused, advertised, marketed, and distributed.

The activities (a) and (c) will be taking place in India. These activities will have no contribution to our economy. As the North East develops, the growth of the region will be designed on the basis of economic integration with mainland India and complete segregation with Bangladesh.

The population of the NE is approximately 55,000,000. If the potential consumption of products that are manufactured in Bangladesh are valued at only $10/month per person than the market potential for Bangladesh is $6.5 billion annually. This market will be lost because of transit.

The regional connectivity myth

On the North East India shares borders with China and Myanmar. There is no onward road connectivity from the NE with Myanmar and to China. Hence the concept that the transit route would provide regional connectivity to Thailand and beyond is a distant dream. To the west the road connectivity through India, faces a dead end in Pakistan and in the battlefields of Afghanistan and Iraq. Where is the regional connectivity?

Where do these myths lead Bangladesh to?

Strategic and Security Concerns

* The contentious border of North Eastern India with China has seen armed conflict in 1962. Both sides still have claims on territory which the other controls.

If there was to be military engagement or the possibility of military engagement between India and China in the NE (or for that matter in any region where the two countries are vying for influence), would India use the transit route to speedily move troops and weapons across Bangladesh? What would be China's reactions in such a scenario?

It is not for us to weigh in on the possibilities of such engagement but the view of an influential Indian politician is relevant. During recent visit to Bangladesh, the former India Minister in charge of the NE Mr. Mani Shanker Iyer stated that when the NE grows economically because of connectivity and infrastructure improvement, India would "take on China."

* The NE is an area where many insurgents groups operate with separate agendas. If transit is perceived by any or all of these groups to be playing a part in the supply chain of the Indian forces it could potentially become a target for them. There would be the danger of a spillover into Bangladesh.

* As a developing country, with an active and contentious political climate, the possibility of disruption of vehicular traffic due to civil or political unrest and hartals is very real.

If the domestic security situation does not allow the movement of trucks for providing essentials to the people of the NE what challenges will the two governments face?

* There is talk of forming a public limited company for operating the transit.

Those who will buy shares of this company would like the corridor to be in full use. Against this group who will be those opposed to the use of this corridor. It could become brother fighting brother.

* The transit with the massive investment required would change the development plans of Bangladesh significantly.

Why should we plunge into this major digression of our national planning and spending strategy for development?

Economic Concerns

* Bangladesh will not only lose a potential market of $ 6 billion annually but also the job creation possibilities that would come with this.

* There will be substantially increased Traffic congestion on Bangladeshi roads making the whole transport network inefficient.

* There will additionally be considerable investment required for the maintenance of the road network.

* There will be a negative effect on foreign investment in Bangladesh because of the lowered efficiency caused by increased traffic congestion.

* There will be a negative effect on the health of the people of Bangladesh due to pollution caused by truck emissions and by diseases brought into the country.

* There will be additional pressure on our foreign exchange reserves caused by the use of imported diesel by Indian trucks.

Approximately 40 million tonnes of cargoes are moved from the NE to other parts of India by road. If half of this, that is 20 million tonnes, is moved through Bangladesh in trucks with an average capacity of 10 tons then approximately two million trucks may be taking this corridor. As the cost of diesel is cheaper in Bangladesh than in India, it is expected that the trucks will come empty and leave full. If the average offtake by each truck is 200 litres, an additional 400 million litres of diesel will have to be imported using our scarce foreign exchange.

* The building of the transit facilities would bring about a massive increase in our national debt estimated at $ 7 billion and make us very vulnerable to externalities.

The pride of self reliance that we have achieved with our blood sweat and tears and with which we are building Bangladesh will come under a new threat. Our freedom -- economic and fiscal decision making freedom, if history is to be a guide, could be eroded.

The decision on whether Bangladesh should allow transit facilities to India should be made on an evaluation of the cost and benefit to both the countries.

Then there are the security considerations. The basis of all negotiations must be the guarantee of our national security. This complex issue must start with the guarantee that this facility will never ever be used for transporting any military men or materiel. Bangladesh must also make 100% inspection of all goods coming in and going out mandatory.

If negotiations are carried out on the basis of transparency and fairness, on the basis of principles that clearly benefit all the people of the region, we may create a sound basis for cementing our relationship. If the gains are perceived to be one sided it is also likely to be unsustainable. And then it will become a lose-lose game.

The writer is the President of G9, a "nationalist think tank close to BNP." E-mail: g9president@gmail.com

Stilwell Road: Indo-China road to peace?

By Sumon K Chakrabarti

Kunming, Yunnan province: Bilateral relations between India and China have often been a bumpy ride. But these days, the Chinese are pinning their hopes on the reopening of a road to improve their relations with India.

The Stilwell Road was built during World War II and the Indo-China relations can get a shot in the arm with the reopening of the road.

During World War II, 63,000 workers built the 1,736 km long road - the Ledo Road, renamed the Stilwell Road from Assam in north-east India to Yunnan province in South Western China via Burma. It was used by the British, Chinese and Indian armies to transport supplies, troops and other essentials from India to Burma and prevent the march of the Japanese army. After the war, the road fell into disuse.

The Stillwell Road culminates in Kunming in Southwestern China. And leaders here have genuinely started believing that reopening the Stilwell Road could result in unimaginable gains - both to India and China - not just in terms of trade but the relationship between the two countries.

"Yunnan enjoys historical ties with India and this road will revive those ties and make our relationship stronger," said Zhang Tianxin, Member, Communist Party of China, Yunnan Province.

A Chinese company has already built a 312 km stretch through Burma, which had initially opposed the reopening of the Stilwell Road.

The road would reduce transport costs between China and India by 30 per cent or more.

Currently, most imports to India from Burma and China are channeled via the sea route through Kolkata port, which takes at least a fortnight.

In contrast, cargo from Yunnan along the Stillwell Road to North-East India would take less than two days and to the rest of the country in a week.

At the 19th Kunming Import and Export Trade fair, held earlier this month, Chinese leaders said that the target of $100 billion trade between India and China can only be met if New Delhi stops dithering over the project.

"Well that depends on the efforts of all the countries involved. We are very optimistic that this will be happening soon and we will see some tangible results in the next couple of years," said Shi Minghui, Deputy Director General, Foreign Affairs Office, Yunnan province

New Delhi fears the road might help insurgents from North-East India, many of whom have their hideouts in Burma. Meanwhile, China has already renovated the last stretch of the road running through Kunming and linked it to the country's superhighway network.

The Indian Chamber of Commerce, which has been at the forefront of lobbying with New Delhi for reopening the road, is hopeful that the road can be operational by 2013. As part of the Kunming Initiative, China is now leading the bid to reopen the Stilwell Road.

Meet Shera Bechard: Playboy Boss Hugh Hefner's New Girlfriend

Hefner's new mate

Hefner's new mate: Meet Hugh Hefner's new girlfriend, almost the same as the old one.

Two weeks after the Playboy founder was dumped by Miss December 2009 just before their wedding, Hefner said on Monday that he was now dating Miss November 2010.

The 85-year-old magazine mogul moved on to Shera Bechard after Crystal Harris had second thoughts about becoming the third Mrs. Hugh Hefner.

Shera, a 27-year-old French-Canadian model and fledgling actress, moved into the Playboy Mansion in April.

In addition to being the magazine's centrefold last November, she will also be Miss November 2011, Hefner said on Twitter.

The Roy Orbison and 'Seinfeld' fan likes men "who are open to exploring their sexuality with me" and "make me laugh so hard I hyperventilate," according to her profile in last year's issue.

Shera Bechard played the lead role in the 2009 movie Sweet Karma.

She played the role of a mute Russian girl who infiltrates Toronto's underground sex trade to avenge the death of her sister.

For her role in the film Shera took acting lessons, studied martial arts and also learned how to use different weapons.

She even attended a workshop to learn pole dancing.

Shera Bechard was born and raised in Kapuskasing, Ontario, Canada.

Shera moved to Toronto at the age of 18 to pursue a career in modelling.

A pet lover Shera lives with two cats and a rabbit and looks forward to living in a big house.

Shera loves to travel and has travelled across the world and her favourite places are Annecy (France) and Cahuita (Costa Rica).

A foodie, she has a weakness for sushi.