Meghalaya Seek Blessings of Tibetan Spiritual leader

Shillong, Apr 21 : Tibetans living in exile thronged the Buddhist Monastery in Upper Lumparingin in Shillong to catch a glimpse of their spiritual leader, the 41st Sakya Trizin Rinpoche.

The 41st Sakya Trizin Rinpoche is the supreme head of the Sakya school, one of the four major schools of Tibetan Buddhism.

The purpose of Rinpoche's visit is spiritual discourse, blessings and religious ceremony, in the northeastern state, which has a significant population of the Tibetans living in exile.

Speaking to the media, the spiritual leader said that people in Shillong need spiritual upliftment and blessings for peace and prosperity.

"In Tibetan Buddhism, we have four major schools. Though they are same basically, the motivations, their way of conduct and final achievements are not different. But the one difference is that the lineage is different, how the teaching originally came from India, and then passed through the translation and then continued from one guru to the next. And so, therefore, the lineage is different. Due to this, the certain emphasis somewhat slightly different," said Rinpoche.

According to the Tibetan legend, the Sakya family descended from "Gods of a Celestial Race" and the lineage remains unbroken till date.

After an abortive uprising against Chinese rule in Tibet in 1959, Sakya Trizen Rinpoche, moved to India and established the Sakya Guru Monastery in Darjeeling.

Demonstration of How Volcanic Ash Impacts a Jet Engine

Jem Stansfield of Bang Goes the Theory demonstrates how volcanic ash impacts a jet engine and how shutting down the engine removes the melted glass.

There’s also a textual explanation of what happens. This report contains an account of the Finnish Air Force'sreported damage to its planes after several fighter jets flew through the volcanic dust.

And Boston.com’s “The Big Picture” published more pictures of the volcano.

Guwahati Flooded, Troopers Deployed to Rescue Residents

Guwahati, Apr 20 : Authorities on Tuesday deployed paramilitary troopers to carry out rescue operations in Assam's main city of Guwahati hit by massive flooding, triggered by heavy rains since Sunday.

Troopers of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), using rubber boats and rafts, rescued more than 200 people from various city areas reeling under waist deep water.

"We have already rescued scores of people trapped inside homes filled with water, mud, and slush and we are on the lookout for more who could be desperately looking for help," Anil Chauhan, NRDF commander, said.

Heavy rains accompanied by cyclonic storm in the past two days crippled normal life in most parts of Assam, especially in the state's main city of Guwahati with several areas submerged - the worst hit being Lachit Nagar, Rajgarh, Zoo Road, Nabin Nagar, Hengarabari, and G.S. Road areas.

Guwahati recorded 80.4 mm rainfall since Monday with forecast of more rain accompanied by thundershowers on Wednesday and Thursday.

"This is the worst ever flooding in the city in recent memory with rainwater flooding the better part of our ground floor," said Nanda Das, a college teacher.

The situation has further compounded with mud and slush blocking the city's drainage system.

"There is no outlet for the water to go and hence the artificial flooding caused," a municipal corporation official said.

"We were unable to send our children to school, while we are running out of essentials as there is no way we can move out of our homes," said Bimala Hazarika, a housewife.

The rafts used by the NDRF came as a succor to the marooned people with many residents venturing out of their homes to buy medicines and food.
"With more rains likely, the situation would further worsen," Chauhan said.

N.Korea Leader Sets World Fashion Trend: Pyongyang

 The trademark suit sported by North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il, seen here in September 2009, is now in.

Seoul

: The trademark suit sported by North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il is now in fashion worldwide thanks to his greatness, Pyongyang's official website said Wednesday.

Uriminzokkiri, quoting an article in communist party newspaper Rodong Sinmun, said the modest-looking suits have gripped people's imagination and become a global vogue.

"The reason is that the august image of the Great General, who is always wearing the modest suit while working, leaves a deep impression on people's mind in the world," it said.

"To sum it up, that is because his image as a great man is so outstanding."

The article quoted an unidentified French fashion expert as saying world fashion follows Kim Jong-Il's style.

"Kim Jong-Il mode which is now spreading expeditiously worldwide is something unprecedented in the world's history," the stylist was quoted as saying.

The suits consist of an overall-style zipped-up tunic and matching trousers, usually in khaki or blueish-grey.

The 68-year-old leader wears them even when receiving foreign dignitaries.

During his outside "field guidance" trips in winter, he also dons a shapeless anorak and fur hat.

Kim and his deceased father Kim Il-Sung are at the heart of a personality cult that borders on religion, with near-magical powers ascribed to the younger Kim.

Rainbows supposedly appeared over sacred Mount Paekdu where Kim Jong-Il was allegedly born, and he is said once to have scored 11 holes-in-one in a single round of golf.

Glamazon Bar Refaeli Sizzles in Stunning Photo Shoot With Reality TV's Latest Sensation

Bar Refaeli is no stranger to posing with muscly models. But the Israeli beauty was in for a shock when she met her co-stars on a recent photo shoot for Interview magazine.

As the group were none other than the 'stars' of latest MTV reality TV sensation Jersey Shore. While the men - known as Mike 'The Situation' Sorrentino, Vinny Guadagnino, Ronnie Ortiz-Magro and Paul 'DJ Pauly D' DelVecchio - wore their best designer clothes for the shoot, they couldn't compare with 24-year-old Bar's sizzling outfits.

Animalistic: Bar Refaeli, in a tiny leopard print bikini, poses alongside Vinny Guadagino in the shoot for Interview magazine

Wearing a series of costumes which left little to the imagination, including a leopard print bikini, a black basque and hotpants and a cutaway swimsuit, Bar, the ex-girlfriend of Hollywood actor Leonardo DiCaprio, sizzled as she posed with the group. The men, and their female co-stars Jenni 'JWoww' Farley, Nicole 'Snooki' Polizzi, Sammi 'Sweetheart' Giancola and Angelina 'Jolie' Pivarnick, have quickly gone from relative unknowns to household names in the U.S. The TV show, which follows the eight housemates as they spend the summer holidaying on the New Jersey Shore, has become one of the most popular reality shows of the moment. Hook-ups and bust-ups ensue along with plenty of GLT - that's a morning routine of Gym, Tanning, and Laundry for the uninitiated.

Dumbells: Bar shows off her muscly arms as she poses on the shoulders of Mike 'The Situation' Sorrentino

Suggestive: Slender Bar takes a bit of an astonishingly long sandwich, while the Jersey boys watch

But the show has had its share of controversy too - some have taken offense to the cast's use of the words 'guido' and 'guidette', which many view as slurs against Italian-Americans. And there was public uproar over a scene in which Snooki gets punched in the face by a male bar patron, which prompted MTV to black out the footage. But the Jersey boys are too busy making the most of their popularity to be bogged down by any fuss. The Situation said: 'Oh, man, it’s just unbelievable. Everywhere I go, there’s just mass amounts of people. There’s people showing up at airports, wanting autographs, girls, it’s insane. It’s like The Beatles, man. 'I’ve always gotten female attention. Now the only way I can describe it is that it’s like The Beatles. At a club appearance, it’s insane that people are chasing me and fighting bodyguards, and girls are crying and screaming.

Oiled up: Bar wraps her long legs around Ronnie Ortiz-Magro

'People are always asking for a picture. I never refuse a picture. I shake hands; I kiss every cheek. I love all my fans. I love every minute. I give everybody a chance.' While all the boys loved shooting alongside Bar, there was one who felt more of a connection with the stunning model. Vinny Guadagnino is such a huge fan of Bar's ex-boyfriend Leonardo DiCaprio that he took the opportunity to quiz her about her former relationship. When asked if Bar told the boys if she had watched their programme, Vinny said: 'She’s probably watched the show a few times. Didn’t seem too hung up on it.Leo [DiCaprio] is more, actually. 'He said, “I can tell you’re a good Italian kid, from a good family." ' And Vinny also admitted he wants to follow in DiCaprio's footsteps when Jersey Shore ends. He told Interview magazine: 'I could see myself, not now because he plays crazy roles, but if I ever got to that level, I’d like to play the roles he plays. He handles everything with such poise. 'He’s very low-key, and I’m the same kind of way. When you see me in a club, you don’t see me going crazy; you see me with a hat and a hood on, laying back. What would Leo do? What would Leo do? I keep reciting that in my head.'

From Brassy Blonde to Classy Brunette: N-Dubz Star Tulisa Transforms For Glamorous Photoshoot

She's the sexiest chav around - the frontwoman for N-Dubz, the chart-toppers who rose up from the streets of Camden Town.

But singer Tulisa Contostavlos has explored her ladylike side for a photo shoot with a magazine.

The 21-year-old ditched the white stilettos for a glamorous makeover that saw her switch from blonde to brunette.

Feminine: Tulisa Contostavlos's new look and hair colour (left) makes her look more grown-up and ladylike than she did earlier this year

The shoot, for Heat magazine, also gave newly single Tulisa the chance to show her ex-boyfriend, singer Justin 'Ultra' Edwards, exactly what he is missing.

Tulisa announced earlier this month she had split from Edwards, who is currently supporting N-Dubz on their UK tour.

She told fans on Twitter: 'Ok guys chill, yes me and Ultra have officially split.'

N-Dubz: Tulisa (with Dappy, right, and Fazer) had a very different, more casual look when the band first shot to fame

Tulisa, whose cousin is fellow N-Dubz star Dappy, recently revealed she has sworn off the opposite sex for now because Dappy has made her 'anti-men'.

In a recent interview with more! magazine, she said: 'I don't think I could ever date one of Dappy's friends - definitely not my type.

'Dappy is probably the reason why I'm so untrusting of men.

'Just watching him and his friends and you know, their whole attitude towards women.

'I just can't trust anyone. They don't act like I'm there.

'So thanks to Dappy I've very anti-men!'

So there might be some awkwardness at tonight's gig in Leicester, with Coventry to follow tomorrow and Belfast on Sunday.

The band have a huge summer in front of them, with spots at the Isle of Wight Festival, Glastonbury, Wakestock, T4 On The Beach, Somerset House (July 11) and GuilFest.

The full shoot with Tulisa appears in this week's issue of Heat magazine, out today.

Paradise Recycled: The Hawaiin Island Made Out of Rubbish

Paradise Recycled: Architects Dream of Turning Great Pacific Garbage Patch Into Habitable Island

By Ariel Schwartz

The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, a jumble of plastic trash that spans hundreds of miles northwest of Hawaii, has gotten lots of attention ever since billionaire adventurer and environmentalist David de Rothschild announced his plans to visit the trash mass on the Plastiki, a boat constructed from recycled waste and webs of plastic. Now the Plastiki has launched, and a group of architects from Rotterdam have already come up with another way to draw attention to the plastic gyre: a Hawaii-sized island made entirely out of recycled plastic.

GOOD points us to the Recycled Island Web site, where Rotterdam WHIM Architecture explains its motivation:

Recycled Island is a research project on the potential of realizing a habitable floating island in the Pacific Ocean made from all the plastic waste that is momentarily floating around in the ocean. The proposal has three main aims; Cleaning our oceans from a gigantic amount of plastic waste; Creating new land; And constructing a sustainable habitat. Recycled island seeks the possibilities to recycle the plastic waste on the spot and to recycle it into a floating entity. The constructive and marine technical aspects take part in the project of creating a sea worthy island.

It sounds crazy--and maybe it is--but the idea makes sense. WHIM points out that the biggest concentration of plastic in the ocean has a footprint as large as France and Spain combined. That means there is plenty of plastic already floating around to make an island. And wouldn't it be nice to provide future climate change refugees with a new sustainable home? Not that anyone would necessarily want to live on a hunk of floating plastic, but the idea of taking trash and turning it into something useful is always thought-provoking.

[ via fastcompany ]

BSNL Employees Strike Hits Services in Northeast India

Agartala/Guwahati Apr 20 :  Telecommunication services were affected in northeast India Tuesday as the employees and officers’ associations of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL) struck work indefinitely to oppose the proposed disinvestment in the public sector body.

“Over 2,000 employees and officers of BSNL across the seven northeastern states took part in the nationwide strike,” Joint Action Committee (JAC) of BSNL unions and associations convener Tirthankar Choudhury told reporters in Agartala.

All categories of employees and officers of BSNL took part in the strike. Nine trade unions, including Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC), Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh and the All India Trade Union Congress, are supporting the strike.

Choudhury said the central government has been planning to implement a voluntary retirement scheme (VRS) for 100,000 employees across the country. “We strongly oppose the scheme.”

In the wake of the strike, the BSNL authorities said efforts were being made to ensure services are not disrupted.

“All efforts are being made to ensure that the services are not disrupted and no inconvenience is caused to our customers and people,” BSNL general manager Deb Kumar Chakraborty said.

The striking employees are organizing picketing in front of the BSNL offices in Guwahati, Agartala, Shillong, Imphal and scores of other places.