Internet Virals as Fans React With Fury to Frank Lampard's Disallowed Goal

If there was any doubt that the referee made the wrong decision in disallowing Frank Lampard's World Cup goal today, virals sweeping the internet have put it to rest.

Within hours of England's disastrous 4-1 loss, the internet was awash with references to the controversial decision, including one doctored image featuring a white line showing just how far the ball had made it past the goal posts.

Another prankster on social networking site Twitter, with a user name of 'Queen UK', tweeted: 'Find out where that referee is from. And get MI6 on the phone.'

Clearly over the line: This internet viral seems to confirm what millions of England fans already believed

England fans at home and in South Africa reacted furiously to the decision to disallow Lampard's goal, while referee Jorge Larrionda and his assistants left the field at half time to a chorus of boos.

 

Mark McGraw, 46, a ground worker from Eastwood in Nottingham, said: 'It's a joke. The linesman was half way up the pitch. They're trying to get us back for '66.'

Richard Carter, 37, a professional gambler from Shaw in Oldham, said: 'I'm sitting a hundred yards away and it was definitely in.

Not amused: A Twitter user, going by the name of Queen UK, reacts to England's loss

'I would like to know what the referee and linesman were looking at. They clearly weren't watching the game.'

Another fan chipped in: 'We need a Russian linesman.'

TV presenter Jonathan Ross was likewise left dumbfounded by the disallowed goal.
'That was so far in even I could see it without my lenses in!!,' he tweeted.

Wayne Rooney is lampooned in this viral circulating on Twitter

[ via  Dailymail ]

Tripura Rural Market Moves Towards Prosperity

Agartala, Jun 28 : Trade and commerce have picked up following a decline in militancy and banks are gearing up to penetrate the rural market in Tripura.

It's a win-win situation for both villagers and local entrepreneurs who will get easy loans and banks too make good profits.

In Abhoy Nagar village of Tripura, a group of housewives, most of whom belong to tribal families, recently formed a self-help group in an effort to become self-reliant.

A loan of 50,000 rupees from Gramin Bank enabled them to start making sofa cushions, decorative bags and embroidery work.

The self-help group is now planning to expand its business and expects to employ more poor rural women.

"We save the Group's profit in the bank and if any of our members requires money for personal use, we provide it on credit," said Monika Barua, Founder, Shib Sakti Self-help Group

Decline in militancy has given a fillip to banking sector in Tripura.

More branches are now opening up in remote and rural areas and people are taking the benefit of easy loans to start new businesses, for higher education and for buying farming equipment.

Tripura Gramin Bank, which has over 110 branches in the state, has come as a boon for people in rural areas.

In 2009-10 fiscal the bank did business worth Rs 2850 crore and made a net profit of Rs 35.35 crores, the highest by any rural bank in the northeast.

"In my opinion, Tripura is now very peaceful. For a very long time, there have been no reports of any kind of unlawful activities in the region. There are no extortion cases and insurgency has almost ended," said D Mushahary, Chairman, Tripura Gramin Bank


"I hail from a very remote area, and we have a bank branch operating there. This is very helpful as those who cannot come to Agartala can easily open their accounts in nearby branches. They can now easily withdraw money from there," said Edison Uchoi, Student, Account Holder, Tripura Gramin Bank

Militancy cripples the economic, social and cultural growth of a region.

Tripura too was affected, but now things have changed for the better.

Other militancy-affected states can learn a lesson from Tripura and reap the peace dividend.

Tripura Concerned Over Jhum Cultivation in Northeast

Agartala, Jun 28 : Tripura Forest Minister Jitendra Chowdhury has expressed deep concern over degradation of forest land due to shifting cultivation (Jhum) over the years and revealed that Manipur has emerged as the worst-affected state, followed by Nagaland, Mizoram and Tripura.

Addressing a National Seminar on the Great Depression of 1930s and Present Global Economic Melt Down and its Impact on Tribal Society at Shillong last week, Mr Chowdhury said about 45 per cent of tropical agricultural area in the world is under shifting cultivation while one-third of agriculture in South-East Asia constitutes shifting cultivation and 60 per cent of Africa's food is also produced through shifting cultivation.

He pointed out that the actual forest area affected by shifting cultivation was highest in Manipur at 77.4 per cent and lowest in Arunachal Pradesh at 12.4 per cent.

Nagaland, Mizoram, Tripura followed next while Assam ranked fifth with 74.1 per cent, 68.5 per cent and 62.3 per cent of total forest area respectively.

Pleading against Jhum cultivation, Mr Chowdhury said it was not only economically unviable in present world but also a major threat to the bio-diversity and contributor to deforestation. It was also one of the causes of soil erosion in Tripura, Mr Chowdhury underlined.

Referring to a study, he said about seven hectares area under shifting cultivation causes soil loss of 5.1-83.3 tonnes per hectare per year while in sharp contrast, a natural bamboo forest causes soil loss of 0.04-0.52 tonnes per year, which causes a decline in the net productivity.

He added that alienation of tribal lands also occurs for various purposes like construction of dams, mining projects, setting up of forest based and other industries and encroachments.

According to the Planning Commission report of January, 2000, the area alienated from tribals was 9,17,590 acres while those displaced between 1951-90 were 21.2 lakh - 39.4 per cent - and almost 80 per cent of the forest and mineral resources of the country were found in the scheduled areas therefore leading to exploitation, Mr Chowdhury added.

The Style Mavens

By Richa Bhatia

Here are some funky bloggers who flaunt their personal, outre style. There is a 15-year-old schoolgirl who is loaded in logos, a stylist who tells you how to live your eyeliner and a Mizo girl with a sharp sartorial sense

Arushi Khosla’s bio reads a little like that of a flashy fashion editor strutting around in her Stella McCartney pumps. The list on her one-year-old blog Fabblab goes like this: fashion writer at The New Black , fashion journalist for Haute Mimi International , contributing editor for Fashion Tribes, so on.

In real life too, the self-confessed “Rodarte-struck teen girl”, (Rodarte is the award-winning fashion label run by sisters Kate and Laura Mulleavy whose favourite is the diminutive American teenage blogger Tavi Gevinson, fashion icon), functions almost like a fashion-insider. She is all of 15.

This style-obsessed Class 11 student of Modern School is loaded in logos — $90 Topshop jacket picked up from a recent vacation at Singapore, Steve Madden shoes and a chic tunic by newbie UK label LALL London that the designer Gurdeep Lall graciously sent her to “review”. She loves to play dressing up but trusses herself only in high fashion labels.

The latest update on the blog shows the schoolgirl togged out in a parrot print Motel Camilla dress, a Rachel Bilson (American actress of OC fame)-inspired sequined boyfriend slouch blazer, Kazo waist belt, United Nude neon green pumps. It is a look more suitable on the New York streets rather than her Noida home terrace.

“I guess the reason why the blog is so popular is because it is honest, it inspires one and doesn’t dictate. Also, on a blog one has the freedom to write whatever one wants,” says Khosla. She agrees she’s not really an “academic person”. “I am okay at grades,” says Khosla. But she has also invented the word fabulosity.

Khosla is one of the bloggers who’s making news with her ramblings about her sense of style, posting pictures of her latest finds and the current goings-on in the fashion. So far, she has 250 followers with 500 daily hits. “My style is very contemporary, not high-street. I shop heavily online, from Net-a-Porter and don’t scrounge around thrift stores,” says Khosla. Of late, Khosla has emerged as a trend-spotter. Motel, Pleasure Doing Business, Lena Erziak, Lorick New York, Tuleste Market, MaxStudio, Mash NY, 1986 and United Nude are some of the international labels that she reviews for and the girl even managed to snap an invite to the Zara store launch in Select Citywalk. “Reviewing is the fun part of the job.

But I generally do that for unknown labels” says Khosla. Fabblab is a great place to watch out for young talent.

Internationally, fashion bloggers are the fashion’s new elite, snapping front-row invites, sitting alongside the icy Anna Wintour, WAG queen Victoria Beckham and having photo moments with fashion’s great Yohji Yamamoto. In India, the scene is still nascent. Says Rinyaokhan Jajo, fashion insider: “ In India, there’s not much happening in fashion blogging. Today, it has become a lot to do with marketing”.

Perhaps Vir Shete, 18-year-old hair and make-up artist cum stylist from Mumbai, is one such blogger who welcomes all positive attention. His blog virshete.wordpress.com , started in February, documents the latest in hair and make-up, dressing up people in styles ranging from classic to goth glam and colour play. He has also listed a beauty regimen, a guide to “Live your eyeliner, breathe your lipstick”.

“For me, it’s more than a blog, it’s my portfolio so that my work can be seen by others. This is how I market myself,” says Shete, a self-trained stylist, known for his androgynous style.

His blog features five looks including the Victoria Beckhamesque evening walk look with the pooch, kitted in a neon pink shirt, belted blue shorts and high-waisted trousers. Shete’s style has attracted an army of fans.

“Sometimes my style comes across as a little strange. Maybe because people are not so out there in India as they are abroad,” says Shete, one of the few sartorially evolved guys.

Amid the highfalutin noise of fashion, there is a shy blogger too, who loves to cover her face on her blog.

But there is nothing coy about her style. Esther Fanai, a 21-year-old Mizo girl studying English in Miranda House, reads Homer by the day and blogs about “grey pieces on top of grey pieces” with an oversized bow at evening.

Fanai puts together cutesy ankle-length peach socks with a skirt. Her wardrobe is simply put together, often from stuff scrounged from Sarojini Nagar. “I like blogging about fashion but I am not planning any career in this field. I plan to pursue higher studies,” says Fanai, whose younger sister Annie clicks her photos.

Check out her blog lahlahishere.blogspot.com for some fun dressing.

Rising Incidents of Extortion Causes Concern Among Assamese

Guwahati, Jun 28 : Rising incidents of abduction and extortion by militant outfits are causing a serious concern for people in Assam.

A recent incident of abduction and murder in the name of a banned outfit has sent out shock waves in the state.

Assam Irrigation Department’s Executive Engineer Manik Baishya, was abducted from Khanapara and was killed for a ransom of 25 lakh rupees.

The police apprehended the culprits who claimed to be members of the ULFA.

The perpetrators however turned out to be Baishya’s driver and two others who strangled him to death.

The Police are investigating if there is any involvement of the ULFA in the incident.

“Right now it is very premature to say whether ULFA is involved or not. We will be able to explain everything only after detailed interrogation of the accused persons,” said Pallab Bhattacharya, IGP Central Western Range Assam

On June 20, suspected NDFB militants kidnapped 25-year-old Nepali-origin businessman, Madhab Bhatta Rai from his residence in Sonitpur district.

Intensive search operations by police and para-military forces to find him are still on.

Such incidents have created a fear psychosis among the people.

Militants often resort to extortion, abductions and killings.

Now, others have also taken to these illegal activities to earn easy money.

This has been condemned by the people who want strict measures to be taken curb the menace.

“Earlier, we see militants; ULFA, NDFB and others used to do such kind of extortion practices but nowadays some common people have also started giving extortion notes,” said Rose Mahanta a resident of Assam.

“We have been noticing that ULFA and others are engaged in extortion. Such incidents are rising by the day. Mislead youth, running after easy money are also engaged in extortion and they are targeting contractors and government officials,” said Mukul Kalita, a local, Guwahati

Militancy linked violence and crimes have adversely affected the society.

Rising incidents of extortion and abduction are coming in the way what people want in Assam, which is to lead a peaceful and normal life.

Manipur Climate Change Proven By Bird Sighting

Cuckoo signals warmer Manipur

By Khelen Thokchom


A cuckoo: Rare sighting

Imphal, Jun 28 : The vagrant cuckoo that carefully chooses its temporary resting grounds depending on climate and food has been sighted in Manipur after several decades — a sure sign of the state’s warmer weather.

“It was recently reported that cuckoos (locally known as kokil) were sighted by villagers in the hills. Though people said there were cuckoos in Manipur, they were not sighted in the past several years in the state,” environmentalist and ornithologist Rajkumar Ranjan Singh said.
Experts said cuckoos are found in other parts of India, which are normally warmer. They can also be spotted in the Corbett National Park, Sultanpur Bird Sanctuary, Pench National Park and Barwala Bird Sanctuary.

“Drifting species like cuckoo is normally found in warmer places. Their arrival in Manipur simply says that the state’s climactic condition has undergone a sea change and the temperature is becoming similar to hotter cities like Calcutta,” Ranjan Singh said.

The state, which normally received heavy rainfall, has been suffering from rain deficit for the past 30 years, according to experts. It even experienced a draught last year.

As a fallout, the temperature shot up.

About two decades ago, the maximum temperature hovered around 28 to 30 degrees Celsius. Last year, the maximum temperature rose to 36 degrees Celsius.

In the early 20th century, Manipur had about 500 wetlands. Today, the few remaining ones — 19 according to a recent survey — are on the verge of drying up because of the climate change.

The change is also affecting fish, with a number of local species, nganap, ngamu, ngaton and khabak now on the verge of extinction.

Widespread deforestation could also be one of the reasons for the gradual rise in temperature, experts said.

Sop Raised to Boost Chilli Cultivation in Assam

APA farmer shows "Bhut jolokia" or "ghost chili" peppers plucked from his field at Changpool in the northeastern Indian state of Assam. The Indian military uses the thumb-sized world's hottest chili to make tear gas-like hand grenades to immobilize suspects.
The Assam government is incentivising farmers cultivating the world’s hottest chili, ’Bhut Jolokia’, demand for which is rising in the Arabian and European countries, besides Australia and Venezuela.

In 2007, the Guinness Book of World Records acknowledged ’Bhut Jolokia’ as the hottest spice.

The chilli pepper measures 1,001,304 Scoville Heat Units (SHU), which means it contains the highest naturally occurring amount of capsaicin (the pungent chemical in chillies) in the world, according to the Guinness Book.

At 15,000-30,000 SHUs, the hari mirch, or green chilli, pales in comparison to the thumb-sized Bhut Jolokia, also known as the Ghost Chilli.

The Andhra ‘Gunture Sannam’ measures 35,000—40,000 SHU, the Kashmiri mirch has 1500—2000 SHUs and the Simla mirch zero SHUs.

The Assam government has announced Rs 5,000 per hectare additional incentive money to boost cultivation of the Ghost Chili, which is 400 times hotter than the Tabasco sauce.

Against Rs 13,000 per hectre provided to cultivator of Bhut Jolokia in 2009-10, the amount has been raised to Rs 18,750 in the current financial year, C R Hazarika, Director In-Charge of State Horticulture Department told PTI over phone.

The sop is provided for purchase of seed and equipment as part of the second generation state horticulture mission programme launched last year, he said.

Besides, the beneficiary also gets one free tube well under the programme, he added.

Hazarika said in 2009-10, the scheme was launched in three upper Assam districts of Baska, Golaghat and Nagaon. In the current financial year districts of Golaghat, Karbi Along and Jorhat have been selected, the state Horticulture Director In-Charge said.

Against a target to cover 700 acres of land under the scheme in 2009-10, a total of 490 acres was achieved and a sum of Rs 63.70 lakh out of a total of Rs 91 lakh alloted for the programme was spent, he added.

The fund is made available under the Central government sponsored Horticulture Mission for North East and Himalayan states, he said.

Besides, the state Horticulture department has roped in Assam Agriculture University to provide technical know how to the cultivators, he added.

Senior Deputy Director of Delhi-based National Horticulture Board (NHB) R K Sharma told PTI that the organisation does not have a direct role, but provides assistance to the state government under area expansion programme for open crops.

Bhut Jolokia turned out to be a money spinning crop after it won the Guinness accolade after tests in Mexico State University, US, in which the chilli beat the previous record holder, the SHU Red Savina Habanera.

Attracted by the high yields, more and more farmers in the seven states in India’s north-east are are turning to the crop, Harsh Jyoti Barua, Officer on Special Duty (OSD), Assam Agriculture department, said.

Commercial cultivation of the crop is increasing not only in Assam but has spread to neighbouring states of Nagaland and Tripura too, said sources in Jorhat based North East Institute of Science and Technology.

The chili fetches handsome price in the market, and recently the crop gained entry into Poland too.

While Bhut jolokia is selling at Rs 300-350 per kg in local market, it is rated at Rs 1,500 per kg in Arab countries and is as costly as one US dollar a piece in Germany, he added.

Besides, the health care industry is exploring its use in manufacture of pain-killing creams for arthritis and topical creams for skin disorders, while research is on for use of the pepper sprays in manufacture of teargas shells.

But, the crop is not without its share of woes.

S K Gogoi, Deputy Director of Dispur-based Defence Research Laboratory (DRL), an arm of of Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO), said it has been noticed that due to viral attack the chilli is loosing hotness.

Research is on to ascertain if it was due to genetic factor, Gogoi said adding the report is expected in two months, he added.

Economic Blockade Cost Manipur 2 Billion Rupees a Day

Imphal, Jun 28 : The economic blockade may have ended in Manipur, but the loss that the state has suffered due to the 66-day long blockade is enormous.

Manipur state suffered a loss of about two billion rupees per day due to the economic blockade.

N. Mohendro Singh, an economist said that during the blockade petrol was not merely scarce, but its price in black market had gone up to 140 rupees a litre.

For five litres of petrol one had to wait for about 10-15 hours before the petrol pump starts delivering it.

“As far as the economic calculation is concerned we lose about 132- 200 crore a day on account of the economic blockade. You’ll be glad to know that in 2004-2005, Manipur suffered the setback of economic blockade for about 60 days and daily loss is about 2.32 crore with the result that in 2004-2005 Manipur suffered the loss of 139.20 crore ,” said Singh.

The economic blockade he says has not only brought the state to a standstill but it created a space for black marketing.

Singh said that the blockade had dehumanized the people of Manipur on all fronts from educational sector to the industrial sector.

He said that the people have begun to question the existence of the government and its functioning and that the blockade had created a gap between the government and the people.

“It (economic blockade) has made a loss around one lakh and 180,000 rupees, and we the common mass and our colleagues lost above rupees ten thousand to twenty thousand. Such a thing has occurred, how we describe to you sons,” said Tharosangbi Devi, a vendor.

Singh added that all the private schools including the government schools stopped functioning because petrol was not available and vans could not ply. The blockade, he says, of such a long period can produce a generation gap in education in human capital formation in human resource mobilization.

Singh says that the government of India and Manipur should apply all rules and regulations to prevent such a situation because it is against the humanity and mankind.

In 2005 and 2006 Manipur suffered a loss of about 2.5 billion rupees per day and in 2006-2007 it suffered a loss of 2.31 billion rupees, said Singh.