Beauties

Law To Stop Misuse of Farmland in Assam

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By Umanand Jaiswal

Guwahati, Jul 1 : Dispur is on the verge of finalising a legislation that will restrict the use of cultivable land for non-agricultural activities without the permission of “competent” authorities.

The draft of the proposed legislation, contents of which has been kept under wraps, was approved by the chief minister a few days back and has been returned to the legislative department for formal vetting before it is placed before the cabinet for its approval.

Efforts are on to table a bill to this effect in the ensuing five-day Assembly session from July 12 — if not, surely by the session that will follow.

Though an executive order prohibiting transfer of land ownership without the permission of the authorities exists even today, the order can be challenged in the court of law.

The proposed piece of law may not envisage a total ban, but it will have enough checks to ensure that its inherently objective is not defeated — keep cultivable land intact to ensure future food security.

A source said the proposed law would make its violation a criminal offence; impose heavy fines; make it mandatory for industry and education departments to seek clearance of the revenue department about the nature of the landholding before sanction is accorded for new industrial/educational ventures.

“It is still at the drafting stage. The final call will be that of the legislators who will also have something to add or subtract from the proposed law. Chief minister Tarun Gogoi is concerned about food security vis-à-vis depleting cultivable area because of rise in population, industrialisation and erosion by Brahmaputra in the state. Haryana, Andhra Pradesh and Bangalore, which have a booming real estate sector, are other states working to save its agri sector,” a source said.

A close look at the agriculture sector suggests that Dispur’s worry is not unfounded.

Around 40 per cent of the total 78,438 square km area in the state is cultivable while eight per cent of the total area has been lost to erosion. Moreover, Assam is a major importer of foodgrain.

The Centre had even instructed Dispur to increase its growth in agriculture and allied sector from 0.27 in 2006-07 to two per cent during the 11th Five Year Plan.

The “growing” interest of investors is another reason to initiate the legislation.

“It is important from the industrial point of view as well. An investor, before buying a plot of land, will know beforehand whether it can be used for non-agricultural purposes or not. It will avoid last-minute inconveniences and bitterness between them, locals and the administration. Everyone will know what one is venturing into — no scope for blame-game if things go wrong,” a source said.

A source said there have been instances where residents have objected to setting up of industrial units in rural areas, mainly agrarian belt, at the last minute on various grounds like pollution.

“Since we are at a take-off stage, such situations are best avoided. Such a law will be of great help,” the source said.

Indian Govt Approves CPMF Scholarship Scheme to Attract Young Medicos

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doctor New Delhi, Jul 1 : Union Home Minister P Chidambaram on Wednesday said that the Centre has approved a scholarship scheme for medical students and institutions willing to serve in Central paramilitary forces (CPMF).

Presenting Union Home Ministry's June month's report card, Chidambaram said: "The scholarship scheme for medical students in selected medical colleges/institutions willing to serve in CPMFs was approved."

Central paramilitary forces will provide special scholarship of Rs 10,000 per month to 25 medical students from the next academic session who are willing to serve in the forces after completion of their studies. he scheme is aimed at attracting talented medicos to CPMF medical services.

The CPMFs --Assam Rifles, BSF, CISF, CRPF, ITBPF, SSB and NSG have a vast network of 39 composite hospitals and about 550 unit or training institution hospitals to provide health care coverage.

The CPMFs provide medical service to over eight lakh force personnel and their families all over the country.

For the academic session 2010-11, willing and deserving candidates having confirmed admission can download the application form for scholarship from websites of any of the central police forces.

After selection, they will have to complete the course in time and thereafter serve in Central paramilitary forces for a minimum period of ten years for which they are required to sign an agreement.

Assam to Decide on ULFA Talks: Chidambaram

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P-Chidambaram Guwahati, Jul 1 : Home Minister P. Chidambaram Wednesday said it was for the Assam government to decide on the peace talks with the banned United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA).

'It is for the state government (to decide) when and in what manner the talks should be conducted,' Chidambaram told reporters.

Asked whether talks were feasible with many of the ULFA leaders behind bars, the home minister said: 'People in jail can also talk.'

Barring ULFA's elusive commander-in-chief Paresh Baruah, the entire top brass of the outfit is in jail.

The imprisoned leaders include chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa, deputy commander-in-chief Raju Baruah, self-styled foreign secretary Sasha Choudhury, finance secretary Chitrabon Hazarika, cultural secretary Pranati Deka, and ULFA political ideologue Bhimkanta Buragohain.

The ULFA is waging a war for independence since 1979 and has always maintained that talks, if any, should revolve around their main demand of sovereignty for Assam.

Man Guns Down Son For Loud Music in Mizoram

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boom Aizawl, Jun 30 : A man gunned down his son after his son asked him to turn down the volume of the music he was listening to at night at a village in Mizoram's Aizawl district.

The man 51-year-old man HV Lalthawma, who was drunk was listening to music late at night at Sihpir village on his tape recorder at a high volume when his son, Lalruatfela, asked him to turn it down as it was disturbing neighbors, Aizawl District Superintendent of Police Lalbiakthanga Khiangte said on Wednesday.

When his 26-year-old son left after reprimanding him, Lalthawma, followed him with a SBBL Bore gun hidden under his shawl and shot him fatally when he came out of a relative's house, Khiangte said.

The son who was shot on Monday night succumbed to his injuries at around 1:15 am on Tuesday morning at the nearby Presbyterian Hospital in Durtlang.

The father, who went into hiding was arrested, Khiangte said.

Rivers Started Receding in Assam

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Guwahati, Jun 30 : In Assam, the overall flood situation started to improve with receding of water levels in the river Brahmaputra and its tributaries.

According to a Central Water Commission report this morning, the river Brahmaputra is flowing 1.24 metres above the danger level in Dibrugarh.

The mighty river is also flowing above the danger mark at Neamatighat and Dhubri. The two tributaries of the Brahmaputra-Dhansiri South and Puthimari are also flowing above the danger level.

The rivers are, however, maintaining a falling trend due to improvement of the weather condition since Tuesday.

Over eight lakh people in as many as 11 districts of the State were hit in the current spell of flood. Road communication remains cut off in several parts of badly hit Morigaon, Lakhimpur, Dhemaji and Baksa districts. The district authorities have taken up relief and restoration works on war footing in the flood-hit districts.

Diesel Ads Banned For Being Too Sexy

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Trendy fashion company Diesel has had two adverts BANNED for showing images likely to cause "serious offence" to adults.

One of the controversial ads — published in two magazines — showed a woman taking a photo of her own genitals.

The second poster shows a woman baring her breasts to a security camera.

Both of the provocative posters used the slogan: "Smart may have the brains, but stupid has the balls. Be stupid. Diesel."

The Advertising Standards Authority said 33 people complained that the ads were unsuitable for children, offensive and condoned or encouraged anti-social behaviour.
Diesel Offensive ... Diesel poster showing woman taking intimate pic of herself has been banned

Defending the campaign, Diesel said the posters "portrayed a very strong and unexpected image of femininity", adding that the security camera image "tackled society's pre-occupation with 24/7 camera surveillance".

The ASA said the two banned ads contained sexual undertones and appeared in an untargeted medium likely to be seen by children, ruling that they breached rules covering responsible advertising and decency.

It added both images were "likely to cause serious offence to many adults".

The watchdog said: "We were further concerned that the images of young women photographing their genitalia and exposing their breasts to a camera in a public place were unsuitable to be displayed on posters, an untargeted medium that was likely to be seen by children, because of the overt sexualisation involved in the depicted acts."

It ruled that the ads should not appear again in poster form.
Diesel2a

Samsung Mobile With 67-day Standby Time!

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samsung New Delhi, Jun 30 : Korean giant Samsung has unveiled a rugged phone called Samsung Xcover E2370 which offers a standby time of 67 days.

This means the phone's battery can last upto 2 months (1,600 hours) in a standby mode, or upto 22 hours in talktime mode.

The phone features a 128×160 pixel TFT display, packs a 5MB internal memory and a VGA camera.

Other key features include Bluetooth, GSM/EDGE connectivity, music player, flashlight with a dedicated button and a microSD slot for upto 2GB memory expansion.

The phone is certified with IP54 rating which means it can withstand dust and water.

Don’t Look Down: Workers Put Finishing Touches to 1,000m High Alpine Viewing Tower

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You'll definitely need a head for heights if you're planning on visiting the 1,000m high AlpspiX viewing tower, which is to open in southern Germany on July 4.

The towering structure is situated in the Garmisch-Partenkirchen region of the country and provides panoramic views of surrounding Hoellental and Garmisch.

Workers make finishing touches to the AlpspiX viewing platform in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, southern Germany

Workers make finishing touches to the AlpspiX viewing platform in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, southern Germany

The arms of the platform cross in an 'X' shape above a 1,000m abyss

The arms of the platform cross in an 'X' shape above a 1,000m abyss

Each arm of the tower is 24m long, crossing in an ‘X’ shape over an abyss at the base of the Alpspitze mountain, while jutting out 13m over an empty void, with the other 11m anchored in rock.

At the end of each arm, a glass wall offers a unique view of the alpine surroundings.

Each arm of the ‘X’ is just 3m wide and formed of a grid, which will allow snow to pass through it during winter. 

Each platform arm ends in a glass wall, offering unobscured views of the Alpine surroundings

Each platform arm ends in a glass wall, offering unobscured views of the Alpine surroundings

The breath-taking structure is due to open on July 4

The breath-taking structure is due to open on July 4

alpine viewing platform

Vision: An artist's impression of the 3metre-wide viewing platforms which are suspended above the drop

Russian Models Sold for Sex

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Underage Russian Model Hopefuls Being Lured Into Underground Sex Trade

Russian supermodels are at a record high -- but some hopeful young models in the former Soviet Union were being pushed into underage sex and escort work, Sky News reported Tuesday.

Young women from struggling families were inspired by the likes of successful Russian supermodel Natalia Vodianova but often found a very different reality.

Blonde, blue-eyed Masha Arsen left her small town to embark on a life as a model in Moscow when she was 15 but quickly returned when she was pushed to work as an escort.


"One of the girls I lived with was 13, and on the eve of her 14th birthday she earned a lot of money by having sex with an oligarch," she told Sky News. "She bought loads of new expensive things. In this agency, girls of this age are of a higher value."

Model scout Alexey Vasiliev, who was credited with discovering supermodels Vodianova and "Quantum of Solace" Bond girl Olga Kurylenko, allowed Sky News to join him as he looked for potential new models.

Beauties in their early 20s were passed off as too old by Vasiliev, who only stopped very young, very thin girls.

"I'm looking for something new, when I see it I know straight away -- I understand beauty -- I have very good eyesight to spot someone in the street," he said.

Brazilian Woman Alleges Rape by Landlord

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New Delhi, Jun 30 : A 27-year-old Brazilian woman, pursuing a Mass Communication course in Noida, has alleged that she was raped twice by her landlord here after mixing sedatives in her coffee, police said Tuesday.

The incident reported from CR Park came to light this morning after the woman lodged a complaint in which she claimed that her landlord raped her twice after giving her coffee laced with sedatives.

The woman, who is pursuing the course from a private institute in Noida, came to India in the first week of June. She has been staying in a rented accommodation since June 19.

She claimed that on June 20, her landlord came to meet her and offered coffee. She fell unconscious after drinking the coffee and the landlord raped her on that day. He allegedly raped her again on June 21.

"On June 27, when he tried to rape her, she resisted and asked him to leave the premises," a senior police official said.

A case has been registered and further investigations are on. A medical examination is being conducted on her and police is awaiting the report.

"We have detained the landlord for questioning," the official said.

Nagaland Minister Caught With Rs 9 Lakh Cash in Nepal

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Kathamandu, Jun 30 : Nagaland Home Minister Imkong L Imchen has been arrested with Rs 9 lakh cash at Kathmandu airport on Wednesday.

The minister was allegedly carrying a suitcase full of Indian currency. According to the sources Rs 500 notes are banned in Nepal but the cash recovered was in Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes.

“Minister may not have been aware of the fact that Rs 500 notes are banned in Nepal,” said Nagaland Chief Secretary Lalthara.

“The Home Minister was returning to India from Nepal,” Lalthara added.

Indian government is currently inquiring the case.

‘We Are The Golden Generation'

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Vijender Singh and others

Manipur has been in the news for all the wrongs reasons off late but two young boxers from the state - Nanao Singh and Suranjoy Singh - have given the people of the state more than a reason to smile.

By Himanshu Shekhar

While Suranjoy gave India its first Gold at Asian Championship in 15 years in the 2009 Asian Boxing Championship in China, young Nanao rose to fame after clinching gold medal in the AIBA Youth World Boxing Championship in Guadalajara, Mexico.

Espnstar.com's Himanshu Shekhar caught up with Indian boxing's sensation from the Northeast in an exclusive chat on Tuesday.

Excerpts

Himanshu Shekhar: You have made India proud by bringing the Asian Championship gold after 15 long years. With the focus suddenly shifting on you, there would be lot more pressure in the upcoming Commonwealth Games?

Suranjoy Singh: Smiles...Yes, there would be pressure in front of home ground but it does not bother me. If there would be extra pressure then there would also be a home advantage. Right from the crowd to the conditions and food, all will be in our favour.

HS: Do you think that this sponsorship by a corporate giant would help players like you financially?

SS: Personally, we were not getting any money but of course the funds will help us in gaining extra infrastructural facilities. The interest shown by these groups will also help us manage our tours expenses which often become costly.

HS: How are you preparing for the Commonwealth Games? Who do you consider as your toughest opponent?

Suranjoy: I don't care about the opponent. When I am in the ring, the only thought is where exactly the punch should land. It's just a matter of life and death for me. As far as training is concerned, I practice a lot. Some extra hours with the coach, apart from my routine morning and evening session, always helps. I get to see if my landing and recovery is getting right or not.

There is no special training scheme for Commonwealth Games as such. The idea is to keep yourself fit and be in match practice. I will be playing in the national championship, which begins later this week, and that would help us in gaining top form.

HS: You wanted to be a footballer. And football, in particular, is quite popular in the state. So what prompted you to take to boxing?

Suranjoy: Laughs... I was kicked out of the football academy, so I had to settle for something else. But I think football's loss is boxing's gain, (Laughs away).

HS: What has been the role of your coach GS Sandhu? Has he ever made you sit in front of a computer and discussed opponents' moves and manoeuvres?
Nanao: Sandhu Sir is very experienced. He believes in our potential and he shows us our weaknesses and strengths. That is a part and parcel of the practice and match preparation.

Suranjoy: I now have a laptop of my own and that helps. Smiles...it gives you a lot of information about your opponents. But all that hardly matters when you are in the ring.

HS: Off late, Vijender raised his voice on lack of air-conditioned training room in Patiala? Do you think that is bothering you as well?

Suranjoy: It is true that we don't have such a training hall at the moment but work is on towards getting a new completely centralised air-conditioned practice hall equipped with all other modern basic requirements. It will take some time and we hope that it is completed at the earliest.

HS: Has boxing really taken off in the state due to the exploits of you guys (Nanao and Suranjoy)?

Suranjoy: Manipur has seen some serious crisis off late. People are suffering a lot because of these blockades and protests; sports have also been hit by it. In fact, I would take this opportunity to urge the government of India to see to the ground situation.

Nanao (Interupts): Look, I come from a small town of Bishnupur. We have a very good club known as Bisnupur Golf Club, of which I am a product. But unfortunately, due to these protests and strikes, guys can't turn up for practice. It is bound to affect the preparations of the youngsters who are preparing for the National Boxing Championships.

HS: Nanao, you, in particular, have attracted a lot of praise for your lightning quick punches. What do you eat?

Nanao: Smiles... I love having coffee or tea before a match... that relaxes me a lot. There is no special drink. We have a time-table for what to eat and when to drink. That is of paramount importance as that determines our weight-category.

HS: Has WADA's whereabouts clause bothered you in any way? What precaution do you take so that you eliminate the risk of taking banned substance during medication?
Suranjoy: The tests are randomly conducted. We don't have any problems. In fact we all have lists of medicines that are banned. In case we go under any medication, it is strictly under the observation of doctors.

HS: So with Vijender, Akhil, Suranjoy and Nanao, and Mary Kom leading the pack in women boxing, how do you see the future of boxing in India?

Suranjoy: Smiles... It is the golden generation of Indian boxing. We are confident of bringing India more and more gold medals. There has been a drought of sought in India at events like Commonwealth Games and Olympics. The ultimate dream is to end that drought.

Nanao: I feel very proud singing India's national anthem at the podium. Hopefully we will be able to do that at the Delhi Commonwealth Games.

HS: All the best Nanao and Suranjoy. Your hope is shared by millions of Indians across the globe. Wish you all the best.

Suranjoy & Nanao: Thank You.

Train Services in Northeast India Still Disrupted

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northeast train Silchar, Jun 29 : The northeastern states of Tripura, Manipur, Mizoram and southern Assam continued to remain cut-off from the rest of India by railway network even after two weeks following heavy landslides and damage to tracks, an official said Tuesday.

Tripura and Mizoram governments have asked the central government to make alternate arrangements for supply of food grain as the two northeastern states are facing a critical shortage of food grain for the public distribution system (PDS).

Rail services in southern Assam, Tripura, Manipur and Mizoram have been suspended since June 15.

'Railway workers led by senior officials have cleared most of the debris in many places in southern Assam's North Cachar Hills district. The huge mud slides covering more than 150-metre of rail track near Harangajao are being cleared,' Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) spokesman Subrata Hajong told reporters.

He said the torrential rains during the past three days also washed away soil and stone chips under the railway track along 300-metre area in Mailongdisa area in the North Cachar Hills district further delaying the resumption of railway services.

According to the railway spokesman, it would take another three-four days to set the track right and clear the way for the trains to run. 'We are expecting to restore rail services in the region by July 2,' Hajong said.

Senior NFR officials and engineers have been camping at the working sites, 300 km south of Assam's main city Guwahati, to supervise the works.

The metre-gauge railway line from Guwahati passes through southern Assam connecting land-locked Tripura's capital Agartala and parts of Manipur and Mizoram with the rest of India.

Meanwhile, the Tripura and Mizoram governments have asked the central government and Food Corporation of India (FCI) to build a buffer stock of rice and other essential commodities for the northeastern states for the next three months within the next fortnight before monsoon intensifies in the region.

'Officials of the Tripura government met senior officials of FCI and union ministry of food and civil supplies in New Delhi last week and asked them to ensure immediate stocks of essentials carrying the food grain by trucks,' Tripura Food and Civil Supplies Minister Manik Dey told the Tripura assembly Tuesday.

The minister said the central government has earlier announced building of buffer stocks of food supplies at least for three months in each northeastern state. 'Both food and civil supplies ministry, FCI and railway authorities are negligent in this regard.'

'If the centre would not make alternative arrangements of transporting food grains to the region, Tripura, Mizoram, Manipur and southern Assam would face a severe crisis from the second week of next month,' the Tripura minister added.

Officials of the Mizoram government have held meetings with the FCI officials in Guwahati and Silchar to build buffer stocks of food grain in the mountainous state at the earliest.

'People of southern Assam may face similar crisis of PDS supplies if the concerned authorities do not make urgent alternative arrangements for transporting foods from other parts of the country,' an Assam government official told reporters in Silchar.

FIFA Apologizes To England & Mexico For Referee Errors

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SEPP-BLATTER FIFA President Sepp Blatter apologized to England and Mexico for referee errors in the World Cup.

Johannesburg, Jun 29
: FIFA president Sepp Blatter has apologized to England and Mexico for the refereeing errors that helped eliminate them from the World Cup and says FIFA will reopen the debate on introducing video technology.

Blatter said Tuesday that he said sorry to team officials, and that the delegations of both teams accepted his apology.

"Naturally we deplore when you see the evidence of refereeing mistakes," Blatter said.

Blatter said FIFA will "reopen the file" on video technology at a meeting of its rule-making panel in Wales next month.

He added that it would be "a nonsense" not to consider changes.

FIFA also will update its referee training program.

Blatter said FIFA has set a deadline of October or November to create a new concept for improving match control by referees and assistants "in high level competitions."

Blatter said the dossier is "on the presidential table."

‘I’m Sure My Boys Miss Me But I Think They Understand’

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By Roshmila Bhattacharya

Mary_Kom Mary Kom opens up on her real life love story, twin sons, returning to the ring after a two-year sabbatical and plans for the future.

How much has the popularity of boxing grown since you entered the ring? If your daughter wanted to follow in your footsteps would you encourage her?
(Smiles) I don’t have a daughter but I have adorable twin sons and if they want to take up boxing, I will support them. My boys seem to have decent eye-hand coordination but let’s give it a little more time before we comment on their potential.
The popularity of the sport has grown with every passing year. Where once it was completely ignored, today there are over 50 women boxers of repute in India. Of course, we still have a long way to go.

Seems some of the male boxers are miffed, because with women’s boxing entering the Olympics finally, one weight
category has been dropped.

I haven’t come across any male boxer who has communicated his displeasure to me. On the contrary, several of them, who are my friends, have congratulated me.

You took a two-year sabbatical to deliver the twins. How difficult was it getting back into the ring and surprising the world with a win?
I just put my mind to the task on hand. You don’t forget the skills you have learnt. It was the physical training to get back into shape that was difficult. Fortunately, it has never been difficult for me to maintain a constant weight of 46 kgs. I have never had to go on a crash diet and after being conscious of what I eat for so long, the craving for certain foods have gone away. I train hard, eat in moderation and let my body take care of the rest.

How difficult is it leaving your children at home when you go for training or for a competition?
I face the same challenges any other career woman who is a mother and a wife faces. The only difference is that may be the media scrutiny is higher in my case.

I try to spend as much quality time with my family as is possible and am lucky to have a loving husband, Onler, who has uncomplainingly taken up my task of raising our children. I’m sure the boys miss not having me around all the time but in their own little way, I think they understand.

How difficult is it for Onler to be both mother and father?
Onler understands the situation as he is a national level footballer himself. Without him, I don’t think I could have managed my career and the children.

We first met at a restaurant through our families in Manipur. During our first conversation itself, Onler got extremely excited when told that I was a boxer. His reaction was so different from that of other people I had interacted with who tended to thumb their noses at my chosen career. It was something that intrigued me to take the relationship further.

Did you think of quitting?
Not yet, there are still goals to reach. Perhaps, I will think about retiring from competitive boxing after the London Olympics. But I do emphasise the word ‘perhaps’.

Who do you see stepping into your shoes when you retire? Will you become a national coach or open a boxing academy?
I’m already mentoring several young boxers at my husband’s boxing academy. Some of my students are winning medals at the state and national level.

Has boxing given you what you deserve in terms of monetary benefits?
National pride is what I play for and not monetary benefits. But yes, I do need a reasonable income that unfortunately has not always been forthcoming. There is undoubtedly a shortage of funds and corporate interest in women’s boxing. I’m optimistic that sponsors will soon see the potential in women’s boxing soon, the way they have with our male counterparts. My sports management agency, Infinity Optimal Solutions, is working hard to build my brand.

Vijender Singh’s Olympic bronze medal has made him a household name. How many know of Mary Kom?
Not as many as Vijender may be but a fair few do know about Mary Kom. (Smiles) Perhaps a few more will, after this article. Vijender’s achievement merits household fame. I’m so proud that an Indian boxer brought home an individual Olympic medal.

Like Vijender Singh, are you open to modelling contracts and movie offers?
I haven’t thought about a movie but if it’s boxing related, why not? I enjoy singing and play the guitar well. I will be in the BBC documentary and have been featured in an issue of Vogue. I’m in the process of signing an endorsement deal too.

Will you write an autobiography?
I don’t think I am capable of writing an autobiography but if it could benefit potential boxers, give them some sort of motivation and inspiration, then I could consider getting someone to pen a biography.

Have you ever thought of turning professional?
I haven’t given the matter serious because it has always been my dream to compete on behalf of the country and that is something I can do only as an amateur.

What about politics?
Again, it’s not something I have thought of. I will sit down to think about my future only after the London Olympics.

Million dollar Mary
Mangte Chungneijang Mary Kom (MC Mary Kom) was born on March 1, 1983 and was brought up in a family of farmers. She worked in the fields, cutting woods, making charcoal and fishing. After standard eight, Mary went to Imphal.

Initially, she was into athletics but inspired by Dingko Singh and a demo of women boxers at the 5th National Games in Manipur, she started dreaming of becoming a world-class pugilist.

She joined Sports Authority of India, Khuman Lampak and underwent intensive training from coach, Ibomcha Singh. Soon after, Manipur State coaches Narjit Singh and Kishan Singh took her under their wings. Manipur government even gave her the post of Sub-inspector of police in 2005. She was promoted to inspector of police in 2008 and again promoted to the post of Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) in 2010. Mary married K Onler Kom whom she met in Delhi. Her most awaited gold medal will be at the London 2012 Olympics.

Go for gold
* Gold medal in the 5th Asian Women’s Boxing Championship in Kazakhstan, in May 2010
* Gold medal in the Indoor Asian Games in Hanoi Vietnam in 2009 
* Gold medal in the Indo- Sweden Dual Match Boxing Tournament in Gothenberg Sweden in 2009
* Gold medal in the 5th World Women Boxing Championship in Ningbo China in 2008

Indian Christians Feel Unwelcome in UK Churches

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Hmar Sangkhuma London, Jun 29 : Indian-origin Christians who feel unwelcome in mainstream churches in Britain are forming their own small churches where they sing and pray in Hindi, Gujarati, Tamil and Punjabi to the accompaniment of 'dhol' and other instruments.

Ram Gidoomal, a prominent member of the Asian community and chairman of the South Asia Forum, said that there were at least 200 such small churches founded by disenchanted Christians across Britain as a response to feeling of rejection.

He said there were nearly 75,000 Christians with origins in the Indian sub-continent in Britain, and many of them felt unwelcome in mainstream churches.

New migrants add to the congregations, particularly those from Kerala.

"It is important that mainstream churches welcome those who come from different cultures. There are churches who allow a song or two in Hindi or Tamil, but there are many Asian Christians who feel unwelcome," Gidoomal, who unsuccessfully contested the London mayor election in 2000 on a Christian People's Alliance ticket, said.

In Wolverhampton alone, there were 11 such small churches catering to Christians who did not find the right atmosphere and welcome in churches of the Church of England and other denominations.

For example, the congregation in one 'Tamil church' in east London grew from about 20 members to over 1,000 recently, Gidoomal said and added that often priests and church representatives from India are invited by these congregations.

He said: "We are saying that Asian Christians do exist and they are not a small number. The South Asia Forum has been set up to connect different Asian Christian groups and to represent them in interaction with the government and the mainstream churches."

Gidoomal added: "Asian Christians want to join mainstream churches but if they are not welcome they will then form their own fellowship. It is sad and it is a pity that those who are meant to be united by one faith appear then to be divided, that really is a tragedy."

In the Asian Calvary Church in Wolverhampton, the service is in Punjabi and many prayers are sung to the accompaniment of traditional Indian instruments such as 'dhol' and harmonium.

The trend of setting up small, language or region-specific churches presents a new dimension of the experience of Indian Christians in Britain.

There are examples of new Christian migrants from India boosting the falling strength of congregations in Staffordshire, while in some churches in Wales and England, priests from Mizoram and Kerala have been invited due to shortage of priests in Britain.

Recent Indian priests to move to Britain include Reverend Kesari Godfrey from the Church of South India, and Reverend Hmar Sangkhuma from the Diocese of Mizoram.

Attendance in churches has been progressively dwindling in various parts of Britain.

The 2001 census showed that fewer than one in 10 people in Wales regularly attended church or chapel.

In Staffordshire, recent migrants from various countries, including India, are helping boost congregations.

The Holy Trinity Church in Stoke hosts two groups of worshippers from North Staffordshire's Malayali community.

Fruit Processing Unit a Boon For Tripura

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fruit-processing unit Agartala, Jun 29 : A revived fruit-processing unit is turning out to be a boon for the locals of Agartala, as it has opened up job opportunities for them.

The unit has been up by Pijush Agro Tech in Ushabazar area of the State.

According to the manager of the Pijush Agro Tech, the factory was in bad condition and has been revived now.

“We import pineapples from villages which benefits the farmers and factory workers. Earlier due to insurgency, we had problems. We were not being able to get fruits easily but now everything is fine and peaceful”, said S P Singh, Manager.

Workers of the unit are satisfied with their work and earnings.

“This factory is a boon for us as we are able to work here after completing our household chores. We are earning well here which is an extra income, moreover, we also have provident fund”, said Seema Das.

With the return of peace and normalcy in the region, various other industrial units are also planning to open their units in Tripura.

10 Assam Districts Under The Grip of Flood

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Guwahati, Jun 29 : Flood ravage continues in as many ten districts of Assam as swelling waters of the rivers are submerging new areas.

Large areas of Barpeta, Baksa, Kokrajhar, Bongaigaon and Dhubri districts have been inundated following reported release of Kurichu dam water in neighbouring Bhutan.

Vast areas of the Manas and Kaziranga National Parks and the Pabitora wildlife sanctuary have been submerged.

The high speed flow of water breached two vital embankments of Beki and Mora Pagladiya rivers.

Surface communication remained disrupted in the flood-hit districts.

The State Government has instructed the district authorities to gear up relief and rescue measures among the flood-ravaged areas.

Football Doesn't Need Replays - it Needs More Fairplay

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By Bill Chappell

Referee

Rebecca Blackwell/AP

Hungarian referee Viktor Kassai during the U.S. Vs. Ghana match.  U.S. lost, 1-2

With the World Cup's Round of 16 under way, a rash of bungled calls — and the near-disastrous effect they had on the U.S. team — has Americans fuming. Disallowed goals and "mystery fouls" are now the norm. And referees have come to resemble Sphinxes — quiet, powerful and full of riddles.

Another example came in Sunday's Germany-England match, when officials missed noticing that Frank Lampard's shot had entered Germany's goal for a potential equalizer in the first half.

That's led many people to call for instant replay. But that's a silly idea, one that would drain the sport of the beautiful momentum that can make a 0-0 game fascinating. Still, I don't agree with FIFA president Sepp Blatter, who justifies the status quo by saying, "Society is not perfect, football is not perfect."

Aside from giving me something cool to say when I'm having a "discussion" with my girlfriend (just insert "Bill" for "football"), that statement is useless; it borders on the perverse. And it ignores a basic truth: It's time for the soccer-powers-that-be (or, the football-powers-that-etre) to change how they officiate games.

The problems go beyond Koman Coulibaly of Mali, who threw out American Maurice Edu's goal against Slovenia. Even before the final stage of the Cup, a referee missed handballs and other transgressions by France, in a match that gave them a spot and kept Ireland out. And in Brazil's first-round win over Ivory Coast, referee Stephane Lannoy was seen laughing with Luis Fabiano after missing his handball on a scoring play.

Are all these guys on the take — or maybe just evil? No — it's just that their flaws are magnified by a system that’s both broken and slanted. Here are some of the problems I see in World Cup soccer:

Four officials cover a space that’s larger than a football field. By contrast, the NFL uses seven officials to rule a field that's smaller by 20,000 square feet (77,625 sq. ft. for soccer vs. 57,600 for football).

And only one official — the referee — roams the field. Combine that with the perpetual motion mentioned above — or, to put it another way, 90 minutes of near-continuous chaos — and you realize that only a superhero could keep these games fair and under control.

Having one man follow the ball all over the pitch is like baseball's homeplate umpire chasing baserunners around the diamond, calling balls and strikes along the way. Because don't forget, the main responsibility of half of soccer's officiating crew is just to jog along the sideline and raise a checkered flag once in a while.

And that leads to the next point: Since soccer officials rarely collaborate on calls, the "wisdom of crowds" approach is out the window. Until recently, the "fourth official," who manages time and substitution issues, wasn't even expected to speak to the match referee.

My last point is related more to confidence and inclusion. Consider this: the U.S. doesn’t have a single referee in the Cup, but tiny Seychelles does – and they’re not even in the tournament. And Uruguay, for whatever reason, has six; Mexico has five.

I'm sure most of those guys are qualified — but the idea that America doesn't have a single official capable of refereeing — or, for the love of Pele, able to raise a checkered flag once in a while — is ludicrous. Being left out of the referee mix just feeds the paranoia of fans who think games are rigged.

Take all those points together, and you get a picture of a system that’s paternalistic, exclusionary and destined to fail — in short, it's not unlike several economies in Europe.

Maybe that's why U.S. coach Bob Bradley and his team took the setbacks in stride. They actually seemed surprised by the uproar over the bad calls, and the lack of explanation for them.

"FIFA operates differently. Soccer is a different game," Bradley said. "From our end, we get used to that. We all have friends and family who ask us the same questions that most of you ask us, and you end up saying, 'That's just how it is sometimes', and you move on and get ready for the next game."

When an organization embraces opportunities for unfairness and ineptitude with the zest FIFA has shown, you really can't be shocked by the result.

The World Cup would be better off if FIFA bagged the talk about humanity and imperfection and took a few pages from the folks running Wimbledon — a tournament that openly pursues perfection. When a tennis match starts on Centre Court, there are 11 officials watching the field of play — the chair umpire and 10 line judges.

If you're hoping to see that many referees in soccer, don't hold your breath. But before we see video replay and other technology being used in the World Cup, it'd be nice to see how well the officials could do if they're put in a position to succeed.

Legalisation of 'Medicinal' Cannabis Sees Amazing Surge in Users

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When Capitalism Meets Cannabis

At the Farmacy in Boulder, Colo., medical marijuana is sold in a boutiquelike atmosphere. State law lets sellers profit as much as they can, as long as they stay within a labyrinth of rules.

By David Segal

Anyone who thinks it would be easy to get rich selling marijuana in a state where it’s legal should spend an hour with Ravi Respeto, manager of the Farmacy, an upscale dispensary here that offers Strawberry Haze, Hawaiian Skunk and other strains of Cannabis sativa at up to $16 a gram.

She will harsh your mellow.

“No M.B.A. program could have prepared me for this experience,” she says, wearing a cream-colored smock made of hemp. “People have this misconception that you just jump into it and start making money hand over fist, and that is not the case.”

Since this place opened in January, it’s been one nerve-fraying problem after another. Pot growers, used to cash-only transactions, are shocked to be paid with checks and asked for receipts. And there are a lot of unhappy surprises, like one not long ago when the Farmacy learned that its line of pot-infused beverages could not be sold nearby in Denver. Officials there had decided that any marijuana-tinged consumables had to be produced in a kitchen in the city.

“You’d never see a law that says, ‘If you want to sell Nike shoes in San Francisco, the shoes have to be made in San Francisco,’ ” says Ms. Respeto, sitting in a tiny office on the second floor of the Farmacy. “But in this industry you get stuff like that all the time.”

One of the odder experiments in the recent history of American capitalism is unfolding here in the Rockies: the country’s first attempt at fully regulating, licensing and taxing a for-profit marijuana trade. In California, medical marijuana dispensary owners work in nonprofit collectives, but the cannabis pioneers of Colorado are free to pocket as much as they can — as long as they stay within the rules.

The catch is that there are a ton of rules, and more are coming in the next few months. The authorities here were initially caught off guard when dispensary mania began last year, after President Obama announced that federal law enforcement officials wouldn’t trouble users and suppliers as long as they complied with state law. In Colorado, where a constitutional amendment legalizing medical marijuana was passed in 2000, hundreds of dispensaries popped up and a startling number of residents turned out to be in “severe pain,” the most popular of eight conditions that can be treated legally with the once-demonized weed.

More than 80,000 people here now have medical marijuana certificates, which are essentially prescriptions, and for months new enrollees have signed up at a rate of roughly 1,000 a day.

As supply met demand, politicians decided that a body of regulations was overdue. The state’s Department of Revenue has spent months conceiving rules for this new industry, ending the reefer-madness phase here in favor of buzz-killing specifics about cultivation, distribution, storage and every other part of the business.

Whether and how this works will be carefully watched far beyond Colorado. The rules here could be a blueprint for the 13 states, as well as the District of Columbia, that have medical marijuana laws. That is particularly the case in Rhode Island, New Jersey, the District of Columbia and Maine, which are poised to roll out programs of their own.

Americans spend roughly $25 billion a year on marijuana, according to the Harvard economist Jeffrey Miron, which gives some idea of the popularity of this drug. Eventually, we might be talking about a sizable sum of tax revenue from its sales as medicine, not to mention private investment and employment. A spokesman for the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws says hedge fund investors and an assortment of financial service firms are starting to call around to sniff out opportunities.

“We’re past the days when people call here to ask if marijuana will give men breasts,” says Allen St. Pierre, the executive director of NORML. “Now, the calls are from angel investors, or REITs — people who are looking for ways to invest or offer their services.”

What happens when pot goes legit? How does the government establish rules that allow the industry to flourish, but not run rampant? And given that this is all about medicine, what about doctors, some of whom have turned medical marijuana consultations into a highly lucrative specialty?

These and dozens of other questions are now being answered in cities like Boulder, an affluent, whole-grain kind of college town where the number of dispensaries — anywhere from 50 to 100, depending on whom you ask — is larger than the number of Starbucks and liquor stores combined. During a recent visit, it was clear that for every marijuana seller and physician who thinks that the rules are too strict, murky or fluid, there are others who can hardly wipe the smile off their faces.

“When I visited in September, I looked around and saw that there were only four dispensaries in Boulder, and they were all right on campus,” says Bradley Melshenker, co-owner of the Greenest Green and formerly a medical marijuana seller in Los Angeles. “We went into one and saw like 30 kids in the waiting room, and I thought: ‘This is crazy. We’ve got to come.’ ”

YOUR first foray into a medical marijuana center is slightly disorienting, like breathing underwater during your maiden scuba dive, or watching the Red Sox win the 2004 World Series. Everything in your past tells you that the experience is impossible, but at the same time, you know it is happening.

Forget the furtive transactions that have defined American pot dealing since the dawn of the dime bag. The best of Boulder’s dispensaries display their product in the sort of glass cases found in jewelry stores or high-end bakeries.

The people behind those cases, known as “budtenders,” like to think of themselves as sommeliers, although the names of the strains for sale will never be confused with chardonnay: Bubble Gum, Sour Kush, God’s Gift, Grand Daddy Purp and Blue Skunk.

“This will throw you for a loop,” says Michael Bellingham, owner of the Boulder Medical Marijuana Dispensary, who is holding a jar of Jack the Ripper, one of more than a dozen strains he sells. “It’s very serious, very strong; it goes right to your brain.”

With a couple of exceptions — Mr. Bellingham among them — interviewing pot sellers is unlike interviewing anyone else in business. Simple yes-or-no questions yield 10-minute soliloquies. Words are coined on the spot, like “refudiate,” and regular words are used in ways that make sense only in context. One guy kept saying “rue” as though it meant “reluctant,” as in “I think the state was rue to act.”

Many have a long history with marijuana, and they remain — let’s just run with it — rue to share their names. One dispensary employee swears that his hippie parents christened him Onefree, but he prefers to be called Dave and everyone calls him Van.

A few dispensary owners declined to be interviewed; many are still wrapping their heads around the idea that what they do is legal. And none of the owners offered a look at their “grow,” as indoor, hydroponic crops are known. On that subject, everyone became bashful. There are strict rules about the size of grows and, of course, at the federal level, marijuana remains a “Schedule I Controlled Substance,” alongside heroin and L.S.D.

Most owners, though, were happy to show off their wares at retail, and it’s stuff that has little in common with the Cheech-and-Chong era of this drug. State-of-the-art pot is dense and loamy and comes in exotic shades of green and lavender — like shag carpeting made in a jungle. Most customers buy a gram or two at a time, and a lot of dispensaries offer loyalty cards — buy a lot, get some free. If smoking doesn’t appeal, there are lots of pot edibles, like cookies, fudge, butter, candy bars, muffins, coffee and ice cream.

“We had a milkshake night here a few weeks ago,” says Lauren Meisels of the Greenest Green. “The place was packed.”

The marijuana merchants in Colorado, like trailblazers in any business, had to make a lot of basic decisions when they started. Among them: What should a for-profit medical marijuana dispensary look like, anyway? State law says that the cannabis has to be in “limited access areas,” but as far as interior decorating mandates go, that’s it.

So there’s variety. The Greenest Green looks like a bar in Amsterdam, with a chalkboard announcing the day’s offerings in colors reminiscent of Starburst Fruit Chews, as well as a stereo playing reggae. Until a new law went into effect, patients could “medicate” on the premises, with options that included a $5 hit of hash oil from an elaborate bonglike device called a skillet.

The Green Room has a Pottery Barn in Bohemia feel, with an espresso bar and a separate room for a massage therapist. Another, Dr. Reefer — it’s the name of the dispensary and the trade name of the owner — is proudly ramshackle, in part because it hasn’t been thoroughly renovated since a restaurant moved off the premises.

“This used to be a hot dog place called What’s Up Dog and my place was in the basement,” says Pierre Werner, Dr. Reefer himself. “When What’s Up Dog closed, I moved in the very next day, and I’ve been open every day since.”

Mr. Werner, for the record, is not actually a doctor. Rather, as he puts it with a note of pride and defiance, he’s a “three-time convicted felon for possession of marijuana with intent to sell.” That history, as well as his habit of standing near the side of the road and waving a huge Dr. Reefer sign at passing cars while shouting “come get your meds,” makes other dispensary owners, not to mention some local politicians, wince.

After all, they’re trying to create respectability — maybe even some class — and Dr. Reefer’s not helping.

If there is a historical precedent for what’s now happening in Colorado, it could be the 1920s and the era of Prohibition. During America’s dry age, the federal alcohol ban carved out an exemption for medicinal use, and doctors nationwide suddenly discovered they could bolster their incomes by writing liquor prescriptions.

Pharmacies, which filled those prescriptions, and were one of the few places whiskey could be bought legally, raked it in. Through the 1920s, the number of Walgreens stores soared from 20 to nearly 400.

Prohibition also enriched adventurous sorts at every level of booze production and consumption, from grape farmers and distillers to the owners of speakeasies. Many of them went on to earn legitimate fortunes once Prohibition was repealed.

More than a few in the marijuana business say they believe they are early entrants in a market that could be huge, as laws and public attitudes shift in their favor. But a lot depends on what restrictions are placed on sales, as Colorado’s example suggests.

SELLERS here will tell you that to succeed in this business, you need to keep two essentials in mind.

First is the importance of nabbing a lot of “caregiver rights,” which every person with a medical marijuana certificate can assign to a seller of choice. The caregiver rights of each patient, as customers are universally known, allow a dispensary to sell the marijuana of six plants, though the pot can be sold to anyone with a certificate. So the more caregiver rights a dispensary collects, the more pot it can sell.

The second essential: grow your own. A pound of marijuana can be sold at retail for somewhere between $5,500 and $7,500. To buy that quantity wholesale will cost about $4,000. Grow it yourself and the same pound will cost just $750 to $1,000.

“It’s like any retail environment,” says Sean Fey, a co-owner of the Green Room. “Given overhead expenses, you’re not going to make a lot of money if your margins are 40 or 50 percent, which is what you’ll earn if you don’t grow your own marijuana. But you’ll get 70 to 80 percent margins if you do.”

Pot sales so far are expected to generate about $2.7 million in license fees, in addition to the more than $681,000 in sales tax collected from July 2009 to February 2010. These figures seem a decent-enough start, but are far less than the $15 million in annual taxes predicted by some of the state’s more optimistic lawmakers.

A batch of regulations known as Amendment 1284, signed by the governor on June 7, is expected to put many dispensaries out of business, eliminating the amateurs and semipros who jumped in because there was nothing to stop them, but greatly strengthening those who have the wherewithal to remain standing.

At least that is the hope of Matt Cook, the senior director of enforcement at the state’s Department of Revenue and the man behind Colorado’s pot regulation system.

“I’ve been coming up with regulations for different industries for 30 years,” he says. “Alcohol, tobacco, car dealerships. I just took the best practices from those businesses, and I was allowed input of my own.”

The new rules, many of which will take effect over coming months, treat dispensaries a bit like pharmacies and a bit like casinos. Felons will soon be prohibited from owning dispensaries. (Mr. Werner is selling the Dr. Reefer store.) Twenty-four-hour Webcams will be trained on every growing facility and dispensary in the state. There are restrictions on hours, new rules for licensing, labeling and on and on.

Dispensary owners, generally speaking, aren’t complaining. The more regulated the business becomes, the easier it will be to operate, says Ms. Respeto of the Farmacy. The company, which was co-founded by her father, has big ambitions: to become a medical marijuana dispensary franchise and do for Super Silver Haze what Rite Aid did for pills. The store in Boulder is actually the company’s fifth; there are three in California and one in Denver.

“I used to manage Whole Foods stores on the East Coast,” she says. “And that was a lot easier. Because in the food industry, you know what the standards are.”

Ms. Respeto exudes a kind of soccer-mom normality, which dovetails neatly with a core element of the Farmacy’s marketing plan. The company would like to purge the business of its counterculture, glazed-and-confused image and turn it into something mainstream.

“What you hear about is a bunch of 18-year-olds who just want to get high,” she says. “You’ll see little of that in our establishment. What you’ll see instead is the 50-year-old woman who suffers from arthritis and this is her choice of pain medication.”

The medical dimensions of this industry seem in perpetual tension with its stoner roots. All dispensary workers sound utterly sincere about the health benefits of marijuana, and each has a story about an elderly man whose chronic back pain vanished when he was introduced to the healing powers of Sour Diesel.

These are true stories, and there’s no doubting that pot helps a lot of people who are in genuine pain.

But when was the last time your pharmacy had a milkshake night? Selling “dosage controlled” scoops of chocolate peanut butter ice cream?

Judging from three days of visits to a dozen places, the sweet spot of the dispensary demographic seems to be 20- to 30-year-olds, all of whom, when asked, say they have an ailment — insomnia, menstrual cramps or an assortment of painful-sounding bone problems.

“I fractured a vertebra in my back,” says Keith Aten, who has just swung by the Green Room to buy a medicated cookie and a caramel. “It hurts if I’m having a heavy walking day.”

Mr. Aten is a tall 21-year-old wearing a T-shirt with a zombiefied version of the Scarecrow from the Wizard of Oz, lurching down the Yellow Brick Road yelling “Brains!” Like every patient, Mr. Aten is assiduously courted with freebies by dispensaries who covet his caregiver rights.

“My guy used to give me a free half-ounce every month, but he just dropped it to a free quarter-ounce,” he said. “So I’m looking around to see who has a better deal. I’ve visited about 30 places so far.”

To acquire this V.I.P. status, Mr. Aten first needed to pass a medical exam certifying that marijuana is appropriate medicine for him. And that exam, surprisingly enough, might be the easiest money in this aromatic field.

TO see why, visit the office of Dr. James Boland, about nine miles outside of Boulder, in a strip mall in Broomfield. The place is a marvel of work-flow efficiency. In a matter of minutes, patients are greeted by a secretary, have their papers notarized by a notary public and are escorted to a waiting room — which on this day has a TV playing an instructional video on making your own hash.

“Today, I saw about 40 patients, but sometimes we’ll have 100 patients come through here,” Dr. Boland says, sitting in his small examination room.

He is dressed in dark green scrubs, like a man on a work break from a MASH unit. Until last year, he earned a modest income handling worker’s comp claims for a local furniture manufacturer.

Then he decided to enter medical marijuana full time, and he opened this place, which technically isn’t a doctor’s office, but a “managing/marketing firm” called Relaxed Clarity. His employees are allowed to do what he can’t — show up in dispensaries to pitch his services.

And when patients arrive, they find a highly streamlined operation. Each examination lasts three to five minutes.

“All you’re doing is answering the narrow question: does this person have a condition that qualifies them?” says Dr. Boland. “And do they have anything else that would place them at risk for an adverse outcome if they use medical marijuana?”

Yes to the first question, no to the second — those are the answers about 90 percent of the time, he says. And he stands by every one of those decisions.

BY the standards of a workaday medical practice, this is simple and headache-free work, according to Dr. Boland, unless you count the hidden-camera TV journalists who have dropped by hoping to find misconduct, or the lingering fears that if you’re too liberal with your signature, the state’s medical board might discipline you. A very small number of doctors approves a majority of certificates, and Dr. Boland is one of the most prolific of them all.

In one year alone, working just three days a week at Relaxed Clarity, he’s seen 7,000 patients, each paying an average of $150 for a visit. He takes out a calculator and does some quick arithmetic. That’s more than $1 million, grossed in 12 months.

“There’s no waiting for an insurance company to pay you a fraction of what you billed,” Dr. Boland says. “It’s just boom, you know, cash on the spot. So you can make a significant amount of money doing this.”

Like the Farmacy, Dr. Boland hopes to take his medical marijuana business national, opening Relaxed Clarity offices in other states. The difference is that he is profitable, while the Boulder outpost of the Farmacy, at least for now, is not.

The lack of profits has been a source of stress for Ms. Respeto. Maybe as the industry matures, it will become more predictable and easier to navigate, less given to panicky phone calls about unforeseen U-turns. Until then, the good news is that she is surrounded, day in and day out, by one of the best-known relaxants on earth. The bad news is that she is one of the very few people in this business who does not smoke pot.

“I go home at night,” she sighs, “and have a glass of wine.”

Mark Webber Miraculously Escape

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Formula One driver Mark Webber miraculously escaped a collision in which his Red Bull Racing car took off, flipped upside down and smashed into a tyre wall at 190mph at the Valencia Grand Prix today.

The incident, on lap 10 in Spain, came when the Australian attempted to overtake rival Heikki Kovalainen on one the tracks fastest sections.

Preparing to make his move: Mark Webber (behind) approached Heikki Kovalainen on lap 10 of the Valencia Grand Prix.....

Preparing to make his move: Mark Webber (behind) approached Heikki Kovalainen on lap 10 of the Valencia Grand Prix.....

.... but the Australian smashed into the back of the Lotus driver causing him to take flight and flip his car....

.... but the Australian smashed into the back of the Lotus driver causing him to take flight and flip his car....

... and then comes crashing down on the car's roof at 190mph

... and then comes crashing down on the car's roof at 190mph

However the Lotus driver attempted to defend his position leading Webber to plow into the back of him. It was then the car took off, turning 360 degrees in the air before landing on it's roof and skidding out of control off the track.

Room with a view: TV pictures captured the moment Webber took flight something like a rocket facing skywards

Room with a view: TV pictures captured the moment Webber took flight something like a rocket facing skywards

Lucky escape: Miraculously Webber was able to walk away from his car after it came to a stop in a tyre wall

Lucky escape: Miraculously Webber was able to walk away from his car after it came to a stop in a tyre wall

Gives you wings: Webber had started the race from second on the grid

Gives you wings: Webber had started the race from second on the grid

Incredibly Webber walked away from the incident which, had it not been for the exceptional levels of design safety on the car and indeed track surroundings, may well have been much more serious.

BBC commentator and former F1 driver David Coulthard said: 'F1 has seen one of its luckiest days.

'That could have been really, really serious. '

Coulthard later caught up with Webber and revealed: 'Mark is sitting very calmly reflecting on his low flying Red Bull. He is in good shape and physically no problem at all.

'He is looking like the chilled Aussie he is, not a man that has just had that experience.'

Earlier in the day GP2 driver Josef Kral had an equally nasty accident at turn 17. Kral was attempting to pass Rodolfo Gonazalez when he mounted the rear of his opponent, barrel-rolled into the air and buried the car deep into the tyre barrier.He was taken to hospital conscious but reporting pain in his back and right arm.

Angelina Jolie as She Opens up About Her Family

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Angelina Jolie has revealed her four-year-old daughter Shiloh wants to be a boy.

The Salt actress - who has six children with partner Brad Pitt - has revealed that that she encourages her eldest biological child to embrace her tomboy style.

'She wants to be a boy,' she tells the August edition of Vanity Fair magazine. 'So we had to cut her hair. She likes to wear boys' everything. She thinks she's one of the brothers.'

Apparently coining a new fashion term, she says: 'Shiloh, we feel, has Montenegro style.'

'She dresses like a little dude. It's how people dress there. She likes tracksuits, she likes [regular] suits.'

Interview: Angelina Jolie speaks about her children, and her marriage in Vanity Fair's August issue

Candid interview: Angelina Jolie opend up about her about her children in an interview with the August issue of Vanity Fair

But Angelina isn't concerned and says she sees much of her creative self in her daughter.

'Shiloh’s hysterically funny, one of the goofiest, most playful people you’ll ever meet,' she says. 'Goofy and verbal, the early signs of a performer. I used to get dressed up in costumes and jump around.'

In her most candid interview yet, the 35-year-old described most of her children's developing personalities.

Angelina JolieAngelina Jolie

Tomboy at heart: Angelina, pictured in LA with Shiloh yesterday, says her daughter wants to be a boy

Maddox, 8, is 'a real intellectual, which I can take no credit for genetically. He’s great at school, great at history. He feels like he could be a writer or travel the world and learn about places and things.'

Five-year-old Zahara has 'got an extraordinary voice and is just so elegant and well spoken,' she adds.

And twins Knox and Vivienne, who turn 2 next month, are 'classic boy and girl. She’s really female. And he’s really a little dude.'

ShilohShiloh

'Montenegro style': Shiloh likes to dress 'like a little dude'

Angelina, who is also mother to Pax, 6, says she has a 'happy home' and has not ruled out adding to her brood.

But she and partner Brad, 46, are aware of the demands of six growing children and she denied she was carrying a seventh.

She told the magazine: 'I'm not pregnant. We're not opposed to it. But we want to make sure we can give everybody special time.

'They're kids now, and can play together, but they're going to need a lot more talking in the middle of the night, like I did with my mom for hours.

Brad Pitt

Famous brood: The couple haven't ruled out having more children

'We want to make sure we don't build a family so big that we don't have absolutely enough time to raise them each really well.'

Angelina, who recently finished filming in Venice for her role as an Interpol agent opposite Johnny Depp in The Tourist, might soon give up acting to spend more time with her family.

'It is not the most important thing in my life,' she says of her career.

'It’s a fun job. It’s a luxury. But I don’t think I’ll do it much longer.'

For more see www.vanityfair.com. The August edition of Vanity Fair is out on Friday

Kristen Stewart Goes From Goth to GINGER With a Stunning New Twilight Highlights

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Twilight star Kristen Stewart usually favours a vampish look on the red carpet, but now she's really lightened up.

The actress debuted a freshly dyed ginger mane as she turned up on the New York set of the Late Show with David Letterman.

Kristen Stewart

Lightening up: Kristen Stewart arrived for an interview with David Letterman in New York today with a brand new hairstyle

Kristen StewartKristen Stewart

Looking sleek: The Twilight star wore a stylish LBD for the appearance

Kristen

Dark side: Brunette Kristen with Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner at the LA premiere of The Twilight Saga: Eclipse last week

It also appeared she'd had her long locks trimmed into a shaggy bob.

She teamed her new 'do with a sleek little black dress with metallic detailing and towering shoes.

Kristen, who has been working over time to promote The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, previously said she was planning to colour her hair a 'dirty, strawberry blonde' for her next film role.

She is set to play MaryLou, the wife of drifter Dean Moriarity in the big screen adaptation of Jack Kerouac’s 1957 novel, On The Road.

The 20-year-old says she is 'over the moon' about the part, adding: 'It was my first favourite book and the character is iconic.'

Filming is set to begin in the coming month.

Kristen StewartAshley Greene
Quick-change: Kristen later changed into a different little black dress for a screening, which was also attended by Ashley Greene

Awesome: Samsung NX10 Digital Camera

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samsung Samsung has launched NX10 – its mirror-less interchangeable lens camera.

According to the company, Samsung NX10 has the heart of a DSLR embedded inside the compact frame of a digital camera, successfully integrating the APS-C size CMOS sensor with a mirrorless interchangeable lens, in a small, light body.

NX10 comes with auto focus (AF), 14.6 MP APS-C size CMOS sensor and 3.0" AMOLED screen. The camera has DRIMe II Pro engine and advanced AF algorithm. The AMOLED screen provides 30,000 times faster response rate than conventional LCDs, and has lower power consumption and a higher contrast ratio – 100,000:1 vs. 500:1, according to the company.

NX10 comprises a range of intelligent features including in-depth manual controls and a Smart Auto function which automatically detects the surrounding environment, selects the right shoot mode and a Smart Range feature that enables the user to express both bright areas and dark areas in the same frame. There's also a Supersonic Dust Reduction system to keep dust particles clear of the image sensor.

NX10 also offers several options for playing, reviewing and managing captured images. Users can scroll through the images, view thumbnails, zoom in or out, view slideshows. The Image Edit option offers a several ways to alter the look of an already-captured photo, including redeye fix, backlight, changing the photo style, resizing, rotating etc.

Slim and light at just over 350gm, NX10 is available in Black colour in two variants. One with an 18-55mm lens kit (Rs 42,990-/) & second with 30mm Pan Cake lens (Rs 44,990-/).

Top IT Employers at Engineering Institutes

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Top IT employers at engg institutes

IT companies are back to engineering campuses. After a lull caused by the adverse economic conditions, the year 2009-2010 saw IT companies return to campuses. Though the numbers have still not touched the pre-recession levels, they surely look promising.

Business Today magazine recently came out with a list of top recruiters at India's premier engineering institutes, companies which have driven hiring at these institutes since the beginning of 2010 (till May) as well as also in last fiscal.

Here are IT companies who formed the part of the list. IT companies who have been among the biggest employers at engineering institutes.

Microsoft

Microsoft

The software giant Microsoft too is back to campus. Microsoft India Development Center reportedly went to the top 25 engineering institutes in India (IITs, NITs and a few state-level good engineering colleges) and hired close to 100 graduates who are expected to come on board in the next few months.

Last year, it hired 75 engineers.

Wipro

Wipro

Wipro reportedly hired 2,500 from engineering colleges and added 1,300 under its Wipro Academy of Software Excellence (WASE) programme.
A company official recently said that Wipro's campus hires for the present financial year are likely to be between 11,000 and 12,000.
The third-largest IT company is also said to be hiring off-campus graduates from science streams, from the 2009 and 2010 batches, for meeting its existing demand.

Cognizant

Cognizant

IT services provider Cognizant reportedly visited 75 engineering schools to pick up talent for its technology solutions business.
Though the company did not share the exact number of hires, in 2009-10 it added 21,800 to its total global headcount, of which 60 per cent are fresh engineering and science graduates.
The US-based software company scaled up its revenue forecast for fiscal ending December 31, 2010 to $4.1 billion from the earlier projection of $3.935 billion.
In the first quarter ended March 31, 2010, the company reported that it's net employee addition exceeded 7,100, taking the company's global headcount to over 85,500.

Tata Consultancy Services

Tata Consultancy Services

Country's largest IT company TCS visited 371 campuses for hiring and made 20,050 campus offers in the recently-concluded fiscal, with 72% of these made in the January-March quarter alone.
India's largest software services provider Tata Consultancy Services reportedly hired approximately 438 students till May 2010 from top the 10 engineering colleges.
The company, which added 16,668 employees in 2009-10, total manpower strength stands at approximately 1,60,429.
The Indian numero uno is upbeat on global recovery and plans to hire 30,000 employees in the current fiscal.
The company's HR head said that the hiring ratio will be around 60 percent-plus for fresher's and 30 percent plus for experienced professionals.

Infosys Technologies

Infosys Technologies

The campus intake of Infosys Technologies in 2009-10 was 19,000.
Nasdaq-listed Infosys total employee strength stood at 1.13 lakh on March 31, 2010 which includes 1.06 lakh software professionals, 8,880 trainees and 6,932 sales & support staff.
In the last quarter, Infosys hired as many as 9,313 employees, but the net addition after taking into account attrition was 3,914.
Recently, its CEO Kris Gopalakrishnan said that Infosys will hire 30,000 professionals this year as growth has returned to the sector.

Aricent

Aricent

Telecom technology and services company Aricent, ranked #6 on BT survey made 1,000 offers to the class of 2010.
In April, the company announced that it will add close to 3,000 professionals to its global workforce. Out of these, almost 1,000 will be recruited in India over the next 3-4 months.
According to the company, some 300 of these new recruits will be joining its Chennai development center. He added that the recruitment drive will look for both fresher's as well as experienced resources.
As on April 2010, the global headcount at Aricent was 8,500. The company has three development centers in India, located at Bangalore, Chennai and Gurgaon.

Oracle

Oracle

Enterprise software maker Oracle too made campus visits for hiring across India. The company added around 72 fresher's since the beginning of 2010.
The company which recently acquired Sun Microsystems for $7.4 billion, had announced at the start of 2010 that it plan to hire 2,000 sales and engineering employees.

iGate

iGate

IT services company iGate hired 35 fresher's from top tech campuses across India. The company in April announced that it will hire 500 professionals in the next two quarters to support its expanding operations.
iGate CEO Phaneesh Murthy said that most of the 500 people will be in India and some in Mexico and the US. They will be employed in both services in BPO areas.
The Nasdaq-listed company also plans to close acquisitions in the range of $30-70 million this year.
The company at the end of January-March quarter had 7,357 employees, a net addition of 447 employees during the quarter.

Hewlett-Packard

Hewlett-Packard

Computer manufacturer Hewlett-Packard, which recently announced 24,600 job cuts or 7.5% of its workforce, picked up a handful of 35 people from India's top engineering institutes.
HP said it would carry out the cutbacks over the next three years, while replacing about half the jobs in new areas of its services business.

IBM

IBM

US-based IBM hired close to 179 students from the country's top top engineering colleges.
Spurred by jump in technology spending by corporate, IBM reported a 13% growth in net income at $2.6 bn in Jan-Mar quarter of 2010. Total revenues stood at $22.9 bn, an increase of 5% over the same period last fiscal.
This year in March the company cut almost 500 jobs across US, according to Alliance@IBM, a group that represents some employees. The cuts were less than 1% of IBM’s workforce of 399,409 as of Dec 31, 2009.