2G scam: CBI raids Niira Radia, ex-Trai chief, Raja's relatives

The CBI on Wednesday raided the homes and offices of business lobbyist Niira Radia, former telecom regulatory chief Pradeep Baijal and relatives of former communications minister A Raja over the 2G spectrum row. 

In a coordinated operation, Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officials searched the New Delhi homes and offices of Radia, whose intercepted telephonic conversations showed her lobbying for Raja when a new government came in last year. 

CBI deputy inspector general of police Vinita Thakur said that officials landed up at Radia's Sainik Farms house in south Delhi as well as her plush office on Barakhamba Road in the heart of the city in the morning. 

"The raids started early today (Wednesday)," Thakur said. "They will continue as long as needed. We hope to give out further details by evening." 

The residence of Baijal, who retired in 2006 after serving as TRAI chairman for nearly three years, was being also searched. He is currently working with Radia. The allegation against him was that as the chairman of the regulatory body, which recommends various policies to the Government, he had helped some telecom firms. 

A former IAS officer of 1966 batch, Baijal was the first disinvestment secretary after the ministry was formed. 

These searches come exactly a week after the December 8 searches at the residence of Raja and his four close associates including his personal secretary R K Chandolia in connection with the scam. 

47-year-old Raja was forced to resign as minister on November 14 in the wake of the CAG's report that the rates at which 2G spectrum was allotted resulted in a possible loss to the exchequer to the tune of Rs 1.76 lakh crore. 

Raids were also conducted at the residences of former telecom secretary Siddarth Behura, Chandolia, member Telecom Commission K Sridhar and deputy director general in the department of telecom A K Srivastava. 

Raja has been maintaining that he was ready for questioning by the CBI any time. 

The CBI had registered a case on October 21, 2009 against unknown department of telecom officials and private persons and companies for allegedly causing loss of Rs 22,000 crore to the exchequer. 

The figure of the loses mentioned in the agency's FIR were based on the findings of Central Vigilance Commission which had referred the case to the CBI. 

The CBI has earlier searched offices of wireless planning cell (WPC), the department responsible for allocating spectrum, and the office of deputy director general (access services) of the telecom ministry to probe the allegations of connivance of officials with private companies in allocation of Spectrum. 

It had also conducted searches in eight cities housing headquarters of various telecom firms in connection with its probe into the scam. 

Putin's 'mistress' features on cover of Vogue Russia

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's alleged mistress is Vogue Russia's cover girl for its January 2011 issue, a media report said. 

The 27-year-old former rhythmic Olympic gymnast Alina Kabayeva, wearing a gold Balmain dress with her hands on her hips, will feature on the front cover of Vogue's January 2011 edition, 'The Daily Telegraph' reported. 

The decision to put Kabayeva on Vogue Russia's front cover was taken by the magazine's new editor Viktoria Davydova who has courted controversy given the fact that Putin recently denied a newspaper report that he has left his wife Ludmila, with whom he has two daughters, for Kabayeva. 

While there is no substantive evidence that 58- year -old Putin is romantically linked to Kabayeva, who also happens to be an MP for his ruling United Russia party, the alleged affair has long been the hottest gossip topic among Russia's elite. 

The rumour first came to public prominence in 2008 when a Russian newspaper, owned by billionaire oligarch Alexander Lebedev, quoted a source as insisting the story was absolutely true. 

Lebedev shut the newspaper down soon afterwards claiming it had not been a commercial success though many suspected the real reason was to appease an angry Putin. 

The rumours later escalated when bloggers claimed that Kabayeva had subsequently given birth to Putin's love child. 

Putin has angrily claimed that there is "not one word of truth" in any of the allegations, while Kabayeva's spokesperson has refused to discuss what she derided as "nonsense". 

Putin has rarely been seen in public with his wife Ludmila in recent years, citing a heavy workload. He married Ludmila, a former air hostess, in 1983, the same year as Miss Kabayeva was born. 

Cola wars may pit Tendulkar against Dhoni

Beverage maker Coca-Cola is in talks to rope in Sachin Tendulkar for an endorsement deal ahead of the upcoming ICC Cricket World Cup, laying the pitch for a high-profile off-field battle between the star batsman and his captain, MS Dhoni, who will lead PepsiCo's campaign. 

"Coke is very keen to have Tendulkar on board," a celebrity management official familiar with the events told ET. This was confirmed by an industry executive, but both clarified that no contract has been signed yet between Coca-Cola and the cricketer. 

It could be a short-term deal, they said. Coca-Cola and sports management firm World Sport Group (WSG), which represents Tendulkar, declined to confirm or deny the talks. 

"We are always in discussions with any number of leading celebrities with regard to their support of our brands and initiatives, but we only announce formal agreements after they are signed," a Coca-Cola India spokesman said. 

Harish Krishnamachar, senior VP ( South Asia) of WSG, said, "We are not in a position to discuss commercial terms for Sachin. Once a sponsor is signed, we will let our client announce it." 

The ICC World Cup, which kicks off in February, is a high-stakes event for marketers across sectors, particularly for soft-drink makers coming as it does at the onset of the peak summer season. 

India, where cricket and cricketers leave all other sports and athletes miles behind in popularity and celebrity status, is co-hosting the world cup with Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. 

PepsiCo, one of ICC's global sponsors, is planning a high-pitched campaign featuring Dhoni, who has replaced Tendulkar as the most valuable cricketer and commands more endorsement fee than the master batsman, during the event. 

It has already roped in ad agency Taproot exclusively for the world cup campaign. Interestingly, Tendulkar was with PepsiCo for close to a decade before the beverages firm dropped him two years ago on grounds that it wanted younger stars for endorsements. 

But the Little Master, playing what could be his last world cup, is still immensely popular and is playing near his peak, having scored the first — and so far only — double century in a one day international. He will desperately want to do well in the event and lift his first world cup on April 2. 

Coca-Cola can bet on him to ensure PepsiCo does not walk away with all the gains at the world cup — perhaps the largest event for marketers. 

But getting him on board may not be easy. According to media reports, Tendulkar recently refused a lucrative offer to endorse a liquor brand, which would have been the highest-ever deal for an Indian sportsperson. 

Earlier this month, Dhoni signed the highest endorsement deal for a sportsperson — a three-year deal with Vijay Mallya's United Breweries group for Rs 26 crore. And, within days, he renewed his existing endorsement deal with Maxx Mobile for seven years valued at Rs 29 crore. 

Tendulkar endorses close to 14 brands, including ITC's Sunfeast, Adidas, luxury Swiss watch maker Audemars Piguet, Canon, Aviva Life Insurance, Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) and appliances major Toshiba. He charges about $1 million per year per deal. 

Coca-Cola has in-form opening batsman Gautam Gambhir for endorsements and it sponsors IPL team Delhi Daredevils. 

Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt to marry as per Hindu style in Jodhpur

While it's splitsville for Liz Hurley and Arun Nayar after three rocky years of marriage, Hollywood's celebrity couple Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie have decided to cement their bond further. Like Liz and Arun, who tied the knot according to Hindu customs in Jodhpur, the Brangelina couple, too, are looking to take the 'pheras' in this historic Rajputana city. 

British news portals have reported that the Hollywood royalty is planning a Hindu wedding in the New Year under the supervision of their spiritual guru, Ram Lal Siyag. Siyag, 84, the founder-patron of Jodhpur-based Adhyatma Vigyan Satsang Kendra, neither confirmed nor denied the news. 

The Siddha Yoga guru, who is said to have played a key role in bringing peace and harmony into the jet-set lives of Jolie and Pitt, is unconcerned about his name being bandied about in the western media. His disciples, too, refuse to disclose any detail about the glamour wedding. 

The news websites also reported that Guru Siyag initiated the star couple into the Hindu way of life by giving them a mantra, which they are to recite every morning and evening. The mantra, those close to Jolie and Pitt say, has helped them in their relationship. 

"Gurudev has been to the United States a few times and has many disciples there who not only follow his path of spiritual awakening through mantra-chanting and meditation but also organise siddha yoga camps," said a disciple. 

In addition, a lot of spiritual aspirants get online 'deeksha' through YouTube videos for the divine benefits of 'kundalini' awakening. "We do not keep a tab on each follower of Guru Siyag," says Kuldeep Ratnoo, a disciple, refusing to say anything about the proposed wedding.

Read more: Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt to marry as per Hindu style in Jodhpur - The Times of India http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Angelina-Jolie-Brad-Pitt-to-marry-as-per-Hindu-style-in-Jodhpur/articleshow/7102608.cms#ixzz18AUuEsVG

CBI raids lead to DMK, Kanimozhi doors

The CBI raids in the 2G scam, which started Wednesday morning, has widened. It now includes a senior Tamil journalist Kamaraj of the Nakeeran weekly and an NGO Tamil Maiyam in Chennai that is patronised by Rajya Sabha MP Kanimozhi, Tamil Nadu CM Karunanidhi's daughter and a close ally of former Union Telecom Minister A Raja.

The NGO Tamil Maiyam run by Father Jegath Gaspar, conducts the Chennai marathon and other events. Kanimozhi is one if its best-known trustees.

Journalist Kamaraj's wife Jeyasudha, is a senior executive at Vaishnavi Communications in Chennai, which is owned by corporate lobbyist Niira Radia.

Earlier, the CBI carried out searches at the residences of corporate lobbyist Niira Radia and former Chairman of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India Pradip Baijal in connection with the 2G spectrum scam.

The probe agency, in total, carried out raids at 27 places in Tamil Nadu and seven places in Delhi in connection with its investigations.

Last week , the CBI had carried out searches at the residences of former Telecom Minister A Raja in Delhi, Chennai and his village Velur besides conducting raids at the premises of a possible business associate and four other Telecom officials, including his personal secretary R K Chandolia, in connection with the 2G scam.

Now, Digvijay Singh can't find phone records of conversation with Karkare

Guwahati: A day after he claimed of having proof of his phone talk with Hemant Karkare just before the 26/11 attacks, Congress leader Digvijay Singh today said he has not been able to get the phone records but stuck to his remarks about threat to the police officer from right-wing Hindu groups. 

"I am not a liar, there is no need for me to lie that I had spoken to (slain Maharashtra ATS chief) Hemant Karkare," Singh, who has recently been made party in-charge of poll-bound Assam, told reporters here. 

The Congress general secretary, who yesterday claimed he had records to prove that he had spoken to Karkare, today said he had requested the Telecom Ministry to get the record of the call between him and the police officer from its centre in Pune. 

Singh said that he had sent a request in this regard to the General Manager of BSNL at Bhopal but "has got in writing from them that they cannot provide details of this number as the records are kept only for 12 months". 

He said he had spoken to Karkare from his number registered in Bhopal. The Congress leader had said that Karkare had spoken about threats from right-wing groups during the telephonic conversation with him. 

"There is no need for me to spread a lie. I stand by what I said. It's not a new thing and I have said it many times on the electronic media and to the print media," he said. 

Dismissing as "absolutely rubbish" suggestions that he was questioning the investigation in the 26/11 case or meant to say that Pakistani terrorists were not involved in the encounter of Karkare, he said, "BJP is a master of double speak and is creating confusion" on his remarks.

Band Baaja Baaraat review

Shruti (Anushka Sharma) is a 20-something no-nonsense girl from a middle class Delhi household. Focused and determined with pre-planned ambitions, her goals in life are well laid out by the time she reaches her final year of college.

Bittoo (Ranveer Singh), on the other hand, has no real aim in life. As a final year college student of Delhi University, he whiles away his life having fun with his buddies, barely scraping through his exams.

A chance and inopportune meeting (or as you would call it, fate) brings the two of them together on a tumultuous journey where they become partners in their very own, "Wedding planning ka bijness". The rules however, are clear: "Jisse vyapaar karo, usse kabhi na pyaar karo" (Don’t mix business with pleasure).

Together, their friendship and business, enters the ups and downs of the lavish Delhi weddings. And while trying to find themselves, Shruti and Bittoo discover each other and realize that in the course of their journey, unke khud ke rules ki bajegi band!

Source : MSN

No Problem Hindi Movie Review

Genre: Comedy

Director: Anees Bazmee

Producer: Anil Kapoor, Dr. Bhupendra Kumar Modi, Rajat Rawail

Banner: Anil Kapoor Film Company, Spice Studios Entertainment Ltd., Rawail Grandsons Entertainment Pvt. Ltd.

Music Director: Pritam Chakraborty

Star Cast: Sanjay Dutt, Akshaye Khanna, Kangna Ranaut, Anil Kapoor, Sushmita Sen, Paresh Rawal, Suniel Shetty, Neetu Chandra, Saloni Daini, Shakti Kapoor, Mukesh Tiwari, Suresh Menon

Release Date: December 10, 2010

No Problem Pre-release Review

Great news for Anees Bazmee fans! The writer-turned-director is back with yet-another out-and-out comedy flick ‘No Problem’ after delivering three super-duper smash hits, ‘Singh Is Kinng’, ‘Welcome’, and ‘No Entry’. Boasting of a huge multi-talented star cast, the movie has been co-produced by veteran actor-turned-producer Anil Kapoor, along with Dr. Bhupendra Kumar Modi and Rajat Rawail, under the banner of Anil Kapoor Film Company, Spice Studios Entertainment Ltd., and Rawail Grandsons Entertainment Pvt. Ltd. The film, however, is distributed by Eros International Media Ltd. Pritam Chakraborty has composed the music of this flick. ‘No Problem’ is slated for a 10th December, 2010 release.

Childhood friends, Yash (Sanjay Dutt) and Raj (Akshaye Khanna) are small time crooks. Raj desires to leave the world of crime and lead a normal life, but alas, Yash manages to jeopardize his chances and closes all doors for Raj’s exit. Anyways, the two manage to rob First Village Bank which falls under the innocent and honest bank manager, Zandulal (Paresh Rawal). As expected, Zandulal is also accused on the pretext of sheltering Yash and Raj in his home the previous night. Zandulal pledges to return with evidence to prove his innocence. Meanwhile, Arjun Singh (Anil Kapoor) is an inept and blundering cop, married to Kajal (Sushmita Sen), daughter of police commissioner (Shakti Kapoor).

However, destiny seems to be on Arjun’s side as he manages to nab a big-time gangster Marcos (Suniel Shetty). As for his personal life, his wife is struck with a unique split personality disorder. Since years, she transforms into a terrifying maniac with the intent to murder her husband, for 10 minutes every day. Coming back to Yash and Raj who find endless ways to avoid and escape from Zandulal, ignorant of the fact that they are actually neighbors. To add a light and romantic break to their chaotic journey, Raj falls in love with Sanjana (Kangana Ranaut), Kajal’s younger sister. A robbery and murder takes place in the town.

Who is the victim and who are the murderers forms the rest of the story. With each character chasing the other one to catch hold of the prime suspects, prove his innocence, and steal the treasure, the plot gets more side-splitting, and riotous. Taking into consideration the glorious track record, Anees Bazmee’s next venture promises outright fun, adventure, and comedy, all packed with problems and troubles. Wait till 10th December, 2010 when the movie releases and see whether or not each member of the team comes out with victorious squeals stating ‘No Problem’.

Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey review

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1930, British India: In the province of undivided Bengal lies the sleepy, peaceful port of Chittagong. In this unassuming little town a revolution is about to begin; a revolution which will forever wake all of Chittagong and inspire the entire nation.

April 18. 1 night. 5 simultaneous attacks. A band of 64 – 56 innocent yet fearless young boys, 5 defiant revolutionaries, 2 determined young women, and an idealistic leader – Surjya Sen, a school teacher by profession. This group of 64 represents a little-known chapter in history; a forgotten night that reigned terror on the British through a series of calculated attacks.

‘Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey’ is a true story of these forgotten heroes and the narrative takes us through every step of the action from the initial trepidation, to the thrill of the attack, to the underground movement, daring escapes and tragic captures, and most importantly, their undying legacy.

A period thriller, ‘Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Sey’ is based on the book ‘Do and Die: The Chittagong Uprising 1930-34′ by Manini Chatterjee. Directed by Ashutosh Gowariker, the movie will hit theatres on December 3.

Source: MovieTalkies

IMG Reliance in deal for Indian football rights

After basketball, tennis and golf, IMG Reliance Pvt. Ltd—a sports management firm that’s a joint venture between Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) and US-based IMG Worldwide—is set to enter football in a big way.

Under a deal struck this week, IMG Reliance is to secure “all commercial rights” of football tournaments organized by the All India Football Federation (AIFF), the apex football body, for 15 years.

AIFF, which organizes annual tournaments such as the I-League, the Durand Cup and the Federation Cup, expects to earn around Rs.700 crore from the deal, its general secretary Kushal Das said. The amount is to be paid over 15 years as the fee payable to AIFF increases every year for the first five years and then gets fixed according to a formula.

AIFF is to sign the contract with IMG Reliance on Thursday, terminating a similar one with Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd signed five years ago. It will pay Zee a “termination fee” of Rs.70 crore, according to another AIFF official, who did not want to be named. “We are going to pay Zee from the money we receive from IMG Reliance,” he said, adding IMG Reliance would be paying AIFF at least Rs.31 crore more immediately.

IMG Reliance refused to comment for this story. Zee didn’t reply to questions emailed to its spokesperson till the time of going to press.

Under the contract, IMG Reliance will be able to sell sponsorship and telecast rights of all AIFF-organized tournaments.

Already at least three Kolkata-based Bengali news channels have submitted bids for telecast rights of the ongoing I-League, which still doesn’t have a title sponsor after Oil and Natural Gas Corp. Ltd pulled out.

“We have already submitted bids with the AIFF,” said Kaustuv Ray, chairman of RP Infosystems Pvt. Ltd—the company behind the Kolkata TV news channel. “We will now have to negotiate with IMG Reliance.”

While hailing the move, Shaji Prabhakaran, managing director and chief executive officer of Futfire Sports (India) Pvt. Ltd, a football-dedicated consulting firm, said the game had a much smaller audience than cricket.

RIL had joined forces with IMG Worldwide in March, to create and operate sports entertainment assets in India. It has since struck deals to promote basketball, tennis and golf in India.

Politicising India's darkest hour

Congress leader Digvijay Singh is at it again. The latest salvo from him not only leaves him resembling a loose cannon but is in line with, and feeds into, the narrative that anti-India conspiracy theorists have been spinning in Pakistan since the 26/11 attack on Mumbai.

It is almost as if he took a page out of the ISI/LeT disinformation manual by trying to imbue the Mumbai terror attacks of the night of 26/11 and the killing of ATS Chief Hemant Karkare with a domestic/Hindu terror tinge.

This neatly segues in with the anti-India fiction brigade across the border (led by Zaid Hamid) who have been, since the first moments of 26/11, characterising it as a carefully stage-managed "drama" by the right wing forces in India to defame Pakistan, and to terrorise and eliminate officers who are investigating Hindu terror connections.

How come, they asked, that within the first few hours of the Mumbai attack, the head of the ATS Hemant Karkare (who was also heading the inquiry into the Malegaon blast, where it was alleged that some radical Hindu groups were involved) was shot dead?

Mere coincidence, you would say. But not for the India baiters from across the border. The killing of Karkare, along with two other senior officers, within hours of the attack; plus the "saffron band" worn by Kasab - indicating that he was an Hindu/non-Muslim(?); and that they "did not look at all like Pakistanis", were enough to convince the rabid elements across the border that it was an "Indian drama". And, believe me I am not making this up.

These are the same elements who questioned the 9/11 attack, which, according to them, was also an event stage-managed by the "Jews" and the right wing in America to malign the Muslims and use it as a pretext to invade Muslim lands and control its resources.

Rajni is now a management guru

Move aside management gurus; here comes a guru of gurus – Rajnikant. Yes, the Tamil superstar

You have seen him tossing up cigars, bashing up heroes, pirouetting with lasses of his daughter's age, turning into a robot and ringing box office coffers with his histrionics. But at 61, Rajni has taken a new avatar - that of a management guru. Not that he will don the black coat and cap to reach pupils of Harvard or at IIMs, but his one-liners, rather punch lines, are now being used as nuggets to teach students of management a lesson or two.

Rajni's punch lines are famous all across Tamil Nadu - they call it Rajni PUNCHtantra - the one-liners that make villains freeze in their tracks, heroines melt like hot chocolate, animals gallop on mother of jet fuels and send audiences spinning into a tizzy. But now a new book on PUNCHtantras has ascribed management insights into Rajni's one-liners that sometimes can bring down theatre roofs.

The book, Rajini's PUNCHtantra -- Value Statements on Business and Life Management - brought out on Sunday in Chennai to mark Rajinikanth's 61st birthday has some famous one-liners like 'En vazhi thani vazhi' (my way is a unique way) from Padayappa.

The book analyses the 'value statement' and says "One has to be different to succeed. Don't choose a 'me too' line of business or a 'me too' way of running a business. And then comes the example: "Recent history talks of many failures on account of this very herd culture. The failure of many dotcom companies is a typical example."

Here is another PUNCHtantra on similar lines: "Kanna, panni dhan Kootama varum. Singam Singleaa dhaan varum" (Only pigs come in herds. The lion always comes alone) from Sivaji.

Another one-liner packed with Rajni wisdom is Khatam... Khatam... Mudinjathu mudinju potchu from the movie Baba. The book says that this is a typical example to let bygones be bygones. In an analysis of the line, the book says "If history was all that is there to the business game, then the richest corporations will be mere libraries... One reason God created time was so that there would be a place to bury the past."

Acoustic Guitar Reviews – How to Choose the Best Childrens Guitar

Does your kid want to play some sort of musical instrument? I’m betting you have settled to get a childrens guitar. The acoustic guitar is usually an excellent choice for the young individuals to grow their own music skills. It is a really convenient instrument and there are numerous types an individual can opt for. Inside this article, I’m going to attempt to convey a couple of important things an individual need to think about when acquiring a childrens guitar.

Comfort and ease

First, what sort of acoustic guitar would your kid feel most secure with beginning? There are mainly two kinds of acoustic guitars: (a) the classic guitar, which possesses nylon strings, and (b) the steel-string guitar, which in turn obviously has steel strings. Each one has their own unique appeal.

Classic Guitar – The sound associated with the classic guitar is less harsh and warmer. A great deal of starters start with this acoustic, since it is less demanding on their soft finger tips.

Steel-String Guitar – The sound of the steel guitar strings is usually louder and brighter. It is apparently more challenging to perform on the steel-string guitar, simply because it requires additional strength from an individual’s fingers and is much more abrasive to the finger tips. However this is definitely nothing major, it is common to develop calluses when playing guitar.

Sizing

The size of the childrens guitar is very vital. You do not want to buy an acoustic which is too little or even overly big for your youngster. But you ought to also take into account that your son or daughter is probably still going to grow throughout the subsequent couple of months/years. Try to take this into consideration whenever selecting their acoustic guitar.

As a rough approximation, 3/4 sized guitars are usually fine for 6-10 yr olds, and 1/2 sized guitars usually are good for 3-6 yr olds. Also always be mindful that there is a visible difference among a 34″ and 36″ 3/4-size acoustic guitar, with the former being fine for 5-8 yr olds and the last mentioned for 6-10 yr olds. As I mentioned before, these are simply rough estimates. The decision really is dependent on the particular height, not the age of the child.

Brand

Yes, dear mother or father, the manufacturer counts. It all will depend on on the goal associated with the particular guitar you’re purchasing for your kid. If perhaps you really want your son or daughter to learn an instrument plus have fun, but know that it won’t end up being anything significant, then I’d suggest sticking to less expensive brand names.

However in the event that you’re considering something a lot more serious and also see your child enjoying it for a longer time, then I would invest in something more durable. Of course you ought to take into account the fact that they’re going to grow up. So you don’t want to commit a good deal of cash on a guitar that is not going to suit your child in a couple of months.

On the other hand, a down side associated with acquiring cheap guitars is that it may adversely influence the learning procedure. The acoustic guitar may well be way too tough to enjoy, constantly get out of tune etc. Therefore make sure you have your priorities crystal clear and recognize the particular goal of this investment.

If you’re looking for acoustic guitar reviews, then stop by James Marsden’s site where you can find out all about guitars and read acoustic guitar reviews to help you choose.

Wedding Bands – Only The Best Is Good Enough!

If you are planning an extravagant wedding party you might go for a number of options. You might go for the best venue available to host the party. You might go for great food complete with vintage wine and caviar. You might go for a state of the art dcor. And there should be some arrangements of music too because no party is complete without it. Why not go for hiring wedding bands? Professional bands that perform live music in wedding parties are called wedding bands. These bands have the ability to transform an ordinary party into a special one with live music.

Wedding bands are specifically live bands who play at weddings. They are capable of managing the situations on their own, raising the tempo of the event as well as creating the perfect mood for the guests. For instance, a good wedding band will start with soft numbers at the time when guests are being introduced and there will be an effect of a mild song being played in the background. Now, when the special moments like the bride walking down the aisle or the bride and groom kissing arrives, these may be accompanied with love ballads, and the overall effect will not only make the newly weds feel special but also touch the hearts of the audience.

The wedding bands have the ability to win over the audience. They would play the tracks requested by the guests and slowly make them live the party. They will make their audience swing to their tune and above all have a memorable time.

If you are planning for a themed wedding, wedding bands will be just the right choice. A wedding band, with their live performance will build up the theme and highlight it. For instance you can have a wedding band play Reggae music in a beach wedding party and have guests enjoy the rhythm of the sea.

Such specialized wedding bands are easy to find and the best source is the internet. You will also get contact information regarding the wedding bands in the Yellow Pages or you will get references from friends. You can even ask an event management agency to find a band for you. However do not hire a band without checking out how they really are. Watch videos of the past performances of the band and then decide. An unprofessional band will ruin all your planning.

When you have finalized the wedding band, sit with them and brief them about what exactly you plan to do in your party. Jointly make a play list and tell the band to improvise upon it in order to make the programme. Finalize the programme after adding the songs that are favorite to the newly weds.

Do check with the venue the availability of proper license to host live wedding bands. This also must be done in advance, keeping much time in hand. If such license can not be provided by the venue, either you will have to think about changing the venue or scrap off the band performance.

Thus, it can be concluded that wedding bands play the pivotal role in taking your wedding party a notch higher to the classy level. It creates the required mood and adds that special glamorous touch to the event. With all your arrangements done well beforehand, bless the newly weds and enjoy the party to its fullest.

Why not visit the popular live music, wedding and party band hire site at http://www.souldesire.co.uk. Finding great Live Bands will make all the difference to the success of your party. Find out more information on Live Music from this site.

Sensex lacklustre; Sterlite Inds, SAIL, Cipla, L&T up

At 10.32 hrs IST, the Nifty was trading flat. It was a quiet session for the markets as Nifty was hovering around 5900 mark. The action was mainly seen in selective midcap stocks. Buying was seen in metal, consumer durables, PSU and capital goods stocks. Selling was seen in realty and auto stocks.

The Sensex was up 187.11 points or 0.96% at 19696.00, and the Nifty was up 6.50 points or 0.11% at 5914.15. About 1529 shares advanced, 757 shares declined, and 1174 shares remain unchanged.

n the largecap space, Sterlite Industries, SAIL, Cipla, Larsen and BPCL were up 1-2%. Hero Honda, Axis Bank, Mahindra and Mahindra, Bharti Airtel and HDFC Bank were down 1-3%.

Index heavyweight Reliance was trading at Rs 1,046.50 up 0.45% from its previous close of Rs 1,041.80. Refinery major HPCL was trading at Rs 404.05 up 1.6% from its previous close of Rs 397.70. Tech major Infosys was trading at Rs 3,145.50 down 0.1% from its previous close of Rs 3,148.50.

Hindustan Lever was trading at Rs 299.70 down 0.17% from its previous close of Rs 300.20. Cigarette major ITC was trading at Rs 167.80 up 0.36% from its previous close of Rs 167.20.

Top gainers on the BSE Midcap: Hindustan Construction, Petronet LNG, EID Parry, Gujarat State Petronet and Coromandel Int were up 4-6%.

Top losers on the BSE Midcap: Money Matters, S Kumars Nation, Birla Corp, 3M India and Shree Global Tr were down 2-5%.

Top gainers on the BSE Smallcap: Religare Technova, SE Investments, Oscar Inv, Gitanjali Gems and Zylog Systems were up 7-16%.

Top losers on the BSE Smallcap: Spectacle Industries, Surana Industries, Rollatainers, Sujana Towers and Urja Global were down 5-10%.

Nifty tests 5900; realty, auto dip ahead of inflation data

At 09.19 hrs IST, the Nifty opened on a flat note and was trading above 5900. Rate sensitive sectors like realty, auto and banks were trading weak ahead of inflation data today. Buying was seen in metal stocks. The base metals were trading strong post weakness in the dollar index.

The broader markets opened on a positive note. BSE Midcap and Smallcap index were up 0.62% and 0.47% respectively.

The Sensex was up 52 points at 19744.68, and the Nifty was up 14.20 points or 0.24% at 5921.85. About 735 shares advanced, 289 shares declined, and 2436 shares remain unchanged.

In the largecap space, Sterlite Industries was the top gainer with close to 1.7% gain. Reliance Communications, BPCL, Hindalco and Cipla were up 1-1.6%. On the losing side, Hero Honda, IDFC, Mahindra and Mahindra, HUL and ICICI Bank were down 0.2-1%.

Index heavyweight Reliance was trading at Rs 1,046.40 up 0.44% from its previous close of Rs 1,041.80. Refinery major HPCL was trading at Rs 401.80 up 1.03% from its previous close of Rs 397.70. Tech major Infosys was trading at Rs 3,130.20 down 0.58% from its previous close of Rs 3,148.50.

Hindustan Lever was trading at Rs 299.05 down 0.38% from its previous close of Rs 300.20. Cigarette major ITC was trading at Rs 167.20 down 0% from its previous close of Rs 167.20.

Top gainers on the BSE Midcap: Bajaj Finance, Blue Dart, Hathway Cable, Gammon India and Himadri Chemicals were up 4-7%.

Top losers on the BSE Midcap: Shree Global Tr, Money Matters, Birla Corp, S Kumars Nation and Nava Bharat Ventures were down

Top gainers on the BSE Smallcap: Religare Technova, Marathon Nextgen, Oscar Inv, Jindal Cotex and Marg were up 6-16%.

Top losers on the BSE Smallcap: Vakrangee, Mah Polybutenes, Spectacle Ind and Bodal Chemicals were down 7-16%.

Asian market were trading flat to positive.

In the US markets, stocks started off on a positive note and strengthened throughout much of the

session, but gave off gains in the final hour of trading. The selloff prevented the Dow from closing at a 2-year high after it was trading above its November 5 close within the final 10 minutes of the session.

Johnny Rockets Locations

Johnny Rockets gets a visit from “Undercover Boss” John Fuller tonight. But Fuller almost blows his cover when he learns that flipping burgers might be even more difficult than being CEO.

When Johnny Rockets was offered the Uncover Boss treatment earlier this year, Fuller jumped at the opportunity. The first time CEO is the company’s former CFO; the self confessed numbers guy says the struggles on tonight’s show were real, but valuable.

A former financial head at Rubio’s, Del Taco and CKE, Fuller took over the successful food chain earlier this year. Johnny Rockets, with a Santa Monica location, has been a long-time favorite of LA residents.

“I wanted to do it, show or no show,” he says in a statement to news tonight. “When I committed to the show, I had to go out and learn the stores. So that made it happen.” In fact, Johnny Rockets tells news in a press briefing this week that the Fuller’s appearance has already lead to company changes. Johnny Rockets is already making modifications to issues like Uniforms, Training, Music, and Product Augmentation because of Fuller’s lessons on the show.

The company had 170 stores in 2007. Today it has 300, and is still growing. “The employees I worked alongside are not only four of the finest employees we have in our system, they are also four of the finest people I’ve ever met. They are dedicated, passionate people who make outstanding brand ambassadors for us and for our Franchisees. I’m most proud of the fact that we were able to assist each one of them, personally, and make some difference in their lives.”

Quixote Studios: Amazing Race Winners

Quixote Studios became famous because it had a big hand for the victory of doctors duet Kat and Nat in The Amazing Race. Quixote Studios is where they should go after answering the question, “Who is Sancho Panza master?” And the answer is Don Quixote, who becomes their guide had to Quixote Studios.

What is Quixote Studios?

As quoted from Wikipedia, Quixote Studios is a film and photo studio in Los Angeles as well as a provider of production related vehicles, grip and lighting equipment, expendables and production supplies.
Quixote Studios

In the Quixote Studios they get a challenges game which they must complete as soon as possible. The challenge game was to pick out the 11 greeters from each pit stop (from a grid of 48) and then put them in the order.
Quixote Studios Amazing Race

Kat and Nat got the first challenge; therefore they deserve to be champions of Amazing Race season 17. They could win because it managed to find the last challenge, the challenge in the Quixote Studios.

School Closings Michigan: Winter Storm Warning

School closings in and around the state of Michigan continue to be of concern to parents and those preparing for the Monday workweek and grind. A very frigid and dangerous winter storm has impacted the entire state of Michigan, bringing wet rain, high winds, and blizzard conditions.

As of 6 p.m. most of the entire state’s listing of schools in all counties (public and private) have cancelled classes through Monday as a result of heavy accumulations of snow, power outages, and dangerous road conditions. Based on the National Weather Service, between 1 and 3 more inches across the entire state will force more school closings in Michigan for the safety of the students and staff. Although the heaviest of precipitation has passed by, the state continues to suffer the aftermath of the build up of powder. On Monday, authorities expect to deal with flood conditions from melting snow.

A list of school closings in Michigan can be obtained at the ABC News 12 website. Follow this writer on Twitter, below for continued updates on the winter storm and school closings in Michigan.

Punjab & Sind Bank IPO

The initial public offer (IPO) of state-owned Punjab& Sind Bank (PSB) will hit the market early next month. It will be an issue of 40 million equity shares with a face value of Rs 10 each. The IPO will see an equity dilution of 17.9 per cent. The government stake in the bank will fall to 82.1 per cent after the offer.

“We are planning to launch it in the first fortnight of December. The funds will be used to scale up lending and meet our requirements for the next two-three years. Besides getting us capital for expansion, listing will put a lot of positive pressure on us to perform,” said Executive Director PK Anand.
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PSB, the only unlisted public sector bank in India, may give a five per cent discount to retail investors and employees. The board is meeting next week to consider the proposal.

The bank was earlier planning to launch the IPO in July. It deferred the issue as the board had to rework plans in line with the government rule on minimum 25 per cent public shareholding. Later, the rule was relaxed, allowing the bank to go ahead with its earlier plan for 17-18 per cent equity dilution.

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Anand, however, said the five-month delay proved to be a blessing in disguise as the markets were now looking better, especially after the Coal India issue, which “charged up public sentiments and retail investors came in a big way”.

The government owns 100 per cent stake in the bank. The bank has approached the government for a capital infusion of Rs 700 crore to shore up its Tier-I capital above eight per cent. It has not yet received any response from the government.

PSB had filed the Draft Red Herring Prospectus (DRHP) with the Securities and Exchange Board of India in August. The market regulator gave its comments to the New Delhi-based bank on the DRHP. PSB will file a revised DRHP this week. SBI Capital Markets Limited, Enam Securities Pvt Ltd and ICICI Securities Limited are the book running lead managers to the issue.
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In 2009-10, the bank posted an 18 per cent jump in net profit at Rs 508.8 crore, compared with Rs 431.1 crore in the previous year. Total income rose 19 per cent to Rs 4,345.9 crore while net interest income grew 17 per cent at Rs 1,183.9 crore and business rose by 37.9 per cent at Rs 81,894 crore.