Star Trek fan transforms his flat into space ship

London, May 18 (ANI): A Brit man is so obsessed with ‘Star Trek’ that he has transformed his entire flat into a replica of the starship shown in the popular television series.

It took Tony Alleyne eight years to turn his one bedroom studio apartment into the deck of the Starship Enterprise.

It all started as a therapeutic hobby for the 56-year-old devotee, following a painful divorce from his wife, and now he has decked the whole property as the Star Trek Voyager.he intricacies of Alleyne’s work could be seen in the life-size copy of the space ship’s command console, which forms the centrepiece of the one-bed flat and even controls the lights and sound effects.

Every morning, a voice-activated computer system turns on fluorescent tubes that illuminate bleeping panels and a replica of the “beam me up” transporter.

The windows of his home in Hinckley, Leicestershire, have been fitted with plexi-glass in-between layers of wood – creating dark space portals.

In fact, the doorbell has been customised to play a sample of Patrick Stewart as captain Jean-Luc Picard.

“Building this has been like a dream. I had a vision and I am really amazed at what I have managed to achieve with just hard work,” the Telegraph quoted Alleyne as saying.

He added: “It all started as therapy after I split with my wife – building every bit from scratch really helped me to deal with the stress of it all. I first started with the Transport Control Console, that took around two years to build- but it looks exactly like the one in the TV series. At the moment it controls all the lighting and sound effects and is one delicate piece of machinery, though it’s very durable on the outside.”

Alleyne, an interior designer by profession, said that he first got the idea to dedicate his flat to the sci-fi series when a friend gave him a Star Trek magazine.

Originally, he designed it as a replica of the USS Enterprise from the 1979 film ‘Star Trek: The Motion Picture’, but later went on to give it a more futuristic look.

“My friend gave me a Star Trek mag and I became obsessed with having my own space ship. He laughed when I told him – I think he thought it was all a joke, but I knew I was going to achieve it one day,” Alleyne said.

“My whole life over the last few years has gone into this, I have given up absolutely everything. Some people might think I’m a bit of a sad individual but I’m not. I’m just really into Star Trek – it’s really my only vice in life.

“I always wanted to live somewhere like this – for me it is utopia,” he added.

The impressive spectacle in Alleyne’s flat has been made on a shoestring budget of around 4,000 pounds after splitting from his wife Georgina, 50, who still owns the flat. (ANI)

British police clash with G20 protesters

Police clashed with demonstrators gathered around the Bank of England in the heart of London’s financial centre on Wednesday during a day of protest against the G20 summit.

Riot police staged baton charges to try to disperse several hundred people protesting against a financial system they said had robbed the poor to benefit the rich.

Demonstrators earlier attacked a nearby branch of Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), shattering three windows.

Rescued by the government in October, RBS and former boss Fred Goodwin, who controversially refused to give up a pension of 700,000 ($1 million), became lightning rods for public anger in Britain over banker excess blamed for the financial crisis.

During the protests one man died after he collapsed and stopped breathing. Police said they tried to resuscitate him but that they came under a hail of bottles. The man was taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead.

A police source said it was likely the man died from a medical condition but that a post-mortem was needed.

The protests in London’s City financial area coincided with a G20 meeting of the world’s leading and emerging economies.

Protesters hurled paint bombs and bottles, chanting: “Our streets! Our banks!”

RBS said in a statement it was “aware of the violence” outside its branch and “had already taken the precautionary step” of closing central City branches.

As dusk fell, police charged a hard core of anti-capitalist demonstrators in an attempt to disperse them before nightfall. Bottles flew through the air towards police lines and police on horseback stood by ready to intervene.

Some protesters set fire to an effigy of a banker hanging from a lamp post.

Police brought out dogs as they tried to channel the few hundred remaining protesters through the narrow streets surrounding the classical, stone-clad Bank of England.

Police said 63 protesters had been arrested by late evening and at least one officer was taken to hospital for treatment, although he was not believed to be seriously hurt.

Some 4,000 protesters had thronged outside the central bank. A Gucci store nearby was closed and had emptied its windows.

Demonstrations were planned for Thursday at the venue in east London where world leaders will discuss plans to fight the financial crisis, police said.

HORSEMEN OF THE APOCALYPSE

During Wednesday’s protests, demonstrators marched behind models of the “four horsemen of the apocalypse” representing financial crimes, war, climate change and homelessness.

Some threw eggs at police and chanted, “Build a bonfire, put the bankers on the top”. Others shouted “Jump” and “Shame on you” at financial sector workers watching the march from office block windows.

“I am angry at the hubris of the government, the hubris of the bankers,” said Jean Noble, a 60-year-old from Blackburn in northern England.

“I am here on behalf of the poor, those who are not going to now get their pension or who have lost their houses while these fat cats keep their bonuses, hide their money in tax havens and go and live where nobody can touch them.”

A smaller demonstration against Britain’s military role in Iraq and Afghanistan attracted several hundred people in Trafalgar Square, not far from parliament.

The protests, which brought together anti-capitalists, environmentalists, anti-war campaigners and others, were meant to mark what demonstrators called “Financial Fools’ Day” — a reference to April Fool’s Day which falls on April 1.

Police stopped a military-style armoured vehicle with the word “RIOT” printed on the front and a police spokesman said its 11 occupants were arrested for having fake police uniforms.

2009 polls: Congress places on itself the task of fulfilling 29 promises

New Delhi, Mar.26 (ANI): A casual glance through the Congress Party’s latest manifesto indicates that it has placed on itself a huge and onerous task of fulfilling 29 promises as part of its nation-building endeavour between 2009 and 2014, should it emerge victorious in this year’s general elections.

The 21-page manifesto starts off with a pledge to ensure a “life of security, dignity and prosperity” for every Indian citizen, and claims “we have delivered on promises made in our manifesto of 2004 in a very substantial measure”.

On why Indian citizens should vote for the Congress, the manifesto, jointly released by party president Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, says the following:

. The Indian National Congress is anchored in the larger vision of India as a nation, while at the same time being sensitive to regional and local sentiments.

. The Indian National Congress has demonstrated its commitment to a striong centre, strong states, strong panchayats and nagarpalikas and the. Indian National Congress is the only party with an All India perspective and an All India presence.

Before moving on to its promises to be fulfilled between 2009 and 2014, the party manifesto lists its 12 major achievements in the preceding five years, and says these achievements speak for themselves.

The 29 promises for 2009-2014 are listed under the heading “The Work Programme: 2009-2014). They include the following:

Guarantee the maximum possible security to every Indian citizen and zero tolerance towards terrorism

Ensure the highest level of defence preparedness and welfare for the armed forces

Accelerate police reforms and institutionalise police force accountability

Build on the success of the NREGA

Enact a National Food Security Act

Guarantee health security for all

Comprehensive social security for all those at special risk

Make quality education affordable

Implement a nation-wide skill development programme

Expand the scope of schemes for improving the well being of farmers and their families

Democratise functioning of cooperatives

Promote greater impetus to empowering weaker sections

Combat communalism

Sharper focus on special needs of children, especially the girl child

Make elected panchayats institutions financially strong

Connect all villages to the broadband network by 2012

Give special focus to the small entrepreneur and small and medium enterprises

Strike a balance between high growth and fiscal prudence

Introduce a goods and services tax from April 2010

New look to urban governance

Offer a new deal to youth to participate in governance

Protect and rejuvenate India’s natural environment

Promise to carry out renewal of science and technology infrastructure

Pursue judicial reforms to cut down delays in judgments

Promote sensitivity to regional aspirations

Ensure energy security for India by adding 12,000 to 15,000 MW of capacity every year from 2009 to 2014

Preserve and promote India’s heritage

Continue to pursue an independent and pro-India foreign policy and

Intensify involvement with overseas Indians in development-related initiatives (ANI)

Israeli President asks Netanyahu to form new government

Jerusalem, (DPA) Israel’s President Shimon Peres tasked Benjamin Netanyahu Friday with forming a new government, ending speculation which had persisted since Israel’s inconclusive general election last week.

Although Netanyahu’s hardline Likud Party had won only 27 of the 120 Knesset seats (Israeli parliament) at stake in the election, one fewer than won by the centrist Kadima party of Tzipi Livni, he is seen as having the best chances of forming a governing coalition.

Consultations Peres had held with Knesset factions after the Feb 10 elections revealed that Netanyahu was recommended for the premiership by parties with a total of 65 legislators.

Livni, on the other hand, was endorsed only by the 28 Kadima legislators, after left-wing and Arab-Israeli factions told Peres they were not recommending anyone for the premiership.

Under Israeli law, Netanyahu has 28 days in which to form a coalition, although he can ask the president for a 14-day extension if needed.

Netanyahu has earlier said he was ready to form a coalition with the centrist Kadima party of his main rival Tzipi Livni.

Netanyahu was speaking after a meeting with Peres in an effort to build a grand coalition. Peres also met Friday with Livni, who was quoted by Haaretz newspaper as saying she did not rule out joining a Netanyahu-led coalition.
DPA

Is the Crunchpad Linux tablet a viable web surfing device at $299

Is the Crunchpad Linux tablet a viable web surfing device at $299 It was announced by web2.0 news website TechCruch’s, Michael Arrington last summer that he might build a $200 web tablet; however now it seems that there is a Prototype B being shown off.

The device dubbed as CrunchPad looks nice, but it will cost $299 instead of $200. The device features a 12 inch touchscreen display and is powered by a Via Nano processor.

Let us give a look at the present specifications of the CrunchPad:-

1. 12 inch 1024×768 pixel resolution display with 4:3 aspect ratio
2. Linux Ubuntu operating system
3. 4GB flash drive
4. WiFi
5. Accelerometer for flipping the display and viewing web content
6. Webcam
7. Four cell battery

However, it cannot be said for sure that there is market for a tablet like this as of now. Though much effort had been planted by Microsoft to promote Tablet PCs for a couple of years; consumers still seem to be much more interested in the notebook form factor with a keyboard.

Top Fiat official says Turin giant is in talks with Chrysler

Top Fiat official says Turin giant is in talks with Chrysler Rome – Fiat deputy chairman John Elkann said Tuesday that the Turin-based carmaker is in talks with Chrysler amid reports of a possible purchase by the Italian company of a majority stake in the ailing US producer.

“It is no secret that we are talking. It has been a while that we are in talks,” Elkann, a heir of the Agnelli family which controls Fiat, was quoted as saying by the ANSA news agency.

Elkann indicated more details on a possible deal would be available following a Fiat statement later Tuesday and a meeting of the company’s board scheduled for Thursday.

Earlier Tuesday, Milan’s Bourse announced trading in Fiat stocks had been suspended pending the statement’s release.

The Wall Street Journal reported Monday that Fiat is considering acquiring a 35-per-cent ownership in Chrysler by mid-year as the first step towards the acquisition of a possible majority stake in the US company.,

The deal would give Fiat long-sought access to the US market for its small and mid-sized cars, with the Fiat 500 and Alfa Romeo reported to be at the top of the list.

Under the deal, Fiat could build its own small cars in the US and use the Chrysler distribution network. In exchange, Chrysler would tap Fiat’s expertise building small and medium-sized cars to advance its own plans for new, front-wheel-drive models with lower emissions.

As petrol prices soared and the economy stalled, sales of Chrysler’s mostly large, fuel-inefficient cars and trucks fell 30 per cent in 2008.

With auto sales at a 27-year low, Chrysler has laid off tens of thousands of workers and had to beg for government rescue financing of 5.5 billion dollars just to stay afloat for the next few months.

The loan terms require Chrysler to deliver a credible survival strategy by March, and an alliance with Fiat would be a tangible new strategy.

Fiat, which exclusively makes small cars with narrow profit margins, is struggling to keep its own head above water in Europe’s expensive labour market. (dpa)

CCEA approves four laning of Cuddapah-Mydukur-Kurnool Highway

New Delhi, Jan 15 (ANI): The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) today gave its approval for four laning of Cuddapah-Mydukur-Kurnool section (km 167.750 to km 356.030) of National Highway-18 in Andhra Pradesh.

Under the National Highways Development Project (NHDP) Phase III, the project has been given on Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer (BOT/DBFOT) basis.

The project cost for four laning is estimated as Rs.1754.12 crore including the cost of Land Acquisition (LA), Rehabilitation and Resettlement (R and R) and pre-construction.

The Government would provide the Viability Gap Funding (VGF), which would not exceed 40 per cent of the total project cost excluding the cost LA, R and R and pre-construction.

The project will be developed by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) through the private sector concessionaires who will be selected by NHAI following two stage bidding process.

The first stage of the bidding process that is pre-qualification of the bidders has already been completed by NHAI. The second stage of bidding process is in progress.

The concession period for both the sub-project is kept as 30 years including 910 days of construction period.

The CCEA also approved four laning of Walayar-Vadakkancherry section (km 182 to 240) and six laning of Vadakkancherry-Thrissur section (km 240 to km 270) of NH-47 in Kerala.

Under the National Highways Development Project (NHDP) Phase II, the project has been given on Design, Build, Finance, Operate and Transfer (BOT/DBFOT) basis.

The project cost for four laning between Walayar-Vadakkancherry section is estimated as Rs.686.57 crore including the cost of Land Acquisition (LA), Rehabilitation and Resettlement (R and R) and pre-construction.

The project cost for six laning of Vadakkancherry-Thrissur section is estimated as Rs.643.52 crore including the cost of Land Acquisition (LA), Rehabilitation and Resettlement (R and R) and pre-construction.

The concession period for both the sub-project is kept as 20 years including 30 months of construction period. (ANI)

China to build inland research base at Antarctica

London, Jan 7 (ANI): A Chinese expedition is all set to build an inland research base at Dome Argus, or ‘Dome A’, in Antarctica, 4,093 meters above sea level.

According to a report in Nature News, Kunlun, the station, which is scheduled to open on January 28, will gather data in fields ranging from global climate change to the origin of the Universe.

The 37 million dollars Kunlun will be China’s third Antarctic station, joining the Great Wall station in the South Shetland Islands and the Zhongshan station in east Antarctica.

“The Kunlun station will be a major legacy of the International Polar Year and will propel China to the heart of the Antarctic map,” said Jean de Pomereu, a photographer who followed the expedition to Zhongshan for the Brussels-based International Polar Foundation.

“It is absolutely fantastic to have a station there,” said Eric Wolff, an ice-core specialist at the British Antarctic Survey in Cambridge, UK.

On October 20, the Chinese Arctic and Antarctic Administration (CAA) sent its expedition team from Shanghai aboard the icebreaker Xue Long to the coastal Zhongshan station.

Bad ice conditions delayed their arrival, but on December 18 — two weeks behind schedule — a 28-man ‘inland team’ began the nearly 1,300-kilometre traverse to Dome A.

On arriving at Dome A this week, the expeditioners will have just 20 days to build the station before temperatures drop sharply to below –50 degrees Celsius in early February.

At the end of this year’s first phase of construction, Kunlun is expected to have a main building of 230 square metres, with 11 units for sleeping, eating and working.

It will have space for up to 25 people, according to Qu Tanzhou, director of the CAA. Six more units are expected to be added next year, for a total area of 327 square meters.

Over the next decade, China hopes to add more facilities to Kunlun, including a large fuel tank and a solar-panel array to provide additional power, and to eventually be able to operate year round.

The CAA also plans to have its own aircraft in Antarctica to shuttle researchers between Zhongshan and Kunlun, increasing the research capacity at both stations.

“Only with these logistics in place will we be able to make the most out of the station,” said Qu. (ANI)

Taiwan island seeks investors to create casino resort

Taiwan island seeks investors to create casino resortTaipei – A Taiwan island is seeking investment to build itself into an international casino resort, a newspaper said on Monday.

The Penghu county government is seeking 30 billion Taiwan dollars (909 million US dollars) in private investment to help develop massive casino resorts, the Taipei Times quoted the cabinet’s Public Construction Commission (PCC) as saying.

The plan for tourist casinos on Penghu – an archipelago with 90 islets about 44 kilometres off Taiwan’s west coast – is part of the cabinet’s iTaiwan 12 Development Projects, which in Chinese reads as Love Taiwan 12 Development Projects.

The Penghu county government has crafted an investment project to build tourist casinos at two locations in the offshore county.

The Penghu casino and resort project would be the largest programme among the iTaiwan 12 Projects, PCC officials said.

The projects, initiated by President Ma Ying-jeou, will require a total investment of 3.99 trillion Taiwan dollars (122 billion US dollars) over a span of eight years, with the government funding 2.65 trillion Taiwan dollars (8 billion US dollars) and the private sector footing the rest.

The Penghu county government also plans to build a 120-hectare international vacation village.

The vacation village would contain a 2,000-room hotel, a duty- free shopping mall, an international convention center, as well as golf courses and casinos.

Planning for the resort is scheduled to begin in 2009, private investors are to be finalized by February 2010 and construction should kick off in 2011, the paper said.

However, the casino project is pending the revision of the Offshore Islands Development Act in parliament and the outcome of a referendum by Penghu residents. It faces the disapproval of some Penghu residents who frown on gambling, it added. (dpa)

Matt Smith is the new ‘Doctor Who’

London, Jan 4 (ANI): Actor Matt Smith will be the 11th ‘Doctor Who’ – and the youngest actor ever to play the cult television time traveller.

The 26-year-old’s name was unveiled by BBC bosses in a special one-off show.

Smith will be taking over from David Tennant, 37, and is due to first appear on screens as the revered doctor in 2010.

He becomes the 11th Time Lord since the programme first aired in 1963.

“I”ve got this wonderful journey in front of me where I”ve got these six months to build this Time Lord – and that”s such an exciting prospect,” The Sun quoted him, as saying.

And current star David Tennant will be on hand to guide him.

Matt added: “I have been warned about what to expect and I think David is going to be a good source of information for that as well.”

The previous doctors are William Hartnell, Patrick Troughton, Jon Pertwee, Tom Baker, Peter Davison, Colin Baker, Sylvester McCoy, Paul McGann and Christopher Eccleston.

Retiring star David added: “I’m proud to be one of 11.” (ANI)

Thousands demonstrate in front the Egyptian embassy in Beirut

Beirut  – Thousands of protesters from various Palestinian and Lebanese groups demonstrated Friday in front the Egyptian Embassy in the capital Beirut to protest what they described as “the Arab stand” towards the Gaza attack.

“Where are the Arabs? What is this silence?”, read one of the placards carried by the protesters.

The crowd carried coffins wrapped in black and Palestinian flags while they moved through the streets from the United Nations headquarters towards the Egyptian embassy.

The demonstrators staged a sit-in in front of the UN headquarters in downtown Beirut.

Several Lebanese humanitarian organizations also took part in the sit-in and handed a memorandum addressed to the UN Security Council, calling on it to intervene and stop the bloodshed.

The Lebanese army and police cut all roads leading to the Egyptian embassy as the angry crowd approached the area. Anti-riot police monitored the area.

Security has been tightened at the Egyptian embassy since the Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip began, with dozens of soldiers and other security forces deployed.

The protesters, were kept several hundred metres from the building in the Bir Hassan area, where other Arab embassies are also located.

Protesters lashed out at Egyptian President Hosny Mubarak and urged his country to allow freedom of movement for Palestinians.

Egypt, which has served as a mediator between Israel and the Palestinians as well as between the radical Palestinian Islamic Hamas movement that controls the Gaza Strip and its rival Fatah, has been criticized for joining Israel in closing its borders with Gaza.

In Lebanon’s northern city of Tripoli, angry demonstrators stoned several shops, prompting the army to immediately disperse the protest and arrested at least three protestors.

Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Seniora on Friday accused Israel of trying to drag Lebanon into the Gaza conflict.

Keeping “Lebanon non-aligned in the Gaza crisis” was necessary, he said, adding that the current situation should be considered a lesson to all Arab countries to build solidarity against Israel.

He also said he hoped the prospective visit of an Arab delegation, led by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, to UN headquarters in New York would result in agreement for an immediate ceasefire and prevent clashes.

Seniora, who also met with ambassadors and members of the UN Security Council, said Lebanon’s stance was united toward the Palestinian cause and toward Arab efforts to reach an immediate ceasefire, open the borders and implement the Arab Peace Initiative. (dpa)

Paradip Port to have deep draught iron ore berth

New Delhi, Jan 2 (ANI): The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs today approved the project of construction of deep draught iron ore berth at Paradip Port on Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT) basis at an estimated cost of Rs.591.35 crore.

Out of total cost, Rs.506.25 crore will be borne by the BOT operator while Rs.85.10 crore will be borne by the Paradip Port Trust.

The length of the approved BOT iron ore berth would be 370 meter, alongside depth of (-)17.1 meter which will be capable of handling vessels of 1,25,000 Dead Weight Tonnage (DWT) and will have developed stacking area of about 82,125 sqm.

The project is to be implemented within a period of 36 months from the date of award of the concession.

The project will help in de-congestion of Port due to handling of Iron-ore in higher capacity vessels upto 1,25,000 DWT.

It will reduce Sea freight, which will make Iron-ore exports more competitive in the International market.

The project will boost the industrial economy in the hinterland of Port leading to creation of job opportunities. (ANI)