Pakistan faces new wave of Taliban attacks
Pakistan's army chief briefed the country's top leaders Friday on the tenuous security situation as the government combats a new wave of attacks believed to have been orchestrated by Taliban militants. Pakistani authorities remove bodies from the scene of Thursday's deadly attacks in Lahore.1 of 2 Pakistan's Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani called on army chief Gen. Ashfaq Kayani to address the leaders of Pakistan's political parties, Gilani's spokesman told CNN.
In the high-level meeting, Kayani "gave a detailed briefing on the prevailing national security situation and its ramifications in the future," according to a statement about the session from the prime minister's office. Those who attended the meeting condemned recent militant attacks and "agreed that these elements pose a serious threat to the sovereignty and integrity of the state," the statement said.
Kayani was also expected to address an impending ground offensive in South Waziristan, part of Pakistan's lawless tribal region, according to an official in Gilani's office who did not want to be identified because he was not authorized to speak to the media.
The official would not say if a decision would be made during Friday's meeting about the start date of the ground offensive.
Pakistan's military has stepped up its campaign against Taliban militants in the tribal region, carrying out airstrikes on militant hideouts in South Waziristan that military officials said are aimed at softening up targets before the ground troops move in.
Despite the military offensive, militants have continued to strike with relative impunity inside Pakistan -- raising concerns about the ability of the government's security forces to maintain control.
The latest militant attack happened Friday in Peshawar, when a suicide car bomber detonated near a police station, killing 13 people -- most of them civilians -- authorities said.
Security personnel opened fire on the car when the bomber drove through the gate of the police compound, said Shafqaat Malik, head of a police bomb unit. The vehicle exploded seconds later, Malik said.
The dead include three policemen, two women and a child, Peshawar police official Akhtar Munir said. Ten others were injured.
Friday's violence comes a day after militants launched a string of attacks that killed at least 30 Pakistani police officers and civilians, Pakistani authorities said. At least 10 attackers also died.
Interior Minister Rehman Malik said the Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for three of the attacks on Thursday against two police training centers and the country's Federal Investigation Agency in Lahore.
Fears were shaken in Pakistan after a weekend standoff at Pakistan's army headquarters in Rawalpindi, outside Islamabad. The military blamed Taliban militants in South Waziristan for planning the attack in which five militants held dozens of hostages inside the army headquarters for some 22 hours. Eleven military personnel, three civilians, and nine militants were killed in the siege.
A day later, at least 41 people were killed and 45 were wounded in a blast Monday at a security forces checkpoint in the volatile Swat Valley in northwest Pakistan.
The attacks show "once again that the militants in Pakistan threaten both Pakistan and the United States," White House Deputy Press Secretary Bill Burton said Thursday.
He spoke the same day U.S. President Barack Obama signed legislation providing an additional $7.5 billion in assistance to Pakistan over the next five years. The Obama administration is working on a comprehensive review of U.S. strategy in both Pakistan and neighboring Afghanistan.
Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi had rushed back to Washington this week to report on opposition inside the Pakistani Parliament to the Kerry-Lugar bill, which outlined a five-year package of non-military aid. Some Pakistani politicians claimed the aid bill was an American attempt to micro-manage Pakistan's civilian and military affairs.
Source: cnn.com
I had no option but to resign, says Younis
LAHORE: Anguished and perplexed by the stinging criticism he faced after Pakistan’s semi-final loss in the ICC Champions Trophy, Younis Khan says a feeling of being betrayed by people in the echelon of power pushed him into resigning from captaincy. “I did what I thought was the right thing. I have worked very hard to keep this team united for the last eight months despite problems. So when anyone accuses me or the team of fixing matches then I have no option but to resign,” Younis told media Wednesday.Younis said apart from being hurt by allegations of match fixing, there were some other issues as well that prompted him to hand over his resignation to Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ijaz Butt. “I don’t want to elaborate on them but the last eight months have been tough for me and I have still tried to do my best as captain and player to unite the team,” he said. “I played with a broken finger in the Champions Trophy because I wanted the team to do well. I have always tried to lead from the front. I may have made some mistakes but my intentions have only been for the betterment of the team and Pakistan cricket,” he added. Younis said after putting in so much effort, it was natural for him to feel upset when fingers were pointed at his decisions and the team’s performances. Younis also indicated that he was not satisfied with the board’s way of dealing with certain issues concerning the team. “I will have a very frank discussion with the chairman of the board whenever he invites me to discuss my resignation because some issues need to be sorted out like the term of my captaincy,” he said. Younis said he was astonished by the sharp criticism as he had led the team to the Twenty20 World Cup title just a few months ago. “As captain in the last eight months I have set certain goals for myself and the team and I just want to know what this criticism against me is about. Has not the team shown any improvement in the last eight months? Is there no difference in the performance of the side now?” he asked. Sources said Younis is also upset at the way the PCB chief had been entertaining the team officials and some players in separate meetings without bothering to talk to him. Younis said he would not like to be called for any hearing of the parliamentary body in future as his job was to perform as a player and not to give explanations to everyone about the team’s performance. “The board and team officials are the ones who are the right people to give answers if anyone wants to know anything about the team,” he said.Source: dailytimes.com.pk
Kerry, Holbrooke arriving in Pakistan
WASHINGTON/LAHORE: US Senator John Kerry and America’s special envoy to the region Richard Holbrooke are scheduled to arrive in Islamabad, as Washington tries to step up its campaign against extremism in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Kerry would also be visiting Afghanistan and would return to the US early next week, said Tomeika Bowden, a spokeswoman for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee which Kerry heads. The US senator is expected to consult Islamabad on the Kerry-Lugar bill that is being criticised in Pakistan. A private TV channel quoted sources that Holbrooke is coming to Pakistan to address Islamabad’s concerns over the Kerry-Lugar bill. He is expected to meet several opposition leaders and government officials.
Source: dailytimes.com.pk
Source: dailytimes.com.pk
Kerry, Holbrooke arriving in Pakistan
WASHINGTON/LAHORE: US Senator John Kerry and America’s special envoy to the region Richard Holbrooke are scheduled to arrive in Islamabad, as Washington tries to step up its campaign against extremism in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Kerry would also be visiting Afghanistan and would return to the US early next week, said Tomeika Bowden, a spokeswoman for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee which Kerry heads. The US senator is expected to consult Islamabad on the Kerry-Lugar bill that is being criticised in Pakistan. A private TV channel quoted sources that Holbrooke is coming to Pakistan to address Islamabad’s concerns over the Kerry-Lugar bill. He is expected to meet several opposition leaders and government officials.
Source: dailytimes.com.pk
Source: dailytimes.com.pk
10 Ways to Improve Blog Traffic in 30 Minutes or Less
1-Create link clusters within your blog
A link cluster is a group of links that you can point at a post or page to improve its search engine ranking. Let’s say you have a post that’s ranked for ’stupid business ideas’. Edit 10 of your other posts to create links (using ’stupid business ideas’ as the anchor text) to the ’stupid business ideas’ post and you will surely move up in Google for that keyword. This process can be implemented in about 10 minutes and can be used for any keyword your site ranks for or is trying to rank for.
2. Rework HTML title tags of trafficked posts
By watching your stats, you can often identify posts that get search traffic from a keyword, even though the keyword isn’t listed in the HTML title of the post. By editing your posts’ HTML titles to add the keywords they cover, you can strengthen the rankings and therefore the traffic that the post generates. You can easily make a difference with this method in less than 20 minutes. This method combines very well with #1.
3. Invite your readers to connect with you on StumbleUpon and Facebook
You can never ever have too many friends on SU and Facebook. Inviting existing readers to find you on these services with a post should take less than 20 minutes.
4. Save your best posts for the best times of the week
Writing a home-run post on a Saturday afternoon will probably happen from time to time. However, does your blog have good traffic on Saturdays? Analyzing your blog’s stats to determine when it naturally has the most traffic can get more eyes on a great post, which will translate to more social votes and more links. If you have created the post of your life, wait for a good day to publish - it will cost you about 1 minute on a later date to put it up.
5. Edit your post one more time
How can you improve your title? How can you improve your first paragraph? Small details in your post, especially in the beginning of your post, can make an enormous difference in its ability to draw social traffic and links. You can definitely improve your title, first paragraph, formatting, and grammar within 30 minutes.
6. Stop writing about yourself. Start solving problems
Surfers become readers when a blog provides something that is wanted. A casual visitor may read your blog because they find training, answers to problems, entertainment, or something else they want. This more than likely will mean that they won’t want to read about you, your girlfriend, your cats, your kids, or your catastrophes (unless you have a personal blog that your friends read). Discontinuing the off-topic posts will help you to develop more repeat traffic and takes exactly 0 minutes to implement.
7. Subscribe to the feeds of your industry’s major players
That way, you won’t miss important news releases. When news breaks in your industry, there will be a lot of extra traffic searching for information on the event. Adding your thoughts will almost always generate extra traffic. Subscribing to the feeds of your industry’s top sites should take no more than 15 minutes.
8. Give a great post to a prominent blog
Let’s say that you took the time to write something great. Donating your post to a great blogger can help you to create a win-win. The great blogger gets a great piece of content that will bring him social traffic and links and you can create exposure for your name and brand. Emailing your post to a great blogger or blog takes less than 10 minutes.
9. Go to the store
Look at magazines. Pay special attention to the types of titles that are used on the covers. Write down the most interesting titles and think about what makes them interesting. In order to generate buzz around a post, a great title is an absolute necessity. More on this topic here: The Cosmo Headline Technique for Blogging Inspiration. You should be able to find some good title ideas in about 30 minutes.
10. Answer your email and comment questions
Nothing will show a reader that you care more than answering an question (even if you have already answered that question 100 times on your site). Why do people read your blog? Because you solve their problems. Why will they come back again and again to your blog? Because you solve their problems. Answering a person’s email or comment question should take less than 5 minutes
Source: problogger.net
A link cluster is a group of links that you can point at a post or page to improve its search engine ranking. Let’s say you have a post that’s ranked for ’stupid business ideas’. Edit 10 of your other posts to create links (using ’stupid business ideas’ as the anchor text) to the ’stupid business ideas’ post and you will surely move up in Google for that keyword. This process can be implemented in about 10 minutes and can be used for any keyword your site ranks for or is trying to rank for.
2. Rework HTML title tags of trafficked posts
By watching your stats, you can often identify posts that get search traffic from a keyword, even though the keyword isn’t listed in the HTML title of the post. By editing your posts’ HTML titles to add the keywords they cover, you can strengthen the rankings and therefore the traffic that the post generates. You can easily make a difference with this method in less than 20 minutes. This method combines very well with #1.
3. Invite your readers to connect with you on StumbleUpon and Facebook
You can never ever have too many friends on SU and Facebook. Inviting existing readers to find you on these services with a post should take less than 20 minutes.
4. Save your best posts for the best times of the week
Writing a home-run post on a Saturday afternoon will probably happen from time to time. However, does your blog have good traffic on Saturdays? Analyzing your blog’s stats to determine when it naturally has the most traffic can get more eyes on a great post, which will translate to more social votes and more links. If you have created the post of your life, wait for a good day to publish - it will cost you about 1 minute on a later date to put it up.
5. Edit your post one more time
How can you improve your title? How can you improve your first paragraph? Small details in your post, especially in the beginning of your post, can make an enormous difference in its ability to draw social traffic and links. You can definitely improve your title, first paragraph, formatting, and grammar within 30 minutes.
6. Stop writing about yourself. Start solving problems
Surfers become readers when a blog provides something that is wanted. A casual visitor may read your blog because they find training, answers to problems, entertainment, or something else they want. This more than likely will mean that they won’t want to read about you, your girlfriend, your cats, your kids, or your catastrophes (unless you have a personal blog that your friends read). Discontinuing the off-topic posts will help you to develop more repeat traffic and takes exactly 0 minutes to implement.
7. Subscribe to the feeds of your industry’s major players
That way, you won’t miss important news releases. When news breaks in your industry, there will be a lot of extra traffic searching for information on the event. Adding your thoughts will almost always generate extra traffic. Subscribing to the feeds of your industry’s top sites should take no more than 15 minutes.
8. Give a great post to a prominent blog
Let’s say that you took the time to write something great. Donating your post to a great blogger can help you to create a win-win. The great blogger gets a great piece of content that will bring him social traffic and links and you can create exposure for your name and brand. Emailing your post to a great blogger or blog takes less than 10 minutes.
9. Go to the store
Look at magazines. Pay special attention to the types of titles that are used on the covers. Write down the most interesting titles and think about what makes them interesting. In order to generate buzz around a post, a great title is an absolute necessity. More on this topic here: The Cosmo Headline Technique for Blogging Inspiration. You should be able to find some good title ideas in about 30 minutes.
10. Answer your email and comment questions
Nothing will show a reader that you care more than answering an question (even if you have already answered that question 100 times on your site). Why do people read your blog? Because you solve their problems. Why will they come back again and again to your blog? Because you solve their problems. Answering a person’s email or comment question should take less than 5 minutes
Source: problogger.net
How To Build Traffic To Your Blog
With the growing interest in blogging as a means of online promotion and branding, a lot of marketers are starting blogs to promote their opinions, products, books and services.But a blog is like a website. "Write and they will come" isn't exactly a magic formula to bring in traffic by the boatload.
If you need to promote your website in order to build traffic to it, you need to promote your blog as well.
Here are some ways you can become a well-read and influential blogger.
1. Write Posts That People Will Want To Read
This should be common sense, but many marketers tend to forget that their readers are real people and that you need to use the principles of online copywriting to make your headlines and copy interesting to your readers.
If you write posts that people enjoy reading, they will reward you by returning to your blog regularly.
Make your posts conversational, pithy and topical. Keep them short and stick to one topic per post.
Write often and regularly so that both readers and search engines visit your blog more often.
2. Optimize Your Posts for Search Engines
I cover this topic in detail in my article on "Search Engine Optimization For Blogs" http://www.blog-maniac.com/blog-seo.htm
But here are the most important rules to follow to get your posts listed for keywords of your choice.
* Make sure your blog URL contains the primary keyword you want to optimize for
* Use your primary keywords in the title of your post
* Use your secondary keywords in the body of your post
* Use your keywords in the anchor text of links in the body of your posts
3. Submit Your Blog and RSS Feed To Directories
If you publish a blog you should submit your blog and RSS feed to big directories like Yahoo and Dmoz, as well as the numerous blog directories and search engines.
Here is the best list I've found of places to submit your feed or blog, compiled by Luigi Canali De Rossi, who writes under the pseudonym Robin Good.
Best Blog Directory And RSS Submission Sites http://www.masternewmedia.org/rss/top55/
Another list of sites to submit your Blog. http://www.rss-specifications.com/rss-submission.htm
4. Ping The Blog Services
There are a number of services designed specifically for tracking and connecting blogs. By sending a small ping to each service you let them know you've updated your blog so they can come check you out.
Bookmark the Ping-O-Matic ping results page so you can visit it and quickly ping a number of services with a single click.
http://pingomatic.com/
5. Build Links To Your Blog
I recommend the methods here as the best ways to get links pointing to your blog
* Link to your blog from each page on your main website
* Trackback to other blogs in your posts
* Post legitimate comments on other blogs with related topics
* Offer to exchange links with other similarly themed blogs and websites
6. Edit Your Blog Posts Into Articles
One of the best methods for promoting your website is to write articles and submit them to article directories.
The suggestion for extending this to edit your blog posts into articles and submit them to directories came from the coach at "Explode Blog Traffic" who also has other noteworthy suggestions at his blog here. http://bloghit.blogspot.com/2004/11/how-to-explode-blog-traffic.html
You'll find an extensive list of article directories here http://ebizwhiz-publishing.com/write-articles/submit-articles.htm
7. Create Buzz About Your Blog
Creating a buzz about your blog posts and topic in the local and online media will give your marketing a viral component.
* Create a controversy around your blog or it's topic.
* Distribute bumper stickers or other merchandise with your blog's URL and tagline.
* Write a press release about something newsworthy and tie it in with your blog topic.
8. Capture Subscribers By Email
It may seem strange for a blogger to send out updates by email, but email is still the #1 choice of most people who want to receive news and information.
Using a free service like Bloglet to manage your subscriptions is easy and it allows your subscribers to manage all their subscriptions from one interface. http://www.bloglet.com/
However, if you want more control over your list and don't mind mailing out the updates yourself, you can use an autoresponder system to capture and follow-up with subscribers.
RSS responder is a new script that allows you to keep in touch and follow-up with your subscribers without the hassle of email. http://ebizwhiz-publishing.com/rssresponder.htm
These tips should give you a good start to building your blog traffic.
About the author:Priya Shah is a partner in the search engine marketing firm, SEO & More http://www.seoandmore.com/ Request the whitepaper Boost Your Search Engine Visibility With Blogs And RSS http://www.seoandmore.com/blogs-rss/
Source: webpronews
Lahore Police Issues Sketches of 2 Terrorists
LAHORE: The security has been beefed up on the reports of suspected terrorists entering Lahore; their sketches have been issued on Wednesday.According to police sources, Baghbanpura police station issued two sketches, of them, one belongs to Akhtar Jueya—a terrorist hailing from outlawed Lashkar-e-Jhangwi. He is aged 32 to 33 with height 5`7“, wheatish complexion, dark hair and black eyes. He is said to be belonging to Punjab.Any information regarding these terrorists can be given to related police station or on phone number—042-9200190 and 042-9201905. The name of informer would be kept secret.
Source: apakistannews.com
Terrorist target 3 security buildings in Lahore
Lahore, Pakistan : Today Once again terrorists attacked three security forces buildings in Lahore.
In audacious attacks, terrorists stormed the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) building and two other security establishments in this eastern Pakistani city, triggering fierce exchanges of fire with police that left at least four persons dead and several injured.
In the first incident, unidentified terrorists targeted FIA building situated at Temple Road.
Terrorists attacked the FIA office on Temple Road, located close to the Mall Road, a key thoroughfare of Lahore this morning and opened indiscriminate fire. The gunmen also took several in the building hostages, Pakistani TV channels said.
Two bodies were recovered near the gate of the FIA building, SP Civil Lines Haider Ismail told reporters. He said a suicide jacket and grenades were recovered from the spot.
Dozens of policemen, members of the Elite Force and paramilitary Pakistan rangers surrounded the building and exchanged fire with the gunmen.
Some Elite Force and Rangers personnel entered the FIA building to eliminate the terrorists.
Separately, terrorists attacked the Elite Force HQ.
Reportedly, three terrorists barged into the building and opened fire. A policeman was and a terrorist were reported killed in the incident.
Some 1000 recruits are inside the building.
On the other hand, Manawan police training center, situated in the outskirts of Lahore, also came under attack.
Reportedly, hand grenades were hurled on the building by some unknown assailants.
The metropolitan city of Lahore in under attack today as three terror incidents took place simultaneously in the city.
In audacious attacks, terrorists stormed the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) building and two other security establishments in this eastern Pakistani city, triggering fierce exchanges of fire with police that left at least four persons dead and several injured.
In the first incident, unidentified terrorists targeted FIA building situated at Temple Road.
Terrorists attacked the FIA office on Temple Road, located close to the Mall Road, a key thoroughfare of Lahore this morning and opened indiscriminate fire. The gunmen also took several in the building hostages, Pakistani TV channels said.
Two bodies were recovered near the gate of the FIA building, SP Civil Lines Haider Ismail told reporters. He said a suicide jacket and grenades were recovered from the spot.
Dozens of policemen, members of the Elite Force and paramilitary Pakistan rangers surrounded the building and exchanged fire with the gunmen.
Some Elite Force and Rangers personnel entered the FIA building to eliminate the terrorists.
Separately, terrorists attacked the Elite Force HQ.
Reportedly, three terrorists barged into the building and opened fire. A policeman was and a terrorist were reported killed in the incident.
Some 1000 recruits are inside the building.
On the other hand, Manawan police training center, situated in the outskirts of Lahore, also came under attack.
Reportedly, hand grenades were hurled on the building by some unknown assailants.
The metropolitan city of Lahore in under attack today as three terror incidents took place simultaneously in the city.
Source: apakistannews.com
Microsoft issues biggest software patch on record
MICROSOFT has issued its biggest software patch on record to fix a range of security issues in its programs, including the yet-to-be-released Windows 7 operating system. In a monthly update sent to users of its software, Microsoft released 13 security bulletins, or patches, to address 34 vulnerabilities it identified across its Windows, Internet Explorer, Silverlight, Office and other products. It said six of the patches were high priority and should be deployed immediately. The patches - which update software to write over glitches - are designed to protect users from hackers or malicious software downloaded from the internet. Several of the patches affect Windows 7, the software maker's new operating system which will be officially unveiled next week but has been widely used in test versions.Such an early sign of security issues on Windows 7 is potentially worrying for Microsoft, which is hoping its new perating system will erase ill-feeling among many customers who bought the predecessor Vista. Like anything has changed. What do they expect? Zero vunerabilities? A Microsoft spokesperson could not immediately say whether the company had identified further security problems with Windows 7. The company generally does not disclose such problems until it has patches available.
Source: newa.com.au
Source: newa.com.au
GHQ attack & intelligence agencies
M Ashraf Mirza
Saturday’s attack by the militants on an outer check post of the GHQ in Rawalpindi, sister city of the country’s capital Islamabad, is a subtle message that terrorism and militancy remains a potent threat to the world in general and Pakistan in particular. It’s a manifestation of their persistence with the terrorist agenda despite elimination of their leader Beitullah Mehsud and routing of Maulana Fazlullah’s followers in Swat. The attack may also be an act of vengeance against Pak military’s past and planned operations against the terrorists in Swat and South Waziristan respectively. The way the Pak Army’s commandos responded to the terrorists’ blitz, however, deserves approbation and praise. Their sacrifice and success to get the hostages taken by the militants released without major collateral damage is certainly a matter of satisfaction. COAS Gen Pervez Kayani has been felicitated by President Zardari and Prime Minister Gilani for the feat.
DG ISPR Maj Gen Ather Abbas has said that the motive of the terrorists’ attack was to take some high military officials hostage to seek release of certain militant leaders and commanders. Nine out of the ten terrorists, who launched the attack, however, perished in the Pak army’s response. The tenth Aqeel alias Dr Usman the alleged mastermind of the attack was taken in custody in injured condition. He is also stated to be involved in the attacks on Sri Lankan Cricket Team in Lahore and killing of Lt Gen Mushtaq, chief of Pak Army’s health services in Rawalpindi in addition to rocket attack on former President Gen Pervez Musharraf’s aircraft. As many as six security personnel including a Brigadier and a Lt. Col., also fell to the terrorists’ assault on the checkpoint. Two commandos embraced martyrdom later during the rescue operation launched for the release of the hostages taken by the militants. 39 hostages were rescued unharmed. Three hostages were, however, killed in the shootout. Police raided a house in the residential locality near the GHQ where the militants resided for the about three months before launching the attack and recovered military uniforms and badges besides maps of the GHQ and other military facilities. The owner of the house and the property dealer, who rented out the house to the militants, have since been taken into custody.
The assault on the GHQ has certainly exposed lack of coordination among the nation’s intelligence outfits, which could neither detect that so many young men were living in the house without any female or children nor could smell the foul play about their activities over the period of about three months. That the militants were able to stay in the area without any hassle in close proximity the GHQ for such a long period speaks volumes about the glaring intelligence failure of the country’s civil and military spy agencies even after the reported warning of possible militants’ attack. Pakistan’s intelligence agencies, therefore, owe an explanation to the nation for the security lapse. They, however, need to gird up their lions, keep their eyes and ears open and remain alert to sniff what’s going on around them in order to counter acts of terrorism and militancy. Let them be mindful of the fact that Islamabad has more foes than friends in the given situation. They ought to, therefore, tighten their belts to succeed against odds. Urgent steps must be taken with civil-military bipartisan measures to promote greater coordination among them. Pakistan has to be extra watchful on all fronts to defeat the forces of darkness that are pitted against its security, stability and sovereignty. There is no room for failure against terrorism. The country has to emerge triumphant out of the present ordeal.
The attack has also made it abundantly clear once again that the fight against terrorism is not only a long drawn war to be pursued with patience and perseverance by all stakeholders including Pakistan, Afghanistan and the United States, but also demands unity of thought and action for success. A special responsibility devolves on Washington to keep its focus strictly on the anti-terror war. It ought to refrain from any attempt to undermine Pakistan’s institutional sovereignty and cohesion by taking advantage of an ugly situation Islamabad finds itself in at present because of its own follies.
The Kerry-Lugar bill is the classic example of an outrageous blunder on this count. While Pakistan is waging war against terrorists and militants, a seemingly deliberate attempt has been made through the bill to pit Pakistan’s state organs against each other to create upheaval in the country, which is certainly detrimental to its own interests as well. The authors of the bill have regrettably ignored the fact that Pakistan’s ability to fight the anti-terror war will be jeopardized through such tactics, which is in the interest of none since Islamabad is offering sacrifices of men and material for peace not for itself alone, but also for the world at large. It’s rather pertinent that India should also shun its over smartness and recognize the bitter truth that if Pakistan is destabilized, it too will not escape the music of terrorism and militancy in its true form and manifestation.
It needs to eschew its tendency of ‘interfering’ in the internal affairs of Pakistan by pumping funds and weapons into Balochistan through the so-called consulates that it has unjustly established in the Afghan cities and towns bordering Pakistan. It’s deplorable that the international community especially the United States has failed to take cognizance of Islamabad’s persistent complaints about Indian involvement in the creation of unrest in Balochistan over the years. Former President Pervez Musharraf had provided solid proof of Indian interference to former US President George W. Bush.
Prime Minister Yusuf Reza Gilani handed over evidence to this effect to his Indian counterpart during their recent meeting at Sherm-el-Sheikh. Interior Minister Rehman Malik is crying hoarse about Indian involvement in the ongoing insurgency like situation in Balochistan day in and day out. The Inspector General of Police, Balochistan has also pronounced with no ambiguity whatsoever that he had proof of Indian interference. Former Balochistan Governor Owais Ghani is also on record on this count. Yet the Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh has the audacity to deny RAW’s unabated mischief against Pakistan. It’s time to pause and ponder for all concerned and take remedial measures for peace and security before it’s too late.
Source: pakobserver.net
Saturday’s attack by the militants on an outer check post of the GHQ in Rawalpindi, sister city of the country’s capital Islamabad, is a subtle message that terrorism and militancy remains a potent threat to the world in general and Pakistan in particular. It’s a manifestation of their persistence with the terrorist agenda despite elimination of their leader Beitullah Mehsud and routing of Maulana Fazlullah’s followers in Swat. The attack may also be an act of vengeance against Pak military’s past and planned operations against the terrorists in Swat and South Waziristan respectively. The way the Pak Army’s commandos responded to the terrorists’ blitz, however, deserves approbation and praise. Their sacrifice and success to get the hostages taken by the militants released without major collateral damage is certainly a matter of satisfaction. COAS Gen Pervez Kayani has been felicitated by President Zardari and Prime Minister Gilani for the feat.
DG ISPR Maj Gen Ather Abbas has said that the motive of the terrorists’ attack was to take some high military officials hostage to seek release of certain militant leaders and commanders. Nine out of the ten terrorists, who launched the attack, however, perished in the Pak army’s response. The tenth Aqeel alias Dr Usman the alleged mastermind of the attack was taken in custody in injured condition. He is also stated to be involved in the attacks on Sri Lankan Cricket Team in Lahore and killing of Lt Gen Mushtaq, chief of Pak Army’s health services in Rawalpindi in addition to rocket attack on former President Gen Pervez Musharraf’s aircraft. As many as six security personnel including a Brigadier and a Lt. Col., also fell to the terrorists’ assault on the checkpoint. Two commandos embraced martyrdom later during the rescue operation launched for the release of the hostages taken by the militants. 39 hostages were rescued unharmed. Three hostages were, however, killed in the shootout. Police raided a house in the residential locality near the GHQ where the militants resided for the about three months before launching the attack and recovered military uniforms and badges besides maps of the GHQ and other military facilities. The owner of the house and the property dealer, who rented out the house to the militants, have since been taken into custody.
The assault on the GHQ has certainly exposed lack of coordination among the nation’s intelligence outfits, which could neither detect that so many young men were living in the house without any female or children nor could smell the foul play about their activities over the period of about three months. That the militants were able to stay in the area without any hassle in close proximity the GHQ for such a long period speaks volumes about the glaring intelligence failure of the country’s civil and military spy agencies even after the reported warning of possible militants’ attack. Pakistan’s intelligence agencies, therefore, owe an explanation to the nation for the security lapse. They, however, need to gird up their lions, keep their eyes and ears open and remain alert to sniff what’s going on around them in order to counter acts of terrorism and militancy. Let them be mindful of the fact that Islamabad has more foes than friends in the given situation. They ought to, therefore, tighten their belts to succeed against odds. Urgent steps must be taken with civil-military bipartisan measures to promote greater coordination among them. Pakistan has to be extra watchful on all fronts to defeat the forces of darkness that are pitted against its security, stability and sovereignty. There is no room for failure against terrorism. The country has to emerge triumphant out of the present ordeal.
The attack has also made it abundantly clear once again that the fight against terrorism is not only a long drawn war to be pursued with patience and perseverance by all stakeholders including Pakistan, Afghanistan and the United States, but also demands unity of thought and action for success. A special responsibility devolves on Washington to keep its focus strictly on the anti-terror war. It ought to refrain from any attempt to undermine Pakistan’s institutional sovereignty and cohesion by taking advantage of an ugly situation Islamabad finds itself in at present because of its own follies.
The Kerry-Lugar bill is the classic example of an outrageous blunder on this count. While Pakistan is waging war against terrorists and militants, a seemingly deliberate attempt has been made through the bill to pit Pakistan’s state organs against each other to create upheaval in the country, which is certainly detrimental to its own interests as well. The authors of the bill have regrettably ignored the fact that Pakistan’s ability to fight the anti-terror war will be jeopardized through such tactics, which is in the interest of none since Islamabad is offering sacrifices of men and material for peace not for itself alone, but also for the world at large. It’s rather pertinent that India should also shun its over smartness and recognize the bitter truth that if Pakistan is destabilized, it too will not escape the music of terrorism and militancy in its true form and manifestation.
It needs to eschew its tendency of ‘interfering’ in the internal affairs of Pakistan by pumping funds and weapons into Balochistan through the so-called consulates that it has unjustly established in the Afghan cities and towns bordering Pakistan. It’s deplorable that the international community especially the United States has failed to take cognizance of Islamabad’s persistent complaints about Indian involvement in the creation of unrest in Balochistan over the years. Former President Pervez Musharraf had provided solid proof of Indian interference to former US President George W. Bush.
Prime Minister Yusuf Reza Gilani handed over evidence to this effect to his Indian counterpart during their recent meeting at Sherm-el-Sheikh. Interior Minister Rehman Malik is crying hoarse about Indian involvement in the ongoing insurgency like situation in Balochistan day in and day out. The Inspector General of Police, Balochistan has also pronounced with no ambiguity whatsoever that he had proof of Indian interference. Former Balochistan Governor Owais Ghani is also on record on this count. Yet the Indian Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh has the audacity to deny RAW’s unabated mischief against Pakistan. It’s time to pause and ponder for all concerned and take remedial measures for peace and security before it’s too late.
Source: pakobserver.net
'I want to be Pakistan's go-to guy'
Mohammad Aamer is young, energetic and beaming with confidence. He's quick, able to move the ball, and takes wickets. Important ones, mostly. Barely four months into his international cricket career, he has not only won praise from experts and admiration from opponents, he has helped his side to a World Twenty20 title.
Aamer has set his sights high, and considering he's only 17, has plenty of time in which to achieve his goals - not to mention the ability and talent.
His early success belies his rough journey up the ladder, marred by stress fractures, back problems, and a bout of dengue that left him incapacitated for two months. Prayers, conscientiousness, ample support and luck propelled Aamer into orbit after he was forgotten in the wake of being hailed as an exciting prospect. His love of cricket has made him stay away from home, play through pain, and rock up to his bowling mark having not walked for weeks.
As a six-year-old, Aamer had a talent for impersonating performers he saw on TV. His school clipboard felt the brunt of his precocious talent - it was repeatedly broken in two and used as a bat. Luckily for his parents' finances, he started playing tape-ball cricket with people much older than him, using proper equipment.
Spotted at a local tournament, he was fast-tracked into the coach Asif Bajwa's academy in 2003. The move to the academy in Rawalpindi and away from his home in Gujjur Khan, Punjab, was a significant step for the young left-armer.
"I was very young at that time and was told I have to stay at the academy, away from home, if I wanted to play cricket," Aamer says with a smile that indicates he was prepared for as much anyway. "Life had become really simple and the future seemed very exciting."
Taking wickets, it seemed, was Aamer's birthright. Nine came in three matches for his district Under-19 side, 20 in five for his regional academy, and 40 in nine for the regional Under-19s. A few months after being told he was too young to accompany Pakistan's Under-19 side to India, he was taking wickets in Australia: 12 in five.
With the wickets and achievements, however, came injuries. Too much bowling, it seemed, had taken its toll. Still 15, two stress fractures on the tour of England in 2007 effectively put his cricket on hold for the next nine months.
"Being away with the injury was a terrible time for me. I used to bowl all day and loved doing that, but in the end that proved to be the reason behind the injury," Aamer recalls.
"The nine months I was out of cricket were made easy by Mudassar Nazar [then director of the PCB's national academy]. He looked after my training, rehabilitation, diet, and gave me a shoulder while I worried about my future. He treated me like a father would treat his kid."
A fairytale comeback lay ahead of Aamer, though he was warned against bowling too much. He tried to make up for lost time, taking 10 wickets in three matches on the tour of Sri Lanka, but he suffered a jolt when he was struck by dengue at the Under-19 World Cup in Malaysia.
"I want to be the go-to guy for the team, someone the captain and the nation relies on to lead them to glory. Like Ponting, like Afridi, like Younis"
"I had no energy to get up, walk or turn over. I thought that might be the end of my cricketing career," he says. "I spent one month in a hospital and one month at home. The world had turned upside down for me."
But while he was drained of physical energy, his will was not so badly hit. He turned up for a domestic cup match at a day's notice - preceded by two months with no training and no exercise. Wickets proceeded to come by the load, for Rawalpindi, for Pakistan U-19, and Pakistan Academy.
The due call-up to first-class cricket arrived, as expected, but there was a price to pay. Playing with a back strain, Aamer was only able to bowl 46 deliveries before he retired hurt to face the wrath of his coaches.
"This was a tough situation for me. People were telling Bajwa to let me go since I was getting injured often. I was on the doorstep of first-class cricket. If I was to take a break then people would forget who Aamer was. I didn't work this hard to come this far and just let it go.
"I wanted to play cricket even if I had to wear 10 belts [for the bad back]. If the pain didn't go away, I told my coach I'd leave cricket and get back to studying, but I wanted to give it a shot."
That, for Aamer, was his day of reckoning. The permission he got to play on ultimately allowed him to be part of Pakistan's World Twenty20 and Champions Trophy squads.
It seemed like a dream, he says, the journey to the conditioning camp in Bhurban, following 56 wickets in his maiden first-class season, the training camps that followed, and sharing a dressing room with the greats of Pakistan cricket.
"I was very nervous meeting the team. They were people I had come to adore on TV," he says. "It felt great, becoming one of them, representing Pakistan with the whole world watching and people following us. It teaches one a lot about life, helps you mature and gives you great joy."
Pressure situations are what Aamer craves. His favourite batsman, Ricky Ponting, is his next target, and Aamer has his eyes set firmly on where he wants to be in five years. "I want to be the go-to guy for the team, someone the captain and the nation relies on to lead them to glory. Like Ponting, like Afridi, like Younis."
Away from the field, he wants to be well known, have a bundle of wickets to show for his efforts, and "have a bit in my wallet". None of that, going by the story so far, seems implausible.
Aamer has set his sights high, and considering he's only 17, has plenty of time in which to achieve his goals - not to mention the ability and talent.
His early success belies his rough journey up the ladder, marred by stress fractures, back problems, and a bout of dengue that left him incapacitated for two months. Prayers, conscientiousness, ample support and luck propelled Aamer into orbit after he was forgotten in the wake of being hailed as an exciting prospect. His love of cricket has made him stay away from home, play through pain, and rock up to his bowling mark having not walked for weeks.
As a six-year-old, Aamer had a talent for impersonating performers he saw on TV. His school clipboard felt the brunt of his precocious talent - it was repeatedly broken in two and used as a bat. Luckily for his parents' finances, he started playing tape-ball cricket with people much older than him, using proper equipment.
Spotted at a local tournament, he was fast-tracked into the coach Asif Bajwa's academy in 2003. The move to the academy in Rawalpindi and away from his home in Gujjur Khan, Punjab, was a significant step for the young left-armer.
"I was very young at that time and was told I have to stay at the academy, away from home, if I wanted to play cricket," Aamer says with a smile that indicates he was prepared for as much anyway. "Life had become really simple and the future seemed very exciting."
Taking wickets, it seemed, was Aamer's birthright. Nine came in three matches for his district Under-19 side, 20 in five for his regional academy, and 40 in nine for the regional Under-19s. A few months after being told he was too young to accompany Pakistan's Under-19 side to India, he was taking wickets in Australia: 12 in five.
With the wickets and achievements, however, came injuries. Too much bowling, it seemed, had taken its toll. Still 15, two stress fractures on the tour of England in 2007 effectively put his cricket on hold for the next nine months.
"Being away with the injury was a terrible time for me. I used to bowl all day and loved doing that, but in the end that proved to be the reason behind the injury," Aamer recalls.
"The nine months I was out of cricket were made easy by Mudassar Nazar [then director of the PCB's national academy]. He looked after my training, rehabilitation, diet, and gave me a shoulder while I worried about my future. He treated me like a father would treat his kid."
A fairytale comeback lay ahead of Aamer, though he was warned against bowling too much. He tried to make up for lost time, taking 10 wickets in three matches on the tour of Sri Lanka, but he suffered a jolt when he was struck by dengue at the Under-19 World Cup in Malaysia.
"I want to be the go-to guy for the team, someone the captain and the nation relies on to lead them to glory. Like Ponting, like Afridi, like Younis"
"I had no energy to get up, walk or turn over. I thought that might be the end of my cricketing career," he says. "I spent one month in a hospital and one month at home. The world had turned upside down for me."
But while he was drained of physical energy, his will was not so badly hit. He turned up for a domestic cup match at a day's notice - preceded by two months with no training and no exercise. Wickets proceeded to come by the load, for Rawalpindi, for Pakistan U-19, and Pakistan Academy.
The due call-up to first-class cricket arrived, as expected, but there was a price to pay. Playing with a back strain, Aamer was only able to bowl 46 deliveries before he retired hurt to face the wrath of his coaches.
"This was a tough situation for me. People were telling Bajwa to let me go since I was getting injured often. I was on the doorstep of first-class cricket. If I was to take a break then people would forget who Aamer was. I didn't work this hard to come this far and just let it go.
"I wanted to play cricket even if I had to wear 10 belts [for the bad back]. If the pain didn't go away, I told my coach I'd leave cricket and get back to studying, but I wanted to give it a shot."
That, for Aamer, was his day of reckoning. The permission he got to play on ultimately allowed him to be part of Pakistan's World Twenty20 and Champions Trophy squads.
It seemed like a dream, he says, the journey to the conditioning camp in Bhurban, following 56 wickets in his maiden first-class season, the training camps that followed, and sharing a dressing room with the greats of Pakistan cricket.
"I was very nervous meeting the team. They were people I had come to adore on TV," he says. "It felt great, becoming one of them, representing Pakistan with the whole world watching and people following us. It teaches one a lot about life, helps you mature and gives you great joy."
Pressure situations are what Aamer craves. His favourite batsman, Ricky Ponting, is his next target, and Aamer has his eyes set firmly on where he wants to be in five years. "I want to be the go-to guy for the team, someone the captain and the nation relies on to lead them to glory. Like Ponting, like Afridi, like Younis."
Away from the field, he wants to be well known, have a bundle of wickets to show for his efforts, and "have a bit in my wallet". None of that, going by the story so far, seems implausible.
Source: cricinfo.com
Younis offers to quit as captain
Pakistan cricket's perennially fragile peace and progress was shattered once again with Younis Khan handing in his resignation from the captaincy following days of increasing rumour and speculation surrounding Pakistan's exit from the ICC Champions Trophy in South Africa. The Pakistan board, however, has yet to take a decision on the matter, leaving it effectively in limbo.
Pakistan's semi-final loss, and Younis' crucial drop catch off Grant Elliott, was the subject of a particularly incendiary report by an Indian newspaper in which it was hinted that there lay more to the loss than what met the eye. The ICC immediately cracked down on the report and though it was retracted the next day, it snowballed in Pakistan in the following days, culminating in today's meeting of the National Assembly's standing committee on sports in Islamabad.
The meeting was called for by the head of the committee, MNA Jamshed Dasti, who claimed Pakistan's loss was the result of match-fixing, before he took back the allegations. At the meeting Younis, already prepared with a letter of resignation, publicly made the offer to stand down, incensed at increasing media reports casting doubt on his and the team's integrity. The PCB turned it down in the meeting - and the committee told them to tackle the matter privately - but after the meeting Younis again, briefly, discussed the topic with Ijaz Butt, chairman PCB, and also in attendance.
But the PCB refused to confirm whether they had accepted the resignation, or to clarify what the current situation was. "Younis did offer to resign during the National Assembly meeting," Ijaz Butt told Cricinfo. "The match-fixing allegations and Pakistan's loss was being discussed and this was stated by Younis. It was said in a public forum so we have to think this over and I have to discuss it with him separately. I have to discuss it further and will not comment any further now."
The move also comes amid growing murmurs over the role of Shahid Afridi in the matter. Afridi personally met Butt a few days ago in Lahore; on the agenda, it has been rumoured, was the topic of the ODI leadership, though Afridi denied it. PCB officials also later quashed the speculation, saying that the meeting was not out of the ordinary. Sources close to Younis are keen to blame Afridi's angling for the post, though Afridi has publicly and regularly backed his captain. Further complicating matters was the uncertainty of Younis' availability for Pakistan's next assignment, an ODI and Twenty20 series in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, against New Zealand; Younis has still not fully recovered from the fractured finger that hampered him through the Champions Trophy.
Younis, of course, has a history with captaincy. He once stepped down from his role as stand-in captain, days before the 2006 Champions Trophy, because he was unhappy with the board administration over a number of seemingly trivial issues. Once the administration changed, however, he took up the role again. A few months later, after the 2007 World Cup and Inzamam-ul-Haq's resignation, he turned down the captaincy claiming later that the environment and circumstances at the time were not right for him to take it up. He only took over as full-time captain in February this year, after Shoaib Malik was pushed aside.
All of it leaves Pakistan, after a recent commendable upturn in fortunes, once again in a confused mess. This year, which has seen international cricket taken away from the country for the foreseeable future, has also seen the side win the World Twenty20 in England in June and reach the semi-finals of the Champions Trophy, as well as unearth some exciting new batting and bowling talent. Younis' captaincy and his sides have also been admired globally for their performances, though that message seems not to have reached Pakistan, where talk post Champions Trophy remained centred on the match-fixing allegations.
Pakistan's semi-final loss, and Younis' crucial drop catch off Grant Elliott, was the subject of a particularly incendiary report by an Indian newspaper in which it was hinted that there lay more to the loss than what met the eye. The ICC immediately cracked down on the report and though it was retracted the next day, it snowballed in Pakistan in the following days, culminating in today's meeting of the National Assembly's standing committee on sports in Islamabad.
The meeting was called for by the head of the committee, MNA Jamshed Dasti, who claimed Pakistan's loss was the result of match-fixing, before he took back the allegations. At the meeting Younis, already prepared with a letter of resignation, publicly made the offer to stand down, incensed at increasing media reports casting doubt on his and the team's integrity. The PCB turned it down in the meeting - and the committee told them to tackle the matter privately - but after the meeting Younis again, briefly, discussed the topic with Ijaz Butt, chairman PCB, and also in attendance.
But the PCB refused to confirm whether they had accepted the resignation, or to clarify what the current situation was. "Younis did offer to resign during the National Assembly meeting," Ijaz Butt told Cricinfo. "The match-fixing allegations and Pakistan's loss was being discussed and this was stated by Younis. It was said in a public forum so we have to think this over and I have to discuss it with him separately. I have to discuss it further and will not comment any further now."
The move also comes amid growing murmurs over the role of Shahid Afridi in the matter. Afridi personally met Butt a few days ago in Lahore; on the agenda, it has been rumoured, was the topic of the ODI leadership, though Afridi denied it. PCB officials also later quashed the speculation, saying that the meeting was not out of the ordinary. Sources close to Younis are keen to blame Afridi's angling for the post, though Afridi has publicly and regularly backed his captain. Further complicating matters was the uncertainty of Younis' availability for Pakistan's next assignment, an ODI and Twenty20 series in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, against New Zealand; Younis has still not fully recovered from the fractured finger that hampered him through the Champions Trophy.
Younis, of course, has a history with captaincy. He once stepped down from his role as stand-in captain, days before the 2006 Champions Trophy, because he was unhappy with the board administration over a number of seemingly trivial issues. Once the administration changed, however, he took up the role again. A few months later, after the 2007 World Cup and Inzamam-ul-Haq's resignation, he turned down the captaincy claiming later that the environment and circumstances at the time were not right for him to take it up. He only took over as full-time captain in February this year, after Shoaib Malik was pushed aside.
All of it leaves Pakistan, after a recent commendable upturn in fortunes, once again in a confused mess. This year, which has seen international cricket taken away from the country for the foreseeable future, has also seen the side win the World Twenty20 in England in June and reach the semi-finals of the Champions Trophy, as well as unearth some exciting new batting and bowling talent. Younis' captaincy and his sides have also been admired globally for their performances, though that message seems not to have reached Pakistan, where talk post Champions Trophy remained centred on the match-fixing allegations.
Source: cricinfo.com
Web hosting service
web hosting service is a type of Internet hosting service that allows individuals and organizations to make their own website accessible via the World Wide Web. Web hosts are companies that provide space on a server they own or lease for use by their clients as well as providing Internet connectivity, typically in a data center. Web hosts can also provide data center space and connectivity to the Internet for servers they do not own to be located in their data center, called colocation.
Service scope
The scope of hosting services varies widely. The most basic is web page and small-scale file hosting, where files can be uploaded via File Transfer Protocol (FTP) or a Web interface. The files are usually delivered to the Web "as is" or with little processing. Many Internet service providers (ISPs) offer this service free to their subscribers. People can also obtain Web page hosting from other, alternative service providers. Personal web site hosting is typically free, advertisement-sponsored, or cheap. Business web site hosting often has a higher expense.
Single page hosting is generally sufficient only for personal web pages. A complex site calls for a more comprehensive package that provides database support and application development platforms (e.g. PHP, Java, Ruby on Rails, ColdFusion, and ASP.NET). These facilities allow the customers to write or install scripts for applications like forums and content management. For e-commerce, SSL is also highly recommended.
The host may also provide an interface or control panel for managing the Web server and installing scripts as well as other services like e-mail. Some hosts specialize in certain software or services (e.g. e-commerce). They are commonly used by larger companies to outsource network infrastructure to a hosting company.
Hosting reliability and uptime
Hosting uptime refers to the percentage of time the host is accessible via the internet. Many providers state that they aim for at least 99.9% uptime (roughly equivalent to 45 minutes of downtime a month, or less), but there may be server restarts and planned (or unplanned) maintenance in any hosting environment, which may or may not be considered part of the official uptime promise.
Many providers tie uptime and accessibility into their own service level agreement (SLA). SLAs sometimes include refunds or reduced costs if performance goals are not met
Types of hosting
Internet hosting services can run Web servers; see Internet hosting services.
Hosting services limited to the Web:
Many large companies who are not internet service providers also need a computer permanently connected to the web so they can send email, files, etc. to other sites. They may also use the computer as a website host so they can provide details of their goods and services to anyone interested. Additionally these people may decide to place online orders.
Free web hosting service: Free web hosting is offered by different companies with limited services, sometimes advertisement-supported web hosting, and is often limited when compared to paid hosting.
Shared web hosting service: one's website is placed on the same server as many other sites, ranging from a few to hundreds or thousands. Typically, all domains may share a common pool of server resources, such as RAM and the CPU. The features available with this type of service can be quite extensive. A shared website may be hosted with a reseller.
Reseller web hosting: allows clients to become web hosts themselves. Resellers could function, for individual domains, under any combination of these listed types of hosting, depending on who they are affiliated with as a provider. Resellers' accounts may vary tremendously in size: they may have their own virtual dedicated server to a collocated server. Many resellers provide a nearly identical service to their provider's shared hosting plan and provide the technical support themselves.
Virtual Dedicated Server: also known as a Virtual Private Server (VPS for short) divides server resources into virtual servers, where resources can be allocated in a way that does not directly reflect the underlying hardware. VPS will often be allocated resources based on a one server to many VPSs relationship, however virtualisation may be done for a number of reasons, including the ability to move a VPS container between servers. The users may have root access to their own virtual space. This is also known as a virtual private server or VPS. Customers are sometimes responsible for patching and maintaining the server.
Dedicated hosting service: the user gets his or her own Web server and gains full control over it (root access for Linux/administrator access for Windows); however, the user typically does not own the server. Another type of Dedicated hosting is Self-Managed or Unmanaged. This is usually the least expensive for Dedicated plans. The user has full administrative access to the box, which means the client is responsible for the security and maintenance of his own dedicated box.
Managed hosting service: the user gets his or her own Web server but is not allowed full control over it (root access for Linux/administrator access for Windows); however, they are allowed to manage their data via FTP or other remote management tools. The user is disallowed full control so that the provider can guarantee quality of service by not allowing the user to modify the server or potentially create configuration problems. The user typically does not own the server. The server is leased to the client.
Colocation web hosting service: similar to the dedicated web hosting service, but the user owns the colo server; the hosting company provides physical space that the server takes up and takes care of the server. This is the most powerful and expensive type of the web hosting service. In most cases, the colocation provider may provide little to no support directly for their client's machine, providing only the electrical, Internet access, and storage facilities for the server. In most cases for colo, the client would have his own administrator visit the data center on site to do any hardware upgrades or changes.
Cloud hosting: is a new type of hosting platform that allows customers powerful, scalable and reliable hosting based on clustered load-balanced servers and utility billing. Removing single-point of failures and allowing customers to pay for only what they use versus what they could use.
Clustered hosting: having multiple servers hosting the same content for better resource utilization. Clustered Servers are a perfect solution for high-availability dedicated hosting, or creating a scalable web hosting solution. A cluster may separate web serving from database hosting capability.
Grid hosting: this form of distributed hosting is when a server cluster acts like a grid and is composed of multiple nodes.
Home server: usually a single machine placed in a private residence can be used to host one or more web sites from a usually consumer-grade broadband connection. These can be purpose-built machines or more commonly old PCs. Some ISPs actively attempt to block home servers by disallowing incoming requests to TCP port 80 of the user's connection and by refusing to provide static IP addresses. A common way to attain a reliable DNS hostname is by creating an account with a dynamic DNS service. A dynamic DNS service will automatically change the IP address that a URL points to when the IP address changes.
Some specific types of hosting provided by web host service providers:
File hosting service: hosts files, not web pages
Image hosting service
Video hosting service
Blog hosting service
One-click hosting
Pastebin Hosts text snippets
Shopping cart software
Obtaining hosting:
Web hosting is often provided as part of a general Internet access plan; there are many free and paid providers offering these services.
A customer needs to evaluate the requirements of the application to choose what kind of hosting to use. Such considerations include database server software, scripting software, and operating system. Most hosting providers provide Linux-based web hosting which offers a wide range of different software. A typical configuration for a Linux server is the LAMP platform: Linux, Apache, MySQL, and PHP/Perl/Python. The webhosting client may want to have other services, such as email for their business domain, databases or multi-media services for streaming media. A customer may also choose Windows as the hosting platform. The customer still can choose from PHP, Perl, and Python but may also use ASP .Net or Classic ASP.
Web hosting packages often include a Web Content Management System, so the end-user doesn't have to worry about the more technical aspects. These Web Content Management systems are great for the average user, but for those who want more control over their website design, this feature may not be adequate.
Most modern desktop operating systems (Windows, Linux, Mac OS X) are also capable of running web server software, and thus can be used to host basic websites.
One may also search the Internet to find active webhosting message boards and forums that may provide feedback on what type of webhosting company may suit his/her needs.
Source: en.wikipedia.org
Service scope
The scope of hosting services varies widely. The most basic is web page and small-scale file hosting, where files can be uploaded via File Transfer Protocol (FTP) or a Web interface. The files are usually delivered to the Web "as is" or with little processing. Many Internet service providers (ISPs) offer this service free to their subscribers. People can also obtain Web page hosting from other, alternative service providers. Personal web site hosting is typically free, advertisement-sponsored, or cheap. Business web site hosting often has a higher expense.
Single page hosting is generally sufficient only for personal web pages. A complex site calls for a more comprehensive package that provides database support and application development platforms (e.g. PHP, Java, Ruby on Rails, ColdFusion, and ASP.NET). These facilities allow the customers to write or install scripts for applications like forums and content management. For e-commerce, SSL is also highly recommended.
The host may also provide an interface or control panel for managing the Web server and installing scripts as well as other services like e-mail. Some hosts specialize in certain software or services (e.g. e-commerce). They are commonly used by larger companies to outsource network infrastructure to a hosting company.
Hosting reliability and uptime
Hosting uptime refers to the percentage of time the host is accessible via the internet. Many providers state that they aim for at least 99.9% uptime (roughly equivalent to 45 minutes of downtime a month, or less), but there may be server restarts and planned (or unplanned) maintenance in any hosting environment, which may or may not be considered part of the official uptime promise.
Many providers tie uptime and accessibility into their own service level agreement (SLA). SLAs sometimes include refunds or reduced costs if performance goals are not met
Types of hosting
Internet hosting services can run Web servers; see Internet hosting services.
Hosting services limited to the Web:
Many large companies who are not internet service providers also need a computer permanently connected to the web so they can send email, files, etc. to other sites. They may also use the computer as a website host so they can provide details of their goods and services to anyone interested. Additionally these people may decide to place online orders.
Free web hosting service: Free web hosting is offered by different companies with limited services, sometimes advertisement-supported web hosting, and is often limited when compared to paid hosting.
Shared web hosting service: one's website is placed on the same server as many other sites, ranging from a few to hundreds or thousands. Typically, all domains may share a common pool of server resources, such as RAM and the CPU. The features available with this type of service can be quite extensive. A shared website may be hosted with a reseller.
Reseller web hosting: allows clients to become web hosts themselves. Resellers could function, for individual domains, under any combination of these listed types of hosting, depending on who they are affiliated with as a provider. Resellers' accounts may vary tremendously in size: they may have their own virtual dedicated server to a collocated server. Many resellers provide a nearly identical service to their provider's shared hosting plan and provide the technical support themselves.
Virtual Dedicated Server: also known as a Virtual Private Server (VPS for short) divides server resources into virtual servers, where resources can be allocated in a way that does not directly reflect the underlying hardware. VPS will often be allocated resources based on a one server to many VPSs relationship, however virtualisation may be done for a number of reasons, including the ability to move a VPS container between servers. The users may have root access to their own virtual space. This is also known as a virtual private server or VPS. Customers are sometimes responsible for patching and maintaining the server.
Dedicated hosting service: the user gets his or her own Web server and gains full control over it (root access for Linux/administrator access for Windows); however, the user typically does not own the server. Another type of Dedicated hosting is Self-Managed or Unmanaged. This is usually the least expensive for Dedicated plans. The user has full administrative access to the box, which means the client is responsible for the security and maintenance of his own dedicated box.
Managed hosting service: the user gets his or her own Web server but is not allowed full control over it (root access for Linux/administrator access for Windows); however, they are allowed to manage their data via FTP or other remote management tools. The user is disallowed full control so that the provider can guarantee quality of service by not allowing the user to modify the server or potentially create configuration problems. The user typically does not own the server. The server is leased to the client.
Colocation web hosting service: similar to the dedicated web hosting service, but the user owns the colo server; the hosting company provides physical space that the server takes up and takes care of the server. This is the most powerful and expensive type of the web hosting service. In most cases, the colocation provider may provide little to no support directly for their client's machine, providing only the electrical, Internet access, and storage facilities for the server. In most cases for colo, the client would have his own administrator visit the data center on site to do any hardware upgrades or changes.
Cloud hosting: is a new type of hosting platform that allows customers powerful, scalable and reliable hosting based on clustered load-balanced servers and utility billing. Removing single-point of failures and allowing customers to pay for only what they use versus what they could use.
Clustered hosting: having multiple servers hosting the same content for better resource utilization. Clustered Servers are a perfect solution for high-availability dedicated hosting, or creating a scalable web hosting solution. A cluster may separate web serving from database hosting capability.
Grid hosting: this form of distributed hosting is when a server cluster acts like a grid and is composed of multiple nodes.
Home server: usually a single machine placed in a private residence can be used to host one or more web sites from a usually consumer-grade broadband connection. These can be purpose-built machines or more commonly old PCs. Some ISPs actively attempt to block home servers by disallowing incoming requests to TCP port 80 of the user's connection and by refusing to provide static IP addresses. A common way to attain a reliable DNS hostname is by creating an account with a dynamic DNS service. A dynamic DNS service will automatically change the IP address that a URL points to when the IP address changes.
Some specific types of hosting provided by web host service providers:
File hosting service: hosts files, not web pages
Image hosting service
Video hosting service
Blog hosting service
One-click hosting
Pastebin Hosts text snippets
Shopping cart software
Obtaining hosting:
Web hosting is often provided as part of a general Internet access plan; there are many free and paid providers offering these services.
A customer needs to evaluate the requirements of the application to choose what kind of hosting to use. Such considerations include database server software, scripting software, and operating system. Most hosting providers provide Linux-based web hosting which offers a wide range of different software. A typical configuration for a Linux server is the LAMP platform: Linux, Apache, MySQL, and PHP/Perl/Python. The webhosting client may want to have other services, such as email for their business domain, databases or multi-media services for streaming media. A customer may also choose Windows as the hosting platform. The customer still can choose from PHP, Perl, and Python but may also use ASP .Net or Classic ASP.
Web hosting packages often include a Web Content Management System, so the end-user doesn't have to worry about the more technical aspects. These Web Content Management systems are great for the average user, but for those who want more control over their website design, this feature may not be adequate.
Most modern desktop operating systems (Windows, Linux, Mac OS X) are also capable of running web server software, and thus can be used to host basic websites.
One may also search the Internet to find active webhosting message boards and forums that may provide feedback on what type of webhosting company may suit his/her needs.
Source: en.wikipedia.org
Student Entrepreneur Program By Zong
For the first time in Pakistan ZONG has established a concrete earning opportunity for students. Most educational institutes in Pakistan would be a part of this program through the appointment of ZONG’s Ambassadors, specifically in cities where Customer Service Centers are operational. These ambassadors will have sufficient knowledge about Zong and all of its products and will create awareness among the students by not only offering them to migrate to Zong’s network but also by offering different products like New Activation or recharging a currently owned Zong connection. These Ambassadors will become a part of the Zong Family with only a small deposit of Rs. 1000. In return of which they will get one free gold number, a telesales Sim through which they will perform Zong Sales, 5 Zong Sims and a Miniload worth Rs. 600 (The stated items are worth Rs.1500). In addition, this ambassadorship will add great value to their Resume as this would give them hands on sales experience.
PROCESSInterested applicants can get themselves registered as ZONG Ambassadors by filling an online form (link given below) or getting themselves registered at their respective Customer Service Centers. On confirmation and issuance of ID, ZONG’s Ambassadors would get their first issuance through their respective Customer Service Center. ZONG’s Ambassadors can offer the following services.
Sell New Connections
MNP (change to Zong’s Network), MNP SIMS will be delivered Free of Cost
Miniload (balance top up)
Why take up this offer? What are the incentives? Zong has come up with an exceptional incentive plan which would not only lead to recovering the initially spent Rs. 1000 but also make more than 100% profit on sales.
Quarterly IncentiveAfter every three months each ambassador will be awarded bonuses depending upon the sales volume of all above mentioned items.
Selected ambassadors will be trained and briefed by Zong representatives at Customer Service Centers.
NOTE: All the registered applicants will be screened by Zong Customer Service Centers and selected applicants will become Zong business partners.
PROCESSInterested applicants can get themselves registered as ZONG Ambassadors by filling an online form (link given below) or getting themselves registered at their respective Customer Service Centers. On confirmation and issuance of ID, ZONG’s Ambassadors would get their first issuance through their respective Customer Service Center. ZONG’s Ambassadors can offer the following services.
Sell New Connections
MNP (change to Zong’s Network), MNP SIMS will be delivered Free of Cost
Miniload (balance top up)
Why take up this offer? What are the incentives? Zong has come up with an exceptional incentive plan which would not only lead to recovering the initially spent Rs. 1000 but also make more than 100% profit on sales.
Quarterly IncentiveAfter every three months each ambassador will be awarded bonuses depending upon the sales volume of all above mentioned items.
Selected ambassadors will be trained and briefed by Zong representatives at Customer Service Centers.
NOTE: All the registered applicants will be screened by Zong Customer Service Centers and selected applicants will become Zong business partners.
Disclaimer: Zong reserves the right to accept reject or cancel any application.
Source: zong.com.pk
Clinton to press Russia on Iran
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is meeting Russian leaders to seek support for a tougher stance on Iran's controversial nuclear programme.
Mrs Clinton, in Moscow at the end of a European tour, is having talks with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
She has warned that the world will not "wait indefinitely" for proof that Iran is not making nuclear weapons.
Tehran, which has recently revealed a second uranium plant, insists its programme is peaceful.
Mrs Clinton has been invited to meet President Dmitry Medvedev at his private residence in the suburbs of the capital, which officials say will provide a more relaxed setting for the discussions.
Mrs Clinton, in Moscow at the end of a European tour, is having talks with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.
She has warned that the world will not "wait indefinitely" for proof that Iran is not making nuclear weapons.
Tehran, which has recently revealed a second uranium plant, insists its programme is peaceful.
Mrs Clinton has been invited to meet President Dmitry Medvedev at his private residence in the suburbs of the capital, which officials say will provide a more relaxed setting for the discussions.
No quid pro quo
The secretary of state's visit comes at a crucial moment in relations between the United States and Russia, according to the BBC's Richard Galpin, in Moscow.
Russia has traditionally opposed tougher sanctions on Iran but Mr Medvedev has appeared to shift his stance after the revelation that Tehran had a second, covert uranium enrichment facility.
President Barack Obama pledged to reset relations with Russia when he came to office, and his meeting with Mr Medvedev in July went some way towards that, our correspondent says.
Since then, Mr Obama has met a key Russian demand to scrap plans to deploy interceptor missiles in Poland and a radar station in the Czech Republic as part of a US missile defence system in Europe.
Although the Americans insist they do not expect anything in return, our correspondent adds, Iran will be very high on Mrs Clinton's agenda in Moscow.
US officials say their government wants Russia to support, or at least not oppose, the idea of the UN Security Council imposing tougher sanctions on Iran if it fails to live up to its international obligations.
The council has urged Tehran to halt uranium enrichment activities.
Iran says it has a right to a nuclear programme, which it insists is designed to meet its energy needs.
Russia, which has the power to veto resolutions as a permanent member of the Security Council, has described further sanctions as effective.
The war in Afghanistan and a nuclear arms reduction treaty are also expected to feature prominently in Mrs Clinton's talks.
Mrs Clinton has also visited Switzerland, the UK, and Ireland on her five-day European tour.
Source: news.bbc.co.uk
How to track mobile phone users with Google Analytics
Designing a web site for a mobile audience with a 3 inch screen and potentially slower data connection is clearly very different from other users. Therefore studying this segment of visitors can have important implications for your web development.
Visits from older generations of Internet enabled mobile phones cannot be tracked by web analytics tools that use page tags – including Google Analytics – as they do not execute JavaScript or cookies. The traditional solution to this was to use a Log analyzer such as Urchin. However the lack of cookie and JavaScript support was precisely the reason so few people used their phone for web access. In many cases sites just failed to work, so tracking the few mobile visitors out there was never a priority – until now.
The newer generation of Smartphones (iPhone, Blackberry etc.) have driven the recent proliferation of web usage via mobile devices by supporting cookies and JavaScript. Therefore visitors accessing your site from a Smartphone can now be tracked – in the exact same way as a desktop or laptop user.
Mobile Web audience statistics
Mobile web browsing as a proportion of total web browsing is currently very small at 0.72 percent, though growing. [NetMarketingShare via Econsultancy.com blog, March 2009]
US Smartphone users spent an average of 4.6 hours per month on mobile Internet sites. [M:Metrics via Marketing Charts, May 2008]
In the US, 63.2m people used their mobiles to find news and information in January 2009, more than double that of January 2008. [comScore, March 2009]
Of 182 million people in China with Web-enabled mobile phones, 102 million (56 percent) use the devices to connect to the Web. [Netpop Research via Clickz, April 2009]
How to track mobile visitors
As stated, by default Smartphone mobile visitors are tracked just as any other visitor to your website – you don’t have to do anything! However, the caveat is that these are a relatively small proportion of traffic, so are be buried deep in your reports.
In order to bubble these up to the top, you need to create an advanced segment. (If this means nothing to you, take a look at the advanced segment article on the GA Help Centre). The Figure below shows how to create an advanced segment in Google Analytics to highlight your mobile visitors. It detects either the visitor’s operating system or browser type and matches it against a known lookup list. Just as for profile filters, it uses the regular expression pipe character “” to separate multiple possible matches for the same metric or dimension.
Figure 1 – custom segment to highlight mobile phone visitsExpanded from screenshot: OS and Browser type match:
androidblackHTCiphoneipodlgnokiapalmsamsungsonysymbianvodafonetreoxdanetfront
Copy & paste this line into the two value fields (Browser and Operating System) for your advanced segment.
The same lookup list is used for both operating system and browser type fields as not all Smartphones set these logically. For example, many do not broadcast their operating system name when viewing websites, while others identify their browsers as regular types e.g. Safari (Symbian, Andriod), which cannot be distinguished from ordinary desktop or laptop users. The use of both fields combined with an “or” statement therefore ensures you capture most mobile visitors.
With your Advanced Segment define, you can then view mobile visits at a click as the following screenshot shows.
Note: The mobile lookup list for the advanced segment example was compiled by analyzing the browser and operating system combinations of over 10 million visits during July-August 2009 from five independent websites. These were publisher websites i.e. those most likely to receive mobile visitors with a targeted audience of US (1), UK (2) and Swedish (2) visitors.
Let me know if you find this useful – a star rating or comment always goes down well.
BTW, if you have a great idea for an advanced segment, please contact me directly as I would love to see guest posts here from readers.
Source: advanced-web-metrics.com
Visits from older generations of Internet enabled mobile phones cannot be tracked by web analytics tools that use page tags – including Google Analytics – as they do not execute JavaScript or cookies. The traditional solution to this was to use a Log analyzer such as Urchin. However the lack of cookie and JavaScript support was precisely the reason so few people used their phone for web access. In many cases sites just failed to work, so tracking the few mobile visitors out there was never a priority – until now.
The newer generation of Smartphones (iPhone, Blackberry etc.) have driven the recent proliferation of web usage via mobile devices by supporting cookies and JavaScript. Therefore visitors accessing your site from a Smartphone can now be tracked – in the exact same way as a desktop or laptop user.
Mobile Web audience statistics
Mobile web browsing as a proportion of total web browsing is currently very small at 0.72 percent, though growing. [NetMarketingShare via Econsultancy.com blog, March 2009]
US Smartphone users spent an average of 4.6 hours per month on mobile Internet sites. [M:Metrics via Marketing Charts, May 2008]
In the US, 63.2m people used their mobiles to find news and information in January 2009, more than double that of January 2008. [comScore, March 2009]
Of 182 million people in China with Web-enabled mobile phones, 102 million (56 percent) use the devices to connect to the Web. [Netpop Research via Clickz, April 2009]
How to track mobile visitors
As stated, by default Smartphone mobile visitors are tracked just as any other visitor to your website – you don’t have to do anything! However, the caveat is that these are a relatively small proportion of traffic, so are be buried deep in your reports.
In order to bubble these up to the top, you need to create an advanced segment. (If this means nothing to you, take a look at the advanced segment article on the GA Help Centre). The Figure below shows how to create an advanced segment in Google Analytics to highlight your mobile visitors. It detects either the visitor’s operating system or browser type and matches it against a known lookup list. Just as for profile filters, it uses the regular expression pipe character “” to separate multiple possible matches for the same metric or dimension.
Figure 1 – custom segment to highlight mobile phone visitsExpanded from screenshot: OS and Browser type match:
androidblackHTCiphoneipodlgnokiapalmsamsungsonysymbianvodafonetreoxdanetfront
Copy & paste this line into the two value fields (Browser and Operating System) for your advanced segment.
The same lookup list is used for both operating system and browser type fields as not all Smartphones set these logically. For example, many do not broadcast their operating system name when viewing websites, while others identify their browsers as regular types e.g. Safari (Symbian, Andriod), which cannot be distinguished from ordinary desktop or laptop users. The use of both fields combined with an “or” statement therefore ensures you capture most mobile visitors.
With your Advanced Segment define, you can then view mobile visits at a click as the following screenshot shows.
Note: The mobile lookup list for the advanced segment example was compiled by analyzing the browser and operating system combinations of over 10 million visits during July-August 2009 from five independent websites. These were publisher websites i.e. those most likely to receive mobile visitors with a targeted audience of US (1), UK (2) and Swedish (2) visitors.
Let me know if you find this useful – a star rating or comment always goes down well.
BTW, if you have a great idea for an advanced segment, please contact me directly as I would love to see guest posts here from readers.
Source: advanced-web-metrics.com
LAPTAP review
A great choice for students as well as business travelers who like to travel light, this affordable ultra-lightweight Acer Aspire One (AOA150-1635) weighs just over 2 pounds and is packed with a 160 GB hard drive and Windows XP operating system. It has a vibrant 8.9-inch CrystalBrite WSVGA LED backlit display, integrated webcam for easy video chatting, and Intel's latest mobile processor--the Atom. Offering a cool deep blue chassis, the netbook's smooth surface is comfortable to touch, and it's accented with distinctive details, such as the attractive orange hinge ring.
A great choice for light-packing business travelers, it comes with Windows XP Home, a 160 GB hard drive, and a 3-cell battery for up to 2.5 hours of battery life.
Weighing just 2.17 pounds, the stylish Acer Aspire One goes anywhere with you.
Designed especially for mobile devices, the 1.6 GHz Intel Atom processor uses a brand new design structure new hafnium-infused circuitry, which reduces electrical current leakage in transistors to conserve energy and gives you more time away from the wall outlet--up to 2.5 hours with the included 3-cell battery. Other features include 1 GB of installed RAM (1.5 GB maximum), 54g Wi-Fi networking (802.11b/g), multi-format memory card reader, multiple USB ports, and built-in email, web browsing, and digital media applications.
It comes preinstalled with the Microsoft Windows XP Home operating system, which offers more experienced users an enhanced and innovative experience that incorporates Windows Live features like Windows Live Messenger for instant messaging and Windows Live Mail for consolidated email accounts on your desktop.
A great choice for light-packing business travelers, it comes with Windows XP Home, a 160 GB hard drive, and a 3-cell battery for up to 2.5 hours of battery life.
Weighing just 2.17 pounds, the stylish Acer Aspire One goes anywhere with you.
Designed especially for mobile devices, the 1.6 GHz Intel Atom processor uses a brand new design structure new hafnium-infused circuitry, which reduces electrical current leakage in transistors to conserve energy and gives you more time away from the wall outlet--up to 2.5 hours with the included 3-cell battery. Other features include 1 GB of installed RAM (1.5 GB maximum), 54g Wi-Fi networking (802.11b/g), multi-format memory card reader, multiple USB ports, and built-in email, web browsing, and digital media applications.
It comes preinstalled with the Microsoft Windows XP Home operating system, which offers more experienced users an enhanced and innovative experience that incorporates Windows Live features like Windows Live Messenger for instant messaging and Windows Live Mail for consolidated email accounts on your desktop.
Processor:
The Intel Atom processor uses a brand new design structure that packs in 47 million transistors into a single chip sized at just 22mm (0.87 inches), and it uses just 2.5 watts of power--less than 1/10 of the 35 watts used by an Intel Core 2 Duo processor--for excellent battery management. This 1.6 GHz Atom N270 processor also includes a power-optimized front side bus of 533 MHz for faster data transfer on demanding mobile applications and a 512 KB L2 cache (which temporarily stores data).
Storage:
This version of the Aspire One comes with a 160 GB hard disk drive (5400 RPM), which offers enough to room to hold a an extra-large digital audio library of and still have room left over for movies, games, and a large collection of software. This Serial ATA (SATA) hard drive also quickens the pace with a higher speed transfer of data--akin to Firewire and USB 2.0.
Memory:
The 1 GB of installed RAM (512 MB onboard memory and one 512 MB DIMM, 533 MHz) can be expanded to a maximum of 1.5 GB of RAM,
DVD/CD :
DriveBecause of its size, the Aspire One does not come with an integrated optical drive, but optional CD/DVD read/write drives can be connected to the laptop via one of the three USB ports, enabling you to create your music mixes, burn movies to DVD, and more.
Connectivity:
This Acer Aspire One notebook has an integrated 54g wireless LAN (Acer InviLink) that's compatible with 802.11b and 802.11g networks and offers Acer's SignalUp technology for enhanced antenna efficiency. It has has one dedicated SD memory card slot as well as a second multi-in-one card reader that's compatible with five different types of memory cards--Secure Digital, MultiMediaCard, Memory Stick, Memory Stick PRO and xD-Picture Card--for maximum flexibility. The ability to have both a multi-in-1 card reader and a SD card reader at the same time allows you to download photos from the multi-in-1 to share with others and store to the SD card as an internal storage device simultaneously. Here's the full list of ports and external connections
3 USB 2.0 ports for connecting a wide range of peripherals--from digital cameras to MP3 players
Secure Digital (SD) card reader, also compatible with MultiMedia cards (MMCs)
Multi-in-one card reader supports SD, MMC, Memory Stick/Memory Stick PRO, and XD Picture Cards
1 VGA monitor port
1 headphone jack and 1 microphone jack
RJ-45 port for 10/100 Fast Ethernet connection
56K modem port (V.90)
Screen, Video and Audio:
The 8.9-inch screen has a WSVGA resolution (1024 x 600) and support for up a 262K color depth. Video is powered by the Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950, which uses shared video memory with the main memory. Acer's CrystalBrite display technology guarantees the best possible visual experience by preventing the diffusion of surrounding light and internal ray. Compared to normal TFT LCDs, Acer CrystalBrite technology is able to read color coordinates more accurately, thus minimizing distortion and creating high-fidelity colors in all environments.
This notebook includes an integrated audio card with Microsoft DirectSound compatibility, and it includes two stereo speakers.
This notebook includes an integrated audio card with Microsoft DirectSound compatibility, and it includes two stereo speakers.
What's in the Box:
This package contains the Acer Aspire One notebook PC (AOA150-1635), rechargeable 3-cell lithium-ion battery, AC adapter, and operating instructions. It is backed by a limited warranty for parts and labor for one year from date of purchase.
Product Description:
Intel Atom Processor N270; (1.60GHz, 533MHz FSB, 512KB L2 cache); Windows XP Home with Service Pack 3; 8.9-inch WSVGA Acer CrystalBrite TFT LCD (1024 x 600); Mobile Intel 945GSE Express Chipset; 1024MB DDR2 533 MHz SDRAM Single Channel Memory; Integrated Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950; 160GB SATA 5400RPM Hard Drive; Multi-in-1 Digital Media Card Reader; Acer InviLink 802.11b/g Wi-Fi CERTIFIED; Acer Crystal Eye Webcam Documentation; Two Built-in Stereo Speakers Setup Poster; 3 - USB 2.0 Ports Wireless Setup Card; 3-cell Li-ion (2200 mAh); USB Mouse; 2.44 lbs. 1.11 kg (system unit only).
Source: amazon.com
Fifty-over cricket will hold its own - Ponting
The ICC Champions Trophy has gone a long way to ensuring the continuance of ODIs, the captains of Australia and New Zealand, the two finalists, have said. Since the advent of the Twenty20 game, which has drawn huge crowds around the world, there has been increasing talk of the 50-over format falling away.
But Ricky Ponting and Brendon McCullum, standing in for injured Blacks Caps skipper Daniel Vettori, gave their thumbs-up for the 50-over format and the tournament after Australia beat New Zealand by six wickets in Monday's final in Centurion.
"There's been a lot of talk about that since the 20-over game has become as popular as it has," Ponting said. "There's plenty of space for both 20-over cricket and 50-over cricket to fit in alongside the Test game. The Test game is the form of the game I enjoy the most, but 50-over cricket, with tournaments like this, will certainly hold its own.
"I was worried at the time when 20-over cricket became as popular as it did that we might start playing a few less 50-over games, but I think tournaments like this can only help the game.
"I've really enjoyed the tournament and I think the fans around South Africa have enjoyed the tournament, so it's got some endorsement from me, and even a low-scoring game like today can probably be one of the more entertaining games that you can watch and be involved in as a player."
Ponting, who also picked up the Player-of-the-Series and Golden bat awards after his side defended their title, has played in all six editions of the Champions Trophy. But he said the latest edition, which was reduced to only eight teams for the first time, had been the best organised.
"We've only been here a couple of weeks and the tournament's over," Ponting said. "You've got the best eight teams in the world playing for it and you've got a great place to play here in South Africa with two very good grounds to play on."
McCullum endorsed Ponting's views on the tournament, which was postponed by a year after it was moved from Pakistan for security reasons. "I thought this tournament was good," he said. "The top eight teams in the world coming together and playing over a short period of time; I thought it worked well. I guess there weren't too many nail-biting games, but I still think the quality of cricket was fantastic.
"If 50-over cricket is to remain in the calendar, it's a great way to certainly push it with tournaments like the Champions Trophy."
Source: cricinfo
But Ricky Ponting and Brendon McCullum, standing in for injured Blacks Caps skipper Daniel Vettori, gave their thumbs-up for the 50-over format and the tournament after Australia beat New Zealand by six wickets in Monday's final in Centurion.
"There's been a lot of talk about that since the 20-over game has become as popular as it has," Ponting said. "There's plenty of space for both 20-over cricket and 50-over cricket to fit in alongside the Test game. The Test game is the form of the game I enjoy the most, but 50-over cricket, with tournaments like this, will certainly hold its own.
"I was worried at the time when 20-over cricket became as popular as it did that we might start playing a few less 50-over games, but I think tournaments like this can only help the game.
"I've really enjoyed the tournament and I think the fans around South Africa have enjoyed the tournament, so it's got some endorsement from me, and even a low-scoring game like today can probably be one of the more entertaining games that you can watch and be involved in as a player."
Ponting, who also picked up the Player-of-the-Series and Golden bat awards after his side defended their title, has played in all six editions of the Champions Trophy. But he said the latest edition, which was reduced to only eight teams for the first time, had been the best organised.
"We've only been here a couple of weeks and the tournament's over," Ponting said. "You've got the best eight teams in the world playing for it and you've got a great place to play here in South Africa with two very good grounds to play on."
McCullum endorsed Ponting's views on the tournament, which was postponed by a year after it was moved from Pakistan for security reasons. "I thought this tournament was good," he said. "The top eight teams in the world coming together and playing over a short period of time; I thought it worked well. I guess there weren't too many nail-biting games, but I still think the quality of cricket was fantastic.
"If 50-over cricket is to remain in the calendar, it's a great way to certainly push it with tournaments like the Champions Trophy."
Source: cricinfo
Magic Moment--- West indies win Champions Trophy
London, 25 September 2004 ,Magic Moment when West indies win Champions Trophy2004
Victories had become so rare that even when the West Indies team made it to the final of the Champions Trophy in 2004, coming up against England at The Oval on a gloomy September day, hope, springing eternal, did not really blossom.
England planted the seeds, surrendering for 217 in 49.4, but then threw cold water rather than fertiliser on West Indies. Wickets were falling so fast that by the time Brian Lara went, it was 72 for 4 in the 17th over. I couldn't sit still as they continued falling, so that by the time Shivnarine Chanderpaul went with the score on 147 for 8, I had sat on every chair in my living room, and felt the calm of resignation.
From the floor I watched Courtney Browne and Ian Bradshaw settling in doggedly, reminding me that they had both been Barbados captains, and were disciplined, patient batsmen. As they got to the 50-partnership, hope began sprouting audaciously; but in that awful gloom, with what little light there was fading so fast, one mistake would be all England needed.
Like a plant groping towards the light, they inched past 200, and I swear I had stopped breathing. Bradshaw's four to take them within five left me whooping and the four that ended the match made me hoarse. A West Indies harvest had finally come. At the bleak Oval, it felt like a determined tendril had burst into the light, and suddenly it was spring.
England planted the seeds, surrendering for 217 in 49.4, but then threw cold water rather than fertiliser on West Indies. Wickets were falling so fast that by the time Brian Lara went, it was 72 for 4 in the 17th over. I couldn't sit still as they continued falling, so that by the time Shivnarine Chanderpaul went with the score on 147 for 8, I had sat on every chair in my living room, and felt the calm of resignation.
From the floor I watched Courtney Browne and Ian Bradshaw settling in doggedly, reminding me that they had both been Barbados captains, and were disciplined, patient batsmen. As they got to the 50-partnership, hope began sprouting audaciously; but in that awful gloom, with what little light there was fading so fast, one mistake would be all England needed.
Like a plant groping towards the light, they inched past 200, and I swear I had stopped breathing. Bradshaw's four to take them within five left me whooping and the four that ended the match made me hoarse. A West Indies harvest had finally come. At the bleak Oval, it felt like a determined tendril had burst into the light, and suddenly it was spring.
Source: cricinfo.com
Misbah-ul-Haq-------------- curious case
At the start of the Champions Trophy, it was widely felt that Pakistan's chances of going deep in the tournament depended mostly on their batting. Three matches into the competition that feeling persists, during which time Pakistan's batting has veered from the utterly sublime (against India) to the utterly iffy (against West Indies and Australia). An important cog in the wheel, who has struggled to stamp his authority in ODIs this year, has been Misbah-ul-Haq, who made 6 against West Indies and a strangely becalmed 41 against Australia.
A couple of years back, also in South Africa, Misbah had emerged as one of the truly remarkable stories of a remarkable tournament. He hadn't been in the Pakistan one-day international side for almost three years prior to the ICC World Twenty20, but that tournament marked an amazing resurrection, as he unfurled a whole new dimension to his batting - he was cheeky, resourceful, calm and consistent all at the same time.
That confidence rubbed off when Misbah returned to the one-day side, and he produced some outstanding cameos lower down the order, despite getting little time to settle in. His position in the batting line-up prevented him from notching up centuries, but he scored five fifties in the 27 ODI innings he played between October 2007 and the end of 2008.
This year, though, has been a strangely muted period for him. The runs aren't coming as fluently, or as consistently, and the clamour to replace the 35-year-old with someone younger is getting louder. His ODI average in 2009 is still reasonable - 33.33 - but the runs aren't coming at the rate or with the consistency that they were earlier. His strike-rate, which was a giddy 95.32 in 2007 and 2008, has slipped to a barely acceptable 65.50, while seven times in 12 innings he has been dismissed for scores of 12 or less. His two innings of note during this period - an unbeaten 76 against Australia in Abu Dhabi and an unbeaten 73 against Sri Lanka in Colombo - while helping the team win, came in the last matches of series that Pakistan had already lost.
A couple of years back, also in South Africa, Misbah had emerged as one of the truly remarkable stories of a remarkable tournament. He hadn't been in the Pakistan one-day international side for almost three years prior to the ICC World Twenty20, but that tournament marked an amazing resurrection, as he unfurled a whole new dimension to his batting - he was cheeky, resourceful, calm and consistent all at the same time.
That confidence rubbed off when Misbah returned to the one-day side, and he produced some outstanding cameos lower down the order, despite getting little time to settle in. His position in the batting line-up prevented him from notching up centuries, but he scored five fifties in the 27 ODI innings he played between October 2007 and the end of 2008.
This year, though, has been a strangely muted period for him. The runs aren't coming as fluently, or as consistently, and the clamour to replace the 35-year-old with someone younger is getting louder. His ODI average in 2009 is still reasonable - 33.33 - but the runs aren't coming at the rate or with the consistency that they were earlier. His strike-rate, which was a giddy 95.32 in 2007 and 2008, has slipped to a barely acceptable 65.50, while seven times in 12 innings he has been dismissed for scores of 12 or less. His two innings of note during this period - an unbeaten 76 against Australia in Abu Dhabi and an unbeaten 73 against Sri Lanka in Colombo - while helping the team win, came in the last matches of series that Pakistan had already lost.
Source: cricinfo.com
