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Financial News Online

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T H E B I K E R 'S C H O I C E

If you were amazed by the looks of so called "Lord Of The Streets", Yamaha FZ 16, then just have a look at this Mega Beast Yamaha FZ 1 - A clear advanced version of FZ 16, with a powerful engine, smoother edges and more muscular looks. Launched by Yamaha Europe. The FZ1 has got heart-pumping knockout performance and it’s got serious attitude on top of that, a lean and mean look that’s all about
Engine

Engine type
Liquid-cooled, 4-stroke, 4-cylinder, DOHC
Displacement
998 cc
Maximum power
110.3 kW (150 PS) @11,000 rpm
Maximum torque
106.0 Nm (10.8 kg-m) @ 8,000 rpm
Transmission system
Constant mesh, 6-speed
Fuel tank capacity
18 L
Oil tank capacity
3.8 L


Chassis

Chassis:
Aluminum die-cast, diamond shaped
Rear suspension system
Swing arm (link suspension)
Front brake
Dual discs, Ø 320 mm
Rear brake
Single disc, Ø 245 mm
Front tyre
120/70 ZR17M/C (58W)
Rear tyre
190/50 ZR17M/C (73W)


Dimensions

Length
2,140 mm
Width
770 mm
Height
1,060 mm
Wheel base
1,460 mm
Minimum ground clearance
135 mm
Wet weight
214 kg / ABS: 221 kg raw power.

Move to Epic and Off the Wall
The Jackson 5 signed a new contract with CBS Records in June 1975, joining the Philadelphia International Records division, later Epic Records,[13] and renaming themselves The Jacksons.[14] They continued to tour internationally, releasing six more albums between 1976 and 1984, during which Jackson was the lead songwriter, writing hits such as "Shake Your Body (Down to the Ground)", "This Place Hotel," and "Can You Feel It".[11]
In 1978, he starred as the scarecrow in the musical, The Wiz,[15] and it was here that he teamed up with Quincy Jones, who was arranging the film's musical score. Jones agreed to produce Jackson's next solo album, Off the Wall.[16] In 1979, Jackson broke his nose during a complex dance routine. His subsequent rhinoplasty was not a complete success; he complained of breathing difficulties that would affect his career. He was referred to Dr. Steven Hoefflin, who performed Jackson's second rhinoplasty and subsequent operations.[17]
Jones and Jackson produced the Off the Wall album together. At the album's pre-release party, Michael, himself, stated that Little Richard had a "huge influence" on him.[18] Songwriters for the album included Jackson, Heatwave's Rod Temperton, Stevie Wonder, and Paul McCartney. Released in 1979, it was the first album to generate four U.S. top 10 hits, including the chart-topping singles "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough" and "Rock with You".[19] It reached number three on the Billboard 200 and eventually sold over 20 million copies worldwide.[20] In 1980, Jackson won three awards at the American Music Awards for his solo efforts: Favorite Soul/R&B Album, Favorite Male Soul/R&B Artist, and Favorite Soul/R&B Single for "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough". That year, he also won Billboard Music Awards for Top Black Artist and Top Black Album and a Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance, also for "Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough".[19] Despite its commercial success, Jackson felt Off the Wall should have made a much bigger impact, and was determined to exceed expectations with his next release.[21] In 1980, he secured the highest royalty rate in the music industry: 37 percent of wholesale album profit.[22]

1982–83: Thriller and Motown 25
In 1982, Jackson contributed the song "Someone In the Dark" to the storybook for the film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial; the record won a Grammy for Best Album for Children.[23] That same year Jackson issued his second Epic album, Thriller, which became the most commercially successful album of all time. The album remained in the top 10 of the Billboard 200 for 80 consecutive weeks and 37 of those weeks at the peak position. It was the first album to have seven Billboard Hot 100 top 10 singles, including "Billie Jean", "Beat It," and "Wanna Be Startin' Somethin'."[24] Thriller was certified for 28 million shipments by the RIAA, giving it Double Diamond status in the United States.[25] It is the best-selling album of all time, with 110 million copies worldwide.[26] Jackson's attorney John Branca noted that Jackson had the highest royalty rate in the music industry at that point: approximately $2 for every album sold. He was also making record-breaking profits from sales of CDs and The Making of Michael Jackson's Thriller, a documentary produced by Jackson and John Landis. Funded by MTV, the documentary sold over 350,000 copies in a few months. The era saw the arrival of novelties like dolls modeled after Michael Jackson, which appeared in stores in May 1984 at a price of $12.[27] Biographer J. Randy Taraborrelli writes that, "Thriller stopped selling like a leisure item — like a magazine, a toy, tickets to a hit movie — and started selling like a household staple."

Early life and The Jackson
Michael Jackson was born the seventh of nine children on August 29, 1958 in Gary, Indiana, an industrial suburb of Chicago, to an African American working-class family. His mother, Katherine Esther Scruse, was a devout Jehovah's Witness, and his father, Joseph Walter "Joe" Jackson, a steel mill worker who performed with an R&B band called The Falcons. Jackson had three sisters: Rebbie, La Toya, and Janet, and five brothers: Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, Marlon, and Randy.[5]
Jackson had a troubled relationship with his father. He stated that he was physically and emotionally abused during incessant rehearsals, whippings, and name-calling, though he credited his father's discipline for his success.[6] In one altercation recalled by Marlon, Joseph held Michael upside down by one leg and "pummeled him over and over again with his hand, hitting him on his back and buttocks".[7] Joseph would also trip or push his sons into walls. One night while Michael was asleep, Joseph climbed into his room through the bedroom window, wearing a fright mask and screaming. He said he wanted to teach the children not to leave the window open when they went to sleep. For years afterward, Jackson said he suffered nightmares about being kidnapped from his bedroom.[7] Joseph acknowledged in 2003 that he regularly whipped Jackson as a child.[8]
Jackson first spoke openly about his childhood abuse in an interview with Oprah Winfrey broadcast on February 10, 1993. He said that he had often cried from loneliness and would sometimes vomit when he saw his father. In an interview with Martin Bashir, aired on February 3, 2003 as Living with Michael Jackson, he covered his face with his hands and began crying when talking about his childhood abuse. He recalled that Joseph sat in a chair with a belt in his hand as he and his siblings rehearsed, and that "if you didn't do it the right way, he would tear you up, really get you".[9][10]
He showed talent early in his life, performing in front of classmates during a Christmas recital in kindergarten. In 1964, he and Marlon joined the Jackson Brothers — a band formed by brothers Jackie, Tito, and Jermaine — as backup musicians playing congas and tambourine. Jackson later began performing backup vocals and dancing; at the age of eight, he and Jermaine assumed lead vocals, and the group's name was changed to The Jackson 5.[5] The band toured the Midwest extensively from 1966 to 1968, frequently performing at a string of black clubs known as the "chitlin' circuit", where they often opened stripteases and other adult acts. In 1966, they won a major local talent show with renditions of Motown hits and James Brown's "I Got You (I Feel Good)", led by Michael.[11]
The Jackson 5 recorded several songs, including "Big Boy", for the local record label Steeltown in 1967, and signed with Motown Records in 1968.[5] Rolling Stone magazine later described the young Michael as "a prodigy" with "overwhelming musical gifts," writing that he "quickly emerged as the main draw and lead singer."[12] The group set a chart record when its first four singles ("I Want You Back", "ABC", "The Love You Save," and "I'll Be There") peaked at number one on the Billboard Hot 100.[5]
Between 1972 and 1975, Jackson released four solo studio albums with Motown, among them Got to Be There and Ben, released as part of the Jackson 5 franchise, and producing successful singles such as "Got to Be There", "Ben", and a remake of Bobby Day's "Rockin' Robin". The group's sales began declining in 1973, and the band members chafed under Motown's strict refusal to allow them creative control or input. Although they scored several top 40 hits, including the top 5 disco single "Dancing Machine" and the top 20 hit "I Am Love", the Jackson 5 left Motown in 1975.[13]

About Michael Jackson

Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009), known as the "King of Pop", was an American musician and one of the most commercially successful entertainers of all time. His unique contributions to music and dance, along with a highly publicized personal life, made him a prominent figure in popular culture for four decades.
He started a solo career in 1971, having made his debut in 1964 as a member of The Jackson 5. His 1982 album Thriller remains the best-selling album of all time, with four others — Off the Wall (1979), Bad (1987), Dangerous (1991), and HIStory (1995) — among the best selling. He popularized several intricate dance moves, such as the robot and the moonwalk. He is widely credited with having transformed the music video from a promotional tool into an art form, with videos for his songs "Billie Jean", "Beat It" and "Thriller" making him the first African American artist to amass a strong crossover following on MTV.
Twice inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, his other achievements feature multiple Guinness World Records — including the "Most Successful Entertainer of All Time" — 13 Grammy Awards, 17 number one singles (including the four as a member of the Jackson 5), and estimated sales between 350 million and 750 million records worldwide.[3] He was also a notable philanthropist and humanitarian who donated and raised millions of dollars through support of 39 charities and his own Heal the World Foundation.
Jackson's personal life generated controversy for years. His changing appearance was noticed from the late 1970s and early 1980s, with changes to the shape of his nose and to the color of his skin drawing media publicity. He was accused in 1993 of child sexual abuse, although no charges were brought. He married twice, first in 1994 and again in 1996, and brought up three children, one born to a surrogate mother. In 2005, he was tried and acquitted of child molestation allegations. While preparing for the This Is It concert tour in 2009, Jackson died at the age of 50 after suffering from cardiac arrest. He reportedly had been administered drugs such as propofol and lorazepam, and his death was ruled a homicide by the Los Angeles County coroner. His memorial service was broadcast live around the world, attracting a global audience of up to one billion people.[4]

a

The Sigourney Weaver in "Ghostbusters" Stage - The beginning of the end. OK, people and the press are really talking now. Gasps are audibly heard. He gets his nose done again, and, in a move that will forever baffle the world, neglects to sue the bastard who botched the surgery job on him. He suddenly has cheek bones. In a mere year and a half his skin's gone from beautiful cocoa bronze to fish belly white. He first denies this, then blames it on the medical condition Vitiligo which causes people of color to develop light patches of skin that lack pigment. Well he doesn't say this, his "people" say this. Mike ain't saying a thing which is odd considering the good he could do to bring this little understood condition to public light. Rumors abound that he's been allegedly taking female hormones (note the clever use of the word "allegedly" to avoid a law suit) to remove facial hair and keep that voice of his at the 12 year old boy pitch. He's talking in a Marilyn Monroe Little Girl Whisper. He's started the Spin of the misunderstood, picked-upon Victim instead of an increasingly weird 30 year old man. He's creepy. People are making jokes that only in America can you be born a black man and end up a white woman. Talented or no, the fact is we're realizing that Michael Has Issues.

The shark music from "Jaws" starts softly in the background...
Another nose job to narrow things and permanent eyeliner tattooed around his eyes. Ouch! Is that lipstick?! Hell, it's the 80s - it's allowed. During that time he had an army of spin doctors, lawyers, bodyguards, agents, minions, PR magicians, attendants, and managers all making sure he no one had a clue about his personal life but what did we care? He was doing amazing, selfless things - contributing to children's charities and starting his own "Heal The World Foundation"; cowriting the famous "We Are The World" song to help African famine victims. He was given the Heritage Award and praised by Queen Liz, President Reagan and others. Mike was everywhere, giving as much as he got and letting us all know how blessed he was. There was no one who wasn't impressed and didn't sprain an ankle trying to imitate his "Moon Walk" in their living room.

Hard to believe - this was Michael Jackson. He was born August 28, 1958 - one of 9 kids. His father reportedly nicknamed him "Big Nose".
Mike was born a cute African-American guy. "Normal", if you will, and very talented. Despite the current, sad stories about his lonely, sad childhood, Mike grew up surrounded by famous people and an adoring public. At age 5, Mike and his brothers were the amazing 'Jackson 5'. They played locally, then in New York and Philly. They were "discovered" by Gladys Knight and pianist Billy Taylor at the famous Apollo Theater in Harlem. By age 11, Mike was a Superstar. At age 13 he went solo and had his first #1 hit at 14 with "Ben" (a touching love song to a rat). Who knew he'd get addicted to plastic surgery, face accusations of child molestation and end up America's Most Famous Sideshow?

SPORTS AGENTS WITH A SPECIAL DIFFERENCE
Sports Business is not a large, impersonal agency where the clients are one among a large stable of athletes and entertainers or where you only hear from your agent at contract negotiation time. We are experienced professionals who handle each client as if he or she were our only one. At Sports Business, you will be given the time and attention you deserve. Our people take a long-term perspective when advising our clients on their career moves and commercial positioning. You need to make sure you are strategically positioned during your sports career as well as when it ends. After all, there will be life after it finishes, and you want the best life possible.
Sports Business's team has gained experience of working at the highest echelons of sport at the national and international levels. They have extensive knowledge on all aspects of the sports business, from contract negotiation, sponsorship and endorsement sales, to broadcasting and other media rights, and life planning issues. Sports Business provides an honest and trustworthy service that puts the interests of the player first. Of course, you don’t have to hire an agent. Some athletes go through their whole career without one, but that is rare. Most professionals couldn’t imagine not having one. Professional athletes have chosen a career in a highly competitive profession and need the best possible advice and support they can get to achieve their real potential and to make the income their talent deserves. An athlete’s focus must be on playing his sport at the very highest performance levels, and not on technical matters relating to contracts, compensation, insurance, mortgages, taxes, leases, investments and other distractions. Hiring Sports Business will give athletes from all sports the peace of mind that everything possible is being done in their best interests and not to generate the best financial return for the agents. We look after all those off-field aspects of a professional career that enable our clients to fully concentrate on doing what they do best. You will hear from your agent as often as it takes to provide you with a first class service. The amount of regular contact is something we negotiate with each of our clients at the outset, and we review it at frequent intervals to make sure every client is happy with the level of contact and advice they are receiving. Your agent will watch you play as often as possible and particularly target the major competitions and matches. He will be available to talk to you as often as required, depending on the specific needs of each client. Sports representation is a professional service, and all sports agents charge a fee for the work they do. A quality agency, such as Sports Business International, will charge a client no fee until the client gets paid. Clients are charged a percentage of both their employment contract and the income from sponsorships, endorsements, appearances and other commercial activities. What every athlete/player has to decide is whether the investment in fees is worth it. For a young player earning a living in sport, life is a minefield. Most make a string of mistakes before getting the right support network in place. Hiring a competent and trustworthy agent is often one of the most crucial decisions a professional athlete will make. Get it wrong, and the consequences can be devastating to his or her career and financial prospects. Get it right, and the path to fame and fortune can be smooth and painless. Too many athletes with outstanding talent have fallen at an early hurdle by following bad advice from a friend or family member. This is a business full of enthusiastic amateurs and what could be called ‘gravy-trainers’ - people with a desire to make what they perceive as easy money and who have little or no expertise in the increasingly competitive and complex world of sports management. The plight of professional players, with so much pressure on them to perform, is Sports Business’s highest priority. Sports Business International is dedicated to smoothing the administrative and marketing issues for its clients so that they can concentrate on competing without outside worries. Sport for the athlete is a job and it must be treated as such. For the organisers, sponsors, advertisers, and broadcasters involved with professional sports, it is a business, and likewise it must be treated as such. Faced with the amount of time a professional athlete has to put into training and competing, and the amount of time away from home that is demanded, it would be physically impossible for any busy competitor to keep his affairs in order or negotiate contracts or promote himself. He is unlikely to have the skills of a business administrator or a salesperson or a public relations specialist, but even if he did, he certainly doesn’t have the time nor does he need the hassles. His focus must be on performance, and not on technical matters relating to contracts, compensation, insurance, mortgages, taxes, leases, investments and other distractions. This is where Sports Business can help. Our international experience of the sports business ensures that every client gets the highest quality of service. At Sports Business our primary objective is to build long-term relationships with our clients. The emphasis we place on personal service sets us apart from other larger sports management companies and our commitment to integrity and excellence leads to strong client relationships. We provide the professional athlete with access to advice that is both sophisticated and down-to-earth. The professional sports person needs expert advice from people who know the intricacies of the industry firsthand and know how to use that expertise to ensure success – your success. If you share our philosophy and are interested in finding out more about the services Sports Business International can offer and joining the Sports Business ‘family’, contact us for a no obligation, confidential introductory meeting. Send an email to us at: info@sportsagents.info.

U.S. Open scores in lean yearThe U.S. Open Tennis Championships is on pace this year to have its second- or third-best financial performance ever, despite the down economy, with roughly $200 million in revenue and a profit between $110 million and $115 million expected, tennis industry sources said.
A-B shifts approach to sports tiesOverhauling a strategy that dates back more than 25 years, Anheuser-Busch is changing the way it links its biggest beer brands with its major sports properties.
Under InBev, it’s business as usualA little more than a year after InBev swallowed Anheuser-Busch in a $52 billion acquisition, the festering question across sports remains how new ownership will affect the sports budget of one of the industry’s biggest spenders.
Up to 12 NFL teams may face blackoutsUp to four times the number of NFL teams are at risk of having at least one of their games blacked out locally when the season begins next week compared with last year, the latest sign the down economy is taking a toll on even America’s most popular sport.

BURBANK, Calif.

- A funny thing happened on the way to remaking the Toon Disney channel into one that catered to "tween" boys: It got a lot more popular with girls.
Perhaps it's because teenagers Hutch Dano and Adam Hicks, the stars of the channel's most popular new show, "Zeke and Luther," exude a goofy innocence in a scrubbed-clean environment.
Whatever the reason, the slightly off-kilter rebranding effort at the channel now called Disney XD highlights a larger problem at The Walt Disney Co.: It has had difficulty winning over young male audiences.

Disney announced part of the solution this week, agreeing to buy comic book giant Marvel Entertainment Inc. for $4 billion, bringing characters like Iron Man and Spider-Man into the house of Hannah Montana, Cinderella and Pocahontas.
A closer look at Disney's ongoing efforts with the XD channel — where prime-time ratings this summer nearly doubled among boys aged 9 to 14 but tripled among girls the same age — helps explain why the company wanted Marvel's outside firepower in its quest for boy-focused content.
While there's no harm in attracting more girls to the channel, Disney also wants to draw more advertising for boy-focused products like video games and action figure toys.
That might have taken years on its own. Now Marvel is expected to bring more superhero power to Disney XD, adding to the 20 hours per week that Marvel content already runs on the network.
That could be a big boost at Disney's cable division, which includes ESPN, the Disney Channel and ABC Family, and is increasingly important for the company, especially as DVD sales sag. The cable networks account for more than a quarter of Disney's revenue and more than half of its profit, and have launched some of Disney's biggest stars.
But going after a more male audience is a tough slog. Boys are fickle. They demand authenticity and appreciate a snarky sense of humor, while at other times, they just want to immerse themselves in fantasy worlds and animation.
Rich Ross, president of Disney Channels Worldwide, said the goal of rebranding Toon Disney as Disney XD was always "to create this destination for boys that is still inclusive of girls."
And the shift has already helped bring in some new ads.
Electronic Arts Inc. boosted its advertising spending about 30 percent this year on Disney XD after its switch, mainly to advertise kid-friendly video games such as "MySims Racing" and "Madden NFL 10."
Higher ratings and more girl viewers should help sell more games, said Amber Mayo, EA's director of media strategy.
"It's not unexpected that we're seeing XD pop up with more girl numbers. That's great for us. That's a bonus to me," she said.
The openness to girls was part of the design of "Zeke and Luther," according to executive producer Matt Dearborn. Amid their tomfoolery, the lead characters sometimes turn to the camera to agonize over decisions, expressing self-doubt in a way that is reassuring to girl audiences, he said.
"There's a vulnerability behind their bravado and swagger," Dearborn said after a recent writers' session. "For a girl viewer, I think they feel like they're getting a peek into `the secret world of boys.'"

Another Washington state lawmaker, Democratic Rep. Jim McDermott, said, "We learned in a WTO ruling that Airbus has enjoyed an unfair competitive advantage over Team Boeing for decades."
Boeing is headquartered in Chicago, but has extensive plane-building operations in the Seattle area. Lawmakers from other states with links to Boeing, also confirmed the decision.
The WTO finding was the first step in a process that could take years to produce a final result.
The organization doesn't have the power to impose sanctions itself, but it can allow a nation that has been harmed — in this case the U.S. — to raise tariffs or impose other barriers to imports from an offending country or countries.
And that wouldn't be limited to aircraft. It could also include, for instance, purses, sweaters or French wines. The amount of such tariffs could be high enough to offset the damages done by the illegal practices.
Victory for the U.S.While this was a clear victory for the U.S., analysts suggested it reflected not the current world, in the grips of global recession, but the business world as it stood five years ago when open trade was the rule and anticompetitive, protectionist practices generally denounced.
Since then, hundreds of billions in dollars and euros have been spent in government subsidies and takeovers of failing banks and automakers here and in Europe in an effort to combat the worst global downturn since the Great Depression.
Furthermore, other countries, including China, Japan and Brazil, are busy expanding or developing their domestic airline industries.
The American case protested "launch aid," easy-term loans that were extended primarily by France, Britain, Spain and Germany to help Airbus develop new jetliners as it overtook Boeing as the world's top producer of commercial airplanes.
"The United States has always maintained that the European governments have provided unfair subsidies to Airbus that harm U.S. interests," said Deborah Mesloh, deputy assistant U.S. trade representative in Washington.
"Today's ruling begins the process of creating an environment for establishing clearer rules on aircraft subsidies," said John Veroneau, an international trade lawyer who was general counsel of the U.S. Trade Representative office in 2004 when the case was initiated.
However, the EU counter case against the United States — with a ruling expected in about six months — could find that the U.S. was also engaging in illegal trade practices in helping Boeing, including contracts awarded by the Pentagon and NASA.
"We have a good case against them, and they have a serviceable case against us," said Jeffrey Schott, a trade expert with the Peterson Institute for International Economics.
Global aviation battleBoth disputes in the Boeing-Airbus rivalry are over what is projected to be a $3.2 trillion global aviation market over the next 20 years.
Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., said the case "sets an important precedent that must be respected by all countries with an emerging commercial aircraft industry." She also said it should discourage European governments from going ahead with an additional $4.6 billion in proposed subsidies for Airbus to develop its new extra wide-bodied A350 airliner, which will compete with Boeing's long-delayed 787 Dreamliner.
Wall Street seemed unsurprised by the WTO ruling. Wayne Plucker, manager of Frost & Sullivan's North American aerospace research, said well-developed areas like the U.S. and the EU "don't really need subsidies."
The U.S. should require Airbus to divest itself from any illegal subsidies used to finance bids for government contracts, including its offer for a $35 billion aerial refueling tanker for the Air Force, said Paul Shearon, secretary treasurer of the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers.
Airbus' parent company, European Aeronautic Defense and Space Company N.V., is partnered with Northrop Grumman Corp. in competing against Boeing on the tanker deal.
Both Boeing and Los Angeles-based Northrop have been competing for years over the tanker contract that could surpass $100 billion over two decades.

An Airbus A380 takes part in a flying display June 19 three days before the opening of the 48th Paris Air Show at the Le Bourget airport near Paris. Rep. Norm Dicks, D-Wash., says the WTO ruling confirms a complaint by the U.S. in 2004 that shows "all Airbus aircraft have received illegal subsidies and that these have caused material harm to Boeing."
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Shah Dynasty, Unification of Nepal

Shah Dynasty, Unification of Nepal

Prithvi Narayan Shah (c 1769-1775), with whom we move into the modern period of Nepal's history, was the ninth generation descendant of Dravya Shah (1559-1570), the founder of the ruling house of Gorkha. Prithvi Narayan Shah succeeded his father King Nara Bhupal Shah to the throne of Gorkha in 1743 AD. King Prithvi Narayan Shah was quite aware of the political situation of the Valley kingdoms as well as of the Barsi and Chaubisi principalities. He foresaw the need for unifying the small principalities as an urgent condition for survival in the future and set him self to the task accordingly.
His assessment of the situation among the hill principalities was correct, and the principalities were subjugated fairly easily. King Prithvi Narayan Shah's victory march began with the conquest of Nuwakot, which lies between Kathmandu and Gorkha, in 1744. After Nuwakot, he occupied strategic points in the hills surrounding the Kathmandu Valley. The ValleyÕs communications with the outside world were thus cut off. The occupation of the Kuti Pass in about 1756 stopped the ValleyÕs trade with Tibet. Finally, King Prithvi Narayan Shah entered the Valley. After the victory of Kirtipur. King Jaya Prakash Malla of Kathmandu sought help from the British and so the East India Company sent a contingent of soldiers under Captain Kinloch in 1767. The British force was defeated at Sindhuli by King Prithvi Narayan ShahÕs army. This defeat of the British completely shattered the hopes of King Jaya Prakash Malla. The capture of Kathmandu (September 25. 1768) was dramatic. As the people of Kathmandu were celebrating the festival of Indrajatra, Prithvi Narayan Shah and his men marched into the city. A throne was put on the palace courtyard for the king of Kathmandu. Prithvi Narayan Shah sat on the throne and was hailed by the people as the king of Kathmandu. Jaya Prakash Malla managed to escape with his life and took asylum in Patan. When Patan was captured a few weeks later, both Jaya Prakash Malla and the king of Patan, Tej Narsingh Mallal took refuge in Bhaktapur, which was also captured after some time. Thus the Kathmandu Valley was conquered by King

Prithvi Narayan Shah and Kathmandu became the capital of the modern Nepal by 1769.
King Prithvi Narayan Shah was successful in bringing together diverse religio-ethnic groups under one national. He was a true nationalist in his outlook and was in favor of adopting a closed-door policy with regard to the British. Not only his social and economic views guided the country's socio-economic course for a long time, his use of the imagery, 'a yam between two bouldersÕ in Nepal's geopolitical context, formed the principal guideline of the country`s foreign policy for future centuries. The War with British - The Nepalese had differences of opinion with the East India Company regarding the ownership of the land strip of the western Terai, particularly Butwal and Seoraj. The outcome of the conflict was a war with the British. The British launched their attack on the Nepali forces at Nalapani, the western most point of Nepal's frontier at the close of 1814. Though the Nepalese were able to inflict heavy losses to the British army on various fronts, the larger army and the superior weapons of the British proved too strong. The Nepali army evacuated the areas west of the Mahakali river and ultimately the treaty of Sugauli was signed with the British in 1816. Among other things, this treaty took away a large chunk of the Terai from Nepal and the rivers Mahakali and Mechi were fixed as the country's western and eastern boundaries. At this time, King Girvana Yuddha Biktram Shah was on the throne of Nepal, and the power of state was in the hands of Prime Minister Bhimsen Thapa who wielded enormous power during the rule of King Girvana Yuddha Bikram Shah and his son King Rajendra Bikram Shah.

Lichavi Dynasty

Lichavi Dynasty

The Lichavis are said to have migrated into Nepal from north India in around 250 A.D. The first Lichavi king of historical importance was Manadeva 1. Another important Lichavi monarch was Anshuverma who opened trade routes to Tibet. One of his daughters, Bhrikuti, who was married to Tibetan ruler Tsrong-tsong Gompo, was instrumental in spreading the Gospel of the Buddha in Tibet and China. Anshuverma has been referred to as a man of many talents in the accounts of the Chinese traveler Huen Tsang, who had visited India in the 7th century AD.
Narendradeval another Lichavi king, initiated friendly relations with China and his successors laid the foundations of friendship with India by entering into matrimonial alliances with the Indian royal families. The Lichchhavi rule spanned over a period of about 630 years, the last ruler being Jayakamadeva.

Malla Dynasty
After the fall of the Lichchhavis came the Malla period during which the foundation of the city of Kantipur (later Kathmandu) was laid. The early Malla rule started with Ari Malla in the 12th century and over the next two centuries grew into a large empire before disintegrating into small principalities which later became known as the Baisi (i.e. the twenty-two principalities). This was more or less coincidental with the emergence of the Chaubisi (i.e. twenty-four principalities). The history of these principalities remains shrouded up until the time when they joined other kingdoms, both large and small, to form the unified Kingdom of Nepal.
Jayasthiti Malla, with whom commences the later Malla period in the Kathmandu Valley, reigned towards the end of the 14th century. Though his rule was rather short, his place among the rulers in the Valley is eminent for the various social and economic reforms such as the 'Sanskritization' of the Valley people, new methods of land measurement and allocation etc. Yakshya Malla, the grandson of Jayasthiti Malla, ruled the Kathmandu Valley until almost the end of the 15th century. After his demise, the Valley was divided into three independent Valley kingdoms -- Kathmandu, Bhaktapur and Patan -- in about 1484 A.D. This division led the Malla rulers into internecine wars for territorial and commercial gains. Mutually debilitating wars gradually weakened them and by the time of King Prithvi Narayan ShahÕs invasion of the Valley, they had by themselves reached the brink of political extinction. The last rulers were Jaya Prakash Malla, Tej Narsingh Malla and Ranjit Malla of Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur respectively.

history of nepal

History of Nepal
Before Nepal's emergence as a nation in the latter half of the 18th century, the designation 'Nepal' was largely applied only to the Kathmandu Valley. Thus up until the unification of the country, Nepal's history is largely the history of the Kathmandu Valley. References to Nepal in famous Hindu epics such as the Mahabharata, Puranas and also Buddhist and Jain scriptures, establish the country's antiquity as an independent political and territorial entity. The Vamshavalis or chronicles, the oldest of which was written during the 14th century, are the only fairly reliable basis for Nepal's ancient history. The Vamshavalis mention the rule of several dynasties the Gopalas, the Abhiras and the Kiratas -- over a stretch of centuries. However, no extant historical evidence has yet authenticated the rule of these legendary dynasties. The documented history of Nepal begins with the Changu Narayan temple inscription of King Manadeva I (C 464-505 A.D.) of the Lichavi dynasty.

Siddhartha Gautama's Early Life

Siddhartha Gautama's Early Life
Siddhartha Gautama was born about 583 BCE, in or near what is now Nepal. His father, King Suddhodana, was leader of a large clan called the Shakya. His mother, Queen Maya, died shortly after his birth.
When Prince Siddhartha was a few days old, a holy man prophesied the Prince would be either a great military conqueror or a great spiritual teacher. King Suddhodana preferred the first outcome and prepared his son accordingly. He raised the boy in great luxury and shielded him from knowledge of religion and human suffering. The Prince reached the age of 29 with little experience of the world outside the walls of his opulent palaces.
The Four Passing Sights
One day, overcome with curiosity, Prince Siddhartha asked a charioteer to take him on a series of rides through the countryside. On these journeys he was shocked by the sight of an aged man, then a sick man, and then a corpse. The stark realities of old age, disease, and death seized and sickened the Prince.
Finally, he saw a wandering ascetic. The charioteer explained that the ascetic was one who had renounced the world and sought release from fear of death and suffering.
The Renunciation
For a time the Prince returned to palace life, but he took no pleasure in it. Even the news that his wife Yasodhara had given birth to a son did not please him. The child was called Rahula, which means "fetter."
One night he wandered the palace alone. The luxuries that had once pleased him now seemed grotesque. Musicians and dancing girls had fallen asleep and were sprawled about, snoring and sputtering. Prince Siddhartha reflected on the old age, disease, and death that would overtake them all and turn their bodies to dust.
He realized then that he could no longer be content living the life of a prince. That very night he left the palace, shaved his head, and changed his prince's clothes for a beggar's robe. Then he began his quest for enlightenment.

The Search
Siddhartha began by seeking out renowned teachers, who taught him about the many religious philosophies of his day as well as how to meditate. But after he had learned all they had to teach, his doubts and questions remained. so he and five disciples left to find enlightenment by themselves.
The six companions attempted to find release from suffering through physical discipline--enduring pain, holding their breath, fasting nearly to starvation. Yet Siddhartha was still unsatisfied. It occurred to him that in renouncing pleasure he had grasped pleasure's opposite--pain and self-mortification. Now Siddhartha considered a Middle Way between those two extremes.
He remembered an experience from his childhood, when his mind had settled into a state of deep peace. The path of liberation was through discipline of mind. He realized that instead of starvation, he needed nourishment to build up his strength for the effort. But when he accepted a bowl of rice milk from a young girl, his companions assumed he had given up the quest and abandoned him.

The Enlightenment of the Buddha
Siddhartha sat beneath a sacred fig (Ficus religiosa), known ever after as the Bodhi Tree, and settled into meditation.
The work of Siddhartha's mind came to be mythologized as a great battle with Mara, a demon whose name means "destruction' and who represents the passions that snare and delude us. Mara brought vast armies of monsters to attack Siddhartha, who sat still and untouched. Mara's most beautiful daughter tried to seduce Siddhartha, but this effort also failed.
Finally, Mara claimed the seat of enlightenment rightfully belonged to him. Mara's spiritual accomplishments were greater than Siddhartha's, the demon said. Mara's monstrous soldiers cried out together, "I am his witness!" Mara challenged Siddhartha--who will speak for you?
Then Siddhartha reached out his right hand to touch the earth, and the earth itself roared, "I bear you witness!" Mara disappeared. And as the morning star rose in the sky, Siddhartha Gautama realized enlightenment and became a

Buddha.
The Teacher
At first, the Buddha was reluctant to teach, because what he had realized could not be communicated in words. Only through discipline and clarity of mind would delusions fall away and the Great Reality could be directly experienced. Listeners without that direct experience would be stuck in conceptualizations and would surely misunderstand everything he said. But compassion persuaded him to make the attempt.
After his enlightenment, he went to the Deer Park in Isipatana, located in what is now the province of Uttar Pradesh, India. There he found the five companions who had abandoned him, and to them he preached his first sermon. This sermon has been preserved as the Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta and centers on the Four Noble Truths. Instead of teaching doctrines about enlightenment, the Buddha chose to prescribe a path of practice through which people can realize enlightenment for themselves.
The Buddha devoted himself to teaching, attracting hundreds of followers. Eventually he became reconciled with his father, King Suddhodana. His wife, the devoted Yasodhara, became a nun and disciple. Rahula, his son, became a novice monk at the age of 7 and spent the rest of his life with his father.

Last Words
The Buddha tirelessly traveled and taught until his death at age 80. His last words to his followers:
"Behold, O monks, this is my last advice to you. All component things in the world are changeable. They are not lasting. Work hard to gain your own salvation."

swayambhu tour

SWAYAMBHU STUPA

SWAYAMBHU STUPA
Since the time of the previous Buddha USHNISHA, this sacred site was popularly known as the Swayambhu Nath, for the reason of its self-emergence. With “self-emergence” is meant, it came by itself, not caused by any force.
Kathmandu Valley during this period was said to be a huge lake.
The legend tells that from this lake, a self-emergent crystal Stupa about a span's size was produced, as the foundation of the Tathagatha's mind, having the nature of Dharmadhatu. At that time, humans had a life span of 60,000 years.
Buddhists believe that the duration of an individual human life (the life span) gets shorter in time. Every thousand years, the life span goes down with 1 year (this way of thinking can be considered opposite to western thinking, who believe that due to better hygienic circumstances the life span improves within the years).
During the period of the self-emergence of the crystal Stupa, Buddha VISVABHU appeared in this world, from the summit of Manjushri Hill to visit Dharmadhatu Stupa. His attendants were VAJRACHARYA and MANJUDEVA, clairvoyant and endowed with supernatural powers. People devoid of these powers couldn't walk before the magnificent object.
He thought “won't it be wonderful if the lake dried by the force of Karma and transformed into a land, so that everyone could pay their obeisance to the Stupa directly”. Bearing this in mind, he slashed the hill with a sharp sword and a lake with a walking distance of four days and four nights dried, to become land. A small lake remained behind and is known to Tibetans these days as TSO RALDRI (sword lake). Although the lake had dried, it is said that the present Swayambhu hill emerged from the firm dwelling of the precious natured lotus, witch is the foundation of the self emerged Stupa. At first the hill was known as PADMAGIRI. Later it was known as Vajrakata Parvat and Go Shingha Parvat.
At the time humans had the life span of 40,000 years, when Buddha KRAKUCHANDA appeared in the world, it is said that towns and villages were formed.
When humans had the life span of 30,000 years and Buddha KANAKAMUNI appeared in this world, VAJRACHARYA MANJUSHRI DEVA generated strong conviction and created the self-Emerged Stupa as the Mandala of DHARMADHATU MANJUSHRI through his petitional prayers. For the reason of giving instructions on “The twelve joints Tantra of pronouncing correctly the names of Empowerment”, he named it as Dharmadhatu Manjushri.
Long after that when humans had the life span of 20,000 years and Buddha KASYAPA appeared in this world, someone called VAJRACHARYA MANJUDEVA returned to the five summits of Manjushri Hill. After the completion of his deeds at this sacred site, again, he traveled like thunder in the sky with the body of a deity having disactivated the costume of VAJRACHARYA.
At another time, in the town of Goti in India, King PRACHAND DEVA appeared. He was a physical emanation of VAJRASATTAVA. Renunciating the pains of cyclic existence, his son SHAKTIDEVA was installed as the King. He, in turn, left the Kingdom and became a novice before the Stupa. Committed to the practice of VAJRASATTAVA, he was named SHANTISHRI VAJRACHARYA.
In order to protect the span size crystal Stupa of Dharmadhatu Manjushri, he covered it with dust from the top, the outer cover prevailed in the shape of a Stupa and the self-emerged Stupa as the heart of it. To NorthWest, near the self-Emerged Stupa lies the blessed temple of malevolent spirit MOTROGMA; AGNIPURI and SHANTIPURI; NAGAPURI, to North; MAYAPURI to SouthWest; a throne of Manjusha and the Stupa of Buddha KASYAPA on Manjushri hill.
To the East-West direction of the Stupa there are two additional Stupas. Between these two Stupas, below the sacred hill there are long stone steps leading to the summit and statues of the Tathagata and Nath. A golden Vajra exists at the navel and on soft copper supports rests the magnificent Mandala of Dharmadhatu Manjushri.

Training, Other Qualifications, and Advancement

Training, Other Qualifications, and Advancement

Infashion design, employers usually seek individuals with a 2- or 4-year degree who are knowledgeable about textiles, fabrics, ornamentation, and fashion trends.
Education and training. Bachelor’s of fine arts and associate degree programs in fashion design are offered at many colleges, universities, and private art and design schools. Some fashion designers also combine a fashion design degree with a business, marketing, or fashion merchandising degree, especially those who want to run their own business or retail store. Basic coursework includes color, textiles, sewing and tailoring, pattern making, fashion history, computer-aided design (CAD), and design of different types of clothing such as menswear or footwear. Coursework in human anatomy, mathematics, and psychology also is useful.
The National Association of Schools of Art and Design accredits approximately 250 postsecondary institutions with programs in art and design. Most of these schools award degrees in fashion design. Many schools do not allow formal entry into a program until a student has successfully completed basic art and design courses. Applicants usually have to submit sketches and other examples of their artistic ability.
Aspiring fashion designers can learn these necessary skills through internships with design or manufacturing firms. Some designers also gain valuable experience working in retail stores, as personal stylists, or as custom tailors. Such experience can help designers gain sales and marketing skills while learning what styles and fabrics look good on different people.
Designers also can gain exposure to potential employers by entering their designs in student or amateur contests. Because of the global nature of the fashion industry, experience in one of the international fashion centers, such as Milan or Paris, can be useful.
Other qualifications. Designers must have a strong sense of the esthetic—an eye for color and detail, a sense of balance and proportion, and an appreciation for beauty. Fashion designers also need excellent communication and problem-solving skills. Despite the advancement of computer-aided design, sketching ability remains an important advantage in fashion design. A good portfolio—a collection of a person’s best work—often is the deciding factor in getting a job.
In addition to creativity, fashion designers also need to have sewing and patternmaking skills, even if they do not perform these tasks themselves. Designers need to be able to understand these skills so they can give proper instruction in how the garment should be constructed. Fashion designers also need strong sales and presentation skills to persuade clients to purchase their designs. Good teamwork and communication skills also are necessary because increasingly the business requires constant contact with suppliers, manufacturers, and buyers around the world.
Advancement. Beginning fashion designers usually start out as pattern makers or sketching assistants for more experienced designers before advancing to higher level positions. Experienced designers may advance to chief designer, design department head, or another supervisory position. Some designers may start their own design company, or sell their designs in their own retail stores. A few of the most successful designers can work for high-fashion design houses that offer personalized design services to wealthy clients.

Nature of the Work

Nature of the Work

Fashion designers help create the billions of dresses, suits, shoes, and other clothing and accessories purchased every year by consumers. Designers study fashion trends, sketch designs of clothing and accessories, select colors and fabrics, and oversee the final production of their designs. Clothing designers create and help produce men’s, women’s, and children’s apparel, including casual wear, suits, sportswear, formalwear, outerwear, maternity, and intimate apparel. Footwear designers help create and produce different styles of shoes and boots. Accessory designers help create and produce items such as handbags, belts, scarves, hats, hosiery, and eyewear, which add the finishing touches to an outfit. Some fashion designers specialize in clothing, footwear, or accessory design, but others create designs in all three fashion categories.
The design process from initial design concept to final production takes between 18 and 24 months. The first step in creating a design is researching current fashion and making predictions of future trends. Some designers conduct their own research, while others rely on trend reports published by fashion industry trade groups. Trend reports indicate what styles, colors, and fabrics will be popular for a particular season in the future. Textile manufacturers use these trend reports to begin designing fabrics and patterns while fashion designers begin to sketch preliminary designs. Designers then visit manufacturers or trade shows to procure samples of fabrics and decide which fabrics to use with which designs.
Once designs and fabrics are chosen, a prototype of the article using cheaper materials is created and then tried on a model to see what adjustments to the design need to be made. This also helps designers to narrow their choices of designs to offer for sale. After the final adjustments and selections have been made, samples of the article using the actual materials are sewn and then marketed to clothing retailers. Many designs are shown at fashion and trade shows a few times a year. Retailers at the shows place orders for certain items, which are then manufactured and distributed to stores.
Computer-aided design (CAD) is increasingly being used in the fashion design industry. Although most designers initially sketch designs by hand, a growing number also translate these hand sketches to the computer. CAD allows designers to view designs of clothing on virtual models and in various colors and shapes, thus saving time by requiring fewer adjustments of prototypes and samples later.
Depending on the size of their design firm and their experience, fashion designers may have varying levels of involvement in different aspects of design and production. In large design firms, fashion designers often are the lead designers who are responsible for creating the designs, choosing the colors and fabrics, and overseeing technical designers who turn the designs into a final product. They are responsible for creating the prototypes and patterns and work with the manufacturers and suppliers during the production stages. Large design houses also employ their own patternmakers, tailors, and sewers who create the master patterns for the design and sew the prototypes and samples. Designers working in small firms, or those new to the job, usually perform most of the technical, patternmaking, and sewing tasks, in addition to designing the clothing. Fashion designers working for apparel wholesalers or manufacturers create designs for the mass market. These designs are manufactured in various sizes and colors. A small number of high-fashion (haute couture) designers are self-employed and create custom designs for individual clients, usually at very high prices. Other high-fashion designers sell their designs in their own retail stores or cater to specialty stores or high-fashion department stores. These designers create a mixture of original garments and those that follow established fashion trends.
Some fashion designers specialize in costume design for performing arts, motion picture, and television productions. The work of costume designers is similar to other fashion designers. Costume designers, however, perform extensive research on the styles worn during the period in which the performance takes place, or they work with directors to select and create appropriate attire. They make sketches of designs, select fabric and other materials, and oversee the production of the costumes. They also must stay within the costume budget for the particular production item.
Work environment. Fashion designers employed by manufacturing establishments, wholesalers, or design firms generally work regular hours in well-lighted and comfortable settings. Designers who freelance generally work on a contract, or by the job. They frequently adjust their workday to suit their clients’ schedules and deadlines, meeting with the clients during evenings or weekends when necessary. Freelance designers tend to work longer hours and in smaller, more congested, environments, and are under pressure to please clients and to find new ones in order to maintain a steady income. Regardless of their work setting, all fashion designers occasionally work long hours to meet production deadlines or prepare for fashion shows.
The global nature of the fashion business requires constant communication with suppliers, manufacturers, and customers all over the United States and the world. Most fashion designers travel several times a year to trade and fashion shows to learn about the latest fashion trends. Designers also may travel frequently to meet with fabric and materials suppliers and with manufacturers who produce the final apparel products.

Bringing you up to hi-speed

Bringing you up to hi-speed
Hello my friends.
I am sorry to have started this blog with good intentions and then proceed to fail at updating it this month.
The truth is, it’s been a crazy past few weeks.
I still have no use of my right hand.
I’ve been doing the physical therapy every day.
I am still unable to move the index finger which sucks Hyena butts.
The worst part is that I am not capable of playing most musical instruments.
I have been working on my Harmonica and The Butcher has recently informed me that I can still play the “skin flute.”
Good one The Butcher.
I have spent much time on the couch watching the NBA and NHL playoffs.
I went to game three of the Bulls+Celtics, only to watch my team get stomped.
I went to game five of the BlackHawks+Flames, which had favorable results.
I drove down to White Sox Park on Monday to watch them play the Mariner’s but just as I got to my seat, it started pouring. I sat in the rain for an hour before the postponed the game.
I even went out to Romeoville, Illinois to watch my own band play a show without me.
I watched from the front of house and it was a lot of fun to be on the other side of things.
I like to think that had I never been a part of TAI, I would still dig the band and go check out the show.
It was a lot of fun.
I am planning on leaving the country in two days. I will not say where I am going.
Maybe this blog or twitter will let you know while I’m there.
I feel I need a little peace and quiet.
Some time for what they call “soul searching.”
Leaving during all the excitement in sports is rough, so you will have to keep me posted.
I love you.
bye