Jeans for your dream home

Scientists say that jeans are ideal insulants as they are thick and also capable of holding in more heat. So out with your traditional fibreglass insulation – which contains the toxic element formaldehyde – and in with this new insulation material. The cost of the jean insulation would be 50 per cent more than the fibreglass insulation, but environmental engineers still prefer it as it’d help eradicate harmful toxins from the air. In fact, Hackensack University Medical Center is using recycled denim jeans for their hospital. Yes! Jeans could now well be a part of your newly constructed building! ....Continue

India is in a Catch-22 bind. If it responds belligerently, it plays into Pakistan's hands.

The dossier submitted by India, which says Pakistan-based terrorists were behind the mayhem, is currently being scrutinised by a three-member Pakistani team that is being directly supervised by Malik. Well placed sources said Malik asked Pal to grant his team access to Ajmal Amir Kasab – the only terrorist who survived the Indian police offensive.

"As Kasab is a Pakistani, it is very likely that the probe team will want to interrogate him," said a senior Pakistani official on condition of anonymity. The comment came soon after Malik and Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi briefed Islamabad-based foreign envoys on the current status of the probe. Qureshi also reportedly told them that while Pakistan would not hand over any of the suspects named by India, there would be complete transparency in the investigations and the trial would be "totally fair". Can he be believed?

No he cannot, says India. Pakistan is simply not serious about sharing evidence on 26/11. Just the other day Minister of State for Defence M.M. Pallam Raju completely rubbished Pakistan's tall claims: "If Pakistan doesn't do enough, we will do whatever is needed to defend ourselves. It must be understood that the country's (Pakistan's) civilian government is simply not strong enough to act freely and independently. I just don't see it doing enough to nail the culprits." Raju's point is fully taken. Pakistan's civilian rulers are still far from questioning the Army's insistence that, in the ultimate count, it alone can successfully take on Islamist fundamentalists. And that every time it finds itself on shaky grounds, it cites its "vital contribution" to fighting the terrorists in the Talibanised border provinces.....Continue

Just Push Play!

So, one hears that Mr. Perfectionist, Aamir Khan is staying at the IIM Bangalore hostel to get into the character of the student he plays in his upcoming ‘3 Idiots’ based on Chetan Bhagat’s book. But that’s not all. Being the fitness fanatic that he has metamorphosed into lately (the "Ghajini" effect?) he’s been getting up as early as a lark for a game of badminton with the resident students. And his opponents testify that this man’s one heck of a player! Yeah, in more ways than one!....Continue