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British Raj

1858: Beginning of the Raj

In 1858, British Crown rule was established in India, ending a century of control by the East India Company. The life and death struggle that preceded this formalisation of British control lasted nearly two years, cost £36 million, and is variously referred to as the 'Great Rebellion', the 'Indian Mutiny' or the 'First War of Indian Independence'.

Inevitably, the consequences of this bloody rupture marked the nature of political, social and economic rule that the British established in its wake.

It is important to note that the Raj (in Hindi meaning 'to rule' or 'kingdom') never encompassed the entire land mass of the sub-continent.

Two-fifths of the sub-continent continued to be independently governed by over 560 large and small principalities, some of whose rulers had fought the British during the 'Great Rebellion', but with whom the Raj now entered into treaties of mutual cooperation.

The 'Great Rebellion' helped create a racial chasm between ordinary Indians and Britons.

Indeed the conservative elites of princely India and big landholders were to prove increasingly useful allies, who would lend critical monetary and military support during the two World Wars.

Hyderabad for example was the size of England and Wales combined, and its ruler, the Nizam, was the richest man in the world.

They would also serve as political bulwarks in the nationalist storms that gathered momentum from the late 19th century and broke with insistent ferocity over the first half of the 20th century.

But the 'Great Rebellion' did more to create a racial chasm between ordinary Indians and Britons. This was a social segregation which would endure until the end of the Raj, graphically captured in EM Forster's 'A Passage to India'.

While the British criticised the divisions of the Hindu caste system, they themselves lived a life ruled by precedence and class, deeply divided within itself. Rudyard Kipling reflected this position in his novels. His books also exposed the gulf between the 'white' community and the 'Anglo-Indians', whose mixed race caused them to be considered racially 'impure'

कोई भी नेता बन सकता है ?

सच्चे अर्थों में नेता वो होता है जिसकी नेतृत्व क्षमता कि पूजा खुद इतिहास करे।
हाथ जोड़कर वोट मांग लेने से कोई नेता नहीं बन जाता।

एक नेता में और एक अगुआ में क्या अंतर होता है ?
हमारा स्वाधीनता संग्राम 1857 में शुरू हुआ और 1947 में हमें आजादी मिली।
इन 90 सालों में न जाने कितने देशभक्त क्रांतिकारियों ने देश के लिए अपनी जान दी लेकिन इनमें से सिर्फ सुभाष चन्द्र बोस को ही "नेताजी" कहा जाता है।
गांधी जी को भी "महात्मा" कहा जाता है "नेता" नहीं तो आखिर क्या अंतर होता है एक नेता में और एक अगुआ में।
क्या कोई भी ऐरा-गैर-नथ्थू-खैरा नेता बन सकता है ?

"तुम मुझे खून दो मैं तुम्हे आजादी दूँगा"

आखिर नेताजी ने देशवासियों से खून ही क्यों माँगा ?
हीरे, जवाहरात, सोना-चांदी क्यों नहीं माँगा ?
वोट क्यों नहीं माँगा ?

क्या सिर्फ हाथ में कलम पकड़ लेने से कोई भी विद्वान बन सकता है ?
क्या सिर्फ हाथ में तलवार पकड़ लेने से कोई भी योद्धा बन सकता है ?
क्या सिर्फ हाथ जोड़कर वोट मांग लेने से कोई भी नेता बन सकता है ?

राजनीति का मतलब चुनाव लड़ना और देश का प्रधानमन्त्री बन जाना नहीं होता।
राजनीति का मुख्य उद्देश्य देशवासियों को "सुरक्षा, शान्ति,और सुविधाएं" देना और देश की आने वाली पीढ़ियों को "उज्जवल और सुरक्षित भविष्य" देना होता है।

सच्चे अर्थों में नेता वो होता है जिसकी नेतृत्व क्षमता कि पूजा खुद इतिहास करे।
हाथ जोड़कर वोट मांग लेने से कोई नेता नहीं बन जाता।

जय हिंद, जय भारत !!

Lokpal Bill will be brought before Rajya Sabha in Budget session: Government

Putting up a brave front after it failed to muster the numbers in the Rajya Sabha, Government today said the Lokpal Bill will "definitely" be brought before the Rajya Sabha during the Budget session even as Congress leader Digvijay Singh defended the move saying extension of the House last night was not possible.

"Definitely we will bring it in March in the Budget session...we have to study the 187 amendments brought by Opposition parties as most are overlapping. Some amendments relate to only a part of a clause and not the entire clause, some demand removing the entire part of the Bill,"

He said after going through the amendments, the government will take a call on what to accept and what to reject and get back to the Opposition parties.

Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh tweeted this morning saying "187 Amendments given till 6 pm on the day of debate and those too contradictory to each other. Extension of the House not within powers of RS (Rajya Sabha)."

He also said, now that government has time, it must "try and bring about consensus and pass a strong implementable Lokpal Bill."

Referring to the amendments moved by key UPA partner Trinamool Congress on the Bill in the Rajya Sabha, Narayanasamy said its reservations are regarding the appointment of Lokayuktas in the states and "they have no grievances against Lokpal."

But at the same time the minister said Trinamool was part of the Cabinet decision to clear the Lokpal and Lokayukta Bill introduced in Lok Sabha a few days ago.

"Thy voted with us in the Lok Sabha though they had some reservations about the Constitutional amendment...we are talking to them...there is still some time and we will bring them around," he said.

Columbus brought sex disease to Europe from US, says new study

WASHINGTON: In 1492, Christopher Columbus sailed the Atlantic ocean to discover America, but when he returned from his historic voyages he brought with him a new disease to Europe, claims a new study.

The study, based on new skeletal evidence, suggests that Columbus and crew not only introduced Old World to New World, but brought back syphilis as well.

Syphilis is caused by Treponema pallidum bacteria, and is usually curable nowadays with antibiotics. Untreated, it can damage the heart, brain, eyes and bones; it can also be fatal.

The first known epidemic of syphilis occurred during the Renaissance in 1495. Initially its plague broke out among the army of Charles VIII after the French king invaded Naples.

It then proceeded to devastate Europe, said researcher George Armelagos, a skeletal biologist at Emory University in Atlanta, who was the first to doubt the so-called Columbian theory for syphilis decades ago.

Critics have proposed that syphilis had always bedeviled the Old World but simply had not been set apart from other rotting diseases like leprosy until 1500 or so.

Obama has edge over Republicans: Poll

WASHINGTON: As the United States enters the crucial election year, President Barack Obama and his Democratic party has a clear edge over the opposition Republican party, a latest opinion poll has said.

"Americans have slightly more confidence in President Barack Obama and the Democrats in Congress (41 per cent) than in the Republicans in Congress (34 per cent) when it comes to the looming debate on what the government should do about a more permanent extension of payroll tax cuts and unemployment benefits," Gallup said.

In another opinion poll, CNN said that Newt Gingrich, the former Speaker of the House of Representatives and a leading Republican presidential candidate, is slipping in his lead in Iowa, the State which will hold the first primary next week.

Whereas, Mitt Romney, who is now widely considered to bag the Republican presidential nomination, is solidifying his lead in another key State of New Hampshire.

"With less than a week to go until Republicans cast the first votes of the 2012 presidential race in Iowa, former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney and Texas congressman Ron Paul remain atop the field there, even as the fortunes of their closest competitors are quickly changing," CNN said referring to its new opinion poll.

Romney now leads the pack with support from 25 per cent of likely Iowa caucus-goers, while Paul boasts 22 per cent, both posting a five-point gain since early December.

While Romney's lead in Iowa is tenuous, his continued strength across the board raises the possibility that the establishment front-runner could win his party's nomination in a clean sweep.

Also the CNN said the new survey indicates that Rick Santorum, the former senator from Pennsylvania, is at 16 per cent support, up 11 points from the beginning of the month, with Gingrich at 14 per cent, down from 33 per cent in the previous poll.

Lokpal bill finally passed in Lok Sabha after many failures

Lokpal bill finally passed in Lok Sabha after many failures

NEW DELHI: The Manmohan Singh government managed to get the Lokpal bill passed in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday night. However, the anti-graft ombudsman will not have constitutional status as the government could not muster the required two-thirds majority in the Lower House.

The bill could face hurdles in the Rajya Sabha, where the Opposition has an upper hand. Severa

Opposition parties have objected to the bill being passed under Article 253, and not Article 252, of the Constitution.

The bill got the Lok Sabha's assent after the government gave in to demands from its allies to delete the provision that gives presiding officers the power to act against ministers and MPs even before trial is completed against them. While the government modified the section that allows Lokpal to take up a complaint against the prime minister - it can now be done with the consent of two-thirds of the panel and not three-fourths, as mooted in the original bill - it agreed to exclude armed forces from the purview of the anti-graft body.

Although the government bought peace with its allies by making the consent of state governments mandatory for the notification to set up Lokayuktas in states, it failed to get the Opposition on board.

"This Lokpal Bill may not be the best, but it is good... It does not mean we should give up good to achieve best. But it discusses many issues, and incorporates many suggestions," Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said while winding up the nine-hour debate in the Lok Sabha. The government can now claim it did its bit by ensuring the bill's passage in the Lok Sabha.

TRINAMOOL, DMK BACK OPPOSITION

The fate of the bill looked uncertain on Tuesday evening with every speaker, barring those from the Congress, attacking the bill for 'encroaching' on the powers of state legislatures, vesting large powers with the government in the appointment as well as removal of the Lokpal, and for giving presiding officers the power to take action against a member before trial.

The Trinamool Congress and DMK, which broke off from the UPA, backed the Opposition's charge that the bill represented an assault on the country's federal structure. Trinamool's Kalyan Banerjee, who spearheaded the attack, said the Centre cannot form the law under Article 253 that gives the Centre overriding powers to legislate on matters relating to international conventions. "Don't undermine the rights of state legislatures. The anti-graft bill is on public services. How can a law that qualifies for being under Article 252 be brought under Article 253?" he asked. This line got the backing of the DMK.

Defending the bill, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who spoke before the Trinamool MP, argued that federalism cannot be an impediment in the war against corruption.

Although the government mollified its allies by the amendments mooted by it at the end of the debate, the numerical deficit for it in the Rajya Sabha will make things difficult.

The UPA has just 94 MPs in the Upper House, while the Opposition has 136 members. The combined strength of the SP, BSP and RJD is 27. In other words, even if the government manages the support of the SP, BSP and RJD, it would still be behind the Opposition's tally. Incidentally, both SP and BSP walked out of the Lok Sabha ahead of voting on the bill. Senior Opposition leaders, who are co-ordinating the efforts against the bill, said the BJP, Left, BSP, AIADMK, JD(U) and BJD have agreed to obstruct the passage of the bill in the Rajya Sabha.

The Opposition in the Rajya Sabha has already drawn the red lines. "The ombudsman has to be constituted under Article 252. NGOs should be kept out of the purview of the Lokpal. The other non-negotiable is the appointment and removal of the Lokpal. The appointment panel is loaded in favour of the government," said an Opposition leader.

Sibal-Sushma spar over Lokpal Bill in Lok Sabha

 

 

The Lokpal Bill debate in the Lok Sabha got off to a stormy start with the Government and the Opposition accusing each other of playing politics over the legislation. While the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP and Leader of Opposition Sushma Swaraj demanded that the Lokpal Bill should be sent back to Parliamentary Standing Committee, claiming that there were several flaws and inconsistencies in the proposed legislation; the Government countered it by saying that it was a perfect Bill and will be able to tackle corruption.
When Sibal started responding to the Leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj's objections to the Bill, he was interrupted by Opposition MPs. Sibal, however, said, "If the Bill is passed, it will be a historical moment, but if it is delayed, people won't forgive the ones interrupting."
Responding to Sushma Swaraj's objections that the Bill violated the federal structure, Sibal quoted Article 252 of the Constitution saying that it talks of criminality and criminal charges and not of corruption.
Sibal also accused the BJP of not being keen on getting the Lokpal Bill passed. "It is a political conspiracy. The BJP does not want the Lokpal Bill to be cleared," Sibal said in the Lok Sabha.
He claimed that the BJP was speaking in different languages and was itself confused on its stand on the Lokpal Bill. "The BJP's dissent note to Standing the Committee was different. Sushma is now talking about something else," Sibal said.
Sibal also attacked the BJP over the corruption cases against the party's leaders in Karnataka. "The BJP attacks the government on corruption in Parliament, but embraces corruption in states, Karnataka is a case in point here. What happened in Karnataka should be an eye opener for the BJP," Sibal said, following which there was an uproar in the House.
Attacking the BJP for not bringing Lokayuktas in its states, Sibal said, "The BJP blames others for its corruption. Who is stopping the BJP from bringing strong Lokayuktas in states, why has it not done so yet?"
Responding to the BJP's objection to the issue of reservation in the Lokpal, Sibal said there was nothing unconstitutional about it. "The Lokpal is not a government job to say that the minority quota is wrong," Sibal said. "The Bill has to be inclusive to be fair to all sections," he added.
Defending the selection and appointment procedure of the Lokpal, Sibal said, "The government will choose the right people from all sections. The government does not want a body which is not answerable to anybody."
Sibal also challenged the BJP to bring strong Lokayuktas in its states, following which Sushma Swaraj agitatedly made statement, saying, "We will pass a strong Lokpal and a strong Lokayukta."
Defending the government over the CBI's autonomy, Sibal said that CBI director has administrative independence and any inquiry conducted by the agency will be free from political pressure."
This came after Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj demanded that the Lokpal Bill should be withdrawn, claiming that there were flaws and inconsistencies in the proposed legislation to deal with corruption.
Showing dissent over the government's Lokpal draft, she had said, "It can't go against the basic structures of the Constitution. This bill is talking of Lokpal and Lokayukta both. State employees will be looked after by Lokyukta. The bill can't force states to follow the diktat of the Centre."
On the provision of the minority quota in Lokpal, she had said, "50 per cent reservation provision in the Bill is against the Supreme Court's verdict on reservation. There is no reservation for constitutional posts."
"Reservation based on religion has also been introduced. It is not acceptable. Without reservation, many people from minority community have held the highest positions in India. Of 12 Presidents, 4 Presidents were from minority communities," she said.
"Five Chief Justices were also from minority communities. Religious Quota will divide the nation," she added.
Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs V Narayanasamy moved the Lokpal Bill for discussion in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, but was interrupted by RJD chief Lalu Prasad who said that the Lokpal legislation violates the federal structure.

Guess who’s the real ‘dictator’: Not Team Anna, but Sonia

It has become fashionable among parliamentarians of all hues to hyperventilate about the “dictatorial attitude” of Team Anna for its refusal to compromise on the core tenets of a strong anti-corruption agency.
The hyperbolic Mani Shankar Aiyar went into paroxysms of rage the other day on prime-time television and ranted about the obduracy of Team Anna, whom he branded the “Frankenstein’s monster”. Lalu Prasad Yadav’s methods were different – he played the court jester’s role to perfection in his speech in Parliament – but he too portrayed Team Anna as the Great Dictator who was holding parliament to ransom.
Lalu expanded on that theme in a television interview to Shekhar Gupta. “I am not a dictator,” he claimed. “But his (Anna Hazare’s) team… looks like confirmed dictators… Team Anna wants a lock put on parliament. But it is our (MPs’) duty to guard it.”

Anna Hazare is more a petitioner than a dictator. PTI

Even the tone of media commentaries has over time changed to one of weariness with the “inflexibility” of Team Anna and its perceived resort to “extremist”, “moral absolutist” methods in pressing for a strong Lokpal bill.
With Anna preparing for his third round of fast even as parliament is set to debate the Lokpal Bill – and Sachin Tendulkar takes guard in Melbourne in his quest for his 100th century! – ‘Anna ennui’ is setting in among many journalists.
Some of this is deliberate myth-making intended in some ways to discredit the popular movement for a strong Lokpal. As anti-corruption activist Arvind Kejriwal explains in an interview to NDTV, to claim that Team Anna is resorting to an absolutist “my way or the highway” approach is “a wrong accusation.”
Tracing the course that the campaign for a Lokpal Bill had taken from the time it was first drafted by Team Anna in December 2010, he says:
“After that this bill, through several public consultations, several seminars, several meetings, has gone through 14 versions. And if you see the latest version and compare it to the first one, it has completely undergone a change. And we are still seeking suggestions from the people. There were 3,000 suggestions that we got from the website itself. We’ve incorporated many of these suggestions.”
Given the admirable flexibility of approach that Team Anna had exhibited and its readiness to incorporate well-meaning suggestions, it is “completely wrong” to say that Team Anna was unbudging and resorting to an extremist attitude of “either this bill or no other bill”.” If anybody was guilty of adopting a “my way or the highway approach,” he said, it was the government, which, now having tabled some form of a Lokpal Bill, remains impervious to suggestions to remedy its failings.
Of failings, the Lokpal Bill as tabled in parliament has plenty. The Hindu notes in a punchy editorial that the Bill represents a case of “one step forward, two steps back.”
The bill, it says, is “nothing less than a betrayal of national trust. It is inexcusable that a Bill, substantially weaker than the August 2011 version… has been tabled.” If the intention was to create a “strong, effective, and credible mechanism to go after corruption, especially political corruption,” the key provisions of the new bill “mock that purpose.”
It is to highlight these deficiencies in the bill in the hope that parliament will fix them that Team Anna has reignited its campaign. To say that this is a manifestation of an unyielding “dictatorial” attitude is utter fallacy, which only takes attention away from the bill’s failings that need to be addressed.
In the ultimate analysis, Team Anna does not have the power of a “dictator” because it does not have the muscle to get bills passed: all it can do is to pitch for and advocate for a strong Lokpal Bill, and its interventions are limited to that. If anything, the power to get bills rammed through by railroading all opposition lies elsewhere – with Sonia Gandhi – and that power is being wilfully abused.
As Open magazine’s political editor Hartosh Singh Bal points out, the manner in which Sonia Gandhi rammed the Food Security Bill through the Cabinet, silencing critics of the Bill within the selfsame Cabinet, “is at least as problematic” as the debate over the Lokpal Bill.
It’s true that Sonia Gandhi, as the elected leader of the largest party in parliament, has earned the right to influence legislation, but does it give her the right to steamroll legitimate criticism – even within the Cabinet – to get the bill through, without even addressing any of these concerns meaningfully? The doubts about the Food Security Bill go to the core of its being: it isn’t at all sure that foodgrains of the magnitude that the scheme envisages can be procured, or that the economy can sustain the fiscal burden.
Yet, at Sonia Gandhi’s imperious intervention, these objections have been suppressed to get the bill to breeze through the Cabinet.
“When Sonia Gandhi rides roughshod over serious objections for the sake of a few state elections looming ahead, we see an abdication of governance far more severe than in the Lokpal Bill’s case,” says Bal.
On the one hand, you have a popular movement that doesn’t have any legislative power, which is banging its head against the walls of parliament to seek to influence lawmakers, but has failed miserably thus far – to the point where the Lokpal Bill that is now in parliament is a weak one. In their defence, Team Anna members at least present themselves in public and make their case for a stronger Lokpal Bill.
On the other hand, you have a Rajmata who has her regal way by trampling legitimate criticism from within her own government and gets a fiscally ruinous bill rammed through – and won’t even appear in public to address the concerns relating to the bill.
Guess who is the real “dictator” here…

THE CHRONOLOGICAL HISTORY OF THE CHRISTMAS TREE

                   




hy do we have a decorated Christmas Tree? In the 7th century a monk from Crediton, Devonshire, went to Germany to teach the Word of God. He did many good works there, and spent much time in Thuringia, an area which was to become the cradle of the Christmas Decoration Industry.
Legend has it that he used the triangular shape of the Fir Tree to describe the Holy Trinity of God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. The converted people began to revere the Fir tree as God's Tree, as they had previously revered the Oak. By the 12th century it was being hung, upside-down, from ceilings at Christmastime in Central Europe, as a symbol of Christianity.
The first decorated tree was at Riga in Latvia, in 1510. In the early 16th century, Martin Luther is said to have decorated a small Christmas Tree with candles, to show his children how the stars twinkled through the dark night.
                   

Christmas Markets
In the mid 16th century, Christmas markets were set up in German towns, to provide everything from Christmas presents, food and more practical things such as a knife grinder to sharpen the knife to carve the Christmas Goose! At these fairs, bakers made shaped gingerbreads and wax ornaments for people to buy as souvenirs of the fair, and take home to hang on their Christmas Trees.
The best record we have is that of a visitor to Strasbourg in 1601. He records a tree decorated with "wafers and golden sugar-twists (Barleysugar) and paper flowers of all colours". The early trees were biblically symbolic of the Paradise Tree in the Garden of Eden. The many food items were symbols of Plenty, the flowers, originally only red (for Knowledge) and White (for Innocence).
Tinsel
Tinsel was invented in Germany around 1610. At that time real silver was used, and machines were invented which pulled the silver out into the wafer thin strips for tinsel. Silver was durable, but tarnished quickly, especially with candlelight. Attempts were made to use a mixture of lead and tin, but this was heavy and tended to break under its own weight so was not so practical. So silver was used for tinsel right up to the mid-20th century.
The First English Trees
The Christmas Tree first came to England with the Georgian Kings who came from Germany. At this time also, German Merchants living in England decorated their homes with a Christmas Tree. The British public were not fond of the German Monarchy, so did not copy the fashions at Court, which is why the Christmas Tree did not establish in Britain at that time. A few families did have Christmas trees however, probably more from the influence of their German neighbours than from the Royal Court. 



The decorations were Tinsels, silver wire ornaments, candles and small beads. All these had been manufactured in Germany and East Europe since the 17th century. The custom was to have several small trees on tables, one for each member of the family, with that persons gifts stacked on the table under the tree.

The Victorian and Albert Tree

In 1846, the popular Royals, Queen Victoria and her German Prince, Albert, were illustrated in the Illustrated London News. They were standing with their children around a Christmas Tree. Unlike the previous Royal family, Victoria was very popular with her subjects, and what was done at Court immediately became fashionable - not only in Britain, but with fashion-conscious East Coast American Society. The English Christmas Tree had arrived!
Decorations were still of a 'home-made' variety. Young Ladies spent hours at Christmas Crafts, quilling snowflakes and stars, sewing little pouches for secret gifts and paper baskets with sugared almonds in them. Small bead decorations, fine drawn out silver tinsel came from Germany together with beautiful Angels to sit at the top of the tree. Candles were often placed into wooden hoops for safety.

Mid-Victorian Tree
In 1850's Lauscha began to produce fancy shaped glass bead garlands for the trees, and short garlands made from necklace 'bugles' and beads. These were readily available in Germany but not produced in sufficient quantities to export to Britain. The Rauschgoldengel was a common sight. Literally, 'Tingled-angel', bought from the Thuringian Christmas markets, and dressed in pure gilded tin.
The 1860's English Tree had become more innovative than the delicate trees of earlier decades. Small toys were popularly hung on the branches, but still most gifts were placed on the table under the tree.
Around this time, the Christmas tree was spreading into other parts of Europe. The Mediterranean countries were not too interested in the tree, preferring to display only a Creche scene. Italy had a wooden triangle platform tree called as 'CEPPO'. This had a Creche scene as well as decorations.
The German tree was beginning to suffer from mass destruction! It had become the fashion to lop off the tip off a large tree to use as a Christmas Tree, which prevented the tree from growing further. Statutes were made to prevent people having more than one tree.
Just as the first trees introduced into Britain did not immediately take off, the early trees introduced into America by the Hessian soldiers were not recorded in any particular quantity. The Pennsylvanian German settlements had community trees as early as 1747.
America being so large, tended to have 'pockets' of customs relating to the immigrants who had settled in a particular area, and it was not until the communications really got going in the 19th century, that such customs began to spread. Thus references to decorated trees in America before about the middle of the 19th century are very rare.
By the 1870's, Glass ornaments were being imported into Britain from Lauscha, in Thuringia. It became a status symbol to have glass ornaments on the tree, the more one had, the better ones status! Still many home-made things were seen. The Empire was growing, and the popular tree topper was the Nation's Flag, sometimes there were flags of the Empire and flags of the allied countries. Trees got very patriotic.
They were imported into America around 1880, where they were sold through stores such as FW Woolworth. They were quickly followed by American patents for electric lights (1882), and metal hooks for safer hanging of decorations onto the trees (1892)
High Victorian Trees
The 1880's saw a rise of the Aesthetic Movement. At this time Christmas Trees became a glorious hotchpotch of everything one could cram on; or by complete contrast the aesthetic trees which were delicately balanced trees, with delicate colours, shapes and style. they also grew to floor standing trees. The limited availability of decorations in earlier decades had kept trees by necessity to, usually table trees. Now with decorations as well as crafts more popular than ever, there was no excuse. Still a status symbol, the larger the tree - the more affluent the family which sported it.
The High Victorian of the 1890's was a child's joy to behold! As tall as the room, and crammed with glitter and tinsel and toys galore. Even the 'middleclasses' managed to over-decorate their trees. It was a case of 'anything goes'. Everything that could possibly go on a tree went onto it.
By 1900 themed trees were popular. A colour theme set in ribbons or balls, a topical idea such as an Oriental Tree, or an Egyptian Tree. They were to be the last of the great Christmas Trees for some time. With the death of Victoria in 1903, the Nation went into mourning and fine trees were not really in evidence until the nostalgia of the Dickensian fashion of the 1930's.
The American Tree
In America, Christmas Trees were introduced into several pockets - the German Hessian Soldiers took their tree customs in the 18th century. In Texas, Cattle Barons from Britain took their customs in the 19th century, and the East Coast Society copied the English Court tree customs.
Settlers from all over Europe took their customs also in the 19th century. Decorations were not easy to find in the shanty towns of the West, and people began to make their own decorations. Tin was pierced to create lights and lanterns to hold candles which could shine through the holes. Decorations of all kinds were cutout, stitched and glued. The General Stores were hunting grounds for old magazines with pictures, rolls of Cotton Batting (Cotton Wool), and tinsel, which was occasionally sent from Germany or brought in from the Eastern States. The Paper 'Putz' or Christmas Crib was a popular feature under the tree, especially in the Moravian Dutch communities which settled in Pennsylvania.
The British tree in the 20th century
After Queen Victoria died, the country went into mourning, and the tree somehow died with her for a while in many homes. While some families and community groups still had large tinsel strewn trees, many opted for the more convenient table top tree. These were available in a variety of sizes, and the artificial tree, particularly the Goose Feather Tree, became popular. These were originally invented in the 1880's in Germany, to combat some of the damage being done to Fir trees in the name of Christmas.
In America, the Addis Brush Company created the first brush trees, using the same machinery which made their toilet brushes! These had an advantage over the feather tree in that they would take heavier decorations.
After 1918, because of licensing and export problems, Germany was not able to export its decorations easily. The market was quickly taken up by Japan and America, especially in Christmas Tree lights.
Britain's Tom Smith Cracker Company which has exported Christmas goods for over three decades, began to manufacture trees themselves for a short while.
In the 1930's There was a revival of Dickensian nostalgia, particularly in Britain. Christmas cards all sported Crinoline ladies with muffs and bonnets popular in the 1840's. Christmas Trees became large, and real again, and were decorated with many bells, balls and tinsels, and with a beautiful golden haired angel at the top. But wartime England put a stop to many of these trees. It was forbidden to cut trees down for decoration, and with so many raids, many people preferred to keep their most precious heirloom Christmas tree decorations carefully stored away in metal boxes, and decorated only a small tabletop tree with home-made decorations, which could be taken down into the shelters for a little Christmas cheer, when the air-raid sirens went.
Large trees were erected however in public places to give morale to the people at this time.
Postwar Britain saw a revival of the nostalgic again. people needed the security of Christmas, which is so unchanging in a changing world, as one of the symbols to set them back on their feet. Trees were as large as people could afford. Many poorer families still used the tabletop Goosefeather trees, Americas Addis Brush Trees were being imported into Britain, and these became immensely popular for a time. But the favourites were still real trees. The popular decorations were all produced by a British manufacturer, Swanbrand. and sold by FW Woolworth in Britain. Translucent plastic lock together shapes, Honeycomb paper Angels, 'glow-in the -dark icicles; also Polish glass balls and birds In South Wales, where real trees were often difficult to find in the rural areas, Holly Bushes were decorated.
The mid-1960's saw another change. A new world was on the horizon, and modernist ideas were everywhere. Silver aluminium trees were imported from America. The 'Silver Pine' tree, patented in the 1950's, was designed to have a revolving light source under it, with coloured gelatine 'windows, which allowed the light to shine in different shades as it revolved under the tree. No decorations were needed for this tree.
Decorations became sparse. Glass balls and lametta created an 'elegant' modern tree. Of course, many families ignored fashion and carried on putting their own well loved decorations on their trees!
America made a return to Victorian nostalgia in the 1970's, and it was a good decade later that Britain followed the fashion. By the at first this was a refreshing look, and manufacturers realising the potential created more and more fantastic decorations. Some American companies specialised in antique replicas, actually finding the original makers in Europe to recreate wonderful glass ornaments, real silver tinsels and pressed foil 'Dresdens'.
Real Christmas Trees were popular, but many housewives preferred the convenience of the authentic looking artificial trees which were being manufactured. If your room was big enough, you could have a 14 foot artificial Spruce right there in your living room, without a single dropped needle - and so good that it fooled everyone at first glance. There are even pine scented sprays to put on the tree for that 'real tree smell'!
The late 1990's tree has taken the Victorian idea, but with new themes and conceptual designs. The Starry Starry Night Tree, The Twilight Tree, The Snow Queen Tree.....
These trees are still with us - what will the new millennium bring? Well, I do have some inside knowledge - but its a secret! Watch this space!

Lokpal Bill weak, Anna's fast will go on: Kejriwal

New Delhi: Key Team Anna member Arvind Kejriwal on Friday reiterated that Anna Hazare's fast against the "weak" Lokpal Bill will go on, no matter where it is held. Kejriwal said that Mumbai is Team Anna's first choice for the fast but if there is any problem in getting the venue, then the fast can take place in any other city.

"The fast will take place. I am sure that there are enough places in the country to fast. The first preference is Mumbai," said Kejriwal in an exclusive interview to CNN-IBN.
Kejriwal said that the plan to hold the fast before conclusion of the winter session is to keep the MPs under pressure over the Lokpal Bill.
"All that we are doing is that we are sitting outside. Parliament will discuss the Lokpal inside the House, and we are sitting outside and protesting," said Kejriwal.
"It is a constant engagement with Parliament. Idea was to find a credible deterrence against corruption not to table the Lokpal Bill," he said.
Kejriwal also said that he has serious doubt on the Government's intent over the Lokpal Bill.
"There are doubts about the Bill being passed. The Government tabled the Bill eight times before. This is the ninth time the Government has tabled the Bill. After what happened yesterday, there are serious doubts that any bill would come out of the Lokpal, leave alone a strong Lokpal Bill," said Kejriwal.
Advocating that the voice of Team Anna is the people's voice, Kejriwal said, "There should not be any violence, but discussions. It's a people movement, we are directly accountable to people."
"In a democracy it's good that there are divergent voices. All divergent voices are reaching Parliament. Now it's for parliament to decide what's wrong or right," he added.
Talking on the issue of inclusion of the CBI, Kejriwal said, "The CBI's independence is a legitimate question. We have raised what should be the selection process, removal process, suspension process. Bill in its present form is completely unworkable."

               

Uncertainty: Turning Fear and Doubt Into Fuel for Brilliance" - on embracing uncertainty, risk and fear and transforming them into catalysts for innovation, creativity and genius.

Should Your 14 Year Old Be On Facebook?

         


               

True story, here’s how it went down…
I’m hanging out with a friend, a mom who has a 14 year old daughter.
The following conversation unfolds:

Daughter: Hey mom, can I have a Facebook account, all my friends are on it and I’m the only one who’s not.

Mom: No

Daughter: Pleeeeease, I’m the only kid who’s not on it.

Mom: No

Daughter: That’s so unfair, why can’t I have one?

Mom: I don’t want everything about you posted online for everyone to see, where all kinds of wackos can find you. And, especially, if you put up pictures, which I know all your friends do. I don’t want strangers knowing what you look like, where you live or really anything about you.

Daughter: But, nobody can see my profile unless I friend them, so it’s like totally private. Plus, I’ll even friend you, so you can see everything I’m doing.

Mom & Daughter: Jonathan…PLEEEZ, you’re a cyber dork, you gotta help us.

Jonathan (to daughter): Let me ask you a question, do your friends talk about you and what they do with you on their Facebook pages?

Daughter: Yes, every day.

Jonathan: And, do they post pictures of them and you on their Facebook pages?

Daughter: Yes, all over the place!

Jonathan: So, you’re actually already on Facebook, as you said, all over the place, but since you don’t have an account, you have no way to easily monitor what’s happening with your image and what people are saying about you, except when you’re at your friend’s houses and they’re on Facebook..with you?

Daughter: Yup!

Mom: Hmmm…

This is a tough one.
We all want our kids to be safe. And, it’s a new world where the rules are changing really, really fast.

So, what’s the answer here?
Let’s discuss…

With Regards:
Aashish Mittal

Investing in Gold - How to Go About It?

Gold continues to be a popular form of investment right for a very long time. People prefer to invest in gold because the returns are usually high and above all gold is a very famous ornament. Even if they don't get good returns they wont face losses because their cosmetic purposes will be served. Some tend to posses gold even as a matter of prestige. It is regarded to be a good source of investment as it controls inflations and even helps you to raise finances in the future.

Gold Markets

Gold is traded in many markets around the globe. London and New York are supposed to be large markets for gold and they function through the day. It is worth mentioning that Kong Kong and Zurich market are also open to trading for 24 hours. The gold market functions like a stock exchange in l aspects of buying selling and determination of prices though the fact remains that different factors influence the price.

World Gold Council

World gold council is a forum of gold producers around the globe. The basic objective of this body is to disseminate information regarding investing in gold and also to create an awareness among the masses. They also lay down lot of guidelines for small scale producer's traders, consumers and other stakeholders. The association is headquartered in Geneva.

Is investing in Gold a Good Idea?

If you are thinking of returns or results in the short term then gold is probably not the right option. Investing in gold is no doubt a profitable option as it can be quickly converted to cash. It is a convenient as you can carry it easily wherever you go unless the quantity is very high. Since the performance of gold market s directly proportional to stock market it becomes easy to make calculations.

Gold-A Precious Metal as Investment

Gold enjoys innumerable advantages over other metallic forms. Platinum investment is very risky and moreover it is not easily convertible to cash. If you take the case of silver, it does not enjoy huge prospects in terms of financial gain. Moreover silver occupies lots of space when compared with gold and so you it can cost you more for transporting. This should sound out to be worthless propositions given the monetary benefits are not promising.

Factors to be considered before Investing in Gold

You need to be very careful about investing in gold because unlike stock or other markets you don't have the option of investing a small amount. You must do lot of research and have a strong knowledge about the market information. You must decide how you are going to allocate it in the portfolio. Some investors choose to invest only in gold and not in any other sources. However this practice won't be suitable for all. Therefore you must first check up if you are falling under this category. Some other issues that are to be considered are as follows:

Factors that Influence Gold Price

Like any other resource the supply and demand constitutes to be an important factor in determining the price of gold. Since gold is a precious asset people even hoard it and its demand and price could increase drastically during inflation and even when there are wars. The price of gold shows an upward trend in most cases irrespective of the consequences due to the sentiment which people owe to the metal. They are prepared to pay any price for it.

Gold Investment Strategies

Some of the investors prefer to buy gold when the price increases because of the popular belief that it will increase further more and they can make profits by selling them thereafter. Other investors choose to buy gold when prices decline so that they can sell them at a higher profit when the prices increase. Another group of investors will make their decisions by testing if the current trend in pricing changes or not.

                         

    "Speed money now funds the government's budget deficit too.... This is easier than raising taxes" ...