Supercars and high speed are a part of every car enthusiast's fantasy. They are like endangered species rare enough to keep attracting our attention over and over again and never do we seem to get bored with them. We have compiled for you a list of some of the world's fastest street-legal cars.
However, identifying the world's fastest car isn't as easy as one would expect, as there are a number of criteria that go in to putting together the world's fastest car. Some models are well known for their 0-100 kmph acceleration, while some have engines with horsepower outputs comparable to rockets. Yet, there are some which can accelerate from standstill to 100 kmph within the blink of an eye. However, we decided to present to you only the top 10 street-legal factory-made, fastest cars in the world in terms of maximum speed, as declared by the manufacturers.
Barabus TKR
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For those who thought that Veyron would take the first spot hands down, there is news for you. Barabus TRK is the latest offering in the list of the fastest super cars, having dethroned the Bugatti beast.
Designed, engineered, certified and marketed by a British company called Barabus Sportscars Limited, and produced in Italy, TKR was conceived to combine more power than a Formula One racecar with the driving pleasure of a road car. TKR has 1005 bhp, and can do 0 to 100 kmph in an unbelievably 1.67 seconds. With a relatively small engine, as compared to other fastest cars, this 6-litre V8 twin-turbocharged with dual intercoolers has a declared top speed of 435 kmph, nearly 20 km more than that of Veyron.
Bugatti Veyron
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Many people think this monster is still the fastest car in the world. With a proven top speed of 408 kmph, Buggati Veyron comes second in the list of fastest car. Also listed amongst the world's most expensive car, this French beauty can accelerate from 0 to 100 km in 2.5 seconds.
The Veyron is four-wheel-drive, and with four turbochargers, 8-litre W16 engine makes a minimum 1000 bhp. It is therefore no surprise to discover that the car contains 17 different cooling devices. A super-fast shifting seven-speed DSG (direct shift gear) gearbox and mega price-tag completes this ultimate high-speed package. Veyron weighs almost two tons, which makes it the heaviest car on the top 10 fastest cars list.
Koenigsegg CCX
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Having spent almost the entire century trying to capture the McLaren F1's top speed record, the Swedish supercar came up with Koenigsegg in 2005 which had a top speed of 387 kmph only to see Veyron re-arranging the list once again few months later.
So to bury the pain, the Swedish maker came up with a new version of Koenigsegg, CCX. However, they could not beat Veyron and managed to achieve a top speed of 403 kmph and is rated the third fastest car in the world. With 4.7-litre V8 twin superchargers engine, CCX develops 806 bhp and 915 Nm of torque, enough to propel a car from 0-100 kmph in 3.2 seconds. Read More ....
Tuesday, 30 October 2007
World's Fastest Cars
Apple's new OS: "Leopard" First look
Apple's upgraded Leopard operating system debuted this week as trend-setting iPods and iPhones cause the ranks of Macintosh computer lovers to swell.Eagerly-awaited by Apple's notoriously cultish followers.Leopard's release was delayed so the company's engineers could devote their time to getting iPhones to market in the United States in June.Rival Microsoft, whose software powers 90 per cent of the world's computers, released its own new operating system, Vista, in January.
Time Machine
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Leopard features include playful “iChat” video-conferencing and a “Time Machine” that resurrects lost data. The 3D Time Machine was inspired by a survey that indicated only 26 per cent of Macintosh users regularly backed up information on their machines to avoid losing it forever in system crashes.
The feature automatically copies music, pictures, applications, files and “absolutely everything” a person puts on their Macintosh, according to Apple vice president of platform experience Scott Forstall.
The operating system enables people to remotely search for files on all computers connected to their network. In the event a file is lost, users can search back through time to find deleted files, applications, photos and other digital media and then instantly restore the file. If required, Leopard can also restore an entire system from the Time Machine data on an external drive.
Widgets
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Leopard also has simple tools for people to create “widget” applications that stream feeds such as news or syndicated cartoons from websites onto small windows on computer screens.
It includes improved text-reading, Braille support and closed-captioning for people with disabilities. There's also a dictionary with Wikipedia built in, allowing users to access up-to-date information on any subject.
IChat Theatre
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Modifications to iChat allow people linked via Web cameras to share slide show presentations, playfully distort their pictures or insert fake backdrops.
iChat Theater makes it easy to show photos, presentations, videos or files in a video conference; screen sharing which lets users remotely view and operate another Mac; and Photo Booth effects for fun distortions and video backdrops that can instantly make users appear to be anywhere they choose.
Stack-up
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Another useful addition to Leopard is Stacks. It is a virtual “stack” of documents that lives in the dock area, giving users one-click access to files.
They can create their own Stack, when a user clicks on it, the Stack will display all the documents in a cascading pile. Downloads too are automatically added to the download Stack to help the user find them easily.
Mail Goes New
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The new OS also packs some new features in its email programme. There's Data detection software that will spot key words in messages, such as appointments, dates and times.
On running the cursor over these details and it will ask the user if he wants to add them to his calendar application as an event. Not only this, if it senses an address, it will even generate a Google Map. There are also additions like sticky notes and to-do lists.
Parental Controls
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Microsoft's Vista boasted it, so how could Apple be behind. Under Leopard's Parental Controls panel, if a user sets up multiple user accounts, including individual ones for children, he can manage and control the amount of time they can spend online (including different allowances for weekends and school nights) and the kind of websites they are allowed to access.
It also has content filters to weed out inappropriate content and activity logging to monitor their web use.
Embraces Microsoft
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Crucially, Leopard is the first Apple operating system that will also allow you to install a Windows operating system alongside it. The BootCamp programme has been available for download on some other Apple machines, but it required a level of technical expertise to install and run that some novice users may have found daunting.
In Leopard, it's all built in: you just need to buy a copy of Windows and let the BootCamp assistant guide you through the installation process.
Google Desktop
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Google Desktop for Mac has been updated adding support for the new Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard.
In addition to Leopard support, Google Desktop allows indexing of drives where Spotlight has been disabled Desktop no longer tries to index PGP disks; Time Machine won't back up Desktop indexes, nor will Desktop search Time Machine backups; and Desktop preferences pane now supports keyword searching in System Preferences for various settings.
Saturday, 27 October 2007
Four questions for India's selectors
The Challenger Series may provide the Indian national selectors with an idea of the bench strength available to them, but the October 27 meeting to pick the national side for the first two one-dayers against Pakistan is likely to focus on players who aren't in Ahmedabad.Lets look at the four key questions the selectors will need to answer
The Big Three
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Phasing out Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid is expected to be the moot point, and the selectors need to decide what direction to take. The clamour for youth has turned louder, especially after the World Twenty20 win in South Africa, and the selectors realise that giving in will allow them to groom a young and athletic side for the future.
The most logical option seems to be to play two of the three per game, resting the third on a rotation basis, but it's a move that's unlikely to be approved unanimously. Leaving Sachin Tendulkar out may be too thorny an issue for the selectors to handle; his scintillating one-day form - he has averaged 47.55 since June this year, with eight half-centuries - also works in his favour, as does the fact that he's tipped to be offered the Test captaincy.
Sourav Ganguly, averaging 40.12, with six fifties, since June, doesn't have similar leeway but his bowling, some selectors feel, adds an extra dimension to the side. However, the one whose spot is most under threat is Dravid, who has struggled in his last ten ODIs, with an average of 8.88.
Dravid has reached double figures on just three occasions, and missed out on the final one-dayer against Australia in Mumbai, where he was replaced by Dinesh Karthik. With promising middle-order batsmen like S Badrinath and Rohit Sharma pushing for slots, the selectors, it is understood, are inclined to "rest" Dravid, for the opening two matches at least.
The Test Captaincy
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The other big announcement concerns the Test captaincy - though the selectors have decided to defer that a bit. When the moment arrives, it is widely expected to be a two-horse race featuring Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Tendulkar. A two-captain policy, one for Tests and the other for the shorter formats, is unprecedented in India but the chances of Tendulkar being given another shot at the job, one that he last held in 2000, look increasingly likely at the moment.
With a big home series against Pakistan and an equally important away assignment in Australia coming up, the selectors might decide to offer the reins to the most experienced hand in Indian cricket. Tendulkar's Test captaincy record, spread over two terms, is a woeful one - he has won just four of 25 Tests - but the respect he commands from the entire side, and his talismanic value, would work in his favour. The selectors have three other options in front of them - India's winning-est captain, Ganguly, legspinner Anil Kumble, and middle-order batsman VVS Laxman - but these seem to be candidates only on paper.With Harbhajan Singh back in the frame, Powar and Chawla may not be automatic picks
Opening Gambit
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If Tendulkar and Ganguly keep their places, as is expected, it would be interesting to see which other opening options are considered. A few cracking cameos in the World Twenty20 gave Virender Sehwag an opening, but he faces stiff competition from his Delhi team-mate Gautam Gambhir. Robin Uthappa is the other opener in the fray but his ability to adjust to the middle order, and to up the ante when the field is spread out, should win him a place in any case.
How To Spin ?
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The England tour saw the emergence of Ramesh Powar and Piyush Chawla as India's new spin-combination but a lot has changed since. Both are fighting for spots with a couple of experienced hands, Harbhajan Singh and Murali Kartik, who have brought themselves back into the picture. Harbhajan has used the Twenty20 format to resurrect his one-day career while Kartik, varying his pace and length, turned in one fine spell after another against Australia.
Chawla, a revelation in the one-dayers in England, has recently returned from injury, but it will be surprising if the selectors recall him straight away. Powar was India's best bowler in the ODI series against England but insipid in the first three games against Australia. He might need to do more, with both ball and fitness, to regain his berth. A few months ago the Indian spin cupboard appeared bare; suddenly, it seems, the selectors are spoilt for choice.
India has fifth largest forex reserves in world
India on Friday joined the elite group of world's five biggest holders of foreign exchange reserves as it added about $4.5 billion last week to take the kitty to $261 billion. The country surpassed South Korea, which had $257 billion in forex reserves as of September-end, to stand at the fifth spot. While India reports its reserve position every week, South Korea does so on a monthly basis.
China leads the pack with $1,434 billion, followed by Japan ($946 billion), Russia ($440 billion) and Taiwan ($263 billion). According to RBI's weekly bulletin released on Friday, India's foreign exchange reserves increased by about $4.5 billion during the week ended October 19.
The rate at which the country's foreign exchange kitty is growing, especially after the US housing mortgage crisis, the country will soon overtake Taiwan. Among the BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China) countries, Brazil has the lowest foreign exchange reserves of $164 billion, according to the latest IMF data.
The other major holders of foreign exchange reserves in the world include Singapore ($152 billion), Hong Kong ($141 billion) and Germany ($126 billion). Total foreign currency reserves of the members of the Eurosystem, including countries which have adopted Euro as their currency, have been estimated at $453 billion.
India's foreign exchange reserves have continued to grow despite the efforts of the government and Reserve Bank to moderate inflows and encourage outflows through various policy initiatives.
Thursday, 25 October 2007
A deserving champion, Kimi Raikkonen
The most gripping season in Formula One’s recent history has just ended and the most deserving driver in Formula One’s recent history has won the Championship for the first time. But it was not as simple as it seems while reading this, Kimi Raikkonen has come from being down (and nearly out for some people) this season to beat the favorite Hamilton, and the defending Champion Alonso.
Though he was in with a shout coming into the final race of the championship along with Hamilton and Alonso who were 7 and 3 points ahead of him, he had the slimmest chance to win the title, especially after qualifying 3rd behind team mate Massa and Hamilton and just ahead of Alonso in 4th. To take the Championship, Kimi had to win the race, Hamilton must finish 7th or lower, and Alonso must finish 3rd or lower.
All Kimi could do in this race is to come first from his third place start by overtaking Hamilton and his team mate Massa, the rest was up to chance as it depended on where the two Mclarens finished. Kimi made a perfect start overtaking Hamilton before the first corner and later in the race overtook his team mate Massa, to play his part perfectly. What happened to the Mclarens was sheer bad luck for the team which had to come off, as they had been relatively lucky throughout the season when compared with Ferrari. And the final result of the race was just the way it had to be for Kimi – Kimi winning with Alonso 3rd and Hamilton 7th. Kimi won the championship with 110 points with the two Mclarens in 2nd and 3rd places with 109 points each.
So, after winning so many hearts through last 5 seasons Kimi Raikkonen has finally won what he wanted the most and was very close to winning, on two previous occasions – The Formula One World Championship. He believed in himself from the very first race of the season and no matter what the situation was, he always said he could win the championship and when he finally won, he was nearly stunned. We did not see any vibrant and passionate celebration from him, but it was happiness which came through his face and his interview after the race. He speaks minimal compared to the two Mclaren drivers and lets his driving do the talking. He has been one of the most unlucky drivers in the past few seasons and has lost the championship twice coz of pure bad luck. He had his share of bad luck this season as well, and he also committed mistakes which every driver is bound to make, but the important thing is that he kept his cool and produced results when they mattered, no wonder he is called the ‘Iceman’ and the ‘Flying Finn’ by his fans.
Victory for Kimi also underlines the fact that Formula One is a team sport and its not just about having the best driver or the best car. Mclaren had the best car for most part of the season and their drivers were equally competitive, but a major differentiator in the final result was the way Ferrari performed as a team when compared to Mclaren. Also, Kimi’s team mate Massa, played his role brilliantly and the bonding between the two drivers was far better than the uneasy combination of Hamilton and Alonso.
As for Hamilton, I would say “welcome to Formula One”, and I am happy that he did not win the championship. No wonder he is a very good driver, but there are others who are equally good and maybe better than him. Just because he had the best car on show and was a favorite for his team boss does not mean he would be the world champion. He also involved himself in a verbal tussle with his team mate, which reflected his overconfidence and was one of the reasons for his fluctuating performance towards the later half of the season, according to me.
Fernando Alonso was the defending champion and he drove like a champion on many occasions during the season. Although, I have always been his critic, I have started to appreciate him as a driver as the season has gone by. Unfortunately, he could not click in the Mclaren team, the reason for this could be the team boss, his team mate, or he himself, and I would leave it up to him to decide on this. One thing seems sure that he is not going to stay at Mclaren for the next season.
For India, the season ended with an announcement that from the next season, the Spyker team would be renamed as Force India. Vijay Mallya had bought this team recently and by renaming it to include ‘India’ in the name, I don’t think he has done the right thing, considering the current performance of the team (just finished with 1 point this season). Unless Mr. Mallya puts loads into the R&D for this team and transforms it into a competitive car within next 5 months, I fear he will present a rather poor face of India in the world of Formula One.
Wednesday, 24 October 2007
India is my favourite side to beat: Hayden
Matthew Hayden derives almost a sadistic pleasure when he silences a choc-a-bloc Indian stadium with a match-winning knock or a brutal shot and the towering Australian opener says nothing matches the elation he gets after thrashing the 'Men in Blue'.
Just back from an ill-tempered One-day series against India, which his side won 4-2, Hayden said India had replaced England as his favourite punching bag with the bat.
"I think India is close on being my favourite side to beat. They've almost taken the number one seed off England in a lot of ways," Hayden was quoted as saying by 'Sydney Morning Herald'.
"It's a side that within it's psyche has amazing highs and amazing lows. So it doesn't take long to realise they're at a low when you're standing in front of 70,000 people at a stadium and you can hear a pin drop.
"It's a great position to be in and you know you've got them beat," he said.
"Our ambition is to keep their crowd as quiet as we possibly can and just play good cricket. It's not a personal thing," added Hayden, an old Team India nemesis.
The hard-hitting opener said India doomed themselves by pretending to match the Australians in the aggression stake, which only ended up spurring Ricky Ponting's men to thrash them in the One-day series.
"I think it's one of the greatest misconceptions of this side ever, that it's aggressive. I think what we are, it extends from our culture, is just having a great mateship and camaraderie within any kind of team," Hayden said.
"You put any 12 blokes together and you'll get a job done. Whether it's getting a bogged four-wheel-drive off the beach or standing in front of a cricket wicket and making sure we're in a dominant position. It's the same dog, different leg action, so to speak," he said.
"I think it shows an insecurity to do anything else other than that. All it really does is just amp up the intensity of the way we play our cricket. It's a good thing for us.
"You never want an Australian with his back up against the wall. We saw that last summer against England, you're seeing that now with this verbal jousting that's happening between India and Australia," Hayden said.
On his career, Hayden said he was enjoying every bit of it and was in no mood to even think about when to call it quits.
"It's been a positive in terms of my career in that I don't really look too far ahead. And I don't speculate too much, I don't get a lot of momentum about what's happened in the past either.
"I guess for me a marker is how much I'm enjoying hitting cricket balls. I can honestly say that when I pick up this bat and walk out, whether it be in the middle or in the nets, it's something I still have a tremendous passion for," he said.
"I almost feel like it's an undying passion at this stage. And until that starts to waver, I can't see myself finishing. And I know that's a ridiculous thing to say but at this stage I'm not going anywhere," he said.
Tuesday, 23 October 2007
Dancing down the wind
Kaoma-Lambada
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Havana nights
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Dirty dancing - time of my life
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Dirty Dancing 2
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Enough of aggression, Sreesanth should perform now: McGrath
Having talked the talk, volatile Team India pacer S Sreesanth now needs to back up his aggression with performance and prove his worth, said Australia's former spearhead Glenn McGrath.Though no more part of the team, McGrath keenly followed Australia's just-concluded One-day series against India, which saw heated altercations with Sreesanth featuring in quite a few of them. McGrath said it was high time the youngster delivered the goods with the ball."At the end of the day you've got to be able to back it up. You can talk the talk but if you can't go out there and perform then you're not going to be around for very long," McGrath was quoted as saying by 'The Australian'.
The lanky pacer also doubted that Sreesanth's on-field aggression was not natural at all."I've had a chat with him a few times and it doesn't seem to be in his character," he said."He's trying to be aggressive and it's a little bit unusual.
"You want your fast bowler to be aggressive. Giving blokes send-offs or sledging when you talk back I don't agree with but that's up to the officials to sort out," McGrath said.
And he warned the Indian team to expect enough hostility when they arrive here later in the summer to play four Test matches."The Indians really don't like the quicker or bouncier wickets so we'll wait and see what happens."I'm sure they'll come and try to be aggressive but I think no-one does it better than the Australian team," McGrath said.An Australian team going through a re-building would live up to the expectations in the series, he said.
"I think it's going to be an interesting and exciting time for Australian cricket with the young guys putting their hands up."I think the first thing is who's going to be selected in the team and when they (India) come out I think the brand of cricket Australia plays we'll be right over here," he said.McGrath did a yeoman service to the Australian team before leaving on his own term. Commenting on the current pace attack options, the 'Pigeon' said Australia faced a problem of plenty.
"It will be interesting to see which way they go. The way Mitchell Johnson has bowled over in India - he's definitely put his hand up. Brett Lee's coming back, Shaun Tait's down in South Australia there and is coming good again."You look at the next 18 months, two years, there's a lot of cricket so I dare say there's going to be a big turnover in players."He, however, was not that sure about someone filling the void created by Shane Warne's retirement even though he praised both Stuart MacGill and Brad Hogg."Warney is probably a different kettle of fish. "We've got a couple of front-line spinners - the way Stuart MacGill's showed his form through his career, Brad Hogg the way he's bowled - so I think it won't be too bad in the near future," he said."We'll see how the younger spinners come through and that will be key for Australia," added McGrath.
Massive black hole found in Galaxy
Astronomers have found the biggest stellar black hole so far, a monster with a mass 15.65 times that of our Sun, lurking in a nearby spiral-shaped galaxy.
The find, located in a galaxy called Messier 33, has an even bigger companion -- a close-orbiting star that is 70 times the mass of the Sun, according to an investigation led by Jerome Orosz of San Diego University, California.
Black holes are among the most powerful forces in the Universe. They are believed to be concentrated fields of gravity which are so powerful that nothing, not even light, can escape them.
Stellar black holes derive from the collapse of stars, but typically range from about three to 14 or 15 solar masses.
Another category of black holes are "supermassive" holes, spotted at the centre of galaxies, that have masses millions, even billions, times that of the Sun.
The paper appears on Thursday in Nature, the weekly British science journal.
The Orosz team were able to make their calculations with unusual accuracy -- the estimate is plus or minus 1.45 solar masses -- because the Messier 33 phenomenon is a so-called "eclipsing binary."
This means that the companion star passes directly in front of the black hole in its 3.45-day orbit, blocking out X-ray emissions from the hole.
The regular fall and then rise in the X-ray signal provides the key indicator for calculating the "weight" of the hole.
Monday, 22 October 2007
Selected Old Songs
Dil Dhunta he - Mausam
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Hum Aur Tum Tum Aur Hum
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AANDHI- Is mod se jaate hain
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Aati Rahengi Bahren
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Dhoni is a good thinker of the game
India's chairman of selectors Dilip Vengsarkar was a pleased man after India's win in the one-off Twenty20 international against Australia.
Vengsarkar was also happy that the Indian team matched the Aussies in the ODI series and felt the final scoreline 4-2 was a lot closer than it shows. In fact, Vengsarkar felt the team had a lot to gain from the series
"We played excellent cricket against a formidable team like Australia. The Aussies play cricket at a different level, but we showed last (Saturday) night that we too can be dominant," Vengsarkar said as he reviewed the just concluded series.
The Indian team was well-placed in their chase of a huge Aussie score at Nagpur, but only failed just as the match slipped away. "Had we won in Nagpur we could have very well drawn the series," added Vengsarkar.
The series also marked a return to the side for left-arm spinner Murali Kartik who repaid the faith posed in him by the selectors. But Vengsarkar preferred not to single out a player for India during the series. "It was a complete team effort."
However, ODI and Twenty20 skipper MS Dhoni came in for praise from the chief selector.
"He did a good job during the series. He is a good thinker of the game and is a calming effect on the side," opined Vengsarkar.
Vengsarkar, a former India captain, felt beating Australia in the last two games of the series will help in the upcoming series against Pakistan as well as the rest of the season.
"It will stand us in good stead and our morale will be higher when we play Pakistan. Even when we go to Australia these wins will help because we have beaten them here. At least it will be at the back of our minds that this team
(Australia) is beatable," reckoned Vengsarkar.
While some have tried to drawn a parallel between the rampaging West Indies team touring India after the 1983 World Cup and the present Aussie team, Vengsarkar had a different view.
"Both are great sides. In 1983 West Indies really clobbered us in the One-dayers and Test matches. But this time we held our own and played extremely well against the Aussies," said Vengsarkar.
Saturday, 20 October 2007
Share Your Desktop With Friends
Desktop sharing has never been easier. With TeamViewer you will be able to connect to the desktop of a partner anywhere on the Internet.TeamViewer also works in the other direction as well.Show your own desktop to a partner over the Internet and demonstrate your own software, solutions and presentations.
Remote Control without Installation
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With TeamViewer you can remotely control any PC anywhere on the Internet. No installation is required, just run the application on both sides and connect - even through tight firewalls.
Remote Presentation of Products, Solutions and Services
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The second TeamViewer mode allows you to present your desktop to a partner. Show your demos, products and presentations over the Internet within seconds - live from your screen.
File transfer
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TeamViewer comes with integrated file transfer that allows you to copy files and folders from and to a remote partner - which also works behind firewalls
Works behind firewalls
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The major difficulties in using remote control software are firewalls and blocked ports, as well as NAT routing for local IP addresses.If you use TeamViewer you don't have to worry about firewalls: TeamViewer will find a route to your partner
Know More About Team Viewer at www.teamviewer.com
Friday, 19 October 2007
Todays Choice Of Songs
Huzoor Iss Kadar Bhi
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Ae zindagi gale laga le
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Dikhai diye yun
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Hosh walon ko
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The Global Millionaire Boom
Household wealth is hitting record heights, and not just in the U.S. There are more millionaire households on the planet than ever before, particularly in Europe and in China, where growth rates are highest.
The total number of world millionaire households—those with assets of $1 million or more—grew by 14% in 2006, to 9.6 million, representing the richest 0.7% of all households and owning $33.2 trillion, or about a third of the world's wealth, according to a recent study by the Boston Consulting Group, a global management consulting firm.
"It's sort of a sexy thing, looking at managing relationships on a household level," says Bruce Holley, a New York-based partner with BCG, of the study. This is the first global wealth report from BCG that estimates the number of millionaire households per country, as well as estimating total wealth. "This year's report, our seventh, examines the greatest source of organic growth within wealth management players: namely, their human assets," write Holley and his colleagues in the report's preface.
China's Rising—Fast
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The U.S. had, by far, the highest number of millionaire households, with nearly 4.6 million, and the highest number of $100 million-plus households, with 2,300. The number of millionaire households increased by a steady 10%, while $100-million-plus households grew by 7%, joining the ranks of Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates and Berkshire Hathaway Chief Executive Warren Buffett.
Japan, Britain, Germany, and China round out the rest of the top five countries with the most millionaire households, in that order. The number of millionaire households increased the most last year in China (up 39%), Spain (up 32%), and Britain (up 30.5%).
In Europe, the number of millionaire households grew by 26.4% in 2006, the highest of any region in the study, helped by its strong currency against the weakening U.S. dollar. In North America, millionaire households grew by just 9% in 2006.
The United Arab Emirates and Switzerland led the ranking for highest density of millionaire households, with millionaire households accounting for 6.1% of all households in each country—almost nine times the global average.
Japan, Britain, Germany, and Italy have the most households in the $100 million-plus bracket, and in terms of growth, China (up 74%), Brazil (up 27%), and Russia (up 26%) saw the highest rates last year.
"China is a force to be reckoned with," says Holley, noting that the country's total assets under management have grown at an annualized rate of 23% over the past five years. China's newest billionaire residents will find themselves in the company of powerful businessmen like Suntech Power's Shi Zhengrong, who lives in the city of Wuxi.
"Globalization of Inequality"
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But some see a darker side to all this new wealth. "What these number disguise is the globalization of inequality everywhere in the world," says Charles Derber, professor of sociology at Boston College and author of Corporation Nation. "This is the phenomenon of the rich getting richer. And it's not a phenomenon to be happy about—that's my reaction."
According to new Internal Revenue Service data announced last week, income inequality in the U.S. is at its worst since the 1920s (before the Great Depression). The top percentile of wealthy Americans earned 21.2% of all income in 2005, up from 19% in 2004, while the bottom 50% of wage earners earned 12.8% that year, down from 13.4% a year earlier.
As of 2006, the U.S. held about 40% of the world's wealth and 50% of its millionaire households, according to the Boston Consulting Group. Now in China and India (which ranks 15th in BCG's list of countries with $100 million-plus households but, interestingly, does not appear in the top 15 nations for millionaire households), it's clear a substantial upper class is emerging. But rural poverty numbers are also on the rise, according to Derber.
Whether you're for it or not, "this is the name of the game in any part of the world," he says. "It's the Gilding Age of the globe."
Sickening and Ugly Racist Aussies at the Cricket Grounds in Australia
# Cricket's world governing body the ICC has appointed India's Solicitor General Goolam Vahanvati to investigate alleged racist abuse by fans in Australia. Players from South Africa and Sri Lanka have both been subject to abuse during their current tours. ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed expressed his organisation's determination to stamp out the problem. More ...
# Goolam Vahanvati will investigate the appalling crowd behaviour at Australian grounds, including the state's main stadium in Brisbane. Stump microphones have been turned down so viewers aren't shocked by the players swearing, but the words in the stands this summer have been much more upsetting. South Africa have complained throughout the tour of racial taunts, which have resulted in a handful of offenders being ejected and the threat of future boycotts, and last week the Sri Lankans were targeted as "black c****" in Adelaide and Sydney. The mainstream theory condemns ex-pat South Africans for bringing in words like "kaffir", as if the only place the pure locals have seen them is in cookbooks next to vine leaves. "Don't blame Australians for the racist remarks," a reader wrote to Cricinfo's feedback this week. "They were made by South Africans now living in Australia." However, national immaturity prevents Australia from recognising the racism even though terms such as "Lebs", "blacks" and "Abos" appear in many conversations. Yesterday a sports-loving gentleman at a club morning tea wondered what all the fuss was about: "They've been called kaffirs all their life, why does it matter now?"More ...
# Australian cricketers are bracing themselves for hostile receptions during the coming tour of South Africa amid fears fans will seek payback for the racial abuse directed at the Proteas by Australian crowds this summer.But the racism probe that is set to start in Australia might prompt a wave of new abuse towards Ricky Ponting and his players.
More ...
# For South Africans, racism is still a raw wound. For Australia, it is a problem with which they still need to come to terms if the Cronulla riots are anything to go by. Some Australians - judged by comments and letters in their newspapers - believe South Africans are far too sensitive regarding the racial abuse to which the Proteas cricketers have been subjected over the past two months. These Aussies claim that it is in the nature of sports crowds to be crude. More ...
Thursday, 18 October 2007
Today's Choice of Songs
Jiye to jiye kaise
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Lagan Lagi
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Chhukar Mere Man Ko
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Chehera Hai
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dil hai ke manta nahi
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Laughter is the best Medicine
The Name Game
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Chinese walks into a bar in America late one night and he saw Steven Spielberg.As he was a great fan of his movies, he rushes over to him, and asks for his autograph.Instead, Spielberg gives him a slap and says, "You Chinese people bombed our Pearl Harbor, get out of=here."
The astonished Chinese man replied, "It was not the Chinese who bombed your Pearl Harbor, it was the Japanese". "Chinese, Japanese, Taiwanese, you're all the same, " replied Spielberg.
In return, the Chinese gives Spielberg a slap and says, "You sank the Titanic, my forefathers were on that ship." Shocked, Spielberg replies, "It was the iceberg that sank the ship, not me." The Chinese replies, "Iceberg, Spielberg, Carlsberg, you're all the same."
Hearing Aid
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A man realized he needed to purchase a hearing aid, but he felt unwilling to spend much money.
"How much do they cost ?" he asked the clerk.
"That depends," said the salesman. "They range from 100 bucks to 10,000."
"Let's see the cheaspest model," he said.
The clerk put the device around the man's neck.
"You just stick this button in your ear and run this little string down to your pocket," he instructed.
"How does it work?" the customer asked. "For 100 RS it doesn't work," the salesman replied. "But when people see it on you, they'll talk louder!"
Guardian Angel
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A man was walking in the street when he heard a voice: "Stop! Stand still! If you take one more step, a brick will fall down on your head and kill you."
The man stopped and a big brick fell right in front of him. The man was astonished. He went on, and after awhile he was going to cross the road.
Once again the voice shouted: "Stop! Stand still! If you take one more step a car will run over you and you will die."
The man did as he was instructed, just as a car came careening around the corner, barely missing him.
"Where are you?" the man asked. "Who are you?"
"I am your guardian angel," the voice answered.
"Oh yeah?" the man asked... "And where were you when I got married?"
Fried Eggs
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A wife was making a breakfast of fried eggs for her husband.
Suddenly, her husband burst into the kitchen.
"Careful," he said, "CAREFUL! Put in some more butter! Oh my GOD! You're cooking too many at once. TOO MANY! Turn them! TURN THEM NOW! We need more butter. Oh my GOD! WHERE are we going to get MORE BUTTER? They're going to STICK! Careful . CAREFUL! I said be CAREFUL! You NEVER listen to me when you're cooking! Never! Turn them! Hurry up! Are you CRAZY? Have you LOST your mind? Don't forget to salt them. You know you always forget to salt them. Use the salt. USE THE SALT! THE SALT!"
The wife stared at him, "What in the world is wrong with you? You think I don't know how to fry a couple of eggs?"
The husband calmly replied, "I just wanted to show you what it feels like when I'm driving."
Something about you Geeks
Most of us may not consider ourselves "geeks" yet we spend a lot our time in front of a computer. In reality, you don't have to live a geek lifestyle to show early signs of health problems that affect those in techie fields such as programmers, web designers, or other IT workers. Today, most office workers sit in front of a computer for more than eight hours, then go home to sit in front of a computer for another eight. One internal medicine physician tells Tech-Recipes there are several health problems he sees among the tech-focused population. They're really no-brainers, and anyone who spends way to much time online will recognize the symptoms immediately. You can read the entire article here, but I'll give you a quick rundown of the problems and remedies below:
Poor Sleeping Habits
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Problem -: Insomnia and altered sleep patterns are common problems that could worsen when people wake up in the middle of the night and turn their laptop or TV on on a regular basis. As the problems occurs more frequently, patients become worried, which in turn causes them to sleep less.
Remedy -: You've probably heard doctors say "beds are for sleep and sex only" before, and guess what? They're absolutely right. Leave the electronics outside the bedroom, and if you have trouble sleeping at night try reading a book or listening to music until you fall asleep. See also: Sleeping Alone? Your Gadgets May Be at Fault
Headaches
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Problem -: Headaches could be caused by a number of things, but the doctor says "if they occur the same time every day or if they do not appear on non-work days, these are the clues that point me to a computer cause"
Remedy -: If you think the cause of your headaches is computer related, try adjusting your work area. Start by finding an ergonomic chair, adjust the screen so fonts and brightness are comfortable to your eyes; and finally, if you wear glasses make sure your prescription isn't too strong. These days they have special glasses for computer users, so ask for them. It also helps to take frequent breaks from the monitor by looking away for a few seconds during the day.
Back Pain
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Problem -: Back pain could be caused by poor posture, a non-ergonomic chair, and poorly positioned monitors.
Remedy -: Take it easy by using your legs when you're lifting anything heavy. Take frequent breaks to stretch your back muscles, and try doing a few chair exercises at least once a day. Dory has some extra office exercise ideas here. You should also shop for a chair that fits your body. See also: How to Avoid Repetitive Strain Injury
Poor Attention Span
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Problem -: Those with poor attention span may not always have ADD problems. Here's what the doctor says about this problem, "I believe this relative perception of poor attention span is actually caused by two factors. The first is genetic. The brains of some people are just programmed to multi-task. These people likely excel in a computer-rich environment for this reason. I believe the second factor is a simple training issue."
Remedy -: I've always worried about this myself, but he's right. My focus is there when I'm doing some programming or web design work. He suggests you make sure you're sleeping good at night, and just train your brain from time to time to sit still and just listen.
Like I said, these are things that have always plagued the tech community, but it never hurts to warn the newcomers. Everyone's life is so permeated with technology these days, you really don't have to call yourself a geek to be affected by bad computer ergonomics.
Any veteran techies out there that want to share their own experience or advice regarding this subject, sound off in the comments below.
Tuesday, 16 October 2007
Ghazals - Jagjit Singh
Main nashay main hoon
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Kal chaudhveen ki raat thi
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Apni marzi se kahaan
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Sarakti jaye hai rukh se naqaab
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Mujh ko yaqeen hai
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Ye daulat bhi le lo
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Classic Love Songs
Do lafzo ki
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Raat Kali Ek Khwab
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Tum Se Milke
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Ye Vada Raha
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Zindegi Pyaar Ka Geet Hai
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Overseas Indians should work to make adopted nations a winner: Kalam
With millions of Indians now living abroad, former President APJ Abdul Kalam has asked the Diaspora to work with dedication to make their adopted countries a winner.
"Today the overseas Indian population is 23 million, either as citizens of other countries or working there. So it is essential that whichever country you go, you make that country a winner. That is your mission," Kalam said addressing an enthusiastic audience on the occasion of the first Anniversary of the JSS Mission at Gaithersburg, Maryland.
"Whichever country the Indian population is there, particularly in the US, we must always give to that country your best of knowledge, your best of work. Everything you have to give to that country," the septuagenarian leader told the gathering which turned out in strength on a working day to listen to him.
At a luncheon interaction, Kalam, who is considered as the father of India's missile programme, said political parties should focus more on development politics instead of "political politics".
"Politics has got two components. One of political politics and the other is developmental politics. Political politics, every party has to do it...is a necessary function" Kalam remarked.
"Developmental politics is when one party will say I will do it in ten years to make my nation great and another saying it will do it in seven years. But political politics takes up 30 per cent of the time 70 per cent of the time it is developmental politics. But the reverse happens throughout the world," the former President said.
Pointing that spirituality was common to all religions, Kalam said it should be used to bridge the gap between various faiths.
"I believe religion has got two components. One is theology and another is spirituality. Theology, no religion would like to change... But fortunately spirituality is common to all religions," he said.
"So we have to see how we can bridge religions with spirituality."
Kalam, who arrived from New York yesterday, went to the NASA Centre in Maryland before coming to the JSS Mission in Gaithesberg to spend several hours with the crowd that waited patiently for hours to hear the former President speak.
But Kalam did not offer any comment on current issues except to recall briefly the visit of President George W Bush to India last year.
"When President Bush came to India I gave an energy presentation--on how we can become independent of fossil fuel driven oil, gas and coal. He (Bush) said America and India have to work together for energy independence. That means you go on solar power, bio-fuels...." Kalam remarked.
He emphasising that it was the duty of the human kind to see how the divine mission could be turned into a vision.
"Where there is righteousness in the heart, there is beauty in the character. Where there is beauty in the character there is harmony in the home. Where there is harmony in the home there is order in the nation and when there is order in the nation, there is peace in the world," Kalam said.
Several religious heads and politicians and diplomats, including Indian Ambassador to the United States Ronen Sen, were present at the function.
Monday, 15 October 2007
The Age of "Ringxiety"
Ever hear or feel your phone ringing, you're sure of it, and when you rush to answer it... you discover it hadn't rung at all? More and more cell phone users are reporting hearing their "distinctive" ring tone or feeling their phone vibrating against their leg, only to find that it was all just a fantasy.
It's a phenomenon loosely termed "ringxiety" or "fauxcellarm," with some suggesting that cell phones have become part of the very fabric of people's lives, so much so that if they think have missed a call it has a profound psychological impact. The result is that many feel like their phone could be ringing, even if it isn't. (The phenomenon, I suspect, is very similar to new mothers who're sure they hear their baby crying, only do discover that the kid is fast asleep.)
Phantom vibrations may be purely psychological, but phantom ringing has a more scientific basis. This "psycho-acoustic phenomenon" is a complex issue related to how the brain processes sound in the 1KHz to 6KHz range, where most phone ringing is based. "Your brain is conditioned to respond to a phone ring just as it is to a baby crying," says one sound expert.
As well, if you have a cell phone, you're probably just a little bit crazy. Frequent phone users, are simply "more anxious," says one psychiatrist. "They are on tenterhooks, waiting for the phone to ring."
Something to think about next time you turn your favorite song into a ringtone...
Google Earth gets YouTube videos
Google Inc is bringing the world of online video and map-making closer together by allowing users of its Google Earth software to watch and hear YouTube videos mapped to specific locations.
Google is offering a new YouTube video overlay on top of its Google Earth three-dimensional visualization software, which combines satellite images, maps, terrain and buildings of the world.
By allowing YouTube creators to geographically locate their videos on a map of the world, Google enables Internet users to zoom in on locations around the planet and watch YouTube tied to that place.
For example, travelers to Maui might find videos of surfing, snorkeling or exotic fish, while virtual visitors to Chamonix-Mont Blanc can watch mountaintop ski videos in the Alps.
Google Earth users can already view user-contributed photos uploaded to Panoramio, a photo-mapping service Google acquired in May. In the case of YouTube videos, video creators assign geographical information to their works -- a process also known as “geo-tagging” -- as they upload them to the site.
Google Earth users can watch but not geo-tag videos, a Google spokeswoman said.
Virtual Earth from Microsoft Corp and Yahoo Maps from Yahoo Inc already offer the ability for users to annotate maps with links to websites, photos and videos.
But by allowing YouTube creators to tag their videos as they upload them, Google Earth could accelerate the move to tie together maps with online videos. In two years, YouTube has emerged to become the world's dominant video-sharing site.
Similarly, Yahoo's popular photo-sharing site Flickr.com counts more than 28 million geo-tagged photos since it introduced a mapping feature more than a year ago.
The company recommends users download the latest version of Google Earth, a software application that users must install on their computers.
Know more about GoogleEarth
Download GoogleEarth
The Politics of Cricket By Baba Symonds
The World Champions showed class in overcoming the new Team India (World Twenty20 Champions) in the 6th ODI in Nagpur by 18 runs and clinched the Future Cup series. The last match will be played in Mumbai on October 17, 2007.
Powered by Andrew Symonds's 107 valuable runs, Australia scored 317/8 in 50 overs and then restricted India to 299/7 to win the match and the One-day series.
Man of the Match, Andrew Symonds, tore apart the Indian attack and helped Australia pile up a stiff score. Even the spinners who might have dared to think that Symonds will be an easy catch on the turning pitch found themselves caught in a dilemma. The bowlers conceded more than 100 runs in the last ten overs.
Symonds said his unbeaten knock was inspired by the racial taunts made at him at Vadodara. More than the taunts Andrew has been affected by the callous attitude of BCCI who denied any such incident took place. "When someone denies it has happened it is particularly disappointing," the all-rounder told The Daily Telegraph .
Symonds has performed extraordinarily in the current series making 365 runs at an average of 91.2 eclipsing Tendulkar's 10-year record for most runs in an India vs Australia series (357 at 119). He has done so in India which he thinks 'is never an easy place to tour.' He has been quoted saying how hostile this tour has been.
Writing for The Daily Telegraph , Symonds has clearly said the game and the opponent team should be respected. "We have had the edge on them here and we will get them again in Australia this summer. Over time, you can't disrespect the game the way they have because the game invariably bites you back. We won't stand down from a challenge, but at the same time you have to respect the game and your opponents."
"They have had their tails up a few times and they feel there are periods when they can beat us. But deep down I think they know if we bring our No1 game and do the basics well, then we're going to be hard to beat every time."
Time and again, except for the Chandigarh One-dayer, the Australians have brought their No1 game and have done exceptionally well at their basics. Symonds is not merely proving a point here but clearly telling the opponents that victories are better than verbal duals. Play your game, let the bat speak and don't shoot off your mouth, that's what Aussies are concentrating at the moment.
The Aussies have not been overtly social with the Indian team but Symonds gets on well with most of them, he wrote in the newspaper. He had praises for Sachin Tendulkar and Murali Kartik. It all started with Sreesanth where he was even advised by psychologists to channelise his aggression after the Kochi One-dayer. "His carry-on in this series has been way over the top. We don't mind blokes having a go and standing up for themselves, but he has gone above and beyond what's acceptable", Symonds wrote.
Symonds has criticised Team India of unsporting behaviour. He wrote, "The thing that annoys us the most is when they are going well, they will have a shot at you. But when they aren't going well, they forget to shake hands at the end of the game. That's not on in my opinion. If you play the game properly, shake hands, get over it, and move onto the next game. We hate front-runners. If you get knocked over, accept it, and do the honourable thing."
India should not let the Porsche, money, commercials and fracas at the pitch wear them down. It should get out of the victory hangover of Twenty20, concentrate on the game and play to win. That will the most honourable thing that Team India can do.
Sunday, 14 October 2007
Saturday, 13 October 2007
How to Delete Files For Good
Even though I empty my trash, there is the possibility of someone retrieving some of the information because it is stlill lurking somewhere on my hard drive. If this is true, why can't I go to that particular place, see what's there and delete it myself anytime I wish?
This is an old story but it's worth telling again for those who don't know it. Put simply: When you delete a file from your computer (and it needn't be Windows, this is common to every type of PC), that file doesn't "go away." Rather, to save wear and tear on your hard drive and to simplify the operation, your computer just eliminates the record of where the file began. Think of your PC as containing a giant "shopping list" of all the files on its hard drive. Delete the canned peaches off that shopping list and the store doesn't actually get rid of the peaches. It just "forgets" that they are there. The space allocated to the peaches remains there until the store needs the space for something else.
There's good and bad in this. The good is that if you accidentally delete something you have a good chance of being able to get it back. The bad: So can anyone else.
These deleted files aren't accessible via Windows, but data recovery software like File Scavenger can quickly recover most recently-deleted data from your PC as if it had never been deleted at all. If you're sure you want to delete those files for good so programs like this won't work, there's plenty of software for that too. I often recommend BCWipe, which lets you permanently wipe only the free space on your hard drive while leaving the non-deleted files intact by overwriting those deleted files with lots of random data so it can't be recovered. Other software like Kill Disk does the same thing to the entire hard drive, rather than just the blank space, leaving an entirely empty, unrecoverable disk when you're done
While BCWipe is something you run periodically, there's also software to let you do this on the fly, essentially replacing the recycle bin with the equivalent of a paper shredder that wipes any file you delete for good. If you install one, tread with caution: Once you delete something, even by mistake, there's no going back. Simple File Shredder is a good (and free) choice to check out.
If you're accident-prone, there's software that goes the other way too, putting extra safeguards on deleted files and making it easier to recover mistakenly deleted data. Check out Norton SystemWorks, which includes a "Protected Recycle Bin."
World's Fastest Cars
McLaren F1
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Till 2005, the McLaren F1 was the fastest production car ever built, having an achieved top speed of 386.7 kmph until surpassed by the Koenigsegg CCR and then the Bugatti Veyron a few months later. Having the driver's seat mounted in the centre and two passenger seats on each side, a little strange looking as some people might dub it, F1 achieved a top speed of 386.5 kmph.
With a 6-litre, V12 engine, F1 can deliver a maximum torque of 705 Nm @ 4500 rpm, and a power of 660 bhp with 6800 rpm. This supercar accelerates from 0 to 100 kmph in 2.9 seconds.
Bristol Fighter T
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The Bugatti Veyron is the world's only 1000+ bhp sports car, right? Not any more, after an anonymous car was produced in small numbers in 2004 by British manufacturer Bristol Cars and named as Fighter T. The Fighter T is a huge rocket having 8-litre V10 engine and is capable of churning out quite a staggering 1012 bhp and a torque of 1408 Nm at 4500 rpm.
The Fighter T has a maximum speed of 362 kmph and goes from 0 to 100 kmph in 3.5 seconds. This coupe body with gullwing doors, has a six speed manual and a four speed automatic transmission with a rear wheel drive.
Pagani Zonda C12 F
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Supercar manufacturer Pagani built its top model, Pagani Zonda C12 F as a tribute to Juan Manuel Fangio, a legendary racing driver from Argentina who was initially involved when the company began.
This radical convertible debuted in February 2006, and a limited number of 25 units were hand built at the Pagani Atelier and is regarded as a handcrafted Italian jewel, as opposed to just a racing car. This roadster is the most extensively reengineered Pagani and also shares a lot with its predecessors C12.
A convertible coupe, C12 F, with a top speed of 345 kmph, is the most extensively reengineered Pagani and also shares a lot with its predecessors C12. The C12 F's 7.3-litre, V12 engine develops a power output of 600 bhp. The car can race from 0 to 100 kmph in 3.5 seconds.
Lamborghini Murcielago LP640
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Placed the seventh fastest in our list, Murcielago LP 640's name refers to its engine position longitudinale posteriore - and to its power 640 bhp. The newer version of this earlier super-sports car, Lamborghini Murcielago coup features considerable innovations in terms of body design and mechanics.
The engine of the Murcielago LP 640''s has undergone outstanding and radical modification. The increased bore and longer stroke have boosted the displacement of the classic 60 degree V-engine from 6.2-litre to 6.5-litre. The earlier Murciृlago Coupृ which sported a 580 bhp engine power has been elevated to 640 bhp at 8000 rpm and has a maximum torque of 660 Nm at 6000 rpm. The top speed of this super car is 339 kmph with 0-100 kmph acceleration in 3.5 seconds.
Mercedes Benz SLR 722
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What do you get when you combine over 100 years of Mercedes quality and performance with the McLaren reputation for building some of the fastest cars in the world? The answer is Mercedes Benz SLR McLaren, and that joint effort is one of the all-round nicest sports coupes ever to be built.
SLR 722 Edition was homage by Mercedes-Benz to the unforgettable victory of the British racing legend Stirling Moss and his co-driver Denis Jenkinson in a Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR with the starting number 722 (indicating a start time of 7.22 am) The supercharged 5.5-litre V8 engine in the 722 edition, which is hand-built in the AMG engine shop in Affalterbach, generates an output of 650 bhp. It can accelerate from standstill to 100 kmph in 3.6 seconds. The top speed of this coupe is 334 kmph.
Ruf RT 12 Porsche
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What happens when someone tries to add more power and make a Porsche lot more faster?
The answer is Porsche RUF RT12. The German manufacturer introduced the RT 12 Porche in 2004 at the Essen motor show as the first of their offerings built on Porsche's new 997 platform. A twin-turbocharged, 3.8-litre V6 engine produces 650 bhp. The RT 12 ranks ninth in our list.
With an output of 650 bhp, and a maximum torque of 870 Nm, RT12 can race from a standstill to 100 kmph in 3.7 seconds. The top speed of RT 12 is 320 kmph. Standard version of Porsche RUF RT12 has a rear wheel drive, but one can spend some extra money and get a version with all-wheel drive.
Aston Martin V12 Vanquish S
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A symbol of luxury and technology combined into an elegant design, Aston Martin V12 Vanquish S figures in our list of top 10 fastest cars. Often shortened to Vanquish, this grand tourer manufactured by Aston Martin became very popular when it was featured as an official James Bond car, in the movie `Die Another Day'.
With a 6.0-litre V12 engine developing 520 horsepower, the Vanquish with a top speed of 306 kmph is the fastest production model ever to be built by Aston Martin. It can get from 0 to 100 kmph in 4.9 seconds. The car has remained a top Aston's lineup and the company's flagship model for several years. However, it will be discontinued after the 2007 model in favour of the V12 DBS.
THE TOILET-HOME
Sim Jae-Duck was born in a restroom and now he plans to live and die in one -- a 1.6 million dollar toilet-shaped house designed to promote his tireless campaign for cleaner loos worldwide.
Sim will open what is billed as the world's one and only toilet house on November 11 to mark the launch of his World Toilet Association.
The 419-square-metre (4,508-sq-foot) concrete and glass structure is rising on the site of Sim's former home in his native city of Suweon, 40 kilometres (24 miles) south of Seoul.
Before he moves in, anyone who is flush with funds can rent it for 50,000 dollars a day -- with proceeds going to his campaign to provide poor countries with proper sanitary facilities.
Apart from two bedrooms, two guestrooms and other rooms, the two-storey house -- of course -- features three deluxe toilets. Unlike the giant "toilet" in which they are located, they will not be see-through affairs.
"A showcase bathroom screened by a glass wall is located in its centre, while other toilets have elegant fittings or water conservation devices," Sim told AFP.
The showcase loo will feature a device producing a mist to make users feel secure. An electronic sensor will raise the lid automatically when people enter, and there will also be music for patrons.
The house, complete with a stream and small garden in front, is named Haewoojae, meaning "a place of sanctuary where one can solve one's worries".
Sim's birth in a restroom was in line with traditional beliefs.
"It was intentional. My mother followed advice from my grandmother that people born in restrooms will enjoy long lives," said the 74-year-old.
Sim's campaign began during his term as Suweon mayor from 1995 to 2002. His drive to transform toilets into "clean and beautiful resting places imbued with culture" earned him the nickname "Mayor Toilet".
Public restrooms in the city were jazzed up with paintings, fresh flowers or even small gardens. His achievements prompted Sim to launch the Korea Toilet Association in 1999, in time for South Korea's co-hosting with Japan of the football World Cup three years later.
Then he decided to take his clean toilets drive worldwide. The proposed World Toilet Association might be seen to rival squeaky-clean Singapore, where the World Toilet Organisation is based, but Sim has said the work of the two bodies will not overlap.
Indeed, he hopes his toilet house will highlight the global need for better sanitation.
"My family has already agreed to preserve this house as a symbol of South Korea's new toilet culture after my death," he said. "The house will be remembered as an example of saving mankind from diseases and protecting the environment."
Sim, a member of parliament, will host the World Toilet Association's inaugural meeting which he hopes will attract 300 representatives from 70 countries.
On the final day he plans to invite all participants to his house, which he said "envisions a new concept to place toilets in the centre of our life".
Sim said his campaign will focus on setting international standards for clean public toilets, adding that countries such as Mongolia, Indonesia, Turkey and Brazil are actively supporting it.
Epidemics caused by poor sanitation worldwide cost two million lives a year, he said. Worldwide, 2.6 billion people live without toilets. Elsewhere, poorly designed flush toilets waste vast amounts of potential drinking water, he added.
A future project in his active mind is IT-based toilets, where people can check their health or surf the Internet.
"Toilets were once regarded as stinking and dirty places. Not any more. They must be treated as the sanctuary that protects human health," Sim said.
