Great Man : NELSON MANDELLA

Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela was born in Transkei, South Africa on July 18, 1918. His father was Chief Henry Mandela of the Tembu Tribe. Mandela himself was educated at University College of Fort Hare and the University of Witwatersrand and qualified in law in 1942. He joined the African National Congress in 1944 and was engaged in resistance against the ruling National Party's apartheid policies after 1948. He went on trial for treason in 1956-1961 and was acquitted in 1961.

After the banning of the ANC in 1960, Nelson Mandela argued for the setting up of a military wing within the ANC. In June 1961, the ANC executive considered his proposal on the use of violent tactics and agreed that those members who wished to involve themselves in Mandela's campaign would not be stopped from doing so by the ANC. This led to the formation of Umkhonto we Sizwe. Mandela was arrested in 1962 and sentenced to five years' imprisonment with hard labour. In 1963, when many fellow leaders of the ANC and the Umkhonto we Sizwe were arrested, Mandela was brought to stand trial with them for plotting to overthrow the government by violence. His statement from the dock received considerable international publicity. On June 12, 1964, eight of the accused, including Mandela, were sentenced to life imprisonment. From 1964 to 1982, he was incarcerated at Robben Island Prison, off Cape Town; thereafter, he was at Pollsmoor Prison, nearby on the mainland.

During his years in prison, Nelson Mandela's reputation grew steadily. He was widely accepted as the most significant black leader in South Africa and became a potent symbol of resistance as the anti-apartheid movement gathered strength. He consistently refused to compromise his political position to obtain his freedom.

Nelson Mandela was released on February 11, 1990. After his release, he plunged himself wholeheartedly into his life's work, striving to attain the goals he and others had set out almost four decades earlier. In 1991, at the first national conference of the ANC held inside South Africa after the organization had been banned in 1960, Mandela was elected President of the ANC while his lifelong friend and colleague, Oliver Tambo, became the organisation's National Chairperson.

BackStreet Boys : Passionate

They are recognised as the biggest pop group in the world of music today having dominated the charts throughout the world since 1996. In just four years BACKSTREET BOYS (Nick Carter, Howie Dorough, Brian Littrell, A.J. McLean and Kevin Richardson) have accomplished this global domination by achieving Gold and Platinum awards in 45 countries, including 11-times platinum in the USA for their debut album "Backstreet Back" and have sold over 51 million albums world-wide. The group have recently been hailed as one of the fastest selling acts in South East Asia where the album "Millennium" sold in excess of three million copies.

BACKSTREET BOYS have been honoured with numerous awards and in the last twelve months alone this has included four Billboard Music Awards, five Grammy nominations, three World Music Awards, an MTV Europe Award as well as two American MTV Award nominations.

BACKSTREET BOYS' success is set to continue with the release of their fourth album "Black & Blue" in November of this year. The group members have taken a lead role in the writing and producing of the 14-track album which covers a broad spectrum of musical styles. Brian Littrell explains: "It's probably the most diverse album we have ever made and we hope everyone really likes it. This album is a little more real, it talks about life and loss, love and cheating, all aspects of life. It's a very diverse album".

So how did five boys from America rise to the top so fast? BACKSTREET BOYS' story began in Orlando, Florida. It was there that high school students A.J. McLean, Howie Dorough and junior high student Nick Carter began to run into each other at local acting auditions. The three became friends and formed a singing group. The trio then decided to expand. Kevin Richardson was the next to join the group, and soon Kevin箂 cousin Brian Littrell completed the fivesome. They quickly became one of Florida箂 hottest live acts and were signed immediately.

In 1995, BACKSTREET BOYS released their first single, "We箆e Got It Goin' On", an urban pop song by writer/producer Denniz PoP. The song took off in Europe, UK and across the world - BSB's brand of R&B/pop was gaining a foothold. In Europe, BACKSTREET BOYS entered a market which was familiar with 'boy bands', but unlike a lot of those other groups, BACKSTREET BOYSwere more than just a bunch of pretty guys - they could sing. Their live shows proved it with sweet acapella harmonies driving audiences wild. Meanwhile, their second single, "I'll Never Break Your Heart" climbed the charts.

BACKSTREET BOYS kicked off 1996 by being voted No.1 International Group by TV viewers in Germany - "I'll Never Break Your Heart" went gold there and hit No.1 in Austria. By February, they had hit similar heights in Canada and BSB sold out show after show - some within 20 minutes of tickets going on sale. Hordes of screaming fans soon became the stuff of legend across Europe and Canada. If BSB could accomplish that with only two singles, imagine the reaction when the debut album saw the light of day!

That summer, BSB embarked on a sold-out 57 date headlining European Tour. By autumn, BSB fever had swept Asia and Australia. Still on the road, the band wrapped up a second European Tour before the end of the year - including 13 dates in Britain.

If 1996 was the year of International success, then 1997 was homecoming year as BSB turned their attention to the one place which had eluded them - America. They released "Quit Playin' Games" in America in the summer and it rocketed to the Top 2 of the Billboard Hot 100. Their first album release in America was "Backstreet's Back" in August and BSB have now shown America what the rest of the world already knows - BACKSTREET BOYS is a success story in motion. Summer 1998 saw the group undertake their first major U.S. Tour - sold out venues across the country from July through September.

BSB filmed three big-budget videos for their new album, all of which show the band at the height of its powers and having fun. The video for "Everybody (Backstreet箂 Back)", a UK No.3 hit single, was an epic drama, a special-effects laden classic horror spoof featuring BSB made up as monsters from the silver screen's vintage best. The video for second single "As Long As You Love Me" was a fun, personality piece with the Boys as you've never seen them before. "All I Have To Give" was the third single from the album. All the video's where huge hits on MTV and music video channels throughout the world.

In August 1997, BSB performed a new stadium tour of Germany and Austria. The sold-out shows, which took the BSB live experience to around 350,000 people in two weeks, featured pyrotechnics, new routines and a few surprises.

BACKSTREET BOYS mania meanwhile took off in the U.S. - their first album "Backstreet's Back" went gold soon after release and the group spent some time in September consolidating their home fanbase with a series of concerts across the USA, culminating in a memorable New York show on 30 September. In the meantime, the new album "Backstreet's Back" sold well over 1 million copies worldwide in the first week of release!

BSB spent the summer of 1998 on their first mammoth tour of their native USA which kicked off on 8th July in Charlotte, North Carolina and took the group back and forth across America for two months. After the end of the tour in September, they went into the studio to complete their third album, "Millennium". On 10 September, BSB won Best-Group Video Award at the annual MTV Music Awards ceremony in Los Angeles.

"Millennium" was released in May 1999 and included the hit single "I Want It That Way". This album confirmed the group箂 status as one of the worlds biggest pop acts ever. This album alone has sold over 20 million copies in 43 countries across the world and achieved multi-platinum status in 28 different countries.

To coincide with the eagerly awaited release of their fourth album, "Black & Blue", BSB will undertake a gruelling four day tour, taking in six continents from Stockholm to Tokyo, Sydney, Rio, Cape Town and New York where they will experience six simultaneous release days. On each continent they will perform an acappella of the first single from the album "Shape of My Heart" for their fans.

The new single "Shape Of My Heart" has charted so far top 5 in the following countries: #1 Sweden and Norway, #1 Thailand, #1 Hong Kong, #1 Indonesia, #2 Germany, Denmark, Italy and Spain, #3 Canada, #4 Switzerland, #5 Holland, Australia and Austria

BACKSTREET BOYS' fourth album "Black & Blue" will be released on Zomba Records in November 2000.

Life Story : Rihanna

"I think people are always looking for something that's new, something fresh, something different, My music doesn't have a specific genre, it's a fusion of reggae, hip-hop, and R&B. People haven't heard a lot of that, and they seem to like it."

Robyn Rihanna Fenty (born on February 18, 1988), Rihanna was born on the Caribbean island of Barbados in the parish of St. Michael. She was discovered by Music producer Evan Rogers while he was vacationing in Barbados with his wife Jackie, who is also a Bajan. Rogers, along with his partner Carl Sturken, helped Rihanna record demo material that was sent to various recording companies including Def Jam, where Rihanna auditioned for CEO Jay - Z and was signed on-the-spot.

bean to re-energize a dry, stale season of the same old song and dance. And with summer fast approaching there couldn't be a better time for Barbados-born singer Rihanna to break into an industry that is eager to celebrate the next big thing.

Thanks to multi-platinum island-born superstars like Sean Paul, Shaggy and Elephant Man, the mainstream has been primed for a rhythmic female star to step into the forefront of popular music. Besides ripping traditional reggae tracks like a seasoned dancehall queen, the stunning 17-year-old Rihanna possesses a powerful singing voice that conjures up feelings and experiences way beyond her years.

There's nothing like the warm spirit of the CaribRihanna is a North American R&B/Soul singer. Most of the worldly population would also classify her as a tradtional dancehall singer; who has splurged onto the entertainment scene unexpectedly.

It's no wonder that all it took was a quick audition with Shawn Carter, President and CEO of Def Jam Recordings, for the green-eyed beauty to solidify a recording contract with the multi-million dollar record company. While that performance ended up changing her life forever, the sweet natured island girl laughs at her own naivetי at the time. "I was in the lobby shaking!," remembers Rihanna with a healthy dose of her Bajan accent hanging onto every one of her words. "I saw just a little bit of Jay's face down the hall and I was just like, 'Oh my God!' I had never met a celebrity, and to meet a celebrity who's also the president of the label, that was crazy!!"

Luckily Rihanna was able to shake the jitters as soon as she started her impromptu showcase, a performance that forced her future label bosses to sign the deal before she walked out of their offices. "We were there until 4:30 in the morning closing the deal. Every time I signed my name I was just smiling." Growing up in the parish of St. Michael, Barbados, it never occurred to Rihanna that one day she would be sitting in the company of mega music moguls.

Before moving to the US in 2005, Rihanna lived somewhat of a simple life on her home island where she attended high school and like most teenage girls sang songs for fun with her friends. Aside from winning her school's beauty and talent pageant, Rihanna never realized how talented she really was until she attracted the attention of a New York City music producer named Evan Rogers.

Evan and his partner, Carl Sturken, have produced hits for such artists as Christina Aguilera, Ruben Studdard and Kelly Clarkson. Evan and his Barbadian wife Jackie were vacationing over Christmas near Rihanna’s hometown and through a mutual friend were introduced to the young diva. After hearing her belt out a couple of tunes Evan realized Rihanna’s future star power and invited her to New York to record some tracks.

Rihanna, Evan and Carl ended up creating close to a dozen songs. Together they pulled inspiration from the dancehall and reggae that are embedded in Rihanna’s rich musical culture and fused it with a fresh R&B soul sound - a mixture Rihanna likes to compare to one of her favorite Caribbean dishes, callaloo. "It's like a gumbo or a stew," explains Rihanna. "My music is mostly Caribbean beats mixed with R&B. I don't want to be pigeon holed into being just a dance artist because I can sing too. I have ballads on the album as well as upbeat tracks."

Rihanna’s debut album promises to have all the ingredients that make musical magic. And like her influences Beyonce, Alicia Keys, and Mariah Carey, Rihanna is a talented songwriter who has co-written much of her album. "Music is in my D.N.A.!" exclaims the bright eyed singer.

Her first single "Pon De Replay" is sure to mash up dancehalls worldwide with Rihanna’s soul stirring vocals demanding the DJ to play her song again and again 'til it touches every single person within earshot. With tracks featuring both Elephant Man and Vybz Kartel, Rihanna is guaranteed to supply some serious heat for both radio and clubs nationwide.

Rihanna is indeed living a real life Cinderella story. "If I hadn't met Evan and Carl I might have just been dreaming forever," she muses. "I am so thankful for everything they’ve done for me." Soon the whole world will be giving both Rihanna and her producers thanks.

Life Story : Chris Brown

Birth name: Christopher Maurice Brown

Date of birth: 5 May 1989

Place of birth: Tappahannock, Virginia, USA

Nickname: ChrisBrezzy, CB

Height: 6' 1" (1.85 m)

Christopher Maurice Brown (born May 5, 1989 in Tappahannock, Virginia) American R&B singer, dancer, and an occasional actor who rose to fame in 2005 with his top-charting Scott Storch-produced debut single "Run It!". At the tender age of 16, the 6'1 Brown became the youngest male to have a #1 hit on the Top 100 Billboard Chart. As of September 16, 2006, the album has sold 1,533,121in the U.S. and three million worldwide.

Early life:

Chris Brown was born to Clinton Brown and Joyce Hawkins in the small town of Tappahannock, Virginia. He gained his love of music at an early age and was influenced by the sounds his parents played on the home radio such as Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson, Sam Cooke, Donny Hathaway, Aretha Franklin, and Anita Baker. Before singing, Brown was more drawn to becoming a rapper.

By the age of 11, he (and eventually a number of females) finally discovered his unknown vocal talents just by singing along to Usher records. Brown, at 13, was then discovered by local producers who visited his father's gas station looking for some talent. From there, he soon began his recording career.

Music Career:

Brown got his big break when his local production team had connections with major record labels. He then flew to New York and auditioned for Def Jam Vice President Tina Davis, who currently works as his manager . The mere 15 yr. old Brown was sent to L.A. Reid to perform for him in 2004. Davis took Brown to many record labels such as Warner Bros., and Jive.

Brown ended up choosing Jive Records because he felt it was in his best interest. About two or three months later, Brown began recording his debut self-titled album in early 2005. Brown worked with the likes of Scott Storch, The Underdogs, Dre and Vidal, Bryan Cox, Bow Wow, Jermaine Dupri in production for his album. He originally recorded 50 cuts, and chose 13 cuts for the album.

By mid 2005, Brown came out with his debut single, "Run It!" which was #1 in the United States and abroad. The song became an instant hit in the summer of that year. His highly anticipated self-titled debut album was released on November 29, 2005 and is now certified platinum. It debuted at #2 on the charts selling over 155,000 copies in the first week of sales. Following "Run It!", "Yo (Excuse Me Miss)" became Brown's second top 10 hit in the US, peaking at #7 and #13 in the UK. It has been certified platinum by the RIAA.

His third single "Gimme That" was released in March 2006 which featured Lil' Wayne for a remix that is not featured on his album. The song was written by Sean Garrett and produced by Scott Storch. The single debuted on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 at #80 and climbed the charts quickly.

Chris also co-directed his music videos for "Yo (Excuse Me Miss)" and "Gimme That". The fourth, and current single off his album is the heart-breaking ballad "Say Goodbye" which is also featured in the [[Step Up]] Soundtrack.

Brown will start production for his sophomore album by the end of 2006 and is set to release by May of 2007.

On June 13, 2006, a DVD was released entitled Chris Brown's Journey. It features Brown touring in the UK and Japan, rehearsals, getting ready for his first visit to the 2006 Grammy Awards, behind the scenes of his music videos, bloopers and much more. The DVD is certified gold with more than 500,000 copies sold.

On August 17, 2006, Brown started his Up Close and Personal Tour featuring Ne-Yo, Lil Wayne, Cherish, Juelz Santana, and Dem Franchise Boyz in Cincinnati, Ohio. The tour is still going on in several states and cities throughout the United States.

Acting Career:

Other than his music career, Brown has begun some acting. He made a short appearance on UPN's One on One in March 2006. He also has made his way to movies.

Brown is slated to make his silver screen debut in Stomp The Yard (originally titled: Steppin') along with Ne-Yo and Meagan Good, which is set to hit theatres by January 12, 2007. Production for the movie began in June 2006. In the movie, Brown will portray an ambitious dancer and the younger brother of the lead character.

Brown is also scheduled to have a reoccuring role in the fourth season of FOX's The O.C.. He will appear in seven episodes, which will start airing in November.

Personal Life:

It was falsely announced on September 26, 2006 that Chris was dating R&B singer Young B. It was announced on 97.7 radio.

EXPLODING STAR DESCRIBED IN QURAN FROM NASA

The Cat's Eye Nebula

Credit: J.P. Harrington and K.J. Borkowski (U. Maryland), HST, NASA

Explanation: Three thousand light-years away, a dying star throws off shells of glowing gas. This image from the Hubble Space Telescope reveals The Cat's Eye Nebula to be one of the most complex planetary nebulae known. In fact, the features seen in the Cat's Eye are so complex that astronomers suspect the bright central object may actually be a binary star system. The term planetary nebula, used to describe this general class of objects, is misleading. Although these objects may appear round and planet-like in small telescopes, high resolution images reveal them to be stars surrounded by cocoons of gas blown off in the late stages of stellar evolution. On planet Earth, of course, cats and other creatures may be on the prowl tonight. Keep your eyes peeled and have a safe and happy Halloween!

Accessories for the Groom

In traditional Indian wedding accessories play a vital role in defining the wedding outfit of the groom. Right selection of accessories makes the groom elegant and smart. Today, grooms are defining their outfit with ethnic and contemporary accessories that complement the wedding attire. They are very particular about the kind of look they portray. To match the sherwani a diamond cufflink will be a perfect accessory. Another important accessory is the pagri or the turban, which could be made interesting by using different fabrics like leheriyas, tie dyes, or self woven brocades. It is worn with Sherwanis, Jodhpuris or heavy Churidar Kurtas. A pagri enhances the total look of the groom. It is usually made of chunri, zari and gharchola material and thus creates a colorful male adornment.

Among the other important groom accessory are Kantha, which are long necklaces made of beads and white pearls and are usually worn as an ornament. A traditional moti mala worn along with an antique pendant or a broach enhances the look. You could match your mojris in raw silk and have the edges embroidered with similar embroidery to complete the look.Among the other traditional accessories are knives and swords it symbolizes prestige and royalty. These ornamented wedding knives and swords are usually handcrafted. Kamar Patta or waistbands are elaborate handwork so as to provide a majestic appeal to the groom's attire. It is tied around the waist of the groom when carrying the coconut during the wedding ceremony. sehra is another most accessory worn at the time of marriage it enhances the overall personality of the groom. Mojris are usually traditional Indian footwear it is worn with traditional Indian dressing like sherwanis and Jodhpuri suit. They come in different colors and designs, and are normally hand crafted. If the groom goes for western suit than to match the look he wears diamond or other semi-precious stone cufflinks, to add a touch of style and elegance. Choose the color of the cufflinks that suits the color of the suit. So these are some of the accessories that an Indian groom normally wears.

10 Anger Management Tips

• One step back - Always take a step back from situations when you feel the area is hostile. When you are angry at someone you are talking to, take a step back to remind yourself to relax and be calm. Why stepping back help? By stepping back you leave the "hostile area" mentally and allow yourself space to cool down. When you are near somebody you are arguing with, you tend to have bigger reactions that may lead to fights. Will you stand in an area where bullets are flying?

• Deep breathing - Take 3 deep breath and focus on the breath that you exhale through your mouth. Taking deep breaths help you to stay calm and sane.

• TIE - TIE stands for take it easy. Keep repeating to yourself to take it easy and picture the words. It would be better to incorporate with deep breathing for better results.

• Time Out! - Arguing with someone? Is the situation getting out of hand? Most probably both of you are not too calm and in the right mind to talk about anything. Ask for a time out, take whatever time off you feel that is appropriate and bring yourself to a level where you are calm and relax before you talk about anything.

• Exercise - Go exert yourself. Jog, swim, hit the gym or whatever exercise that you prefer. Exercising allows you to release the stress and frustration that is locked in the body. Let the steam out to ease the pressure.

• Anger log - Keep a book on recording your anger. Find out the patterns and triggers that lead you to feel angry. Once you identify the problem, you can then find a solution. Pause button - Decide an action that will be your pause button. An example would be to imagine a button on your forehead. When you are angry, press the pause button and Stop! This action will allow you time to think and make a conscious decision.

• Avoid extreme words - Avoid words such as "always" or "never" . "They are always finding fault with me" or "They never even help me once before". These words are mostly not true and using this words can help to self convince you and cause the situation to worsen.

• 10 funny counts - Forget about the old fashioned "count to 10 you are fine" talk. Use the 10 funny counts instead. When you are angry, just count( repeat after me ) "1 funny clown, 2 funny pig, 3 funny bananas, 4 funny red nose boss, 5 funny short giraffe... etc. Our brain works better with pictures, when you say something funny, you will tend to imagine it in the mind. Don't believe me? Lets try. Don't think of a pink elephant with black polka dots. What is in your mind?

• Visualization - The theory behind this tip is the same as tip number 9. Visualize something funny you are angry at. Are you angry with your boss because he yelled at you for something that you didn't do. Now look at him hard and come out with a big mental picture. Picture him fatter, balloon him up, put a pair of dorky spectacles on him, a big red nose and he kept falling over when he is yelling. Are you able to get angry at the new mental picture of your boss now? Hard to do, I believe.

• Pause button - Decide an action that will be your pause button. An example would be to imagine a button on your forehead. When you are angry, press the pause button and Stop! This action will allow you time to think and make a conscious decision.