Indian Rupee Symbol On Computer Within 3 Months

Now that the Indian rupee has an identity, the question is: how soon will our computer keyboards start reflecting it? Very quickly, it seems. Vendors say they will roll out the symbol as soon as the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) sets the guidelines, since it takes only a minor software change to incorporate it. 

Techies say what is required is simple internal coding to assign an additional function to any one of the existing keys that currently holds a single function. The IT industry is awaiting standards from BIS on where and how the new function has to be allocated. "We are fully equipped to integrate the rupee symbol; it requires only a software code change. It would not take more than a production cycle, or about three months, once the standard guidelines for adoption of the same are introduced," said an HCL Infosystems spokesperson. 
It would be interesting to see which single-function key (Insert, Page Up, Page Down, Delete or some function key) will bear the rupee symbol. According to S Rajendran, chief marketing officer, Acer India, technically it's an almost inconsequential issue. 
"It requires some simple internal coding. We just have to tell our manufacturers to make the plastic injection moulds with the new symbol. We can bring out a changed keyboard almost immediately. But it's important that the entire ecosystem first accepts it and starts using it." Keyboard supplier Intex Technologies has launched talks with vendors to incorporate the new symbol in their products. 
"This will gain momentum as soon as we receive the authenticated design. Similarly, we have asked mobile handset vendors to incorporate the new symbol in their software," said Ramesh A Vaswani, executive VC of Intex. 

To Read My Previous Post About this Visit :  http://atanu-ghosal.blogspot.com/2010/06/indian-rupee-prepared-to-join-elite.html 

Netherland's Journey End Again At Final

Poor, poor Holland.  It seems it is their destiny to get so close to the World Cup without ever getting to embrace it.   They played a heroic match today, but could not do the trick.  They became the fourth successive team in the knockout round to succumb to a 0-1 loss to the Spanish football machine.   Spain have been magnificent in this tournament,  other than their shock loss to the Swiss in their opening match.

When the Spanish defence broke down, Iker Casillas was there to deny the Dutch the joy they sought.  Arjen Robben was through on goal alone twice only to be foiled by Casillas.  For me the turning point of the match was Robben’s second breakthough.  Puyol was draped all over him and it is only by a miracle that Robben stayed on his feet.  Had he gone down, Puyol would have been sent off and the advantage would have been Holland’s.  Robben stayed on his feet and Casillas mopped up the ball easily.  Robben knew he had blown it and ran after the ref in frustration.

When you look at the match Holland were lucky in the first half to keep both Van Bommel and De Jong on the pitch after some absolutely brutal fouls committed by both.  De Jong in particular should have been sent off for a putting his boot, studs up, into Alonso’s chest.  Referee Webb showed great restraint and  went to incredible lengths to keep the Dutch players on the pitch.  In my view this is the right approach because nothing ruins a football match more than sendings off in the first half.

Oh! Robben

Despite the fact I am pro-Dutch, I  have to take my hat off to Spain, especially Iniesta, who was on the wrong end of some brutal fouls, but bounced back as though nothing had happened to him.  This is what makes players at this level so special, they have incredible guts as well as skill.  Most players would have backed off after being fouled so brutally, but there was Iniesta, on the ball again immediately, without any sign of fear.

Holland cannot complain, as they had the chances to win but did not finish.   They received many breaks from referee Webb, and really pushed their luck with discipline.

Spain were great throughout the tournament, with the only complaint being how few goals they actually scored.  They only scored 8 goals, the fewest ever scored by a champion in the World Cup.   Spain’s game was never about scoring goals in bunches; rather, their game was about executing at the right time.  Their ability to get the winning goal when necessary was quite uncanny.   Each player for Spain played their role perfectly, and Vicente Del Bosque must be complimented for being a great manager.  Only France and Germany have won the European Championships and the World Cup Finals back-to-back.

For the Dutch, it is back to the drawing board, and they must live with the cruel legacy of three lost World Cup finals.

Grand Closing Ceremony at Soccer City Stadium Johannesburg

FIFA World Cup 2010 is coming to an end after a successful run. Before the final there will be a great closing ceremony two hours prior to the match. The event will be headlined by Colombian star Shakira and South African muscial legend Joseph Shabalala. The ceremony will also feature the South African groups Freshlyground and Ladysmith Black Mambazo. The event will take place at Soccer City in Johannesburg on July 11.

The Chief Marketing Officer of the Organising Committee, Derek Carsten, went on to describe the ceremony. "This is going to be a story of our country (South Africa). The opening ceremony we focused a lot on the traditions of the country, and it was much more traditional. The closing ceremony is a night time function. It's going to be a celebration of the event itself. It's going to be a celebration of of the football, and it's going to be a celebration of the fans. It will also be a celebration of the country. We really want overseas viewers to feel that a fantastic soccer event has taken place here. We want them to see that it has been a marvelous fan experience. We want them to think this was a country worth visiting," he stated.

Carsten went into more detail of the event itself. "We start off with a very traditional approach. We celebrate the fans in the begining. Then we go on into a whole celebration of the initial rounds, the round of sixteen, the semi-finals, and then we set up the final. Then we end with a highly energized dance sequence. We celebrate the tradition of the country in a very modern, youthful, and contemporary way. One of the marquee songs will be Shakira's world wide hit "Waka Waka"," he said.

Shakira is excited for her participation in the ceremony. "This is one of the highlights of my career. I'm ready to be on the pitch singing "Waka Waka". This song has become a song of hope, of joy, and celebration. This song represents integration, which is what this World Cup has been about. This is what South Africa has become, it's a country that is truly an example for the rest of the world having overcome so many barriers," she said. The singer went on to pick the winner of the tournament. "I have to confess that as a hispanic that I am it's my moral duty to go for Spain, but I think both teams are unbelievable," she said.

Spain Are The Champion

Spain midfielder Andres Iniesta's nerveless finish in extra time delivered a knockout blow to Netherlands in a bruising final to clinch a 1-0 win and their first World Cup triumph at the first African finals.

With a shootout looming, the peerless Iniesta controlled a ball from substitute Cesc Fabregas four minutes from time and found the coolness that had eluded forwards on both sides to fire the ball past the helpless Maarten Stekelenburg.

The Dutch, who ran fuming to referee Howard Webb convinced the goal was illegal on at least two counts, were already down to 10 men following John Heitinga's red card seven minutes earlier and there was little realistic hope of a comeback.

Spain succeeded in keeping their opponents at arm's length and their players wept with joy as they celebrated becoming the first European team to win the World Cup on another continent and the first to triumph after losing their opening game.

"Euphoria, joy, everything positive," Spain midfielder Xabi Alonso told reporters. "The only thing that counts in finals is to win them."

There followed a firework celebration but the soccer itself had fizzled rather than sparkled as Spain became the lowest scoring team to win the World Cup.

They managed only eight goals in their seven games -- three fewer than the previous lowest total in a winning campaign.

For the Dutch, who knocked Spain out of their cultured stride for long periods and should have taken the lead with one glorious chance for Arjen Robben in the second half of normal time, defeat was an all too familiar disappointment.

While Spain were triumphant in their first final, the Dutch have now lost three, following defeats in 1974 and 1978.

Battle For 3rd Place - Germany vs Uruguay Match Preview

Joachim Loew’s young German team was outmatched in its semifinal against Spain. They fought hard on defense, but someone left Carles Puyol completely unmarked on his header that sent Spain to its first ever World Cup final.

Uruguay was outmatched just as much – if not more – against a strong Dutch team, but had a chance to tie the game in a frantic final stretch. Giovanni Van Bronckhorst opened the scoring with an absolute laser from 30 yards out.

Uruguay’s star striker Diego Forlan got his team back in the game with a shot that was just as good. He hammered the ball into the net from just under 30 yards, and tied the game just before halftime.

Wesley Sneijder and Arjen Robben seemed to put the game out of reach with two goals within three minutes, but Uruguay’s Maxi Pereira revived the hopes of the last South African side in the tournament when he scored in the 90^thminute. Uruguay tried to tie the game and got close, but it was too late.

Both Uruguay and Germany missed important players in the semifinals due to suspensions. Uruguay’s Luis Suarez, the team’s other dangerous striker, and Germany’s co-top-scorer Thomas Mueller will be back for Saturday’s match.

Both sides could have used the players in the semis. Mueller’s replacement, Piotr Trochowski isn’t nearly as creative and doesn’t play direct, fast passes like Mueller does. This slowed down the German counterattack noticeably.

When Toni Kroos came into the match for Trochowski, the side was able to pick up the pace a little bit, but neither of the two can compare to up-and-coming Mueller. The 20-year-old will be back for the match against Uruguay, and the German side will benefit greatly from that.

With Suarez out, Uruguay’s only real weapon on offense was Forlan, and while the striker scored, the counterattack wasn’t nearly as dangerous as it can be with both attackers playing.

When both Suarez and Forlan are on the field, the speedy wings can play passes form both sides of the pitch that start dangerous attack. Suarez will be back against Germany, but Forlan is battling a right thigh injury that could keep him out of the match or limit him.

So far, both teams have been best when counterattacking. One of the sides will have to control the game, and Germany will most likely take over. They have enough speed and a strong enough defense to keep up with the Uruguayan counterattack.

Germany goes into the match as the favorites, and I think rightfully so. While Uruguay is dangerous on the attack, the Dutch just gave the Germans the blueprint for beating the Uruguayan defense. And the Germans have the talent and speed to play the way the Netherlands played in the semifinals.

German striker Miroslav Klose has 14 goals in his World Cup career, only one less than Brazilian Ronaldo. He will look to score twice to take the all time lead in scoring at the World Cup. Klose is having back problems after being injured in the semifinal, and might have to sit out the third-place playoff.

If Klose is ready to go, expect his team mates to cater to him and try to get him the ball as much as possible. He is most dangerous in the penalty box, so teammates Mesut Oezil and Lukas Podolski will try to find the attacker in close range to the goal.