In 2005, the three concerned parties appealed to the World Bank to coordinate financing the feasibility study. The World Bank have agreed and appealed to the donor countries.

Four donor countries — France, Japan, the United States and the Netherlands — have committed themselves to participate in financing the $15 million study. The study will look at the environmental and social consequences of transferring water from the Red Sea to the Dead Sea, Jordan's Minister of Water and Irrigation Mohammed Thafer al-Alem said Sunday.

Geological experts warned that the drop in the water level would increase the earthquake possibilities. They also warn the Dead Sea will disappear in 50 years if current trends persist.

The Israeli Minister of National Infrastructure, Binyamin Ben-Eliezer, said the "study is an excellent example for cooperation, peace and conflict reduction."

The Red-Dead Sea canal project, which is expected to cost more than $1 billion, would exploit the 1,320-foot difference in altitude between both areas.

If implemented, the 248-mile desert area between the two seas would benefit from the fresh water to turn the region into an agricultural hub for the benefit of the three countries. A desalination project is also envisaged to provide drinking water for Amman. Israel and the Palestinian territories would also benefit from the drinking water.

For more information on why Dead Sea is Dying, Click here...

They started an argument on whose Trainee engineer had more guts.

The American PM called for one of his men and told him to jump off and take a round swimming around the moving ship.

The Trainee did as he was commanded. The American PM boasted of by saying, "See the guts!"

Now the German PM called out for one of his men and asked him to take two similar rounds around the moving ship.

The Trainee did as he was told. When he came back from the water the German PM said, "See the guts!"

Now the Indian PM called out for his most courageous man and asked him to take five similar rounds.

The Trainee promptly replied, " Why the hell should I ???"

The PM proudly said, "See the guts!"

Sleep deprivation isn't just bad for us, it's also bad for people around us: tens of thousands of traffic accidents are attributed to sleepy drivers every year.

Most of the people, particularly in the IT Industry, dont take this habit of sleeping a seriuos one, as they dont know the significance of sleeping. They realise its value only after seeing the name of sleeping pills in their doctor's prescription. So I just wanted to make my friends, who are reading this blog, aware of the importance of Sleeping. I'm not an expert in this area, but i can suggest some sites where you can find lots of information about sleeping. Please do spend some time in those sites. I can hear that you are saying that "i can find lot of info by searching. why this fellow wasting time to give links for site...". Just think for a moment that how many times have you entered "sleep" in the search engines??? So here are some of the links:

http://www.sleepfoundation.org/doze/
http://health.howstuffworks.com/sleep.htm
http://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleeplibrary/index.php?secid=&id=53

- and for more, its right-time for you to search for "sleep"... atleast now...

The Five days of Diwali

Diwali is celebrated over five days in most of North India. All the days except Diwali are named using the designation in the Indian calendar. A lunar half-month is 15 days. Diwali as a new-moon day, marks the last day of a 15-day period.

1. Dhan-trayodashi or Dhan teras: Dhan means "wealth" and Trayodashi means "13th day". Thus, as the name implies, this day falls on the 13th day of the first half of the lunar month. It is an auspicious day for shopping. (Gujarati: Dhan Teras)
2. Naraka Chaturdasi: Narak means 'of a new era of Light and Knowledge'. Chaturdasi implies fourteenth day. (Gujarati: Kali Chaudas)
3. Diwali: the actual day of Diwali, is celebrated on the third day of the festival, when the moon completely wanes and total darkness sets in the night sky.
4. Varsha-pratipada or Padwa: Beginning of the New Year (Kartikadi Vikram). Pratipada means the first. (Gujarati: Bestu Varas)
5. Bhayiduj (also Bhayyaduj, Bhaubeej or Bhayitika) -- on this day, brothers and sisters meet to express their love and affection for each other. (Gujarati: Bhai Bij)

The celebrations vary in different regions:

• In Southern India, naraka chaturdashii is the main day, with firecrackers at dawn.
• The main festival is on Amavasya evening with Lakshmi Puja which is followed by lighting of oil lamps around the house.

For more info on Diwali/Deepavali: search in www.wikipedia.org

or visit http://www.festivalsinindia.net/diwali/index.html

Listen to the Exhortation of the Dawn!
Look to this Day!
For it is Life, the very Life of Life.
In its brief course lie all the
Verities and Realities of your Existence.
The Bliss of Growth,
The Glory of Action,
The Splendor of Beauty;
For Yesterday is but a Dream,
And To-morrow is only a Vision;
But To-day well lived makes
Every Yesterday a Dream of Happiness,
And every Tomorrow a Vision of Hope.
Look well therefore to this Day!
Such is the Salutation of the Dawn!
-Kalidasa.