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NEW DELHI: Even as security agencies focus on the need for full-body scanners, in the backdrop of the attempt by a Nigerian national to blow up a
Detroit-bound plane, the proposal to acquire the equipment for Parliament security is fast coming unstuck.

In fact, after more than a year of gathering dust in Lok Sabha Speaker’s office, the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) on security, has, as sources revealed, now come up with a fresh proposal to acquire not just full-body scanners but also baggage and vehicle scanners keeping in mind the threat to India’s most heavily-guarded building. The proposal to acquire body scanners, which have never been used in India, was made for the first time by the previous JPC in March 2008 but, according to highly placed sources, it got stuck in then Speaker Somnath Chatterjee’s office. The price of these equipment, each of which can cost several crores, was said to be one of the reasons.

Only a handful of countries in the world like the US, UK, France and Israel manufacture such scanners and because it wouldn’t have been possible for the manufacturers to bring the equipment to India for a demo, it was decided that a committee be formed to go abroad for the demonstrations. An inter-departmental technical committee, comprising members of all important security agencies, was formed for the purpose but in the absence of the final go-ahead the committee failed to go abroad even once.

‘‘Right now there is no equipment to detect explosive substances which can be combined with chemicals to cause explosion. Manual frisking remains of paramount importance but there is always a chance of human error in it,’’ said a source.
 sourcehttp://timesofindia.indiatimes.com

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ABC News adds, "The man said he was directed by al Qaeda to explode a small device in flight, over U.S. soil... Authorities have no corroboration of that information, and the credibility of the suspect's statements are being questioned, officials said." The AP says that the passenger was trying to set off firecrackers; also, President Obama, who is on vacation, was notified of the incident.

The plane was carrying 278 passengers. The Detroit Free-Press reports, "Syed Jafry of Holland, Mich., said people ran out of their seats to tackle the man. Jafry was sitting in the 16th row when he heard 'a pop and saw some smoke and fire.'...He said the way passengers responded made him proud to be an American."

source-http://gothamist.com/2009/12/25/us_official_plane_passenger_tried_t.php

Eminem is offering his fans an opportunity to snag an autographed photo with him for Christmas. The Detroit rapper is offering up personalized photos of himself dressed as "Shady Clause" and letting fans upload pictures of themselves sitting on his lap, via his Web site. Fans can choose one of four portraits offered for $24.95 per photo, and will take 4-6 weeks to be delivered. All proceeds from the photos will benefit Em's charitable organization the Marshall Mathers Foundation, which supports disadvantaged youth.

Em's had a good year. Following a three-year hiatus he released 'Relapse,' which debuted atop the Billboard charts selling over 600,000 His second dose of the record titled 'Relapse: The Refill' hits stores today (Dec. 21) and will feature new music. "I wanted to deliver some new material to tide my fans over," Eminem told The BoomBox. "Taken as directed, 'Refill' should keep people happy for a minute ... " In recognition of his colossal record sales Billboard crowned the 37-year-old Artist of the Decade for selling over 30 million albums since 1999's 'The Slim Shady LP.' Em beat out big names like Jay-Z, Nelly and even the Beatles to win the honor.



source:http://www.theboombox.com/2009/12/21/eminem-offering-autographed-pictures-for-christmas