Image via WikipediaWorcester's Snowhill resident Mohammad Ijaz bribed USCIS (U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service officials) for six green cards besides participating in a sate tax evasion scam. The result he landed in prison with four year term and three years of probation.

He gave bribes in amounts $900,000 to get U.S. Green Cards for six people and for taxes to Comptroller to assess the sales in the stores to $18 million.

Ijaz is one of 11 men arrested as part of a September nationwide sweep in Somerset, Wicomico and Worcester counties.

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When New Zealand required 26 off 39 balls, All-rounder "Grant Elliott" was knocked over by the bowler "Ryan Sidebottom". Elliot was given run out when England appealed.

It clearly angered Elliott and the team New Zealand too. Umpire - Mark Benson did the right thing offered England and Collingwood the chance to withdraw the appeal. Paul Collingwood and neither his players seems bothered and Elliott was given out. He walked out with "what's that" looks at England players that questioned the gentleman game Cricket.

Collingwood should have withdrawn the appeal for the sanctity of the game. True sportsman ship is lost when the England team appealed for Elliot's run out.

Anyway, the justice is served with New Zealand winning the match from the last over.

Also Colllingwood made history with the four match suspension for being captain of England for bowling too slow in ODi#4

Here is run out appeal video (courtesy @@ youtube)

Labels: Controversy, Cricket, England, videos

Even the re-play video from you tube keeps you at the end of your chairs in excitement. If you have followed this series it kind of brought life back to one day series in the midst of hyped Twenty20 and IPL buzz for three reasons.

1) Controversial no result match which black Caps would have won easily.
2) Switch-hit back to back sixes from KP
3) 4Th ODI last ball thriller.

Last over Video : (Courtesy Youtube)

Labels: Cricket, highlights

Image by Getty Images via DaylifeSays who ? The report from John Miano titled -- The H1B Visa Sham -- discussed the mismatch between number of H1-B visas approved for the fiscal year and the number of jobs created in that industry (both computers and engineering).

As opposed to popular belief John's argument is that there is no direct relationship between H1-Bs and their job creation. Is this measurable ? I doubt it as you cannot just count numbers from the same industry. It is possible that as a result of H1-Bs the jobs are created in related industries if not in the computer industry. This is difficult to quantify.

H1-Bs approvals are 16000 where as jobs lost is 76000 -- This to some extent may account for H1-Bs converting to permanent residents and the conversion is not accounted for. Probably H1-Bs are filling the jobs of once H1-bs but now legal residents.

large percentage of those who legally enter United States on H-1B visas go into the illegal alien pool -- No wonder we hear daily the companies scams and their arrests news. Recently Nilesh Dasondi of Cygate Software & Consulting Inc illegally sponsored visas for six people and they came to US and never worked on H1-Bs.

John's report may be very well true but statistics presented may tell us a different story that a person obtaining H1-B in California usually doesn't work in California but may go to some other city which I think was happening for the unaccounted numbers.

Overall the report puts the focus on numbers mismatch with the reality. correct measures (or system) are required to track this H1-B non-immigrants.

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Image via WikipediaThe Asia cup 2008 played among six countries India,Pakistan,Sri Lanka,Bangladesh,UAE and Hong Kong in Lahore and Karachi Stadium in Pakistan From June 24 (24-6-2008) to July 06 (02-06-2008)

what are the options to watch this game online for someone who is in North America and have internet connection but not TV.

Here are few options available for Asia Cup 2008 live streaming sites.

Willow TV - The official live streaming site

Willow.Tv is the official site which is having live streaming as well as videos section and in case if you missed this great game you can watch replays from there.



Note : They have just put up the link but not yet the prices for the event.

Watch the live streaming game on webwide in Internet Explorer only thats the disadvantage of Willow.TV as it works only on Windows and IE.

I wish Yahoo streaming comes to rescue with other platforms and browsers soon. Here is the post that I've covered some good news.

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Labels: Asia, Asia Cup, Asia Cup 2008, Cricket, Hong Kong, Internet Explorer, North America, Pakistan, sri lanka, United Arab Emirates

This article in Gazette highlights the problems that Maryland employers facing as a result of 85000 H1-B visa cap. Getting H1-B in US is a lottery system now with so many applicants fiercely competing for meager 65,000 H1-B visas.

Students in US are some what better off in the sense that they can work on F1 visa for 29 months and apply for 20,000 H1-B visas available.

Chamber of commerce's lobbying was not working to increase the cap back to 195,000 quota of 2003.

Is H1-B effecting the salaries and jobs taken away from US workers ?

Globalization and the American IT Worker(pdf).

A number of studies have found that the H-1Bs are paid on average 15% to 33% less than comparable U.S. IT workers.Given the similarity in salary savings between offshoring and labor importation, and the fact that having the work done on-site is far more productive, it is much more cost-effective from a CEO’s point of view to hire H-1Bs than to offshore the work

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Image via WikipediaKP -- Kevin Pietersen Switch-hit sixes have been the talk of 1st ODI between England and New Zealand. KP mastered the shot and creating trend that I believe will change the game of cricket. If every one can play this kind of shot I doubt it.

What is a Switch-Hit ? Pietersen turned left handed though he is a right-handed batsman when hitting this shot -- switch-shot -- he hit New Zealand's Scott Styris twice for six using this Switch-Hit.

Kevin Pietersen Switch-shot sixers Video here:


Ricky Ponting himself noted that he would not play the shot himself or encourages his team the same citing the shot's legality.

MCC confirmed that shot is legal

Kevin Pietersen will be allowed to carry on playing his extraordinary 'reverse slog-sweep' after MCC (Marylebone Cricket Club), cricket's rule-makers, announced they would not be outlawing the 'switch-hit'.

"MCC believes that the 'switch-hit' stroke is exciting for the game of cricket," said a statement issued by MCC following a meeting at it's Lord's headquarters in London on Tuesday.

"Indeed, the stroke conforms to the Laws of Cricket and will not be legislated against."

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This is good news for Canadian Cricket as reported by this news that they can now get more funds because of this recognition. More than funds the recognition puts cricket on radar in sports map for Canada.

The Honourable Helena Guergis, Secretary of State (Foreign Affairs and International Trade) (Sport) and Member of Parliament (Simcoe-Grey), made the announcement at the Canadian Cricket Association's office in Toronto's Sport Alliance Centre. The Association Canadian cricket team uniform was unveiled, and the appointment of a team captain was announced.

"The Government of Canada welcomes Cricket Canada to the list of sports that are eligible to receive Government of Canada funding," said Secretary of State Guergis. "We are proud of the association's achievements and we look forward to supporting future initiatives."

This recognition benefits the Canadian cricket two-fold -- funding as well as psychological barrier.

Canada which has one of largest subcontinent immigrants and Cricket used to be the most popular sport until early 20th century and Ice Hockey replaced it later.

For more info on cricket in Canada check the page on wiki.

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Man Singh the manager of the 1983 Prudential World Cup team in his book "Cricket Biryani" writes about history of Hyderabad cricket

The Man Singh's Hyderabad XI team is: Abbas Ali Baig, VVS Laxman, ML Jaisimha (captain), MAK Pataudi, Mohammad Azharuddin, EB Aibara, Syed Abid Ali, P. Krishnamurthy (wicket-keeper), Mumtaz Hussain, NP Singh, Ghulam Ahmed, 12th man: Gul Mohammad.

Find more details here

Labels: Abbas Ali Baig, Cricket, Ghulam Ahmed, India, Mohammad Azharuddin, sachin tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Virender Sehwag, VVS Laxman