Queen's Brian May launches 3D book

LONDON: As a founding member of the rock band Queen, Brian May has played guitar on some of the most memorable music tracks of modern times, he's played legendary shows at some of the world's greatest venues. This event, however, is taking place inside a barn in the Oxfordshire village of Hinton Waldrist.

Brian May, Co-Author, A Village Lost and Found said, "This isn't one of the biggest gigs I've ever played, but I have to say it's one of the more exciting ones."

The reason is that this launch for his new book, 'A Village Lost and Found', marks the realization of a lifelong passion for 3D photography. It began with the discovery of what's called a stereoscopic card inside a box of Weetabix cereal when he was a child.

He said, "So you get your little steroscope, you put your card in and suddenly the magic happens. Instead of two flat images you get a single stereoscopic 3D image, which you seem to be able to walk into."

May eventually began collecting the cards, which led him to the work of the Victorian 3D pioneer Thomas Richard Williams. The series 'Scenes In Our Village', which May's new book focusses on, was always a particular favourite.

"Of course we've advanced technologically so much now. We've learned to cover the planet in concrete. We have communications, et cetera, et cetera, but as a species I think we may have lost some of the values that were current in the 1850s and TR Williams - very ahead of his time - had exactly this in mind. He thought something was being lost in the Industrial Revolution, in mechanisation and the depersonalisation of life. So this series to me has been very relevant to the 21st century."

The effect of these double images unfortunately cannot be fully appreciated through a computer or TV screen, but the president of London's Stereoscopic Society Bob Alderidge says Williams' series and May's book provide a unique window on a bypassed era.

May said, "Why is it significant today? Because we have a pace of life that is very frantic. If you look at the book you can go back to a calmer way of life and it's therapeutic. But it's also part of a very big 3D wave that's coming - people like James Cameron with his Avatar film, the IMAX 3D movies, the new Fuji camera which has just come out."

May insists the Victorian method is still the best way to experience 3D. However, but in order to introduce his favourite images to a new audience, the musician actually turned inventor.

"I looked for a stereoscope that could be used in the book, and really there wasn't one and nobody was really willing to play ball with me to make it for me, so I thought we'd make it ourselves," he added.

The invention is called The Owl, and he jokingly says he'd like to see one in every home - a play on the Victorian marketing motto: 'A Stereoscope In Every Home'. As Hollywood directors and electronics manufacturers take 3D into new dimensions, this lifelong enthusiast hopes some will be inspired to seek out a more detailed view on the history of the craft.

India responsible if Mumbai attacks are repeated: Malik

ISLAMABAD : Federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik Wednesday said India would be responsible for any further Mumbai attacks-like incident if they occur in the country.

Talking to media here, he said India is involved in worsening the situation in Balochistan, which could be borne out with clear-cut evidences.

Jundullah’s Chief Abdul Malik Regi is in Afghanistan and Iran has been apprised of his hideout, he informed.

Commenting upon the Indian allegations, Malik warned against them, saying Indian Home Minister should see about their home first, as it is beset with flaws and failings, adding criticizing Pakistan would not set their issues right.

Rehman Malik stressed that Pakistan may give well-substantiated threats better than those India gave, adding Pakistani offer regarding negotiations should not be deemed as its frailty.

If Indian Home Minister fears fresh Mumbai-like attacks in his country, then it should provide information to Pakistan 48 hours in advance, he maintained.

Malik said security scanners would be installed in the federal capital by 25 of the current month.

He also revealed that some serving and retired personnel of the FC have been taken in custody in connection with the investigations of suicide attack at WFP.

Eyeing Iran, Israel & US in major military drill

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM : Israel and the United States launched a major air defense drill on Wednesday as part of what Israeli public radio called preparation for a faceoff with Iran, as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed his desire to change international war laws in the aftermath of a U.N. report on the Gaza War.

During the two-week maneuvers, dubbed Juniper Cobra, some 1,000 American personnel will mesh ground- and ship-based missile interceptors like the Aegis, THAAD and Patriot with Israel's Arrow II ballistic shield, defense officials said.

Spokesmen on both sides insisted the biennial drill was unrelated to world events, but Israel Radio quoted an unnamed commander as saying it served "to prepare for a nuclear Iran."

Possible Iran confrontation
The United States and other world powers are trying to talk Tehran into giving up nuclear technologies with bomb-making potential, while the Israelis watch warily from the sidelines.

Israel, which is assumed to have the Middle East's only atomic arsenal, has hinted it could resort to force to prevent its arch-foe attaining the means to threaten its existence.

But some analysts believe that tactical limitations, and U.S. misgivings about pre-emptive strikes, may compel Israel to accept a more defensive posture with the help of its top ally.

Iran denies seeking the bomb and has threatened to retaliate for any attack by firing its medium-range missiles at Israel.

Israel's Netanyahu meanwhile instructed his government on Tuesday to draw up proposals to amend the international laws of war after a damning U.N. report on its war in Gaza.

The security cabinet did not, however, discuss calls made by ministers for an internal investigation into the 22-day offensive at the turn of the year that killed some 1,400 Palestinians and 13 Israelis, an official told AFP.

"The prime minister instructed the relevant government bodies to examine a worldwide campaign to amend the international laws of war to adapt them to the spread of global terrorism," his office said in a statement.

Israel was dealt a heavy diplomatic blow with the adoption by the U.N. Human Rights Council of the report that accused both Israel and the Hamas rulers of the Gaza Strip of war crimes.

War crimes

Israel's closest allies, the United States, Britain and France urged it to investigate war crime allegations raised by the fact-finding missions headed by Richard Goldstone, a former international war crimes prosecutor.
Defense Minister Ehud Barak backed Netanyahu's call for a diplomatic campaign, saying that Israel should propose changes in the international laws of war "in order to facilitate the war on terrorism," an official quoted him as saying.

It is in the interest of anyone fighting terrorism. We must give the IDF (Israeli army) the full backing to have the freedom of action," Barak said.

Netanyahu dismissed the Goldstone report on the Gaza war and vowed that Israel would not give up its right of self-defense.

"We are struggling to delegitimize the ongoing attempts to delegitimize Israel... We must persistently fight this lie, which is being spread by the Goldstone report," Netanyahu was quoted as saying.

"I want to make it clear: no one will weaken our ability and right to defend our children, citizens and communities."

Goldstone, the respected South African jurist who led the U.N. fact-finding team, recommended that the conclusions of the report be forwarded to the prosecutor at the International Criminal Court at The Hague if the two sides fail to conduct credible investigations into the conflict within six months.

Israel has slammed it as a "diplomatic farce" and warned that it risked sinking the stalled Middle East peace process.