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Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announcing the end of his dharna
Kejriwal ends dharna as 2 cops sent on leave Details on page 5
Top teaching award for Meera Chandrasekhar
VOL 19, No. 1010
January 24, 2014
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INDIAN'S TINY ANTENNA JOLTS TV BIGWIGS NEW YORK: An Indian-American The TV industry titans are intent entrepreneur has developed a tiny anon maintaining a system that protenna which grabs over-the-air televivides billions in revenue annually. The sion signals and streams them to connetworks have been fighting Aereo sumers via Internet, an invention that in court almost since its inception, has pitted him against the powerful US claiming the service was stealing their TV industry. content. The Supreme Court will hear Chet Kanojia, whose company is the case this month, a report in the emerging as a threat to broadcast New York Times said. networks like ABC, NBC and CBS, is "The (court) decision will have farnow fighting a legal battle with them reaching implications for a television in the US Supreme Court. industry already in upheaval, facing Aereo allows subscribers to watch challenges from online streaming, or record broadcast television Internet-enabled TVs, ad-skipping Chet Kanojia through the Internet on any device, devices and, now, the tiny antennas no wires or cable boxes required. It that Aereo uses to capture broadcast does this by assigning each consumer a remote antenna signals," the report said. Details on page 12 and a DVR.
Details on page 6
Cyrus Mistry wins DSC prize for S. Asian Literature Details on page 5
NRIs plan to unite to arrest slide of Hinduism Details on page 18
Bill Gates lauds India’s vaccine heroes Details on page 13
India hikes US govt securities holdings Details on page 13
Cong seeks dismissal of Sikh lawsuit
Indian-origin mother charged with son's death
Details on page 7 Details on page 7
Ex Obama aide joins American think tank
CONTENTS Bollywood ---------------------- 28-29 Classifieds ------------------------- 52 Community Post -------------- 18-25
Details on page 7
Date Book -------------------------- 48 Edit Page --------------------------- 54
INDIA POST SURVEY
HealthScience Post --------- 32-35
survey@indiapost.com
Horoscope ------------------------- 11
This week’s question
Immigration Post ------------- 44-47
Should you support Kanojia’s tiny antenna invention?
Life Style ----------------------- 36-38 Philosophy ------------------------- 53
Last week’s result
India’s standing up to US has enhanced its image? YES 67%
NO 33%
Publisher’s Diary ------------------ 4
SINGING MARATHON: Musicians rendering Pancharatna Kritis at the 167th Tyagaraja Aradhana at Thiruvaiyaru in Thanjavur on January 21
Real Estate -------------------- 50-51 TechBiz Post ------------------- 12-15 Travel & Hospitality Post ---- 40-43
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ot too often, but as a member of the Fourth Estate, I am sometimes faced with the dilemma when dealing with a popular people's movement, questioning my role as the passive observer and reining in my civic and social responsibility as a citizen. But then I take the easy way out and play the typical journalist by remaining a skeptic. Such is the dilemma that the Indian media in general seems to be facing with the national anti-corruption movement launched by social activist Anna Hazare and now taken up by his once deputy Arvind Kejriwal. What started as a small campaign backed by social media, grew into a movement similar to the pre-Independence freedom struggle - propped as it was by a tipsy mainstream media high on the scale of the story - almost fizzled, as the very same media started questioning the integrity of the movement's leaders. Fed by the powerful government propaganda machinery, the Indian media did not hesitate to meticulously tear down the movement by criticizing and questioning its very basis rather than critiquing it. The irony is that the cause - as righteous as it might be - is valid and justified and the media had a moral obligation to make it its own. Kejriwal's team has regrouped and come back with renewed vigor and has steadfastly stuck to its agenda of ridding the government of corrupt ministers. The latest demand on which the confrontation has solidified is the refusal of the Home Minister, who heads the Delhi Police, to take cognizance of complaints against the police. The media is now trying to take a step back and analyze the merits and demerits of the Aam Aadmi Party movement and whether to support it in its alleged anarchist ways. In contemporary times where people that can be judged in black or white are a rarity, and one sees only deeper shades of grey, the media's dilemmas are understandable in defining their roles as objective reporters in a peoplevs-state conflict.
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Friends no more Deepika Padukone who is rumored to be dating Ranveer Singh says she is very much single and not dating anyone.
Cover Story: Dharna ends Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal's dharna in the heart of the capital came to an end after two police officers were sent on leave
Community: State of Hinduism Delegates gathered recently at Sri Meenakshi Temple on Pearland, TX to discuss the state of Hinduism in Kerala
Rights bill The Seattle House's swift move to advance an immigrants' rights bill might affect the results of the November elections
Life Style: Screen Awards Deepika Padukone was awarded the Best Actress trophy while Farhan Akhtar walked away with the Best Actor award
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HIGHLIGHTS
Chet Kanojia has developed a tiny antenna which grabs over-the-air television signals and streams them via Internet
Travel: Pushkar The town surrounds the Pushkar Lake, formed by the percolating rain from the wooded surrounding mountains.
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Kejriwal ends dharna after LG sends 2 cops on leave NEW DELHI: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's unprecedented dharna in the heart of the capital came to an abrupt end on January 21 night after two police officers were sent on leave under a compromise with the Centre over his demand for suspension of five officials for alleged dereliction of
ally morphed into a demand for control over Delhi Police and threatened to disrupt the Republic Day celebrations on Sunday ended following an assurance from the Lt. Governor Najeeb Jung. Mr. Kejriwal, who had slept on Monday night on the road and
Delhi. Earlier in the day, he ruled out any negotiations and threatened to flood the Rajpath with his supporters for disrupting the R-Day celebrations. Under the compromise, the SHO of Malviya Nagar, who refused to raid an alleged drug and prostitution ring on the orders of Law Minister Somnath Bharti, and PCR van in-charge of Paharganj, where a Danish women was gangraped last week, were sent on leave, paving the way for an end to the confrontation with the Centre. Appealing to Mr. Kejriwal to withdraw his agitation, the Lt. Governor said the judicial inquiry into the alleged police inaction would be expedited. The compromise meets only half-way Mr. Kejriwal's demand that five officials be suspended in connection with these two incidents apart from burning of a girl allegedly by her in-laws. Mr. Kejriwal read out from the letter of Mr. Jung who appealed to him to call off the agitation "in view of the sacrosanct occasion of the Republic Day and the perceived security situation". The Chief Minister claimed that the police have arrested the culprits in the case of a rape of woman, which was also one of his demands that triggered the agitation.
Violence, police lathi-charge Police manhandle an AAP supporter during their dharna against them near Rail Bhavan in New Delhi on January 21
duty. The over 30-hour protest outside Rail Bhavan in the high-security Raisina Hill area that virtu-
held Cabinet meetings in his car, announced that he was calling off the protest following the "victory" achieved by the people of
Earlier, police cane-charged Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supporters as they turned violent and broke barricades to enter the area where Chief Arvind Kejriwal is protesting against the Delhi Police. Cont’d on page 6
AAP supporters wave tricolours during the second day of their dharna against police near Rail Bhavan in New Delhi
Cyrus Mistry wins DSC prize for South Asian Literature India Post News Service
JAIPUR: The widely acclaimed DSC Prize for South Asian Literature 2014 has been won by Cyrus Mistry this year for his book 'Chronicle of a Corpse Bearer' at the Zee Jaipur Literature Festival. The US $50,000 DSC Prize along with a unique trophy was awarded to Cyrus who is the second Indian to win this award. His winning book mirrors the painful saga of love within the small Parsi community of corpse bearers. The six shortlisted authors and books in contention for the DSC Prize were Anand: Book of De-
and distinguished Jury comprising of eminent members from the international literary fraternity Antara Dev Sen, editor, writer and literary critic and chair of the DSC Prize jury, Arshia Sattar, an eminent Indian translator, writer and a teacher, Ameena Saiyid, the MD of Oxford University Press in Pakistan, Rosie Boycott, acclaimed British journalist and editor and Paul Yamazaki, a veteran bookseller and one of the most respected names in the book trade in the US. While announcing the winner, Antara Dev Sen, the DSC Prize 2014 Jury Chair said, "Cyrus
Cyrus Mistry receiving the award
struction (Translated by Chetana Sachidanandan; Penguin, India), Benyamin: Goat Days (Translated by Joseph Koyippalli; Penguin, India), Cyrus Mistry: Chronicle of a Corpse Bearer (Aleph Book Company, India), Mohsin Hamid: How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia (Hamish Hamilton/Penguin, India), Nadeem Aslam: The Blind Man's Garden (Random House, India), Nayomi Munaweera: Island of a Thousand Mirrors (Perera Hussein Publishing, Sri Lanka) The DSC Prize Secretariat had received close to 70 entries this year with participation from publishers in South Asia, UK, USA, Canada and Australia amongst others. The DSC Prize for South Asian Literature which is specifically focused on South Asian writing is unique in the sense that it is not ethnicity driven in terms of the author's origin and is open to any author belonging to any part of the globe as long as the work is based on the South Asian region and its people. The last three years have had winners from three different countries in South Asia further reflecting the importance of South Asia's rapidly expanding book market. The fourth edition of the DSC Prize 2014 was judged by a diverse
Mistry's Chronicle of a Corpse Bearer is a deeply moving book, exquisitely drawn on a small, almost claustrophobic canvas. It takes a tiny slice of life, the life of the Khandhias or corpse bearers of the Parsi community, and weaves a powerful story about this downtrodden caste we know so little about. A fantastic storyteller, Mistry offers a beautiful novel rich in historical detail and existential angst, gently questioning the way we look at justice, custom, love, life and death." Commenting on the winner announcement, Manhad Narula, Steering Committee member of the DSC Prize said, "My heartiest congratulations to Cyrus Mistry for winning the DSC Prize for South Asian Literature 2014. It represents the very best of South Asian fiction writing today and this book is a remarkable exploration of a very specific and hidden world that not many of us are aware of. I thank the jury members who've had the difficult task of choosing a winner from the six exceptional contenders that we had in the shortlist this year. Now completing four successful years, the DSC Prize remains focused on recognizing the best talent writing about the South Asian region and bringing it to a larger global audience"
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Top teaching award for Indian-American WASHINGTON: An IndianAmerican university professor of physics and astronomy has been
ics department at the University of Missouri. She is expected to teach in resi-
awarded with a top US teaching award for her exceptional career. Meera Chandrasekhar was named as the recipient of Baylor University's 2014 Robert Foster Cherry Award for Great Teaching, the only teaching award in the US that carries the single largest monetary reward of USD 250,000. "Dr Chandrasekhar is an internationally known teacher, scholar who combines an impressive academic record with a stellar reputation for the extraordinary impact she has had on undergraduate and graduate students," said Elizabeth Davis, executive vice president and provost at Baylor. Chandrasekhar will get an additional USD 25,000 for the phys-
dence at Baylor during the spring 2015 semester. "Dr Meera Chandrasekhar has an outstanding record of recognized teaching accomplishments
Chandrasekhar will get an additional USD 25,000 for the physics department at the University of Missouri. She is expected to teach in residence at Baylor during the spring 2015 semester
and awards. The selection committee was particularly impressed at the impact her teaching has had at all university levels and with her K-12 outreach efforts," said Michael W Thompson, chair of the award committee. "I am deeply honored to learn that I will receive the 2014 Robert Foster Cherry Award, and I am humbled to join the illustrious group of teacher scholars who received the award before me," she said. Chandrasekhar was named a finalist for the award in April 2013, along with fellow distinguished teacher and scholars Joan Breton Connelly, Professor of Classics and Art History, New York University, and Michael K Salemi, Professor Emeritus of Economics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. An IIT Madras Alumni, Chandrasekhar earned her Bachelors and Masters from MGM College in Mysore in 1968. She is a professor of physics and astronomy, and Curator's Teaching Professor of Physics at the University of Missouri. In 1999, she received the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring from the National Science Foundation. In 2002, she was honored with the Distinguished Alumnus Award from the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology (IIT). She received an Alfred P Sloan Fellowship in 1985 and was elected a Fellow of the American Physical Society in 1992. -PTI
Babies 'fake cry' to get attention; Study NEW YORK: A new study has confirmed what many parents already suspect - babies 'fake cry' to get extra attention. Researchers also found that the interaction that occurs when a mother responds to her baby's cries - even fake cries - contributes greatly to an infant's social and emotional development. Researchers from the University of the Sacred Heart in Tokyo analyzed the cries of two babies over a six-month period. They looked for indications of emotion just before crying (including distressed sounds, grimacing, a downward turned lip, or a smile and laughter), and after crying stopped. The children were nearly always unhappy just before they
started crying, and after crying stopped, 'LiveScience' reported. However, in one instance, an 11-month-old infant showed positive emotions in the last few seconds before crying - which occurred when the mother moved
away during playtime - and smiled again soon after the mother returned. The infant "appeared to cry deliberately to get her mother's attention and convey to her [mother] that she wanted her to come closer and play with her again," said study researcher Hiroko Nakayama. "This appeared to be an instance of fake crying," Nakayama said. Nakayama added that the term "fake" should not be taken as a negative in this context. The interaction that occurs when a mother responds to her baby's cries "contributes greatly not only to an infant's social development but also to their emotional development," Nakayama said.-PTI
Kejriwal ends dharna after LG sends 2 cops on leave Cont’d from page 5
AAP supporters, who had assembled in large numbers, wanted to enter the protest site near the Rail Bhavan, but police refused entry to them, making the area out of bounds. Following this, angry supporters crashed through the barricades and 200-300 supporters entered the protest site. Incidents of stone pelting were reported, but police did not confirm this saying they have to verify the events. Police said that with some 200300 AAP volunteers entering the
is not a matter of negotiation. "We will continue our protest. How can Home Minister (Sushilkumar) Shinde sleep when so many crimes are happening in Delhi? When women are unsafe in the city? We won't negotiate," Kejriwal told reporters. The Chief Minister along with his six cabinet colleagues and scores of supporters spent the night outside the Rail Bhavan, the venue of their protest, braving the cold winter. Kejriwal slept on the road under the open sky while some of his supporters spent the night
Kejriwal rests during dharna
area near the Rail Bhavan, the crowd has swelled two to three times making the situation chaotic. An AAP worker was injured and police was seen shifting him to the ambulance. Senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Sanjay Singh lashed out at the Delhi Police accusing them of brutally beating up a number of party workers. "Police brutality is evident. Journalists were beaten up. A lot of our volunteers were beaten up. "We are trying to maintain law and order and a lot of volunteers were injured and they are being taken to hospital," Singh, who is a member of the Political Affairs Committee (PAC), told reporters here. He said the party was trying to ensure proper medical attention to all those injured.
Kejriwal sleeps on road Kejriwal had upped the ante, threatening to flood Rajpath, the venue of Republic Day celebrations, with lakhs of supporters until his demands were fulfilled. He ruled out any negotiations to scale down the protest, saying the safety of women in the capital
singing and raising slogans around a bonfire. A number of cabinet ministers also slept on the road. Kejriwal threatened that "If the demands are not met then lakhs of our supporters will come to Rajpath. They (the Centre) must listen to the people." Attacking the Home Minister, he said he will not shift to Jantar Mantar as requested by the police and the Centre will have to accept his demand for action against the policemen who had refused to act against the alleged drug and prostitution racket. "Have the people of Delhi given them the right to make decisions for them? No. They have given me the right. How can Shinde ask me where to sit? I will tell him where to sit," he said. The Chief Minister also accused the police of harassing his supporters at the protest venue and said the area has been turned into a jail. "They have turned this small area into a jail. There are not toilets here. I was using a toilet at Rail Bhavan here. They have even closed that. We had arranged a public toilet somehow which they did not allow to bring here. They are even not allowing food to be brought here.
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Cong party seeks dismissal Ex Obama aide joins American think tank of rights violation suit NEW YORK: India's ruling Congress party is seeking dismissal of a human rights violation lawsuit filed against it in the US by a Sikh rights group in connection with the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. Indian-American Attorney Ravi Batra, who represents the Congress party in the US, filed a motion in a Manhattan federal court yesterday saying that the political party will on March 12 seek an order from District Judge Robert Sweet for dismissal of the complaint filed by Sikhs for Justice (SFJ). The party is seeking the dismissal of the complaint citing lack of subject-matter jurisdiction and failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted. SFJ has time till February 17 to respond to the Congress party's motion and Batra will then have to file his response by March 10. Batra said SFJ claims that it is pursuing relief on behalf of thirdparties for whom they have not established a legal ability to act. "SFJ's sole claim to representative authority is their unadorned claim to have been 'formed to seek justice and compensation for those Sikhs who were injured or whose family mem-
bers were killed and whose property was destroyed' during the 1984 riots. "Nowhere does SFJ even claim to have authority from any person to bring claims on their behalf, nor does it allege having been appointed the 'legal representative' of anyone by a Court of com-
SFJ's legal advisor Gurpatwant Singh Pannun said the group is driven by its resolve to seek justice for the victims of the 1984-riots since justice has been denied to them for the last 30 years petent jurisdiction," he said. Batra argued that nearly three decades have passed since the 1984 riots in India and nearly two decades have elapsed since the statute of limitations expired in November, 1994. "If the standard applicable in a Court of law for legal sufficiency
of a complaint or for subject matter jurisdiction was moral, and not legal, then everyone who felt distressed could sue anyone and sympathy would paint every assessment - and, surely, the events of 1984, from the assassination of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to even a single collateral injury of an innocent Indian citizen, Sikh or otherwise, is ripe for moral sympathy," Batra said. "Importantly, however, the federal courts do not look at these Alien Tort Statute (ATS) cases from a moral perspective, but from a legal one," he added. SFJ's legal advisor Gurpatwant Singh Pannun said the group is driven by its resolve to seek justice for the victims of the 1984riots since justice has been denied to them for the last 30 years and political leaders have turned a "blind eye" to the plight of the victims. In March 2011, a US Court had issued summons against the Congress party in the class action law suit filed under Alien Tort Statute (ATS) and Torture Victim Protection Act (TVPA) for allegedly conspiring and abetting the attacks on Sikhs in 1984 following the assassination of Gandhi. -PTI
Indian-origin mother charged with son's death LONDON: In a case that has shaken up the UK, an Indian-origin mother has been charged with the death of her three-year-old son, who mysteriously disappeared from his home in Scotland. Rosdeep Kular, 33, appeared at the Edinburgh Sheriff's Court over the death of Mikaeel Kular, who was reported missing prompting a massive search operation. Kular was detained and arrested and charged after Mikaeel's body was found by officers in woodland behind her former home in Kirkcaldy, Fife, where she lived before moving to Edinburgh. She was charged after almost 24 hours of questioning, as police confirmed the body was that of her missing son. The body was removed by officers for an autopsy. Assistant Chief Constable Malcolm Graham of Police Scotland said: "Following formal identification, I can now confirm that a 33-year-old woman has been arrested and charged in connection with Mikaeel's death."
Kular, a mother of five, told police that she put her son to bed at 9pm but when she went to wake him up at 7:15am the following morning he was missing. She also said that on the night
It later emerged that Mikaeel had not been at his nursery school for almost a month because of an apparent chest infection. Neighbors said they had not seen Mikaeel for some time and
Rosdeep Kular
when Mikaeel allegedly disappeared, he was sleeping alone in the bedroom he normally shared with his twin sister Ashika. Officers initially suggested that the little boy may have got up in the middle of the night, put on his clothes, and left the building "for a wander".
that the little boy's domestic circumstances were complex. He had never met his biological father, who is of Pakistani origin, and his mother was estranged from her husband, Omotoso Adekunle Adekoya, 35, a taxi driver from Nigeria who lives nearby.-PTI
WASHINGTON: Indian-American Anish Goel, a former aide of US President Barack Obama, has joined an eminent think-tank here as its senior South Asia fellow. Goel currently serves as the
Anish Goel
director of Geopolitical Affairs for Boeing Commercial Airplanes, where he leads geopolitical analysis, identifying emerging threats
and opportunities, and their potential impact to the firm's business. As a Senior Fellow for South Asia, Goel will write on US foreign policy in South Asia, regional dynamics, and their implications for US national security, the New America Foundation said in a statement. Goel served for three years in the White House's National Security Council as Senior Director for South Asia. This made him the senior-most advisor on South Asia to Obama. In this position, he played a key role in shaping the India policy of the Obama Administration in its first term. He was man behind the highly successful State Visit of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to the US in November 2009 and that of Obama to India a year later in November 2010. -PTI
FBI concern at Americans radicalized by al Qaeda WASHINGTON: With more American citizens like Faisal Shahzad getting radicalized in countries like Pakistan, Somalia and Syria, the FBI is working on a plan to track US residents who travel overseas, embrace al Qaeda ideology and return to carry out terror attacks. "We are focused on trying to figure out what our people are up to, who should be spoken to, who should be followed, who should be charged," FBI Director James Comey said. Comey said US law enforcement officials were increasingly concerned about efforts to recruit and radicalize American citizens by drawing them to the restive region and sending them back to this country to carry out terrorist attacks. "It's something we are intensely focused on," Comey was quoted as saying by the Los Angeles Times. Law enforcement officials say they have been tracing other US residents traveling abroad, specifically Somali Americans from
Minnesota who have gone to fight in that country. They are also watching several individuals identified soon after the 9/11 attacks, such as half a dozen men from the Buffalo suburb of Lackawanna, New York, who trained at an Al Qaeda facility in Afghanistan. Comey said these suspects were the most difficult to identify and stop. Although the FBI previously had "great success" against al Qaeda in the group's traditional Afghanistan-Pakistan region, he said, "in the ungoverned or poorly governed spaces in Africa and around the Middle East, we see a resurgence of al Qaeda affiliates." Two cases of radicalized Americans surfaced last year. Nicole Lynn Mansfield, a 33year-old nurse from Michigan, died while fighting alongside antigovernment militants in northern Syria. She was among three killed in May after she reportedly tossed a grenade at Syrian soldiers.-PTI
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Criminals hack smart fridge to send out spam WASHINGTON: A fridge was among more than 100,000 devices hacked by cyber criminals to send out spam emails - in what may be the first proven cyberattack on household "smart" appliances, researchers say. The global attack campaign involved more than 750,000 malicious email communications coming from more than 100,000 everyday consumer gadgets such as home-networking routers, connected multimedia centers, televisions and at least one refrigerator that had been compromised and used as a platform to launch attacks, researchers said. Personal computers can be unknowingly compromised to form robot-like "botnets" that can be used to launch large-scale cyber attacks. Scientists at California-based security group, Proofpoint, found that cyber criminals have begun to commandeer home routers, smart appliances and other components of the Internet of Things (IoT) and transform them into "thingbots" to carry out the same type of ma-
licious activity. The attack that Proofpoint observed and profiled occurred between December 23, 2013 and January 6, 2014, and featured waves of malicious email, typically sent in bursts of 100,000,
three times per day, targeting Enterprises and individuals worldwide. More than 25 per cent of the volume was sent by things that were not conventional laptops, desktop computers or mobile de-
vices; instead, the emails were sent by everyday consumer gadgets such as compromised homenetworking routers, connected multi-media centers, televisions and at least one refrigerator. No more than 10 emails were initiated from any single IP address, making the attack difficult to block based on location - and in many cases, the devices had not been subject to a sophisticated compromise. Instead, misconfiguration and the use of default passwords left the devices completely exposed on public networks, available for takeover and use. "Bot-nets are already a major security concern and the emergence of thingbots may make the situation much worse," said David Knight, General Manager of Proofpoint's Information Security division. "Many of these devices are poorly protected at best and consumers have virtually no way to detect or fix infections when they do occur," Knight said. The 'Internet of Things' includes every device that is connected to the internet from home automation products including smart thermostats, security cameras, refrigerators, microwaves, home entertainment devices like TVs, gaming consoles to smart retail shelves that know when they need replenishing and industrial machinery. -PTI
Indians applying for studies in Oz double NEW DELHI: The number of Indian students applying for higher studies in Australia last year was double the previous year, making the country the second largest source of overseas students after China. "The latest immigration figures show 4,148 Indians made offshore applications for student visas between July and September last year - more than double the figure for the same period in 2012," the Australian High Commission said. It also said more than 90 per cent of Indians who applied for student visas were successful, compared with 74 per cent in 2012. "These figures show that an increasing number of Indian students are being drawn to Australia's world class higher education system," High Commissioner Patrick Suckling said. "Just as important, they show
that far fewer Indian students are being refused visas, and that recent changes designed to enhance the competitiveness and integrity of Australia's international education sector are working," he added. The statement said seventyfive per cent of offshore applications by Indians were processed
within 29 days, and 50 per cent were processed within 20 days. Further, more than 10 per cent of all student visas granted in the three month period went to Indian nationals, it said and added that India remains the second largest source of overseas students in Australia after China. -PTI
Congress hasn't done much on marketing: Pitroda BANGALORE: Congress has not marketed its achievements well, but there was still time for it to do so and the party would 'definitely' win the coming Lok Sabha polls, Sam Pitroda, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Public Information Infrastructure and Innovation, said here. "Of course Congress party hasn't done much on marketing, partly because PM is not a marketing type;....he is not going to go out and do press conferences every other day, he is not that type....," he told reporters here. "As a citizen I feel that we had a situation where Mrs (Sonia) Gandhi did not speak much, PM is not the one who speaks, then Rahul cannot speak because if he speaks people will think he is interfering with the PM. None of the other ministers also speak....they
should speak," he added. Pitroda was speaking on the sidelines of an event organized to inaugurate India's first trans-disciplinary health University- 'Institute of Trans-disciplinary Health Sciences and Technology' (IHST).
Sam Pitroda
Stating that it was necessary to take the message of achievements of Congress to the public and that the party has not done a good job in this regard, he said there was still time to do so. "I'm very confident.... there is enough time." -PTI
New software predicts your boss' personality NEW YORK: A new computer software that can predict whether an executive will have narcissistic or psychopathic tendencies has been developed. Researchers from Binghamton University claim to have developed a computerized contentanalysis tool that reliably and validly measured narcissistic and psychopathic traits in leaders of Fortune 100 companies. The analysis program employs a built-in dictionary of words, phrases and rules that can be used to help predict certain negative personality traits. The study's co-author William Spangler, an associate professor in the School of Management at Binghamton, said the program first looks for self-focus words, such as "I," "me," "my," "mine" and "myself." It then looks for words related to several personality traits. "For example, one form of nar-
cissism, called confident of grandiose narcissism depends on extraversion, so the program looks for words indicating exaggeration, confidence, enthusiasm, and energy," Spangler told 'BusinessNewsDaily'.
"Another statistical program combines the self-focus words with the extraversion words to produce a measure of extraverted or grandiose narcissism," he said. Spangler said the content analysis program also looks for words related to neuroticism, like doubt, fear, anxiety, worry, errors and mistakes, and combines those with the self-focus words to create a measure of defensive narcissism. -PTI
January 24, 2014
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McLean county Indian community meets CG SURENDRA ULLAL
CHICAGO: The McLean County India Association (MCIA) hosted a meet and greet session with Indian Consul General Dr. Ausaf Sayeed on Friday January 10 at the Consulate office in Chicago with a view to cementing relationship ties between the CG Office and the Association. This was the first time that in the past 35 year history of the MCIA that a meeting of this type was organized and it turned out to be immensely fruitful and popular, according to Ajay Kalavala, President, MCIA. The two parties discussed a few areas of interest for the partnership going forward. "There was mutual agreement on the need to continue to educate on immigration issues and how individuals can best interact with the Consulate," he pointed out. There was broad agreement and support for the idea of boosting culture and the arts and ways to bolster each other's efforts, he added The talks also touched upon the topic of boosting trade and improving business potentials in McLean County and supporting philanthropic activities back home. The idea was also mooted to have further dialogues and interaction between the CG Office and local mayors and other dignitaries for closer relationships and possible business ties back home. Dr. Ausaf graciously recorded a message for the McLean county community for
Indian couple dead in fire in Kathmandu KATHMANDU: An Indian couple was killed in a fire that broke out under suspicious circumstances at a rented apartment in the Nepalese capital. Binaya Gupta and Sharada Gupta from Madhya Pradesh died when the fire erupted in the bedroom of the first-floor flat at Buddhanagar. By the time local residents brought the fire under control, the duo had died. The bodies were found lying in the bed and there were no signs of any struggle, The Himalayan Times reported. The reason behind the fire is yet to be ascertained. The couple owned a sweet shop at Shankhamul here. The fire affected only the bedroom of the flat and did not spread to other rooms. The couple's son and two daughters were asleep in an adjacent room. "Locals had previously assumed that the fire might have broken out due to gas-heater explosion. But it was later found that there was no gas-heater in the room," said police official Rewati Dhakal. He said the cause of fire is "mysterious". "It is not even an electric short circuit. All electric wiring is intact in the room. "We are preparing to send the bodies for postmortem. Further investigations are underway," he added. -PTI
the upcoming 65th Republic Day celebration. The MCIA team extended an invitation to come to an event this year in the Bloomington-Normal area and Dr. Ausaf accepted it in principle. MCIA executive committee Ajay Kalavala, Uma Kallakuri, Shyam Lakshmin, Shreekanth Gaddad, Mandava V Rao, Siva Pasupuleti, Srinivas Bhamdipati and Hari Rebba participated in this meeting. Indian CG Dr Ausaf Sayeed with McLean County Indian Association activists
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'Little India natural spot for Bal Thackeray's sons in legal row over estate foreign workers to meet' SINGAPORE: Little India, the place of Singapore's worst riot last month, has naturally evolved over time to cater to foreign workers' physical and emotional needs, providing a spot for meeting up and relaxation, parliament was told. Acting Singapore Manpower Minister Tan Chuan-Jin said this in parliament about the Indian origin set-ups where around 400 mi-
up on news from the village, have a taste of food from home, meet friends, relatives from across the island for the few precious hours that they have," Tan told the house. Tan also pointed out that there was no basis on saying that there was a widespread and systematic abuse of foreign workers in Singapore, which was the reason
LIttle India in Singapore
grant workers from South Asia rioted on last December 8, following an accident in which an Indian national was killed. "Foreign workers need a place to come together, to gather, to catch up with old friends, catch
for the riot. Foreign workers here were, by and large, treated well by their employers and Singaporeans, he said in a ministerial statement in parliament in an assessment of the riot which left 39 police and civil
defense staff injured and 25 vehicles including 16 police cars damaged. Twenty-five Indian nationals are facing court charges for their involvement in the riot, while 56 Indian nationals and one Bangladesh national were deported after the street violence. The police had also issued advisories to 213 workers from South Asia whose involvement in the riot was assessed to be passive and incidental. "I believe that the situation [with foreign workers] is generally good, but it is not perfect. There is always room for improvement," The Straits Times quoted Tan as saying in his assessment of foreign workers conditions in Singapore. Tan pointed out that his ministry has helped 7,000 foreign workers with difficulties last year, which was less than one per cent of the 700,000 foreigners in Singapore on work permits and working in the construction and shipyard industries. Assuring good support for the foreign workers, he said "I therefore find it puzzling as to how some individuals can so quickly conclude or criticize that there is widespread and systemic abuse of the foreign workforce; or that these were the reasons for the riot." Singapore authorities have been clarifying some international media reports that the December 8 riot was due to abuse of foreign workers.-PTI
Violence led to collapse of Indus Civilization WASHINGTON: Inter-personal violence and infectious diseases played a role around 4,000 years ago in the collapse of the Indus Civilization that spanned over a million sq km of India and Pakistan, a new study suggests. While contemporaneous civilizations in Egypt and Mesopotomia are well-known their Indus trading partners have remained more of a mystery, researchers said. Archaeological research has demonstrated that Indus cities grew rapidly from 22001900 BC, when they were largely abandoned. "The collapse of the Indus Civilization and the reorganization of its human population has been controversial for a long time," lead author of the study, Gwen Robbins Schug, from the Appalachian State University, US, said.
Climate, economic, and social changes all played a role in the process of urbanization and collapse, but little was known about how these changes affected the
human population. Robbins Schug and an international team of researchers examined evidence for trauma and infectious disease in the human skeletal remains from three burial
areas at Harappa, one of the largest cities in the Indus Civilization. The results of their analysis counter longstanding claims that the Indus civilization developed as a peaceful, cooperative, and egalitarian statelevel society, without social differentiation, hierarchy, or differences in access to basic resources. The data suggest instead that some communities at Harappa faced more significant impacts than others from climate and socio-economic strains, particularly the socially disadvantaged or marginalized communities who are most vulnerable to violence and disease.-PTI
MUMBAI: A little over a year after the death of Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray, his sons Uddhav and Jaidev are locked in a legal row over property worth crores left behind by the party patriarch. Uddhav, who was anointed party's Executive President by his father, has moved the Bombay High Court to probate the will of his father, who died on November 17, 2012. The probate petition of Uddhav, filed in January 2013 by solicitor firm Kanga and Company, has been converted into a testamentary suit as it was opposed by his brother Jaidev, who has not got any share in the property, said a lawyer involved in the case. The matter is expected to come up for hearing on January 27 before Justice Roshan Dalvi. The court might ask the parties to accept or deny documents. A probate petition is filed to get the will of a deceased person certified by a court. The estate left behind by Thackeray includes property and bank deposits worth Rs 14.85 crores, according to the will signed by the Sena patriarch. A copy of the will has been attached to the probate petition filed by Uddhav. Jaidev, the estranged son of
Thackeray, has contested the will in an affidavit, saying the property was valued much more than the declared worth. According to him, the Bandra bungalow 'Matoshri' is itself valued at Rs 40 crore. Jaidev has contended that although he had separated from his father some years ago, he had cordial relations with him and that the senior Thackeray could not have signed such a will in which he has not been given any share
Uddhav and Jaidev
in the family property. Jaidev is currently staying separately with his third wife. His divorced wife Smita also stays separately. Jaidev's lawyer Seema Sarnaik refused comment on the development, saying the matter was subjudice. According to the will, Thackeray has given the first floor of his bungalow to his grandson Aishvarya, son of Jaidev and his divorced wife Smita. The second floor has been bequeathed to Uddhav and his sons Aditya and Tejas. The ground and third floors have been given to Uddhav.-PTI
NIA to file charge sheet against two Italian marines NEW DELHI: NIA will file a charge sheet against two Italian marines, accused of killing two Kerala fishermen, after getting sanction to prosecute them under a law which provides only death penalty. However, the charge sheet is unlikely before February 3 by when the Centre has told the Supreme Court that it will resolve all disputes with the Italian government arising out of invoking the Suppression of Unlawful Acts Against Safety of Maritime Navigation and Fixed Platforms on Continental Shelf Act (SUA) against the two marines, official
sources said. The Home Ministry had given sanction to NIA to prosecute the marines under SUA last week. Accused Massimiliano Latorre and Salvatore Girone, who were on board Italian vessel 'Enrica Lexie' and now lodged in Italian Embassy premises here, allegedly shot dead the two fishermen off the Kerala coast on February 15, 2012. NIA completed its probe after questioning four Italian marines, who were witness to the incident, through video conferencing after their refusal to come to India.-PTI
Horoscope
January 24, 2014
India Post
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Your Weekly Future by Pandit Parashar
JANUARY 24 TH - JANUARY 30 TH , 2014 (March 21 to April 20)
(August 23 to September 22)
J
upiter's aspect on Venus is very favorable for finances. Strong chance that you will lay your hands on some real easy money this week. People in business will have several good clients who will make big purchases. Any trip you take this week will prove beneficial instantly. Do not ignore rapidly changing weather this week.
Y
ou will make final payment on couple of bills and feel little relived. Tough working conditions will make you increase your efforts for another opportunity. You may attend a big event with family and get to meet many old acquaintances. People in business will see many old customers returning. Avoid any financial speculations.
(April 21 to May 20)
A
ll you need is change your eating habits in order to get better. People in business will continue to gain an edge over their opponents. There will be some favorable twist in ongoing legal matters and favorable outcome almost within reach. Finances you need for your project will become available with the help of a friend.
(September 23 to October 22)
M
aintaining a stand and doing what you think is justified is the right way to deal with situation this week. Opposition will back off quickly. Suddenly you may see too many bills popping up from every where. You may have to travel little unwillingly with family. You will start looking at life from practical point rather than dreams.
(May 21 to June 20)
T
his is the right time to approach the government agency and seek the clearance. New official will be helpful. New project will rapidly move in the right direction and every body at home will be happy. You may also take family out to a nice place for dinner. If you let the past go, you will make room for exciting things instantly. (June 21 to July 22)
(October 23 to November 22)
T
ransiting Venus in second may force you to buy some expensive item on impulse that could have waited or was not necessary right now. You will make up mind of going legal way to prove your point and may consult an expert. You will also explore new dimensions to improve revenue. Social activity this weekend will bring confidence back.
P
ositive changes in career are imminent but may take little more time. Do not hesitate to play lottery this week. You will attend a social function with family and meet number of old friends. If you wait for some more time, returns would be lager than expectations on money you invest this week. A big family reunion will take place soon. (July 23 to August 22)
(November 23 to December 22)
Y
ou will continue to enjoy some kind of divine protection. Solutions will keep popping up side by side as the problems. Speculation an stocks will bring extra cash. You may attend a social event with family and make some new and useful contacts. You will start gathering information to fill up those forms to be mailed out soon.
E
xpect some more dramatic and positive change in career this week. You may need more than budget but its worth it. Your actions will make spouse little nervous. Keep an eye on new and younger associate. You may register for an upcoming business convention also. You may cut down on hot and spicy food and start paying attention to health. Pandit Parashar, CEO & COO Astro Scan USA is also available for individual consultations. He can be reached at: parashar@parashar.com
510-886-4370
www.parashar.com
(December 22 to January 19)
P
lanets will help you make right choices about career. You may file some legal papers with a government agency on the last minute. Expenses will stay under control. You may also visit an old friend this week. A phone call from some one overseas will change your mind and mood. You will spend more money on children and their needs.
(January 20 to February 18)
O
ne of your business associate may show his will ingness to call it a quit. Terms may be little shocking. Spouse will have some bright ideas but you may not be in listening mood. A child may be under weather and need extra rest this week. You may drop your idea of attending a religious ceremony because of last some minute plans.
(February 19 to March 20)
S
low progress will make you reassess the plan and strategy as well. You should show confidence or it may fail before launch. An old friend will help you obtain a short and small consulting project. One of your child may start exploring educational opportunity away from home. You will make final payment on several old bills.
Tech News NRI buys 2 pc stake in South Indian Bank MUMBAI: Expanding his investment portfolio in the financial sector, NRI businessman Yusuffali M A has acquired more than two per cent stake in South Indian Bank for an estimated Rs 63 crore. The Kerala businessman, who is based in the Gulf region, already has stakes in at least two other lenders - Federal Bank and
Yusuffali M A
Dhanlaxmi Bank - all of which are based in South India. Yussufali purchased three crore shares of South Indian Bank at a price of Rs 21 per piece valuing the transaction at Rs 63 crore, according to bulk deal available on the NSE. Three crore shares account for about 2.23 per cent stake in the lender. Meanwhile, FID Funds Mauritius offloaded more than 2.7 crore shares of the lender. Shares of South Indian Bank climbed nearly four per cent to close at Rs 21 on the NSE. Yusuffali - who is steering the diversified LuLu Group - held 3.69 per cent stake in Federal Bank at the end of December 2013. During that period, he held 4.88 per cent shareholding in Dhanlaxmi Bank. He also has stake in Catholic Syrian Bank. -PTI
TechBiz 12 India Post
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January 24, 2014
Indian-American's tiny antenna jolts TV bigwigs in US NEW YORK: An Indian-American entrepreneur has developed a tiny antenna which grabs over-theair television signals and streams them to consumers via Internet, an invention that has pitted him against the powerful US TV industry. Chet Kanojia, whose company is emerging as a threat to broadcast networks like ABC, NBC and CBS, is now fighting a legal battle with them in the US Supreme Court. Aereo allows subscribers to watch or record broadcast television through the Internet on any device, no wires or cable boxes required. It does this by assigning each consumer a remote antenna and a DVR. The TV industry titans are intent on maintaining a system that provides billions in revenue annually. The networks have been fighting Aereo in court almost since its inception, claiming the service was stealing their content. The Supreme Court will hear the case this month, a report in the New York Times said. "The (court) decision will have far-reaching implications for a tele-
vision industry already in upheaval, facing challenges from online streaming, Internet-enabled TVs, ad-skipping devices and, now, the tiny antennas that Aereo uses to capture broadcast signals," the report said. Kanojia says he is optimistic of a Supreme Court ruling in his favor. "I can't imagine they won't be on the side of innovation," he says, "cloud-based innovation, in particular, because it is so consumer-friendly." Brought up in Bhopal, Kanojia was a self-described "back bencher" in his youth, who spent too much time smoking and drinking and too little time studying in his hometown. After earning an undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering in India, he came to the US and earned a master's in computer systems engineering from Northeastern University. He sold his first company, Navic Systems, which made software that helped cable companies interact with their customers, to Microsoft in 2008 for a reported Chet Kanojia
Switch to halt smartphone thefts proposed NEW HAVEN, Conn.: The New Haven Police Department is joining other law enforcement agencies urging the smartphone industry to have a ``kill switch'' that would render stolen or lost devices inoperable. The New Haven Register reports that the law enforcement initiative urging wireless carriers to allow a ``kill switch'' application was announced at a recent conference in New York. New Haven police reached out to cellphone manufacturers last year about making phones inoperable. A trade group says a permanent kill switch could be vulnerable to hackers who could disable devices and lock out individuals' phones and also phones used by law enforcement.-AP
Union Minister for Commerce & Industry Anand Sharma during the launch of eBiz Portal along with payment gateway in New Delhi on January 20
Aereo Antenna
Aereo allows subscribers to watch or record broadcast television through the Internet on any device, no wires or cable boxes required. It does this by assigning each consumer a remote antenna and a DVR
USD 250 million. His simple ambition is to improve the world through technology, he says. Kanojia says he is not driven by financial gains in his fight against the TV big-wigs. "This is the first battleground for the next 50 years of how copyright is going to extend or apply to the Internet and the cloud," the NYT report quoted him as saying. Entertainment companies feel Aereo is violating copyright and stealing their content. Copyright law lets individuals watch anything they pick up by antennas as long as it is for their private use, but the broadcasters say Aereo's transmissions constitute a "public performance" that requires Aereo to pay for retransmitting them. If the court rules in Aereo's favor, networks fear that the cable and satellite companies that cur-
rently pay them huge retransmission fees might follow Aereo's lead, destroying broadcasters bottom line. Kanojia says the threat is overblown and that long-established retransmission fees will not disappear anytime soon. While the big content providers would not be affected, the casualties would be the hundreds of channels that are barely watched but for which consumers still have to pay. Kanojia's friends say it is "completely in character" for him to play down his hand, citing the example of the disastrous Union Carbide chemical leak in 1984 that killed thousands in Bhopal. It emerges that as a teenager living in the spill's aftermath, Kanojia was responsible for changing oxygen tanks for the dying, and would routinely discover dead bodies.-PTI
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January 24, 2014
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Bill Gates lauds world's vaccine heroes DAVOS: Billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates has showered rich praise on companies from emerging nations, including India, for donning the role of 'hidden vaccine heroes' and driving down their cost to about USD 1 per dose in the global fight to protect kids from deadly diseases. Gates, here to attend the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting, said there is reason to be optimistic than ever about the future progress using vaccines to give all children a healthy start to life. "You have probably never heard of many of the pharmaceutical companies - Serum Institute of India, Bharat Biotech, Biological E, China National Biotec Group, and Bio-Manguinhos, to name just a few -that have become some of our most valuable partners in global health," Gates said in WEF blog. "By harnessing the same innovative spirit that transformed emerging markets into manufactur-
Bill Gates
ing hubs for everything... these companies have become leaders in supplying the world with high quality, low-cost vaccines," he noted. Gates, the founder of Microsoft, is co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The increased competition and
new manufacturing approaches created by these firms have made it possible to protect a child against eight major diseases. These include tetanus, polio and tuberculosis. According to Gates, Serum Institute produces a higher volume of vaccines than any other com-
India hikes US govt securities holdings WASHINGTON: India increased its holding of American government securities to USD 63.9 billion for the second straight month in November last year. The exposure, at the end of November last, is also the highest compared to the previous five months. In October 2013, the holdings were worth USD 59.9 billion. Despite uncertainties in the world's largest economy, India has been increasing its exposure to American treasury bills since September last when it touched USD 56.8 billion. Neighboring China remains the largest holder of these securities with exposure worth USD 1.32 trillion in November, slightly higher than USD 1.30 trillion recorded in October, according to latest data from the US Treasury Department. The second largest exposure is for Japan which held American government securities to the tune of USD 1.19 trillion in November. It is tad more than USD 1.17 trillion seen in October last year. Meanwhile, among the BRICS grouping, India has the second lowest exposure to these securities after South Africa. In November, Brazil's holding rose marginally to USD 246.9 billion as compared to USD 246.7 billion in the previous month. Even though Russia's exposure is higher than India, the country trimmed its holdings by as much as USD 10 billion to USD 139.9 billion at the end of November last. Within the BRICS bloc, only
South Africa has the lowest exposure than India at USD 11.7 billion in November whereas the same was at USD 10.6 billion in October 2013. With regard to the economy, the
activity continued to expand across most regions and sectors from late November through the end of the year. "The economic outlook is positive in most districts, with some
Neighboring China remains the largest holder of these securities with exposure worth USD 1.32 trillion in November, slightly higher than USD 1.30 trillion recorded in October US Federal Reserve in its Beige Book released on January 15 said that economic outlook is positive in most districts. According to the Beige Book, which offers a snap shot of economic activities in various districts, reports suggest economic
reports citing expectations of "more of the same" and some expecting a pickup in growth," it added. American economy, which is seeing slow recovery, recorded a GDP growth of 3.6 per cent in the third quarter of 2013. -PTI
pany in the world and has played a key role in cutting costs and boosting volumes. The philanthropist mentioned about the progress with the lifesaving pentavalent vaccine, which protects a child against diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough, hepatitis B, and haemophilus influenza type b (Hib) - all in one dose. "When the GAVI Alliance first introduced it in 2001, there was one supplier and the cost was USD 3.50 per dose. "As demand for the vaccine grew, GAVI encouraged other suppliers to enter the market, and the price tumbled. Now there are five suppliers, and Biological E, an In-
dian pharmaceutical company, announced earlier this year that it would offer the vaccine for just USD 1.19 per dose," he said. Referring to various initiatives in emerging markets including India, Brazil and China, Gates said that India's Department of Biotechnology and Bharat Biotech announced plans this year to release a new vaccine against rotavirus - which kills hundreds of thousands of children - for USD 1 per dose. Despite all the progress, more must be done to target the 22 million children, mainly in the poorest countries, who do not have access to lifesaving vaccines, Gates said. -PTI
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January 24, 2014
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Singapore hires Delhi firm to verify Mobiles on EMI for users without credit cards documents of Indians SINGAPORE: Singapore has The cost of each check would hired a New Delhi-based firm to be about 100 Singapore dollars. ferret out Indians who present fake The ministry said it would use documents in their work permit "independent verifications chanapplications. nels" like Dataflow to conduct ranManpower Ministry hired dom audits though it was employDataflow Services last month to conduct ranThe fake educational dom checks on education certifi- certificate submission cates, employ- in work pass carries a ment history and scrutinize births fine of 20,000, and marriage cer- Singapore dollars and tificates of Indian nationals work- jail of up to two years ing in Singapore, or both. The Straits Times reported. Citing sources, the Singapore ers' responsibilities to ensure genudaily said Dataflow was on a one- ine documents in work pass appliyear contract and was expected to cations of those working in conduct 500 to 600 checks a year, Singapore. taking not more than four weeks In 2012, the ministry prosecuted on each case. 48 foreigners in court for lying
about their academic qualifications, and 28 foreigners were prosecuted in the first half of last year. The law was changed in 2012 to crackdown on false educational certificates declaration in securing employment in Singapore. The fake educational certificate submission in work pass carries a fine of 20,000, Singapore dollars and jail of up to two years or both. Employer involved i n such case might also be barred from hiring foreign workers. The ministry has also taken similar tough checks on workers from China since February last year. -PTI
Advertisers have a laugh over Hollande's affair PARIS: As French President Francois Hollande wades through the fallout of revelations he has been having an affair with an actress, companies are looking to drum up business by having a laugh at his expense. Hollande has had a rough two weeks both personally and politically since glossy magazine Closer published pictures of him hopping off the back of a motor scooter, his head clad in a large black helmet, for an apparent rendezvous with actress Julie Gayet at an apartment near the presidential palace. While most French voters say the President's love life is his own business, news of the affair has trended on social networks, prompting businesses to seek to tap in on the issue in their ads. A car-hire company, Drive, ran a newspaper ad with a map tracing the route from the Elysee presidential palace to the apartment where Hollande's tryst occurred and pricing the trip at five euros. "Unseen. Unknown. Private cars, tinted windows. At prices this
low, you should choose discretion," it said. Another rental car company, Sixt, made a similar crack in a newspaper insert telling Hollande: "Mr President, next time avoid the scooter. Sixt rents cars with tinted windows."
tive predecessor, Nicolas Sarkozy, after he divorced his wife and married actress, singer and fashion model Carla Bruni. "Do like Mrs Bruni and opt for a small French model," it told customers in a German ad.
NEW DELHI: Mobile phone retail chain The MobileStore has launched a new installment scheme for consumers to buy devices on EMI (equated monthly installments) without a credit card across five cities in the country. The personal finance option, introduced in Mumbai, Delhi, Pune, Kolkata and Chennai, will
consumers without a credit card. "EMI schemes have always played a crucial role in making high-end smartphones affordable for the Indian consumers. However, such schemes have only been restricted to credit card holders," The MobileStore CEO Himanshu Chakrawarti said. There are 18-19 million credit
allow consumers to buy smartphones by submitting their Know Your Customer (KYC) documents, The MobileStore (TMC) said in a statement. The company has partnered with Japanese company AEON Credit Service India to introduce this solution in order to target the base of
card holders in the country and the numbers are growing at a slow pace. "An EMI solution without a credit card opens-up the smartphone market to a significantly larger group of consumers, who do not own a credit card," he added. -PTI
Air India defends free tickets to employees MUMBAI: Defending its free ticket practice, state-run Air India has said the facility to employees is a practice followed by airlines across the world. Even an IATA (International Air Transport Association) resolution provides for the same, Air India said in a statement. "It is a practice which
Stating that the facility is being given to the carrier's employees from inception, Air India said, "With the merger of both Air India and Indian Airlines into one entity, the old passage rules were modified and the new rationalized passage regulation put in place." Also, whenever an Air India employee travels on 'Staff on Leave' (SOL) ticket, the travel is purely on 'subject to space available' basis, the statement said. "Seat is given to an employee
French actress Julie Gayet and French President Francois Hollande
The company, which is headquartered in Germany, is known for picking on French presidents. It also had a go at Hollande's diminu-
A car-hire company, Drive, ran a newspaper ad with a map tracing the route from the Elysee presidential palace to the apartment where Hollande's tryst occurred - and pricing the trip at five euros.
Online dating site Be2 tapped into sympathy for Hollande's partner Valerie Trierweiler, mocking a line from the President's 2012 election campaign against Sarkozy. "Dear Valerie, the time to change is now," it said on its homepage. Virgin Radio for its part compared the President's motorbike helmet to those worn by French electronic music duo Daft Punk. "Mr President, we know you're a fan. Daft Punk is on the Virgin Radio playlist," it said. -AFP
is followed by all airlines world over as per IATA resolutions. All airlines operating in India, including lossmaking private ones also offer this facility to their employees," the statement said. It is not only Air India, but other transport organizations like Indian Railways and state governmentrun Road Transport Corporations offer free travel facilities to its employees, the airline said.
on vacation only if there are seats available after all paid passengers have been accepted," Air India said. All employees have to pay all applicable government taxes in addition to a fixed fare per sector of travel, it said, adding the staff-onleave tickets are not free. -PTI
TechBiz Post
January 24, 2014
India Post
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NJ predicts Internet gambling will pick up ATLANTIC CITY, N.J.: Internet gambling is off to a slow start in New Jersey, but nearly everyone involved or interested in it expects online betting to gain steam in 2014. The key question remains: Just how much better will things get? Figures released last week by the state Division of Gaming Enforcement showed New Jersey's 15 authorized Internet gambling sites took in $8.4 million between the Nov. 21 launch and the end of the year. At that rate, Internet gambling would bring in less than $100 million for the year _ far less than the $200 million to $300 million many analysts forecast and about 10 percent of the $1 billion in revenue Gov. Chris Christie said he was counting on when he signed the bill legalizing it. ``Everybody needs to take into consideration that this industry is in its infancy,'' said Tony Rodio, president of the Tropicana Casino and Resort. ``There will be mobile applications, and a lot of the slot content isn't operational yet. ``I'm encouraged by how many user accounts that people have signed up for and that there's in-
terest in it,'' he said. ``You'll see this grow quickly.'' As of Jan. 12, users had created 155,374 accounts with New Jersey gambling sites, though officials say many users have accounts on more than one site. Rodio predicted the addition of
Pennsylvania ramped up its own casino industry. Two companies are dominating the online market in the early going in New Jersey. The Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa, with its Party Poker online brand, took in more than $3.7 million. Caesars Interac-
Long-range estimates envision that 60 to 70 percent of online players will not be regular ] customers of the physical casino creating a marketing opportunity to encourage them to do so
Internet gambling will be enough to end a seven-year losing streak for Atlantic City's casinos, whose revenue has fallen every year since 2007, when neighboring
tive, which runs sites including the WSOP and 888 brands, won nearly $2.4 million. Other competitors lagged badly in the online market. The Trump
Coffee consumption growing at 5-6 per cent BANGALORE: Coffee Board of India has said coffee consumption in the country has been growing at the rate of five to six per cent in the last five years. "In developed countries consumption is very high- it is more than 4-5 kg per capita per year. The highest consumption is in Finland it is about 12 kgs per capita per year. In most countries in Europe and northern America consumption is very high," Board Chairman Jawaid Akhtar told reporters. "In the second category there are quite a few coffee growing countries that have been able to push their consumption upwards," he added. Speaking to reporters to announce the India International Coffee Festival- 2014, to be held here from January 21 to 25, Akhtar said that "according to ICO- for the past 4-5 years the world consumption used to be of the order of 2.4 per cent, but in 2012 the world consumption was 2.8 per cent." On India's consumption, he said it (per capita consumption) is quite low- about 90 grams per capita per year... very broadly in last 5-6 years coffee consumption
Taj Mahal Casino Resort and its ucasino brand won $883,000. The Tropicana Casino and Resort won $748,000, Trump Plaza Hotel Casino and its Betfair online brand won $427,000 and the Golden Nugget, whose launch was delayed for weeks by technical prob-
in India is growing at the rate of 56 per cent and the retail sector is growing at the rate of 15 per cent." In 2002, consumption was of the order of 60 or 70 grams, which has increased to 90 grams now, he
does not primarily drink coffee. Therefore this statistic is bound to be low." On India's production this year Akhtar said at the post blossom stage crop condition was extremely
added. To a question on low per capita consumption figures for India, he said India's total consumption divided by population is very low as the population is huge and almost two third of the population
good, but that was followed by a dry period of about two months that led to the infestation of white stem borer, followed by very long period of heavy monsoon affecting Robusta more than the Arabica.-PTI
lems, won $179,000. Thomas Winter, the Golden Nugget's vice president of online gambling, said the casino is pleased with its start and is expect-
Stable negative outlook for cement sector MUMBAI: India Ratings has maintained a stable negative outlook for cement sector for FY15 mainly on the back of slowdown in the construction and infrastructure segments. Cement demand growth is expected to remain sluggish at around 5-6 per cent for FY15, given the slowdown in the construction and infrastructure sectors, the rating agency said in a statement. "The growth will be supported by an expected increase in demand from the rural sector and Tier 2 and 3 cities. There could also be some uptick in demand from the second half of FY15 as the Centre has made a budgetary provision of Rs one billion on infrastructure projects spends during the year. Also, election results will impact overall growth in construction activities," India Ratings said. Giving its views on the impact of the performance of cement sector on the players, the agency said it expects limited downside risks for integrated players who are also among the top 2-3 players in their respective regions.-PTI
ing substantial growth of 20 percent per month this year. Right now the casino accounts for 4 percent of New Jersey's online market, but it expects to win 7 to 10 percent of the market ``over time,'' he said. Winter, like executives at the Borgata, said online gambling doesn't appear to be cannibalizing the existing land-based casino's business, at least so far. ``Slightly more than 50 percent of our online customers were not regular customers at the Golden Nugget or were not customers at all,'' he said. Long-range estimates envision that 60 to 70 percent of online players will not be regular customers of the physical casino - creating a marketing opportunity to encourage them to do so, Winter said. Peggy Holloway, senior vice president of Moody's Investors Service, wrote in a report last week that Internet gambling ``will do little to brighten the fortunes of Atlantic City's beleaguered gaming operators in the near future.'' ``While internet gaming is starting off slowly, the pace of growth will accelerate as issues with payment processing and geolocation technology are ironed out and operators ramp-up their marketing spending to educate consumers that online gamine is available,'' she wrote, repeating the firm's estimate that Internet gambling should generate $250 million to $500 million a year. Chad Beynon, an analyst with Macquarie Capital, called the early numbers disappointing. ``With 7 million adults in New Jersey, and others who may `stop in,' we estimate the market to grow to $200 million to $300m by 2015, cannibalizing $25 million to $50 million of land-based revenues,'' he wrote in a report last week. ``We do note that it's early and many of the TV advertisements just recently started.'' David Rebuck, director of the state Gaming Enforcement Division, said he is pleased with how things have gone so far. Problems with geo-location technology, which has wrongly shut out some players whose physical location couldn't be verified, are being worked on, and the overall technology appears to be working well, he said. ``Internet gaming remains in its infancy in New Jersey,'' he said. ``From a regulatory perspective, the systems are working as anticipated and we are encouraged by the operations. I am optimistic that we will see continued growth as the properties begin to increase their marketing efforts to attract more customers.'' -AP
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January 24, 2014
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Desi News Grand event in Sunnyvale to mark Lohri VIDYA SETHURAMAN India Post New Service
SUNNYVALE, CA: Lohri is a fun filled festivity observed by the Punjabi community every year in the month of January for a good harvest that carries cultural and traditional significance. It is observed on the eve of the winter solstice based on the belief that the Lohri night is the longest night of the year. This time Shalimar Restaurant, Sunnyvale had arranged for a grand event to mark the harvest festival. It was attended by over 200 people all around the Bay area. Mo Polani, owner of Shalimar, Sunnyvale had arranged for this unique event on Sunday 12 January. Details on page 24
Lohri celebrated with dance & bonfire ASIAN MEDIA USA
CHICAGO: Hari Om Mandir in Medina, a northwest suburb of Chicago, celebrated Lohri with traditional cultural dance and bonfire on Saturday, January 12 with traditional fervor and enthusiasm. A large number of devotees attended the Lohri function in the Mandir from 4 pm and stayed until the bonfire and Aarti at 9 pm. The celebration was not limited to lighting bonfire but traditionally dressed ladies danced through the hall carrying a Gaggar (pot) decorated with lighted candles and singing jaago song "Jattan Jag Bhai hun Jago Aaya". Ajay Ghai and his melodious Dhol beats could not stop folks to start Bhangra. Details on page 21
R-Day celebrated with enthusiasm in Skokie SURENDRA ULLAL
SKOKIE: Members of Indian community in Niles and Skokie celebrated India's 65th Republic Day on the afternoon of January 11 at the Petty Auditorium in Skokie Public Library with cultural music and dance performances. The event was organized by the new board of Indian Community of Niles Township (ICNT) under the leadership of Rohit Joshi, President and former president Usha Kamaria. Details on page 22
COMMUNITY ACROSS AMERICA
18 India Post
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Veera Mahajan Role model for Indian women
January 24, 2014
Details on page 25
NRIs plan to unite to arrest slide of Hinduism in Kerala HARISH RAO
PEARLAND, TX: More than twenty-five delegates gathered recently at Sri Meenakshi Temple on Pearland, TX to discuss the state of Hinduism in Kerala and related issues in Kerala Hindu community overseas. The meeting was called to discuss the declining population of Hindus as well as corresponding decline of public presence in this populous Indian state. Further, it touched upon the topic of overseas Kerala Hindus unable to as-
Chattampi Swamigal appeared on the scene. Also, the stranglehold on Hinduism by the extremely orthodox Brahmin Namboothiris may have caused attrition in Hindu numbers, who could have fallen to aggressive proselytization. The Missionaries had a field day in the princely states like Travancore and Cochin with very weak rulers. Divans like Col. Monroe did everything possible to destroy the economic power of temples and Hindus. Also the great caste differences led to a weak The political manifestation of Hindu society. Dr Sarath Menon, a the problem is self-evident distinguished Sociologist and Indologist, in the fact that out of a total pointed out disparities in per capita share of 140 constituencies in the among various communities and the land grab state assembly, almost half by minority communiare under minority control ties which uproots the Hindus from their native places. Instruments sert their identity in the larger NRI of economic control include acquimilieu. sition of state-controlled property Dr Jay Raman, a community by religious minorities, distribution leader and one of the distinguished of public-sector/quasi governspeakers at the seminar, expressed mental initiatives to minority congrave concern on the rapidly de- tractors - road development, towncreasing percentage of Hindu ships, and IT parks. The political population. He gave a historical manifestation of the problem is perspective by outlining the many self-evident in the fact that out of factors that might have caused the a total of 140 constituencies in the Hindu decline in Kerala. Dr Raman state assembly, almost half are stated the predicament of Hindus under minority control. in Kerala could be because of abFurther, the Hindus are hopesence of many Hindu reformers in lessly divided along caste lines, the centuries between Adi bereft of any semblance of effecShankara until the 20th century tive leadership. In the education when Sri Narayana Guru and sector, there is a historical prece-
Dr. Sarath Menon
Dr. Bala Aiyer
Dr. Jay Raman addressing the delegates at the Kerala Hindu Heritage Seminar
dence of minority monopoly; there is in-flow of material support for religious minority expansion and investment, there is distortion in curricula and there is subliminal injection of ideas discrediting Hindu beliefs in textbooks. There is also an overbearing factor of undisputed legitimacy of religious exclusivity and conver-
sion. Dr Bala Aiyer, a distinguished teacher of Hindu Dharma, representing the Loka Dharma Seva Foundation of America, made a presentation on the Lokadharma program, which he helped establish in neighboring Tamil Nadu.
Dr. Babu Suseelan
Dr. Venugopal Menon
Cont’d on page 19
January 24, 2014
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Indo American Chamber holds annual meet India Post News Service
HOUSTON: The Indo-American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Houston (IACCGH) hosted its inaugural 2014 reception on January 8 at the HESS Club. Over 170 guests attended the reception which focused on honoring IACCGH founding President Dr Durga Agrawal on his recent appointment to the University of Houston Board of Regents. Executive Director Jagdip Ahluwalia welcomed the guests who included the President of the Asian Chamber, the Fort Bend Chamber, the Women's Business Enterprise Alliance and other resource partners. Pankaj Dhume, Immediate Past President, presented his annual report and thanked his team for
Dhume and Sanjay presented her with a special token of appreciation. The Chamber also congratulated the IIT Alumni Association on their successful global IIT conference held in Houston. Another highlight of the event was felicitating Dr Agarwal for his recent appointment. Judge Ed Emmett in his remarks said he had been requested to felicitate Dr Agrawal but said in reality Dr Agrawal felicitates the community by all the good work he does. Responding to the felicitation proffered by the Chambers to whom he was instrumental in founding a decade ago, Dr Durga Agarwal said organizations like this one help businesses grow through networking and learning about each other and it would be in the fitness of things that if "all
IACCGH President Sanjay Ramabhadran, Harris County Judge Ed Emmett, Dr Durga Das Agrawal, IACCGH Immediate Past President Pankaj Dhume and IACCGH Executive Director Jagdip Ahluwalia
NRIs plan to unite to arrest slide of Hinduism in Kerala Cont’d from page 18
President Sanjay Ramabhadran and his wife Vidya Iyer thanking Ms Asha Dhume for her help. Next to Asha is Harris County Judge Ed Emmett, Pankaj Dhume and Jagdip Ahluwalia
their support. He presented retiring Board members Ajit Thakur, Nitin Kapadia and Amod Bavare with plaques of appreciation. President Sanjay Ramabhadran introduced the 2014 executive team and board of directors and presented Pankaj with a plaque thanking him for his leadership. The board made special note of the support and guidance from Asha
of you who are not members of IACCGH become members." He pointed out that IACCGH helped networking with Presidents of MDACC, Rice, Enron, Compaq and many other who became good friends and supporters of the community. Besides, taking MD Anderson delegation to India and helping in signing partnership agreements with several hospitals
IACCGH Houston audience
was very fulfilling. Touching upon his recent appointment to the Board of Regents at the University of Houston, he said that he was honored to have been chosen as Regent by Governor Rick Perry and that he would be looking forward to working with President and Chancellor Dr Renu Khator and my fellow Board Members. Cont’d on page 20
delegates to be more culturally and politically assertive. NRIs have played an enormous role in all walks of life in India, and now must unite and rise to arrest the slide of Hinduism in Kerala. Dr Venugopal Menon, a senior community leader and the moving spirit behind the Mission Hindu Kerala initiative, in his valedictory address presented an overview of the situation. While observing the progressive contraction of the Hindu cultural landscape in the state, he concluded with the excruciatingly painful inevitability of the Hindu's passage into margin-
The purpose of the Loka Dharma program is to engage the secularized elites of the society and sensitize them to Hindu traditions and culture. Dr Aiyer promised to extend the Lok Dharma program to Kerala. Dr Babu Suseelan, a distinguished academician and an astute observer and commentator on political issues, lamented on the non-responsiveness of Kerala Hindus to the cause of Hinduism in general, and in Kerala in particular. Quoting latest census figures he surmised that non-Hindus will overtake the Hindus in There is already an Kerala in a matter of few undercurrent of prejudice years. There is already an undercurrent of and discrimination against prejudice and discrimiHindus in Kerala. Sooner nation against Hindus in Kerala. Sooner rather rather than later, Hindus than later, Hindus may have to flee as it hap- may have to flee pened in Kashmir, and the land created by Rishi ality and held the present generaParasuram and made known by tion of Hindus responsible for not Adi Shankara will look like another checking the gradual demise of Afghanistan. He appealed to Hindu Dharma in Kerala. Kerala Hindus to get out of their About Kerala Hindu Heritage comfort zones, and come together Committee to give Kerala the pride of place it Kerala Hindu Heritage Commitonce was. tee (KHHC) is a multi-lateral, multiThe delegates at the seminar disciplinary and trans-community discussed various issues facing body of concerned activists, thinkthe Diaspora, including the non- ers, writers, supporters and indiHindu intrusion into Hindu festi- viduals who are working towards vals and cultural programs. There restoring Kerala's Hindu heritage is also an urgent need for a Dharma to its rightful place. The Commiteducation program that can help tee invites concerned Hindus, not retain and propagate the cultural only from Kerala, but from all Hindu heritage of Kerala. The semi- around to come together and pronar ended with a resolution by the tect the Hindu heritage of Kerala.
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Sankranti celebrated with fervor GEETHA PATIL
Surya Yagna Aarti on Makar Sankranti
CHICAGO: Members of Indian community - the North and South Indians - in Lake County celebrated their first festivals of the New Year
- Makar Sankranti and Lohri with great fervor and enthusiasm. On Monday January 13, hundreds of North Indian devotees had
a great time enjoying their favorite Lohri program with their families and friends. Temple Priest Anil Joshi performed Lohri Pujan with
Swasti Vachan mantras and Slokas. All devotees offered Akshat and flowers to Agni Dev for their wellbeing and prosperity. The priest invited and welcomed Agni Dev by lighting the bonfire. The devotees then carried on their traditional ritual by offering peanuts, Rewadi, popcorns to Agni Dev and did Pradakshana by chanting their customary Punjabi songs with immense happiness
despite the severe cold weather. Young couples with their little ones enjoyed the bonfire chanting and dancing. They wished each other by saying 'Lohri di Lakh Lakh Badhayinya." Pandit Ji dwelt on significance of Lohri celebration saying that it is the last night of the winter season and it is time to enjoy the bonfire and sweets made of sesame and peanuts. Cont’d on page 22
Ayyappa Poojan on Pongal
Indo American Chamber holds annual meet Cont’d from page 19
Under Dr Khator's guidance, there have been many successes at UH. He thanked Jagdip Ahluwalia, Pankaj Dhume and other Board members for their support, hard work, and dedication to the Chamber. "I also want to thank Judge Ed Emmett for being such a strong supporter of the Indo-American community in Houston. As some of you know, India House Clinic is opening soon because of the support of Judge Emmett - HarrisHealth is spending 2.5mn in the equipment and 1.5mn per year in providing doctors, nurses and other services. The clinic will be open 6 days
a week. The clinic will have OT and PT (Occupational and Physical Therapy) and it is Jugde Emmett who made it happen," he said. In his plans for 2014, the incoming president Sanjay stated that the Chamber would build on its current success for the upcoming year. Following the Inaugural Reception, the event was highlighted with the coverage of many a topic like : Destination Driven Networking, Distinguished Lecture Series, Women Mean Business, Power / Business Dialogues, Mentoring & Young Entrepreneurs. Community / Small Business Outreach, Financial & Healthcare and Destination Driven Networking.
January 24, 2014
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Lohri celebrated with dance & bonfire ASIAN MEDIA USA
CHICAGO: Hari Om Mandir in Medina, a northwest suburb of Chicago, celebrated Lohri with traditional cultural dance and bonfire on Saturday, January 12 with traditional fervor and enthusiasm. A large number of devotees attended the Lohri function in the Mandir from 4 pm and stayed until the bonfire and Aarti at 9 pm. The celebration was not limited to lighting bonfire but traditionally dressed ladies danced through the hall carrying a Gaggar (pot) decorated with lighted candles and singing jaago song "Jattan Jag Bhai hun Jago Aaya". Ajay Ghai and his melodious Dhol beats could not stop folks to start Bhangra. The devotees witnessed a lively night of blazing bonfire. At the time of bonfire the two priests
Jago group with Ajay Ghai on Dhol
chanted prayers for Agni Devta to seek abundance and prosperity. Devotees gathered around the bonfire throwing Rewari, Chidwa,
peanuts and popcorns into the flames of the bonfire and making merry by dancing and singing traditional folk songs.
Martin Luther Interfaith Service with Sanskrit mantras
Suchitra Sarkar, Mona Sharma, Deepak Sharma and others during Lohri celebrations
A week before Lohri the preparations started including decorating the Mandir. A nicely decorated Punjabi Beda (village) was created with straw blocks, Chullah, Charkha (spinning wheel), fresh vegetables, 6 foot long sugarcanes and many small decorative items created a Punjabi village atmosphere. Lohri is also one of the
most celebrated harvest festivals in Punjab. It is the time for people to thank God for his kindness and for a plentiful harvest in the coming season. It is a time for communion celebration. Devotees relished popcorns, Gajak, Revari, Bhugga and peanuts as prasad. The next event is Maha Shiv Ratri on Thursday, February 27.
India Post News Service
NEVADA: Interfaith Community Memorial Service for civil rights icon Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., in Reno (Nevada, USA) on January 19 began with Sanskrit mantras. Rajan Zed, President of Universal Society of Hinduism, delivered the invocation from ancient Hindu scriptures Rig-Veda, Brahadaranyakopanishad, Bhagavad-Gita, Taittiriya Upanishad -reading in Sanskrit and then translating into English. Paying tribute to Dr King he said that Mahatma Gandhi had inspired this great community leader in USA and acknowledging this Dr. King had paid tribute to Mahatma as one of the important sources of his own values and had adapted Gandhi's idea of civil disobedience to the civil rights movement. Benjamin Holden, Director of the Reynolds National Center for Courts & Media, was the keynote speaker. Other speakers included International Community of Christ Bishop Gene Savoy Junior, Second Baptist Church Pastor Michael L. Randle, Verita Black Prothro, Mary Cooper, Spanish Springs Presbyterian Church Pastor Howard Dotson, and Trinity Episcopal Church Deacon Patsy Pumphrey. Musical selection "Medley" was performed by Power of Love and directed by Leon W. Smith, while Second Baptist Church Choir selection was directed by Jesse Hall. Cont’d on page 23
At the Service, from (L to R), are Professor Benjamin Holden, Church of God in Christ Bishop Luther James DuPree Junior, Hindu leader Rajan Zed, International Community of Christ Bishop Gene Savoy Junior, Trinity Episcopal Church Deacon Patsy Pumphrey and Second Baptist Church Pastor Michael L. Randle
Hari Om Youth and Gidda group
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January 24, 2014
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R-Day celebrated with enthusiasm in Skokie SURENDRA ULLAL
ICNT President Rohit Joshi and Chief Guest Chintal Mehta addressing the gathering
SKOKIE: Members of Indian community in Niles and Skokie celebrated India's 65th Republic Day on the afternoon of January 11 at the Petty Auditorium in Skokie Public Library with cultural music and dance performances. The event was organized by the new board of Indian Community of Niles Township (ICNT) under the leadership of Rohit Joshi, President and former president Usha Kamaria. The event was interspersed with remarks by the organizers, Chief Guest, Chintal Mehta, CEO,
various guests. Among the other dignitaries present were Pramod Shah, Village Clerk, the director of Skokie Park District, superintendent Mike Reid, Rishikant Singh, Manager of Air India, Om Prakash Kamaria, President, Gandhi Memorial Trust, and prominent community leaders. Ramanbhai Patel with his group of United Senior Parivar members, holding flags and chanting slogan "Vande Mataram", entered in the auditorium followed by the auspicious lamp lighting ceremony performed by Rohit Joshi, Chintal
A section of dignitaries
Care For Soul organization, Mayor George Van Dusen of Skokie Village, director of Skokie Public Library, Carolyn Anthony, Trustee of Schaumburg Township and
Mehta and Mayor Van Dusen. Rohit Joshi explained the significance of lamp lighting ceremony. Mayor George Van Dusen appreciated ICNT activities. He also in-
Cultural presentations by local artists
Lamp Lighting ceremony by Mayor George Van Duson and singing of Vande Materam
troduced Pramod Shah and other officers from Skokie Village Hall. Amita Bhargav, Secretary, ICNT emceed the program very well. Chintal Mehta made the audience aware about her organization. Nimish Jani, trustee of Schaumburg said that Indians can make a difference in the community by voting at the time of election. DJ Nilesh kept the crowd entertained during the show. The event showcased dance performances by the Payaliya Dance Studio, Vinyas Bollywood Dance Classes and Kalapadma Dance Academy. Vocal performances of both old and current Bollywood songs by S h a i l a Khedkar, Santosh Va r g h e s e , R a j e s h Chalam and Jitendra Bulsara were a hit with the c r o w d . Rishikant Singh, Manager, Air India congratulated Rohit Joshi and his team for celebrating Republic Day of India together. Snacks Boxes were provided by Champaben and Laxmanbhai Patel.
Sankranti celebrated with fervor Cont’d from page 20
with Lord Ganesh and Swami Ayyappa Abhishekam performed by Pandit Ganesh Ji. More than hundred devotees chanted various Mantras and Sthotras with utmost dedication and keenness. Traditional devotional Bhajans were sung by Vishvanathan, Anand and others. Devotees dressed up in colorful dresses. Archana with 108 names of Ayyappa was performed. Finally, Aarati and Naivedyam were offered by the priest. In some parts of South India this day is considered as their New Year Day
Kamal Gupta and his team served mouth watering conventional Punjabi Lohri food to all the devotees. The program was organized by Naveen Mishra, Shammi Dhal and Rishi. On Tuesday January 14 morning, Makar Sankranti celebration was started at 10:30 am with the performing of Ganesh, Vishnu, and Navagrah Pujan, Surya Yagna, and Sarva Devi and Deva Yagna. Special Aahutis were offered to Lord Surya and Shani Dev with their 108 names respectively. Mritunjaya and Gayatri Mantras were chanted Devotees dressed up in by devotees with lots of colorful dresses. Archana devotion on this occawith 108 names of Ayyappa sion. Later on, Pandit was performed. Finally, Joshi explained the importance of meeting of Aarati and Naivedyam were Lord Surya with his son offered by the priest Lord Shani at his house Makar Raasi. He also highlighted the Bhishma Pitamaha also. They also wished each other story form Mahabharat. He said for 'Happy New Year' and 'Happy that by performing Surya Yagna Pongal.' and giving away donations to Ending was with pujan of Ram Brahmins, gurus, elderly members Parivar and Hanuman. Devotees of the house, especially the father chanted Shri Hanuman Chalisa, and socio-religious organizations Sankat Mochan and Ram Stuti. will be assured of fine health for Special Archanas were performed themselves, and of their parents for Ram Parivar and Hanuman Ji besides getting spiritual to amplify love, progress, and upliftment. peace in the world. Pt. Joshi said Pandit Anil Joshi blessed all the that we need to learn ideals from devotees for their welfare and the Rama Parivar story to build a safety. Devotees brought home- healthy and happy family by promade scrumptious sweets made viding love and services to our with Gur, Sesame and peanuts, rice own elders and youngsters in the and Sooji Payasam along with tra- family and community. He also ditional Khichadi as this festival emphasized that we should not is called as Kichadi Day in North- only listen to Ramcharita Manas but should follow the ideals of Ram ern India. In the evening, the South In- Parivar for all round development dian community celebrated Pongal of our family and spiritual life.
Community Across America
January 24, 2014
India Post 23
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Vasant Panchami: Heralding Spring with Sarswati Puja
V
asant (Basant) Panchami also called as Saraswati Puja, Shree Panchami or the Festival of Kites is held on the fifth day of Magha (in early February) marking the start of spring and the colorful season. This year Vasant Panchami will be celebrated on 3rd February. Starting from Magh Masa, the advent of Spring is felt in the air as the season undergoes change. New leaves and blossoms appear
PANDIT ANIL JOSHI
in the trees with the promise of new life and hope. In Hindu religion, three goddesses namely Ma Laxmi, Ma Kali and Ma Saraswati are considered very important for their role in our prosperity, power, and knowledge. This particular day is meant for worship of Ma Saraswati. Ma Saraswati is the deity of learning, wisdom, knowledge, fine arts, refinement, science and technology. Panchami is the center
number in the counting of one to nine and the number five represents the balance in all the aspects of life. Hindus celebrate Vasant Panchami with great fervor, enthusiasm and festivities in temples, homes and even schools and colleges. In many parts of India, the festivities of Basant Panchami include kite flying. This Year, Hindu Temple of Grayslake will keep up the age old tradition and has slated its celebrations keeping the
Priest Pandit Anil Joshi
focus on young children. A Samohik Puja expected to be participated by 120 to 150 kids and
children in the Grayslake area and they will be doing the puja individually with the temple priest chanting Mantras and explaining the significance to them. Ma Saraswati is worshipped by all the Devas and Asuras along with Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh as she is the creator of new knowledge and skills. Among human beings, from student to teacher, researcher to scientist, consumer to businessman need knowledge to perform their respective roles. In the same manner, Brahma - the creator of the Universe needs her blessings to create new things, Vishnu-the protector to maintain harmony, and Mahesh-the destroyer to maintain the balance of justice. Cont’d on page 25
Martin Luther Interfaith Service with Sanskrit mantras Cont’d from page 21
Ma Saraswati
Jim Eaglesmith delivered the African chant "My Whole Self is Well". The Spirit Singers performed "MLK" and "Join Together" musical selections. Congregational
hymn "Lift Every Voice and Sing" formed part of the Service. Reverend Onie Cooper Humanitarian Awards were presented on the occasion to Evelyn Mount and Nevada for the Common Good.
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January 24, 2014
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Grand Sunnyvale event to mark Lohri VIDYA SETHURAMAN India Post New Service
SUNNYVALE, CA: Lohri is a fun filled festivity observed by the Punjabi community every year in the month of January for a good harvest that carries cultural and traditional significance. It is observed on the eve of the winter solstice based on the belief that the Lohri night is the longest night of the year.
Mr and Mrs.Mo Polani
Cont’d on page 25
January 24, 2014
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Veera Mahajan - Role model for Indian women
I
ndian women have come a long way over the past six decades or so since India's independence in 1947. They have emerged from the shadows of their male counterparts. Today we find Indian women in the full front of almost all professions including politics, military, the corporate sector and media. It is to their credit that Indian women have not only continued to excel in India but also oversees. A lot of this expansion has come about with women's empowerment thru education, talent and equal rights. A very good example of this success story in our own neighborhood is So Cal's own Veera Mahajan. Originally from Jalandhar in the Indian state of Punjab, Veera came to the United States as a typical shy giggly Punjabi teenager when her parents emigrated. In the years that followed Veera transformed to a successful woman in her own rights. She started off with a BSC in Computer Science from Wayne
J.S. BEDI & JENNY CADENA
State University in Michigan, and became a successful businesswoman in the Software industry. Her life embarked upon a course that blossomed a multifaceted per-
sonality in different professions. Currently she is perhaps the only Indian woman in this country to own a mainstream American publication. The magazine is called, Malibu Chronicle and is published bi-monthly from Malibu. It is expected to go monthly in the near future. The magazine covers a host of posi-
tive issues reigning from day to day life, health issues, art and culture www.malibuchornicle.com. Apart from being a magazine Malibu Chronicle is a platform for Veera and anyone else who seeks self-expression. It is the springboard to Learning to L.I.V.E., a campaign "Say No To Abuse and L.I.V.E". L.I.V.E. is an acronym for; Learn to love yourself, Insist on being free, Victory over victim Syndrome, Empowerment. She is also currently putting the finishing touches on her book also titled L.I.V.E. which should be hitting bookstores early 2014. With encouragement from friends she signed up to compete for the title of Miss Asia USA, representing India. What was originally perceived as a fun experience won for her the title for 2013. She is also producing a film under her production company Veera Veera Productions. In spite of her hectic publishing schedule, she takes time out to indulge in her other passions like yoga, dancing and boxing. Her insatiable thirst for knowledge took her to an education in Spiritual Psychology and now has brought her to Pepperdine Law School. She plans to graduate next
Grand Sunnyvale event to mark Lohri Cont’d from page 24
This time Shalimar Restaurant, Sunnyvale had arranged for a grand event to mark the harvest festival. It was attended by over 200 people all around the Bay area. Mo Polani, owner of Shalimar, Sunnyvale had arranged for this unique event on Sunday 12 January.
The festival was marked by a range of traditional exciting activities such as lighting the ritualistic bonfire during the evening, dancing on the beats of the dhol, traditional handmade dishes, singing popular folklore around the bonfire and enjoying sumptuous feast. Lighting of the fire has been common in Winter Solstice festivals throughout time and the world. It
signifies the return of longer days. The menu at Shalimar restaurant for Lohri celebration placed great emphasis on authenticity and included traditional dishes representing the fun, celebration and energy that are characteristic of the region. The festival experience comes full circle with the merrymaking tradition of song and dance with the dhol.
Veera Mahajan
year, specializing in Mediation and Dispute Resolution. While she juggles many hats, her priority is being a mom to her two sons, Kunal and Rahul. In many ways Veera is an ideal
role model not only to contemporary Indian women but to also women in general. She is totally selfmade and credits her success to her intelligent risk taking abilities and follow- through with hard work.
Vasant Panchami: Heralding Spring with Saraswati Puja Cont’d from page 23
She is generally shown seated on a white lotus. She rides on a white swan on this day, which is known for its peculiar capability of separating water from the milk. The swan indicates that we should have the ability to discriminate the bad from the good. When the goddess is seen sitting on a peacock, it is a reminder that a desire can suppressed by wisdom. The lotus flower represents rising and blooming above the murk to achieve enlightenment. It also resembles the purifying of one's spirit. How to celebrate Vasant Panchami Yellow color is given prominence on this day due to change in nature's color. So dress up in yellow garments as this color represents spiritual knowledge. Offer yellow flowers and sweets to Ma and distribute among friends and relatives. Knowledge is essential for everyone irrespective of their age. So
place along with children's your books, pens on the altar at the goddess's feet for her blessings. Pray to Ma Saraswati for knowledge and wisdom with her special mantras and Slokas or chant a simple prayer as "Om Saraswatyaya namah, vidyam dehi" Ask Ma with utmost devotion for her blessings to attain spiritual enlightenment, to acquire peace of mind, to obtain power to suppress ego, to have awareness to differentiate the bad from the good, and to get rid of lethargy, sluggishness, and ignorance. On this occasion do some charities or donations to Brahmans, socio-religious organizations, and also perform Pitra-Tarpan, the traditional ancestral worship. Make a pledge and remember to honor and offer gifts to teachers, spiritual gurus, elders and grandparents on this day. Pandit Anil Joshi is Priest of Hindu Mandir of Lake County Grayslake, IL
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January 24, 2014
eepika Padukone who is rumored to be dating Ranveer Singh has denied it. The long legged actress said that she is very much single and not dating anyone. While chatting with Karan Johar on the chat show, 'Koffee With Karan', Deepika made it clear that she is not seeing anybody. At the Stardust cover launch event in Mumbai, when reporters asked her whether she is single, she blushed and said, "Yes ...yes...you are happy (now)." Deepika also ignored Ranveer Singh at the recently held Filmfare Awards nomi-
T
hough Hrithik Roshan's marriage is in trouble, his in-laws are con stantly connected with Hrithik, specially his brother-in-law Zayed Khan. On Hrithik's birthday, Zayed spent the entire evening with Hrithik. Says a reliable source, "Though Sussanne has taken a break from the marriage, her family remains very close to Hrithik. In fact Zayed is today closer to his brother-in-law than ever before. The two guys have been connecting constantly." Says the source, "Everyone in Zayed's family is hoping to see Sussanne get together with Hrithik. To her credit, Sussanne didn't once stop Zayed from visiting Hrithik for his birthday."
1 Malang: Dhoom 3 2 Kamli: Dhoom 3 3 Dhoom Machale Dhoom Dhoom: Dhoom 3 4 Sunny Sunny: Yaariyan 5 Kabhi Jo Baadal Barse: Jackpot 6 Gandi Baat: R...Rajkumar 7 Baarish: Yaariyan 8 Tu Hi Junoon : Dhoom 3 9 ABCD: Yaariyan 10 Ram Chahe Leela: Ram-leela
nation party. They crossed paths couple of times at the party but did not stop to share pleasantries. They were both involved with their respective friends group. It seems after ringing the 28th birthday of Deepika in New York, the couple went separate paths. Ranveer now gets irritated when reporters ask him about his ladylove. It seems there is something seriously wrong between the two.
Bollywood
January 24, 2014
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ome pictures speak louder than words and here is one example. Megastar Amitabh Bachchan kissed wife Jaya Bachchan when he was honored with Screen lifetime achievement award. When the award was announced, highly thrilled Amitabh, who was seated at a distance from Jaya, came near her and shared a big kiss with her. Abhishek Bachchan witnessed
the private moment of his parents as he was seating between them. The cameraperson did not miss to capture the rare scene. The incident took place a while after Big B greeted Rekha. Rekha and Jaya Bachchan's tryst is a wellknown story and this intimate moment might have been to make Jaya feel secured.
M W
ildly unfounded rumors claiming Abhishek Bachhan and his wife Aishwarya have moved out of their family home with their little daughter Aaraadhya, has the family amused annoyed and exasperated. A close friend of the family says, "There is no lack of space and privacy for Abhishek and Aishwarya in the Bachchan parivar. The couple has its own separate flank in the bungalow. They go and come home as they wish. Jayaji is the least interfering mother-in-law. Aaraadhya keeps moving around the entire home from his parents to grand-parents as and how she wishes. There's no
restriction of any kind in the home." The friend adds, "Abhishek can buy property all over Mumbai or in Timbuktu. But that doesn't mean he is moving out of Jalsa. He will never leave his parents' home. When he was engaged to Karisma Kapoor many years ago he broke it only because Karisma and her mother demanded that the couple would live away from the parents' home after marriage. Abhishek's home address is non-negotiable."
uch speculation has been on since Dia Mirza postponed her marriage with filmmaker Sahil Sangha in December after the invitations were sent off. There are rumors of differences between the couple. However a close friend of Dia shoots down these rumors, "Dia and Sahil are for keeps. As far as they are concerned, they are already wedded in their hearts and minds. The formal ceremony is being sorted out as there are two families involved." Dia and Sahil are not just soul-mates they're also joint partners in a production company which is currently producing Bobby Jasoos with Vidya Balan in the lead. Dia says, "We will take a call on the wedding date once we complete the principal photography of Bobby Jasoos at the end of January." Adds Sahil Sangha, "We had to postpone the wedding because my uncle is not well. Once his health is under control, our families will work out a new date."
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„ Health
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WHO to issue polio-free certificate to India FAZILKA: The World Health Organization will soon certify India as a polio-free country, Punjab Health and Family Welfare minister Surjeet Kumar Jayani has said. India no longer figures in the list of active polio virus transmission country, he said inaugurating a state-level Pulse Polio vaccination drive here. "The WHO will soon issue polio-free country certificate to India," Jayani said. No case of polio has been reported in Punjab since 2010, he said. In view of polio cases in Pakistan, transit teams have been set up at Wagah-Attari border to ensure vaccination of children crossing the border, the minister said. Over 15,000 booths have been set up across Punjab for vaccination of 37.69 lakh children in the age group of 0-5 years during the current polio vaccination drive, he said, -PTI
„
Lawmakers protest plans to close psych centers
WEST SENECA, N.Y.: New York's plan to consolidate psychiatric facilities is running into opposition from families and some lawmakers. The state Office of Mental Health plans to reduce the number of facilities in the state from 24 to 15 to save money. Among those on the closing list is the Western New York Children's Psychiatric Center in the Buffalo suburb of West Seneca. The child patients would be moved into the Buffalo Psychiatric Center, which currently serves only adults. State Sen. Patrick Gallivan and Assemblyman Mickey Kearns were among those taking part in a demonstration at the facility, urging the state to keep it open. The Office of Mental Health has said it can offer the same level of care at the Buffalo facility. -AP
Health Science
SC appeals inmate case, tries mental health fixes Details on Page 34
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January 24, 2014
US judge rules State abortion ultrasound law illegal GREENSBORO, North Carolina: A North Carolina law requiring women who want an abortion to have an ultrasound and then have a medical provider describe the image to them is a violation of constitutional free-speech rights, a federal judge has ruled. US District Judge Catherine Eagles ruled that states don't have the power to force a health care provider to be the bearer of what she called an ideological message in favor of carrying a pregnancy to term. Eagles, who was nominated to the court by President Barack Obama, had put the law on hold a few months after the Republicanled state legislature passed it in 2011. The law required abortion providers to place an ultrasound image next to a pregnant woman so she can view it, describe its features, and offer the patient the chance to listen to the heartbeat. The law required abortion providers to describe the dimensions of the embryo or fetus and the
presence of external members and internal organs if they were present and viewable. The patient was not required to watch the display or listen to the explanation. "The state has not established
the patient takes steps to avoid receipt of the message," Eagles wrote. North Carolina legislators had argued that offering the ultrasound image to a woman seeking
that the speech-and-display provision directly advances a substantial state interest in regulating health care, especially when the state does not require the patient to receive the message and
an abortion along with other information would promote childbirth. The law also would protect patients from potential coercion to have an abortion and emotional
distress associated with the procedure, advocates said. A legislator who was a key advocate of the law said he was confident the state would appeal Eagles' ruling. "There is nothing in the law requiring the doctor to say anything that is not truthful or that is misleading," said House Majority Leader Paul Stam. A spokeswoman for state Attorney General Roy Cooper, a Democrat, said only that state attorneys were reviewing the ruling. "If these unconstitutional measures had gone into effect, doctors would have been prevented from using their best medical judgment to provide patients with care based on their specific individual needs," said Jennifer Rudinger, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of North Carolina. "This law represented an egregious government intrusion into individuals' private medical decisions, and we are very pleased that it will not go into effect." -AP
US scientists genetically engineering tulsi WASHINGTON: Led by an Indian-American, a team of scientists at a US university are genetically engineering tulsi or
basil to enhance its pharmaceutical value, the institute said.
In his lab at the Owensboro facility, Chandrakanth Emani, Assistant Professor of Plant Molecular Biology at the West-
ern Kentucky University and his students are genetically engineering the basil to produce
more eugenol, a compound in basil that "has a very great pharmaceutical value because it's shown to control breast cancer," the University said in a statement. "When you grind these basil leaves there is a compound called eugenol that comes out...Eugenol, when they put it on a plate where there are tumor cells, it stopped growth of the tumor cells. That was a proof of concept experiment which was done a long time back," Emani claimed. "If it makes higher and higher amounts of eugenol, that plant, basil plant, will be a storehouse of that anti-cancerous compound," he said. The next phase in the research project would be to test the compound as an effective cancer treatment. Basil, he said, is a medicinal
plant which has a lot of compounds called metabolites, meaning the leaves of a basic basil plant, like any other plant, make a lot of stuff. "If you look at the East,
Eugenol, when they put it on a plate where there are tumor cells, it stopped growth of the tumor cells. That was a proof of concept experiment they've been using the plant not exactly as a medication but a supplement for a lot of treatments, he said. -PTI
January 24, 2014
Health Science Post
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Jackson nurse Angela runs to save lives JACKSON, Miss.: Angela Hammack runs with ghosts. ``I know that might sound far out to some people,'' said Hammack, 46, a nurse for the past nine years at Jackson Oncology Associates, ``but a lot of my patients that I've grown to know and love who eventually died from cancer ... it's like they're right alongside me every step I take.'' Hammack felt them carrying her recently as she completed the inaugural Dopey Challenge at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Fla. - a four-day event that included a 5K run (3.1 miles), a 10K (6.2), a half marathon (13.1) and a full marathon (26.2) as a grand finale. That's 48.6 miles total, or roughly from Jackson to Forest. Approximately 7,000 people participated. She ran to raise money for the Mississippi/Louisiana Chapter of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Before the Orlando challenge, Hammack had raised more than $22,000 for the organization dedicated to funding blood cancer research, education and patient services. And as she crossed the finish line of her 11th marathon, Hammack said, ``I got really emotional. That's the first time I've ever just fell apart after a run. I started crying, just thinking of why I did this, what all I did to get here, those I did it for. ... I'm drained physically and emotionally. But it's worth every bit of it. ``I gain so much determination from seeing patients come into the clinic, continuing to fight when there seems to be little hope left. I push myself to try and help make a difference so maybe others won't have to go through that.'' She covered the marathon distance in 5 hours, 23 minutes, slightly longer than average for a female runner. Hammack, who ran her best time - 4 hours, 44 minutes - in October at the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, said:
energy. She talks faster than I can listen. ``But the thing is, that people sometimes take for granted is, she really has a good heart. I don't know of anyone who has more drive and ambition. She's served as presi-
Angela Hammack
dent of the Oncology Nurses Society. She became certified to teach other nurses how to give chemotherapy. There is a lot more to her than just the marathons.'' Said Teresa Davis, clinical trials coordinator at Jackson Oncology: ``Angela not only raises money and awareness about cancer, but she helps improve patients' perspective about cancer and the research that's being done. She likes to talk, likes to teach and likes to educate. That's what you look for in an oncology nurse.'' Hammack admits to marching - swiftly to a different beat than most. She runs marathons, yet suffers from asthma.
``I gain so much determination from seeing patients come into the clinic, continuing to fight when there seems to be little hope left. I push myself to try and help make a difference so maybe others won't have to go through that.'' She covered the marathon distance in 5 hours, 23 minutes, slightly longer than average for a female runner. ``My times aren't important. I don't compete against other people. I just want to finish.'' Hammack has been running for local cancer charities since 2007. She focuses much of her fundraising on blood cancers. ``And the reason is, they don't pick a certain age, race or gender. Blood cancers affect people across the board,'' she said. Those who know Hammack said the 48.6 miles at Disney were in the bag once she decided to enter. ``Angela is one of the most unique people you'll ever meet,'' said Susan James, nurse manager at Jackson Oncology. ``She does things at one speed - 100 miles per hour. I have no idea where she gets her
Her iPod includes Christian, classical, grunge, Broadway, heavy metal and hiphop. She often trains at 4 a.m. but declares, ``I'm not a morning person.'' She is here, then there, her 5-foot, 118pound body darting like a bee with a buzz. ``But let me get home, and it's a different story,'' she said. ``We live on 53 acres in Terry, and it is so peaceful and quiet. I will sit there and not do a blooming thing. My husband, Jimmy, has horses, and I enjoy watching them. It's a place where I can relax and slow everything down a bit.'' Hammack, who was born in Starkville, graduated from Mississippi State University in 1989 with a degree in communica-
tions. Bored with desk jobs, she attended paramedic school at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson and graduated in 1995. ``The day I graduated, I found out I'd been accepted into nursing school at Mississippi College (in Clinton),'' she said. She earned her nursing degree in 1997 and began working at the Elvis Presley Memorial Trauma Center in Memphis. ``When I started dating Jimmy, I would come down for visits but felt like I needed to be doing something all the time,'' she said. ``A friend said they might hire me part time at Jackson Oncology. I talked to them, and they did. It was a different experience than what I had been used to in trauma. This was a lot of nurturing and talking with patients. ... I really enjoyed that.'' Hammack joined Jackson Oncology full time in 2004, but the trauma bug didn't leave. So a couple of weekends a month, she travels by train to Memphis and back and pulls two shifts at her old job. ``The adrenaline of seeing somebody dying, but then watching them come back to life through the Lord's will and with a little bit of your help is an amazing thing,'' she said.
Running to fight cancer gives her a different type rush. ``I saw a sticker ... that fits me,'' she said. ``It read `endorphin junkie.' And I can totally relate to that. Doing something like this for such a worthy cause is an all-natural high. I know some people might think it's crazy, but that's what keeps life fun and interesting.'' The money portion of her mission begins with a formula calculated by the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Travel expenses to an event are figured, then tripled. That's how much Hammack must raise. Seventy-five percent of the money - most of which is donated by corporate sponsors goes to the charity. Hammack has run marathons and half marathons all over the continental U.S. and also in places such as Hawaii and Dublin, Ireland. ``The main thing is the money stays in our state. Some of it goes to research, which has already come up with drugs such as Gleevec, which reverses some forms of leukemia,'' Hammack said. ``It makes all this mean so much more when you can actually see the positive effects of the money raised.'' -AP
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SC appeals inmate case, tries mental health fixes COLUMBIA, S.C.: Civil liberties and mental health advocates say the South Carolina Department of Corrections shouldn't challenge a court order that the agency come up with a plan to better deal with its mentally ill inmates, agreeing with the judge that more proceedings just mean more taxpayer dollars spent in court and not on inmate care. But, almost a decade into the litigation, prison officials say they're sticking with their decision
to appeal - while continuing to work on ways to improve conditions. Earlier this month, Circuit Judge Michael Baxley sided with a group of mentally ill inmates who sued the agency in 2005 over alleged constitutional violations. Among their complaints was a lack of effective counseling and over reliance on tactics like isola-
tion and pepper spray to subdue unruly, mentally ill prisoners. Baxley's 45-page ruling castigated the department for failures in a number of areas - from screening new inmates for mental health problems to properly administering medication and preventing suicide - and gave the agency six months to come up with a plan to fix them. Court-appointed monitors would report back on progress. ``The evidence is overwhelm-
ing that SCDC has known for over a decade that its system exposes seriously mentally ill inmates to a substantial risk of serious harm,'' Baxley wrote, chronicling warnings and reports dating back to 2000, when an expert hired by Corrections told the agency its mental health program was in a state of ``profound crisis.'' Similar warnings, Baxley noted,
came in reports from a legislative committee, a special task force and the state Department of Mental Health. In 2003, then-agency Director Jon Ozmint, according to Baxley, said inmate mental health was ``at a crisis level.'' Two years later, the lawsuit was filed. Until that point, Baxley wrote, the department ``did virtually nothing to address, much less eliminate, the substantial risks of serious harm to which class members were exposed.'' One mentally ill inmate, he wrote, cut his abdomen and was put in a restraint chair, his intestines spilling out as guards tightened the straps. After a schizophrenic man was transferred to an isolation unit and died 11 days later, Baxley wrote, an internal review found that guards had tried to cover up filthy conditions at that prison before taking photographs to document the cell where the man had been held. ``Despite its knowledge of the grave risks these deficiencies pose to mentally ill inmates, SCDC has failed through the years to take reasonable steps to abate those risks,'' Baxley wrote. During a 2012 trial lasting more than a month, Corrections' attorneys disputed those claims, denying that inmates' rights were being violated. Officials said last week they will appeal, issuing a statement that called mental health ``a national problem that all sectors of society are working to
address.'' A mental health advocate in Greenville has launched an online petition effort calling on Corrections to drop its appeal. Baxley wrote that continuing to litigate will only cost the state more money that it should be spending to fix the problems, a sentiment with which Vickie Middleton of the American Civil Liberties Union agreed. ``It's disappointing to hear that the state may spend more years and tax dollars to fight proving
After a schizophrenic man was transferred to an isolation unit and died 11 days later, Baxley wrote, an internal review found that guards had tried to cover up filthy conditions at that prison before taking photographs to document the cell where the man had been held. constitutional care despite this ruling, which is a clarion call to action to remedy these horrendous abuses of the most vulnerable people in the system,'' Middleton said. ``It also puts lives in further danger, if they do go down that road.'' Agency officials declined to discuss the case, citing the ongoing litigation. But in documents provided to The Associated Press, the Corrections Department says the agency will continue ongoing efforts to improve its mental health care as the appeal
Foetal exposure to nicotine increases obesity risk TORONTO: Babies born to smoking mothers have a 47 per cent increased risk of becoming overweight as adults, a new Canadian study has found. Researchers from Western University in London, Canada, found that nicotine from either smoking or nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) causes a wide range of long-term adverse reactions for the offspring, including an increased risk of obesity and metabolic syndrome. Some women are encouraged to quit smoking when they become pregnant using NRT whether as gum, transdermal patches, nasal spray or lozenges. "We knew smoking was bad during pregnancy. But the problem is one fifth of pregnant women in Canada continue to smoke, and 30 prospective studies have shown us that that babies born to smoking mothers have a 47 per cent increase in
the odds of becoming overweight," said Daniel Hardy of the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry. "And here's the interesting thing, that's even after adjusting
in the offspring's life," he said. Working in collaboration with Alison Holloway, of McMaster University, Hardy gave pregnant laboratory rats the same amount of nicotine, adjusted for weight,
for mom's diet and socioeconomic status," said Hardy. "Our studies were designed to find if there is a biological basis between nicotine exposure from either NRT or smoking, and obesity and metabolic syndrome later
that an average smoker receives (1 mg per kg a day). The offspring were born smaller in size, but six months later when they reached adulthood, the rats had developed an increase in liver and circulating triglycerides,
proceeds. That includes consulting with the state Department of Mental Health on evaluating Corrections' policies and using $1 million in recurring funds to pay for more staff, training and specialized programming to, hopefully, reduce mentally ill inmates' time in isolation units due to disciplinary infractions. In his order, Baxley wrote about two mentally inmates who were held in isolation for about seven years each. The department says it has re-
a hallmark of obesity. The study also demonstrated that the nicotine-exposed liver, long-term, is making more triglycerides via transcriptional and epigenetic changes. Hardy now wants to find out if increased perinatal doses of folic acid would prevent or reverse the nicotine damage to the developing liver. Folic acid has been shown to reduce circulating triglycerides in animal studies, and smoking moms have been found to have low levels of folate so Hardy said, it is conceivable. Hardy said that compared to smoking, NRT is the lesser of two evils, but clinicians may need to look more closely at the long-term safety and efficacy of nicotine in pregnancy on postnatal health and well-being. The research is published in the journal Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology. -PTI
viewed and revised the agency's overall disciplinary process for mentally ill inmates. Since last year, Corrections officials say they have also been working to come up with better ways to make sure inmates get mental health treatment even after they leave the prison system. That sort of community-based treatment on the front end, before someone ends up in prison, could lead to a reduction in the number of mentally ill inmates in prison altogether, Middleton said. ``It's a systemic failure and a crisis in the community,'' Middleton said. ``We're putting people in a punitive environment, not a therapeutic environment, and clearly subjecting them to all kinds of abuses and neglect.'' Amy Fettig, an attorney with ACLU's National Prison Project, agreed, adding that the public also needs to pressure legislators to allocate more funding to Corrections. In her budget proposal, Gov. Nikki Haley has asked for about $3 million more than lawmakers gave the agency last year, saying that she will continue to push for mental health funding for the prisons agency. In documents submitted as part of the trial, experts estimated adding new facilities and staff in those areas could cost $40 million or more. ``These are institutions that are set up to punish and contain and control. They are not set up to treat,'' Fettig said. ``That is not an excuse for the abuse that is happening in South Carolina, but it is a warning for the public and our leaders that we have not created community systems that can treat our citizens. ... When you don't provide mental health care, people end up dying as a result.'' -AP
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January 24, 2014
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ML King Birthday: Civil rights include Right to Health Care RANJANA PAINTAL
A
s we reflect on the legacy of Dr Martin Luther King, Jr., we often think about his role in advancing civil rights. We remember his passionate work to address racism, to end segregation in schools, and to combat economic injustice through nonviolent means. We remember that Dr. King's life was dedicated to bringing about a world where basic human rights were equally accessible by all- including the right to health care.
Martin Luther King
"Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health care is the most shocking and inhumane," declared King at a 1966 convention of the Medical Committee for Human Rights. This year, great strides have been made to fighting this inequality as over 1 million previously uninsured and underinsured individuals started 2014 with affordable and comprehensive health insurance thanks to the Affordable Care Act. However, more work needs to be done, especially among minorities and immigrants, who are much more likely to be uninsured than the rest of the population. There are currently more than two million Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders (AA and NHPIs) in the U.S. that lack health insurance due to cost, language and cultural barriers, and other factors. In Illinois, there are approximately 75,000 uninsured AA and NHPIs who can gain health care coverage for the first time this year thanks to the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Because of the ACA, people with pre-existing conditions like cancer and diabetes can get access to care. Tax credits make it more affordable many AAPIs and their families to have health insurance. Civil rights provisions in the ACA prohibit discrimination in health care programs based on age, race, gender, and national origin. And because of the ACA, Lynette Wightman (Asian Health Coalition), Asja Dizdarevic and Fikreta Cinenovic (Hamdard Center) are now helping members of community learn about and enroll in health care plans that are available to them for the first time. We at the Asian Health Coalition are helping AA and NHPIs get the coverage
they need through the ACA by providing outreach and enrollment services in Asian languages. We do this because we believe access to health care is a right, and no one should be excluded because they speak a different language. Rogers Park and West Ridge are home to sizeable numbers of South Asian, Bosnian and Middle Easterners. This population is largely uninsured and faces many barriers to receiving the health care they need, including language and of course, cost. Thanks to Hamdard Center and the ACA, we are expecting hundreds of South Asians, Bosnians and Middle Eastern individuals to get covered this year. We hope that together we can reduce the significant inequality when it comes to health care among immigrant populations. While we at the Asian Health Coalition serve the Greater Chicago area, we are also collectively engaging with health centers and community-based organizations across the country in a national effort to increase the education, outreach and enrollment of AAPI's in 21 states. Our National Collaborative plans to reach over a quarter million people collectively during this first open enrollment period. From Dr. King's message to the ACA today, our nation continues to pursue health justice for all and the civil and human right to health care. I am humbled to be part of this moment in history and to continue the legacy of Dr. King - fighting injustice and working to bring about healthier and more equitable communities.
Idaho counties may halt indigent medical payments BOISE, Idaho: Idaho counties are debating whether to quit paying the hospital bills of some indigent patients in the wake of President Obama's Affordable Care Act. Currently, Idaho's 44 counties pay the first $11,000 of an indigent person's medical bills. The state pays the rest, with the total annual price tag now between $50 million and $60 million. The Lewiston Tribune reported Idaho Association of Counties executive director Dan Chadwick wants to tinker with the program. Since the ACA now requires everyone be insured, Chadwick contends, those who decline to buy coverage can no longer be considered indigent. If Chadwick's plan were enacted, it could mean hospitals would have to find another revenue source to cover uninsured patients they're required by law to treat. It's still in the discussion stages. -AP
Lifestyle disorders top health issues in Arab world PARIS: Heart disease and stroke have replaced infectious disease as the top causes of early death in the Arab world, tracking the West in a trend towards lifestyle disorders, The Lancet reports. An international consortium of scientists compared the state of health in the 22 countries of the Arab League in 1990 and in 2010, using data from a vast study - the 2010 Global Burden of Diseases report. In 1990, respiratory infection headed the list of concerns, accounting for 11 percent of deaths, while stillbirths and poor nutrition also featured high on the mortality list. These problems still persist in the low-income countries of the Comoros, Djibouti, Mauritania, Somalia and Yemen, the investigators found. But overall, infectious diseases - with the exception of HIV - have receded, the paper said. By 2010, the No. 1 cause of death in Arab countries was heart disease, which was implicated in 14.3 percent of cases. In 1990, it had ranked second. Next on the mortality list was stroke, followed by respiratory infection, diarrhoea, diabetes, road injuries and cirrhosis, respectively. The report also pointed to depression, anxiety, domestic violence, lower back pain
and neck pain as common and growing sources of ill health - all signs of a region "undergoing a major epidemiological transition." "Indeed, the epidemiological profile closely resembles that of western Europe, the USA and Canada," it said. "Today, disorders related to drug and alcohol use are causing more premature death and disability in the Arab world than they were two decades ago."
"Road injuries have taken a growing toll on health," it added. "The region has also seen a rapid increase in injuries associated with interpersonal violence and self-harm, but a decline in injuries from fire, drowning and poisonings." AFP
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MUMBAI: Actress Deepika Padukone, who gave the industry four blockbusters last year, was awarded the Best Actress while Farhan Akhtar walked away with the Best Actor for his power packed performance in 'Bhaag Milkha Bhaag' at the 20th Screen Awards. Deepika bagged two honors - the Best Actor award (female) for 'Ram-Leela' and the most popular choice award (female) for 'Chennai Express' - at the ceremony here last night.
Farhan Akhtar with wife after receiving the award
January 24, 2014
www.indiapost.com She began the year with 'Race 2' and followed it up with 'Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani', 'Chennai Express' and 'RamLeela', all of which raked in box-office success entering Rs 100-crore club. While the Most Popular Choice Award (male) was handed over to Shah Rukh Khan for 'Chennai Express'. Megastar Amitabh Bachchan was given the Lifetime Achievement award. The special jury award went to director Anand Gandhi for 'Ship Of Theseus'. The Ram Nath Goenka Memorial award went to John Abraham's 'Madras Cafe'. Aditya Roy Kapur and Shraddha Kapoor of 'Aashiqui 2' were given as the Best on-screen Jodi of the Year. The Best Film Award went to 'Bhaag Milkha Bhaag' and Shoojit Sircar won the Best Director Award for 'Madras Cafe'. Mohan Sikka got Best Story Award for 'B.A. Pass' and Best Screenplay was bagged by Hansal Mehta, Sameer Gautam Singh and Apurva Asrani for the biopic on slain lawyer Shahid Azmi ('Shahid'). Saurabh Shukla and Swara Bhaskar bagged the Best Supporting Actor awards for 'Jolly L.L.B' and 'Raanjhanaa'. Veteran actor Rishi Kapoor, whose role in 'D Day' had an uncanny resemblance to Dawood Ibrahim, won the Best Actor in Negative Role (male) while Shilpa Shukla won the award in the same category for erotic drama 'B.A. Pass'.
Deepika Padukone, who was the clear winner of the night, looks stunning in a lehenga as she gets on stage to collect her award from filmmaker Ramesh Sippy.
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IIFA awards in Florida this year India Post News Service
NEW YORK: The International Indian Film Awards (IIFA) Weekend is all set to make its American debut as they bring the magic of Indian Cinema to Tampa Bay, Florida. The 15th edition of the IIFA Weekend & Awards will be held this year from 24 to 26 April. IIFA management along with Bollywood superstars Anil Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra are currently on a press tour in the United States, having made their first pit-stop in the home to Hollywood, Los Angeles and the second in Tampa Bay. The IIFA delegation and the stars continued on to the last leg of the tour in the Big Apple, New York. IIFA announced its celebrations ahead of the film industry's highly anticipated weekend extravaganza
which is set to include film briefings, the IIFA Film Workshop, the FICCI-IIFA Global Business Forum, IIFA Rocks, IIFA Magic of the Movies & Technical Awards and the crown jewel of the Videocon D2H IIFA Weekend, the TATA Motors IIFA Awards. Headlining the Awards will be Shahrukh Khan who is said to be the biggest star offering from Bollywood in present years. The 15th TATA Motors Awards will be hosted by Shahid Kapoor and Farhan Akthar. The duo last hosted the Awards in 2012 in Singapore. Each year, IIFA Award tickets have sold out in recordbreaking time. In 2011 in Toronto, on IIFA's debut in North America, IIFA Award tickets for a capacity of 18,000 sold out within 10 minutes. Superstar, Singer and Friend of IIFA, Priyanka Chopra said "Year after year, IIFA brings the best of Indian cinema to a new geography across the world, providing a taste of the best that we have to offer. We are very excited to bring IIFA to Tampa Bay. Cont'd on Page 38
January 24, 2014
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Alia Bhatt turns singer, thanks to A R Rahman
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hen director Imtiaz Ali asked Alia Bhatt to croon a number in 'Highway', she jumped at the idea. "I am not a singer... I think I am a bathroom singer. When I was asked to sing I was excited and thought of trying it (singing) out. A R Rahman sir was very patient with me. If I fail as an actress, I will become a singer," Alia told reporters. When the team of 'Highway' was traveling since it is a road movie, Alia would often sing Rahman's song "Jiya Re Jiya". That's when Imtiaz thought of exploring her singing talent. Music maestro A R Rahman told her to practice and that if she learns singing for two years, she could have her album. According to Alia, who is geared up for the highway journey in a deglam avatar with
Randeep Hooda, both acting and singing are difficult. "I am just two films old when it comes to acting and it's my debut as a singer with 'Highway'. For me both are difficult," she said. "When I was recording with Rahman sir, I messed up a few times but that is ok...It happens.
I did not know anything about singing...I did not know how to sustain my breath, but later on I learnt with the help of Rahman sir," Alia added. 'Highway', produced by Imtiaz Ali's Window Seat Films and presented by Sajid Nadiadwala, will be released worldwide by UTV Motion Pictures on February 21.
Deepika, Farhan best actors Cont'd from Page 36
'Gangs of Wasseypur' star Richa Chadda, who managed to tickle the funny bone of the audience in 'Fukrey', walked away with
bagged the most promising newcomer award for 'Kai Po Che' and most promising newcomer (female) award was given to Aida EiKashef for 'Ship of Theseus'. Ritesh Batra was awarded as most
Ranbir may replace Salman in 'Bigg Boss'
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f rumors are to be believed, the reigning actor Ranbir Kapoor has been approached by the makers of 'Bigg Boss' to host the show in the coming season. The next season will be the eight season of the popular reality show 'Bigg Boss'. The reality show of 'Bigg Boss' was hosted by Dabangg Khan for
the last four seasons. He was extremely popular among contestants and viewers. Due to Salman's starry aura, the show went on to become the most popular reality show. TRPs sky rocketed after Salman took as host of the show. It is rumored that Salman Khan
is busy with his new show which is based on social causes and so he might not have time to host the next season of 'Bigg Boss'. Well, some insiders told that the story was something else. Every season Salman Khan got embroiled in some or the other controversy. Sometimes he was tagged 'too judgmental' and some-
times he was tagged as being 'biased'. In the seventh season, there were a number of things that rubbed Salman Khan the wrong way. One was the return of Kushal Tandon in the house against Salman's wish. This irritated Salman. Also, Salman was blamed
to be biased towards Tanishaa Mukherjee and Armaan Kohli. These factors irked him and so he decided to opt out from the next season. The makers of the show tried their best to bring him onboard one more time, but Salman Khan refused. Ranbir is currently the heartthrob of Bollywood. He is doing good and is extremely popular. So the makers of 'Bigg Boss' decided to approach him. He has a fan following similar to Salman Khan. If Ranbir accepts to be the host of the show, it will mark his debut on small screen. He will also be considered the first among his contemporaries to appear on small screen on a show as a host. VJ Andy who was one of the contestants at 'Bigg Boss 7' said that not having Salman in the next season will be a huge loss for the show. He said, "I don't think there can be any other host other than Salman Khan. He's the soul of the show and if he decides not to continue with the show it will not be good for Bigg Boss. His absence on the reality show will be a huge loss. The way he handled all of us on the show, I don't think anyone
A rare moment: Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan embrace each other
the Best Actor in Comic Role award. In the debut category, popular TV actor Sushant Singh Rajput
promising debut director for the critically acclaimed 'The Lunchbox'.-PTI
Once rivals: Jaya Bhaduri and Rekha greet each other
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IIFA awards in Florida this year Cont'd from Page 36
With the support of representatives of Visit Tampa, we have been able to conceptualize and actualize an incredible event. There will be music, dance and a whole lot of spice! We're looking forward
my support in whatever way possible to IIFA and the Indian film fraternity at large. The excitement is building up and we look forward to some extremely entertaining and memorable events. With the goodwill of our community we look forward to the grandest Indian cin-
We are also pleased to be joining Wizcraft & IIFA as they launch ticket sales that will bring tens of thousands of visitors to our destination. The energy and enthusiasm this celebration brings with it is contagious, and I can tell you, Tampa Bay is equally as excited to serve as great hosts to the biggest and best International Indian Film Academy awards in history." Viraf Sarkari, Director, Wizcraft International shares, "We are exploring wonderful new opportunities in this new territory for IIFA and the process has been very exciting. We are gearing up for another spectacular edition and this year we will have many new and extremely entertaining events leading up to the IIFA Weekend."
Priyanka Chopra, second from right, shakes hands with Dr. Pallavi Patel, second from left, and her husband, Dr. Kiran Patel, left, with Mayor Bob Buckhorn, center, and Anil Kapoor, right, during a news conference at the Tampa Theater announcing the IIFA's (International Indian Film Academy) debut in Tampa
to giving our fans and new audiences the experience of a lifetime." Speaking about IIFA, longtime friend & supporter of IIFA, International Actor, Anil Kapoor said "With the promise of bringing the biggest and best events for the fans of Indian Cinema, the IIFA Weekend and Awards has grown into an iconic platform for audiences globally. As a friend of IIFA, I am delighted to see IIFA make its debut in the USA. It has been my pleasure to be associated with IIFA and as an Ambassador of the Indian film fraternity, we are proud to give audiences a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to witness one of the finest celebrations of Indian culture and cinema. Tampa Bay is in for a treat." Having played a large hand in bringing the IIFA ceremony to Tampa Bay; cardiologist, philanthropist and community leader, Dr. Kiran Patel said, "I am glad to lend
ema spectacle that the US has ever seen." Santiago Corrada, President and Chief Executive Officer Visit Tampa Bay said, "Tampa Bay is thrilled to be welcoming the prestigious IIFA Celebration to Tampa.
Andre Timmins, Director, Wizcraft International adds, "Anil Kapoor & Priyanka Chopra have been associated with IIFA for many years and it is a pleasure to have them tour America with us as we officially announce details and ticket sales for IIFA 2014 in Tampa Bay." Having traveled to some phenomenal destinations across the globe over the last 14 years, IIFA has graced the shores of the UK, Europe, Middle East, Southeast Asia, South Africa, Sri Lanka and Canada. Fans and enthusiasts of Indian Cinema from around the
world can expect to see their favorite stars descend into Tampa,
choice for the 15th IIFA celebrations. IIFA is a global platform that gives the Indian film fraternity an opportunity to reach greater audiences in international territories. The alliances made via the platform of IIFA provide huge benefits
Priyanka Chopra, center, during a news conference at the Tampa Theater announcing the IIFA's (International Indian Film Academy) debut in Tampa
Florida during the weekend and witness Indian Cinema's most glorious event unfold across the city. With world-class infrastructure and facilities and having hosted a myriad of international concerts, events and the Super Bowl four times, Tampa Bay is the ideal
to India and the host country. The aim is to establish mutual benefits for both India as well as the host destinations by boosting tourism, economic development, trade, culture, cross-border investments and film co-productions.
Anil Kapoor speaks during a news conference at the Tampa Theater announcing the IIFA's (International Indian Film Academy) debut in Tampa.
The DK Dance Pak, made up from dancers from across the state, performs to music from Bollywood films during a news conference at the Tampa Theater announcing the IIFA's (International Indian Film Academy) debut in Tampa
January 24, 2014
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January 24, 2014
Spires of the Brahma mandir Pics Ashim Choudhury
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ASHIM CHOUDHURY
ike all my travels Pushkar too happened on the spur of the moment. When I left home day had not broken yet. By the time we reached Dhaula Kuan to catch the Jaipur bound bus, daylight laid bare huge amounts of waste and litter on one of Delhi's most important thoroughfares. There were pools of pee in front of the DSOI. And at the bus stand where we stood in the midst of garbage there was that unmistakable stink of urine. Every time I took in the dust and stink I was reminded of those smiling pictures of Madame Dixit in ads that claimed how she had transformed Delhi into a world class city! 'Madame, there's a world beyond NDMC, and it stinks!' I told myself as I grabbed a window seat. After changing buses at Jaipur and Ajmer, night had fallen by the time we reached Pushkar nestled in the lap of undulating hills.
At the holy lake
The town surrounds the Pushkar Lake, formed by the percolating rain from the wooded surrounding mountains. I was revisiting Pushkar after a gap of nearly 25 years. Luckily not much has changed. But this time I was here for the famed Animal Fair or what is now popular as the Camel Fair. In truth the Pushkar Mela has deep spiritual significance. 'The tourists have subverted it with their Western culture…they have no respect for our ways…' lamented Vijay Sharma, a resident of Ajmer, my co-passenger. He said we were going to Pushkar on an auspicious day 'when the Gods have risen'. This was Ekadasi and the elevated state would
remain for the next five days till the full moon day or Karthik Poornima, when tens of thousands take a holy dip. This full moon also coincides with the birth of Guru Nanak and is celebrated as Guru Parab among Sikhs and Punjabis. Cont’d on page 41
January 24, 2014
Travel & Hospitality Post
Pushkar The lake of Brahma's legends creator of the universe according to Hindu belief. The early morning Aarti at the 'These five days are so auspicious that you can perform any temple is an elevating experience. shubhkarya ‌ If as person's horo- In all, the small town has over a scope gives you no auspicious hundred temples encircling the marriage dates you can get mar- lake. But for the course of the mela, ried on any one of these days with- particularly the last five days of out consulting a pandit,' Sharma the festival it is the Brahma mandir says. Lending credence to his take where everyone is headed. This is on a 'spiritual destination' the said to be the only Brahma temple empty bus we boarded for Pushkar in the world. Why only one temple was suddenly packed to capacity to the creator of the universe? Legend has it that it was a curse with village folk headed for the mela - old, men women and children. In from Shiva, the destroyer, to whom less than a half-hour, driving down Brahma had lied. Another one says the winding hill road, we were at that it was his wife Saraswati who Pushkar's desolate outskirts. Hur- cursed him because as he was to tling down the slopes one can take part in a yagna, where she was supposed to be present, not finding her he had married another low caste girl, Gauputri (passed through the gut of a cow to purify her). 'No one will ever worAtma Ram with a horse ship you!' Goddess reach the lake in five minutes. It Saraswati is said to have sworn. Atop a triangular hill overlookwas close to ten in the night when went to the lake negotiating nar- ing Pushkar is the Mata Ka row lanes dotted with ancient Mandir, dedicated to Bhahma's original wife Saraswati. Even if you havelis. As we scoured the ghats of are not a believer, a trek to Mata Pushkar - there are 52 in all - hordes Ka Mandir is highly recommended of villagers from distant villages as it affords a breathtaking view a c r o s s northern India headed for the cold waters for a cleansing b a t h . Throughout the night batches of pilgrims arrived in buses and trucks. After a dip they headed for the Brahma temple A pilgrim Brahma the Cont’d from page 40
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of the lake-town below. Some say the lake was formed when the petals of the blue Ketaki flower fell from Brahma's hands. Yet another says when Lord Shiva's wife Sati died he wept so copiously it formed two lakes, one in Pushkar and the other at Ketaksha now in Pakistan. There are many such fascinating legends that make Pushkar one among the holiest of Hindu shrines. But today Pushkar is better known for the camel fair, which is in fact a fair where chiefly cattle and horses are bought and sold in the run up to Karthik Poornima. The dusty grounds on the fringes of Pushkar draw buyers and sellers of camels and horses from various cor-
Checking out the food
ners of the desert state. The owners stay in tents pitched on the sandy grounds while their animals stay tethered outside for buyers to see and bid.
We met Rudu Ram of Thaunda village who had a little five-month old pony he was selling for Rs 55 thousand. Cont’d on page 42
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Rajasthan to be made a major tourism hub: CM JAIPUR: The Rajasthan government plans to make the desert state as a major tourism hub on the lines of Kerala and Madhya Pradesh, Chief Minister Vasundhra Raje has said. To attract both domestic and foreign tourists, the state agencies would act as facilitators for tourism sector and ensure participation of private players, she said, adding that special efforts will be made to improve air connectivity of main cities. The chief minister, who was addressing a meeting of tourism department here, insisted on improving the infrastructure facilities to support expansion of tourism activities. In the meeting, it was also suggested that publicity should be
done through social media, websites, information technology and other such mediums. Raje asked for organizing more
Vasundhra Raje
tourist festivals, fairs and road shows and protecting the heritage of historical forts, havelis, waterbodies, monuments and
other places of tourists' interest through renovation and availability of facilities. The chief minister said that a detailed and extensive map will be prepared spotting different gates, pathways, chopars and other monumental locations of the Walled City of Jaipur. Chief Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi, Principal Secretary Finance Subhash Garg, Principal Secretary Art and Culture Kiran Soni Gupta, Commissioner Tourism Gayatri Rathore, CEO and MD of Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor Amitabh Kant, other officers and representatives of the tourism sector institutes were present in the meeting.
January 24, 2014
Pushkar The lake of Brahma's legends Cont’d from page 41
Earlier he had sold three horses for as much as 80 thousand each. Not everyone made a fortune. Nearby, in another tent sat Raju and his family, coming from Deoli village some 150 kms away. A Behrupia, he had spent ten days at the festival earning little. Three of his horses had gone for between 10 and 15 thousand. 'Whatever little we earned has
organized on a regular basis during the mela. Rajasthan tourism knows how to sell the state. Also on 'sale' were its exotic moustaches in the form of competitors from various corners of the state. The kind of enthusiastic camera persons (mostly white) it attracted would put an Obama press conference into the shade. A whole batch of people, again firangs, watched the mooch competition from their perch on the back of camels. And after the competition
Cont’d on page 43
Pakoras and mirchi bada
gone into our upkeep here,' says Raju's wife. The family will stay the full course of the mela before they return. Atma Ram who had come with his friends from Badgam village some 80 kms away was also downcast. All his friend's horses were sold, except his. 'Why?' 'Red is not a popular color, my horse is red (brown)….White and black are valued here. It is the Rajputs and Banias who prefer white for their marriages,' says Atma Ram. A tall and healthy white steed can fetch as much as Rs 4 lakhs, while a black one can go for 2 lakhs. The horseshoe of a black horse is popularly used as a charm to ward off the evil effects of Shani or Saturn. Phool Chand from Jaipur was happily grinning because he had bought a white mare for just Rs. 75,000. 'She's pregnant… the pony will also give me good money,' he said, satisfied with his buy. Waiting for a truck to take his mare home Phool Chand said, 'Ye chara khaigi…hame bhi khilayegi (we'll feed her and she'll feed us).' The animal fair, if you can ignore the littered filth, has its fair share of fun and frolic. In the stadium, transformed into a mela ground, camel and horse races are
the winners were whisked away into tents where white tourists lived their fantasies and the men with long mushs enjoyed their day of fame. Pushkar also attracts an array of colorful turbans along with the moustaches. Beards, turbans, the colorful ghagra-choli of the women, cows, beggars and sadhus make the jostling walk to the Brahma temple a photographer's delight. And what's a mela without mouthwatering food? Along the road, on display are several local fares like mirchibada, kachoris, samosas and pakoras. There are also the local sweets like rabri, malpua, and others made of pure milk. But competing with the local fare are Lebanese and Italian food like falafel and pizza, not to speak of Israeli and other European dishes. In fact little cafes with exotic names such as Blue moon, Pink Floyd, catering to 'foreign tourists', give a tough competition to local food. It is this blend of East and West, white and brown, holy and unholy, that makes Pushkar both a colorful and mystical destination. Though meat or liquor is banned, the taste of the town lingers long after that hot mirchibada has been washed with a cup of chai. Ashim Choudhury is author of
January 24, 2014
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Utah ski resort sued over snowboarding ban SALT LAKE CITY: A Utah resort long known as a skiers' mountain has been sued for refusing to open its slopes to snowboarders a legal action that again exposed a culture clash on the slopes. In their lawsuit, four snowboarders claimed discrimination on national forest lands that make up most of the Alta ski area
mountain. Alta is one of the last remaining U.S. ski areas that bans snowboarding, and the lawsuit claims Alta dislikes snowboarders for their allegedly reckless skiing, inconsiderate attitude, baggy clothes and their overuse of such words as ``gnarly'' and ``radical'' when describing difficult terrain.
News of the lawsuit lit up the websites of Utah newspapers with passionate comments such as: Snowboarders ``ruin all the snow'' by scraping it down to ice; they ``don't watch where they're going;'' and they ``stop in the middle of the hill and sit down!,, in the mountains east of Salt Lake City. The lawsuit says the plaintiffs bought tickets knowing they would be turned away at the chairlifts and could then sue the resort. One of them later sneaked onto the lift using ``split boards'' a snowboard that splits apart and resembles skis - but was intercepted and escorted down the
Deer Valley, another Utah resort, and Mad River Glen in Vermont also ban snowboarding. Taos in New Mexico relented in 2009 and allowed the practice. Skiers' chief complaint is that snowboarders' sideways stance leaves them with a blind spot that can make their wide, sweeping turns a danger to others on the slopes.
Some say the culture war is old news now that young people are turning back to using a pair of skis instead of one board. ``Snowboarding as a sport peaked a couple of years ago. It was counter-culture, but it became too mainstream,'' said Riley Cutler, a partner at a Salt Lake City ski shop, Wasatch Touring. ``Now kids are going back to skiing on twin tips and riding rails.'' News of the lawsuit lit up the websites of Utah newspapers with passionate comments such as: Snowboarders ``ruin all the snow'' by scraping it down to ice; they ``don't watch where they're going;'' and they ``stop in the middle of the hill and sit down! What's up with that?'' David Quinney, a minority owner of Alta, said customers prefer to have the mountain kept for skiers only. ``Alta is forbidden fruit for snowboarders,'' said Quinney, whose grandfather Joe Quinney founded Alta in 1939. ``The thing about Alta, so much of it involves hiking, climbing and traversing.
Cubans are now traveling in record numbers HAVANA: Last February, Amalia Reigosa Blanco experienced for the first time the rush of an airplane taking off. She browsed the clothing shops of Italy's fashion capital, and strolled cobblestone streets echoing with
Reigosa was one of the first Cubans to take advantage of a travel reform that went into effect a year ago, when the government scrapped an exit visa requirement that for five decades had made it difficult for most islanders to go
Amalia Reigosa (center) accompanied by her sisters Jaynet (right), Anabel (left) and her niece Gabriela pose in front of the Jose Marti International Airport in Havana, Cuba on Jan 30
an unfamiliar tongue. She learned what snow feels like. And then she came home. ``I hope I can go on vacation again,'' said the 19-year-old language student, breaking into a broad smile as she recalled her first trip overseas, to visit family in Milan. ``I'd love to see Paris.''
abroad. The much-hated measure was long justified as necessary to prevent brain drain as scientists, doctors, athletes and other skilled citizens were lured away from the Communist-run nation by the promise of capitalist riches. A year into the new law, Cubans are traveling in record numbers.
Some have not returned, but there's no sign of the mass exodus that some feared. Dissidents are coming and going and raising their international profiles - and money - but there has been little impact on their limited ability to effect political change back home. ``I'm sure there was internal resistance to the migratory reform. I know that in some cases there were ministries that said `all our doctors are going to leave,' and I can imagine some people in the ideological apparatus saying `if we let the dissidents travel, this is going to be terrible,''' said Carlos Alzugaray, a longtime Cuban diplomat and prominent intellectual. ``What has life shown?'' he asked. ``They did the reform, and nothing happened.'' Through the end of November, 185,000 Cubans traveled abroad on 258,000 separate trips, a migration official said last month. That represents a 35 percent increase on the previous year. About 66,000 Cubans traveled to the U.S. during the period, a figure that apparently includes everyone from tourists to islanders with immigrant visas, from researchers on academic exchanges to dual Spanish-Cuban citizens who can enter the U.S. without a visa.-AP
That's not real conducive to snowboarding.'' Quinney said the culture clash that separated skiers and snowboarders in the 1990s has become a cliche, and banning snowboarding remains a matter of safety, not style. ``I'm a skier, always have been,'' he said. ``There are skiers out there that appreciate going to a place that allows skiers only, not snowboarders.'' The U.S. Forest Service also was named as a defendant in the lawsuit. Government officials de-
clined comment, said Loyal Clark, a spokeswoman for the UintaCache Wasatch National Forest. Snowboarding might have lost some of its cool since starting in the late 1970s, but about a third of all resort visitors are still sliding downhill on one plank, not two, according to surveys by the National Ski Areas Association. The lawsuit concedes that snowboarders were ``perhaps rightfully'' stereotyped as riffraff decades ago by more sophisticated and affluent skiers, but times have changed.-AP
Rajasthan to be made a major tourism hub: CM Cont’d from page 42
Boosting religious tourism At a review meeting of Devsthan department the chief minister gave direction that one or two religious places in every district of Rajasthan would be developed on the lines of Jaipur's 'Khole ke Hanumanji' temple. Facilities of parking, transport and boarding will be developed at such places for the convenience of devotees and tourists like that of Khole Ke Hanumanji temple, located on Jaipur-Delhi highway. The chief minister also suggested suitable changes in the
Senior Citizens Pilgrimage Scheme after studying the Madhya Pradesh pattern for improving the scheme. In the meeting, it was also decided that an 'Adi Shankaracharya Board' under Jagadguru Shankaracharya Sanskrit University will be constituted for the studies of astrology, religious ceremonies and rituals. In the 60-days action plan of Devsthanan Department, maintenance and white-wash of over 200 temples and religious places and a calendar of religious activities of the department were identified among other works. -PTI
In Brief India for visa liberalization in SAARC region NEW DELHI: India has pitched for further liberalization of visa regime within the SAARC region to facilitate movement of businessmen, in a bid to increase trade and investment. "I will support enhancement of more SAARC (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) visas so that more business people can travel. We welcome SAARC countries to invest in India," Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma said here at the SAARC Business Leaders Conclave. Sharma said there is a need to work together for creating a more trusting environment which enables easier movement of professionals across borders. He also said that there is a need to open bank branches in each other countries to help traders. "We assure you that we will be encouraging Indian banks to open branches in each SAARC nation. Indian banks have presence in few of them," he said. Trade and economic ministers of Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka were present during the function. Sharma also emphasized to strengthen infrastructure bottlenecks such as roads, ports and airports to reduce transactions cost and enhance trade within the region.-PTI
„ Wis. alderman questions readiness for refugees APPLETON, Wis.: An Appleton alderman is drawing the ire of other city officials for his resolution critiquing the region's preparation for 75 refugees arriving from Congo, Iraq and Myanmar. Alderman Jeff Jirschele authored a resolution with tough language aimed at World Relief Fox Valley, the Oshkosh-based group shepherding the resettlement, according to Post-Crescent Media. He said the refugees hadn't ``been vetted'' and called for a suspension of all city efforts in the relocation until the potential impact of their arrival has been assessed. ``I'm worried about these people and our social safety net when they arrive,'' Jirschele said. ``These are real people and real lives ... we have no room to flounder on housing or medical care despite the best intentions of the groups involved.''-AP
Immigration
Focus on good moral character in naturalization
44 India Post
www.indiapost.com
January 24, 2014
Details on page 46
Immigration Bill could impact elections in Washington State SEATTLE, WA: The state House's swift move to advance an immigrants' rights bill on the first day of this year's legislative session could create a wedge issue that might affect the results of the November elections, some political experts said. Lawmakers in the House approved with strong bipartisan support a proposal that expands state financial aid for college students in the country without legal status. The measure, however, is likely going nowhere in the Senate because Majority Leader Rodney Tom, the Democrat leading the predominantly Republican Majority Coalition Caucus, said his caucus has other priorities to focus on during the 60-day session. "I'm looking for more dollars for state need grants, but not expanding the pool (of eligible student applicants) at this time," said Sen. Barbara Bailey, Republican chairwoman of the Senate education committee. Spokespeople for Republicans in the House and Senate said their caucuses don't have immigration-
related bills they are putting forward this year. Inaction this session on bills important to immigrants and minorities, such as the so-called Washington Dream Act, could
ing Tom's. "It's an issue that can dramatically affect the swing races in suburban districts," said Chris Vance, a Republican political consultant who has worked with immigrant-
become an election issue in November, when 24 spots in the Senate are contested. Ten of those Senate seats are expected to be challenged vigorously by both parties. Roughly half a dozen of those seats are in suburbs in the greater Puget Sound area, includ-
rights groups, like OneAmerica. Following a year where Congress failed to reform the nation's immigration laws, the Washington Dream Act is a priority for immigrant-rights groups in Olympia this session. If the bill is signed into law, Washington would be-
come the fifth state in the country to approve state financial aid for college students illegally in the country. California, Texas, New Mexico and Illinois have passed similar legislation. Proponents have said the average number of college students in Washington each year who can't provide proof of legal residency is about 550. They estimate that number would grow by about 20 or 30 percent if the financial-aid measure is approved. "Denying financial aid to an entire generation of motivated Washingtonians benefits no one," said Emily Murphy, a lobbyist for OneAmerica, an immigrant rights group. "The Dream Act is about education and the economy, and we want to make sure we have a vibrant economy served by a welleducated workforce." During the debate on the House floor, opponents of the bill said the state can't afford to expand the state need grants pool. One lawmaker said 30,000 students who applied for state financial aid didn't Cont'd on Page 47 get it.
American Samoa starts immigration amnesty PAGO PAGO, American Samoa: American Samoa will be granting amnesty to immigrants living in the U.S. territory illegally. The immigration amnesty program is intended to help provide a more accurate count of the island's population, which showed a 3.1 percent drop during the 2010 U.S. Census, said Gov. Lolo Matalasi Moliga. According to census data, the territory's 2010 population was 55,519, a drop of 1,772 from 2000. The decline will reduce federal funding that the territory is entitled to, Moliga said. ``Strong suspicion exists that our population was undercounted because undocumented immigrants did not register for fear of deportation,''
he said. ``I believe the potential loss of federal funds attributed
Gov. Lolo Matalasi Moliga
to population decline poses a greater risk to the territory than the risk of legalizing the status of those persons who are already here in any event.'' The territory controls its own immigration and customs, instead of the U.S. government. The amnesty will be possible after the territory makes changes to its immigration law that outlines quotas for the number of immigrants who may enter. Most people living in American Samoa without legal permission are from neighboring Samoa, an independent country with lan-
guage, cultural and family ties. Others include immigrants from Fiji, Tonga, the Philippines and Korea. Most overstay an entry permit. After a registration period from Feb. 18 to March 14, those living in American Samoa without legal permission will be given an opportunity to legalize their residency status. Only those who have been in the territory illegally before June 30, 2013, are allowed to register, said Deputy Attorney General Mitzie Jessop. They will need documents including a valid passport, photo ID, a birth certificate and any immigration travel documents. Felons are not eligible. Moliga announced the program's launch on state-run television. -AP
Immigration Post
January 24, 2014
India Post 45
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Texas Republicans take hard line on immigration AUSTIN, Texas: Texas Republicans are taking hard-line stances on immigration ahead of the March 4 primary elections to win support from the party's base, while Democrats are hoping those policies will convince more Hispanics to vote for them. Candidates for Texas governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general responded to an Associated Press questionnaire on the subject, their answers highlight-
said incumbent Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst. On the Democratic side, gubernatorial hopeful and state Sen. Wendy Davis blames the Republican-controlled U.S. House for not approving proposed new immigration laws. "We must continue to support current border security efforts and ensure that border law enforcement have the statutory tools and financial resources needed," she
Texas AG Greg Abbott, Republican candidate for Governor, greets supporters on Jan. 10, in Austin, Texas.
ing a growing philosophical rift between Texas Republicans and the national party's more moderate policies intended to attract more minorities. But campaign consultants say illegal immigration is a top issue for Republican voters in Texas, who want their candidates to implement tough policies, including placing state police on the border. Candidates are distancing themselves from past policies that Gov. Rick Perry once defended, such as in-state tuition for the children of immigrants in the country illegally, and taking a far more militant approach. "I have helped appropriate almost $800 million ... including purchasing a Department of Public Safety observation plane with infra-red cameras and videos, DPS helicopters with infra-red cameras, six DPS armored gunboats for the Rio Grande River with infra-red cameras, each carrying four .30 caliber machine guns capable of firing 1,000 rounds per minute,"
said, noting that she co-authored legislation last year to provide grants to help local prosecutors along the border crack down on drug and human trafficking. Republican gubernatorial can-
lation to forbid cities from deprioritizing immigration law enforcement. "Law enforcement should be able to ask if a person is here illegally if they have probable cause to believe they may be," he said. Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor Leticia Van de Putte rejected proposals to involve local law enforcement in enforcing federal law. "Police chiefs and law enforcement officials around the state were outspoken in their collective opposition to legislation that would require them to enforce federal immigration laws," said Van de Putte, the only Hispanic running for one of the top three offices. All the Republicans, though, supported requiring local police to enforce immigration laws. Republican attorney general candidate Ken Paxton said he supports only checking the immigration status of those arrested for other crimes. Barry Smitherman, another Republican candidate for attorney general, was alone in supporting state police-operated immigration checkpoints. "This is one method law enforcement should be able to use to catch those that are already in our country illegally," Smitherman said. Sam Houston, the sole Demo-
"Police chiefs and law enforcement officials around the state were outspoken in their collective opposition to legislation that would require them to enforce federal immigration laws," said Van de Putte, the only Hispanic running for one of the top three offices. didate Greg Abbott only offered limited answers supporting tougher immigration policy, citing plans to roll out a plan in a few weeks. But GOP candidates for lieutenant governor expressly touted their views on cracking down on illegal border crossings. Houston Sen. Dan Patrick introduced legis-
crat running for attorney general, joined other Democrats in warning against involving local police for fear of racial profiling and discouraging immigrants from reporting crimes. "I believe, as a practical matter, this is a costly and an inefficient use of Texas funds," he said. "It creates logistical chaos,
can be confusing to law enforcement and will be ineffective if the federal agencies who would be contacted decline to take action." Attorney general hopeful Dan Branch and lieutenant governor candidate Todd Staples chose to issue statements rather than answer questions. Other Republicans have blasted Staples for his past support for driver's licenses for immigrants in the country illegally and in-state college tuition for their children, two policies that all the Democratic candidates support but that he now opposes. Jerry Patterson, also a Republican running for lieutenant governor, was alone in calling for a guest-worker program to bring laborers to Texas called the
"Texas Solution." "At the 2012 State Republican Convention, over 8,000 delegates overwhelmingly adopted the Texas Solution and moved our party from being the party that is simply against something, to the party that has a bold, common-sense solution for our country's immigration problems," Patterson said. All the candidates supported requirements that companies check to make sure employees are legally authorized to work in the United States, but while Republicans supported using the federal E-verify system, Democrats said it has too many bugs. Van de Putte said at least two federal agencies have noted high error rates in the E-verify program.-AP
PRADEEP ROY-SINGH B.A. LL.B. M.B.A. J.D. Attorney-at-Law
Former Assistant StateÂ’s Attorney
Civil & Criminal Litigation Felonies, Misdemeanors, Inc DUI 1 Personal Injury, Business, Divorce etc. 1 Property Tax for Commercial Properties 1 1
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2335 W. Devon Ave., Suite 204, Tel: 773-381-1820 Chicago, IL 60659
Immigration Post
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January 24, 2014
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Snyder talks immigration, preschool plan in speech LANSING, Mich.: Michigan is ``the place to be,'' Gov. Rick Snyder said during a speech in which he introduced a plan to make the state more welcoming to immigrants and more enticing for foreign investment. He also pledged to free up more preschool slots for disadvantaged 4-year-olds. The initiatives - along with a pilot project for moving some lowperforming public schools to a year-round calendar and detecting financial problems in school districts and municipalities before they need state intervention - were among the highlights of the Republican governor's fourth annual State of the State address. Snyder, who is up for re-election in November, touted Michigan's ``comeback'' during the hour-long address to a joint session of the Republican-led Legislature. He mentioned the auto industry's resurgence, a drop in violent crime, the state's budget surplus and two consecutive years of population growth for the first time in a decade.
``People are staying again in Michigan, and we should be proud of that,'' he said. Pointing to nearly $1 billion in surplus revenue, Snyder said he will propose tax relief for individu-
He committed to seeking an additional $65 million so low-income children no longer have to be on a waiting list for financial help to attend preschool. Michigan led the U.S. last year with the
Senate Majority Leader Randy Richardville, R-Monroe, from left, Lt. Gov. Brian Calley, and House Speaker Jase Bolger, R-Marshall, applaud as Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder, right, delivers his State of the State address to a joint session of the House and Senate.
als when unveiling his budget in three weeks. He declined to elaborate further.
biggest spending increase on early childhood programs, both on a percentage and dollar-amount
basis, he said. ``We're going to make it a nowait state for early childhood education,'' Snyder said. Snyder also will soon issue an executive order creating the Office for New Americans, joining two other states that have put immigration services under one roof. His administration has applied to make Michigan the second state government along with Vermont to run a regional center for the EB-5 visa program, with the goal of attracting talented immigrant entrepreneurs. The EB-5 program designates businesses to recruit foreign investors for development projects - the investors get permanent U.S. residency for themselves and their families. ``If someone has the opportunity to come to our country legally, let's hold our arms open and say, `Come to Michigan, this is the place to be,''' Snyder said. One proposal Democrats welcomed was his push for increased early learning funding, but they said it should not come at the ex-
Focus on good moral character in naturalization
I
n order to qualify for natural ization, an applicant must dem onstrate that she is or was a person of good moral character (GMC) throughout the relevant statutory period and through the time she takes the oath of allegiance. See Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) § 101(f); Title 8, Code of Federal Regulations
For the average person, GMC may not be an issue - the average person will have the requisite "character which measures up to the standards of average citizens (CFR) § 316.10. For the average person, GMC may not be an issue - the average person will have the requisite "character which measures up to the standards of average citizens of the community in which the applicant resides," USCIS Policy Manual, Volume 12, Part F (hereinafter "PM"), Ch.1A, and will not be statutorily precluded from showing GMC. GMC "does not mean moral excellence . . . .'" Matter of Sanchez-Linn, 20 I&N Dec 362, 366 (BIA 1991).
MYRIAM JAIDI
GMC "is incapable of exact definition," Posusta v. United States, 285 F.2d 533, 535 (2d Cir. 1961), and extremely complex. Because the statute and regulations governing the meaning of GMC cover a broad range of conduct and acts, and because officers will be exercising discretion in making a determination, an advocate must carefully review GMC with a client to ensure any potential issues are analyzed and addressed. There are statutory and regulatory bars to GMC, as well as a catchall provision which allows an adjudicator to exercise discretion and find a lack of GMC where none of the other bars apply, and it is important to keep them all in mind. Having an issue that could result in a negative determination of GMC can do more than prevent a person from obtaining U.S. citizenship - it can signal that the individual may be removable and may even be subject to mandatory detention if put in removal or if the person returns to the United States after traveling abroad. USCIS officers must assess GMC on a "case-by-case" basis, 8 CFR § 316.10(a), examining an applicant's conduct and acts during the relevant statutory period immediately preceding the application - 5 years as a general matter, INA 316(a)(1), 3 years for those who have been residing with their U.S. citizen spouse for that period,
INA 319(a), and 1 year for those who have served honorably in the U.S. military, 8 CFR § 329.2(d). However, officers are not limited to the statutory periods, and can go back in time as far as they believe necessary in assessing whether a person has experienced a "reform of character," or if the officer believes that "the earlier conduct and acts appear relevant to a determination of the applicant's present moral character." 8 CFR § 316.10(a) (2). An officer must consider "the totality of the circumstances and weigh all factors" when considering reformation of character in conjunction with GMC within the relevant period. PM Ch.2B. The PM provides officers with the following list of factors to consider in assessing an applicant's current moral character and reformation of character: family ties and background; absence or presence of other criminal history; education; employment history; other law-abiding behavior (meeting financial obligations, paying taxes, etc.); community involvement; credibility of the applicant; compliance with probation; length of time in United States. Id. A GMC determination therefore involves a balancing test and advocates should make a strong showing of equities where any negative factors that do not constitute a bar to establishing GMC are present, to present a strong
foundation upon which an adjudicator may be swayed to find in an applicant's favor. Absolute Bars to Showing GMC An individual cannot show GMC if he or she has: • Been convicted of murder at any time (8 CFR § 316.10(b)(i)); • Engaged in persecution, genocide, torture, or severe violations
There are statutory and regulatory bars to GMC, as well as a catchall provision which allows an adjudicator to exercise discretion and find a lack of GMC where none of the other bars apply of religious freedom at any time (INA § 101(f)(9)); • Been convicted of an aggravated felony as defined in INA § 101(a) (43) on or after November 29, 1990 (INA § 101(f) (9), 8 CFR § 316.10(b) (ii)). Note that an individual who was convicted of an aggravated felony before November 29, 1990 and does not otherwise fall into any of the permanent or conditional preclusions to showing good moral character can naturalize. Cont'd on Page 47
pense of less funding for other students. ``How he did it last (year) was by taking money out of the school aid fund to do it. It was not a new investment,'' said Senate Minority Leader Gretchen Whitmer, an East Lansing Democrat. ``It was stealing from one child to pay for another.'' Democrats also said the surplus came thanks to the GOP raising taxes on individuals in 2011 to offset a tax cut for businesses. And Whitmer called into question Snyder's emphasis on immigration. ``I think most people in Michigan are scratching their heads a little bit saying, `Why do we need to import degree holders?' What about ... giving our kids the degrees so they can do the jobs he's claiming to try to lure to Michigan?'' she said. While he briefly mentioned resolving Detroit's bankruptcy in 2014, Snyder stopped short of publicly calling for state aid to soften cuts to pensions of city retirees and to prevent the sale of pieces at the Detroit Institute of Arts. The governor met privately with legislators to suggest that the state match foundations' $330 million commitment. Snyder also touched on unfinished legislative business, such as increased spending for deteriorating roads and bridges and cracking down on scrap metal theft. But he did not make the stalled transportation legislation a major emphasis as he has in previous years, nor did he mention auto insurance changes he unsuccessfully sought last year. The governor also highlighted a decline in violent crime in four cities his administration has targeted as part of a public safety initiative. Violent crime in the first 10 months of 2013 was down 30 percent in Flint, 16 percent in Saginaw, 7 percent in Detroit and 6.5 percent in Pontiac. Near the beginning of his speech, Snyder leveled a halfveiled criticism of anti-gay and anti-Muslim posts that Michigan Republican National Committeeman Dave Agema made on Facebook. He said people should ``work to bring Michiganders together, not divide'' them. Democrat Mark Schauer, Snyder's likely opponent in November's election, questioned Snyder's ``comeback'' story. He said that more unemployed Michigan residents are filing for jobless benefits than in any other state and a minimum wage increase is needed. ``Rick Snyder's economy isn't working for average Michiganders,'' Schauer said. -AP
Immigration Post
January 24, 2014
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Focus on good moral character in naturalization Cont'd from Page 46
They face an uphill battle and must demonstrate that they have made exemplary efforts to redeem themselves, but it can be done, if not at the USCIS level, then in federal court. For an excellent example of the showing that needs to be made, and how advocates can prepare not only an application but also their client for the application process, see Lawson v. USCIS, 795 F.Supp.2d 283 (SDNY 2011), discussed at length in a previous blog post. Judge Denny Chin of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, sitting by designation in district court, found that Lawson, a Vietnam War veteran honorably discharged from the Marines, had established good moral character and therefore was eligible to naturalize despite the fact that he was convicted of manslaughter for killing his wife in 1985.
• Controlled substance violation • Admitting to any of the above • Incarceration for aggregate of 180 days due to a conviction • False testimony • Prostitution or commercialized vice • Smuggling of a person • Polygamy • Gambling • Habitual drunkard Here are highlights of some of the more complex conditional bars: Crime Involving Moral Turpitude Being convicted of a crime involving moral turpitude (CIMT) during the statutory period precludes a finding of GMC. This excludes a conviction for a purely political offense as well as an offense that falls within the petty offense exception in INA § 212(a)(2)(ii)(II) (maximum penalty possible does not exceed one year
Judge Denny Chin of the U.S. Court of Appeals found that Lawson, a Vietnam War veteran had established good moral character and therefore was eligible to naturalize despite the fact that he was convicted of manslaughter for killing his wife in 1985. Judge Chin found Lawson had paid his debt to society serving 13 years in prison and while there "he overcame his drug and alcohol problems, earned three degrees (including two with honors), completed several training programs, and counseled and taught other inmates" and continued his efforts at reform after he was released. Cases like Lawson demonstrate that in preparing a naturalization application for a client with a criminal history or any other GMC issue, it is important to pull out all the stops and be creative about demonstrating all of the ways in which your client is an asset to the community. Make sure they are able to communicate the many ways in which they participate in and contribute to the various communities with which they may interact. Conditional Bars for Acts in the Statutory Period Beyond the absolute bars to establishing GMC, the statute and regulations provide a laundry list of what USCIS refers to as "conditional bars" to establishing GMC, found in INA § 101(f) and 8 CFR 316.10: • One or more crimes involving moral turpitude • Convicted of two or more offenses, aggregate sentence imposed five years or more
and the person was sentenced to 6 months or less imprisonment) or the youthful offender exception in INA § 212(a)(2)(ii) (committed crime when under 18, crime committed (and person released from resulting confinement) more than 5 years before application for the benefit). If the client is unclear on whether they have been convicted or what they may have been convicted of, make sure you obtain any and all records relevant to their brush with the criminal justice system. You can have them request a copy of their file from their criminal defense attorney, obtain an FBI rap sheet, have them go to the court where their case was heard and request a record or court disposition. Try to get as much documentation as possible and do not rely solely on the FBI rap sheet because it may be incomplete. Like GMC, CIMT is not defined in the INA or implementing regulations and is incredibly complex. Moral turpitude refers generally to conduct that "shocks the public conscience," conduct that "is inherently base, vile, or depraved, and contrary to the accepted rules of morality and the duties owed between persons or to society in general. Moral turpitude has been de-
fined as an act which is per se morally reprehensible and intrinsically wrong, or malum in se so it is the nature of the act itself and not the statutory prohibition of it which renders a crime one of moral turpitude." Matter of Franklin, 20 I&N Dec. 867, 868 (BIA 1994), aff'd, 72 F.3d 571 (8th Cir. 1995). Key to the determination of moral turpitude is "whether the act is accompanied by a vicious motive or a corrupt mind." Id. Each statute must be examined to determine whether it involves moral turpitude, but some common elements of CIMTs are fraud, theft (intent to permanently deprive the owner of property), crimes involving bodily harm to another with an intent to harm, and even some instances of harm resulting from criminally reckless conduct. The CIMT concept has developed over time through a multitude of court decisions, and the steps one must take in analyzing whether a crime amounts to a CIMT continues to be fought out in the courts. The determination of whether a crime is a CIMT depends on the judge, the wording of the particular statute at issue, and whether the judge applies the "categorical approach" (which requires consideration of the minimal conduct impli-
cated by a penal law) or "modified categorical approach" (where the categorical approach does not yield an answer because a criminal statute includes offenses that fall outside the generic criminal category, this approach allows consideration of the record of conviction for clarification), among other
CIMT within 5 years of admission where the crime is one for which a sentence of one year or more may be imposed makes a person deportable, see INA § 237(a)(2)(A)(i), as do two or more CIMTs at any time. See INA § 237(a) (2) (A) (ii). An advocate also has to be aware of the impact of a criminal
The determination of whether a crime is a CIMT depends on the judge, the wording of the particular statute at issue, and whether the judge applies the "categorical approach" (which requires consideration of the minimal conduct implicated by a penal law) things. Because the topic of CIMTs can fill many volumes, an in-depth analysis of how to identify a CIMT is beyond the scope of this blog post, and the reader is referred to resources such as Mary E. Kramer, Immigration Consequences of Criminal Activity: A Guide to Representing Foreign-Born Defendants (5th Ed. 2012) (an AILA publication), that deal in more depth with CIMTs and other issues relating to crimes and immigration. Keep in mind that in addition to precluding a finding of GMC, one
conviction on a lawful permanent resident who wants to travel outside the United States. If a lawful permanent resident with one or more CIMTs on her record travels outside the United States, upon return she may be considered an applicant for admission under INA § 101(a)(13), and may be subject to mandatory detention under INA § 236(c). To be continued * Cyrus D Mehta, may be contacted at 212-425-0555 or info@cyrusmehta.com
Immigration Bill could impact elections in Washington State Cont'd from Page 44
"The statistics unfortunately trump the dream at this point," said Republican Rep. Larry Haler of Richland. Vance said that immigrantrights groups are a key constituency of the Democratic Party and, combined, they can bring a lot of "passion and money" into a legislative district if they target it. A Republican can diffuse that pressure by supporting such a bill, he said. But state Republican Party spokesman Keith Schipper said he doesn't buy the argument that immigration-reform issues in Olympia would have an effect on the November elections. "This is simply a distraction to get the voter minds off the issues they're truly upset about," Schipper said. "This is simply the Democrats fishing." Voters in November will focus on education issues, the botched rollout of the Affordable Care Act and taxes, Schipper said. Minority and immigrant voters have shown they can affect
election results in Washington State, a political expert said. After Gov. Jay Inslee won the governor's office in 2012, University of Washington pollster Matt Barreto estimated that Latino and Asian voters broke 3 to 1 for the Democrat and helped him beat
State Republican Party spokesman Keith Schipper said he doesn't buy the argument that immigration-reform issues in Olympia would have an effect on the November elections. Republican candidate Rob McKenna, who had courted immigrant votes but couldn't shake off the anti-immigrant image of the GOP. "My hope is that Latino groups realize that the Legislature needs to work or change,"
said Maru Mora, an immigrant activist and organizer of the annual May Day march in Seattle. It's harder to ascertain the impact of minority and immigrant voters at a district level. But Democrat political consultant Christian Sinderman pointed out that some of the swing districts for Senate races are in neighborhoods with significant numbers of immigrants. "These are districts have are socially very progressive, especially the Microsoft and hightech suburbs with immigrant families," he said. "And even if they're higher income, they're still beneficiaries of having access to higher education and career opportunities." Vance said he agrees up to a point. The financial-aid measure can be characterized as an education issue and not so much an immigrant rights issue, he said. "You can make it about education ... the core issue in suburban races -- and suburban races are the battleground" for control of the Legislature, Vance said.AP
Datebook
48 India Post
NEW JERSEY
NEW YORK Upcoming
Upcoming Fri, Feb 11
• Dj Maha - Valentines Day Party 2014 Venue: Plainsboro Plaza, 10 Schalks Crossing Rd, Plainsboro Township, NJ 08536 Time: 7:00 pm Contact: 781-375-8068
Fri, Feb 14
• Guru Palace - Valentines Day
Sat, Jan 25 • Saregamapa Live In Concert Venue: Resorts World Casino, 110-00 Rockaway Blvd, New York, NY 11420 Time: 08:00 pm
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
Upcoming
Upcoming
Sun, Jan 25 • 8th Annual India Republic day Celebration Radio Zindagi and Young Leaders Academy Presents
IDIOTS
Pkwy, Fremont, CA 94538 Time: 9 am to 3:30 pm
Sat, Feb 22
Sat, Mar 29 • Zakir Hussain and The Mas-
Venue: Marathi Vishwa Community Center, 143 State Route 35, Old Bridge Township, NJ 08879 Time: 11:00 am Contact: 862-222-0105
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA
Sat, Feb 08 • Gujarati Comedy Play 2
Venue: Guru Palace, 2215 US Highway 1, New Brunswick, NJ 08902 Time: 6:00pm Contact: 732-398-9022
• Indian Classical Music Competition
www.indiapost.com
Venue: Performance Pavilion, Lake Elizabeth Park, 40204 Paseo Padre
Venue: Hindu Temple Auditorium -NY, 143 - 09 Holly Avenue, New York, NY 11355 Time: 8:00 pm Contact: 347-989-6104
ters of Percussion Venue: The Theater at Madison Square Garden, Seventh Avenue between 31st and 33rd Streets, New York, NY 10001 Time : 8:00 pm Contact : 866-858-0008
January 24, 2014
Sun, Jan 25 • Tamil Manram Celebration Pongal Vizha 2014 Venue: Gale Ranch Middle School, 6400 Main Branch Rd, San Ramon, CA 94582 Time: 2:00 pm Contact: 510-364-8675
Sun, Jan 26 • Announcing Reiki-2 Venue: 4800 Patrick Henry Dr., Santa Clara, CA 95054, 4800 Patrick Henry Dr, Santa Clara, CA 95054 Time: 9:00 am Contact: 408-409-4325
Sat, Feb 15 • Uttarayan 2014 Venue: Royal Delhi Palace, 22323 Sherman Way, Canoga Park, CA 91303 Time: 11:00 am Contact: 408-586-0006
Sun, Fed 23 • The Wedding Show for The Modern Bride Venue: Sofitel Hotel, 8555 Beverly Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90048 Time: 04:00 pm Contact: 562-366-3640
Fri, Feb 14 • Star Entertainment Valentine Bash 2014 Venue: India Community Center, 525 Los Coches Street, Milpitas, CA 95035 Time: 7:00 pm Contact: 510-673-0153
Thu, Feb 20 • Seminar on Health Care Fraud Venue: Courtyard San Francisco Airport 1050 Bayhill Drive - San Bruno, California Time: 9:00 am
ATLANTA Upcoming Sat, Jan 25 • Maa Tujhe Salaam 2014 Venue: Shree Shakti Mandir’s Sumant Center, 1450 Huie Rd, Morrow, GA 30260 Time: 6:00 pm
Fri, Feb 7 • Shujat Ali Khan Close To My Heart Venue: Ashiana Impact Banquet Hall, Global Mall, 5675 Jimmy Carter Blvd, Norcross, Ga 30071 Time: 8:00pm
Fri, Feb 14 • Cupid Calling ! Valentines Day Party. Venue: Shiana Impact Banquet Hall, Global Mall, 5675 Jimmy Carter Blvd, Norcross, GA 30071 Time: 9:00 pm
ILLINOIS Upcoming • J K Yog Satsang and Bal Mukund Hindi Classes are held every 2nd and 4rth Sunday of Month Chicago Satsang Information: J K Yog, Chicago - Swami Mukundananda Venue: Clarion Inn/Waterford Banquets, Board Room, 933 South Riverside Drive, Elmhurst, IL 60126 Time: 3:30pm-5:30pm Contact: Ajay & Arti Chandhok @ 630-561-4807 Website: www.jkyog.org
1st and 3rd Sunday of Month • Chicago Children's Bal Mukund Character Building Program and Hindi Literacy Classes
Venue: Vogelei Center, 650 W. Higgins Road, Hoffmann Estates, IL 60192 (Next to Nissan Dealership) Contact: Ajay & Arti Chandhok @ 630-561-4807 Website: www.jkyog.org/bal-mukund
•Fri, Feb 28
Mohit Chauhan and Mamta Sharma Venue: Gateway Theatre, 5216 W Lawrence Ave, Chicago, IL 60630 Time: 10:30 am Contact: 847-230-7977
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January 24, 2014
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Realty Tidbits
Iowa real estate mogul gets 1-year term for fraud DAVENPORT, Iowa: A judge sentenced a prominent Iowa real estate developer to one year in prison for embezzling money from successful business ventures to prop up struggling investments and keep up a wealthy lifestyle. U.S. District Judge Stephanie Rose said that she struggled to find an appropriate sentence for Charles Ruhl Jr. of Davenport, especially since he had paid his victims back and made many positive contributions to the community. But she said she was troubled that he secretly withdrew money for years from real estate partnerships he managed, even after he had been caught doing so once before. She said Ruhl, the former owner of Ruhl and Ruhl Commercial, caused great stress to employees who were ``roped into'' the fraud scheme when he ordered them to create false financial statements to cover it up. The sentence of 12 months and one day was less than the two years that prosecutors sought but more than Ruhl's attorney suggested. Rose said she would recommend, but could not guarantee, that he serve the time at a minimum-security prison in Yankton, S.D. -AP
Is the real estate bubble big enough to burst?
O
ne of the primary concerns for the real estate sector in the coming year is very clearly this: Will the much talked-about asset bubble inflate further or will it burst? 2013 was mired in existing challenges such as subdued sales, piles of unsold inventory and builders going bankrupt. These problems will continue in 2014 as well, and, given economic instability, matters could become worse. However, it is very difficult to forecast anything in India as the real estate market is not subject to a fixed pattern. A great degree of political uncertainty, liquidity issues, high interest rates and cautious sentiments are expected to underpin the real estate sector in 2014 too. It is an established fact that the real estate bubble in the developed world is a creation of the central banks' strategy of keeping interest rates at a very low level. This excess money has also trickled into the real estate markets of emerging economies as overseas investors began to look for alternate investment avenues.
Real Estate
World's ultra-rich hold a fifth of wealth in real estate
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January 24, 2014
Details on Page 51
Case shows how easy it can be to steal a house JUPITER, Fla.: A real estate scam broken up recently shows just how easily a savvy grifter can file phony documents that make him appear to own a home. ``I could steal your house tomorrow, sell it to three other people and be out of the country in Buenos Aires by the end of the month,'' said Jupiter mortgage broker Corey Crowley. Crowley owns a house near one of the 35 properties that Robert A. Tribble Jr. allegedly used to defraud unsuspecting buyers and renters of $240,000. Tribble filed bogus deeds that showed him as the owner of homes from Stuart to Miami, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement said. Tribble didn't escape to Buenos Aires. He's in the Martin County jail on an $8 million bail. But Crowley said the case exposes holes in the way deeds are recorded. Among other tricks, Tribble allegedly forged notaries' signatures, a tactic that made documents appear legitimate when they arrived at county clerks' offices,
police say. ``He had the system figured out, and he took advantage of it,''
rested. Her office found more than 100 documents filed by the selfdescribed real estate investor, al-
Robert A. Tribble Jr.is seen in an undated photo provided by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. In a real estate scam, Tribble Tribble filed bogus deeds that showed him as the owner of homes from Stuart to Miami, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement said.
Crowley said. Palm Beach County Clerk Sharon Bock said she began to look into Tribble after he was ar-
though she said it's unclear which are real and which are fake. Tribble isn't the first person to be accused of using phony docu-
ments to take over vacant homes, and Bock acknowledged that it's possible for a bad guy to steal a house. ``Can it be done? Yes,'' Bock said. Crowley, who contacted police in April with his suspicions about Tribble, said clerks should do more. He suggested phoning notaries to verify that they signed deeds, and paying special attention to people like the oft-arrested Tribble, who was convicted of a felony in Georgia in the 1980s and later faced a federal indictment. But Bock said Florida law doesn't allow clerks to make judgment calls on the legitimacy of the deeds they receive. So long as the documents pass legal muster, they're recorded. What's more, the Palm Beach County Clerk's Office handled 5.4 million documents last year. When it comes to the validity of deeds, Bock said, ``There is no such thing as people having an expectation that government can protect them. It's just not posCont’d on page 51 sible.''
Tata Housing plans 5 signature villas in Delhi NEW DELHI: Realty major Tata Housing plans to develop a super luxury residential project in the heart of national capital comprising 4-5 expensive villas in a price range of Rs 130-170 crore each. Tata Housing, the real estate arm of the Tata Group, has decided to develop 4-5 signature villas on the 1-acre bungalow that the company had bought in 2012 on Hailey Road near Connaught Place for about Rs 250 crore, sources said. The company plans to launch these 4-5 villas in March-April, each carrying a price tag between Rs 130 and Rs 170 crore, which could be one of the costliest villas offered in the primary market, they added. Tata Housing is in an advanced stage of talks with designers from France and Italy to
craft signature villas in this project, sources said, adding that the tieup could be with one or more international interior designers. When contacted, the company spokesperson declined to comment. This posh location has seen a
projects from organized developers such as DLF's Capital Green near Moti Nagar and Parsvnath's housing project at Civil Lines. Riding high on the successful launch of super luxury projects 'Gurgaon Gateway' and 'Primanti
Tata Housing recently entered into an agreement with Alstom T&D India to buy its manufacturing unit spread across 20 acres in Bangalore for Rs 120 crore to launch an ultraluxury project on this land. number of Rs 100-crore plus property deals in the last few years. Tata Housing is present in the Delhi-NCR region with three projects in Gurgaon. This would be its first project in the national capital. In Delhi, there are very few
Garden Estate' this year in Gurgaon, Tata Housing is looking to expand its presence in this fast growing region. The company has devised a strategy to buy marquee land to develop ultra-luxury projects rather than entering into a joint
venture with land owner. Tata Housing recently entered into an agreement with Alstom T&D India to buy its manufacturing unit spread across 20 acres in Bangalore for Rs 120 crore to launch an ultra-luxury project on this land. It also emerged as the highest bidder for the Lincoln House property with a bid of Rs 850 crore. Tata Housing is a subsidiary of Tata Sons, which holds 99.86 per cent stake in the realty firm. Since it's revival in late 2006, Tata Housing has evolved into one of the fastest growing real estate development company in India. With presence in 13 cities and products ranging from Rs 10 lakh to Rs 150 crore, the company has 70 million sq ft of area under various stages of planning and execution and an additional 19 million sq ft in the pipeline.-PTI
Real Estate Post
January 24, 2014
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World's ultra-rich hold a fifth Case shows how easy it can be to steal a house of wealth in real estate NEW DELHI: The world's super rich people hold a fifth of their wealth in property, estimated at USD 5,328 billion, while Asia's ultra rich have a greater share in real estate, a report says. According to international real estate advisor Savills, in association with Wealth-X, property ac-
biggest share of all privately owned real estate assets, followed by Asians. Rich people in Europe hold 31 per cent of their wealth in real estate assets worth USD 2,391 billion, followed by Asia (27 per cent at USD 1,800 billion) and the Middle East (26 per cent at USD
Rich people in Europe hold 31 per cent of their wealth in real estate assets worth USD 2,391 billion.
counts for about a fifth of the invested wealth of almost 200,000 ultra high net worth individuals (UHNWIs) in the world. Of the total private wealth of USD 27,770 billion, 19 per cent is held in real estate assets amounting to USD 5,328 billion, it said. Europe's super rich hold the
880 billion). "Global real estate is mostly residential and held by occupiers, but private owners are becoming more important in the world of traded investable property," according to Yolande Barnes, head of Savills world research. She said that since the North
Atlantic debt crisis of 2008, sovereign wealth funds, wealth management companies, private banks and family offices have stepped into property deals that corporate bankers have deserted. According to Savills, the total value of the world's real estate is now around USD 180 trillion, 72 per cent of which is owner-occupied residential property. Of the USD 70 trillion that is 'investable' and therefore traded regularly - including USD 20 trillion of commercial property - over half is being bought by private individuals, companies and organizations. According to Mykolas D Rambus, CEO of Wealth-X, the UHNW population is expected to grow 22 per cent by 2018 and its combined wealth - currently USD 27.8 trillion - is expected to total over USD 36 trillion by 2018. "This presents huge opportunities for those involved in global real estate investment to create the right product in the right locations," Rambus said. About 3 per cent of the world's total real estate value, or USD 5.3 trillion, is owned by UHNWIs. This wealthiest 0.003 per cent of the world's population has real estate holdings which are worth an average of USD 26.5 million each, according to the report. -PTI
Developers offer homes with interest rate concession PUNE: Members of the Confederation of Real Estate Developers' Associations of India (Credai) have introduced a scheme wherein the buyer pays only 7.5% interest on the loan amount till the possession of the apartment or for 24 months - whichever is earlier. The lender will not take a cut on the interest. Instead, the developer will shell out the difference between 7.5% and what the lender is charging for that specific period. Also important are the various restrictions which the Reserve Bank of India has put on such 'deals' to attract customers and some recent court decisions have spelled out with the intention to contain the tendency of making lofty promises and taking the customer for a ride. The offer aims at helping the hesitant prospective customers to buy, said vice-president Rohit Gera. "There is no slide in the demand, but many home buyers are
sitting on the fence. We want him to act," Gera said. The offer implies that a customer pays 10% of the cost of the house as down payment and the bank will start disbursing the loan according to the progress of the project. Banks will process the loan applications according to their rules and charge the same interest. However, those who sign an agreement between January 17
mately Rs 10,000 per month during the period of construction. After two years, when the project will be complete, his income would have gone up and the regular EMI would not pinch him, he added. So, are the days of liberal pricing and sweeteners of the post sub-prime crisis back in the realty sector? Credai Pune Metro president Hemant Naiknavare did not quite agree. "The situation in the
The offer implies that a customer pays 10% of the cost of the house as down payment and the bank will start disbursing the loan according to the progress of the project. and March 31 with any of the Credai Members will get back from the developer every month the interest in excess of 7.5%. Gera said for a loan of Rs 40 lakh, a customer will save approxi-
aftermath of sub-prime crisis was different. The fear of an imminent job loss kept buyers away. This time, it is the economic slowdown that has made the buyer cautious and hesitant," Naiknavare said.
Cont’d from page 50
Dennis Bedard, a Miami attorney representing several of the victims in Tribble's case, agreed that scammers face little scrutiny when filing deeds. ``It is way too easy, but it's impossible for the clerk to detect if the deed is a fraud,'' Bedard said. The phony deeds in Tribble's case wouldn't have fooled a title insurer or a real estate attorney, but they tricked some victims. Nikola Malbasa delivered $23,500 in cash to Tribble as a down payment on a foreclosed home in Fort Lauderdale. Malbasa checked the house on the Broward County Property Appraiser's website, which indicated the owner was Tribble Investments. Some say state lawmakers
effect in October imposing criminal and civil sanctions on people who file bogus deeds as part of a fraud. And some county clerks take steps to prevent fraud. Bedard said the Miami-Dade County clerk sends a letter to everyone whose property is transferred for no consideration to alert them to potential chicanery. Timmann said her office tells police or tax collectors about dubious deeds. ``If we have any suspicions of wrongdoing, even though it meets the statutory requirements on its face, we notify appropriate authorities,'' Timmann said. Just as consumers should check their credit once in a while to ward off identity theft, Bock suggested homeowners look at their property records once a year to make sure no one has filed a
Some county clerks take steps to prevent fraud. Bedard said the Miami-Dade County clerk sends a letter to everyone whose property is transferred for no consideration to alert them to potential chicanery. Timmann said her office tells police or tax collectors about dubious deeds. should tighten rules about who can file deeds. ``The easy fix is to make legislation saying deeds can only be prepared by title companies or attorneys,'' said David Dweck, head of the Boca Real Estate Investors Club. ``At least you would have some sort of control.'' But Martin County Clerk Carolyn Timmann said such a rule might go too far. If a parent wants to deed a house to a child, for instance, the homeowner shouldn't have to hire an attorney, she said. Still, Timmann lauded tougher penalties for filing fraudulent deeds. She said county clerks pushed for a state law that took
bogus document. Such warnings aside, she disputed the notion that stealing a home and selling it is easy. Police say Tribble scouted for vacant homes in foreclosure, then filed bogus paperwork and broke in. He marketed the properties for rent on Craigslist, then persuaded his marks to put down as much as $20,000 on lease-to-own deals, they say. He later filed eviction notices against some. By all indications, researching properties, filing paperwork and marketing homes required fulltime hours. ``This guy may have made $240,000,'' Bock said, ``but he did a heck of a lot of work.'' -AP
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Philosophy
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L
ook back at the hour that has passed, as if it was the last hour for you on the earth and that you have just acknowledged that you have died. Ask yourself, were you satisfied at that hour? And now reanimate yourself again and set up the aim for yourself. In the next hour (if you are lucky to live one more) try to extract from life a little more than you did in the last hour. Define, where and when you should have been more aware, and where you should have put more inner fire. And now open your eyes wider, and by this I mean-open more possibilities for yourself, be a little more brave, than you were in the previous hour. Since you know that this is your last hour and you have nothing to lose, try to gain some bravery-at least now. Of course, you don't have to be silly about it. Get to know yourself better, look at your machine as if from the outside. Now, when you are dying, there is no sense to keep your reputation and your prestige. And now onwards, until the real last hour, aspire with persistence to receive the most you can from life that is of value, develop your intuition. Take just a few moments each hour to watch at the hour that passed, without judgment, and then tune yourself
SWAMI TEJOMAYANANDA
O
bedience is the first means of achieving success and happiness. All jivas are always in pursuit of happiness. An interesting quote from a philosopher outlines what we must do for happiness. If you want to be happy for One hour - Take a nap,. One day - Engage in a sport of your choice (e.g. fishing),. One month - Get married One year - Find treasure (e.g. win a lottery),. Lifelong - Make someone else happy For eternalh a p piness, Know Thyself. Know your blissful Self, you yourself are Ananda Swaroop. This is the crux of pursuit of happiness. An hour, a day, a month, a year - it's not the time period or the means that is indicated. What is meant is that the real source of happiness is making others happy and knowing your blissful Self. Everything else can no doubt give you happiness - sleep will give you happiness as will any sports or marriage. It's not the question of an hour; people sleep for 24 hours too. That's not the point. The point is for a limited time this activity can give happiness, but real happiness is something different. That's
to extracting more from the following hour. If we look at each hour like at a separate life unit, you can try to do as much as you can to use every unit totally. Force yourself and find the way to make the next hour much more than the one before, but also be aware that you have taken care of the debts you collected till now. Increase the self-sensing and self-knowledge of yourself, and
logical. None can receive more from life than the cancer patient, who knows approximately when he will die. And since he already recognized how he wishes to spend the rest of his life, he will not have to make the total change in it, but he will be able to go somewhere, where he always wished to go, but would not do it in other circumstances. The man who knows that he will die soon, will try to use to the
ous judge is ourself. Each moment, taken alone, represents the particle of the eternal Creation. Therefore each moment we can extract the most subtle substances, that we can call "the essence of life". Imagine yourself the substance "air" or the substance "impressions". Finally, draw in your mind the substance "moment". Yes, even the moments of time are the substances.
An exercise for your last hour on Earth
G. I. Gurdjieff
If we look at each hour like at a separate life unit, you can try to do as much as you can to use every unit totally. Force yourself and find the way to make the next hour much more than the one before, but also be aware that you have taken care of the debts you collected till now.
I have found the paradox, that if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love. -Mother Teresa Being deeply loved by someone
gives
you
strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.
also increase the ability to master yourself, this will change the work of your machine, which is always out of your control. And these abilities can become the indication of the real changes. And it is absolutely unimportant what the machine is thinking about this. ...To live the rest of your life rehearsing your death hour by hour-is not at all patho-
maximum every hour of the rest of his life. This is exactly what Christ meant when he said that the last days will come soon-the days before the Last Judgment. We are all standing in front of the Judge, but it is not the others who are judging us, but we ourselves do the last estimation of our life. We do not have to fail the most important examination, where the most seri-
If we will be able to extract the finest substances from the coarser, sooner or later we will have to pay for it. This law is called The Law of Balance. Excerpted from article 'The Last Hour of Life' translated from Russian by Alexandra Kharitonova. The 130th birth anniversary of G. I. Gurdjieff was observed on January 13
what we have to analyze.
the future. Simply stated, our happiness is never in the action but in the result of an action; and that too a particular result. Every action will produce a particular result, but here I put a condition - I will be happy only if it produces suchn-such a conditional result. So happiness is always in future, even though I want to be happy now.
expecting or what you are not expecting! So if my happiness is in the result; and result is in the future; and future is uncertain; then my happiness is uncertain. Moreover, even if I get happiness, it's not going to remain there. That's why even when happiness comes around we are worried because we don't know how long it will last. So again t h e r e is fear. Is that real happiness?
Inherent Contradiction All of us seek happiness and we want to be happy. But our happiness is always dependent on objects, beings and places. If I get such-n-such a thing or if a particular thing happens in my life, or if I become this-n-this, then I will be happy. Let's analyze a few things here. Do we want happi-
what is invisible to the eye. -H. Jackson Brown, Jr. Keep love in your heart. A life without it is like a sunless garden when the flowers are dead. - Oscar Wilde Love is composed of a single soul inhabiting two bodies.
We're born alone, we live alone, we die alone.
Every action will produce a particular result, but here I put a condition - I will be happy only if it produces such-n-such a conditional result. So happiness is always in future, even though I want to be happy now. Fear of Uncertain Future Another thing, future is always uncertain. We are always worried about not knowing what is going to happen in future. People of course come to us to predict future, and I always tell them the one certain thing to happen - either it is what you are
Sometimes the heart sees
- Aristotle
Our happiness is always projected in the future
ness now, or in future? We all want happiness now, and want it to be forever. There is an inherent contradiction here. I want happiness and I want it now, in the present moment. But I always say if such a thing happens, or if I go somewhere, I will be happy. So our happiness is always projected in
- Lao Tzu
Only through our love and friendship can we create the illusion for the moment that we're not alone. Swami Tejomayananda
So in pursuit of happiness, instead of depending on result of an action, you enjoy the action itself. Action can be performed only in the present, not in the past or not in the future. If I enjoy performing that action, then my happiness is in present time. Swami Tejomayananda is head of Chinmaya Mission
- Charles Darwin Love does not begin and end the way we seem to think it does. Love is a battle, love is a war; love is a growing up. - James A. Baldwin
You Insure all your Valuables, all are replaceable except YOU! So Insure yourself FIRST. Call Sahanis, (Arish, Priya or Shiv) for your Insurance needs 718- 271- 0453. Serving for last 35 yrs
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January 24, 2014
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Limits of Federalism exposed in South Asia PR CHARI
T
he Indian Constitution distributes political, financial and legislative authority between New Delhi and the States, with the Centre enjoying primacy due to its control over finance, defense, trade, telecommunications and foreign investment. But, the states, too, have wide authority on vital issues that have significance for India's investment climate, like power, agriculture, land, domestic investment and police. The system works well when
Mamta Banerjee
the Center and the States are in synch, which is by no means assured when narrow parochial interests supersede the demands of national interests. India remained a centralized democracy while the Congress, in the initial few decades ruled the Centre and the states, which changed radically in later years. It is arguable that the federalization of India's polity has enabled its conversion into a true democracy, with the unexpected result that the regional parties have now become more assertive in several of the larger states. They will increasingly decide who will govern New Delhi in future. A hodgepodge of regional parties seems likely, therefore, to shape the structure of the new Government in New Delhi and guide its security beliefs, with distressing implications for peace and conflict in South Asia. Domestic and electoral politics, incidentally gained ascendancy in 2013, and this process seems likely to continue into 2014 with the flawed Bangladesh elections of January 5 bidding fair to create more problems for the region that what they were designed to resolve. India will go to the polls in mid-2014; presentiments are that neither the Congress Party, nor the Bharatiya Janata Party will reach within striking distance of crafting a stable Government. The Aam Admi Party, for its
part, had too little time to organize itself on a national scale; all that could be expected of it is some presence being registered in the metropolitan centers of India. All realistic analyses points to New Delhi being ruled post-elections by a coalition of parties owing allegiance either to the Modi-brand nationalist Right or the RahulSonia led left-centrist party. These developments have serious implications for India's internal and external security. Several of these security challenges arise for conceptual reasons. The workings, for instance, of the federal principle in South Asia have revealed how parochial interests have acquired disproportionate influence on national security and foreign policy. Instances of the periphery and core coming into contention were visible all over South Asia in 3013, as, for instance, between the Madhes and Kathmandu, Balochistan and KhyberPakhtunwa provinces with Islamabad, Jaffna and the Eastern province with Colombo. In Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka the national interests as discerned by their respective central governments clashed with the regional
M Karunanidhi
interests of their federating units (states/provinces). Local perceptions of the need for greater autonomy and even independence have informed dissent, which came into conflict with the Center's need to maintain national unity. Significantly, the political support available within the federating units has made it difficult for the Center to peremptorily reject their demands; indeed, the elections held in 2013 revealed an aggressive provincialism developing in the region. The growth of regionalism is in-
evitable appreciating that the political map of South Asian countries must reflect its social and cultural diversities, yielding contrary trends and mixed conclusions. In Nepal, the Madhes parties failed to muster any great support, which strengthened the hands of Kathmandu in dealing with their constant threats of secession. But, in Jaffna, the success of the Tamil National Alliance highlighted the unresolved problem of Tamil disaffection, which the Rajapaksha government in Colombo seems determined to ignore. The situation in KhyberPakhtunwa remains delicate with the prospect of its provincial parties making common cause with either the tribal elements in the FATA region or the warlords in Afghanistan or with both to loosen their ties to Islamabad. Another example. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's tame acquiescence to DMK pressure in November 2013 by not joining the CHOGM summit in Colombo can be variously interpreted. Some 6 entries in the Union List under the Indian Constitution embed foreign policy firmly within the exclusive authority of the Union Government. Apparently, the PMO and MEA had strongly favored the Prime Minister joining this meeting. A brief visit to Jaffna was also planned to promote India's relations with the Tamil-dominated Northern Province. Tamilnadu's success in swaying New Delhi's foreign policy decision would be anathema to federal purists. But, this incident illustrates how parochial considerations acted to the detriment of India's federal and national interests. Earlier, New Delhi's decision to enter an agreement for sharing the Teesta river waters was given up under pressure from Ms. Mamata Banerjee and the West Bengal government. Further, India could not finalize the Land Boundary Agreement with Bangladesh that envisioned the transfer of enclaves and straightening out portions of the border that was concluded in September 2011, and ratified by the Indian Parliament. Hardliners in Bangladesh have already raised the pitch against India on these issues, which is egregious since it was with the help of Sheikh Hasina government that India was able to neutralize the terror outfits operating against India from Bangladesh soil.
India Post Confrontation politics
T
he Delhi Police functions under the Home Ministry of the Central Government and not under the Delhi Government. This is an anomaly which was sought to be removed by previous chief minister Sheila Dixit but since she belonged to the same political party as the one ruling at the Center, she did not press the issue too hard. It also became convenient for her to blame the central government when the crime situation in Delhi got out of hand. The new AAP government in Delhi is under no such obligation to overlook the mishandling or indifference to Delhi policing by the Home Ministry. It is reported that more policemen are on the security duty of the Central Government than those available for the common man, the aam aadmi that the new party seeks to represent. The daily policing matters receive scant attention as the local police officials are busy trying to please the central VIPs. The Kejriwal led Delhi government has come with an anti-corruption agenda which they are trying to enforce in a manner as if they are still agitating. That they would come up against the entrenched system of protecting only VIPs was not unexpected. Also unexpected was the way in which Delhi's law Minister led raids on a colony house allegedly running a drug and prostitution racket. The cops refused to take action at the orders of the minister and the Home Ministry refused to take action against the cops thus setting up an early confrontation between the Congress and the AAP government. The minister went so far as to allege that top police officials, businessmen and political leaders were involved "in this nexus of drug and sex trade." Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal was demanding action against three SHOs in different cases involving, among others, gang rape of a Danish woman, a woman burnt alive for dowry and the drug and sex racket. An AAP spokesman alleged that the Centre was protecting the police. The Congress was on the horns of a dilemma. It could not withdraw support from the AAP government for fear of annoying the public at large. And it could not allow the kind of agitations the AAP ministers are bringing which tend to expose the Congress links with vested interests and its lack of interest in governance. That the Congress is having second thoughts on supporting the AAP government in Delhi has become obvious from the observations of Finance Minister P. Chidambaram that there was no need to have propped up the AAP as there were divisions within the Congress on the issue. His comments came soon after Kejriwal said his government had started examining the 2010 Commonwealth Games files and action would be taken against corrupt officials and politicians. The Congress had backed the AAP in order to prevent the BJP, the largest party, to form a government. Now they are regretting the decision because the AAP is getting too hot for them. The AAP has focused on recent crimes of rapes and bride burning and is demanding that the police take action which the latter is refusing on the pretext of "due process." The issue has therefore gone straight to where it belongs - the Home Ministry of the Central Government. Initially, the Congress had been pleased at the emergence of the AAP because its popularity would dent the possibility of BJP's Narendra Modi coming to power. But now when it has started leveling allegations that Home Minister himself is taking money from top police officials in Delhi, it seems to have woken up to the danger of this enfant terrible of Indian politics. Although in a compromise solution Arvind Kejriwal called off his dharna against the Home Minister, the Congress should remain warned that this is only the first installment of his tactics to humble the Center. The AAP is capable of more unconventional methods to get their way.
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