Voice of Asia July 3 2015

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VOICE OF ASIA

FRIDAY, July 3, 2015

Over 26 years of dedicated service to the community

Vol. 28 No. 27 Friday, July 3, 2015 • Published Weekly from Houston • 713-774-5140 20 Pages ( 2 sections) 50 cents E-mail: editor@voiceofasiaonline.com

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FRIDAY, July 3, 2015

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VOICE OF ASIA

FRIDAY, July 3, 2015

Understanding of Life Insurance Product & Pricing

Over 26 years of dedicated service to the community

Read more on Page 16 Call 713-771-2900

Vol. 28 No. 27 Friday, July 3, 2015 • Published Weekly from Houston • 713-774-5140 20 Pages ( 2 sections) 50 cents E-mail: editor@voiceofasiaonline.com

India’s Foreign Secretary, Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar’s visit to USA

Knanaya Catholic Society hosts free Health Fair for Houston community

Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Photo credit dna

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ASHINGTON, DC June 29, 2015 Foreign Secretary, Dr. Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, had a series of interaction with interlocutors in the U.S. Government during his visit to Washington D.C. on 29th June, 2015. He met, among others, U.S. National Security Advisor Susan E. Rice, U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken and U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) Michael Froman.

During Foreign Secretary’s meeting with the U.S. National Security Advisor Rice in the White House, the two of them discussed India’s role in South Asia and the Indian Ocean Region, including for promotion of connectivity and economic integration and relief and reconstruction in Nepal after the earthquake of April 2015.

They reviewed the implementation of initiatives taken during the two summits between leaders Prime Minister Modi and President Obama in the past one year.

engagement. They agreed to work together to promote and reinvigorate economic partnership, and to create infrastructure and policy framework to make it attractive for businesses of the two sides to engage with each other.

During Foreign Secretary’s visit, Chief Executive Officer of the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), Dana J. Hyde, also called on him and briefed him of the MCC’s planned engagement with India.

(Embassy of India, Washington, DC.)

Patients and attendees wait to be screened at the Health Fair on Saturday, June 27, 2015. Photos by Shobana Muratee, VOA Reported by Shobana Muratee, written by Harsha Pradeep

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he Houston Knanaya Catholic Society (HKCS) held its annual health fair at the Knanaya Catholic Community Center in Missouri City on Saturday, June 27.

Ameya D. Chavda’s spellbinding performance

Deputy Secretary of State Blinken, who hosted a luncheon in honour of Foreign Secretary, discussed with him a range of bilateral, regional and global issues of topical relevance.

They also explored deeper collaboration and engagement to address emerging global challenges like terrorism, climate change and cyber issuesand policy coordination on internet governance and other matters.

The meeting between Foreign Secretary and USTR Froman covered the ground of IndiaU.S. economic and commercial

The Houston Knanaya Catholic Society Executive Committee: L-R: Alex Thomas, Event Chair, Ruby Esthappan, Abraham Philip, President, and Sajini Chackungal, Secretary.

Read on Page 8

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The all-day public service initiative of the HKCS featured a plethora of free or discounted health services, including free blood pressure check, diabetes check, consultation, thyroid ultrasound, EKG and ECHO cardiogram, carotid ultrasound (stroke exam), abdominal ultrasound test, breathing test, vision screening, dental exam,

social worker services, pharmacy services and drug education, as well as mammograms, provided by MD Anderson Center and free with certain insurances. Diabetes and stroke educational counseling and blood donation services were also available.

Six physicians, four physicians assistants, three nurse

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Around 350 people from the Houston area came in throughout the day for check ups, health consultations and diagnostic tests that were made available by the end of the day at 3 p.m.

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OP-ED/COMMENTARY/ANALYSIS

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VOICE OF ASIA Publisher:

Associate Publisher: Editor-in-Chief:

Austin Correspondent: Print & Media Marketing: Marketing:

Production:

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Koshy Thomas Sherly Philip Shobana Muratee Sherine Thomas Jacob David Susan Pothanikat AR Vadlamani Priyan Mathew Harsha Mary Pradeep

Columnists: Legal: Richard M. Alderman Legal: Sharlene Sharmila Richards Research: Prof. Meenakshi Bhattacharjee Health Insurance: Sudhir Mathuria Astrology: Hardik Vyas

VoiceofAsiaOnline.com Editor: Online & Newsletter : Shobana Muratee All rights reserved. No material herein or portions thereof may be published without the consent of the publisher.

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Voice of Asia (USPS 010-215) (ISSN#10705058) is published every Friday (for a subscription rate of $30 per year) by Free Press LLC, 8303 SW Freeway, Suite # 325, Houston, TX 77074. Tel: 713-774-5140. Fax: 713774-5143. Periodical postage paid at Houston, Texas.

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t is rare that a decision made by the Supreme Court of one country gives cause for cheer across the world. The U.S. Supreme Court’s momentous verdict allowing same-sex marriages across that country sparked celebrations among the LGBT community and expressions of support from others.

Implicit in every such celebration or voice of support is the expectation that other societies too would follow suit, if not in recognising same-sex marriages, at least in ending open discrimination based on medieval prejudice.

The community’s long battle for equal rights has reached its logical conclusion there. The court ruled that the bond of marriage cannot be limited to opposite-sex couples. From the time it upheld in 1986 a law that made homosexuality a criminal

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ndia has made encouraging progress in recent years on reducing the number of children forced to work instead of pursuing their education. Unfortunately, recent actions by the government of Prime Minister Narendra Modi are threatening to stall, or even reverse, that progress.

Between 2001 and 2011, according to official figures supplied by the government, the number of child laborers in India declined from 12.6 million to 4.3 million. But in a nation of 1.2 billion people, 400 million of them very poor, these numbers seem suspiciously low. Unicef put the figure at 28 million. Either way, millions of India’s children are denied an education, forced to toil on farms, in small-scale industries

FRIDAY, July 3, 2015

A model for India offence, to overturning the ruling in 2003, and now allowing same-sex marriages, the U.S. Supreme Court has made considerable progress in recognising the liberty of individuals with alternative sexual orientation and their right to equal treatment before the law. Instead of hiding behind traditional arguments to the effect that legal questions concerning personal relations such as marriage be best decided by elected bodies, the court has said that the ‘due process’ and ‘equal protection’ clauses in the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution are as available to the gay community as anyone else when it comes to marrying a person of his or her choice, including of the same gender.

It is inevitable that such a ruling occasions an evaluation of where India stands. Indian law on homosexuality continues to be retrograde. The Supreme Court’s December 2013 judgment upholding Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, which seeks to punish “carnal intercourse against the order of nature”, continues to hold the field. The pious observation by the two-judge Bench that it was up to Parliament to decide whether to retain, amend or delete the section has not been acted upon by the political leadership. The restraint that the court has shown in not striking down Section 377, and the reasoning that it should be left to the legislature to decide whether or not to decriminalise homosexuality,

fell short of Indian judicial standards. There are several cogent arguments — including some that figure in the U.S. Supreme Court’s majority opinion — in favour of judicial intervention to uphold individual liberties. Now that the judicial opportunity has been lost, the legislature cannot shirk its responsibility any longer. It may seem unlikely that parties embroiled in electoral politics will risk antagonising conservative sections of society.

However, progressive parties and liberal parliamentarians should come forward with amendments to delete or at least dilute Section 377. An outdated provision cannot be allowed to violate fundamental rights and offend human dignity by remaining on the statute book. Courtesy: The Hindu

Ending Child Labor in India and as domestic help.

To fight this scourge, India passed landmark legislation in 2009 guaranteeing free, compulsory primary education. In 2012, it introduced a bill to ban all work by children under the age of 14. Last month, however, the cabinet approved a huge loophole to these laws that would allow children under 14 to work in “family enterprises.”

Its argument was that children’s wages are essential to the survival of poor families and that working children acquire job skills. This flies in the face of overwhelming evidence that children who are forced to sacrifice education for work are

doomed to a lifetime of lowwage jobs, perpetuating the cycle of poverty. It is also an invitation to endless exploitation: As Kailash Satyarthi, who won the Nobel Peace Prize last year for his tireless efforts to end child labor, has pointed out, millions of Indian children who are said to be working in “family” businesses are in fact trafficked into slave labor or sold into bonded labor.

As national policy, it is also incredibly shortsighted. The International Labor Organization estimates that economies reap a sevenfold return on every dollar spent on eradicating child labor and investing in education and child social servic-

es. Yet in addition to opening the “family enterprises” loophole, the Modi government cut deeply into government education and child nutrition programs when it slashed total funds for children from a little over 4 percent of the previous year’s budget to just 3.26 percent.

Mr. Modi was elected partly on the promise of spurring economic growth and lifting millions out of poverty. Putting more children to work while cutting funds for education and child nutrition is not the way to achieve this.

Courtesy: The New York Times, Editorial Board, JUNE 26, 2015

It is the policy of Voice of Asia to publish letters to the editor which evidence a variety of viewpoints. The opinions expressed in any particular letter to the editor are not necessarily those of the management. Voice of Asia welcomes letters in reply to issues raised in letters to editor. In as much letters to the editor are not articles written or researched by members of Voice of Asia, it is not the policy of the Voice of Asia to perform any investigation or confirmation of any facts or allegations contained in letters to the editor. Moreover, Voice of Asia reserves the right to edit letters to the editor as necessary to correct errors of fact, punctuation, spelling and to comply with space constraints.

Although paid advertisements may appear in Voice of Asia Group Publications in print, online, or in other electronic formats, the Voice of Asia Group does not endorse the advertised product, service, or company, nor any of the claims made by the advertisement.

- The Publisher

STORY OF MAHATMA GANDHI Gandhi’s first experiment in Satyagraha Part VII

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n December 1902, a cable reached Gandhi from South Africa urging him to return as promised. Joseph Chamberlain, the Colonial Secretary, was arriving from London on a visit to Natal and the Transvaal and the Natal Indian Congress wanted to present their case to him.

Gandhi kept his promise. He reached Natal in time to lead the Indian deputation, but the Colonial Secretary gave the deputation a cold reception.

The Indians felt disheartened.

From Natal, Chamberlain proceeded to the Transvaal. The Indians there also wanted Gandhi to present their grievances to him.

Before the Boer war, Indians had been free to enter the Transvaal at any time, but now they had to obtain a permit from the newly created Asiatic Department. The new rule was designed to separate Indians from the whites. To get a permit was no easy matter.

The officers of the Asiatic Department did their best to prevent Gandhi from entering the Transvaal but he had his way in the end. He got a permit and went to Pretoria. He was not allowed, however, to lead a deputation and present the memorandum he had drafted.

Gandhi now decided to stay in the Transvaal and fight the color bar which was taking such ugly shape there. He realized that now he would not

be able to leave the country, as he had hoped to. He therefore settled down and prepared to do his utmost for the cause of the colored people, particularly the Indians.

He was enrolled in the Supreme Court at Johannesburg. He rented a place and established his office. He made good earnings from his practice, but his heart was in the service of the people. Meanwhile, he continued his experiments with veg- Gandhi with colleagues in his Johannesetarianism. He gave burg law firm. up all luxuries and pleasures. His idea Europeans a correct picture of was to tune his physical body the difficulties faced by the Into his spiritual self. dians in South Africa.

It was at this time that a After the rains in 1904 there friend, Madanjit, came to Gan- was a sudden outbreak of dhi with a proposal to start a plague in one of the gold-minjournal called Indian Opinion. ing areas near Johannesburg. It Gandhi liked the idea and in soon spread to the Indian quar1904 the journal was launched. ters. Gandhi rushed to the spot Mansukhlal Naazar was the and organized preventive meaeditor. Gandhi helped the jour- sures. With the help of friends, nal generously, contributing he set up improvised hospitals money and editorial work! and looked after the sick.

The journal, published every Another thing that happened week in Gujarati and English, that year was that Gandhi met reflected his ideals and gave the H. S. L. Polak, then a sub-ediIndian readers a liberal educa- tor of The Critic. The two soon tion. With absolute frankness became fast friends as their Gandhi pointed out to them outlook on life was similar. their failings and prejudices.

Polak presented to GanIndian Opinion also gave the

Great Summer Project For children! Enter Mahatma Gandhi Week 2015 Essay, I-Tribute, Poster and Speech contests. Visit gandhilibrary.org for registration and more information.

All school going children can participate! These contests are being organized to create higher awareness of the inspiring life and work of Mahatma Gandhi to promote universal values of Truth, Non-Violence, Love and Service. dhi a copy of a book by John Ruskin called Unto This Last.

This book on economics presented many new ideas, and it influenced Gandhi a great deal.

He then hit upon the idea of starting a farm and founding a community with a true sense of brotherhood. His friends supported the project enthusiastically.

would fast, taking only water.

Kasturbai watched all this silently. She knew it was useless to argue with her husband on such matters.

About 100 acres of land was acquired at a place called Phoenix near Durban, and a farm was set up. In the beginning six families were settled there.

The office of Indian Opinion was moved to Phoenix, complete with press. Members of any race could freely go and live on the farm, tilling the soil or working at the press.

Gandhi’s sympathies were with the Zulus, but they were fighting against the British and Gandhi believed that the British Empire ex isted for the welfare of the world. He considered it his duty to help the British. He offered to form an Indian Ambulance Corps. The authorities accepted the offer.

g the soil or working at the press. Gandhi, however, could stay in the Phoenix Settlement only for brief periods. His headquarters were at Johannesburg where he continued his practice as a lawyer. He knew that it would not be possible to return to India in the near future, so he decided to send for Kasturbai and the children.

They soon joined him.

Whenever he found time he undertook the task of educating his three sons. He also pursued the experiments with his diet.

“I intend to be the ruler of my body,” he would say. “The spirit can only rule me if I am free of earthly wants.” He gave up drinking coffee and tea. Next to go was milk. Sometimes he

In 1906, the Zulu Rebellion broke out in Natal. It was a notax campaign. The Zulus were only asserting their rights, but the whites got panicky and declared war against the Zulus.

The Indian Ambulance Corps was formed. It consisted of a squad of 24 men, and was in active service for six weeks, nursing and looking after the wounded.

Gandhi realized that the whites were determined to enforce the tax on the unwilling Zulus. They wanted to put down all resistance and deny the colored people their rights in their own land. The Zulu Rebellion was finally over and Gandhi returned to Johannesburg. His presence was needed there to look after the interests of the Indians, for they were facing all kinds of oppression from the white settlers.

In August 1906 an ordinance was issued by the Transvaal Government requiring all Indi-

Soma Balasubramanian

ans — men, women, and children — to register themselves and obtain a personal certificate bearing name and thumb impression. This card was to be carried by all individuals at all times and had to be shown on demand. Anyone failing to produce the certificate was liable to be fined, imprisoned, or deported. The police even had orders to enter private houses and check certificates.

“This is too much to bear,” Gandhi told his colleagues. “If we meekly submit, it will spell absolute ruin for us in South Africa. We must take action immediately if we are to live here.”

The Indians decided not to submit to this humiliating and insulting measure. They resolved to fight it. But how?

Gandhi saw here the need for passive resistance or satyagraha. He explained to the people his concept of satyagraha.

First, he said, they must be prepared to observe absolute nonviolence. The authorities would take all measures to put down the agitation. They might use violence, arrest people and send them to jail, but all this must be faced without resistance “Merely disobeying the government’s laws will not be enough,” Gandhi told them.

“You must have no hatred in your hearts and you must cast away all fear.”

— To be continued.

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C OMMUNITY VOICE OF ASIA

VOICE OF ASIA 5

FRIDAY, July 3, 2015

Second Front Page

Friday, July 3, 2015 • www.voiceofasiaonline.com • Page 3 • Email: editor@voiceofasiaonline.com • Tel: 713-774-5140

Houston Zoroastrians Host Authors of the book ‘Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw: The Man And His Times’ HOUSTON- The Zoroastrian Association of Houston will be hosting a reception of Meet and Greet with Brigadier Behram Panthaki and his wife Zenobia Panthaki, authors of the much acclaimed book: “Field Marshall Sam Manekshaw: The Man and His Times” on July 10 evening from 6pm -7pm at the Zoroastrian Heritage and Cultural Center, 8787 W Airport Blvd., Houston, TX 77071.

Sam Manekshaw was India’s first Field Marshal and a distinguished war hero. His courage, his character, and the dedication to his troops and country are legendary. The life of this distinguished soldier is portrayed by two distinguished authors who worked closely with him and shared many of the historic events that changed the geo-political landscape of the region.

Through anecdotes related by Behram and Zenobia Panthaki we get a unique insight into the man’s ideals, his military acumen, his mannerisms, and his sense of humor.

Cover of the book on Field Marshall Sam Manekshaw

Knanaya Catholic Society hosts free Health Fair for Houston community

Continued from Page 3 “We have a good crowd,” said HKCS president Abraham Philip as the patients started coming in at 8:30 a.m. “We have about 25 to 30 volunteers and about 100 people came in so far. People are still coming in and it’s open up till 3 o’clock.

It is well-organized. We have about six doctors and so many nurses and lots of nurse practitioners and PAs are helping out.

We have patients from Indian communities, Hispanic communities and African-American communities.”

The humanitarian service is a highlight of the HKCS’ annual calendar, sponsored by the nearly 600 families that comprise the society’s membership roster. Building on previous years’ experience the health fair responded to requests and suggestions for improvement this year.

“We added more tests on here,

excellent book that is a labor of love and a tribute to the great Sam Bahadur. A delightful tale woven with great dexterity and garnished with a profusion of photographs that brings out the well-rounded personality of a proud soldier, a military leader par excellence, and a great human being. This gem of a book is a must for your coffee table.”

The author Brigadier Panthaki himself boasts a distinguished 30-year military career that earned him twelve military honors. Zenobia Panthaki accompanied her husband on his frequent postings to many small cantonment townships all over India and became involved with running welfare programs for soldiers’ wives and children, has run the Army School, and worked for the World Bank for 28 years until her retirement in 2012.

This book, with over 200 photographs, is dedicated to the men in uniform who have laid down their lives defending their country and to their widows who have also sacrificed so much. The book will be on sale at the discounted price of $35, and autographed by the authors. A major portion of the royalty will be donated to the War Wounded Foundation of India and the War Widows Welfare Assn. of India.

The book has received over 60 positive reviews. To quote: “From beginning to end this delightful narrative simply races along, providing an intimate, witty and scintillating story of a superhero − Sam’s humanism, his notations on official files, his colorful language and his doodling”. And again: “An

The event is opened to anyone interested in knowing and sharing their story

Visitors being helped at the registration. Photo by Shobana M according to the requests from last year,” said Mr Philip. “We have mammography from MD Anderson. Plus, we have a blood donation bank. There’s the pharmacy, ECG, social worker and representatives from the American Cancer Society.”

Patients started off with the nurses for their initial screening, after which a nurse practitioner made an assessment and sent them for testing. Doctors finally saw patients with test results for

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a final diagnosis, report and prescriptions.

Dr. Madhuri Vasudevan, an endocrinologist from Michael E. DeBakey Veterans Affairs Medical Center gave a talk on diet and healthy cooking habits.

Leena Philip, MD, Memorial Hermann was among the consulting doctors on the occassion.

The fair was organized by HKCS committee members

Abraham Philip, Sajini Chackunkal, Alex Thomas and Ruby Esthappan.

HKCS’ other service initiatives include leadership training for adults and children and career guidance services throughout the year.

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VOICE OF ASIA 6

The People’s Lawyer

FRIDAY, July 3, 2015

The SSJM Temple is holding an election on August 13 from 9am to 10pm at the SSJM Temple at 13845 West Bellfort Street, Sugar Land, Texas 77498 to elect a New Board of Directors.

www.peopleslawyer.net Richard M. Alderman Interim Dean of the Law Center

Liability is based on fault, not insurance Q. I had an accident in a store parking lot. The other person just backed right into my car. It turns out that the driver doesn’t have insurance. I was wondering what rights I have. Am I out of luck?

A. As I have written many times before, whether someone has insurance does not affect liability. Insurance is design to pay damages for someone in the event that he or she is legally responsible. The fact that a person has insurance does not change the rules of liability. In other words, if the other driver was at fault and caused the accident, he is responsible. Whether he has insurance doesn’t change liability.

Having said that, the fact that someone has insurance does make it easier to collect. With insurance, once liability is established the insurance company usually pays. Without insurance, you will have to take legal steps to collect if the person does not pay. I suggest you get an estimate of what it will cost to repair your car and contact the other driver. If he refuses to pay and your damages are less than $10,000 you can file a claim in justice court to collect. If you win in justice court and the other person still does not pay, he may lose his license and driver’s license.

Q. I am owed $16,000 from an unpaid loan. I know the limit for a small claim in justice court is $10,000. Can I just sue for $10,000 so I can file in justice court?

A. As you know, the limit in justice court is $10,000. The limit, however, is based on the amount of your dispute, not how much you request. You cannot ask for less than you are actually owed to get within the court’s jurisdiction.

Q. I would like to know who owns the apartment complex where I live. The property manager says it is none of my business. How can I get the name and address of the owner?

A. According to the Texas Property Code, the landlord or property manager must disclose the name and address of the holder of record title after you request it. If the information is not disclosed, you could be entitled to $500 in damages as well as attorney’s fees and court costs. I suggest you send your request by certified mail.

Q. I have not married the man who is my child’s father. Can I recover child support from him even if we are not married?

A. The obligation to pay child support is based on parentage, not marital status. If you can establish that someone is the father of your child then he has an obligation to help support the child. Your marital status is not relevant.

Q. My mother purchased some furniture for us. She recently passed away. The creditor wants us to make the remaining payments. Do we have to pay?

A. When a person dies, his or her estate is responsible for their debts. This means the creditor should collect from your mother’s estate. If there is no money in the estate to pay the bills, the relatives or heirs are not responsible for the debts of the estate.

There is, however, a possibility you could lose the furniture if you do not pay. If your mother granted the store what is called a “security interest” in the furniture to secure payment, the store has the right to take the furniture back if the full amount is not paid. This means you either must agree to make the payments or give back the furniture.

I suggest you speak with the furniture store and ask them why they believe you are responsible for your mother’s debt. If they say because she has died and you are her heirs, you have no liability. On the other hand, if they say they have a security interest in the furniture, ask the see the documents. You then must pay or risk them taking back the furniture.

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VOICE OF ASIA 7

“Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation� Commits Rs. 2 Crores For Nepal Victims

Houston 2025 And Beyound It’s About Houston And You

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n April 25, 2015 when the 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit Himalayan range nation of Nepal, it took one of the worst catastrophic tolls in human history in terms of lives destroyed, lives lost and the economic damage it inflicted on all facets of poor country’s life.

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At last count, more than 9,000 people had reportedly lost their lives, 28,000 were injured, almost 40,000 people were homeless, millions were displaced and tens of thousands businesses were destroyed.

Worst hit were the Villages.

Unlike other rescue-relief Organizations that converged on Nepal in the aftermath of earthquake, ‘Ekal Vidyalaya’ already had deep roots in Nepal for years and therefore had personal stake in rebuilding this nation and its lives.

As of April’2015, Ekal had 1,500 schools operating in Nepal’s rural areas. Ekal, was not only familiar with its people, its culture and life’s necessities, but also, had wellestablished rapport with the local governments. Shri Shyamji Gupta, Founder-Chairman of “Ekal-India� happened to be in Nepal when the earthquake struck and so he personally initiated the relief efforts after witnessing the tragedy first-hand that unfolded.

As the news of destruction hit the world, ‘Ekal Orgz’ under the leadership of Ravidevji Gupta sprang into action to start coordinating rescue, relief, and rehabilitation efforts with its selfless volunteering force of 1,600 Nepali regulars, within hours.

A comprehensive plan for helping out

FRIDAY, July 3, 2015

Ekal volunteers helping the victims victims was charted. Food and water were made available immediately.

Medicines and shelter equipment for the displaced were dispatched overnight from India. Considering the extent of mind-boggling human toll, Bajrangji Bagra, President, Ekal-India immediately allocated Rs. 1 Crore for this humanitarian work. Within days, Ekal’s own survey indicated that 626 Ekal-Villages were affected, 365 Ekal teacher’s housings were destroyed and over 250 Ekal schools were badly damaged. In earthquake ravaged regions, Ekal extended help irrespective of people’s personal affiliations, caste, region and creed as its motto life is.

Ekal-Parivar, which benefitted approximately 5,000 families in 400 villages. The team of Doctors also treated 500 patients in ‘Sindupalchowk’ district and 400 patients in ‘Lalitpur’ district alone for wounds, gastric problems, psychiatric interventions and orthopedic injuries. Ekal-USA, through its appeals to Donors raised hundred thousand Dollars for Nepalrelief. According to Subhashji Gupta, past President and current Advisor to Ekal-USA, total commitment of Ekal in Nepal is likely to exceed Rs. 2 Crores. ​ Rehabilitation is the major task ahead and Ekal is into it for a long haul. ​Ekal-Pariwar’s future plans include building 4 hostels for earthquake-afflicted children where they

Besides, essential food items and medicines, 9743 tarpaulin, and 11,500 blankets were distributed through

he Greater Houston Metro Area has seen phenomenal growth in the first 15 years of the 21st Century. Though primarily fueled by Energy, Houston economy is trying to smooth out the deep troughs of energy cycles via increasing commerce through the Port of Houston, top notch universities, country leading medical center and a growing diverse population.

Challenges are enormous to sustain this growth and establish Houston as a leader in the Global Economy in the next 10 years. This requires a concerted effort from the Houston businesses, residents and you.

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Future of Energy – how do we transition to a more sustainable energy economy; use of STEM to achieve the future and learning from the experience of Norway Celebrating the Port of Houston – celebrate the Memorandum of friendship and trade between the Port of Houston and Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust of Mumbai, India could be appropriately looked after and groomed and also establishing community centers in badly affected village for collective activities.

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Houston 2025 and Beyond is a self-standing 501(C)(6) nonprofit organization. more funding. Therefore, Ekal is currently seeking generous financial support from our community-atlarge. Pl donate generously at www. ekal.org. “Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation� is tax-exempt duly registered charity Organization in USA.

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COMMUNITY

VOICE OF ASIA 8

FRIDAY, July 3, 2015

Bharatanatyam Arangetram

Ameya D.Chavda: Spellbinding performance by: G.D. Reddy, MBA meya D. Chavda, born and brought up in Dallas, Texas performed an amazing and wonderful Bharatanatyam Arangetram to an audience of about 500 people consisting of family, friends and distinguished guests on June 27, 2015 at The Majestic Theater in Dallas, Texas.

The Guests of Honor were: Padma Shree Ashok K. Mago, Founder Chairman of Greater Dallas Indo American Chamber, now known as US-INDIA Chamber of Commerce, and The Honorable Congressman Pete Sessions Ameya is 15 years , a rising Sophomore at The Hockaday School in Dallas, Texas. She is the daughter of Drs. Deepak V. and Pallavi D. Chavda. Doctor Deepak V. Chavda is a well known and well recognized Orthopedic Surgeon in Greater Dallas Area.

Bharatanatyam, a classical dance comprising the expression of Bhavam, Ragam and Talam is the oldest form of classical Indian dance that dates back to over 2,300 years.

The salient features in Bharathanatyam are the active body movements, intricate footwork, facial expressions to enact various moods, hand gestures to convey the meaning of background music, pantomime, and perfect poses, resembling sculptures in the performance of short legends and stories maintaining precision of the dance with the rhythm of the music.

The Arangetram means “ascending to the stage” and is an on-stage solo dance debut performance after years of training in the presence of a live audience.

Ameya’s performance was excellent in detailed expression, technique, and intricate footwork with precision, talent, grace, sincerity and finesse.

A

Ameya D. Chavda, 15, is a Sophomore at The Hockaday School in Dallas, TX

Bharati (2014).

The Arangetram commenced with an Invocation by Swami Sarveshananda, the Resident Acharya of Chinmaya Mission, Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas who is also the National Director of Chinmaya Yuva Kendra West.

Following the Invocation, the Program started with Ameya performing an auspicious Pushpanjali, an invocatory dance in devotion and prayer to Lord Ganesha, and to Lord Nataraja who is the symbol of Cosmic Dance of Shiva.

The performance included a number of expressions, transitions and formations with elaborate gestures, emotions and actions that are creatively choreographed with an excellent live orchestra. The orchestra composed of artists from Bengaluru, India and Dallas, Texas: Nattuvangam & Choreographer: Guru Madhusri Sethuraman, Vocal: Mrs. Neela Ramanuja from Bengaluru, India.

Mrudangam: Mr. N.G. Ravi, from Bengaluru, India.

Flute: Mr. A.P. Krishna Prasad, from Bengaluru, India. Rhythm pad & Western Drums: Mr. B.S. Arun Kumar, Besides, Indian percussion plays western drums as well.

An unique part of the performance at this Arangetaram titled the Finale: Limitless Ragam: Desh, Talam Adi, is a newly composed piece of percussion music that has never been played or performed before, especially in Arangetrams. It combines in transcending the classical movements and classical music with modern interpretive style and a blend of western drums.

Guru Smt. Madhusri Sethuraman founder, Srutilaya School of Dance

appropriately for all the items of Bharatanatyam Program that her Guru has selected for the performance at the Arangetram. This excellent performance would be possible only with long hours of intense daily practice over a period of several years, and more importantly it requires sincere devotion to this complex art of Bharatanatyam Dance.

The program concluded with Mangalam, an auspicious finishing where the dancer, Ameya expressed gratitude to God, the Guru, the musicians, and the audience for making the event successful.

Mathru Devo Bhava, Pithru Devo Bhava, Acharya Devo Bhava, Athithi Devo Bhava The Master of Ceremony was Vijayshree Ramesh, a Research Scientist at UT Southwestern Medical Center who pursued her

Ameya is with her Family: Doctors Deepak V. and Pallavi D. Chavda, Parents and brothers Kahan D. and Aarav D. Chavda. Photo (s) Credit : Parthav (Paul) Shah, Digikreations Photography.

Ameya performing one of the intricate dance depiction of Bharatnatyam as part of her Arangetram on June 27, 2015 at The Majestic Theater in Dallas, Texas.

Ameya has an incredible journey of learning Bharatanatyam from the young and impressionable age of six. She has been a guest artist in various cities, venues and dance organizations, both in USA and Internationally (Beijing, China) She looks forward to many years of dancing and feels that the journey has just begun.

Ameya has participated in a number of short and long term workshops under the tutelage

her mastery in dance and for her contribution to Bharatanatyam in general. These Awards include: Natya Tharagai (2000), Natya Mayur (2000), Abhinaya

of various Gurus who include Dr. Seshadri Iyengar of Bengaluru, Lavanya Anantha of Chennai, Nirupama Rajendra of Bengaluru and Savitha Sastry of California and Chennai, and now, more regularly and intensely for about ten years under the tutelege of Guru Smt. Madhusri Sethuraman of the Srutilaya School of Dance in Plano, Texas.

Guru Smt. Madhusri Sethuraman founded The Srutilaya

School of Dance in 1992. The Bharatanatyam style that she teaches is called the Vazhuvoor which involves intricate footwork with graceful motions.

Guru Madhusri Sethuraman has trained under many renowned Gurus: Guru Padmabhushan Smt Kamala, Kalaimamani Sri S.K. Rajarathnam Pillai, Padmabhushan Kalanidhi Narayanan.

Madhusri Sethuraman has been awarded several titles for

Ameya performed successfully, admirably and competently with devotion, zest and glee with an array of beautifully designed costumes dressed

passion for Bharatanatyam for nearly 35 years. She has been associated with Srutilaya School of Dance for over a decade now.

Ameya performing on stage with the renowned artists as the orchestra.

Special guests included local and international dignitaries and elected officials.

Acknowledgements: Prepared by Shilpa Kamble, Micropix Creation & MicroMagic Animation.

The Author wishes to thank the following for their help and contribution in the preparation and publication of this Review: Doctors Deepak V. and Pallavi D. Chavda, Mr. P. Koshy Thomas, Paul Shah, Shilpa Kamble, Emily Aranda, Vijay Reddy and Veda Reddy.

COMMUNITY

VOICE OF ASIA 9

FRIDAY, July 3, 2015

Sewa lead interns explore grass root community work with Texans together

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by Anoushka Giri elevision, newscasts and other mediums provide the well-to-do middle class a glimpse at the “worlds” of those it has solely seen as part of a statistic, another demographic, another poverty-stricken neighborhood stained upon the comfortable lives that the otherwise middle class suburban background offers. We hear of the strifes and it’s enough to say that emotion can be evoked when we hear these stories, but until a true encounter is made with the very movers and shakers who change the inhospitable circumstances, it’s quite impossible to understand.

On June 25th, a group of SEWA Houston Interns were given the opportunity to harbor such understanding when Alief

T

ously sought apartments as it looked for a stable job opportunities, Garcia lacked a sense of homeliness to any particular setting. However, this did not prevent him from being affected by the negativity of the Alief community he Frank Garcia, Director Texans addressing the Interns would eventually settle society which then changes its in. Childhood and adolescence circumstances. were consumed within the hardSewa Lead Houston Interns ships, but this negativity would mark Garcia, now a member of are rising Juniors and Seniors in Texans Together, with lessons High School and they spend 50 that he would later manifest into or more hours over summer vol-

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community leader Frank Garcia unfolded his own story and welcomed us to his vision and the sanctuary it has materialized into. Garcia welcomed us as his team members, as he sought to understand our own motives behind assisting the individuals around us through education and leadership program.

Yet his communication with us did not stop there. Acknowledging that we would be unfamiliar with the hostile situations of the Alief neighborhoods, Garcia took to conveying his connection to the community. Growing up within a family that continu-

a community center capable of feeding his community a power to organize, to lead, and to empower both themselves and the rest of the society which they aimed to pull out of the negativity. A tour through the community center evokes a sense of comfort and intellect, be it to children who create new friendships and forge new lessons through reading, or to adults who receive information regarding immigration, financial assistance, or simply put, a helping hand. It is individuals as Frank Garcia who imprint a vision upon society, and it is

Renting can be the best way to buy your Dream Home

M

any clients that I have helped purchase home have come to me with the misconception that renting a home for several years has hurt or can delay their home purchasing prospects. The truth is, there are several aspects of renting that can aid a person or family into the purchase of a home.

Purchasing and maintaining a home requires a consistent level of monetary ability. The ability to pay over a long period of time in order to own a home free and clear takes a commitment to paying the monthly mortgage on time for an average of 25 to 30 years.

A mortgage contract is very similar to a rental lease contract.

Only a rental lease contract is shorter and subject to annual renewal based on payment history.

Many property management companies and Landlords’ have a tenant criteria to rent to individuals with a positive rental history and good credit. A similar criteria is present when mortgage companies lend money to finance a home purchase.

Home owners under a mortgage finance contract have agreed to pay the monthly mortgage until the mortgage is satisfied. Truthfully speaking the home is not yours until you receive a release of lien from the mortgage company and that release of lien is registered with the county. As a renter, here are

some proactive things you can do.

1.

Pay your rent on time and ask for a receipt.

AnuRadha Prasad, 2.

Independent Broker At the end of every year of your lease ask for a rental payment history statement.

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Make a point to only spend 35% of your monthly income on utilities and rent.

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While renting, hire a credit repair law firm like Lexington Law to repair your credit or update your credit report.

When my clients show me this paperwork. I know that they are ready to purchase their own home. Paying the rent on time or in a timely manner proves to me the respect for other people’s time and property. When I refer a client to my mortgage broker, I like to calculate my clients’ cost of living percentage. If it falls within 35% of their families base income. I know that they respect living within their means.

Every percentage point over 35% is counted as a hardship percentage point. Owning a home is easy. Keeping and maintaining homeownership is a tried and true formula. Send me an email if you would like more information. rprasad@ deigned2sell.info

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COMMUNITY

VOICE OF ASIA 10

FRIDAY, July 3, 2015

Count Down to North American Bengali Conference 2015 in Houston From July 10-12, 2015

by Partha Sarathi Chatterjee, General Secretary, NABC OUSTON - North American Bengali Conference 2015, organized by Tagore Society of Houston, is knocking on the door. Space City Houston, is awaiting the launch of Banga Sammelan to a new orbit at the George R. Brown Convention Center from July 10-12.

Using social media like Facebook and Twitter to introducing mobile apps for the first time will set a precedent in the history of NABC. The conference will kick off with the business forum on July 9 and 10 highlighting the future of energy, Port of Houston and fracking to LNG (www.houston 2025.org).

A team of close to 200 volunteers led by the executive committee of Sanku Bose, Tapan Das, Partha Chatterjee and Gopendu Chakrabarti is working diligently – planning out every detail of the conference. T is going to be used to to bring exhibitors and companies from across India, Bangladesh and Middle East under one roof. We are also bringing handicrafts, gems, jewelry, fashion, sarees from not only Bengal, but Mumbai, Mysore, Hyderabad, Gujarat and Middle East. Fashion shows, involving some eminent personalities, will showcase apparel and jewelry – bring a glamour factor to the conference.

Medical forums and preventive health care seminars, holistic wellness fair with Yoga-Ayurveda-AcupunctureMeditation-Massage sessions and most importantly free health screening sessions will be a big hit.

We have enlisted the eminent music director Debojyoti Mishra and dance director Tanushree Shankar for putting together the opening and closing ceremonies, coordinating dances, skits and songs by a big group of domestic per-

H

Ustad Amjad Ali Khan and his sons Amaan Ali and Ayaan Ali will be performing Live in Concert.

Singing sensation Shreya Ghosal among the top attractions. formers. Banga Sammelan is eagerly awaiting the arrival of the big name performers – Shreya Ghosal kicking off her US tour in Houston. Add to the list the sarod maestro Ustad Amjad Ali Khan and his sons, and the musical group of RED of Sivamani and Suchi fame.

A total of 70 odd artists will bring their wide repertoire of music to Houston – Manomoy, Pramita, Sounak, Aditi, Ronu, Debojyoti, Kinjal, Parnava, Keka, Saikat, Saheb, Iman, Riddhi, Santanu, Biplab, Biswanath, Rini and so many. It will feature classical

and traditional songs including Rabindra Sangeet and Baul to modern and fusion songs – it will be a musical feast.

Film Festival committee has been coordinating with many film makers in bringinging a premium list of films to present to NRI Bengalis like Kadambari, Lorai, Bitnoon, Family album, 89 etc. Konkona, Paoli, Parambrata, Saswata, Gargi and others will be adding to the celebrity glamour quotient along with the famed director Gautam Ghose.

NABC literary committee has put together a glittering list of names who will headline lit-

erary discussions – Sirshendu, Harsha, Chitra Divakaruni, Selina Hossain, Amarendra, Satyam, Bithi, Aryanil, Nabakumar, Satinath, and many more. It will be a good mix of NRI writers along with writers from Kolkata.

NABC 2015 Drama Team will be staging a fantastic drama by Debesh and Debshankar group with eminent artists from Kolkata and twelve dramas some even from United Kingdom and Finland - a truly global but Bengali experience!

Seminars with Krishna Bose, Sugato Bose, Swadesh Chatterjee and retired justice Shyamal Sen will discuss current topics and throw light on the past, present and future of India. Swami Ishatmanada, head monk of Vedanta Society of Chicago, will speak on Future of Humanity.

An incredible exhibition of Tagore Paintings and Art of Bengal with Shuvaprasanna, Ganesh Pyne, Subroto Gangopadhyay, and others will also

Sivamani, Music Director and the popular percussionist will be among the celebrities featured at the NABC.

be showcased at the conference.

Techno India will share Bishwer Shera Bangali, CAB will also confer awards to distinguished Bengali personalities from all over the world. A sparkling awards ceremony is in the works, befitting those stars.

Hopefully, the new NABC will be a revitalized conference, not only dedicated to

the culture and arts but will contribute something concrete to the global community and Bengal, be it green initiatives or social entrepreneurship bringing value to donors and sponsors from the US, India and beyond – thus realizing the goal and potential of the global platform of the conference.

For details log onto www. nabc2015.org

Lifestyle VOICE OF ASIA

VOICE OF ASIA 11

ONLINE .COM voiceofasiaonline.com

Vol. 28 No. 27 Friday, July 3, 2015 Section 2 Page 11

FRIDAY, July 3, 2015

Email: editor@voiceofasiaonline.com Tel: 713-774-5140

Allergies, vegetarian? Luxury restaurants no longer off limits

by Rémy ZAKA

M

ONTPELLIER - When French superchef Alain Ducasse stunned the world of haute cuisine last year by dropping meat, boosting veggies and lightening up his menus, he was less bucking convention than joining a trend of accommodating vegetarians and people with food allergies.

Fine dining at top-class restaurants run by uncompromising chefs might once have been unthinkable for such clients. But no more.

“Twenty years ago we were lost when a client told us they had an allergy. We’d bring out an artichoke and a salad,” said Piet Huysentruyt, owner of the Likoke in the southern town of Les Vans, a one-star restaurant in the fabled Michelin Guide.

“Now it’s no longer a problem. It’s second nature,” he said.

Once again, the much-touted Mediterranean diet -- low in meat and high in fish, vegetables, herbs and healthy fats like olive oil -- has come to the rescue.

A recent gathering in the southern city of Montpellier of 58 chefs from 10 Mediterranean countries -- the sort of Michelin-starred elite who scrutinise every dish that leaves their kitchens -- confirmed the trend. All conceded

they have had to “adapt”, including Ducasse and his famous co-host Joel Robuchon.

Monaco, he has nonetheless cut down on meat dishes and uses less salt, sugar and fat.

“It’s more and more frequent. For every table of five or six people, there is inevitably one who has allergies,” said Laurent Pourcel, who runs the one-star Jardin des Sens in Montpellier with his brother Jacques.

As for a hallowed basic in French cooking, the butter, cream and egg-packed sauces, chefs said they now alter them on demand -- something that, in the past, might have been dismissed as catering to fickle, indulgent or foreign clients.

“We have one or two clients like this every day with a whole range of problems.”

Likewise, most chefs today keep a supply of gluten-free ingredients, notably frozen bread dough ready to pop into the oven at a moment’s notice.

Most called the Mediterranean diet “a good ally” in concocting menus to accommodate gluten-free, sugar-free, lactose-intolerant, meatless or other restricted diets.

“There is less milk and butter, fewer potatoes, and you use more olive oil, fish and vegetables,” said Hermance Joplet who runs Le Castellaras, newly awarded a Michelin star, with her husband Quentin in Fayence near the southern resort of Cannes.

Olive oil is definitely “more digestible and generally more acceptable,” said nutritionist Christian Recchia.

Ducasse led the trend when he boldly dropped meat at his renowned two-Michelinstarred Plaza Athenee on Paris’ exclusive Avenue Montaigne, just up from Dior, Prada, Saint Laurent and other luxury shops.

Less radical at his threestarred Louis XV restaurant in

“For Saint Valentine’s Day, one client never imagined we could offer a gluten-free menu,” said Joplet who served up a nutty risotto of locally grown spelt with sauteed baby vegetables.

- The hardest: lactose intolerant Vegetarians, too, are no longer shunned. At the Pourcel brothers restaurant, dishes like “new asparagus in a cream sauce of morel mushrooms and crumbled egg yolks” sit on the main entry list as proudly as the classic meat and fish dishes.

French twins Jacques (right) and Laurent Pourcel at their ‘Jardin des Sens’ restaurant at Montpellier, Southern France. Star chefs have learned to cook high quality cuisine despite having to manage the increasing number of clients suffering from food allergies. – AFP Photo. he said, but “the other solution is to cook without fat,” as in his steamed sea bass with seaweed.

“You’ve got to adapt case by case,” he said.

The hardest problem is diners who are lactose intolerant, said Fabien Lefebvre of the Octopus restaurant, in the southern city of Beziers that was recently awarded a Michelin star.

Quality, however, needs lead time. “You can prepare a three-star meal if you’ve got advance notice. But at the last minute, it’s difficult,” said Huysentruyt, who was a TV celebrity chef in Belgium and has written best-selling cookbooks.

Olive oil can replace butter,

Himself a diabetic, he keeps

his eye out for inventive ways to cope with this restriction.

His hearty entry of “bass with bacon, veal brains and ‘cochonnailles’” -- a selection of fine pates and sausage meats -- can be transformed for a diabetic into “bass with cauliflower mousse and baby vegetables”, he said.

One headache for the chefs, however, is a new European Union rule concerning potential “allergens”.

The measure, which took effect in December 2014, re-

quires professionals in the food business to notify clients of any presence of the 14 most common allergic foods, including peanuts, gluten, soy beans, molluscs, walnuts, almonds, eggs and milk.

Few of the top chefs have heeded the order.

“The idea is to make people happy. The client just asks for one thing, that we don’t betray them,” said Marc de Passorio of another Michelin one star restaurant, L’Esprit de la Violette in the southern city of Aixen-Provence.

Like the real game, fantasy sports now worth billions the actual-game performance of its players.

Fantasy competitors once matched their dream teams against others to suss out their nose for talent and for simple bragging rights.

Today, with 51.6 million Americans participating in fantasy sports leagues, according to the FSTA, players can pay to join competitions that award prizes of $1 million or more.

Fantasy players spend an average $465 per year on their imaginary competitions, up markedly from $95 in 2012, according to the market research firm Ipsos.

That is a big change from the old days when fantasy players were dismissed as statistics geeks and relegated to the fringes.

Like the real game, fantasy sports now worth billions. AFP Photo

by John BIERS

N

EW YORK - Fantasy sports were once just a fun way for diehard fans to express their love of the game together with other zealots, without actually getting out on the field themselves.

Now they are a multibilliondollar business whose techsavvy clientele increasingly

drive how the pro leagues operate and the way big games are broadcast.

The industry’s ascendancy was on display at the Fantasy Sports Trade Association’s summer conference this week, where sports giants like broadcaster ESPN and the National Basketball Association championed fantasy leagues and promised more fantasy-friend-

ly steps to feed the boom.

In fantasy sports, a participant creates his own team, selecting players from a real-world sports league like the NBA, National Football League or England’s Premier League football.

As real games are played, a fantasy team competes and is ranked against others based on

“When there were any mentions at all, it was sort of a sneering disrespect for fantasy sports,” FSTA president Paul Charchian said in an interview.

“Now we are coveted.”

- Fantasy sports on steroids Fantasy sports date back to the 1980s when a small group of baseball-loving academics and writers established “Rotisserie Baseball.”

After picking their teams, they would pore over the scores and other data published in newspapers after games, ranking their imaginary teams against others.

But in the fast-evolving era

of smartphones, big data and instant news, today’s contests are a kind of fantasy sports on steroids.

And the industry got a boost when, in 2006, the US Congress -- which has mostly banned online gambling -ruled fantasy sports did not fall under that category, allowing a surge in playing for money.

A typical fantasy contestant now keeps one eye on an actual game and the other on a tablet or smartphone that aggregates fantasy-league points in real time, spitting out the standings of virtual teams play-by-play.

Many fantasy game sites can send alerts if a key player scores a touchdown, or gives up a goal.

Competitions have spread from baseball, basketball and football to sports like golf and rugby. Contestants can pay to play for an entire season, or just an evening’s worth of games.

Delivering that kind of action has made two leading fantasy companies, DraftKings and FanDuel, each worth an estimated $1 billion.

Showcasing the industry’s growing clout, DraftKings has an exclusive marketing partnership with Major League Baseball while FanDuel has a similar contract with the NBA. - Broadcasters taking note Survey data suggest the in-

dustry has hit the marketing sweet spot, with more than half of players in the coveted 18-34 age group and with above-average incomes and education.

The real sports industry is taking them more seriously because, according to Ipsos, they watch more live sports and consume more sports news than others.

That allows real sports leagues to sell fantasy players more premium-viewing products and to command higher rates from ESPN and other broadcasters due to higher ratings. Those broadcasters in turn are able to attract more money from advertisers.

Sports media has responded by reporting more news sought out by fantasy leagues, such as injuries that keep a real player out of his team lineup -- which hits any fantasy team with that player on its roster.

RotoWire is a news service that peppers subscribers with the latest on which players have a sore shoulder or ankle inflammation, for example.

Bob Vorwald, executive producer of WGN-TV in Chicago, is pushing his sports announcers to do more fantasy-oriented news: “Every television station programmer wants to get a younger audience, but we’re not there yet.”

ESPN senior producer Seth Markman said the network was working to “fully integrate” fantasy into all programming.

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LEISURE

VOICE OF ASIA 13

FRIDAY, July 3, 2015

Spicing up Malaysia’s beloved ‘fatty rice’ Amazon launches virtual

assistant speaker to public

by Satish Cheney

Z

W

ainal Abidin’s tiny food stall serves just one item and opens for only a few hours but is besieged each day by nearly a thousand customers clamouring for Malaysia’s undisputed national dish, nasi lemak.

“We need more rice in here!” shouted a sweaty teenager working Zainal’s stall as customers waited expectantly in a long queue amid the aroma of coconut milk and fried anchovies.

ASHINGTON Amazon said Tuesday its Echo personal assistant speaker aimed at integrating with smart home devices was on sale to the public after seven months of tests on an invitation-only basis.

Echo, selling for $179, is a voice-activated device which can “fetch” music or news, control home automation such as lighting and temperature and order products from Amazon.

Italy has its pasta, Japan its sushi and England its fish and chips.

But perhaps no dish is more ubiquitous or beloved in Malaysia as nasi lemak, rice cooked with coconut milk and served with golden-fried anchovies, roasted peanuts, a boiled egg, sliced cucumbers and a dollop of a fiery chili concoction sambal.

Born as a cheap breakfast, nasi lemak is today eaten throughout the day, and is on an expanding culinary sojourn with the classic recipe continually tweaked, and even innovations such as nasi lemak pizza and ice cream appearing on menus.

“Demand for nasi lemak has gone up a lot over the years because it is not just for breakfast anymore,” said Zainal, 57, whose mother first opened their “Nasi Lemak Tanglin” stall in 1948.

Usually translated as “fatty rice”, nasi lemak also is served in neighbouring countries like Indonesia, Singapore and Brunei, but nowhere is it more deeply rooted in the food culture than Malaysia.

Farmers and fishermen are believed to have thrown it together as a breakfast rich in necessary carbs, protein, fats and delivering a spicy kick.

But it is now ubiquitous across the country, including higher-end restaurants and hotels.

- Malaysia meets Italy At Kuala Lumpur’s upscale

“The customer response to Amazon Echo has been incredibly positive, and we’ve been working hard to build more as quickly as possible,” Amazon vice president Greg Hart said in a statement.

An assistant serves nasi lemak for waiting customers at the “Nasi Lemak Tanglin” stall in Kuala Lumpur. © AFP/File Manan Vatsyayana Tujo Bar-serrie & Grill, Malaysia and Italy have been united in a nasi lemak pizza -- thin crusts infused with either squid ink or spinach, and topped with anchovy, onions, roast peanuts and sambal.

came up with a nasi lemak ice cream in 2012.

contest in Britain with a nasi lemak dish.

Ong feels the often intensely spicy sambal blocks overseas acceptance.

“Tourists like it too, but locals especially get quite excited because they can’t imagine it when they read about it,” said Samantha Lee, a Tujo spokeswoman who said a pasta version will debut soon.

“People thought I was crazy. Nobody wanted to try it at first,” Ong said. “But these days, more locals and foreigners want to try it.”

After cooking his coconut rice, Ong churns it together with a secret gelato base, later topping it off with frozen peanuts, anchovies and chili flakes.

Food critics say nasi lemak’s simplicity makes it a clean slate ripe for culinary experimentation.

“Nasi lemak possesses a potential that many Malaysian restaurateurs are exploiting in innovative ways,” said Sean Loong, a Malaysian food blogger.

“These innovations illustrate Malaysia’s continuing fascination with nasi lemak,” Loong said, adding that experiments with the dish have begun to take off in the past two years.

Ong Kee Win, who runs the trendy Cielo Dolci cafe known for its original ice creams including beer and soy flavours,

The end-product, redolent of coconut, tastes uncannily like a thick, creamy, frozen version of the real deal.

- Overseas acceptance lags Few traits are as effective in promoting a country and its culture abroad as cuisine, yet nasi lemak -- despite its importance at home -- is yet to join the globally recognised ranks of sushi and pasta.

Tourism officials, however, last year marketed nasi lemak as a slice of Malaysian exotica in a promotional campaign in Japan.

The dish also got some overseas publicity when a Malaysiaborn woman won the popular MasterChef television cooking

with their help, we’ve been able to add features like Audible (audio books), Pandora, home automation, sports scores, calendar, and more.”

The cloud-based brains referred to as “Alexa” are built into Echo speakers and seen as a challenge to “Siri” virtual assistants in Apple’s coveted mobile devices.

A ring of microphones built into can-shaped Echo speakers enable the devices to identify voices even when music is playing, according to Amazon.

Echo accesses news, weather, streaming music and more using wireless Internet connections.

“We are grateful to our early customers for their incredible engagement and for providing us with invaluable feedback to help shape Echo as it evolves --

Echo can also be managed remotely using free applications built for smartphones powered

by Apple, Android or Amazon’s

his native neighbouring Singapore have slipped.

memories, and of a time that was simpler. To me, that is priceless,” he said, finishing off a plate.

“Nasi lemak hasn’t become globally famous yet because of the spiciness but experimentation will help as we put nasi lemak in a different context now,” said Ong. The dish’s expanding frontiers and popularity at home were on display at a recent nasi lemak festival in Kuala Lumpur that drew thousands seeking to taste the creations of some of the capital’s top chefs.

These included vegetarian and organic versions that replaced anchovies with mushroom stalks coupled with creatively fried vegetables and brown rice.

Another recipe involved frying the coconut rice in a wok with a special chili formula that turned it all a fiery red.

Across Malaysia, other versions may include sides of fried chicken, squid marinated and cooked in chili sauce, fried beef lungs, or an array of other touches.

But adherents aren’t about to forsake the time-tested original.

Dean Johari flew in specially for the festival, saying the standards of classic nasi lemak in

“It brings back childhood

China’s Great Wall is disappearing: report

great Wall of China. AFP Photo.

B

EIJING - Around 30 percent of China’s Ming-era Great Wall has disappeared over time as adverse natural conditions and reckless human activities -including stealing the bricks to build houses -- erode the UNESCO World Heritage site, state media reported.

The Great Wall is not a single unbroken structure but stretches for thousands of kilometres in sections, from Shanhaiguan on the east coast to Jiayuguan in the windswept sands on the edge of the Gobi desert.

In places it is so dilapidated that estimates of its total length vary from 9,000 to 21,000 kilometres (5,600 to 13,000 miles), depending on whether missing sections are included. Despite its length it is not, as is sometimes claimed, visible from space.

Construction first begun in the third century BC, but nearly 6,300 kilometres were built in the Ming Dynasty of 1368-

1644, including the much-visited sectors north of the capital Beijing.

Of that, 1,962 kilometres has melted away over the centuries, the Beijing Times reported.

Some of the construction weathered away, while plants growing in the walls have accelerated the decay, said the report Sunday, citing a survey last year by the Great Wall of China Society.

“Even though some of the walls are built of bricks and stones, they cannot withstand the perennial exposure to wind and rain,” the paper quoted Dong Yaohui, a vice president of the society, as saying.

“Many towers are becoming increasingly shaky and may collapse in a single rain storm in summer.”

Tourism and local residents’ activities are also damaging the longest human construction in the world, the paper added.

Poor villagers in Lulong county in the northern province of Hebei used to knock thick grey bricks from a section of wall in their village to build homes, and slabs engraved with Chinese characters were sold for 30 yuan ($4.80) each by local residents, it said.

Under Chinese regulations people who take bricks from the Great Wall can be fined up to 5,000 yuan, the state-run Global Times said Monday.

“But there is no specific organisation to enforce the rules.

Damage could only be reported to higher authorities and it is hard to solve when it happened on the border of two provinces,” said Jia Hailin, a cultural relics protection official in Hebei, according to the report.

It added that explorations of undeveloped parts of the Great Wall -- an increasingly popular leisure activity in recent years -- had brought those sections more tourists than they could bear, damaging them severely.

Young Life

VOICE OF ASIA 14

Friday, July 3, 2015

Section 2

Page 14

FRIDAY, July 3, 2015

Email: editor@voiceofasiaonline.com

Tel: 713-774-5140

South Asian Youth Alliance Holds 4th Maiden Event: Coffee With The CEO

by Hafeeza Shaik

whole spectrum of business.

Mr. Patel added, “If I can do that again, I’d do it in a heartbeat.” It shows that learning never stops and education truly breeds success in the minds that acquire it.

H

OUSTON: South Asian Youth Alliance (SAYA), an initiative of Indian Muslims Association of Greater Houston ( IMAGH), was launched on April 27, 2014, to help the South Asian Young Adults, find mentors, develop leadership skills, build a peer supported network, and learn about their heritage.

SAYA’s goal is to have young representatives from India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan as its members.

SAYA had its fourth event, Coffee With The CEO at the Marriott Westchase. This event is a discussion based series with CEOs from many different companies coming to share their success story. The invited guest was Global Vice President, Mr. P.J. Purujit Patel from Stellium Inc. Stellium Inc is a specialized management consulting firm, designing and delivering solutions to improve businesses worldwide. Mr. Patel is a recognized IT and Business Leader, bringing more than 15+ years’ experience in manufacturing and oil and gas industry.

P.J. Purujit Patel talks with SAYA group during the discussion at the ‘Coffee With The CEO’ event.

Last but not least, Mr. Patel advised to work hard and study well. There is so much to learn and so little time. Learning never ends and it is something which everyone should pursue.

Only those succeed who have a passion for what they are doing. He also advised to balance personal life and career. He defined success by personal happiness.

Mohammed A. Khan, President, SAYA welcomed Mr. Patel and SAYA members. Hafeeza Shaik, Secretary, and Zaid Hussain, Historian then introduced the objectives of South Asian Youth Alliance and this event.

Mr. Patel began sharing his journey in life and the steps he has taken to reach the position he is in today. Like many typical Indian parents, Mr. Patel’s family also had expectations that he’d also study medicine and become a doctor like his father. Although he grew up in India, they did not force him to follow his dad. After getting admitted into Medical School,

In leadership lecture series, guests are free to talk about lessons they learned growing up and what qualities buoyed them to success. Mr. Patel explained that together with technical skills, it is perhaps more important to develop ‘people skill’. Everyone is different and have different ideas. As a colleague, employee or employer, it is important to respect everyone and show concern and understanding. This does not mean to comprise with one’s own values or point of view.

Mr. Patel emphasized, “If you can’t work with people, the probability of success will diminish. But it also important to stay true to yourself.”

Mr. Latafath Hussain, President of IMAGH thanked Mr. Patel and all the SAYA members who joined for the event.

He added that SAYA members definitely benefitted by Mr. Patel’s discussion.

South Asian Youth Alliance (SAYA) members Mr. Patel changed his mind and went to an Engineering School to pursue his passion.

Mr. Patel holds Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engi-

neering from Maharaja Sayaji Rao University, (Baroda, India), Master’s degrees in Mechanical Engineering from University of Houston, and an MBA from Rice University

Millennials outnumber baby boomers in US: census estimate

with focus on Finance and Entrepreneurship. After completing his Masters, Mr. Patel had aspired to achieve the highest level in the technical branch.

Post-MBA, he learnt to see the

After Mr. Patel had shared his story, the room was opened up for discussions. There were many questions regarding business, education, entrepreneurship, internship, growing up South Asian etc.

For further information: Facebook: www.facebook.com/

Millennials favor Facebook for US political news: study WASHINGTON - When it comes to political news, Millennials are more likely to turn to Facebook than their televisionwatching Baby Boomer elders, a Pew Research Center study released Monday suggests.

The Washington-based social research institute surveyed nearly 3,000 online adults to learn how Americans are informing themselves in the run-up to next year’s presidential election.

Sixty-one percent of Millennials, aged 18 to 33, said they got their news about politics and government from Facebook, with another 37 percent tuning in to local television newscasts.

It was the reverse among Baby Boomers, aged 50 to 68, with 60 percent watching local TV news and 39 percent favoring the popular social networking website.

Generation Xers, aged 34 to 49, were more balanced between the two media, with 51 percent logging onto Facebook for political and government news and 46 percent favoring local television.

“We are only beginning to understand the complex interactions of personal choice, friend networks and algorithms in the social media space,” said Pew’s director of journalism research Amy Mitchell.

“As the research continues, these data suggest there are fundamental differences in the ways younger and older generations stay informed about political news,” she said in a statement announcing the findings.

The survey, conducted March 19 to April 29, did not include the so-called Silent Generation, aged 69 to 86, due to the large proportion of its members who don’t use the Internet, Pew said.

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Americans born between 1982 and 2000 currently number 83.1 million. AFP photo.

W

ASHINGTON Millennials now outnumber baby boomers as the biggest age group in the United States, the US Census Bureau said Thursday in its latest population estimates.

Americans born between 1982 and 2000 currently number 83.1 million, or more than a quarter of the total population, it said.

Millennials are also an ethnically more diverse bunch, with

44.2 percent being African American, Hispanic, Asian or belonging to some other nonwhite group.

In another first, a majority -- 50.2 percent -- of Americans under the age of five belong to a minority race or ethnic group.

The Census Bureau, a federal government agency, puts the estimated total US population as of Thursday at just over 321 million.

It defines baby boomers as

Americans born in the aftermath of World War II between 1946 and 1964 -- a group now entering their post-65 retirement years.

Overall, America “has become more racially and ethnically diverse,” with minorities making up 37.9 percent of the population in 2014, up from 32.9 percent a decade earlier.

Minority groups were in the majority in Hawaii, the District of Columbia, California, New Mexico and Texas, with Nevada close to joining the pack.

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VOICE OF ASIA 15

Friday, July 3, 2015

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Bollywood Masala Section 2

Page 15

Email: editor@voiceofasiaonline.com

M

UMBAI - Host-actor Rannvijay Singh has heaped praise on actress Sunny Leone, with whom he would be hosting a TV show, and feels she is an amazing person to work with.

UMBAI - Bollywood star Shahid Kapoor is all set to tie the knot with his Delhibased fiancee Mira Rajput in Gurgaon on July 7, according to his wedding card that has surfaced online.

Leone and Rannvijay will be hosting the eighth season of “Splitsvilla” from July 4 on MTV.

The 34-year-old actor got engaged to Mira, 21, earlier this year and there was a lot of speculation regarding the wedding venue. But the wedding card finally puts all rumours to rest.

Praising Leone, Rannvijay said, “She is very cool, funny, loves to chill.

She is by far the nicest person I have worked with. It was amazing working with her.”

The elegant off-white invite states that the ceremony will be held in a five-star hotel in Gurgaon. It bears the names of Mira’s parents Bela and Vikramaditya Rajput alongside Shahid’s mother Neelima Azeem, father Pankaj Kapur and his wife Supriya.

The actor even felt insecure when his wife got along very well with Leone.

“Sunny and my wife (Priyanka Vohra) have become great friends...

They have had dinner together. I was feeling insecure as my wife and Sunny are getting along so well,” the “MTV Roadies” host says.

“I did the first season that was about two boys from Roadies looking for love. I do believe in love. I think everybody should. This is the only place (show) where you test your limits for love.

“I wanted to be back and the opportunity to work with Sunny was great.

I am happy I took this decision. We had lots of fun while shooting this show. Hopefully people will like it,” he added.

On the show’s theme, Rannvijay said, “I think they themselves don’t know what they want. Their taste changes quite often. Their choice changes.”

“Women want chivalry, humour, respect from partner these are basic

Tel: 713-774-5140

Shahid Kapoor to marry on July 7

Rannvijay all praise for actress Sunny Leone

Rannvijay, who is back on the show after seven long years, is quite thrilled to be part of it again.

FRIDAY, July 3, 2015

The family has also requested guests to not bring any gifts.

According to reports, Shahid and Mira met at the Radha Soami Satsang Beas, a religious group that both their families follow.

Television host Rannvijay Singh and actress Sunny Leone during the press conference. things. Besides this they don’t want over protective, possessive man in life. It is a learning curve for me as well,” he said.

Leone, said, “I am excited to be

back on the show. I want to see what the boys will come up with to woo the women they like. I have had a lot of fun shooting with all these wonderful contestants.” (PTI).

Kangana Ranaut is in Rani Laxmibai: Ketan Mehta

M

UMBAI - Actress Kangan Ranaut, who is riding high on the success of “Tanu Weds Manu Returns”, is perfect to play warrior queen Rani Laxmibai in his upcoming biopic, says director

Ketan Mehta.

“She (Kangana) is on board. She has liked the script. It’s role of a lifetime.

She is at the top now... she is doing good work. I think she was best for the

film,” Mehta told PTI. To get into the skin of her character, Kangana will be undergoing training in horse-riding and sword-fighting.

Mehta is returning to the pre-independence era following his Aamir Khan-starrer biopic on Mangal Pandey in 2005.

There are several speculations regarding the casting of the film, with English actor Hugh Grant’s name cropping up in some reports. Mehta, however, is mum on the cast.

“The process of casting is on and we will be making an announcement

Shahid Kapoor There is not much details about the guest-list of the wedding in Gurgaon but it is expected to be a small and intimate affair, followed by a grand reception in Mumbai, to be attended by several Bollywood personalities. PTI.

soon,” Mehta said.

The director, known for films like “Mirch Masala”, “Maya Memsaab”, “Rang Rasiya”, said the biopic will go on floors next year.

Talking about the project, Mehta said, “Rani Laxmibai is one of the most fascinating women I have come across in terms of what she has done in her life. I enjoy making biopics.

“It is a great platform to say stories of those people who have done great work. It has been a challenge to write this biopic but these are good challenges. I am very excited to start working on it,” Mehta said. PTI

‘Tollywood’ epic to be most expensive Indian film ever

by Udita Jhunjhunwala

er’s ambitions for the project, however, with one battle scene taking four months to shoot. It constitutes about 20 minutes of the film.

M

UMBAI - An epic battle movie likened to American blockbuster “300” is set to become India’s most expensive film ever, but it’s a lesser-known industry, not Bollywood, that will smash the record.

“It was challenging to get 1,000 soldiers into costume, with weapons and onto the location,” said Rajamouli, whose previous hits include “Magadheera” (Great Warrior) and “Eega” (Fly).

The two-part “Baahubali”, costing still a fraction of the cost of Hollywood blockbusters, is being made in the Telugu and Tamil languages for the socalled “Tollywood” and “Kollywood” markets respectively.

Its release shines a welcome spotlight on southern India’s lesser-known film industries, which are often overshadowed by the glitz and glamour of the country’s internationallybankable Hindi-language Bollywood films.

Director SS Rajamouli said the movie, which eager cinema-goers are also comparing to “Hercules”, will break the previous big-budget Indian film by a whopping $17 million.

“There are still over a hundred days of shooting left, followed by post-production for the second part. The budget will definitely be over 250 crore rupees ($40 million) for both parts,” Rajamouli told AFP. “Baahubali”, literally meaning “The One With Strong Arms” in English, is laden with special effects and tells the fictional story of two warring brothers battling for control of an ancient Indian kingdom.

The opening part of the am-

“We worked with 2,000 extras and about 500-600 technicians, horses, elephants and equipment. It was quite a task, but we managed,” added the Hyderabad-based director on a recent visit to Mumbai.

Actresses Anushka Shetty and Tamannaah Bhatia with writer and director S S Rajamouli, centre, and actors Prabhas and Rana Daggubati at the trailer launch of Baahubali. AFP PHOTO / FILES bitious spectacle, “Baahubali - The Beginning”, is due for release in India on July 10, with the final instalment scheduled to hit screens next year.

Indian cinema produces films in 39 languages and dialects.

Last year, 216 Hindi or Bollywood movies were released, fewer than the 287 in Tamil and 255 Telugu-language films.

Bollywood -- centred round the western city of Mumbai -- is India’s biggest-grossing movie industry, accounting for $565 million in box office revenues in 2013 according to Deloitte.

But Tollywood and Kollywood were not far behind, raising a total of $468 million, and

despite their relative anonymity abroad have form when it comes to releasing big-budget blockbusters.

“Baahubali” will overtake the 2010 Tamil movie “Enthiran” (Robot), which cost an estimated 1.5 billion rupees ($23 million) to make, as Indian cinema’s most costly film so far.

Movie critics and fans who have watched a short teaser released last month say its vast battle scenes draw comparisons with 2006 hit movie “300”, which starred Gerard Butler.

“It’s the simple story of a father who has been backstabbed, a mother who has been enchained for no wrong of hers and the story of a son

who takes revenge. The two parts span two generations,” explained Rajamouli.

- Horses and elephants There was nothing simple about the 42-year-old filmmak-

Some 600 artists from 17 visual effects studios across India, South Korea and China have been involved in creating the film’s 4,500 visual effects and computer graphics.

Shobu Yarlagadda, CEO of Arka Mediaworks and producer of “Baahubali”, said it was a calculated decision to release the film in two parts to help recoup production costs.

“We would not have been

able to recover the cost even if it had been a single film because the storyline would not have allowed us to make it under three hours long,” he explained to AFP. “So we decided to increase the budget some more and make it in two parts and in two languages, Tamil and Telugu, which are our main markets, to make it more viable,” said Yarlagadda.

The budget, however, is far off those in Hollywood where a blockbuster often costs more than $200 million to make, and a single film can rake in more than a billion dollars.

“Baahubali”, which has been three years in the making, stars Indian actors Prabhas, who generally goes by one name, Rana Daggubati and actress Anushka Shetty. It was almost entirely filmed in Hyderabad, in Telangana state, where the Telugu film industry is based.

It will be dubbed into Hindi and the producers are also considering releasing a shorter version for international audiences.

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Manish Vishwakarma of TV show ‘Chidiya Ghar’ slips into coma Manish Vishwakarma, popularly known as Mendak Prasad has slipped into a coma after he met with an accident.

N

Actor Manish Vishwakarma.

EW DELHI - Actor Manish Vishwakarma, who is popularly known as Mendak Prasad from the hit TV show ‘Chidiya Ghar’, has slipped into a coma after he met with an accident on Sunday (June 28).

Manish, who was admitted to a government hospital, had been on ventillator until Monday (June 29).

Manish’s friend Shilpa Shinde told Mumbai Mirror

that the actor wasn’t given proper treatment at KEM Hospital and is currently being treated at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani hospital.

“When Manish, who is always punctual, didn’t reach the sets on time, a production scheduler called him almost 25 times till a cop answered the call and informed that Manish had met with an accident. He was taken to a nearby hospital but the doctors there were unequipped

to handle with such severe injuries and suggested they take him to KEM Hospital in Parel,” said Shilpa.

Shilpa further said that Manish was initially left unattended and his case wasn’t taken into priority. “I heard from actor Trishikha Tripathi who was present at the hospital, along with Manish’s parents and two members of the production unit of Chidiya Ghar that the doctors did a CT scan.

One doctor said it was a case of brain haemorrhage while another doctor had a different diagnosis,” told Shilpa.

Manish was on his way to the sets of the show on his bike when he met with an accident and was rushed to the hospital. Manish was hit by a car from behind.

Blood clots were found in his brain.

Courtesy: Indian Express.

HEALTHY LIVING VOICE OF ASIA

VOICE OF ASIA 16

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Section 2

Page 16

FRIDAY, July 3, 2015

Email: editor@voiceofasiaonline.com

Ciguatera fish poisoning more common than thought

by Kerry SHERIDAN

pain, hot-cold reversal and a feeling of heaviness or paralysis, as well as anxiety.

M

IAMI, AFP, 6/29/2015 - Tracy Calvert was vacationing in the Bahamas last December when she ate the almond-crusted grouper that changed her life.

“I had tingling, itching all over my body but mostly I felt slightly paralyzed and this was the scariest thing,” said Felicity Harley, 68, a writer who became ill after eating fried barracuda on Bequia, an island in the Grenadines.

“It was so good. I ate every bite of it,” Calvert recalled.

But half an hour later, her stomach began to hurt. She went to lie down after dinner, then woke in the middle of the night feeling sick. Her lips were swollen. She had diarrhea and fought the urge to vomit.

“I went to the refrigerator to get a Diet Coke. And the cold can was burning my hand,” she told AFP. “I went and told my husband, ‘Something is not right.’”

Though Calvert, 40, did not know it at the time, she had come down with a dangerous form of food poisoning from fish, known as ciguatera.

The illness is caused by a toxin that can be found in some large saltwater fish, including barracuda, grouper and amberjack.

And researchers now say ciguatera poisoning may be more common than previously thought, according to a study out Monday in the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.

- Hispanics at risk Researchers found that in Florida, cases of ciguatera are under-reported to public health authorities.

Until now, there was an estimated 0.2 cases per 100,000 people, according to the state Department of Health.

“I just knew something was very wrong.”

Researchers found that in Florida, cases of ciguatera are underreported to public health authorities. AFP photo.

But it may actually be closer to 5.6 cases per 100,000 people statewide, according to Beth Radke, a researcher at the Emerging Pathogens Institute at the University of Florida.

Radke analyzed 291 ciguatera reports from 2000 to 2011 and conducted a survey of 5,352 recreational fishermen to see if they had ever experienced any symptoms of ciguatera from eating fish that they had caught in saltwater.

Areas around Miami and the Florida Keys were particularly affected by ciguatera, with rates ranging from 28 to 84 per 100,000 people, the study found.

“Hispanics are at higher risk and we believe that may be because of different certain cultural preferences for eating high-risk foods like barracuda,” Radke told AFP. “They are a fish we really recommend not eating at all.”

The reasons behind the under-reporting of ciguatera are unclear.

Radke said it may be that

people are not accurately diagnosed, or that doctors do not report the illness to health authorities as they should.

Previous research has suggested that 10,000-50,000 people are sickened by ciguatera poisoning each year worldwide.

- Strange symptoms Unlike other kinds of food poisoning which may come from raw or undercooked meats, there is no way to tell while eating a fish if it is tainted by ciguatoxins, which are found in algae that grow in coral reefs.

Nor is there any lab test to confirm a diagnosis in people, though the fish themselves can be tested.

Previous research has shown the risk is highest in the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific and Indian Oceans, where as many as three percent of travelers are sickened by ciguatera.

Those who come down with the illness may experience a range of unusual symptoms, including tingling extremities,

Like many, she had no idea what, until she Googled her symptoms and came up with ciguatera.

For Harley, recovery took six months, during which she ate a purely vegetarian diet and took a prescription drug to treat neuropathic pain.

Calvert, who works as a spinning instructor, also suffered from muscle pain, the kind that made climbing a flight of stairs as exhausting as if she had just worked out for hours.

She too restricted her diet and began to feel better after about three months.

“One of the most important things to understand about ciguatera fish poisoning is that symptoms will resolve,” said Melissa Friedman, a clinical neuropsychologist at Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami.

“In the greatest majority of cases, within weeks to months.”

While Radke’s study did not show that ciguatera poisonings are on the rise, the findings do provide a baseline rate of infection that scientists can use in the future, as they study the impact of warming waters and climate change on the spread of ciguatera.

Sugary drinks may cause 184,000 global deaths a year: study

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ASHINGTON, | AFP | - Sodas and other sugary drinks may cause up to 184,000 deaths a year worldwide, according to a study published Monday in the journal Circulation.

Mexico had the highest death rate due to sugary beverages with a rate of 450 deaths per million adults, the report said. It was followed by the United States with 125 estimated deaths per million adults.

Billed as a first, the report analyzed the global risks of death due to diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and cancers linked to the consumption of sugary drinks.

Researchers estimated that around 133,000 people died from diabetes due to the consumption of what the report called “sugar-sweetened beverages.” Around 45,000 people died globally from cardiovascular diseases arising from sugary drink consumption and 6,450 people died from cancers linked to the beverages, researchers estimated.

Researchers also said the general quantity of sugar available in a nation correlated with the country’s frequency of diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer.

Sodas and other sugary drinks may cause up to 184,000 deaths a year worldwide, according to a study published Monday in the journal Circulation. © AFP/File Omar Torres

“Many countries in the world have a significant number of deaths occurring from a single dietary factor, sugar-sweetened beverages.

It should be a global prior-

ity to substantially reduce or eliminate sugar-sweetened beverages from the diet,” said study author Dariush Mozaffarian from Tufts University in Boston.

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Insurance actuaries are responsible for determining life insurance product pricing. In calculating appropriate life insurance premiums, actuaries use three factors: mortality (claims), interest (investments), and expenses (loading).

Let’s look at how the actuaries use each of these factors.

In attempting to arrive at a mortality cost, an actuary cannot predict the exact life span of each applicant, so he or she is unable to set premiums for each insured on an individual basis. The actuary can, however, predict the number of deaths that will occur at each duration for a particular group using a mortality table. The anticipated number of deaths is called the mortality rate.

Mortality tables reflect the mortality rate for each age group. The mortality table currently in use is known as the 1980 Commissioners Standard Ordinary mortality table or, simply, the 1980 CSO mortality table. This table assumes that everyone has died at age 100.

Determining the interest assumption to be used in establishing insurance rates is a function of the pricing actuaries. Normally, life insurance policies are long-term contracts, and premiums can be paid for many years before a death benefit claim must be paid. This allows the insurance company to invest the premiums at interest.

The assumed interest to be received on invested premiums helps to lower the premium. The greater the assumed interest, the lower the premiums will be. By calculating the anticipated mortality at

Sudhir Mathuria Contact: Sudhir Mathuria Licensed Professional Health Life 360 6650 Southwest Freeway Houston TX 77074 713-771-2900 www.MyMedicarePlanning.com each age and the assumed interest, the actuary develops the net premium. net premium = mortality costs – interest All companies have costs of doing business, and insurance companies are no exception; these costs are the insurer’s expenses. Using the formula for net premium (mortality costs – interest), the actuary has allowed nothing for operating expenses. Therefore, expense loading is added to the net premium to cover these costs.

The formula for figuring gross premium is: gross premium = mortality costs + expenses – interest Gross premium is the premium paid by the insured.

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US sues to block Electrolux US probes airlines for buy of GE appliance business ‘unlawful coordination’

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ASHINGTON The US Justice Department said Wednesday it is investigating some airlines over “possible unlawful coordination.”

There was no mention of which airlines were covered in the probe, but reports of it sent the shares of major US carriers tumbling on Wall Street by more than two percent.

News of the probe came two weeks after a Democratic senator, Richard Blumenthal, urged Justice authorities in a letter to investigate the industry for collusion and anti-competitive behavior following a period of carrier consolidation.

L-R: An Electrolux stove is offered for sale alongside a Frigidaire and GE stove at an appliance store on September 8, 2014 in Chicago, Illinois. Photo: Getty/AFP/File Scott Olson

N

EW YORK, 7/1/2015 - US antitrust officials filed suit on Wednesday to block the sale of General Electric’s appliance business to Sweden’s Electrolux, saying the $3.3 billion deal would harm consumers.

The sale would limit competition and lead to higher prices of cooking appliances for US consumers, said the Justice Department, which filed the civil antitrust lawsuit in a US court in Washington.

The transaction “would leave millions of Americans vulnerable to price increases for ranges, cooktops and wall ovens, products that serve an important role in family life and represent large purchases for many households,” said Leslie Overton, a deputy assistant attorney general in Jus-

tice’s antitrust division.

“This lawsuit also seeks to prevent a duopoly in the sale of these major cooking appliances to builders and other commercial purchasers, who often pass on price increases to home buyers or renters.”

The GE-Electrolux deal, announced in September 2014, covers a broad range of appliances, including refrigerators, dishwashers, dryers, air conditioners and water heaters.

Cooking appliances comprised the largest share of revenues at 35 percent, according to an Electrolux press release announcing the deal.

GE said it intends to “vigorously” defend the sale to Electrolux and that it hopes to close the deal in 2015.

“GE continues to believe

that GE Appliances’ customers, consumers and employees will benefit from Electrolux’s commitment to the appliance business and its ability to compete with global competitors,” the company said.

Electrolux, in a separate statement, said it “contests vigorously” the Justice Department position and will fight it in court.

“The appliances industry is more competitive than ever,” the company said.

“The acquisition is intended to enhance Electrolux scale and efficiencies in order to invest more in innovation and growth for the benefit of all consumers, retailers, employees and shareholders.”

Shares of Dow member GE added 0.3 percent to $26.66 in Wednesday trade.

Fannie, Freddie CEOs Get Pay Raises as White House Objects

T

he chief executive officers of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac may see more than a sixfold increase in their compensation to $4 million in spite of objections from President Barack Obama’s administration and some lawmakers.

The Federal Housing Finance Agency, which controls the mortgage giants and has sole authority over their CEOs’ pay, allowed Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to return compensation closer to historic levels. Fannie Mae CEO Timothy J. Mayopoulos, whose pay had been set at $600,000 since 2012, was given a base salary of $750,000, more than $2 million in deferred pay and performance-based awards of as much as $1.2 million, according to a public filing on Wednesday.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which have operated with explicit U.S. backing since 2008 following the financial crisis, were told earlier this year by the FHFA that they could consider submitting proposals for new pay plans for Mayopoulos and Don Layton, CEO of Freddie Mac. Layton is also eligible for the same package of as much as $4 million, a separate filing Wednesday shows.

White House press secretary Josh Earnest addressed the pay question in May by saying executive compensation at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac should be treated differently because the mortgage giants “benefit significantly from a backstop that is provided by the taxpayer.” Members of the House and Senate have also complained. Senator Mark Warner, a Virginia Democrat, said in a statement Wednesday that the raises signal a return to business as usual and “fly in the face of the legislative intent” to restructure the federal role in mortgage finance.

“Treasury does not support FHFA’s new approach to CEO compensation at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and urged the agency to reject any increase,” Adam Hodge, a Treasury spokesman, said in

an e-mailed statement. “Treasury has consistently recommended that existing limits on compensation continue.”

Succession Planning Egbert L.J. Perry, chairman of Fannie Mae’s board of directors, said in a May statement that the government-controlled mortgage firm needed to “attract and retain the leadership and talent required to keep the company functioning well.” Spokesmen for Washington-based Fannie Mae and McLean, Virginia-based Freddie Mac declined to comment on the pay increases.

When the FHFA approved the pay change, it requested that compensation stay below the 25th percentile of CEO pay at similar financial firms, such as Capital One Financial Corp. and U.S. Bancorp. Mayopoulos’s $4 million award is “substantially below” that, ac-

“DoJ itself played a part in this consolidation by approving several mergers and now consumers are paying sky-high fares as airlines engage in market conduct designed to keep capacity artificially low,” Blumenthal wrote.

The investigation comes af-

ter a period in which domestic flight ticket prices have steadily risen despite the plunge in fuel prices, a major cost to airlines.

Prices were up two percent last year despite crude prices falling by half, according to Department of Transportation statistics.

In addition, according to the department’s data, available seat miles on US carriers remain significantly below the peak in late 2007, before the economic crisis.

Asked about reports of the probe, a Justice Department spokesperson would only say: “We are investigating possible unlawful coordination by some airlines.”

In his letter, Blumenthal cites media reports of airline competitors openly discussing strategies and making commitments to keep “discipline” as they manage capacity.

He cited comments made

openly on maintaining discipline by top executives at the June meeting of the International Air Transport Association in Miami.

He also noted that the Justice Department itself, in reviewing the US Airways-American Airlines merger in 2013, took note that airlines generally have a history of coordinating capacity and pricing moves.

“Consumers are paying skyhigh fares and are trapped in an uncompetitive market with a history of collusive behavior.”

If the department does find evidence, he said, “I urge you to use all the tools at your disposal to punish this anticompetitive and anti-consumer behavior.”

Shares of major airlines sank on the news of the investigation. Delta Air Lines closed 2.0 percent lower, American Airlines fell 2.8 percent, United Continental 2.5 percent, JetBlue 3.4 percent, and Southwest 1.4 percent.

US: Visa processing back to speed after computer glitch

W

ASHINGTON US visa processing has returned to full strength after hardware problems, the State Department said Monday, noting that 410,000 visas were issued in a week as officials scrambled to clear a huge backlog.

Deputy spokesman Mark Toner said the State Department does “regret the inconvenience to travelers who are waiting for visas as well as their families and US businesses that have been affected by this problem.”

He complimented the Consular Affairs Bureau’s “exem-

plary work” in addressing the computer problems and whittling down the visa backlog.

A team of about 100 computer experts had been working to resolve the hardware failure, which emerged at a State Department facility in the United States on June 9.

The hardware failure had been preventing processing and transmitting the mandatory security-related biometric data checks.

About 50,000 applications for visas are received daily by US embassies and consulates around the world.

Toner said that the US issued more than 410,000 nonimmigrant visas from June 23 through June 29.

“Consular staff around the world worked throughout the weekend to diminish our backlog, the bulk of which has now been cleared,” he added.

While the summer vacation time is busy, the system cranks up into overload toward August, when tens of thousands of students begin to flood to US shores.

According to the US Department of Commerce, close to 75 million tourists entered the United States in 2014.

cording to Fannie Mae’s filing.

His compensation, as well as Layton’s, will be pro-rated for 2015.

FHFA Director Mel Watt said in a statement Wednesday that his agency’s authorizations for new Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac pay plans are meant to “promote CEO retention, allow reliable succession planning, and ensure the continuity, efficiency and stability” of the companies.

Former Fannie Mae CEO Michael J. Williams made $5.3 million in 2011, before compensation was reduced.

Mayopoulos became CEO of Fannie Mae in 2012. Earlier in his career he worked at Bank of America Corp. Layton, a former JPMorgan Chase & Co. executive, was appointed CEO of Freddie Mac in 2012.

His predecessor, Charles E. Haldeman, made $3.8 million in 2011.

Obama calls for overtime overhaul

W

ASHINGTON President Barack Obama said Monday he will push for reforms to the nation’s overtime regulations to cover more “middle class” Americans, after his administration has made numerous political gains.

update overtime regulations for years.”

Touting recent victories at the US Supreme Court on health care and gay marriage and in Congress on a trade approval law, Obama said he will now set his sights on making sure more Americans are guaranteed overtime pay.

The White House elaborated on the plan Tuesday morning, saying Obama directed the Secretary of Labor to update regulations on overtime.

Writing in an article on The Huffington Post, Obama said he will go to Wisconsin this week to pitch his plan to get “nearly 5 million workers” overtime protections next year.

“Right now, too many Americans are working long days for less pay than they deserve,” Obama wrote. “That’s partly because we’ve failed to

Obama said he proposes “covering all salaried workers making up to about $50,400,” adding that current loopholes leave out people making much less.

That proposal will be open to comment in writing before a final rule is issued by the department next year, The White House said in a statement about the plan alongside a Department of Labor animated website about the overtime “problem.”

“In this country, a hard day’s work deserves a fair day’s pay. That’s at the heart of what it means to be middle class in America,” Obama wrote.

sphilip@llppc-law.com

HOROSCOPE

VOICE OF ASIA 18

FRIDAY, July 3, 2015

Your Horoscope for the Week of July 3, 2015 READ YOUR COMPLETE HOROSCOPE

by Hardik Vyas, Astrologer Cell : 832-298-9950

ONLINE WWW.VOICEOFASIAONLINE.COM

Aries (A,L,E) 21 March to 20 April

Libra (R,T) 23 Sept to 22 Oct

Your natural drive for self-expression is high right now. You can push yourself into a competition with great energy and zeal. Play hard and you’ll win in your creative projects. Your mood to socialize is high. Your intellectual curiosity and mental restlessness may flicker from one scene to another. Your sense of well-being may become quite fragile if you continue to dwell on the negative. Finding a more positive perspective will provide yourself with a real boost.

Have friends seeking some guidance in your area of expertise. Your counsel will prove to be very lucrative. Giving of yourself in this generous manner will prove that your motives are genuine. You might have some difficulty in situations which require you to rely on other’s resources. Your sensitive side will help you to recognize how judgmental people can be. Your fuse will be super short and you may not be able to even control or contain it as your ‘lag time’ is in micro seconds.

Scorpio (N,Y) 23 Oct to 21 Nov

Taurus (B,V,U) 21 April to 20 May Need to try hard to streamline your tasks to create more leisure time in the immediate future. Your perceptive touch will help find the best result by keeping your interest strong in others activities. You’ll be at the right place at the right time. Your ideas will fit in well with your peers. Your aura will lead you to those who will help you find answers. Your patience is low, your hopes are set high and your expectations may be slightly ‘unreasonable’ especially with youth and those just ‘not equipped’ with the capacity necessary to be ‘trusted to do it right’...

Your desire for harmony and beautiful surroundings stronger than usual. You’re more inclined to use your charm and persuasion than a more direct method to achieve your goals.

A spontaneous inspiration may prove to be very beneficial to your life. You may have an opportunity to directly pitch your ideas and beliefs to those who can make things happen.

You may spend a lot of ‘thinking time’ going over old or current issues and feeling/being rather ‘fed up’ with an older system or ‘attitude’ that is ‘pervasive’ in/within the family and revamping is highly likely.

Sagittarius (BH,F,DH,TH) 22 Nov to 21 Dec

Gemini (K,CHH,GH) 21 May to 20 June Advance your creative ideas and concepts to those in power. Don’t rush any decisFinding you in a situation where you need to push your positive influence forward to those in authority. Your original proposal may start to fade but you can retain the essence of it by promoting your true values. Being yourself, as unique as you are, is what makes you a real treasure. You’ll feel empowered once you understand that. You’ll be able to trust other’s ability to help you find answers.

Realizing that you can be very effective right now. You may find yourself in the position to rally others to your point of view. You’ll also be able to communicate with great conviction.

Games or contests will provide you with an extra burst of energy. Excitement will reign, as your romantic urges will also run high. You could actively pursue the one you desire. Family issues have three stars, because you are totally prone to emotional upheavals, clashes and some sort of ‘sad news’ especially announcements of loss, terminal conditions or other upsetting, disappointing news...

Capricorn (KH,J) 22 Dec to 20 Jan

Cancer (D,H) 21 June to 22 July You may need to slow down your hectic pace to enjoy the company of friends & family. You really won’t have to push your ideas too hard to find mutual agreements. You’ll be able to find new way to share your daily duties and activities with loved ones. You always love a happy ending and this story should prove to be a real winner. Happy and contented energies are the ‘norm’ for this week and good news, a change for the better and visitors or invitations may be part of it.

Feeling empowered to reach many goals. The nature of your studies will depend on your personal interests. Whatever you decide to pursue, you will do so with great intensity. Your concentration and focus is very strong. You may become so engrossed in your investigation that you won’t be able to do anything else until you find the information that you seek. Several discussions may be required this week, especially near next week and some tend to be needed ‘before’ a decision is made, spending is done or discipline is handed out,.....

Aquarius (G,S,SH) 21 Jan to 19 Feb

Leo (M) 23 July to 22 August Looking for want or need to take an opportunity to learn new ways to increase your income. Be sure to check everything thoroughly. Someone may be trying to confuse you. You may need to work a little harder to find a compromise that pleases everyone.

Take the time necessary to research some fascinating adventures far away from home.

Emotional discussions MAY escalate out of control, especially IF other members are involved unless you ‘tone it down’ quickly should you find yourself ‘too embroiled’....

Virgo (P) 23 August to 22 September You are with an urge to decorate and beautify your immediate surroundings is a great way to express your creativity. Look past the immediate to find some old treasures to exhibit your style. You may be feeling very sensitive, even vulnerable. It may be time to think about a little rest and relaxation. You can be imaginative but you need to rejuvenate yourself first. Generous emotional contributions, especially to in-laws, spouse and youth of any sign, may include time, skill/talent, money and sacrifice of your own needs/wishes.

QR

Prove that good relationships can bring out your true self. Your energy level will soar high. All victims may not always be innocent. Be wary of those who try to hide their true nature. Your patience and understanding will enable you to grow greatly as a person. You may find a new interest to lead, in your field. You should branch yourself out to reach a larger audience. Financial ‘hits’ are likely near and may come from bring things ‘up to snuff’ with appliances, plumbing/electric or health care issues and vehicles, overdue bills and travel.

Pisces (D,CH,Z) 20 Feb to 20 March All your hard work noticed by those in authority. Your interest in improving your lifestyle will help you to make some dreams come true. Free yourself from any negative energy. You may feel as if your head is about to burst. Focus on the tasks at hand and you will soon have a deeper understanding of what to do. Don’t be surprised by other’s reaction to your success.

Some may have ‘high hopes/expectations’ built into a situation & only to ‘crash’ and then find they may be feeling anxious, annoyed and ‘gathering up restless or aggressive energy’ because of it. Express yourself through physical labor and get a WHOLE bunch of things done off your ‘round to it’ list instead.

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VOICE OF ASIA 19

MANAGEMENT TIP OF THE DAY FROM HBR.ORG Encourage a Strengths-Based Culture on Your Team

Now You Know!

Amazing facts from all over the WORLD!

• The Grand Canyon can hold around 900 trillion footballs • The Eiffel Tower has 1,792 steps • Buckingham Palace has over 600 rooms • The statue of Liberty’s mouth is 3 feet wide • Employees of the Vatican pay no income tax

If you’re trying to increase your employees’ engagement – typically defined as being involved in and enthusiastic about their work and workplace – focus on building employees’ strengths rather than fixating on their weaknesses.

A strengths-based culture is one in which employees learn their roles more quickly, produce more and significantly better work, stay with the company longer, and are more engaged. In one study, a vast majority (67%) of employees who strongly agreed that their manager focused on their strengths or positive characteristics were engaged — compared with just 31% of the employees who indicated that their manager focused on their weaknesses. The most powerful thing a manager can do for employees is to place them in jobs that allow them to use the best of their natural talents, adding skills and knowledge to develop and apply their strengths.

Adapted from “What Great Managers Do to Engage Employees,” by James Harter and Amy Adkins.

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FRIDAY, July 3, 2015

Houston Community College Request for Proposals (RFP) Property and Casualty Insurance Project No. 15-22 Documents can be obtained at: www.hccs. edu/district/departments/procurement.

Sealed proposals will be received in Procurement Operations (3100 Main Street, Room No. 11A06, Houston, Texas 77002) until 12:00PM (local time) on Wednesday, July 29, 2015.

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Censure- blame Didactic- intended to teach; instructive Malediction- a curse Panacea- remedy for all ills Unfrock- to remove a priest from his position

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P/T DIGITAL Graphic Artist

Are you a news junkie who scans the morning headlines before getting out bed each morning? Are you tied to your twitter feed throughout the day? Can’t go to bed before watching the 10pm news? KTRK-TV, the ABC O&O located in Houston, TX is accepting applications for a part-time content contributor for broadcast and digital departments.

This is a great opportunity for someone looking to advance their career as a multi-media journalist. In this position, you will write and edit scripts, work on the assignment desk, contribute to digital platforms, sort scripts and run the teleprompter. Must be willing to work overnights, weekends, and holidays. The ideal candidate has experience gathering information and writing news stories - along with a good understanding of social media trends and apps. College degree preferred. All Interested applicants must apply online at disneycareers.com, ref job #284294BR. Please upload a cover letter, resume and list of references. In addition, please mail writing samples to: Robin Freese, Executive Producer, KTRK-TV, 3310 Bissonnet, Houston, TX 77005. Ref Job # 284294BR. Equal Opportunity Employer – Female/ Minority/ Veteran/ Disability. No Telephone Calls.

ABC-13/KTRK-TV, the ABC/Disney owned station in Houston, TX, has a part-time position for an experienced DIGITAL Graphic Artist. The ideal candidate will have a degree in graphic design, web, marketing or related field; demonstrable expertise in digital design, and 2-3 years professional experience using design applications, such as Adobe Creative Suite, to create content and graphics for interactive or multimedia projects, web pages and social media. Experience producing broadcast graphics is a plus. We offer a collaborative and creative work environment. To be considered for the position you must apply online at disneycareers. com, ref job #284252BR. Please upload a cover letter, resume, link to online portfolio, and list of references. Equal Opportunity Employer – Female/ Minority/ Veteran/ Disability. No Telephone Calls.

TV NEWS PRODUCER

News Anchor/ Reporter

Would you like to work in one of the best news markets in the nation? And for one of the strongest broadcast

KTRK-TV, the ABC/Disney owned station in Houston, TX is looking for an outstanding

companies? If you have a great, positive attitude and love spending all day crafting a quality newscast, but are

News Anchor/Reporter. The ideal candidate should have at least 3 years experience as

willing to drop it and start from scratch for breaking news, then we want to hear from you. KTRK-TV, the ABC Owned Station in Houston, TX is looking for an experienced, aggressive, passionate producer who excels at showcasing and creativity.

We want someone who looks for innovative ways to tell stories and utilize video,

graphics, live shots, reporters, anchors, meteorologists and traffic presenters. You must have superior writing

a News Anchor and 5 years experience as a General Assignment Reporter. Must display excellent, dynamic, creative live reporting skills. Must be able to develop contacts, enterprise good, hard news stories and respond well to spot news. This position requires

skills and at least three years of line-producing experience. You need to be a quick thinker, calm under daily dead-

outstanding writing skills for both broadcast and digital platforms. Needs to be very

lines and show command of the control room especially during breaking news. Knowledge of ENPS and desktop

active on social media. Must be willing to work weekends. This is an excellent oppor-

editing a plus. Candidates need complete understanding of social media and digital content, how to use it within

tunity to join a first-class station and live in a fun and affordable city. To be considered

newscasts and how to use it to reach viewers. Must be willing to work overnights, weekends and holidays. To be considered applicants MUST apply on-line at www.disneycareers.com by uploading a resume file, cover letter and list of references. If you are truly ready for big market TV, please send writing samples and a copy of your latest newscast including one that demonstrates your ability to handle breaking news to: Human Resources, KTRK-TV,

candidates must apply on-line at www.disneycareers.com by uploading a resume file.

Reference Job ID: 277449BR on all materials submitted. Email a sample of your most recent work to ktrk.hr@abc.com or send a non-returnable sample to: Human Resources,

3310 Bissonnet, Houston, TX 77005. Please Reference Job ID: 284296BR on all materials submitted. Equal Op-

KTRK-TV, 3310 Bissonnet; Houston, TX 77005. Equal Opportunity Employer – Female/

portunity Employer – Female/ Minority/ Veteran/ Disability. No Telephone Calls.

Minority/ Veteran/ Disability. No Telephone Calls.

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Looking for M/WBE Subcontractors Lisle Violin Shop is bidding on Project RFP # 15-06-12 RFP/Musical Instruments Supplies & Accessories, Choral Music, Equipment & Accessories, Music Electronics & Accessories, Rental/Lease & Repair of Musical Instrument for the Houston Independent School District. We are looking for possible M/WBE subcontractors to provide the following services: 1. Violin/Viola/Cello and Bass Bow Repairs - Must have 1 year previous bow restoration/repair or rehair experience (Or completion of recognized bow rehair/repair school) 2. Lower Strings Repair/Setup - Cello/Bass - Must have 1 year previous cello/bass repair or setup experience (Or graduate from a known violin making or repair school) 3. Upper Strings Repair/Setup - Violin/Viola - Must have 1 year previous violin/viola repair or setup experience (Or graduate from a known violin making or repair school) If you are interested in this opportunity, please contact Nehad at 713-526-4005 by July 31st, 2015.

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