Voice of Asia E-paper February 8, 2019 by VoiceOf Asia

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FRIDAY, February 8, 2019

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Shashi Tharoor nominates Kerala fishermen for Nobel Peace Prize 2019

Exclusive Interview

Fort Bend County Judge KP George lays out plans for 2019 by Shobana Muratee

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor during the release of his book ‘”The Paradoxical Prime Minister” in New Delhi, Friday, Oct. 26, 2018. (PTI Photo/File)

HIRUVANANTHAPURAM: PTI | Feb 06, 2019 - Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has recommended Kerala fishermen, whose deeds of courage were the main highlight of the rescue operations during the 2018 Kerala floods, for the Nobel Peace Prize. "It was during the height of this tragedy that fishermen groups of Kerala, at great risk to their lives and potential damage to the boats that are the source of their livelihood, jumped into the fray to save their fellow citizens," Tharoor, MP from Thiruvananthapuram, wrote to the Chairperson of the Norwegian Nobel Committee.

the selection of eligible candidates and the choice of Nobel Peace Prize Laureates. Tharoor said the fishermen took their boats inland and with their expert knowledge of the local conditions, their participation in the ongoing relief operations proved to be a gamechanger. Not only were they able to pick up stranded personnel in their vicinity, they were also instrumental in guiding boats of other rescue teams amid the swirling waters, he said. Fishermen groups across the counContinued on page 2

The Committee is responsible for

ORT BEND - It was KP George’s fifteenth day in office as the County Judge and he seemed settled-in with his team. In an exclusive interview with this reporter, Judge George gave a brief sketch of his immediate action plan for Fort Bend County, starting with changes in the current Emergency Management following Hurricane Harvey in 2017 and on November 2, 2018, where there was raising water situation in Fort Bend. "People reached out for changes," he said. Fort Bend County Fire Marshal Mark Flathouse was appointed Interim Emergency Management Coordinator at the Office of Emergency Management (OEM) and he will be creating a comprehensive report to understand what changes need to be done. In situations of water rising, Judge George

Fort Bend County Judge KP George with Koshy Thomas, Voice of Asia Publisher presenting him with a plaque of his sweraring-in news coverage. Photo by Shobana Muratee

Continued on page 5

Grand Thai Poosam festival at MTS Image: Colorful Kaavadis along with Paal kudams to be carried in a procession

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By Kristen Bialik Pew Research Center

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Koshy Thomas Sherly Philip Shobana Muratee Sherine Thomas Susan Pothanikat Priyan Mathew Satish Philip

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Editor Online: Shobana Muratee Marketing Director: Susan Pothanikat All rights reserved. No material herein or portions thereof may be published without the consent of the publisher. Voice of Asia assumes no liability resulting from action taken based on the information included herein. Published weekly by Free Press LLC, 8303 SW Freeway, Suite # 325, Houston, TX 77074. Tel: 713774-5140. Fax: 713-774-5143. Email for editorial submissions: voiceasia@aol.com; Email for advertising inquiries and submissions: ads@voiceofasiagroup.com. 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 Voice of Asia (USPS 010-215) (ISSN#10705058) is published every Friday (for a subscription rate of $50 per year) by Free Press LLC, 8303 SW Freeway, Suite # 325, Houston, TX 77074. Tel: 713-774-5140. Fax: 713-774-5143. Periodical postage paid at Houston, Texas. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Voice of Asia, 8303 SW Freeway, Suite # 325, Houston, TX 77074.

Shashi Tharoor nominates Kerala fishermen.. Continued from page 1 try represent some of the most socio-economically underdeveloped segments, Tharoor said, adding Kerala's fishermen are no exception. "In spite of these conditions, as their lifesaving service during the floods clearly demonstrated, there is an extraordinarily altruistic spirit that animates and drives these coastal warriors of the state," he said in the letter, a copy of which was released to the media here.

"The lasting image of a fisherman bending low in the water so as to allow an older person he had rescued to climb on his back and get on his boat is a particularly striking reflection of this spirit that has been etched into the hearts of a grateful community," he wrote. At least 488 people died in Kerala due to the rains and floods during the southwest monsoon. The worst devastation was reported in August when the state was ravaged by floods.

s Trump’s speech takes the spotlight, here’s a look at public opinion on important issues facing the country, drawn from Pew Research Center’s recent surveys.

A greater share of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents (69%) said this year that expanding the wall would lead to a major reduction in illegal immigration than said so in 2017 (58%). Most Democrats and Democratic leaners, on the other hand, said a wall expansion would not have much impact on illegal immigration into the U.S. 2. Immigration: A majority of Americans (58%) said they were not too or not at all confident in Trump’s ability to make wise decisions about immigration policy, according to the same January survey. Still, around half of U.S. adults (51%) said immigration should be a top priority for Trump and Congress this year, though Republicans (68%) were much more likely than Democrats (40%) to say this. Similarly, in a survey conducted in November, most Republicans and Republican leaners (68%) said reducing illegal immigration into the U.S. should be a top foreign policy priority, while just two-in-ten Democrats and Democratic leaners said this. Republicans were also more likely to view reducing legal immigration into the U.S. as a priority (41% vs. 14%). The U.S. public’s views of immigrants remain largely positive, with 62% saying immigrants strengthen the country because of their hard work and talents. But while most Democrats (83%) hold that view, just 38% of Republicans said the same. Around half of Republicans (49%) and just 11% of Democrats said immigrants burden the country by taking jobs, housing and health care. 3. Partisan cooperation: Most Americans said they’d like to see cooperation between Trump and Congress, the November 2018 survey found. Yet sevenin-ten Democrats said their party’s leaders should stand up to Trump on issues important to Democrats, even if less gets done in Washington, according to the January survey. Republicans were more divided: While around half (51%) said Trump should stand up to Democrats, 42% said he should work with Democrats to get things done, even if it disappoints supporters. Americans are deeply pessimistic about chances that partisan cooperation will improve in the coming year: About seven-in-ten Americans (71%) said they think Republicans and Democrats in Washington will bicker and oppose one another more than usual this year. Just 21% said members of both parties will work together to solve problems more than usual. And

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State of the Union 2019: How

Americans see major national issues

1. Border wall: A majority of Americans (58%) continue to oppose substantially expanding the wall along the U.S.-Mexico border, according to a Pew Research Center survey conducted in January. While opinion on the wall was little changed from last year, partisan views were more divided than ever: Republican support for the wall was at a record high and Democratic support was at a new low.

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President Donald Trump during his State of the Union address on Tuesday. (Photo: Andrew Harnik/ AP/REX/Shutterstock) just 35% of Americans were somewhat or very confident in Trump’s ability to work effectively with Congress. 4. Mueller investigation: A majority (55%) of Americans said in the January survey that they were confident that special counsel Robert Mueller is conducting a fair investigation into Russian involvement in the 2016 election, a share that has largely held steady over the past year. There is less public confidence in Trump on the issue: Just 37% were very or somewhat confident that Trump is handling matters related to the special counsel investigation appropriately. Views of the investigation and Trump’s handling of the matter remain deeply divided by party. 5. Tariffs and trade: Americans’ views of recent tariffs between the United States and some of its trading partners tilt more negative than positive, according to a survey conducted in summer 2018. About half of Americans (49%) said they think the increased tariffs would be bad for the U.S., while 40% said increased tariffs would be good for the country. As with many issues, views were deeply partisan, with most Republicans (73%) seeing tariffs as good for the country and most Democrats (77%) seeing it as bad for the nation. More broadly, about half (51%) of Americans are at least somewhat confident in Trump’s ability to negotiate favorable trade agreements with other countries. Public views of Trump in this domain are more positive than in many other areas. (However, global trade ranks among the lowest concerns for the public’s policy priorities for 2019.) 6. The economy: Strengthening the economy continues to rank as a top issue for the public overall: 70% of Americans said this should be a top priority. Majorities in both parties – 79% of Republicans and 64% of Democrats – said the economy should be a top priority. But the prominence of this goal, as well as improving the job situation, has waned significantly in recent years. Four-in-ten Americans said Trump’s economic policies have made economic conditions better since taking office, while 28% said they have made conditions worse. (Another 29% said his economic policies have not had much effect.) And about half of Americans (49%) said they are at least somewhat confident in Trump’s ability to make good decisions about economic policy. Jobs and economic growth was also the only one of 12 issues on which a larger

share of the public said Trump had a better approach than congressional Democrats (44% to 33%), according to the November 2018 survey conducted after the midterms. 7. Foreign policy: Defending the country against terrorism remains one of the public’s top policy priorities. A majority of Americans (67%) say terrorism should be a top priority this year, though this differs greatly by party. Looking at foreign conflicts, the U.S. public is divided over whether withdrawing U.S. troops from Syria is the right (43%) or wrong (45%) decision. Many Americans (65%) do not think Trump has a clear plan for dealing with the situation in Syria; this includes a majority of Republicans (56%) and an even larger majority of Democrats (91%). 8Climate change: Climate change and the environment are among the most divisive issues in the January survey on policy priorities for the president and Congress. Democrats are 43 percentage points more likely than Republicans to say protecting the environment should be a top priority this year (74% vs. 31%) and 46 points more likely to cite global climate change as a top priority (67% vs. 21%). In the survey conducted last November, 55% of the public said Democrats in Congress would have a better approach to the environment while just 19% said Trump would have the better approach on the environment. In a survey conducted last March and April, majorities of Americans said the federal government is doing too little to protect key aspects of the environment including water (69%), air quality (64%) and animals and their habitats (63%). And two-thirds of Americans (67%) said the government is doing too little to reduce the effects of climate change. 9. Health care: About sevenin-ten Americans (69%) said reducing health care costs should be a top priority for the president and Congress this year. This reflects an 8-percentage-point increase from 2011, though is little changed from last year. Majorities in both parties placed priority on health care, though a larger share of Democrats (77%) than Republicans (59%) cited health care costs as a top priority. In the post-midterm survey, Democrats in Congress had a 23-point advantage over Trump in the public’s assessments of who’d have the better approach to health care (51% vs. 28%) 10. Race relations: Addressing race relations in the country

ranked lower on the public’s list of top priorities this year, with 46% saying it should be a top priority for Trump and Congress. This includes a majority of Democrats (57%) but only a third of Republicans. In a survey conducted in September and October, ahead of the midterm elections, about seven-in-ten U.S. registered voters supporting Democratic candidates (71%) said the way racial and ethnic minorities are treated by the criminal justice system was a “very big” problem in the country. By contrast, just 10% of registered voters supporting Republican candidates said treatment of minorities by the justice system was a major problem. There was also a 44-point gap in views of whether racism is a very big problem: While 63% of Democratic voters said racism was a very big problem in the country, just 19% of Republican voters said the same. 11. Gender issues: Deep partisan divides were also apparent when it came to opinions about whether sexism is a serious problem. In the fall 2018 survey, there was a 38-point gap between the shares of voters supporting Republican candidates (12%) and those supporting Democrats (50%) saying sexism was a very big problem in the country. This partisan divide was wider than the gender gap in views of whether sexism is a serious problem in the country. Among the public overall, 40% of women said sexism is a major problem, compared with about a quarter of men (26%). A separate survey conducted in June and July last year found wide party gaps in views of gender and leadership. About eight-in-ten Democrats and Democratic leaners (79%) said there are too few women in high political offices, compared with 33% of Republicans and Republican leaners – a 46-point gap. The gender gap on this question was substantial, with 69% of women overall saying there are too few women in office compared with 48% of men. Among Republicans, gender gaps in views of women in leadership were particularly wide. By 20 percentage points, Republican women were more likely than their male counterparts to say there are too few women in high political offices in the U.S. today. And while most Republican women said it’s easier for men to get these positions, closer to half of GOP men said the same. (There are also party and gender divides in views of women in corporate leadership.)

VOICE OF ASIA 3

Section 1

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FRIDAY, February 8, 2019

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Grand Thai Poosam festival at Meenakshi Temple Sri Rudram. As the priests were doing the alankaram (decoration) of the deities, the devotees joined together to sing the most popular devotional song Kanda Shasti Kavacham, followed by other compositions.

Deities richly adorned in silks and with flowers by M.K.Sriram

he festival of Thaipusam commemorates the day when Lord Murugan also known as Skanda, Karthikeya and Subramanya, received the divine ‘Vel’ (spear) from his mother, Goddess Parvati to destroy the powerful demon Surapadman. This festival is observed annually on the day of the ‘Pusam’ star in the Tamil month of ‘Thai’. It was certainly celebrated with great pomp, gusto and fervor at the Sri Meenakshi Temple. It was a clear and crisp Saturday morning on January 26th, when Devotees from all over the Houston and other cities poured in to do just that. The preparations for this grand event had started weeks ahead with a group of dedicated volunteers working with the temple staff to get everything ready. The theme of this year’s event was “Aaru Padai Veedu Dharishanam”, meaning the display of the six houses of Lord Muruga. These refer to the six major holy shrines of Muruga in southern India, namely Tiruchendur, Pazhani, Tiruthani, Tirupparankun-

dram, Pazhamudir Cholai and Swamimalai. A most beautiful display of this theme was conceptualized by priest Sri Manicka Bhattar and setup at the Kalyana Mandapam by the shilpis (artisans) lead by Sri Ramanathan. The event commenced at the Ganesh Temple, with the traditional puja to Prasanna Vinayaka and sanctification of the colorful Kaavadis and Paal kudams. Enthusiastic volunteers quickly got the above ready and then they were distributed to the sponsors. It was a breathtaking sight to see hundreds of devotee families in a splash of colorful traditional attire joyfully carrying the Kaavadis and Paal kudams in a procession, that was an enactment of a pilgrimage, in and around the temple, to the continuous bhajans and chants in praise of Vel Murugan. The procession culminated with a delirious dance as it reached its destination, the Kalyana Mandapam. It was a most divine experience to witness the Abhishekam performed on Lord Subramanya with his consorts Valli and Deivanai, to the accompaniment of the blissful

Men and children seen carrying Kaavadis during the festival.

Devotees carry Kaavadis and Paal kudams in a procession at the Sri Meenakshi Temple.

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When the curtains opened, it was an indescribable heavenly experience to have the darshan of Lord Muruga with Valli and Deivanai dressed in colorful vastrams and decked with beautiful flower garlands. Devotees were mesmerized as it were under as spell as they witnessed the Archana, Deeparadhana and Upacharam. The final Arathi was to the accompaniment of the popular and most beautiful Thirupugazh song Naada Vindu. The deities were then taken on a procession on the grand silver Theru (chariot) around the temple to the accompaniment of the Chenda melam (traditional drums). The devotees were then treated to a sumptuous lunch prepared by the Temple kitchen. Several volunteers had spent many hours the previous day cutting the vegetables for this feast. Kudos to the MTS chairman Mrs Padmini Nathan for her great leadership, vision and creativity in meticulously planning and executing this event with the support of the Committee members, priests, admin staff, silpis and volunteers. The event was flawlessly and beautifully executed thanks to the coordinators Sheila Sriram, Dorairajan, Muthuraman and Muthukumar. All in all, this was one of the most enjoyable and divine festivals conducted at Sri Meenakshi Temple. In short, Lord Murugan filled everyone’s heart with true pure happiness.

COMMUNITY - EVENTS

VOICE OF ASIA 4

FRIDAY, February 8, 2019

Year of the Pig Celebration at Lunar New Year: Food, Performances, Lion Dancing, and Austin’s Chinatown Center FREE Family-Friendly Arts & Crafts Two Weekends of Fun: Sat-Sun 2/8-2/9 and Sat- Sun 2/16-2/17 FAMILY DAY AT ASIA SOCIETY, Sat 2/9, 12-4pm

unar New Year is often thought of as strictly a Chinese holiday, but it is celebrated in many Asian countries. 2019 is the Year of the Pig, thought of as a gentle and friendly animal in the zodiac. Join us at TWO locations as we welcome the Year of the Pig with performances, art and craft activities, artisan demonstrations, and food inspired by Lunar New Year traditions from across Asia! 1. Asia Society Texas Center, 1370 Southmore Blvd, 77004 (Museum District)

The schedule of events is set to kick-off on Saturday, February 16th beginning at 3:00pm with a vendor fair and delicious local food. The night program will begin at 5:00pm with dragon/lion dancing by Summitt Elementary, and then live music concert featuring the amazing Hoang My An that will go into the night ending at 11:00pm. Hoang My An is a Dance Sport Champion of So You Think You Can Dance Vietnam and Thúy Nga Paris by Night Singer.

Free arts & crafts activities.

Fri. 2/8, 7pm: Enchanting Puppetry Traditions of Henan performance ($5 members; $10 nonmembers) Sat. 2/9, 12-4pm: Family Day (Asia Society’s marquee Lunar New Year event; full info below)

Sunday, festivities will begin at 10:00am with cultural performances including, Hawaiian Kona Island, Monsoon Dance Austin, Texas Wushu, Love of China, Choreopop,

2. Galleria, 5085 Westheimer Rd, 77056, Level One, between Macy’s and Nordstrom Sun. 2/10 and Sat./Sun. 2/16-2/17, 12-5pm (full info below) FREE Arts & Crafts Activities (complete details here) Chinese Calligraphy, Pig Mask Making, Photo Booth, Community Calligraphy Scroll, Chinese Handkerchief and Umbrella Dance, Korean Origami, Japanese Greeting Cards, Mongolian Tsagaan Sar Camel Decorating, Chopstick Challenge, and Fortune Teller Cookie Jar Lion Dancing and Presen-

hinatown Center is proud to celebrate the upcoming Lunar New Year - The Year of the Pig! Mark your calendars for our two day celebration in North Austin to be hosted Saturday, February 16th and Sunday, February 17, 2019 in Austin’s very own Chinatown Center (10901 N. Lamar Blvd.). The coming Chinese New Year festivities will include family friendly fun from face-painting to the most anticipated entertainers, the Dragon and Lion Dance Teams performing throughout the day Sunday!

April Rain, Austin Dance India, Thien Hau Lion Dance to perform at the Chinatown Center pagoda. The Lion Dance teams will celebrate with us from 12-5pm, dancing with firecrackers and bringing good fortune to individual stores in the center. Festivities will carry on throughout the afternoon starting at 2:30pm with Summitt Dragon Dance to spread even more good fortune and continue bringing in the New Year! This year there will once again be family friendly activities, including a rock climbing wall, as well as the community resource fair for even more fun and games! Free parking is available and is on a first-come, first-serve basis so carpooling is encouraged. Admission to the community resource fair will be free but some activities may have their own fees so bringing cash is recommended.

• KVUE Anchor, Jenni Lee will be our Mistress of Ceremonies. Jenni has been a staple for Austin news since 2001 • Sponsored by MT Supermarket and Chinatown Center will make The Year of Pig a fun event for all ages. If you have not made your way to Chinatown Center yet, Chinese New Year is the best time to start. This is the place to be, where the Austin community and Asian culture come together for the perfect affair of authentic entertainment, food, tradition and excitement. There is simply no better way to celebrate The Year of the Pig. Chinatown Center – Your Passport to Asian Cuisine and Shopping - located at 10901 N. Lamar Blvd. at the intersection of N. Lamar and Kramer. Want to participate as a vendor in our Community Resource Fair? Booth Space is available upon approval of application. Email chelsea.g@helix-mgmt. com for inquiries.

A few more highlights: • Kiwi the Clown will be doing FREE face painting just inside MT Supermarket from 1-5pm • East Side Kings and Hotdog King will be joining us with their food trucks

For more information on schedule of events, please visit www.chinatownaustin.com , https://www.facebook.com/ ChinatownAustin or contact Chelsea Geissen at (512) 5028888, email chelsea.g@helixmgmt.com.

Spectacular dance performances.

tation of traditional Red Envelopes, with Ambassador Li, 1:30pm Splendor of Huaxing Traditional dance program by Chinese performers 1pm and 3pm ($5 members; $10 nonmembers) Art contest: students’ works inspired by Year of the Pig; judging at 2:30pm Charm of Hangzhou

Live demonstrations by artisans from the Hangzhou region in China, demonstrating 2200-year old traditions of embroidery, fan-decorating, paper umbrella-decorating, bamboo paper making, and wood-carving FREE admission to the Ayomi Yoshida installation (last chance! closes Sun 2/10)

tion, with a FREE docent tour at 2pm Food, food, and more food!

NAR NEW YEAR AT GALLERIA, Sun 2/10 and Sat/Sun 2/16-2/17, 12-5pm:

Pondi Café (Indian), Mobile Mai’s (Vietnamese), Pepper Twins (Chinese), Foreign Policy (Korean, Greek, Mexican), Café Allure (bubble tea and Chinese snacks), Mochi ice cream

FREE Arts & Crafts Activities

ASIA SOCIETY’S LU-

FREE Dance Performances, featuring local Asian cul-

FREE admission to the New Cartographies exhibi-

Japanese Greeting Cards, Lam Tsuen Wishing Tree, Chopstick Challenge, South Asian Lotus Flowers, Fortune Teller Cookie Jar, Pig Mask Making

tural groups Sun 2/10: Filipino Young Professionals, Huaxing Arts Group, Sanggar Tari Citra Indonesia Sat 2/17: Kim Kuja Dancers, Huaxing Arts Group, Shaolin Academy Lion Dance Team Sun 2/18: Dance of Asian America, Huaxing Arts Group, Shaolin Academy Lion Dance Team

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11th Annual State of The City Sugar Land

he Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce is pleased to present the eleventh annual State of the City Sugar Land Address focusing on the City’s 2018 accomplishments. The program will be held Thursday, February 28, 2019 at the Sugar Land Marriott Hotel and Conference Center, located at 16090 City Walk at the corner of U.S. Highway 59 and State Highway 6. Lunch will be served at 11:30 AM, followed by a dynamic presentation from Mayor Joe Zimmerman and City Manager Allen Bogard of 2018 Sugar Land accomplishments and goals for 2019. “As the City of Sugar Land approaches its 60th anniversary in December, we look forward to sharing a dynamic presentation focusing on our many accomplishments over the past year and our vision for the future. Sugar Land’s rich history has been defined by exceeding expectations, investing in services that meet the needs of our citizens and anticipating new challenges. Throughout our remarks we will emphasize our commitment to doing things differently in Sugar Land – a mindset we simply call the “Sugar Land Way.” It’s a commitment to doing things in a way that creates pride in our home town and inspires confidence in local government.” says Mayor Zimmerman. Some of these include the following: • The City’s ongoing efforts to improve mobility and connectedness throughout Sugar Land • The focus on keeping Sugar Land safer than ever before as evidenced through the City’s historically low crime rate and sustained investments in facilities and infrastructure, including drainage • The City’s efforts to listen to the community

by leveraging technology to enhance citizen engagement • E c o nomic and tourism initiatives that help provide the high level of services that Sugar Land citizens expect while maintaining one of the state’s lowest tax rates

Caryn Marooney put out word on Wednesday that she is quitting her job as leader of Facebook's communications group after eight years at the social network and is working with chief executive Mark Zuckerberg on finding a replacement. Marooney wrote on her Facebook page that "it's time to get back to my roots" but also noted that "I have more faith in Facebook than ever."

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Fort Bend County Judge KP George lays out plans for 2019 Continued from Page 1

Mayor Joe Zimmerman

• S u g a r Land’s prestigious “AAA” bond rating, a reflection of the City’s strong financial position that allows the City to improve its quality of life, while at the same time minimizing our residents’ tax burden

• The City’s champion workforce that consistently exceeds the high expectations of the Sugar Land community and positions the City to effectively respond to new opportunities. “The Governmental Relations Division provides Chamber members with access to local and state government officials, promoting the understanding of current legislative issues and giving the business community an opportunity for input. This division provide a forum for discussion of relevant legislative matters, updates members on key issues and provides leadership on legislative agendas. During election years, the division conducts community candidates forums for municipal, school, and county elections that provide a fair and unbiased opportunity for attendees to understand the qualifications, positions of the candidates and the key issues of the election.” Presenting Sponsors: Johnson Development Corporation, Dannenbaum Engineering Corporation. Underwriting Sponsors: Geotest

Two top executives leave Facebook PR team AN FRANCISCO, | AFP | 2/6/2019 - Two of Facebook's top executives in its public relations team are leaving the company, stepping away after the most tumultuous period in the history of the social networking giant.

FRIDAY, February 8, 2019

Meanwhile, vice president of global communications and public affairs Debbie Frost confirmed that she told the company a while ago she was resigning, with plans to leave Facebook in March after nearly 11 years on the team. The departures come with Facebook, following a period of extraordinary growth, under fire in many parts of the world over privacy and data security and for failing to curb manipulation of the platform. Marooney wrote however: "There is so much good happening on Facebook and the entire family of apps every day. And for our challenges -- we have plans in place and the right people working on them."

City Manager Allen Bogard

Engineering, Inc., LandPark Commercial, Linebarger Law Firm, MD Anderson Cancer Center, TBG Partners, US Global Fuels, Wharton County Junior College. Sponsorships Still Available. Presenting Sponsor $2,500 (includes table of 10, LOGO on all marketing materials and recognition at event), Underwriter Sponsor – $1,000 (includes table of 8, NAME on all marketing material, and recognition at event), Corporate Table of 8 - $650 and individual reser-

vation for $35. Contact Matthew Ferraro at 281-491-0277 or matthew@fortbendcc.org to make reservations. You can also RSVP online at www. FortBendChamber.com About the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce The Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce is the only 5-star accredited chamber in greater Houston region. As the advocate for business excellence in Fort Bend County, membership provides both immediate and long-term benefits for your business and helps build momentum for our community’s future.

Bitcoin exchange president's death puts millions out of reach

Gerald Cotten signed his last will and testament on November 27, 2018. (Image credit: Bloomberg)

TTAWA, Canada | AFP | Tuesday 2/5/2019 - A Canadian cryptocurrency exchange was granted bankruptcy protection on Monday after its president took passwords for accounts containing Can$180 million ($137 million US) to his grave when he died suddenly. In a statement, QuadrigaCX said it sought protection from creditors after weeks of attempting to "locate and secure our very significant cryptocurrency reserves" following the death of its president Gerald Cotten. Nova Scotia's high court granted the application made by Cotten's widow Jennifer Robertson on behalf of the company, which has also stopped currency trading on its platform. Quadriga CX had announced mid-January that Cotten died of complications from Crohn's

disease on December 9 while volunteering at an orphanage in India. He was 30. In an affidavit, Robertson said the company has been unable to access an encrypted computer that he is believed to have used to store the cryptocurrencies owed to 115,000 users. "I do not know the password or recovery key," Robertson said. "Despite repeated and diligent searches, I have not been able to find them written down anywhere." An expert brought in to try to crack the encryptions "has had some limited success in recovering a few coins and some information on Gerry's cell phones and other computer, but not yet from the main computer he used to conduct business," she added. The company's digital platform allows trading of Bitcoin, Litecoin and Ethereum.

said that” a lot people don’t understand that our office (not the office of State Representatives) is in charge.” County office has now reactivated the texting system to alert residents of weather, fire or any danger so people will be notified. “People need to know when to get out of their homes when there is a flood. Proper communication needs to be delivered at the right time with the right information. Emergency shelters need to be prearranged as well in advance for disaster events,” he stressed. Asked about the budget that involves the changes, Judge George explained that county government works a year ahead, so the budget for 2019 is already been approved. They will be working on the 2020 budget in the month of February, he said. The county has 2700 employees and numerous departments that are run on this budget, which goes through a review and approval process. There are 13 mayors and five commissioners for the cities, some as small as 800 people and some larger with 117,000 people. On education, Judge George said that inspiring and equipping young people was his mission. Unlike his earlier position as FBISD Trustee, his current position as the county judge does not involve him with education, other than in the matters of school property

taxes. “We all have a vested interest in fixing the broken school finance system as it impacts our property taxes,” he said. “Nearly 65% of taxes go towards school district our tax rate is .444%. We have reached out to county ISD to establish a working relationship.” On the subject of mass incarceration, the County Judge explained that safety and security falls under the County Sheriff’s office. “We don’t control the Sheriff as he is an elected member,” Judge George said. “But I believe in human dignity and will defend it.” On his Open Door Policy, his response was that he has an excellent staff which is working hard to stay connected and to respond within 48 hours. Judge George also mentioned about his upcoming Listening Tour in Pct. 4 at the University of Houston-Sugar Land on January 31, 2019. It is the first in the Listening Tour series in partnership with Fort Bend County Pct. 4 Commissioner Ken DeMerchant and Pct. 4 Constable Trever Nehls. In conclusion, Judge George’s said his message to the people was, “Never give up, (and) as long you stay on your mission, that big day will come.” Voice of Asia team lead by Publisher Koshy Thomas presented Judge George with a plaque representing the news coverage of his swearing in ceremony.

Fort Bend County Judge KP George kicks off listening tour on Jan. 31

ort Bend County Judge KP George oversees his first commissioners court meeting on Jan. 8, in Richmond. Fort Bend County Judge KP George has announced that he will host a series of countywide meetings dubbed the “Listening Tour” to engage Fort Bend County residents in constructive dialogue about Fort Bend County services and hear their concerns. The first in the Listening Tour series will be in partnership with Fort Bend County Precinct 4 Commissioner Ken DeMerchant and Precinct 4 Constable Trever Nehls. The event is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. Jan. 31, at the University of Houston-Sugar Land (Brazos Hall Auditorium) at 14000 University Blvd. in Sugar Land.

“This is a great opportunity for Fort Bend County residents to attend, listen and ask questions about what is happening in our county, I understand that not everyone can attend our regular commissioners court meetings where county business is discussed and I want to bring county government closer to the community and gain insight from county residents,” George said. Representatives from Animal Services, Road & Bridge, Human Resources, Parks, Clinical Health, Drainage, Office of Emergency Management, Emergency Medical Services, Health & Human Services, Sheriff’s Office, Environmental Health, Engineering, and other departments are also expected to be in attendance.

VOICE OF ASIA 6

TAXES & PERSONAL FINANCE

Sales tax revenue totaled $2.8 Billion in January

USTIN, February 4, 2019 — Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar today said state sales tax revenue totaled $2.8 billion in January, 6 percent more than in January 2018.

$274.5 Million, down 3.3 percent from January 2018, the first such decline since December 2016. Also, monthly oil production tax revenues were the lowest since December 2017;

“The growth in sales tax collections was primarily due to continued strong spending in oil- and gas-related sectors,” Hegar said. “Remittances from restaurants also grew, while those from retail trade were flat relative to a year ago.”

Natural gas production taxes — $152.9 million, up 24.3 percent from January 2018;

Total sales tax revenue for the three months ending in January 2019 was up 6.1 percent compared to the same period a year ago. The sales tax is the largest source of state funding for the state budget, accounting for 57 percent of all tax collections. In January 2019, Texas collected the following revenue from other major taxes: Oil production taxes —

Motor vehicle sales and rental taxes — $425.7 million, down 0.5 percent from January 2018; and Motor fuel taxes — $305.1 Million, up 0.2 percent from January 2018. For details on all monthly collections, visit the Comptroller's Monthly State Revenue Watch. For an extensive history of tax policy developments and fees since 1972, visit our updated Sources of Revenue publication. - Office of the Texas Comptroller

Why millions of people are getting hit with a surprise tax bill this year by Matthew Yglesias

mericans who are accustomed to receiving an income tax refund tend to file their taxes early — often in late January or early February when all the paperwork becomes available — but this year many early filers are finding to their surprise that they actually owe money to the IRS. A tweet rounding up other tweets from displeased early filers went viral because the user, @smarxist, deliberately singled out people who are mad at President Donald Trump for raising their taxes. The truth is somewhat more complicated. The new tax law does result in some people paying higher taxes (especially over the long term), but the specific issue here is tax refunds rather than total taxes paid. Whether you get a refund or owe extra to the IRS at filing time is a function not just of your total taxes owed, but also of how much tax is withheld from your paycheck by your employer on paydays. And the big

story here is that as a result of the new tax law, the Treasury Department tweaked things so that on average taxpayers’ withholdings fell by more than their actual taxes owed. This was all explained in a Government Accountability Office report last summer, but it turns out that many people are not regular readers of GAO reports and did not take the GAO’s official advice to check their withholding status. The result? Surprise tax bills! By switching to a new system in which fewer people get refunds and more people owe extra money, they will be achieving a more balanced result. If this was intended to give Republicans a boost in the midterms it obviously didn’t work, in part because the once-a-year tax filing process is a lot more salient than the biweekly process of automatic withholding. In fact, they are now facing a backlash from an angry public that includes millions of people who were expecting tax refunds that they are now not going to get. - Vox

FRIDAY, February 8, 2019

I'm a Millennial Millionaire. This Is Why Budgets Don't Work manage easily if you are mindful about your spending, but because they constitute only a small portion of your total expenditures, they’re unlikely to make a huge difference on your overall savings. Your small entertainment expenses are also probably the things that make you happiest.

by Grant Sabatier

hate budgets. Like, seriously. I think budgets are the biggest reason most people do a crappy job managing their money–they hate budgeting, too. Most personal finance books and financial literacy courses are built around budgeting, but maintaining a budget is too much of a burden and puts too granular a focus on small purchases that, in the grand scheme of things, don’t have that great an impact on how much money you have. Another reason I don’t like budgets is because they reinforce the idea of scarcity. They are designed to make you track every penny you spend to the point that you end up feeling guilty if you overspend or spend money on something you don’t absolutely need. Budgeting is a lot like dieting: the more guilt you feel, the less likely you are to stick with it. You think, We’ll, I’ve blown it or This isn’t working, and give up. Or eventually you start to feel deprived, like you have to cut back on every little indulgence in order to stick to your bloated budget, and you become frustrated or bitter. Instead of becoming a tool for empowerment by encouraging you to be smart about your money, the budget becomes a source of anxiety and stress. Ugh. Budgets are the worst. While budgets definitely work for some people and small purchases definitely add up, you’re not going to save the most money by cutting back on your small expenses. You save the most money by controlling your biggest expenses–namely housing, transportation, and food–and you can do that without the aid of a formal budget. In fact, just by optimizing your housing, transportation, and food expenses, you can realistically increase your savings rate by 25 percent or more, significantly reducing the number of years it takes to reach financial independence. Take Travis, my parents’ old friend who bragged about saving 5 percent a year for retirement. Travis will drive forty minutes each way in traffic to save $20 on a case of wine and prides himself on being able to track down deals like this. And yet both he and his wife recently bought new cars for at least $40,000 each. According to various car-buying websites, if they had chosen a two-yearold version of the same cars

They focus on spending that doesn't really move the needle. with less than 30,000 miles on them, they could have saved at least $10,000 on each car. If they bought five-year-old models with less than 60,000 miles on them, they could have saved more than $20,000 on each car, or $40,000 total. That’s like getting one car for free! You have to buy a lot of slightly less expensive cases of wine to save $20,000 to $40,000. If Travis and his wife had invested that $40,000, it would be worth $161,549 in twenty years. If he’d forgone that $150,000 addition on his house and invested that money instead, he’d have $605,810 after twenty years. That’s a lot of money. Again, I don’t want to pick on Travis. The new addition to his home looks great, and I have no way of knowing how much joy he and his wife get from it. I just want to make the point that we often spend so much time and energy worrying about how to save a few bucks here and there when we could save so much more with relatively little effort by considering a few key purchases. If you figure out how to save the most money possible on your biggest expenses, you won’t have to worry so much about the smaller expenses because you’ll have saved so much already. And if you invest

this money and let it grow over time, you’ll end up with even more than what you had to begin with. This is the only budget you ever need, and it will help you dramatically cut expenses while increasing your savings rate so you can reach financial independence earlier. The average American family spent $57,311 in 2016. This includes $7,203 on food, $9,049 on transportation, and $18,886 on housing. Those three categories alone add up to $35,138, or about 61.3 percent of the total expenditure. That’s a huge ratio, but when you subtract Social Security contributions ($6,509 on average in 2016), which Americans are legally required to make, from total average expenditure, the figure comes closer to 70 percent of their total spendable income. Looking at these numbers, you can see how reducing your top three expenses of housing, transportation, and food will allow you to save a lot more money. It’s unrealistic to think you can save much on personal insurance and pensions (which include Social Security) and healthcare, since those are relatively fixed costs. The rest are the smaller expenses like entertainment, apparel, and other expenditures that you can

And when you consider the future value of any money you save on your biggest expenses, the growth opportunity for savings becomes even greater. Reducing your monthly rent by $400 might not seem like much, but $400 over a year is $4,800. If you live in that apartment for three years, you will have saved $14,400. If you invest that $400 monthly savings over the course of those three years, it would be worth $16,558 at the end of that period. After twenty years of compounding at 7 percent, it will be worth $66,873 even if you don’t add a penny to it. If the average American household could cut the $35,138 they spend per year on housing, transportation and food in half, they could have an additional $17,500 per year. If they invested that $17,500 every year for the next twenty years ( approximately $1,458 per month), they would have $835,143 after twenty years. That’s massive savings. Where can you save in each of these categories? If you move to a smaller apartment, walk to work, and cook at home, you could potentially increase your savings rate to 50 percent or even higher, cutting decades off the amount of time it will take you to reach financial independence. Reprinted from Financial Freedom by arrangement with Avery, a member of Penguin Group (USA) LLC, A Penguin Random House Company. Copyright © 2019, Grant Sabatier

COMMUNITY

VOICE OF ASIA 7

FRIDAY, February 8, 2019

IDA's Pearland ISD Education Free digestive health issue seminar at Houston Methodist SL and Mentoring Program “Connecting the DOTS: Doing Our BEST To Succeed.”

OUSTON, January 25, 2019 - Indian Doctors Association (IDA) is a non-profit, physician driven organization that provides patient care and mentorships in academic excellence while also promoting health education to the greater Houston community. The Indian Doctors Association is developing mentoring programs for students in the Houston Independent School District. IDA’s mentoring programs will focus awareness of the doctors’ experiences which will help the students note successes, challenges, and, more importantly, self-efficacy. On Jan 25, 2019, IDA volunteered as mentors and role-models at Pearland ISD Elementary School. 148 gift bags with first aid safety kits were provided to all students. While onsite, IDA reinforced and integrated its presentation with the Pearland Elementary Schools local program “Connecting the DOTS: Doing Our BEST To Succeed.”

UGAR LAND - February 1, 2019 - Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) – a recurring form of acid reflux – affects as much as 30 percent of the U.S. population, including infants and children. It’s a chronic condition that can create lasting, and sometimes serious problems. But it’s just one of many common digestive issues – such as irritable bowel syndrome and some forms of cancer – that can impact an individual’s lifestyle or overall health.

Dr. Jignesh Shah, Vice President, Indian Doctors Association making a presentation at the Pearland Elementary School. (Pics by IDA).

GERD is caused by weakness in the lower esophageal sphincter, which acts as a gate between your esophagus to your stomach – allowing food to pass downward but blocking stomach contents from coming back up. When that sphincter weakens, it allows stomach acids to flow into the esophagus, causing heartburn.

148 children got gift bags with first aid safety kits

Harris County Public Health confirms three measles cases in Harris County Health authorities recommend individuals protect themselves through vaccination

OUSTON - Harris County Public Health (HCPH) confirms three measles cases in Harris County. The patients, whose identities will remain confidential, are two boys (under the age of 2) and a 25 – 35 year-old woman. All three patients reside in northwest Harris County. “Measles is a highly contagious respiratory disease caused by a virus, which spreads to others through coughing and sneezing,” said Umair A. Shah, MD, MPH, Executive Director for HCPH. “However, it is easily preventable. Parents and caregivers have the power to protect their children and themselves from this disease by getting vaccinated.” The last confirmed report of a measles case in Harris County was by the City of Houston in 2018. This year,

there are currently six confirmed reports of measles cases in the state of Texas. Measles can be dangerous, especially for babies and young children. Measles is an airborne virus that lives in the nose and throat mucus of an infected person. It can spread to others through coughing and sneezing. Symptoms of measles are a high fever, runny nose, cough, red-watery eyes and sore throat that is followed by a rash breakout 3-5 days after symptoms begin. Measles is highly contagious, and if one person has it, 9 out of 10 people around that person will also become infected if they’re not yet vaccinated. About 1 out of 4 people who get measles will be hospitalized. Measles is prevented through the combination MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that children get two doses in order to be fully protected: • The first dose at 12 through 15 months of age • The second dose at 4 through 6 years of age • The best way to protect yourself and your family against measles and other vaccine-preventable diseases is by immunization. HCPH encourages individuals to contact their health care provider if they show signs and symptoms of measles. For a list of recommended vaccines, please visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or speak to your health care provider. Harris County Public Health 2223 West Loop South, Houston, TX 77027. Please call our media hotline at (713) 439-6911.

St. Joseph Medical Center hosts 7th Annual Heart Health Luncheon Feb. 8; Dr. Jon-Cecil Walkes discusses Vascular Health and Varicose Veins

OUSTON – The Women of Wellness (WOW) Program of St. Joseph Medical Center will celebrate the American Heart Association’s Heart Health Month with a health fair, partner expo and luncheon on Friday, Feb. 8. Titled “Vascular Health and Varicose Veins,” the luncheon presentation features keynote speaker Jon-Cecil Walkes, M.D., a cardiothoracic surgeon and medical director of cardiovascular surgery at St. Joseph Medical Center. He will provide an overview of how to maintain a healthy vascular system and its association with varicose veins. “Our vascular or circulatory system is composed of arteries and veins that carry blood to and from the heart,” said Dr. Walkes. “It is vital for women to be aware of their own vascular health risk factors, signs and symptoms to be proactive in the prevention and treatment of vascular disease.”

“Most people will get heartburn from time to time, but if you experience a problem two or more times a week for several weeks, you may have GERD,” explained Charles G. Phan, M.D., board-certified gastroenterologist with Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital. “The good news is that many cases of GERD can be properly managed with medication and lifestyle changes.” WHAT CAUSES GERD?

During this mentoring/presentation, IDA concentrated on perseverance along with the need for a growth mindset--all which is essential to the future success of our children. To learn more about IDA, please visit: www.idahouston.org

Hospital - Thursday, March 21

Tickets for the luncheon cost $10 and proceeds benefit the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women® campaign. Attendees are encouraged to wear red in support of the campaign. The event takes place in the George W. Strake Building, 9th floor auditorium, at 1919 LaBranch Street. Complimentary valet parking is available at 1402 St. Joseph Parkway or attendees can self-park in the garage located at 1310 St. Joseph Parkway. The health fair and partner expo begins at 11 a.m. with the lunch and program at noon. Register at heartluncheon2019.eventbrite.com or call 713-757-7575. WOW is a health and social program to empower women as healthcare consumers by providing educational information and hosting fun, inspiring events that celebrate women’s role in their own wellness.

St. Joseph Medical Center (SJMC), in partnership with physician owners and part of Steward Health Care Network, is a full service, general acute care hospital with its main campus in downtown Houston and a second hospital in the Houston Heights. Celebrated as Houston’s first hospital and the only one downtown, SJMC has been providing a wide range of services to greater Houston area residents for more than 130 years. Services include a 24-hour Level III Emergency Center, behavioral medicine, cardiovascular surgery, cancer care, bariatric and general surgery, orthopedics, sports medicine, women’s health services and more. St. Joseph Medical Center in the Heights offers a 24-hour physician-staffed emergency center, outpatient cardiac clinic, diagnostic imaging, inpatient care and a wide range of surgical services. For information about SJMC’s programs and services, visit sjmctx.org

That weakening can be caused by a variety of factors including, overeating, being overweight, pregnancy, smoking or regular exposure to cigarette smoke and existence of a hiatal hernia. Certain foods that contribute to GERD include, fried or fatty foods, citrus or acidic foods such as oranges or tomato sauce, chocolate, carbonated beverage, alcoholic beverages and coffee. The first step in treating

Dr. Kirtan Nautiyal GERD is seeing a gastroenterologist to identify the specific causes and develop a treatment plan. “Because GERD can lead to more serious issues, including esophageal cancer, it’s important to have an accurate diagnosis and get treatment as soon as possible,” said Phan. “Most people can improve their symptoms by becoming more active and losing weight, eating smaller meals and avoiding trigger foods. In some cases, minimally-invasive surgery is necessary to tighten the sphincter muscle and prevent reflux.” LIVING WITH IBS Another common digestive problem is irritable bowel syndrome, or IBS – a chronic condition that affects the large intestine causing diarrhea, abdominal pain, cramps, bloating and gas. IBS can have significant negative impacts on sufferers, including anxiety or depression due to frequent, unexpected symptoms. “Patients with IBS never know when their symptoms will flare up, and that can make every-day activities difficult,” said Phan. “While

there is no cure, we can often help patients through a combination of medication, diet modifications and sometimes even counseling. The key to success is to have a strong relationship with your gastroenterologist because every person’s condition is unique, so finding solutions that work often requires a trialand-error approach.” FIGHTING GASTROINTESTINAL CANCER Together, cancers of the gastrointestinal tract – including the esophagus, stomach, pancreas, liver, gallbladder and colon – are responsible for more cases and more deaths than any other forms of cancer. The diagnosis and treatment of these cancers take many forms, depending on the location, type and whether the cancer has spread. “We have more options than ever before for early diagnosis and treatment of gastrointestinal cancers,” said Kirtan Nautiyal, M.D., fellowship trained hematologist and oncologist at Houston Methodist Oncology Partners at Sugar Land. “Colon cancer, for examContinued on Page 8

COMMUNITY

VOICE OF ASIA 8

Shraddhanjali, Memorial Service for Mahatma Gandhi

FRIDAY, February 8, 2019

Free digestive health issue seminar at Houston Methodist SL... – Thursday, March 21

Continued from Page 7

Tribute paid on January 30

ple, can be easily identified via regular colonoscopy screening, and if a tumor is caught early enough, it is definitely treatable.” Nautiyal suggests that patients over the age of 50 with no family history of colon cancer start a colonoscopy regimen. Those with a family history, or patients with ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease, should start earlier. “If you are at higher risk, talk with a gastroenterologist about when you should have your first colonoscopy,” said Nautiyal. DIGESTIVE HEALTH SEMINAR

Join gastroenterologist Charles Phan, M.D., and hematologist/oncologist Kirtan Nautiyal, M.D., for a free and informative seminar on digestive health. The two physicians will cover a range of digestive issues, including GERD, IBS and various types of cancers, and discuss symptoms, diagnostic tools and the latest and most sophisticated treatment options. The seminar is scheduled for Thursday, March 21 at 6 p.m. in the Brazos Pavilion Conference Center at Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital. Registration is required. To register visit events.houstonmethodist.org/digestive-sl or call 281.274.7500. To learn more about Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hos-

Dr. Charles Phan pital, visit houstonmethodist. org/sugarland or our Facebook page at fb.com/methodistsugarland for the latest news, events and information.

Mahatma Gandhi Library and Unity of Houston along with Arya Samaj Greater Houston, Jung Center’s Mind Body Spirit Institute, The Ismaili Jamatkhana and Center, Baha’I Faith of Houston, Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston and many other organizations commemorated Mahatma Gandhi’s 70th death anniversary at Unity of Houston on Saturday, February 2, 2019 from 3 PM to 5 PM at Unity of Houston located at 2929 Unity Drive, Houston, TX 77056.

“A good heart is the best religion.”

his teaching of Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama would have been endorsed by Mahatma Gandhi as well, said Dr. Alejandro Chaoul of the Jung Center’s Mind Body Spirit Institute in Houston. Dr. Chaoul was the keynote speaker at Shraddanjali, a memorial tribute to Mahatma Gandhi on the occasion of the 70th death anniversary of the Apostle of Peace. Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated on January 30, 1948. Mahatma Gandhi Library, Unity of Houston, Arya Samaj Greater Houston, Interfaith Ministries for Greater Houston, the Ismaili Jamatkhana Center,

vocation rendered by Marcel Wormsley of the Baha’i Faith. Rev Mindy Lawrence, Atul Kothari, Dr. Alejandro Chaoul, Devinder mahajan and Rev. Greg Han lit the lamp and garlanded Gandhi’s portrait. The program began with lovely Anusha Sathya, as emcee for the event. Children of the DAV Montessori School and Sanskriti School, led by Smriti Srivastava, presented a bhajan “Insaaf ki Dagar pe...” reflecting the path of a truth seeker. This was followed by Smriti Srivastava and the Swar Sangam group’s presentation of “Vaishnava Jana to,” a favorite bhajan of Gandhi, a Bengali song “Ekla Chalo Re.” and

today.” Dr. Manish Wani offered a status of the proposed Eternal Gandhi Museum. Land has been acquired at the intersection of Beltway 8 and West Belfort and about $2.5 million of the targeted $8.5 million required for the project has been raised so far. The goal is to open the museum by 2020. Please visit www.eternalgandhi.us to learn more. Fort Bend County Judge KP George, who was the guest of honor, while paying homage to Gandhi who propagated non-violence, said he would provide all possible help toward the Eternal Gandhi Museum and would also advocate for including teaching of Gandhi in the school curriculum.

Artist's rendition of the Eternal Gandhi Museum in Houston Mind Body Spirit Institute, Bahai’s of Houston and other organizations joined the service and paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi on Saturday, February 2 at the Main Sanctuary of Unity of Houston. Dr. Chaoul had an avid interest in interfaith and visited the land of Gandhi, a symbol of inner and outer peace in 1989. Gandhi symbolized world peace, he said. After visiting the Gandhi Memorial in New Delhi and traveling in northern India, Dr. Chaoul happened to be in the presence of the Dalai Lama when he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. His encounter with the spiritual leader rendered him literally speechless. “I met someone who touched my heart. I was crying,” Dr. Chaoul recalled and reminisced on the words of the Dalai Lama, “A good heart is the best religion.” The business address of mind is called “monkey mind,” and the home address of the mind is the heart, or heart chakra, Dr. Chaoul said and added that “we need to cultivate inner peace and find peace within.” Dr. Chaoul was glad that Houston will be home to the Eternal Gandhi Museum, which the Dalai Lama has strongly supported in a letter and by the Mayor of Houston. Earlier, the program began with a welcome by Rev. Mindy Lawrence of Unity of Houston, followed by an in-

“Raghupati Raghav Rajaram.” Other musical tributes included “Allah & Lab Pe Aati Hai”, a medley by Kamal Haji’s Zikr Band of Ismaili Jamatkhana and it served as a bridge between tradition, culture, and faith. Similarly, Anisa and Alma Roshan-Zamir presented devotional music from the Baha”i faith. Dolly Goyal and her students presented a Bollywood medley and danced to Vaishnava Jana to. Unity’s choir led by Stephanie Bland also paid a musical tribute. Dr. Barkat Charania outlined the continuing programs marking the Gandhi sesquicentennial celebration. The year-long celebration was kicked off at Asia Society on Sept. 30, 2018. Naresh Sathya, a winner in the Mahatma Gandhi speech contest, gave a rousing speech on the topic “If I met Gandhi

The Founder of Mahatma Gandhi Library, Atul Kothari provided a perspective on Gandhian philosophy of practicing Truth non-violently and Truth is God. “We have varying and different definitions of truth but one’s heart tells what is wrong and right. This is that person’s truth. We have to respect others and respect other belief systems. That brings in tolerance,” Kothari said. Kothari also alluded to the concept of suffering even when one has done no wrong. Every mother suffers for her child unconditionally. Gandhi and Martin Luther King followed that principle, Hindu scriptures have similar examples in Prahalad, Mirabai, Dhruv and Harishchandra and Jesus Christ in Christianity. Hate the sin, not the sinner, Kothari pointed out. Please visit www.eternalgandhi.us to learn more.

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Philanthropy in the Indian American Community

FRIDAY, February 8, 2019

India Culture Center Houston celebrates India's 70th Republic Day

TAFFORD - “Success is sweet. But it’s sweeter when its achieved thorough co-ordination, cooperation & collaboration. Thank you to all of you for delivering such great teamwork. You guys have once again proved that a Organizations success is a joint effort by a good team and not just a good leader. Thanks, each and every one of you for your hard work,” says Nisha Mirani , President, India Culture Center (ICC), Houston, the host organization that celebrated india’s 70th republic Day on Sunday, January 27, 2019 at the Stafford Center in Stafford. Jasmeeta Singh, former Director of ICC held the MOM & Me Talent show that was a great hit. Singh, an expert on stage shows dis a excellent job, much to the satisfaction of the organization. “Your ideas, input, and enthusiasm were most helpful and have assisted us in making valuable impressions to our program,” Mirani said about her. Mirani also thanked Sanjosh and Ajit Patel for thier commitment and energy that contributed to the overwhelming success of the segment ICC Idol 2019. Nisha Mirani was especially thankful to Isha Dhairyawan, a young and talented teen, who coordinating the cultural segment with her. As usual, former ICC president Charlie gave his best in bring in the vendors. He was joined by Directors Pramod and Ajit Patel in the efforts in having 100% occupa-

Kewal Kanda, Ambassador Panda and author Inder Singh.

mbassador Sanjay Panda, Consul General of India, San Francisco, during his recent visit to Los Angeles, launched Inder Singh's latest booklet Philanthropy in Indian American Community. The booklet, Philanthropy in Indian American Community gives a brief account of Indian American philanthropists who have donated substantial amounts - about one million dollars or more - for causes dear to their hearts in India or America. The booklet also talks about those who volunteered their time, service, and knowledge in the spirit of advancing the causes they loved. They believed that volunteering too is about giving and helping other individuals or institutions to make a meaningful contribution to a better society. The booklet includes philanthropic contributions only of Indian Americans even though there are some Indians based in India or elsewhere who have donated substantial amount to universities in America. Donation by the Government of India to Harvard University to establish fellowships in honor of Prof. Amartya Sen, or Vivekananda Visiting Professorship at the University of Chicago

or similar gifts to other universities or outfits, if any, have also not been included. The author has researched information in the booklet from various sources, including internet and newspapers. If, however, the information has been revised subsequently, please do let us know, and it will be updated in future publications. The author regularly writes and speaks on Indian Diaspora. He co-authored The Gadar Heroics - life sketches of over 50 Gadar heroes, published Cover: Philanthropy in the Indian in 2013, the centenary of American Community the Gadar Movement that president from 2004-2009. He was started in the USA to free India from the British slav- was president of the National ery. The author also chaired Federation of Indian American two prestigious international Associations (NFIA) in 1989 A4-size hard cover book proj- when the First Global Convenects each running over 200 tion of People of Indian Origin pages-Global Indian Diaspora: was organized by NFIA. He GOPIO Making an Impact was president of NFIA from (2012) and Indians in Greater 1988-92 and its chairman from 1992-96. He was founding Los Angeles Area (2017). president of Federation of InThe author is at present the dian Associations in Southern Executive Trustee of Global California that started in 1981. Organization of People of InA complimentary copy of the dian Origin (GOPIO) Foundation. He was chairman of booklet is available for downGOPIO from 2009-2016, and load at www.Indianamericanheritagefndn.com/Publication.

Deputy Consul General Surender Adhana delivering his message on the occasion. tion of booths. The ICC booth was well handled by Hemant Patel, Dr. Saritaji, and Swapan Dhairyawan who also greeted and guided all the attendees with big smile. They made an extra effort to make members or get the updated information from past members. Col. (Retd) Raj Bhalla, former president ICC, was highly appreciated for his help in the organizing the Community Award Segment. Former presidents Rajiv Bhavsar and Dr. Falguni Gandhi were thanked for their help in handling the VIPs and the dignitaries. Light and Sound was provided by Darshak, Mona Thakkar of Krishna Sound while Raghu Thakkar of Image n Motions and Asit Patel provided photography and videography. Masala Radio, Radio Dabang and Shobha Joshi served as Media Partners. Mirani extended her thank to print media: Indo American News, Voice of Asia and India Herald for their support. ICC gave the Community Award to Bone Marrow Donor Zain Kassam ( Donor) and Gyatri Kapoor for volunteering for Be A Match Program.

Participants of the show with organizers.

Eight Indians arrested in ‘pay and stay’ scheme plead not guilty in US court As part of the scheme, the defendants and recruiters assisted foreign citizen students in fraudulently obtaining immigration documents from the school and facilitated the creation of false student records for the purpose of deceiving immigration authorities.

ASHINGTON | PTI | February 5, 2019- The eight Indians, who were recently arrested for recruiting several hundred students mostly from India to stay illegally in the US by enrolling in a fake university, have pleaded “not guilty” before a federal court in Michigan. One of them Phanideep Karnati, 35, who is on a H-1B visa and lives in Louisville, Kentucky was released on a bond of USD 10,000 on Monday. The seven others – Barath Kakireddy, Suresh Kandala, Prem Rampeesa, Santosh Sama, Avinash Thakkallapally, Aswanth Nune, and Naveen Prathipati – consented to their continued detention before a judge in the Eastern District of Michigan, where they were produced along with Karnati days after their arrest. They were arrested last Monday from Detroit, Florida and Virginia in a nationwide Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operation. The ICE also detained some 130 students, out of which 129 were Indians. All of them pleaded “not guilty”, John W Brusstar, attorney for Karanati told PTI over phone from Michigan. He accused the federal government of entrapping people by carrying out such a sting operation. “It was all choreographed,” Brusstar told PTI in response to a question. Except for Karnati, none of the seven Indians, arrested on

criminal charges for recruiting foreign students to enroll in a fake university to illegally stay in the US, had hired an attorney on Monday. All of them are in late 20s or 30s. Brusstar said Karnati was released on a bail because of his good track record. nationals in illegally remaining and working in the US by actively recruiting them to enroll into a metro Detroit private university Framington University. An information technology engineer on H-1B visa, Karnati came to the US some 10 years ago. If convicted he and seven others face imprisonment of up to five years. According to the 16-page indictment, from February 2017 to January 2019, these eight Indians conspired to fraudulently facilitate hundreds of foreign nationals in illegally remaining and working in the US by actively recruiting them to enroll into a metro Detroit private university Framington University. Unbeknownst to the conspirators, Framington University was operated by special agents of the Homeland Security Investigations (HIS) as part of an undercover operation, ICE said in a statement. As part of the scheme, the defendants and recruiters assisted foreign citizen students in fraudulently obtaining immigration documents from the school and facilitated the creation of false student records,

including transcripts, for the purpose of deceiving immigration authorities. The illegal documents obtained as a result of the conspirators’ actions were based on false claims, false statements and fraud since the purported foreign students had no intention of attending school, nor attended a single class, and were not bona fide students. The ICE said that all participants in the scheme knew that the school had no instructors or actual classes. The defendants intended to help shield and hide their customers/”students” from United States immigration authorities for money and collectively profited in excess of a quarter of a million dollars as a result of their scheme. According to the indictment, the university was being used by foreign citizens as a “pay to stay” scheme which allowed these individuals to stay in the US as a result of foreign citizens falsely asserting that they were enrolled as full-time students in an approved educational program and that they were making normal progress toward completion of the course of study. “Each of the foreign citizen who enrolled and made tuition payments to the university knew that they would not attend accrual classes, earn credits or make progress towards an actual degree in a particular field of study – a pay to stay scheme,” it said.

ICC Board of Directors

Honey-trapped on WhatsApp, Telugu NRI businessman killed for unpaid loans

YDERABAD, India | HT | February 5, 2019- A real estate broker from Hyderabad planned an elaborate honey trap and then killed Chigurupati Jayaram, an NRI businessman and CEO of a defunct Telugu news channel in Telangana last week in a fit of rage over unpaid loans, the Andhra Pradesh police said Tuesday. Jayaram was found dead in rear seat of his car at Nandiagama in Krishna district close to Vijayawada in the early hours of January 31, triggering sensation in the Telugu-speaking states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Krishna district superintendent of police Sarva Sreshta Tripathi said the accused Rakesh Reddy who was arrested on Tuesday, had murdered the businessman over a monetary dispute. “Jayaram who lived in Florida used to come to Hyderabad regularly to look after his business. He was a director in a

“Rather their intent was to fraudulently maintain their student visa status and to obtain work authorisation under the CPT program,” the indictment said. It claims that each student knew that the university’s program was not approved by the Department of Home-

private bank and also owned a media house which was closed due to losses. He took heavy loans from Reddy but did not repay them for a long time. As the debts mounted to over Rs 4 crore and Reddy started pressurising him, Jayaram returned to USA and blocked Reddy’s phone number,” the SP said. In a bid to recover money from Jayaram, Reddy created a WhatsApp number in the name of a pretty woman and started chatting with the former, the officer said. When Jayaram came to Hyderabad a few days ago, Reddy laid a trap for him. Impersonating as a woman, Reddy persuaded him to come alone to his house in Hyderabad’s Jubilee hills. When Jayaram arrived, Reddy and his accomplice started demanding that he return the money. “Under pressure from Reddy, Jayaram arranged payment of just Rs 6 lakh. In a fit of rage, Reddy banged the NRI’s head on a sofa killing him instantly. As Jayaram was supposed to

land Security and was illegal and that discretion should be used when discussing the programme with others. This is the second such case when Department of Homeland Security has used a fake university to unearth a fake student visa racket. In 2016, the ICE had arrest-

go to Vijayawada, Reddy tried to dispose the body on the highway near Vijayawada,” Tripathi said. The police managed to track the accused by obtaining footage from the CCTV at different toll gates. Police also matched the beer bottles seen in the hands of the accused in CCTV footage near a wine shop in Nandigama to those empty bottles found near the car where Reddy left Jayaram’s body. The SP said two Telangana police officials had helped Rakesh Reddy in shifting the body of Jayaram from Hyderabad to Vijayawada. Based on the information shared by AP police, the Telangana police initiated action on Station officer of Nallakunta police station Srinivas and Assistant Commissioner of Police of Ibrahimpatnam Malla Reddy who allegedly gave tips the culprit to erase the evidence. The two policemen have been attached to the police headquarters.

ed some 21 people on similar charges for a fake University of Northern New Jersey. The ICE is a law enforcement agency of the federal government of the US tasked to enforce the immigration laws of the United States and to investigate criminal and terrorist activity of foreign nationals residing in America.

SOUTH ASIA

VOICE OF ASIA 10

55 million devotees for busiest days of Hindu megafestival

Numbers were bigger than expected and now over 120 million people have visited the Kumbh since it began in mid-January. (AFP Photo)

LLAHABAD, India | AFP, 2/5/2019 - Some 55 million Hindu devotees plunged into holy waters to cleanse their sins and seek salvation over the busiest days of the world's largest religious gathering, officials said Tuesday.

Numbers were bigger than expected and now over 120 million people have visited the Kumbh since it began in mid-January, more than were expected for the entire festival running until March 4.

The gigantic crowds thronged the confluence of three rivers, one of them mythical, in northern India over Sunday and Monday.

"We are not throwing random figures about the number of visitors to the Kumbh. Our calculations are based on observation from drone cameras and helicopters," Rajeev Rai, a senior official, told AFP.

The Mauni Amavasya -- or new moon day -- on Monday, is the most auspicious day of the 48-day Kumbh Mela festival.

Hindus believe bathing at the meeting point of the Ganges, the Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati at the festival -- home to a vast tent city big-

ger than Manhattan -- brings salvation. According to Hindu mythology, gods and demons fought a war over a sacred pitcher, or Kumbh, containing the nectar of immortality. A few drops fell to earth at four different locations -- one being Allahabad. The historic city was recently renamed Prayagraj by the local state's Hindu nationalist government but is still widely known as Allahabad, the name it was given by Muslim rulers hundreds of years ago. The festival has one more major bathing day on February 10.

Pakistan police culture of impunity faces trial by social media by Gohar Abbas

SLAMABAD, Pakistan | AFP | Monday 2/4/2019 Five policemen raise their guns and fire dozens of times into a parked car at point-blank range in Pakistan. Then they reach inside, around the bodies of the dead, to pull out three crying children. The footage filmed by shocked witnesses to the killing went viral, sending Prime Minister Imran Khan scrambling to quell anger over a police culture of impunity that is now being threatened by social media. Thousands have been gunned down in recent years across Pakistan in so-called "encounter killings" -- incidents where suspects allegedly resist arrest, are slain, then later identified as terrorists to boost statistics. This latest "encounter" saw a family gunned down in broad daylight in the eastern city of Sahiwal last month, leaving four people dead including two parents and their teenage daughter. Three children survived the incident, including nine-yearold Umair Khalil who later told journalists that police shot at the family as their father offered the cops a bribe, pleading to let them go. "My father told them to take our money and not to shoot their guns. But they started firing," Umair said in the video broadcast widely across Pakistan news outlets and social media. Police initially defended their

response saying terrorists with links to the Islamic State group were in the car using the family as a human shield.

- Killing with impunity -

But this "encounter" was fundamentally different to others -- it was filmed on phones and the videos posted online.

The Sahiwal incident comes almost exactly a year after a similar killing of a young social media star in Karachi ignited an ethnic rights movement by the country's beleaguered Pashtun community.

Authorities have since backtracked as furore grew with the prime minister vowing to mete out "exemplary punishment" to the guilty. Five officers were hit with murder charges and protests erupted in nearby Lahore.

The movement it spawned -- the Pashtun Protection Movement, or PTM -- has been largely sustained by social media and videos captured on mobiles, piling even more pressure on authorities.

"People... know that a video they make from their cell phone can have far more impact than the camera of a news channel," said Pakistani digital rights activist Haroon Baloch.

But the killings continue, with analysts saying reforms are needed to challenge impunity in the police ranks.

"Had the nearby people not filmed the Sahiwal incident, nobody would have noticed the extrajudicial killing," he added. The incident is the latest instance of how phones are radically changing Pakistanis' relationship with power. During elections over the summer, a host of videos went viral, showing angry voters hounding elected representatives over their failure to serve their constituents. And it's not just in Pakistan. In the US, the Black Lives Matter movement coalesced as outrage exploded following a series of viral videos allegedly showing police killing black Americans, bringing greater scruity to racial profiling and pushing some police departments to outfit patrol officers with body cams.

"It's a culture of the police in Pakistan to kill people and make it look it like an encounter," Mehdi Hasan -- chairperson of the independent Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) -- told AFP. Data compiled by HRCP showed that 4,803 people were killed in these "encounters" in Pakistan within the past three years alone. "The police need to be properly trained if such incidents are to be avoided in the future," Hasan added. Security analyst Amir Rana however argued that increased police accountability and judicial reform were key to cementing lasting change. "This culture has existed in the police force for decades," Rana explained, saying Pakistan's mammoth backlog of legal cases overloading its judiciary was part of the problem.

Jolie demands Myanmar 'commitment' to end anti-Rohingya violence

Angelina Jolie is on the second day of emotional meetings with Rohingya Muslims in Bangladesh's Cox's Bazar. (AFP photo)

U T U PA L O N G , Bangladesh | AFP | 2/5/2019 - Angelina Jolie said Tuesday that Myanmar must "show genuine commitment" to end violence that has driven hundreds of thousands of Rohingya Muslims into neighbouring Bangladesh. The superstar envoy for the UN refugee agency made the comments on the second day of emotional meetings with Rohingya, including rape survivors, in Bangladesh's Cox's Bazar district where some 740,000 Rohingya have taken refuge since August 2017. There were already about 300,000 in camps before the exodus, which has strained Bangladesh's resources to the limit. The visit came ahead of a new UN appeal to raise nearly one billion dollars for the one million Rohingya now in the camps around the town of Cox's Bazar. "It was deeply upsetting to meet the families who have only known persecution and statelessness their whole lives, who speak of being 'treated like cattle'," Jolie told reporters. "The Rohingya families I have met are no different from other refugees in one crucial respect: they want to be able to return home," she said. The latest wave of refugees arrived after a military clampdown in Myanmar's Rakhine state.

ing at the effigy, which had a balloon inside that burst with red liquid resembling blood. It was then set on fire. The event took place in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh and was organised by rightwing group Hindu Mahasabha, the same organisation to which Gandhi's killer was linked. Pandey -- a senior figure in the group and a former lecturer -- was arrested on Tuesday on charges of stoking violence and rioting, a local police officer told AFP. She was taken before a court and a judge remanded her in custody, the officer said. Thirteen others from Hindu Mahasabha involved in the recreation of the killing, including her husband, have either been arrested or are on the run.

Angelina Jolie's visit came ahead of a new UN appeal to raise nearly one billion dollars for Rohingya in the camps. (AFP photo) Jolie insisted that the refugees should return home "only when they feel safe enough to do so voluntarily and they know that their rights will be respected." "I met a woman yesterday, a survivor of rape in Myanmar, and she told me, 'You would have to shoot me where I stand before I go back without my rights'," the 43-year-old said. "The responsibility to ensure those rights and make it possible for the Rohingya people to return to Rakhine state lies squarely with the government and the authorities in Myanmar," she added. She called for an end to violence in Rakhine, which UN officials have compared to genocide, and demanded action against the perpetrators.

Jolie has previously met with displaced Rohingya while in Myanmar in July 2015 and in India in 2006. She will conclude her visit on Wednesday by meeting Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen, and other senior officials in Dhaka, a UN statement said. The talks will focus on how the UN's refugee agency can help Bangladesh's efforts for the Rohingya and "sustainable solutions" to settle the persecuted minority, the statement added.

EW DELHI, India | AFP | Greenpeace has been forced to close two of its regional offices and "considerably" reduce its staff in India because of a government crackdown on allegedly unlawful foreign funding of NGOs. The organisation has been campaigning on environmental issues in India for nearly two decades but has clashed in recent years with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government, which has accused the watchdog of violating the country's foreign funding laws. Greenpeace India announced

The main Greenpeace office in the southern city of Bangalore was raided by officials last year. (AFP Photo) Saturday that the crackdown had forced the organisation to "shrink in size considerably" and close its offices in the capital New Delhi and the eastern city of Patna. Nearly 40 employees -- onethird of its staff -- across India have been asked to leave, a former staff member told AFP on condition of anonymity. Greenpeace India had its foreign funding blocked in 2015 as part of a nationwide crackdown on charities.

Pooja Pandey shooting at an effigy of Indian freedom fighter Gandhi. (AFP screen grab) The organisation observes the anniversary of Gandhi's assassination as "Bravery Day" and organises public events to glorify Godse, who was hanged with a co-conspirator in 1949. Gandhi's death led to nationwide outrage against the far-

"I urge the Myanmar authorities to show the genuine commitment needed to end the cycle of violence and displacement and improve the conditions for all communities in Rakhine state," she said.

Greenpeace cuts staff, shuts offices after India funding crackdown

Indian woman arrested for shooting Gandhi effigy EW DELHI| AFP | A right-wing Indian woman who shot an effigy of independence hero Mahatma Gandhi with an air pistol to mark his assassination some seven decades ago has been arrested, police said Wednesday. Pooja Shakun Pandey was filmed shooting the effigy at an event by a far-right Hindu group on Friday -- the 71st anniversary of Gandhi's death. The video sparked anger after going viral online. Gandhi was assassinated on January 30, 1948 by Nathuram Godse, a Hindu fanatic angered by what he saw as Gandhi's pandering to Muslims and by the partition of India after independence. Some present chanted Godse's name and people took turns fir-

FRIDAY, February 8, 2019

right group, pushing it to the fringes of Indian politics for many decades. But the election of Hindu nationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014 has emboldened the organisation to celebrate Godse's ideology.

Since coming to power in 2014, the Modi government has cancelled the licenses of nearly 15,000 charities to receive money from abroad. The main Greenpeace office in the southern city of Bangalore was raided by officials last year, and nearly a dozen of its bank accounts were frozen over alleged violation of rules. The NGO has denied the allegations, and said it generates donations from within India. "Greenpeace India is the col-

lective voice of thousands of Indian donors, activists and volunteers," Diya Deb, campaign director at Greenpeace India, said in a statement announcing the cutbacks on Saturday. "The government can only freeze our accounts and shut our offices but Greenpeace is an idea that can never be extinguished." The move was "inevitable", the former employee said on Sunday, because Greenpeace India has been "struggling with finances after the government targeted it over funding". Greenpeace India has been critical of government policies over their environmental impact, including coal mining and nuclear power. It has also campaigned over worsening air pollution across the country, which experts have blamed for nearly a million deaths. Many charities critical of the Indian government have been in the crosshairs in recent years.

ASIA

VOICE OF ASIA 11

'A way of life': Japan's whalers back treaty withdrawal

FRIDAY, February 8, 2019

Philippine minister 'certain' church bombers were Indonesian couple

by Shingo Ito

INAMIBOSO, Japan | AFP | Tuesday, 2/5/2019 - Neatly lining up sliced whale meat to make "jerky" in the wintry sea breeze, Tetsuya Masaki says whaling is just part of daily life in his tiny Japanese community of Minamiboso. Japan sparked outrage in December when it decided to withdraw from the International Whaling Commission, saying it would return to commercial whaling as part of its cultural heritage. Rarely is that heritage more in evidence that in Minamiboso, a town on the Pacific coast some 70 kilometres (40 miles) south of Tokyo that is home to Gaibo Hogei, one of a handful of remaining local whaling companies. Masaki, 32, a processing factory worker for Gaibo Hogei, admits that the local whaling industry has shrunk but says it is still an "indispensable" part of the town -- especially during the summer whaling season. The firm allows local residents and tourists to watch whales being dismembered at its slaughterhouse as part of efforts to keep alive the region's 400-year-old whaling history. Local schoolchildren also come to the seaside facility where they can get a closer look at the rare sight of workers stripping the flesh from the thick skin of whales with special choppers. Gaibo Hogei's president, 57-year-old Yoshinori Shoji, said Japan's decision to withdraw from the IWC was "far too late but the right answer", adding that he backed it "100 percent". Shoji's firm annually harpoons 26 giant beaked whales -- a type not covered by the IWC but subject to domestic Japanese quotas -- and lands them at Wada port, one of the country's five bases for coastal whaling. He said he was gearing up "as a matter of course" to resume commercial whaling of minke whales -- protected under the treaty -- once Tokyo formally leaves the IWC in June. - 'Regional speciality' Tokyo's decision sparked a

A minke whale taken as part of Japan's 'research' whaling program is unloaded in the eastern Hokkaido port of Kushiro last September. (Photo: KYODO) firestorm of criticism from environmentalists and anti-whaling countries such as Australia, New Zealand and Canada.

ence between research whaling and commercial whaling," she laughed. "It's all politics that is beyond people like me."

It was a rare piece of provocative diplomacy by Japan, which has generally pursued an uncontroversial foreign policy since its World War II defeat.

In terms of politics, many members of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's conservative Liberal Democratic Party are supporters of whaling, and he himself comes from a constituency where whale hunting remains popular.

But a poll in January by public broadcaster NHK suggested that a majority (53 percent) of people backed the withdrawal decision, compared with 37 percent opposed. Japan vowed to forge ahead with commercial whaling of minke and other whales off its coast but said it was stopping its most provocative whaling -- annual Antarctic expeditions that used an IWC loophole permitting hunting for scientific research. The country makes little secret of the fact that much of the meat from the "research" ends up on the dinner plate, and local Minamiboso resident Kazuo Tachikawa is proud that whale meat is a "regional speciality". "You can buy whale meat at all supermarkets and seafood shops here," the 70-yearold said at a roadside station, where a huge model of a blue whale skeleton stands alongside harpoon guns. But other locals appeared unmoved by the controversy. "I would be concerned if it were tuna or other fish," said Sadae Nakamura, a 67-year-old housewife. "I even don't know the differ-

- 'Nostalgia' for whale meat Japan has hunted whales for centuries and the meat was a key source of protein in the immediate post-World War II years when the country was desperately poor. But consumption has declined significantly in recent decades, with much of the population saying they rarely or never eat whale meat. "Those who have interest in eating whale meat are extremely limited" in Japan, said Hisayo Takada, programme director at Greenpeace Japan, adding that Tokyo appears to be hitting back emotionally at foreign pressure over the practice. "It's hard to believe the decision will lead to a rapid expansion of Japan's whaling industry," which is much smaller than fishing, added Takada. At a Tokyo restaurant serving up whale sushi and cutlets, 70-year-old pensioner Kunio Adachi admits that he only dines on whale out of "nostalgia". "I support the status quo," he added.

US, S. Korea meet on eve of Trump-Kim II preparatory talks

EOUL, South Korea | AFP | Monday 2/4/2019 - The US special envoy for North Korea met Seoul's top security advisor on Monday, a day before discussions with Pyongyang officials on the much-anticipated second summit between Donald Trump and Kim Jong Un. Stephen Biegun briefed Chung Eui-yong on Washington's stance ahead of a working-level meeting with the North's delegation -- expected to take place in the border truce village of Panmunjom -- to discuss the agenda of the summit. Chung, the South Korean national security advisor, "conveyed our government's assessment of the current situation and what needs to be done in the future", the South's presidential office said in a statement. Security allies Seoul and Washington have at times pursued divergent approaches toward Pyongyang, with South Korea's dovish President Moon Jae-in pursuing engagement while the United States insists pressure must be maintained until it denuclearises. But a senior South Korean presidential official told the Yonhap news agency that "South Korea and the US have been working well together, and we have high expectations for the meeting between Pyongyang and Washington". In an interview with CBS on Sunday, Trump said the date and venue of his upcoming second summit with the North Korean leader had been agreed -and would likely be announced before or during his State of the Union address on Tuesday. Vietnam is seen as the most likely venue for the meeting, which is expected to take place late this month, and follows

The attack on the mainly Muslim island of Jolo on Jan 27, 2019, killed 22 people and wounded more than 100, including civilians and soldiers. (Photo: EPA-EFE)

ANILA - A deadly church bombing that shook the southern Philippines at the weekend was a suicide attack carried out by an Indonesian couple, with the help of an Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS)-linked group, the Philippine interior minister said on Friday (Feb 1). Citing information provided by witnesses and undisclosed sources, Interior Secretary Eduardo Ano said he was certain that an Indonesian man and wife were behind Sunday's attack on the mainly Muslim island of Jolo, which killed 22 people and wounded more than 100, including civilians and soldiers. ISIS claimed responsibility for what it said were suicide bombings. Such attacks are almost unheard of in the Philippines. "They are Indonesians," Mr Ano, a former military chief, told CNN Philippines. "I am certain that they are Indonesians." Mr Ano's remarks are the

their landmark first summit in Singapore last June. Last week, US Director of National Intelligence Dan

Coats told Congress that "North Korea is unlikely to give up all of its nuclear weapons and production capabilities".

"After the accident occurred, Hebei Shenghua Chemical Industry Company did not report (the incident) to relevant government departments in accordance with regulations, concealed the accident, and misled investigators," said the emergency management department of northern Hebei province. In its report, local authorities also pointed to the company's

Mr Ano said the couple had received help from Abu Sayyaf, a militant organisation notorious for kidnappings and

The latest violence follows a peaceful Jan 21 referendum that overwhelmingly approved autonomy for the predominantly Muslim parts of Mindanao, following a peace accord that excluded the Abu Sayyaf. On Wednesday, two people were killed when a grenade was thrown into a mosque in nearby Zamboanga, a mainly Christian province. It is not clear who was behind it. - Reuters

lack of safety measures and "chaotic" management for contributing to the blast.

their mobile phones and sleeping during work hours, said the report.

Those in charge of key departments were "not at the company for long periods of time" and violations of labour regulations by employees were common, including playing on

Police have investigated and taken "criminal compulsory measures" against twelve employees and thirteen local officials have been "punished", the report said, without offering details.

phones as he waved at them and shook their hands. Outside the church, some examined photos of the impersonator, saying it was odd that he did not have any bodyguards and that his personality seemed off.

"Coming in here to make a scene -- our Duterte is not like that," she told AFP.

An impersonator of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte ( center front), who goes by the name Cresencio Extreme, and a North Korean leader Kim Jong Un impersonator (behind), who goes by the name Howard X, pose for photos as they attend a church service in the Central district of Hong Kong. (Photo: Isaac Lawrence, AFP) an incredulous-looking woman, who said the man appeared too young to be the Philippine leader.

Martial law has been in place in Mindanao since domestic and foreign fighters dressed in black outfits overran Marawi City in 2017 and clung on through five months of air strikes and street battles reminiscent of scenes in Syria and Iraq.

An explosion and fire near a chemical factory left 25 people dead and more dozens of others injured. (AFP Photo)

While most did not mind the stunt, one woman who identified herself as Linda found it "impolite".

Accompanied by Howard X -- the Hong Kong-based impersonator of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un -- the Filipino actor arrived at St. Joseph's Church dressed in the Philippine president's signature relaxed white shirt.

"Is that Duterte?" whispered

According to the forensic investigators... these body parts could belong to two persons: one inside the church and one outside," Mr Lorenzana told reporters.

The violence has rekindled fears about the extent of ISIS' influence in South-east Asia, and the lure of Mindanao for extremists from Malaysia, Indonesia and elsewhere.

ONG KONG, China | AFP | Sunday 2/3/2019 - A Rodrigo Duterte impersonator sparked frenzy and confusion during Sunday mass when he walked into a Hong Kong church popular with the city's Filipino community.

They settled down for the hour-long service but many continued to grin and glance at him.

Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Friday said bag checks at the entrance to the church would have made it difficult to plant a bomb there, so a device strapped to the body was more likely.

He said those who plotted the attack would have been under the instruction of an operative he said had been recognised by ISIS.

EIJING, China | AFP | Sunday 2/3/2019 The Chinese chemical firm responsible for an explosion that killed 24 people and injured 21 others in northern China last year hid information and misled investigators, said local authorities in a report published Sunday.

Duterte impersonator sparks frenzy at Hong Kong church

Hundreds of distracted worshippers erupted into cheers and took photos of the impersonator, who goes by the stage name Cresencio Extreme.

Security officials had initially said the two bombs were remote detonated, but by Tuesday, that changed after President Rodrigo Duterte said it may have been a suicide bomber, a view supported by his defence minister.

extremist factions.

Chinese chemical firm 'misled' investigators over deadly blast

A gas leak caused the explosion last November at a PVC production plant in Zhangjiakou, a northern Chinese city in Hebei province that will host part of the 2022 Winter Olympics.

Kim Jong Un and Donald Trump during their previous summit in Singapore last June. (AFP Photo)

latest twist in a probe that has been fraught with inconsistent and sometimes contradictory accounts from the authorities and, according to one investigator interviewed on television, complicated by a contaminated crime scene.

As soon as mass ended, worshippers mobbed Cresencio Extreme, many screaming and taking photos with their mobile

The Philippine president has repeatedly attacked the Church since taking office in 2016, accusing the Catholic clergy of sexual abuse. And the Church has been one of Duterte's most outspoken critics, particularly over alleged human rights abuses during his deadly anti-narcotics campaign. Hong Kong is home to around 200,000 Filipinos, mostly women working as domestic helpers

The report also recommended Shenghua Chemical Company, a subsidiary of ChemChina, pay a 9.49 million yuan ($1.41 million) fine. The Zhangjiakou blast is the latest alleged corporate coverup in China, where industrial accidents are common as safety regulations are often poorly enforced. A few weeks before the explosion, a chemical spill left dozens ill in eastern Fujian province. Later that month, authorities said the company responsible for the incident had "deliberately concealed" the extent of the leak. The Fujian Donggang Petrochemical Company had reported 6.97 tonnes of chemicals had spilled into the sea, when the true amount was 10 times higher. In August 2015, 165 people were killed in a chemical warehouse explosion in the port city of Tianjin. The government found that the disaster was caused by improperly or illegally stored hazardous materials.

US/WORLD

VOICE OF ASIA 12

FRIDAY, February 8, 2019

US Senate passes bill fighting Israel boycott movement

Qatar, Exxon Mobil to build $10 bn LNG plant in Texas

ASHINGTON | AFP | Tuesday 2/5/2019 - The US Senate passed a controversial measure Tuesday designed to shield Israel from boycotts, but its adoption remains uncertain in the Democraticallycontrolled lower House, where liberal lawmakers warn the approach tramples free-speech rights.

USTIN, Texas | AFP | Tuesday 2/5/2019 Qatar Petroleum and Exxon Mobil announced Tuesday a final decision to build a natural gas export facility in Texas, giving the official green light to a long-discussed project.

The Middle East security bill aims to combat the global BDS (boycott, divestment and sanctions) movement that denounces Israel's occupation of Palestinian territories and pressures companies that do business with the Jewish state. Republican Senator Marco Rubio, the measure's sponsor, said he is pushing back against what he described as a "campaign of discriminatory economic warfare against Israel." It would allow a state or local government "to divest from entities that engage in" BDS activities targeting Israel or persons or companies doing business in Israel.

The text also authorizes arms transfers to Israel, expands military cooperation with Jordan and slaps new sanctions on Syria. It was approved by 77 votes to 23, with all but one Republican voting yes. The Democrats were split, 25 for and 22 against, highlighting an internal party divide on the issue. Notably, all of the Senate's likely Democratic presidential contenders except Amy Klobuchar voted against the legislation. The bill now goes to the House of Representatives, where several members of the new Democratic majority have expressed opposition, warning it could suppress constitutionally protected free speech. They include the first two Muslim women to serve in the House, Palestinian-American Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar, a former Somali refugee. Both were elected in November and are part of an ascendant wing of progressives shaking

up the Democratic old guard. Some have used strident language in accusing the pair of supporting a movement critics say is aimed at destroying Israel. There are Democratic stalwarts who are allies of Israel, like Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, who defend Omar and Tlaib against accusations of anti-Semitism but support fighting the anti-Israel boycott. "My sister Rashida and I have been fighting against Anti-semitism, any effort to deny that is a smear," Omar tweeted Tuesday. "We are pro-peace and realize without justice there is no peace!" The American Civil Liberties Union supports the right to boycott, and came out against the measure. "Today, the Senate chose politics over the Constitution and trampled on the First Amendment rights of all Americans," ACLU senior legislative counsel Kathleen Ruane said in a statement.

Texas man dies after e-cigarette explodes in his face William Eric Brown is the second person to die from an exploding e-cigarette in the U.S. prevent explosions. They also strongly discourage users from charging their vapes overnight. E-cigs are not required to be subjected to product safety testing, according to the U.S. Fire Administration. While there are vaping prod-

by Ben Kesslen

William Eric Brown, 24, went to his local vaping store, Smoke & Vape DZ in Fort Worth, Texas, on Jan. 29 and never returned, his grandmother, Alice Brown, told NBC DFW.

The vape pen exploded while Brown, a licensed electrician, was in his car, parked outside the store. Brown never entered the vape store, according to an employee of Smoke & Vape DZ who declined further comment to NBC DFW. The e-cigarette explosion was so strong that it melted the ashtray in Brown’s car, his grandmother said. The Tarrant County Medical examiner’s report said Brown died of a “cerebral infarction and herniation” after the vape pen cut open the left artery in his neck. According to his grandmother, doctors performed an Xray when Brown was brought to hospital and found a metal piece of the vape pen lodged in the back of his neck. “This is so hard for me to go through,” Alice Brown said. “If they had told me he got hit by a car or run over by a bus or something it would have made sense. This doesn't make sense.” Brown is the second person in the U.S. known to have died from an exploding vaporizing pen. A Florida man died last year in a house fire that was started by an exploding vape pen. The FDA recommends making sure your vaping devices have a safety features like firing buttons and vent holes to

The venture is the latest to underscore the shifting complexion of US energy in the wake of a shale boom that has prompted companies to pivot from building facilities to import liquefied natural gas (LNG) to exporting the fuel. Qatar Petroleum, which holds 70 percent of the project, plans $20 billion in US energy sector investments. Qatar announced in December it was leaving the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries to focus on building its international gas business. The Golden Pass project "en-

LNG Liquefaction Plant planned for our state, with over 9,000 jobs to be added. (Photo Source: Center for Liquefied Natural Gas) hances the depth and flexibility of our global LNG supply portfolio, and reinforces the position of the US as a key contributor to meeting the world's growing demand for LNG," said Qatar Petroleum Chief Executive Saad al-Kaabi, who also serves as Energy Minister for the Middle Eastern country. Kaabi participated in a ceremony with US Energy Secretary Rick Perry and Darren Woods, chief executive of

Exxon Mobil, which holds 30 percent of the project. The project is expected to create about 9,000 jobs during the construction phase and 200 permanent jobs, Exxon Mobil said in a news release. "Golden Pass will provide an increased, reliable, long-term supply of liquefied natural gas to global gas markets, stimulate local growth and create thousands of jobs," Woods said.

Pope Francis confirms priests' abuse of nuns included "sexual slavery"

OME - Nuns have suffered and are still suffering sexual abuse at the hands of Catholic priests and bishops, and have even been held as sexual slaves, Pope Francis confirmed on Tuesday. The abuse was so severe in one case that an entire congregation of nuns was dissolved by former Pope Benedict.

The scope of the abuse of nuns by clergy members first came to light with the publication at the beginning of February of the monthly Vatican magazine "Women Church World." The edition included Francis' own take on the scandal -- long known about by the Vatican but virtually never discussed -- in which he blamed the unchecked

power wielded by priests and higher clergy across the Catholic Church for such crimes. The Vatican's new openness in discussing the abuse of nuns comes after years of revelations about clergy abusing children, mostly boyss, in their congregations across the globe, and senior clergy members covering up those crimes. - CBS News

Presented by

ORT WORTH, Texas A Texas man died after his e-cigarette exploded and cut a major artery in his neck, according to a medical examiner's report.

“He said, ‘I’ll be right back granny.’”

NBC was unable to reach Smoke & Vape DZ for comment. - NBC News

The Golden Pass project in Sabine Pass, Texas, which will cost more than $10 billion, is scheduled to begin construction in the first quarter of 2019, with a start up date in 2024, the companies said.

Indian American Nurses Legacy Award (IANLA)

William Eric Brown died after an electronic cigarette exploded and cut his artery on Jan. 29, 2019.(Photo: NBC D/FW)

Image: William Eric Brown died after an electronic cigarette exploded and cut his artery.William Eric Brown died after an electronic cigarette exploded and cut his artery on Jan. 29, 2019.NBC Dallas-Fort Worth

ucts specifically designed to prevent fires and explosions, they aren’t currently allowed in the U.S. due to FDA regulations.

Supported by :

Celebrating and honoring the services of the 1st generation Indian immigrant nurses who came to North America from 1965-1975.

Indian American Nurses Association of Greater Houston (IANAGH) National Association of Indian Nurses of American (NAINA)

Save the Date Oct. 12, 2019

On Sat., Oct. 12, 2019 At: Immanuel Center, 12801 Sugar Ridge Blvd, Stafford, TX 77477

Your best opportunity to leave a legacy for generations to come. Be a part of the Commemorative Publication. A great opportunity for sponsors & advertisers to be recognized. We request every Nurse who came till the end of 1975 to register.

(Need not be present to receive award) Send form to: nursesawards@gmail.com or register online at voiceofasia.news For more information, please call: 713-774-5140. Submit form by January 31, 2019.

Please forward this form to all your nurses contacts. Name: ______________________________________________________________________________ Email:_____________________________________________ Phone No: ________________________ Place of Arrival: _____________________________________ Date of Arrival:_____________________

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Harmony Science Academy - Sugar Land hosts STEAM – International Festival for Community and Local Leaders Harmony Science Academy - Sugar Land

is recognised as the “The # 1 Stand Out Elementary School” in all of Fort Bend county and “The # 2 Best Charter Elementary School” in the Houston area under the leadership of Principal Merchant.

UGAR LAND - Harmony Science Academy – Sugar Land’s Kindergartners through 5th graders host annually an interactive Science, Technology, Engineering, Art & Mathematics (STEAM) Festival. They add an international flare to the event because their student body is very culturally diverse and enjoys sharing their traditions. On Saturday, January 26, 2019 the students and staff entertained the community and many local leaders such as Congressman Pete Olson, Precinct 4 Judge Justice M. Joyce, Fire EMS Chief Doug Boeker, Assistant City Manager Douglas Brinkley, Fort Bend Economic Development Council CEO, Jeffrey Wiley, Pakistan Chamber of Commerce PJ Swati, Broadcasting Director at ABC 13 Rahan Aslam, Commissioner DeMerchant’s Chief of Staff Ahmad Alaswad, with performances from Kaminari Taiko (Mochizuki Culture Center), Philippines Folkdance (FYP Cultural Ambassadors) and Tuổi Ngọc Group. Teachers, students and parents represented nations around the world and amazed the visitors with STEM projects such as extracting DNA

from a strawberry, robotics, and astronauts. The event enables the community to see firsthand what the students are learning and creating at Harmony Science Academy Sugar Land under the leadership of an exemplary Principal - Afreen Merchant. Potential parents had opportunities to ask questions of the dedicated staff and tour the campus so interested families have ample time to apply for enrollment before their February, 10, 2019 deadline.

Afreen Merchant Principal at Harmony Science Academy Sugar Land with Congressman Pete Olson.

Repeat sex offender sentenced to 45 years in prison

ICHMOND – 52-yearold Dwayne Bernard Howard of Houston was found guilty by a jury on January 24, 2019 for Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child before being sentenced by the Honorable Maggie Jaramillo to 45 years in prison in accordance with a plea agreement. Howard originally entered a plea of not guilty to begin his trial in the 400th District Court on January 22, 2019. After the jury was seated, Assistant District Attorneys Jenna Rudoff and Claire Andresen presented evidence to the Court in a hearing outside the presence of the jury regarding the sexual abuse committed by the defendant against the seven year old child in this case. They also presented evidence that Howard also sexually abused four other children when they were between the ages of 6 and 15 years old. After this evidence was heard by the Court, the defendant decided to plead guilty before the jury and have the Court assess his punishment. On January 24, 2019, after Howard pled guilty to the jury,

Community and local leaders that were honorees at the event. Photos provided by Harmony Science Academy – Sugar Land.

the State presented additional evidence that the defendant had three prior felony convictions, including an Indecency with a Child by Sexual Contact conviction in 1999 that earned him six years in prison. After hearing the punishment evidence, the Court sentenced the defendant to 45 years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice – Institutional Division. Under Texas law, Howard is not eligible for parole until he has served at least half of his sentence. Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Detective Dawn Welch led the investigation in Fort Bend County. Discovering that there were four additional children who had been sexually assaulted by Howard over the last two decades in neighboring Harris County, Detective Welch joined Harris County Sheriff’s Office Deputy (now Sergeant) Tyrone Tribbett in completing a full and thorough investigation related to all of the children abused by the defendant. This extensive investigation and successful prosecution could not have been possible

without the diligent work and efforts of all agencies involved, including the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office, the Harris County Sheriff’s Office, the Harris County District Attorney’s Office, and the Fort Bend County District Attorney’s Office. Additionally, the Child Advocates of Fort Bend and the Harris County Children’s Assessment Center played a vital role in providing access to resources and services for all of the children, during and following the investigation. Jenna Rudoff, lead prosecutor on the case, commended all of the witnesses who revealed the abuse they had suffered at the hands of the defendant: “It is very difficult for any child to speak out about sexual abuse and face their abuser in a courtroom full of strangers. When children speak up, we must listen and make sure their voices are heard. In this case, the voices of these incredibly brave young children ensured the defendant will never be able to harm another child again. They are our heroes.” Prosecutor Claire Andresen especially praised the young child who is the survivor of the sexual assault in this case, “This child courageously stood up to their abuser and saw to it

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Harmony Science Academy – Sugar Landstaff with elected officials, dignitaries and guests.

Grief support group series offered by Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital

UGAR LAND, Feb. 4, 2019 — Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital is offering a four-part series for Fort Bend and surrounding area residents who are coping with the loss of a loved one. The series titled “What is Grief, Really? The Nuts and Bolts of Grieving” is designed to help participants learn about grief and understand the impact that grief has on survivors. Facilitated by the Department of Spiritual Care and Values Integration, these sessions are open to people of all faiths and provide a safe, welcoming environment where individuals can find support and share experiences.

Artist’s rendition of Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital. Photo by HMSLH

The sessions are scheduled on four consecutive Tuesdays in April, beginning April 9, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. in the hospital’s Main Pavilion Conference Rooms A and D. Dinner will be provided.

tual care and values integration at Houston Methodist Sugar Land. “Too often people try to get past the loss of a loved one without fully exploring their feelings or understanding how grief can affect them both emotionally and even physically. These sessions give participants the opportunity to interact with others who have been through similar experiences and who share many of the same emotions.”

“Learning about grief – and hearing from others’ experiences – can be a valuable part of healing for many people,” said Tim Madison, director of spiri-

The hospital’s Grief Support Group series meets each fall and spring, offering participants a safe space to tell their stories, interact with each other or just sit

and listen. “Our goal is to provide an avenue for comfort and healing, recognizing that each person is different and has different needs,” said Madison. “The Grief Support Group series can be beneficial to anyone who has lost a loved one – whether it was a recent loss or even one many years ago.” To reserve a place in the spring series, or to learn more about the Grief Support Group series, contact the hospital’s Spiritual Care and Values Integration Department at 281.274.7164.

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Bollywood film hailed for centering on lesbian romance Chris Pratt gushes over ‘blessed family’ after Katherine Schwarzenegger engagement

OLLYWOOD - Chris Pratt is living on cloud nine.

ET’s Keltie Knight spoke with the 39-year-old actor at the premiere of his new film, The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part, in LA on Saturday, where he couldn’t help but gush about life following his engagement to Katherine Schwarzenegger. “We’re a very blessed family,” he raved on the red carpet at the Regency Village Theatre, but played coy when asked about details of his and Katherine’s upcoming wedding. “If we could sit here and talk about it, I would tell you all about it.” Indian Bollywood actors Rajkummar Rao (1L), Sonam Kapoor (2L), Juhi Chawla (2R) and Anil Kapoor (1R) pose for a picture during the promotion of the upcoming Hindi film ‘Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga’ in Mumbai. (Photo by Sujit Jaiswal / AFP)

Bollywood movie about a family accepting their daughter is a lesbian was hailed on Friday for pushing the boundaries of cinema in socially conservative India. It comes after the country’s Supreme Court scrapped a colonial-era ban on homosexuality in September, sparking wild celebrations amongst India’s LGBT community. “Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga” (How I Felt When I Saw A Girl) is being lauded as the first mainstream Indian film to show parents dealing with their daughter being in a samesex relationship. “I can’t believe what I saw,” prominent LGBT activist Harish Iyer wrote on Twitter. “While people were waiting to find the right time and day and age for making a film like this, @VVCFilms actually went ahead and made it,” he added. The Hindi-language drama, which was released nationwide on Friday, sees veteran actor Anil Kapoor star alongside his daughter Sonam Kapoor. Kapoor, 62, plays the role of a father

in a family that is eagerly trying to get his daughter Sweety -- played by Sonam Kapoor -- married. She is in love with a woman though and the movie centres on her grappling with how to tell her family while fearing they won’t accept the relationship. “Looks like such a beautiful and heartfelt film... more power for pushing boundaries,” filmmaker Karan Johar posted on Twitter. “Such a difficult subject handled with so much dignity n restraint... wishing All the very best to its cast n crew!! Its an important film first of its kind...” tweeted director Farah Khan. Mumbai-based Bollywood doesn’t have a good track record when it comes to portraying homosexuality. Many movies over the years have even mocked gay characters, sometimes making them the target of jokes. But several films have dealt with the subject sensitively, such as “Kapoor and Sons” and “Aligarh”. “Fire” was widely considered to be the first mainstream Hindi movie to feature a gay relationship.

- Cinemas attacked The film centred on two women in unhappy marriages who have a sexual relationship. When the movie was released in India in 1998 Hindu extremists attacked cinemas showing it. The promoters of “Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga” kept the nature of the movie’s romance under wraps for fear of putting off some audiences, but did release a few hints including the official hashtag #SetLoveFree.

Pratt opened up about how he sees his own universe in the near future -- revealing it involves a lot more time spent with Schwarzenegger and his son. “The future? Oh. Lots of kids,” he said. “Maybe less time spent working, more time spent enjoying life.” “I always want to be that guy that works to live, not lives to work. I think [I want to spend] just a lot of time at the farm and a lot of time catching a lot of fish and seeing lots of sunsets,” he added. -ET News

Kal Penn stars in new project

On Friday, adverts taken out in newspapers hinted more at what was to come with the headline: “Today is the day of acceptance”. The actors themselves remained tight-lipped ahead of the film hitting screens, with Sonam Kapoor telling AFP simply: “It’s about family and acceptance, for who the person is, for their dreams, caste, religion or sexuality, is so important. - AFP

bride-to-be in new thriller from director Michael Winterbottom by Charles Barfield

s a wedding guest, your job is simple. You show up on time, you dress appropriately, and you wish the folks getting hitched the best of luck. One thing you don’t do is break into their home in the middle of the night and kidnap the bride at gunpoint. Alas, that’s exactly what happens in the upcoming thriller “The Wedding Guest.”

Patel stars opposite Radhika Apte and Jim Sarbh in the film. “The Wedding Guest” is written and directed by

“I mean, look, I’m Dad. Everything Dad does is awesome,” he shared. “[Jack] loves all the Legos I get to bring home. That’s pretty cool, but at the end of the day, I think he likes going to the farm more.”

“It is such a big day. It feels great. We’re all so proud of The Lego Movie,” he told ET of his co-stars, which include Elizabeth Banks, Alison Brie and Will Arnett. “It’s been very successful, and frankly adored, which is good. Today is about celebrating what we’ve accomplished over the five years since the first movie. We’ve worked very hard, and soon you’ll be able to see the movie.”

The trailer released last month gave little away -- it could have been any Bollywood romance for the most part -- but did include a short clip of Sonam Kapoor’s character holding hands with a woman.

The Wedding Guest trailer: Dev Patel kidnaps the

As seen in the first trailer, Dev Patel plays the titular guest named Jay. Venturing from Britain to Pakistan to attend a wedding, Jay decides to kidnap the bride-to-be and goes on the run with his new woman. Now, on paper that sounds like an absolutely ludicrous premise, but as we see in the footage, there’s way more to the story than what is being revealed in the trailer. So, suffice to say, there’s plenty of intrigue to put some butts in seats when this film hits theaters later this year.

Pratt was more than happy, however, to dish all about his 6-year-old son, Jack, revealing how his movie career and outdoorsy hobbies have made him the coolest dad around.

Pratt, who shares Jack with his exwife, Anna Faris, flew solo on the red carpet at Saturday’s Lego Movie 2 premiere.

Kal Penn played Doctor Lawrence Kutner in “House.” (Photo: Robyn Beck / AFP)

he American actor, known for his roles in “Harold & Kumar,” “House” and “How I Met Your Mother,” takes a leading role in a new series in development at NBC. After a brief appearance in the latest season of “The Big Bang Theory,” Kal Penn is back with a leading role in a new project in the works at NBC. Various US entertainment media

sources report that the actor will star in and co-write the forthcoming comedy ordered to pilot by the American TV network. The as-yet-untitled project follows a former New York City councilman named Garrett Shah. He finds his calling when faced with six recent immigrants who need his help as they search for the American Dream. - Relaxnews

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Michael Winterbottom. This propulsive, globetrotting thriller from acclaimed director Michael Winterbottom is a breathless tour through the shadowy underworlds and hidden realms of Pakistan and India. Jay (Slumdog Millionaire’s Dev Patel) is a man with a secret who travels from Britain to Pakistan to attend a wedding—armed with duct tape, a shotgun, and a plan to kidnap the bride-to-be (Radhika Apte). Despite his cool efficiency, the plot quickly spirals out of control, sending Jay and his hostage on the run across the border and through the railway stations, back alleys, and black markets of New Delhi—as all the while attractions simmer, loyalties shift, and explosive secrets are revealed. - ThePlaylist

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These will be the top wedding colors of 2019

f you're newly engaged and ready to start planning your wedding, this is an exciting time! But planning a wedding can also be a little overwhelming. To start, try choosing a color palette.

According to a report conducted by WeddingWire, nearly half of couples choose a wedding color scheme soon after getting engaged. Once that's out of the way, couples can more easily choose flowers, bridesmaid dresses, cake, table settings and other decor that fit into one cohesive look. Choosing a color, however, doesn't mean choosing one or

www.voiceofasia.news

FRIDAY, February 8, 2019

Japan’s wagyu beef looks to conquer the world by Anne Beade

Colors: blue, turquoise/teal, coral/orange “Paradise found” practically screams sunshine and beach waves. “The playfulness of the palette invites couples to mix and match wedding party attire — including groomsmen suiting and accessories in fun colors across the spectrum,” WeddingWire suggests. The pops of brighter colors can also be channeled through signature cocktails, artwork and florals.

(Left) Colors: green, fuchsia, silver This color palette combines earthy shades of green with pops of bright pink and silver. two specific colors and matching everything to it. Rather a color palette should be a range of shades — think something like golds and pinks or multiple shades of blue.

AKAYAMA, Japan | AFP - In a lush field in the heart of the Japanese mountains, a herd of glossy black cows roam happily -- prime examples of the area’s Hida brand of wagyu beef. With consumption of the famed meat known for its melt-in-the-mouth tenderness and marbled fat on the decline in Japan, producers are looking overseas to boost sales instead. The Hida brand might not yet have the recognition of famed Kobe beef, but overall the international profile of wagyu is on the rise. The value of exports has risen more than 200 percent in the last five years -- Hong Kong is currently the largest market. About an hour from Takayama, a town that attracts tourists with its traditional wooden houses, dozens of cows owned by different farmers have free range across a 250-hectare plot leased by the local municipality.

Wagyu cultivation dates back only a few decades, with most Japanese black cattle - the breed that dominates wagyu - derived from a single bull born 80 years ago. (Photos: AFP) unique in the world, and every cow’s family tree can be traced back at least to its grandparents, if not further. Some farmers pamper their cows by covering them in coats during the winter, feeding them beer, and even playing them classical music. Producers in Takayama don’t go that far but that doesn’t

‘Prisoner’ is an intimate portrait of one journalist’s captivity in Iran by Mark Katkov

(Hardcover, 311 pages)

n 2009, a young American named Jason Rezaian moved to Iran to be a foreign correspondent.

Prisoner is Rezaian’s story of his arrest, imprisonment, trial and eventual release after 15 months. It’s also a revealing account of his childhood, family and marriage. Perhaps mirroring how he was left to his thoughts in prison, the narrative is digressive, jumping back and forth to different periods of his life. And it works. “It was a Tuesday afternoon in Tehran in the middle of Ramadan,” he begins, in the spare style of a big-city police reporter. Rezaian’s Iranian wife Yeganeh — whom he calls Yegi — is upset by an anonymous email demanding money, or “’we’ll expose you for the whore that you are.’” There have been other disturbing online episodes as well, and his wife wants to leave Iran early for a planned vacation. But Rezaian decides to keep to schedule in order to attend his mother-in-law’s birthday party that evening. They are nabbed by security agents in their building’s parking garage. “When the elevator door opened,” Rezaian writes, “there was a guy standing there with a gun pointed at me. There was more than one guy, but I just remember the one with the gun.”

They spend the warm summer months in the tranquil greenery and return to the warmth of the stables when the winter comes around.

“It’s important to preserve the bloodline, because good genes guarantee good quality meat,” explains Koichi Maruyama, a local official in charge of the cattle rearing department.

by Jason Rezaian

For Rezaian it was at The Washington Post, which hired him in 2012 to be its Tehran correspondent. Two years later, the Iranian government arrested Rezaian, claiming he was an American spy.

In Japan the value of wagyu beef exports has risen more than 200 percent in the last five years -- Hong Kong is currently the largest market

There they give birth to calves that are the product of carefully organised breeding to protect the “purity” of each cow’s bloodline.

Prisoner: My 544 Days in an Iranian Prison—Solitary Confinement, a Sham Trial, High-stakes Diplomacy, and the Extraordinary Efforts It Took to Get Me Out

“The quality also comes from the feed,” he adds. For cows bred for wagyu beef, that means 10 kilogrammes (22 pounds) of rice straw a day, to ensure the intramuscular marbling that gives the meat its characteristic look, and taste. - ‘We never rest’ Rezaian’s relationship with Iran — like his arrest — is at once simple and complex. His Iranian father, a graduate of San Francisco State University, married an Illinois girl he met in school and remained in the United States. Rezaian and his older brother Ali grew up in Marin County with an extended network of Iranian friends and relatives. He describes his move to Tehran as an almost inevitable “reverse migration.” There he found professional success — and Yeganeh.

say you are.” “I tried to further explain Kickstarter and the significance — or lack thereof — of avocados, but blindfolded and under duress in Farsi, and speaking to an unknown audience, I had reached the limit of my capabilities,” Rezaian writes. But of course Rezaian’s arrest was deadly serious. He spent two months in solitary confinement, cut off from the world and warned by his interrogators he could be in prison

Each cow spends the 30 months of its life cossetted and pampered, reared stress-free and under constant medical watch.

One $20 contribution came from an acquaintance at the U.S. Department of State. Rezaian’s interrogator seizes on this detail: “you are head of CIA operations in Iran. This is our proof that you are what we

His account of how he learns

mean there is much room for error. “We never rest, we’re looking after them 24 hours a day, 365 days a year,” says Shuichi Mizobata, on the sidelines of a locally organised wagyu competition. Cows parade in front of judges and are weighed and measured to determine which will compete at a national faceoff that takes place every five years. A Takayama cow won in 2002, in a victory that still sparks pride for the young Hida brand. Wagyu cultivation dates back only a few decades, with most Japanese black cattle -- the breed that dominates wagyu -derived from a single bull born 80 years ago. “After the liberalisation of beef import rules, we decided to put the focus on very high quality wagyu beef to differentiate our products from imported ones,” said Sota Kamihiro, an official with the agriculture ministry.

In Takayama, exports only accounted for five percent, or 43 tonnes, of the beef sold by producers in 2017, but that was already double the previous year. The town has an abattoir that observes stringent rules and is one of just four in Japan certified to handle meat for export to the European Union. Increasingly, producers are also securing halal certification for slaughterhouses -- which number around 200 in total across Japan -- so they can export to Muslim countries. After slaughter, the beef is put up for auction, with the carcasses displayed behind glass alongside cards ranking them according to a precise system based on the meat’s marbling, colour, texture, and the quality of the fat, according to director Mitsushi Kobayashi. “The Japanese seek above all to reduce the blood and muscle in the animal, and to develop the fat, the opposite of us,” said French chef Lionel Beccat, who has a Michelin-starred restaurant in Tokyo. “The meat is sublime, it melts in the mouth, there are different notes depending on the cows, some are floral, others nutty, others spicy,” he added. “So the meat can be appreciated as it is, you just grill it and that’s it. It’s very Japanese, like sashimi.”

Producers have also struggled with the decline in beef

that he has become an international household name is characteristically wry. By then, Rezaian is sharing a cell with an Azeri prisoner, who becomes a close friend, and a

About two months into his captivity, watching a state TV newscast with his cellmate, Rezaian is flabbergasted to see Post editor Marty Baron confronting Iran’s President Hassan Rouhani about his imprisonment. His interrogators had told Rezaian the world had forgotten him.

trusts anyone anymore. But we trust each other. We’ve been through too much together not to.

Ultimately there is a trial and Rezaian is unsurprisingly convicted. His judge is “without exaggeration, one of the dumbest people I have ever encountered.” It is “a secret trial with no secrets.”

It’s never as comfortable as I make it look.”

Jason Rezaian (left), freed after 18 months of incarceration in an Iranian prison, reunites with his wife Yeganeh Salehi, mother Mary Rezaian and brother Ali Rezaian, on Jan. 18, 2016. (Photo: The Washington Post) for 25 years — or executed. His family, The Washington Post, and Secretary of State John Kerry were all working hard for his release — but it was months before Rezaian knew any of that.

In 2013, the agriculture ministry set new export targets with the goal of reaching 25 billion yen ($228 million) in beef sales overseas by 2019.

They are tagged electronically, in a system described as

Yegi and Jason’s arrest wasn’t without context: It came during negotiations over the Iran nuclear deal and was carried out by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The hard-line group opposed the nuclear agreement, and Rezaian believes he was a hostage to the internal Iranian political dispute. His wife was released about two months after their arrest, but Rezaian remained in prison. “It’s not easy, but maintaining a sense of humor becomes essential for survival,” he writes about prison. And Rezaian does his best to laugh at the absurdity of his situation. His first interrogation focuses on a Kickstarter project he launched to grow avocados in Iran. (“Where was the guacamole?”)

- ‘The meat is sublime’ -

And the explosion in exports comes despite the eye-watering expense of the product -- the most prized portions of wagyu go for around 13,700 yen a kilo.

- AOL News

BOOK REVIEW

consumption that started around 2000, over fears linked to BSE, and a shrinking number of farmers, with existing producers aging and leaving behind no heirs.

The goal looks achievable, with sales already at 24.7 billion yen in 2018, a massive increase from five billion when the strategy was put in place.

WeddingWire recently teamed up with the Pantone Color Institute to come up with four wedding color palettes they predict will be the hottest in 2019. And if you’re over the pastel and neutral palettes of the past, then you’re right on trend. This is the year of bold, vibrant colors.

His family’s rug business in northern California had gone bust and Rezaian decided to take a chance at something new. A lot of foreign correspondents begin their careers this way, going someplace no one else can or will, selling their work to any news agency that will pay. The best of these, like Rezaian, often end up with real jobs.

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television, which they watch for hours a day. “In prison,” he writes, “especially if you have no idea how long you’ll be there, your aim isn’t to kill time, it’s to conquer it.” And “the best time waster is a television.”

A complex agreement between governments is reached to allow Rezaian’s departure. But at the airport there is one final drama — told in riveting prose — when Iranian authorities refuse to allow Rezaian’s wife and mother-in-law to leave with him. He refuses to go and the authorities relent. It is then, when he describes his return to America, that the detached, humorous tone of the book abruptly changes and the cost of Rezaian’s long ordeal is no longer denied: “Yegi and I misplace things. We get agitated about it. I’m pretty sure it’s temporary. She’s a perfectionist and gets angry at us. We’ve aged. Neither of us

I become confused in crowded places. I don’t like talking on the phone. I get recognized when I least expect it, by people who I still can’t believe know who I am.

Rezaian is unsparingly intimate throughout, writing of his fears, his insecurities, of the conjugal visits with his wife allowed by the Revolutionary Guard (in accordance with Islamic law, they tell him). His experience of prison is traumatic but he is never physically tortured and relations with his interrogators are described as oddly amiable. Rezaian comes off as a guy one would like to have as a friend, and it seems the Iranians think so, too. Rezaian’s interrogator, Kazem, is among those at the airport to see him off. “I stared at Kazem for a long time, until we both smiled. Then I did a crazy thing. I hugged him. Yes, it’s even possible to develop an attachment to your tormentors, and no, a------, that’s not Stockholm syndrome. It’s called being human.” - NPR

VOICE OF ASIA 16

Section 2

Young Life

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S. Korean novel of young mother resonates with women across Asia It’s a work of fiction, but hit novel ‘Kim Ji-young, Born in 1982’ has raised some deep-seated gender issues using situations that many everyday Asian women face. And it’s spreading across the region. by Steven Borowiec

im Ji-young is a young married mother in South Korea with an infant daughter and a lonely life. She spends most days alone with her child. Her parents live hours away and her husband puts in long days at the office. As she settles into life as a full-time mum, Kim, a kind of South Korean everywoman, is gradually overcome by the stress caused by the expectations society has of her. She resents her mother-inlaw’s assumption that she will spend holidays cooking for relatives instead of relaxing. And even though she only reluctantly gave up her job, she is resented by men who see stay-at-home mothers as leeching off their husbands. She is also wary about speaking up, knowing that women in her position are expected to quietly comply. Kim is fictional, but for many women in East Asia, her story sounds all too real. She is the protagonist of Kim Ji-young, Born in 1982, an unexpected South Korean hit novel that is stirring the gender debate across the region. The book, published in Japan this month, was originally released in South Korea in 2016 but has been gathering steam with releases in other markets including Taiwan, where it is also a bestseller. It has now sold more than a million copies in South Korea. The book, which has sold a million copies in South Korea, will soon be translated into English, Thai and Vietnamese. Many readers, mostly women, have been drawn to the story because they see in it a reflection of their own lives and struggles to balance family and career. The book has also prompted a backlash from some men who say it is a distortion of life in South Korea. In South Korea, ‘mum cafes’ are a source of support – but also a platform for vitriol Fuelling the fervour are testimonies of celebrities, including members of K-pop sensations BTS and Girls’ Generation, who have spoken publicly about having read the book, giving Kim Ji-young a level of exposure few works of literature enjoy. Its release also comes amid the emerging #MeToo movement in Asia, with more women speaking out about experiences with gender-based

The book, which has sold a million copies in South Korea, will soon be translated into English, Thai and Vietnamese. (Photo: Alamy) discrimination. Park Hye-jin of Minumsa Publishing, the editor responsible for the book, said Kim Ji-young has uncovered a latent demand for stories about the struggles women in Asia face in balancing professional ambitions with the responsibilities of life at home. “Before, feminist literature was generally thought of as a minor theme with a small audience, but this book found a big audience and resonated with many readers by accurately depicting their reality,” said Park at her office in Seoul. She called the novel a gamechanger in South Korean publishing. “The wave of popularity is caused by the fact that women in Taiwan and Japan have similar experiences with gender discrimination as South Korean women.” Japan, South Korea and Taiwan are all high-income countries that are, to some extent, still informally governed by traditional norms of gender and family. An English translation is in the works and Minumsa has also signed contracts for Thai and Vietnamese translations. “East Asia is ripe for this kind of storytelling,” says Nancy Snow, a professor of diplomacy at Kyoto University of Foreign Studies. “And this story is powerful for coming in the first person, from someone who has this kind of experience.” In South Korea, the book is a microcosm of a loaded, gender-based debate that has been bubbling for years. In the most misogynistic corners of the Korean-language internet, full-time mothers are called “parasites” and disparaged as living lives of leisure off their husbands’ earnings and the largesse of taxpayer-funded social programmes. At the same time, working mothers lament shouldering

what they see as an unfair portion of child-rearing responsibilities, which limits their advancement opportunities at companies where late-night work and after-hours socialising are common and often necessary for promotions. In Japan, however, the novel’s popularity comes despite improvements in gender relations. “Companies are offering more childcare leave to women and they’re paying more attention to women’s needs, so a lot of mothers are having an easier time leaving work for the day,” said Kumiko Nemoto, a professor at Kyoto University of Foreign Studies and author of Too Few Women at the Top: The Persistence of Inequality in Japan. “People are taking into account how mothers are really under pressure to do everything at home and at work.” In Taiwan, Kim Ji-young has far exceeded expectations, staying on bestseller lists for three months after its release in May 2018 and keeping steady sales since, said Jane Wu, editor at Azoth Books, which published the novel there. “We were a little worried that Taiwanese readers wouldn’t sympathise with this work because women have higher social status in Taiwan,” said Wu. “When we published it here, female readers shared that throughout their lives they had encountered the same injustice, discrimination and harassment as Kim Ji-young.” Some readers, like South Korean Lee Seon-mi, who is single and 35, hope the novel will help bridge the gender gap. “When men and women read this book, they’ll probably come away with different opinions of it, but if we talk, we can come to understand each other more,” Lee said. “And understanding is the basis for solving social problems.” - South China Morning News

Even a slight rise in blood pressure might shrink young brains A new study found that above normal blood pressure can be associated with lower grey matter volume in a number of areas of the brain.

oung adults with blood pressure that’s higher than normal, but not yet high blood pressure, are still more likely to have brain shrinkage than those with normal blood pressure, a new German study finds.

Grey matter contains most of the brain’s neurons, essential for a wide range of functions. “More research should be done to investigate whether [early loss of grey matter] could increase the risk for stroke, dementia and other cerebrovascular diseases later

Don’t find yourself; find a vocation. by Tom Perrin

he phrase “vocational education” might conjure up an image of trade schools that train students to work in traditionally bluecollar jobs. There is a growing movement, however, found largely among private and religiously affiliated colleges and universities, to focus on vocation as it evolves from the Christian tradition, in the sense of a “calling.” What is interesting about this movement, at a time when higher education finds itself in crisis, is that the schools that are part of it are flourishing. This is despite the fact that most of them are not well-known institutions that can trade on their brand names — “I had never heard of half these schools!” one administrator said of an early meeting of a group that is now called NetVUE, the Network for Vocation in Undergraduate Education. What is even more interesting is that many of these schools are in the sector Moody’s Investors Service has recently identified as increasingly at risk of closure, insofar as they are both small and private. It’s the sector that contains Green Mountain College in Vermont, which recently announced it would close; Hampshire College in Massachusetts, whose financial woes were just featured in The Times; and Sweet Briar in Virginia, which made headlines as it narrowly avoided closing in 2015. But nearly 70 percent of schools that participated in the Program for the Theological Exploration of Vocation, a major initiative that ran from 2000 to 2009, saw their graduation rates increase, a significantly higher rate of growth than occurred in a random sample of peer institutions. What exactly does it mean to explore “vocation” this way? In 2005, the Engineers Without Borders chapter at Hope College, a Christian liberal arts college in Holland, Mich., embarked on a project to bring water filtration systems to the community of Nkuv in Cameroon. The trip also included one student, Samantha Webbert, who was making a documentary film with her communication studies professor, Dr. Ji Hoon Park. The Cameroon trips were brought into being in collaboration with Hope’s project for the exploration of vocation, a campuswide effort to have students consider the meaning and purpose of their lives to a degree unusual even at this actively Christian institution. According to the students’ faculty adviser, Jeff Brown, when the film, sardonically titled “When the West Brings Civilization Back to Africa,” appeared in 2008, “we had a group of students come over to my house and watch it, and it was difficult.” Scenes showed students dismissing the villagers’ anger that under the planned project only some of them would get access to clean water and seeming, as Ms.

- Stroke and dementia -

Image: Shutterstock in life,” Villringer said in a journal news release. He’s at the Max Planck Institute for Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences in Leipzig. The new study involved 423 people in their 20s and 30s, average age 28. All underwent MRI brain scans and had at least one blood pressure reading. While 41% were found to

have normal blood pressure (less than 120/80 mmHg), 29% had blood pressure from 120/80 to 129/84; 19% had blood pressure from 130/85 to 139/89; and 11% had high blood pressure above 140/90 (high blood pressure). Everyone with blood pressure above normal was more likely to have lower grey matter volume in a number of areas of

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One Way to Make College Meaningful

Overall, grey matter volume decreased as blood pressure increased, the researchers said.

- A wide range of functions -

Opinion

the brain, including the brain’s frontal and parietal lobes, the hippocampus (important to memory), amygdala (a centre for emotions) and thalamus, which functions in motor skills, sleep and sensory signalling.

It’s long been thought that high blood pressure takes decades to affect the brain. However, the new findings show “that subtle changes in the brain’s grey matter can be seen in young adults who have never been diagnosed with high blood pressure,” said lead researcher Dr Arno Villringer. His team reported the finding in the journal Neurology.

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FRIDAY, February 8, 2019

Villringer stressed that the study couldn’t prove that above-normal blood pressure was the direct cause of the lowering of grey matter levels. But the findings do suggest that “treating high blood pressure or maintaining lower blood pressure in early adulthood might be essential for preventing the cascade from silent brain changes with no symptoms to organ-damaging conditions such as stroke and dementia,” he said. - Two US experts said the findings raise new questions. -

Webbert says in a voice-over, to “expect the locals to shut up, provide the support we need and be grateful for whatever we give them.” The Michigan community watched them do so in local screenings and on the regional PBS affiliate. Rather than reacting resentfully, however, Hope began to incorporate the film into its teaching about vocation — and it is this kind of self-critical engagement that is crucial to the vocation movement. Engineers Without Borders used the documentary as a teaching tool, showing it to future groups of students traveling to Cameroon. (They also decided to continue their work until the whole community could have easy access to clean water.) Professor Brown and others, including me, continue to use this film as a classroom tool. There’s an uncomfortable moment when one student argues that the group had already “maximized our cost-benefit ratio” on “this continent,” and should therefore leave Nkuv with the project only partly finished. But using the film, we can talk about whether a cost-benefit analysis is really the right ethical framework through which to examine the commitment the group had made to the Nkuv community. Thinking about vocation often requires parts of a college that do not usually work together to think cohesively. Professors might spend time in discussion with the careers office, or the office of community service, in order to plan projects that extend beyond the classroom. At Grand View University in Iowa, such thinking has meant a class in which students use digital tools to create maps of common refugee routes, while they also undertake a service project with refugees in their community who have traveled these routes in order to arrive in Des Moines. At Wake Forest University, it has involved the creation of an Office of Personal and Career Development that is so thoroughly entwined with the curriculum that you can even take courses for credit in career exploration. At Huntingdon College, where I teach, it involves, among other things, a class in which every student at the college relates philosophy and theology to the day-to-day business of their own lives — their internships, their families and their plans for after graduation. One of my students had done internships in ministry and in physical therapy; he felt fulfilled by physical therapy, but worried that he ought to go into church work, which he enjoyed less, because working in a church would presumably be the more ethical option. At the end of the class he wrote a paper arguing that our reading of the theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer and other ethicists had shown him that, properly understood, physical therapy could indeed be an ethical calling. Why vocation, though, rather than the old model of learning

“When do you treat blood pressure, and at what measurement?” said Dr Gayatri Devi, a neurologist who specialises in memory disorders at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. Based on the German findings, “the answer appears to be as early as possible and at blood pressures over 120/80 mmHg, if you want to keep your brain as healthy as possible,” he said. Dr Guy Mintz directs cardiovascular health at Northwell Health’s Sandra Atlas Bass Heart Hospital in Manhasset, New York. He called the findings “thought-provoking and a wake-up call” for any doctor who treats high blood pressure. - Lifestyle changes “While elevated blood pressure is easy to diagnose, data from the National Health and Nutrition database continually demonstrate our shortcomings, with only about 40% of patients with high blood pressure

for learning’s sake? Why not, as the religious studies professor Ron Srigley has recently argued, return to the old, “beautiful goal” of the university, “to discover and then to tell the truth,” disentangled from the mercenary arms of the offices of careers and student life? My answer would be that universities have always been hybrid creatures, serving many masters at once: social norms, the market, churches and the exacting standards of disciplinary research, to name four. But the fantasy of the university as a disinterested sphere of pure knowledge is just that. This is not so much to attack the liberal arts as it is to point out that to link them purposefully with life and career goals is not at all to alter the way they have long functioned. Another criticism might be that talk of vocation blinds students to inequality. Aren’t all these questions about purpose, as another student asked me, just first-world problems? Well, yes and no. Some popular strains of Christianity don’t focus much on structural inequity. When I worried to other higher-ed vocation types online about this, some chided me for underestimating the capacity of the oppressed to pull themselves up by their bootstraps. God wouldn’t put anything in your way that would prevent you from completing his plan for you, after all. Vocation talk can quickly morph into happy talk. But scholars are also working hard on research and teaching that imagines vocation in a way that takes into account prejudice and inequity. My students read C.S. Lewis, but also Dorothy Day and Malcolm X. A 2018 NetVUE conference, focused on mentoring students of color, explicitly sought to contextualize the personal concept of vocation within the political structures of race and religion. Recent essays by scholars including the theologian William Cavanaugh, who describes himself as working on “the Church’s encounter with social, political, and economic realities,” squarely situate the issue of vocation in the long history of capitalism and exploitation. As an educational framework, vocation might focus on an individual’s desires and choices, but it need not do so in a way that is blind to social ideologies and structural inequality. In addition to lifting graduation rates, then, vocation programming can be more intellectually capacious than it might at first seem. Institutions of higher education will of course take many routes through the coming shake-up. Vocation will not be the only one that returns students to the question of what they should do with their lives. But it does offer a model of higher education that is already showing signs of success, which is not nothing. Tom Perrin is an associate professor of English and the associate provost at Huntingdon College.

controlled,” Mintz noted. He stressed that loss of the brain’s grey matter is typically seen in older adults. That the new study observed this loss in young adults suggests that maintaining normal blood pressure “in early adulthood may be important for preventing subsequent brain disease as patients get older,” Mintz said. - Just how that’s accomplished is another issue. Ideally, “control and effective treatment of high blood pressure begins with lifestyle changes including diet and exercise, rather than medications,” Mintz said. “However, some patients will also require medication.” Villringer agreed, saying that further research could also help determine whether, when and how blood pressure above normal in young adults should be monitored and managed. - Health24/Yahoo! News

VOICE OF ASIA 17

FRIDAY, February 8, 2019

February is American Heart Month

February is Spay/ Neuter Awareness Month

Section 2 Tel: 713-774-5140

New App Displays What Original Medicare Covers

Health screenings every woman needs

ammogram? Check. Pap test? Check. Blood pressure? Check. Hearing and vision? Check. Screenings are an important part of maintaining women’s health. They can detect disease when it’s most treatable and prevent serious problems, according to Dr. Lili Lustig. She is a family medicine specialist at University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center in Ohio.

New App Displays What Original Medicare Covers Newest e-Medicare Tool Provides Valuable Information to Mobile Users

To get the right screenings, talk to your doctor, who will take into consideration your age, overall health, family history and current health concerns. “Each test has its own time and place,” Lustig said in a medical center news release. “Generally, the sooner your doctor can identify and treat a medical condition, the better the outcome.” In their 20s, women should have Pap and HPV screenings to check for preor early cervical cancer and the human papillomavirus, which can cause cervical cancer. (The American Cancer Society recommends women get a Pap test every three years starting at age 21.) “Women ages 30 to 65 who have a normal Pap test and a negative HPV only need to be re-screened every five years,” Lustig added.

Photo: Shutterstock screened for STDs,” Lustig said. “This is especially important for women under age 25, and for other women who have had new or multiple sex partners.” If you suspect you might be pregnant, getting tested early sets you up for good prenatal care, including eating well and avoiding drugs and alcohol. When it comes to mammograms, the current recommendation is to get your first at age 40, and follow-ups annually after that.

It’s also important to get screened for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). They may not cause symptoms, meaning you can pass them to your partner or, if pregnant, to an unborn child.

At age 18, start checking your skin monthly for suspicious moles or color changes, especially if you’re fairskinned or have high levels of sun exposure. Full body yearly skin exams with your dermatologist should begin at age 40.

“All women who are sexually active from age 13 to 65 should be regularly

A colonoscopy can detect and remove symptomless polyps that can

develop into colon cancer. You should have your first one between ages 45 to 50. The results will determine when you should have your next one. The general guideline for bone density tests is to start by age 65. But if you have a thin build or other risk factors, start at age 50, Lustig said. Have a hearing test every 10 years until age 50, then annually after age 60. Have a baseline eye exam at age 18, then every two years until age 60, unless you have a health problem such as diabetes. Beginning at age 61, get your eyes checked every year. Regular blood pressure screening is another important health check. As for cholesterol, the American Heart Association recommends a baseline test at age 10, then testing every four to six years for people at average risk of high cholesterol. - Newsmax

Houston Methodist Cancer Center at Sugar Land offers support and assistance to cancer survivors and patients

The cancer survivorship series continues to offer these programs free of charge: • Thriving Through Creative Arts — offers survivors a chance to relax and express themselves through art — a proven approach to help cope with the aftermath of cancer. • Life in Motion — designed to improve balance, coordination and agility and enhance social and emotional health. • Music4Life — designed to improve muscle relaxation, mood management and expression of emotion. • Massage —the benefits of massage include alleviation of stress, pain and other side effects which may be experienced as a result of cancer and its treatments. This service will be

The new “What’s Covered” app lets people with Original Medicare, caregivers and others quickly see whether Medicare covers a specific medical item or service. Consumers can now use their mobile device to more easily get accurate, consistent Original Medicare coverage information in the doctor’s office, the hospital, or anywhere else they use their mobile device. In addition to the “What’s Covered” app, through Blue Button 2.0 the agency is enabling beneficiaries to connect their claims data to applications and tools developed by innovative private-sector companies to help them understand, use, and share their health data. “e-Medicare is one of several initiatives focused on modernizing Medicare and empowering patients with information they need to get the best value from their Medicare coverage,” said CMS Administrator Seema Verma. “President Trump is delivering on his commitment to Medicare by modernizing tools that deliver health information in the most convenient way possible. This new app is the next in a suite of products designed to give consumers more access and control over their Medicare information.” CMS created the app to meet the needs of the growing population of people with Medicare. The Medicare population is projected to increase almost 50 percent by 2030—from 54 million beneficiaries in 2015 to more than 80 million beneficiaries in 2030. As of 2016, about two-thirds of Medicare beneficiaries indicate they use the Internet daily or almost daily (65 percent). Questions about what Medicare covers are some of the most frequent inquiries that CMS receives. There are approximately 15 million page views annually for coverage-related content on Medicare.gov and 1-800 MEDICARE receives over 3 million coverage-related calls each year.

UGAR LAND – (January 30, 2019) — The cancer survivorship series at the Houston Methodist Cancer Center at Sugar Land is designed to improve the physical, social, psychological and spiritual health of cancer survivors and caregivers. “With the tremendous strides made in cancer care, we are seeing more and more survivors live long and productive lives after their treatment ends,” said Amy Sebastian-Deutsch, director of oncology and infusion therapy services at Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital. “But these survivors, most over the age of 50, often require specialized services to overcome the physical and emotional impacts of their disease and treatment. There really was nothing comprehensive offered in Fort Bend, so we decided to augment our current supportive offerings by providing a range of services centered around art, music, exercise and massage.”

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) launched a new app that gives consumers a modernized Medicare experience with direct access on a mobile device to some of the most-used content on Medicare. gov.

The cancer survivorship series are free of charge at Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital. Image: Stock photo. provided on a limited basis for cancer survivors. Survivors should call Houston Methodist Wellness Services and mention the cancer survivor program provided through Houston Methodist Sugar Land at 713.441.5980 “These programs provide other benefits, too, because they allow survivors to meet and interact with others who have lived through the same experiences,” said Sebastian-Deutsch. “Having someone to talk with who understands what it’s like to fight and survive cancer is an important part of the healing process. Having that camaraderie with others can be powerful.” For more information on the cancer survivorship series, or to register, visit houstonmethodist.org/events and search for Cancer Survivorship Series or call 281.205.4514. Houston Methodist Sugar Land is

CMS launched the e-Medicare initiative in 2018 to empower beneficiaries with cost and quality information. Other tools in the e-Medicare suite include:

Fort Bend County’s only hospital with American College of Surgeons - Commission on Cancer (CoC) accreditation. Facilities achieve such accreditation after proving commitment to providing the best cancer care and complying with CoC standards. Hospitals that achieve accreditation provide a vast scope of high quality, specialized services — screenings, diagnostics, genetic testing, advanced technology, clinical trials and patient support. Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital also offers a breast cancer support group, grief support group, powerful tools for caregivers and CanCare. For more information about these support groups visit houstonmethodist.org/spiritual-sl.

Sudhir Mathuria HEALTHLIFE 360 713-771-2900 • Enhanced interactive online decision support to help people better understand and evaluate their Medicare coverage options and costs between Medicare and Medicare Advantage. • A new online service that lets people quickly see how different coverage choices will affect their estimated out-of-pocket costs. • New price transparency tools that let consumers compare the national average costs of certain procedures between settings, so people can see what they’ll pay for procedures done in a hospital outpatient department versus an ambulatory surgical center. • A new webchat option in the Medicare Plan Finder. • New easy-to-use surveys across Medicare.gov so consumers can continue to tell us what they want. The e-Medicare initiative expands and improves on current consumer service options. People with Medicare will continue to have access to paper copies of the Medicare & You handbook and Medicare Summary Notices. The What’s Covered app is available for free in both Google Play and the Apple App Store. The app is available in Google Play at: https://play.google. com/store/apps/details?id=gov.medicare.coverage, and is available in the Apple App Store at: https://itunes. apple.com/us/app/whats-covered/ id1444143600?mt=8. Source: CMS To select suitable Medicare Advantage Plan, Medicare Supplemental Plan and/or Medicare Prescription Drug Plan contact Sudhir Mathuria at 713-771-2900.

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DIET & EXERCISE

VOICE OF ASIA 18

Tired of research studies that tell you to exercise?

Beyonce, Jay-Z offer chance of lifetime tickets to fans who go vegan

by Kimerer LaMothe Ph.D.

ne article came across my science feed this morning, reporting on yet another research study that proves with statistical significance that exercise is good for me. By now the drumbeat is numbingly repetitive: Exercise or else! In the last year I have read research studies asserting that exercise can reduce or alleviate dementia, depression, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, addictions, and cancer; it can boost the immune system, improve balance and agility, and bolster mental, emotional, physical and, as this study claims, cognitive health. While many of these studies focus on older adults, this one extends its reach to younger adults as well: You too should exercise and here is why. OK! Got it! Yet, the CDC reports that only 23 percent of adult Americans achieve the federal recommendations for physical activity. And I can imagine a typical reader’s response to the study: “I know I know [nods head and rolls eyes] [swipes to next article]. I’ll start next week.” So why do we keep hitting ourselves over the head with stories about what we already know we should do—and aren’t doing? Does it really help? Jay Z & Beyonce stage show in this undated file photo.

EW YORK - Music’s first couple Beyonce and Jay-Z are encouraging fans to go vegan for a month with a contest to give one lucky winner a lifetime of free tickets to their shows.

based.

Queen Bey announced the challenge to her 123 million Instagram followers late Wednesday, saying it was in support of the Greenprint Project that promotes adopting even a partial vegan diet to limit environmental footprints.

The pop-inflected R&B idol has been vocal about embracing veganism in the past, having adopted the diet prior to her stunning May 2018 performance at the Coachella music festival one year after giving birth to twins.

Fans can sign up for the contest online and one will be chosen at random to win a pair of tickets annually for 30 years to concerts by Beyonce and/ or Jay-Z, an estimated retail value of $12,000. The superstar known for her groundbreaking “Lemonade” album said she was going meatless on Mondays and eating plant-based breakfasts, while husband and rap mogul Jay-Z vowed two of his daily meals would be plant-

Beyonce’s personal trainer, Marco Borges, is behind the project. The superstar musicians wrote the introduction to his December book elaborating on its vision.

She is joined by fellow singers Miley Cyrus and Ariana Grande in promoting veganism, which prohibits consumption of all animal products including meat, dairy products, eggs and honey as well as wearing leather. Research has shown that cutting meat and dairy products can boost the planet’s health by reducing farmland use and planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions.

Curious about the Noom diet plan? I’ve tried it - here’s what you should know by Christina Stiehl

oom has been dubbed “the Weight Watchers for millennials,” at least from its targeted ads on Twitter and Instagram. As the weight-loss program has been buzzing on social media and health sites, I grew more curious: how was it different from other diet plans? What made it effective? Was it really a doable and sustainable program? The more I read about about the Noom diet app online, the more it seemed like a great resource to not only lose weight, but also develop healthy, lifelong habits. And while I consider myself to have a fairly healthy diet and exercise regimen (I am a fitness editor, after all), there was a lot I could still learn and change. I decided to sign up and see for myself. Just four weeks into the plan, I’ve already lost five pounds. If you’re curious about Noom or thinking about signing up, here’s what you should know. Noom Is More Than Just a WeightLoss Plan Noom is an app that was created with the help of registered dietitians and other experts that goes beyond just counting calories and weighing in. The app aims to change your behaviors and reevaluate the thought processes behind the decisions you make. Each day includes a new article on topics such as portion control, staying motivated, identifying your social triggers, and how to decode a restaurant menu. You can also save the articles you like to go back and read again. Then, you are tasked with a quiz to test your knowledge on what you’ve learned so far. The quiz is an excellent reinforcement tactic so you maintain all the sciencey information you learned. Plus, the articles frequently reference published studies and are backed-up by research, which my nerd brain loves. Noom also features a database of recipes, which are not only delicious (I personally love the garlic shrimp and kale stir-fry!) but are also easy to track since the calories are already figured out for you. Your Plan Is Personalized For Your Goals

Before you even get set up on the Noom platform, you are asked a number of questions including your age, sex, height, current diet and exercise habits, your goal weight, and how often you eat. Based on how much weight you want to lose, Noom maps out about how long that will take you. You can also adjust how quickly you want to lose weight: the fastest plan is the lowest calorie target. For me, that was around 1,200 calories a day without exercise and that seemed a little too restrictive, so I adjusted the speed at which I wanted to lose weight and bumped that up to closer to 1,350 calories a day. I typed in that I want to lose 30 pounds and Noom projected that would take me about five months - a perfectly reasonable amount of time to lose 30 pounds. You Track Your Calories and Activity Similar to WW (formerly Weight Watchers) or MyFitnessPal, Noom has a food log where you document everything you’ve eaten in a day. And since you are given a daily calorie allotment, the goal is to stay within your calorie target. To make things easier, the food database on the app includes tons of general foods and specific branded and restaurant options so you can find your meals and snacks easily. If it’s not available, there’s an option to manually input food including its calories, fat, protein, and carbs. The app breaks food down into three categories based on how caloriedense they are: red, yellow, and green. While red food is typically processed and junk food, other healthy options such as nuts and oils are considered red since they are so calorie-dense. In general, you want to load up on yellow (lean meats, starches, eggs) and green (fruits, veggies, most whole grains, complex carbs) foods as much as possible and keep your red to about 25 percent or less of your diet. Your calorie target is determined based on the data you entered and how quickly you want to lose weight, but if you adjust the amount of time you want to hit your goal weight, your calorie target will also adjust. If you enter your exercise for the day, you will

FRIDAY, February 8, 2019

The point is that we are not who we think we are. This study—without reflecting upon it—advances a radical idea: The movements that we make as bodily selves influence how we think, how well we think, even what we think. Researchers found that aerobic activity not only improved participants’ ability to complete thinking tests, it actually built up grey matter in the left frontal cortex, a “control center” responsible for a dizzying range of cognitive, emotional, motor, social and sexual behaviors. Taking these conclusions one step further, we may go so far as to say that our capacity to think is not only influenced by our bodily movements, it is dependent upon the movements we make—and I would add, not just the amount of movement (how many minute per day), or the kind of movement (aerobic versus stretching), but the patterns of movement and how those patterns educate our sensory awareness. How we move effects what we sense; what we sense impacts how

be given more calories to eat (makes sense!). The app also tracks your steps with your phone’s built-in pedometer, or you can connect it to your FitBit or Apple Watch. While some plans encourage you to weigh in every week, Noom asks you to weigh in every day. As someone who is still slightly triggered by the numbers on the scale (I spent my teens obsessively weighing myself several times a day), I instead weigh myself every few days for my own sanity. You Work With Coaches and a Community of Peers One reason why Noom is so effective is that you don’t feel like you’re alone. It’s how WW became so successful - the in-person meetings where people share their struggles, victories, and trade tips and tricks. On Noom, the community is virtual: you are set up with a personal coach who checks in on you about once a week to set and assess your goals. For me, it was to meal prep and be better about planning out my meals so I don’t veer off track. My coach, Jonee, checks in to see how my planning and progress is going and how to overcome any hurdles I come across.

A different perspective on exercise research.

Have we begun to take exercise advice for granted? (Photo: Hero Images / Getty Images) we feel; how we feel influences what we can think. And all the way back in reverse. The implication of this article, then, is not: go exercise, or else! The implication is that saying “go exercise” is not actually going to help. We need to think differently about our bodily selves. Said otherwise, thinking about ourselves as bodily organisms who can choose to exercise is part of the reason why we are not exercising. “Exercise” appears as an add-on. It is extra. It is optional. It is a matter of will power. It is something “we” tell “our bodies” to do for a good reason. And there are many. But good reasons are never enough. Because we are not just our thoughts. We are much more. As the article implies, we humans are movement. We are the bodily movements we can make, have made, and will make, whether consciously or unconsciously, by choice or under duress. And we are these movements in mutual exchange with a wealth of movements made by other creatures and elements around us and within us who are also moving in relation to us. article continues after advertisement At the same time, given the findings of the article, it will not be enough to think differently about ourselves, we also need to move in ways that help us think differently. In other words, we need to do what we can to cultivate a sensory awareness of the movements we are already making, so we can learn to pay attention in any given moment to what the moving, relational matrix of our bodily selves knows. Further, the “exercise” that the subjects in this study were doing, at least in my mind, is not all that inspiring: it is not the kind of movement that many people are going to be able to sustain over the long run—because we are not just our thoughts. Sure, there may a few people who can run on a treadmill, or stationary cycle day in and day out for years; but even for those who do so, there is usually some

sort of pleasure or emotional charge involved. The motivating charge that sustains a movement practice can come from vanity, a competitive spirit, or peer pressure; it can come from a need to relieve pain or illness, from the fear of being injured, or from a desire to accomplish a certain physical feat. In the most sustainable situations, the motivating charge comes from a desire to feel good. To feel the pleasure of breathing, reaching, releasing, and being drawn into the vibrant present. To feel the transformation that movement so often yields, from dullness or discomfort to the joy of being a moving bodily self. In these instances, the movements that a person is making will enable her to feel these feelings—to open to her sensory self—and thus become more vulnerable, will power or not, to the desire and the need to move some more. This is not just “exercise.” It is about finding ways of moving that sustain our ongoing bodily becoming over a lifetime. And there are many ways to do so. Sooner or later, if you engage in patterns of movement that only support your sense of yourself as a thinking mind, your bodily self will start telling you that you need to move differently. If you are moving in ways that limit and deplete your flexibility, stretch, and stamina, your bodily self will resist. Your bodily self will find some way of communicating with you that grabs your attention --- most likely with one of those conditions above that “exercise” alleviates. At that point, it is your choice whether to mask the symptoms or listen to the causes. Here then, is where such studies have value—not as props for your will power, but as encouragement to listen to what your bodily self already knows, to look for your life, and to move accordingly. - Psychology Today

On World Cancer Day, Tahira Kashyap bares her scars

After the two-week trial period, you are placed in a group with other peers who are about as far along in the program as you are. This group also has a group coach who moderates discussions, posts prompts, and interacts with other group members. While this group forum is a great way to share “slips and surges” (as Noom likes to call them) with a community, it functions almost exactly like a private Facebook group; you can like and comment on other people’s posts and everyone is there with the same objective - to create healthy habits and, ultimately, lose weight. How Much Does Noom Cost? As of Jan. 28, 2019, the pricing for Noom is: Monthly auto-recurring plan: $59 Two-month auto-recurring plan: $99 Four-month auto-recurring plan: $129 Six-month auto-recurring plan: $149 Eight-month $159

auto-recurring

plan:

Annual auto-recurring plan: $199 These prices don’t include tax. And you can see the monthly price decreases if you commit to a longer period of time up front. - Popsugar

Tahira Kashyap - Atul Kasbekar, Instagram

n the occassion of World Cancer Day, Tahira Kashyap -- author, soon-to-be director, and the wife of Bollywood actor Ayushmann Khurrana -- took to Instagram and shared a beautiful backless shot, bearing her surgery scars. Last year, Tahira was diagnosed with pre-invasive cancer-DCIS (ductal carcinoma in situ) in her right breast with high grade malignant cells. She captioned the photograph: “Today is my day! Wish you all a

happy #worldcancerday and hope each one of us celebrates this day in an embracing way. That we remove any stigma or taboo associated with it. That we spread awareness about it and that we have self love no matter what. I truly embrace all my scars as they are my badges of honour. There is nothing known as perfect. Happiness lies in truly accepting yourself. This was a tough one for me. But this picture was my decision as I want to celebrate not the disease but the spirit with which I endured.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

VOICE OF ASIA 19

‘Inkjet’ solar panels poised to revolutionise green energy

Apple issues fix for FaceTime eavesdropping bug

by Stanislaw Waszak

UPERTINO, Californina, February 1, 2019 - Apple said Friday it had fixed a software bug that could allow iPhone users to see people through its FaceTime calling application even before they answered the phone.

ROCLAW, Poland | AFP | Sunday 2/2/2019 - What if one day all buildings could be equipped with windows and facades that satisfy the structure’s every energy need, whether rain or shine? That sustainability dream is today one step closer to becoming a reality thanks to Polish physicist and businesswoman Olga Malinkiewicz. The 36-year-old has developed a novel inkjet processing method for perovskites -- a new generation of cheaper solar cells -- that makes it possible to produce solar panels under lower temperatures, thus sharply reducing costs. Indeed, perovskite technology is on track to revolutionise access to solar power for all, given its surprising physical properties, some experts say. “In our opinion, perovskite solar cells have the potential to address the world energy poverty,” said Mohammad Khaja Nazeeruddin, a professor at Switzerland’s Federal Institue of Technology Lausanne, an institution on the cutting-edge of solar energy research. Solar panels coated with the mineral are light, flexible, efficient, inexpensive and come in varying hues and degrees of transparency. They can easily be fixed to almost any surface -- be it laptop, car, drone, spacecraft or building -- to produce electricity, including in the shade or indoors. Though the excitement is new, perovskite has been known to science since at least the 1830s, when it was first identified by German mineralogist Gustav Rose while prospecting in the Ural mountains and named after Russian mineralogist Lev Perovski. In the following decades, synthesising the atomic structure of perovskite became easier. But it was not until 2009 that Japanese researcher Tsutomu Miyasaka discovered that perovskites can be used to form photovoltaic solar cells. - ‘Bull’s eye’ Initially the process was complicated and required ultra high temperatures, so only materials that could withstand extreme heat -- like glass -- could be coated with perovskite cells. This is where Malinkiewicz

Earlier this week, Apple disabled the feature known as Group FaceTime calling, following media reports of the security lapse.

Photo: mirwecfilm.com comes in.

bucket in terms of demand.”

In 2013, while still a PhD student at the University of Valencia in Spain, she figured out a way to coat flexible foil with perovskites using an evaporation method.

Eventually, compact production lines could easily be installed everywhere, according to demand, to manufacture perovskite solar panels that are made to measure.

Later, she developed an inkjet printing procedure that lowered production costs enough to make mass production economically feasible.

- Self-sufficient buildings -

“That was a bull’s eye. Now high temperatures are no longer required to coat things with a photovoltaic layer,” Malinkiewicz told AFP. Her discovery quickly earned her an article in the journal Nature and media attention, as well as the Photonics21 Student Innovation award in a competition organised by the European Commission. The Polish edition of the MIT Technology Review also selected her as one of its Innovators Under 35 in 2015. She went on to cofound the company Saule Technologies -- named after the Baltic goddess of the sun -- along with two Polish businessmen. They had to assemble all their laboratory equipment from scratch, before multimillionaire Japanese investor Hideo Sawada came on board. The company now has an ultra-modern laboratory with an international team of young experts and is building an industrial-scale production site. “This will be the world’s first production line using this technology. Its capacity will reach 40,000 square metres of panels by the end of the year and 180,000 square metres the following year,” Malinkiewicz said at her lab. “But that’s just a drop in the

There’s a scientific reason you always overcommit to future plans by Shana Lebowitz

t happens to me more often than I care to admit. I check my calendar for the following workday and see a call I scheduled weeks ago, when I was busy and overwhelmed and couldn’t take on any new assignments. The only issue? Right now I am also busy and overwhelmed and can’t reasonably take on any new assignments. I’d assumed that, by now, things would have slowed down. I was mistaken. Apparently, and somewhat hearteningly, I’m not the only victim of this delusion. Reading an article in the Harvard Business Review by Harvard Business School professor Ashley Whillans, I came across the term “future time slack.” It’s the belief that you’ll have more time in the future than you do in the present. That’s why so many of us are inclined to postpone commitments for weeks or months, when we assume we’ll have more leeway in our schedules. The term “future time slack” was coined by Gal Zauberman and John G. Lynch, Jr. in a 2005 study published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology: General. In a series of experiments, the researchers demonstrated that people think they will have more time in the (relatively

FRIDAY, February 8, 2019

near) future, but roughly the same amount of money. As the researchers put it, you think you’re unusually busy now and will be less busy soon; but you don’t assume you’re unusually broke today. Another implication of future time slack, that Whillans points out, is stress. Whillans writes, “We decide to make some sacrifices now with the promise of enjoying more time later. Of course, when the future comes, we don’t have more time. We just repeat the same mistake.” You might skip your friend’s party to stay late at the office, thinking you’ll be freer to spend time with her next month. Then next month rolls around, and the pressure to work is the same. Yet research suggests that people who value time over money tend to be happier, possibly because they work fewer hours and spend more time on activities they enjoy. There isn’t an immediate solution to this problem, except perhaps being aware of your tendency to put off certain commitments until you’ll presumably have more time. You won’t, and your future self (or at least my future self) will be glad to see an empty calendar. - Business Insider

The Swedish construction group Skanska is testing the cutting-edge panels on the facade of one of its buildings in Warsaw. It also inked a licencing partnership with Saule in December for the exclusive right to incorporate the company’s solar cell technology in its projects in Europe, the United States and Canada. “Perovskite technology is bringing us closer to the goal of energy self-sufficient buildings,” said Adam Targowski, sustainability manager at Skanska. “Perovskites have proven successful even on surfaces that receive little sunlight. We can apply them pretty much everywhere,” he told AFP.

“We have fixed the Group FaceTime security bug on Apple’s servers and we will issue a software update to re-enable the feature for users next week,” Apple said in a statement. “We sincerely apologize to our customers who were affected and all who were concerned about this security issue.” A video posted on social media before Apple shut off the feature showed how to take advantage of the flaw and listen in on an iPhone being called using FaceTime. According to US media, a 14-year-old Arizona boy discovered the flaw and his mother struggled for a week to get Apple’s attention. “My fear is that this flaw could be used for nefarious

purposes,” Michele Thompson wrote to Apple, according to reports. Thompson was reportedly initially told she had to register as a developer to report a software bug before the flaw

became public. Apple acknowledged the help in its statement, saying: “We thank the Thompson family for reporting the bug.” - Relaxnews

NASA’s Curiosity rover makes unexpected discovery on Mars mountain As the intrepid rover climbs Mars Mount Sharp, it makes a curious discovery.

“More or less transparent, the panels also respond to design requirements. Thanks to their flexibility and varying tints, there’s no need to add any extra architectural elements.” A standard panel of around 1.3 square metres, at a projected cost of 50 euros ($57), would supply a day’s worth of energy to an office workstation, according to current estimates. Malinkiewicz insists that the initial cost of her products will be comparable to conventional solar panels. Perovskite technology is also being tested on a hotel in Japan, near the city of Nagasaki. Plans are also afoot for the pilot production of perovskite panels in Valais, Switzerland and in Germany under the wings of the Oxford Photovoltaics venture. “The potential of the technology is clearly enormous,” Assaad Razzouk, the CEO of Singapore-based Sindicatum Rewable Energy, a developer and operator of clean energy projects in Asia, told AFP. “Just think of all the buildings one could retrofit worldwide!”

“Disturbing” discovery: Giant hole found under Antarctica glacier by Sarah Lynch Baldwin

ASADENA, California, February 1, 2019 - Researchers say a massive cavity the size of twothirds of Manhattan was found under a glacier in Antarctica. The pocket is a sign of “rapid decay” and just one of “several disturbing discoveries” made recently regarding the glacier, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory said in a news release Wednesday. “[The size of] a cavity under a glacier plays an important role in melting,” said Pietro Milillo of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. “As more heat and water get under the glacier, it melts faster.”

This low-angle self-portrait of NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover shows the vehicle at the site from which it reached down to drill into a rock target called “Buckskin” on lower Mount Sharp. (Photo: NASA) by Jackson Ryan

OUSTON - January 31, 2019 - NASA’s intrepid Martian explorer, Curiosity, is slowly crawling its way up the side of the three mile (~five kilometre) high Mount Sharp on the surface of the red planet. Navigating the Martian surface can be risky (just look at the damage done to Curiosity’s wheels!) but the rover’s accelerometers and gyroscopes make the journey a little easier. And scientists have realized those instruments can be recalibrated to help Curiosity measure Mars’ gravity. The research, published in Science on Jan. 31, describes how NASA collaborators at research universities such as Johns Hopkins were able to take gravity measurements by repurposing data from Curiosity rovers exquisitely precise sensors. Curiosity, which landed on Mars in 2012, is equipped with accelerometers and gyroscopes, just like a smartphone. Those sensitive devices allow measurement of movement and orientation in your phone, but in Curiosity they are turned

The growing cavity sits in West Antarctica at the bottom of Thwaites Glacier, which is about as big as Florida and contains enough ice to contribute more than 2 feet to sea level rise, NASA said. It is growing at an “explosive” rate that surprised researchers conducting a study the agency led on the glacier. “The findings highlight the need for detailed observations

up to 11, allowing scientists and engineers back on Earth plenty of data to orient and move the rover. But as luck would have it, Curiosity’s accelerometers can also be used as a gravimeter -- an instrument that can measure gravity -- to reveal secrets about Martian geology. Even when Curiosity is stationary, the accelerometers are constantly detecting the slight changes in gravity on Mars, as Curiosity rolls further up Mount Sharp. By using over 700 measurements from the accelerometers, the team has been able to unravel some of the mysteries of the mountain. “This study represents the first gravity traverse and measurement of rock density on Mars,” said Nicholas Schmerr, a geologist at the University of Maryland and co-author on the project. Mount Sharp is unusual because it sits within a huge crater, known as Gale Crater, on Mars. How a mountain came to be inside a crater still perplexes scientists, with some believing it may have been filled in with sediment which was slowly blown away over

of Antarctic glaciers’ undersides in calculating how fast global sea levels will rise in response to climate change,” NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory said. CBS News climate and weather contributor Jeff Berardelli reports that the cavity is likely a significant finding because the West Antarctic ice sheet is considered one of the most unstable and vulnerable.

millions of years. That activity would make the lower layers of Mount Sharp dense with compact sediment, and Curiosity would see increased gravitational measurements. Curiously, the research team found that there was less additional gravity being exerted on Curiosity as it rolled further up Mount Sharp. Thus, the layers of rock that make up the mountain aren’t as dense as was once expected and the theory that Gale Crater was once filled with sediment is unlikely. “There are still many questions about how Mount Sharp developed, but this paper adds an important piece to the puzzle,” said Ashwin Vasavada, Curiosity’s project scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. NASA’s other Mars rover, Opportunity, has been silent since a planet-engulfing dust storm rendered it mute in June 2018. On January 25, NASA tried to contact the lost rover another time, as the planet approaches winter that may cause irreparable damage to the robot. - CNET

It seems to not only be melting on the ocean edges, but also from underneath, and warmer ocean waters are infiltrating. NASA said the hole is large enough to have held 14 billion tons of ice -- the majority of which has melted during the last three years. Scientists say the glacier is responsible for about four percent of global sea level rise. - CBS News

VOICE OF ASIA 20

Great tools for winter adventures

TRAVEL

FRIDAY, February 8, 2019

The best time of day to book your next flight

ooking to get the best flight deal? Better set an alarm.

Being an early riser may have even more benefits than you might have realized, including getting some choice discounts on airfare, Lonely Planet reported. Skyscanner, a travel fare aggregator website, broke down exactly the best times to book your next flight in 2019, all the way down to the hour, in a new report published earlier this month. According to Skyscanner’s research, the best time to book on any given day is around 5 a.m. So, it’s true that the early bird gets the worm. Or, the flight deal, that is. Stay safe, smart and warm. (Photo: kurapatka / stock.Adobe.com)

t may be winter, but that’s no reason to put your outdoor adventures on hold. When you’re properly equipped, you may find you can brave all kinds of weather. Stay safe, smart and warm with the following tools and gear: • Moisture-Wicking Fabrics: Fabrics aren’t what they

G-SHOCK MUDMASTER

Twin sensor technology accurately determines compass bearing and temperature and each model comes equipped with such useful features as 200M water resistance, shock resistance, an auto super illuminator LED light, world time, alarms, a stopwatch, timer and more. •

Fire-Starting Gear: You may be a crackerjack at starting the campfire on balmy summer nights, but come winter, things can be a bit trickier. Be sure your pack includes a high-quality firestarting kit that include longburning, windresistant, waterproof matches, extra strikers and a durable, waterproof case. • Hydration: Staying hydrated remains just as important as

ever in cold weather. Whether you prefer a simple bottle setup or a reservoir and tube you wear on your back, look for a hydration system specifically designed for winter weather that can withstand hot liquids and prevent your drinks from freezing.

Camelback Hydration If there are no limits and no off-season for you, be sure you have the necessary tools to make the most of your winter adventures. - (StatePoint)

King Tut’s tomb is reopening to visitors after 9 years of dazzling restoration work — Take a look inside

fter nine years of restoration, Tutankhamun (AKA King Tut)’s tomb is making its grand re-debut.

OS ANGELES | AFP | 2/1/2019 - US prosecutors announced Thursday they had dismantled three secret “birth tourism” networks that illegally offer Chinese expectant mothers the chance to give birth in California so their children will have US citizenship.

Babies born on American

The fare website also analyzed the best times to book flights to certain cities, includ-

by Cailey Rizzo

US cracks Chinese ‘birth tourism’ schemes

These organizations allowed foreign nationals, most of them Chinese, to come to the US under falsely obtained tourist visas, for which they often lied about the length and purpose of their visit.

The research not only includes how far out your should book, but also the best months to travel to these cities.

And if you really, really want to hedge your bets on getting the best deal, you’ll not only take all the advice mentioned above, but also opt to travel in January, February, August or September.

• Tough Tech: The latest rugged watches are standing up to the toughest conditions. Check out the G-SHOCK MUDMASTER GG1000-1A8 from Casio, particularly if you like to get muddy. The watch, which is built to withstand extreme weather, boasts a cylindrical guard structure to prevent mud, dust, and debris from entering, as well as features that enhance button operation even when you’re wearing gloves.

The three named “birthing houses” were broken up after an investigation in 2015, which authorities have only now publicly acknowledged.

ing New York, Chicago, Orlando, Las Vegas, Boston, Miami, Honolulu and Los Angeles, as well as international flights.

Skyscanner also recommended that travelers book their flights two months in advance for international routes, and two to three weeks in advance for domestic.

used to be. While long johns and other cool weather gear were once comprised of natural fabrics, such as cotton, textile engineering has taken true warmth to new frontiers. Be sure that you layer up the right way with moisture-wicking fabrics, which are designed to wick away moisture from the skin and allow it to dry rapidly. This is particularly essential for your base layer, as even in cold weather, you’re going to sweat when you are active, and your outermost layer which is in contact with the elements.

In total, 19 people were charged in the schemes, in which families were poised to pay tens of thousands of dollars, California’s prosecutor Nicola Hanna said in a statement.

In addition, whether you want to save on domestic or international flights, you should also fire up your laptop on Sunday. And yes, that means being awake at 5 a.m. on Sunday if you really want the best deal. Hopefully you won’t be too tired from Saturday night. Mondays have a slightly higher average rate, according to Skyscanner. But that would also mean getting up even earlier for work.

Photo: Darren Murphy

Since its discovery in 1922, the tomb has become one of the most famous tourist attractions in the world. By the ‘80s, the tomb was receiving thousands of visitors every day. The impact of that many people on the thousands-year-old tomb was already beginning to have an effect. Carbon monoxide from visitors’ breath, exposure to moisture, and small bumps and scratches were wearing away the tomb. In 2009, the Getty Conservation Institute partnered with Egypt’s Ministry of Antiquities to complete the most rigorous exploration of the tomb since it was first discovered almost 100 years ago.

soil are automatically entitled to birthright citizenship. According to prosecutors, the Chinese networks advised their clients on how to deceive American authorities by telling them, for example, to lie during their consular interviews and wear “loose clothing that would conceal their pregnancies” at ports of entry, according to the prosecutors’ statement. “America’s way of life is not for sale,” said Joseph Macias, a Homeland Security investigator for Los Angeles. “HSI will aggressively tar-

get those who would make a mockery of our laws and values to benefit and enrich themselves,” he said. Officials cited as an example one Dongyuan Li, a 41-year-old woman living in Irvine, who used some 20 apartments to house pregnant women. She rented them to more than 500 women at a price of 40,000 to 80,000 dollars each, the indictment stated. It said she received more than three million dollars in wire transfers from China over the course of two years.

“The crux of our project was to figure out how to manage the level of visitation and then also to continue to maintain the tomb in good condition for the future,” Laurie Wong, a wall paintings expert from the Getty Conservation Institute, told Artnet News. The tomb still houses some of the original objects found in the 1922 discovery, including Tutankhamun’s mummy itself, now displayed in an oxygenfree case. Visitors can also see King Tut’s quartzite sarcophagus, the wooden outermost coffin and the wall paintings that depict the pharaoh’s life and death. Additions to the tomb include a new viewing platform,

The beer, food, and clothes found in King Tut’s tomb will all be on display at the Grand Egyptian Museum. (Photo: Getty Images) an updated air filtration system, and improved walkways, signs, and lights. In addition to works of preservation, the team was also working on conservation and exploration. Conservators concluded that King Tut’s death was probably unexpected (he died at age 19) and that the tomb was not originally intend-

ed for him. The project was so expensive that the Getty Conservation Institute declined to give a figure on how much it cost. It was originally supposed to be completed in 2014 but was delayed several times due to the start of the Arab Spring in 2011 and political unrest in 2013. - Conte Nast Traveler

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VOICE OF ASIA 21

FRIDAY, February 8, 2019

Home&Real Estate Mortgage rates tick upwards

n the heels of the Federal Reserve’s latest meeting, mortgage rates ticked up slightly but appeared poised for a much more stable trajectory than economists previously anticipated. Average 30-year fixed rates

ticked up just one basis point (0.01 percent) from the previous week, to 4.46 percent, according to Freddie Mac. After weeks of moderating, that makes home loans about as affordable to new buyers as they were a year ago, easing fears of

rate-induced pressure on home sales. Freddie’s chief economist Sam Khater said this should put the housing market on a strong footing for the spring season, combined with growing inventory and price moderation.

An amazing home rises from an abandoned ruin in China by Michele Koh Morollo

n Chinese architecture, the basic building block is referred to as a bay—

In the remote village of Longtan in Anhui Province, China, RSAA / Büro Ziyu Zhuang transforms a ramshackle ruin into an enchanting home straight out of a folktale.

FHA/VA lenders face fed scrutiny

ederal financial regulators are stepping up scrutiny of certain mortgage lenders, particularly those that specialize in government-backed home loan programs offered through the FHA and VA. The Wall Street Journal reported that the Government National Mortgage Association, or Ginnie Mae, had recently taken a more active rolein overseeing nonbank mortgage lenders,

which have grown in recent years to encompass a much larger share of the market than before. Particularly in the FHA and VA loan market, nonbank firms vastly outnumber traditional banks, which curtailed lending in this segment following the 2008 crisis. But Ginnie Mae, which securitizes mortgages underwritten for FHA and VA borrowers, is nervous that nonbank lenders making those loans pose great-

er risks. Nonbank lenders are subject to fewer capital controls than traditional banks, although they tend to fill market niches that would be unprofitable for banks. The Wall Street Journal reported that Ginnie Mae’s increased scrutiny of its $2 trillion nonbank-originated portfolio comes as lower home sales and slower price growth raise the risk of mortgage default.

Chinese investors in real estate upping the ante

etween 2013 and 2016, Chinese firms ramped up capital outflows to invest in more stable, lucrative markets, with American real estate among the most prized asset types. But the Chinese government has intervened to reduce foreign investment in an effort to stabilize its own currency and stave off a possible recession. The recent chill in diplomatic and economic relations between China and the U.S. has only emboldened China to clamp down further. While real estate developers and property owners in the U.S. may miss the oncereliable capital infusions provided by Chinese clients, that doesn’t necessarily mean losing them will lead to a broad downturn in the commercial market.

The middle section of an old wall creates a courtyard where the owner can stargaze at night. evation and converses with the sunken garden landscape in the south,” says Zhuang. “We used a sweeping curvature that rises

to create an imaginary space detached from the original projection. Because of the limitation

Chinese firms are ramping up capital investments in lucrative and stable markets in the USA. While China fell from first to fourth in the rankings of top foreign buyers of U.S. real estate between 2016 and 2018, investors from other countries like Canada, France and Singapore have only increased

purchasing activity. In 2018, Canadian firms scooped up an impressive $44 billion of U.S. commercial real estate assets. - Houston Agent Magazine

In response, median home

the space between the roof supports. This modern home was once a dilapidated house built in the traditional Huizhou and Yanjiang style, with three bays along the east-west axis, and one bay along the southnorth axis. After sitting abandoned for ten years, the home was overgrown with weeds, and its roof and walls were badly damaged. The idea for a new 1,722-square-foot house was born when the home’s owner spoke to Ziyu Zhuang of RSAA: “Look at the tallest tree that survived in our village. It’s beautiful. It should be seen in this house after it’s been rebuilt.” And so the design of the home, named Tongling Recluse, evolved around preserving the tree and elements from

Booming population near Killeen, Texas results in booming real estate hen droves of people move into a new community at the same time, they compete against local buyers and drive real estate prices up. This is why Killeen, TX, made our list. As the home of Fort Hood, the military post employs around 54,000 civilians and soldiers and attracts contractors like General Dynamics, an aerospace firm with a presence in the region. In 2017, Killeen’s population grew 1.6%, double the national growth rate of 0.8%. It isn’t slowing down. From 2015 to 2030, the metro area’s population is expected to grow 23%, according to the Texas Water Development Board.

Photos: Michele Koh Morollo

The dining and living areas are separated by a suspended, copper-plated staircase. the old ruins.

of the original height of the old house, and its badly damaged roof, we added two new floors to the original building.”

Keeping the tree in mind, Zhuang divided the ruins of the old walls into two parts. He added a new bay to the west and oriented it towards a rocky mountain. Another bay enlarges the main living areas.

The terrace, living room, dining room, and kitchen are located along the more exposed eastern side of the house. The courtyard and bedroom are located along the more private western section.

RSAA lowered the front of the roof’s ridge to create a traditional folded roof that integrates harmoniously with the streamlined interior spaces.

prices in Killeen have jumped 13.9% to $205,000. But those are still bargain rates compared to larger Texas cities like Austin, TX, just over an hour to the north. Why pay a median $349,100 home price in the Austin metro when you could get a three-bed-

room ranch home for under $150,000 in Killeen, which is within commuting distance? “People are being pushed out of Austin,” says Andrea Curtis, broker/owner of United Country Premier Properties in Killeen.

“The new ridge formed a bay of its own. One half of this bay is incorporated into the outdoor contour of the original building, while the other half forms the veranda under the eaves. The design reveals a virtual space against the physical house in the east el-

The entrance gate to the renovated house.

- Dwell.com

THIS IS A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO CUSTOM BUILD YOUR MAGNIFICENT 10K+ SF DREAM HOME on this a large and secluded lot. Onsite Private Water Well as well as city water! All utilities available. Owner has recently demolished all dwellings and cleared the land, added substantial amounts of dirt to increase the land elevation and has kept up with the general tree landscaping. Location has easy access to the Galleria, Beltway 8, I-10 and the energy corridor, Downtown and Bush Intercontinental (IAH). Hard to believe you are in the city.

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Week of February 8, 2019 21 March to 20 April Take charge of your love life. If things haven’t been going the way you’d like them to lately, make some changes. You have what it takes to turn things around, Aries! Believe in yourself. You have loads of confidence over the weekend.

21 April to 20 May You may be doing a wonderful job, but no one is paying much attention. Be sure you aren’t playing the martyr. It’s important to balance work and play. It’s also important to delegate, even if people aren’t as skilled as you are.

21 May to 20 June Forces want you to communicate for a living and incorporate more writing, speaking, teaching, and learning into your job. At the same time, new energy comes to your social sector, perhaps shaking up your groups and memberships.

21 June to 22 July Don’t tie yourself in knots trying to analyze the best way to get fit. You could be stymied by a fear of doing the wrong thing or worry about the overall benefits you’ll get out of some regimen. The cosmos is encouraging you to trust your heart.

23 July to 22 August You tend to be a drama queen at times, and the beginning of the week is one of those times! You readily admit your need for compliments and attention, and your perfect match is someone who likes watching you in the spotlight instead of trying to compete with you for it.

23 August to 22 Sept There is a stressful energy at work. Don’t get emotional if you have a confrontation with an aggressive, demanding, or critical person. It isn’t a personal matter. Not everyone will agree, and you may be challenged. Continue expressing your opinions in a calm and direct way.

astrology.com

23 September to 22 Oct Things from the past may get dredged up again - both literally and figuratively - so they can be released, thrown out, fixed up, or changed. Though this may not be pleasant in the short term, it’s necessary and even positive.

23 October to 21 Nov Watch out for minor accidents. The cosmos is stirring up your subconscious mind and bringing hidden issues to the surface. Stop and meditate every day. Patiently observe what’s going on within you. Notice if you’re angry or uptight.

22 November to 21 Dec You may prefer the comfort of a crowd this week. Enjoy adding input and opinions even if you don’t take a lead position. Accept any leadership role if asked. Never hesitate to acknowledge when someone else is doing a good job.

22 December to 20 Jan Is your love life the way you want it? If you could change any one component, what would it be? You’re the taskmaster of the zodiac, Capricorn, so you have what it takes to make things happen. Get out there and get what you want!

21 January to 19 Feb Stay flexible and relaxed. Conflicts and challenges take a toll on your body in the form of stress and tension. Meditation or yoga will help you keep your body flexible and mind calm. These techniques will help you sail through problems with a clear head and plenty of energy.

20 February to 20 Mar If you want to make some changes to your work and money life, this is the week to do it. Your communication sector is expanding, giving you unique skills to get your point across to anyone, from the top of the food chain on down. Weed out the people who aren’t serving you or your life’s goals.

ACROSS 1. Indian black tea 6. Elmer to Bugs 9. Glorify 13. Head of a mosque 14. E.T. transporter 15. This was his name-o 16. Mental portrait 17. Chlorofluorocarbon, abbr. 18. French novelist Zola 19. *Related to puzzle theme 21. Way to absorb 23. Lobe locale 24. H. H. Munro’s pseudonym 25. Rap sheet abbr. 28. Hungarian bagpipe 30. Deeply hidden within self 35. Initiation ceremony, e.g. 37. Made with stitches 39. Venus neighbor 40. Crucifix 41. Cerberus’ domain 43. Petri dish filler 44. Young hooter 46. Fraternity recruitment season 47. Type of shark 48. ____ Grove, MN 50. Corset rod 52. Animal’s nose 53. Number one 55. Second solfa syllable, pl. 57. *Flowery Valentine’s gift 61. *Between girlfriend and wife 65. Liquid drug container 66. Planet ruler in the movies 68. *Blast from Harry’s past, movie 69. Caterpillar hairs 70. Easter lead-in 71. Human social group 72. *Tied upon marriage 73. Kith partner 74. Wild plums

DOWN 1. Gulf V.I.P. 2. Clash of heavyweights 3. NBA action 4. Lake scum 5. Dionysus’ follower 6. Mussolini, with Il 7. On vacation 8. Cuckoo for what puffs? 9. *Romantic ride 10. Anisette, for short 11. Tangerine plus grapefruit 12. “Easy ____ it” 15. *Kind of wish 20. *Puppy love 22. Do biathlon 24. Woodworker’s byproduct 25. *Cupid’s ammo 26. Native of American Great Plains 27. Circular island of coral 29. *First word 31. Hat-tipper’s word 32. Donated life-saver 33. Interest in a venture 34. *Heart____ 36. “Harper Valley PTA” star 38. Hatchling’s home 42. Harry Belafonte’s daughter 45. Tiny tube 49. Tiger’s launch point 51. Leavening agent, pl. 54. Smelled offensively 56. Angry growl 57. Lounge, like in the sun 58. A sign 59. “____ ____ no good” 60. African tea 61. Shade-loving plant 62. Greek muse of history 63. River in Bohemia 64. *”Can’t take my ____ off you...” 67. Hawaiian dish

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Mohammad Asghar, Associate Prof. at University of Houston.

Asghar leaves behind his wife Samina Salim, Associate Professor of Pharmacology who has emceed our IMAGH Eid Milan several time and a daughter. Namaz-e-Janaza was held on Sunday February 3, 2019 at MAS Katy Mosque at 1800 Baker Rd, Houston, TX 77094 He will be buried at Forest Lawn Cemetery at 8601 Almeda Genoa Rd. Houston, TX 77075

Open House / Home for Sale!

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It is with utmost grief we have to inform that our long time associate and supporter of IMAGH, Brother Mohammad Asghar, Assosiated Professor of Pharmocology at University of Houston has passed away.

for Real Estate Agents Post your listing! Open House is Optional!

FRIDAY, February 8, 2019

Houston Community College Request for Proposals (RFP-C) Window & Glass Cleaning Services Project No. 19-22 And Landscaping & Grounds Maintenance Services Project No. 19-26 Sealed proposals will be received in Procurement Operations (3100 Main Street, Room No. 11B01, Houston, Texas 77002) until 2:00PM (local time) on Thursday, February 28, 2019. Documents can be obtained at: www.hccs.edu/abouthcc/procurement/

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ollege is a time when many young people buy their first cars. But with the rising cost of a degree, students and their families will want to ensure they are getting a good value on vehicle purchases. Here are some great ways to get more bang for your buck: Pre-

The last thing busy college students need is to sink time and money into regularly fixing a clunker. Rather than purchase a standard used car with an unknown history, consider a Certified Pre-Owned (CPO) vehicle. CPOs are often a safer bet, as they come with a warranty and have gone through a multipoint inspection to ensure quality. Some contracts even include 24/7 roadside assistance. Seek Special Deals You’ll want to get around campus or commute to your first job in style, so look out for special deals and programs offered to students that can help you find a fun, modern car with all the latest safety and technology features at an affordable price. For example, MINI USA is

Sealed proposals will be received in Procurement Operations (3100 Main Street, R o o m N o . 11 B 0 1 , Houston, Texas 77002) until 2:00PM (local time) on February 28, 2019. Documents can be o b t a i n e d a t : w w w. hccs.edu/about-hcc/ procurement/

Sell your Listing

Car-shopping tips for students and recent grads

Go Certified Owned

Houston Community College Request for Proposals (RFP-C) Digital Video Wall for HCC’s West Houston Institute Project No. 19-40

Photo Source: (c) Minerva Studio / stock.Adobe.com

offering the 2019 MINI Oxford Edition exclusively to college students and recent graduates. This includes current full- and part-time students of any twoor four-year accredited college or university, any recent college graduates within 12 months of their graduation, as well as students enrolled in post-bachelor’s degree programs, such as graduate school, law school or medical school.

Remember, the cost of maintaining a car also includes auto insurance. Take this into consideration when determining what you can afford. You can stretch your budget with a bit of comparison shopping and by looking into discounts that suit your lifestyle. For example, some policies offer breaks for safe driving, good grades, low mileage, community service participation and more.

For no additional cost, this edition offers $6,900 worth of optional equipment as standard, including a connected infotainment system, rear-view camera, park distance control, a dualpane panoramic moonroof and heated seats.

Buying a car while paying for college or settling into a first job may sound overwhelming, but by doing a little research and keeping your options open, there are many ways to affordably secure and maintain a great car.

Factor in Other Costs

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