Voice of Asia April 11 2014

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Pratham Houston gala raises over India’s mission to Mars $1.4 million - Sets a new record high crosses half-way mark

by Shobana Muratee

H

OUSTON - ‘It was a magical night,” stated Dr. Marie Goradia, President, Pratham Houston describing the success of Pratham’s fundraiser held on Saturday, April 5, 2014 at the Hilton Americas.

A whopping $1.4 m. was raised breaking previous year’s record of $1.3m.

Each year Pratham has been consistently making remarkable strides in its growth and commitment to its mission to educate the underprivileged children of India. As a result, Pratham’s presence is now in 19 states of India changing the dynamics of education there.

From its humble beginning as a Balwadi program in the slums of Mumbai, Pratham today has a global presence

File photo Dr. Madhav Chavan seen presenting the NRI of the Year Award from Times Now (India’s No 1 News Channel) to Vijay Goradia. Photo credit Bijay Dixit

B

ANGALORE, April 9, 2014 (AFP) - India's first mission to Mars successfully crossed the half-way mark on Wednesday, four months after leaving on an voyage to the Red Planet scheduled to take 11 months, the space agency said.

"The spacecraft crossed the halfway mark Wednesday at 9:50am on its journey to Mars," the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said in a statement from the southern city of Bangalore.

"The spacecraft and its five scientific instruments are in good health."

The gold-coloured probe, the size of a small car, will aim to detect methane in the Martian atmosphere, which could provide evidence of some sort of life form on the fourth planet from the Sun. The country has never before attempted inter-planetary travel, and more than half of all missions to Mars

Dr. Madhav Chavan, Pratham’s cofounder, presented the ‘NRI of the Year Award’ from Times Now (India’s No 1 News Channel) to Vijay Goradia for his philanthropic efforts in building Pratham USA into a massive movement, with 14 chapters across the United States. “He is generous to the core, not just in money but in attitude,” Chavhan said. Accepting the award, Vijay Goradia spoke in praise of Dr. Atul Varadhachary and said, “He has performed every role in Pratham

that you can think of.” He also mentioned that Dr. Varadhachary played a major role in preparing the by-laws for Pratham USA. “Vijay Goradia and Dr. Varadhachary have been stalwarts of Pratham USA since its inception and we deeply value their tireless contributions.” Dr. Marie Goradia stated.

Pratham’s legacy is its leadership, volunteers and quest for covering every single child in its program. It has already made an indelible mark with its numerous awards and recognitions including this year’s prestigious BBVA Frontiers of Knowledge Award for Development Cooperation. “With 25 million children being born each year, Pratham still has miles to go and mountains to climb,” states Dr. Goradia.

Keynote Speaker Dr. Leo Linbeck III, President & CEO, Aquinas Companies, LLC and Executive Chairman of Linbeck Group, gave a stimulating insight into the brain functioning

through the theories of two researchers: Daniel Kahneman, a Nobel Laureate in Economics and Robin Dunbar.

Gala Chairs Arpita and Amit Bhandari in their messages stated that as an organization, Pratham was early to recognize that in all cases children deserve our love and have an inalienable right to be nourished mentally and physically. The event was also Co-Chaired by Angela and Chowdary Yalamanchili, Leena and Ash ShahAnuradha and Mani Subramanian, Urvish and Nilima Vashi.

The event was efficiently emceed by Rekha Muddaraj, news anchor from Channel 1. The program presented a lively Bollywood style dance by Naach Houston at the start, setting the mood for an enchanting evening. Delightful entertainment was also provided by Fred Astaire Dance Studio. The dinner was wonderfully catered by Madras Pavilion India restaurant.

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NASA has also launched a spacecraft to Mars, on a mission to study how the air on the planet has changed over time, and is also expected to reach its destination in September.

India's mission cost 4.5 billion rupees ($75 million), a fraction of the cost of the US unmanned MAVEN spacecraft at $671 million.

NEW DELHI, April 9, 2014 (AFP) - India's upstart anti-graft party faces a key test Thursday as the national capital votes in the first major stage of the country's marathon general elections.

The third phase of voting begins at 7:00 am local time (01:30 GMT) in 92 constituencies, representing a fifth of the 543-seat lower house, across the capital and 13 other states, including Maoist insurgency-hit eastern India.

But analysts say the spotlight is on the Delhi birthplace of the Aam Aadmi (Common Man) Party (AAP), even if support for it may have lost some steam.

"The enthusiasm, the hope has died.

People have become disillusioned with them," Delhi-based veteran political analyst and commentator Amulya Ganguli told AFP. The AAP has struggled to shake the "quitter" tag used by critics to dismiss it following the dramatic resignation

of party chief Arvind Kejriwal just 49 days after it took power in Delhi's state elections.

"They didn't stay on to govern and their drama-creating behaviour put people off," Ganguli said.

The nine-stage elections, which kicked off Monday are expected to vault to power the Hindu nationalist opposition at a time of low economic growth, seething anger over widespread corruption and warnings about religious unrest.

The 814-million-strong electorate is forecast to inflict a punishing defeat on the Congress party after its decadelong rule and elect the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led by conservative hardliner Narendra Modi.

The AAP is contesting its first general elections since it was spawned by a 2011 anti-graft movement and rode a wave of public anger over a string of corruption scandals.

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The timing and place of the announcement -- in an Independence Day speech -- led to speculation that India was seeking to make a point to its militarily and economically superior neighbour, despite denials from ISRO.

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The low-cost Mars Orbiter Mission, known as "Mangalyaan" in India, was revealed in August 2012 by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, shortly after China's attempt flopped.

Anti-graft party faces test as India votes in third round

Dr. Marie Goradia, (in red) flanked with event Co-Chairs. Photo by Bijay Dixit, Unique Photo Images. and its model is being emulated d by many developing countries. With just $10 per child per year, Pratham has successfully reached out to 34 million children through its ‘Read India’ program. “Ninety percent of your donation goes to the charity,” Dr. Goradia said addressing over 700 guests who attended the gala and then urged them to “unlock the golden door of freedom” through education.

have ended in failure, including China's in 2011 and Japan's in 2003.

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OP-ED/COMMENTARY/ANALYSIS

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By Ravi Agrawal, CNN ew Delhi (CNN) -When I left India to move to America 13 years ago, the President of the United States was George W. Bush, a man who was often internationally lampooned for mismanaging two wars and tainting Washington’s image abroad. But moving back to India this month, I’ve been struck by the number of Indians who look back wistfully at the Bush years.

For Indians, Bush is considered a better friend than President Barack Obama. In fact, right now, Indians don’t see Obama as much of a friend at all.

It didn’t start off that way. In the early days of his presidency, in 2009, Obama marked India’s Republic Day by saying Indians “have no better friend” than the people of the United States. A year later, when he visited New Delhi, he famously predicted India and the U.S. would form “the defining partnership of the 21st century.” At the time, Obama won Indian hearts and minds as he chowed down kebabs at the city’s famous Bukhara restaurant. The chefs created a special platter that exists to this day -the Obama platter. (There was already a Bill Clinton platter, as well as a Hillary one.)

Today, the platters have gone cold: New Delhi feels jilted.

Instead of a defining partnership, Indians couldn’t quite define where they stood. Talk of a G-2 -- a U.S. mega-alliance with China, an idea which didn’t come from Obama -- inflamed old feelings of jealousy. Washington’s impending pullout from Afghanistan, along with its generous aid to Pakistan, has stoked angst. But the real low point was reached late last year when an Indian diplomat in New York was arrested and then strip-searched for allegedly underpaying her nanny.

Obama likely had no prior knowledge of the case or the arrest, but still, the perceived American high-handedness turned out to be too much for India to digest.

New Delhi revoked privileges to U.S. interests in the country, and across India, there were anti-American protests. Regardless of the merits of the dispute, Indians wondered: If they had no better friend, was this the treatment they deserved?

The sense of betrayal is mutual. Washington feels let down, too -- and with some good reason. When Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine this year, India chose not to side with the United States but to abstain on a U.N. General Assembly resolution against the Russian action.

(Russia is, incidentally, India’s largest supplier of arms.) When Washington sought to coalesce

Why India feels jilted by Obama

Poll officials carry voting machines in Nagaon, Assam, on Sunday in preparation for the national election. support for stringent sanctions against Iran, the surprise spoiler turned out to be New Delhi, which said it needed Iranian oil.

What happened to what was promised to be a close friendship between the world’s two biggest democracies?

One could look to history for answers. Since its independence in 1947, India -- scarred by centuries of invasions and interventions -- has been a reluctant global player. Its first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, co-founded the NonAligned Movement, a group of nations that aspired to steer clear of great powers and their geopolitics.

But 67 years on from its creation, India is now itself an aspiring great power, already among the top 10 economies in the world. Indian diplomats routinely express their hopes for India to become a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council, joining the ranks of Russia, the United States, China, France and the United Kingdom.

And yet India’s foreign policy has remained aloof, lagging well behind its growth. The country has about the same number of diplomats abroad as Singapore, a country with a population 1/250th of India’s. The United States, with a population one

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ture it? Both sides need to take a long, hard look at the world around them and wonder what kind of role they want to play and who can help them do it.

As Indians head to the polls Monday to elect a new government, foreign policy is not a campaign issue. It rarely is anywhere. People tend to vote for the things that tangibly impact them: the economy, taxes, infrastructure, education, health care. But whether Indians realize it or not, the next few weeks could offer a chance to rejuvenate a troubled relationship.

Whoever India’s next Prime Minister is, he or she has an opportunity to start afresh with the United States. Washington has already opened a door to this, suggesting that Narendra Modi, the current favorite for PM, will be allowed a U.S. visa. Modi was denied one in 2005 for his alleged complicity in HinduMuslim riots 12 years ago.

More than 1,000 Muslims were killed. Modi was chief minister of Gujarat at the time, the state in which the riots took place.

The last time Washington tried to hit the reset button -with Russia -- things went awry.

But the stakes are too high to not try again. If it gets this one right, Obama will be vindicated: This century’s defining alliance may yet be the one between the two biggest democracies in the world.

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quarter of India’s, has 10 times as many diplomats. How can India make or maintain friendships when it has always stayed at home?

Instead of the past, Indians and Americans should look to the future and the potential it could bring. A recent Pew survey shows that despite recent troubles, Indians trust and like America. For every Indian expressing an unfavorable view of the U.S., four Indians are favorable. By another four-to-one margin, Indians say the U.S. is the world’s leading economic power, not China. By a margin of 21 percentage points, Indians are more favorable to the United States than China.

The data should not be surprising. India and the United States have more in common than they have differences. One may be a parliamentary system, the other presidential, but both celebrate and cherish democracy, however chaotic and frustrating it can be. At any given time, nearly 100,000 Indians pursue degrees in the United States. Many of them stay on and contribute to American society and business.

Strategically, as Washington competes for influence in Asia with China, it will find a natural ally in New Delhi.

Obama’s early rhetoric was spot-on: The two countries share common ideals. But can they share a friendship and nur-

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VOICE OF ASIA 3

FRIDAY, April 11, 2014

Second Front Page

Friday, April 11, 2014

Email: editor@voiceofasiaonline.com

Kalabhavan completes another successful year

Sen) were recognized for their tremendous contributions in encouraging and teaching students of all age groups the intricacies of each art form.

A Pushpanjali in the Bharatnatyam style was followed by a dance on Shiva, both well executed by very young dancers.

The 5 Odissi performances that followed were a treat to watch and very well appreciated by the audience. The bright costumes, jewelry, graceful dancing and exquisite chaukas, tribhangis and abhinaya brought out the grandeur of this dance style in a big way.

Raja Banga, a well-known Houstonian in the Tabla arena, presented an excellent tabla lehra with students at different levels of learning. Next, in his inimitable style he put together a world percussion ensemble, “Confluence”, which included instruments ranging from Ektara, Khanjani, Dafli, Djembe, Kahon, Pakhawaj, Srikhol, Naal, Dhak, Kanjira, Violin, Vocals and Guitar. Biplab Samaddar on the violin and Chris Wocjick on the guitar, both very

Tel: 713-774-5140 accomplished global musicians in their own right added extra flavor to the music which was a treat to the ears.

The vocal section of the program started with a Dhrupad in Raga Malkauns, followed by a Khayal Bandish and Taan, and then a Tarana, also in Raga Malkauns, all very melodiously rendered by the bright, young upcoming students. This segment ended with a fine medley of Bengali songs representing our cultural trends.

The evening ended aptly with 5 sublime devotional Rabindrasangeet numbers by capable young ladies, 3 solo and 2 group songs accompanied by Aloke Roy on the mandira.

The brilliant display of artwork by Indranil and his students was a huge crowd puller.

Awards were presented to all participants in conclusion by Mila Sengupta and Madhumita Sen. Snacks and dinner flew off the tables and was gone in no time. All in all, it was a successful annual day event that Kalabhavan can be proud of.

Cynthia Koenig, Wello Water 23 April 2014 12:00pm at Asia Society Texas Center

Performers at the anniversary celebrations.

by Sanchali Basu ouston Durga Bari Society’s cultural partner Kalabhavan celebrated its annual day on Saturday, March 29 at its Sur Auditorium. The evening consisted of programs highlighting the various disciplines taught at the center.

The graciously poised Sutanuka Sinha and Roshni Ray began the evening’s proceedings by commending Kalabhavan’s efforts in upholding the Indian heritage and disseminating its traditions and values in the next generation and community at large. Kalabhavan’s teachers in the fields of Bharatnatyam (Arpita Mukhopadhyay), Odissi (Supradipta Datta), classical/ semi-classical North Indian music (Rajneeta Bandopadhyay), Rabindra Sangeet (Kamalpriya Roy), Tabla/percussions (Raja Banga) and painting (Indranil

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Odissi dancer give a spectacular performance

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Water, hygiene, and transportation are constant challenges for developing nations like India, and women often shoulder the burden of collecting water for their families. For many isolated areas, family members (mainly women) are forced to trek up to five miles to the nearest water source with large, heavy plastic containers balanced on their heads. It’s estimated that Indian women and young girls spend up to 25 percent of their time each day collecting water. This time spent often keeps children out of school and cuts out the valuable time that could otherwise be spent generating income from other means.

Cynthia Koenig, a young social innovator, decided to create a new way to make this chore less arduous. She designed a device to transport water in a more efficient and hygienic way: the Water Wheel, a round 50-liter container that enables people to roll water from water sources rather than carry it on their heads. This allows for three to five times more water to be transported at one time

compared to traditional methods.

After receiving a $100,000 Grand Challenges Canada prize to develop the WaterWheel, Koenig founded Wello. After manufacturing the first Water Wheel in 2012, Wello rolled out its revolutionary Wheel in Rajasthan, India, at the end of 2013 to elated villagers. Koenig’s Wello won the Dow Sustainability Challenge Grant and earned the Social Impact Award at the 2010 Michigan Business Challenge. Koenig’s work has been recognized by President Bill Clinton during the annual meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative University. Additionally, Wello has been approached by the United Nations, and is in discussions with the organization about providing WaterWheels for use in the troubled Darfur region of Sudan.

Through Asia Society Texas Center’s community partner, Ek Disha, you will have the unique opportunity to hear about Cynthia Koenig’s experiences firsthand and for the first time in Texas, see and try out the award winning Water Wheel.

COMMUNITY/LEGAL

VOICE OF ASIA 4

YOUR IMMIGRATION LAWYER

The People’s Lawyer

Answers to your Immigration Questions

by Sharlene Sharmila Richards, Immigration Lawyer: email at srichardslaw@aol.com

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

Debt Collector cannot take your tax refund Q. We just got a call from a debt collector saying that if I did not promptly pay, he would garnish my tax refund from the IRS. My wife and I have been counting on this money to pay some other expenses. We have been paying the debt collector all we can afford. Can the debt collector do this?

A. The debt collector cannot garnish your federal tax refund from the IRS. Tax refunds may only be taken in very limited circumstances. For example, a refund may be taken for a debt owed to the federal government, a debt owed to a state, or a debt for past-due child support. A private creditor may not garnish your tax return. In fact, threatening to garnish your tax refund probably violates state and federal debt collection laws. Under these laws, a debt collector is prohibited from making threats to take legal action he has no right to take. I suggest you let the debt collector know that you know your legal rights and continue to pay what you can afford.

Q. I have a question about medical law in the state of Texas. I was under the impression that people can’t be sued in Texas for outstanding medical bills or have it count against their credit report score, if they are making an attempt to pay. Have the laws changed or am I mistaken?

A. The law has not changed, and you are mistaken. Debts arising from medical care are not treated differently from debts arising from any other obligation. Whether you owe a credit card bill, a hospital bill or a doctor’s bill, the collection procedures are the same and the information stays on your credit report for the same seven-year period.

Q. I am 67 years old. I don’t pay property taxes because of my exemptions. Someone just told me that when I die my estate would have to pay all the back taxes, plus interest. Is this true?

A. It is not true; your estate will not owe any taxes. Your question, however, points out the difference between a tax “exemption” and a tax “deferment.” Under the property tax system, you pay taxes based on the value of your property. Some portion of that value is “exempt” and no taxes are due on that portion. The amount of the exemption increases at age 65. In your case, there are no taxes due because the amount of the exemption is greater than the value of your property. On the other hand, if you owe taxes even when the exemption is applied, you have the right to “defer” the taxes when you reach age 65. This means that you do not have to pay when the taxes are assessed. The taxes, however, are still owed. Taxes, plus interest, must be paid when you die or sell the property. If you had your taxes deferred, your estate would have to pay the taxes plus interest after your death.

Q. I sold my used car to someone. The buyer has now come back and threatened to sue me because I did not disclose some major problems with the car. She says that I violated the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act. What is this law? Does it apply to me? I am not a business.

A. The Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act is our state’s consumer protection law. It applies to any consumer, including most small businesses. Under this law, any seller can be liable if the seller misleads or deceives the buyer, or fails to disclose material information. A seller who acts “knowingly,” may be liable for up to three times the buyer’s damages. The Deceptive Trade Practices Act is designed to protect consumers anytime they buy or lease anything.

It applies to all sellers, from the largest businesses to an individual. If you knew about serious problems with the car and didn’t tell the buyer so he would buy it, you probably have violated this law. I suggest you try to resolve the problem, before the buyer considers a lawsuit.

Do you want to know a lot more about your legal rights? Will you be in Houston this Saturday, April 5th? That’s when the Center for Consumer Law at the University of Houston Law Center will present the latest session of the People’s Law School. This free program is your chance to learn more about your legal rights, and get help with basic legal problems. As more than 50,000 people have learned, knowing your legal rights can help avoid problems and resolve disputes. The program is free, but you must register in advance. To register or get more information, go to www.peopleslawyer.net. I look forward to seeing you this Saturday.

FRIDAY, April 11, 2014

ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS ABOUT SELF-PETITIONS FILED BY ABUSE OR BATTERED SPOUSES Q: My husband whom I have been married to for 2 years refuses to file the petition to enable me to obtain permanent residence.

Because I do not have my permanent residence, I cannot work and am I am unable to travel home to see my family in India. What can I do about this problem?

A: It is possible that you may be eligible to file a self-petition as a spouse who is subject to extreme cruelty or battery. The spouse, child or parent of a US citizen or Permanent Resident subject to extreme cruelty or battery may file such a petition independently of the abusive spouse. I advise that you contact an immigration attorney to determine whether you are eligible to self-petition. Even though the abuse does not appear to be physical in nature, his actions may constitute emotional and psychological abuse.

Q: Once my self-petition for abused or battered spouse has been approved, what happens then?

A: You are eligible for employment authorization and adjustment of your status to permanent residence (Green Card).

Q: What are the requirements for a self-petition based on extreme cruelty or abuse?

A: The battered spouse must demonstrate that he or she resided with the US Citizen or Permanent Resident spouse; was battered or subjected to extreme cruelty during the marriage; the marriage was entered into in good faith; the spouse is eligible for immigrant preference status; and has good moral character.

Q: How much is the filing fee for the self-petition?

A: There is no filing fee for the I-360 Petition for Abuse or Battered Spouse.

Q: I have a common law marriage with my US Citizen wife and we have two children together. I can no longer tolerate her abusive behavior towards me like calling me horrible names, hitting me for no reason and her threatening that she will notify immigration to deport me if I refuse to comply with her demands. Am I eligible to self-petition based on abuse or battered spouse as I am not a woman and since I have a common law marriage?

A: Battered or abused male spouses can file such self- petitions. The Violence Against the Women’s Act (VAWA) does not limit abuse or battery to just women. If you entered into a common law marriage with your wife here in Texas, your common law marriage will be recognized for immigration purposes provided the necessary requirements for such a marriage have been satisfied. Please consult with an immigration attorney to discuss your case.

Q: I am thinking of filing a self-petition as an abused spouse. However, I am still living with my husband and I am extremely fearful of him finding out that I have filed the petition as he reads all my mail.

A: All mail pertaining to your self-petition case will not be mailed to your home but to a safe address.

Q: My husband holds H-1B visa and I am here on H-4 status. He is extremely abusive towards me and I fear for my safety. Can I self-petition?

A: No, unfortunately not. If you fear for your safety and are a victim of domestic violence, please contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 (or 1-800-799-3224 TTY) for advice on how to stay safe. If there is an immediate threat to your life or safety, please contact the police.

Disclaimer: Any advice provided in this article is general in nature and not intended to constitute legal advice for any specific case. Please consult with an immigration lawyer about the specific circumstances of your case.

My Bio Sharlene Sharmila Richards is a licensed Immigration lawyer practicing in Houston, Texas. She is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association. She was admitted to the New York State Bar in 2000 and is a member of the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals and a member of the US Supreme Court. You may contact her at telephone number 713-623-8088 or by email at srichardslaw@aol.com to schedule a free consultation to discuss your case.

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VOICE OF ASIA 5

Holi Celebrations at Arya Samaj

FRIDAY, April 11, 2014

Comcast Extends National Broadband Adoption Program For Low-Income Families

Internet Essentials Connects More Than 1.2 Million Americans to the Power of the Internet at Home Company Provides $1 Million in Grants to Non-Profit Partners in More Than a Dozen Communities to Create Internet Essentials Learning Zones

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By Roma S. Nayyar

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either rain nor wind could keep away the spirit of Holi at Arya Samaj this year. Despite the rain and windy weather conditions, the Arya Samaj Greater Houston community gathered to celebrate Holi with friends and family on Sunday, March 16, 2014. Everyone had a blast throwing dry gulal of every shade of the rainbow.

The day started with havan and Acharya Suryananda ji gave his weekly sermon on Holi, on how one should try to experience all the colors of life. The children also had their weekly prayer and attended their moral education and Hindi classes at the DAV Sanskriti School (“DAVSS”).

Everyone was treated to a wonderful performance prepared by

DAVSS dance students to celebrate Holi. This was followed by a delicious meal of warm, fresh aloo puri, pulau, raita, red pumpkin, halwa, multicolored guldana, topped off with hot tea, thandai as well as a cookie cake for the kids, before the Holi celebrations started.

Once the Holi celebrations kicked off, there was no stopping the festive spirit, and in a matter of minutes, everyone was smeared with every color imaginable. Pink, red, blue, green, purple, and yellow gulal filled the air along with the cry of Happy Holi, as everyone embraced and smeared color on one another. Lively music kept everyone’s energy up, and all were treated to delicious, fresh Jalebi, made right on the spot.

The young and old gathered to dance to the peppy beats of the

dhol delivered by Sh. Chidanand, smear each other with color, and celebrate Holi together.

The outstanding efforts of the AYM team were much appreciated for set-up and clean-up and many of the members had arrived at Arya Samaj an hour early to help get ready for the day’s celebrations. The AYM volunteers worked tirelessly to coordinate and serve food, distribute colors, set everything up and deliver steaming hot cups of chai and freshly made jalebi and cake to all attending the Holi celebrations. All the hard work of the volunteers and AYM was rewarded with an amazing Holi and lots of fun for everyone. If you were unable to attend the exciting celebration this year, make sure not to miss colorful Holi at Arya Samaj in 2015!

ASHINGTON, D.C. – March 4, 2014 – Comcast Corporation Executive Vice President David L. Cohen today announced the company will continue Internet Essentials indefinitely — beyond its initial three-year commitment. Internet Essentials is Comcast’s acclaimed national broadband adoption program for low-income families. The company also announced more than $1 million in grants to dozens of non-profit organizations across the country to create Internet Essentials Learning Zones. The grants are part of a multi-faceted Gold Medal Recognition Program for communities that have done the most to help close the digital divide. In addition to the grants, Internet Essentials-eligible families in the Gold Medalrecognized communities who are not currently customers can receive six months of complimentary Internet service if they apply for the program by March 18th, 2014. (See below for the list of communities.)

“In just two and a half years, this groundbreaking initiative has connected more than 1.2 million low-income Americans, or 300,000 families, to broadband Internet at home,” said Cohen. “We are also proud to join President Obama’s call to action for helping to realize his ConnectED educational goals as we announce today an extension and enhancement of our multiyear commitment to close the digital divide. Here at Comcast,

Blissful Bhagavathi Seva performed at MTS worship of Devi, the pooja familiar in the temples and homes of Kerala and Southern Karnataka.

Sri Durga Parameswari invoked through the beautifully decorated lamps at Bhagavathi Seva conducted at Sri Meenakshi Temple

by Chittoor Ramachandran

P

EARLANDSri Meenakshi temple of Pearland is highly revered for its established tradition of following the ritualistic practices based on ancient Hindu texts in Siva-Shakthi upasana . The procedure of worship in this temple (as per Agama shastra) primarily follow the practice of Madurai Sri Meenakshi Temple of Tamil Nadu. Through a variety of rituals, celebrations, festivals, so-

cial events and religious teaching year around, this temple has gained nationwide reputation as a Hindu pilgrimage center for worshipping (especially) Sri Meenakshi (Mother Goddess, Devi, Durga, Parashakthi).

On astrologically significant occasions (a few times a year) the temple performs special poojas with unique characteristics and formats. The highly respected Bhagavathi Seva conducted on Friday, March 14 was one such ritual in the

Although the tradition of Bhagavathi Seva existed in the worship many centuries ago based on Tantric Principles, it was Bhaskararayar (1690–1785 CE) who is widely considered to be the authority who systematized the current Devi worship procedures (pooja vidhi) including Bhagavathi seva.

By sunset on March 14, many ardent Devi devotees assembled at Sri Ayyappa sannidhi where the pooja was performed. Much preparation obviously went in ahead of time as the priest Sri Parameswaran lighted the oil lamps to initiate the pooja. He, hailing from the lineage of disciples of Sri Bhaskararayer, trained at Sri Vidya Upasana Peedham in Tamil Nadu had his mind set to perform a significant ritual.

Using rice flour, kumkum (vermilion) and turmeric powder he drew the design of Ashtadala

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padmam ( Durga padmam) on the floor. After drawing the padmam, he placed five glittering bronze lamps (Nilavilakku) filled with ghee (purified butter) and the wicks on top of the padmam. The lamp placed at the center was decorated with flowers and a red silk decorative piece of cloth. Immediately after all the lamps were lighted, the priest started the pooja that involved several mystic hand gestures, familiar only to the trained Devi upasakas.

The serene expression of the priest with closed eyes was indicative of this as the invoking procedure. In the aradhana that followed, the priest performed pooja on each lighted lamp representing Guru, Sri Ganesha and Sri Durga Parameswari in sequence who were all invoked. The devotees were permitted to join him in the recital of certain passages like Lalitha Sahasranamam.

The ambience during the entire duration of the pooja was pious, calm and intensively focused on spiritually uplifting

addressing the digital divide head-on has long been a priority for our company. We believe the Internet has the power to transform lives, strengthen communities, and inspire a new generation of leaders.”

tant drivers in encouraging nonbroadband users to adopt broadband.

The grants made through the Gold Medal Recognition Program will be used to create Internet Essentials Learning Zones.

These networks of non-profit partners will work together to enhance public Internet access and increase family-focused digital literacy training. They will be established in communities in Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, Fresno, Miami, and Seattle, among others.

o 83% said their child’s school expected that students have online access at home.

Also today, Dr. John B. Horrigan, head of research for the F.C.C.’s National Broadband Plan and a former research director with Pew Research Center’s Internet and American Life Project, released a new study of Internet Essentials customers that provides insights on policies that can inform the design of effective broadband adoption programs. The study reflects that Internet Essentials service is widely used by participants to do school work, that home users report it helps “a lot”, and that in addition to schools, full-on participation by institutions such as libraries, banks, government agencies, and employers, plays an important role in increasing broadband adoption and utilization. The full research report of Horrigan’s findings is available here.

“The research shows that for broadband adoption initiatives to successfully reach low-income families, they need to embrace two key elements,” said Horrigan. “First, they must be woven into the fabric of the entire community with trusted institutions that can help nurture and sustain Internet usage. Second, programs need to provide robust digital literacy educational opportunities that address the knowledge gap head on.”

o 98% of families said they signed up for Internet Essentials because their kids needed it for school.

• Training makes a difference in how people engage with the Internet. o 48% say the most helpful way to learn new things is to teach themselves through reading or online videos. o 29% took advantage of in-person or online training resources and these users are more likely to say the Internet helps their kids with school work, how they access government services, and look for or apply for jobs.

• Broadband adoption programs are an important resource for economic advancement. o 62% said they needed Internet service to look for or apply for jobs. o 57% said the Internet helped them “a lot” or “somewhat” for job searches.

Since 2011, Comcast has invested more than $165 million in cash and in-kind support to fund digital literacy initiatives nationally. Additional key program milestones and facts through the end of 2013 include: • Comcast and its community partners have provided support for free digital literacy training and education for more than 1.6 million people.

• Broadcast more than 3.6 million public service announcements, valued at nearly $48 million.

Institutions are impor-

For more information or to apply for the program, visit www.

InternetEssentials.com or call 1-855-846-8376, or, for Spanish, visit www.InternetBasico.com or call 1-855-765-6995.

names of Devi. The copious shower of rose petals and the fragrance of camphor and burning ghee added divinity of the surroundings. The blissful feeling it infused in the devotees was beyond words.

that describes the glory of the Mother Goddess) and portions of Soundarya Lahari ( which extol Parashakthi, the consort of Siva, as the creative energy of the universe - based on Adi Shankara’s bhashyam).

The pooja predominantly employed recitation of several passages from the highly regarded scriptures including Brahmanda purana ( Lalitha sahasranamam and Lalitha ashtotharam , which enumerate the meaning-embedded divine names of Parashakthi), selected stanzas from Devi Mahatmyam (Durga Sapthashathi; from Markandeya Purana

In the concluding rituals, the priest gracefully honored the Goddess with gratitude for her continued blessing and mercy towards the devotees. With the reaffirmed trust in Devi, the devotees prostrated to express their unconditional surrender to Sri Durga Parameswari. This pooja was coordinated by Sri Sasidharan Pillai and the religious committee.

Top research findings include: •

VOICE OF ASIA 7

Fareed Zakaria joins Pratham USA board

Fareed Zakaria NEW YORK (April 9, 2014) - Pratham USA is pleased to announce that internationally acclaimed journalist and author Fareed Zakaria has joined Pratham’s national board of directors.

Host of CNN’s flagship foreign affairs program, Editor-at-Large of Time, Washington Post columnist, and a New York Times bestselling author, Mr. Zakaria has been described as “the most influential foreign policy adviser of his generation.” Since 2008, he has hosted Fareed Zakaria GPS, which airs on Sundays worldwide on CNN and brings viewers around the globe in-depth interviews with world leaders, newsmakers, and analysts who examine the world’s toughest challenges.

Commenting on his decision to join Pratham’s board of directors, Mr. Zakaria said, “Pratham works hard to address perhaps the single greatest challenge in India education. And it does so with intelligence, effectiveness and integrity. I’m proud to be associated with it.”

The Pratham USA national board that Mr. Zakaria joins includes prominent business and industry leaders from the South Asian community.

“It is an absolute privilege to welcome Fareed to our national board,” said Mr. Dinyar Devitre, executive chairman of Pratham USA. Devitre added, “As Pratham approaches its 20th year of delivering a large

scale, low-cost, and replicable model for driving measurable change in learning outcomes for underserved children in India, Pratham USA, with its network of 14 chapters across the United States, continues to play a critical supportive role. Fareed is a big, bold thinker, and he will be a force for good in Pratham’s work to improve the basic learning experience of underserved students in India”. ### ABOUT PRATHAM Pratham was established in 1994 to provide pre-school education to underprivileged children in the city of Mumbai. Madhav Chavan and Farida Lambay co-founded the organization with support from UNICEF and the Mumbai Municipal Corporation.

Together, they built a grassroots team around a simple mission: “Every child in school and learning well.” Today, with an estimated budget of $21 million and a presence in 19 Indian states, it is India’s largest non-governmental organization in education.

During the 2013-14 school year, Pratham has reached 800,000 underprivileged children through its flagship Read India program, which imparts fundamental reading and arithmetic skills. In addition, the organization has reformed education for an estimated 2 million children through partnerships with State governments.

ABOUT PRATHAM USA Pratham USA is a 501c3 nonprofit organization dedicated to building awareness and raising resources for education reform in India.

Pratham USA has chapters in 14 US cities, with supporters representing a range of individuals and organizations that share a strong personal commitment to improving child literacy. For more information, visit us at www.prathamusa.org

DIASPORA

FRIDAY, April 11, 2014

Obama names IndianIndian travellers to US to American as Alternate Ex- grow 54 percent by 2018 ecutive Director at IMF

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ASHINGTON: President Barack Obama has nominated Sunil Sabharwal, an independent Indian American investor in the payments sector, as US Alternate Executive Director at International Monetary Fund.

“I am grateful these accomplished men and women have agreed to join this administration and I am confident they will serve ably in these important roles,” Obama said naming ten persons, including Sabharwal, to key administration posts on Thursday.

“I look forward to working with them in the coming months and years,” he added.

Obama’s administration boasts of having the highest number of Indian Americans in key jobs than any previous administrations in US. Sabharwal, who has been an independent investor since

2006, was the Chairman of the Board of Ogone, a European ecommerce payment services company, from 2011 to 2013, according to the White House.

He advised Warburg Pincus on its acquisition of easycash, a German network services company, subsequently becoming a Board Advisor from 2006 to 2009.

From 2003 to 2006, Sabharwal was Senior Vice President of Strategic Investments at First Data Corporation/Western Union. From 1997 to 2003, he held several positions at GE Capital, including Managing Director.

He worked from 1992 to 1996 at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, most recently as Principal Banker.

Sabharwal received a BS from Ohio State University and an MS from the London Business School. (Agencies)

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ASHINGTON: India, the eleventh top country of origin of international travellers to US, is forecast to send as many as 54 percent more visitors during the next five years.

US can expect four percent average annual growth in tourism during the next five years with a record 72.2 million foreign travellers projected to visit in 2014 alone, US Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker said releasing the Spring 2014 Forecast for International Travel.

“A record number of international visitors continue to choose United States as their travel destination, which is contributing to our economic growth and supporting millions of jobs,” Pritzker said.

All top-20 visitor origin countries are forecast to grow from 2013 through 2018. The countries with the largest total growth percentages are China

Indian-American is Presidential ambassador for global entrepreneurship

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ASHINGTON: An Indian-origin of the famous Khan Academy, Salman Khan, has been appointed as one among the Presidential Ambassadors for Global Entrepreneurship, the White House has said.

academic subjects, mainly focusing on mathematics and the sciences. Till date, the Khan Academy channel on YouTube has attracted 1,633,000 subscribers and the Khan Academy videos have been viewed over 355 million times.

US President Barack Obama has chaired the first-ever meeting of the Presidential Ambassadors for Global Entrepreneurship initiative, which is a group of successful American businessmen who have committed to sharing their time, energy, ideas, and experience to help develop the next generation of entrepreneurs, it said yesterday.

After the meeting, the White House said PAGE members agreed to participate in an ongoing dialogue with policy makers globally, acting as goodwill ambassadors in discussions about how to create an environment where creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship can grow and thrive.

Khan, whose mother was born in Kolkata and father in Bangladesh, has produced more than 4,800 video lessons teaching a wide spectrum of

During the meeting, Obama urged them to use the PAGE platform to help others learn from their experiences, benefit from their networks, and inspire new business owners to create economic opportu-

nity in their own communities, throughout the country and across the globe.

“America’s entrepreneurial spirit has always been a key driver of our economic growth and success. Through this group, we will take what we know about transforming innovative ideas into thriving companies and share that knowledge around the country and the world,” US Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker said.

“Beyond generating tremendous economic and employment benefits at home, our entrepreneurial spirit is also one of America’s greatest exports,” she said.

“Not only are our entrepreneurs broadly recognised and admired, but all over the world countries are eager to replicate American practices of embrac-

(139 percent), Colombia (56 percent), India (54 percent), Taiwan (52 percent), Brazil (50 percent) and Argentina (48 percent).

Visitor volume in 2014 is expected to increase 3.5 percent and reach 72.2 million visitors who stay one or more nights in United States.

This growth would build on the 4.7 percent increase in arrivals in 2013, which resulted in a record 69.8 million visitors, according to the report.

Asia-Pacific is expected to produce a 44 percent increase in visitors by 2018. High growth rates and large growth volumes are expected for China (21 percent), Taiwan (15 percent), India (12 percent) and South Korea (7 percent) in 2014.

Similarly, these four countries are expected to have among the largest total visitor volume growth of any country from 2013 through 2018. China is expected to increase a total of 2.5 million visitors or 139 percent through 2018 and produce the second-largest number of additional visitors behind Canada.

India could add 461,000 additional visitors (+54 percent) while South Korea should produce an additional 375,000 visitors (+28 percent), the report said.

ing and learning from failure; networking, teaching, and encouraging creativity; and creating entrepreneur-friendly regulatory environments,” she added.

“Through their work, the Presidential Ambassadors for Global Entrepreneurship will seek to increase the number of successful startups in the US and around the globe, spurring economic growth and job creation,” the Commerce Secretary said.

COMMUNITY

VOICE OF ASIA 8

T

he South Asian Youth Alliance (SAYA) is a secular organization being launched on April 27th under the umbrella of the Indian Muslims Association of Greater Houston (IMAGH).

IMAGH was organized with three main objectives; community outreach, serve senior citizens, and assist young adults become important contributors to society.

SAYA, will be the first organization, run FOR and BY the young adults of the South Asian community. It is anticipated that 16 to 25 year olds will be its members and 25+year olds will run the organization.

The goal is to make this group as effective and attractive for young adults as possible. It will help develop leadership skills, have a South Asian peer network, and learn about its roots and cultural heritage. The main criterion is to learn while having fun.

GOALS & EVENTS The major focus of SAYA will be to engage young adults to promote social, educational, and cultural responsibilities by becoming more involved in the community activities.

Members of SAYA will be planning and executing most of its activities, as it is intended to be an organization run for and by the youth. Some of the activities planned include the following: Story/Video Project One of their visions is to develop a relationship between the youth and the seniors of the South Asian community.

This opportunity will provide educational opportunities that benefit all age groups. The youth will document the experiences of the seniors and eventually showcase their pre-

FRIDAY, April 11, 2014

Indian Muslims Association Of Greater Houston To Launch SAYA

Gopal T K Krishna elected for top Republican post in Iowa WASHINGTON: IndianAmerican businessman Gopal T K Krishna has been elected as the co-chair of the Republican Party in the US state of Iowa.

Krishna, who is a successful businessman with a background in electrical engineering, was elected for this second top most Republican position in Iowa along with Danny Carroll, who was elected as Chairman.

“I have been, and am a Republican for all Republicans. The first three letters of my name are G-O-P. I ran because I don’t want to wait until the primary elections to promote unity. “I want to continue to increase our party’s voter registration advantage and participation in the forthcoming elections,” Krishna said after he was elected by the 18-member governing board at the Republican Party headquarters in Des Moines.

Krishna received 11 votes and six board members abstained.

He has been elected seven times to the state central committee.

This was his fourth election as co-chairman.

SAYA’s young adults with Annise Parker, Mayor City of Houston.

sentation at a formal event.

Cultural Roots In addition to the story/video project, SAYA would like to provide opportunities for today’s youth to learn about their cultural heritage, history, native language and other culturally driven aspects via informal events and workshops.

Education & Social Mentorship SAYA aims to create a dialogue between the youth and slightly older young adults

who have just completed college or have been in the workforce for a few years. This will allow the youth to ask questions directly to those who have recently gone through the process.

Peer Support Group Most importantly, SAYA’s main aim is to make it a funfilled interactive group, where young adults of South Asian heritage can meet and socialize with similar and likeminded individuals.

SAYA will be launched on

Sunday, April 27th, 2014. Entrepreneur, Rahil Jafry is the motivational speaker and Comedian Sai Ranade will provide the entertainment.

Dr. Moyeen Haque is the Chair of SAYA, while Irfana Hussain, Mohammed Khan, Khushboo Bansal, Adeelah

Nasser, Hafeeza Shaik, Joel Kurien, and Zain Hussain are the young adults providing the leadership.

For more information, please call Latafath at 713-269-6171 or Email: saya@imagh.org or find us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/SAYouthAlliance

“I look forward to working with Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus to advance the Growth and Opportunity Project, work to reach out to minorities and bring new people into our Republican Party,” said Krishna. “As long as I am Co-Chairman of the Republican Party of Iowa, outreach to all minority communities will be a priority,” said Krishna, who is from the Iowa Faith & Freedom Coalition.

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VOICE OF ASIA 9

Bombing in Pakistan fruit market kills 22

Volunteers search the site of a bomb explosion at the fruit and vegetable market in Islamabad, on April 9, 2014 (AFP Photo/Aamir Qureshi)

by Khurram SHAHZAD

I

SLAMABAD, April 9, 2014 (AFP) - A bomb tore through a bustling fruit and vegetable market in the Pakistani capital Islamabad Wednesday, killing at least 22 people in the latest violence to hit government peace talks with the Taliban.

The blast took place around 8:00 am (0300 GMT) at the wholesale market near the capital’s twin city Rawalpindi, as hundreds of grocers and sellers gathered to trade.

The bombing -- the deadliest to hit Islamabad since a huge truck bomb at the Marriott Hotel in 2008 -- left a 1.5-metre (five-foot) diameter crater and littered the site with body parts and guava fruit drenched in blood, an AFP reporter at the scene said.

Javaid Qazi, the vice-chancellor of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences hospital, said 22 people had been killed and 96 wounded in the blast.

The attack comes as the government tries to negotiate an end to the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan’s (TTP) seven-year campaign of violence.

Talks began between government and TTP intermediaries in February.

The Taliban said it was not to blame for Wednesday’s attack and has also denied some earlier bombings.

The United Baluch Army (UBA), one of several armed separatist groups in Baluchistan, claimed responsibility for the bombing. The same group also claimed responsibility for a bomb blast on a train on Tuesday, which killed 13 people in the southwestern town of Sibi.

“We carried out the attack in Islamabad in response to the military operation against us and we will launch more such attacks in other cities,” said UBA spokesman Mureed Baluch.

The Frontier Corps (FC) began an operation against insurgents early Monday in the Kalat district, around 300 kilometres southwest of Quetta in which up to 40 insurgents were killed.

More than 160 people have been killed in attacks since the start of the peace process, lead-

ing many to question its worth.

It is also unclear whether the umbrella Taliban group can control all its factions.

- ‘Bodies flying everywhere’ Eyewitness Muhammad Tahir described the bloody carnage as the bomb detonated.

“The blast took place around 8:00, when we were standing there -- bodies were flying everywhere, bodies were flying at the height of 20 to 25 feet,” he told AFP. Ambulances were rushing in and out carrying wounded people and bodies.

Senior local administration official Nauman Yousuf told AFP “it was a planted bomb”.

A bomb disposal official told AFP on condition of anonymity that the device hidden in a fruit box weighed five to six kilograms (11 to 13 pounds) and was packed with nuts and bolts to cause maximum carnage.

Thousands have been killed in militant violence since the TTP rose up against the Pakistani state in 2007. But attacks on the capital, much of which is heavily guarded, have been rare in recent years.

Wednesday’s blast came a little over a month after a gun and suicide bomb attack on a court complex in Islamabad killed 11 people including a judge.

The TTP also denied that attack, which was claimed by the Ahrar-ul-Hind splinter group which rejects the peace process.

Fighting has erupted in northwest Pakistan between rival TTP factions since Sunday, and nine more people including two civilians were killed on Wednesday.

The clashes pitting supporters of Khan Said Sajna against followers of the late Hakimullah Mehsud, the TTP commander killed by a US drone in November, have killed a total of 43 people in four days.

The government has freed more than 30 Taliban prisoners in the past week to try to spur talks with the militants, and on Friday the TTP said they would extend a ceasefire begun on March 1.

On March 26 a four-member government committee held its first direct meeting with members of the TTP’s politi-

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cal council in North Waziristan tribal district.

There have been suggestions that high-profile figures held by the militants, including the son of former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, could be freed in return.

The peace talks were a key campaign pledge by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif before he was elected to office for a third time last year.

But some analysts have voiced scepticism about their chances for success, given the Taliban’s demands for nationwide sharia law and a withdrawal of troops from the lawless tribal zones.

Regional deals struck in the past between the military and the Taliban have failed and some have accused the militants of using them as a means to regroup and rearm.

FRIDAY, April 11, 2014

Modi attends Ramdev’s Yog Mahotsav

BJP Prime Ministerial candidate Narendra Modi (center) and Baba Ramdev (lt) during Yoga Mahotsav at Ramlila ground in New Delhi on Sunday, March 23, 2014. Photo: Sandeep Saxena

200,000 people participated in Delhi and hundred of thousands people participated in other cities. International Patanjali Yoga teachers also participated in many countries and thousands of people participated in USA.

by Vishal Kant Previous governments failed to promote yoga, says Gujarat Chief Minister BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi attended the Yog Mahotsav organised by yoga guru Baba Ramdev at Ramlila Maidan on Sunday.

Touted to be an apolitical event, organised to pay homage to martyrs Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev, however failed to remain completely apolitical with the presence of the Gujarat Chief Minister before an ever enthusiastic crowd and the speakers, barring Mr. Modi, talking about “nation building by exercising the right choice in the upcoming general elections”.

Addressing the gathering before offering the mike to Mr.

Modi, the yoga guru said: “I hear people say that there is gloom all over. But I feel that India is all set to come out of a bad phase.”

While Mr. Modi refrained from making a political speech, he heaped praise on the yoga guru stating “the issues raised by him [black money, corruption and misgovernance] were his own and these have become a cause of worry for many”.

Asserting that the yoga guru was not affiliated to any party or an individual, Mr. Modi said: “He is pained due to the state of the system. He has a fire within himself as to why bad things are happening in the country, why there is black money, why this corruption, why this bad governance? His issues are such, which are liked by people like me. But there are many people

whose sleep vanishes when he rakes up these issues.”

Without naming the Congress or the UPA government, Mr. Modi said the previous governments “failed to promote yoga which has the potential to become an ambassador of the country before the world”.

Mr. Modi also tried to lay down his vision for the country over the next decade by stating that the “country needs to take a pledge on the martyrs’ day to transform India into a country that provides employment, housing, power, drinking water and toilets etc. to the poorest of the poor”.

Earlier, the BJP leader and the yoga guru honoured the family members of the Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev, Rajguru and Chandrasekhar Azad.

VOICE OF ASIA 10

FRIDAY, April 11, 2014

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VOICE OF ASIA 12

FRIDAY, April 11, 2014

LIFESTYLE

VOICE OF ASIA 13

FRIDAY, April 11, 2014

Vol. 27

No. 15

Friday, April 11, 2014 Section 2

Page 13

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

Bubbling ambitions in China’s ‘hot pot city’

by Carol HUANG

C

HONGQING - Thousands of vats of hot pot seasoning thicken the air around Nie Ganru’s home with a miasma of chili as flame-red paste, thick with oil, bakes in the sun.

Now his home town, the megalopolis of Chongqing, is seeking national and ultimately global recognition for the food.

Seated at a wooden table crowded with dipping options, Nie plunks capsules of duck blood into a simmering broth teeming with oil, chilis and hot and numbing Sichuan peppers. Others ladle out oil-coated slices of lotus root and cool their tongues with pickled vegetables.

A worker preparing hot pot sauce at a hot pot museum and factory in Chongqing (AFP Photo/Mark Ralston)

“Everyone gathers around a table to eat and it’s harmonious, it’s lively, it’s warm -- it’s a great environment,” he says.

Another mural depicts paramount leader Deng Xiaoping treating officials to hot pot in the late 1970s while strategising the Reform and Opening overhaul that would transform the country.

The museum houses hundreds of pots Nie has collected over more than a decade, including one supposedly used in the palace of the Qing dynasty Qianlong Emperor in the 1700s and another dating to the Western Zhou dynasty of 1046 to 771 BCE. - Emperors and Confucius Hot pot originated a century ago as a low-brow meal for peasants squatting by the river to cook ox tripe and other offal, but has since followed China into prosperity.

The first restaurant opened in the 1930s and the meal’s popularity spread when Chongqing became China’s capital during World War II, drawing the displaced from around the country.

As China’s economy exploded in recent decades, hot pot too has boomed, with other regions offering different varieties and upscale venues serving delicacies such as fatty mutton slices, rabbit kidney, prawns and mushrooms.

By Nie’s telling, hot pot also played a starring role in modern Chinese his-

tory.

Communist leader Mao Zedong shared the meal with Nationalist rival Chiang Kai-shek before ousting him in civil war in 1949, his exhibits show.

Yet competition for a place on the national list of “intangible cultural heritage” is tough in a huge country with a rich culinary tradition.

Only a handful of its more than 1,200 entries are foods, each heavy with history -- dishes served in the residences of emperors and the sage Confucius, salt from the ancient Zigong wells and a rice dumpling brand dating back to the 1800s.

- ‘Good for the body’ Chongqing -- which was split out of the more culinarily renowned province of Sichuan in 1997 -- is just one of many locales trying to cook up attention by winning recognition for native dishes, says Fuchsia Dunlop, a Chinese food expert and author of Shark’s Fin and Sichuan Pepper.

“Certainly the Chongqing hot pot is very distinctive and hugely popular,” says Dunlop. “The entire surface of the pot is covered with these spices... it will really blow your head off.”

But, she adds, “If you start trying to label things, intangible cultural heritage in China, where do you stop? It’s such a rich and wonderful culinary culture and there are so many dishes that go back centuries.”

So far Chongqing has managed to get itself christened “China’s hot pot city” in 2007 by the China Cuisine Association.

It has added hot pot to its own catalogue of intangible cultural heritage, which boasts 278 entries -- although half the country’s provinces have compiled even longer lists.

The Chongqing Hot Pot Association, which applied for national recognition, also aspires to someday join Unesco’s global list -- which only features a few food entries, including a set of cuisine customs called washoku from China’s longtime rival Japan, but none from China.

“Eating hot pot makes you feel hot, and this can be good for the body,” says 20-year-old Chongqing resident Li Yao. “It helps you sweat.”

Doctor Zhang Jingnan, 44, also loves the meal but admits overindulging is unwise.

“From a health point of view it’s not very good,” she says, gathered with her family around a bubbling vat and bowls of rice.

Still, she adds, “I don’t think I could live without hot pot.”

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eing slimmer could be as simple as waking up early for some morning sunshine, US researchers suggested on Wednesday.

A small study of 54 volunteers showed that the leanest ones did not necessarily eat better or exercise more than the rest.

They simply were exposed to more bright daylight earlier in the day.

Nie lives and effectively breathes hot pot, the spicy cook-it-yourself communal Chinese meal that made his fortune, and has built a pot-shaped sixstorey museum dedicated to the dish.

“It’s numbing, it’s hot, it’s very flavourful, it has an aroma that hits you in the face, and that’s why everybody likes it,” says the 70-year-old tycoon, who eats it about every other day.

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The findings by Northwestern University researchers are published in the journal PLOS ONE.

The study found morning light accounted for about 20 percent of a person’s body mass index (BMI).

“The earlier this light exposure occurred during the day, the lower individuals’ body mass index,” said colead author Kathryn Reid, research associate professor of neurology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

“The later the hour of moderately bright light exposure, the higher a person’s BMI.” Participants’ average age was 30.

They wore wrist monitors to measure their light exposure and sleep cycles, and kept food logs for the duration of the seven-day study.

Morning light was found to have an

influence on body mass, regardless of a person’s physical activity level, caloric intake, sleep timing, age or the season.

The study found morning light accounted for about 20 percent of a person’s body mass index (BMI).

“Light is the most potent agent to synchronize your internal body clock that regulates circadian rhythms, which in turn also regulate energy balance,” said study senior author Phyllis Zee. “The message is that you should get more bright light between 8 am and noon,” she added.

As little as 20 to 30 minutes could be enough to affect BMI, the study said.

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VOICE OF ASIA 14

FRIDAY, April 11, 2014

VOICE OF ASIA 15

Friday, April 11, 2014

Young Life Section 2

Page 15

Email: editor@voiceofasiaonline.com

Actually, kids are getting heavier in the US: study

by Kerry SHERIDAN ASHINGTON, April 7, 2014 (AFP) Contrary to recent reports, America’s children are still struggling with obesity and there has been no decline in the epidemic among young people, US researchers said Monday.

In fact, the problem is getting worse in a small subset of the heaviest children, among whom the trend has about doubled, said the findings in JAMA Pediatrics, a journal of the American Medical Association.

Childhood obesity is of particular concern because it can lead to lifelong health problems, including high cholesterol, heart disease and type 2 diabetes, experts say.

“The total number of kids that are overweight or obese hasn’t changed,” said co-author Joseph Skelton, a pediatrician at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center.

“It does seem overall, though, that some kids are getting heavier,” he told AFP. The latest study was based on the same data set as that released in late February, in which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention hailed a 43 percent drop in obesity among the country’s preschoolers in the past decade.

However, the new study spanned a longer period of time, a wider age range and used 1999 as its starting point, rather than 2003 when an unusual spike in obesity was observed for reasons that are unclear, Skelton said.

- Severe obesity on the rise The new study examined records from at 26,690 children, aged between two and 19, who took part in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) from 1999 to 2012.

Just over 17 percent were obese in 2011-2012, meaning their body mass index (BMI) was greater than or equal to the 95th percentile for their age and sex.

That was slightly higher than the figure in 1999-2000, when 14.5 were obese, but the margin of error could make the

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difference as small as one percent.

When researchers looked more closely at severe obesity, they found this trend was becoming more common, and had about doubled from 1999 to 2012.

Severe obesity was defined as having a BMI that was 20 to 40 percent higher than the 95th percentile of their peers.

In other words, a 10-year old boy weighing 95 pounds (43 kilgrams) at a height of 4.5 feet (1.37 meters) would be considered obese.

If he added 10 pounds (4.5 kg) to his already obese frame, he would reach Class 2 obesity. If he added 25 pounds (11 kg), he would be considered Class 3.

Nearly six percent of youths now meet the definition for Class 2 obesity, and about two percent are Class 3, said

the study.

- Lots of work ahead The United States, where one in three people is obese, spends about $160 billion per year just treating the medical complications of carrying around too much weight, previous research has shown.

Most doctors and nurses working with children did not see February’s report of sudden progress in toddlers reflected in their work, said Stephen Pont, chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics provisional section on obesity.

“We are seeing increases in rates of people who are challenged by severe obesity, who are more likely to already have a number of medical complications that are worsened and caused by their weight,” said Pont, who was not involved in either study.

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FRIDAY, April 11, 2014

Tel: 713-774-5140

“Go Green”: The Asian Pacific American Heritage Association Art Competition Apply by April 26, 2014.

A participant presenting his work at the earlier competition.

H

OUSTON – The Asian Pacific American Heritage Association (APAHA) holds a third annual “Go Green” art competition in celebration of the Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. The initiative seeks to encourage the next generation of Asian/Pacific Americans to be conscious of maintaining a sustainable environment for their community. Asian/ Pacific Students enrolled in middle and high schools in the Houston area are welcomed to apply by April 26, 2014.

Presented in association with Wells Fargo and The Art Institute of Houston, the APAHA art competition is to demonstrate Asian/Pacific American students’ artistic ability, and a search for innovative ideas on greening the Greater Houston community. Students must submit original 2D or 3D designs. A panel of judges will assess execution, originality, creativity, and the overall effectiveness of the artist’s message. Scholarships will be awarded by APAHA on May 3, 2014.

Since 2012, the “Go Green” initiative has been successful at encouraging the next generation Asian/Pacific Americans to take ownership of their community. Through art, students are reminded

of their responsibilities in maintaining a sustainable environment; at the same time, the next generation of Asian/Pacific Americans’ ideas on sustainable living can help greening the Greater Houston.

The APAHA art competition deadline is April 26, 2014. Students must register online, and submit all associated documents by the deadline. Further details and entry forms can be found at http://apaha. org/Default.aspx?pageId=1784420 About the Asian Pacific Heritage Month The Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month originated in 1978 when the United States Congress passed a law. This law directed President Jimmy Carter to issue a proclamation designating a week-long celebration of Asian Pacific American Heritage. In response to Congress’ request to expand the Asian Pacific American Heritage Week, President George H.W. Bush signed into law in 1992 designating the month of May as the Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. In the following decades, Presidents have annually issued proclamations designating the month of May as the Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.

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BOLLYWOOD MASALA

Friday, April 11, 2014

Section 2 Page 16

Email: editor@voiceofasiaonline.com

Arjun Kapoor: 2 States has more than the kissing scenes

FRIDAY, April 11, 2014

Tel: 713-774-5140

Anushka Sharma wraps up ‘Bombay Velvet’

do to convince their parents for their partner The young actor is hopeful that after the release of 2 States on April 18, the audience will start talking about the film. “Where most love stories end this begins. In most rom-com films we don’t see what happens after the romance. This film starts with romance and leads to when the couple decides to take the next inevitable step that is marriage.

“It is not done in contemporary way. It is the journey of middle class boy and girl and what they have to do to convince their parents for their partner,” Arjun said.

When asked what he would do if in real life he faces a similar situation, Arjun said he would seek consent from family.

Alia Bhatt and Arjun Kapoor play the lead roles in 2 States

is about the journey of middle class boy and girl and what they

The real reason why Hrithik Roshan walked out of Karan Johar’s Shuddhi

Anushka, 25, plays a jazz singer in the film.

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ollywood actress Anushka Sharma became emotional after wrapping up the shooting of Anurag Kashyap’s ‘Bombay Velvet’ in Mumbai.

The film is a drama film based on ‘Mumbai Fables’, a semi-fictional study of Bombay in 1960s by eminent historian and Princeton University’s history professor Gyan Prakash.

Hrithik Roshan Reports suggested Hrithik walked out of KJo’s magnum opus due to health reasons, however grapevine says something else

N

ot too long ago, Hrithik Roshan walked out from Karan Johar’s ambitious project Shuddhi, as the Greek God didn’t want to delay the project any further.

While many suggested that the reason for Hrithik’s ouster was his ill health, that wasn’t

the only reason, it seems. From what we hear, Roshan Jr was not quite happy with the profitsharing deal between him and Karan Johar. Well, as a very smart person once rightly said, “The lack of money is the root of all evil.”

So how much percent of the total profit was HR eyeing for?

“Hrithik had asked for 40 per cent of the film’s total profit.

But Karan Johar didn’t agree to this. This prompted Hrithik

Chaitanya.The trailer opens with a voice-over of ANR and ends with a close-up of the actor, who has essayed an important role in the film.

Going by the trailer, the film looks like a family entertainer coupled with an element of mystery. Although produced by Nagarjuna under his home banner Annapurna Studios, Manam is being promoted as a film by ‘The Akkineni Family’.

Nageswara Rao and Nagarjuna

Manam is directed by Vikram K Kumar of 13 B fame.

T

he trailer of upcoming Telugu family-drama Manam, was unveiled on the occasion of Ramanawami, gives the audience one last glimpse of legendary actor Akkineni Nageswara Rao (ANR), who passed away recently.

Manam is Nageswara Rao’s last film, which also features his son Akkineni Nagarjuna and grandson Akkineni Naga

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Anushka, 25, plays a jazz singer in the film, which took one and a half years to complete.

Manam ANR lives on

to opt out of Shuddhi,” a source was quoted by a tabloid. Ah, well!

Anyway, KJo’s dream project has already faced many hurdles as far as the star cast is concerned. Earlier, Hrithik and Kareena Kapoor Khan were signed to play the lead roles in the film, which was announced over a year ago. But then Bebo walked out of the film, and soon after that her once alleged lover Hrithik too quit the project, for the reason we already told you above. Ever since then, various names have been doing the rounds to play the lead roles in the film. However, Karan hasn’t finalised any names yet. The Koffee with Karan host still maintains that Shuddhi, which will be directed by Karan Malhotra will hit the theatres next year. Will it or will it not? Well, all we can do is just wait and watch, hai na?

The entire unit gathered with a bottle of champagne, bunch of flowers after Anushka completed the shoot.

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by Prathamesh Jadhav Arjun maintains that the movie

“I would do exactly what Krrish (the character in ’2 States’) did.

As I relate to the philosophy that if you love someone you have to go through all these obstacles. In ’2 States’ the boy and the girl are very much in love but they want it (marriage) in a right way.

On live-in relationships in real life, Arjun says, “I think it is good each to his own. I feel live in relationships are the right way to go ahead, if you are serious about someone, though the next step would be marriage but before that you need to see if you are compatible enough to stay together.

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ENTERTAINMENT

FRIDAY, April 11, 2014

Mamma Mia! 40 years of su- RIP: Archie dies this July in pergroup ABBA: ‘Life of Archie’ series

ABBA group.Bjorn Ulvaeus, Agnetha Fältskog, Anni-Frid Lyngstad and Benny Andersson

M

embers of the Swedish supergroup ABBA marked 40 years since their international breakthrough hit ‘Waterloo’ on April 7, 2014 with a party for hundreds of guests at London’s Tate Modern gallery.

Bjorn Ulvaeus said he felt “extremely proud and hum-

bled” by decades of success that includes hit records, the stage and movie musical ‘Mamma Mia’ and a Stockholm museum dedicated to the band. Frida Lyngstad said she was proud of ABBA’s ultra-70s look of big boots and spangly jumpsuits, documented in a new photo book about the band.

The global success of ABBA rocketed when the band won the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest with ‘Waterloo.’ The quartet’s blend of poppy melodies, lush harmonies and slick arrangements helped them sell more than 400 million records around the world. Here are 24 stunning images of the band’s greatest days. IBN Live

Megaupload, founder Kim Dotcom sued by U.S. movie studios over ‘massive’ copyright infringement

by Brian Truitt, USA TODAY Everyone dies at some point, even Archie Andrews.

Archie Comics is killing its most popular character in July in the final two issues of Life with Archie, a fast-forward series that launched five years ago focusing on Archie and the gang’s post-college adult years.

Readers will get to see Archie in his final moments in Life with Archie No. 36, and issue 37 focuses on his friends Jughead, Betty, Veronica and Reggie remembering the life of the redheaded character, who first appeared in 1941.

Both issues feature covers by top comic artists including Francesco Francavilla, Fiona Staples, Walt Simonson, Jill Thompson, Mike Allred, Cliff Chiang, Adam Hughes and Alex Ross.

“Archie has and always will represent the best in all of us — he’s a hero, goodhearted, humble and inherently honorable. This story is going to inspire a wide range of reactions because we all feel so close to Archie,” said Archie Comics Publisher/Co-CEO Jon Goldwater in a statement.

Comic-book deaths don’t have a habit of taking — see:

T

wentieth Century Fox, Disney, Paramount, Universal Studios, Columbia Pictures and Warner Bros team to fire legal salvo at storage site that authorities claim cost the film and record industry $500 million.

Several major U.S. studios filed a copyright infringement lawsuit on Monday against the file-sharing website Megaupload and its ebullient founder, Kim Dotcom.

Megaupload, which U.S. authorities shuttered in 2012, facilitated a “massive copyright infringement of movies and television shows,” according to a statement issued by the Motion Picture Association of America on Monday.

The plaintiffs in the lawsuit, all MPAA members, are Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp, Disney Enterprises Inc, Paramount Pictures, Universal Studios Productions, Columbia Pictures and Warner Bros Entertainment Inc. “Megaupload wasn’t a cloud storage service at all, it was an unlawful hub for mass distribution,” Steven Fabrizio, an attorney for the MPAA, said in the statement.

U.S. authorities allege Megaupload cost film studios and record companies more than $500 million and generated more than $175 million by encouraging paying users to store and share copyrighted material, such as movies and TV shows.Dotcom says Megaupload was merely an online warehouse and should not be held accountable if stored content was obtained illegally.

Monday’s lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, said Dotcom and other defendants “profited handsomely” by providing thousands of copyrighted works over the Internet to millions of Megaupload users without authorization or license.

Movies whose copyrights Megaupload infringed, ac-

Megaupload founder Kim Dotcom arrives at the New Zealand Court of Appeals in Wellington in Sept. 2012. Courtesy: Reuters

cording to the lawsuit, include Avatar, Forrest Gump and Transformers, according to the lawsuit.

Commenting on Twitter on Monday, Dotcom said U.S. authorities “probably demanded” that the studios file the lawsuit “because they initiated this ... Hollywood science fiction script of a case.

Embarrassing.”

The lawsuit is seeking unspecified damages as well as attorney’s fees. It claims the studios are entitled to Megaupload’s profits and up to $150,000 per infringement.

The lawsuit comes as Dotcom is fighting a bid by U.S. authorities to extradite him from New Zealand to face online piracy charges over the now-closed website. He is also known as Kim Schmitz and Kim Tim Jim Vestor, according to the lawsuit.

Dotcom’s U.S. attorney Ira Rothken said that Monday’s suit was a way for the country’s film industry to go after Megaupload if the U.S. Department of Justice fails to extradite Dotcom and his colleagues to the United States from New Zealand. An extradition hearing is scheduled for July.

“The MPAA is suddenly realizing that we’re a few months away from the extradition hearing, and once Kim Dotcom and the others prevail in the extradition hearing they’ll have more resources

and more assets,” Rothken told Reuters.

“The MPAA wants to have cover if the Department of Justice fails in the extradition and the criminal case.”

He predicted that the judge in the civil suit would likely stay the case pending the extradition hearing, adding that Megaupload will also seek access to evidence stored on its servers housed in Virginia to defend against the suit.

Dotcom has been denied access to that evidence for the extradition hearing.

Meanwhile, the legal storm has not stopped Dotcom, a German national with New Zealand residency, from delving into politics, launching a party last month to contest New Zealand’s general election in September.

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HEALTHY LIVING HEALTH

VOICE OF ASIA 18

Friday, April 11, 2014

Section 2

FRIDAY, April 11, 2014

Email: editor@voiceofasiaonline.com

Surgery is best for managing diabetes in heavy people

by Kerry SHERIDAN

W

ASHINGTON, March 31, 2014 (AFP) - When it comes to managing type 2 diabetes in overweight people, stomach-shrinking surgeries are still more effective than trying to shed pounds with pills and lifestyle changes, researchers said Monday.

The research included 150 overweight people with uncontrolled diabetes that had persisted for at least eight years when they began the study, despite taking three or more medications.

of sleeve gastrectomy patients meeting the mark, after starting at an average blood sugar level of 9.2 percent.

They were randomly assigned to undergo one of the two surgeries plus counseling, or sim-

The gastric bypass group lost on average a quarter of their body weight while the sleeve

Weight loss was five to six times greater in patients who had one of the surgeries.

Is Obamacare too big to fail?

Excerpts from Los Angeles T imes

Gastric bypass involves reducing the stomach to below three percent of its natural volume, then connecting a new gastric pouch that bypasses the stomach and goes straight to the intestine.

In sleeve gastrectomy, part of the patient’s stomach is removed to reduce its volume by

“You’re not going to turn away 7 or 10 million people from insurance coverage,” crowed Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), the No. 2 Democrat in the Senate.

“Doesn’t work anymore.”

Researchers said their findings could provide a way to help the some 23 million American adults who have type 2 diabetes, most of whom are overweight or obese.

That doesn’t mean Obamacare is guaranteed to succeed. The program still faces a series of difficult tests — most important, keeping costs under control so insurance premiums don’t soar in coming years.

Fewer than half of adults with diabetes are able to get their blood sugar under control with medication, experts say.

ply expert therapy in health changes without surgery.

“We concluded that bariatric surgery should be considered as a treatment option for the treatment of type 2 diabetes in patients who are moderately and severely overweight.”

That target is slightly more aggressive than the American Diabetes Association recommendation of seven percent.

- More weight lost by surgery

After three years, just five percent of patients who did not have surgery had achieved the desired level of glycemic control, defined as a three-month average blood glucose level of six percent or lower.

The surgery groups did much better, with 37.5 percent of gastric bypass and 24.5 percent

gastrectomy patients shed 21 percent. Those on medical therapy alone lost four percent.

- Quality of life Meanwhile, people who did not undergo surgery reported no improvements in quality of life, according to eight measures including body pain, general health, energy and fatigue.

Gastric bypass patients reported five improvements and sleeve patients reported two.

There were no major complications among those who underwent the surgeries.

Reducing Heart Disease in South Asians: Diabetes and Metabolic Syndrome Dr. Kesavan Shan As reviewed in last week’s article, South Asians have an enormously increased risk of coronary artery disease compared with other ethnicities.

The increased incidence of diabetes in South Asians is likely to be one major reason for the elevated risk for death from heart disease. Diabetes is more than three times as common in South Asians as it is in Caucasians. Over twothirds of diabetics die of heart disease or stroke. Also more

And the program is certain not to be universally popular with its participants. Just think: Millions of newcomers to health coverage are about to join the rest of us in those frustrating battles with insurers.

When it comes to managing type 2 diabetes in overweight people, stomach-shrinking surgeries are still more effective than trying to shed pounds with pills and lifestyle changes, US researchers say (AFP Photo/Vanderlei Almeida)

“Bariatric surgery was more effective than medical therapy in achieving glycemic control with weight loss as the primary determinant of this outcome,” said study author Sangeeta Kashyap, associate professor medicine at Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine.

-

W

hen Obamacare’s first open-enrollment period ended last week, the tally was impressive: 7.1 million Americans signed up for insurance on federal and state exchanges by the March 31 deadline, several million more signed up for Medicaid and a whole lot of under-26 Americans got covered by their parents’ plans.

Those numbers represent a significant political victory for Democrats, making it highly unlikely that Republicans will be able to deliver on their promise to repeal the law.

Three years into a US study that compares various approaches -- gastric bypass, sleeve gastrectomy and simply trying medical counseling, diet, exercise and weight loss medications -- the findings show that the two surgical procedures are still superior at reducing blood sugar and weight.

The latest results from the largest randomized controlled trial of its kind were published in the New England Journal of Medicine and discussed at the American College of Cardiology annual meeting.

Tel: 713-774-5140

common in South Asians than in other races is a condition called “metabolic syndrome” which almost doubles the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Metabolic syndrome is a prediabetic state often associated with high blood pressure, abdo inal obesity and abnormal cholesterol.

The best ways to reduce the risk of diabetes and metabolic syndrome are weight loss, exercise and diet. In fact, South Asians are at increased risk for diabetes even at “normal” weights and BMI levels. It is now recommended that people of South Asian descent aim for

a BMI of 25 kg/m2, despite the standard definition of obesity being a BMI > 30kg/ m2. A balanced, carbohydrate-limited diet along with regular exercise is important.

The American Heart Association recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise per week.

Dr. Kesavan Shan is a cardiologist with Methodist Diagnostic Cardiology of Houston. You can email your feedback and queries to SKesavan@houstonmethodist.org or Call to schedule an appointment at 281-2750331.

about 75 percent.

Gastric bypass outperformed the sleeve gastrectomy in the study, which was funded by the National Institutes of Health, the Cleveland Clinic and Ethicon, a division of pharmaceutical giant Johnson and Johnson which sells surgical products for weight loss.

Amit Khera, associate professor at the University of Texas Southwest Medical Center, who was not involved in the study, described the research as “important” because it addresses the longer-term benefits from surgery versus counseling and weight loss attempts alone.

“In the surgical arm, it does seem to be quite durable,” he told reporters.

“Normalizing blood sugar seems to be retained at three years. That is a really important observation.”

On the other hand, people who did not have surgery showed early improvements in their blood sugar, dropping close to the target of 7.5 in the first year.

But that group was back up to 8.4 percent in year three.

The study, called the Surgical Treatment and Medications Potentially Eradicate Diabetes Efficiently (STAMPEDE) trial, is designed to follow its patients for a total of five years.

But the enrollment numbers do mean that the main argument Republicans hurled against the law — that it was doomed to collapse — is looking weaker than ever.

They also mean that Democrats now have a chance to shift the healthcare debate from whether the law should be repealed to how to improve it. Recent polls have found that between 53% and 71% of respondents (depending on how the question is worded) favor keeping the law and fixing it.

The White House has already tinkered with the law administratively to soften some of its most unpopular provisions, enraging Republicans, who have accused President Obama of unconstitutional actions to save his most important domestic achievement.

For example, the president has twice delayed implementing the requirement that employers with 50 or more employees offer health insurance.

And it’s not impossible that the law could be modified, with congressional approval, to scrap the mandate on companies with fewer than 100 workers.

But the biggest, most interesting change that some Democrats have proposed is a new, lower tier of health insurance

Sudhir Mathuria

Contact: Sudhir Mathuria Licensed Professional Health Life 360 6650 Southwest Freeway Houston TX 77074 713-771-2900 www.MyMedicarePlanning.com

policies for people who think the premiums on the standard Obamacare plans are too high.

The current version of Obamacare offers four levels of insurance — platinum, gold, silver and bronze — with many different prices. The plans are similar in the services they cover but different in the way they charge.

Platinum and gold plans charge high premiums up front, but they offer lower co-payments (the amount a patient pays for a visit to the doctor) and lower deductibles (the amount a patient pays before insurance kicks in). Bronze plans charge lower premiums but exact a higher cost later on, through higher co-payments and deductibles.

But when Obamacare enrollment started last fall, some consumers who previously held only “catastrophic” insurance — plans that cost relatively little but also don’t pay for much until a big deductible is met — complained that all the new policies cost too much up front.

In response, Sens. Mark Begich (D-Alaska) and Mark Warner (D-Va.) proposed a new tier of “copper” insurance plans with lower premiums, and correspondingly skimpier coverage in terms of higher deductibles and copayments.

Some health advocates have criticized the proposal, arguing that it would seduce thrifty consumers into lowcost policies that don’t deliver much, and could even deter patients from visiting their doctors because of the higher co-payments they would face.

But Begich, Warner and others argue that a copper plan would expand the choices available to Obamacare buyers, and that, as long as the trade-offs are clear, consumers who want a catastrophic plan ought to have that option. They point to insurance industry studies that suggest

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VOICE OF ASIA 19

Pope urges ‘sexual responsibility’ against AIDS

V

ATICAN CITY Pope Francis called on Monday for fidelity and chastity to be used to fight the AIDS virus in Africa, in an address to visiting Tanzanian bishops that -- in line with Catholic doctrine -- did not mention the use of condoms.

Francis thanked medical personnel working for the Catholic Church who “care for those suffering from HIV/AIDS” and praised “all who strive diligently to educate people in the area of sexual responsibility and chastity,” the Vatican said in a statement.

“By promoting prayer, marital fidelity, monogamy, purity and humble service of one another within families, the Church continues to make an invaluable contribution to the social welfare of Tanzania,” he said.

AIDS campaigners often disparage the Catholic Church for not recognising the use of condoms as a means of preventing the spread of the virus.

Francis’s predecessor Benedict XVI was heavily criticised for saying during a trip to Africa that the distribution of condoms “aggravates” the AIDS crisis.

But in a book of interviews in 2010, he gave a more considered answer, saying that “condoms alone do not resolve the question”.

He also gave the example of a male prostitute choosing to use a condom to prevent HIV infection as a “first step in a movement toward a different way, a more human way, of living sexuality”.

Hundreds of millions with tropical diseases lack treatment

PARIS, April 2, 2014 (AFP) - At least 1.4 billion people worldwide require treatment for a group of “neglected” tropical diseases and almost two-thirds are going without adequate medical care, eradication campaigners said on Wednesday.

Ailments including intestinal worms, elephantiasis and river blindness -- lumped together as “neglected tropical diseases” (NTDs) -- mostly affect poor people living in remote rural areas, slums or conflict zones.

A new report from the World Health Organisation, released in Paris on Wednesday and supported by billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates, found that 700 million people received some form of treatment for NTDs in 2012.

But many did not complete a full course of drugs, while hundreds of millions received nothing at all.

“We still need diagnostics and we still need drugs,” Gates said at the launch of the WHO progress report dubbed “Uniting to Combat NTDs”.

The list of NTDs also includes Guinea worm, blinding trachoma, bilharzia, leprosy, Chagas disease and visceral leishmaniasis (black fever).

The diseases are carried by parasites and bacteria that tend to spread in dirty, cramped living conditions with polluted water and poor sanitation.

They “shackle more than a billion people of the world and most of them are women and children,” said WHO chief Margaret Chan.

Many of the diseases are treatable and avoidable, yet they kill, impair and disable millions every year.

More than 800 million children live in areas where worms are “intensively transmitted” and are assumed to be infected.

That has an impact on their nutrition, education and general health.

“Funding shortfalls and constrained human capacity in many endemic countries continue to limit the scale-up of drug delivery,” the report said.

HEALTH, TECH & SCIENCE

W

ASHINGTON: The brains of children with autism contain a built-in patchwork of defects, suggesting that the developmental disorder begins while they are growing in the womb, said a US study on Wednesday.

Autism ‘patchwork’ begins during pregnancy: US study fect people in various degrees, from severe to mild disabilities.

Researchers described their findings in the New England Journal of Medicine as “direct evidence” of a prenatal origin for autism, which affects as many as one in 88 children in the United States and has no known cure.

It also may explain why some children respond to intensive therapy and become better communicators when identified early, since the brain may be able to rewire some connections to overcome the areas that are not working.

“Building a baby’s brain during pregnancy involves creating a cortex that contains six layers,” said co-author Eric Courchesne, professor of neurosciences and director of the Autism Center of Excellence at University of California, San Diego.

“We discovered focal patches of disrupted development of these cortical layers in the majority of children with autism.”

For the study, researchers dissected brain tissue from 11 children, aged two to 15, who had been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and who had died, most of them by drowning.

Looking for a specific set of 25 genes that had “robust, consistent, and specific expression patterns in the cortex,” they compared them to brain samples from 11 children without autism, said the study.

Researchers found that 91 per

The brains of children with autism contain a built-in patchwork of defects, suggesting that the developmental disorder begins while they are growing in the womb, said a US study on Wednesday. cent of the autistic brains were lacking -- or showed an unusual pattern -- of the expected genetic markers in several layers of the cortex.

The signs of disorganisation were found in patches across the different layers of the frontal and temporal lobes of the brain, the parts that are responsible for social function, communication, emotions and language.

“The most surprising finding was the similar early developmental pathology across nearly

all of the autistic brains, especially given the diversity of symptoms in patients with autism, as well as the extremely complex genetics behind the disorder,” said co-author Ed Lein of the Allen Institute for Brain Science in Seattle.

Researchers said they still don’t understand why these changes come about in some children, apparently leading to autism, but not in others.

The patchwork nature of the defects does, however, provide a clue as to why autism can af-

“While autism is generally considered a developmental brain disorder, research has not identified a consistent or causative lesion,” said Thomas Insel, director of National Institute for Mental Health, which funded the study.

“If this new report of disorganised architecture in the brains of some children with autism is replicated, we can presume this reflects a process occurring long before birth.”

The same research team had previously found that the brains of children with autism were heavier than other children’s, and that they had more neurons in the prefrontal cortex.

The brains sampled for this study “represented nearly the entirety of tissue suitable for study at the Brain and Tissue Bank for Developmental Disorders at the National Institute of Child Health and Human

FRIDAY, April 11, 2014

Development and the Harvard Brain Tissue Resource Center,” said the article.

Still, the fact that only 11 were studied means that more research is necessary, said Andrew Adesman, chief of developmental and behavioral pediatrics at Steven & Alexandra Cohen Children’s Medical Center of New York.

“This study would have been stronger if they had a larger sample and included a group of children who had neurologic deficits but not autism,” said Adesman, who was not involved with the research.

He nevertheless described the team’s techniques for identifying microscopic brain abnormalities as “extremely sophisticated.”

While some of the physical brain changes in autism were already known to science, the latest research provides a more detailed look at how this happens.

“This study is particularly important as it points to the potential role of several genes involved in the specification of distinct cortical layers during early brain development,” said Patrick Hof, vice-chair of the Fishberg Department of Neuroscience, Friedman Brain Institute, and Seaver Autism Center at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai.

Research like this “can provide us with crucial clues to develop novel therapeutic strategies toward a cure,” he said.

BUSINESS

VOICE OF ASIA 20

FRIDAY, April 11, 2014

Friday, April 11, 2014

Section 2

Email: editor@voiceofasiaonline.com

Tel: 713-774-5140

More moms are staying home IACCGH Executive Director because they can’t find work recognized at the Greater

Houston Procurement Breakfast

Kathy Biscotti, mother of three, tries to remain positive as she continues to job hunt in person and online in Baltimore, MD, Dec. 23, 2013. Linda Davidson/The Washington Post/Getty

By Erin Delmore The number of women who stay at home with their children rather than work outside the house is on the rise, according to a study released Tuesday by the Pew Research Center – and more women are saying it’s because they can’t find a job.

Roughly three in 10 moms did not work outside the home in 2012, according to the Pew study, which relied on census and government data. A sixpoint rise since 2000 represents a shift in behavior among American women, after decades of decline during the second half of the 20th century.

The data show that the recession likely influenced women’s choices: The number of stay-at-

home moms rose by 3 percentage points since 2008, the depth of the recession. The research characterized mothers who are disabled or in school as stay-athome moms.

Of the nation’s 10.4 million stay-at-home moms, 6% said they did so because they were unable to find a job, up from 1% in 2000, according to the study.

The survey suggests that women’s declining participation in the labor force, the rise of immigration, and the stagnant economy are among the economic and demographic causes for the shift. Four in 10 mothers born outside the United States stayed at home with their children in 2012, compared with 26% of mothers

born in the U.S. The majority of stay-at-home moms are married and rely on their husband’s income, according to the survey, but the remaining group – one-third of all stay-at-home moms – is growing.

More than a third of all moms not working outside the home are living in poverty (the same is true of 12% of working mothers). That’s more than double the poverty rate for stay-athome moms in 1970.

A majority of Americans said they believe it is best for a child to have at least one parent who does not work outside the home, with responses varying based on ethnicity, religion, and education levels. White evan-

HAUTE INDIA JEWELRY SHOW

Jagdip Ahluwalia, Mayor Annise Parker & Sanjay Ramabhadran. Photo Courtesy: Bijay Dixit

H

OUSTON - Jagdip Ahluwalia, Executive Director of the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Houston, was recently recognized at the Greater Houston Procurement Breakfast.

The award recognizes his tireless advocacy for business in, for and with Houston. The standing-room only event included participants from the public and private sector including Houston Mayor Annise Parker and the City

of Houston’s Chief Procurement Officer and Director of the Office of Business Opportunity. Jagdip Ahluwalia is also a Senior Fellow with the American Leadership Forum, a Rotarian and a graduate of Leadership Houston.

American boosts miles needed for free travel on busiest days

Date: April 19th, 2014 SATURDAY • TIME: 11AM to 8 PM Venue: Hilton Garden Inn, Sugar Land 722 Bona venture Way, Sugar Land, Houston TX 77479

American Airlines is doubling the amount of frequent-flier award miles needed to gain a free oneway ticket for flights on the busiest travel days.Bloomberg photo

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merican Airlines Group Inc. is doubling the amount of frequent-flier award miles needed to gain a free one-way ticket for flights on the busiest travel days.

The increase, to 50,000 miles for trips on days like the Sunday after Thanksgiving, is among changes American announced today to better match its policies with those of merger partner US Airways. The new rules also eliminate blackout dates for members of US Airways’ Dividend Miles program.

The moves may push American closer to loyalty program changes adopted at smaller competitors Delta Air Lines Inc. and United Airlines, which are tweaking their plans to link at least some awards to ticket price instead of miles flown.

American and US Airways combined have the largest loyalty program, with 110 million members.

American likely would surpass.

American rose 0.6 percent to $35.98 at the close of trading in New York. The shares have risen 46 percent from when the two carriers merged on Dec. 9, compared with a 2.4 percent gain in the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index in that period.

EFFECTIVE TODAY Members of AAdvantage previously needed 25,000 in accumulated miles for a free one-way ticket. Under changes announced today, miles needed for an economy AAnytime award will increase to 30,000 miles from 25,000 during part of the year. The rate for the remainder of the year will decline to 20,000 miles one-way, American said in a statement, without specifying dates.

The update on blackout dates is effective today for travel starting June 1, the Fort Worth, Texas-based airline said.

“We believe such a change likely lies ahead -- possibly by year-end,” Jamie Baker, a JPMorgan Chase & Co. analyst, said of American’s AAdvantage program in a note to investors today.

“Making these changes will ensure that our customers know what to expect when traveling on either carrier and help them better plan their travel,” American said in a statement sent to managers at both airlines.

Delta said in February it would base awards on the amount spent to better reward travelers who pay the highest fares and penalize those seeking the cheapest price. This year, United Continental Holdings Inc. began requiring passengers to spend $10,000 and travel 100,000 miles, or 120 segments, in order to gain the top status of Premier 1K in its MileagePlus program.

Travelers using miles to get a free ticket may have to pay to check their suitcase under the new rules.

Baker estimated Delta will increase annual earnings by about $150 million from the switch, an amount he said

AAdvantage Gold members and Dividend Miles Platinum and Gold travelers will receive one fewer free checked bag, while customers traveling on an AAnytime award or a fullfare economy ticket will no longer get any free checked luggage.

SOUTH AMERICA Both airlines will remove the charge for a second checked bag on flights to and from

South America. Holders of American’s branded Citi credit card will continue to receive one free checked bag, a benefit that will be extended to customers with certain US Airways MasterCards beginning on April 30, the airline said.

The bag fee changes are effective for tickets issued starting today on American flights, and starting April 23 for US Airways.

Earlier today, American said first-quarter operating margin would slip to a range of 5 percent to 7 percent, down from a January forecast of 6 percent to 8 percent, because of winter storms that disrupted operations at its largest hubs.

AIRBUS PURCHASE Heavy snows, ice and frigid temperatures that battered large swaths of the country, including Charlotte, North Carolina, Chicago, New York and Dallas-Fort Worth, forced the airline to cancel 34,000 flights. Revenue was reduced by $115 million and operating profit by about $60 million, American said.

The airline also said today it will purchase 62 Airbus Group NV A320 aircraft that had been on lease financing because it was able to negotiate better rates. The planes will be delivered between the first quarter of 2015 and third quarter of 2017.

In conjunction with that change, the carrier converted firm orders for 30 Airbus A320neo aircraft to options. Those planes would have been delivered in 2021 and 2022. Casey Norton, an American spokesman, couldn’t comment on the reason for that change. In July 2011, American ordered 260 Airbus A320s and 200 Boeing Co. 737s to replace its aging single-aisle fleet.

(Courtesy: Bloomberg).

FEATURE

VOICE OF ASIA 21

From Rugs to Riches

by Melik Kaylan

T

here’s a widespread fascination with tracking the fate of a human contrivance across centuries and regions—mapmaking, prayer rituals, the use of salt, and the like. The ways such ideas and inventions change, where they pop up and why, open unexpected windows onto the social pageant of our species. “Carpets of the East in Paintings From the West,� a little gem of a show at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, taps into that fascination as it examines artistic cross-pollination between three types of 17th-century Oriental carpets and three Dutch paintings of the same era.

FRIDAY, April 11, 2014

How aesthetic ideas migrated creatively between civilizations during a period of globalization. and rosettes. Comparing textile and painting, we’re struck by how they share identical, sepiatoned color schemes.

According to Ms. Deniz, Metsu probably based the painting’s hues on the carpet’s faded reds, oranges, blues and greens. We see a young woman being entertained by two male visitors, one playing a cello. Musically notated pages spill out of a box

on the oor. Clothing and carpet, which hangs off the table, luxuriate richly without shining garishly, while a maid brings drinks through a doorway from a slightly raised room beyond.

Next to her we glimpse a caryatid nude in marble upholding one end of a mantelpiece.

Tasteful, satisfying harmony seeps subliminally into the onlooker’s senses. We realize, gradually, how much the Ori-

Housed in a small room among the Islamic galleries, the exhibit allows the museum to display seldom-seen, and even less-frequently juxtaposed, pieces from its permanent collection. The viewer gets a sense of how aesthetic ideas migrated creatively between civilizations during a period of globalization.

According to the show’s curator, Islamic carpets expert Deniz Beyazit, she chose its particular historical focus because Dutch paintings, being primarily domestic, “give us a rich glimpse of the intimate life happening around carpets,â€? and because “the Netherlands in the 17th century began trading with a wider slice of the Orient, so we could choose carpets from different countries—which made it much easier to ďŹ nd pairing counterparts in our collections.â€?

Carpets became a widespread symbol of afuence in Dutch homes of the time, where they were draped on tables or hung on walls rather than spread on oors as in their source countries.

This illustrates a poignant feature of the exhibition, a clash of civilizations: The paintings are eloquent of individual, identiďŹ able lives, while the carpets stand mute, abstract, narrativefree. The paintings have signed names; they are by individuals about individuals. The carpets are inherently anonymous, not least because, according Ms. Beyazit, “many were often created by women and often in

‘A Musical Party’ (1659) by GabriĂŤl Metsu Metropolitan Museum of Art villagesâ€?—the least authorial members of their society.

The ďŹ rst pairing puts a 17thcentury Persian “Floral and Cloudbandâ€? carpet next to “The Newborn Babyâ€? (1675) by Matthijs Naiveu, who painted the picture the year his ďŹ rst child was born. We are invited into a deeply domestic scene—a kraambozoek, or “lying-in visitâ€?—where the mother receives female friends to celebrate the birth. Strangely, though, the overall color palette couldn’t be more gloomy: a dark bedroom with women and children; a four-poster bed heavily shadowed by bottlegreen drapes; a murky mirror to the side, where we glimpse the painter and his male friends chatting. On the wall above the men we can just make out a violently stormy seascape painting. The only cheery hues come from the carpet’s glossy reds and oranges, which are mi-

Patel

nutely echoed here and there in cheeks, lips and a few red candles visible in the mirror.

According to art historians, Naiveu wanted us to ponder the folly of afuence, the vanity of possessions and the chanciness of birth, all of which he manages to convey by the subtlest of hints. From the ceiling hangs a white cupid with his bow outstretched—denoting, perhaps, the arbitrariness even of love.

The next pairing is anything but somber. We see a “Chessboardâ€? carpet, from the late-16th to early-17th century, next to “A Musical Partyâ€? (1659) by GabriĂŤl Metsu. While “Floral and Cloudbandâ€? carpets were commonplace, “Chessboardâ€? carpets were (and are) much rarer. They hailed from Syria, and get their name from the design being divided into vertical rectangles within which dance eurs-de-lis, stylized cypresses

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Teeming arabesques interweave mesmerically as you view the carpet on the wall, but in the Bisschop painting the rug’s ochreish orange ground sets the tone for a modestly presented romantic scene. In a darkened room at night, a rakishly hatted young man has seemingly just arrived. He caresses a distinctly willing if sleepy maiden, who stands in white and orange house clothes beside a table on which we glimpse the carpet.

Expert opinion has it that the couple are the artist and his wife. Again, cloth textures partake in the scene’s muted sensuality. One is left feeling that, for the Dutch, their beloved carpets function almost like banquets or ďŹ replaces at the center of domestic warmth. These artifacts, so far from their home regions, from the anonymous hands and minds that shaped them, had the good luck to be cherished by a more self-revealing society, one that could openly dramatize their charms for the ages.

Mr. Kaylan writes about culture and the arts for the Journal.

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The ďŹ nal pairing offers an “Ornamental Lottoâ€? carpet, c.

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HOROSCOPE

VOICE OF ASIA 22

FRIDAY, April 11, 2014

Your Horoscope for the Week of April 11, 2014

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

As per Indian Vedic Astrology the Moon sign is considered, in which every Rashi has control over certain letters, which are initials of your name. Whereas in Western system of Sun Sign, all the people born in one month belong to the same sign. For example, every year approximately around 21 of March to 20th April, the Sun is moving in the Aries Constellation. So all the people born in that month belong to the Sign of Aries. If you were born in between those two dates then you are a Aries born.

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

Libra (R,T) 23 Sept to 22 Oct

The sense of floating free from the earthly bonds that you’ve felt been dragging you down.

Don’t even ask what it means. Logic and magic have nothing to do with each other. Let events wash over you now, and explain it all later on in any way that makes sense. Don’t go around sticking out your neck if blame is waiting to fall. The walls have ears and possibly no sympathy.

Ordinarily you’re the first to help others, but you may not be able to do so now. You need to be treated with respect. Insist on receiving the whole story, rather than have something dumped on you without warning.

You’ll have plenty of ideas, but you must be careful not to take on too much. Less is best this week. Arguments will evolve if you are overly opinionated. Secret information will aid you and hard work will pay off. Your concern with financial security will prompt you to find out more about investments. You’ll meet interesting new people if you attend events. If you focus on what’s really important to you, success will follow. If you recognize your limitations and ask for assistance, you will do much better than even you anticipated.

Scorpio (N,Y)23 Oct to 21 Nov

Taurus (B,V,U) 21 April to 20 May Use your talent of teamwork & to get everyone involved in your project. The resistance you feel from others will grow stronger if you apply unnecessary pressure. Keep discussions on track, allow others to express their views. Listen to them very carefully.

Try to create an atmosphere of trust. Someone else may get all the glory, but you’ll learn an invaluable lesson, that will take you on to even greater triumph. You’ll find ordinarily annoying people are surprisingly easy to get along with.

Face some challenges that will motivate your spirit. You’ll feel magnetized and ready to take on any professional or personal obstacles, that stands in your way. Plan to do something special with the family. Obstacles may stand in your way. Ignore people who are trying to lead you astray. You can learn a lot if you are more open-minded. Give others the benefit of the doubt. You’ll be able to overcome anything if you stand tall and prepare to push ahead. The harder you strive for perfection, the better you will do.

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

Gemini (K,CHH,GH) 21 May to 20 June You may have high expectations of someone, that may dwindle as the week winds down. You may feel angry, but patience is what will bring you results. You need to look at the situation from different perspectives. Interactions with others could be less than rewarding. Even well-intentioned people will seem as if they’re trying to interfere.

Mind your own business and advance in solitude. Even the quirky loner is not without some kind of support system.

An upsurge of your positive energy flow. Recently you have felt as if something was holding you back, this week, everything will click. Your good mood will be highly contagious, others will respond. You’ll be everywhere at once, moving so quickly, that people might miss you, if they blink. It’s important for you to have your personal touch on everything. If you immerse yourself, your senses will take you for the ride of a lifetime. You still have a long way to go.

Capricorn (KH,J) 22 Dec to 20 Jan

Cancer (D,H) 21 June to 22 July Need to keep yourself on track. It’s difficult to stay focused, your current fixation on details may have you spinning your wheels. Try to stay on course despite the temptation to run around in circles. The fact that you’re suddenly very popular does nothing to help with your focus. Other people’s tics and quirks might prove to be especially annoying to you. There is no polite way to explain what’s bothering you. This is not about being rude, this is about being professional in your relations with others.

Pure facts and data are the currency of the moment. Colleagues are brimming with ideas for you. Digesting all of them, however, is a near impossibility. The trick is to sift through everything that comes your way and select just exactly what you need. The energy you feel will help you to reach your goals. It’s vital that you don’t promise the word to everyone. While this could help for the present, it may create complications for the future.

Little mistakes are easier to correct before their consequences grow too big.

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

Leo (M) 23 July to 22 August

You don’t like to keep score, and generally let life just go where it goes. However, you could be on the receiving end of a beautiful serenade. The next few days will find you walking with a brisk stride and snapping your fingers. If whatever you’re experiencing isn’t quite reality, it’ll seem just as good as the real thing. No walls will be able to contain your excitement. No limitations will seem to apply. You can accomplish just about any goal you try. A little humility wouldn’t hurt, although no one really minds if you keep Mustache or Not.

Virgo (P) 23 August to 22 September Use your ability to see past the immediate and understand other’s motivations. Choose your projects carefully and do them well instead of saying yes to everyone and doing an inferior job. Think clearly about all of your options and play the waiting game. You shouldn’t rush any big decisions. Time will be on your side. The longer you wait to decide, the better.

It will be hard for you to pass on some of the projects being offered, but if you set attainable goals, you will receive much greater rewards in the end. Social events will lead to romantic opportunities.

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Some domestic adjustments, with your ability to bounce back from any situation. An intimate moment may suddenly get too close for comfort. There may be too much talking around you. The abstract becomes increasingly meaningless. Attend to your inner needs. Meditation, plants and pets will reconnect you with your role in the physical world. Try to organize you time to fit everything in without too much stress. Give a little, take a little. Compromise will become your theme.

Pisces (D,CH,Z) 20 Feb to 20 March

Your flexibility and patience will help you tolerate an insufferable situation. Being stubborn will only fan the flames. The reason for your anger will become apparent once you listen to your heart. Once your plans are firmly in place, romance may begin to happen.

You’ll be given every opportunity to grow as a person. Stop looking ahead so far and try to lose yourself in the heat of the moment. Your imagination is highly amusing, but perhaps not very trustworthy. Snooping and gossip can be deliciously seductive. You know the subjects of your investigation well enough to be reasonably sure of what they’re thinking.

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