Voice of Asia Dec 19 2014

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Vol. 27 No. 51 Friday, December 19, 2014 • Published Weekly from Houston • 713-774-5140 20 Pages ( 2 sections) 50 cents E-mail: editor@voiceofasiaonline.com

US Senate Confirms Vivek Murthy As Surgeon General First ever Indian-origin doctor to be named US Surgeon General

by S Rajagopalan

W

ASHINGTON - (December, 17, 2014) After a year-long wait in the face of stout Republican opposition, President Barack Obama’s nominee Vivek Hallegere Murthy has secured the Senate confirmation and is all set to take over as US Surgeon General.

At 37, the Harvard and Yale alumnus will be the youngest for the key post that also goes by the much-touted tag of “America’s Doctor”. And he will be the first-ever Indian-American to occupy the post. Within minutes of the confirmation, Obama put out a statement, assuring his countrymen: “As ‘America’s Doctor,’ Vivek will hit the ground running to make sure every American has the information they need to keep themselves and their families safe.”

India or in America. A valedictorian at his high school, Murthy graduated from Harvard and then went to Yale to acquire an MD and MBA as well. He returned to Harvard, this time to teach medicine.

His academic brilliance notwithstanding, many Senators, mostly Republicans, questioned his experience for the Surgeon General’s job. They dubbed him a political activist and campaign enthusiast for Obama and his subsequent Affordable Care Act, popularly called “Obamacare”.

But Obama’s confidence in Murthy remained undiminished. “He’ll bring his lifetime of experience promot-

ing public health to bear on priorities ranging from stopping new diseases to helping our kids grow up healthy and strong,” Obama said on Monday, adding: “Vivek will also help us build on the progress we’ve made combatting Ebola, both in our country and at its source.”

In the Senate, Majority Whip Dick Durbin led the push for Murthy, highlighting his dedication to fighting obesity, tobacco related diseases and other chronic diseases that account for seven out of the top 10 causes for death in America and account for 84 per cent of America’s health care costs.

But Republican Senator John Bar-

Vivek Hallegere Murthy. Photo Credit: AP. rasso dubbed Murthy’s appointment “just another example of President Obama giving someone an important job based solely upon their support

W

ASHINGTON - Pran Gangaraju (19) was declared the 33rd Miss India USA and Riya Kaur (15) was declared Miss Teen India at a glittering ceremony in Albert Palace, New Jersey on Dec 14.

Even so, it is being viewed as a big victory, given that the gun lobby with its extensive clout on Capitol Hill had launched an all-out campaign to keep Murthy out. The National Rifles Association (NRA) had approached several Democrats as well, prompting the White House to wait it out until after conclusion of the Congressional elections in November. The strategy paid off.

53 Indian American girls participated in Miss Teen India, Miss USA India and Mrs India Beauty Pageant.

Miss India USA is a beauty contest for Indian origin girls who are residents of the United States that started in 1980. Last year’s Miss India USA title was clinched by Monica Gill from Massachusetts.

In a 2012 tweet on the guns issue that came to haunt Murthy during the long confirmation process, the young doctor had commented: “Tired of politicians playing politics w/guns, putting lives at risk b/c they’re scared of NRA. Guns are a health care issue.”

Miss India USA Pran Gangaraju (left) and Miss Teen India USA Riya Kaur (Photo: Mohammed Jaffer/IANS)

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Ms. India, Ms. Teen India US declared

Murthy, unquestionably the darling of all liberals but a lightning rod for conservatives because of his strong views against America’s gun culture, won the Senate confirmation rather narrowly (51-43) on Monday.

Murthy has a stellar academic record that will be the envy of many, be it in

of the President’s political career”, adding Murthy has been “an activist

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OP-ED/COMMENTARY/ANALYSIS

VOICE OF ASIA 2

FRIDAY, December 19, 2014

An Open Letter to India’s Prime Minister, Narendra Modi

India Needs District-Level Governing Autonomy for Prosperity and Stability

Publisher: Associate Publisher: Editor-in-Chief: Austin Correspondent: Print & Media Marketing: Marketing: Production: Office Manager:

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

Chandra K. Mittal, M.S., Ph.D., FCP

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

By Chandra K. Mittal, M.S., Ph.D., FCP Dear Honorable Prime Minister Modi,

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

Voice of Asia assumes no liability resulting from action taken based on the information included herein. Published weekly by Free Press LLC, 8303 SW Freeway, Suite # 325, Houston, TX 77074. Tel: 713-774-5140. Fax: 713-7745143. Email for editorial submissions: voiceasia@aol.com; Email for advertising inquiries and submissions: ads@ voiceofasiagroup.com

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

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Voice of Asia, 8303 SW Freeway, Suite # 325, Houston, TX 77074 It is the policy of Voice of Asia to publish letters to the editor which evidence a variety of viewpoints. The opinions expressed in any particular letter to the editor are not necessarily those of the management. Voice of Asia welcomes letters in reply to issues raised in letters to editor. In as much letters to the editor are not articles written or researched by members of Voice of Asia, it is not the policy of the Voice of Asia to perform any investigation or confirmation of any facts or allegations contained in letters to the editor. Moreover, Voice of Asia reserves the right to edit letters to the editor as necessary to correct errors of fact, punctuation, spelling and to comply with space constraints.

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- The Publisher

Congratulations on your courageous move to dismantle the outdated Soviet-styled “Planning Commission of India” and replace it with the new body “Team India” to decentralize planning and development of India. As you embark on this task, please consider the progressive concept of district-level autonomy for both governance and economic development. After all people live and experience life in cities and districts, and that is where citizens can directly participate in governance and exert control on their economic activities.

The concept of Centralized economic planning and development is alien to “democracy” in modern times. Historically, it has failed in every instance.

Given India’s political diversity and population mass, State-level controls for all aspects of development do not yield results as has been witnessed sine independence of India over the past six decades.

This is evident from the current economic disparity among the States. Decentralization needs to percolate to the district level to have any meaningful impact on India’s stability and prosperity.

Mr. Prime Minister, to a common citizen greatness of a country consists in the conveniences of civil life, personal safety, neighborhood cleanliness, reliable health care, quality education, employment opportunities, etc. It does not matter if country has an overall higher Gross Domestic Product

(GDP) or strong military force, or impressive foreign policy, or beautiful historic monuments, but it lacks basic attributes of personal happiness and safety.

Societies where such dichotomies exist need introspection and take corrective measures to improve life of its citizens – essence of a successful democracy.

At present, India has an over-centralized administrative and budgetary controls at the National and State government levels. Despite economic reforms of 1991 by Finance Minister Dr. Man Mohan Singh this centralized “top-down” democracy has allowed only a slow paced economic growth in India. The decisions for citizens’ lives are made in the State capitals without the direct control of the citizens. India is, in essence, still suffering from “colonial hangover” where a few at the top control the destiny of most citizens –a typical feudal mindset.

India has an average of about 2 Million (20 Lacs) people residing in each district, which either equals or exceeds total population of more than 100 independent countries in the world. These countries are autonomous and are able to successfully provide public safety, education, healthcare, civil infrastructure, etc for their citizens. But in India, city-level administrations with similar population size (or some with even 50-80 Lacs people) are mostly relegated to collecting garbage, cleaning roads, and regulating building permits.

And that too they are not able to do satisfactorily because

State governments control district administrations.

It is a folly to believe that present “centralized” system of India’s governance both at national and state levels can bring India into the modern world since it is inherently non-conducive to economic development and political stability .The solution to modernize India resides in building city/ district-level autonomy for integrated development of the districts. There is desperate need to revise the current governing structure at the district level to meet the needs of the expanding population in districts. The civil services under district autonomous control should be supported by public funds from local, state and national sources.

Because Indian constitution defines Republic of India as union of States, the statists would argue that too much decentralization of authority and freedom will lead to political destabilization, social unfairness, and even national disintegration. But this is far from the truth. If anything, it is too much State-level autonomy and control that is a risk for national integrity because of political diversity in India. Such tendencies have been witnessed in some parts of India. Districtlevel autonomy would be in fact a blessing for integrity, stability and prosperity of India.

In the post Planning Commission era, India has to be innovative in creating conditions conducive to economic development at the district level. The citizens of both rural and urban areas within the districts should

be involved in the economic and industrial development planning, policy formation, budgetary planning, execution and control of development of their districts. Local Chamber of Commerce or their equivalent should be encouraged to solicit funds for development, support and help the entrepreneurs unleash their talent and energies under appropriate national and state oversight.

This change would not be easy because of the vested political interests in the present governing system. But, strong national leadership and the “will of the people” can overcome such hurdles. As US President John F. Kennedy once said (paraphrased), true leaders do things not because they are easy but because they are hard. And they do it for the larger good of the society.

Mr. Prime Minister, the US President Barak Obama recently called you a “Man of Action” based on your dynamism and leadership that you have demonstrated in the short duration since taking office. It is only a leader of your caliber, vision, courage and fortitude who can create a strong, prosperous, and peaceful India in the 21st century and enable it to join the league of progressive nations.

Respectfully Chandra K. Mittal, M.S., Ph.D., FCP Professor of Biotechnology, Houston Community College, Houston.

Co-Founder, Indo-American Association, Houston E-Mail:drckmittal@yahoo.com

US Senate Confirms Vivek Murthy As Surgeon General Continued from Page 1 focused on gun control and political campaigns”.

Through the year-long controversy, Murthy’s nomination was backed by over 100 public health and medical organisations including the American

College of Physicians, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Public Health Association, the American Hospital Association, the American Cancer Society, the American Heart Association, and the American Diabetes Associa-

tion.

Murthy, who has been the co-founder and president of Doctors for America since 2009 alongside teaching medicine at Harvard, is also the co-founder of VISIONS Worldwide, a non-profit body that focuses on HIV/AIDS education in India and the US.

Murthy recalls India experience during US senate hearing

D

r. Vivek Hallegere Murthy, presidential nominee for the Surgeon General of the US, today recalled his India experience wherein he helped train young women to be health care educators and leaders, during his confirmation hearing before a senate committee.

“I built a rural community health partnership in India called Swasthya to train young women to be health care educators and leaders.

Through these experiences, I

Soma Balasubramanian

learned how to conceive and execute community-wide health projects that respected cultural and geographic differences,” Dr Murthy told members of the powerful Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labour and Pensions.

“As a public health educator, I created HIV/AIDS education programmes for tens of thousands of youth through an organisation I co-founded call VISIONS,” said Dr Murthy, who if confirmed by the senate would

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be the first Indian-American to occupy the post of the top American doctor responsible for the country’s health care.

Introducing him before the committee, the Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren said that Murthy has demonstrated his extraordinary leadership and is fit to be the country’s 21st century Surgeon-General.

Describing himself as son of an immigrant parent, Murthy, 36, said his grandfather was a poor farmer, who fought for freedom in India. (PTI).

VOICE OF ASIA 3

C OMMUNITY VOICE OF ASIA

FRIDAY, December 19, 2014

Second Front Page

Friday, December 19, 2014 • www.voiceofasiaonline.com • Page 3 • Email: editor@voiceofasiaonline.com • Tel: 713-774-5140

JVB Gyanshala’s 1st Annual Magazine Inaugurated by Mayor Annise Parker

Gyanshala kids with Mayor Parker, Board and EC members

by Seema Jain

“

Religion beyond dogmas, Spirituality without religion, and including the call for a Universal religion of Compassion” are a true testament to his Spiritual strength.”

-Acharya Tulsi JVB Preksha Meditation Center under the auspicious presence and inspiration of Samani Sanmati Pragyaji & Samani Jayant Pragyaji (Disciples of Acharya Shri Mahashraman), proudly hosted honorable Houston Mayor, Annise Parker on Sunday, December 14th, 2014 for the inauguration of its first Annual Gyanshala Children Magazine “Connect: Basics and Beyond” and “Tulsi Commemoration Volumes” on the occasion of H. H. Acharya Shri Tulsi Birth Centenary global celebrations.

About 150 community members came by and large to celebrate this milestone with the Hon. Mayor.

The Mayor was greeted by enthusiastic Gyanshala kids along with Board and EC

members upon arrival. In her speech, she congratulated everyone on the Centennial Birth of Acharya Tulsi, and expressed her desire to know more about JVB Community and acknowledge the work of our young Gyanshala Students who are our future leaders and was quite amazed by their articles based on the principles of Anuvrat i.e. truth, nonviolence, non-possession, and non-stealing, and wished them a bright future ahead.

The members of JVB youth council presented the prestigious Volumes to the Mayor for inauguration. To honor this occasion, the Mayor made a proclamation stating the Birth Date of Acharya Tulsi, October 20th as “Acharya Tulsi Day”, so worthy of the cause as he is known worldwide as one of the greatest Acharya’s of Jain Tradition. and a man of splendor personality, Humanitarian Saint and a great visionary. He opened hundreds of schools, started different vocational courses, numerous colleges, and a University as well. Jain Vishwa Bharati is one of them.

Reverend Samani Sanmati

Samani Sanmati Pragyaji and Samani Jayant Pragyaji present Annise Parker with the copy of Gyanshala Children Magazine Photos by: Navin Mediwala

Pragyaji admired Mayor The program ended with a capital, and nurture it through ety through Yoga, Preksha Parker’s distinguished ca- thank you speech delivered by a perfect blend, of the tradi- Meditation and Education reer, explained how Acharya JVB’s President, Nikhil Jain tional as well as contempo- of Non-violence. It conducts Tulsi’s teachings are showing who extended his warmest rary ways and means, for the weekly Mediation, Yoga and the path of peace to the world regards to everyone present comprehensive development, Swadhyay sessions and runs and praised active committee at the event. Special thanks of the kids personality. JVB special events and programs members for their untiring ef- to Hasuji Patel & Ila Patel Gyanshala Magazine truly like iChoose & Meditation forts and support. The Emcee for their exceptional effort to captures the thoughts & cre- Camps. Its open to all and of the event, Mr. Pramod Jain invite the Mayor and making ativity of its young students. every session or event is free acknowledged all the promi- this a gala event. of charge to its attendees. For nent guests from different InThe JVB Preksha Medi- more information please visit dian communities and media Here at JVB’s Gyanshala, tation Center envisions a www.jvbhouston.org or call who joined us in our occa- We value our intellectual blissful and peaceful soci- them at 281.596.9642. sion. Mr. Swatantra Jain, the Chairman of JVB center delivered a Welcome Speech.

All the G y a n shala kids paid their tribute by saying the Gyanshala pledge collectively. A special memento was presented to Mayor to earmark her Swatantra Jain, the Chairman of JVB Center with Mayor Parker and other members of the Center short stay.

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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

Be careful who you let use your credit or bankcard Q. I recently gave my Bank of America card to a “friend” of mine because she stated that she needed to deposit her income checks into a bank account to avoid check-cashing fees.

I gave her my card. The next day, I received a text from Bank of America alerts saying “we recently received three deposits from an ATM please reply yes to approve them.” I replied yes. My friend then told me she was going to withdraw the money. I received another text saying, “to continue using your card, please verify these transactions ATM WITHDRAWAL $500, $300 & $300, reply yes.” I replied yes.

Long story short, the checks she deposited were counterfeit and now the bank wants me to repay the money she withdrew from my account. I explained that I did not deposit the checks, it was my friend. They told me that there is nothing they can do because I authorized my friend to use my card when I gave it to her. Is there anything I can do to get this off of me and get my money back? Your advice would be greatly appreciated.

A. Unfortunately, my opinion is that you are responsible to the bank for any money withdrawn based on the counterfeit checks, but you have the right to go after you friend to be reimbursed. As far as the law is concerned, you have substantial rights if your credit or bankcard is lost or stolen and an unauthorized person makes charges to your account. The key here, however, is the word “unauthorized.” The law protects you against unauthorized charges or withdrawals by a thief, but not to any action you authorized. When you gave the card to your friend you authorized her to use it. The fact that she used it to deposit counterfeit checks and withdraw cash, or in any way you did not approve, is between you and her, not the bank. You owe the bank for any amounts she wrongfully withdrew, but you have the right to seek reimbursement from her for the misuse of your card. I suggest you let you know you expect to be reimbursed, and if she doesn’t pay you consider a claim in Justice Court. You also may want to speak with the police to see if any crime has been committed.

Q. I am getting divorced. My husband has agreed to keep the house and make all the payments. What do I do to get my name taken off of the mortgage?

A. This is a very common question. When you get divorced, you and your spouse agree how property and debts will be divided. But the divorce is between you and your husband.

The mortgage company is not a part of your divorce and is not bound by whatever you and your husband agree to. The only way to have your name removed is for your husband to refinance the property in his name alone. Unless the mortgage company agrees, you cannot just have your name taken off of the mortgage.

Q. I am getting married. I currently pay child support from a prior marriage. Will my new wife’s income be taken into consideration when determining the amount of child support I pay?

A. After you marry, your spouse’s income will not affect the amount of child support you must pay. Your obligation is based on your net resources. Texas law provides that for purposes of determining the amount of support, a court may not add any portion of the net resources of a spouse to the net resources of the person paying child support.

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To subscribe to my Consumer News Alert or learn more about your legal rights, visit my website, www.peopleslawyer.net.

FRIDAY, December 19, 2014

Sharlene Sharmila Richards

ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS ABOUT OTHER PROPOSALS UNDER THE EXECUTIVE ACTION ANNOUNCED BY PRESIDENT OBAMA

Q: Apart from the deferred action policies for children and parents of US Citizen and Permanent Resident Children, what other new proposals have been included as part under the new executive action?

A: In addition to granting deferred action to individuals such as children who came here to the United States under the age of 16 and parents of US Citizen and Permanent Resident Children, several interesting proposals for changes to our immigration system are in the works.

Some of these proposals include the following: Proposed changes to Employment Based Immigration: 1) Reducing wait times for employment based immigrant visas as well as visa processing times.

2) Improving the system as to when visas become available to applicants during the particular fiscal year.

3) Reforming optional practical training (OPT) by expanding the category of degree programs eligible for OPT. 4) STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) graduates eligible for STEM OPT with extension of 17 months will have longer periods to remain in the US. 5) Increasing the opportunities for foreign investors, researchers and founders of startup companies to conduct development and research in the US before they actually receive their visas.

6) Making more flexible rules to allow applicants for employment based permanent resident status to port or change jobs.

7) Review of the Department of Labor’s PERM process which is the initial process involved in a majority of employment based permanent resident applications.

8) Providing employment authorization to spouses of H-1B holders who have approved immigrant visa petitions.

Proposed changes to Provisional Waivers (Stateside Processing): 1) Presently, undocumented immigrant spouses, children under 21 years of age and parents of US Citizen may become permanent residents if they applied and obtained what is known as a provisional waiver of their unlawful presence here in the United States before they departed the United States to apply and obtain their immigrant visas at the US Consulate abroad. The recent executive action has called for USCIS to expand the category of family members eligible for the provisional waiver to include adult children of US Citizens and spouses and children of Permanent Residents.

2) Additional guidance will be issued for the standard which needs to be met before a provisional waiver application can be approved. Presently, the undocumented foreign national has to show that his or her absence from the United States would cause ‘extreme hardship’ to the qualifying relative. Presently, this term ‘extreme hardship’ has yet to be clearly defined.

Proposed changes to Parole Policies: 1) To issue guidelines and fully implement the decision in the Matter of Arrabally (April 2012). In this case, two foreign nationals who had been in unlawful status for several years had applied for adjustment of status and travelled outside the US on advance parole. The Board of Immigration Appeals held that this travel was not a departure which triggered the unlawful presence ground of inadmissibility (after being unlawfully present for more than 180 days in the US) to bar their re-entry into the US. Formal legal guidance is needed on the meaning of the decision in Arrabally which will clarify that in all cases when an individual physically leaves the US under a grant of advance parole, that the individual has not made a departure to trigger the unlawful presence ground of inadmissibility.

2) Presently, family members of US Military service members and veterans are eligible for parole in place. Parole in place is parole in which an individual who is already in the United States, but who is here without permission, is granted parole without having to depart the US. The new proposal suggest expanding the scope of parole in place to include family members of US Citizens and lawful permanent residents who seeks to enlist in the US Armed Forces as well as to provide deferred action to the spouse, parent, and child of a US Citizen or permanent resident who seeks to enlist in the US Armed Forces.

3) To issue guidelines to enable parole of certain investors, researchers and founders of startup companies to enter the US before they become eligible for a visa.

Proposed changes to Naturalization: 1). To expand access to naturalization, to address barriers to those who are unable to pay the application fees including expanding the use of fee waivers and to implement credit card processing for fee payments.

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.

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.

Read these articles by legal experts online www.voiceofasiaonline.com K. V. Doraiswamy Bhattar 281-489-0464 or 281-948-8368

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FRIDAY, December 19, 2014

IANA’s participated 2014 Club 65 Celebrates Early Heart Walk in NRG stadium Christmas

by Jaseem Pasha MD

T

he Houstonian Seniors’ Club 65 hosted the third annual Christmas Party on December 6 at Bayland Community Center, at 6400 Bissonnet Street in Houston. It was indeed a fun filled afternoon.

The members and the guests arrived on time. Many came in festive apparel, few even wore Santa’s red hat. The hall was packed. There was an air of exuberance, smiles and hugs.

The tables looked colorful with Christmas figurines.

The entire hall sprang into life as soon as Paru McGuire, the President of Club 65, took the microphone in her hand.

They welcomed her with a big round of applause. Paru shared the highlights of the awaited program with the audience.

IANA members took the challenge of 5K walk

T

he American Heart Association is the largest voluntary health organization working to prevent, treat and defeat heart disease, stroke and other cardiovascular diseases.

Heart disease and stroke is nation’s No. 1 and No. 4 killers — and all other cardiovascular diseases claim more than 787,000 American lives a year. Which means every three deaths in America is from the above illness. Research funded by the American Heart Association has yielded or contributed to many important improvements such as CPR, life-extending drugs (including clot-busters), pacemakers, bypass surgery, the heart-lung machine and surgical techniques to repair heart defects.

All are at risk for heart disease and the severity of the problem is not known by many.

Thousands of children are born with heart disease each year.

The Heart & Stroke Walk highlighted family fun and physical fitness to encourage walking as a part of a healthy lifestyle.

It also raises funds to support

cardiovascular research and educational programs for the American Heart Association.

Heart walk is conducted on many cities across Unites States including Houston. This is achieved with strong support from individuals and groups.

Nurses play an important role to prevent and eradicate illness by education and providing their valuable time and talent to the community. Along with many other organizations Indian Nurses Association played a vital role in this year’s Heart Walk. Indians have a higher risk for heart disease than many other ethnic groups.

Even compared with some of the south Asians, Indians were three times more likely to suffer a heart attack. The Indian descendants live in developed countries are more likely to be the victim of cardiovascular disease. When Indians get heart attack the severity is also worse. Researchers are still trying to understand the details of this occurrence.

Everyone can contribute to uplift the community in various ways. To support the event

in NRG stadium on Nov. 8th 2014 with the leadership of Accamma Kallel, N.P as a Team Captain and the strong support of President Sally Samuel about 10 nurses participated in the5K Heart walk at the NRG stadium. The event started with awards ceremonies at 8:15AM, opening ceremonies at 9:00 AM and Heart Walk at 9:30AM. Along with the thousands of walkers, IANA members took the challenge of 5K walk with vigor, some of the IANA walkers were survivors of Heart disease and stroke.

Few family members also participated in this event and supported us to increase awareness and support for the great cause. The Indian American Nurse’s Association of Houston (IANA) also played a vital role in fund raising for AHA this year as they do with many other events.

IANA thanked to all walkers, donors and volunteers who have accepted the challenge to help fight heart disease and stroke. This mission cannot be achieved without the support of everyone.

Majid Soudagar sang a very old ghazal, full of impassioned poetry. Taiyeb Shipchandler, an esteemed member of the Club, “Kaka”, as he is called out of love and respect, sang a very beautiful old song.

Mulik Sayeedi sang an old classic Indian heart-rending song, and as usual, shared few jokes that made everyone laugh.

Uma Mantravadi, Attorney at Law, and Houston’s foremost sensational singer paired up with Nadeem Ashrafi, who is a singer and keyboard player.

Nadeem has served desi music industry for more than three decades. He is well known for his Ghazals and versatile singing orchestration in many languages and has performed all over North America.

Both Uma and Nadeem engaged the audience with old and new songs. The selection of melodious songs was sensational, ranging from romantic ecstasy and rapture to fast dancing melodies. They sang duets that were tender, touching, nostalgic and powerful, punctuated with frequent rounds of applause. Uma sang the famous Shah-e-Madina.

Club 65 members celebrate Christmas early with with Music, Dance and Games.

Nothing prompts people to remember the past like music. Many from audience came to the floor and danced – and danced, as if there was no end to it, reminding us of an old Irish quote: “Dance like no one is watching. Sing like no one is listening.” Music does wash away from the soul the dust of everyday life.

The event ran between 11 AM to 3:30 PM. The grand finale was the spiritual qawwali song “O Lal Meri Pat Rakhiyo Bala Jhule lalan - - -Dama Dam Mast Qalandar”

Everyone had a good time, socializing, singing and dancing, and relishing the delicious food.

There was gift exchanges. Noor Jahan called out the names of the guests who chose from the colorful packaged gifts, which created a lot of excitement. It was a very successful event.

Club 65 is a non-profit organization under the umbrella of IMAGH (Indian Muslims of Greater Houston). To find out more about Club 65 or to become a member, please visit, www.imagh.org or call Paru Mcguire at 440-390-1763.

COMMUNITY

VOICE OF ASIA 6

Namadwaar’s 5th Annual Srimad Bhagavata Mahotsava to be held Dec 21-27

Devotees listen to “Sri Krishna Leela” discourse during the celebrations.

G

lobal Organization for Divinity and Namadwaar will conduct its annual grand celebration of bhakti and Bhagavata Dharma, from December 21 to 27 this year through a 7-day “Madhura Utsav” (sweet celebration). The Utsav will be filled with celebration of Bhagavan through song, dance and listening to His stories through a 7-day “Sri Krishna Leela” discourse series

by Sri Ramanujamji, disciple of His Holiness Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji.

Daily daytime events will be held at Namadwaar Prayer House located at 3642 Bailey Ave, Manvel TX 77578, while the evening Bhagavatam discourse will be held at Sri Meenakshi Temple Kalyana Mandapam in Pearland and is co-sponsored by Meenakshi Temple Society.

Daily events through the day (at Namadwaar) include chanting Thiruppavai (6 am), complete Srimad Bhagavata Moola Parayana of 18000 slokas in 7 days (7am-2pm), Procession of Sri Krishna-Sri Radha in different vahanas (9:30 am), Ashtapadi kirtan-Sampradaya bhajans with Sri Jayadeva’s Gita Govindam (1-4pm) and Divya Nama sankirtanam (9:30 pm).

There will also be special events on certain days at Namadwaar, such as Radha Kalyanam (Dec 27, 9 am), Govinda Pattabhishekham and Anna Koototsav (Dec 25, 9 am) and Nandotsavam (Dec 24, 1:30pm).

The evening program (Dec 21-27) will begin from 5:30 pm at Meenakshi Temple with the “Madhura Natyam” segment where various Houston dance schools will offer their talent to Lord Krishna through performances. On Dec 25, children of Gopa Kuteeram from around the USA will present “Srimad Bhagavatam - A Musical Play”.

This cultural segment will be followed daily at 6 pm by the highlight event – Sri Krishna Leela (discourse in English on the 10th canto of Srimad Bhagavatam) by Sri Ramanujamji.

Sri Ramanujam ji, who has visited the Houston area several times before, is an excellent speaker who has absorbed the intricate essence of our scriptures directly from his Master.

His insightful discourses throw beautiful, meaningful, practical light on the subtle aspects of bhakti and our Sanatana Dharma. His discourses on

Sari Sapne Sapna Boutique Holiday Arrivals

Srimad Bhagavatam are brilliant and instill in us love for Bhagavan, love for the path of bhakti and love for this great Purana itself. Add to this the fact that this year’s discourses will focus in detail on Sri Krishna’s ever-new, refreshing and deeply significant leelas, and the whole event becomes doubly sweet.

Everyone is welcome to participate in this unique celebration. All events are free and open to the public. Mahaprasad will be served.

Prasadam and flower sponsors are welcomed for this auspicious event. If you find this divine cause worthy of your generosity, please call 281402-6585.

Global Organization for Divinity (G.O.D.) and Namadwaar Prayer House aim to promote peace, harmony and universal love amid cultural diversity. They are involved in several spiritual, cultural and social activities in the Houston area.

For more information about the event or about G.O.D. or Namadwaar, please call 281402-6585, email houston.god@ godivinity.org or visit www.godivinity.org.

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FRIDAY, December 19, 2014

4th Annual Kavita Ki Shaam event in Houston

S

UGAR LAND -The International Hindi Association, (IHA) Houston is making its indelible mark in the Indian American Diaspora with their earnest efforts to promote Hindi as a language and culture.

For three consecutive years, the IHA has been hosting Kavita ki Shaam (An Evening of Poetry) on the 1st Fridays of the month of December with scholarly poets and enthusiasts and this year it was held in collaboration with India Culture Center on Friday, Dec. 5th 2014 at the Madras Pavilion.

A host of local artists namely Fatehali Chatur, Jasmeeta Singh, Dr. K D Upadhyaya, Om Gupta, Meera Kapur, Neera Vipin, Sangeeta Pasrija, Sunny Anand, Sarita Mehta, Dilip Kanabar, Rajiv Bhavsar, Nausha Asrar, Devika Dhruv, Krishen Sharma, Farha Iqbal, Sanjay Sohoni and the youngest among them Eesha Dhairyawan, 8, presented an range of poems in Hindi.

The program was emceed by Fatehali Chatur smoothly with a well-coordinated sound support

by Darshak Thakkar. The sold out event had close to 140 guests that enjoyed a night of signing and reciting and a spread of good food catered by Madras Pavilion.

The gathering that was mainly of friends and families also gave a birthday surprise to Swapan Dhairyawan, Director IHA whose birthday fell on the same day.

A section of the audience

Swapan Dhairyawan and Dr. K D Upadhyaya addressing the guests.

Eesha Dhairyawan, 8, sings a patriotic song.

VOICE OF ASIA 7

Student from India scoops international science award

DIASPORA

Shashi Rudrangi.

by Ellie Buchdahl, (22 July 2014. Education UK) Imagine if your PhD research uncovered a way to make ordinary medicines 1,000 times more effective...

‘I want to become a world-class scientist,’ says Shashi Rudrangi.

And the 26-year-old from Hyderabad in India has taken a step towards his goal, by winning an international science prize for research he carried out as part of his PhD in the UK. Shashi beat more than a hundred other students to bag the Best Poster award at the International Cyclodextrin Symposium for work he did to discover drugs that dissolve more easily in water.

‘I always used to say I wanted to do something for the world and find new devices and techniques,’ Shashi says.

‘My PhD supervisor in the UK advised me instead to go for seemingly simple problems, as they’re where the biggest difference can be made – and that was an inspiration to me.’

For science, for industry… and for patients Shashi’s PhD at the University of Greenwich focused on the fact that many pharmaceutical drugs – up to 90 per cent of those on the market – are poorly soluble in water.

Poorly soluble drugs are harder for the body to absorb, so they are less effective.

Shashi combined Cyclodextrin molecules with existing medications to improve their efficiency – and the results have been staggering, with some of his compounds making the drugs over 1,000 times more effective.

‘This is fantastic for the pharmaceutical industry and has scientific importance – but it’s also of importance to patients,’ Shashi says.

‘It means you don’t need such high doses of drugs and there are fewer side effects.’

Diversity, pride, respect ‘I’m from India and I feel proud to work on such a great project and to have received such support,’ Shashi continues.

‘The UK is a fantastic country – all my supervisors have taken great care of me and I’m happy to have been able to use the research facilities.

‘I’ve found a vast range of diversity and a national culture of respect, and that’s something I’d like to develop for myself too.’

Standing ovation An audience of more than 200 leading scientists from around the world gave Shashi a standing ovation when he received his award in Saarbrücken, Germany.

It was a taster of what is to come, as Shashi has now been awarded grants to present his work at conferences in England, Scotland, Germany and Turkey in the near future.

‘I’m in my final year of my PhD and this is good for me to get proper exposure in this field of science, to speak about my work and to improve my presentation,’ he says.

‘Special thanks must go to my PhD supervisors, Professor Steve Wicks and Dr Bruce Alexander, for encouraging me to attend such an excellent conference.’

Enlightenment, exposure

experience,

And there’s more to come – though Shashi isn’t giving away

too much yet.

‘My professor and I have done some experiments that have been successful, and we’re going to announce the results soon,’ he promises.

‘Research is never-ending and it’s all about discussing and getting enlightened, gaining experience and exposure so you can think in new directions.

‘Those things are all around in the UK, and I’m so happy to be able to learn here.’

Shashi also received a Certificate of Merit and a multimedia tablet PC from the International Cyclodextrin Symposium for his poster.

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FRIDAY, December 19, 2014

COMMUNITY

VOICE OF ASIA 8

FRIDAY, December 19, 2014

Schiller Institute introduces Dr. Virendra Mathur and wife, Houston to the “BRICS” Nalini Mathur participate in IndoAmerican Oral History Project plosion of optimism in India.”

He will build 100 new cities, and create one million new jobs per month. “We have to get the United States to... join with the new paradigm, because that is the only war avoidance strategy which will work.”

Egypt’s Consul General Khaled Rady

H

OUSTON, (Dec. 14, 2014) - The Schiller Institute of Texas held an event on December 11, at the Houston Chinese Community Center: “The USA Must Join the BRICS.” The BRICS countries are Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, and have formed a coalition for global development.

the event via video statement.

“If Americans knew how close we were to World War III [over the Ukraine crisis] people would be out in the streets….

What the mass media in the United States have blocked out, is that since... the summit of the BRICS countries in Fortaleza, Brazil, a completely new economic system is developing.” Mrs. Zepp-LaRouche

Harley Schlanger, vice chair of the Schiller Institute, spoke next, on the “two arcs of history” which shape the present period: one being the downfall of the Trans-Atlantic region, following the JFK assassination and Nixon’s ending Bretton Woods; and the second being the new potential of the BRICS movement.

He was followed by Khaled Rady, the Consul General of Egypt, who gave a clear and impassioned report on the Suez Canal project. After outlining the project, he ended with a moving appeal: that before the Landbridge can be realized, we need a “heart-bridge,” to connect people from around the

Harley Schlanger addressing the audience.

Opening the meeting, former U.S. Senate candidate Kesha Rogers, stated that this event was one of many around the nation organizing Americans to reject the current war policy, and join with the BRICS nations to achieve the Common Aims of Mankind, creating what India’s Prime Minister Modi has called “a mass movement for development.”

Helga Zepp-LaRouche, Schiller Institute founder, addressed

listed some of the remarkable projects now underway in BRICS and associated nations: China helping to build a second Panama Canal through Nicaragua, and a transcontinental railroad from Brazil to Peru, agreements in the areas of space and nuclear energy, and the establishment of new financial institutions devoted to funding them. “Since the new Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi came into office, there has been a complete ex-

world to be one humanity.

Natalie Lovegren, from the LaRouche PAC scientific research team, concluded the meeting with a report on China’s lunar program, demonstrating how China’s intention to mine helium-3 on the Moon for nuclear fusion energy would transform the world economy.

To learn more visit http:// newparadigm.schillerinstitute. com/

Dr. Virendra Mathur, famous cardiologist and his wife, Nalini Mathur were interviewed on 12th.

July,2014 by Ms. Sita Mutyala,MBA, a retired Manager from Chevron Oil Corpn.

H

OUSTON Dr. Mathur was born in Kanpur, UP, India, and graduated from Lucknow’s King George Medical University with several Gold Medals.

He came to USA initially on January 7th,1962 and joined Harvard affiliated Memorial Hospital in Worcester, a suburb of Boston. Later he worked at Brigham, the main teaching Hospital of Harvard and finally at Tufts University Hospital.

After completion of training, he went back to India in 1967 to join the faculty of renowned All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi.

Though professionally very happy at AIIMS, he decided to come back to USA in 1971 after working there for 4 ½ years because he could not fulfill his passion to combine teaching, research and carry out patient care there. Also, AIIMS being a Govt. institute, paid low wages and did not allow private practice, while all his friends in practice were making 10 to 20 times more money.

Like many immigrants from India in 1962, he came to America with $8.00 in his pocket.

On the very first day, when he reported to duty, the Director of the Hospital, handed him a check for $250,1st month salary as advance. Dr. Mathur was overwhelmed with gratitude by the Director’s gesture that made him understand how America treats junior associates, trainees and employees with compas-

sion and respect.

building stands.

Dr. Mathur’s passion is teaching, and he was able to combine teaching at Baylor College of Medicine, research at Veteran’s and St. Luke’s Hospitals and patient care at both after coming to Houston. He worked with Dr. Denton Cooley, published more than 150 papers in medical journals and made presentations at many International Conferences. His most important work was validation of the benefit of Coronary Bypass Surgery, the commonest heart operation today, by a randomized trial. The publication was the 1st in the world literature. At that time in 1970s, most of the leading Cardiologists of the world were skeptic about Bypass surgery.

Dr. Mathur gives his wife, Nalini all the credit to raise their only son, Gaurav who was born deaf, but he went to Kinkaid School, graduated at the top and completed B.A. with Honors at Princeton and earned a Ph.D. in Linguistics from M.I.T. They are proud of their son, who has risen now to the position of Dean for Graduate studies at Gallaudet University in Washington, DC.

Dr. Mathur had many VIP patients from India like 7th and 10th Presidents of India, Zail Singh and Dr. Narayanan, Prime Ministers, P.V.Narasimha Rao and Charan Singh and several Governors, Chief Ministers, Supreme Court judges and also other dignitaries, as well as Chairmen and CEOs of corporations. Many VIPs from Middle Eastern & Asian countries were also frequent patients. Dr. Mathur has partly slowed down by letting his associates do the interventions, after working professionally non-stop for more than 54 years. He still can complete 12 to 14 hour days, frequently busy at 2.30 AM. When he came to Houston, the only Indian grocery store in town was Jay Store located inside the 610 loop run by Rupa Vyas and Mahesh Vyas.

The present Hillcroft area was deserted and Fondren road was considered to be in boondogs even though Vargo’s was a famous restaurant there.

Both Dr. Mathur and Nalini Mathur have been staunch supporters of India Culture Center and India House, since their inception, as well as various other organizations in Houston.

Because Dr. Mathur was busy in his practice, it was Nalini Mathur who went to an auction and bought the 9.5 acre land on which the present India House

Mathurs, besides being philanthropic are also influential in Republican political circles and influenced US public policy towards India, particularly the Indo-US Nuclear Agreement, at the request of the former Ambassador of India, Ronan Sen. They were active in election campaigns of Presidents, Senators Congressmen and others. He regrets that the Affordable Health Care Act of President Obama imposes additional burden on Doctors and Hospitals resulting in poorer patient care. His take on future of practicing medicine in this country is not rosy, particularly for new comers.

Asked about future identity of Indians and Indian culture in America, Mathurs are not worried about it. They observed that the 2nd generation Indians have reached the highest levels in most professions and are now being pushed by their children who want to learn Indian culture and Indian values.

About FIS Oral History Project Indo-American Oral History Project is an undertaking of the Foundation for India Studies being done in partnership with Houston Community College (HCC) and Houston Public Library (HPL). All narratives and recollections of the first generation Indian immigrants who came from India and settled in Houston in the early 60’s, 70’s and 80’s will be permanently stored in the digital archives of HPL for posterity. Those interested to participate in this Legacy project may contact Krishna Vavilala at 713-7955169.

ONLINE .COM voiceofasiaonline.com VOICEOFASIAONLINE.COM

VOICE OF ASIA 9

WORLD/US/ASIA

US cinemas cancel film parody of N.Korea leader after threats

L

OS ANGELES, AFP US cinemas canceled screenings, including a red-carpet New York premiere, of a madcap comedy that offended North Korea, after mysterious computer hackers issued a chilling threat.

N

Angry lawmakers stormed the well of parliament’s upper house forcing its shutdown for the day. They demanded Modi make a statement on reports of poor Muslims being coerced into converting to India’s majority religion.

“We plan to release the film,” said a source at Sony, which is dealing with fallout from an enormous cyber-attack last month.

“The house will not run until the prime minister comes for discussion over the communal incidents and forced conversions issue,” Derek O’Brien, from the regional opposition All India Trinamool Congress, told reporters.

The source added that a decision whether to show the film “is with theater owners, partners whom we support.”

Two other major chains, AMC and Regal Theaters, did not immediately respond to AFP requests for comment.

“Will theater owners balk at booking the film? It’s actually highly possible,” said analyst Jeff Bock of box office tracker Exhibitor Relations, adding that the film had been set for a relatively modest debut anyway when it opens on Christmas Day. “Truth be told, ‘The Interview’ wasn’t likely to be in more than 2,500 theaters anyways, but that number could actually drop significantly now,” he told AFP. Meanwhile, the film’s stars, James Franco and Seth Rogen, have canceled all promotional appearances linked to the film.

- 9/11 attack threat Skittishness about attending the movie follows threats by the so-called GOP (Guardians of Peace) hacking group,

India’s parliament in chaos over forced conversion protests

EW DELHI, India | AFP - India’s parliament was thrown into disarray Tuesday as opposition lawmakers protested at mass conversions to Hinduism, with the uproar threatening to disrupt Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s legislative agenda.

Hollywood studio Sony Pictures said it is not pulling the film, but is leaving it to theater chains to decide whether to show the movie, which depicts a fictional plot to assassinate North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Un.

Two movie chains, Carmike theaters and Bow Tie theaters, said they will not show the movie, while the New York City premiere scheduled for this week at the Landmark chain’s Sunshine Cinema also has been canceled, Variety reported.

FRIDAY, December 19, 2014

Security is seen outside the Theatre at Ace Hotel before the premiere of the film “The Interview” in Los Angeles, California on December 11, 2014 (AFP Photo/)

The right-wing government, which swept to power at national elections in May on a pledge to reform and revive the economy, wants to pass a bill to open the insurance sector to foreign investment.

which invoked the September 11, 2001 attacks in an ominous warning to any movie-goers planning to see the film.

The group warned in a message written in broken English that a “bitter fate” awaits any who attend the film.

The government was also inching closer to finalising agreement with India’s states on taxation reform by introducing a national sales tax, according to local media reports on Tuesday.

“Soon all the world will see what an awful movie Sony Pictures Entertainment has made.

The world will be full of fear,” the statement warned.

It added: “Remember the 11th of September 2001. We recommend you to keep yourself distant from the places at that time. (If your house is nearby, you’d better leave.)”

The warning threatens to disrupt the Modi government’s plans to pass a series of major economic reforms through parliament, with just four days of the current session remaining.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley was hopeful of tabling a constiHackers invoked the 9/11 attacks in their most chilling threat yet against Sony Pictures, warning the Hollywood studio not to release a film which has angered North Korea (AFP Photo/)

“There is no credible intelligence backing this up at this point in time,” State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki told CNN.

of a trove of highly unflattering internal emails, unpublished scripts and other internal communications, including information about salaries, employee health records and other personal information.

to reassure employees that the studio would not be destroyed by the leaks.

vember 24 cyber-attack, which some expert said could possibly have been carried out by disgruntled workers or by supporters of North Korea furious over the movie.

In addition to the threats, Sony has been seen the release

On Monday, Sony Pictures boss Michael Lynton sought

“This will not take us down,” Lynton told employees, adding: “You should not be worried about the future of this studio.”

Meanwhile, lawyers have filed two class action lawsuits against Sony Pictures in Los Angeles.

North Korea has denied involvement in the brazen No-

One of the suits alleges that “Sony failed to secure and pro-

US officials, meanwhile, have played down the threat.

tutional amendment in the current parliament for introduction of the long-awaited goods and services tax (GST), to replace a myriad of overlapping state duties that deter investment.

A hardline group linked to Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been accused of converting some 50 slum-dwelling Muslim families last week in the Taj Mahal city of Agra.

One of the converts told AFP they were promised ration cards and other financial incentives if they went ahead with the conversions.

A BJP lawmaker has since announced plans for an even biggger conversion event of Christians and Muslims on Christmas Day in the northern town of Aligarh.

Critics say Hindu hardline groups have become more emboldened since the BJP was elected, with rising communal tensions in the Hindu-majority but multi-faith country.

Parliament under the previous Congress-led government was routinely paralysed, with shouting, jeering and protests frequently forcing adjournments.

Modi’s BJP won the biggest mandate in 30 years in May, raising hopes it would have the numbers to control parliament and ensure the smooth passage of legislation.

But the BJP lacks a majority in the upper house, where Congress and regional lawmakers have combined to protest at a range of issues tect its computer systems, servers, and databases, resulting in the release of the named plaintiffs and other class members’” personal data.

“An epic nightmare, much better suited to a cinematic thriller than to real life, is unfolding in slow motion for Sony’s current and former employees,” the 45-page lawsuit said.

VOICE OF ASIA 10

FRIDAY, December 19, 2014

VOICE OF ASIA 11

LIFESTYLE

FRIDAY, December 19, 2014

ONLINE .COM voiceofasiaonline.com

Vol. 27 No. 51 Friday, December 19, 2014 Section 2 Page 11

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

Homelessness strikes hard in US capital P

hilana Hall vividly remembers the day, one year ago this month, when she was homeless in Washington and overwhelmed with despair.

“That was the morning when we just didn’t know where we were going to be that night,” the 23-year-old recalled.

“We were both out until about 12 o’clock that night -- making calls, asking people -- and no one would take us in as a family.”

Hall and her three-year-old Gabriel eventually found refuge at a homeless shelter. Her husband, 27, and their seven-year-old boy bunked down with relatives.

The African-American family has since been reunited -- in March, they

Such families represent “the hidden homeless,” said Heather O’Malley, development director at Doorways for Women and Families, a charity in the Washington suburb of Arlington, Virginia.

“Families are doubled up, tripled up, quadrupled up in apartments that are meant for only one person of one family,” O’Malley told AFP. “They’ll sleep on the floors, the couches, in bathtubs. They are sleeping in cars. And every day they don’t know where they are going to end up.”

In the greater Washington area, on a single day in June, some 1,900 families were homeless, up 11 percent from a year earlier, according to a report from the Metropolitan Washington Council

A homeless man sits under a sign giving directions to the White House at the entrance of the McPherson Metro Station in Washington, DC on November 25, 2014 toric.” Of all industrialized nations, it says, the United States has the most homeless people.

“People can work 40 hours a week at a full-time job, at minimum wage, and still be below the poverty line,” she said.

Dawud -- a 52-year-old military veteran turned cook who has been jobless for eight months, and who provided only his first name -- said he was evicted from his home three years ago.

“Most homeless people do work but they cannot keep up with the costs of living. Housing affordability and accessibility is a major problem.”

A single parent, he and his 12-year-old daughter lived temporarily in the living room of friends before ultimately finding housing in Arlington, across the Potomac River from the US capital.

A homeless woman cleans her toenails on a bench in Lafayette Park across the street from the White House in Washington on October 25, 2014. Photo By Nicholas Kamm

moved into a four-room apartment run by Coalition for the Homeless, a Washington charity.

But before that, life was a precarious series of low-paying jobs, nights on friends’ sofas and frustration.

- Bathtub for a bed -

“It hurts because you feel like you’re a failure in life,” he said, summing up his experience with homelessness.

“Living with other people, you feel you’re not part of society. I felt like I was failing my daughter as a parent.”

of Governments.

And Hall’s two boys are among 2.5 million children -- one in 30 youngsters in America -- who experienced homeless at some point in 2013.

For the National Coalition for the Homeless (NCH), that figure is “his-

To afford a $2,000-a-month threeroom apartment in Arlington, one would have to work 70 hours a week at the minimum wage of $7.25, O’Malley said. Transit and day care costs come on top of that.

“As soon as this cycle begins, it’s almost impossible to get out when you’re just trying to catch up,” she said.

“Before you know it, you’re facing eviction and you don’t know where to go.”

Children pay the highest price.

Malnourished on cheap processed food, with no place to play or do homework from classes they often miss, they are also four times at greater risk to suffer illness and delayed development, the NCH says.

- Hiding anxiety -

- Downturn takes toll “The economic downturn in recent years has made it very difficult for families to survive,” said Yvonne Vissing, a Salem State University sociologist who sits on the NCH board.

“A lot of adults in this situation think they can cover up what’s going on.

They think they can hide the stress, the fear, the anxiety,” O’Malley said.

“But the children are smart. They absorb things and they take up what their parents are trying to hide,” she said.

“They also feel the stress sometimes -- they think it’s their fault that they don’t have a safe place to go. They internalize their worries, and it leads to a lot of learning disabilities.”

Hall’s son Richard -- a thin, shy but good-looking lad -- is a case in point.

“Richard has had a problem with expressing himself,” Hall said.

“He would have times where he just cried. Little things would make him cry. He did it at school, in public. You knew what it was, but he didn’t want to say it.”

Youngsters can and do adapt, but help must come swiftly -- not just in the form of permanent housing but also with therapy, budget-managing advice for parents and help with drawing up a resume to find steady employment.

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VOICE OF ASIA 12

FRIDAY, December 19, 2014

LEISURE

VOICE OF ASIA 13

by Abhaya SRIVASTAVA

C

HANDIGARH, India - Deep inside his massive garden of handmade waterfalls and sculptures, Nek Chand recalls toiling away secretly in the dead of night for a staggering 18 years to create his wonderland in north India.

FRIDAY, December 19, 2014

India’s secret gardener reveals 18-year labour of love

Riding his bicycle after dark to a state-owned forest, Chand spent night after night clearing patches of ground and transforming the landscape into a majestic garden that would eventually cover 20 acres (eight hectares).

Conservation challenges Chand’s statues have found their way into museums across the world, including at the National Children’s Museum in Washington, the American Folk Art Museum in New York and the RIBA gallery in Liverpool in 2007.

“For 18 years nobody came to know. There was a forest here, who would come here and what for? There were no roads to come and go,” Chand said nostalgically, seated in the garden that has become a major tourist attraction, drawing thousands of visitors a day.

From the tonnes of building materials and rubbish that followed, Chand carefully collected what he considered gems while working as a lowly roads inspector in the upcoming Chandigarh city.

Pottery pieces, glass, tiles and even broken bathroom sinks were used to make sculptures of men and women, fairies and demons, elephants, monkeys and gods.

“I had many ideas, I was thinking all the time. I began carrying all the material on my bicycle and collecting it here,” Chand said of his garden of mosaic pathways, hidden chambers and courtyards.

“I did three to four rounds on my cycle each day. I saw beauty and art in what people said was junk.”

‘Like reliving Willy Wonka’

Back home, the garden is facing conservation challenges, including a lack of funds from the state government which takes the ticket sales, according to volunteers.

The 12-acre Rock Garden which began as secret project of Nek Chand in 1957, was declared as public space in 1976 and houses artworks created using a variety of urban and industrial waste. Photo: Getty Images When his secret was finally discovered in 1976, authorities threatened demolition, claiming Chand had violated strict land laws.

But an amazed public rallied behind him, leading to his appointment as head of the newly opened Rock Garden of Chandigarh.

“It is perhaps the only place of its kind in the entire world.

The administration and the people must realise its importance, they must come forward and save it before it’s too late,” she told AFP.

Chand stepped up his creation of hundreds of sculptures -- mostly made from broken household material and discarded personal items including electric sockets, switches, bangles and bicycle frames.

Some made of broken glass bangles show girls dancing, others of ceramic pieces depict men at a party pouring glasses of whiskey.

Ticket sales grew as word of the secret garden spread, with some 3,000 people from across the country and overseas now wandering through daily.

“It’s so amazing. It’s something like reliving Willy Wonka

Hundreds of sculptures - mostly made from broken household material and discarded personal items including electric sockets, switches, bangles and bicycle frames - show girls dancing. Photo: Getty Images and the Chocolate Factory,” Jasmine Paul, a resident of Vancouver who was holidaying in India, told AFP. “It is just like the fairy tales

by Kerry SHERIDAN Miami, United States | AFP | Thursday 12/11/2014.

Birds use essentially the same genes to sing as humans do to speak. And flamingos are more closely related to pigeons than they are to pelicans.

Pink flamingos are pictured, on November 13, 2014, at a zoo in Mulhouse, eastern France. © AFP// by Kerry Sheridan The urge to mate and be noticed by the opposite sex led to the rapid evolution of 15 pigmentation genes associated with plumage and feathers, said the findings.

They also compared birds to three different species of crocodiles -- which are the reptiles most closely related to birds -and found vastly different rates of evolution.

Birds’ ability to sing and mimic sounds is based on the same brain circuits seen in humans, though we arrived at these abilities by different evolutionary paths.

The birds were much faster at evolving new traits, while crocodiles -- which shared a common ancestor with birds and dinosaurs about 240 million years ago -- have barely changed at all.

Meanwhile, chickens and ostriches are among the birds whose makeup most closely resembles that of their ancestors.

Co-author Erich Jarvis, an associate professor of neurobiology at Duke University School of Medicine, described discovering “a big surprise that it’s actually the chicken that seems to have retained the most ancestral chromosomal organization compared to the other species.

“Their closest living relative is actually crocodilian so you have again these very different organisms going back fairly deep in time.”

“But it doesn’t mean that other parts of the aspects of this genome are not as old. The ostrich could still be older,” as it seems the ostrich genome is evolving more slowly than the chicken’s, he told reporters.

A few kinds of birds are believed to have survived the catastrophic event that wiped out the dinosaurs, and from then on they evolved rapidly into the diverse array of some 10,000 species we see today.

Scientists were also surprised to find that flamingos, known for their long legs, elegant beaks and distinctive pink hues, are closely related to doves, pigeons and small freshwater diving birds known as grebes.

- Traits emerge Birds lost their teeth some 116 million years ago, according to the research.

that you grow up reading.”

With no formal education in art or sculpture, Chand drew inspiration from his childhood when he played near a river

flowing through his village in what is now Muslim-majority Pakistan.

Chand and his family were forced to flee across the border

While Chand still oversees the garden as its founding head with near daily visits, his age and failing eyesight mean he can no longer spend the long hours needed to create new sculptures.

He is however undaunted by the challenges facing his more than half a century’s work, saying he has faith in God from which he draws his strength.

“I am not scared of anything.

Had I been scared, how would I have worked in the dead of the night in the jungle?”

Boxing: Khan outclasses Alexander to win Vegas fight LAS VEGAS - British boxer Amir Khan defeated Devon Alexander by a unanimous decision in a welterweight fight Saturday, using his superior hand speed and strength to dominate the American southpaw for 12 rounds.

Researchers in 20 nations spent four years on the project to sequence the entire genomes of 48 species of birds, including owls, hummingbirds, penguins and woodpeckers.

Birds are “the one lineage of dinosaurs that made it through the mass extinction at the end of the so-called age of dinosaurs,” some 65 million years ago, said co-author Ed Braun, associate professor from the University of Florida.

Vandalism has been reported more than once and enthusiastic visitors often climb or lean on the structures, damaging their fragile pieces.

“In a country known more for slums and garbage dumps, the rock garden stands as an exceptional example,” said Mani Dhillon, a volunteer involved in the garden’s upkeep.

Odd couples emerge in bird family tree

These are some of the unusual discoveries that have emerged from the largest, most sophisticated mapping of the bird family tree, published in more than two dozen separate papers, eight of which are in the December 12 issue of the US journal Science.

“That is why there is a childlike quality to the sculptures,” said Alan Cesarno, a British volunteer with the Nek Chand Foundation that was set up in 1997 to raise funds for the garden’s upkeep.

“When you look around you realise that it is actually a child’s version of a fantasy kingdom,” he told AFP standing next to one of the several waterfalls.

“I started building this garden as a hobby” in the 1950s, Chand told AFP in a rare interview on the eve of his 90th birthday on Monday.

After the deadly violence and upheaval of partition in 1947, India set about building a capital for Punjab state, carved out of a region that stretched across the border into newly formed Pakistan.

during partition because they were Hindus, finally settling in Chandigarh, the shared capital of Punjab and Haryana states.

“And what we find is a real odd couple of birds... where we have doves and their allies and they’re paired surprisingly enough with flamingos and

grebes,” said Braun.

“Flamingos and grebes are different enough looking -- although they’re both water birds -- that you might be surprised to have them together but linking them with doves is especially unexpected.”

To arrive at their conclusions, scientists used a variety of techniques including sampling bird DNA from frozen tissue in museums and using a process called “statistical binning” that helped them group and analyze more than 14,000 genes and build a family tree linking different bird species.

Overall, they found that size of birds’ genomes are much smaller than most other vertebrates.

While researchers said they have come up with the most reliable avian tree of life to date based on all major types of birds, it is far from complete.

More genomes need to be sequenced in the coming years to provide a fuller picture.

Read more on Leisure. Visit www.voiceofasiaonline.com

The 28-year-old Khan consistently beat Alexander to the punch, jabbing his way to victory in the non-title fight on all three judges’ scorecards, 120108, 119-109 and 118-110.

“I think it was one of my best performances,” said Khan, who looked unscathed except for a welt under his left eye. “I am the best boxer with the quickest hands in the world. I am getting better.”

Khan used his jab effectively to set up combinations that earned him the bulk of points as both fighters made it to the final bell in front of a crowd of 7,768 at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino.

Khan also showed off his much-improved defensive skills, the result of hooking up with trainer Virgil Hunter in September 2012.

Alexander, who looked impressive in his last fight against Jesus Soto Karass, went into the 12th round needing a knockout to win.

Khan was originally scheduled to fight the American for Alexander’s International Boxing Federation welterweight title last December in New York.

But the Briton scrapped the bout because he thought he had a chance at landing a bank-breaking dream fight with Floyd Mayweather that never came off.

Alexander then lost the title to Shawn Porter, and Khan’s fellow Brit Kell Brook snatched it from Porter in August.

Khan won every round on one judge’s scorecard, all but one on a second and all but two on the third card.

He connected on 43 percent of his shots, compared to just 20 percent for Alexander.

“I just fought a three-time world champion and proved myself to be a force at 147

Amir Khan (L) hits Devon Alexander during their welterweight bout at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on December 13, 2014 in Las Vegas (AFP Photo/Donald Miralle) pounds,” Khan said.

“I think I’m getting better with age. I’m better than I was at 26 and now just starting to hit my peak at 28. I worked very hard and put on one of my best performances.”

Boxing fans the world over are hoping unbeaten Mayweather’s next fight is against Filipino superstar Manny Pacquiao, but Khan showed Saturday that he would be a solid opponent if the highly-anticipated “richest fight in boxing history” can’t be realized.

“I believe I have earned my shot against Floyd Mayweather,” said Khan, who was fighting for just the second time as a welterweight. “It would be huge and I would walk out with the belt.”

In another welterweight fight at a different Las Vegas venue Saturday, former two division champion Timothy Bradley and Diego Chaves fought to a 12-round controversial draw.

The decision resulted in plenty of boos from boxing fans who thought Bradley deserved the win

Khan’s 24-carat - the most expensive shorts

L

ondon, AFP | 12/11/2014 - Britain’s Amir Khan will wear boxing’s “most expensive shorts” when he steps into the ring to face Devon Alexander in a welterweight bout in Las Vegas this weekend.

Former Olympic silver medallist Khan will wear shorts, made of white nappa leather, silk and featuring a waistband made of 24-carat gold thread, with a reported value of at least £20,000 ($31,430).

The Sheffield company Fight Label, who made the shorts, said Khan “wanted extravagant and we’ve delivered”.

The designer of the shorts, Sophie Whittam, told BBC Radio 5 live: “I think it’s possibly the most expensive shorts ever made.

“We worked closely with Amir’s team. For around four to six weeks we’ve been working on designs and colours and obviously Amir and his family had a little bit of input, but at the end of the day it’s what we think is going to look best. It is a very involved process.”

Khan, 28, has already caught the eye with a separate pair of dazzling shorts in the build-up to the bout with Alexander, who has won 26 of his 28 career fights.

He wore a pair of black shorts made of “Versace material” and featuring more than “1000 Swarovski stones” for a media workout on Wednesday.

Khan’s clash with Alexander will be his first fight since defeating veteran American Luis Collazo in May.

Young Life

VOICE OF ASIA 14

Friday, December 19, 2014

Section 2

Page 14

Email: editor@voiceofasiaonline.com

FRIDAY, December 19, 2014

Tel: 713-774-5140

Kalaangan students display Choosing the Right Toys this Holiday Can Help Kids Meet dedication at Alok Utsav Developmental Milestones

Students of Supradipta Dutta from Kalaangan perform for the Utsav of Photo Credit: Jit Biswas.

by Sanchali Basu

T

his year Alok Utsav, the annual festival of Odissi dance presented by Kalaangan at the Sugar Land auditorium on Nov. 22 was even better organized and conducted than years prior.

Parents, students and well wishers alike carried out all their responsibilities to a tee to make the evening run like a well oiled machine. What had started out five years ago in a small way by Guru Supradipta Dutta for Alok Utsav to showcase the talent of her students, from Kalaangan and HDBS Kala Bhavan has taken wings since, and had 50 plus dancers this year.

Of special note this year was the fact that a student from Kalaangan, Simantini Behura had participated in the prestigious International Odissi Dance Festival in Bhubaneshwar. Even though she was the youngest dancer at the Festival, she was acclaimed to be one of the best by critics. The other feather in their cap was the joint collaboration with Kanniks Kannikeswaran, “The Magical Music Man from Madras,” in their production Chitram, this year.

Performances by Kalaangan students were specially recognized for their grace, elegance and masterful technique. It has also taken a step to give back to the dance community by introducing the Kalaangan Nritya Pratibha Award (institute with a conscience) which provides a scholarship for a deserving upcoming dancer in India.

Although a tad drizzly, things started to warm up with participants signing in and guests partaking in savory snacks in the main foyer. Chief guest, Sugar Land councilman Harish Jajoo was ushered in and the program started with a brief welcoming speech by artistic director, Supradipta Datta.

Shyama Mishra, the emcee for the evening was introduced and the program started with the invocatory piece Jaya Jagannath in praise of the presiding deity of Orissa. The dances then exponentially increased in the level of difficulty and expertise and students ranging from the ages of five to over fifty gradually took the stage to dance to Namo Ganesha, Mangalacharan, Aradhana and Nritya Bilas.

Some students were invited

to speak about their experiences while learning the dance form and one senior college going student also mentioned how dancing Odissi provides her a stress-relieving outlet from her didactic studies. The dancers in Dasavatar, personified the grace and valor of the ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu. Saraswati Bandana was an ode to the goddess of learning.

Two Abhinaya pieces followed, the first describing the cosmic dance of Lord Krishna, and the second, Ardhanariswara depicting the contrasting yet complimentary attributes of the masculine (Shiva) and the feminine (Shakti) energies.

The evening ended with Mokshya Mangalam as is customary in a Odissi recital, where the dancers attempt to reunite the soul with the absolute. Mrs. Datta in her vote of thanks thanked everyone involved in making the evening possible. ..

Kalaangan has definitely made strides in the Houston community in its pursuit of promoting and bearing the torch of Odissi under the able guidance and leadership of Supradipta Datta.

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This holiday season, keep in mind the notion that what your children play with can have a large impact on their interests and brain development. So when it comes to a walk down the toy aisle, parents are becoming more discerning, leading smart toymakers to design toys with a learning component that’s equally as important as the fun.

VTech, a world leader in ageappropriate and developmental stage-based electronic learning products for children, works with a team of child development experts to assess toys and provide feedback before reaching store shelves.

The members of VTech’s Expert Panel are offering some helpful holiday shopping hints to parents looking to foster their child’s love of learning: • Add it up: “Mathematical foundations provide the building blocks for future mathematical success, both in school and beyond,” says Dr. Francis (Skip) Fennell, mathematics educator.

“Toys that emphasize numbers, counting and beginning concepts with whole number operations will develop, support and encourage these crucial concepts and skills.”

The Count & Chomp Dino, for example, introduces children to numbers, colors, shapes and foods.

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• Full STEAM ahead: Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (collectively known as STEM) have gained more visibility in schools, along with the addition of arts to form STEAM. However, says Dr. Carla C. Johnson, science and STEM expert, “It is still crucial to cultivate skills in these subjects and implement them in everyday learning. Educational toys can help kids develop self-confidence in the use and application of these important disciplines.”

• Build vocabulary: “Children absorb new information like sponges. Take advantage of their blossoming interests with interactive toys that highlight letters of the alphabet, the sounds letters make and vocabulary,” says Dr. Deborah Sharp Libby, early childhood language and reading

expert. “Above all, don’t forget the importance of reading to and with your children often!”

• Choose wisely: “Don’t get carried away with the bells and whistles. You and your kids will quickly look past those. Instead, look for toys that actively engage your kids through technology, by deeply integrating games and learning,” says Dr. Eric Klopfer, platform learning expert.

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With toys as tools for learning, you can help children as they reach their educational and developmental milestones.

SOURCE: StatePoint.

VOICE OF ASIA 15

BOLLYWOOD MASALA

FRIDAY, December 19, 2014

Friday, December 19, 2014

Section 2

Page 15

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Tel: 713-774-5140

From Hollywood to Bollywood, Poland lands the stars Hollywood and Bollywood are flocking to shoot films in Poland as costs and backdrops entice filmakers in equal measure.

KSIAZ CASTLE, Poland: From Hollywood to Bollywood, A-listers are shooting blockbusters in “exotic” Poland, a rising star in foreign film production thanks to world-class locations and crews available at a fraction of the price elsewhere in Europe.

fers none, 100 local producers provide services at up to half the cost in western European states. Add to this nearly 1,000 locations from modern cities to rugged mountains, beaches, forests, castles and pastoral countryside brimming with old-world charm. Foreign film-makers are increasingly seduced.

Hollywood mogul Steven Spielberg recently wrapped up a top-secret week of shooting in the southern city of Wroclaw for what is billed as a 1960s Cold War-era spy thriller featuring fellow Oscar winner Tom Hanks. Set and shot in the capital Warsaw this spring, Bollywood’s hit action-romance comedy “Kick” starring A-list bad boy Salman Khan is on track to be India’s all-time top-grossing film, spurring talk of a sequel.

Two other Bollywood productions, “Bangistan” and “Shaandaar”, also chose Poland this year, as did Japan’s upcoming historical drama “Persona Non Grata”, while French director Anne Fontaine has scheduled a 40-day shoot in early 2015 for “Les Innocentes”. Native son Roman Polanski, who won an Oscar in 2003 for the Holocaust drama “The Pianist” filmed on location in Warsaw, is also considering a new project here.

“Poland is beautiful, it’s exotic, it’s unique and it’s got a certain sense of style which we’ve not seen before ,” said hit Indian film-maker and “Shaandaar” director Vikas Bahl. Along with the novelty, there’s the money factor. Most European countries offer tax rebates for international film producers starting at around 20 per cent of production cost, with Ireland touting a 32 per cent tax credit as of next year.

While Poland as yet of-

LOCATION, LOCATION

Swiss tennis legend Roger Federer, who took part in the International Premier Tennis League (IPTL) with Sania Mirza, Sunil Gavaskar, Novak Djokovic, Bollywood celebs Amitabh Bachchan, Deepika Padukone, Ritesh Deshmukh and Aamir Khan among others, seems to have enjoyed his India trip.

Shahid Kapoor and Alia Bhatt on the set of their upcoming movie ‘Shaandaar’ which was partially shot in Poland. – Photo courtesy: filmdhamaka.com

Bollywood hit makes Indian history with 1000-week run a throwback to a bygone era in India’s entertainment capital.

Its record DDLJ run is a rare success story for a single-screen cinema, a type of establishment that has been struggling to compete with the increasingly popular multiplexes in the city.

LOCATION,

Bollywood starlet Alia Bhatt pretends she is toasty warm as she skips down a staircase outside Poland’s majestic Ksiaz castle in a spaghetti-strapped summer dress as white flowers cascade down around her. But it is late autumn and temperatures have plunged to near zero Celsius on the set of “Shaandaar”, billed as a destination wedding comedy also starring heartthrob Shahid Kapoor.

“Shahid and Alia have been fabulous, they’ve been wearing summer clothes in this temperature, they’ve even been jumping into waterfalls,” a shivering Mr Bahl told AFP during a break in filming. Originally pegged for still-summery September, the shoot was delayed. Ms Bhatt and Mr Kapoor bundle up in fur-trimmed khaki green arctic parkas and munch on Indian “Aloo Bhujia” snacks between outdoor scenes at the 14thcentury castle, once owned by Czech and Hungarian kings and, during World War II, visited by Nazi Germany’s dictator Adolf Hitler.

Perched on a hilltop blanketed by forests, the castle is a “visually delightful” backdrop for the comedy focused on an Indian family’s journey abroad for a lavish castle wedding, said director Bahl. As for Poland, “I love it so I hope many other Indians will too,” he told AFP. Producer Vivek Agrawal is tight-lipped about costs for the film, also shot partly in Britain, but an anonymous source close to the project estimated its total budget at around six million dollars. “It is more feasible to come to Poland than to go to western Europe or to the UK ... east Europe is definitely cheaper,” the head producer at India’s

Phantom Films studio told AFP. According to Maciej Zemojcin, president of the Krakow-based Film Polska studio - local producers for “Shaandaar” and the stunt-studded “Kick” - “a day of shooting in Poland ranges from $35,000 to $150,000 (28,000-81,000 euros). Costs are 30 to 50 percent higher in western Europe, mainly over crewing.”

LEGENDS MEET DIGITAL SAVVY While business is good, Mr Zemojcin worries that “foreign film production won’t really take off in Poland without tax breaks.” “With tax breaks, in 2012 we would have quadrupled our business. We lost the last stage of a tender to Hungarian producers because they could offer tax breaks. It cost us 20 million zloty ($6 million, 4.8 million euros) in lost business,” he told AFP. Poland’s knack for film-making has not come overnight, according to Tomasz Dabrowski, head of Film Commission Poland, a state body billed as a “one-stop resource for filming in Poland”. “Our tradition stretches back to the 60s and 70s when directors like Wajda, Zanussi, Kieslowski and Polanski emerged from the Lodz Film School, recently ranked

by Hollywood Reporter as the world’s number two film school,” Mr Dabrowski told AFP, noting it also launched Hollywood A-list cinematographer Pawel Edelman.

Now, this venerable legacy is getting a hi-tech edge with the rise of world-class digital postproduction and animation studios. “Five studios, including one employing Oscar-nominated animator Tomasz Baginski, have created a cluster able to service a wide range of projects,” says Mr Dabrowski. He said that confidential talks are underway for at least one other major Bollywood shoot in the new year, but clinching deals would be easier if Polish producers could sweeten the pot.

“We need tax breaks for foreign film-makers now, or we’ll lose our competitive edge and we might never catch up.”

A celebration is planned this weekend at the big screen to mark the milestone, although Rane said the details were being kept under wraps by the production house.

The movie’s director Aditya Chopra has meanwhile released a book on the making of DDLJ as well as a new trailer, asking people to “Come fall in love all over again”.

Kajol and Shahrukh Khan in Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge. — Photo Courtesy: fanpop.com \by Aditya PHATAK MUMBAI - It was October 1995 when the Maratha Mandir cinema first showed one of India’s best-loved movies, a Bollywood romcom starring Shah Rukh Khan.

One thousand weeks later, the film “Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge” (The Brave-Hearted Will Take The Bride) still plays on same the Mumbai silver screen every afternoon.

“I keep coming back,” said Ghulfam Ali, a plumber, who has watched the film here 20 times because it helps him to unwind.

“The way the scenes are shot, the music and songs are very pleasing to the eyes and ears,” he told AFP, after buying his latest ticket.

“DDLJ”, as the film is fondly known, celebrates its 1000th week at the 1,100-seat Maratha Mandir on Friday, by far the longest theatrical run for an Indian movie.

The tickets -- at just 20 rupees (32 US cents) each -- still regularly sell out at weekends,

while during the week a steady stream of fans arrive to enjoy three hours of escapism.

- Falling in love The film tells the tale of two expatriate Indians living in Britain who meet and fall in love on a trip to mainland Europe.

But the young woman Simran, played by actress Kajol, is to be married to a family friend in India, an arrangement set up by her strict father.

heroes.

It was also an archetypal movie from late producer Yash Chopra, known for his emotional films, whose use of the Swiss mountains as a backdrop in hits such as DDLJ made them a popular destination for wealthy Indian tourists.

“In my heart there is a voice which says the shows will continue,” said popcorn seller Umar Bhai.

Pravin Rane, the Maratha Mandir manager, said their Mumbai show had the “perfect package” -- and not just in terms of the film’s content.

After various twists and turns in cities including London and Paris and a few picturesque musical numbers, the lovers get together and convince their families of the union -- an important factor in conservative Indian society.

Its location opposite a bustling express train station, a bus depot and a public hospital ensures the cinema gets a regular supply of patrons, who appreciate the cheap tickets.

“I have fallen in love with the movie all over again after watching it here,” said architect Mitali Vij as she sipped a soft drink during the interval.

“Where else in Mumbai will delayed passengers find three hours of air-conditioned relaxation, with clean washrooms and cheap snacks?” Rane asked.

The film was a breakthrough for Khan, the leading man, who became one of Bollywood’s most bankable stars and known for playing cheeky romantic

Rane said there were no plans to end the 19-year run, despite recent rumours that it may come to a halt, and other theatre workers hoped it would continue to provide them with income.

- Air-con and snacks -

With its dark-wood interiors, worn-out seat cushions and flaking plaster, the nearly sixdecade-old Maratha Mandir is

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HEALTHY LIVING HEALTH

VOICE OF ASIA 16

Friday, December 19, 2014

Section 2

Page 16

Email: editor@voiceofasiaonline.com

Antibiotics resistance could kill 10m a year by 2050 London, United Kingdom | AFP | Monday 12/15/2014 A British government-commissioned review has found that resistance to antibiotics could account for 10 million deaths a year and hit global gross domestic product by 2.0 to 3.5 percent by 2050.

The Review on Antimicrobial Resistance said surgeries that have become widespread and low-risk thanks to antibiotics, such as caesarean sections, could become more dangerous without urgent action.

The review announced by British Prime Minister David Cameron was led by Jim O’Neill, former chief economist at US investment bank

Goldman Sachs, and included British senior public health experts.

It found the region with the highest number of deaths attributable to antimicrobial resistance would be Asia with 4.7 million followed by Africa with 4.1 million, while there would be 390,000 in Europe and 317,000 in the United States.

For comparison, the review estimated that the second-biggest killer, cancer, would account for 8.2 million deaths a year by 2050.

“The damaging effects of antimicrobial resistance are already manifesting themselves across the world,” the report said.

“Antimicrobial-resistant infections currently claim at least 50,000 lives each year across Europe and the US alone,” it added.

The calculations were based on existing studies by the think tank Rand Europe and the consultancy KPMG. It warned drug resistance was not “a distant and abstract risk” and called for “a major intervention to avert what threatens to be a devastating burden on the world’s healthcare systems”.

The review emphasised the economic advantage of investment in tackling the problem early.

Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital is first in Fort Bend to use new angioplasty system

It said that three types of bacteria -- the Klebsiella pneumonia, Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus -were already showing signs of resistance to medicine.

Treatment of HIV, malaria and tuberculosis were broader public health issues in which resistance “is a concern”, the report said.

In the United States, antibiotic-resistant infections are associated with 23,000 deaths and two million illnesses each year.

The economic costs annually are as high as $20 billion (16 billion euros) in excess direct health care costs and $35 billion (28 billion euros) in lost productivity.

‘Significant’ link between pre-eclampsia, autism: study MIAMI, AFP , 12/8/2014

C

hildren born to women who suffered a highblood pressure condition called pre-eclampsia during pregnancy are twice as likely to have autism or other developmental delays, US researchers said Monday.

The study in the journal JAMA Pediatrics, a journal of the American Medical Association, also found that the more severe the pre-eclampsia, the higher the likelihood of autism.

The research involved more than 1,000 children aged two to three in northern California. All of their mothers had confirmed diagnoses of pre-eclampsia, and scientists compared data about those developing normally to those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or other developmental delays.

Imran Mohiuddin, M.D. and patient, Lorraine Morton

S

UGAR LAND— (December 15, 2014) — Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital is the first in Fort Bend County to treat peripheral arterial disease (PAD) using a new drug-coated balloon catheter during angioplasty, a surgery to restore blood flow through an artery in the heart.

Vascular surgeon Imran Mohiuddin, M.D., performed the procedure in early November on a patient in Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital’s state-ofthe-art cardiac catheterization lab.

PAD is a life-threatening condition that affects millions of Americans. Narrowed arteries can reduce blood flow to the extremities and create a number of serious medical conditions, including the need for limb amputation.

Traditionally, PAD has been

treated by inserting a catheter into the artery and inflating a small balloon-like device to compress the build-up of plaque on the arterial wall and widen the artery.

The new Lutonix® system takes that process one step further, with a balloon that is pretreated with the drug paclitaxel, typically used in chemotherapy to prevent cell growth. When the balloon is inflated within the artery at the site of the narrowing, paclitaxel is transferred to arterial walls, where it reduces the amount of scar tissue at the site.

“The combination of plaque compression and paclitaxel enables physicians to treat the initial blockage as well as help prevent the recurrence of stenosis, or the narrowing of arteries,” says Dr. Mohiuddin. “Restenosis is a common problem with traditional percutaneous transluminal angioplasty. But the Lutonix system makes it

possible to keep the treated artery open and allow sufficient blood flow for a longer period of time, reducing the risk of PAD in many patients.”

Studies show that the Lutonix drug-coated balloon improves patient blood flow by about 30 percent when compared with traditional balloon angioplasty.

Approximately 90 percent of patients treated with the Lutonix system did not require further re-intervention within one year.

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Mohiuddin, or another vascular surgeon on staff at Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital, call 281-274-7500.

To learn more about Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital, please visit houstonmethodist.org/sugarland, and visit our Facebook page at FB.com/ methodistsugarland for the latest news, events and information.

Many US women get wrong radiation for breast cancer: study Miami, United States | AFP | Wednesday 12/10/2014 Two thirds of women diagnosed with early stage breast cancer in the United States get radiation for twice as long as recommended, researchers said Wednesday.

The findings in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) showed that most women get six to seven weeks of radiation therapy, despite new guidelines issued after multiple randomized trials showing that three weeks of a stronger type of radiation -- called hypofractionated whole breast radiation -- costs less and works just as well after breast-conserving surgery.

Hypofractionated radiation involves higher doses of radiation delivered over the course of three to four weeks, instead of the traditional treatment of lower dose radiation for five to seven weeks.

“Hypofractionated radiation is high-value care and high-quality breast cancer treatment that saves the health care system money,” said senior author Ezekiel Emanuel, chairman of Penn’s Department of Medical Ethics and Health Policy and a breast oncologist.

“It’s a win-win. And yet, only a third or fewer women are getting it in the US, while in other countries over 70 percent of women receive hypofractionated treatment.”

Four randomized trials and 2011 practice guidelines from the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) support the shorter duration treatment.

The use of hypofractionated therapy is on the rise in the United States. The JAMA study found that 34.5 percent of women over 50 years old received it in 2013, up from

FRIDAY, December 19, 2014

10.6 percent in 2008.

In younger women and those with more advanced cancers, 21.1 percent of women received hypofractionated therapy last year, up from 8.1 percent in 2008.

However, the United States still lags far behind Canada and Britain, where more than seven in 10 early breast cancer patients get shorter radiation treatments.

The problem in the United States comes down to a lack of financial incentive for shorter, more effective care, said Emanuel.

“The current payment structure is the biggest hurdle -- there is no financial incentive to recommend shorter duration treatment,” he said.

“We need to properly align payment with health care quality in order to reduce low-value cancer care.”

“We found significant associations between pre-eclampsia and ASD that increased with severity,” said senior author Cheryl Walker, assistant professor in the department of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of California, Davis.

“We also observed a significant association between severe pre-eclampsia and developmental delay.”

Autism spectrum disorder affects as many as one in 88 children in the United States.

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Have You Enrolled In Obama Care Yet?

By Galen Institute count, more than 42 significant changes already have been made to Obama Care: at least 24 that President Obama has made unilaterally, 16 that Congress has passed and the president has signed and 2 by the Supreme Court. Last article I had first 10 changes stipulated. This article covers upto 19th change.

11. Congressional opt-out: The administration decided to offer employer contributions to members of Congress and their staffs when they purchase insurance on the exchanges created by the ACA, a subsidy the law doesn’t provide. (September 30, 2013) 12. Delaying the individual mandate: The administration changed the deadline for the individual mandate, by declaring that customers who have purchased insurance by March 31, 2014 will avoid the tax penalty.

Previously, they would have had to purchase a plan by midFebruary. (October 23, 2013) 13. Insurance companies may offer canceled plans: The administration announced that insurance companies may reoffer plans that previous regulations forced them to cancel.

(November 14, 2013) 14. Exempting unions from reinsurance fee: The administration gave unions an exemption from the reinsurance fee (one of Obama Care’s many new taxes). To make up for this exemption, non-exempt plans will have to pay a higher fee, which will likely be passed onto consumers in the form of higher premiums and deductibles.

15. Extending Preexisting Condition Insurance Plan: The administration extended the federal high risk pool until January 31, 2014 and again until March 15, 2014 to prevent a coverage gap for the most vulnerable. The plans were scheduled to expire on December 31, but were extended because it has been impossible for some to sign up for new coverage on healthcare.gov. (December 12, 2013) (January 14, 2014) 16. Expanding hardship waiver to those with canceled plans: The administration expanded the hardship waiver, which excludes people from the individual mandate and allows some to purchase cata-

Sudhir Mathuria Contact: Sudhir Mathuria Licensed Professional Health Life 360 6650 Southwest Freeway Houston TX 77074 713-771-2900 www.MyMedicarePlanning.com strophic health insurance, to people who have had their plans canceled because of Obama Care regulations. The administration later extended this waiver until October 1, 2016. (December 19, 2013) (March 5, 2014) 17. Equal employer coverage delayed: Tax officials will not be enforcing in 2014 the mandate requiring employers to offer equal coverage to all their employees. This provision of the law was supposed to go into effect in 2010, but IRS officials have “yet to issue regulations for employers to follow.” (January 18, 2013) 18. Employer-mandate delayed again: The administration delayed for an additional year provisions of the employer mandate, postponing enforcement of the requirement for medium-size employers until 2016 and relaxing some requirements for larger employers. Businesses with 100 or more employees must offer coverage to 70% of their full-time employees in 2015 and 95% in 2016 and beyond.

(February 10, 2014) 19. Extending subsidies to non-exchange plans: The administration released a bulletin through CMS extending subsidies to individuals who purchased health insurance plans outside of the federal or state exchanges. The bulletin also requires retroactive coverage and subsidies for individuals from the date they applied on the marketplace rather than the date they actually enrolled in a plan. (February 27, 2014) To be continued

VOICE OF ASIA 17

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Friday, December 19, 2014

BUSINESS

FRIDAY, December 19, 2014

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US Congress passes 2015 spending bill after bruising fight

by Michael Mathes

of Cruz, according to The New York Times.

W

ASHINGTON The US Congress passed a $1.1trillion spending bill for fiscal year 2015 Saturday, capping a week of acrimonious wrangling while averting a government shutdown and sending the measure to President Barack Obama.

“This reminds me very much of the shutdown last year, where the strategy made absolutely no sense and was counterproductive.”

The funding contains $1.014 trillion in discretionary domestic spending, plus $64 billion in

The bill, which narrowly cleared the House of Representatives on Thursday and survived a series of procedural hurdles to pass the Senate 56 votes to 40 during a rare weekend session, funds nearly all federal government agencies through next September.

But by funding the Department of Homeland Security until only February, it sets up a showdown over Obama’s controversial immigration plan early next year, when a Congress under full Republican control will take another shot at rolling back the executive order shielding millions from deportation.

Despite the sometimes dramatic bickering between -- and within -- the two parties in the special session, the bill needed bipartisan cooperation to pass the Democratic-led chamber.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said the bill was an imperfect but necessary compromise.

“Since 2011, Congress has lurched from crisis to crisis, with the country constantly under threat of a shutdown or financial catastrophe. It is a bad habit, and the American people are sick of it,” he said.

Referring to America’s tax and environment agencies, number two Senate Republican John Cornyn noted how the legislation “slashes spending for some of the president’s most overreaching agencies like the IRS and EPA (and) blocks the administration’s plan to transfer dangerous terrorists onto

military overseas contingency operations in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere.

The measure provides $5 billion for operations to counter the Islamic State extremist group, and $5.4 billion in emergency funding was secured to respond to the Ebola crisis -slightly less than the $6 billion Obama requested

Key points in Obama’s shift in Cuba policy

W

US Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (C), and Speaker of the House John Boehner, attend a ceremony at the US Capitol, Washington, DC, December 10, 2014 (AFP Photo/Saul Loeb) American soil” from the Guantanamo military prison.

Of the 40 no votes, 22 were Democrats, many of them furious that negotiators inserted deeply controversial policy riders into the package, including one that rolls back key financial regulations on Wall Street banks.

Another eviscerates parts of existing campaign finance law by allowing wealthy donors to contribute dramatically more money to political campaigns than currently allowed.

Democratic Senator Richard Blumenthal voted no, saying the package was “poisoned by special favors flagrantly contrary to the public interest.”

The White House has indicated Obama will sign the bill.

The battle over funding has been a bruiser. It included a revolt by House Democrats that nearly sank the measure earlier this week, and procedural delay tactics in the Senate.

Congress needed to pass funding extensions twice in as many days to keep government from tumbling into a shutdown, as leaders struggled to get the funding across the finish line and bid farewell to the 113th Congress, one of the least productive sessions in modern history.

Obama’s immigration order In the Senate, the measure survived a largely symbolic Republican challenge to Obama’s immigration order.

Conservative firebrand Senator Ted Cruz brought a constitutional point of order against the plan, but it was rejected by a 22-74 vote.

Cruz, widely accused by Democrats of causing last year’s 16-day government shutdown, appeared in no hurry to ease passage of the spending bill a day earlier, giving a fiery floor speech attacking congressional leaders for their failure to stand up to Obama’s immi-

gration order.

But the political tempest triggered by Cruz and fellow conservative Senator Mike Lee may have backfired, bringing criticism from several in their party.

It enabled Reid to launch a series of votes on Obama’s nominees for judgeships and executive branch positions, some of them controversial.

“I haven’t seen Harry Reid smile like this in years. I don’t like it one bit,” said Senator Lindsey Graham, who rued his party’s “missteps” that allowed a vote on surgeon general nominee Vivek Murthy, whose nomination had been stalled by Republicans.

“It will have the end result of causing nominees whom I think are not well-qualified to be confirmed, so I don’t understand the approach that he is taking, and I think it’s very unfortunate and counterproductive,” Senate Republican Susan Collins said

ASHINGTON - US President Barack Obama announced Wednesday he was ending the decades-old US policy of isolation toward Cuba, saying it has “failed.”

Among the changes, he will authorize the State Department to re-establish full diplomatic relations with the Communist-run island and ease economic sanctions imposed in the 1960s at the height of the Cold War. Here are some of the key points in Obama’s new plans for Cuban relations: --Re-establish diplomatic ties Havana and Washington have not had full diplomatic relations since 1961, with each country instead represented through an “Interests Section” in the other’s capital.

Obama said he will open a US embassy in Cuba and have high level diplomats carry out exchanges and visits, starting in January at the next round of USCuba Migration talks in Havana.

-- Increase remittances Many Cubans rely on income from their relatives living in the United States, but in the past, these remittances has been limited to just $500 per quarter.

The new policy will increase the allowed amount fourfold, to $2,000 per quarter.

-- Expansion of US exports

and imports US companies will now be able to sell to Cuba items including materials for building private homes, farm equipment, and goods Cuban entrepreneurs can use.

American citizens traveling to Cuba will also be allowed to bring back up to $400 worth of goods, including up to $100 worth of alcohol and tobacco products.

The US will also authorize its telecom companies to set up shop and build infrastructure in Cuba, and for the export of telecommunications hardware, software and services, in a bid to increase Internet access on the island, which has one of the world’s lowest rates of Internet use in the world.

-- Increase travel Only certain categories of travelers, including journalists, academics, government officials, and people with immediate family in Cuba, were allowed to travel to Cuba.

And in some cases, such as for freelance journalists, people participating in public performances, and for some export-related travel, a special application was required ahead of time.

Under the new policy, the advance application will no longer be required in many cases.

However, restrictions imposed

by Congress will remain in place, including a ban on independent tourist travel to Cuba.

HOROSCOPE

VOICE OF ASIA 18

FRIDAY, December 19, 2014

Your Horoscope for the Week of December 19, 2014

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

READ YOUR COMPLETE HOROSCOPE ONLINE WWW.VOICEOFASIAONLINE.COM

Libra (R,T) 23 Sept to 22 Oct

Aries (A,L,E) 21 March to 20 April The warmth you feel inside will spark your professional life. Get out there and enjoy all that life has to give. Look past others misgivings in order to take advantage of their expertise. You may not understand all the workings of a new technology, but you can figure out how to use it for your own purpose. Check your list and make sure you cover all the bases.

Others will be ready to open up to you and to share all of what they have, both spiritually and physically.

Duty may demand both attention/time and finance/costly choices!

Partnerships, which will bring you more resources than if you try to go it alone. Listen to reason rather than emotion. If you start to promote your own ideas others will find it hard to deny your requests. By week’s end, you should try to slow down your pace a little so you don’t forget certain details that are important to you. You’ll need a cool and level head while others are losing theirs. A secret will be revealed in time, so you’d better learn to wait. Know your limits and try to work within them.

Scorpio (N,Y)23 Oct to 21 Nov

Taurus (B,V,U) 21 April to 20 May Although you usually work hard, lately you’ve been very lax in matters of importance. Everyone is a specialist or is in need of one. Prove that you know more than your history suggests. Save time and money by drawing on the resources that you already possess. If this strategy has worked for you in the past, then it will probably work again.

Strike a happy medium with authorities who are being too rigid about your boundaries. Demands on your pocket book may seem to skyrocket, possibly due to you making promises, ...

Put your ideas into motion. In order to accomplish your immediate goals, you must reach out and try new ways to get the job done. If you want to see results, you should know who can help. Maybe there really is a way to benefit from this power surge you feel. You have a great network of allies that can provide you with some solid support. Several unreasonable requests may be brought to you. Try to hide any displeasure or disapproval. The week appears dotted with demands and duties, especially expense and emotional needs.

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

Gemini (K,CHH,GH) 21 May to 20 June Bide your time, Others want answers right away, but you should take some time to analyze the whole picture. If you try to push the process faster, something will hit the fan. Unfounded suspicions and accusations will only make others more uncomfortable.

It’s better to keep quiet than to be negative. A surprise will shake things up and provide you with some answers. Try to be as discreet as possible. You’re ready to accept the news but not everybody is.

Someone who you’ve recently pushed away will try to return into your life. Everybody will want to be your friend, but your words may hurt your cause. You’ll have to work on being more understanding without losing your winning edge. The week end’s activities will provide you with food, friends and good conversations. The rest you get will help you to replenish your energy and improve your perspective. Get as much done early in the week as you can since cooperation is poor.

Capricorn (KH,J) 22 Dec to 20 Jan

Cancer (D,H) 21 June to 22 July Your motivation and positive reinforcement, will feel moved into proclaiming an alliance between yourself and your peers. Your message will come across in a way that encourages others want to join in. You know just which emotions to draw out of others and when to do it. You could combine valid points of view to provide a dynamic effort.

Supporters will rally for your cause. Look upward and forward. Doubts should not be considered an option. Teamwork is easy for you and it could prove to be very profitable.

Your positive flow has actually put you in a better position than you were before. You may have to act before you think you are ready to do so. Trust your intuition and don’t allow others to intimidate you. Friendships and love relationships will flourish once you decide to speak strongly from your heart. Your wishes and dreams will thrive on the new secure place you’ve found within yourself. We may SEE the Archer shell out ‘like it or not’ and then “normal expense” would be the ‘mean line’.

Leo (M) 23 July to 22 August

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

Get back to your basic needs and wants. Your dilemma is that everybody wants a piece of you. There’s usually a reason for everything that you do, but your creativity may be driven more out of necessity than talent. If you want to try to turn this situation around, you’d better start now. Use the raw materials you have on hand to demonstrate your idea of art and beauty. You’ll have no choice but to be yourself when you journey on this new adventure. The mysteries will start to wear thin and expose the harsh reality that really exists.

than yours.

Sometimes, you may be too quick to re-act, but this week, you’re right to take a stance.

Others are the same as always, but your perception of them will change radically. Be aware that your words and your actions will affect them greatly. You can probably talk your way out it, but everybody is watching to see the outcome. Stay calm and your confidence level will rise. Everybody wants security, but their concepts may be different

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

Virgo (P) 23 August to 22 September Recent events have put your emotional and physical well being out of whack. Static energy will only cause you to short out your battery. Simple pleasures will be needed in order to help you to relax. Strong words will only bring strong re-actions. Realize that tempers may be short in those sensitive areas. You need a break from away from extreme solutions to dealing with simple problems. Stay confident in who you are and you’ll be ensured a smoother ride. A compromise on your part will restart stalled talks. A slow start may make you feel like jumping ship but stay with it as once emotions clear, the pace picks up fast ...

QR

All eyes will be on your recent accomplishments. Take advantage of this opportunity toBefore moving ahead on your own, think about ways to unite others. Human emotions cannot rule you, this time. You must try to look at things on an a more intellectual plane. Try your best to stay clear of those who try to bring you down to their level. You need to look beyond the immediate to understand how the bigger picture works. Everyone needs to feel secure, some may rely on luck but you have your own strategy in place. Making your family comfortable, secure and ‘harmonious’ is very important to you for several reasons and they may have to do with a deeply personal reason/s, possibly ‘new members’.

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VOICE OF ASIA 19

Part Time Accountant Property Management Company in Houston is looking for a part-time accountant with the following qualifications: • Degree in Accounting or Business preferred.

• Must have good working knowledge of Quickbooks and Excel.

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FRIDAY, December 19, 2014

MANAGEMENT TIP OF THE DAY FROM HBR.ORG Be Strategic in How You Handle Success Dec 16, 2014

P

eople often prepare for failure, but they rarely prepare for what they will do when they succeed. Even when we consciously want to be successful, enjoying that success can be a challenge. Being successful can leave others envious, and even hoping to see you fail. To avoid causing resentment, it’s important to learn when, where, and how to share the good news. When you discuss your wins, talk about other things you are still developing so as not to appear boastful. This doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy your victories — just don’t flaunt them.

Celebrate the value you bring, not winning per se.

It’s also important to keep looking for new challenges.

No one wants to be bored, even at the top. When you have mastered something, ask yourself: How can you innovate around this?

Adapted from “The Unexpected Consequences of Success” by Srini Pillay.

Jobs Available @ Music School Part time Piano and Voice Teachers needed for growing Music School in Sugar Land.

Candidates must have formal education at the college level, however a degree is not required. 2 days per week, hours 3:00-7:00.

Pay rate ranging $25-$32/hour, depending on qualifications. Resume should outline teaching experience, performance experience and formal music education completed.

Part time Music Therapist needed for a Music Studio in Sugar Land seeking to expand its services to the community.

Degree and Certification required.

Send resume to: info@InfinityMusicAndDance.com.

Visit our Website www.voiceofasiaonline.com for the latest on Community News, National & Global Enjoy stories on LEISURE & LIFESTYLE To Advertise online email: adsvoa@ yahoo.com or call 713-774-5140

sphilip@llppc-law.com

Get the Low Down on Low MoneyGram Launches Money Transfer Service to All Bank Accounts in India Down Payments MoneyGram customers can now send bank deposits to India in as little as three hours

D

ALLAS, Texas (Dec. 11 2014) – MoneyGram (NASDAQ: MGI), a leading global money transfer company announces that customers can now send money to all Rupee-denominated bank accounts in India in as little as three hours, when sent during India bank processing hours.

PHOTO SOURCE: (c) Monkey Business - Fotolia.com

Y

ou may have heard the rule of thumb that you shouldn’t buy a home unless you can put down 20 percent of the purchase price.

However, today’s home buyers have many choices when it comes to the size of the down payment.

While this magic number of 20 percent will save you from paying Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI), an added insurance policy that protects the lender if you are unable to pay your mortgage, you can pay considerably less than this if you want.

that the minimum down payment requirement for a home is at least 15 percent of the purchase price. The reality is quite different however, as qualified buyers can get a conventional mortgage with a down payment of as little as three percent.

In fact, recent statistics show more than one in five borrowers who took out conventional mortgages in 2014 put down 10 percent or less.

“Today’s consumers persistently overestimate the size of a down payment they need to finance a home,” says Christina Boyle, SVP and Head of Single-Family Sales & Relationship Management at Freddie Mac.

Educating potential homeowners on the rules of down payments – and available assistance programs – plays a large role in getting qualified borrowers off the sidelines and into homeownership, according to Boyle, who also notes that today’s historically low mortgage rates, coupled with affordable home prices in many parts of the country, make it an attractive time to consider buying.

According to the results of a recent survey conducted by Zelman & Associates, 39 percent of those surveyed estimated

“If putting 20 percent down will deplete all of your savings and leave you with no financial cushion, it’s probably not in

your best interest,” she says.

If you don’t put down 20 percent, the cost of PMI varies based on your loan-to-value ratio – the amount you owe on your mortgage compared to its value – and credit score, but you can expect to pay between $30 and $70 per month for every $100,000 borrowed. While it’s no doubt an added cost, it enables buyers to purchase now and begin building equity versus waiting five to 10 years to build enough savings for a larger down payment.

Additionally, once you’ve built equity of 20 percent in your home, you can cancel your PMI and remove that added expense from your monthly payment.

New homeownership opportunities are poised to grow.

Carefully evaluate your finances to determine how much you can afford and talk with your lender or housing professional about what makes best sense for you and your particular situation. SOURCE: StatePoint

“Our agents around the globe can now provide this superior service offering to customers seeking a fast and efficient way to send funds directly into any Indian bank account with excellent exchange rates,” says Grant Lines, MoneyGram’s executive vice president, Asia Pacific, South Asia and Middle East. “With the addition of India, we now offer bank account deposits through the MoneyGram network into four of the world’s largest remittance receive markets — China, India, Mexico and the Philippines.

This is a significant milestone for us, and it follows closely on the heels of our launch last month of a new send-to-wallet solution into Kenya’s M-Pesa ecosystem.”

This service, developed in collaboration with one of India’s largest banks, Axis Bank, taps into the national Indian banking payments network, the National Electronic Funds Transfer (NEFT) network.

With a real-time connection through Axis Bank, MoneyGram provides its customers around the globe with access to the efficiency and speed of the India NEFT network to send international money transfers directly into rupee-denominated bank accounts.

Customers can send funds through MoneyGram to all major banks in India including Axis Bank, Punjab National Bank, ICICI, HDFC, SBI and

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many more. Indian bank processing hours are generally Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (Indian Standard Time), and Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to Noon (Indian Standard Time). Individual bank branch processing hours may vary.

About MoneyGram International, Inc. MoneyGram, a leading money transfer company, provides essential services to consumers who are not fully served by traditional financial institutions.

MoneyGram offers worldwide money transfer services in more than 200 countries and territories through a global network of 347,000 agent locations, including retailers, international post offices and banks. MoneyGram also offers bill payment services, issues money orders and processes official checks in select markets.

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FRIDAY, December 19, 2014