Voice of Asia Jan 23 2015 by VoiceOf Asia

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FRIDAY, January 23, 2015

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Vol. 28 No. 4 Friday, January 23, 2015 • Published Weekly from Houston • 713-774-5140 20 Pages ( 2 sections) 50 cents E-mail: editor@voiceofasiaonline.com

Thousands enjoy Kite Festival MAGH honors its members at Houston’s George Bush Park at the New Year celebration Organizers come under ﬁre for the mess following festival

From L-R: Rev. Fr. MT Philip, Thomas Varkey, President MAGH, Koshy Thomas, Rev. Fr Vinu Joseph and Surendran, MAGH incoming President.

Aryan shows off his dragon kite at the Kite Festival held on Sunday, Jan 18, 2015 at the George Bush Park. Seen here with his sister Ashna and mother Rachna Raj Dawra. Photo by Shobana M by Shobana Muratee

OUSTON –The day, Sunday, Jan. 18th was a welcome break from weeks of intense cold weather. It was also the ideal weather for the kite ﬂying. An estimated 8000 people gathered at the George Bush Park on Westheimer starting 11am to celebrate Makar Sankranti the Festival of Kites organized by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad of America, Houston (VHP) in collaboration with other IndoAmerican organizations: The Gujarati Samaj of Houston, Hindus of Greater Houston, Ekal Vidhyalay Foundation of America and Maheshwari Mahasabha of North America (SW). The festival which also known as Uttarayan, is among the major festivals in India celebrated on January 14th every year. The free for all event, started with a session on Yoga where people learned the ‘Surya Namaskar Yagna’ from yoga exponents. Over the years, the

event is gaining popularity as it draws people from a wide cross section of the community. Groups having picnic, young boys playing cricket, and kite ﬂying were all a familiar sight on the occasion. Kichidi, a dish prepared by lentils and rice was served to the people at lunch hour by the volunteers of Gujarati Samaj. Kites and strings were also sold on the spot. On the occasion was observed Swami Vivekanand, Birth Anniversary (born January 12, 1863). The 150th birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda was celebrated in 2013 in India and in different countries of the world. Parking posed an irksome issue for many who came to the Park for the celebrations. Organizers had shuttle service for off-site parking throughout the duration of the event. Due the large numbers, the grounds were laden with strings and torn kites entangling feet as people walked. The mess was still there the next day when parkgoers

found it difficult to enjoy their day at the park. The local news channel KHOU 11 reported that there were several kite flying festivals held across Houston (on Sunday) but this one (held in George Bush Park) was the ‘most largest and now the most difficult one to clean up’. “It became a traffic nightmare and it became a safety issue,” said Steve Radack, Commissioner Pct. 3 on KHOU. One of the organizers, Girishkumar Naik was reported as saying, “I am really sorry.” “We will take better care of the park, we want to work with the county and do what’s right,” said Naik. Over the years, the VHP America in Houston has been successfully hosting this event jointly with other organizations and this is the first time the organizers have come under fire by the County authorities. However, the organizers were quick to respond and also committed to work alongside the County crew in the cleanup that was to be done on Tuesday.

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served to all attendees. Also, as part of the program, the MAGH recognized three prominent members of our community: Mr. G.K. Pillai, Mr. Ken Matthew, and Mr. Koshy Thomas, for their great contribution to the Malayalee community. Rev. Father Philip gave the award to Mr. Koshy Thomas. As part of the celebration the MAGH also gave awards for the Tug-of-war and Shuttle Tournament winners. MAGH

congratulated the winners and extended its appreciation to Saji Varghese, Joseph Kennedy, Thomas Varkey, and Joy N Samuel who sponsored the trophies. The outgoing President of the Association, Mr. Thomas Varkey, introduced the newly elected and incoming President of the Association, Mr. K. Surendran, to the guests. Then Mr. Surendran introduced other members of the Board and Trustee Board to the guests.

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he Malayalee Association of Greater Houston (MAGH) held its Christmas and New Year’s celebration on Jan. 10th at the St. Thomas Orthodox Cathedral Hall, Stafford, Texas. The program was well attended and very successful. Rev. Father M.T. Philip was the Chief Guest, and Rev. Father Vinu Joseph gave his Christmas and New Year message on the ocassion. The cultural programs were excellent and dinner was

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It is the policy of Voice of Asia to publish letters to the editor which evidence a variety of viewpoints. The opinions expressed in any particular letter to the editor are not necessarily those of the management. Voice of Asia welcomes letters in reply to issues raised in letters to editor. In as much letters to the editor are not articles written or researched by members of Voice of Asia, it is not the policy of the Voice of Asia to perform any investigation or conﬁrmation of any facts or allegations contained in letters to the editor. Moreover, Voice of Asia reserves the right to edit letters to the editor as necessary to correct errors of fact, punctuation, spelling and to comply with space constraints. Although paid advertisements may appear in Voice of Asia Group Publications in print, online, or in other electronic formats, the Voice of Asia Group does not endorse the advertised product, service, or company, nor any of the claims made by the advertisement. - The Publisher

by The Editorial Board, The New York Times Jan. 20, 2015

he circumstances facing President Obama as he delivered his State of the Union address Tuesday night could not have seemed less promising: a presidency with only two years left to get anything done in a Congress that is now totally in the control of a party that has routinely ignored his pleas for cooperation. So he chose wisely to send a simple, dramatic message about economic fairness, about the fact that the well-off — the top earners, the big banks, Silicon Valley — have done just great, while the middle and working classes remain dead in the water. His remedy: skim from the rich and redistribute to those below, while deploying other weapons to raise wages and increase jobs.

He did not frame the debate over inequality as starkly as many economists have, preferring instead to talk about the virtues of “middle-class economics.” But he came close. “It’s now up to us to choose who we want to be over the next 15 years, and for decades to come,” he said. “Will we accept an economy where only a few of us do spectacularly well? Or will we commit ourselves to an economy that generates rising incomes and chances for everyone who makes the effort?” Mr. Obama knows his prospects of getting Congress to agree are less than zero; Republicans dismissed his ideas before he even voiced them. That does not make them irrelevant. Mr. Obama was speaking not just to the present but to the future, to the 2016 presidential elections and even beyond. By simply raising the plight of the middle class (and, looming behind it, the larger issue of economic inequality), he has ﬁrmly inserted issues of economic fairness into the political debate. Hillary Rodham Clinton or whomever the Democrats nominate cannot ignore them now. Even Republicans, disinclined to raise taxes on top-tier earners, may ﬁnd attractive the

FRIDAY, January 23, 2015

At the State of the Union, a President Outgunned in Congress Is Still Combative

President Obama waves to the audience before his State of the Union address on Jan. 20, 2015. Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images

idea of doing something for those in the middle. Further, while the rhetoric was combative, even deﬁant in parts, the president’s proposal is hardly radical. It would raise the capital gains tax to 28 percent — which is where it was in the Reagan era. It would impose ordinary income tax rates on dividends and end a provision in the tax code that shields hundreds of billions of dollars in appreciated wealth passed on to heirs. These changes, plus a new fee on big banks, would ﬁnance a set of tax breaks for middle-income families, including credits for twoearner couples, increased child care and college tuition credits, as well as other programs, including two years of tuition-free community college for some students. And the whole thing is designed to be revenue-neutral, the tax increases paying for the new programs to avoid the endless wrangling over

deficits that have exhausted both political parties as well as the American public. It was hardly surprising that a president who expects so little from Congress devoted some of his speech to celebrating the things that he has accomplished against considerable odds. With Congress’s help, he rescued the automobile companies, jump-started the renewable energy industry, imposed new rules on financial institutions and, most dramatically, engineered a major overhaul of the health care system. On his own initiative, he ordered major reforms in immigration policy, forged a landmark agreement with the automobile companies on fuel efficiency and proposed tough restrictions on greenhouse gas emissions from power plants. His task will be to defend these initiatives from almost certain congressional at-

tack, wielding his veto pen, or threatening to wield it, much as President Bill Clinton found himself doing after Newt Gingrich and his Republican majority took over the House in 1995. President Obama should also seek out opportunities to use his executive authority to improve conditions for the middle class and for workers, such as ﬁxing overtime rules, and, at every opportunity, use the bully pulpit on important matters like improving the minimum wage. There is one other thing he must do: Resist his instinct to follow the false promise of compromise. Give-and-take is part of the legislative process, but trade-offs amounting to Republican legislative triumphs are unacceptable. Gridlock seems almost foreordained over the next two years. Mr. Obama should do nothing to confuse the voters as to where the responsibility lies.

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FRIDAY, January 23, 2015

Second Front Page

Friday, January 23, 2015 • www.voiceofasiaonline.com • Page 3 • Email: editor@voiceofasiaonline.com • Tel: 713-774-5140

Classical Arts Society held 38th Tyagaraja Aradhana at MTS

by Chittoor Ramachandran

lassical Arts Society together with Sri Meenakshi Devasthanam presented the enthralling ﬁrst part of the 38th annual Tyagaraja Aradhana last weekend (Jan 10 - 11) at MTS Kalyanamandapam. Carnatic musicians of Greater Houston, youth and adults, trained at various levels offered their respect to the composer- Saint Tyagaraja by rendering his compositions. The event began with traditional Unchavrithi, an enactment of the daily routine of the saint Tyagaraja going door to door along with his disciples singing devotional songs. (Note. Respectfully offering a ﬁstful of grains to the singing bards used to be considered a moral deed). Several musicians joined the procession singing Tyagaraja’s devotional compositions along with the accomplished musician Sri Vatsa Kumar dressed as Tyagaraja. The 2015 Aradhana commenced with an invocatory

puja by the priest followed by a welcome speech by Smt. Prabha Bala, CAS Founding member and Board President and a brief inaugural address by the MTS Board chairman Dr.Vadugunathan. The CAS Board member Dr. Ganesh Balasubramanian, introduced as the coordinator of the 2015 Tyagaraja Aradhana was in charge henceforth. The well-coordinated joint rendition of Tyagaraja’s majestic Ghana raga Pancharatna Krithis by dozens of vocalists, violinists and percussionists filled the air with bhakthi as the first event. The two-day Aradhana gave opportunities for more than two hundred individuals to pay tribute to Saint Tyagaraja by singing one of his compositions. The melodious Tyagaraja krithis played by Smt. Manjula Rao (violin) and Charan Rajan ( mridangam) added vigor to the festive ambiance. The first day concluded with a splendid mini concert of Uma Rangana-

than who made an impact in the audience very quickly. By the time she reached anupallavi of Anuragamule (Raga Saraswathi) the audience had already been mesmerized with her extraordinary style. Uma elaborated Kaligiyunte (Keeravani) followed by Muthuswamy Dikshtar krithi Mamava Pattabhirama (Manirang), and concluded with the serene Geetharthamu in Surutti. The seasoned violinist Smt. Manjula Rao was in her best form in the concert. The amazingly talented Karun Salvady (mridangam) enhanced the concert noticeably well. Uma introduced periodic narration of brief incidents in the Saint’s life related to the krithi which made her presentation informative and enjoyable. The vocal concert presented (on Day 2) by the accomplished youth Shilpa Sadagopan was delightful. Her inherent talent, superb training by top notch teachers and passion for music were all visible during her hour-long rendition. Starting with the krithi in Poor-

Group rendition of the majestic Pancharathna keerthanam vikalyani (Gnanamo sagarada) Shilpa proceeded with a great conﬁdence and elaborated the krithi Kadanavariki (Thodi). That was followed by Telisi Rama (Poornachandrika), Gurulekha (Gowri manohari) and a Dasar krithi in Ameer kalyani. Her distinctly melodious concert was a treat. The violinist Deepa Ramachandran added

much to the quality of the concert. Karun Salvady provided excellent support.

ity of abhinaya and perfection in dancing, Sandhya enchanted the audience.

Sandhya Raghunathan’s choreography of Tyagaraja compositions was remarkably ingenious. She could convey the meaning of several krithis instantaneously and effortlessly to the audience very effectively. With her high qual-

Second part of the Aradhana will be held as a grand Musical Fiesta in April (Sat 24 and Sun 25). The world class performers scheduled are Malladi Brothers and Sanjay Subramanian. For more information: www.classicalartsocietyhouston.org

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FRIDAY, January 23, 2015

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FRIDAY, January 23, 2015

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Classical musician brings tabla tradition to Houston

by Sanchali Basu

The tabla class sits in a circle on the floor while practicing. by Syeda Hasan ason Zinn is sitting on the floor in front of his tabla, a classical Indian drum that’s played by hand. As his lesson begins, he pays close attention to instructions from his guru, or teacher, Shantilal Shah. Shah plays a melody, and Zinn replicates it note for note. There’s a reason why Zinn and Shah have such a deep understanding. Seven years ago, Zinn moved to Houston from San Marcos for a job in oil and gas. Music had always been his hobby, and he wanted to try something new, so he bought a tabla. “I can’t remember where I heard it first, but I heard tabla and then I thought it was a really interesting melodic and rhythmic instrument,” Zinn says. “So I tried to teach myself. That went nowhere. I lived right down the street from here, and came one day with my tabla in my hand and started learning.” Today, their relationship has grown beyond that of a teacher and student. Zinn has been living with his guru for over five years. After class, Shah’s wife greets Zinn with motherly affection as

she asks when he’ll be home. Zinn practices tabla with Shah for hours each day, and Shah is a qualified instructor. He trained under a guru in India and has been studying tabla music for over 30 years. Last March, he performed in a concert series with the Houston Grand Opera, blending classical Indian music with Western styles. In the tabla tradition, the relationship between a guru and his students is an important part of the learning process. Zinn says it’s the first time he’s studied music this way. “I’d always been interested in apprenticeship since I was a little kid, and I’ve always been interested in Indian culture,” he says. “So that along with the instrument itself really attracted me.” Zinn says he found a role model in Shah and was inspired by his guru’s dedication to teaching his musical craft. “I could see what his purpose was in life,” Zinn says. “He had a very defined purpose that he wanted to go after, something to achieve, and I felt like even if I’m not interested in the music all the time, I can be focused on

that.” Zinn is just one of the many students touched by his guru’s teachings. Shah has been offering tabla lessons in Houston since 2003. On Tuesday evening, 11 students ﬁlter in for a lesson wheeling their tabla cases behind them. Ranging from middle schoolers to young professionals, they take their seats in a circle on the ﬂoor. As the class begins drumming away, Shah pauses and asks his students to recite the melodies verbally. He says reciting the notes is crucial to playing tabla. He says it helps players understand the music and commit it to memory. “The way we speak any other language, [it’s the] same thing we have in tabla,” Shah says. He says he doesn’t have any formal method for tracking his students’ progress, but he watches them closely, taking the time to give each one individual attention. Shah says he thinks of himself as a postman, distributing the knowledge he gained from his own guru. “So when I work with them, when they improve, they start

oy of the Vedanta Society of Greater Houston (VSGH) devotees knew no bounds when Swami Sarvapriyananda was in their midst from January 17-19. Swami Sarvapriyananda is a dynamic young monk of the Ramakrishna Math. At present he is an acharya at the monastic probationers training centre at Belur Math. His interests are in the fields of spirituality, philosophy, management science and education. His reputation as a speaker preceded him and some of the youtube links to his lectures have drawn more than 350,000 hits. His series of lectures began with, “Spiritualizing everyday life” on the evening of January 17 where he emphasized that by knowing the infinite being, one can transcend death and suffering. If one deifies the world, one has an uninterrupted vision of God. Once work is spiritualized, one can concentrate and meditate and, it is important to remember that “Work is Worship.” The morning of January 18 was dedicated to the worship of Swami Vivekananda to commemorate his birthday. Sw. Sarvapriyananda performed focusing and using and growing, it’s wonderful to see,” he says. During the lesson, Shah plays background music on his iPad, using an app that simulates a harmonium. He says these modern tools have made it easier to teach an ancient Indian art form to students in Houston. His classes continue to grow. Houstonian Vishwanath Narayanamurthy enrolled his sons in tabla lessons. “And then sitting with them, listening to this, I fell in love, and I’m a student myself now,” Narayanamurthy says. Shah’s students are gearing up for their group performance which is expected to take place this fall.

Swami Sarvapriyananda. Photo by Sanchali Basu the puja with extreme devotion and the devotees got to enjoy the melodious singing accompaniment by the VSGH choir. A delicious lunch followed and the perfect weather allowed the devotees to savor the food sitting outdoors on the verandah. “Practical Vedanta” was the topic of the lecture the same afternoon, where he mentioned that the source of knowledge of the Upanishads is Vedanta. Vedanta has to enter every part of our lives, not just the spiritual and one has to elevate one’s life to the ideal and not drag the ideal down. He stressed that, “To labor is to pray, and having a goal in life is very important.” Jan 19, Monday morning, he conducted a class on “The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna” where he discussed that one can purify the mind only through “Nishkama karma.” Then one can meditate on the eternal truth and Bhakti – the love for God overcomes worldly desires. “Who am I,” concluded the ﬁrst round of his series of talks the same evening and drew a signiﬁcant crowd considering it was a weekday evening.

The central teaching of Advaita Vedanta that, “You are divine” was elaborated by quoting mahavakyas from the 4 Vedas and 4 Upanishads. 8 verses of the Panchadashi were used to explain Sat-chit-ananda, the deﬁnition of Brahman (God). If chit (existence) is sat (an intrinsic property), ananda (bliss), the atma a continuous source of the greatest happiness will last forever. The next series of lectures will restart on Friday, January 23 and will include a 4 session retreat on the text, “Drg, Drsya, Viveka,” and a lecture on, “Managing stress” The main attraction of his 2 week visit will be the Youth Convention to be held at the center on January 24 from 1 -7:30 PM. A talk on “Education and Powers of Mind,” will be followed by an interactive group discussion session and a guided technique of concentration. A multimedia presentation contest by 2 youth groups will be judged by a panel of 3 judges. Prizes will be handed out at the end of the contest and dinner will be served. All information is available at www. houstonvedanta.org.

COMMUNITY

VOICE OF ASIA 6

FRIDAY, January 23, 2015

Foundation for India Studies members Gopio expels Sunny participate in MLK Grande Parade Kulathakal and others for violations

s a result of the illegal meeting organized and actions taken by Sunny Kulathakal and others at an unapproved meeting held on January 6, 2015 in Ahmedabad, India, in violation of GOPIO by-laws and contrary to explicit directives of GOPIO, the Executive Council of the Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO) decided at an extra-ordinary emergency meeting on January 16, 2015 to expel Sunny Kulathakal and others involved. This extraordinary action by GOPIO has been taken after due deliberations with the intent to protect the good standing, integrity and by-laws of GOPIO, consistent with our obligations in the best interest of the organization.

Raghu Nednur,Atul Kothari,Suresh Shah in Gandhi dress,Apoorv Nednur (10),Veena Ponnaganti,Krishna Vavilala and Ariana Morales(10), Not in the picture :Anand Morales(8). Photo credit: Amanda Vavilala

OUSTON, January 20, 2015 - As in the previous years, FIS participated in MLK Grande parade on January 19th in Mid-town, Houston to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday. First time participants like Veena Ponnaganti, Apoorv Nednur (10), Ariana Morales (10) and Anand Morales (8) distributed ﬂiers spreading the message of on-violence and Peace to the cheering crowds who lined up on both sides of the mile long parade route. Under the gorgeous sunny morning skies, Mr. Suresh Shah

of Kingwood donned the attire of Mahatma Gandhi and walked ahead of the FIS group. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. had never met Gandhi ji even though he followed Gandhi ji’s philosophy of non-violence in his struggle for civil rights. Dr. King Jr. visited India in 1959 and was quoted as saying “It was a marvelous thing to see the amazing results of a non-violent campaign. The aftermath of hatred and bitterness that usually follows a violent campaign was found nowhere in India...” Later during a radio interview, he

was quoted as saying that more than ever before, a non-violent campaign would be the most powerful weapon for oppressed people. It is hard to believe that only 50 years ago, separate drinking fountains for whites and blacks and separate balconies in movie theaters had existed and segregation was the order of the day. Thanks to Dr. MLK Jr.’s nonviolent agitation, a Civil Rights Act was passed in 1968 under President Lyndon B. Johnson’s administration which ended racial segregation in schools and

work places and unequal application of laws based on color. Both Gandhi ji and Dr. MLK Jr. preached and practiced nonviolence, yet became victims of assassin’s bullets. For centuries, Indians and Blacks are victims of prejudices and discrimination. FIS chose to participate in the Annual MLK Parade as a mark of respect to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy and to demonstrate that both our communities have a common cause to work on. For more information, please contact Krishna Vavilala, 713795-5169.

The resolution by GOPIO Executive Council on January 16, 2015 states as follows: “For violation of GOPIO’s explicit directives and by-laws, for willfully reneging on his agreements made during the Executive Council meeting of January 1, 2015, for contributing to adverse media publicity and maligning the reputation of GOPIO, and for abuse of his position as Executive Vice President of GOPIO, Sunny Kulathakal is hereby expelled from GOPIO with all rights and privileges forfeited and is hereby directed not to represent GOPIO in any manner or communicate with GOPIO and its membership on behalf of GOPIO, and neither seek or nor hold any position in GOPIO henceforth”. Others who became members in the January 6, 2015 illegally organized ad hoc committee, including Lord Dilgit Rana, have also been expelled by GOPIO.

GOPIO is a secular, non-political, not-for-proﬁt, international organization based in USA with chapters in various countries, representing the interests and aspirations of People of Indian Origin (PIOs), and promoting awareness and understanding of issues of concern to global NRI/PIO community including social, cultural, educational and economic, as well as enhancing cooperation and communication among groups of Indians living in various countries and with India. For more information, please contact Inder Singh, Chairman, GOPIO International at gopiointl@sbcglobal.net or by telephone at +1-818-708-3885.

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VOICE OF ASIA 7

FRIDAY, January 23, 2015

IAFC team attend Governor Haley’s swearing-in ceremonies

Indian American Friendship Council (IAFC) team with Gov. Nikki Haley.

OLUMBIA, South Carolina - Proud daughter of Indian immigrants, Nikki Randhawa Haley who was re-elected as Governor of South Carolina in recent elections sworn in as the 116th Governor of South Carolina on Wednesday, January 14th 2015. Governor Haley won by the largest margin of victory for a South Carolina gubernatorial candidate in 24 years. Governor Haley is the ﬁrst female and the ﬁrst minority governor in South Carolina history and currently the youngest Governor in the country. Dr. Prasad Thotakura, Chairman of the Indian American Friendship Council (IAFC), who is a great supporter of Nikki Haley for over a decade since her early days in politics was specially invited by Governor Haley to attend these swearing-in ceremonies. Dr. Thotakura led a delegation of more than 15 people from Dallas for these historic ceremonies. The team included IAFC Board of Directors and Supporters Murali Vennam, Ramki Chebrolu, Arun Agarwal, Anya Agarwal, Suresh Vulu-

vala, Grace Suresh, Dr. Rajesh Adusumilli, Vijay Krishna Pilla, Sanjay Anand, Avita Anand, Anisha Anand, Amitabh Ghosh etc., Governor Haley conveyed her special appreciation and thanks to Dr. Prasad Thotakura and Dallas team for their unweaving support for the last several years. Governor Haley hosted a special breakfast at Governor’s Mansion to IAFC delegation on Thursday, January 15th and introduced all her family members to IAFC team. Dr. Prasad Thotakura extended an invitation to Governor Haley to Dallas to visit the newly built Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Plaza. Governor Haley who has attended as a Chief Guest of Honor at the ground breaking ceremonies of the same project Congratulated Prasad Thotakura, Chairman of the project and the entire leadership of IAFC, IANT and the Dallas community for building such a remarkable plaza and accepted the invitation to visit Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Plaza at her earliest possible time. Governor Haley has a very special respect for Mahatma Gandhi and his contributions to the World in promoting

peace and non-violence. Governor Haley has a stated that her recent trip to India was very successful and she and her team are so appreciative of Indian Government’s warm welcome and expecting to further great relations with India in creating more opportunities for both South Carolina and India in the area of manufacturing, service and infrastructure sectors. . Under Governor Haley’s leadership, during her ﬁrst term, South Carolina’s jobless rate hit the record lows. The state has announced more than 58,000 jobs and more than 25,000 South Carolinians moved from welfare to work, and the state made its largest infrastructure investment in a generation without raising taxes. Governor Haley is one of the current rising political stars in US politics and expected to be a Vice-Presidential candidate in US Presidential elections to be held in 2016. Governor Haley and her husband Michael, who is a Captain in the Army National Guard, have two children, Rena 16, and Nalin 13.

Gov. Haley greets Dr. Prasad Thotakura, Chairman, Indian American Friendship Council (IAFC).

VOICE OF ASIA 8

COMMUNITY

FRIDAY, January 23, 2015

Katy-Greater Houston residents host New Year’s party by Archana Krishnan

his past Saturday, January 3, the Katy-Greater Houston Tamil Friends New Year Celebration happened at the Durgabari Temple. This event started eight years ago in 2005 as small New Year party with just four families in attendance, and has grown tremendously to the three hundred and ﬁfty plus guests that came to celebrate last Saturday. This New Year party attracted guest from all over the Greater Houston Are such as Katy, Cypress, Woodlands and Sugarland and even from other cities such as Austin and San Antonio. An unique aspect about this New Year celebration is that it does not focus on one particular group of people, instead it brought people of many different languages and faiths under one roof. In this ninth year of the event being held, it was clear to see that the organizers, volunteers and performers had gone above and beyond to make it the most spectacular one yet. The main committee of volunteers Raman Chockalingam, Nagaraj Chinnadurai, Archana Krishnan, Venkat Ponnusamy, Shankar K. Murthy, Kishore Kandasamy, Sangeetha Neelakandan, Muthu Natarajan, Sanjay Kumar and Gayathri Kumar, lead by Manix Vasan did a spectacular job of planning the event to go smoothly and keep guests entertained. Upon arrival the guests were greeted with friendly faces that welcomed them to the fun filled evening ahead. The event started with a showcase of local talents of children from ages 3 all the way to professional singers who are currently residing in Greater Houston Areas. These amazingly talented kids and singers were a delight to watch as they embraced their culture and entertained with such enthusiasm. They were a true testament to the vast amount of young talent we have in the Greater Houston Area. The party truly began with the Bollywood Shake segment where a team of professional dancers from Houston put on a fun dance performance that really got the audience engaged especially in their interactive segment. The events were moved along smoothly by the emcees Muthu Nataraj, Sangeetha Neelakandan, Raman Chockalingam and Archana Krishnan who did a great job of keeping the audience engaged in between acts. The delicious dinner catered by Dakshin Indian Restaurant was an absolute treat with 17 different buffet items featuring both vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes all thanks to the dedicated volunteer team including Shiek Shahul Hameed, Meenakshisundaram Arunachalam, Dhamodharan Narayanan and Jagan Annamalai. Although a New Year party is meant to be fun and celebratory, this particular party had an informative segment in it as well. Dr. Ravi Iyengar is a professor at Texas A&M Univesity whose passion in life is educating the American Indian Youth on the process of undergraduate college admissions. Dr. Iyengar’s presentation was both informative and enlightening. As an attendee, the highlight of the show that set it apart from other years was the light music segment presented by Vilagudhu Thirai fame Karthika Mahadev, an extremely talented singer, Composer & President of Pinnacle Studio and Performing Arts with her excellent team Bharani Krishnan Venkatraman and Balaji Srinivasan. It was an absolute delight watching Mahadev and her group of singers perform Tamil movie songs from 80’s, 90’s and current hits. This part of the program was so much fun that it got the young and old alike tapping their toes and singing along. Some of the more upbeat songs even had the audience dancing and enjoying themselves. From the food and performances to the timeliness of the various segments, it seems that the volunteers and organizers had thought of just about everything in order to make the party a memorable event. Accommodations were even made for parents with children under the age of eight so that they could truly enjoy the show. They were able to drop off their kids at their own party that featured a Magic Show, balloon twisting and face painting and games

effectively arranged and coordinated by Just Chic Events, a local event design and planning company. The event was made possible through the generous contributions of the local business sponsors in Katy. Thank you to KT Bombay Bazaar, Vishala Groceries, Dhakshin Restaurant, Colony Builders, Just Chic Events and Camelotis Integrated Solutions for sponsoring the Light Music, Bollywood Shake and Kid’s Entertainment segments of the event. The new team led by Manix Vasan seemed to have given thought to even the small details that made for a great event for people of all ages a great way to ring in 2015 surrounded by family, friends and great entertainment. Top: Children dance on stage as singers present their songs. Bottom: Organizers and guests being recognized.

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SOUTH ASIA

VOICE OF ASIA 9

FRIDAY, January 23, 2015

Medical charity warns India Sri Lanka’s new premier promises Tamils more autonomy over patent rules

OLOMBO - Sri Lanka’s new government pledged Tuesday to devolve power to the country’s Tamil minority, in a step towards national reconciliation six years after a controversial military offensive crushed a separatist rebellion. Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, in his first address to parliament since taking office, said lawmakers needed to bring a political conclusion to the conflict between government troops and Tamil Tiger rebels that ended in 2009. Critics say the previous regime failed to deal with the ethnic divisions that led to conflict on the island, whose Sinhalese majority has traditionally dominated positions of power. An Indian chemist writes a receipt in front of shelves stacked with low-cost Indian-manufactured generic drugs at a pharmacy in New Delhi. (AFP/Manan Vatsyayana)

EW DELHI, AFP Doctors without Borders on Wednesday warned the Indian government not to bow to US pressure to amend patent regulations that allow millions access to affordable medicines, ahead of a visit by President Barack Obama. Since India’s new right-wing government came to power in May, New Delhi has been under heavy pressure from Washington, prodded by the powerful US pharmaceutical industry, to dilute its strict patent laws. “The alarm bells should be going off for the new Indian government,” said Manica Balasegaram, who heads the

medical aid organisation’s campaign on drug access. “The US is pushing India to play by its rules on intellectual property, which we know will lead to medicines being priced out of reach for millions of people.” India says it is fully compliant with World Trade Organization patent rules, but the United States has placed it on a “watchlist” of intellectual property violators. Indian law stipulates drugs must “satisfy the test of novelty or inventiveness” to win patent protection and does not allow minor tweaks -- called “evergreening” -- to prolong patent

life. Obama will this week make his second ofﬁcial visit to India, accompanied by a trade delegation that includes the head of PhRMA, a pharmaceutical trade body. Western companies say India’s powerhouse generics industry and stringent patent ﬁltering reduce commercial incentives to produce cuttingedge medicines. But health campaigners say India’s vast generics industry is a major supplier of cheap, lifesaving drugs to treat diabetes, cancer and other diseases for people cannot afford expensive branded versions.

Myanmar students renew unauthorised education protest YANGON, AFP - Dozens of Myanmar students began a protest march in Mandalay Tuesday, vowing to intensify demonstrations against a new education bill they see as undemocratic after the government failed to meet their demands.

“We gave the government 60 days. But they did not try to have any discussion. We told them we would have strong protest if they didn’t (talk). We feel the government has made us choose this response,” student activist Min Thwe Thit told AFP.

The rally -- which has no permission from the authorities and will see students march on the commercial hub Yangon -is the latest protest over an education law that detractors say will curb academic freedom.

The protest will see students march in a meandering route from Mandalay to the commercial hub Yangon some 360 miles (580 km) away, stopping at provincial universities on the way.

Young campaigners launched their noisy unauthorised parade in Mandalay, Myanmar’s second largest city, calling for education reforms, in a renewed challenge to the government’s legislative plans after previous demonstrations in November were halted to allow talks.

Unauthorised protests are an arrestable offence in the former junta-run nation.

But student leaders said they had been forced to restart protests because the government had yet to meet their demands.

“We are not afraid of a crackdown,” said Min Thwe Thit. “We don’t have any weapons, not even a needle, so if there is a crackdown we will just have to bow our heads and face it.” Students have been a powerful political force in Myanmar’s

modern history and have been at the forefront of several uprisings, including mass protests in 1988 that ended in a bloody military crackdown. Authorities appeared reluctant to stop November’s student rallies even though they lacked permission. This contrasts to multiple arrests at other unauthorised protests in recent months. Students plan to take around two weeks to complete the walk and then to set up a protest camp in Yangon. Critics of the law say it will give central authorities too much control over how universities will be run in areas like curriculum and policy, limiting academic freedoms. They are also campaigning for other key changes, including lifting a ban on student unions and an increase in the education budget.

Pakistan arrests IS militant in Lahore: ofﬁcials

AHORE, A F P , 1/21/2015. - Pakistani security forces have arrested a member of the Islamic State jihadist group and two accomplices in eastern city of Lahore, officials said Wednesday. “A Pakistani Syrian man named Yousaf Al-Salafi and two of his accomplices have been arrested two days ago,” a senior security official told AFP.

Pakistani security forces patrol a street in Rawalpindi on January 9, 2015 ©Farooq Naeem (AFP/File)

“During investigation he has confessed that he was setting up IS operations in Pakistan,” the official said on the condition of anonymity as he was not authorised to speak to media. Al-Salafi, believed to be about 40-years-old, entered Pakistan around five months ago via Turkey and worked with Hafiz Tayyab, an Imam at a local mosque, to recruit Pakistani men to fight in Syria -- charging the IS group about $600 for each person they sent, the official said. The other accomplice was identified only as Doctor Fuwad

from the industrial city of Sialkot who arranged visits for Al-Salafi to various madrassas in that city and neighbouring Gujranwala, he added. During the past five months Al-Salafi also visited Pakistan’s northwestern tribal areas that border Afghanistan and met with Pakistani Taliban militants, the official said. “If he had been free, he might have launched some big attacks in Lahore and other cities,” the official said. A local intelligence official also confirmed the arrests.

There are concerns in Pakistan of the IS group tapping support within Pakistan and Afghanistan, a region awash with dozens of militant groups. Leaﬂets calling for support for IS jihadists have been seen in parts of northwest Pakistan and pro-IS group slogans have appeared on walls in several cities. A video was also recently online purportedly showing dozens of former militants of the Pakistani Taliban pledging allegiance to the IS group and beheading a man they identiﬁed as a Pakistani soldier.

Wickremesinghe said his government would revive a 1987 constitutional amendment that promised a de facto federal ar-

rangement for the island’s Tamil-dominated northern and eastern regions. “We will implement the 13th amendment within a unitary state,” said Wickremesinghe. Successive governments failed to implement the controversial 13th amendment due to pressure from the Sinhalese population, who saw it as a sell-out to the minority community. The country’s main Tamil political party, the Tamil National Alliance, has distanced itself from demands for a separate homeland and said it accepts power-sharing. Sri Lanka’s former president, Mahinda Rajapakse, was a hardline Sinhala nationalist who came to power in 2005 promising an “honourable peace” with Tamil rebels, but ended up ﬁghting against them.

ended the 37-year-old separatist war, but his forces were subsequently accused of killing up to 40,000 Tamil civilians -- a charge he has denied. Wickremesinghe told parliament during its ﬁrst session since the January 8 presidential election that he hoped to push through several pieces of legislation to make key institutions independent. He said the government would establish independent commissions to run the police, the public service, the judiciary and the elections department. A right to information act will also be passed and many of the executive powers currently held by the president will be transferred to parliament, in line with new President Maithripala Sirisena’s election pledge.

Rajapakse ordered a no-holdsbarred military offensive that

The current parliament is due to be dissolved by April, clearing the way for a fresh election.

comments on social media, with many people expressing shock at his language. “It’s very shameful,” said one Facebook user, while another blamed Myanmar’s government for allowing the controversial monk to carry on his activities unchallenged. Wirathu declined to respond in detail to the criticism, only saying that it was “their right” to comment. In his boisterous address to supporters on Friday, the monk had slammed Lee over her criticism of a set of religious “protection” bills that have been championed by hardline clerics. Lee said the draft legislation -- including curbs on interfaith marriage, religious conversion and birth rates -would be a further sign that Myanmar was “backtracking” in its democratic reforms if passed by parliament. Activists say the laws are particularly discriminatory against women and religious minorities in the Buddhist majority country. High-level government support for

the bills has raised fears over growing politicisation of religion in the diverse nation as it heads towards crunch elections later this year that are seen as a key test of its emergence from outright military rule. Religious violence has erupted sporadically across the country since 2012, when unrest between Rohingya Muslims and Buddhists ignited in Rakhine state. Lee also faced protests in Rakhine during her Myanmar visit, over perceived UN bias in favour of the Rohingya. Before leaving Myanmar Friday, Lee said that protesters were entitled to air their views. United Nations spokesman Aye Win said he did not having anything to add when contacted by AFP Tuesday. “These people have availed themselves of their freedom of expression,” he told AFP. Myanmar president’s ofﬁce spokesman Zaw Htay said that no ofﬁcial complaint about Wirathu’s remarks had been received.

Myanmar ﬁrebrand monk defends UN ‘whore’ slur

ANGON, Myanmar Myanmar’s most high profile radical nationalist monk on Tuesday defended calling a UN rights envoy a “whore” over her objections to controversial draft bills seen as discriminatory to women and minorities. After joining hundreds of monks rallying against United Nations Special Rapporteur on Myanmar Yanghee Lee Friday, firebrand cleric Wirathu told supporters that the human rights expert was a “whore in our country” in a fiery speech shared widely on social media. The monk, who has been accused of fanning religious tensions in Myanmar, told AFP that he stood by his comments. “That was the harshest word (I could think of), so I used it. If I could find a harsher word, I would have used it. It is nothing compared to what she did to our country,” said the monk, who has accused the UN of trying to “interfere” in the nation’s affairs. His speech generated a flurry of

WORLD/US

VOICE OF ASIA 10

FRIDAY, January 23, 2015

US lawsuit demands terror label on Indian group

Paris to sue Fox News for reports on Muslim ‘no-go zones’

EW YORK, United States | AFP | 1/21/2015 Sikh activists said they ﬁled a lawsuit Wednesday in New York demanding the United States blacklist as a terrorist organization a hardline Hindu group linked to India’s ruling party.

ARIS, AFP | 1/20/2015 - The city of Paris said Tuesday it plans to sue US chain Fox News for reports that there were “no-go zones” in the French capital that police and non-Muslims avoid.

The federal court issued a summons for US Secretary of State John Kerry to respond to the suit within 60 days, according to court papers sent to AFP by US-based advocacy group “Sikhs For Justice.” The 26-page complaint likened Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to Nigeria’s armed group Boko Haram. It held the RSS, the ideological mentor of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), responsible for instigating multiple acts of violence.

Activists accused RSS of “running a passionate, vicious and violent campaign to turn India into a ‘Hindu’ nation with a homogeneous religious and cultural identity.”

The group came under ﬁre last month after 200 Christians were converted en masse in Modi’s home state, fanning concern at the right-wing government’s perceived pro-Hindu tilt.

The lawsuit comes with US President Barack Obama to be guest of honor at India’s Republic Day celebrations on January 26.

Kerry held talks with Modi in India this month, hailing him as a “visionary” poised to transform the Indian economy.

A New York judge last week dismissed on grounds of immunity a lawsuit that accused Modi of “attempted genocide” over deadly 2002 anti-Muslim riots that killed at least 1,000 people. Gurpatwant Pannun, legal advisor to Sikhs for Justice, told AFP they ﬁled the suit after Kerry failed to respond to a written request last month for the State Department to blacklist RSS.

India is a secular country under the constitution and religious freedom is considered a fundamental right. But critics say Hindu hardline groups have become emboldened since the BJP was elected, promoting a Hindu-dominant agenda. Sikhs for Justice is a small non-proﬁt group that Pannun said was backed by “most” of the estimated 500,000 Sikhs who live in the United States.

US Senate: Yes, climate change is real

ASHINGTON, AFP- In a surprise move, US Senate Republicans joined Democrats and went on record Wednesday acknowledging that climate change is real.

The symbolic amendment, attached to a controversial bill authorizing contruction of the Keystone XL oil pipeline, was approved 98-1 after Senator James Inhofe, seen as the top climate change denier in Congress, announced he was supporting the legislation. Inhofe however strongly rejected any suggestion that human activity was responsible for climate change. The move can be seen as a critical step forward for US lawmakers, but it is not a revolutionary one. The 16-word measure states: “It is the sense of the Senate that climate change is real and

not a hoax.”

It makes no mention of the impact of human activity, including the use of fossil fuels, on global warming. Two other measures attributing climate change to human activity failed to pass the 60vote threshold in the 100-member Senate, although one got ﬁve Republican votes and the other received 14. “This is a small victory but an important one,” Senator Barbara Boxer, top Democrat on the Senate’s environmental panel, told reporters. “It means that there’s a softening of the attitude of the deniers. They’re losing ground in the face of public opinion.” Senator Brian Schatz, who introduced the failed measure with the most direct attribution of climate change to hu-

man activity, said Wednesday’s progress “exceeded my expectations.” “There is an emerging bipartisan group of people who believe that climate change is real and caused by humans and solvable,” he said. The measures were introduced by Democrats keen on highlighting differences with some Republicans on the simmering issue of climate policy. Republicans hold the majority in both the Senate and the House of Representatives following November congressional elections. But with the 2016 presidential race on the horizon, Republican leaders may have agreed to hold votes on the measures now in order to avoid potentially embarrassing climate votes in the midst of a White House race. Applause rippled through the chamber when Inhofe declared

The reports in the wake of the Islamist attacks in Paris two weeks ago have been widely derided and prompted Fox to issue an on-air apology for suggesting parts of Paris and the English city of Birmingham were run under Islamic Shariah law. “A complaint will be ﬁled in the coming days,” despite the apology, said a source at Paris city hall. The news channel broadcast

a map outlining the so-called no-go zones, which an expert, Nolan Peterson said felt like Afghanistan or Iraq. On Saturday a Fox news anchor apologised for “some regrettable errors on air regarding the Muslim population in Europe, particularly with regard to England and France. “Now this applies especially to discussions of so-called nogo zones, areas where nonMuslims allegedly are not allowed in and police supposedly won’t go,” the anchor said. The Fox reports spawned much derision online and saw local news show Le Petit Journal send fake correspondents Mike and John to report on

these so-called dangerous areas. “Oh my God it’s an Islamist, he has a beard,” one of the jittery reporters cries as a taxi pulls up. Another takes fright at the sight of a Moroccan restaurant: “Oh my God a couscous! Very dangerous couscous in Paris!” Asked about the prospect of a lawsuit, Fox News executive vice president Michael Clemente said: “We empathize with the citizens of France as they go through a healing process and return to everyday life. “However, we ﬁnd the mayor’s comments regarding a lawsuit misplaced.”

IS executing ‘educated women’ in new wave of horror says UN

ENEVA, AFP - The UN on Tuesday decried numerous executions of civilians in Iraq by the Islamic State group, warning that educated women appeared to be especially at risk. The jihadist group is showing he was co-sponsoring the measure saying climate change is not a hoax. “Climate always changed,” Inhofe said, noting there was archaeological, historic and “biblical evidence” of that. “The hoax is, that there are some people who think they are so arrogant to think that they are so powerful that they can change the climate. Man can’t change climate,” Inhofe insisted. During his State of the Union address Tuesday, President Barack Obama chided Republicans for refusing to acknowledge scientiﬁc conclusions that human activity is impacting the climate.

a “monstrous disregard for human life” in the areas it controls in Iraq, the UN human rights office said. The group, which controls large swathes of territory in Iraq and in neighbouring warravaged Syria, last week published pictures of the “crucifixions” of two men accused of being bandits, and of a woman being stoned to death, allegedly for adultery. Numerous other women have also reportedly been executed recently in IS-controlled areas, including Mosul, spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani told reporters. She said “educated, professional women, particularly women who have run as candidates in elections for public office, seem to be particularly at risk.” “In just the first two weeks of this year, reports indicate that three female lawyers were executed,” Shamdasani said.

A number of other groups are also targeted by the jihadists, Shamdasani said, pointing to “the ruthless murder of two men, who were thrown off the top of a building after having been accused of homosexual acts by a so-called court in Mosul.” Minorities are not the only ones suffering, with IS meting out “cruel and inhuman punishments” to anyone accused of violating its “extremist interpretations of Islamic Sharia law, or for suspected disloyalty,” she said. Four doctors were recently killed in central Mosul, allegedly after refusing to treat IS ﬁghters. The group also reportedly executed 15 civilians in front of a large crowd in Fallujah on January 1, on suspicion they had cooperated with Iraqi security forces, and 14 more in a public square in Dour, north of Tikrit, for refusing to pledge allegiance to IS, Shamdasani said.

VOICE OF ASIA 11

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The future is men’s fashion, says Italian talent Pompilio by Amelie Herenstein

ILAN, Italy | AFP - He’s wowing fashionistas at Milan Men’s Fashion Week, and rising star designer Andrea Pompilio says this is just the beginning, with a host of young labels like his ready to revitalise the menswear industry. Italian-born Pompilio, who showed off a Fall-Winter 2015 runway collection on Saturday inspired by his grandfather’s military uniforms, is one of the “new generation” of designers admitted to the prestigious week of catwalk shows. “I’ve probably been lucky, I ended up here automatically. It’s true I’ve worked 20 years for big fashion houses, so I know exactly how to move and how to approach the world of fashion,” he told AFP in an interview. After experience at houses including Calvin Klein and Yves Saint Laurent, and with a master’s degree from Italy’s fashion and design school Istituto Marangoni under his belt, Pompilio launched his ﬁrst men’s collection in 2010. With the help of the National

A model displays a creation by designer Andrea Pompilio during the Onitsuka Tiger and Andrea Pompilio 2015 spring/summer collection at Tokyo Fashion Week in the Japanese capital Tokyo on October 17, 2014 (AFP Photo/Toru Yamanaka) Chamber of Italian Fashion, increasing numbers of young designers like him are breaking into Milan’s famously exclusive inner circle. The chamber has “done very good things for the young (designers) in Italy recently. There are lots of new brands emerg-

ing, on both the feminine and masculine side,” he said. Pompilio has seen the industry evolve, and says a lot more men are interested in fashion -a trend which he says could see the menswear shows rival its much bigger sister, Women’s Fashion Week, before too long.

“It’s a big business which is growing season by season. Men are beginning to buy magazines and understand how the world of fashion works. They keep up to date,” he said.

Top & Below: A model walks the runway during the Andrea Pompilio show as a part of Milan Menswear Fashion Week Fall Winter 2015/2016 as during the on January 17, 2015 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Tullio M. Puglia/Getty Images)

“I think this is only the start.”

‘Lifestyle’ diseases kill 16 mn prematurely: WHO by Nina LARSON

eneva, AFP - Diseases linked to lifestyle choices, including diabetes and some cancers, kill 16 million people prematurely each year, the World Health Organization said Monday, urging action to stop the “slow-moving public health disaster”. Unhealthy habits like smoking, alcohol abuse and consuming too much fat, salt and sugar have sparked an epidemic of diseases which together constitute the leading cause of death globally, WHO said. This “lifestyle disease” epidemic “causes a much greater public health threat than any other epidemic known to man,” said Shanthi Mendis, the lead author of WHO’s Chronic Diseases Prevention and Management report. Non-communicable diseases (NCDs), like cardiovascular conditions, diabetes, lung disease and a range of cancers, killed a full 38 million people around the globe in 2012 -- 16 million of them under the age of 70.

Unhealthy habits like consuming too much fat, salt and sugar have sparked an epidemic of diseases, health experts say (AFP Photo/Philippe Huguen) “Not thousands are dying, but millions are dying ... every year in their 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s, not in their 80s and 90s,” said Mendis. “It’s beyond belief that it is

seemingly invisible,” she told reporters ahead of the launch. Most of the world’s 16 million premature NCD deaths each year -- 82 percent -- occur in

poor and middle income countries, and most of them could be averted with just small investments, the report found. “The global community has the chance to change the course of the NCD epidemic,” WHO chief Margaret Chan said in a statement. Millions of lives could be saved if the world over the next decade invests just $11.2 billion each year, or $1-3 per person, on promoting healthier habits, the report found. - Devastating consequences Today, some six million people die prematurely each year due to tobacco use, 3.3 million deaths are linked to alcohol abuse, 3.2 million to lacking physical activity and 1.7 million

to eating too much salt, according to WHO ﬁndings.

ucts combined with signiﬁcant price hikes and health warnings has pushed smoking rates down 13.4-percent since 2008.

A full 42 million children under the age of ﬁve are considered to be obese, and an estimated 84 percent of adolescents do not get enough exercise, Mendis said, describing the situations as “extremely frightening.”

A move in Hungary to heavily tax unhealthy food and drink components has meanwhile led to a 27-percent drop in junk food sales, the report said.

The international community has staked out nine global targets for shifting unhealthy habits with the aim of slashing premature NCD deaths by a quarter between 2011 and 2025.

But while some countries have made progress, most will fall short of the 2025 target, WHO said, warning that inaction would have far-reaching consequences.

Simple and inexpensive steps like banning advertising of tobacco and alcohol products and taxing foods and drinks that contain high levels of salt and caffeine has already proven successful in a range of countries, WHO said.

“When people fall sick and die in the prime of their lives, productivity suffers, and the cost of treating diseases can be devastating,” the UN health agency said.

In Turkey, for instance, an advertising ban on tobacco prod-

It has estimated that if nothing is done to improve the situation, premature NCD deaths will suck $7.0 trillion out of the global economy over the next decade.

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LEISURE

VOICE OF ASIA 13

Citrus caviar: France discovers Australia’s exotic condiment

FRIDAY, January 23, 2015

Two more planets in our Solar System: astronomers by Richard INGHAM

ARIS, AFP - The Solar System has at least two more planets waiting to be discovered beyond the orbit of Pluto, Spanish and British astronomers say. The ofﬁcial list of planets in our star system runs to eight, with gas giant Neptune the outermost. Beyond Neptune, Pluto was relegated to the status of “dwarf planet” by the International Astronomical Union in 2006, although it is still championed by some as the most distant planet from the Sun. In a study published in the latest issue of the British journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society,

span between Earth and the Sun -- nearly 150 million kilometres (almost 93 million miles). ETNOs should also be more or less on the same orbital plane as the Solar System planets. But observations of about a dozen ETNOs have suggested a quite different picture, the study says. If correct, they imply that ETNOs are scattered much more widely, at between 150 and 525 AU, and with an orbital inclination of about 20 degrees. To explain this anomaly, the study suggests some very large objects -- planets -- must be in the neighbourhood and their

least two planets, and probably more, within the confines of our Solar System,” the Spanish scientific news agency Sinc quoted him as saying. “If it is confirmed, our results may be truly revolutionary for astronomy.” So far, there is no direct evidence to substantiate the theory. Marcos’s team, which includes astrophysicists at the University of Cambridge, devised a model based on changes previously observed in the orbit of a comet called 96P/ Machholz 1 when it came near Jupiter, the biggest planet in the Solar System. Based on this model, the

View of different varieties of Australian ﬁnger lime (microcitrus australasica) also know as “lime caviar”, taken on December 23, 2014 in Eus, southwestern France Heerah.

by Sandra LAFFONT

ARIS, AFP - French wholesaler Alain Cohen is the gastronomic equivalent of a gold digger, constantly on the lookout for new culinary treasures. When he makes what he thinks is a major find he presents it to French celebrity chef Alain Ducasse -- usually to discover Ducasse got there first. With one exception. “The only time I caught him out was with citrus caviar,” says Cohen, who specialises in fruits and vegetables. Plucked from the obscurity of the Australian rainforest, the small gherkin-shaped citrus is the hottest new thing in French cuisine. When squeezed, the “microcitrus australasica” -- also known as finger lime -- releases tiny caviar-like pearls of tart juice. A few seeds on an oyster, sushi, salmon or salad packs a powerful alchemical punch. “The first time I tasted it I was overwhelmed,” Antoine Heerah, a Paris chef who trained under Michelin threestar supremo Alain Passard, says, describing the fruit as “both playful and revolutionary”. Playful, because the tiny pearls roll under the tongue and explode in the mouth, releasing a bitter, citrus flavour that is more acidic than a lime but softer than a lemon. For Heerah, who runs the Chamarre Montmartre restaurant, the new ingredient is “very 21st century” -- simple to use but with the power to turn the mundane into the magical. Playful and revolutionary’

Both Cohen and Heerah are disciples of Michel and Benedicte Baches. At their farm near Perpignan in southern France the couple both cultivate new citrus fruits and inject new life into existing varieties. Michel happened upon the fruit about 25 years ago, shortly after Australian citrus growers brought it in from the wild and started cultivating ﬁnger lime. Using imported seeds he began growing and experimenting with natural hybrids until he came up with his own variety, which he named “citron caviar” (citrus caviar). The Australian fruit contains yellow seeds that are spicy in the mouth, with an acidic aftertaste. The skin, which can be dried and grated, contains notes of lemongrass and lemon balm. The version developed by the Baches resembles a big olive, with a pink skin tinged with green and pearly pink seeds that are less sharply acidic and have a grapefruit or red fruits aroma. Adding to its appeal, as Michel points out, is the fact that it has “no pips!” “Demand has not stopped growing since 2000,” said Georgie MacDougall of Australia’s Wild Fingerlime Group, who exports the delicacy to Europe. The celebrated Spanish chef Ferran Adria, who pushed the boundaries of cuisine with hitech methods to deconstruct and rebuild food in surprising ways, is touted as one of the ﬁrst to use it on the continent. “You must think of it as a condiment that can be used on sweet or savoury dishes,” says

“On its own, it’s perfect on raw food, like carpaccio of scallops or sea bass. It creates a spectacularly attractive effect.” Removing the caviar gently from the fruit he lays it on a “creme chiboust”, a type of pastry cream, that he has blended with a lime frozen parfait, then adds a drizzle of honey and pours on a coulis made from another fashionable citrus fruit, the Japanese yuzu. ‘Explodes in the mouth’ Renowned chocolate sculptor Patrick Roger uses citrus caviar seeds in a lemon ganache, wrapped in a half sphere of dark chocolate. “The chocolate surrounding the citric acid creates alchemy and explodes in the mouth,” he says. As the word gets out, the lime’s luxury cousin is ﬁnding its way onto the high street, into France’s luxury grocers. With a retail price of about 100 euros ($117 euros) a kilo (2.2 pounds)-- about two euros a piece and more than twice the price in Australia -- it’s one of the world’s most expensive citrus fruits.

Chitram TV is an IPTV/ OTT service provider which has been illegally broadcasting the signals of the Indian origin channels Zee, MSM (Sony), Star and Viacom and certain other regional Indian television networks which are members of IBF) for quite some time. Recently Chitram TV launched its mobile application on android and ios devices in an attempt to widen its distribution and reach. The broadcasters took up the issue of Chitram’s illegal broadcast and Apple and

Google have now removed these channels from their ios and Android platforms. This is a major victory for the members of IBF in their fight against online piracy. These Indian broadcasters, who have joined hands to collectively fight digital piracy, are considering initiating legal proceedings against Chitram TV and other pirate platforms in multiple jurisdictions outside. None of the members of IBF (viz. Zee, MSM (Sony), Star and Viacom) has authorised Chitram TV to carry their channels on any media platform let alone digital. IBF understands that Chitram TV continues to distribute the Indian channels via IPTV/OTT particularly outside India. IBF members have buckled up to fight the pirates like Chitram TV to preserve the integrity of their channels and content.

researchers propose that “at least two” planets lie beyond Pluto.

gravitational force is bossing the much smaller ETNOs around.

Their calculations are based on the unusual orbital behaviour of very distant space rocks called extreme trans-Neptunian objects, or ETNOs.

“This excess of objects with unexpected orbital parameters makes us believe that some invisible forces are altering the distribution” of the ETNOs, said Carlos de la Fuente Marcos of the Complutense University of Madrid.

In theory, ETNOs should be dispersed in a band some 150 Astronomical Units (AU) from the Sun. An AU, a measurement of Solar System distance, is the

“The exact number is uncertain, given that the data we have is limited, but our calculations suggest that there are at

movement of the ETNOs was consistent with one planet at nearly 200 AU and another at about 250 AU, they said. Last year, the ALMA advanced telescope, located in Chile’s bone-dry Atacama desert, found that planets in other star systems can form hundreds of AU from their sun. Neptune orbits at an average distance of about 30 AU, and Pluto, which has a highly eccentric orbit, circles the Sun at an average of about 40 AU.

Working too hard can drive you to booze: study

The high cost reﬂects the limited supplies of the produce. Baches, the only known grower of citrus caviar in France, produces some 800-900 kilos a year. He is currently working on a new variety crossed with blood oranges, which should yield red seeds. Outside of France, the Australians are getting back into the fruit, and the Californians and Israelis are also starting to grow their own, but for the moment, citrus caviar is still -- as beﬁts the name - a niche business.

Major Indian channels removed from Chitram TV App n a major breakthrough, sending a strong message to organised pirates of content in the digital space, certain members of Indian Broadcasting Foundation (“IBF”) have succeeded in their efforts to remove their channels from recently launched android and ios applications of ‘Chitram TV’ on Google and Apple play stores.

Two more planets in our Solar System: astronomers

With the rapid advent of technology enabling the dissemination of content across digital platforms, there are enormous revenue opportunities for broadcasters and other content owners. The Indian channels which are available in more than 100 countries around the world are extremely popular amongst the South Asian diaspora. All of these channels have launched their own digital platforms and mobile apps but piracy has been a major stumbling block in revenue monetisation. Isolated efforts of the broadcasters could have achieved little. Now that the Indian broadcasters stand united in their ﬁght against digital piracy, their efforts will provide a greater impetus in the global effort to combat digital piracy. More information about IBF and its members can be obtained by visiting its website www.ibﬁndia.com

More than a dozen developed economies were covered by the research, .inquirer.net Photo.

ARIS, AFP - It’s true: working too hard can drive you to drink, said researchers Wednesday who warned of the health risks of such dual excess. An overview of studies covering more than 400,000 people showed that individuals who exceed 48 working hours per week -- the European Union’s suggested maximum -- are likelier to consume “risky” quantities of alcohol, they said. The paper, published in The BMJ journal, reported that long working hours boosted the likelihood of higher alcohol intake by 11 percent overall. People who worked 49-54 hours a week ran a 13-percent higher risk of developing a “risky alcohol use” habit compared to counterparts who worked a 35-40hour work week. Those working 55 hours or more were 12 percent more at risk. “Risky” alcohol use was deﬁned as more than 14 units

per week for a woman and more than 21 for a man -levels that have been linked to a higher risk for liver and heart disease, cancer, stroke and mental disorders.

aches and pains and smooth the transition between work life and home life,” Cassandra Okechukwu of the Harvard School of Public Health wrote in an editorial.

An alcohol unit is the equivalent of a third of a pint of medium-strength beer, half a 175-millilitre (six ﬂuid ounces) glass of red wine with 12 percent alcohol by volume, or a 25 ml-shot of whisky,

Long working hours have previously been linked to cardiovascular disease, depression and anxiety.

The ﬁndings add statistical backing to anecdotal evidence for a link between excessive work and alcohol abuse, the authors said. More than a dozen developed economies were covered by the research, including Belgium, Britain, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Japan, New Zealand, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan and the United States. “This meta-analysis supports the longstanding suspicion that among workers subjected to long working hours, alcohol can seem like a fast acting and effective way to dull work-related

The increased risk of developing a “risky” drinking habit from over-work was small in absolute terms, Okechukwu said. Also, having a job was associated with a lower prevalence of alcohol consumption and a higher chance of recovery from alcohol misuse than being unemployed. Even so, the risk should be taken seriously. “Any exposure associated with avoidable increases in disease or health damaging behaviour, or both, warrants careful examination,” said Okechukwu. “Indeed, these ﬁndings could add impetus to further regulation of working hours as a public health intervention.”

Young Life

VOICE OF ASIA 14

Friday, January 23, 2015

Section 2

Page 14

FRIDAY, January 23, 2015

Email: editor@voiceofasiaonline.com

Tel: 713-774-5140

13-year-old wonder boy starts What Every Parent Needs Silicon Valley company to Know About Changes

in the Classroom

Shubham Banerjee launched a company to develop a low-cost machine to print Braille materials for the blind. (AP Photo) by Terence Chea, AP,

ANTA CLARA, California ((Jan 20, 2015) - In Silicon Valley, it’s never too early to become an entrepreneur. Just ask 13-yearold Shubham Banerjee. The California eighth-grader has launched a company to develop low-cost machines to print Braille, the tactile writing system for the visually impaired. Tech giant Intel Corp. recently invested in his startup, Braigo Labs. Shubham built a Braille printer with a Lego robotics kit as a school science fair project last year after he asked his parents a simple question: How do blind people read? “Google it,” they told him. Shubham then did some online research and was shocked to learn that Braille printers, also called embossers, cost at least $2,000 (Rs 123,580)--too expensive for most blind readers, especially in developing countries. “I just thought that price should not be there. I know that there is a simpler way to do this,” said Shubham, who demonstrated how his printer works at the kitchen table where he spent many late nights building it with a Lego Mindstorms EV3 kit. Shubham wants to develop a desktop Braille printer that costs around $350 and weighs just a few pounds, compared with current models that can weigh more than 20 pounds (nine kilograms). The machine could be used to print Braille reading materials on paper, using raised dots instead of ink, from a personal computer or electronic device. “My end goal would probably be having most of the blind

people ... using my Braille printer,” said Shubham, who lives in the Silicon Valley suburb of Santa Clara, just minutes away from Intel headquarters. After the “Braigo”--a name that combines Braille and Lego--won numerous awards and enthusiastic support from the blind community, Banerjee started Braigo Labs last summer with an initial $35,000 investment from his dad. “We as parents started to get involved more, thinking that he’s on to something and this innovation process has to continue,” said his father, Niloy Banerjee, an engineer who works for Intel. Shubham (centre left) works on a prototype for his braille printer joined by his family including mom Malini ( left), sister Anoushka, 8 (centrr right), and dad Neil (right) at the family’s home in Santa Clara, California. (AP Photo) Shubham used the money to build a more sophisticated version of his Lego-based printer using an off-the-shelf desktop printer and a newly released Intel computer chip. The new model, Braigo 2.0, can translate electronic text into Braille before printing. Intel executives were so impressed with Shubham’s printer that in November they invested an undisclosed sum in his startup. Intel ofﬁcials believe he’s the youngest entrepreneur to receive venture capital, money invested in exchange for a ﬁnancial stake in the company. “He’s solving a real problem, and he wants to go off and disrupt an existing industry. And that’s really what it’s all about,” said Edward Ross, director of Inventor Platforms at Intel.

Braigo Labs is using the money to hire professional engineers and advisers to help design and build Braille printers based on Shubham’s ideas. The company aims to have a prototype ready for blind organizations to test this summer and have a Braigo printer on the market later this year, Niloy Banerjee said. “This Braille printer is a great way for people around the world who really don’t have many resources at all to learn Braille and to use it practically,” said Henry Wedler, who is blind and working on a doctorate in chemistry at the University of California, Davis. Wedler has become an adviser to Braigo Labs. An affordable printer would allow the visually impaired readers to print out letters, household labels, shopping lists and short reading materials on paper in Braille, said Lisamaria Martinez, community services director at the San Francisco Lighthouse for the Blind, a nonproﬁt center that serves the visually impaired and prints Braille materials for public agencies. “I love the fact that a young person is thinking about a community that is often not thought about,” said Martinez, who is visually impaired.

HomeworkHelp. Photo source: (c) Joshua Resnick - Fotolia.com

f you have school- age children, you likely have heard about the new Common Core State Standards. Already adopted by forty-three states, the District of Columbia, four territories, and the Department of Defense Education Activity, the Common Core focuses on developing the criticalthinking, problem-solving and analytical skills students will need to be successful in college and the workforce. What does this mean for your children and their education?

their required reading with a wide range of elected choices, such as classical myths, historical documents and seminal literature. If you don’t already frequent the library, consider making that part of your family’s routine.

With these new standards in place, parents may need to offer their students extra support. How can you help your young scholars be better prepared to meet the new challenges of the classroom?

Supplement classroom learning with free online resources. For example, Casio Education offers in-depth information about standardized tests, including sample questions from various state exams. They also offer webinars and reference guides to help both students and teachers make better use of technology in math class, including topical calculator instruction. Free education resources and information can be found at www.CasioEducation. com.

English Language Arts Vocabulary development is a major component of the new standards for English Language Arts. Encourage your children to build their vocabulary organically by supplementing

Analysis and comprehension of reading is also important. So consider reading the same articles as your children and discussing what you both learned. Mathematics

Math is all around us -- from sports statistics to creating a family budget to investing for college. Parents can leverage real-life events and circumstances to both illustrate the importance of math comprehension, as well as help students further understand the Common Core curriculum. “Mathematics education is most meaningful when it promotes abstract and quantitative reasoning skills and appeals to innate human curiosity,” says Yuji Sasajima, vice president of Casio’s education division. “We’ve developed programs and technologies that allow teachers and students to take on the Common Core curriculum from multiple fronts.” Students will need to adjust the way they learn to keep up with changes in the classroom. By learning more about the Common Core standards, parents can help ease the transition. SOURCE: StatePoint

Shubham is too young to be CEO of his own company, so his mother has taken the job, though she admits she wasn’t too supportive when he started the project. “I’m really proud of Shubham. What he has thought, I think most adults should have thought about it,” Malini Banerjee said. “And coming out of my 13-year-old, I do feel very proud.”

Majority of young women and men prefer egalitarian relationships, study shows

USTIN, Texas (Jan. 20, 2015.) — The majority of young women and men today would prefer an egalitarian relationship in which work and family responsibilities are shared equally between partners if that possibility were available to them, according to a new study from the University of Texas at Austin and the University of California-Santa Barbara. The study, to be published in the February issue of the American Sociological Review, was co-authored by David S. Pedulla, an assistant professor of sociology and a faculty research associate in the Population Research Center at the University of Texas at Austin, and Sarah Thébaud, an assistant professor of sociology and a faculty research associate in the Broom Center for Demography at the University of California-Santa Barbara. In a survey experiment conducted with a nationally representative sample of unmarried, childless men and women between the ages of

18 and 32 in the United States, the researchers asked respondents how they would ideally like to structure their relationship with a future spouse or partner in terms of balancing work and family life. The study ﬁnds that when the option is made available to them, the majority of respondents — regardless of gender or education level — opt for a relationship in which they would share earning and household/caregiving responsibilities equally with their partner. Additionally, the study ﬁnds that if workplace policies that support work-family balance, such as subsidized child care, are in place, women are even more likely to prefer an egalitarian relationship and much less likely to want to be the primary homemaker or caregiver. “This research highlights an important disjuncture between the ideals and preferences of young men and women and the workplace policies and practices that are currently standard in the United States,” Thébaud said.

These findings also shed light on the factors contributing to persistent gender inequality and the ways in which government and organizational policies could be redesigned to improve the lives of young men and women. “Our study provides compelling evidence that if policies such as flexible scheduling, parental leave, and subsidized child care were universally in place, women would be even more likely to want an egalitarian relationship with their partner and much less likely to want to be primarily responsible for housework and childcare,” Pedulla said. “These findings offer new insights that may be useful in guiding policymakers and organizations that are interested in reducing gender inequality and improving the work and family lives of young men and women.” The findings from this study also contribute new insights in the context of recent public debates about whether women should “lean in” and whether they can “have it all.” “A key implication of this

research is that men’s and women’s current work-family arrangements are often suboptimal and result from a particular set of unsupportive workplace policies and practices,” Thébaud said. “What our study helps to show is that if we were to change the work-

place policy environment, we would likely see changes in how people express their ideal preferences for balancing work and family life.” For more information, contact: David Ochsner, College of Liberal Arts, 512 626 0788;

David Pedulla, Department of Sociology, College of Liberal Arts, 512-232-6462; Sarah Thébaud, Department of Sociology and Broom Center for Demography, University of California-Santa Barbara, 607-351-4428. (Source: UT Austin)

VOICE OF ASIA 15

BOLLYWOOD MASALA

FRIDAY, January 23, 2015

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Telugu actress Priya Banerjee bags a role in Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s Jazbaa!

newbie to the Telugu ﬁlm industry, got her big break in Bollywood thanks to social media. Read on to ﬁnd out how

Sanjay sir was still in the process of zeroing in on a girl for an integral part of the ﬁlm. The ﬁlm’s casting director (Honey Trehan) was yet to cast anyone, when one day, someone tagged sir on Twitter with a video featuring Priya. Since sir had some free time on hand, he — without any inkling of the video’s content or intention to cast her — saw it and was immediately hooked.”

The migration of Southern hotties to Bollywood is not something unheard of. A-listers like Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Priyanka Chopra, Deepika Padukone, made their debut in South Indian cinema, before treading to rule B-town. Now, yet another Southern actress, Priya Banerjee, is all set to make her Hindi debut with Bachchan bahu’s comeback film, Jazbaa. It is to be noted that Priya Banerjee is relatively new in Tollywood and is not a known face is South Indian cinema. Then, how did the pretty lass bag Sanjay Gupta’s film? Well, its all thanks to Twitter. Apparently, Sanjay Gupta saw a video of Priya from her Tamil film on Twitter and took an instant liking towards her. A source close to the producer says,”

Sanjay Gupta confirmed the news saying, “Actually, someone had tagged me with a video that had one of Priya’s Tamil films and a short film. I watched it, and thought she looked superb. Then, I asked my casting director to find the

girl. Later, when we found out that she hasn’t signed any other Hindi film, we auditioned, and she was impressive there. She is a fine actor and plays an important role in the film.” While Priya Banerjee would be thanking her stars and social media, it would be interesting to see if the leggy lass manages to create a name for herself in B-town or will she fade away like numerous South heroines in the past. We believe Jazbaa will provide the actress a perfect platform, as there is no better way to debut than to act along with Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, who made her entry into Bollywood under similar circumstances

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Priya Banerjee (rt).

When Bollywood came to Scotland VisitScotland is launching a campaign to encourage Bollywood ﬁlm fans to come to Scotland. The ﬁlm was a critical and commercial success. Its soundtrack was scored by AR Rahman, who would later win an Oscar for his Slumdog Millionaire soundtrack. This 2002 Bollywood comedy starring Salman Khan and Amisha Patel uses a range of locations in Edinburgh and Glasgow. Khan romances Patel on Edinburgh’s Princes Street, plays saxophone outside the Scottish National Gallery and dances on a rooftop next to the Balmoral Hotel. Aishwarya Rai in Kandukondain Kandukondain from 2000, with Eilean Donan castle in the background Aishwarya Rai in Kandukondain Kandukondain from 2000, with Eilean Donan castle in the background. Rajiv Menon Productions.

ver the past two decades there have been 23 Indian ﬁlms that have used Scottish locations. A new map showing the ﬁlms and their locations will be made available to the Indian travel trade to give to the estimated 34,000 visitors who are expected to come to Scotland over the next year. The Bollywood industry, based in the Indian city of Mumbai, is famous for its lavish productions and extravagant song and dance routines.

The ﬁrst Bollywood ﬁlms to shoot in Scotland were screen legend Dev Anand’s Main Solah Baras Ki (Sweet Sixteen) and Karan Johar’s Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (Something Happens in My Heart) in 1998. They featured Scottish landmarks including Edinburgh’s Royal Mile, Eilean Donan Castle in the Highlands and Crossraguel Abbey in Ayrshire. Here is a small selection of when Bollywood met Scotland:

Aishwarya Rai and Abbas in Kandukondain Kandukondain near Eilean Donan castle Kandukondain Kandukondain is a Tamil musical and romantic ﬁlm based on Jane Austen’s novel Sense and Sensibility.

In Glasgow, Khan performs with bhangra dancers in George Square. Aftab and Kirti arrive at the magniﬁcent Regency castle at Blairquhan in Ayrshire to the sound of bagpipes and Dalip Tahil wears tartan. How much more Scottish can Bollywood get?

Among the other locations are Glasgow’s George Square and the City Chambers, where Sunil and Arjun have a heated exchange, and the University of Glasgow Memorial Chapel steps, where Aftab and Kirti meet Raza Murad. The ﬁlm’s ﬁnale takes place at Overtoun House, a stunning country pile near Dumbarton.

Loch Lomond, Culzean Castle and Clyde FC’s Broadwood stadium also make an appearance in the ﬁlm. Sanjay Kapoor and Raveena Tandon create memories to last a lifetime at Duntreath Castle and in the majestic Glen Coe. There are also scenes ﬁlmed at Stirling Castle and the picture-perfect Inveraray.

The ﬁlm was an early role in the acting career of former Miss World Aishwarya Rai. She came to Scotland to ﬁlm the title song in the west Highlands, with Eilean Donan as a backdrop.

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Scene from the ﬁnale of Pyaar Ishq Aur Mohabbat (2001) at Overtoun House, near Dumbarton. Credit: Trimurti Films

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VOICE OF ASIA 16

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US study finds inner city doesn’t raise asthma risk

IAMI, AFP | 1/20/2015 - A US study out Tuesday including more than 23,000 children has debunked the long-standing belief that living in the inner city raises the risk of asthma.

questions about asthma in their homes.

poverty level of the surrounding neighborhood.

ics (nine percent) or Asians (eight percent).

The results showed that 13 percent of inner-city kids had asthma, compared with 11 percent of children living outside of inner cities.

Several decades ago, innercity life was thought to raise the risk of asthma due to a number of factors, including pollution, pests and smoking.

Instead, it found that being poor, African-American or Puerto Rican were more signiﬁcant risk factors for asthma than urban living, said the ﬁndings by researchers at the John Hopkins University.

When researchers accounted for other variables, like race, ethnicity and geographic region, the differences disappeared.

“Our results highlight the changing face of pediatric asthma and suggest that living in an urban area is, by itself, not a risk factor for asthma,” said lead investigator Corinne Keet, a pediatric allergy and asthma specialist at Johns Hopkins.

The study published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology compared asthma rates inside cities to suburban and rural areas. Parents and caregivers of more than 23,000 children, ages six to 17, answered survey

They found a strong association between poverty and asthma, in addition to AfricanAmerican and Puerto Rican heritage. As family income fell, asthma risk climbed. Researchers said the results showed that family poverty had a stronger inﬂuence on asthma risk than the

“Instead, we see that poverty and being African American or Puerto Rican are the most potent predictors of asthma risk.” The rate of asthma among African-American children was 17 percent, and among those of Puerto Rican descent it was 20 percent, said the study. Those ﬁgures were “disproportionately higher” than whites (10 percent), or Hispan-

But those risks are likely to be just as present in rural areas as they are in cities, experts said. “Our ﬁndings suggest that focusing on inner cities as the epicenters of asthma may lead physicians and public health experts to overlook newly emerging ‘hot zones’ with high asthma rates,” said senior author Elizabeth Matsui, pediatric asthma specialist and associate professor of pediatrics and epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

Industrialisation, WWI helped fuel TB spread: study by Mariette LE ROUX ARIS AFP | 1/19/2015.A virulent group of TB germs spread from East Asia in waves propelled by industrialisation, World War I and Soviet collapse to yield some of the drug-resistant strains plaguing the world today, a study said Monday. Researchers’ massive trawl through nearly 5,000 TB samples from 99 countries pinpointed changes in the DNA code to draw a partial family tree of the germ Mycobacterium tuberculosis. A branch of that tree known as the “Beijing lineage” begins in a region around northeast China, Korea and Japan some 6,600 years ago, said a study published in the journal Nature Genetics. It evolved into several sub-lineages and strains, spreading eastward to Micronesia and Polynesia and westward to central Asia, Russia and eastern Europe. The migration waves have become more pronounced over the past two centuries, spurred by industrialisation and urbanisation, as well as episodes of widespread deprivation like World War I that brought infected and vulnerable people close together. Among the toughest modernday versions -- two multi-drug resistant (MDR) clones, started spreading through eastern Eu-

FRIDAY, January 23, 2015

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Top Republican senator calls for Medicare, Medicaid reform

he newly installed GOP leader of the powerful Senate Finance Committee says he’ll use his position to push for reforming the federal government’s major health insurance programs of Medicare and Medicaid. Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch pointed to five bills aimed at reforming Medicare and Medicaid that he introduced during the last Congress, which didn’t go anywhere under the leadership of the top Democrat, Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon. Now that Republicans have control of the Senate — and Hatch holds the reins at the committee — he wants to pick up some steam on the goal of fixing the financially troubled programs. “This is not a Republican wish list of terrible things we’d like to do to Medicare and Medicaid,” Hatch said, in a speech laying out his legislative priorities at the Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday. Politicians often talk about the need to reform the government’s health insurance programs, but there’s little bipartisan consensus on how to do so. Wyden, still the top Democrat on Senate Finance, is so far the only senator in his party to endorse a Medicare reform plan proposed by Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis. Ryan, who has taken the helm at the powerful House Ways and Means Committee, has said he’ll push for his plan — but he’s also willing to take smaller steps to get there.

A medical worker is testing for Tuberculosis at Driefontein Gold Mine in Carletonville, South Africa on March 24, 2012 (AFP Photo/Alexander Joe) rope and Asia on an epidemic scale about 20-30 years ago, “coinciding with the collapse of the public health system of the former Soviet Union,” study coauthor Thierry Wirth of France’s National History Museum told AFP. There was a single decrease visible on a chart plotting the global spread of the “Beijing lineage” from the year 1500 to

2000. It coincided with a rise in antibiotic use in the 1960s and ended with the HIV epidemic from the 1980s. TB itself is theorised to be about 40,000 years old. Unravelling the disease’s genetic history may offer pointers for tackling its spread.

MDR strains, which do not respond to frontline antibiotics, are a major concern as they are much more costly and difﬁcult to treat. In 2013, there were nine million new cases of TB and 1.5 million deaths worldwide, including 360,000 people who were also infected with HIV, the World Health Organization (WHO) said in its latest TB report. - 200 million malaria cases In a separate paper published in the same journal, scientists said they had identiﬁed a genetic mechanism by which the malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, develops resistance to the main drug artemisinin. An analysis of 1,612 samples from 15 locations in southeast Asia and Africa found 20 mutation in a gene called kelch13, they reported. These appeared to work in concert with mutations in four other genes to support the development of artemisinin resistance in the parasite transferred by mosquitoes. Monitoring for such mutations can serve as an early warning system to identify areas at risk

But few members of Congress, Ryan included, think the parties will be able to agree on any major entitlement reform during the last two years of President Obama’s term. The most recent forecasts have shown that Medicare has an additional four years before it will become insolvent, giving it until 2030 — fifteen years from now. “We need to act, and we need to do so sooner rather than later,” Hatch said. Recently, the Manhattan clinic where Joan Rivers went into cardiac arrest while being treated for a voice problem has failed to correct deficiencies implicated in her death and will be prohibited from having its services paid for by Medicare and Medicaid funds,according to a letter for artemisinin resistance -- a fast-growing problem in southeast Asia, said the study authors. The team found that kelch13 mutations were rare in Africa, and not linked to artemisinin resistance. “At present, artemisinin resistance appears to be largely confined to southeast Asia, but the situation might change as the

Sudhir Mathuria Contact: Sudhir Mathuria Licensed Professional Health Life 360 6650 Southwest Freeway Houston TX 77074 713-771-2900 www.MyMedicarePlanning.com released on Monday from the federal agency that oversees those two programs. The decision is a blow to the reputation and ﬁnancial viability of the clinic, Yorkville Endoscopy, on the Upper East Side. Most people who are 65 and older receive insurance through the federal Medicare program, and they would no longer be able to use that insurance at Yorkville. The clinic would also not be able to receive Medicaid payments for poor patients. “After a careful review of the facts, Yorkville Endoscopy L.L.C. no longer meets the conditions of coverage for a supplier of Ambulatory Surgical Center (A.C.S.) services,” a letter sent to the clinic on Jan. 9 by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said. Ms. Rivers, 81, went to the clinic on Aug. 28 for what was supposed to be a routine procedure on her throat after she had been complaining of hoarseness. While there, she went into cardiac and respiratory arrest and was rushed to Mount Sinai Hospital, where she was taken off life support and died on Sept. 4 of brain damage brought on by lack of oxygen, according to the city’s medical examiner. Until the clinic visit, she had maintained an energetic schedule of comedy appearances, including a performance the night before she went to the clinic. So morale is to take care of yourself, If you are over 65 or under, to choose right Medicare OR Obama Care plan contact Sudhir Mathuria @ 713-771-2900 for prompt enrollment before January 15 for February 1 effective date.

parasite population continues to evolve,” said study co-author Dominic Kwiatkowski, a genomics professor at Oxford University. There were nearly 200 million cases of malaria worldwide in 2013 and some 584,000 deaths, according to the WHO. Ninety percent of malaria deaths occur in Africa.

Pneumonia raises risk of heart disease, stroke: study Miami, United States | AFP | Tuesday 1/20/2015. People who are hospitalized for pneumonia face a higher risk of heart attack or stroke in the following weeks and months, Canadian researchers reported on Tuesday. The study in the Journal of the American Medical Association is the ﬁrst to focus on pneumonia patients with no previous history of cardiovascular disease. Researchers are still trying to ﬁgure out why the body may be more vulnerable after a bout of pneumonia, but said in the meantime, hospitalization for pneumonia should be considered its own risk factor for future cardiovascular disease. The study was based on records of more than 3,800 people enrolled in US community

health studies. One group was aged 45-64, the other was over 65. By comparing more than 1,200 pneumonia patients to some 2,500 control patients of the same age over a period of 10 years, they found the heart risks were highest in the ﬁrst weeks and months after a bout pneumonia. “In the group aged 65 and older, a pneumonia patient was four times more likely to develop cardiovascular disease in the ﬁrst 30 days following the infection,” said the study.

days after hospitalization for pneumonia, but the risk was no longer signiﬁcant after a period of two years. The study “provides yet another reason to do everything we can to prevent pneumonia from occurring in the community, through vaccination and basic hand hygiene, for example,” said lead author Vicente Corrales-Medina, an infectious diseases physician and researcher at The Ottawa Hospital.

“In the tenth year, they were a little less than twice as likely to develop cardiovascular disease.”

“Second, once pneumonia has occurred, physicians should develop a care plan understanding that these patients are more likely to develop cardiovascular disease in the weeks, months and years following their recovery from this infection.”

In the younger group, the risk of cardiovascular disease was 2.4 times higher in the ﬁrst 90

A total of 1.2 million people are hospitalized for pneumonia in the United States each year.

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Obama launches Democrats’ middle class push in 2016 by Michael Mathes

same time do nothing for wage stagnation... and wage growth and working class voters.”

WASHINGTON, AFP (1/21/2015) - The economic successes US President Barack Obama touted in his speech to Congress Tuesday were not just taunts to Republicans; he was helping Democrats build an early strategy for keeping the White House in 2016.

- Republicans ﬁre back That is the likely to be the implicit message of the Democrats’ next presidential challenger. But Republicans are ﬁghting back against charges they are the party of the rich, contending they can raise middle class fortunes better than Democrats.

With the clock winding down on his two-term presidency, Obama proclaimed America’s economy to be back on steady footing after years of post-recession malaise, and he unveiled a plan to help the middle class that he clearly hopes will carry on into another Democratic administration.

House Republican Paul Ryan, the former vice presidential candidate and one of the top ﬁnance gurus in Congress, complained on MSNBC Wednesday that Obama was painting an “alternate universe” on the economy.

The policy dreams Obama pushed in his State of the Union address -- higher taxes on the super-wealthy, free community college for many students, paid sick days -- have little chance of seeing the light of day with Congress now under full Republican control. But by highlighting the nation’s economic bounce-back, including steady job growth and shrinking deﬁcits, Obama assured that any Democrat seeking to succeed him would be more inclined to run toward his policies than away from them. Obama “pointed (the) way to an economy that works for all. Now we need to step up and deliver for the middle class,” Hillary Clinton, the prospective Democratic frontrunner, said on Twitter after the speech. Until that tweet, Clinton, who is expected to announce a presidential run in coming months, had provided few signs of how she would boost the middle class, although last week she warned against the “risky and wrong” Wall Street ﬁnancial reforms being pushed by Republicans. The battle over the middle

Republicans oppose hiking taxes, especially to expand social benefits or other federal spending. For them, all workers benefit from a humming economy well-oiled by across-the-board tax cuts, including for the higher brackets, and an easing of regulations that they say stifle job growth. President Barack Obama delivers his State of the Union late Tuesday to a joint session of Congress on Capitol Hill. Vice President Joe Biden and House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio, listen in the background. Photo credit: Mandel Ngan, AP.

“I’m still one that believes a rising tide lifts all boats,” Senate Republican Jeff Flake told AFP. “I’d rather go that direction.”

class will be fertile ground in the run-up to 2016.

The debate over inequality proved pivotal during the 2012 election, when Republican nominee Mitt Romney clashed heatedly with Obama over which ﬁscal approach would rescue American middle class families.

“It’s not a new issue for us,” number two Senate Democrat Dick Durbin told AFP, referring to the debate over inequality and Democrats’ calls for spreading the beneﬁts of the economic recovery more evenly across society. “If you’re in elected position today you have to be talking about the squeeze on the middle class, and the inequality of wealth distribution,” added Senate Democrat Chris Murphy.

“It’s nothing new, right? This is always something Democrats have talked about.” But Obama’s new tax proposal, one that closes capital gains loopholes to raise hundreds of billions of dollars for middle class taxes cuts, “is helping to change this debate so the majority in Congress are forced to look at everybody, not just the top one or two or ﬁve percent,” said Senate Democrat Sherrod Brown. “Republicans argue that when proﬁts are up ... the main function of this government should be to cut taxes for corporations, at the

This week Romney, mulling another presidential run, argued that “under President Obama, the rich have gotten richer (and) income inequality has gotten worse.” Slamming Obama’s State of the Union address, Romney criticized Obama’s “disappointing” vision. “The best way to lower

the tax burden on all American families is straightforward: lower rates and simplify the tax code,” he said. The Democrats’ strategy is to force Republicans to vote against popular measures like middle class tax breaks and child care

credits. “I see Obama’s tax plan has already baited Republicans into making the argument that most annoys people about their party,” former Obama speechwriter Jon Favreau quipped via Twitter on Saturday.

Tech stocks pull Wall St. up for modest gains New York, United States | AFP | Tuesday 1/20/2015. US stocks finished with modest gains Tuesday helped by firm buying in tech stocks, after a day spent mostly well in the red. Buying in Alibaba (+3.3 percent), Apple (+2.6 percent), Gilead Sciences (+3.2 percent) and Qualcomm (+1.7 percent) led the market higher generally, while Johnson & Johnson was the top loser on the Dow, down 2.7 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial Average finished at 17,515.23, up 3.66 points (0.02 percent) from Friday. Markets were closed Monday for a holiday. The broad-based S&P 500 added 3.13 (0.15 percent) at 2,022.55, while the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite gained 20.46 (0.44 percent) at 4,654.85. Stocks were pressed down earlier by the fall in oil prices after the International Monetary Fund sharply cut its global growth estimates by 0.3 percentage point, to 3.5 percent this year and 3.7 percent in 2016. Shares of oil companies and oil service firms sank in the morning, only to recover in late trade. Baker Hughes, which gave a sober outlook for the upcoming year after reporting

quarterly earnings early in the day, finished up 1.1 percent. Rival Halliburton was also down in the morning but finished up 1.8 percent. Chevron (+1.3 percent) and ExxonMobil (-0.1 percent) likewise pulled back after sinking in early trade. Morgan Stanley finished down 0.4 percent after it came up short in its fourth-quarter earnings, profits coming in well below what analysts expected. Retail foreign exchange broker FXCM plunged 87.3 percent in the first trading session since its rescue Friday by Leucadia. Leucadia’s injection of a $300 million loan was enough to cover unbacked client losses sustained after the Swiss National Bank’s unexpected decision Thursday to abandon the cap on the franc-euro rate. But since then details of Leucadia’s deal suggested FXCM shareholders could still end up with little if Leucadia decides to eventually sell off assets of the firm. Bond prices gained. The yield on the 10-year US Treasury fell to 1.81 percent from 1.83 percent Friday, while the 30-year dropped to 2.40 percent from 2.44 percent. Bond prices and yields move inversely.

HOROSCOPE

VOICE OF ASIA 18

FRIDAY, January 23, 2015

Your Horoscope for the Week of January 23, 2015 by Hardik Vyas, Astrologer Cell : 832-298-9950

READ YOUR COMPLETE HOROSCOPE ONLINE WWW.VOICEOFASIAONLINE.COM

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

Libra (R,T) 23 Sept to 22 Oct

Concentrate on things you enjoy doing rather than just doing for others. You need a real break. Your colorful manner will attract attention. Use your energy in a constructive manner. The work you do around your home will be rewarding. Check out activities that offer a physical challenge. Now you’re ready to entertain. You must learn not to force your opinions on others. Participating in a challenging physical activity will help ease your tension and stress. You will be looking for a good ﬁght if things don’t go your way.

Emotional and personal situations that will drain your energy. Refuse to get dragged into the middle of an argument. Don’t take sides. Get out and socialize with colleagues. If you can combine some work with pleasure, you will gain respect and help from those in a position to help you get ahead. If you made a promise to your family, you must not renege. Put everything else on hold. Emotional problems with family members will be disheartening.

Scorpio (N,Y)23 Oct to 21 Nov

Taurus (B,V,U) 21 April to 20 May You need for a change of scenery. Travel for business or pleasure and you’ll break up the monotony. Use your ﬁnesse to get what you want. You’ll be surprised by the response you receive. Check out some of the courses offered in your community. You need to start learning new skills if you want to keep up with the never-ending technological changes at work. Don’t become involved in dubious ﬁnancial schemes. Extravagance could be your downfall. Excessiveness will result in minor illness.

Use your sense of timing & luck. Your universal appeal will make you very popular. You may ﬁnd yourself in the public eye. A simple observation can provoke a strong response. You’ll need to have emotional contact with others. Even though your friends tend to show off their assets, you must keep a close eye on your budget. Best not to discuss your future plans with one who lacks your vision & imagination. Don’t allow them to dampen your enthusiasm. Someone with whom you have almost nothing in common may come to your aid.

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

Gemini (K,CHH,GH) 21 May to 20 June Keep continuo your efforts to help others. It will be admired by onlookers. Someone you work with may be jealous of you. Keep your thoughts and intentions to yourself. Outdoor activities will be invigorating. Take care of your family responsibilities ﬁrst or include the ones you love in the events you attend. Don’t overspend on those unworthy of your generosity. You may want to look into the nature of an organization before you donate or join it. Your partner will not put up with your possessiveness.

Kind a mixture of energy from your emotional moods. Special feelings about traditions, relationships & a new interest in ﬁnancial opportunities will surface. You can start your own traditions, make plans, include everybody close to your heart. The support will give you the conﬁdence you lack. Try to remove excess stress wherever possible, your loved ones will notice the difference, if you do. You’re not a great fan of detail but you need to focus your time properly. You could feel frustrated, or even feel personally criticized.

Capricorn (KH,J) 22 Dec to 20 Jan

Cancer (D,H) 21 June to 22 July Use discretion when discussing personal matters. You can avoid emotional issues with loved ones by being affectionate, fun loving and active. You’ll be able to make money if you investment in yourself. Your lover may not be sure of your intentions. Be discriminating when discussing work. You won’t be able to trust some of your colleagues or clients. Keep your ideas to yourself for the time being. Find out all you can about your present position and the changes going on around you.

High emotion & excitement, You could feel overwhelmed or overly sensitive, unable to make a move, but you can rise to ﬂy again, perhaps higher than ever before. Your motives could be challenged by those in authority. Keep your cool, don’t waste your effort, focus your energy on ﬁnalizing agreements, contracts, promises. Your rewards are long overdue. You will be able to achieve success, if you trust your gut feelings & remain loyal to your principles. Your universal appeal will help you dazzle even the dullest audience.

Leo (M) 23 July to 22 August

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

Go into new ventures with enthusiasm and an open mind. Stay put and work on the projects that don’t require a lot of travel or communication. Take things in stride. You are best to busy yourself with personal projects. You should be thinking about a career move. Someone you work for is probably trying to hold you back. Protect your reputation and prepare yourself for unexpected changes. It’s time to take a serious look at getting into shape before summer hits and you have to shed some of those layers of clothing you’ve been hiding under.

Need to communicate clearly & effectively. A misunderstanding at this time may have big repercussions, which you would love to set right if only you could understand exactly what is going on! Being stubborn will only work against you. You will be in a position to help others. Give advice but hold back if they want cash. Get on with your life. New attitudes will develop through the company you keep. Take your time before making decisions. Re-direct any jangling nerves into some physical exercise if possible.

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

Virgo (P) 23 August to 22 September You need to get out and meet some new people. You need to put some excitement back into your life. Emotional blackmail will get you into trouble. Don’t blame others for your own mistakes or unhappiness. New acquaintances will show interest in you if you are happy and positive about yourself. You need to make some personal changes in your life. Don’t be depressed. You need to concentrate on your creative projects and not worry so much about what other people are saying or doing. Put your heart and soul into things you enjoy. You don’t need to overspend to impress others. Keep it brief, short and sweet and VERY simple this week.

Realize, you need the love & attention of others. You’re disciplined enough to accomplish anything you want. Rid yourself of bad habits. Problems with older woman in your family may be alarming. You should do things that involve family reunions. Get yourself into projects that will enhance your appearance and help you change your self-image. Sudden events may change your life. Your first impression must not influence your final decision. Don’t show favoritism. Be careful not to manipulate a situation to your own liking.

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Restaurants

Ph: 713-266-0131/ 0805

We cater from 10 people to 800 people for all occasions. We deliver to your venue.

Houston 713-774-6533 Spring 281-251-2205 Dallas 214-722-7545

visit us at : www.mdassociatescpas.com

Madhuram Mirch Masala 10758 FM 1960 West Houston, TX 77070 281.955.9878 216.338.3940 (cell)

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Computer Services Computer Repair & Networking: Microsoft MCSE & A+ certified, low flat rates, free estimates, pickup & delivery; Web Design & Online Marketing: Increase your sales by search engine optimization. Certified in Yahoo & Google Adwords, PCNetworkGuru.com, Call Amit at 832-971-6807

Shiva Indian Restaurant & Catering

You need this Space

specializing in North Indian cuisine, Ofﬁce and Corporate catering.

For more information

• 2130 Lone Star Dr. Sugar Land, Ph: 281-494-2981

Call us today

713-774-5140

• 2514 Times Blvd. Rice Village, Ph: 713-523-4753

Visit Us www.VoiceofAsiaOnline.com

CLASSIFIEDS

VOICE OF ASIA 19

Part Time Accountant

Seeking a Gujarati Live-In

Property Management Company in Houston is looking for a part-time accountant with the following qualiﬁcations:

for cooking & light house-keeping in Houston, Texas for a Gujarati family. Minimum base salary of $2,200 with additional incentives of $50/week for performance based bonus. Only apply if Gujarati and legal resident.

• Degree in Accounting or Business preferred. • Must have good working knowledge of Quickbooks and Excel.

Call 1-281-858-3005

• Experience in generating ﬁnancial reports & bookkeeping.

Wanted Housekeeper

Marketing Representative Needed

Wanted housekeeper (mid age female) to look after 60 year old lady stroke patient. Work involves cooking/ cleaning/ running errands. Live in or day help.

Marketing associate needed for an insurance premium ﬁnance company @ 59 and Gessner. PROSPECTIVE CANDIDATES MAY APPLY ASAP. Contact info: Atif- 713-777-6786 E-mail ID: atif@usinsurancefundings.com

• Other duties as assigned. Good compensation for an experienced person

To apply please email your resume to:

princeville.investments@gmail.com (Please indicate in the subject line: “Accounting Position”)

Now You Know!

Amazing facts from all over the WORLD!

• Instant coffee was invented in 1901. • the human body of a 70 kg person contains 0.2mg of gold. • a crocodile can’t stick out its tongue. • rubber bands last longer when kept refrigerated. • almonds are members of the peach family. Free community events on: www.voiceofasiaonline.com Calendar! Got a favorite fact? Let us know! Email us: ads@voiceofasiagroup.com

FRIDAY, January 23, 2015

Contact: 832-971-0644

Make your own!

Houston Community

Shoot & Send your videos and we will post them on our website www.voiceofasiaonline.com

for Proposals (RFP)

BE HEARD, BE SEE, BE KNOWN To Advertise online email: adsvoa@yahoo.com or call 713-774-5140

Know Your Words

College Request Marketing and Related Services Project No. 15-05 Documents can be obtained at: www.hccs. edu/district/departments/procurement. Sealed proposals will be received in Procurement Operations (3100 Main Street, Room No. 11A06 Houston Texas 77002) until 2:00PM (local time) on Thursday, February 12, 2015.

TO ADVERTISE CALL: 713-774-5140

Here’s your chance to be a Vocabulary Sleuth!

Alacrity - eagerness; enthusiasm; quickness Burgeon - grow; ﬂourish; put forth new shoots. Deleterious - harmful. Euphemism - a polite phrase to cover something unpleasant. Lethargic - tired; without energy. Free community events on: www.voiceofasiaonline.com Calendar! Got a favorite word? Let us know! Email us: ads@voiceofasiagroup.com

SAFETY

Common Sense Upgrades to Make Your Bathroom Safer

rom burns to slips to trips, bathrooms can be hazardous. In fact, hundreds of thousands of injuries occur in the bathroom annually, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Hot water can be a dangerous bathroom peril. More than half a million scald burns occur in the U.S. annually according to the CDC. Prevent “shower shock” by setting your water heater at a maximum of 120 degrees F. One of the most potentially dangerous bathroom activities is getting in and out of the bathtub safely. Grab bars, hand grips or tub grips around your bathtub or shower can help you keep your balance. And these days, safety features don’t need to look drab or institutional. Brands like Moen are making such ﬁxtures available in a variety of styles and ﬁnishes to complement bathroom décor. More information can be found at www.Moen.com.

Shower grab bar. Photo source> StatePoint Lastly, women who shave in the shower need to be extra careful. Avoid slips with a shower seat. To make this a practical option, use a handheld showerhead to maneuver

VOICE OF ASIA

water easily from a seated position. With a few safety updates, you can make your bathroom a safer place to pamper and prep. SOURCE: (StatePoint)

Subscription Renewal Form

Fax this form to: 713-774-5143 Scan and E-mail us: ads@voiceofasiagroup.com

Name: __________________________________________ Address: ________________________________________ City: ______________ State:___________ Zip:___________ Ph: ______________ E-mail:_________________________ Credit Card No: ____________________________________ Name on the Card: _________________________________

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CVV #: __________ Exp Date:___________ Amount: $______ One Year Signature: __________________________ $30 Two Years $55 Five Years $100 We will mail 52 issues to your home or ofﬁce! 8303 SW Freeway, Suite 350, Houston, TX 77074

Best Value!!!

 VOICE OF ASIA 20

FRIDAY, January 23, 2015

Branding

VOICE OF ASIA

• kind, grade, or make, as indicated by a stamp, trademark, or the like: example: the best brand of coffee. • to promote as a brand name.

To advertise: Having a weekly budget is wise planning, most successful businesses plan for the entire year. Businesses set apart 7 - 8% or more for advertising from their revenue.

• 10,000 copies weekly. • Reaching 150 locations. • Broadsheet publication.

Plan and Execute: Plan your mode of advertising, print or online, video or banner ads, e-mail blasts, there are several ways which can be combined to get you Results over time.

VOICE OF ASIA

The largest newsweekly for Asian Americans and South Asian families, reaching Fort Bend, Harris and Brazoria Counties...

has been helping businesses for 25 years, since 1987 to get their message heard, time and again, to get them new and repeat customers. If you are a brand new business or an existing one that needs direction, needs to get noticed, needs new customers, sign up and stay with us! Long term, consistent advertising, brands your business by promoting the same message effectively. We can help you do that. • Print ads. • Online banner and video ads. • E-mail blast, weekly. • Advertorials. • Press Releases. • Social media. • 713-774-5140 • ads@voiceofasiagroup.com • www.voiceofasiaonline.com