Voice of Asia July 18 2014 by VoiceOf Asia

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Houston Iftar - Annual Ramadan Dinner With Mayor Parker Resonates The Spirit of Compassion

Annise Parker, Mayor of Houston by Shobana Muratee, VOA OUSTON - The Annual Houston Iftar Dinner was a ﬁtting tribute to the city’s diversity when a huge gathering of over two thousand American Muslim and friends came together at the Bayou City Event Center on July 12 to share the spirit of Ramadan and enjoy an Iftar dinner (the meal eaten by Muslims after sunset during Ramadan) with the city’s Mayor Annise Parker. In just three years, the Houston Iftar Dinner has grown to become a welcoming tradition in the Bayou City thanks to its single sponsor - entrepreneur and philanthropist, S. Javaid Anwar, President & CEO of Midland Energy, along with the combined efforts of a host of American Muslim organizations in Houston and hundreds of volunteers.

At the Houston Iftar-Annual Ramadan Dinner with Mayor of Houston Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee presenting Congressional Recognition to Chairman Ruhi Ozdul and Coordinator Saeed Sheikh. While Mayor Annise Parker, Congressman Al Green, S. Javaid Anwar and others present on the occasion. Photo credit Houston Iftar Dinner organizers.

IACCGH Hosts Women’s Business Event at Memorial Hermann Sugar Land Hospital by Jacob David

UGARLAND, TX – The Women Mean Business meeting was hosted by IACCGH on July 9, 2014 at the Memorial Hermann Sugar Land Hospital. State Representative 26 Rick Miller attended the event. The guest women speakers were Malisha Patel, COO, Memorial Hermann Sugar Land Hospital and Sonal Bhuchar, Former President of IACCGH and FBISD Board of Trustees. The topic was “The Business of Caring: Healthcare Today.” Jagdip Ahluwalia, Executive Director, IACCGH, started by saying the Women Mean Business Series is an event to inspire other women to success. He said that Malisha Patel and Sonal Bhuchar are two exceptional women who have reached the Continued on Page 3

Guest Speakers Malisha Patel, (left) COO, Memorial Hermann Hospital Sugar Land, and Sonal Bhuchar former President and Trustee FBISD address the audience at the ‘Women Mean Business’ Meet hosted by IACCGH. Photos by Priyan Mathew, VOA.

US Representatives Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee and Congressman Al Green both spoke on the uplifted spirit of ‘holiness, charity, compassion and sacrifice’ with their messages. Among the dignitaries were also the Consul General of Pakistan Afzaal Mahmmod and Consul Generals of a few other countries. Host and Keynote Speaker Mayor Annise Parker reiterated the sentiments of Javaid Anwar who spoke strongly against people killing in the name of religion. Mayor Parker said, “People of goodwill must come together and settle without killing each other and certainly without killing innocence.” Houston is at crossroads growing at rapid rate of 1 million per decade. “We have the largest refugee, expat and immigrant population in the US,” she said. Mayor Parker also spoke of the recent crisis where an influx of children are illegally crossing our borders and said that everything possible was being done to get these children to their families. Earlier, Event Chairman Ruhi Ozgul, welcoming the gathering, recognized the efforts of the host organizations Abu Dhabi/Baku/Istanbul and Karachi Sister City, the Islamic Society of Greater Houston Associations and their collaborating organizations for making the event a grand success. In his very profound message, Mr. Ozgul spoke on how unique this month, with kindness, diplomacy, giving gifts, shedding differences and sharing, and urged that this blessed month be made use of in a fruitful way. Coordinator Muhammad Saeed Sheikh listed close to 40 American Muslim organizations that collaborated on the event and thanked them for their support. Saeed Sheikh recognized the elected officials and sponsors. A video message on Ramadan by President Barack Obama was also played on the occasion. Joe Bradford talked about the importance of Ramadan while Faraz Khan spoke about the relationship between Allah and humans. After Hashim Badat (President Islamic Society of Greater Houston)’s brief talk, Imam Abdullah led dua and Shahid Ahmed Rizvi (renowned scholar from Alnoor Mosque) led the Maghreb prayers. Former Council member M.J. Khan presented the Note of Thanks. The members of the organizing committee including Haroon Moughal, Mian Nazeer, David Godwin, Cristal Montanez-Baylor, Zafar Khan, Khalid, Kazi, Shah, Haleem, Irada Akhoundova, Sunny Sharma were among the members of organizing Committee. The Iftar Dinner was a spread of gourmet dishes of Pakistan and the Middle East catered by Tempura Restaurant and enjoyed by all.

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OP-ED/COMMENTARY/ANALYSIS by Avi Dichter (Columnist USA Today)

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magine two thirds of America’s population under rocket attack — 200 million men, women and children running to bomb shelters every hour, day after day, to avoid being maimed or killed by incoming projectiles. This nightmare scenario is the reality in Israel today, and must be ended by a strategic campaign to once and for all destroy the military infrastructure of terrorist groups Hamas and Islamic Jihad in Gaza.

FRIDAY, July 18, 2014

New Gaza military action should take a year or two To defend itself, the Jewish state needs to arrest thousands of terrorists and launch deep rooted intelligence campaign in the Palestinian territory.

As Egyptian brokered ceasefire talks continue, Hamas and Islamic Jihad continue to fire rockets on Israeli population centers in more than 40 cities. Since July 7, over 1,000 rockets have been fired. Five million Israelis, or two thirds of the population, have been under siege, and with only 15 to 90 seconds of warning, find themselves running to the nearest bomb shelter multiple times daily. This tragic phenomenon is not new — since 2001 terrorist groups in Gaza have fired roughly 12,000 rockets into Israel, aiming at Israeli civilians while hiding behind Palestinian civilians. The result? The terrorists have managed to drag half of Israel’s population into a war of attrition. The issue for Israel is centered on three points: Hamas and other terrorist groups’ access to weaponry; The ease with which such weaponry can be fired at Israeli civilians; and most significantly, the war crime of hiding such operations behind a human shield of Palestinian civilians. Hamas knows well that the Israeli Defense Forces go to great lengths to avoid harming civilians in Gaza, even to a point of calling off important operations to protect them. And so, Israel must change the status quo on the above three

ermany’s historic triumph in Brazil — its fourth World Cup title and the ﬁrst by a European team in South America — had an air of inevitability about it. Among the many astonishing feats Joachim Low’s side managed, perhaps the most remarkable

Smoke rises after Israeli missile strikes hit the northern Gaza Strip, July 16, 2014. (Photo: Adel Hana, AP) points. Until now, the terrorists have decided when to ﬁre volleys of rockets and Israel has responded tactically with surgical airstrikes and ground incursions (e.g. Operations Cast Lead, Pillar of Defense and Protective Edge). Now, the time is ripe to shift from tactical operations such as these to a strategic campaign that will dramatically diminish the terrorists’ ability to harm Israel. Such an initiative should not last for a month or two, but

rather a year or two, in which security forces will arrest thousands of terrorists in Gaza, continue targeted airstrikes and produce the necessary intelligence to completely reformat terrorism in Gaza. Israel defeated suicide terrorism during the Second Intifada, and we can eradicate rocket terrorism with the same determination and cunning. If Israel does not embark on such a campaign, it will continue living from one round of shooting to the next, with time intervals between rounds decreasing and rocket range increasing. As status quo Israeli

airstrikes are decreasingly effective and as Hamas terrorists and their leaders act according to their capabilities, not according to Western logic, the time to act is now. The Israeli leadership has an obligation to its citizens to stop the rockets from Gaza. No nation in the world could accept ongoing ﬁre on its population. Neither will Israel.(Courtesy: USA Today) Avi Dichter is a former Israeli internal security minister, homefront defense minister‎, Shin Bet director and Knesset member.

A triumph of the collective was reanimating the legend that football is a game two teams play and Germany wins. For, success is seldom a neat, wellordered thing; disaster is often just an unavoidable mistake away. But if anyone can conceive and execute a grand idea, never losing sight of the bigger picture while tirelessly attending to the details, it’s Germany. This after all is a football association that built from scratch a training base in Brazil equidistant from all its venues; everything was just so, from the grass on the practice pitches to the cloistered housing arrangements that helped the team bond. Several experts have pointed to the fact that Germany, like Spain in 2010, proﬁted from having a core group from one club, Bayern Munich in this case, Barcelona FC four years ago. It’s an undeniable advantage. However, this view fails to acknowledge Germany’s incredibly systemic work of restructuring the grassroots game and ensuring that a golden generation didn’t slip through the cracks, the success, as Low said, of “a 10-year project.”

been different. Given what was at stake, the ﬁnal was a tense, cagey affair that appeared as if it would be decided by errors. Argentina, an admirably welldrilled unit, made very few errors while defending. But it couldn’t capitalise on the chances it got. Gonzalo Higuaín, Lionel Messi and Rodrigo Palacio missed one-on-one opportunities. Manuel Neur, adjudged the tournament’s best goalkeeper, had his angles right, but the Argentines didn’t force him into a save. Messi did enough in the World Cup to be deemed its best player; it wasn’t his night, however. Germany’s big-match experience (eight starters had played a Champions League ﬁnal), ingrained tactical intelligence and collective might proved too strong. When a team can absorb the loss of Marco

Reus ahead of the tournament and Sami Khedira before the ﬁnal, and still call from the bench Mario Götze for a moment of pure quality, its reserves run very deep indeed. Miroslav Klose, the highest scorer in World Cup history and the lone survivor from the 2002 ﬁnal, was a reminder of the balance Germany had struck between the old and the new. Determined and clinical, open-minded and creative, the Germans were popular champions of an edition that united the football world more than it divided it. The question whether $13.5 billion of public money was well spent will need answering in Brazil, but there’s no doubt the country delivered a World Cup that will be fondly remembered for its people and the football. (Courtesy: The Hindu).

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IACCGH Hosts Women’s Business Event at Memorial Hermann.... Continued from Page 1 success pinnacle. He then introduced President of IACCGH, Sanjay Ramabhadran to the attendees. Ramabhadran attributed the Women Mean Business series as the brainchild of Asha and Pankaj Dhume. For the Chinese, this is the year of the Woman he said. He added that on August 28th Nandita Berry, Secretary of Texas state will be joining Indo-American Chamber to promote bi-lateral trade between India and Houston which would facilitate access for easier trade with India for major corporations here in Houston. He said that September 27th would mark 15 years of IACCGH since its formation. He then gave the ﬂoor to Joya Shukla, North American Margin Variance Analysis Lead for Shell Oil to introduce the women guest speakers. Joya Shukla praised the two women as symbols of giving to the community, Malisha Patel, for having become a Chief Operating Ofﬁcer so young in life, now overlooking $90 million worth of medical projects. She asked Malisha Patel to share her experience of working with Memorial Hermann hospital, her journey to becoming COO, and asked her to share her Pearls of Wisdom to the audience. Malisha Patel started by saying she grew up in San Antonio. “I am proud to be a part of the Memorial Hermann Hospital system. We are the second largest hospital system in Texas. Our focus is on quality and safety in everything we do for our patients. Our hospital is integrated to 3,500 physicians and employs 200 physicians. We are aligned with the UT Health as an academic partner. She added that she is fortunate to work with Greg Haralson, CEO of Memorial Hermann Sugar Land Hospital System.

She emphasized that their vision was to become the preeminent community hospital in the nation. She reported that $78 million was approved by the Board of Directors to expand the hospital by adding a Bed Tower building opening with 60 beds.” She spoke of her upbringing stating that she is a first generation American. Gujarati was her first language and she had to take ESL classes. She felt fortunate to be immersed in both the American and Indian cultures. Early on, gender differences were stressed in her family environment, all women had to learn to cook, she said. Today women do it all, we go to work and clean house. For a brief phase, she said she was embarrassed by the Indian culture, and fashion, but that phase soon passed when she realized that her true identity lay in her culture and roots as an Indian. She grew up to these principles: Hardwork in life pays off. Be fair to everybody. Respect everyone. Family is important to me. She recalled how she started volunteering at 13 years of age at a hospital. She is an UT Undergraduate, did her Masters at Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas. She began working at the VA center in North Texas. As an Administrative Resident she learned all the ins and outs of hospital administration. Getting a temporary position as Acting Administrator for one year was baptism by fire she said. She joined Tenet Health Loop Dallas, Texas as a Senior Analyst. Seven years ago in 2007, she joined Memorial Hermann. She fulfilled her duties as a Six Sigma Black Belt for 1 year, was Director, Perioperative Services for 2 years, and Director of Hospital Operations for 1 year and was promoted to Chief Operating Officer in which position she has now com-

From L-R: Dr. Bhuchar, Greg Haralson, CEO, Memorial Hermann Hospital Sugar Land; Ashok Garg, Sonal Bhuchar, Former FBISD President and member Board of Trustees; Malisha Patel, COO Memorial Hermann Hospital Sugar Land, Joya Shukla, North American Margin Variance Analysis Lead for Shell Oil, Sanjay Ramabhadran, President of IACCGH; and Jagdip Ahluwalia, Executive Director, IACCGH. Photo by Priyan Mathew, VOA pleted 3 years. Her challenges were to improve Hospital Staff and patient satisfaction. She learned to work with employees and patient of different backgrounds and cultures. Her pearls of wisdom are the following 1. The Non-existent Typical path – that no given path exists. People must make their own path in life by taking risks. 2. Be Proactive – do hard work, go get your goals accomplished. 3. Focus on development – your own and those of others. Her golden rule is to 4. treat others like you want to be treated. 5. Networking is prime, build daily relationships. 6. Execute projects and deliver results. 7. Be a lifelong learner. 8. Learn how to balance personal and professional aspects of your life. 9. Love your life and learn that giving back to the society and your loved ones ultimately results in your personal satisfaction.

Joya Shukla then introduced Sonal Bhuchar as a true symbol of giving. She complimented Mrs. Bhuchar for all her hard work, having been in the Health Care industry for three decades and giving to the community whilst having a family and three children to take care of. Sonal Bhuchar said that Healthcare has come a long way – “the world of Health care is advancing rapidly. Health Care covers a broad range of treatments and services that helps all from young to the elderly.” She spoke on advancements in Robotic Surgery, Stem Cell Research and said we are fortunate to be living in this day and age. But the Medicare system has become a maze, a complex system, especially the coding. Fort Bend ISD has to deal with healthcare plans of 9000 employees she said. Their robust plans have been pared down, deductibles raised due to rising healthcare costs, she added.

Healthcare faces a lot of legalities with a lot of Thou Shalt mandates. She urged that the public “must make a concerted effort to change the system and help achieve a higher quality of health care, Women are most integral to help create healthcare solutions. The woman’s role has always been to be a caregiver in society. Women have to speak up in order to be the agent of change.” She added that it was hard to play three roles – as a mother , wife and a working woman in society. She thanked her family and friends for helping her achieve what she has so far. The meeting concluded with the Life Flight crew giving a thirty minute overview of what they do to save lives followed by a live session outdoors where attendees gathered around the Helicopter where the crew explained the workings of Life Flight.

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Promise to make a gift is not enforceable Q. A few years ago I remarried. I immediately fell in love with my stepchild and wanted to let him know how much I felt like he was my own. I told him when I bought a new car I would give them my old one. That was almost a year ago and I no longer feel I can afford to give him the car. Am I legally obligated to give him the car as promised? A. While people should always try to keep their promises, as far as the law is concerned, a promise to make a gift generally is not enforceable. To have an enforceable promise, called a contract, the law requires something be given in exchange. The law calls this “consideration.” For example, had you said, “if you will promise to visit once a week I will give you my car when I get a new one,” and he replied, “deal,” there would be a contract and you would be bound to give him the car. On the other hand, if you just said, “I love you very much and promise to give you my car when I get a new one,” or simply, “I promise to give you my car when I get a new one,” it would not be an enforceable promise. Based on what you say, my opinion is your promise is not enforceable. Q. My 19-year-old daughter purchased a used car from a used car lot. The seller explained it had a check engine light on, indicating a minor problem with one of the cylinders. After we paid, we took it to a mechanic who diagnosed that the engine needed to be replaced. We asked to return the vehicle for a full refund. He counter offered to replace the engine at no cost. Now he is saying he can’t do that and we will owe another $650.00. Do we have any legal rights on our side? A. My opinion is that if the seller represented it was simply a misﬁring engine and it was much more serious, he has violated the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act (DTPA). This is our state’s consumer protection law and it protects you whenever a seller misleads or deceives you or takes grossly unfair advantage of you. If the seller violated this law, you should be able to get a refund or the amount it will cost to put in a new engine. If the seller puts in a new engine for free, that probably is all you are entitled to. I do not believe he has any right to require you to pay an additional sum. The DTPA can be used in justice court, and if you can show the seller know about the seriousness of the problem and knowingly misrepresented it, you could be entitled to up to three times your damages. Sixty days before you sue, however, you need to send written notice telling the seller what he did wrong and how much money you want as damages. My guess is once the seller knows you know about this law he will work with you to resolve the matter. Q. When our parents died, my brother, sister and I inherited everything and divided all their possessions. My brother recently died and my sister in law emailed me asking me to come and get all my parents furniture. When I got there she refused to give me one piece. Can she legally keep that piece? A. When your parents died, you and your brother and sister inherited their property. Once your parents’ possessions were divided and each sibling took his or her share, the furniture belonged to whoever received it. You no longer had any right to the furniture your brother and sister received. When your brother died, his property goes to his heirs, probably his wife. If his wife inherited his property she can do whatever she wants with it. She can give you all of it, some of it, or none of it.

ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS ABOUT CITIZENSHIP Q: My application for citizenship was denied two years ago. Sharlene Sharmila Richards The reason was they said that I had lied on my citizenship application. How long do I have to wait before I can file again? A: If you lied on your previous application for citizenship and the denial was based on not having good moral character, you will have to wait for at least 5 years to pass before you can show good moral character again. In your case, you may have to wait for an additional three years before you can file again. And when you re-file, you may be asked why you had lied on your previous application so you need to be prepared for that question to come up again. Q: My mother failed her US History and civic portion of the citizenship test two weeks ago. Does she have to refile for citizenship again? A: No, she does not. If an applicant fails any portion of the naturalization test, USCIS must provide the applicant a second opportunity to pass the test within 60 to 90 days after the initial examination unless the applicant is statutorily ineligible for naturalization based on other grounds. Q: I am married to a US Citizen. My husband petitioned for me and my son from my previous marriage. We both became permanent residents 8 year ago. My son is now 13 years old. I wish to apply for my US citizenship. What about applying for my son? A: In this case, when you become a US Citizen, your son automatically becomes a US Citizen by derivation and will not require any separate application. He can apply for his US passport. You may also wish to file for a Certificate of Citizenship for him as further proof of his citizenship. This rule applies to all children who are under the age of 18 and are permanent residents residing in the legal and physical custody of the parent who became a US Citizen. Q: I wish to apply for citizenship but have not paid my taxes for the past two years. Is that going to be a problem? A: Yes, it will be a problem. Please file all your tax returns and pay all overdue taxes before submitting your application for naturalization. Q: I was just informed that I passed my citizenship test and interview. When can I apply for the US Passport? A: In order to apply for a US Passport, you must first become a US Citizen. Once you have passed the interview and test, the next step is attending the Oath Ceremony. At this ceremony, you become a US Citizen and you will receive your Certificate of Naturalization. You can then apply for your US Passport. Q: What do I need to do if I am unable to attend my oath ceremony? A: If you are unable to attend the oath ceremony, you should send the Notice of Naturalization Oath Ceremony back to your local USCIS office with a letter detailing why you are unable to attend. Your local office will then provide you with a new notice about your rescheduled Oath Ceremony. Disclaimer: Any advice provided in this article is general in nature and not intended to constitute legal advice for any specific case. Please consult with an immigration lawyer about the specific circumstances of your case. Sharlene Sharmila Richards is a licensed Immigration lawyer practicing in Houston, Texas. She is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association. She was admitted to the New York State Bar in 2000 and is a member of the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals and a member of the US Supreme Court. You may contact her at telephone number 713-623-8088 or by email at srichardslaw@aol.com to schedule a free consultation to discuss your case.

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Headache doctor receives third lifetime achievement award

L-R: Dr. Ninan T. Mathew (left) seen receiving his certiﬁcate. Mrs. Ninan (rt) looks on.

ouston Neurologist, Dr. Ninan T. Mathew, received the 2014 Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Headache Society on June 27, 2014, at its 56th Annual Scientiﬁc Meeting in Los Angeles, California.

The American Headache Society (AHS) is a professional society of health care providers dedicated to the study and treatment of headache and face pain. Founded in 1959 during the annual meeting of the American Medical Association (AMA), AHS brings together physicians from various fields and specialties throughout the United States to share concepts and developments about headache and related conditions. Dr. Mathew is the fifth recipient of the AHS Lifetime Achievement Award in the organization’s 56-year history. Dr. Ninan T. Mathew is a familiar name in the field of headache worldwide. In the early 1970s, Dr. Mathew got

in on the ground floor to discover the reasons and treatments for people’s continuous headaches. He began his research at Baylor College of Medicine at a time when there were few studies on headache causes. In 1976, he established the Houston Headache Clinic, which was the first comprehensive headache specialty center in Texas and one of the few in the U.S. For over 40 years, Dr. Mathew has significantly contributed to scientific research with more than 200 publications and several books to his credit. His vast medical research and expertise has earned him a stellar reputation with his colleagues. In 2012, he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from

the Texas Neurological Society and in 2013, he was the recipient of the Headache Cooperative of New England’s Lifetime Achievement Award. Early in his career, Dr. Mathew received several American Headache Society Awards, including the 1976 Harold G. Wolff Lecture Award and the 1994 John R. Graham Distinguished Clinician Award. Dr. Mathew has served in various national and international neurological organizations and is a past president of the International Headache Society and the American Headache Society. He is a former chairman of the Headache Section for the American Academy of Neurology, which

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by Jacob David, VOA

ife Flights are trauma care Air Ambulance units based in Houston, a non-proﬁt organization that is purely run by donations. It is part of the Memorial Hermann Health Care System. Started in 1976 by James Red Duke, the Life Flight has to date successfully completed over 140,000 missions saving lives.

FRIDAY, July 18, 2014

Memorial Hermann Life Flight - Hope and Life on Wings to Trauma Victims

The Life Flight has 13 pilots, 14 ﬂight nurses, 15 paramedics, and ﬁve mechanics as total crew. Life Flight operates on a $3 Million budget annually all

• Educational programs instrumental in training NASA astronauts in case of possible clinical emergencies

• Association of Air Medical Services recognized Tom Flanagan as program Director of the Year in 1999 • One of the ﬁrst U.S. air medical programs to participate in a joint research project with the Department of Defense • First Texas air medical ambulance to land at the Super Dome following Hurricane Katrina to evacuate patients

Recently TNT channel had ﬁlmed extensively about Life Flight services and this will be airing in September 2014. Also local channel 13 has done a short on Life Flight services and how crucial they are in providing lifesaving services to the public in Texas.

In addition to rescuing critical lives, they also play a vital role in training. They have conducted a Poly Trauma program for soldiers going to Iraq and Afghanistan. Also they have trained medics for the military, NASA, and other agencies.

• Busiest EMS education center in the Houston area

• Clinical team members participate in on-going training, including skills lab, ﬁve specialty ICU rotations, annual safety classes and training speciﬁc to airborne patient care and transport

On July 9, 2014, Life Flight Crew met with and had a 30 minute question and answer session at the Sugar Land Memorial Hermann Hospital, the event tying in with the Women Mean Business session hosted by IACCGH. Darrel Creacy, Pilot; Joel Benavides, Flight Nurse; and Aaron Young, Flight Paramedic; narrated their experiences to the audience whilst taking their questions and answering them as best they could.

Life Flight operates out of Houston but they cover a 150 mile radius from the Texas Medical Center working well with all the hospitals here. With a fleet of 6 helicopters, five of them operational at all times 24/7/365 days of the year, one is kept on standby should one of the helicopters have problems. They fly as far as the Western part of Louisiana, Waco, South East Austin in addition to covering Houston and surrounding cities. They also boast of the best safety record to date. Weather permitting; they fly out conducting rescue missions daily.

• Formed the ﬁrst National EMS Pilots Association (NEMSPA) in 1985

• First Texas air medical project to establish mobile command in Baton Rouge, La., following Hurricane Katrina

Joel Benavides, Flight Nurse; Darrel Creacy, Pilot; and Aaron Young, Flight Paramedic standing by their Life Flight unit that delivers critical trauma victims, two victims per ﬂight, from terrible accidents or incidents to hospitals around the city as fast as they can. Photos: by Priyan Mathew, VOA.

• Texas Department of State Health Services air medical program of the year, 2001 and 2004 • One of the ﬁrst programs to begin using the Eurocopter BK117

raised through Community donations. Each ﬂight can carry the crew and 2 trauma victims.

• First air medical ambulance in Texas and in Houston; second in the United States

ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF LIFE FLIGHT : (courtesy: www.trauma.memorialhermann.org/life-flight/accomplishments)

• One of the ﬁrst air medical programs to have all medical personnel certiﬁed in their specialty • One of the 10 air medical programs selected for the North American Aero Safety Network Pilot Program

• Flown more than 140,000 missions in over 35 years of service

• One of the founding members of the American Society of Hospital Based Emergency Air Medical Services (ASHBEAMS), which led to the formation of the Association of Air Medical Services (AAMS)

• Only Air Medical Service accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Medical Transport Systems (CAMTS) in the greater Houston area; accredited by CAMTS for six years • More than 265 years of medical transport experience, including aviation and medical staff

Jagdip Ahluwalia, Executive Director, IACCGH, Joel Benavides, Flight Nurse; Aaron Young, Flight Paramedic; Darrel Creacy, Pilot; and Sanjay Ramabhadran, President, IACCGH standing by Life Flight.

• Instrumental of the formation of the National Flight Nurse Association.

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VOICE OF ASIA 7

FRIDAY, July 18, 2014

Consul General of India Houston Ravi Shankar Holds Peace Talks P. Harish receives honors from VC, With Iraqi Religious Leaders Osmania University, Hyderabad

At the ‘Art of Living Retreat’ at the scenic Blue Ridge Mountain in North Carolina, Ravi Shankar met two Iraqi Shia leaders. By Lalit K Jha OUAA president Mr.Harinath Medi presenting the memento to Mr. P. Harish Consul General, Houston, along with l-R Mr. Mahendra Korivi, Mr.Showri Nandagiri and Mr. Virender Kumar.

smania Unversity, Hyderabad, India took honors to recognize the Consul General of India in Houston, Mr. Paravathaneni Harish, who is an alum of the University. Mr. Harish took his engineering degree from the College of Engineering of Osmania University. Honoring him for his accomplishments, the Vice Chancellor of Osmania University, Prof. S.

Satyanarayana presented him with a Distinguished Alumnus Commendation Memento. The founders of Osmania University Alumni Association (OUAU) here in Houston presented the Consul General with the memento on July 1, 2014 in his ofﬁce. Mr. Harinath Medi, who is the President of OUAU, made the presentation to the Consul General, along with the co-founders of

OUAU, Mr. Virender Kumar, Mr. Mahendra Korivi and Mr. Showri Nandagiri. Mr. Harish brieﬂy spoke of his recent experience of visiting the College of Engineering and stressed the need for the alumni to go and teach at the University as there is a dire need for good teachers. He thanked the organizers for bringing the memento from the Vice Chancellor to be presented to him.

Indian-American woman appointed CIO of top US university

ASHINGTON: Indian-American Viji Murali, an IT veteran in higher education, has been named as the chief information ofﬁcer and vice provost of Information and Educational Technology at a prestigious university in the US. “University of California Davis is incredibly fortunate to recruit someone with Viji’s experience and expertise. She is a leader in her ﬁeld, and her efforts will be essential in real-

ising our vision of excellence,” Chancellor, Linda P B Katehi, said in announcing Murali’s appointment. Murali comes to UC Davis from Washington State University, where, since 2007, she has served as vice president for Information Services, and CIO for the WSU system. She succeeds Pete Siegel, who left UC Davis a year ago. Professor Prasant Mohapatra had served as interim vice pro-

BOONE 07-11, 2014 Deeply perturbed by the ethnic violence in Iraq, Indian spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has met senior Iraqi religious leaders in the US and said that dialogue is the only way to establish long-term peace in the war-torn country. At the ‘Art of Living Retreat’ at the scenic Blue Ridge Mountain in North Carolina, Ravi Shankar met two Iraqi Shia leaders. He has plans to hold talks with Iraqi Sunni leaders too, initially through Skype and will travel to Europe next week to continue the dialogue process as part of his effort to impress upon Iraqi religious leaders to

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Murali would start her new job on August 18.

Murali received a bachelor’s degree in biology and chemistry from the Women’s College at Osmania University, India in 1975, and a master’s in organic chemistry from Osmania’s College of Science in 1977.

“I am excited to be joining a university with such a wonderful reputation, to lead the IT enterprise that contributes to the university’s excellence, in everything from student success to research,” she said. “I intend to develop a shared vision with the faculty, staff and students, and we will move the institution to even greater heights,” Murali said in a state-

She then joined the Regional Research Laboratory, afﬁliated with Osmania, and worked there toward a doctoral degree in organic chemistry until 1981.

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“Start the dialogue and put an end to the ongoing violence,” he said with Iraqi religious leaders standing by his side at the Art of Living Retreat. Participating in the peace dialogue, Sayyed Mohammed Al Attar, a Shia leader, said that

Al-Attar said that the Sunnis in Iraq have adequate representation in the government and the political set up. But they want full control over power, which they can get only through democratic means and not through violence and ethnic cleansing, which is currently being attempted by the leaders of the Islamic militants. “It (situation in the country) would be worse, if they (religious leaders) do not start the dialogue,” Al-Attar said. “The situation could be even worse without a dialogue. It is high time to initiate dialogue. So we being very neutral between both the parties, I thought we could play a role and god willing hope to get some success,” said Ravi Shankar.

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“Religious leaders have a big role to play here. They can give orders to their followers to stop violence. Peace can’t just happen only with the politician. It has to come from the ground level. The trust needs to be rebuild upon and the religious leaders should come together,” the Indian spiritual leader said, adding that he has also spoken to Indian Muslim religious leaders in this regard.

The Bonne dialogue was also attended by Sheikh Mustafa Akhnoud of the Imam Ali Centre in Virginia.

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“Keeping that in mind, we are making all our effort to make a dialogue between the warring factions,” Ravi Shankar said after the initial round of talks with Iraqi religious leaders at Bonn city of North Carolina.

“This is a great peace mission (by Shankar),” he said.

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“The way the killings are happening there (in Iraq), we are trying to push for the last chance. If there is any chance to bring them (Iraqi religious leaders) to negotiating table and have a dialogue,” Ravi Shankar said.

Shias of Iraq want peace and live in harmony with the Shunnis in the country and sought the help of Ravi Shankar in brining all the religious leaders of the country on a table for a peace dialogue.

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VOICE OF ASIA 8

FRIDAY, July 18, 2014

JVB conducts annual children Star Learning Sugar Land summer camp with color co- Celebrates Graduation Day ordinated theme

by: Seema Jain

VB Preksha Meditation Center, Houston conducted its annual children summer camp with much vigor & enthusiasm. The camp was held under the auspicious guidance of Samani Sanmati Pragyaji & Samani Jayant Pragyaji from July 7th – 11th. A total of 25 Kids, ages 5 to 13 years, attended the week long eventful camp. It was a color coordinated camp where kids celebrated each day with a different color theme. Kids started their morning with Prayer, Meditation and Yoga and moved on to creative traditional form of arts & crafts such as making Rangolis & Swastika signs. Lord Ganesha Idols were made by the kids with hand colored sand dust, glitter, paint & sequins. Unique Rakhi greeting cards were created and decorated with play dough colors combined with contemporary crafts like Sharpie alcohol ink tile coasters and hand traced coloring patterns. Kids also were taught about the signiﬁcance of the crafts they created. A very inquisitive sensory skills session was specially designed for each day

to help them better control their senses followed by interactive memory games. The young kids’ ages 5 to 7 years loved to learn Taekwondo warm up forms by JVB Gyanshala student Vani Jain, a 13 year old blue belt holder who was the youngest member of the dedicated volunteer team. The older kids couldn’t get enough of the cooking lessons and savoring the deliciousness of their own creations. All kids enjoyed activities like water balloon ﬁght, board games and making new friends. At the end, while giving their feedback, kids wished they could have stayed for few more days to enjoy the camp activities. No event is successful without the help of talented and dedicated volunteers who are the backbone of any organization and JVB center is blessed & proud to have the services of such wonderful volunteers. About 15 dedicated volunteers came together to join hands in nurturing the young curious minds with their creativity, enthusiasm and love. JVB center truly appreciates & salutes its volunteers and looks forward to their patronage and affec-

tion for many more community events coming on the way! JVB Preksha Meditation Center is home to a specially designed Preksha Dhyan ‘Pyramid’ Meditation Hall and is located at 14102 Schiller Rd, Houston, TX 77082. It has free weekly Meditation, Yoga & Swadhyay sessions which are open to all. For more information and upcoming programs please visit www.jvbhouston. org or call 281.596.9642.

Graduating Class of 2014

UGAR LAND, (07-03-2014) - Star Learning held a graduation ceremony for all of their Summer Camp Session 1 students at Gatti-Town last week Thursday. The new after school and summer program honored 41 students who completed the ﬁrst session of the Summer Camp. Students and parents were

served dinner before the special presentation. Star Learning opened its doors January 2014 and provides spring, fall and summer programs for GT, college prep and advanced learning students ages K-12. Some courses include; college counseling, SAT Prep, Creative Writing, MATHCOUNTS and computer

programming. Star Learning will celebrate the second Summer Camp session students on July 31. Star Learning also plans on opening one more location by 2015 in Katy. For more information about Star Learing, please visit their website starlearningcenter.com or call 832999-4921.

COMMUNITY

VOICE OF ASIA 9

New ofﬁce-bearers of Hindu Mahasabha of America (HMSA) Houston Chapter Announced

FRIDAY, July 18, 2014

HMSA Hosts Francois Gautier’s Fundraising Program for Shivaji Maharaj Museum

he newly elected HMSA president Dr. Talukdar was brought up in a middle-class Indian household with all the baggage of colonialism that it entails and is still learning about his ancient heritage and shedding the vestiges of colonialism. For that he has to thank his parents who showed by example what truth and strength are and can be.

Hindu Mahasabha of America (HMSA) would like to thank Mr. Dilip Mehta (ex- HMSA President) for his selﬂess service in empowering Hindu cause on a national and global scale. Under his leadership key programs like Hindu Memorial Day and Hindu Sports Dilip Mehta, former HMSA President & Advisor. Day were initiated and implemented. About Mr. Dilip Mehta: A M.S. in Boston is president of Hindu Mahasabha of Physics from Northeastern University, America aka Hindu Congress of America Dr. Rudranath Talukdar, President (HMSA), he is an educator by profession and ex– VHPA Houston Chapter president, ex-Governing Council Member and founder of VHPA Camp in Houston. He has rectiﬁed many newspapers publications on Hinduism and educated editors. He started Hindu Club at University of Kansas in 1966. One of the cofounders of Chinmaya Mission –US, a subject matter expert and Arun Singhal, Media & PR Dir. Pradip Parekh, Global Gajanan Gaikwad, Secretary contemporary analyst on Spokesperson. Hinduism and Dharma.

OUSTON - On Sunday, July 13th 2014, Al Saif Youth held their 4th Annual Youth Iftaar for our Muslim Youth here in Houston, Texas. The event was a huge success with council member Richard Nguyen and Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee presenting Shabu (Zeenat) Boghani, Founder & CEO of Al Saif Youth, with a certiﬁcation of appreciation. Other important political dignitaries in attendance included Congressman Al Green, Council Member Richard Nguyen, Consul General of Indonesia Mr. Isman Pasha, President of MACC & Event Co-Chair Mr. Rahman Moton and Tax Collector Mr. Mike Sullivan who represented Judge Ed Emmett.

L-R: Arun Singhal, Gajanan Gaikwad, Francois Gautier, Rahul Chandra, Dhaval Joshipura and other volunteers at Hindu Temple of Woodland OUSTON - Hindu also a way to show to the future Mahasabha of Amer- generations how and why these ica hosted a presenta- Indian fought for so long. tion on construction of a museOne of way to accomplish um at Pune to honor Chatrapati such goal is by constructShivaji Maharaj. The presenta- ing museums to honor each tion was given by Mr. Francois great personality of past who Gautier, a renowned journalist protected Hindu religion and and writer who has been cover- Indian identity. Mr. Gautier ing events in India since 1970. discussed in detail, one of such Mr. Gautier discussed the rich museum, which he is trying history of Indian culture with to construct in Pune to honor, special emphasis on tough Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj time India had to go through to who fought in 1600s to protect protect its identity, culture and Hinduism and Dharma. This Hindu religion against Islamic, museum dedicated not only British Colonists and other for- to Chatrapati Shivaji Mahaeign invaders since 1100s. He raj but also to the knowledge stressed that vast efforts need that stands behind Dharma and to be done not only to keep Hinduism. Hindu culture protected but

4th Annual Youth Iftaar hosted in Houston The auspicious event began with beautiful recitations of the Holy Qur’an followed by English translations making it easier for the Youth to understand the words of our Creator. Afterwards, there were spectacular performances of Hamd, Naats, Salaam and Dua. Despite the hall being ﬁlled with a crowd of nearly 500 people there was silence as everyone attentively listened to the religious hymns. A From right to left: Mr. Mike Sullivan, Council Member Richard Nguyen, President of MACC Mr. Rahman Moton, Conspecial video of Al gressman Al Green, Founder of Al Saif Youth, Zeenat Boghani, and Consul General of Indonesia Hon. Isman Pasha.

Saif Youth volunteers spreading the message that nobody should be judged based on appearances and that only Allah (SWT) can judge was also shown. Lastly, the event also had an Art Competition, showcasing beautiful artwork submitted by the youth. Al Saif Youth’s Shabu (Zeenat) Boghani thanked the people behind the scene including countless supporters and her team of volunteers, all the parents. Without their support this event would not have been successful. Shabu (Zeenat) Boghani deserves much credit for the success of the event. “With the blessing of Allah (SWT) each year the event is more successful, showcasing the talents of the Houston Youth,” she said. Special thanks to Mr. Rahman Moton President MACC & Event Co-Chair for inviting elected ofﬁcials and all Muslim Consul Generals.

WORLD/US

VOICE OF ASIA 10

Chuck Hagel to visit India next month: Pentagon

US imposes tough sanctions on Russia

ASHINGTON: The US has slapped additional tough sanctions on Russia’s ﬁnancial services and energy sectors for the failure of Moscow to taken enough steps to address the volatile political situation in Ukraine. The Department of the Treasury imposed a broad-based package of sanctions yesterday on entities in the ﬁnancial services, energy and arms or related materiel sectors of Russia as well as on those undermining Ukraine’s sovereignty or misappropriating Ukrainian property

Prime Minister Narendra Modi at 6th BRICS Summit in Fortaleza, Brazil on Tuesday. (PTI)

ASHINGTON: In his first opportunity to engage directly with the new leadership, US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel will visit India next month to discuss bilateral defence and security ties with Indian officials. “Only two months into Prime Minister Modi’s tenure, already it looks like we will have a very busy year,” Deputy Assistant Secretary Of Defence For South And Southeast Asia, Amy Searight said yesterday. “Secretary Hagel will be travelling to India in early August to discuss bilateral defence ties with Indian officials,” she said, adding that he would be accompanied by top Pentagon officials. The trip will follow the State Department’s Strategic Dialogue, scheduled for July 31 in New Delhi, and will be first opportunity to engage in a direct and meaningful way with India’s new leadership on defence and security issues that matter to the both, she said.

Describing India as a regional and emerging global power as well as strategic partner with shared interests Amy said, “Defence relations continue to play a signiﬁcant role in advancing the strategic partnership, and we continue to make progress towards advancing US-India defence cooperation to the point where it is both expected and routine across our multifaceted relationship”. She said the US wanted India to have all the capabilities it needed to meet its security demands and the Obama Administration wants to be a strong partner in that effort. “Our policy in this area has not changed and remains part of our broader re-balance to the region. We continue to maintain strong military-to-military ties and are building a growing record on defence trade. This partnership requires effort and persistence on both sides, and as we look ahead, we see that there are even more areas where the two of us can cooperate,” she said.

One of the pillars of US effort to build a strategic partnership with India on defence issues is the US-India defence Trade and Technology Initiative (DTTI), she said, adding that under the auspices of DTTI, the US was ready to move forward on a number of efforts, from coproduction / codevelopment proposals to procurement and sales. “On the co-production/codevelopment side, we have continued to identify forwardleaning proposals from US industry for cooperative projects with India. Once the new government shows interest in the proposals already offered, we will follow up. “Positive indications from the Indian side on these proposals would go a long way in helping us maintain the Initiative’s momentum, but we realise that the new government ? not even two months old ? may take some time in responding,” she said. The Pentagon is looking forward to convening the Defence Policy Group (DPG) this year.

FRIDAY, July 18, 2014

“Russia has continued to destabilise Ukraine and provide support for the separatists, despite its statements to the contrary,” Under Secretary of Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence David S Cohen said. “Because Russia has failed to meet the basic standards of international conduct, we are acting today to open Russia’s ﬁnancial services and energy

sectors to sanctions and limit the access of two key Russian banks and two key energy firms to US sources of financing and to impose blocking sanctions against eight arms firms and a set of senior Russian officials,” he said. Treasury imposed sanctions that prohibit US persons from providing new financing to two major Russian financial institutions (Gazprombank OAO and VEB) and two Russian energy firms (OAO Novatek and Rosneft), limiting their access to US capital markets. It designated eight Russian arms firms, which are responsible for the production of a range of materiel that includes small arms, mortar shells and tanks. “Luhansk People’s Republic” and the “Donetsk People’s Republic,” which have asserted governmental authority over parts of Ukraine without the authorisation of the Government of Ukraine were also designated.

Aleksandr Borodai, the selfdeclared “prime minister” of the Donetsk People’s Republic found a mention for threatening peace, security, stability, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine. Treasury further designated Feodosiya Enterprises, a key shipping facility in the Crimean peninsula, as it is complicit in the misappropriation of state assets of Ukraine and slapped sanctions on four Russian government officials, including Sergey Beseda, a senior Russian Federal Security Service official. “These actions do more than build upon previous steps to impose costs on separatists and the Russian government. By imposing sanctions on entities within the financial services and energy sectors, Treasury has increased the cost of economic isolation for key Russian firms that value their access to medium and long-term US sources of financing,” the Treasury statement said.

Billionaire trio unite for US immigration reform

ASHINGTON Three of the world’s richest men -- Bill Gates, Warren Buffett and Sheldon Adelson -- put aside their political differences to unite in scathing condemnation of US lawmakers’ failure to implement immigration reform. In an opinion column in Friday’s New York Times, the trio, who have a net worth of about $160 billion between them, said that a Congress paralyzed by partisanship is failing US citizens by refusing to make the compromises necessary to overhaul a system that Democrats, Republicans and President Barack Obama all say is broken. “Americans deserve better than this,” the men wrote, add-

ing that despite their political differences they would be able to draft a bill acceptable to each of them. They took particular aim at the Republican-led House of Representatives, which has stonewalled several attempts to craft legislation. The House bill’s differences, the trio argued, could be hammered out with members of the Senate, whose landmark immigration bill passed with bipartisan support one year ago but has languished on Capitol Hill. “Whatever the precise provisions of a law, it’s time for the House to draft and pass a bill that reﬂects both our country’s humanity and its self-interest,”

the billionaires said. “A Congress that does nothing about these problems is extending an irrational policy by default.” The three men may be on the same page with regard to immigration reform, but it is their political differences that makes the column stand out. Gates, founder and former boss at Microsoft, and Berkshire Hathaway founder and worldrenowned investor Buffett have both supported Obama, while Las Vegas Sands Corporation chief executive Adelson is the casino magnate who in 2012 spent nearly $100 million in an effort to defeat Obama’s reelection.

VOICE OF ASIA 11

LIFESTYLE

FRIDAY, July 18, 2014

ONLINE .COM voiceofasiaonline.com

Vol. 27

No. 29

Friday, July 18, 2014 Section 2

Page 11

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

Halal tourism takes off in Japan

Fashion Designer Chloe Dao to talk on “Heritage” at Asia Society

Houston’s fashionista Chloe Dao discuss the topic of ‘heritage’ in this engaging breakfast lecture on 25 July 2014 at 9:00am. Asia Society Texas Center partners on this event with CreativeMornings/Houston-the local arm of CreativeMornings. The event is scheduled at the Asia Society Texas Center located on 1370 Southmore Blvd., Houston, TX 77004. Registration starts at 8:30 am. Program starts at 9:00 am sharp. About Chloe Dao After a long journey of ten months, Houston-based designer Chloe Dao emerged as the winner of Bravo’s Emmy-nominated Project Runway 2 in March 2006. She has appeared in international news and print media, including a feature story in Elle Vietnam, and her designs were featured in the Smithsonian Museum in the Exit Saigon, Enter Little Saigon exhibit. Her storefront boutique was

Chloe Dao. established in 2000 and continues to be a shopping destination not only for Houstonians but also for visitors from around the world. Dao also devotes her time to philanthropic efforts and is active in the community.

Thai Muslim tourists enjoying Halal certiﬁed foods at a barbecue restaurant in Tokyo by Jacques LHUILLERY

rayer rooms, hijabs made from local silk and even halal-certiﬁed whale meat are appearing in Japan as tourism bosses wake up to the demand from Muslim travellers. For a largely homogeneous country with only around 100,000 practising Muslims, that means groping its way through unfamiliar customs as it looks to tap a growing market to help it double the number of overseas visitors by 2020. “Muslim travellers still do not feel comfortable here,” Datuk Ibrahim Haji Ahmad Badawi, head of Malaysian food company Brahim’s told AFP at a recent seminar on halal tourism in Tokyo. “The government seems to have understood this.” Last year, seminars like this one were held in 20 different regions in Japan, where hoteliers and restaurateurs were invited to learn how to cater to Muslims. The Osaka Chamber of Commerce handed out 5,000 leaﬂets as a guide to what can and cannot be eaten -- the idea of forbidding consumption of things like alcohol or pork is anathema to omnivorous and foodie Japan. With the Islamic world currently observing the holy month of Ramadan, tourism to Japan is being heavily promoted in mainly-Muslim Southeast Asia, where visa requirements were relaxed in 2013 for Malaysia and Thailand.

Indonesia -- the largest Muslim-majority country in the world -- is slated to follow shortly. According to the Japanese Tourist Office, the number of Indonesians visiting the archipelago in 2013 was up 37 percent on the previous year, while 21 percent more Malaysians came. Chinese tourist numbers have recovered from their plunge following the 2012 eruption of the spat between Beijing and Tokyo over islands in the East China Sea. But broadening the appeal of Japan as a destination is key if the industry is to meet the 20 million visitors target set for 2020 when the Olympic Games come to Tokyo. - Catering for the world The influx of athletes and spectators from all over the world that the sporting jamboree will bring is also playing into the drive to make the country more Muslim-friendly. “Can you imagine the number of Muslim athletes who will then come to Tokyo? We’ll have to feed them,” said Badawi. Brahim as a company has already signed a deal with All Nippon Airways (ANA), one of Japan’s biggest carriers, to supply inflight halal meals, Badawi said. A number of large hotels have also approached him looking for advice on how they can cater for Muslim guests. For Badawi, despite Japan’s slow

start, the direction of travel is clear: Muslims looking for holiday destinations will come, and in bigger numbers, giving Tokyo an ever-larger slice of a $600 billion global pie. Slowly, various regions across Japan are catching on. Major airports have dedicated prayer rooms, and tourists looking for the perfect present can pick up hijabs made from Japanese silk as they pass through Kansai International Airport, near Osaka, a recent television report showed. Longer term visitors are also being catered for, with 19 universities offering halal menus in their cafeterias in a bid to boost the number of Muslim students. Customers looking for an authentic -but halal -- Japanese dish already have a choice in Tokyo, including a yakiniku barbecue restaurant run by Roger Bernard Diaz, a Sri Lankan Catholic who converted his business, but not his religion. He has no qualms about making the change to offering a range of halal meats and says it has helped him garner reservations from customers from southeast Asia, and even the Gulf. But sourcing produce can be difﬁcult. “It’s hard to ﬁnd all the ingredients,”, he admits while pulling a Brazilian-raised halal chicken from a dedicated freezer. - Whale meat Muslims who want to sample whale meat are also catered for after Japan’s

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Tourists being served at the Thai restaurant in Tokyo. whaling mothership, which slaughters the animals on their controversial hunt, was certiﬁed halal-compliant last year. The Japan Halal Association, which was founded in 2010, is one of only two bodies that can grant this status in the country. Its chairwoman Hind Hitomi Remon told AFP that business is brisk. “We are an associate member of the World Halal Council,” she said. “Since 2012, we have issued certiﬁcates to 40 companies, and that number is set to rise a lot this year,” a fact she says is directly attributable to Tokyo being awarded the Olympic Games for 2020.

And even if the tourists don’t want to eat in Japan, producers are readying to send produce to them, with exports such as halal-certiﬁed soy sauce and even rice, grown in northern Akita prefecture. But until the numbers swell a little bit more, businesses catering to Muslims still have to keep an eye on what their other customers want. Yakiniku restaurant owner Diaz says around half of his customers now are Muslims yet he still has to cater for his other patrons. “It’s hard to do business here without selling alcohol,” he said.

Young Life

VOICE OF ASIA 12

Friday, July 18, 2014

Section 2

Page 12

Email: editor@voiceofasiaonline.com

Yes, Millennials Actually Are Living in Their Parents’ Basements This isn’t just another bogus trend—and these numbers prove it by David Dayen (New Republic. Posted 07-09-2014).

the best estimate of college students living in dorms rose only slightly, from 7.6 percent in 2000 to 8.2 percent in 2012.

ast week, The Atlantic’s Derek Thompson delivered a rebuke to writers who have expressed concern about elevated numbers of young adults living in their parents’ basements. People like me, and also Derek Thompson from 2012. According to Thompson, this increase relies almost entirely on a quirk in the statistical data. The Current Population Survey of the U.S. Census deﬁnes students living in dormitories as “living in their parents’ home.” To Thompson, this means that the entire trend is bogus: More young adults are enrolling in college than ever before, and they’re simply counted as basement-dwellers. Prominent analysts like Calculated Risk’s Bill McBride picked up Thompson’s theory.

U.S. Census Bureau and Current Population Survey Young Adults Living in Their Parents’ Home, 1960-2012

Is he right? Are perceptions of economic stresses among young adults, and their “Great Delay” of major purchases and life events, merely a function of increased access to college education? Do I owe readers an apology? I don’t think so, for a variety of reasons. First of all, Thompson plays a bit with his age ranges. The statistics he pulls on the increase in college enrollment are for millennials aged 18-24. However, the trend of more young adults living at home, based on Current Population Survey statistics, extends from 18-34.

U.S. Dept. of Commerce, Census Bureau Total Spending on the Construction of Educational Projects

You can see the upward trend for men and women aged 25-34 specifically. It’s hard to figure that this all comes from dorm living. Especially considering that college enrollment has actually fallen the past two years, yet young adults living at home continued to rise. Next, we have to consider the type of college enrollment that has expanded, particularly since the recession. For example, has there been a massive increase in dormitory construction that we all missed to accommodate these new students? It’s hard to pinpoint dorm spending from this graph, but it looks like education construction overall has fallen fairly sharply since 2008. This Wall Street Journal article about big real estate companies getting into off-campus housing may show increased demand, but of course that’s compared to an historically decrepit housing market. And it’s unclear whether off-campus housing counts as “dorm living” for the purposes of the Current Population Survey. In fact, the largest increase in college enrollment in recent years comes from for-profit colleges, which tripled their numbers from 2001 to 2010, compared to a 31 percent increase for other types of higher ed. For-profit colleges typically don’t have dorms; forprofit online universities don’t even have campuses. So it’s extremely likely that those college students do live at home. In fact, the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey summary data finds that 41 percent of all students in college or graduate school live with their parents, nearly three times the rate of those living in student housing (14 percent).

Trulia : Share of 18-24 Year Olds Living with Their Parents, 1986-2013.

During the same time period,

That was the main point of my previous New Republic story: Low household formation hobbles an economy, leading to reduced home construction and fewer purchases of household furnishings. And increased educational enrollment, while a positive long-term trend, actually is an indicator of this, not a reason to dismiss it. The terrible job market almost certainly pushed young adults to get more skills rather than struggle to ﬁnd work. At the basest level, it’s easier for a millennial to get a student loan than a personal loan. So off to college they went, living on debt and hiding out from the Great Recession. The inverse relationship between college enrollment and labor force participation speaks to this. In theory, this should pan out in the long run, given the wage premium for college graduates. But in practice, it may result in a glut of over-educated young people without jobs to support their skills. Paul Krugman wrote in 2011 that college degrees may not rebuild the middle class, but simply serve as “tickets to jobs that don’t exist.” That’s especially true of the growth industry in forproﬁt colleges, whose degrees are dubious, to put it mildly. Indeed, half a million young people with college degrees worked for the minimum wage last year, and low-wage jobs have seen the most growth in the economy. As the labor market recovers, will this problem vanish? Will millennials earn more, move out and form households? Many analysts seem to think so, including Trulia’s Jed Kolko. He says that “young adults now appear to be starting to move out of their parents’ homes and forming new households as renters,” citing increased rental demand and apartment construction.

Trulia : Share of 18-34 Year Olds Living with Parents (Excluding Dorm-Dwellers)

Put this all together, and you get the result that economist Jed Kolko of housing analysis site Trulia ﬁnds: even after you adjust for increased college enrollment, “millennials were more likely to live with parents in 2012 and 2013 than at any other time for which a consistent data series is available.” Even eliminating all full-time college students aged 18-24 from the data shows the trend. And when you exclude dormdwellers, you ﬁnd that the share of 18-34 year-olds living with their parents has risen from 24 percent in 2000 to over 32 percent in 2012.

Based on this data, the phenomenon of young adults bunking with Mom and Dad does not solely spring from increased educational enrollment. It’s more likely that they simply don’t have enough money. In a follow-up post, Derek Thompson actually acknowledges this, pointing out that young people have grown poorer in the last decade, with lower median incomes, higher unemployment, and more student debt. This leads to lower household formation, with millennial heads of household at lower levels in 2013 even than in the lowest point of the Great Recession in 2009, and homeownership for Americans under 35 at the smallest percentage on record.

Trulia: Share of 18-24 Year Olds Estimated to be Living in College Dorms

When I wrote about this problem in February, the numbers were not yet clear: different Census surveys showed different trends for millennial household formation. And it will take years to get back to the annual rate of 1.2 million new households (the past few years have been stuck around 600,000-800,000). But it could be that the combination of higher student debt, a lack of good-paying jobs and stagnant wages has created a new normal, where young adults simply expect to live at home for several extra years before venturing out on their own. None of the economic implications of that outcome would be good for the country. The housing market, consumer spending and even gross national happiness (unless you think most 30 year-olds like living with their parents) would suffer. Whether or not you consider the Great Delay tragic depends on how you believe it will all shake out. I’m open to believing that strong growth will paper over many of these concerns. But if the way we ﬁnance higher education and the hollowing out of middle-skill jobs has permanently prevented the normal economic life cycle, dismissing the warning signs risks the life prospects of an entire generation.

FRIDAY, July 18, 2014

Tel: 713-774-5140

How a teenage entrepreneur built a startup on Bitcoin riches Erik Finman turned $1000 into $100,000 using Bitcoin.

hen 15-year-old Erik Finman turned a $1,000 Easter gift from his grandma into $100,000 after cashing in on his Bitcoin investment, he wasn’t all like Cristal, Maybach, diamonds on your timepiece. He was all business. The Idaho robotics champ and early North Idaho College student used his Bitcoin riches to launch Botangle.com, a burgeoning online video tutoring startup, according to Mashable. The fee-based e-learning service currently offers 59 impressive subjects, including, of course, Bitcoin and entrepreneurship, along with a wealth of other “resources that just do not exist in a normal classroom setting.” Botangle students can also enroll in computer programming, advanced mathematics (stochastic calculus!), 3D spe-

cial effects and, oddly, equine nutrition courses. Finman credits his older brother for turning him on to Bitcoin back in 2012. As reported by CoinDesk, he received 0.2 bitcoins from his sibling and bought more using the $1,000 from his grandmother. He sold them a year later for $100,000, when the price per Bitcoin was about $1,200. Smart move, kid. Like so many other “Bitcoinians,” Finman expects the cryptocurrency to be as big of a game-changer as the Internet itself. He’s going all in, paying his staff of 20 in the digital cash most of the time.

This kid means business Meet Jefferson Prince, 17, tech expert and CEO, who has plans to change the gaming industry

by VIPASHA SINHA In June last year, when his classmates in London were counting the days to the prom, Jefferson Prince was worried about the hashtag #onlyjefferson used for taking potshots at him on Twitter. Prince called himself a CEO and most of his classmates thought of it as a self-allotted designation to a one-man team and started harassing him. One of them publically threatened to bully him if he came to the prom. Prince ended up not going. What his critics did not realise was that Prince was a busy man as months after the prom, in December 2013, he moved his company — which started in a small room in 2012 — to a fourstorey building in Kodambakkam in the city. And now, Prince is the picture of professionalism. There stands a customised door that has ‘Jefferson Prince CEO’ imprinted on it. I catch up with this leanframed gaming expert, sitting in his cabin clad in a suit. The room, which he calls his den, is lit with natural light and he says he likes it that way. The space has four large computer screens, and a wall-mounted TV. The Macbook Pro and other gadgets are systematically placed. “I like my workstation and I spend a lot of time here, more than at home,” says the 17-year-old. His company, iCazual Entertainment is developing its First Person Shooter game project for all major platforms such as Microsoft Xbox One, Sony PlayStation 4 and PCs. They also operate in the visual effects ﬁeld to generate income until the game project is complete. While many made fun of him initially, he says, he always believed that he was meant to do something special. In fact he is glad that he did not go to the prom. “I had always liked computers. Even as a kid I liked to stay indoors and discover new opportunities in the virtual world,” says Prince. Even some of his teachers ridiculed him for his social awkwardness. “Though most of them spoke high of me, there was this teacher who announced in front of the class that I’d be a failure in life.” People like Zuckerberg, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs have inspired him. They dared to think differently and took risks at a very young age. Prince was born in Tirunelveli and moved to London when he was three years old, where his father, Prince Jayachandran, worked with computers. “Com-

puters were my toys as a child. When I was five, I could assemble them.” By six, he was a master at games like Prince of Persia and Age of Empires. At 15, he competed with 100 students at Warwick University to develop eStudent, an application to help parents keep track of their child’s performance at school. “I learned basic coding when I was hardly six. I even created my own social medium and called it ‘Crowned Prince’. This was exclusively to interact with my mother. I’d sit in my room playing games and shoot out messages to my mother on her laptop, I did this when I was 12. At 13, I created my slave — a representative of my virtual self. It was an Internet Relay Chat (IRC) through which I connected with my friends and managed my IRC-bots.” By the time he was in his teens, he did odd jobs to earn money. One summer when Prince and his friend were playing a video game, he realised that a lot could be done with it. “I thought why not make a game for myself that met all my expectations. I wanted to create a trailer first. We successfully completed the trailer but it was not up to my standards so we scrapped it. This happened in early 2012 when I met the core team of this company,” he says. By now he knew what he wanted to do. He started a company, with the help of his father in the U.K. and later moved to Chennai to set up the main division. “I wasn’t sure if India was the right place but it was my dad who suggested that I tap the market here. A chunk of VFX work for international movies is done here. He was right. I am lucky to be working with some of the best professionals,” he says. Some of his employees have been associated with him from the beginning. Everybody in his team is older and has years of experience. Is it difficult being a boss? “I found it difficult initially but now I have found my way. I have to be firm and confident about my vision.” After finishing school, he took a break but still managed to study his course material. “My aim is to go to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and fund my own education. Also I want to figure out a way to manage the business when I’m in college. But before that, I have promised myself a Lamborghini Aventador by 2015. I’m waiting to turn 18,” says Prince, who swears that he will not have a girlfriend as he dreads dealing with break-ups. “It’s scary and a waste of time at my age,” he says. Prince knows that he is missing out on a lot of things that boys his age do but he says he is happy to make the sacrifices. He plans to open a foundation in the future to help the disadvantaged. (The Hindu).

VOICE OF ASIA 13

Friday, July 18, 2014

BOLLYWOOD MASALA Section 2

Page 13

Email: editor@voiceofasiaonline.com

Homi Adajania Shot ‘Finding Fanny’ in 36 days Mumbai — Director Homi Adajania, whose “Finding Fanny” trailer has garnered over a million views in just 22 hours, says he shot the quirky story in just 36 days. The film stars Deepika Padukone, Arjun Kapoor, Naseeruddin Shah, Dimple Kapadia and Pankaj Kapur. Adajania enjoyed working with a bunch of talented performers in the film, which is set in a sleepy Goan village. “Love makes normal people do nutty things. But what if they were already a little nutty to begin with? Deepika and Arjun signed onto the film before ‘Chennai Express’ and ‘Two States’ had released and didn’t waver because they had the same conviction. “I couldn’t make the film without Naseer because his character was written for him. As for Dimple, if I make a film without her she will have my head on a platter,” said the director, who has previously helmed “Being Cyrus” and “Cocktail.” Adajania said shooting the film was as hilarious as the story. “A great joy I experienced was being introduced to Pankaj Kapur. It was a fabulous experience directing him. ‘Finding Fanny’ was a shooting experience that was almost as goofy and hilarious as the story itself,” he said.

FRIDAY, July 18, 2014

Tel: 713-774-5140

Zohra Sehgal passes away at 102

addened over the demise of legendary actress Zohra Sehgal, actor Ajay Devgn said they were planning to cancel the trailer launch event of his upcoming ﬁlm ‘Singham Returns’. The 102-year-old actress died of cardiac arrest yesterday in Delhi. “I do not know how to react and what to say on this. We were thinking to postpone the event today but it was too late,” Ajay told reporters here at the trailer launch of Singham Returns today.

Zohra Sehgal, was 102 years old.

A Padma Vibhushan awardee, Sehgal was seen in Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s ‘Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam’, which had Ajay Devgn in the lead. Actress Kareena Kapoor Khan, who was present at the same event, also expressed grief

over the demise of Sehgal. “I am a great fan of Zohraji. She was a great artiste, a legend. My sister Karishma and Ranbir (cousin) had the opportunity to work with her, I missed out on that. May her soul rest in peace,” Kareena said.

Saif will make a good cop on screen: Kareena Deepika Padukone in Finding Fanny

Priyanka Chopra looks convincing as Olympic medalist Mary Kom

he makers of Priyanka Chopra’s Mary Kom biopic have released the first look of the film. The film is based on the life of Olympic medalist Mary Kom. It will be another addition to the list of Indian biographical sports drama films. If we recall last year Farhan Akhtar’s Bhaag Milkha Bhaag did exceedingly well at not just the box office but also with the critics. Priyanka tweeted, “Heart. Blood. Sweat. Soul. I’ve given it my all. Over to you guys now! #MaryKomFirstLook #FightLikeAGirl ..here goes.” Priyanka Chopra’s Mary Kom, directed by Omung Kumar and produced by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, is a simple story on what it took Mary Kom to battle all the hardships of life and still emerge victorious on the international platform. The story and screenplay is written by Saiwyn Quadras. Apart from Priyanka, the film also stars Shishir Sharma and Zachary Coffin. So go ahead BollywoodLifers, have a look at the first look and let us know if you like PC as Mary Kom or not.

Kareena Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan, Photo credit: bhijit Mhamunkar

Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra plays Olympic medalist Mary Kom. in biopic ‘Mary Kom’.

areena Kapoor, who will be next seen opposite Ajay Devgn in Singham Returns feels her actor-husband Saif Ali Khan will be a better cop on screen. “I think Saif will be the best cop (on screen). I think he will be better than Ajay,” Kareena told reporters in Mumbai at the trailer launch of Singham Returns.

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Kareena said she hates doing action stuff on screen but in director Rohit Shetty’s ﬁlms she

enjoys doing it. “I hate doing action but in Rohit’s film nothing is that difficult. I have been on a car, bike in Golmaal series and now I will be riding auto rickshaw in Singham Returns. I feel safe secured with Rohit,” she said. “I had fun doing this film. Though it was a bit hectic shooting but Rohit made things easy for us,” she said. Singham Returns will be releasing on August 15.

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ENTERTAINMENT

VOICE OF ASIA 14

Film:

Menil presents - Outdoor Film Screening - Free to All

Mahatma: Life of Gandhi, 1869-1948 Friday, August 1, 2014 8:30 p.m. Bring your blankets, lawn chairs, and picnic baskets to the Menil lawn for a free screening of Mahatma: Life of Gandhi, 1869-1948. Following Gandhi’s assassination in 1948, a group of India’s leaders created the Gandhi Films Committee, launching an international appeal for any film footage of the Mahatma (‘great soul”). The global response was overwhelming, not only from news organizations like Pathé and the BBC, but from the anonymous cameramen whose names will never be known. In 1968, the donated material became the basis of this remarkable film, seamlessly constructed from rare footage. The presentation of Mahatma is made possible by the Films Division of the Government of India, through the office of the Consul General of India in Houston. This free screening is in anticipation of the exhibition Experiments with Truth: Gandhi and Images of Nonviolence, opening October 2, 2014 at the Menil.

Exhibitions: Artist Talk by Manjari Sharma

Experiments with Truth: Gandhi and Images of Nonviolence, opens October 2

Margaret Bourke-White, Gandhi using his spinning wheel at home, 1946. The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Given in honor of Marjorie G. Horning by Mr. and Mrs. Meredith Long; Isla and Tommy Reckling; Mr. and Mrs. Durga D. Agrawal; Milton D. Rosenau Jr. and Dr. Ellen R. Gritz; Dr. Ninan and Sushila Mathew; Drs. Ellin and Robert G. Grossman; Mr. and Mrs. Vinod Bhuchar; Mr. and Mrs. Philip J. John, Jr.; and Dr. and Mrs. A.P. Raghuthaman. © Margaret Bourke-White/Time Life Pictures/Getty Images.

FRIDAY, July 18, 2014

Book Review: Appu: Tale of a Villager by Sugunan Njekkad Overview Born into an impoverished family in a tiny village along the coast of Kerala, India, a curious young boy begins a coming-of-age journey with his loving, nurturing motherall while knowing better than to ask about the man whose faint image often appears in his memory. Still, Appu never gives up looking far and wide for the father who helped bring him into the world. Without the usual luxuries and tools afforded to most to ease his curiosity, learn new things, or venture on to the next phase in life, Appu learns to rely on his ﬁve senses as he discovers new people, sights, sounds, and smells. As he embarks on a journey across his country and the world in search of himself, Appu dives into the morals, beliefs, cultures, and traditions of a different land, all while contradicting society’s norms in an effort to ﬁnd his identity, purpose, and ultimate reality. Appu is the universally human story of a young boy’s natural rite of passage as he slowly transforms into a man who fully immerses himself in his chal-

Appu book cover lenges with poverty, cultural identity, personal growth, and love-and discovers who he is in the process. About the Author Sugunan Njekkad was born in a village in Kerala State, India. After graduating from the University of Kerala, he immigrated to United States during the 1970s where he studied laboratory science. Appu was originally published in Malayalam, a regional language in India. After the manuscript garnered much media attention, Sugunan translated the novel to English.

Sanjeev Bhaskar to star in Doctor Who ﬁnale

ritish actor Sanjeev Bhaskar is the latest celebrity to land a guest role on Doctor Who. The 50-year-old comedian and actor will appear in series eight’s ﬁnale, though details of his character are yet to be conﬁrmed, reported Digital Spy.

sical images of gods and goddesses pivotal to mythological stories in Hinduism. About Manjari Sharma

Manjari Sharma

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n her presentation, contemporary artist Manjari Sharma will discuss her photography on view as part of Asia Society Texas Center’s current exhibition, Transcendent Deities of India: The Everyday Occurrence of the Divine. Sharma will explore her work that recreates clas-

Manjari Sharma (b. 1979) is an internationally published photo-based artist born and raised in Mumbai, India, and based in Brooklyn, New York. Sharma’s artwork is rooted in the study of relationships, personal mythology and experience. Her work can be found in the permanent collection of Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, and has been showcased in group and solo shows both in the United States and abroad. Sharma was awarded ﬁrst place for the 2014 Curator’s Choice award from CENTER, Santa Fe, and has had features and interviews with New York Times, Nikon Asia, NPR, Time, Hufﬁngton Post, CNBC, Mumbai, and The Times of India Group. Lead exhibition support is provided by the City of Houston through Houston Arts Alliance, Nancy C. Allen, The Clayton Fund, Anne and Albert

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“I’m thrilled to have made a small contribution to and now be part of the Doctor Who universe. Another dream box ticked!,” he said. Steven Moffat, Doctor Who’s lead writer and executive producer, added, “I’m completely thrilled that Sanjeev Bhaskar is coming to the aid of the Doctor. The danger is never deadlier than in a ﬁnale episode, and the Time Lord is going to need all the help he can get!” Michelle Gomez will also guest in the ﬁnale, which has been penned by Moffat and will reintroduce classic monsters The Cybermen. Bhaskar is married to Meera Syal, who previously appeared in Doctor Who in 2010, and has himself featured in the Doctor Who audio plays produced by Big Finish.

HEALTHY LIVING HEALTH

VOICE OF ASIA 15

Friday, July 18, 2014

Section 2

Page 15

Email: editor@voiceofasiaonline.com

Pre-Participation Physicals and Health Expo Houston Methodist Orthopedics & Sports Medicine gives back to FBISD

University Interscholastic League (UIL) requires all high school athletes to undergo and pass a physical examination prior to participating in sports. Physical evaluations include testing height, weight, vision, blood pressure, pulse, ears, nose, throat, heart, lungs, abdomen, spine and all joints in the upper and lower body. Physicians discuss the athletes’ medical history and consult with them and their parents if further evaluation is necessary prior to releasing them to participate in sports. “We truly enjoy working with the schools in Fort Bend County,” said Dr. Vincent Phan, orthopedic surgeon and

team physician. “I grew up here and actually went to Elsik High School, so it is an honor to come back and support the players. We look forward to continuing to support these school districts.”

game shirts and practice t-shirts for student athletic trainers, braces for the athletes, winter jackets for student athletic trainers, rehab equipment, team plaques and student athletic trainer ﬁeld trips.

Houston Methodist Orthopedics & Sports Medicine in Sugar Land generously donates proceeds that are generated from the physical examinations back to the school’s athletic training programs. In the last ﬁve years, this group of physicians has donated more than $250,000 back to local schools. Athletic trainers use this money to purchase the necessary equipment they need for the upcoming school year in addition to what their budget allows.

But performing physical examinations is just part of being the team physician. Houston Methodist Orthopedics & Sports Medicine physicians support coaches, athletic trainers and players throughout the school year, according to Randy Cunningham, head coach at Travis High School.

“Partnering with this physician group has allowed me the ability to buy better rehab equipment for those students who get hurt on the ﬁeld,” said June Tomlin, athletic trainer at Elkins High School.

“With the help of these physicians, we can rest assured that our athletes are in good hands and are receiving the care they need and deserve,” Cunningham said. Tomlin concurred, saying, “It is always reassuring to know that the physicians will be there for the athletes whether it is for physicals before season, injury during the game or a visit to their ofﬁce after the game.”

Other local high schools have used the money donated for things such as Under Armour

“It is a privilege to work hands on with an exceptional group of athletic trainers and coaches,”

said Dr. Timothy Sitter, orthopedic surgeon and team physician. “I thoroughly enjoy the relationship that we have developed with the FBISD and AISD staff and look forward to continuing to work together in the future.” On Saturday, August 9, Houston Methodist Orthopedics & Sports Medicine will host Extracurricular Pre-Participation Physicals and Health Expo from 9 a.m. - 12 p.m. at Wheeler Field House, 16403 Lexington Blvd, Sugar Land, Texas, 77479. Orthopedic, sports medicine and cardiology specialists will be on site to provide additional clearance as needed. The cost is only $20 cash for ages 12-18. Be sure to also bring the UIL Physician Evaluation form which can be printed off our website, houstonmethodist.org/student-physicalssugar-land. Students receiving a physical will also get a free t-shirt. For more information, email athletictrainer@houstonmethodist.org or call 281.340.6420.

Study shows no link between HPV vaccine and blood clots

ASHINGTON, July 8, 2014 (AFP) - A vaccine that protects against four strains of the human papillomavirus, which can lead to cervical cancer, does not increase the risk of blood clots in women, researchers said Tuesday. The ﬁndings in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) are based on 500,000 girls and women aged 10 to 44 who received the HPV vaccine between 2006 and 2013. Using data from national registries, researchers in Denmark found no evidence of an increased risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in the 42 days after the shot, which they deﬁned as the main risk period. Of the 500,000, there were

4,375 cases of blood clots, and of those, 889 had been vaccinated during the study period. When researchers adjusted for use of oral contraceptives, which can increase the risk of blood clots, they found no association between VTE and the vaccine. “Our results, which were consistent after adjustment for oral contraceptive use and in girls and young women as well as mid-adult women, do not provide support for an increased risk of VTE following quadrivalent HPV vaccination,” the study said. “Safety concerns can compromise immunization programs to the detriment of public health, and timely evaluations of such concerns are essential.”

The JAMA report said a pair of earlier studies had suggested a link between the Gardasil vaccine, made by Merck, and a higher risk of blood clots. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in 2009 that there was an increase in patient reports of blood clots after the vaccination. However, on further review, the CDC said 90 percent of those “had a known risk fac-

Kesavan Shan, MD. Cardiologist.

ast week’s article outlined the importance of avoiding excess sodium intake. Unfortunately, even when attempting to reduce sodium, the well-intentioned may still consume high levels of sodium unknowingly because it is hidden in processed and prepared foods. Therefore, carefully reading food labels and limiting salt in cooking is very important. Most Indians living in the U.S. tend to eat a mixed diet consisting of both In-

dian and American cuisine. Examples of high-sodium foods found in both types of diet include: • Canned or packaged vegetables • Canned/processed ingredients for curries (such as chickpeas) • Processed mixes for rice, pasta and potatoes • Canned meat or ﬁsh • Regular and processed cheeses Low sodium alternatives are a much healthier choice and include fresh ingredients such as: • Raw vegetables, chickpeas and lentils • Fresh rice and pasta • Fresh meat and ﬁsh • Low sodium cheeses/ paneer

tor for blood clots, such as taking oral contraceptives (birth control pills).” US health authorities recommend the HPV vaccine for boys and girls before they become sexually active. The vaccine aims to prevent the spread of HPV, which is the most common sexually transmitted infection. Certain HPV strains can cause cancers of the cervix, head, neck and anus.

Read these reports and more on Health & Wellness at www.voiceofasiaonline.com

How to Reduce Sodium in Your Diet The National Institutes of Health created a useful guide that discusses the beneﬁts of low sodium diets in greater detail. For more information, go to www.nhlbi. nih.gov/health/public/heart/ hbp/dash/new_dash.pdf. {Please note the above suggestions are speciﬁcally aimed at reducing sodium intake only. These suggestions will not apply to all patients and may be unsuitable in certain individuals with other diseases or those with low sodium levels. It is important to obtain your physician’s advice before changing your diet or following the above suggestions.) Dr. Kesavan Shan is a cardiologist with Methodist Diagnostic Cardiology of Houston. To schedule an appointment, call 281.275.0330.

Tel: 713-774-5140

Annuities as a Vehicle to Fund Long Term Care Needs

L-R: D. Dean Dominy, III, M.D., Hand & Upper Extremity, Orthopedic Surgery; Kenneth M. Renney, M.D., Sports Medicine; Jeffrey B. Wood, M.D., Orthopedic Spine Surgery; Eddie T. Matsu, M.D., General Orthopedics, Joint Replacement Surgery; Mark W. Maffet, M.D., Knee and Shoulder Surgery, Sports Medicine; Timothy C. Sitter, M.D., Knee and Shoulder Surgery, Sports Medicine; Vincent C. Phan, M.D., Hand & Upper Extremity, Orthopedic Surgery; Carl A. Hicks, M.D., Joint Replacement Surgery; Ray R. Valdez, M.D., Foot & Ankle, Orthopedic Surgery; David A. Braunreiter, M.D., Sports Medicine, Concussion Management; Anthony J. Muffoletto, M.D., Orthopedic Spine Surgery and Jeffrey A. Kozak, D.O., Sports Medicine, Concussion Management. UGAR LAND—(June 26, 2014) —Houston Methodist Orthopedics & Sports Medicine in Sugar Land offers their annual sports physicals for Fort Bend and Alief Independent School Districts’ middle school and high school athletes. They have been associated with these school districts for more than 15 years as team physicians.

FRIDAY, July 18, 2014

ou may choose to enter into an annuity contract with an insurance company to help pay for long-term care services. In exchange for a single payment or a series of payments, the insurance company will send you an annuity, which is a series of regular payments over a specified and defined period of time. There are two types of annuities: 1) Immediate annuity 2) Deferred long-term care annuity Immediate annuity: If you have an immediate long-term care annuity, the insurance company will send you a specified monthly income in return for a single premium payment. This option is available regardless of your current health status. If you do not qualify for long-term care insurance because of age or poor health or if you are already receiving long-term care, you can still purchase an annuity. The insurance company converts your single premium payment into a guaranteed monthly income stream for a specified period of time or for the rest of your life. How much you receive in income each month depends on the amount of your initial premium, your age, and gender. Since women tend to live longer than men, women generally receive a smaller monthly payment over a longer period of time than do men of the same age. Key things to consider before purchasing an annuity: The annuity amount you receive may not be enough to pay for your long-term care expenses. Inflation may reduce the value of the monthly income you receive from the annuity. The effect that annuities can have on your taxes is complicated. Consult your tax professional before purchasing one. Deferred Long-term Care Annuity These plans are available to people up to age 85. Similar to other annuities, in exchange for a single premium payment, you receive a stream of monthly income for a specified period of time. The annuity creates two funds: one for long-term care expenses and another separate fund that you can use however you desire. You can access the longterm care fund immediately, but you must wait until a specified day in the future to access the separate cash portion. The rules of the annuity define how much you

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

can access on a monthly basis from the long-term care fund and how much you can access on an annual basis from the cash fund. To qualify for a deferred long-term care annuity, you must satisfy some health criteria. Key things to consider before purchasing a deferred long-term care annuity: 1) If you do not use the long-term care fund, you can pass it on to your heirs. 2) The annuity may not be enough to pay for your long-term care expenses. 3) The long-term care portion of the annuity may satisfy the requirements for a tax-qualified long-term care policy. 4) The effect that annuities can have on your taxes is complicated. Consult your tax professional before purchasing one. 4) An annuity can affect your eligibility for Medicaid, and whether Medicaid will pay for your long-term care services. To be eligible for Medicaid, you must meet the requirements for an eligibility group that your state covers under its Medicaid program. We can define an “eligibility group” as people who have certain common characteristics, such as being aged or disabled, and who meet certain common requirements, such as having income and assets below certain levels. There are many different eligibility groups in the Medicaid program, and each one has its own set of requirements. States are required to cover some groups, but have the option to cover or not cover others. Regardless of the specific eligibility group, though, you must meet two types of requirements to qualify for Medicaid. 1) General requirements 2) Financial requirements. . Once you qualify for Medicaid, you will have to meet additional functional requirements to qualify for long-term care services. To Be Continued. For valuable Health and Wealth Planning contact 713-771-2900.

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VOICE OF ASIA 16

US lab mixed up potent flu strain said.

FRIDAY, July 18, 2014

Want to sell your cow? Try Quikr - India’s Craigslist aspirant

The incidents may raise further concerns among opponents of studies known as “gain of function” research, in which scientists manipulate flu strains to find out how they can more easily spread, as well as how to better vaccinate against them. In 2011 and 2012, worldwide scientists selfimposed a moratorium on such research after concerns were raised about research that made a potent flu strain jump easily between mammals. AFP/AFP/File - Viles in a laboratory wait to be tested in College Park, Maryland on September 15, 2011

US government laboratory mistakenly mixed a common flu strain with a dangerous and deadly type of bird flu and shipped it to another lab, authorities said Friday. The latest news followed admissions of mishandled anthrax and forgotten smallpox vials at separate US government labs, and raised new concerns about the safety of dangerous agents which could be used as bioterror weapons. No one was endangered by the mixed flu strain, said Centers for Disease Control and Prevention director Tom Frieden, who nevertheless said he was “astonished” that protocols could have been violated in that way. “Everything we have looked at strongly suggests that there was no exposure of anyone to influenza,” said Frieden at a press briefing. He told reporters he had lost sleep since learning of the flu mix-up on Wednesday, six weeks after it occurred. “These events should never have happened,” he

said, adding that they raise “serious and troubling questions. “Frankly, I’m about it,” he said.

angry

Frieden said he has issued a moratorium on the transfer of any biological samples, including infectious agents, within or outside the CDC until an investigation is complete. He also called for appropriate disciplinary action for any staff members who knowingly violated protocol or failed to report a lab incident. “It tells me we need to look at our culture of safety throughout all our laboratories,” Frieden said. - Anthrax, smallpox incidents The CDC said it learned of the flu mix-up while it was finalizing a report about what happened with a separate incident involving anthrax on June 5, which it concluded was very unlikely to have exposed workers to dangers, though some 80 people were initially considered vulnerable. “Earlier this year a culture of non-pathogenic avian influenza was unin-

tentionally cross-contaminated at the CDC influenza laboratory with the highly pathogenic H5N1 strain of influenza and shipped to a BSL-3 select-agent laboratory operated by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA),” the CDC said in a statement. The lab is closed until better safety measures can be put in place, and an investigation is under way. “For me personally, this is the most distressing,” said Frieden of the flu incident, which took place on May 23. The H5N1 bird flu is highly contagious and has killed about 60 percent of humans who been sickened by it. It first infected humans in 1997 during a poultry outbreak in Hong Kong, and became widespread in 2003 and 2004. Frieden said the type of H5N1 was not the exact same type as the one that spread in China, but “it is one of the ones that does concern us because it can be quite deadly both for poultry and for people.” The other type of flu involved was H9N2, he

The full details of those experiments were eventually published in leading scientiﬁc journals. - ‘Disturbing, scary’ “It’s disturbing. It’s a little scary,” said Len Horovitz, a pulmonary specialist and internist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York, regarding the latest CDC revelations. “The CDC has to have more control of its labs,” he added. “More oversight is needed.” The CDC has also completed initial testing on the six apparently forgotten vials of smallpox that were found in a Food and Drug Administration lab at the National Institutes of Health earlier this week, and two had viable smallpox in them, Frieden said. After scientists complete tests on the smallpox, they will destroy the samples in view of World Health Organization ofﬁcials, he said. “That is what should have been done a couple of decades ago,” Frieden said. “Whoever created these vials did not do so out of malice,” he said, adding that they were dated February 10, 1954. Smallpox was not eradicated worldwide until the late 1970s.

Apple, IBM team up on devices for business NEW YORK, July 15, 2014 (AFP) - Apple and IBM unveiled a “landmark” partnership Tuesday to win over business customers by offering iPhones and iPads that are specially tailored to the enterprise users. The partnership will offer apps for the Apple devices which bring the power of IBM’s supercomputing analytics to a mobile workforce, according to a joint statement. The move aims to boost Apple’s share of the market for mobile devices for enterprises, by offering specially tailored apps, security and other services that are part of IBM’s core business. “The landmark partnership aims to redeﬁne the way work will get done, address key industry mobility challenges and spark true mobile-led business change,” the statement said. “Apple and IBM’s shared vision for this partnership is to put in the hands of business professionals everywhere the unique capabilities of iPads and iPhones

with a company’s knowledge, data, analytics and workflows.” The companies plan to release more than 100 industry-specific enterprise solutions including apps developed for the iOS platform, along with IBM cloud services, security and analytics. As part of the deal, IBM will also sell iPhones and iPads tailored to specific industries.

“For the ﬁrst time ever we’re putting IBM’s renowned big data analytics at iOS users’ ﬁngertips, which opens up a large market opportunity for Apple,” said Apple’s chief executive Tim Cook. “This is a radical step for enterprise and something that only Apple and IBM can deliver.” Ginni Rometty, IBM chairman, president and CEO, said the alliance “will

build on our momentum in bringing these innovations to our clients globally.”

Employees of India’s largest online classiﬁeds company Quikr work at company headquarters in Mumbai on May 5, 2014 by Aditya PHATAK

UMBAI, July 9, 2014 (AFP) - An Indian answer to Craigslist is drawing millions of monthly visitors to its website, exchanging everything from used iPads to cows, in a country where secondhand goods have traditionally been sniffed at. Quikr, a start-up launched in 2008, has become the leading online classifieds portal in India, where the e-retail market is exploding thanks to a vast young population with growing Internet access. Like Craigslist, Quikr allows users to post ads for free and browse for furniture, apartments, pets and even potential spouses, before closing the deal offline -- a system that chief executive and founder Pranay Chulet believes is well suited to India. “We Indians are very price conscious. And there are peculiarities, like we love to haggle. So I thought a platform like Craigslist for India would make sense,” said Chulet. Today, Chulet says, more than half of Quikr’s 3.5 to four million goods listed at any one time find buyers within 90 days -- a feat that has helped the firm to attract investments from top private equity firms such as Warburg Pincus.

Apple will create a new service and support offering tailored help to the needs of the enterprise, while IBM will manage some of the functions like device activation and security.

The ﬁrm began life as Kijiji India, a subsidiary of US giant eBay. It was turned into the re-branded separate entity Quikr by Chulet and co-founder Jiby Thomas.

The deal includes a private app catalog, and helps business customers transform IBM services for mobile devices.

“We want to do things quickly. That is partly where the word Quikr comes from,” said Chulet.

Yahoo unveils line-up of free streaming concerts

He said that leaving customers to seal their deals ofﬂine keeps costs low and avoids regulatory hurdles -- “I don’t have warehouses or people running around making deliv-

AN FRANCISCO, July 11, 2014 (AFP) - Yahoo on Friday continued its shift to online content with a line-up of free streaming concerts by music stars such as Usher, Michael Franti, and The Dave Matthews Band. A Live Nation Channel on Yahoo Screen promised to serve up a new live

Live Nation boasted producing more than 23,000 shows annually around the world. “This channel will create a powerful new way for artists to continue to grow their global fan base,” Live Nation chief executive Michael Rapino said in a release. Concerts can be streamed through Yahoo Screen

concert daily beginning on July 15 when The Dave Matthews Band performs two sets. “In today’s on-demand entertainment environment, live experiences are the only ones that we all share together, at the same time,” Yahoo chief marketing ofﬁcer Kathy Savitt said in a release. “Together with Live

Nation, we are excited to bring millions of fans together to share these moments through the new Yahoo Live experience.” A glimpse of the schedule for the ﬁrst month at yahoo.com/live promised performances by John Legend, Justin Timberlake, OneRepublic, Everclear, Airborne Toxic Event and other music stars.

eries”. Instead the Mumbaibased firm, present across 900 cities, gets its cash by tapping small businesses to advertise on the site. So far, half a million have paid to be on Quikr, according to Chulet. - Missed call strategy People who want to sell their goods on Quikr but lack Internet access can ring up the firm’s call centre -- or, rather, its “missed call centre” -- where employees return calls to save the customer costs. “India loves missed calls. Especially the low income groups like the drivers because the call from our side does not cost them anything,” said Chulet. “And we are happy because we can handle more customers’ calls with less staff.” Quikr’s marketing strategy has included a television and billboard advertising blitz, asking people to sell their used goods at their “MSP” -- or maximum selling price -- which they can calculate for free on Quikr’s website. Quikr has also capitalised on India’s cricket craze by turning sponsor of a team in the popular Indian Premier League. The firm is yet to turn a profit, and remains reluctant to charge customers, but Chulet is confident of the “long run” value of the firm in a country whose online retail market is exploding. Craigslist, which started in the United States in 1996 before going global, has shown that such a business can make money, after maintaining profit margins at around 80 percent of its $166.5 million revenue this year.

they will reach $14 billion by 2018. The market leader is Flipkart, whose sales touched $1 billion this year, while Amazon entered India last June and is ramping up its presence among the 1.2 billionstrong population. Despite this, not all investors are convinced by India’s e-commerce story, which is “about large volumes with expectations of profits in the long run,” said Paras Adenwala, head of Mumbai-based Capital Portfolio Advisors. “Success in this model is more of an exception.” - Practical shopping While Indians have typically looked down on second-hand goods, Chulet believes attitudes are shifting as their purchases become more practical rather than status symbols. “I have had friends who have bought used treadmills when they could have easily brought expensive new ones. But they bought used ones saying the aim was staying fit,” Chulet explained. Pragya Singh, retail specialist at consultancy Technopak Advisors, says firms such as Quikr are capitalising on a gap in the “consumer to consumer” market and the “failure of organised retail to takeoff in India”, as well as increased digital penetration. Chulet adds that his firm’s popularity also lies in its personalised listings. “Quikr is about quirkiness. Like the guy who wanted to sell Radha, his cow. All he wanted was to find a good home for her,” he said.

E-merchandise retailing sales in India stood at $1.6 billion in 2013, according to analysts, who believe

“He posted beautiful pictures and a description of Radha, and waited till he found the person who satisﬁed his criteria.”

software on a wide array of Internet-linked devices including Roku, Xbox 360 consoles, AppleTV, desktop computers, and mobile devices powered by Apple or Android software, according to the Sunnyvale, California-based technology ﬁrm. Yahoo has been shedding its online search engine past in favor of a fu-

ture as a venue for premier digital content and services, particularly aimed at smartphones and tablet computers. Yahoo has also been investing in original programming. Yahoo has enlisted news, music and television stars for online magazines focused on technology, ﬁlm and food.

BUSINESS

VOICE OF ASIA 17

FRIDAY, July 18, 2014

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Friday, July 18, 2014

Section 2 Page 17

VW plans $250 million investment for India

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BRICS create development bank, ‘mini-IMF’

by Laurent THOMET ORTALEZA, July 15, 2014 (AFP) - The BRICS group of emerging powers on Tuesday created a Shanghaibased development bank and a reserve fund as alternatives to Western-led institutions. The leaders of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa agreed to launch the institutions to finance infrastructure projects and head off future economic crises. "We took the historic decision to create the BRICS bank and the reserve agreement -- an important contribution to reconfigure the system of international economic governance," Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff said at a summit in the northeastern seaside city of Fortaleza. Russian President Vladimir Putin hailed the agreements as "a very powerful way to prevent new economic difficulties." The five emerging nations first unveiled their plans last year. The New Development Bank aims to rival the Washington-based World Bank while the reserve is seen as a "mini-IMF." "We need to work to improve economic governance at a global level, increase the representations and voice of developing countries," said Chinese President Xi Jinping. Rousseff renewed calls for reform at the International Monetary Fund saying it "urgently needs to review its distribution of voting power in order to reflect the unquestionable weight of emerging countries." - Shanghai headquarters The development bank will have initial capital of $50 billion that could rise to $100 billion, funded equally by each nation. BRICS leaders agreed to put the bank's headquarters in Shanghai. The first president will be Indian while the first board chair will hail from Brazil.

The German powerhouse has been striving to make inroads in India and other emerging economies as markets in developed countries become saturated.

EW DELHI, July 15, 2014 (AFP) Europe’s biggest automaker Volkswagen said Tuesday it would invest $250 million in India over the next six years to capture a larger slice of local sales, in the face of challenging conditions in developed markets. The German powerhouse has been striving to make inroads in India and other emerging economies as markets in developed countries become saturated. “India is a strategic market for us,” Volkswagen India president Mahesh Kodumudi said in New Delhi, adding that over the next ﬁve to six years the company would invest 15 billion rupees ($250 million) in the country. Volkswagen, which holds just over two percent of the Indian car market, will pour funds into localising production in a bid to cut costs and better compete with rivals. The announcement came as Volkswagen, which entered India in 2001 with the Skoda brand, said in a statement it

was launching a newer version of its premium Polo hatchback, priced starting at 499,000 rupees ($8,300). Volkswagen makes the Polo at its plant in Pune in western India, giving it a niche in the country’s crucial small car segment, which accounts for some 70 percent of total domestic sales. The company also is pushing other increasingly popular lines in India, such as sports utility vehicles and compact sedans. Volkswagen wants to be the world’s top carmaker by 2018, surpassing Toyota and General Motors. Carmakers have been grappling with a fall in Indian car sales triggered by a sharp slowdown in domestic economic growth and high interest rates. But analysts say India holds huge promise longer term as the country of 1.25 billion people has one of the world’s leastpenetrated car markets. A new right-wing government came to power in India in

L-R: Russian President Vladimir Putin , Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff (2-L), Chinese President Xi Jinping (2nd-R) and South African President Jacob Zuma pose for the photo in Fortaleza, on July 15, 2014 (AFP Photo/Yasuyoshi Chiba) An Africa Regional Center will Brazil expecting just one percent Russia has been kicked out of be based in South Africa, whose growth this year. the G8 group of industrialized naPresident Jacob Zuma failed to Experts say the new bank and tions over the Ukraine crisis. convince his peers to place the The United States is threatening fund will give the group the backbank's headquarters in Johannesto impose new economic sanctions bone of a formal organization. burg. on Russia over accusations that it - Marathon summits The bank will help emerging is backing pro-Moscow separatist and developing nations mobilize The talks in Fortaleza will open rebels in eastern Ukraine. resources for infrastructure and a series of marathon summits The BRICS summit declaration sustainable development projects, and bilateral meetings in Brazil, the summit declaration said. with BRICS leaders meeting with voiced "deep concern" over the situation in Ukraine and called The Contingent Reserve Ar- South American presidents in for "comprehensive dialogue, the Brasilia on Wednesday. rangement will have $100 billion de-escalation of the conflict and at its disposal to head off potential The Fortaleza summit allowed restraint from all the actors ineconomic volatility linked to the Xi and India's new Hindu nation- volved, with a view to finding a United States exiting its stimulus alist Prime Minister Narendra peaceful political solution." policy. Modi to meet face-to-face for the Rousseff said BRICS leaders China is expected to make the first time. "lament the lack of concrete progbiggest contribution, $41 billion, Modi said the BRICS must act as ress" in Ukraine and other world followed by $18 billion each from a "united and clear voice for a peace- hotspots, including Iraq, Syria and Brazil, India and Russia and $5 ful, balanced and stable world." the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. billion from South Africa. For Putin, who visited ArgenAfter Wednesday's BRICSThe summit comes as the econ- tina and Cuba before coming to South America summit, Xi will omies of some BRICS countries, Brazil, the trip has given him a launch the China-Latin America which together represent 40 per- chance to hammer home his calls forum on Thursday, highlighting cent of the world population and for a "multipolar" world amid Beijing's growing interests in a a fifth of the global economy, are tensions with the West over the region that long was seen as the cooling down, with Russia and Ukraine crisis. back yard of the United States.

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HOROSCOPE

VOICE OF ASIA 18

FRIDAY, July 18, 2014

Your Horoscope for the Week of July 18, 2014 by Hardik Vyas, Astrologer Cell : 832-298-9950

READ YOUR COMPLETE HOROSCOPE ONLINE WWW.VOICEOFASIAONLINE.COM

Libra (R,T) 23 Sept to 22 Oct

Aries (A,L,E) 21 March to 20 April The bright expectations that may turn out not to be enough true information. You may have to look elsewhere for what you really require. Family and friends will invite you to join at gatherings. Take them up on invites and you’ll be able to ﬁnd new way to share your ideas. Your insights are almost ‘scary’ this week, when they are powerful and when they are ‘useful’ and could save time, money and a lot of ‘grief/work’ for yourself and/or others.

Your strong ties to your roots which will help you deal with a situation on a different perspective. You’ll see how one could be misunderstood. Some interesting news from far away may help you to understand recent events. Your research and investigations will ﬁnd the reasons. Cooperation is NOT good early in the week and frustration levels rise with spending needs, especially for elders and any households with ‘educating youth’.

Taurus (B,V,U) 21 April to 20 May

Scorpio (N,Y)23 Oct to 21 Nov

Need to value the instinctive powers that you possess. Sharing your enlightenment with younger people will help you to progress. Your positive energy will help you to meet tight deadlines. You’ll be surprised at how much you can accomplish once you get started. A mistake could be costly IF you allow it to rob your focus and ‘rattle’ your cage. Remain calm, if discipline is required, make the time fit the crime and if it is a financial mistake, fix it and say nothing if a sibling, elder or partner is involved.

The feeling that weight of your many responsibilities. Once you get your routine right, you will have much more ﬂexibility with your time demands. Emotions are very high. You need to try hard to keep your temper under control. Once you understand the truth, cooler heads will prevail. Many demands, expenses and travel, vehicle or transportation needs may ‘gather’ to take an impressive bit out of your wallet/budget this week, especially if you have educating youth in your household.

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

Gemini (K,CHH,GH) 21 May to 20 June Experience the fact all roads you take this week will lead you to a sort of spiritual awakening. Use this time to refresh and rejuvenate your positive energy. Good relations with those you work with will enable you to spread your inﬂuence. Some interesting employment opportunities exist. Family members seem to ‘really need you’, even if you are a younger member who does not carry weight or ‘make the calls’ within the family.

Realize, your immediate plans may not be as simple as you thought. You will need to look a lot deeper to be able to see your future more clearly. You will start to feel better once you begin to be your fun loving self. Even though times have changed, you need to hold onto your past. Busy, happy and productive energies about early in the week but the later may provide a few ‘close calls’ with regard to ‘worrying about other members’ especially elders, vulnerable personalities.

Capricorn (KH,J) 22 Dec to 20 Jan

Cancer (D,H) 21 June to 22 July Good communications that will continue as long as you lead in the discussions. You will realize that you are very important to others plans. Whether you are preparing ﬁne dining or simple comfort food, your past experience give you that little edge on your competition. Keep your word/promise to a member or risk a real ‘back lash’ later or as far out as the ‘upcoming holidays’. Focus on spending issues and the commitment of ‘future income/debt’ decisions with ‘a practical eye’ on ‘need vs. want’ especially if pleasing youth is involved.

Discrepancies, which will be found within recent events. You will be worried about your future employment. Insist on receiving honest answers. Your future plans may not be envisioned by all. Others may look for fault, but you’ll appreciate the strong aspects that can help the most. Demands on your time appear to escalate dramatically while fatigue, minor illness/injury and other types of challenges may present some ‘juggling’ issues in a balancing act between ‘need and want’.

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

Leo (M) 23 July to 22 August Get ready for knowing your goals, which should be solid. All eyes will be on your recent accomplishments. Take advantage of this opportunity to blow your own horn a little. Your change in focus will prove that you did in fact learn an important lesson. Teamwork will help accomplish the tasks you require. Good news from members is likely and may focus around announcements, expansion, moves, upgrades, employment, beneﬁts, awards or other types of ‘reasons to celebrate’.

time.

Feeling like you have been working far too hard. You need to ﬁnd ways to change your old routine. Take the time to smell the ﬂowers. You may feel vulnerable to others criticism right now. Push those negative thoughts out of your mind. You will achieve all your desired goals. Vehicles, repairs, purchases, upgrades, travel/transportation, shipping, moving and ANY form of ‘distance’ expense is likely to be on the rise BIG

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

Virgo (P) 23 August to 22 September The fact that even though you do not always ﬁt the normal mould, you deﬁnitely have your own style. Aspects of your personality will shine this week. You may have to show your true colors to those who doubt your loyalty. If your heart is true then you will have nothing to worry about. A busy and demanding week is likely and your focus, especially, seems to be that ‘everyone should just get along’ and ‘harmony and balance’ are what you are shooting for. This may not be easy IF you are dealing with elders, youth of educating age members who are ‘unhappy with some issue’.

Questions about areas of your life that come under ﬁre. You may be unwilling to coPersonal health issues which may inﬂuence your attitude. Dwell on what you can do, not what you can’t. Strive hard to get past old restrictions. Big expectations may bring unexpected pressure. You’ll need to keep your composure. Show how well you can work with teammates. Travel, errands, multi tasking and several ‘acts of kindness’ may dominate and ‘getting the horse before the cart’ IS a threat for expense, timing and decision making processes.

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Motel Manager Wanted

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Experienced Live In Motel Manager Wanted. Salary & Accommodation provided Call Ash: 347-610-1213 Ofﬁce Assistant Needed

Do you need PRAYER? Do you need a MIRACLE in your life? Can we pray for the CHILDLESS couple?

Assistant must be able to perform a wide range of administrative and ofﬁce support activities in Southwest Houston area . Applicant must have the following abilities: People skills, Administrative assistance, detail oriented , honest, reliable, strong ofﬁce skills (software knowledge, great organizational skills, phone etiquette) interpersonal skills, have a friendly disposition, a polished and professional look, and the ability to handle client inquires in a timely manner. Call: 832-282-3914 Email Resume immediately to:

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FRIDAY, July 18, 2014

READ DAILY! 15 - 30 minutes of reading daily helps your brain focus better. Grab a novel! A Community message from Voice of Asia Group

KTRK-TV, the ABC Owned station located in Houston, TX is accepting applications for a media and content expert who will manage the editing, recording, and playback of video on a Grass Valley Aurora SAN including storage and archiving. Sound editorial judgment and an understanding of a server based digital workﬂow for broadcast news in a deadline intensive environment is a must. Candidate must be comfortable working in an online environment with digital writing and publishing skills. We are seeking an organized, quick learning, individual who has the ability to multi-task with close attention to detail in a fast-paced, deadline driven work environment. Minimum 3 years experience required in a local television station news department. Familiarity with the Edius editing system and previous experience in newscast producing or news management a plus. Successful candidate will be a team player and have excellent people and communication skills. All interested applicants must apply online at www.disneycareers.com, Job Req #201315BR. Please upload a cover letter, and resume. No phone calls please. Equal Opportunity Employer – Female/ Minority/ Veteran/ Disability. Read Voice of Asia for Community News

Import Documentation Specialist Job Summary: This position primarily reviews and audits import documentation, and prepares export documentation.

JOB OPPORTUNITY Fast growing Import Company is looking for Candidates who wants to make career in Supply Chain. We will train and groom for building career. Strong math skills, knowledge of Microsoft office especially Excel and outlook and strong organizational and time management abilities are welcome. Medical and other benefits will be provided. Fresh MBA’s and Engineers are welcome. Experience and skill may influence salary. Please e-mail your resume to Nimish@uniqueindl.com

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS: • 1-2 years experience reviewing and checking invoices. • 1-2 years experience preparing export documents • Experience with general accounting reconciling payments and shipments. • MS office proficient, 10 key and typing 50 wpm • Strong math abilities and aptitude with conversions • Proven ability to effectively communicate with all levels of internal and external customers • Organized, technically savvy and customer service oriented. Medical and other benefits will be provided. Fresh Bachelors / Masters are welcome. Experience and skill may influence salary. Please e-mail your resume: Nimish@uniqueindl.com

Need Director of Education and Tutors Education Center is looking for Director of Academic Education to manage day to day operations. This position requires previous experience and customer service skills. Prior teaching and management experience required. We are also looking for tutors and teachers in the Houston area to instruct Math, Reading, Writing & Science to middle and high schools students. College students in good academic standing are encouraged to apply.

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