‘A director never finishes a film, he abandons it’

He likes to drive his characters mad and make his audience uncomfortable. But in persona, film-maker Darren Aronofsky, the mind behind intense and tough films like Black Swan is funny and easy. At a roundtable chat organised at the just concluded 12th International Marrakech Film Festival, he was full of quips and quotes. He also spoke at length about his forthcoming Russell Crowe film Noah. Excerpts: On hurricane Sandy’s impact on the filming of Noah: We actually were quite okay. We built a sea worthy vessel —the actual Ark was built in Long Island — which got wrecked since the impact of the Hurricane on Long Island was a lot. We couldn’t reach the sets for weeks. There was no electricity in that area for four days. But the emotional and human toll was much more than physical toll. On tweeting details about Noah: I’m a pretty private person. Agreed that Twitter is a pretty strange thing for me to get involved with, but I feel that we are in the New World so if one hasn’t got on to social media then one can feel left out. I’ve observed the great comedian Louis C.K. over the years. That guy has made millions by talking to his fanbase! I still don’t know how filmmakers will benefit from Twitter, but personally I like talking to young filmmakers, enjoy participating in Q & A and teasing people a bit so I kind of like Twitter. The studio was a bit unsure but being on Twitter allowed me the chance to let out the first image of the film. Doing this on our own is way better, it restricts a big crane sitting on the set. So I guess, it works well. On the story of Noah and his Ark: I’ve been working on Noah forever. In fact this was the first film after Pi that I pitched. I’ve had all these ideas way before I became a filmmaker. Even Black Swan and The Wrestler were ideas I had way back when I was in college. In fact this is my fear—I feel I'm running out of ideas! Now that we are making Noah, they are saying making a Bible picture is the new trend but when we set out we got a lot of No’s and passes before finally we got our studios Paramount Pictures and New Regency interested in it. On his experiments with Indian films: I know Bollywood is kind of a bad word here. Is there a better word? (PS: On my prodding that we call it the Hindi Film Industry, so he can call it Hi Fi, he immediately caught on to the word). Yeah, Hi Fi is better! So I got into Hi Fi a long time ago — it was the same time when my interest in Chinese and Hong Kong films was beginning. I checked out quite a few Hindi movies. I love that one about the Great Bandit — Sholay. I also saw Bandit Queen which was kind of an art film. I like how Baz Luhrmann has taken up the ingredients of Hi Fi films and the way he utilises them. In my neighbourhood in Manhattan, there is a cinema place dedicated to Hi Fi so I keep checking out the stuff that’s playing there. On whether Noah is similar to Life of Pi: I saw Life of Pi and I liked it. There are some visual similarities in terms of the animals and water, but let's see how we do our VFX. On his jinx with superhero films like Batman, Wolverine: I'd like to think Noah was a superhero. He might not have a super power, but what he does is much like a super hero. It's been my dream to do this — to bring my original take on an old story. On the storylines of his films and their uncomfortable quotient: When people say my films make them uncomfortable, I say ‘Very Good!’ I think The Fountain had a kind of a happy ending. Even in Black Swan, she was kinda happy. The Wrestler too. I don’t know. The idea is to start of a character and lead on their conflict. I do agree that sometimes I tend to drive my characters mad, but then that’s okay, I guess. I like the tightrope walk between sanity and insanity that my characters take. It’s just a good story device — when people go slightly over the edge, you can look back and see what was before it. On whether he has it in him to ever make a comedy: As a student I made four shorts and a comedy. Comedian Chris Rock says there is a thin line between laughing and crying — in the former you laugh out the breath and in the latter, you take the breath in. Comedy is a scary genre because if you miss, then you miss. On whether he believes in the classical Hollywood happy ending: It never made sense to me even as a kid. I’m of the opinion that a happy ending is never always a good thing. I grew up in New York, where it wasn’t like that. Life comes with a lot of complications. You never know, who is happy or sad. Guess it is something to do with my big science background. Being trained as a biologist for a few years, I have an environmental take to life which alters my perspective. On if he’d like to change anything in any of his films: I never look back at films. If you look back in a film, you kind of get lost in it. When they were coming up with the DVD of Requiem for a Dream, I stayed out of it, but on the insistence of my sound guy, I watched it and I couldn’t recognise the person, who had made it. It was surely a different person, I could remember myself but I don’t think you can ever recreate the same kind of passion that you had for a film when you are really making it. After a while, you gotta let go. I believe a director never finishes a film, he abandons it. On the status of his HBO series Hobgoblin: It’s been a while I got on the project, but then when I’m making a movie, it’s like I’m in a submarine. I’ll get to it now. Hobgoblin is about a group of magicians and con artists, who use their powers of deception to defeat Hitler during WWII. On whether he believes in magic: Magic? It’s a loaded question? Do I believe in magic that makes a Tiger disappear from a box? Or the simple things? I get touched by magic. I love magicians. David Blaine is a dear friend. I can watch the little tricks these magicians come up with all day. Magical realism is my favourite genre by the way.‘director never finishes a film, he abandons it’ , Image: flickr.com

Read More........ → August 23, 2014

Ofcom maintains pressure on ‘Adult’ channels

UK regulator Ofcom’s latest Broadcast Bulletin names and shames another batch of so called ‘Adult’ channels for assorted breaches of its broadcast rules. Northern Birds (Sky channel 935), Essex Babes (Sky channel 936), Sportxxx Girls (Sky channel 940) and Livexxx Babes (Sky channel 942) all transmit interactive daytime chat and ‘adult chat’ advertising content, and – in Ofcom’s words – show “female presenters [who] dress and behave in a sexually provocative way while encouraging viewers to contact the premium rates telephone numbers. The licences for Northern Birds, Sportxxx Girls, Essex Babes and Livexxx Babes are all held by Satellite Entertainment Ltd.” All the channels broadcast free-to-air and are unencrypted. Ofcom has notified the channel’s operator to expect a statutory sanction for “serious breaches” of its codes. Ofcom, in particular, noted that the channels made frequent on-screen references to a website (bluebird.tv), as well as highlighting premium rate telephone/text numbers. Since Sept 1 2010 these channels have operated under licences, and rules, that cover long-form teleshopping services. Ofcom’s rules state: “Advertisements for products coming within the recognised character of pornography are permitted behind mandatory restricted access on adult entertainment channels only,” and consequently Ofcom considered the channels to be in breach of its regulations. Back in July 2011 Ofcom published its revised guidance covering telecommunications-based sexual entertainment services and day-time ‘chat’ services, and stated: “Ofcom licensed services that are broadcast without mandatory restricted access [ie: encryption] must not promote websites that contain material within the recognised character of pornography.”Source: Advanced-Television

Read More........ → March 05, 2013

BRICS to strengthen cooperation in health sector

BRICS is an international political organisation of leading emerging economies, arising out of the inclusion of South Africa into the BRIC: Image Link Wikimedia

New Delhi, Jan 10: Health officials of the BRICS countries - Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa - Thursday discussed ways to strengthen cooperation in areas of manufacturing affordable health products and developing advanced health technologies. The two-day deliberations begin Thursday with meeting of health secretaries and senior advisers, while the health ministers would participate on Friday. The meeting will result in adoption of a Delhi Communique, which will see concrete plans on issues like integrated management of non-communicable prevention, coordination and financing of research and development for medical products, strengthening health surveillance and drug discovery and development. Addressing the meeting, India's Health Secretary P.K. Pradhan said BRICS countries represent 43 percent of the world's population and this is both a strength and challenge for them. "Although we have been able to make significant progress in providing better health facilities to our peoples, we must recognize that much more still needs to be done," said Pradhan. He said that the BRICS countries have several unique strengths such as the capacity for manufacturing affordable health products and research in some cutting edge areas. "At the same time, we know that a large number of health challenges of the BRICS countries are common. We must together rise to the occasion with specific and agreed plans of collaboration to harness our strengths and overcome our weaknesses," he said. This is the second meeting of BRICS health ministers following the first at Beijing in July 2011. The Beijing Declaration emphasised the need for technology transfer as a means to empower developing countries, and the importance of generic medicines in realising the right to health. It also emphasised the fostering of cooperation among BRICS countries to make available and improve medical technology. It was agreed to establish a technical working group to discuss specific proposals. Source: iGovernment.in

Read More........ → February 07, 2013

American women win the right to kill and be killed

© Flickr.com/Andrew J Ferguson/cc-by-nc-sa 3.0

According to The Washington Post, US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta who is stepping down soon has
decided to lift the ban for servicewomen to take part in hostilities. This year, women will be allowed to serve in the infantry, artillery, tank troops and special detachments. Boris Volkhonsky from the Russian Institute of Strategic Research gives more details. Nevertheless, army commanders retain the right not to allow women to take part in certain operations. In particular, service in such special detachments as the Navy Seals or Delta will so far remain unavailable to women (at least until 2016). Lifting the ban on women’s service in the combat troops of the US armed forces partially took place last year when the Pentagon announced quite a few activities available to women. Still, the most fervent activists were not satisfied with it. They were eager to play even more active roles. In November last year four servicewomen sued the Pentagon insisting on the ban for women to be involved in hostilities to be recognized as unconstitutional. They were supported by The American Civil Liberties Union. The arguments in favour of a full lift of the ban are, for example, that in countries like Iraq and Afghanistan where there is no definite frontline women actually take part in hostilities, so the existing rules should be adapted to life realities. In addition, as one of the plaintiffs pointed out, the ban on taking certain positions was an obstacle in her career and as a result meant sexual – sorry, I mean gender discrimination. However, we are not as much dealing with judicial subtleties here as with another grimace of contemporary western society where such high and noble things as equality, the absence of discrimination, etc., are completely distorted and turned into a farce. The struggle for the equality of women has brought absolutely abnormal results. In their ambition to outdo men in everything women sometimes violate all laws that seem to have been established by nature itself. Having gained the right to kill their own unborn babies, US women demand further expansion of their right to kill. Let’s remember the scandal about tortures and prisoner abuse in the notorious Abu Ghraib prison. Women were among the cruellest torturers there. At present, women make about 14% in the US 1.4mln-strong armed forces. According to calculations, the lifted ban will open about 230,000 new vacancies. Objections to this decision can hardly be heard among loud approvals. The objections are that the permission for women to serve in small groups in which people are in permanent close contact will give rise to certain psychological, as well as physiological problems. However, after US President Barack Obama allowed open homosexuals to do military service objections about women seem negligible. The founder of the US Center for Military Readiness Elaine Donnelly says that “thirty years of studies, reports and actual experience have shown that in direct ground combat units – the infantry – women do not have an equal opportunity to survive or to help fellow soldiers to survive. The physical aspects of it are only part of the reason.” But this does not confuse women whoinsist on ‘equality’ and US law-makers who support them. Women’s eagerness to hold a rifle and shoot – no matter at whom – overrides all objections. In the 19th century great Russian poet Nikolay Nekrasov wrote in praise of Russian women that they were capable of stopping a horse at full tilt and entering a burning house. Still, the poet believed that women’s main virtue was that they held a baby in their arms and kept a child by the hand. Sadly, today’s feminists seem to have forgotten about women’s primary mission in their trigger-happy mood. Source: Voice of Russia

Read More........ → January 25, 2013

'I'm sorry.' Cycling career was one big lie admits Armstrong

'If there's a truth and reconciliation commission, I'll be the first man in the door,' he tells Oprah

BY Gavin Mortimer, "ONE BIG LIE". That's how Lance Armstrong described a cycling career that brought him seven Tour de France titles and a reputation as the sport's greatest star. The Texan rider finally admitted the truth during an astonishing interview with Oprah Winfrey last night, confessing to the chat show host that he had used banned substances and blood transfusions for most of his career. Armstrong dated his doping back to the mid-1990s and said he continued to cheat for a decade, stressing that when he made a comeback in 2009 he was clean. There were other damning admissions from the disgraced rider, who was described by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) last October as a "serial cheat". Yes, he told Winfrey, he had been a bully. "I was a bully in the sense that I tried to control the narrative and if I didn't like what somebody said, I tried to control that. I was just trying to perpetuate the story and hide the truth". Armstrong verdict: 'clever, calculating, callous and arrogant', He singled out the former masseuse Emma O'Reilly as someone who had suffered particularly as a result of her attempts a decade ago to alert the world to Armstrong's doping. "Emma O'Reilly is one of these people that I have to apologise to," said Armstrong, who had described the Irishwoman as "a prostitute and an alcoholic" in a bid to destroy her credibility. "She is one of these people that got run over, got bullied." O'Reilly was also one of the people who got sued by Armstrong in his aggressive strategy to suppress the truth of what he was doing. Asked by Winfrey how many others he'd sued, Armstrong replied: "To be honest, Oprah, we sued so many people I don't know... I was a guy who expected to get whatever he wanted and to control every outcome. It's inexcusable. There are people who will never forgive - I understand that." Contrary to what many in the cycling world had feared before the interview aired, Armstrong did not try and portray himself as the victim. "I don't look around and say 'Oprah, I am getting so screwed here'. Were there days early on when I said that? Absolutely, but those days are fewer and fewer and further and further in between." Occasionally during the interview, the 41-year-old revealed glimpses of the psychology that had helped him construct his 'one big lie'. "I went and looked up the definition of cheat," he told Winfrey, "and the definition is to gain an advantage on a rival or foe, but I didn't view it that way. I viewed it as a level playing field." In his view, "the issue of performance-enhancing drugs was 'We're going to pump up our tyres and we're going to put water in our bottles, and oh yeah, that too is going to happen'." Ultimately it appears that at the height of his fame Armstrong came to believe his own fairy tale of the cancer sufferer turned sporting champion. "This story was so perfect for so long," he explained. "You overcome the disease, you win the Tour de France seven times - it was this mythic, perfect story, and it wasn't true." Reaction to last night's interview was swift. Travis Tygart, head of USADA, the body who did most to bring Armstrong to justice, said: "Tonight, Lance Armstrong finally acknowledged that his cycling career was built on a powerful combination of doping and deceit. "His admission that he doped throughout his career is a small step in the right direction. But if he is sincere in his desire to correct his past mistakes, he will testify under oath about the full extent of his doping activities." Armstrong didn't address that possibility directly, although he did tell Winfrey: "It's not my place to say 'Hey guys, let's clean up cycling', [but] if there was a truth and reconciliation commission, and I'm invited, I'll be the first man in the door." Nor did Armstrong appear willing to bring others down with him: "It's hard to talk about these things and not mention names, but there are other people in this story," he said. "I didn't invent the [doping] culture, but I didn't try to stop the culture. That's my mistake." Perhaps the hardest word of all for Armstrong to utter was the one that until now had never passed his lips. "I view this situation as one big lie that I repeated a lot of times," he said. "I'm sitting here today to acknowledge that and to say I'm sorry for that." The second part of the interview will be aired tonight (2 am Saturday, UK time). Source: The Week UK

Read More........ → January 19, 2013

Facebook's stock sinks, so who should buy it?

Investors are dumping Facebook's stock, spooked by slowing revenue growth, the lack of a financial outlook and plans to spend more money in the coming months. Are they right? Only if they are thinking in the short term. Investors can expect Facebook's stock to be volatile for a few years. But analysts say those willing to wait will likely be rewarded - someday. "I view it as a tomorrow stock," says Christian Bertelsen, chief investment officer at wealth management firm Global Financial Private Capital. "The whole thing on Facebook is, look, if your time horizon is hourly, weekly or even monthly, this is not the stock for you," he adds. "You need to take a much longer-term view on it." That's about three or four years, he says. Founded in CEO Mark Zuckerberg's Harvard dorm room in 2004, Facebook was a product of the PC era. Now, in the age of mobile computing, a growing number of people are accessing Facebook through their iPhones, Android gadgets and tablet computers. Yet Facebook is only now starting to figure out how to make money from its mobile audience. "The company is going through an almost painful transition from desktop to mobile," Baird analyst Colin Sebastian says. He calls Facebook "a speculative investment," but one with plenty of potential. "With almost one billion users, Facebook is amassing the most comprehensive user profile database in existence," Sebastian says. This, he adds, offers a "significant opportunity" to reap a big chunk of the global advertising market, which is currently at $500 billion a year. "Amazon comes to mind immediately," Bertelsen says. After that company went public in 1997, at the time mainly just an online bookstore, critics were quick to cry dot-com bust, call its business a broken, and so on. Today, it is the world's biggest online retailer, selling everything from DVDs to vacuum cleaners to Web storage. "Now they are the retailer to the world," he adds. Amazon.com Inc.'s stock price grew to more than $200 a share, from less than $2. Of course, Facebook has started out much higher, at $38. Facebook's first earnings report since its rocky initial public offering on May 18 was the second coming that didn't quite materialize. So investors sent Facebook's stock to its lowest level ever on Friday. Shares fell $3.14, or nearly 12 percent, to close at $23.71 after hitting $22.28 in the morning. The previous low was $25.52, reached on June 6. The stock dropped despite the fact that Facebook's second-quarter results met Wall Street's expectations, with revenue one-third higher than last year. Given the rocky economy and investors' heightened sensitivity to a stock's value, betting on a company becomes a "show-me story" for many of them, Sebastian says. That means investors want proof rather than Facebook's word that it can grow its revenue and make a profit. Facebook, for now, is more of a tell-me story, one whose success or failure will play out in the coming quarters, or even years. The company hasn't shown all it can do. Its revenue growth slowed. The company's revenue nearly tripled in 2010, compared with 2009. In the first quarter of this year, revenue climbed 44 percent, higher than the 32 percent increase in the second quarter. Following in Google's footsteps, it did not offer financial guidance for the coming quarters, which makes it a riskier bet for investors. Facebook also said it plans to increase its investments in the coming quarters. Higher expenses could mean lower profits. Facebook, which is based in Menlo Park, Calif., was valued at $104 billion when it went public two months ago. That means investors placed a higher value on its stock than established companies such as McDonald's, Pepsi and even Amazon. With Facebook's stock hitting a new low on Friday, the company lost as much as 39 percent of its value. It's now around $66 billion, a little more than 3M, the company that makes Scotch tapes, stethoscopes and sandpaper. It's also in the same range as American Express. Despite the doubts, Mike Magan of Carmel, Ind., plans to keep the 10 shares he bought at $34.25 each a few days after Facebook went public. "I bought this thinking it was going to be something I was going to pass down to my kids," said Magan, who works for an industrial marketing firm. "I see this as a company that will be an Apple." Other stocks he owns include Apple, naturally, which he bought a decade ago. Back then, it was trading at around $8 to $10. Now, it's pushing $600 as the world's most valuable company, thanks to successes with the iPhone and the iPad - the same devices confounding Facebook. "My purchase of Facebook was a vote of confidence," Magan says, adding that he buys stock about every three to four years. Analysts are generally positive on Facebook. Of the 27 analyst ratings available from FactSet, 15 are "Buy" or equivalent, while just three are a "Sell." Analysts tend to have longer-term views of stocks than many day-to-day investors. "We don't view these results as dramatically good or bad," Citi analyst Mark Mahaney says. "Key questions remain: the future of Facebook mobile monetization and the future of Facebook user engagement."Source: Hindustan Times

Read More........ → January 06, 2013

First Hindu US legislator makes history with oath on Gita

Washington, Jan 4 (IANS) Five and a half years after a Hindu prayer opened a US Senate session, Tulsi Gabbard, the first Hindu to be elected to the US House of Representatives, created history by taking the oath of office on the Bhagavad Gita, the sacred Hindu text. Raised by a Hindu mother and a Catholic father in "a multiracial, multicultural, multifaith family," Gabbard, 31, the first American Samoan and one of the first female combat veterans in US Congress, became the first US lawmaker ever to take the oath of office on the Gita Thursday. In July 2007, when a Hindu clergyman offered the Senate's first Hindu morning prayer, three persons disrupted the ceremony and were arrested. But Gabbard's oath taking ceremony went without any incident Thursday. Proud of her Hindu religion, Gabbard, who is not of Indian origin but embraced a Hindu identity as a teenager, hopes to make her first trip to India soon. Democrat Gabbard, who represents Hawaii in the Congress previously served on the Honolulu City Council and as a Hawaii state representative. She was the youngest woman in the United States to be elected to a state legislature. "I chose to take the oath of office with my personal copy of the Bhagavad Gita because its teachings have inspired me to strive to be a servant-leader, dedicating my life in the service of others and to my country," Gabbard said after the swearing in ceremony. "My Gita has been a tremendous source of inner peace and strength through many tough challenges in life, including being in the midst of death and turmoil while serving our country in the Middle East," she said explaining why she chose to take the office on the Gita. "I was raised in a multi-racial, multi-cultural, multi-faith family. My mother is Hindu; my father is a Catholic lector in his church who also practices mantra meditation. I began to grapple with questions of spirituality as a teenager," Gabbard said. "Over time, I came to believe that, at its essence, religion gives us a deeper purpose in life than just living for ourselves. Since I was a teenager, I have embraced this spiritual journey through the teachings of the Bhagavad-Gita. "... In so doing, have been blessed with the motivation and strength to dedicate my life in service others in a variety of ways," she said. Source: News Track India

Read More........ → January 05, 2013

How To Put Money In Life Insurance Policies

Insurance is subjected to symbolize the cure of uncertainties when it is being linked with life then it's, provide the solutions for the diverse future shocks. Now term of insurance is very much emotionally involve with life and its vital necessities when insurance user doesn't alive or any medical need arrives .Life insurance is an instrument to condense tax burden, provides sum assured after the maturity of the policy or on the death of any consumer by various mythology of different products particularly for medical, accidental requirements.Investment aptitude of life insurance policy is the Key concern by proving this contemplation life insurance company's introduced united link policies where they used to invest inside stock market in a variety of fund options as per allocation of units take place which are calculated by the net assets value, accumulates on daily basis after 3 years lock in period (or else specifically for less time period with extra charges) client able to take of its amount on market value. Other than it's being with huge market qualms that's why the actual prophecy of the gain is just impracticable, eventually death annuity is also insignificant and maturity benefits depend. On the other hand Basics plans of life insurance just provides 6% + returns with trifling surrender value, sum assured is also standardized, other medical and accidental options are very rare to actualized. Population of the India is near about 1.20 billions just about 35 million's are the income tax payer and 85 million's are filling income tax return nearly 100 millions are in middle and lower middle segments. 220 millions people are covering roughly 700 millions close to 500 Millions are standard and beneath scarcity procession. LIC was actualized rs 186077.31 crores by premium amount in 2009-10 as well as for Private Sectors was rs 79373.06 crores & entire market capitalization was rs 265450.37 crores. Behalf of the assessment of the population data now we can estimate about 80 to 100 Millions are associated (directly / indirectly) with Life Insurance just for their financial settlements. Something like 200 Millions are associated (directly / indirectly) for their primarily concern about income tax return and futuristic need regarding death annuity, other benefits. In this segment we need to classify the magnitude of reasonable term policy which provides sustainable death annuity Additionally client base product is required which is the combination of term plan ( without money back) addition to yearly continual buying for 5 years plus tax saver FD, Bonds, PPF with the horizon of their term plan investment if extra limit is available then investment in RD, FD with respect to term plan here surrender value can be managed by the structure of plan and able to gain

appreciable benefit in final out come along with Mediclaim plan which covers expenses burden under hospitalization. Approximately 300 millions are associated (directly / indirectly) with life insurance in India for what they have no idea because here they don't need to pay income tax, only concern about maximum death annuity, maturity pay out and necessity of mediclaim. Here the perceptive in relation to term plan and incessant investment in RD, FD, Mediclam can formulate an absolute package for their needs. Example: Combination (A) Term Plan - 20 years- Age 34, Sum Assured- RS 1000000/-, Yearly Premium-RS 2724/-, Combination (B) 1. RD (670 / Monthly) @ 9.5 %, 20 Years (6 years to follow) - Final amount- Rs 476179.61/-, 2. RD (670 / Monthly) @10.5 %, 20 Years (6 years to follow) - Final amount -Rs 541295.74/-., 3. RD (670 / Monthly) @11.5 %, 20 Years (6 years to follow) - Final amount -Rs 616714.93/-, 4. RD (670 / Monthly) @12.5 %, 20 Years (6 years to follow) - Final amount -Rs 704161.58/-, Combination (C) Mediclam @ Rs 750/- yearly, Insurance cover - Rs 50000/- Almost Rs 11500/- yearly (Monthly installment base) investment provides rs 1000000/ death annuity, Rs 476179.61/- to Rs 704161.58/- (Depends on the selection of plan) on final outcome as

well as yearly medical insurance of Rs 50000/- If insurance taker wishes who can amplify his increase as per his trust on the financial entity where he would like to invest. Now a day's interest accessible on FD'S OR RD'S for 5 years or more term is around 7.5% to 13.5% as well as Tax Savings Fixed Deposits are presented @ 7.25% to 10 % any more alternatives like PPF or bonds are also quality options. Rest of the populations necessitate extremely expenditure efficient term plans of rs 100000/- to rs 500000/- besides the acute combination of further investment not only this can endow with the self assurance to every human as well as flow of money would be in a right direction always construct further likelihood for extension. Author: Ashish Bordiya Image Flickr: Link1, Link2, Link3, Link4, Link5, Link6, Link7, Link8, Source: Daily Protein

Read More........ → December 28, 2012

Colors Have Various Affect on Human Psychology

By cheng ming, Different color gives out different wavelength of light, and stimulates different association and reaction by human brain when seen by human eyes. Hence, colors have directly various affect on human sentiment.Green : it is a steady, comfortable color, and benefits calming nervous system, reducing intraocular pressure, removing eyestrain and improving kinetism. Natural green also has a certain effect on smoothing syncope, fatigue, nausea and negative emotions. But staying in the green for a long time may cause loneliness and gastric secretion to lose appetite. Blue : Blue is both thoughtful and serious; can regulate the nerve system and tranquilize the mind. Blue lamplight plays a significant role in cure for insomnia, lowering blood pressure and prevention of colds. It may ease car- or seasickness to wear blue glasses for some people. But blue may also aggravate psychasthenia and melancholia, Yellow :

It is first seen when we are born, representing health. It is healthy and bright for it is the easiest to be absorbed in the light spectrum. It helps healthy people control stress, enhance appetite but worsen depressed and pessimistic emotions, Orange : it helps produce energy and induce appetite; represents warm colors and health. It also has a meaning of maturity and happiness. White : it reflects, giving out a sense of cleanness and expansion. Staying in a small, white environment helps calm fractious people to keep blood pressure but does no good for autism and melancholia patients.Pink : it is the best interpretation for gentleness. It calms people by reducing the production of adrenal hormone. Pink is good for lonely and depressive people. Red : it stimulates passion and excitement. Staring in red affects vision and cause vertigo. CCVD patients are generally prohibited to be in red.Black : it helps clear heat, calm stress and quiet and does good to remit peace for excited, whiny, insomnic and panic patients. Gray : it is very easy-going and suits any color. It can be used to reconcile improper color matching. It is friendly to human health. These are descriptions on Color Psychology by experts. Every color has its contrary sides. Every man has his color which shows his characteristics. However, no one has purely only one color for human psychology is indefinable. Source: Base Articles, Images: flickr.com

Read More........ → December 27, 2012

Administrative Reporting

Administration is the soul of any entity which indicates the most effective solutions to manage the organizational functions [with respect to internal factors (man, money, machine, material) and external factors (population, age, geographical, religion, marketing mix of competitors etc.)] one by one or assortment of all as unit goal by a well-planned (time, ethical & money bound) strategy With the vision of Spontaneous decision making to reduce the weakness and increase the productivity as per obtainable facts of thread’s and opportunities. Reporting is the tool of administration, indicates about the current situation means where we are? What are our strengths, weakness, opportunities and hurdles with a complete data analysis to justify or unjustified the strategy for the each individual / division or as whole to achieve the organizational goal in time. Calculative selection of work in the course of SWOT investigation plays a vital role to gain utmost success  with least time and make personality from zero to uncountable unit (Achievements). Now one can calculate the wings of the successful personalities or any body and their entities by analyzing their calculative administration capabilities on the subject of their strengths, weakness and selections of their jobs. Why do we remember Abraham Lincoln, Mahatma Gandhi, Mother Teresa, Albert Einstein, Indira Gandhi, Bill gates and lacs of one those are the symbol of succession because they were devoted towards their vision here we can conclude that Abraham Lincoln cant be Mother Teresa or Mahatma Gandhi cant be Albert Einstein because they are as unique as you are? What do you need a vision? Image: flickr.com

Read More........ → December 25, 2012

Football Figures and the inevitability of decision review technology

Football is the world’s highest playing game adopted by almost 203 countries as well it is known as world the most popular game, Approximately $25 to $35 billion amount spent on world Foot Ball in a year. It’s a game of stamina, speed, dribbling and team combinations year after another it produces magical players and whole world admires the beauty of their skill. Top ten greatest footballers are (1) Pele (2) Cruyff (3) Maradona (4) Di Stefano (5) Puskas (6) Beckenbauer (7) Platini (8) Eusebio (9) Best (10) Zidane, FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association) is the single governing body which manages the international ratings for over all countries, head office situates in zurich switzerland. FIFA world cup was started in 1930 took place in Uruguay from 13 July to 30 July which organizes in duration of 4 years. Current world’s top ten football playing countries are (1) Spain (2) Netherlands (3) Germany (4) Brazil (5) Argentina (6) England  (7) Uruguay (8) Portugal 

(9) Croatia (10) Greece As on 27th January, 2011 world’s top ten foot ball players are (1) Lionel Messi (2) Cristiano Ronaldo (3) Zlatan Ibrahimovic (4) Steven Gerrard (5) Samuel Eto’o (6) Kaka (7) Xavi Hernandez (8) Andres Iniesta (9) Frank Lampard (10) Fernando Torres.Current Highest paid footballer is Lionel Messi, his overall earning is estimated to 29.6 million pound (combines salaries, bonuses and off-field earnings) As time is moving incessant technological encroachment provides the new gate way for the game of football whether it’s a matter of “Shoes, Dress, training equipments, grounds development, acute live transmission as well instant replay facility on laptops for coaches, When huge money is involved in football, technological extensions are also on top then why FIFA is not using technology to determine the actuality of any wrong decision instead of Cricket, Ice-Hockey, Tennis, Basket etc. are appling tech very successfully. 2010 world cup was also known by wrong judgments if we see in the history then we can find 100’s of gameare effected out of wrong decision those changed the direction of a real championship holder, to win a match or competition, players work hard for whole year suddenly one wrong decision kick them out from the race, going to be a very foolish process of doing. Importance of decision technology in football is enormous, can be used by 3RD referee’s to remove field errors by modify in add or no add of the goal indicated by a sharp hooter along with a display message on electronic screen. It’s a very simple method to remove errors in the field as it won’t waste time and provides a complete legality to the game. Photobucket, Source: Daily Protein

Read More........ → December 25, 2012

Be your own man: Tata's advice to Cyrus Mistry

Mumbai: Be your own man, Ratan Tata has advised Cyrus Mistry, who will succeed him at the helm of the $100 billion Tata group two weeks from now. "I don't think it is right to have a ghost to shadow over somebody," says Tata, dismissing any notion that his larger-than-life persona would linger even after he retires on December 28 when he turns 75. The Tata patriarch has told Mistry, 31 years younger, "you should be your own person, you should take your own call and you should decide what you want to". Tata spoke about his 50 years with the group, 21 as its chairman, the highs and lows of his tenure, his equation with Mistry and his post-retirement plans during an expansive interview to PTI in his office at "Bombay House", the group headquarters. Mistry, currently Vice Chairman of the conglomerate that spans automobiles, IT, hotels, tea and steel across 80 countries, has been working closely with Tata to prepare for the transition. Have you passed on a success mantra to  Mistry?,  the  outgoing  chairman  was

asked. "No, I told him the same things that I told myself when JRD (late J R D Tata) handed over the mantle to me. The first reaction of anybody is to be Mr J R D Tata because you are filling his shoes. "I instantly told myself, 'I can never do that'. I will never be him much as I try to imitate him. So I took a decision to be myself and to do what I thought was the right thing. I told Cyrus the same thing," he said. During the transition, Mistry had asked him from time to time, 'is this ok, that ok'. He had responded by telling him that he should look at things as "if I were not there because you should be your own person". He had told Mistry, "if you want my inputs I will give it to you but be your own man and be yourself and just be driven by the fact that every act you do and every move you make has to stand the test of public scrutiny". That, he said, was the test he had given himself. "If it stands the test of public scrutiny, do it....if it doesn't stand the test of public scrutiny then don't do it." Asked if his counsel would be available to his successor, Tata replied, "Yes, certainly. He knows where to reach me and, we in fact, would talk business and stay in touch after I leave." He then disclosed that the two of them would have lunch every couple of weeks "over something and we will talk about whatever he wants to talk about". Tata, who will remain Chairman of the various Tata trusts, which hold 66 per cent shares of Tata Sons, was asked as to whether this would not give him a large influence over the group. He replied, "I don't want to say I will have a large influence over the group. I think I would have to wear a different hat of being the major shareholder. The same kind of view that a shareholder might have, not a Chairman's  view  of  the  company. "I should  not

be involved in the business of the company or how the company goes about its growth. But at the same time I should be concerned about the return I get on my shares because it is the only income that the trusts have."The dividend from Tata Sons was to be distributed for charity by the trusts. "So I should protect that," he said. Looking ahead to the future of the group, Tata said that he personally believed that it was poised to continue to grow. "Where it would grow, I think Cyrus Mistry should have his space and define where he would like it to grow," he said. His 20 years at the helm was enough time to charter course. Quite often an organisation has played out one course and is ready to go in a different direction, he said. Often, an unwillingness to have that "course correction brings about the demise of an organisation because when you bring fresh blood into it, he sees things in another way," Tata said. The group would continue to grow at the same kind of growth that it had achieved but the patriarch warned, "competition is growing all the time and sustainability of business is becoming more and more difficult". He went on to say, "So I am sure Cyrus will bring new ideas and new things. I feel very confident that the organisation and his leadership will grow." Asked about the changes he had not been able to achieve in the group, Tata said that he had wanted a more open, flat organisation where there is not much hierarchy, where there is much more informal working relationship at all levels. "We are very hierarchical, not feudal--given to honouring years of experience... We don't touch each other's feet but we still almost bow down every time when one passes." Describing his long tenure as a "journey of great learning", Tata said that he had a role model to look up to in Mr J R D Tata whom he had got to know about six years after he joined the group. He knew him but was not close to him and they had come close together because they were both pilots. Did he have any regrets in life? "No, I don't like to look back. There are many things that, if I have to relive, may be I will do it another way. But I would not like to look back and think what I have not been able to." What is the legacy he would leave at the Tatas? "Apart from values and ethics which I have tried to live by, the legacy I would like to leave behind is a very simple one--that I have always stood up for what I consider to be the right thing and I have tried to be as fair and equitable as I could be. "I may have hurt some people along the way but I would like to be seen as somebody who has done his best to do the right thing for any situation and not compromised," the Tata patriarch, one of the world's most influential business leaders, concluded. Be your own man: Tata's advice to Cyrus Mistry

Read More........ → December 15, 2012

Reliance insurance introduces Life Plaza

Mumbai: Reliance Life Insurance Company (RLIC) today introduced a distribution channel - Life Plaza - aimed at creating awareness about life insurance and said it plans to set up about 200 branches across the country by the end of the current financial year. "The main objective of our new distribution format is to generate greater awareness about life insurance in and around different locations where these Life Plazas will operate and create a pull for life insurance products," Malay Ghosh, President and Executive Director, Reliance Life Insurance, said. RLIC targets to hire about 1,000 people under this new distribution format within this fiscal and would focus on Tier II, Tier III and Tier IV cities for recruitment and setting up of Life Plazas, he said. Reliance Life Plaza would promote need-based sales, fill service gaps and also offer financial and value-added services such as tax and financial planning, Aadhar card registration, pan card generation, health check-ups and nutrition counselling. All Life Plazas will be managed by RLIC employees, who will handle customers' queries and process the documentation instantly at the venue, with a view to tap new customers and also provide service to existing RLIC policyholders, the company said. Apart from addressing walk-in customers, the company will also proactively invite customers to the Life Plaza for presentations on the benefits of investment in various financial products, importance of insurance as life protection tool and RLIC's wide- range of products and services, it said. "We believe this unique distribution model will help us reach out to customers, understand their needs and provide solutions to them at the venue. The process of selling will ensure that the customer buys only what he or she needs and understands and thus also address the problem of mis-selling," Ghosh said. He further added that, "We are confident that Life Plaza will help us build a healthy relationship with the customers and expand and strengthen the existing distribution channels in order to increase our reach". "We hope to replicate the success that this model enjoys in Japan," he said. RLIC is the first company in the country to set up a structured need-based in-branch sales platform in the form of a Life Plaza, the company said. Source: Financial Express

Read More........ → October 24, 2012

Energy efficiency is the answer to rising fuel bills

Four of the Big Six UK energy providers are expected to increase energy prices by the end of this year after Scottish and Southern Electric (SSE) announced plans to increase domestic gas and electricity prices by an average of 9 percent from October 15. The dent made in Joe Public’s pocket could be significant, especially with winter just around the corner. The answer: great energy efficiency, says the Government. Rising bill payments are becoming an increasing concern for many UK consumers according to industry experts, especially with winter just around the corner and a recession underway. SEE’s recently announced plans to increase prices for example is set to affect 5 million electricity customers and 3.4 million gas customers, as SSE’s average standard dual-fuel bill will increase by more than £100 a year from £1,172 to £1,274. Yet Government believes it has an answer to the problem of rising fuel bills as it prepares to launch its flagship energy policy, the Green Deal, in October this year, coinciding with the UK’s largest renewable energy show, Solar Power UK 2012. “The Green Deal will play a huge role in improving the energy efficiency of our homes and businesses, with ECO making sure that the most vulnerable homes benefit too,” explains Energy Secretary and Climate Change Secretary Edward Davey. “I am determined to make sure that, in addition to creating huge opportunities for Green Deal providers and businesses along with thousands of new jobs, this new market in energy efficiency will deliver the very best deal for consumers.” The policy will work by offering UK homeowners and businesses the opportunity to retrofit buildings with energy saving measures at no upfront cost, with repayments made through energy bill savings. These measures, which will include wall and loft insulation, boiler upgrades, energy efficient lighting, and renewable energy installations, will help to bring bill costs down by reducing reliance on fuel providers. Richard Gould, Director of Inspection Services at NAPIT, who will be speaking in the Solar Power UK 2012 ,Green Solutions Seminar at the NEC in Birmingham, suggests that the Green Deal will offer an assurance to consumers while, at the same time, working towards Government’s own carbon emissions targets. “The Coalition Government has made significant commitments to the reduction of carbon emissions. But, in reality, the average consumer does not relate to this need. During a time of economic uncertainty, monthly outgoings are the main concern of every bill payer, and any opportunity to reduce bills during a time of recession is certainly more likely to resonate with the public,” Gould explains. “The Green Deal offers an opportunity to reduce carbon emissions and reduce bills, all without the need to invest large sums of money or increase personal debt. I have yet to meet someone that, once introduced to these facts, doesn’t want to ask more questions. Suddenly opportunities to be involved with energy efficiency measures and renewable technologies become a necessity as opposed to a matter of personal conscience. Taking control of ever increasing fuel bills will not only help consumers today but will also guard against the inevitability of rising fuel costs.” Meanwhile Andrew Padmore, the Chief Executive of Egnida believes that once the scheme is launched, consumers will finally be able to benefit from energy saving measures without having to find the finance needed. “The Green Deal is a great opportunity for homeowners to save money on their energy bills by installing pay-as-you-save energy efficiency solutions such as insulation and heating controls,” Padmore explains. “The clever part of Green Deal is that no upfront payment will be required from the homeowner. and the pay –as-you-save ‘loan’ is attached to the property and not the person. If Green Deal delivers as planned then homeowners will have warmer homes and lower energy bills. The environment benefits and sustainable local jobs are also created, particularly for local SMEs.” Government’s aim is to make energy efficiency available to all, provided by trusted companies in order to offer consumer protection. This includes ensuring that robust standards are met; creating a market that balances consumer protection and burdens on busijavascript:void(0)nesses. Restrictions will be placed on ‘cold calling’, while protection such as 25-year warranties for wall insulation will be implemented. “The construction services industries should be very excited about this scheme. Although it won’t mean that every customer is suddenly going to have lots of work done straight away, it will provide a key incentive that is certain to catalyse a much greater demand for energy efficiency measures,” Gould continues. “The Green Deal is predicted to revolutionise the energy efficiency of over 15 million homes by 2020. With the prospect of over 200k+ boilers fitted each year under Green Deal and ECO, along with all the additional potential measures, this opportunity alone should be giving the consumer reason enough to learn more about how to get involved.” Solar Power UK 2012, which will be held on 2-4 October at the NEC, Birmingham (UK), will be running a three-day Green Solutions Seminar Programme offering SMEs the chance to discover how they can get involved in this flagship energy policy and begin providing customers with a whole house solution to their energy worries. Source: Renewable Energy Magazine

Read More........ → October 11, 2012

Carscoop’s A to Z Guide to the 2012 Paris Motor Show

By Andrew Tsaousis, The European car market may be in trouble because of the financial crisis that’s been dragging on for a long time now, but carmakers are gearing up to display their latest models in the City of Light. From September 29 until October 14, the Paris Expo at the Porte de Versailles will host some of this year’s most important world premieres. The French automakers have chosen the 2012 Paris Auto Show to launch models like the all-new Renault Clio, the Peugeot 208 GTi and the Citroen DS3 Cabrio. Ford will also have a strong presence with a raft of new models like the new Mondeo and no less than three SUVs, while Jaguar will display the production version of its long-awaited F-Type, Mazda the impressively styled 6 in saloon and station wagon shapes, and Cadillac its 3-Series fighter, the ATS. Compact hatchbacks are Europe's second most popular segment accounting for nearly 3 million units in 2011. Paris will be the place where some of the most important contenders in the C-segment will be launched. The best-selling model of 2011, the VW Golf, may look like an updated version of its predecessor from the outside, but under the skin, it’s brand-new as it’s based on the group’s all-new MQB modular platform. The new Leon uses the same architecture, though Seat has changed the bodywork dramatically in an effort to ramp up sales. Toyota, on the other hand, has done the exact opposite from VW for its second-generation Auris, keeping essentially the same platform but wrapping it up in a much sharper bodywork and Opel has merely freshened up the Astra range, having concentrated on launching the Fiat 500-rivalling Adam city car instead. Every world-class auto show worthy of its name has its fair share of concepts and Paris, won’t be an exception. McLaren will finally display the successor to the iconic F1 after 20 years, Smart will preview the styling of its new models with the ForStars CUV and Peugeot will entice visitors with the Onyx, a futuristic supercar that in all likelihood will remain just a chance for its designers to sharpen their pencils on. Carscoop’s preliminary guide to the 2012 Mondial de l’Automobile follows the break and will be constantly updated, so stay tuned! Source: Carscoop

Read More........ → September 22, 2012

Steam engines making a comeback to curb emissions

The headline might sound "loco", but it is true. Plans to create the world’s first carbon-neutral higher-speed steam locomotive were unveiled earlier this month by the Coalition for Sustainable Rail (CSR), a collaboration of the University of Minnesota’s Institute on the Environment (IonE) and the non-profit Sustainable Rail International (SRI). CSR has drawn on the carbon-neutral solid biofuel research expertise of the University of Minnesota and the modern steam mechanical engineering capabilities of SRI to develop what it describes as “the most powerful carbon-neutral locomotive to date”. CSR Project 130 has a simple goal: create the world’s cleanest, most powerful passenger locomotive, proving the viability of solid biofuel and modern steam locomotive technology. The Coalition will put its technology to the test by planning to break the world record for steam locomotive speed, reaching 130 miles per hour and demonstrating the viability of this revolutionary, clean transportation technology. Biocoal to power locomotive: The locomotive will run on torrefied biomass (biocoal), a biofuel created through an energy-efficient processing of cellulosic biomass. Biocoal exhibits the same energy density and material handling properties as coal, but unlike coal, it is carbon neutral, contains no heavy metals, and produces less ash, smoke and volatile off-gases. Since it exhibits such similar characteristics to coal, biocoal has the potential to revolutionize the way the United States generates clean electricity. “Participation in the Coalition for Sustainable Rail has enabled our team to pursue one of the more exciting and potentially ground-breaking research projects in the history of IonE,” explains Rod Larkins, Special Projects Director of IonE’s Initiative for Renewable Energy and the Environment. “Once perfected, creating the world’s first carbon-neutral locomotive will be just the beginning for this technology which, we hope, will later be used for combined heat and power energy in the developing world as well as reducing the United States’ dependence on fossil fuels.” Preliminary research shows that CSR’s test locomotive will cost less to maintain and less to fuel, and will exhibit greater train handling performance than any diesel-electric locomotives available today. The modern steam locomotive has relied on technology that has been neglected for decades. This is about to change. With the ability to burn biocoal efficiently and without negative impact on the environment, CSR’s modern steam locomotive will also exhibit significantly better horsepower output at higher speeds than the current diesel-electric locomotives that pull the majority of passenger trains in the United States. “This project presents a novel approach to US locomotive development, looking to technologies of the past to inspire solutions for today’s sustainability challenges,” comments SRI President Davidson Ward, a 2010 graduate of the School of Architecture in the College of Design at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. “I’m confident that the leading energy researchers we’re working with at the University of Minnesota, along with our team of engineers, will be able to bring this technology to the forefront of America’s energy and transportation conversations.” In November 2011, SRI acquired a large test bed steam locomotive through a transfer of ownership from the Great Overland Station Museum in Topeka, Kan. This locomotive, built in 1937 for the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad, will be reconfigured by SRI’s locomotive modernization experts, then tested as part of CSR Project 130. The success of CSR Project 130 has implications that extend beyond the railroad industry, proving the viability of biocoal for use in the developing world. Locomotive engineering on combustion and boiler technologies allows CSR to design power boilers and electric generators on scales from 5 to 5,000 kilowatts. This technology is adaptable for homes in villages of the developing world as well as for use in the US. Every dollar spent on engineering support of CSR Project 130 can generate up to three times the benefit in outgrowth technologies to solve energy problems in the United States and around the world. “When I think of the University of Minnesota’s motto, ‘Driven to Discover’ it is precisely the kind of research-based innovation present in CSR Project 130 that sets our school apart,” says Don Fosnacht, Ph.D., Centre Director at the Natural Resources Research Institute, University of Minnesota, Duluth. “The idea of integrating cutting-edge materials science and engineering into a technology base that has not been touched since the 1960s is quite unique, and entering into an industry with as much potential for growth as the US railroad market just adds to CSR Project 130’s impact.” In May, SRI completed a cosmetic restoration and stabilisation of Locomotive 3463 in Topeka. Plans are to move the locomotive to Minneapolis within the next 12 months. Once moved, CSR will complete the detailed engineering needed to modernize and reconfigure the locomotive. Source: Renewable Energy Magazine

Read More........ → September 17, 2012

Bill Clinton urges Americans to stick with Obama

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina–Democrats turned Wednesday to a hero of the past, Bill Clinton, to boost the shaky re-election prospects of Barack Obama, with the popular former president from the prosperous 1990s assuring worried Americans that he feels “with all my heart” that Obama is steering the country to an economic recovery. Clinton’s rousing address to a television audience of millions was the highlight of the second day of the three-day Democratic National Convention, which formally launches Obama into what is expected to be a tight race against Republican Mitt Romney. Obama’s acceptance speech Thursday night will mark the climax of the convention, though Democrats on Wednesday abandoned plans for Obama to deliver the address at a large football stadium, citing weather concerns. Democrats have used their convention to push back against Republican claims at their gathering last week that Obama’s devotion to big-government solutions has stifled the US economy and swollen the national deficit. Democrats have countered that Romney would go back to the economic policies that led to a recession, helping the wealthy while harming the poor and middle class. Clinton, who formally nominated Obama as the Democratic candidate, was following through on the theme. “If you want a you’re-on-your-own, winner-take-all society, you should support the Republican ticket,” Clinton said. “If you want a country of shared prosperity and shared responsibility — a we’re-all-in-this-together society — you should vote for Barack Obama and (Vice President) Joe Biden.” Clinton said the Republican campaign argument is “pretty simple: ‘We left him a total mess, he hasn’t cleaned it up yet, so fire him and put us back in.’” He said Obama has ‘laid the foundation for a more modern, more well-balanced economy.’ Clinton was a striking choice for one of the convention’s prime speaking slots. He’s had a checkered relationship with Obama, who ran against Clinton’s wife, Hillary, in the 2008 primaries. The styles of the presidents are opposites: Clinton is outgoing, emotional and chatty, while Obama is cool, meticulous and reserved. Whatever the past differences between presidents current and past, Obama and his top aides looked to Clinton as the man best able to vouch for him when it comes to the economy, his largest impediment to re-election. And Clinton responded with a rousing endorsement of Obama, saying he feels “with all my heart” that Obama is steering the country to an economic recovery. “I want to nominate a man who is cool on the outside but who burns for America on the inside,” he said. Few American politicians are more popular than Clinton. Even Republicans, who tried to force Clinton from office on charges he lied under oath about an affair, try to draw a contrast with Obama by praising Clinton’s record balancing budgets and reforming welfare. Opinion polls show Clinton is especially well-regarded among white male voters, a group that favors Romney. The personal tensions between Obama and Clinton have eased with Hillary Clinton serving as Obama’s loyal secretary of state — and a potential presidential candidate in 2016. Hillary Clinton is on an 11-day tour of the Asia-Pacific region and was in East Timor as her husband spoke. Clinton’s speech followed a boisterous first day of the convention in which Democrats painted Romney, a wealthy businessman and former Massachusetts governor, as a privileged millionaire who doesn’t understand the struggles of regular Americans. First lady Michelle Obama was the star speaker, talking about her husband’s humble roots and speaking of his compassion. The Democratic convention, like the Republican one in Tampa, was carefully crafted to avoid controversies. Still Democrats came under fire Tuesday for adopting a platform, a nonbinding declaration of principles and positions, that had no mention of God and no reference to Jerusalem being the capital of Israel. Though the Jerusalem reference is offensive to many Arabs who see the city as part of a future Palestinian state, both parties have long included it in their platforms as a sign of their unwavering support for Israel. On Wednesday, embarrassed Democrats amended the platform to include references to God and Jerusalem as the Israeli capital. Some delegates objected loudly, but Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa ruled them outvoted. Campaign officials say Obama personally intervened to make the change. Despite the dispute, the often-fractious Democrats have generally maintained unity as they try to regenerate the excitement that surrounded Obama’s candidacy four years ago, when his inspirational message of hope and change led to his election as America’s first black president. But after almost four years of bitter partisan battles and unemployment hovering at 8.3 percent, Obama’s support has dropped. While polls show he is more widely liked than Romney on a personal level, Romney is seen as a better bet for improving the economy. Romney framed the economic debate against Obama in an email to supporters Wednesday, writing that “no president in modern history has ever asked to be re-elected with this many Americans out of work.” In an interview on Fox News Channel, Romney said: “Anyone who wants him to try again will be making a big mistake.” Republicans also mocked the decision to move Thursday’s speech from the 74,000-seat stadium to the 15,000-seat convention arena, suggesting a lack of enthusiasm, not the weather, was the reason. “Problems filling the seats?” Republican spokeswoman Kirsten Kukowski wrote in a statement. The Obama campaign insisted they had no worries about filling the stadium. “Our concern was more about turning people away than about filling the stadium,” Obama spokeswoman Jen Psaki said. Whatever the reason, the shift ensured there would be no repeat of the extraordinary scene from 2008, when Obama accepted the Democratic nomination in a packed 84,000-seat stadium in Denver, complete with ivory columns. Republicans derisively called that “The Temple of Obama.” The move also reduced the likelihood of anti-Obama hecklers, since most of those in the crowd will be official convention participants. Source: Newsinfo

Read More........ → September 11, 2012

NRI Consortium to invest over Rs 2,000 crore in Kerala

A Dubai based consortium of NRIs from various countries around the world propose to invest over Rs. 2000 crore in Kerala to set up IT/ITES enabled Business Parks and Life Spaces projects. The investments would primarily be through Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), Sebastian Joseph, chairman of the Consortium, told reporters in Kochi. The proposed 'Emerging Kerala' initiative of the state government here next month and its investment friendly policies have given the NRIs confidence to start their project in Kochi, he said. Pravasi Investment Consortium & Equity Holdings Ltd (PRINCE Holding) promoted Prince GATES (Global Advanced Technology Enabled Society) projects are proposed to be set up in about 100 acres in Kochi, Joseph said. The consortium is awaiting clearances from the concerned authorities and discussions are on with various government authorities and execution partners in this regard, he said. The project is expected to give 20,000 job opportunities. Each GATES project will contain a Special Business Zone, a Centre for Excellence in Advanced Technology and Innovation, an International Financial Centre, an Education Zone and Hospiltality zones comprising clubs, spas, Service apartments and NRI facilitation centre, he said. This is perhaps first of its kind investment by NRIs in the country. At least 350-500 NRIs are participating in each of the projects as a part of the consortium. After the Kerala project takes off, plans are to replicate the same model in other major South Indian cities like Bangalore and Chennai, Joseph said. The development is envisaged to be completely 'sustainable' and 'self sufficient'. The focus is to collectively pool resources of individual consortium members to create an infrastructure that is conducive to and supporting of technology based firm. It is aimed at facilitating interaction, technology development, economic growth, new venture creation, Shaji Baby John, Chairman Kings Infra Ventures ltd, said. The lead consultants and planners of the project include Internationally reputed players like Ernst & Young and Burt Hill Stantec. Prince Holding is also undertaking charitable projects, including for those afflicted with Breast Cancer, in various panchayats in Kerala. According to a study, over 3,00,000 NRIs are expected to return to India in the next five years. It says Prince GATES is aiming to be a common platform for the NRI community to come together, thereby redirecting human capital movement from more developed countries to their home land. Source: Hindustan Times

Read More........ → August 23, 2012

Resolution for La Liga TV rights

The dispute between Spanish broadcasters which had threatened to delay the start of the La Liga season has been resolved, with Canal+ and Mediapro agreeing a three-year deal to share the television rights. Spain’s secretary of state for sport Miguel Cardenal oversaw the negotiations, which settled the numbers of games each company could show on their individual platforms each week. Mediapro will continue to show one match on their free-to-air channel each week and will control the international rights for La Liga. “The agreement…establishes a viable model for the Spanish league and presents a stable scenario for football fans for the seasons 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2014-15,” Mediapro said in a statement. “The professional football league (LFP), for their part, guarantee the new agreement signed by both operators.” A group of 13 first division sides had forced a meeting with the LFP to call for a settlement of the dispute saying that it created “a situation of serious legal insecurity”, and had threatened to postpone the season’s start. The new La Liga campaign now kicks off this weekend as scheduled with champions Real Madrid at home to Valencia and Barcelona hosting Real Sociedad, both on Sunday. Resolution for La Liga TV rights

Read More........ → August 18, 2012

Jinaam: To offer complete ethnic wear solutions

Jinaam, incorporated in 2000 is now looking forward to being a complete ethnic wear brand apart from tripling its sales by 2020. Its current turnover is Rs 25-30 crores. Dharmendra Gada, Director, Jinaam Fashion World outlines their growth plans and says, “We will be the leaders in our business by maintaining high quality and introducing new and innovative ethnic collections across the world. We will always remain customer-centric, constantly upgrading our knowledge and skills. We will add ethnic wear suits followed by women’s wear because we want to be a complete ethnic wear brand.” At the moment it offers exclusive sherwanis, coat

Read More........ → August 05, 2012