Sep 2011 - Austin South Asian
Transcription
Sep 2011 - Austin South Asian
Monthly Community Paper | info@austinsouthasian.com | 512-828-6709 | Vol. 4 No. 9 65th Independence Day “Bharat Maata ki Jai” slogans resounded in India Day parade organized across various cities in USA by NRIs belonging to People For Loksatta(PFL), a vibrant political organization. Indians every year widely participate with patriotic fervor in these events. This year it also has revolutionary fervor demanding Jan Lokpal bill and supporting Anna Hazare. PFL along with IAC supporters participated in India day parade in different cities, Boston, Houston, Washington DC, Chicago, Edison (New Jersey), Bay area and Los Angeles. (Continued On Page 14) Anti-Graft Crusader Anna Hazare Va r a n a s i / M u m b a i / S i l i g u r i , Aug.20: Support for antigraft crusader Anna Hazare is Austin’s First Punjabi Mela On Saturday August 20th, 2011 the Singh Sabha Gurdwara (SSGA) of Austin held it’s first ever fund raising Punjabi mela, at the Anderson Mill Community building, slated to begin construction by Baisakhi 2012. The fun filled Punjabi mela attended by more than 200 people, hosted by members of the SSGA, Center. All proceeds from the Punjabi mela will go towards the construction of a Gurdwara consisted of savory Indian foods and drinks, live entertainment, (Continued on page 5) ASIAN AMERICAN RESOURCE CENTER By Ashwin Ghatalia The Asian American Resource center. – Our Community Center They participated in a yagna to pray for Hazare on Friday. “Corruption is not just an India City’s celebration of its diversity, its recognition of the fast growing Asian community’s increasing contribution – in no small measure due to cultivation of relations by Asian community leaders, the unity of Asia’s diverse communities and its collective vision – reflected in formation of Network of Asian American Organization (NAAO) - and the realization of Asia’s historic and cultural heritage, resulted in conceptualization of Asian American Resource Center (AARC).(Continued On Page 7) You Can Advertise In spreading throughout the country, with foreigners too participating in demonstrations in support. Foreign tourists in Varanasi have joined Indians in support of Hazare. centric issue, but a global problem. The trumpet on corruption has been blown here (Continued On Page 19) Austin South Asian for Just $29 Month 512-828-6709/281-381-0744 info@seattlesouthasian.com inside SEPTEMBER 2011 Yoga In Cocoons.........02 TV Viewing Reduces....03 SAIVA Activities 2011..03 Creative Writing.........04 Bhagwan Sri Sri Sri.....05 Antennas In Clothes....05 Satyameva Jayate.......05 Kathakali In Austin......07 AARC.........................08 Men Can Cook............09 NRI Cinematographer..09 HOME SPECIAL OCTOBER 2011 Great Advertising Opportunity info@austin southasian.com Green Revolution........10 NRIs Demands Janlokpal............................14 iPintoo Launch............15 2012 Olympic Torch....17 Purify Your Glass.........17 Google Buys Motorola.17 Immigration Law........18 Astrology....................19 Community Calendar...20 Eto’o To Become.........20 Obama Saya...............21 UK Railway Minister In Dock..........................21 Entertainment........22,23 Austin South Asian | SEPTEMBER 2011 Austin South Asian | SEPTEMBER 2011 2 Yoga In Cocoons — The Latest Craze Among Fitness Freaks! London, August 4 Just when we thought yoga exercise couldn’t get any more bizarre (remember hot yoga, naked yoga and floating yoga?), they went ahead and introduced the upside down yoga. Upside down yoga, or officially AntiGravity yoga, is the latest fitness craze from America and involves a thorough workout a few feet above the ground in a silk hammock that can close around the person inside to form a peaceful pod. According to creator Christopher Harrison, hanging upside down balances out the body, enhances abdominal workouts and opens up the spine. “AntiGravity Yoga has become so popular that there are already similar classes springing up in England,” the Daily Mail quoted Christopher as saying. “We’’d like people to come to a real AntiGravity class and find out about the original. flow, and allows everyone to try postures such as the headstand and handstand, he added. The technique uses a fusion of around 40 per cent yoga with acrobatics, dance, gymnastic moves, pilates and other disci- Each Hour Of TV Viewing Reduces Life Span By 22mins Washington, Aug 16 A study has found that watching TV might be as bad for your health as smoking or obesity, as each hour of TV viewing after the age of 25 may cut your life span by almost 22 minutes. risk of premature death, especially from cardiovascular diseases. “We’ve taken that study and translated it into what it means for life expectancy in Australia given how much TV we view,” said Veerman. “If our estimates are correct, then TV viewing is in the same league as smoking and obesity,” ABC Science quoted Dr LennertVeerman, from the School of Population Health at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, as saying. “Given that Australians watch on average around two hours of TV a day, that would reduce life expectancy at birth by 1.8 years for men and about 1.5 years for women,” he added. An Australian study by Professor David Dunstan of the Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute in Melbourne, and colleagues, last year found that if someone watches TV for an hour everyday, he/ she is led to an 8 percent higher Hanging upside down refreshes the body’’s systems, helps blood plines and the flying silk allows participants to travel and flow freely between postures. Veerman also revealed that the small proportion of people who watch six hours of television a day might end up reducing their lifespan by 4.8 years. The reports will be published in British Journal of Sports Medicine today. ORACLE FINANCIAL TRAINING www.appssys.com 281-381 - 0744 Austin South Asian | SEPTEMBER 2011 3 SAIVA Activities 2011 By Shubhada & the SAIVA Team, Here is an update of our activities since the last update in March and what we are looking forward to for the rest of 2011. We are proud to be part of a growing and vibrant organization that is making a difference to many lives. Q2 2011: Our regular workshops at Austin Hindu Temple on Wednesdays and Sai Temple on alternate Saturdays are continuing through the spring and summer. Our workshops at Steiner on alternate Mondays and Friendship International on Thursdays had a spate of activity in the spring with the India table winning the Food & Decoration festival at Friendship before taking off for the summer. Craft & Group discussions at Steiner and Education classes at Friendship will resume in September. We are staying cool this spring/summer with many additional activities including the following: April: Bone Marrow Registry Booth at the Austin Kannada Sangha Ugadi event on April 16th – we learned to build awareness on the simple procedure of getting cheek swabs that could help save South Asians’ lives. Increasing the number of registered South Asians increase the chances of finding a match for the bone marrow of those with Leukemia. May: UT SAIVA Food for Thought on May 9th – We cooked and served fresh food to UT students so they stay healthy d u r i n g e x a m s , We had a wonderful picnic with Tambolo (Bingo) and fun food at the SAIVA Cookbook P o t l u c k Picnic on May 22nd. We thank all our volunteers for another year of being friends and working together to make a difference in the Austin community. June: Chai ‘N Chaat event on June 25th – we set up the booth for West India with posters, cultural items, clothes etc. to showcase the wonderful culture there. We helped drape saris and enjoyed the food and entertainment. We won the Cultural Booth prize at the event. Q3 2011: July: Satyananda Yoga Center Boat ride on July 15th – We enjoyed a cruise on Lake Travis on the day of Guru Poornima. We continued our Self Awareness and Healthy Relationships series with several Communication Workshops with Mamata Misra. We practiced using “I” words that express how we feel rather than guessing at others feelings through “You” phrases. August: Mini Health Screen & Bone Marrow registry at ICC Indian Independence Day celebration iFest on Aug 14th – We helped check Blood Pressure & Blood Glucose while spreading the word to register to “Save Ani” (17-year old boy in Dallas) and “Save Anand” (38-year old physician with 3 young children) who are in need of a South Asian Bone Marrow match right now. September: to reviewing the SAIVA Program and involvement community. We look forward the work done by Youth Volunteer defining continued of the student They have helped us review our Website, created videos to help us learn use of Facebook and we look forward to their help in creating and uploading content to our new Website, managing the calendar of events using United Way, and helping us continue to learn and use new technology. We are forming a core committee and advisory committee to review our operations and make operational decisions together. Now that the organization is growing, we will be looking at creating a Membership Plan to make this a self-sustaining brainstorming sessions which focus on an issue we see in the community and how we can come organization. We are proud to be a Giving organization in the community. Q4 2011: October: We look forward to increasing awareness and added participation in “Be The Change”(BTC) Gandhi Day of Service on October 1stthis year. together to build a solution. Their logo saying “Rise Up in Service” reflects the SAIVA philosophy and we hope to volunteer our time in many p r o j e c t s including the Capital Area Food Bank, Sandwiches for the Salvation Army, Library help etc. Please visit the BTC website at http:// bethechangeaustin.org/ further details. for We would like to add a new type of volunteer project called “Highlight & Solve” We are putting together a team to talk about the public transport issue in Austin and are exploring with iTN America - Independent Transport Networks for dignified transportation for seniors. Please reply if you would like to participate of form a team to “Highlight & Solve” any other issue. November: Once the weather cools, we would like to have another picnic/ celebration. We would like to run our version of NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) to write 50,000 words together as a community with the idea of publishing our stories, articles and other written materials together for SAIVA. December: UT SAIVA Food for Thought. Lastly, our new SAIVA t-shirts are ready and attached are pictures of our volunteers in blue. Please let us know if you would like to get one for $10 to help us spread awareness and the Spirit of Service. Why The Human Heart Can’t Regenerate Itself Washington, August 10 . A new study has shed light on why adult human cardiac cells lose their ability to proliferate, perhaps explaining why our heart have little regenerative capacity. The study, done in cell lines and mice, may lead to methods of reprogramming a patient’’s own cardiac myocytes, or muscle cells, within the heart itself to create new muscle to repair damage, said Dr. Robb MacLellan, a researcher with the Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at UCLA and senior author of the study. Recent research suggests that mammals do have the ability to regenerate the heart for a very brief period, about the first week of life. But that ability is quickly lost. But if we had it once, MacLellan said, maybe it is possible to regain that ability. His study suggests that it might be possible to turn back the cellular clock to a time when cardiac myocytes had the ability to proliferate and re-grow heart muscle. Animals like newts and salamanders, can spontaneously regrow damaged organs such as the heart at any point of their lives,” said MacLellan. “In mammals, we’’ve lost that potential. If we knew how to restore that, or knew the reason why adult myocytescan’’t do it, we could try to figure out a way to use nature’’s methods to regenerate the heart.” During human development, cardiac myocytes are made by progenitor stem cells and proliferate to form the heart. Once the heart is formed, the myocytes transform from immature cells into mature cells that cannot proliferate. That’’s not so for newts and salamanders, whose cardiac myocytes can go back and forth between immature, or primitive, states to proliferate and repair damage and then revert back into mature cells once the damage is repaired. Austin South Asian | SEPTEMBER 2011 Austin South Asian | SEPTEMBER 2011 4 CREATIVE WRITING CONTEST By Sonia Kotecha, question: In conjunction with the Be The Change National Day of Service festivities on October 1, 2011, Network of Indian Professionals -Austin is sponsoring a creative writing contest for all pre-college students. If you could be the change you want to see in the world, what change would it be? Eligible Participants: Please help spread the word to your respective networks! Don’t forget to visit www.bethechangeaustin. org to volunteer! All pre-college students in the Austin and Round Rock areas are invited to enter. Prizes will be awarded, including an Apple iPad! The contest will be divided into two categories: Be the Change Creative Writing Contest 1. 2. In collaboration with the “Be the Change” National Day of Service Event, inspired by the life of Mahatma Gandhi and held on October 1, 2011, The Network of Indian Professionals’ (NetIP) Austin Chapter is sponsoring a creative writing contest. Format and Dates: Entries may include any of the following forms: Essays, poems, stories and other forms of creative writing to address the following Students 16 and over Students under the age of 16 Submissions may include essays, poems, stories and other forms of creative writing that address the question above. Entries may be fiction or non-fiction. Submissions must be no more than 1,500 words. Entries should be submitted electronically, via email to info@ netipaustin.org no later than 5:00 Jobs Jobs Jobs Jobs pm on Friday September 23, 2011. Entries should include a cover page that lists the following: · Student’s name and age at time of submission · School presently attended · Title of submission Awards: NetIp will award a first and second place winner in each category, for a total of four (4) winners. Submissions will be judged on creativity and content. The judgment decisions are the sole responsibility and prerogative of the NetIP Award Committee. Prizes: · Prizes will be awarded for first and second place winners in each category, including an Apple iPad! Bangladesh To Observe August 15 As National Mourning Day New Delhi, Aug.12 The Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi will observe August 15 as the National Mourning Day to mark the 36th anniversary of the martyrdom of Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh MujiburRahman, with due honour. A high commission release said on Friday that the day will start with the hoisting of the national flag at half-mast by Bangladesh High Commissioner (state Minister) to India. The messages of the President, Prime Minister and Foreign Minister will be read out before the Bangladesh community, including officials and staff of the mission. A discussion meeting on “Importance and Relevance of Bangabandhu Sheikh MujiburRahman in BangladeshIndia Relations and Beyond” will also be held. Chief Editor of the Sunday Guardian and eminent columnist M J Akbar, Chairman of Board for Re-construction of Public Sector Enterprises and former member of parliament Dr. NitishSen Gupta and Strategic Affairs Editor of the Indian Express Dr. C Raja Mohan will be the panelists with Bangladesh High Commissioner (state Minister) to India Tariq A Karim to preside. A feature film “Bangabandhu: Forever in Our Hearts” will be screened at the Moitree Hall of the mission to round up the day. A few dailies will publish special supplements marking National Mourning Day. It may be recalled that Sheikh MujiburRahman was assassinated at his residence on August 15, 1975 during an an army-led coup. Except for his daughters, who were abroad at the time, almost every member of the family was killed. You have a great job. Congratulations. But, you could be missing on huge opportunities by not applying for jobs listed on the employment market. One good opportunity could make all the difference. It is like being at the right place, at the right time. And we could make it happen for you. You are on vacation and you do not want to miss on posted job opportunities. You don’t have job. You may be missing on opportunities by not responding in time. WE CAN HELP YOU. YOUR JOB APPLICATION IS OUR JOB Austin South Asian | SEPTEMBER 2011 Register online: www.ooota.com info@ooota.com www. OOOTA .com Austin South Asian | SEPTEMBER 2011 5 Bhagwan Sri Sri Sri Viswayogi Soon, Antennas In Your Clothes To Help Viswamjee Maharaj You Communicate In Emergencies By Craig Edwards Sri Shirdi Sai Baba Temple of Austin will host His Holiness Bhagwan Sri Sri Sri Viswayogi Viswamjee Maharaj on Sunday, September 11, 2011. Sri Viswamjee is coming to install a picture and padukas (Holy Sandals) of Lord Dattatreya in the main hall of the Temple. Universal Integration and Peace. Some years ago, He started the Viswayogi Institute of Medical Sciences, which now operates a large hospital where free services are provided to rural Indian residents, especially Mothers and Children. Sri Viswamjee is a spiritual humanist who is an embodiment of divine and unconditional love. Universal integration, peace, love, brotherhood, service to needy people and propagation of human values are some of His goals. Swamiji will oversee ViswaShanti Rudra and Sudarshana homas in the Temple on Sunday morning. These are traditional ceremonies to propagate world peace. Swamiji is on a six month tour of the U.S. called Divine March for that He is an incarnation of Lord Dattatreya. This makes the installation of padukas by Swamiji especially significant for devotees at Sri Shirdi Sai Baba Temple. Many followers of Sri Shirdi Sai Baba believe that Shirdi Sai Baba was Himself an incarnation of Lord Dattatreya. Lord Dattatreya is an ancient Guru. He is shown in pictures as having three heads, meaning that He embodied the three members of the Hindu Trinity – Brahma, Vishnu, and Maheshwara. For more details on the visit, go to the Events section at www.saiaustin.org. Or call the Temple at (512) 5280807. The Shirdi Sai Baba Temple hopes to help raise up to $10,000 for Swamiji’s hospital during his visit to Austin. Swamiji’s followers believe In addition to his visit to the Temple, Swamiji will also give a talk at the home of Ramesh and Tejashree Uppala on Sunday 6:00PM at 8117 Pilgrims Pl, Austin, Texas – 78759, telephone 510-364-3058. The Man Behind SuperHeavy’s Satyameva Jayate Lyrics By Amanda Sodhi, While all are applauding Mick Jagger, AR Rahman and the rest of the SuperHeavy team—Joss Stone, Dave Stewart and Damian Marley—for “Satyameva Jayate,” not many have taken note of the lyricist behind the song— Raqueeb Alam. The talented writer has collaborated with Oscar-winning AR Rahman several times in the past, too, including on “Ringa Ringa” from Slumdog Millionaire as well as other compositions including Ada, Blue and Connections. “When ARji asked me to write lyrics for this track, I was really happy,” said Raqueeb Alam. “I believed that through this song I could write down what my heart felt and have it reach out to audiences—There is only one God— Satya/Truth—and there is only one religion—Satya/ Truth—and if one accepts Truth then they can be successful in life. People aren’t able to find happiness even through earning lots of money but are able to find happiness through finding truth and Lord Buddha is an example of this, so we should join hearts with truth and not break hearts for false happiness. I am thankful to ARji for giving me the golden opportunity to write this historical song.” (Continued from page 1) fashion show, Henna artist, and many prizes given through raffles and bingo. Kids also enjoyed the carnival games, face painting, hair braiding, and the mela clown “Crazy Daizy”. Some of the food favorites were fresh homemade samosas, chat papri, kulfi, mango lassi and hot chai. The evening concluded with many attendees dressed in colorful Punjabi attires dancing to Bhangra music and to the beat of the Dhol. SSGA is home to the thriving Sikh community in Austin and the surrounding areas. The Gurdwara has been holding regular monthly congregations in rented halls in Austin since 1995. In 2008 SSGA acquired a 3 acre plot in Austin near the Hindu Austin Temple. With over 100 families attending the Gurdwara, the time has come to construct a building to better serve the needs of our community. Hence our first ever fund raiser, Punjabi mela. For more information or to donate to our building fund please visit our website www.austingurdwara.org or call 512-222-SSGA. Now, A Tool That Can Predict Time Left On Woman’s Biological Clock London, August 9 Scientists have discovered a new method that can help women know if their biological clock is ticking, and find out whether they are likely to have an earlier menopause and should not delay trying to conceive, or whether their fertile life will end later. For the first time, a team of Scottish researchers from St Andrews, Glasgow and Edinburgh has found how levels of a hormone, which can reveal how many eggs a woman has remaining, change throughout her reproductive life. The discovery will allow women to compare their own hormone levels with the average for their age to see whether they should be concerned about their future fertility. This will indicate whether they are likely to have an early or later menopause, meaning they know whether they have to try for a baby sooner rather than later. It will also help young women who have had treatment for diseases such as cancer, which may have affected their fertility, to find out whether their hormone levels have been affected. “This study now provides us with the level you would expect to find in a normal healthy woman,” the Scotsman quoted Tom Kelsey, a lecturer in the School of Computer Science at St Andrews, as saying. Professor Scott Nelson, from the University of Glasgow, said a major use of the new findings could be in helping young cancer patients wondering how their treatment may have affected their chances of having a baby. Austin South Asian | SEPTEMBER 2011 Austin South Asian | SEPTEMBER 2011 Kathakali In Austin Kathakali in Austin, Texas On Saturday, July 23, 2011, a typical hot summer Texas afternoon, the Tripunithura Kathakali Kendram Ladies Troupe enchanted the Austin community with a remarkable dance-drama presentation of Dakshayagam. Sathi does penance to marry Shiva, who takes her away to Kailas after their marriage without informing Daksha, her father who feels insulted. Imparting spiritual education to the young generation of Americans of Indian origin has been one of the cardinal goals of the organization. The event sponsored by Hari Om Satsang was held at St. Edwards University’s Mabee Ballroom. Over 200 people attended the event and were enthralled by the rich, colorful, traditional costumes and stunning enactment of the story based on the Hindu mythology. Traditional music was rendered by Kumari Varma and Shylaja Varma accompanied by Gopalakrishnan Thampuran and Kalamandalam Vineeth on the chenda and interested people of Indian origin living in the Central Texas area for the promotion of ‘Sanatana Dharma’ emphasizing the basic principles of Hinduism as well as to promote the different art forms of India, particularly Kerala. When Daksha goes to Kailas, he is stopped at the entrance by Shiva’s bodyguard, Nandikeshwara. In addition to sponsoring the Tripunithura Kathakali Kendram Ladies Troupe, the Satsang has sponsored yajna by Swami Tejomayananda (spiritual head of Chinmaya Mission), Bhagavata Saptaham by Prema Panduranga, Bharata Natyam dance by Kanya Manoj, musical events by Professor To avenge the insult, Daksha organizes a Yaga to which Shiva is not invited. Sathi goes to the Yaga in spite of Shiva’s warnings. Traditionally performed by male artists, this performance was unique in that all performers were female artists. The three-hour performance started with Suma Varma’s elaborate demonstration of mudras or signs that the artists engage to communicate the story to the audience. In addition Dr. V. K. Balakrishnan delivered a synopsis of the history of Kathakali and the Dakshayagam story. Dakshayagam is the story of Lord Shiva (Radhika Ajayan), his wife Sathi (Radhika Varma) and Sathi’s father Daksha Prajapathi (Parvathi Menon). The forces cut off Daksha’s head and Shiva replaces Daksha’s head with a goat’s head. The goat-headed Daksha asks Shiva for mercy. Shiva pardons him and the Yaga is completed. Latha Ramachandran the Facilitator of Ceremonies, welcomed both the artists and the audience and celebrated their enthusiastic participation. Drs. Prasanna K. Nair and Shyamala Nair presented the artists with appreciation gifts. The evening closed on a high note with a standing ovation and outpouring of positive comments followed by dinner with the artists at the local Indian restaurant, Madras Pavilion. Austin South Asian | SEPTEMBER 2011 Photos: courtesy of Amitava Sarkar Hari Om Satsang is a non-profit organization established by a few Scientists Crack The ‘Coffee Ring Effect’ London, August 18 A team at the University of Pennsylvania, including an Indian-origin physicist, has finally found out why a spilled drip of coffee causes dark, well-defined edges, known technically as the “coffee ring effect”. The research was conducted by professor ArjunYodh, director of the Laboratory for Research on the Structure of Matter; doctoral candidates Peter Yunker and Matthew Lohr; and postdoctoral fellow Tim Still, all of the department of Physics and Astronomy in Penn’s School of Arts and Sciences. It turns out that liquids, such as coffee, that are made up of spherical particles dry differently than liquids with more oblong particles, scientists have found. Spherical particles easily detach from the interface, and they flow past one another easily because the spheres do not substantially deform the air-water interface. Ellipsoid particles, however, cause substantial undulation of the air-water interface that in turn induces very strong attractions between the ellipsoids. Thus the ellipsoids tend to get stuck on the surface, and, while the stuck particles can continue to flow towards the drop’s edges during evaporation, they increasingly block each other, creating a traffic jam of particles that eventually covers the drop’s surface. After experimenting with suspended particle shape, the researchers added a surfactant, essentially soap, into the drops to show that interactions on the drop’s surface were responsible for the effect. Daksha throws Sathi out of the Yaga and she immolates. Angered, Shiva creates two terrible forces Veerabhadra (Geeta N.) and Bhadrakali (Pramila P. Menon) to destroy the Yaga. maddalam respectively. 6 K. Omanakutty, Sree Valsa Menon, Sri Sankaran Namboothiri and others. Drs. Prasanna K. Nair and Shyamala Nair as Founders of the organization have worked relentlessly to bring the best of India and its culture to the community through Hari Om Satsang. With the surfactant lowering the drop’’s surface tension, ellipsoid particles did not get stuck at the interface and flowed freely to the edge. Understanding the impact of particle shape on drop drying could have applications in printing and painting. The principles could also be relevant in biological and medical contexts. The study was recently published in the journal Nature. VISIT WWW. AUSTIN SOUTH ASIAN.COM Austin South Asian | SEPTEMBER 2011 Software That Spills Personal Info Just By Seeing Your Picture Developed London, August 02 A software that can access a wealth of personal information just by reading the picture of your face has been developed by researchers. Alessandro Acquisti and colleagues used PittPatt facial recognition software - which was developed at Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) and recently bought by Google - to match people with their Facebook profiles and gather names, birth dates and other demographics for one in three test subjects. The researchers then used this data to correctly predict the first five digits of the subjects’’ Social Security number. In principle it should be possible to identify the full number, but the sample size of 93 was too small to do this accurately. “It’’s like a domino effect,” New Scientist quoted Acquisti as saying. “It has become truly difficult for us to tightly seal our personal information,” added Acquisti. The study will be presented at the Black Hat security conference in Las Vegas this week. ‘Perception Of Science As A Difficult Subject Is Not True’ New Delhi, Aug 17 President PratibhaDevisinghPatil today said that teachers have an obligation to dispel fear in the minds of young children that science is a tough subject, and when they spot aptitude for science amongst students, should nourish these talents. Presenting the “Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research”awards here today, she drew attention to two areas of importance namely skill building for teachers and adequate facilities in schools. The Asian American Resource Center (Continued From Page 1) Indeed the path to its realization has been arduous, requiring dedicated and persistent hard work. It entailed establishing pertinent organizations, understanding the community needs, establishing a plan, working with government agencies, working on resources and balancing a plan commensurate with available resources and communities’ needs. Mid 2001 the city decided to identify 15 acres of land, EDA granted $100K for developing a masterplan, two organizations were established to work with the city and manage affairs of AARC under the umbrella of NAAO. City approved $5M (2006) voter approved bond. Many firms provided pro-bono services. The masterplan envisages three phases with a projected cost of $39M. The original phase one plan entailed $8M of which $3M was stipulated to be the contribution of Asian Communities. Considering the difficulty of collecting such sum before the inception of the project, the AARC boards worked with the city administration to release the bond money. Additional $750K grant from EDA is now approved. The plan was reviewed and revised keeping in mind the community needs, and incorporating cost savings while keeping its efficacy. Per the current plan the expected date for ground breaking is late this year and the construction completion is planned for 4Q 2012. This will be a 16,000+ square feet facility with a multi-purpose hall that can accommodate about 550 seats. This can also be divided into two, four or eight segments to facilitate and optimize its use. There will be nine class rooms that can accommodate 20 to 25 people each, a conference room with the capacity of about 35 + people. It has a library, an exhibit cum lobby, a warming kitchen, four offices and rest room facilities. The building architecture and landscaping will reflect Asian heritage. AARC is about to become physical reality, the obvious question is - what is its vision and mission. Of course, the first and foremost, it should serve Asian community, act as glue, help in addressing community issues. It should enable it to show case its culture and value system not only for its upcoming generation but also to contribute to the cultural enrichment of the city community at large, be a catalyst in general, economic and educational enhancement. The task that remains for the AARC board is to establish a system of management and operations and execution. Expand (35 members) the board to bring in community talent to make this a sustaining organization. The key to its success will lie in greater community involvement, volunteerism and other contributions by each member of our community. More services we can bring, greater its impact on both the Asian and the City community at large. A fund raising event is planned for 10th September of this year consisting of a day symposium and evening gala. At present three members of Indian community serve on the AARC board consisting of 10 members. One more member of our community is now under consideration About the recent fund raiser: The tickets for gala are sold but seating for day long symposium is available at $75/per. Three major topics of importanct to the city will be addressed Alternate energy, Inter and Intra city transport and future technology –cloud computing and Social media will be addressed Mayors of San Antonio and Austin will be present. About AARC: AARC is a non-profit 501 c 3 organization. Your contributions are tax deductible. About the writer: Ashwin Ghatalia is the Exec. VP of Indian American Coalition of Texas (IACT) and serves on the board of AARC. For inquiries, please contact him : Ashwin_ghatalia@yahoo. com, Tel: (512) 327-4373 She said, “As part of skill building, there should be professional training courses as well as refresher courses for teachers engaged in science education, given the rapid developments in this field. Secondly, adequate laboratory infrastructure in schools and colleges is essential for imparting good science education.” She reminded, “Programmes that encourage the pursuit of science disciplines are essential for a country of the dimension of India, which needs a large pool of scientists for meeting the challenges of the 21st Century.” “Those nations, which focus on Research and Development, and are able to make available its applications for use in various fields, will be the leaders of the future. Children with their inquisitive minds and curiosity have a freshness of thinking. It is important that you retain this quality throughout your lives,” she added. Giving tributes to great scientists Sir Isaac Newton, Albert Einstein, Madam Curie and her daughter Irene Curie, Patil said: “You would be inspired by such examples and will look for developing new ways of looking at matter and discover new things.” “The construction of railways, bridges, better industrial tools, better agriculture, all are part of the application of scientific knowledge in these fields. As young students I would encourage you to look at yourselves as future scientists of the country, who through their inventions and hard work, will contribute to India’s growth. Your hands and minds would shape the future that awaits!” she added. 7 Knowing The End Of Story Ahead Of Reading Actually Enhances Enjoyment Washington, Aug 11 We get angry with friends who reveal fictional secrets or endings of stories we have yet to read or see, because of fear that it would kill our interest in the books or movies. But a new experimental study from the University of California, San Diego, has suggested that people who flip to the last page of a book before starting it have the better intuition. Spoilers don’t spoil stories. Contrary to popular wisdom, they actually seem to enhance enjoyment. Even ironic-twist and mystery stories – which you’’d be forgiven for assuming absolutely depend on suspense or surprise for success – aren’’t spoiled by spoilers, according to the study by the researchers at UC San Diego’s psychology department. In the study, subjects significantly preferred the spoiled versions of ironic-twist stories, where the twist of the story was revealed in prefatory paragraph. The same held true for mysteries. Knowing ahead of time how the story will end didn’t hurt enjoyment of the story, but actually improved it. “Plots are just excuses for great writing. What the plot is (almost) irrelevant. The pleasure is in the writing,” said Nicholas Christenfeld, professor of social psychology, giving the possible reason. Jonathan Leavitt, a psychology doctoral student, added, “So it could be that once you know how it turns out, it’s cognitively easier – you’re more comfortable processing the information – and can focus on a deeper understanding of the story.” The study findings will be published in a forthcoming issue of the journal Psychological Science. Austin South Asian | SEPTEMBER 2011 Austin South Asian | SEPTEMBER 2011 8 Set Ambitious Goals Lead Happier Lives London, August 20: Do you want to lead a happy life? Well, then be ambitious, as a new research has found that aiming for higher goals in life does make you happier. A University of California study has found that people who aim high and set ambitious goals are more satisfied with their lives than those with lower expectations. The research showed that those who set ambitious goals have a greater level of satisfaction compared with those who don’t bother. University of California professor Cecile Cho set up two experiments to compare people who set ambitious goals to those who set conservative goals. They focused on situations in which goals were achieved, and measured the level of satisfaction with the achieved goals. She found people who set high goals for themselves were happier in the long run. “The moral of the story is don’t sell yourself short,” the Daily Mail quoted Cho as saying. “Aim high,” she added. Food And Restaurant Special Issue NOVEMBER 2011 TO SEE YOUR AD In Print - CALL 206-501-2254 281-394-4287 281-381-0744 info@austinsouthasian.com Gujrat Auto Repair Reliable . Dependable . Trustworthy . Affordable NEW MADINA MARKET Halal Meat Indian and Pakistani Grocery 784-3473: Services Offered: 784-3473 • Engine & Transmissions • Timing Belt Replacement • Complete AC Service • Tune-Ups • Brake Service • Shocks & Struts • Radiators • Alignment • Electrical • Glass Replacement (Windshield\Windows) • State Inspections • Check Engine light/Emission Problems • Quality Body Repair Including • Major/Minor Accidents • Paint & Insurance Claims Contact: Kadar J. Mobile: 512-784-3473 Fax: (512)339-7955 9200 North Lamar Boulevard 1St & Only Proudly Serving The South Asian Community For 14 Years! Austin, TX 78753 Why Even Bother With Any One Else? Come to the Knowledgeable & Experienced. 11205 North Lamar Blvd Austin, Tx 78753 Austin South Asian | SEPTEMBER 2011 (512) 719-5552 Austin South Asian | SEPTEMBER 2011 9 Through The Lens Of A NRI Cinematographer Roasted Chicken Drumsticks MEN CAN COOK! By Vinod Chavan Ingredients: 6 pieces of Chicken Drumsticks (skinless and cleaned) 2 tbl spoon Tandoori Masala 1 tsp Chilly powder (can adjust asper taste) 1 tbl spoon yogurt 1tbl spoon lemon juice 1 tsp corrainder and cumin powder salt to taste oil spray Method: Clean the Chicken Drumsticks. Make small marks on them with a knife. Mix together all the ingredients i.e Yogurt,lemon juice, Tandoori Masala, Chillypowder, corrainder and cumin powder, salt. Coat the Chicken drumsticks with the mixture and let it rest for ap- By Ravi Kumar R, New York based cinematographer, still photographer, and production designer RavI Kumar R is making India proud—he recently bagged a nomination for “Best Art Direction” for award-winning feature film Life! Camera Action… at the Action on Film International Film Festival (AOFIFF) 2011 held in Pasadena, California. “It always feels good— art direction is considered as a backbone in the production process since it defines the mood and communicates visually by p h y s i c a l means. Being nominated outside the home country itself is unique and this is amazing,” said Ravi Kumar R. “When you start some sort of any activity, whatever it may, it is important to believe in that and just by doing the work and not expecting the results,” he added. proximately one to two hours. If you dont have time you can keep it for 1/2 an hour in the refrigerator. Grease a normal cookie pan or any oven safe pan , if you dnt have pan then lay Aluminum Foil in the Oven which is prebaked to 375 degrees Fahrenheit, arrange the drumsticks on either of them and bake it for 30 - 45 mins. 15 mins before glently spray cooking oil on them. Once ready can serve with onions or raita. “Keeping in mind that the goal is one, and when the work is done there will be a result and that’s exciting.” Trained in filmmaking at Digital Film Academy (New York), Ravi Kumar R has previously worked on other independent films. “Working in the US is an amazing experience because of the multicultural land and with the largest movie industry and most importantly the independent film making opportunities trust in yourselves, nothing can stop you from moving forward. Hence, all that matters is the belief of your own. So if the above is achieved, it’s done,” he concludes. Shot on DVX 100, Life! Camera Action… was a challenging project. “We had limited budget and were seeking for compatible things for production and the camera DVX 100 was very accessible at that moment,” he revealed. “We barely used lights in this movie. There are both indoors and outdoors scenes. Technically there won’t be any issues in shooting outdoors, but usually the problem will be when filming indoors since not all the available lights will give a good exposure and a few lights will even destroy the quality of the movie by giving different color balance and bad skin tone. readily available to anyone is the core,” explains the talented cinematographer who originally hails from Tirupur, Tamil Nadu. “The concept of recognition for the emerging filmmakers is huge here. Film festivals all over the country are the best choices available to gain the credits for the work that has been done. Here the important thing to be considered is the individual. When you have the potential and To avoid this, especially for the indoor shooting, we chose locations which were best suited for proper exposure for the camera and also which matched the scene’s mood. In the end all that matters is what will be seen on the screen. Doesn’t matter where, when and how you shot—all that matters is the final output and things can still be done in the post production, which we did. Again the success of the movie not depends on the technical qualifications but with the story and the script.” Pakistan May Become ‘Last Polio Reservoir Worldwide’ Standing In Way Of Its Eradication Islamabad, August 10 Pakistan stands in the way of global eradication of polio and could potentially become the ‘last polio reservoir worldwide’, the United Nations Children’’s Fund (UNICEF) has warned. According to UNICEF, 63 polio cases have been detected so far in Pakistan this year, compared to 36 during the same period in 2010. From five high-risk districts in the province, the virus has now spread to districts that were not infected over the past five years, including Khuzdar, Nushki and Kohlu. Eradicating polio from Pakistan depends on delivering oral vaccine to each and every child, including the most vulnerable and the hardest-to-reach, UNICEF said in a statement. This massive undertaking can succeed but only with the tireless efforts and commitment of the people of Pakistan, it added. UNICEF’s Regional Director for South Asia, Daniel Toole, who is currently in Pakistan to meet senior government and UN officials, reiterated the agency’s commitment to the eradication of polio, and stressed the need for urgently improving local response, vaccination outreach and management and, importantly, accountability for results. “We must ensure access to all children as specified in the President`s National Emergency Action Plan for Polio Eradication in Pakistan. We have a huge task ahead of us, and we must build on lessons learned and act now,” the Dawn quoted Toole, as saying. Austin South Asian | SEPTEMBER 2011 Austin South Asian | SEPTEMBER 2011 10 Now, A Robot To Provide Health Care For The Elderly Washington, August 03 With the development of a new robot, Japan is now one step closer to its goal of providing high-quality care for its growing elderly population. Researchers at RIKEN and Tokai Rubber Industries (TRI) have developed the new robot that uses high-precision tactile sensors and flexible motor control technology. The robot can lift a patient up to 80kg in weight off floor-level bedding and into a wheelchair, freeing care facility personnel of one of their most difficult and energy-consuming tasks. In 2009, the RIKEN-TRI Collaboration Center for HumanInteractive R o b o t Research (RTC), a joint project established in 2007, unveiled a robot called R I B A (Robot for Interactive Body As- sistance) designed to assist in this task. The first robot capable of lifting a patient from a bed to a wheelchair and back, RIBA charted a new course in the development of care-giving robots, yet functional limitations prevented its direct commercialization. RTC’s new robot, named RIBA-II, overcomes these limitations with added power and functionality. New joints in the robot’s base and lower back enable RIBAII to crouch down and lift a patient off a futon at floor level, the most physically strenuous task for care-givers and one that RIBA was not able to do. RIBAII accomplishes this task by using newly-developed Smart Rubber sensors the first capacitance-type tactile sensors made entirely of rubber. Printed in sheets and fitted onto the robot’s arms and chest, the sensors enable high-precision tactile guidance and allow RIBAII to quickly detect a person’s weight from touch alone, guaranteeing patient safety. “We Need A Second Green Revolution In Agriculture” New Delhi, Aug 15 Asserting that there is a need for a second Green Revolution in agriculture, Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh on Monday said the problem of rising food prices can only be dealt by increasing agricultural production and productivity. Addressing the nation today from the ramparts of Red Fort on the occasion of the 65th Independence Day, Dr. Singh said: “We can tackle the problem of rising food prices only by increasing agricultural production and productivity. We also need to increase agricultural production to implement a food security law. We will accelerate our efforts in this direction in the 12th Plan.” “Today, I wish to assure our farmer brothers and sisters, particularly those who are small and marginal, that we will continue to take care of their special needs. It will be our endeavour to ensure that our farmers have easy access to fertilizers, seeds and credit. We also want to provide the best possible irrigation facilities to the farmers so that their dependence on rains is reduced,” he added. Congratulating the farmers for their achievements in the current year, Dr. Singh said: “The production of food grains has been at a record level. The interests of those whose livelihoods are dependent on the land being acquired should be fully protected. We will ensure that no injustice is done to anyone in the process of steps to build consensus on it. We will soon introduce a Bill in Parliament to this end,” he added. Dr. Singh said the nation is passing through a phase of sustained high inflation. Wheat, maize, pulses and oilseeds have all seen record levels of production. “Our farmers have been especially affected by such acquisition. Land acquisition is no doubt necessary for projects of public interest. But it should take place in a transparent and fair manner. Austin South Asian | SEPTEMBER 2011 The prices of petroleum products, food grains and edible oil have risen steeply in international markets in recent times,” said Dr. Singh. “Since we import these products in large quantities, any rise in their prices adds to inflationary pressure in our country. It is because of the hard work of our farmers that today there are proposals for export of food grains, sugar and cotton.” The Prime Minister further said that the government is fully aware of the tensions caused in some parts of the country because of acquisition of land for industry, infrastructure and urbanization. Some time we have been confronted with a situation in which the reasons for rising prices lay outside the country. Sometimes we have been successful too in controlling inflation. But this success has not proved lasting. A few days back, the people’’s concern at rising prices was also reflected in a discussion in Parliament. land acquisition,” said Dr. Singh. “Our government wants to replace the 117 year old land acquisition law by a new Land Acquisition and Rehabilitation law which is forward looking and balanced. We have already prepared a draft legislation and have initiated “Controlling rising prices is a primary responsibility of any government. Our government fully understands this responsibility. We have continuously taken steps to rein in prices. I wish to assure you today that we are continuously monitoring the situation to find out what new steps can be taken to arrest rising prices. Finding a solution to this problem will be our top-most priority in the coming months,” he added. Austin South Asian | SEPTEMBER 2011 11 Austin South Asian |SEPTEMBER 2011 Austin South Asian | SEPTEMBER 2011 12 Austin South Asian | SEPTEMBER 2011 Austin South Asian | SEPTEMBER 2011 13 Hindu Charity Donates Free School Supplies To Austin’s Homeless Youth Hindu Charities for America (HC4A), a non-profit, charitable organization based in Austin, Texas, donated school supplies for the 2011-12 school year to 15% of the homeless children in the Austin area. This was the second year items such as backpacks, notebooks and pens were provided to support the education of underprivileged children. On August 6th, 2011 twenty HC4A volunteers of all ages, from various Hindu communities and organizations came together to serve a free breakfast and distribute school supplies to 300 of Austin’s disadvantaged youth. Cathy Requwjo, Program Manager of Project H.E.L.P. (Homeless Education and Learning Program) said, “The Hindu volunteers were awesome! In the present environment of budget cutting this donation is most welcome.” As founder Harish Kotecha put it, “Education is important to Hindus and we will continue to support homeless students in our local communities.” HC4A seeks to expand this donation drive to homeless children across America. Indians in the United States have long been sending justifiable aid to India. Now HC4A provides them with an additional opportunity to give back to the communities who have embraced them. For more information visit: www.HinduCharitiesForAmerica.org Shammi Kapoor Everyone’s favourite ‘Junglee’ man Shammi Kapoor is no more. After 79 years of ruling the hearts through his youthful acting, he has breathed his last. Hailed as one of the finest and the versatile that Hindi cinema has ever produced he was the leading star of Bollywood during the late 1950s as well as the 1960s. Born to Prithviraj Kapoor, as Shamsher Raj Kapoor, he was the brother of the Showman of Bollywood, Raj Kapoor. Debuting in Bollywood in 1953 with the film Jeevan Jyoti, he went on to deliver hits like Tumsa Nahin Dekha, Dil Deke Dekho, Junglee, Dil Tera Diwana, Professor, China Town, Rajkumar, Kashmir Ki Kali, Janwar, Teesri Manzil, An Evening in Paris, Bramhachari, and Andaz and Vidhaata. He received the Filmfare Best Actor Award in 1968 for his performance in Brahmachari and Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor for Vidhaata in 1982. Austin South Asian | SEPTEMBER2011 Austin South Asian | SEPTEMBER 2011 14 PAMV NRIs Demands Janlokpal, Marched In Independence Day is about telling Parade In Various Cities Across USA (Continued From Page 1) PFL is the organization that initiated Dandi march-II , a 240 mile walk in support of Anna Hazare in March 2011. PFL demands a strong Lokpal bill with the provision of three tiers, Lokpal at central level, Lokayukta at state level and district level ombudsmen with powers to investigate any complaint on corruption. PFL notes that the current pace of development is not sustainable and is not equitable without systemic changes in governance of the nation and there are wide array of reforms needed for our country but we should start with strong Lokpal in the context day to day stories of scams. slogans were loud and clear, “We want Jan Lokpal”, “I am Anna”, “ Anna we are With you”. The march ended with National Anthem.Srinivas ranabothu from PFL organized this event. Every city had its story, where in New Jersey the walk was conducted on oak tree rd. It was heavily down pouring rain, but 180 people gathered near the Saravana Bhavan restaurant wearing white T shirts, Gandhi caps and waving Indian flags. The parade got delayed due to rain but every participant was self motivated determined to raise their voice so that powers in Delhi can hear. No one ran for cover but instead stayed together in the heavy rain and demanded in one voice to introduce Jan Lokpal The In Houston volunteers of several organizations like IAC, PFL, 5th pillar and Bharat Swabhiman and NRIs participated in a gathering near Mahatma Gandhi statue. Raghava solipuram,from PFL, quoted that now there is one scam or another that starts with every alphabet in English. Sravanthi Yelamanchili and team from Chicago, Manasa Mahathi and team from Boston, Srihari Atluri and team from LA, Bhimesh Reddy and team from Bay area organized the events in their respective cities from PFL.PFL once again wishes Happy 65th Independence day for all Indians. bill. children that consumption of violent content in media can have adverse health impacts. Join the Parent group today. www.PAMV.org info@pamv.org 281-381-0744 More Than Half Of Women And Immigration Attorney 40 Pc Of Men With Arthritis Arce & Associates, P.A. Are Couch Potatoes www.arceglobal.com Washington, Aug 12 Being physically active is one of best ways people with arthritis can improve their health, but researchers from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine have found that more than half of women and 40 percent of men with arthritis are virtually couch potatoes. They asked more than 1000 people with radiographic knee osteoarthritis to wear an accelerometer– a small, sophisticated device that looks like a pedometer – to measure their physical activity for one week during waking hours. “We had assumed that people might be overstating physical activity in past self-reported data, but were surprised to find that the physical activity rates were much, much lower than what was previously reported,” said Dorothy Dunlop, associate professor of medicine at Feinberg and lead author of the study. Physical activity can help people with The Firm is directed by Attorney Carmen Arce, who is board certified as an expert in Immigration& Nationality Law. We represent individuals, families, employers, and employees throughout the U.S. and abroad in all their immigration matters. We work closely with our clients, guiding them through the immigration process each step of the way from the initial consultation to file preparation and case resolution. arthritis better control and lower pain and improve general function. Some studies indicate exercise may delay or even prevent disability in people with arthritis, Dunlop said. The federal guidelines recommend that adults with arthritis participate in 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity, low-impact activity. That amounts to an average of slightly more than 20 minutes per day. Previous studies estimated that a quarter of people with arthritis met those guidelines. “This study found that fewer than one in seven men and one in 12 women met those guidelines when we had this objective measure, using the accelerometer,” said Dunlop. “The more alarming finding is that so many people actually qualified as being inactive,” he added. The study was published in Arthritis and Rheumatism, August 2011. Austin South Asian | SEPTEMBER 2011 “Dedicated exclusively to Immigration Law” Contact us for Consultation Clients Nationwide Email: ArceAssociates@me.com Phone: 512-964-2782 305-588-1180 Web: www.arceglobal.com Austin South Asian | SEPTEMBER 2011 15 Malaysian Government Wants iPintoo Launch At Harvard University Banks To Use Tamil In ATM’s By Gautam, Kuala Lumpur, Aug.17 The Malaysian Government has said that it wants the Tamil language to figure in all automatic teller machines (ATMs). According to a report in the MakkalOsai, the Malaysian Tamil Pavalar Council has said that the Association of Banks in Malaysia has agreed in principal to use Tamil in automated teller machines (ATMs). The Star quoted the council’s president A.R. Subramaniam, as saying that although many requests had been made for Tamil to be included in banking transactions in the past, no positive reply had been received from the relevant banks. Malaysia, English and Mandarin. He said ATMs currently used three languages Bahasa He said that many banks were reluctant to include Tamil as they did not have Indian officers proficient in Tamil and they would have a problem in verifying particulars written in Tamil. He said the association had agreed to look into the possibility of getting the banks to include Tamil in the daily banking operations. The website iPintoo.com was officially launched on August 9, 2011 (Tuesday) at 7 PM at the Harvard University Science Center. The website is developed by two South Asian origin Harvard students in a time frame spanning just two weeks. The company will be registered soon as a C-Corp and it will be incorporated in the state of Delaware. About iPintoo The website allows users to share their true feelings for someone without any fear of rejection. The identity of the person sending the request is not revealed until the receiver also confirms that he or she has the same feelings for the sender. This prevents any awkwardness that might arise between the two people if only one of them has feelings for the other. The request has one correct profile and five other incorrect user profiles and the receiver is free to choose from them. If the receiver chooses the correct profile, then iPintoo exchanges the identities and contact information of the two people. If the receiver chooses the wrong profile, then another set of request mail is sent to the chosen profile and the chain continues until two profiles get matched or one of the receivers in the chain deletes the request without choosing a profile. Our Team: Ash Shrivastav, Co-Founder and CEO: Ash comes from an investment banking background. Prior to his career in Investment Banking, he worked in the litigation department for a major Houston based law firm. Thereafter, he worked for JPMorgan Investment Banking division and another boutique investment bank. Gautam Bhattacharya, Founder: Gautam holds an MBA from Clemson University and has worked as a research analyst with leading start-ups in the South Carolina region. He currently works with a leading Healthcare IT firm based in Boston as a Technology training Specialist. Riti Patel, Co-Founder and CFO: Riti is a management consultant and helps companies enter into emerging economies. Previously, Riti has worked as a Budget & Finance Intern for Houston Police Department. Contacts: 1. Gautam Bhattacharya bhattacharya@fas.harvard.edu 202714-6689 2. Ash Shrivastav ashrivastav@ fas.harvard.edu 832-660-1527. Co- AMBICA FOOD Best Prices & Best Quality We Accept Food Stamps/Lonestar cards Brit-Indian Shopkeeper Used Cricket Bat To Fight Off London Rioters Authentic Indian Groceries London, Aug 13: An Indian-origin shopkeeper in England, KiranBhowan, used a cricket bat to fight off looters who tried to rob his business during the London riots this week. According to the Daily Express, Bhowan brandished his bat and stood his ground against three thugs who had stormed his convenience store in Newham, London. “Nothing was going through my mind when the gang came in. It had to be done, as simple as that,” the 50-year-old recalled how he faced the looters. “It was frightening and I’m still shaking. But you have to make a decision. You have to take the first one – even if 20 of them come in. You just can’t let them walk over you,” he added. Bhowan was speaking as courts around England tried scores of people at special sittings. A 17-year-old youth was arrested near the scene and appeared at City of Westminster Magistrates Court yesterday. He was bailed to appear at another court. Police said that they had made 1,600 arrests and 796 people had appeared in court in connection with the riots. 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Girl should be educated, slim, with indian values. Send Profile and latest pic. E-Mail: paultimes@yahoo.com * Are you paying too much? * Do you have enough coverage? * Call for your no obligation quote today! HOME LOANS * * * * * No Cost Refinance Low Interest Rates Purchase or Refinance Excellent Customer Service Free Pre - Approval Ajay Kamboj Austin First Mortgage 13284 Pond Springs Rd STE 404, Austin, TX 78729 (512) 934-0512 Loan Officer License # 84989 ajay@austinfirstmortgage.com CLASSIFIEDS Austin South Asian Looking for House Hold Help ? Editor: Bala Kumar|Reporter: Shazieh Shah|Reporter: Sahar Bawkher Publisher: Vidya Kumar|Distribution: Vasooda Kumar • • • • • • Childcare Helping elderly Light housework Cooking Full Time or Part Time Live in Mon-Fri possible ©All rights reserved. No material herein or portions thereof SEPTEMBER be published without the wirtten consent of the publisher. The deadline for advertisement and article is 20th of every month. Tel: 512-828-6709 email: info@austinsouthasian.com The workers speak Hindi and some English Call: 512.335.8809 Bombay Express Authentic Indian Cafe 100% vegetarian and vegan friendly Tuesday - Sunday 11:00am - 9:00pm 13000 N IH35 Building #12, Unit #216 Austin, Texas 78753 512-491-5055 ( Take-away is possible on all items on the menu.) Austin South Asian | SEPTEMBER 2011 Austin South Asian | SEPTEMBER 2011 17 Google Buys Motorola Mobility For $12.5 Bln London, Aug 16 Google has purchased cellphone maker Motorola’s phone division for 12.5 billion dollars in cash. sumers, partners and developers,” Page said. “Analysts believe Google’’s pur- The acquisition of Motorola Mobility, which is by far Google’’s biggest to date, will give search giant hardware to boost its Android mobile operating systems. Google will pay 40 dollar per share, a 63 percent premium to Motorola’’s closing price on Friday, the Daily Mail reports. Motorola Mobility, separated from the rest of Motorola in January, remade itself as a maker of smartphones based on Google’’s Android software, but continued to struggle against Apple and Asian smartphone makers. The acquisition has the approval of both companies’’ boards and is expected to close by the end of this year or early 2012, the paper said. “Motorola Mobility’’s total commitment to Android has created a natural fit for our two companies,” Google chief executive Larry Page said in a statement. “Together, we will create amazing user experiences that supercharge the entire Android ecosystem for the benefit of con- iPhone,” he added. chase is a reinforcement strategy in the face of seemingly unstoppable competition from Apple’’s It dwarfs Google’’s previous biggest deal, the 2008 purchase of DoubleClick for 3.2billion dollars. ‘Couples Don’t Need Similar Personalities To Have Successful Marriage Washington, August 13 Neither personality similarities nor differences have much of a role to play in a successful long-lasting marriage, according to a new study. The study, which included couples who had been married for at least 40 years, suggest the personality matching carried out by dating websites may make little difference in a relationship’s ultimate success, the researchers say. “One of my very speculative suspicions is that this need for a relationship is so strong that it overcomes differences,” study researcher Frederick Coolidge told LiveScience. Coolidge and colleagues had 32 couples take surveys to assess their personality and how satisfied they were in their marriages. Men and women were asked to evaluate their own personality as well as their perceptions of their partners’’ personalities. Purify Your Glass Of Water By Slipping A Banana Peel Into It Washington, August 11 Banana peels, useful in polishing silverware and leather shoes, may have another surprising use —as a water purifier. Gustavo Castro and colleagues said that minced banana peels performed better than a number of other purification materials in removing potentially toxic metal contamination from water. Mining processes, runoff from farms and industrial wastes can all put health and environment harming heavy metals such as lead and copper into waterways. Current methods of removing heavy metals from water are expensive, and some substances used in the process are toxic themselves. Previous work has shown that some plant wastes, such as coconut fibers and peanut shells, can remove these potential toxins from water. The researchers found minced banana peel could quickly remove lead and copper from river water as well as, or better than, many other materials. They noted that a purification system made of banana peels can be used up to 11 times without losing its metal-binding properties. Banana peels are attractive as water purifiers because of low cost and because they don’’t have to be chemically modified in order to work, they added. The study appears in ACS’’s journal Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research. 2012 Olympic Torch Not Coming To Pakistan Due To Security Reasons Lausanne, August 13: The Olympics Committee has decided that the 2012 Olympics torch will not come to Pakistan due to security reasons. Representing peace, unity and friendship, the flame will be carried by 8000 inspirational torchbearers all across the world. However, the torch will not pass through Pakistan, as the security situation in the country has been unstable in recent years. The couples completed the surveys in separate rooms and were not allowed to see their partners’’ responses. “We didn’t want to create any divorces,” Coolidge said. The study found that both men and women were pretty happy in their marriages, but on average, the women reported being slightly happier than the men. Neither the length of the marriage nor personality traits (self-identified and those perceived by the spouse) were associated with the couples’ level of marital satisfaction. This may be because, over the long haul, “different personalities may provide couples with complementary resources for dealing with life’s challenges,” Levenson told LiveScience. The study was presented at the American Psychological Association’s annual meeting in Washington, D.C. www.southasianasiannewpapers.com The Pakistan Olympics Committee (POC) Secretary also confirmed the report, saying that the prestigious torch will not come to Pakistan for the next Olympics, The Express Tribune reports. East Londoner’s Edward Barber and Jay Osgerby have designed the torch for the 2012 Olympics, which will be held in London Austin South Asian | SEPTEMBER 2011 Austin South Asian | SEPTEMBER 2011 18 Immigration Law Update: EB2 For Entrepreneurs - National Interest Waiver (NIW) By Tahmina Watson, Attorney, Watson Immigration Law The USCIS, in line with new government policy, issued new regulations to work within the current law to help boost the economy by way of allowing entrepreneurs the option to apply for green cards. Under the Immigration and Nationality Act Section (INA) 203(b)(2), those aliens who are members of a profession holding an advanced degree or of exceptional ability may apply for legal permanent residence or green cards under the employmentbased second preference, or EB2, as it is commonly known. Under the EB2 preference, one can fall under the general catego- ry (INA §203(b)(2)(A)) and their employers would have to file a Permanent Labor Certification proving that no other American worker was found to fill the position and that there is a job offer for the alien. Alternatively, one can fall under INA §203(b)(2)(A) which allows a waiver of the job offer based on national interest. In other words, if the job will benefit national interest, the requirements that the alien’s services must be sought by the employer will be waived. This is called National Interest Waiver (NIW). Until recently, those who would qualify under NIW did not specifically include entrepreneurs. However, to mark the six month anniversary of Start-Up America, a White House led initiative to help America’s job creating entrepreneurs, EB2 NIW now includes entrepreneurs specifically. The USCIS states that entrepreneurs may qualify for NIW if they can demonstrate their business endeavors will be in the interest of the United States. To prove their business will benefit the U.S., the NIW entrepreneur must: 1. Seek employment in an area that has intrinsic merit; 2. Demonstrate that the proposed benefit provided will be national in scope; 3. Demonstrate that the entrepreneur will serve the national interest to a substantially greater degree than would an available U.S. worker having the same minimum qualification. The government is essentially giving the opportunity to entrepreneurs to create new jobs within the country. This is great news for start-up companies and entrepreneurs. This is also a significant step in helping the economy. While this is great news for citizens of most countries, unfortunately, citizens of India and China, people that I assist regularly, will not be able to easily benefit from this because the visa wait times for EB2 is long and frustrating. Currently, Indian citizens must wait about five years for a visa to be current in this category. US Credit Rating Indian Trying Overturn UK Rule Indian Trying Overturn Downgrade Unlikely To UK Rule Requiring Immigrants Affect Indian Economy To Speak English London, Aug 3 way’ by rules. An Indian man, who has challenged Britain’s immigration rule requiring people to be able to speak English to move to the country, has said that he hopes ‘many other people’ will join his campaign. Vali claimed that if the challenge is successful, it will set a precedent that will ‘open the gates’ for other spouses around the world kept apart by the rules. British citizen RashidaChapti, 54, and her husband ValiChapti, 57, recently launched the judicial review at the High Court to challenge the rule, which they claimed contravenes their rights to a family life, their right to marry and constitutes discrimination. Vali, a farmer who wants to join his wife in Leicester, insisted that he would never learn English. The Daily Mail quoted him, saying that he could easily ‘get by’ without English because there were many Gujarati speakers in Leicester and it would be the main language where he would live. He also called UK’s immigration system ‘racist and discriminatory’ and said his human rights had been breached in a ‘disgraceful “My wife may be fighting for me, however when we win the victory it will help so many other people who want to come to the UK but can’t due to the present immigration law making English mandatory,” the paper quoted him, as saying. At the High Court sitting in Birmingham, Manjit Gill, representing the couple, said the requirement was a breach of their human rights. “The rule is particularly striking in that it prevents mere residence even though one of the parties is fully entitled to live in this country,” Gill said. He said the rule discriminated against people on the grounds of nationality and race discrimination. Austin South Asian | SEPTEMBER 2011 New Delhi, Aug 6 The reduction of the United States’ top-tier AAA credit rating from New York-based financial services company Standard & Poor’s would not have any impact on the Indian economy, said State bank of India (SBI) Chairman PratipChaudhary said today. Chaudhary said that only America’s debit would become more expensive. “It is America’s country downgrade, so America’s debit will become more expensive. Right now if they are paying something like three percent for a ten years debit, they will now have to pay 3.10 or 3.15, so America’s interest cost will go up,” he said. Standard & Poor’s cut the longterm US credit rating by one notch to AA-plus on Friday on concerns about the government’s budget deficits and rising debt burden. The move reflects the deterioration in the global economic standing of the US, which had an AAA credit rating from S&P since 1941. FOR ORACLE FINANCIAL TRAINING www.appssys.com 281-381-0744 It is far too soon to predict how the legal framework will evolve in this area and how cases will be adjudicated. Nevertheless, this is an exciting and welcome development in immigration law. Tahmina Watson is the founder of Watson Immigration Law based in downtown Seattle. She was a practicing barrister in London, UK, before immigrating to the United States herself. Tahmina has been practicing US Immigration and Naturalization law since 2006. More information about her can be found at www.immigrationseattle.com or www.watsonimmigrationlaw.com. She can be contacted directly at 206-8563808 or email her at tahmina@ watsonimmigrationlaw.com. ‘US Would Not Quickly Return To AAA Rating,’ Says S&P Washington, Aug 9 Credit rating agency Standard & Poor has said that the US is unlikely to regain its AAA credit rating status any time soon. “We still think that the risks to the rating are still pitched to the downside - that’’s why we have a negative outlook,” the BBC quoted David Beers, S&P’’s head of sovereign ratings, as saying. “We don’t anticipate a scenario at the moment in which the US would quickly return to AAA,” Beers said. The agency made the comments as it downgraded the state-backed mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac because of their ‘direct reliance on the US government’. “If [there were] broader consensus among parties about how to make fiscal policy choices over the medium-term horizon and in turn that translated into a more substantial and more robust fiscal stimulation package, those two things could together in time lead to the rating returning to AAA,” Beers said. “But given the nature of the debate currently in the country, with the polarisation of views across the country right now, we don’t see anything immediately on the horizon that would make this the most likely scenario,” he added. The agency also lowered ratings for clearing houses and other institutions linked to long-term US debt from AAA to AA+. Austin South Asian | SEPTEMBER 2011 19 CHECK YOUR SIGN By Pandit Parashar ARIES (March 21 to April 20): Time till 15th is very favourable to make your move or go aggressive against your opponents. Results will be quick. You will become little health conscious and see desired improvement. You will hear few good news after 15th and some of you may find better job also. TAURUS (April 21 to May 20): Journeys undertaken before 15th will bring desired results. You may get hurt while handling tools. Improvement in business will be slow but gradual. You may dispose off some assets after 15th and pocket the money for the time being. A child may be moving away soon. GEMINI (May 21 to June 20): There will be big improvement in all relationship matters this month. You may start or be offered some interesting business in partnership. Reply from a government agency will come in positive only. Money wise you will stay tight. Financial problems will come to an end after 15th. CANCER (June 21 to July 22): Money wise its very favorable time before 15th. No harm in trying your luck with lottery, other speculations or even stocks. You may approach a government agency for some special favors after 15th. There will be some interesting and fortunate changes in career this month. LEO (July 23 to August 22): You will enforce your ideas and wait for results which could come as early as 3rd week of September. Luck is definitely on your side. You have some money coming through legal channels after 15th. It will be better not to have any partners in your new and creative venture. VIRGO (August 23 to September 22): A government agency will give run around and may ask for more paper work. You will be working extra hours to meet the pressure of deadline. Time after 15th is very favorable for all financial matters and to ask the boss for a raise. You may have couple of important business meetings after the 15th. LIBRA (September 23 to October 22): Time till 15th is good as far as the money is concerned. Sun in eleventh can get you lots of money through stocks or even lottery. You will receive help from the influential people. You may invite or take few friends out for dinner towards the end of September. SCORPIO (October 23 to November 22): Sun in tenth till 15th will help you achieve professional goals. It will make you more popular at work and you may be in line for a big promotion. Money wise things will be on the edge but you will be able to fulfill all financial commitments on time. SAGITTARIUS (November 23 Eating Veggies During Pregnancy Can Make Your Kids Veggie Lovers Too London, August 11 Mothers who want their children to like vegetables should eat them during pregnancy, according to a new research. Researchers from Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia, found babies can build up a taste for healthy foods in the womb. In a study, they found flavours were passed from mother to baby via the amniotic fluid. “Things like vanilla, carrot, garlic, anise, mint — these are some of the flavors that have been shown to be transmitted to amniotic fluid or mother’s milk,” the Daily Mail quoted study leader Julie Mennella as telling NPR News. A group of pregnant women were divided into three. One group was asked to drink carrot juice every day during their pregnancy, another during breastfeeding and a third to avoid carrots completely. When the children began to eat solid food, researchers fed them cereal made with water or carrot juice. They found babies who had experienced carrot in their amniotic fluid or mother’’s milk ate more of the carrot-flavored cereal. The scientists said that because mothers tend to feed their children what they eat themselves, it is nature’’s way of introducing babies to foods and flavors they are likely to encounter over their lifetimes. University of Florida taste researcher Linda Bartoshuk said Dr Mennella’s research could have far-reaching implications for children’s health. “To what extent can we make a baby eat a healthier diet by exposing it to all the right flavors - broccoli, carrots, lima beans, et cetera? Could we do that or not? My guess is we could,” she added. to December 22): Most of your dreams or plans will become a reality before 15th. All legal decisions will be in your favour this month. You will spare some time and money for a noble deed. There will be few celebrations in close circle. You will be working on a long distance trip. CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19): You may recover some valuable item or money before 15th. Time is favorable to make any changes in career after 15th. Spouse will give you the good news you were awaiting. Keep working on your business plan and continue to look for ideal partners for your venture. AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18): Some one going almost bald and with excellent connections will help you. Money wise you will hit some kind of jackpot after 15th. Negotiations will continue and the contract will be offered on your terms. You may visit an old friend with family this month. PISCES (February 19 to March 20): Strong Sun in sixth will help you recover from any health problem quickly and come out a winner in a competitive exam also. People bothering you in the past will offer friendship. You will have chance to make some money unorthodox way but may turn it down. One of your child may be getting ready to move away for a very good cause after 15th. Pandit Parashar parashar@parashar.com www.parashar.com 925-833-7170 REAL ESTATE SPECIAL OCTOBER 2011 TO SEE YOUR AD In Print - CALL 206-501-2254 281-394-4287 281-381-0744 info@austinsouthasian.com Austin South Asian | SEPTEMBER 2011 Austin South Asian | SEPTEMBER 2011 20 Community Calendar SEPTEMBER 2011 Community Calendar We have compiled this event listing based on the information available on the web site (where ever possible) of the community/organization as of third Friday. Please check with the organizers to confirm its accuracy. We request all South Asian organizations to email us (info@austinsouthasian.com) their community calendar on or before 20th of every month, for the events happening next month. We will carry listing of all South Asian non-profit organizations in Austin. If the Name, Contact info is not correct or has changed email us (info@austinsouthasian.com) the changes you want to see. E&OE. Schedule: September 03, Saturday, 07:30 PM, Punchkin Repertory Theatre Presents GODS AND IDOLS A Staged Reading at 29th Street Ballroom at Spider House. Free admission. The reading will be followed by a Q&A with playwright Jason Rainey. Enjoy drinks from Spider House before/ after/during the show. September 04, Sunday, 05:30 AM – 01:00 PM, Radha Ashtmi is at Barsana Dham, 400 Barsana Road, Austin, Texas 78737. September 10, Saturday, 07:00 PM, ICMC presents Santoor - Flute Jugalbandhi at Allen Library Civic Auditorium, 300 N. Allen Drive, Allen, Texas 75013. For more information, contact (214)336-3459. Admission: ICMC Members: Free; General: $30; Student: $20. September 17, Wednesday, 09:00 AM – 10:00 AM, Here’s a special way to bond with your3-12 year old child that you will both enjoy – Family Fitness workout! Bring your family to exercise & practice together with Coach Mo’s Elite Fitness at Kids ‘R’ Kids Learning Academy, 15111 Avery ranch Blvd. There is something very special about sharing the fitness experience with your child: an increased connection, finding joy, peace, & learning essential tools for life. This class is for parents and children to enjoy time together, experience the benefits of flexibility, and leave feeling refreshed and renewed. Together we will practice exercises, stretches for success, relaxation, & nutrition education through songs, games, stories, & other fun activities. For more information, contact Sugandha Jain, Kids ‘R’ Kids at 512218-9669. September 17, Wednesday, 06:30 PM, ICMCA presents Carnatic Saxophone by Padmashri Kadri Gopalnath, World Renowned Carnatic Classical Saxophonist at NW Hills Church, 7050 Village Center Drive, Austin, Texas 78731. For more information, contact 512-895-9524. Admission: Free for ICMCA members ($20 regular, $10 Student/Senior). To buy tickets please visit: www.icmca.org. September 30, Friday – October 31, Monday, Tuesdays and Thursdays – 07:45 AM, Saturdays – 03:00 PM, Law Offices Of Sherin Thawer,P.C conducts Free Legal Radio Show @ 104.9FM (www. funasia.net 104.9FM DFW Austin, TX) for all your legal needs. For more information, contact 214-239-4511 / 800-374-5786. October 01, Saturday, 08:00 AM – 04:00 PM, Be the Change is an annual national day of service coordinated by South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT) to inspire and foster civic engagement through volunteerism and community service. Every year, thousands of participants across the country collectively contribute numerous hours of community service in the spirit of Gandhi’s famous quote, “Be the change you wish to see in the world.” Registration is required. Please visit www.bethechangeaustin.org for a list of service projects and registration information (list is being updated daily). You can also email volunteer@bethechangeaustin.org. Volunteering as a group/ organization-mail volunteer@ bethechangeaustin.org. Kick-Off Event, October 1, 2011, 8:30am10am, TX State Capit0l (South Steps) A volunteer kick-off will be held at the TX State Capitol before volunteers head out to their respective service sites. This year’s keynote address will be delivered by Vinay Bhagat, Founder and Chief Strategy Officer of Convio. LETTER TO THE EDITOR Hi Bala, I just checked out the August issue of ASA, and saw the article on the front page - thank you! I really appreciate your support. You’re doing a great service to our Austin Indian community through your newspaper! best regards, Sharanya Europeans Increasingly Choosing Eto’o To Become World’s Top Earning Player With £350K Per Week Anzhi Deal Fast Rail Over Air Travel Melbourne, Aug 23 London, Aug.23 French Transport Minister Thierry Mariani has said Europeans are increasingly choosing fast rail over air travel as a mode of transport. Samuel Eto’o will become the world’s top-earning footballer when he completes a staggering move from Inter Milan to the Russian Premier League side Anzhi Makhachkala. The corridor between Paris and London is no longer the world’s busiest air route, as some surveys have shown that 90 per cent people choose to travel by fast rail instead. ‘The air traffic between these two countries and two cities … is less and less because we have highspeed trains,’ the Age quoted Mariani, as saying. ‘If … Paris and London or Paris and Brussels disappears off the most important [air route] list … it’s because everybody takes the train’, he added. Mariani evinced interest for fast rail during a tour of French conglomerate Thales’’ futuristic Melbourne air-traffic control research, development and training center project. Mariani called on Australian Transport Minister Anthony Albanese and Victorian and New South Wales counterparts Terry Mulder and Gladys Berejiklian, and evinced keen interest of French rail companies being involved in an Australian high-speed rail project. Cameroonian Eto’o is set to pocket an astonishing 18-millon-poundsper-year in wages, amounting to roughly 350,000-pounds each week, reports the Daily Mail. “The signing of the deal will likely take place on Monday or Tuesday at the latest, as long as Samuel successfully completes his medical,” Claudio Vigorelli said. Reports in Russia claim that Anzhi owner Suleiman Kerimov, who is not only a billionaire, but also a Russian senator, is also targeting Barcelona’s Brazil defender Dani Alves in a possible 35million pound move. Anzhi have become major players since Kerimov, who has poured money into the club, bought them. He said he visited Australia was to ‘’’’make the point about the project of high-speed railway … [because] you are having a debate about whether it is necessary or not’. ‘The French companies are interested, too, because Alstom has great experience, because one of the first fast trains in the world was in France,’ Mariani said. The latest study by the technical and management support services firm, AECOM, has estimated the cost of establishing high-speed rail linking Melbourne, Canberra, Sydney and Brisbane between 61 billion dollars and 108 billion dollars. The study is a setback to Melbournians, who are demanding a fast train to connect airport as it found that a fast train ‘will not provide a suitable airport rail link’. Austin South Asian | SEPTEMBER 2011 MEN CAN COOK Email your recipe with your photos Info@austinsouthasian.com Austin South Asian | SEPTEMBER 2011 21 UK Railway Minister In Dock For Telling Sacked Workers To Take Up Jobs In India London, Aug.4 British Railway Minister Theresa Villiers has attracted criticism for suggesting that sacked call centre workers should head back to India in search of employment. Villiers is being accused of asking sacked call-centre workers in Newcastle to relocate to Mumbai. According to the Independent, a letter written by Villiers to Berwick MP Sir Alan Beith has prompted anger from Labour and the unions, which have described the prospect of staff from the North East being asked to move 5,000 miles to do the same job in India as “unhinged and unpatriotic”. The row follows the closure of Baron House, a centre, which resulted in the loss of nearly 200 jobs and delivered a major blow to the region’s struggling economy. A review of public contracts by the newly nationalised rail operator meant the existing provider, National Express, missed out to two other companies, one of which, Intelenet (UK) has operations in Plymouth and Mumbai. It has now emerged that a third of those jobs have now been exported to India while the rest have been divided between centres in Wolverhampton and Devon. Secretary of State for Transport, dismissed the suggestion as adding “insult to injury”. “The buck must stop with Theresa Villiers and her fellow ministers in this Tory-led Government,” Eagle said, adding that: “They should be offering support for those who risk losing their jobs rather than making ridiculous suggestions that they move to India.” None of the workers from Newcastle relocated, a rail source said. But in her letter, Villiers sought to reassure Sir Alan that under Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations (TUPE), their future was secure. Maria Eagle, Labour’s shadow Oz Radio Host Apologises For Anti-Ganga, Anti-India Remarks Melbourne, August 4 An Australian radio show host has apologised to the Hindu community over his alleged derogatory remarks on India and her holy river the Ganges. ‘Australia’s Got Talent’ judge Kyle Sandilands recently termed the Ganges as ‘a junkyard’ and India as ‘a s---hole’. Rajan Zed, president of the Universal Society of Hinduism, pushed the Australian Media and Communications Authority to take ‘appropriate action’ over the vulgar remark. Certainly reeling under the heat, now the ‘Hour of Power Fox FM’ favourite has decisively apologised for his uncouth remarks, claiming that he loves Indians. “I’m apologising. Anyone that’s Indian that listens to this show knows that I love Indians ... I don’t discriminate. I love everyone,” the Courier Mail quoted him as saying. “I just made the mistake that the river, which, to me, looks polluted, I said it was a junkyard and I did not realise that it was holy,” he added. Obama Says That He Might Just End Up Being A One Term President Peosta (Iowa, US), Aug.17 President Barack Obama has acknowledged that he may be a one-term president if voters’ patience with the pace of the economic recovery runs out by next November. “The mess has been bigger than a lot of people anticipated at the time. We have made steady progress on these fronts but we’re not making progress fast enough. What I continue to believe is that ultimately the buck stops with me. I’m going to be accountable,” Politico quoted Obama as saying in an interview with CNN in Peosta, Iowa. Throughout the interview, whether asked about the economy or next year’s campaign, the president struck a realist tone — conceding the scale of problems facing the country while insisting his administration is working diligently to fix them. Obama said that even though Americans understand that the economy’s problems are “decades in the making,” voters are “impatient” to see more progress on the economy. “I understand that and I’m sympathetic to that,” Obama said. Obama has been criticized during his three-day Mid-western bus tour this week for not including new proposals to address the country’s unemployment problem. But in the CNN interview, he defended his administration’s work to coax Congress to act on infrastructure investments, free trade deals with South Korea and Panama, and payroll tax breaks for workers. “The truth is everything we’ve done has been related to jobs, starting back with the Recovery Act,” Obama said. Obama reiterated his recent criticisms of Congress, specifically Republicans, for prioritizing politics over what is right for the country. Asked about his potential Republican challengers, Obama addressed some of their recent comments, but largely passed on the opportunity to swing back at the almost daily attacks coming at him from the growing GOP presidential field. Obama said he hasn’t given his opponents “too much thought,” in this early stage of the campaign. IT Pays To Advertise In Austin South Asain Austin South Asian | SEPTEMBER 2011 Austin South Asian | SEPTEMBER 2011 22 Entertainment You Can Become Salman And Kareena’s Bodyguard In Your City Every politician, star or celebrity has a bodyguard walking with them and protecting them. You see an alert bodyguard around a VIP in form of a cop, black cat commando or a private security. Salman Khan plays Divya’s (Kareena Kapoor’s) bodyguard in the upcoming Bodyguard. Since her life is under threat, his job is to protect her. Now, the makers of the film are taking the concept of a ‘personal bodyguard’ to every town and city that Salman Khan and Kareena Kapoor will travel to. You can be ‘their bodyguard’ for a day in your city and protect them throughout the day. Says a source, “The idea is to make people live the life of a bodyguard for a day. Selected people will be like a shadow of Salman or Kareena in each city they travel to and will get to touch and feel the glamour world intimately. For a lay man, this would be a great opportunity to be with Salman or Kareena for the whole day.” Shah Rukh, Priyanka Set To Rock Eid Event In Dubai Dubai, August 2 Bollywood king Shah Rukh Khan along with Indian musicians Hariharan, Shankar Mahadevan and actresses Priyanka Chopra and KareenaKapoor are all set to perform at an Eid event in Dubai. American rapper 50 Cent and Lebanese singer Nancy Ajram quoted Krishna Ramanathan, the managing director of Citron, which owns Shoppiesta, as saying. “This is not an elitist event. The event will feature all the things Dubai does best, from adventure sports, shopping and leisure activities during the five-day public holiday period all under Atul Agnihotri confirms, “We are travelling to around 15 cities in last one week of the release. Both Salman Khan and Kareena Kapoor will be travelling individually and promoting the film. In every city they would have a local bodyguard who would be their ‘personal bodyguard’ for the day. As a concept, it is extremely enriching experience.” Bodyguard is the season’s biggest film releasing on the long weekend of Eid and Ganpati on August 31. ‘Slumdog Millionaire’Changed My Life Completely Sydney, August 08 Indian actress Freida Pinto, who hogged the limelight with Danny Boyle’’s ‘Slumdog Millionaire’, has said that the 2008 Oscarsweeping film changed her life completely. The ‘Rise of the Planet of the Apes’ star also said that she “was a drama queen” in her childhood days and always knew that acting, in some form, was on the cards. will enthral music buffs at the event as well. ‘Slumdog Millionaire’. “The most obvious way is through the opportunities I’’ve had,” the Sydney Morning Herald quoted her as saying. The 26-year-old played Latika in along,” she added. “I wouldn’’t be doing the Rise of the Planet of the Apes or talking to you if that film hadn’’t come The show that will also feature a host of Arab, Iranian, Indian and Filipino performers, will be held on the sidelines of a consumer fair called Shoppiesta, and continue for five days at Meydan from August 3 with every night featuring two concerts. According to organizers, apart from the concert, there will be shopping stalls, adventure sports arcades and a host of other entertainment and lifestyle attractions as well. “Follow the bride, groom and entire Kardashian clan every step of the way, from the lavish wedding planning to the fabulous parties to the highly anticipated big day when Kim and Kris say ‘I do,’” the New York Post quoted a statement as reading. ‘Kim’s Fairytale Wedding: A Kardashian Event’ with all its ‘glitz, glamour and romance’ will be aired on October 9 and 10. Kardashian, 30, got engaged to the New Jersey Nets player, 26, in May this year. Austin South Asian | SEPTEMBER 2011 Shruti Haasan In 3? Earlier, we have reported that Amala Paul opted out of Aishwarya Dhanush’s debut directorial venture 3 due to date problems. Now the latest buzz is that the team has signed Shruti Haasan (who was the initial choice) for the film. It is learnt that Aishwarya has reworked on her schedule to accommodate “We’re aiming for the masses. The majority of the tickets are going to be very well priced, starting at Dh40 for the concert and Dh5 for entry to the fair,” Gulf News Kim Kardashian’s Wedding Set To Be Televised On Oct 9-10 New York, August 4 Kim Kardashian’s wedding to Kris Humphries will be televised in a two-part special show on E!, the network. one roof and all at very affordable prices,” Ramanathan added. Shruti’s dates. In Aishwarya’s debut venture, Dhanush plays the male lead. Debutant Anirudh is the music director. Anirudh has earlier won the ‘best instrumentalist’ title at a reality music show judged by A.R. Rahman. He is also a part of a band Zinx. Reportedly the film will have seven songs: melodies, romance and fast-paced peppy numbers. Velraj is the cinematographer and Kola Baskar is the editor. The rest of the cast will be decided in a week’s time. Austin South Asian | SEPTEMBER 2011 23 Entertainment Nayantara’s ‘Thulabaram’ At Chettikulangara Temple Actress Nayantara, who embraced Hinduism recently, offered ‘thulabaram’ on the first day of the Malayalam m o n t h ‘Chingam’ at Chettikulangara Bhagav a t h y Temple in Alappuzha on We d n e s day. The ‘thulabaram’ was done with 50 kg of jaggery. Nayantara reached the temple at around 10.30 a.m. and the ‘thu- labaram’ was offered after the Uchapooja and Chanthattam ritual. Along with Nayantara, her family friend Latha, who had booked the Chanthattam ritual, was also present. The actress later said that she came to the temple only for offerings and was not ready to take any questions from the media. She returned after offering annadhanam and offered help for the installation of a tower on the South end. Bollywood Heroine For Vijay In Murugadoss’ Next? Yes! That is the latest hot news in K town! Earlier, there were reports that director A.R. Murugadoss is trying to rope in Bol- to date problems. And now, the director is reportedly trying to sign another leading Bollywood heroine for the film. T h e project is expected to go on floors after the c o m pletion of Nanban and 7aam Arivu. lywood diva Priyanka Chopra or Sonam Kapoor as the leading lady opposite Vijay in his next venture. Now the latest buzz is that both Priyanka Chopra and Sonam Kapoor might not star in the film due A c cording to sources, Vijay was very impressed with a one liner narrated by Murugadoss and immediately gave his green signal. Vijay’s father S.A. Chandrasekhar is likely to produce this film and Harris Jayaraj will compose its music. Cine Personalities Back Anna Hazare! Anna Hazare is fast becoming quite a sensation with his staunch stand against corruption, and he sure has influenced the majority of the nation to opt for a way out of corruption, by demanding the passing of the Lokpal Bill. Following Anna Hazare’s earlier protests and bowing to his demands, the Government presented its own version of the Lokpal Bill, which Anna Hazare deemed unsatisfactory, and demanded to be revised, but the government wasn’t in favour of these changes. This led to Anna Hazare announcing another fast till his demands for a proper Lokpal Bill are met. H o w e v e r, the government and the politicians were totally against it, and when Anna Hazare went forward with his plans for a fast, he was arrested. This has led to nationwide protests from all quarters, and this time, the members of the film fraternity are also raising their voices in support of Anna Hazare’s ideals. Many film personalities including Siddarth, Trisha Krishnan, Bipasha Basu, Divya Spandana, Shekhar Kapur, Anupam Kher and others have come out in support of Anna Hazare and have condoned his arrest on various platforms. The most popular platform has been Twitter, through which these stars reach out to most of their fans. It is a good thing to note that these film stars do not just confine themselves to their profession, but also involve themselves in current affairs, and are not shy to put forth their views. Three cheers to these personalities! Asin In Puri Jagannath’s Next? It is confirmed that director Puri Jagannath offered Asin the heroine’s role in his second Bollywood film, remake of his Telugu hit Amma N a n n a O Tamil Ammayi (2003). A source revealed that the film maker and Asin have already spoken about the project and Asin has shown interest to be part of the film. Though she is yet to sign the dotted line, she is very excited about teaming up once again with her mentor Puri Jagannath. “She shares a great bond with the film maker and therefore, she’ll surely be interested to star in the film,” the source said. Notably, Amma Nanna O Tamil Ammayi starred Asin and was her debut Telugu film. Juhi Chawla To Host Chat Show For Kids After Karan Johar, Sajid Khan, Simi Garewal, Farah Khan, Anu- pam Kher, Madhuri Dixit and Preity Zinta, Juhi Chawla is the new entrant to the list of celebrity chat show hosts. The actress will host a kiddies’ chat-cum-fun show. Juhi, who has judged the third season of the popular dance reality show Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa, will now be donning the hat of the host for a show called ‘Badmaash Company -- Ek Shararat Hone Ko Hai’ on Colors channel, a chat show for kids. On the lines of ‘Say No Something To Anupam Uncle’ hosted by Anupam Kher, Juhi will be interacting with children on this show. It will have various segments, one of which will include kids put in a particular situation and their reactions caught candid on camera.The show will be aired on Colors in September. YOUR AD COSTS $29 5” WIDE X 2” HEIGHT 281-3944287/281381-0744 Austin South Asian |SEPTEMBE2011 Austin South Asian | SEPTEMBER 2011 24 Austin South Asian | SEPTEMBER 2011