Monday, March 31, 2008
Foundation to help slum children in New Delhi
The Adopt a Mother Foundation (AAMF) was established in June 1999, and appears to be successful in providing much needed services to poor children living in the burgeoning slums and slum-like habitations around New Delhi, the capital of what is considered an economic powerhouse of the country.
In its nearly 10 years of existence, AAMF has provided nutrition, education, and medication to the poorest children, "giving them the chance to learn, grow and live with health, dignity and opportunity."
"We are currently educating over 1,300 children in our program," Prativa Bhutia, Project Manager at AAMF told News India-Times. "We have been regularly organizing meeting/workshops, cultural programs, field trips for the children. Our biggest challenge is to motivate children to join our classes. We have to motivate their parents also," she said.
The website of the organization says all donations made to AAM Foundation in the United States are tax-exempt under Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Service. For more details on its activities visit the site at www.aamf.org, or write to them at info@aamf.org. It is also a tax exempt organization in India. The organization also allows for donors to pay online at http://www.aamf.org/help.asp, and it gives you the option of making a donation
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In its nearly 10 years of existence, AAMF has provided nutrition, education, and medication to the poorest children, "giving them the chance to learn, grow and live with health, dignity and opportunity."
"We are currently educating over 1,300 children in our program," Prativa Bhutia, Project Manager at AAMF told News India-Times. "We have been regularly organizing meeting/workshops, cultural programs, field trips for the children. Our biggest challenge is to motivate children to join our classes. We have to motivate their parents also," she said.
The website of the organization says all donations made to AAM Foundation in the United States are tax-exempt under Section 501 (c) (3) of the Internal Revenue Service. For more details on its activities visit the site at www.aamf.org, or write to them at info@aamf.org. It is also a tax exempt organization in India. The organization also allows for donors to pay online at http://www.aamf.org/help.asp, and it gives you the option of making a donation
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Labels: Adopt a Mother Foundation, donors, educational centres, informal schooling program, Internal Revenue Service, New Delhi, Prativa Bhutia, slum children, United states
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Democracy by King's decree: progress measured by ‘gross national happiness'
In this idyllic Himalayan country that measures progress by its "gross national happiness" index, the stoplight just didn't cut it.
Residents here in the capital complained that Bhutan's one and only automated traffic signal was too impersonal. It was taken down. Now, a white gloved police officer gracefully directs motorists.
A lone man in charge: That's what most Bhutanese want when it comes to how their country is run, not merely a single intersection.But their beloved king, the man in question, has other ideas.
Bhutan is set to become the world's newest democracy, with the first general elections in this isolated Buddhist kingdom. At the heart of this brave new world lies a paradox: It is people power by royal decree. The Bhutanese are choosing their leaders because, essentially, they were told to by their king.
To read the full article, click here...
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Residents here in the capital complained that Bhutan's one and only automated traffic signal was too impersonal. It was taken down. Now, a white gloved police officer gracefully directs motorists.
A lone man in charge: That's what most Bhutanese want when it comes to how their country is run, not merely a single intersection.But their beloved king, the man in question, has other ideas.
Bhutan is set to become the world's newest democracy, with the first general elections in this isolated Buddhist kingdom. At the heart of this brave new world lies a paradox: It is people power by royal decree. The Bhutanese are choosing their leaders because, essentially, they were told to by their king.
To read the full article, click here...
To read the ePaper, visit: http://www.newsindia-times.com
Labels: Bhutan, Buddhist kingdom, elections, Golden Throne, Himalayan country gross national happiness, Land of the Thunder Dragon, newest democracy
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Aurangazeb was even handed with Hindus and Muslims
The debate over whether Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb was anti-Hindu or not has taken a new turn in Chennai with the largest Tamil Muslim group saying he was a victim of distorted history.
Tamil Nadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam (TMMK) said one of the biggest charges against Aurangzeb was that he demolished the Vishwanath temple in Varanasi (Kashi).
"That was a fact. But late historian Bishma Narain Pande's research efforts exploded many myths about Aurangzeb's rule. He explained why Aurangzeb razed the temple at Varanasi," TMMK leader M.H. Jawahirulla, who is a university professor himself, told IANS.
He razed the temple because the Maharani of Kutch, the wife of one of the Hindu Rajput kings loyal to Aurangzeb, was dishonored and robbed inside the temple.
Meanwhile, the Chennai police on March 6, had shut down an art show on Aurangzeb at the Lalit Kala Akademi in Chennai following protests. Francois Gautier, a expatriate French journalist, curated the show. Police said the exhibition of 40 paintings and documents on Aurangzeb had the potential to disrupt communal harmony.
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Tamil Nadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam (TMMK) said one of the biggest charges against Aurangzeb was that he demolished the Vishwanath temple in Varanasi (Kashi).
"That was a fact. But late historian Bishma Narain Pande's research efforts exploded many myths about Aurangzeb's rule. He explained why Aurangzeb razed the temple at Varanasi," TMMK leader M.H. Jawahirulla, who is a university professor himself, told IANS.
He razed the temple because the Maharani of Kutch, the wife of one of the Hindu Rajput kings loyal to Aurangzeb, was dishonored and robbed inside the temple.
Meanwhile, the Chennai police on March 6, had shut down an art show on Aurangzeb at the Lalit Kala Akademi in Chennai following protests. Francois Gautier, a expatriate French journalist, curated the show. Police said the exhibition of 40 paintings and documents on Aurangzeb had the potential to disrupt communal harmony.
To read the full article, click here....
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Labels: Aurangzeb, chennai, Hindu Rajput, Lalit Kala Akademi, Mughal Emperor, muslims, Tamil Nadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam, Varanasi
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
The goddess of the nine flames
Jwalamukhi Devi Temple, one of the 51 Shakti Peeths in India, tended to by the followers of Goraknath, is set against a cliff in the Kangra district of Himachal Pradesh.
Shakti Peeths are divine spots where the various parts of Goddess Sati's body are said to have fallen during the course of Shiva's ‘Rudra Tandava', or the dance of destruction.
The temple, built in the Indo-Sikh style, is a modern building with a gilted dome, and has a prepossessing folding door of silver plates, which was presented by the Sikh Raja Kharak Singh.
Located on the Dharamsala-Shimla road, the temple is dedicated to Goddess Jwalamukhi the deity who is said to breathe fire. She is believed to be the manifestation of Goddess Sati herself.
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Shakti Peeths are divine spots where the various parts of Goddess Sati's body are said to have fallen during the course of Shiva's ‘Rudra Tandava', or the dance of destruction.
The temple, built in the Indo-Sikh style, is a modern building with a gilted dome, and has a prepossessing folding door of silver plates, which was presented by the Sikh Raja Kharak Singh.
Located on the Dharamsala-Shimla road, the temple is dedicated to Goddess Jwalamukhi the deity who is said to breathe fire. She is believed to be the manifestation of Goddess Sati herself.
To read the full article, click here...
To read the ePaper, visit: http://www.newsindia-times.com
Labels: Himachal Pradesh., india, Jwalamukhi Devi Temple, nine flames, Rudra Tandava, sati, Shakti Peeths, shiva, Yagna havankund
Tuesday, March 25, 2008
India must pay $42.4 million to New York in taxes: Judge
United States District Court Judge Jed S.Rakoff ruled against India in a case involving tax claims by New York City. In a judgment announced March 17, he ordered New Delhi to pay $42.4 million in tax arrears to the city for use of its premises for 'non-diplomatic' purposes.
The ruling against India was part of a total $57.6 million in fines that the Judge slammed on 3 countries, the others being Mongolia ($4.3 million) and The Philippines ($10.9 million).
"After exchanges among the Court, the City and defense counsel, the judge yesterday (Monday, March 17th) granted the City virtually every thing it had asked for…" said the New York City Law Department in a notification to the media.
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The ruling against India was part of a total $57.6 million in fines that the Judge slammed on 3 countries, the others being Mongolia ($4.3 million) and The Philippines ($10.9 million).
"After exchanges among the Court, the City and defense counsel, the judge yesterday (Monday, March 17th) granted the City virtually every thing it had asked for…" said the New York City Law Department in a notification to the media.
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Labels: india, New York, non-diplomatic, Tax, united states District court, Vienna Convention on Consular Relations
Monday, March 24, 2008
Buddha statue emerges from obscurity to sell for over $14 million
Fiction abounds with tales of hidden treasures rediscovered after centuries, or of a little shop boy being discovered to be a great genius, but reality outdid fiction this season in the art world.
The highlights of the season are in Times Square style headlines Buddha in neglected attic sets world record for Asian art; child from a carpet trading family in Kolkata is recognized as the new star of the Indian art firmament, out pricing M.F. Husain or Tyeb Mehta; and 46 New York art institutions and galleries club together to launch Asian Contemporary Art Week in New York March 1524.
First, the amazing find of a 12th century masterpiece, an wooden Buddha, ejected from the temple where it had stood benignly for eight centuries, because of a chauvinistic turn in Japan's history, coming out of its obscurity to fetch over $14 million!
In a sale at Christie's New York on March 18 a wooden statue of the supreme Buddha, scarcely two feet high, which had disappeared from a Japanese temple in 1915 when Shinto replaced Buddhism as Japan's official religion, made a history making comeback.
The wood sculpture of Dainichi Nyorai, the supreme Buddha, attributed to the sculptor Unkei achieved $14,377,000, exceeding by almost 10 times its pre sale estimate of $1,500,000-2,500,000. It set new world auction records including record for Japanese art, and any Asian work of art sold in New York.
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The highlights of the season are in Times Square style headlines Buddha in neglected attic sets world record for Asian art; child from a carpet trading family in Kolkata is recognized as the new star of the Indian art firmament, out pricing M.F. Husain or Tyeb Mehta; and 46 New York art institutions and galleries club together to launch Asian Contemporary Art Week in New York March 1524.
First, the amazing find of a 12th century masterpiece, an wooden Buddha, ejected from the temple where it had stood benignly for eight centuries, because of a chauvinistic turn in Japan's history, coming out of its obscurity to fetch over $14 million!
In a sale at Christie's New York on March 18 a wooden statue of the supreme Buddha, scarcely two feet high, which had disappeared from a Japanese temple in 1915 when Shinto replaced Buddhism as Japan's official religion, made a history making comeback.
The wood sculpture of Dainichi Nyorai, the supreme Buddha, attributed to the sculptor Unkei achieved $14,377,000, exceeding by almost 10 times its pre sale estimate of $1,500,000-2,500,000. It set new world auction records including record for Japanese art, and any Asian work of art sold in New York.
To read the article, click here..
To read the ePaper, visit: http://www.newsindia-times.com
Labels: Buddha statue, Christie's New York, Dainichi Nyorai Buddha, Mitsukoshi Co Ltd, New York, sale, Times Square style Asian Contemporary Art Week
Sunday, March 23, 2008
International parental child abduction from the U.S. to India
There has been a rash of cases concerning parents who remove a child from the United States to India without the consent of the other parent and then refuse to return the child to this country.
Parents often have a grave misunderstanding of the serious nature of such parental child abduction. Many believe that simply because India is not yet a party to the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction (the "Hague Convention") the legal system can neither prevent nor cure a parent's unauthorized removal of a child from the United States to India. Such views are totally mistaken.
U.S. federal law makes kidnapping a crime even when it is committed by one of the child's parents. The International Parental Kidnapping Crime Act (IPKCA), 18 U.S.C.1204, makes it a federal felony to remove a child under the age of 16 from the United States, or to retain a child outside the United States with the intent to obstruct the lawful exercise of parental rights. In addition, every state recognizes that the abduction of a child by his or her parent is a serious crime, subject to penalties in excess of one year in prison.
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Parents often have a grave misunderstanding of the serious nature of such parental child abduction. Many believe that simply because India is not yet a party to the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction (the "Hague Convention") the legal system can neither prevent nor cure a parent's unauthorized removal of a child from the United States to India. Such views are totally mistaken.
U.S. federal law makes kidnapping a crime even when it is committed by one of the child's parents. The International Parental Kidnapping Crime Act (IPKCA), 18 U.S.C.1204, makes it a federal felony to remove a child under the age of 16 from the United States, or to retain a child outside the United States with the intent to obstruct the lawful exercise of parental rights. In addition, every state recognizes that the abduction of a child by his or her parent is a serious crime, subject to penalties in excess of one year in prison.
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Labels: Civil Aspects, india, International Child Abduction, International Parental Kidnapping Crime Act, nagpur, United states
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
‘Children Walking Tall' helps street children in Goa
There are hundreds of children living in slums and on the streets in Goa alone, and when Robert Lyon came to this tourist haven three years ago, he decided to stay on to look after some of them.
Some are orphans, others runaways, and almost all are not from Goa. So Lyons and his friend Shermina, who came to work with another NGO, decided to set up their own.
They founded Children Walking Tall, and registered in the United Kingdom in 2004 and in India in February 2005.(www.childrenwalkingtall.com)
Along with four local employees and regular volunteers from abroad coming at their own expense, the 35-year-old computer programmer turned social worker continues the work on his own.
With no funding either from international organizations or governments, Lyon currently has seven volunteers from abroad and four permanent staff. Over the last couple of years, they managed to rebuild a shell of a building into a beautiful home for the children and named it Mango House.
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Some are orphans, others runaways, and almost all are not from Goa. So Lyons and his friend Shermina, who came to work with another NGO, decided to set up their own.
They founded Children Walking Tall, and registered in the United Kingdom in 2004 and in India in February 2005.(www.childrenwalkingtall.com)
Along with four local employees and regular volunteers from abroad coming at their own expense, the 35-year-old computer programmer turned social worker continues the work on his own.
With no funding either from international organizations or governments, Lyon currently has seven volunteers from abroad and four permanent staff. Over the last couple of years, they managed to rebuild a shell of a building into a beautiful home for the children and named it Mango House.
To read the full article, click here...
To read the ePaper, visit: http://www.newsindia-times.com
Labels: Goa, india, NGO, Robert Lyon, street childern, United Kingdom
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Mother of dead United Kingdom girl fears Goa police may charge her
The mother of a British teenager who was raped and murdered last month in Goa said on March 12 that she was worried at the possibility of police charging her with neglect for leaving her daughter alone.
Scarlett Keeling, 15, was found dead on a beach in Goa in February. At the time, her mother was away in Karnataka, according to police.
"I am worried at these reports. The police are deflecting the real issue and taking the focus away by saying that I neglected my daughter which is not true," Fiona MacKeown told Reuters from Goa.
"She was not alone and was under the care of a very responsible person. The police are only trying to cover up the case and I don't have any faith in them."
A police officer said charging MacKeown for neglect was a possibility but declined to say anything more.
"There are provisions under Indian laws to charge her with neglect," said Kishan Kumar, a senior police officer handling the case. "That is a possibility, but we are not saying anything more now".
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Scarlett Keeling, 15, was found dead on a beach in Goa in February. At the time, her mother was away in Karnataka, according to police.
"I am worried at these reports. The police are deflecting the real issue and taking the focus away by saying that I neglected my daughter which is not true," Fiona MacKeown told Reuters from Goa.
"She was not alone and was under the care of a very responsible person. The police are only trying to cover up the case and I don't have any faith in them."
A police officer said charging MacKeown for neglect was a possibility but declined to say anything more.
"There are provisions under Indian laws to charge her with neglect," said Kishan Kumar, a senior police officer handling the case. "That is a possibility, but we are not saying anything more now".
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Labels: British teenager, Fiona MacKeown, Goa, Keeling's case, Scarlett Keeling, United Kingdom
Monday, March 17, 2008
Nepal's controversial living goddess has given up her divine position
A controversial young Nepali girl worshipped by many Buddhists and Hindus as a Kumari, or "living goddess", has given up her divine position following a request from her family, an official said on March 1.
The 11-year-old Sajani Shakya was revered for nine years as the Kumari of the ancient temple-town of Bhaktapur, near Kathmandu, in a centuries-old tradition.
"She is no more a Kumari," said Dipak Pandey, a senior official of the state-run Trust Corporation that oversees the cultural affairs in the deeply religious nation.
Pandey said Sajani's family wanted to perform their own religious rituals which required her to give up her divine position and rejoin her family.
Kumaris traditionally retire when they reach the age menstruation.
Last year, Sajani made international head lines after she visited the United States to promote a film by British company about the ancient practice.
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The 11-year-old Sajani Shakya was revered for nine years as the Kumari of the ancient temple-town of Bhaktapur, near Kathmandu, in a centuries-old tradition.
"She is no more a Kumari," said Dipak Pandey, a senior official of the state-run Trust Corporation that oversees the cultural affairs in the deeply religious nation.
Pandey said Sajani's family wanted to perform their own religious rituals which required her to give up her divine position and rejoin her family.
Kumaris traditionally retire when they reach the age menstruation.
Last year, Sajani made international head lines after she visited the United States to promote a film by British company about the ancient practice.
To read the full article, click here..
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Labels: Bhaktapur, controversial young Nepali girl, Kathmandu, Nepal, Sajani Shakya, United states
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week : Eleventh Year in New Delhi
Dancers swaying to the primitive beats of drums and sounds of the jungle, followed by models showcasing the creative brilliance of fashion designer Vikram Phadnis set the mood for the Wills Lifestyle Fashion Week (WIFW) that began on a dramatic note on March 12.
The fashion event, one of the biggest in the country, conveyed a vital message- 'protect the mother earth'.
‘Save The Earth' as Phadnis titled his show drew the attention of the audience to environmental issues.
"My collection was inspired by elements of nature like soil, water, leaves etc. Since I had to open the fashion week, it was extremely important that the line-up was inspirational and gave a message to all those who were watching it."
With the highest number of new participants and the strongest line up of sponsors ever, WIFW marked not only the maturing of the country's fashion industry but brought a lot of money into its kitty.
To read the full article, click here....
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The fashion event, one of the biggest in the country, conveyed a vital message- 'protect the mother earth'.
‘Save The Earth' as Phadnis titled his show drew the attention of the audience to environmental issues.
"My collection was inspired by elements of nature like soil, water, leaves etc. Since I had to open the fashion week, it was extremely important that the line-up was inspirational and gave a message to all those who were watching it."
With the highest number of new participants and the strongest line up of sponsors ever, WIFW marked not only the maturing of the country's fashion industry but brought a lot of money into its kitty.
To read the full article, click here....
To read the ePaper, visit: http://www.newsindia-times.com
Labels: 82 designer, Fashion Design Council of India, New Delhi, Rathi Vinay Jha, Save The Earth, Wills Lifestyle Fashion Week
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Statement by four critics raises questions about nuclear deal
As India and the U.S. make renewed efforts to conclude their civilian nuclear deal, four U.S. critics of the accord have asked the Bush administration to make public its responses to lawmakers' questions about it.
The four in a statement March 5 asked the State Department to drop a virtual "gag" order on its unclassified responses to over 40 questions sent to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs last October.
"The administration's responses should be made publicly available so that U.S. and Indian lawmakers and the public can evaluate whether the draft US-Indian accord conforms to the terms and conditions established by Congress," said Daryl G. Kimball, executive director of the Arms Control Association (ACA).
"The administration's unwillingness to make their answers more widely available suggests they have something to hide from either U.S. or Indian legislators," he said.
Joining him were two former senior nonproliferation officials, Fred McGoldrick and Henry Sokolski, and Sharon Squassoni, senior associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
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The four in a statement March 5 asked the State Department to drop a virtual "gag" order on its unclassified responses to over 40 questions sent to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs last October.
"The administration's responses should be made publicly available so that U.S. and Indian lawmakers and the public can evaluate whether the draft US-Indian accord conforms to the terms and conditions established by Congress," said Daryl G. Kimball, executive director of the Arms Control Association (ACA).
"The administration's unwillingness to make their answers more widely available suggests they have something to hide from either U.S. or Indian legislators," he said.
Joining him were two former senior nonproliferation officials, Fred McGoldrick and Henry Sokolski, and Sharon Squassoni, senior associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
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Labels: Arms Control Association, india, nuclear deal, ritics raises questions, United states
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Patel named Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications
President Bush on March 5, nominated Neil Suryakant Patel, currently Assistant to Vice President Dick Cheney, for the position of Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information.
If confirmed by the U.S. Senate, Patel automatically also heads the National Telecommunications and Information administration, a key body that is overseeing the transformation from analog to digital technology nationwide.
Telecommunications giants like US Telecom are welcoming his nomination.
Patel, a resident of Washington, D.C., is one of 5 nominations that go to the U.S. Senate which will have to confirm his appointment before he can take over.
Meanwhile, Patel continues to serve as Assistant to the Vice President for Domestic and Economic Policy. Prior to taking up that position, he served as Staff Secretary to the Vice President.
Before joining the Republican administration, Patel was Assistant General Counsel at UUNET Technologies, Inc. He has a bachelor's degree from Trinity College and his JD from Georgetown University.
"Let us congratulate Neil on his nomination and his continued public service, on behalf of the American people and as part of the President's Administration," said the Office of Public Liaison at the White House, when it distributed the press release from the White House.
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If confirmed by the U.S. Senate, Patel automatically also heads the National Telecommunications and Information administration, a key body that is overseeing the transformation from analog to digital technology nationwide.
Telecommunications giants like US Telecom are welcoming his nomination.
Patel, a resident of Washington, D.C., is one of 5 nominations that go to the U.S. Senate which will have to confirm his appointment before he can take over.
Meanwhile, Patel continues to serve as Assistant to the Vice President for Domestic and Economic Policy. Prior to taking up that position, he served as Staff Secretary to the Vice President.
Before joining the Republican administration, Patel was Assistant General Counsel at UUNET Technologies, Inc. He has a bachelor's degree from Trinity College and his JD from Georgetown University.
"Let us congratulate Neil on his nomination and his continued public service, on behalf of the American people and as part of the President's Administration," said the Office of Public Liaison at the White House, when it distributed the press release from the White House.
To read the full article, click here..
To read the ePaper, visit: http://www.newsindia-times.com
Labels: Federal Communications Commission, Neil Suryakant Patel, NTIA t, President Bush, U.S. Senate, Washington
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Asian businesses generate $326 billion in receipts
Supporting the view that immigrants contribute significantly to the U.S. economy, Asian businesses in the United States generate an estimated $326 billion in receipts a year, according to the Census Bureau. And of the 1.1 million businesses counted in 2002, 46 percent were owned by Indians or Chinese.
These and other figures on Asian and Pacific Islanders were released by the Census Bureau in anticipation of the Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month in May.
The March 3 release showed median incomes among Asians differently markedly, with Indian Americans (Asian Indians) at the top of the scale with $78,315 in 2006 and Vietnamese Americans at the lower end with $52,299. (These figures represent the single-race population.)
Poverty remained unchanged from 2005 to 2006 at around 10.3 percent, but health insurance coverage improved marginally from 17.2 percent without coverage in 2005 to 15.5 percent in 2006.
The number of businesses owned by Asian-Americans in 2002 (1.1 million), up 24 percent from 1997, is a rate of increase twice the national average.
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To read the epaper, visit: http://www.newsindia-times.com
These and other figures on Asian and Pacific Islanders were released by the Census Bureau in anticipation of the Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month in May.
The March 3 release showed median incomes among Asians differently markedly, with Indian Americans (Asian Indians) at the top of the scale with $78,315 in 2006 and Vietnamese Americans at the lower end with $52,299. (These figures represent the single-race population.)
Poverty remained unchanged from 2005 to 2006 at around 10.3 percent, but health insurance coverage improved marginally from 17.2 percent without coverage in 2005 to 15.5 percent in 2006.
The number of businesses owned by Asian-Americans in 2002 (1.1 million), up 24 percent from 1997, is a rate of increase twice the national average.
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To read the epaper, visit: http://www.newsindia-times.com
Labels: $326 billion in Receipts, Asian, Asian Bussiness, Census Bureau, Non-Farm Businesses in U.S, Pacific American Heritage
Monday, March 10, 2008
With Appu Ghar's closure in India, a fantasy world fades
For all those who grew up with at least one visit to Appu Ghar during their summer vacations and then came back, years later, with their kids for another one of those roller coaster rides, it was the last ride through memory lane on February 17 as India's first amusement park sold its very last ticket.
"They shouldn't close down Appu Ghar!" cried eight-year-old Shalini Mehra, holding a pink cotton candy stick outside the amusement park even as the adorable orange colored Jumbo, the mascot of the 1982 Asian Games, rotated slowly at the entrance.
"I come here so often. My cousins, who live in Jaipur and visit us every summer, also look forward to the rides here and then a dip at Oysters (the water park adjoining Appu Ghar)...now where will we go? Will they build another Appu Ghar here?" she asked her father.
Shalini's concern was echoed by hundreds of other children and grown-ups who were simply heartbroken at the thought that Appu Ghar was running its last few rides before shutting down forever on Feb. 17 evening.
"I can't believe they are closing down Appu Ghar," said Ashwin Kumar, an engineer.
"First it was the Chanakya cinema and now Appu Ghar. These are the places we associate our childhood, our youth with. We have grown up in these places...they are a part of Delhi's charm, its history," 30-year-old Kumar
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"They shouldn't close down Appu Ghar!" cried eight-year-old Shalini Mehra, holding a pink cotton candy stick outside the amusement park even as the adorable orange colored Jumbo, the mascot of the 1982 Asian Games, rotated slowly at the entrance.
"I come here so often. My cousins, who live in Jaipur and visit us every summer, also look forward to the rides here and then a dip at Oysters (the water park adjoining Appu Ghar)...now where will we go? Will they build another Appu Ghar here?" she asked her father.
Shalini's concern was echoed by hundreds of other children and grown-ups who were simply heartbroken at the thought that Appu Ghar was running its last few rides before shutting down forever on Feb. 17 evening.
"I can't believe they are closing down Appu Ghar," said Ashwin Kumar, an engineer.
"First it was the Chanakya cinema and now Appu Ghar. These are the places we associate our childhood, our youth with. We have grown up in these places...they are a part of Delhi's charm, its history," 30-year-old Kumar
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Labels: Appu Ghar, delhi, first amusement park in India, IANS, Oysters
Sunday, March 9, 2008
President Bush and McCain stress their unity, and so do the Democrats
President Bush usually does not like to be kept waiting, but he appeared to be in a giddy mood on March 5 when he emerged from the North Portico of the White House, only to find that Sen. John McCain, (R-AZ), was not there.
"So, anyway," Bush said to the reporters who had assembled there to see the two men shake hands. "As I was saying ..." He smiled a bit, but no McCain. He did a mock soft-shoe dance.
"I'm just going to tap-dance a little," the leader of the free world said. Finally, he disappeared into the White House, telling onlookers: "Pretend like it never happened."
After McCain and his wife, Cindy, finally arrived, Bush and the senator lunched in the small dining room next to the Oval Office, then emerged for the long-anticipated endorsement by the president in the Rose Garden. Bush promised to campaign for his onetime rival and occasional legislative critic as both men seek to keep Democrats from taking over the White House.
McCain said he was "honored and humbled" to have the president's support going into a tough general-election campaign. But campaigning arm-in-arm with Bush may prove troublesome as the senator woos independents and moderate Democrats, among whom the president remains unpopular.
"I appreciate his endorsement," McCain told reporters, indicating he does not intend to distance himself - at least not too much. "I intend to have as much possible campaigning events together as is in keeping with the president's heavy schedule." Democrats seized the opportunity to link McCain and Bush, who has the job approval of only about 32 percent of Americans.
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"So, anyway," Bush said to the reporters who had assembled there to see the two men shake hands. "As I was saying ..." He smiled a bit, but no McCain. He did a mock soft-shoe dance.
"I'm just going to tap-dance a little," the leader of the free world said. Finally, he disappeared into the White House, telling onlookers: "Pretend like it never happened."
After McCain and his wife, Cindy, finally arrived, Bush and the senator lunched in the small dining room next to the Oval Office, then emerged for the long-anticipated endorsement by the president in the Rose Garden. Bush promised to campaign for his onetime rival and occasional legislative critic as both men seek to keep Democrats from taking over the White House.
McCain said he was "honored and humbled" to have the president's support going into a tough general-election campaign. But campaigning arm-in-arm with Bush may prove troublesome as the senator woos independents and moderate Democrats, among whom the president remains unpopular.
"I appreciate his endorsement," McCain told reporters, indicating he does not intend to distance himself - at least not too much. "I intend to have as much possible campaigning events together as is in keeping with the president's heavy schedule." Democrats seized the opportunity to link McCain and Bush, who has the job approval of only about 32 percent of Americans.
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Labels: Democratic National Committee, North Portico, President Bush, White House
Thursday, March 6, 2008
United States - to study missile defense system
The United States and India will study the possibility of a joint missile defense system, Defense Secretary Robert Gates said on February 27, stressing talks were only in their early stages.
"We're just beginning to talk about perhaps conducting a joint analysis about what India's needs would be in the realm of missile defense and where cooperation between us might help advance that," Gates told reporters.
Indian missile-defense cooperation with the United States could complicate relations with China, Russia and Pakistan.
Until now, India's policy has been to develop its missile shield domestically, closing a potential multi billion-dollar market to American manufacturers Boeing Co, Lockheed Martin Corp, Raytheon Co and Northrop Grumman Corp -the biggest players in the emerging ground, air, sea and space based U.S. missile defense system.
But this may be changing in line with a break through Indian decision to buy Lockheed's C130J military transport aircraft earlier this year, U.S. defense officials said.
Gates, in New Delhi to strengthen Washington's strategic ties and make a sales pitch for U.S. arms manufacturers, said the Pentagon wanted to build a relationship focused on long-term cooperation with India, noting it was independent of the current impasse over a controversial civil-nuclear deal sought by Washington.
"We're not looking for quick results or big leaps forward," Gates told reporters.
"But rather a steady expansion of this relationship in a way that leaves everybody comfortable that we're not moving too fast and that works in terms of Indian domestic politics and also works for us."
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"We're just beginning to talk about perhaps conducting a joint analysis about what India's needs would be in the realm of missile defense and where cooperation between us might help advance that," Gates told reporters.
Indian missile-defense cooperation with the United States could complicate relations with China, Russia and Pakistan.
Until now, India's policy has been to develop its missile shield domestically, closing a potential multi billion-dollar market to American manufacturers Boeing Co, Lockheed Martin Corp, Raytheon Co and Northrop Grumman Corp -the biggest players in the emerging ground, air, sea and space based U.S. missile defense system.
But this may be changing in line with a break through Indian decision to buy Lockheed's C130J military transport aircraft earlier this year, U.S. defense officials said.
Gates, in New Delhi to strengthen Washington's strategic ties and make a sales pitch for U.S. arms manufacturers, said the Pentagon wanted to build a relationship focused on long-term cooperation with India, noting it was independent of the current impasse over a controversial civil-nuclear deal sought by Washington.
"We're not looking for quick results or big leaps forward," Gates told reporters.
"But rather a steady expansion of this relationship in a way that leaves everybody comfortable that we're not moving too fast and that works in terms of Indian domestic politics and also works for us."
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Labels: india, missile defense system, Robert Gates, United states, Washington
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Pakistani Christians fight to keep faith: public protests
Followed by a gaggle of children, Julius Salik walked a muddy dirt track in one of this city's squalid Christian slums, past open sewers and ramshackle homes.With a weary sigh, he motioned to a row of neat brick apartment buildings."Muslims live there," said Salik, 60, a social worker and former federal minister. "Good construction. Big houses. Big cars."
Pakistan, he said, is a place of extremes.
Muslims represent the majority of this Islamic homeland's 162 million residents. They control the legislature and economy, often leaving minorities to endure second-rate status.
For years, Salik has waged an unorthodox human-rights campaign of public protests he said is necessary to get the attention of a neglectful government.
He has gone on hunger strikes, cut himself, burned his clothes and even lived in a cage -all in an effort to improve the lives of Ahmadis, Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs and, especially, Christians like himself.
In 1996, then-Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto nominated him for a Nobel Peace Prize. But Bhutto was assassinated. And Salik said Christians here are in more trouble than ever.
"I want to tell the government that Christians are not afraid of them," he said. "We're willing to fight."
For an estimated 6,000 Christians in Pakistan, religious equality is the elusive Pakistani dream. Because of restrictive laws, they are barred from equal pay, educational opportunities and housing. Intimidated by rising Islamic extremism, many are afraid to wear symbols of their faith. Dozens are in jail on the basis of draconian blasphemy laws that forbid anyone to defame Islam.
The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom wants the State Department to name Pakistan a "country of particular concern."
"It's one of the most serious problem spots for religious freedom in the entire world," said Felice Gaer, director of the Jacob Blaustein Institute for the Advancement of Human Rights and a former chairwoman of the commission.
"Discriminatory legislation has fostered an atmosphere of religious intolerance and eroded the legislative status of people who belong to minorities."
The alliance between the government of President Pervez Musharraf and the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal, a coalition of six Islamist political parties, gives inordinate influence to these extremist groups and has seriously compromised freedom of thought, conscience and belief in Pakistan, she said.
Since joining the United States as an ally in its war on terrorism in 2001, Musharraf has publicly urged Pakistanis to shun radical Islam and pursue "enlightened moderation."
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Labels: Christians in Pakistan, Institute for the Advancement of Human Rights, International Religious Freedom
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
President Patil presents Natak Akademi Fellowship and awards to 34 artists
President Pratibha Patil conferred the Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowships and Awards on 34 artists from the field of drama, dance and music at a function in New Delhi on February 26.
Eminent scholar and professor of aesthetics Sushil Kumar Saxena was awarded the ‘Akademi Fellow' for the year 2007 in recognition of excellence in the field of arts.
The awards are the highest national recognition in the field of performing arts.
Expressing concern over the "fast disappearing" traditional folk arts, Patil said "patrons of arts", including corporate houses, should be encouraged to support the cultural traditions of India.
She also called for "special efforts" to reach out to the new generation in order to "inculcate in them the appreciation for culture", and asked artists to play a social role in educating people and to create awareness to eradicate social evil.
Among the awardees was noted Bollywood music director Khayyam.
Other recipients of the awards included vocalists Govardhan Mishra, Vidhyadhar Vyas and V. Krishnamurthy; instrumentalists Nandan Misra and Ramu Prasad Shastri; dancers Geetanjali Lal, Ranjana Gauhar, and Sadanand Kutty.
Artists Harimadhav Mukhopadhyay, Ramesh Mehta and N.C. Thakur were awarded for excellence in theater.
"Some of our traditional folk arts are fast disappearing for want of patronage," Patil said at the function organized by the Akademi, the apex body of the performing arts that works for preservation and conservation of cultural heritage.
She said, "We must look at how the 'patrons of arts' in our society - whether corporate houses, musical societies, local artist groups - can be encouraged to support the classical and the traditional arts.
"Our special efforts should be to reach out to the new generation and to inculcate in them an appreciation for our culture," she added.
Suggesting that artists should also look at the social role they could play, she said, "Dance and drama are a powerful medium and can be used to effectively convey social messages, particularly to fight social evils like female foeticide, female infanticide, child marriages, dowry and addiction to drugs and alcohol."
She hoped artists could "educate the population on various issues such as health, literacy and the values of truth, tolerance and harmony."
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Eminent scholar and professor of aesthetics Sushil Kumar Saxena was awarded the ‘Akademi Fellow' for the year 2007 in recognition of excellence in the field of arts.
The awards are the highest national recognition in the field of performing arts.
Expressing concern over the "fast disappearing" traditional folk arts, Patil said "patrons of arts", including corporate houses, should be encouraged to support the cultural traditions of India.
She also called for "special efforts" to reach out to the new generation in order to "inculcate in them the appreciation for culture", and asked artists to play a social role in educating people and to create awareness to eradicate social evil.
Among the awardees was noted Bollywood music director Khayyam.
Other recipients of the awards included vocalists Govardhan Mishra, Vidhyadhar Vyas and V. Krishnamurthy; instrumentalists Nandan Misra and Ramu Prasad Shastri; dancers Geetanjali Lal, Ranjana Gauhar, and Sadanand Kutty.
Artists Harimadhav Mukhopadhyay, Ramesh Mehta and N.C. Thakur were awarded for excellence in theater.
"Some of our traditional folk arts are fast disappearing for want of patronage," Patil said at the function organized by the Akademi, the apex body of the performing arts that works for preservation and conservation of cultural heritage.
She said, "We must look at how the 'patrons of arts' in our society - whether corporate houses, musical societies, local artist groups - can be encouraged to support the classical and the traditional arts.
"Our special efforts should be to reach out to the new generation and to inculcate in them an appreciation for our culture," she added.
Suggesting that artists should also look at the social role they could play, she said, "Dance and drama are a powerful medium and can be used to effectively convey social messages, particularly to fight social evils like female foeticide, female infanticide, child marriages, dowry and addiction to drugs and alcohol."
She hoped artists could "educate the population on various issues such as health, literacy and the values of truth, tolerance and harmony."
To read the full article, click here...
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Labels: President Pratibha Patil, Sangeet Natak Akademi Fellowships and Awards
Monday, March 3, 2008
At Madurai Meenakshi, everything is larger than life
The Meenakshi Temple in Madurai, often called the ‘Athens of South India', is nearly 2,000 years old. It is a splendid example of the Dravidian style of temple architecture. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and his consort Parvati, also called Sundareswara and Meenakshi.History says Kulasekara Pandya built the original temple but credit for the temple's splendor goes to the Nayaks. The temple as it stands today, was designed in 1560 A.D. by Vishwanatha Nayak and built during the reign of Thirumalai Nayak.
The temple complex is one of the largest and most ancient, commanding a spread of about 15 acres.
The temple is enclosed within a high-walled crenelated structure. The focal point of the temple complex is the sanctum of Lord Sundareshwara and his spouse Meenakshi flanked by several small and ornate stucco shrines.
The temple has 12 gopurams (gateways), which range in height from 45 to 50 meters (148-164 feet). The southern gopuram is the tallest. The principal temple-tower landmarks include the East Tower, South Tower, West Tower and North Tower. The southern gateway is nine-stories high with images of gods and goddesses.
Each of the shrines of the stately sanctum narrates a different story. On the eastern entrance is located the impressive Ashta Shakthi Mandapam.
This grand hallway served as an eatery for devotees visiting the shrine.
Built by the wives of emperor Thirumalai Nayakar, a statuette recounts the tale of Lord Shiva's genius and heroism and the story of his wife's maiden life. Legend has it that Princess Meenakshi, a local goddess, fought a battle against Shiva and then married him.
Madurai is the site where the wedding is believed to have taken place.
Adjacent to the Ashta Shakthi Mandapam rests the Meenakshi Nayakkar Mandapam whose pillars portray a unique animal Yalli, possessing a lion's body and an elephant's head.
The temple complex also houses a golden lotus tank, the Potramaraikulam in whose holy waters devotees take a dip to absolve themselves of all their sins.
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Labels: Athens of South India, Madurai, Meenakshi Temple
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Most diversity training efforts at American companies ineffective
Most diversity training efforts at American companies are ineffective and even counter productive in increasing the number of women and minorities in managerial positions, according to an analysis that turns decades of conventional wisdom, government policy and court rulings on their head.
A comprehensive review of 31 years of data from 830 mid-size to large U.S. workplaces found that the kind of diversity training exercises offered at most firms were followed by a 7.5 percent drop in the number of women in management. The number of black, female managers fell by 10 percent, and the number of black men in top positions fell by 12 percent. Similar effects were seen for Latinos and Asians.
The analysis did not find that all diversity training is useless. Rather, it showed that mandatory programs - often undertaken mainly with an eye to avoiding liability in discrimination lawsuits - were the problem. When diversity training is voluntary and undertaken to advance a company's business goals, it was associated with increased diversity in management.
The origins of diversity training trace back to the civil rights movement and the belief that education, sensitivity and awareness are key to reducing discrimination. While many companies have embraced such training as a way to make work places more inclusive and to cater to an increasingly diverse customer base, trainers and researchers note that other companies use "sensitivity training" superficially - as a cosmetic response to complaints from internal and external critics.
Today, U.S. businesses spend from $200 million to $300 million a year on diversity training, but the new study is one of the first attempts to systematically analyze its impact. What it found is that programs work best when they are voluntary and focus on specific organizational skills, such as establishing mentoring relationships and giving women and minorities a chance to prove their worth in high-profile roles.
"When attendance is voluntary, diversity training is followed by an increase in managerial diversity," said Alexandra Kalev, a sociologist at the University of Arizona, who led the research.
"Most employers, however, force their managers and workers to go through training, and this is the least effective option in terms of increasing diversity. ... Forcing people to go through training creates a backlash against diversity."
To read the full article, click here...
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A comprehensive review of 31 years of data from 830 mid-size to large U.S. workplaces found that the kind of diversity training exercises offered at most firms were followed by a 7.5 percent drop in the number of women in management. The number of black, female managers fell by 10 percent, and the number of black men in top positions fell by 12 percent. Similar effects were seen for Latinos and Asians.
The analysis did not find that all diversity training is useless. Rather, it showed that mandatory programs - often undertaken mainly with an eye to avoiding liability in discrimination lawsuits - were the problem. When diversity training is voluntary and undertaken to advance a company's business goals, it was associated with increased diversity in management.
The origins of diversity training trace back to the civil rights movement and the belief that education, sensitivity and awareness are key to reducing discrimination. While many companies have embraced such training as a way to make work places more inclusive and to cater to an increasingly diverse customer base, trainers and researchers note that other companies use "sensitivity training" superficially - as a cosmetic response to complaints from internal and external critics.
Today, U.S. businesses spend from $200 million to $300 million a year on diversity training, but the new study is one of the first attempts to systematically analyze its impact. What it found is that programs work best when they are voluntary and focus on specific organizational skills, such as establishing mentoring relationships and giving women and minorities a chance to prove their worth in high-profile roles.
"When attendance is voluntary, diversity training is followed by an increase in managerial diversity," said Alexandra Kalev, a sociologist at the University of Arizona, who led the research.
"Most employers, however, force their managers and workers to go through training, and this is the least effective option in terms of increasing diversity. ... Forcing people to go through training creates a backlash against diversity."
To read the full article, click here...
To read the ePaper, visit: http://www.newsindia-times.com
Labels: American companies, training efforts, U.S. businesses spend, University of Arizona
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