| From Eid to Gurpurab - a year of silence in Kashmir |
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An unusual, happy quiet has settled along border villages in Jammu and Kashmir -- after all, it has been a full year since the Indian and Pakistani armies were ordered to silence their guns and declare a ceasefire.
An unusual, happy quiet has settled along border villages in Jammu and Kashmir -- after all, it has been a full year since the Indian and Pakistani armies were ordered to silence their guns and declare a ceasefire.
The first anniversary Friday of the ceasefire between the two uneasy neighbours, signalling some kind of normalcy for the villagers for whom the pounding of guns and destruction had become a way of life, brings with it optimism of a lasting peace.
That it comes on the day when the Sikh community celebrates the birth of Guru Nanak, the founder of their religion, has added a festive note to the occasion.
On a more politic note, the anniversary comes just two days after Pakistan Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz left India after a two-day visit bringing more hope for the villagers who have been making the most of the ceasefire since Nov 26, 2003.
If it is Gurupurab this year, last year it was Eid, a happy coincidence. And for the first time since partition, troops on either side had exchanged sweets.
The truce was effective along the 744-km the Line of Control (LoC) that divides Jammu and Kashmir between India and Pakistan and nearly 200-km international border.
Now, the border residents are looking for something more substantive than the silencing of the guns.
Their fields, which were once scattered with artillery and mortar shells, have been harvested. But people like Virender Prakash, a resident of Kullan village close to the border, is optimistic that the silence would be permanent and lead to the opening of roads and people to people contact just like it was before partition.
It might be naïve, but that’s how it is.
This is a re-discovery of our lives, Prakash said emotionally.
Only we can tell you what peace means, added Surinder Singh who lived in a migrant camp in a school building in Domana with his family for months together.
There were 30 people living, breathing, cooking and sleeping in a much smaller room than this, he said pointing to his small granary, now full of grains.
Being back home is just one of the many things to celebrate. There are other joys as well. The children have resumed schooling and the boisterous weddings have resumed at night, bringing about a dramatic change in what was for years a non-existent ’social life’.
Children have found new hope and life as well.
Amit is now confident that he can now fulfil his dream of becoming a doctor. At least I have regular schooling now, said the young student who missed out on school for over two years.
As for the women, the very normalcy of everyday life of cooking, cleaning and milking cattle, of children going to schools and husbands leaving for the fields is a huge achievement. Life is the way I wanted it, said Ameena Bee.
A profound statement of hope that the two governments, just about beginning the knotty task of negotiating peace, have to live up to.
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| Swedish Composer in Finland Turned Back on the Eurovision Contest to Become Nordic Radio Success - Nov 26, 2004 14:36 IST |
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The single “En sista vers” (A Final Verse) released by prize-nominated author and composer Gunnar K. A. Njålsson earlier this month is starting to receive increasing radio airplay in the Nordic countries, even where the uniquely moving Swedish lyrics are not fully understood. Nordic TV and radio stations began selecting and airing the song barely two weeks after receiving word that it had been radio released. Indeed, Njålsson’s agent, Hans Ånäs, is astonished at the fact that the entire promo stock of the single didn’t even last a week.
“We received requests from as far away as Turkey, Canada, Japan and Brunei and every Nordic country and territory now has a copy! I could never have imagined anything like this!” Ånäs exclaims. When asked what is so attractive about a song in Swedish from Finland, Njalsson’s agent provides a very quick answer: “I’ll use the words of those who’ve heard the song and given us feedback, namely it is a cross between eastern and western music with a very special harmony that for whatever reason everyone seems to understand and relate with. It grows on you after a couple of plays”.
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| Manmohan writes to Jayalalitha on Shankaracharya’s case - Nov 26, 2004 14:34 IST |
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Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Thursday wrote to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalitha to probe the murder charges against the Shankaracharya of Kanchipuram with extreme care and consideration.
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| Rs.26 mn seized from onion truck - Nov 26, 2004 14:30 IST |
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A sum of Rs.26 million in cash was seized from a truck loaded with onions in Maharashtra, police said Thursday.
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| Hip Hop Producers Bask in e-Opportunities - Nov 26, 2004 14:30 IST |
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Whoever coined the phrase pounding the pavement, didn’t have internet access. The evolution of creating a buzz, networking and Building relationships in the music industry has seen no more advances than it has in the past few years. In a business that’s reputation is as hard edged as the music itself, Hip Hop hopefuls are celebrating opportunities far beyond those of their predecessors.
The genre of music that’s past rich with culture is comparably young. Hip Hop’s next generation of tastemakers were previously kids on the sidelines of live DJ shows in New York city parks. About 7-8 years ago that all changed said Kirk Rothrum (pka Kirk T), president of Bangin-Beats.com. The work a person had to put in to being a viable artist or producer has shifted.
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| First Noh & Kyogen Program Witnessed by Americans in Boston December 7, 2004 - Nov 26, 2004 14:28 IST |
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The Japan Society of Boston will present three classical Japanese theatre pieces in a special presentation at John Hancock Hall on Tuesday, December 7, 7:00 pm. The First Noh & Kyogen Program Witnessed by Americans is a re-staging of performances first introduced to Western audiences during a state visit to Japan by President Ulysses S. Grant in 1879. Co-produced by the Nohgaku Kyokai Association of Japan and the Japan Society of New York, the plays star Umewaka Rokuro whose great-grandfather performed for President and Mrs. Grant.
The program is part of the Japan Society of Boston’s Centennial Celebration and follows the highly acclaimed Kabuki in Boston which the Japan Society brought to Boston’s Cutler Majestic Theatre for the first time in July, 2004.
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| Award-winning Novel of Adventure and Survival on the Grand Canyon’s North Rim Just Published - Nov 26, 2004 14:24 IST |
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Devon Mihesuah, who is Oklahoma Choctaw and professor of applied indigenous studies at Northern Arizona University, is author of a dozen non-fiction scholarly works and fiction stories that deal with American Indian empowerment and decolonization.
“Few writers of American Indian fiction create positive role models,” Mihesuah says. “Most stories about Natives bog us down in images of poverty, alcoholism and depression, or take place in the past. Many Americans are not even aware that we’re still here! I’m concerned about creating strong, successful characters that contemporary Indians can emulate.”
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| Cheflive Experiences a Unique Mistral - Nov 26, 2004 14:18 IST |
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Chef André welcomes his newest Chef de Cuisine, Mark Purdy, who gained national recognition by utilizing seasonal and regional ingredients, often organic, at a host of nationally renowned Charlie Palmer properties. The French classics now enjoy a contemporary spin that will surprise and delight the unsuspecting aficionado. The menu is ever changing, based on regional growers and seasonal delicacies.
Upon entering the restaurant, just past the bar that looks out onto the casino from a safe distance, a tableside selection of champagne and fine liqueurs stands waiting for special requests. The décor is elegant, quiet, calmly lit, the colors soothing. You’ll quickly sense that you have entered a very unique space.
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| Winds of change ruffle US airwaves - Nov 26, 2004 14:14 IST |
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The abrupt departure of CBS news anchor Dan Rather and the more planned exit of NBC anchor Tom Brokaw leave their fellow ABC news anchor Peter Jennings in a bit of predicament.
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| The American College of the Building Arts Launches Quest for Arts-Oriented Students - Nov 26, 2004 14:2 IST |
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The American College of the Building Arts (formerly the School of the Building Arts) has launched its recruitment activities. Today, the new College unveiled its curriculum and other plans, and outlined important milestones on the way to an August 2005 opening here. The College will be the first in the nation to focus fully on teaching the building arts, and is modeled on a centuries-old system that French artisans have used to preserve their artistry and ensure the longevity of cherished buildings.
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| Advantage PressurePro LLC. and Dowwell Ltd. of Shanghai, China Form Joint Venture - Nov 26, 2004 13:59 IST |
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Advantage PressurePro LLC., Harrisonville, MO. announces a Joint Venture with Dowwell Ltd. Of Shanghai, China. Advantage PressurePro LLC and Dowwell Ltd. approved the signing of the agreement on November 15, 2004. The Joint Venture is known as Advantage Asia Ltd.
Phillip G. Zaroor, President of Advantage PressurePro LLC. and Jin Weihau, President of Dowwell Ltd. are confident that Advantage Asia Ltd. will position PressurePro™ TPMS to become the leader in one of the fastest growing automotive markets in the world. Advantage Asia Ltd. has also signed a Development and Supply agreement with Hangsheng Electronics Co. Ltd. of Shenzhen, China.
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| Landmine victims grope in the dark - Nov 26, 2004 14:1 IST |
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The world can see him, his mutilated self sans legs and eyes. But 27-year-old Ram Chander can’t see anyone and anything.
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| Coventry, Solihull and Warwickshire Partnership Ltd Adopts e-Learning - Nov 26, 2004 13:54 IST |
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European based e-Learning solutions provider Futuremedia Plc (NASDAQ: FMDAY), the UK’s leading HCI supplier, today announced that it is providing its award-winning Learning For All™ program with the Coventry, Solihull and Warwickshire Partnership. The financial impact of this contract to Futuremedia will depend on, among other factors, the level of employee and CSWP members’ and partners’ participation.
CSWP co-ordinates the formation of a sub-regional regeneration strategy. Its aim is to enable its 56 partners and members, corporations as well as universities and public bodies, to determine key actions that contribute to sustaining prosperity and quality of life.
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| Vajpayee welcomes Kashmir troops reduction - Nov 26, 2004 13:55 IST |
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Former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee here Thursday welcomed the government move to reduce troops in Jammu and Kashmir.
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| India-Politics-OverallLead BJP - Nov 26, 2004 13:49 IST |
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India’s main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Thursday rejected Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf’s proposals to resolve the Kashmir dispute and charged the government with inept handling of the issue.
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| How to Capture Thanksgiving with Your Camera - Nov 26, 2004 13:48 IST |
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One of the biggest family events every year in America is the annual Thanksgiving Day celebration. According to the New York Institute of Photography (NYI), America’s oldest and largest photography school,Thanksgiving is a great time to photograph your family enjoying the holiday.
Most people don’t realize it, but Thanksgiving Day offers lots of photo opportunities and it’s also a terrific time to take family portraits that can make great Christmas presents, noted Chuck DeLaney, Dean of America’s oldest and largest photography school.
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| Kamau Kokayi, M.D., Appointed Medical Director at New York’s Olive Leaf Wholeness Center - Nov 26, 2004 13:47 IST |
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Kamau Kokayi, M.D., has been named Medical Director of the Olive Leaf Wholeness Center, New York’s largest independent, integrated wellness center. Making the announcement, Claire Haaga Altman, who founded the holistic health care facility in June 2001, said: “We could not have made a better choice. Dr. Kokayi is an extraordinary physician and healer, one with a passionate commitment to the well-being of patients and the greater community. His groundbreaking multidimensional approach has proven highly effective, and, in the almost two years that he has worked here, Dr. Kokayi has become the heart and soul of the Olive Leaf family of practitioners, allopathic and alternative. All of us welcome his leadership.”
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| The American College for Advancement in Medicine Commentary on the Meta-Analysis - Nov 26, 2004 13:32 IST |
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In November of 2004, a pre-publication release of a Johns Hopkins School of Medicine study destined to appear in the Annals of Internal Medicine created a stir about the safety of vitamin E. The research, simultaneously released on the website of the Annals of Internal Medicine and reported at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2004, states that daily vitamin E doses of 400 international units (IU) or more can increase the risk of death and should be avoided. From this, headlines luridly touted the supposed finding that Vitamin E Increases Death. What’s the truth about the study, and how does it impact integrative physician’s recommendations for this supplement?
First of all, the study is nothing new. A meta-analysis is simply a study of studies that have already been performed. It involves a set of statistically analyses based on manipulations of existing data. Even statisticians outside the vitamin community criticized the study as being too far-reaching in its conclusions that vitamin E might be unsafe. For example, the New York Times of November 11, 2004 wrote: Their paper, however, failed to convince some statisticians, who noted that is notoriously difficult to pool data from disparate studies with different populations and weak results. Dr. David Freedman, as statistician at the University of California at Berkeley said in the Times: As a statistician, I find this paper unpersuasive.
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| True Story of Top Runway Model and Serious Painter Goes to Entertain Our Troops Overseas in “USO’s Care Package” - Nov 26, 2004 13:30 IST |
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North Carolina author Mildred Harris has donated six autographed copies of AFTER ANAÏS, A Second-Hand Memoir, to USO’s “Care Package” of books for the enjoyment of our troops overseas.
AFTER ANAÏS is the true story of a young woman from Southeastern North Carolina who became a model in demand on two continents -- beautiful, intelligent. bewitching. And a serious painter, too. She refused to accept injustice as “just the way things are”.
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| TraumaCad Digital Preoperative Orthopedic Solution is selected by Stony Brook University Hospital (SBUH)) - Nov 26, 2004 13:23 IST |
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TraumaCad enables orthopedic surgeons to utilize digital images, tools and templates for planning a full range of orthopedic surgeries, providing an easier and more accurate alternative to traditional preoperative planning using hard copy film and overlays. TraumaCad displays PACS images from a full range of modalities. It enables preoperative plans to be archived with patient files and viewed in the operating room.
A second-generation, fully Web-driven PACS, IntegradWeb employs server-centric, open architecture to deliver a consistent user-friendly working environment to any Internet-enabled PC. Referring physicians and other authorized users access the same image archive, databases and toolsets wherever they are located. Functionality can be customized for individual users and user groups. IntegradWeb leads the industry with its advanced 3D image processing and analysis functionality—and now its orthopedic surgical planning tools--which are all fully integrated into the primary reading environment.
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| JK Harris: Tax Treatment for Theft Losses a Well-Kept Secret - Nov 26, 2004 13:20 IST |
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The advantageous tax treatment available for theft losses related to a non-business, for-profit transactions, is one of the best-kept Internal Revenue Code secrets, according to Bart Siegel, an independent investment and tax expert retained by JK Harris 165 Services, LLC.
JK Harris 165 Services, LLC, is a division of JK Harris and Company, the nation’s largest and most successful tax resolution firm.
According to Siegel, instead of taking a loss using the more familiar IRC § 1211 capital loss treatment, commonly at the rate of 15 percent, victims of investment fraud may qualify to reduce their ordinary taxable income, which may be taxed at rates up to 35 percent, by using the IRC § 165(c)(2) theft-loss provision.
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