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"Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life's coming attractions."
| VBA's Positive News |
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US construction spending up 0.3 per cent in April
Construction spending rose 0.3 per cent in April, matching an upwardly revised 0.3 per cent March gain, according to data released Friday by the Commerce Department. Residential construction rose 2.8 per cent in April, the best showing in six months. Recent data shows that housing has stabilized after years of weakness following the collapse of the housing boom. Sales of new homes rose 3.3 per cent in April. In May, builder optimism rose to the highest level in five years, according to a monthly index compiled by the builders' group.
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US: New York City mayor pushes restrictions to promote public health
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg proposed a far-reaching ban this week on sales of large-size sugary beverages by restaurants, mobile food carts, movie theatres and delis. The proposal is one in a long string of bans and other measures that Bloomberg says will improve public health. In some cases, Bloomberg's initiatives have been seen as models for how other big cities can usher in quality of life improvements and curtail unhealthy habits. Here are some facts.
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US: NYC's Mayor Bloomberg has proposed a ban on sugary drinks - a sampling
New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg has proposed a ban on the sale of large sodas and other sugary drinks in restaurants, delis, and movie theatres in the hopes of combating obesity. Drinks would be limited to 16 ounces. The ban would apply only to drinks that contain more than 25 calories per 8 ounces. Here are calorie and sugar counts in a sampling of popular drinks.
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Canada: Urban parks offer breath of fresh air for improved health
Toronto's 1,500 urban parks and 12 per cent of surface devoted to green space was cited by the University College London and the Lancet Commission on Healthy Cities as an example of how urban planning can deliver green infrastructure to support physical activity, social encounters, and engagement with nature.
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Video of the Day:
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World Round-Up
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Hasina expresses resolve to work together with India on pending issues
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has voiced her strong resolve to work together with India for mutual development but insisted that the neighbour needs to quickly move forward on some issues.
“India needs to move forward quickly on some pending issues so that the two countries can work to implement the agreed decisions,” said the Premier. She made the remarks when a 16-member delegation comprising Chief Minister of Meghalaya Mukul Sangma and Chief Minister of Arunachal Nabam Tuki met her on Thursday. She also told the delegation that there is a high expectation about the Teesta water sharing deal to be signed soon. Cooperation is the only way to tap the potentials of both the countries for mutual benefit in this globalised world, said the Bangladesh leader.
Relationship
“This relationship has scaled new heights following the reciprocal visits of the Premiers of India and Bangladesh to each other's country,” she said. “There are many unexplored avenues in which the two countries can co-operate each other”. The scope for cooperation is immense and both sides should not only limit themselves to physical connectivity. She underlined the need for bolstering trade relations with the Indian northeastern states and said both the countries could take more business-friendly steps to boost trade. On the import of hydroelectricity from Arunachal, she said Bangladesh could import power from them or could go for joint-venture power production in Arunachal.
Ms. Hasina's government has concluded a host of forward-looking accords with India but is facing strong criticism from the opposition for not being able to sign the vital Teesta water sharing deal and also for non-implementation of the border protocols. However, she told the Indian delegation that Bangladesh attaches highest importance to its relations with India. She also noted that the exchange of visits enabled the two sides to work out a matrix for the evolution of the bilateral relations harnessing the available synergies for mutual benefit. The scope for cooperation is immense and both sides should not only limit themselves to physical connectivity, she added.
The Premier was also keen to explore investment opportunities in the power sector in the northeast and expressed her satisfaction that the officials have agreed to explore grid connectivity for transmission of power from the northeast to Bangladesh. She also recalled the support and contributions of the people and the government of India and particularly the neighbouring states of the northeast during the War of Liberation in 1971. In this regard, she said her government would take more trade-friendly steps to expand the trade ties with the northeastern states.
Marketplace
The Indian delegation told the Prime Minister that the bilateral relations had expanded and there had been socioeconomic development of the people of the northeast states. They noted that there were more scope of cooperation between the northeast states and Bangladesh in the fields of energy, tourism, horticulture, food processing and education. They requested Dhaka to increase the number of border haats (common marketplace) for strengthening the bond, and emphasised on sub-regional cooperation. The delegation also stressed the need for expanding the road connectivity of Dhaka-Agartala-Dhaka. They said there was immense scope of cooperation in the fields of energy, tourism, food processing and education.
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Astrology
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Aries March 21 to April 19
Recent conversations may have brought up a few matters that can now be put to rest. Once the air gets cleared, the atmosphere may feel better for moving things forward. An honest appraisement of the matters may feel welcome and you might even feel relieved at the outcome. You may even find yourself looking for an affectionate outlet as words of love come tripping off your tongue. Perhaps a romantic dinner would be in order to complete the deal.
Taurus April 20 to May 20
You may find that your investment strategy and research have begun to make more sense as time goes by. Although you may have erred on the side of caution, in retrospect, you'll find that was the right decision. Perhaps some of your recent decisions have provided you with a strong drive for doing more of the same, or for others. Why not try your luck and see how you make out? .
Gemini May 21 to June 20
This would be an excellent time to get out and create something. If you can present your thoughts and feelings in a constructive manner, you might really make some headway. Use this wonderful opportunity to get your thoughts down on paper, or at least get them out to a wider audience. You might write an email that has a distinct message and sets the record straight. It would be wise to back up your opinions with solid data and information. That way, your impact should be greater.
Cancer June 21 to July 22
This will certainly be a thrilling time as you open new doors and close old ones. You may have been at work for quite some time planning and securing your footing for your business or project. You'll have plenty of planetary support for anything new. It might be wise to get the word out and you'll likely be in search of the right publicity and format for your launch. This would be an ideal time to make a big splash.
Leo July 23 to Aug. 22
You might receive some unexpected news that has a rather long-lasting impact on your well-being. Think of how fabulous it would be if you got an acceptance letter from a university or a new job offer. There is much to learn and much that can shift in your life under such an influence. Be certain you get all the facts straight, especially with regard to work. The chances for success are dependent on you stepping up.
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Car makers post lacklustre sales in May
Top car makers in India posted lacklustre sales in May as excise duty hike and rising fuel prices hit demand, casting more gloom over the country's economic outlook.
Car makers are struggling to hit a sales target set by the local industry body as India's economy grows at the slowest pace in nine years, hurting an industry that has been one of the country's best performers over the past decade.
“Things are not looking good,'' said Sugato Sen, senior director of the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM), which has forecast 10-12 per cent sales growth in the fiscal year to March, 2013.
“We did not expect that sales would be so low. The economic sentiment is not positive.''
Maruti Suzuki, the biggest car maker with a 45 per cent market share, said passenger car sales fell 5.9 per cent from a year earlier. Tata Motors, the country's No.3, posted a 6 per cent increase.
Ford, which manufactures cars in India, said its sales in the country fell 14 per cent. General Motors reported a 27 per cent slide in sales.
TVS Motor, the country's third-largest two-wheeler manufacturer, said its sales declined by 4.8 per cent. The government raised petrol prices by around 11 per cent last month, hurting car makers already reeling from an excise duty hike announced in the budget in March and a weakening of the rupee that is jacking up import costs.
India's economy grew 5.3 per cent in the first three months of 2012, compared with 9.2 per cent a year earlier, with the manufacturing sector contracting 0.3 per cent.
Car sales rose 30 per cent in 2010-11, attracting billions of dollars in investment from automakers such as Ford, Nissan and Renault. But a slowing economy dragged sales growth down to 2.2 per cent in the last fiscal year.
Mahindra & Mahindra, the country's top utility vehicles maker, said this week that due to “continued weakness in the domestic macro environment, the near-term outlook for the economy is quite challenging.''
Mahindra's car sales rose by 27 per cent in May, mainly thanks to its all-diesel range. Demand for diesel cars has doubled over the past year to around 40 per cent of sales due to subsidies that make the fuel around half the price of petrol.
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5 Foods that keep you young
Here are a few natural food items that can help you remain young and healthy
Looking young is the foremost priority of most people these days. Not just women, even men are wary of ageing. Instead of using the number of anti-ageing creams that have flooded the markets, one can go the natural way and opt for fruits and vegetables to help fight all age-related problems. Here are a few superfoods that can help control ageing and make you look younger -
1. Avocado - Apart from being high in Vitamin E, avocados are rich in antioxidants which help protect the skin. Avocados help in regenerating skin cells which makes your skin look fresh, giving a more youthful complexion.
2. Kidney beans - These pulses are full of fibre and potassium which help reduce the cholesterol levels and thus reduce the risk of any heart disease. But their major health benefit is that they are packed with proteins.
3. Dark chocolate - Any chocolate that contains at least 70% cocoa is full of proteins and Vitamin B. Regular small bites into this chocolate will help burn fat and improve your skin and hair.
4. Broccoli - Broccolis are a great source of fibre and Vitamin C which not only help control weight, but also help to fight heart diseases.
5. Blueberries - Blueberries are rich in Vitamin C, which help in easy circulation of blood. Blueberries also contain certain minerals which help control the anti-ageing process. High in potassium, these berries help fight puffiness.
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Virgo Aug. 23 to Sept. 22
You may accomplish quite a bit as the planetary energy seems to be supporting your efforts in your career. You may look at a new project that brings you to a whole new level of creativity. This might be just the right opportunity for you to showcase your skill set in the best possible light. You may need to gain some clarity with regard to significant partners since the increased activity at work may find you away for a bit.
Libra Sept. 23 to Oct. 22
An unexpected conversation or interchange with your significant partner might be quite enlightening. Perhaps you'll find out something new that you were unaware of before. Of course, this might be a pleasant surprise and bring you and your partner to a whole new level. It would be wise to take the time to get clarity about any investments or other joint ventures that you may share. You may be on the verge of making a change and you'll need to be as clear about the possibilities as you can. .
Scorpio Oct. 23 to Nov. 21
It may be that a surprise correspondence lands in your inbox. It might be a well-wisher that has appeared from out of the blue or simply notice from an organization that may put you in a new position. You may find that you have been selected to oversee the financial account of a new client. This may be a time when the ability to help others may feel absolutely perfect. The joy of giving finds rewards in the act, not the expectation of return.
Sagittarius Nov. 22 to Dec. 21
Your job may be particularly jammed at this time with lots of excitement and fervor. The bustle of your time spent there may be just what you need to get your career on track. You may even get some residuals from the whole venture. Your income may be permanently impacted, so the timing looks ideal for putting in the long hours. It may be wise to let your partner know so he or she knows what to expect when you get home after a long day.
Capricorn Dec. 22 to Jan. 19
You may be pulling an all-nighter to cram for an upcoming exam. You may be especially motivated to learn as much as you can. Any sort of training should be favored during this time, too. As long as you don't try to burn the candles at both ends, you should do well. Be mindful of your sleep and keep up your stamina so your mind remains crisp and alert. You should have powerful planetary support for such activities and the timing should be perfect for tests.
Aquarius Jan. 20 to Feb. 18
You may be in search of outside funding for one of your new creative projects. It might be that you are in a grant-writing mode or at least seeking outside resources to help you along. You have great planetary support for such activities if you can hone your message appropriately. You may find an unexpected helping hand from an associate who has a special knack for approaching large organizations. Keep your eyes open for that specialized person.
Pisces Feb. 19 to March 20
Be aware of an added spark in your relationships. There may be a particular drive that ties together your career and your significant other. It might be that they offer an opinion or some much-needed feedback. Outside objectivity can be invaluable for clarity. Family members might also be a good source of outside opinions. It might be that you have to restate your case using a different framework of goals. Your professional associations may figure prominently.
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Moral Story
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SMS
Life is too deep for words. so don’t try to describe it - just live it.
LOVE & RELATIONSHIPS
People love others not for who they are, but for how they make them feel.
LEADERSHIP & SUCCESS
Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other.
Height of confidence
Once many professors were called and asked to sit in an airplane.
After they sat. They were informed that the plane is made by their students.
All of them ran and got out of plane exdcept one.
People asked him the reason
He said,"If it's made by my students it will not even start."
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From 2013, single entrance test for IITs and NITs
The joint entrance examination (JEE) for admission to the undergraduate engineering programmes will be held from the next academic year, with the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) managing a separate merit list for those aspiring to join them. The examination will also consider the marks obtained in Class XII Board examinations.
Announcing this here on Monday, Union Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal said a consensus was reached after deliberations spanning over two years. A meeting of the Joint Councils of the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), the National Institutes of Technology (NITs), the Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IIITs) and other Central educational institutions approved the common admission process with weightage to performance in the Class XII Board examinations.
The Senate and faculty of the IITs had resisted the plan, citing the standards of the institutions. But the problem was resolved, with the IITs having been allowed to maintain a separate merit list. However, this will be reviewed after 2015, when the IITs will also join the common merit list.
To be conducted by the IITs' Joint Admission Board (JAB), the test will be held in two parts on the same day — JEE main and JEE advanced.
The marks scored in the examinations of the Class XII Board or equivalent stream, normalised on a percentile basis, plus the marks obtained in the JEE-main test, with equal weightage, will be used by the IITs. Only a fixed number of candidates (five times the number of seats for admission in the IIT system or a pre-fixed cut-off) screened on the basis of merit, based on cumulative score, will be considered. The ranking for examination to undergraduate programmes in the IITs will be based on the performance in the JEE-advanced examination from among the candidates screened through this process.
For the other Centrally Funded Technical Institutions (CFTIs), there would be 40 per cent weightage for performance in Class XII, 30 per cent for JEE-main and 30 per cent for the JEE-advanced test and a combined merit decided accordingly. The JEE main test shall be a multiple choice objective-type paper, whereas the nature of the JEE advanced test will be determined by the JAB, which will also have complete control over academic matters. The Central Board of Secondary Education will give administrative support for the conduct of the examination.
Those who have appeared in the Class XII Board examinations in 2012 and wish to improve upon their performance can appear again for the Board examinations in 2013. The CBSE and the State Boards will make appropriate arrangements through a special dispensation.
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Ivanovic loses, Stephens wins at French Open
Ana Ivanovic lost in the third round of the French Open, while American teen Sloane Stephens advanced on Friday. Ivanovic fell to Sara Errani of Italy 1-6, 7-5, 6-3, and Stephens advanced to the fourth round by beating Mathilde Johansson of France 6-3, 6-2. The 13th-seeded Ivanovic, a former top-ranked player who won the French Open title in 2008, committed 37 of her 40 unforced errors in the final two sets. Errani had only 18.
“In the third set I was creating a lot of opportunities and missing a lot of easy, easy finishing balls,” Ivanovic said. “That’s something that I’m not really happy about.”
Of the eight teenagers in this year’s draw, the 19-year-old Stephens was the only one to reach the third round.
Two days after eliminating Venus Williams from the French Open, third-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska was routed by 2009 champion Svetlana Kuznetsova 6-1, 6-2. She didn’t look anything like the player who overwhelmed seven-time Grand Slam champion Williams in straight sets on Wednesday.
Radwanska has been having a stellar year on tour, winning three titles and moving up to a career-high No. 3 ranking last month. But she is the only player in the top 10 that has never reached a Grand Slam semifinal. Radwanska dropped to 3-10 against the Russian, including her only two losses in tournament finals. Before Friday’s match, Radwanska had been 38-7 in 2012, with six of those losses coming against top-ranked Victoria Azarenka.
Kuznetsova, who also won the U.S. Open in 2004, has struggled since winning the title at Roland Garros three years ago, only reaching one Grand Slam quarterfinal.
Sharapova’s easy win
Maria Sharapova won another easy match at the French Open on Friday, beating Ayumi Morita of Japan 6-1, 6-1. The second-seeded Sharapova won her opening match 6-0, 6-0 on Tuesday. The Russian has won three major titles in her career, but she still needs to win at Roland Garros to complete a career Grand Slam. Last year, she lost in the semifinals at the French Open.
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Shanghai
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Shanghai
Movie Name : Shanghai
Release Date : June 8, 2012
Genre : Thriller, Romance
Producer : Ajay Bijli, Dibakar Banerjee, Priya Sreedharant
Director : Dibakar Banerjee
Music Director : Vishal-Shekhar
Cast : Emraan Hashmi, Abhay Deol, Farooq Sheikh, Kalki Koechlin, Pitobash Tripathy, Prosenjit Chatterjee, Supriya Pathak, Anant Jog.
Synopsis:
Shanghai is about a political activist who meets with an accident in an Indian city gearing up for elections. A lone girl believes it to be a murder. A porn film maker claims to have proof that will bring the government down. A high ranking bureaucrat is brought in by the government to damage control. The three of them blow the lid off the Indian dream called Shanghai.
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A cockroach will live nine days without its head before it starves to
death.
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" INSPIRING STORY "
HARD WORK-KEY TO A GOLD MINE
Once upon a time there was a very hard-working farmer. He had developed a grapery that used to give a rich crop of grapes every year.
He had three sons but none of them bothered to help their father in his work. They were very easy-going kind of people. So, the farmer was very worried about their future.
One day, the farmer fell ill as of old age. He called his son and said, "Dear sons! I doubt my end is near and before dying I want to tell you that, in my grapery, there lies a hidden treasure. Dig it out after my death." Saying this, the old farmer died.
After performing the last rituals of their father, the sons began digging the vine-yard. They dug every inch of it but found nothing.
But the digging led to such a rich crop as had never been there before even when their father was alive.
So, the sons came to know what their father meant by hidden treasure.
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“The pleasures of the senses pass quickly; those of the heart become sorrows,but those of the mind are ever with us, even to the end of our journey.”
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