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“People learn differently. Success comes from wanting to win. We just all tend to educate ourselves differently..”
| VBA's Positive News |
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India: Factory index accelerates to five-month high in November
India's manufacturing sector beat the expectations of economists to grow at its fastest pace in five months in November, boosted by strong export orders and a surge in output, a business survey showed on Monday. The new export orders sub-index rose to a six-month high of 55.9 in November, giving thrust to overall orders and factory output, both of which expanded at their fastest pace since July.
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US launches new project to develop electric-vehicle batteries
The Obama administration launched a fresh $120-million research project Friday, aimed at developing cheaper batteries for electric vehicles. The Energy Department will dole out the money over five years to establish a research hub for batteries and energy storage, backed by five national laboratories, five Midwestern universities and four private firms.
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China moves to right wrongs in city Bo once ruled
With China's new leaders freshly installed in power, authorities are turning their attention to tying up loose ends in the sprawling, scandal-ridden city once ruled by populist politician Bo Xilai before his downfall buffeted the leadership transition. In the past two weeks, authorities in Chongqing released a village official who had been sent to a labour camp for criticizing Bo. A lawyer disbarred after being convicted of having one of his clients lie in court has filed a petition for wrongful imprisonment. Meanwhile, a newspaper reported that hundreds of police officers who had been dismissed, demoted or otherwise punished were being quietly reinstated.
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Canadian Solar banking on power plants business
Canadian Solar Inc, which is focusing on the lucrative power plants business to drive growth, said it will borrow C$139 million ($139 million) from Deutsche Bank to build five utility-scale projects in Ontario, Canada. Canadian Solar will repay the loans when the projects, which have a 20-year power purchase contract with the Ontario Power Authority, are acquired by TransCanada Corporation. TransCanada agreed to buy 86 megawatt (MW) of solar power projects in Ontario from Canadian Solar last December.
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Video of the Day:
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World Round-Up
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Beware, don’t let keys of treasury go into hands of Gandhi parivar, Modi tells voters
“Your votes will decide who will hold the keys to Gujarat. Don’t be careless and lose the keys.” Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s voice booms across the APMC (Agriculture Prices Marketing Committee) grounds in this little taluka town, a key railway junction, 65 km from Ahmedabad, as he warms to his theme: “Even when you go out of town for a few days, you leave your house keys with someone you trust.
With 10 days left for the first phase of elections to the Assembly, Mr. Modi — who has been in power for 11 years — is directing all his firepower at the Congress. “The Congress is salivating at the thought of getting its hands on the keys to the overflowing treasury of Gujarat.” Beware, he adds, it should not go into the hands of the Gandhi parivar.
The local BJP candidate from the Viramgam seat, Prachibhai Patel, has been MLA for two terms — and is facing some anti-incumbency of his own, local BJP workers acknowledge, before Mr. Modi arrives. The APMC grounds, when filled to capacity, can take about 9,000 people, a policeman on duty says, but on this very pleasant Monday afternoon, it’s not more than three-fourths full.
Conscious of this, Mr. Modi tries to deflect attention from Viramgam: “When you go to cast your vote, pause for a moment and think about the significance of this election. It’s not about the future of the candidate here, or of Viramgam, nor of Ahmedabad district,” he says and then his voice drops for effect, “It’s about the future of Gujarat. The State needs a strong government and a strong leader.”
Of course, Mr. Modi has not lost his ability to connect with the crowd: if the audience sits listlessly, barely responding to slogans shouted from the stage, when the Chief Minister – dressed all in white, with a saffron gamcha and the lotus, the party symbol, on his chest – starts to speak, the audience listens intently, hanging on to every word, breaking into a ripple of laughter from time to time.
The Chief Minister also has not lost the art of innuendo: as he asks mockingly why the Congress has not announced who is its chief ministerial candidate, he himself offers a name: “The Congress has a secret agenda: it is Ahmed bhai.” He is, of course referring to Ahmed Patel, Congress president Sonia Gandhi’s Political Secretary, who is from the State.
Indeed, over the last few days, he has been repeatedly mentioning Mr. Patel’s name, but if he began by calling him “Ahmed Patel” a couple of days ago, he is now using the more familiar Ahmed bhai to, perhaps, link the Congress to the Muslim vote, in the hope it will provoke the Congress to hit back and help him communalise the election. So far, Congress leaders have been guarded in their speeches and statements, not indulging in any of the maut ka saudagar (merchants of death) flourishes of 2007.
He then plunges into the Congress ad campaign, which exhorts the people of the State to “disha badlo, dasha badlo” (change your direction; improve your condition) and says it is the Congress which needs to change its direction and improve its health.
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Astrology
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Aries March 21 to April 19
You may be swept up in a desire to dig a little deeper. The spirit of the season might have you leaning toward a new way of living or at least expressing your spiritual side. Sudden curiosity may lead you to seek out real answers to lingering questions. You may even seek answers from elders or other family members who have walked a longer path than you have. Pursuit of this knowledge will be fulfilling.
Taurus April 20 to May 20
The time may be right for pursuing a love interest. You may finally get a positive response from a new person you've been eyeing, or you may engage in a deep and revealing conversation about your current partner. Either way the gentle yet curious conversation may shed light on the pleasant connection you have together. If you are single, this could be a time for reconsidering your current role.
Gemini May 21 to June 20
 Researching medical and health-related topics may dominate your time. You have a natural inclination toward research, and you may be immediately caught up in the search. Alternately, you could reconsider a new health routine as well. Exercise may feel good and keep your mind refreshed and eager. You may be pleasantly engaged in simply taking good care of yourself - that may feel quite rewarding.
Cancer June 21 to July 22
An even and warmly productive day may bring along great progress and fun at the same time. You may be out shopping and have a fabulous time, but you also might find just what you are looking for and more. If you can find a friend to go along for the trip, you may have an even better time, as the stores and restaurants beckon you to taste their wares. The season may lift you with a spirit of the time.
Leo July 23 to Aug. 22
 Your house of family will spring to life under favorable influences. There will be a warm and welcome visit from very pleasing alignments in that sector of your life. You may expect lively conversations and smiles on the faces of your loved ones. This may be an excellent time to make long-term plans, especially if everyone is in an accommodating mood.
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MphasiS underlines micro verticals with US co buy
On Monday, Bangalore-based software services firm MphasiS announced it has acquired US-based analytics firm Digital Risk in an all-cash deal for $175 million (Rs1,100 crore). What impressed both markets and IT industry observers more, however, was the assertion by Mphasis CEO Ganesh Aiyyar that this is not a deal in isolation but part of a pattern that began last year with the buyout of Wyde.
Mphasis is confident the deal – it has an additional earn-out component of $25-30 million, payable over the next 2-3 years – will help improve its quarterly revenues (which anyway have been clocking $40-50 millionor Rs219-274 crore), given that Digital Risk is the largest independent provider of risk, compliance and transaction management solutions to the $1.3 trillion US mortgage market. Coupled with its September-end cash reserves of $462 million (Rs2,530 crore), MphasiS will cut more deals, Aiyyar said.
The transaction is expected to close by January 31, 2013, subject to regulatory approvals; and then, Digital Risk will operate as a standalone business unit within MphasiS, retaining its brand identity. Some 1,500 MphasiS employees and three directors will be absorbed by Digital Risk.
Aiyyar said most business process outsourcing firms work on a work-flow based platform unlike Digital Risk which is into the new analytics vertical that promises tremendous growth potential. MphasiS, he said, has been keen to focus on micro verticals in the fields of capital markets, banking and financial services, as borne out by last year’s acquisition of Wyde.
The US debt market opportunity accounts for 1% of its size or $13 billion for IT services firms. Digital Risk is expected to generate revenues of about $127 million (Rs695.45 crore) in 2012, coasting on its over 70% growth of the past three years. What’s more, its operating profit margin of 12.2% compares well with MphasiS’s 19.7%. “We expect to be EPS-accretive in the first 12 months, post the close of the deal,” Aiyyar said. (EPS = earnings per share.)
The Street’s reactions to the deal were mixed. Shares in MphasiS closed at Rs400.90 on the BSE, up 3.22%. Observers said the deal will likely lower HP’s contribution to MphasiS’s revenues to 50% from 57%, which is seen as a positive, given that the poorly performing HP has been dragging down MphasiS’s on-quarter profits. With its expertise in analytics and several other platforms, and complimentary set of clients, Digital Risk will help provide non-linear growth as well as cross-selling opportunities to Mphasis.
But not everyone was impressed. “The acquisition is expected to result in just a 4-5% increase in earnings next fiscal, which means the deal is not hugely earnings-accretive, and thus does not add much from the financial perspective,” said an analyst seeking anonymity. Others said chances of a rumoured share buyback will reduce considerably, thus continuing the ‘sell’ rating on the stock. MphasiS will announce its third quarter (Jul-Sep) results tomorrow.
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Celebrate health with tomatoes
Indulge in tomatoes as they have great health value
Tomatoes are now hot-favourites thanks to the much-talked about Tomato Festival in Spain as shown in the movie Zindagi Milegi Na Dobaara. But take a break from your favorite actors soaking in the 'tomato fun.' It's time to know the health benefits of this rich easily available vegetable.
Anti-oxidant: Tomatoes contain a lot of vitamins A and C, mostly because of beta-carotene, and these vitamins act as an anti-oxidant, working to neutralize dangerous free radicals in the blood stream. Free radicals in the body can be flushed out with high levels of Lycopene, and the tomato is so amply loaded with this vital anti-oxidant that it actually derives its rich redness from the nutrient. These dangerous free radicals can cause cell damage.
Also, remember that cooking destroys much of vitamin C, so stick to raw tomatoes for these benefits. So, do remember to carry a tomato-cucumber sandwich in your tiffin box.
Vision: Because of all that vitamin A, tomatoes are also an excellent food to help improve your vision. This also means tomatoes can help your eyes be better about night blindness.
Cancer: Various studies have shown that because of all that lycopene in tomatoes, the red fruit helps to lessen the chances of prostate cancer in men, and also reduces the chance of stomach cancer and colorectal cancer.
Lycopene is considered somewhat of a natural miracle anti-oxidant that may help to stop the growth of cancer cells. And, interestingly enough, cooked tomatoes produce more lycopene than do raw tomatoes, so enjoy that tomato soup!
Heart troubles: Due to potassium and vitamin B, tomatoes help to lower blood pressure and to lower high cholesterol levels. This, in turn, could help prevent strokes, heart attack and other potentially life-threatening heart problems.
Skin care: Because of high amounts of lycopene, tomatoes are excellent for skin care. Make sure the inside of the tomato skins are against your skin, and let this be there for at least 10 minutes. Then wash off. You face will be cleaner and give a shiny look.
Hair: Remember all that vitamin A in tomatoes? Well, it's good for keeping your hair strong and shiny, and its also good for your eyes, teeth, skin and bones.
Bones: Tomatoes have a fair amount of vitamin K and calcium, both of which help to strengthen bones.
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Virgo Aug. 23 to Sept. 22
Your attention to detail may come in quite handy under this current alignment. You may deliver a report or address a group of workers as you present a new plan for a public relations effort or some other outward communication effort. Carefully chosen words and an ear for just the right phrase may leave you looking knowledgeable and astute. This should also be an excellent time for any sort of correspondence.
Libra Sept. 23 to Oct. 22
You may want to take stock of your financial picture. You may be pulling together tax documents and investment statements to see how things look. Evaluate your options and perhaps consider new investment paths for the coming year. There should be no harm in seeing what else you can do to improve your prospects. You may decide to do a little research.
Scorpio Oct. 23 to Nov. 21
 People may focus on you and your dynamic energy. You will be bold and responsible during this alignment, and everyone will notice. This should also be an excellent time to express yourself. If you have been reluctant to speak up in the past, you may have a newfound courage that could solidify your position and responsibilities going forward. You may exude a certain confidence that sets people at ease.
Sagittarius Nov. 22 to Dec. 21
You may be tying up loose ends as the year ends. This may be an ideal time to bring lingering deals to the table and wrap up your books for the year. You may bring closure to many of your outstanding plans. The tax year does drive many decisions, so it may be an ideal time for you to wrap things up.
Capricorn Dec. 22 to Jan. 19
 You might reach out to business friends to see if they have ideas that could bring you all to a new place. This should be ideal for brainstorming for the coming year. The conversations may be chatty and lively as your collective curiosities bring you new insights and plans. Often, the group may work better than the individual, simply because ideas can easily spark other ideas.
Aquarius Jan. 20 to Feb. 18
 Your career should be on fire as you will have very favorable activity in that sector of your life. You may be curious and very animated about getting things moving. You might get backing for your plans. Your friends may feel the electricity when you talk about your career. This should be an exciting and promising time for you to expand into new areas and take on new responsibilities.
Pisces Feb. 19 to March 20
Adventure should top your list of things to do, so pack your bags and head for a remote location. The year may have brought you great success, and you may now decide to kick off your shoes and enjoy. This could also be an excellent time for taking your message on the road. Maybe you have a book to promote or a project to sell to others. Either way, you should do well if you are on the move.
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Moral Story
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SMS
“Nice definition of ‘TODAY.
T – This is an
O – Opportunity to
D – Do
A – A work, better than
Y -Yesterday..”
LOVE & RELATIONSHIPS
Good relationships are like trees
They demand attention & care in the beginning
but once they blossoms
they provide U shade in all situations of life .
LEADERSHIP & SUCCESS
“I don’t know what your destiny will be, but one thing I know; the only ones among you who will be really happy are those who
will have sought and found how to serve.”
Girl: “Which Laptop Do You Have?”
Boy: “Dell XPS15, i7 Processor, 2.2 Ghz, LED Display, 4GB Ram, 1TB Hard Disk And 2GB Nvdia Grafics Card And Which 1 You Have?”
Girl: “Pink One“
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British Council aims to improve English in all Bihar schools
PATNA: British Council has started working with the department of education, government of Bihar on a teacher education project which aims to improve the teaching of English at secondary level in all government schools in Bihar.
The project, Bihar Language Initiative for Secondary Schools, (BLISS) funded by the Department for International Development of the UK (DFID) was initiated in January 2012 and runs till March 2014.
"As part of the BLISS project, we have commissioned 'Pratham - Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) ' Centre to assist us in the production of a Bihar English Profile. The profile is an attempt to address research and information gaps that exist in English language teaching sector in Bihar", said Debanjan Chakrabarti (head) English partnership (East India).
It aims to produce a comprehensive but accessible profile of the state which will be a core reference document for educational product development, project interventions, and reform. It will be of use to state planners, administrators, professionals and educationalists, as well as external agencies such as educational NGOs and businesses.
The profile will primarily be utilised as a digital resource which would be made freely available on British Council India and global websites. A limited number of print editions will also be provided for key stakeholders, Chakrabarti said.
"We are creating an English Language Profile for Bihar, which includes elements like english teaching, teacher training, english learning levels in both government and private schools (including private English teaching institutes like British Lingua). This project is concerned more with figures as this is more quantitative in nature", says Anindya Dutta Gupta education consultant Pratham Education Foundation, New Delhi.
"We hope the profile will be a useful reierence document as well as a convenient aid for planning purposes for the department of education, government of Bihar", Gupta said.
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Sachin Tendulkar was the best I played against: Ricky Ponting
SYDNEY: Cricketing great Ricky Ponting, who retired from all forms of the game after playing his last Test match at Perth against South Africa, on Monday, said India's Sachin Tendulkar is the best player he has played against.
On being asked about the most supreme batsmen of his era, Ponting said: "I feel Sachin was the best player I played against and that's coming from more of a captain's point of view as well, knowing he had so much success against us in our conditions and their conditions."
Ponting hung his boots after playing 168 Test matches, scoring 13,378 runs at an average of 51.85 with a highest of 257. He also scored 41 centuries and 62 half-centuries. In one-day internationals ( ODI), the former Australia skipper played 375 matches scoring 13,704 runs, including 30 centuries with a highest score of 164.
Commenting further about other great batsmen he played against, as reported by a cricket website, he said: "I probably lost more sleep on the eve of games against (Brian) Lara because I knew he could single-handedly win games.
The way I judge players has always been on their ability to win games by themselves. Lara could certainly do that and he did it probably more than what Sachin's done for India.
"You've got to put (Jacques) Kallis in that bracket as well. You put his wickets on top of what he's done with the bat. He came out the other day to bat and I looked at the board and he was averaging 57 in Test cricket.
That's remarkable considering the amount he's had to bowl and all that sort of stuff. I've been pretty blessed to play in the era with so many great batsmen, and if my name gets mentioned among them, then that's great."
Ponting, who was part of three World Cup-winning squads in 1999, 2003 and 2007, having led in the latter two, said former pacers Curtly Ambrose of the West Indies and Pakistani Wasim Akram and India spinner Harbhajan Singh were the best bowlers he faced in his career.
"I think Curtly Ambrose and Wasim Akram were probably the two outstanding quicks that I faced, and for different reasons. Ambrose for his ability to just make you feel like you couldn't score off him for long periods of time, never felt like he was going to bowl you a bad ball.
Akram for the exact opposite, you could get a few runs off him, but you just knew there was an unplayable ball around the corner, be it with an old ball or with a new ball.
"Harbhajan's probably the other one who caused me as much grief as anything. He got me out a lot of times and caused me a lot of grief. Those guys through their careers can all put their hand up and say they had my measure," said Ponting of Harbhajan, who dismissed the Tasmanian 10 times, including three ducks in Tests, more than any bowler Ponting's confronted.
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Khiladi 786
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Khiladi 786
Movie Name : Khiladi 786
Release Date : December 7, 2012
Genre : Action / Comedy
Producer : Akshay Kumar
Director : Ashish R Mohan
Music Director : Himesh Reshammiya
Cast : Akshay Kumar, Asin, Himesh Reshammiya, Paresh Rawal, Ileana D'Cruz
Synopsis:
Khiladi 786 is an upcoming Bollywood action comedy film directed by Ashish R Mohan, featuring Akshay Kumar in the title role alongside Asin playing the female lead; Mithun Chakraborty, Paresh Rawal and Himesh Reshammiya will also appear in pivotal roles.
It will be produced by Eros International, HR Musik Limited and Hari Om Entertainment. The film marks the return of Akshay Kumar to his famous Khiladi film series after 12 years since he acted in Khiladi 420.
The first teaser of movie was released online on 4 October. It got 1.5 million views in 5 days and some industry watchers expect this film to be the biggest opener of Akshay Kumar's career. The full trailer revealed on 12th November 2012, whilst the film is expected to release on 7th December 2012.
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Hummingbirds are the only animal that can also fly backwards.
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" INSPIRING STORY "
Two frogs in the milk
I have a friend named Monty Roberts who owns a horse ranch in San Ysidro. He has let me use his house to put on fund-raising events to raise money for youth at risk programs.
The last time I was there he introduced me by saying, “I want to tell you why I let Jack use my horse. It all goes back to a story about a young man who was the son of an itinerant horse trainer who would go from stable to stable, race track to race track, farm to farm and ranch to ranch, training horses. As a result, the boy’s high school career was continually interrupted. When he was a senior, he was asked to write a paper about what he wanted to be and do when he grew up.
“That night he wrote a seven-page paper describing his goal of someday owning a horse ranch. He wrote about his dream in great detail and he even drew a diagram of a 200-acre ranch, showing the location of all the buildings, the stables and the track. Then he drew a detailed floor plan for a 4,000-square-foot house that would sit on a 200-acre dream ranch.
“He put a great deal of his heart into the project and the next day he handed it in to his teacher. Two days later he received his paper back. On the front page was a large red F with a note that read, `See me after class.’
“The boy with the dream went to see the teacher after class and asked, `Why did I receive an F?’
“The teacher said, `This is an unrealistic dream for a young boy like you. You have no money. You come from an itinerant family. You have no resources. Owning a horse ranch requires a lot of money. You have to buy the land. You have to pay for the original breeding stock and later you’ll have to pay large stud fees. There’s no way you could ever do it.’ Then the teacher added, `If you will rewrite this paper with a more realistic goal, I will reconsider your grade.’
“The boy went home and thought about it long and hard. He asked his father what he should do. His father said, `Look, son, you have to make up your own mind on this. However, I think it is a very important decision for you.’ “Finally, after sitting with it for a week, the boy turned in the same paper, making no changes at all.
He stated, “You can keep the F and I’ll keep my dream.”
Monty then turned to the assembled group and said, “I tell you this story because you are sitting in my 4,000-square-foot house in the middle of my 200-acre horse ranch. I still have that school paper framed over the fireplace.” He added, “The best part of the story is that two summers ago that same schoolteacher brought 30 kids to camp out on my ranch for a week.” When the teacher was leaving, he said, “Look, Monty, I can tell you this now. When I was your teacher, I was something of a dream stealer. During those years I stole a lot of kids’ dreams. Fortunately you had enough gumption not to give up on yours.”
“Don’t let anyone steal your dreams. Follow your heart, no matter what.”
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“Success goes to those, whose dreams are always alive. Nothing happens with only wings, it also further requires courage to fly. ”
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