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“If I told you I’ve worked hard to get where I’m at, I’d be lying, because I have no idea where I am right now.”
| VBA's Positive News |
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A richer Brazil grants its maids daycare, overtime
After decades as second-class citizens under Brazil's constitution, maids and caretakers have finally won an equal seat at the table. A constitutional amendment that Congress passed late Tuesday will remove a clause treating domestic servants as a distinct category of worker -- a striking reminder of how an economic boom over the past decade has chipped away at Brazil's vast inequalities.
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More farmers in India are rooting for organic farming
Recent trends show that the demand from villages and retail stores in cities, along with the benefit to farmers, are driving organic cultivation. The organic food sector has seen a rapid rise. In the last five years, it has grown at around 400 per cent in exports. However, growth in the domestic market is hard to calculate as it is largely an unorganized sector. Around five per cent of farms are certified as organic; but in reality this figure is around 30 per cent as many are into organic farming by default in the country.
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China to resume electric car subsidies - BYD chairman
China will resume subsidies for electric car buyers as early as next month, the chairman of BYD Co Ltd said on Monday, part of government efforts to promote environmentally friendly vehicles. Beijing started offering 60,000 yuan ($9,700) handouts to buyers of electric cars three years ago. Some city governments have also been handing out similar subsidies to e-car buyers.
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Finland: Small roofs harness solar energy for heat
Finnish steelmaker Rautaruukki says it has launched a roof for installation on single-family homes to harness solar thermal energy. Billing the development a world-first, Ruukki says the new product is designed to generate energy both for domestic hot water and for heating. The company says its Classic Solar Thermal Roof should typically work between April and September in the south of Finland. The heat collection units are made at Savosolar's plant in Mikkeli, Finland.
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Video of the Day:
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World Round-Up
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P Chidambaram shares stage with Akhilesh amidst SP-Cong war of words
New Delhi: Even as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, confidently, said the government will complete its full term, members of the Samajwadi Party feel otherwise. SP leader Ram Asrey Kushwaha said the government won't last and elections may happen as early as October or November 2013.
"I have doubts that the Prime Minister and his government will last much longer. I'm sure we will go in for elections by October-November 2013," Kushwaha said.
Meanwhile, amidst warnings by the SP to the UPA government, Finance Minister P Chidambaram shared the stage with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav at a function in Lucknow.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday acknowledged the possibility of its withdrawal of support to the UPA, but ruled out any threat to his government or early elections. Vowing not to allow coalition compulsions to derail the reforms process, he said that the government is confident of pushing ahead with the reforms that matter and that are going to yield results in the next few months. He also added that he won't allow a situation where governance is put aside.
"Well, obviously coalitions face issues. Sometimes, they give the impression that these arrangements are not very stable arrangements and I cannot deny that such possibilities don't exist", the Prime Minister said. "But I am confident that our government will complete full five years, and that the next election to the Lok Sabha will be held on schedule (in 2014)," Singh told reporters accompanying him on his return from a four-day visit to Durban in South Africa.
Rejecting popular opinion that the UPA cannot hold allies together, Manmohan Singh said he did not endorse that view. He said that the government was compelled to take into account the compulsions of alliances but that they won't allow them to derail the reforms process. Singh said, "Reforms have to take into account the lack of Parliament majority. They are dependent on the goodwill of our allies. We cannot deny that there are uncertainties."
Meanwhile, the Congress on Thursday hit back at SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav for accusing it of being "cheat and clever" as it reminded him that he had shared the dais with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh when the UPA's report was released in 2012. It asked Mulayam, whose party is supporting government from outside, to decide whether he was with secular or communal forces as it questioned his praise for BJP veteran LK Advani. "We do not want to comment on the remarks of Mulayam Singh Yadav. He, himself, can explain it best. But only a few months back, Yadav shared the dais with the Prime Minister when the UPA's report card on its three-year performance was released (last May).
"Now all of a sudden, he is criticising Congress and its leadership and appreciating LK Advani and the NDA, whereas the fact is Advani and other BJP leaders had a role in the demolition of Babri Masjid and the communal riots at Ahmedabad and Godhra that took place during NDA rule," party spokesperson Rashid Alvi told PTI.
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Astrology
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Aries March 21 to April 19
Today you may need to make a decision that brings a pleasant ending to a project. Any sort of activity involving large organizations such as insurance companies, universities, or other significant entities may be useful for you to follow up on. The same type of responsible activity may be useful when dealing with elderly relatives or any sort of legal paperwork that requires closure. This would be an excellent time to tie up any loose ends.
Taurus April 20 to May 20
An intelligent and informed conversation with your significant partner or close friend may allow you to move past a topic that has held you back in some manner. This period may present itself as a window of opportunity for gaining clarity and taking on the responsibility for setting the record straight. Business associates and other group participants may prove to be quite helpful in the process so it might be worth while to text your thoughts and get their feedback. A friend's insight might be all you need.
Gemini May 21 to June 20
 A lengthy project at the office may have been taking up a lot of your time as of late. You may begin to see light at the end of the tunnel, which may be quite validating for the effort you have put in. This may be a time of reward and recognition for accomplishments that may have been somewhat labor intensive. Your dedication to finding the right solution may have involved a degree of self-sacrifice but the end results may very well be worth it, especially if the right people notice.
Cancer June 21 to July 22
One of your creative projects may be receiving a lot of your focus lately. You may have been burning the midnight oil in order to learn a new skill or enhance your knowledge of a new and exciting subject. You may be working hard to learn, but the fascinating exposure to different concepts and thoughts may find you fulfilled in ways you never knew before. The challenge of the process may come from trying to hold back your enthusiasm.
Leo July 23 to Aug. 22
 This may be an opportune time to resolve a legal matter. Working with large institutions or insurance agencies may occupy your time as you find a way to finagle your way through the machinations of complex organizations. Elder relatives or family members could be the beneficiary of your hard diligence, so you may be able to take comfort in knowing your efforts are not in vain. In fact, you may feel quite validated and responsible.
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ONGC weighs captive power plant proposal
State-run Oil & Natural Gas Corporation Ltd (ONGC) on Thursday said it was exploring setting up of its own power plants based on unconventional energy sources like wind and nuclear power.
“We intend to set up our own power plants not just gas-based power plants but also using unconventional energy sources.
Our focus has been on fields with large gas potential. However, the recent increase in the gas price has made us relook at such marginal fields through public private partnership model,” said Sudhir Vasudeva, Chairman and Managing Director, ONGC.
Inaugurating the monetization and production operations from the first onshore marginal gas fields in the KG basin, he said, there was tremendous potential in the project with an expectation of 3 lakh cubic meters of gas considering there are five more wells to be drilled.
He added that for ONGC, this was the second monetization of a marginal gas field, which has KEI-RSOS Petroleum & Energy Ltd as its partners.
According to the company, the three marginal fields of Sirikattapalli, Mulikipalli and Magatapalli operated by KRPEL, in the first phase will produce approximately 65,000 cubic meters of gas per day that will be equally shared by ONGC and KRPEL.
ONGC will not pump in money into the venture but will hand over the designated depleted fields to the service partner, in this case KRPEL, which will invest and bring in expertise to drill the depleted fields.
So far, 18 such fields were awarded by ONGC across the country and these are the first three fields to be monetized and commence gas production.
KRPEL is estimating recoverable reserves of 1.2 billion cubic metres approximately and subsequent to the drilling campaign, expects to achieve a plateau production of 3 to 4 lacs cubic meters of gas per day.
As per the terms of the contract, KRPEL can use the gas produced from the marginal fields at it’s own power plant and compressed natural gas (CNG) marketing.
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Health benefits of Amla (Indian Gooseberry)
Everyone is familiar with amla or the Indian gooseberry, it is used in a variety of products like sweets, jams, powder, pickles, while some simply like to pluck and eat them.
But are the health benefits of amla overrated? Along with Dr. Jaishree Bhattacharjee, Ayurvedic consultant with Satvikshop, we explore this popular Indian fruit.
Amla is known as a good source of vitamin C, but is that all? What are the other health benefits of the Indian gooseberry? Dr. Jaishree gives us a detailed list, "Amla has loads of benefits. It is a super food of Ayurveda due to its antioxidant property. It has beneficial effects on almost all the systems and organs of body." She explains:
-It controls blood sugar in diabetes
-Lowers cholesterol level
-It is a natural anti ageing agent for skin; nourishes scalp and hair roots and encourages hair growth
-It improves digestion and alleviates constipation
-It improves blood circulation
-It ensures proper functioning of liver.
-It is a strong immunomodulator and protects from the onset of many diseases if taken regularly
-Amla is a good hematinic as it raises hemoglobin level
She also goes on to list out other sources of vitamin C, "There are many good sources of vitamin C beside amla:
-All leafy vegetables like palak, bathua etc.
-All kind of peppers have loads of vit-c
-Fruits like mangoes, pine apple, oranges, kiwi, strawberry, berries, papaya,
-Vegetables like cauliflower, broccoli, red cabbage, etc
-Herbs like basil, mint, coriander, rosemary"
You can get these health benefits by including amla and the other vitamin C rich foods in your diet. On the other hand, if fresh produce is a problem, you can invest in some organic amla products.
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Virgo Aug. 23 to Sept. 22
Words of love can carry great weight, so chose them wisely. In conversations with your significant other you may find a new depth, or at least a new honesty, that may not have been as obvious before. This may come as a pleasant surprise since it may serve to deepen your connection on some level. The scene may be similar to someone laying all their cards on the table for you to see. That openness may feel warm and encouraging and perhaps put to rest a feeling you may have had.
Libra Sept. 23 to Oct. 22
Today may be an interesting time to investigate a financial matter. You may have the ability to review your books or go through old papers, especially old medical reports or receipts. If you can work through the process, you may be pleasantly surprised by an oversight or other mishap. Your diligence and tenacity could really pay off at this point if you can focus on the accountability of the process. You may also begin to see the results of an exercise program you started awhile ago.
Scorpio Oct. 23 to Nov. 21
 You may be called upon to come up with a creative approach to a project into which you have invested a considerable amount of time. Saturn in Scorpio may have your back on this one, so heed his urge toward accountability and ensure you have all your bases covered. If you can stick to the facts and gently urge others along the way, you may be able to break through an obstacle that existed previously. This may be a time when you are thankful for the support of such planets whose role is to keep you on track.
Sagittarius Nov. 22 to Dec. 21
New plans regarding your home may be underway. Improvements, additions, new roommates, and other changes are quite likely, but you may also have to bend your rules a bit to accommodate others along the way. That compromise should be an easy discussion point since you may be able to see the logical results of that type of conversation. Changes within any household can be exciting and filled with promise. As long as you pay heed to the desires of others, you should do quite well.
Capricorn Dec. 22 to Jan. 19
 You may want to use this current alignment to have a frank talk with one of your partners, either business or social, about a project you are pursuing. Research and fact-gathering may be useful tactics as you begin to quantify and qualify all your leads and ideas into one singular plan. Dialog may be particularly helpful since the conversation will allow you to get your thoughts out while hearing the views of others. Passing plans back and forth can be quite useful while planning any project.
Aquarius Jan. 20 to Feb. 18
 Balancing a budget and tightening up financial resources may be top priorities under these skies. Saturn aligns nicely with Venus across your work and finance sectors so the day should be ideal for ironing out allocations, establishing new accounts, or even looking for outside investments. The more precise your plans are, the more successfully they are likely to be received, especially if you are seeking outside help. You might even want to reveal some of the smallest details in an effort to show good faith.
Pisces Feb. 19 to March 20
This could be an especially fruitful time for you to be out and about teaching and presenting. Saturn will be holding you to task in your education and travel sector. If you can effectively express yourself in positive and expansive roles, you may be quite pleased with the response of those who come across your path. This current climate may allow you to appear quite extraordinary to those who hear you as you tap into your strong intuition.
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Moral Story
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SMS
“Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.”
LOVE & RELATIONSHIPS
Love will not serve those who do not live for her, and in her, and to whom she is not the breath of life.
LEADERSHIP & SUCCESS
Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity.
Wife comes home late at night
and quietly opens the door to her bedroom.
From under the blanket
she sees four legs instead of two!
She reaches for a baseball bat
and starts hitting the blanket as hard as she can.
Once she's done,
she goes to the kitchen to have a drink.
As she enters,
she sees her husband there, reading a magazine. :s
"hi darling", he says,
"your parents have come to visit us,
so I let them stay in our bedroom.
Hope you have said hello to them.
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Gujarat Technological University okays 85 new branches
AHMEDABAD: Gujarat Technological University (GTU) has cancelled 35 branches of engineering in affiliated technical colleges including 22 branches of Electronics and Communication. On the other hand, 85 new branches have been started. Most of the new branches approved are of Masters of Engineering (ME).
A meeting of the Board of Governors (BOG) of the GTU was held here on Thursday where a budget of Rs 184 crore was passed. The university has decided to open five centres of excellence. The location of these centres has not been decided but would be finalized soon.
These centres would focus on research activity which would aim at bridging the gap between the university and the industry.
Officials said that catering to the demand, the GTU has also started more branches of mechanical engineering which commands the highest job prospects in the industry.
Engineering branches which have fallen out of favour with most students will be shut down by the GTU.
"Engineering branches are chosen by students depending upon their potential to fetch jobs. In the past, computer, EC and IT were the most chosen branches while currently civil, automobile and mechanical engineering rule the roost", said the officials.
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Serena Williams vs Maria Sharapova in Sony Open final
KEY BISCAYNE: Maria Sharapova keeps drawing a different opponent in the Key Biscayne final, and has yet to find one she can beat. Now she'll give it a try against Serena Williams.
Sharapova, a four-time runner-up, earned another berth in the final by beating Jelena Jankovic 6-2, 6-1 Thursday at the Sony Open. Eight hours later, five-time champion Williams advanced when she beat defending champion Agnieszka Radwanska 6-0, 6-3.
Sharapova has lost the Key Biscayne final to four different players -- Kim Clijsters in 2005, Svetlana Kuznetsova in '06, Victoria Azarenka in '11 and Radwanska last year. The No. 1-ranked Williams might be the toughest matchup for her yet.
Sharapova is 2-11 against Williams, with both of the wins way back in 2004. Williams has won their past 10 meetings and their past 13 sets.
"They have been pretty quick matches," Sharapova said. "She's a tremendous athlete, has so much power, and a confident player as well. So if you have a few games where you're not stepping in and not playing the way you should be, she takes really good advantage of it."
With a victory Saturday, the No. 3-seeded Sharapova would plug one of the few holes in her resume. She completed a career Grand Slam by winning the French Open last year but has never won the tournament near downtown Miami.
"It would mean so much to me," the Russian said. "I absolutely love this city. It's the first city I landed in when I came to the United States as a little girl."
Palm Beach Gardens resident Williams considers Key Biscayne her home tournament, and she was at her best before a near-capacity crowd for the night's final match.
"I'm excited because I'm in the final again. Yay!" she told the crowd. "So many of my friends are here. My family is here. I have to do well here. I can't let my friends down."
Williams broke the tournament record for victories by a woman. She's 60-7; Steffi Graf went 59-6.
Williams had struggled in her previous two matches but played almost error-free tennis in the semifinal, using her superior power to keep Radwanska pinned deep and on the run. They played for 37 minutes and 55 points before Radwanska won a game, prompting a big roar from the crowd.
That made it 1-all in the second set, but there would be no comeback. Williams hit 12 aces, including four in one game, and enjoyed a 40-6 advantage in winners.
Radwanska, who also lost to Williams in last year's Wimbledon final, fell to 1-11 against No. 1 players.
The earlier semifinal was just as lopsided. On a sunny, mild afternoon, Sharapova won the first 10 points against the No. 22-seeded Jankovic, then hardly let up from there.
Sharapova swept seven consecutive games during one stretch, and committed only 10 unforced errors from the baseline in 88 points while breaking serve six times.
Sharapova took the Indian Wells title two weeks ago and has won 22 consecutive sets, a career best, while winning 11 matches in a row.
Williams said her final against Sharapova should be a crowd-pleaser.
"She's playing so well," Williams said. "I'll do the best I can. It'll be a good match. We love playing against each other. I love playing her and we always have a great match."
Like Williams, Sharapova survived a sloppy quarterfinal, winning despite 57 unforced errors, including 13 double-faults. She double-faulted only three times against Jankovic and won 23 of 25 points on her first serve.
"I just really thought I needed to step it up from my last match and play a little better," she said. "I was really happy with the way I focused."
Jankovic, playing for the second time in less than 18 hours, was repeatedly a step late trying to reach Sharapova's shots.
"I wasn't moving," she said. "I felt heavy on the court. I felt really tired and exhausted."
Jankovic questioned scheduling that forced her to play in consecutive sessions while Williams and Radwanska had a day off before the semifinals.
"Kind of crazy," she said. "I had a couple of hours of sleep, and then I had to be back on the court."
Sharapova looked fresh even though she has played a lot of tennis lately. She's bidding to become the third woman to win Indian Wells and Key Biscayne in the same year.
Steffi Graf did it in 1994 and 1996, and Kim Clijsters won both in 2005.
"Winning a title on its own, whether it's here or Indian Wells, is a great achievement," Sharapova said. "To be able to come back from that and recover in just a few days and come back to the final here, it's great. Physically, many years ago I wouldn't be able to do that, so I'm very proud of the way I have recovered.
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Chashme Baddoor
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Movie Name : Chashme Baddoor
Release Date : 5 April 2013
Genre : Comedy , Drama
Producer : Viacom 18 Motion Pictures
Director : David Dhawan
Music Director : Sajid-Wajid
Cast : Ali Zafar, Siddharth, Taapsee Pannu, Divyendu Sharma.
Synopsis:
Sid, Jai & Omi are three friends, who live together in a small house in Goa, India. Omi and Jai lead a carefree life, Large on wants, needs and everything else. The only thing that seem to keep Omi and Jai going are the women in Goa. Sid is their sober roommate, who leads a simple, straight forward and humble life. The two womanizing slackers attempt to woo “Seema” the new girl on the block, while their quite roommate Sid is the one to win her heart. Green with envy, the two men set into motion a wild and devious plot to break the lovebirds apart.
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The Statue of Liberty's tablet is two feet thick.
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" INSPIRING STORY "
Keep your dream
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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“The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing. ”
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