“Never compare your love story with those in the movies, because they are written by scriptwriters. Yours is written by God. ”     VBA's Positive News P US: South Carolina visitor spending reaches record $16.5 billion South Carolina's tourism industry has bounced back after the Great Recession with tourism spending reaching a record $16.5 billion, according to figures released Saturday by the state Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism. Last fall, Charleston, South Carolina was named the top tourist destination in the world by readers of Conde Nast Traveler magazine..      Indian minister to visit China as crisis ends India announced Monday that its foreign minister will visit China this week as local media reported the two Asian giants have agreed to end a three-week stand-off over their disputed Himalayan border. External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid will hold discussions in Beijing on Thursday, an Indian foreign ministry statement said. The trip comes ahead of Chinese Premier Li Keqiang's scheduled visit to India later this month. South Africa: Manufacturers welcome electric vehicle road map Vehicle manufacturers in South Africa have welcomed the launch of the Electronic Vehicle Industry Road Map, which aims to introduce electric vehicles into the South African market. Trade and Industry Minister (dti) Rob Davies launched the road map last week that will see South Africa put in place a set of incentives for the local production of these vehicles, which will lead to a reduction of the country's carbon footprint as well as creating jobs.  US commits to protecting loggerhead sea turtle habitat by 2014 The Obama administration has agreed by 1 July to map out areas to protect nesting beaches for endangered loggerhead sea turtles as part of a legal settlement with conservation groups. The US Department of Commerce agreed to the deadline for a preliminary proposal on the critical habitat of loggerheads in the US Atlantic and Pacific oceans and in the Gulf of Mexico, under an agreement filed on Thursday in US District Court in California.      Video of the Day:

World Round-Up

Political + Amartya Sen backs Food Bill, blames Oppn for Parliament disruption        New Delhi: Nobel laureate Amartya Sen on Monday sought to blame the opposition for disruption in Parliament, saying they were "bursting debates" and "killing arguments" in the House as he backed the Food Security Bill in its present form. Sen, an eminent economist, said the essence of democracy is to have arguments and there is a need for skillful presentations of what the issues are. At a press conference along with activists on the Food Security Bill in New Delhi, he said, "There are things on which opposition may have different views. They should debate the issue...rather than disrupting proceedings. In Parliament they are killing arguments. If the Opposition succeeds in bursting Parliamentary debate, they should be held responsible it." Sen said he is "shocked at media being not able to play up the issue of non-discussion in Parliament". Favouring the passage of the food bill, he said it would lead to a substantial enhancement of entitlements of the poor through the PDS. The Food Bill aims to give legal right over a uniform quantity of 5 kg food grains at a fixed price of Rs 1-3 per kg via ration shops to 67 per cent of the population. Last week, the amendments to the Food Bill, which was originally introduced in Parliament in December, 2011, was moved in the Lok Sabha but discussion could not take place due to disruption of proceedings on several issues, including the 'coalgate scam'. Amid uproar over several scams, government today sprang a surprise over the Opposition in the Lok Sabha by taking up the ambitious National Food Security Bill for consideration despite protests. A brief debate was held amid an unprecedented din with members from Left and Right in the Well denouncing "dictatorial ways" of the government in pushing through the much talked about legislation when Parliament is paralysed over various scams. When pointed out that the government is planning to bring an ordinance, Sen said it would not be a happy situation. The question to be asked then would be why did the government have to go the ordinance way and who was responsible for Parliament not functioning, he said. Astrology Aries March 21 to April 19 Finances have been much on your mind for the past couple of weeks, and tomorrow's solar eclipse may already have you buzzing. Setting realistic financial goals and sticking to them is consistently important, but you may find a new development in your financial life may renew your commitment or at least remind you of the significance of what you are trying to achieve. You may find yourself coming to new attitudes about how you handle your finances as the effects of the eclipse unfold over the next six months.        Taurus April 20 to May 20 You've been urged to focus on yourself for the past couple of weeks with the current celestial lineup in your sign, Taurus, and tomorrow's solar eclipse can mark a new beginning for you. You may find yourself reinventing who you are and how you look at life as the effects of the eclipse play out over the next six months. Don't look to others to set your course; take decisive strides to become the you that you want to be.                                  Gemini May 21 to June 20 With the overpowering celestial lineup of planets in Taurus over the past couple of weeks, you may have been contemplating whether you are ready to bring a situation or a chapter of your life to a close. Tomorrow's solar eclipse in Taurus may make it abundantly clear to you what you need to let go of and what it will cost you to hold on to things that are no longer beneficial for you or have run their course. Onward!                              Cancer June 21 to July 22  Tomorrow's solar eclipse is a celestial prompt to set new long-term goals. While you will want brainstorm and plan your next moves out, this will not be purely an intellectual exercise. A deep sense of motivation and determination must drive you if you hope to have enough stamina to reach these goals. Saturn encourages you to be realistic, but setting goals your heart isn't in will go nowhere fast, so keep your eye focused on the really meaningful stuff, not just the practical.                                                         Leo July 23 to Aug. 22  With so many planets cruising through your career sector lately, you've been thinking a lot about how to move forward, whether specifically at work or in general with your life. Anything you've set in motion may begin to develop more clearly and rapidly over the next six months after tomorrow's solar eclipse in Taurus. If you haven't been sure about your direction, what you want, or what steps to take to get there, the solar eclipse may make it crystal clear.                              BUSINESS+VE                                                                              Subbarao assures various options to tackle liquidity crunch       The Reserve Bank of India on Monday said it will consider all the options available to it to tackle tight liquidity in the market, including adjusting banks' cash reserve ratio (CRR) and open market operations (OMO). In his post-policy conference call with analysts, Reserve Bank of India Governor D Subbarao said, "We will use all options available to us, depending on how we assess the liquidity situation to be. It could be OMO, it could be CRR. It could be something else." "The assumption that OMO will be the preferred tool is wrong, don't go with that assumption. Our objective is to maintain liquidity at plus or minus 1 per cent of NDTL (net demand and time liabilities).   We have actively managed liquidity conditions. Liquidity situation should be less uncomfortable going forward. We have also indicated that we will actively manage liquidity.   Consistent with that policy, we have announced an OMO of Rs 10,000 crore," he said. On Friday, the RBI kept CRR unchanged at 4 per cent while slashing repo rate by 25 basis points to 7.25 per cent. As and when the difference between deposit and credit growth rates lessens, the tight liquidity condition will further ease.   Currently, banks are borrowing close to Rs 90,000 crore from RBI through the overnight window, which is above the central bank's comfortable level of 1 per cent of NDTL at Rs 60,000 crore, he said.   As per reports, the government's cash balance is close to Rs 1 trillion, which can significantly ease liquidity situation as the government starts spending. However, the RBI prefers liquidity to be in deficit mode given the upside risks to inflation.   "Liquidity issues will likely be addressed through a mix of CRR cuts and OMOs, leaning more towards OMOs in the near term," said Indranil Pan, chief economist, Kotak Mahindra Bank. Export credit must be under priority sector lending for all banks: RBI panel MUMBAI: In a bid to provide thrust to exports, the Reserve Bank of India's 'Technical Committee on Services/Facilities for the Exporters' has proposed that export credit should be included under the priority sector lending for all commercial banks for a period of 3 to 5 years subject to periodic review. Further, the committee has proposed the introduction of a sub-target of 8 per cent of aggregate net bank credit (ANBC) or credit equivalent amount of off-balance sheet exposure, whichever is higher for exports.   "To encourage flow of credit to MSME sector, the RBI should look into the feasibility of fixing a suitable sub-target," it said. HEALTH+VE                                                              Techniques to lower cholesterol     How to lower cholesterol is becoming a global concern given how adversely it affects health. High cholesterol can cut down your lifespan due to various conditions like heart attack, high blood pressure etc. Hence, whether you were recently diagnosed with high cholesterol or have been living with it for a while, your main goal for healthy living is to control it. The good news is that you don't have to completely rely on medicines and numerous prescriptions to lower your cholesterol; you can lower your cholesterol level just by adopting a few changes in your lifestyle. Follow these simple and effective techniques laid down by Dr. Sharukh Golwala, Cardiologist at Breach Candy Hospital, Mumbai, to lower your cholesterol levels Techniques to Lower Cholesterol # 1: Set a goal Before adopting the goal of lowering your cholesterol, check with your doctor as to how much cholesterol level you need to get down. Lowering of the cholesterol can depend on various factors like obesity, heart disease, your current cholesterol level and smoking habits. Hence, voluntarily don't take up goals, as this can lead to serious life-threatening complications. Techniques to Lower Cholesterol # 2: Increase physical activity Include at least 30 minutes of exercise in your life daily - says Dr. Shahrukh. Exercise is one of the best techniques to lower cholesterol. It also helps to kick out stress, shed some kilos, boosts metabolism, kills some calories, reduces the level of triglycerides, helps to achieve a healthy weight and cuts down your risk for heart disease and diabetes. Techniques to Lower Cholesterol # 3: Shed those extra pounds Check if you're obese or overweight using a BMI calculator. Obesity or being overweight is very dangerous, as it stores fat in your body. Slimming down is the best way to combat this problem if you are overweight. Don't get fooled with quick weight loss or crash-diet program as it has several health harming effects. Follow a decent healthy program laid down by your dietician or your doctor to lower cholesterol by losing some extra weight. Techniques to Lower Cholesterol # 4: Fight cholesterol with beans Include these nutritious and healthy beans in your diet at least 3-4 times a week. Beans are the best weapons to fight cholesterol due to the presence of water soluble fibre called pectin. This fibre binds onto cholesterol and kicks it out of the body before causing any havoc in your body. Techniques to Lower Cholesterol # 5: Walking is good for your heart If you fail to match up time to go to a gym due to your hectic schedule, then worry not. Dr. Sharukh says - walking is one the best form of physical activity available-which is cheap and convenient. Skip your vehicles and go walking to your near-by destination. Brisk walking even for 20-40 minutes will help you drop your cholesterol level by 8.3 percent and also lower you're your heart disease risk.     Virgo Aug. 23 to Sept. 22  Furthering your education may be much on your mind as the powerfully-motivating solar eclipse prepares to get under way. Mars adds its incentive-inducing enthusiasm to the mix so you may find yourself ready to act on plans for your education that up until now have only been ideas you've been toying with at best. Mercury is also in on tomorrow's eclipse party, so inklings may crystallize into solid ideas and plans, ushering in an entirely new chapter for you.                                 Libra Sept. 23 to Oct. 22 The brewing solar eclipse will encourage you to embrace deep change over the next six months, encouraging you to make modifications to the areas of your life that prevent you from finding the equilibrium and peace you need to feel like your healthy and natural self. On a practical note, make sure you have any financial agreements with others in hand and make a plan to bring unhealthy financial situations, if you have any, to a close.                              Scorpio Oct. 23 to Nov. 21 The solar eclipse building in your partnership sector may bring powerful new developments in your relationship life over the next six months. While it won't necessarily result in something shocking or unexpected, the pace of a certain relationship may increase or you or your partner may want to take it to the next level. With Mercury and Mars lending their two cents to the message of the eclipse, you may find that your communication level and intensity in your relationships will become of central importance.                               Sagittarius Nov. 22 to Dec. 21 Your romantic life may get a lift as Venus, the planet of love, prepares to move into your relationship sector. If you are looking to meet someone new, strike up a conversation with someone you're drawn to and you may be pleasantly surprised about where it leads. Tomorrow's solar eclipse will initiate a new chapter in your work life, resulting in increased busyness at the very least and urging you to contemplate your future career goals.                                                Capricorn Dec. 22 to Jan. 19 You are always looking ahead, Capricorn, but tomorrow's solar eclipse in Taurus will reveal to you the power and joy possible in taking it one day at a time. Follow any creative urges and take up any hobbies you feel inclined to over the next six months as they may lead to uncovering new parts of yourself and provide an outlet for self-expression that you haven't found elsewhere. Creative projects working with your hands may be especially fulfilling.                              Aquarius Jan. 20 to Feb. 18  The peak of the solar eclipse tomorrow will bring into sharp relief your most important priorities over the next six months, especially when it comes to your personal and home life. The importance of building and supporting the kind of home environment you need to sustain you will become significantly apparent, whether in a flash of insight or (more likely) in the form of dawning realizations. A new chapter in your family life or personal life may begin to develop, drawing more of your attention.                           Pisces Feb. 19 to March 20  If tomorrow's solar eclipse doesn't result in a landslide of epiphanies, you can expect that you may see a certain situation (or several) in a vastly different way as the eclipse effects develop over the next six months. You will likely receive information as it develops that will continue to shift your perspective during this period. Continue to trust your intuition in the interim and keep your eye on the big picture even as your perspective changes.      Moral Story     SMS   “The surest way not to fail is to determine to succeed.”         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.”          Teacher: Maria please point to America on the map. Maria: This is it. Teacher: Well done. Now class, who found America? Class: Maria did.

EDUCATION +VE UGC's faculty recharge scheme comes a cropper in Patna University             PATNA: The much publicized UGC's faculty recharge scheme has come a cropper in Patna University (PU). Even as the PU had submitted to the UGC its faculty requirement in different subjects more than a year back, not a single faculty has been appointed till date. The UGC, under its scheme of 'Strengthening of Basic Science Research', had launched the 'UGC-Faculty Recharge Programme' as an innovative means for providing high quality faculty with proven flair for research and teaching. These positions were at the level of assistant professor, associate professor and professor in basic sciences, namely physics, chemistry, mathematics, biology and earth science. The scheme was designed to induct fresh talent and augment faculty resources in Indian universities. Under the scheme, the UGC had planned to induct 1,000 faculties at national level to enable the universities to rejuvenate their resources. The faculty recharge positions were supposed to be initially for five years' tenure. However, depending on the peer group assessment report, the positions were either to be extended or elevated to the next higher level or could even be terminated. The age of superannuation of the incumbents in these positions was to be the same as prevalent in central universities. Placement of the faculty was subject to signing an MoU between the UGC and the university concerned. It may be mentioned here that the ever declining strength of teaching faculties in PU has brought the academic activities to a virtual standstill in most of its degree colleges and postgraduate departments. While the number of students in different faculties has increased manifold and a large number of new courses of studies have been introduced during the last three decades, the number of teachers has declined considerably during the period. At present there are less than 400 teachers for over 16,000 students at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. The number of sanctioned posts of different categories of teachers in PU is about 900. Patna University Teachers' Association (PUTA) president P K Poddar has urged the state government to initiate immediate steps for recruitment of faculty against vacant sanctioned posts so that the academic activities in colleges and universities of the state do not suffer any further.  SPORTS +VE Jacques Kallis plays the role of anchor for us: Gambhir         MUMBAI: In 2010, when South African great Jacques Kallis was having one his most successful seasons with Royal Challengers Bangalore (he had scored 572 runs at a strike-rate of 115.78 to be the second highest run-scorer after Sachin Tendulkar), their skipper Anil Kumble laid into him after RCB had lost a game against Deccan Chargers at the VCA Stadium, on April 12. Watch IPL Videos Chasing 152 for a win, RCB fell 13 short and Kallis, who was opening the innings for RCB had scored a 37-ball 27. "Kallis had won us a couple of games but today he got stuck. He should have gone after the bowling in the first six overs, which didn't happen.   That really put the pressure on the guys coming in. He should have made a move on," Kumble had said. The SA stalwart has traded the RCB red for the KKR purple two years ago and while he played a part in the side's championship win last year, his average strike-rate of 104.78 while scoring a modest 219 runs in 11 games hasn't helped the side's cause one bit.     Often the 37-year-old has come in during the powerplays and has struggled to force the pace which has put pressure on other batsmen. Attacking and game-changing players like Eoin Morgan haven't got enough deliveries to bat, a factor that has cost the champions heavily. . Kallis has never batted below No. 4 throughout the tournament and has often played in the powerplay. The latest he has come into bat was at the end of 7.4 overs against Sunrisers Hyderabad. In the seven losses that KKR have suffered, Kallis has aggregated 85 in 99 balls at a strike-rate of 85.85.   In their four victories, he has notched up 134 in 110 balls at a strike-rate of 121.81. Speaking to the media on the eve of the game against Mumbai Indians, Gautam Gambhir said, "We're absolutely fine with his game.   We've got all kinds of players. There are people like Brendon and Yusuf who thrive on strike-rates and bat at a rate of more than 130-140.   We need someone to anchor the innings and Jacques has been playing that role for us. We pick players to play the role that suits them rather than asking them to change their game.   We need someone who the team can bat around and Jacques has done that successfully for us." In his first season for KKR in 2011, Kallis scored 424 runs in 15 games at a strike-rate of 112.16. In 2012, the year that they emerged champions, he scored 409 runs in 17 matches at a strike-rate of 106.51.   In the final against Chennai Super Kings, he belted 69 in 49 balls and supported Manvinder Bisla wonderfully during a tough chase.     Gippi Gippi  Movie Name :   Gippi   Release Date :   10 May 2013 Genre :  Comedy, Drama Producer : Karan Johar Director :   Sonam Nair Music Director :  Vishal–Shekhar Cast : Riya Vij, Taaha Shah, Divya Dutta   Synopsis: Gippi is a 14-year-old girl who lives in Simla with her mother Pappi and little brother Booboo. She is overweight and awkward and doesn't know how to handle the physical, emotional and social changes happening in her life. In school, she is a backbencher and is constantly bullied by the popular queen-bee Shamira. At home, she's trying to figure out how to deal with living in a broken home. In the middle of all this chaos, she falls madly in love with an older, brooding heartbreaker. When her love story comes to a humiliating end, and she is publicly scorned, she decides to take her life in her hands and accepts Shamira's challenge to stand against her in the school elections. Whatever the final outcome might be, Gippi makes sure she has a great time in the journey, filling it with delicious desserts, funny teachers, school crushes, and Shammi Kapoor dances. Gippi is a coming-of-age story of an ordinary, overweight girl, who, through the course of the film, learns to love herself for exactly who she is. It is also a tale of an underdog, who picks herself up from nothing and finds herself at the top of her own little world.       the names of all continents both start and end with the same letter. " INSPIRING STORY "   The Smell of Rain    A cold March wind danced around the dead of night in Dallas as the Doctor walked into the small hospital room of Diana Blessing. Still groggy from surgery, her husband David held her hand as they braced themselves for the latest news. That afternoon of March 10,1991, complications had forced Diana, only 24 weeks pregnant, to Danae Lu Blessing. At 12 inches long and weighing only one pound and nine ounces, they already knew she was perilously premature. Still, the doctor’s soft words dropped like bombs. I don’t think she’s going to make it, he said, as kindly as he could. “There’s only a 10 percent chance she will live through the night, and even then, if by some slim chance she does make it, her future could be a very cruel one.” Numb with disbelief, David and Diana listened as the doctor described the devastating problems Danae would likely face if she survived. She would never walk, she would never talk, she would probably be blind, and she would certainly be prone to other catastrophic conditions from cerebral palsy to complete mental retardation, and on and on. “No! No!” was all Diana could say. She and David, with their 5-year-old son Dustin, had long dreamed of the day they would have a daughter to become a family of four. Now, within a matter of hours, that dream was slipping away. Through the dark hours of morning as Danae held onto life by the thinnest thread, Diana slipped in and out of sleep, growing more and more determined that their tiny daughter would live, and live to be a healthy, happy young girl. But David, fully awake and listening to additional dire details of their daughter’s chances of ever leaving the hospital alive, much less healthy, knew he must confront his wife with the inevitable. David walked in and said that we needed to talk about making funeral arrangements. Diana remembers, ‘I felt so bad for him because he was doing everything, trying to include me in what was going on, but I just wouldn’t listen, I couldn’t listen. I As if willed to live by Diana’s determination, Danae clung to life hour after hour, with the help of every medical machine and marvel her miniature body could endure. But as those first days passed, a new agony set in for David and Diana. Because Danae’s under-developed nervous system was essentially raw, the lightest kiss or caress only intensified her discomfort, so they couldn’t even cradle their tiny baby girl against their chests to offer the strength of their love. All they could do, as Danae struggled alone beneath the ultraviolet light in the tangle of tubes and wires, was to pray that God would stay close to their precious little girl. There was never a moment when Danae suddenly grew stronger. But as the weeks went by, she did slowly gain an ounce of weight here and an ounce of strength there. At last, when Danae turned two months old, her parents were able to hold her in their arms for the very first time. And two months later-though doctors continued to gently but grimly warn that her chances of surviving, much less living any kind of normal life, were next to zero. Danae went home from the hospital, just as her mother had predicted. Today, five years later, Danae is a petite but feisty young girl with glittering gray eyes and an unquenchable zest for life. She shows no signs, what so ever, of any mental or physical impairment. Simply, she is everything a little girl can be and more-but that happy ending is far from the end of her story. One blistering afternoon in the summer of 1996 near her home in Irving, Texas, Danae was sitting in her mother’s lap in the bleachers of a local ballpark where her brother Dustin’s baseball team was practicing. Hugging her arms across her chest, Danae asked, “Do you smell that?” Smelling the air and detecting the approach of a thunderstorm, Diana replied, “Yes, it smells like rain.” Danae closed her eyes and again asked, “Do you smell that?” Once again, her mother replied, “Yes, I think we’re about to get wet, it smells like rain. Still caught in the moment, Danae shook her head, patted her thin shoulders with her small hands and loudly announced, “No, it smells like Him. It smells like God when you lay your head on His chest.” Tears blurred Diana’s eyes as Danae then happily hopped down to play with the other children. Before the rains came, her daughter’s words confirmed what Diana and all the members of the extended Blessing family had known, at least in their hearts, all along. During those long days and nights of her first two months of her life, when her nerves were too sensitive for them to touch her, God was holding Danae on His chest and it is His loving scent that she remembers so well.

“The elevator to success is out of order. You’ll have to use the stairs…. One step at a time. ”