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“Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life as by the obstacles which he has overcome.”
| VBA's Positive News |
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Gujrat organic farmers to develop seed banks to resist genetically modified seeds
About 500-odd organic farmers in Gujarat, India are trying to develop individual seed banks in a bid to resist the onslaught of genetically modified seeds. The biggest advantage of developing seed banks is reduced cost. A bank of organic seeds will not only ensure reduced cost, but also assure good yield and above all good health to people, said Organic Farming Association of India (OFAI) president Sarvdaman Patel, who owns an organic farm in central Gujarat's Anand district.
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US: Yoga in school not same as teaching religion, California judge rules
Yoga in a public school's fitness programme does not amount to teaching children religion because despite its roots in Hindu philosophy it is part of American culture, a California judge ruled on Monday. The ruling denied a request by a family in a San Diego suburb to ban the local school district from including yoga in physical education, arguing that it violated the First Amendment and separation of church and state.
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Cuba says 124 non-farm co-ops up and running, more approved
Communist-run Cuba ceded a bit more ground to private initiative and market forces on Monday, announcing the first non-farm cooperatives since the 1959 revolution were up and running. 'Starting today, 124 cooperatives began to function on an experimental basis in diverse sectors of the economy such as construction, transportation, garbage collection, and produce markets,' the Communist Party daily, Granma, reported.
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Japan business mood turns positive, Bank of Japan may upgrade econ view
Japanese manufacturers' sentiment turned positive in the three months to June for the first time in nearly two years, a closely-watched central bank survey showed, a sign the recent market turbulence has yet to hurt the feel-good mood created by the government's reflationary policies.
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Video of the Day:
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World Round-Up
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Dotcom poster boys set to steer Modi's internet drive for 2014 election
BANGALORE: Narendra Modi has enlisted India's original dotcom poster boys Rajesh Jain and BG Mahesh to drive his social media campaign in the run-up to next year's general elections.
Jain, who famously sold IndiaWorld to Sify for Rs 499 crore triggering a dotcom rush in the late '90s, and Mahesh, who founded IndiaInfo and OneIndia, are putting together a 100-member content and technology team in Bangalore to drive Modi's internet campaign.
The 2014 Lok Sabha elections will not be the first in India's history to be fought in the era of social media, but it will certainly be the first national-level polls to be conducted since social media came of age.
India's more than 140 million users, which political analysts say is Modi's core constituency, is the fastest-growing internet traffic globally.
And no matter which side of the fence you're on, there's no getting away from the fact that Modi's social media cache is higher than anybody else's in the land - certainly higher than the Congress's.
In 2010, Jain's Netcore acquired Mahesh's Greynium Information Technologies, the owner of Indian language portals OneIndia, and classifieds business click.in and the two are using their cumulative internet and business acumen to push Modi to power.
Rajesh Jain declined to comment on the story, while Mahesh could not be reached despite repeated efforts.
Jain, an Indian web industry pioneer, is well-known to be a BJP supporter.
"He has committed his life to the BJP. He has made all the money he wanted to, and he wants to use it to get this party to power.
He is also extremely internet savvy, and if he's driving his social media campaign, it would not surprise me at all.
Rajesh has been thinking this way since 2006, if not earlier," says a veteran Bangalore-based writer and communications consultant, who worked with Jain in the past on a mobile solutions company.
Jain and Mahesh are widely reported to have been on a recruitment drive to seed Modi's social media campaign with relevant content.
"I got a call from Mahesh a month ago asking if I want to join Modi's social media campaign," said a 32-year-old media consultant in Bangalore, who didn't wish to be named.
Jain's popular blog makes no bones about his support for the party or for Modi.
A post from early 2012 says: "It has to be a '275 election', which means one of the national parties (Congress or the BJP) needs to get majority on its own.
The approach one has to take to get to 275 is very different from trying to get to 160-175 seats...
At a basic level, all parties are probably similar, even as ideologies and approaches differ.
What will change the discourse is the leadership the parties put on offer.
In this context, I want to see how I can help the BJP get to 275."
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Astrology
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Aries March 21 to April 19
Activities involving your home and family will command your attention today. However, with a challenge from Uranus, you could prefer to spend time on a personal project. You might feel as if you are being pulled in two directions and will need to balance the desire to focus on your own needs versus satisfying the needs of family members. Plan to enjoy some family time today, but mark your calendar for some personal time soon.
Taurus April 20 to May 20
Friends, neighbors, and perhaps siblings will all be vying for your attention today, which will likely result in a positive social time filled with humor and light conversation. Part of you, however, would like to engage in more meaningful conversations given the opportunity. You might try taking some time away from socializing to reach out to someone. A friend or partner will be willing to listen if you need to express something that has been troubling you lately.
Gemini May 21 to June 20
 Today you could receive a message from a friend who needs your help. A day that you thought would be relaxing and stress-free could suddenly turn tense and busy. Know that whatever assistance you provide will be reassuring to your friend, and you will be seen as a source of steadiness during a turbulent time. The value of friendship will be reinforced, and lending a hand to someone could allow you to feel especially good about yourself.
Cancer June 21 to July 22
Jupiter's position today might encourage you to focus on setting new goals and determining what changes you may need to make to improve certain aspects of your life. Today could present a challenge in matching your current path with the future you envision for yourself. Give some thought to whether your career goals line up with your personal goals, as now would be a great time to think about any improvements you can make to your current direction.
Leo July 23 to Aug. 22
 Today will be a day to relax and recharge. You will benefit from making time for yourself to enjoy simple pleasures at the start of your day before social obligations take control of your schedule. You could engage in a conversation with someone today and walk away with a new and interesting idea that suddenly shifts your entire perspective. Look for opportunities to expand your understanding of anything that sparks your curiosity.
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Infosys creates mini CFO structure
BANGALORE: Infosys is creating a mini CFO structure that gives greater autonomy to finance heads within business units (BUs). The mini CFOs attached to the BUs act as finance controllers complying with the framework set by corporate finance. The new structure follows the appointment late last year of Rajiv Bansal, 41, as CFO.
Bansal took over from V Balakrishnan, who moved to head the India and BPO operations. The structure was expected to go live in April but will now be rolled out in a few months.
The $7.5-billion Infosys is split into four main verticals spanning manufacturing; retail, consumer packaged goods logistics and life sciences; banking and financial services; and energy utilities, communications and services.
The company's decentralization drive follows other changes in the finance department to make it more agile and accountable. The legal team comprising of 50-60 advocates headed by R Nithyanandan and the company's chief risk officer M Ranganath who used to report to the CFO now report to CEO S D Shibulal.
"Strategic business unit heads are accountable for top line and bottom line performance and need to be empowered and equipped to deliver on these two parameters. Providing resources, including functional support in the form of HR and finance is part of this," said Padmaja Alaganandan, executive director for people and change practice in consultancy firm PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).
Gaurav Lahiri, MD of global management consulting firm Hay Group India, said, "The corporate CFO faces challenges in striking a balance between strategic and tactical issues with the former getting pushed back due to various reasons.
Some IT companies are creating mini CEOs who will be responsible for their verticals and geographies and manage their own profit and loss account. Mahindra Satyam and Tech Mahindra, for instance, plan to develop 30 young CEOs in the system by 2015. The company has launched a Young CEO programme where members are hand-picked by the management council. They nurture these leaders to take on significant roles in areas of M&A, new business initiatives, platforms, or developing a new geography. "Our Young CEO Program is part of unearthing high-potentials from deep within, encourage the start-up mind-set, provide early leadership opportunities and reflect the theme of being the largest startup in letter and spirit," said C P Gurnani, CEO, Mahindra Satyam and MD, Tech Mahindra.
Alaganandan believes decentralized strategic business unit structures also need frameworks and guidelines within which to function. "In the case of the finance function, corporate finance is typically responsible for policy, long term funds management, investor relations, etc, which are better managed centrally. Finance within the SBU can play the role of business partner as well as drive policies laid down at the corporate level," she said.
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3 Things women must learn from men
Undoubtedly, man and women make two sides of the same coin as they are perfect complements to each other. Yet both sexes are uniquely different. However, there must be a thing or two that one can learn from the other.
So, taking the battle of sexes forward, we allowed men to share things the ladies could learn from them to make life a little more worth living.
1. Man teaches: Logic Lessons
"Don't hate me for pointing this out, but life will be far easier if women understand that everything in life has logic behind it. Men follow their innate logic as they take decisions, while women are absolutely unaware about the mere existence of logic. And this makes it really hard for men to deal with women," says TV actor Mihir Mishra.
Gal talk: "Women possess an innate sense of judgment, which they learn while living life. We do get influenced many a time, but at the same time we have a very 'pace-y logic' that we learn on the way. This usually makes us 'street-smart,' but unfortunately men don't relate to this and end up calling us 'logic-illiterate," says tele star Manini De.
2. Man teaches: Emotions can take a backseat at times
Usually blamed for lacking emotions, TV actor Varun Badola says, "Women must learn that every situation doesn't call for a huge emotional turmoil. Holding back one's sentiments when they are not required won't make the female sex hard-hearted and indifferent, but of course a little rational and practical."
Gal talk: Waving the emotional flag higher, TV actress Rajeshwari Sachdev maintains, "When women use emotions, they put their brains behind each one of their emotions to ensure that they don't hurt people while putting their thoughts forward. I think emotions add meaning to one's life."
3. Man teaches: Everything doesn't call for intensity
Women call it showing that they care, while men tag it as being overtly intense. "Missing breakfast is not such a big deal as women make it to be by reminding us a hundred times that we missed it. Women usually get intense about the smallest of things and situations. If they learn to chill out from men, they'll be able to enjoy life like never before," says tele star Rohit Roy.
Gal talk: Nach Baliye star Tina Kuwajerwala says, "One of the partners has to be over -the-top to make the other one feel wanted in the relationship. It's the intensity in a woman that helps her enrich every relationship in her life with depth and compassion.
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Virgo Aug. 23 to Sept. 22
With Sun and Jupiter in your friendship sector today, you will especially enjoy social outings where you can connect with existing friends or make new ones. Any friendship that develops at this time may be lasting and valuable. With a challenge from Uranus, you might feel some frustration with a friend over a debt owed to you or a recently exposed secret. Manage the situation by staying firm but positive in communicating your frustration.
Libra Sept. 23 to Oct. 22
Thoughts regarding your career or general standing within your community could be complicated today by a feeling that there is someone who represents an obstacle on your path. Perhaps he or she has recently voiced opposition to your ideas. The challenge will be to stay open-minded and resist a natural tendency to feel threatened. Know that your accomplishments will speak for themselves and you will receive support from the right people when you need it.
Scorpio Oct. 23 to Nov. 21
 Spiritual or religious ideas may be an area of focus today and you could feel unusually passionate about your beliefs. Today will be a good day to consider how well you are applying your beliefs to the manner in which you live your life. You might feel that certain responsibilities or situations in your professional life are presenting a challenge for you spiritually, and today will be a good day to look for a resolution to this conflict.
Sagittarius Nov. 22 to Dec. 21
Sun and Jupiter will encourage you to think deeply today. You will not be satisfied with the superficial, but instead will want to delve beneath the surface to understand things at their deepest level. A challenge from Uranus in your creative sector could cause you to feel restless, especially if you create art or music, or if you work in a creative field. Be patient with yourself today despite any lack of focus you may feel.
Capricorn Dec. 22 to Jan. 19
 You may desire to spend some one-on-one time with a partner today, but that might be impossible because of family gatherings or family members who suddenly need your help. You will be particularly interested in focusing your attention on any one individual rather than engaging in large group dynamics. See if you can make time to talk with someone who may need your undivided attention for the support you can provide.
Aquarius Jan. 20 to Feb. 18
 Today will be a good day to follow up on some of those nagging details in your life, especially projects that have been ongoing for some time and need finally to be completed. While you may have energy and determination to tackle these tasks today, you may encounter many well-meaning distractions from friends or neighbors. If you are persistent you can accomplish much, but it might be necessary to be realistic and shorten today's to-do list.
Pisces Feb. 19 to March 20
With endless creative ideas today, you may want to set aside some time to work on a project or just spend some fun time with children. You will want to enjoy yourself today and may feel a challenge in motivation to complete any projects that you do not find enjoyable. Take caution against avoiding tasks that need your attention today but, at the same time, make time for enjoyable activities that can improve your connection to friends and family.
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Moral Story
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SMS
“Life is very similar to a boxing ring..
Defeat is not declared, when U fall down..
It’s declared, when U refuse to get up...”
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.
Teacher: Behind every successful man there is a women
what do we learn from this?
Student: we should stop wasting time in studies and find a woman.
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JEE ranking shows Class XII results are important
CHANDIGARH: The IIT-JEE (main) rank list came as a surprise for the city, proving clearly how important Class XII result is and will be in future. Though it brought cheers to all as toppers remained the same, it has changed the order in which toppers were expected.
Teachers who have been teaching these bright minds blamed the system of ranking. "The system by which the rank list is made is faulty. Whereas it considers 98% of CBSE as 100%, a child scoring 88% from a different board is also considered 100%. This is unfair.
Also, there are many students who have filed for evaluation of marks in Class XII as they were not satisfied with them," said Sangeeta Khanna, who has taught chemistry to all toppers.
As a result of Class XII weightage, Abhijit Lavania, who is considered a genius by friends, family and mainly teachers, was expected to be the topper in JEE (main) too, but he has been pushed to the second position just because he could not score too well in Class XII boards.
"He scored 98 and 99% marks in all subjects, except physical education. That was surprising as he has never scored marks as low as 80," said his father Chetak Arun, an IIT engineer.
However, the family is not disappointed as Abhijit's target is already set. "He wants to pursue engineering physics from Cornell University College of Engineering, USA, where he has already got admission," said Chetak.
Also, the rank list did not have an impact on the highest scorers, as they have already cleared IIT-JEE advanced. Srishti Singla, who is third in Tricity, said: a??Since IIT-JEE result is already out and most of us have cracked it with good.All India Ranks, this rank list doesn't mean much, though it makes you feel good."
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Ind vs SL: Sri Lanka crush India by 161 runs in Celkon Mobile Cup
KINGSTON: Upul Tharanga scored a career-best unbeaten 174 as Sri Lanka produced a clinical display to thrash India by 161 runs in the third match of the ODI tri-series.
Scorecard | Match in Pics
Sent into bat, Sri Lanka first rode on Tharanga's 174 and Mahela Jayawardene's 107 to pile up a mammoth 348 for one and then shot out the Indians for a paltry 187 in 44.5 overs.
Apart from Tharanga and Jayawardene, skipper Angelo Mathews made a quick-fire 44.
The Indians looked a pale shadow of themselves with Ravindra Jadeja top-scoring with an unbeaten 49 followed by Suresh Raina (33), Murali Vijay (30), Shikhar Dhawan (24) and Dinesh Karthik (22).
Chasing the imposing total, India piled up pressure on themselves by scoring just 28 runs for the loss of one wicket in the first 10 overs.
Rohit Sharma was the first to depart, caught by Mathews at short midwicket off Nuwan Kulasekara's bowling.
With a mountain to chase, the Indians found boundaries hard to come by as they dealt mostly in singles and twos.
The ever-climbing asking rate took a tool on the Indians as they lost Dhawan and skipper Virat Kohli in successive overs.
While trying to break the shackles Dhawan found out Tharanga at deep midwicket off Rangana Herath (3/37), Kohli hooked a Mathews delivery straight to Lasith Malinga at fine-leg in the next over.
Malinga then went through Vijay's defence two overs later as India slumped to 70 for four after the end of 19 overs.
Wicket-keeper Karthik and Raina added 53 runs off 63 balls for the fifth wicket before the former perished, stumped by Kumar Sangakkara off Herath in the 29th over.
Raina tried hard to get India back on track with a run-a-ball 33 but fell victim of a run out.
Thereafter, the Indian innings fell apart as none other batsmen managed doubled digit scores with only Jadeja showing some teeth before the disciplined Sri Lankan bowling attack.
This is India's second defeat in the tournament after having lost to West Indies by one wicket in their tournament opener.
Earlier, Tharanga smashed a career-best unbeaten 174, while Jayawardene made 107 as Sri Lanka produced a dominant batting display to post an imposing 348 for one.
Tharanga scored his runs off just 159 deliveries with the help of 19 boundaries and three hits over the fence.
Jayawardene, on the other hand, faced 112 balls during his century knock. He hit nine fours and two sixes during his innings.
Towards the end, captain Mathews played a 29-ball 49-run cameo to help Sri Lanka get near the 350-run mark. He struck fours boundaries and one six in the process.
Sent into bat, Sri Lanka made a quiet start to their innings before Jayawardene and Tharanga opened up.
Jayawardene and Tharanga mixed caution with aggression to pile up 47 runs in the first 10 overs.
Shami Ahmed, who replaced Bhuvneshwar Kumar, and Umesh Yadav failed to derive any assistance from the low and slow Sabina Park wicket as the Sri Lankan opening duo milked the Indian attack to surge ahead.
Jayawardene, who was dropped by Vijay off Jadeja at the personal score of 25, cashed in on the chance and played sensibly thereafter to reach his fifty in 60 balls with the help of four boundaries and one six.
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LOOTERA
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LOOTERA
Movie Name : LOOTERA
Release Date : 5 July 2013
Genre : Romance drama film
Producer :Ekta Kapoor,Shobha Kapoor,Anurag Kashyap,Vikas Bahl
Director : Vikramaditya Motwane
Music Director : Amit Trivedi
Cast : Ranveer Singh, Sonakshi Sinha
Synopsis:
The year is 1953. A visiting archaeologist called Varun Shrivastav comes to the village of Manikpur in West Bengal to excavate the temple grounds of the local Zamindar. With knowledge and experience beyond his young demeanour, Varun greatly impresses the Zamindar and his family. Especially Pakhi, the Zamindar’s feisty and only daughter, who finds herself irrevocably drawn towards him.
But Varun isn’t all he seems on the surface. And as the simmering attraction between him and Pakhi leads to a tender and deep love, he is forced to choose between her and his past.
Making his choice, Varun disappears. Pakhi struggles to move on with her life, determined to forget him and their relationship. Until one day, when he returns under the most extraordinary circumstances.
Inspired from O. Henry’s “The Last Leaf”, Lootera is the uplifting story of two lovers. Of heartbreak, betrayal… and ultimate redemption.
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The croissant was invented in Austria
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" INSPIRING STORY "
Temper control
Once upon a time there was a little boy who was talented, creative, handsome, and extremely bright. A natural leader. The kind of person everyone would normally have wanted on their team or project.
But he was also self-centered and had a very bad temper. When he got angry, he usually said, and often did, some very hurtful things. In fact, he seemed to have little regard for those around him. Even friends.
So, naturally, he had few. “But,” he told himself, “that just shows how stupid most people are!”
As he grew, his parents became concerned about this personality flaw, and pondered long and hard about what they should do. Finally, the father had an idea.
And he struck a bargain with his son. He gave him a bag of nails, and a BIG hammer. “Whenever you lose your temper,” he told the boy, “I want you to really let it out.
Just take a nail and drive it into the oak boards of that old fence out back. Hit that nail as hard as you can!”
Of course, those weathered oak boards in that old fence were almost as tough as iron, and the hammer was mighty heavy, so it wasn’t nearly as easy as it first sounded. Nevertheless, by the end of the first day, the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence (That was one angry young man!).
Gradually, over a period of weeks, the number dwindled down. Holding his temper proved to be easier than driving nails into the fence!
Finally the day came when the boy didn’t lose his temper at all. He felt mighty proud as he told his parents about that accomplishment.
“As a sign of your success,” his father responded, “you get to PULL OUT one nail. In fact, you can do that each day that you don’t lose your temper even once.”
Well, many weeks passed. Finally one day the young boy was able to report proudly that all the nails were gone.
At that point, the father asked his son to walk out back with him and take one more good look at the fence.
“You have done well, my son,” he said. “But I want you to notice the holes that are left. No matter what happens from now on, this fence will never be the same. Saying or doing hurtful things in anger produces the same kind of result.
There will always be a scar. It won’t matter how many times you say you’re sorry, or how many years pass, the scar will still be there. And a verbal wound is as bad as a physical one. People are much more valuable than an old fence.
They make us smile. They help us succeed. Some will even become friends who share our joys, and support us through bad times. And, if they trust us, they will also open their hearts to us.
That means we need to treat everyone with love and respect. We need to prevent as many of those scars as we can.”
A most valuable lesson, don’t you think? And a reminder most of us need from time to time. Everyone gets angry occasionally. The real test is what we DO with it.If we are wise, we will spend our time building bridges rather than barriers in our relationships.”
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“I honestly think it is better to be a failure at something you love than to be a success at something you hate.”
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