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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.”
| VBA's Positive News |
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Israelis and Palestinians clean medicine from water together
Joint Israeli-Palestinian research team is working to eradicate pharmaceutical materials from treated wastewater. The joint Palestinian-Israeli research team from Al-Quds University and the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology is working to assess the use of advanced membrane and bio-degradation technologies for eradicating pharmaceutical materials from treated waste-water. Organized by the Peres Centre for Peace and sponsored by the French pharmaceutical giant Sanofi, the two-year project aims to investigate the degradation and removal processes of certain drugs found in aquatic environments that come from both domestic and industrial sources..
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Vatican City: Pope asks other faiths to join day of prayer for peace in Syria
Pope Francis on Sunday invited people of all faiths to join him and the world's Catholics in a day of prayer and fasting on 7 September to end the conflict in Syria. Addressing tens of thousands of people in Saint Peter's Square, he issued a long, impassioned appeal for peace in Syria and across the Middle East, saying God and history would be the judge of those who promoted violence or prevented peace. Francis condemned the use of chemical weapons, blamed by Western powers on Syrian government forces, but added: 'War, never again'.
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UK Syria vote: a corner has been turned on the road to peace
Thursday's vote by MPs to bar the way to British involvement in a war against Syria is a vindication of the mass anti-war movement in this country over the last decade. Parliamentarians of all parties claimed that they had 'learned the lessons of Iraq'. Better late than never, of course. But the millions who protested against the Bush-Blair aggression in 2003 understood the lessons at the time. After hundreds of thousands of dead in the intervening years, their message has reached the green benches: there is hardly a problem in the Middle East (or elsewhere) that Anglo-US military intervention cannot make worse.
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Older cranes help keep younger birds on the right track
A study of whooping cranes has shed new light on how much of a bird's migration route is learnt, and how much is innate in its genetics. Scientists found that learning from older, more experienced birds was a crucial factor in the migratory habits of this long-lived, social species. The US-German team of researchers also found that the cranes' migratory performance improved over time. Details of the research have been published in the journal Science.
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Video of the Day:
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World Round-Up
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Petrol pumps closure by 8 pm: Will not people fill their car's fuel tank in the morning?
Reacting sharply to the government's proposal to shut down petrol pumps in night to taper fuel demand, BJP spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain said, "What is petrol pump? Government will close the country... Won't the people fill their car fuel tanks in the morning.
This is a strange move by Moily".
If the Manmohan Singh government has run out of ideas to tackle the economic mess, it can take suggestions from the BJP, he said.
"There are various options and ideas that have been floated.
Shutting petrol pumps during night is one of them.
But we have not decided. It is just a proposal," Union Oil Minister M. Veerappa Moily said.
His ministry plans to launch a massive fuel conservation drive from September 16 to cut fuel demand by 3 per cent and save an estimated Rs.16,000 crore or USD 2.5 billion in forex outgo.
The oil import bill is being trimmed to bring down current account deficit.
"Shutting petrol pump is an idea that has come to us.
We have not adopted it. It is not my view," Moily said.
Oil Secretary Vivek Rae said there was no plan before the ministry to order petrol pumps in cities to remain shut from 8 pm to 8 am to curb demand for petrol and diesel.
The Minister said Petroleum Conservation and Research Association (PCRA) under his ministry will from September 16 launch a 6 week campaign to promote conservation of petrol, diesel and LPG.
Moily had also written a detailed note to the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on shaving off upto USD 20 billion out of the USD 144.293 billion oil import bill of 2012-13.
The August 30 note does not talk of shutting petrol pumps in the night but details out conservation campaign as well as raising oil imports from Iran to cut import bill.
Moily said we are planning many austerity measures and urged people to save fuel.
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Astrology
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Aries March 21 to April 19
You may have felt very creative lately, especially as your ruling planet Mars works through that sector of your life. As a cardinal sign, you may feel the need to start something new, and today may be no different. The desire may not always deliver something new, however, and that may feel like a restless challenge. One of the best ways to work through this mild distraction would be to get moving. A long run or workout might allow you to feel as if you accomplished something, and it will be a healthy outlet.
Taurus April 20 to May 20
Family obligations and house chores may fill up your calendar. Despite the necessity of daily routines, you may be more motivated than usual. With Mars moving through your home sector, you may have an obligation to tidy up and make repairs. Simple steps may make all the difference if you can allocate some of your time to tend to the maintenance of your home. You may actually enjoy the feeling of having done something tangible.
Gemini May 21 to June 20
 You may enjoy conversations about alternative health practices and new dietary plans. An interesting article may have caught your eye, and you love the curiosity factor of researching and following a lead. The shared dialogue with a friend over lunch or in an email exchange may get you interesting links to informative websites that provide a wealth of information on your topic. You may experience a real drive to connect the facts so that you become better informed and confident about your health.
Cancer June 21 to July 22
A certain financial topic may catch your eye today. This may be a notice from your bank or even a text message from one of your friends who may owe you money or vice versa. It may be wise to settle your accounts while the topic is fresh in your mind. You may have to go to some rather creative steps to make ends meet, but you may be motivated to address the topic and make sure all of your accounts are settled.
Leo July 23 to Aug. 22
 This may be an excellent day to solve a few tasks around the home. You may already have many things on your to-do list, and the day may be just right for checking a few items off in order for your life to move smoothly. If the opportunity arises, take advantage of Mars guiding you to accomplish and feel better about your home.
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Value of rupee same in India, dollar has become expensive: Madhya Pradesh Congress unit
NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh might be trying to assuage investor sentiments and a worried political class over depreciating rupee, but for Congress' Madhya Pradesh state unit, it is not the rupee that has depreciated but only dollar has become more expensive.
No, that is not warped logic.
But if the official Facebook page of the state unit is anything to go by, all is well with our economy.
"The value of rupee is the same in India... Only the value of dollar has increased... The value of rupee has not fallen.
How many of you people go to the market to buy dollars? How many of you come back with dollars? The value of dollar has increased only for those who buy dollars.
For those people who go to foreign countries to buy dollars," says a post on the Facebook page of Madhya Pradesh Congress unit "MPCCOfficial".
Posted on August 28, the post has triggered a lot of jibes with people even arguing that everything becomes expensive with a depreciating rupee.
But Congressmen manning the account remained unfazed and gave "go swadeshi" logic to incensed followers.
"Don't buy things that become expensive with an appreciating dollar. Like gold and imported items.
Don't buy them. Once you buy swadeshi items, everything... gold and imported items will all become affordable for you," one of the replies reads.
The state Congress chief Kantilal Bhuria was not available for comments.
Congress spokesperson Bhakta Charan Das completely rejected this post saying, "You cannot deny facts. Economics is arithmetic.
You cannot give such rustic arguments for such serious matters.
What can I comment on something like this? Maybe the person who has been handling the account doesn't know anything about economy.
It should be ignored.
I am glad you have pointed this out.
We will pass on the information to the state unit."
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The truth about energy drinks
An instant boost from sugar and caffeine does more harm than good
They come in cool colours, and with cooler promises. Youngsters are besotted by an array of energy drinks lining the shelves alongside aerated drinks. But does a dose of energy these cans and bottles offer really help? Read on to know...
Caffeine kicks and sugary threats
Energy drinks have a very high content of caffeine and sugar that work at making you feel fresh and energised. And too much of caffeine can cause jitters, a fast heartbeat, and trouble sleeping, warns Dr Mursalin Shaikh.
Also, though the sugar provides a burst of energy, watch out for a phenomenon called as 'sugar crash' — when this energy wears off. This makes one feel very tired all over again. Thus, they are definitely not meant for sporting activities, stresses Deepshikha Agarwal, a sports nutritionist. "And the presence of quinine, that's used in drinks for giving them the fizz, is anyway bad for the bones," she says.
Further, the high sugar content can lead to weight gain, and also cause cavities, informs Dr Ather Wani, a dentist. "Do not have them too often, and whenever you do, make sure you rinse your mouth," he says.
Addiction troubleCaffeine can be addictive, whether it's tea, coffee or energy drinks. So in case you don't happen to find one, you may get headaches, become cranky and or feel tired for a few days. A pediatrician,Dr Bhandarkar says that as these drinks taste sweet, children are also attracted to them.
However, parents should definitely discourage younger children from having both, sports as well as energy drinks, "As it can cause electrolyte abnormalities. Hence, while it's a strict no-no for younger children, in case if teens, involved in sports and physical activities, subscribe to it, it should only be under supervision."
Source of vitamins and amino acids
Most energy drinks claim the presence of vitamins and even amino acids, popular with those high on body building.
"However, it's much cheaper and safer to get the from multi-vitamin supplements instead," urges Dr Shaikh. Or better, follow a well-balanced diet and opt for alternatives in form of natural juices. Agarwal recommends grape fruit juice and orange juice as good alternatives to replenish the lost electrolytes after a physical activity.
Go natural
Energy drinks should not be confused with sports drinks, says Agarwal. The former doesn't replace water and minerals one loses when we sweat. In fact the caffeine can actually make you more dehydrated. Simply drink water instead.
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Virgo Aug. 23 to Sept. 22
You may be in the final stages of a project. You may feel better if you can take a step back and review your progress with a trusted aide. The outside objectivity may feel just right, and he or she may offer suggestions that you overlooked. The details are important, and this person can certainly add to the quality of the finished product, so the exercise may be worth it in the long run.
Libra Sept. 23 to Oct. 22
Working with your friends and business associates may be an exhilarating experience, but it can also have challenges. One thing that often gets in the way is the topic of expenses. Budgets and resources can often be overlooked when collaborations occur. Assumptions may be made that require rectification later. This may be an opportune time to review those expenses and ascertain that they are in order. This may help clear the air and provide a firmer footing from which to work together.
Scorpio Oct. 23 to Nov. 21
 If you stand your ground at work, you may actually make significant progress. The only downside might be that because you are so responsible, you will end up taking on more responsibility or everyone will come running to you. While this might be a compliment of sorts, you might also get more than you bargained for. The recognition might be worthwhile, but you may have to weigh the cost.
Sagittarius Nov. 22 to Dec. 21
As a natural adventurer, you may have to wind up a few details before you can fly away. Last-minute meetings or responsibilities may pop up before you can head to the airport. As long as you are cognizant of this, you can easily work around it. You may realize in the process that it sometimes pay off to get the simple details ironed out before you get too far. If you are efficient, you will see much better results.
Capricorn Dec. 22 to Jan. 19
 Your curiosity may be piqued by a new group of friends who share a common goal. You may meet them through a mutual acquaintance or another meeting. The significance may be apparent in the topic that brings you all together. You might explore new spiritual avenues or look at expanding your understanding of a lifestyle that has you interested. You may have to do background work or read to come up to speed, but the work may be worth it in the end.
Aquarius Jan. 20 to Feb. 18
 Work may have you chasing your tail and while that invariably means extra effort on your part, there may be something quite rewarding about it in the long run. You may be determined to find the right people to work on a project. Finding the appropriate players can be a challenge in itself. If you have made solid connections and people on whom you can depend, and you may be quite happy with the outcome. You may want to choose your help carefully.
Pisces Feb. 19 to March 20
This may be a significant time for delving into research about health alternatives. Saturn will move through your investigation sector and that bodes well for absorbing new information. There may be a distinct dedication regarding this area of your life. This may be the best time to follow through on your curious thoughts. This may also be a great time to look into helping others with information that you collect. Others in your life may benefit greatly from your insight.
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Moral Story
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SMS
"Heart Touching SMS:
Boys sometimes Misunderstand the Friendship as Love.!
But, Girls always Misunderstand the Love as Friendship..."
LOVE & RELATIONSHIPS
“Every couple has ups and downs, every couple argues, and that’s the thing—you’re a couple, and couples can’t function without trust.”
LEADERSHIP & SUCCESS
"The best executive is the one who has sense enough to pick good men to do what he wants done, and self-restraint enough to keep from meddling with them while they do it."
Wife: I wish I was a newspaper
so I would be in ur hands allday.
Husband: I too wish that u were
a newspapers so I could have
a new one everyday.'
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Lucknow University may begin PhD admission process this week
LUCKNOW: The admission process for Doctorate of Philosophy (PhD) seats at Lucknow University (LU) is likely to begin this week. The university may announce the number of vacant PhD seats by Wednesday, after which the admission process will start. Most of the departments have submitted the details regarding vacant seats in them. The university is likely to have about 300 seats in 40 departments.
LU will rope in the National Informatics Centre (NIC) for developing the software for PhD admissions.
Vice-chancellor SB Nimse held a meeting with admission coordinators last week to finalize the details of PhD admission process. For the vacant seats, candidates holding Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) will be given preference on the vacant seats. In departments where the number of JRF applications would be more than the vacant seats, entrance test for JRF candidates would be held. In departments where JRF applications would be less than the vacant seats, non-JRF candidates would be eligible for admission through entrance test.
The admission process would be similar to the one followed last year. The state government is yet to decide whether to hold a common entrance test (CET) for PhD admission or allow universities to conduct their respective entrance tests. LU vice-chancellor SB Nimse has asked the higher education department to its PhD admission process from CET.
The state government had in August 2011 announced that admissions to PhD will be done through CET. The decision was taken as per the recommendations of UGC to hold subject-wise common entrance test for PhD courses. The main reason for conducting CET was to enable students to apply for admissions in all state universities through a single application form and to bring uniformity in the admission process. Last year, the CET was conducted by Ram Manohar Lohia Avadh University, Faizabad. Nearly one lakh candidates took the test and 32,000 were declared successful. The qualified candidates were given eligibility certificate which was valid for two years. Even though the results were declared, most state universities - Meerut, Bareilly, Jaunpur, Jhansi, Kanpur, Agra, Faizabad and Kashi Vidyapeeth - were unable to admit qualified candidates due to the government's inability to make available the model draft for common PhD ordinances to be adopted by state universities. The draft was provided to universities only in June this year. However, admissions were given in Lucknow University and Gorakhpur University as they sought exemption from CET on grounds that they had already notified their admission process and initiated application process. The two universities had also made changes in the ordinances as per the UGC regulations, 2009.
Delay in admissions has forced the government to re-think on the centralized PhD admission process. Higher education officials said the PhD session should be regular. There is a possibility that this year universities would do their own PhD admissions. However, those who qualified last year will be given preference.
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Gareth Bale joins Real Madrid in world-record transfer
LONDON: After the summer's most drawn-out transfer saga, it's finally official: Gareth Bale is Real Madrid player.
Madrid announced Sunday that Bale had joined on a six-year contract, and a person familiar with the deal said the fee was a world-record 100 million euros ($132 million). The person spoke on condition of anonymity because financial details are not being disclosed.
"I am not sure there is ever a good time to leave a club where I felt settled and was playing the best football of my career to date," Bale said in a statement published on the Tottenham website. "I know many players talk of their desire to join the club of their boyhood dreams, but I can honestly say, this is my dream come true."
Bale will be paraded at Madrid's stadium on Monday after undergoing a medical examination.
Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas said earlier in the week that Bale's move was set to be "the biggest transfer in world football," and the fee eclipses the (euro) 93 million Madrid paid Manchester United for Cristiano Ronaldo in 2009.
Madrid, whose annual revenue reaches (euro) 500 million, previously broke the transfer record in 2009 when Kaka joined from AC Milan for 65 million euros ($92 million).
All three blockbuster deals came under Florentino Perez, the club president who built the "Galacticos" team that included David Beckham, Zinedine Zidane and Figo.
The move for Bale, who had around three years remaining on his Tottenham contract, caps a rapid rise from White Hart Lane misfit to one of European football's most exciting players.
The 24-year-old Welsh winger has dazzled audiences around the world with swerving free kicks, defense-splitting surges and mesmerizing footwork.
But Bale was frustrated that Tottenham only qualified once for the Champions League, the stage where the world took notice of his talents for the first time in the 2010-11 season.
Now he's joining a club that has won the European Cup nine times.
"I am well aware that I would not be at the level I am today were it not for firstly Southampton and then Spurs standing by me during some of the tougher times and affording me the environment and support they have," Bale said. "Tottenham will always be in my heart and I'm sure that this season will be a successful one for them. I am now looking forward to the next exciting chapter in my life, playing football for Real Madrid."
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Zanjeer
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Zanjeer
Movie Name : Zanjeer
Release Date : September 6, 2013
Genre : Action, Thriller
Producer : Reliance Entertainment, Puneet Prakash Mehra (Hindi) ,Sumeet Prakash Mehra (Hindi), Amit Mehra (Telugu), Flying Turtle Films
Director : Apoorva Lakhia
Music Director : Anand Raj Anand, Meet Bros Anjjan, Chirantan Bhatt
Cast : Ram Charan, Priyanka Chopra, Sanjay Dutt (Hindi), Srihari (Telugu), Prakash Raj, Mahi Gill, Ankur Bhatia, Atul Kulkarni , Tanikella Bharani (Telugu)
Synopsis:
Zanjeer (English: Shackles; titled Toofan in Telugu) is an upcoming Indian action film directed by Apoorva Lakhia, shot simultaneously in Hindi and Telugu. The film marks the Bollywood debut of popular Tollywood actor Ram Charan in the lead role along with Priyanka Chopra. Prakash Raj joins the cast after success in Hindi films, like Wanted, Singham, and Dabangg 2. It is a remake of the 1973 Hindi film of the same name. The Hindi version of the film is to be dubbed in Chinese as Chialo Kaxlaug. The Telugu version of the film is to be dubbed in Tamil and Malayalam. The release date is scheduled for September 6, 2013
Zanjeer in USA by BlueSky. The first look and official theatrical trailer of Toofan (Telugu version) have been launched by Reliance Entertainment on its YouTube Official Channel on 25 March 2013 to rave public response, featuring Ram Charan, Priyanka Chopra, Prakash Raj and Srihari. Ram Charan's Toofan First Look Trailers and Wallpapers have been released on March 25, 2013
The First look and theatrical trailer of Zanjeer (Hindi version) was released on 4 July 2013. The dubbing process started from 26 March 2013, where Sanjay Dutt plays the role essayed by Srihari. Sanjay Dutt finishes Zanjeer filming - with only a few days left at his disposal before he returns to jail.
The Telugu version of the film is titled Toofan and is in Post Production stage. The director planned in for a 25-day schedule in Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh from November 14 to December 5, 2012. Priyanka Chopra joined the shooting, her first schedule for this film. It was reported that Ram Charan has done some risky stunts for Zanjeer.
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The Statue of Liberty's tablet is two feet thick.
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" INSPIRING STORY "
Hospital window
Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room. One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs. His bed was next to the room’s only window. The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back. The men talked for hours on end. They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, where they had been on vacation.
Every afternoon when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the window.
The man in the other bed began to live for those one hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and color of the world outside.
The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake. Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every color and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance.
As the man by the window described all this in exquisite detail, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine the picturesque scene.
One warm afternoon the man by the window described a parade passing by.
Although the other man couldn’t hear the band – he could see it. In his mind’s eye as the gentleman by th! e window portrayed it with descriptive words.
Days and weeks passed.
One morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths only to find the lifeless body of the man by the window, who had died peacefully in his sleep. She was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take the body away.
As soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone.
Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the real world outside.
He strained to slowly turn to look out the window beside the bed.
It faced a blank wall. The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased roommate who had described such wonderful things outside this window
The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not even see the wall.
She said, “Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you.”
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“Success is a lousy teacher. It seduces smart people into thinking they can't lose.”
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