Government ought to tackle distractions to lessen car accidents

It may be that you are not aware but the concept of talking on or sending text messages with cell phones while driving has become not only problematic but also a bane by now and the brunt is being felt by the concerned government departments and officials only. Even though the problem has become rampant in leading metropolises across the globe, US is feeling the heat to the greatest extent but the laws banning the aforesaid tasks are already proved as effete. In brief, they have failed to make any substantial impact; the risk of traffic accidents has not lessened considerably. What can be done then? Experts advocate managing the problem of distracted drivers in general seems to be the best option at the moment.

Now the question remains whether this is feasible or not. Well, we have to get into the observations of Highway Loss Data Institute, a nonprofit organization funded by the auto insurance industry, at the outset. The Institute made a detailed analysis (through minute comparison) of monthly collision claims in four states, known for banishing handheld cell phone use prior to and after the bans became operative. The researchers have the conviction that car collision rates didn't alter after bans became operational--and they didn't change for nearby states devoid of such bans, either.

The study makes it clear that laws prohibiting handheld phone practice have been useful in getting people to bring hands-free devices for driving into play. However, it fails to ensure that
hands-free devices have lessened the number of car accidents that take place in general. The situation, if truth be told, is baffling indeed.

What conclusion can be drawn from here? Each and every aspect indicates that the problem starts and ends with the driver and above all with his/her distraction. To cut a long story short, instead of cell phone, distraction leads to accidents and its burgeoning effect on the society. Bear in mind that distraction can be anything ranging from texting a message in cell phone, programming a GPS navigation system, eating French fries to anything else.

Government has to deal with distraction instead of phones or texting to decrease number of accidents.

Proper rest makes brain more active

Whatever may be the advancements in the medical world, brain is still an enigma and hence, lots of rumors and certainly speculations do revolve around the same. Do you know why at times we fail to remember most common things? Learn the answer from here. As stated by a panel of eminent researchers, it may be that you or any concerned person or even we think of the same too often. Do you find any difference? You may since this is the age that doesn’t believe that an idle mind is a devil’s workshop.

Lots of changes are happening almost at each moment and more are still to come; hence, it is the time for you to look at those that have remained unnoticed thus far. So long scientists used to concentrate on volunteers in action, appraising their physiological or biochemical responses as they completed specific mental tasks. However, a sea change has occurred recently and the credit in this regard goes to the proliferation of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), accurately maps brain activity founded on changes in blood-oxygen levels. With the help of it neuroscientists have concluded that crucial activity in the brain — connected specifically to memory and learning — may crop up when it is at rest.

Is this study any wonder? Perhaps not since copious numbers of studies over the past decade have made it clear that sleep is exceedingly important to the consolidation of memories and learning; what is more, people who take a nap after learning a new task, for instance, remember it better in contrast to people who don't have forty winks.

Now as per as the novel study from the lab of New York University (NYU) cognitive neuroscientist Lila Davachi, there is akin evidence that the brain at rest, even while remaining awake, is conducting significant action. In short, the scientist suggests that certain forms of brain activity actually augment during waking rest and are associated with better memory consolidation.

New form of journalism to get unfolded

What is the future of journalism? Let me put the question in this way. What is the future of print journalism? Is it going to be as extinct as the dinosaur very soon? The question is quite obvious, the existing trends do confirm that the days of print journalism are too limited and the way in which web-based journalism has started to control the scenario already, we are heading towards a web-based revolution in the journalism industry too. Perhaps you have already become acquainted with the term online journalism. But what you were familiar with was nothing save for the first generation of the same online journalism; surfacing of the new Apple iPad is going to change the rest altogether straight away and analysts assume that may happen in an instant.

Are you getting flummoxed thanks to this bombardment of info? Let me help you. Have you seen Minority Report? I’m talking of Steven Spielberg's 2002 sci-fi spectacular. Can you recall the scene when the main protagonist or Tom Cruise is sitting on a near-future subway car, and a passenger across the aisle is reading a paper-based USA Today? What does the scene speak about and consist of? On the front page was moving video of Cruise underneath a headline warning that he was running wild. Then the headline changes to depict the other top stories of the moment, round about mid-21st century. Do you get the idea? Perhaps we are heading towards the same right away.

Maybe you are still having troubles to envisage the near future. Let me put in this way that the day when integrated circuits, wireless connectivity and impressionable screens can combine to project images on a paper-based product is not far away. And whatever may be the dominating troubles of the current market economy, necessity knows no law and thanks to this age-old principle, we will conform to the new notion and discard the old at the same instant.

What shall be the new business models and pattern of jobs then? Old order will change yielding place to new and a new form of journalism will get unfolded.

Scourge of texting while driving getting almost omnipotent

Surely there is no one who is yet to know of texting, communication by means of sending a text message to a mobile phone or other electronic device. Well, even if the definition looks to be simple, the reality is just the opposite and the passion of texting, believe it or not, has become almost a scourge in several metropolises across the globe. How can this scourge be checked? The pertinent governments are devoid of any precise answer yet and what is more frightening is that a recent study states clearly, state laws meant to desist drivers from texting are effete in reality and have hardly any effect on crash rates.

The study was conducted in New York, Washington, D.C., Connecticut and California and the Highway Loss Data Institute left no stone unturned in comparing hits of 100 insured vehicles per year in four different jurisdictions previous to and after bans on handheld cell phone use and texting became operative. It is to be noted that data were also collected from states in close proximity for comparison. Days of arduous struggle made the researchers conclude that monthly fluctuations in crash rates didn't amend after bans were enacted and what is more, rates of crashes compared to places close at hand devoid of texting or handheld phone bans also didn't change.

What were the earlier deductions then? Earlier studies by the Institute, funded by insurance companies, did come across four-fold increases in injury-related crash risk linked with cell phone use, as a result this result was surprising to a great extent. However, the Institute is not ready to take this lesson lightly and on the word of its President Adrian Lund, it has got busy in gathering data to comprehend this disparity.

What can be the possible reasons behind this occurrence? If we rely on Adrian Lund, drivers are simply switching to hands-free phone use. Some studies even suggest that the hazard of hands-free phone use when driving is little different from that handheld phone use.

Coca Cola – newest prey of a global desire

Why is Coke always in news? Well, it is one of the most preferred drinks and as per the claim of the company, it records 6 billion servings per day of its 500 brands in 200 nations and if it is a reality, the company has lots of reasons to boast of. However there have been sordid developments as well and several malpractices connected with Coke have caught our attentions. While on one hand it has been maligned for (allegedly) violating environmental chastity, on the other hand it has been framed for other misdemeanors also. But, it is back in news again and at this time, it is due to the new allegation – coke is an excellent biofuel.

Experts suggest, even though many consider the same as one of the best drinks known hitherto, other than having carbohydrates and caffeine to make one revel it, Coca Cola is a sugary drink that is enough competent to run even a mobile phone. Is this true? Can this be accepted? The question is quite difficult since it is not expected that a globally acclaimed company can dupe its own loyal clientele in this way. It is also heard at times that Coke is used as an outstanding industrial cleaner and is used by hospitals to keep catheters clean and US police apparently make use of it to wash blood off the road.

The situation is quite baffling, without a doubt. However a new study refutes all these and sneers at the development. As per it if phosphoric acid is used to generate energy in Coke, lots of beverages and foods contain more phosphorous. While Coca-Cola classic contains 41 mg of phosphorous per 8 ounce serving, milk contains 228 mg per 8 ounce and peanuts have 288 mg per ½ cup serving. How can Coca Cola be held culpable then?

On the word of Adam Best, a scientist from Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), a coke powered battery is improbable to be commercially used for the reason that it is will not be well-organized and also pricey to make.

What is the reality then? Truly speaking, whenever crude oil prices skyrockets, a new search for alternative miracles commences and Coca Cola has become the newest prey of a global desire.

Dubai real estate getting vulnerable to Chinese dragon!

It doesn’t matter whether one is strong or weak, it, if there is any prospect, has to undergo continual onslaughts from imperialist powers. You may consider this as a ramshackle and effete feudal war principle and hence, it has got rejected by now but in reality, only you are erroneous. The same notion exists in full force, only the domain and way of expressing the same has changed, and realty sector of Dubai is going to be its new target.

The one and only reason is that a group of Chinese investors is close to arrive in Dubai next month with the aim of capitalising on hard-pressed properties now available in the market and the same has been confirmed by media reports posted on the Chinese Ministry of Commerce official website. It has been learnt that the group comprising twenty investors from the Zhejiang province in eastern China is contriving to visit Dubai at the end of February.

"When they learned of such an opportunity to visit Dubai, more than twenty members expressed an interest in joining the visiting group," Zhou Dewen, head of the Wenzhou SME (small and medium-sized enterprises) Business Development and Promotion Association, told the English-language China Daily newspaper. "Although the economy there has not revived yet, we believe big business opportunities exist not only in property, but also in export trading," he added.

What makes these investors interested in Dubai all of a sudden? If we rely on reports, investors from Wenzhou were badly affected by the downturn in their local property market and on the word of Zhou, the group may have lost up to $7.4bn on their investments in the region. Nevertheless, the region is having a direct property link to the emirate. Around 150,000 Chinese expatriates are learnt to live in Dubai and the report says in the region of 20,000 of them are from the Wenzhou region.

But this not all and there are more factors to mull over. Analysts are considering that the government of China is also taking active interest in the realty sector of Dubai and any such attempt of industrialists will benefit China, already recognised to expand its tentacles in several sectors across the globe.

Wake up Kashmiri Hindus

Let me begin with a very short narrative. During the last October, two persons, completely unknown to each other prior to the summit, had a chance meeting in New Delhi, national capital of India, thanks to a human rights conference on refugee problems across the globe. While one Kartik Banerjee came all the way from Calcutta, the other one Manish Kaul has roots in the Kashmir valley. There was nothing common between the two, hailing from two different cultures except two. Both of them were Hindus and victims of Islamic persecutions. Mr. Banerjee is a Bengali Hindu driven out from current Bangladesh, representing a community waiting for justice for the last 63 years, Mr. Kaul is a Kashmiri Hindu in quest of justice for last 20 years. Both of them still shiver due to their horrific experiences; Mr. Banerjee can’t forget incidents that reduced his community from 29% in 1948 to less than 10% currently, Mr. Kaul still has memories of 19 th January, when Kashmiri Hindus were shown the door (for eternity?).

What is most unfortunate, even after 20 years most of India is unaware of the horrific developments that led to the expulsion and of the day when all hell broke loose in the valley of Kashmir on the peaceful, patriotic community of Kashmiri Hindus. What is their condition at present? The whole community has been left in lurch but still hopes that one day it shall return to the native land.

Well, they have received lots of assurances in the meantime both by the Union governments and self-claimed custodians of the Hindu society. But if one has to comprehend the staggering reality, he must visit Kashmiri Hindu refugee camps in Mishriwala, Jammu. They are languishing in refugee camps, don’t know how long they will be there and many youngsters have not only become frustrated and lost hopes but are found to fume also at the uncanny antipathy of the Indian governments, irrespective of party ideologies.

Now the question remains can there be any comeback. If we take into account Indian government’s dealing with Bengali Hindus, the answer is no. It can’t be since the Indian psyche, thanks to slavery of Hindus throughout the last millennium, can’t get pro-active ever. Whom should Kashmiri Hindus go for justice then? Should they go for UN or Amnesty International? It’s not known whether these premier human rights organizations are even aware of plights of these hapless people. Truly speaking, I don’t know.

But surely you can’t ask of the same to the community that gave birth to Fatah, Hamas, Hezbollah or even Black September, responsible for the Munich massacre, when members of the Israeli Olympic team were taken hostage and finally murdered. What do these make us conclude? Islam is not a religion but a political doctrine that thrives through rapid expansions to the detriment of Kafirs or infidels.

There is another question. What ails the Sangh or self-claimed custodians of Hindus? Are they mere paper tigers? If the developments are analyzed, they will definitely prove to be worse than that. Do you recall Maulana Masood Azhar still? The dreaded Pakistani terrorist was freed by the Indian government in exchange of passengers on the hijacked Indian Airlines Flight 814 (IC814) that had eventually landed in Kandahar, Afghanistan and the whole program was supervised by BJP’s iron man, known for melting at each and every occasion.

What can India do for Kashmiri Hindus then? There is no answer as India is lost in political squabbles, behaving like a rudderless ship and Kashmiri Hindus have to make their own destiny.

Hence, instead of expecting India to wake up, Kashmiri Hindus must wake up if they still have the desire to exist and flourish.

Kolkata surpasses others in property values

Perhaps, after going through decades of “stable stagnation”, thanks to Leftist morons and their belligerence and Center’s anti-Bengali Hindu mindset, Kolkata is having a resurgence. Recent reports suggest that Kolkata, once called the second city after London in British Empire, is gearing up bit by bit through capitalizing on the recent worldwide developments and has already started surpassing other prominent Indian cities, especially in the realty sector.

In accordance with the National Housing Bank’s (NHB) Residex—an index of property prices, property values in Kolkata have risen at the fastest pace among Indian metros ever since 2007. To be brief, property values in Kolkata did increase by an average of 16.8% while those in Bangalore fell by 15.6% in the period. Fewer speculative deals and lower base prices witnessed the eastern Indian metropolis surpass hotter property markets such as Mumbai and Delhi, where property values rose at a comparatively sedate average of 7.5% and 7.3%, respectively.

What is the job of NHB residex then? NHB residex had its inception in July 2007 and is credited for measuring property prices in six-monthly intervals precisely. The index, at this point in time, captures data submitted by a variety of sources, including housing finance companies and real estate agents, for 15 cities, with plans to widen the index to 63 so-called tier I cities and state capitals in the future. As per NHB, among the 15 cities, only the Bengal capital Kolkata, Faridabad in the national capital region, and Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh saw average double-digit growth in this period.

What has led to this sudden development? On the word of NHB officials, one of the reasons for Kolkata’s numbers was people investing the proceeds of the Sixth Pay Commission payouts last year. Jaipur, on the other hand, did face declines on account of massive oversupply.

Google wishes for to command US online realty industry

Is Google, globally acclaimed internet giant, has one and only aim and that is to become omnipotent in all sectors? Don’t consider this as any repartee and we have no better way to express the recent happenings. Google Inc., as per an assortment of reports, is on the verge of entering the realty sector with a great might but what it does wish for is to have a complete sway in the segment of online real estate.

How can one be so sure? Well, this question is quite obvious but if we take cue from an executive of the search giant, saying at a conference last week that they are "actively looking to acquire one to two small real estate companies a month”, we get somewhat convinced. However there is a quandary still. Sam Sebastian of Google used the word “small” for several times (quite deliberately) and this has led to a new problem. Because the very word can take on a range of definitions for a company with a market value of $184 billion.

All these indicate that Google Inc. is set to grab hold of mounting sector of online real estate and will leave no stone unturned to trounce others. Many analysts are considering that the development may induce Google to take over a few realty companies in Seattle, the focus of the US online real estate industry.

Which companies are getting most susceptible to the mighty onslaught of Google? Many are terming that the most prominent of them is San Francisco-based Trulia, others include the Bellevue company, ActiveRain and Redfin; both of them do hail from Seattle.

Google Inc. is an American public corporation, earning revenue from advertising related to its Internet search, e-mail, online mapping, office productivity, social networking, and video sharing services as well as selling advertising-free versions of the same technologies and has also developed an open source web browser and a mobile operating system. The company, if truth be told, is running thousands of servers worldwide, which process millions of search requests each day and about 1 petabyte of user-generated data every hour.

3-D TV is hit, more innovations needed to make it blockbuster

Innovation at times is not only the mantra of success but also happens to be the lifeblood of a civilization and due to the absence of the same, we lose momentum and the life becomes futile. Isn’t it? But this is not the case with the worldwide entertainment industry as counting on 2009’s biggest blockbuster Avatar, foremost TV manufacturers are all set to find out a new alternative. It is the saga of 3-D TVs and if everything goes in the right direction, Hollywood is going to have this future before long.

It has already been learnt that celebrated worldwide TV manufacturers are placing a big bet on 3-D video with exceptional high-end televisions scheduled for commercial release this year.

Now the question remains will the same become victorious. Even though it is too early to predict, there is already a huge thrill among commoners and only in the last week, Consumer Electronics Show attendees, putting on dorky glasses, crowded booths of Sony, Panasonic, LG, Toshiba, Mitsubishi and Samsung only to have a look at the big-screen 3-D TVs on display. The development is impressive, without a shred of doubt, and it has made a number of video companies consider that 3-D TV will be huge this year.

Will you go for the same? This is a big question also since only a few persons will be ready to wear dorky glasses to watch a 3-D soccer game. There is the need of other things as well and these include 3-D-capable Blu-ray player or, in the future, cable box. Besides, you’ll have to pay money for special Blu-ray discs that are clearly labeled to make use of the same 3-D tech as your TV and glasses. So look before you leap since there is a scarcity of all these apposite tools in the market.

But this reality is failing to cow leading manufacturers as they have the conviction that consumers will come along for the 3-D ride ultimately. The Consumer Electronics Association reckons that 4 million 3-D TV sets will be sold in 2010, the majority of them in the fourth quarter.

Indian realty projects yielding to slums

The word slum may appear as alien to a great part of the world, especially to the populace of both United States and Europe, even though it enjoys a huge presence in Asia and certainly Indian subcontinent, better to say in India. What is a slum then? Well, if we do follow the definition ordained by United Nations agency UN-HABITAT, it is a derelict area of a city characterized by inferior housing and squalor and lacking in tenure security.

In accordance with the studies of United Nations, the proportion of urban dwellers living in slums diminished from 47 percent to 37 percent in the developing world between 1990 and 2005. Nevertheless, on account of increasing population, the number of slum dwellers is also rising. One billion people worldwide live in slums and the figure will likely grow to 2 billion by 2030. You can surely understand what can be the situation in India then.

What is more, the most affected city in the realm of this budding superpower is Mumbai, its financial capital and as per studies, no less than 55% of the city’s populace, if not more, dwells in slums and the adjoining cities like Pune are also witnessing the same scenario increasingly.

Is the indigenous government having any plan to deal with the same issue? Well, it, like a true unprofessional and effete entity, seems to be baffled and the latest reality is that local builders and developers association are afraid of that new slums will crop up in the city owing to paucity of development planning on the part of the government and the PMC. What can be done then? However, it is also true that slum leaders and organizations demand reasonable housing and apposite restoration.

"The fact is that lack of proper development plans has resulted in new slums. There are patches of land in the city which are sold by owners in fragmentation as the state government is not taking a decision on change in intention (that is to convert agriculture land into residential purpose). New slums will come up here and again a new rehabilitation plan will follow," says Confederation of Real Estate Developers Association of India (Credai) Pune president Satish Magar. The process goes on likewise for the eternity hence.

Studies reveal that other Indian states are also moving towards the same direction bit by bit. What’s about realty projects and lofty dreams of ensuring better living standards to commoners then? Dump it for now.

UK Gurkha veterans would fight on despite losing case of equal pension

Let’s begin with these statements, it may make the topic easier for you. On the word of erstwhile Chief of Staff of the Indian Army, Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw, “If a man says he is not afraid of dying, he is either lying or he is a Gurkha.” Heed this too. As said by none other than the Nazi dictator Adolph Hitler, if he had Gurkhas then he can win all over the world. He went further and said "there is nothing in the world I scare of but Gurkhas."

I think that you are already impressed and have already borne some veneration of the Gurkhas. Truly speaking, a Gurkha or a member of Hindu people descended from Brahmins and Rajputs who live in Nepal is one of the most fearless persons the world has ever known and the aforesaid statements prove their commitments to the cause, valiance and certainly fierceness in combat. Even the former British Empire regarded it as one of the brightest jewels in the royal crown and had no other way save for taking one Gurkha brigade back home after the Indian independence in 1947.

Nevertheless all these greatest virtues and valor prove to be futile for UK Gurkha veterans as they have lost their High Court attempt to claim the same pensions as their British comrades. The Hon’ble court rejected their case that the Ministry of Defence illegitimately discriminated against them on the grounds of age and race. It is to be noted that the Gurkha veterans were tying their best so as to raise the pensions of those who retired before 1997, which are a third of those paid to British soldiers.

What is more shameful, even these payouts are only available to troops who served for at least 15 years. Nevertheless the Gurkhas were supported by 90 MPs, including Tory Ann Widdecombe. She said: 'It is an injustice to give a pension based on their country of origin instead of the country in whose Army they loyally served.'

What shall be the next step of the hapless Gurkha community? True to their spirit, Gurkhas are still stubborn and as per Major Tikendra Dewan, Chairman of the BGWS, they would fight on despite the 'shattering blow'. He added: 'We are bitterly disappointed. We had hoped British justice would prevail.

'All we were asking for is equal pay for equal service, so Gurkha veterans can live in dignity. But we will appeal and take it to the European Court of Human Rights if necessary.'

Is Malaysia becoming India’s realty destination gradually?

Why shouldn’t Malaysia move on further when most of others enthused by decline of worldwide recession are doing the same? Even if anyone thinks quite the reverse, he is highly erroneous since Malaysia seems to be recklessly determined to strengthen indigenous realty sector and to pull more foreign direct investments (FDI) into its real estate sector, it is leaving no stone unturned to earn major investments from countries like Singapore, UK, Korea and India. Nevertheless, from an assortment of recently made statements, it seems that India is getting lots of attentions at the moment.

It is to be noted that the Foreign Investment Committee (FIC) of the Government of Malaysia has annunciated of late of a wide-ranging deregulation of investment guidelines to help smooth inflow of investments into the country. What is more, as part of its India investments initiative, the Malaysian government is going to organize a property expo in Chennai from January 22-24. The expo will be inaugurated by Malaysian Prime Minister Mohd Najib Tun Razak, as stated by Kumar Tharmalingam, member, board of governors, Malaysia Property Incorporated (MPI).

“The most important aspect in purchasing Malaysian real estate is the land law system that allows for transparency and enforceability of ownership. Foreigners also have no impediment to buying freehold Malaysian real estate and to sell when the need arises without restriction,” Tharmalingam said.

Is this enough for tempting Indian realty tycoons to Malaysia? If this is your question, let me remind you that only in 2008, Indian investors were the fourth largest in residential property investments in Malaysia after Singapore, UK and Korea. The locations of choice were Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Johor with a price range of $150,000-$300,000.

It has also been learnt that the expo is being organized in tandem with the Confederation of Indian Industry’s Partnership Summit 2010. It will be exhibiting some of Malaysia’s award winning developers and their latest projects. The firms that are going to participate include IJM Berhad, Glomac Berhad, IOI Properties Berhad, Metro Kajang Holdings Berhad, the Eastern Corridor Economic Regional Development, the ministry of tourism, Matrix Concept Holdings Berhad and Zerin Properties.

Google Inc. tarnishes totalitarian China

It’s not sure, thus far, whether Google, globally acclaimed US internet giant will pull out from China finally, but the situation has already become sour and if no miracle happens in the meantime, this is the final option for Google Inc. China seems adamant at the moment. Now the question remains whether this (attempts to hack Gmail accounts of human rights activists) is anything new. Perhaps not and if we heed copious numbers of security firms having good presence in China, this has been a regular affair almost.

However, before proceeding to anything else we must have a good knowledge of present-day China. The country under the communist hegemony has witnessed long days of arduous struggle and in spite of being under the dogma of “collective leadership” is, to put it briefly, an adherent of the principle “party controls the gun”. For that reason anything critical of China and CPC is exceedingly eye sore to the indigenous governance of People's Republic of China, whether it is the Tiananmen Square-famed tank man or human rights activists fighting tooth and nail for Freedom for Tibet to Falun Gong supporters and those involved in Liberation of Taiwan.

It is to be noted each of the aforementioned causes and their supporters remain under the strictest surveillance of CPC and PRC and there is no wonder, taking cue from the recent statement of Mikko Hypponen, of security firm F-Secure, hacking of email accounts of select persons under the auspices of PRC is a day-to-day affair. Nevertheless, defiance of Google is not only uncanny but first-of-its-kind since the majority of companies dealing with the same undue government interferences don’t dare to go public. It has to be taken into account that Google has operated in China ever since 2006 and as per its latest statement, it is no longer willing to censor results on its Chinese search engine as the government call for.

There is another question as well. Is it really the handiwork of PRC government or some excessively potent private bodies? Well, Google Inc. has the conviction that perpetrators or cyber-criminals are highly organized (may find it difficult to wok without a strong backing like government) and hail from China, without a shred of doubt.

Facebook, this was not expected

At times (it may happen to anyone) you get ditched by your close friends and do not have the assured bounty which you were supposed to get. How do you feel then? You feel both cheated and humiliated and pained too, without a shred of doubt. These feelings are with the users of Facebook too, at the moment, believe it or not. A new message appeared on behalf of the Facebook, globally acclaimed social networking website, that it had added a new feature that allows users to respond to comments directly through email without having to log into the site. Unfortunately, the same is not working.

But, nothing appeared like this at the very beginning and on the contrary, millions of users of the social networking website across the globe were indeed happy as browsing through Facebook inbox or check out photos from time to time has become one of the most preferred hobbies by now and getting thrashes in workplaces or schools and colleges for the same is also getting common increasingly. As per the message on the social networking site, this shouldn’t be an issue anymore.

Aside from this, it was also stated without any compunction that unless you alter personal settings in order that they stop incoming email notifications, you are expected to receive an email whenever someone tags you with a picture, video, posts comments on your status or sends you Wall posts. All you have to do, as soon as you receive an email notification about comments, is to click “Reply” and start typing a comment at the top of the email. Then hit “Send” from your email and your reply will automatically be added as a comment on Facebook without you having to even log in.

What is the situation then? It is not working and the reasons from Facebook on the failure is that the company is rolling out the feature over the next couple of weeks. Furthermore, if anyone is unable to have the same, he must be patient and check back again in the next few days; the new facility has been sent to a small percentage of users only.

We can surely understand the bug but it’s evident Facebook, like a true business concern, doesn’t condole with its loyal members. This was certainly not expected.

Bell Labs’ Green Touch initiative set to instate a green future

This is certainly a rare initiative but aside from this, also owing to its noble aim and the colossal endeavor to attain the same, Alcatel-Lucent’s research division, Bell Labs has the right to have both approval and commendation of ours. We have no other way too for the reason that Bell Labs became instrumental in leading the launch of a global consortium of academics, operators and vendors on Monday, tasked with the remit of developing technologies proficient of making the global communications network 1000 times more energy efficient than it is at the moment.

While the launching event was going on in London, it was found that the Green Touch initiative had under its sway noted researchers from industry, academia and government labs, and the enterprise proposed to invent and convey sweeping new approaches to energy efficiency that will play decisive roles in the realm sustainable networks in future. However, what did haunt the invitees was the striking absence of industrial peers on the founders’ roster, but the undaunted Green Touch initiative, in spite of that, didn’t withdraw from issuing an open invitation to all members of the tech and communications community to join the initiative.

On the word of Jeong Kim, President of Bell Labs, the end game of a thousand fold reduction is almost synonymous to being able to power the world’s communications networks, including the internet, for three years using the same amount of energy that it now takes to run them for a single day. He said that this kind of shift has need of a redesigning of the global network’s infrastructure components from the ground up.

“From time to time we need to make a system level change, and not just make incremental advancements to existing technology,” Kim said. “But in order to do this, we need collaboration between engineers and scientists.”

Some of the founding members of the initiative include service providers AT&T, China Mobile, Portugal Telecom, Swisscom and Telefonica; academic research labs: The Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s (MIT) Research Laboratory for Electronics (RLE), Stanford University’s Wireless Systems Lab (WSL), the University of Melbourne’s Institute for a Broadband-Enabled Society (IBES).

StrataXL hopes to thrive high through neighborhood websites

It has come to the knowledge that Vancouver, BC - based StrataXL Software Inc. is going to introduce their neighborhood websites at INMAN News’ Real Estate Connect Conference, January 13-15 2010 at the Marriott Marquis, Time Square. Now the question remains what makes the company interested in online technology all of a sudden. This may be your question too but before drawing any conclusion check the facts mentioned below. It’s a simple request.

In accordance with recently published real estate statistics, majority of home buyers (not less than 87% in any way) initiate their home search online, and 96% make use of the internet at some point in their search. What happens to be their most favored subjects for searching? Well, they happen to be properties in specific neighborhoods. Perchance you can surely comprehend now what makes StrataXL opt for the same.

Nevertheless, StrataXL is both apt and professional and more than anything else it has specialization in creating real estate focused neighborhood websites that connect the communities they are in. It is also true that in many cities there aren’t trouble-free ways to come across all the real estate in one neighborhood, in particular not with comments, rankings, and other social feedback tools.

StrataXL, counting on its own intrinsic capacity, has developed a network of community sites - Liveinsites.com - these sites concentrate on local real estate, whilst providing business directories, news and blog channels for residents, companies, and all users. Keep in mind that these websites do enjoy high rankings in search engines and the only reason is that they do leverage community involvement, and the majority of content is user driven.

Now, make a note of this. At 2010’s Inman Real Estate Connect 2010 Conference, StrataXL will be openly launching their hyper-local-social network of neighborhood websites to a group of technologically savvy real estate industry professionals.

"StrataXL’s network of websites has been in Private Beta for more than a year as we worked out features and tested the system. We are excited to be launching it to the public at such a prestigious event." said company founder Riel Roussopoulos.

Use Realtor.com iPhone app to succeed in realty deal

The credit goes to Realtor.com (R) exclusively for enabling the iPhone(i) users to avail the same. What’s so special then? In short, thanks to Realtor.com (R), from this time forth in excess of 40 million iPhone(i) users can have one-touch mobile access to 4 million properties nationwide and this can be done by means of simply downloading the new Realtor.com® Real Estate Search iPhone app. Bear in mind that the innovative app render the users active access to directly browse the largest and freshest collection of properties available for sale all over the United States of America.

Let’s crack down on the core benefits of users. The feature-rich real estate iPhone app makes it possible for users to have details on their ideal property, find it using the GPS feature, take pictures, save notes using the app's Notes and Rating feature. Then they can send a link to that property in real time by means of email, Twitter or Facebook to family, friends, or a Realtor®. There is hardly any doubt that a quick call and conversation with friends or a Realtor can instantly help settle on if that home remains on the buyer's list.

What would you do then? Remember this that the free Realtor.com Real Estate Search iPhone app is well-matched with iPhone OS 3.0 or higher and the iPod Touch, and can be downloaded at http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/real-estate-search/id336698281?mt=8 or by going to a consumer information page on Realtor.com at www.realtor.com/iphone?source=a27508

Commenting on this, Errol Samuelson, President of Realtor.com, stated, "The Realtor.com iPhone app places the power of Realtor.com in the hands of millions of highly mobile consumers that depend on us to deliver the largest collection of properties with the freshest and most accurate information available on the market." "By combining our unmatched search power with the ability to instantly share listings and feedback by email, Twitter or Facebook from an iPhone, millions now have mobile access to a phenomenal property search experience superior to other apps already on the market. We expect Realtors and their clients will appreciate the ease and convenience that our app brings to their experience as they work together to find the ideal property."

VoIP is exceedingly useful and necessary; bag it now

A time comes, rarely in history, when you can’t proceed with the conventional notions any longer and owing to the onslaught of new thoughts, you have to accept the new reality. This does happen once in a blue moon but, at this point in time, we are witnessing the same through Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). What is VoIP then? Well, it is a general term for a family of transmission technologies for delivery of voice communications over IP networks such as the Internet or other packet-switched networks. What is more vital to mention is that this novel process of for person-to-person communication has changed the overall scenario substantially and some precise VoIP features are playing the foremost roles.

What are those? What make them allure people so much?

The first of them is that it is both user-friendly and cheap to run. Thanks to the presence of the infrastructure already (if you own a high-speed Internet connection), it’s easy on the pocket and you don’t have to get burdened with additional fees. This is also important. In several cases, application of VoIP is just the same for the user as making a regular phone call. He or she only makes use of a phone, and the call goes to the recipient’s phone without delay. Is there any difference then? Well, it is how the information gets transferred, butd this is not your cup of tea and you don’t have bother at all.

The other leading features include VoIP brings forth more information in contrast to others, brings an expansive network into play, renders the very user loads of options. VoIP is also exceedingly accessible (at any time) and owing to its inherent potency, can be used to call from computer to computer.

Bear in mind that VoIP technology can also be applied in order to call a telephone given that the other person is devoid of any VoIP capability. To end with, VoIP can be used to call from phone to phone, too, even though the call’s receiver does not make the most of VoIP.

Aren’t you finding the same as useful and absolutely necessary? VoIP has become the order of the day, bag it straight away.

Can BOPV help India to thwart poliomyelitis?

Perchance, if we begin by sharing some basic information on polio or poliomyelitis or an acute viral disease marked by inflammation of nerve cells of the brain stem and spinal cord, the entire subject may get clearer. The disease has already been identified as an acute viral disease and it is also true, even though, the majority of polio infections bring about no symptoms by any means, affected individuals can show signs of an assortment of symptoms provided that the virus enters the blood stream.

It is also admitted that India has been one of the most-affected countries in this regard but it can have a sigh of relief from this time forth. Reason? India, after loads of endeavors, has been able to have a new weapon to fight off the perilous presence of poliomyelitis and also to do away with it.

What is the new weapon then? Well, it happens to be the first bivalent oral polio vaccine (BOPV) launched by the government and it is confident that the same will be able to thwart both strains of polio found in the country.

It is to be noted that at the moment the monovalent kind of vaccine is in use in India and even though it can act against one strain of the disease, it falls through with regard to both. The MOPV1 vaccine is used against the P1 strain of polio, while MOPV3 vaccine works against the P3 strain of the disease.

The BOPV was launched only on yesterday, being National Immunization Day (NID), under the auspices of the President, Smt Pratibha Patil and she was found to administer the vaccine to about ten infants at the Rashtrapati Bhawan. Health officials, in the meantime said that in the region of 2.5 lakh children would be immunized making use of the new vaccine during the first phases of the campaign itself.

There is no doubt in it that India is conscious of the mounting cases of polio and to get rid of the same, it spends as much as Rs 1,200 crore and of it almost half is used to pay money for vaccines. Despite that, the dreaded disease has still not been successfully eradicated in the country.

Can BOPV help India attain the long-awaited success? We, albeit not skeptical, are waiting for the same.

Can Bengal have its brawny industrial basis?

Let’s say a few words in the beginning. Bengal, which plays a highly imperative role in several sectors of India viz. history, politics, economy, and certainly culture, has been receding (better to say worsening) for decades without a single break and while one of the reasons of this steady downfall has been the left-wing adventurism and its colossal follies, strange anti-Bengali Hindu mindset prevalent in Delhi can’t be overlooked too. The state had enjoyed a competitive advantage over others thanks to its preeminence in British India and was able to retain this clout till last 60s, ended soon thanks to Left and Union Government, more interested to replace Calcutta by Bombay as the economic hub of the vast nation.

Nevertheless, the emergence of Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee as the Chief Minister of the hapless state (replacing the effete, grand Communist patriarch) led to a strong optimism and his vibrant speeches focusing on mantra “Do it now” created almost a frenzy. Nevertheless, almost a decade after those convulsions of emotions or exhilaration, the impetus has died down and the government’s catastrophe in both Singur and Nandigram proved to be too costly for the state’s industrial map.

Nevertheless, the Bengal CM is not ready to give up so easily and has been found, once again, to gear up for forging a strong industrial basis for the wretched state. This becomes more evident from the fact that he has requested members of the ASSOCHAM to help the government advance its 1994 industrial policy.

Commenting on this D S Rawat, Secretary of ASSOCHAM, said, "He wants an industrial policy that can capture the future course considering the comparative advantages the state has, and also suggest the suitable education for backward linkages."

It is to be noted that the Bengal Chief Minister, in an effort to solve land acquisition problems and imbroglio, wants the ASSOCHAM to appraise the compensation offered to the land losers in contrast to the package in other states. By the way, ASSOCHAM has given the CM a report on industrialization and as per it, Bengal is one of the foremost states to have fetched the maximum investment in the last decade.

According to the study, the state has received a cumulative investment proposal (till September 2009) of Rs 5.30 lakh crore in last 12 years in 1002 projects. Out of this 457 projects with an aggregate investment of Rs 2.25 lakh crore is under implementation.

Nothing can be said of the future. But at this time there is the need of hard precedents (in brief, good successes) instead of mere pompous words, if Bhattacharjee wants to ensure a come back. The state election is round the corner!

East Kolkata Wetlands – Bengal’s new Frankenstein

Whatever may be the baits of money and power (certainly originating from outlawed processes), the law takes its own course and however may be the initial successes, the triumph is attained by righteousness only. This is an age-old principle, appreciated across the globe despite differences of ethnicity, religion, language and culture and the same precept found expression through latest ruling of the Calcutta High Court.

The state of Bengal witnessed loads of uproar concerning illegal land deals, in the recent past that not only led to violent skirmishes (advocated by adverse political groups) but also slayings. But credit must be given to Calcutta High Court which stopped repetition of the same by means of halting a new attempt to encroach on the East Kolkata Wetlands.

Let’s get specific. The court directed the "buyers" of a one-bigha plot opposite ITC Sonar Hotel directly to return it to Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) by February 15. It is to be noted that the East Kolkata Wetlands Management Authority (EKWMA) had tried to stop construction on the plot in Boinchtala mouza (in the past) but was restrained by an injunction.

The culpable persons including Nasim Ahmed Siddique and three others moved high court claiming that they had purchased the land from its owner. Nevertheless counsel for KMC and EKWMA argued that the transaction was against the law for the reason that the land belonged to KMC and was part of the Ramsar site where construction is forbidden without the EKWMA's approval.

Advocate Aloke Ghosh while appearing for KMC, termed KMC as the real possessor of the entire area and as per him, nobody had the privilege to sell land in Boinchtala to anyone else. In addition, Ghosh pointed out that under the West Bengal Wetland (Conservation & Management) Act, 2006, no one could change the character of the wetland without the EKWMA's consent.

Ghosh made it clear that the KMC, as well, had to get hold of permission from EKWMA to build a water treatment plant at Dhapa. The site under consideration is close to the plot where the treatment plant is under construction.

We would not extend this report but would end with a more dangerous note. A stated by EKWMA Chief Technical Officer Nitai Kundu, threats to the wetlands from real estate developers are increasing by leaps and bounds and promoters are the biggest challenge. On the word of him, almost 40% violations are reported in Sonarpur area followed by 25% each in Salt Lake and Tiljala and the apathy of the local administration is exasperating the situation.

Indian real estate getting imperialist

It had started in the decade of 50s when India witnessed the heyday of state-controlled planned economy based on Soviet model. There was a great demand and appreciation of foreign or multinational investments in the length and breadth of the country and this fervor increased to a greater extent in the following decades and anything foreign, certainly funds, was regarded as a blessing. Nevertheless, the situation is no more the same and from 1991 (that had the inception of market economy in India) to now, the scenario has changed to a certain extent.

The best specimen of this changed circumstances and also perception is that in the region of 100 Gujarat builders will try for in excess of 150 properties in Dubai at an auction to be held at the ballroom of the world’s tallest building, Burj Khalifa.

The news is not only authentic but it has also been learnt that a delegation of Confederation of Real Estate Developers of India (CREDAI), Gujarat chapter, is going to Dubai to attend the national convention of CREDAI on January 23. The delegation, by means of dwelling more will participate in an auction specially organized for them by an association of agents.

On the word of Jaxay Shah, President of CREDAI, Gujarat chapter, the first and foremost thought is to remain in Dubai for a couple of days after the CREDAI meet and explore opportunities for builders who are flush with funds. He said, in addition, at this point in time, real estate prices in Dubai are down by up to 40 per cent on account of the financial crisis; this uncanny situation has stimulated the Gujarat builders to give vent to their interests and establish business in the emirate.

Well it is not sure how far they will get successful. Well, whatever may be the outcome, the approach must be appreciated. All these indicate that Indian realty is not getting global but also has the proficiency to consume others.

So Indian real estate is getting imperialist, a nice show and it can certainly benefit Indian economy provided that the impetus is retained.

India to launch 'electronic dog' to thwart terror plans

Only a very few countries other than Israel has undergone the war of terror like India of late and all these have made the country, considered by many as the citadel of religious tolerance, pluralism and tranquility, well-experienced. India, after going through a series of terror onslaughts, has concluded that the battle against this spate of violence and jihad can’t be won through retaining its age-old stances (wait, watch and if necessary act) but by blood and iron.

All these have made the Indian government bring forth newer devices to fight against and defeat this venomous standpoint and thanks to it, Indian scientists, at the moment, are engaged in developing an electronic device that will nose out explosives like RDX, known for remaining unnoticed by existing security equipments.

On the word of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT-Mumbai) professor V. Ramgopal Rao, an archetype of the e-device is under development to smell explosives from a distance by a sensor coated with nano materials. It has come to the knowledge that the government has assigned the electrical engineering department of the IIT to develop the high-tech device in association with the High Energy Materials Research Lab of the state-run Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) at Chandigarh and the Madras Atomic Power Station at Kalpakkam near Chennai.

How can the novel device be used? As stated by the revered professor, so as to augment
security and check use of improvised explosive devices (IED) by terrorists and other criminal elements, the device with nano sensors could be installed at airports, railway stations, bus stands and other vital installations to detect them in solid, liquid or vapor form and seize before they are timed to explode.

What is its uniqueness then? The device with an electronic nose will be able to sniff presence of IED or RDX in any of the three forms in the way trained canines can do. What is more, this 'electronic dog' is a good option in contrast to training dogs, known for making a mess of many things at times.

Mercedes-Benz set to trounce contenders through novel sports car

The setting is ready and if everything goes right, the next innovation of Mercedes-Benz, globally acclaimed German manufacturer of luxury automobiles, the new sports car may not only exceed the magisterial contenders but trounce them as well. It has come to the knowledge that the celebrated manufacturer is engaged with working on a new sports car based on an abridged version of the 2010 SLS AMG’s platform and has the sole intention to overwhelm Porsche 911 in all possible manners.

What is more, the groundbreaking (alleged) Mercedes-Benz sports car will copy the SLS AMG’s aluminum construction but will fail to retain the funky gullwing doors.

What shall be the case then? Well, as per company officials, there shall be the introduction of standard front-hinged doors and this may lessen costs to a large extent. There shall also be the inclusion of AMG’s next-generation V-8 engine, a 5.5-liter unit with direct-injection and turbocharging technologies and an output of around 500-horsepower; surely these are enough to make the blue-blooded vehicle more gallant.
This may attract you a lot; acceleration times for the 0-60 mph dash are likely to plunge around the 4.5 second mark.

It has been learnt that the novel sports car is tipped to be called the SSK AMG and is due for launch in 2014--an open top roadster version is a well-nigh conviction.

What has made Mercedes-Benz launch the novel sports car? Is it to rout Porsche 911 only? Well, analysts consider that there are a few reasons save for this. They indicate that the decision to build more individual AMG models is to help set up the Mercedes-Benz in-house tuner as a separate sports car manufacturer and through this it can pose a direct challenge to smaller players in the supercar arena including Pagani and McLaren.

Mercedes-Benz is a German manufacturer of luxury automobiles, buses, coaches, and trucks and is, at the moment, a division of the parent company, Daimler AG (formerly DaimlerChrysler AG.

Indian real estate getting stabler

Well, the New Year – 2010 has kicked off already and hence, an assortment of speculations is in the air, especially regarding the Indian realty sector. What is in the future? How will the Indian real estate sector behave in the upcoming months? These thoughts are getting more importance than ever before and the reasons are not hard to see. The Indian realty sector did undergo a severe jolt thanks to the global recession and the atypical deeds of it (at that juncture) are still fresh.

Nonetheless, Indian realty captains have reasons to laugh. It is getting more and more evident that the Rs 70,000-crore Indian real estate sector is on the verge of witnessing fresh investments to the tune of $1.5 billion in residential deals under the aegis of exclusive real estate funds in the financial year 2010-11. As per industry analysts, this is three times more than the total quantum that such funds invested in FY 2008-09.

These funds include Sun Apollo, HDFC India Real Estate Fund, RedFort Capital, ICICI Prudential Infrastructure Fund and Xander Real Estate Partners. It has come to the knowledge that the investments will be both in the metros in addition to Tier II cities in India and we can certainly be hopeful of a revitalization and bright future.

However, there is another development. Both international funds and domestic real estate funds will play equal roles and there might be a healthy competition between the two concerning the contributions. Domestic real estate funds may lead to overall investments of around $400 million, international funds are likely to deliver forth in excess of $1.2 billion in the real estate sector during the period.

Speaking to Financial express of late, Amit Goenka, National Director - Capital Transactions, Knight Frank India Private Ltd said, “These estimates are based on the total active domestic and international funds and their existing corpus strengths. There are some active domestic players like HDFC, ICICI Prudential Fund, IndiaREIT, Milestone and ASK who are expected to do deals in 2010. The bulk of the funds are, however, foreign, with much larger corpuses.”

Smacking is efficacious for students

Is smacking good or bad? The question may amaze you a lot since any act of smacking (act of smacking something; a blow delivered with an open hand), these days, is despised and even copious numbers of educational institutions across the globe have already issued diktats against it. But the present issue goes against the same outright and as per the recent revelations of a US professor of psychology smacking children can make them do better at school.

Let’s have a brief yet detailed analysis of the same. The research states without any compunction that any act of smacking kids makes them brainier and in accordance with the research from Marjorie Gunnoe, professor of psychology at Calvin College in the US State of Michigan, children smacked before the age of six perform better at school when they become teenagers. They are also more expected to do charitable work and to want to go to university than their peers.

However, it must be stated that the notion of smacking is not alien to some countries, in particular India, the land of ancient gurukul system, a form of residential school, where sishyas or students used to live and learn all the necessary tasks from the teachers or gurus. Smacking is one of the ways to develop the students there and also to make them best in respective disciplines.

There are, if truth be told, hordes of instances in Indian scriptures that prove how smacking can help students. To come to the point, if we take a look at the lives of several scholars, the efficacy of smacking can be found without a shred of doubt.

It is to be noted that corporal punishment is prohibited in 20 European countries including Spain and Germany; in Britain “reasonable chastisement” in the home is permitted only if it doesn’t leave a mark – on their body, if not the soul.

Smacking is good and effective for students – we can certainly conclude.

Is Pakistan moving towards a violent collapse?

Is Pakistan moving towards a collapse bit by bit? The question is enough to astound people who are yet to get familiar with the worsening situations in the country, albeit I don’t know who is still unconscious of the degeneration in the Pakistani mainland. Ever since Pakistan intensified its onslaughts against the dreaded Taliban outfits (allegedly under US pressure), the situation is gradually yet steadily going out of the frying pan into the fire. Of late one of the bloodiest bombings in more than two years that killed at least 89 people makes us more skeptical of the chance of reinstatement of the Muslim republic that occupies the heartland of ancient south Asian civilization in the Indus River valley.

The attack took place at volleyball game on Friday and hinted Al Qaeda-linked Taliban insurgents were focusing more on bombing large crowds of civilians. Reason? This is perhaps the best way to them to wreak highest casualties and spread terror, rather than attacking hard targets such as security forces. What has been the fallout then? Not only the blast has pushed the whole country towards the wall and made its foremost ally USA incredulous of Pakistan’s potency, it has also enraged the overwhelming Muslim bourgeoisie, seen fuming and raising voices of protest for the first time.

Even though no such drastic measure has been adopted by US, known for considering Pakistan as the key frontline state in the war against a resurgent Taliban in Afghanistan, it is alarmed without a shred of doubt.

Now the question remains who can salvage the Islamic Republic of Pakistan in this hours of need. Will the Pakistani President be able to take up the cudgel for the hapless country? Even the Pakistanis, in particular the patriotic intellectuals have lost confidence almost and as per them, beleaguered President Asif Ali Zardari is under pressure on several fronts, both at home and from abroad. While on one hand he is at loggerheads with the omnipotent Pakistani military establishment, on the other hand his close aides are awaiting to cope with rejuvenated corruption charges.

Again, Pakistan Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq Pervz Kayani (though on a different issue and regarding India majorly) said "An army supported by 170 million people, with faith in Allah, is a formidable force to reckon with." But even this force is failing to gratify its guardians in the West, as it has not been able to trounce the militants thus far.

Militants, if we rely on an assortment of studies, have successfully exploited hardships to recruit sensitive young men with promises of magnificent holy war. What should be done then? analysts opine that the government has to win the confidence of millions of Pakistanis suffering from poverty and lack of basic services such as electricity and this can be done if a pseudo-feudalistic, pseudo-capitalist economy is transformed to a modern one.

Is this possible? Perhaps not and this deficiency is heightening internal dissensions, quite enough to balkanize Pakistan and spiflicate the most potent representative of Islamic Ummah for the time being.

What conclusion can be drawn? The country that was born through overwhelming violence, arsons, fratricides and certainly genocides is certain to undergo a violent collapse before long and with this the dream of a powerful, poised, technically sound, self-determining Muslim middle-class, considered by many analysts as more lethal than even Islamic hardliners or militants, will end forever.

Can India comprehend true worth of NRIs this time?

It’s winter again in India and the corporate ambiance of this budding superpower is gearing up to celebrate the annual fête of diaspora, the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas. Will it be able to create any good impression, especially in the Indian governance, this time? This is the big question of the day and truly speaking, overseas Indians are expecting a good deal to be heard in the corridors of power. Can this be? We don’t know yet.

Our lack of knowledge hails from a number of factors. The first and foremost of these is that by now the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas has found a reduction in attendance (the number of attendees is falling rapidly through the consecutive years) and as per founding fathers of the jamboree, by now it has fallen to around a fifth of what earlier editions did perceive. Recently this statement of a senior Foreign Affairs official came to the press and media, “The novelty of PBD is fading and there is no magic formula to increase the numbers. We cannot rotate the venue as it is difficult to get government officials to attend the meetings for three full days. Even if we invite the Union Home Minister for the function, he cannot stay more than a few hours. Last time, we got around 1,000 people since it was held in Chennai.”

What shall be the picture at this time? We can certainly be wannabe albeit we don’t know when the Indian governance will comprehend NRIs as part and parcel of the Indian soil and one of the best weapons for forging a colorful destiny. There is also another factor. Can you belittle the anguishes the NRIs suffered thanks to their interests in investing in India?

To cut a long story short, hundreds of thousands of rupees worth of property across the country has been provided of no value to the NRI owners because of a surfeit of legal squabbling and bureaucratic rigmarole. Far away from home and generally lacking local help to deal with these matters, a large number of overseas Indians find themselves in the excruciations of depression and distraction.

What can we do then? We can only hope that Pravasi Bharatiya Divas would be able to shun its agonies and Indian governance, in spite of being under the sway of morons, can get the true worth of NRIs.

Restoration of commercial real estate in 2010 – a bleak prospect

Have my best wishes of a “Happy New Year” at the very outset and I really hope that this year-2010 comes up as the best for you. But I can’t share these good wishes with many others, especially people associated with some specific industries like realty sector. Reason? Taking cue from a recently completed survey, it can be said that things may not improve for some industries in the coming year and you know lots of similar deliberations are already in the air since consumers and businesses keep on to face foreclosures and other problems with debt.

Let’s get specific without wasting time. The survey was conducted under the aegis of Turnaround Management Association and as per its poll, 49 percent of respondents said that economic improvement in "distressed" industries will perhaps not appear until the latter half of 2010. What is more, even though around 30 percent of responders expressed they found the economy has made it through the worst part of the recession, 20 percent felt as though it "has yet to hit rock bottom." Wide-ranging studies indeed!

Which industry can get most vulnerable? The majority of responders (no less than75 percent, if not more) were unanimous and stated without hesitations that the commercial real estate market will face the toughest time in 2010. On the word of thirty-one percent of respondents, the automotive market would continue to face difficulties. This is good since 51 percent answers apprehended the same in 2008.

When questions regarding joblessness were asked, answers said that unemployment could be lowered by tax incentives, investments in technology and capital spending, assuming that an economic recovery doesn't create jobs on its own.

"To a lesser degree, respondents think stimulus spending to create public works and youth employment projects and repatriate manufacturing jobs could help absorb some of the millions of out-of-work Americans," a report from the TMA said.