Happy New Year 2010

Sanjeebani Parivar wishes all the readers a very prosperous and bright year 2010. Happy New Year!!

Hindu Villagers in Eastern Orissa Believe a Turtle as an Incarnation of Lord Jagannath

Undoubtedly this turtle is unique. On the back of the turtle there is a symbol that resembles Lord Jagannath. But according to the law of India no one can keep a turtle without a legal permission from the authority. People who do not abide with this law can be jailed for a year or can be fined. Indian villagers in Eastern Orissa are defying law by not handing over the turtle to the police. According to a priest of a temple and other villagers “Lord Jagannath has visited our village in the form of a turtle. We will not allow anybody to take the turtle away.” (Reuter)

A senior wildlife government official Mr. P.K. Behera said “We have asked the villagers to hand it over as it is illegal to confine a turtle, but they are refusing”. It is very hard for the policeman to convince villagers to hand over the turtle to the authority.

The author of “online banking” said “It will be tough for the authority to take away the turtle as the poor villagers feel that they are blessed by Lord Jagannath in the form of a reptile. This is a unique turtle and should be protected from any harm. It may be hard for the turtle to survive in a bucket of water for a long time”. The author of "crime news" said “Villagers are chanting prayers and offering fruits and flowers rejoicing this event of blessing. But they have to understand that they cannot go against law. To protect and conserve God's creation is equivalent to praying to God.”

Disney will Soon Introduce Hindu Mythological Characters in Hollywood

The heritage and culture of India are appreciated and studied by people in different parts of the world. Hindu mythology is the essence of Hinduism. With economic development, recognition of cultural diversity, study of Indian languages abroad, Hindu mythological characters have gained wide popularity. The growing demand for new concept, cultural amalgamation and creativity in the media industry has attracted Disney towards various characters of Hindu epics like, Ramayana and Mahabharata. These characters are renowned for their valor, power and ability to use celestial arms and armaments. One such character is Karna, the son of Kunti and Sun Lord, who was equipped with immense power and celestial arms by birth. Vimanika, an Indian comic company in Mumbai publishes comics based on Indian mythological characters in India and the United States of America. This company is soon starting circulation in the United Kingdom. It’s not official that Disney has approached Vimanika to bring these Hindu superheroes to films and televisions of Hollywood. Vimanika has plans to convert comics to online games and mobile games.

There are mixed reactions to this news. Hindu fundamentalists like Mr. Zyed feel that some kinds of variations will be required when presenting these Hindu mythological characters in Hollywood. It can hurt the sentiments of Hindus. On the other hand, liberal Hindus feel that introducing Hindu mythological characters to Hollywood is a big opportunity to recognize Indian heritage across the world. The author of “online banking” said “I feel introducing Hindu mythological characters in Disney would educate children and parents of various countries about the Indian superheroes. This will further glorify the true spirit of India and attract more tourists to India.” The author of “crime news” said “I very much look forward to learning more about the magnificent past of India through Indian Epics.”

Religion Helping to Tackle DUI & DWI Crimes in Chechnya

It will be wonderful if religious leaders and communities support the law enforcement system to fight against crimes throughout the world. We can already see it in Russia. In Chechnya, Russia, the mosques in the Chechen republic will publicly announce the names of drunk drivers during the Friday prayers.

Sulban Hasimikhow, press secretary of Islamic center said "“The religious center of the region and the republic’s road police declared war on those who violate traffic laws and like to drink and sit behind the wheels after that. The people must know about those who violate laws and constitute danger to other people."

The religious leaders have joined the fight against alcoholism and DUI related offences.

Fort Lauderdale DUI lawyers said "So many people around the world die or suffer serious injuries, including, brain injuries as a result of DUI & DWI accidents. Any social or religious steps taken to reduce these crimes are commendable." The author of "Online banking and payment" said, "Sometimes the fear of social ridicule works better than the fear of being behind bars. We will know if DUI cases drop down in Chechnya." The author of "Crime news" said "We look forward to seeing the results of the initiative and its impact in Chechnya."

Happy Raksha Bandhan

Sanjeebani Marg wishes Happy Rakhi to all the readers. Raksha Bandhan is a festival celebrated by Indians across the world to encourage and strengthen the sacred relationship between brothers and sisters. Sisters tie "Rakhi thread" around the brothers wrist to show their love and trust.

On this special occasion of Rakhi may Maa Sanjeebani shower her blessings on every strong and pious relationship, especially the bond between brothers and sisters.

Radio-Controlled Aircrafts - Threat to Indian Security

The Customs department in Mumbai, India has seized thousands of radio-controlled (RC) aircrafts imported from China, Taiwan and Korea. A radio-controlled aircraft is one that can be run without a pilot and is guided by a remote. These RC aircrafts are a big threat to the city's security. The RC aircrafts from China violate the law of amplitude that causes major threat because of the capability to intercept and jam frequency bands used by Indian securities agencies.

The Customs department has decided to destroy around 3,000 RC planes. "These aircraft may come in handy for subversive activities. We have issued orders to destroy them," said a Customs official.

The author of "Online Banking and Payment" said "RC aircrafts with frequency more than 27004 kilohertz (KHz) are considered illegal as they violate the state frequencies law limit." Product recall lawyer said "Any products that do not comply with the state safety standards or deemed dangerous by Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) are recalled. If a consumer is notified about a product recall, he/she should immediately return it to the manufacturer and get a refund."

Theft Charges on Georgia Hindu Temple Priest Dropped

This incident forces me to think that people taking religious consultation or religious services from priests of temples should be very clear on how much these services will cost. It is also the responsibility of the temple staff handling the accounts to let their clients know beforehand about the expense involved in performing poojas or ceremonies.

Dr. Commander Selvam whose real name is Annamalai Annamalai was declared innocent by Gwinnett County, Georgia. The theft charges against him have been dropped. He was also accused of practicing medicine without a license. Teresa Louis, 42, of Chicago contacted Annamalai for an astrological reading as she was having problems finding a right match. Louis said she agreed to pay $100 a week for a special prayer service over the phone.

Louis said she was shocked when her credit card was charged for $1,751 two weeks later. When she refused to pay the charges, she said, “the guru blatantly told me you cannot cancel.”

“He said, ‘You agreed to it,’ ” said Louis, who later filed complaints with Gwinnett police and the Better Business Bureau.

Lal Singh has a different opinion of the guru. “Every time I want to give money, they say, ‘No, no, don’t worry,’ ” Singh said. Worshippers report very different experiences.

Gwinnett County District Attorney Danny Porter said that the state law for practicing medicine without a license provides an exception for religious healers. He also said that there was no evidence linking Annamalai to the credit card charges.

Dr. Commander Selvam said “some individuals are jealous of his success and are bent on destroying the temple.” But he had full faith that “God will support him as he had not done anything wrong.”

The author of "Online Banking and Payment" said "As all other businesses work, priests need to be upfront with money matters. This will reduce such issues.” NYC federal criminal lawyer said “To practice medicine under the banner of religion involves no license. There is no scientific research conducted to prove the efficacy of these medicines. It is driven by faith and not science.”

Burger King Used Goddess Lakshmi's Image for Branding Meat Sandwiches

This is a case where the phrase “ignorance is bliss” cannot be applied :)

I was surprised to read that Burger King’s Spanish advertising company used Goddess Lakshmi’s image for selling Burger King’s meat sandwiches in Spain. I don’t consider this incident offensive but unwise. It is a good example of a lack of cultural sensitivity and religious beliefs when developing an ad for a target group. This ad was brought down after religious leaders criticized it.

The funnier aspect of this ad was its tagline. The ad featured the tagline: 'La merienda es sagrada,' meaning 'the snack is sacred'. This is not a fault of Burger King but its advertising company that failed to do proper legwork. Rajen Zyed, a Hindu religious leader said “It was highly disturbing to see goddess Lakshmi modeling for a meat sandwich. Lakshmi was meant to be worshiped in temples or home shrines and not for pushing meat sandwiches in the streets for mercantile greed of a global corporation.”

The author of “Online Banking and Payment” said “Using Hindu God and Goddess’ images in ads are totally acceptable. If Burger King was advertising for a healthy and vegetarian food item this ad could have possibility worked well.” NYC criminal defense lawyer said “Having a diverse group in ad agencies working on foreign ads helps in understanding diverse beliefs and customs. Proper market research is important before designing a campaign. It’s very hard to build a reputation and very easy to lose it.” The author of “Crime News” said “This is a good lesson for companies using religious idols and symbols to advertise their products overseas. Market survey and concept acceptability should be taken into account before the launch of such ads.”

Update on Swine Flu or H1N1 Virus

Swine Flu is also known as H1N1 virus, pig flu, swine fever and swine influenza. It’s not completely wiped out from different countries but has been reported to be under control. The rapid spread of H1N1 flu made World Health Organization (WHO) raise the worldwide pandemic alert level to Phase 6, on June 11, 2009 against influenza A (H1N1) virus.

More than 70 countries have reported to have H1N1 cases. Swine flu is common in pigs but initially was not considered as a threat to human beings. Swine influenza is common in pigs in the United States, Mexico, Canada, South America, Europe, Kenya, and eastern Asia. The origin of this new strain is unknown. However, the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) reported that this virus cannot be associated only with the pigs but there are chances that it could have been transmitted from human to human. The exact source of this outbreak is still being investigated.

According to the June 19th update, the number of people infected by Swine flu all over the world is 65,736 and those who died is 267. The maximum number of cases are in the United States with 17855 victims out of which 44 have died. Mexico has 7260 cases resulting in 113 deaths. In India, 30 people are suffering from this disease with no death reported.

Friends, destroying Swine flu virus is not in our hands but we can prevent it by taking necessary precautions for our and other people’s safety. Try following these steps:

- Wash your hands many times with soap and water, especially when you are visiting public areas
- Cover your nose and mouth when coughing and sneezing
- Avoid touching your eyes and nose before washing or sanitizing your hands
- Avoid coming in close contact with sick people, especially when you know they are sick
- Anyone detected with Swine flu should not go to the school or office

The author of “Online banking and payments” said “If anyone is feeling sick, have cough, cold and/or fever try seeking medical help as soon as possible.” NYC guardianship lawyers said “We should not fear this disease but take necessary precautions.” Atlantic City wage claim lawyer said “WHO has not announced travel restrictions for controlling this disease but people traveling should be careful.”

Sanjeebani Marg wishes quick recovery to all the people suffering from Swine influenza. We pray that this flu comes to an end soon. Jai Maa Durge!

Delhi University Introducing Online Programs in its Educational System

Introducing online program is a big development in Delhi University educational system. This development will be helpful for students who desire to study in a specific college and a subject of their choice. Delhi University (DU) is setting up a modern studio at its Institute of Long Learning (ILL), where lectures of popular teachers and experts of various disciplines will be recorded and placed on its portal.

ILL director A K Bakshi said ""We are getting recorded the lectures of the best of our teachers from all the colleges so that the students can learn from them on-line no matter in what college they are enrolled."

The project has been basically initiated under the 'Pan-African e-Network Project'. It was commissioned by the Ministry of External Affairs of India in February this year.

"Under the Rs 542.90 crore Pan-African project, we had been asked by the External Affairs Ministry to develop e-content, including the multimedia material for various disciplines to be provided to the African students," A K Bakshi said.

Mr. Bakshi further said “We want to develop quality lectures with high conceptual clarity. Therefore, we have asked teachers to first submit their manuscripts that would be short listed for final recording.”

Some of these lectures and tutorials will be available online from early July 2009.

Defective products lawsuit lawyers said "Enabling quality education and providing access to strong Indian faculty members from various disciplines to reach African countries is an important step. Students residing in any part of India and African countries can advance their careers by utilizing this system.” The author of "Online Banking and Payments" said "Online learning programs are very beneficial for people who are working and/or do not have the flexibility of time to attend regular class room sessions. Women, who do not have an opportunity to continue their studies because of their domestic commitments, can take advantage of these online programs. There is no age bar associated with these programs.”

Consequences of Customs Duty Evasion in India - Sheetal Mafatlal Arrested for Carrying Undisclosed Ornaments

I would like to draw my readers’ attention towards the "customs duty evasion issue in India" by highlighting the recent Sheetal Mafatlal's arrest controversy. She was arrested at Mumbai airport and detained in custody for false declarations of gold and diamond jewelries she was carrying on her way back from London. The Air Intelligence Unit arrested her on "false declarations and smuggling gold ornaments" charges. Sheetal Mafatlal is the president of Mafatlal Luxury Ltd and wife of industrialist Atulya Mafatlal. It’s been said that the ornaments were worth Rs 51 lakh to Rs 80 lakh.

Advocate Sujay Kantawalla, specializing in customs cases said “In a bailable offense how can person be in custody even for a minute? I feel the magistrate was misled by the customs officials.” This is because Sheetal Mafatlal was carrying gold and diamonds whose worth was estimated less than Rs 1 crore. This does not provide a sufficient ground for custody.

Sheetal and her husband stated to be victimized by their family members because of the ongoing property litigation. Late Yogendra Mafatlal had during his life time given control of the Mafatlal companies to Atulya and had also distributed family property to Atulya and his four daughters, Kunti, Gayatri, Malvika and Aparna and their husbands. But property dispute has increased in their family by every passing year.

To reduce the revenue loss in India, stringent measures are being taken against people who evade customs duty. According to the 2007 Finance Bill, government had proposed to take strict actions against wrong declaration of the value of goods exported or any fraudulent methods used to hide goods in the customs checks.

The evasion amount however has been raised to Rs 1 crore. Initially it was possession more than Rs 1 lakh. The amount of duty being evaded should exceed Rs 30 lakh. People found guilty can be fined or punished from a year to seven years depending upon the severity of crime. Product malfunction attorneys said “I have heard that these stringent customs evasion norms in India have increased the government revenues.”

The Self Repair of Brain - Activin A Helps to Block Brain Inflammation

The findings published on 'Journal Stem Cells' have illustrated the capability of nerve cells in the brain to produce an anti-inflammatory molecule that allows the brain for self repair. The victims of injuries or Parkinson's disease can receive some relief from this research.

The brain's capacity to regenerate is a very recent finding as stated on Times of India. In the early 1990s neural stem cells were found in the brains. It took few more years for scientists to find out and show that they can regenerate nerve cells in the brain.

Bryce Vissel, the neuroscientist at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research (GIMR), Australia said ""Given that we now know regeneration can occur, we want to understand what drives it and what blocks it, particularly in diseases like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's. We triggered rapid neuro-degeneration in the brains of mice, and it was immediately followed by a very rapid regenerative response. We wanted to know why this response could occur so effectively after acute neuro-degeneration."

Vissel further said "On further investigation, we found high levels of a molecule known as Activin A whenever regeneration occurred. This was especially interesting because Activin A is released from nerve cells. Clearly Activin A was playing an important part in the regenerative process, so we triggered neuro-degeneration and at the same time blocked Activin A. The difference was dramatic."

Rollover lawyers said "This gives a big hope to people who are suffering from brain injuries as a result of fatal accidents." Airbag lawsuit lawyers said "I read in an article that the main action of Activin A was to block inflammation in the brain after neuro-degeneration or injury."