The 47-year-old Obama assumed power over a country longing for change after former President George W. Bush’s eight divisive years in the White House, an era that witnessed the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks, the beginning of wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and an economic collapse not seen since the 1930s Great Depression.

“Today I say to you that the challenges we face are real. They are serious and they are many. They will not be met easily or in a short span of time. But know this, America – they will be met,” Obama said in his first address to the nation as its new leader.

Speaking to a massive crowd that spread across the National Mall from the Capitol toward the Lincoln Memorial, Obama recalled the words of George Washington, America’s first president, enjoining Americans against faint-heartedness “in this winter of our hardship.”

“With hope and virtue, let us brave once more the icy currents, and endure what storms may come,” the new president said. “Let it be said by our children’s children that when we were tested we refused to let this journey end, that we did not turn back nor did we falter; and with eyes fixed on the horizon and God’s grace upon us, we carried forth that great gift of freedom and delivered it safely to future generations.” Obama promised the world a new America that listens to all voices. But he vowed to spare nothing to keep America safe, addressing terrorist foes directly.

“We will not apologize for our way of life, nor will we waver in its defense, and for those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents, we say to you now that our spirit is stronger and cannot be broken; you cannot outlast us, and we will defeat you.” And to the larger Muslim world, he vowed to “seek a new way forward, based on mutual interest and mutual respect. To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society’s ills on the West – know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy.

“To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.”

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Al Gore was one of the foremost U.S. politicians to heave an alarm about the hazards of global warming. He has produced a significantly acclaimed documentary movie called “An Inconvenient Truth,” and written a book that archives his advice that Earth is dashing toward an immensely warmer future. Al Gore, the former vice president of United States has given various speeches to raise an awareness of global warming. He has warned people about the ill effects of Global warming and its remedies.

Al Gore has been studying climate of the globe for about thirty years. According to Al Gore, the climatic calamity is, indeed, tremendously hazardous. In fact it is a real earthly crisis. In more then hundred countries, two thousand scientists are working for more than twenty years in the most intricate and ordered scientific partnerships in the history of humanity to study the crisis. It is very important that proper heed is paid towards the global warming problem. Al Gore in his book and his documentary has warned that unless we get alert quickly to deal with the fundamental reasons of global warming, our world will experience a thread of awful calamities, including more and stronger hurricanes like the one Katrina, in both the Atlantic and the Pacific. Al Gore has insisted on the fact that it is due the global warming that the North Polar ice cap and all the mountain glaciers in world will finally melt down in a few decades from now.

Al Gore has illustrated the various reasons of global warming in his documentary and the book. The amount of carbon dioxide that is being dumped in the environment has literally changed the relationship between the earth and the sun. So much of that CO2 is being engrossed into the oceans that if we carry on at the present rate we will increase the saturation of calcium carbonate to levels that will stop formation of corals and impede with the making of shells by any sea creature.

Al Gore has insisted that it is a dire need that we take proper steps to cut down global warming. The growing of switch grass and saw grass should be encouraged. Switching to a greater extent on ethanol, cellulosic ethanol, butanol, and green diesel fuels can also reduce global warming pollution. On a universal basis, about more than two trillion tons of the 10 trillion tons of CO2 emitted each year comes from flaming the forests. So, improved organization of forests is one of the single most significant strategies for solving the climate disaster. Sources like wind energy, solar energy should be made in common use. Al Gore has warned the people that if proper steps are not taken today against global  arming, it will get too late to do anything. Here is Al Gore recent speech warning the impact of global Warming to our planet…

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After all, the fourth largest Indian IT company, Satyam has fallen off the cliff, in what unfolds as the most dramatic frauds of recent times. Now, the clients would think twice before engaging with an Indian IT vendor.

The reason is simple-they would ponder over whether the law of the land can be trusted anymore.However, Narayan Murthy, the founder of Infosys, said “One apple is bad doesn’t meant everyone is bad.” Well, even as Murthy calls it a one off case, Infosys has already started promising more disclosures to its investors and whatever it takes to keep the clients’ trust.Also, industry body Nasscom has swung in action, asking companies to switch to the top gear so as to retain
their clients.

Som Mittal, President of Nasscom, said, “We are asking companies to make more disclosures on governance issues to their clients.”It’s certainly going to be tough ride for the Indian outsourcing industry with the recessionary pressure of the west on one hand and now, an image crisis.

Meanwhile, the international biggies like IBM and HP will benefit directly, unless the industry leaders go all out to defend their credibility.

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The first president of the Federation of Indian Associations (FIA) of New York from 1976-81, and the National Federation of Indian American Associations (NFIA) from 1980-’88, Dr Abraham is also a Founder Trustee of Indian American Kerala Center in New York. Two other groups initiated by Dr. Abraham are National Indian American Association for Senior Citizens (NIAASC) and South Asian Council for Social Services (SACSS).

He was presented with Bharatvanshi Gaurav (Person of Indian Origin Pride) Award by former Vice President of India Bhairon Singh Sekhawat on January 4, 2008, and the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman (Overseas Indian Honor) Award (PBD) by Indian President Pratibha Patil at the 6th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas on January 9, 2008 for his outstanding service to the Indian communities worldwide and in India.

In an interview to Ramananda Sengupta, Dr Abraham says events like the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (being held in Chennai January 7-9 this year) helps Indians abroad connect with their motherland India, but much more needs to be done.

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This anomalous situation is the results of the flawed electoral system of ‘first past the post” embodied in the provisions of the Sections 65 and 66 of the
Representation of the People Act 1951 and Rule 64 of the Conduct of Election Rules 1961. These are at variance with the Constitional provision for choosing MP and MLAs. Whereas Articles 81 and 170 requires them to be chosen from the constituency, the Act and the rules provide that the candidate getting the highest number of votes shall be declared elected. There is a world of difference between the two. Whereas, the can candidates getting the highest number of votes may be said to be elected by the voters who voted for him, he cannot be said to be chosen by the constituency unless he has the support of majority voters of the constituency, or at least the majority of voters exercising their right of franchise. The word “choose” denotes a single entity doing it. When a group has to choose, it has to choose as if the group is one entity. Choosing does not fracture the chooser while electing fractures the elector. That is why if choosing is being done by a group, it has to be by consensus, or by a clear majority.

The word “suffrage” finding place in Article 326 of the Constitution also guides us in the same direction. Suffrage does not go comfortably with the first past
the post system. As per the Oxford Dictionary, when used in the context
of a group, the word suffrage means “the collective vote of a body of persons” and “the collective opinion of a body pf person, hence contextually, consensus of opinion (common and general) consent”.

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Yadi Kalsi

XONOVIA Technologies is bringing a special focus in the area of eGovernance solutions in India.

Kalsi believes that e-governance is beyond the scope of e-government. While e-government is defined as a mere delivery of government services and information to the public using electronic means, e-governance allows direct participation of constituents in government activities. It is not just about service delivery over the Internet. It is not just about digital access to government information or electronic payments. It will change how citizens relate to governments as much as it changes how citizens relate to each other. It will bring forth new concepts of citizenship, both in terms of needs and responsibilities. E-governance will allow citizens to communicate with government, participate in the governments’ policymaking and citizens to communicate each other. The e-governance will truly allow citizens to participate in the government decision-making process, reflect their true needs and welfare by utilizing e-government as a tool.

Introduction of e-governance is a key to make information technology (IT) relevant to ordinary citizens in India, Asia Pacific & Middle Eastern countries where a large number of populations is suffering the digital divide is a significant problem. E-governance will allow ordinary people to constantly interface with the government in both local and central level on various matters.

Kalsi explores the next wave of technological innovation and what CEOs can do to best manage their organization in competitive markets around the globe. An Exclusive Interview with Founder-CEO of XONOVIA Tehcnologies, Inc., USA

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AIAI feels that the small scale sector has been always deprived of timely and adequate credit and should be given due consideration. Due to the global recession, small scale sector is facing further credit crunch. Many of the small scale industries are not able to get their dues from public and large scale units while some have lost export orders and are facing financial constraints due to these reasons.

AIAI feels that the Reserve Bank of India and the Ministry of Finance should immediately review and support the small scale industry by providing timely and adequate credit at concessional rates as was being done earlier. In case this sector fails to get support from banks and financial institutions, there will be large scale unemployment specially in sectors like textiles, readymade garments, diamonds, engineering, auto components, plastic etc. The RBI has to redefine NPA norms in case of SSI sector as is being considered in case of infrastructure projects and should be conducive to the domestic environment.

AIAI feels a special PLR dispensation should be made in case of SSI considering the domestic and global recession now and ahead in view of its contribution to employment and GDP

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