Saturday, April 02, 2011

Jashn-e-Faiz

Jashn-e-Faiz: A Citizens’ Event: PLEASE PRE-REGISTER at http://cfdpk.org/ (one registration per person).

Please join us in commemorating Faiz Ahmed Faiz, the sub-continent’s renowned progressive poet, a voice for the downtrodden, and the conscience of a nation. A day-long cultural mega family event (11am – midnight), at the CDGK (KMC) Sports Complex, Kashmir Road, Karachi on Sunday April 17, 2011. Organised by Citizens for Democracy (CFD) in collaboration with Faiz Centenary Committee.

The event, pegged on Faiz Ahmed Faiz’s birth centenary year, aims to acknowledge the multiple voices in Pakistani society and commemorate Faiz Ahmed Faiz’s democratic values. It will provide a platform to citizens, poets, visual artists and performing artists. The event also aims to reclaim public space, and assert the stand of Pakistani citizens against extremist forces that are attempting to eradicate our constitutional rights.

There will be a nominal registration fee (Rs 20/- only) per person.
An event full of fun for the entire family - with something for everyone, whether you’re 8 or 80!

Music: Performances by leading artistes (confirmed so far: Jawad Ahmed, Strings, Ali Azmat, Shehzad Roy, Fusion, Laal)
Mushaira * Theatre * Folk Music * Talks and Seminars * Speakers’ Corner * Contests * Art and Photography Exhibition * Handicraft and Organisations' Stalls * Children’s Play Area * Food Court * Medical Camps * and much more..

Time : Sunday, April 17 · 11:00am - 11:00pm
Location: CDGK (formerly KMC) Sports Complex, Kashmir Road, Karachi:

Created by : Citizens for Democracy, PakistanBeena SarwarNoman Quadri
 
* For security reasons entry to the event will only be allowed to those who have pre-registered with CFD and can present CNICs and/or acceptable proof of identification. PLEASE PRE-REGISTER AT: http://www.cfdpk.org/

More details and schedule will be posted soon!
__________________________________________________________

Citizens for Democracy (CFD) is an alliance of over eighty progressive and liberal organizations and several hundred individuals from across the country; united to work for promotion of civil and democratic principles and values in Pakistan.

Friday, April 01, 2011

Doctor Leaves Business for Front Lines


By Army Sgt. Breanne Pye 
1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division
KANDAHAR, Afghanistan, March 31, 2011 - Flip through history's pages and you will find countless stories of men and women who have taken incredible journeys and become celebrated heroes.
Click photo for screen-resolution image
Army Capt. (Dr.) Douglas Powell left his job as a business executive to attend medical school and become a military physician. He oversees operations at the troop medical clinic at Camp Nathan Smith, Afghanistan. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Breanne Pye 
If you're looking for a modern-day hero, you won't have to look any farther than a 49-year-old combat surgeon here who's known as "Doc" throughout Task Force Raider.
A former business executive for Burton Snowboards, Army Capt. (Dr.) Douglas Powell is the brigade surgeon for the 4th Infantry Division's Headquarters and Headquarters Detachment, 1st Brigade Combat Team. His mission here is quite different from that of the design team he'd led with Burton, as he serves on the front lines of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan.
Powell, a native of Middlebury, Vt., said his journey to becoming an Army surgeon began when he enlisted as a medic in the Vermont National Guard after graduating from college. He competed as part of the Vermont Guard's winter biathlon team for five years, and was hired by Burton Snowboards as a project manager.
"Doug was an asset to our company," said Jake Burton, the company's founder. "He was a hard worker who always gave me everything he had, never quit, and always led by example."
Though he thoroughly enjoyed his work at Burton Snowboards and the environment that kind of work provided, Powell said, he continued to feel as if something important was missing from his life.
"After eight years at Burton, I started feeling a strong desire to get away from business and start doing something that would have an impact on people's lives," he said. "At that point, I began volunteering at a hospital in Burlington, Vt."
Within a month of working in the hospital's cancer ward, Powell determined that he needed to have some form of medical service in his career.
When Powell told Burton he was leaving to pursue a career in medicine, Burton said it seemed late to be trying something so ambitious. Even so, he said, Powell's great intentions and drive, coupled with a little stubbornness, are aspects of his personality that make him the kind of man who is capable of extraordinary things.
"Doug was never a guy to act impulsively," Burton said. "Clearly, his decision was well thought out, so as much as I hated to see him go, I never considered talking him out of his decision."
Powell said after working in a business environment for so long, his volunteer work in the cancer ward was one of the most trying, yet rewarding, experiences of his life. Throughout his time there, he said, he felt the call to practice medicine become stronger and more important in his life.
"While working full-time and volunteering at the hospital, I signed up for night classes to begin knocking out the pre-med classes I needed to complete before applying to medical school," he said.
The process was arduous, he recalled, as his earlier education was in English and history, so he had to take multiple classes to qualify as a medical school applicant.
"I had a lot of ground to make up if I wanted to make it into medical school, so I set a goal for myself," Powell said. "I would take one class, [such as] biology, and if I got an 'A,' I would continue taking classes." He maintained that standard throughout the pre-med program.
After pre-med, Powell said, he knew he had a long way to go before he could practice medicine, so he continued to work for Burton and spent all of his free time volunteering in the cancer ward.
"There were a lot of patients and experiences that began to weave the fabric of the epiphany of my wanting to practice medicine," he said. "But there was one patient in particular who made it all happen."
During his time as a volunteer, Powell explained, he worked with a woman who had terminal breast cancer. Every day, the woman would bring her husband and young daughter to sit with her as she went through chemotherapy.
Powell said the woman never focused on the treatment she knew would not work. Instead, he said, she focused on interacting with her family and giving them memories and joy that would last a lifetime.
"There was something about the woman's drive and passion for life that both inspired and humbled me," Powell said. "She had the most positive attitude as she interacted with her family and doctors in the ward. Even after she died, I never stopped being affected by her enthusiasm."
Though his first application to medical school was denied, he said, the memory of the woman and her family convinced him to continue his efforts to become a medical practitioner.
"Throughout my career, one of the best pieces of advice I ever received was from a medical colleague of mine," Powell said. "That colleague told me, 'Whenever you have doubt about the path you are on, go and spend time with the patients. They will always pull you through. They will always inspire you, and they will always remove doubt.'"
Powell said that advice has proven true in every stage of his medical career, and is as meaningful now as it was in the beginning. He said it wasn't just about spending physical time with the patients, but also reflecting on his experiences with them that gave him inspiration along his journey.
But the denial of his first medical school application did plant some doubt in his mind, Powell said.
"I went out to California to work for a friend of mine in the snowboard industry," he said, "and really thought I would be continuing in the business."
But on his way back to the East Coast for a final interview for a position in the private sector, he recalled, he ran into a woman in the airport who had a cast on her arm. He stopped to help her with her bags, and in their conversation he learned the woman was on her way to say goodbye to her best friend, who was dying of breast cancer.
On his flight, Powell said, he began reflecting on his own experience with his favorite cancer patient and her family.
"I began writing an essay about my experiences in working with and eventually [having] to say goodbye to that incredible woman," he said. "I wrote her whole story in one take. It was one of those rare times you get the whole story out perfectly, on the very first draft."
Powell said when he re-read the essay as he got off the plane, he knew without a doubt he would apply to medical school again.
"I used that essay as my entrance essay on the medical school application," he said. "After an anxious wait, I was accepted into 10 different medical schools across the country."
Powell chose to attend Wake Forest University School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, N.C. At the time of his post-graduate enrollment, Powell was 40 years old.
Walk through the halls of any American university and you expect to see the bright, young faces of eager students, fresh out of high school, ready to write the first solo chapter in their personal "book of life." But as those young students prepared for their first lecture, they found themselves sitting next to a jovial, white-haired, former business executive they may have mistaken for the professor.
As he started this new stage of his journey, Powell found himself with a much different set of challenges from those his bright-eyed counterparts faced.
"What was tough, very tough, was to be thrown into medical school with young, smart students fresh out of science-based majors," he said. "As a liberal arts major in my undergraduate degree, learning science was something new that I had to undertake to enter medicine."
With only two years of medical classes, taken at night while volunteering and working a full-time, high-level, private-sector job, it was incredibly challenging to become comfortable with the new subject matter he was studying, Powell said.
The challenge for Powell came in trying to keep up with his classmates academically after years of navigating the twists and turns of business. Many of his classmates were fresh out of four-year programs and had a significant amount of lab research experience.
"There were many times during my first and second year when I doubted I was smart or resilient enough to get through the next exam," he said. "I wondered whether I should have chosen another medical school, a less arduous profession, or even if I should have continued my career in business."
But the discrepancy leveled off when his classes transitioned from class work to working with patients.
"It was much easier to apply science to the care of patients than it was to get good grades on standardized exams," Powell said. "But as I got better and better with the former, I continued to struggle with the latter."
It was a battle, Powell said, but he made it through one test and then another, one class and then another, one year and then another, and finally walked across the stage at the end of his four-year program to receive his diploma as a medical doctor. He had finally made it.
"I attribute a lot of my ability to endure those trying times to my background as an aerobic athlete," Powell said. "No matter how busy or overwhelmed I felt, I got out for a run or a long bike ride to recharge my batteries enough to face the next challenge head-on."
The next challenge was medical residency -- practicing medicine under the supervision of a fully licensed physician in a hospital or clinic. Powell chose to complete his residency in internal medicine at Madigan Army Medical Center at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash.
During his residency, Powell competed on the Army 10-miler running team made up of combat arms officers and noncommissioned officers, most who'd served on the front lines in Iraq and Afghanistan.
"Spending time with teammates from my 10-miler team really inspired me to want to practice medicine in a line unit," Powell said. "Hearing their stories and experiences reignited my original passion to engage in public service. I absolutely knew, without a doubt, that I had to serve in a combat arms unit."
Shortly after completing his residency at Madigan, Powell accepted his first assignment as a medical professional as brigade surgeon for the 4th Infantry Division's 1st Brigade Combat Team "Raiders."
Army Lt. Col. David Meyer, the brigade's executive officer, said Powell is an inspiration.
"I can't imagine having the guts and determination to change careers at 40," he said. "I wouldn't even know where to start."
But Powell always knows exactly where to start, Meyer added. Whether it's turning one career in for another or figuring out how to train hundreds of Afghan soldiers and police who can't read to how to administer advanced medical aid on the battlefield, Powell always figures out a way to get the job done, he said.
Figuring out how to overcome seemingly impossible odds is exactly the sort of challenge that inspires Powell to continue his journey as a medical professional in the Army.
"Being a doctor on the front lines gives me an opportunity to effect the care, well-being and medical readiness of a more diverse population of people," he said. "It's an incredibly rewarding, interesting and challenging job." The brigade has established a medical footprint throughout Afghanistan that extends across some of the most dangerous and geographically challenging terrain in the country, he added.
"To be able to deliver health care in an area that didn't previously have an effective health care system in place gives me an incredible feeling of hope and accomplishment," Powell said.
During his deployment, Powell has done a lot more than that. He had helped to design and implement a comprehensive medical training program for the Afghan security forces that will be saving lives long after the last American boots leave Afghan soil.
When he deployed, Powell said, he realized the Afghan forces never would have access to the medical equipment U.S. forces routinely carry with them. He and his team began to put together a training manual that uses common items the Afghan forces would find on the battlefield. Because a large percentage of the Afghan population is illiterate, Powell and his team used step-by-step pictures so Afghan forces would understand it and be able to pass the training on without the help of U.S. forces.
The manual now is a standard for medical training for Afghan forces across Afghanistan.
After all the success Powell has helped bring to 'Raider' Brigade during his time in Afghanistan, It's hard to imagine how he could possibly find a way to challenge himself further as he transitions to the next step of his incredible journey.
In June, Powell begin a fellowship program in critical care medicine at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C.
"This fellowship is an opportunity for me to learn from, and work with, some of the best trauma and burn physicians in the world," he said. "It's also an opportunity for me to teach new resident doctors and medical students critical care medicine."
Meyer said Powell has an exceptional ability to teach. "He easily identifies how people learn, and without passing judgment, is able to create an environment of knowledge for them," he said.
In the meantime, Powell said, he doesn't plan on slowing down his efforts to continue expanding his brigade's medical footprint in Afghanistan any time soon.
"My goal right now is to continue to make sure 'Raider' Brigade is prepared for any medical contingency that might come up," he said. "Experiencing success with the programs we've already implemented here only makes the last few months of this deployment vital to creating even more progress."
Reflecting on the end of his time as a brigade surgeon and the steps it took to get there, Powell said he is just as inspired to continue his work in public service as he was when he first volunteered at the cancer ward in Vermont in 1999.
"Twelve years after I began my journey, I am still discovering, still experiencing rewards that are indescribable," he said. "This calling is as strong and motivating to me now, as it was the day I began my work in the medical field."
But the doctor won't tell you his story is special or unique.
"I think when people consider taking a long journey like I have done, they see the beginning and the end," he said. "They don't realize there is a great amount of life experience collected along the way.
"Each place I traveled throughout this journey has brought great friends and experiences with it," he continued. "When I reached my destination, I looked up and I had less hair and it was all white, but I knew I had done it, without giving up life to get it done."
Still, he added, it's not possible to start an epic journey like this and get to the end without help.
"You make it to the first fork in the road, then up the pass and through the mountains, then down into the valley," he said. "Ultimately, it's about linking all the little sections together to get to the end."
Related Sites:
NATO International Security Assistance Force
1st Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division 

Thursday, March 31, 2011

Media today is accused of giving only juicy news


Media to day is accused of giving only juicy news-ground reality is never mentioned.
Let Me point out;
1]Indiscriminate encroachment of public Land by commercial interests including medical shops
showing as health care unit or diagonostic centres.No proper disposal of medical wastes-causing Biological terrorism by rich medical professionals.Charges made is under no cotrol.
2]Inefficiency in power supply has forced neo-rich traders to set up Heavy capacity Diesel Generators at their residence causing spread of toxic gases and dynamic effect on adjacent structures.This is inaddition to the sub merged pumping of Ground water causing permanent damage to adjacent structures.Who in his senses has approved such arrangement and what media has to say on this.Incorrect inflated Electric Bills is very common with the present Private supplier.
3]Please ask the Lady with Sari as to how she crosses over the road with high barriers in between to go to the Bus stand stand.Some arrangement for pedestrians  safe passage is necessary
Is the media doing enough for the public.Please do not fall in line to attend the free lunch hosted by politicians to suit their interests.Refuse gifts offered.
\Please be of some service to common person.Full page adverisement of some limited persons is the order of the day.The whole country has been bonded to a fewpersons of dynastic rule.Their real contribution is now being questioned by many.
Our name is in shame because of corruption at the highest level.General public are now happy with little daily necessities.
It is time to consider value based quality reporting for improved living for each one of us..
 With kind regards
A.K.BHATTACHARYYA
F.I.StructE (UK), FIE (India), FIBE, FIRT
H-2A, Hauzkhas, New Delhi -16
Phone contact: :011-26854127

Disabled Vets Discover Miracle on Mountain


By Donna Miles 
American Forces Press Service
SNOWMASS VILLAGE, Colo., March 30, 2011 - Sheila James threw her arms up in joy, flashing a smile that stretched from ear to ear as she celebrated a personal victory during the 25th National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic here yesterday.
Click photo for screen-resolution image
Elden Miller, a former Army sergeant blinded during a truck explosion at Fort Carson, Colo., finds the "Miracle on the Mountain" while blazing independently down the wide-open spaces of Colorado's Snowmass Mountain at the National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic, March 29, 2011. Accompanying him is volunteer ski instructor Jerry Miserandino. DOD photo by Donna Miles 
A motor vehicle rollover in 2009 turned the former Air Force senior airman's life upside-down, landing her in a wheelchair and leaving her unable to do some of the simplest things she once took for granted.
Encouraged by the staff at the Audie Murphy Veterans Affairs Medical Center in San Antonio, where she receives care, James decided to give this year's winter sports clinic a whirl.
The clinic, sponsored by the Veterans Affairs Department and Disabled American Veterans, introduces disabled veterans to a full range of winter sports activities to help them put their fears behind them and press their limits to accomplish what many thought they never could.
James' decision wasn't an easy one; the last time she attempted skiing, before her accident, she had turned tail and run before ever hitting the chairlift. Yesterday afternoon, James resisted leaving her wheelchair for a high-tech-looking adaptive ski bucket. Her instructors, Andrea Hanson and Richelle Dube, persuaded her into the ski bucket, and kept her laughing as they loaded her onto the chairlift.
Then they led James on the trip of her lifetime -– swooshing down Snowmass Mountain and leaving a trail of hoots, hollers and unabated glee in their wake.
"I feel like I am floating!" she exclaimed after conquering the mountain. "Right now I feel like a big balloon. This is so awesome! I can't believe that I actually did it!"
James experienced what Sandy Trombetta, founder of the winter sports clinic, calls the "Miracle on the Mountainside."
It's that moment when a disabled veteran suddenly stops focusing on what he or she can't do and realizes a whole new world of possibilities. And it's a regular occurrence at the winter sports clinic.
"The miracle is something that happens within individuals," Trombetta said. "It manifests itself not just here, but also after the veterans return home. ... What they learn here truly changes their lives, and it lasts forever."
For Elden Miller, a former Army sergeant blinded during a truck explosion at Fort Carson, Colo., the miracle comes while blazing independently down the wide-open spaces of Snowmass Mountain.
"At home, I stare at the wall and can't even drive," Miller said. "But here, I'm totally free. It's an unbelievable experience."
For Stephen Bruggeman, a Coast Guard veteran whose leg was amputated after he was shot during a training accident, it's learning to "think outside the box" and find new ways to tackle the challenges he confronts.
"I can do the same things I used to do. I just have to do it in a different way," he said. "Being here, you see that the possibilities for us are endless as long as we have an open and positive attitude and don't dwell on the disability."
For P.J. Pennington, a former Marine Corps sergeant rendered an incomplete paraplegic after being hit by an errant gunshot last year, the miracle means rising above self-imposed limitations.
"This helps me realize there's so much I can still do," Pennington said as he unstrapped his helmet after a run down the mountain. "I can't walk, but there's still so much I can do. Walking is just 10 percent, but I've still got 90 percent. It's really a mental thing, and recognizing that is what makes all the difference."
For Army veteran Mark Thornton, paralyzed while refueling a truck at Fort Knox, Ky., it's being released from his disability.
"When you're skiing, you don't feel disabled. You forget about your disability," he said. "It totally frees you because you are doing something you love, out of your chair."
As they discover the miracle on the mountain, the veterans say they have a great time doing it.
"You get a natural high of 'Oh, wow! I just did that!'" said former Air Force Staff Sgt. Claudia Perry, who returned this year for her second winter sports clinic.
"There's so much to do here, what could you not love about this?" agreed Navy veteran Matthew Robinson.
"It's the skiing that brings me back, but it's also the people here –- the camaraderie of the other vets and the volunteers," said former Army Warrant Officer 1 Anthony Radetic.
"I'm loving it!" agreed former Army Spc. Alejandro Calvo as volunteer instructors Steve Wanovich and Bryan Wood helped him navigate the deep powder at the top of the mountain.
Jake Hipps, a Vietnam-era Marine Corps lance corporal, returned this year for his eighth winter sports clinic.
"What keeps me coming back is the miracle of the mountain," said Hipps, paralyzed by a gunshot wound.
"It's so rewarding to come here and be able to experience that, but [also] to help share it with the younger veterans," he said. "It's the chance to give back what older veterans freely gave us, and to see them realize that if they can do this, they can do anything."
Related Sites:
National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic
Department of Veterans Affairs
Disabled American Veterans 

Related Articles:
Camaraderie, Challenge Inspire Wounded Warriors 
Biden Encourages Winter Sports Clinic Participants 
Disabled Veterans Inspire All Americans, Biden Says 
Disabled Veterans Sports Clinic Opens in Colorado 

Click photo for screen-resolution imageFormer Air Force Senior Airman Sheila James, center, celebrates after conquering Snowmass Mountain and discovering the "Miracle on the Mountain" during the 25th National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic at Colorado's Snowmass Mountain, March 29, 2011. Sharing her breakthrough are volunteer ski instructors Andrea Hanson and Richelle Dube.


DOD photo by Donna Miles 

Click photo for screen-resolution imageNavy veteran Matthew Robinson discovers the "Miracle on the Mountain" at the 25th National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic at Colorado's Snowmass Mountain, March 29, 2011. "There's so much to do here, what could you not love about this?" he asked.



DOD photo
by Donna Miles 

Click photo for screen-resolution imageVolunteer instructors Steve Wanovich and Bryan Wood help Army Spc. Alejandro Calvo as he navigates the deep powder at the top of Colorado's Snowmass Mountain during the 25th National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic, March 29, 2011.

DOD photo by Donna Miles 

Biden Encourages Winter Sports Clinic Participants


By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
SNOWMASS VILLAGE, Colo., March 29, 2011 - Vice President Joe Biden made another surprise appearance to the 25th National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic yesterday, encouraging disabled veterans as they hit the slopes and teasing them for showing him up on the mountain.
Click photo for screen-resolution image
Vice President Joe Biden makes a surprise appearance amid a heavy snow to cheer on participants at the 25th National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic in Snowmass Village, Colo., March 28, 2011. DOD photo by Donna Miles
 
"I'm a pretty good skier, but some of these veterans have really passed me by," the vice president joked at the base of Snowmass Mountain as he chatted with disabled veterans getting strapped into adaptive skis amid a heavy snowfall.
Steps away from the slope, he watched a scuba-diving session as instructor Susan Ferguson explained, "We're trying to give them a whole new experience."
Mingling among the disabled veterans, volunteers and staff, Biden shook hands, posed for photos and hugged the mother of a wounded warrior as he checked out the events.
The visit was Biden's third to the winter sports clinic. He stopped in during early registration March 26 to recognize the more than 600 volunteers supporting this year's clinic. Then on March 27, he made an unannounced return to address about disabled veterans during the clinic's opening-night ceremonies.
Biden hinted during those ceremonies that he might be back. "I'm not supposed to tell you, but I'll be hiding out watching you," he told the group.
Tyrone Allen, a former Navy petty officer third class, here for his first winter sports clinic after suffering a traumatic brain injury and spinal injury aboard USS Wasp in 2004, said he was thrilled that Biden remembered him from the previous night's meeting.
"He said, 'Hey big guy,'" said the 6-foot-5-inch Allen. "I have to say this is the greatest day of my life. You just don't expect a person at that level to be so friendly and open."
Biden told the veterans at the opening ceremony they're an inspiration to their fellow Americans, and not so bad on the slopes, either. "I already got my [rear end] kicked by one guy on a sled and one guy with a prosthesis," he joked. "And I'm a pretty good skier."
The visit to the winter sports clinic, the first for a vice president, isn't about politics, Biden told the group. "This is about all of you," he said.
The vice president introduced his wife, Dr. Jill Biden, his sons -- including Army Capt. Joseph "Beau" Biden, who deployed to Iraq with the Delaware Army National Guard -- and his grandchildren to the audience. He quoted from John Steinbeck's novel "East of Eden," which calls soldiers the holiest of all humans because they've been tested.
"You are, in Steinbeck's words, the most tested of Americans," he told the veterans. "We're here to pay tribute to you and to thank you."
The National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic, co-sponsored by the Veterans Affairs Department and Disabled American Veterans, is the world leader in promoting rehabilitation, officials said.
The event is open to veterans with spinal cord injuries, amputations, traumatic brain injuries, neurological challenges, and visual impairments who receive care through VA.
Participants in the five-day clinic learn adaptive Alpine and Nordic skiing and are exposed to various other winter-sports activities, all aimed at helping them focus on their abilities rather than their disabilities.
Related Sites:
National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic 
Department of Veterans Affairs
Disabled American Veterans
Related Articles:
Disabled Veterans Inspire All Americans, Biden Says 
Disabled Veterans Sports Clinic Opens in Colorado 

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

When Politicians Control TV What Happens To Journalism?

Kanwar Sandhu
 Aniruddha Bahal
The Foundation for Media Professionals is pleased to invite you to a debate on 'When Politicians Control Television What Happens To Journalism?' TV news channels are being set up by people (politicians, builders) who have little interest in news itself. They seek to misinform, not inform. Their aim is to influence policy and politics for personal gain. As non-serious players, they are wrecking the economics of the industry, and driving out legitimate businesses. Shoud there be entry barriers? What safeguards should be taken against use of unaccounted cash? Do we need a regulator like UK's Offcom? Can viewers take informed decisions based on a cacophony of partisan views?
Event is created by Aniruddha Bahal. it's date and time is  Friday, April 8 2011 from 10:30am to 1:30pm at Main Auditorium, India International Centre, Lodhi Estate, New Delhi
Jayant Mammen Mathew

The speakers are-

Vanita Kohli-Khandekar, Author of 'The Indian Media Business,' and media columnist in the Business Standard

Kanwar Sandhu, Founder and Managing Editor, Day & Night News, Chandigarh (Sandhu was former editor, Hindustan Times, Chandigarh and former resident editor, Indian Express, Chandigarh edition).

Sanjay Salil, Founder and Managing Director, MediaGuru (this is an organization that has set up the following TV channels: Channel 7 (now IBN 7), Sakshi TV, Manorama TV, News 24 (of Congress MP Rajiv Shukla), Newslive (Assam's leading channel), among others.

Jayant Mammen Mathew, Dy MD of Manorama Group (Kerala)

Shashi Menon (Founder of Asianet (now owned by Star TV), and currently head of Asian School of Journalism, Chennai)

Vivain Fernandes, Editor, Special Features, CNBC-TV18 will moderate the discussion.

Please join us for lunch after the debate

Looking forward to seeing you all there!

Disabled Veterans Inspire All Americans:Biden


By Donna Miles 
American Forces Press Service
SNOWMASS VILLAGE, Colo.: Vice President Joe Biden made a surprise appearance last night at the opening ceremonies of the 25th National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic, thanking the participants for their service and sacrifices and for the inspiration they give their fellow Americans.
Click photo for screen-resolution image
Vice President Joe Biden greets volunteers during registration for the 25th annual National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic in Snowmass Village, Colo., March 27, 2011. The program, which brings together nearly 400 veterans with disabilities through adaptive winter sports, is organized by the Veterans Affairs Department and the Disabled American Veterans. White House photo 
"You are a remarkable group of people, ... the most tested of all Americans," the vice president told about 400 disabled veterans participating in this year's five-day clinic.
"Collectively, the generations of soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines who have served and sacrificed as you have are the heart and soul, ... the spine of this nation," Biden added. "You have given more than any but those who we have buried."
The vice president thanked the veterans for "the incredible service you have all rendered," but especially for "the service you continue to render."
The participants may not realize how much they do for other people in their situation, Biden told the veterans, or how much they inspire millions of Americans who look to their example.
"So don't underestimate what you continue to do for your country and what you continue to do for so many people ... who aren't warriors like all of you, but they look at you and they take strength from it," he said.
Biden, who brought his family along to the opening ceremonies and introduced them by name, said he frequently takes his children and grandchildren along when he and his wife, Dr. Jill Biden, visit military and veterans hospitals.
"I want them to see the incredible courage," he said.
Biden shared stories of wounded warriors who, despite their own struggles, want nothing more than to return to their units and family members who stand by them.
"You are an inspiration to your country," the vice president said. "You have given so much and you ask for so little. You ... have never feared the future and you have never been deterred from the notion of being able to make every day a little better than the day before. That's what brings you all here."
Biden said he, President Barack Obama and Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric K. Shinseki share a firm belief that the United States has many obligations, but "only one sacred obligation: to prepare those we send into harm's way and to care for those who come home."
"It is they first –- not second, not third, not fifth," Biden said. "It is the only truly sacred obligation we have." (Issued on : March 28, 2011) -
Related Sites:
National Disabled Veterans Winter Sports Clinic Related Articles:
Disabled Veterans Sports Clinic Opens in Colorado 

A new life to Gurdev from CMC


Mr Gurdev Singh with Dr Jeyaraj Pandian and Dr Harinder Singh Bedi
Gurdev Singh of   village Rameyana , Faridkot  was in a difficult situation. This 52 year old farmer suffered from an acute stroke (brain attack) which kept evolving. He was seen by Dr Jeyaraj Pandian – Prof of Neurology at the Christian Medical College & Hospital Ludhiana and Director to the World Stroke Organisation from South-East Asia . Gurdev was immediately put on the best medical therapy. However he continued to have recurrent stroke symptoms and was found on investigation to have a critical block of the artery to his left brain  (internal carotid artery) . What was more worrying to Dr Pandian was that Gurdev had a superimposed clot (thrombus) which was also  extending proximally into the common carotid artery . This persisted in spite of clot busters which were given and there was a danger that the clot would break off and enter the brain. He was then referred to Dr Harinder Singh Bedi – Head of Cardio Vascular & Thoracic Surgery . Dr Bedi has one of the largest experience of surgery of the carotid arteries esp in acute stroke and has recently presented his experience at the International Asia Pacific Conference on Vascular Interventions  where it was much appreciated by a large International gathering of experts.
Gurdev was then taken up for a high risk surgery called a carotid endarterectomy . During surgery a difficult variation in anatomy was found. Dr Bedi said that this anomaly -high bifurcation of the carotid artery – was a particularly challenging one . Because of the vast experience of the team the clot was removed completely and the artery repaired.  Anesthesia for this difficult case was given by Dr Arun Gupta. Gurdev made a complete  recovery. The other members of the team are Dr Allen Joseph, Dr Viju  Abraham, Dr Pranay Pawar and Dr Richa .
Dr Abraham G Thomas – Director of CMC & H – said that the CMC was committed to deliver a complete and International level care to the people of the region. In the absence of advanced surgical therapy a stroke can be disabling or even fatal . --Shalu Arora and Rector Kathuria 

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Prominent Blogger Missing in China: Amnesty

Tue, Mar 29, 2011 at 7:23 
Interview Series 2 Yang Hen
Washington, D.C.:The Chinese authorities must reveal the whereabouts of a political blogger and commentator who has not been seen since Sunday and is believed to be detained, Amnesty International said today. 
Chinese-born former diplomat Yang Hengjun, an Australian national, informed his blog administrator in a phone call on Sunday that he was at Guangzhou Airport in southern China, being followed by three men.  Since then, those close to him have told Amnesty International that he has been detained by the Chinese authorities, although his whereabouts are unknown. 
"Yang Hengjun’s disappearance is extremely worrying, especially as it comes during one of the biggest round-ups of activists and critics for years," said Catherine Baber, Amnesty International’s deputy director for the Asia Pacific. "He joins a long list of peaceful reformists who have gone missing or been arrested in China in the last month."   
Chinese government spokespeople have so far denied knowledge of Yang’s whereabouts in response to requests from the Australian government.  
Amnesty International has logged dozens of arrests, detentions and disappearances of activists, Twitter-users and bloggers since February, when online calls for a 'Jasmine Revolution' in China began to circulate, inspired by protests in the Middle East and North Africa. 
In the latest formal criminal charge to arise from the sweep, prominent Sichuan blogger Ran Yunfei was yesterday charged with 'incitement to subvert state power' after being detained for a month. More than 20 activists, lawyers and bloggers are being held without charge, such as blogger Gu Chuan, who has been held in incommunicado detention for a month in Beijing.  Amnesty International fears that he is at risk of torture and ill-treatment. 
"There is no sign of this crackdown easing," said Baber. "The net is being cast wider than ever before.  We fear the Chinese authorities seem to be moving the goal posts to treat any peaceful expression of support for reform as 'subversion'." 
Amnesty International is a Nobel Peace Prize-winning grassroots activist organization with more than 3 million supporters, activists and volunteers in more than 150 countries campaigning for human rights worldwide. The organization investigates and exposes abuses, educates and mobilizes the public, and works to protect people wherever justice, freedom, truth and dignity are denied. 

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Protects the goal during hockey practice

U.S. Air Force Academy freshman goalie Jason Torf protects the goal during hockey practice at the academy's Cadet Ice Arena in Colorado Springs, Colo., March 21, 2011. For the fourth time in five years, the Air Force will be playing in the NCAA Hockey Tournament. The Falcons are the fourth seed in the NCAA Eastern Regional and will face top-seeded Yale at the Webster Bank's Arena at Harbor Yard in Bridgeport, Conn. The Air Force is playing in its school-record fourth NCAA tournament, as the Falcons also won the Atlantic Hockey Association Tournament in 2007, 2008 and 2009. (U.S. Air Force photo by Mike Kaplan/Released)

wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates lays a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Moscow, Russia, March 22, 2011. (DoD photo by Cherie Cullen/Released)

Monday, March 28, 2011

Annual Convocation of 4 CMC colleges at Ludhiana


Ludhiana: Annual Convocation of Christian Medical College, Christian Dental College, College of Nursing and College of Physiotherapy, Ludhiana was held on 28.03.2011 with traditional grandeur today in the College Campus, Shri Tikshan Sud, Hon’ble Minister Parliamentary Affairs, Medical Education & Research, Forest and  Labour, Govt. of  Punjab was the Chief Guest. He said, “At the outset, let me thank the Institute for inviting me here to participate in this memorable occasion and to distribute the Convocation credentials to merit holders. Your profession is prestigious, with ample scope for growth. You are part of the educated class that society looks up to, for guidance and awareness. On this convocation day, I wish all the young Doctors the very best in life and a wonderful future with achievements and I wish they should also treat the poor people.
It is always a pleasure to visit CMC & Hospital and I am delighted to be here with the younger generation of doctors and nurses today. Christian Medical College has a long tradition of pursuing excellence in teaching and research in science. He also appreciated the Christian Medical College & Hospital for its exceptional services in the field of Medical. Your profession is prestigious, with ample scope for growth. You are part of the educated class that society looks up to, for guidance and awareness. On this convocation day, I wish all the young Doctors the very best in life and a wonderful future with achievements.

Dr. Abraham G. Thomas, Director welcomed the gathering, Dr. S. M. Bhatti, Principal administered the Hippocratic Oath to the Graduates and Postgraduates. Fourty Six Medical Graduates were awarded the degrees. Students excelling in various academic activities were awarded Prizes and Medals by the Chief Guest. Alisha Sharma, Midhila BabyNina PhilipSebastian Marker, Geetika GeraDevki Verma Amrit Kaur, Samson Charan, Jenni Mariam George were the prominent prize winners. Jensi Achamma George won the gold medal for being the best intern while Chepsy C Philip was awarded Jaswant Kaur Memorial award for best Medical Resident. Faculty Award for the best outgoing Orthopaedics Resident went to Dr. Suhash Masilamani. Overview of faculty achievements was presented by Principal, Dr. S.M. Bhatti. 
64 B.Sc. Nursing graduates and 24 M.Sc. Nursing post-graduates awarded the degree. Damanpreet Kaur B.Sc. Nursing 1st year, Harpreet Kaur B.Sc. Nursing 2nd year, Gigi M. George B.Sc. Nursing 3rd year, Harpreet Kaur B.Sc. Nursing 4th year secured 1st position in the college.  Sarabjit Kaur secured first position in B.Sc. Nursing Aggregate. Poonam Sharma M.Sc.Nursing 1st year and Mamta M.Sc.Nursing 2nd year stood first in the University.  Preety Alagh ranked first in M.Sc. Nursing Aggregate. Special prizes were awarded to Sanchi Gureja for Best Community Health Nurse, Jaspreet Kaur H.S. for Best Bed Side nurse and Renny Grace Paul awarded Anna Vohra memorial award for the All Round Best Student Nurse. 
Dr. Abi M. Thomas, Principal, Christian Dental College presented the college report.  There were 40 BDS and 4 MDS graduates to receive their degrees.  8 students received gold medals.  In the report he highlighted the achievements of the faculty and students in the last year.  Ms. Navraj was topper in the final Professional BDS examination.    The overall percentage of students in BDS examination was 95%.  4 students got distinctions.  As part of the goal oriented education, all our students are committed to serve an area of need after their graduation.   At present 55 graduates of Christian Dental College are working in different parts of the country and one at Liberia, West Africa.  The dental students council actively supported the administration in coordinating different programmes.    The Principal highlighted that there were 12 scientific paper presentations, 11 poster presentation and 10 scientific publications in National and International journals.   The Association of Medical Alumni awarded Life Time Achievement award to Dr. Sybil SinghDr. V. K. Satija Award for best Clinical Teacher went to Dr. Shekhar Upadhyay while batch of 1976 Excellence in Teaching Award went to Mrs. Madhumita Mukerjee. Ajay Alex Varughese and Simi Samuel were awarded Alumni Prize for best alrounder. 
Dr.Kim MamMrs. Triza Jiwan, Principal, College Nursing proposed the vote of thanks.

Mullen Welcomes Medal of Honor Heroes to Pentagon


By Lisa Danie
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON: Navy Adm. Mike Mullen joined service leaders today in honoring those he called America's "bravest of the brave" in a Pentagon ceremony marking the 150th anniversary of the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest military award.
Click photo for screen-resolution image
Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, addresses audience members during a ceremony in the Pentagon's Hall of Heroes honoring the 150th anniversary of the Medal of Honor, March 25, 2011. DOD photo by Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Chad J. McNeeley 

Thirty of the 85 living recipients of the Medal of Honor, along with their families, joined the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and senior service leaders in the Pentagon's Hall of Heroes, where their names are engraved on wall hangings among the 3,454 recipients. Today's military leaders thanked the veterans for their service -- most rendered decades ago -- while an Army band played military marches, "America the Beautiful" and other patriotic songs before the ceremony.
"For those of us who serve, and have had the opportunity to meet many of you, we marvel at your service, marvel at your dedication, and marvel at your caring," said Mullen, who stood nearby U.S. and service-branch flags and oversized replicas of the Navy, Army and Air Force versions of the medal.
The Medal of Honor recipients serve as mentors to the nation's service members and are a bridge between the military and civilian communities, Mullen said. "Your help in connecting us to the American people is a very important endeavor," he said.
Mullen called the characteristics that embody the medal recipients –- honor, sacrifice, and service –- "iconic and quintessentially American." President Abraham Lincoln sought and received an act of Congress to create the Medal of Honor during the Civil War, Mullen said, noting the medal came from "one of the darkest chapters in American history, and from the man credited with saving" the United States.
The medal is "bestowed on the bravest of the brave for the most selfless and noble acts ever witnessed on the battlefield," Mullen said. It is the most democratic of awards, he added, having no regard for rank, race or class of recipients. More than half of its recipients did not survive the battle for which it was earned, he said.
"These heroes –- and I do not use that word lightly -– have demonstrated how just one American can not only make a difference, but can often make history," Mullen said.
"We give thanks that here, today, we live in a country where brave young Americans are still willing to give their all in defense of our nation," the chairman said. He noted that the 10 years that today's military has been at war is the longest period of war in American history.
Leo K. Thorsness, a retired Air Force colonel and president of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society received the coveted medal for his actions in Vietnam. The 85 living recipients of the medal range in age from 26 to 90, he said, and they have the "common thread of passionate love of country."
"We wear this for those who can't," Thorsness said, referring to the medals hanging by a light blue sash around the necks of the recipients. "Many more are deserving and didn't receive it, either because they slipped through the cracks or there were no eyewitnesses" to their valor, he said.
Today's ceremony marked a personal anniversary for one medal recipient. March 31 will mark 40 years since Brian M. Thacker of Wheaton, Md., was pinned down on a mountain ridge in Vietnam's Kontum province, where he made a strategic decision to try to fend off his North Vietnamese attackers alone rather than risk the lives of all the men in his unit.
Thacker was a 25-year-old Army first lieutenant who had extended his time in college ROTC in the hopes of avoiding the draft, he recalled today. But while fulfilling his military commitment in September 1970, he was sent to Vietnam, where "from the American point of view, we were turning the war over" to the South Vietnamese.
On March 31, 1971, Thacker was the team leader of an artillery battery on a mountaintop observation fire base collocated with South Vietnamese units when they were overrun by a much larger contingent of North Vietnamese soldiers. The enemy used rockets, grenades, flamethrowers and automatic weapons, while Thacker's group had just one machine gun. Three of his five men were killed in the first 15 minutes.
Thacker said he had known for some time he didn't want to make a career of the military, but that did not hold him back in service or combat. "If I got any criticism, it was that I couldn't be reined in," he said.
It was with that focus and determination that Thacker encouraged his troops through hours of close combat while he directed airstrikes from an exposed position. By late afternoon, Thacker determined his unit would have to withdraw. He stayed behind -- alone, and with only an M-16 rifle -- to direct airstrikes on his own position to suppress the enemy while his unit climbed the steep terrain to a level where helicopters could reach them.
Wounded and unable to catch up to his men, Thacker made his way down the mountain and hid in thick vegetation, eluding the enemy for eight days until he was rescued.
Even after 40 years, Thacker said, he still thinks daily about the men who served with him –- and died –- on that mountaintop.
"I get to wake up to a new sunrise every day because of their sacrifices," he said.
 (Issued on :March 25, 2011)
Biographies:
Navy Adm. Mike Mullen
Related Sites:
Special Report: Medal of Honor
Congressional Medal of Honor Society