Sunday, December 30, 2012

A time for action-says letter from Namita Bhandare

Sun, Dec 30, 2012 at 12:43 PM
We have a long fight ahead. But we will win
Photo courtesy Facebook
Dear Rector,
Yesterday was a sad day as we woke up to the heartbreaking news of the death of the 23-year-old medical student who was subject to a brutal gang rape, beaten and then dumped on the road on the night of December 16. 
Today, we share the same feelings of sorrow, hopelessness, anger and frustration. Yet, I believe that while this is a time for grief, this is also a time for action. This is a time to say: enough. 
Our petition has gathered over 88,000 signatures. It is important to make every voice count and to send a strong message that we will not continue to tolerate sexual violence against women. 
Tomorrow, at 10 am, I am going to the office of Justice J.S. Verma who is the head of a three-person committee that will submit its findings and recommendations on issues of safety of women. I will be submitting our petition with all the signatures (yes, all 2,700+ pages!). 

It is important to keep this campaign going. I am writing to you once again to request you to sign this petition and forward this email to your friends and family.

The Justice Verma Commission is accepting submissions until January 5. We don't have a lot of time. If you would like to make additional suggestions, please leave a comment as 'reasons for signing this petition'. I will be collecting all the comments and submitting them to the committee.

We have a long fight ahead. But we will win. 

With warm regards,

Namita Bhandare via Change.org
A letter from Namita Bhandare 
PS:  Help us reach out to more people by forwarding this email to your friends or share it on Twitter and Facebook.

Sunday, December 23, 2012

An open debate on violence against women at Ldh

Sat, Dec 22, 2012 at 11:26 AM
A bill must be passed in parliament at earliest
such crimes are generally committed by the well connected people
LUDHIANA, 21 December 2012:A comprehensive strategy has to be evolved through administrative, socio political and judicial measures to combat the inhuman menace of violence against women. This was the consensus arrived at after open debate on violence against women organized by the All India Working Women Forum (AITUC), Punjab Istri Sabha and Bharat Jan Vigyan Jatha Ludhiana today at Shaheed Karnail Singh Isru Bhawan Ludhiana. Dr Narjit Kaur –Convener of the forum said that it was heartbreaking and sobering to read the morning papers and realise how low we have fallen as a society and as human beings. A group of drunk middle aged men raped a young physiotherapist and brutally assaulted her and her boyfriend. Even if the girl survives her physical injuries, the mental scars she bears may not be erased for a lifetime. What sort of wicked and depraved men they must be to so casually and easily rob the joy and health of a harmless young girl at the threshold of womanhood and life and reduce her and her family to utter despair?

Mrs.Gurcharan Kochar – President Punjab Istri Sabha Ludhiana cautioned that it brings us to the urgent question of what needs to be done to prevent more of our daughters being deprived of their happiness, esteem, health and often, their lives. To act strongly and firmly. The female foeticide, honour killings and discrimination against the girl child are a reflection of  gender bias prevailing in the society. This needs to be condemned  and corrected.

Dr Arun Mitra – General Secretary Bharat Jan Vigyan Jatha said that such crimes are generally committed by the well connected people who feel that they will go scot free after committing the crime. The economic gaps which have increased in the last about two decades have further marginalized the already deprived section of the society who have become more vulnerable to violence.

The meeting proposed following measures to meet the situation.

1.      All concerned men and women holding any position of authority and whose voice can be heard  by many, should publicly express their outrage and concern.

2.      A bill must be passed in parliament at the earliest wherein the outcome of rape cases must be decided within 45 days by a fast track court. Strong punishment must be meted out to the rapist and he must be publicly humiliated.

3.      Police reforms must be undertaken immediately. Political intervention in the police must stop.  If any police station refuses to register a complaint of rape, there must be a strong and well -defined punishment for the concerned officer.

4.      Laws in relation to sexual harassment at workplace should be enacted in consultation with women orgnaisations.


There should be one page devoted in the daily newspapers to women’s safety. This page should exclusively list crimes against women. Detailed identities and addresses of culprits involved, photographs and daily progress on brutal cases (ie who has been apprehended as yet, what punishment has been given etc)

5.      All employers should make their own  workplaces  as safe as possible for women.

6.      There should be several options for safe travel for women including exclusive buses and taxis, train compartments and plenty of well-lit public toilets. These should have female staff manning them as well.

7.      All parents, when rearing  their children, should place a very strong emphasis on not letting them use violence. Gentleness must be inculcated from the start in boys especially.

8.      All schools should make self- defence, especially for girls , a mandatory part of the curriculum.

Others who spoke at the meeting include Maj. Sher Singh Aulukh – President BJVJ, M.S.Bhatia – Organising Secretary BJVJ, Jit Kumar – General Secretary Punjab Istri Sabha Ludhiana, D.P.Maur – General Secretary Joint Council of Trade Unions Ludhiana.  

 An open debate on violence against women at Ldh

Friday, December 21, 2012

Daughter Delight

Thu, Dec 20, 2012 at 10:31 PM//12/20/2012 10:55 AM CST
U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Richard Winstead hugs his daughter during a homecoming celebration on Naval Air Station Atsugi, Japan, Nov. 17, 2012. Winstead is assigned to Electronic Attack Squadron 141, which completed a deployment aboard the aircraft carrier USS George Washington.
(USA Dod) Daughter Delight

Thursday, December 20, 2012

Low-opening freefall

U.S. Army and allied jumpmasters jump from a German C-160 military transport aircraft onto the Luzon drop zone during a high-altitude, low-opening freefall jump during Operation Toy Drop's Special Operations Week at Fort Bragg, N.C., Dec. 10, 2012. (DoD photo by Staff Sgt. Sharilyn Wells, U.S. Army/Released)   12/10/2012

Thursday, December 13, 2012

Green Bay Approach

12/12/2012 05:00 PM CST
A landing craft air cushion approaches the amphibious transport dock ship the USS Green Bay in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility, Dec. 6, 2012. The Green Bay is part of the Peleliu Amphibious Ready Group.

Friday, December 07, 2012

Revamped Program Aids Separating Service Members


12/06/2012 12:46 PM CST
By Donna Miles

American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Dec. 6, 2012 - Major changes announced today to the Transition Assistance Program will revolutionize the way the military prepares people leaving the services, with mandatory participation in programs throughout their military careers to help set them up for a successful transition.
The redesigned program, called Transition Goals Planning Success or Transition GPS, was unveiled by Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta and Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric K. Shinseki. It is a multi-agency response to President Barack Obama's call to improve career readiness for separating service members, explained Susan S. Kelly, principal director of the Defense Department's Transition to Veterans Program Office.
The president hinted at the most-sweeping change to the Transition Assistance Program in two decades during a speech this summer to the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Obama called it the centerpiece to a broader federal effort to help service members transition to civilian life and to reduce veterans unemployment.
During the three-phase rollout of the Transition GPS program that will continue through 2014, the many, but often disconnected, activities conducted across the U.S. government to support veterans and their families will be melded into one comprehensive effort, Kelly said.
The Defense Department and departments of Veterans Affairs and Labor aligned their most successful programs to deliver better and more comprehensive services to help make service members "career ready" for civilian employment, officials said. They reached out to the Department of Education to integrate the latest teaching methods and tapped into the resources of the Office of Personnel Management and the Small Business Administration.
One of the biggest changes in the new program is that participation is no longer voluntary.
Based on a law that took effect Nov. 21, service members can no longer opt out of the transition assistance program. All, including reservists and Guardsmen demobilized after 180 days of active duty, must now attend specific training sessions and take concrete steps to prepare for separation.

During phase one of the rollout, being implemented immediately, all separating service members will receive counseling about Department of Veterans benefits, Kelly said. In addition, most will be required to attend newly revamped employment workshops run by the Department of Labor.
These workshops incorporate new curriculum such as how to explore career interests, use search tools to find job opportunities, write a resume, interview for a position and negotiate a salary, said John Moran, DOL's deputy assistant secretary for Veterans Employment and Training Service.
While fulfilling the congressional mandate to reach out to all separating service members, the interagency team went a step beyond the law to further enhance the effort, Kelly said.
Separating service members must now take financial planning training, and complete a 12-month budget that factors in the cost of where they decide to live after leaving the military. They must evaluate how their military-acquired education, training and experience translate into civilian career qualifications and prepare an individual transition plan.

The task force ran a pilot program last summer at seven installations to evaluate this core curriculum, gathering assessments from about 950 military members who participated.
"Many in the pilot programs found it eye-opening," Kelly said.
The seven pilot sites continue to offer the DOL workshops, but the instruction will be available service-wide by January, Moran said.
The program's second phase, to be tested during 2013 and implemented by the year's end, establishes requirements for separating service members who plan to go on to college or technical or career training or to start their own businesses.
Those electing higher education or other training will be required to show an acceptance letter from that institution, or have an application filled out and ready to submit, Kelly said. They also will be required to establish a contact with a counselor to follow up with after leaving the military.
Also during phase two, service members who hope to become entrepreneurs will be required to connect with the Small Business Administration for help in drafting and evaluating their small business plans.
The final phase of the rollout to be implemented by the end of 2014 will integrate transition preparation throughout the service member's military career. The idea, Kelly explained, is to begin preparations for transition long before a service member prepares to leave the military.
"The end state that we are shooting for is to embed this across the military lifecycle," she said.
Each service will develop a plan designating points along a service member's career path for this training, Kelly said.
Danny Pummill from the VA called the Transition GPS program an unprecedented interagency effort that ensures service members have the time and resources to prepare for a smooth transition from the military.
It will help the nation's newest veterans live up to their destinies as "the next greatest generation," he said.
"If we do this right, this is our opportunity to once again transform America," Pummill said.
Related Sites:
Special Report: Veterans Employment

Monday, November 26, 2012

The Children of Troumaron

Press conference by Director of the Film "The Children of Troumaron”, Harrikrishna Anenden, at the 43rd International Film Festival of India (IFFI-2012), in Panaji, Goa on November 25, 2012.   (PIB)
26-November-2012

Thursday, November 22, 2012

Canine Comrade

11/21/2012 02:41 PM CST
U.S. Navy Lt. John Geary pets his dog during a homecoming celebration on Naval Air Station Atsugi, Japan, Nov. 19, 2012. Geary is assigned to Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron 14, which completed a deployment aboard the aircraft carrier USS George Washington.

Monday, October 29, 2012

In Malaysia:

A Sikh temple stands as a place of fellowship
The gurdwara, the largest in Southeast Asia, offers a variety of services, as well as tranquillity and togetherness, to local Sikhs and people from other faiths.
By Grace Chen for Khabar Southeast Asia in Kuala Lumpur
October 29, 2012
A Sikh devotee offers prayer at Gurdwara Tatt Khalsa Diwan on Jalan Raja Alang in Kuala Lumpur. Activities are not as robust on weekdays but on Sundays especially, yoga and music classes makes the place hum with life. [Photos by Grace Chen/Khabar]
The Gurdwara Tatt Khalsa Diwan is the largest house of worship for Sikhs in Southeast Asia.
It is lunch time and Rajinder Kaur, 66, is eating a vegetarian meal of polao, bean curd and lentil gravy in the dining hall of Gurdwara Tatt Khalsa Diwan. Lunch is free and everyone, regardless of religion, race or social class, is welcome. About 200 people turn up each day. On festival days, the hall may host up to 1,000 diners.
But Rajinder is not here for free food.

After losing her husband to a heart attack nine years ago, she has come to the largest Sikh temple in Southeast Asia to seek peace. Rajinder's late husband used to volunteer in the kitchen.

"In an age where everyone is thinking of making money, this is the only place where I can feel calm and unhurried," says Rajinder.

Jeswant Singh Sran, security chief of the gurdwara car park, has held his post for ten years. He sponsors tea for morning prayers between 5 and 7am, makes sure the area is free of drug addicts, and greets visitors with puns.

"I am the 'only Singh in the world', hence my name, Jeswant. And what does a guy who likes to cool himself in a deep pool of water call himself? Kuldeep," quips the retired police officer.

Jeswant points out three other gurdwaras located within a five-kilometre radius, including one at the police academy in Jalan Semarak, and another at the Jalan Bandar police station.

"Many first-generation Sikhs were recruited in the armed forces. The presence of these gurdwaras kept them steadfast to their duty," says Jeswant, who joined the forces in his youth.

Standing like a sentinel on the border of the Chow Kit market Kampung Baru, the gurdwara is a beacon to the Sikh community, both local and foreign. Foreign workers employed in area businesses comprise 30% of the congregation. They come to volunteer and find comfort in their brethren's company.

The roots of the gurdwara can be traced back to 1819, to its original site where the Kuala Lumpur General Hospital now stands.

According to Sujit Singh Gill, 80, treasurer of the gurdwara for nine years, the British government officially allocated the lot for the Sikh community in Jalan Raja Alang in 1922.

Originally serving the Sikh community from the Setapak and Sentul area during the 1920s, the congregation grew to include businessmen who worked in Jalan Tuanku Abdul Rahman in the 1960s.

The Malaya Samachar newspaper, printed entirely in Punjabi thrice weekly, with a run of 500 copies per issue, is housed in the complex.

Fifteen rooms are available to house the needy or budget travellers on a temporary basis, but the gurdwara committee is careful whom they accommodate for safety purposes.

The construction of the temple's two buildings, standing on 1.5 acres of land in the middle of a prime commercial area, was fully funded by gurdwara members.

"It is the members who have ensured the survival of the gurdwara thus far," said Sujit, who added that they have 600 lifetime members who contribute RM 100 ($33) to the gurdwara fund annually.

Still, Sujit, the treasurer, feels the gurdwara has seen better days.

A religious school had some 500 students and 20 teachers in the 1970s but had to close due to lack of students. Snarling city traffic, changing five-minute journeys to two-hour crawls, has made it impossible for students to reach school on time.

Gurdip Singh, Sujit's assistant, said it's all about the changing times. But while things may be quiet on weekdays, the complex bustles on weekends. On Sundays, children come for religious classes, yoga and music lessons.

"People still come here to pray in the mornings and evenings. We still have our festivals. Our monthly schedules have few free days and we still cater to community needs like marriage ceremonies and requiem. That is a good sign," Gurdip said. 
In Malaysia:


Saturday, October 20, 2012

Military Works to Prevent Domestic Violence

Sat, Oct 20, 2012 at 12:25 AM
"Educating the community is really important,"
By Lisa Daniel
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Oct. 19, 2012 - The Defense Department and each of the services are drawing attention to the plight of domestic violence because of people like Amanda Tenorio, a victim advocate for Army Community Services at Joint Base Henderson Hall, Va., and a domestic violence survivor.
Click photo for screen-resolution image
Robin Harris, right, volunteer coordinator with Bethany House in Northern Virginia, speaks with Amanda Tenorio, Fort Meyer, Va., victim advocate and domestic violence survivor, at her informational booth during Fort Belvoir's resource symposium on domestic violence prevention, hosted by the Army Community Service Family Advocacy Program, Oct. 4, 2012. U.S. Army photo by Brittany Carlson
 

Tenorio was a 28-year-old divorced mother of two when she started dating a man who quickly turned violent with her. In their year-and-a-half relationship, she said, she sustained regular beatings that caused 35 broken bones in her face, a broken hip, ankles and ribs, dislocated knees and brain injuries that put her into a coma.Tenorio and other domestic violence survivors are speaking out at installations as part of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, a national designation in October to bring violence among couples out of the shadows of their homes and into the help of military family advocacy programs.
"Educating the community is really important," Tenorio said in a recent American Forces Press Service interview. "A lot of people know someone in that situation, but they don't know how to handle it."
Kathy Robertson, the department's Family Advocacy Program manager, said the programs, which are on all military installations and include more than 800 clinical social workers, are designed to help couples through problems before they turn violent, but also respond to emergencies that require health care, police and shelter interventions.
"Our whole focus is on treatment and intervention and trying to help both the victim and the abuser," she told AFPS.
The services are focused on training all leaders, from platoon sergeants to installation commanders, Robertson said, to recognize problems and encourage help before violence occurs.
Military leaders and domestic violence workers worry about increases in domestic violence during what is a volatile time for Americans, Robertson said. People in stressful situations, whether related to the economic recession, military downsizing, or dealing with the aftermath of combat are at greater risk for violence, she said.
"War doesn't necessarily make you more violent, but it does change you," she said. "And we're all very concerned about this financial situation. When you lose your job and your mortgage has gone under and you're just making ends meet, things can get out of hand."
Case workers are trained to help manage stressful situations before they boil over, Roberston said. They start with a safety assessment of the couple, then tailor intervention to meet their needs, she said. Treatment may mean learning how to talk through problems, practicing taking a "time out" when angry, or swearing off alcohol, which makes some people more violent, she said.
"Everyone has rough times in a relationship. We want to help them get those communication skills to work with each other."
If violence has occurred, it can be reported to a family advocacy office either as a "restricted" report, which means the command and police will not be notified, or "unrestricted," which means they will, Robertson said. A restricted report is kept confidential except in cases in which an advocate determines a victim is in imminent danger, she said.
Robertson stresses that family advocacy programs are not involved in discipline and a report of domestic violence to a commander doesn't necessarily mean a service member will be disciplined. "What the commander often does is take that service member out of the home for 72 hours just to keep [the victim] safe," she said. An abuser who shows concerted effort to get better "goes a long way" in a commander's decision about discipline, she added.
In fiscal 2011, military family advocacy social workers supported 14,237 people in response to domestic violence reports. Victim advocates worked with 18,055 during that time, Defense Department records show. The family advocacy program, Military OneSource, and military family life counselors supported many more who sought help without a report being filed, Robertson said. She also noted that half of all reported cases were from a female service member abused by a civilian man.
Domestic violence cases involving a service member or one of their family members usually are handled in the civilian system if they happen off base and military family advocates also coordinate for services in the civilian system, such as temporary shelter, which the military does not provide, Robertson said. Victim advocates are available 24/7 -- many are personally familiar with domestic violence -- and have worked with the civilian system, she said.
Tenorio, an Army contractor whose case did not involve the military, uses herself as an example to break down stereotypes of domestic violence victims. "Everybody has an image of a poor, uneducated, drug abuser," she said.
In fact, Tenorio has a bachelor's degree in social work and sociology and worked as an intern in domestic violence. The fact that she didn't see the relationship for what it was underscores the denial and rationalization that happens with domestic violence, she said.
"I was aware it was domestic violence, but I was not calling it that in my mind," said Tenorio, who was working as a travel agent in the Washington, D.C., suburbs after taking several years off to be home with her children.
Eventually, Tenorio said, "I reached point where I knew this was not going to get better." She recalled what a frustrated police officer told her when she wouldn't cooperate to get her abuser locked up: "The next time this happens, one of you is going to end up dead."
"I didn't want it to reach that point where I was dead and he was in prison," she said. "I was to the point where I would rather go to prison, but I never got to the point, mentally, where I could see myself killing him."
Far from killing him, Tenorio said, she didn't even fight back -- until the end -- because even blocking a blow in self-defense would agitate him more. "If I did nothing, his aggression would die down quicker," she said.
Looking back, Tenorio said, she sees "classic red flags" from the start of their relationship: his jealousy, possessiveness, talking down about her while inflating himself, and a temper that exploded over things like lost car keys or her cell phone ringing.
The violence started three months in and followed what Tenorio and Robertson say are classic domestic violence patterns of abuse followed by "honeymoon" periods of perceived remorse by the abuser: apologies, professions of love, and promises of change.
But, Tenorio said, as the relationship went on, the honeymoon periods were replaced with accusations of "Why do you make me do this to you?" or outright denial. "He asked me, 'Who did this to you?'" she said.
Control often is a centerpiece of abusive relationships, Tenorio said, and hers was no different. "If he saw that he was losing control of me, that would set him off."
Tenorio said victims often feel isolated, as she did. She lived with her abuser and was fairly new to the area and had no local family, while he had a network of support in parents and friends.

Much of the abuse took place in public and, while most witnesses ignored it, some called police, Tenorio said. In one instance, local police pressed charges, but Tenorio agreed to go along with a lie her abuser and his mother concocted to have the charges thrown out, she said.

"I told [police] we got in a fight and I just want my things and want him to go and leave me alone," she said. "But it's never that easy. It's easy to say it, but with classic abuser, that's losing control of me and he wouldn't allow that."
"I thought the best thing for me to do was to stay on his good side," she said.
Tenorio said she had little faith in police and courts because her abuser had a history of criminal problems and had gotten out of all of them. Each time they separated, he always found her, even when she moved, she said.
Perhaps the worst abuse Tenorio describes was a two-day ordeal in which her abuser bound, gagged and blindfolded her in a chair in a motel room, then poured gasoline around the room, promising to set it ablaze if she upset him. He eventually released her, but after another beating and a series of events involving her trying to escape and some witnesses attempting to help, she said, he drove them out a long, dark road at night repeatedly smashing her head against the windshield and passenger window until they broke. She managed to get into a convenience store when he stopped for gas and the cashier locked the door behind her and called 9-1-1. Tenorio laid down on the store tiles and slipped into a coma. She awoke in a hospital two days later, she said, with a name plate that said "Carla Doe."
Still, Tenorio stayed with her abuser a year longer, even nursing him back to health after he was shot in a drug deal, and suffering more beatings until finally escaping and calling police. She was taken to a domestic violence shelter and her abuser was put in jail without bail, she said.
Tenorio's abuser is serving a 15-year sentence in a Virginia prison and recently was extradited to Maryland to face multiple felonies next month related to the violence that put her in a coma, she said. With the help of a local police domestic violence officer, she rented a new home, got a new job as a program manager while volunteering with civilian domestic violence groups. She also gained custody of her two children and last summer began working for the Army's victim advocate program.
"I think everything played out for me the way it was supposed to," Tenorio said. "The detective knew what was going on from the first time she saw me, but she knew I was in victim mode and something just had to click in my mind" to leave the relationship.
With her social work degree, her personal struggles and her understanding of the system, Tenorio is passionate about helping others. "It sounds so easy to say 'just leave,' but you can't really comprehend someone's fear until you've been through it," she said.
Tenorio's experience shows how domestic violence is complicated by the psychological state of the victim and the abuser, Tenorio and Robertson said. Getting a protective order may seem obvious, but it often leads to more violence, they said.
Robertson said she is glad to have Tenorio and other survivors of domestic abuse as part of the military's family advocacy program. "Domestic violence is hard," she said, and advocates must understand the complexities.
"You can help them leave, but victims still have a tie to that person," she said. "There's a whole cycle of the honeymoon period and the flowers and the 'I'm-so-sorries.' It's a very vicious cycle."
Early intervention by family advocates can prevent violence, Robertson said. And, she said, bystanders can help, too.
"Let that person know there are resources out there," she said. "Acknowledge that you heard something [or saw something], and let them know there is help." Military Works to Prevent Domestic Violence
Related Sites:  
Military OneSource
Sexual Assault Prevention & Response
Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Attack in Libya

Attack Should Shock World's Conscience, Clinton Says
By Claudette Roulo
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Sept. 12, 2012 - The attack in Benghazi, Libya, that resulted in the deaths of four Americans should "shock the conscience of people of all faiths around the world," Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said here today.
U.S. Ambassador to Libya J. Christopher Stevens and Sean Smith, a Foreign Service information officer and Air Force veteran, were killed in the attack. The State Department is withholding the identities of the other Americans, pending next-of-kin notification.
"All over the world every day, America's diplomats and development experts risk their lives in the service of our country and our values because they believe that the United States must be a force for peace and progress in the world," Clinton said. "Alongside our men and women in uniform, they represent the best traditions of a bold and generous nation."
Stevens risked his life to stop former Libyan dictator Moammar Gadhafi and then gave his life trying to help in building a better Libya, Clinton said.
"The world needs more Chris Stephenses," she added.
Although this happened in a country the United States helped to liberate and in a city it helped to save from destruction, Clinton said Americans must remain "clear-eyed, even in our grief."
"This was an attack by a small and savage group, not the people or government of Libya," she added. Libyans stood and fought to protect Americans during the attack, and Libyans carried Stevens' body to the hospital, Clinton noted.
The United States will not waver in its mission in Libya, the secretary pledged.
"The mission that drew Chris and Sean and their colleagues to Libya is both noble and necessary," she said. "A free and stable Libya is still in America's interest and security, and we will not turn our back on that."
Clinton said the United States is working closely with Libyan authorities to bring those responsible for the attacks to justice.
"Some have sought to justify this vicious behavior, along with the protests that took place at our embassy in Cairo yesterday, as a response to inflammatory material posted on the Internet," Clinton said, referring to a video that is purported to blaspheme Islam.
"Let me be clear, there is no justification for this," she said. "Violence like this is no way to honor religion or faith. And as long as there are those who would take innocent life in the name of God, the world will never know a true and lasting peace."
Clinton noted that the attack took place as Americans observed the anniversary of the 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States.
"It's an anniversary that means a great deal to all Americans," she said. "Every year on that day, we are reminded that our work is not yet finished -- that the job of putting an end to violent extremism and building a safe and stable world continues."
 
Biographies:
Hillary Rodham Clinton

Wednesday, September 05, 2012

Concerns Persist Over Ex-SEAL's bin Laden Raid Book

By Amaani Lyle
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Sept. 4, 2012 - Defense Department officials continue to weigh their legal options against a former Navy SEAL who may have revealed classified information in a book he wrote about the Osama bin Laden raid, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said in a news conference here today.
On Aug. 30, the Defense Department sent an advisory letter of material breach and nondisclosure violation to the author, who used the pen name Mark Owen to write "No Easy Day."
Officials maintain Owen may have divulged classified information that could jeopardize the safety of military members in future operations.
"When it comes to sensitive special operations missions such as the [one] that took down Osama bin Laden, it is important that those ... involved in such operations take care to protect sensitive and classified information," Little said. "And if I had been part of the raid team on the ground and I had decided to write a book about it, it wouldn't have been a tough decision for me to submit the book for prepublication review. That is common sense. It's a no-brainer, and it did not happen."
Little said Pentagon officials have read the book and are unwavering in their concerns about sensitive and classified information that they believe the book contains, but no plans have been put in place to withhold sale of the book in military exchanges or to the public.
"There's been no directive from this department to withhold sale of the book from military exchanges. ... [The] book is being made widely available in bookstores and online," Little said.
The Defense Department typically is not in the business of policing what goes on bookshelves, Little said. Rather, he added, it simply wants to protect classified information, as all current and former DOD employees have a "solemn obligation" to do.
"The sole yardstick is classification. ... This is a former service member who wrote a book," Little said. "This is about merely trying to protect classified information, ... not about trying to prevent the telling of a story."
 

Related Articles:
Pentagon Censures Ex-Navy Seal Following Nondisclosure Breach

Sunday, August 12, 2012

Stand for the national Anthem

Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta and newly commissioned Marine Corps 2nd lieutenants stand for the national anthem at the Marine Corps Officer Candidates School commissioning ceremony at the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Triangle, Va., Aug. 10, 2012.

Thursday, August 09, 2012

Road repair

U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Eric Shafa, foreground, speaks with an Afghan man through an interpreter about a recent road repair project in Afghanistan's Kapisa province, Aug. 2, 2012. Shafa commands Provincial Reconstruction Team Kapisa, a unit that coordinates development projects across the province.

Wednesday, August 08, 2012

Another achievement for CMC Stroke Unit

Awarded Indo-USA Brain Collaborative grant 
Ludhiana, 8th August, 2012. (Shalu Arora and Rector Kathuria)The Stroke Unit of Christian Medical College, Ludhiana has received a 1.18crores grant from the department of Biotechnology, India and National Institute of Health, USA. Dr. Jeyaraj Durai Pandian, Professor and Head of Neurology is the receipient of this award. This grant money is to develop a National Stroke Registry between India and USA. Dr. Pandian is the Principal Investigator from India and Dr. Aneesh Singhal, Stroke program, Massachusetts General hospital, Boston (Harvard University) is the Principal Investigator from USA in this grant. Dr. Pandian said that this research grant will help India and USA to develop a common stroke database and do cross cultural studies. New information regarding various risk factors for stroke, clinical services for stroke and reasons for delay in treatment are some of the important parameters that will be studied in this research. The information on stroke will be collected from 4 other centers in the country besides CMC Ludhiana. They are PGIMER Chandigarh, AIIMS New Delhi, NIMS Hyderabad and SCTIMST Trivandrum.
Dr. Pandian stated that this research proposal was selected out of 72 grant applications. Dr. Yashpal Singh, Professor of Neurology said that this Indo-USA collaborative registry will collect data for the next 2 years and many sub-studies will be carried out once the stroke registry is established. Dr. Abraham G Thomas, Director, CMC lauded the efforts of the Neurology department in getting the grant.    

Tuesday, August 07, 2012

Shooting at Gurudwara at Oak Tree, WI Inbox

We are shocked and horrified at the brutal killing
                                                           --Indian American Intellectuals Forum
Tel: (718) 478-5735/   (718) 271-0453   – Email: Katarian@aol.com
http://intellectualsforum.blogspot.com/                                    August 6, 2012
Sub:  Shooting at Gurudwara at Oak Tree, WI
We are shocked and horrified at the brutal killing of our 7 Sikh brothers by a gunman at the Gurudwara (Temple) at Oak Tree, WI.
Since 9/11 several Sikhs have been mistaken for Arabs, Afghans and Iranians; attacked and killed.  We are very upset and express our anguish at the death of our innocent brothers.  Our hearts go to the family members of those who have been killed.  We pray to God to give them inner strength to bear this blow with courage,  patience and fortitude.
It is also incumbent on Hindus and Sikhs to educate our non-Indian American fellows with regard to Sikh Dharma.  Sikhs are peaceful and law abiding people, and are known for their bravery, loyalty and patriotism all over the world.  We have to make it very clear to our American brothers that Sikhism has nothing to do with Islam or terrorism.
At the same time, we urge the Law Enforcement agencies to bring to book the culprits as soon as possible.
Narain Kataria
Vice President
Arish Sahani  

Monday, August 06, 2012

An appeal to good samaritans if Punjab

A golden chance to be the part of life savers
A Courtesy photo:     Cooperating To Meet the Health Needs of Returning Afghan Refugees 
Ludhiana, 6th August, 2012:(Shalu Arora and Rector Kathuria) B/O Hardeep Kaur, a 13 days old term male neonate (Unit No: C7391173) was admitted at 2 hours of life on 28/7/2012 in a very serious condition with a diagnosis of server birth asphyxia, Meconium Aspiration Pneumonia and Septicemia.
He received critical care treatment was ventilated for 6 days and now is improving. His father is a daily wages laborer, earning Rupees 4000 per month. However the parents are unable to pay the entire bill and require financial assistance.
Any donations to help B/O Hardeep Kaur are welcome. Cheques in the name of “Christian Medical College & Hospital, Ludhiana” can be deposited in the medical superintendent office with the name – for B/O Hardeep Kaur, Hospital Unit No: C7391173 - written at the back of the cheque.
For further details Please Contact Dr.Gurmeet: 9216020400

Saturday, August 04, 2012

"False Point Lighthouse" booklet released

The Union Minister for Shipping, Shri G.K. Vasan releasing a booklet "False Point Lighthouse" after inaugurating the National AIS network of Directorate General, Light Houses and Lightships, in Chennai on August 03, 2012.   (PIB photo)                                  03-August-2012

Achievemets: CMC city center compelets one year

A large number of patients benefited 
Ludhiana, 3st August, 2012:The CMC CITY CENTER was inaugurated on 01 st August last year at Sirish Hospital, Krishna Nagar, Ghumar Mandi, Ludhiana and had commenced functioning the very next day. During this one year, the CMC City Center through its Consultant Doctors has been able to provide its services to a large number of patients and citizens of Ludhiana.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr Vijay Obed, Dy Director, explained that CMC City Center was started in response to the many requests from the citizens of Ludhiana from this part of the city, who found it difficult to approach CMC Hospital. The number of patients attending the OPD at the City Center has been steadily increasing. Patients find it very convenient to seek consultation from CMC Consultant Doctors at the City Center.
Dr Abraham Thomas, Director, CMCH, mentioned that CMC City Center, is a major step to get our services across the city to the citizens of Ludhiana for their convenience.  He was glad that the CMC City Center was able to look after the health care needs of the citizens of Ludhiana.
Dr Sirish Chandra was pleased that CMC City Center has completed one year of service and opined that citizens of Ludhiana should take advantage of these services provided by the City Center. He mentioned that patients attending CMC City Center have been very satisfied with the CMC Consultant Doctors and the other services provided by the Center.
Dr Vijay Obed mentioned that Consultant Doctors of CMC Hospital  of all the specialties were available for consultation in the CMC City Center both in the morning and evening; and include – Medicine, Pediatrics, Pediatric Surgery, Eye, ENT, Orthopedics, Urology, Nephrology, Neurology, Neurosurgery, Skin, Plastic Surgery, Psychiatry, Cardiology, Cardiac Surgery, Medical Oncology, Obs/Gyn, Endocrinology and Diabetes, and others.
In addition to the Consultations, various services available at City Center include: Digital X-ray, Digital ECG, modern hematology and biochemistry laboratory, and pharmacy. All these areas are manned by trained and experienced personnel of CMC Hospital. This helps to carry out all the investigations at the City Center, very promptly and efficiently. A complete Physiotherapy Services Unit is also functioning at the City Center. CMC Nursing staff is available all the time to provide care and comfort to the patients; and look after their needs.
In order to serve the community better, a free medical and dental health check-upm camp P was organized at the City Center, which was a great success. A large number of patients benefited from Free Consultations from Doctors of CMC Hospital.   Shalu Arora and Rector Kathuria 

Thursday, August 02, 2012

Raakhi.....A bond for security

Children tying ‘Rakhi’ to the President, Shri Pranab Mukherjee, on the occasion of ‘Raksha Bandhan’, in New Delhi on August 02, 2012.   (PIB photo) ..... 02-August-2012

Meeting in Tel Aviv, Israel

U.S. Defense Leon E. Panetta, right center, meets with Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak, left center, in Tel Aviv, Israel, Aug. 1, 2012. Panetta is on a five-day trip to the region to meet with leaders in Tunisia, Egypt, Israel and Jordan..

Wednesday, August 01, 2012

A letter from Michelle Obama

 I'm asking you
Rector --

I'm always amazed by how Barack balances his responsibilities as president, a husband, and a dad.

But sometimes even he needs a little help. And this campaign is going to take all of us pitching in.

All of the things we've poured our hearts into -- from passing health care reform to fighting for an economy that works for everyone -- are on the line.

I know I don't want to wake up on November 7th wondering if I could have done more. So I'm doing everything I can between now and Election Day to make sure we can keep moving this country forward for four more years.

We've only got a few more hours before an important fundraising deadline. Please support this campaign by giving $3 or more today:

https://donate.barackobama.com/Deadline-Midnight

From all of us, thanks.

Thursday, July 26, 2012

CMC surgeon does the region proud

Dr. Navneet Kumar Chaudhry has been elected as President 
Dr. Navneet Kumar Chaudhry, Professor & Head of Surgery at Christian Medical College Hospital Ludhiana has been elected as the President of Association of Minimal Access Surgeons of India (AMASI), North Zone for the term 2012 -2014. Professor Chaudhry was elected to this position during recently held 7th International Congress of Association of Minimal Access Surgeons of India, at Coimbatore, Tamilnadu, from July 19-22, 2012. With more than 4500 members, AMASI is the largest section of Association of Surgeons of India (ASI).
The international congress was attended by more than 2500 delegates from all over India and surgeons from Australia, UK, Korea, Germany and US. During the congress, Dr. Chaudhry delivered a guest lecture and chaired 3 sessions on live advanced laparoscopic surgery.
According to Prof. Chaudhry, the main aim of the AMASI is to bring safe and affordable minimal access surgery to the masses, with a special focus on training young surgeons in this highly technical and patient friendly surgical technique.. Dr. Chaudhry is the first surgeon from the state of Punjab to be elected as President of AMASI north zone.
CMC Hospital, Ludhiana pioneered minimally access surgery in early nineties and has played a key role in making this technique popular in North India. ----Shalu Arora and Rector Kathuria

Sunday, July 22, 2012

NSA Looks to Industry for Secure Mobile Capabilities

By Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr.
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, July 20, 2012 - The head of the National Security Agency's information assurance directorate today discussed the agency's goals in providing government with secure mobile devices.

Speaking to the Washington, D.C., chapter of the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association here, Debora Plunkett, director of NSA's Information Assurance, laid out the strategy behind "putting mobile devices in the hands of government users."

"First and foremost, our whole strategy from a classified mobility perspective is very much focused on commercial solutions for classified [communications]," Plunkett said. "It's our intent that we would deliver, end-to-end, a solution that is reliant on all commercial components and we believe we can do that."

The agency is testing concepts, Plunkett said, adding that she often is asked why go "end-to-end commercial?"

"We very strongly believe that, in the absence of our ability to be able to leverage the capacity of industry to deliver security and components that we need, we will not be able to meet the demand signals from our customers," she said. "So it's our intent to do just that."

Plunkett said the "good news" is that the NSA has had "phenomenal partnership and cooperation across industry" in understanding the intricacies of certain capabilities, developing architecture and partnering in testing concepts.

"Partnerships are critically important so [that] we establish that mobile enterprise capability," she added.

Noting the popularity of smart phones and tablets, Plunkett said users are able to use those devices in the comfort of their homes, but then "come to their work spaces and it's like ... they can't do a whole lot. And we want to be able to change that."

A "cultural change" is needed to meet government users' needs, she said.

In the past, Plunkett said, by the time a device was produced and delivered, it was made obsolete by commercial devices.

"[This] became the poster child, instead, for what we don't want to do," she said. "And that is have a very, very long cycle of development, five years to deliver -- millions and millions of dollars to deliver -- and by the time it comes to market it's been overtaken by technology."

Plunkett noted the cultural change was the ability to operate in a space where "cell phones today are obsolete in ... 12 to 18 months."

"We've got to be able to operate in that same cycle as we're looking at putting smart devices in the hands of government users," she said. "We've got to be able to move quickly enough such that we can also be able to evaluate those new devices and put them in the hands of users in enough time while those devices are not obsolete."

Plunkett said this seamless transition will rely on a "cloud" concept, particularly, in the case of customers in hostile environments who can't afford to waste time after a device is lost.

Instead, she suggested, providing users with a device with the appropriate safeguards in place and nothing stored on it. Using the cloud concept, if a device is lost, it could simply be disconnected from the infrastructure, she said.

Plunkett noted changes to "external dependencies" critical to the ability for the NSA to be successful, such as the degradation of the 2G network, which "really kick-started our mobility efforts."

So far, she said, the agency has established a mobility innovation center, delivered a top-secret data and voice pilot, delivered an NSA campus laptop pilot, and developed tablet architecture.

"Looking ahead ... we've got to make sure we're constantly looking at the user experience [and] responding to the needs of the user," she said. "We continue ... to prototype and pilot different services."

Looking forward to a "new way of thinking," Plunkett said she often has to carry up to four mobile devices when she travels outside of Maryland due to current technology capabilities.

"I very, very much look forward to, as do all of us around government, being able to reduce that number to a lot less than that," she said. "And with your help and partnership, I am confident we can get there."


Related Sites:
National Security Agency
Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association

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Saturday, July 21, 2012

Carter addresses

U.S. Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter addresses officers and crew members of the USS Blue Ridge in Yokosuka, Japan, July 21, 2012. Japan is Carter's third stop during a 10-day Asia Pacific trip to meet with partners in Hawaii, Guam, Thailand, India and South Korea.
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Saluting Sailors

U.S. Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter departs the USS Blue Ridge after meeting with leaders and conducting an all-hands call in Yokosuka, Japan, July 21, 2012. Japan is Carter's third stop during a 10-day Asia Pacific trip to meet with partners in Hawaii, Guam, Thailand, India and South Korea.

Monday, July 16, 2012

A new success by Dr. H S Bedi at CMC Ludhiana

Rare major open heart surgery saves  a new life
Ludhiana, 16th July, 2012 (Shalu Arora and Rector Kathuria)
Mr Vikas Masih – a   35 year old teacher – was in a very serious condition. He had developed a large blood clot in his lungs – a condition called massive pulmonary embolism – due to which he was not able to breathe. He was referred to Dr Harinder Singh Bedi – Head of Cardio Vascular Endovascular & Thoracic Surgery at the Christian Medical College & Hospital, Ludhiana. On examination and investigation Dr Bedi realized that Mr Vikas was in imminent danger of death as his oxygen levels were dangerously low. This was damaging his brain and kidneys.
He had already been put on maximal medical therapy including the latest blood thinners at another hospital – but they did not work. The only option to save his life now was a major and rare open heart surgery called pulmonary thrombo-endarterectomy. Dr Bedi said that the surgery is done on a heart lung machine but additionally for a short period of time the circulation even through the heart lung machine has to be stopped. This is called circulatory arrest and is like totally stopping the heart and the lungs - both the natural and artificial ones.
Dr Bedi explained that this is because otherwise the blockage in the lungs cannot be seen clearly. During the tense 10 minutes while the patient was ‘clinically dead’ - on no circulation at all – his lungs were totally cleared of all the deadly clot. Dr Bedi is a pioneer in this field and in fact has trained in this rare surgery at the St Vincents Hospital in Sydney. However this was a very challenging case as Vikas is very young and this extent of disease was unexpected.
The other members of the Heart team are Dr A Joseph, Dr Sheetal Garg, Dr Melchi, Dr Paul, Dr Reenus ,  Dr Dinesh, Dr Pratap, Dr William, Dr Pearl,  Dr Savan, Dr Meenu, DR Nina and Dr Ashwin  . The heart lung machine was manned by Mr Jairus and Mr William – who are the senior most perfusionists of Punjab – along with Mr Mathew.
Dr Abraham G Thomas – Director of CMC & H – said that the CMC was committed to bringing the latest technology to Punjab so that the people of this area were given the best possible therapy.