Kerala Cafe

[Nidhin VC]

Moody's slams Gandhi family for failing India


Read more at: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/m.../1/186078.html
A day after slamming the government for its tardy attitude, Congress' first family has come under criticism by Moody's Analytics for failing to restart the legislative process for reforms, accusing it of blowing their chance in the recent state elections including UP.

"The real power behind the government, the Gandhi family, blew their chance to restart the legislative process at the recent state elections in which family scion Rahul Gandhi invested countless hours and money touring the rural backwaters of Uttar Pradesh," Moody's Analytics Senior Economist Glenn Levine said.

He noted that the Congress party was drubbed by Mulayam Yadav's Samajwadi Party and "Gandhi has barely been heard from since then".

The remarks preceded its contentions that the UPA government, weighed down by corruption and funding scandals, has passed no notable bills.

"The government has lost all momentum and progress is unlikely on existing bills covering pressing issues such as land reform, fuel subsidies, labour rights, and the much-discussed supermarket reforms between now and the next national election in 2014", the report said.

It pointed out that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh led the Congress party to victory in 2009, giving it a strong mandate to accelerate the economic reforms begun in his first term.

The report termed Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as an "ageing technocrat who now appears tired of the rough and tumble of Indian politics", and added that the UPA didn't have the numbers or the leaders to push through tough-minded reforms needed to drive the next wave of growth.

Moody's Analytics is a division of Moody's Corporation that provides expertise in economic and consumer credit analysis, credit research and risk measurement, enterprise risk management and structured analytics and valuation.


Read more at: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/m.../1/186078.html

[krp]

Originally Posted by DileepKS

എന്റെ മാഷേ, കുരങ്ങന് ഏണി വെച്ചു കൊടുക്കുന്ന പണി ചെയ്യല്ലേ.. ഇനി ഉള്ള വാർത്തക്കഷണങ്ങൾ എല്ലാം ഇവിടെ പോസ്റ്റിക്കളയും. അതിനു പിറകെ 'wow', 'great', പഴം കുലുക്കൽ, എല്ലാം വേറെയും! ആ പ്രൊജക്റ്റിന്റെ ത്രെഡിൽ എല്ലാം ഉണ്ടായിരിക്കുമല്ലോ. പോയി നോക്കിയാൽ പോരേ?

ഈ ത്രെഡില്* ചോദിച്ചത് ഒരു തെറ്റ് ആയിട്ടു എനിക്ക് തോന്നിയിട്ടില്ല...
കഷണ്ടിക്ക് പോലെ അസൂയക്കും മരുന്ന് ഇപ്പോള്* കണ്ടു പിടിച്ചിട്ടുണ്ട്...മാഷേ..ഒന്ന് പരീക്ഷിച്ചു നോക്കുന്നോ..

[Nidhin VC]

UPA Government a drag on economy, says Moody's

failing to restart the legislative process for reforms.

“The real power behind the Government, the Gandhi family, blew their chance to restart the legislative process at the recent State elections in which family scion Rahul Gandhi invested countless hours and money touring the rural backwaters of Uttar Pradesh,” Moody’s Analytics Senior Economist Glenn Levine said.

Moody’s Analytics is a division of Moody’s Corporation that provides expertise in economic and consumer credit analysis, credit research and risk measurement, enterprise risk management and structured analytics and valuation.

If Moody’s indicted UPA’s handling of the political situation, S&P warned India to pull up its socks and improve the fiscal situation or face a rating downgrade. It lowered the country’s outlook to negative on account of poor growth prospects and sluggish economic reforms, even as the Government put up a brave face saying there was no need to panic.

The credit rating agency lowered India’s outlook from stable (BBB+) to negative (BBB-), which is the lowest investment grading rating, saying in a statement that “the outlook revision reflects our view of at least a one-in-three likelihood of a downgrade if the external position continues to deteriorate, growth prospects diminish or progress on fiscal reforms remains slow in a weakened political setting”.

The comment of both the agencies and their comments on the factors dogging the Indian economy are in line with the recent statement of Government Chief Economic Adviser Kaushik Basu that politics had held back major reforms, which could not be undertaken before 2014 general elections.

Touching on Rahul Gandhi, Levine noted that the Congress party was drubbed by Mulayam Yadav’s Samajwadi Party and “Gandhi has barely been heard from since then.”

The remarks preceded its contentions that the UPA Government, weighed down by corruption and funding scandals, had passed no notable Bills. “The Government has lost all momentum and progress is unlikely on existing Bills covering pressing issues such as land reform, fuel subsidies, labour rights, and the much-discussed supermarket reforms between now and the next national election in 2014”, the report said.

The report termed Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as an “ageing technocrat who now appears tired of the rough and tumble of Indian politics”, and added that the UPA didn’t have the numbers or the leaders to push through tough-minded reforms needed to drive the next wave of growth.

The report said that India was growing but below its potential as politics was weighing on the economy. The rating’s agency termed the UPA Government at the Centre as the “single biggest drag” on business activity.

“The single biggest factor weighing on the outlook is the Indian Government. In all economies it is impossible to separate the economy from the political outlook, and that is particularly the case in India,” Levine said.

The report further noted that there was broad-based weakness in the economy as all sectors are vulnerable.

“Risks are still tilted to the downside because of the dire political situation, though there are some reasons for optimism. We see growth accelerating through 2012, but it won’t hit potential until the second half of 2013,” Moody’s Analytics said.

Meanwhile, analysts painted a grim scenario post the S&P downgrade, saying it would have a negative impact on the rupee, make fund-raising difficult, and adversely impact the capital market.

“The markets sentiment is already negative and any such negative news would further push equities and currency on a downward trajectory,” Founder and CEO of India Forex Advisors Pvt Ltd, Abhishek Goenka said.

Jagannadham Thunuguntla, strategist and head of research at SMC Global Securities, said, “Indian (new) sovereign rating is just one step away from junk bond status...Somehow I feel the dream of India growth story is coming to an end.”

The lowering of rating outlook comes despite Finance Ministry pitching for an upgrade at the recent round of meetings between the officials and representatives of the S&P.

S&P said India’s real GDP per capita growth will likely remain moderately strong at 5.3 per cent in 2012-13, compared with about 6 per cent on average over the prior five years.

India’s favourable long-term growth prospects and high level of foreign exchange reserves support the ratings, the agency said.

On the other hand, India’s large fiscal deficits and debt, as well as its lower middle-income economy, constrain the ratings, it added.

“High fiscal deficits and a heavy debt burden remain the most significant constraints on the sovereign ratings on India. We expect only modest progress in fiscal and public sector reforms, given the political cycle--with the next elections to be held by May 2014--and the current political gridlock,” S&P said.

Such reforms include reducing fuel and fertiliser subsidies, introducing goods and services tax (GST), and easing of restrictions on foreign ownership of various sectors such as banking, insurance, and retail sectors, it said.

But Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee said there was no need be “panicky’ about the whole development.

“I am concerned but I don’t feel panicky because I am confident that our economy will grow at 7 per cent, around 7 per cent if not plus. We will be able to control fiscal deficit and it will be around 5.1 per cent,” he said while reacting to the development.

Accepting though that it is a timely warning, Mukherjee said that the Government will take note of the decision taken by S&P.

“We should continue to work for higher GDP... We will take note. It is a timely warning,” he said.

Bleak picture

S&P’s take

* S&P lowers India’s rating outlook to BBB-

* India’s rating was BBB+ before the revision

* BBB- is the lowest investment grade rating

* S&P move based on India’s sluggish economic reform growth

* India’s high fiscal deficit, debt burden are constraints on ratings: S&P

* S&P says ratings could stabilise if India cuts fiscal deficit, spurs investments

Moody’s take

* Moody’s calls Indian Govt ‘single biggest drag’ on business activity

* India’s outlook underperforming due to poor management

* Govt paralysis, tight monetary outlook, weighing heavy on India

* Moody’s says Govt has lost momentum and no progress expected on key reforms

* See faster growth through 2012, to hit potential

till 2013, says Moody’s

[krp]

Kudos to minister KB Ganesh kumar for his efforts on this film city...
=================================================
http://expressbuzz.com/cities/kochi/...rs/386560.html
‘Dream City’ for Kerala film-makers
The Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation has begun the countdown for the tender process and the feasibility study report of a Rs 450-crore Film City and Amusement Park that are to come up in 50 acres of land in the Chitranjali Studio, Thiruvananthapuram. A global tender is getting ready to be floated in the next three months.
A public-private partnership (PPP) venture by the Kerala State Film Development Corporation, the Film City will have all the requisite advanced equipment for film-making such as modern cameras, crane, track and trolley, mobile units and the latest post-production solutions. Presently, Malayalam film-makers depend on studios in Chennai and Mumbai for meeting post-production requirements. It was Minister (films) K B Ganesh Kumar’s plan to set up a miniature of Hyderabad-based Ramoji Rao Film City in Kerala.
Director Shafi, who had to depend hugely on the Ramoji Rao Film City, Hyderabad for his movie Makeup Man, could not hide his glee. “If Malayalam film industry is offered such facilities in Thiruvananthapuram, most of the film-makers would only be too happy to make use of the opportunity. It is very much a welcome move,” he said.
================================================

[DileepKS]

Originally Posted by rajkrish

OTMR

NTP

[DileepKS]

Originally Posted by SajithVijayan

സാര്* ഏണി വഴി ആണോ മരത്തില്* കേറുന്നത്?

അല്ലല്ലോ. ഏണി മരത്തിൽ കയറാൻ ഒരു സൗകര്യം എന്നേ കരുതാനുള്ളൂ.

[DileepKS]

Originally Posted by krp

ഈ ത്രെഡില്* ചോദിച്ചത് ഒരു തെറ്റ് ആയിട്ടു എനിക്ക് തോന്നിയിട്ടില്ല...

താങ്കൾക്ക് തോന്നാത്തതിൽ എനിക്ക് അദ്ഭുതം തോന്നിയിട്ടും ഇല്ല. peace.

കഷണ്ടിക്ക് പോലെ അസൂയക്കും മരുന്ന് ഇപ്പോള്* കണ്ടു പിടിച്ചിട്ടുണ്ട്...മാഷേ..ഒന്ന് പരീക്ഷിച്ചു നോക്കുന്നോ..

കഷണ്ടി മരുന്ന് കുറേ ഉപയോഗിച്ച് പൈസ കളഞ്ഞതാണ്. അതുകൊണ്ട് മറ്റേതിനും ഫലം ഉണ്ടാകും എന്നു പ്രതീക്ഷ ഇല്ല.

[DileepKS]

Originally Posted by passionfruit12

Separate Thread???

Yes, there is a dedicated thread for the project on the Trivandrum subforum. I am forbidden to access that forum, so can't give the link.

[passionfruit12]

Originally Posted by DileepKS

Yes, there is a dedicated thread for the project on the Trivandrum subforum. I am forbidden to access that forum, so can't give the link.

Thanks...I found out the thread http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=1455012

[murlee]

Guys.. Am looking for a Malayalam song which was quite famous 5-6 years ago. Am not able to remember the starting line or the film..

It had Meera jasmine and Bhavana along with 3 guys( Prithviraj, Jayasurya and some other guy)

They would be singing and dancing in some foreign location.. Quite a peppy song..

Anyone knows what that song is?

[passionfruit12]

According to the data available with the Health Department, there are 3,200 persons who are HIV+ in the district, of which 1,720 are AIDS patients. One is declared HIV-positive when he/she is detected to have the virus. The carriers become AIDS patients only at a later stage when the virus begins to affect their immunity system, said Deputy DMO and Kozhikode district HIV/AIDS prevention and control nodal officer M.K. Appunni.

The cities were classified into different categories in terms of the number of HIV/AIDS affected people. A city is considered ‘category A' when more than 1 per cent of its general population is found to be HIV-positive.According to T.J. Jaison Assistant Director, Kerala State AIDS Control Society, both Kozhikode and Ernakulam are B category cities.

From Hindu

[Aslesh]

Originally Posted by murlee

Guys.. Am looking for a Malayalam song which was quite famous 5-6 years ago. Am not able to remember the starting line or the film..

It had Meera jasmine and Bhavana along with 3 guys( Prithviraj, Jayasurya and some other guy)

They would be singing and dancing in some foreign location.. Quite a peppy song..

Anyone knows what that song is?

I think you meant this one?

[bijoy]

Originally Posted by murlee

Guys.. Am looking for a Malayalam song which was quite famous 5-6 years ago. Am not able to remember the starting line or the film..

It had Meera jasmine and Bhavana along with 3 guys( Prithviraj, Jayasurya and some other guy)

They would be singing and dancing in some foreign location.. Quite a peppy song..

Anyone knows what that song is?

I think you are looking for ""Karuppinazhaku" song from the movie Swapnakkoodu
Here is the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39ahuRyJN7E

[murlee]

Yeah exactly!! This one only..

Thanks Aslesh and Bijoy!!

[passionfruit12]

ഇതാന്*ടാ പോലീസ്

In an operation that resembled a filmy stunt, a police officer drove his Jeep over the vegetables kept for sale at Chalai market on Thursday night.

The Fort circle-inspector, S.Y.Suresh, has carried out the ‘drive’, which he justified later “as an effort to get rid of the inconvenience” caused to the public by the vendors who kept vegetables on the road.

According to local traders, it was by around 8 p.m. that the circle inspector reached the spot.

He ordered his driver to drive the jeep over the vegetables.

Vegetables worth hundreds of rupees were damaged and several customers who came to the market to purchase vegetables ran helter-skelter on seeing the police party, the traders alleged.

The police version on the incident is that they were forced to take a stern stand against the vendors as there were lots of complaints of causing inconvenience to public.

Circle inspector Suresh said: “The vegetable vendors occupied not only the footpath but even a major portion of the road leading to the vegetable market, leaving no space for vehicles.”

“We have warned them several times against using the footpath and the road. Even notices were given to the traders a couple of times,” he added.

He also said that on Thursday night the jeep drove over the vegetable not intentionally, but there was insufficient space for the Jeep to move.

From Chronicle

[passionfruit12]

Conflicting reports of mobile-related health risks have caused great confusion. DC talks to doctors who feel that the best way to deal with the situation is to err on the side of caution

Mobile phone users now suffer the strange fate of a group of mythical Greek warriors whose minds were blown up by utter confusion soon after they were in possession of Xiphos, said to be the most powerful sword ever wrought.

The warriors were unsure whether the mighty weapon they held in their hands was a curse or a blessing.

They were so conflicted that they froze into inaction when the galloping enemy forces swept over them.

Cell phone wielders, like the tragic Greek warriors, are a terribly confused lot. They are not sure whether the sleek, rectangular they hold in their palms is a miracle of convenience or a cursed medium through which deadly diseases strike.

In May 2011, WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer came out with a study which said that the intensive use of mobile phones could lead to Glioma, a malignant form of brain cancer.

Even earlier, in February 2011, a group of American researchers found that a 50-minute call on a mobile led to a localised increase of brain activity by seven per cent. (The seemingly simple act of viewing an image could boost brain activity by up to even 51 per cent).

Now, the British Health Protection Agency (HPA) has stated that there was no conclusive proof that radio waves from mobile phones caused brain tumours or other types of cancers in humans.

Still, the researchers brand mobile use as ‘possibly carcinogenic’, implying that its health risks are as uncertain as that of talcum powders, blow dryers and electronic razors.

Available information about mobile use rules out danger but what if cancer strikes only after 20 or 30 years ask researchers.

The HPA says that it does not have enough dope to assess the risk of mobile use beyond 15 years.
Cell phone users seem destined to remain a confused lot.

Dr Marthandan Pillai, one of the country’s most reputed neurosurgeons, said that to infer that the HPA report was a clean chit for mobile use would be dangerous.

“The report is limited to whether mobile use causes cancer or not,” he said. The neurosurgeon has no doubt whatever about the role of cell phones in provoking performance-inhibiting problems like lack of concentration, headache and fatigue problems.

“Though we have no supporting studies, I have found that it even aggravates epilepsy,” Dr Pillai said.

Mobile use can also affect the functioning of life-saving electronic devices. “We have observed that the electromagnetic waves from mobiles could alter the settings of a pacemaker.

It would affect the working of a hearing-aid too,” Dr Pillai said. He added that mobile use could cause changes in the permeability of the brain membrane.

“The brain is made up of water tissue, capable of absorbing microwave radiation. Scientists believe that there might be two main effects of mobile calls — heating these tissues and altering cell membranes,” Dr Pillai said.

“Just imagine a microwave oven. It can fry its contents in a matter of minutes. The cell phone uses the same kind of energy, but slightly low-grade,” he added.

Oncologists, however, are in a dilemma. “We are also fed with an overload of information. The only thing we tell people is to be cautious while using mobiles,” said Dr Jiji Thomas of RCC’s Community Oncology wing.

“As long as there is no conclusive evidence of the mobile cancer link, we advise people to take pragmatic measures to reduce exposure like hands-free devices or texting,” she added.

The HPA, even after the latest report, sticks to its precautionary line that children should refrain from excessive use. As for pregnant ladies, Dr Thomas said that the risk was the same as that for any ordinary individual.

However, going by the exponential increase in the use of mobiles in the state, the desire to embrace new technology seems to far outweigh the threat of cancer or other diseases.

The number of patients seeking treatment for brain tumours has been on the rise in South India, especially Kerala and Tamil Nadu in recent years. We are not sure why this.

It could be the result of greater awareness about neurological disorders and also easier access to MRIs and CT scans in almost every district of the southern states.

While mobile phones have been in use for only the last ten years, we need to keep a watch on the mobile-tumour link for at least 15 years to find out whether brain tumours and cancers are mobile phone-induced.

WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer has designated mobile use as ‘possibly carcinogenic’ to humans and has also come up with a possible link between mobiles and cancers, but there is no conclusive evidence as yet.

Mobile phone technology depends on radio frequency electromagnetic waves which neither break chemical bonds nor cause ionizing radiations. This is why it has not been possible to establish a causal link.

Though it appears safe, research indicates it can influence cellular activity, and so it's better to play safe. Perhaps there is no direct link, but there is no harm in taking precautions.

For instance, children and pregnant mothers should not use the device or should at least should stay away from it as much as possible.

It is advisable to keep the mobile at arms length because the radio frequency exposure reduces with distance.

Also opt for hands-free usage and keep your conversations short. Lastly use text messages as much as possible.

(Dr Easwer H.V. is Associate Professor, department of neurosurgery, Sree Chitra
Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology)

From Chronicle

[RKPV]

police drove over vegetables- ee sushkanthi ella karyathikum angu kanicha mathiyayirunnu.

[Malayaali]

Originally Posted by murlee

Guys.. Am looking for a Malayalam song which was quite famous 5-6 years ago. Am not able to remember the starting line or the film..

It had Meera jasmine and Bhavana along with 3 guys( Prithviraj, Jayasurya and some other guy)

One doubt Murlee, how does Malayalam movies fare in TN? Is there fanfare for any of the Malayalam actors there?? I guess, you are sure about Kollywood influence in Kerala

[RajeshNair]

He should be running over illegally parked cars using that old tow truck the city police owns before running over vegetables, like that mayor in an eastern european city who ran over illegally parked cars with an armoured vehicle.

[Malayaali]

Originally Posted by RajeshNair

He should be running over illegally parked cars using that old tow truck the city police owns

അത് ലിത്വാനിയ, ഇത് കേരളം! മേയറിന്റെ നെഞ്ജത്ത് കൂടി നാട്ടുകാര് വണ്ടി കേറ്റും