06.05.2007

• LB Singhal
• He is the Director General of Export Promotion Council for EOUs (Export Oriented Units) and SEZs (Special Economic Zones).
• Do you know the total sales tax collections of all the states in India?
• The total collections of VAT states for 2006-07 are at Rs. 86,249 crores, as against Rs. 69,291 crores in the previous year.
• India’s demographic dividend
• 64% of our population is in the working age group.
• Average Indian is just 26 years old.
• Industry studies point out that the elderly dependency ratio will reach 40 in the next four decades, up from the current level of 15.
• Pass-through status extension
• Remember we have touched upon the pass-through status for venture capital funds announced in the Budget?
• Now the FM has announced that the status will be extended to infrastructure sector excluding power and telecom.
• What’s Marilyn Monroe doing on our blog?
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• This is a famous picture of the great lady err… beauty of the 20^th century. We were not even born when she was in her prime as a celebrity. But such is her legacy that even after 45 years of her death (she died in 1962) people still keep fighting over it.
• The Monroe estate filed a complaint in 2005 saying that Monroe’s “right of publicity” was violated when photographs shot by Sam Shaw during the filming of “The Seven Year Itch” were used for commercial gains. The court ruled against the estate.
• The above picture is one of the memorable pictures of the actress in that film. America and most of the cine-going world could never forget these pictures. The ‘blowing skirt’ is a theme that was later seen by me for the first time in another movie “The Woman in Red.” It is an excellent comedy released in 1984.
• Petroleum and Natural Gas regulatory board Chief and Members
• The government appointed Labanyendu Mansingh as the Chairman. Mr. LK Singhvi and Mr. Bhagwat Singh Negi are the other two members appointed to the Board.
• NTRO and NICRD to be established in Hyderabad
• National Technical Research Organization, which would also house a National Institute of Cryptology Research and Development, would be established in Hyderabad.
• It would be engaged in the development and deployment of systems for national security. It’s a scientific organization under the National Security Adviser in the PMO.
• Stilwell Road
• It is road that was built during World War II connecting China, Myanmar and India. The 1726 km road was a vital life line for the movement of troops of the Allied Forces to free China from Japanese occupation.
• It was named after American General Joseph Stilwell who led the task and completed in 1945.
• Honey therapy for diabetics!
• The therapy which involves squeezing a thick layer of honey onto the diabetic wounds after dead skin and bacteria have been removed is found to save diabetics from amputation.
• It is used in New Zealand and as an alternative medicine in Europe.
• We all know that wounds suffered by diabetic patients don’t heal quickly and take a very long time to heal.
• What is cymatics?
• Also known as Chladni Patterns, it is an ancient system of music. The father and son duo of Thomas Mitchell and Stuart Mitchell are associated with reviving it recently. It is formed by sound waves at specific pitches.
• La Sagrada Familia
• It is the Church of the Holy Family and is unique in two ways. Firstly, its construction began in 1882 and is still going on. It will probably be completed in another 40 to 50 years. An Indian equivalent is stated to be Dayalbagh temple in Agra.
• Secondly, its architect Antoni Gaudi is buried in its basement, after his death in 1926.
• Asra Q. Nomani
• Born in Mumbai and settled in the US, she is dare devil of a lady.
• She is the Islamic feminist, a single unwed mother, who led the first mixed-gender prayers in Islamic history since the 7^th Century.
• “Standing Alone in Mecca” is book authored by her, recounting her struggles to perform Hajj.
• Tarzan
• American actor Gordon Scott who is renowned for his portrayal of Tarzan in 5 films has died at the age of 80.
• ASEAN+3 agrees to pool forex reserves
• Ministers from ASEAN and China, Japan and South Korea, in a bid to strengthen the regions’ 7 year old web of bilateral currency swaps (called the Chiang Mai Initiative) have agreed to pool their foreign currencies to avoid a repeat of the financial crisis that devastated the region a decade ago.
• Sailing around the world a second time
• Sir Robin Knox-Johnston has sailed around the world for a second time. The first time he did it was in 1969 (he took 312 days then). Now he took 159 days to complete the sail.