The de Montebello Years: Curators at the Met celebrate 3 decades of acquisitions

To celebrate Philippe de Montebello's 31 years as Director of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, the curators of the Museum announced on June 2 plans to organize an exhibition of approximately 300 of the more than 84,000 works of art acquired during his tenure.

Among the highlights of the celebratory exhibition will be a standing Buddha in mottled red sandstone from India (Gupta period, 5th century).

Montebello – the eighth and longestserving Director of The Metropolitan Museum of Art – announced in January his plans to retire at the end of the year.

The unique exhibition – ‘The Philippe de Montebello Years: Curators Celebrate Three Decades of Acquisitions,' -- which will be on view in The Tisch Galleries from October 24, 2008, through February 1, 2009 – will be a collaboration of the curators currently working in the Museum's 17 curatorial departments.

Special emphasis will be placed on works that were transformative to the Metropolitan Museum's collections by building on existing strengths and expanding into new areas of collecting.

"We wanted to create an exhibition to celebrate Philippe de Montebello's auspicious career by focusing on an area of spectacular achievement at the heart of the institution acquisitions," said Helen C. Evans, the exhibition's coordinator, who is the Metropolitan Museum's Mary and Michael Jaharis Curator of Byzantine Art.

"The breadth and greatness of the works on display in ‘The Philippe de Montebello Years' will tell multiple stories – of his stellar leadership of the Museum's more than 300 curators, conservators, scientists, librarians, and educators of the excellence of the collections in representing 5,000 years of human artistic achievement around the world; and of the Museum's vital evolution in terms of renovating, expanding, and reinstalling galleries, developing conservation and research facilities, and enhancing visitors' understanding and experiencing of art."

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South Indian composers create music for Olympics

Original tracks by south Indian composers have been chosen for the gymnastics events at the Beijing Olympics, starting August 8.

"While my music available in the Germany based Sonoton Library was selected earlier for the warm-up events, I am composing original tracks to suit gymnasts' body language during the Olympics," composer Lekha Rathina Kumar told IANS.

Kumar is creating the special symphony in collaboration with keyboard player Mani Sharma, flautist Sudhakar and sitar maestro Janardan.

Kumar's composition was used as the background score in Hollywood film ‘Cloverfield' that was released in January.

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Exhibitions of Indian real estate properties by ‘Buy Indian Properties'

CineMaya Media Group, Inc.'s new marketing service ‘Buy Indian Properties' held its first series of exhibitions featuring some of India's best real estate offerings to Indian property buyers in the U.S. and Canada.

The exhibitions were held at Toronto's International Center on May 31 and June 1, Houston's Stafford Center for the Performing Arts and Convention Center on June 4 and June 5, and the New Jersey Convention and Exposition Center on June 7 and June 8.

Exhibitors included TATA Housing, Lodha Group, Hiranandani Developers, Sheth Developers, Arihant, Sternon, Venus Infrastructure, HSBC Bank, ICICI Bank NRI Services, and Allcheckdeals.com. The exhibitors showcased real estate developments in premier locations in New Delhi, Mumbai, Dubai, Hyderabad, Chennai, Bangalore and several other cities across India. The event was supported by Maharashtra Chamber of Housing Industries (MCHI) a member of The Confederation of Real Estate Developers Association of India (CREDAI).

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Eating disorders are complex and serious

Eating disorders are complex, serious health problems that affect seven million women and girls in the U.S. They can occur in women-and men-of all ages and backgrounds, but most often develop in young women between ages 11 and 20.

Anorexia, bulimia and binge eating are the three main types of eating disorders. People with these conditions are obsessed with food and body weight. They often have a distorted view of their body shape, have low self esteem, are depressed, and feel ashamed or guilty about their eating problems.

Women with anorexia have an intense fear of being fat. They think of themselves as fat when they are not and want to be thin so badly that they will exercise to extremes or starve themselves sometimes to death. Anorexics may be withdrawn and irritable, deny that they are underweight, and refuse to eat even small portions or insist on eating alone.

Because the body is being starved, anorexia can lead to severe and long-term health problems, such as an irregular heartbeat, bone loss and osteoporosis, low body temperature, low blood pressure, kidney problems, a slow metabolism, slow reflexes, absence of menstrual periods, and a delay in reaching puberty. Five percent to 10 percent of women with anorexia die from it.

People with bulimia eat unusually large amounts of food in a short amount of time, then purge-by vomiting or taking laxatives, diuretics, or pills that cause vomiting-to get rid of the excess calories. Bulimics can be hard to spot because, unlike anorexics, their weight is usually normal or just above normal. They know that their eating is out of control and fear that they won't be able to stop eating.

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Showcase for South Asian achievements ---- place to network, show ethnic pride

For one such as me, who got started on his journey in print journalism in India 52 years ago -- in the thunderous rotary press era -- the 14th annual convention of SAJA (South Asian Journalists Association) June 19-22 in New York City, was like a longed-for but scarcely-dared-to believe-in dream come true.

My feelings at SAJA Convention 2008 might be compared to those of a veteran of the Montgomery bus boycott of December 1955 (the same month and year I joined The Statesman, Calcutta, as a ‘subeditor') at the nomination of Barack Obama for President by the Democratic Party.

Rub my eyes! Pinch me!

If journalists of our generation -- born a decade before or immediately after Independence inhabited a two-story house with a front and a back door, the young Indian Americans at the convention live in a hazarduari, a palace with a thousand doors, with opportunities and challenges in every direction.

All around me were young Indian Americans who were mainstream reporters, columnists, broadcasters, TV hosts, anchors, what not, and many others younger still, knocking on doors some which were barred to colored people, and some that didn't exit at all even just 14 years ago, when Sreenath Sreenivasan -- now Dean and Professor at Columbia's Graduate School of Journalism -- and three other habitués of Maharajah Restaurant founded SAJA.

The convention was both a showcase for South Asian achievement, and also a clearing house of ideas, a place to network, and flaunt their ethnic pride.

At the 2008 Awards Dinner at Lerner Hall, Columbia University, June 21, one not only met holders of national bylines, and ran into faces familiar on TV, reporting from war zones and corridors of power, but were agreeably surprised at the pride in their ethnicity.

Women sailed by, wearing saris, salwar kameezes or some accessory from India. A Pace University professor sported a veritable Mount Abu of a Rajasthani turban. Professor Sreenivasan (popularly known as just 'Sreeni') sported a golden silk kurta-churidar-nagari jacket ensemble.

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Raj Kapoor’s retrospective at Indian film Festival in Florence

A retrospective of actor-filmmaker Raj Kapoor will be the highlight of this year's ‘River To River’, the film festival that has been fuelling the love of Indian cinema in Italy.

Selvaggia Velo, the 35-year-old founder director of ‘River To River’, said ‘Awara’, ‘Shri 420’ and ‘Bobby’ will be screened in Florence to honor one of Indian cinema's greatest independent film personalities.

The festival held annually in December in Florence will reveal more about the films and the list of special guests later this season. ‘River To River’ has been screening only Indian films since 2001.

The first ‘River To River’ was mostly attended by a group of rich old ladies who were familiar with India through tourism. The audience was mesmerized to see an India that was unknown to them in films like Biju Vishwanath's ‘Deja Vu’, Mira Nair's ‘The Laughing Club of India’ and Dev Benegal's ‘Split Wide Open’.

The fourth festival celebrated the return of ‘Sandokan’, the Italian television serial star ring Kabir Bedi, with two screenings daily over five days.

Last year Chitra Palekar's ‘Mati May’ won the ‘River To River DigiChannel Audience Award for Best Feature Film’, while Kartik Singh's ‘Saving Mum and Dad’ won the best in the short film category. Francesca Lignola and Stefano Rebechi's delightful documentary on Ahmedabad's colorful kite festival received the best documentary award.

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Bollywood stars entertain audience at award ceremony

Akshay Kumar and Govinda stole the show at the ninth International Indian Film Academy (IIFA) awards ceremony in Bangkok with their dazzling dance moves while Boman Irani and Ritesh Deshmukh made up for organizational glitches through their hilarious imitations of superstars.

Hundreds of fans gathered outside the Siam Niramit Hall cheered as their favorite stars, including Amitabh Bachchan, Saif Ali Khan, Fardeen Khan, Aftab Shivdasani, Diya Mirza and Dino Morea, walked down the IIFA green carpet.

The Siam Niramit Hall, which can seat 2,000 people, was packed and Akshay Kumar and Govinda ensured the audience was not disappointed.

Kumar, who was honored with a special award from the host country, made a spectacular entry, flying onto the stage on a skateboard gliding along a wire. He danced to the title song of his forthcoming film ‘Singh Is King’ as well as past popular numbers and had the crowd asking for more.

Govinda, who bagged the best comic actor award for ‘Partner’, also impressed the crowd with his dance moves.

Priyanka Chopra and debutant Harman Baweja, who will be seen together in ‘Love Story 2050’, too gave a dazzling performance.

Best actress award winner Kareena Kapoor, dressed in a silver blouse and purple harem pants, performed on songs from her recent films ‘Jab We Met’ and ‘Tashan’. She was followed by Katrina Kaif who danced to a medley of tracks from her hit film ‘Race’.

Aishwarya Rai looked her best in a strapless red satin fishtail gown but did not get any awards. But Abhishek Bachchan walked away with the best style icon award.

‘Chak De! India’, which won critical acclaim and mass popularity, was adjudged the best film, while superstar Shah Rukh Khan and Shimit Amin respectively bagged the best actor and best director trophies.

Khan was not present at the gala and producer Yash Chopra accepted the award on his behalf. The film also won awards for story and screenplay.

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I feel awestruck .. I’m still a star struck child, though I try hard to hide it

H e is 36 years old and a well-established filmmaker with hits like ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’ and ‘Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham’, but despite the accomplishments Karan Johar is awestruck when he meets his favorite stars.

"At heart I remain an excited child who's been given a toy called cinema. I'm awestruck with the place I've been given in the film industry," Johar, who turned 36 on May 25, told IANS.

"Even today when I meet a star I admire, I still feel awestruck. I'm still a star-struck child, though I try hard to hide it. Every time I sit across Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan and Hrithik Roshan, I've to pinch myself," he added.

Following are excerpts from the interview:

Q: So, you are now 36! Do you have to remind me?

Last year I remember telling you L'Oreal was helping me look younger. This year I cannot reveal the name of the product I'm using to look younger. I can't endorse a product. It's about the money, you see. But there're lots of products going into keeping the illusion of eternal youth alive. What do I say to you about turning 36? I'm shattered. I can't believe I'm inching towards 40.

Q: But life begins at 40, remember?

It's the biggest lie about age. Let me tell you, life does not begin at 40. It's an illusion created by those who can't accept they're going old. I accept I'm no longer a teenybopper. I'm older and hopefully wiser.

Q: Has the film industry made you wiser?

It has toughened me. I don't know if I'm around too many wise people to judge my wisdom. I only pray I'm not making the wrong decisions.

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India finds Olympic hope in teenage swimmer Khade

India's Virdhawal Khade is being hailed as a swimming sensation in India after the 16-year old qualified for three events at the Beijing Olympics.

The school boy achieved the 200 meters free style mark at the world championships in Melbourne last year when he became the youngest Indian to do so at the age of 15.

Earlier this month he added the 50m and 100m, raising hopes in some quarters of boosting India's Olympic tally, if not in 2008 then in 2012 at the London Games.

India have only won four individual medals in their Olympic history since sending their first team to the Summer Games in 1928.

Hopes for Beijing have already been badly hit by the failure for the first time in Games history of their men's hockey team, eight-times winners, even to qualify.

Khade's personal bests compare well with swimmers of his own age, though fall a couple of seconds shy of world record marks.

But his coach Nihar Ameen told Reuters, "In terms of natural talent, not only measured against others I have worked with, but virtually any swimmer in his age group that I have seen around the world, he is a prodigy."

The son of a sugar businessman from Kolhapur in Maharashtra, Khade took to the pool as a four-year-old in his home town.

In 2006 he shifted to Ameen's center in Bangalore after the coach spotted his talent at a national competition.

Ameen said, "He has natural speed and competes well under pressure. How well he does on the highest platform of his sport depends on the maturity of his strategy, which is a work in progress in his training schedule."

India's best known swimmer Khazan Singhwon won a silver in the 1986 Asian Games, but only a handful from the cricket-mad country have ever met the Olympic qualification standards.In Beijing, Sandeep Sejwal and Ankur Poseria, who studies and trains in the U.S., will join Khade in the Indian team.

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New York City restarants to be trans fat-free by July 1

The final phase of the City’s trans fat regulation takes effect July 1, requiring restaurants to clear artificial trans fat from all their menu items. When first implemented last year, the new standard applied only to fry oils and spreads. It will now cover previously excluded items such as baked goods, frozen foods, cannoli, and doughnuts as well. Foods served in the manufacturer’s original, sealed packaging, such as candy and crackers, are still exempt.

More than 98 percent of inspected restaurants were in compliance as of last month. Some food chains and cooking oil manufacturers have not only eliminated trans fat but also reduced saturated fat by 20 percent to 35 percent in certain fried foods, further boosting the health benefit for consumers.

In early June, the ‘Trans Fat Help Center’ mailed brochures on baking without artificial trans fat to all 25,000 New York City food service establishments and to New York State food suppliers serving the city. Most large bakery suppliers will include the brochures with the orders they ship during July.

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Working out Even a 10-minute workout can help

Exercising as little as 10 to 30 minutes a day can make overweight or obese older women get more done and feel better about their lives, U.S. researchers said recently.

They said even women who only exercised 10 minutes a day saw significant improvements in quality of life -- they had more energy, less anxiety and were simply happier.

The study is among the first to examine how exercise can improve the quality of life of post menopausal women who were extremely out of shape but otherwise healthy, said Dr.Timothy Church of the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

"This is by far the largest exercise trial which has ever looked at quality of life," Church said in a telephone interview.

The results, which were presented at the American Heart Association's Conference on Nutrition, Physical Activity and Metabolism in Colorado Springs, Colorado, update a 2007 study by Church and others in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

That study found women who exercised 10 to 30 minutes saw improvements in fitness. The latest findings look at other measures, such as mental health and social functioning.

The researchers studied 430 sedentary women past menopause with an average age of 57 who were assigned to one of three exercise groups: those who exercised 70 minutes a week; 135 minutes a week and 190 minutes a week.

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Women tend to judge other women by their hair

Beauty-conscious Sri Lankan women attach more importance to their hair than to clothes or make up and often judge others by the way they have dressed their tresses, a new survey has revealed.

Conducted by the Lanka Market Research Bureau (LMRB) for Unilever last year,, the survey found that 48 percent of the 429 women interviewed strongly felt that hair was a crucial aspect of appearance or beauty. Another 45 percent were less sure, but granted that hair was an important aspect of beauty.

Asked to indicate what in their view was most important for a woman's appearance, 41 percent mentioned hair, 33 percent mentioned clothes, 23 percent chose skin quality, and only two percent ticked makeup.

The survey, which used face-to-face interviews with women between 19 and 40, covered the urban and rural areas in all provinces other than the war-affected northern and eastern provinces.

The women's concern for hair quality was stronger in urban areas and among those from 19 to 25.

As many as 33 percent of women of all age groups, irrespective of whether they were urban or rural, said that hair styling could "instantly transform" their appearance. Only 11 percent disagreed strongly. A woman could make a "significant fashion statement" by doing her hair up, said 78 percent of those interviewed.

Hair is so important that, in a majority of cases, the final thing that a woman will check or adjust before going out is her hair.

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Cooling centers open in all 5 boroughs - air conditioning is best protection

The National Weather Service is forecasting that extreme heat conditions will continue, prompting the Office of Emergency Management (OEM) and Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) to urge New Yorkers to take steps to prevent serious illness and death that can result from the heat, especially in vulnerable groups. High ozone levels, which can worsen asthma and other respiratory diseases, are also forecast to continue.

These are near record temperatures for this time of year and the heat's sudden on set makes the health risk greater than it might be in July or August, when people have adjusted to these temperatures. To assist New Yorkers during the heat, OEM will continue operating nearly 300 cooling centers throughout all five boroughs. Cooling centers are air-conditioned facilities, such as Department for the Aging senior centers and New York City Housing Authority community centers, which are open to the public. Over 7000 New Yorkers have visited the centers since they opened on June 7. Residents can call 311 or log on to www.nyc.gov/oem to find the nearest cooling center.

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Kolkata-born baritone Shouvik Mondle to play the Phantom in 6-city Europe tour

With his recent real-life adventures containing all the elements of the operas he has starred in, India-born baritone Shouvik Mondle of Jackson Heights has just signed a contract for what is probably the highest opera role beckoning an American classical singer that of the phantom in ‘The Phantom of the Opera.'

This ends a period of turbulence, caused by his marriage in 2004 into a Bollywood musical dynasty, which very nearly brought the western classical career of the promising baritone to an end.

After dramatic ups and downs, The Times of India of Dec. 8, 2004, envisioned Mondle as ending up as a music composer in Bollywood a string of law suits ending in divorce, Mondle has been back in the United States picking up his musical threads.

A resident of Jackson Heights for the past 11 years, Shouvik was born in Calcutta, to a gifted family of artists and professionals, in 1978.

His mother, Aditi, was a producer for Doordarshan ,as a child, Shouvik played the lead dwarf in his mother's production of 'Snow White' on TV. His father, Samir, is an engineer. The family moved to this country when Shouvik was seven.

He flew back to the States for operatic appearances, including as Scarpia in Tosca at Natchez Opera Festival, May 2005, with Jennifer Griffin Chesney as Tosca. His most recent show was in Baltimore in April. But the wheel of fortune definitely turned in May, when just two days after an audition, his agent, a constant friend who believed in Mondle's talent, sent him an e-mail to inform him he has landed the plum role of the Phantom.

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Hello Obama, good luck next time Hillary

Some call it epic, others call it historic and yet others call it thrilling. As for me, this certainly was the most exciting presidential primary elections I have witnessed since my arrival here in 1962. Sadly it is now over. Why sadly? Because I wanted the mehfil to last a lot longer to add some mirch masala to my mundane political meals.

She will still continue to be one of the most powerful and influential women in America as a Senator. But the White House sleep overs are now behind her. If she ever gets to sleep there again, it has to be as a guest of the next president. Or, as a mother of the future president named Chelsea Clinton.

How about the so-called dream ticket of Obama and Hillary as his running mate for vice president? It's possible, but only in her dreams according to my crystal ball. How can I say that, you ask, since so many media mavens and political prognosticators are still salivating on that prospect?

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International Networks to distribute and market five Indian Channels

International Networks, a wholly owned subsidiary of Comcast and an aggregator of multi-ethnic programming in the U.S., and STAR Group Ltd. (STAR), a wholly owned subsidiary of News Corporation and the leading media and entertainment company in Asia, announced May 28 an agreement for International Networks to represent five of STAR's Indian channels to Multiple System Operators (MSOs) throughout the U.S. The agreement will see most of the channels included on International Networks' transponder and available for MSOs immediately.

The channels included in the agreement are, STAR India PLUS, India's Hindi pay-TV channel: STAR India GOLD, which brings Bollywood blockbusters, STAR India ONE, bringing next generation Hindi entertainment, STAR India NEWS, offering viewers 24-hour Hindi news and VIJAY, a Tamil entertainment channel in India.

"International Networks is the leading aggregator of ethnic language programming in the U.S. and we are thrilled to have them represent five of our Indian channels to MSOs across the country," said David Wisnia, Senior Vice President for Distribution and Sales and head of STAR's North American and European offices. "We look forward to increasing our distribution to cable homes across the U.S.

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Green Cart applications deadline is June 18

Anyone interested in operating one of New York City's new Green Carts should apply now! All applications must be postmarked no later than June 18 . This year's 500 permits are now up for grabs. Another 500 permits will be available in 2009.

Green Carts are mobile food carts that sell only raw fruits and vegetables – such as whole carrots, bananas, apples and berries – in parts of the City where consumption of fruits and vegetables is lowest. Each Green Cart permit allows a cart to operate in selected areas of one borough only. To operate a Green Cart, a valid mobile food vending license and a Green Cart permit are required. The license covers the operator and the permit covers the cart. The license is the same one needed to operate any mobile food cart, and the vendor must apply for one before applying for a permit. For more information on how to apply for a license, visit: http://www.nyc.gov/html/doh/downloads/pdf/cdp/green_carts_flow.pdf.

Priority on the Green Cart waiting lists will be given to applicants already on other Health Department mobile food permit waiting lists, disabled United States veterans, disabled persons, and United States veterans who are not disabled.

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Frenzied welcome for wrestler - ‘We want Khali - We want Khali'

After two hours of swaying to thumping Bollywood neo-folk music and listening to stock stage jokes, the fans grew impatient and began chanting for the star of the evening to show up. "We want Khali! We want Khali!"

And when the Goliath-size professional wrestler of that name appeared on stage in a blue cotton shirt, jeans and ponytail, thousands of hands thrust cellphone cameras into the air to capture the image.

"Khali, we love you," screamed men and women alike. "The Khali bomb!" yelled a male voice. Little boys tried to climb over barricades to get closer to the stage, on a college campus.

In India, public adulation and hysteria like this is usually reserved for stars of cricket or Bollywood. But Khali has earned his frenzied fame by becoming the Indian icon of American TV wrestling.

He is the first man from this country to rise high in the American gladiatorial adventure of World Wrestling Entertainment, winning the world heavy weight championship in July 2007.

The square-jawed wrestler weighs 420 pounds, is 7 feet 3 inches tall and measures 63 inches around the chest. He also goes by the names the Great Khali and Mahabali-Khali Khali Who Has Great Strength. The Mahabali title is often applied to the Hindu monkey headed god Hanuman.

Last month, Khali returned to India for a month long vacation. Thousands of fans were waiting with marigold garlands at the New Delhi airport when he landed. Since then, it's been one fanatical welcome/near-stampede after another.

Khali has kept a back-to-back schedule, meeting reporters, schoolchildren, slum-dwellers, politicians, and some of those Bollywood stars and cricketers.

"He is our own Rocky Balboa. From zero to hero," said Darshan Rewar, a 22-year-old engi neering graduate who arrived with his family three hours before the scheduled time of Khali's public appearance at the Mumbai college campus.

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Dev Anand's 1965 film ‘Guide' screened at Classic Section

Although there were no Indian films in the Cannes official selection, the 1965 classic film ‘Guide' starring Dev Anand, who is known as India's Gregory Peck and Clark Gable, was screened in the Classic section. The octogenarian actor/producer attended the screening.

"When I got an email from the festival, that I jumped with joy," exclaimed the popular Bollywood star who got his first acting break in 1945 and launched his production company in 1949.

Directed by Anand's late brother Vijay Anand, ‘Guide' was a commercial and critical success in India and also made its mark as the first Bollywood film to be shot in two languages - English and Hindi.

"The English version was co-produced by Pearl Buck and was distributed in America," said the actor sitting poolside at a luncheon hosted by the Hinduja family at their Cannes villa. The Hindi version was screened in the Cannes Classic.

‘Guide,' was also India's official entry to Oscar's foreign language category.

Addressing the subject of adultery, ‘Guide' had its share of roadblocks with India's censor board, but (the late) Indira Gandhi, then the minister of Information and Broadcast facilitated the clearance, noted Anand.

The popular romantic hero of 1960's and 70's, Anand is still active in Bollywood and is currently in pre-production on his next film, ‘Charge Sheet.'

‘Guide' was screened on May 20 at the Festival des Palais' Salle Bunuel theater.

Spearheaded by the Government of India's Ministry of Information and Broadcast and Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), the ‘Indian Pavilion' in Cannes opened its doors to showcase Indian filmmakers and industry executives.

Director Jag Mundhra (dubbed as the Roger Corman of Indian cinema) was on hand to welcome the ministry's additional secretary Uday Kumar Verma.

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World Science Festival at 15 locations: 2 Indian American scientists among others

Two Indian American scientists were featured in the World Science Festival May 28 -June 1 which was celebrated at 15 locations in New York City, including the Rubin Museum of Art and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Nobel Laureates, researchers, technologists, educators, and policy makers joined artists, filmmakers, and performers to create more than 40 events that explored the many ways in which scientific inquiry shapes modern life.

‘World Science Festival: The Science of Art' was the theme of the ‘Sunday at the Met' afternoon on June 1. A panel of world-renowned scientists – including Nobel Laureate chemist Richard R. Ernst , Silvia A. Centeno and Mark Abbe, researchers at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Narayan Khandekar, a conservation scientist at Harvard University Art Museums and experimental physicist Charles M. Falco – gave talks concerning the application of scientific research to works of art.

On May 29, at the Rubin Museum of Art, a special presentation by neuroscientist V.S. Ramachandran explored the origin of human abilities and whether certain brain structures are unique to humans or whether they evolved from structures originally designed for other functions, while inventor and futurist, Ray Kurzweil, examined the human implications if artificial intelligence surpasses our own. The event was moderated by Faith Salie.

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June 3 celebrated as ‘New York City Quits Day'

Mayor Michael Bloomberg last month, proclaimed June 3 as ‘NYC Quits Day.' Last week, the Health Department launched television and radio advertisements, special events, and nicotine patch give aways to urge New Yorkers to quit.

The campaign shows New Yorkers what they are giving up to smoke from shopping sprees and plasma TVs to day care and health insurance. New Yorkers can visit www.nyc.gov/quitjune3 for more information or call 311 for help to quit.

"Smoking is costing you your health," according to Dr. Thomas R. Frieden New York City, Health Commissioner for New York City. "But if you need an extra push to quit, you should know that smoking will now also cost you almost $3,000 a year."

Increasing the price of cigarettes has proven to be the most effective way of motivating New Yorkers to quit. Tax increases in 2002 spurred a 21 percent drop in adult smoking and a 52 percent drop in smoking among New York City public high school students as the Mayor announced earlier this year.

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New Jersey Institute of Technology's math chair honored

An Indian American has been honored for raising the profile of the mathematics department of the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT).

Daljit Ahluwalia, 75, long-time maths chair at the NJIT, was honored in the presence of over 150 leading academics from around the world at the beginning of the university's fifth annual Frontiers in Applied and Computational Mathematics Conference on campus in Newark.

"We all thank Daljit for his many contributions in building one of the most accomplished teams in applied mathematics in the world today," said NJIT president Robert A. Altenkirch.

An endowed fund for the newly established D.S. Ahluwalia Doctoral Fellowship in Mathematical Sciences was also announced on the occasion.

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Salman Khan to host Sony Entertainment Television reality game show

B ollywood actor Salman Khan, who is to anchor Sony TV's new reality game show ‘Dus Ka Dum', has turned a blogger and writes in his first entry that he takes all his decisions on instincts rather than calculations.

"All my decisions are based on my instincts and some people think that I am too moody and cynical," Khan writes in his blog.

"Believe me, I have been guided by my instincts and my heart all my life! I do not depend too much on intelligence, analysis and calculations."

Khan, who has often been in the news for wrong reasons, says that earlier he had his own reservations about anchoring a show.

"I still remember the day when my brother Sohail Khan brought the proposal to anchor a show for Sony Entertainment Television. I had my reservations. The idea sounded so impractical that I rejected it even without giving it much thought," he wrote.

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