Dr. Ramya V Raghavan, Consultant, Internal Medicine, Columbia Asia Hospital, Whitefield

Best blog : NewsPatrolling.com :The recent news on Cholera outbreak in specific areas has put the residents of Bangalore on a high alert. Public awareness concerning the spread of disease can help curb cholera. Precautions and timely treatment is very important to control an outbreak.

Symptoms of cholera:

·         Profuse watery diarrhoea

·         Vomiting

·         Leg cramps and associated symptoms due to dehydration

·         Cholera can cause death due to dehydration within hours if not treated properly.

How is cholera spread?

·         Cholera is a caused by a bacterium called Vibrio Cholerae present in contaminated water and food

·         Cholera does not spread directly from one person to another. It is only spread via faecal contamination of water sources and food.

·         Cholera has a short incubation period from a few hours to around 5 days.

·         Around 75% of people carrying the cholera infection may not show any symptoms but shed the bacterium in their faeces/stools across 7 to 14 days causing infection to other individuals.

The following simple steps can protect you and your family from cholera:

·         Drink and use safe water.

·         Safe water is water that is bottled with an unbroken seal or water that has been boiled or treated via chlorine or other means.

·         Safe water should also be stored in clean covered containers.

·         Wash hands often with soap and safe water.

·         Cook food well. Keep all food items covered.

·         Always wash hands after using a latrine and before preparing any food.

·         Do not defecate in the open or near any water body. Bury the faeces or use a latrine.

Treatment for cholera:

·         First ensure patient is sufficiently hydrated via an Oral Rehydration Salt (ORS) solution. In severe case, intravenous fluids will be needed

·         Appropriate antibiotics will be prescribed by your Doctor to shorten the duration of the disease

·         If any person presents with any of the cholera symptoms listed above, then they must immediately go to the nearest hospital or PHC.

GUINNESS WORLD RECORD FOR LOWEST LIMBO ICE SKATING BROKEN AT iSKATE

Best bloggers of india : newspatrolling.com: iSKATE, India’s first all year ice skating rink at Ambience mall, Gurgaon witnessed limbo ice skating sensation Shristi Dharmendra Sharma enter the Guinness World Record books by setting the record for the lowest limbo ice skating on December 28, 2017. Shristi, now the world's first ice limbo skater, broke the record by crossing 11 evenly spaced limbo bars over the 10m course at a jaw dropping height of 17.7 cm. 

Shristi has been trained and nurtured as an outstanding ice skater by the marshals at iSKATE. Daughter of a coal mine driver, the 13-year-old owns a Guinness World Record (2015), a Unique World Record (2016) and several accolades in limbo roller skating. She also entered Limca Book of World Records in 2016 for limbo ice skating. Quietly determined, this student of Centre Point School (Nagpur) campaigns enthusiastically for 'Save the Girl Child'. 

iSKATE has extended its continual support to winter sports by holding national level championships in figure skating and ice hockey. In addition, iSKTATE regularly organises National Training Camps to help the talented as well as the under privileged perform at international platforms. 

Located on the 6^th floor of Ambience Mall, Gurgaon and spread over 15000 sq. feet, iSKATE has been visited by eighteen lakh ice skating enthusiasts from opening in 2011 December till date. Ice Skating is hugely popular across all demographics - among families, corporates and youth and caters to customers from 5 years to 55 years of age.  With a bar, karaoke room, in house DJ, three F&B outlets, lounge apart from its core unique product Ice rink, the place is a one stop destination for recreation and sports.  iSKATE has been visited by over 100 top tier Bollywood and Sports Celebrities till date and has also hosted out of the box events like Cricket on Ice, figure skating performances, press conferences and fashion shows. With lakhs of followers on social media and a top-notch destination on travel sites, the future of Ice Skating and Ice Hockey looks very promising.

Upset Hindus urge Hong Kong firm to withdraw Lord Ganesha bottoms & apologize

Best Bloggers of India : NewsPatrolling.com : Upset Hindus are urging Hong Kong headquartered e-commerce company CowCow.com for immediate withdrawal of various bikini-bottoms carrying images of Hindu deity Lord Ganesha; calling it highly inappropriate.

Distinguished Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, said that Lord Ganesha was highly revered in Hinduism and was meant to be worshipped in temples or home shrines and not to adorn one’s buttocks/crotch. Inappropriate usage of Hindu deities or concepts for commercial or other agenda was not okay as it hurt the devotees.

Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, also urged CowCow.com and its CEO to also offer a formal apology; besides withdrawing Lord Ganesha bikini-bottoms.

Hinduism was the oldest and third largest religion of the world with about 1.1 billion adherents and a rich philosophical thought and it should  

not be taken frivolously. Symbols of any faith, larger or smaller, should not be mishandled, Rajan Zed noted.

Zed further said that such trivialization of Hindu deities was disturbing to the Hindus world over. Hindus were for free artistic expression and speech as much as anybody else if not more. But faith was something sacred and attempts at trivializing it hurt the followers, Zed added.

Products of CowCow.com, founded in 2003, include “T-Shirts, Dresses, Skirts, Leggings and all other types of Clothing”. It claims: “Over 11 million designs spread out on more than 500 unique products ranging from clothes to bedding, bags to umbrellas.” Headquartered in Kwun Tong (Kowloon, Hong Kong), it lists CS Department in Houston (Texas, USA). The objectionable Bikini Bottoms, named “Grace of Ganesha”, are priced from $34.99 to $35.99.

In Hinduism, Lord Ganesha is worshipped as god of wisdom and remover of obstacles and is invoked before the beginning of any major undertaking.

10 Easy and Quick Milk Recipes

Niryas.com : Milk is the major source of nourishment for humans prior to other types of food. Milk includes different carbohydrates with lactose, glucose, galactose, and other oligosaccharides. It is a very resourceful kitchen element. 

10 easy Milk made Recipes

If you do not akin to have milk in a usual way then here are some quick milk made recipes for you so that you can enjoy the milk and also find all the nutritious values from it. 

Whole of puddings: It holds a firm unusual appeal and the ingredients are:

• 175gm jam
• Squeezed fine sea salt
• 4 large free egg yolks
• 25 gm caster sugar
• 1 lemon
• 500ml full-fat milk
• 50gm butter
• 150gm brioche bread

 Mix the brioche bread slices into crumbs then place it in a mixing bowl. Smear your pie dish with butter and preheat the oven to 170c. Whip the yolks in a bowl and tip the warm milk to combine. Now pour this over the crumbs in their bowl and leave for 10 minutes. Bake for 20 minutes. Whip 2 teaspoons lemon juice into the jam in a small bowl. Whip the egg whites in a bowl until they form firm peaks, next gradually whip in the sugar, until you have a thick and shiny meringue. Pour the jam over the crumbs and smoothing it over the top. Cover the jam-topped custard with the meringue. Put the dish back in the oven and bake for on 20 minutes until the meringue is bronzed. Keep it stand for 15 minutes before serving.

 Soft Rice Pudding: It’s a great dessert for anytime. It is a combination of rice, sugar, and milk which is made without eggs. Ingredients are:

• 1 quart whole milk
• 1/3 cup raw rice
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Mix all ingredients in a 1 1/2 quart baking dish. Bake for around 1/2 hours, stirring in every 20 minutes. Now add about 1/2 cup of sugar for a sweeter pudding. I you want it with raisins then add 1/2 cup of raisins to the rice mixture and add a pinch each of cinnamon, nutmeg and serve.

Shrikhand: In it nuts are not obligatory but it adds that extra special touch. Ingredients are:

• 1 kg thick curd
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• A few strands saffron
• 1 tablespoon warm milk
• 2 teaspoons cardamom powder

Hang the curds in a muslin cloth in a cool place for about 3 hours until all the liquid has drained off. Wipe the saffron into the warm milk until it melts. Mix together the hung curds, sugar, saffron mix and cardamom in a bowl and shake using a hand blender. Place in the refrigerator. Serve cold garnished with slivers of pistachios and almonds. 

Phirni: It s a dessert and the ingredients are:

• 2 tbsp basmati rice
• Water
• 1 litre milk
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 tsp cardamom powder
• 2 tbsp saffron milk
• Few chopped dry fruits

Soak 2 tbsp of basmati rice for 30 minutes. Now discard the water and mix rice to coarse paste. Now boil 1 litre milk in a pan and blend infrequently till milk thickens. Add prepared coarse rice paste and blend for 5 minutes. Boil the milk till the rice gets cooked totally. Add 1/4 cup of sugar and 2 tbsp saffron milk now. Mix well till the milk thickens and turn creamy with cardamom powder. Now serve the chilled and garnished with chopped nuts.

Creamy Soup: It is ideal for the warm weather and can be served cold. Ingredients are:

• A large lump of butter
• 1 chopped onion
• 1 garlic clove
• 2 fennel bulbs
• 450ml chicken or vegetable stock
• 100ml milk
• Salt and black pepper
• Smoked salmon

Softly fry the onion and garlic in the melted butter, with a pinch of salt about 10 minutes until starts to mitigate. Now add the chopped bulbs with the buttery onion mixture for about 20 minutes. Whizz the soup in a blender until soft. Add the milk and warm gently in the pan. Serve with a little of the chopped fennel fronds collectively with a few strips of smoked salmon. 

Shahi Tukda: It is a popular dessert and ingredients are:

• 4 slices of bread
• 6 cups of milk
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup ghee
• 1/2 tsp cardamom powder
• 1/2 tsp saffron
• 2 tbsp chopped nuts
• 1 tbsp sugar syrup

First, boil the milk in a pan for about 40-45 min on medium heat. Add sugar, cardamom powder and saffron to this. Boil the sugar and water for little minutes to make sugar syrup. Warm ghee in a frying pan and low fry the bread slices till it is golden brown and crisp. Soak the fried bread slices in the sugar syrup for about 30 seconds. Set up the sugar soaked bread slices in a plate. Pour the thick milk on top of this. Garnish with chopped nuts and sugar syrup. You can serve chilled.   

Tiny Frittata: It is great for your lunch and ingredients are:

• 4 eggs
• 1/4 cup milk
• 3 cup chopped smoked salmon
• 1/4 cup chopped chives
• 2 oz crumbled cheese

First heat the oven to 350°F and mist 6 muffin cups with cooking spray. Blend together eggs, milk, and pepper in a bowl. Fold in salmon, chives, and cheese. Now split between muffin cups and bake about 20 minutes. Keep stand 3 minutes and serve. 

Roasted Milk Pork: It is ideal for your lunch and ingredients are:

5kg pork loin with bone loosened and liver removed

• 50g butter
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 700ml whole milk
• Salt

First spice the outside of the pork with a little salt. Now heat the butter and oil over a medium heat and cook to make it crisp with a rich golden colour. Now add the milk gradually and leaving a slight gap. Cook it well. Then move the meat to a chopping board and allow it rest for 5 minutes, covered with foil. Slice the meat, place the slices on a hot plate, pour the sauce above and serve.

Spicy Sauce Milk: You can use within three to four days. Ingredients are:

• 750ml whole milk
• 2-4 scotch bonnet peppers
• 2 chopped spring onions
• 2 garlic cloves
• 4-6 tbsp chopped coriander
• 2 tsp salt

First combine all of the ingredients in a blender and mix until they have turned into a mash. Force the sauce with a strainer into a bowl by a wooden spoon, pressing against the solids to extract as much of the liquid as possible. Store it in an airtight jar and serve as per your need.

Rava Laddoo: It’s perfect to make when your time is short. Ingredients are:

• 500 gm Sooji/ Rava
• 6 tbsp ghee
• 300 gm sugar
• 500 ml milk
• 3/4 cup mixture of dry fruits

First warm a pan on a medium flame and add ghee. When it dissolves, add the cashews and raisins and fry for 2-3 minutes. Drain with a spoon and eradicate on paper towels. Add the Sooji in the same ghee and mix it well. Stir the Sooji till it turns on a light golden colour. Add the sugar and blend well. Now softly add the milk and stir. Add the dry fruits

and mix well. Now shape the mixture into the laddoo or balls.  

10 Milk Based Cocktails

Niryas.com : Milk is the most important source of diet for humans prior to other types of food. Many of us love a delicious milk cocktail every now and then. Do you know you can make a cocktail from the milk? Yes, you can make different delicious milk cocktail and here are 10 milk cocktail recipes for you. 

10 Milk Cocktails

Bushwhacker Cocktail: It is one of the popular yummy milk cocktail. Ingredients are:

• 2 Kahlua (coffee-flavoured liqueur)
• 1 Bacardi Superior Rum
• 4 oz Milk
• 1 oz Coconut Cream
• 1 oz Creme De Cacao Dark

First mix all the ingredients with two cups of ice in a blender. Now mix together until it became smooth and soft. Then serve up in two 12 oz cups. Easy, isn’t it?

Cocktail Tigers Milk: It is one of the trendy lip-smacking milk cocktail. Ingredients are:

• 1 ½ measures Brandy
• 150 ml Milk
• Some Cinnamon
• 2 measures Gold Rum
• 1 tsp Sugar Syrup

First mix the rum, brandy, sugar syrup and milk with trodden ice until all the ingredients are correctly combined. Then tip directly into a chilled cocktail glass. Shake over the top some ground cinnamon and garnish with a cinnamon stick.

 Cocktail Milk Punch Brandy: It is one of the up-to-the-minute tasty milk cocktail. It is one of the true classics of the cocktail world. Ingredients are:

• 2 ounces brandy
• 4 ounces milk
• 1 ounce simple syrup
• Ground nutmeg for Garnish

First mix the elements into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Now shake well, if you want to add egg then shake until it hurts. Strain into a punch glass. Finally dust with grated nutmeg for garnish and serve.

Banshee Cocktail: It is a mouth-watering drink that tastes like a chocolate covered banana. Ingredients are:

• 1/2 ounce white crème de cacao liqueur
• 4 1/2 ounces milk
• 1 ounce banana liqueur

First mix the ingredients and fill an old-fashioned glass with ice. Pour in the liqueurs. Fill the glass with milk or cream. Finally, coat the glass with another glass and shake. Easy and time saving, isn’t it?

Little Black Dress Toddy Cocktail: It is a mouth-watering drink and the ingredients are:

• 15 pods Cardamom pods
• 1 pinch Salt
• 2 oz Coconut Rum
• 2 cups Milk
• ½ cup Sugar
• 3 oz Chocolate
• 1 ¼ tbsp Cocoa Powder
• 2 oz Liquor 43

 First boil water in a small pan and add the sugar and cardamom pods. Mix until the sugar is melts. Keep for 30mins then store in a sealed container in the fridge for around 3 weeks. Once this is ready, warm the milk, cocoa powder, and a pinch of salt in a small pan until completely mixed. Now whip in the chocolate that is completely melted. Now add coconut rum the Liquor 43 and the pre-made cardamom syrup. Now serve.

 Schnapps Sweetheart Cocktail: It is a delicious drink and the ingredients are:

• 1 Egg white
• 50 ml Peach Schnapps
• 20 ml Milk
• 60 ml Scotch whisky
• 20 ml Mango Puree

First blend all ingredients into a shaker with ice. Now shake well until the outside of the cocktail shaker. Then strain into chilled cocktail glass. Finally decorate with a bony slice of mango and dish up.

 Sneaky Pete Cocktail: It’s perfect for dessert, a delicious drink. Ingredients are:

• 4 ounce milk or cream
• 1 ounce coffee liqueur
• 1 ounce rye whiskey
• Kahlua

First tip the Kahlua into an old-fashioned glass filled with ice cubes. Now add the milk and rye whiskey. Stir well and serve up.

 Irish Nut Cocktail: It is a tasty drink. Ingredients are:

• 1 dash Milk
• 2 parts Bailey’s Irish Cream
• 1 Kahlua
• 1 Vodka
• 1 Amaretto

 First add a few ice cubes, 1 part Amaretto, 1 part Vodka, and 1 part Kahlua to a cocktail shaker. Add a dash of milk and shake it for 10-20 seconds before twisting into a lowball glass with ice and serve up.

 Eggnog Cocktail: It is a creamy cocktail made of milk, sugar and eggs. Ingredients are:

• 4 Egg yolks
• 25ml Bourbon
• 25ml Rum
• 475ml Milk
• 240ml Cream
• 1tsp Nutmeg
• 100ml Sugar
• 1tsp Vanilla Essence

First strike the egg yolks in a bowl until they become lighter. Now add sugar slowly, whisking after each adding up. Keep whisking until it is fluffy. Now add the milk and a pinch of cinnamon, along with two whole cloves in a pan. Slowly add the mixture to the eggs until the eggs are well tempered. Now put the whole mixture back in the pan, and mix with a wooden spoon. It still should not boil as this will make the milk curdle. Now add the cream. Strain into a bowl and let to cool. Now blend in vanilla, nutmeg, two tablespoons bourbon and two tablespoons rum. Now freeze it in the fridge and serve chilled.

Sombrero Cocktail: It is a superb way to have Kahlua with milk. What you’ll require for it is:

• 2 ounces cream or milk
• 2 ounces Kahlua Coffee Liqueur or coffee brandy 

First tip the Kahlua or coffee brandy into an ice-filled old-fashioned glass. Fill with cream or milk and serve up. Simple yet yummy.

2017 Ends With New Hope for Coming Year 2018

Best Bloggers of iNdia - NewsPatrolling.com: India is one of the fastest growing real estate market and 2017 was not less than a roller coaster ride for real estate world. With the implementation of demonetization, GST, RERA govt gave back to back shock to the country for welfare, growth and increment in economy. These three steps assure transparency and clarity in real estate sector.

Here are some view points of real estate developers -:

The countdown for 2018 has already begun. Year 2017 brought much revival for the real estate industry. By introducing regulations like RERA, Benami Transaction Prohibition, REITS, GST there is a long-term industrial growth and it also impacts on ease of business by transparency at work. On the demand side, the office space requirements of sectors such as manufacturing, logistics, FMCG, etc., showed positive signs, and we expect this to continue in the coming time ahead. Many malls which were to be completed in 2017 were completed in the year and many malls are to be developed in coming time. Many developers, private equity players are also partnering with developers active in this space to earn more profit in the sector. We believe that the Indian real estate sector will emerge stronger, healthier and capable of long periods. - Mr. Ravish Kapoor, Director, Elan Group

The year 2017 has been good for the real estate fraternity: with this, 2018 is going to be the best time to invest in this sector. The developers will take active interest and buyers will have huge range of properties to choose from and purchase.  Demonetisation, which was done to crack down the black money, was finally proved to be beneficial for the segment in 2017; hence it will bring better economy to the country. Goods Service Tax (GST) would bring a lot of transparency in the real estate sector and minimize unscrupulous transactions in 2018. RERA whose main function is to bring accountability in the sector by streamlining the entire process is not going to have much of the effect on the organised sector, the unorganized sector are going to face problems relating to it. Ready to move –in- apartments are going to earn extra interest from the buyers as these save the construction timing and are the best option for them. The future is bright as the market is expected to pick up and continue like this. – Mr. Rahul Singla, Director, Mapsko Group

The year 2017 can be regarded as a watershed year for the real estate sector due to the implementation of Real Estate Regulation and Development Act (RERA)and Goods and Services Tax (GST). The forthcoming year is the perfect time to invest in real estate sector as these legislations have heralded transparency and accountability into the sector. Home loan rates, too are at an all-time low and are expected to remain low in the near future as well. This implies considerable savings in the EMI costs that will enable homebuyer’s to avail low-cost home finance and fulfill their dream of owning a home."- Mr. Harinder Dhillon, VP- Sales, DLF

There have been various policies implemented in 2017 that have impacted the real estate market to a great extent. With the coming of RERA and GST the realty market witnessed a tumultuous change but all for the better in the coming time.  Apart from this, the reduction in circle rates, twice this year has led to lowering of the costs which would boost the sector in the coming year. However, the realty market is recovering gradually post implementation of RERA and GST, therefore, the coming year will hopefully be positive for the sector. An increase in sales and decline in unsold inventory is expected. 2018 may witness new launches as well but most of the developers will focus on completing their under construction projects. Moreover, there is need for more clarity on GST leading to better transparency in the sector. – Vineet Relia, Managing Director, SARE Homes

As a landmark year for the country and for the real estate industry, soon it’s going to close, like any other sector the real estate segment also experienced many ups and down in this year. Some of the biggest game-changing policies like GST and RERA were implemented in the year, which aim at bringing transparency and accountability in the sector. Clarity on the applicable GST rate for the real estate sector is still expected in the next year. We can say that in longer period both RERA and GST will bring smiles on the face of the developer as well as for the home buyer. Affordable housing finally got the much-coveted infrastructure status. One crore houses are to be built in rural India by 2019, and this vital segment will now see cheaper sources of finance which will give further boost to the sector. The country’s real estate markets are definitely poised for growth in the medium-to-long term on the back of higher transparency and further consolidation. The demonetization move showed considerable beneficial; however, along with the Benami Transactions Act, it proved to be profitable to the entire segment.- Mr. Ssumit Berry, Managing Director, BDI Group

2017 has been a landmark year both for the Indian Economy and the Indian Real Estate. Policies such as RERA & GST have ushered in transparency and stroked confidence among buyers. Talking specifically about the Commercial Realty segment, co-working spaces and business centres have become the preferred choice in a short span of time, thanks to the rapid urbanization.  Across the country, co-working spaces and business centres have been in great demand with freelancers, startups and small and medium businesses flocking there for the amenities, prices, and flexibility and networking opportunities. Additionally, another interesting industry trend that’s been observed is office occupiers in Gurgaon are pre-committing office spaces in under-construction especially in central business districts of Gurgaon to secure themselves against high or rising future rentals. For the year 2018, the tidal growth for office spaces will continue as larger corporates and smaller companies are increasingly opting for co-working spaces. – Vineet Taing, President, Vatika Business Centre

Recent government initiatives including RERA, GST along with Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) will help improve transparency in the long run and thus increase buyer’s confidence in the real estate sector. With the overall market moving towards ease of doing business, we can expect potential buyers (end users) to relook at the market for investment opportunities. Having less project launches and uniform absorption will leads to increase in demand hence, improving sector in coming year. Also, 2018 will be the year of affordable housing. Since the market is consumer friendly, buyers will tend to invest in affordable housing segment owing to great options at affordable prices and good investment returns with time bound possession. The loan interest rates are low, making banks more supportive and thereby encouraging the buyer to invest. We believe that the long term market dynamics for the sector will remain positive, especially in the residential market. - Mr. Gaurav Mittal, MD, CHD Developers Ltd

So, from the above mentioned prospective of the developers, budget should be maintained keeping in mind both the buyers as well as developers sides. The fraternity faced few hurdles created by the RERA and GST, but now the situation is under control as the sales rate and investments have swelled up. We hope 2018 to be more productive and progressive year with affordable budget and GST rates. 

Hindus welcome Jewish Federation offering free yoga in Massachusetts for “Peace of Mind”

NewsPatrolling.com / Niryas.com : Jewish Federation of the Berkshires is offering free Chair Yoga to the community “for Flexibility, Mobility and Peace of Mind” in Pittsfield (Massachusetts) on January eight.

 

Announcement says: “Yoga is good for ALL BODIES.” Linda Novick, professional level Kripalu Yoga teacher, is the instructor. Her approach to yoga “encourages everyone to listen and love their body”. Yoga instruction will be followed by a kosher hot lunch.

 

Welcoming the Jewish Federation of the Berkshires for offering free yoga, distinguished Hindu statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada today, urged all such community groups in USA to launch multi-beneficial yoga programs, including offering some free classes to low income enthusiasts.

 

Yoga, referred as “a living fossil”, was a mental and physical discipline, for everybody to share and benefit from, whose traces went back to around 2,000 BCE to Indus Valley civilization, Zed, who is President of Universal Society of Hinduism, noted.

 

Rajan Zed further said that yoga, although introduced and nourished by Hinduism, was a world heritage and liberation powerhouse to be utilized by all. According to Patanjali who codified it in Yoga Sutra, yoga was a methodical effort to attain perfection, through the control of the different elements of human nature, physical and psychical.

 

According to US National Institutes of Health, yoga may help one to feel more relaxed, be more flexible, improve posture, breathe deeply, and get rid of stress. According to “2016 Yoga in America Study”, about 37 million Americans (which included many celebrities) now practice yoga; and yoga is strongly correlated with having a positive self image.  Yoga was the repository of something basic in the human soul and psyche, Zed added.

 

“Guided by our Jewish values, the Jewish Federation of the Berkshires brings together the Berkshire Jewish community”. Judy Usow is the President of its Board of Directors.