Jatropha Hi-tech Agricultural Training Program

Establishment of successful Jatropha energy farms requires both technical and managerial solutions to problems encountered in the field. Therefore, by integrating technical and managerial issues, CJP has developed Jatropha Agricultural Training package to deliver Competencies through Qualified trainers with a practical ‘hands on’ approach. The next new hi-tech training sessions is scheduled to begin in April, 2007. The 5 days training programme is designed in such a way that provides training to participating farmers in all matters, to successfully plant and harvest Jatropha Curcas including how to plant, when to plant, when to harvest, etc…

“By cultivating these energy-producing plants, processing them and finally producing bio-oil, we are creating new sources of income for the rural farmers.” says R.K. Sharma Director (Plantation) at CJP. We are one of the oldest, reputed and premier organizations which are in the field of jatropha since no one was there. We have developed good cultivation practices for Jatropha so that the crop can produce high-quality fuel and help the rural farmer benefit with minimum inputs of men, money and materials.

Mr. Abishek Maharshi, CEO of Centre says” In recent years, the Indian government has shown a major interest in Jatropha, and alongside other developing countries, a number of international groups are now sharing this interest”. Jatropha is a non-edible, perennial plant that has been on the sidelines of research for the last fifty years. The main interest currently rests in Jatropha Curcas (the nuts of the plant), which produce seeds that can be used to produce biodiesel.

Given that it is non-edible, its cultivation doesn’t impact the supply or prices of food crops. Another major bonus is that it can be grown just about anywhere including arid and drought-plagued regions. It is also cheap, hardy and not subject to the vagaries of seasons.

And then, there are further advantages that would make it appealing to developing countries. It is useful for restoring soil, combating desertification, and providing fertilizer as well as offering employment,” said Mr. Maharshi.

He believes jatropha is a more sustainable crop than palm oil. While palm oil is currently prized as a future source for biodiesel, it is increasingly in the spotlight for environmental issues.

CENTER FOR JATROPHHA PROMOTION & BIODIESEL (CJP) is a pioneer and an international leader in promoting Jatropha programs and activities that will lead to energy independence and the greater use of cleaner transportation. The CJP is the only organization that globally provides advanced level training with enhanced technology in the field of Jatropha promotion for biodiesel production CJP is worldwide promoter of jatropha offering a number of services with enhanced technologies from “Soil to Oil” in connection with producing jatropha for biodiesel.

Soon the United Kingdom will also be part of this quagmire where the new Government which will be elected will start their session under the national budget deficit of 163 billion pounds. The politicians from UK do not seem very creative or innovative in how they will help their country earn back this deficit.

They sure are very creative in spending the Government funds which has been seen by the public time and again. Most probably taxes will be raised and salaries reduced. Thus the need for more pay day loans in the economy. And this trend will be continued for a few years and will bring the British economy close to recession again.

Thus with all these activities together might be able to bring UK back to its knees under the pressure of recession again. This will further create the need for more debt. The deficit will increase even more this time with additions to already very high debt figures on which regular interest has to be paid.

Many analysts are waiting that how the new Government will handle this problem and effectively decide the economic condition of the country for the next generation.

AEGON says the Government’s on ending the effective requirement to purchase an annuity at age 75 by 2011, published today, is a significant step towards making pensions legislation fit for retirement in the 21st century.

AEGON believes the current rule, which forces people to take retirement income by their 75th birthday, denies people the flexibility they need to manage their income needs in later life.

AEGON welcomes the review’s proposals to give people greater choice in how and when they take income and tax-free cash in retirement and ending the arbitrary cliff edge for tax on death benefits at age 75. However it also cautions that removing the age 75 trigger for action is likely to mean people will need more advice to help them make the right decisions on securing their retirement income.

AEGON also urges the Government to resist taking a piecemeal approach to further legislative changes. AEGON has previously called for an overhaul of the retirement tax rules to reflect increases in longevity and the changing nature of retirement. AEGON believes this is essential to create the more flexible framework future retirees will demand.

Kate Smith, Pensions Development Manager, says:

‘Overhauling antiquated rules to give people more choice is a very welcome move from the new Government. We have to recognise that retirement has changed and a fresh and more flexible approach is needed to meet the demands of a new generation of retirees.

‘But if we want a premier retirement framework that’s truly fit for purpose in 21st century UK we need to stop making changes in isolation. We must take this opportunity to have a complete overhaul of retirement rules and consider how they tie up with long-term care provision. We need to look at what will encourage people to start and keep on saving in a pension and how we can give them the flexibility and security in income they need as they move through the different stage of retirement. We look forward to working with the Government to achieve this aim.’

AEGON published its suggestion for a holistic approach to reviewing retirement legislation in its Pensions Manifesto: The Pensions Crunch – proposals for change, in April 2010.

In the UK AEGON offers pensions, life insurance, asset management and financial advice to around two million customers. AEGON UK has assets under administration of £53.6 billion and employs approximately 4,500 staff.

As an international life insurance, pension and investment company based in The Hague, AEGON has businesses in over 20 markets in the Americas, Europe and Asia. AEGON companies employ approximately 28,000 people and serve some 40 million customers across the globe. AEGON’s revenue generating investments totalled EUR 388 billion at 31 March 2010.

The National Portable Storage Association (NPSA), a nonprofit membership association dedicated to the advancement of the portable storage industry, has announced the venue and dates for its 2010 Conference and Trade Show. In its eighth year, the conference will be held in Orlando at the Walt Disney World Swan & Dolphin Hotel Nov. 7-9, 2010.

“We’re excited about our annual event, which we will co-host with the Mobile Self-Storage Association again this year,” said John Finnessy, CMP, Executive Director of the NPSA. “Preparations are underway as we set to welcome world-famous architect Adam Kalkin, best-known for his work in container housing, to the conference. You can expect this and much more from the 2010 NPSA Conference and Trade Show.”

Here’s a quick overview of the 2010 portable storage and mobile storage joint conference: Attendees will enjoy a keynote “State of the Industry” address, along with a number of educational opportunities. Initial topics include Search Engine Optimization (SEO), dealing with DOT issues, public relations, and collections assistance.

“We have outstanding educational opportunities planned, but don’t forget that networking opportunities are the forte of all our events—and you’ll have plenty of them,” said Joel Rathbone, Operations Manager at the NPSA. “Be sure to talk to association executives, seminar leaders, and other industry experts at the show to get their perspectives on the future Plan in advance. Make appointments with people you want to see. NPSA provides an option to have all attendees list their cell phone numbers to help you find the people you want to connect with.”

India Forging Towards Urbanization

Stressing on the necessity of planned urban development involving the private sector, government and other bodies, Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission, said “Rural areas are more deprived and they need more subsidised infrastructure compared to urban areas which are relatively well off.”

Ahluwalia added, “There is a shortage of 25 million houses in the urban areas and in order to fill this gap, there is a need of US Dollar 60 billion”. He was addressing the conclusion conference on Housing & Human Settlements of Asia-Pacific Ministerial Conference.

He stated that the efforts made in the last fifty years to providing services to combat the growing urbanization were very limited. He cleared that large investments needed in rural areas to build infrastructure can’t be fulfilled by the Center alone and there is an urgent requirement to lock funds from states.

Ahluwalia stated, “However, a faster growth rate would mean that pressure would be there on the system to provide a more inclusive growth”. He cautioned that the Asia-Pacific area is going through a phase of rapid growth and more and more countries joining this area would have to encounter the problem of increased urbanization due to rapid structural changes.

According to a Research Analyst at RNCOS, who has recently researched a report called “Opportunities in Indian Housing Sector (2006-2007)”, the immensity of the shortage of housing facilities will be borne by lower income group (LIG) and economically weaker sections (EWS) classes. Those with ‘buying capacity’, i.e., middle and higher income categories (MIG and HIG), are however, anticipated to be served by the market forces, or more precisely, the private housing sector.

The market research report also addresses the facts and issues that are critical to your business success:

§ Insight into market trends
§ Growth sectors and factors bringing change
§ Housing industry promoted and supported by housing finance companies in India
§ States in India that will have the highest demands for the houses by the year 2010
§ Opportunities, key challenges and strategies
§ Future outlook

The report further provides in-depth research and rational analysis on the growing housing industry in India, its components and supporting finance structure.

Online Directories Becoming A More Popular Resource

Los Angeles, CA  – Online directory websites are quickly becoming a more popular way for browsers to find what they’re looking for online, according to a recent survey released by business directory mybusinessdirectory1.com. With search engines previously occupying the bulk of browsers queries, online directories are now seeing an up surge in traffic through recommendations and reviews of website services, which are designed to route out scams and provide sensible, accurate recommendations to the browser.

With the growth of the internet over the last decade or so it has been search engines that have pushed much of the traffic online, with directories firmly in second place. However it now appears that internet browsers are becoming increasingly trusting of directories for their search queries, particularly those that are socially motivated or have reviews and roundups of the products and services on offer, as a means of reassuring browsers of a website’s legitimacy.

Michael DeLion of My Education Directory ( http://www.mybusinessdirectory1.com ) suggests that the results are understandable, with more and more internet users looking for someone else’s opinion on a service or website before wasting their own time as a result of countless disappointment and the sheer volume of scams and online cons on the internet today.

“The Internet is a busy place, and there’s lots to get through. The fact of the matter is that a simple search query often won’t help the browser understand anything about the website. People want to know if a website owner is respectable and the services they provide are worthwhile – after all, just because a site ranks well doesn’t make it legitimate.

“The average browser now has a better understanding that anyone can buy top rankings with an SEO professional, so that is no longer a gauge of trust. Moreover with growing reports of scams and cons online, it’s no wonder we’re starting more and more to respect the views and opinions of previous service users.”

Over the last few years the internet has taken on a more social perspective, inviting the opinions and the views of the average Joe to come through online in place of traditional media. As a result browsers are starting to demand a review or selection process before choosing to click on a particular website, which most search engines simply cannot provide.

With directories becoming more advanced and socially orientated, the requirement for hand-picked, quality websites is becoming filled by the traditionally secondary source, the online directory.

Antique Automobiles Set To Dramatically Increase In Value

REDDING, CALIF.,  The value of rare antique automobiles and classic cars looks set to grow dramatically over the coming decade as the market continues to embrace new technologies and fuels, according to a report released today.

A review of recent research and reporting conducted on behalf of MyOwnCarShow found that the value of antique cars looks likely to rise as new technologies and innovations pave the way for an automobile design overhaul to deal with dwindling natural resources and global climate change.

It is estimated that the level of current investment in alternative fuels and new technologies, as opposed to traditional gasoline and diesel engines, looks likely to alter, if not wipe out, the gasoline engine over the coming decades. As a result, the value of antique cars with gasoline engines will see extra appreciation beyond what can be currently forecast.

It is thought that the same will apply to vehicles with diesel engines, which will steadily continue to appreciate in value as their prevalence on our roads diminishes.

Norm Stamm of MyOwnCarShow suggests that while this does indicate a rocky path for the cars of today, the news is hardly surprising in light of present technological developments.

“At MyOwnCarShow, our community is seeing renewed support of classic cars. As we continue into the future it is likely that current research and investment into green technologies, such as bio-fuels and electricity, will enshrine the gasoline powered car as an icon of history. I have no doubt that the MyOwnCarShow.com community will grow even more when carmakers abandon gasoline motors altogether, making the cars we use today valuable antiques of tomorrow.”

Experts have advised that while car technologies are changing, it may be prudent to hang on to that old gasoline-powered car for a couple of years yet – who knows, it might just be worth a fortune someday.