LAST week, President Obama announced a major offensive against businesses and wealthy individuals who avoid U.S. taxes by parking cash overseas. He plans to prevent corporations from claiming tax deductions on overseas investments until they pay U.S. taxes on their profits. It also aims to reverse a Clinton-era rule known as "check the box," which allows companies to easily shift income into tax havens. Mr. Obama said. Many are aided and abetted by a broken tax system, written by well-connected lobbyists on behalf of well-heeled interests and individuals.

Here how American Progress, a Washington based think tankassess the situation.

Indeed, the business lobby immediately cried foul over the proposed changes, claiming that they will harm corporations' competitiveness and eliminate American jobs. "It is the wrong idea, at the wrong time for the wrong reasons," said John Castellani, the Business Roundtable president. "This is going to be the largest fight that the U.S. multinational community has this year and probably into next," added Kenneth Kies, a tax lobbyist who represents firms like Caterpillar, General Electric, and Microsoft. Most of these are bankrupt or are surviving on American tax payer’s money.

According to America progress, Washington based think-tank, “America’s current tax system is clearly in need of reform. The corporate taxes collected by the U.S., as a percentage of GDP, falls well below the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) average -- despite the fact that the U.S. has a higher statutory tax rate than most countries. Due to the myriad loopholes, shelters, and deductions that are available for corporations to take advantage of, one explanation of this is the corporate practice of deferring tax payment by stowing profits in low-tax countries like the Cayman Islands. By keeping this money offshore, corporations are able to significantly lower their effective tax rate -- in some cases by more than 20 points. General Electric, for instance, paid just 5.5 percent in taxes in 2008. In 2004, "U.S. multinationals paid an effective U.S. tax rate of just 2.3 percent on $700 billion in foreign profits." And according to U.S. PIRG, a $100 billion annual tax burden is shifted onto U.S.-based companies and taxpayers due to tax avoidance. Obama's proposed changes are reasonable measures that will bring the tax code closer to responsibly and fairly calculating income to be taxed.

Even before Obama formally announced his plan to reform the tax code, the business lobby was gearing up to fight the proposals. "This is bigger than 'card check,' bigger than cap-and-trade, and people don't realize it," said Kies. Groups including the Business Roundtable, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the National Association of Manufacturers, and the National Foreign Trade Council, "helped form a lobbying coalition called Protect America's Competitive Edge that is devoted specifically" to defeating the President's tax proposals, and their major claim is that businesses will move jobs overseas if the changes are enacted. Catherine Schultz, senior vice president for tax policy at the National Foreign Trade Council, said that she "has spoken with companies that are already weighing major changes in their business structures that could take operations abroad." However, the premise of Obama's plan is to encourage investments in the United States, instead of keeping it more cost-effective for companies to use tax havens. As Barrett Sheridan at Wealth of Nations wrote, "of the $103.1 billion raised by cutting down on tax arbitrage, $74.5 billion will go to making a permanent tax credit for companies that invest in R&D in the U.S. That hardly sounds like a plan that will damage U.S. growth prospects."

The business lobbyists and special interests showcased their influence by scuttling an important housing bill. Support for a cram-down provision -- which would have allowed bankruptcy judges to readjust mortgage payments for troubled homeowners -- evaporated in the face of furious lobbying by the banking and mortgage industries. The cram-down measure failed to pass the Senate by a vote of 45-51, even though it could have "prevented 20% of foreclosures at no cost to the taxpayers." Various banks and credit unions were involved in negotiations for weeks prior to the bill coming to a vote, yet different parties felt pressure to walk away from the table at one point or another. One business lobbyist bragged about the mess, saying that "chaos is good." As FireDogLake's Jane Hamsher found, "finance, insurance and real estate (FIRE) interests paid over $42 million to lobbyists who worked to defeat mortgage write-down in bankruptcy (cramdown) in the first quarter of 2009, as well as other anti-consumer legislation such as capping credit card interest rates." The campaign to defeat cram-down led Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) to say that "the banks -- hard to believe in a time when we're facing a banking crisis that many of the banks created -- are still the most powerful lobby on Capitol Hill. And they frankly own the place."

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'Steep rise' in Sri Lanka deaths

ALTHOUGH it is true that the claims and counter claims in any war are difficult to verify, yet the information tickling from Sri Lanka tells a horrible tale of death and destruction.

BBC last week quoted health officials At least 378 people have been killed by fierce shelling from the Sri Lankan army in just one day. The doctor, working in the northern conflict zone, said 1,122 others had been injured - and more bodies were on beaches and by the sides of roads.

The army denies shelling the designated "safe zone" for civilians, and blames any deaths on Tamil Tiger rebels.

Joruanlists are banned and are under constant threat from the military in the war zone.
But the BBC's asserted that a steady stream of information coming from the area suggests that civilians are being killed. Health officials are convinced that the shells are coming from territory held by the Sri Lankan army.

The pro-rebel Tamilnet website reported that the army began to fire artillery shells late on on May 9 and as many as 2,000 civilians had been killed.

Dr V Shanmugarajah said he could not confirm that figure but said the makeshift hospital he is working in - at a school in east Mullaivaikal in Mullaitivu district - had so far taken in 378 bodies.

He said 106 of those killed were children.

However, military spokesman Brigadier Udaya Nanayakkara said radar had detected Tamil Tigers themselves using artillery and mortar fire on two occasions in the morning, directed against civilians within their zone.

"These doctors are giving statements based on some of the false propaganda given by the LTTE [Tamil Tigers]," he said.

"Maybe there is an LTTE gun pointing at them and asking them to give a statement. All these stories are exaggerated to tarnish the image of the Sri Lankan troops who are fighting the LTTE terrorists."
Sri Lankan defense spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella also told the BBC that reports of government shelling were "propaganda" of the Tigers.

He said the guerrillas were "holding people to ransom" in their area, and accused them of killing nine civilians who were trying to escape their zone on Saturday.

Earlier, doctors said two hospitals were struggling to cope with the casualties, and that people were hiding in bunkers and many makeshift tents had been burnt.

They added that a government nursing officer was among those killed.

The UN estimates that about 50,000 civilians are trapped by the conflict in a three-km-sq strip of land.

The Tamil Tigers have fought for an independent homeland for Sri Lanka's Tamil minority since 1983.
More than 70,000 people have been killed in the war.

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GPS innovator & educator receives top honour

A noted educator and internationally recognized authority on satellite global positioning has been named Cal State Fullerton's Outstanding Professor for 2009.

Mohinder Singh Grewal, Professor of Electrical Engineering and a faculty member since 1975, was stunned on Wednesday, May 6, 2009, when faculty members and administrators led by California State University Fullerton (CSUF) President, Milton A. Gordon, walked into a meeting about satellite communications to present him with the award.

"Each year, one of the university's 2,000 faculty is chosen as the best," Gordon said as he walked over to stand next to the honoree. "Guess who it is this year? Professor Grewal!"

The two dozen students at the meeting loudly applauded as Gordon presented the professor with a crystal trophy engraved with a picture of a communications satellite and words declaring Mohinder Singh the 2008-09 Outstanding Professor Award honoree.

"I'm not going to read the list of his accomplishments," said Gordon, brandishing several printed pages. "It's two pages long!"

"Congratulations, Dr. Grewal. This award is probably 20 years overdue, but that makes it all the more special," said Raman Unnikrishnan, dean of the College of Engineering and Computer Science.

Mohinder Singh, who earned his doctorate at USC, enjoys an international reputation for contributions to the development of the space-based positioning, navigation and timing systems that lie at the heart of the increasingly common global positioning technology found in everything from smart phones to navigation systems. He holds two patents with a third patent application pending, all for algorithms related to global positioning and navigation.

Dorota Huizinga, former associate dean of ECS and now associate vice president for graduate studies and research, added: "I'm so happy for you. I have to tell you, whenever I hear my GPS talking to me, giving me directions, I think of you."

"Your accomplishments are so wonderful, so impressive and you're a wonderful teacher," added last year's Outstanding Professor Award recipient Stella Ting-Toomey, professor of human communication studies.

Scott Hewitt, chair of the Academic Senate and professor of chemistry and biochemistry, said, "This honor is deserved, and your membership is a credit to the Academic Senate."

"I'm surprised and stunned," Mohinder Singh said, clearly struggling for control. "I have to give credit to my students, staff and colleagues. This would not have happened without their support all this time. Thank you, thank you."

Recipients of the award must demonstrate a record of superlative teaching and distinguished scholarship on a national or international scale, have contributed to the stature of the university and to the California State University system and been of service to the campus and the community in ways related to their teaching.

CREDITING THE SUPPORT OF STUDENTS & PEERS

Mohinder Singh is quick to credit students and colleagues for his achievements.

"I have had so many good ones, and they made me think and delve. They asked questions I couldn't answer, and in trying to find answers, I was sent in new directions. As they developed, they worked with me, and many of them now are successful at places like Raytheon and Boeing and other corporations, and as educators. I still work on projects with some of them."

His students and colleagues are just as quick to return the favour.

Former students and alumni, like Laura Cheung (M.S. electrical engineering '01), principal systems engineer for Raytheon Co. who has known Mohinder Singh for a decade as a student, a mentor and a colleague, was lavish in her praise: "As his student at Cal State Fullerton, I benefited greatly from Dr. Grewal's instruction. His exemplary work in developing and teaching GPS and Kalman filtering classes has made CSUF one of just a few universities in North America to offer such high-quality and valuable GPS instruction."

Satinder Singh (M.S. engineering-electrical '87), President and Chief Executive Officer of the California-based international company, Future Computer Solutions Inc., said studying with Mohinder Singh changed his outlook. "I had the pleasure of being in three of his courses, and I found Dr. Grewal to be not only most interesting and engaging in his lecture but, more importantly, I found him inspiring. He ignited a deep interest in everything he touched and drew me into what were, for me, uncharted territories.

"Moreover, his mentorship did not terminate when I completed my studies and moved into the corporate world," Singh said. "He made himself readily available. I availed of it freely when I found myself up against a formidable problem. He continued to be generous with his guidance."

Mohinder Singh's positive relationship with his students has continued unabated over the years. Master's in electrical engineering graduates from 2008, Malia Harris, chief engineer, and Kenny Dang, systems engineer, in the California division of Texas-based of DRS Sensors and Targeting Systems, co-authored a letter of recommendation for Mohinder Singh, citing his roles as teacher and mentor.

"Over the last three years, we have taken many courses with Dr. Grewal. We feel he surpasses most instructors in his passion for his work and his ability to engage others," they noted. "His excitement for his work is contagious [and], he also is extremely supportive of the students around him and encourages them to challenge themselves."

Phyllis Harn, an administrative support coordinator in the Electrical Engineering Department for more than two decades before retiring in 2007, sang the professor's praises with obvious enthusiasm. "There are many great educators at CSUF. However, to be an Outstanding Professor, you need something special," Harn said. "I believe when you combine the professional accomplishments of Dr. Grewal with the utmost respect he has earned from everyone, you have that winning combination."

"Dr. Grewal's student evaluations are among the highest in the department; in fact they are always in the top two ... He is the sole adviser of all new graduate students who apply to our program and does the initial evaluation and advising for every single applicant to our master's in software engineering program," noted Mostafa Shiva, chair and professor of electrical engineering. "Dr. Grewal has earned national and international recognition by his scholarly activities, research and publications. His performance is exceptional in all areas. He is a one-of-a-kind teacher who achieves the highest levels of excellence."

PROFESSIONAL ACCOLADES

Gerard Lachappelle, professor of geomatics engineering and chair of the Wireless Location Department at Shuclich School of Engineering, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and a two-decade industry veteran in navigation research and development, contends that Mohinder Singh's contributions to the field of satellite and inertial navigation have made him "without question one of the academic leaders in this field worldwide.

"His book 'Kalman Filtering Theory and Practice Using MATLAB' has become one of the few standard books for students and research engineers in the field of navigation. His book 'Global Positioning Systems, Inertial Navigation and Integration' has equally been accepted in our community. And he has contributed massively to the training of professionals through regular and high-quality short courses," said Lachappelle.

The Orange County Engineering Council honored Mohinder Singh last spring with the Excellence in Engineering Education Award, its highest award for an educator. The council acts as the umbrella organization for the technology-rich county, which includes dozens of engineering groups, corporations and educational institutions.

Roboticist Sam Rokni (B.S., M.S. electrical engineering '05, '07), now an engineering lecturer at Cal State Fullerton, said Mohinder Singh showed him connections to robotics he hadn't yet considered. Incorporating GPS and space-based navigation, like those used for airplanes, package tracking and cell phones, was a big one. "He helped me see how it could apply to my field."

GPS World named Mohinder Singh one of the "50+ Leaders to Watch" in the world in 2007 and 2008 for advancements in space-based positioning, navigation and timing systems.

In addition to his two co-edited books, he has authored and co-authored dozens of articles and papers on navigation and global positioning and has given many presentations, lectures and seminars internationally.

RECOGNITION AT COMMENCEMENT

As the 2008-09 Outstanding Professor Award recipient, Mohinder Singh will be recognized at the university's May 22 Honors Convocation and will lead the faculty at the May 23 and 24 commencement ceremonies. He will receive a $4,000 cash award from the President's Associates and will present a public lecture next spring.

Zvi Drezner, professor of information systems and decision sciences and the recipient of the 2005-06 Outstanding Professor Award, chaired the Outstanding Professor Selection Committee.

Mohinder Singh resides in Anaheim Hills and is currently on sabbatical pursuing research in inertial navigation. [Courtesy: Cal State Fullerton News]

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Supreme Court shows concern visa Vis genetically modified crops

INDIA'S apex court on April 30 directed the government to respond to the proposals for setting up of an independent laboratory for carrying out relevant health and bio-safety tests of genetically modified (GM) crops and formation of a committee to address the problems of regulation for ensuring safety of GM crops.

The special bench of the Supreme Court consisting of the Chief Justice, KG Balakrishnan, Justice P Sathasivam and Justice JM Panchal observed that the government need to respond to the issues of health, environment and bio-safety raised in the two separate writ petitions – one filed by Aruna Rodrigues, PV Satheesh and Rajiv Baruah and the other by the Gene Campaign.

The next hearing of the case is slated in the last week of August, this year.

The counsel for the petitioner, Aruna Rodrigues and other, Prashant Bhushan said: “We had argued that the field trials and commercial release of GM crops, particularly, Bt brinjal should not be done unless and until proper regulations for ensuring safety aspects are put in p0lace.”

Advocate Sanjay Parekh representing Gene Campaign said: “There are various problems relating to the field trials of GM crops, particularly the disposal of the residues. He submitted to the Supreme Court that an expert committee be set up to examine the legal framework governing the research and use of GMOs in India with a specific terms of reference. He argued that an expert committee be formed same as it was done for hazardous waste. The Supreme Court in 1997 had ordered a high powered expert committee chaired by MGK Menon for regulation of hazardous waste.

Though India has so far approved only one GM crop – Bt cotton – for commercial cultivation, the there is growing debate in the country about the health and environment safety of transgenic crops. Recently there had been cases of sheep mortality on account of grazing over Bt cotton fields.

With parliamentary elections in process in the country, several political parties have expressed concerns over GM crops in their poll manifestoes. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in its election manifesto has said ; “No genetically modified seed will be allowed for cultivation without full scientific data on long-term effects on soil, production, and biological impact on consumers. All food and food products produced with genetically modified seeds will be branded as GM Food”. It also said that BJP on coming to power would provide special marketing assistance for organic produces.

The major Left party – CPM – assured that it would scrap the India-US Knowledge Initiative on Agriculture which is intended to promote GM crops in the country. The CPI (ML) said that no GM crop should be introduced in the country and there should be an immediate halt to field trials of GM crops. The Communist Party of India (CPI).favoured organic farming and demanded a moratorium on GM crops until all pending issues relating to the safety aspects are resolved. It also demanded scrapping of the India-US Knowledge Initiative on Agriculture.

The political parties from South India, particularly the PMK of the former Union health minister Anbumani Ramadoss has called for a ban on GM crops. Field trials of GM crops should not be permitted without long-term safety tests. Agriculture universities should not be allowed to carry out research on GM crops with private sector. Research priorities should be shifted towards upholding the traditional methods and for providing safe food while safeguarding country’s sovereignty.

The AIADMK has called for “no promotion of GM seeds” while another southern party MDMK has called for a ban on GM seeds.

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