Billy Graham on Aging, Regrets, and Evangelicals

Q & A: Billy Graham on Aging, Regrets, and Evangelicals | Christianity Today | A Magazine of Evangelical Conviction: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

When we're young we usually don't think much about growing old, or about our parents growing old either—not until something forces us to think about it. But it will happen, if they live long enough. So the first thing I'd say to those whose parents are growing older is to be prepared for it, and to accept whatever responsibilities it brings you.

Then be patient with them. They may not be able to do everything they once did, but that doesn't mean they're necessarily helpless or incompetent. And be alert to their needs—including their emotional and spiritual needs. Sometimes they just need to know that you're there, and that you care.
And pray for them also, that they will experience God's peace and comfort as they grow older. Some day you'll be there also, and what you do now will be an example to your own children.

Detach Yourself from Your Work - Gill Corkindale - Harvard Business Review

Detach Yourself from Your Work - Gill Corkindale - Harvard Business Review: "- Sent using Google Toolbar
Excerpts--
"Enjoying small things on a daily basis — such as good bread, a favourite café, lovely flowers, using a nice pen, a brisk walk home, reading a book to your child, dinner with your partner, an hour to yourself with a glass of wine ¬— will help you remain relaxed at home and ready for the challenges of work".

Defend Your Research: Guilt-Ridden People Make Great Leaders - Harvard Business Review

Defend Your Research: Guilt-Ridden People Make Great Leaders - Harvard Business Review: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"

An answer to pain and suffering in the world

The following is an excerpt from Daily Reflectionby Mark D. Roberts titled

what Helps Us Be Open to God?

This portion today sort of answered my disturbing queries to God on hunger, poverty, pain and sufferings of the innocents.I had been questioning  myself about inequality , injustice, hopelessness in this world, which is beautiful and comfortful for some and hope less for others.

Luke 6:17-21

"those who have little in this life are often more open to God and his kingdom right now. Poverty, hunger, and sadness can help us be open to God in powerful ways. I can’t tell you how many times I have heard well-off American Christians return from mission trips to impoverished places in the world, marveling at the faith and even the joy of the people they met who have almost nothing in the way of material possessions.

Most of us, myself included, do not want to experience want or grief in this life. Yet, the teaching of Jesus in Luke 6 encourages us to allow our struggles and sufferings to open our hearts to God. When we acknowledge our need and our inadequacy, when we own our grief and discouragement, then we realize just how much we need God and his kingdom in our lives. In our weakness, we become open to God’s presence, thus experiencing his blessing and even his joy."

A poor old beggar

i don't get food everyday,
if at all i get, it is either leftover or
just the dull, porridge,
iam a poor old beggar,
life is not easy for me,
each day is a srtuggle,
iam not clean,
my clothes unwashed for many days,
 my beard unshaven,
come near me  and all you will get
an unwelcoming smell,
i have no shelter,
iam a nomad,
the streets are my shelter,
come rain or winter
summer or storm,
i move from one dorm
to another place.
I see the rich with
their swanky cars and
plenty of money
everything puzzles me.
who is responsible for my state
me, myself, society, my parents or God
Now and then i get some job,
then oneday the job is gone
iam to beg again
after much searching ,
i get one for few days again
my strength gone
old age homes have no
place for me.
But as long my heart beats
i need to be surviving,
though i would love to depart from
this cold world
to some warm world
where i get good food to eat.

POEM ON RESURRECTION

RESURRECTION.
'T was a long parting, but the time
For interview had come;
Before the judgment-seat of God,
The last and second time
These fleshless lovers met,
A heaven in a gaze,
A heaven of heavens, the privilege
Of one another's eyes.
No lifetime set on them,
Apparelled as the new
Unborn, except they had beheld,
Born everlasting now.
Was bridal e'er like this?
A paradise, the host,
And cherubim and seraphim
The most familiar guest.

Emily Dickinson
(1830-1886)

water facts

·  884 million people lack access to safe water supplies; approximately one in eight people.

·  3.575 million people die each year from water-related disease.

·  The water and sanitation crisis claims more lives through disease than any war claims through guns.

·  Poor people living in the slums often pay 5-10 times more per liter of water than wealthy people living in the same city.

·  An American taking a five-minute shower uses more water than a typical person in a developing country slum uses in a whole day.

http://water.org

End Water Poverty

End Water Poverty

Water has become the most precious resources today.The failing climate, lack of monsoon, ill developed water conservation methods, deforestation ,excessive exploitation of water resources for industrial purposes has together led to the fast diminishing water table.

as time runs our , water too is running out!

SAVE WATER.

CONSERVE WATER.

USE ONLY WHEN NECESSARY.

TAKE ACTION.

REMEMBER THOSE IN POOR COUNTRIES

LACKING DAILY DRINKING WATER.

Bible verses for today

Psalm 118:5-6

     

"When hard pressed, I cried to the LORD; he brought me into a spacious place. The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me? "

1 Peter 1:15-16

                                               

"Just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy."

Bless the Lord Oh my soul and forget not His benefits

Thank you Lord for your Grace and Mercy through which you have enabled me to come out successful.
Bless the Lord Oh my soul
Bless His Holy name
Bless the Lord Oh my soul
and forget not His benefits
Trust in the LORD with all your heart
   and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways submit to him,
   and he will make your paths straight.
Proverbs 3:5-6

Prayer

When mind is at unrest, pray
when lonely, pray
when sick , pray
when in doubt , pray
when dissapointed, pray
for others, pray
for your dear ones, pray
for your needs , pray
for guidance, pray
when you don't know how to pray, 
talk, cry, express
that is prayer
a heartfelt talk
an anguish poured out
a dissapointed expressed
but know that GOD knows
listens and will help.

Inspirational Bible Verses

. Inspirational Bible Verses:
"The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song. The LORD is the strength of his people, a fortress of salvation for his anointed one. Save your people and bless your inheritance; be their shepherd and carry them forever."
Psalm 28:7-9

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Isaiah 41:10

.. say to those with fearful hearts, "Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you."
Isaiah 35:4

“God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?” —Numbers 23:19, NIV

AMAZING WAYS ARE YOURS LORD

Gracious Lord has kept me and my family in Good health amidst trial some times in the previous years.
Problems which lurked larger dissappeared in most unexpected ways.
His provisions which at stormy nights seemed little were more than sufficient for us.
Provisions of Grace,love,support,warmth,safety ans security all came in batches when required.
AMAZING WAYS ARE YOURS LORD!!!!!

Women should learn the heart attack warning signs.

Women should learn the heart attack warning signs.

Pain or discomfort in the center of the chest.



Pain or discomfort in other areas of the upper body, including the arms, back, neck, jaw, or stomach.



Other symptoms, such as a shortness of breath, breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea, or light-headedness.
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov

warning signs of a heart attack.

warning signs of a heart attack.


Chest discomfort. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts for more than a few minutes, or goes away and comes back. The discomfort can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness, or pain.



Discomfort in other areas of the upper body. Can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw, or stomach.



Shortness of breath. Often comes along with chest discomfort. But it also can occur before chest discomfort.



Other symptoms. May include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea, or light-headedness.

six important ways to prevent Heart Attacks

Stop smoking


Lower high blood pressure


Reduce high blood cholesterol


Aim for a healthy weight


Be physically active each day
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov


Manage diabetes

Dig toilets, not graves

Dig toilets, not graves,
Across the world, every day nearly 4,000 children die, which is three children every minute of every day, due to contaminated water , the water to which they have access is contaminated with faeces.

WaterAid has launched a noble campaign , lets support this.
Your monthly gift to WaterAid will help save children’s lives every day
Over one year:

* £3 a month could pay for a pit toilet to help keep children safe.
* £5 a month could train a mason to build toilets.
* £10 a month could train a community group to manage the new toilet and water facilities.

Please help them today.
Spread Awareness about this through blogging , all you bloggers out there.

15 ways to preserve water

# Don't rinse dishes before loading them in the dishwasher--just scrape them and let your dishwasher do the work it was designed to do.

# Place a jug of water in the refrigerator for cold drinking water rather than letting the water run until it's cold.

# When washing dishes by hand, fill the basin rather than leaving the tap on and washing dishes under a steady flow of water.
# Replace your old shower head with a low-flow fixture.

# Limit showers to 10 minutes.

# Test your toilets to find out if they're leaking, and if they are, make any necessary repairs. A leaky toilet can waste 200 gallons of water daily.

# Turn off the tap while brushing your teeth and shaving, and you'll save more than 200 gallons of water each month.

# Likewise, if possible, turn the tap off while lathering when you're washing your hands, and you'll save nearly a gallon of water with each hand-washing.

# Invest in a high-efficiency washing machine. They use less than half the water of many traditional models.

# Presoak heavily soiled clothing in a basin rather than using the heavy-duty cycle.

# Wash only full loads of laundry; the same amount of water is used whether the load is full or half full.
# Regularly check any garden hoses for leaks.

# Water your lawn less. Most lawns only need to be water twice a week in the summer.

# Collect rainwater for watering your garden

http://planetgreen.discovery.com

TOP WORLD MOTOR VEHICLE PRODUCTION

WORLD MOTOR VEHICLE PRODUCTION
OICA correspondents survey
WITHOUT DOUBLE COUNTS
Rank GROUP Total CARS

1 TOYOTA
2 G.M.
3 VOLKSWAGEN
4 FORD
5 HYUNDAI
6 PSA
7 HONDA
8 NISSAN
9 FIAT
10 SUZUKI
11 RENAULT
12 DAIMLER AG
13 CHANA AUTOMOBILE
14 B.M.W.
15 MAZDA
16 CHRYSLER
17 MITSUBISHI
18 BEIJING AUTOMOTIVE
19 TATA
20 DONGFENG MOTOR

omar khayyam

Some always seek the rational mind
Some will appeal to faith that’s blind
If you turn within, you’ll surely find
Both paths will lead further behind.

Alike for those who for TO-DAY prepare,
And those that after a TO-MORROW stare,
A Muezzin from the Tower of Darkness cries
"Fools! your Reward is neither Here nor There

Save the Children

Every year, 9 million children die before their fifth birthday, mostly from preventable causes. That's one child dying unnecessarily every three seconds. Join SAVE THE CHILDREN campaign

The World's Billionaires - Forbes.com

The World's Billionaires - Forbes.com
1 Carlos Slim Helu & family Mexico 70 53.5 Mexico
2 William Gates III United States 54 53.0 United States
3 Warren Buffett United States 79 47.0 United States
4 Mukesh Ambani India 52 29.0 India
5 Lakshmi Mittal India 59 28.7 United Kingdom
6 Lawrence Ellison United States 65 28.0 United States
7 Bernard Arnault France 61 27.5 France
8 Eike Batista Brazil 53 27.0 Brazil
9 Amancio Ortega Spain 74 25.0 Spain
10 Karl Albrecht Germany 90 23.5 Germany
11 Ingvar Kamprad & family Sweden 83 23.0 Switzerland

The Best-Kept Secrets Of The World's Best-Dressed Women

The Best-Kept Secrets Of The Worlds Best-Dressed Women -
Start With A Couple Essentials and Build From There
Skip the Impulse Purchase
Cut and fit is crucial when building a wardrobe of great basics.
invest in accessories.
Belts and bags

AIDS in Africa

People in sub-Saharan Africa with HIV/AIDS 22 million (UNAIDS, 2008)
Proportion of HIV-positive population which is female 60 percent (UNAIDS, 2008)
Total number of Africans killed by AIDS Over 22 million (World Bank, 2007)
Number of Africans killed by AIDS in 2007 1.5 million (UNAIDS, 2008)
Number of children in sub-Saharan Africa who have lost one or both parents to AIDS 11.4 million (UNAIDS, 2008)
Countries with more than 20 percent adults (aged 15-49) infected include: Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland (UNAIDS, 2008)
http://www.alertnet.org/db/crisisprofiles/HIV_AFR.htm

Darfur Crisis

Darfur's people are facing lot of challenges in their survival, with increasing violence against them.Darfur conflict as a result of the sudan govts attrocities against the ethnic black africans,has led to death of several thousands and mass migration.The JEM is fighting up the govt, for its suppport of the arab muslims against the non arab muslims of sudan.The Sudanese government and the JEM has signed a ceasefire agreement in February, 2010 for peace.The United Nations has described Sudan's western Darfur region as one of the world's worst humanitarian crises.

* 2.7 million have been made homeless
* One of world's largest relief operations
* Restricted access for peacekeepers and aid workers
after,seven years of fighting , more than 2 million people have been forced to move to camps for refuge and are heavily dependent for food supplies and water on various aid agencies.

15 Ways to Practice Water Conservation at Home - Planet Green

15 Ways to Practice Water Conservation at Home .
Some of the ways we can save water at home:

top cancer preventing healthy food

1. Broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, have isothiocyanates.
2. Globe artichoke
3. spinach, beet root have carotenoids.
4. Grapes
5.: beans, peas and lentils
6. Berries
7. Tomatoes
8. Garlic, onions,
9. Green tea.


source :Planet Green

Quotes on Poverty by Mother Teresa

Being unwanted, unloved, uncared for, forgotten by everybody, I think that is a much greater hunger, a much greater poverty than the person who has nothing to eat.

I try to give to the poor people for love what the rich could get for money. No, I wouldn't touch a leper for a thousand pounds; yet I willingly cure him for the love of God.

Let us touch the dying, the poor, the lonely and the unwanted according to the graces we have received and let us not be ashamed or slow to do the humble work.

Loneliness and the feeling of being unwanted is the most terrible poverty.

Loneliness is the most terrible poverty.
Mother Teresa

2011 Champions of the Earth

-- United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) - News Centre --: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"
Nominations are now officially open for the 2011 Champions of the Earth - the United Nations' flagship environmental award. The award seeks to recognise the achievements of inspirational leaders, thinkers and, most importantly, 'doers' who have shown determination and enduring commitment towards achieving a cleaner, greener and more prosperous future.

Protecting the aborigines

Aborigines are the ancient people of the Australia , with a unique culture, heritage and distinct roots.Their mythology and art and culture indicate their uniqueness.But for long they have been not given their due.Following is an excerpt taken from human rights watch concerning providing them their rights.
Social justice and human rights for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
The distinctive rights that Indigenous Australians hold as the original peoples of this land, including:

* the right to a distinct status and culture, which helps maintain and strengthen the identity and spiritual and cultural practices of Indigenous communities
* the right to self-determination, which is a process where Indigenous communities take control of their future and decide how they will address the issues facing them
* the right to land, which provides the spiritual and cultural basis of Indigenous communities.
http://www.humanrights.gov.au/social_justice/info_sheet.html

Poor public governance behind India's ills: Murthy - The Economic Times

Poor-public-governance-behind-Indias-ills-Murthy

63 years after independence, 35 crore Indians can't read and write, and the country has the largest mass of malnourished children. Twenty-five crore people do not have access to safe drinking water, while 75 crore have no access to sanitation facilities.

"35 per cent of (total production of) grains are allowed to rot", the Chief Mentor of Infosys Technologies Ltd said at the inaugural function of first year BE/B.Arch classes at the BMS College of Engineering here.

He said India has an installed electricity generation capacity of 145 gigawatts but only 84 gigawatts are available, which is "sadly a shame".

"Lot of it is due to poor (public) governance. There is no doubt about it", Murthy said

Welcome To Nano Ganesh.com | Index

Nano Ganesh - A revolutionary electronic device manufactured by Ossian Agro Automation, a company working in the field of rural automation, since last 15 years.

Ossian Agro Automation has developed various types wireless automation systems for the rural areas especially for irrigation purpose. By using Ossian's devices, one can save enormous amount of electricity, water, fuel, time and labor. This helps world to conserve the valuable stocks of energy.

Ossian's speciality is to manufacture irrigation automation systems with focus on appropriate technology for the rural zones. Proving of technology in hazardous areas, varying weather & poor power supply conditions, illiterate class of user and make it available at reasonable cost is a specilality of Ossian.

Worlds populous countries

As per world population data ,
China ranks first, followed by India, followed by United states and Indonesia.

Global population increased to 6.9 billion in 2010, with nearly all of that growth happening in the world's developing countries.

There are 1.2 billion people in the world's developed countries,
in these countries, populations continue to age as the numbers of those of working age dwindle.

Japan :fertility rate of 1.4 children per woman,
elderly support ratio of 3—the lowest in the world, along with Germany and Italy.

By 2050, Japan there will be only 1 working-age adult for every elderly person; Germany and Italy will each have 2.

More than 2.7 billion people worldwide , lack access to an adequate sanitation facility most of whom live in rural areas in developing nations.

As the U.S. population ages, spending on entitlement programs such as Social Security and Medicare will rise sharply.

If its fertility rate is not brought down,Africa's population is projected to double to 2 billion by 2050 or even more.

European Union's overall population is projected to increase slightly between 2005 and 2030, most of which will be due to net immigration.

Natural increase (the ratio of births over deaths) will turn negative for the EU in 2010.

And the vast majority of Europe's countries—including Belgium, the Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Poland, and Russia—are projected to lose population in the next 25 years.

Courtesy:Population Reference bureau
www.prb.org

UNFPA - State of World Population 2009

UNFPA - State of World Population 2009: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"
More storms, more earthquakes, more floods, rising temperatures, more natural disasters, is what has happened ever since carbon pumping increased in the 20th and 21 st century.
A look at this graph will indicate the state of our Earth.

World Humanitarian Day - 19 August

World Humanitarian Day - 19 August
Lets pay our tribute to the several unselfish dedicated Humanitarian Aid Workers across the world, who have lost their lives serving others.
OBSERVE WORLD HUMANITARIAN DAY.

Cell Phones Save Lives of mothers in Rwandan Villages

Cell phones save Mothers lives in Rwanda
Rwandan govt has come up with the idea of distributing cell phones to rural health workers in order to spread vital information concerning maternal health and pregnancy.About 500 health workers have been distributed cell phones in the village of Musanze, for counting and monitoring pregnant women and also for answering any pregnancy crisis calls, text messaging any crucial mother/baby related questions.

India Journal: How to Improve Infrastructure and Slum Life - India Real Time - WSJ

India Journal: How to Improve Infrastructure and Slum Life - India Real Time - WSJ: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"
“Dharavi: Developing Asia’s largest Slum,”offers good ideas to transform Dharavi, will it work in India or will Indian politicians allow it.I want to be hopeful.

Benjamin Franklins epitaph for his parents Tomb

OSIAH FRANKLIN,
and
ABIAH his Wife,
lie here interred.
They lived lovingly together in wedlock
fifty-five years.
Without an estate, or any gainful employment,
By constant labor and industry,
with God’s blessing,
They maintained a large family
comfortably,
and brought up thirteen children
and seven grandchildren
reputably.
From this instance, reader,
Be encouraged to diligence in thy calling,
And distrust not Providence.
He was a pious and prudent man;
She, a discreet and virtuous woman.
Their youngest son,
In filial regard to their memory,
Places this stone.
J. F. born 1655, died 1744, Ætat 89.
A. F. born 1667, died 1752, —— 85.

Benjamin Franklin's love for books

Iam a fan of Benjamin franklins’s writings .As revealed in his book” His Autobiography”, Benjamin Franklin loved reading books from childhood.Whatever money he earned , were spent on buying books.He had great thirst for reading and would often fill his spare time savouring words from one book or other.
He started with Pilgrim’s Progress, then moved to other John Bunyans works, later he collected R Burton’s Historical collections.He was also inspired by his fathers reading habit.From his fathers library he had finished reading all books on Polemic divinity.
He loved Mather’s “Essays to do good”, which had a great influence on him.He specially loved reaing Plutarch’s Lives.He sometimes regretted the fact that he could not lay his hands on some good books , at a time when he felt great love and thirst for reading.

Plutarch quotes on soul and truth

"The soul, being eternal, after death is like a caged bird that has been released. If it has been a long time in the body, and has become tame by many affairs and long habit, the soul will immediately take another body and once again become involved in the troubles of the world. The worst thing about old age is that the soul's memory of the other world grows dim, while at the same time its attachment to things of this world becomes so strong that the soul tends to retain the form that it had in the body. But that soul which remains only a short time within a body, until liberated by the higher powers, quickly recovers its fire and goes on to higher things."

"It is so hard to find out the truth of anything by looking at the record of the past. The process of time obscures the truth of former times, and even contemporaneous writers disguise and twist the truth out of malice or flattery."

Fyodor Dostoyevsky quotes on suffering and troubles

"Pain and suffering are always inevitable for a large intelligence and a deep heart. The really great men must, I think, have great sadness on earth."

"The darker the night, the brighter the stars,
The deeper the grief, the closer is God!"


"Man only likes to count his troubles; he doesn't calculate his happiness."


"I believe like a child that suffering will be healed and made up for, that all the humiliating absurdity of human contradictions will vanish like a pitiful mirage.


"Fathers and teachers, I ponder 'What is hell?' I maintain that it is the
suffering of being unable to love."

Fyodor Dostoyevsky's Tombstone reads

"Verily, Verily, I say unto you, Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit."
which is taken from John 12:24,

Kashmir-Terrorism and Nature's fury

Kashmir has seen on herself numerous or rather endless number of onslaughts, seeking to destroy her.The terrorists groups have been constantly bombarding her , killing her people and destroying this paradise.This land of beauty has become a land of bloodshed, its beautiful people are coping up with severe losses which seems to be adding up as violence and instability continues.Will this paradise ever rise up again, will its lakes and lashkaras be filled with laughter of people again.
Apart from what has happened to this land due to terrorism, nature too is playing havoc.115 people have been killed in today's flash floods due to torrential rains which lasted for 10 hours.

I feel so much lost for words seeing the destruction , this heavenly place is facing.

Fyodor Dostoyevsky longing for Christ

“I shall tell you that at such a time one thirsts for faith as ‘the withered grass’ thirsts for water, and one actually finds it, because in misfortune the truth shines through. I can tell you about myself that I am a child of this century, a child of doubt and disbelief, I have always been and shall ever be (that I know), until they close the lid of my coffin. What terrible torment this thirst to believe has cost me and is still costing me, and the stronger it becomes in my soul, the stronger are the arguments against it. And, despite all this, God sends me moments of great tranquility, moments during which I love and find I am loved by others; and it was during such a moment that I formed within myself a symbol of faith in which all is clear and sacred for me. This symbol is very simple, and here is what it is: to believe that there is nothing more beautiful, more profound, more sympathetic, more reasonable, more courageous, and more perfect than Christ.”

Jawaharlal Nehru on Mahatma Gandhi

Great men and eminent men have monuments in bronze and marble set up for them, but this man of divine fire managed in his lifetime to become enshrined in millions and millions of hearts so that all of us became somewhat of the stuff that he was made of, though to an infinitely lesser degree. He spread out in this way all over India, not just in palaces, or in select places or in assemblies, but in every hamlet and hut of the lowly and those who suffer. He lives in the hearts of millions and he will live for immemorial ages.

He was perhaps the greatest symbol of the India of the past, and may I say, of the India of the future, that we could have had.

In ages to come, centuries and maybe millennia after us, people will think of this generation when this man of God trod on earth, and will think of us who, however small, could also follow his path and tread the holy ground where his feet had been.

Mahatma Gandhi on Jewish persecution by Hitler

I read that,Mahatma Gandhi criticized severely the treatment of Jews by the German state, the German Christians and Hitlers regime, but he did not favored a separate state for the Jews.He wanted the Jews to do Satyagraha , for the way they were treated.
My sympathies are all with the Jews. I have known them intimately in South Africa. Some of them became life-long companions. Through these friends I came to learn much of their age-long persecution. They have been the untouchables of Christianity. The parallel between their treatment by Christians and the treatment of untouchables by Hindus is very close. Religious sanction has been invoked in both cases for the justification of the inhuman treatment meted out to them. Apart from the friendships, therefore, there is the more common universal reason for my sympathy for the Jews.

But the German persecution of the Jews seems to have no parallel in history. The tyrants of old never went so mad as Hitler seems to have gone. And he is doing it with religious zeal. For he is propounding a new religion of exclusive and militant nationalism in the name of which many inhumanity becomes an act of humanity to be rewarded here and hereafter. The crime of an obviously mad but intrepid youth is being visited upon his whole race with unbelievable ferocity. If there ever could be a justifiable war in the name of and for humanity, a war against Germany, to prevent the wanton persecution of a whole race, would be completely justified. But I do not believe in any war. A discussion of the pros and cons of such a war is therefore outside my horizon or province

Mahatma Gandhi's views on Education

The real difficulty is that people have no idea of what education truly is. We assess the value of education in the same manner as we assess the value of land or of shares in the stock-exchange market. We want to provide only such education as would enable the student to earn more. We hardly give any thought to the improvement of the character of the educated. The girls, we say, do not have to earn; so why should they be educated? As long as such ideas persist there is no hope of our ever knowing the true value of education.

A teacher who establishes rapport with the taught, becomes one with them, learns more from them than he teaches them. He who learns nothing from his disciples is, in my opinion, worthless. Whenever I talk with someone I learn from him. I take from him more than I give him. In this way, a true teacher regards himself as a student of his students. If you will teach your pupils with this attitude, you will benefit much from them.
By education I mean an all-round drawing out of the best in the child and man—body, mind and spirit.

By spiritual training I mean education of the heart.

Experience gained in two schools under my control has taught me that punishment does not purify, if anything, it hardens children.

An education which does not teach us to discriminate between good and bad, to assimilate the one and eschew the other, is a misnomer.

Education should be so revolutionized as to answer the wants of the poorest villager, instead of answering those of an imperial exploiter.

Quotes on the evil of war

You cannot simultaneously prevent and prepare for war.
Albert Einstein

War may sometimes be a necessary evil. But no matter how necessary, it is always an evil, never a good. We will not learn how to live together in peace by killing each other's children.
Jimmy Carter

What difference does it make to the dead, the orphans and the homeless, whether the mad destruction is wrought under the name of totalitarianism or the holy name of liberty or democracy?
Mahatma Gandhi

War is a cowardly escape from the problems of peace.
Thomas Mann

One day President Roosevelt told me that he was asking publicly for suggestions about what the war should be called. I said at once 'The Unnecessary War'.
Sir Winston Churchill

There never was a good war, or a bad peace.
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN,

The sad tale of Tribals in the Mineral rich Indian states

En route to my state, i was watching several mining projects, giant crater sized white or red colored sand and rocky structures, with all vegetation being wiped out, looked like Holocaust skeletons.A few for their prosperity are wiping away acres of Forest , for resources which cannot be replenished.But the damage to the environment can already be seen.

India’s dominant share of major minerals are concentrated in few states.These are the states with high political activity and significant tribal populace.The interests of the Tribals were for years been ignored.For the sake of mining, these nature dependent human population who have harmoniously coexisting with the environment have been displaced.Not much concern is shown in the area of rehabilitating them. Mining in the states of Orissa, AndhraPradesh, Chhatisgarh, Jharkhand which together account for the 60 % of mineral production, has led to tribal displacement, loss of their nature dependent traditional livelihood and forest based economy,ecological damage ,deforestation, draining of local water resources , deterioration of the quality of water etc.

Economic liberalization has led to the invasion of several private interests to exploit these resources which has in turn delivered them immense fortunes.The increasing global requirement of these minerals which are non Renewable has fueled in the exploitation of available resources.There are many cases of illegal mining in rise.

Ironically these mining programs have not contributed to the welfare of the people native to these places.Not much has been done towards the health, education , sanitation and employment of the Tribal.

Reflections on Gratitude

Gratitude should be a continuous attitude
Not just an occasional incident.

Gratitude stems from the depth of our
It is not mere tongue service

The warmth of gratitude makes one feel life is beautiful.

Gratitude is an art of reflection and appreciation.

Think about various things you are grateful for today,
Sooner you will realize that your life is on the right track.

Gratitude teaches us to do for others as we have received from someone else.

The Asiatic Lions of Junagadh

The Gir forest is a 1412 sq km National reserve and wildlife sanctuary for Asiatic Lions.
These Lions have gone down over the years. The Nawab of Junagadh decided to protect them At the start of the century there were only a dozen or so left, due to hunting by the British Colonial hunters and the Indian Royals. By inbreeding their numbers have been brought to a higher level over the years..Due to the local population called Maldharis living at the edge of forests, the cattles and other livestock feed in the area of reserve Overgrazing and cutting down of forest trees has reduced the area of reserve for this animal and has led to the dwindling of its natural prey making Lions highly vulnerable.

The Asiatic Lion (Panthera leo persica) is a subspecies of the lion which survives today only in the Gir forest of Gujarat, the sub-species that once ranged from Greece to central India Through the introduction of Lion breeding program, their numbers have been increased..

As per the census carried out in April 2010,411 lions are present which has increased from 52 in 2005.

The wikileaks

The war against the Taliban in Afghan seems to be failing with increase in civilian and military casualties .Besides the growing instability in the region, despite increase in troops, hundreds of civilians have been killed in unreported incidents by the coalition forces. As per the wikileaks, 90,000 US Military files, reveal several concealed war secrets.
ISI of Pakistan, role in supplying arms and training the insurgents.Pakistan receives
Rise in Taliban attacks $1bn a year in military aid from US.
Reports describe covert ISI plots to train legions of suicide bombers, smuggle surface-to-air missiles into Afghanistan, assassinate President Hamid Karzai and poison western beer supplies.
Special operation to catch or kill Taliban leaders without Trial.
US covering up the evidence that the Taliban have acquired deadly surface-to-air missiles.
Use of deadly Reaper drones by the coalition to hunt and kill Taliban targets by remote control from a base in Nevada.
Roadside bomb plantings by Taliban have killed nearly 2000 civilians
Neighboring Pakistan and Iran supporting the Taliban

Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)

Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) aimed at fighting poverty, hunger, disease, and inequality to be achieved by 2015.
The Eight MDGs
1) Eradicate Extreme Poverty and Hunger:
2) Universal Primary Education:.
3) Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women:
4) Reduce Child Mortality: Reduce by two-thirds, the under-five mortality rate.
5) Improve Maternal Health: universal access to reproductive health.
6) Combat HIV/AIDS, Malaria, and Other Diseases:
7) Ensure Environmental Sustainability: sustainable development principle in country policies, reduce biodiversity loss by 2010,access to safe drinking water and basic sanitation; improve the lives of 100 million slum dwellers, by 2020.
8) Develop a Global Partnership for Development

C S Lewis quotes

A man can no more diminish God's glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word, 'darkness' on the walls of his cell.
Affection is responsible for nine-tenths of whatever solid and durable happiness there is in our lives.

You don’t have a soul. You are a Soul. You have a body.

God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks to us in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: It is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.

A man can no more diminish God’s glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word, ‘darkness’ on the walls of his cell.

What you see and hear depends a good deal on where you are standing; it also depends on what kind of a person you are.

William Shakespeare quotes on Time management

Make use of time, let not advantage slip.

Better three hours too soon, than one minute too late.

Make use of time, let not advantage slip.

William Shakespeare

Stephen Covey Quotes on right attitudes in Life

Anytime we think the problem is "out there," that thought is the problem. We empower what's out there to control us. The change paradigm is "outside-in" - what's out there has to change before we can change.

The proactive approach is to change from the inside-out: to be different, and by being different, to effect positive change in what's out there - I can be more resourceful, I can be more diligent, I can be more creative, I can be more cooperative.

To begin with the end in mind means to start with a clear understanding of your destination. It means to know where you're going so that you better understand where you are now and so that the steps you take are always in the right direction.

If we want to make relatively minor changes in our lives, we can perhaps appropriately focus on our attitudes and behaviors. But if we want to make significant, quantum change, we need to work on our basic paradigms

If you don't know yourself, if you don't control yourself, if you don't have mastery over yourself, it's very hard to like yourself, except in some short-term, psych-up, superficial way

Acidic oceans and disappearing coral reefs

With ever increasing level of greenhouse gas being pumped into the atmosphere, the oceans too receive its grunt.The CO2 dissolving in the oceans and seas is increasing the acidity of the waters making it hard for the life sustaining,oceanic ecosystem balancing, diverse and versatile coral reefs to disappear.The current levels of the greenhouse gas 387ppm , will drastically reduce , may even wipe out coral reefs across the earth oceans by 2065.The levels has to go down below for the corals to flourish.With the disappearance of reefs and the climate change, storms will have direct effect on many coastlines causing severe damages.

Sacred Mountain and Tribal Way of Life Threatened by mining

July 13, 2010 - India's Dongria Kondh Sacred Mountain and Tribal Way of Life Threatened by Unwanted British Vedanta MiningVedanta Resources, a British mining company, is set to destroy the forests, wildlife and way of life of the Dongria Kondh people. The Dongria Kondh have been struggling with all their might to protect their mountain but are being overpowered by the financial and political might of this multi-billion dollar company. They have been protesting locally for years, and have appealed for international support for their campaign to keep their sacred Niyamgiri Mountain ecologically and culturally intact
source-http://forests.org

International Year of Biodiversity

Humans have been keen on exploiting the natural resources ever since technology spread its tentacles of power and control, more than preserving the nature which is the reason for our existence , we are today destroying the nature at a fast speed.Every act of our modern lifestyle has some detrimental effect on the nature.UN along with IUCN have decided to celebrate this as the International Year of Biodiversity.Creating more awareness about the vastness of species, . threats to their survival and ways of preserving them, are the key points in Focus.Join hands to preserve this sphere of life - our Earth.

The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB)

TEEB is about the concern the corporate world is paying towards conserving the once rich biodiversity of earth, which is being threatened now.It includes initiative by several corporate giants on the issue of preserving our planets versatility of species.It is good initiative, striving to protect and rebuild the nature, which so often is a victim in the hands of MNC's and is almost always exploited for commercial purposes.

The Multidimensional poverty Index

This new method of mapping, developed by the Oxford institute , interprets and maps poverty on the basis of several factors, not just the income alone.Some of the other factors include, health, education, access to hygiene etc.Based on this mapping , India's poverty level stretches from that of being equivalent to Sierra Leone, Democratic republic of Congo( for some Indian states) to that of Indonesia or Morocco in few others.This shows the disparity in development and access to health and education among the different states in India, so certainly there is not any inclusive growth happening!

Times of Bonding with my Grandpa

My paternal grandpa was a manager during the British rule in India.He was educated at the prestigious St Xavier's school.A very well read person, he had many good collection of classic books and old paintings on freedom struggle.One particular painting was that of the Round table conference.He would share with me about the freedom struggle and also his job as a manager , which after few years he resigned to look after his ailing mother and take care of the land.The old house still has a stable, with pots inbuilt in the floor , from surface down for the horses to drink.I would wonder what it looked like those days with no noise of traffic , but only the galloping sound of horses.The house is made from hard stones, and has a wooden staircase, with a small door, bigger than a window, to go out on to the top of the veranda.From there one can hear the thrashing of waves, the Indian ocean.Those are fond moments of bonding with him.He is no more, but i can still see him before me, his wrinkled face, his habit of saying prayer, bending his head low, with his fist full of the food, and thanking God for the daily bread.I learnt being grateful for the food we often would otherwise take for granted. He would love to share about everything from literature, to politics, to poverty, to freedom struggle, philosophy, religion, the British Raj in India and above all i loved to hear him, to know about his life, he who had walked the life before me , in times very different from mine.For i wanted to strongly engrave his every word in my heart, for i knew he is getting old and this sharing may not be for long.

the stark realities of life

Those dreamy times of youth are slowly disappearing, the stark realities of life have in them the tendency to infuse us with a pessimism.Knowing and watching the hard scenes of life unfold as age passes by gives one a sense that in reality life does not have good endings.So many around me , i see them facing endless struggles, i wonder often what keeps them going, and whether their prayers will ever be heard.Indians believe that our present is a result of our past deeds, but very few seem to reflect that what they today, will according to their belief of karma, be seen in their next life. Bur dreams have in them a magic spell, if life were to be always viewed through lens of reality, then perhaps it will be hard for us to live with hope and optimism.

Disciplined Habits go a long way

Many prisons in India , are using the approaches for Holistic development of the inmates. This includes behavior modification through, meditation, exercises, yoga, etc. The inmates mostly come from the poor uneducated sector of the country. They in their lives would never have had to time to do daily mediation or yoga or any other discipline, all they run for from dawn to dusk , is to earn their daily wage, and in the evening spend all in liquor.
These exercises have transformed many inmates, helped them to gain control over their thoughts and actions .Its amazing to see that , a few disciplines if properly kept in the mornings , can give us a focused start and also have a strong role in shaping our thought processes.
That’s were we, learn from our parents, who play the role of inculcating in us certain good behavior, which will have a long lasting effect. We in turn must live it up and act as role models to our kids. Just as food tastes bland without salt, our lives are unsavory without disciplined habits.

My lost mornings ..........

Every Thought becomes the action,
every action becomes a habit,
every habit becomes behavior,
every behavior forms an individual character.
How true is this'.

An action repeated continuously for atleast 21 days , forms itself into an habit.
How hard it is for each one of us , to change our habits.
How so many times a pledge is taken, unless it is put into action through motivation, it fails to transform itself to the next step.

Several years back, while in my grandma's place, i used to watch my grandma getting up before dawn, to milk the cows.From the fresh milk, i got my best hot coffee.
She was old, tall and bony but this was her routine, never to change , until her bones refused to co-operate with her.
She strictly adhered to several rituals and followed them every morning.
I would ask her what motivates her to go about this errand every morning, she would reply" its simply the joy of doing things in their right time, and seeing the results".

I certainly lack in many disciplines , and one of them is giving a poor start for my day.I struggle to take myself off my bed.But once out, when i listen to the birds chirping and the quiet morning breeze, if feel, for the lost time.

Its because , while i my college days , i learnt to work late in nights, burning the midnight oil, in between gazing the stars, figuring out the constellations.As a researcher, the midnight hour seemed to stretch long enough , to give sufficient quiet time to do my work.But now i know , its the mornings , which are more valuable.
May i be able to use them purposefully.

Ruskin Bonds Magic

I particularly enjoyed reading Ruskin Bonds stories, as a kid.This writer knows how to skillfully weave his stories.Even today , his books are famous among kids and they also form part of school textbooks.I want to collect more of his books.They have the magic of taking the reader to the Himalayan landscapes.

Poets across the world

When the languages of the worlds people got confused at Babel, they were no longer able to understand each other.There are so many languages around the world, yet to be able to understand them is a difficult task, today , with various sources of technology, we are provided with a platform to unravel the wisdom, nuggets of truth, various expressions present in them.

The poets across the world , be they from any region and any language , each through their own experiences have expressed through their works , much about their culture and traditions.Its beautiful to find the hint of that region through these few penned words.

The Jewish poet from Germany, Yehudi Amichai's poems were very meaningful and touching.I specially liked the one portraying the Arab-Jew conflict.
I hope to digg , more about this poet in future.

Un cementerio judío en Alemania

En una pequeña colina en medio de campos fértiles se encuentra un pequeño cementerio,
un cementerio judío detrás de una puerta oxidada, oculta por arbustos,
abandonado y olvidado. Ni el sonido de la oración
ni la voz del lamento se escucha allí
para los muertos no alaban al Señor.
Sólo las voces de nuestros niños toquen, la búsqueda de tumbas
y vítores
cada vez que encontremos uno - hongos como en el bosque, como
las fresas silvestres.
Aquí hay otra tumba! Ahí está el nombre de mi madre
madres, y un nombre desde el siglo pasado. Y aquí hay un nombre,
y allí! Y cuando estaba a punto de cepillar el musgo del nombre -
¡Mira! una mano abierta grabado en la lápida, la tumba
de un cohen,
los dedos extendidos en un espasmo de la santidad y bendición,
y aquí está una tumba oculta por una maraña de bayas
que tiene que ser dejado de lado como una mata de pelo
de la faz de una bella mujer amada.


Yehuda Amijai

Ein jüdischer Friedhof in Deutschland

The graves of past come out in front of the present Generation , as they go about their playing.Amidst the fun of their play time , the Jewish children discover their past.




Auf einem kleinen Hügel inmitten von fruchtbaren Feldern liegt ein kleiner Friedhof,
ein jüdischer Friedhof hinter einem rostigen Tor, durch Sträucher verdeckt,
verlassen und vergessen. Weder der Sound des Gebets
noch die Stimme der Klage ist es zu hören
für die Toten loben den Herrn nicht.
Nur die Stimmen unserer Kinder Ring heraus, sucht Gräber
und Jubel
jedes Mal finden sie ein - wie die Pilze im Wald, wie
Walderdbeeren.
Hier ist ein weiteres Grab! Es ist der Name meiner Mutter
Mütter, und einen Namen aus dem letzten Jahrhundert. Und hier ist ein Name,
und da! Und als ich mich auf das Moos aus dem Namen Pinsel -
Look! eine offene Hand, auf dem Grabstein, graviert das Grab
eines Kohen,
seine Finger in einem Krampf der Heiligkeit und Segen gespreizt,
Und hier ist ein Grab durch ein Dickicht von Beeren versteckt
Das hat zur Seite wie ein Haarschopf gebürstet werden
aus dem Gesicht einer schönen geliebten Frau.



Yehuda Amichai

An Arab shepherd is searching for his goat on Mount Zion

This is a very touchy poem by Yehuda Amichai, about the Jewish Arab conflict portrayed in a very simple , yet meaningful way.

An Arab shepherd is searching for his goat on Mount Zion
And on the opposite hill I am searching for my little boy.
An Arab shepherd and a Jewish father
Both in their temporary failure.
Our two voices met above
The Sultan's Pool in the valley between us.
Neither of us wants the boy or the goat
To get caught in the wheels
Of the "Had Gadya" machine.

Afterward we found them among the bushes,
And our voices came back inside us
Laughing and crying.

Searching for a goat or for a child has always been
The beginning of a new religion in these mountains.

Yehuda Amichai

Soren Kierkegaard Prayer Quotes

Soren Kierkegaard Prayer Quotes

Prayer does not change God, but it changes him who prays

Without risk, faith is an impossibility.

To stand on one leg and prove God's existence is a very different thing from going down on one's knees and thanking him.

Teach me, O God, not to torture myself, not to make a martyr out of myself through stifling reflection, but rather teach me to breathe deeply in faith.
-

Dietrich Bonhoeffer quotes on prayer

If we are to pray well, perhaps it is a great need to pray against our own heart. It is what we pray is important, but what God wants us to pray. The wealth of the Word of God to determine our prayer, not poverty of our heart.

All day you receive the order and discipline when you buy the unit. This unit should be sought and found in morning prayer.

The morning prayer determines the day.

The temptations that come with working hours will be conquered on the basis of the break in the morning to God.The decisions, which requires work, the easier and simpler which are not in fear of men, but only in the eyes of God. He now wants to give us the power we need for our work.

Prayer is not just about opening your heart. It means rather to find the way to God and talk to him, if your heart is full or empty.
- Dietrich Bonhoeffer

More about Dominique Lapierre's books

CityOfJoyAid.org: How You Can Help
Through this site i was able to know the work carried by the authors foundation in Calcutta.
Visit this site to find out more about Dominique Lapierre's books and about the city of joy.

Cours Soren Kierkegaard prière

Cours Soren Kierkegaard prière

La prière ne change pas Dieu, mais elle change celui qui prie

Sans risque, la foi est une impossibilité.

Pour tenir sur une jambe et de prouver l'existence de Dieu est une chose très différente de descendre sur les genoux et en le remerciant.

Apprends-moi, ô Dieu, de ne pas me torture, de ne pas en faire un martyr de moi-même par étouffer la réflexion, mais

Saint Thérèse of Lisieux quotes on Love and Prayer

Saint Thérèse of Lisieux quotes on Love and Prayer

"Love proves itself by deeds, so how am I to show my love? Great deeds are forbidden me. The only way I can prove my love is by scattering flowers and these flowers are every little sacrifice, every glance and word, and the doing of the least actions for love."

"For me, prayer is a movement of the heart; it is a simple glance toward Heaven; it is a cry of gratitude and love in times of trial as well as in times of joy; finally, it is something great, supernatural, which expands my soul and unites me to Jesus. . . . I have not the courage to look through books for beautiful prayers.... I do like a child who does not know how to read; I say very simply to God what I want to say, and He always understands me."

Santa Teresa de Lisieux, el amor citas y Oración

Santa Teresa de Lisieux, el amor citas y Oración

"El amor se demuestra con hechos, por lo que ¿cómo voy a demostrar mi amor? Gran hechos me están prohibidas. La única manera que puedo demostrar mi amor es por esparcir flores y estas flores son cada pequeño sacrificio, cada mirada y la palabra, y hacer el de los menos acciones para el amor. "

"Para mí, la oración es un movimiento del corazón, es una simple mirada hacia el cielo, es un grito de gratitud y de amor en tiempos de prueba, así como en tiempos de alegría y, por último, es algo grande, sobrenatural, que dilata el alma y me une a Jesús.... No tengo la valentía de mirar a través de libros de oraciones hermosa .... me gusta un niño que no sabe leer, yo digo sencillamente a Dios lo que quiero que decir, y Él siempre me comprende ".

Dietrich Bonhoeffer citas sobre la oración

Dietrich Bonhoeffer citas sobre la oración


Si vamos a orar bien, quizás es muy necesario que oremos en contra de nuestro propio corazón. No es lo que queremos orar es importante, pero lo que Dios quiere que oremos. La riqueza de la Palabra de Dios debe determinar nuestra oración, no la pobreza de nuestro corazón.

Toda la jornada recibe orden y la disciplina cuando se adquiere la unidad. Esta unidad debe ser buscado y encontrado en oración de la mañana.

La oración de la mañana determina el día.

Las tentaciones que acompañan a la jornada de trabajo será conquistada sobre la base de la ruptura por la mañana a Dios.

Las decisiones, que exige el trabajo, más fácil y más simple en el que no se hacen en el temor de los hombres, pero sólo ante los ojos de Dios. Él nos quiere dar hoy el poder que necesitamos para nuestro trabajo.

La oración no significa simplemente abrir el corazón. Significa más bien para encontrar el camino hacia Dios y hablar con él, si el corazón está lleno o vacío.
- Dietrich Bonhoeffer

WWF India - Donate for tigers

WWF India - Donate for tigers
The indian BengalTiger is vanishing.In past 100 yrs its numbers have gone down by 97%.Only 3200 left.Save the Tigers.

The Ancient Mexican -Hanequen

The valley of Mexico, a cradle to many rulers.From the succulent plant agave , called hanequen, beaten and then made to thin threads.From this baskets, ropes, hammocks, bags etc were made.This was one of the major source of export during the Spaniard rule from the Yucatan province.Its slowly dying now.This beautiful can say craft form is vanishing.

WWF India - Recycle your mobile phone

WWF India - Recycle your mobile phone
if each of us recycled ONE mobile phone, we would save as much energy and pollution as taking 4 million cars off our roads?

In this hour of doubt and disturbance

In this hour of doubt and disturbance, I rely on you.I don’t want my fears to reign over me.For you know my needs and my strengths, my limitations, all are laid bare before you, even when I falter, I know your faithfulness abides.Hear my prayer, change the hard hearts, let them soften , let them get favourable, let them cooperate, please make way Lord , because you are faithful.I commit my needs to Thy hand, do the needful, I abide myself under your shadows, and will see you making way for me , as you did for the Israelites as they crossed the Red Sea.I will thank you for hearing my plea.

 

Ruth

Demand Dignity | Amnesty International

Demand Dignity | Amnesty International
This is the new campaign by Amnesty , to give a life dignity to the poor of the world, to end injustice, to give a voice to them.

Forgetting Children Born of War

Forgetting Children Born of War

A book about war crimes on women, their exploitation and the stigma and the scar the children born due to this carry with them,with emphasis on on the case of Bosnia-Herzegovina.

By-R. Charli Carpenter is assistant professor of political science at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst.

GLOBAL HUNGER

GLOBAL HUNGER
• 1.02 billion people do not have enough to eat - more than the populations of USA, Canada and the European Union;
(Source: FAO news release, 19 June 2009)
• 907 million people in developing countries alone are hungry;
(Source: The State of Food Insecurity in the World, FAO, 2008)
• Asia and the Pacific region is home to over half the world’s population and nearly two thirds of the world’s hungry people;
(Source: The State of Food Insecurity in the World, FAO, 2008)
• More than 60 percent of chronically hungry people are women;
(Source: The State of Food Insecurity in the World, FAO, 2006)
• 65 percent of the world's hungry live in only seven countries: India, China, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Pakistan and Ethiopia.
(Source: The State of Food Insecurity in the World, FAO, 2008)

The volcano under Eyjafjallajokull glacier

The volcano under Eyjafjallajokull glacier
The fifth largest glacier in Iceland was showing signs of seismic activity, from the end of last year. The volcano’s activity was slowly increasing , with around 3000 earhquakes being measured between March 3-5.The magma was flowing into its vent.The final push of the magma came this April with a dramatic show, blocking off the sun, bright display of colors, the black carpet of ash across huge acres, the smoky sky with zero visibility, the local river water rise and finally no flights across the Northern Europe for six consecutive days. The flight disruption was the second one after the Second World War, around 63,000 flights grounded.

Heat from Volcano melted of the ice around the glacier, leading to the full flow of river draining the glacier, which was breaking off its banks.
This volcano is part of the series of volcano which sits on the north Atlantic ridge. The tectonic movements below this ridge is the cause of the seismic activity.
Though the volcanic eruption was not the big on the explosivity scale , but it was the size of the ash cloud , prevailing across the entire northern European sky , which was the reason for flight suspensions.
A contrast of black against the white back ground, with intermittent red hot fire raging out in the sky , even upto the height of 11kms,was a spectacular as well as horrifying display. The smoke with ash caused flights to be suspended all across Europe.

The last time this volcano erupted , in 1821, it went on for a very long time, till 1823.Its proximity to the bigger Mt Katla , was the cause of concern, which if triggered will send a mightier and more widespread global explosion The last two times Eyjafjallajokull erupted, it also triggered Mt Katla.

Doubt and Fear

Things look difficult,i am trying various ways to analyze them and finding out solution, Christ calls me and says" do not fret, i will provide a way".One part of mind wants to surrender and say" for God knows the best plans for me, He will surely provide some aid"
The other part if frozen by fear, is only willing to do things of my own,feels the help may not arrive or i will not receive favor or the situation may not change.
I struggle and say to myself , " i will quieten myself for some time, during that time i will ask for help from the one who can make all things happen"

Doubt, fear and fretfulness block off my sight from What God can do.

Help me to prevail on you Lord.My wisdom is sure not enough to solve things.Then why do i fret in vain...............?

Paulo Freire quotes on Tolerance

No one can learn tolerance in a climate of irresponsibility, which does not produce democracy. The act of tolerating requires a climate in which limits may be established, in which there are principles to be respected. That is why tolerance is not coexistence with the intolerable. Under an authoritarian regime, in which authority is abused, or a permissive one, in which freedom is not limited, one can hardly learn tolerance. Tolerance requires respect, discipline, and ethics.

Being tolerant does not mean acquiescing to the intolerable; it does not mean covering up disrespect; it does not mean coddling the aggressor or disguising aggression. Tolerance is the virtue that teaches us to live with the different. It teaches us to learn from and respect the different.

Best ,Quick exercises to lose weight

I have found the following three exercises works really well,
Running for atleast five minutes , a day or even alternative days,
or
Skipping for 7-8 minutes, with intermittent gaps
or
Cycling for ten minutes daily or alternative days.

Paulo Freire

"La confiance du peuple dans les chefs reflète la confiance des dirigeants dans le peuple."

Paulo Freire's views on Teaching and education.

Paulo Freire's views on Teaching and education.
I was reading about this great man from Brazil, who was able to think deeply , about the methodology of teaching and children psychology. His educational theory , places emphasis on some very critical teaching points , very much lacking in today’s education system. He clearly reflects the gaps present in , what teaching is meant to be and way it is presented in practice.A revolutionary in the field of education and teaching methodology, one needs to learn a lot from this critical thinker. His own experience, while growing up with poor kids, reflects in his concern for their education .Below are some of his views

Finally, it is important to make it clear that imagination is not an exercise for those detached from reality, those who live in the air. On the contrary, when we imagine something, we do it necessarily conditioned by a lack in our concrete reality. When children imagine free and happy schools, it is because their real schools deny them freedom and happiness.

Educators need to know what happens in the world of the children with whom they work. They need to know the universe of their dreams, the language with which they skillfully defend themselves from the aggressiveness of their world, what they know independently of the school, and how they know it.

...teaching cannot be a process of transference of knowledge from the one teaching to the learner. This is the mechanical transference from which results machine like memorization, which I have already criticized. Critical study correlates with teaching that is equally critical, which necessarily demands a critical way of comprehending and of realizing the reading of the word and that of the world, the reading of text and of context.

Rejuvenating times

For past few days , I noticed feeling unusually exhausted, unable to think, focus, feeling very drained. I forced myself to take a short nap, 10-15 minutes. I felt rejuvenated after that.Few hours later, the episode repeated again.I knew my Hb levels had been little above from border line, but the reason b/h such tiredness, I wondered what could be it.It struck me then , about the Ciprofloxacin , I had been taking, for my pain.Today is better feeling day.Its a beautiful evening, mind feels at peace.Going out to look at the beauty outside.God bless all , with rejuvenating times like this.Listen to those who call u Father

Nonprofit - Philanthropy articles from McKinsey Quarterly

Nonprofit - Philanthropy articles from McKinsey Quarterly
Acumen Fund founder and CEO Jacqueline Novogratz shares stories of social-sector entrepreneurship in an excerpt from her new book, The Blue Sweater. A video interview with the author takes you behind the book.

My precious Amazon

The Amazon forests are vanishing, day by day, month by month, year by year, as inch by inch its vastness gets reduced .The deforestation , happening due to human activities , will make this thick jungle disappear from the face of earth one day.This huge mass of forests seen as the thickest and largest green patch on the earth from the satellite is home to several species of flora and fauna, which too are disappearing.Many of them not even in the records of Taxonomy.This forest has been highhandedly responsible for rain formation, preventing global warming, source of river etc.But when humans entered into it , and started using it commercial purpose , its death has begun.There were the Incas and the Mayans , living harmoniously with Amazon centuries ago, unlike the modern man , whose sole aim is personal benefit.Thanks to the effort of few organizations , who are taking steps to save this forest from disappearing.

NewsDaily: Now scientists read your mind better than you can

NewsDaily: Now scientists read your mind better than you can
It is the one region of the prefrontal cortex that we know is disproportionately larger in humans than in other primates," he added. "This region is associated with self-awareness, and seems to be critical for thinking about yourself and thinking about your preferences and values.

Billionaires join hands for charity

I saw today's news  in Reuters , about the decision made by two worlds wealthy giants, Bill gates and Warren buffet on giving half their wealth for the purpose of charity. That is  certainly a welcoming news, considering the fact that more than half of wealth is locked in the hands of few.Bill and Melinda gates foundation is already doing a lot of work in developing countries.They have raised the standard of living  for millions of children, providing education, food and shelter.Their work in the area of AIDS vaccine is commendable.There are so many millionaires and billionaires, they have earned money through right and wrong means, and if few of them make a choice to use it for uplifting purpose, its certainly a green signal.Hope even Indian billionaires will come forward.

Warren Buffett, Bill Gates ask billionaires to give away wealth | Reuters

Warren Buffett, Bill Gates ask billionaires to give away wealth | Reuters
From the article "They have named the campaign the Giving Pledge and are asking those who commit to giving away at least half their fortune during their lifetime or after their death to publicly state their intention with a letter explaining their decision."

How Will You Measure Your Life? - Harvard Business Review

How Will You Measure Your Life? - Harvard Business Review
From the article-"For me, having a clear purpose in my life has been essential. But it was something I had to think long and hard about before I understood it. When I was a Rhodes scholar, I was in a very demanding academic program, trying to cram an extra year’s worth of work into my time at Oxford. I decided to spend an hour every night reading, thinking, and praying about why God put me on this earth. That was a very challenging commitment to keep, because every hour I spent doing that, I wasn’t studying applied econometrics. I was conflicted about whether I could really afford to take that time away from my studies, but I stuck with it—and ultimately figured out the purpose of my life."

The story of slum woman and her circumstances

This post, that i have posted below,  from The Hindu, the very old and famous news daily from India, depicts the life of a sex worker, getting into the trade by circumstances and compulsion .How everyone from her  son with cerebral palsy, to her brothers , get a better life because of her income, moved me to tears .Her elder son is ashamed of his mother , because of the trade. The huge money , with which she returns back home is because of the rich who use her.What an irony!.What is for one woman , her survival and livelihood, is for the other person , just another pleasure giving activity.There are countless women like her today, selling themselves for food, and daily survival.

The Hindu : Magazine / Columns : No regrets at all

The Hindu : Magazine / Columns : No regrets at all
A story of survival...
Excerpt "Yet, in a slum in Chennai, Salim has grown to confident adulthood, under the care of Shahnaaz, an ageing sex worker. The bond that his mother shares with her boy with cerebral palsy is perhaps the only one in her entire lifetime that has never let her down."

The Hindu : Magazine / Issues : Why are we afraid of the caste census?

The Hindu : Magazine / Issues : Why are we afraid of the caste census?
A caste census would…provide the basis for framing sound development policies required for social justice.
In rural India, even today, the first words uttered by way of introduction when two persons meet are — “what is your caste….?”; a piece of information people seem most enthusiastic to elicit from each other before anything else.