Tuesday, October 31, 2006

SOCIETY'S TOLERANCE TO ALL RELIGIONS

I submit to you that the tolerant society is open to and encouraging of all religions. And this does not weaken us; it strengthens us, it makes us strong. You know, if we look back through history to all those great civilizations, those great nations that rose up to even world dominance and then deteriorated, declined and fell, we find they all had one thing in common. One of the significant forerunners of their fall was their turning away from their God or Gods. Ronald Reagan (1911-2004), 40th President of the United States

HOW TO ACHIEVE IT, IF EVER?

BUDDHIST TEACHING:

Happy is he who lives contented in solitude, is well-versed in the Doctrine and who has realized it. Happy is he who lives in this world free from ill-will, and is benevolent towards all beings. Happy is he who lives in this world free from passion, has overcome sensual enjoyment, and who has attained mastership over the conceit of "I am." This indeed is the highest happiness.

-Udana 2.1

NETAJI SUBHASH CHANDRA BOSE

Netaji's daughter speaks!

May 11, 2005 | 15:35 IST

Shyam Benegal's film Bose - The Forgotten Hero releases on May 13, but already finds itself in the midst of controversy. The All-India Forward Bloc has protested against the depiction of events in Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's life, including his marriage and death. Other researchers say they will file a case against the film, because they insist that Bose did not marry, and had no children.

In an exclusive interview, first published in India Abroad, the newspaper owned by rediff.com, last year, Anita Bose Pfaff, Netaji's only child, spoke to Shyam Bhatia about her father's legacy.

Subhas Chandra Bose -- or 'Netaji' as he is known to millions of Indians -- was one of the most charismatic and dynamic leaders of India's independence movement, and the issue of how the country would have fared with him at the helm is one that tantalises historians to this day.

In truth by 1939 when Netaji was elected president of the Indian National Congress party for the second time, over the objections of M K Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru was being groomed as the Mahatma's chosen successor.

Had Netaji lived, his Forward Bloc party may have posed a continuing challenge to the Congress party under Nehru and after independence the two rivals would almost certainly have gone their ways.

At the very least with Netaji alive, India's experience of multi-party politics, in which the Congress party was the only dominant political force for the first 30 years after Independence, would have started much earlier.

In the pre-Independence era both Netaji and Nehru were identified with the Left wing of the Congress party, well to the Left of other respected freedom fighters as Chakravarti Rajagopalachari, Vallabhbhai Patel and Rajendra Prasad.

But where Netaji parted company with Nehru and Gandhi was his strongly held conviction, which he voiced from 1939 onwards, that armed resistance was a perfectly legitimate tactic for India to use in the struggle for its independence.

It was this belief -- the British would only yield to force -- that led him to seek help from the Axis powers during World War II. He met Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini and was befriended by their Japanese allies in the lead-up to the formation of the Provisional Government of Free India that was recognised by the Axis powers and their Southeast Asian allies on October 21, 1943.

During his stay in Berlin in 1943, Netaji founded the Free India Center and the Azad Hind Radio station. It was also in Berlin that the foundation was laid for what later became known as the Indian National Army or INA.

Indian prisoners of war captured in North Africa by Field Marshal Erwin Rommel's Afrika Korps were released into Netaji's custody and went on to form the India Legion that fought against Allied forces on the Western front.

The idea taken up by the Japanese high command led to the release of some 30,000 Indian prisoners of war in South-east Asia. The resulting INA force traveled as far as Kohima, now in Nagaland in northeast India, in 1944. Then, as the tide started to turn against the Axis forces, the INA was forced to retreat into the jungles of Burma.

Netaji was born on January 23, 1897 in Cuttack, Orissa, one of the 14 children of a successful lawyer, Janakinath Bose, and his wife, Prabhavati Devi. A graduate of Kolkata's Presidency College, he was subsequently sent by his father to England to prepare for entry into the prestigious Indian Civil Service.

Although he passed his ICS exam with flying colors, Netaji's heart was in politics. Strongly influenced by Gandhi, Chittaranjan Das and the teachings of Swami Vivekananda, he joined the Indian National Congress and was jailed 11 times by the British between 1920 and 1941.

Like many Indians of his generation the turning point in Netaji's political education was the Jallianwalla Bagh massacre of April 1919 when hundreds of unarmed Indian civilians were shot dead at point blank range on the orders of a British general.

Unlike Gandhi who formulated his peaceful non co-operation movement as the preferred strategy for evicting the British from India, Netaji was increasingly of the view that a more direct and militant approach was required before India could gain its freedom.

Convinced that his enemy's enemy was India's natural ally, he escaped from house arrest in 1941 and made his way to the Afghan capital of Kabul. From there, assisted by German diplomats he traveled under an assumed name, Signor Orlando Mazzitto, to Samarkand, Moscow and eventually Berlin.

British analysts have vilified his subsequent meetings with Hitler, Mussolini and the Japanese government as evidence of Netaji's so-called fascist leanings. Quite the opposite was true. A Left wing activist to the end of his days, he held no brief for Hitler and Mussolini's racist and fascist ideologies and viewed his relationship with them purely in the context of India's freedom struggle.

Although he failed to win Hitler's unqualified endorsement for a free and independent Indian state, Netaji secured the freedom of Indian prisoners of war in German custody. The story of how some Germans and Indians subsequently fought side by side in the India Legion against British forces on the Western front has remained one of the best kept secrets of the Second World War.

Netaji died in a plane crash on the island of Taiwan in August 1945. At the time US troops were only two days away from occupying Japan and Netaji, on his way from Saigon to Tokyo, was trying to make contact with remnants of the Imperial Japanese government. What remained of the INA had started to disintegrate after Germany's surrender in April 1945, followed soon after by Japan's. Netaji's death accelerated the process.

Anxious to reassert their control over India the British attempted to try Netaji's senior commanding officers for treason. But the trial of commanders like Shah Nawaz Khan, Gurbaksh Singh Dhillon and Prem Sehgal in Delhi's Red Fort soon collapsed and a general amnesty for all INA soldiers was declared.

In life as in death Netaji acquired a cult following among millions of Indians who saw him as an authentic hero and the only political leader with the necessary legitimacy to lead India following the departure of the British. For years after his death stories continued to circulate about how he had gone into hiding and was only biding his time before he reappeared to claim his rightful place as head of a free Indian state.

Critics have questioned his belief in a more authoritarian system of government for the sake of India's development, but even they concede that his views on workers and women's rights and population control were considered far ahead of their time and are still relevant today. How India would have developed with Netaji in charge remains one of the great 'What Ifs' of 20th century history and politics.

Anita Bose Pfaff, Netaji's only child, was born in Vienna, her mother's city, which her father visited in 1934 for medical treatment. During his stay Netaji asked an Indian friend to locate an English-speaking secretary to help him with a book he was planning to write.

The friend, who ran an English conversation course, introduced him to Emilie Schenkl in June 1934. Emilie was the daughter of a prominent veterinary surgeon. They soon fell in love and married in December 1937 in Bad Gastein. Anita, who was born in 1942, is married to Professor Martin Pfaff, formerly a Green Party member of the Bundestag, the German parliament. They have three children: Peter Arun, Thomas Krishna and Maya Carina.
Click here for the first part of the exclusive interview with Netaji's daughter

Image: Uday Kuckian

URL for this article:
http://www.rediff.com///news/2005/may/11inter.htm
© 2003 rediff.com India Limited. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

NETAJI SUBHASH CHANDRA BOSE

Netaji's daughter speaks!

May 11, 2005 | 15:35 IST

Shyam Benegal's film Bose - The Forgotten Hero releases on May 13, but already finds itself in the midst of controversy. The All-India Forward Bloc has protested against the depiction of events in Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's life, including his marriage and death. Other researchers say they will file a case against the film, because they insist that Bose did not marry, and had no children.

In an exclusive interview, first published in India Abroad, the newspaper owned by rediff.com, last year, Anita Bose Pfaff, Netaji's only child, spoke to Shyam Bhatia about her father's legacy.

Subhas Chandra Bose -- or 'Netaji' as he is known to millions of Indians -- was one of the most charismatic and dynamic leaders of India's independence movement, and the issue of how the country would have fared with him at the helm is one that tantalises historians to this day.

In truth by 1939 when Netaji was elected president of the Indian National Congress party for the second time, over the objections of M K Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru was being groomed as the Mahatma's chosen successor.

Had Netaji lived, his Forward Bloc party may have posed a continuing challenge to the Congress party under Nehru and after independence the two rivals would almost certainly have gone their ways.

At the very least with Netaji alive, India's experience of multi-party politics, in which the Congress party was the only dominant political force for the first 30 years after Independence, would have started much earlier.

In the pre-Independence era both Netaji and Nehru were identified with the Left wing of the Congress party, well to the Left of other respected freedom fighters as Chakravarti Rajagopalachari, Vallabhbhai Patel and Rajendra Prasad.

But where Netaji parted company with Nehru and Gandhi was his strongly held conviction, which he voiced from 1939 onwards, that armed resistance was a perfectly legitimate tactic for India to use in the struggle for its independence.

It was this belief -- the British would only yield to force -- that led him to seek help from the Axis powers during World War II. He met Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini and was befriended by their Japanese allies in the lead-up to the formation of the Provisional Government of Free India that was recognised by the Axis powers and their Southeast Asian allies on October 21, 1943.

During his stay in Berlin in 1943, Netaji founded the Free India Center and the Azad Hind Radio station. It was also in Berlin that the foundation was laid for what later became known as the Indian National Army or INA.

Indian prisoners of war captured in North Africa by Field Marshal Erwin Rommel's Afrika Korps were released into Netaji's custody and went on to form the India Legion that fought against Allied forces on the Western front.

The idea taken up by the Japanese high command led to the release of some 30,000 Indian prisoners of war in South-east Asia. The resulting INA force traveled as far as Kohima, now in Nagaland in northeast India, in 1944. Then, as the tide started to turn against the Axis forces, the INA was forced to retreat into the jungles of Burma.

Netaji was born on January 23, 1897 in Cuttack, Orissa, one of the 14 children of a successful lawyer, Janakinath Bose, and his wife, Prabhavati Devi. A graduate of Kolkata's Presidency College, he was subsequently sent by his father to England to prepare for entry into the prestigious Indian Civil Service.

Although he passed his ICS exam with flying colors, Netaji's heart was in politics. Strongly influenced by Gandhi, Chittaranjan Das and the teachings of Swami Vivekananda, he joined the Indian National Congress and was jailed 11 times by the British between 1920 and 1941.

Like many Indians of his generation the turning point in Netaji's political education was the Jallianwalla Bagh massacre of April 1919 when hundreds of unarmed Indian civilians were shot dead at point blank range on the orders of a British general.

Unlike Gandhi who formulated his peaceful non co-operation movement as the preferred strategy for evicting the British from India, Netaji was increasingly of the view that a more direct and militant approach was required before India could gain its freedom.

Convinced that his enemy's enemy was India's natural ally, he escaped from house arrest in 1941 and made his way to the Afghan capital of Kabul. From there, assisted by German diplomats he traveled under an assumed name, Signor Orlando Mazzitto, to Samarkand, Moscow and eventually Berlin.

British analysts have vilified his subsequent meetings with Hitler, Mussolini and the Japanese government as evidence of Netaji's so-called fascist leanings. Quite the opposite was true. A Left wing activist to the end of his days, he held no brief for Hitler and Mussolini's racist and fascist ideologies and viewed his relationship with them purely in the context of India's freedom struggle.

Although he failed to win Hitler's unqualified endorsement for a free and independent Indian state, Netaji secured the freedom of Indian prisoners of war in German custody. The story of how some Germans and Indians subsequently fought side by side in the India Legion against British forces on the Western front has remained one of the best kept secrets of the Second World War.

Netaji died in a plane crash on the island of Taiwan in August 1945. At the time US troops were only two days away from occupying Japan and Netaji, on his way from Saigon to Tokyo, was trying to make contact with remnants of the Imperial Japanese government. What remained of the INA had started to disintegrate after Germany's surrender in April 1945, followed soon after by Japan's. Netaji's death accelerated the process.

Anxious to reassert their control over India the British attempted to try Netaji's senior commanding officers for treason. But the trial of commanders like Shah Nawaz Khan, Gurbaksh Singh Dhillon and Prem Sehgal in Delhi's Red Fort soon collapsed and a general amnesty for all INA soldiers was declared.

In life as in death Netaji acquired a cult following among millions of Indians who saw him as an authentic hero and the only political leader with the necessary legitimacy to lead India following the departure of the British. For years after his death stories continued to circulate about how he had gone into hiding and was only biding his time before he reappeared to claim his rightful place as head of a free Indian state.

Critics have questioned his belief in a more authoritarian system of government for the sake of India's development, but even they concede that his views on workers and women's rights and population control were considered far ahead of their time and are still relevant today. How India would have developed with Netaji in charge remains one of the great 'What Ifs' of 20th century history and politics.

Anita Bose Pfaff, Netaji's only child, was born in Vienna, her mother's city, which her father visited in 1934 for medical treatment. During his stay Netaji asked an Indian friend to locate an English-speaking secretary to help him with a book he was planning to write.

The friend, who ran an English conversation course, introduced him to Emilie Schenkl in June 1934. Emilie was the daughter of a prominent veterinary surgeon. They soon fell in love and married in December 1937 in Bad Gastein. Anita, who was born in 1942, is married to Professor Martin Pfaff, formerly a Green Party member of the Bundestag, the German parliament. They have three children: Peter Arun, Thomas Krishna and Maya Carina.
Click here for the first part of the exclusive interview with Netaji's daughter

Image: Uday Kuckian

URL for this article:
http://www.rediff.com///news/2005/may/11inter.htm
© 2003 rediff.com India Limited. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Monday, October 30, 2006

SURGEONS PREFERENCES

The first surgeon, from New York, says, "I like to see accountants on my operating table, because when you open them up, everything inside is numbered."

The second, from Chicago, responds, "Yeah, but you should try electricians! Everything inside them is color coded."

The third surgeon, from Dallas, says, "No, I really think librarians are the best; everything inside them is in alphabetical order." ;

The fourth surgeon, from Los Angeles chimes in; "you know, I like construction workers, those guys always understand when you have a few parts left over."

But the fifth surgeon, from Washington, DC shut them all up when he observed: "You're all wrong. Politicians are the easiest to operate on. There's no guts, no heart, no balls, no brains and no spine, and the head and the ass are interchangeable. "

AN OLD STORY BUT QUITE ENCOURAGING AND RELEVANT

great note for all to read it will take just 37 seconds to read this and change your thinking.



Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room.

One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon

to help drain the fluid from his lungs. His bed was next to the

room's only window.

The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back.

The men talked for hours on end.

They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs,

their involvement in the military service, where they had been on

vacation.

Every afternoon when the man in the bed by the window could sit up,

he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things

he could see outside the window.

The man in the other bed began to live for those one-hour periods

where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity

and color of the world outside.

The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake.

Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model

boats.

Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every color and a

fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance.

As the man by the window described all this in exquisite detail, the

man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine

the picturesque scene.

One warm afternoon the man by the window described a parade passing

by.

Although the other man couldn't hear the band - he could see it. In

his mind's eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with

descriptive words. Days and weeks passed.

One morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths

only to find the lifeless body of the man by the window, who had

died peacefully in his sleep. She was saddened and called the

hospital attendants to take the body away.

As soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be

moved next to the window.

The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after making sure he was

comfortable, she left him alone.

Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his

first look at the real world outside.

He strained to slowly turn to look out the window beside the bed.

It faced a blank wall. The man asked the nurse what could have

compelled his deceased roommate who had described such wonderful

things outside this window.

The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not even see the

wall.

She said, "Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you."

Epilogue:

"There is tremendous happiness in making others happy, despite our own situations"

"Shared grief is half the sorrow, but happiness when shared, is doubled"

"If you want to feel rich, just count all the things you have that money can't buy"

"Today is a gift, that's why it is called the present."



SONA BHAMBHRA

CURRY SPICE TURMERIC HELP IN ARTHIRITIS

BBC NEWS
Curry spice 'help for arthritis'
Extract of a spice used in curry could help prevent rheumatoid arthritis and osteoporosis, US research suggests.

Turmeric has been used for centuries in Asian medicine to treat inflammatory disorders and its extract can be found in western dietary supplements.

Now lab work by University of Arizona researchers, in Arthritis & Rheumatism, shows just how the spice's curcuminoid extracts have a therapeutic effect.

Experts say new drugs may be found, but eating more spices is unlikely to work.

The researchers said clinical trials were needed before turmeric supplements could be recommended for medicinal use.

Turmeric extract

Earlier work by the University of Arizona team showed turmeric could prevent joint inflammation in rats.

In their latest study, they set out to find exactly what ingredient in turmeric was having the anti-inflammatory effect.

They prepared extracts from the rhizome, or root of the turmeric plant, and compared them against the commercially available products that contain turmeric extracts.

Results of tests in animal models of arthritis are not always reproduced in human rheumatoid arthritis.
Dr Ann Barton, Manchester University

A version of turmeric extract that was free of essential oils was found to most closely match the composition of the commercial supplements.

And it was this extract, containing curcumin, that was most effective at blocking the onset of rheumatoid arthritis in the rats.

The extract appears to work by preventing a protein that controls when genes are switched on or off from being activated in the joint.

Once the protein known as NF-KB is activated, it binds to genes and increases the production of inflammatory proteins, which attack the joints.

Dr Janet Funk and her colleagues believe their findings also suggest turmeric extract could treat other inflammatory disorders, including asthma, multiple sclerosis and inflammatory bowel disease.

The extract also blocked a pathway in the body linked to bone loss, suggesting it could treat osteoporosis as well.

Future work

Professor Robert Moots, professor of rheumatology at Liverpool University and spokesman for the Arthritis Research Campaign, said people with arthritis will have to wait to see if the study results in new treatments.

"It will come as no surprise if naturally occurring compounds have a drug-like effect," he said.

"I do not think there is any evidence that countries that eat a lot of turmeric have a lower frequency of rheumatoid arthritis. So simply eating more spices is not likely to be effective clinically.

"What is more likely is these results will lead to the targeted development of new compounds."

Dr Anne Barton, senior lecturer and honorary consultant rheumatologist at the University of Manchester said: "The findings are interesting but should be interpreted with some caution at this stage.

"Results of tests in animal models of arthritis are not always reproduced in human rheumatoid arthritis.

"As the authors point out though, there are a number of successful drug therapies that have been developed from plants."

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/health/6090460.stm

Published: 2006/10/30 05:03:33 GMT

© BBC MMVI

Sunday, October 29, 2006

SUPREME TRUTH

The supreme truth is established by total silence, not logical discussion and argument. He alone sees the truth who sees the universe without the intervention of the mind, and therefore without the notion of a universe.

-Maharamayana

MAN WHO CLAIMED TO BE SUBHASH BOSE DIES AT 125

The man who claimed to be Netaji dies
Guna : A man, believed to be nearly 125 years old, claimed he was Subhash Chandra Bose shortly before he died two days ago in a village near Guna in Madhya Pradesh. The police have launched a preliminary probe.

Baba Lalji Maharaj, who was living in Saiji village in Ashok Nagar district for the past 30 years, claimed before he died on October 27 that he was the iconic freedom fighter Netaji, ex-sarpanch G S Raghuvanshi said.

"We were returning from a hospital after getting him treated when he revealed his identity and asked us to keep it a secret till his final rites were performed," Raghuvanshi said.

Before coming to Saiji, the man had lived in neighbouring Chak Chiroli village for 20 years and nobody there was aware of his identity, he said.

On several occasions, people had asked the man who he was. "But Baba used to say that if he revealed it, the place will be flooded with people," Raghuvanshi said.

When asked about deep scars on his head and body, he would reply that he had sustained the injuries when he fell from a plane, he said.

Baba, who ran an ashram, always rubbished reports about Bose's death.

Soon after information about Baba's claim was received, police officers were sent to Saiji to verify facts, Ashok Nagar's superintendent of Police Anil Gupta said. If some concrete evidence is found, a further probe will be carried out, he said.

Baba, who occasionally made trips to undisclosed locations, probably in Delhi, was buried according to his wishes at a spot selected by him about a week ago, Raghuvanshi said.

As word about Baba's claim spread, people thronged Saiji as local police station in-charge, Kavindra Pal Singh Chouhan, reached the ashram to collect evidence about the issue.

"If the need arises, his body will be exhumed to confirm the claims," Chouhan told reporters.

Meanwhile, several books related to Buddhism, old train and bus tickets, old newspaper clippings about Bose and photographs were found at Baba's ashram, officials said.

Investigating officers believe the materials found in the ashram will give valuable clues about Baba's identity.

YOU, BUT NEVER WILL I...f

People live
People die
People Laugh
People Cry
Some give up
Some will try
Some say hi
Some say bye
Others may forget YOU
but
never will I

MERA BHARAT MAHAN IN 2050

From: "Lakhapati Daswani"
To: apbhatia@hotmail.com
Subject: INDIA AFTER 2050
Date: Sat, 28 Oct 2006 22:57:17 +0000

INDIA AFTER 2050
Date: Thu, 26 Oct 2006 03:29:41 -0700


This is something we all Indians would love to dream of......


Year : 2050

Place : Two Americans at IBM, USA.
Currency Conversion Rate: Rs.1 = $1000

Alex : Hi John, you didn't come yesterday to office?
John : Yeah, I was in Indian Embassy for stamping.
Alex: Oh really, what happened, I heard that
nowadays it has become very strict.
John : Yeah, but I managed to get it.

Alex : How long it took to get it stamped?
John : Oh, it was nasty man, long queue. That's why
it got delayed. I went there at 2 am itself and waited and returned by
4pm
...
Alex : Really? In India, it is a matter of an hour to get stamped for
USA.
John : Yeah, but that is because who in India will be interested in
coming
to USA man, their economy has been booming.

Alex : So, when are you leaving?
John : Anytime, after receiving my tickets from the client in India and
you
know, I will be getting a chance to fly Air- India. Sort of dream come
true.
Alex : How long are you going to stay in India?
John : What do you mean by how long? I will be settled in India,
my company has promised me that they will process my Hara Patta.

Alex : Really, lucky person man, it is very difficult to get a Hara
Patta in
India.
John : Yeah, that's why, I am planning to marry an Indian girl there.
Alex : But you can find lots of US girls in
Bangalore, Hyderabad and Mumbai.
John : But, I prefer Indian girls because they are
beautiful and cultured.

Alex : Where did you get the offer, Bangalore?
John : Yeah, salary is good there, but cost of living is quite high,
it is Rs. 1000/- for a single room accommodation.
Alex : I see, that's too much for US people, Rs. 1/ = $ 1000/-. Oh
God! What about in Hyderabad , Chennai & Mumbai?

John : No idea, but it is less than what we have in Bangalore .
It is like the world headquarters of Software.
Alex : I heard, almost all the Indians are having
one personal Robot for help.
John : You can get a BMW car for Rs. 5000/-, and a
personal Robot for less than Rs. 7500/-.
But my dream is to purchase Ambassador, which costs
Rs.200000/- but has got a sexy design.

Alex : By the way, who is your client?
John : A pure Indian origin company, specializing in
Embedded Software.
Alex : Oh, really, lucky to work in a pure Indian
origin company. They are really intelligent and
unlike American Bodyshoppers who have opened their
Fly-by-night outfits in India. Indian companies pay
you in full even when you are on bench.
My friend Paul Allen, it seems, used his bench time to
visit Bihar, the most liveable place in India,
probably world. There you have full freedom and no strictions.
You can do whatever you want! I wonder how
that state has perfected that system.

John : Yeah man, you are right. I hope our America
also follows their footsteps.
Alex : How are you going to cope with their
language?
John : Why not? >From my school days I have been
learning Hindi as my first language here
at New York.At the Consulate they
proficiency in tested my Hindi and were
quite impressed by my cent percent score in
TOHIL (Test of Hindi as International Language).

Alex : So, you are going to have fun there.
John : Yeah, I will be travelling in the world's
fastest train, world's largest theme park,
and the famous Bollywood where you can see actors like,
Vrithik(son of Hrithik), and all.
Esselworld is also near to Bollywood.

Alex : You know, the Indian PM is scheduled to visit
US next year, he may then relax the number of visas.
John : That's true. Last month, Narayanamurthy Jr.
visited White House and donated Rs. 2000/- for
infrastructure development at Silicon Valley and has
promised more if we follow the model of Silicon City of Bangalore.
Bill Gates also got a chance of meeting him. Very lucky person.

Alex : But, Indian government is planning to split
Narayanamurthy Jr.'s Infosys & Sons.
John : He is a hard worker man like his father, he
can build any number of Infosys like this.
Every minute he is getting Rs. 1000/-. It seems, if you keep all his
money converted as Rs. 100/- notes you can reach Pluto.

Alex : OK, Good Luck John.
John : Same to you Alex. And don't go to Consulate
in a Kurta Pyjama because
they will think you are too Indianised and may doubt
you will ever come back and hence your
Non-Immigrant Visa may get rejected.
But don't forget to say "Namaste, aap kaise hai" to the Visa.
It seems he likes that and will not give you a visa if
you don't greet him that way.

Mera Bharat Mahan

Siddharth Gautam

The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, not to worry about the future, not to anticipate troubles, but to live the present moment wisely and earnestly. Siddhartha Gautama (ca 566-

Saturday, October 28, 2006

three elements of escape

Monks, there are these three elements of escape. What three?

This escape from lusts which is renunciation; this escape from forms which is the formless existence; and this escape from whatsoever has become, is compounded, has arisen by the law of causation, which is making to cease. These are the three elements of escape.

-Itivuttaka

YOU HAVE NOTHING TO WIN OR LOSE

You are the endless sea
In whom all the worlds like waves
Naturally rise and fall.

You have nothing to win,
Nothing to lose.
Child,
You are pure awareness,
Nothing less.

You and the world are one.

So who are you to think
You can hold on to it,
Or let it go?

How could you!

-Ashtavakra Gita 15:

ARE THERE NO JEWS IN CHINA?

Chinese Jews

Sid and Al were sitting in a Chinese restaurant.

"Sid," asked Al, "Are there any Jews in China?"

"I don't know," Sid replied. "Why don't we ask the waiter?"When the waiter came by, Al said, "Are there any Chinese Jews?"

"I don't know sir, let me ask," the waiter replied and he went into the kitchen.

He quickly returned and said, "No, sir. No Chinese Jews."

"Are you sure?" Al asked.

"I will check again, sir." the waiter replied and went back to the kitchen.

While he was still gone, Sid said, "I cannot believe there are no Jews in China. Our people are scattered everywhere."

When the waiter returned he said, "Sir, no Chinese Jews."

"Are you really sure?" Al asked again. "I cannot believe there are no Chinese Jews."

"Sir, I ask everyone," the waiter replied exasperated. "We have orange jews, prune jews, tomato jews and grape jews, but no one ever hear of Chinese jews!"

ARE THERE NO JEWS IN CHINA?

Chinese Jews

Sid and Al were sitting in a Chinese restaurant.

"Sid," asked Al, "Are there any Jews in China?"

"I don't know," Sid replied. "Why don't we ask the waiter?"When the waiter came by, Al said, "Are there any Chinese Jews?"

"I don't know sir, let me ask," the waiter replied and he went into the kitchen.

He quickly returned and said, "No, sir. No Chinese Jews."

"Are you sure?" Al asked.

"I will check again, sir." the waiter replied and went back to the kitchen.

While he was still gone, Sid said, "I cannot believe there are no Jews in China. Our people are scattered everywhere."

When the waiter returned he said, "Sir, no Chinese Jews."

"Are you really sure?" Al asked again. "I cannot believe there are no Chinese Jews."

"Sir, I ask everyone," the waiter replied exasperated. "We have orange jews, prune jews, tomato jews and grape jews, but no one ever hear of Chinese jews!"

PROFESSOR WICHMAN

Authenticated by Snopes.com
>
> Professor Wichman's E-mail
>
> Claim: A Michigan professor sent an e-mail telling Muslim students
to
>leave the country.
>
>Status: True.
>
>Hooray for Michigan State University
>(The Spartans) and Professor Wichman!
>
>Well, what do we have here. Looks like a small case of some people
being
>able to dish it out, but not take it. Let's start at the top. The
story
>begins at Michigan State University with a mechanical engineering
professor
>named Indrek Wichman.
>
>Wichman sent an e-mail to the Muslim Student's Association. The
e-mail was
>in response to the students' protest of the Danish cartoons that
portrayed
>the Prophet Muhammad as a terrorist. The group had complained the
cartoons
>were "hate speech." Enter Professor Wichman. In his e-mail, he said
the
>following:
>
>Dear Moslem Association:
>
>As a professor of Mechanical Engineering here at MSU I intend to
protest
>your protest.
>
>I am offended not by cartoons, but by more mundane things like
beheadings
>of
>civilians, cowardly attacks on public buildings, suicide murders,
murders
>of
>Catholic priests (the latest in Turkey!), burnings of Christian
churches,
>the continued persecution of Coptic Christians in Egypt, the
imposition of
>Sharia law on non-Muslims, the rapes of Scandinavian girls and women
>(called
>"whores" in your culture), the murder of film directors in Holland,
and the
>rioting and looting in Paris France.
>
>This is what offends me, a soft-spoken person and academic, and many,
many,
>many of my colleagues. I counsel you dissatisfied, aggressive, brutal,
and
>uncivilized slave-trading Moslems to be very aware of this as you
proceed
>with your infantile "protests."
>
>If you do not like the values of the West -- see the 1st Amendment --
you
>are free to leave. I hope for God's sake that most of you choose that
>option. Please return to your ancestral homelands and build them up
>yourselves instead of troubling Americans.
>
>
>Cordially, I. S. Wichman
>
>Professor of Mechanical Engineering
>
>
>As you can imagine, the Muslim group at the university didn't like
this too
>well. They're demanding that Wichman be reprimanded and mandatory
>diversity
>training for faculty and a seminar on hate and discrimination for
freshman.
>Now the Michigan chapter of CAIR has jumped into the fray. CAIR, the
>Council
>on American-Islamic Relations, apparently doesn't believe that the
good
>professor had the right to express his oinion.
>
>For its part, the university is standing its ground. They say the
e-mail
>was
>private, and they don't intend to publicly condemn his remarks. That
will
>probably change. Wichman says he never intended the e-mail to be made
>public, and wouldn't have used the same strong language if he'd known
it
>was
>going to get out.
>
>How's the left going to handle this one? If you're in favor of the
freedom
>of speech, as in the case of Ward Churchill, will the same protections
be
>demanded for Indrek Wichman? I doubt it.
>
>
>Hey folks, send this to your friends, and ask them to do the same.
Tell
>them to keep passing it around until the whol country gets it. We are
in a
>war. This political correctness is getting old

LIFE OF INDIA

Religion and religion alone is the life of India, and when that goes, India will die, in spite of politics, in spite of social reforms, in spite of Kubera's wealth poured upon the head of every one of her children. Swami Vivekananda (1863-1902)

HINDI MEIN COMPUTER KI BHASHA

Last time when Bill gates was in India.
He announced that Microsoft plans to release a windows version in
Hindi.
Here are some Windows related terms that may be used in the Hindi
version of.

Khidkiyan 2007


Phaail = File
Bachao = Save
Aise Bachao = Save as
Subko Bachao = Save All
Mujhe Bachao = Help
Dhoondo = Find
Firse Dhoondo = Find Again
Hilao = Move
Daak = Mail
Daakiya = Mailer
Paas se dhekho = Zoom
Duur se dhekho = Zoom Out
Kholo = Open
Bandh Karo = Close
Naya = New
Khatara = Old
Badli Karo = Replace
Bhaago = Run
Chhaapo = Print
Dekh Ke Chhaapo = Print Preview
Kaapi = Copy
Kaato = Cut
Kato = Stupid Houseguest
Chipkao = Paste
Payshul Chipkao = Paste Special
Goli Maaro = Delete
Nazaara = View
Hathiyaar = Tools
Hathiyaar Khambha = Toolbar
Khuli Chaadar = Spreadsheet
Iska Bhi Naam Nahin Aata = Database
Futaas Ki Goli Kha = Exit
Ped = Tree
Thooso = Compress
Chooha = mouse
Tik-Tik Karo = Click
Idhar-se-Udhar. Udhar-se- Idhar = Scrollbar
Cheers !

LIFE IS TO KEEP LEARNING, THERE IS SO MUCH TO LEARN AND TO LIVE, SO LIVE LOUD

>George Carlin (Absolutely Brilliant)
>
>
>
>IF YOU DON'T READ THIS TO THE VERY END, YOU HAVE LOST A DAY IN YOUR
LIFE.
>AND WHEN YOU HAVE FINISHED, DO AS I AM DOING AND SEND IT ON.
>
>
>George Carlin's Views on Aging
>
>
>Do you realize that the only time in our lives when we like to get old
>is when we're kids? If you're less than 10 years old, you're so excited

>about aging that you think in fractions.
>
>
>
>"How old are you?" "I'm four and a half!" You're never thirty-six and a

>half. You're four and a half, going on five! That's the key.
>
>
>You get into your teens, now they can't hold you back. You jump to the
>next number, or even a few ahead.
>
>
>"How old are you?" "I'm gonna be 16!" You could be 13, but hey, you're
>gonna be 16! And then the greatest day of your life . . you become 21.
>Even the words sound like a ceremony . YOU BECOME 21. YESSSS!!!
>
>
>
>But then you turn 30. Oooohh, what happened there? Makes you sound like

>bad milk! He TURNED; we had to throw him out. There's no fun now,
>you're Just a sour-dumpling. What's wrong? What's changed?
>
>
>
>You BECOME 21, you TURN 30, then you're PUSHING 40. Whoa! Put on the
>brakes, it's all slipping away. Before you know it, you REACH 50
>
>and your dreams are gone.
>
>
>But wait!!! You MAKE it to 60. You didn't think you would!
>
>
>So you BECOME 21, TURN 30, PUSH 40, REACH 50 and MAKE it to 60.
>
>
>You've built up so much speed that you HIT 70! After that it's a
>day-by-day thing; you HIT Wednesday!
>
>
>
>You get into your 80s and every day is a complete cycle; you HIT lunch;

>you TURN 4:30; you REACH bedtime. And it doesn't end there. Into the
>90s, you start going backwards; "I Was JUST 92."
>
>
>Then a strange thing happens. If you make it over 100, you become a
>little kid again. "I'm 100 and a half!"
>
>May you all make it to a healthy 100 and a half!!
>
>
>HOW TO STAY YOUNG
>
>
>
>1. Throw out nonessential numbers. This includes age, weight and
height.
>Let
>the doctors worry about them. That is why you pay "them "
>
>
>
>2. Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches pull you down.
>
>
>3. Keep learning. Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening,
>whatever. Never let the brain idle. "An idle mind is the devil's
workshop."
>And the devil's name is Alzheimer's.
>
>
>
>4. Enjoy the simple things.
>
>
>5. Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath.
>
>
>6. The tears happen. Endure, grieve, and move on. The only person, who
>is with us our entire life, is ourselves. Be ALIVE while you are alive.
>
>
>7. Surround yourself with what you love, whether it's family,
>pets,keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies, whatever. Your home is your
refuge.
>
>
>
>8. Cherish your health: If it is good, preserve it. If it is unstable,
>improve it. If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.
>
>
>9 Don't take guilt trips. Take a trip to the mall, even to the next
>county; to a foreign country but NOT to where the guilt is.
>
>
>
>10. Tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity.
>
>
>
>AND ALWAYS REMEMBER:
>
>Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the
>moments that take our breath away.
>
>
>
>And if you don't send this to at least 8 people - who cares? But do
>share this with someone. We all need to live life to its fullest each
day!!
>
>
>

LIFE IS TO LEARN AND LIVE, SO LIVE

>George Carlin (Absolutely Brilliant)
>
>
>
>IF YOU DON'T READ THIS TO THE VERY END, YOU HAVE LOST A DAY IN YOUR
LIFE.
>AND WHEN YOU HAVE FINISHED, DO AS I AM DOING AND SEND IT ON.
>
>
>George Carlin's Views on Aging
>
>
>Do you realize that the only time in our lives when we like to get old
>is when we're kids? If you're less than 10 years old, you're so excited

>about aging that you think in fractions.
>
>
>
>"How old are you?" "I'm four and a half!" You're never thirty-six and a

>half. You're four and a half, going on five! That's the key.
>
>
>You get into your teens, now they can't hold you back. You jump to the
>next number, or even a few ahead.
>
>
>"How old are you?" "I'm gonna be 16!" You could be 13, but hey, you're
>gonna be 16! And then the greatest day of your life . . you become 21.
>Even the words sound like a ceremony . YOU BECOME 21. YESSSS!!!
>
>
>
>But then you turn 30. Oooohh, what happened there? Makes you sound like

>bad milk! He TURNED; we had to throw him out. There's no fun now,
>you're Just a sour-dumpling. What's wrong? What's changed?
>
>
>
>You BECOME 21, you TURN 30, then you're PUSHING 40. Whoa! Put on the
>brakes, it's all slipping away. Before you know it, you REACH 50
>
>and your dreams are gone.
>
>
>But wait!!! You MAKE it to 60. You didn't think you would!
>
>
>So you BECOME 21, TURN 30, PUSH 40, REACH 50 and MAKE it to 60.
>
>
>You've built up so much speed that you HIT 70! After that it's a
>day-by-day thing; you HIT Wednesday!
>
>
>
>You get into your 80s and every day is a complete cycle; you HIT lunch;

>you TURN 4:30; you REACH bedtime. And it doesn't end there. Into the
>90s, you start going backwards; "I Was JUST 92."
>
>
>Then a strange thing happens. If you make it over 100, you become a
>little kid again. "I'm 100 and a half!"
>
>May you all make it to a healthy 100 and a half!!
>
>
>HOW TO STAY YOUNG
>
>
>
>1. Throw out nonessential numbers. This includes age, weight and
height.
>Let
>the doctors worry about them. That is why you pay "them "
>
>
>
>2. Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches pull you down.
>
>
>3. Keep learning. Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening,
>whatever. Never let the brain idle. "An idle mind is the devil's
workshop."
>And the devil's name is Alzheimer's.
>
>
>
>4. Enjoy the simple things.
>
>
>5. Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath.
>
>
>6. The tears happen. Endure, grieve, and move on. The only person, who
>is with us our entire life, is ourselves. Be ALIVE while you are alive.
>
>
>7. Surround yourself with what you love, whether it's family,
>pets,keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies, whatever. Your home is your
refuge.
>
>
>
>8. Cherish your health: If it is good, preserve it. If it is unstable,
>improve it. If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.
>
>
>9 Don't take guilt trips. Take a trip to the mall, even to the next
>county; to a foreign country but NOT to where the guilt is.
>
>
>
>10. Tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity.
>
>
>
>AND ALWAYS REMEMBER:
>
>Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the
>moments that take our breath away.
>
>
>
>And if you don't send this to at least 8 people - who cares? But do
>share this with someone. We all need to live life to its fullest each
day!!
>
>
>

Friday, October 27, 2006

LITTLE KNOWN HEROES OF INDIA

3. Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh Video Available On-Line

video.google.com

NEW DELHI, INDIA, October 26, 2006: "Seva Disha" a video posted on Google video provides an excellent look at the RSS, its creation and fundamental purpose, leaders and their amazingly numerous social service projects. It showcases a number of their almost 70,000 service projects throughout India, the bulk of which are educational for children otherwise unable to attend school. Testimonials from individuals who are receiving their educational and health related services in addition to men and women who are leading service projects, help make this 50-minute video informative.

CORPORATE AMERICA AND BHAGWAT GITA

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/132248.cms
Corporate America swears by the Gita
-- Chidanand Rajghatta


WASHINGTON: Corporate America is embracing Indian
philosophy in a big way.

Suddenly, says Businessweek magazine in its latest
issue, phrases from ancient Hindu texts such as the
Bhagavad Gita are popping up in management tomes and
on Web sites of consultants. Top business schools have
introduced "self-mastery" classes that use Indian
methods to help managers boost their leadership skills
and find inner peace in lives dominated by work.

BW calls its "Karma Capitalism" -- a gentler, more
empathetic ethos that resonates in the
post-tech-bubble, post-Enron zeitgeist. And where it
used to be hip in management circles to quote from the
sixth century B.C. Chinese classic The Art of War, it
says, the trendy ancient Eastern text today is the
more introspective Bhagavad Gita .

In an episode recounted by BW , young executives from
corporate American gather in a suburban New Jersey
home to hear Swami Parthasarathy, one of India's
best-selling authors on Vedanta, speak about secrets
to business success – "concentration, consistency, and
cooperation."

The 80-year old Indian guru is on a whistlestop tour
of the US, counselling executives on the central
message of the Gita – to put purpose before self. He
has addressed meetings in b-schools such as Wharton
and in financial schools such as Lehmann Brothers,
advising fund managers and venture capitalists about
balancing the compulsion to amass wealth with the
desire for inner happiness.

In one incident, a young investment banker seeks
advice on dealing with nasty colleagues. Banish them
from your mind, he is told. "You are the architect of
your misfortune. You are the architect of your
fortune."

BW attributes the sudden interest in Indian philosophy
to the sizeable presence of Indian teachers in
American B-Schools. About 10% of teachers at places
such as Harvard Business School, Northwestern's
Kellogg School of Business, and the University of
Michigan's Ross School of Business are of Indian
descent -- a far higher percentage than other ethnic
groups.

Indians also head some half dozen business schools in
the US, including Kellogg.

More important, says BW , Indian-born strategists also
are helping transform corporations. Academics and
consultants such as C. K. Prahlad, Ram Charan, and
Vijay Govindrajan are among the world's hottest
business gurus, advising some of the top US companies.


Indian theorists, says the journal, have a wide range
of backgrounds and philosophies. But many of the most
influential acknowledge that common themes pervade
their work. One is the conviction that executives
should be motivated by a broader purpose than money.

"The best way to describe it is inclusive capitalism,"
C.K.Prahlad, who ranked third in a recent Times of
London poll about the world's most influential
business thinkers told the magazine. "It's the idea
that corporations can simultaneously create value and
social justice."

"The key point," adds Ram Charan, a coach to CEOs such
as General Electric Co.'s (GE ) Jeffrey R. Immelt, "is
to put purpose before self. This is absolutely
applicable to corporate leadership today."

BW says Indian business teachers such as Michigan's
Prahlad, Harvard's Rakesh Khurana, Tuck's Govindrajan,
and Kellogg's Jain, are linking some of their theories
or deriving them Hindu philosophy.

"Marketing has tended to use the language of
conquest," Kellogg's Mohanbir Sawhney, a Sikh who
discusses the relevance of the Bhagavad Gita to
business on his Web site, tells BW. Now the focus is
on using customer input to dream up new products,
Sawhney says, which "requires a symbiotic relationship
with those around us."

SO, HE SENT ME....

Subject: The Best I've Seen in Awhile
>
> A United States Marine was attending some college courses between
> assignments. He had completed missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. One of
> the courses had a professor who was an avowed atheist and a member of
> the ACLU.
> One day the professor shocked the class when he came in. He looked to
> the ceiling and flatly stated, "God, if you are real, then I want you to
> knock me off this platform. I'll give you exactly 15 minutes." The
> lecture room fell silent. You could hear a pin drop. Ten minutes wentby
> and the professor proclaimed, "Here I am God. I'm still waiting." It got
> down to the last couple of minutes when the Marine got out of his chair,
> went up to the professor, and cold-cocked him knocking him off the
> platform. The professor was out cold. The Marine went back to his seat
> and sat there, silently. The other students were shocked and stunned and
> sat there looking on in silence. The professor eventually came to,
> noticeably shaken, looked at the Marine and asked, "What the hell is the
> matter with you? Why did you do that?"
> The Marine calmly replied, "God was too busy today protecting America's
> soldiers who are protecting your right to say stupid shit and act like
> an asshole. ................So, He sent me."

STARS AND DREAMS

Reach high, for stars lie hidden in your soul. Dream deep, for every dream precedes the goal.

-Pamela Vault Starr

LIGHT CHALI GAYEE TO JO BAAT UNSE KAHNI THI UNKI MAMMY SE KAH GAYE

Dil ke arman aansuon me bah gaye
hum gali me the gali me rah gaye
light chali gaye
jo baat unse kehni thi wo unki
mummy se kah gaye.

zara zara kar ke uski yaadon ka mahal banate hai
zara zara kar ke uski yaadon ka mahal banate hai
illegal constructio keh ke L.D.A wale tod jathe hai.

Tuesday, October 24, 2006

FORMER GERMAN CHANCELLOR ON BUSH

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Home > News > Report

German leader slams 'God fearing' Bush

October 23, 2006 17:08 IST




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Tell us
• How will you celebrate Diwali?




Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder has come down heavily on US President George W Bush and the role of religion in the US.

In his 544 page memoir, Decisions, My Life in Politics , slated to be released Thursday, he says that Bush would constantly refer to his Christian beliefs, and "again and again in our private talks it became clear how God-fearing this President was and how ruled he was by what he saw as a Higher Power."

"The problem begins when political decisions seem to result from a conversation with God. If you legitimise political decisions in this way, then you cannot respond to criticism or suggestions by changing policies or introducing nuances, because doing that would be to betray God's orders received during prayer," says the former Chancellor, whose decision against sending troops to Iraq in 2002 won him a re-election but strained German ties with America.

"We rightly criticise that in most Islamic states there is no clear separation between religion and the rule of law," he said. "But we fail to recognise that, in the US, the Christian fundamentalists and their interpretation of the Bible have similar tendencies. If both sides claim to be in possession of the only valid truth, then there is no room for manoeuvre."

While asserting that he was not anti-American -- he recalls weeping when the US was attacked on September 11 2001 -- Schroeder, 62, told the German newspaper Bild am Sonntag in an interview that "it's a problem that isn't unique to Bush and the United States. When (a leader) takes political action directly from prayer, in other words from a dialogue with God, it can be problematic for a democracy."

He also took pot shots at his successor Angela Merkel, hinting that she lacked leadership qualities.

In another interview with Der Spiegel, he said that he was not contemplating a return to German politics. "I want to ease everyone's mind of that fear. For me there will be no return to politics."
Agencies

Monday, October 23, 2006

A man of over sixty

Youth means a temperamental predominance of courage over timidity; of the appetite for adventure over love of ease. This often exists in a man of sixty more than in a boy of twenty. Swami Bua, age 115

ANOTHER OUTSOURCING FOR INDIA

BBC contract 'saves £20m a year'
The BBC is outsourcing some of its accounting and financing services to India in a move that will save it £20m a year for the next decade.
The contract, which includes managing payroll and financial management, has been won by Xansa.

It will provide customer support services from the UK, but other roles from its Madras (Chennai) offices.

Savings will go towards the BBC's target of releasing £355m of savings to invest in programmes and services.

"The BBC is taking advantage of the significant savings of globalisation while maintaining the benefits of more local customer support," the corporation said.

The contract was previously held by another private organisation, Meda

Sunday, October 22, 2006

OPPORTUNITIES

Today's Quote

Opportunities are usually disguised as hard work, so most people don't recognize them.

-Ann Landers

Saturday, October 21, 2006

DIWALI KI SHUBH KAMNAYEIN

Phool ki shuruvat kali se hoti hai,
Zindagi ki shuruvat pyar se hoti hai,
Pyar ki shuruvat apno se hoti hai aur
apno ki shuruvat aapse hoti hai.
* Happy Diwali *

"Aaj se aap ke yahan...dhan. .. ki barsat ho,
Maa laxmi ka... vaas... ho, sankatto ka.... nash... ho
har dil par aapka... raj... ho, unnati ka sar par.taj... ho
ghar me shanti ka.... vaas... ho
* HAPPY DIWALI *

Deep Jalte jagmagate rahe, Hum aapko Aap hame yaad
aate rahe,
Jab tak zindagi hai, dua hai hamari 'Aap Chand ki
tarah Jagmagate rahe...' Happy Diwali

Ek Dua Mangte hai hum apne Bhagwan se...
Chahte hai Aapki Khushi Pure imaan se,
Sab Hasratein Puri Ho Aapki,
Aur Aap Muskaraye Dil-o-Jaan se!!
Happy Diwali and New Year that leads you on the road
of Success.


Gul ne gulshan se gulfam bheja hai,
sitaro ne gagan se salam bheja hai,
Mubarak ho apko ye "DIWALI"
Humne tahe dil se yeh paigam bheja hai.

Safalta Kadam Chumti rahe,
Khushi Aaspas ghumti rahe,
Yash Itna faile ki KASTURI Sharma Jaye,
Laxmi ki kripa itni ho ki BALAJI bhi dekhte rah jaye,
Happy Diwali

Diwali Parva hai Khushio ka,
Ujalo ka, Laxmi ka.... Is Diwali Aapki Jindagi khushio
se bhari ho,
Duniya ujalo se roshan ho, ghar par Maa Laxmi ka
Aagman ho...
Happy Diwali

Laxmi aayegi itni ki sab jagah Naam hoga,
Din raat vyapar bade itna adhik kaam hoga,
Ghar Pariwar samaj me banoge Sartaj, Yehi Kamna hai
hamari aap ke liye
Diwali ki Dhero Shubh Kamanaye...


With my
1 heart
2 eyes
7 liter blood
206 bones
4.5 million red cells
60 trillion D N A"S...
All wishing you a very very
HAPPY DIWALI!


1 days
24 hours
1440 mins..
86400 seconds...
are left.... I think i am the first person to
wish U HAPPY DIWALI…..

Dali ne dali par nazar dali, kisi ne is par dali, kisi
ne uspar dali, hum ne jis par nazar dali, uske baap ne
uski shaadi kahin aur kar dali. Anyway wish u Happy
Diwali..

Happy Diwali to you and your family. Celebrate with
crackers and diyas... fly kites! Get drunk.. Just like
I am right now... Happy Holi…. Sorry….Diwali once
again.

Tumhari Diwali ho number one, aur tum karo whole lotta
fun! wishing you a happy & dhamakedaar diwali…

Apun wishing u a wonderful,
super-duper, zabardast, xtra-badhiya, xtra special
ekdum mast n dhinchak, bole to ekdum Jhakaas "HAPPY DiWALi

Kul Bhushan Garg
Santosh Garg
Ankur, Anisha, and Anmol



Kul Bhushan Garg
SDTCC Sevak
"Believes in the Temple's progress and does not care who makes it happen"

Tel. (Home) 253-262-1621
(Cell) 253-677-2323

Friday, October 20, 2006

ARE YOU GOD?

The brahman Dona saw the Buddha sitting under a tree and was impressed by his peaceful air of alertness and his good looks. He asked the Buddha:
"Are you a god?"
"No, brahman, I am not a god."
"Then an angel?"
"No, indeed, brahman."
"A spirit, then?"
"No, I am not a spirit."
"Then what are you?"
"I am awake."

-Anguttara Nikaya

IRISH or RAMAYANI

John F. Kennedy loved a little proverb he thought was Irish, but actually came from the Indian epic Ramayana: There are three things which are real--God, human folly and laughter. The first two are beyond our comprehension, so we must do what we can with the third.

SATA AND NASA

Santa joined NASA.

After one month the Americans had to change the name from


NASA to SATYANASA

NASHA HAR GAM...

Santa asks: Who r u?

Wife: How dare u forget ur wife?

Santa: Nasha har gam ko bhula deta hai

KAB AAOON LENE

Bhagwan se Pani manga to sagar diya,
Phool manga to bageecha diya,
Ghar manga to mahal diya,
Paisa manga to aap ka number diya....

KAB AAUN LENE

DILWADA TEMPLES AT MOUNT ABOU, RAJASTHAN

Posted By : SHER SINGH AGRAWAL on Oct 19, 2006 *
Comments :
Hon'ble PMJI,
Greetings from USA. Sir, I wish to write to you about the DILWADA JAIN TEMPLES IN MOUNT ABU, Rajasthan. We recently visited them during our visit to India.

We are amazed at the beauty and splendour of the sculptors of the five temples; however, unfortunately the artwork in marble and the temples are in a state of decay and irreversible loss will incur if urgent action is not taken to restore them.

In this connection, I wrote the following letter to the UNESCO Directo General. I am wondering if your government, the Archeological Department can also approach UNESCO to allocate funds for its renovation as a small trust with limited resources is looking after it.
Please do allocate funds for its renovation. Thank you.
Mr. Koichiro Matsuura,
Director General of UNESCO.

Hon'ble Sir,

I send you my greetings from Seattle, USA. I trust you had a successful visit to Washington D.C. and I send you my best wishes for the good work you, your staff and UNSCO are doing.

I wish to draw your attention to the DELWADE JAIN TEMPLES in Mount Abu which we recently visited and we are amazed that such a beautiful structure, and artistic work in marble existed on our earth. Some of you may have visited these five temples in the complex and the art work in marble which is perhaps the first wonder of mankind and is a great heritage for all of us.

It is no longer a religious place as such but monuments, constructed in the year 1000 or so over a period of two hundred years by same family members at a stupendous cost. The temples are managed by a small trust who have limited resources therefore the whole complex and the temples and art works are in a bad condition and are likely to be damaged beyond reversal if not taken care of with great urgency.

I would urge you kindly to look into this matter, perhaps send some of your staff for a visit (which in itself would a good investment and an eye opener) and to make an allocation for restoring the art work and keeping them in good repair. Some people think that these temples and the art work in marble surpasses even the beauty of our most famous monment - beautiful Taj Mahal even.

I would be grateful for your urgent attention and feed back.

Thank you, Sir,

I remain,

Yours truly,

SHER SINGH AGRAWAL
9647 NE 25th street,
CLYDE HILL, WA 98004
Tel: 425 688 1155
Mr. Koichiro Matsuura,
Director General of UNESCO.

UNESCO made a very huge contribution for relocating statues of Ramses etc. at ABU SIMBEL temples in Egypt in the past. I wonder if UNESCO has made such allocations for saving/renovating Indian monuments. I would urge your government to approach UNESCO and also make its own contribution for the purpose.

Thank you, Sir,

I remain,

Yours truly,

SHER SINGH AGRAWAL
Seattle/USA

BEAUTIFUL HEART

Beautiful Heart

One day a young man was standing in the middle of the town
proclaiming that he had the most beautiful heart in the whole valley.
A large crowd gathered and they all admired his heart for it was perfect.
There was not a mark or a flaw in it.
Yes, they all agreed it truly was the most beautiful heart they had ever seen.
The young man was very proud and boasted more loudly about his beautiful heart.
Suddenly, an old man appeared at the front of the crowd and said,
"Why your heart is not nearly as beautiful as mine."
The crowd and the young man looked at the old man's heart.
It was beating strongly ... but it was full of scars ...
it had places where pieces had been removed and other pieces put in ...
but they didn't fit quite right and there were several jagged edges.
In fact ... in some places there were deep gouges where whole pieces were missing.
The people stared ... how can he say his heart is more beautiful ... they thought?
The young man looked at the old man's heart ... and saw its state and laughed.
"You must be joking," he said. "Compare your heart with mine ...
mine is perfect and yours is a mess of scars and tears."
"Yes" ... said the old man ... "yours is perfect looking but ...
I would never trade with you.
You see ... every scar represents a person to whom I have given my love ...
I tear out a piece of my heart and give it to them ...
and often they give me a piece of their heart
which fits into the empty place in my heart ...
but because the pieces aren't exact ...
I have some rough edges ... which I cherish ...
because they remind me of the love we shared.
Sometimes I have given pieces of my heart away ...
and the other person hasn't returned a piece of his heart to me.
These are the empty gouges ... giving love is taking a chance.
Although these gouges are painful ...
they stay open ... reminding me of the love I have for these people too ...
and I hope someday they may return and fill the space I have waiting.
So now do you see what true beauty is?"
The young man stood silently with tears running down his cheeks.
He walked up to the old man ... reached into his perfect young and beautiful heart ...
and ripped a piece out.
He offered it to the old man with trembling hands.
The old man took his offering ... placed it in his heart ...
and then took a piece from his old scarred heart ...
and placed it in the wound in the young man's heart.
It fit ... but not perfectly ... as there were some jagged edges.
The young man looked at his heart ...
not perfect anymore but more beautiful than ever ...
since love from the old man's heart flowed into his.
They embraced and walked away side by side.
-Author Unknown-


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sunday, October 15, 2006

EINSTEIN AND SHIMLA PROFESSOR

Shimla teacher finds 'inconsistencies' in E=mc2

Sunday, 15 October , 2006, 18:10

Shimla: A Shimla-based science teacher has pointed out ''inconsistencies'' in the Einstein's Law of Conservation of Matter equation E = mc2, while putting forth a ''new improved equation'.'

Ajay Sharma, a teacher in a local government high secondary school, has derived a new equation dE = Ac2dm (DE = Ac2DM) instead of E = mc2, which, he says, Einstein did not ''derive mathematically'' but, in a true sense, ''speculated''.

Earlier, Einstein derived L = mc2 (light energy mass conversion equation) and then ''speculated'' that what is true for light energy (L) would also be true for energy (E), which is wrong, he says.

Sharma said the E=mc2 is the result of a ''speculation, instead of any research, adding that a specific mathematical derivation should not be based on speculation, but arrived at after hard research''.

The derivation L = Dmc2 is ''incomplete or true in special conditions only'', he says. ''Einstein just handpicked values of parameters out of numerous possible, to obtain the equation. If all valid values of parameters are taken, then results are contradictory experimentally.''

He says basically what Einstein did was replaced L by E in equation L = Dmc2 to get E= Dmc2.

In physics, there are well-established methods to get equations. ''Such deductions are not scientific, and probably is the first and last case of its kind in the history of science.''

Sharma said since Einstein was aware of the reality, he left it in midway after getting the desired result. ''If all valid values of parameters are taken, then results are contradictory in nature.''

He says the equation, E = mc2, had existed even before Einstein and had been published in a science journal by Olinto de Pretto in February 1904, two years before he propagated it in late 1905.

However, Pretto, died in 1921, before its experimental confirmation in nuclear physics, he says.

Asserting that his dE =Ac2dm (DE = Ac2 DM) equation was based upon a conceptual and mathematical derivation, he says Einstein's E=mc2 equation is ''purely speculative''.

While dE =Ac2dm (DE = Ac2 DM) is a general equation and E=mc2 is its special case. Energy emitted by new equation can be ''less, equal to or more than predicted'' by E=mc2, he says.

Sharma says has received international recognition now with his research papers being published in international journals and read in conferences in America, England and Canada.

''I have got invitations from at least 50 international conferences to present my work,'' he says. He is also confident that his work will soon be taught in schools and colleges all over the world after getting scientific approval.

''My work has been published in a book, which is being published in the United States of America (USA) and is titled 100 years of E =mc2,'' Sharma added.


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PRAYER

Today's Quote

Pray for a good harvest, but keep on plowing.

-Nancy Otto

HAPPINESS

There is no fire like greed and no crime like hatred. There is no sorrow like being bound to this world; there is no happiness like freedom.

-Dhammapada

HINDU WISDOM

The great teacher Prajapati said: "The Self
is pure, free from decay and death, free from
hunger and thirst, and free from sorrow. The
Self desires nothing that is not good, wills
nothing that is not good. Seek and realize the
Self! Those who seek and realize the Self
fulfill all their desires and attain the goal
supreme."

-Chandogya Upanishad

Friday, October 13, 2006

FIRST AID PROCEDURE ON YOURSELF UPON HEART ATTACK WHEN ALONE

HEART ATTACK PROCEDURE": (THIS IS NOT A JOKE!)
Women should know that not every heart attack symptom is going to
be the left arm hurting. Be aware of intense pain in the jaw line.
You may never have the first chest pain during the course of a heart
attack.
Nausea and intense sweating are also common symptoms.
60% of people who have a heart attack while they are asleep do not wake
up.
Pain in the jaw can wake you from a sound sleep.
Let's be careful and be aware.
The more we know, the better chance we could survive...
A cardiologist says if everyone who gets this mail sends it to 10
people, you can be sure that we'll save at least one life. Read
this... It could save your life!!

Let's say it's 6.15 pm and you're driving home .
Suddenly you start experiencing severe pain in your chest that
starts
to radiate out into your arm and up into your jaw. You are only
about
five miles from the hospital nearest your home. Unfortunately you
don't know if you'll be able to make it that far. You have been
trained in CPR, but the guy that taught the course did not tell you
how to perform it on yourself.

"HOW TO SURVIVE A HEART ATTACK WHEN ALONE":
Since many people are alone when they suffer a heart attack, without
help, the person whose heart is beating improperly and who begins to
feel faint,
has only about 10 seconds left before losing consciousness. However,
these victims can help themselves by coughing repeatedly and very
vigorously. A deep breath should be taken before each cough, deep
and prolonged, as when producing sputum from deep inside the chest.
A breath and a cough must be repeated about every two seconds
without let-up until help arrives, or until the heart is felt to be beating
normally again. Deep breaths get oxygen into the lungs and coughing
movements squeeze the heart and keep the blood circulating The
squeezing pressure on the heart also helps it regain normal rhythm.
In this way, heart attack victims can get to a hospital.
Romesh & Toshi Deora
P.O. Box 5990

14.10.06

SWAMI PARAMHANSA YOGANANDJI SAYETH

During every little period of leisure, plunge your mind into the infinite
thought of Him. Talk to Him intimately; He is the nearest of the near, the
dearest of the dear. Love Him as a miser loves money, as an ardent man
loves his sweetheart, as a drowning person loves breath. When you yearn for
God with intensity, He will come to you.

Thursday, October 12, 2006

LIBYA TO PROVIDE ALL pupils WITH LAPTOPS

Libyan pupils 'to have laptops'

The government of Libya is reported to have agreed to provide its 1.2m school children with a cheap durable laptop computer by June 2008.
The laptops offer internet access and are powered by a wind-up crank. They cost $100 and manufacturing begins next year, says One Laptop per Child.

The non-profit association's chairman, Nicholas Negroponte, said the deal was reached on Tuesday in Libya.

But Libyan officials or media have not commented on the reported deal.

Professor Negropointe told the New York Times in an email that the project mirrored Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi's political agenda of creating a more open Libya and he also expressed interest in purchasing the computers for poorer African neighbours.

The foldable lime green laptop made its debut a year ago at the World Summit on the Information Society.

It can be used as a conventional computer, or an electronic book. The computers will be covered in rubber to make them extra-tough, and have a power cable that also acts as a carrying strap.

"The idea is that it fulfils many roles. It is the whole theory that learning is seamless," said Professor Negroponte, who set up the non-profit One Laptop Per Child group to sell the laptops to developing nation governments.

They say they already have tentative purchase agreements with four other developing nations.

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/world/africa/6040536.stm

Published: 2006/10/11 16:08:06 GMT

© BBC MMVI

NIRVANA

The experience of nirvana is beyond the scope of human concepts, including our reified ideas of existence and nonexistence.

-B. Alan Wallace, "Tibetan Buddhism From the Ground Up"

COMPLETE FAITH, DEVOTION TO BHAGWAN KRISHNA

When a person is devoted to something with complete faith, I unify his faith in that. Then, when his faith is completely unified, he gains the object of his devotion. In this way, every desire is fulfilled by me. Those whose understanding is small attain only transient satisfaction: those who worship the gods go to the gods. But my devotees come to me.

-Bhagavad Gita 7: 21-23
Excerpted from The Bhagavad

Tuesday, October 10, 2006

YOU WANT ADVICE?

Today's Quote

If Columbus had an advisory committee he would probably still be at the dock.

-Justice Arthur Goldberg

11 OCT 06

CHINESE PROVERB

Today's Quote

The fire of anger only burns the angry.

-Chinese PrOVERB


11 OCT 06

SWAMI PARAMHANS YOGANANDJI SAYS...

What you expect others to be, you be first. Practice these suggestions. Take one quality at a time and work at developing it. From today, for instance, practice peace. Then take cheerfulness; try to smile even when you are unhappy. Then work at cultivating courage and fearlessness. Some persons are terrified of the dark. If you are one of these, practice going into a dark room until you overcome this fear. Develop the consciousness that God is with you.

Sunday, October 08, 2006

USE OF LIFE

Today's Quote

The greatest use of life is to spend it for something that will outlast it.

-William James

THE ETERNAL EXCUSE

Not tonight, Adam

After a few days, the Lord called to Adam and said, "It is time for you and Eve to begin the process of populating the earth, so I want you to kiss her."

Adam answered, "Yes, Lord, but what is a 'kiss'?"

The Lord gave a brief description to Adam, who then took Eve by the hand and led her to a nearby bush.

A few minutes later, Adam emerged and said, "Thank you, Lord. That was enjoyable."

And the Lord replied, "Yes, Adam, I thought you might enjoy that. Now I'd like you to caress Eve."

And Adam said, "What is 'caress'?"

So the Lord again gave Adam a brief description and Adam went behind the bush with Eve.

Quite a few minutes later, Adam returned, smiling, and said, "Lord, that was even better than the kiss!"

And the Lord said, "You've done well, Adam. Now I want you to make love to Eve."

And Adam asked, "What is 'make love' Lord?"

So the Lord again gave Adam directions and Adam went again to Eve behind the bush, but this time he reappeared in two seconds.

And Adam said, "Lord, what is a 'headache'?"

STRONGEST BOND

That's not a strong bond
--so say the enlightened--
the one made of iron, of wood, or of grass.
To be smitten, enthralled,
with jewels & ornaments,
longing for children & wives:
that's the strong bond,
--so say the enlightened--
one that's constraining,
elastic,
hard to untie.
But having cut it, they
--the enlightened--go forth,
free of longing, abandoning
sensual ease.

-Dhammapada, 24, translated by Thainssaro Bhikkhu.

Oct. 9 06

Saturday, October 07, 2006

GET EVEN

Today's Quote

The only people to get even with are those who have helped you.

-Anonymous

Oct 7 06

Thursday, October 05, 2006

DAILY BUDDHIST WISDOM

Monk,
don't
on account of
your precepts & practices,
great erudition,
concentration attainments,
secluded dwelling,
or the thought, 'I touch
the renunciate ease
that run-of-the-mill people
don't know':
ever let yourself get complacent
when the ending of effluents
is still unattained.

-Dhammapada, 19, translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu.

PARAMHANS YOGANANDJI said

If you live in the joy of God, you will not know what death is. You do not get to that state when you pray mechanically. Become completely absorbed in your prayer, with faith that God is listening. If you thus fervently, lovingly pray to God, He will come to you anytime.



—Paramahansa Yogananda, “The Infinite Nature of God,” from Man’s Eternal Quest.


Oct6 06

ANANDMAYI MAA OCT 6 06

The intense desire for God-realization is itself the way to it.

INTERESTING TID BITS - OCT 6 6

> Subject: Interesting Tid Bits
>
> In the 1400's a law was set forth in England that a man was allowed to beat
>
> his wife with a stick no thicker than his thumb. Hence we have "the rule of
>
> thumb"
>
>
> -------------------------------------------
>
> Many years ago in Scotland , a new game was invented. It was ruled
>
> "Gentlemen Only...Ladies Forbidden"...and thus the word GOLF entered
>
> into the English language.
>
>
> -------------------------------------------
>
> The first couple to be shown in bed together on prime time TV were:
>
> Fred and Wilma Flintstone.
>
>
> -------------------------------------------
>
> Every day more money is printed for Monopoly than the U.S. Treasury.
>
>
> -------------------------------------------
>
> Men can read smaller print than women can; women can hear better.
>
>
> -------------------------------------------
>
> Coca-Cola was originally green.
>
>
> -------------------------------------------
>
> It is impossible to lick your elbow.
>
>
> -------------------------------------------
>
> The State with the highest percentage of people who walk to work:
>
> Alaska
>
>
> -------------------------------------------
>
> The percentage of Africa that is wilderness: 28% (now get this...)
>
>
> -------------------------------------------
>
> The percentage of North America that is wilderness: 38%
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
>
> The cost of raising a medium-size dog to the age of eleven: $6,400
>
>
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
>
> The average number of people airborne over the U.S. in any given
> hour: 61,000
>
>
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
>
> Intelligent people have more zinc and copper in their hair.
>
>
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
>
> The first novel ever written on a typewriter: Tom Sawyer.
>
>
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
>
> The San Francisco Cable cars are the only mobile National Monuments
>
> .
>
>
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
>
> Each king in a deck of playing cards represents a great king from
> history:
>
> Spades - King David
>
> Hearts - Charlemagne
>
> Clubs -Alexander, the Great
>
> Diamonds - Julius Caesar
>
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> 111,111,111 x 111,111,111 = 12,345,678,987,654,321
>
>
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
>
> If a statue in the park of a person on a horse has both front legs in
> the air, the person died in battle.
>
> If the horse has one front leg in the air the person died as a result of
> wounds received in battle.
>
> If the horse has all four legs on the ground, the person died of natural
> causes.
>
>
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Only two people signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4th,
> John Hancock and Charles Thomson. Most of the rest signed on August 2, but
> the last signature wasn't added until 5 years later.
>
>
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
>
> Q. Half of all Americans live within 50 miles of what?
>
> A. Their birthplace
>
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
>
> Q. Most boat owners name their boats. What is the most popular boat name
> requested?
>
> A. Obsession
>
>
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
>
> Q. If you were to spell out numbers, how far would you have to go until you
> would find the letter "A"?
>
> A. One thousand
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
>
> Q. What do bulletproof vests, fire escapes, windshield wipers, and laser
> printers all have in common?
>
> A. All were invented by women.
>
>
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
>
> Q. What is the only food that doesn't spoil?
>
> A. Honey
>
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
>
> Q. Which day are there more collect calls than any other day of the
> year?
>
> A. Father's Day
>
>
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
>
> In Shakespeare's time, mattresses were secured on bed frames by
>
> ropes. When you pulled on the ropes the mattress t ightened, making
>
> the bed firmer to sleep on. Hence the phrase......... "goodnight,
>
> sleep tight."
>
>
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
>
> It was the accepted practice in Babylon 4,000 years ago that for a
>
> month after the wedding, the bride's father would supply his
>
> son-in-law with all the mead he could drink. Mead is a honey beer
>
> and because their calendar was lunar based, this period was called
>
> &nb sp; the honey month, which we know today as the honeymoon.
>
>
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
>
> In English pubs, ale is ordered by pints and quarts... So in old
>
> England , when customers got unruly, the bartender would yell at
>
> them "Mind your pints and quarts, and settle down."
>
> It's where we get the phrase "mind your P's and Q's"
>
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
>
> Many years ago in England , pub frequenters had a whistle baked into
>
> the rim, or handle, of their ceramic cups. When they needed a
>
> refill, they used the whistle to get some service. "Wet your
>
> whistle" is the phrase inspired by this practice.
>
>
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
>
> ~~~~~~~~~~~AND FINALLY~~~~~~~~~~~~
>
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
> At least 75% of people who read this will try to lick their elbow!
>
> -------------------------------------
> ------------------------------------
>
>
> Don't delete this just because it looks weird. Believe it or not, you
> can read it.
>
> I cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was
> rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid Aoccdrnig to rscheearch at
> Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod
> are, the olny iprmoatnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer be in the
> rghit pcale. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit
> a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by
> istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Amzanig huh?
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Monday, October 02, 2006

FORGET THE PAST, LIVE THE PRESENT/FUTURE

Carrot, Egg , and Coffee ...You will never look at a cup of coffee the same way.

A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved, a new one arose.

Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to boil. In the first she placed
carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil, without saying a word.

In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl.

Turning to her daughter, she
asked, "Tell me what you see."

"Carrots, eggs, and coffee," she replied.

Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. The mother then asked the daughter to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard boiled egg. Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich
aroma.

The daughter then asked, "What does it mean, mother?"

Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity -- boiling water. Each reacted differently.

The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak.

The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened.

The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water, they had
changed the water.

"Which are you?" she asked her daughter. "When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?"

Think of this: Which am I? Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength?

Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a
financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and hardened heart?

Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and chang e the situation around you.

When the hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest, do you
elevate
yourself to another level? How do you handle adversity? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?

May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human and enough hope to make you happy.

The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way. The brightest future will always be based
on a forgotten past; you can't go forward in life until you let go of your past failures and heartaches.

When you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was smiling.
Live your life so at the end, you're the one who is smiling and everyone around you is crying.

You might want to send this message to those people who mean something to you (I JUST DID); to those who have touched your life in one way or another; to those who make you smile when you really need it; to those who make you see t he brighter side of things when you are really down; to those whose friendships you appreciate; to those who are so meaningful in your life. If you don't send it, you will just miss out on the opportunity to brighten someone's day with this message!

It's easier to build a child than repair an adult.
This is so true -- may we all be COFFEE

BUDDHIST WISDOM

If he recites next to nothing
but follows the Dhamma
in line with the Dhamma;
abandoning passion,
aversion, delusion;
alert,
his mind well-released,
not clinging
either here or hereafter:
he has his share in the contemplative life.

-Dhammapada, 20, translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu

Oct 3 06

RESOLVE TO SIN TO MORE

Repentance means that the sinner forsake his sins, cast them out of his mind, and resolve in his heart to sin no more.

- Maimonides, "Yad: Teshuba," 1180


Oct 3 06