Anything and Everything

Cancer Update from Johns Hopkins

2010-07-15T11:29:00.000-07:00

Cancer Update from Johns Hopkins :

1. Every person has cancer cells in the body. These cancer cells do not show up in the standard tests until they have multiplied to a few billion. When doctors tell cancer patients that there are no more cancer cells in their bodies after treatment, it just means the tests are unable to detect the cancer cells because they have not reached the detectable size.

2. Cancer cells occur between 6 to more than 10 times in a person's lifetime.

3 When the person's immune system is strong the cancer cells will be destroyed and prevented from multiplying and forming tumors.

4. When a person has cancer it indicates the person has multiple nutritional deficiencies. These could be due to genetic, environmental, food and lifestyle factors.

5. To overcome the multiple nutritional deficiencies, changing diet and including supplements will strengthen the immune system.

6. Chemotherapy involves poisoning the rapidly-growing cancer cells and also destroys rapidly-growing healthy cells in the bone marrow, gastrointestinal tract etc, and can cause organ damage, like liver, kidneys, heart, lungs etc.

7. Radiation while destroying cancer cells also burns, scars and damages healthy cells, tissues and organs.

8. Initial treatment with chemotherapy and radiation will often reduce tumor size. However prolonged use of chemotherapy and radiation do not result in more tumor destruction.

9. When the body has too much toxic burden from chemotherapy and radiation the immune system is either compromised or destroyed, hence the person can succumb to various kinds of infections and complications.

10. Chemotherapy and radiation can cause cancer cells to mutate and become resistant and difficult to destroy. Surgery can also cause cancer cells to spread to other sites.

11. An effective way to battle cancer is to starve the cancer cells by not feeding it with the foods it needs to multiply.

CANCER CELLS FEED ON:

a. Sugar is a cancer-feeder. By cutting off sugar it cuts off one important food supply to the cancer cells. Sugar substitutes like NutraSweet, Equal, Spoonful, etc are made with Aspartame and it is harmful. A better natural substitute would be Manuka honey or molasses but only in very small amounts.. Table salt has a chemical added to make it white in color. Better alternative is Bragg's aminos or sea salt.

b. Milk causes the body to produce mucus, especially in the gastro-intestinal tract.. Cancer feeds on mucus. By cutting off milk and substituting with unsweetened soy milk cancer cells are being starved.

c. Cancer cells thrive in an acid environment. A meat-based diet is acidic and it is best to eat fish, and a little chicken rather than beef or pork. Meat also contains livestock antibiotics, growth hormones and parasites, which are all harmful, especially to people with cancer.

d. A diet made of 80% fresh vegetables and juice, whole grains, seeds, nuts and a little fruits help put the body into an alkaline environment. About 20% can be from cooked food including beans. Fresh vegetable juices provide live enzymes that are easily absorbed and reach down to cellular levels within 15 minutes to nourish and enhance growth of healthy cells. To obtain live enzymes for building healthy cells try and drink fresh vegetable juice (most vegetables including bean sprouts) and eat some raw vegetables 2 or 3 times a day. Enzymes are destroyed at temperatures of 104 degrees F (40 degrees C).

e. Avoid coffee, tea, and chocolate, which have high caffeine. Green tea is a better alternative and has cancer fighting properties. Water-best to drink purified water, or filtered, to avoid known toxins and heavy metals in tap water. Distilled water is acidic, avoid it.

12. Meat protein is difficult to digest and requires a lot of digestive enzymes. Undigested meat remaining in the intestines becomes putrefied and leads to more toxic buildup.

13. Cancer cell walls have a tough protein covering. By refraining from or eating less meat it frees more enzymes to attack the protein walls of cancer cells and allows the body's killer cells to destroy the cancer cells.

14.. Some supplements build up the immune system (IP6, Flor-ssence, Essiac, anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals, EFAs etc.) to enable the bodies own killer cells to destroy cancer cells. Other supplements like vitamin E are known to cause apoptosis, or programmed cell death, the body's normal method of disposing of damaged, unwanted, or unneeded cells.

15. Cancer is a disease of the mind, body, and spirit. A proactive and positive spirit will help the cancer warrior be a survivor. Anger, un-forgiveness and bitterness put the body into a stressful and acidic environment. Learn to have a loving and forgiving spirit. Learn to relax and enjoy life.

16. Cancer cells cannot thrive in an oxygenated environment. Exercising daily, and deep breathing help to get more oxygen down to the cellular level. Oxygen therapy is another means employed to destroy cancer cells.

1. No plastic containers in micro.

2. No water bottles in freezer.

3. No plastic wrap in microwave.

Johns Hopkins has recently sent this out in its newsletters. This information is being circulated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center as well. Dioxin chemicals cause cancer, especially breast cancer. Dioxins are highly poisonous to the cells of our bodies.. Don't freeze your plastic bottles with water in them as this releases dioxins from the plastic. Recently, Dr.. Edward Fujimoto, Wellness Program Manager at Cast le Hospital, was on a TV program to explain this health hazard. He talked about dioxins and how bad they are for us. He said that we should not be heating our food in the microwave using plastic containers. This especially applies to foods that contain fat. He said that the combination of fat, high heat, and plastics releases dioxin into the food and ultimately into the cells of the body. Instead, he recommends using glass, such as Corning Ware, Pyrex or ceramic containers for heating food You get the same results, only without the dioxin. So
such things as TV dinners, instant ramen and soups, etc., should be removed from the container and heated in something else. Pa per isn't bad but you don't know what is in the paper. It's just safer to use tempered glass, Corning Ware, etc. He reminded us that a while ago some of the fast food restaurants moved away from the foam containers to paper. The dioxin problem is one of the reasons.

Also, he pointed out that plastic wrap, such as Saran, is just as dangerous when placed over foods to be cooked in the microwave. As the food is nuked, the high heat causes poisonous toxins to actually melt out of the plastic wrap and drip into the food. Cover food with a paper towel instead.

[ DRINKING BEETROOT JUICE]

2010-07-04T07:06:00.000-07:00

> Subject: Drinking beetroot juice
>
>
> Tuesday, Jun 29 2010
> Drinking beetroot juice dramatically lowers risk of heart disease and strokes
> By Sophie Borland
>
> You'll look a little bloodthirsty while slurping it down.

> But don't let that put you off beetroot juice - because it could save your
> life.
>
> The bright-red juice contains the chemical nitrate, which dramatically reduces
> blood pressure, cutting the risk of heart disease and strokes.
>
> Dramatic effect: Patients who drank a glass of beetroot juice a day were found
> to have significantly reduce blood pressure 24 hours later
>
> The findings, published in Hypertension, the journal of the American Heart
> Association, could now see beetroot juice being used as a treatment.
>
> Researchers at William Harvey Research Institute at Queen Mary University in
> London compared patients who were given a 250ml glass of beetroot juice a day
> with those who took nitrate tablets.
>
> They found that the two methods were equally successful in reducing blood
> pressure.
>
> The researchers concluded that the nitrates which naturally occur in beetroot
> are the cause of its beneficial effects.
>
> They produce a gas known as nitric oxide in the blood which widens blood
> vessels and arteries and lowers blood pressure.
>
> High blood pressure, or hypertension, affects 16million Britons - one in five
> - and is a major risk factor for heart disease, stroke and kidney failure.
>
> Amrita Ahluwalia, Professor of Vascular Biology at the William Harvey Research
> Insti tute, said: 'We showed that beetroot and nitrate capsules are equally
> effective in lowering blood pressure indicating that it is the nitrate content
> of beetroot juice that underlies its potential to reduce blood pressure.
>
> 'We also found that only a small amount of juice is needed - just 250ml - to
> have this effect, and that the higher the blood pressure at the start of the
> study the greater the decrease caused by the nitrate.
>
> 'Our previous study two years ago found that drinking beetroot juice lowered
> blood pressure; now we know how it works.'
>
> Scientists have already showed how drinking beetroot juice can boost stamina.
>
> Last year researchers from the University of Exeter and Peninsula Medical
> School found that it could have as much effect as a punishing training regime.
>
> They found that healthy young men were able to increase their stamina by up to
> 16 per cent after drinking a glass of beetroot juice for a week.
>
> Beetroot juice is found in most health food shops and usually costs around £2
> a bottle.
>
> Though very good for your body, it has one rather alarming side-effect.
>
> Those who consume large amounts are likely to experience purple urine, or
> beeturia as it is known to scientists.
>
>
>
> Published by Associated Newspapers Ltd
cannot be guaranteed to be timely, secure, error or virus free.

PLEASE NOTE

2010-06-29T19:40:00.001-07:00

What is the difference between http and https?

Don't know how many of you are aware of this difference, but it is worth sending to those that may not.

The main difference between http:// and https:// is it's all about keeping you secure. HTTP stands for Hyper Text Transfer Protocol.

The S stands for "Secure". If you visit a Website or webpage, and look at the address in the web browser, it will likely begin with the following: http://.

This means that the website is talking to your browser using the regular 'unsecure' language. In other words, it is possible for someone to "eavesdrop" on your computer's conversation with the Website. If you fill out a form on the website, someone might see the information you send to that site.

This is why you never ever enter your debit/credit card number in an Http website. But, if the web address begins with https://, that basically means your computer is talking to the website in a Secure code that no one can eavesdrop on.

If a website ever asks you to enter your debit/credit card Information, you should automatically look to see if the web address begins with https://.

If it doesn't, you should NEVER enter sensitive information such as a debit/credit card number.

Quality Varity of Rices

2010-06-18T20:06:00.000-07:00

1. AMBEMOHAR

Ambemohar is a rice variant from Maharashtra in India. The short cooked grains have a tendency to break easily and stick together. It is popular in Maharashtra due to its strong fragrance reminiscent of mango blossoms, which is noticeable when the rice is cooked. It is also similar to the Surti kolam variety from Gujarat, which is preferred there due to its prepared softness and easy chewability. In simple words it is a type of rice from MAHARASHTRA which will produce MANGO SMELL while cooking.
2. ARCOT KICHILI

It is coarse variety rice and cultivated in Arcot and near by paces like Ranipet, Timiri, and Kalavai etc. As I have experienced when cooked the rice is yellowish and very tasty. A variety called half boiled Kichili is preferred more. It is understood of late Arcot kichili is now rare and it has given way to IR8 and ponni due to yield being less in Kichili. I couldn't get any more details of my Kichili rice

3. BASMATI

I knew about Basmati rice and its special smell when served hot while I had been to ALTTC from 1991 for various trainings. Later I understood it was medium quality Basmati and high quality Basmati has still more fragrance. In my first trip being an attraction, I brought 4 Kg rice from Gazhiabad to Trivandrum. On those days Basmati was not available in Trivandrum. After distribution among family friends, we had hardly 1 Kg. I am going a little detail about Basmati.

Basmati is a variety of long grain rice grown in India and Pakistan, notable for its fragrance and delicate, nuance flavour. Its name means "the fragrant one" in Sanskrit, but it can also mean "the soft rice." India and Pakistan are the largest cultivators and exporters of this rice; it is primarily grown through paddy field farming in the Punjab region.

The grains of basmati rice are longer than most other types of rice. Cooked grains of Basmati rice are characteristically free flowing rather than sticky, as with most long-grain rice. COOKED BASMATI RICE CAN BE UNIQUELY IDENTIFIED BY ITS FRAGRANCE. Basmati rice is available in two varieties - white and brown. (In Brown is new information to me)

2.1Flavour

Basmati rice has a typical pandan-like (Pandanus amaryllifolius leaf) flavour caused by an aroma compound.

2.2 Varieties and hybrids

A number of varieties of basmati rice exist. Traditional types include Basmati-370, Basmati-385 and Basmati-Ranbir singh pura (R.S.Pura), while hybrid basmati varieties include Pusa Basmati 1 (also called 'Todal', because the flower has awns).

2.3 Pusa Basmati

Scientists at Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Delhi took the traditional basmati and genetically modified it to produce a hybrid which had most of the good features of traditional basmati (grain elongation, fragrance, alkali content) and the plant was a semi-dwarf type. This basmati was called Pusa Basmati-1. PB1 crop yield is higher than the traditional varieties (up to twice as much).

2.4List of approved varieties

Punjab, Kernel Basmati (Pakistan), Dehradun, Safidon, Haryana, Super basmati, Kasturi (Baran, Rajasthan), Basmati 198, basmati 217, basmati 370, basmati 385, basmati 386, Bihar, Kasturi, Mahi Suganda, Pusa, Ranbir, Taraori.

Some non-traditional aromatic crosses with basmati characteristics are marketed under a Sugandh designation.

2.5 Detection of adulterated strains

Difficulty in differentiating genuine traditional basmati from pretenders and the significant price difference between them has led fraudulent traders to adulterate traditional basmati. To protect the interests of consumers and trade, a PCR-based assay similar to DNA fingerprinting in humans allows for the detection of adulterated and non-basmati strains. Its detection limit for adulteration is from 1% upwards with an error rate of ±1.5%.

Exporters of basmati rice use 'purity certificates' based on DNA tests for their basmati rice consignments. Two protocols are there. Based on this protocol, which was developed at the Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics, Labindia, an Indian company has released kits to detect basmati adulteration. (New information)

2.6 Glycemic index

According to the Canadian Diabetes Association, basmati rice has a "medium" glycemic index (between 56 and 69), thus making it more suitable for diabetics as compared to certain other grains and products made from white flour. So we (diabetics) can opt for Basmati? WHAT ABOUT THE COST INVOLVED?….

2.7 Aromatic rice

I have put Aromatic rice under basmati for the reason Basmati is an aromatic rice

Aromatic is one of the major types of rice, it is a medium to long-grained rice. It is known for its nut-like aroma and taste, which is said to be caused by the chemical compound 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline. Varieties of aromatic rice include: basmati, jasmine, Texmati, Wehani, and wild pecan rice. When cooked, the grains have a light and fluffy texture. So aromatic rice is a common name for Basmati, Jasmine, and Texmati etc.

5.BHUTANESE RED RICE
Bhutanese RED RICE is a medium-grain rice grown in the Kingdom of Bhutan in the eastern Himalayas. It is the staple rice of the Bhutanese people.
Bhutanese red rice is a red japonica rice. It is semi-milled — some of the reddish bran is left on the rice. Because of this, it cooks somewhat faster than an unmilled brown rice. When cooked, the rice is pale pink, soft and slightly sticky.
This rice became available in the United States in the mid 1990s.
6.BLACK RICE

Black rice is one of several black-coloured heirloom plants producing rice variants such as Indonesian Black Rice, Forbidden Rice. High in nutritional value, black rice is rich in iron. Unlike other black rice from Asia, it is not glutinous or rough. This grain is high in fibre and has a deep, nutty taste.

BLACK "FORBIDDEN RICE"-SO NAMED ORIGINALLY BECAUSE IT WAS CONSIDERED THE EMPEROR'S RICE AND WAS LITERALLY FORBIDDEN FOR ANYONE ELSE TO EAT IT. ( I was thinking why it is named so)

It is a deep black colour and turns deep purple when cooked. Its dark purple colour is primarily due to its high anthocyanin content .It has a relatively high mineral content (including iron) and, like most rice, supplies several important amino acids.

In China, noodles made from black rice have recently begun being produced. At least one United States bread company has also begun producing "Chinese Black Rice" bread. It shares the deep tyrian colour of cooked black rice.

It is our practice if we find black rice in white variety to pick it and throwaway feeling it is defective rice. From this reading I am to understand it is not harmful.

7.BROWN RICE
Brown rice (or "hulled rice") is unmilled or partly milled rice, a kind of whole, natural grain. It has a mild nutty flavor, is chewier and more nutritious than white rice, and becomes rancid much more quickly. Any rice, including long-grain, short-grain, or sticky rice, may be eaten as brown rice.
In much of Asia, brown rice is associated with poverty and wartime shortages, and in the past was rarely eaten except by the sick, the elderly and as a cure for constipation. This traditionally denigrated kind of rice is now more expensive than common white rice, partly due to its relatively low supply and difficulty of storage and transport.
7.1White rice comparison
Brown rice and white rice have similar amounts of calories, carbohydrates, and protein. The main differences between the two forms of rice lie in processing and nutritional content.
When only the outermost layer of a grain of rice (the husk) is removed, brown rice is produced. To produce white rice, the next layers underneath the husk (the bran layer and the germ) are removed, leaving mostly the starchy endosperm.
Several vitamins and dietary minerals are lost in this removal and the subsequent polishing process. A part of these missing nutrients, such as vitamin B1, vitamin B3, and iron are sometimes added back into the white rice making it "enriched", as food suppliers in the US are required to do by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
One mineral not added back into white rice is magnesium; one cup (195 grams) of cooked long grain brown rice contains 84 mg of magnesium while one cup of white rice contains 19 mg.
When the bran layer is removed to make white rice, the oil in the bran is also removed. Rice bran oil may help lower LDL cholesterol.
Among other key sources of nutrition lost are small amounts of fatty acids and fiber.
In addition to having greater nutritional value, brown rice is also said to be less constipating than white rice.
7.2 Cooking and preparation
A nutritionally superior method of preparation using GABA rice or germinated brown rice (GBR) (also known as Hatsuga genmai in Japan), developed during the International Year of Rice, may be used.[3] This involves soaking washed brown rice for 20 HOURS in warm water (38 °C or 100 °F) prior to cooking it. This process stimulates germination, which activates various enzymes in the rice. By this method, it is possible to obtain a more complete amino acid profile, including GABA.
7.3 Storage and preservation
Brown rice can remain in storage for months under normal conditions, but hermetic storage and freezing can significantly extend its lifetime. Freezing, even periodically, can also help control infestations of Indian meal moths.
In Kerala maximum availability is brown rice different varities. Raw rice is available only on request in restaurents. The raw rice nrmally do not meet the quality of Tamilnadu. Ration shops supply boiled rice which is brownish yellow in colur. Raw rice is used for sraadha by Brahmins. Otherwise Brhamins too conssume Brown rice. Un like Tamilnadu ration rice is avialble for all in Kerala.
The karai rice cmmonly available in Tamilnadu and used for iddali dosai mavu I think can be a low quality variety of Brown rice. I couldnot get details of it.
The brown Kanji raw rice available in Chennai is different from this and is made from high quality varity rice.

Very Funny

2010-06-09T06:32:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

We live in a country where…..

Where Pizza reaches home faster than Ambulance, Fire Engine or Police help.

Where you get car loan @ 5%, but education loan @ 12%.

Where rice is Rs.40/ kg, but sim-card is free.

Where a millionaire will buy a cricket team, but don't donate to charity.

Where the footwear and innerwear are sold in AC showrooms, but vegetables and fruits are sold at footpath.

Where everybody wants to be famous, but nobody wants to follow the right path to be famous.

Where lemon juice is made with artificial flavour, but dish wash stuff is made with real lemon.

Do give this a thought!

Cheers

Good ideas are not the monopoly of the educated

2010-05-06T05:55:00.000-07:00

Good ideas are not the monopoly of the educated

A lady bought some bathing soaps from a shop. When she opened one of the packets, she found that it was empty. There was no soap in there; it was just an empty wrapper! She lodged a complaint against the manufacturer and got her claim. That being settled, there was a task before the management of the soap factory. How had this happened? How could they ensure that the incident did not occur again? They had suffered enough bad publicity besides having to pay the compensation to the lady.

After a detailed investigation, it was discovered, that during the process of wrapping, it so happened that inevitably, one or two wrappers did get through, having no bar of soap in them! There was no way to make out the difference between a full wrapper and an empty one. The process of handling each one separately for this purpose seemed to be very cumbersome. So, the technical head was given the job of devising a method to overcome the problem. The man prepared a detailed report and proposed the setting up of a computer based system that would weigh and scan each bar, for the empty packs would not get detected by a normal x-ray machine. He proposed an expenditure of a large amount to put this system into place.

The management heard him out and passed the order to release the funds and to buy the machinery that he had proposed. An uneducated worker said, “Excuse me Sir, for my impertinence, but I have a solution that shall cost a fraction of what you are planning to go in for.”

The management hesitated initially. But eventually they heard him out and agreed to try out his proposal. The next day, the worker brought a strong industrial fan. He put it at an angle near the conveyor belt on which the packed soap bars were coming through and switched it on. The few empty wrappers that came through got blown off by the fan! The rest of them went past easily.

A simple solution, for a complex problem! This goes to prove that ideas are not the monopoly of the educated.

THE MAIN CAUSES OF LIVER DAMAGE

2010-03-10T14:39:00.000-08:00

The main causes of liver damage are:

1. Sleeping too late and waking up too late are main cause.
2. Not urinating in the morning.
3. Too much eating.
4. Skipping breakfast.
5. Consuming too much medication.
6. Consuming too much preservatives, additives, food coloring, and artificial sweetener.
7. Consuming unhealthy cooking oil. As much as possible reduce cooking oil use when frying, which includes even the best cooking oils like olive oil. Do not consume fried foods when you are tired, except if the body is very fit.
8. Consuming raw (overly done) foods also add to the burden of liver.
Veggies should be eaten raw or cooked 3-5 parts. Fried veggies should be finished in one sitting, do not store.

We should prevent this without necessarily spending more. We just have to adopt a good daily lifestyle and eating habits. Maintaining good eating habits and time condition are very important for our bodies to absorb and get rid of unnecessary chemicals according to "schedule."

DO TAKE CARE ABOUT YOUR HEALTH..................

Why socialism does not work

2010-03-10T12:39:00.000-08:00

An economics professor at a local college made a statement that he had never failed a single student before, but had once failed an entire class.

That class had insisted that Obama’s socialism worked and that no one would be poor and no one would be rich, a great equalizer.

The professor then said, “OK, we will have an experiment in this class on Obama’s plan.”

All grades would be averaged and everyone would receive the same grade so no one would fail and no one would receive an A.

After the first test, the grades were averaged and everyone got a B. The students who studied hard were upset and the students who studied little were happy.

As the second test rolled around, the students who studied little had studied even less and the ones who studied hard decided they wanted a free ride too so they studied little. The second test average was a D! No one was happy.

When the 3rd test rolled around, the average was an F. The scores never increased as bickering, blame and name-calling all resulted in hard feelings and no one would study for the benefit of anyone else.

All failed, to their great surprise, and the professor told them that socialism would also ultimately fail because when the reward is great, the effort to succeed is great but when government takes all the reward away, no one will try or want to succeed.

Could not be any simpler than that.

PLS TAKE TIME & READ.

2010-03-06T11:13:00.000-08:00

We love ourselves even after doing many mistakes. Then how can we hate others for their one mistake. Think before you hate someone or hate yourself.

Swimming along the flow is effortless but swimming against it needs effort. Don't go the way life takes you, but take life the way you wanna go. Dare to be different.

The greatest advantage of speaking the truth is that you don't have to remember what you said. Think about it.

A beautiful saying: If your eyes are positive you would like all the people in the world. But if your tongue is positive all the people in the world would like you.

Life is about the art of drawing without an eraser, so be careful while taking decisions about the most valuable pages of your life.

A nice thought: I met money and said why everyone runs behind you, you are just a piece of paper. Money smiled and said of-course I am just a piece of paper, but I haven't seen a dustbin yet in my whole life.

Life is like a coin. Pleasure and Pain are the two sides. Only one side is visible at a time.. But remember other side is also waiting for its turn.

If you like someone, show it. It will be sweeter than telling. But if you don't like someone, Just tell it. It will be less painful than showing it.

A very true but strange quote: Love doesn't start in morning & end in evening. It starts when you don't need it & ends when you need it most.

What's greater then mom's love? Which pillow is better then lover's lap? Which company's better then friends? There are some things in life with no substitutes. Love them forever.

Tragedy of moon: So simple but so attractive. So enlightening but so cool. So moving but so still. So quite but so popular. So romantic but still single.

A cute story: A man daily sent a rose to his wife. One day he died, but his wife still received roses. She asked the florist. He said, your husband paid advance for your whole life. Moral: Love someone forever

A boy loved a girl so much. One day he proposed her. But she refused. Still he was not sad. His friends asked him, didn't you feel bad? He said, why should I feel? I lost the one who never loved me. But she lost the one who really loves her.

love n regards,

POST OFFICE DILEMMA

2010-02-26T12:55:00.000-08:00

CERTAINLY HELPFUL FOR ANYONE

MAILING OFTEN FROM OTHER THAN

A CANADA POST OFFICE

Very Interesting Please read

" I learned something over Christmas that I feel compelled to share with
you.

This won't change your life dramatically or help you survive the
apocalypse but it will save you some $$$.

I recently mailed two identical packages via Canada Post one week apart.

One would think that the postage should be exactly the same...well,
let me tell you...

Pkg # 1 was mailed from an actual Canada Post Office. Postage came to
$11.74. Since I knew a second identical package would be mailed in
about a week's time, I bought sufficient postage for the second pkg
while I was there.

When it came time to mail Pkg #2, I went to the post office in
Shopper's Drug Mart. I handed the pkg to the clerk to be put in the
outbound mail bag, I was informed that I did not have sufficient
postage attached. The clerk proceeded to inform me that I needed to
purchase and additional $6 worth of stamps. After explaining how I
knew exactly what the postage should be, the clerk offered some lame
excuse that Canada Post is unionized and they can say and do anything
with impunity and if I wished to mail that pkg from Shopper's then I
needed to purchase more stamps.

I told the clerk to stuff it and took back my package and headed to
the "real" Canada Post Office, where I would raise hell...

Much to my surprise, the Canadian Postal Clerk took my package,
weighed it and tossed it in the mail bag, and it was it's way...When I
asked if the amount of Postage I had put on the parcel was right she
shook her head and said "yup, no problem"...

The Truth comes out:

Canada Post Offices charge postage for packages at the published
Canada Post rates.

Franchise locations such as Shoppers Drug Mart can charge whatever they
like.

So remember if you regularly mail packages at franchise locations (ie
Shoppers Drug Mart,) you are probably paying too much. Franchise
locations are found in shopping malls, drug stores and private
businesses everywhere. From now on, all of my mailing will be done
from a real Canada Post location.

Still perplexed by what I was told by the girl in Shoppers, I fired
off an email to Canada Post for clarification.

This is the reply I got from them:

Thank you for your message to Canada Post.

A postal outlet is not a federal government agency and is not owned or
managed by Canada Post. For example if the postal outlet is within
grocery store or pharmacy it would follow the stores working hours,
therefore if the store must be closed, so will the postal outlet
inside.
Only Canada Post Depots and Corporate Post Offices are obligated to
follow the price of stamps and postal products that are legislated by
Canada Post. Any commercial and private establishment may charge extra
fees as a convenience to their customers. It is at their discretion to
apply additional service fees to products that they sell. We suggest
visiting a Corporate Post Office in order to avoid paying additional
service charges that corner stores or other establishment may
implement on their products.
Regards,
Veronika Strofski
Customer Service "

How's that for privatization?

A LESSON IN FAITH

2010-02-20T17:49:00.001-08:00

A Lesson in Faith

"Let me explain the problem science has with Jesus Christ." The atheist professor of philosophy pauses before his class and then asks one of his new students to stand. "You're a Christian, aren't you, son?"

"Yes sir," the student says.
"So you believe in God?"
"Absolutely."
"Is God good?"
"Sure! God's good."
"Is God all-powerful? Can God do anything?"
"Yes."
"Are you good or evil?"
"The Bible says I'm evil."

The professor grins knowingly. "Aha! The Bible!" He considers for a moment.

"Here's one for you. Let's say there's a sick person over here and you can cure him. You can do it. Would you help them? Would you try?"

"Yes sir, I would."
"So you're good...!"
"I wouldn't say that."

"But why not say that? You'd help a sick and maimed person if you could. Most of us would if we could. But God doesn't."

The student does not answer, so the professor continues. "He doesn't, does he? My brother was a Christian who died of cancer, even though he prayed to Jesus to heal him. How is this Jesus good? Hmmm? Can you answer that one?"

The student remains silent.

"No, you can't, can you?" the professor says. He takes a sip of water from a glass on his desk to give the student time to relax. "Let's start again, young fella. Is God good?"

"Er... Yes," the student says.
"Is Satan good?"
The student doesn't hesitate on this one. "No."
"Then where does Satan come from?"
The student falters. "From... God..."

"That's right. God made Satan, didn't he? Tell me, son. Is there evil in this world?"
"Yes, sir."
"Evil's everywhere, isn't it? And God did make everything, correct?"
"Yes."
"So who created evil?"
Again, the student has no answer.
"Is there sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness. All these terrible things, do they exist in this world?" The student squirms on his feet.
"Yes."
"So who created them?"
The student does not answer again, so the professor repeats his question. "Who created them? "

There is still no answer. Suddenly the lecturer breaks away to pace in front of the classroom. The class is mesmerized.

"Tell me," he continues. "Do you believe in Jesus Christ, son?"
The student's voice betrays him and cracks. "Yes, professor. I do."
The old man stops pacing. "Science says you have five senses you use to identify and observe the world around you. Have you ever seen Jesus?"
"No sir. I've never seen Him."
"Then tell us if you've ever heard your Jesus?"
"No, sir. I have not."

"Have you ever felt your Jesus, tasted your Jesus or smelt your Jesus? Have you ever had any sensory perception of Jesus Christ, or God for that matter.
"No, sir, I'm afraid I haven't."
"Yet you still believe in him?"
"Yes."
"According to the rules of empirical, testable, demonstrable protocol, science says your God doesn't exist. What do you say to that, son?
"Nothing," the student replies. "I only have my faith."
"Yes, faith," the professor repeats. "And that is the problem science has with God. There is no evidence, only faith."

The student stands quietly for a moment, before asking a question of his own.
"Professor, is there such thing as heat?"
"Yes," the professor replies. "There's heat."
"And is there such a thing as cold?"
"Yes, son, there's cold too."
"No sir, there isn't."

The professor turns to face the student, obviously interested. The room suddenly becomes very quiet. The student begins to explain. "You can have lots of heat, even more heat, super-heat, mega-heat, white heat, a little heat or no heat, but we don't have anything called 'cold'. We can hit 458 degrees below zero, which is no heat, but we can't go any further after that. There is no such thing as cold; otherwise we would be able to go colder than -458 degrees. You see, sir, cold is only a word we use to describe the absence of heat. We cannot measure cold. Heat we can measure in thermal units because heat is energy. Cold is not the opposite of heat, sir, just the absence of it."

Silence across the room. A pen drops somewhere in the classroom, sounding like a hammer.
"What about darkness, professor. Is there such a thing as darkness?"

"Yes," the professor replies without hesitation. "What is night if it isn't darkness?"

"You're wrong again, sir. Darkness is not something; it is the absence of something. You can have low light, normal light, bright light, flashing light... but if you have no light constantly you have nothing and it's called darkness, isn't it? That's the meaning we use to define the word. In reality, Darkness isn't. If it were, you would be able to make darkness darker, wouldn't you?"

The professor begins to smile at the student in front of him. This will be a good semester. "So what point are you making, young man?"

"Yes, professor. My point is, your philosophical premise is flawed to start with and so your conclusion must also be flawed."

The professor's face cannot hide his surprise this time. "Flawed? Can you explain how?"

"You are working on the premise of duality," the student explains. "You argue that there is life and then there's death; a good God and a bad God. You are viewing the concept of God as something finite, something we can measure. Sir, science can't even explain a thought. It uses electricity and magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully understood either one. To view death as the opposite of life is to be ignorant of the fact that death cannot exist as a substantive thing. Death is not the opposite of life, just the absence of it. "Now tell me, professor. Do you teach your students that they evolved from a monkey?"

"If you are referring to the natural evolutionary process, young man, yes, of course I do."

"Have you ever observed evolution with your own eyes, sir?"

The professor begins to shake his head, still smiling, as he realizes where the argument is going. A very good semester indeed.

"Since no one has ever observed the process of evolution at work and cannot even prove that this process is an on-going endeavor, are you not teaching your opinion, sir? Are you now not a scientist, but a preacher?"

The class is in uproar. The student remains silent until the commotion has subsided. "To continue the point you were making earlier to the other students, let me give you an example of what I mean."

The student looks around the room. "Is there anyone in the class who has ever seen the professor's brain?" The class breaks out into laughter.

"Is there anyone here who has ever heard the professor's brain, felt the professor's brain, touched or smelt the professor's brain? No one appears to have done so. So, according to the established rules of empirical, stable, demonstrable protocol, science says that you have no brain, with all due respect, sir. So if science says you have no brain, how can we trust your lectures, sir?"

Now the room is silent. The professor just stares at the student, his face unreadable. Finally, after what seems an eternity, the old man answers.

"I guess you'll have to take them on faith."

OPEN LETTER TO SHAHRUKH KHAN

2010-02-20T17:43:00.000-08:00

Open letter to Mr. Shahrukh Khan !!!

Your name is a household phenomenon in Indian and even beyond her borders. Your fame has put you in the Newsweek "most powerful people list" recently. However, as you may recall from your recent experience in New Jersey Airport, real life is a little different - it does not always follow the path predicted by a scriptwriter or director.

Of late, we have been reading about your opinions and statements on matters beyond the celluloid world. Nothing is wrong in it. You live in a free, democratic country and are entirely entitled to your opinion.

But as a common man, also from the same soil, I think I have the right too to raise a few points that may not conform to your views of the real world.

I hope you will read it out.

When recently, the Pakistani players were not selected for the IPL, it was almost predictable that NDTV, the award-winning, mouthpiece of our Indian liberal media select you for your views and you certified that "It (Pakistan) is a great neighbour to have. We (India and Pakistan) are great neighbours. They are good neighbours."

I have a few words to say about those statements.

One may recall your effort to clarify the Pakistani team captain, Shoaib Malik"s apology to the Muslims, living all over the world, for failing to win the final T20 match against India, likely much to the embarrassment of a lot of Indian Muslims, as expressed by Shamin Bano, mother of the man of the match, Irfan Pathan.

What was more embarrassing was your effort to try to defend Shoaib in a subsequent interview, "I don't think he meant to segregate Muslims and Christians and Hindus and say this was a match between Islam and Hinduism. I don't think that..."

I doubt whether Shoaib talked to you personally about his thought process at that time. You did not really have to respond for somebody else but perhaps you could not resist the temptation to show your brotherhood and solidarity.

This reminds us again of Dr Ambedkar"s observation that, "The brotherhood of Islam is not the universal brotherhood of man. It is brotherhood of Muslims for Muslims only."

Partition of India was what Pakistan wanted and got. It was painful to millions but many more millions in present India have been spared. Since then Pakistan has offered us only hatred. It has imposed on us three major wars, the Kargil insurgency, the Kashmir conflict, the series of serial blasts, the routine violation of border ceasefires, attacks on the Parliament House and the recent Mumbai 26/11 attack.

Did you have these in mind when you talked about them being good neighbours?

In another interview you had tried to explain the concept of Islamic Jihad. "I think one needs to understand the meaning of jihad .. I've understood the essence that jihad is not about killing other people; jihad is about killing the badness in you."

May be you understand jihad better and deeper than the superficial meaning of what we, the rest of the mortal mankind, overburdened and terrorized by the inter-religious, intra-religious and sectarian violence that is plaguing the world in the name of Islam today, do. For we, the less educated, cannot really make a difference between Jihad and Qatl, between Jihad by heart / soul, Jihad by pen and Jihad by sword or between lesser and greater jihad.

We wonder, whatever its meaning may be, does it minimize the significance of the mindless killings that we see today

in the name of Islam, across borders, all over the world? Does it change the nature of the killers whether you call them holy warriors, mujahidins, fedayeens or plain suicide bombers?

We agree with you that terrorism has no religion. But hopefully you will also agree with the people who perceive that most terrorist in the world today happen to believe in the scriptures of Islam. They actually believe that they themselves are the true Islamists.

The so called "moderate" Islamist, perhaps does not want to contradict them or may be does not dare to speak out against them. You have probably not forgotten the FIR against you for listing Prophet Mohammed as one of the most unimpressive personalities in history, the threats from which you had to skillfully wriggle out. Others who are not so fortunate, famous or flexible are suffering lifetime, as Tasleema Nasreen or Salman Rushdie would testify. For blasphemy in Islam is punishable with death, even for a believer.

Do I have to spell out the fate if it is a non-believer?

It is due to the inherent intolerance and exclusivity of Islam itself despite your effort to convince us that there is an Islam from Allah and very unfortunately, there is an Islam from the Mullahs.

Here is an historical insight from writer Irfan Hussain, "The Muslim heroes who figure larger than life in our history books committed some dreadful crimes all have blood-stained hands that the passage of years has not cleansed. Indeed, the presence of Muslim historians on their various campaigns has ensured that the memory of their deeds will live long after they were buried...Seen through Hindu eyes, the Muslim invasion of their homeland was an unmitigated disaster."

So why should the "non-believers" care to accept them? Why should the majority of Indians like to welcome back such disasters again?

Since partition, India has come a long way in progress and development to her current status and is projected as an economic superpower in coming decades while Pakistan is perceived as a failed state on the verge of disintegration.

What does India have to gain by offering neighbourly friendship to such a hostile and failed state?

India has never been an invader and is not in conflict of any other Muslim country. None of the wars and conflicts with Pakistan was instigated by India. In the current geopolitical situation, one can argue for the Muslim world's grudge and anger against Israel or the west and USA but one fail to fathom why India should also be at the receiving end and why Indians should be the second largest group of people to die from terrorists attacks. Indian majorities do not have anything to do with the Danish cartoon or the death of Saddam Hussain; so why should they suffer from Islamic havoc on those occasions.

In almost all occasions of terrorism, questions are raised about possible role of Pakistan, its terror bases and its terrorist organizations, as either directly or indirectly involved. Be it state sponsored (as recently admitted by President Zardari) or by non-state actors, Pakistan or Pakistani born are prime suspect in terrorist activities all over the world. ISI has been accused of playing a role in major terrorist attacks including 9/11 in the USA, terrorism in Kashmir, Mumbai Train Bombings, London Bombings, Indian Parliament Attack, Varanasi bombings, Hyderabad bombings, Mumbai terror attacks or the attack on the Indian embassy in Kabul.

Do you believe these are marks of a good neighbour? Then what is the reason for your preaching of love towards Pakistan?

Perhaps, as you said, because it is your ancestor's homeland, you have a soft feeling for Pakistan and cannot see the difference. On the eve of accepting an honorary doctorate from a British university, we heard you say, "I really believe we are the same ..when you come away from India or Pakistan you realize there is no Indian or Pakistani - we're all together. We are - culturally, as human beings, as friends"

Which Pakistanis are you referring to?

The Pakistanis belonging to the land, admonished as the epicenter of global terrorism, not just by India or USA but even by its friendly allies like Iran or China.

Or is it the self-created, Talibanic Pakistan, who still imposes Jijya on the non believers or finds pleasure in blowing up girl's schools.

Are you talking about its President class like the current Mr. Zardari, vowed to wage a 1,000-year war with India or the late Mrs. Bhutto who started Jihad in Kashmiri that lead to the exodus of Hindu minorities from the Muslim majority state of India, as refugees in their own country?

Are you referring to Pakistanis loyal to the ISI and the military who train their soldiers with only one objective, i.e. to fight Hindu India?

If your mind is concerned about the faceless mass of Pakistanis, does it also include the dwindling minorities?

Or are you just concerned about the celebrities and the social elites?

It is true SRK that we belong to the same human species but it is hard to stretch the similarities much further between "us" and "them".

We from the same original land of Bharat but we want to keep her intact, they want to break it into thousand pieces.

Our ancestors happen to be the same. We acknowledge and adore the heritage but they abhor and decimate whoever is available in an attempt to wipe out the link.

We are culturally the same. We have created the culture over centuries what they dream to destroy in moments.

Ours is a 10,000 year old civilization, theirs is a 62 years old country undoing whole human civilization.

We extend our hands repeatedly to promote friendship and amity; they give us ISI, Lashkar, Harkat, Kashmir, Kargil and 26/11 in exchange.

Do you think that the Indians nationals who died in all the above wars, the Indian soldiers who lost their lives in cross-border ceasefire violations or the Indian civilians who are killed by the ISI trained Islamic terrorists and their affiliates, in all those serial blasts, all over the country, willfully sacrificed their lives as a friendly neighbourhood gesture?

Can you face the families of the victims of Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus or the martyrs of the Kargil war and try to explain to them that "They are good neighbours. Let us love each other?"

Can you explain why the two gunmen at Cama hospital, during the Mumbai carnage, asked the man who gave them water, what his religion was, and shot him dead when he said he was a Hindu?

If you cannot, then perhaps you understand why the majority of India does not consider Pakistan as a good neighbour to have.

Perhaps you believe that the peaceful religious co-existence that you created in your home (and we appreciate that) can be extended to the large world outside. As you rightly said, we Indians trust and do accept everybody but what you did fail to mention was that it is the Indic tradition, essentially coming out of its pre-Islamic Hindu ethos.

If you think otherwise, show us a single Islamic country where the non-believers enjoy the same equality as the believers. Since partition, the Hindus left over in Pakistan and Bangladesh has suffered terribly. Strictly Islamic countries, like Saudi Arabia, do not allow any other religions to exist. Hindus working in the Gulf countries are not allowed to practice their religion in public. Saudi Arabia insists that India sends only a Muslim ambassador. Hindu Muslim unity by and large has generally been a matter of Hindus trying to please or accommodate Muslims. One cannot forget when Vajpayee was extending his hand for peace Musharraf was planning the Kargil insurgency.

Let us remind you, your own statement "I am a Muslim in a country called India . We've never been made to feel this is a Hindu country."

Can you find me a Hindu in Pakistan who can reciprocate that sentiment?

Some years ago, another Mr. Khan, first name Feroze, from your fraternity was banned from entering Pakistan for saying, "India is secular unlike Pakistan".

That is the basic difference of the land of "Hindu" India from the Islamic "pure land" of Pakistan.

So please do not ask us to love Pakistan.

Please do not lump the people of India and Pakistan together. We Indians are proud to preserve our separate identity.

And please do not insult the land that gave you your life, name and fame, by claiming that her worst enemy, who wants to break her into 1000 pieces, is a great neighbour.

Otherwise it would be sad if somebody accuses you of putting your religion ahead of your country.

Please give it a thought.

Regards,

Arindam Bandyopadhyay

[ EXCELLENCE ]

2010-02-04T05:29:00.000-08:00

Excellence

A German once visited a temple under construction where he saw a sculptor making an idol of God. Suddenly he noticed a similar idol lying nearby.

Surprised, he asked the sculptor, "Do you need two statues of the same idol?"

"No," said the sculptor without looking up, "We need only one, but the first one got damaged at the last stage."

The gentleman examined the idol and found no apparent damage. "Where is the damage?" he asked.

"There is a scratch on the nose of the idol." said the sculptor, still busy with his work.

"Where are you going to install the idol?"
The sculptor replied that it would be installed on a pillar twenty feet high.

"If the idol is that far, who is going to know that there is a scratch on the nose?" the gentleman asked.

The sculptor stopped his work, looked up at the gentleman, smiled and said, "I will know it."

The desire to excel is exclusive of the fact whether someone else appreciates it or not.

"Excellence" is a drive from inside, not outside.

Excellence is not for someone else to notice, but for your own satisfaction and efficiency...

Worth a read

2010-02-02T12:54:00.000-08:00

This was written by a Canadian woman, but oh how it also applies to the U.S. , U.K. and Australia

THIS ONE PACKS A FIRM PUNCH

Here is a woman who should run for Prime Minister!

Written by a housewife in New Brunswick , to her local newspaper. This is one ticked off lady.

'Are we fighting a war on terror or aren't we? Was it or was it not
started by Islamic people who brought it to our shores on September 11, 2001 and have continually threatened to do so since?

Were people from all over the world, not brutally murdered that day,
in downtown Manhattan , across the Potomac from the nation's capitol and in a field in Pennsylvania ?

Did nearly three thousand men, women and children die a horrible,
burning or crushing death that day, or didn't they?

And I'm supposed to care that a few Taliban were claiming to be
tortured by a justice system of the nation they come from and are fighting against in a brutal insurgency

I'll start caring when Osama bin Laden turns himself in and repents
for incinerating all those innocent people on 9/11.

I'll care about the Koran when the fanatics in the Middle East start
caring about the Holy Bible, the mere belief of which is a crime punishable by beheading in Afghanistan .

I'll care when these thugs tell the world they are sorry for hacking
off Nick Berg's head while Berg screamed through his gurgling slashed
throat.

I'll care when the cowardly so-called 'insurgents' in Afghanistan come
out and fight like men instead of disrespecting their own religion by
hiding in mosques.

I'll care when the mindless zealots who blow themselves up in search
of nirvana care about the innocent children within range of their suicide bombs.

I'll care when the Canadian media stops pretending that their freedom of speech on stories is more important than the lives of the soldiers on the ground or their families waiting at home to hear about them when something happens.

In the meantime, when I hear a story about a CANADIAN soldier roughing up an Insurgent terrorist to obtain information, know this:

I don't care.

When I see a wounded terrorist get shot in the head when he is told not to move because he might be booby-trapped, you can take it to the bank:

I don't care.

When I hear that a prisoner, who was issued a Koran and a prayer mat,and 'fed special' food that is paid for by my tax dollars, is complaining that his holy book is being 'mishandled,' you can absolutely believe in your heart of hearts:

I don't care.

And oh, by the way, I've noticed that sometimes it's spelled 'Koran'
and other times 'Quran.' Well, Jimmy Crack Corn you guessed it,

I don't care!!

One last thought for the day:

Only five defining forces have ever offered to die for you:

1. Jesus Christ

2. The Canadian Soldier.

3. The British Soldier.

4. The US Soldier, and

5. The Australian Soldier
add Israeli Soldier
One died for your soul, the other 5 for your freedom.

YOU MIGHT WANT TO PASS THIS ON, AS MANY SEEM TO FORGET ALL OF THEM.

AMEN!

Democracy of a high standard

2010-02-01T06:39:00.000-08:00

Democracy of a high standard — ancient example

Friday, Oct 10, 2003

http://www.thehindu.com/thehindu/fr/2003/10/10/stories/2003101001421200.htm

The inscriptions on the walls of the Sundaravarada temple in Uttiramerur, near Kanchipuram, show how democracy was practised 1,000 years ago. DR. R. NAGASWAMY elaborates.

The towering gopuram of the Sri Sundaravaradaraja Perumal temple at Uthiramerur. — Pic. by A. Muralitharan. THE KUMBABHISHEKAM on June 8 last of the Sundaravarada temple of Uttiramerur, Kanchipuram district, was the culmination of a great renovation work.

This temple was built around 750 A.D. during the Pallava rule, but underwent a second great renovation in the hands of Rajendra Chola in 1013 A.D., and again in the reign of the great Vijayanagar Emperor, Krishnadevaraya in 1520 A.D.

The village is known for its historic inscription of a written constitution that deals with elections to the village assembly, qualifications required of candidates contesting in elections, circumstances under which a candidate may be disqualified, mode of election, tenure of the elected candidates and the right of the public to recall the elected members when they failed to discharge their duties properly and so on.

It is interesting how in every aspect of life the highest standard of democracy was enforced in Uttiramerur.

Fines for wrongdoers

A 10th Century record deals with how to administer fines imposed on wrong doers in the village. Those who were fined for misdeeds are classified into criminals ("dushtargal"), fined by the great village assembly and the serving elected members of the village assembly who were fined.

Inscriptions on a wall of the temple. - Pic.. by D. Gopalakrishnan.

The great assembly met and decided that the fines imposed should be settled by the administrators of the village, through the Village Assembly, within the same financial year, failing which the Village Assembly itself would get the matter settled. This suggests that as the Village Assembly also had a judicial function, it could impose further fines and get the same realised. Regarding the second category it was decided that the elected members of the subcommittees, their servants, the village scribes and the village guards, who were punished for default, the cases should be settled by the village administrators (under the supervision of the Village Assembly), failing which the Village Assembly itself should collect the fine, within the same year.

The village administrators would be individually fined one "kaanam" (money) for their failure to discharge their duty. The record makes it clear that the elected members of the Village Assembly could not escape punishment by virtue of their elected memberships. The defaulting administrators were also dealt with severely.

Testing gold quality

Another record dated 921 A.D. was a regulation passed by the Village Assembly. As gold was in circulation for commercial transactions it was found necessary that the gold offered should be tested for its fineness to the satisfaction of the community.

A committee was elected by the villagers to test the gold by rubbing it against a touchstone. Four members were elected by the pot ticket method by the merchant community of the village, two members by the military garrison and two by the oil mongers.

Those who stood for this election had to be skilled in testing gold and for their upright conduct. They had to be neither too old nor too young. They should be taxpayers. Non-tax paying men were considered unsuitable for the work. All together 10 members were elected for a stipulated period.

The Gold Testing Committee, called "Pon Vaariyam", was strictly prohibited from using rough stones, which would lead to greater loss of gold while rubbing. They were also expected to recover the gold dust from the touchstone, at the end of each day and deposit it with the village assembly. Once in three months, they were obliged to go before the village assembly and swear that they had not committed any fraud in the testing. Also people were so proud of their oaths and sworn statements that they would sacrifice their life rather than break their own sworn statements.

Appointment of Professors

Another interesting record deals with an establishment of a higher institution of learning and the qualifications prescribed for the professor, the method of appointment and the duration of his service. As this was related to a Vedic college, the qualifications required mastery of the Vedas. For instance, the incumbent could not be a native of that village but one who came from other regions. It was believed that the teacher from the same village might take things easy and not do full justice to his profession.

The second clause states that the teacher should have mastered one Veda completely in addition to mastery of grammar, "Mimamsa", and the two religious systems, "darsanas". Alternately he should have mastered one of the Vedas, in addition to grammar with commentary ("Vyakarana" with "bhashya") and Logic with commentary and classical notes ("nyaaya" with "bashya" and "tika") and etymological science ("nirukta") with commentary.

Those who are conversant with ancient Indian learning know that these are very high standards compared to this age, where a professor of Ancient History, for example, need not have even basic understanding of Sanskrit or epigraphy to interpret the original sources of ancient Indian culture.

The Ancient Educationists on the other hand insisted on multi-dimensional understanding of the relevant subjects as the best system of education. The record states that the teacher is appointed for a period of only three years at the end of which one has to take an examination for another term of appointment. The endowment with all the stipulations was created by a gentleman of the village in association with the Members of the Village Assembly, which would monitor the functioning. Here one finds that local democracy played a vibrant role in keeping the standard of education high.

Protection of village tanks

The maintenance of the village tank received top priority. The work was looked after by the Tank Supervising Committee whose members were elected from among the non-serving members of the Village Assembly. Their tenure was also limited to three years. In this way a great number of people were involved in managing the affairs of the village. The duty of the Tank Supervisory Committee was maintenance of tanks, irrigation, levying of tank taxes and utilising the funds so collected for the same purpose. The work of this committee was so inspiring that many people, including women, came forward and endowed money for tank maintenance.

The committee also had to de-silt the village tanks once in three months and strengthen the tank bunds by widening and raising its height. The sluices and overflow channels were to be maintained properly. Uttiramerur shows the best example by providing a large number of records dealing with this type of secular transactions of the village Assemblies of Ancient India.

There is an example of road maintenance. A road, continuously used by the villagers and cattle, became unfit for use. The village assembly acquired lands from owners who had cultivable lands adjacent to the road. The long road was about 48 feet wide. The assembly purchased land 14 feet wide from all the owners, who were willing to part with the land for a common cause and the road was re-laid.

Efficient election system

It would be appropriate to close this account by referring to the election system that was in vogue. The record is a clause-by-clause document of high efficiency and those who drafted it could be considered constitutional experts.

The salient features were that a person should have a minimum educational qualification, should be above 35 years of age and below 70, should own a minimum of landed property, should have a residence built in his own land and finally, should be a tax payer. Only such men, who felt it was their responsibility to contribute to the governance, were allowed to contest. It was obligatory that a legislator should understand at least what he is legislating, as these acts affect the life of the people. In disqualifying a candidate, primary importance was given to elimination of corruption. Not only corrupt persons but those who abetted corruption and the near relatives, were debarred from contesting an election for seven generations.

Those elected could be recalled any time if they were found not discharging their duty properly. With all these rigid rules if one got elected he could not contest the next three consecutive elections. And one could contest only for three terms throughout his lifetime and should make way for other members and families to get elected. Uttiramerur definitely shows the way in democratic participation extended to a larger section of society, exerting at the same time constant vigil and scrupulous enforcement of the Law, without favours or prejudices.

In place were several committees such as the Annual Administrative Committee, Tank Committee, Gold Committee, Field Committee, Garden Committee, etc. which were all democratically elected under the overall supervision of the Annual Committee.

Each serving member is debarred from standing for any other committee within three terms. Many of the evils prevalent today were anticipated 1,000 years ago and this made the Constitution framers, men of great vision, who deserve to be at least remembered. Uttiramerur, in this context, has a message to be acknowledged.

(The author was Director of Archaeology, Tamil Nadu).

ALTERNATIVE TO CHEMOTHERAPY

2010-01-31T20:51:00.000-08:00

FTER YEARS OF TELLING PEOPLE CHEMOTHERAPY IS THE ONLY WAY TO TRY (TRY THE KEY WORD) AND ELIMINATE CANCER, JOHN HOPKINS IS FINALLY STARTING TO TELL YOU THERE IS AN ALTERNATIVE WAY .

1. Every person has cancer cells in the body. These cancer cells do not show up in the standard tests until they have multiplied to a few billion. When doctors tell cancer patients there are no more cancer cells in their bodies after treatment, it just means the tests are unable to detect the cancer cells because they have not reached the detectable size.
2. Cancer cells occur between 6 to more than 10 times in a person's lifetime.
3. When the person's immune system is strong the cancer cells will be destroyed and prevented from multiplying and forming tumors.
4. When a person has cancer it indicates the person has multiple nutritional deficiencies. These could be due to genetic, environmental, food and lifestyle factors.
5. To overcome the multiple nutritional deficiencies, changing diet, and including supplements will strengthen the immune system.
6. Chemotherapy involves poisoning the rapidly growing cancer cells and also destroys rapidly-growing healthy cells in the bone marrow, gastro-intestinal tract etc, and can cause organ damage, like liver, kidneys, heart, lungs etc.
7. Radiation while destroying cancer cells also burns, scars and damages healthy cells, tissues and organs.
8. Initial treatment with chemotherapy and radiation will often reduce tumor size. However prolonged use of chemotherapy and radiation do not result in more tumor destruction.
9. When the body has too much toxic burden from chemotherapy and radiation the immune system is either compromised or destroyed, hence the person can succumb to various kinds of infections and complications.
10. Chemotherapy and radiation can cause cancer cells to mutate,become resistant, and difficult to destroy. Surgery can also cause cancer cells to spread to other sites.
11. An effective way to battle cancer is to starve the cancer cells by not feeding it with the foods it needs to multiply.

CANCER CELLS FEED ON:

a. Sugar, is a cancer-feeder. By cutting off sugar it cuts off one important food supply to the cancer cells. Sugar substitutes like Nutrasweet, Equal, Spoonful, etc are made with Aspartame and it is harmful. A better natural substitute would be Manuka honey or molasses but only in very small amounts. Table salt has a chemical added to make it white in colour. A bettor alternative is Bragg's aminos or sea salt. (THE WEST MADE US CHANGE FROM SEATOWHITE IODISED SALT) .
b. Milk causes the body to produce mucus, especially in the gastro-intestinal tract. Cancer feeds on mucus. By cutting off milk and substituting with unsweetened soya milk cancer cells are being starved.
c. Cancer cells thrive in an acid environment. A meat-based diet is acidic and it is best to eat fish, and a little chicken rather than beef or pork. Meat also contains livestock antibiotics, growth hormones and parasites, which are all harmful, especially to people with cancer. d. A diet made of 80% fresh vegetables and juice, whole grains, seeds, nuts and a little fruits help put the body into an alkaline environment. About 20% can be from cooked food including beans. Fresh vegetable juices provide live enzymes that are easily absorbed and reach down to cellular levels within 15 minutes to nourish and enhance growth of healthy cells. To obtain live enzymes for building healthy cells drink fresh vegetable juice (most vegetables including bean sprouts) and eat some raw vegetables 2 or 3 times a day. Enzymes are destroyed at temperatures of 104 degrees F (40 degrees C).
e. Avoid coffee, tea, and chocolate, which have high caffeine. Green tea is a better alternative and has cancer-fighting properties. DrinkWater- best to drink purified water, or filtered, to avoid known toxins and heavy metals in tap water. Distilled water is acidic, avoid it.
12. Meat protein is difficult to digest and requires a lot of digestive enzymes. Undigested meat remaining in the intestines becomes putrified, and leads to more toxic buildup.
13. Cancer cell walls have a tough protein covering. By refraining from or eating less meat it frees more enzymesto attack the protein walls of cancer cells and allows the body's killer cells to destroy the cancer cells.
14. Some supplements build up the immune system (IP6, Flor ssence, Essiac, anti-oxidants, vitamins, minerals, EFAs etc.) to enable the body's own killer cells to destroy cancer cells. Other supplements like vitamin E are known to cause apoptosis, or programmed cell death, the body's normal method of disposing of damaged, unwanted, or unneeded cells.
15. Cancer is a disease of the mind, body, and spirit. A proactive and positive spirit will help the cancer warrior be a survivor.
Anger, unforgiveness and bitterness put the body into a stressful and acidic environment. Learn to have a loving and forgiving spirit. Learn to relax and enjoy life.
16. Cancer cells cannot thrive in an oxygenated environment. Exercising daily, and deep breathing help to get more oxygen down to the cellular level. Oxygen therapy is another means employed to destroy cancer cells.

PLEASE READ ON :

1. No plastic containers in micro.
2. No water bottles in freezer.
3. No plastic wrap in microwave.
John Hopkins recently sent this out in its newsletters. This information is being circulated at Walter Reed Army Medical Center as well. Dioxin chemicals causes cancer, especially breast cancer.
Dioxins are highly poisonous to the cells of our bodies. Don't freeze your plastic bottles with water in them as this releases dioxins from the plastic. Recently, Dr. Edward Fujimoto, Wellness Program Manager at Castle Hospital was on a TV program to explain this health hazard.
He talked about dioxins and how bad they are for us. He said, we should not be heating our food in the microwave using plastic containers. This especially applies to foods that contain fat.
He said, the combination of fat, high heat, and plastics releases dioxin into the food and ultimately into the cells of the body.
Instead, he recommends using glass, such as CorningWare, Pyrex or ceramic containers for heating food.
You get the same results, only without the dioxin. So things as TV dinners, instant ramen/soups, etc., should be removed from the container and heated in something else. Paper isn't bad but you don't know what is in the paper. It's just safer to use tempered glass, Corning Ware, etc. He reminded us that a while ago some of the fast food restaurants replacedthe foam containers with paper. The dioxin problem is one of the reasons.
Also, plastic wrap, such as Saran, is just as dangerous when placed over foods in themicrowave. As the food is nuked, the high heat causes poisonous toxins to actually melt out of the plastic wrap and drip into the food. Cover food with a paper towel instead.

Kidney cleansing with parsley

2010-01-31T09:47:00.000-08:00

The below is information purposes.Please use your
discretion while using these methods. and let it not
be a substitute to consulting your doctor.

CLEAN YOUR KIDNEYS IN LESS THAN £1.00

Years pass by and our kidneys are filtering the blood by
removing salt, poison and any unwanted entering our body.
With time, the salt accumulates and this needs to undergo
cleaning treatments and how are we going to overcome this?

It is very easy, first take a bunch of parsley and wash it clean
Then cut it in small pieces and put it in a pot and pour clean
water and boil it for ten minutes and let it cool down and then
filter it and pour in a clean bottle and keep it inside refrigerator
to cool. Drink one glass daily and you will notice all salt and other

accumulated poison coming out of your kidney by urination also
you will be able to notice the difference which you never felt before.

Parsley is known as best cleaning treatment for kidneys and it is natural!

Freedom's child-Nehru's Niece

2010-01-03T12:50:00.000-08:00

Chandralekha Mehta (Pandit) is perhaps the best person to write a book
that tells the story of a turbulent, pre-independence India. After all
she is Jawaharlal Nehru’s niece and Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit’s daughter;
growing up she had a ringside view of the freedom struggle.

Says the author at the outset: “We now take our freedom for granted,

but it would be interesting to look back on the struggles that led to it

and what it meant to those who played a part in it.” Mehta’s account is

absorbing and illuminating, without being preachy.

Freedom’s Child starts at Anand Bhawan, the Nehrus’ mansion in

Allahabad. Life in the city was a mix of childhood activity and political activism.

The house of the Nehrus played host to a galaxy of legendary names. Playtime

was interspersed with arrests of “Papu” (Mehta’s father, Ranjit Pandit),

“Mamu” (Nehru) or “Mummie” (Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit).

Gandhian philosophy ruled. The dress code at marriages — and other

functions — was khadi. Life at Anand Bhawan was anything but ordinary.

But Mehta’s descriptions are tinged with humour and a carefree attitude

that fails to hide the nostalgia and the concern that a child displays —

whether it is the holidays they spent in Khali (near Binsar), her visits

to jail to meet Mamu, Papu or Mummie or imminent threats of a police raid.

Here’s one. She recounts a tale about how, one night, Lal Bahadur Shastri

(who was the only big Congressman to escape arrest in 1942) was at

Anand Bhawan cyclostyling pamphlets that were to be distributed in

the countryside. Suddenly they got the news that the police might arrive.

Shastri, in panic, flushed the fliers down the toilet. “Along with all other

anxieties Mummie was going through at that time was now the possibility

of a malfunctioning toilet system in a house full of people!” says Mehta.

The author offers interesting insights on the big names of the time.

She paints a realistic picture without letting awe overshadow everything

else, touching upon little-highlighted things about the luminaries she grew

up around. Sample this one on Gandhi: “Bapu’s journeys were as full of

drama as other things he did… When the train stopped at a station,

a multitude of people would be on the platform, jostling around for a

glimpse of Bapu through the window or for darshan if he came to the door.

Among them were those who begged for an autograph, and Bapu,

with his business acumen, would come to the door of the compartment

and mischievously ask for money for the party fund in exchange for

his signature. This was gladly given.”

The spartan Gandhian life, travelling third class and wearing coarse

khadi — aren’t these sacrifices that made the Nehru family the shining

examples of the freedom struggle? Mehta scoffs at the word ‘sacrifice’.

As, she says, did the rest of the Nehru-Pandit clan. “Mummie,” she

writes, “used to be quite sharp with those who commented on the

sacrifices made by the Nehru family, in the hope of pleasing her.

She would say to them, ‘When you do what you want to do there

is no question of sacrifice’.”

Mehta says no one in the family other than Nanima (Motilal Nehru’s wife)

took the “sacrifice” thing seriously. Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit’s

conversation-stopper on sacrifice was this: There were hundreds of

families who gave up all for Bapu — at least our family was well-rewarded

after independence.

The One Flaw In Women

2009-12-31T20:10:00.000-08:00

By the time the Lord made woman,
He was into his sixth day of working overtime.
An angel appeared and said,
"Why are you spending so much time on this one?"
And the Lord answered, "Have you seen my spec sheet on her?
She has to be completely washable, but not plastic,
have over 200 movable parts, all replaceable
and able to run on diet coke and leftovers,
have a lap that can hold four children at one time,
have a kiss that can cure anything from a scraped knee to a broken heart
--and she will do everything
with only two hands."

The angel was astounded at the requirements.
"Only two hands!? No way!
And that's just on the standard model?
That's too much work for one day.
Wait until tomorrow to finish.."

"But I won't, " the Lord protested.
"I am so close to finishing this creation that is so close to my own heart.
She already heals herself when she is sick
AND can work 18-hour days."

The angel moved closer and touched the woman.
"But you have made her so soft, Lord."

"She is soft," the Lord agreed,
"but I have also made her tough.
You have no idea what she can endure or accomplish."

"Will she be able to think?", asked the angel.

The Lord replied,
"Not only will she be able to think,
she will be able to reason and negotiate."

The angel then noticed something,
and reaching out, touched the woman's cheek.
"Oops, it looks like you have a leak in this model.
I told you that you were trying to put too much into this one."

"That's not a leak,"
the Lord corrected,
"that's a tear!"
"What's the tear for?" the angel asked.

The Lord said, "The tear is her way of expressing her joy,
her sorrow, her pain, her disappointment, her love,
her loneliness, her grief and her pride."
The angel was impressed.
"You are a genius, Lord.
You thought of everything!
Woman is truly amazing."

And she is!
Women have strengths that amaze men.
They bear hardships and they carry burdens,
but they hold happiness,
love and joy.
They smile when they want to scream.
They sing when they want to cry.
They cry when they are happy
and laugh when they are nervous.
They fight for what they believe in.
They stand up to injustice.
They don't take "no" for an answer
when they believe there is a better solution.
They go without so their family can have.
They go to the doctor with a frightened friend.
They love unconditionally.
They cry when their children excel
and cheer when their friends get awards.
They are happy when they hear about
a birth or a wedding.
Their hearts break when a friend dies.
They grieve at the loss of a family member,
yet they are strong when they think there is no strength left.
They know that a hug and a kiss
can heal a broken heart.
Women come in all shapes, sizes and colors.
They'll drive, fly, walk, run or e-mail you
to show how much they care about you.
The heart of a woman is what makes the world keep turning.
They bring joy, hope and love.
They have compassion and ideals.
They give moral support to their family and friends.
Women have vital things to say and everything to give

HOWEVER, IF THERE IS ONE TINY FLAW IN WOMEN,

IT IS THAT THEY FORGET THEIR WORTH.

[ Rid cancer with a vegetarian diet‏ ]

2009-12-20T17:09:00.000-08:00

NATURAL HEALER How Dr Wu rid himself of cancer with a vegetarian diet
By: ANJIRA ASSAVANONDA
Published: 7/05/2009 at 12:00 AM
Newspaper section: Mylife

At the age of 30, Chinese doctor Tom Wu was diagnosed with
advanced stages of lung cancer, and was told he had only a few
months to live.

However, Dr Wu, who recently spoke with Mylife, has already
reached 70 years old, and to our surprise, he still looks like a young
and healthy man in his 50s.
Not only has he survived, but the doctor has maintained a healthy
life. The cancer is all gone, and he said he's never caught a cold or
other illness for 40 years. He has stopped going for blood tests.
"My body and feelings tell me I'm well, that I'm truly in good
health," says Dr Wu.

His secret lies in the power of natural healing. Dr Wu always
says that no wonder drug can cure diseases. But our own internal
healing power, our immune system, can. And what can strengthen
our immune system are simple foods from Mother Nature, and a
healthy lifestyle. In his view, diseases such as cancer, diabetes and
heart disease can be overcome by changing the diet.
Dr Wu says people get sick because they eat the wrong foods. Fried
food, for example, causes blockage in the arteries, bad circulation,
cholesterol, and heart disease.
"Instead of taking a cholesterol lowering drug, I would urge them to
stop eating greasy food. My suggestion is to eat clean food, which is
high in phytochemicals," he says.
Phytochemicals are natural cleansing agents that will help rid plaque
from your arteries. They come from natural foods such as
vegetables, fruits with their seeds, and common garden herbs.
Phytochemicals will nourish the body's cells so they can fight
against any foreign substances that invade your body.

Dr Wu's outstanding contributions to the development of natural
medicine earned him the "World Famous Doctor Award " from the
UN in 2001, and the "Best Wellness Doctor of the World" award
from India 's World Wellness Open University in March.
The secrets of how he won the fight against lung cancer and
maintains a healthy body are revealed in his first book, Dr Wu's
Principle of Natural Cures,which has recently been translated from
its original Chinese version into a Thai edition, Thammachart Chuay
Chewit, published by Nanmeebooks Publications.
It was launched in Thailand in March.
Dr Wu says what's written in the book is unique and easy to
understand because "the author is both the doctor and the patient
himself". All the ideas and guidelines suggested in the book come
from his own experience as well as what he has learned from his
patients.
Dr Wu turns to natural medicine.
Dr Wu had first studied Western medicine in France , and then
furthered his education in alternative therapy, earning a doctorate
degree.
The turning point arrived when he was diagnosed with lung cancer
at the age of 30. Modern medicine gave him no hope; it was too
late to remove the damaged parts of the lung. The cancer had
already spread to other organs, and the doctor told him he had only
a few months left.
In his despair, Dr Wu picked up the Bible and prayed to God. Then
the Bible fell to the floor, and he read the page it opened to
carefully.. The chapter talked about the days God created the Earth
and everything needed for human beings. Then he created Adam
and Eve, and told both of them that plants, vegetables and seeded
fruits growing on Earth have been provided for them to eat.
"I thought about what I had eaten in the past - meat, fish, fried and
grilled food, sweet cake, but God simply wanted us to eat
vegetables and sour fruits. I was confused and doubted whether I
would become weak if I ate too many vegetables and less meat,"
says Dr Wu.
Yet he decided to follow the Bible's guidance. He ate a lot of
vegetables and fruits, drank clean water, and completely adjusted
his lifestyle - his sleeping, breathing and exercise habits.
Nine months later, he went for a check-up, and surprisingly no
cancer cells were detected.
He advised people in his family and in the neighbourhood about his
discovery, and studied natural medicine until he received a
doctorate degree in naturopathy and nutrition from the US .
Dr Wu has been a frequent speaker at worldwide forums, spreading
his knowledge on natural cures and the use of organic food. He
advises people to use the most simple foods in the most natural
way in order to fight illnesses and maintain good health.

Dr Wu's secrets to good health
Published: 7/05/2009 at 12:00 AM
Newspaper section: Mylife
The human body has the power to heal itself. The immune system has a self defence
mechanism to block and destroy bacteria or viruses that invade our
bodies, while the self-healing mechanism will get us back on the road to
recovery. When you have a cold and take medicine, the medication may kill
the virus but your immune system will not fully function, and its efficiency will
decrease. As a result, your body will be more vulnerable to germs.
Dr Wu's principle is to strengthen the immune system, and avoid medication
as much as possible. In his book, he offers the following guidelines to good
health:

1. Have at least three bowel movements a day.
Other health experts may advise one bowel movement a day, but Dr Wu says
that's not enough.. You need three to four bowel movements a day in order to
excrete all the accumulated faeces from your intestine. Your liver will not be
overburdened and it also helps reduce cholesterol in your body.

2. Drink at least three glasses of fruit or vegetable smoothies each day.
This is a way to ingest enough phytochemicals to strengthen the body's cells
and immune system.. Use not only the flesh, but also the skin and seeds of
fruits and vegetables to make smoothies, as they are rich in phytochemicals.
Most of the fruit seeds have small amounts of cyanide which kill bacteria and
viruses without damaging the body.
Actually the recommended smoothie diet is six glasses a day, two in the
morning, one before lunch, two more in the afternoon, and one more before
dinner. However, if that's too much, you may start with three glasses a day.
Use a high powered blender (at least three horsepower) as it can release
phytochemicals from the fibre. It's best to choose sour fruits like green or red
apples, grapes, pineapples, kiwi and lime.

3. Sunbathe 30 minutes daily.
We often hear that the Sun's UV rays will damage our skin, and many people
apply sunblock before going out.
But Dr Wu says the opposite. He says the UV rays will help convert
cholesterol underneath the skin into vitamin A which helps moisten the skin
and prevent skin cancer, and also vitamin D that helps prevent colds,
osteoporosis, and certain kinds of cancer.
"Therefore, use the Sun. Expose yourself to sunlight about one-half hour a
day, at noon or another appropriate time based on your local climate.
The Sun will make you healthier," says Dr Wu.

4. Exercise 30 minutes a day.
Don't exercise for more than 30 minutes. If you go beyond that, your body will
be overworked.
"If you do it more than half an hour, that will become labour, not exercise.
Your heart and your body will be working too hard ," he says.

5. Shower with hot, then cold water.
Try an alternating cold and hot water shower: Three minutes of hot water
followed by 30 seconds of cold water, then repeat twice more.
This process will bring a rush of blood and energy to your body. It helps
increase your immune system, blood circulation, and metabolism.

6. Drink a lot of water, in the correct way.
How much water you need to drink each day depends on your specific
situation. If your office is air-conditioned, drinking six glasses of water a day is
enough. If your work involves lots of walking, you have to drink 8-10 glasses a
day. If you work under the hot sun, then 10-12 glasses of water are required.
The way you drink is also important. The correct way is to sip it little by little, to
give your body cells time to absorb the water. If you drink the whole glass
down at once, your cells can't absorb it all, and the water will be excreted as
urine.

7. Eat according to your blood type.
Your blood type determines what you should eat. Eating the wrong foods will
make you sick.
People with blood type O have to eat a certain amount of meat. If they eat
only vegetables for a long time, their body won't absorb all the substances
they need to strengthen their immune system. The recommended diet for this
group is 75% vegetables, 10% fruits, 10% meat, seafood and goat's milk
(avoid cow's milk), and 5% grains.
People with blood type A, however should avoid milk and meat, while
increasing grains and fruits. People with blood type B should also avoid meat,
while those with blood type AB should avoid chicken and beef.

8. Eat according to your biological clock.
Every human being has a biological clock that tells us when to eat, sleep, and
wake up. If you don't follow your biological clock, the organs will lose their
balance. Toxins and wastes won't be excreted from your body, and soon you'll
get sick.
According to Dr Wu, the biological clock is divided into three phases.
From 4am to noon is the time for bowel movements, so in the morning you
should eat foods with lots of fibre. Fruit and vegetable smoothies are
recommended.
From noon to 8pm , your body will absorb food so lunch is the most important
meal. A vegetable salad with grains is recommended. Fish or boiled eggs can
be added to your lunch. Avoid meat at dinner as the amino acids in the meat
will disturb your sleep. Try to finish dinner by 6pm .
From 8pm to 4am , the nutrients and energy from food will be distributed
throughout your body organs. The golden time for your sleep is between
10pm and 2am , as your immune and self-healing system will function at its
best.

The United States Of India

2009-12-18T21:27:00.000-08:00

The United States of India
by Subra Narayan

In light of the recent announcement by the Central Government of India to grant separate statehood status to Telangana, splitting from the modern state of Andhra Pradesh, we need to applaud and marvel at the insight and vision of the planners at the helm of the ruling party. This is an epoch moment that needs to be truly heralded as a bold but necessary decision that is long overdue and vindicates the efforts of our freedom fighters and all those who fought valiantly to achieve statehood. Their dedication and sincerity has yielded fruits, albeit a long time in waiting. Yet this clearly sets the tone for the progress of modern India, 60 plus years after Independence and its emergence as a superpower in the world.

The foresight of the Home Ministry in announcing the creation of a smaller state, namely Telangana from Andhra Pradesh, undoubtedly indicates the practicality of governance, leading to faster progress and prosperity with equal rights to all its citizens. By carving out Telangana from the behemoth of AP, the rulers have demonstrated their collective wisdom and lit a spark. This should pave the way for the creation of many smaller states that have been ambling for statehood for many decades, why even centuries!

As the Honorable CM of UP, Smt. Mayawati has rightly declared that UP be carved into many smaller states, since it is virtually impossible now to govern such a large state, according to her.

The newer states that would be created include Hirat Pradesh, Bundelkand and Purvanchal.

The Honorable Minister and prolific writer, Shri Jaswant Singh along with leaders of the Gorkha Janamukti Morcha called for the creation of a separate Gorkhaland, pointing out the need to be “liberated from the colonial rule" of West Bengal government. Needless to say, the brave souls of Vidharbha have long fought to secede from Maharashtra.

The time has arrived for the rise of India as a true superpower after centuries of imperial rule. The brilliant minds and visionaries in the esteemed positions of the Central Government, ably run by the Congress party, should also give serious thought to the creation of several such smaller states (in addition to the above-mentioned) including, Saurashtra from Gujarat, Bhojpur from Bihar, UP, Cooch Behar from West Bengal, Assam, Travancore from Kerala, Coorg from Karnataka, Tanjore from Tamil Nadu, Bodoland from Assam, Nilgiris from Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu, Magadh from Madhya Pradesh, Nalanda from Bihar, Kalinga from Orissa and Bihar, Belgaum from Maharashtra and Karnataka and Mithilanchal from Bihar.

Imagine the hundreds of thousands of jobs this will create in such a short time, so many CMs and MLAs will be anointed, so many ministries will be created, so many bureaucrats, clerks, peons will have jobs. So many new capital cities will arise that will require new Parliament buildings which in turn will generate massive employment for masons, carpenters, architects, engineers, bricklayers. There will be more state budgets to allocate, more accountants to handle them which simply translates into more opportunities. Postal addresses will change overnight which means recruiting more postal employees to handle the overload. Interstate taxes would ensure that a constant revenue stream is generated. Investors would flock to these newly created states to build infrastructure and set up novel high tech industries.

Nations that are struggling to jumpstart their economies because of the recent financial disaster can simply take a leaf from India. What a brilliant stroke by the geniuses in the current government. Not just a superpower behind other superpowers but a true leader is what India must be. We need to surpass every other nation in the world by carving out 51 states to be the next United States of India (USI)

Information : Technology & medicine at its best‏

2009-11-24T19:03:00.000-08:00

Watch eye diagnosis done through an iphone,this opens doors for
technology and medicine.

http://ibnlive.in.com/videos/105679/technological-bonanza-eye-test-through-phones.html?from=tv

People worship Highway Goddess for safe journey in Chennai

2009-11-24T18:58:00.000-08:00

People worship Highway Goddess for safe journey in Chennai

http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_people-worship-highway-goddess-for-safe-journey-in-chennai_1315119

November 22, 2009

Chennai, Nov. 22 (ANI): People have strong belief in Iraniamman
Amma, commonly known as the highway goddess in Chennai.

According to locals, breaking of the coconut and crushing of the lime
under the vehicle's tyre evades the accidents from happening.

On Fridays, hundreds of vehicles block the highway to get the puja
done for their vehicle in order to have a safe journey ahead.

"Since the past twenty five years I am coming here as a tourist guide,
when ever I used to come here and perform puja, I felt happy and better.
Accident will not happen. Today also I am going to some place that's why
I have come here to worship Iraniamman. I have belief that is why I
coming here and worshiping Amma," said Gajapathy, a tourist guide.

Daily thousands of vehicles stop by and queue up at the Iraniamman
temple to offer prayer on the highway including two wheelers, autos,
cars, buses, lorry drivers, etc.

People from across the nation come here to worship the highway
goddess in Chennai, which keep them away from the deadly accident
on that accident-prone highway.

"The reason for coming here to this goddess is that I need to go safe
and come back safe too. That's why I always come here, put the lime
before the vehicle and do the puja, for a good, wonderful and safe
journey. I am a catholic but I do believe in this because it is a highway
Goddess," said Jude, a traveller. (ANI)

Coconut Water ~ benefits ~‏

2009-11-15T10:10:00.000-08:00

Here is some information about Coconut Water:

'It's a natural isotonic beverage, with the same level of electrolytic

balance as we have in our blood. It's the fluid of life, so to speak.'

During the Pacific War of 1941-45, both sides in the conflict regularly

used coconut water - siphoned directly from the nut - to give emergency

plasma transfusions to wounded soldiers..

Most coconut water is still consumed fresh in tropical coastal areas - once

exposed to air, the liquid rapidly loses most of its organoleptic and nutritional

characteristics, and begins to ferment.

Coconut Water is More Nutritious than whole milk - Less fat and NO cholesterol!

Coconut Water is More Healthy than Orange Juice - Much lower calories

Coconut Water is Better than processed baby milk- It contains lauric acid, which

is present in human mother's milk

Coconut water is naturally sterile -- Water permeates though the filtering husk!

Coconut water is a universal donor-- Its identical to human blood plasma

Coconut Water is a Natural Isotonic Beverage - The same level we have in our blood.

Coconut water has saved lives in 3rd world countries thru Coconut IV.

Coconut water is the very stuff of Nature, biologically Pure, full of Natural Sugars,

Salts, and Vitamins to ward off fatigue... and is the next wave of energy drinks

BUT natural!', according to Mortin Satin, Chief of the United Nation's Food

Agriculture Organization.

Coconut water contains more potassium (at about 294 mg) than most sports drinks

(117 mg) and most energy drinks..

Coconut water has less sodium (25mg) where sports drinks have around 41mg and

energy drinks have about 200mg!

Coconut water has 5mg of Natural Sugars where sports and energy drinks range from

10-25mg of Altered Sugars.

Coconut water is very high in Chloride at 118mg; compared to sports drinks at about

39mg.

Data is based on a 100ml drink

Bringing growth to India's villages

2009-11-15T07:52:00.001-08:00

Bringing growth to India's villages

By Shilpa Kannan
India Business Report, BBC World News

In rural India life revolves around crops and monsoons

The World Economic Forum's India Economic
Summit is under way in Delhi, with the theme
of India's Next Generation of Growth.

As the world emerges from the economic slump, what
does India need to do to raise that next generation?

It is a cold and foggy morning as the Singh family
gather around for their breakfast, close to an open fire
to keep warm.Sitting amid acres of lush green farms,
it is easy to forget that this village is less than two hours
from the national capital, Delhi.

In this farming community, life revolves around crops
and monsoons - and the irregularity of the two.

So it is not easy for Lokender Singh, 29, to step away
from farming and find a job.

But finding a job is what he and many of his young cousins
dream of every day.He says it's not easy to run a family
with the income from the farms."When the rains are good,
we have a good harvest and when it's dry, like this year,
we don't even get our cost back," he says."We all want a
steady source of income, which is why it's important to find
jobs."But we don't want to migrate to cities, like many others,
because our families and our land are here. How can we leave
all this behind?"

Youth boom

The government's efforts to push technology-led economic
growth are not helping Lokender and others like him.

Young people in rural India are seen as a bright, young workforce

And he is not alone. Soon, more than half the population of
India will be under the age of 25, and the bulk of this working
population will be from rural areas.

If the country wants to tap into this demographic dividend
for its future economic growth, the challenge will be to create
jobs in such far-off areas and stop the inhabitants migrating
to urban areas.

In the last 10 years, economic growth has been led by
white-collar jobs in sectors such as IT and outsourcing,
banking and services. There is very little scope for workers
from rural areas.

Fortunately, with the financial slowdown, more and more
employers now understand the potential that rural India holds.

In spite of the downturn in the last year, rural parts of the country
have registered a significant growth in almost every sector, from
cars and mobile phones to banking and retail.

So companies are rushing into rural areas, desperate for a bright,
young workforce.

Local knowledge

These firms include Global AgriSystem, an agribusiness consulting
group that is building a cold storage chain across the country.

Women wash carrots before they are sent to cities across India

Employees need to understand agriculture, crop cycles and local dialects.

So management degrees and English-language skills are not the
hiring criteria here.Chief executive Ajay Kulshrestha says more than 70% of his employees have been hired from the countryside.

"We need people who can understand the socio-economic conditions and can communicate to farmers, labourers and vendors," he says.

"Young graduates from non-urban areas are hard-working, keen to
work and easily fit into our kind of work environment.

"The cost factor is also huge - we can hire graduates here at half the
cost and train them to higher posts in the organisation. The attrition levels are lower too."

Opening the cyber-door

As urban employers struggle to reach rural employees, human
resources websites such as Ruralnaukri.com and Villagenaukri.com
are invaluable.

There are nearly 13 million new entrants to India's workforce
every year and the internet now gives access to the growing
workforce.Ruralnaukri.com chief executive Ajay Gupta says
providing employment is the easiest route to creating middle
classes who have the power to influence the economy.

"The government cannot pay poor families money and build infrastructure, hospitals and services all at once," he says.

"But if we sort out the problem of employment, all the others
will fall into place automatically," he adds, recalling the adage
that it is better to teach people fishing than to give them fish.

"If a person has a job, then he brings money to the family and
they can buy anything they want - food, shelter, transport.

"So employment will be the key for economic transformation."

Making the transition

Back in the farms, groups of women sit around washing and
cleaning bags of carrots before packing them off to cities across India.

Overseeing their work is Lokender Singh, who has found employment
as a supervisor in charge of operations at Global AgriSystem.

More than two-thirds of Indians still depend on agriculture for their
livelihood, so it is rare to find farmer's sons making the transition into
nine-to-five jobs outside farms. As a result, the other local farmers
now look to Mr Singh for career advice for their children.

There are more than 600,000 villages in the country and this is
where the potential workforce lies.And the next phase of growth
will come from companies that are capable of tapping into this talent.