YIN-YANG

2017-10-13T03:40:00.000-07:00

The animal kingdom harbors many parenting secrets. Compared with humans, animals have both unique and similar ways of parenting their offspring. For instance, elephants rely on young females to act as babysitters for their young calves–sound familiar?

Not everything animal parents do is identical to human parents. For instance, the Panda bear commonly gives birth to two babies but she only raises one. Before you go thinking Panda moms are callous and cruel, it’s not that at all. Instead, out in the rough and tough wild mothering one baby requires all of the resources a Panda has to offer. Her decision boils down to one healthy baby or two weak babies.

Not everything is bleak out in the wild, in fact few things are. It appears animals enjoy raising their young just as much as us furless humans! Check out these photos of the cutest parenting moments in the animal kingdom to see just how much fun animal families have living life on the wild side.

This Polar Bear cuddles her baby close, her thick claws and foreboding paws keeping a tight grip on her sweet little cub.

David Lazar shot this stunning image of two lionesses living in the Masai Mara game reserve in Kenya. The two adoringly gaze at their baby sibling, with pride often reserved to parents.

How cute are they?!?!

This mama helps her baby to stay afloat as they go for a swim in the waters they call home.

How about a nap now?

Baby squirrels are so small and hairless you can hardly tell what they are–but this mama knows her baby when she sees him.

What is under this mommy’s colorful wings–2 sleepy chicks!

This is one strong possum carting around 6 babies on her back, while simultaneously scaling a fence–you go mom!

“Wait up Ma!” This Fox hollers, clinging tight to his mommy’s bushy fox tail.

Elephants are the only other species (besides us humans) that visits the graves of their deceased loved ones. You can only imagine how much love elephants have for their offspring. This adorable pair link trunks as they travel onward.

How Bear-y cute are these two?!

Parents always know best–this loving mother swan tucks her babies under her wings where they will stay warm and dry while traveling across the pond.

Crocodiles are not often considered “cute” but despite their scaly skin and forbidding sharp teeth, turns out they are family-orienated! Udayan Rao Pawar, was voted Wildlife Photographer of the Year in 2013 after he snapped the photo below of a croc family. He camped out on the banks of the Chambal River in India in order to see 2 gharial crocodile colonies. While the animal sightings at the Chambal River are incredible, the area is threatened by illegal sand-mining and fishing.

Play Time! This big mama finds her baby cub’s ticklish spots!

Penguins use a buddy system to help watch over their young, adults take turns forming groups around baby penguins in order to keep them safe and warm.

No butts about it, these two are definitely related.

As mom and dad share a passionate embrace, the little one begs for some attention around here.

Peek-a-Boo–Did someone say FISH?!?! These two grizzly bears play in deep water, baby isn’t afraid, she knows she has her mom there to protect her.

“But I’m already clean!”

Papa bear teaches his cub some things he doesn’t want mom to know about when they get back to the den later.

Has anyone seen my baby chick?

While mama hunts for some food, baby decides now is a nice time to take a nap.

When you become a parent (human or animal) you realize that the one thing greater than enjoying a good meal is feeding a good meal to your children.

You might think this bird has one too many legs, but think again….

Never underestimate your Clients’ Complaint, no matter how funny it might seem!

2017-10-13T03:21:00.001-07:00

This is a real story that happened between the customer of General Motors and its Customer-Care Executive. Please read on

A complaint was received by the Pontiac Division of General Motors:

This is the second time I have written you, and I don’t blame you for not answering me, because I kind of sounded crazy, but it is a fact that we have a tradition in our family of ice cream for dessert after dinner each
night. But the kind of ice cream varies so, every night, after we’ve eaten, the whole family votes on which kind of ice cream we should have and I drive down to the store to get it.

It’s also a fact that I recently purchased a new Pontiac and since then my trips to the store have created a problem. You see, every time I buy vanilla ice cream, when I start back from the store my car won’t start. If I get any other kind of ice cream, the car starts just fine.

I want you to know I’m serious about this question, no matter how silly it sounds: ‘What is there about a Pontiac that makes it not start when I get vanilla ice cream, and easy to start whenever I get any other kind?'”

The Pontiac President was understandably skeptical about the letter, but sent an engineer to check it out anyway. The latter was surprised to be greeted by a successful, obviously well educated man in a fine neighborhood. He had arranged to meet the man just after dinner time, so the two hopped into the car and drove to the ice cream store. It was vanilla ice cream that night and, sure enough, after they came back to the car, it wouldn’t start.

The engineer returned for three more nights. The first night, the man got chocolate. The car started. The second night, he got strawberry. The car started. The third night he ordered vanilla. The car failed to start.

Now the engineer, being a logical man, refused to believe that this man’s car was allergic to vanilla ice cream. He arranged, therefore, to continue his visits for as long as it took to solve the problem. And toward this end he began to take notes: he jotted down all sorts of data, time of day, type of gas used, time to drive back and forth, etc. In a short time, he had a clue: The man took less time to buy vanilla than any other flavor. Why? The answer was in the layout of the store.

Vanilla, being the most popular flavor, was in a separate case at the front of the store for quick pickup. All the other flavors were kept in the back of the store at a different counter where it took considerably longer to find the flavor and get checked out. Now the question for the engineer was why the car wouldn’t start when it took less time.

Once time became the problem — not the vanilla ice cream — the engineer quickly came up with the answer: vapor lock. It was happening every night, but the extra time taken to get the other flavors allowed the engine to cool down sufficiently to start. When the man got vanilla, the engine was still too hot for the vapor lock to dissipate.

Moral of the story:

Even crazy looking problems are sometimes real and all problems seem to be simple only when we find the solution, with cool thinking.

An Old man

2017-01-11T22:21:00.001-08:00

A Businessman was deep in debt and could not see any way out.

Creditors and Suppliers were demanding payments. He sat in the park, deep in thought, wondering if anything could save his company from bankruptcy.

Suddenly an old man appeared before him and asked,

"I can see that something is troubling you seriously".

After listening patiently the old man said,

"I believe I can help you".

He asked the man his name, wrote out a Cheque and put it into his hands saying,

"Take this money, meet me here exactly one year from today... and you can pay me back at that time".

Then he turned and disappeared as quickly as he had come.

The businessman saw in his hands a cheque for $ 500,000... signed by Warren Buffet, one of the richest men in the world.

"I can erase my worries instantly" he realized.

But instead, the man decided to put the uncashed Cheque in his safe, knowing that it might give him the strength to work out to save his business and to use this only in case of dire emergency.

With changed thinking he negotiated better deals,restructured his business and worked rigorously with full zeal and enthusiasm and got several big deals.

Within few months, he was out of debt and started making money once again.

Exactly one year later he returned to the park with the uncashed cheque.

As agreed, the old man appeared.

But just as the businessman was about to hand him back the cheque and share his success story, a nurse came running up and grabbed the old man.

"I’m so glad I caught him" she cried.

"I hope he hasn’t been bothering you much.

He always escapes from the mental hospital and tells people that he is Warren Buffet",

saying this she took the old man away.

The surprised man just stood there, stunned!

All year long he had been dealing thinking that

he had half a million dollars behind him...

Its not the money, real or imagined that turns our life around.

It is our Self-confidence that gives us the power to achieve anything...

Check Yourself ...and Cheer her.

2015-12-01T08:39:00.000-08:00

A boy, age 7, slipped on the road and fell. 'Everyone' laughed out loud at him.

He started crying out of shame while his eyes were searching for someone. That someone suddenly hugged him tight and wiped his eyes and pouring nose. It was his mother who was cursing 'Everyone' around for laughing at her kid.

After 33 years, one fine day when, she slipped and fell down on the same road. The reaction from people was unchanged.

The only change was that, this time her eyes were searching for someone and that someone was cursing her standing remotely for embarrassing him in front of 'Everyone' :(

Time for you to treat her like a new born baby, She is new to this fast moving and easy forgetting Generation. She spent all her time to answer your silly questions and now she needs your attention more than your GF silly talks. She deserves more share of your life than any one.

Password @ A Pill for a #Positive Life.

2015-11-14T05:04:00.001-08:00

How a Password Changed my Life ... A true story from the Reader’s Digest ...

I was having a great morning until I sat down in front of my office computer. “Your password has expired”, a server message flashed on my screen, with instructions for changing it. Coming up with a new code doesn’t seem like a big deal, unless you work at my company, where we have to change it monthly, using at least one uppercase character, one lower case character, one symbol and one number. Oh and the password can’t be fewer than eight characters. And I can’t use any of the same passwords I’ve used in the past three months.

Suddenly I was furious. What didn’t make it any better was that I was deeply depressed after my recent divorce. Disbelief over what she had done to me was what I thought all day.

That didn’t mean anything to the empty field with the pulsating cursor, waiting for me to type a password that I have to re-enter many times – for the next 30 days. I remembered a tip I’d heard from my former boss. He’d said, “I’m going to use a password that is going to change my life”. I couldn’t focus on getting things done in my current mood. There was clear indication that I needed to regain control over my life, but I couldn’t heed them. My password became the indicator. My password reminded me that I shouldn’t let myself be a victim of my recent breakup and that I was strong enough to do something about it.

I made my password – F0rgive@her. I had to type this password several times every day, each time my computer would lock. Each time I came back from lunch I wrote forgive her. The simple action changed the way I looked at my ex-wife. That constant reminder of reconciliation led me to accept the way things happened and helped me deal with my depression. As one month wore on, I felt a slow healing began to take place. By the time the server prompted me to change my password following month, I felt free.

The next time I had to change my password I thought about the next thing that I had to get done. My password became Quit@smoking4ever .

It motivated me to follow my goal and I was able to quit smoking.

One month later, my password became Save4trip@europe, and in three months I was able to visit Europe.

Seeing how reminders helped me materialize my goals kept me motivated and excited. While its sometimes difficult to come up with your next goal, keeping at it brings great results.

After a few months my password was

lifeis#beauT1ful !!!

Life is going to change again.

Everyone has a Story in Life.

2015-11-14T03:27:00.002-08:00

A 20 year old boy seeing out from the train’s window shouted… “Dad, look the trees are going behind!” Dad smiled and a young couple sitting nearby, looked at the 20 year old’s childish behavior with pity, suddenly he again exclaimed…

“Dad, look the clouds are running with us!” The couple couldn’t resist and said to the old man… “Why don’t you take your son to a good doctor?” The old man smiled and said…“I did and we are just coming from the hospital, my son was blind from birth, he just got his eyes today.

Every single person on the planet has a story. Don’t judge people before you truly know them. The truth might surprise you.

Money from Around the World.

2015-11-04T10:30:00.000-08:00

“Money is not the most important thing in the world. Love is. Fortunately, We all love Money.”

Afghanistan Money (AFA)
Albania Money (ALL)Algeria Money (DZD)American Samoa Money (USD)Andorra Money (EUR)Angola Money (AOA)Anguilla Money (XCD)Antarctica Money Antigua and Barbuda Money (XCD)Argentina Money (ARS)Armenia Money (AMD)Aruba Money (AWG)Australia Money (AUD)Austria Money (EUR)Azerbaijan Money (AZM)Bahrain Money (BHD)Bangladesh Money (BDT)Barbados Money (BBD)Belarus Money (BYB/BYR)Belgium Money (EUR)Belize Money (BZD)Benin Money (XOF)Bermuda Money (BMD)Bhutan Money (BTN; INR)Bolivia Money (BOB)Bosnia and Herzegovina Money (BAM)Botswana Money (BWP)Brazil Money (BRL)
British Virgin Islands Money (USD)Brunei Money (BND)Bulgaria Money (BGN)Burkina Faso Money (XOF)Burma Money (MMK)Burundi Money (BIF)Cambodia Money (KHR)Cameroon Money (XAF)Canada Money (CAD)Cape Verde Money (CVE)Cayman Islands Money (KYD)Central African Republic Money (XAF)Chad Money (XAF)Chile Money (CLP)China Money (CNY)Christmas Island Money (AUD)
Cocos (Keeling) Islands Money (AUD)Colombia Money (COP)Comoros Money (KMF)Cook Islands Money (NZD)
Costa Rica Money (CRC)Cote d’Ivoire Money (XOF)Croatia Money (HRK)Cuba Money (CUP)Cyprus Money (CYP; )Czech Republic Money (CZK)Democratic Republic of the Congo Money (CDF)Denmark Money (DKK)
Djibouti Money (DJF)Dominica Money (XCD)Dominican Republic Money (DOP)East Timor Money (IDR)Ecuador Money (USD)Egypt Money (EGP)El Salvador Money (USD)Equatorial Guinea Money (XAF)Eritrea Money (ERN)Estonia Money (EEK)Ethiopia Money (ETB)Falkland Islands Money (FKP)Faroe Islands Money (DKK)Fiji Money (FJD)Finland Money (EUR)France Money (EUR)French Guiana Money (EUR)French Polynesia Money (XPF)Gabon Money (XAF)
Georgia Money (GEL)Germany Money (EUR)Ghana Money (GHC)Gibraltar Money (GIP)Greece Money (EUR)Greenland Money (DKK)Grenada Money (XCD)Guadeloupe Money (EUR)Guam Money (USD)Guatemala Money (GTQ; USD)Guernsey Money (GBP)Guinea Money (GNF)Guinea-Bissau Money (XOF)Guyana Money (GYD)Haiti Money (HTG)Holy See Money (EUR)Honduras Money (HNL)Hong Kong Money (HKD)Hungary Money (HUF)Iceland Money (ISK)India Money (INR)Indonesia Money (IDR)Iran Money (IRR)Iraq Money (NID)Ireland Money (EUR)Israel Money (ILS)Italy Money (EUR)Jamaica Money (JMD)
Japan Money (JPY)Jersey Money (GBP)Jordan Money (JOD)Kazakhstan Money (KZT)Kenya Money (KES)Kiribati Money (AUD)North Korea Money (KPW)South Korea Money (KRW)
Kuwait Money (KD)Kyrgyzstan Money Laos Money (LAK)Latvia Money (LVL)Lebanon Money (LBP)Lesotho Money (LSL; ZAR)Liberia Money (LRD)Libya Money (LYD)Liechtenstein Money (CHF)Lithuania Money (LTL)Luxembourg Money (EUR)Macau Money (MOP)Macedonia Money (MKD)Madagascar Money (MGF)Malawi Money (MWK)Malaysia Money (MYR)Maldives Money (MVR)Mali Money (XOF)Malta Money (Eur)Isle of Man Money (GBP)Marshall Islands Money (USD)Martinique Money (EUR)Mauritania Money (MRO)Mauritius Money (MUR)Mayotte Money (EUR)Mexico Money (MXN)Micronesia Money (USD)Moldova Money (MDL)Monaco Money (EUR)Mongolia Money (MNT)
Montserrat Money (XCD)Morocco Money (MAD)Mozambique Money (MZM)Namibia Money (NAD; ZAR)Nauru Money (AUD)Nepal Money (NPR)Netherlands Money (EUR)Netherlands Antilles Money (ANG)New Caledonia Money (XPF)New Zealand Money (NZD)Nicaragua Money (NIO)Niger Money (XOF)Nigeria Money (NGN)Niue Money (NZD)Norfolk Island Money (AUD)Northern Mariana Islands Money (USD)Norway Money (NOK)Oman Money (OMR)Pakistan Money (PKR)Palau Money (USD)Panama Money (PAB; USD)Papua New Guinea Money (PGK)Paraguay Money (PYG)Peru Money (PEN)Philippines Money (PHP)Pitcairn Islands Money (NZD)Poland Money (PLN)Portugal Money (EUR)Puerto Rico Money (USD)Qatar Money (QAR)
Reunion Money (EUR)Romania Money (RON)Russia Money (RUR)Rwanda Money (RWF)Saint Helena Money (SHP)Saint Kitts and Nevis Money (XCD)Saint Lucia Money (XCD)Saint Pierre and Miquelon Money (EUR)Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Money (XCD)Samoa Money (SAT)San Marino Money (EUR)Sao Tome and Principe Money (STD)Saudi Arabia Money (SAR)Senegal Money (XOF)
Seychelles Money (SCR)Sierra Leone Money (SLL)Singapore Money (SGD)Slovakia Money (SKK)Slovenia Money (EUR)Solomon Islands Money (SBD)Somalia Money (SOS)South Africa Money (ZAR)
Spain Money (EUR)Sri Lanka Money (LKR)Sudan Money (SDD)Suriname Money (SRD)Svalbard Money (NOK)Swaziland Money (SZL)Sweden Money (SEK)Switzerland Money (CHF)Syria Money (SYP)Taiwan Money (TWD)Tajikistan Money (somon)Tanzania Money (TZS)Thailand Money (THB)The Bahamas Money (BSD)The Gambia Money (GMD)Togo Money (XOF)Tokelau Money (NZD)Tonga Money (TOP)Trinidad and Tobago Money (TTD)Tunisia Money (TND)Turkey Money (YTL)Turkmenistan Money (TMM)Turks and Caicos Islands Money (USD)Tuvalu Money (AUD)Uganda Money (UGX)Ukraine Money (UAH)United Arab Emirates Money (AED)United Kingdom Money (GBP)United States of America Money (USD)Uruguay Money (UYU)Uzbekistan Money (UZS)Vanuatu Money (VUV)Venezuela Money (VEB)Vietnam Money (VND)Virgin Islands Money (USD)
Wallis and Futuna Money (XPF)Western Sahara Money (MAD)Yemen Money (YER)Zambia Money (ZMK)Zimbabwe Money (ZWD)

How's that for revenge.

2015-09-30T03:49:00.000-07:00

This is the story of how JD WETHERSPOON - The biggest chain of pubs in England, got its name. This chain has over a thousand outlets all over England, and had revenues of over fourteen hundred million pounds last year. (They also operate the Lloyd's number one brand, and own a few hotels)

Now, this business giant is not named after the owner, his name is Tim Martin. He named the company after his high school teacher - JD Wetherspoon.

He did this because his teacher had once humiliated him in front of his classmates, and had told his parents that Tim would never amount to anything.

Now, Tim knew that if he put his own name on his pubs, his teacher would never notice. After all, 'Martin' could be anyone.

But no one can resist looking at their own name.

So he named the pubs 'JD Wetherspoon'

And now every time his teacher passes his own name, he knows that it was put there by a boy he'd said would never amount to anything.

Source - Dave Trott's "Predatory Thinking"

Think The Other Way.

2015-09-16T03:25:00.000-07:00

What is your first instinct when you see this picture? What have you been told all your life? .......... That these three monkeys represent .. Speak No Evil, See No Evil and Hear No Evil .......... Am I right ?

What if I told you ..... that for each monkey that speaks no evil, two does; for each monkey that sees no evil, two does and for each monkey that hears no evil two does..............

There is no such thing as good or evil. Good doesn't exist in the absence of evil and vice versa. The philosophy is to let everything be in plain sight and let you rationalize. You are what you observe and if you observe everything, you are neither good nor bad; you can choose whoever you want to be when the time comes.

Dogs Around the World.

2014-12-07T08:34:00.000-08:00

Welcome to the 'Stock Market'

2014-11-01T01:30:00.000-07:00

Once upon a time in a village, a man announced to the villagers that he would buy monkeys for Rs 10. The villagers, seeing that there were many monkeys around,

went out to the forest and started catching them..

The man bought thousands at Rs 10 and as supply started to diminish, the villagers stopped their effort. He further announced that he would now buy at Rs20. This renewed the efforts of the villagers and they started catching monkeys again. Soon the supply diminished even further and people started going back to their farms. The offer rate increased to Rs 25 and the supply of monkeys became so little that it was an effort to even see a monkey, let alone catch it!

The man now announced that he would buy monkeys at Rs 50! However, since he had to go to the city on some business, his assistant would now buy on behalf of him.

In the absence of the man, the assistant told the villagers. Look at all these monkeys in the big cage that the man has collected. I will sell them to you at Rs 35 and when the man returns from the city, you can sell it to him for Rs 50. " The villagers squeezed up with all their savings and bought all the monkeys. Then they never saw the man nor his assistant, only monkeys everywhere!

Welcome to the 'Stock Market'

Colour Theasure.

2014-09-18T02:59:00.002-07:00

Ingrid Sundberg, a writer and children’s book illustrator, created a very useful infographic chart for anyone struggling with color names. The writer says that she loves to collect words that can help give her stories variety and depth.

“I’ve learned that we all have different associations with color words,” Sundberg told Bored Panda. “For example the color sapphire is a light blue to me (since that’s the color of the sapphire on my engagement ring), but a sapphire can also be a very dark blue. I doubt there can be an ‘official color guide,’ as color is so subjective.” Regardless of the subjectivity of color, however, Sundberg’s guide will help expand your descriptive vocabulary beyond green, red and blue.

Hinduism is a culture not a religion, and India is a civilization not a mere nation

2014-08-11T00:37:00.000-07:00

The concepts of Nation and Religion are a western world view imported into the Indian society. So when you say India is a mere nation or Hinduism is a religion, that is a very narrow definition you are ascribing to both. Let us see why.

Why is India not a mere Nation?

A nation is a western concept, as a political geographical boundary separating societies and its people meant to be united in a “nationalist” idea. But a political nation need not necessarily always mean a unified society. Take the case of UK which is a nation, and Scotland which is a part of it is soon going to vote in September 2014 to decide if they want independence from United Kingdom. Take the case of erstwhile unified nations which went on to be divided into smaller nations later.

Nor do two nations living side by side mean their societies are not unified. East and West Germany were separated as nations but they were a unified society and hence became unified later. So was North and South Vietnam which was artificially separated by political ideologies. People of North and South Korea have a lot more in common than the boundaries that separate them today. The society in India is lot more diverse than the countries in Europe and still we are a single nation!

India is not a mere Nation, but a Civilization

Hinduism is the world’s third largest religion (in its popular perception as being a religion) after Christianity and Islam. However, an overwhelming majority of Hindus live as a single nation. On the other hand you have Christian majority countries and Muslim majority countries that area a fraction of the size of India living as separate countries next to each other.

Hindus in spite of being such a diverse population in terms of language, geography, practices continue to live as a single nation. The reason? All Hindus share a common civilization which gives them a diverse yet unified culture. They speak different languages and yet think as a single society.

Mere Religion can never be a unifying force, only a common culture springing out of a common civilization can be. Else the entire Europe could have been a single nation, so would have been the entire middle-east. We have a classic example in our neighborhood in how Bangladesh separated from Pakistan.

And it is not just Hinduism alone. Buddhism, Sikhism, Jainism, all co-exist as a single diverse society in India. Even religions which entered India from outside like Zoroastrianism, Islam, Christianity all have been one in the diverse Indian society and yet maintain their unique identity. Be an invader or a refugee, neither can you destroy the Indian civilization nor does it destroy you. Everybody gets absorbed into this great idea of India.

Civilizations have risen and fallen across the world – Mesopotamian, Babylonian, Egyptian, Sumerian, Roman, Persian all have had their times and vanished – Indian civilization continues to flourish magnanimously since time immemorial irrespective of whether it is a nation or a collection of kingdoms, rising and falling empires, invaders, refugees, doesn’t matter. For India is not a mere nation, but a grand idea with its roots firmly set in the welfare and well being of not just humanity but all life forms.

Why is Hinduism NOT a religion?

Try answering these questions, and you will see why Hinduism is NOT a religion.

Who is the founder of Hinduism?
Which is that single holy book in Hinduism which all Hindus have to abide by?
Who is that almighty single personal God in Hinduism?
Which is that single religious institution of Hinduism?
Who is that single religious head in Hinduism?

Answers to all these questions are in the negative. Hinduism has no single founder, no single holy book, no single religious head or institution, no single personal God. And there is even more, you can be an atheist and still be a Hindu. You can disagree with all the popular holy books and still be a Hindu. You may have never visited a Hindu temple, and still be a Hindu. It is not about doing Pooja and saying prayers. It is the way you live your life as a Hindu. You can be a Hindu and still go and pray at a Church, nobody can stop you! There is no blasphemy in Hinduism. You can criticize and debate about every aspect of it without any fear. In fact texts like Upanishads, Gitas are full of extremely critical debates and discussions on various core aspects of Hinduism.

Why is Hinduism a Culture?

You practice your religion, but you live your culture. In Hinduism you don’t practice anything, it is your lifestyle. There is nothing like converting to Hinduism. You do not have missionaries in Hinduism. No where do you find in any Hindu text about how one can convert to Hinduism. You just live your life as a Hindu.

Every aspect of nature is divine in Hinduism which means nature should be respected for it provides us shelter, food and a life supporting system in this Universe. So Hindus worship rivers, mountains, trees, air, water, even other animals, Sun, Moon, planets, knowledge, wealth, everything in the Universe is divine for a Hindu. So you respect nature, follow the laws of nature, and don’t be greedy. Tarudevobhava - trees are divine. You don’t cut trees just like that if you are a true Hindu. In fact you will do everything you can to preserve every aspect of nature around you. Birds build beautiful nests without damaging or altering the surroundings around their nests.

In Kerala and in the coastal belt along Karnataka every ancient family settlement has a backyard area which is called Kaavu in Malayalam (in Kerala) and Haadi in Kannada (in Karnataka). This Kaavu or Haadi is a mini forest area untouched by humans and left for wild animals. Kaavu or Haadi are home to many wild life forms. When the ancient Hindus started building houses, they were quite aware that they were encroaching into the land of the wild animals and birds. So they created these mini forests and ensured continuous protection to these areas throughout generations. Such forest areas and trees were tagged sacred, to ensure people didn’t go and encroach them again. Do you see the reason why they paint the images of Gods and Goddesses on walls to prevent people from littering around?

You treat your guests like Gods - athithidevobhava. You wake up early in the morning in the Brahmi Muhurtha. Ayurveda and Yoga is your life style to be healthy and sound – both in mind and body. Ayurveda is not a medicinal system, but a natural life style you live so that you don’t ever need medicines. Yoga is not just an hour a day physical fitness session, it starts with teaching you how to breathe. And you breathe throughout your life, not for just an hour a day. So they are part of your life style.

Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam , the entire world is a family is what you abide by if you are a Hindu. Not just all humans, but all living beings are created equally. So we say Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah, may all living beings live happily, in peace, may good happen to all, may all prosper and live their lives to their fullest potential.

And all this is done without any prayer to a personal God or without following any religious rituals. Religious rituals are just that, original life styles with rational reasons which overtime become practices irrespective of whether they still hold good or not. Religions are stagnant, always have fixed set of laws, culture is not. Hinduism is a culture that constantly evolves, you can discard earlier lifestyles which are no longer applicable or valid in your times or in your place. Which is why you find different sections of Hindus in different geographies having their own lifestyle which is so diverse from others. Lifestyle in Hinduism is both time bound and geography specific wherever applicable – again the reason why it is a culture that evolves and not a religion.

And if you want a constitutional approval of Hinduism being a culture, below is an excerpt from a 1996 judgement by the Supreme Court of India on what Hindutva or Hinduism means

Hindutva is indicative more of the way of life of the Indian people. It is not to be understood or construed narrowly. It is not Hindu fundamentalism nor is it to be confined only to the strict Hindu religious practices or as unrelated to the culture and ethos of the people of India, depicting the way of life of the Indian people. Considering Hindutva as hostile, inimical, or intolerant of other faiths, or as communal proceeds from an improper appreciation of its true meaning.

Hinduism is a culture not a religion, and India is a civilization not a mere natio

Illuminati

2014-07-26T00:44:00.004-07:00

“I have realized that the past and future are real illusions, that they exist in

the present, which is what there is and all there is.”

People

2014-03-16T00:07:00.001-07:00

A Tale of a Clever Tail.......

2014-02-14T00:58:00.002-08:00

A lost dog strays into a jungle. A lion sees this from a distance and says with caution "this guy

looks edible, never seen his kind before". So the lion starts rushing towards the dog with menace.

The dog notices and starts to panic but as he's about to run he sees some bones next to him and gets an idea and says loudly "mmm...that was some good lion meat!". The lion abruptly stops and says " woah! This guy seems tougher then he looks, I better leave while I can". Over by the tree top, a monkey witnessed everything. Evidently, the monkey realizes the he can benefit from this situation by telling the lion and getting something in return. So the monkey proceeds to tell the lion what really happened and the lion says angrily "get on my back, we'll get him together". So they start rushing back to the dog. The dog sees them and realized what happened and starts to panic even more. He then gets another idea and shouts "where the hell is that monkey! I told him to bring me another lion an hour ago..."

Love Is....

2013-11-15T02:03:00.001-08:00

Women around the World.

2013-10-24T00:42:00.000-07:00

Beauty can be different, beauty can be unusual, beauty can be international - but it is always beautiful.

“Never lose an opportunity of seeing anything beautiful, for beauty is God's handwriting.”

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

“You don't love a woman because she is beautiful, but she is beautiful because you love her”

A woman's head is always influenced by heart~ Lady Marguerite Blessington

“Everything has its beauty, but not everyone sees it”~Confucius

“Love of beauty is Taste ” Ralph Waldo Emerson

“No object is so beautiful that, under certain conditions, it will not look ugly.”
~ Oscar Wilde

God gave women intuition and femininity.~ Farrah Fawcett

“Things are pretty, graceful, rich, elegant, handsome, but until they speak to the imagination, not yet beautiful” Ralph Waldo Emerson

"When you're a beautiful person on the inside, there is nothing in the world that can change that about you."~ Sasha Azevedo

“For every beauty there is an eye somewhere to see it. For every truth there is an ear somewhere to hear it. For every love there is a heart somewhere to receive it.”~ Ivan Panin

“The greatest treasures are those invisible to the eye but found by the heart.”

“The difference between pretty and beautiful is - pretty is temporal - whereas beautiful is eternal.”

“Beauty is not in the face; beauty is a light in the heart”~ Kahlil Gibran

"The most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched, they must be felt with the heart”~ Helen Keller

"Beauty is how you feel inside, and it reflects in your eyes. It is not something physical.” ~ Sophia Loren

“When you look closely people are so strange & so complicated that they're actually beautiful.”

"Women are always beautiful." ~ Ville Valo

"To get to a woman's heart, a man must first use his own."

Animals in Uniform

2013-10-17T09:00:00.000-07:00

For centuries, animals have been used to help fight wars. Before there were tanks, soldiers rode their horses into battle. Pack animals such as camels, mules, and horses carried ammunition and supplies. Many other animals have been called upon to do their duty. Here's a salute to animals in war.

Elephants

Battle elephants were used by Hannibal of Carthage when he crossed the Alps to fight the Romans. Elephants with carriages on their backs were able to hold four soldiers. Hannibal's elephant, Surus, was said to be extremely brave.
Alexander the Great conquered India with the help of elephants.
The Greek king Pyrrhus and his men rode elephants into battle against the Romans. Although the Greeks won, many men and elephants died. Today “Pyrrhic victory” means a victory won at great cost.
In the sixteenth century, Emperor Akbar of India used elephants in battle. The elephants were hung with bells in order to sound frightening, and their trunks were bound to straighten them so that poisoned daggers could be attached to their ends.

Dogs

The ancient Romans and Gauls used dogs trained to fight in battle.
In the fifteenth century, the Spanish used dog warriors. The dogs wore quilted overcoats into battle.
Christopher Columbus used dogs to fight Native Americans.

Cats, Canaries, and Mice

These animals didn't fight, but they were very useful in World Wars I and II.

Cats lived with soldiers in trenches, where they killed mice during World War I.
Canaries and mice were used during World War II, when soldiers sent them into the tunnels being dug behind enemy lines to detect bad air and poison gas.

Pigeons

During World War I, before radiotelephones were used, carrier pigeons took messages between ships at sea.
In nineteenth-century Europe, messenger pigeons were sent out two at a time because falcons were trained to attack them, thereby intercepting the message.

Check Yourself.

2013-09-28T03:13:00.002-07:00

Oil paintings of indian village women.

2013-07-26T03:10:00.003-07:00

Painting is just another way of keeping a diary.

“I don't paint dreams or nightmares, I paint my own reality.”

The only time I feel alive is when I'm painting.”

― Vincent van Gogh

We have art in order not to die of the truth.

Art is the only way to run away without leaving home.

A picture is worth a thousand words.

“When I say artist I mean the one who is building things … some with a brush – some with a shovel – some choose a pen.”

“Art doesn’t have to be pretty. It has to be meaningful.”

“To draw, you must close your eyes and sing” ~Pablo Picasso

“As music is the poetry of sound, so is painting the poetry of sight.”

The Healing Power of Cat.

2013-07-23T02:30:00.002-07:00

Those crazy cat ladies might be onto something. According to today’s infographic, our feline friends provide us with more than just emotional support. House cats may actually be contributing to our physical well-being. When a cat purrs within a range of 20-140 Hertz, nearby humans may be therapeutically benefiting from these vibrations. Purring has been linked to lowering stress, decreasing symptoms of Dyspnoea, lessening the chances of having a heart attack, and even strengthening bones.

Pet therapy is apparently gaining momentum in many medical communities, and according to Animal Planet’s website, there is scientific research that suggests pet owners live longer than those without pets.

It seems that our own animals have the ability to relieve us of our troubles, or at least make our worries seem less important. The bond between pets and their owners may never be fully understood (cats in particular have always struck me as magical and mysterious–and now they have healing powers?!) but it’s nice to know having a furry confidant around can add years to our lives.

So, if you’re trying to convince Mom and Dad to let you get a kitty, go show them this info graphic, and stop by your local animal shelter!

Say It with Flowers.

2013-06-22T01:00:00.001-07:00

If you send someone a single rose you are sending a message of love. You can send all kinds of messages with flowers. Florigraphy is the language of flowers. Hundreds of flowers and trees have been given meanings and here are some of them.

Flower/Tree	Meaning
American Elm	Patriotism
American Linden	Matrimony
Anemone	Expectation
Apple	Temptation
Arborvitae	Unchanging friendship
Ash Tree	Grandeur
Aspen Tree	Lamentation
Azalea	Temperance
Beech Tree	Prosperity
Birch Tree	Meekness
Bluebell	Constancy
Buttercup	Ingratitude
Chamomille	Energy in adversity
Candytuft	Indifference
Carnation (Red)	Alas! My poor heart!
Cedar	Strength
Cherry Tree	Good education
Chrysanthemum	Slighted love
Clematis	Mental beauty
Coreopsis	Always cheerful
Cyclamen	Shyness
Cypress	Mourning
Dandelion	Wisdom
Daffodil	Regard
Daisy	We feel the same
Dogwood	Durability
Elm	Dignity
Fig Tree	Prolific
Forget-me-not	True love
Fuchsia	Taste
Geranium	Comfort
Hollyhock	Ambition
Honeysuckle	Generosity
Horse Chestnut	Luxury
Hydrangea	Heartlessness
Iris	Power
Ivy	Fidelity
Juniper	Protection
Lilac	First Love
Lily of the Valley	Return of joy
Locust	Elegance
Lupine	Imagination
Magnolia	Love of nature
Morning Glory	Affectation
Mulberry	Wisdom
Nasturtium	Patience
Oak Tree	Hospitality
Orange Tree	Generosity
Pear Tree	Comfort
Plum Tree	Fidelity
Poplar	Courage
Rose	Love
Sunflower	Haughtiness
Sweet Pea	Delicate pleasure
Sycamore	Curiosity
Tulip	Fame
Violet	Faithfulness
Walnut Tree	Intellect
Weeping Willow	Mourning
Zinnia	Absent friends

American Sign Language and Braille.

2013-06-17T06:00:00.000-07:00

Sign language for the deaf was first systematized in France during the 18th century by Abbot Charles-Michel l'Epée. French Sign Language (FSL) was brought to the United States in 1816 by Thomas Gallaudet, founder of the American School for the Deaf in Hartford, Conn. He developed American Sign Language (ASL), a language of gestures and hand symbols that express words and concepts.

In many respects, sign language is just like any spoken language, with a rich vocabulary and a highly organized, rule-governed grammar. But in sign language, information is processed through the eyes rather than the ears. Thus, facial expression and body movement play an important part in conveying information.

In spoken language, the relationship between most words and the objects and concepts they represent is arbitrary—there is nothing about the word “tree” that actually suggests a tree, either in the way it is spelled or pronounced. In the same way, in sign language most signs do not suggest, or imitate, the thing or idea they represent, and must be learned. Sign language may be acquired naturally as a child's first language, or it may be learned through study and practice.

Sign language shares other similarities with spoken languages. Like any living language, ASL grows and changes over time to accommodate native users' needs. ASL also has regional varieties, equivalent to spoken accents, with different signs being used in different parts of the country.

American Manual Alphabet

Along with sign language and lip reading, many deaf people also communicate with the manual alphabet, which uses finger positions that correspond to the letters of the alphabet to spell out words and names.

Braille Alphabet

Braille is a system of printing and writing for the blind created in 1824 by Louis Braille (1809–1852), a French inventor who went blind from an accident when he was three. Each character in Braille is made up of an arrangement of one-to-six raised points used in 63 possible combinations. Braille is read by passing the fingers over the raised characters. A universal Braille code for English-speaking countries was adopted in 1932.

Louis Braille, who became blind from an accident at age 3, developed the Braille System to help teach blind children to read and write. The system of letters, numbers, and punctuation marks consists of six raised points or dots used in 63 possible combinations.

Alphabet in Braille

Numbers and Punctuation Marks in Braille

Biggest Conspiracy Theories of all Times

2013-06-12T00:00:00.000-07:00

There are so many conspiracy theories out there, and obviously, many of them are ridiculous. However, it seems equally ridiculous to presume that all conspiracy theories are false. Therefore, I’m sure almost everyone here would agree that at least some conspiracy theories are true. So what I’m wondering is, what are some of the biggest ones?

Here I have compiled some of the biggest conspiracy theories of all times. I may have missed some so feel free to comment and correct me.

Apollo Moon Landing

The Apollo 11 Moon landing in 1969 is said to be an elaborate hoax by the US accordingto some space conspiracy theorists. NASA footage of Moon’s surface is bogus according to some theorists, who claim glaring anomalies such as shadows going in different directions and the US flag blowing in the wind show it was faked.

9/11 Pentagon Conspiracy Theory

There’s a theory that no plane actually hit the Pentagon on September 11 and that the explosion was actually caused by a missile fired from inside it by the Americans.

The Bermuda Triangle

A number of aircraft and ships are alleged to have gone missing in mysterious circumstances in the Bermuda Triangle. Strange goings on and supernatural activity has been reported since the 1950s.

Paul Is Dead

There is an urban legend alleging that Paul McCartney of The Beatles died in 1966 and was replaced by a look-alike and sound-alike. He was supposedly replaced by William Campbell- the winner of a look-alike contest.

Princess Diana’s Death

Some believe that the death of Prince Charles’ ex-wife in a Paris car crash 12 years ago was a murder plot by the Royal family to prevent her from marrying again

The Roswell cover up

Many believe that the US military covered up the crash of an alien spacecraft in Roswell, New Mexico. It has been claimed that various parts of an alien spacecraft and even bodies of extra-terrestrials were retrieved from the scene.

The Illuminati Run the World

The illuminate conspiracy theory holds that the world’s corporate and political leaders are all members of an ancient cabal: Illuminati, Rosicrucian’s, or Freemason.

The Assassination of John F. Kennedy

The JFK assassination is perhaps the most discussed and most widely-accepted conspiracy theory.

Global Warming is a Fraud

William Gray made a list of 15 reasons for the global warming hysteria. The list includes the need to come up with an enemy after the end of the Cold War. According to him, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration stopped giving him research grants, and so did NASA.

Pearl Harbor Was Allowed to Happen

This theory states that President Roosevelt provoked the attack to make Hitler to declare war, since the public and Congress were overwhelmingly against entering the war in Europe. It was his backdoor to war.