Trek to Karnala Fort 05 June 2011

Unconditional Acceptance

Breakfast at McDonald's
This is a good story and is true, please read it all the way through until the end! (After the story, there are some very interesting facts!):
I am a mother of three (ages 14, 12, 3) and have recently completed my college degree.
The last class I had to take was Sociology.
The teacher was absolutely inspiring with the qualities that I wish every human being had been graced with.
Her last project of the term was called, 'Smile.'
The class was asked to go out and smile at three people and document their reactions.
I am a very friendly person and always smile at everyone and say hello anyway. So, I thought this would be a piece of cake,

Literally.
Soon after we were assigned the project, my husband, youngest son, and I went out to McDonald's one crisp March morning.
It was just our way of sharing special playtime with our son.
We were standing in line, waiting to be served, when all of a sudden everyone around us began to back away, and then
Even my husband did.
I did not move an inch.... An overwhelming feeling of panic welled up inside of me as I turned to see why they had moved.
As I turned around I smelled a horrible 'dirty body' smell, and there standing behind me were two poor homeless men.
As I looked down at the short gentleman, close to me, he was 'smiling'
His beautiful sky blue eyes were full of God's Light as he searched for acceptance..
He said, 'Good day' as he counted the few coins he had been clutching.
The second man fumbled with his hands as he stood behind his friend. I realized the second man was mentally challenged and the blue-eyed gentleman was his salvation.
I held my tears as I stood there with them.
The young lady at the counter asked him what they wanted.
He said, 'Coffee is all Miss' because that was all they could afford.. (If they wanted to sit in the restaurant and warm up, they had to buy something. He just wanted to be warm).
Then I really felt it - the compulsion was so great I almost reached out and embraced the little man with the blue eyes.
That is when I noticed all eyes in the
Restaurant were set on me, judging
My every action.
I smiled and asked the young lady behind the counter to give me two more breakfast meals on a separate tray.
I then walked around the corner to the table that the men had chosen as a resting spot. I put the tray on the table and laid my hand on the blue-eyed gentleman's cold hand.
He looked up at me, with tears in his eyes, and said, 'Thank you.'
I leaned over, began to pat his hand and said, 'I did not do this for you... God is here working through me to give you hope.'
I started to cry as I walked away to join my husband and son.. When I sat down my husband smiled at me and said, 'That is why God gave you to me, Honey, to give me hope...'
We held hands for a moment and at that time, we knew that only because of the Grace that we had been given were we able to give.
We are not church goers, but we are believers..
That day showed me the pure Light of God's sweet love.
I returned to college, on the last evening of class, with this story in hand.
I turned in 'my project' and the instructor read it.
Then she looked up at me and said, 'Can I share this?'
I slowly nodded as she got the attention of the class.
She began to read and that is when I knew that we as human beings and being part of God share this need to heal people and to be healed.
In my own way I had touched the people at McDonald's, my son, the instructor, and every soul that shared the classroom on the last night I spent as a college student.
I graduated with one of the biggest lessons I would ever learn:
UNCONDITIONAL ACCEPTANCE.

Eco Friendly Cows

News item,"According to scientists, cows are responsible for 75% of the world’s methane gas emissions,released in the form of potent burps. Some ranchers are already working to reduce the cows’ intestinal methane by feeding them a diet rich in edible oils, but one group of Canadian researchers is looking for a more high-tech way to control these emissions—and genetics may play a key role. Using information about the genes responsible for producing methane in cows’ digestive tracts, the scientists have begun breeding more efficient, environmentally friendly cows that produce 25% less methane than less efficient cows"

Why discriminate against cows. What about the human beings who are responsible for most of the pollution of many kinds? How about eco friendly human beings? Any scientists working on this?

Sindhu Gyan by O P Sindhu: Red Terror

Sindhu Gyan by O P Sindhu: Red Terror

Red Terror

Lalgarh in West Bengal is only the manifestation of failure of both the state and central governments to control the largest domestic terror group in India. Until recently we were not even acknowledging that the armed Communists, of various hues popularly known as Maoists or Naxalites have been waging war against the union of India since independence.

So far the problem was swept under the carpet as the areas affected were very remote and the communists were fighting with bows and arrows and only the tribal and the lowly government officials were affected. Now they have acquired the sophisticated arms and deadly land mines and the area of their operations has become huge and they are within the striking distance of this side of the so called civilised areas. Their visibility has been further enhanced by 24x7 news channels that are doing a good job of presenting the problem to the people of India.

Very fact that the tribal community has no faith in the government even after so many years of independence says something about the development and the justice system of our country, especially for the most poor and the backwards of our brothers and sisters. If there were justice and development why they will go to the other side?

We require two pronged strategy to eliminate the problem, development and rule of the law and not the tribal justice, come on people this is 21st century, we are not living in Stone Age
Governments have to roll out massive development plans for building roads, water supply, schools, hospitals and industries and tell the people that communists are finished all over the world as their policies are basically against the human spirit and in the short term control the menace with the required and coordinated force.

Strong and effective action needs to be taken against the sympathisers and the backers of the terror outfits who are sometime masquerading as social workers and intellectuals

Education needs Urgent Reforms

Education in India – Urgent need for reforms
Is there any connection between the attacks of Indian Students in Australia and the seats for sale in the Private Medical Colleges in Chennai? Yes there is a connection; it is the complete dysfunction of the higher education system. Indian government never had any interest other than showcasing the few IITs and IIMs. Rest of the higher education has been turned into a cash cow by the corrupt politicians who own these so called professional colleges / universities/ deemed universities which are no more than education shops. In the name of donations the seats are sold to the highest bidders and the merit has no meaning.
There is acute shortage of quality education in India at all levels; the biggest worry of any parent is how to provide good education to their children. I hope the new HRD minister is aware of the problem and he will take steps to free the higher education from the shackles of corrupt politicians and bureaucrats and let the universities of world repute enter in this field. It will be a win-win situation for all.
Once the reputed universities come to India, the Indian universities will also raise their standards to survive and the education shops will shut down and the fever students will be forced to go abroad for higher education and lesser chances of their coming under attack like in Australia

Team Manmohan

Team Manmohan Singh looks really set for good governance and the overall development of India in its’ second avatar. There are number of indicators that give hope to the people in India
One, the Prime Minister has emerged stronger this time and his detractors have been silenced or sidelined, for instance Mr Arjun Singh who never considered Dr Manmohan Singh his leader has been dumped from the cabinet. Earlier the Congress men used to praise only Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, now most of them have added Manmohan Singh after Sonia in the same breath
Two, Dr Manmohan stood his ground when the DMK tried to arm twist him, he has kept all major infrastructure portfolios with the Congress party
Three, most of the ministers assigned to the critical departments are capable , examples Pranab Mukherjee, P Chidabaram, Kapil Sibal, Kamal Nath etc to name a few and the deadwood has been dumped, example Sisram Ola
Four, Dr Manmohan has chalked out a 100 day plan for each minister and they know he means business, like he meant business when pushing for the Indo US Nuclear Deal
Five, Dr Manmohan has full support of Sonia Gandhi and some of the congress men who had any doubts have learned their lessons