THE GAMBLE

The Gamble
==========

"I'm not a gambler and I didn't have that kind of money,
but my funny bone instinct kept urging me on.

So I closed my office door, cussed up and down,
and threw things out the window.

Then I called the lawyer back and said; 'Take it!"

~Ray Kroc, MacDonalds' CEO on purchasing McDonalds~

INJUSTICE

Rather suffer an injustice than commit one.

- Yiddish proverb

RAHIMAN AAP THAGAAIYE AUR NA THAGIYO KOY;

AAP THAGE SUKH HOTE HAI AUR THAGE DUKH HOY.

Letter to a crazy father

A Letter to A Crazy Father
===========================

I thought you were crazy when you would spank me with an
extension cord.

I thought you were crazy when you would put me on punishment.

I thought you were crazy when I could not do or say certain
things.

I thought you were crazy when I could not go certain places with
certain people.

I really thought you were crazy when I could not talk to girls
at a certain age.

Because of your craziness
I have not been in a jail cell.

Because of your craziness
I don't have five kids by four different women.

Because of your craziness
I am in college and I am making a positive name for myself.

Because of your craziness
I have not been shot by gang members or been shot at by being in
the wrong place at the wrong time.

The only crazy thing would have been,
not doing what you have done.

Thank you for being my crazy father.

Love,

APRIL PHOOL BANAYA TO UNKO GUSSA AAYA

YOU ARE ALL INVITED TO THE OPENING OF THE NEW HINDU CULTURAL CENTER IN BELLEVUE/REDMOND/KIRKLAND THE LAND FOR WHICH WAS BOUGHT ON APRIL 31 TWO YEARS AGO, CONSTRUCTION STARTED ON APRIL 31 ONE YEAR AGO AND THE RECEPTION WILL BE HELD ON APRIL 31 AFTER ONE YEAR.

COME ONE AND COME ALL AND ENJOY SOME TEEN PATTA.

BUDDHIST WISDOM

The ancients thought it shameful to seek advancement or to want to be the head of something, or the chief or senior.

-Dogen

YEH HAI BAMBAI SHEHRWA DEKH BABUA

This is fun for those who have lived in or around Bombay...
Bombay has no bombs and is a harbour not a bay.
Churchgate has neither a church nor a gate. It is a railway station.
There is no darkness in Andheri.
Lalbaag is neither red nor a garden.
No king ever stayed at Kings Circle.
Nor did Queen Victoria stay at Victoria Terminus.
Nor is there any princess at Princess street.
Lower Parel is at the same level as Parel.
There are no marines or sailors at Marine Lines.
The Mahalaxmi temple is at Haji Ali not at Mahalaxmi.
There are no pigs traded at Dukar bazaar.
Teen bati is a junction of 3 roads, not three lamps.
Trams used to terminate at Kings circle not Dadar Tram Terminus.
Breach Candy is not a sweetmeat market.
Safed Pool has the dirtiest and bl! ackest water.
You cannot buy coal at Kolsa Galli.
There are no Iron smiths at Lohar chawl.
There are no pot makers at Kumbhar wada.
Lokhandwala complex is not an Iron and steel market.
Null bazaar does not sell taps.
You will not find ladyfingers at Bhindi Bazaar.
Kalachowki does not have a black Police station.
Hanging Gardens are not suspended.
Mirchi Gully does not sell chillies.
Figs do not grow in Anjir Wadi,
Sitafals do not grow in Sitafal Wadi,
Jackfruits do not grow at Fanaswadi
But it is true that you may get fleeced at Chor (Chira) Bazaar!!!

Oh God

Oh God, thy sea is so big and my boat is so small!

Captain Ronald's condition

Could you please tell me the condition of Captain Ronald in Room No. 605? He was operated upon last week and I’d like to know his condition.' The nurse excused herself and then returned to the phone. 'I have just checked Captain Ronald’s chart. His condition is excellent and he seems to be making steady improvement. Who shall I say called?' 'This is Captain Ronald in room. No.605. my doctors don’t tell me a thing!

Hundred dollars

Wife: I dreamed you gave me $100 for summer clothes last night. You wouldn’t spoil that dream, would you, Dear? Husband:

Of course not, Darling. You may keep the $100. Wife

START THE SPRING WITH MEAT-OUT DAYS

3. International "Meatout Day" Big Success

Press Release

USA, March 25, 2006: A thousand communities in all 50 states and 28 other countries welcomed spring this week, with colorful educational events ranging from information tables, exhibits, and lectures to cooking demonstrations, receptions, and elaborate "lifestivals." Visitors were asked to "kick the meat habit on March 20 (first day of spring) and to explore a nonviolent, wholesome diet of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains." The observance had widespread support from celebrity entertainers, health authorities, public officials, and the media. International Meatout observances have been coordinated since 1985 by FARM (Farm Animal Reform Movement), a nonprofit educational organization in the nation's capital. This year's observance was co-sponsored by In Defense of Animals and Vegetarian Times, with support from PETA. Community events are arranged by local consumer and animal protection groups.

Lifestivals, featuring live bands, speakers, food s amples, exhibits, and literature, were held in San Francisco, Sacramento, Seattle, Portland, Detroit, Boston, Knoxville, Atlanta, and San Juan. More than 10,000 were expected at the Seattle event. Nearly 300 staffers were treated to a vegan lunch and literature at the annual Congressional Meatout Reception in the nation's capital. Activists distributed samples of wholesome, nonviolent veggie burgers, soy dogs, and "chicken" nuggets in front of scores of KFC and other fast food outlets. At a Michigan KFC outlet, a "policeman" arrested a knife-wielding "Col. Sanders" for his role in crippling and torturing millions of chickens. Several Meatout walks called public attention to the Meatout message.

A record 28 other countries took part in this year's Meatout observance. Canada, Croatia, England, Germany, and India held multiple events. Irish activists simulated a bird flu die-in. Spanish activists were displayed in a public square inside meat-like plastic trays. France and Germany built their own Meatout web sites. Other participating countries were Australia, Bahamas, Belgium, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Israel, Italy, Kenya, Mexico, New Zealand, Nigeria, Portugal, Romania, Singapore, Tanzania, Thailand, Uruguay, and Zimbabwe.

Learn a trade or profession or be a thief

Rabbi Judah says: Whoever does not teach his son a trade or profession teaches him to be a thief.

Learn a trade or profession or be a thief

Rabbi Judah says: Whoever does not teach his son a trade or profession teaches him to be a thief.

Chocolate

Today's Quote

Strength is the capacity to break a chocolate bar into four pieces with your bare hands--and then just eat one of the pieces.

-Judith Viorst

PERFECT MAN

At a local coffee bar, a young woman was expounding on her idea of the perfect mate to some of her friends.

"The man I marry must be a shining light amongst company. He must be musical. Tell jokes. Sing. And stay home at night!"

An old granny overheard and spoke up, "Honey, if that's all you want, get a TV!"

Chinese book on Sino Indian ties

China publishes book on Sino-Indian ties

Anil K Joseph in Beijing | March 29, 2006 13:52 IST

A commemorative book containing 25 key documents on Sino-India relations, including one containing the famous principles of Panchsheel, has been launched in Beijing, as part of the year-long celebrations to mark the 'Year of India-China Friendship'.

The book was launched by Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing.

The publication of the 'Important Documents on Relations between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of India' is a compilation of important bilateral documents signed or issued by the two countries since the establishment of their diplomatic ties 56 years ago.

It covers the evolution of China-India relations and testifies to the good-neighbourliness and friendship between the two nations, Li said.

Li said China-India relationship has entered a new stage of development since the two countries declared in 2005 to form a strategic and cooperative partnership for peace and prosperity.

"China and India, with similar national conditions and respective strength, share extensive common interests and a great potential for cooperation," he said at the ceremony held Tuesday evening at the Diaoyutai state guesthouse.

The book, both in Chinese and English, contains 25 important documents since late prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru received a letter from his Chinese counterpart Zhou En Lai on October 2, 1949, in which the Chinese leader expressed desire to establish diplomatic relations with India.

In his reply dated December 30, 1949, Nehru responds positively to Zhou, expressing India's willingness to forge diplomatic relations with China.

Zhou, in response to Nehru's letter, wrote back on January 4, 1950, that China is willing to establish diplomatic relations with India on the basis of "equality, mutual benefits and mutual respect for sovereignty".

The 306-page book, which also has several rare photographs, also has the June 28, 1954 Joint Statement of Nehru and Zhou in which they co-invented the famous Five Principles of Peaceful Co-existence or Panchsheel.

"If these principles are applied not only between various countries but also in international relations generally, they would form a solid foundation for peace and security and fears and apprehensions that exist today would give place to a feeling of confidence," the statement noted.

Indian Ambassador to China Nalin Surie who also attended the ceremony, said he was happy to see the book of select bilateral documents, which also includes the Principles of Panchsheel, jointly developed by India and China.

"This is befitting for these principles continue to be relevant in today's complex and rapidly globalising world," Surie said.

Even before India's independence, Nehru, had in 1946 said, "China and India have stood for certain ideals in human life for ages past. These ideals must be adapted to the changing circumstances of the world today. But they must remain to guide us in the future."

"We see this publication as a first step and expect to build on it and later in the year publish a comprehensive compilation of all agreements that have been signed between India and China since our independence," the Indian ambassador said while thanking the Chinese Foreign Ministry for bringing out the commemorative book.

CRANBERRY JUICE

Netscape What's New
Drink This Juice. You May Never Get Sick
Thirsty? Grab a glass of cranberry juice. A team of researchers from St. Francis College in Brooklyn and Mt. Sinai School of Medicine in have found that cranberry juice not only helps disrupt bacterial infections of the urinary tract, but also may work to fight gastrointestinal viruses, characterized by cramps and diarrhea. Hundreds of thousands of children die from gastroenteritis each year throughout the world.

You'll be amazed! Find out a unique benefit of drinking cranberry juice, especially at work.

Reuters reports that based on tests on animal viruses in lab dishes, the cranberry juice appears to prevent viruses from infecting cells. "Within the last five years, an increasingly large number of studies have suggested cranberry juice to be an effective commercial product for the reduction of urinary tract infections in women," Patrice Cohen of St. Francis, who worked on the study, said in a news release announcing the findings. Do note that no studies have positively determined that cranberry juice prevents any kind of infection, be it viral or bacterial, but research is underway in several venues to test this possibility.

Orange and tangerine peels may be better than drugs for lowering cholesterol--with zero side effects. Find out why.

In this study, the researchers treated intestinal monkey rotavirus SA-11 and a batch of goat viruses called reoviruses with a commercially available cranberry juice drink. When the cells that were treated with the cranberry juice were viewed under an electron microscope, there were no viral particles in them. "Our studies suggest a cranberry juice-induced antiviral effect upon selected intestinal animal viral disease-producing agents," Cohen said. "Additional studies in the form of human trials need to be performed to determine any beneficial effects of cranberry juice consumption as a means to help reduce the incidence of viral intestinal disease."

If you eat these 14 ordinary foods regularly, you'll live longer and healthier. Click to find out the surprising list of must-eat "superfoods."

The study, which was partly funded by the Cranberry Institute and the Wisconsin Cranberry Board, was presented to a meeting of the American Society for Microbiology in Atlanta.

Eat these foods. Prevent the flu? These foods will boost your immune system and help protect you. Click for your grocery list.
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Giani Jail Singh - former President of India

Shri Jail Singh became the President of India even though his knowledge of the English language was very limited. Read the following story:

As a young man, living in a village in Punjab, he became a swantrata senani. One day one of his colleagues who was also a swatantra senani got shot and was badly injured with a bullet wound while they were trying to learn how to shoot etc. The nearest hospital from the village was 20 miles. So at the day fall, they loaded the injured man in a bullock cart driven by two bullocks and proceeded for the hospital.

En route, when they had not gone too far, one of the bullocks died. Now the bullock
cart could only move if there was a second bullock. Therefore, Gianiji acted as the secnd bullock and finally reached the hospital.

Of course, there was no reception committee waiting for them to offer even a cup of tea to the party at the hospital.

In my calculations based on the Hindu philosophy and other natural phenomenon, Jail Singh became the President of India as a reward from Nature for the good deed he had done in the service of the nation, among other things.

Jai Hind.

Nehru Dynasty and the Hindu religion and society

Dear ......

The article you have sent about the Nehru-Gandhi dynasty is not a new one; I have seen it before and did circulate it. Most of the facts therein must be quite true. But if you look at the Hindu mythology, it is all full of many bastards being born and becoming Gods and Goddesses in heaven and what not.

I don't think you can call Sonia Gandhi a waitress. Most of the students who study in west, supplement their limited income by doing this types of jobs. Moreover, there is no denying that she is the boss right now in India and she has brought back to life a party which was almost dead.

What did your Vajpayee do when he was the PM? Any time there was an attack by terrorists he just held on harder to his chair. Did you know that he drinks a bottle a day of whisky and eats all the kabab and everything everyday. So does it make a good Hindu? He is supposed to be a Brahmin.

These Hindus and all their parties, like VHP and BJP are full of corruption and opportunists; there is hardly any nationalist in the true sense of it like there are in Israel or even USA, like many who are fighting for the safety and honour of their country.

Vajpayee went to the Moslems before the election, and offered to pay eighty crore rupees to the Moslems to make Madrasas for getting their vote. And what did he get, a kick in his arse. That's what he deserves. When he spoke on the Radio or TV, he took it as if it was his father's property, he will say one word and then be silent for half a minute or more. What a great way to waste public's time and money.

Still he is a much better person than many other Hindus, at least he has a good image. What is happening in our temples with thousands of crores of rupees they have: they are full of corruption and misuse and abuse and no one does anything about it. Christians used their money for opening hospitals, schools etc. all over the world. What have Hindus done? All the chadawa and money goes to pandit's and pandas big stomach and no one says a word about it or to correct or improve the situation or make our holy places cleaner and presentable.

Sonia Gandhi has got the vote and she has the power and she is still trying to play a fair game and I am sure she will do something good for India in the long run.

Also do not forget that the Hindus, banias and most of us treated our subordinates or weaker section of the society very very badly, worse than an animal. It is the British who brought some respect for the weak in India, like weekly holiday, limited hours of work, medical and what not. Otherwise if the bania had a servant and if he became sick he totally ignored the latter rather than looking after him and getting a vaidya for his sickness.

So, do not live in your pompous greatness. Learn something and try to make changes in the Hindu society for the better. And it is not important that who was your father or mother or if one was a bastard, what matters is that what you did for people, your religion, your caste, your society and above all for mankind in general.

Whatever Nehru did, one thing was certain that he preferred to spend his life in jail for getting Indian freedom rather than getting a babu job where he could live in comfort. And in those days and years of freedom struggle no one knew if he will become the Prime Minister of India.

I also believe that nature is a grand task master and it punishes everyone for their misdeeds and also rewards you if you did something good. I will tell you another story in the next instalment that why Jail Singh became the preisdent of India even though he was not much educated in English etc., at least according to my own arithmetics of Hindu philosophy and beliefs of karma, etc.

Best wishes and keep your drive up,

Yours truly,

Makan and dukan

Notification issued on makan, dukan

Rajesh Kumar/ New Delhi

Riding roughshod over the citywide protests against mixed land use, the Ministry of Urban Development on Tuesday night issued a notification regularising illegally run commercial establishments in residential areas. This means that shops, offices on ground floor, banquet halls in residential areas get a free run as do establishments like pre-nursery/Montessori schools, nursing homes, guesthouses, banks and fitness centres.



The notification comes in the wake of a Supreme Court order directing sealing of commercial complexes running in residential areas in violation of provisions of the Master Plan for Delhi 2001. Ever since the Supreme Court order came, the Government has been under tremendous pressure from trading and business groups. To bring in such a law makes the apex court's order infructuous.

The first indication of the Government's move came when the DDA last week passed a resolution proposing mixed land use in residential areas. The matter comes up for hearing before the Supreme Court on Wednesday morning and it would be worthwhile to watch the court's reaction to the Government's move.

Minister of State for Urban Development Ajay Maken told media persons on Tuesday night that he was confident that the notification would meet the legal benchmark. However, residents pointed out that the current notification modifies MPD 2001 which expired five years back. "Since, the last MPD expired, the new Master Plan is yet to be born. The Government notification is beyond legal arguments and catering only to political interests," said Jagdev, a member of the Bar Council of India.

Residents also questioned the haste with which the notification was issued even as a high-powered committee headed by former Lieutenant Governor Tejinder Khanna was expected to submit its report in the matter. However, Mr Maken has

denied the reports that the high-powered committee was not consulted before the notification.

According to him, four lakh small traders would benefit from the mixed land use amendment. The new policy would legalise commercial activities on the ground floor of residential premises on 118 roads in the Capital.

Mr Maken maintained: "The notification is aimed at helping small shopkeepers or violators as the Supreme Court has also directed that major and minor violators should be segregated. The decision has been taken in that spirit. We are not legalising big violations and this notification does not give blanket permission for big commercial activities running in residential premises."

The notification said: "Mixed use streets would be identified based on traffic and parking studies. On the basis of identification of mixed land use streets in zonal or local plans, mixed use may be permitted on the ground floor in residential plots facing streets and roads of minimum 60 feet. Right of Way in regular residential plotted development, 13.5 metres in resettlement colonies and nine metres in special areas and villages. No encroachment shall be permitted on the streets. The plot measuring 100 square metres would have to provide parking for at least two cars. "Where this is not available, cost of development of parking would be charged and that money would be utilised for developing new multi-storey parking. Mixed use shall be subject to payment of conversion charges.

A copy of the notification has already been circulated to the civic agencies. Congress MLAs Jile Singh Chauhan and Mahabal Mishra, both members of the DDA were also present when Mr Maken announced the notification.

GINATE RAHO

IF YOU START COUNTING FROM ONE, HOW FAR YOU WILL HAVE TO COUNT BEFORE YOU HIT LETTER 'A'IN ONE OF THE NUMBERS?

HUM KOI BEWAQOOF THODE HI HEIN

There was this Bihari who was travelling with two tickets, so when the T.T.E
asked for the ticket, this fellow gave him both the tickets, and the T.T.E
asked him the reason for buying two tickets , this fellow answered well what
will happen if in case I lose one of them, so the T.T.E said what if you lose
both of them, so this guy said then why do I have a monthly pass.

Security

Today's Quote

Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is a daring adventure or nothing at all.

STATISTICIAN'S ANSWERING MACHINE

Statistician Answering Machine
Hello, this is probably 438-9012, yes, the house of the famous statistician. I'm probably not at home, or not wanting to answer the phone, most probably the latter, according to my latest calculations. Supposing that the universe doesn't end in the next 30 seconds, the odds of which I'm still trying to calculate, you can leave your name, phone number, and message, and I'll probably phone you back. So far the probability of that is about 0.645. Have a nice day.

SHAKESPEAR BY COMPUTER

Shakespeare by Computer
William Shakespeare's Sonnet 18 ("Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?") converted into the programming language ActionScript:

var summer:Object = ;
var thee:Object = ;

summer.name = "Summer Day";
thee.name = "Thee";

summer.lovelyness = 9;
thee.lovelyness = 10;

summer.temperature = 98;
thee.temperature = 98.6;

summer.lease = new Date(2006, 7, 31).getTime() - new Date(2006, 5, 1).getTime();
thee.lease = new Date(2042, 6, 12).getTime() - new Date(1970, 8, 25).getTime();

summer.complexion = 0xFFCC33;
thee.complexion = 0xFFCCCC;

summer.fair = 10;
thee.fair = 10;

summer.getValue = function():Number

START ALL OVER, MAN....

An Ode to Old Age

There's quite an art to falling apart as the years go by,
And life doesn't begin at 40. That's a big fat lie.
My hair's getting thinner, my body is not;
The few teeth I have are beginning to rot.

I smell of Vick's-Vapo-Rub, not Chanel # 5;
My new pacemaker's all that keeps me alive.
When asked of my past, every detail I'll know, But what was I doing 10 minutes ago?

Well, you get the idea, what more can I say?
I'm off to read the obituary, like I do every day;
If my names not there, I'll once again start -
Perfecting the art of falling apart

AUTISTIC TEENAGER

New rule: When President Bush meets an autistic teenager, they must wear name tags so we can tell them apart." --Bill Maher

DELHI preparing for COMMONWEALTH GAMES 2010

The 1982 Asian Games were good for the Capital — transforming parts of Delhi from a conglomerate of semi-urban villages into a modern city. The 2010 Commonwealth Games promise to take Delhi to another level — that of a world-class megalopolis.

And it is not just promises. The dhamal Delhi promised in Melbourne on Sunday is well on track. Huge public investments have been planned — in a mass rapid transport, roads, flyovers, power plants, sports facilities and residential complexes.

If Asiad '82 changed south and parts of central Delhi, the top beneficiaries of the Commonwealth Games — the third instance of planned infrastructure development since the change of capital in 1911 — will be east and southeast Delhi and Delhi University's North Campus.

The Games Village is coming up in east Delhi, on NH 24, just behind the Akshardham temple. It will also have a Rs 15-crore hospital and a dedicated 1 MGD water-treatment plant.

Of the 19 five-star and budget hotels planned before 2010, six are in east (two in Mayur Vihar, one in Shahdara) and south Delhi (two in Jasola and one in Okhla).

New sports facilities will be readied at south Delhi's Siri Fort sports complex and east Delhi's Yamuna sports complex.

Ten of the 11 new flyovers will be in south and east Delhi -- among them, at Adhchini, Ambedkar Nagar-Khanpur-Deoli, Saidulajab, Nizamuddin railway station, Shanti van and Rajghat crossing.

Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, which will host the opening and closing ceremonies, will be renovated. A new road will connect the Games village to the stadium. Two power plants are planned — a 1,000 MW gas-based power plant at Bawana and a 330 MW Pragati power plant II near Indraprastha Extension.

The North Campus will get a makeover. Its colleges will host some events (rugby 7s, aquatics) and provide training facilities for badminton and shooting. The Games' organising committee has identified the playgrounds at St Stephen's, Hindu, Ramjas, SRCC and Daulat Ram for holding rugby. A modern stadium for aquatic events will be constructed.

The Capital's public transport will get a general leg-up. Chances are, the Metro will construct a High-Speed Corridor from New Delhi railway station to the airport. The crowning glory? Delhi will get a modern airport in place of the present dilapidated one.

2010 common wealth games at DELHI

The 1982 Asian Games were good for the Capital — transforming parts of Delhi from a conglomerate of semi-urban villages into a modern city. The 2010 Commonwealth Games promise to take Delhi to another level — that of a world-class megalopolis.

And it is not just promises. The dhamal Delhi promised in Melbourne on Sunday is well on track. Huge public investments have been planned — in a mass rapid transport, roads, flyovers, power plants, sports facilities and residential complexes.

If Asiad '82 changed south and parts of central Delhi, the top beneficiaries of the Commonwealth Games — the third instance of planned infrastructure development since the change of capital in 1911 — will be east and southeast Delhi and Delhi University's North Campus.

The Games Village is coming up in east Delhi, on NH 24, just behind the Akshardham temple. It will also have a Rs 15-crore hospital and a dedicated 1 MGD water-treatment plant.

Of the 19 five-star and budget hotels planned before 2010, six are in east (two in Mayur Vihar, one in Shahdara) and south Delhi (two in Jasola and one in Okhla).

New sports facilities will be readied at south Delhi's Siri Fort sports complex and east Delhi's Yamuna sports complex.

Ten of the 11 new flyovers will be in south and east Delhi -- among them, at Adhchini, Ambedkar Nagar-Khanpur-Deoli, Saidulajab, Nizamuddin railway station, Shanti van and Rajghat crossing.

Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, which will host the opening and closing ceremonies, will be renovated. A new road will connect the Games village to the stadium. Two power plants are planned — a 1,000 MW gas-based power plant at Bawana and a 330 MW Pragati power plant II near Indraprastha Extension.

The North Campus will get a makeover. Its colleges will host some events (rugby 7s, aquatics) and provide training facilities for badminton and shooting. The Games' organising committee has identified the playgrounds at St Stephen's, Hindu, Ramjas, SRCC and Daulat Ram for holding rugby. A modern stadium for aquatic events will be constructed.

The Capital's public transport will get a general leg-up. Chances are, the Metro will construct a High-Speed Corridor from New Delhi railway station to the airport. The crowning glory? Delhi will get a modern airport in place of the present dilapidated one.

Weapon of the hum,an race

Today's Quote

The human race has one effective weapon--and that is laughter.

-Mark Twain

Body donation

Ideal of body-donation after death by the veteran CPM leader Anil Biswas can and should be popularised and adopted in practice by giving state-honours only to those departed leaders who may have donated their dead bodies for medical education. Commoners usually follow the trend set by political leaders. Once the phenomenon is made compulsory for leaders, people will follow thus making human-bodies available in plenty for medical research and education.

Madhu Agrawal, Delhi

Navajo woman

Navajo Hitchhiker

Sally was driving home from one of her business trips in Northern Arizona when she saw an elderly Navajo woman walking on the side of the road. As the trip was a long and quiet one, she stopped the car and asked the Navajo woman if she would like a ride.

With a silent nod of thanks, the woman got into the car.

Resuming the journey, Sally tried in vain to make a bit of small talk with the Navajo woman.

The old woman just sat silently, looking intently at everything she saw, studying every little detail, until she noticed a brown bag on the seat next to Sally.

"What's in the bag?" asked the old woman.

Sally looked down at the brown bag and said, "It's a bottle of wine. I got it for my husband."

The Navajo woman was silent for another moment or two.

Then speaking with the quiet wisdom of an elder, she said,

"Good trade."

TAKE REST OR CONTROL EMPIRES

Take Rest
==========

He that can take rest is greater than he that can take cities.
~Benjamin Franklin~

I (God) can also be for our own 'Mind'

I
=

I form the light and create darkness,
I bring prosperity and create disaster;
I, the LORD, do all these things.

~Spoken by God in Isaiah 45:7~

I, my own mind, can make anything or situation as light or darkness, depending on our attitude if we are just 'witness' to this life drama or we become part of it thus imposing on ourselves lots of burdens and misery, over which we have little control. If we want we can always remain happy and contented, irrespective.

An Indian blood daughter (in-law) or a true European

GHOST TALES

It was midnight in the capital and the lights at 10 Jhanpath were off when like a gentle breeze was heard the sound of starched cotton sari; a figure with a streak of gray on her head appeared in the bedroom, “Hello daughter in law!” she said.

“Mama mia!” whispered the Italian sleeping on the bed, “it is you! What are you doing here? You’ve been dead twenty two years!”

“I’ve come to congratulate you dear!”

“For what ma?”

“For carrying on the family tradition!”

“Being India’s ruler ma?”

“It’s dictator daughter in law!”

“Thank you ma! Thank you!”

“Your last move showed you’d become part of the family dear daughter in law!”

“Thank you ma! Thank you!”

“When you are in power and people try to pull you down what do you do my dear?”

“Change the law ma, change the law!”

“Very good dear daughter in law, you have learnt much.”

“From you ma, all I have learnt, I have learnt from you oh ma!”

“Very good my daughter, very good!”

“Daughter? You just called me daughter?”

“Yes my dear daughter! Only a daughter would follow her mother’s footsteps. Only a daughter would repeat what her mother did thirty years ago. You remember dear daughter?”

“Ofcourse I do dear ma,” said the Italian on the bed to the ghost with a streak of gray in her hair, “you gave it a lovely name.”

“Anything urgent my daughter…”

“Yes ma.”

“Anything immediate…”

“Yes ma.”

“Is?”

“An Emergency!” shouted the daughter in law and her mother in law together.

“Ah daughter, you speak like my flesh and blood!”

“Thank you dear ma!”

“I must go my dear daughter,” said the ghost as it turned round with a swish of starched sari, “I must go!”

“But ma…”

“Yes my dear daughter?”

“When you tackle the urgent, when you call for an emergency…”

“Ah emergency! Emergency! What a wonderful word..”

“The people dear ma, what do the people think?”

“Bah! Daughter, the people, they don’t know what emergency means! No amount of reasoning, no amount of jailing can get them to understand that when a Gandhi is forced to resign from a post then that, only that is a true emergency..!”

SONIA GANDHI - A TRULY GANDHIAN POLITICIAN

SONIA ‘MAHATMA’ GANDHI



By announcing twin resignation both from Lok Sabha and National Development Council (NDC), Sonia Gandhi has exhibited her utmost political wisdom to puncture opposition’s balloon of dreams! Very few but really intelligent personalities can realise that king-maker is much bigger than the king. Otherwise Indian politicians prefer gumming to their seats rather than being wise by resigning to reach to bigger heights. By repeating her grand performance of sacrificing much-desired posts, she has crowned herself like Mahatma Gandhi.



MADHU AGRAWAL

MESSAGE PUBLISHED ON SONIA GANDHI'S WEB SITE

Posted By : SHER SINGH AGRAWAL on Mar 23, 2006 *
Comments :
Dear Madam Soniaji,

I congratualte you on your quick and bold step of resigning the Lok Sabha seat and also the NAC seat, thus foiling the plans of trouble makers.

And as you said in your statement, I believe you will bring India to new heights and will be instrumental in making the minorities understand that they have to live with the majority on an equal basis. Also while they eat Indian bread, drink Indian water and breath Indian air, they must remain completely loyal and faithful to India rather than some of them helping the terrorists and neighbouring country and slowiing the strides in the development process which is taking place in India under yours,Manmohansinghji's and of our great President Shri Kalamji's leadership.

I am sure your name will go in the Indian history with such great people like Maharani Laxmi Bai.

Keep your fight up and our best wishes are with you and with the Indian nation.

Yours well-wisher,
SHER SINGH AGRAWAL
SEATTLE, WA, USA
AGRASEN@GMAIL.COM

Volvo Driver

An old guy in his Volvo is driving home from work when his wife rings him on his carphone.

"Honey", she says in a worried voice, "Be careful! There was a bit on the news just now, some lunatic is driving the wrong way down the freeway".

"It's worse than that!", he replies, "There are hundreds of them!"

SCOTTISH BOY IN AN ENGLISH SCHOOL HOSTEL

Noisy Neighbors

Donald MacDonald from the Isle of Skye went to study at an English university and was living in the hall of residence with all the other students there.

After he had been there a month, his mother came to visit him.

"And how do you find the English students, Donald?" she asked.

"Mother," he replied, "they're such terrible, noisy people. The one on that side keeps banging his head on the wall and won't stop. The one on the other side screams and screams all night."

"Oh Donald! How do you manage to put up with these awful noisy English neighbors?"

"Mother, I do nothing. I just ignore them. I just stay here quietly, playing my bagpipes."

TECH SUPPORT in matters GODLY

Dear Tech Support:

Last year I upgraded from Girlfriend 7.0 to Wife 1.0. I soon noticed that the new program began unexpected child processing that took up a lot of space and valuable resources.

In addition, Wife 1.0 installed itself into all other programs and now monitors all other system activity. Applications such as Poker Night 10.3, Football 5.0 , Hunting and Fishing 7.5 , and Racing 3.6.

I can't seem to keep Wife 1.0 in the background while attempting to run my favorite applications. I'm thinking about going back to Girlfriend 7.0 , but the uninstall doesn't work on Wife 1.0 . Please help!

Thanks,
Troubled User.....

_____________________________________

REPLY:

Dear Troubled User:

This is a very common problem that men complain about.

Many people upgrade from Girlfriend 7.0 to Wife 1.0, thinking that it is just a Utilities and Entertainment program. Wife 1.0 is an OPERATING SYSTEM and is designed by its Creator to run EVERYTHING!!! It is also impossible to delete Wife 1.0 and to return to Girlfriend 7.0 . It is impossible to uninstall, or purge the program files from the system once installed.

You cannot go back to Girlfriend 7.0 because Wife 1.0 is designed to not allow this. Look in your Wife 1.0 manual under Warnings-Alimony/Child Support . I recommend that you keep Wife 1.0 and work on improving the situation. I suggest installing the background application "Yes Dear" to alleviate software augmentation.

The best course of action is to enter the command C:\ APOLOGIZE! because ultimately you will have to give the APOLOGIZE command before the system will return to normal anyway.

Wife 1.0 is a great program, but it tends to be very high maintenance . Wife 1.0 comes with several support programs, such as Clean and Sweep 3.0 , Cook It 1.5 and Do Bills 4.2 .

However, be very careful how you use these programs. Improper use will cause the system to launch the program Nag Nag 9.5 . Once this happens, the only way to improve the performance of Wife 1.0 is to purchase additional software. I recommend Flowers 2.1 and Diamonds 5.0 !

WARNING!!! DO NOT, under any circumstances, install Secretary With Short Skirt 3.3 . This application is not supported by Wife 1.0 and will cause irreversible damage to the operating system!

Best of luck,

Tech Support


Sonny

PRECEDENCE IN YOUR LIFE

When you allow other interests to take precedence in your life they form
>a sort of crust over the soul that prevents you from realizing God.
>Right action and meditation will gradually dissolve that crust until you
>can at will communicate with God. You must do your utmost to reach that
>state. That is the real kingship - control of self.
>
>
>
>- Paramahansa Yogananda, from "1953 Self-Realization Magazine"
>

THANK GOD FOR TODAY AND SMILE, INSIDE OUT

The OTHER Kind of Stroke
=========================

It just dropped in my spirit after listening to The Stroke Song
numerous times. http://www.thestrokesong.com

The song is about how to tell if a person is having a PHYSICAL
STROKE, but The Stroke Song can also tell whether a person is
suffering from a SPIRITUAL STROKE.

1. If you can't smile.
You grumble and complain all the time; you're not happy about
anything.

A smile represents some level of joy, courtesy, thanksgiving and
friendliness. A smile even makes you look better.
But if you won't or can't smile, something bad is wrong.

I never will forget the day when I was at a friend's house and we
were out in the driveway. I was playing with his small son named
Christian, and he walked up and looked at him; the smile that
was on his face. He didn't just look at him; he beheld him.
That smile spoke volumes. It is no wonder why the smile is the
first sign.

2. If you can't or won't acknowledge that everyday that God
gives you is a blessing.

A sunny day represents beauty, comfort, warmth, clarity,
relaxation and purity, just to name a few.

A spiritual stroke will prevent you from experiencing the
blessing of a new day. This is the day that the Lord has made,
let us rejoice, and be glad in it.

3. If you can't or won't praise God.
If you can't throw your hands up in thanksgiving and surrender
your will, then it is quite possible that you're having a
spiritual stroke.

Remember, the call is free.


~A MountainWings Original by

USE SOME IMAGINATION, MAN

Not Your History
=================

Live out of your imagination, not your history.

~Stephen Covey~

Maharashtra law against all religions and religious practises etc.

3. Maharashtra "Black Magic" Bill To Impact Religions

www.hindujagruti.org

MAHARASHTRA, INDIA, March 20, 2006: The web site at "source" states:

"Are you aware of the fact that Maharashtra (India) government is about to pass a bill in this summer session starting on 13-Mar-2006? The (fake) Maharashtra Eradication of Black Magic, Evil and Aghori Practices Bill, 2005 (known as Black Magic Bill) has now been submitted to the Upper House for ratification. If approved, Maharashtra will have a draconian law. Here are some of the bill's potential impacts: 1. A draconian law that allows the State to arrest without bail and initiate criminal proceedings against those who believe in the power of the divine to cure sickness or any other problems. Law suggests the sentence of 7 years of rigorous imprisonment and 50,000 Rupees. 2. All Hindu epics, Bible, Quran will be questioned for their correctness on basis of modern science, thus banned.3. Alternate medical therapies like Reiki, pranic healing, music healing techniques and all oth er will be banned.4. All miracles are remarked as "so-called" i.e. fake by this law. So all the saints can be arrested if they are not able to prove the teachings of the religion and divine forces on the basis of science. Police will have many more uncontrolled powers. Though the name of bill suggest that it is intended to eradicate black magic, it is not true. Many expert counselors have clarified that under the name of black magic, this law is actually targeting the faith and all the crimes listed under this law are already covered under Indian Penal Code (IPC), so there is no need for new law." For more information, including the text of the bill and analysis by experts, go to "source."

TWO HANDS

Today's Quote

You have two hands. One to help yourself, the second to help others.

-Unknown

An interesting decision by the House of Lords in UK

School wins Muslim dress appeal
Shabina Begum
Shabina Begum had wanted to wear a full-length jilbab gown
A school which was told it unlawfully excluded a Muslim pupil for wearing a traditional gown has won its appeal at the House of Lords.

The Court of Appeal had said Denbigh High School had denied Shabina Begum the right to manifest her religion in refusing to allow her to wear a jilbab.

But in a unanimous ruling, judges at the House of Lords overturned that.

They said the school had "taken immense pains to devise a uniform policy which respected Muslim beliefs".

It had done so "in an inclusive, unthreatening and uncompetitive way".

'Unwillingness to comply'

They said: "The rules laid down were as far from being mindless as uniform rules could ever be."

They added: "It appeared the rules were acceptable to mainstream Muslim opinion."

Shabina Begum had chosen a school which "went to unusual lengths to inform parents of its uniform policy."

They ruled there was no interference with her right to manifest her religion as she had chosen a school where such a policy existed.


I feel it is an obligation upon Muslim women to wear the jilbab, although there are many other opinions
Shabina Begum

Send us your reaction

There were three other schools in the area which permitted the jilbab, they noted, although one was oversubscribed.

Miss Begum eventually attended another local school where she wore the jilbab.

Lord Bingham ruled that the two-year interruption of her schooling was the result of her "unwillingness to comply with a rule to which the school was entitled to adhere".

'Make a stand'

After the ruling, Miss Begum said: "Obviously I am saddened and disappointed about this, but I am quite glad it is all over and I can move on now.

"I had to make a stand about this. Many women will not speak up about what they actually want.

"I still don't see why I was told to go home from school when I was just practising my religion.

"I'm just a teenager - not many teenagers go out there and challenge the system."

She said the shalwar kameez (trousers and tunic) which Denbigh High School allows Muslim pupils to wear, "did not satisfy Islamic clothing".

"I feel it is an obligation upon Muslim women to wear this [the jilbab], although there are many other opinions."

She would consult her lawyers about a potential appeal to the European courts, she said.

In March last year, Denbigh High School said it had "lost on a technicality" when the Court of Appeal said it had failed to consider the Human Rights Act implications of its school uniform policy.

The school, where 79% of the pupils are Muslims, said it had reached its policy after consulting the Department for Education and Skills, leading Muslim groups, parents and pupils.

Lord Justice Brooke had called for more guidance for schools on complying with the Human Rights Act.

SPELL CHECK

Spell Chekker
==============

My spelling is sometimes atrocious. I used to be an excellent
speller. What happened? Spell checker.

As I type on the computer now, if I misspell a word, the spell
checking feature automatically puts a red line under the
misspelled word. I simply right-click on the word and several
options appear for the correct spelling.

It's a great feature, but it has made me a bad speller. I no
longer need to think or remember how to properly spell words.
The spell checker does that for me.

I understand why life can't have a spell checker. It makes us
weak and dependent on the machine instead of the mind.
The easier life gets, often the weaker we get.

Just look at what cars, elevators, escalators, moving sidewalks,
power windows, automatic doors, dishwashers, washing machines,
television, video games and yes, computers have done for the
majority of our bodies. We are rounder and softer than ever and
as a result, often quite unhealthy.

Just go to the mall and watch as people circle the parking lot
looking for the closest spot to the door that involves the least
amount of walking. Usually, they NEED the exercise.

Sometimes easy street and the path of least resistance is a dead
end. We need hills and mountains in life just to help keep us
in shape. They help our bodies; they help develop our spirits.

Ocaisionally we need to turn the spell chekker off and think and
purhaps park at the farr end of the lot.

~A MountainWings Original~

FATWA

A 'fatwa' against terrorists attacking places of worship

Sharat Pradhan in Lucknow | March 13, 2006 21:30 IST

A leading 400-year-old Islamic seminary, the Darul-Ifta Firangai Mahal on Monday issued a 'fatwa' against terrorists targeting places of worship and killing innocent people.

The Lucknow based institution issued the fatwa on an application moved by local businessman Sajid Umar, who had sought Firangi Mahal's verdict on the issue.

According to Firangi Mahal chief Maulana Khalid Rasheed , who was also the Imam of Lucknow's Idgah, "Sajid Umar wanted to know what Islam had to say about those people who were attacking places of worship and killing innocent people in cold blood."

The Maulana ruled, "There was absolutely no room for terrorism in Islam and murder of one innocent person amounted to murder of entire humanity."

Quoting from the 32nd 'Ayat' of 'Sur-e-Mayda' in the Holy Quran, he pointed out, "God has very explicitly stated that if any human being kills any other human being, he would be guilty of murdering humanity."

Rasheed told this scribe, "I further pointed out that in this reference, the Holy Quran does not talk about any particular religion; it is a reference to the entire humanity."

Quoting yet another excerpt from the Holy Quran, he added, "Ayat 107 under 'Sur-e-Ambia' chapter of the Quran says that the Prophet's objective is to ensure well being of the entire universe, which includes not only human beings, but even animals, trees and plants."

He said, "It is notable that the Prophet never reacted violently even against those those not only attacked him in various ways but also tried to cause physical harm to him; the Prophet was also totally against causing the slightest harm to any place of worship, belonging to any faith."

While emphasising that, "Islam has always laid stress on peace and harmony," the Maulana's fatwa added, "If any Muslim causes harm to any place of worship of indulges in killing of innocent people, Islam would regard it as the worst possible crime and the Shariat would consider it absolutely unlawful."

EVERYONE A MOVING GOD!

Every house a temple, every heart an altar, every human being a priest.

An old joke but true

Big Mouth!

A Jewish gentleman stood before a delicatessen display counter and pointed to a tray. "I'll have a pound of that salmon," he said.

"That's not salmon," the clerk said. "It's ham."

"Mister," the customer snapped, "in case nobody ever told you, you got a big mouth!"

TEN BEST FOODS - EAT THEM

1. Acai fruit ( juice form)
2. garlic, onions, chives
3. barley
4. wheat and barley grasses(powder, tablet or juice form)
5. buckwheat
6. beans and lentil
7. hot peppers-bell and chilli
8. nuts and seeds
9. sprouts
10. yogurt and kefir

SYRIAN ARAB WOMAN DOCTOR'S VOICE

Read the following from News Asia Weekly published in LA as under:-

Washington: A Syrian American Muslim woman doctor has recd several death threats after criticising in a television interview the Muslim Clerics, holy warriors and political leaders who she said had "distorted" the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad.

Dr.Wafa Sultan a 47 year old psychiatrist living outside Los Angeles, was interviewed on Al Jazeera Televisionabout three weeks ago. According to a report in the New York Times, she is being hailed as a "fresh voice of reason" and others as a "heretic". In the Interview she said that the World`s Muslims, whom she compares unfavourably with the Jews, have "descended into a vortex of self-pity and violence". What is happening today is "a battle between modernity and barbarism, which the forces of violent, reactionary Islam are destined to lose.

"I believe that our people are hostages to our own beliefs and teachings'

"Knowledge has released me from this backward thinking. Somebody has to help the Muslims from these wrong beliefs".

Speaking of the Holocaust, she said: "The Jews have come from the tragedy and forced the world to respect them, withtheir knowledge, not with their terror; with their work, not with their crying and yelling.

We have not seen a single Jew blow himself up in German restaurant, destroy a church, protest by killing people.

"Only the Muslims defend their beliefs by burning down churches, killing people and destroying embassies. This path will not yield any results. The Muslims must ask themselves what they can do for humankind, before they demand that humankind respect them".

She is now working on a book with titled "The Escape

SOME OLD WINE IN NEW BLOG

Desi Jokes

Sindhi lawyer: Case-wani
Sindhi lawyer after a case: Purse-wani
The blue-skier sindhi: Akash-wani
Supplied in south indian hospitals: Nursing gum
Desi who falls at people's feet: Charan Singh
Desi who falls at peopls' feet and stays there: Gir charan Singh



What is a smart Malayalee called?
Debo-nair.

What is a dynamic malayalee called ?
Pheno-Menon.

Why did the malayalee crossed the road ?
Simbly.

What did one Bengali voyeur ask another?
Keyhollo.

How was wire invented?
Two marwaris spotted the same coin.

Why did the Gujju think the film Gandhi was about a woman?
Because Be(h)n Kingsley was in it.

Why is India a banana republic?
Because Rajiv keeps chanting, "Hame ye banana hai, wo banana hi

What is a communist Sindhi called?
Lalwani.

What is a Sindhi who falls from the first floor called?
Thadani.

What is a Sindhi who falls from the 17th. floor called?
Kriplani.

What is a Sindhi who falls from the 30th. floor called?
Marjani.

What are the degrees of egoism in Tamil Nadu?
I, Iyer, Iyengar.

What is a jiving Sardar called?
Breakdan Singh.



Khalistan Jokes:
Khalistan National Drink: Sarbat Khalsa
Khalistan National Bird: Tandoori Chicken
International Airline: Kitthe Pacific
National Airline: Itthe Pacific
National Anthem: Sten gun man
National Taxi Service: Kar Seva


What do you call a sardar who drinks only beer ?
Just-beer Singh.

What do you call a sardar who has only one drink ?
Just-one Singh.

Khalistan's national song?
Bande marte hum.

A female Khalistan terrorist?
Hard Kaur.

A famous Khalistani profession?
Jarnailism.

khalistan history .. SARSON-DA-SAGA

the great wall of khalistan .. LONG-O-WALL

national dish of khalistan .. AKALI-DAAL

the dirty drain of khalistan .. BAR-NALA

a sikh scuba diver .. JULL-UNDER SINGH

a better adapted sikh diver .. JULLUNDER SINGH GILL

a bald sardarjee .. BAL-WANT SINGH

what does a sardarjee say to a whore ? .. WHORE JEE, KI HAL HAI ?



Q :- Why do you say (Bhagwan Shri) Rajneesh detests city life ?
A :- 'cos, from Koregaon he went to Oreg(a)on.


Q :- What is the most noteworthy contribution of the Sindhis' to
Hindustani Music ?
A :- Raga Kirvani.


Q :- Why is A.P the land of underwears ?
A :- 'cos there they keep saying - yemUNDEE, chappUNDEE, koorchUNDDEE etc.

Q :- What is the (State) Anthem of A.P ?
A :- telan-gana-mana ...


Q :- What is the most famous jingle in A.P ?
A :- A.P days are here again ...



What do you call a bong who talks a lot, sometimes without making sense?
Mr. Chatter Jee.

Who is that guy visiting the Golden Temple everyday?
Har Mandir Singh.

What do you call a very rich Malayalee?
Million Iyer

Who is he who has many publications to his credit?
Journal Singh

What do you call a bong who takes bribe?
Mr. Goosh

Who is he who visited the Russia-China border?
Long Wall

Who is that guy who enlightens others?
Lanthanwalla

What do you call a sikh female's boyfriend?
Her Pal Singh

What do you call a sikh guy running towards the enemy camp with a
white flag in his hand? (This had appeared on SCI long long ago.)
Surrender Singh


Q : What is a rich malayalee called ?
A : Millionayar

One more here

Q : How does a malayalee spell the word 'MOON' ?
A : M - O yet another O N.

God's Dance!

.....
Really frustrated now, I decided on a menu that promised to be as foolproof as it is nutrition-free: hot dogs and potato chips.

Retrieving a brand new bag of chips from the cupboard, I grabbed the cellophane and gave a hearty pull. The bag didn't open. I tried again. Nothing happened. I took a breath, doubled my muscle, and gave the bag a hearty wrestle. With a loud pop, the cellophane suddenly gave way, ripping wide from top to bottom. Chips flew sky high. I was left holding the bag, and it was empty.

It was the final straw. I let out a blood curdling scream. "I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!" My husband heard my unorthodox cry for help. Within minutes he was standing at the doorway to the kitchen, where he surveyed the damage: an opened can of soup, melting groceries, moldy baked beans, and one quivering wife standing ankle deep in potato chips. My husband did the most helpful thing he could think of at the moment. He took a flying leap, landing flat-footed in the pile of chips. And then he began to stomp and dance and twirl, grinding those chips into my linoleum in the
process!

I stared. I fumed. Pretty soon I was working to stifle a smile.

Eventually I had to laugh. And finally I decided to join him. I, too, took a leap onto the chips. And then I danced. Now I'll be the first to admit that my husband's response wasn't the one I was looking for. But the truth is, it was exactly what I needed. I didn't need a cleanup crew as much as I needed an attitude adjustment, and the laughter from that rather funky moment provided just that.

Has God ever stomped on your chips? I know that, in my life, there have been plenty of times when I've gotten myself into frustrating situations and I've cried out for help, all the while hoping God would show up and clean up the mess.

What often happens instead is that God dances on my chips, answering my prayer in a completely different manner than I had expected, but in the manner that is best for me after all. Sometimes I can see right away that God's response was the best one after all.

Sometimes I have to wait weeks or months before I begin to understand how and why God answered a particular prayer the way he did. Do I trust Him? Even when he's answering my prayers in a way that is completely different from my expectations? Even when he's dancing and stomping instead of sweeping and mopping:?

How true isn't it? God's answers to our prayers could be a dance to bring a smile back to our faces..!

Amazing, isn't it!

Q. If you were to spell out numbers, how far would you have to go
until you would find the letter "A"?>
A. One thousand
>>
Q. What do bulletproof vests, fire escapes, windshield wipers, and
laser printers all have in common?
A. All invented by women.>
Q. What is the only food that doesn't spoil? A. Honey

Q. Which day are there more collect calls than any other day of the
year?
A. Father's Day

GO SWEDISH

Fear less, hope more; whine less, breathe more; talk less, say more; hate less, love more; and all good things are yours. Swedish proverb

A syringe or needle can save one's life after a stroke

Subject: Fwd: FW: A NEEDLE CAN SAVE THE LIFE OF A STROKE >
>
>
> >REMEMBER TO PRINT A COPY OF SUCH MESSAGE AND KEEP IT INSIDE YOUR
> >FIRST-AID-KIT JUST IN CASE OF EMERGENCY. MAYBE PRINT A COPY OF SUCH
> >MESSAGE TO ALL YOUR FRIENDS AND RELATIVES.>
> >
> >Dear Friends,
> >
> >You may have received this information before but nevertheless, it is
>good
> >to know.....
> >
> >Keep a syringe or needle in your home to do this... It's amazing and an
> >unconventional way of recovering from stroke, read it through it can
>help
> >somebody one day.
> >
> >This is amazing. Please keep this very handy... Excellent tips.
Do take
>a
> >minute to read this. You'll never know. One's life may depend on you.
> >
> >"My father was paralyzed and later died from the result of a stroke. I
> >wish I knew about this first aid before. When stroke strikes, the
> >capillaries in the brain will gradually burst."(Irene Liu)
> >
> >When a stroke occurs, stay calm. No matter where the victim is,do not
>move
> >him/her. Because, if moved, the capillaries will burst. Help the victim
>to
> >sit up where he is to prevent him from falling over again, and then the
> >bloodletting can begin. If you have in your home an injection syringe
>that
> >would be the best, otherwise, a sewing needle or a straight pin will do.
> >
> >1. Place the needle/pin over fire to sterilize it, and then use it to
> >prick the tip of all 10 fingers.
> >
> >2. There are no
specific acupuncture points, just prick about a mm from
> >the fingernail.
> >
> >3. Prick till blood comes out.
> >
> >4. If blood does not start to drip, then squeeze with your fingers.
> >
> >5. When all 10 digits is bleeding,wait a few minutes then the victim
>will
> >regain consciousness.
> >
> >6. If the victim's mouth is crooked, then pull on his ears until they
>are
> >red.
> >
> >7. Then prick each ear lobe twice until two drops of blood comes from
>each
> >ear lobe. After a few minutes the victim
> >
> >should regain consciousness.
> >
> >Wait till the victim regain his normal state without any abnormal
>symptoms
> >then take him to the hospital, otherwise, if he was taken in the
>ambulance
> >in a hurry to the hospital, the bumpy trip will cause all the

>capillaries
> >in his brain to burst. If he could save his life,barely managing to
>walk,
> >then it is by the grace of his ancestors.
> >
> >" I learned about letting blood to save life from Chinese traditional
> >doctor Ha Bu-Ting who lives in Sun-Juke.Furthermore, I had practical
> >experience with it. Therefore I can say this method is 100% effective.In
> >1979, I was teaching in Fung-GaapCollegein Tai-Chung. One afternoon I was
> >teaching class when another teacher came running to my class room and
>said
> >in panting, "Ms. Liu, come quick, our supervisor has had a stroke!"
> >
> >I immediately went to the 3rd floor. When I saw our supervisor, Mr.Chen
> >Fu-Tien, his color was off, his speech was slurred, his mouth was
> >crooked-all the symptoms of a stroke. I immediately asked one of the
> >practicum students to go to the
pharmacy outside the school to buy a
> >syringe, which I used to prick Mr. Chen's 10 fingers tips. When all 10
> >fingers were bleeding (each with a pea-sized drop of blood), after a few
> >minutes, Mr. Chen's face regained its color and his eyes' spirit
>returned,
> >too. But his mouth was still crooked. So I pulled on his ears to fill
>them
> >with blood. When his ears became red, I pricked his right earlobe twice
>to
> >let out 2 drops of blood. When both earlobes had two drops of blood
>each,
> >a miracle happened. Within 3-5 minutes the shape of his mouth returned
>to
> >normal and his speech became clear. We let him rest for a while and have
>a
> >cup of hot tea, then we helped him go down the stairs, drove him to
> >Wei-WahHospital. He rested one night and was released the next day to
> >return to school to teach.
> >
>
>Everything worked normally. There were no ill after-effects. On the
>other
> >hand, the usual stroke victim usually suffers irreparable bursting of
>the
> >brain capillaries on the way to the hospital. As a result, these victims
> >never recover.- " (Irene Liu)
> >
> >Therefore stroke is the second cause of death. The lucky ones will stay
> >alive but can remain paralyzed for life. It is such a horrible thing to
> >happen in one's life. If we can all remember this bloodletting method
>and
> >start the life-saving process immediately, in a short time, the victim
> >will be revived and regain 100% normality.
> >
> >We hope you can tell others about this first aid method. By doing so,
> >stroke may be removed from the list of major causes of death.
> >
> > Forward this after reading. It will be a good deed indeed.
> >
>
> The greatest risk is not taking one... Make a difference!!!
> >
> >

DABBA WALA IN CALIFORNIA NOW

5. The Famed Mumbai Lunch Delivery System Arrives in America

travel2.nytimes.com

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, March 15, 2006: It's a few minutes after 1 p.m. on a Friday, and Raj Desai is ready for lunch and waiting for a knock on his door. A man he knows as Kishan soon enters his office with a clear plastic container that holds his lunch: rice and curries. As executive director of a large nonprofit organization in Santa Clara, Mr. Desai barely has time to leave his office, but eating a good lunch is a high priority for him. Food from any old place--a cafeteria, a restaurant or takeout, Indian or otherwise--will not do. So he relies on a company called Annadaata, which makes lunch and dinner boxes for clients in the San Francisco Bay Area. This lunchtime scene is being played out each weekday in the U.S. in metropolitan areas with large South Asian populations. They depend on delivery workers to bring them the home-cooked foods of their upbringing, often prepared by cooks working from home. Having such a lunch is a way of life in Mumbai, India, where dabbawallas or tiffin-wallas (men who carry tiffins, the containers that hold the food) use an elaborate, 120-year-old system to transport lunches to workers at mills, shops and offices. In Mumbai the tiffin, or lunch, is prepared by the wife, mother or servant of the intended. In the U.S., because of little time (and lack of a domestic staff), many of these lunches are prepared by outsiders, but the underlying principle is the same.

Annadaata, which began as a homespun operation in 2002, has morphed into a business with several delivery people distributing meals each weekday across San Francisco. Kavita Srivathsan, 29, the chief executive of Annadaata, got her start by cooking meals for her new husband and his friends. Mrs. Srivathsan's business grew so fast that a few mont hs after she began she decided she could not longer run it from her home. "It began as me cooking out of my kitchen, but since there was such a demand for it, I had to make it a legitimate business with a tax ID number and a rented kitchen," she said. Because she wanted to reach a wider market and knew that Indians generally favored cuisine from their region, she hired cooks from various areas in India, including Gujarat, south India and Punjab. Today, customers can click on her Web site, here, to view a menu for the coming week. After choosing from among a vegetarian (US$7, Fridays was Palak Pappu, Gutti Vankai (eggplant) Koora, Rice, Rotis and Buttermilk), a nonvegetarian ($8) or a south Indian meal ($8), they place orders over the Internet and pay with credit cards. There is a service charge of just $1/meal for delivery, and serve the west side of San Francisco Bay area, from San Jose to San Francisco. "Even though we are a lot bigger now, the food is cooked in small batches, so it is still homemade food," Mrs. Srivathsan said. In Redmond, Washington, dozens of homemakers prepare lunches for the thousands of South Asians working on Microsoft's corporate campus. More than 30,000 employees work there, a significant number of them South Asian, and there are several electronic message boards on which homemakers advertise. They charge $4 to $7 for the box lunches.

Your guardian angel

Every blade of grass has an angel that bends over it and whispers, "Grow! Grow!"

- The Talmud

RICE, RICE, RICE, = SUGAR SUGAR SUGAR

Rice becomes sugar - lots of it
This is a fact that no nutritionist can deny: rice is chemically no different from sugar. One bowl of cooked rice is the caloric equal of 10 teaspoons of sugar. This does not matter whether it is white, brown or herbal rice. Brown rice is richer in fibre, some B vitamins and minerals but it is still the caloric equal of 10 teaspoons of sugar. To get the same 10 teaspoons of sugar, you need to consume lots of kangkong - 10 bowls of it.

Rice is digested to become sugar.
Rice cannot be digested before it is thoroughly cooked. However, when thoroughly cooked, it becomes sugar and spikes circulating blood sugar within half an hour - almost as quickly as it would if you took a sugar candy. Rice is very low in the "rainbow of anti-oxidants"

This complete anti-oxidant rainbow is necessary for the effective and safe utilisation of sugar. Fruits come with a sugar called fructose. However, they are not empty calories as the fruit is packed with a whole host of other nutrients that help its proper assimilation and digestion.

Rice has no fibre. The fibre of the kangkong fills you up long before your
blood sugar spikes. This is because the fibre bulks and fills up your stomach. Since white rice has no fibre, you end up eating lots of "calorie dense" food before you get filled up. Brown rice has more fibre but still the same amount of sugar.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN SAID

Seven Quotes by Abe
===================


If I were two-faced, would I be wearing this one?

No man is good enough to govern another man without that other's
consent.

Am I not destroying my enemies when I make friends of them?

You have to do your own growing no matter how tall your
grandfather was.

Whatever you are, be a good one.

Nearly all men can stand adversity,
but if you want to test a man's character, give him power.

Whenever I hear anyone arguing for slavery,
I feel a strong impulse to see it tried on him personally.

~Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865)~

THE BEST PROSPHET

The Best Prophet
=================

The best prophet of the future is the past.
~Author Unknown~

La vie .....

Life

...is a state of mind.

Ben Rand

SUBHASH CHANDRA BOSE, BADA AFSOS, KIDHAR KO DHAYE HAMEIN KYON NA BATAYE

Home > News > Specials


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The Rediff Special/ Sumit Bhattacharya

Netaji did not die in aircrash, says web site

March 17, 2006

One of India's longest-running political controversies -- and one of 20th century history's 'mysteries' -- is about to return to centrestage.

Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, who is believed to have died in a plane crash in Taiwan on August 18, 1945, actually escaped to Russia and was the victim of 'India's biggest cover-up,' says www.missionnetaji.org

If the web site's claims turn out to be true, it will mean rewriting contemporary Indian and world history.

Netaji, one of India's greatest heroes, rebelled against Mahatma Gandhi's Indian National Congress, raised the Indian National Army with Japanese help to overthrow colonial British rule in India, and is believed to have died in a freak crash in Taihoku airfield (Taipei in modern-day Taiwan) when the Japanese were evacuating Rangoon in the dog days of World War II.

Netaji's ashes are said to be preserved in Tokyo's Renkoji temple.

Missionnetaji.org -- run by journalist Anuj Dhar, marketing professional Sayantan, businessman Vinay Yadav, designer Arijit Das Choudhury and non-resident Indian Chandrachur Ghose -- says there was no air crash in Taiwan on that day in 1945.

It alleges that the two commissions set up by the Government of India to probe Netaji's death -- the 1956 Shah Nawaz Committee and the 1970 G D Khosla Commission -- were not earnest in their intent, ignored crucial circumstantial evidence, and didn't even speak to the Taiwan government.

The third probe -- the Justice M K Mukherjee Commission which was formed in 1999 in response to a public interest litigation -- has submitted its report to the government. The report is expected to be tabled in the ongoing session of Parliament.

Netaji's daughter: 'India has not behaved honorably'

Missionnetaji's team -- led by Hindustan Times journalist Dhar, who was part of the newspaper's investigations that claimed Netaji lived till 1985 as a hermit in Uttar Pradesh -- are confident the Mukherjee Commission report will explode the crash story.

* They allege the Government of India over the years was part of a conspiracy to keep Netaji dead.
* They say successive Congress governments have destroyed top secret files about Netaji.
* They say the United Progressive Alliance government was hostile to the Mukherjee Commission.
* The say the Mukherjee Commission was not given access to key Russian documents.

Incidentally, last year, Justice Mukherjee had confirmed to the media that the Taiwan government had denied any such crash on that day in 1945.

The web site's team believes that the case of Bhagwanji, a hermit who passed away in Faizabad in Uttar Pradesh in 1985, needs to be probed. And that the Mukherjee Commission report is "probably going to say" the UP hermit story is not mere hogwash.

"What I believe doesn't matter," says Dhar. "What matters is evidence. We want to prove that there was no air crash. That Netaji escaped to Russia. The rest will automatically follow."

'Gandhi was no saint'

Destination Russia?

The web site's investigations begin with what it claims to be photocopies of intelligence reports doubting the crash story.

Among the documents the site sports is what is a 1945 report by P E S Finney, a deputy director at India's pre-independence Intelligence Bureau, which says Netaji wanted to go to Russia -- through Manchuria -- and not Tokyo as believed.

As yet, the Finney report is classified by the Indian government.

The web site says the truth is out there in Russian records.

Netaji commission returns from Russia sans documents

One of the key deponents before the Mukherjee Commission was Dr Purabi Roy, an international relations scholar specialising in India-Soviet ties from Kolkata's Jadavpur University.

She accompanied the Mukherjee Commission to Russia. She told rediff.com she was convinced "because of a number of reasons" that Netaji had escaped to Russia.

Among the number of reasons, she said, was the fact that one of her friends had told her that a Warsaw Pact General had found a GRU (Russian war files) archival document discussing in October 1946 "what was to be done with a certain Chandra Bose."

Roy wrote an article for the Pioneer on January 22 this year, in which she said, '[the Russian General Alexander] Kulesnikov went on to write an article in Patriot magazine that he had seen a file that referred to a meeting between Stalin, Molotov and Vichensky, in which the subject of "Chandra Bose" was discussed.

'Unfortunately, when Kulesnikov was summoned before the Mukherjee Commission, he ducked. The Russian government curtly told New Delhi that Kulesnikov was "untraceable" even though it is well known that he is now a diplomat posted in Turkey.'

'What are the Russians trying to hide?'

Roy told rediff.com, "When I was in Moscow, I had the chance to meet the KGB director. And they were talking of a political murder [of Netaji]. But certainly it was done after Stalin's death."

"We demand that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh write to Russian President (Vladimir) Putin requesting a definite answer to whether Netaji was in Stalin's Russia," says Dhar.

"It will not happen if a ministry of external affairs clerk writes to the Russian government. Like the case of Sarabjit Singh when the PM wrote to Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf after the media highlighted his case, the government will only take action when there is enough public pressure," he adds.

The web site claims American intelligence sleuths tracked Netaji till 1964.

The only witness

Lieutenant Colonel Habibur Rahman Khan, Netaji's trusted aide, was in the aircraft that crashed. He was in the hospital where Netaji is supposed to have died.

Lt Col Rahman Khan was interrogated several times by the British. He stuck to his story that Netaji died in a hospital after suffering major burns in the crash.

Dhar and team say Lt Col Rahman Khan was following Netaji's orders and was under an oath of secrecy.

To support the argument that Netaji's key man took his secret to his grave, Missionnetaji says, 'Sometime in 1946, Rahman told his friend and Netaji's Confidential Secretary Major E Bhaskaran that it was "a word of honour I have given to Netaji; don't question me further". Bhaskaran rued that little before his death in Pakistan in 1990, Rahman had wanted to reach out to him.'

The web site also quotes Sarat Chandra Bose, Netaji's elder brother, as saying he believed that Rahman 'had orders from his chief' to propagate the death-by-crash story.

End search for Subhas Chandra Bose: SC

Mammoth cover-up?

The web site claims 'it has been established' that top secret government files including 'the master file in the PMO over his [Netaji's] death. The "contemporary official documentary records" on the basis of which Prime Minister Morarji Desai had rejected the findings of the Shah Nawaz and G D Khosla panels vanished without a trace.'

"All commissions on Netaji's death were formed when the government was forced to," points out Dhar. And the web site blames media and public apathy for helping the government cover-up.

"De-classify all documents related to Netaji," demands Dhar.

Missionnetaji has on display what it says is a 'a secret note' stating that 'the ashes and other remains of Bose were received by External Affairs Minister [Nehru himself] in 1954.'

'Pray, then what is lying in Renkoji? And why weren't the people informed about this earlier?' the web site asks.

Who was the hermit?

Dhar says that B Lal, a top handwriting expert, confirmed handwritings of Bhagwanji from Uttar Pradesh -- a six-foot tall man who was reportedly fluent in German, Sanskrit and Bengali -- matched Netaji's.

Two other government handwriting experts studied the jottings and concluded they did not match Netaji's.

Dhar and team allege it was part of the cover-up.

They say Pabitra Mohan Roy -- Netaji's INA intelligence chief -- and Leela Roy -- a long-time associate of Netaji --met the hermit in UP.

And that Pabitra Mohan would visit the hermit every year on January 23 -- Netaji's birthday.

'Netaji could have prevented Pakistan problem'

Pabitra Mohan Roy is no more, but the Hindustan Times reported that before his death, he had said, 'If I open my mouth, the country will be afire.'

"There is also a theory that Netaji was killed in Russia. The Mukherjee Commission is our last chance of knowing the truth, our best chance," says Dhar, whose partners in crusade confidently rattle off stories that would make your hair stand. About Netaji's 'involvement' in key events of 20th century, including the Vietnam War.

But they admit that these are in the realm of hypothesis. They admit that many questions remain unanswered, such as why the hermit, if he was Netaji, did not come out.

For starters, the Dhar and team want a national uproar. They want it to be proved beyond doubt that Netaji did not die in the crash on August 18, 1945.

The inevitable consequential questions will lead to the truth, they are confident.

"And there will be muck on everybody's face," warns Dhar.

Based on the clues Dhar and team provided, Zee News aired a documentary called Bose Ki Akhree Udaan (Bose's last flight) on March 17.

COMMONWEALTH GAMES IN MELBOURNE AUSTRALIA

Medals table

(Host nation highlighted; sorted in terms of most gold medals - IOC ranking')


2006 Commonwealth Games medal count
Pos Country Gold Silver Bronze Total
1 Australia 15 10 12 37
2 India 5 3 8
England 4 9 4 17
4 Canada 2 6 4 12
5 New Zealand 2 2 1 5
6 Scotland 2 0 3 5
7 South Africa 2 0 2 4
8 Malaysia 1 0 2 3
9 Sri Lanka 1 0 0 1
10 Bangladesh 0 1 0 1
Papua New Guinea 0 1 0 1
For full version: 2006 Commonwealth Games medal count
[edit]

Calendar

HOW CATHOLIC IS YOUR DOG?

Muldoon Mourns his Mutt

Muldoon lived alone in the Irish countryside with only a pet dog for company. One day, the dog died, and Muldoon went to the parish priest and said, "Father, my dog is dead. Could ya' be sayin' a mass for the poor creature?"

Father Patrick replied, "I'm afraid not. We cannot have services for an animal in the church. But there is a new denomination down the lane, and there's no tellin' what they believe. Maybe they'll do something for the creature."Muldoon said, "I'll go right away Father. Do ya' think $5,000 is enough to donate for the service?"

Father Patrick exclaimed, "Sweet Mary, Mother of Jesus! Why didn't ya' tell me the dog was Catholic?"

NO TRUMPETS

Today's Quote

No trumpets sound when the important decisions of our life are made. Destiny is made known silently.

-Agnes DeMille

KEEP SMILING AND LAUGHING

Daily Inspiration

Make your life very exciting, but always think of it as fun. Adversities as well as the harmony should be enjoyable. Don't become sober and morose and have a castor oil face in the name of spirituality. Just be happy. Even if you make a mistake, say, "Hey, I did this? Great! What a wonderful lesson I learned!"

Renowned spiritual teacher Swami Satchidananda (1914-2002), founder of the Light of Truth Universal Shrine (LOTUS) in Yogaville, Virginia

HOLI AAYEE RE KANHAI RANG BARSE, SUNA DE JARA BANSURI

1. Holi Festival Celebrated Across India and the Diaspora

www.ibnlive.com

NEW DELHI, INDIA, March 15, 2006: It's a rainbow of colors across the country as India gets draped in the multi-coloured hues of Holi even though an unseasonal weather threatens to play spoilsport in North India. The festival of colors also marked the end of winter and arrival of spring. From Holi heartland Vrindavan and Varanasi to tinsel town Mumbai to Anandpur Sahib and up to the frontiers, a jubilant nation is getting a new high as throngs of crowds are getting into festive gears, singing "Holi hai bhai Holi hai, bura na mano Holi hai."

Varanasi celebrated Holi on a muted tone. The city showed much resilience and spirit to bounce back from last week's terror attacks and get draped in myriads colors. The festivities began on a sombre note in the morning but picked up as the day progressed. People danced and sang their way to the ghats early morning on Wednesday to offer prayers and play Holi.

At Vrindavan, it has been a full blast. A huge procession of people -- all drenched in colors -- converted the whole city into a sea of colors as Brijwasis sang and danced through the streets and thoroughfares and at temples and ghats, celebrating a festival that is said to have born in these very lands many centuries back. In the nation's frontiers, the sentinels of the border are celebrating in high spirit far away from their families. There is nothing that can dampen the Holi spirit among the jawans. While the very tradition of Holi usually revolves around Lord Krishna, in Karnataka, it's Lord Siva who burns away the evil. In Bihar, singing, dancing and splashes of colors marked Holi. Bihari Holi is more famous for latkas and jhatkas. And add to that Bhojpuri Holi songs, it becomes an automatic blast.

In Gujarat, over one million devotees from Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh visited the famous Ranchhodji Temple at Dakor town, about 45 km from Vadodra, and offered prayers on the occasion of Holi. About 1,500 policemen were deployed at 28 points in the town for regulating the flow of devotees in the wake of terrorists attack at Varanasi. Most parts of eastern India, including West Bengali marked Holi on Tuesday and Santiniketan came alive with Basantotsav (Spring festival) made famous by Nobel Laureate abindranath Tagore. Ashramites in Tagore's abode of peace revved up Holi spirits with the customary dawn rendition of "Khol dwar khol, laglo je dol" ("Open the door, spring's here") as students, and teachers of Visva-Bharati took out the procession on the main thoroughfare of the university. At Delhi's Tihar Jail, mirthful songs rang through the air and there were color splashes all around as the prisoners celebrated Holi. Around 2,000 inmates of the prison, the largest jail complex in Asia, took part in celebrating the festival of colors, with the Director General R. P. Singh also joining in the celebrations. "They congregated and celebrated Holi and there was song and dance. This is for the first time that such a grand celebration was organized in the jail," said Sunil Kumar, the Law Officer of the jail. The inmates sang songs in Hindi and Bhojpuri and danced to the tune of the traditional Holi songs.

Dutch test for immigration, comments of Md. Sini...

Dutch film true test for any immigrants

By Bruce Mutsvario

The Associated Press

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands — The camera focuses on two gay men kissing in a park. Later, a topless woman emerges from the sea and walks onto a crowded beach. For would-be immigrants to the Netherlands, this film is a test of their readiness to participate in the liberal Dutch culture.

If they can't stomach it, no need to apply.

Applicants must buy a copy and watch it if they hope to pass the Netherlands' new entrance exam. The test became compulsory Wednesday and was made available at 138 Dutch embassies.

Taking the exam costs $420; the film, a CD-ROM and a photo album of famous Dutch people cost $75.

The test is part of a broader crackdown on immigration.

Praise and scorn have been poured on Immigration Minister Rita Verdonk, architect of the new test and other policies that have reduced immigration by at least one-third.

"If you pass, you're more than welcome," Verdonk said. "It is in the interest of Dutch society and those concerned."

Not everyone is happy with the new test.

Dutch theologian Karel Steenbrink criticized the 105-minute movie, saying it would be offensive to some Muslims.

But Mohammed Sini, chairman of Islam and Citizenship, a national Muslim organization, defended the film, saying homosexuality is "a reality." Sini urged all immigrants "to embrace modernity."

HOLIKA DEHAN AT VANCOUVER ISKCON TEMPLE

HOLIKA DEHAN AT VANCOUVER ISKCON TEMPLE. SEE ALSO PICTURES NOS. 10 of HOLIKA AND NEXT ONE HOLIKA DEHAN.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Jaygo
Date: Mar 16, 2006 9:34 PM
Subject: Gaura Purnima / Holi Festival Pictures
To: Jaygo

Hare Krishna,



Our Gaura Purnima festival was a wonderful success! We posted a few pictures from Tuesday evenings event and posted them on the web.

If you would like to see them please visit: http://vancouver.iskcon.ca/GauraPurnimAlbum



Watch for our next upcoming festival of Lord Ramachandra’s appearance day “Sri Ram Nauvami” Thursday April 6th starting at 6:30 PM

http://vancouver.iskcon.ca/ram.htm



Sincerely your aspiring servant in Lord Krishna’s service,

Jaya Govinda das

What better mediocre minds have, to do!

Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds. Albert Einstein (1879-1955)

SINGLE GIRL CHILD

Yet another boon for single girl child!
Friday, 17 March , 2006, 01:19
New Delhi: In yet another boon for single girl child of parents after wavier of her school fees for studying in Class VI-XII in Kendriya Vidyalayas, HRD Minister Arjun Singh has decided to give her a special consideration for admission in central schools.

It has been decided that single girl children, who do not qualify for admission from Class VI onwards based on their rank in admission test but who obtain the minimum qualifying marks, would be admitted in central schools upto a maximum of two girls per class, over and above the sanctioned strength.

For admission in Class I after admitting the candidates upto the full strength, if there were single female children left among the unsuccessful applicants, upto two children would be admitted in each section of Class I, an official release said on Thursday.

In making selections from among such cases, preference would be given to applicants as per priority categories laid down in the admission guidelines, it said.

As per of government’s efforts to boost education among girl children, the Kendriya Vidyala Schools (KVS) have waived fees for its students of Classes from VI to XII who are single children of their parents from January one this year. This would benefit 10,300 girls of KVS.

HIMALAYAN RALLY 2006

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World's most exotic motoring adventure

March 16, 2006

The Himalaya Rally 2006 got underway on March 15 in Islamabad.

Eighteen vintage cars and 36 racers -- from Korea, Germany, Britain, Switzerland, Italy and Australia -- roared out of Islamabad, headed for the hills. The drivers will steer their ancient cars through the Himalayas from Islamabad to Kolkata via numerous picturesque hill stations -- Murree, Peshawar, Lahore, Amritsar, Dharamshala, Shimla, Mussoorie, Rishikesh, Nainital, Pokhara, Kathmandu, Darjeeling, Gangtok, Murshidabad. Along the way they will stop at the best of hotels and take in local pageantry and wildlife.

The rally is touted to be one of the most exotic motoring adventures in the world and participants pay a whopping £ 17,850 to take part. For more details check Himalaya Rally 2006

THE BATHTUB

The Bathtub
============

It doesn't hurt to take a hard look at yourself from time to
time, and this should help get you started

During a visit to the mental asylum, a visitor asked the
director what the criterion was which defined whether or not a
patient should be institutionalized.

"Well," said the director, "We fill up a bathtub, then we offer
a teaspoon, a teacup and a bucket to the patient and ask him
or her to empty the bathtub."

"Oh, I understand," said the visitor. "A normal person would
use the bucket because it's bigger than the spoon or the
teacup."

"No" said the director, "A normal person would pull the plug ...
Do you want a room with or without a view?"

HEAVEN, WE BELIEVE IN

We believe in heaven
=====================

We believe in heaven

Yet desperately cling to this life.

We look to the other side and the transition
with fear, foreboding, and dread.

As if there was nothing better.

Why not live right, well and happily now!

INDIA IS SHINING BECAUSE OF ITS HINDU RELIGION AND HINDUISM

Home > Top Stories > Nation
Thursday, March 16, 2006

| Nation | World | Business | Entertainment | Infotech |

Nation


India democratic & secular due to Hindus: Advani

Press Trust of India
Posted online: Thursday, March 16, 2006 at 2045 hours IST

New Delhi, March 16: Apparently seeking to win back his hardcore Hindutva constituency after the Jinnah interlude, Leader of Opposition L K Advani has asserted that India’s soul was ‘Hindu’ and described RSS as a ‘power house’, a ‘university’ and the ‘biggest movement’ of the 20th century,

In an article written for Hindi weekly Outlook ahead of his controversial ‘National Integration Yatra’ which is yet to get the full backing of the Sangh Parivar, he says, “the concept of Hindu Rashtra is wide and liberal which the critics of the Sangh either do not want to understand or ignore it despite understanding it”.

In this regard, he recalled that Bharatiya Jan Sangh (earlier avatar of BJP) founder Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya had stated that both India and Hindu were ‘synonymous’ and hence ‘there is no scope for a controversy on the term Hindu Rashtra’.

“It is our belief that the identity and soul of this nation is Hindu. The meaning of the word Hindu is not in the communal sense. Whenever people ask me why India is successful as a democracy compared to other developing countries, I say that only due to Hindus, the country is both democratic and secular,” said Advani, who had to step down as BJP president after a spat with RSS over the Jinnah episode.

THREE THINGS

Concentrate on three things and you will not fall into the grip of sin. Know from where you came, where you are going, and before Whom you will have to give account and reckoning.

DANGEROUS TERRORISM AND DANGEROUS ILLUSIONS

Dangerous illusions, destructive indulgences
T R Jawahar

Muslims have a particular responsibility because these
extremists are part of their community. We do not mind
where people come from, as long as they become
Australians. We went through a period in the 1980's
and '90s of sort saying, we can build a federation of
cultures in this country. You can't. You've got to
have a dominant culture. Ours is Anglo-Saxon our
language, our literature, our institutions. But you
can be part of the mainstream culture and still have a
place in your life and your heart for your home
country': Thus spake the Aussie PM, John Howard, in an
interview to Time magazine last week. Newsweek, in an
article captioned, 'The End of Tolerance' the same
week, has this to say of recent trends in Europe:
Europe is everywhere on the defensive ... But make no
mistake, Europeans are no longer willing to tolerate a
European melting pot - a broadly multicultural society
- where different cultures live by widely different
cultural norms ... past models of integration have
failed ... this see-no-evil attitude was wishful
thinking.

But alas, secular India, does not want to see or hear
any evil, even when it manifests itself loud and
clear, as in Varanasi. Cartoon bombs do not go off,
but live bombs do! Which is worse? And, are blasts in
temples thronged by devotees during auspicious days
and hours, less blasphemous? The cartoons may have
hurt feelings, but the bombs killed and maimed scores.
And Varnasi is as holy to Hindus as Mecca is to
Muslims. The sight of blood and gore of the victims on
the temple Praharas and the teeming security men in
places of worship were all grim reminders of where
secular India has finally arrived.
But adding insult to injury are the 'secular'
politicos, the mainline media and sundry other
self-styled intellectuals issuing lofty statements
calling for calm and advising restraint to the lambs
even as the wolves are on the rampage. The marked
reticence to utter the phrase 'Islamic terror' was
matched only by the spontaneous spurt of concern about
'Hindu communal forces'. To these dense minds, even
self-defence would seem communal and legitimate
protests be deemed political. After all, does not the
law of the jungle ordain that the carnivores should
eat up the herbivores? India's secular rulebook sounds
strikingly similar!

So, should the entire Muslim community be held
responsible for the acts of a few monsters? Readers
are advised to read, re-read and repeatedly read the
first para, word by word, line by line and even
between the lines! The message is clear: The West does
not want to take chances, be numbed by secular
courtesies or 'wishful' thinking and entertain hopes
of integration. 'Just in case', is the reigning motto.
In fact, in most European nations there is an
increasing assertion of the 'dominant' culture, even
at the official level and laws are being re-written so
that Muslims cannot any longer live by their own rules
dictated by the Shariat or whatever. Says a Dutch High
Court Judge: We demand a new social contract ...we
demand they stop bringing in young brides from the
desert and locking them up in third-floor apartments.
Period. The West has woken up with a start. But dawn
appears to have skipped Bharat on its westward march.

See what official India is doing instead - quotas in
government jobs, headcount in the army, special status
and endless privileges. The overwhelming political
dictum is that nothing should be done to hurt Muslim
sentiment. The indulgences are even retrospective with
history textbooks altered to shed references to Mughal
atrocities; for Indian children, barbarians like Babar
and Aurangazeb would now seem like saints. And all
this in the face of clear evidence that such
appeasement only feeds and furthers Muslim
exclusivism. Little wonder, they have taken such
deference for granted. For instance, will the Muslims
countenance a roll back of the Haj subsidy, even if it
is purely on economic considerations? Or the prospect
of a common civil code? India would be on fire then.



Such pandering has become India's national policy
owing to certain illusions, not just with the
vote-conscious politicos but even among the non-Muslim
populace. The foremost illusion is that Islam can
co-exist with other faiths. But for most Muslims, even
the so-called moderates, religion is first and
non-negotiable, unlike other communities that can
think outside the perimeter of their faith. Sober
Muslim voices are easily silenced by the sabre. So the
world has little choice but react only to the hot
heads, because it is their writ that runs in Islam.
Who is to blame for the Islamophobia? Now with liberal
Europe drawing the line, what should India do?

First, is there any meaningful debate about Islam in
India? There will be if we are ready to brave bombs
and bullets! Indian's cultural schism with Islam is
very deep and wide. Hindus may gloss over it, but
Muslims don't. For instance, the Muslim ire over the
cartoons is more for the very depiction of their
prophet than the way he has been depicted, because
Islam condemns idol worship. Now the huge mass of
Indians worship idols and they have a rationale for
that. What do they do when what is sacred to them is
inherently blasphemous in Islam? Break the idols
themselves before they are bombed out by jihadis? Or
consider cow slaughter, which offends the religious
sensibilities of the Hindus who constitute over 80% of
the population. Whose will should prevail in a
democracy? But is that will enforceable in secular,
democratic India? Why are not the Muslims urged to
show some secular deference?

Another illusion perpetrated by secular spin doctors:
The terrorists want to tear India's secular fabric.
Hogwash! From Ghori to Gajjini and Jinnah to jihadis,
India is targetted because it is deemed a Hindu
nation, a land of kafirs and not because it is a
secular nation. The terror manuals of LeT, JEM etc
plainly declare that Hindu India has no right to
exist, just as Iran has vowed to wipe out Israel.
Naive Indians may feel secure with their secular
status, but that is no innoculation against the jehadi
virus and instead only destroys their immune system!
Your friendly Muslim neighbour is powerless against
those violent elements. Much less our secular State or
the sundry secularists, who abound in print,
prime-time and politics. Rather, they too, the Arjun
Singhs and N.Rams, are as much kafirs as Togadias or
Advanis, in the jihadi's eyes! Communal or secular,
kafirs will share a common nemesis! The killers are
quite clear in their minds! Only the sheep has wool
over its eyes but that will not save its head anyway!

The solution? Europe shows the way. The onus of
integration and coexistence should be on the Muslims.
Hindu -Muslim unity must cease to be a Hindu project,
rather it should be a Muslim endeavour. Being a
democracy, the 80% should determine the norms as well
as the tolerance levels, because it is their history,
heritage, symbols, land, life and limb that are at
stake. What's good for them is good for the country.
No Muslim exclusivity can be guaranteed, if it seeks
to violate those norms or cross those limits. Islam
cannot be obliged at the expense of the belief system
of the bulk of Indians. At any rate, not with guns
pointed at the temple and bombs in Temples! And the
larger Muslim community, in their own interest, cannot
remain aloof to the machinations of Mullahs and
maulvis or the monstrosities of the militants, who
all claim inspiration from Islamic injunctions and
seek to act on their behalf. But irrespective of that,
non-Muslim India should shed its genetic coyness and
gentle courtesies and instead get cautious! If getting
careful is communal, then so be it!

But most important: The Muslim vote should not become
the Muslim veto!
e-mail the writer at
trjawahar@vsnl.net