Eyecatchers-51: 'Trees dying in Sunderbans'

A species of trees that gave its name to Bangladesh’s Sunderbans, home to the Royal Bengal tiger, is dying off following a cyclone late last year.

The Sundari species, from which the name was derived, are dying of a disease called “top-dying, that has intensified following the cyclone.” The Sunderbans, 400 km southwest of Dhaka, is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Cyclone Sidr struck the coast on November 15 with winds of 250 kmph. It killed around 3,500 people, made millions homeless and destroyed a large part of the Sunderbans. At least 60 per cent of the 6,000 sq.km. mangrove swamps that are home to more than 400 Royal Bengal tigers was devastated by the cyclone.

Top-dying was already endemic among Sundari, but the disease has spread and intensified since the cyclone, threatening the existence of the forest, a forest official said. - Reuters

Courtesy: The Hindu, Madurai, January 19, 2008

A Thought for Today : January 19, 2008

When you see a good man, try to emulate his example, and when you see a bad man, search yourself for his faults - Confucius

A Thought for Today : January 18, 2008

It has been my philosophy in life, That difficulties vanish when faced boldly - Isaac Asimov

One Paragraph that explains Life

Arthur Ashe, the legendary Wimbledon player, was dying of CANCER. From world over, he received letters from his fans, one of which conveyed "Why does GOD have to select you for such a bad disease?"

To this Arthur Ashe replied "The world over 5 crore children start playing tennis, 50 lakh learn to play tennis, 5 lakh learn professional tennis, 50,000 come to the circuit, 5000 reach , 50 reach the grand slam Wimbledon, 4 to the semifinals, 2 to the finals. When I was holding a cup, I never asked GOD "Why me?" And today in pain I should not be asking GOD, "Why me?"

Happiness keeps u sweet.
Trials keep u strong.
Sorrow keeps u human.
Failure keeps u humble.
Success keeps u glowing.
But only God keeps u going!!!!


With grateful thanks to:

Mr.Chetan Hegde M
Librarian, Amrita School of Arts & Sciences,
AVVP Mysore campus,
#114, 7th cross, Bogadi 2nd stage,
Mysore - 570026
Blog: http://lismysore.blogspot.com/
"As Long As I Live, So Long Do I Learn"
http://www.agloco.com/r/BBFT1310

A Thought for Today : January 17, 2008

Being entirely honest with oneself is a good exercise - Sigmund Freud

Letters-3:"Time of Value"

Reading Subroto Bagchi’s “Go, Kiss the World” (Reader’s Digest, December 2005) was a journey to an era when people saw their parents as models of human values. Calling maids, sweepers and other workers mausi, amma or kaka was not just a sign of respect, but also our first lessons in human relationships. One such lesson remains etched in my memory. In the early 1960s, the sweepers in our area used to collect one roti from each household every afternoon. Many people threw the rotis into the sweepers’ baskets from a distance. My parents felt this was a humiliating practice. They taught us to respectfully hold the roti in both hands and place it in the sweeper’s hand or basket.

I wonder if we can instill such values in the younger generation today in a world ruled by materialism, hypocrisy and snobbishness.

Letter to the Editor, Reader’s Digest from Veena Bashani, via e-mail - Letters from Readers, Reader’s Digest, February 2006

Eyecatchers-50: 'Hearts from cadavers beat anew!'

US scientists have coaxed recycled hearts taken from animal cadavers into beating in the lab after reseeding them with live cells, a study released on Sunday (January 13, 2008) said.

Courtesy: The Hindu, Madurai, January 14, 2008 (Newscape)

A Thought for Today : January 16, 2008

We cannot banish dangers, but we can banish fears. We must not demean life by standing in awe of death - David Sarnoff

A Thought for Today : January 15, 2008

Virtue consists, not in abstaining from vice, but in not desiring it - George Bernard Shaw

A Thought for Today : January 14, 2008

"When you betray somebody else, you also betray yourself." - Isaac Bashevis Singer

A Thought for Today : January 13, 2008

Truth is not only violated by falsehood; it may be outraged by silence - Henri Frederic Amiel

A Thought for Today : January 12, 2008

We can change our lives. We can do, have, and be exactly what we wish - Anthony Robbins

"What is Wrong and What is Important?"

…. The lack of a value system, self-respect and decency is what was apparent during New Year celebrations this year. Uprooting road signs, trashing police booths, driving around drunkenly and generally creating mayhem, wanton destruction of public property – Behaviour like this does not “just happen”. It is programmed to happen because personal integrity is not given as much importance as , say, academic achievement; because children have too few role-models outside cinema and television; because the law is too lazy to track down the vandals; and, above all, because the disapproval of society is not expressed loudly and clearly.

On the first day of 2008, the only people who were not thoroughly disgusted with these graphic pictures of wanton destruction were probably those same youth. They may have been pleased to have made it to the front pages!

Why is it that violence and destruction are the chosen ways to express a whole range of emotions for some youngsters? When a popular political leader dies, they break windows; when they are protesting a new rule, they burn buses and break into shops; and when they celebrate, they break whatever comes to hand. And every time, they brazenly break the rules!

What is wrong?

There may be a temptation on the part of some, even the police, to let this New Year eve vandalism go as “harmless fun”. This temptation must be resisted, because such behaviour is neither harmless nor fun.

There are three major things wrong with this behaviour.

One, they equated ‘celebration’ with destruction and dangerous behaviour.

Two, they did not care who saw them and they did not fear punishment.

Three, they did not regret their actions even in the clear sober light of the following day.

The first shows lack of a good value system; the second shows lack of self-respect and accountability; the third shows lack of decency and a willingness to change.

These young men have probably done this sort of thing before, and will probably do it again. There are others like them, many others, who will be encouraged to join in, if society or the law-enforcers display indulgence and apathy. Just like a few discordant notes can ruin the music of an orchestra, elements like these debase society. When these things happen often enough, we all get “used” to them, and after a while we don’t even stop to think about it. It becomes part of the “scene”, part of society as we know it.

Mindless vandalism masquerading as “fun” is every bit as a dangerous to society as major crimes… in fact, more so, because they sneak in “under the radar” as it were, and eat away at public standards of decency.

- From the article, “Breaking in the New Year?” by Malini Seshadri in the ‘Young World’, The Hindu, January 11, 2008 (My grateful thanks to Ms Malini Seshadri for this lucid, analytical, thought-provoking and wonderful article)

A Thought for Today : January 11, 2008

Don't waste time learning the 'tricks of the trade'. Instead, learn the trade." - Jackson Brown

A Thought for Today : January 10, 2008

When we cannot bear to be alone, it means we do not properly value the only companion we will have from birth to death - ourselves - Eda LeShan

A Thought for Today : January 9, 2008

Why grab possessions like thieves, or divide them like socialists when you can ignore them like wise men? - Natalie Clifford Barney

A Thought for Today : January 8, 2008

To give pleasure to a single heart by a single act is better than a thousand heads bowing in prayer - Gandhiji

Facts & Figures-16 : Civilian Death in Iraq

About 1.51 lakh civilians have been killed in Iraq since US occupation of that country three years back.

Courtesy: The Hindu, Madurai, January 11, 2008

'Purpose of Life in the light of Vivekananda's Teachings' by P.Gupta

According to a tale told by Anatole France, the history of mankind has been summarized in seven words – men are born, they suffer, they die. A man may be sitting on a mountain of wealth and prosperity but he still lives a life of worry, anxiety and dissatisfaction. The paradox of our time is –

We have bigger houses but nuclear families,
We have more degrees but less sense,
More experts but less solutions,
More medicines but less wellness,
We have multiplied our possessions but reduced our values,
We have learned how to make a living but not a life,
We have added years to life, not life to years,
We have conquered outer space but not inner space.

We are always getting ready to live but never living. The above paradox is mainly due to the fact that in an uncertain and chaotic world it appears that for many people value are dead.

How to get over the situation? Swamiji’s (Swami Vivekananda) teachings will guide us as he integrated Religion and Karma.

Each soul is potentially divine. Religion is the manifestation of Divinity already in man. The best karma is service to humanity. Throw away everything, even your own salvation to help others. The nation is sinking as the curse of the unnumbered millions is on our heads.

Sage Veda Vyasa was given a unique assignment. He was asked to study all the philosophies and spiritual literature and sum it up in short. After intense study with the help of his yogic power, he issued a one-liner: The act of greatest merit is to help others and the greatest act of sin is to cause intentional pain to others. Therefore, the first principle that we have to remember is that devotion to duty is the highest form of worship to God and the most sacred duty is service to mankind.

The second important aspect to remember is that there is ocean of infinite powers and blessedness within you. Swamiji exhorted, ‘Do you know how much energy, how many powers, how many forces are still lurking behind that frame of yours? What scientist has known all that is in man? Millions of years have passed since man first came here, yet only an infinitesimal part of his power has been manifested’.

The third aspect to remember is the great need for building character. Swamiji said, “the basis of all systems, social or political, rests on the goodness of man. No parliament enacts this or that but because its men are great and good.” Swamiji’s hope for the future lies in the youths of character, intelligent, obedient, renouncing all for the service of others.

The fourth aspect is national reconstruction. Swamiji’s dream of the future of our country was an India, spiritually united, economically strong, socially stable and imbued with ethical passion. India has to become Jagatguru again.

All this depends on how we live and how we act. There has never been nor will ever be a gift greater than the gift of life. Life is likened to a bridge between birth and death. We have got this life to become perfect and to go back to our real abode and get liberation from birth. But moksha is not freedom from action but freedom in action. We have to keep our face always towards the sunshine and the shadow will fall behind. One is a sad and unproductive person when he sees difficulties in every opportunity. But he is successful and creative only when he sees opportunities in every difficulty. Let not the seeds in the grape spoil the enjoyment, spit them out one-by-one.

Courtesy: Yuva Bharati (Monthly), January 2008 - Published by Vivekananda Kendra, Chennai

A Thought for Today : January 7, 2008

We cannot banish dangers, but we can banish fears. We must not demean life by standing in awe of death - David Sarnoff