Hi friends! This is a story that I recently came across and would like to share. Its the story of Sam Arena, a story beyond the call of daily life, a story to learn from…

When I asked the client in my barber’s chair, “What’s it going to be today? Short-back and sides or a song?” he looks vaguely alarmed. I calm him by informing him that I only sing to people I don’t like. He laughs and settles back, but little does he know: singing truly is my passion!

Until I was 15 lived I Italy, where everyone breaks into song at the slightest provocation, so I became addicted to music from a young age. What would life be like, I wondered, without a beautiful song? As I grew into adulthood in Australia, I became nostalgic about the songs of my youth, and by the 1990s, as my wife Mary and I entered our second decade of marriage, I was sitting down with my guitar between haircuts and composing a few songs of my own; love ballads, especially.

When our 13^th wedding anniversary rolled around in 1991, I dedicated two songs ”No One like You” and “You’re Mine” to my darling wife and watched tears run down her face as I sang, “Sam”, she said earnestly, “your songs give me goose bumps. They are too good to be heard by more people than me.”

Oh boy. Mary got my ballads in her bonnet and started pestering various media people about me, her singing barber husband. Two radio stations took an interest and played the songs, and then in 1993, a TV station called. After the programme was aired, I became renowned in our community as the Singing Barber and everyone insisted on hearing my songs in the salon while they got their haircuts. Business Boomed- and the cassettes I’d made of my songs sold out too.

The biggest surprise, however, was still to come. Within days of my television appearance, I received a call from a wealthy Melbourne entrepreneur who offered me a long-term recording contract. It was what any entertainer dreamt of. All I had to was sign. But, what does it involve if I sign? I found myself asking.

The music promoter explained that he would be investing a lot of money to promote and market my songs and me, so my heart had to be in it 100%. I needed to be wholly dedicated and focused on selling my records everywhere. I had to be prepared to travel and perform wherever I was asked and for as long as needed. In order to succeed, I would also be expected to follow their professional instructions.

I had a lot to think about.

My friends and customers all told me to go for it. And then I asked Mary what she thought I should do.

“All your life you have been dreaming of this,” she said, and then hesitated slightly. “Go, Sam, I’ll manage with the family…it will be OK”.

I watched my daughter Giselle and son Benjamin, then 11 and 9 respectively, playing in the backyard. Soon they would both be in high school…and where would I be? I was so accustomed to my family turning to me for love and support, and I loved helping them solve their little hassles in life. I honestly couldn’t visualize myself away from them for more than a week, let alone months on end. If I were to embark on a singing career, I’d only miss them terribly, I’d also certainly miss out on watching them grow up and turning to Dad to “make everything OK”.

I came to the conclusion that signing this contract would put a huge gap between me and my family and me…and I couldn’t bear the thought. My family was my life and it was a pretty happy life at that. I had great health, a loyal and loving wife and two beautiful, kind children. What more can a man ask for?

So I declined the music promoter’s offer and didn’t go on the road to fame. I’m still making music, I am rich in love and 15 years later, I have absolutely no regrets.

Trees are nature’s wonders, the greatest gift to mankind which the human race has exploited to its benefit, to such an extent that Earth has become a concrete jungle when it must have been going green and clean. Instead, the earth has been cleared of plants, trees, wildlife and all which are parts of nature’s beauty.

I am sure; there isn’t a requirement for me to list out the benefits or rather blessings which the human race has been graciously endowed with, due to trees. Trees have helped man from times immemorial, satisfying man’s need and have now been cleared in large numbers to satisfy man’s everlasting greed.

Can’t we humans realize that we have unknowingly, adversely affected our living conditions as we have now started to borrow our children’s world? We are using up all that is available on Earth in huge amounts and are thereby ensuring that nothing or very negligible amounts of resources, one of them being trees and our immediate surroundings are left for our future generations. This, my dear friends, is a major cause for concern for all.

All that I would like to say is…Please Treasure Trees as these are our lifelines. Without these, we cannot survive. So, friends, for your survival, for your children’s survival, for the world’s survival, let trees also survive and form a major part of our immediate environment. Let’s not make them antique pieces to only be found in museums or just some little patches but let them be a part and parcel of our lives, our environment, and our earth.

Friendship is not a game to play, not a word to say, it doesn’t start in March and ends in May. It is tomorrow, yesterday and everyday…

Source: Twitter

 Internet is growing in dimensions every second, so much so that there are more addresses than there are people on Earth, claims the team behind Microsoft’s new search engine Bing. Bing has put the number of web pages at “over 1 trillion”, while Google had earlier indexed more than one trillion discreet web addresses.

The current global population stands at more than 6.7 billion, which means that there are about 150 web addresses per person in the world. And this could mean that if a person spent just one minute reading every website in existence, then he or she would be kept busy for 31,000 years, without any sleep.

“An average person would need six hundred thousand decades of nonstop reading to read through the information,” News.com.au quoted Bing as saying. Mark Higginson, director of analytics for Nielsen Online, said that the global online population had jumped 16 per cent since last year.

“Approximately 1.46 billion people worldwide now use the internet which represents a solid 16 per cent increase from the previous year’s estimate (1.26 billion in 2007),” he said.

The largest Internet population belongs to China, with 338 million users online, which is more than there were people in the US. However InternetWorldStats.com (IWS), a website that combines multiple data sources, has claimed that China’s online population is more like 298 million.

“With the rates of India and China still quite low, there is ample room for growth in the coming decade,” said Higginson. But, measuring the online population could be tricky-there are servers, users, per capita numbers, and penetration percentages to evaluate. And thus it is difficult to find a single figure to represent the world online population.

IWS combined data from the UN’s International Telecommunications Union, Nielsen Online, GfK and US Census Bureau, and its latest global figures puts the number of internet users in the world at 1,596,270,108. And this is just 23.8 per cent of the estimated 6,0706,993,152 people in the world. But it changes every day.

“In terms of the future, we anticipate mobile to contribute significantly to internet usage,” said Higginson.

According to IWS, the top 5 countries with the most internet users are:

1 – China (298,000,000 users, or 22.4 percent of their population)

2 – US   (227,190,989, or 74.7 percent)

3 – Japan (94,000,000, or 73.8 percent)

4 – India (81,000,000, or 7.1 percent)

5 – Brazil (67,510,400, or 34.4% percent)

Source: Yahoo

Birthdays, Festivals, Marriage Anniversaries…what do these remind one of? Yes, you thought right, Gifts! We all have found ourselves not once, not twice but several times looking for gifts to present our loved ones with on various occasions. Always, we try to present something different, something unique yet something useful, in other words the ‘Perfect Present’. We want the gifts presented by us to be the best, to be first class and also low on the pocket. Well, now we have an easy option – A prepaid gift card

 Fashioned after a gift voucher and a debit card, a prepaid gift card is worth a fixed sum of money and can be swiped at any store. The value or the amount loaded on is entirely up to you. 

A gift card can be used multiple times at various stores until the amount loaded is exhausted. It is unique in terms of the flexibility it gives to the user in relation to what they can shop for and most importantly where they can shop for. Another advantage it offers is that one can check the amount left in it at any ATM centre.

However, a gift card may be used for purchases only and cash cannot be withdrawn.

Also, the card cannot be topped up again – meaning once the amount loaded is exhausted, one cannot load more money onto the same card.

 These cards come with an expiry date, which range from 5 months to a year, depending on the bank which issues it. If there is any amount left after the expiry date, the banks usually return the amount after deducting bank charges. However, banks impose a specific time period after the date of expiry within which the card must be returned in order to collect the balance. And in case, if the amount is exhausted before the expiry date, the card must be simply returned to the bank.

Till now, we have only seen how the card can be used if we are the receivers. Now, the question of purchasing the card arises. Not all banks offer this system of prepaid gift cards. Infact, there are only a handful which do so, namely, HDFC, IDBI, SBI, ICICI, IndusInd Bank and a few others.

However, one can buy the card from the bank at a fee ranging from Rs.100 to Rs. 200, even if one does not hold an account in the bank. (Some banks charge 1% of the amount loaded if the value of the gift card is more than Rs.10, 000.)

I hope this piece of news makes things easier for you, my dear reader as, instead of searching for gifts for hours together, one can now gift these pre-paid gift cards and also give the receiver a choice to select gifts for themselves and buying it from stores they prefer.

The accidental discovery of a bowl-shaped molecule that pulls carbon dioxide out of the air paves the way for exciting new possibilities to deal with global warming.

These possibilities include genetically engineering microbes to manufacture those carbon dioxide “catchers” said JA Tossell, a Maryland University scientist who led the study. He noted that another scientist discovered the molecule while doing research unrelated to global climate change. These findings are slated for publication next month.

Source: Times of India

A stunning, unflinching story which leaves the reader haunted…’A long way gone’ by Ishmael Beah is an extraordinary memoir, a firsthand report of the hardships and horrendous concepts such as massacre, that a child soldier faces.

Joyous, rap music-lover, Ishmael Beah with movies as the only exposure to war, at the tender age of 12, along with his country Sierra Leone, is suddenly thrown into a long, bloody civil war, and is transformed from a gentle, loving boy to a ruthless, cold-hearted killer.

The book vividly describes the impact on the young minds, on being witnesses of families being torn apart and also sufferings of the sick, helpless, and those left behind.

Descriptions on the state of refugees, who are ill-treated, bribed by their own nation, and in sequence are forced by circumstances and fate to join the army and commit cruel crimes and atrocities, leaves the reader haunted.

The book, thankfully, takes a turn and Beah is handed over to UNICEF for rehabilitation. He slowly and painfully overcomes his drug addiction and is reinstated with his uncle in Freetown, where again he finds himself heading to war. He tries to escape being a rebel or worse even a recruit, and is successful in his endeavour.

 The book is a must-read and one which kindles the feeling of gratitude that we, who live in a part of the world which is so safe and sheltered, have escaped such pain and brutal cost of losing one’s immediate family at such a young age. The book leaves a lasting impression of a long way gone by a determined mind which comes back, overcoming such trauma, with both humanity and sanity intact.

In today’s world, everyone wants to be famous, everyone wants their name to be known world over, their name to be recalled and recalled with respect, but none realize what once Martin Luther King quoted – “Everyone can be great because everyone can serve”.

We don’t realize that people whom we consider to be great and famous personalities, have, in their own way, given and served the society.

We have long forgotten the art of giving, the art of spreading wealth, happiness and most importantly, the thing the world needs most – love. Giving can hardly be described – but if I were to do it in a single word, the word which first comes to my mind is Joyous. Yes, I believe that, Giving is Joyous.

Unfortunately, today, we can count on our fingertips, the number of people who give – give from the bottom of their heart, and not give to show to the world, that they are being extremely generous and great, not give to gain something in return, not even respect. They are many people who give but very few who give truly.

I am deeply saddened at this state of affairs, even in India – a country which has produced several people who have not only always strived but have succeeded to serve truly and give back what they have acquired from the society. Our own Father of the Nation – Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, has struggled, endured so much, to give freedom, free his beloved country from the clutches of the British. Bhagat Singh, Subhash Chandra Bose are again examples – they have sacrificed their lives for India, for Indians.

Today Indians can sleep peacefully, because the freedom strugglers have had sleepless nights. We can speak without restraint, walk wherever we want, do almost anything and everything at our own time, own pace, all because of them, their determination, their perseverance and their sacrifice.

When our forefathers and other people all around the world like scientists, philosophers, educationists, leaders, and so many other people have given so much to the world, just so that we lead a comfortable or rather a luxurious life, can’t we give a little in order to make someone else’s life who is not as privileged as us, better?

Give, Give my dear friends and notice the satisfaction you get. Test the power of giving for yourself.

Is attitude all that important? This question may have occurred to many people around the globe. And most, infact all, elders and people around must have said – Yes, attitude is the key to success and one cannot reach anywhere without a positive attitude and good conduct.

So, this time in my blog post, I would like to present you with a story (which is said to be true). This story will serve as an example that attitude and perception matters the most.

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

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

‘This is the second time I have written to you, and I don’t blame you for not answering me, because I sounded crazy, but it is a fact that we have a tradition in our family of Ice-Cream for dessert after dinner each night, but the kind of ice cream varies so, every night, after we’ve eaten, the whole family votes on which kind of ice cream we should have and I drive down to the store to get it. It’s also a fact that I recently purchased a new Pontiac and since then my trips to the store have created a problem…

You see, every time I buy a vanilla ice-cream, when I start back from the store my car won’t start. If I get any other kind of ice cream, the car starts just fine. I want you to know I’m serious about this question, no matter how silly it sounds “What is there about a Pontiac that makes it not start when I get vanilla ice cream, and easy to start whenever I get any other kind?” The Pontiac President was understandably skeptical about the letter, but sent an Engineer to check it out anyway.

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

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

Now the engineer, being a logical man, refused to believe that this man’s car was allergic to vanilla ice cream. He arranged, therefore, to continue his visits for as long as it took to solve the problem. And toward this end he began to take notes: He jotted down all sorts of data: time of day, type of gas uses, time to drive back and forth etc.

In a short time, he had a clue: the man took less time to buy vanilla than any other flavor. Why? The answer was in the layout of the store. Vanilla, being the most popular flavor, was in a separate case at the front of the store for quick pickup. All the other flavors were kept in the back of the store at a different counter where it took considerably longer to check out the flavor.

Now, the question for the Engineer was why the car wouldn’t start when it took less time. Eureka – Time was now the problem – not the vanilla ice cream!!!! The engineer quickly came up with the answer: “vapor lock”.

It was happening every night; but the extra time taken to get the other flavors allowed the engine to cool down sufficiently to start. When the man got vanilla, the engine was still too hot for the vapor lock to dissipate.

Moral of the story or Inference drawn:

Even crazy looking problems are sometimes real and all problems seem to be simple only when we find the solution, with cool thinking. What really matters is your attitude and your perception.

So, now friends, if you ever had a doubt about the fact ‘Attitude is the key to success’, I hope it has been cleared now.

This question might seem strange to many, but this has so much meaning and depth to it, I realized on playing a game of monopoly. During the game, all of us tried to win the game by hook or crook. We fought for add-on cards, for rent, for money. We tried to interrupt and stop other people trading cards which we wanted for our own benefit. Only a few saw the bigger picture and tried to enjoy the game and have fun as we played the game turn by turn. If not for these few, who brought in life to the game with their thoughts, their ideologies, their perceptions & their mere presence the game would have been monotonous & staid . But, in real life, one may not be as lucky as that. We may not find or realize those few near us, who live life fully.

We can experience this, in our daily lives. We see people in a hurry to get to work, frantically honking on the way back home too, so that they don’t miss their favourite television shows, not realizing the fact that most, if not all, are repeated several times a day. But no, I will do what I feel like, when I feel like, and how I feel like. This is the attitude of the people today. No one has the time to spare even to drop in and say a hello to the neighbours. We don’t see our neighbours’ faces for weeks together, sometimes even months. Is this life all about, running to the grocery shop, running in order to not miss the daily bus, running to school/office, running to the doctor for a slight cold? Did the Almighty create this whole wide world and us, human beings just to run around? Is life just all about running around, trying to fulfill our never-ending list of wishes and trying to get that so-called happiness? Does this world just consist of forever-agitated masses, breathing, eating and sleeping? Is life just all about this?

I leave this question unanswered in this blog post, as it is for you to decide whether your life is all about this. If not, think my dear friends, how you can just add a few wonderful moments with the important people in your life, and make life interesting, and you will find your life, worth living. Before ending this post, I would just like to give my definition of life – “A collection of moments, made special by you and maybe a few others”. This is life all about in my perspective. So, my dear friends, forget the past and live the present fully, as these presents make up your life. Aaj jeele, kisko pata kal ho na ho! (English translation – Live life fully today, you never know, there may not be a tomorrow)

Ready or not, some day it will all come to an end.

There will be no more sunrises, no minutes, hours or days.

All the things you collected, whether treasured or forgotten, will pass to someone else.

Your wealth, fame and temporal power will shrivel to irrelevance.

It will not matter what you owned or what you were owed.

You grudges, resentments, frustrations and jealousies will finally disappear.

So too, your hopes, ambitions, plans and to-do lists will expire.

The wins and losses that once seemed so important will fade away.

It won’t matter where you came from or what side of the tracks you lived on at the end.

It won’t matter whether you were beautiful or brilliant.

Even your gender and skin color will be irrelevant.

So what will matter? How will the value of your days be measured?

What will matter not what you bought but what you built,

Not what you got but what you gave.

What will matter is not your success but your significance.

What will matter is not what you learned but what you taught.

What will matter is every act of integrity, compassion, courage or sacrifice

that enriched,

empowered or encouraged other to emulate your example.

What will matter is not your competence but your character.

What will matter is not how many people you knew,

But how many will feel a lasting loss when you’re gone.

What will matter is not your memories but the memories of those who loved you.

What will matter is how long you will be remembered, by whom and for what.

Living a life that matters doesn’t happen by accident.

It’s not a matter of circumstance but of choice.

Choose to live a life that matters…

- Michael Josephson

Recently, we came to hear that the government is mulling ban on use of hands-free and Bluetooth technology while driving. Well, just like a coin this topic too has two sides to it. One that we should encourage use of hands-free devices and not ban them while ‘A ban is the correct move’ will be the counter view. In this post, I will justify both the views.

‘Encourage use of hands-free devices’

While a ban on using a cell phone while driving without hands-free or Bluetooth is vouched for, it’s just going too far to ban people from using Bluetooth and other hands-free devices to conduct conversations while behind the wheel. Talking directly into handset does split the driver’s attention and accidents are more probable as the person behind the wheel is physically incapacitated and this will slow down reaction time. But making or taking calls via hands-free devices makes it easier for the driver to concentrate on his driving too as he doesn’t have to hold the phone.

Moreover, if the government decides to ban the use of hands-free devices while driving, it is like banning talking to somebody sitting beside you in the car or listening to the radio. When technology is at our door step, making it possible for a modern convenience to be used without compromising, why should we pass laws to curb use of technology while driving? The government should spend more time tracking down people who don’t use hands-free devices than banning people who use them.

The counter view: ‘A ban is the right move’

The government is in the right path by ensuring that no loopholes are left in its laws and including ban on hands-free devices. The assumption that being physically incapacitated distracts the driver is at fault. It is the mental distraction that causes most of the accidents. The people supporting the notion may argue that having a conversation with a fellow passenger should also be banned. But there is a huge difference in having a conversation via a hands free device and talking to a co-passenger.

The difference is that a fellow passenger will keep an eye on the road and will stop or have a pause when needed, while a person on the other hand of the device, has no such clue as to what is happening on the road and the conversation will remain unchanged, demanding the driver’s attention and lessening his focus on the road at the moment, he need it most. Thus, the ministry of road transport and highways is right in banning hands-free devices along with handsets.

Having given you both the sides of this topic, I leave it to you to decide which view you would prefer. After all, perceptions differ.

Happy Republic Day, my dear (Indian) Readers!

On the occasion of India’s 59^th Republic Day, I am deeply disturbed to have realized that we Indians do not celebrate this important day with great pomp and splendour as we do our other festivals, Friendships day and Valentine’s Day. Why is this with us, Indians? 26^th January every year, is such an important date. This is the date when the Indian Constitution came into force. This is the day when we started to use the freedom, won by the great leaders of our country. Instead of celebrating this day, we sit in our air-conditioned homes, feel pleased to have an extra holiday, and utilize this day as any other Sunday by sleeping, watching movies etc.

There are a very few Indians who view the Republic Day Parade in person or on television.Most of us don’t express our patriotism, which we must. We blame everyone around us for each and everything that goes wrong, starting from a pin not found in its place to terrorist attacks. Do we express our patriotism, that we blame the politicians for everything going wrong? I don’t say that politicians are 100% right, but when we don’t pay respects to our country, how can we expect them to?

If we, citizens take the Republic Day so lightly and pass the day, like any other weekend, even they would do the same and not work for the welfare of the country. If we citizens become more enthusiastic and show our care and concern for the country, I am sure India would reach greater heights. To conclude, I would just say that please allow the Indian in you, to wake up. Jaago India, Jaago.

Posted in Miscellaneous, Opinion and Perspectives ]]> http://aspireblog.wordpress.com/2009/01/26/lets-celebrate/feed/ 5 aspireblog images1 images11 http://aspireblog.wordpress.com/2009/01/01/new-year-2009/ http://aspireblog.wordpress.com/2009/01/01/new-year-2009/#comments Thu, 01 Jan 2009 19:02:06 +0000 Saniya http://aspireblog.wordpress.com/?p=300 ]]>

In the year 2008, we witnessed many things, good and bad. We hope 2009 would be a better than the last one and the year after would be better than that and it goes on… People around the world have made predictions about the coming year, others are making new resolutions, and some others are just waiting for a chance to party.

On the occasion of New Year, I, suggest that we should all unite and fight against global warming, terrorism and everything which aim to destruct our society and the world at large, making our lives miserable. Fighting is not easy to practice, but much easier to preach, so I, suggest that we should ask the Almighty, to help us in all our endeavors and help build a world, worth living in. I would like to end this post by a short poem, I recently read –

Happiness keeps you sweet,

Trials keep you strong,

Sorrows keep you human,

Failures keep you humble,

Success keeps you glowing

And God keeps you going.

So, as the New Year dawns, I hope it beacons the way to greater joys for the entire world.

Four years back, a friend of mine, had composed a poem about Santa Claus which I had preserved due to my fascination and liking towards Santa. In this post, you, my dear readers, will be first witnessing the fascination of a young ten-year old girl towards Santa Claus and secondly I describe how a myth can be more than good, almost necessary to society.

Go out of your house on Christmas night

A small red shiny star will be at sight

You can hear the jingling bells

This is what a tiny bell tells

We sit beside a man all red and white

He’s coming to give good children a kite

His reindeer Rudolph’s red nose shines like a star

His sleigh with 7 reindeers makes up his car

He is the children’s hero

If they fight they get a big zero

In his mark list

Which he ties around his wrist

Good children get a ripe plum

Bad ones, all through Christmas have to stay glum

He carries a heavy bag

It has toys with a name tag

A pistol for Barney

A doll for Jenny

Guess who it is- I’m taking a pause,

This of course is Santa Claus.

With Christmas and New Year celebrations going on, all of us are in the holiday mode and this has been happening for years together and will go on for centuries to come. Christmas has been celebrated with pomp and splendour, round the globe, but have you ever wondered what Christmas,  actually does? Have you ever wondered just how a mythical Santa Claus, lifts the spirits of children? So let’s together, see, how Christmas lifts the spirits up.

For this, let’s imagine a Christmas without Santa Claus. If Santa the giver of gifts didn’t exist, the anticipation, the excitement of all the children with their long and almost never-ending wish list would be lost. Also, the charm of believing in the concept of Santa Claus who inspires good behaviour in children wouldn’t be there and without it, Christmas would be like a lamp without oil.

The Santa Claus village created from scratch, complete with a resident Santa Claus at Rovaniemi in Finland, makes thousands of children across the globe happy and even inspires them to write to Santa, to help shorten their wish list. With more than 8,00,000 mails are received and answered by Santa’s helpers every year and this doesn’t contribute insignificantly to the economy.

Santa, the epitome of the Christmas spirit of caring and sharing inspires, educates entertains and most importantly lifts our spirits up!

We hear quotations at many times, sometimes we find them too boring, too philosophical and sometimes we find them interesting, thought-provoking, simply wonderful… So here are a few quotations which I, personally categorize them in the latter group.

Problem can either make one or break one.

The hammer that breaks glass can shape steel, and break glass into pieces. It is up to us to be glass or steel. Let us pray ardently, that we gain the will power of steel and a vision of glass.

Life is weak when there are more doubts than trust. But life is at its strongest when you learn how to trust, inspite of all the doubts.

Keep moving Always

Life gives answers in three ways…

• It says yes and gives whatever you want
• It says no and gives something better
• It says wait and gives you the best.

The true test of character is not how much we know how to do, but, how we behave when we don’t know what to do!

Always start your day with these exercise tips:

• Stretch your patience
• Run miles of Faith
• Flex your love for others and
• Smile your heart out.

We have lived without it for time immemorial but now it is always cuddled up in our hands, either whispering in our ears as it caressed our cheek or close to our lips, making us chat for hours together. And yes, there is always this textual activity – the SMS-ing. And again, this mobile thingy gets charged up to do the same thing. What would happen if for a month, we would switch off our mobile phones barring ourselves from making and taking calls through our mobile phones. Think, what would be the impact of this experiment on our lives?

While some may think, our lives would be hell with only the landline at our disposal, and the irritation of not being able to be in touch while we are out, or calling each other while doing something else, just to save time, thinking we are managing time with the mobile phone at our disposal.

On the other hand, we can also think, that we will be able to realise real friendship, as people who really want to get in touch with you will, making use of the landline or the internet and some may even drop in to check whether everything’s alright (but that’s only if you truly have good relationships with people around).

One would also be contributing to reduce global warming, though in a minuscule way. But remember, drops of water make a mighty ocean. One may also use the money saved, (by not recharging one’s sim card) for charity or even improve our diets by eating more fruits and vegetables. Most importantly, one would reduce exposure to hazardous radiations and SMS-induced eye strain would also be avoided.

You would also not have to attend to umpteen disturbing, irritating, calls and text messages about fitness programmes, heavy discount sales, ringtones, bank loan offers etc. One would also be more active and wouldn’t be a total potato couch as one would have to take a few steps to reach the landline and also wouldn’t call for the car but instead walk up to it.

So, having read both schools of thought, what do you think would be a better lifestyle – with or sans mobile phones?

In this era, when we all are dependent upon exhaustible fossil fuels for transport, Lars Stenmark of Uppsala University (Sweden) has come up with a green alternative – Hydrogen balls. He believes that by storing hydrogen gas in small balls, we can overcome the risk of fires and explosions as storing the gas in a spherical form, will help it to withstand twice the pressure that a cylindrical form can. If the car crashes and the tank breaks, the hydrogen-filled balls would just spread out and roll away and the gas from any broken balls would simply seep out and disappear into the atmosphere, thus causing no harm to the environment.

So do you all agree with him? Can small ping-pong balls replace our fossil fuels and help us save the environment from further harm? Think about it.

After reading the title of my blog post, you may wonder how technology can be used to cut down use of technology. Well, this has occurred. Researchers at the University of Utah have found or rather invented a car key that prevents mobile use while driving. Isn’t technology being used to prevent mobile usage to reduce the number of road accidents?

This cost-effective solution to improve driving safety has been aptly named: ‘Key2SafeDriving’. The system includes a device that encloses a car key (which could be used by more members of a family). The device connects wirelessly with each key user’s mobile via either Bluetooth or RFID (radio-frequency identification) technologies. And when the engine is turned on with the automobile ignition key, a message is sent to the driver’s mobile, placing it in ‘driving mode’ and displaying a ‘stop’ sign on the phone’s display screen.

While in driving mode, users cannot use their mobiles to talk or send text messages, except for calling emergency nos. Researchers have also taken care of incoming calls which will be automatically answered with a message saying ‘I am driving now. I will call you later when I arrive at the destination safely’.

While going through today’s newspaper, I came across an article, which read: ‘Al-Qaida threat may dissipate soon: Report’ (it was actually a continuation of today’s headlines ‘India to rise, match US Clout’. – Asian Nations will lead by 2025: American Intel Report.

A part of the article read:

Among other bad news in the report (by NIC) was the projection that the use of nuclear weapons would become more likely. “The world of the near future will be subject to an increased likelihood of conflict over scarce resources, including food and water, and will be haunted by the persistence of rogue states and terrorists groups with greater access to nuclear weapons,” it said. “The likelihood that nuclear weapons will be used will increase with expanded access to technology and a widening range of options for limited strikes,” it added.

Among the more scary prospects that the report offered was one of a global pandemic, which it said could happen with the emergence of a new, highly transmissible and virulent respiratory infection that does not as yet have any countermeasures. If such a disease does emerge, the report cautioned, the worst case scenario could see as much as a third of the world’s population becoming infected and hundred of millions dying.

After reading this, ‘I asked myself, ‘Where does the future of the younger generation lie’?

Are we heading towards eternal light or is it just the momentary flashing of light before darkness?

Recently, my class, had hosted an English Project, titled –‘Keep ThinkEng’ for the students of Highcliffe School, United Kingdom. They were visiting us on an exchange program. (A first-hand report is  available here.)

A reporter from the national daily, The Hindu, had written a report and incidentally, my short story titled –‘Jai Jawan Jai Kisan’ was photographed.

This is an e-mail I received today. It is said that this is a message from the comedian of the 70s and 80s, George Carlin. There is great thought and more importantly truth in this message. So please read this if you haven’t and if you have, then read it again!

The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider Freeways, but narrower viewpoints. We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less. We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time. We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.

We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.

We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.

We’ve learned how to make a living, but not a life. We’ve added years to life not life to years. We’ve been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor. We conquered outer space but not inner space. We’ve done larger things, but not better things.

We’ve cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul. We’ve conquered the atom, but not our prejudice. We write more, but learn less. We plan more, but accomplish less. We’ve learned to rush, but not to wait. We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profit s and shallow relationships. These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes. These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill. It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete…

Remember; spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever.

Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.

Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn’t cost a cent.

Remember, to say, ‘I love you’ to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.

Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again.

Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.
And always remember:

Success is always associated with ones ability’s and thus I believe it is something personal which differs from one individual to another. When we tend to talk about success we realize that there are plenty of unanswered questions.

“Successful and unsuccessful people do not vary greatly in their abilities. They vary in their desires to reach their potential.”

I tried to find the meaning of success in a dictionary. It read ‘Accomplishment, fulfillment of one’s dream or aim’, after a moment’s thought I understood that the question is by no means an easy one to answer. Each and every one of us has his/her rendezvous with destiny. A successful person is one who makes this rendezvous triumphant by laying a firm foundation with the bricks that others pelt on him. You may have everything but still not be happy or satisfied. Success provides us with an opportunity to be recognized and talked about around the globe. We always tend to associate success with the choices we make in our life. We pray to god for miracles to happen for us to be successful. The irony is we pray for so much to happen that we have forgotten to define miracles. A daily wage worker who earns not more than Rs.100 a day finds food to feed himself and his family, that’s a miracle. A teenager who says no to drugs and alcohol and yes to education, that’s a miracle. We expect things to fall in place and ultimately achieve success. What we don’t realize is that we have the power in our hands to change and improve our life.

“Success is not measured by what a man accomplishes, but by the opposition he has encountered and the courage with which he has maintained the struggle against overwhelming odds”. Life does not depend upon love and intensity shown by us for achieving our dream.

We have always associated success with one self that we seem to be oblivious to the things happening around us. Have we ever wondered how we could have made another persons life trouble-free by helping them or uttering few caring and warm hearted words in our life? Only we correlate success with benevolence and compassion will we show signs of achieving it.

Decision-making is and will always be an exigent business. Our task becomes easier when we agree upon the fact that we are imperfect and we cannot change the inevitable. If we want to taste success, the easiest way is to take charge of our minds. It is believed that the only thing we can do is play on the one string we have and that is our attitude. Let us take control of that string and redefine success together.

Source: PSBB Times

Being a hero…a thing few of us achieve and even fewer are acknowledged. For all the many people wanting to be a hero, remember ‘being a hero’ is an expression of perception. There are many ways to be a hero; many ways of being considered being one. You can be a hero by being a popular and approachable person in your circle or be a hero of the minute, by helping an aged woman cross the road.

Keep one thing in mind: being a hero is not determined by other people. At the end of the day, what you think of yourself will prove to be more important than what other people think of you. For those who disagree by saying that we are a race meant for being socially considered acceptable, consider this: everyone says you have achieved something; you are engulfed in the feeling that you have not accomplished anything but simply being overly-hyped. While you walk around smiling with faked modesty at anyone who compliments you, if you have one bit of your conscience left, your insides will be squirming with guilt. The impact other people have on you can only be to a certain extent.

However there is a flip side: if you have given your best, you have achieved, if you have sweated it out, fought against the tide, smiled at the odds and mocked at those who earlier mocked at you, by being a winner, but still, you do not get the deserving credit or acknowledgement, that is pain at its worst. It is the pain of being shunned into insignificance despite making a significant difference.

We all need some force to drive us on; to continually re-infuse that feeling of wanting to achieve. Sometimes we feel that we are not given the appropriate chances despite proving our mettle a dozen times. This should not rob us of motivation; the world is a cruel place and it can be battled only by being ready for it. There is no place in this world where there is equality all the time. There is prejudice and petty politics. While our job needs not be to reform the world, we must adapt to this harsh reality.

There is no avenue where there is a dearth of opportunities. If you feel that there is prejudice somewhere, try elsewhere to achieve. Whatever the situation, however the odds one thing is mandatory: you should never stop working. Be a hero in your own right to be one. If it is not possible to be a hero at school or at work or anywhere else, win accolades elsewhere. While they gloat their hero, you find solace in being a hero of your dreams and walk past them without losing confidence.

Then, you will always be a hero; the hero of your life, the architect of your dreams and the author of your destiny. If you can boldly fight prejudice and feeling of complete injustice and continue being motivated and achieve…you are a hero…

Source: PSBB Times

Scientists Produce New Thermoelectric Substance That Can Increase Mileage By 5-10%

Washington: A Northwestern University-led research team has identified a promising new material that could efficiently convert waste heat into electricity to help power cars and improve gas mileage.

The researchers discovered that adding two metals, antimony and lead, to the well-known semiconductor lead-telluride, produces a thermoelectric material that is found to be more efficient at high temperatures than existing materials.  “We cannot explain this 100%, but it gives us a new mechanism — and probably new science — to focus on as we try to raise the efficiency of thermoelectrics,” said Mercouri Kanatzidis, Charles and Emma Morrison Professor of Chemistry in the Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences.

Current thermoelectric technology is only used in niche markets, such as solid-state refrigeration and cooling, because the materials are not very efficient.
With new materials and increased efficiency, devices based on thermoelectrics could find widespread use in the automotive industry, solar energy conversion and the conversion of waste heat from nuclear reactors, smokestacks and industrial equipment.

“It’s a big accomplishment to recover some of the heat or energy that would otherwise be lost and convert it into useful energy,” said Kanatzidis. “That’s what thermoelectrics can do, but we need to make them more efficient to really be practical,” he added.
A thermoelectric device, for example, could be attached to a car’s tailpipe. The side of the material in contact with the tailpipe would be the hot side, and the side exposed to the air would be the cold side. The temperature difference would be enough to generate electricity, which would be returned to the car’s engine for additional torque. Such devices also could be used in large industrial plants, such as those for power, chemical production and glass making. Researchers hope to raise mileage by 5 to 10% per gallon using thermoelectrics, which would be significant.

Source: Times of India

A new school – Nottingham East Academy has decided to scrap homework and replace it with an extra lesson after school hours in activities such as sport and aircraft – modeling.

Well, as every coin has two sides to it, so does this idea of scrapping homework. Some believe it is a progressive idea and can be implemented even in India while others feel that it won’t work in India. Before you form your own conclusions, let us together speculate both the sides and then you could possible arrive at a conclusion which you feel would be appropriate.

It’s a Progressive idea

Homework serves little purpose as it only puts pressure on the parents instead of the pupils. Abolition of homework would prove to be good especially for students whose both parents are working, so that they need not break their heads with their child’s homework after a long, tiring day. Further, children from illiterate and poorer backgrounds are worse off in a system that emphasizes on homework.

Students especially of the primary classes could be put off by the very idea of school, if their tender shoulders are burdened with loads of homework – and this is quite prominent in India, when the children are on their vacations, supposedly enjoying their holidays.

Moreover, if students are saddled with hours of home tasks, they don’t tend to play outdoor (resulting in them watching television or playing computer games and becoming couch potatoes), socialize with peers, spend time with parents etc., all which play an important role in developing their life skills.

In India, teachers often teach new lessons and expect the students to attempt the exercises, which shift the onus onto parents who might not necessarily be fully equipped. This results in children being sent to tutorials at an early age and learning becomes a drab affair.

Now let us see why the scrapping of homework wouldn’t work in India.

The abolition of homework or rather, reducing it and fitting it into the daily school schedule after hours is an innovation being adopted by schools in UK. It is an interesting measure but all educational reforms may not be appropriate in every country. And we shouldn’t forget that it is yet to be seen whether this reform is successful in the UK, and even if it is, there are reasons as to why it must be wary of following suit in India.

The main reason why this new measure wouldn’t work in India is because of the educational system here in India. The educational system in India revolves around examinations and home assignments, effective means of ensuring that students are well prepared to compete in these examinations. And even after this, students scoring above 90 percent are unable to secure admission in the college or course of their choice, there is no logic in abolishing homework assignments, further handicapping the educational system. Moreover, this is one of the main reasons of Indian students’ success abroad. Anyway, parents’ involvement in a child’s development is essential and cannot be done away with. At the same time, there is no harm in taking a look at the homework system used in Indian schools and seeing if there is any room for improvement, but abolishing homework from India may prove to be a mistake, in my opinion.

What do you think?

At night, rummaging through the pages before you, trying to make sense of the volumes laid out in front of your eyes, suddenly the power goes cut! There’s a wave of exasperation and then of resignation. You realize then that many like you may have come to a stop; a stage of complete purposelessness. This becomes one of the rare occasions or probably the only one when you sit in front of your doorway staring outside, not because you should and neither is it because you want to but just because you have nothing else in mind. Its like a period when purposelessness is the only driving force behind the minimal activity among the stillness; sitting there, staring out and seeing, hearing and feeling everything but nothing.

This is the time when you realize that the tree in front of your house is huge and that the intricate patterns made by its vastly spread branches are actually beautiful and yes, very interesting! It’s when you realize that the darkness, when you are pushed into it, is after all not so bad. It, in fact is elegant.

This is the minute when you hear silence like it has been the propagation of motionless waves, a transmission of immobility. It’s the period when you realize that the movement of paper does produce a sound, that layers of clothes rub noisily against each other and that a hand through your hair creates music, in a weird sense. It’s also the hour when your coffee, the usual dose to keep you awake through the night, actually smells amazing! It’s also the only evening when the wind on your moist skin produces a cooling effect forcing you to appreciate the engineering of your body. These are moments marked by complete uselessness, complete inactivity, yet filled with sights and sounds that come uniquely with them. You sit there wondering how you could have missed all these around you, while you were busy pursuing things that were beyond your reach.

Suddenly, there’s a blinding light and then the whirring, followed by the return to motion of everything as though it were awakening from a slumber. And then you reach for your papers, vowing unknowingly never to come back to that doorway till the next power cut.

Source: The Hindu

Hello again, dear friends…

I just read this today in a mail, and after I read it, wondered whether people still think that home-makers don’t have any work to do? Do they think they just sit at home, watch soaps on television and gossip? So, I decided to post this on my blog so that I could form a decent answer instead of debating with myself. So here it is.

A man came home from work and found his three children outside, still in their pajamas,
playing in the mud, with empty food boxes and wrappers  strewn all around the front yard.

The door of his wife’s car was open, as was the front door to the house and there was no sign of the dog.

Proceeding into the entry, he found an even bigger mess. A lamp had been knocked over, and the throw rug was wadded against one wall. In the front room the TV was loudly blaring a cartoon channel, and the family room was strewn with toys and various items of clothing.

In the kitchen, dishes filled the sink, breakfast food was spilled on the counter, the fridge door was open wide, dog food was spilled on the floor, a broken glass lay under the table, and a small pile of sand was spread by the back door.

He quickly headed up the stairs, stepping over toys and more piles of clothes, looking for his wife. He was worried she might be ill, or that something serious had happened.

He was met with a small trickle of water as it made its way out the bathroom door. As he peered inside he found wet towels, scummy soap and more toys strewn over the floor. Miles of toilet paper lay in a heap and toothpaste had been smeared over the mirror and walls.

As he rushed to the bedroom, he found his wife still curled up in the bed in her pajamas, reading a novel. She looked up at him, smiled, and asked how his day went.

He looked at her bewildered and asked, “What happened here today?”

She again smiled and answered, “You know every day when you come home from work and you ask me what in the world did I do today?”

“Yes,” was his incredulous reply.

She answered, “Well, today I didn’t do it.”

New York, Sep 03, 2008 (Business Wire) — Google’s new browser Chrome has taken 1% of the global browser market within a day of launch according to analysis conducted by web traffic analysis company, StatCounter. “This is a phenomenal performance,” commented Aodhan Cullen of StatCounter which is a rival to Google on website analytics. “This is war on Microsoft but the big loser could be Firefox.”

StatCounter analysis conducted today (Wednesday, 03 September 2008) finds that Internet Explorer holds 70% of the global browser market followed by Firefox with 22%.

Note to editors: This information is based on a sample of 18.5 million page views globally on Wednesday, 3rd September.

Source: Market Watch

Google Inc, creator of the world’s most popular internet search engine is all set to further solidify its position in the software industry by introducing ‘Google Chrome’, its own web browser, challenging Microsoft Corp’s dominant Internet Explorer.

Let us the features of Chrome as announced by Google through a comic drawn by Scott McCloud, creator of the classic Understanding Comics.

Chrome, Google’s open-source browser includes Google’s Gear project and also a powerful JavaScript engine, called V8, to run the next generation of web applications.

Chrome, uses special tabs unlike those of Firefox and places them on the upper side of the windows and not below the address bar.

The browser has an address bar, called, omnibox with auto-completion features.

As a default homepage, Chrome has a ‘speed-dial’ feature which enables the user to view his/her most visited web pages as nine screenshot thumbnails and to the side, the user can view a couple of his recent searches, recently bookmarked pages and also recently closed tabs.

Google Chrome also helps the user to create an ‘incognito’ window and nothing that occurs in that window is ever logged on the user’s computer. (The latest version of Internet Explorer calls this InPrivate).

To fight malware and phishing attempts, Chrome is constantly downloading lists of harmful sites.

Well, all in all this looks like an interesting project but how much of the speed, stability and user interface promises will be fulfilled – remains to be seen.

The importance of brain the epitome centre from where intelligence emanates comes from Chanakya, the prolific thinker in King Chandragupta Maurya’s court. In one incident, Chanakya, is willing to forego his money, legs, hands, eyes and every other thing except his brain. He believed that his existence was because of his brain power.

A person is known by the deeds one does and only a constructive and a positive use of the brain’s powers can make a man. It gives us the power to analyze, deduce and look into logic, helping us arrive at a conclusion and decision. How can we ever imagine life without reason and reason comes through brain?

The brain works for 24 hours yes, even when we are asleep. We are able to perform actions, ponder on thoughts, think logically, reason what is wrong and what is right, analyze circumstances, situations as processes, judge people, simply calculate or deduce and make a choice or arrive at a decision, all because of the power of our brain. These are just small examples or a peep into the window of the brains inherent abilities and capabilities. Great minds and thinkers like Einstein, Ramanujam, A.P.J Abdul Kalam, Birbal, Karl Marx are just some of the many prolific thinkers who changed the world with their theories, inventions, discoveries and thinking. They are and will be known for their brain power.

The human brain has been utilized only to the extent of one hundred thousandth of its real capabilities. So we can imagine how much is left to explore the innumerable possibilities of its use. The advancement, progress, success and reputation achieved by man is only because of his brain.

Money, well it is only one of the outcomes or a by-product brought to life on Earth by the human mind for his economic and trading needs so as to organize and simplify the methods of exchange. Money can buy our needs, comforts and luxuries or other material possessions but can’t buy peace, love, friendship, attitude and happiness but the brain can be instrumentally used to win all these and the material needs and comforts we need.

People often say that one can buy brains by hiring people but these very brains have to be managed and mentored else it will lead to failures and disasters. A case in point is the erstwhile Birla Group which was split into many factions. But today, only Aditya Birla Group headed by Mr. Kumar Mangalam Birla has outgrown whereas the other factions are practically non-entities. Thus I would like to conclude saying that – A brain dead person is as good as dead.

A country which has its roots etched in non-violence, dharma, and equality, today, celebrates its 61^st year of Independence. Yes as all of you might have guessed, this country which I am writing about is none other than my motherland, India. This assumed to be poverty-stricken country, has accomplished a feat which is unprecedented i.e., to make a mark in the world in so less a time.

I take this opportunity to salute a country which has never resolved to violence in its entire history. To the country which values freedom. To the country which has given birth to so many heroes whose undying devotion for the country made it possible to free India from the 200 year long clutches of the British and also to so many other people whose achievements in various fields made India a proud nation.

Happy Independence Day! Celebrate freedom – an inalienable feeling!

Finding the right camcorder can be a difficult task and while selecting one you have to be careful as it will store your precious memories, memories you don’t want to be distorted. A bit of homework before buying can make it real easy.

Lens and Zoom: Camcorder manufacturers don’t always distinguish clearly between digital and optical zoom. Maximum optical zoom denotes the maximum zoom that the camcorder can achieve by moving its lens elements. You should expect at least 37x optical zoom, while an incredible 45x advanced zoom is what you get on Dual Flash Memory Camcorders from Canon. To test the lens and zoom: Put it somewhere steady and zoom all the way in. Frame an object in the exact centre of the screen. Now zoom out (without moving the camera), this object should stay in the centre. After zooming out, this object should still be sharp. If the test fails, simply refrain from buying that camera. Look for a lens that has super spectral coating like the Canon Video Lens which will reduce flare and ghosting to give you superb quality videos.

Viewfinder/LCD screen: Bigger LCD screens are preferable. Go for at least 2.5 inches (6.4cms). Check the screen in outdoor conditions as well, as some LCDs are harder to see in sunlight. Remember that the viewfinder uses less battery power than the LCD so you might want to check that out as well.

Ease of use: Try the controls yourself and make sure that all the buttons work properly. You never know when your best shot awaits you, so check for quick response time. The unique joystick and remote control options on the Dual Flash Memory Camcorders make the whole experience of shooting, a pleasure.

Outputs/Connectivity: Make sure you can connect the camcorder to your computer, TV and other devices. Ensure that all plugs fit properly; if they are loose at the time of purchase then chances are that they might just give in after sometime.

Image Stabilization: With a built-in Electronic Image Stabilizer, you never have to worry about blurred videos again. This allows it to accurately compensate for camera shake, giving you extremely steady shots even while panning or zooming.

Batteries: The amount of recording and playback time you get out of a battery varies, but most camcorders should be able to record for at least an hour with the included battery.

Low-light modes: Make sure that your camcorder has a night vision mode or a low-light mode. Though the video captured in this mode won’t be good as video captured in this mode won’t be as good as video captured in well-lit settings but this mode can be very useful in poorly illuminated settings.

So go ahead, get a camcorder which allows you to unleash your skills while you shoot, record and relive your memories.

Source: The Times of India

The moment I heard this phrase, it aroused my interest and set my thinking caps on! So here I am, penning down my thoughts on this wonderful, thought-provoking topic.

In my opinion, to aspire means to have a desire and strive towards fulfilling it. An aspiring individual has the fire required to accomplish his innermost ambitions and desires. On the other hand, to inspire is to stimulate an aspiration or desire in others. An inspiring individual has the uncanny potential to light the fire in others so that they can accomplish something in life.

Today many people inspire us like actors, business tycoons, sport stars and the list is endless. But how many people really aspire to inspire? These qualities together are rarely found in an individual, but those who possess it, are definitely achievers and just not dreamers.

Yes, every Tom, Dick and Harry don’t think about being an inspiration to others as in today’s world most people think of how to make the other person lose in the game of life but never think how to win the game. They always want to pull the person’s leg who is sincerely trying to reach the top of the ladder which is leading to success.

One may wonder that everyone wants to succeed in life, and so when one does succeed, he becomes an inspiration for others who have just begun to strive to achieve something. But there is a difference between an individual who succeeds and becomes an inspiration and an individual who succeeds to become an inspiration.

But still the question remains – Who are the people who aspire to inspire before they expire? Teachers and Parents play a very important role in the lives of children as they are the guiding light from where the young children get the aspiration from. Parents and teachers always hope for the best for their children and students. They are the people who aspire to inspire as they want their students and children to help them and their nation to be proud of them. A coach is another example of a being who aspires to inspire the team to win the game and come back.

Many people around the globe think that we get aspirations only from successful people but that’s not entirely true. An unsuccessful person can also light the spark in you as it will also be his/her achievement if you achieve something extraordinary which he/she once dreamt of but was unsuccessful in his/her attempt.

Today, we can see that people who are successful in their lives are not necessarily from well-to-do families. They are successful because they have seen the struggle and failures of other people in their family and they learn from others’ failures and try not to commit those same mistakes. Here are some examples of some great men who started their lives from scratch and managed to make a a place for themselves in this dominating world. - Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, Steve Jobs, Mr. Dhirubhai Ambani, Mr. Lakshmi Mittal, and the list goes on and on.

In a nutshell, one who aspires to inspire is always passionate about helping individuals move beyond their limitations and help them see that they can do and be what they envision.

Get ready to buy a property on moon as a new analysis of volcanic glass collected during the Apollo missions in the 1970s has revealed that water is present beneath the Moon’s parched surface. (Here’s a fine example to prove that appearances are deceptive!)

The researchers at the Brown University have found that up to 50 parts per million of water are trapped in tiny spheres of volcanic glass. So finally, life on moon may someday change into a reality and who knows maybe we will be able to visit our farmhouses for a summer break!

We all hear about the approaching end of Earth’s resources, but do we really do something to secure the next generation’s future? Well, the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board has taken an initiative to cut down a little on the ever-rising power usage in the city. They have decided to suspend power for an hour everyday in Chennai and for two-hours in its suburbs.

The electricity board has guaranteed to cut the power only during the daytime, mostly between 10am and 6pm, depending on the area, so students are not disturbed and people will not have to spend sleepless nights after a long day. They have assured people that even the residents’ of politicians and other influential people will not be exceptions.

Doesn’t it sound exciting when you imagine yourself, holding a 3-D image of the person closest to your heart in your palm? Well, that day isn’t too far. Yes, Japan whose technological accomplishments are many in number is going to come up with a gadget, gCubik, that will enable you to hold a three-dimensional image of anybody and anything.

Researchers hope to develop this gadget which is still at the prototype stage in another three years and even make it appear to speak. The gCubik’s panels have many tiny lenses on liquid crystal displays. Unlike conventional 3D displays, which are viewed only from one side, gCubik can be seen from three sides, giving different images from various angles. Moreover, users will not need special glasses to view the image.

The experts working on this gadget say that this will be very useful to all, irrespective of their profession and age. For example, school teachers can use it in science classes, while elderly people can see the images of their grandchildren living far away.

Yesterday, while reading the newspaper, I got the shock of my life when I read about a large plate of floating ice shelf which is known by the name ‘Wilkins Ice Shelf’ attached to Antarctica was breaking up and just hanging by its last thread. You may ask me now ‘How is that possible?’ Well, I am sure most of us know the answer as it is the same cause which we read about almost everyday as if it were a part and a parcel of our life. You must have guessed it by now. Yes it is none other than Global Warming.

We all know that the Antarctica peninsula has had one of the highest rates of global warming anywhere in the world in the recent decades. But now even the scientists are beginning to get concerned and puzzled as to how this latest breakup occurred when atmospheric temperatures were at their lowest, I repeat lowest, in the Southern Hemisphere.

According to the newspaper sources – David Vaughan of the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) said “Current events are showing that we were being too conservative, when we made the prediction in the early 1990s that Wilkins Ice Shelf would be lost within 30 years. The truth is it is going more quickly than we guessed.”

One of the best short stories I have ever read. Felt like sharing with all of you.

The train has started moving. It is packed with people of all ages, mostly with the working men and women and young college guys and gals. Near the window, seated a old man with his 30 year old son. As the train moves by, the son is overwhelmed with joy as he was thrilled with the scenery outside.

“See dad, the scenery of green trees moving away is very beautiful”

This behaviour from a thirty year old made the other people feel strange about him. Every one started murmuring something or other about him. “This guy seems to be a crack.” newly married Anup whispered to his wife.

Suddenly it started raining… Rain drops fell on the travelers through the opened window. The Thirty year old son, filled with joy “See dad, how beautiful the rain is ..”

Anup’s wife got irritated with the rain drops spoiling her new suit.

Can’t you see its raining, you old man, if your son is not feeling well get him soon to a mental asylum but don’t disturb the public henceforth”

The old man hesitated first and then in a low tone replied ” We are on the way back from hospital, my son got discharged today morning, he was blind by birth, last week only he got his vision, these rain and nature are new to his eyes.. Please forgive us for the inconvenience caused…”

Some people keep groaning that these so-called 30 seconds keep breaking the flow of movies, and the nail-biting elimination rounds of reality shows. Several others fume as to why they have to see a beautiful young lady coming out of a bathtub with a soap guaranteeing to make your skin as smooth as silk just when they hear of a terrorist attack wrecking havoc. Yet others crib that the print media doesn’t lag behind as they keep running into pages peddling lotions, clothes and what not while checking out new magazines and daily newspapers. A few have even stopped subscribing, complaining that magazines have more space for glossy advertisements.

But I, thank the advertising fraternity for these advertisements. Apart from the obvious benefits like generating employment, educating people about new products plus their services, and bringing out creativity, imagine where we would be if not for these commercial breaks? Our chores would remain unfinished; meals half-cooked or worse uncooked! Shouldn’t we be actually thankful to these ads which keep jumping onto our television screens every other minute, for safeguarding our health? If it weren’t for these exasperating advertisements, would we get up halfway through programmes and get our stipulated 6-7 hour sleep? We wouldn’t.

We will start watching whole programmes and be deprived of essential rest. These ads are also one of the reasons why we see kids indulging themselves in outdoor activities and challenging board games instead of watching Shah Rukh Khan uncle asking a few questions between ads. They have already gathered that they are ‘tez’ than ‘paanchvi pass’. Also, we would never have glossy papers to line our shelves. And, when these ads eventually force us to stop buying magazines, imagine the money we would be saving. Had they not been there every time we are sitting in front of the television screen, urging us to take a break we would have become couch potatoes in no time. We owe them a big one for saving us from self-destruction.

The Titanic may have sunk almost a century ago but bits and pieces from the wreck are still being recovered. The latest find is an unused lifejacket from the doomed ship, which is to be auctioned off. Though stained and torn, the cork-filled jacket is mostly intact and is said to be have found by a farmer near the Halifax coast. It is estimated that the life preserver will sell for $40,000 but another had been sold for $60,000 last year. According to a specialist, the cork that filled the jackets was so heavy that many survivors broke their jaws when jumping from the ship.

Did you know these amazing facts about our human body? I was shocked to know when I heard it for the first time. I am sure you will also feel the same if you go on and scroll down.

The average human body holds enough sulphur to kill all the fleas on an average dog; potassium to fire a toy cannon; carbon to make 900 pencils; fat to make 7 bars of soap; 10 gallons of water and phosphorus to make 2,200 match heads.

Do you have any more to add on to this list? Feel free to do so.

True, technology has made a huge impact on our lives but everything it has touched hasn’t changed into gold. One of the things tech-haters always moan about is that how the advent of better technology especially in the field of communications, has led to erosion of basic manners and etiquette. Obviously, Tech-lovers consider this to be complaints from the older generations who are not able to adapt themselves to this new techno age and its terms. As always, the truth lies between the two extremes.

Yes, technology has made the world a global village by helping people to communicate with their dear ones far more easily, but there are times when their users forget the people around them and the basic courtesies. They end up indulging in behaviour which is regrettable later.

Here are a few examples where tech-users tend to commit deadly mistakes:

The plugged ear

Most people have a habit of keeping their ears plugged with their iPods even while traveling with family and friends and then they wonder why everyone is silent around them. They just don’t realize that having your ears glued to the music player is just another way to communicate to others that you don not want to be disturbed.

Gadgets at public places

If I had a rupee for every time I have heard a cell phone ring at a public event, I am sure I would have become a millionaire by now. It is good that you love your phone, but nowadays people tend to keep it in a mode that is designed to disturb everyone watching a particular event. No wonder that referees in matches request the crowd to switch off their mobile phones while the game is on. But as usual this has little effect on the masses, who keep them on to draw attention to themselves while the event is going on.

Butchering Grammar

Though, some educational institutions have accepted SMS abbreviations to be used by students, but there are large sections of the human populations who misinterpret informal messages which often leads to miscommunication galore. I remember hearing an incident regarding a mother who got the shock of her life when her son messaged her that he had received “gr8 grades”. She misunderstood it, and thought her son had got an eighth-level grade and had failed. A little sensitivity and sensibility is all that it takes to avoid these gaffes.

]]> http://aspireblog.wordpress.com/2008/06/14/does-good-technology-lead-to-bad-manners/feed/ 9 aspireblog http://aspireblog.wordpress.com/2008/05/30/homelessness/ http://aspireblog.wordpress.com/2008/05/30/homelessness/#comments Fri, 30 May 2008 14:16:31 +0000 Saniya http://aspireblog.wordpress.com/?p=14 ]]>

Most of us here have read poems, maybe in school, or you have a passion or for any reason whatsoever. I am sure you have read a poem which touched your heart and you count it to be your favourite poem. I have one…want to read that? Just scroll down to have a look.

Life is like a garden
And friendship like a flower,
That blooms and grows in beauty
With the sunshine and the shower.

And lovely are the blossoms
That are tended with great care,
By those who work unselfishly
To make the place more fair.

And, like the garden blossoms,
Friendship’s flower grows more sweet
When watched and tended carefully
By those we know and meet.

And, if the seed of friendship
Is planted deep and true
And watched with understanding,
Friendship’s flower will bloom for you.

-Helen Steiner Rice

Name of the Book: The Three Questions
Author: Leo Tolstoy
Other Works by the the author: War & Peace, The Godson & many others

It is a well fabricated story about a king in whose mind arise three important questions, whose answers vary from person to person, so he undertakes a quest to find the true answers. The rest of the plot revolves around the King’s determination to find the answers & how he finds them.

Throughout this story, the author, Leo Tolstoy has kept the reader absorbed and interested to know the answers of the questions posed by the thoughtful king. The author has set a fine example of how even a short story in simple language can be thought provoking for readers of all ages.

Did you ever want to live your life with diseases with no cure, no water, the most essential part of our lives, with no clothes to cover our bare bodies under the scorching heat of the sun, with no food to eat? I am sure our spines shiver and shoulders shudder to even think about a life without water, food, cloth. To ensure that we and our upcoming generations do not face such a doomsday, we must do something, but the question remains what? We can make an effort to save our dear Mother Earth. Maybe our efforts will inspire other people to do the same.

Though you may like the style of snobbish people who say that it is very down–market to use recycled products, but it isn’t so when you can make a difference in the world by saving three trees, if we use just one recycled paper. We can also reduce the use of plastics, by using jute/paper bags for shopping, and for our other needs. We can use plastic only and only for disposing off our waste materials. As school students and teenagers we can ride our bikes and go to school which will help in reducing air/ noise pollution, traffic jams etc. If it is practically not possible for you to ride to school, as your house is too far, then all children can get together and have a pool-car system, which will help parents in their economic needs, and if even five children go to school together in one car, we will be able to reduce the cost of petrol/diesel per house.

Imagine just one day without electricity..isn’t it worse than a nightmare? If you want to avoid frequent black-outs, you need to make an effort at least in your own houses/schools/colleges and switch off the lights, fans, coolers, air conditioners and other electrical appliances when not in use. This will help us to preserve energy and save it for future use for the upcoming generations. Now, please don’t say that you don’t care about the future generations, because if you do, think that your own children will have sleepless nights, no cures to their health problems, no water.

So, today make a resolution to make an effort to stop global warming and give a better world to the future citizens of the world. Also, thank your elders for giving you a very nice, sweet world to live in and pass on the same. Remember, if you make an effort, you can make a dent in the universe!!

Also make it a point to read my post – Facts on Global Warming from The Times Of India.

Average temperatures have climbed 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit (0.8 degree Celsius) around the world since 1880, much of this in recent decades, according to NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies.

TTThe rate of warming is increasing. The 20^th century’s last decades were the hottest in 400 years.

Arctic ice is rapidly disappearing and the region may have its first completely ice-free summer by 2040.

Glaciers and mountain snows are rapidly melting.

Climate researchers are predicting that the Earth’s average temperature will continue to increase in the next 100 years.

If greenhouse gas emissions drop slightly, the average world temperature in 2100 could be 1 degree C warmer than in 1990.

Advances in technology could result in fossil fuels being burned more efficiently.

Fresh water supplies and local air quality will be impacted due to higher temperatures.

In this highly competitive world, telecom has become an essential part of our lives irrespective of caste and creed in our society. Gone are the olden days, when people used to wait for days or even months to receive a letter from their near and dear ones. In today’s world wireless connections like mobile phones have taken the place of pigeons and hand-written letters, making communication much easier and faster. But everything has its advantages and disadvantages and mobile phones are no exceptions. They impact our health thereby affecting our wealth also.

Tumors, earaches, impairment of hearing capacity are just some of the effects caused by the happening cell phones. The radiations emitted also affect our heart, especially if they are kept in the shirt pocket. According to some scientists, the radiations may even cause cancer. In addition, complaints of cell phone explosions from around the world are reported in which many people have lost their eyesight, hearing power and have got serious burns all over their face and hands.

Mobile phones, unquestionably useful tools, have spoilt people as they are loosing their memory capacity and have reached a stage where they have become indispensable and even the thought of losing or misplacing them scares people. In layman terms, people become helpless if they have to be without their cell phones even for half an hour!

Though we use mobile phones as a communicating tool, it is lessening the face to face interactions within the family itself. This is very harmful to human values and to the society as a whole. Seeing each other in person and having face to face conversations helps people to have better relations and understanding than through mobile phones.

So at the end of this, don’t you agree with me that the impacts due to mobile phones are predominantly on to the negative side?

Author: J.K. Rowling
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Year of publication – 2007, First Edition
Price: Rs. 795.
Other books: Harry Potter Series (1-6)

The brilliant, breathtaking conclusion to J.K. Rowling’s series is not for the faint of heart– such revelations, battles, and betrayals portrayed that no fan will make it to the end unscathed. Rowling has prepped her loyal readers for the end of her series by doling out increasingly dark and dangerous tales of magic and mystery, shot through with lessons about honor and contempt, love and loss, and right and wrong.

The heart of Book-7 Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows is a hero’s mission–not just in Harry’s quest for the Horcruxes, but in his journey from boy to man–and facing more danger than that found in all six books combined, from the direct threat of the Death Eaters and you-know-who, to the subtle perils of losing faith in himself. Never has Harry felt so alone and faced a future so full of shadows. But Harry must somehow find within himself the strength to complete the task he has been given. He must leave the warmth, safety and companionship of the Burrow and follow without fear or hesitation: the inexorable path laid out for him.

In the finale of the series, J. K . Rowling unveils in spectacular fashion, the answers to many questions that have been so eagerly awaited. The spellbinding richly woven narrative, which plunges, that takes twists and turns at a breath-taking pace, confirms the author as a mistress of storytelling. And so the book will be read and re- read.

The journey is hard, filled with events both tragic and triumphant, the battlefield littered with the bodies of the dearest and despised, but the final chapter is as brilliant and blinding as a phoenix’s flame, and fans and skeptics alike will emerge from the confines of the story with full but heavy hearts, giddy and grateful for the experience.