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Babu saroj created new article Travelling as a part of education .
Introduction
We all have a powerful desire in our mind to see the unseen and to know the unknown. As a result we spontaneously seek for travelling for it has really a charm and novelty of its own. Travelling not only means roaming here and there, it also means to get knowledge with relaxing body. Travelling is something which ones do many times in his or her life with someone or alone.
Travelling and its value
Travelling is a part of education for it has some educational value. We learn various things from books. But when we travel we can see everything with our eyes. For example, a teacher is teaching about mountain region. Through it we can learn about this region. But when we travel on this region we can have a vivid prospect about it. Travelling has not only the educational value; it has also some more impact on our mind. It liberalises our mind and broadens our heart. So a youth who has never moved out of his village is just like a frog in the well. When we travel in different places we come in contact with different people and come to know about their manners customs and their traits. Consequently it cures all the prejudices that are often gathered in our mind. Travelling also gives other pleasures too. It provides us with an opportunity to observe the wonders of nature and to enjoy the grandeur of creation such as snow-capped mountains, the beauty of the roaring sea, the calm of the hill-bound lakes etc.
Many parents’ stops their children to go out for travelling because they think that if their child will go outside then it will cause a huge loss in their studies. But their thinking like this is really a wrong concept of the parents because travelling widen the thoughts and refreshes the mind of the students because too much study is not good for the health for the children, many children or students go on depression because too much pressure of studies. So the parents should provide an hour in a day for their children to relax and enjoy too and that will only come when they will travel to different places or travel nearby somewhere like park, hotel or playground or something like that which will make them utmost happy because the real happy of the parents relies on the happy of their children.
Conclusion
Travelling also helps us to increase courage and self-confidence. It refreshes and regenerates our mind. It makes one complete and wise also, thus travelling can be regarded as supplementary to education in class room for it blends the vision and voice. Thus it has already been a preferable source of recreation.
9 years ago
shaloo walia created new article 10 Must Visit Places in Punjab.
Punjab is a colorful and vibrant state of India which is also known as the land of five rivers. Punjab is famous for its food and rich cultural heritage. There are some beautiful places in Punjab which you must visit in case you are planning a trip to Punjab:
Harmandir Sahib, Amritsar Also known as Darbar Sahib or the Golden Temple, this is the holiest Gurdwara in India. This religious shrine is a place of grate beauty and sublime peace. Guru Arjan Dev, the fifth Sikh Guru designed Harmandir Sahib and later on its completion, installed the Adi Granth (the holy scripture of Sikhs) inside the Harmandir Sahib. During early 19th century, Maharaja Ranjit Singh covered the upper floors of the Gurudwara with intricately carved gold panels giving it a distinguished appearance. A mesmerising blend of Hindu and Mughal architectures, this sacred place calms the senses and a sense of peace dawns.
Jallianwala Bagh, Amritsar This public garden located in Amritsar has historical significance. The infamous Jallianwala Massacre during the British rule happened at this place where hundreds of innocent people were killed on the day of Baisakhi in 1919. A memorial was established at the garden by the Government of India in 1951 to commemorate the peaceful celebrators who were brutally killed by British forces. You can see the bullet marks on the walls of the park premises as well as the well which was said to have been filled with dead bodies when people jumped in the well to save themselves from the firing bullets.
Rock Garden, Chandigarh This popular tourist attraction in Chandigarh is the epitome of creativity and a man's determination. The creator of the garden Nek Chand started making sculptures from waste material at a secluded land near Sukhna lake in secrecy. When it came to light, the public came in his support and the government gave Nek Chand a team of workers to assist him in realizing his dream. Spread in forty acres, this sculpture garden is made using waste material like broken bangles, tiles, crockery etc.
Zakir Hussain Rose Garden, Chandigarh This botanical garden which is spread in thirty acres is famous for its roses. It has over 50,000 rose bushes of 1600 different species. It has the distinction of being Asia's largest. The place looks amazing when the roses are in full bloom.
Mughal Serai, Doraha Mughal Serai at Doraha near Ludhiana is now in a dilapidated condition due to the indifference of the government towards this historical serai which was built by Mughal Emperor Jehangir. Several scenes of the popular movie Rang de Basanti were shot here and so it's also known as RDB fort now.
Wagha Border, Amritsar Wagha Border near Amritsar is famous for its beating retreat ceremony which is attended by hundreds of people everyday from both sides of the border. The border security forces of both India and Pakistan jointly conduct this military practice which includes majestic change of guards and lowering down the respective national flags every evening.
Qila Mubarak, Patiala This historical fort in Patiala is a magnificent example of Sikh architecture. The beautiful artwork, magnificent mirrors and exclusive painitings of the Sikh rulers are the key highlights of the fort.
Harike Wetland and Bird Sanctuary Situated at the border of Taran Taran Sahib district and Ferozepur district, Harike wetland and bird sanctuary is a major biodiversity reserve and is home to a number of species of flora & fauna. 200 species of birds visit the sanctuary during winter. This is a must visit place for nature lovers and wild life photography enthusiasts.
Virasat-e-Khalsa, Anandpur Sahib This museum located at Anandpur Sahib gives a glimpse of the historical events that led to the birth of Sikhism. The museum was constructed in thirteen years and was opened for public in 2011. It aims to highlight the vision of Sikh Gurus and their message of peace. The five hundred years of Sikh history is displayed through audio visual content.
Sukhna Lake, Chandigarh This man-made lake in Chandigarh attracts tourists from all over due to its scenic beauty. The beautiful hills of Shivalik are visible from the lake. Thousands of migratory birds visit the lake every year during winter.
Image source https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Golden_Temple_(Harmandir_Sahib),_Amritsar,_Punjab.jpg
9 years ago
shaloo walia created new article Effective ways to practice meditation.
I was introduced to meditation in 2008 when I did a basic course from Art of Living Foundation. During the first day of the course, we were made to do Panchkosha Meditation. It was a blissful experience. I have been practicing meditation daily ever since and it's undoubtedly one of the best habits I have developed.
What is meditation? Merriam- Webster dictionary defines mediation in quite simple words as "spending time in quiet thought for religious purposes or relaxation." Meditation can be categorized in two ways: focus attention and open monitoring.
During the Focused Attention Meditation, we bring our attention to a particular sound or or object. We can focus our attention on a particular mantra, breath, some part of the body or an external object. Chakra meditation, Kundalini dhyan. mantra meditation etc. fall in this category.
In Open Monitoring Meditation, we monitor or observe an experience in a detached manner.Mindfulness meditation and Vipassana fall under this category.
Before you start practicing meditation, you must keep the thumb rules of meditation in mind. My spiritual master H.H. Sri Sri Ravishankar gives a simple formula for meditation - "Achaha Aprayatna Akinchana". Achaha means I want nothing, Aprayatana means I do nothing and Akinchana means I am nothing. While sitting in meditation, we should leave our desires & ego behind and be effortless.
There are various ways to practice meditation. The simplest way is to sit in lotus-position with your eyes closed. Take a deep breath in and exhale. Now take deep, long breaths and focus your attention on the inhaling and exhaling breath. After a few minutes, slowly open your eyes. You can gradually increase the duration of meditation.
Other popular and effective ways of meditation are as follows:
Zen Meditation Zen or Zazen meditation means seated meditation. Sit on a floor in lotus or half-lotus position while keeping your back straight. Lower your eyes and keep your gaze fixed at the ground 2-3 feet in front of you. Now focus your attention on your breath.
Vipassana Meditation Vipassana is an ancient word in Pali language which means clear insight. Vipassana meditation starts with practicing mindfulness of breath so that the mind settles down. Slowly and gradually the meditation practice moves towards developing clear insights on bodily experiences and mental thoughts by observing them nonchalantly without developing an attachment.
Mindfulness Meditation Here the practitioner focuses on the present moment by accepting and embracing the sensations, thoughts and feelings that arise in the moment. Mindfulness can be practiced in our daily activities too while walking, eating, talking etc by paying full attention to the task in hand.
Mantra Meditation This is practiced while sitting with back erect and eyes closed. The mantra is repeated in the mind silently during the session which creates positive vibrations that brings the practitioner to a state of bliss. One can use different mantras like Om, Om Namah Shivaya, Hare Krishna , So hum.
Chakra Meditation There are seven chakras or energy centres in the body. During Chakra meditation, the attention is taken to the seven chakras in the body starting from Muladhara Chakra which is located at the base of the spine and gradually taken to the other chakras culminating at Sahasrara Chakra at the top of the head.
I mainly practice guided meditations by my spiritual master which include Chakra meditation, Panchkosha meditation, yoga nidra and Niranjan dhyan. Sometimes I also do Sehaj Samadhi which is a form of mantra meditation. I also chant the Hare Krishna mahamantra daily which is a very potent mantra.
Whatever form of meditation you chose but make sure to make meditation a part of your day. Meditation is an antidote to stress. It is the best way for a peaceful and blissful life.
9 years ago
Pearl Leo created new article Top Five Pregnancy Myths I had to Deal with.
When I was expecting my little one, I was elated but honestly, my pregnancy was not so comfortable. I used to disapprovingly smile at everyone who used to say- Oh pregnancy is such a blissful period for women, enjoy your time and take rest. In reality, I felt miserable most of the times due to morning sickness or food aversions and was controlled by insatiable and weird food cravings rest of the time.
As the pregnancy progressed, walking and sleeping became so tedious and to top it off,my baby was one super mean kicker. I had so many sleepless nights that by the end of my term I was exhausted. It is a good time though as emotionally and physically we are cared for in the family but that doesn't last for long. The second thing that irritated me the most ( like over the top most) was the free flowing advice every one had which by a large measure turned out to be grandmother's remedies that did not work.
So here are the top five lies , or so called myths that I heard of extensively about pregnancy debunked!
1: You need to eat for two.
If you are expecting, chances are you have heard this one time too many. Beta ghee khao ghee, badam liya karo, kesar ka doodh piyo ( Have some ghee, eat almonds or drink saffron milk). Trust me if not done in moderation nothing good comes out of this other than self-indulgence.
Eating for two many a times gives women an excuse to eat whatever they want and whenever they feel like doing so. Unfortunately, numerous researches available ( you can even check online) have proven that this is no true at all. You most likely are eating for 1.1 persons and while it is true that your body does require a larger portion of proteins, carbohydrates, and folic acid; you still need to control your portions.
Our grandmothers and mothers often use this phase to indulge us in items made of desi ghee and sugar claiming this helps the baby. There is no scientific proof that eating for two does the baby any good. You have to be careful on what is on your plate and the calories you take as you will the one carrying the baby weight after delivery.
So ladies, eating for two- I don't think so!
2: You can ensure your baby is beautiful if you do this.
When I heard of this one, I cracked up like a crazy person who just could not stop laughing. Apparently some believe that you can alter your baby's look by consuming certain foods or merely by following a certain diet.For example, drinking saffron was recommended by one of my relatives to ensure I have a fair baby. And another one suggested fish would help in having smarter babies.
Just to be clear I do believe that a good diet and good thoughts are key to a fit mind and body but seriously people, there is something called genetics and genetic traits!
The looks or IQ of our baby can never be altered through any method within the womb. Any medical professional can tell you that these things just do not work and that it is important to seek information and advice before you add anything to your pregnancy diet.
3: Stay away from cellphones and wireless devices:
Many including my very own drove me crazy with this one. I was checked when I would be over the phone or near a laptop. No cellular devices, really, I mean we lived next to a telecommunication tower. Our homes are hooked to wi-fi devices all day long and we use internet for almost every thing.
My dear friend, the mother and baby are scanned at almost every doctor visit which is a crucial step, should they forgo that too? The amount of radiations emitted by all these devices is fairly small to cause any harm done on a large level both to mother and child.
Yes, it is true that high radiation zones have to be avoided, so it is advised that you should gain information about the level of radiation present and permissible for you all. Similarly there is no harm in flying while you are pregnant. At this rate every pregnant woman should be kept in seclusion as there is hardly an inch in our vicinity that is not covered by some kind of mobile network. So yeah, husbands, stop being paranoid and difficult, our hormones are doing a great job of driving us nuts as it is.
4: Sleeping on your back is not good for the baby.
I have been sleeping on my right, left and back through out my pregnancy and it did no harm to me or my baby. While there are some researches that state that there is an extra flow of nutrients, oxygen if you sleep on your left side while you are expecting, there is no significant statistical proof that any particular side is extremely beneficial.
You should however, sleep in a comfortable position giving ample support to your back and belly. In fact, sleeping on the side is something that is suggesting purely from comfort point of view since sleeping flat on your back leaves your belly without any support leaving you in pain.
It is also suggested to use a soft pillow between the knees as you sleep or to use many pillows to rest your back so that you can sleep well. Again, sleeping discomfort should not be overlooked. Your body is pushed to it's limit as the baby grows, so do take your doctor's advice for sleeping positions.
5: No sex during pregnancy.
Hmm. I was very skeptic to put this point down but hey whom are we kidding, the topic does come up no matter how awkward it is. I have heard grandmothers dishing out advice on this topic and trust me that is a conversation you do not want to have.
As embarrassing and uncomfortable it is for many to have an open conversation about sex during pregnancy, it is a common myth that one has to abstain. Doctors now advise that there is no need to refrain from sex but you have to take precautions as the mother and baby are prone to infections. Furthermore, the myth that having sex can cause pre-term labor also has no basis. it is advised to check with your doctor (not with your mothers/mother-in-laws/ grand mothers) in any case if it okay to go ahead.
Be advised, you have to be open with your doctor about everything. As mentioned, per-term labor will not occur if you have sex but the risk of having infections like an STD is not something you are shielded from while you are pregnant.
A Word of Advice :
Now I am no medical professional but I am a mother living in a joint family with mothers, in-laws, grandparents ( yeah, the who jing-bang). And I can tell you I have heard many old wife tales. But when it comes to your little one, I would suggest to read, read and read. There are so many wonderful publications in form of books, online reads, journals. Being informed beforehand is the key!
Secondly, go per your doctor's advice. Never follow anyone just to please them. Try to seek medical advice before jumping to any form of home remedy. Pregnancy is not a phase worth any risk whatsoever.
Eating well and healthy, as well as being active will benefit you and your little one. Do not consume anything without the advice of your doctor. Remember that certain food are known to cause miscarriage, so do take caution during this period.
Stay positive and happy. It does take effort but I encourage you to either go to a pregnancy class or be with your friends who understand your situation. Try to take your mind off any discomfort you have.
Conclusion:
There are so many more such myths all around us that it does get confusing. Can you drink coffee, can yo drive, can you exercise, can you take a trip? Well, to be informed is the key.
To understand your pregnancy it is best if you read many books beforehand so that you know what your body is going through. You can go online and check for diet restrictions, calculate pregnancy progress and go through many researches that are available for free before you make up your mind to make any major change in your lifestyle and as I mentioned before; discuss with your doctor and take their word for it rather than giving into myths and doing something that will be of no use at all.
So ladies, you are tough, just wise up!Wishing you a safe and happy confinement and if you are just going through this article for nothing then happy reading!
References :
http://womenshealth.gov/index.php
http://danonenutricia.in/
http://women.ygoy.com/2011/06/10/when-to-take-saffron-during-pregnancy/
https://www.newscientist.com/blogs/shortsharpscience/2012/03/cellphone-pregnant-mice.html
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/5930093_When_it_Comes_to_Pregnant_Women_Sleeping_Is_Left_Right
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1471-0528.2000.tb10397.x/full
9 years ago
MG Singh created new article My Experience with the TU-95 ( Bear) Russian Strategic bomber.
Photo fromhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tupolev_Tu-95
I have spent quality time with the air force and as the IAF had a Russian connection, I was lucky to visit Russia many times. During my visits to Russia I and my fellow colleagues were treated with utmost respect and the Soviets genuinely thought of India as a friend.
One of the aircraft that impressed me was the Tu-95 which gave the code name Bear by the NATO powers. The history of the plane makes interesting reading. In the early fifties of the last century, despite having the Atomic bomb the Russians did not have a proper delivery system to attack America. The cold war was in full swing and the Russians desperately needed a deterrence.Josef Stalin had a meeting with the designer AndrieTupolev and the result was the Bear.Andrie Tupelov was one of the engineering greats of Russia in the field of aviation and the lon rane aircraft are part of his contribution to the history of aviation.
The plane first flew in 1952 and had a range of 9000 miles. All credit to Andrei Tupolev who spent eons of time on the drawing board and the wind tunnel tests. TheBear was a 4 engine turbo- prop plane. It was powered by the Kuznetsov engines which at that time were the biggest and most powerful engines in the aviation world. The plane had tremendous endurance and large bomb bays as in those days, the Atomic bombs were large gravity falling bombs. With this plane, the Russians for the first time had a strategic bomber that could fly to the heartland of the USA.
The Russians churned out a few more versions and one of them were theTU-114 which was also sold to the Indian navy for sea surveillance. The Russian AF ordered substantial numbers of these strategic bombers. As on date more than 59 of these strategic long-range bombers are still in service with the RAF.As per the vision document of the Russian AF, these planes will not be retired till 2040. In other words, the planes will remain part of the strike command of the strategic air force till 2040.
The plane looks like a blast from the past. It has a speed of 710 mph and the engines make a pounding sound. Once the plane revs up and goes into a dive at full throttle the sound is so strong that even a submarine submerged can hear the approach of the bomber . Never the less, despite this relative drawback, the plane is a great platform for offensive weapons. It can also carry cruise missiles and launch them against an enemy at some distance from the target. This makes it a great weapons platform. The plane is the pride of the Air Force and Russians feel mighty proud to have such a lethal strategic bomber.
I first saw this behemoth in the Russian airbase and its size awed me. I had not seen such a large plane. I wanted to take some photographs, but it was not allowed. Subsequently, I did ride in the plane as a passenger. With the permission of the senior captain on board, I had an entry into the cockpit and was struck by the maze of electronic equipment displayed.It had ECM and ECCM on board. The plane could carry atomic bombs and has been the main strategic bomber of the Russian air force for over 5 decades. This points to its technical excellence and airworthiness.
The TU-95 is now getting a little dated and recently two crashes occurred in Siberia. This sent alarm bells ringing and the entire fleet was grounded, but after a technical inspection, the plane is back in harness. I traveled on the plane from Moscow to Vladivostok in the east, a distance of almost 5000 miles and the flight was smooth. But at times the noise was a bit too much and so we were given earphones. I always wondered why the IAF did not ask the Russians for this plane as it would have been a great deterrence to China with its range and Beijing and entire Manchuria would have been in the range of the IAF. But strange are the ways of the politicians and one wonders what happened, for the Russians did give the TU-114 the long-range maritime version of the plane to the Indian navy and it even now soars over the Arabian Sea.
During the height of the cold war, the TU-95 was a force multiplier. It could carry cruise missiles with nuclear warheads and the planes often approached the California coast. They were a potent threat to the US and the USAF often scrambled jet fighters to intercept these bombers. The USSR at that time used this plane as a deterrence and with its awesome range it kept the Soviet response to the US bases around the Soviet union at strength five.
After the end of the cold war, the Russians did not scrap these planes, but upgraded them and now they will serve with the Russian Air force till 2040. One reason for this is, that the Russians have not yet developed an alternate strategic bomber of comparable range. The Bear thus still carries the Russian flag to the far corners of the world. Even now sometimes Putin orders these planes and they approach the California coast, a gentle reminder that Russia remains a great power, though the erstwhile Soviet Union is part of history.
The Russians feel a tremendous sense of pride in this plane, which gives the Russians something to crow about as the USAF has no comparable plane of this range and endurance.
9 years ago
MG Singh created new article Trump represents the extreme right wing white view.
The US election build-up is in full swing. As is the practice, the battle is only between 2 mainstream parties namely the Republican party and the Democrat party. However, though there is no bar to standing for election as an independent or as a representative of any other group or party, yet the chances of such a candidate winning is zero.
The two main contenders are Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. They represent the GOP or Republican party and the Democratic party. It's a neck-to-neck race, though the opinion polls point to a lead by Hillary over Donald by about 5 points. This is not the final word as the election is still some 3 months away. One really can't make any forecast as the situation is fluid and Donald can stage a comeback.
All the opinion polls have one thing in common. Almost all of them say that Donald at the very least has about 35-40% of the popular support. That's a lot of support and the question arises who are the people supporting the GOP nominee
For a clue, we have to see what Donald Trump has been articulating all these months. He has been
a) saying that immigrants including Hispanics and Mexicans be stopped from entering the country. In case it is required, he will construct a wall between Mexico and America to keep out the illegal immigrants.
b) stating that he would bar the entry of Muslims into the United Sates. He would also profile all Muslims in the USA and only those who forsake the Sharia will be allowed and all others deported.
These are strong sentiments and when stated in the inimical style of Donald trump, are incendiary material. Donald is also supported by the KKK and its ilk. The Ku Klux Klan is a vigilante organization that was active a few decades back and hunted blacks and negroes like animals.
Donald, in short, has the Afro-American, Muslims,colored and Mexicans, as well as Hispanics, ranged against him. There is hardly any support for Donald from these communities. These communities constitute 27% of the US electorate and Donald is well aware that his rhetoric has alienated the entire range of these communities. Probably he has factored this as his calculation is to try and win the majority support of the whites who constitute 72% of the US population.
Among the whites the intelligentsia and the erudite who swear by the American constitution are appalled by his pronouncements regarding Muslims and immigrants. They do not support him as well as the news media and TV who have editors from the Ivy league who feel Donald is going against the principles of the US constitution.But these constitute barely 10-15% of the entire white population. This leaves about 85% of the whites many of who are not educated or have had rudimentary education. This is the lot targeted by Donald and he hopes to garner massive support from this group and win the election. In short, Donald's support is from not very highly educated whites and lower rungs of the social ladder who feel their deprivation is because of immigrants and Muslims.
What I have stated is a dicey matter as one sect of whites who are having a grudge or not well off are the support base of Donald Trump. Such groups are easily led by the rhetoric of Trump against illegal immigration and Muslims. His declaration that he will declare war on the ISIS as well as treat them the same way as the ISIS treats its captured POWs strikes a chord with these people.
The Americans at the moment ( at least a large majority of whites) have a paranoid fear of Islam. Trump is playing on these fears by articulating his concept of world peace and his refrain " making America great" is to the liking of these white groups. No wonder the minorities are wary of Donald and will not vote for him. For they perceive that in the dream being unfolded by the GOP nominee, there is no place in the sun for them.
The battle lines are thus drawn and one will have to wait and see whether the permutations and combinations calculated by Trump will lead him to the White house. Hillary has the support of 99% of the coloreds and immigrants as well as Muslim and in case she can draw even with Donald for the votes of the whites, she should be home and dry.
In case Donald has to win, he needs at least 64-65% of the white vote and one will have to await the election in November to know who is the winner.
9 years ago
Pearl Leo created new article The Making of a Stronger You.
It's funny that when a software is improvised the version needs to be changed. For example if it is SW then it become SW 1.2 or SW 2.0 and so on. And as time goes by it needs to be upgraded even though the change is so minor yet improvisation changes the version completely.
This got me thinking one day that there are instances in life that teach you so much and force you to improvise. These life lessons may come from something trivial that with time, it might have become a faded memory but has made you a better you. Unlike a software we humans are told about life before hand and we chose not to learn until we experience a thrashing for our selves.
I am human therefore I also fall under the same category of being told yet never got a grasp of the situation until I was knee deep in a soup or had a miracle get me out of it and yes then and only then did I learn my lesson.
Learn to Speak Up:
Now we all know that we should speak up for ourselves.
Uh-uh not me. In fact, when I was studying for pre-medical entrance exams, I decided not to try more than once.My family on the other hand decided otherwise. They encouraged me to take a drop and get into the medical field. At that time and era that was what everyone knew; medical career, engineering career or well the others didn't matter. Many of my friends also went the same route so it didn't seem so difficult, but the funny part is that I didn't pass and I was encouraged to take another year of drop for preparation.
Well in my mind I said I would give it a go once but by now I had given it twice and the third time it was like I wanted to scream that I don't want to do it. You see my family had nothing to lose but I lost two precious years of my time just because I had no guts to say to them, let it go...I am no prodigy and may be not smart enough to be a doctor but I am smart enough to do something else. So stop wasting my time people and let me go.
But no, instead I listened to them and gave up one more year and by the end of it I was done.
Needless to state I will always regret that decision of not speaking up. I don't blame anyone though since they all were looking out for me and doing what they knew best. But God has made us unique and somehow we all know what we are good at and what we want, that should never be taken for granted. I should have voice out my thought and should have taken a stand.
I over the years have learnt to speak my mind. If I am wrong i will get more insight when someone counters me and there is no shame in that. When they say time and tide waits for none- believe you me it is true and if in the moment you do nothing; you are the only one at loss.Trust me on that!
Learn to Keep Your Word:
Keeping your word or your promise is important, every child is taught that. But who remembers that as we grow up. Certainly not me...
And interestingly a situation came years later when we had to work on a college project. The task assigned by our college was a mandatory project with a company which we had to go seek and work on. I was mortified at the thought of going out on my own and requesting companies for projects. Thankfully two of my friends teamed up with me and we went to a renowned company and stood at the entrance. We weren't even allowed to enter the reception area.
Seeing the magnitude of business, my friends chickened out real soon but I was adamant to find a contact to get in I went in and asked the guard to help and give us some information about the executives. My friends laughed at me and said the guard will not give us reliable information. I somehow convinced them to come along and told them that we have nothing to lose but just have to try.
We some how got a name and we went to meet him and told him our assignment. He was one of the so many people we had already asked but was willing to give us a small project without any pay. My friends and I were elated with pride that we accomplished the assignment without influence. At the same time I was offered another project for a stipend and we were to work. So I had two projects and had to manage both somehow. In the meetings, I would tell my friends to cover for me while I worked on the second project. I might have missed two meetings with the executive and I was there for the rest. We all worked hard and tried to pitch in the best we could.
When the day of recommendation came, I was told I won't be getting one. I was shocked! I worked on this project from scratch and this executive decides to leave me out of it! My friends told me that he had asked me to call him and find out why. I did that as soon as possible. I told him that I had worked on it with all my heart and even though I missed a few meetings I was up to speed and at par with the rest and if it wasn't for me, my friends would have not even got that project and he wouldn't have his work done.
He listened patiently and then said, you know why I am not recommending you; it's because you need to learn to commit to one thing at a time and show that you are sincere. You might have worked hard behind the scenes but when results were to be shown, you were not the one showing them to me. So let this be a learning for you that you need to show up as you promised and that when you are given an assignment you have to be accountable for it.
All my pride and ego just slipped over the phone and I broke down. Not only was I humiliated but now I lost a recommendation and had to work harder for my assignment and what was even more hurtful was all my effort got credited to my friends who didn't even have one project to begin with.
Yeah call this one humiliating lesson for life but it happened and I am glad that it did because at times I would let myself lose and make mistakes but when I recall this incident I tend to focus more and become sincere.
Learn to Have Faith:
Okay, I never was the believing type; in fact people who know me will attest that I am sometimes too careful about things. After a lot of struggling to find a job, I realized I wasn't the smart type and was never going to be selected. I had completed a degree in MBA and was on the list for campus placement. Somehow I was convinced by some relatives that I am not good enough and the demanding line of career I had chosen was not worth it. My mother had put in a lot for me financially while I was studying and I was burdened by the fact that if I don't get a job, my relatives might actually be true. But my mom never lost faith in us. She told us to overcome all noise and just focus on studies.
It took time but eventually I did get a campus placement in a very good company, and even though I had to start out at a low salary I still was making more than my relatives who kept taunting me. Ten years later, I found out that their children dropped out and were not even working while me and my sister were at a decent position to support our family.
Trying to keep everything amicable we never said anything to them, but down the line I realized that if it wasn't for the faith of my mom in me I would have never made it. This is when I learnt to have faith in myself. As I mentioned family has nothing to lose and all noise will still be there, but our life is affected by our decisions. So have faith when you make them.
In the end, these are so small incidents that have happened and I have moved on so far that all these memories don't even matter now; but what I learnt from them has made me stronger and smarter version of myself. You might have such lessons too and they might be really small and insignificant . But I encourage you today to remember and listen to your life lessons, list them down and embrace them and you will notice how you have emerged to be a stronger, smarter and a much better version of yourself!
9 years ago
Kalyani Nandurkar replied to the topic Edible Art.
How's this one? I had made this with my son for a competition in his school. We won second prize for this.
9 years ago
Kalyani Nandurkar liked a reply to the topic Brain Drain - Should we feel proud or ashamed.
9 years ago
Divya replied to the topic Here Jobs would go to Rural unemployed.
Its a great initiative. It will help in the development of the interior regions as well as provide employment opportunities. Many big companies are also following the same...
9 years ago
Divya liked the topic Here Jobs would go to Rural unemployed.
Rural educated generally go to Urban regions for employment opportunities. But a thought that flashed in the mind of a young individual, Vullaganti Murali...
9 years ago
Divya replied to the topic A cultural Treat for all the Senses..
An interesting read. Thanks for sharing.
On a lighter note was wondering how you search and get these old posts. :D
9 years ago
Divya liked the topic A cultural Treat for all the Senses..
You are right. It's all about India. Its all about Things and Places, you won't believe existed in India.
9 years ago
Divya replied to the topic These States are different from other States.
Sorry I am not able to open the link provided from my office. But i would like to add a point here - Even in northern parts of kerala the system of dowry ( in the sense where...
9 years ago
Divya liked the topic These States are different from other States.
We have some regions in India which are unique in their own way. And quite different from other States. Here are such States from North East.
For example there...
9 years ago
Babu saroj created new article Travelling as a part of education .
Introduction
We all have a powerful desire in our mind to see the unseen and to know the unknown. As a result we spontaneously seek for travelling for it has really a charm and novelty of its own. Travelling not only means roaming here and there, it also means to get knowledge with relaxing body. Travelling is something which ones do many times in his or her life with someone or alone.
Travelling and its value
Travelling is a part of education for it has some educational value. We learn various things from books. But when we travel we can see everything with our eyes. For example, a teacher is teaching about mountain region. Through it we can learn about this region. But when we travel on this region we can have a vivid prospect about it. Travelling has not only the educational value; it has also some more impact on our mind. It liberalises our mind and broadens our heart. So a youth who has never moved out of his village is just like a frog in the well. When we travel in different places we come in contact with different people and come to know about their manners customs and their traits. Consequently it cures all the prejudices that are often gathered in our mind. Travelling also gives other pleasures too. It provides us with an opportunity to observe the wonders of nature and to enjoy the grandeur of creation such as snow-capped mountains, the beauty of the roaring sea, the calm of the hill-bound lakes etc.
Many parents’ stops their children to go out for travelling because they think that if their child will go outside then it will cause a huge loss in their studies. But their thinking like this is really a wrong concept of the parents because travelling widen the thoughts and refreshes the mind of the students because too much study is not good for the health for the children, many children or students go on depression because too much pressure of studies. So the parents should provide an hour in a day for their children to relax and enjoy too and that will only come when they will travel to different places or travel nearby somewhere like park, hotel or playground or something like that which will make them utmost happy because the real happy of the parents relies on the happy of their children.
Conclusion
Travelling also helps us to increase courage and self-confidence. It refreshes and regenerates our mind. It makes one complete and wise also, thus travelling can be regarded as supplementary to education in class room for it blends the vision and voice. Thus it has already been a preferable source of recreation.
9 years ago
shaloo walia created new article 10 Must Visit Places in Punjab.
Punjab is a colorful and vibrant state of India which is also known as the land of five rivers. Punjab is famous for its food and rich cultural heritage. There are some beautiful places in Punjab which you must visit in case you are planning a trip to Punjab:
Harmandir Sahib, Amritsar Also known as Darbar Sahib or the Golden Temple, this is the holiest Gurdwara in India. This religious shrine is a place of grate beauty and sublime peace. Guru Arjan Dev, the fifth Sikh Guru designed Harmandir Sahib and later on its completion, installed the Adi Granth (the holy scripture of Sikhs) inside the Harmandir Sahib. During early 19th century, Maharaja Ranjit Singh covered the upper floors of the Gurudwara with intricately carved gold panels giving it a distinguished appearance. A mesmerising blend of Hindu and Mughal architectures, this sacred place calms the senses and a sense of peace dawns.
Jallianwala Bagh, Amritsar This public garden located in Amritsar has historical significance. The infamous Jallianwala Massacre during the British rule happened at this place where hundreds of innocent people were killed on the day of Baisakhi in 1919. A memorial was established at the garden by the Government of India in 1951 to commemorate the peaceful celebrators who were brutally killed by British forces. You can see the bullet marks on the walls of the park premises as well as the well which was said to have been filled with dead bodies when people jumped in the well to save themselves from the firing bullets.
Rock Garden, Chandigarh This popular tourist attraction in Chandigarh is the epitome of creativity and a man's determination. The creator of the garden Nek Chand started making sculptures from waste material at a secluded land near Sukhna lake in secrecy. When it came to light, the public came in his support and the government gave Nek Chand a team of workers to assist him in realizing his dream. Spread in forty acres, this sculpture garden is made using waste material like broken bangles, tiles, crockery etc.
Zakir Hussain Rose Garden, Chandigarh This botanical garden which is spread in thirty acres is famous for its roses. It has over 50,000 rose bushes of 1600 different species. It has the distinction of being Asia's largest. The place looks amazing when the roses are in full bloom.
Mughal Serai, Doraha Mughal Serai at Doraha near Ludhiana is now in a dilapidated condition due to the indifference of the government towards this historical serai which was built by Mughal Emperor Jehangir. Several scenes of the popular movie Rang de Basanti were shot here and so it's also known as RDB fort now.
Wagha Border, Amritsar Wagha Border near Amritsar is famous for its beating retreat ceremony which is attended by hundreds of people everyday from both sides of the border. The border security forces of both India and Pakistan jointly conduct this military practice which includes majestic change of guards and lowering down the respective national flags every evening.
Qila Mubarak, Patiala This historical fort in Patiala is a magnificent example of Sikh architecture. The beautiful artwork, magnificent mirrors and exclusive painitings of the Sikh rulers are the key highlights of the fort.
Harike Wetland and Bird Sanctuary Situated at the border of Taran Taran Sahib district and Ferozepur district, Harike wetland and bird sanctuary is a major biodiversity reserve and is home to a number of species of flora & fauna. 200 species of birds visit the sanctuary during winter. This is a must visit place for nature lovers and wild life photography enthusiasts.
Virasat-e-Khalsa, Anandpur Sahib This museum located at Anandpur Sahib gives a glimpse of the historical events that led to the birth of Sikhism. The museum was constructed in thirteen years and was opened for public in 2011. It aims to highlight the vision of Sikh Gurus and their message of peace. The five hundred years of Sikh history is displayed through audio visual content.
Sukhna Lake, Chandigarh This man-made lake in Chandigarh attracts tourists from all over due to its scenic beauty. The beautiful hills of Shivalik are visible from the lake. Thousands of migratory birds visit the lake every year during winter.
Image source https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Golden_Temple_(Harmandir_Sahib),_Amritsar,_Punjab.jpg
9 years ago
shaloo walia created new article Effective ways to practice meditation.
I was introduced to meditation in 2008 when I did a basic course from Art of Living Foundation. During the first day of the course, we were made to do Panchkosha Meditation. It was a blissful experience. I have been practicing meditation daily ever since and it's undoubtedly one of the best habits I have developed.
What is meditation? Merriam- Webster dictionary defines mediation in quite simple words as "spending time in quiet thought for religious purposes or relaxation." Meditation can be categorized in two ways: focus attention and open monitoring.
During the Focused Attention Meditation, we bring our attention to a particular sound or or object. We can focus our attention on a particular mantra, breath, some part of the body or an external object. Chakra meditation, Kundalini dhyan. mantra meditation etc. fall in this category.
In Open Monitoring Meditation, we monitor or observe an experience in a detached manner.Mindfulness meditation and Vipassana fall under this category.
Before you start practicing meditation, you must keep the thumb rules of meditation in mind. My spiritual master H.H. Sri Sri Ravishankar gives a simple formula for meditation - "Achaha Aprayatna Akinchana". Achaha means I want nothing, Aprayatana means I do nothing and Akinchana means I am nothing. While sitting in meditation, we should leave our desires & ego behind and be effortless.
There are various ways to practice meditation. The simplest way is to sit in lotus-position with your eyes closed. Take a deep breath in and exhale. Now take deep, long breaths and focus your attention on the inhaling and exhaling breath. After a few minutes, slowly open your eyes. You can gradually increase the duration of meditation.
Other popular and effective ways of meditation are as follows:
Zen Meditation Zen or Zazen meditation means seated meditation. Sit on a floor in lotus or half-lotus position while keeping your back straight. Lower your eyes and keep your gaze fixed at the ground 2-3 feet in front of you. Now focus your attention on your breath.
Vipassana Meditation Vipassana is an ancient word in Pali language which means clear insight. Vipassana meditation starts with practicing mindfulness of breath so that the mind settles down. Slowly and gradually the meditation practice moves towards developing clear insights on bodily experiences and mental thoughts by observing them nonchalantly without developing an attachment.
Mindfulness Meditation Here the practitioner focuses on the present moment by accepting and embracing the sensations, thoughts and feelings that arise in the moment. Mindfulness can be practiced in our daily activities too while walking, eating, talking etc by paying full attention to the task in hand.
Mantra Meditation This is practiced while sitting with back erect and eyes closed. The mantra is repeated in the mind silently during the session which creates positive vibrations that brings the practitioner to a state of bliss. One can use different mantras like Om, Om Namah Shivaya, Hare Krishna , So hum.
Chakra Meditation There are seven chakras or energy centres in the body. During Chakra meditation, the attention is taken to the seven chakras in the body starting from Muladhara Chakra which is located at the base of the spine and gradually taken to the other chakras culminating at Sahasrara Chakra at the top of the head.
I mainly practice guided meditations by my spiritual master which include Chakra meditation, Panchkosha meditation, yoga nidra and Niranjan dhyan. Sometimes I also do Sehaj Samadhi which is a form of mantra meditation. I also chant the Hare Krishna mahamantra daily which is a very potent mantra.
Whatever form of meditation you chose but make sure to make meditation a part of your day. Meditation is an antidote to stress. It is the best way for a peaceful and blissful life.
9 years ago
Pearl Leo created new article Top Five Pregnancy Myths I had to Deal with.
When I was expecting my little one, I was elated but honestly, my pregnancy was not so comfortable. I used to disapprovingly smile at everyone who used to say- Oh pregnancy is such a blissful period for women, enjoy your time and take rest. In reality, I felt miserable most of the times due to morning sickness or food aversions and was controlled by insatiable and weird food cravings rest of the time.
As the pregnancy progressed, walking and sleeping became so tedious and to top it off,my baby was one super mean kicker. I had so many sleepless nights that by the end of my term I was exhausted. It is a good time though as emotionally and physically we are cared for in the family but that doesn't last for long. The second thing that irritated me the most ( like over the top most) was the free flowing advice every one had which by a large measure turned out to be grandmother's remedies that did not work.
So here are the top five lies , or so called myths that I heard of extensively about pregnancy debunked!
1: You need to eat for two.
If you are expecting, chances are you have heard this one time too many. Beta ghee khao ghee, badam liya karo, kesar ka doodh piyo ( Have some ghee, eat almonds or drink saffron milk). Trust me if not done in moderation nothing good comes out of this other than self-indulgence.
Eating for two many a times gives women an excuse to eat whatever they want and whenever they feel like doing so. Unfortunately, numerous researches available ( you can even check online) have proven that this is no true at all. You most likely are eating for 1.1 persons and while it is true that your body does require a larger portion of proteins, carbohydrates, and folic acid; you still need to control your portions.
Our grandmothers and mothers often use this phase to indulge us in items made of desi ghee and sugar claiming this helps the baby. There is no scientific proof that eating for two does the baby any good. You have to be careful on what is on your plate and the calories you take as you will the one carrying the baby weight after delivery.
So ladies, eating for two- I don't think so!
2: You can ensure your baby is beautiful if you do this.
When I heard of this one, I cracked up like a crazy person who just could not stop laughing. Apparently some believe that you can alter your baby's look by consuming certain foods or merely by following a certain diet.For example, drinking saffron was recommended by one of my relatives to ensure I have a fair baby. And another one suggested fish would help in having smarter babies.
Just to be clear I do believe that a good diet and good thoughts are key to a fit mind and body but seriously people, there is something called genetics and genetic traits!
The looks or IQ of our baby can never be altered through any method within the womb. Any medical professional can tell you that these things just do not work and that it is important to seek information and advice before you add anything to your pregnancy diet.
3: Stay away from cellphones and wireless devices:
Many including my very own drove me crazy with this one. I was checked when I would be over the phone or near a laptop. No cellular devices, really, I mean we lived next to a telecommunication tower. Our homes are hooked to wi-fi devices all day long and we use internet for almost every thing.
My dear friend, the mother and baby are scanned at almost every doctor visit which is a crucial step, should they forgo that too? The amount of radiations emitted by all these devices is fairly small to cause any harm done on a large level both to mother and child.
Yes, it is true that high radiation zones have to be avoided, so it is advised that you should gain information about the level of radiation present and permissible for you all. Similarly there is no harm in flying while you are pregnant. At this rate every pregnant woman should be kept in seclusion as there is hardly an inch in our vicinity that is not covered by some kind of mobile network. So yeah, husbands, stop being paranoid and difficult, our hormones are doing a great job of driving us nuts as it is.
4: Sleeping on your back is not good for the baby.
I have been sleeping on my right, left and back through out my pregnancy and it did no harm to me or my baby. While there are some researches that state that there is an extra flow of nutrients, oxygen if you sleep on your left side while you are expecting, there is no significant statistical proof that any particular side is extremely beneficial.
You should however, sleep in a comfortable position giving ample support to your back and belly. In fact, sleeping on the side is something that is suggesting purely from comfort point of view since sleeping flat on your back leaves your belly without any support leaving you in pain.
It is also suggested to use a soft pillow between the knees as you sleep or to use many pillows to rest your back so that you can sleep well. Again, sleeping discomfort should not be overlooked. Your body is pushed to it's limit as the baby grows, so do take your doctor's advice for sleeping positions.
5: No sex during pregnancy.
Hmm. I was very skeptic to put this point down but hey whom are we kidding, the topic does come up no matter how awkward it is. I have heard grandmothers dishing out advice on this topic and trust me that is a conversation you do not want to have.
As embarrassing and uncomfortable it is for many to have an open conversation about sex during pregnancy, it is a common myth that one has to abstain. Doctors now advise that there is no need to refrain from sex but you have to take precautions as the mother and baby are prone to infections. Furthermore, the myth that having sex can cause pre-term labor also has no basis. it is advised to check with your doctor (not with your mothers/mother-in-laws/ grand mothers) in any case if it okay to go ahead.
Be advised, you have to be open with your doctor about everything. As mentioned, per-term labor will not occur if you have sex but the risk of having infections like an STD is not something you are shielded from while you are pregnant.
A Word of Advice :
Now I am no medical professional but I am a mother living in a joint family with mothers, in-laws, grandparents ( yeah, the who jing-bang). And I can tell you I have heard many old wife tales. But when it comes to your little one, I would suggest to read, read and read. There are so many wonderful publications in form of books, online reads, journals. Being informed beforehand is the key!
Secondly, go per your doctor's advice. Never follow anyone just to please them. Try to seek medical advice before jumping to any form of home remedy. Pregnancy is not a phase worth any risk whatsoever.
Eating well and healthy, as well as being active will benefit you and your little one. Do not consume anything without the advice of your doctor. Remember that certain food are known to cause miscarriage, so do take caution during this period.
Stay positive and happy. It does take effort but I encourage you to either go to a pregnancy class or be with your friends who understand your situation. Try to take your mind off any discomfort you have.
Conclusion:
There are so many more such myths all around us that it does get confusing. Can you drink coffee, can yo drive, can you exercise, can you take a trip? Well, to be informed is the key.
To understand your pregnancy it is best if you read many books beforehand so that you know what your body is going through. You can go online and check for diet restrictions, calculate pregnancy progress and go through many researches that are available for free before you make up your mind to make any major change in your lifestyle and as I mentioned before; discuss with your doctor and take their word for it rather than giving into myths and doing something that will be of no use at all.
So ladies, you are tough, just wise up!Wishing you a safe and happy confinement and if you are just going through this article for nothing then happy reading!
References :
http://womenshealth.gov/index.php
http://danonenutricia.in/
http://women.ygoy.com/2011/06/10/when-to-take-saffron-during-pregnancy/
https://www.newscientist.com/blogs/shortsharpscience/2012/03/cellphone-pregnant-mice.html
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/5930093_When_it_Comes_to_Pregnant_Women_Sleeping_Is_Left_Right
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1471-0528.2000.tb10397.x/full
9 years ago
MG Singh created new article My Experience with the TU-95 ( Bear) Russian Strategic bomber.
Photo fromhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tupolev_Tu-95
I have spent quality time with the air force and as the IAF had a Russian connection, I was lucky to visit Russia many times. During my visits to Russia I and my fellow colleagues were treated with utmost respect and the Soviets genuinely thought of India as a friend.
One of the aircraft that impressed me was the Tu-95 which gave the code name Bear by the NATO powers. The history of the plane makes interesting reading. In the early fifties of the last century, despite having the Atomic bomb the Russians did not have a proper delivery system to attack America. The cold war was in full swing and the Russians desperately needed a deterrence.Josef Stalin had a meeting with the designer AndrieTupolev and the result was the Bear.Andrie Tupelov was one of the engineering greats of Russia in the field of aviation and the lon rane aircraft are part of his contribution to the history of aviation.
The plane first flew in 1952 and had a range of 9000 miles. All credit to Andrei Tupolev who spent eons of time on the drawing board and the wind tunnel tests. TheBear was a 4 engine turbo- prop plane. It was powered by the Kuznetsov engines which at that time were the biggest and most powerful engines in the aviation world. The plane had tremendous endurance and large bomb bays as in those days, the Atomic bombs were large gravity falling bombs. With this plane, the Russians for the first time had a strategic bomber that could fly to the heartland of the USA.
The Russians churned out a few more versions and one of them were theTU-114 which was also sold to the Indian navy for sea surveillance. The Russian AF ordered substantial numbers of these strategic bombers. As on date more than 59 of these strategic long-range bombers are still in service with the RAF.As per the vision document of the Russian AF, these planes will not be retired till 2040. In other words, the planes will remain part of the strike command of the strategic air force till 2040.
The plane looks like a blast from the past. It has a speed of 710 mph and the engines make a pounding sound. Once the plane revs up and goes into a dive at full throttle the sound is so strong that even a submarine submerged can hear the approach of the bomber . Never the less, despite this relative drawback, the plane is a great platform for offensive weapons. It can also carry cruise missiles and launch them against an enemy at some distance from the target. This makes it a great weapons platform. The plane is the pride of the Air Force and Russians feel mighty proud to have such a lethal strategic bomber.
I first saw this behemoth in the Russian airbase and its size awed me. I had not seen such a large plane. I wanted to take some photographs, but it was not allowed. Subsequently, I did ride in the plane as a passenger. With the permission of the senior captain on board, I had an entry into the cockpit and was struck by the maze of electronic equipment displayed.It had ECM and ECCM on board. The plane could carry atomic bombs and has been the main strategic bomber of the Russian air force for over 5 decades. This points to its technical excellence and airworthiness.
The TU-95 is now getting a little dated and recently two crashes occurred in Siberia. This sent alarm bells ringing and the entire fleet was grounded, but after a technical inspection, the plane is back in harness. I traveled on the plane from Moscow to Vladivostok in the east, a distance of almost 5000 miles and the flight was smooth. But at times the noise was a bit too much and so we were given earphones. I always wondered why the IAF did not ask the Russians for this plane as it would have been a great deterrence to China with its range and Beijing and entire Manchuria would have been in the range of the IAF. But strange are the ways of the politicians and one wonders what happened, for the Russians did give the TU-114 the long-range maritime version of the plane to the Indian navy and it even now soars over the Arabian Sea.
During the height of the cold war, the TU-95 was a force multiplier. It could carry cruise missiles with nuclear warheads and the planes often approached the California coast. They were a potent threat to the US and the USAF often scrambled jet fighters to intercept these bombers. The USSR at that time used this plane as a deterrence and with its awesome range it kept the Soviet response to the US bases around the Soviet union at strength five.
After the end of the cold war, the Russians did not scrap these planes, but upgraded them and now they will serve with the Russian Air force till 2040. One reason for this is, that the Russians have not yet developed an alternate strategic bomber of comparable range. The Bear thus still carries the Russian flag to the far corners of the world. Even now sometimes Putin orders these planes and they approach the California coast, a gentle reminder that Russia remains a great power, though the erstwhile Soviet Union is part of history.
The Russians feel a tremendous sense of pride in this plane, which gives the Russians something to crow about as the USAF has no comparable plane of this range and endurance.
9 years ago
MG Singh created new article Trump represents the extreme right wing white view.
The US election build-up is in full swing. As is the practice, the battle is only between 2 mainstream parties namely the Republican party and the Democrat party. However, though there is no bar to standing for election as an independent or as a representative of any other group or party, yet the chances of such a candidate winning is zero.
The two main contenders are Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. They represent the GOP or Republican party and the Democratic party. It's a neck-to-neck race, though the opinion polls point to a lead by Hillary over Donald by about 5 points. This is not the final word as the election is still some 3 months away. One really can't make any forecast as the situation is fluid and Donald can stage a comeback.
All the opinion polls have one thing in common. Almost all of them say that Donald at the very least has about 35-40% of the popular support. That's a lot of support and the question arises who are the people supporting the GOP nominee
For a clue, we have to see what Donald Trump has been articulating all these months. He has been
a) saying that immigrants including Hispanics and Mexicans be stopped from entering the country. In case it is required, he will construct a wall between Mexico and America to keep out the illegal immigrants.
b) stating that he would bar the entry of Muslims into the United Sates. He would also profile all Muslims in the USA and only those who forsake the Sharia will be allowed and all others deported.
These are strong sentiments and when stated in the inimical style of Donald trump, are incendiary material. Donald is also supported by the KKK and its ilk. The Ku Klux Klan is a vigilante organization that was active a few decades back and hunted blacks and negroes like animals.
Donald, in short, has the Afro-American, Muslims,colored and Mexicans, as well as Hispanics, ranged against him. There is hardly any support for Donald from these communities. These communities constitute 27% of the US electorate and Donald is well aware that his rhetoric has alienated the entire range of these communities. Probably he has factored this as his calculation is to try and win the majority support of the whites who constitute 72% of the US population.
Among the whites the intelligentsia and the erudite who swear by the American constitution are appalled by his pronouncements regarding Muslims and immigrants. They do not support him as well as the news media and TV who have editors from the Ivy league who feel Donald is going against the principles of the US constitution.But these constitute barely 10-15% of the entire white population. This leaves about 85% of the whites many of who are not educated or have had rudimentary education. This is the lot targeted by Donald and he hopes to garner massive support from this group and win the election. In short, Donald's support is from not very highly educated whites and lower rungs of the social ladder who feel their deprivation is because of immigrants and Muslims.
What I have stated is a dicey matter as one sect of whites who are having a grudge or not well off are the support base of Donald Trump. Such groups are easily led by the rhetoric of Trump against illegal immigration and Muslims. His declaration that he will declare war on the ISIS as well as treat them the same way as the ISIS treats its captured POWs strikes a chord with these people.
The Americans at the moment ( at least a large majority of whites) have a paranoid fear of Islam. Trump is playing on these fears by articulating his concept of world peace and his refrain " making America great" is to the liking of these white groups. No wonder the minorities are wary of Donald and will not vote for him. For they perceive that in the dream being unfolded by the GOP nominee, there is no place in the sun for them.
The battle lines are thus drawn and one will have to wait and see whether the permutations and combinations calculated by Trump will lead him to the White house. Hillary has the support of 99% of the coloreds and immigrants as well as Muslim and in case she can draw even with Donald for the votes of the whites, she should be home and dry.
In case Donald has to win, he needs at least 64-65% of the white vote and one will have to await the election in November to know who is the winner.
9 years ago
Pearl Leo created new article The Making of a Stronger You.
It's funny that when a software is improvised the version needs to be changed. For example if it is SW then it become SW 1.2 or SW 2.0 and so on. And as time goes by it needs to be upgraded even though the change is so minor yet improvisation changes the version completely.
This got me thinking one day that there are instances in life that teach you so much and force you to improvise. These life lessons may come from something trivial that with time, it might have become a faded memory but has made you a better you. Unlike a software we humans are told about life before hand and we chose not to learn until we experience a thrashing for our selves.
I am human therefore I also fall under the same category of being told yet never got a grasp of the situation until I was knee deep in a soup or had a miracle get me out of it and yes then and only then did I learn my lesson.
Learn to Speak Up:
Now we all know that we should speak up for ourselves.
Uh-uh not me. In fact, when I was studying for pre-medical entrance exams, I decided not to try more than once.My family on the other hand decided otherwise. They encouraged me to take a drop and get into the medical field. At that time and era that was what everyone knew; medical career, engineering career or well the others didn't matter. Many of my friends also went the same route so it didn't seem so difficult, but the funny part is that I didn't pass and I was encouraged to take another year of drop for preparation.
Well in my mind I said I would give it a go once but by now I had given it twice and the third time it was like I wanted to scream that I don't want to do it. You see my family had nothing to lose but I lost two precious years of my time just because I had no guts to say to them, let it go...I am no prodigy and may be not smart enough to be a doctor but I am smart enough to do something else. So stop wasting my time people and let me go.
But no, instead I listened to them and gave up one more year and by the end of it I was done.
Needless to state I will always regret that decision of not speaking up. I don't blame anyone though since they all were looking out for me and doing what they knew best. But God has made us unique and somehow we all know what we are good at and what we want, that should never be taken for granted. I should have voice out my thought and should have taken a stand.
I over the years have learnt to speak my mind. If I am wrong i will get more insight when someone counters me and there is no shame in that. When they say time and tide waits for none- believe you me it is true and if in the moment you do nothing; you are the only one at loss.Trust me on that!
Learn to Keep Your Word:
Keeping your word or your promise is important, every child is taught that. But who remembers that as we grow up. Certainly not me...
And interestingly a situation came years later when we had to work on a college project. The task assigned by our college was a mandatory project with a company which we had to go seek and work on. I was mortified at the thought of going out on my own and requesting companies for projects. Thankfully two of my friends teamed up with me and we went to a renowned company and stood at the entrance. We weren't even allowed to enter the reception area.
Seeing the magnitude of business, my friends chickened out real soon but I was adamant to find a contact to get in I went in and asked the guard to help and give us some information about the executives. My friends laughed at me and said the guard will not give us reliable information. I somehow convinced them to come along and told them that we have nothing to lose but just have to try.
We some how got a name and we went to meet him and told him our assignment. He was one of the so many people we had already asked but was willing to give us a small project without any pay. My friends and I were elated with pride that we accomplished the assignment without influence. At the same time I was offered another project for a stipend and we were to work. So I had two projects and had to manage both somehow. In the meetings, I would tell my friends to cover for me while I worked on the second project. I might have missed two meetings with the executive and I was there for the rest. We all worked hard and tried to pitch in the best we could.
When the day of recommendation came, I was told I won't be getting one. I was shocked! I worked on this project from scratch and this executive decides to leave me out of it! My friends told me that he had asked me to call him and find out why. I did that as soon as possible. I told him that I had worked on it with all my heart and even though I missed a few meetings I was up to speed and at par with the rest and if it wasn't for me, my friends would have not even got that project and he wouldn't have his work done.
He listened patiently and then said, you know why I am not recommending you; it's because you need to learn to commit to one thing at a time and show that you are sincere. You might have worked hard behind the scenes but when results were to be shown, you were not the one showing them to me. So let this be a learning for you that you need to show up as you promised and that when you are given an assignment you have to be accountable for it.
All my pride and ego just slipped over the phone and I broke down. Not only was I humiliated but now I lost a recommendation and had to work harder for my assignment and what was even more hurtful was all my effort got credited to my friends who didn't even have one project to begin with.
Yeah call this one humiliating lesson for life but it happened and I am glad that it did because at times I would let myself lose and make mistakes but when I recall this incident I tend to focus more and become sincere.
Learn to Have Faith:
Okay, I never was the believing type; in fact people who know me will attest that I am sometimes too careful about things. After a lot of struggling to find a job, I realized I wasn't the smart type and was never going to be selected. I had completed a degree in MBA and was on the list for campus placement. Somehow I was convinced by some relatives that I am not good enough and the demanding line of career I had chosen was not worth it. My mother had put in a lot for me financially while I was studying and I was burdened by the fact that if I don't get a job, my relatives might actually be true. But my mom never lost faith in us. She told us to overcome all noise and just focus on studies.
It took time but eventually I did get a campus placement in a very good company, and even though I had to start out at a low salary I still was making more than my relatives who kept taunting me. Ten years later, I found out that their children dropped out and were not even working while me and my sister were at a decent position to support our family.
Trying to keep everything amicable we never said anything to them, but down the line I realized that if it wasn't for the faith of my mom in me I would have never made it. This is when I learnt to have faith in myself. As I mentioned family has nothing to lose and all noise will still be there, but our life is affected by our decisions. So have faith when you make them.
In the end, these are so small incidents that have happened and I have moved on so far that all these memories don't even matter now; but what I learnt from them has made me stronger and smarter version of myself. You might have such lessons too and they might be really small and insignificant . But I encourage you today to remember and listen to your life lessons, list them down and embrace them and you will notice how you have emerged to be a stronger, smarter and a much better version of yourself!
9 years ago
Kalyani Nandurkar replied to the topic Edible Art.
How's this one? I had made this with my son for a competition in his school. We won second prize for this.
9 years ago
Kalyani Nandurkar liked a reply to the topic Brain Drain - Should we feel proud or ashamed.
9 years ago
Divya replied to the topic Here Jobs would go to Rural unemployed.
Its a great initiative. It will help in the development of the interior regions as well as provide employment opportunities. Many big companies are also following the same...
9 years ago
Divya liked the topic Here Jobs would go to Rural unemployed.
Rural educated generally go to Urban regions for employment opportunities. But a thought that flashed in the mind of a young individual, Vullaganti Murali...
9 years ago
Divya replied to the topic A cultural Treat for all the Senses..
An interesting read. Thanks for sharing.
On a lighter note was wondering how you search and get these old posts. :D
9 years ago
Divya liked the topic A cultural Treat for all the Senses..
You are right. It's all about India. Its all about Things and Places, you won't believe existed in India.
9 years ago
Divya replied to the topic These States are different from other States.
Sorry I am not able to open the link provided from my office. But i would like to add a point here - Even in northern parts of kerala the system of dowry ( in the sense where...
9 years ago
Divya liked the topic These States are different from other States.
We have some regions in India which are unique in their own way. And quite different from other States. Here are such States from North East.
For example there...
9 years ago