Siliconvalley

“How Tax Cuts Work”

2012-01-22T11:34:00.000-08:00

Suppose that every day, ten men go out for beer and the bill forall ten comes to $100…

If they paid their bill the way we pay our taxes, it would gosomething like this…

The first four men (the poorest) would pay nothing.

The fifth would pay $1.

The sixth would pay $3.

The seventh would pay $7.

The eighth would pay $12.

The ninth would pay $18.

The tenth man (the richest) would pay $59.

So, that’s what they decided to do..

The ten men drank in the bar every day and seemed quite happy withthe arrangement, until one day, the owner threw them a curve ball. “Sinceyou are all such good customers,” he said, “I’m going to reduce the cost ofyour daily beer by $20″. Drinks for the ten men would now cost just $80.

The group still wanted to pay their bill the way we pay our taxesso the first four men were unaffected. They would still drink for free. Butwhat about the other six men? How could they divide the $20 windfall so thateveryone would get his fair share?

They realized that $20 divided by six is $3.33. But if theysubtracted that from everybody’s share, then the fifth man and the sixth manwould each end up being paid to drink his beer.

So, the bar owner suggested that it would be fair to reduce eachman’s bill by a higher percentage the poorer he was, to follow the principle ofthe tax system they had been using, and he proceeded to work out the amounts hesuggested that each should now pay.

And so the fifth man, like the first four, now paid nothing (100%saving).

The sixth now paid $2 instead of $3 (33% saving).

The seventh now paid $5 instead of $7 (28% saving).

The eighth now paid $9 instead of $12 (25% saving).

The ninth now paid $14 instead of $18 (22% saving).

The tenth now paid $49 instead of $59 (16% saving).

Each of the six was better off than before. And the first fourcontinued to drink for free. But, once outside the bar, the men began tocompare their savings.

“I only got a dollar out of the $20 saving,” declared the sixth man.He pointed to the tenth man,”but he got $10!”

“Yeah, that’s right,” exclaimed the fifth man. “I only saved adollar too. It’s unfair that he got ten times more benefit than me!”

“That’s true!” shouted the seventh man “Why should he get $10 back,when I got only $2? The wealthy get all the breaks!”

“Wait a minute,” yelled the first four men in unison, “we didn’tget anything at all. This new tax system exploits the poor!”

The nine men surrounded the tenth and beat him up.

The next night the tenth man didn’t show up for drinks, so the ninesat down and had their beers without him. But when it came time to pay the bill,they discovered something important. They didn’t have enough money between allof them for even half of the bill!

And that, boys and girls, journalists and government ministers, ishow our tax system works.

The people who already pay the highest taxes will naturally get themost benefit from a tax reduction. Tax them too much, attack them for beingwealthy, and they just may not show up anymore.

In fact, they might start drinking overseas, where the atmosphereis somewhat friendlier.

David R. Kamerschen, Ph.D.

Professor of Economics.

For those who understand, no explanation is needed. For those whodo not understand, no explanation is possible

Reincarnation....

2012-01-21T20:31:00.000-08:00

This topic has been on my mind for the last 3 years. Some events in my life that had deep impact on me made me think about it more often. Even though I grew up hearing about reincarnation but I never gave it a serious thought. If you believe in and follow nature, you must be aware that that everything in nature moves in cycles. Like the seasons, all livings things moves from birth, growth, fruition and ultimately to death - like in nature we see spring, summer, fall and winter. Similarly daily cycle of morning, afternoon, mid afternoon, evening and ultimately night. You must also know that after night again we see a morning which is different morning than the last one, after winter we see spring when new seeds initiate life in to a plant and blossoming of flowers initiates.

Same way, following the cycle of nature, death is also followed by a new birth - what goes around comes around. Our Hindu scriptures shows us that our spirit that temporarily resides in our bodies can not be burned or destroyed with the body. It just adopts a new form or a new body and in a life form where through physical body it goes through good and bad deeds ( Karma). The spirit is enriched by good and bad experiences and keep on going through this cycle until it is perfected to reach the stage of Nirvana or Moksha (ultimate Bliss).

I believe that the reason that physically and mentally we are so different, because our spirit goes through different learning processes and our spiritual knowledge is limited by our experiences that make us different in our thinking. Do you ever wonder why we think, feel so differently than others? It only make sense because every physical being's 'Spiritual Maturity' is very different.Do you ever wonder why some people are born so talented artists or singers, writers or turned out to be so intelligent at a very early age? How did they learn all this without going through any schooling which is normal mundane way of learning though there is no guarantee that one can become an artist just by going through schooling.

Re-birth can be easier to grasp if we understand that 'We' are not our bodies. Even though our logical mind thinks in reverse and makes it difficult for us to imagine or believe that concept of departing from one body and then assuming another because we blindly and habitually we have come to identify ourselves with the body - this body - the one we see in the mirror everyday. We may be right in saying that it is "My body" as this phrase make us the owner of the body, even though temporarily until this body perishes as we leave it after death.

What is awareness? We can not be aware of our body as an object that we can view as an observer. Our physical body and mind make it hard for us to comprehend that 'We (Spirit)' are someone that is temporarily residing in this body. As Lord Krishna states in The Bhagwat Gita:

"Never was there a time when I did not exist, nor you, nor all these kings; nor in the future shall any of us cease to be. As the embodied soul continuously passes, in this body, from childhood to youth to old age, the soul similarly passes into another body at death. A sober person is not bewildered by such a change."

and,

"Worn-out garments are shed by the body; Worn-out bodies are shed by the dweller within the body. New bodies are donned by the dweller, like garments."

Mindless Mumblings..

2011-08-11T23:24:00.000-07:00

There was a lot that he forgot but didnot want to forget. He is now in an unexplainableunique mental state that is far beyond anyone's understanding. Hauntingmemories reminded him of the scent of her presence, her soft touch, herinnocent and full smile with the upward curves of her lips and the smoothness ofher silky and charming voice.. that used to touch his heart. He wished he was apoet to capture all what he experienced during those moments. Her voice herwords still echo in his mind even today.All memories of her are still deeplyimprinted on his mind just like the pages from a book.

The day he saw her for the first time ..theday they looked into each others eyes. They touch their hands..with suchinnocent and loving thoughts…and the day when she wore a sari..for the veryfirst time. She took hours hoping to get ready to get few compliments from him.And he was so absent minded, sp engrossed in her beauty..he

failed to mention a single complimentfor her. She thumped her feet in the ground, her lips were trembling, her fistswere tightly closed, her eyes werecrying mixed with anger and sadness..ofcourse she fumed.

He still remembered every moment he spentwith her, of which only two of them were in the silent witness ..no one else ..healways savored the sweet moment when he felt nervous and scared beforehesitatingly tried to kiss her soft fulllips for the first time. Whereas, in response she so unhesitatingly, willingly and innocently responded with adeep kiss on his lips ..he could never forget his hesitation and her innocence ....shewas such a package of love, tenderness, innocence and ah…don’t even have rightwords to express and explain her

Today…it all seems so unreal..but hecould not forget many things, including the words and the vocals of the songs they used to love andsing together... how could he forget…herfirst touch too . how she used to fightwith him..beating on his chest with her soft fists the fight and the love hestill remember, he did not forget .. her letters immersed in his love as wellthe what he wrote all about the her in countless romantic verses ..poems..love notes ..today..he still rememberthat you still held the key to his fancy diary where he used to jot down allhis thoughts feelings that married his heart.. even today he remembered thelakes where they used to sit and thinkabout and where they often used to look in each others eyes and he used to feelso lost that he used to forget everything else around him and you used to laughwith a strange satisfaction in your eyes….. your eyes that still haunts him inhis dreams .. so full of love ..so full of cravings of innocent sensuousness.

Now ..he could not forget those moments when they sometimes used to sittogether near the lake at night during moonless nights, that they could not seeeach other but feel each others presence with the unsuccessful illusion of thatthey are able to read each others facial expressions .. especially after theirtouch of tender places and trying to seek acceptance to those feelings..

Do you really think that he forgot allthat ..no…he can not ..can not even fathom to..rather having such hard time nowfacing reality that you are gone..not here to touch you ..and feel yourpresence..now he wants to sit in a moonless night again…his imagination try topicture you ..but can not..heart is full of emptiness and sadness for the lossof those lovely feelings …clamoring of his love and desire that will now stayunfulfilled in this life time! You’re gone..not just by distance but away fromhis heart…circumstances.. situations, notheart, took you far away from him..

Lessons for Life...

2011-08-10T16:20:00.000-07:00

One day a farmer's donkey fell down into a well. The animal cried piteously for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do. Finally, he decided the animal was old, and the well needed to be covered up anyway; it just wasn't worth it to retrieve the donkey. He invited all his neighbors to come over and help him. They all grabbed a shovel and began to shovel dirt into the well. At first, the donkey realized what was happening and cried horribly. Then, to everyone's amazement he quieted down. A few shovel loads later, the farmer finally looked down the well. He was astonished at what he saw. With each shovel of dirt that hit his back, the donkey was doing something amazing.

He would shake it off and take a step up.

As the farmer's neighbors continued to shovel dirt on top of the animal, he

would shake it off and take a step up.

Pretty soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge of

the well and happily trotted off!

MORAL:

Ø Life is going to shovel dirt on you, all kinds of dirt.

Ø The trick to getting out of the well is to shake it off and take

a step up.

Ø Each of our troubles is a stepping stone.

Ø We can get out of the deepest wells just by not stopping,

never giving up!

Ø Shake it off and take a step up.

Remember the five simple rules to be happy:

1. Free your heart from hatred - Forgive.

2. Free your mind from worries - Most never happens.

3. Live simply and appreciate what you have.

4. Give more.

5. Expect less from people but more from God.

An excerpt from “The Strangest Secret” by Earl Nightingale

2011-07-19T15:30:00.000-07:00

George Bernard Shaw said, “People are always blaming their circumstances for

what they are. I don’t believe in circumstances. The people who get on in

this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they

want, and if they can’t find them, they make them.”

Well, it’s pretty apparent, isn’t it? And every person who discovered this

believed (for a while) that he was the first one to work it out. We become

what we think about.

Conversely, the person who has no goal, who doesn’t know where he’s going,

and whose thoughts must therefore be thoughts of confusion, anxiety and

worry - his life becomes one of frustration, fear, anxiety and worry. And if

he thinks about nothing... he becomes nothing.

How does it work? Why do we become what we think about? Well, I’ll tell you

how it works, as far as we know. To do this, I want to tell you about a

situation that parallels the human mind.

Suppose a farmer has some land, and it’s good, fertile land. The land gives

the farmer a choice; he may plant in that land whatever he chooses. The land

doesn’t care. It’s up to the farmer to make the decision.

We’re comparing the human mind with the land because the mind, like the

land, doesn’t care what you plant in it. It will return what you plant, but

it doesn’t care what you plant.

Now, let’s say that the farmer has two seeds in his hand- one is a seed of

corn, the other is nightshade, a deadly poison. He digs two little holes in

the earth and he plants both seeds-one corn, the other nightshade. He covers

up the holes, waters and takes care of the land...and what will happen?

Invariably, the land will return what was planted.

As it’s written in the Bible, “As ye sow, so shall ye reap.”

Remember the land doesn’t care. It will return poison in just as wonderful

abundance as it will corn. So up come the two plants - one corn, one poison.

The human mind is far more fertile, far more incredible and mysterious than

the land, but it works the same way. It doesn’t care what we plant...success

. ..or failure. A concrete, worthwhile goal...or confusion, misunderstanding,

fear, anxiety and so on. But what we plant must return to us.

You see, the human mind is the last great unexplored continent on earth. It

contains riches beyond our wildest dreams. It will return anything we want

to plant.

Please forgive me.....

2011-07-14T16:06:00.000-07:00

Please forgive me for the times,

When I wasn’t there for you!!

I want you to know no matter what,

I love you and will always care for you!!

You have to believe me, whatever happens,

Trust me darling I will be always here for you!!

It feels so painful to see you like this

A broken heart and no smile on your lips!!

It hurts so deep that makes me creep

to see you suffering, as your tears drips!!

Let me come back in your life

Without you, life seems like a total eclipse!!

I know I made some mistakes,

But I never meant to make you feel in pain,

I am in so much deeply love with you,

Believe me without you my life is in vain!!

Look in my eyes and feel my love again,

I give you my heart without any constrain!!

Taoism - Ancient Wisdom

2011-06-26T10:54:00.000-07:00

To be whole, let yourself break.
To be straight, let yourself bend.
To be full, let yourself be empty.
To be new, let yourself wear out.
To have everything, give everything up.

Knowing others is a kind of knowledge;
knowing yourself is wisdom.
Conquering others requires strength;
conquering yourself is true power.
To realize that you have enough is true wealth.
Pushing ahead may succeed,
but staying put brings endurance.
Die without perishing, and find the eternal.

To know that you do not know is strength.
Not knowing that you do not know is a sickness.
The cure begins with the recognition of the sickness.

Knowing what is permanent: enlightenment.
Not knowing what is permanent: disaster.
Knowing what is permanent opens the mind.
Open mind, open heart.
Open heart, magnanimity.

How true and easy to follow. A little we know that the way we think or negatively react can be changed by looking at the other side of the coin. Both sides are interrelated and branches of the same tree, however, what is important that if we want to change we must see and learn from the other side of the coin. Taoism explains it so well.

We try to wear a mask to cover our vulnerabilities, our true self and our real person that we do not want to share with others..that separates us from being real, vulnerable but that is what makes us more open to be accepted, more open to be receptive of allowing others to come inside our real self. We were not born this way, however, we condition ourselves to protect so we do not get ashamed in front of others or face the social stigma of being named by our vulnerabilities. If we are overcome these vulnerabilities, we need to learn to be open and honest about them, that would be the only way to change ourselves.

Why to hide? Revealing one's vulnerability, can make one a bigger person and a better person, a more enriched person, a more connected person.

I guess in a way vulnerability is required for any meaningful connection in life. Yes, there can be some degree of risk that one may face but it is still needed to achieve any kind of growth, that may be love, relationship, friendship, personal, financial, or social.
Appreciate your thoughts and comments

The story of the butterfly

2011-05-19T13:55:00.000-07:00

A man found a cocoon of a butterfly.
One day a small opening appeared.
He sat and watched the butterfly for several hours
as it struggled to squeeze its body through the tiny hole.
Then it stopped, as if it couldn't go further.

So the man decided to help the butterfly.
He took a pair of scissors and
snipped off the remaining bits of cocoon.
The butterfly emerged easily but
it had a swollen body and shriveled wings.

The man continued to watch it,
expecting that any minute the wings would enlarge
and expand enough to support the body,
Neither happened!
In fact the butterfly spent the rest of its life
crawling around.
It was never able to fly.

What the man in his kindness
and haste did not understand:
The restricting cocoon and the struggle
required by the butterfly to get through the opening
was a way of forcing the fluid from the body
into the wings so that it would be ready
for flight once that was achieved.

Sometimes struggles are exactly
what we need in our lives.
Going through life with no obstacles would cripple us.
We will not be as strong as we could have been
and we would never fly.

So have a nice day and struggle a little and teach well.

Steps to Happiness

2011-05-06T22:21:00.000-07:00

Everybody Knows:

You can't be all things to all people.

You can't do all things at once.

You can't do all things equally well.

You can't do all things better than everyone else.

Your humanity is showing just like everyone else's.

So:

You have to find out who you are, and be that.

You have to decide what comes first, and do that.

You have to discover your strengths, and use them.

You have to learn not to compete with others,

Because no one else is in the contest of 'being you'

Then:

You will have learned to accept your own uniqueness.

You will have learned to set priorities and make decisions.

You will have learned to live with your limitations.

You will have learned to give yourself the respect that is due.

And you'll be a most vital mortal.

Dare To Believe:

That you are a wonderful, unique person.

That you are a once-in-all- history event.

That it's more than a right, it's your duty, to be who you are.

That life is not a problem to solve, but a gift to cherish.

Reading Scriptures...

2011-04-17T19:34:00.000-07:00

An old Sikh lived on a farm in a village in Punjab with his young grandson. Each morning Grandpa was up early and reading Sri Guru Granth Sahibji. His grandson wanted to be just like him and tried to imitate him in every way he could.

One day the grandson asked, "Grandpa! I try to read gurbani just like you but, I don't understand it, and what I do understand I forget as soon as I stop reading. What good does reading Sri Guru Granth Sahibji do?"

The Grandfather quietly turned to him and replied, "Take this coal basket down to the river and bring me back a basket of water".

The boy did as he was told, but all the water leaked out before he got back to the house. The grandfather laughed and said, "You'll have to move a little faster next time," and sent him back to the river with the basket to try again. This time the boy ran faster, but again the basket was empty before he returned home. Out of breath, he told his grandfather that it was impossible to carry water in a basket, and he went to get a bucket instead.

The old man said, "I don't want a bucket of water; I want a basket of water. You're just not trying hard enough," and he went out of the door to watch the boy try again.

At this point, the boy knew it was impossible, but he wanted to show his grandfather that even if he ran as fast as he could, the water would leak out before he got back to the house. The boy again dipped the basket into river and ran hard, but when he reached his grandfather the basket was again empty. Out of breath, he said, "See Grandpa, it's useless!"

"So you think it is useless?" The old man said, "Look at the basket."

The boy looked at the basket and for the first time realized that the basket was different. It had been transformed from a dirty old coal basket and was now clean, inside and out.

Son, that's what happens when you read Gurbani. You might not understand or remember everything, but when you read it, you will be changed, inside and out when you read time by time . That is the work of God in our lives!"

You may substitute Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji with any other religious scripture, the result will be the same.

Let us go to the land of love dear......

2011-03-10T16:48:00.000-08:00

I want to sail through the time with you..
blissfully ignoring the harsh realities of life
hold my hand and transcend in my timeless world,
Let's just leave our footprints on the sand of time

Together we will fly without any wings
With the imaginary places of our intellect
Walk bare feet with me to the unknown islands
Discover luscious wine of love kept for the select

Come into my arms, unload the weight of awareness
Leave behind all the burdens of mundane world
Touch my hand unwaveringly and walk on the beach
Open yourself to me and let your beauty be unfurled

Let my hands touch your fair side with gentlest art
Open your eyes and show that burning humid luster
Lie down, let me taste the sweet wine of luscious lips
Let us go to the land of love, avoid any mental fluster

It's so difficult..

2011-03-03T19:06:00.000-08:00

It’s so difficult to forget past .. and keep on living life..
Imagine placing your boat in the middle of a vortex.

How can an innocent heart forget the past memories,
It’s so difficult to erase someone from the pages of your life

How a saddened heart can feel any shred of happiness..
It’s so difficult to emerge from the darkness of loneliness.

Life has been going as mechanical as possibly it can be,
It’s so difficult to fake a smile with a loner crying heart

Memories are all what one left with that may be considered a life..
It’s so difficult to hide your sadness and so hard to stay alive.

What to do except to complain what life has come to be
It’s so difficult to find true love and even harder to strive

Silence....

2011-02-18T17:01:00.000-08:00

Yes there has been a long silence
a very longgggggggggg silence..
between you and I
Why did not you say anything
acknowledging my presence..
about the conversations
that we had for hours..
About the Unrealized dreams..

I miss...
Your smile..
spreading of your lips in an upward curve..
rise and fall of your eyebrows..
sometime your out of control laughter..
that used to fill my heart..
The scent of your body
the feelings of touch..
make it like you are still here
but ..still this..
unbearable..silence

Alexander The Great's Last Three Wishes...

2011-02-17T20:15:00.000-08:00

Alexander after conquering many kingdoms, was returning home. On the way, he fell ill and it took him to his death bed. With death staring him in his
face, Alexander realized how his conquests, his great army, his sharp sword
and all his wealth were of no consequence.

He now longed to reach home to see his mother's face and bid her his last
adieu. But, he had to accept the fact that his sinking health would not permit him to reach his distant homeland.

So, the mighty conqueror lay prostrate and pale, helplessly waiting to breathe his last. He called his generals and said, "I will depart from this world soon, I have three wishes, please carry them out without fail." With tears flowing down their cheeks, the generals agreed to abide by their king's last wishes.

1) "My first desire is that", said Alexander, My physicians alone must" carry
my coffin."

2) After a pause, he continued, "Secondly, I desire that when my coffin is
being carried to the grave, the path leading to the graveyard be strewn
with gold, silver and precious stones which I have collected in my treasury".

3) The king felt exhausted after saying this. He took a minute's rest and
continued. "My third and last wish is that both my hands be kept dangling
out of my coffin".

The people who had gathered there wondered at the king's strange wishes. But no one dared bring the question to their lips.

Alexander's favorite general kissed his hand and pressed them to his heart. "O king, we assure you that all your wishes will be fulfilled. But tell us why do you make such strange wishes?"

At this Alexander took a deep breath and said: "I would like the world to know of the three lessons I have just learnt. Lessons to be learnt from last 3 wishes of King Alexander...

I want my physicians to carry my coffin because people should realize that
no doctor on this earth can really cure any body. They are powerless. And cannot save a person from the clutches of death. So let not people take life for granted.

The second wish of strewing gold, silver and other riches on the path
to the graveyard is to tell People that not even a fraction of gold will come with me. I spent all my life Greed of Power, earning riches but cannot take anything with me. Let people realize that it is a sheer waste of time to chase wealth.

And about my third wish of having my hands dangling out of the coffin, I wish people to know that I came empty handed into this world And empty handed I go out of this world".

With these words, the king closed his eyes. Soon he let death conquer him and breathed his last..

Lesson To Learn:

- Remember, your Health is in your own hands, look after it.
- Wealth is only meaningful if you can share and also enjoy while you are still
alive, kicking & healthy.
- What you do for yourself, dies with you. But what you do for others will live
for ever.
- Leave the “Legacy” behind.

Choice is Yours!!

2010-07-05T20:35:00.001-07:00

There once lived a great mathematician in a village outside Ujjain. He was
often called by the local king to advice on matters related to the economy.
His reputation had spread as far as Taxila in the North and Kanchi in the
South. So it hurt him very much when the village headman told him,"You may
be a great mathematician who advises the king on economic matters but your son does not know the value of gold or silver."

The mathematician called his son and asked, "What is more valuable - gold or silver?" "Gold," said the son. "That is correct. Why is it then that the
village headman makes fun of you, claims you do not know the value of gold
or silver? He teases me every day. He mocks me before other village elders
as a father who neglects his son. This hurts me. I feel everyone in the
village is laughing behind my back because you do not know what is more
valuable, gold or silver. Explain this to me, son."

So the son of the mathematician told his father the reason why the village
headman carried this impression. "Every day on my way to school, the village headman calls me to his house. There, in front of all village elders, he holds out a silver coin in one hand and a gold coin in other. He asks me to pick up the more valuable coin. I pick the silver coin. He laughs, the elders jeer, everyone makes fun of me. And then I go to school. This happens every day. That is why they tell you I do not know the value of gold or silver."

The father was confused. His son knew the value of gold and silver, and yet
when asked to choose between a gold coin and silver coin always picked the
silver coin. "Why don't you pick up the gold coin?" he asked. In response,
the son took the father to his room and showed him a box. In the box were at least a hundred silver coins. Turning to his father, the mathematician' s son said, "The day I pick up the gold coin the game will stop. They will stop having fun and I will stop making money."

Moral: Sometimes in life, we have to play the fool because our seniors and our peers, and sometimes even our juniors like it. That does not mean we lose in the game of life. It just means allowing others to win in one arena of the game, while we win in the other arena of the game. We have to choose which arena matters to us and which arenas do not.

A POEM BY SHRI RABINDRANATH TAGORE

2010-06-27T13:30:00.001-07:00

Go not to the temple to put flowers upon the feet of God,
First fill your own house with the Fragrance of love...

Go not to the temple to light candles before the altar of God,
First remove the darkness of sin from your heart...

Go not to the temple to bow down your head in prayer,
First learn to bow in humility before your fellowmen...

Go not to temple to pray on bended knees,
First bend down to lift someone who is downtrodden. ..

Go not to temple to ask for forgiveness for your sins,
First forgive from your heart those who have sinned against you...

Well Said!!

2010-06-27T10:16:00.000-07:00

Napoleon........
"The world suffers a lot. Not because of the violence of bad people,
But because of the silence of good people!"

Einstein.... .....
"I am thankful to all those who said NO to me
Its Because of them I did it myself.."

Abraham Lincoln..... ....
"If friendship is your weakest point then you are the strongest person in
the world"

Shakespeare. .........
"Laughing Faces Do Not Mean That There Is Absence Of Sorrow!
But It Means That They Have The Ability To Deal With It".

Willian Arthur...... ...
"Opportunities Are Like Sunrises, If You Wait Too Long You Can Miss Them".

Shakespeare. ....
"Never Play With The Feelings Of Others Because You May Win The Game But
The Risk Is That You Will Surely Loose The Person For Life Time".

Hitler.....
"When You Are In The Light, Everything Follows You,
But When You Enter Into The Dark, Even Your Own Shadow Doesnt Follow You."

Shakespeare. ......... ...
"Coin Always Makes Sound But The Currency Notes Are Always Silent.
So When Your Value Increases Keep Yourself Calm Silent"

John Keats....... .
"It Is Very Easy To Defeat Someone, But It Is Very Hard To Win Someone"

May God Almighty Bless You With Health,Happiness and Prosperity Always.

Hare turns into a Tortoise....

2010-06-16T23:04:00.001-07:00

6 mi 00:55 09:09 pace

Today I had a 6 mile run at Baylands park in Sunnyvale. Had a great run as I changed my running style a bit and felt extremely good. I read somewhere today a few things about running and followings struck a chord and I thought I will try them;

- Do not stretch before run - logic is that muscles are cold and stretching them is not a good and will not help in running and chances are that you may damage them. So today I did not stretch before running

- Run at a slow pace even though when you know that you can run faster - now this has been my problem, I have tendency to run faster. It's funny, today I really understood the real moral of the Aesop's tale of Hare and a Tortoise. Lol. I used to get tired like the hare and kept on taking breaks, running out of breath. However, my today's run was like a tortoise and believe me today I ran continuously 4 1/2 miles without break, even that I took thinking maybe I should stretch a bit. After about 5 minutes stretch I ran again all the way to start point. I did not have out of breath feelings, my legs were not that achy or painful

- Last tip I used, after run I took a cold shower, as cold as I could handle it. Whatever little bit pain I had disappeared.

I do not know as how many of you have similar struggle. If you do , try but I enjoyed. Maybe it will help you as it did for me.

Guess what, my running average by time also turned out to be even better. :)

Happy Running

My this year's journey for SF marathon

2010-06-13T17:45:00.000-07:00

12^th June ...I ran 8 miles at a local trail called Los Gatos Trail in California. While it was a bit painful as during this year's practice this is the first time I have done this long. Every year it seems so difficult to train for marathon, however, I feel this is helping me a lot from health point of view. From now on I will start posting my progress to SF Marathon that is going to be on 25th July 2010.

I started in the morning at 6.51AM and finished 8.17 AM – 1 hour 26 minutes.

YouTube - Learn a North Indian Song: Jago Mohan Pyare

2010-04-01T17:22:00.000-07:00

YouTube - Learn a North Indian Song: Jago Mohan Pyare

Read at least once a week Written by 90 years old Regina Brett

2010-02-19T08:43:00.000-08:00

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

4. Your job will not take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and
parents will. Stay in touch.

5. Pay off your credit cards every month.

6. You do not have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

7. Cry with someone. It is more healing than crying alone.

8. It is OK to get angry with God. He can take it.

9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.

10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

11. Make peace with your past so it will not screw up the present.

12. It is OK to let your children see you cry.

13. Do not compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey
is all about.

14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you should not be in it.

15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. However, do not worry;
God never blinks.

16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

17. Get rid of anything that is not useful, beautiful or joyful.

18. Whatever doesn't kill you, really does make you stronger.

19. It is never too late to have a happy childhood. However, the second
one is up to you and no one else.

20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take
no for an answer.

21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, and wear the fancy lingerie.
Do not save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

22. Over prepare, and then go with the flow.

23. Be eccentric now. Do not wait for old age to wear purple.

24. The most important sex organ is the brain.

25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: 'In five years,
will this matter?'

27. Always choose life.

28. Forgive everyone everything.

29. What other people think of you is none of your business.

30. Time heals almost everything. Give more time to time.

31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

32. Do not take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

33. Believe in miracles.

34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you
did or did not do.

35. Do not audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

36. Growing old beats the alternative – dying young.

37. Your children get only one childhood.

38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's,
we would grab ours back.

41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

42. The best is yet to come.

43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

44. Yield.

45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift."

To be Indian is now first prize in life’s lottery

2010-02-03T10:25:00.000-08:00

To be Indian is now first prize in life’s lottery
Sebastian Shakespeare
29.01.10

What do they know of England who only England knows? I have just returned from a two-week holiday traversing Tamil Nadu. Unfortunately, in order to secure a tourist visa, I had to give the Indian authorities a solemn undertaking that I wouldn't write about my experiences. So I can't share with you the delights of Tamil Nadu, its fabulous temples, its sensational food or the unfailing courtesy and hospitality of its people.
What I can reveal is that I've encountered more beggars on the streets of London in the past week than I did in my entire sojourn in Tamil Nadu. India is the future — 25 per cent of people in the world under the age of 25 are Indian — and Tamil Nadu is one of its most prosperous states.
I also think I can share with you details of my return flight from Chennai to Heathrow on British Airways without incurring the wrath of Shiva. I haven't flown with BA for 20-odd years and it was an eye-opener. Full marks to BA for punctuality and in-flight entertainment (excellent choice of films from Julie & Julia to The Reader). But the BA cabin steward was unfathomably rude to the mainly Indian passengers and made me squirm with embarrassment.
Why did he refuse to help any of us load our hand luggage into the overhead lockers? Or even deign to show us where we might find a free locker to stow away our bags? When an Indian passenger gently remonstrated with him, the steward replied tartly: “It's my duty to stay at the back of the plane.” Was he already on strike? OK, we all have bad hair days, but it left a sour note in the air. And what an appalling impression to give a first-time visitor to England (I was sitting next to one).
The next day I witnessed bank rage at my local branch of Lloyds in Kensington High Street. For some reason there are never enough cashiers to man the tills so a huge queue of impatient customers always quickly builds up. The man in front of me had had enough and hurled abuse at the staff.
It was a disgrace, he shouted, that Lloyds had to be bailed out by taxpayers with billions of pounds and yet the bank couldn't even find enough staff to man its tills: “Get me the manager!” “I am the duty manager.” “Get behind the till!” “I can't get behind the till because I'm not a cashier.”
So what do I know of England after my trip to India? That we are a nation of jobsworths and British Airways and Lloyds Bank still have a long way to go in improving customer relations. It used to be said that to be born British was to win the first prize in the lottery of life. In my next life I would like to be born an Indian.

"Love" by Swami Vivekananda

2010-01-13T10:52:00.001-08:00

I once had a friend who grew to be very close to me. Once when we were sitting at the edge of a swimming pool, she filled the palm of her hand with some water and held it before me, and said this:

"You see this water carefully contained on my hand? It symbolizes Love."

This was how I saw it:

As long as you keep your hand caringly open and allow it to remain there, it will always be there.

However, if you attempt to close your fingers round it and try to
posses it, it will spill through the first cracks it finds.
This is the greatest mistake that people do when they meet love...
they try to posses it, they demand, they expect...and just like the water spilling out of your hand, love will retrieve from you.

For love is meant to be free, you cannot change its nature.
If there are people you love, allow them to be free beings.
Give and don't expect. Advise, but don't order.
Ask, but never demand. It might sound simple, but it is a lesson that may take a lifetime to truly practice.
It is the secret to true love.

To truly practice it, you must sincerely feel no expectations from those who you love, and yet an unconditional caring."

Passing thought.... Life is not measured by the number of breaths we
take; but by the moments that take our breath away.....

It might sound simple, but it is a lesson that may take a lifetime

SWAMI VIVEKANANDA

Creativity!!

2008-12-17T19:58:00.000-08:00

Creativity. The word is so simple and yet the creative process is so complicated. Recently, one of my nephews, invited me to visit his blog and review his poems. When I was visiting his blog it suddenly occured to me as what he must be thinking when he created his poems. This thought continued to haunt me and made me get deeply involved about this subject, so much so that I thought it would be better if I write this down so maybe it can help me or the readers of this blog to find answers to somewhat similar quest. So I just decided to jot it down here and share this with everyone.

So what do you think that Creativity is and how one goes about creating something? I know for fact that to create something is not very easy for me I have to go deep into my imagination and collect my thoughts to be able to present them in a written format so that when I read it I can enjoy and may be some of my readers following me can agree with me or share their thoughts on the subject.

I think in order to be able to create something one must be driven by an idea, or a concept or thought that drive them to create in whatever art form one choose to express. It requires certain sensibilities, insight, awareness of the surroundings, sensitivities as how one reacts to different situations, circumstances and then compare that with one's own experience to be able to express them in the best of their ability in an art form. An artiste may express these thoughts, imaginations, feelings in the form of a painting. A writer may draw a lot of from his or her real life experiences and or where they have been a witness to some thought provoking experiences and weave it through the medium of their language by choosing appropriate words that help them to express it beautifully. An actor may draw similar experiences and search their own soul to pour in the presentation of a character; to portray a picture for the audience using the screen of their own minds.

The selection of creative medium is a training process. The more you use an art form to express your inner feelings, turmoil, romance, pain, despair becomes the medium that you get mentally trained for your expression. We all have heard of term used by so many writers or artistes called 'mental block'.What is this mental block? It may be confusing for the people who are not involved in any creative process, but the people who are in creative process faces this all the time. In simple form, your mind struggles as how to express the inner thoughts or feelings by using the art form one is trained on. It is very difficult to make it a mechanical process that you plan to create something and you schedule that you will do so every day from 9 AM to 12 PM. No, it is not going to happen. If someone is doing that, it can not be a true expression of creativity. Alternately may be one get so comfortable or experienced that they can draw from their inner mind just by making an instant demand and create an art form.

The biggest creator of this world is God. He has created so much beauty in so many different forms all around us. Sometime I wish how wonderful it would be if whatever I think or feel I can be in a position to create it immediately. But then I guess it probably would not be so satisfying also. Let me know what do you think?How we can improve creative process? Do you have any experience in overcoming and or mastering the creatvity? I am waiting to hear from you all.

Are We Ready For A Change?

2008-12-03T20:43:00.000-08:00

Sitting in my room, far away from my motherland, my heart was crying watching on television what has been going on in Mumbai. My mind and heart is still numb from this mindless terror that snatched the lives of so many innocent people. Who are these people? How did they dare to attack our motherland? I can not take my mind away from the thoughts and feelings of those unaware victims. What they must be thinking? How can these young cruel terrorists can be so mindless? They had no logic or feelings to take away lives of someone's daughters, mothers, brothers, sisters, fathers, and mothers. Terror have no religion. These terrorists are merchants of death. They deserve no mercy from anyone. Any religion or faith that purporates such mindless violence should be shunned. No such religion can show any path leading to God.

I salute the martyers who have lost their lives to protect the lives of their countrymen. My heart cried the loudest but silently to see Major Sandeep Unnikrishnan' mother crying by the side of his body during his last journey. I salute this family.

It was shameful that on Sunday 30th November, Kerala Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan and his Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan showed up so late at Major's house . They were rightfully turned away by Major Sandeep's brave father K. Unnikrishnan when they came to condole the death of his only son, who had been killed by terrorists in Mumbai. Mr Achuthanandan said had the nerve to criticise him by saying that “a soldier’s father should have displayed better behavior.” Mr. Achuthanandan told a news channel: “He [Mr. Unnikrishnan] says that the Kerala CM didn’t come whereas the Karnataka CM came in the morning … Is there a rule that the CMs of Kerala and Karnataka should be there at the same time? If not for Sandeep's house, not even a dog would have gone there." How can he ever say such words to a soldier who laid down his life. This is show of such a deploreable and shamful behavior by a leader.

We need to change!

But are we ready for a change? All the people I have talked to wants to do something but don't know what to do. Change is not going to happen by the resignation of some political leaders. We need to change our entire politicial system. We must have accountability from our leaders. Change is not going to happen by electing different parties and its leaders. We need to have a leader of change. We need another Mahatama Gandhi, Subhash Chandra Bose, someone who has no link to any party. Someone who is completely outside of our corrupted political system. Someone who has a vision to uplift the entire nation; the young, the old, the rich, the poor, irrelevant of their caste or religion the downtrodden, the elite, the young, the old, will completely follow, trust and respect. Somone who can make this country a peaceful place for all religion to able to live together Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and Christian - everyone.

Let us join hands to change our political process, to encourage new blood, someone who does not have a political dynasty or is a career politician. We have made such strides in so many fields then why these should not be encouraged to lead our nation? I ask you, let us join together and change this system. The change can come from a few all we need persistent effort and perseverance.

Vande Mataram!

Kahlil Gibran - Quotes from my favorite childhood writer

2008-10-31T17:47:00.000-07:00

Every man loves two women;the one is the creation of his imagination and the other is not yet born.
Generosity is giving more than you can, and pride is taking less than you need.
God made Truth with many doors to welcome every believer who knocks on them.
I have learnt silence from the talkative, toleration from the intolerant, and kindness from the unkind; yet strange, I am ungrateful to these teachers.
If indeed you must be candid, be candid beautifully.
If you cannot work with love but only with distaste, it is better that you should leave your work.
If you reveal your secrets to the wind you should not blame the wind for revealing them to the trees.
In the sweetness of friendship; let there be laughter and the sharing of pleasures. For in the dew of little things the heart finds its morning and is refreshed.
It is well to give when asked, but it is better to give unasked, through understanding.
Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars.
Say not, 'I have found the truth,' but rather, 'I have found a truth.'
The deeper sorrow carves into your being the more joy you can contain.
The lights of stars that were extinguished ages ago still reaches us. So it is with great men who died centuries ago, but still reach us with the radiations of their personalities.

Mindset - Gandhian

2008-10-31T17:40:00.000-07:00

What constitutes Gandhian Mindset. I found these words and had to capture them in a brief post. These summarize Gandhian Mindset very well -

Keen observation
Selflessness
Patient Determination
In-Sync Emotions
Critical Thinking
Decisive Persistence