Nobody ever died of a broken heart.
I was reading something and came accross this sentence found it really cute so put it here.
I was reading something and came accross this sentence found it really cute so put it here.
Sep 7, 2005
Sep 6, 2005
anonymuncule
phir se
chamkegi asha ki kirne phir se,
hogi kushyio ke barsat phir se,
nahi milege to yeh pal jo guzaare hamne tumne sang.
chamkegi asha ki kirne phir se,
hogi kushyio ke barsat phir se,
nahi milege to yeh pal jo guzaare hamne tumne sang.
Sep 2, 2005
Work An Hour -- ASHA
"Asha for Education's mission is to catalyze socioeconomic change in India through the education of underprivileged children."
Click on the banner above for donation to be used towards the education of underprivileged children in India.
funny quote
The Game and Players
World's apart, but arm in arm from Cricinfo
India won its match against NZ :) :) but this is not abt that...
"With Indian vice-captain Rahul Dravid behind the stumps, Ifran Pathan at extra cover, and two dozen Zimbabwean orphans bouncing around the infield, India's match-winning Harbhajan Singh bowls another gripping offspinner. But as he surveys his handiwork, a strident call of "no ball" comes from nine-year-old orphan, Tinashe. It is a courageous and plucky call, and one that immediately curries favour with the sometimes roguish Singh. For the next hour he and Tinashe chat and walk together. India's cricketing hero and one of Zimbabwe's 1.3 million orphans. World's apart, but arm in arm.
And so it went throughout the morning as five of India's cricketing stars took time away from their busy tour schedule to meet more than 100 orphans at a UNICEF-supported education project on the outskirts of Harare."
India won its match against NZ :) :) but this is not abt that...
"With Indian vice-captain Rahul Dravid behind the stumps, Ifran Pathan at extra cover, and two dozen Zimbabwean orphans bouncing around the infield, India's match-winning Harbhajan Singh bowls another gripping offspinner. But as he surveys his handiwork, a strident call of "no ball" comes from nine-year-old orphan, Tinashe. It is a courageous and plucky call, and one that immediately curries favour with the sometimes roguish Singh. For the next hour he and Tinashe chat and walk together. India's cricketing hero and one of Zimbabwe's 1.3 million orphans. World's apart, but arm in arm.
And so it went throughout the morning as five of India's cricketing stars took time away from their busy tour schedule to meet more than 100 orphans at a UNICEF-supported education project on the outskirts of Harare."
Article for coffee lovers like me :)
Coffee in moderation is 'good for you' form Daily Mail [via Anitha]
"It said the majority of people were not aware of the beneficial effects of moderate coffee consumption. These benefits included improved concentration and a high content of antioxidants"
"It said the majority of people were not aware of the beneficial effects of moderate coffee consumption. These benefits included improved concentration and a high content of antioxidants"
Some intresting points
Women players have really come a long way from The Hindu
"Federer is not a patronising sort of fellow, though to read into this that women first polish nails and then forehands is abject nonsense. They can do both. Ask Sharapova if the game comes first for her, and she will sneer. That No.1 tag is not for modelling, though sometimes, alas, it is almost as if a beautiful women's player must prove herself doubly. One of the points missed about Anna Kournikova is that she did not set out to be a celebrity, but a tennis player."
...
"Sometimes still a disservice is done to women's players with prurient questions, and some level of objectifying remains and so do double standards. If like Svetlana Kuznetsova, Sharapova was defending champion and lost in the first round, teeth-gnashing would occur over whether her tennis was being sacrificed for selling perfumes. Federer, who has his own fragrance, would scarcely face such scrutiny."
...
"Truth is, what makes the women's tour attractive is that many of its players are not merely finely gifted, but proud, young, sure of themselves, and not averse to expressing their personalities. They are mistresses of their own fate and charters of their own destinies.
The Williams sisters are multi-dimensional, engaging and provocative. It might be said if Serena focused purely on tennis instead of fashion/ decorating/movies, her impressive record would be more glittering. It might also be argued that such distractions give her balance and have helped shelter her from burn-out. Either way it makes her fascinating, a player of passion and personality, and worthy of respect."
I am wondering who worte this article... my assumption is that a women wrote it.
"Federer is not a patronising sort of fellow, though to read into this that women first polish nails and then forehands is abject nonsense. They can do both. Ask Sharapova if the game comes first for her, and she will sneer. That No.1 tag is not for modelling, though sometimes, alas, it is almost as if a beautiful women's player must prove herself doubly. One of the points missed about Anna Kournikova is that she did not set out to be a celebrity, but a tennis player."
...
"Sometimes still a disservice is done to women's players with prurient questions, and some level of objectifying remains and so do double standards. If like Svetlana Kuznetsova, Sharapova was defending champion and lost in the first round, teeth-gnashing would occur over whether her tennis was being sacrificed for selling perfumes. Federer, who has his own fragrance, would scarcely face such scrutiny."
...
"Truth is, what makes the women's tour attractive is that many of its players are not merely finely gifted, but proud, young, sure of themselves, and not averse to expressing their personalities. They are mistresses of their own fate and charters of their own destinies.
The Williams sisters are multi-dimensional, engaging and provocative. It might be said if Serena focused purely on tennis instead of fashion/ decorating/movies, her impressive record would be more glittering. It might also be argued that such distractions give her balance and have helped shelter her from burn-out. Either way it makes her fascinating, a player of passion and personality, and worthy of respect."
I am wondering who worte this article... my assumption is that a women wrote it.
Moderate Muslim
Who is a "moderate" Muslim and how? from The Hindu
"What Western governments are looking for are orthodox but non-fanatical "insiders" (as against secular "outsiders") — people who have enough acceptability within the community and can invoke the authority of Islam to denounce terrorism. It is argued that a message couched in an appropriately religious tone and delivered by seemingly "devout" Muslims who are in "communion" with the community has a greater chance of being given a hearing than a lecture on reforms by secularists whom the community regards as too elitist and detached."
...
"Having said that, leaders from a traditional mould can — if they wish — play a positive role for the simple reason that conservative Hindu and Muslim faith groups feel more comfortable with them than with secularists who remain on the fringes of community life. It is a mistake to dismiss all traditional leaders as necessarily obscurantist, communal and backward-looking. No doubt, most happen to be status quoists and have a vested interest in keeping the community backward in order to maintain their hold on them, but there have been many exceptions both among Hindus and Muslims. Many of the reforms in the Hindu community were spearheaded by traditional and deeply religious figures, and one of the most prominent Indian Muslim reformers, Syed Ahmed Khan, the founder of Aligarh Muslim University, also came from a "traditional" background.
Traditional and modern
Sir Syed was a practising Muslim who acknowledged the importance of religion but, at the same time, he was also a modern man, and was able to mobilise the community around a modernising agenda. What is more, as The Daily Telegraph writer Mihir Bose notes, it was in the "depth of Muslim despair" (not very different from the situation today) that Sir Syed emerged to lead them to modernity — encouraging them to free themselves from "customs and beliefs that were outdated and hidebound."
Another "traditional" leader who became a major Muslim reformer was the late President Zakir Hussain, one of the founders of Jamia Millia Islamia. (Ironically, seeds of narrow Muslim nationalism and separatism were sown not by "traditional" leaders but by a highly westernised, secular and modern figure like Mohammed Ali Jinnah.)
People like Sir Syed and Dr. Zakir Hussain were able to separate religion from politics and, more importantly, they had a vision for the community, which the present-day leaders lack. Mr. Sacraine and his counterparts in other countries are, essentially, ambitious politicians in search of a constituency and an agenda — and a community feeling under siege is just what the doctor ordered."
"What Western governments are looking for are orthodox but non-fanatical "insiders" (as against secular "outsiders") — people who have enough acceptability within the community and can invoke the authority of Islam to denounce terrorism. It is argued that a message couched in an appropriately religious tone and delivered by seemingly "devout" Muslims who are in "communion" with the community has a greater chance of being given a hearing than a lecture on reforms by secularists whom the community regards as too elitist and detached."
...
"Having said that, leaders from a traditional mould can — if they wish — play a positive role for the simple reason that conservative Hindu and Muslim faith groups feel more comfortable with them than with secularists who remain on the fringes of community life. It is a mistake to dismiss all traditional leaders as necessarily obscurantist, communal and backward-looking. No doubt, most happen to be status quoists and have a vested interest in keeping the community backward in order to maintain their hold on them, but there have been many exceptions both among Hindus and Muslims. Many of the reforms in the Hindu community were spearheaded by traditional and deeply religious figures, and one of the most prominent Indian Muslim reformers, Syed Ahmed Khan, the founder of Aligarh Muslim University, also came from a "traditional" background.
Traditional and modern
Sir Syed was a practising Muslim who acknowledged the importance of religion but, at the same time, he was also a modern man, and was able to mobilise the community around a modernising agenda. What is more, as The Daily Telegraph writer Mihir Bose notes, it was in the "depth of Muslim despair" (not very different from the situation today) that Sir Syed emerged to lead them to modernity — encouraging them to free themselves from "customs and beliefs that were outdated and hidebound."
Another "traditional" leader who became a major Muslim reformer was the late President Zakir Hussain, one of the founders of Jamia Millia Islamia. (Ironically, seeds of narrow Muslim nationalism and separatism were sown not by "traditional" leaders but by a highly westernised, secular and modern figure like Mohammed Ali Jinnah.)
People like Sir Syed and Dr. Zakir Hussain were able to separate religion from politics and, more importantly, they had a vision for the community, which the present-day leaders lack. Mr. Sacraine and his counterparts in other countries are, essentially, ambitious politicians in search of a constituency and an agenda — and a community feeling under siege is just what the doctor ordered."
found it... creation story in hinduism
Actually there is more than one creation stories in Hinduism(as I should have expected). I will post the rest after reading some more.
"Brahma is considered the creator of the universe. Before the cosmos existed, Brahma was all alone, self contained and self-content. Eventually, he felt inadequate and longed for company. Brahma split himself and created the goddess Shatarupa. Her many forms captivated Brahma, and he desired to posses her.
But that was not to be. Like all material things, Shatarupa would turn into something else every time Brahma got to her. She turned into a cow, a mare, a goose and a doe. Brahma kept pursuing her, taking the form of the corresponding male - a bull, a horse, a gander, a buck. Thus all creatures of the cosmos, from the smallest insect to the largest mammal, came into being.
Brahma sprouted five heads, so that he could watch Shatarupa at all times. To restrain Brahma's lust, Shiva wrenched off one of Brahma's five heads. This helped Brahma come to his senses, and he took Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge, as his consort. With her help, he regained control of his mind.
For creating the universe, Brahma became known as the lord of progeny. But he is not worshipped because he is responsible for distracting the mind away from the soul and towards the cravings of the flesh. "
"Brahma is considered the creator of the universe. Before the cosmos existed, Brahma was all alone, self contained and self-content. Eventually, he felt inadequate and longed for company. Brahma split himself and created the goddess Shatarupa. Her many forms captivated Brahma, and he desired to posses her.
But that was not to be. Like all material things, Shatarupa would turn into something else every time Brahma got to her. She turned into a cow, a mare, a goose and a doe. Brahma kept pursuing her, taking the form of the corresponding male - a bull, a horse, a gander, a buck. Thus all creatures of the cosmos, from the smallest insect to the largest mammal, came into being.
Brahma sprouted five heads, so that he could watch Shatarupa at all times. To restrain Brahma's lust, Shiva wrenched off one of Brahma's five heads. This helped Brahma come to his senses, and he took Saraswati, the goddess of knowledge, as his consort. With her help, he regained control of his mind.
For creating the universe, Brahma became known as the lord of progeny. But he is not worshipped because he is responsible for distracting the mind away from the soul and towards the cravings of the flesh. "
Sep 1, 2005
Behind the Trinity is One
In India, there is a legend about Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. Each of them was boasting about their miraculous powers. All of a sudden, a young boy came forth, asking Brahma: "What do you create?" Brahma's answer was quick and proud:"Everything". Asking the other two gods, the boy got the answers: "We sustain and then dissolve everything". The young visitor was holding a small straw in his hand. Showing it to Brahma, the boy asked: "Can you create a straw just like this?" after an extraordinary effort, Brahma admitted that he cannot create such a straw. The child turned to Vishnu and asked him to preserve the form of the straw. To his amazement, Vishnu was looking helpless to the dissolving form of the straw. Finally, the child asked Shiva to destroy the straw. Despite all his efforts, the straw was still there. Then the boy turned again towards Brahma and asked him: "Are you my creator?" Brahma thought thoroughly, but he could not remember creating the amazing boy. The child suddenly disappeared from their bewildered eyes, and the three gods remembered that behind their amazing powers there is always God.
I was looking for creation in Hinduism and came accross this intresting story about the fact that Bramha, Vishnu and Mahesh being the one and the same God.
On creation I will find something later.
I was looking for creation in Hinduism and came accross this intresting story about the fact that Bramha, Vishnu and Mahesh being the one and the same God.
On creation I will find something later.
Another theory of how WE came to be...
This is funny, really funny especially after you have read the previous article by Dawkins :)
But Is There Intelligent Spaghetti Out There? from NYTimes
"In perfect deadpan he wrote that although he agreed that science students should "hear multiple viewpoints" of how the universe came to be, he was worried that they would be hearing only one theory of intelligent design. After all, he noted, there are many such theories, including his own fervent belief that "the universe was created by a Flying Spaghetti Monster." He demanded equal time in the classroom and threatened a lawsuit. "
The whole article is a must read...
Original source
But Is There Intelligent Spaghetti Out There? from NYTimes
"In perfect deadpan he wrote that although he agreed that science students should "hear multiple viewpoints" of how the universe came to be, he was worried that they would be hearing only one theory of intelligent design. After all, he noted, there are many such theories, including his own fervent belief that "the universe was created by a Flying Spaghetti Monster." He demanded equal time in the classroom and threatened a lawsuit. "
The whole article is a must read...
Original source
Dawkins article on Creation, Intelligent Design and Evolution
I was waiting for this one :)
One side can be wrong from The Guardian
"If ID really were a scientific theory, positive evidence for it, gathered through research, would fill peer-reviewed scientific journals. This doesn't happen. It isn't that editors refuse to publish ID research. There simply isn't any ID research to publish. Its advocates bypass normal scientific due process by appealing directly to the non-scientific public and - with great shrewdness - to the government officials they elect.
The argument the ID advocates put, such as it is, is always of the same character. Never do they offer positive evidence in favour of intelligent design. All we ever get is a list of alleged deficiencies in evolution. We are told of "gaps" in the fossil record. Or organs are stated, by fiat and without supporting evidence, to be "irreducibly complex": too complex to have evolved by natural selection.
In all cases there is a hidden (actually they scarcely even bother to hide it) "default" assumption that if Theory A has some difficulty in explaining Phenomenon X, we must automatically prefer Theory B without even asking whether Theory B (creationism in this case) is any better at explaining it. Note how unbalanced this is, and how it gives the lie to the apparent reasonableness of "let's teach both sides". One side is required to produce evidence, every step of the way. The other side is never required to produce one iota of evidence, but is deemed to have won automatically, the moment the first side encounters a difficulty - the sort of difficulty that all sciences encounter every day, and go to work to solve, with relish."
One side can be wrong from The Guardian
"If ID really were a scientific theory, positive evidence for it, gathered through research, would fill peer-reviewed scientific journals. This doesn't happen. It isn't that editors refuse to publish ID research. There simply isn't any ID research to publish. Its advocates bypass normal scientific due process by appealing directly to the non-scientific public and - with great shrewdness - to the government officials they elect.
The argument the ID advocates put, such as it is, is always of the same character. Never do they offer positive evidence in favour of intelligent design. All we ever get is a list of alleged deficiencies in evolution. We are told of "gaps" in the fossil record. Or organs are stated, by fiat and without supporting evidence, to be "irreducibly complex": too complex to have evolved by natural selection.
In all cases there is a hidden (actually they scarcely even bother to hide it) "default" assumption that if Theory A has some difficulty in explaining Phenomenon X, we must automatically prefer Theory B without even asking whether Theory B (creationism in this case) is any better at explaining it. Note how unbalanced this is, and how it gives the lie to the apparent reasonableness of "let's teach both sides". One side is required to produce evidence, every step of the way. The other side is never required to produce one iota of evidence, but is deemed to have won automatically, the moment the first side encounters a difficulty - the sort of difficulty that all sciences encounter every day, and go to work to solve, with relish."