Interesting Anecdotes

[a.ratchasi]

[tscii:b7f70c64b8]Haha, I didnt expect a reply to my post, NOV, more so a serious one. :)

Anyways, I agree to your above statement partially, NOV. As in most cases, there are two sides to the coin. Men are more than willing to be changed during courtship but not so after marriage. Women can’t be blamed as men do allow women to change them albeit a little during the initial stages of a relationship. When she does it after marriage, she’s labeled as being unreasonable.

It takes two to tango, therefore, the fault lies with both.
[/tscii:b7f70c64b8]

[scorpio]

Marriage like the tree you chopped, it's a compromise; you pick the first best thing you see and learn to live a happy life with it ."oh sure.
what is left unsaid is that he would have seen better-looking, errr sorry, taller trees and would have heaved huge sighs, comparing them with what he had in his hand.

sigh.... life.... :twisted:

Good story Akash!

By any chance, has Shekhar handed over his mantle to you in his absence NOV??? :twisted:

a.r.- :lol: :lol:

[NM]

[tscii:2365bcac21]"A good friend will come bail you out of jail... But a true friend will be sitting next to you, saying ... WE screwed up!
:lol:

I've learned... That life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer it gets to the end, the faster it goes.

I've learned... That we should be glad God doesn't give us everything we ask for.

I've learned... That money doesn't buy class.

I've learned... That it's those small daily happenings that make life so spectacular.

I've learned...That under everyone's hard shell is someone who wants to be appreciated and loved.

I've learned... That the Lord didn't do it all in one day. What makes me think I can?

I've learned...That to ignore the facts does not change the facts.

I've learned... That, when you plan to get even with someone, you are only letting that person continue to hurt you.

I've learned...That love, not time, heals all wounds.

I've learned… That the easiest way for me to grow as a person is to surround myself with people smarter than I am.

I've learned... That everyone you meet deserves to be greeted with a smile.

I've learned... That there's nothing sweeter than sleeping with your babies and feeling their breath on your cheeks.

I've learned...That no one is perfect until you fall in love with them.

I've learned...That life is tough, but I'm tougher.

I've learned...That opportunities are never lost; someone will take the ones you miss.

I've learned... That when you harbour bitterness, happiness will dock elsewhere.

I've learned...That I wish I could have told those I cared about that I love them one more time before they passed away.

I've learned... That one should keep his words both soft and tender, because tomorrow he may have to eat them.

I've learned... That a smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks.

I've learned... That I can't choose how I feel, but I can choose what I do about it.

I've learned... That when your newly born child holds your little finger in his little fist, you're hooked for life.

I've learned... That everyone wants to live on top of the mountain, but all the happiness, and growth occurs while you're climbing it.

I've learned... That the less time I have to work, the more things I get done.
[/tscii:2365bcac21]

[Anoushka]

BEST EXERCISES

A Good Eye Exercise--See also the perfection in others, See the everlasting beauty in human kindness.

A Good Tongue exercise--Speak from the heart instead of from the mouth.

A Good Facial exercise--Smile often repeated

Hearing Exercise--When we speak we learn nothing. Listening is the teacher, Then speak

Brain Exercise--Think only constructive thoughts Good reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.

Leg exercise--Walk towards knowledge, wisdom, health and brotherhood of all men.

Breathing exercise-- Inhale the great works of music art, literature and philosophy. Exhale spitefulness and other negative thoughts.

Strength exercise--Have the strength to endure when things are unendurable, to pass the next test after failing the recent one.

Heart exercise--Have the heart to "constructively" improve self, our envirnoment, community and country.

[scorpio]

NM & Anu,

Nice ones... This good thread was nearing extinction..

[Anoushka]

Thanks Scorpio: Didn't know what should be going in here till today!

[NM]

Scorps.....just thought abt this thread and so had to post something to bring it back to life... :D :D there were a few others which I wanted to 'dig-out' but didn't want to labelled as the re-incarnated mandakkai... :lol: :lol:

[NM]

Girl Who Lost Her Limbs to Deadly Bug Leads Trek
CRAIG DAVIDSON, Daily Mail
6/24/2005 5:55:48 PM
SHE has the seemingly inexhaustible energy of any toddler who is learning just how far her legs can carry her.
But for three-year-old Paige Allan, the very fact that she can run around with her friends is testament to her incredible courage and determination.
When she was only 14 months old, the youngster contracted meningitis and to save her life, doctors were forced to amputate her hands and feet.
Now, after receiving artificial limbs paid for by Harry Potter author JK Rowling, Paige is about to take part in her first sponsored walk.
The youngster, from Kirkcaldy, Fife, has little fear of making the distance she can already run faster than some of her friends.

Of more pressing concern to her is the fact that her TV idol is going to be there Edie McCredie, the bus driver in the BBC's hit children's show Balamory, as played by actress Juliet Cadzow.
Paige will lead more than 200 toddlers for 150 metres around the athletics track in Meadowbank Stadium, Edinburgh, tomorrow.
The sponsored toddler will raise funds for the Royal Hospital for Sick Children in Edinburgh, where Paige was treated for the rare strain of meningitis and where the lifesaving quadruple amputation
was performed.
Last week, she joined Scottish Health Minister Andy Kerr to launch a meningitis awareness campaign.
Yesterday Paige's mother Nicola said: 'I have been trying to get her organised for the walk but all she goes on about is Balamory. She is really excited about meeting Edie McCredie, who is to open the ceremony.'

Paige's prosthetic limbs were funded by a charity auction last year in which Miss Rowling paid Pounds 70,000 for a scooter.
The sum was donated to the girl whose bravery had touched the whole of Scotland.
The youngster has only been walking in her new artificial limbs since February following major surgery to straighten her legs.
However, her mother has no doubt she will race round the track tomorrow.
Mrs Allan said: 'I never thought I would see the day when Paige would be taking part in something like this.
'This is her second set of limbs and she just puts them on and away she goes. She whizzes about everywhere and can run faster than some of the other kids, so Sunday will be a piece of cake.'

Mrs Allan, 26, said she and her husband Barry could not believe how well their daughter had adapted to her disability.
She added: 'She is so positive and so determined there is nothing she can't do when she puts her mind to it. The only thing she can't do is tie her laces.


'We are all so proud of her.'

[NOV]

Friends are God's way of taking Care of us
This story was written by a Hospice of Metro Denver physician in 2004.

I just had one of the most amazing experiences of my life, and wanted to share it with my family and dearest friends.

While I was driving home from a meeting this evening about five (stuck in traffic on Colorado Blvd), the car started to choke and splutter and die. I barely managed to coast, cursing, into a gas station, glad only that I would not be blocking traffic and would have a safe spot to wait for the tow truck. The car wouldn't even turn over.

Before I could make the call, I saw a woman walking out of the "quickie mart" building, and it looked like she slipped and fell into a gas pump, so I got out to see if she was okay. When I got there, it looked more like she had been overcome by sobs than that she had fallen. 1.

She was a young woman who looked really haggard with dark circles under her eyes. She dropped something as I helped her up, and I picked it up to give it to her. It was a nickel. At that moment, everything came into focus for me.

The crying woman, the ancient Suburban crammed full of stuff with 3 kids in the back (1 in a car seat), and the gas pump reading $4.95. I asked her if she was okay and if she needed help, and she just kept saying "I don't want my kids to see me crying." So we stood on the other side of the pump from her car and began to talk.

She said she was driving to California and that things were very hard for her right now. So I asked, "Would you like some help?" That made her back away from me a little, but I assured her I was not a crazy person.

I took out my card and swiped it through the card reader on the pump so she could fill up her car completely, and while it was fueling, walked to the McDonald's next door and bought 2 big bags of food, some gift certificates for more, and a big cup of coffee.

The kids attacked the food like ravenous wolves as we stood by the pump eating fries and talking a little. She told me her name, and that she lived in Kansas City. Her boyfriend had left her 2 months ago and she had not been able to make ends meet.

She knew she wouldn't have money to pay rent Jan 1, and in desperation had finally called her parents, with whom she had not spoken in about 5 years. They lived in California and said she could come live with them and try to get on her feet there. So she packed up everything she owned in the car and told the kids they were going to California for a special surprise.

I gave her a little hug and wished her a safe trip. As I was walking over to my car, she said, "So, are you like an angel or something?"

This definitely made me cry. I said, "Sweetie, at any time of year angels are really busy, so sometimes God uses regular people." It was so incredible to be a part of someone else's miracle.

And of course, you guessed it, when I got in my car it started right away and got me home with no problem. I'll put it in the shop tomorrow to check, but I suspect the mechanic won't find anything wrong.

This is Rex Barker C.S. (Checking Systems) reminded that sometimes, the angels fly close enough to you that you can hear the flutter of their wings.

[NM]

It's up to you
One song can spark a moment
One flower can wake the dream.
One tree can start a forest,
One bird can herald spring.

One smile can bring a friendship,
One handclasp can lift a soul,
One star can guide a ship at sea,
One word can frame the goal.

One vote can change a nation,
One sunbeam can light a room,
One candle can wipe out darkness,
One laugh can conquer gloom.

One step must start each journey,
One word must start each prayer,
One hope can raise our spirits,
One touch can show you care.

One voice can speak with wisdom,
One heart can know what's true,
One life can make the difference,
You see, it's up to you!

[a.ratchasi]

The Pink Dress

There was this little girl sitting by herself in the park.
Everyone passed by her and never stopped to see why she looked so sad.

Dressed in a worn pink dress, barefoot and dirty, the girl just sat and watched the people go by.
She never tried to speak.
She never said a word.
Many people passed by her, but no one would stop.

The next day I decided to go back to the park in curiosity to see if the little girl would still be there. Yes, she was there, right in the very spot where she was yesterday, and still with the same sad look in her eyes.

Today I was to make my own move and walk over to the little girl.
For as we all know, a park full of strange people is not a place
for young children to play alone. As I got closer I could see the back of the little girl's dress. It was grotesquely shaped.

I figured that was the reason people just passed by and made no
effort to speak to her. Deformities are a blow to our society and, heaven forbid if you make a step toward assisting someone who is different.

As I got closer, the little girl lowered her eyes slightly to avoid my
intent stare. As I approached her, I could see the shape of her back more clearly. She was grotesquely shaped in a humped over form. I smiled to let her know it was OK; I was there to help, to talk.

I sat down beside her and opened with a simple, "Hello." The little gi rl acted shocked, and stammered a "hi" after a long stare into my eyes. I smiled and she shyly smiled back. We talked until darkness fell and the park was completely empty.

I asked the girl why she was so sad.

The little girl looked at me with a sad face said, "Because, I'm different."

I immediately said, "That you are!" and smiled.

The little girl acted even sadder and said, "I know."

"Little girl," I said, "you remind me of an angel, sweet and innocent."

She looked at me and smiled, then slowly she got to her feet and said, "Really?"

"Yes, you're like a little Guardian Angel sent to watch over all people walking by."

She nodded her head yes, and smiled. With that she opened the back of her pink dress and allowed her wings to spread, then she said "I am."

"I'm your Guardian Angel," with a twinkle in her eye.

I was speechless -- sure I was seeing things.

She said, "For once you thought of someone other than yourself. My job here is done".

I got to my feet and said, "Wait, why did no one stop to help an
angel?"

She looked at me, smiled, and said, "You're the only one that
could see me," and then she was gone.

And with that, my life was changed dramatically. So, when you think you're all you have, remember, your angel is always watching over you.

[scorpio]

This is why people say google is the best search engine.

Its not only fast, its accurate and shows only truth.

Type 'failure' in google n search

See what is the "first" match .............

ENJOY!! hehehe..

[dev]

:lol: Scorpio,that was too good ...

[NOV]

According to the Bureau of Standards, "A dense fog covering seven city blocks, to a depth of 100 feet, is composed of something less than one glass of water." So, if all the fog covering seven city blocks, 100 feet deep, were collected and held in a single drinking glass, it would not even fill it.

And this could be compared to our worries. If we can see into the future and if we could see our problems in their true light, they wouldn't tend to blind us to the world, to living itself, but instead could be relegated to their true size and place. And if all the things most people worry about were reduced to their true size, you could probably put them all into a drinking glass, too.

It's a well-established fact that as we get older, we worry less. With the passing of the years and the problems each of them yields, we learn that most of our worries are not really worth
bothering ourselves about too much and that we can manage to
solve the important ones.

But to younger people, they often find their lives obscured by the fog of worry. Yet, here's an authoritative estimate of what most people worry about.

1. Things that never happen: 40 percent.
That is, 40 percent of the things you worry about will never occur anyway.

2. Things over and past that can't be changed by all the worry in the world: 30 percent.

3. Needless worries about our health: 12 percent.

4. Petty, miscellaneous worries: 10 percent.

5. Real, legitimate worries: 8 percent.
Only 8 percent of your worries are worth concerning yourself about. Ninety-two percent are pure fog with no substance at all.

[NOV]

One night there was a woman at the airport who had to wait for several hours before catching her next flight. While she waited she bought a book and a pack of biscuits to spend the time. She looked for a place to sit and waited. She was deep into her book, when suddenly she realized that there was a young man sitting next to her who was stretching his hand, with no concern whatsoever, and grabbing the pack of cookies lying between them. He started to eat them one by one. Not wanting to make a fuss about it she decided to ignore him.

The woman, slightly bothered, ate the cookies and watched the clock, while the young and shameless thief of biscuits was also finishing them. The woman started to get really angry at this point and thought "If I wasn't such a good and educated person, I would have given this daring man a black eye by now."

Every time she ate a biscuit, he had one too. The dialogue between their eyes continued and when only one biscuit was left, she wondered what was he going to do. Softly and with a nervous smile, the young man grabbed the last biscuit and broke it in two. He offered one half to the woman while he ate the other half. Briskly she took the biscuit and thought, "What an insolent man! How uneducated! He didn't even thank me!" She had never met anybody so fresh and sighed relieved to hear her flight announced. She grabbed her bags and went towards the boarding gate refusing to look back to where that insolent thief was seated.

After boarding the plane and nicely seated, she looked for her book which was nearly finished by now. While looking into her bag she was totally surprised to find her pack of biscuits nearly intact. If my biscuits are here, she thought feeling terribly, those others were his and he tried to share them with me. Too late to apologize to the young man, she realized with pain, that it was her who had been insolent, uneducated and a thief, and not him.

How many times in our lives, had we known with certainty that something happened in a certain way, only to discover later that it wasn't true? How many times has our lack of trust within us made us judge other people unfairly with our conceited ideas, often far away from reality. That is why we have to think twice before we judge others. Let's always give others the benefit of the doubt before we think badly of them.

[NOV]

A group of working adults got together to visit their University lecturer. The Lecturer was happy to see them. Conversation soon turned into complaints about stress in work and life.

The Lecturer just smiled and went to the kitchen to get an assortment of cups - some porcelain, some in plastic, some in glass, some plain looking and some looked rather expensive and exquisite.

The Lecturer offered his former students the cups to get drinks for
themselves.

When all the students had a cup in hand with water, the Lecturer
spoke: "If you noticed, all the nice looking, expensive cups were taken up, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it is normal that you only want the best for yourselves, that is the source of your problems and stress. What all you wanted was water, not the cup, but we unconsciously went for the better cups."

"Just like in life, if Life is Water, then the jobs, money and position
in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold/maintain Life, but the quality of Life doesn't change."

"If we only concentrate on the cup, we won't have time to enjoy or taste the water in it."

[temporary sori-Observer]

"If we only concentrate on the cup, we won't have time to enjoy or taste the water in it."

[tscii:54b2d9f1da]¿ùÅçº,

We need to look at the cup to see whether there are any holes. µð¨¼Â¢Õó¾¡ Å¡ú쨸 ÅØ츢 µÊÕõ. :lol2: [/tscii:54b2d9f1da]

[NOV]

:D

ungal vaarththai jaalaththil manam magizhnthOm. :)
paaththiram Ottaiyaaga irundhaal enna. namakku vEndiyadhu neerthaanE. The cup is so, sorry, temporary and is for observation only. ;)

[pavalamani pragasam]

The Real Boss...
Scientists at the Rocket launching station in Thumba,
were in the habit of working for nearly 12 to 18 hours
a day. There were about Seventy such scientists
working on a project. All the scientists were really
frustrated due to the pressure of work and the demands
of their boss but everyone was loyal to him and did
not think of quitting the job.

One day, one scientist came to his boss and told him -
Sir, I have promised to my children that I will take
them to the exhibition going on in our township. So I
want to leave the office at 5 30 pm.

His boss replied - O K, , You are permitted to leave
the office early today.

The Scientist started working. He continued his work
after lunch. As usual he got involved to such an
extent that he looked at his watch when he felt he was
close to completion.The time was 8.30 p.m

Suddenly he remembered of the promise he had given to
his children. He looked for his boss,,He was not
there. Having told him in the morning itself, he
closed everything and left for home.

Deep within himself, he was feeling guilty for having
disappointed his children.

He reached home. Children were not there.His wife
alone was sitting in the hall and reading magazines.
The situation was explosive, any talk would boomerang
on him.

His wife asked him - Would you like to have coffee or
shall I straight away serve dinner if you are hungry.

The man replied - If you would like to have coffee, i
too will have but what about Children???

Wife replied- You don't know - Your manager came at 5
15 p.m and has taken the children to the exhibition.

What had really happened was

The boss who granted him permission was observing him
working seriously at 5.00 p.m. He thought to himself,
this person will not leave the work, but if he has
promised his children they should enjoy the visit to
exhibition. So he took the lead in taking them to
exhibition

The boss does not have to do it everytime. But once it
is done, loyalty is established.

That is why all the scientists at Thumba continued to
work under their boss eventhough the stress was
tremendous.

By the way , can you hazard a guess as to who the boss
was...?

He was A P J Abdul Kalam

[tomato]

Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room.

One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon

to help drain the fluid from his lungs. His bed was next to the

room's only window.

The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back.

The men talked for hours on end.

They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs,

their involvement in the military service, where they had been on

vacation.

Every afternoon when the man in the bed by the window could sit up,

he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things

he could see outside the window.

The man in the other bed began to live for those one-hour periods

where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity

and color of the world outside.

The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake.

Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model

boats.

Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every color and a

fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance.

As the man by the window described all this in exquisite detail, the

man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagine

the picturesque scene.

One warm afternoon the man by the window described a parade passing

by.

Although the other man couldn't hear the band - he could see it. In

his mind's eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with

descriptive words. Days and weeks passed.

One morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths

only to find the lifeless body of the man by the window, who had

died peacefully in his sleep. She was saddened and called the

hospital attendants to take the body away.

As soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be

moved next to the window.

The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after making sure he was

comfortable, she left him alone.

Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his

first look at the real world outside.

He strained to slowly turn to look out the window beside the bed.

It faced a blank wall. The man asked the nurse what could have

compelled his deceased roommate who had described such wonderful

things outside this window.

The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not even see the

wall.

She said, "Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you."

Epilogue:

"There is tremendous happiness in making others happy, despite our own
situations"

"Shared grief is half the sorrow, but happiness when shared, is doubled"

"If you want to feel rich, just count all the things you have that
money can't buy"

"Today is a gift, that's why it is called the present."

[Querida]

omg Tomato i would have never guess...how touching..thank you for sharing that :cry:

[NM]

Should you find it hard to get to sleep tonight;
Just remember the homeless family who has no bed to lie in.

Should you find yourself stuck in traffic; don't despair.
There are people in this world for whom driving is an unheard of privilege.

Should you have a bad day at work;
Think of the man who has been out of work for the last three months.

Should you despair over a relationship gone bad;
Think of the person who has never known what it's like to love and be loved in return.

Should you grieve the passing of another weekend;
Think of the woman in dire straits, working twelve hours a day, seven days a week, for $15.00 to feed her family.

Should your car break down, leaving you miles away from assistance;
Think of the paraplegic who would love the opportunity to take that walk.

Should you notice a new gray hair in the mirror;
Think of the cancer patient in chemo who wishes she had hair to examine.

Should you find yourself at a loss and pondering what is life all about, asking "what is my purpose";
Be thankful. There are those who didn't live long enough to get the opportunity.

Should you find yourself the victim of other people's bitterness, ignorance, smallness or insecurities;
Remember, things could be worse. You could be them!!!

[rami]

God : Hello. Did you call me?

Me: Called you? No.. who is this?

God : This is GOD. I heard your prayers. So I thought I will chat.

Me: I do pray. Just makes me feel good. I am actually busy now. I am in the midst of something.

God : What are you busy at? Ants are busy too.

Me: Don't know. But I cant find free time. Life has become hectic. It's rush hour all the time.

God : Sure. Activity gets you busy. But productivity gets you results. Activity consumes time. Productivity frees it.

Me: I understand. But I still can't figure out. By the way, I was not expecting YOU to buzz me on instant messaging chat.

God : Well I wanted to resolve your! fight for time, by giving you some clarity. In this net era, I wanted to reach you through the medium you are comfortable with.

Me: Tell me, why has life become complicated now?

God : Stop analyzing life. Just live it. Analysis is what makes it complicated.

Me: why are we then constantly unhappy?

God : Your today is the tomorrow that you worried about yesterday.You are worrying because you are analyzing. Worrying has become your habit. That's why you are not happy.

Me: But how can we not worry when there is so much uncertainty?

God : Uncertainty is inevitable, but worrying is optional.

Me: But then, there is so much pain due to uncertainty..

God : Pain is inevit! able, but suffering is optional.

Me: If suffering is optional, why do good people always suffer?

God : Diamond cannot be polished without friction. Gold cannot be purified without fire. Good people go through trials, but don't suffer. With that experience their life become better not bitter.

Me: You mean to say such experience is useful?

God : Yes. In every terms, Experience is a hard teacher. She gives the test first and the lessons afterwards.

Me: But still, why should we go through such tests? Why cant we be free from problems?

God : Problems are Purposeful Roadblocks Offering Beneficial Lessons (to) Enhance Mental Strength. Inner strength comes from struggle and endurance, not when you! are free from problems.

Me: Frankly in the midst of so many problems, we don't know where we are heading..

God : If you look outside you will not know where you are heading.Look inside. Looking outside, you dream. Looking inside, you awaken. Eyes provide sight. Heart provides insight.

Me: Sometimes not succeeding fast seems to hurt more than moving in the right direction. What should I do?

God : Success is a measure as decided by others. Satisfaction is a measure as decided by you. Knowing the road ahead is more satisfying than knowing you rode ahead. You work with the compass. Let others work with the clock.

Me: In tough times, how do you stay motivated?

God : Always look at how far you have come rather than how far you have to go. Always count your blessing, not what you are missing.

Me: What surprises you about people?

God : when they suffer they ask, "why me?" When they prosper, they never ask "Why me" Everyone wishes to have truth on their side, but few want to be on the side of the truth.

Me: Sometimes I ask, who am I, why am I here. I cant get the answer.

God : Seek not to find who you are, but to determine who you want to be. Stop looking for a purpose as to why you are here. Create it. Life is not a process of discovery but a process of creation.

Me: How can I get the best out of life?

God : Face your past without regret. Handle your present with confidence. Prepare for the future without fear.

Me: One last question. Sometimes I feel my prayers are not answered.

God : There are no unanswered prayers. At times the answer is NO.

Me: Thank you for this wonderful chat.

God : Well. Keep the faith and drop the fear. Don't believe your doubts and doubt your beliefs. Life is a mystery to solve not a problem to resolve. Trust me. Life is wonderful if you know how to live.

"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take but by the moments that took our breath away!

[Querida]

I should switch my Gods...all i ever get is the answering machine :P anyways nice one...i wonder who wrote for God... :D

[NOV]

10 Biggest Brain Damaging Habits

1. No Breakfast
People who do not take breakfast are going to have a lower blood sugar level. This leads to an insufficient supply of nutrients to the brain causing brain degeneration.

2. Overeating
It causes hardening of the brain arteries, leading to a decrease in mental power.

3. Smoking
It causes multiple brain shrinkage and may lead to Alzheimer disease.

4. High Sugar consumption
Too much sugar will interrupt the absorption of proteins and nutrients causing malnutrition and may interfere with brain development.

5. Air Pollution
The brain is the largest oxygen consumer in our body. Inhaling polluted air decreases the supply of oxygen to the brain, bringing about a decrease in brain efficiency.

6. Sleep Deprivation
Sleep allows our brain to rest. Long term deprivation from sleep will accelerate the death of brain cells.

7. Head covered while sleeping
Sleeping with the head covered increases the concentration of carbon dioxide and decrease concentration of oxygen that may lead to brain damaging effects.

8. Working your brain during illness
Working hard or studying with sickness may lead to a decrease in effectiveness of the brain as well as damage the brain.

9. Lacking in stimulating thoughts
Thinking is the best way to train our brain, lacking in brain stimulation thoughts may cause brain shrinkage.

10. Talking Rarely
Intellectual conversations will promote the efficiency of the brain.

[nirosha sen]

I like point 10 best!! May seem inane sometimes, but talking shop looks like some stimulating exercise after all!!

And Gosh, with today's media, there's just no stopping any ole topic of conversation, from nuclear physics to your backyard politics!! :D

[Querida]

I agree Niro...wait until i tell Shekhar :lol:

[scorpio]

Challenges

The Japanese have always loved fresh fish. But the waters close to Japan have not held many fish for decades. So to feed the Japanese population, fishing boats got bigger and went farther than ever. The farther the fishermen went, the longer it took to bring in the fish. If the return trip took more than a few days, the fish were not fresh. The Japanese did not like the taste.

To solve this problem, fishing companies installed freezers on their boats. They would catch the fish and freeze them at sea. Freezers allowed the boats to go farther and stay longer. owever, the Japanese could taste the difference between fresh and frozen nd they did not like frozen fish. The frozen fish brought a lower price.

So fishing companies installed fish tanks. They would catch the fish and stuff them in the tanks, fin to fin. After a little hrashing around, the fish stopped moving. They were tired and dull, but alive.

Unfortunately, the Japanese could still taste the difference. Because the fish did not move for days, they lost their fresh-fish taste. The Japanese preferred the lively taste of fresh fish, not sluggish fish.

So how did Japanese fishing companies solve this problem? How do they get fresh-tasting fish to Japan?

To keep the fish tasting fresh, the Japanese fishing companies still put the fish in the tanks. But now they add a small shark to each tank. The shark eats a few fish, but most of the fish arrive in a very lively state.

The fish are challenged.

As soon as you reach your goals, such as finding a wonderful mate, starting a successful company, paying off your debts or whatever, you might lose your passion. You don't need to work so hard so you relax.

Like the Japanese fish problem, the best solution is simple. It was observed by L. Ron Hubbard in the early 1950's.

"Man thrives, oddly enough, only in the presence of a challenging environment."

The Benefits of a Challenge

The more intelligent, persistent and competent you are, the more you enjoy a good problem. If your challenges are the correct size, and if you are steadily conquering those challenges, you are happy. You think of your challenges and get energized. You are excited to try new solutions. You have fun. You are alive!

Recommendations

Instead of avoiding challenges, jump into them. Beat the heck out of them. Enjoy the game.

If your challenges are too large or too numerous, do not give up. Failing makes you tired. Instead, reorganize. Find more determination, more knowledge, more help.

Don't create success and lie in it. You have resources, skills and abilities to make a difference.

Put a shark in your tank and see how far you can really go!

[pavalamani pragasam]

CREATION OF GOD
God created the donkey
and said to him.
"You will be a donkey. You will work un-tiringly from sunrise to sunset
carrying burdens on your back. You will eat grass,
you will have no intelligence and you will live 50 years."
The donkey answered:
"I will be a donkey, but to live 50 years is much. Give me only 20 years"
God granted his wish.
.................................................. ......................................
God created the dog and said to him:
"You will guard the house of man. You will be his best Friend.
You will eat the scraps that he gives you and you will live 30 years.
You will be a dog. " The dog answered:
"Sir, to live 30 years is too much,give me only 15 years.
" God granted his wish.
.................................................. ......................................
God created the monkey and said to him:
"You will be a monkey. You will swing from branch to branch doing tricks.
You will be amusing and you will live 20 years. " The monkey answered:
"To live 20 years is too much, give me only 10 years."
God granted his wish.
.................................................. ......................................
Finally God created man
and said to him:
"You will be man, the only rational creature on the face of the earth.
You will use your intelligence to become master over all the animals.
You will dominate the world and you will live 20 years."
Man responded:
"Sir, I will be a man but to live only 20 years is very little,
give me the 30 years that the donkey refused,
the 15 years that the dog did not want and
the 10 years the monkey refused.
" God granted man's wish
.................................................. ......................................
And since then, man lives 20 years as a man,marries and spends 30 years like a donkey, working and carrying all the burdens on his back.
Then when his children are grown, he lives 15 years like a dog taking care of the house and eating whatever is given to him,
so that when he is old, he can retire and live 10 years like a monkey, going from house to house and from one son or
daughter to another doing tricks to amuse his grandchildren.
That's Life. Is'nt it?

[abbydoss1969]

Mr. Opus had jumped from the top of a ten story building intending to commit suicide. He left a note to that effect indicating his despondency.
As he fell past the ninth floor his life was interrupted by a shotgun blast passing through a window which killed him instantly. Neither the shooter nor the decedent was aware that a safety net had been installed just below at the eighth floor level to protect some building workers and that Ronald Opus would not have been able to complete his suicide the way he had planned.
"Ordinarily," Dr. Mills continued, "A person who sets out to commit suicide and ultimately succeeds, even though the mechanism might not be what he intended, is still defined as committing suicide."
That Mr. Opus was shot on the way to a certain death, but probably would not have been successful because of the safety net, caused the medical examiner to feel that he had a homicide on his hands.
The room on the ninth floor whence the shotgun blast emanated was occupied by an elderly man and his wife. They were arguing vigorously and he was threatening her with a shotgun. The man was so upset that when he pulled the trigger he completely missed his wife and the pellets went
through the window striking Mr. Opus. When one intends to kill subject "A" but kills subject "B" in the attempt, one is guilty of the murder of subject "B."
When confronted with the murder charge the old man and his wife were both adamant . They both said they thought the shotgun was unloaded.
The old man said it was his long standing habit to threaten his wife with the unloaded shotgun. He had no intention to murder her. Therefore the killing of Mr. Opus appeared to be an accident; that is, if the gun had been accidentally loaded.
The continuing investigation turned up a witness who saw the old couple's son loading the shotgun about six weeks prior to the fatal accident. It transpired that the old lady had cut off her son's financial support and the son, knowing the propensity of his father to use the shotgun threateningly, loaded the gun with the expectation that his father would shoot his mother. Since the loader of the gun was aware of this, he was guilty of the murder even though he didn't actually pull the trigger.
The case now becomes one of murder on the part of the son for the death of Ronald Opus. Now comes the exquisite twist.
Further investigation revealed that the son was, in fact, Ronald Opus. He had become increasingly despondent over the failure of his attempt to engineer his mother's murder. This led him to jump off the ten story building on March 23rd, only to be killed by a shotgun blast passing through the ninth story window.
The son had actually murdered himself so the medical examiner closed the case as a suicide.

[NOV]

:rotfl:

than vinai thannai chudum....

[svasu_ani]

Challenges


Put a shark in your tank and see how far you can really go!

Good one....

[NOV]

There once was a little boy who had a bad temper. His father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, he must hammer a nail into the back of the fence. The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence. Over the next few weeks, as he learned to control his anger, the number of nails hammered daily gradually dwindled down. He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence...

Finally the day came when the boy didn't lose his temper at all. He told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day he was able to hold his temper. The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone.

The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence. He said, "You have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one. You can put a knife in a man and draw it out. It won't matter how many times you say 'I'm sorry, the wound is still there."

"A verbal wound is as bad as a physical one. Relationships are very rare jewels indeed. They make you smile and encourage you to succeed. They lend an ear, they share words of praise and they always want to open their hearts to us".

[NOV]

A butcher watching over his shop is really surprised when he sees a dog coming inside the shop. He shoos him away.

But later, the dog is back again. So, he goes over to the dog and notices it has a note in its mouth. He takes the note and it reads,
"Can I have 12 sausages and a leg of lamb, please".
The dog has money in its mouth, as well.

The butcher looks inside and, lo and behold, there is a ten-dollar note there. So he takes the money and puts the sausages and lamb in a bag, placing it in the dog's mouth. The butcher is so impressed, and since it's about closing time, he decides to shut the shop and follow the dog.

So off he goes. The dog is walking down the street, when it comes to a level crossing; the dog puts down the bag, jumps up and presses the button. Then it waits patiently, bag in mouth, for the lights to turn.

They do, and it walks across the road, with the butcher following him all the way. The dog then comes to a bus stop, and starts looking at the timetable.

The butcher is in awe as the dog stops a bus by pulling its left leg
up and gets in it. The butcher follows the dog into the bus. The dog then shows a ticket, which is tied to its belt to the bus conductor.

The butcher nearly faints at this sight, so do the other passengers in the bus. The dog then sits near the driver's seat looking outside waiting for the bus stop to come. As soon as the stop is in sight, the dog stands and wags its tail to inform the conductor. Then,
without waiting for the bus to stop completely, it jumps out of the
bus and runs to a house very close to the stop.

It opens the big Iron Gate and rushes inside towards the door. As it approaches the wooden door, the dog suddenly changes
its mind and heads towards the garden. It goes to the window, and beats its head against it several times, walks back, jumps off, and waits at the door. The butcher watches as a big guy opens the door, and starts abusing the dog, kicking him and punching him, and swearing at him.

The butcher surprised with this, runs up, and stops the guy. "What in heaven's name are you doing? The dog is a genius. He could be on TV, for the life of me!" to which the guy responds:

"You call this clever? This is the second time this week that this stupid dog's forgotten his key."

Moral of the Story:
You may continue to exceed all expectations but shall always fall short of the boss' expectations.

It's dog's life after all...

[pavalamani pragasam]

MOTHER
This is a truly BEAUTIFUL piece please
read this at a slow pace, digesting every word and in
leisure...do not hurry....this is a treasure...


For those lucky to still be blessed with your Mom,
this is beautiful. For those of us who aren't, this is
even more beautiful. For those who are moms, you'll
love this.

The young mother set her foot on the path of life. "Is
this the long way?" she asked.

And the guide said: "Yes, and the way is hard. And
you will be old before you reach the end of it. But
the end will be better than the beginning."

But the young mother was happy, and she would not
believe that anything could be better than these
years. So she
played with her children, and gathered flowers for
them along the way, and bathed them in the clear
streams; and
the sun shone on them, and the young Mother cried,
"Nothing will ever be lovelier than this."

Then the night came, and the storm, and the path was
dark, and the children shook with fear and cold, and
the mother
drew them close and covered them with her mantle, and
the children said,
"Mother, we are not afraid, for you are near, and no
harm can come."

And the morning came, and there was a hill ahead, and
the children climbed and grew weary, and the mother
was weary.
But at all times she said to the children," A little
patience and we are there."

So the children climbed, and when they reached the top
they said, "Mother, we would not have done it without
you."

And the mother, when she lay down at night looked up
at the stars and said, "This is a better day than the
last, for my
children have learned fortitude in the face of
hardness. Yesterday I gave them courage. Today, I ' ve
given them strength."

And the next day came strange clouds which darkened
the earth, clouds of war and hate and evil, and the
children groped
and stumbled, and the mother said: "Look up. Lift your
eyes to the light." And the children looked and saw
above the clouds
an everlasting glory, and it guided them beyond the
darkness. And that night the Mother said, "This is the
best day of all, for
I have shown my children God."

And the days went on, and the weeks and the months and
the years, and the mother grew old and she was little
and bent.
But her children were tall and strong, and walked with
courage. And when the way was rough, they lifted her,
for she was as
light as a feather; and at last they came to a hill,
and beyond they could see a shining road and golden
gates flung wide. And
mother said, "I have reached the end of my journey.
And now I know the end is better than the beginning,
for my children can
walk alone, and their children after them."

And the children said, "You will always walk with us,
Mother, even when you have gone through the gates."
And they stood
and watched her as she went on alone, and the gates
closed after her. And they said: "We cannot see her
but she is with us
still. A Mother like ours is more than a memory. She
is a living presence......."

Your Mother is always with you.... She's the whisper
of the leaves as you walk down the street; she's the
smell of bleach
in your freshly laundered socks; she's the cool hand
on your brow when you're not well. Your Mother lives
inside your
laughter. And she's crystallized in every tear drop.
She's the place you came from, your first home; and
she's the map you
follow with every step you take. She's your first love
and your first heartbreak, and nothing on earth can
separate you.

Not time, not space... not even death!

[NOV]

An Old Lady's Poem

What do you see, nurses, what do you see?
What are you thinking when you're looking at me?
A crabby old woman, not very wise,
Uncertain of habit, with faraway eyes?

Who dribbles her food and makes no reply
When you say in a loud voice, "I do wish you'd try!"
Who seems not to notice the things that you do,
And forever is losing a stocking or shoe...

Who, resisting or not, lets you do as you will,
With bathing and feeding, the long day to fill...
Is that what you're thinking? Is that what you see?
Then open your eyes, nurse; you're not looking at me.

I'll tell you who I am as I sit here so still,
As I do at your bidding, as I eat at your will.
I'm a small child of ten...with a father and mother,
Brothers and sisters, who love one another.

A young girl of sixteen, with wings on her feet,
Dreaming that soon now a lover she'll meet.
A bride soon at twenty -- my heart gives a leap,
Remembering the vows that I promised to keep.

At twenty-five now, I have young of my own,
Who need me to guide and a secure happy home.
A woman of thirty, my young now grown fast,
Bound to each other with ties that should last.

At forty, my young sons have grown and are gone,
But my man's beside me to see I don't mourn.
At fifty once more, babies play round my knee,
Again we know children, my loved one and me.

Dark days are upon me, my husband is dead;
I look at the future, I shudder with dread.
For my young are all rearing young of their own,
And I think of the years and the love that I've known.

I'm now an old woman...and nature is cruel;
'Tis jest to make old age look like a fool.
The body, it crumbles, grace and vigor depart,
There is now a stone where I once had a heart.

But inside this old carcass a young girl still dwells,
And now and again my battered heart swells.
I remember the joys, I remember the pain,
And I'm loving and living life over again.

I think of the years...all too few, gone too fast,
And accept the stark fact that nothing can last.
So open your eyes, people, open and see,
Not a crabby old woman; look closer...see ME!

[a.ratchasi]

It's beautiful, NOV.

[NOV]

Great isnt it AR. I guess it can even bring a tear or two....


Here's something less emotional and more intriguing...



The Buzzard, The Bat, and the Bumblebee



If you put a buzzard in a pen six or eight feet square and entirely open at the top, the bird, in spite of his ability to fly, will be an absolute prisoner. The reason is that a buzzard always begins a flight from the ground with a run of ten or twelve feet. Without space to run, as is his habit, he will not even attempt to fly, but will remain a prisoner for life in a small jail with no top.



The ordinary bat that flies around at night, a remarkable nimble creature in the air, cannot take off from a level place. If it is placed on the floor or flat ground, all it can do is shuffle about helplessly and, no doubt, painfully, until it reaches some slight elevation from which it can throw itself into the air. Then, at once, it takes off like a flash.



A Bumblebee if dropped into an open tumbler will be there until it dies, unless it is taken out. It never sees the means of escape at the top, but persists in trying to find some way out through the sides near the bottom. It will seek a way where none exists, until it completely destroys itself.



In many ways, there are lots of people like the buzzard, the bat and the bee. They are struggling about with all their problems and frustrations, not realizing that the answer is right there above them.

[abbydoss1969]

An Old Lady's Poem

What do you see, nurses, what do you see?
What are you thinking when you're looking at me?
A crabby old woman, not very wise,
Uncertain of habit, with faraway eyes?
:cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:

[NOV]

I am hereby officially tendering my resignation as an adult. I have decided I would like to accept the responsibilities of an 8 year-old.

I want to go to McDonald's and think that it's a four star restaurant.

I want to sail sticks across a fresh mud puddle and make a sidewalk with rocks.

I want to think M&Ms are better than money because you can eat them.

I want to lie under a big oak tree and run a lemonade stand with my friends on a hot summer's day.

I want to return to a time when life was simple; When all you knew were colors, multiplication tables, and nursery rhymes, but that didn't bother you, because you didn't know what you didn't know and you didn't care.

All you knew was to be happy because you were blissfully unaware of all the things that should make you worried or upset.

I want to think the world is fair. That everyone is honest and good.

I want to believe that anything is possible. I want to be oblivious to the complexities of life and be overly excited by the little things again.

I want to live simple again. I don't want my day to consist of computer crashes, mountains of paperwork, depressing news, how to survive more days in the month than there is money in the bank, doctor bills, gossip, illness, and loss of loved ones.

I want to believe in the power of smiles, hugs, a kind word, truth, justice, peace, dreams, the imagination, mankind, and making angels in the snow.

So... here's my checkbook and my car-keys, my credit card bills and my 401K statements. I am officially resigning from adulthood. :)


~ Author Unknown

[NOV]

GOD, ARE YOU FOR REAL?

The man whispered, "God, speak to me."
And a meadowlark sang.
But the man did not hear.

So the man yelled, "God, speak to me."
And the thunder rolled across the sky,
But the man did not listen.

The man looked around and said, "God, let me see you."
And a star shone brightly.
But the man did not notice.

And the man shouted, "God, show me a miracle."
And a life was born.
But the man did not know.

So the man cried out in despair, "Touch me God, and let me know You are here.

Whereupon God reached down and touched the man.
But the man brushed the butterfly away...

...AND WALKED AWAY UNKNOWINGLY

[pavalamani pragasam]

(From Dean, IIT, Madras)

Dear Friends,

Here is a personal experience, as well as a moment of national pride, which I want to share with you. Hope you find it worth the time you put in reading it :

"In the middle of 1965 India-Pakistan war, US Govt. - then a close friend of Pakistan - threatened India with stopping food-aid (remember "PL-480"?). For a food deficient India this threat was serious and humiliating. So much so that in the middle of war, Prime Minister (Late) Lal Bahadur Shastri went to Ram Leela Grounds in Delhi and appealed to each Indian to observe one-meal-fast every week to answer the American threat. As a school boy, I joined those millions who responded to Shastri ji's call. I continued the fast even when the war was over and India became self sufficient in food. Hurt deep by the national humiliation suffered at the hands of the US Govt., I had vowed
to stop my weekly fast only when India starts giving aid to USA.

It took just 40 years. Last week THE day arrived. When Indian ambassador in Washington DC handed over a cheque of US$ 50 million to the US Govt., two plane loads of food, medical aid and other relief materials were waiting to fly to the USA. Time to break the fast? With no bad feeling about the USA, and good wishes for the Katrina victims, this humble Indian feels proud of the distance India has covered in 40 years. Let's celebrate a New India!"

- Vijay Kranti.

Be Proud to be Indian. Lets show the World what India is and what it is going to be in the short

[Sanguine Sridhar]

(From Dean, IIT, Madras)

Dear Friends,

Here is a personal experience, as well as a moment of national pride, which I want to share with you. Hope you find it worth the time you put in reading it :

You also got as FWD...juz now i got this :)

[abbydoss1969]

[tscii]When Hiero was greatly exalted in the royal power at Syracuse, in return
for the success of his policy he determined to set up in a certain shrine a
golden crown as a votive offering to the immortal gods. He let out the
work for a stipulated payment, and weighted out the exact amount of gold
for the contractor. At the appointed time the contractor brought his work
skilfully executed for the king's approval, and he seemed to have fulfilled
exactly the requirement about the weight of the crown. Later information
was given that gold had been removed and an equal weight of silver added in
the making of the crown. Hiero was indignant at this disrespect for
himself, and being unable to discover any means by which he might unmask
the fraud, he asked Archimedes to give it his attention. While Archimedes
was turning this problem over, he chanced to come to the place of bathing,
an there, as he was sitting down in the tub, he noticed that the amount of
water which flowed over the tub was equal to the amount by which his body
was immersed. This indicated to him a means of solving the problem, and he
did not delay, but in his joy leapt out of the tub and, rushing naked
towards his home, he cried out with a loud voice that he had found what he
sought. For as he ran he repeatedly shouting in Greek, "heureka, heureka".

Then, following up his discovery, he is said to have made two masses of the
same weight as the crown, the one of gold and the other of silver. When he
had so done, he filled a large vessel right up to the brim with water, into
which he dropped the silver mass. The amount by which it was immersed in
the vessel was the amount of water which overflowed. Taking out the mass,
he poured back the amount by which the water had been depleted, measuring
it with a pint pot, so that as before the water was made level with the
brim. In this way he found what weight of silver answered with a certain
measure of water.

When he had made this test, in like manner he dropped the golden mass into
the full vessel. Taking it out again, for the same reason he added a
measured quantity of water, and found that the deficiency of water was not
the same, but less; and the amount by which it less corresponded with the
excess of a mass of silver, having the same weight, over a mass of gold.
After filling the vessel again, he then dropped the crown itself into the
water, and found that the more water overflowed in the case of the crown
than in the case of the golden mass of identical weight; and so, from the
fact that more water was needed to make up the deficiency in the case of
the crown than in the case of the mass, he calculated and detected the
mixture of silver with the gold and the contractor's fraud stood revealed.

Vitruvius, on architecture (in in J. R. Newman(ed.) The World of
Mathematics

[pavalamani pragasam]

A woman came out of her house and saw 3 old men with long white beards sitting in her front yard. She did not recognize them. She said "I don't think I know you, but you must be hungry. Please come in and have something to eat."

"Is the man of the house home?", they asked.

"No", she replied. "He's out."

"Then we cannot come in", they replied.

In the evening when her husband came home, she told him what had happened.

"Go tell them I am home and invite them in!"

The woman went out and invited the men in"

"We do not go into a House together," they replied.

"Why is that?" she asked.

One of the old men explained: "His name is Wealth," he said pointing to one of his friends, and said pointing to another one, "He is Success, and I am Love." Then he added, "Now go in and discuss with your husband which one of us you want in your home."

The woman went in and told her husband what was said. Her husband was overjoyed. "How nice!!", he said. "Since that is the case, let us invite Wealth. Let him come and fill our home with wealth!"

His wife disagreed. "My dear, why don't we invite Success?"

Their daughter-in-law was listening from the other corner of the house. She jumped in with her own suggestion: "Would it not be better to invite Love? Our home will then be filled with love!"

"Let us heed our daughter-in-law's advice," said the husband to his wife.

"Go out and invite Love to be our guest."

The woman went out and asked the 3 old men, "Which one of you is Love? Please come in and be our guest."

Love got up and started walking toward the house. The other 2 also got up and followed him. Surprised, the lady asked Wealth and Success: "I only invited Love, Why are you coming in?"

The old men replied together: "If you had invited Wealth or Success, the other two of us would've stayed out, but since you invited Love, wherever He goes, we go with him. Wherever there is Love, there is also Wealth and Success!!!!!!"

MY WISH FOR YOU...

-Where there is pain, I wish you peace and mercy.
-Where there is self-doubting, I wish you a renewed confidence in your ability to work through it.
-Where there is tiredness, or exhaustion, I wish you understanding, patience, and renewed strength.
-Where there is fear, I wish you love, and courage.

[Anoushka]

Tiny Little Prayer

Dear Lord,
Every single evening
As I'm lying here in bed,
This tiny little Prayer
Keeps running through my head:

God bless all my family
Wherever they may be,
Keep them warm and safe from harm
For they're so close to me.

And God, there is one more thing
I wish that you could do;
Hope you don't mind me asking,
Please bless my computer too.

Now I know that it's unusual
To Bless a motherboard,
But listen just a second
While I explain it to you, Lord.

You see, that little metal box
Holds more than odds and ends;
Inside those small compartments
Rest so many of my friends.

I know so much about them
By the kindness that they give,
And this little scrap of metal
Takes me in to where they live.

By faith is how I know them -
Much the same as you -
We share in what life brings us
And from that our friendships grew.

Please take an extra minute
From your duties up above,
To bless those in my address book
That's filled with so much love.

Wherever else this prayer may reach
To each and every friend,
Bless each e-mail inbox
And each person who hits "send".
AMEN

PS: Came as a forward!

[pavalamani pragasam]

Very strange, but sensible though, a prayer! :D

[lordstanher]

Wow, PP ma'm! Wonderful anecdote! :D :clap: :thumbsup:
Exactly wat I feel often!
Now if only my mother got a DIL like the one in ur story......! :wink:

[lordstanher]

Just came across this extremely touching story in one of my Y! groups:

MY PERSONAL REQUEST TO GOD TO BLESS ALL THE MOTHERS ......

My mom only had one eye. I hated her... she was such an embarrassment. She cooked for students & teachers to support the family. There was this one day during elementary school where my mom came to say hello to me. I was so embarrassed. How could she do this to me? I ignored her, threw her a hateful look and ran out.
The next day at school one of my classmates said, "EEEEW, your mom only has one eye!" I wanted to bury myself. I also wanted my mom to just disappear. So I confronted her that day and said, " If you're only gonna make me a laughing stock, why don't you just die?!!!" My mom did not respond... I didn't even stop to think for a second about what I had said, because I was full of anger. I was oblivious to her feelings. I wanted out of that house, and have nothing to do with her.
So I studied real hard, got a chance to go to Singapore to study. Then, I got a job. I got married. I bought a house of my own. I had kids of my own. I was happy with my life, my kids and the comforts.
Then one day, my mother came to visit me. She hadn't seen me in years and she didn't even meet her grandchildren. When she stood by the door, my children laughed at her, and I yelled at her for coming over uninvited. I screamed at her, "How dare you come to my house and scare my children!" GET OUT OF HERE! NOW!!!" And to this, my mother quietly answered, "Oh, I'm so sorry. I may have gotten the wrong address," and she disappeared out of sight.
One day, a letter regarding a school reunion came to my house in Singapore.
So I lied to my wife that I was going on a business trip. After the
reunion, I went to my old shack just out of curiosity. My neighbours said that she died. I did not shed a single tear. They then handed me a letter that she had wanted me to have.

"My dearest son,
I think of you all the time. I'm sorry that I came to Singapore and scared your children. I was so glad when I heard you were coming for the reunion.
But I may not be able to even get out of bed to see you. I'm sorry that I was a constant embarrasment to you when you were growing up. You see.........when you were very little, you got into an accident, and lost your eye. As a mother, I couldn't stand watching you having to grow up with one eye. So I gave you mine. I was so proud of my son that was seeing a whole new world for me, in my place, with that eye.
With my love to you,
Your mother."

[scorpio]

oops..that one was quite moving.. :oops: :(

[Anoushka]

The Little Things....

Too often we don't realise
what we have until it is gone;
Too often we wait too late to say
"I am sorry - I was wrong."

Sometimes we hurt the ones
we hold dearest to our hearts;
And we allow foolish things
to tear our lives apart.

Far too many times we let
unimportant things into our minds;
And then it's usually too late
to see what made us blind.

So be sure that you let people know
how much they mean to you;
Take that time to say the words
before your time is through.

Be sure that you appreciate
everything you've got,
And be thankful for the little things
in life that mean a lot.

Remain Blessed!

[Sanguine Sridhar]

oops..that one was quite moving.. :oops: :(

Feel pannatheenga scorpi :cry: :cry:

[abbydoss1969]

:lol: :lol: :lol:
FAMOUS LAST WORDS



Shortly before his execution by firing squad, the notorious murderer James Rodgers was asked whether he had any final requests. "Why yes," he replied. "I'd like a bulletproof vest."



William Brodie, a respected figure in Edinburgh, lived a double life as a highly skilled burglar. His cover blown when an accomplice turned king's evidence, Brodie fled to Amsterdam but was soon apprehended, returned to Edinburgh for trial, and condemned to death.
Incredibly, Brodie, an amateur inventor, is credited with a device first tested at his own execution: the drop. (Whereas those condemned to be hanged had long been unceremoniously pushed from a high platform, Brodie developed the trapdoor-and-lever system which has became the industry standard.)

On the gallows, Brodie, called upon to inspect the arrangements, pronounced them satisfactory - and was promptly dropped into the history books.

[Brodie was far from the only innovator hoist by his own petard. In 1581, James Douglas, Earl of Morton, was beheaded by the "maiden," a guillotine-type device which he himself had introduced to Scotland. And when, in 1634, a carpenter named Palmer submitted the bill (for 1 pound, 13 shillings) for the first stocks in Boston, the town elders deemed it to be excessive and promptly had Palmer charged with profiteering. He was found guilty, fined 1 pound - and sentenced to spend half an hour in the very stocks he had just completed.]





Despite his critically acclaimed poetry, Hart Crane suffered from severe depression and a profound sense of failure. While returning aboard a steamship from a Guggenheim fellowship in Mexico one day, Crane simply bid his fellow passengers farewell, jumped overboard, and disappeared beneath the waves.

["Good-bye, everybody!" were indeed Hart's last words.]



Beethoven's notoriously difficult, groundbreaking Ninth (once called "the hammer that finally killed classicism") was his first symphony in more than a decade. It was also his last. Incredibly, Schubert, Dvorak, and Vaughan Williams (among others) also died after composing a ninth symphony.
Indeed, musicologists joke about a 'ninth symphony syndrome': Mahler, superstitious about his ninth, promptly attempted to complete a tenth - and promptly died. Bruckner, despite numbering his first two symphonies 00 and 0, also died while composing his ninth. And Sibelius? He wisely stopped after his eighth - and went on to live another 33 years.



Toward the end of his life, Voltaire was advised to foreswear Satan. He declined. "This," he explained, "is no time to make new enemies!"



While dying of cerebral meningitis in a Parisian hotel room, Oscar Wilde was offered a glass of champagne. His final toast? "I am dying as I have lived, beyond my means."

[Among the other, less likely, versions of Wilde's last words? "Either that wallpaper goes, or I do,"





As Pancho Villa lay dying, he found himself at a loss for words. "Don't let it end like this," he pleaded. "Tell them I said something."




Though Albert Einstein became a passionate Zionist (partly in response to Germany's growing anti-Semitism) he also expressed concern about the rights of Arabs in any Jewish state.
He later spent the last day of his life drafting a speech to mark the anniversary of Israel's independence; perhaps fittingly, he died of a stroke.

[Einstein was offered the presidency of the new state of Israel in 1952. He declined. "Politics is for the moment," he once remarked, "while... an equation is for eternity."]




"I am ready to meet my Maker," Winston Churchill declared as the end drew near. "Whether my Maker is prepared for the great ordeal of meeting me is another matter."




On his deathbed, Balzac is reported to have ordered the attending physician to "send for Doctor Bianchon." Who was Bianchon? A character in Balzac's grand literary scheme, la comedie humaine



Thus reads Maurice James Butler's epitaph:
Sacred To The Memory Of
Captain Maurice James Butler,
Royal Irish Rifles
Accidentally Shot Dead By His
Batman On The Fourth Day Of
April, 1882
'Well Done, Thou Good And
Faithful Servant'

[Trivia: In 1998, Madison, Wisconsin police chief Richard Williams was nearly shot when he forgot where he had hidden his gun and turned on his oven to roast some turkey.]



One day Lord Palmerston, aged and ailing, was informed by his physician that he was going to die. "Die, my dear doctor?" Palmerston replied. "That's the last thing I shall do!"



Shortly after Johnny Morgan's cremation, many of friends of the late British builder received a curious postcard. Its caption? "Wish you were here!"

[Morgan's return address? Heavenly Heights. Morgan also left a final request: that his ashes be blasted out to sea in a rocket.]



When George Burns died in 1996, 32 years after wife Gracie Allen had been lain to rest, he was buried beneath her. Why? George "wanted her to have top billing."

[The inscription on their tombstone? "Together Again".]




One day toward the end of his life, Wilson Mizner awoke from a coma and found a priest at his bedside offering words of benediction.
He quickly waved the man away. "Why should I talk to you?" he asked. "I've just been talking to your boss."


"When I meet God," the physicist Werner Heisenberg declared from his deathbed, "I am going to ask him two questions: Why relativity? And why turbulence? I really believe he will have an answer for the first."
(Also told of Horace Lamb.)

[Heisenberg was once asked (by Wolfgang Pauli) whether he believed in a personal God. "May I rephrase your question?" Heisenberg replied. "I myself should prefer the following formulation: Can you, or anyone else, reach the central order of things or events, whose existence seems beyond doubt, as directly as you can reach the soul of another human being? I am using the term 'soul' quite deliberately so as not to be misunderstood. If you put your question like that, I would say yes."]



George Selwyn once called upon his old rival, the dying Henry Fox (Lord Holland). As Fox was unavailable, Selwyn simply left his card.
Some time later Fox was told of Selwyn's visit. "If Mr. Selwyn calls again, show him up," he instructed a servant. "If I am alive, I shall be glad to see him, and if I am dead, I am sure he will be delighted to see me!"


Francios Rabelais is said to have made the following will: "I owe much. I possess nothing. The rest I leave to the poor."


Rabelais, Francois (1494-1553) French humanist and writer [noted for his satirical attacks on medieval scholasticism and superstition, as evidenced by such works as Pantagruel (1532) and Gargantua, and for his condemnation by theologians at the Sorbonne]



Ludwig van Beethoven was completely deaf during the last eight years of his life. His last words? "I shall hear in heaven."

[This is but one version of Beethoven's last words. Among the others:
* "Friends applaud, the comedy is over." (quoting Augustus: "Plaudite, amici, comedia finita est")
* "I feel as if up to now I had written no more than a few notes."
* "Is it not true, Hummel, that I have some talent after all?" - "Compelled by the necessity of economy, Beethoven accomplished part of the distance between Baden and Vienna on foot. In the evening, he stopped before the gate of a small, mean-looking house and solicited shelter... As he lay upon his bed, a man entered. It was [Johann] Hummel, his old and only friend. Hummel bent toward him, and with the aid of an acoustic instrument enabled Beethoven to hear a few words of his compassion and regret. Beethoven seemed reanimated; his eyes shone; he struggled for utterance, and gasped, 'Is it not true, Hummel, that I have some talent after all?' These were his last words. His eyes grew fixed, his mouth fell open, and his spirit passed away." (Musical World and New York Musical Times, July 1854)
* "There, do you hear the bell? Don't you hear it ringing? The curtain must drop. Yes! My curtain is falling." - "I [Luigi Lablache] watched the dying Beethoven with breathless anxiety. There he sat, supported by pillows and gazing for a while on vacancy, when, suddenly turning his head, he muttered in faltering accents, 'There, do you hear the bell? Don't you hear it ringing? The curtain must drop. Yes! My curtain is falling.' Gently drooping his head, the mighty master, without utterinng another word, now sank into eternal slumber." (Musical Times, June 1, 1846)]

[Trivia: Beethoven was once overheard shouting at the top of his voice, "I will take life by the throat!" - as he slammed both fists on the keyboard. Fittingly, he died during a fierce thunder storm, and, according to Harold C. Schoenberg, raised himself up to shake his fist defiantly at heavens - to the accompaniment of a flash of lightning and a clap of thunder!]




The noted surgeon Joseph Green endeavored, even on his deathbed, to treat himself. "Congestion," he observed, taking his own pulse, "stopped" - and, having spoken his last, promptly died.

[A similar story is told of Swiss physician Albrecht von Haller.]




"Nancy Astor sat with George Bernard Shaw at his death-bed. The old boy woke up suddenly from a coma and said, 'Nancy, did you ever hear the story of Adela Patti's husband?' It appears that the prima donna and her (foreign) husband arranged a country-house party after what they supposed would be the English fashion. The guests were assembled, the music struck up, when the husband appeared running down the staircase. 'You must all go away. I have found a man in bed with my wife.'
"Consternated, the guests hardly knew what to do and were preparing to leave when the husband appeared again: 'You must all come back. It is quite all right. He has apologized.'"

[These proved to be Shaw's last words.]

[Trivia: Shaw's epitaph? "I knew if I stayed around long enough, something like this would happen."]




Lou Costello liked his food. The famous comedian's final words before dying of a heart attack in 1959? "That was the best ice-cream soda I ever tasted!"




Caligula, famed for his ruthlessness, extravagance, and megalomania, was finally stabbed to death by his own guards. His ironic last words? "I am still alive!"





Orson Welles completed work on Citizen Kane (often called the finest film ever made) in 1942. The Hollywood wunderkind was 27 years old. Despite this auspicious start, however, his career began to follow a downward arc, punctuated by abandoned projects and box-office failures. "I started at the top," Welles himself once lamented, "and worked down."
Indeed he did. His final contribution to the world of film? The voice of "Unicron"... in Transformers: the Movie.

[Welles was rejected for the role of Mr. Roarke on "Fantasy Island"; Aaron Spelling insisted on Ricardo Montalban.]

[Trivia: To show Kane's face aging, Welles wore special contact lenses and makeup which made it hard to see. In one scene, he badly cut his hand on some furniture; in another he fell down a flight of stairs and injured his ankle so badly that he directed from a wheelchair for the next two weeks.]

[abbydoss1969]

Bar bet

here's a bar bet. Ask the victim whether he thinks he knows all the Roman numerals on a clock. Then make this wager: "I'll bet you one beer you can't tell me the Roman numeral designations for any three of the twelve numbers on a clock, and I get to pick the numbers." When he agrees, you say, "Eight," and he'll say, "V-I-I-I." You say, "Nine," and he'll pause a moment and say, "I-X." You say, "Four," and he'll pause a shorter moment and say, "IV." Then you point out any proper timepiece with Roman numerals and you'll find that the number four is rendered, for some reason, as "IIII."

[lordstanher]

Once upon a time a tortoise and a hare had an argument about who was faster. So they decided to settle the argument with a race. They agreed on a route and started off the race.
The hare shot ahead and ran briskly for some time. Then seeing that he was far ahead of the tortoise, he thought he'd sit under a tree for some time and relax before continuing the race. He sat under the tree and soon fell asleep.
The tortoise plodding on, overtook him and soon finished the race, emerging as the undisputed champ.
The hare woke up and realized that he'd lost the race.

The moral- "Slow and steady wins the race." This is the version of the story that we've all grown up with.

BUT THE STORY DOESN'T END HERE..........

There are few more interesting things as it continues......

The hare was disappointed at losing the race and he did some soul-searching. He realized that he'd lost the race only because he had been overconfident, careless and lax.
If he had not taken things for granted, there's no way the tortoise could have beaten him. So he challenged the tortoise to another race.
The tortoise agreed. This time, the hare went all out and ran without stopping from start to finish. He won by several miles.

The moral - " Fast and consistent will always beat the slow and steady. It's good to be slow and steady; but it's better to be fast and reliable."

THE STORY DOESN'T END HERE AGAIN........

The tortoise did some thinking this time, and realized that there's no way it can beat the hare in a race the way it was currently formatted. It thought for a while, and then challenged the hare to another race, but on a slightly different route. The hare agreed. They started off. In keeping with his self-made commitment to be consistently fast, the hare took off and ran at top speed until he came to a broad river. The finishing line was a couple of kilometres on the other side of the river. The hare sat there wondering what to do.
In the meantime the tortoise trundled along, got into the river, swam to the opposite bank, continued walking and finished the race.

The moral - "First identify your core competency and then change the playing field to suit your core competency."

THE STORY STILL HASN'T ENDED......!

The hare and the tortoise, by this time, had become pretty good friends and they did some thinking together.
Both realized that the last race could have been run much better. So they decided to do the last race again, but to run as a team rather than opponents this time.
They started off, and this time the hare carried the tortoise till the riverbank. There, the tortoise took over and swam across with the hare on his back. On the opposite bank, the hare again carried
the tortoise and they reached the finishing line together. They both felt a greater sense of satisfaction than they'd felt earlier.

The moral - "It's good to be individually brilliant and to have strong
core competencies; but unless you're able to work in a team and harness each other's core competencies, you'll always perform below par because there will always be situations at which you'll do poorly and someone else does well."

Teamwork is mainly about situational leadership, letting the person
with the relevant core competency for a situation take leadership.

Note that neither the hare nor the tortoise gave up after failures. The hare decided to work harder and put in more effort after his failure. The tortoise changed his strategy because he was already working as hard as he could.

In life, when faced with failure, sometimes it is appropriate to work
harder and put in more effort.
Sometimes it is appropriate to change strategy and try something different.
And sometimes it is appropriate to do both.
The hare and the tortoise also learnt another vital lesson. When we stop competing against a rival and instead start competing against the situation, we perform far better.

To sum up- the story of the hare and tortoise has much to say:
Chief among them are that fast and consistent will always beat slow and steady;
work to your competencies;
pooling resources and working as a team will always beat individual performers;
never give up when faced with failure;
& finally, compete against the situation - not against a rival.

[Nerd]

LS :thumbsup:

I m impressed. Never heard ever about the 2nd, 3rd, 4th parts of that famous story :P

[lordstanher]

LS :thumbsup:
I m impressed. Never heard ever about the 2nd, 3rd, 4th parts of that famous story :P
Tks Kasi! :D

Neither did I hear them until this evening! :lol2:

[Shakthiprabha.]

That was nice lord, Ive read it recently in another website though.

Management theories at its peak :)

[hi]

Read these beautiful lines:



To realize
The value of a sister
Ask someone
Who doesn't have one.

To realize
The value of ten years:
Ask a newly
Divorced couple.

To realize
The value of four years:
Ask a graduate.

To realize
The value of one year:
Ask a student who
Has failed a final exam.

To realize
The value of nine months:
Ask a mother who gave birth to a still born.

To realize
The value of one month:
Ask a mother
who has given birth to
A premature baby.

To realize
The value of one week:
Ask an editor of a weekly newspaper.

To realize
The value of one hour:
Ask the lovers who are waiting to Meet.

To realize
The value of one minute:
Ask a person
Who has missed the train, bus or plane.

To realize
The value of one-second:
Ask a person
Who has survived an accident...

To! realize
The value of one millisecond:
Ask the person who has won a silver medal in the Olympics

Time waits for no one.

Treasure every moment you have.
You will treasure it even more when

you can share it with someone special.

To realize the value of a friend:
Lose one.

[pavalamani pragasam]

A student asks a teacher: What is love?


The teacher said: in order to answer your question, go to the paddy field and choose the biggest paddy and come back.
But the rule is: you can go through them only once and cannot turn back to pick.


The student went to the field, go thru first row, he saw one big paddy, but he wonders....may be there is a bigger one later. Then he saw
another bigger one... but may be there is an even bigger one waiting for him.
Later, when he finished more than half of the paddy field, he start to realize that the paddy is not as big as the previous one he saw, he know
he has missed the biggest one, and he regretted. So, he ended up went back to the teacher with empty hand.


The teacher told him, this is love... you keep looking for a better one, but when later you realize, you have already miss the person


The student asked: What is marriage then?


The teacher said: In order to answer your question, go to the corn field and choose the biggest corn and come back.
But the rule is: you can go through them only once and cannot turn back to pick.


The student went to the corn field, this time he is careful not to repeat the previous mistake, when he reach the middle of the field, he
has picked one medium corn that he feel satisfied, and came back to the teacher.


The teacher told him, this time you bring back a corn.... you look for one that is just nice, and you have faith and believe this is the best
one you get.... this is marriage.

[abbydoss1969]

Which means just lower your standards for marriage, and haVE higher standards for love :roll: ! :roll:

[malsi]

nope it means..when you are in love..appreciate and love the perosn you have for who he or she is...though there are many more better people out there...

and once you are married...treasure the married life that you have....

[pavalamani pragasam]

thanx, malsi :D

[Lambretta]

Yet another gem from u PP ma'm! :thumbsup: :D
I know u wudn't hav liked to be told this but I feel tat sumone like u shud've taken up a career as a school teacher! U seem like the right person for tat kind of job........the no. of young minds u wud've actually nurtured, unlike today's scenario where um......well, a teacher = an exam guide book, as one fellow hubber had pointed out! :(

[Querida]

An unemployed man is desperate to support his family of a wife and three kids. He applies for a janitor's job at a large firm and easily passes an aptitude test.

The human resources manager tells him, "You will be hired at
minimum wage of $5.35 an hour. Let me have your e-mail address so that we can get you in the loop. Our system will automatically e-mail you all the forms and advise you when to start and where to report on your first day."

Taken back, the man protests that he is poor and has neither a
computer nor an e-mail address. To this the manager replies, "You must understand that to a company like ours that means that you virtually do not exist. Without an email address you can hardly expect to be employed by a high-tech firm. Good day."

Stunned, the man leaves. Not knowing where to turn and having only $10 in his wallet, he walks past a farmers' market and sees a stand selling 25 lb. crates of beautiful red tomatoes. He buys a crate, carries it to a busy
corner and displays the tomatoes. In less than 2 hours he sells all the tomatoes and makes 100% profit.

Repeating the process several more times that day, he ends up with almost $100 and arrives home that night with several bags of
groceries for his family.
During the night he decides to repeat the tomato business the next day.

By the end of the week he is getting up early every day and working into the night. He multiplies his profits quickly. Early in
the second week he acquires a cart to transport several boxes of tomatoes at a time, but before a month is up he sells the cart to
buy a broken-down pickup truck.

At the end of a year he owns three old trucks. His two sons have
left their neighborhood gangs to help him with the tomato business, his wife is buying the tomatoes, and his daughter is taking night courses at the community college so she can keep books for him.

By the end of the second year he has a dozen very nice used trucks and employs fifteen previously unemployed people, all selling tomatoes. He continues to work hard.

Time passes and at the end of the fifth year he owns a fleet of
nice trucks and a warehouse that his wife supervises, plus two
tomato farms that the boys manage. The tomato company's payroll has put hundreds of homeless and jobless people to work. His daughter reports that the business grossed a million dollars.

Planning for the future, he decides to buy some life insurance.
Consulting with an insurance adviser, he picks an insurance plan to fit his new circumstances. Then the adviser asks him for his e-mail address in order to send the final documents electronically.

When the man replies that he doesn't have time to mess with a
computer and has no e-mail address, the insurance man is stunned, "What, you don't have e-mail? No computer? No Internet? Just think where you would be today if you'd had all of that five years ago!"

"Ha!" snorts the man. "If I'd had e-mail five years ago I would be sweeping floors at Microsoft and making $5.35 an hour.

"Which brings us to the moral of the story: Since you got this story
by e-mail, you're probably closer to being a janitor than a
millionaire. :P

[pavalamani pragasam]

Lambretta,I am not sure I would have relished teacher's job in the present scenario! I still believe 'charity begins at home': if each mother takes care of her children's healthy growth the whole society will flourish.

(digression over)

[pavalamani pragasam]

FORWARDED MAIL:


SAVE INDIA !!!

U CAN MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE TO THE INDIAN ECONOMY BY FOLLOWING FEW SIMPLE STEPS.

Hi friends

Please spare a couple of minutes here........for the sake of India... our country.

I got this article from one of my friend, but it's true, I can see this from day to day life,

Small example,
Before 5 months 1 CAN $ = IND Rs 32
After 5 months. Now it is 1 CAN $ = IND Rs 37

I don't think so, Canadian Economy is booming, but Indian Economy is Going Down ..

Our Economy is in ur hands

Do u know this, INDIAN economy is in a crisis - As you are all aware ! INDIA like many other ASIAN countries, INDIA is undergoing a severe economic crunch. Many INDIAN industries are closing down. The INDIAN economy is in a crisis and if we do not take proper steps to control those, we will be in a critical situation. More than 30000 crore rupees of foreign exchange are being siphoned out of our country on products such as cosmetics, snacks, tea, beverages...etc which are grown, produced and consumed here .



A cold drink that costs only 70/80 paise to produce is sold for NINE rupees, and a major chunk of profits from these are sent abroad. This is a serious drain on INDIAN economy.

Did you know that " COCA COLA " and " SPRITE " belong to the same multinational company, "COCA COLA " ?

On one hand coke advertisements say that ' JO CHAHO HOJAYE, COCACOLA ENJOY'
(i.e . whatever the hell, let it happen, you drink coke) ; and on the other hand,

Sprite says that 'BHUJAO ONLY PYAS, BAKI ALL BAKWAS'

(i.e. drinks can just quench thirst all other claims are false).

What can you do ?
You can consider some of the better alternatives to aerated drinks.

For that matter PEPSI is also the same

You can drink LEMON JUICE, FRESH FRUIT JUICES, CHILLED LASSI (SWEET OR SOUR), BUTTER MILK, COCONUT WATER, JALJEERA, ENERJEE, MASALA MILK..........

Everyone deserves a healthy drink, including you!
Over and abo! ve all this, economic sanctions have been imposed on us. We have nothing against
Multinational companies, but to protect ou! r own interests we request everybody to use

INDIAN products only for next two years. With the rise in petrol prices, if we do not do this,

the rupee will devalue further and we will end up paying much more for the same products in the near future.

What you can do about it ?

1. Buy only products manufactured by WHOLLY INDIAN COMPANIES.
2. ENROLL as many people as possible for this cause.

Each individual should become a leader for this awareness.

This is the only way to save our country from severe economic crisis.

You don't need to give-up your lifestyle. You just need to choose an alternate product.

All categories of products are available from WHOLLY INDIAN COMPANIES.

LIST OF PRODUCTS

1. BATHING SOAP:
USE - CINTHOL & OTHER GODREJ BRANDS, SANTOOR, WIPRO SHIKAKAI, MYSORE SANDAL, MARGO, NEEM, EVITA, MEDIMIX, GANGA, NIRMA BATH & CHANDRIKA .

INSTEAD OF - LUX, LIFEBOY, REXONA, LIRIL, DOVE, PEARS, HAMAM, LESANCY, CAMAY, PALMOLIVE

2. TOOTH PASTE:

USE - NEEM, BABOOL, PROMISE, VICO VAJRADANTI, PRUDENT, DABUR PRODUCTS,MISWAK.

INSTEAD OF - COLGATE, CLOSE UP, PEPSODENT, CIBACA, FORHANS, MENTADENT .

3. TOOTH BRUSH:

USE - PRUDENT, AJANTA, PROMISE.

INSTEAD OF - COLGATE, CLOSE UP, PEPSODENT, FORHANS. , ORAL-B

4. SHAVING CREAM:

USE - GODREJ, EMANI.

INSTEAD OF - PALMOLIVE, OL! D SPIICE, GILLETE.

5. BLADE:

USE - SUPERMAX, TOPAZ, LAZER, ASHOKA.

INSTEAD OF - SEVEN-O -CLOCK, 365, GILLETTE.

6. TALCUM POWDER:

USE - SANTOOR, GOKUL, CINTHOL, WIPRO BABY POWDER, BOROPLUS

INSTEAD OF - PONDS, OLD SPICE, JOHNSON BABY POWDER, SHOWER TO SHOWER.

7. MILK POWDER:

USE - INDIANA , AMUL, AMULYA..

INSTEAD OF - ANIKSPRAY, MILKANA, EVERYDAY MILK,MILKMAID.

8. SHAMPOO:

USE - LAKME, NIRMA, VELVET

INSTEAD OF - HALO, ALL CLEAR, NYLE, SUNSILK.,HEAD AND SHOULDERS, PANTENE

9. MOBILE CONNECTIONS

USE - BSNL, AIRTEL

INSTEAD OF - HUTCH.

And above all, CLOTHES - STOP BUYING --ALAN PAINE, PETER ENGLAND, ARROW,LOUIS PHILLIPE, LEE, REEBOK,NIKE,VAN HUESEN,CALVIN KLIEN, RAID AND TAYLOR .
Do you know that the cotton is produced in the INDIAN villages, threads are produced in the INDIAN towns, dresses are stitched in INDIAN cities and clothes are purchased by INDIAN customers?

But it is BRANDED as MANUFACTURED BY A MULTINATIONAL COMPANY for which we
LOSE PRECIOUS FOREIGN EXCHANGE.

THE POINT TO NOTE: THE MONEY IS GOING TO SOME DEVELOPEDCOUNTRIES . It is TRUE.

PLEASE go to the remote areas of cities AND SEE FOR YOURSELF THE TRUTH .

Thousands of poor innocent INDIANS are working as tailors for stitching the

WORLD'S POPULAR READYMADE CLOTHES( ALAN PAINE, PETER ENGLAND ETC.....), . BUT THEY ARE PAID A POOR AMOUNT.

THIS IS HAPPENING BECUSE OF OUR IGNORANCE. INDIAIS ONE OF THE MAJOR TEXTILE EXPORTER IN THE WORLD.

OUR TAILORS ARE FAMOUS EVEN IN COUNTRIES LIKE US AND UK.

THEN WHY SHOULD WE BLINDLY GIVE IN TO THE ATTRACTION OF FOREIGN BRANDS?

PLEASE THINK ABOUT IT.

Every INDIAN product you buy makes a big difference. It saves INDIA .
Let us take a firm decision today.

BUY INDIAN TO BE INDIAN we are not against of foreign products.

WE ARE NOT ANTI-MULTINATIONAL.
WE ARE TRYING TO SAVE OUR NATION.
EVERY DAY IS A STRUGGLE FOR A REAL FREEDOM.

WE ACHIEVED OUR INDEPENDENCE AFTER LOSING MANY LIVES.
THEYDIED PAINFULLY TO ENSURE THAT WE LIVE PEACEFULLY . THE CURRENT TREND IS VERY THREATENING.

MULTINATIONALS CALL IT GLOBALISATION OF INDIAN ECONOMY. FOR INDIANS LIKE YOU AND ME IT IS RECOLONISATION OF INDIA.

THE COLONIST'S LEFT INDIA THEN. BUT THIS TIME THEY WILL MAKE SURE THEY DON'T MAKE ANY MISTAKES.

WHO WOULD LIKE TO LET A"GOOSE THAT LAYS GOLDEN EGGS" SLIP AWAY.

PLEASE REMEMBER : POLITICAL FREEDOM IS USELESS WITHOUT ECONOMIC INDEPENDENCE.

RUSSIA , S.KOREA, MEXICO........THE LIST IS VERY LONG!!
LET US LEARN FROM THEIR EXPERIENCE AND FROM OUR HISTORY.
LET US DO THE DUTY OF EVERY TRUE INDIAN.




FINALLY : IT'S OBVIOUS THAT U CAN'T GIVE UP ALL OF THE ITEMS MENTIONED ABOVE,

SO GIVE UP ATLEAST ONE ITEM TO FOR THE SAKE OF OUR COUNTRY.LITTLE DROPS MAKE A GREAT OCEAN.


Jai Hind...............

[Lambretta]

PP ma'm,
I rem. reading the same fwd. in my old school group from a freind last yr........and yes it is really pitiable!
I never found Coke/Pepsi agreeable neways & I used to take only Sprite.......but gave up even tat last year! So I guess tat makes it one item atleast from my side! :D
Tat MNCs r making huge profits by getting max. work out of our ppl. at a cheap rate is no secret! But the Indian govt. doesn't seem to care & is encouraging them!
Here in AP, the previous CM Chandrababu Naidu had helped setting up of MNCs in AP (mostly Hyd.), taking enormous loans from World Bank, during his govt.'s tenure, thus resulting in loss/closure of industries in AP & State govt. being in debt of WB! :(
For this reason, he attempted various 'solutions' like privatising all govt. owned corporations so tat the income made from public money wud serve as repayment to World Bank!

[a.ratchasi]

Heart Determines

It's ok to kiss a fool,
It's ok to let a fool kiss you,
but never ever let a kiss fool you....

It's still best to wait for the one you want
than settle for the one available.
Best to wait for the one you love
than settle for one who's around.
Best to wait for the right one.
Life is short to waste on the wrong person....

It is better to meet the person who will truly love you later,
than meet someone now who promises to love
you but sooner or later leave you forever.....

Never try to impress someone to make himher fall in love with you
If you do, you will be expected to keep the standard for the rest of your life...

Fate determines who comes into our lives. The heart determines who stays...

[abbydoss1969]

m'm pavalami pragasam wrote exactly the opposite :?:


The teacher told him, this is love... you keep looking for a better one, but when later you realize, you have already miss the person



The teacher told him, this time you bring back a corn.... you look for one that is just nice, and you have faith and believe this is the best
one you get.... this is marriage


Now you ve got me confused :!:

[pavalamani pragasam]

That is the worthwhile lesson of the importance of being steady & decisive, of being content with reality! A lot of worldly wisdom worth its weight in gold. Remember the proverbs, "a bird in hand is better than two in the bush"?, "the grass is greener on the other side"? :D

[Arthi]

ONE FOR THE HR DEPT!!!!!
One day while walking down the street a highly successful Human Resources Manager was tragically hit by a bus and she died. Her soul arrived up in heaven where she was met at the Pearly Gates by St.Peter himself.
"Welcome to Heaven," said St. Peter. "Before you get settled in
though, it seems we have a problem. You see, strangely enough, we've never once had a Human Resources Manager make it this far and we're not really sure what to do with you."
"No problem, just let me in," said the woman.
"Well, I'd like to, but I have higher orders. What we're going to
do is let you have a day in Hell and a day in Heaven and then you
can choose whichever one you want to spend an eternity in."
"Actually, I think I've made up my mind, I prefer to stay in
Heaven", said the woman
"Sorry, we have rules..."
And with that St. Peter put the executive in an elevator and it
went down-down-down to hell.
The doors opened and she found herself stepping out onto the
putting green of a beautiful golf course. In the distance was a country club and standing in front of her were all her friends - fellow
executives that she had worked with and they were well dressed in
evening gowns and cheering for her. They ran up and kissed her on
both cheeks and they talked about old times.
They played an excellent round of golf and at night went to the country club where she enjoyed an excellent steak and lobster dinner.
She met the Devil who was actually a really nice guy (kind of
cute) and she had a great time telling jokes and dancing. She was
having such a good time that before she knew it, it was time to leave.
Everybody shook her hand and waved goodbye as she got on the
elevator. The elevator went up-up-up and opened back up at the Pearly Gates and found St. Peter waiting for her.
"Now it's time to spend a day in heaven," he said. So she spent
the next 24 hours lounging around on clouds and playing the harp and singing. She had great time and before she knew it her 24 hours were up and St. Peter came and got her.
"So, you've spent a day in hell and you've spent a day in heaven.
Now you must choose your eternity,"The woman paused for a second and then replied, "Well, I never thought I'd say this, I mean, Heaven has been really great and all, but I think I had a better time in Hell."
So St. Peter escorted her to the elevator and again she went down-down-down back to Hell. When the doors of the elevator opened she found herself standing in a desolate wasteland covered in garbage and filth. She saw her friends were dressed in rags and were picking up the garbage and putting it in sacks.
The Devil came up to her and put his arm around her.
"I don't understand," stammered the woman, "yesterday I was here and there was a golf course and a country club and we ate lobster and we danced and had a great time. Now all there is a wasteland of garbage and all my friends look miserable."

The Devil looked at her, smiled and told...

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.


.


.


.


.


.


.


.

.

.

.

.

.

"Yesterday we were recruiting you, today you're an Employee"

[NOV]

this is extremely shocking!
just key in your name and country and all details about you will be revealed!

http://www.scrolllock.nl/passport/

[a.ratchasi]

NOV, I am sure yours was very much accurate! :evil:

[Lambretta]

this is extremely shocking!
just key in your name and country and all details about you will be revealed!

http://www.scrolllock.nl/passport/

Phew.............I first felt my hear beating really fast until I saw it for wat it really was.....! :roll:

[ssanjinika]

this is extremely shocking!
just key in your name and country and all details about you will be revealed!

http://www.scrolllock.nl/passport/

:poke: (This is the closest emoticon i could find to the yahoo pbhttt)

For I min there I thought I was going to be a victim of identity theft!!

[NM]

Jesse's Silkworm Story
When Jesse was a little girl of six she kept silkworms. Once she noticed one struggling hard to get through a smallhole in the cocoon. Jesse became very worried about the small creature's capacity to emerge, so she took a pair of scissors and cut open the cocoon. Then to her horror, she noticed that the moth was deformed when it emerged. It had a swollen stomach and twisted wings - very different to the other moths, and unable to fly.

She carried this picture of the moth's struggle into her adult life until one day when she watched a program on moths and butterflies on television. Jesse, now in her 60s, discovered that all moths need to push hard and struggle when emerging from their cocoons to enable the blood from their bellies to pump into their wings and give them the strength to fly.

Jesse finally had the insights that nature had given her :

"Our struggles and efforts 'when things get tough' strengthen us and support our growth and development into beautiful perfection" and

"If we 'rescue' others when they are facing tough situations we intercept their development and growth"

[NM]

Memorial To A Harvard Boy
The President of Harvard made a mistake by prejudging people, and it cost him dearly.

A lady in a faded gingham dress and her husband, dressed in a homespun threadbare suit, stepped off the train in Boston, and walked timidly without an appointment into the president's outer office. The secretary could tell in a moment that such backwoods, country hicks had no business at Harvard and probably didn't even deserve to be in Cambridge.

She frowned. "We want to see the president", the man said softly. "He'll be busy all day," the secretary snapped. "We'll wait," the lady replied.

For hours, the secretary ignored them, hoping that the couple would finally become discouraged and go away. They didn't. And the secretary grew frustrated and finally decided to disturb the president, even though it was a chore she always regretted to do. "Maybe if they just see you for a few minutes, they'll leave," she told him. And he sighed in exasperation and nodded. Someone of his importance obviously didn't have the time to spend with them, but he detested gingham dresses and homespun suits cluttering up his outer office. The president, stern-faced with dignity, strutted toward the couple.

The lady told him, "We had a son that attended Harvard for one year. He loved Harvard. He was happy here. But about a year ago, he was accidentally killed. And my husband and I would like to erect a memorial to him, somewhere on campus". The president wasn't touched -- he was shocked.

"Madam," he said, gruffly, "We can't put up a statue for every person who attended Harvard and died. If we did, this place would look like a cemetery".

"Oh, no," the lady explained quickly, "We don't want to erect a statue. We thought we would like to give a building to Harvard.

The president rolled his eyes. He glanced at the gingham dress and homespun suit, then exclaimed, "A building! Do you have any earthly idea how much a building costs? We have over seven and a half million dollars in the physical plant at Harvard!"

For a moment the lady was silent.

The president was pleased. He could get rid of them now.

And the lady turned to her husband and said quietly, "Is that all it costs to start a University? Why don't we just start our own?" Her husband nodded. The president's face wilted in confusion and bewilderment.

And Mr. and Mrs. Leland Stanford walked away, traveling to Palo Alto, California where they established the University that bears their name, a memorial to a son that Harvard no longer cared about.

[NM]

True Love

John Blanchard stood up from the bench, straightened his Army uniform, and studied the crowd of people making their way through Grand Central Station. He looked for the girl whose heart he knew, but whose face he didn't, the girl with the rose. His interest in her had begun thirteen months before in a Florida library. Taking a book off the shelf he found himself intrigued, not with the words of the book, but with the notes penciled in the margin. The soft handwriting reflected a thoughtful soul and insightful mind. In the front of the book, he discovered the previous owner's name, Miss Hollis Maynell.

With time and effort he located her address. She lived in New York City. He wrote her a letter introducing himself and inviting her to correspond.

The next day he was shipped overseas for service in World War II. During the next year and one-month the two grew to know each other through the mail. Each letter was a seed falling on a fertile heart. A Romance was budding. Blanchard requested a photograph, but she refused. She felt that if he really cared, it wouldn't matter what she looked like. When the day finally came for him to return from Europe, they scheduled their first meeting - 7:00 pm at the Grand Central Station in New York. "You'll recognize me," she wrote, "by the red rose I'll be wearing on my lapel."

So at 7:00 he was in the station looking for a girl whose heart he loved, but whose face he'd never seen.

I'll let Mr. Blanchard tell you what happened:

A young woman was coming toward me, her figure long and slim. Her blonde hair lay back in curls from her delicate ears; her eyes were blue as flowers. Her lips and chin had a gentle firmness, and in her pale green suit she was like springtime come alive. I started toward her, entirely forgetting to notice that she was not wearing a rose. As I moved, a small, provocative smile curved her lips. "Going my way, sailor?" she murmured. Almost uncontrollably I made one step closer to her, and then I saw Hollis Maynell. She was standing almost directly behind the girl. A woman well past 40, she had graying hair tucked under a worn hat. She was more than plump, her thick-ankled feet thrust into low-heeled shoes.

The girl in the green suit was walking quickly away. I felt as though I was split in two, so keen was my desire to follow her, and yet so deep was my longing for the woman whose spirit had truly companioned me and upheld my own. And there she stood. Her pale, plump face was gentle and sensible, her gray eyes had a warm and kindly twinkle. I did not hesitate. My fingers gripped the small worn blue leather copy of the book that was to identify me to her. This would not be love, but it would be something precious, something perhaps even better than love, a friendship for which I had been and must ever be grateful. I squared my shoulders and soluted and held out the book to the woman, even though while I spoke I felt choked by the bitterness of my disappointment. "I'm Lieutenant John Blanchard, and you must be Miss Maynell. I am so glad you could meet me; may I take you to dinner?"

The woman's face broadened into a tolerant smile. "I don't know what this is about son," she answered, "but the young lady in the green suit who just went by, she begged me to wear this rose on my coat. And she said if you were to ask me out to dinner, I should go and tell you that she is waiting for you in the big restaurant across the street. She said it was some kind of test?"

It's not difficult to understand and admire Miss Maynell's wisdom. The true nature of a heart is seen in its response to the unattractive. "Tell me whom you love," Houssaye wrote, "And I will tell you who you are."

[hi]

Subject: Boys don't miss..




Girls are like that........cant help



He in office, receives a call

She: Hello

He: Yes

She: Enna aachu un voice kku? Yaaravadhu kazhutha nerichitaaLa?

He: Err. Who is this?

She: Enna thimira? Yen voice kooda maRandhu poacha

He: Err. Illaye. It sounds very different

She: Seri. Saaingalam seekram vandhudu. Kalayanathukku poganum

He: Koramangala dhaane. It hardly takes 10 minutes from our house

She: Suththam. Kalyanam utharahalli la

He: Huh? Naan invitation la koramangala dhaane parthen.

She: Adi vaanga pore. I am having the invitation in hand. Seekram varaati

Priya konnuduva

He: Priya yaaru?

She: Enna aachu unakku. En friend Priya kalyanathukku dhaane poarom

He: En chithappa payyan Karthik kalyanathukku dhaane poarom!!

She: Extn 2631?

He: Sorry this is 2361

She: Sorry. Bye!



(Now our He calls his She on her mobile narrates the incident and starts

laughing)

She: Sirikaadha. Thimiru pudichavane

He: What?

She: Yen voice kooda theriyaama eva koodavo ivlo neram pesi irukke!

He: Hey. Ava dhaan call pannina. What can I do?

She: Call pannina seri. Ivlo neram pesanuma? Kural kaetta udane identify

panni irukka vendaam wrong number nu? Panradhayum pannitu ippadi sirikkare.

Vekkama illai?

He: Hey. Naan busy aa irundhen. Gavanikkalai. Relax

She: Oh. Appo ayya busy aa irundha, enakkum maththa ponnungalukkum

vidhyasam

theiryadhu illa?

He: Hey!

She: Saaingalam pesikkaren un kitta. Bye!

He: kovam illai la

She: Naan kova pattu enna aagaradhu. Vakkaren ippo. Bye

(Click)



(Meanwhile the wrong number She calls her He, and narrates the incident)

He starts laughing.

She: Sirikaadha. Maanam poachu

He: He he

She: Ellam unnaala dhaan

He: What? Naan enna pannen?

She: Phone panren sonne la. You forgot. Nee mattum phone panni irundhaa

indha

madhiri aagi irukaadhu

He: Err. I was about to call you. Manager came here. Pesindu irundhena

She: Edavadhu kadhai sollu. I am feeling very bad. Cha!

He: Come on. Chinna vishayam. Sirichittu vittudanum

She: Unakku ellame chinna vishayam. Inimela naan unakku phone pannave

poradhu

illai

He: Hey hey. Please please.

She: Evening pesalaam. Seekram vaaa. Late pannadhe. Bye

He: Hey. Are you ok?

She: Not ok nnu sonna enna pannuve, ok nnu sonna pannuve!

He: Err. Ok nu sonna velai continue pannuven. Not ok sonna, innum konja

neram

pesuven

She: Appo naan not ok aa irundhaa dhaan pesuviya?

He: !!!!!!

She: Ennavo. Seri. Nee velaya paaru. I have a call now. Mudichitu naan

aathuku podiuven. Seekram vaa. Bye

He: bye! And sorry!

She: Its ok. Bye

[abbydoss1969]

A Rhyme of Ten Old Men Enjoying Longevity




Once upon a time, a wayfarer came across ten old men; Over a hundred years of age, All of them were vigorous all the more; With earnesty and sincerity, he hastened forward for the key to their venerable age.


The first, twisting his beard, said:


I neither drink nor smoke.



The second, smiling, replied:


I take a hike after meats.


The third, nodding, answered:


I have a vegetarian diet.



The fourth, a stick in hand, said:


I have all along walked instead of riding.



The fifth, straightening his sleeves, said:


I myself have always taken part in physical labor.

The sixth, carrying a posture of yin-yang regulation, said:


I practice shadow boxing every day.

The seventh, rubbing his big nose, said:


I always leave windows open to let in fresh air.

The eighth, stroking his short beard, said:


I retire early and rise early.



The ninth, caressing his red cheeks, said:


I resort to sun bath to cause the skin sun burns.

The tenth, raising his eyebrows, said:


I always keep myself from worries.




Excellent are the statements by the ten old men which explains the secrets one by one.

If you obey them with sincerity, you will surely enjoy longevity.

[pavalamani pragasam]

:clap: :clap: :clap:

[Lambretta]

Faith

An atheist professor of philosophy speaks to his class on the problem science has with God, the Almighty. He asks one of his new
students to stand.....

Prof: So you believe in God?

Student: Absolutely, sir.

Prof: Is God good?

Student: Sure.

Prof: My brother died of cancer even though he prayed to God to heal him. Most of us would attempt to help others who are ill. But God didn't. How is this God good then? Hmm?

(Student is silent.)

Prof: You can't answer, can you? Let's start again, young fellow. Is God good?

Student: Yes.

Prof: Is Satan good?

Student: No

Prof: Where does Satan come from?

Student: From...God...

Prof: That's right. Tell me son, is there evil in this world?

Student: Yes.

Prof: Evil is everywhere, isn't it? And God did make everything. Correct?

Student: Yes.

Prof: So who created evil?

(Student does not answer.)

Prof: Is there sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness?
All these terrible things exist in the world, don't they?

Student: Yes, sir.

Prof: So, who created them?

(Student has no answer.)

Prof: Science says you have 5 senses you use to identify and serve the world around you. Tell me, son...Have you ever seen God?

Student: No, sir.

Prof: Tell us if you have ever heard your God?

Student: No, sir.

Prof: Have you ever felt your God, tasted your God,
smelled your God? Have you ever had any sensory perception of God for that matter?

Student: No, sir. I'm afraid I haven't.

Prof: Yet you still believe in Him?

Student: Yes.

Prof: According to empirical, testable, demonstrable protocol, science says your GOD doesn't exist. What do you say to that, son?

Student: Nothing. I only have my faith.

Prof: Yes, faith. And that is the problem science has.

Student: Professor, is there such a thing as heat?

Prof: Yes.

Student: And is there such a thing as cold?

Prof: Yes.

Student: No sir. There isn't.

(The lecture theatre becomes very quiet with this turn
of events.)

Student: Sir, you can have lots of heat, even more heat, superheat, mega heat, white heat, a little heat or no heat. But we
don't have any thing called cold. We can hit 458 degrees below zero which is no heat, but we can't go any further after that.
There is no such thing as cold. Cold is only a word we use to describe the absence of heat. We cannot measure cold. Heat is energy. Cold is not the opposite of heat, sir, just the absence of it.

(There is pin-drop silence in the lecture theatre.)

Student: What about darkness,

Professor? Is there such a thing as darkness?

Prof: Yes. What is night if there isn't darkness?

Student: You're wrong again, sir. Darkness is the absence
of something. You can have low light, normal light, bright light, flashing light.... But if you have no light constantly, you have nothing and it is called darkness, isn't it? In reality, darkness isn't. If it were you would be able to make darkness darker, wouldn't you?

Prof: So what is the point you are making, young man?

Student: Sir, my point is your philosophical premise is flawed.

Prof: Flawed? Can you explain how?

Student: Sir, you are working on the premise of duality.
You argue there is life and then there is death, a good God and a
bad God. You are viewing the concept of God as something finite,
something we can measure. Sir, science can't even explain a thought. It uses electricity and magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully understood either one. To view death as the opposite of life is to be ignorant of the fact that death cannot exist as a substantive thing. Death is not the opposite of life: just the absence of it. Now tell me, Professor. Do you teach your students that they evolved from a monkey?

Prof: If you are referring to the natural evolutionary process, yes,
of course, I do.

Student: Have you ever observed evolution with your own
eyes, sir?

(The Professor shakes his head with a smile, beginning to
realize where the argument is going.)

Student: Since no one has ever observed the process of
evolution at work and cannot even prove that this process is an on-
going endeavor, are you not teaching your opinion, sir? Are you not a scientist but a
preacher?

(The class is in uproar.)

Student: Is there anyone in the class who has ever seen
the Professor's brain?

(The class breaks out into laughter.)

Student: Is there anyone here who has ever heard the Professor's brain, felt it, touched or smelled it?.....No one appears to have done so. So, according to the established rules of empirical,
stable, demonstrable protocol, science says that you have no
brain, sir. With all due respect, sir, how do we then trust your
lectures, sir?

(The room is silent. The professor stares at the student.)

Prof: I guess you'll have to take them on faith, son.

Student: That is it, sir.. The link between man & god is
FAITH. That is all that keeps things moving & alive.

That young man was

ALBERT EINSTEIN! :D

[hi]

Is your birthday day 1 of the month?

Your Life
You are very curious and dedicative. When you are interested in something, everything else has to wait. This is your quality. But if you learn to be more patient and complete what you have started, you will be successful in life.
Your Love
You believe in love at first sight. You won't wait to learn more about the person. Vise versa, people who fail to impress you will hardly get a chance to be your friend. Your emotion is on the extreme. You can only love or hate, nothing in between and this often shows in your ____expression. Try not to end a relationship in a quarrel.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Is your birthday day 2 of the month?
Your Life
You have great common sense but usually fail to follow through. This might happens because you are too busy with your mission and shut yourself from the outside world. You are clever and profound so there's a slight chance for self-control problem.
Your Love
Your love progress slowly, and quietly. You seem to be contented with your unrequited love. Your are a romantic and loyal lover.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Is your birthday day 3 of the month?
Your Life
Although you are innocent and romantic but your ____expression often mislead others that you are an active, fun loving kid. Because of your double personality, it's hard for others to really know the real you. You are careful and patient.
Your Love
Your love is the greatest which often surprises others. No one can bring you to light when you are in love. Your confidence
might lead you to the track your parents disagree.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Is your birthday day 4 of the month?
Your Life
You usually think before acting which makes your life quite easy. But you often are the one who give yourself a hard time by being paranoid. People might not truly understand you but you are really nice to be around. You are cheerful and friendly.
Your Love
Still water runs deep, that's what you are. You always surprise others with your new character when you are in love. Your love trap often comes unexpectedly and your love life is full of surprises.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Is your birthday day 5 of the month?
Your Life
Although you are on the quiet side, but you enjoy excitement and changes. Routine is something you cannot stand. Because of your extreme confidence, you hardly ask others for opinion. You believe in leading your own life, and you have got the gift in doing so.
Your Love
Nothing can stop you from making progress in your love life. Once you are in love, you feel the ownership of your lover. A third party can only makes your jealousy becomes worse.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Is your birthday day 6 of the month? ##(EI THIS IZ MINE)
Your Life
You are generous with people in need, sometimes to an extreme that people find you nosey. Your hidden courage and dedication often surprise others. Your imagination is extremely unique.
Your Love
Your love life is on the smooth track because it grows from friendship. Although you may not make a sweet lover but your sincerity bring happiness to your couple.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Is your birthday day 7 of the month?
Your Life
You are sensitive to changes around you but your feeling is hardly expressed. You hate exaggerations. Under your quiet personality, you are rather stubborn and self-centered. These qualities are the force behind your extreme persistence.
Your Love
You have enormous courage to please your lover. Your relationship often progress quickly.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Is your birthday day 8 of the month?
Your Life
You have pleasant and friendly personality. People look u to your wit and imagination. You are unpredictable and hardly complete what you started, which sometimes create negative impact to people around you.
Your Love
Falling in love becomes your routine. Most of the time you are lucky. You fascinate people with good taste but you never have enough with one. Although your love progresses very fast, it never lasts.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Is your birthday day 9 of the month?
Your Life
You often have problem in promoting yourself, just because you don't know how to express your true self. On the other hand, you don't really care what they think. This is why people misunderstand you until they really get a chance to learn about your pleasant personality.
Opposite sex find you mysterious and worth searching. Your wit is remarkable but sometimes you are too fast to follow.
Your Love
You won't reveal your feeling even after dreaming about the same guy over and over. Your first love lasts forever. You are responsible to the feeling of your lover. The chance to betray your lover is none. You have luck with children.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Is your birthday day 10 of the month?
Your Life
You are very capable. If you are a woman, you have high chance to be a renowned workingwoman. If you are a man, your path to fame and honor is near. As an innovator, you are not a good follower. You are good in implementing your imagination and share it with
others. You are always well dressed.
Your Love
You often lose your love ones from being too jealous. You always feel like you own the person you fall in love with and that often blows your relationship.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Is your birthday day 11 of the month?
Your Life
You are gracious, elegant and prudent. People admire your qualities and some even become jealous of you. You are realistic, flexible and adaptable. You are remarkably kind and moral person.
Your Love
You are willing to sacrifice yourself for the one you love. Your lover will always have your gentleness, care and loyalty. You will always be happy to hand around the one you love.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Is your birthday day 12 of the month?
Your Life
You are friendly, humorous and full of energy. You are open-minded and do not care for minor details. Your weak point is your hot temper.
Your Love
You are willing to start off in one-sided love affairs because you strongly believe that you will eventually win his/her heart. On the other hand, once you are together, you always want to do things your way, which is often the fire starter. You usually run in and out of love quickly.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Is your birthday day 13 of the month?
Your Life
You are sincere and easy going. Flattering and charming around are not your style. You care so much for freedom that often leads you to the difficult path. Because of your sincerity, most people find you easy to be around although you are sometimes too straightforward.
Your Love
Your gentleness, care and sincerity make you an attractive person. Eventhough you don't intend to be charming, but you naturally are, especially in the eyes of opposite sex.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Is your birthday day 14 of the month?
Your Life
You are so confident that sometimes you forget about the people around you. If you have to be in one of the two teams, you will choose to be in the winning team. On the other hand, you are kind and caring but above all, you care for your own benefits. Your imagination is
unique and often gets implemented shortly after it comes across.
Your Love
You will not get soft with the one you don't really like, no matter how hard he/she tries. But once you feel for someone you have chosen, there's no getting back.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Is your birthday day 15 of the month?
Your Life
You are outgoing and love to be at the center of attention. From the outside, you may seem flashy, flirty, and tricky but your true self is strong, full of hope to be the leader. When you
fail to convince someone, you will get frustrated, and perhaps let your temper shows.
Your Love
You are emotional. Many can win your heart at once, but not for long. This is why you hardly win a decent relationship.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Is your birthday day 16 of the month?
Your Life
You always follow the good and the right instead of listening to your heart. Another word, you are a perfectionist. You care for every word people say about you. You often seen isolated while you are, by nature, curious and a dreamer who is ready to get over the edge to make
your dream comes true.
Your Love
You often fall in love with a person who is much different from you, in age and other aspects. Your relationship grows on friendship. Love at fist sight is not your style.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Is your birthday day 17 of the month?
Your Life
You neither want to be interfered nor have the desire to mess with others' life. But you are friendly and occasionally a party animal. You are always in a circle of friends. You often do things in your own way that occasionally go beyond the acceptable limit. People may find you childish and not very attractive in that sense.
Your Love
Your fun-loving character attracts opposite sex. Many of those are great.You often find yourself trapped among a few great guys while you have to choose only one.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Is your birthday day 18 of the month?
Your Life
At first glance, people think you are quiet type of person. Actually you are cheerful, but conditionally. You will show your joyful character only in good mood. One the other hand, when you are moody, no one would dare to be around. Because of your emotion fluctuation and frank character, some find you hard to be around.
Your Love
You hardly show your feeling towards opposite sex no matter how much you like him/her. Your partner also has similar character so your love affairs often take quite a while to flourish. Time tells it all. Your sincerity makes you very attractive.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Is your birthday day 19 of the month?
Your Life
You are great in managing everything in your life and this is how you gain respect from others. Because of this quality, you sometimes feel that you are better than the rest. Extreme confidence might lead you to the wrong path. You are a free bird and want to lead your
own life.
Your Love
You love life is rather different from others'. When you are in love, nothing can stop you. You may often fight with your partner but, soon after that, you will make up in a way that surprises others.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Is your birthday day 20 of the month?
Your Life
You are prudent, circumspect and take things seriously. Before you make any move, you will think of a few alternatives that might take a while. You are patient, imaginative and target oriented. You value friendship more than anything else.
Your Love
You usually study your partner carefully before making any move. You never demand anything beyond the natural quality of that person. Your sincerity doesn't bring excitement in your love life but it brings deeply grown relationship.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Is your birthday day 21 of the month?
Your Life
You are curious and a true follower. You can please someone so much that it seem like you are trying to charm that person. You hide your disagreement under your smiling face. This is a charming quality of yours.
Your Love
You are quite unlucky in love. You are loved by someone you don't like while your dream man is so far away. Your love life is occasionally under turbulence. Sometimes you don't have the clear view of the guy in your heart.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Is your birthday day 22 of the month?
Your Life
You have the boss character, but not a leader. Most people look up to you for your capability and confidence although they find you quite stubborn. You should listen more to others. You are a unique and charming individual.
Your Love
You hardly take the moderate track. You either love or hate someone. Whom you call friends are the chosen ones. If any of them betray you, you won't let them get away without having hard time.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Is your birthday day 23 of the month?
Your Life
You never live your life in the way others want you to. You are an independent individual who loves challenges and excitement. You are ready to face with the result of your decision. You are usually the one your friends count on.
Your Love
Because you love excitements, you occasionally get involved in forbidden love affairs. You may fall in love with a married person and no one can stop you from making progress. You are very charming, although you might not realize it.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Is your birthday day 24 of the month?
Your Life
You are very optimistic and that's why you always enjoy life. You are gifted in entertaining others. Your friends love and trust you. You'll be the first they come to when they are in need of someone to speak their heart out.
Your Love
Sometimes you fall in love just because you want to be in love, not that you really like that person. You always be seen as a sweet couple but you can't really get over your love ones from past. Your partner is usually crazy about you because you are remarkably charming and
romantic.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Is your birthday day 25 of the month?
Your Life
You are a warrior. No obstacle can stop you from reaching your goal. You always keep yourself busy. This quality plus your responsibility will eventually bring you success.
Your Love
You adore your partner as the number one priority. You value your love one
more than yourself. Your love is the greatest of all and your have potential
to get married young.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Is your birthday day 26 of the month?
Your Life
You are always curious and responsive to changes. Routine life is not the way you choose to live. Travelling is your favorite hobby because excitement is what you are after.
Your Love
You will not stand being around the one you dislike. Your love comes and goes quickly. You can be deeply in love but soon after you will be looking around for the next one.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Is your birthday day 27 of the month?
Your Life
You are sensitive and vulnerable. Tears often run down your cheeks even when the matter is not that bad. This might be the result from being to pessimistic. You might seem cold on the shell, but your inner self is a kind loving person.
Your Love
You will be elegantly dressed, no matter how casually dressed your date may be. You are emanding in love and sometimes to an unacceptable extend.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Is your birthday day 28 of the month?
Your Life
You are a capable person but you usually underestimate your own ability. This is the cause of missing numbers of opportunity to step forward. If you try to give yourself a chance, you can be successful in life. Try to see things on the bright side and you will be happier than ever.
Your Love
You are quite unlucky in love. The one in your arm is not the one in your heart. Your love has so many ups and downs. You often chicken out before seeing any progress in love.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Is your birthday day 29 of the month?
Your Life
You can trust your sixth sense. Life is exciting so routine job is not your interest. You have great ideas and fantastic imagination. You often feel tired of things and people around you.
Your Love
You can tell what's in the mind of another person just from looking into his/her eyes. You are paranoid and jealous and these are the cause of fights between you and your lover.
Sometimes the thing you believe in is just your imagination.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Is your birthday day 30 of the month?
Your Life
You are always surrounded by a circle of friends. You are friendly and fun to be with. Though you occasionally disappoint them by being stubborn, but over all, they love your qualities.
Your Love
You want to have full control of your love and that's not a nice way to treat your partner. You take your time in saying yes to his wedding proposal or if you are a man, you will not propose anyone until you are certainly confident which might take ages.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Is your birthday day 31 of the month?
Your Life
Your emotion is hard to predict. You can be sad this minute and happy in the next. People might find it difficult to follow your emotion and understand you. You tend to take things seriously.
Your Love
You take your time to study a person before falling in love. Once you decide that he or she is the one, no one can stop you from making progress, even your partner.

[Sanguine Sridhar]

Is your birthday day 19 of the month?
Your Life
You are great in managing everything in your life and this is how you gain respect from others. Because of this quality, you sometimes feel that you are better than the rest. Extreme confidence might lead you to the wrong path. You are a free bird and want to lead your
own life.
Your Love
You love life is rather different from others'. When you are in love, nothing can stop you. You may often fight with your partner but, soon after that, you will make up in a way that surprises others.


Meyyaluma :?

[abbydoss1969]

A quote from Yagyu Munenori, founder of Shinkageryu

When you practice archery, if your mind is occupied with shooting the arrow, the shot will be disturbed, and will not be settled (smooth). If you are wielding the long sword, and your mind is fixed on wielding the sword, the sword will not move smoothly.

The archer should forget about shooting the arrow, and shoot as he would doing nothing special. Then the shot will be smooth. When wielding the long sword, or riding a horse, do it as though you would not wield a sword or ride a horse

Stop doing everything, have an empty, everydays mind, even when you have lots of things to do, do it easily, smoothly. The man who has nothing on his heart is the man of the Way

[a.ratchasi]

I heard a story about Fiorello LaGuardia who was mayor of New York City during the worst days of the Great Depression and all of WWII.

He was adored by many New Yorkers who took to calling him
the "Little Flower," because of his name and the fact that he was so short and always wore a carnation in his lapel.

He was a colorful character - he rode the New York City fire trucks,
raided city "speakeasies" with the police department, took entire
orphanages to baseball games and, when the New York newspapers went on strike, he got on the radio and read the Sunday funnies to the kids.

One bitterly cold night in January of 1935, the mayor turned up at a
night court that served the poorest ward of the city. LaGuardia
dismissed the judge for the evening and took over the bench himself.

Within a few minutes, a tattered old woman was brought before him, charged with stealing a loaf of bread. She told LaGuardia that her daughter's husband had deserted her, her daughter was sick, and her two grandchildren were starving.

But the shopkeeper, from whom the bread was stolen, refused to drop the charges. "It's a real bad neighborhood, Your Honor," the man told the mayor. "She's got to be punished to teach other people around here a lesson."

LaGuardia sighed. He turned to the woman and said, "I've got to
punish you. The law makes no exceptions. Ten dollars or ten days in jail." But even as he pronounced sentence, the mayor was already reaching into his pocket. He extracted a bill and tossed it into his famous hat, saying, "Here is the ten dollar fine which I now remit; and furthermore, I am going to fine everyone in this courtroom fifty cents for living in a town where a person has to steal bread so that her grandchildren can eat. Mr. Bailiff, collect the fines and give them to the defendant."

The following day, New York City newspapers reported that $47.50 was turned over to a bewildered woman who had stolen a loaf of bread to feed her starving grandchildren. Fifty cents of that amount was contributed by the grocery store owner himself, while some seventy petty criminals, people with traffic violations, and New York City policemen, each of whom had just paid fifty cents for the privilege of doing so, gave the mayor a standing ovation.

Someone beautifully said, "Sympathy sees and says, 'I'm sorry.'
Compassion sees and says, 'I'll help.'"

When we learn the difference, we can make a difference.

[NOV]

A small boy at summer camp received a large package of cookies in the mail from his mother. He ate a few, then placed the remainder under his bed. The next day, after lunch, he went to his tent to get a cookie.
The box was gone.

That afternoon a camp counselor, who had been told of the theft, saw another boy sitting behind a tree eating the stolen cookies. "That young man," he said to himself, "must be taught not to steal."

He returned to the group and sought out the boy whose cookies had been stolen. "Billy," he said, "I know who stole your cookies. Will you help me teach him a lesson?"

"Well, yes--but aren't you going to punish him?" asked the puzzled boy.

"No, that would only make him resent and hate you," the counselor explained. "I want you to call your mother and ask her to send you another box of cookies."

The boy did as the counselor asked and a few days later received another box of cookies in the mail.

"Now," said the counselor, "the boy who stole your cookies is down by the lake. Go down there and share your cookies with him."

"But," protested the boy, "he's the thief."

"I know. But try it - see what happens."

Half an hour later the camp counselor saw the two come up the hill, arm in arm. The boy who had stolen the cookies was earnestly trying to get the other to accept his jackknife in payment for the stolen cookies, and the victim was just as earnestly refusing the gift from his new friend, saying that a few old cookies weren't that important anyway.

[abbydoss1969]

It just goes to show that crime pays :lol:

[NOV]

A little boy is telling his Grandma how everything is going wrong. School, family problems, severe health problems, etc.

Meanwhile, Grandma is baking a cake. She asks her grandson if he would like a snack, which, of course, he does.

"Here, have some cooking oil."

"Yuck" says the boy.

"How about a couple raw eggs?"

"Gross, Grandma!"

"Would you like some flour then? Or maybe baking soda?"

"Grandma, those are all yucky!"

To which Grandma replies: "Yes, all those things seem bad all by themselves. But when they are put together in the right way, they make a wonderfully delicious cake!

God works the same way. Many times we wonder why he would let us go through such bad and difficult times. But God knows that when He puts these things all in His order, they always work for good!

We just have to trust Him and, eventually, they will all make something wonderful!

Hope your day is a "piece of cake!"

[dev]

Good one,Nov

[Sanguine Sridhar]

A Software Engineer's feelings.....

It was raining heavily outside. Dark clouds gathered in the sky and
nature was in its ominous best. I took a break from my work and went to
the pantry to grab a cup of coffee. I had a sip and went near the window
to see the rain pouring down heavily outside the glass structure. I was
inside our huge office building, unruffled by even the fierceness of the
nature. Through the heavy transparent glass, I could see a small girl
trying to hold on to her umbrella which the wind was snatching away from
her. I felt sorry for the girl, and was happy that I was not in a
similar pathetic situation. Yes. I take pride for the fact that I am a
software
engineer. I have everything which a common man would envy; money,
status, respect, you name it I have it. I always wanted to be software
professional and here I am, working for one of the best firms in the
world. But then, am I really happy? Now, I could see an imprint of my
palm on the other glass window, through which I reminisced my past,
basked in the warmth of the sun shine.

My childhood was so much of fun. I vividly remember those rainy days,
when I hugged my mother tightly during sleeping listening to all the
stories told by her. Now, I have a big house here, but then it is just a
house, not a home. My parents are pretty far away from me now. I have a
cell phone to talk to them everyday, but then I really miss those
dinners which I had with my family everyday. I could easily afford to
taste all the different cuisines these days, but the best of food there,
lack the love and affection which is present in the food prepared by my
mother.

I threw a lavish party for my colleagues for my birthday, but then they
would never replace the birthdays when my friends secretly brought a
cake and at the end, half of the cake would have ended up on my face.
The couple of hundred bucks that u save for a long period just to give a
treat to your friends in the road side chat shop can never give the
pleasure even after spending a few thousand bucks these days.

The scene of me crying and refusing to have dinner on the day when I
fought with my best friend came to my mind. Today, she has gone far away
from me, taking away my love and with it my life, but I am sitting and
coding here with a false smile on my face. Everyday I meet new people,
but then I long ceased to make a new friend.

It's true that I have a lot of things now. I have a nice bed, but no
time to sleep. Lots of money, but no friends to spend it with. The
latest designer clothes, but a worn out body. Quite a few to flirt, but
no one to love. Awards for technical excellence, but no reward for the
crave for peaceful ambience. A confident demeanor, but a reluctant and
apathetic mind. Full of rain, but no sunshine even in the farthest
distance.

Now, I could see the small girl on the road enjoying in the rain with
her umbrella firmly in her grip. She might not have all the comforts
which I have, but then she has the innocence and fun which I lost a long
time back. I have decided to come out of this false fantasy, even if it
is at the expense of losing the tap of the software engineer. I am going
to again enjoy my life. I am going to go out in the rain and play with
the small kid now. I removed my tie, and went near my computer to shut
it down. Just then, I saw a new mail alert in my mail box. I slowly
opened outlook and I found a message from my manager with an attachment
saying that there was a critical defect in the code and I have to fix it
soon. I convinced myself that I am not going to get bogged down again by
these pressures and stick to my decision. I ignored the mail and went to
the rest room. After a couple of minutes, the software engineer in me
came out, his shirt tucked in with the perfect tie knot, sat before the
computer, and started typing,

I am looking into the defect and will send the patch files before EOD.

Regards,
Software Engineer.

[Sanguine Sridhar]

[tscii:c5ce92b70e]Amity Business School
SYNOPSIS OF DISCUSSIONS
BETWEEN
BILL GATES
CHAIRMAN, MICROSOFT CORPORATION
&
NARAYANA MURTHY
CHIEF MENTOR, INFOSYS
INTERVIEWED
BY
PRANNOY ROY
NDTV
DECEMBER 7, 2005
TAJ PALACE, NEW DELHI
Amity Business School

PRANNOY ROY : To me and many of us at TiE, it is a special moment. We have with
us together two icons of our times - Mr. Bill Gates and Mr. Narayana Murthy. Both
iconic entrepreneurs, but in fact both much more than that. As you look into their lives
there are so many similarities. Like both started life as hardcore software guys. Mr. Bill
Gates wrote the basic compiler and Mr. Murthy, in the early 70s, also wrote the first basic
compiler. Both today have given up being CEOs and taken a step back to help with the
bigger kind of picture with bigger vision. Both of them have superb right hand people i.e:
Steve Ballmer and Nandan Nilekani. Both have huge businesses but even larger social
goals with larger hearts. Both have wives, Melinda and Sudha, who infact are even more
committed to changing society, to philanthropy and charity. As icons they have to resist
tremendous pressures, sometimes to enter politics. Both remarkable men, that come once
in a lifetime, once in a generation. Both used to travel economy class, some say they were
stingy, for some it is about principles. If it is stingy, certainly it is not visible in their
charity. Ironically both are voracious readers, books are their passion. One major
similarity - both really believe in spreading wealth among their employees through
ESOPs but now both have stopped that and the list of their similarities is endless.

PRANNOY ROY : What are the defining moments in your life?

BILL GATES : Certainly the opportunity to use a computer at young age, I was only 13
at that time and I was 16 when I first understood the magic of chips with double power
every two years. The school teacher asked me to teach computer to the class. That was
when I got fascinated and completely immersed. My decision to leave school and start a
company, that’s a nice milestone since it worked. In my case I thought the time was very
important to get in and be the very first. So this chip computer comes out and I decided to
go to Paul Allen and provide the software for the very first personal computer, which
again was incredibly limited. The willingness to take the risk before anybody else was
doing it, I think that was a big help to us. My parents thought that I was going on leave
and will come back as the company will not succeed, even Harvard was nice enough to
say that I could come back and even today they are willing to take me back.

NARAYANA MURTHY : There have been atleast three defining moments in my life.
First when I was incarcenated in Bulgaria, a communist country and without food and
water for 96 hours. Later I decided that I don’t want to be a part of this system and I will
go back to India to pursue entrepreneurship and create wealth legally and ethically.
Second was in 1990, we had started the company in 1981. It didn’t progress because
there was so much of friction in business in India. There was an offer from somebody to
acquire us for $1mn, from this offer six of my group members got excited but towards the
end I decided that I am not going to sell it off.
Amity Business School
Third was frankly getting listed on NASDAQ. In fact it was a small step for NASDAQ
but a giant leap for Infosys and Indian software industry. I would say that these were the
three defining moments in my life.

PRANNOY ROY : How do you keep yourself motivated to work on and on and on?

BILL GATES : I love my work, I get to work with smart people and it’s a field that’s
constantly changing. Every couple of year’s people say that a new company will throw
you out of the business and we get to show people “not this time”. My vision was not
about sales or profits but it was about this computer, what it could do and we don’t have
that computer yet. We cannot talk to the machine and it cannot talk to us and we are still
looking for that computer. I have a dream of having a computer in every home, in every
desk. We are not even half way in achieving that goal, here in India we are scratching the
surface. So there is still lot of work to be done as there is no finish line anywhere near.

NARAYANA MURTHY : Most passionate people in the world are held by larger goals.
At Infosys, we have a vision to become a globally respected organization, not only in
India but also in US, Japan, Germany, Australia UK and that’s still a long marathon.
Maybe 10,000 or 12,000 Infosysians have already made some money but there are 30,000
other Infosysians who still have to make that kind of money and it is our responsibility to
give our best, our commitment to make sure that they and future Infosysians can make
money.

PRANNOY ROY : Both of you started ESOPs and both of you have given it up.
Why?

BILL GATES : Microsoft shared more wealth than any other company has in the history
of capitalism. If you get to a point where industry is so hot, it almost hyped then you start
to get deviations that not only go up but they also fluctuate, so to pass the risk of those
market conditions on to the employees may not be right. But we are actually into shares
now where you get your salary and shares of stock and so we cut the variance down and
so the predictability is much greater and still plenty of personal wealth. We are still
sharing the wealth but in a different way and it wasn’t to do anything with the new
accounting principles.

NARAYANA MURTHY : I always believed that leadership does not succeed in a
vacuum, you need people who are smarter than you, who have same or higher level of
passion and energy. If you want to bring those people on board then you need some
equitable paradigm and that is why Infosys adopted the ESOPs model. We suspended it
because we have to expense it out according to US regulations and then we realized that
it is not the best model for us anymore. And then as it was pointed out, we made an
analysis and found that by creating a paper or variable performance model, we will be
able to provide a decent compensation for all.
Amity Business School

PRANNOY ROY : India has got a new energy with Democracy as its foundation.
People have started questioning. Is democracy important in taking business
decisions?

BILL GATES : Democracy means right way of looking at resources. It is the real
commitment to the future. It is a must and we, US, stand for it.

NARAYANA MURTHY : We value knowledge as the most intangible asset. However,
the important question now is, Is it really paying? There has to be a greater premium on
time. We waste lot much of it in discussions. One of my friends from Harvard aptly
quoted, “Two of my greatest challenges are – How to get my Japanese students to speak
up and Indian students to shut up”. We have to come to conclusion out of discussions and
get to execution.

PRANNOY ROY : Does a anti-American wave affect you? Lack of US sensitivity in
handling international affairs to the world issues affects your relationships with
your partners.

BILL GATES : The world depends on the US to do certain things right whether it is
funding science or whether setting a good example for free trade. I won’t say we lost
business or have some impact it is because of the US politics. Everybody resents the most
successful country and everybody loves the most successful country. It is all the love-hate
relationship. In the US there are mixed feelings about what they think the US is doing
good and not doing well. It is for the world to understand the benefits of free trade
system. The US should be imitated by others. The way we run our university system
should be learnt by everyone. We stand for – Be good in every way, innovation in
products, markets, etc. People talk of India versus China, why not India plus China. India
should learn from China and China should learn from India. I am proponent of the
combined best practices of India, China and the US.

PRANNOY ROY : Does the use of force by US in international affairs worry you?

BILL GATES : It is best to use when the stake is very dramatic. Even in US, people say
we need more evidence (in Iraq issue) but then for us it is good, for it is for the
democracy.

PRANNOY ROY : Is it love-hate relationship? Even we say “Yankee go home, but
take me with you”

NARAYANA MURTHY : I am unabashed admirer of US for their openness. I don’t
know of any other society as open as the US. It is for us to work harder to convince the
US people, decision makers, law makers, that there is good value for them (in
Amity Business School
outsourcing). If there is an outcry, dissatisfaction, I see it as our failure. ‘The day you say
market is wrong, you are finished’, this should be learnt by US.
PRANNOY ROY : Now we will take some of the questions from the

audience.

A1. My question is for Mr. Narayana Murthy. What challenges are faced by large
and small companies in attracting, keeping and retaining best talent?

NARAYANA MURTHY : It is all about creating the dream and vision and articulating
that everybody is able to take the rainbow and put in pocket. It is all about making sure
that people will get their value, people will automatically come to you.

A2. My question is for Mr. Bill Gates. After the internet, what technology will take
the world now?

BILL GATES : We need to get a device which will get us value at the low cost. Like
speech recognition, mapping devices etc. I see natural interface technology as the
important area that shall dominate the sphere.

A3. My question is for Mr. Bill Gates. What human qualities are important for
success?

BILL GATES : You need passion, intelligence and some kind of integrity to understand
what your limits are. Very strong combination of all the three shall help to achieve
success.

A4. My question is for Mr. Narayana Murthy. Very large companies are created in
US. What do we need to do to have the same in India?

NARAYANA MURTHY : We need a more competitive market. Corporations have to
realize the importance of innovation, good venture capital system, environment that
enhances the quality of education system that focuses on problem solving and good set of
mentoring who will take care of entrepreneurs’ linkages with the requisite networks.

BILL GATES : We always talk big companies like Yahoo, Microsoft, Google, etc. We
don’t think of numerous companies that fail. It is all market economy that survives.

A5. My question is for Mr. Bill Gates. What is the fundamental difference between
managing a startup and a large corporation?

BILL GATES : The leadership styles are quite different. When the companies grow, you
acquire skill sets, create a system, take a step back, monitor the people and manage the
managers.
Amity Business School

PRANNOY ROY : The last question - Will you ever enter into politics?

BILL GATES : No

NARAYANA MURTHY : No

PRANNOY ROY: Thank you very much.

[/tscii:c5ce92b70e]

[Lambretta]

'not sure if this is the right thread to post this but came across this in one of my Y! groups:

The Euro-English

The European Commission has just announced an agreement whereby English will be the official language of the European Union rather than German, which was the other possibility.

As part of the negotiations, the British Government conceded that
English spelling had some room for improvement and has accepted a 5-year phase-in plan that would become known as "Euro-English".

In the first year, "s" will replace the soft "c". Sertainly, this will make the sivil servants jump with joy.
The hard "c" will be dropped in favour of "k". This should klear up
konfusion, and keyboards kan have one less letter.

There will be growing publik enthusiasm in the sekond year when the troublesome "ph" will be replaced with "f". This will make words
like fotograf 20% shorter.

In the 3rd year, publik akseptanse of the new spelling kan be expekted to reach the stage where more komplikated changes are
possible. Governments will enkourage the removal of double letters
which have always ben a deterent to akurate speling.
Also, al wil agre that the horibl mes of the silent "e" in the languag is disgrasful and it should go away.

By the 4th yer people wil be reseptiv to steps such as replasing "th" with "z" and "w" with "v".

During ze fifz yer, ze unesesary "o" kan be dropd from vords
kontaining "ou" and after ziz fifz yer, ve vil hav a reil sensibl
riten styl.
Zer vil be no mor trubl or difikultis and evrivun vil find it ezi tu
understand ech oza. Ze drem of a united urop vil finali kum tru.

Und efter ze fifz yer, ve vil al be speking German like zey vunted
in ze forst plas!

[NOV]

"Why is everyone so happy except for me," asked the student.

"Because they have learned to see goodness and beauty everywhere" said the master.

"Why don't I see goodness and beauty everywhere?"

"Because you cannot see outside of you what you fail to see inside."

`Anthony de Mello

[NOV]

Hi folks,

I want to thank all of you who have taken the time and trouble to send me your damn chain letters over the past year.

Yes, thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of what's left of my heart for making me feel safe, secure, blessed, and wealthy. Because of your concern...

I no longer can drink Coca Cola because it can remove toilet stains.

I no longer eat KFC because their chickens are actually horrible mutant freaks with no eyes or feathers.

I no longer drink anything out of a can because I will get sick from the rat faeces and urine.

I no longer date the opposite sex because they will take my kidneys and leave me taking a nap in a bathtub full of ice.

I no longer use Saran wrap in the microwave because it causes cancer.

I no longer check the coin return on pay phones because I could be pricked with a needle infected with AIDS.

I no longer use cancer-causing deodorants even though I smell like a water buffalo on a hot day.

I no longer use margarine because it's one molecule away from being plastic.

I no longer go to shopping malls because someone will drug me with a perfume sample and rob me.

I no longer receive packages from UPS or FedEx since they are actually Al Qaeda in disguise.

I no longer answer the phone because someone will ask me to dial a stupid number for which I will get the phone bill from hell with calls to Jamaica, Uganda, Singapore, and Uzbekistan.

I no longer buy expensive cookies from Neiman Marcus since I now have their recipe.

I no longer worry about my soul because I have 363,214 angels looking out for me and St. Theresa's novena has granted my every wish. Thanks to you, I have learned that God only answers my prayers if I forward an email to seven of my friends and make a wish within five minutes. (Geez, the BIBLE did not mention it works that way!)

I no longer have any savings because I gave it to a sick girl who is about to die in the hospital (for the 1,387,258th time).

I no longer have any money at all, but that will change once I receive the $15,000 that Microsoft and AOL are sending me for participating in their special e-mail program.

Yes, I want to thank all of you soooooooo much for looking out for me! I will now return the favor.

If you don't send this e-mail to at least 1200 people in the next 60 seconds, a large bird with diarrhoea will crap on your head at 5:00pm this afternoon and the fleas of a thousand camels will infest your armpits. I know this will occur because it actually happened to a friend of a friend of a friend of a friend of a friend of a friend of a friend of my next door neighbour's ex-mother-in-law's 8th husband's 2nd cousin's 3rd husband's ex-wife's mother's beautician!

[malsi]

Ruminations on love and relationships

If you judge people, you have no time to love them.
( Mother Theresa )


Men always want to be a woman's first love, women like to be a man's last romance.
( Oscar Wilde)

Being deeply loved by someone gives you strenght ; lovign someone deeply gives you courage.
( Lao-Tzu )

Tell me who admires you and loves you, and I will tell you who you are .
( Charles Augistin Sainte-Beauve )

Sometimes I wonder if men and women really suit each other,. Perhaps they shoud live next door and just visit now and then.
( Katherine Hepburn )

[phil]

Malsi, 1 & 4 i think are awesome.

[malsi]

thanks Phil

[Shekhar]

Nov,

You have beautifully and eloquently expressed my exact feelings!!! :clap: :clap:
(and feelings of many many like me!!)

[malsi]

great one NOV

[abbydoss1969]

"A man who was fond of wine was offered some grapes at dessert after dinner. "Much obliged," said he, pushing the plate aside; "I am not accustomed to take my wine in pills."

Jean Antheleme Brillat-Savarin, The Physiology of Taste

[Lambretta]

'not sure how true all of this cud be.......but jus chek if ne of u hav began to hav these "symptoms" already:

People are advised not to spend too much time sitting before computer system because the following things may happen in their future:

1. When asked about a bus schedule, you wonder if it is 16 or 32 bits.

2. When counting objects, 0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,A,B,C,D..

3. At the superstore, you check to see if a kilogram is 1024 grams, a litre is 1024 mls.

4. When you dream, you are going to dream in 256 palettes of 256 colors.

5. When your wife says "If you don't turn off that damn machine and come to sleep, then I am going to divorce you!", you are going to scream at her for omitting the "else" clause.

6. You try to sleep, and think : sleep(8 * 60 * 60); /* sleep for 8 hours */

7. When you are reading a book, you would look for the scroll bar to get to the next page.

8. If you want to call somebody you pick up the phone and start dialling an IP number...

9. You are going to look for an icon to double-click, to open your bedroom window.

10. When you go to balance your check book, you would discover that you'll be doing the maths in octal.

11.You would look for a trash can icon to throw garbage.

12.When you get in the elevator you would double-click the button for the floor you want to go.

[Sanguine Sridhar]

A man was walking down the beach at sunset. As, he walked along, he saw another man in the distance. He noticed this man kept leaning down, picking up something and throwing it out into the water, again and again. As, he approached even closer, he noticed that the man was picking up starfish that had been washed up on the beach. He was throwing them back into the water, one by one.

Puzzled, he approached the man and said,
"Good Evening. I was wondering what you are doing."

"I'm throwing these starfish back into the ocean. You see, it's low tide and all these starfish have been washed up onto the shore. If, I don't throw them back into the ocean, they'll die up here from lack of oxygen."

"But, there must be thousands of starfish on this beach. You can't possible get to all of them. And, don't you realize this is probably happening on hundreds of beaches all up and down this coast. Can't you see that you can't possibly make a difference?"

The man bent down and picked up yet another starfish, and threw it back into the ocean. With a smile he replied, "Made a difference to that one !!!"

[Lambretta]

Wow! gr8 one Becks!! :D :clap: :thumbsup:
'found tat very inspiring!! :D

[NM]

[tscii:e552fccc83]Life Together
One fine day, an old couple around the age of 70, walks into a lawyer's office.

Apparently, they are there to file a divorce.

Lawyer was very puzzled, after having a chat with them, he got their story....

This couple had been quarrelling all their 40 over yrs of marriage nothing ever seems to go right.

They hang on coz of their children, afraid that it might affect their up-bringing.Now, all their children have already grown up, have their own family, there's nothing else the old couple have to worry about, all they wanted is to lead their own life free from all these yrs of unhappiness from their marriage, so both agree on a divorce....

Lawyer was having a hard time trying to get the papers done, coz he felt that after 40 yrs of marriage at the age of 70, he couldnt understand why the old couple would still wants a divorce..

while they were signing the papers, the wife told the husband..

"I really love u, but i really cant carry on anymore,i'm sorry.."

"its o.k, i understand.." said the husband. Looking at this, the lawyer suggested a dinner together, just 3 of them,wife thought, why not, since they are still gonna be friends..

At the dining table, there was a silence of awkardness.

The first dish was roasted chicken, immediately, the old man took the drumstick for the old lady.."take this, its your favourite.."

looking at this, the lawyer thought maybe theres still a chance, but the wife was frowning when she answer.."

this is always the problem, u always think so highly of yourself, never thought abt how i feel, don't you know that i hate drumsticks?"

Little did she know that, over the yrs, the husband have been trying all ways to please her,little did she know that drumsticks was the husband's favourite.Little did he know that she never thought he understand her at all,little did he know that she hates drumsticks even though all he wants is the best for her.

That night, both of them couldnt sleep, toss and turn, toss and turn...after hours, the old man couldnt take it anymore, he knows that he still loves her, and he cant carry on life without her, he wants her back, he wants to tell her, he is sorry, he wanted to tell her "i love u"...

He picks up the phone, starting dialing her number....ringing never stops..he never stop dialing....

On the other side, she was sad, she couldn’t understand how come after all these yrs, he still doesnt understand her at all, she loves him a lot, but she just cant take it anymore....phone's ringing, she refuses to answer knowing tat its him..."whats the point of talking now that its over...i have ask for it and now i wanna keep it this way, if not i will lose face.."she thought...still ringing...she have decided to pull out the cord...

Little did she remember, he have heart problems...

The next day, she received news that he had passed away...she rushed down to his apartment, saw his body, lying on the couch still holding on to the phone...he had a heart attack when he was still trying to get thru her phone line....

As sad as she could be...she will have to clear his belongings...when she was looking thru the drawers, she saw this insurance policy, dated from the day they got married, beneficiary of coz its her...together in that file there's this note...

"to my dearest wife, by the time u r reading this, i'm sure i'm no longer around, i bought this policy for u, thought the amount is only $100k, i hope it will be able to help me continue my promise that i have made when we got married, i might not be around anymore, i want this amount of money to continue taking care of u, just like the way i will if i could have lived longer. i want u to know i will always be around, by your side...i love u"


Tears flowed like river......

"When u love someone, let them know... u never know what will happen the next min....learn to build a life together.. learn to love each other. for who they are..."
[/tscii:e552fccc83]

[Querida]

I no longer use cancer-causing deodorants even though I smell like a water buffalo on a hot day.

NOV-san we all knew but didn't want to say anything :poke: :twisted:

Anyways good one!

[NOV]

This New Year, I am giving you a DAILY SURVIVAL KIT, to help thru 2006:

Toothpick ... to remind you to pick the good qualities in everyone, including yourself.

Rubber band ... to remind you to be flexible. Things might not always go the way you want, but it can be worked out.

Band-Aid ... to remind you to heal hurt feelings, either yours or someone else's.

Eraser ... to remind you everyone makes mistakes. That's okay, we learn by our errors.

Candy Kiss ... to remind you everyone needs a hug or a compliment everyday.

Mint ... to remind you that you are worth a mint to your family.

Bubble Gum ... to remind you to stick with it and you can accomplish anything.

Pencil ... to remind you to list your blessings every day.

Tea Bag ... to remind you to take time to relax daily and go over that list of God's blessings.

This is what makes life worth living every minute, every day Wishing you 365 days of love, gratitude, friends to cherish, caring, sharing, laughter, music, warm feelings in your heart and soaring with the eagles.

[malsi]

nice one NOV..

[pooja.shankar]

superb .....

[Nerd]

Extremely good one :)

An Excerpt.....
Some time ago I received a call from a colleague. He was about to give a student a zero for his answer to a physics question, while the student claimed a perfect score. The instructor and the student agreed to an impartial arbiter, and I was selected.

I read the examination question:

"SHOW HOW IT IS POSSIBLE TO DETERMINE THE HEIGHT OF A TALL BUILDING WITH THE AID OF A BAROMETER."

The student had answered, "Take the barometer to the top of the building, attach a long rope to it, lower it to the street, and then bring it up, measuring the length of the rope. The length of the rope is the height of the building."

The student really had a strong case for full credit since he had really answered the question completely and correctly! On the other hand, if full credit were given, it could well contribute to a high grade in his physics course and to certify competence in physics, but the answer did not confirm this.

I suggested that the student have another try. I gave the student six minutes to answer the question with the warning that the answer
should show some knowledge of physics . At the end of five minutes, he had not written anything. I asked if he wished to give up, but he said he had many answers to this problem; he was just thinking of the best one . I excused myself for interrupting him and asked him to please go on.

In the next minute, he dashed off his answer, which read:

"Take the barometer to the top of the building and lean over the edge of the roof. Drop the barometer, timing its fall with a stopwatch. Then, using the formula x=0.5*a*t^^2,calculate the height of the building."

At this point, I asked my colleague if he would give up. He conceded, and gave the student almost full credit. While leaving my colleague's office, I recalled that the student had said that he had other answers to the problem, so I asked him what they were.

"Well," said the student, "there are many ways of getting the height of a tall building with the aid of a barometer.

For example, you could take the barometer out on a sunny day and measure the height of the barometer, the length of its shadow, and the length of the shadow of the building, and by the use of simple proportion, determine the height of the building."

"Fine," I said, "and others?"

"Yes," said the student, "there is a very basic measurement method you will like. In this method, you take the barometer and begin to walk up the stairs. As you climb the stairs, you mark off the length of the barometer along the wall. You then count the number of marks, and this will give you the height of the building in barometer units."

"A very direct method."

"Of course. If you want a more sophisticated method, you can tie the barometer to the end of a string, swing it as a pendulum, and
determine the value of g at the street level and at the top of the building. From the difference between the two values of g, the height of the building, in principle, can be calculated."

"On this same tact, you could take the barometer to the top of the building, attach a long rope to it, lower it to just above the street t, and then swing it as a pendulum. You could then calculate the height of the building by the period of the precession".

"Finally," he concluded, "there are many other ways of solving the problem. Probably the best," he said, "is to take the barometer to the
basement and knock on the superintendent's door. When the superintendent answers, you speak to him as follows: 'Mr. Superintendent, here is a fine barometer. If you will tell me the height of the building, I will give you this barometer."

At this point, I asked the student if he really did not know the conventional answer to this question. He admitted that he did, but
said that he was fed up with high school and college instructors trying to teach him how to think.

The student was Neils Bohr (quantum theory & physics & mechanics, hydrogen atom guru etc ) and the arbiter Rutherford.

THINK DIFFERENT

[Chappani]

That was a good one Kasi...
Adra Sakke, Adra Sakke :))

[malsi]

STAGES OF A WOMAN’S LIFE

Age 3: Looks at herself and sees a queen!

Age 8: Looks at herself and sees herself as Cinderella/Sleeping Beauty.

Age 15: Looks at herself and sees herself as Fat/Pimples/UGLY (Mom, I can't go to school looking like this!)

Age 20: Looks at herself and sees too fat/too thin, too short/too tall, too straight/too curly-- but decides she's going anyway.

Age 30: Looks at herself and sees too fat/too thin, too short/too tall, too straight/too curly -- but decides she doesn't have time to fix it so she's going anyway.

Age 40: Looks at herself and sees too fat/too thin, too short/too tall, too straight/too curly -- but says, At least I am clean, and goes anyway.

Age 50: Looks at herself and sees I am and goes wherever she wants to go.

Age 60: Looks at herself and reminds herself of all the people who can't even see themselves in the mirror anymore. She goes out and conquers the world.

Age 70: Looks at herself and sees wisdom, laughter and ability, goes out and enjoys life.

Age 80: Doesn't bother to look. Just puts on a purple hat and goes out to have fun with the world.

Maybe we should all grab that purple hat earlier!

[Lambretta]

Good one, malsi! :D
Btw, ith-ellam personal experience lenthu sollrengla?? :wink: Altho ungalku inno avolo vayasu aahale-nu nenaichinden......Kidding, sorry!! :lol:

[selvakumar]

Good one, malsi! :D
Btw, ith-ellam personal experience lenthu sollrengla?? :wink: Altho ungalku inno avolo vayasu aahale-nu nenaichinden......Kidding, sorry!! :lol:


I would be more happy if SP posted that one :lol: :D (SP - just kidding)

[malsi]

hahaha..kindala lambretta..i am 23..

[Lambretta]

hahaha..kindala lambretta..i am 23..
Ohh....so 1 yr younger than me! :)

[Alan]

[tscii:3c214764a0]
STAGES OF A WOMAN’S LIFE

Age 3: Looks at herself and sees a queen!
....

Great one, malsi![/tscii:3c214764a0]

[Alan]

Hi folks,
I want to thank all of you who have taken the time and trouble to send me your damn chain letters over the past year.
....


EXCELLENT, NOV! You are PHENOMENAL!!!! :lol: :lol: :lol: :) :) :) :D :lol: :lol: 8-)

[Alan]

A man was walking down the beach at sunset. ....

EXCELLENT, inspiring!

[malsi]

why lambretta..so you are 24?..good :)

[Lambretta]

why lambretta..so you are 24?..good :)
Good-aa??! :? Ethuku??!

[Sandeep]

why lambretta..so you are 24?..good :)
Good-aa??! :? Ethuku??!

24, so sad, you missed the 70s :lol:

[Lambretta]

why lambretta..so you are 24?..good :)
Good-aa??! :? Ethuku??!

24, so sad, you missed the 70s :lol:
Yea I know....no need to rub salt on my injury! :P :oops:
Wat abt u btw??

[Sandeep]

I also missed it by a whisker. But hell I am mad about 21 century and I am able to live in it.

[Lambretta]

I also missed it by a whisker. But hell I am mad about 21 century and I am able to live in it.
Hmm......is tat y ur shy abt letting know ur exact age? :)

[Sandeep]

I also missed it by a whisker. But hell I am mad about 21 century and I am able to live in it.
Hmm......is tat y ur shy abt letting know ur exact age? :)

No one ever asked and I never thought it was relavent. anyway my 26th birthday is approaching this year

[Sanguine Sridhar]

As you know chemical released by plastic water bottles can cause cancer
(It is not the water that affects you but the chemical released from the
bottle)

How to avoid: Check the bottom of the bottle there should be a triangle
sign and there will be a number on it. If the number is higher than or
equal to 5 --> then this bottle is safe to use. Numbers under 5 will
release the chemical. For most bottled water, the number is 1. Remember
to check and stop reusing those bottles.

[Sanguine Sridhar]

Here is a chance to make a difference, by devoting JUST 10 seconds a day.
You don't need to go anywhere, donate money, stage protests or shout
slogans.

How? If you use computer to work, just remember to switch off your monitor
every time you leave your desk. Very simple, isn't it?

What difference does it make? Roughly, normal monitors consume around 150
W. Even if your screen remains ON for 1 hour per day without any use,
energy wasted per day is 150 W-h (or 0.15 "units"). This is enough to light
a small lamp for 10 hours!



If you care to switch off your monitor each time you leave your place,

you save electricity enough for basic household needs of a small family in a village!



If your monitor remains ON overnight, this
figure becomes 10-fold - so you can probably save electricity for 10 families.



And supposing that you leave your seat 5 times a day and it takes
1 second to switch the monitor ON/OFF, you spend only 10 seconds a day for
this deed which saves LOTS of energy on a long run!

[Sanguine Sridhar]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nf/41336;_ylt=AiWSXRMSddgv7ulZcFQBBZlU.3QA;_ylu=X3oDM TA3cjE0b2MwBHNlYwM3Mzg-

[dev]

As you know chemical released by plastic water bottles can cause cancer
(It is not the water that affects you but the chemical released from the
bottle)

How to avoid: Check the bottom of the bottle there should be a triangle
sign and there will be a number on it. If the number is higher than or
equal to 5 --> then this bottle is safe to use. Numbers under 5 will
release the chemical. For most bottled water, the number is 1. Remember
to check and stop reusing those bottles.

I don't find any triangle sign or number in any of the bottles I've at home... Does it apply only in India or worldwide?...:roll:

[Sanguine Sridhar]

Dev,
I am not very sure but i will check it and tell you

[Sanguine Sridhar]

ONE PARAGRAPH THAT EXPLAINS LIFE!

Arthur Ashe, the legendary Wimbledon player was dying of AIDS which he got due to infected blood he received during a heart surgery in 1983. From world over, he received letters from his fans, one of which conveyed: "Why does GOD have to select you for such a bad disease"?

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

[dev]

ONE PARAGRAPH THAT EXPLAINS LIFE!


:clap: :clap: :clap:

[Sandeep]

First mistake is ok but Two mistakes in a row that to by God. Needs to be questioned. :roll:

[Sanguine Sridhar]

In ancient Greece (469 - 399 BC), Socrates was widely lauded for his wisdom.

One day the great philosopher came upon an acquaintance who ran up to him excitedly and said, "Socrates, do you know what I just heard about one of your students?"

Wait a moment," Socrates replied. "Before you tell me I'd like you to pass a little test.It's called the Triple Filter Test."

"Triple filter?"

"That's right," Socrates continued. "Before you talk to me about my student let's take a moment to filter what you're going to say. The first filter is Truth. Have you made absolutely sure that what you are about to tell me is true?"

"No," the man said, "actually I just heard about it and..."

"All right," said Socrates. "So you don't really know if it's true or not. Now let's try the second filter, the filter of Goodness. Is what you are about to tell me about my student something good?"

"No, on the contrary..."

"So," Socrates continued, "you want to tell me something bad about him, even though you're not certain it's true?"

The man shrugged, a little embarrassed.

Socrates continued. "You may still pass the test though,because there is a third filter - the filter of Usefulness. Is what you want to tell me about my student going to be useful to me?"

"No, not really..."

"Well," concluded Socrates, "if what you want to tell me is neither True nor Good nor even Useful,why tell it to me at all?"

The man was defeated and ashamed.

[Alan]

ONE PARAGRAPH THAT EXPLAINS LIFE!

Arthur Ashe, the legendary Wimbledon player was dying of AIDS which he got due to infected blood he received during a heart surgery in 1983. From world over, he received letters from his fans, one of which conveyed: "Why does GOD have to select you for such a bad disease"?

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

Nice one! Beckham!

[Lambretta]

In ancient Greece (469 - 399 BC)...........The man was defeated and ashamed.
Um, Becks, this one was already posted earlier....& Nov gave a continuation o f this story- bcos of stopping tat man from telling him wat he wanted to, Socrates never found out tat his wife was having an affair w/ his student Plato! :P

[Akash]

The Glass of Water

A professor began his class by holding up a glass with some water in
it. He held it up for all to see & asked the students,' How much do
you think this glass weighs?'

'50gms!' .... '100gms!' ......'125gms' ......the students answered.

'I really don't know unless I weigh it,' said the professor, 'but, my
question is: What would happen if I held it up like this for a few
minutes?'
'Nothing' the students said.

'Ok what would happen if I held it up like this for an hour?' the professor
asked.
'Your arm would begin to ache' said one of the students.

'You're right, now what would happen if I held it for a day?'
'Your arm could go numb, you might have severe muscle stress & paralysis
& have to go to hospital for sure!' ventured another student & all the
students laughed.

'Very good. But during all this, did the weight of the glass change?'
asked the professor.
'No'
'Then what caused the arm ache & the muscle stress?'
The students were puzzled.

'Put the glass down!' said one of the students.

'Exactly!' said the professor.
'Life's problems are something like this. Hold it for a few minutes in your
head & they seem OK.
Think of them for a long time & they begin to ache.
Hold it even longer & they begin to paralyze you.
You will not be able to do anything.'

It's important to think of the challenges (problems) in your life, but
EVEN MORE IMPORTANT to 'put them down' at the end of every day before you
go to sleep. That way, you are not stressed, you wake up every day fresh &
strong & can handle any issue, any challenge that comes your way!'

So, as it becomes time for you to leave office today,

Remember friend to 'PUT THE GLASS DOWN TODAY! '

[Anoushka]

As you know chemical released by plastic water bottles can cause cancer
(It is not the water that affects you but the chemical released from the
bottle)

How to avoid: Check the bottom of the bottle there should be a triangle
sign and there will be a number on it. If the number is higher than or
equal to 5 --> then this bottle is safe to use. Numbers under 5 will
release the chemical. For most bottled water, the number is 1. Remember
to check and stop reusing those bottles.

I don't find any triangle sign or number in any of the bottles I've at home... Does it apply only in India or worldwide?...:roll:

Dev, it should be worldwide, most if not all plastic bottles, boxes should have the recycle symbol and the grade of the plastic within the recycle symbol mentioned somewhere. Though I am not sure about Sridhar's claim of grade 1 plastics releasing chemicals... :)

[Sanguine Sridhar]

A lovely lesson for life!!!!

A student asks a teacher: What is love?

The teacher said: in order to answer your question, go to the paddy

field and choose the biggest paddy and come back.

But the rule is: you can go through them only once and cannot turn back

to pick.



The student went to the field, go thru first row, he saw one big paddy,


but he wonders....may be there is a bigger one later. Then he saw

another bigger one... but may be there is an even bigger one waiting

for him.



Later, when he finished more than half of the paddy field, he start to

realize that the paddy is not as big as the previous one he saw, he


know

he has missed the biggest one, and he regretted. So, he ended up went

back to the teacher with empty hand.



The teacher told him, this is love

you keep looking for a better one,

but when later you realize, you have already miss the person

The student asked: What is marriage then?

The teacher said: In order to answer your question, go to the corn

Field and choose the biggest corn and come back.

But the rule is: you can go through them only once and cannot turn back

to pick.





The student went to the corn field, this time he is careful not to

repeat the previous mistake, when he reach the middle of the field, he

has picked one medium corn that he feel satisfied, and came back to the

teacher.



The teacher told him, this time you bring back a corn.... you look for

one that is just nice, and you have faith and believe this is the best

one you get.... this is marriage



Be courteous to all , but intimate with few

[Alan]

Extremely good one :)

An Excerpt.....
Some time ago I received a call from a colleague. He was about to give a student a zero for his answer to a physics question, while the student claimed a perfect score. The instructor and the student agreed to an impartial arbiter, and I was selected.

..............

:D Great one!

[Lambretta]

Becks, this one was already posted here b4, in this thread itself...but still, worth reading again! :D

[pavalamani pragasam]

SOMEONE said...
Somebody said it takes about six weeks to get back to normal after you've had a baby .

Somebody doesn't know that once you're a mother, "Normal," is history.
Somebody said you learn how to be a mother by instinct
Somebody never took a three-year-old shopping.

Somebody said being a mother is boring ......

Somebody never rode in a car driven by a teenager with a driver's permit.

Somebody said if you're a "good" mother, your child will "turn out good"
Somebody thinks a child comes with directions and a guarantee.

Somebody said "good" mothers never raise their voices .
Somebody never came out the back door just in time to see her child hit a golf ball through the neighbor's kitchen window.

Somebody said you don't need an education to be a mother.
Somebody never helped a fourth grader with her math.

Somebody said you can't love the fifth child as much as you love the first.

Somebody doesn't have five children.

Somebody said a mother can find all the answers to her child-rearing questions in the books ........
Somebody never had a child stuff beans up his nose or in his ears.

Somebody said the hardest part of being a mother is labor and delivery
Somebody never watched her "baby" get on the bus for the first day of kindergarten.
or on a plane headed for military "boot camp."

Somebody said a mother can do her job with her eyes closed and one hand tied behind her back .......
somebody never organized four giggling Brownies to sell cookies.


Somebody said a mother can stop worrying after her child gets married .... Somebody doesn't know that marriage adds a new son or daughter-in-law to a mother's heartstrings.

Somebody said a mother's job is done when her last child leaves home ..
Somebody never had grandchildren.

Somebody said your mother knows you love her, so you don't need to tell her . Somebody isn't a mother.

Pass this along to all the "mothers" in your life.
Have a Blessed Day!

[Sanguine Sridhar]

This poem was nominated poem of 2005 for the best poem, written by an African kid.........amazing thought!!!



When I born, I Black,

When I grow up, I Black,

When I go in Sun, I Black,

When I scared, I Black,

When I sick, I Black,

And when I die, I still black..

And you White fella,

When you born, you Pink,

When you grow up, you White,

When you go in Sun, you Red,

When you cold, you Blue,

When you scared, you Yellow,

When you sick, you Green,

And when you die, you Gray..

And you calling me Colored ??

[Alan]

Oops I'm not one for racial jokes.

[Shekhar]

That was great, PP Mam!!! :clap: :clap:

[pavalamani pragasam]

Thanx, Shekhar :D

[rajraj]

pp: You can add this title of a book to your list:


'Raising Kids in America is Like Having a Mouse Inside Your Head Eating Your Brain Cells'. :)

[pavalamani pragasam]

How horrid :shock: :lol:

[dev]

pp: You can add this title of a book to your list:


'Raising Kids in America is Like Having a Mouse Inside Your Head Eating Your Brain Cells'. :)

:twisted: :lol:... I guess it's the same wherever U are... :wink:

[Lambretta]

This poem was nominated poem of 2005 for the best poem, written by an African kid.........amazing thought!!!
Nice one Becks! :)

[Lambretta]

pp: You can add this title of a book to your list:

'Raising Kids in America is Like Having a Mouse Inside Your Head Eating Your Brain Cells'. :)
:twisted: :lol:... I guess it's the same wherever U are... :wink:
I think its actually abt raising teenage kids in America...... :P :D
But yea its gettin to be the same pretty much everywhere else! :(

[rajraj]

I think its actually abt raising teenage kids in America...... :P :D


No Lambretta! It applies to all children from kindergarten to college age. :) It is difficult for people to understand unless they have lived in the US and raised kids! :)

[malsi]

nice one beckham !

[Querida]

rajraj i think that's wrong ...really US culture can't always be the scapegoat. It depends on your personality as well as your child...there's way too many factors to take into account for a child to go astray than just a "free" culture :x this is why elderly people/people back home are shocked when we kids are polite and just normal...stop feeding them this nonsense!....

[Lambretta]

No Lambretta! It applies to all children from kindergarten to college age. :) It is difficult for people to understand unless they have lived in the US and raised kids! :)
If ur referring to Indians, might I amend this by saying "its difficult for ppl. to understand unless they hav lived in today's Delhi, Bbay or B'lore & raised kids!" :lol:

[a.ratchasi]

It is a myth that when a son gets married and a new daughter in law arrives in the family, everything changes. Some daughters in law are well trained and well mannered. They don't come to change the family but they are here to............

The new wife was being welcomed at the husband's home in a traditional manner.

As expected she gave a speech:
My dear family, I thank you for welcoming me into my new home and family", she said "Firstly, my being here does not mean that I would want to change your way of life or your routine. No, I will never do that, never in a million years".

"What do you mean my child?" Asked the father in law.

"What I mean dad is (looking at her father in law):

Those who used to wash dishes must carry on washing them.
Those who used to do the laundry must carry on doing it.
Those who cooked shouldn't stop at my account, and
Those who used to clean should continue cleaning".

"Then what are you here for?" Asked the mother in law.

"As for me, my job is to only entertain your son!"

[pavalamani pragasam]

a.r! :wink: :clap: :thumbsup:

[rajraj]

dev,pp: Here is the rest of the story. The dad found an apartment for his son and told his daughter in law that she needed more privacy than what she could get in his house to entertain his son! :) :lol:

[pavalamani pragasam]

:rotfl: There is a sure chance of a house husband emerging!

[dev]

;) :)

[Lambretta]

dev,pp: Here is the rest of the story. The dad found an apartment for his son and told his daughter in law that she needed more privacy than what she could get in his house to entertain his son! :) :lol:
Hmm......story sounds very much like a recent Telugu movie I've seen.....:lol:

[pavalamani pragasam]

[tscii:3b9f98d818]I OWE MY MOTHER

1. My mother taught me TO APPRECIATE A JOB WELL DONE.
"If you're going to kill each other, do it outside. I just finished cleaning."

2. My mother taught me RELIGION.
"You better pray that stain will come out of the carpet."


3. My mother taught me about TIME TRAVEL..
"If you don't straighten up, I'm going to knock you into the middle of next week!"

4. My mother taught me LOGIC.
"Because I said so, that's why."

5. My mother taught me MORE LOGIC.
"If you fall out of that swing and break your neck, you're not going to the store with me."

6. My mother taught me WISDOM.
"When you get to be my age, you'll understand."

7. My mother taught me IRONY.
"Keep crying and I'll give you something to cry about."

8. My mother taught me about the science of OSMOSIS.
"Shut your mouth and eat your supper."

9. My mother taught me about CONTORTIONISM.
"Will you look at that dirt on the back of your neck?"

10. My mother taught me about STAMINA.
"You'll sit there until all that spinach is gone."

11. My mother taught me about WEATHER.
"This room of yours looks as if a tornado went through it."

12. My mother taught me about HYPOCRISY.
"If I told you once, I've told you a million times. Don't exaggerate!"

13. My mother taught me the CIRCLE OF LIFE.
"I brought you into this world, and I can take you out."

14. My mother taught me about BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION.
"Stop acting like your father!"

15. My mother taught me about ENVY.
"There are millions of less fortunate children in this world who don't have wonderful parents like you do."

16. My mother taught me about ANTICIPATION.
"Just wait until we get home."

17. My mother taught me about RECEIVING.
"You are going to get it when you get home!"

18. My mother taught me MEDICAL SCIENCE.
"If you don't stop crossing your eyes, they are going to get stuck that way."

19. My mother taught me ESP.
"Put your sweater on; don't you think I know when you are cold?"

20. My mother taught me HUMOR.
"When that lawn mower cuts off your toes, don't come running to me."

21. My mother taught me HOW TO BECOME AN ADULT.
"If you don't eat your vegetables, you'll never grow up."

22. My mother taught me GENETICS.
"You're just like your father."

23. My mother taught me about my ROOTS.
"Shut that door behind you. Do you think you were born in a barn?"

24. And my favorite: My mother taught me about JUSTICE.
"One day you'll have kids, and I hope they turn out just like you.”
[/tscii:3b9f98d818]

[dev]

:rotfl: @ PP...

[Lambretta]

:rotfl: @ PP...
-do-

:)

[pavalamani pragasam]

:lol:

[pooja.shankar]

STORY 1

It's a fine sunny day in the forest, and a rabbit
is sitting outside his burrow, tippy-tapping on his typewriter.
Along comes a fox, out for a walk.
Fox : "What are you working on?"
Rabbit : "My thesis."
Fox : "Hmm. What is it about?"
Rabbit : "Oh, I'm writing about how rabbits eat foxes."
Fox : "That's ridiculous! Any fool knows that rabbits don't eat
foxes!"
Rabbit : "Come with me and I'll show you!"
They both disappear into the rabbit's burrow. After a few minutes,
gnawing
on a fox bone, the rabbit returns to his typewriter and resumes
typing. Soon
a wolf comes along and stops to watch the hardworking rabbit.
Wolf : "What's that you are writing?"
Rabbit : "I'm doing a thesis on how rabbits eat wolves."
Wolf : "You don't expect to get such rubbish published, do you?"
Rabbit : "No problem. Do you want to see why?"
The rabbit and the wolf go into the burrow, and again the rabbit
returns by
himself, after a few minutes, and goes back to typing. Finally a
bear comes
along and asks, "What are you doing?"
Rabbit : "I'm doing a thesis on how rabbits eat bears."
Bear : "Well that's absurd!
Rabbit : "Come into my home and I'll show you"
As they enter the burrow, the rabbit introduces the bear to the
lion.

Moral: IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW SILLY YOUR THESIS TOPIC IS; WHAT
MATTERS
IS WHO YOU HAVE FOR A SUPERVISOR.
In the context of the working world:-
IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW BAD YOUR PERFORMANCE IS;
WHAT MATTERS IS WHETHER YOUR BOSS LIKES YOU. :P :P :P

[RP]

Moral: IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW SILLY YOUR THESIS TOPIC IS; WHAT
MATTERS
IS WHO YOU HAVE FOR A SUPERVISOR.
In the context of the working world:-
IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW BAD YOUR PERFORMANCE IS;
WHAT MATTERS IS WHETHER YOUR BOSS LIKES YOU.[/quote] :P :P :P[/quote]

Well Depends on how good/bad ur boss is..............Poison is said to kill poison............
:wink:
“When the boss is a way, work becomes a holiday.” :lol:

[Shekhar]

Things I have learned in my life.
As I Walk Through Life

I've learned -
that you cannot make someone love you.
All you can do is be someone who can be loved.
The rest is up to them

I've learned
that no matter how much I care,
some people just don't care back.

I've learned
that it takes years to build up trust
and only seconds to destroy it.

I've learned
that it's not what you have in your life
but who you have in your life that counts.

I've learned
that you can get by on charm for about fifteen minutes.
After that, you'd better know something.

I've learned
that you shouldn't compare yourself to the best others can do.
but to the best you can do.

I've learned
that it's not what happens to people
that's important. It's what they do about it.

I've learned
that you can do something in an instant
that will give you heart ache for life.

I've learned
that no matter how thin you slice it,
there are always two sides.

I've Learned
that it's taking me a long time to
become the person I want to be.

I've learned
that it's a lot easier to react than
it is to think.

I've learned
that you should always leave loved ones with loving words.
It may be the last time you see them.

I've learned
that you can keep going long after you think you can't.

I've learned
that we are responsible for what we do,
no matter how we feel.

I've learned
that either you control your attitude
or it controls you.

I've learned
that regardless of how hot and steamy a relationship is at first,
the passion fades and there had better be something else to take its place.

I've learned
that heroes are the people who do what has to be done when it
needs to be done, regardless of the consequences.

I've learned
that learning to forgive takes practice.

I've learned
that there are people who love you dearly,
but just don't know how to show it.

I've learned
that money is a lousy way of keeping score.

I've learned
that my best friend and I can do anything
or nothing and have the best time.

I've learned
that sometimes the people you expect to kick you when you're down will be the ones to help you get back up.

I've learned
that sometimes when I'm angry I have the right to be angry
but that doesn't give me the right to be cruel.

I've learned
that true friendship continues grow
even over the longest distance.
Same goes for true love.

I've learned
that just because someone doesn't love you
the way you want them to doesn't mean
they don't love you with all they have.

I've learned
that maturity has more to do with what types of experiences you've had and what you've learned from them and less to do with how many birthdays you've celebrated.

I've learned
that you should never tell a child that their dreams are unlikely or outlandish.
Few things are more humiliating, and what a tragedy it would if they believed it.

I've learned
that your family won't always be there for you.
It may seem funny, but people you aren't related to
can take care of you and love you and teach you to trust people again.
Families aren't biological.

I've learned
that no matter how good a friend is, they're going to hurt you every once in a while and you must forgive them for that.

I've learned
that it isn't always enough to be forgiven by others.
Sometimes you have to learn to forgive yourself.

I've learned
that no matter how bad your heart is broken,
the world doesn't stop for your grief.

I've learned
that our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are,
but we are responsible for who we become.

I've learned
that sometimes when my friends fight,
I'm forced to choose sides even when I don't want to.

I've learned
that just because two people argue, it doesn't mean they don't love each other
And just because they don't argue, it doesn't mean they do.

I've learned
that sometimes you have to put
the individual ahead of their actions.

I've learned
that we don't have to change friends
if we understand that friends change.

I've learned
that you shouldn't be so eager to find
out a secret. It could change your life forever.

I've learned
that two people can look at the exact same thing
and see something totally different.

I've learned
that no matter how you try to protect your children,
they will eventually get hurt and you will hurt in the process.

I've learned
that there are many ways of falling and staying in love.

I've learned
that no matter the consequences,
those who are honest with themselves get farther in life.

I've learned
that no matter how many friends you have,
if you are their pillar you will feel lonely and lost
at the times you need them most.

I've learned
that your life can be changed in a matter of hours
by people who don't even know you.

I've learned
that even when you think you have no more to give,
when a friend cries out to you,
you will find strength to help.

I've learned
that writing, as well as talking,
can ease emotional pains.

I've learned
that the paradigm we live in
is not all that is offered to us.

I've learned
that credentials on the wall
do not make you a decent human being.

I've learned
that although the word "love" can have many different meanings,
it loses value when overly used.

I've learned
that it's hard to determine where to draw the line between being
nice and not hurting people's feelings and standing up for what you believe.

[pavalamani pragasam]

Vvvvery loooong, but vvvvvery truuuuuue!

[Shakthiprabha.]

yup :clap:

[Shekhar]

Vvvvery loooong, but vvvvvery truuuuuue!

Mam, only this once... I can never compete with you!! :D :D

[Querida]

Vvvvery loooong, but vvvvvery truuuuuue!

I wholeheartedly agree :D

[Nerd]

A bit long, but surely worth reading, u wont regret :)


A young man learns what's most important in life from the guy next door.

It had been some time since Jack had seen the old man. College, girls,
career, and life itself got in the way. In fact, Jack moved clear
across the country in pursuit of his dreams. There, in the rush of his
busy life, Jack had little time to think about the past and often no
time to spend with his wife and son. He was working on his future, and
nothing could stop him.





Over the phone, his mother told him, "Mr. Belser died last night. The
funeral is Wednesday." Memories flashed through his mind like an old
newsreel as he sat quietly remembering his childhood days.





"Jack, did you hear me?"





"Oh, sorry, Mom. Yes, I heard you. It's been so long since I thought
of him. I'm sorry, but I honestly thought he died years ago," Jack
said.





"Well, he didn't forget you. Every time I saw him he'd ask how you were
doing. He'd reminisce about the many days you spent over 'his side of
the fence' as he put it," Mom told him.





"I loved that old house he lived in," Jack said.


"You know, Jack, after your father died, Mr. Belser stepped in to make
sure you had a man's influence in your life," she said.




"He's the one who taught me carpentry," he said. "I wouldn't be in this
business if it weren't for him. He spent a lot of time teaching me
things he thought were important . . . Mom, I'll be there for the
funeral," Jack said.


As busy as he was, he kept his word. Jack caught the next flight to his
hometown. Mr. Belser's funeral was small and uneventful. He had no
children of his own, and most of his relatives had passed away.





The night before he had to return home, Jack and his Mom stopped by to
see the old house next door one more time.





Standing in the doorway, Jack paused for a moment. It was like crossing
over into another dimension, a leap through space and time. The house
was exactly as he remembered. Every step held memories. Every picture,
every piece of furniture . . . Jack stopped suddenly.


"What's wrong, Jack?" his Mom asked. "The box is gone," he said.
"What box?" Mom asked.

"There was a small gold box that he kept locked on top of his desk. I
must have asked him a thousand times what was inside. All he'd ever
tell me was 'the thing I value most,'" Jack said.


It was gone. Everything about the house was exactly how Jack remembered
it, except for the box. He figured someone from the Belser family had
taken it.





"Now I'll never know what was so valuable to him," Jack said. "I better
get some sleep. I have an early flight home, Mom."





It had been about two weeks since Mr. Belser died. Returning home from
work one day Jack discovered a note in his mailbox. "Signature required
on a package. No one at home. Please stop by the main post office
within the next three days," the note read.






Early the next day Jack retrieved the package. The small box was old and
looked like it had been mailed a hundred years ago. The handwriting was
difficult to read, but the return address caught his attention. "Mr.
Harold Belser" it read. Jack took the box out to his car and ripped
open the package. There inside was the gold box and an envelope.
Jack's hands shook as he read the note inside.


"Upon my death, please forward this box and its contents to Jack
Bennett. It's the thing I valued most in my life." A small key was
taped to the letter. His heart racing, as tears filling his eyes, Jack
carefully unlocked the box. There inside he found a beautiful gold
pocket watch.





Running his fingers slowly over the finely etched casing, he unlatched
the cover. Inside he found these words engraved:


"Jack, Thanks for your time! -Harold Belser."





"The thing he valued most was . . . my time"





Jack held the watch for a few minutes, then called his office and
cleared his appointments for the next two days. "Why?" Janet, his
assistant asked.


"I need some time to spend with my son," he said. "Oh, by the way,
Janet, thanks for your time!"





"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take but by the
moments that take our breath away,"





Think about this. You may not realize it, but it's 100% true.





1. At least 2 people in this world love you so much they would die for
you.





2. At least 15 people in this world love you in some way.





3. A smile from you can bring happiness to anyone, even if they don't
like you.





4. Every night, SOMEONE thinks about you before they go to sleep.





5. You mean the world to someone.





6. If not for you, someone may not be living.





7. You are special and unique.





8. When you think you have no chance of getting what you want, you
probably won't get it, but if you trust God to do what's best, and wait
on His time, sooner or later, you will get it or something better.





9. When you make the biggest mistake ever, something good can still come
from it.





10. When you think the world has turned its back on you, take a look:
you most likely turned your back on the world.





11. Someone that you don't even know exists loves you.





12. Always remember the compliments you received. Forget about the rude
remarks.





13. Always tell someone how you feel about them; you will feel much
better when they know and you'll both be happy.





14. If you have a great friend, take the time to let them know that they
are great.

[ssanjinika]

That is one of the most beautiful things Ive ever read. :clap: :clap:

[a.ratchasi]

Someday when my children are old enough to
understand the logic that motivates a parent, I will
tell them, as my Mean Mom told me:

I loved you enough .. . . to ask where you were going,
with whom, and what time you would be home.

I loved you enough to be silent and let you
discover that your new best friend was a creep.
I loved you enough to stand over you for two hours
while you cleaned your room, a job that should have
taken 15 minutes.

I loved you enough to let you see anger,
disappointment, and tears in my eyes. Children must
learn that their parents aren't perfect.

I loved you enough to let you assume the
responsibility for your actions even when the
penalties were so harsh they almost broke my heart.

But most of all, I loved you enough . . . to say
NO when I knew you would hate me for it.

Those were the most difficult battles of all. I'm
glad I won them, because in the end you won, too.
And someday when your children are old enough to
understand the logic that motivates parents, you
will tell them.

Was your Mom mean? I know mine was. We had the
meanest mother in the whole world! While other kids
ate candy for breakfast, we had to have cereal,
eggs, and toast. When others had a Pepsi and a
Twinkie for lunch, we had to eat sandwiches. And you
can guess our mother fixed us a dinner that was
different from what other kids had, too.

Mother insisted on knowing where we were at all
times. You'd think we were convicts in a prison. She
had to know who our friends were, and what we were
doing with them. She insisted that if we said we
would be gone for an hour, we would be gone for an
hour or less.

We were ashamed to admit it, but she had the nerve
to break the Child Labor Laws by making us work. We
had to wash the dishes, make the beds, learn to
cook, vacuum the floor, do laundry, empty the trash
and all sorts of cruel jobs. I think she would lie
awake at night thinking of more things for us to do.

She always insisted on us telling the truth, the
whole truth, and nothing but the truth. By the time
we were teenagers, she could read our minds and had
eyes in the back of her head. Then, life was really
tough!


Mother wouldn't let our friends just honk the horn
when they drove up. They had to come up to the door
so she could meet them. While everyone else could
date when they were 12 or 13, we had to wait until
we were 16.

Because of our mother we missed out on lots of
been caught shoplifting, vandalizing other's
property or ever arrested for any crime. It was all her
fault.

Now that we have left home, we are all educated,
honest adults. We are doing our best to be mean
parents just like Mom was.

I think that is what's wrong with the world today.

It just doesn't have enough mean moms!

[pavalamani pragasam]

Excellent posts, nerd & a.r.!

[dev]

nerd & a.r... :thumbsup:

[RP]

Great Shekhar......... :thumbsup:

[pavalamani pragasam]

[tscii:95604cfbfe]A man asked his wife what she wanted for her birthday. She said, “I’d love to be ten again.” On her birthday, he got her up bright and early and took her to a theme park. He put her on every ride in the park- the Death Slide, The Screaming Loop, The Wall of Fear. She staggered out of the theme park five hours later, her head reeling and her stomach turning. Then off to a movie theatre, popcorn, cola and sweets. Finally she staggered home with her husband and collapsed into bed. Her husband leaned over and asked, “Well, dear, what was it like being ten again?” One eye opened and she groaned, “Actually, honey, I meant dress size!”[/tscii:95604cfbfe]

[Querida]

Oh but it's the thought that counts...that is so sweet to have devoted atleast some thought as to how to make her special day enjoyable.. :D

[NOV]

Daughter-In-Law:"When I cooked food which are blend, you will grumble that they are tasteless. Now that I have cooked saltier, you complained that you can't swallow this at all! What exactly do you want?"

When the son came back, the mother immediately ate the food without a word. She stared at him. The son took a taste of his mother's food and spit out immediately.

He ranted at his wife," Didn't I told you that my mother cannot take salty food?!"

The wife shouted,"OK! She's your mum! You cook for her in future!"
After saying that, she stormed into their room angrily.

Feeling helpless, the son told the mother,"Mum, don't eat this
anymore. I will cook you a bowl of noodles."

The mother said,"Son, you have something to tell me? Don't keep
everything to yourself."

Son:"Mum, I am going to get promoted soon and my upcoming working schedule will be very, very tight...and as for my wife...ummm...she said she will be going out to work...."

The mother understood what he meant and said in pleadingly, "Son,please don't send me to Old Folks' Home."

The son remained silent and tried to think of a good reason to
persuade her mother. Then he said," There is nothing wrong with
the Old Folks' Home. Once my wife goes out to work, no one will
serve you as well as the Home which provides you meals and care. It would definitely much better than being at home."

The son went for a bath after that and went into the Study Room. He looked out from the windows and thought back and hesitated a
while....His mother had remained a widow since she was
young with him, and brought him up painstakingly, all alone.

She had tried all means to earn as much as she could, in order to support him in studying overseas. Yet she expected nothing nor
used her past painful experience to threaten his son to be filial.

While now, his wife was threatening him with the stake of their
marriage. "Should I send my Mum to the Home?" He asked himself.

"The only person who will accompany you till the end of your life
would be your wife.." said a friend. "Your mother is in old age now, and if she's lucky, she might be able to live for a few more years. Why not be filial to her for this period of time? reminded by some relatives.

He was stuck in a dilemma. He did not want to think anymore, in order not to affect his decision. The son found a Home with high
standards, built on a beautiful and transquil mountain top. He told
himself that he would feel much better when the more he spent.

When the son helped his mother into the lobby of the Home, the 42" TV was tuned on. The programme shown on screen was a comedy. But no one was laughing.

A few old folks, dressed in similar clothing,were sitting there, in a daze. There was one who was sitting improperly on a sofa, there
was one who was bending down to pick up a piece of biscuit from the floor, there was one who was talking to himself...

The son knew that his mother likes sunlight, so he chose a room with ample sun rays shining into the room. The view out from the room, was a greenery scene. Few nurses were wheeling some old
folks out for some fresh air.

It was so pathetic of silence in the background. The sun would still
need to set down. Soon it was dusk. The son told the mother,"Mum, I am leaving." The mother waved to him to say goodbye, opening her toothless mouth..

He turned back to look at his mother. She was full of grey hair and
wrinkled skin with deep set eyes...He found that she was really old.

He remembered when he was six, due to some circumstances, his mother could not bring him along with her thus temporarily placed him at a relative's home for few days. He recalled hugging his
mother's thigh and begged her not to leave him alone. In the end, his mother did not leave him and decided to take him along with her.

When he returned home, his wife and his mother-in-law were busy discarding things from his mother's room, happily. One of the discarded item was his tall trophy which he had won as First Prize when he was young. He had written an essay "MY MOTHER".

The second item discarded was a dictionary. That was the first gift
from his mother, who scrimped and saved for a month in order to buy for him.

He shouted,"Enough! Stop discarding things anymore!" His mother-in-law cried," There is so much rubbish. If don't discard, there would not be any place for my stuff."

His wife continued,"Yeah! Need to dump away that old, stinky bed of your mum too. We will buy a new bed for my mum later,"

He saw some pictures from the stack..they were taken at a zoo and an amusement park when his mother had taken him there.

"These are precious belongings of my Mum! You can't discard them!"

"What sort of attitude is this? I demand you to apologise to my Mum NOW!" ranted the wife.

The husband said," When I married you, I promised you I will love your Mum too. But why can't you be the same?"

He went back to the Home and saw his mother weeping between her frail legs. She was missing the moments when her son would apply ointment for her every night...The son kneeled before her and said,"Mum, I am here. I brought the ointment too."

The mother said," I will apply it myself, Son! You still need to work
tomorrow. Go home, Son!"

Son said, "Mum, please forgive me! Let's go home!"

[pavalamani pragasam]

Very touching, and reveals people's nature!

[Querida]

I don't understand...why would the wife want the mother to leave if she was so nice? Why would the son want to stay such a narrow-minded wife? Why would the son only remember at the home all the things his mother did for him? Why would he take her to a home and let his mother-in-law move in? It makes no sense...and if it does make sense to some people than that is very scary :? :(

[ssanjinika]

And the daughter in law is potrayed as an evil DIL from hell :evil:. A biased,cliched story if I ever saw one!!!

[Querida]

And the daughter in law is potrayed as an evil DIL from hell :evil:. A biased,cliched story if I ever saw one!!!

Natch!

[Lambretta]

Here's something I came across in my Y! group.......v.worth reading!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

ONE BEDROOM FLAT... AN INDIAN SOFTWARE ENGINEER'S LIFE...
Article By an Indian SE who was in US. - A Bitter Reality

As the dream of most parents I had acquired a degree in Software Engineering and joined a company based in USA, the land of dreams and opportunity. When I arrived in the USA, it was as if my dream had come true.
Here at last I was in the place where I wanted to be. I decided I would be staying in this country for about Five years in which time I would have earned enough money to settle down in India.

My father was a government employee and after his retirement, the only asset he could acquire was a decent one bedroom flat.
I wanted to do some thing more than him.

Soon, I started feeling homesick and lonely as the time passed. I used to call home and speak to my parents every week using cheap international phone cards. Two years passed, two years of Burgers at McDonald's and pizzas and discos and 2 years watching the foreign exchange rate getting happy whenever the Rupee value went down.
Finally I decided to get married. Told my parents that I have only 10 days of holidays and everything must be done within these 10 days. I got my ticket booked in the cheapest flight. Was jubilant and was actually enjoying hopping for gifts for all my friends back home. If I miss anyone then there will be talks. After reaching home I spent home one week going through all the photographs of girls and as the time was getting shorter I was forced to select one candidate.
My in-laws told me, to my surprise, that I would have to get married in 2-3 days, as I will not get anymore holidays. After the marriage, it was time to return to USA, after giving some money to my parents and telling the neighbors to look after them, I returned to USA with my wife.
My wife enjoyed this country for about two months and then she started feeling lonely. The frequency of calling India increased to twice in a week sometimes 3 times a week. Our savings started diminishing. After two more years we started to have kids. Two lovely kids, a boy and a girl, were gifted to us by the almighty. Every time I spoke to my parents, they asked me to come to India so that they can see their grand-children.
Every year I decided to go to India. But part work part monetary conditions prevented it. Years went by and visiting India was a
distant dream. Then suddenly one day I got a message that my parents were seriously sick. I tried but I couldn't get any holidays and thus could not go to India. The next message I got was my parents had passed away and as there was no one to do the last rights the society members had done whatever they could. I was depressed. My parents had passed away without seeing their grand children!
After couple more years passed, much to my children's dislike and my wife's joy we returned to India this time, to settle down. I started to look for a suitable property, but to my dismay my savings were short and the property prices had gone up during all these years. I had to return to the USA.

My wife refused to come back with me and my children refused to stay in India. My 2 children and I returned to USA after promising my wife I would be back for good after two years.
Time passed by, my daughter decided to get married to an American and my son was happy living in USA. I decided that had enough and wound-up every thing and returned to India. I had just enough money to buy a decent 02 bedroom flat in a well-developed locality.
Now I am 60 years old and the only time I go out of the flat is for the routine visit to the nearby temple. My faithful wife has also left
me and gone to the holy abode.
Sometimes I wondered was it worth all this? My father, even after staying in India and having earned less than I had, had a house to his name and I too have the same nothing more.

I lost my parents and children for just ONE EXTRA BEDROOM.

Looking out from the window I see a lot of children dancing. This damned cable TV has spoiled our new generation and these children are losing their values and culture because of it. I get occasional cards from my children asking I am alright. Well at least they remember me.

Now perhaps after I die it will be the neighbors again who will be performing my last rights, God Bless them. But the question still remains 'was all this worth it?'

I am still searching for an answer................!!!

[pavalamani pragasam]

:thumbsup:
Thought-provoking!

[Lambretta]

:thumbsup:
Thought-provoking!
But wud it be eye-opening?? :|
Aside, I'm sure ther r many many bitter realities similar 2 this at present......! :(

[pavalamani pragasam]

Nobody CARES! So strong is the temptation of money & the comforts it buys! It blinds the eyes!

[Lambretta]

Yea PP mam, I hav no option but to agree.......! :(

[Shakthiprabha.]

How old is Grandma???

One evening a grandson was talking to his grandmother about current events.
The grandson asked his grandmother what she thought about the shootings at schools, the computer age, and just things in general.

The Grandma replied, "Well, let me think a minute, I was born before:

' television

' penicillin

' polio shots

' frozen foods

' Xerox

' contact lenses

' Frisbees and

' the pill

There was no:

' radar

' credit cards

' laser beams or

' ball-point pens

Man had not invented:

' pantyhose

' air conditioners

' dishwashers

' clothes dryers

' and the clothes were hung out to dry in the fresh air and

' man hadn't yet walked on the moon



Every family had a father and a mother.

Until I was 25, I called every man older than me, "Sir".
And after I turned 25, I still called policemen and every man with a title, "Sir."

We were before gay-rights, computer- dating, dual careers, daycare centers, and group therapy.

Our lives were governed by the Ten Commandments, good judgment, and common sense.

We were taught to know the difference between right and wrong and to stand up and take responsibility for our actions.

Serving your country was a privilege; living in this country was a bigger privilege.

We thought fast food was what people ate during Lent.

Having a meaningful relationship meant getting along with your cousins.

Time-sharing meant time the family spent together in the evenings and weekends-not purchasing condominiums.

We never heard of FM radios, tape decks, CDs, electric typewriters, yogurt, or guys wearing earrings.

We listened to the Big Bands, Jack Benny, and the President's speeches on our radios.

The term 'making out' referred to how you did on your school exam.

Pizza Hut, McDonald's, and instant coffee were unheard of.

We had 5 &10-cent stores where you could actually buy things for 5 and 10 cents.

Ice-cream cones, phone calls, rides on a streetcar, and a Pepsi were all a nickel.

And if you didn't want to splurge, you could spend your nickel on enough stamps to mail 1 letter and 2 postcards.

You could buy a new Chevy Coupe for $600, . . but who could afford one? Too bad, because gas was 11 cents a gallon.

In my day:

' "grass" was mowed,
' "coke" was a cold drink,
' "pot" was something your mother cooked
' "rock music" was your grandmother's lullaby.
' "Aids" were helpersin the Principal's office,
' " chip" meant a piece of wood,
' "hardware" was found in a hardware store
' "software" wasn't even a word.

And we were the last generation to actually believe that a lady needed a husband to have a baby. No wonder people call us "old and confused" and say there is a generation gap... and how old do you think I am?

I bet you have an old lady in mind......NOT a 58 year old!!!!!!!!!

This Woman would be only 58 years old!

:(

Shucks! What all we miss :(

*********

[pavalamani pragasam]

"And we were the last generation to actually believe that a lady needed a husband to have a baby. No wonder people call us "old and confused" and say there is a generation gap... and how old do you think I am?

I bet you have an old lady in mind......NOT a 58 year old!!!!!!!!!

This Woman would be only 58 years old! "

:clap:

[Shakthiprabha.]

:) pp maam I was thinkkin of u, when I posted this.
I knew u would appreciate and understand this :)

[pavalamani pragasam]

Ya! quite near that age!

[NOV]

There's a story told about an elderly lady in Arkansas. The state voted to increase welfare payments to indigents. Hoping for a tear-jerker story, a television interviewer went into the back hills where many welfare recipients lived.

The old woman he chose to interview lived in a one-room shack: draughty in winter; stifling in summer. Her bed was a few rough planks nailed together, with a pine-needle mattress. A couple thin blankets, and a fireplace, did little to protect her from the cold.

Her furniture, a table and two chairs, were fashioned from the same rough wood as her bed. Some shelves held a few cans of food from the general store, a three mile walk down the road. Several jars of preserves and a few squash completed her larder.

She had no fridge or freezer. The fireplace provided heat for cooking. With no phone or television her only connection with the outside world was an old radio that pulled in two or three local stations on a good day.

The old woman had one convenience, running water. A crystal clear stream gurgled a short distance behind her home.

A small garden near her back door provided fresh vegetables during the summer, and some squash and turnips for the winter. A tidy flower garden brightened the front of her house.

The television crew arrived and set up their big expensive cameras. Their mobile station broadcast pictures of the woman and the place she called home.

Eventually the interviewer asked the old woman, "If the government gave you $200 more each month, what would you do with it?"

Without hesitation the woman replied, "I'd give it to the poor."

[pavalamani pragasam]

:clap:

[NOV]

One day, when I was a freshman in high school, I saw a kid from my class was walking home from school. His name was Kyle. It looked like he was carrying all of his books. I thought to myself, "Why would anyone bring home all his books on a Friday? He must really be a nerd." I had quite a weekend planned (parties and a football game with my friends tomorrow afternoon), so I shrugged my shoulders and went on.

As I was walking, I saw a bunch of kids running toward him. They ran at him, knocking all his books out of his arms and tripping him so he landed in the dirt. His glasses went flying, and I saw them land in the grass about ten feet from him. He looked up and I saw this terrible sadness in his eyes.

My heart went out to him. So, I jogged over to him and as he crawled around looking for his glasses, and I saw a tear in his eye. As I handed him his glasses, I said, "Those guys are jerks. They really should get lives."

He looked at me and said, "Hey thanks!" There was a big smile on his face. It was one of those smiles that showed real gratitude. I helped him pick up his books, and asked him where he lived. As it turned out, he lived near me, so I asked him why I had never seen him before. He said he had gone to private school before now. I would have never hung out with a private school kid before.

We talked all the way home, and I carried his books. He turned out to be a pretty cool kid. I asked him if he wanted to play football on Saturday with me and my friends. He said yes. We hung all weekend and the more I got to know Kyle, the more I liked him. And my friends thought the same of him.

Monday morning came, and there was Kyle with the huge stack of books again. I stopped him and said, "boy, you are gonna really build some serious muscles with this pile of books everyday!" He just laughed and handed me half the books.

Over the next four years, Kyle and I became best friends. When we were seniors, began to think about college. Kyle decided on Georgetown, and I was going to Duke. I knew that we would always be friends, that the miles would never be a problem. He was going to be a doctor, and I was going for business on a football scholarship. Kyle was valedictorian of our class. I teased him all the time about being a nerd.

He had to prepare a speech for graduation. I was so glad it wasn't me having to get up there and speak. Graduation day, I saw Kyle. He looked great. He was one of those guys that really found himself during high school. He filled out and actually looked good in glasses. He had more dates than me and all the girls loved him! Boy, sometimes I was jealous.

Today was one of those days. I could see that he was nervous about his speech. So, I smacked him on the back and said, "Hey, big guy, you'll be great!" He looked at me with one of those looks (the really grateful one) and smiled. "Thanks," he said.

As he started his speech, he cleared his throat, and began: "Graduation is a time to thank those who helped you make it through those tough years. Your parents, your teachers, your siblings, maybe a coach...but mostly your friends. I am here to tell all of you that being a friend to someone is the best gift you can give them. I am going to tell you a story."

I just looked at my friend with disbelief as he told the story of the first day we met. He had planned to kill himself over the weekend. He talked of how he had cleaned out his locker so his mom wouldn't have to do it later and was carrying his stuff home. He looked hard at me and gave me a little smile.

"Thankfully, I was saved. My friend saved me from doing the unspeakable." I heard the gasp go through the crowd as this handsome, popular boy told us all about his weakest moment. I saw his mom and dad looking at me smiling that same grateful smile. Not until that moment did I realize it's depth.

[pavalamani pragasam]

Very very touching!!!

[NM]

A young man learns what's most important in life from the guy next door.

It had been some time since Jack had seen the old man. College, girls, career, and life itself got in the way. In fact, Jack moved clear across the country in pursuit of his dreams. There, in the rush of his busy life, Jack had little time to think about the past and often no time to spend with his wife and son. He was working on his future, and nothing could stop him.
Over the phone, his mother told him, "Mr. Belser died last night. The funeral is Wednesday." Memories flashed through his mind like an old newsreel as he sat quietly remembering his childhood days.
"Jack, did you hear me?"

"Oh, sorry, Mom. Yes, I heard you. It's been so long since I thought of him. I'm sorry, but I honestly thought he died years ago," Jack said.
"Well, he didn't forget you. Every time I saw him he'd ask how you were doing. He'd reminisce about the many days you spent over 'his side of the fence' as he put it," Mom told him.
"I loved that old house he lived in," Jack said.

"You know, Jack, after your father died, Mr. Belser stepped in to make sure you had a man's influence in your life," she said.
"He's the one who taught me carpentry," he said. "I wouldn't be in this busine ss if it weren't for him. He spent a lot of time teaching me things he thought were important . . . Mom, I'll be there for the funeral," Jack said.

As busy as he was, he kept his word. Jack caught the next flight to his hometown. Mr. Belser's funeral was small and uneventful. He had no children of his own, and most of his relatives had passed away.
The night before he had to return home, Jack and his Mom stopped by to see the old house next door one more time.
Standing in the doorway, Jack paused for a moment. It was like crossing over into another dimension, a leap through space and time. The house was exactly as he remembered. Every step held memories. Every picture, every piece of furniture . . . Jack stopped suddenly.

"What's wrong, Jack?" his Mom asked. "The box is gone," he said. "What box?" Mom asked.

"There was a small gold box that he kept locked on top of his desk. I must have asked him a thousand times what was inside. All he'd ever tell me was 'the thing I value most,'" Jack said.

It was gone. Everything about the house was exactly how Jack remembered it, except for the box. He figured someone from the Belser family had taken it.

"Now I'll never know what was so valuable to him," Jack said. "I better get some sleep. I have an early flight home, Mom."

It had been about two weeks since Mr. Belser died. Returning home from work one day Jack discovered a note in his mailbox. "Signature required on a package. bsp; No one at home. Please stop by the main post office within the next three days," the note read.



Early the next day Jack retrieved the package. The small box was old and looked like it had been mailed a hundred years ago. The handwriting was difficult to read, but the return address caught his attention. "Mr. Harold Belser" it read. Jack took the box out to his car and ripped open the package. There inside was the gold box and an envelope. Jack's hands shook as he read the note inside.

"Upon my death, please forward this box and its contents to Jack Bennett. It's the thing I valued most in my life." A small key was taped to the letter. His heart racing, as tears filling his eyes, Jack carefully unlocked the box. There inside he found a beautiful gold pocket watch.

Running his fingers slowly over the finely etched casing, he unlatched the cover. Inside he found these words engraved:

"Jack, Thanks for your time! -Harold Belser."

"The thing he valued most was . . . my time"

Jack held the watch for a few minutes, then called his office and cleared his appointments for the next two days. "Why?" Janet, his assistant asked.

"I need some time to spend with my son," he said. "Oh, by the way, Janet, thanks for your time!"
"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take but by the moments that take our breath away,"


Think about this. You may not realize it, but it's 100% true.



1. At least 2 people in this world love you so much they would die for you.
2. At least 15 people in this world love you in some way.
3. A smile from you can bring happiness to anyone, even if they don't like you.
4. Every night, SOMEONE thinks about you before they go to sleep.
5. You mean the world to someone.
6. If not for you, someone may not be living.
7. You are special and unique.
8. When you think you have no chance of getting what you want, you probably won't get it, but if you trust God to do what's best, and wait on His time, sooner or later, you will get it or something better.
9. When you make the biggest mistake ever, something good can still come from it.
10. When you think the world has turned its back on you, take a look: you most likely turned your back on the world.
11. Someone that you don't even know exists loves you.
12. Always remember the compliments you received. Forget about the rude remarks.
13. Always tell someone how you feel about them; you will feel much better when they know and you'll both be happy .
14. If you have a great friend, take the time to let them know that they are great.

[NM]

A Date
After 21 years of marriage, my wife wanted me to take another woman out to dinner and a movie. She said I love you but I know this other woman loves you and would love to spend some time with you.
The other woman that my wife wanted me to visit was my MOTHER, who has been a widow for 19 years, but the demands of my work and my three children had made it possible to visit her only occasionally.

That night I called to invite her to go out for dinner and a movie.
"What's wrong, are you well," she asked? My mother is the type of woman who suspects that a late night call or a surprise invitation is a sign of bad news.
"I thought that it would be pleasant e with you," I responded. "Just the two of us."

She thought about it for a moment, and then said, "I would like that very much."

That Friday after work, as I drove over to pick her up I was a bit nervous. When I arrived at her house,I noticed that she, too, seemed to be nervous about our date. She waited in the door with her coat on. She had curled her hair and was wearing the dress that she had worn to celebrate her last wedding anniversary.

She smiled from a face that was as radiant as an angel's.

"I told my friends that I was going to go out with my son, and they were impressed, "she said, as she got into the car. "They can't wait to hear about our meeting". We went to a restaurant that, although not elegant, was very nice and cozy. My mother took my arm as if she were the First Lady. After we sat down, I had to read the menu. Large print. Half way through the entries, I lifted my eyes and saw Mom sitting there staring at me. A nostalgic smile was on her lips

"It was I who used to have to read the menu when you were small," she said.

"Then it's time that you relax and let me return the favor," I responded.

During the dinner, we had an agreeable conversation - nothing extraordinary, but catching up on recent events of each other's life. We talked so much that we missed the movie.

As we arrived at her house later, she said, "I'll go out with you again, but only if you let me invite you." I agreed.

"How was your dinner date?" asked my wife when I got home. "Very nice.
Much more so than I could have

imagined," I answered. A few days later, my mother died of a massive heart attack. It happened so suddenly that I did to do anything for her.

Some time later, I received an envelope with a copy of a restaurant receipt from the same place mother and I had dined.

An attached note said: "I paid this bill in advance. I wasn't sure that I could be there; but nevertheless, I paid for two plates - one for you and the other for your wife. You will never know what that night meant for me. I love you, son."

At that moment, I understood the importance of saying in time: "I LOVE YOU!" and to give our loved ones the time that they deserve. Nothing in life is more important than God and your family. Give them the time they deserve, because these things cannot be put off till "some other time."

[NOV]

Very very touching!!!exactly.
sometimes we have no idea how much our words/action touch others....

[Shakthiprabha.]

He met her on a party. She was so outstanding, many guys chasing after her, while he so normal, nobody paid attention to him. At the end of the party, he invited her to have coffee with him, she was surprised, but due to being polite, she promised. They sat in a nice coffee shop, he was too nervous to say anything, she felt uncomfortable, she thought, please, let me go home.... suddenly he asked the waiter. "would you please give me some salt? I'd like to put it in my coffee."

Everybody stared at him, so strange! His face turned red, but still, he put the salt in his coffee and drank it. She asked him curiously; why you have this hobby? He replied: "when I was a little boy, I was living near the sea, I like playing in the sea, I could feel the taste of the sea, just like the taste of the salty coffee. Now every time I have the salty coffee, I always think of my childhood, think of my hometown, I miss my hometown so much, I miss my parents who are still living there". While saying that tears filled his eyes. She was deeply touched.

That's his true feeling, from the bottom of his heart. A man who can tell out his homesickness, he must be a man who loves home, cares about home, has responsibility of home. Then she also started to speak, spoke about her faraway hometown, her childhood, her family. That was a really nice talk, also a beautiful beginning of their story.

They continued to date. She found that actually he was a man who meets all her demands; he had tolerance, was kind hearted, warm, careful. He was such a good person but she almost missed him! Thanks to his salty coffee!

Then the story was just like every beautiful love story , the princess married to the prince, then they were living the happy life... And, every time she made coffee for him, she put some salt in the coffee e, as she knew that's the way he liked it.

After 40 years, he passed away, left her a letter which said: "My dearest, please forgive me, forgive my whole life lie. This was the only lie I said to you---the salty coffee. Remember the first time we dated? I was so nervous at that time, actually I wanted some sugar, but I said salt It was hard for me to change so I just went ahead.I never thought that could be the start of our communication! I tried to tell you the truth many times in my life, but I was too afraid to do that, as I have promised not to lie to you for anything..

Now I'm dying, I afraid of nothing so I tell you the truth: I don't like the salty coffee, what a strange bad taste.. But I have had the salty coffee for my whole life! Since I knew you, I never feel sorry for anything I do for you. Having you with me is my biggest happiness for my whole life. If I can live for the second time, still want to know you and have you for my whole life,even though I have to drink the salty coffee again".

Her tears made the letter totally wet.Someday, someone asked her: what's the taste of salty coffee?

It's sweet. She replied.

[rocketboy]

i found this interesting.

it doesn't qualify as an anecdote . stil...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simo_H%C3%A4yh%C3%A4

[pavalamani pragasam]

7 Reasons Not To Mess With A Child



A little girl was talking to her teacher about whales.

The teacher said it was physically impossible for a whale to swallow a human
because even though it was a very large mammal its throat was very small.

The little girl stated that Jonah was swallowed by a whale.

Irritated, the teacher reiterated that a whale could not swallow a human; it
was physically impossible.

The little girl said, When I get to heaven I will ask Jonah.

The teacher asked, What if Jonah went to hell

The little girl replied, Then you ask him.


------------------------


A Kindergarten teacher was observing her classroom of children while they
were drawing. She would occasionally walk around to see each child's work.

As she got to one little girl who was working diligently, she asked what the
drawing was.

The girl replied, I'm drawing God.

The teacher paused and said, But no one knows what God looks like.

Without missing a beat, or looking up from her drawing, the girl replied,
They will in a minute.


---------------------


A Sunday school teacher was discussing the Ten Commandments with her five
and six year olds.

After explaining the commandment to honour thy Father and thy Mother, she
asked, Is there a commandment that teaches us how to treat our brothers and
sisters

Without missing a beat one little boy (the oldest of a family) answered,
Thou shall not kill.


---------------------


One day a little girl was sitting and watching her mother do the dishes at
the kitchen sink. She suddenly noticed that her mother had several strands
of white hair sticking out in contrast on her brunette head.

She looked at her mother and inquisitively asked, Why are some of your hairs
white, Mom

Her mother replied, Well, every time that you do something wrong and make me
cry or unhappy, one of my hairs turns white.

The little girl thought about this revelation for a while and then said,
Momma, how come ALL of grandma's hairs are white


---------------------


The children had all been photographed, and the teacher was trying to
persuade them each to buy a copy of the group picture.

Just think how nice it will be to look at it when you are all grown up and
say, 'There's Jennifer, she's a lawyer,' or 'That's Michael, He's a
doctor.'

A small voice at the back of the room rang out, And there's the teacher,
She's dead.


---------------------


A teacher was giving a lesson on the circulation of the blood. Trying to
make the matter clearer, she said, Now, class, if I stood on my head, the
blood, as you know, would run into it, and I would turn red in the face..

Yes, the class said.

Then why is it that while I am standing upright in the ordinary position the
blood doesn't run into my feet

A little fellow shouted,

Cause your feet ain't empty.


---------------------


The children were lined up in the cafeteria of a Catholic elementary school
for lunch. At the head of the table was a large pile of apples. The nun made
a note, and posted on the apple tray

Take only ONE. God is watching.

Moving further along the lunch line, at the other end of the table was a
large pile of chocolate chip cookies.

A child had written a note, Take all you want. God is watching the apples.

[Alan]

Too cute, pavalamani mam! :D

[Alan]

NM & Shakthimam, very heartwarming! :)

[Alan]

[tscii:e2962bafdd]A man asked his wife what she wanted for her birthday. She said, “I’d love to be ten again.” On her birthday, he got her up bright and early and took her to a theme park. He put her on every ride in the park- the Death Slide, The Screaming Loop, The Wall of Fear. She staggered out of the theme park five hours later, her head reeling and her stomach turning. Then off to a movie theatre, popcorn, cola and sweets. Finally she staggered home with her husband and collapsed into bed. Her husband leaned over and asked, “Well, dear, what was it like being ten again?” One eye opened and she groaned, “Actually, honey, I meant dress size!”[/tscii:e2962bafdd]

Too cute but true- this is why they say women are mysterious! No one ever knows what they mean?

[NM]

NM & Shakthimam, very heartwarming! :)
it is, isn't it, Alan? :D

[Lambretta]

This moving story of a true incident was actually posted at another site by my uncle (Mama) who was sent this from a friend, he has also posted the same in Tamil (altho I cant read it, many of u wud be able to! :) ) w/ corresponding pics. in his blogsite here:

http://dondu.blogspot.com/2005/11/blog-post_19.html

Translation:

Musings of a translator: Loss of a friend.

It was a gloomy Saturday afternoon. A flock of birds was spending great time searching for food and playing on the main road. All of a sudden, a big truck sped through... sad thing had happened then.
Birds can feel too. Although this bird had already died, another bird flew over to her immediately, just like a family member, unable to accept the truth.
Not long after that, another car stormed by causing the dead bird's body to whirl with the wind. The spouse noticed the movement. As if she was still alive, he quickly flew beside her again.
He stayed beside her and yelled ... "WHY ARE YOU NOT GETTING UP!?"
Unfortunately, she's no longer able to hear him. In the meantime, he's trying to lift her up.
He, of course, was unable to bear the burden. Another car soon passed by. He quickly flew off. Once the car had gone, he came down again.
Although other birds told him its useles, he never gave up. He was trying his best to lift her up to see her flying again. He had used all of his energy. Another car passed by, her dead body whirled again as if she is still alive and trying to fly.
However the photographer said he couldn't shoot any longer. The photographer was so worried that the living bird was going to get hurt by passing cars. So he picked up the dead bird and left it at the roadside. The live one still lingered at a nearby tree as if crying with his singing and refused to leave.
Do humans have the same feelings nowadays? I wonder.......

[dev]

Do humans have the same feelings nowadays? I wonder.......

This reminds me of an incident when I was in India last yr... I was travelling with my husb at around 10pm & there was an accident... ppl were trying to get help from the passing vehicles to get the victim to the hospital... we stopped & offered help... but then the guys who were trying to get help didn't want to accept our offer...they started trying to avoid us saying taht I might get scared seeing the blood & stuff and we might get into trouble later as we'll have to go for the court hearings & all those stuff... they infact didn't allow us to get near the victim... Noone wanted to take him to the hospital until the police arrived... we were very shocked & confused and so we left the place after waiting for sometime... I still don't understand Y those guys were looking for help when they actually din't want to help... were they trying to act to be courteous & humane???!!!... But I then heard that the victim died after 2 days & I couldn't forgive me for not having transferred to the hospital regardless of what those ppl said... we still feel that we were absolutely stupid & didn't react properly to the situation...

[Lambretta]

Dev,
All the more sad to hear the story of tat person! :(
Yea even I'm puzzled as to y they wer asking for help & then declined it from u! Jus doesnt make sense does it? :shock: :roll:
Hmm.........

[NOV]

One day a farmer's donkey fell into a deep well The animal cried pitifully for hours as the farmer tried to figure out what to do. Finally the farmer made a decision. The animal was old, and the well need to be filled in as well. It just wasn't worth trying to rescue the donkey.

He invited all his neighbours to come over and help him. They all grabbed a shovel each an began to shoval dirt into the well. The donkey realising what was happening cried horribly.

Then, to everyone's amazements, he quietened down. A few shovel loads later the farmer looked down the well. He was astonished at what he saw. With each shovel of dirt that hit his back the donkey was able to shake it off and take a step up.

As the farmer's neighbours continued to shovel dirt the donkey would shake it off and take a step up. Soon, everyone was amazed as the donkey stepped up over the edge of the well and happily trotted off.

Life is going to shovel all kinds of dirt on you. The trick to overcome it is to shake it off and take a step forward. Each of our troubles is a stepping stone to success.

[hi]

Triple Filter Test


In ancient Greece, Socrates was reputed to hold knowledge in high esteem. One day one fellow met the great philosopher and said,


"Do you know what I just heard about your friend?"


"Hold on a minute, " Socrates replied. "Before telling me anything I'd like you to pass a little test. It's called Triple Filter Test".


"Triple filter?"


"That's right," Socrates, continued, "Before you talk to me about my friend, it might be a good idea to take a moment and filter what you're going to say. That's why I call it the triple filter test.


The first filter is Truth:

Have you made absolutely sure that what you are about to tell me is true?" "No," the man said, "actually I just heard about it and...". "All right," said Socrates. "So you don't know if it's true or not.


Now let's try the second filter: the filter of Goodness. Is what you are about to tell me about my friend something good?" . "No, on the contrary...". "So," Socrates continued, "you want to tell me something bad about him, but you're not certain it's true. You may still pass the test though, because there's one filter left: the filter of Usefulness.


The third filter test: Is what you want to tell me about my friend going to be useful to me?" "No, not really." "Well," concluded Socrates, "if what you want to tell me is neither true nor good nor even useful, why tell it to me at all?"

This is why Socrates was a great philosopher & held in such high esteem.

[NOV]

anjali, this has been posted about 5 times. :roll:

anyway, there is a postscript to this anecdote.

This is why Socrates was a great philosopher & held in such high esteem.
And that is why Socrates never found out that his wife was having an affair with his best friend. :D

[Shakthiprabha.]

[tscii]The Last Words Spoken

By Famous People At Death, Or Shortly Before Dying...


********************



Hey Ram - Mahatma Gandhi



I'm bored with it all. -Before slipping into a coma. He died 9 days later. Winston Churchill, statesman, d. January 24, 1965


Damn it . . . Don't you dare ask God to help me. - To her housekeeper, who had begun to pray aloud. Joan Crawford, actress, d. May 10, 1977


Am I dying or is this my birthday? - When she woke briefly during her last illness and found all her family around her bedside. Lady Nancy Astor, d. 1964



Nothing, but death. - When asked by her sister, Cassandra, if there was anything she wanted. Jane Austen, writer, d. July 18, 1817



I am not the least afraid to die.- Charles Darwin, d. April 19, 1882



My God. What's happened? - - Diana (Spencer), Princess of Wales, d. August 31, 1997


Friends applaud, the comedy is finished. - Ludwig van Beethoven, composer, d. March 26, 1827


Put out the light. - Theodore Roosevelt, US President, d. 1919


Oh, I am not going to die, am I? He will not separate us, we have been so happy. - Spoken to her husband of 9 months, Rev. Arthur Nicholls. Charlotte Bronte, writer, d. March 31, 1855 :(



Beautiful. - In reply to her husband who had asked how she felt. Elizabeth Barrett Browning, writer, d. June 28, 1861



Now I shall go to sleep. Goodnight. - Lord George Byron, writer, d. 1824


Why do you weep. Did you think I was immortal? - Louis XIV, King of France, d. 1715



I am a Queen, but I have not the power to move my arms. - Louise, Queen of Prussia, d. 1820


I love you Sarah. For all eternity, I love you. - Spoken to his wife. James K. Polk, US President, d. 1849

(THIS REALLY MOVES ME......... REAlly...... :( :( )



Sister, you're trying to keep me alive as an old curiosity, but I'm done, I'm finished, I'm going to die. - Spoken to his nurse. George Bernard Shaw, playwright, d. November 2, 1950

[Lambretta]

Nice ones SP! Yes, very touching, many of them! :(

[P_R]

I don't know if the following is true, because it sounds improbable. But it is, in its own way, poignant.

Spooner, after whom the -ism is named, came home dead tired one day and announced to his housekeeper: "Take me". His housekeeper, who long had a thing for the Professor couldn't beleive her ears a moment. But she had been with long enough to realize that he meant "Make Tea".

When she came back with tea, Spooner was dead in his chair.

[pavalamani pragasam]

LEFT BRAIN VS. RIGHT BRAIN.

WHILE SITTING AT YOUR DESK, LIFT YOUR RIGHT FOOT OFF THE FLOOR AND MAKE CLOCKWISE CIRCLES
NOW, WHILE DOING THIS, DRAW THE NUMBER "6" IN THE AIR WITH YOUR RIGHT HAND FINGER
YOUR FOOT WILL CHANGE DIRECTIONS (ANTICLOCKWISE)

AND THERE IS NOTHING YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT.

[dev]

LEFT BRAIN VS. RIGHT BRAIN.

WHILE SITTING AT YOUR DESK, LIFT YOUR RIGHT FOOT OFF THE FLOOR AND MAKE CLOCKWISE CIRCLES
NOW, WHILE DOING THIS, DRAW THE NUMBER "6" IN THE AIR WITH YOUR RIGHT HAND FINGER
YOUR FOOT WILL CHANGE DIRECTIONS (ANTICLOCKWISE)

AND THERE IS NOTHING YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT.

8-) ...

[Shakthiprabha.]

:)

pr.............

I dont know what to feel sad for

that he died before the tea

or that this woman..... might have misunderstood :? :P

[NOV]

A man found a cocoon of a butterfly, and he brought it home.
One day, a small opening appeared in the cocoon. The man sat and watched the cocoon for several hours as the butterfly struggled to force its body through that little hole. Then it seemed to stop making progress. It appeared as if the butterfly had gotten as far as it could, and it could go no farther.

The man decided to help the butterfly in its struggle. He took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon... and the butterfly emerged easily.

As the butterfly emerged, the man was surprised. It had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings. He continued to watch the butterfly expectating that, at any moment, the wings would dry out, enlarge, and expand to support the swollen body. He knew that in time the body would contract, and the butterfly would be able to fly...but neither happened!

In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings.

What the man, in his kindness and haste, did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle were required for the butterfly to be able to fly.

The butterfly must push its way through the tiny opening to force the fluid from its body and wings. Only by struggling through the opening can the butterfly's wings be ready for flight once it emerges from the cocoon.

Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our life. If our Higher Power allowed us to go through life without any obstacles, it would cripple us. We would not be as strong as what we could have been... neither would we realise our strengths.

[hi]

Difference between Focusing on Problems and Focusing on Solutions:

Case 1



When NASA began the launch of astronauts into space, they found out that the pens wouldn't work at zero gravity (ink won't flow down to the writing
surface). To solve this problem, it took them one decade and $12 million. They developed a pen that worked at zero gravity, upside down, underwater,
in practically any surface including crystal and in a temperature range from below freezing to over 300 degrees C.



And what did the Russians do...?? They used a pencil.





Case 2



One of the most memorable case studies on Japanese management was the case of the empty soapbox, which happened in one of Japan's biggest cosmetics
companies. The company received a complaint that a consumer had bought a soapbox that was empty. Immediately the authorities isolated the problem to
the assembly! line, which transported all the packaged boxes of soap to the delivery department. For some reason, one soapbox went through the assembly
line empty. Management asked its engineers to solve the problem. Post-haste, the engineers worked hard to devise an X-ray machine with high-resolution
monitors manned by two people to watch all the soapboxes that passed through the line to make sure they were not empty. No doubt, they worked hard and
they worked fast but they spent a whoopee amount to do so. But when a rank-and-file employee in a small company was posed with the
same problem, he did not get into complications of X-rays, etc., but instead came out with another solution. He bought a strong industrial
electric fan and pointed it at the assembly line. He switched the fan on, and as each soapbox passed the fan, it simply blew the empty boxes out
of the line.



Moral: Always look for simple solutions.

Devise the simplest possible solution that solves the problems. Always focus on solutions & not on problems

So the end of the day the thing that really matters is HOW ONE LOOK INTO THE PROBLEM, mere perceptions can solve the tough probs....

[Fire111999]

aaaaah....... this reminds me! i have a design project to do! to make shopping easier!

[Fire111999]

[tscii:dac0d1de81]after asking many pple what IMO or IMHO stands for and not getting any ans, i googled IMHO and got the internet slang page from wikipedia.

found sth that is amusing, esp the part in bold!

PEBKAC is the acronym for "Problem Exists Between Keyboard and Chair". The phrase is often used within tech support (but not mentioned over the phone to the user who called) to refer to troublesome users, identifying them as the source of the problem. Supposedly some users have ignorantly but helpfully told each level of tech support that the previous level "suspected a PEBKAC error."

An example would be the often-used tech support horror story describing a frazzled woman who calls complaining her coffee-holder is broken—which is actually the CD-ROM drive tray.

Other variants include:

EBKAC: Error Between Keyboard And Chair
PEBIAC: Problem Exists Between Interface And Chair
PEBMAC: Problem Exists Between Monitor And Chair
PICNIC: Problem In Chair Not In Computer
PLBKAC: Problem Lies Between Keyboard And Chair
Less commonly, as PIBKAC: Problem Is Between Keyboard And Chair
Also written PEBCAC, "keyboard" is replaced with "computer" [/tscii:dac0d1de81]

[Fire111999]

oh, actually i meant to post that in a joke a day keeps the doc away. sorry!

[pavalamani pragasam]

Weird Things which you would never know



Butterflies taste with their feet.



All polar bears are left handed.



A snail can sleep for three years.



An ostrich's eye is bigger than its brain.



A crocodile cannot stick its tongue out.



Women blink nearly twice as much as men.(Very interesting !!)



The electric chair was invented by a dentist.



Elephants are the only animals that can't jump.



It's physically impossible for you to lick your elbow. (Try it)



The cigarette lighter was invented before the match.



A duck's quack doesn't echo, and no one knows why.



Americans on average eat 18 acres of pizza every day.



It's possible to lead a cow upstairs...but not downstairs.



On average people fear spiders more than they do death.



Only one person in two billion will live to be 116 or older.



No word in the English language rhymes with "MONTH."



The Main Library at Indiana University sinks over an

inch every year because when it built, engineers

failed to take into account the weight of all the

books that would occupy the building.



Go," is the shortest complete sentence known in the

English language.



On average, 100 people choke to death on ballpoint

pens every year.



In 10 minutes, a hurricane releases more energy than

all of the world's nuclear weapons combined.



Our eyes are always the same size from birth, but our

nose and ears never stop growing. - SCARY!!!



TYPEWRITER is the longest word that can be made using

the letters only on one row of the keyboard.

[pavalamani pragasam]

This incident happened recently in Delhi and we need to be even more careful everywhere.

A woman went boating one Sunday, taking with her some cans of coke.

On Monday she was taken into ICU and on Wednesday she died.

The autopsy revealed a certain germ Leptospira caused by the can of coke from which she had drunk, not using a glass.


A test showed that the can was infected by dried rat urine and hence the disease Leptospirosis.

Rat urine contains toxic and deadly substances.

It is recommended to clean the upper part of soda cans before drinking out of them as they have been
stocked in warehouses and transported straight to the shops without being cleaned.

A study in Spain showed that the tops of soda cans are more contaminated than public toilets i.e. full of germs and bacteria.


So! to wash them with water is advised before making any contact with mouth to avoid any kind of fatal accident.

Remember to always use a glass or a straw and pass this on to everyone you care about.

[Sanguine Sridhar]

Oops PP Mam :oops: !! Now i have to think thrice before sipping coke/pepsi cans!! Thanks for your info!

[Lambretta]

:shock: PP ma'm, tat sent a chill down my spine! :oops: :(

Yes I've noticed shops tat sell soft drinks whether cans or bottles, seldom even wipe them clean...they look so filthy! :x

Of course this wudnt really be a problem to me as I gave up soft drinks a couple of yrs ago.....

But still, a warning worth issuing to those who take them.....

[Fire111999]

On average people fear spiders more than they do death.

prob cos spiders are very much there and can be seen, while you can't see death and can't totally understand it enuf to fear it.

[Lambretta]

On average people fear spiders more than they do death.

prob cos spiders are very much there and can be seen, while you can't see death and can't totally understand it enuf to fear it.
I fear (& loathe) cockroaches more than spiders.....ewww! :oops: :x

[Nerd]

Young King Arthur was ambushed and imprisoned by the
monarch of a neighboring kingdom. The monarch could
have killed him but was moved by Arthur's youth and
ideals.

So, the monarch offered him his freedom, as long as he
could answer a very difficult question.Arthur would
have a year to figure out the answer and, if
after a year, he still had no answer, he would be put
to death.

The question was: What do women really want?

Such a question would perplex even the most
knowledgeable man, and to young Arthur, it seemed an
impossible query. But, since it was better than
death, he accepted the monarch's proposition to have
an answer by year's end.

He returned to his kingdom and began to poll everyone:
the princess, the priests,the wise men, and even the
court jester. He spoke with everyone, but no one could
give him a satisfactory answer. Many people advised
him to consult the old witch, for only she would have
the answer. But the prince would be high as the witch
was famous through out the kingdom for the exorbitant
prices she charged.

The last day of the year arrived and Arthur had no
choice but to talk to the witch. She agreed to answer
the question, but he would have to agree to her price
first. The old witch wanted to marry Sir Lancelot, the
most noble of the Knights of the Round Table, and
Arthur's closest friend!

Young Arthur was horrified. She was hunch-backed and
hideous, had only one tooth, smelled like sewage, made
obscene noises, etc. He had never encountered such a
repugnant creature in all his life. He refused to
force his friend to marry her and endure such a
terrible burden, but Lancelot, having learnt of the
proposal, spoke with Arthur. He said nothing was too
big of a sacrifice compared to Arthur's life and the
preservation of the Round Table.

Hence, a wedding was proclaimed and the witch answered
Arthur's question thus: "What a woman really wants,"
she said, "is to be in charge of her own life."

Everyone in the kingdom instantly knew that the witch
had uttered a great truth and that Arthur's life would
be spared. And so it was, the neighboring monarch
granted Arthur his freedom and Lancelot and the witch
had a wonderful wedding.

The honeymoon hour approached and Lancelot, steeling
himself for a horrific experience, entered the bed
room. But, what a sight awaited him. The most
beautiful woman he had ever seen, lay before him on
the bed. The astounded Lancelot asked what had
happened. The beauty replied that since he had been so
kind to her when she appeared as a witch, she would
henceforth be her horrible and deformed self only half
the time and the beautiful maiden the other half.

"Which would you prefer? she asked him. "Beautiful
during the day ... or at night?"

Lancelot pondered the predicament.

During the day he could have a beautiful woman to show
off to his friends, but at night, in the privacy of
his castle, an old witch!

Or,

would he prefer having a hideous witch during the day,
but by night a beautiful woman for him to enjoy
wonderous, intimate moments with?






(If you are a man reading this ...) What would YOUR
choice be?











(If you are a woman reading this ..) What would YOUR
MAN'S choice be?







What Lancelot chose is below.

BUT ... make YOUR choice before you scroll down
below........OKAY?
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***

Noble Lancelot, knowing the answer the witch gave
Arthur to his question, said that he would allow HER
to make the choice herself.

Upon hearing this, she announced that she would be
beautiful all the time because he had respected her
enough to let her be in charge of her own life.



Now ... what is the moral to this story?


The moral is ..

1) If you don't let a woman have her own way, things
are going to get ugly.
2) There is witch in every woman no matter how
beautiful she is!!

[pavalamani pragasam]

:clap: :clap: :clap:
:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

[hi]

An 80 year old man was sitting on the sofa in his house along with his 45 year's old highly educated son. Suddenly a crow perched on their window.
The father asked his son, "What is this?"

The son replied "It is a crow".

After a few minutes, the father asked his son the 2nd time, "What is this?"

The son said "Father, I have just now told you "It's a crow".

After a little while, the old Father again asked his son the 3rd time,
What is this?

"At this time some expression of irritation was felt in the son's tone when he said to his father with a rebuff. "It's a crow, a crow".

A little after, the Father again asked his Son the 4th time, "What is this?"

This time the son shouted at his father, "Why do you keep asking me the same question again and again, although I have told you so many times

'IT'S A CROW'. Are you not able to understand this?"

A little later the father went to his room and came back with an old tattered diary, which he had maintained since his son was born. On opening a page, he asked his Son to read that page. When the son read it, the following words were written in the diary:-

"Today my little son aged three was sitting with me on the sofa, when a crow was sitting on the window. My son asked me 23 times what it was, and I replied to him all 23 times that it was a Crow. I hugged him lovingly each time he asked me the same question again and again for 23 times. I did not at all feel irritated, I rather felt affection for my innocent child".

While the little child asked him 23 times "What is this", the father had felt no irritation in replying to the same question all 23 times and when today the father asked his son the same question just 4 times, the son felt irritated and annoyed.

So If your parents attain old age, do not repulse them or look at them as a burden, but speak to them a gracious word; be cool, obedient, humble and kind to them. Be considerate to your parents.
From today say this aloud,

"I want to see my parents happy forever. They have cared for me ever since I was a little child. They have always showered their selfless love on me. They crossed all mountains and valleys without seeing the storm and heat to make me a person presentable in the society today".

[pavalamani pragasam]

:clap: :clap: :clap:

[Fire111999]

So If your parents attain old age, do not repulse them or look at them as a burden, but speak to them a gracious word; be cool, obedient, humble and kind to them. Be considerate to your parents.
From today say this aloud,

"I want to see my parents happy forever. They have cared for me ever since I was a little child. They have always showered their selfless love on me. They crossed all mountains and valleys without seeing the storm and heat to make me a person presentable in the society today".

very easy to say. very easy to decide to follow. but extremely difficult to follow! but still, we have to try!

[ssanjinika]

Nerd ,
:clap: :lol:
Anjali..hmm...somthing diff to follow huh?

[hi]

-An episode in reverse psychology



Dr. Arun Gandhi, grandson of Mahatma Gandhi and founder of the

M.K.Gandhi Institute for Non-violence, in his June 9 lecture at the

University of Puerto Rico, shared the following story as an example

of "non-violence in parenting":



"I was 16 years old and living with my parents at the institute my

grandfather had founded 18 miles outside of Durban, South Africa, in

the middle of the sugar plantations. We were deep in the country and

had no neighbors, so my two sisters and I would always look forward

to going to town to visit friends or go to the movies.



One day, my father asked me to drive him to town for an all-day

conference, and I jumped at the chance. Since I was going to town, my

mother gave me a list of groceries she needed and, since I had all

day in town, my father ask me to take care of several pending

chores, such as getting the car serviced. When I dropped my father

off that morning, he said, 'I will meet you here at 5:00 p.m., and we

will go home together.'



After hurriedly completing my chores, I went straight to the nearest

movie theatre. I got so engrossed in a John Wayne double-feature that

I forgot the time. It was 5:30 before I remembered. By the time I ran

to the garage and got the car and hurried to where my father was

waiting for me, it was almost 6:00. He anxiously asked me, 'Why were

you late?' I was so ashamed of telling him I was watching a John

Waynewestern movie that I said, 'The car wasn't ready, so I had to

wait,' not realizing that he had already called the garage. When he

caught me in the lie, he said: 'There's something wrong in the way I

brought you up that didn't give you the confidence to tell me the

truth. In order to figure out where I went wrong with you, I'm going

to walk home 18 miles and think about it.'



So, dressed in his suit and dress shoes, he began to walk home in the

dark on mostly unpaved, unlit roads. I couldn't leave him, so for

five-and-a-half hours I drove behind him, watching my father go

through this agony for a stupid lie that I uttered.



I decided then and there that I was never going to lie again. I often

think about that episode and wonder, if he had punished me the way we

punish our children, whether I would have learned a lesson at all. I

don't think so. I would have suffered the punishment and gone on

doing the same thing. But this single non-violent action was so

powerful that it is still as if it happened yesterday.

[pavalamani pragasam]

:clap:

[Fire111999]

very nice, anjali!

[abbydoss1969]

CHILDREN LEARN WHAT THEY LIVE


If children live with CRITICISM
They learn to CONDEMN
If children live with HOSTILITY
They learn to FIGHT
If children live with RIDICULE
They learn to BE SHY
If children live with SHAME
They learn to FEEL GUILTY


If children live with TOLERANCE
They learn to BE PATIENT
If children live with ENCOURAGEMENT
They learn to HAVE CONFIDENCE
If children live with PRAISE
They learn to APPRECIATE
If children live with FAIRNESS
They learn JUSTICE
If children live with SECURITY
They learn to HAVE FAITH
If children live with APPROVAL
They learn to LIKE THEMSELVES
If children live with ACCEPTANCE and FRIENDSHIP
They learn to FIND LOVE IN THE WORLD.

[pavalamani pragasam]

:clap: Valuable parenting tips!

[hi]

Once upon a time ...
There was a rich King who had 4 wives.

He loved the 4th wife the most and adorned her with rich robes and treated her to the finest of delicacies. He gave her nothing but the best.

He also loved the 3rd wife very much and was always showing her off to neighboring kingdoms. However, he feared that one day she would leave him for another.

He also loved his 2nd wife. She was his confidante and was always kind, considerate and patient with him. Whenever the King faced a problem, he could confide in her to help him get through the difficult times.

The King's 1st wife was a very loyal partner and had made great contributions in maintaining his wealth and kingdom. However, he did not love the first wife and although she loved him deeply, he hardly took notice of her.

One day, the King fell ill and he knew his time was short.

He thought of his luxurious life and pondered, "I now have 4 wives with me, but when I die, I'll be all alone.

Thus, he asked the 4th wife, "I have loved you the most, endowed you with the finest clothing and showered great care over you. Now that I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me company?"

"No way!" replied the 4th wife and she walked away without another word.

Her answer cut like a sharp knife right into his heart.


The sad King then asked the 3rd wife, "I have loved you all my life. Now that I'm dying, will you follow me and keep me company?"


"No!" replied the 3rd wife. "Life is too good!
When you die, I'm going to remarry!"

His heart sank and turned cold.


He then asked the 2nd wife, "I have always turned to you for help and you've always been there for me. When I die, will you follow me? And keep me company?"


"I'm sorry, I can't help you out this time!" replied the 2nd wife. "At the very most, I can only send you to your grave."

Her answer came like a bolt of thunder and the King was devastated.


Then a voice called out:

"I'll leave with you and follow you no matter where you go." The King looked up and there was his first wife. She was so skinny, she suffered from malnutrition.

Greatly grieved, the King said, "I should have taken much better care of you when I had the chance!"


In Truth, we all have 4 wives in our lives ...

Our 4th wife is our body. No matter how much time and effort we lavish in making it look good, it'll leave us when we die.

Our 3rd wife is our possessions, status and wealth.
When we die, it will all go to others.

Our 2nd wife is our friends. No matter how much they have been there for us, the furthest they can stay by us is up to the grave.

And our 1st wife is our Parents,


Often neglected in pursuit of wealth, power and pleasures of the ego. However, our Parents are the only thing that will follow us and guide wherever we go.


So Love them at our best..... They need and Love you most!!!
You are their greatest gift


Let them Smile and cherish...

[Lambretta]

Wow! Good one anjali! :clap: :thumbsup:

[hi]

HAY THERE BUDDIES !!!!! JUST A FEW THOUGHTS FOR YOU PPL WHO GRUMBLE 'BOT LIFE !!

- For the husband who complains when his dinner is not on time,Be thankful that he is home with you and not with someone else.

- For the teenager who is complaining about doing dishes,
Be thankful he is at home & not on the streets.

- For the taxes that you pay,Be thankful as it means your are employed.

- For the mess to clean-up after a party,Be thankful because it means that you've been surrounded by friends.

- For the clothes that fit a little too snug,Be thankful because it means you have enough to eat.

- For the place that needs washing & dusting, windowsthat need cleaning,Be thankful because it means you have a home.

- For the parking spot you can find only at the far end of the parking lot,
Be thankful because it means you are capable of walking and that you are blessed with transportation.

- For the pile of laundry and ironing you have to do,Be thankful because it means you have clothes to wear.

- For weariness and aching muscles at the end of theday,Be thankful because it means you have been capable of working hard.

- For the alarm clock that goes off in the early morning hours that irritates you,
Be thankful because it means that you are still alive.

And finally ... Be thankful to me ...as there's someone who cares ;)

[Hulkster]

:)...good one anjali akka...these are the essentialities that are forgotten by humans.

Let me give my own Anecdote

Everytime you ask God why give me such a life, remember the stories of those who have flourished under doom.

For every mistake there is committed, there is always a correction but it is up to the person to understand why the mistake must be corrected.

A wife is not another woman in your life, she is the extension of your mother.

Everytime you feel like committing a sin, think of the consequences that those who suffer the sin will go through.

[hi]

Today is special day in our life time.



Just in case you wanted to know this.

Today, at two minutes and three seconds after 1:00 in the morning, the time and date will be 01:02:03 04/05/06.

That won't ever happen again in our lifetime In fact it will be approx. 400 generations before it happens again.


May the 4th be with you!!!!!

[narayanan]

In fact it will be approx. 400 generations before it happens again.

What about the same date and time in 2106 in the same DD/MM/YY format :mrgreen: