Great Quotation

Ignorance is not so damnable as humbug; but when it prescribes pills it may happen to do more harm.

DON’T HOPE,…DECIDE!

While waiting to pick up a friend at the airport in Portland, Oregon, I had one of those life-changing experiences that you hear other people talk about — the kind that sneaks up on you unexpectedly. This one occurred a mere two feet away from me.

Straining to locate my friend among the passengers deplaning through the jet way, I noticed a man coming toward me carrying two light bags. He stopped right next to me to greet his family.

First he motioned to his youngest son (maybe six years old) as he laid down his bags. They gave each other a long, loving hug. As they separated enough to look in each other’s face, I heard the father say, “It’s so good to see you, son. I missed you so much!” His son smiled somewhat shyly, averted his eyes and replied softly, “Me, too, Dad!”

Then the man stood up, gazed in the eyes of his oldest son (maybe nine or ten) and while cupping his son’s face in his hands said, “You’re already quite the young man. I love you very much, Zach!” They too hugged a most loving, tender hug.

While this was happening, a baby girl (perhaps one or one-and-a-half) was squirming excitedly in her mother’s arms, never once taking her little eyes off the wonderful sight of her returning father. The man said, “Hi, baby girl!” as he gently took the child from her mother. He quickly kissed her face all over and then held her close to his chest while rocking her from side to side. The little girl instantly relaxed and simply laid her head on his shoulder, motionless in pure contentment.

After several moments, he handed his daughter to his oldest son and declared, “I’ve saved the best for last!” and proceeded to give his wife the longest, most passionate kiss I ever remember seeing. He gazed into her eyes for several seconds and then silently mouthed. “I love you so much!” They stared at each other’s eyes, beaming big smiles at one another, while holding both hands.

For an instant they reminded me of newlyweds, but I knew by the age of their kids that they couldn’t possibly be. I puzzled about it for a moment then realized how totally engrossed I was in the wonderful display of unconditional love not more than an arm’s length away from me. I suddenly felt uncomfortable, as if I was invading something sacred, but was amazed to hear my own voice nervously ask, “Wow! How long have you two been married?

“Been together fourteen years total, married twelve of those.” he replied, without breaking his gaze from his lovely wife’s face. “Well then, how long have you been away?” I asked. The man finally turned and looked at me, still beaming his joyous smile. “Two whole days!”

Two days? I was stunned. By the intensity of the greeting, I had assumed he’d been gone for at least several weeks – if not months. I know my expression betrayed me.

I said almost offhandedly, hoping to end my intrusion with some semblance of grace (and to get back to searching for my friend), “I hope my marriage is still that passionate after twelve years!”

The man suddenly stopped smiling.

He looked me straight in the eye, and with forcefulness that burned right into my soul, he told me something that left me a different person. He told me, “Don’t hope, friend… decide!” Then he flashed me his wonderful smile again, shook my hand and said, “God bless!”

Interesting Facts about India

• India never invaded any country in her last 100000 years of history.
• When many cultures were only nomadic forest dwellers over 5000 years ago, Indians established Harappan culture in Sindhu Valley (Indus Valley Civilization)
• The name 'India' is derived from the River Indus, the valleys around which were the home of the early settlers. The Aryan worshippers referred to the river Indus as the Sindhu.
• The Persian invaders converted it into Hindu. The name 'Hindustan' combines Sindhu and Hindu and thus refers to the land of the Hindus.
• Chess was invented in India.
• Algebra, Trigonometry and Calculus are studies, which originated in India.
• The 'Place Value System' and the 'Decimal System' were developed in India in 100 B.C.
• The World's First Granite Temple is the Brihadeswara Temple at Tanjavur, Tamil Nadu. The shikhara of the temple is made from a single 80-tonne piece of granite. This magnificent temple was built in just five years, (between 1004 AD and 1009 AD) during the reign of Rajaraja Chola.
• India is the largest democracy in the world, the 7^th largest Country in the world, and one of the most ancient civilizations.
• The game of Snakes & Ladders was created by the 13th century poet saint Gyandev. It was originally called 'Mokshapat'. The ladders in the game represented virtues and the snakes indicated vices. The game was played with cowrie shells and dices. In time, the game underwent several modifications, but its meaning remained the same, i.e. good deeds take people to heaven and evil to a cycle of re-births.
• The world's highest cricket ground is in Chail, Himachal Pradesh. Built in 1893 after leveling a hilltop, this cricket pitch is 2444 meters above sea level.
• India has the largest number of Post Offices in the world.
• The largest employer in India is the Indian Railways, employing over a million people.
• The world's first university was established in Takshila in 700 BC. More than 10,500 students from all over the world studied more than 60 subjects. The University of Nalanda built in the 4th century was one of the greatest achievements of ancient India in the field of education.
• Ayurveda is the earliest school of medicine known to mankind. The Father of Medicine, Charaka, consolidated Ayurveda 2500 years ago.
• India was one of the richest countries till the time of British rule in the early 17th Century. Christopher Columbus, attracted by India's wealth, had come looking for a sea route to India when he discovered America by mistake.
• The Art of Navigation & Navigating was born in the river Sindh over 6000 years ago. The very word Navigation is derived from the Sanskrit word 'NAVGATIH'. The word navy is also derived from the Sanskrit word 'Nou'.
• Bhaskaracharya rightly calculated the time taken by the earth to orbit the Sun hundreds of years before the astronomer Smart. According to his calculation, the time taken by the Earth to orbit the Sun was 365.258756484 days.
• The value of "pi" was first calculated by the Indian Mathematician Budhayana, and he explained the concept of what is known as the Pythagorean Theorem. He discovered this in the 6th century, long before the European mathematicians.
• Algebra, Trigonometry and Calculus also originated in India.Quadratic Equations were used by Sridharacharya in the 11th century. The largest numbers the Greeks and the Romans used were 106 whereas Hindus used numbers as big as 10*53 (i.e. 10 to the power of 53) with specific names as early as 5000 B.C.during the Vedic period.Even today, the largest used number is Terra: 10*12(10 to the power of 12).
• Until 1896, India was the only source of diamonds in the world

Incredible India

India is a multi-lingual, secular, culturally diverse country full of scenic spots, salubrious hill resorts, enchanting lakes, quaint monuments, awesome religious sites, rich flora and fauna. There are tourist attractions galore in India and these tourist attractions are sporadically scattered all over the the country and are visited by thousands of tourists throughout the year.

Heritage sites

Since time immemorial, India was ruled by a succession of invaders and each state of India boasts of monuments of different era with variegated architecture. Charminar is a splendid piece of architecture located in the heart of the Hyderabad city of Andhra Pradesh. Charminar derives its name from four aesthetically designed and intricately carved minarets. Gigantic in its size and structure, this imposing monument of India exudes an ancient charm.

Kalarippayattu or Kalaripayattu (a form of martial arts) of Kerala, India

Visit the Incredible India

The famous Ajanta and Ellora , situated in Maharashtra, are cave shrines manually cut out of rock. Some of the most remarkable specimens of ancient Indian architectural heritage are found in the 34 caves at Ellora and the 29 caves at Ajanta. Red fort, the pride of India’s capital city Delhi, looks splendorous with massive walls of red sandstone.
Taj Mahal, situated on the banks of the river Yamuna in Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India, is a magnificent marble wonder and India’s most priceless monument. Taj Mahal is without a parallel on earth as a tomb, for verily the mortal remains of a person have never been housed in such grandeur.

Ganapathy Idols During Vinayak Chathurthi in Mumbai, India

The Taj Mahal, one of the 7 wonders of the world, Agra, India

Religious sites

India has consistently practiced secular values and Hindu temples, mosques, gurudwaras, Buddhist shrines abound.
Jama Masjid located at central Delhi is the largest mosque in India and a final architecture extravaganza. The Jama Masjid is built in yellow sandstone and involved around 5000 workers, and took 20 years to complete. Lord Venkateshwara temple at Tirumala, 853 m above the sea level in Andhra Pradesh is considered one of the most sacred Hindu temples in India. Considered as the richest temple in the world, the Cupola over the sanctorum is covered entirely with gold plate.
The Golden Temple is the supreme temple of Sikhism and the magnificent structure reflects resoluteness and indestructibility of the Sikh faith.
The Temple is situated in the midst of a pool symbolizing the dichotomy of the spiritual and temporal facets of human existence. You have a plethora of Buddhist shrines spread all over Eastern India and parts of North India.

Qutab Minar, Delhi, India

Beaches in India

Sun washed beaches are aplenty in India which is surrounded by water on three sides. Though most of the beaches are picturesque, a few deserve special mention. Marina Beach is a picturesque 4.5 kms long stretch along the eastern coastline at Chennai and is acknowledged as the world’s second longest beach.
Calangute Beach, located on the shores of the Arabian Sea of North Goa, is the most sought-after holiday resort in Goa. Once upon a time Calangute was the most haunted beach all hippies when psychedelic hell broke loose. Kovalam Beach, situated 16 kms from Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala, is internationally renowned and it consists of three adjacent crescent beaches. The southernmost, 'Lighthouse Beach', is the most fabulous and draws a huge tourist crowd all round the year.

Jallikkattu(a form of bull fight), Tamil Nadu, India

Kathakali - an art form of kerala

Hill stations

If you want get away from the heat and the dust urban India the hill resort of Darjeeling in West Bengal is an ideal choice. Darjeeling offers the beauty and of nature is at its best. The sunrise and sunsets are spectacular sights at Darjeeling. The hill resort has enormous appeal for botanists, ornithologists, trekkers, photographers and holidaymakers alike. The hill resort of Gangtok, the capital of the State of Sikkim, is an enchanting place with the imposing Himalayas in the backdrop. The virgin natural beauty of Gangtok and its peaceful atmosphere offer a truly unique experience for tourists to India.
Shillong, the capital of Meghalaya at an altitude of 1, 496 mts above sea level is an adorable hill station. You will be struck by its extraordinary scenic beauty, tall pines, stately mountains and green meadows. Shimla is arguably the best refuge from summer heat in the plains of Northern India. The natural beauty of the 2159 m high Shimla and its unique serenity attracts thousands of tourists year after year.

Visit India

India is a dream tourist destination replete with spots of scenic beauty, snow-capped mountains, lush green valleys, verdant hills, gorgeous rivers, numerous world heritage sites as well as time-honored monuments and modern day architectural wonders. India is also well-known for its natural diversity and you can make your way to several wildlife sanctuaries of that are the natural habitats of exquisite flora and fauna.

Playing with snakes!

Gate way of India, Mumbai, India

Mumbai!

Houseboats in Backwaters of Kerala

A Street Performe

                                                   The Incredible India

7 Secrets to Improve Your Ability to Learn (For Students of All Ages

 No matter what your age, throughout your life you will be learning. Your formal education ends with high school, but for many the learning never ends. You may attend a university, trade school, night school, community college or adult school. You may enhance your knowledge via business seminars, lectures, books, e-courses, and whatever else shows up in our information society. So wouldn’t it be helpful to have some good study habits and some tools to increase your ability to learn?
Although you may not be studying information to get good grades, retention of what you are learning can help your career, your parenting skills, your business, your relationships, your hobbies, and so much more. So it makes sense to acquire good learning skills sooner than later. Skills such as speed reading and good comprehension are useful for all the great information you want to take in.
Here are some more secrets for improving your ability to learn. Most apply to classes, but you can adapt them to any learning situation.

1. Be Prepared. If you’re taking a class online or at a school, study the curriculum in advance so you know what to expect. Engage in necessary prep work like downloading software, getting a workbook, or setting aside the dates for the course.
2. Get and Stay Organized. If you’re a computer note taker, make sure you set up a file folder system that will enable you to find what you need when you need it. Learning good computer organizational skills will save you a lot of time and headaches. If you take notes by hand, keep them in a labeled binder so you can review them later. Keep any other course papers in the binder as well.
3. Be On Time. If you’re taking a teleclass (this is a class conducted via telephone), call in five minutes early. Clear your desk, and have your pen and pad or a new computer file open. For live classes, show up a few minutes ahead of schedule. When you’re on time, you will have your full attention focused on the class, and not on “catching up” with yourself and what you may have missed.
4. Take Good Notes. If you’re unable to listen and write at the same time, just listen and then write notes after the class is over. If it’s recorded, you can review the class and take notes then. You can also ask the teacher for his/her outline, summary, or notes. Review your last class notes before your next class.
5. Establish Your Learning Style. Which is your best and preferred learning style: visual (reading), auditory (listening) or kinesthetic (doing)? When you know your learning style, take classes that incorporate that style. For example, audio learners keep CDs in their car to turn traffic jams into productive time. Book learners may keep a notebook handy to take notes and read as they exercise on the stepper machine or treadmill. When you study, do you need silence or do you enjoy having music playing in the background? Knowing how you learn best improves your effectiveness.
6. Ask Questions. If you’re taking a course online or in a school, make sure to jot down questions as they come up and ask them when you have a chance. I’ve always believed there are no dumb or silly questions. If you need clarification, you won’t continue learning until you have your questions answered. Most instructors see questions as a sign of an alert, intelligent mind.
7. Complete All Assignments. Stay current with your assignments and complete each one. If you’re reading a self-help book, do all the exercises. If you miss a class, find a way to get the assignments–from another student or the teacher. Online classes are often recorded, so make sure to listen to the recording if you can’t make a class.
With information coming at us from so many directions and in so many formats, it’s difficult to sort out what’s important. It’s even more difficult to retain data with so much to store in our brains. Ultimately we have to be more selective in what we choose to learn, and we need in order to develop effective learning habits. Having good study habits can help.