Tuesday, July 31, 2007

Explore. Dream. Discover.


Dear Children, Good Afternoon.

Look at each day as a chance to invest life into life. A chance to share your experience and deposit it into someone else's conscience. Each day is a chance to work miracles in the lives of others.

Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance you must keep moving.

We are important and our lives are important, magnificent really, and their details are worthy to be recorded. Journaling gives me a way to organize my thinking and my activities. Journaling gives me a glimpse into who I am and who I am becoming.

Every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries with it the seed of an equal or greater benefit.

Be patient toward all that is unsolved in your heart and try to love the questions themselves. In the end, it's not the years in your life that count.
It's the life in your years.

With Love, Amma-Naana


Monday, July 30, 2007

Greetings & News From Hyderabad


Dear our Sweet People, Good Evening.

We are doing well here. Just now we greeted Chander mamaiah’s family, Hyderabad. They are all doing well. And they have inquired about you all.

The climate is pleasant there now. The reservoirs are full, this time. There is no water problem in the city. The development in KPHB Colony is still progress, specially in VI & VII phases of the colony. Shopping Malls are coming up.

More in my next e-mail,

With Love, Amma - Naana

Sunday, July 29, 2007

Artificial Intelligence and Robotics...Biography of Dr. M. Vidyasagar


Dr. Mathukumalli Vidyasagar was born in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh on 29 September 1947. He received the B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees, all in Electrical Engineering, from the University of Wisconsin, in 1965, 1967, and 1969, respectively.

Between 1969 and 1989, he worked as a Professor of Electrical Engineering at various universities in the USA and Canada. His last overseas job was with the University of Waterloo, Canada between 1980-89.

In 1989 he returned to India as the Director of the newly-created Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, under the auspices of the Defence Research and Development Organisation, Ministry of Defence, Government of India. In that capacity he built up CAIR into a leading research laboratory consisting of about 40 scientists working on various cutting-edge areas such as aircraft control, robotics, neural networks, and image processing.

In 2000 he joined Tata Consultancy Services, India's largest IT firm, as an Executive Vice President in charge of Advanced Technology. In this capacity he created the Advanced Technology Centre, which currently consists of about 60 engineers and scientists working on e-security, advanced encryption methods, and bioinformatics.

In addition to his academic positions, he has held visiting positions at several universities including MIT, California , Califomia , CNRS Toulouse, France; Indian Institute of Science; University of Minnesota and Tokyo Institute of Technology.

He is the author or coauthor of nine books and more than one hundred and thirty papers in archival journals. He has received several honours in recognition of his research activities including the Distinguished Service Citation from his alma mater, the University of Wisconsin at Madison.

He is a Fellow of IEEE as well as the Indian Academy of Sciences; the Indian National Science Academy, the Indian National Academy of Engineering and the Third World Academy of Sciences.

Saturday, July 28, 2007

తెలంగాణ వీరగాథ : బతుకమ్మ పాట : రచన: వరవరరావు

ఇది కొత్త బతుకమ్మ పాట, సాగవలసిన బాట
2007 ప్రాణహిత

http://discover-telangana.org/wp/2007/06/27/telangana_veeragaatha_bathukamma_paata

బతుకమ్మ తెలంగాణకు సంకేతం. బతుకును అమ్మగా సంభావించి, పూలలో, ఆకులలో, నీటిలో, ప్రకృతిలో ఆమెను దర్శించి తొమ్మిదిరోజులపాటు ఆటపాటలతో కొలవడం తెలంగాణలో మాత్రమే ఉన్న సంప్రదాయం. బతుకమ్మ పాటలలో సామూహిక గానం ఉంది. సంగీతం ఉంది. నృత్యం ఉంది. జీవితం ఉంది. ఆ పాటలలో తెలంగాణ స్త్రీలు తమ బతుకులను పాడుకుంటారు, తమ ఆనందాలనూ విషాదాలనూ పాడుకుంటారు, ఏడేడు తరాల కథలనూ గాథలనూ తవ్విపోసుకుంటారు. కుటుంబంలోని దుఃఖాన్నీ, దొరల పాలనలోని కష్టాల్నీ, ప్రకృతి వైపరీత్యపు కడగండ్లనూ సామూహికంగా పాడుకుంటారు. కుటుంబ జీవనంలోని సంతోషాన్నీ, పిల్లల ముద్దుముచ్చట్లనూ, పంటచేల వయ్యారాలనూ, వీరుల త్యాగాలనూ, దేవతల దయనూ, శృంగారాన్నీ, కరుణనూ, హాస్యాన్నీ బతుకమ్మ పాటలలో కలగలిపి తలపోసుకుంటారు, వలపోసుకుంటారు. మరిచిపోయిన అనుబంధాలయినా, మరవలేని సంబంధాలయినా, అప్పటికప్పుడు ప్రతీకారంతీర్చుకోలేని కోపాలయినా, వ్యంగ్యంగా వెలువడే అధిక్షేపమయినా, ఎప్పటికప్పుడు ప్రేరణగానిలిచే యోధుల జ్ఞాపకాలయినా బతుకమ్మ పాటలకెక్కవలసిందే. వందల ఏండ్ల వెనుకటి సమ్మక్క సారలమ్మ వీరగాథ అయినా, నిన్నమొన్నటి ఐలమ్మ సాహసం అయినా, కళ్లముందరి నెత్తుటి కాల్వల సజీవ కవోష్ణ స్మృతులయినా బతుకమ్మ పాటలకెక్కవలసిందే.
తెలంగాణ జన జీవితాన్నంతా ఇంత బలంగా తనలో రంగరించుకున్న బతుకమ్మపాటలోకి తెలంగాణ చరిత్ర ఇంతవరకూ ఎక్కినట్టులేదు. ఒక్కొక్క పువ్వూవేసినట్టు తరతరాల తెలంగాణ చరిత్రను విప్పిచెప్పి ప్రత్యేకతెలంగాణ రాష్ట్ర ఆవశ్యకతను నొక్కిచెప్పే ప్రయత్నం ఈ ‘ఒక్కేసి పువ్వేసి సందమామ’ బతుకమ్మపాట. ‘తెలంగాణ చరితాను సందమామ, తెలియజెప్పుతాను సందమామ’ అంటూ మొదలయి ఒక్కొక్క జాముకు ఒక్కొక్క పూవు వేస్తూ మూడువేలఏండ్ల తెలంగాణ జాతి చరిత్రను చెపుతుందీ పాట. మొదటి జాము పాట తెలంగాణ నేలమీద జనజీవనం ప్రారంభమయినప్పటినుంచి తెలంగాణ చరిత్రలో మహోజ్వలమైన తెలంగాణ రైతాంగ సాయుధపోరాట విజయాలదగ్గర ముగుస్తుంది. రెండో జాము పాట పోలీసు చర్య పేరిటి సైనిక పాలన గురించి చెపితే, మూడోజాము పాట ముల్కీ ఉద్యమం నాటినుంచి 1969 ప్రత్యేక తెలంగాణ ఉద్యమం దాకా సాగిన పరిణామాల్ని చెపుతుంది. నాలుగో జాము పాట తెలంగాణ స్వయం నిర్ణయాధికార ఉద్యమంలో కలికితురాయి అయిన 1969 ప్రజాప్రజ్వలనాన్ని వివరిస్తుంది. ఐదో జాము పాట తెలంగాణ ప్రజా ఆకాంక్షలలోనే పుట్టిపెరిగి సమాంతరంగా ఈ నేలమీద వెల్లువై సాగిన ప్రత్యామ్నాయ ఉద్యమాన్ని వివరిస్తుంది. ఆ రెండు ఉద్యమాలకు సారభూతమైన ప్రజల ఆకాంక్షలమధ్య సారూప్యతను చెపుతుంది. ఆరోజాము పాట మళ్లీ మొదలయిన ప్రత్యేకతెలంగాణ రాష్ట్ర సాధన ఉద్యమపు విస్తృతిని వివరిస్తుంది. ఏడోజాము పాట ప్రత్యేక తెలంగాణ రాష్ట్రం సాధించుకోవలసిన అవసరాన్ని చెప్పడంతో ముగుస్తుంది.
ఇది కొత్త బతుకమ్మపాట. బతుకమ్మనేలపై కొత్త కోరికల పాట. కొత్త శపథాల బాట. తెలంగాణ ప్రజల స్వయంపాలనకోసం, తెలంగాణ వనరులమీద తెలంగాణ భూమిపుత్రుల అధికారంకోసం, తెలంగాణ ప్రజల ఆత్మగౌరవ అస్తిత్వంకోసం తెలంగాణ ప్రజల పాట. మరువరాని చరిత్రను నేర్పే పాట. సాగవలసిన చరిత్రబాట.

Friday, July 27, 2007

A Site Of Inspiration and Nation Building...

Dear Children,

Kalam continues to inspire from personal website. Please visit his site at
http://www.abdulkalam.com/

With Love, Amma-Naana

Enjoy eating well, being active and feeling good about yourself.

Eating breakfast every day can help improve concentration, reduce hunger and maintain a healthy weight. Look for fast and easy choices such as whole grain breads and muffins, cereal with milk, fruit and fruit juice, yogurt and yogurt shakes, cheese, and eggs, or be creative with last night's leftovers.

Remember to eat a VARIETY of foods because no single food is perfect. To get all the nutrients you need, enjoy as many different foods as possible from each of the four food groups in Canada's Food Guide to Healthy Eating.

Moderation doesn't mean giving up foods you love, it only means having a smaller amount less often. It's not just what you eat, but how often and how much, that really makes the difference.

Keep energized by having regular meals or snacks every 3-4 hours. Keep healthy snack and meal choices handy at work, in the car and at home to avoid settling for something less nutritious. Drink plenty of fluids including water throughout the day.

* Milk and milk products are a key source of calcium and other bone building nutrients such as vitamin D, magnesium, phosphorus and protein. Fluid milk is fortified with vitamin D. A healthy eating plan, which includes calcium and vitamin D along with daily activity will help prevent osteoporosis. Aim for 2-4 servings of milk and milk products each day.

* Fibre is important to help maintain regularity and control blood cholesterol and blood sugar levels. Eat a variety of fibre-rich foods everyday including whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes such as beans, peas and lentils.

** Healthy eating begins at the grocery store. Fill your cart with whole grain breads and cereals, rice and pasta, fruit and vegetables, milk and milk products, lean meat, poultry, fish, eggs and alternatives such as dried beans, peas and lentils. Read labels to guide your food choices.

పిల్లల పాటలు


1] మమత పంచు

రవి కాంతిని అందించును
శశి వెన్నెల వెదజల్లును
మబ్బు వాన కురిపించును
నీరు నదిలా ప్రవహించు
నేల చెట్లు నెదిగించును
చెట్లు పండ్లు తినిపించును
గాలి ప్రాణి బతుకులోన
చైతన్యము కలిగించును
మనిషి మంచి, మమత పంచి
మనగలిగిన మనిషి యగును

2]
సీతాకోక చిలుక

రంగుల్లో ఉన్నది రమ్యంగా ఉన్నది
పువ్వులో ఉన్నది పూలతేనె తిన్నది
అన్ని చోట్ల ఉన్నది అందంగా ఉన్నది
చిలకల్లో చిన్నది సీతాకోక చిలుకన్నది
చిలుకా చిలుకా సీతాకోక చిలుకా
పలుకూ పలుకూ మాతోనైనా పలుకు
వినవా వినవా పూల మాట వినవా
తినవా తినవా తీయని తేనెను తినవా
సీతాకోక చిలుకా నీకోక ఎవరిదమ్మ
రంగుల రెక్కల రతనాల చిలుకా
పూలే నీ నేస్తాలమ్మా,
మకరందమే నీ ఆహారమమ్మా
నీ రంగుల రూపమే హరివిల్లమ్మా

3] మనోహరం

పిల్లలనవ్వులు, పువ్వుల తోటలు
మనోహరం, మనోహరం
పున్నమి వెన్నెల, పూచిన కలువలు
మనోహరం, మనోహరం
పారేనదిలో సాగే పడవలు
మనోహరం మనోహరం
నీటిపయలో మిలమిల చేపలు
మనోహరం, మనోహరం
మలయ పవనం, మంజుల నాదం
మనోహరం, మనోహరం
మామిడి పూతలు, కోయిల పాటలు
మనోహరం, మనోహరం

Volga.... The name reflects her mind and its learnings.


Volga.... The name reflects her mind and its leanings.

It was not her name to begin with - it was her sister's, which she adopted as a pen name after the latter died tragically. However, it is the name by which the soft-spoken but fiery artist Popuri Lalitha Kumari is known today.

Volga was born in Guntur is 1950. She took her Master's degree in Telugu literature from Andhra University. She had her share of political action as a member of the Students Federation of India and also the naxalite movement. But her passion was always literature and she was a member of the Revolutionary Writers' Association. Increasingly drawn into the question of the woman writer's place in society and in literature, she began exploring the feminine experience in her work and became part of women's movements.

Her novel Svecha sold over 50,000 copies and created a wave in favour of women writers. It was a controversial book and Volga found that her personal life was dissected along with the contents of the book. But she fought on bravely and is a name to reckon with today in Telugu literature. The book won her the prestigious Chatura Award in 1987.

Volga has published an anthology of stories called Rajakiya Kathalu. She edited the first volume of Maku Godalu Levu, a collection of feminist essays and Neeli Meghalu, an anthology of poems, co-edited Sarihaddulu and Lani Sandhyalu; and co-authored Saramsam and Mahilavaranam.

Her efforts have gone a long way in changing the focus of what women writers write and how they write. G. Thilakavathi, writer and Indian Police Service officer, spoke to her in Chennai about her life and works. Excerpts from the conversation:

You said `Volga' was your sister's name and that she died in a fire. Did you write your first poem on that, after assuming her name?

I assumed her name and began writing poems. But my first poem was not to say something about that.

You have mentioned often that the writer Chalam influenced you greatly. Can you say something about that?


Chalam. An incomparable writer. He started writing in 1920, when his first novel was published. You can imagine what the condition of society would have been at that point of time.

But Chalam spoke about women's lives, their miseries, their sexuality, the house-work they do, the degraded lives they live, and such other revolutionary things. Unfortunately, his writings have not been able to reach people of other languages as they were not translated. I went to Thiruvannamalai 30 years ago to meet him... .

Andhra could not accommodate such a revolutionary and he became disenchanted with Andhra. A friend suggested Thiruvannamalai. Chalam's daughter Souri, who was religiously inclined, lived there. He moved to Thiruvannamalai.

I hope the people of Andhra Pradesh have understood his greatness at last. Have statues been erected in his memory?

No. In 1994 we celebrated his centenary in a big way. It was not a government function. Some friends got together to celebrate the event. The government, the communists and the other parties did not accept his ideas. Some friends got together to set up a statue in just one place in Andhra Pradesh.

What were your expectations when you started the feminist study circle?

I started this after I lost faith in Marxist philosophy and revolutionary politics. I wanted to make women understand their rights. I thought I must create awareness among women. There were not many people then even to write about feminism. So I wrote a lot. I spoke about women's lives, their tears, their unequal status, crimes against women and so on in the various places I travelled to. I worked really hard. I toured Andhra Pradesh. I tried hard to propagate the idea of female equality. I was involved in this work intensely during 1981-85. In 1985, I resigned my college lecturer job and shifted to Hyderabad, as Kutumba Rao and I had decided to live together in Hyderabad.

How did your feminist study circle get started at a time when women were not willing to join such organisations?

There was already a women's group doing this kind of work. It joined us and gave a helping hand in our endeavour. There were great writers like Varavara Rao in literary circles. Though they were a friendly lot, I felt lonely. I think you will understand this feeling. Vasantha Kannabiran and Sri Sakthi Sanghatra were already working along similar lines, and so I joined them. I wrote three works during that period.

One was on Marxism and the institution of family. The other was a translation of an autobiographical novel by Agnes Smedley. She was a native American woman who had great interest in the Chinese revolution. She lived in China for some time and wrote about how women did not enjoy equality in political organisations. This translation created a storm when it was published. I also published Neeli Meghalu, a collection of feminist poems. Then I teamed up with Vasanth Kannabiran and published a collection of articles, Twilight Without Boundaries.

Your Mahila Varanam is also a unique work, is it not?

It is a compendium of the history of women who created 150 years of Andhra history. There is no history of women. There is no place for women in history. History forgets them even if they have done important and unique deeds. It denies their existence.

You were a member of the SFI in your student days. Even later, you have been a part of Leftist organisations. What is the reason for this?

My father K.V. Subbha Rao was the district secretary of the Communist Party.

If your father had been in a different party, would you have joined that party?

No. My father quit the Communist Party when he was 40, when the Communist Party broke up into the CPI and the CPI-M . Though he had faith in communism till the end and was a sympathiser of the party, he gave up his party membership. He was actively involved in farming whatever little land he had.

He used to read a lot; our house was filled with books. My father used to read the best of world literature and also encouraged us to read. We got introduced to writers such as Gorky, Dostoyevski, Somerset Maugham, Pearl S. Buck and Chekov. I started reading Gorky and Tolstoy when I was 10 years old. My parents, sisters and brothers admired their writings and held extensive discussions on them. The days of my youth were wonderful.

Would your mother take part in these discussions?

Yes. She was a remarkable woman. She used to read a lot. She would participate in the discussions on these books. More important than that, she gave us a lot of freedom. That is because she had immense faith in her children. She would not question me when I was involved in active political work like pasting posters and writing on walls, and came home in the small hours of the night. Neither did she object to my male friends from college or the party visiting me at home.

I would like to mention another thing. My father used to take the whole family to see movies, even `commercial' films. We would have healthy discussions about every bit of the film once we got back home. Those were wonderful days.

Why did you quit the SFI? Was it because you ceased to be a student?

In 1969, the CPI(M) again split into the CPI(M) and the CPI(ML) [Communist Party of India-Marxist Leninist]. Many of my friends joined the Naxalbari movement of the `ML' group and worked in Srikakulam. So I too joined the movement. Then in 1970, I joined the Revolutionary Writers Association.

Was there any reason why you quit the CPI(ML) and joined the Revolutionary Writers Association?

The Revolutionary Writers Association is a branch of the `ML' group. There were several organisations that were part of the `ML' group. It was for this reason that I joined the Revolutionary Writers Association.

But I left the `ML' group in 1980 in great bitterness. That was because women were not given their rightful place in such organisations. They did not respect them for their intellect. From 1975 to 1980, I tried to change the system of women merely serving tea and giving shelter and protection to male comrades, but I could achieve nothing. So I resigned from the party and left the group.

I am surprised that you were not able to influence their thinking on the relation between the sexes.

Their idea was - revolution first and gender equality only after that.

Did you start the feminist study circle immediately after that?


No. That was two or three years later.

You were also a college lecturer while all this was happening?

Yes. From 1973 to 1985, I worked in S.V.R. College in Thenali in the Telugu Literature department. I treasure that experience.

Why did you give up the job?

I wanted to do something better than that.

There is a pattern here. You joined various organisations with a lot of enthusiasm, but later left them. You do not stick to an organisation just because you have joined it. So these were varied experiences in your life, right?

Yes. Especially in the 1980s. I had come out of the party. I had nothing on hand. My marriage had broken. I had a job. I had two sons...

Your novel Svecha created a wave of protests in Andhra Pradesh and you were subjected to attacks because of it. Was there any violence against you?

No. All the attacks were verbal. This was because Svecha was the first novel that saw woman as a citizen of this country. It shows the heroine Aruna fighting for her personal and political space. All this was revolutionary when the book was published in 1987.

Your father wanted you to pursue a career in medicine but you chose to study literature. Did you not want to become a doctor?

I felt literature was better than that.

Many doctors, such as Chekhov, Somerset Maugham and Che Guevera, also made a mark as writers.

Right. But, we respect Chekhov and Somerset Maugham for their literary works, and not because they were doctors. There was a reason for my choosing literature after school - it was poet Karunashri. A popular poet in Telugu, he was then the Telugu Literature Professor in S.V. College. I wanted to learn Shakespeare and Mahabharatam from him. I joined the college especially for that. When I was studying these, four of my friends and I started an organisation called Phaigambarakavilu and brought out two anthologies of poetry. Two of the group were Muslims. We started this organisation as this was the time of the Digambarakavis, who caused quite a sensation in that period. Phaigambara means Prophet. But then we broke up and went our ways. Only two of them still write.

Tell me something about your experiences with films. You have scripted and co-directed films like Thodu, Patha Nagaram to Pasiyodu. You have been a screenplay writer and script-writer. You also translated the screenplay of Richard Attenborough's Gandhi into Telugu.

I have always been interested in films. In 1986, I took a short-term course in films at the Pune Film Institute. It was my dream to shoot a film. I took up a position in Usha Kiron Movies in 1986. In the 10 years I worked there, we produced several hits such as Prathighatna, Aswini, Mayuri and Mauna Porattam. I also got an opportunity to attend a lot of film festivals. Reading, writing, watching films - I was doing the things I loved most.

Why did you give up a job that you liked so much?

In 1991, we started an organisation called Asmita and I was the president. I juggled the Usha Kiron job and work at Asmita for about four years. Then Usha Kiron started ETV. I worked for some time in that also. By then, Asmita had grown into a big organisation and demanded my full attention. In 1991, we produced a film on child labour called Badram Kodukku , which won two national awards and two State awards.

You have mentioned that awards tend to distract the writer and cause a loss of enthusiasm.

I did not say that about all awards. It was only after the attacks on me and my novel Svecha, which won the prestigious Chatura Award, that I began to feel that way. At that time my personal life, my private matters... everything was debated. After this bitter experience, though I wrote novels and won awards, it did not give me any satisfaction. It just made me think, `Okay, another novel. Okay, another award'.

What was your first novel Sahaja about?

It was about four friends who go in different ways. I wrote many novels after that. One of them is Akasamlo Sagam , a famous phrase of Mao Zedong. It was about the lives of Dalit women in villages. Gulabilu was about anti-liquor and anti-globalisation protests. Another novella, which, like Svecha, raised a storm, was Prayogam.

You have written songs for ballets, haven't you?

Yes. The first one was on `War and Peace'. Though that sounds like Tolstoy's work, it was generally about wars - starting from mythological wars up to the Iraq war. I next wrote for the ' Lakshmana Rekha ballet - I created a scene where Surpanaka and Sita dance together as friends. They dance knowing that they have been made the scapegoats in the Arya-Dravida war. The third one was on Draupaudi's life.

Thursday, July 26, 2007

Narsing Rao...

It has been reported in the press that Mr.B.Narsing Rao is soon going to make a full length feature film on Telangana.


Born in 1946, Narsing Rao had his schooling at Alwal, a suburb of the twin cities.

He took to painting after training at the Fine Arts College in the city. Soon, he stepped into theatre activity, enriching himself in music, literature, photography, more painting and then film making.

Narsing's penchant for taking theatre arts to the people's threshold engaged him full-time for years organizing theatre troupes, group performances and extempore street plays.

His photography, his painting, his music or his poetry reflect his keen interest and research in the folk forms which he adopts in depicting contemporary affairs and viewpoints.

His published work includes four volumes of poetry, a number of articles on theatre, cinema and matters of general interest besides short stories.

Narsing Rao made his remarkable debut into films with his Maa Bhoomi(1979,Telugu) for which he was the co producer and co-script writer. The film was directed by Gautam Ghosh.

In 1983 came his Rangula Kala that received the national award for the Best Telugu Film of the year. In Rangula kala, acclaimed for its aesthetic and experimental approach, Narsing Rao played the lead role himself besides being director, music composer, script-writer and producer.

Simultaneously, Narsing made documentaries too and won yet another national award for his Maa Ooru,1988 in the anthropological film category.

His Dasi,1988 took over centre-stage by bagging five national awards. It was judged the Best Telugu film of 1988 and was acclaimed for its technical and artistic excellence. Its cinematographer, actress, art director, and costume designer received national awards in their categories. Called as a 'Visual Stunner', the film has the story, music,scenario and direction by Narsing Rao.

A leading newsmagazine called him 'the killer of Kitsch' noting the sea change he has dubbed into the otherwise one of the most flourishing commercial cinema trades in Telugu,the second-largest-spoken language of India.

Narsing Rao stands tall with a firm commitment to meaningful, and yet aesthetic, cinema.

B.Narsing Rao has recently been elected President of the Hyderabad Film Club for the year 2001-2002. Offlate Mr.Narsing Rao who has taken a break from filmmaking is now all set to film Telangana.

Reachout feels that Mr.Narsing Rao is one rare of a director who has brought a lot of respect and acclaim to the otherwise commercial Telugu film industry and at a time when the Telugu Film Industry is longing for a national award, Mr.Narsing Rao seems to be the only hope.

Jagan...The Big Ben...

He defies even the watch. He is so fascinated with the journalistic duties and a responsible journalist.

Walking encyclopedias of World Cinema, his other areas of interests are Science and Web technology.

Worked for over two decades in Andhra Prabha in various capacities, he is a bilingual journalist.

As the Internet Editor he is instilling life to the online edition of Andhra Jyothi.

Wednesday, July 25, 2007

Nostalgic Memories...

Pictures of Nagarjuna Sagar sent by good friend Nagi Reddy... He & Ajay studied their +2 there..

Nagarjuna Sagar while Gates Open...


A Lovely girl with her Dad and Brother...


A good old student meeting up with his great old teachers...re-visiting his college...


Baby Names...


Dear Ajay Naana & Ranamma,

Parents want to give their children unique baby names. Doing so is easier said than done; in choosing a unique baby name, make sure you make the best choice.

All parents want their children to have unique baby names. Parents prefer a more distinctive name for their children to set them apart and in doing so; they sometimes give unusual baby names.

Finding unique baby boy names or unique baby girl names is not easy and is relatively a very hard endeavor as parents have to consider a lot of factors.

In searching for a unique baby name for your child, you have to take into consideration factors like how the chosen name would go with your surname, the name you choose need not only be distinctive but it should also not be funny. Remember also to keep it short, easy to memorize and write down so that other people will easily remember it.

Make sure that the unique baby name you choose is something that your children would be proud of for the rest of their lives.

Tips to Help you Come up with Baby Names

Avoid names that are complicated to spell. Make it simple and easy to remember. The name you choose will define your child’s future so be very careful about it; what’s cute at age 5 may not be cute anymore by the time your child is a teenager or an adult.

If you will use foreign names, make sure you know its etymological background.

Experiment with joining the father’s and mother’s name and see what you come up with. Optionally, you can combine the letters of your names to arrive at a unique baby name for your child.

You can also try to create anagrams from a combination of the parent’s names to come up with a new and unique baby. You can also use the name of a place, seasons or flowers as your baby’s name. Try to change the spelling of a name by changing/adding/subtracting 1 or 2 letters at the most.

If you will use a familiar first name for your child, combine it with a unique second/middle name. After making the final choice, do the following quality assurance steps to make doubly sure that you are not going to embarrass your darling baby in the future.Say the name aloud at different voice levels to make sure that the chosen name is euphorically pleasing.

Make sure that the First Name-Surname combination does not result into a funny phrase!Finally, visualize your child at the age of 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 to make sure that the name you have decided to give him/her is timeless.

Whatever and whichever unique baby name you decide on for your child, do not forget that it is about the child and not you. Never give an unusual name to your child simply because it is the fad of the season. Always bear in mind that the name you give will last for a lifetime. You should therefore be very careful in choosing baby boy names or baby girl names when it’s time to give a name to your darling baby.

Vincent Yim is the founder of BetterSmarterKids.com, he created this kid's weblog is providing a platform for all parents who can share and learn valuable ideas and tips in bringing up our children by understanding their interest behaviors viz children healthy foods, educational toys, kids hobbies, clothing, activities and games, schooling and moral values, etc.

With Love, Amma-Naana



Dear Uncle & Aunty,

We just came back from maternity class (2nd week). It was very useful & informative. Today instructor - Melissa discussed about stages of labor, breathing exercises & medication used during labor. We liked the article on selecting names for little baby. Thank you for sharing it with us. Uncle, you and aunty please suggest a name for our little baby girl. We will make sure the name is good in all regards - short, simple, good meaning and easy pronunciation. Hope you are having good time. We are walking regularly & eating healthy.

With Love, Ranamma

Thought For The Day

Dear Children,

~ People are lonely because they build walls instead of bridges.

~ The best relationship is the one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other.

~ Never fear spoiling children by making them too happy. Happiness is the atmosphere in which all good affections grow.

~Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else.

~It's not what you do once in a while, it's what you do day in and day out that makes the difference.

~Courage is something that you can exercise in your daily life choices. Courage could be the will to live in spite of the struggles. Courage could mean trying over and over again when you failed. Courage could mean admitting that you are sorry when you are in the wrong.

~If you want your dreams to come true, don't oversleep.

~The smallest good deed is better than the grandest intention.

~Of all the things you wear, your expression is the most important.

~The happiness of your life depends on the quality of your thoughts. Minds are like parachutes.. .they function only when open. Ideas won't work unless YOU do.

~One thing you can't recycle is wasted time.

~The heaviest thing to carry is a grudge.

~Don't learn safety rules by accident.

~A turtle makes progress when it sticks its head out.

~One thing you can give and still keep...is your word.

~A friend walks in when everyone else walks out.

AND FINALLY... The pursuit of happiness is the chase of a lifetime!!!

With Love, Amma-Naana

Tuesday, July 24, 2007

When You Thought I Wasn't Looking...


Dear Children,

Here is a lovely poem for you to read and enjoy...

With Love, Amma-Naana
~My father didn't tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it.




I saw when you thought I wasn't looking.


When you thought I wasn't looking,
I saw you hang up my first painting on the refrigerator,
and I wanted to paint another one.

When you thought I wasn't looking,
I saw you feed a stray cat,
and I thought it was good to be kind to animals.

When you thought I wasn't looking,
I saw you make my favorite cake for me,
and I knew that little things are special things.

When you thought I wasn't looking,
I felt you kiss me goodnight,
and I felt loved.

When you thought I wasn't looking,
I saw that you cared,
and I wanted to be everything that I could be.

When you thought I wasn't looking,
I LOOKED....and wanted to say thanks for all the things
I saw when you thought I wasn't looking.

Monday, July 23, 2007

Good Morning, Dear All : Amma - Naana


Dear All,

* Don’t think of yourself poorly or wish to be someone else, instead embrace your personal beauty and be happy.

* A person is only beautiful, when their own beauty, is reflecting on to others. Those who look for beauty, find it.

* Beauty is no quality in things themselves: it exists merely in the mind which contemplates them. Beauty is not in the face; beauty is a light in the heart.

* It's beauty that captures your attention; personality which captures your heart.

* Keep your faith in all beautiful things; in the sun when it is hidden, in the Spring when it is gone.

* A man should hear a little music, read a little poetry, and see a fine picture every day of his life, in order that worldly cares may not obliterate the sense of the beautiful which God has implanted in the human soul. Beauty is how you feel inside, and it reflects in your eyes. It is not something physical.

With Love, Amma-Naana

Sunday, July 22, 2007

Winners see the prize, but losers see the price. And there is no crown for the coward.

Dear Children,

Fortune favours the bold. Winners focus on the goals, but losers focus on what could go wrong. If you focus on your goals, your passion and achievement motivation will also grow.

The winners focus their efforts on achieving their goals. When problems arise they engage the problems with the understanding that solving these problems is a means to the end that they have determined before hand.

The winner is inspired by the reward that his actions are likely to reap. The winner because he is conscious of value and reward, will take the necessary risks to achieve his goals.

"Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage."

There is an urge in this generation. It is an urge that is growing stronger and more insistent and is indeed unstoppable.

This urge stems from the realisation that all men were born to win and not to lose, to be more and not just to have more, and above all else to live and not to merely exist.

It is a powerful urge because for many people it is an idea whose time has fully come and as somebody rightly said, "an invasion of armies can be resisted, but no force can defeat an invasion of ideas."

It is this urge that has given birth to concepts such as renaissance, increased entrepreneurship and empowerment.

Have a Nice Day,
Amma-Naana

Congratulations...






Thank you very much Mamayya and Athamma for your greetings. I am extremely impressed with your creativity and skill in coming up with this kind of wonderful art work from time to time.

Let us hope that Broadcom experience is going to be rewarding both in terms of technology knowledge enhancement and financial growth.

Regards,
Sreenath

Saturday, July 21, 2007

Victory of Pratibha Patil

"It is a special moment for us women - as also for men - that a woman has become the president first time after independence." - Sonia Gandhi

Saturday made history by choosing a woman as head of state for the first time as ruling coalition candidate Pratibha Patil won the presidential election as expected by a comfortable margin.

Promise Yourself...


Dear Children,

Promise yourself to be so strong that
nothing can disturb your peace of mind.

To talk health, happiness, and prosperity
to every person you meet.

To make all your friends feel like
there is something in them.

To look at the sunny side of everything
and make your optimism come true.

To think only of the best, to work only for the best,
and expect only the best.

To be just as enthusiastic about the success of others
as you are about your own.

To forget the mistakes of the past and
press on the greater achievements of the future.

To wear a cheerful countenance at all times
and give every living person you meet a smile.

To give so much time to the improvement of
yourself that you have no time to criticize others.

To be too large for worry, too noble for anger,
and too strong for fear, and to happy to permit the presence of trouble.

With Love, Amma-Naana

* The happiest people don't necessarily have the best of everything, they just make the most of everything that comes along the way.

Edmonton Heritage Festival 2007


Come Be Part Of It! The Edmonton Heritage Festival
Music - Dance - Food

Start Date: Saturday, August 04, 2007
End Date: Monday, August 06, 2007

The 2007 Edmonton heritage festival the thirty second anniversary of the festival. From its humble beginnings in 1975 with only 11 pavilions. And only operating for one day the edmonton heritage festival has grown to one of the largest celebrations in North America.

The 2006 festival, boasted over 350,000 visitors over three days featuring 58 cultural pavilions.

The Edmonton heritage festival has continued to demonstrate Canada's rich cultural diversity and the tremendous value of sharing our cultures with each other.

Friday, July 20, 2007

ప్లాన్ ప్రకారం పనులు చేయడంలో గమనించాల్సిన ముఖ్యమైన విషయాలు.

చాలామంది ప్లానులు ఘనంగా వేస్తారుకాని ఆచరించరు. ప్లాను వెయ్యటం కంటే దాన్ని ఆచరించటం చాలా ముఖ్యం. ప్లానును కాగితాలకే పరిమితం చెయ్యకుండా ఆచరించటం అలవాటు చేసుకోండి.
గడియారం ముల్లు తరుముతున్నట్లు హడావుడిగా ఉండటం నేర్చుకోండి. అలాగని చేసేపనులు చెడగొట్టుకోకూడదు. పనుల మధ్య సమయాన్ని, టీ, కాఫీల సమయాన్ని, బాతాఖానీల సమయాన్ని తగ్గించేయండి.


ఈ విధంగా ప్లాన్ ప్రకారం పనులు చేస్తూ ఉంటే ఏదో కొత్త జీవితం ప్రారభించిన ఫీలింగ్ వస్తుంది. భయపడకండి. ఈ కొత్త జీవితంలో మీరు ఇంతకు ముందుకన్నా సుఖంగా, ప్రశాంతంగా ఉండగలుగుతారు. కొత్త జీవితాన్ని ఆహ్వానించడానికి మానసికంగా సిద్ధంకండి.
ఏ రోజు పనులను ఆ రోజు విశ్లేషించి ఎక్కడ లోపాలు ఉన్నాయో తెలుసుకోండి. వాటిని సవరించుకునే ప్రయత్నం చేయండి.

ఈ రోజు ప్లాన్లో ఉన్న పనిని రేపటికి వాయిదా వేసే ప్రయత్నం చేయకండి. రేపటి పనులు దెబ్బతింటాయి. ఏదైనా పనిని వాయిదా వేయాల్సి వస్తే దాని స్థానంలో ఇంకో పనిని చేయండి. ఒకరోజు మొదలు పెట్టిన మీ ప్లాన్‌ను రెండు రోజులకి, తరువాత మూడు రోజులకి పెంచే ప్రయత్నం చేయండి. చివరికి ఒక వారం రోజులకి సరిపడ ప్లాన్‌ను తయారు చేసుకుని దానిని ఆచరించేందుకు సిద్దం కండి. అయితే అప్పుడు కూడా రోజువారీ ప్లాన్‌లను తయారుచేసుకోవడం మర్చిపోకండి.

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

All effective leaders are readers...


Dear Children,

All effective leaders are readers. And the only difference between who you are today and the person you will be in five years will come from the books you read and the people you associate with.

The steps include:1. Selection 2. Preparation 3. Read Actively 4. Reflect for Insight 5. Systematize for Implementation


Do the next most important thing. Do it now, however small it is. Repeat this until you’ve reached your goal. If you’re not sure what’s the next most important thing, do something anyway.

With Love, Amma-Naana

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Let us build a happy, prosperous and safe India - President A P J Abdul Kalam

Rashtrapati Bhawan



"I will go with two small suitcases," said an emotional President A P J Abdul Kalam on Thursday as he prepared to leave Rashtrapati Bhawan with a desire to see India as a developed nation by 2020.

In possibly his last public function as the head of the state, Kalam had an advice for the countrymen -- don't take gifts that come with a purpose and build families with character and good value system.

"On the 25th I will leave Rashtrapati Bhawan after having spent five glorious years there. What I have got are two small suitcases. I will go with two small suitcases," he said in his address at the India Islamic Cultural Centre here.

The statement that came on a day when polling was held to elect his successor, evoked a huge round of applause.

The President went on to add that besides the two suitcases, he had a big reserve of books that he would be taking with him.

"I will take the books with me. They are my own books," said Kalam, who plans to teach at Anna University, Tamil Nadu, after his tenure is over.

The 75-year-old Scientist-President, who turned philosophical and nostalgic in turns, recalled how his father had taught him not to accept any gifts.

"Yesterday, a well-known person gave me a gift of two pens. I had to return them with unhappiness," he said, also quoting from the ancient Hindu code of law Manusmriti that by accepting gifts the divine light in the person gets extinguished.

I am sharing this thought with all of you since no one should get carried away by any gift which comes with a purpose and through which one loses his personality greatly," he said.

Kalam, who said he visualised India as a developed nation by 2020, hoped it would become a country where economic development was coupled with moral values.

"There are many economically developed nations that are nor happy. Since we have a big value system and are blessed with a rich heritage, we can make our country a combination of economic development and moral values that are derived from our civilisation," he said.

"This is how we can build a happy, prosperous and safe India," Kalam said.

He said he visualised an India where the rural and urban divide has been reduced to a thin line, where there is equitable distribution and access to energy and water and where education with value system is not denied to any meritorious candidates because of societal or economic discrimination.

Underlining the importance of respecting all religions, he said he was influenced by all faiths as he grew up.

"Our country has had this advantage of integration of minds for thousands of years and we should continue to nurture this," Kalam said.



Anna University

Thought For The Day

Dear Children,

-The aim of an argument or discussion should not be victory, but progress.

-True eloquence consists in saying all that should be said, and that only.

-Tact is the knack of making a point without making an enemy.

-To get your ideas across use small words, big ideas, and short sentences.

-One of the best ways to persuade others is with your ears - by listening to them.

-Do not be afraid of life. Believe that life is worth living, and your belief will help create the fact.

-Optimism is essential to achievement and it is also the foundation of courage and true progress.

-Goodwill is the mightiest practical force in the universe.

-Live your life each day as you would climb a mountain. An occasional glance towards the summit keeps the goal in mind, but many beautiful scenes are to be observed from each new vantage point.

-I find that it is not the circumstances in which we are placed, but the spirit in which we face them, that constitutes our comfort.

-Think positively and masterfully with confidence and faith, and life becomes more secure, more fraught with action, richer in achievement and experience.

With Love, Amma-Naana

Monday, July 16, 2007

తెలంగాణ మనగా తెలుగువారుండు దేశమని అర్థము.

తెలంగాణ మనగా తెలుగువారుండు దేశమని అర్థము.

ఇది ప్రాచీనపదము. ఒకప్పుడు తెలంగాణము దక్షిణాపథమున విశాల భూభాగమును ఆక్రమించి యుండెను. కాని కాలక్రమమున తెలంగాణము చీలికలయి, వేర్వేరు రాజుల ఆధిపత్యములోకి వచ్చినందున వేర్వేరు నామమలను బొందెను, అయినను హైదరాబాదు రాష్ట్రములోని హైదరాబాదు, వరంగల్లు, ఖమ్మముమెట్టు, నల్లగొండ, మహబూబ్‌నగర్, మెదక్, నిజామాబాదు, ఆదిలాబాదు, కరీంనగర్ అను తొమ్మిది జిల్లాలకు ప్రాచీన తెలంగాణ శబ్దమే నిలిచిపోయినది. తెలంగాణ పదము ఈ తొమ్మిది జిల్లాలకు అన్వయిచుచు, రాజకీయ పత్రములందు వ్యవహరించుచున్నారు.

ఈ తొమ్మిది జిల్లాల యందును తెలుగువారు ప్రధానముగా నుంటచే తెలంగాణ శబ్దము సార్థకముగా నున్నది. అసలీ తెలంగాణమే తెలుగువారికి ఆది నివాస భూమిగా నుండెను. ఇచ్చిటి నుండియే వారు పలు ప్రాంతములకు విస్తరిల్లిరి.

ఆ ప్రాంతములందు ఆంధ్ర శబ్దము ప్రచారమునకు వచ్చి, ఆంధ్రప్రాంతంగా రూఢియై పోయినది. తెలుగువారు ఆంధ్రులు గనుకను, ఆంధ్రులు తెలుగువారు గనుకను ఇప్పుడంతయు తెలంగాణమే, అంతయు ఆంధ్రాణమే.

మట్టి పొరలలో శ్వాసిస్తున్న విత్తనం భూమిని చీల్చుకొని వచ్చి తన అస్థిత్వాన్ని ప్రకటింపచేస్తుంది. భావగర్భితమైన తన లక్షణాలను బట్టి విత్తనం స్వభావం తెలుస్తున్నది. గట్లనే తెలంగాణ నేడు జర్గుతున్న తెలంగాణ ఆస్థిత్వ పోరాటంలో ‘సాంస్కృతిక పునరుజ్జీవం’ అంగర్భాగం కావాలి.

Sunday, July 15, 2007

World Hindi Conference

Dear Sharmaji, Namaste.

Hindi is the second most spoken language in the world following the Chinese.

Geographically, people who speak Hindi are scattered all over the world including in the United States, which has been chosen as the host of Eighth World Hindi Conference.

The conference was held in New York from July 13 to 15, 2007. It was organized in cooperation with Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, New York.


Greetings from Somayya Kasani.

Saturday, July 14, 2007

ACA Summer Picnic 1...

Dear All, Good Morning.

It’s PICNIC time again... Time to feel inspired... Time to make connections...
And time to play with everything that's out there..

WELCOME TO OUR PICNIC AT RUNDLE PARK - E D M O N T O N !

Culture is preserved by parents who pass along commonly held customs to their children. For generations, one such custom was the picnic. Certainly, there is a great joy to be had from sitting in the sun, birds tweeting in the fresh air.

With Best Greetings,
Amma-Naana


Friday, July 13, 2007

Happiness is not found by wanting much, but rather by wanting little and having more..!!!

Taken from a forwarded email...

Once upon a time, there was an island where all the feelings lived; Happiness, Sadness, Knowledge, and all the others, including Love. One day it was announced to the feelings that the island would sink, so all repaired their boats and left.

Love wanted to persevere until the last possible moment. When the island was almost sinking, Love decided to ask for help. Richness was passing by Love in a grand boat. Love said "Richness, can you take me with you?" Richness answered, "No, I can't. There is a lot of silver in my boat. There is no place here for you."

Love decided to ask Vanity who was also passing by in a beautiful vessel. "Vanity, please help me!" "I can't help you Love. You are all wet and might damage my boat," Vanity answered.

Sadness was close by so Love asked for help, "Sadness, let me go with you." "Oh....Love, I am so sad that I need to be by myself."

Happiness passed by Love too, but she was so happy that she did not even hear when Love called her!

Suddenly there was a voice, "Come Love, I will take you." It was an elder. Love felt so blessed and overjoyed that he even forgot to ask the elder his name. When they arrived at dry land, the elder went his own way.

Love realizing how much he owed the elder, asked Knowledge, another elder. "Who helped me?" "It was Time," Knowledge answered. "Time?" asked Love. "But why did Time help me?" Knowledge smiled with deep wisdom and answered, "Because, only Time is capable of understanding how great Love is."

Happiness is not found by wanting much, but rather by wanting little and having more..!!!

Edmonton International Street Performers Festival...


The Ultimate Populist Event!...An Article by Todd Babiak, The Edmonton Journal

Published: yesterday July 12

At the Edmonton International Street Performers Festival on Tuesday afternoon, a man who smelled of alcohol touched my arm. He didn't grab me. There was no aggression in his face or in his gentle contact. I was carrying my 18-month-old daughter on my shoulders, though, so I was somewhat alarmed. "Hey," he said. My friends were ahead, and I didn't want to lose them. "Hey," I said, as I walked away.

"Yeah, I have clothes for your son." Not sure if I heard him correctly, I asked him to repeat. He was with four other men, poorly dressed and sleepy. One was shoeless. Years of hard living were evident in their eyes.

I knew the man wanted money, but this was a novel approach. "Twenty dollars," he said. "I have clothes for your son." "It's a girl," I said.

He smiled and winked. "Ten dollars." It was a perfect afternoon, sunny and in the low 20s. Parents and small children and tourists with cameras wandered about Sir Winston Churchill Square. The poor and the homeless and the lost wandered among them, seamlessly. Some toddlers were accidentally knocked down in the crowded circles around the acrobats in Soviet short-shorts.

A young couple had a very public, very loud and very profane argument, yielding their cigarettes like bull whips. But despite these incidents, it was an utterly safe environment for everyone. Safe yet undeniably uncomfortable.

Festivals are festivals, and no one wants to be reminded -- among the laughter and amazement and joy -- that Edmonton is plagued with serious poverty and homelessness. To our great collective shame, the problem is especially visible among the city's urban aboriginal population.

Of course, this isn't strictly an Edmonton problem. It's an urban problem. Vancouver's troubles are far more acute, and it's a major issue in the run-up to the 2010 Winter Olympics. For next summer's Olympic games in Beijing, authorities are reportedly demolishing shantytowns and transporting the poor out of the city, so that poverty is invisible while the world is looking.

If indigence was easy to solve, it would have been taken care of thousands of years ago. Governments and organizations can help alleviate suffering, but a certain percentage of every population will always live in crushing poverty. The mark of a good and successful society is its spirit of compassion, plurality and inclusiveness.

"I think in a sense it's a big part of the show," says Shelley Switzer, artistic director of the festival.

"For 10 days, we're really a guest in someone else's home. And we try to be the best guest we can be. It's non-ticketed, and available and accessible to everyone, whether you're brand new to the city or you don't have any money. After each performance, the artists say, 'Please put what you can in our hats.

If you can't afford it, please come and say thank you.' " Switzer says she doesn't hear complaints about the street people mingling among the street performers. It's the modern manifestation of one of the world's oldest art forms, and its appeal is universal.

"That's part of what makes it unique. When you're standing in the circle, watching a performer, you're connecting with an artist but you're also connecting with your community -- sharing laughter with your community.

I love watching an office worker coming down in a suit during lunch hour to watch a performance, and there he is standing next to a homeless person, both of them sharing the same laugh." In most cities, the idea of a perfectly clean and shiny, upper-middle-class downtown is a fantasy.

The majority of Albertans live outside urban cores, where life is apparently quieter and safer. Yet when they come together with some of the downtown east side's residents, there are rarely any problems outside esthetics and perhaps guilt. If anything, a stranger offering to clothe my daughter in boy's clothes for $10 only makes my life richer.

Instead of seeking to move street people away from festivals and arts districts, to hide them from tourists and children, it seems far more humane to welcome them; to welcome everyone who doesn't have a Facebook page.

The Downtown Business Association is working with The Works International Visual Arts Society to bring permanent artistic expression from the city's multicultural, new immigrant and aboriginal communities to the square. Until Aug. 13, artists can submit images for the metal banners that will arc around eight poles.

There are alternatives to feeling embarrassed or outraged by the bare facts of city life. Switzer is philosophical and pragmatic about the square and its multiple faces. "Some people need to laugh a lot more than others," she says.


Mayor Mandel responds to Globe and Mail Article!


July 10, 2007
To the Editor, Globe and Mail

It's a baffling mystery to everyone in Edmonton why the Globe would choose to run picture of an open oil-sands excavation along side a synopsis of our City. Even a writer who has never been outside the city of Toronto should be able to recognize the difference between one of the world's largest industrial mining projects and one of Canada's most artistically vibrant and culturally diverse cities.

The Globe may be surprised to discover that Edmonton is in fact a cosmopolitan city with a regional population of over a million people that we're home to Canada's largest live theatre venue that we're investing over $80 million on a stunning new art gallery, that our Fringe Theatre event is the largest in all of North America, that our Street Performers Festival is considered best in the world. Our Folk Festival is internationally acclaimed, we've had a 1% public art policy on civic construction for longer than most Canadian cities, we have our own poet laureate.

Edmonton has one of the world's most acoustically-perfect concert halls, we host more than 30 festivals here, annually and yes our reputation earned us the title of Canada's Cultural Capital.

That's in addition to having Canada's highest-ranked health system, being the province's #1 urban tourist destination, being a national and international leader in "green" waste-management policies and practices and being home to the University of Alberta -- Canada's foremost research-intensive university.

Even if we focus solely on your much mentioned gay-index, note that U.S. based "OUT Traveller" ranked the Alberta capital as one of Canada's Top-Five Gay-Friendly tourist destinations "...the laid-back capital of oil-rich Alberta is a bastion of progressiveness..." it says.

What a disappointment that the Globe theoretically representing all of Canada's cities, could be so desperately less-aware of its own country than a U.S. publication.

Clearly Edmonton is not struggling to endorse or attract a creative class. Our arts and culture scene contributes to Edmonton being the epicentre of the hottest economies in the country and we celebrate that along with the success it is bringing.
Stephen Mandel,
Mayor

Thursday, July 12, 2007

Life is About Creating Yourself ...


Dear Children,

Remember these five simple rules to be happy:

1-Free your heart from hatred.

2-Free your mind from worries.

3-Live simply.

4-Give more.

5-Expect less.

No one can go back and make a new start. Anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending.

God didn't promise days without pain, laughter without sorrow, sun without rain, but God did promise strength for the day, comfort for the tears, and light for the way.

Disappointments are like road humps, they slow you down a bit but you enjoy the smooth road after wards.Don`t stay on the humps too long. Move on!

When you feel down because you didn't get what you want, just sit tight and be happy, because God is thinking or something better to give you.

When something happens to you, good or bad, consider what it means. There`s a purpose to life`s events, to teach you how to laugh more or not to cry too hard.

You can`t make someone love you, all you can do is be someone who can be loved, the rest is up to the person to realize your worth.

The measure of love is when you without measure. In life there are very rare chances that you`ll meet the person you love and loves you in return. So once you have it don`t ever let go, the chance might never come your way again.

It`s better to lose your pride to the one you love, than to lose the one you love because of pride.

We spend too much time looking for the right person to love or finding fault with those we already love, when instead we should be perfecting the love we give.

When you truly care for someone, you don`t Look for faults, you don`t look for answers, you don`t look for mistakes. Instead, you fight the mistakes, you accept the faults, and you overlook the excuses.

Never abandon an old friend.You will never find one who can take his (or her) place.

Friendship is like wine, it gets better as it grows older. When you receive this, you know you are cherished.


With Love, Amma-Naana

Wednesday, July 11, 2007

Women's Safety..

This is taken from a forwarded email..

1) The three reasons women are easy targets for random acts of violence are:
(a) Lack of Awareness. You MUST know where you are and what's going on around you.
(b) Body Language. Keep your head up, swing your arms, and stand straight up.
(c) Wrong Place, Wrong Time. DON'T walk alone in an alley, or drive in a bad neighborhood at night.

(2) Women have a tendency to get into their cars after shopping, eating, working, etc., and just sit there (doing their checkbook or making a list, etc.) DON'T DO THIS! The predator will be watching you, and this is the perfect opportunity for him to get in the passenger side, put a gun to your head and tell you where to go. AS SOON AS YOU GET INTO YOUR CAR, LOCK THE DOORS AND LEAVE.
(a) A few notes about getting into your car in a parking lot, or parking garage: Be aware! Look around you, look into your car, at the passenger side floor, and the back seat.
(b) If you are parked next to a big van, enter your car from the passenger door. Most serial killers attack their victims by pulling them into their vans while the women are attempting to get into their cars.
(c) Look at the car parked on the driver’s side of your vehicle, and the passenger side. If a male is sitting alone in the seat nearest your car, you may want to walk back into the mall, or work, and get a guard or policeman to walk you back out. IT IS ALWAYS BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY. (Better paranoid than dead.)

(3) ALWAYS take the elevator instead of the stairs. (Stairwells are horrible places to be alone and the perfect crime spot).
(a) Do not get on an elevator if there is a weirdo already on there. (Of course, bad men don't always look bad.)
(b) Do not stand back in the corners of the elevator; be near the front, by the doors, ready to get off or on.
(c) If you get on the elevator on the 25th floor, and the Boogie Man gets on the 22nd, get off when he gets on.

(4) If the predator has a gun and you are not under his control, ALWAYS RUN!
(a) Police only make 4 of 10 shots when they are in range of 3-9 feet. This is due to stress.
(b) The predator! will only hit you (a running target) 4 in 100 times. And even then, it most likely WILL NOT be a vital organ. RUN.

(5) Women are always trying to be sympathetic. STOP IT!
(a) Ted Bundy, the serial killer, was a good-looking, well-educated man, who ALWAYS played on the sympathies of unsuspecting women. He walked with a cane, or a limp, and often asked "for help" into his vehicle or with his vehicle, which is when he abducted his next victim.
(b) Pat Malone told us the story of his daughter, who came out of the mall and was walking to her car when she noticed 2 older ladies in front of her. Then she saw a police car come towards her with cops who said hello. She also noticed that all 8 handicap spots in the area were empty. As she neared her car she saw a man a few rows over calling to her for help. He wanted her to close his passenger side door. He was sitting in the driver's side, and said he was handicapped. He continued calling, until she turned and headed back to the mall, and then he began cursing at her. In the meantime, she wondered why he didn't ask the 2 older ladies, or the policeman for help, and why he was not parked in any of the empty handicap spots. As she got back to the mall, two male friends of hers were exiting, and as she told them the story, and turned to point at the car, the man was getting out of the back seat into the front, and the car sped away. DON'T GET CAUGHT IN THIS TRAP.

(6) Tips to saving your life, if you get into a violent situation:
(a) REACT IMMEDIATELY! If he abducts you in a parking lot, and is taking you to an abandoned area, DON'T LET HIM GET YOU TO THAT AREA. If you are driving, react immediately in the situation, and crash your car while still going 5 mph. If he's driving, find the right time, and stick your fingers in his eyes. He must watch the road, so choose an unsuspecting time, and gouge him. It is your ONLY defense. While he is in shock, GET OUT. (This sounds gross, but the alternative may be death if you do not act.)
(b) RESIST. Don't go along with him. Run, if you are able. DON'T EVER GIVE UP! You DO NOT want to get to a crime scene.

(7) Always keep your distance when walking past strangers on the street or in dark areas.

(8) GET A CELL PHONE.
(a) There are packages for $19.95 a month that allow you to program only 911 into the dialing out program. (This is an alternative for parents who say it is too expensive for their kids to have a cell phone.)

(9) BREAK DOWNS: Make every effort to avoid this by ALWAYS keeping your car in good working order.
(a) If your car breaks down, LOCK YOUR DOORS. You better have a cell phone to call for help.
(b) If you don't have a cell phone, (shame on you) keep a blanket, warm clothes, a pair of boots, and a flashlight in your car always, for emergencies.
(c) If it's noon on a business day, you may want to put your hazards on and walk to safety.
(d) If it's 2 am, put on your warm clothes, and walk to a lighted area. You are a perfect target if you are sitting in your car broken down. Predators search the highways for easy targets like you.
(e) If you're on a desolate road, walk away from the car (in your warm clothes) and go to some bushes, or some area AWAY from your vehicle. It will be cold, and uncomfortable, but you DO NOT want to stay in your car, and there are no psycho bogeymen waiting in the bushes who knew you were going to break down there and then.

(10) Physical defenses that we can use against the violent predator:
(a) The EYES are the most vulnerable part of the body. Poke him there. HARD. It may be your only window of opportunity.
(b) The neck is also a vulnerable spot, but you MUST know where to grip, AND HAVE THE STRENGTH to cut off his breath.
(c) The last place is the KNEES. Everyone's knees are very vulnerable, and a swift kick here will take anyone down.

A cautionary note about these things. If you do not do these things right the first time, you are in trouble, because it will only anger the individual, and that anger will be TAKEN OUT ON YOU. I'm not saying don't attempt them (it may be your only hope), but be forceful when you do.

(11) If you are walking alone in the dark (which you shouldn't be) and you find him following / chasing you:
(a) Scream "FIRE!" and not "help." People don't want to get involved when people yell "help," but "fire" draws attention because people are nosey.
(b) RUN!
(c) Find an obstacle, such as a parked car, and run around it, like Ring Around the Rosie. This may sound silly, but over the years, 5 women have told Pat Malone that this SAVED THEIR LIVES.
(d) Your last hope is getting under the car. Once you are under there, there are tons of things to hold on to, and he will not be able to get you out and will not come under for you (most likely). Usually they give up by this point. The catch here is that YOU MUST PRACTICE GETTING UNDER THE CAR. You must have a plan (he will have one); know if you will be going on your back, front, from the side or back of the car. It must be practiced.

(12) Never let yourself or anyone that you know be a "closer" in any type of business (bar, store, restaurant, gas station). Pat knew Danielle, who was a girl that just died from being shot pointblank by some kids while she was closing at the local gas station. He talked with her the night before she died, and asked whether it ever scared her to close alone. She said yes, but said "I'll be all right, Pat. I'll be all right." She wasn't. Our world is not as safe as we pretend that it is, and living in our fantasy worlds WILL get us in trouble, sooner or later.

(13) Keep your auto remote entry fob near your bedside at night. If you hear noise you can hit the panic button. The noise from your auto will make an intruder run out immediately. Noise and light are the enemies of burglars and other intruders.

Pat Malone said again and again that the women who die EVERY MINUTE from violent crimes expected to go to bed tonight, and get up tomorrow. No one expects it, but we must be prepared and aware so that we HAVE A PLAN. BE PREPARED TO ACT! AND ACT HARD! HAVE A PLAN!

Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Thought For The Day - The President of India DR. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam's Speech in Hyderabad



Why is the media here so negative? Why are we in India so embarrassed to recognize our own Strengths, our achievements? we are such a great nation. We have so many amazing success stories but we refuse to acknowledge them. Why?

We are the first in milk production. We are number one in Remote sensing satellites. We are the second largest producer of wheat. We are the second largest producer of rice. Look at Dr. Sudarshan , he has transferred the tribal village into a self-sustaining, self-driving unit. There are millions of such achievements but our media is only obsessed in the bad news and failures and disasters. I was in Tel Aviv once and I was reading the Israeli newspaper. It was the day after a lot of attacks and bombardments and deaths had taken place. The Hamas had struck. But the front page of the newspaper had the picture of a Jewish gentleman who in five years had transformed his desert into an orchid and a granary. It was this inspiring picture that everyone woke up to. The gory details of killings, bombardments, deaths, were inside in the newspaper, buried among other news.

In India we only read about death, sickness, terrorism, crime. Why are we so NEGATIVE? Another question: Why are we, as a nation so obsessed with foreign things? We want foreign T. Vs, we want foreign shirts. We want foreign technology.

Why this obsession with everything imported. Do we not realize that self-respect comes with self-reliance? I was in Hyderabad giving this lecture, when a 14 year old girl asked me for my autograph. I asked her what her goal in life is. She replied: I want to live in a developed India . For her, you and I will have to build this developed India . You must proclaim. India is not an under-developed nation; it is a highly developed nation. Do you have 10 minutes? Allow me to come back with a vengeance.

Got 10 minutes for your country? If yes, then read; otherwise, choice is yours. YOU say that our government is inefficient. YOU say that our laws are too old. YOU say that the municipality does not pick up the garbage. YOU say that the phones don't work, the railways are a joke, The airline is the worst in the world, mails never reach their destination. YOU say that our country has been fed to the dogs and is the absolute pits.

YOU say, say and say. What do YOU do about it? Take a person on his way to Singapore . Give him a name - YOURS. Give him a face - YOURS. YOU walk out of the airport and you are at your International best. In Singapore you don't throw cigarette butts on the roads or eat in the stores. YOU are as proud of their Underground links as they are. You pay $5 (approx. Rs. 60) to drive through Orchard Road (equivalent of Mahim Causeway or Pedder Road) between 5 PM and 8 PM. YOU come back to the parking lot to punch your parking ticket if you have over stayed in a restaurant or a shopping mall irrespective of your status identity... In Singapore you don't say anything, DO YOU? YOU wouldn't dare to eat in public during Ramadan, in Dubai . YOU would not dare to go out without your head covered in Jeddah . YOU would not dare to buy an employee of the telephone exchange in London at 10 pounds ( Rs.650) a month to, 'see to it that my STD and ISD calls are billed to someone else.'YOU would not dare to speed beyond 55 mph (88 km/h) in Washington and then tell the traffic cop, 'Jaanta hai main kaun hoon (Do you know who I am?). I am so and so's son.

Take your two bucks and get lost.' YOU wouldn't chuck an empty coconut shell anywhere other than the garbage pail on the beaches in Australia and . Why don't YOU spit Paan on the streets of Tokyo ? Why don't YOU use examination jockeys or buy fake certificates in Boston ??? We are still talking of the same YOU. YOU who can respect and conform to a foreign system in other countries but cannot in your own. You who will throw papers and cigarettes on the road the moment you touch Indian ground. If you can be an involved and appreciative citizen in an alien country, why cannot you be the same here in India ?

Once in an interview, the famous Ex-municipal commissioner of Bombay , Mr. Tinaikar , had a point to make. 'Rich people's dogs are walked on the streets to leave their affluent droppings all over the place,' he said. 'And then the same people turn around to criticize and blame the authorities for inefficiency and dirty pavements. What do they expect the officers to do? Go down with a broom every time their dog feels the pressure in his bowels?

In America every dog owner has to clean up after his pet has done the job. Same in Japan . Will the Indian citizen do that here?' He's right. We go to the polls to choose a government and after that forfeit all responsibility. We sit back wanting to be pampered and expect the government to do everything for us whilst our contribution is totally negative. We expect the government to clean up but we are not going to stop chucking garbage all over the place nor are we going to stop to pick a up a stray piece of paper and throw it in the bin. We expect the railways to provide clean bathrooms but we are not going to learn the proper use of bathrooms. We want Indian Airlines and Air India to provide the best of food and toiletries but we are not going to stop pilfering at the least opportunity.

This applies even to the staff who is known not to pass on the service to the public. When it comes to burning social issues like those related to women, dowry, girl child! and others, we make loud drawing room protestations and continue to do the reverse at home. Our excuse? 'It's the whole system which has to change, how will it matter if I alone fore go my sons' rights to a dowry.' So who's going to change the system?

What does a system consist of ? Very conveniently for us it consists of our neighbors, other households, other cities, other communities and the government. But definitely not me and YOU. When it comes to us actually making a positive contribution to the system we lock ourselves along with our families into a safe cocoon and look into the distance at countries far away and wait for a Mr.Clean to come along & work miracles for us with a majestic sweep of his hand or we leave the country and run away.

Like lazy cowards hounded by our fears we run to America to bask in their glory and praise their system. When New York becomes insecure we run to England . When England experiences unemployment, we take the next flight out to the Gulf. When the Gulf is war struck, we demand to be rescued and brought home by the Indian government. Everybody is out to abuse and rape the country. Nobody thinks of feeding the system. Our conscience is mortgaged to money.

Dear Indians, The article is highly thought inductive, calls for a great deal of introspection and pricks ones conscience too.... I am echoing J. F. Kennedy 's words to his fellow Americans to relate to Indians.....

'ASK WHAT WE CAN DO FOR INDIA AND DO WHAT HAS TO BE DONE TO MAKE INDIA WHAT AMERICA AND OTHER WESTERN COUNTRIES ARE TODAY'

Lets do what India needs from us.

Thank you,

Dr. Abdul Kalaam

Monday, July 09, 2007

Thought For The Day



Dear Children,

~ Care more than others think wise. Risk more than others think safe. Dream more than others think practical. Expect more than others think possible.

~ What counts in making a happy relationship is not so much how compatible you are, but how you deal with incompatibility.

~ Kindness in words creates confidence, kindness in thinking creates profoundness, kindness in feeling creates love. Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless.

~ If someone is too tired to give you a smile,leave one of your own, because no one needs a smile as much as those who have none to give.

~ For every minute you are angry, you lose sixty seconds of happiness.

~ Its not stress that kills us, it is our reaction to it.

~ Each difficult moment has the potential to open my eyes and open my heart.

~ Love is the force that ignites the spirit and binds teams together. We must always change, renew, rejuvenate ourselves; otherwise, we harden.

With Love, Amma-Naana