What Makes One Happy …

How to Live ….

Very nice article by Late  Khushwant Singh. Preserve this .

I’ve often thought about what it is that makes people happy—what one has to do in order to achieve happiness.


1- First and foremost is good health. If you do not enjoy good health, you can never be happy. Any ailment, however trivial, will deduct something from your happiness.

2- Second, a healthy bank balance. It need not run into crores, but it should be enough to provide for comforts, and there should be something to spare for recreation—eating out, going to the movies, travel and holidays in the hills or by the sea. Shortage of money can be demoralising. Living on credit or borrowing is demeaning and lowers one in one’s own eyes.

3- Third, your own home. Rented places can never give you the comfort or security of a home that is yours for keeps. If it has garden space, all the better. Plant your own trees and flowers, see them grow and blossom, and cultivate a sense of kinship with them.

4- Fourth, an understanding companion, be it your spouse or a friend. If you have too many misunderstandings, it robs you of your peace of mind. It is better to be divorced than to be quarrelling all the time.

5- Fifth, stop envying those who have done better than you in life—risen higher, made more money, or earned more fame. Envy can be corroding; avoid comparing yourself with others.

6- Sixth, do not allow people to descend on you for gossip. By the time you get rid of them, you will feel exhausted and poisoned by their gossip-mongering.

7- Seventh, cultivate a hobby or two that will fulfill you—gardening, reading, writing, painting, playing or listening to music. Going to clubs or parties to get free drinks, or to meet celebrities, is a criminal waste of time. It’s important to concentrate on something that keeps you occupied meaningfully.

8- Eighth, every morning and evening devote 15 minutes to introspection. In the mornings, 10 minutes should be spent in keeping the mind absolutely still, and five listing the things you have to do that day. In the evenings, five minutes should be set aside to keep the mind still and 10 to go over the tasks you had intended to do.

9- Ninth, don’t lose your temper. Try not to be short-tempered, or vengeful. Even when a friend has been rude, just move on.

10- Above all, when the time comes to go, one should go like a Person without any regret or grievance against anyone.

Really nice one…. 

SOURCE:::: input from a friend of mine

Natarajan

Kashmir Willow Bat … An Important Player in Cricket World cup !!!

A look at Kashmiri willow bat factory, as sales boom during this World Cup season.

Joke of the Day…” Hey… I am Panda …Look it Up…” !!!

A panda bear walks into a bar and orders a sandwich.

The waiter brings him the sandwich. The panda bear eats it, pulls out a pistol, kills the waiter, and gets up and starts to walk out.

The bartender yells for him to stop.

The panda bear asks, “What do you want?”

The bartender replies, “First you come in here, order food, kill my waiter, then try to go without paying for your food.”

The panda bear turns around and says, “Hey! I’m a Panda. Look it up!”

The bartender goes into the back room and looks up panda bear in the encyclopedia, which read: “Panda: a bear-like marsupial originating in Asian regions. Known largely for its stark black and white coloring. Eats shoots and leaves.”

SOURCE:::: http://www.joke a day.com

Natarajan

This Date …Feb 13…. .. BirthDay of Chuck Yeager… The 1st Pilot to Break the Sound Barrier…

February 13, 1923. Chuck Yeager, the first pilot to break the sound barrier, was born in Myra, West Virginia on this date in 1923.

Yaeger enlisted in the Army Air Corps in September 1941, at the age of 18. He fought in World War II before being assigned to fly high-performance aircraft at Edwards Air Force Base in 1947.

On October 14, 1947, Yeager piloted a plane called Glamorous Glennis to Mach 1.06, just over the speed of sound.

Dubbed the fastest man alive, he also won the prestigious Collier Trophy in aviation even as he continued setting speed records.

The plane in which he broke the sound barrier is on display at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C.

Yeager’s adventures were popularized in a 1980s satirical book and movie, both called The Right Stuff.

He currently lives California.

Yeager in front of the Bell X-1, which, as with all of the aircraft assigned to him, he named Glamorous Glennis after his wife.  Image via Wikimedia Commons.

Bottom line: On February 13, 1923, Chuck Yeager, the first pilot to break the sound barrier, was born in Myra, West Virginia.

SOURCE:::: http://www.esrthskynews.org

Natarajan

” Incredible….Watch Great Blue Heron Swallow a Huge Fish …” !!!

You may have seen a snake swallow a big animal, but have you ever seen a bird do it?

David Dickinson created this dramatic video photo essay of a great blue heron spearing and swallowing a huge carp in the floodplain of the Rio Grande in New Mexico’s Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge on October 29, 2013.

He said the whole thing – from soup to nuts, if you will – took 11 minutes.

Bottom line: Video photo essay shows great blue heron spearing and swallowing a huge carp.

SOURCE:::: http://www.earthskynews.org  and You Tube

Natarajan

 

2000 Year Old Rice Terrace of Philippines…

Philippine Rice Terraces Why Reflection

Photo credit: Jon Rawlinson

For at least two millennia, the Ifugao people have sculpted the sides of mountains into useable farmland. Located in the heart of the Cordillera mountain range in the northern Philippines, these rice terraces rise like wide, monumental staircases. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) added these feats of ancient engineering to its list of World Heritage Sites in 1995. According to UNESCO, the Philippine rice terraces “create a landscape of great beauty that expresses the harmony between humankind and the environment.”

The terraces, however, also epitomize the story of how modern tensions are putting a strain on that “harmony” worldwide. Yes, natural disasters and the perennial typhoons that lash the Philippines threaten the preservation of the Cordillera rice terraces. But the biggest pressure they face is a shift in human society. As the UNESCO advisory body has written, “the terraced landscape is highly vulnerable because the social equilibrium that existed in the rice terraces for the past two millennia has become profoundly threatened by technological and evolutionary changes.”

Young Ifugao are migrating to the cities where they can find higher paying, less backbreaking work. At the same, the once remote region is becoming more interconnected through large investments in infrastructure. In the next two years, the Philippine government plans to spend around $25 million in road construction and improvement in the Cordillera region.

Philippine Rice Terraces Incline

Photo credit: Jon Rawlinson

One goal for the road project is to attract more tourists to the area and thereby bring more money to the regional economy. In 2013, according to Philippine government statistics, 1.1 million people visited the rice terraces. In the future, the government hopes to attract 10 million tourists annually. It is unclear whether this aspiration is misguided, since the arrival of foreign tourists can dramatically change the nature of a place. But Philippine officials are hoping tourism will also provide livelihoods to those Ifugao who otherwise might leave the boondocks for the cities.

Filipinos call the Cordillera rice terraces the Eighth Wonder of the World. UNESCO calls them “the priceless contribution of Philippine ancestors to humanity.” As shown in the expansive gallery below, this region of the Philippines has some of the most beautiful vistas on earth. This piece of humanity’s common heritage deserves to be preserved for generations to come.

Rice Terraces Mud Walls

Some of the terraces use mud walls, as pictured here; others use stone. (Photo credit: Flickr user Momo)
SOURCE:::: http://www.all that is interesting .com
Natarajan

 

Message For the Day…” Our Body is like a iron Safe to Protect Virtues like Knowledge and Bliss..”

To be able to experience the aspects of knowledge and bliss, we should protect our body, mind and life. Consider this example: We store valuable jewels and gems in our homes, in a relatively cheap iron safe to protect them. The steel almirah or an iron safe has no value compared to the jewels, but they are good enough to protect them. So too, our body is like the valueless iron safe. In this valueless, perishable body, God has kept for protection, very valuable things like knowledge and bliss. We all understand that valuable jewels cannot be protected by a valuable gold box, as the box itself can be stolen with the jewels in no time. Hence it is natural to protect valuable things in a valueless box which will not attract attention. Therefore, to reach the realm of knowledge, bliss and happiness it is necessary to look after the well-being of the outer casing namely, body, mind and life.

Sathya Sai Baba

World Cup Fever in India… From The Streets to the Banks of Ganga…In Photos !!!

 Indian Hindu Veda Vidyalaya (School) students play cricket on the bank of the river Ganga near Sangam in Allahabad on February 12, 2015. AFP

Indian Hindu Veda Vidyalaya (School) students play cricket on the bank of the river Ganga near Sangam in Allahabad on February 12, 2015. AFP

 The Indian fans are pretty serious about their cricket, even if it's not played professionally. Perfection, dedication and determination while playing is the mantra even in gully cricket. AFP

The Indian fans are pretty serious about their cricket, even if it’s not played professionally. Perfection, dedication and determination while playing is the mantra even in gully cricket. AFP

 It doesn't matter what the playing surface is. Whether it be concrete or sand. Such is the passion of cricket in India that people start playing cricket as soon as they find open spaces. AFP

It doesn’t matter what the playing surface is. Whether it be concrete or sand. Such is the passion of cricket in India that people start playing cricket as soon as they find open spaces.

 And yes.....The concentration never drops.....AFP

And yes…..The concentration never drops..

 The bowling actions vary and the batsmen have a tough task of playing bouncers, beamers and pacy deliveries without any protective gear. AFP

The bowling actions vary and the batsmen have a tough task of playing bouncers, beamers and pacy deliveries without any protective gear

 On field dives, howlers, comical running and chaos. It's absolute fun watching a game of gully cricket on the streets of India or on the sands along the Ganga. AFP

On field dives, howlers, comical running and chaos. It’s absolute fun watching a game of gully cricket on the streets of India or on the sands along the Ganga.

SOURCE:::: http://www.firstpost.com

Natarajan

 

Message For the Day…” Character is the Fragrance of the Flower of Life …”

Buddha, Jesus Christ, Shankaracharya, Vivekananda, and many great saints and devotees of the Lord are treasured in the memory of people even to this day. What quality made them memorable for all times to come? It is their character. The qualities that make up a flawless character are: love, patience, forbearance, steadfastness, and charity. These must be revered. Character is the fragrance of the flower of life; it gives value and worth to life. The hundred little deeds that we indulge in every day harden into habits; these habits shape the intelligence and mould our outlook and life. All that we weave in our imagination, seek in our ideals, and yearn in our aspirations leave an indelible imprint on the mind. Poets, painters, artists, and scientists may be great, each in their own field, but without character, they can have no standing in society.

Sathya Sai Baba

Joke of the Day…” Do you Know the Answer…” ?

Our generation never got a break. When we were young they taught us to respect our elders. Now that we are older, they tell us to listen to the youth of the country.

:::::::::::::::::::::::

A proud and confident genius makes a bet with an idiot.

The genius says, “Hey idiot, every question I ask you that you don’t know the answer, you have to give me $5. And if you ask me a question and I can’t answer yours I will give you $5,000.”

The idiot says, “Okay.”

The genius then asks, “How many continents are there in the world?” The idiot doesn’t know and hands over the $5.

The idiot says, “Now me ask: what animal stands with two legs but sleeps with three?”

The genius tries and searches very hard for the answer but gives up and hands over the $5,000.

The genius says, “Dang it, I lost. By the way, what was the answer to your question?”

The idiot hands over $5.

SOURCE:::: http://www.joke a day.com

Natarajan