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New Year money tips for your child……..!!!

January 4, 2016NatarajanLeave a comment

The over-concerned species that we parents are, New Year is a great time to ensure that we leave our children with something to learn by, says Murad Nathani

It’s the time of new beginnings and new resolutions. While some resolutions fade out in the course of the year, some are successfully carried out; those which stay close to our hearts and which truly make a difference to our lives! So how about starting off the New Year with conversations that can make a difference to your child’s life, in the long run?

I am talking about talking to them on the topic of money in a way that they understand the importance of good money habits early on in their lives. Here is a low-down on the conversations you must have with your child on the big ‘M’:

Understanding Money

The younger your children are, the bigger their demands are. What they lack is a basic understanding of money and which is precisely what they need to learn. No, we don’t want them to become too concerned about money either but let’s say, a hands-on experiential learning would help a great deal.

For starters, a learning tip in this direction would be allowing your child to pay at the toy store or grocery, so that they can see the physical transaction take place, thereby helping them learn the value of a certain amount and what you got them for that amount.

In addition to this, it is essential that they learn, all money spent is money earned in exchange for work and therefore needs to be spent a little more carefully.

Managing Money

Once your child understands the basics of barter and what a certain amount of money can buy them, you can take the conversation a notch higher. A pre-teen or a teenager influenced by peer pressure may come to you not with demands on what they are doing, but rather what their friends are doing. A strong realisation between wants and needs is therefore required at this stage.

As a parent, you don’t want to turn your child down with a straight no, but give them the explanation behind your ‘no’.

Moreover, many parents are from the school of thought that they should give their child what they didn’t get when they were younger. This may however not be the right approach if it is not well-balanced with an understanding of money.

In the conflict of being a parent versus a friend, it is essential that one strikes the right balance. You could work towards an understanding where you make sure what they ask for is relevant at that age or if they can make better use of it when they are a little older. You can also ask them to set a certain goal or target to achieve, either a financial or non-financial goal to help them understand how to achieve something by working towards it.

Smart Money Management

As your child begins to grasp a better understanding of money, the next step is to learn the next level of money management. To learn how to better manage their money as young adults, and learn the art of budgeting and how to spend within a certain limit.

Investments and credit should also become a greater part of their vocabulary here. It’s not anymore only about how much they save and spend, but also about building their own financially independent future.

Remember, the topic of money is not part of their school or college curriculum and hence it is difficult for our children to identify what is the next step for them. For teens especially, it shouldn’t be that they step into college and don’t know what goes where in managing their finances!

Planning at the start of the month along with different needs and requirements corresponding to the amount of money is just one step in this direction, but what about paying back on time, the dynamics of credit?

Or do they know the role of credit institutions and how it could impact their ability in future to get a loan? Decisions made based on a lack of sound financial knowledge can potentially affect the success of a child’s future.

Hence, it is essential that your child is actively involved in the understanding of money management from spending and saving to managing and investing.

Photograph: swister_p/Creative Commons

Murad Nathani is Co-Founder & CEO — Slonkit, first of its kind money management tool that aims to become a guide for today’s digital savvy children, in terms of understanding and managing money

Source…….www.rediff.com

Natarajan

Message for the Day…” One should see his own faults and not repeat them again …”

January 3, 2016NatarajanLeave a comment

What is important is not the acquisition of argumentativeness but the acquisition of single-mindedness, equanimity, and freedom from likes and dislikes. Why does one undertake these spiritual disciplines, this chanting, meditation, devotional singing, etc.? Isn’t it for acquiring single-mindedness and one-pointedness? Once that one-pointedness has been earned, human effort becomes unnecessary; the inner significance of life gets revealed. So those eager to become spiritual aspirants, should not yield to arguments and counterarguments. They should not be enticed by the wiles of bad feeling. They should see their own faults and not repeat them again. They should guard and protect the one-pointedness they have acquired, with their eyes fixed on the goal they are after, dismissing as trash whatever difficulties, defeats, and disturbances they encounter on their path. They must dwell on subjects that would give enthusiasm and joy, and not waste valuable time building up doubts regarding all things, big and small.

Sathya Sai Baba

Germany Opens Bicycle Superhighway…..

January 3, 2016NatarajanLeave a comment

Intercity travelling by bicycles is about to become a reality in Europe, as Germany opens the first ever superhighway for bicycle-only traffic. The Autobahn is not yet ready —just the first five kilometer of the bicycle highway has opened to the public, but when it’s done it will span over 100 kilometers and connect 10 western cities including Duisburg, Bochum and Hamm and four universities. The highway will run largely along disused railroad tracks in the crumbling Ruhr industrial region, and is hoped to benefit almost two million people who live within two kilometers of the route. These people will be able to use sections of the highway for their daily commutes, avoiding urban traffic jams and air pollution. The new track is predicted to take 50,000 cars off the roads every day.

Photo credit: PATRIK STOLLARZ/AFP/Getty Images

Bicycle highways are taking shape elsewhere around Europe too, such as in the Netherlands and Denmark, where the idea was first pioneered. The banking centre of Frankfurt is working on a 30-kilometer path south to Darmstadt, while the Bavarian capital of Munich is plotting a 15-kilometer route into its northern suburbs. Nuremberg is already studying the possibility of a track linking four cities. In the capital Berlin, the city administration in early December gave the green light to a feasibility study on connecting the city centre with the southwestern suburb of Zehlendorf.

Germany is already familiar with bicycle lanes, but unlike the ageing single-lane bike paths, where tree roots often create irregular speed bumps, or a lane can abruptly end in a busy intersection, the new superhighways will be a luxurious four meters wide, have overtaking lanes and cross roads via overpasses and underpasses. The paths will be lit and cleared of snow in winter.

Martin Toennes of the development group RVR, is trying to raise 180 million euros ($196 million) so that the entire 100-kilometre route could be completed. Aside from that, he will have to come up with money for maintenance, lighting and snow clearance. “Without (state) support, the project would have no chance,” Toennes observed.

Photo credit: PATRIK STOLLARZ/AFP/Getty Images

Sources: AFP / Inhabitat

Say Good Bye ….

January 1, 2016NatarajanLeave a comment

Acceptance is always one of the hardest things we face in life. There are so many things we have to learn to accept on a regular basis, including our flaws, our failures, our disappointments, our regrets, and our mistakes. And as the year draws to a close, I’d like to come to terms with these small things and make sure I let go of them before the new year crashes in. Free yourself from what is keeping you dwelling in the past, and start the year with a fresh motivation to move on. I’m convinced that most of us can relate to some of the following affirmations…

H/T: thoughtcatalogue.com

Source……www.ba-bamail.com

Natarajan

Message for the Day….” For a true devotee, every day is a festival. Consider every minute, every day as new and live in joy.”

January 1, 2016NatarajanLeave a comment

Today everybody is enthusiastic about New Year’s Day. For a true devotee, every day is a festival. Consider every minute, every day as new and live in joy. All great men and women have sanctified their lives only by serving humanity. Service is not merely helping people in difficulty. Every limb in the human body has been granted by God forkarmopasana (worshipping God through service). Karmopasana is the only means by which the human life can be sanctified. So undertake selfless service, and when you do good work, you will enjoy peace in life. Cultivate good qualities and prepare yourself for sacrifices. Sacrifice bestows eternal bliss. Share your education and wealth with your fellow human beings. In fact, God is the real owner of your earnings. As God’s trustee, use your earnings properly. Constantly contemplate on God with faith that He is always with you and win over your demonic qualities.

” யார் மூட்டை தூக்கி …” ?

January 1, 2016NatarajanLeave a comment

(முன்பு நாம் எல்லோரும் ஒரு விதத்தில் மூட்டை தூக்கிகளாக இருந்ததால்தான் இந்த வியாதிகள் வந்திருக்கின்றன. நாம் செய்கிற ஒவ்வொரு தப்புக் காரியமுமாகச் சேர்ந்து மூட்டையாகி விடுகிறது. இந்தப் பிறப்புக்கு முன்னால் இன்னொரு பிறப்பில் தப்புக் கள் செதோம். அதனால்தான் இப்போது இந்த உடம்பு என்கிற மூட்டை வந்திருக்கிறது. இதில் பழைய தப்புகளின் வாசனையும் இருக்கிறது. அதனால்தான் ஆசை, கோபம் எல்லாம் நமக்கு இருக்கின்றன.

அது போவதற்காகத்தான் குழந்தையாக இருக்கும்போது பள்ளிக் கூடத்துக்குப் போகிறோம். அறியாமை என்கிற வியாதி, படிப்பு என்கிற மருந் தினால் போகிறது. )

கல்கியில் வந்த அருள் வாக்கு.

உங்கள் வீடு ஒரு குடும்பம். இதற்கு அப்பாவும் அம்மாவும் தலைவர்கள். உங்கள் குடும்பத்துக்கு நடுவில் பள்ளிக்கூடம் என்கிற ஒரு குடும்பம் இருக்கிறது. உங்களுடன் படிக்கிறவர்களெல்லாம் உங்கள் குடும்பத்தில் உடன் வாழ்கிற சகோதரர்கள் மாதிரி. இந்தப் பள்ளிக் குடும்பத்தின் தலைவர் உபாத்தியாயர் ‘வாத்தியார்’ என்கிற ஆசிரியர். அவரையும் ஓர் அப்பா அம்மாவாக நீங்கள் மதித்து வணங்க வேண்டும்.

பள்ளிக் காலத்தில் உங்கள் கடமை படிப்பது ஒன்றுதான். உங்களுடைய கவனம் முழுவதும் படிப்பதிலேயே இருக்க வேண்டும். மற்ற விஷயங்களிலெல்லாம் நீங்கள் ஈடுபட இது சமயம் அல்ல. வேறு எத்தனையோ நல்ல விஷயங்கள் இருந்தாலும்கூட அவற்றையும் நீங்கள் படிப்பு முடிந்த பின்தான் கவனித்து ஈடுபடலாம். ‘இப்போதே எனக்கு அவற்றில் ஈடுபடச் சிறிது சக்தியும், புத்தியும் இருக்கிறதே; எனவே உலகத்துக்கு நல்லது செய்கிற அந்தச் சமாசாரங்களில் இப்போதே பிரவேசிப்பேன்’ என்று போகக்கூடாது.

சின்ன வயசில் உங்கள் உள்ளத்துக்குப் போதிய சக்தி ஏற்படுகிற முன்பே, படிப்பு தவிர மற்ற விஷயங்களை மேற்கொண்டால், உள்ளத்துக்கு வியாதிதான் உண்டாகும்.

ஏற்கெனவே நம் உள்ளத்தில் ஆசை, கோபம் முதலிய பல வியாதிகள் இருக்கின்றன. முன்பு நாம் எல்லோரும் ஒரு விதத்தில் மூட்டை தூக்கிகளாக இருந்ததால்தான் இந்த வியாதிகள் வந்திருக்கின்றன. நாம் செகிற ஒவ்வொரு தப்புக் காரியமுமாகச் சேர்ந்து மூட்டையாகி விடுகிறது. இந்தப் பிறப்புக்கு முன்னால் இன்னொரு பிறப்பில் தப்புக் கள் செதோம். அதனால்தான் இப்போது இந்த உடம்பு என்கிற மூட்டை வந்திருக்கிறது. இதில் பழைய தப்புகளின் வாசனையும் இருக்கிறது. அதனால்தான் ஆசை, கோபம் எல்லாம் நமக்கு இருக்கின்றன. அது போவதற்காகத்தான் குழந்தையாக இருக்கும்போது பள்ளிக் கூடத்துக்குப் போகிறோம். அறியாமை என்கிற வியாதி, படிப்பு என்கிற மருந் தினால் போகிறது. அதோடு நம் கெட்ட குணங்களும் போக வேண்டும்.

இதற்குப் படிப்பு மட்டும் போதாது. பணிவு வேண்டும். பணிந்து கிடந்தால் கெட்ட குணங்கள் ஓடிப் போகும். தா, தந்தை, ஆசிரியர், தெவம் ஆகியவர்களிடம் பக்தியோடு, படிப்பில் கவனம் செலுத்தி வந்தால் அறிவும் வரும், குணமும் வளரும்.

source……www.periva.proboards.com

Natarajan

” Jaw-dropping images of Earth from space in 2015″

December 31, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

Astronauts on board the International Space Station beamed back some spectacular views of Earth this year.

The Earth Observations team at NASA’s Johnson Space Center selected the 15 best photographs, which we’ve republished here.

Astronauts aboard the International Space Station took this image of Adele Island, off Australia’s north coast, on June 11, 2015. The tiny island is only 2.9 kilometres (2 miles) long.

This image shows landscapes of the arid Sahara and the dark green marshes of Lake Chad, which stand out in the foreground.

Hawaii’s Kilauea volcano is seen on the left in a photo taken in February.

The peaks of Colombia’s Santa Marta are so high that trees cannot grow. The highest peak has a permanent snow cap and is the only place where snow can be seen from the tropical beaches of the Caribbean coast.

Southern Scandinavia is illuminated under a full moon in this image, which also features a green aurora to the north and the Baltic Sea, seen as a black patch in the lower right of the photo.

The Paraná River, South America’s second-largest, pours brown muddy water into a wide estuary known as the River Plate.

The snow-covered Himalaya range is seen near the China–India border.

Laguna Colorada, a lake in the Bolivian Andes Mountains, lies at 4,300 metres (14,100 feet) above sea level. Algae in the water is responsible for the lake’s deep red-brown color.

Fish farms are seen on the coast of China’s northeast province of Liaoning.

This September image shows the winding border between Pakistan and India, one of the few places on Earth where an international boundary can be seen at night.

Brightly-coloured salt ponds are seen on the coast of Tunisia’s port city, Sfax.

Red-brown coastal lagoons are seen on this stretch of Western Australia’s coastline, in a photo taken on June 11.

This photo, taken on June 15, shows the northern tip of Massachusetts’ Cape Cod.

The Mekong River, Southeast Asia’s largest river, flows on the border between Thailand and Laos. Heavy monsoon rainfall at the end of July created a red-brown channel of floodwater.

A red sprite — a major electrical discharge thought to occur during large thunderstorms — is captured above the white light of an active thunderstorm high over Missouri or Illinois.

Source……..

Message for the Day….” The Lord showers grace on those endowed with righteousness, irrespective of race, wealth and gender.”

December 31, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

These are the two chief enemies of every spiritual aspirant: Conceit (that you know everything) and Doubt (Is it or is it not). Simply decide to be firmly fixed in your reality. If that is pure, everything is pure. If that is true, everything is true. If you wear blue eyeglasses, you see only blue, even though Nature is resplendent with many colours. So too, if the world appears to you as full of differences, that is due only to the fault in you. If all appears as one love, that too is only your love. The feelings within you, is the cause in both situations. The question that may arise next is whether the Lord has faults, for He too identifies faults. The Lord only searches for goodness in a devotee, not faults and sins. Your assessment of the Lord is dependent on your feelings. The Lord showers grace on those endowed with righteousness, irrespective of race, wealth and gender.

A Daredevil Aerial Walkway Over a Tea Park in China…..

December 31, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

What’s more dangerous than a glass-bottom bridge? A bridge without a bottom, of course!

Such an aerial walkway buttressed by only ropes has opened at a tea park in Xuan’en County, in central China’s Hubei Province. The “air corridor” is suspended at least a dozen feet above the tea fields, and more than thirty feet at places, and runs for a length of about 1,000 meters. Only ropes, short wooden planks or tires are provided in the name of walkways. The scary attraction has drawn hundreds of tourists to the tea park already.

Xuan’en Country is located within the hinterlands of the Tujia and Miao ethnic minority group’s autonomous prefecture of Central China’s Hubei Province. It is part of the Wuling Mountain region in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River. This area has an ancient history of tea production.

Sources: China.com / JSChina.com.cn / xinhuanet.com

Source….www.amusingplanet.com

Natarajan

Rainy Russian Street Photography Looks Like Oil Paintings….!!!

December 30, 2015NatarajanLeave a comment

St. Petersburg-based Russian photographer Eduard Gordeev captures delicate cityscape scenes by taking photos in the rain. Flowing rain drops blur the colors and diffuse light, resulting in photos that have a strong resemblance to Impressionist oil paintings.

Though the series mostly features Russia’s St. Petersburg and its widely recognized landmarks, some captivating shots from Lisbon can be found there as well. Nothing gloomy about the rain here, just pure Russian romance!

More info: nau.35.photo.ru (h/t: mymodernmet)