Bangladeshi Rickshaw Puller Shames The Privileged

Here is a story from a 3rd world country that would shame many Americans, just as it did me.

Bangladesh is a country, where upper class people scorn the uneducated lower class, who earn livelihood through menial jobs. Just as in the French language, Bangla has three levels of addresses, one is reserved for the elders and respected, the other for the same status level, and the third for the younger and the people who have no 'respect.' Rickshaw pullers are in this third group, and often it is found that a 20ish well-dressed kid addressing a 6oish rickshaw-puller, in the tone that is reserved for the young and lowly, while the 60ish person is forced to address the kid with honor and respect. Now from Bangladesh comes a story of a rickshaw-puller, who by his share deed has reached the pinnacle of dignity that few can boast of.

At age 30, Joynal Abedin, watched in desperation as his father suffered and died in Taan Hashadia, a small village in Paranganj union under sadar upazila of Mymensingh. The first hand observation of his dying father's pain gave birth to Joynal's inspiration and resolve that he would not be like other bystanders who have lived in the same village, however, were unable to do anything to help others.

Joynal did not have money or education, regardless, when a person truly desires to do something great, nothing can stop him. With sheer determination, but not much more, Joynal and his wife left the village and moved to the capital city Dhaka. Finding no other meaningful work, Joynal became a rickshaw-puller. For days and night, under rain and sun, in cold and heat, he pulled rickshaws for 14 years while his wife Lal Banu worked at a clinic.

It was not easy living with their small earnings in the capital city where things were expensive, yet, come what may, the family managed to save a few pennies even in their darkest days, and deposited them in two separate bank accounts. In 2001, the couple withdrew their whole savings of nearly $4000 and returned to village. With that money, they purchased 23 decimals of land and constructed a house to live with their two young children. With rest of the savings Joynal and Lal Banu opened a four-bed hospital on his land, and named it after their daughter "Momtaz.” They also established a free coaching center for underprivileged children.

People began coming to Momtaz Hospital from far and beyond, since there was no other free facility in the nearby villages. On an average day, the hospital treats around 25 patients and dispenses various medicines to them. With time, recognition followed, and Joynal was awarded a title Sada-Moner-Manush (Man of a golden heart) in 2008.

Despite honor poring in from different quarters Joynal finds it extremely difficult to run the hospital now. A local paramedic treats patients in the hospital, and a degreed doctor pays occasional visits in exchange of $7 for a day's consultation.

In 2006, Joynal received $430 from the local administration and the social welfare directorate. In 2005, a Bangladeshi woman living in the USA gave him $1000, and he received small helps from various quarters, one among them is from an eminent personality of the country, Abdullah Abu Sayeed. “I shared my dream with my wife and she helped me beyond anyone's expectation in the venture,” said Joynal, “For the last five years I have not received much help from anyone. With the price of medicines spiraling several folds during the time, running the hospital is now at stake. The hospital needs at least $5 a day to function.”

In Joynal's charitable school around 50 children receive free education. He pays two teachers—Md Aiyub and Khalilur Rahman, $100 a month, this is nonetheless becoming hard for Joynal as he is coming of age. For a ricksha puller, 55 is a ripe old age, toil of hard work takes its toll on the person, and Joynal cannot work anymore. His will is strong though, as he says, “I want to cling to my goal till I breathe the last and seek nothing more for me and my family.”

The sad part of Joynal's life is that many took advantage of his simplicity and tried to swindle him with the pretext of helping him. “Many people pledged me of many things while some even invited me for help and I came out of there labeled as a greedy fraud,” he said. Once the people who pledged him help wanted to turn him over to police as a criminal.

The people of his and the neighboring villages nevertheless, adore Joynal. Fazar Ali and Ayub Ali of neighboring Foliamari village said to the national newspaper, The Daily Star, “Momtaz Hospital may appear as nothing to the urban society, but the people here are greatly benefited form it as they have to go several miles for medicine from other places.”

Joynal, you made me feel so small—enamored with my own idiosyncrasies, leading a selfish life in a far away country! But you are the one for whom the birds croon, the seasons bring color, and the gods envy humans; and it is an honor to know that we share this earth at the same span of time.

Article first published as Rickshaw Puller Sets An Example In Bangladesh on Technorati.

The Bridge on the River Kwai—Actually Jiaozhou Bay

Have you noticed how the landmark technological marvels are shifting one by one to the rising Super Power China? After longest rail lines and fastest rails it is now time for the longest bridge. This phenomenon is perhaps synonymous with a nations progress and development!

The Lake Pontchartrain Causeway in Louisiana, which had the title until December 27 of the last year, for its longest span, has now been dwarfed by three miles, by the new bridge that has a massive 26.4 miles span–five miles more than the distance between Dover and Calais. Expressing in another way, the Qingdao Haiwan Bridge is 174 times longer than the famous London’s Tower Bridge over the river Thames.

The Qingdao Haiwan Bridge, connects the main urban area of Qingdao city, which is in East China’s Shandong province, with Huangdao district, that lies in the Jiaozhou Bay sea areas. The bridge shortened the distance from Qingdao to Huangdao by 30 kilometer, and saved 20 minutes of travel time by car.

To finish the construction in record time, two separate groups of workers began building from two opposite ends, and the bridge was completed in four years, relatively short time for a project of this magnitude, and the cost was nearly $9 billion.

This massive bridge however is going to hold its record only for a few years, and it will be dwarfed by, probably you guessed it, another Chinese bridge. Last December Chinese officials announced that workers had begun constructing a bridge to link southern Guangdong province with Hong Kong and Macau and the work is expected to be completed by 2016. This new bridge would be 30 miles long.

A six-lane expressway on the bridge would further boost tourism, trade and professional services between main land China and Hong Kong. The bridge is designed to sustain earthquakes up to a magnitude of 8.0 in the Richter scale, and impact from a 300,000 tonne vessel.

This gargantuan bridge nonetheless will be dwarfed by another bridge which has the word 'grand' embedded in its name—Danyang–Kunshan Grand Bridge, spanning an astonishing 102 miles, and this too would be in China.

Perhaps you noticed too, how the Republican governors are opposing Obama's fast rail projects, as waste of money? Obama's “new fast rails” of course would be slow moving locomotives when compared with Chinese rails!

America is broke, the only way our nation can survive is de-funding all social programs! If it were not for the welfare queens, America would still be prosperous—would she?

Wake up sheeple!

Article first published as The Bridge on the River Kwai—Actually Jiaozhou Bay on Technorati.

A Street Vendor Brings Freedom To Two Nations

The fire that Mohamed Bouazizi set over his own body had burnt thrones of two dictators whose autocratic rules spanned 23 and 30 years respectively, and accorded freedom to people of two nations—first Tunisia and then Egypt.

It all began at Sidi Bouzid, a nondescript small town in Tunisia, in humiliation for a man who had suffered life long indignation at the hand of corrupt public officials, the goons of President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, who had ruled the country with iron hands for 23-years.

At the age of 10 Mohamed Bouazizi became the provider for his family, selling fresh produce in the local market. His father had died when he was three years old, and he did not have the opportunity to finish school, for there were five younger siblings that he had to take care of. He applied for various jobs, but in a country where unemployment ran in double digits, he could find none. Finally, he improvised to earn a livelihood on his own.

Every day, his journey would begin at the local supermarket where he would fill his wooden cart with fruits and vegetables and then walk two kilometers to the local souk, and nearly everyday, he would be bullied by local police officers. They would often confiscate his scales and his produce, or levy fine for setting up a stall without a permit. Six months prior to his suicide, police had sent him a fine for $280 to his house—the amount was equivalent to two months of his earnings.

"Since he was a child, they were mistreating him. He was used to it," Hajlaoui Jaafer, a close friend of Bouazizi, said. "I saw him humiliated." On December 17, 2010, however, it crossed the limit that Mohamed could endure. That morning, a policewoman sized his vegetable laden cart and proceeded to seize his weighing scales. Bouazizi refused to hand it over; he was slapped by the policewoman, and she pinned him to ground with the help of her colleagues. They wrestled away his weighing scale.

Bouazizi sought justice by going to the local municipality building and asking to meet an official to express his grievances, however, no one would meet him. With frustration thrusting him against the wall, Mohamed poured paint fuel over his body, outside the local municipal office, and set himself ablaze.

Mohamed Bouazizi was not the first Tunisian to set himself on fire in an act of public protest, there was Abdesslem Trimech before him in the town of Monastir on March 3, but things happen when the time is right. Mohamed was a very popular man who would give free fruit and vegetables to poor families, and in his death they returned his kindness by protesting vehemently.

On the evening of Mohamed's self immolation, Ali Bouazizi, a cousin of Mohamed Bouazizi, posted a video of a peaceful protest led by his mother outside the municipality building. The video was aired on Al Jazeera's Mubasher channel.

The uprising that begin in Sidi Bouzid soon spread to other towns. From Sidi Bouzid to Kasserine, then Thala, Menzel and Bouzaiene. The protests spread like wild fire in dry forests, and Tunisians of all age, status and profession joined the revolution.

By the time Mohamed died of his burns on January 4, the uprising had engulfed the whole of Tunisia. Fedya Hamdi, the female police officer who tormented Bouazizi had fled the town. Tunisian protesters communicated with each other on Facebook, used Twitter, and followed the news via satellite channels Al Jazeera, France 24, Al Arabiya and others.

President Ben Ali declared a state of emergency in the country, dissolved the government on January 14, 2011, and promised elections within six months, but it was too little too late. Ben Ali resigned the presidency at about 4pm, and fled with his family members in four helicopters bound for Malta. Ben Ali sought exile in France but was refused, and finally went to Saudi Arabia, the epicenter of despot Muslim rulers.

Honor eluded Mohamed Bouazizi in life, death brought him the same in profuse. His body lies in a simple grave in Sidi Bouzid, surrounded by olive trees, cactuses and blossoming almond trees, and when Arab history of this century is written, his grave would become the new pilgrimage, the most sought after relic of the indomitable Arab spirit and freedom, and will inspire all despairing people, everywhere, for generations to come.

Article first published as When A Street Vendor Brings Freedom To Two Nations on Technorati.

Way To Happiness Rediscovered Through Science

Eons ago, the Zen masters said that to be happy you must live in the moment 'NOW.' This indeed is the gist of Zen philosophy, the rest is mere commentary. And so did pronounce the Indian rishis thousands of years back in Vedas and Puranas, now a fresh voice has just been added to those age-old masters' discourses—the voice of an young American psychologist, Matthew Killingsworth, a doctoral candidate in psychology at Harvard.

Killingsworth, and Daniel T. Gilbert, a professor of psychology at Harvard, used a special "track your happiness" iPhone app to gather research on 2250 participants. The results of the study confirms, we spend at least half our time thinking about something other than what we are doing at that moment, and this makes us unhappy.

Dr. Gilbert raised the question, “Which would make you happier: winning the lottery, or losing the ability to walk? It may seem like a no-brainier, but the answer may surprise you.” Gilbert said that research demonstrates, one year later, the paraplegics are just about as happy as lottery winners. How does this happen? The answer is that happiness is all in our minds, as the spiritualists have said it all along.

According to Matthew, multitasking raises our stress level, in other words, if we are playing golf and thinking about last night's party at our friend's place where we had a gala time, despite our indulgence in the happy memories, our game is going to suffer since our stress level is bound to increase.

Any wonder why our lives are so stressful?

Matthew published his research findings in the journal Science where he says: How often people's minds wander is definitely a big predictor of who's happy and who's not happy, because the more often they take themselves out of the present moment, the less happy they are. He went on to maintain that even if we time share with pleasant daydreams, it makes us unhappy.

The guinea pigs for this study were iPhone wielding volunteers, whose average age was 34. The researchers used the specially developed iPhone app for their experiment that called the volunteers several times a day and asked them a few standard questions such as: how they were feeling just before they were contacted, what they were doing, and if they were thinking about something else other than what they were doing. More than 5,000 people are now using the iPhone Web app.

The study found that even when people perform seemingly unpleasant tasks such as running errands or doing a monotonous routine, their unhappiness level increases as they shift their focus from the tasks at hand. People often indulge in daydreams in unpleasant or neutral topics, and as expected those thoughts are likely to increase the level of unhappiness, however, what surprised the researcher was the fact that even pleasurable thoughts made participants no happier than when they were focused on the activity they were performing, whatever the activity may be.

Although this seems to be a paradox, health psychologist Kelly McGonigal, who teaches at Stanford University explained, “When the mind wanders to a happy memory, it tends to eventually turn back to things that aren't quite as positive." Killingsworth explained it in terms of a concept, what he called "default mode, a non-pleasant thought stuck in the brain. For instance, while remembering about a romantic Paris honeymoon, one may come back to the thought of the overpriced hotel that is deeply etched in the memory and became a "default mode." His advice is, contemplate the past to learn from it, but then move on, so that in the future you are prepared to avoid the default mode.

Killingsworth thinks that this default mode probably gave us an advantage by making us watchful to dangers in our hunting and gathering stages of evolution. McGonigal said, "We maximized our survival chances even if we didn't maximize our happiness, evolution doesn't give a damn about happiness." In our time, however, we give paramount importance to happiness, and McGonigal said that we can increase our happiness by keeping our mental focus, or mindfulness, by practicing certain skills regularly.

Wondering what they are? Go see a Zen teacher, or an Indian Yogi, for they are exactly similar techniques that McGonigal prescribes: Live in the moment. Here are five techniques from McGonigal summarized by Deborah Kotz, in her article, Want to Be Happier? Keep Your Focus:

1. Begin the day with a focused task: Be in tune with whatever you are doing.
2. Exercise with alertness: Immerse yourself in it, feel it, sense it, live it.
3. Engulf yourself in a good book or movie: Live the scenes, engross yourself.
4. Reduce multitasking: This breeds tension and unhappiness.
5. Meditate: Practice five to 10 minutes of daily meditation.

You say, you heard them before? I agree. Nonetheless, when we re-discover the ancient truth with new scientific research, it gives wings to the old thoughts, and make them more believable, and more effective, for it is our faith that gives real strength to any construct to be useful in our lives.

Article first published as Way To Happiness Rediscovered Through Science on Technorati.

Show Skin Make Money

After three seasons, the premiere of the MTV reality show “Jersey Shore” drew 8.45 million viewers, making it MTV's most-watched series ever telecast. But now with "Skins" MTV has upstaged even "Jersey Shore."

Following the tradition of copying hit British hot shows to produce its native American version, “Skins” is a creation of steamy drama about teens that depends on liberal exhibition of skins for its blistering popularity. MTV began airing its 10-episode season last Monday with heavy promotion targeting its young audience, and the show was instant hit.

Just days after the airing of the first show, one parents' group called U.S. Senate and House Judiciary Committees and the Department of Justice, to "immediately open an investigation regarding child pornography and exploitation on MTV's 'Skins.'" Tim Winter, the President of Parents Television Council said on Friday's TODAY show, “You have a major conglomerate, Viacom and MTV, that is directly marketing to children graphic sex, profanity, drug use.”

Legal analyst and victims’ rights advocate Wendy Murphy commented on how Viacom’s defense is going to be: Their defense is likely to be 'oh, come on, this is just a television show.' However, she thinks that ''that’s not really a defense, because that's not the issue," Murphy further explained, “The only issue is, are there kids involved who are under the age of 18? That's it! That's enough! That's child pornography.”

Unlike other made-for-TV teens' shows, the actors from “Skins” are real teenagers in the age range of 15 to 19, and that should be a serious concern for everyone. Regardless, MTV responded on TODAY, “'Skins’ is a show that addresses real-world issues confronting teens in a frank way. We are confident that the episodes of 'Skins’ will not only comply with all applicable legal requirements, but also with our responsibilities to our viewers.”

Commentator Frazier Moore wrote in Uproar over 'Skins' is a blessing for the show, “But this is only the beginning for 'Skins.' With its new wave of publicity, it has nowhere to go but up.” Sadly, Morre is right, despite the relentless provocations on the stupid box TV, movies, and other media, it appears American audience is still sex-starved, and sex still sells big time. Viacom is simply getting some free marketing with all the controversy around the 'Skins.' Morre could not be truer in writing, “As a publicity spectacle, this couldn't be going better if MTV had masterminded it.”

When it comes to making money, nothing is sacrosanct anymore, there are no taboos, no limit to decency, morality or values; whatever sells must be good for business. If this is not the sign of a decadent media then what is?

On a MSNBC survey, 74.3% said, “Yes. It is too racy,” 22.7% said, “No, what's the big deal?,” and 3% said, “I don't know.” Obviously, American people have not yet lost their commonsense, but who cares? In the new age, if you wonder “for whom the bell tolls” the answer is, It tolls for thee—the plutocrats, for whom money is God, all else secondary.

Article first published as Sex sales, Sell Sex on Technorati.

Is Obama A One Term President?

Thank you for letting me know your opinion on this poll: Obama Is One Term President?

45% of you have responded to the question with yes, only 10% said no, and 30% were not sure. Though it was a small poll, to my belief it reflects the current sentiment among the progressives, fairly well.

In deed, I have written many articles with similar thoughts on Technorati, on the disenchantment of the American progressives and Obama's deliberate betrayal to them. Now here is my prediction, and take it for whatever it is worth—Obama will win a 2nd term in 2012.

When I set up the poll I was convinced that Obama would be a one-term President. That was before the 2010 election. It did not take long in the new congress, for John Boehner et al to demonstrate that we accord more credits to the Republicans than what is due them. No sooner they came in power they resorted to childish manoeuvres which was so symbolic to them, yet in reality was nothing more than cheap ploys to cater to their base, and their actions resulted in wastage of public money, which they so vehemently oppose in principle.

Let no one forget—the duty of the congress is to make Law, the 112th congress in their infinite wisdom began their act reading from the constitution. Their reading nonetheless soon proved that they have no respect for the constitution, as they only read it selectively and omitted the parts they were against. I am not against the lawmakers reading of the constitution, rather, I think it is something that each of them must do, nevertheless, I believe that they shall to do that in their private time.

If that caricature of GOP house members was not enough to piss off the sane Americans, their next priority of repealing the Health Care Law shall be. In their great desire to carry water for the corporate bosses, they declared their hatred against ordinary American people by avowing all-out-war against the Health Care Reform that they jealously call Obama-Care. Little they understand that if people are against Obama-Care it is because of what the reform did not do rather than what it did. The popular complaint is that the law did not go far enough to serve the interest of the ordinary Americans, and curtail power of the health insurance companies.

The bone-head elephants are going to waste public money in vacuous exhibitions of futile showmanship against Obama to the extent that they are going to wear out even their own base. The Tea Party ditto-heads peaked too early to make any impact on the 2012 Presidential election, and their shine is going to wither when people see and assess the success of this congress against the previous one that had passed over 400 resolutions, majority of them for the interest of the common populace.

The recent Tucson incident showed some very interesting aspects of the politics of hate. When Jared Lee Loughner shoot and injured the democratic congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and killed 9-yr old Christina Green and five others, the Tea Party queen Sarah Palin pulled her CROSSHAIRS/ BULLSEYE message from her website. Regardless, instead of toning down rhetoric she came guns blazing with “blood libel” comment that is so wrong and anti-Semitic, especially considering that the congresswoman Gifford, who is still fighting with death, is Jewish.

The other interesting thing that happened in the aftermath of Tucson shooting was, the city pulled down the fire-breathing Rush Limbaugh's Straight-Shooter billboard, despite the hate monger's continuous vicious attack on the liberals, in his pitiful attempt to shift the blame on them and draw sympathy for the shooter.

I say, the Americans will tire off the politics of hate, and the craving for middle of the road policies will increasingly become stronger. Two years is a long time, and much water will flow through the Mississippi by that time, yet, I predict Obama will be coronated a 2nd time, since he is the best Republican the plutocrats can find, just look at the line up of the Presidential hopefuls on the GOP side, their cartoon characters, and lack of mainstream appeal.


Article first published as Is Obama a One Term President? on Technorati.

When A Diamond Finds A Diamond

Mark Epple, an unemployed Architect, finds a 12-Carat diamond ring and returns it to its rightful owner.

Mark had a great time skiing with his family on Colorado mountains. He was waiting in the drop off lane of Eagle county airport on his way back to his Minneapolis home when he noticed a small ring shining in the bright sunlight. The yellow stone was so big that Mark thought it must be a child's costume jewelry.

At his home, Mark inspected the ring closely and realized that the stone was a genuine 12 Carat diamond. This diamond ring was actually given to Janice by her husband Roger Ward on the occasion of their 30th anniversary. She had taken it off her fingers in the car on her way to airport and placed it on her lap. It just fell off her when she got out of the car.

There was a heavy snowstorm the following morning, and the strenuous search by the county's curbside staff and American Airline employees went in vain. They searched ramps, the parking lot and baggage area, and dug through snow to no avail.

Jancice spent a sleepless night thinking of her diamond ring, she just wished that someone would find it and use it, deliberating only on the positive aspects. It was a great surprise to her when the airport authority called her back with the news of the ring.

On a ABC TV interview, the interviewer asked Mark, “Anybody else might of have kept it, why did you give it back?”

Mark replied, “It's not mine.”

Mark wanted nothing in return for his good deed, but he got something anyway.

The question is, where do these Mark Epples' come from and what do they teach us? In our time, when crime rate is so high, specially in the big cities, when we are taught to treat all strangers as potential threat to us, how the real diamonds like Mark Epple survive? How do they overcome great temptations, specially at the moment they are down?

In that there is a lesson for the rest of us that indeed all those stories of angels, and God's trials may perhaps be not entirely our imagination.

Article first published as When A Diamond Finds a Diamond on Technorati.

Mobile Phone Brings Silent Revolution In Poor Countries

If corrupt politicians, lack of government programs, inadequacy of vocational trainings have been the bane of the financially disadvantaged people in the third word countries, they are now finding help in a relatively modern innovation—mobile phone, which is literally giving them the opportunity to pull themselves up by their shoe strings.

Mobile phone is a way of life in the western world and in majority cases it is merely a means of convenience in communication, however, in the third world it has become the life blood of decent size businesses, and a Bangladeshi village woman, Monowara Talukder, a native of Gaibandha district in the northern part of the country, one of the poorest area of Bangladesh, is a testimony to that.

In only six years, Talukder has built an international herbal tea business, Tulsi Tea, with a turnover of $625,000 in revenue. In a country where the per capita income is only $599 (2008 statistics) Talukder's endeavor can be termed as a business empire.

She employs 1,500 female workers, and supplies her products to major western health food chains, and far eastern countries. She does not have an office or showroom, her mobile phone is her office, show room, phone, fax—in a nutshell the hubbub of her international activity.

When the mobile phone first arrived in the rural Bangladesh in 1997, Talukder was among the first women to sign up for one. The cost was high in Bangladeshi standard and for a 48-year old mother of four, who had never ventured in such a project, the risk was very high, albeit, she never regretted her decision.

All women, nevertheless, are not as lucky as Talukder. According to the telecoms industry body GSMA, a woman living in South Asia has only 37 per cent chance of getting a mobile phone compared to a man, giving rise to telecoms gender gap. Talukder, who made difference to many lives, proudly stated that because of her growing business, 1,200 of her employees own mobile phones, a great feat for a poor country such as Bangladesh.

National Geographic Emerging Explorer Ken Banks posted some stories about how mobile phones are being used throughout the world to improve billions of lives at the grass roots level. There are over 500 million subscribers in Africa alone, and increasing number of people around the world are owning mobile phones with each day passing.

The advantages are multifaceted: Farmers can access market information and increase their income by 40 percent in some cases; day laborers can advertise their services and increase their chances of getting work; unemployed can receive job alerts, and even money can be transferred over the phone where there are no banks. Villagers in Kenya can get timely wildlife warnings, helping them to take precaution from the romping elephants.

In Bhutan, a remote trekking area has received mobile phone system which allows the Principal of Lingshi community primary school, Pema Dema, to audio Biblical service project was launched by E-verses, a private telecommunication company, on Dec. 6 at the Karachi Press Club. Christians, who are minority in Pakistan have been elated with the first-ever audio service of the Bible available through the mobile phones.

Taliban militants routinely attack telecommunication towers in Afghanistan alleging that the NATO forces track them through their phone signals and then attack their hide outs. However, many Afghans, including lawmakers speak out against such actions. Legislator Shurkiya Barekzai commented that by attacking the towers the Taliban seeks to destroy Afghan economy since the mobile networks are very important for ordinary Afghans as mobile phones have become principal means of communication given the rugged nature of Afghan territory and their poor mail service system.

A recent United Nations report said the the fast spreading information technology can improve the livelihoods of the poorest people in developing countries and it cautioned that governments must design responsive policies to ensure that the benefits reach maximum number of people in the most effective way. UNCTAD Secretary-General Supachai Panitchpakdi told a news conference that mobile phone subscriptions will reach five billion this year, nearly one per person on the planet.

Mobile phone has become so important in the lives of people of Ghana that thousands protested poor mobile phone services in Ghana by marching on streets. The local Consumer Protection Agency colluded with other consumer right groups and called on all mobile phone users in the country to switch off their mobile phones for six hours demanding quality services from mobile phone service providers.

The protesters submitted a petition to the deputy communications minister, Dr Nartey Siaw Sapore, who assured that the Ghanaian government would look into the matter and take necessary actions to improve the service.

Article first published as Mobile Phone Brings Silent Revolution In Poor Countries on Technorati.

Florida Shooter—Story of A Man Failed By Our System

Clay Duke, an ex-con with bipolar disorder, who was described as a person with an interest in anarchy, held hostage five board members of Bay City Schools district in Florida at gun point. The saga ended when a guard shoot Duke at his leg, and he ended his life shooting himself.

It appeared to me that the media gave much more credence to Ginger Littleton part of the story than the anguish and desperateness that pushed Duke over the cliff. Don't get me wrong, Ginger Littleton is my hero, as she demonstrated the courage and utter selfishness in her attempt to protect innocent people, which is so rear in our time. She was totally oblivious of for her own safety when she hit Duke with her purse, in an attempt to dislodge the gun from his hand.

Echoing Littleton's children's feeling, I also wonder, what was she thinking? How could Littleton put her own life in danger like she had? As it followed, the burly Duke easily pinned her on the floor and threatened to shoot her at the point blank range. Yet, he did not shoot and let her go—why did he not?

The school district had hired Duke's wife Rebecca Crowder-Duke in September 2009 to teach students with special needs. She was nonetheless fired in February for not passing her probation. Duke was upset that his wife had been fired and according to Panama City Police Chief John Van Etten, had been planning the shooting for some time.

Duke's opportunity for his vendetta came when he walked into a board meeting and sat with the audience, listening to proceedings. In the middle of discussion, Duke walked to the front of the room, spray painted a red "V" with a circle around it on the white wall, and charged the audience asking everyone but the board members to leave.

Bill Husfelt, the Bay City Schools Superintendent tried to sway Duke to drop his gun, Duke refused and shoot a few rounds around the board members. No one was hit. When a security guard arrived, they exchanged shots and Duke was hit on his leg (or side). Then he turned the gun on himself and took his own life.

A video showed Duke firing several shots but hitting no one. Was he a bad shooter? Crowder-Duke said that her husband was an excellent marksman—then why did Duke miss the five board members who were sitting just a few feet away?

Crowder-Duke described her husband a "gentle giant," adding, "the economy and the world just got the better of him." She also thought, "He didn't want anyone to get hurt but himself."

Duke's life is a sad tale of how our society fails to help the most vulnerable. Born in Ocala, Fla., Duke graduated from high school in Tampa. In the late 1990s, Duke's trouble with the law began and he was convicted for shooting at the tires of his his ex-wife's car.

Duke had taken a plea agreement and a judge awarded him five years in prison followed by 10 years probation. He took psychiatric help, used his medications regularly, and completed his probation. Duke's attorney, Bollinger, said, "He was competent but he was one of those people (who) had a mood disorder where they could be depressed one day and all excited another day. I just remember the doctor saying he had a personality disorder.”

About a year after his release in January 2004, he sued the Social Security Administration for disability benefits and health insurance. David Evans, the attorney who represented Duke said, "He couldn't work. He just mentally couldn't make the connection for eight hours a day." Evans maintained that Duke had been diagnosed by several doctors as bipolar, but didn't have enough money to buy the needed medication, "He was clearly in need of help."

The judge in the case nevertheless did not feel that duke's claim was justified. Evans said. "All he was asking for was $500 or $600 a month and medical insurance." After several failed attempts Duke withdrew his suit in 2006.

On a Face book page Duke left a message on Dec. 7, “My testament: Some people (the government sponsored media) will say I was evil, a monster (V) ... no ... I was just born poor in a country where the Wealthy manipulate, use, abuse, and economically enslave 95 percent of the population. Rich Republicans, Rich Democrats ... same-same ... rich ... they take turns fleecing us ... our few dollars ... pyramiding the wealth for themselves."

The ink on President Obama's signature is yet to dry on the bill which our Democratic lawmakers helped to pass, joining hands with the Republicans, to give away $600 billion to wealthiest of Americans, at a time when unemployment level is hovering at the depression level figures. Nothing stopped our millionaire law makers from awarding that gift. Regardless, our country cannot accord $500 a month to help keep people like Clay Duke senile and functioning as a normal healthy human being.

I picture a vivid scenario, on my way to airport when I was leaving India, the car had stopped at a red light, and a visibly mentally deranged man approached and stretched his hand for alms, my friend who was accompanying me to the airport said, “You are going to the richest country where they take care of their disadvantaged people, you would not experience this anymore.” How wrong my friend was!

In deed it is a sordid testimony to our nation and us, we who are the fortunate members of this society.

Article first published as Florida Shooter—Story of A Man Failed By Our System on Technorati.

A Miracle At Ebay

Here is a sweet story for you: A man lists his Rolex for $9.95 on e-bay, and sells it for a whopping $66,100, and that too right before the holidays. This shall inspire many to dig through their junks and see if there is something that can make them at least enough money to ride through the holiday shopping.

A retired neurosurgeon, who just went by his first name Bob for this story, had purchased a Rolex Submariner dive watch at the Navy Exchange on Kwajalein Atoll in 1958, for his scuba diving. By the mid-1960s, he started to wear it rarely as his diving slowed down, but in the 1980s, he resurrected his scuba diving hobby and started using it regularly.

The watch served well through different periods of his life, but now in his nineties, Bob has overgrown its need since he is no more in scuba driving, and decided to sell it. When the watch was listed on e-bay, the savvy e-bayers realized this watch was no ordinary watch. It was a vintage Rolex Submariner dive watch; one of its kind once adorned the wrist of Sean Connery in one early Bond films.

When the bidding rose to $30,000, Bob could not believe his eyes, and only then he asked his son to do a research on the watch’s significance and value, and then he found out the checkered history of this time keeping machine.

Although the watch was sold for a staggering price, the watch-enthusiast site Hodinkee.com thinks the true price of the watch could be much higher. When Hodinkee asked Bob if he had any regret selling this watch at this price after learning that it is a piece of history and worth much more, he replied, "None at all."

This was the first interesting angle of the story for me, Bob did not regret selling it cheap, why didn’t he? Is it because he is in his nineties? Does it mean that anyone reaching the age of ninety suddenly loses attachment to money? Why do we all run after money in the first place?

Then, think of it what was the chance that the e-bayers would be discovering the worth of the watch in time to bid it so high? Contrary to people’s belief, e-bay does not always fetch the best price, many times items are not sold, because no body desiring it noticed in time.

I also deliberated on the thought, what is the real price of a thing, of any thing? Why does an item suddenly becomes precious when it is linked to history, or celebrity? Who buys these? For what? How trivial is the worth of money to these people?

In my host of thoughts, I also considered the phenomenon that Deepak Chopra calls living in total connectedness with God when miracles happen as natural occurring events. Is this a miracle that just transpired, because Bob’s desire to sell the watch at a good price was connected to the source that people call God, and no one really understands what It Is?

By the way if in this picture a man resembles Christopher Reeve to you, you have good eyes, for he is Christopher Reeve, the Superman, who happens to be a friend of Bob.

Article first published as A Miracle At Ebay on Technorati.

Researchers At Stanford Discover New Solar Cells That Can Change The World

For Pete’s sake, please call on your state representatives and ask them to press for allocating some serious money in the development of PETE (photon enhanced thermionic emission) processing of solar cells, a technique developed by Stanford engineers. It has the the potential to make the cost of large-scale solar cell power generation competitive with traditional methods of power generation.

The current photovoltaic technology only takes advantage of light from the sun, however, as temperature rises, the solar cells lose efficiency and the heat is wasted. The new process takes advantage of both light and heat from solar radiation and converts them to electricity, thereby tripling the efficiency of the existing solar cell technology.

In the PETE process the semiconducting material is coated with a thin layer of the metal cesium, which changes the characteristic of the cell, enabling it to use the previously wasted heat to generate electricity. In fact, the cells work better at higher temperatures. Most current generation silicon solar cells are inert by 100 C, while the new cells reach peak efficiency at well over 200 C.

Nick Melosh, an assistant professor of materials science and engineering, who led the research group at Stanford said, “It is actually something fundamentally different about how you can harvest energy.” He dubbed it as “a conceptual breakthrough, a new energy conversion process, not just a new material or a slightly different tweak.” The materials needed to build the new solar energy converters are cheap and easily available, meaning that the power that comes from the device will be in the range of production cost of existing commercial plants.

According to Melosh’s calculation, the PETE process can reach efficiency up to 60 percent, which is three times as high as the efficiency of the existing systems. Regardless, with the experimental cells, the researchers never reached that efficiency, and they attributed that to the use of gallium nitride as their base semiconductor. The team believes that if they use gallium arsenide, which is employed in household electronics, they would reach the desired efficiency.

There is a caveat however. There exists a time gap between a newly discovered technique in the laboratory and its commercialization. That gap can be bridged quickly only by the government sponsorship. The sooner that effort is made, the quicker the product will be in the market.

The effect of this new discovery is going to be really far-reaching, and there probably will be a lot of resistance from the existing oil lobby and the energy industries. Nevertheless, when its impact is fully reached, it may change the world as we know it.

Imagine this scenario: this country finally getting over its oil addiction, no Arab Sheikhs holding us hostages with OPEC, only the sun above us for all our energy, no Islamic terrorists, and no TSA. Imagine living like we did before that fateful day of 2001. It’s easy if you try—and John Lennon would smile in heaven.

Article first published as Researchers At Stanford Discover New Solar Cells That Can Change The World on Technorati.

A Miracle At Sea

As an individual trained in science, and making living through the application of it, I am ostensibly not supposed to believe in miracles, yet, everyday I experience them, and at times I enjoy sharing them with my readers.

Three boys—Samuel Perez , Filo Filo, and Edward Nasau all under fifteen, were last seen in their small boat near the atoll of Atafu on October 5, and then vanished without any trace. New Zealand authorities employed two airplanes to search a 10,000-square mile expanse of the South Pacific ocean and then called it off to great disappointment of many people.

The boys' families took them for dead and performed their last rites. However, after 50 days of being adrift on the ocean, the boys were discovered on Wednesday by a fishing boat, north-east of Fiji. The boys had traveled an incredible distance of 800 miles in a little speed boat!

They survived drinking rainwater, catching and eating raw fishes and a seagull, that they had managed to catch one time. They were emaciated and had little sunburns, nonetheless, physically in good health otherwise.

My grooming and lifelong discipline in scientific activity says that this is a simple case of lost and found—the whole incident nothing more than sheer matter of coincidence, lady luck shining on those three lucky boys; and a few years earlier I would have been happy with that rationalization.

For some reasons however, I now see a miracle in it, like I see miracle, in my heart beating faithfully with its perfect rhythm for all these years, and in this life that I live and share with six billions other people, several billions animals, and innumerable plants. And it does not even need a God to believe in interplay of life forces in creation of miracles.

Wayne Dyer says, we are not human beings who have spiritual experiences, we are spiritual beings having human experiences. We are just blocks of entrapped energies that has given us this particular shape and consciousness that we call "ourselves." These "selves" come from one source, that many call God, others nature, and they go back to the source after the journies are complete on this earth.

Remember, the world does not exist if you are not there to experience it.

I see a purpose of God keeping those boys alive and bringing them back among us for our own lessons, and for our wisdom. And you may take the word “God” out of this equation if that suits you, after all who knows God, except as a mere expression of transmitting some concepts!

First published on Technorati

The Rain-Giver

There was nothing special about the village where this story took place, except that the people who lived there were having a particularly bad time, at the moment. They had in past experienced flood, tornado, and other epidemics. Those nevertheless, passed, leaving just mere blips in their memories.

Being far away from the nearest major city, the villagers had simple lifestyle, and they did not need much to be content so long they had their daily breads and some free time to share with each other. Off late, a severe drought had daunted their spirit, and they were collectively in a somber mood.

The monsoon came and went, yet, there was no rain. The land became dry. The fields where cattle would graze turned barren and flaky. Even their domestic animals were suffering from malnutrition and looked rickety.

One day the elder of the village asked all the villagers to gather at an open expanse and requested them to join him in a prayer. He said that he was a frail old man and did not have much strength left in him, regardless, if all the villagers joined him and prayed to God together, clouds would come and shower rain on their village.

So they all gathered and prayed together. They prayed hard and long, young and old, all joining hands in hands prayed to God for rain.

They prayed again the next day, and the following. Then one day the elder told the villagers, “Last night I had a dream. God told me that He would send us a rain giver, who would bring rain to our village. Make sure you take good care of him.”

The old villagers had faith in their elder. They had lived together through the thick and thin of life; their trust strengthened with the experiences of shared memories of many years. The younger people had no such conviction. They were smiling quietly, mocking the elder, and talking between themselves, “Rain giver? Whoever has heard of such nonsense?”

A young man who was visiting his parents from his city residence told his friends, “This is unbelievable. Whoever could think that people in the 21st century still believe in prayers? No wonder this village is so backward!”

Anyway, there is nothing permanent in nature, and even the worst of the moments come to pass. One night while people were in their sleep, rain came in.

Old and young, male and female, healthy and the sick, they all woke up hearing the nearly-forgotten pattering sound of rain drops beating on their tin-topped roofs. In an indomitable expression of happiness people came out of their homes and gathered on streets, and began dancing in the rain.

It rained for three days and three nights without stop, and it rained hard. Yet, no one complained.

When the rain stopped, the land was wet and muddy, but rejuvenated; life had taken a new lease.

The trees had traces of green again, birds returned and sat on their branches; blades of green green shoots of grass appeared through the brown thatches of land everywhere. Only in three days and three nights the village had been transformed— a miracle had happened.

The farmers took out their plows and commenced tilting their lands. Even their emaciated animals visibly regained their strength overnight. Soon they finished tilting and sowing their fields, and in record time the crops grew. Life had turned for the better once again, the villagers had their smiles back.

One day, while playing in an uninhabited remote area, on the fringe of the village, a few children discovered a small hut that seemed to have been built where there were only wild plants before.

The children grew curious, and they ventured in. They found an old man with long flowing white beard sitting on a mat inside the hut; all by himself. The man saw the boys and girls and invited them inside. The children went in, and the old man began talking to them.

That year there was so much crop that the villagers ran out of storage space. They invited people from other villages to come in and share their harvest, for they were nice and good people. The villagers had never been so happy, and they were keen to share their happiness with others.

Gradually, the word of the strange old man and his hut reached the ears of the grown ups of the village. They came to know that many young children were regularly visiting the old man and spending time with him. The seniors were curious. They asked the children why they were spending time with an old man, and what they did with him.

The youngsters told the men and women that the old man told them stories, and they loved to hear stories from him. The seniors asked the young boys to find out where the old man came from, what he ate, and what he did in a typical day.

The kids watched the man for hours, and hours, in day time and night time, nonetheless, they never saw the old man eating anything. The old man was never found to step outside his hut, and he was never seen sleeping. They reported their findings to their seniors.

The villagers grew suspicious of the old man. Some of them banded together and went to him, and questioned him. They demanded to know where he came from, what did he do for a living, and what was his purpose for being there?

Each question the old man answered with stories. The stories did hardly make any sense to the villagers, although the children found them fascinating. The only thing the grown ups of the village learned, the old man claimed to be the bearer of rain. He said he was the answer to their prayers. God had sent him to this village since there was a severe drought. The villagers grew angry with the old man for they thought the stranger was ridiculing them.

With time the villagers’ suspicion only grew stronger. The young man from the city suggested that the old man must have been attracted by the recent prosperity of the village, and he might have evil intentions. Perhaps he was an informer who was secretly collecting information about the good fortune of the village to pass to some bandits.

Finally, the villagers decided to drive him out of the village.

The day the old man went away, the elder of the village had a dream, God was telling him that he had sent his rain giver to the village. The rain giver did not impose on the villagers, he took nothing from them, and he spoke the truth when confronted by the villagers. Yet, the villagers took offense of the old man for no reason, and they drove him away from the village. God was not happy with them.

The next morning the elder gathered all the villagers, and narrated his dream to them. He asked the villagers to go out and find the old man, ask him for his forgiveness, and bring him back to the village.

Volunteers gathered, and went out in many directions. They searched and searched, and searched.

Morning turned into evening, and evening into night. The villagers came back to their homes tired and discouraged. The old man was not to be found anywhere. They were utterly dejected.

Days passed, the villagers noticed that the rain had stopped falling on their fields. The land was turning dry again. Trees were shedding leaves, and meadows turning brown. So they all gathered, and prayed, and prayed, but no rain fell, not that day, not the next day, nor the day after.

The older people started saying, “It is our jealousy and our suspicion that has brought the hardship back on us.”

The elder of the village was sad and angry. He said, you have turned God’s gift away. Now you must wait for your deeds to pass.

The villagers were overcome with remorse. They watched their fields turning desolate, once again, their fields cracking, once again, their cattle becoming rickety, once again, and they watched on helplessly!

The Story of The Stone Cutter

It was a hot summer day and the sun was shining mercilessly on the mountain. A poor stone cutter was exhausted working in the heat, and took shelter under a tree to cool off. Soon the exhaustion overcame him and he fell asleep.

In his sleep he dreamed of talking to God, he said, “God why did you make me a man, my life is so hard and miserable! Please have mercy on me and make me the most powerful of all.”

God answered, “O my poor son, I feel your pain, tell me what you want to be.”

“I want to be the sun, the most powerful, so that no one dares to trouble me.”

“Your life had been hard, I understand my son. I will fulfill your wish, you will be the sun from now on,” God granted his wish.

The stone cutter was very happy; he became the sun and ruled the world. He would shine hard and burn whatever he took offence with. The plants would wilt, forest would catch fire, and all animals would run for life with mere expression of his rage. He was happy in deed!

Then one day he got angry with some villagers, and he started striking them hard, making their life miserable. The land became dry and hard, developed cracks long and deep. The poor villagers sought compassion from God, “O merciful, please save us from this fire of hell. Give us rain.”

God took pity on the poor villagers and send clouds over. The clouds showered rain and cooled down the land.

The sun was irate and turned the heat up and up, the clouds nonetheless grew darker and darker, and the sun became dejected again.

The stone-cutter-sun was sad and angry at himself, he pleaded to God, “I made a mistake my Lord, I realize now that the sun is not the most powerful, the cloud is, please change me to cloud.”

The God granted his wish and made him cloud. So the stone-cutter-sun was now cloud and he was happy again. He could fly fast, go anywhere he willed, and deluge any place he took offence with. He was happy indeed!

Then he saw a mountain one day, rising high in the sky, so close to the throne of God—he become jealous. He started pouring over the mountain hard and relentless. Tried as much as he could over days and nights, he could cause no dent on the mountain, and he was unhappy again.

He cried out loud once again, “Oh God, I realize my mistake, cloud is not the most powerful, please make me a mountain.

“So be a mountain,” God said, and the stone-cutter-sun-cloud became a mountain.

Now he seemed happy at last. He was standing tall dwarfing everyone, and so close to the throne of God, he was happy in deed!

One day however, someone started chipping at his feet, cutting him off in small pieces, angry he became and fumed with each strike, regardless, he could do nothing to that tiny creature, whoever was tearing him into pieces. He could not even raise a finger, for he had none.

The stone cutter-sun-cloud-mountain cried out in despair, “Oh my Master, please help me, I realize now mountain is not the most powerful, I do not want to be mountain anymore.”

“The ever patient God responded, “O my son, I feel your pain. What do you want to be?

The stone-cutter-sun-cloud-mountain cried out in anguish, “whatever that tiny creature is who is chipping away at my mighty body, I want to be that.”

“But that is only a stone cutter like you once were,” God said.

“I understand my mistake my Lord, you gave me what was best for me, but I did not have eyes to see that. Please forgive my ignorance and turn me back into the stone cutter.

And so God did.

After that the stone cutter never complained again, he became a wise man and thanked God for what He had given him.

(With inspiration from a Chinese cartoon)

When A Dog Teaches Us Virtue

Troy Whalen, a baseball coach for Grayslake Central High School credits his three-legged dog for saving his life . Whalen was talking on telephone in an upstairs room of his house in Grayslake, when it caught fire on Monday about 10:30 AM. The dog entered the room, barked, and acted in a strange way that was not normal of him.

Whalen ran downstairs and found that his house was on fire. The fire started from an outdoor garbage can closed to the home that caught fire when someone dumped hot coal in it from an outdoor fireplace. The side of the home caught fire and it quickly spread to a kitchen and great room area in the home.

When his effort to extinguish the fire with a blanket failed, Whalen called 911. Both Whalen and the dog escaped unharmed.

I call this a sweet story, and there are millions of stories such as this known to us all. Many instances have been recorded when animals sacrificed their own lives trying to save their master’s. I often wonder, the animals that we call dumb, where do they get this quality that is so unique that many human beings lack?

Why do ‘dumb animals’ beat humans repeatedly in providing service to whom they are loyal? The other day a story broke where a dolphin came between a shark and a woman swimming in an ocean, who was being attacked by the shark. The dolphin kept circling the woman in a way that she was able to swim ashore safely.

And yet, we treat animals so cruelly, and make fun of the animal lovers who fight to redress cruelty to them. What gives us power over every other creation, and consider ourselves master of the universe, when we repeatedly demonstrate that often we come short of even the rudimentary qualities that animals exhibit time and again without fail?

Life’s greatest virtue is observed in expression of compassion to nature, with all our religions, ethics, and discourse on humanity, are we ever going to learn to be compassionate?

First Published on Technorati