Whenever You Fall, Pick Up Something

Whenever You Fall, Pick Up Something

Human beings, the only inhabitants of the world who tried to gasp the forces of nature, who tried to control these forces, who tried to produce similar artificial forces, once again proved to be a big zero. Nature along with fate- an unrevealed mystery for man- made man the loser. He lost his possessions including his beloved ones.

Man is always after luxury. His luxurious living constantly diverts his thoughts and makes him careless. Our ancestors granted us the knowledge that we can see bubbles along with tides before the giant killer- waves. This is a signal given by nature. But who bothers about these signals. If we are not able to analyze things in the right manner at the right time or if we are not able to foresee the possible disasters that could take millions of innocent lives, it is time to ask probing questions about the utility of scientific progress.

We know that Tsunami struck on 23rd August 1883 and 22nd May 1960. Then it is man’s carelessness which made him ignore the possibilities of another Tsunami, which could come anywhere at any time. All natural calamities remind us that we should always be aware of the natural disasters which are uncontrollable and which still remain a complete mystery to man.

If we ever tried to foresee disasters which could come to our brothers and sisters we would control the massacre by Tsunami to a great extent through safety awareness classes. But now in a world of competition, who thinks of others and their sufferings? All are in a mood to find out more pleasures and to be in a wonder land. But the mighty sword of nature reminds us year after year that we are nothing.

Presently, all humanity conveys their condolesens to the victims. It is our duty to wipe their tears and give them the inspiration to live. It’s we who should support them. Watch out! It may be our family and our relatives who may have to suffer next time. Let us give the afflicted the emotional support they need the only effective support which could bring them back to normal life. Let them be comforted by the hope that those who have lost their lives might be enjoying divine bliss in Heaven.

Practice in life these words ‘whenever you fall, pick up something’. Having seen all these calamities let’s pledge to work hard to keep the balance in nature, to protest against any activity in the name of development which would spoil our beautiful nature. This might help to reduce natural calamities which burst out when nature tries to rearrange itself to accommodate the changes made by man and by the passage of time. Let us bear in mind the wise saying “the virtue of adversity is fortitude” or “sweet are the uses of adversity” and do something constructive.

Article by: Treesa Angel, St. Teresa’s College

Live Out Your Dreams

Live Out Your Dreams

We sometimes come across phases when life seems engulfed in a mire of doubt and bleakness. Nothing seems to work well for us and the roads we take lead us nowhere. We gaze hopelessly at the life of great souls and wonder how they got to be what they are. Perhaps, we reason to ourselves, we have been born at the wrong time, at the wrong place, to the wrong parents, to the wrong world… Some feel thwarted by the situations in our country. Why don’t our countrymen be more open minded? Why don’t opportunities knock at my door? The list of ‘why don’ts and ‘how comes’ is endless. But let us reflect for a moment the significance of our self. We are, whether we believe it or not, a part of a greater plan of God. We have been born where we are, to carry out some goal which is part of the Universe. True that we to get lost sometimes. But, being cogs of the wheel we cannot afford to derail the whole plan. Then how do we derive inspiration to move forward and accept life for what it is? We can learn to do it by reading the map of our lives. The omens that God strews on the path will reveal themselves to every open mind. Hope, that last element in Pandora’s Box, is what makes man’s life worth living.

Ask any psychologist what works wonders in a man’s life and they will inevitably point out a positive attitude. This can be cultivated only if we are alert to the language of the Heart. A great source of inspiration is books. Every few decades a book is published that changes the lives of the readers forever. Paulo Coelho’s The Alchemist is an unsurpassed example of such a work. The philosophy is simple yet pregnant with truth: it is the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting, Santiago, an Andalusia shepherd boy yearns to travel across the world. He hopes to find a worldly treasure as extravagant as any ever found. From his home in Spain, he journeys to the markets of Tangiers and into the Egyptian desert, where a fateful encounter with the alchemist awaits him. The alchemist teaches the boy very many valuable lessons which every human can appreciate. The greatest lesson is that we have to listen to our heart. The heart knows all things because it came from the soul of the world. Whoever you are, or whatever it is that you do, when you really want something, it is because that desire originated in the soul. The entire universe conspires in helping you achieve it. To read omens is also very essential for the realization of our goals. To understand these God sent impulses or stimuli we need to take time out for ourselves (refer to one of those famous Oprah Winfred shows aired on star world). A little quiet and peace, a few moments of solitude can do wonders in revealing our true purpose in life.

Many of the problems the present age faces can be traced to the lack of connection humans feel with nature, the greater world around him. The only secret to happiness is to see all the marvels of the world. Another realization that ought to seep into our being is that the soul is not just a human gift; everything on the face of the earth has a soul, whether mineral, vegetable or animal- evens a simple thought. Remember those immortal lines of Blake in Auguries of Innocence:

“To see a world in a grain of sand,
And a Heaven in a wild flower,
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand,
And Eternity in an hour”

An hour spent for a walk on a beach early morning or late evening, a glorious vision of the sunrise or sunset, moments spent just watching the changing colours of the trackless sky, a walk through the forest taking in it sounds and sights, observing the love in the eye of your loved ones (even the faithful pet dog or any other animal will do, believe me!) or even a few moments up on the terrace of one’s own house watching the flitting butterflies, birds and clouds can be moments of everlasting glory. These eternal moments with nature will reveal to us slowly the ways of attaining our goal. These are moments when God speaks o us. Let us remember Anne Frank’s words in her diary:
Wed 23 Feb 1944,

As long as this exists; this sunshine and this cloudless sky, and as long as I can enjoy it, how can I be sad? The best remedy for those who are frightened, lonely or unhappy is to go outside; some where they can be alone, alone with the sky, nature and God. For then and only then can you feel that everything’s is as it should be and that God wants people to be happy?
Such a harmony with the elements around us can work wonders in transforming our lives. Coelho was right when he wrote that life is really generous to those who pursue their destiny. Our heart is alive. Keep listening to what it has to say.

Article by: V.Gayalakshmi,St. Teresa’s College

Automobiles: Enemies Of Earth

Automobiles: Enemies Of Earth

Whenever I see the tempting ads of automobiles, the terrifying picture of global warming comes to my mind. These machines from the day of their birth till they reach the junkyard are the enemies of our beautiful planet. As comfort has become an indispensable part of modern life, one cannot now think of a life-style without these dangerous machines. New models of cars with added comfort and greater fuel consumption hit the street every day. When the temptation to purchase a car grips us, we never think of the harm these machines do to the environment. By owing a car we contribute to the destruction of our wonderful earth.

Fossil fuel excavation, increase in the production of vehicles, and the growth of industry have been going on at a rapid rate for the past few decades. In the name of development we have been exploiting natural resources without any thought of the damage this will cause. Atmospheric pollution has been increasing at an alarming rate. Now we have reached a stage of irreversible changes in the environment. The greatest threat that is looming large in the present century is the problem of global warming.

Global warming is a phenomenon which is going to endanger the survival of human beings on the earth. It can result in the rising if sea level all over the world due to the melting of snow in the arctic region. The changes in regional climate could alter forest, crop yields and water supplies. The evil effects of this cannot be fully predicted now. It may be more terrifying than we predict now.

Global warming is caused by the increase in the amount of carbon dioxide and other green house gases in the atmosphere. The concentration of these gases in the atmosphere will trap the radiation from the sun and will result in increasing atmospheric temperature. The earth’s surface temperature has risen in the past century, with accelerated warming during the past two decades. There is new and stronger evidence that most of the warming over the last 50 years is attributable to human activities. We have altered the chemical composition of the atmosphere through the buildup of green house gases, primarily carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide. Energy from the sun drives the earth’s weather and climate, and heats the earth’s surface, in turn; the earth radiates the energy back into space. Atmospheric green house gases (water vapor, carbon dioxide and other gases) trap some of the outgoing energy, retaining heat somewhat like the glass panels of a green house. Without this natural “greenhouse effect,” temperatures would be much lower than they are now, and life as known today would not be possible. However, problems may arise when the atmospheric concentration of greenhouse gases increases. Direct manifestations of a wide spread and long-term trend toward warmer global temperatures will result in heat waves and periods of unusually warm weather, ocean warming, sea-level rise and coastal flooding, glaciers melting and Arctic and Antarctic warming. A continued warming may bring many communicable diseases, earlier spring arrival, plant and animal range shifting and population changes, downpours, heavy snowfalls, flooding, drought and fire.

Since the beginning of the industrial revolution, atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide have increased nearly 30%; methane concentrations have more than doubled; and nitrous oxide concentrations have risen by about 15%. These increases have enhanced the heat-trapping capability of the earth’s atmosphere. As a result the snow covers in the Northern Hemisphere and floating ice in the Arctic Ocean have decreased. Globally, sea level has risen 4-8 inches over the past century. All these are clear indications that it is time for action; otherwise we will have to pay a great price for our inactivity.

It is a crime to think: “we don’t care, we are now safe.” The problem of global warming may sound unreal to those who are not aware of the enormity of the danger. If we do not preserve our wonderful earth for our future generations who else will do it? Many nations have become aware of this and as a result the singing of Kyoto Treaty has taken place. The Kyoto Protocol went into effect on Wednesday 16 February 2005. Its 141 member nations have to cut emissions of the greenhouse gases linked to climate change. But there are certain debatable issues that are still remaining. Will Europe and Japan, which must make deep cuts in their emissions under the treaty, be able to do so without hurting their economics? Will the U.S. government, which pulled out of the protocol in 2001, continue to oppose the international negotiations on climate change? And will the automobile companies make cuts in operations and remain satisfied with lesser profit? Many questions are still unanswered, but one thing is sure that this is a positive move in the right direction. In this dehumanizing age this gives a ray of hope for the humanity.

President George Bush has decided not to sign Kyoto Treaty saying that it will affect their economy. But even in the U.S.A. there are people who are aware of the problem and the placards, “To Humanity, hey George, Sign Kyoto” that have appeared before the White House are a clear indication of their feelings. One should remember the fact the U.S.A. is one of the nations which is causing the maximum amount of atmospheric pollution. In the United States, approximately 6.6 tons of greenhouse gases are emitted per person have increased about 3.4% between 1990and 1997. Most of these emissions, about 82%, are from burning fossil fuels to generate electricity and also to power their cars. The remaining emissions are from methane from waters in their landfills, natural gas pipelines, and coal, as well as from industrial chemicals and other sources.

Fortunately, we can take action to slowdown global warming. To reduce the emission of heat-trapping gases like carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxides, we can curb our consumption of fossil fuels, use technologies that reduce the amount of emissions wherever possible, and protect the world’s forests. We can also introduce new technology to mitigate the impacts of global warming. Through careful long-term planning and other strategies we can reduce global warming. Many people in European countries are switching over to public transport systems rather than using cars. The use of automobiles has been discouraged or controlled in some of the campuses in Europe.

Clearly, global warming is a serious problem that deserves serious attention. Every-one governments, industry, communities and individuals should work together to make a real difference. If we are convinced of its effects then we should also shoulder the responsibility to fight against it and also to make others aware of its massive effects. If we don’t show enough interest in it then we are doing a crime against the human race. The awareness and remedy should go hand in hand and should create a wonderful world to live in. We should advocate policies that will reduce global warming and should think of alternative fuels for our vehicles, find renewable energy sources and stop cutting valuable forests. If these things can be done, then the earth will become the most beautiful place to live in.

Article by: Lima Antony,St. Teresa’s College

Reel Culture V/S Real Culture

Reel Culture V/S Real Culture

Think twice before you go for a movie. Which would you prefer- a Bollywood or a Hollywood one? With the content remaining the same both offer you loads of crap in the name of wholesome entertainment. In the dream factory of Bollywood, aspirations are being fulfilled, even as more are born every second. In a nation of a billion fantasies there is always a new star in the making. The new age actors are ready to go to any extent for the character to be safe in their hands.

Indian movies are no longer ambassadors of Indian culture. With directors trying hard to draw a line between the aesthetic and the vulgar, Indian movies seem to be deteriorating in quality day by day. Gone are the days when film makers made movies for the satisfaction of their creativity. Today’s film makers make movies for fame and wealth. If any of you, the wannabe actors read this article let me illustrate what you should do to be a part of the crowd. Criterion no: 1 is that you should be a director’s actor, the director will tune your system clock and you have to perform. If you try to register your protest it will be considered as an act of interference on your part as there is a thin line between passion and interference. Indian movies are neither at Cannes nor at the prestigious Oscars. They are exclusively the ‘MADE IN INDIA’ brand meant for titillating Indian audiences. Why would the jury prefer Indian movies for Hollywood ones? The movies featured at Cannes and Oscars are typical of different cultures. The actors seemed to have lost the appetite to explore the unexplored realms of cinema. The Indian entertainment industry has lost its credibility, sensibility and sensitivity.

With banal talk shows and phone-in programmes the situation in the TV-industry is no different. The attractive youth who picks up the phone never forgets to ‘welcome’ you and ‘Thank you’ for calling. Cinemas rather than becoming a medium of social change are trying to promote a new culture among the youth. Premarital sex, live-in relationships or divorce were taboo for the middle class a decade ago, but today’s youth gracefully approves all that.

News channels carry tales of sleazy actions caught on camera. Spy cameras are omnipresent and omniscient causing havoc not only to people at work places but also to politicians, housewives and executives who get caught red-handed. From a multicultural society India seems to have transformed itself into a monoculture one which is in sync with the western world. The work of Indians should be a celebration of Indianans. The private domain has become public spectacle with formatted reality shows, 24 hours news, eternally remixed videos and endless film promos. The line between real and reel is no longer distinct. With the urge to emerge on the international scenes Indians seem to have divorced Indian culture.

Article by: Neethi Jayakrishnan,St. Teresa’s College