A MOST BENEFICIAL USE OF TIME IS SILENT MEDITATION, WHILE SEARCHING FOR GUIDANCE FROM WITHIN.
We all experience rare moments when a blinding revelation comes to us, when we suddenly see things differently than ever before. Usually, however, we learn the truth about ourselves gradually, over long periods of time, from quiet introspection. We are all spiritual, but some of us have learned to tap more effectively into the great strength that resides in the spiritual portion of ourselves. The spirit is not boisterous and noisy. Getting in touch with your spiritual self demands tranquillity and solitude. Make sure you dedicate a portion of every day to thought and study, to think and reflect upon your life. Choose a time and place that best allow you to relax your mind and devote your thoughts to reflection.
Thought for the day- 30 May 2010 by the Napoleon Hill Foundation. http://www.naphill.org.
Tampilkan postingan dengan label Success. Tampilkan semua postingan
Tampilkan postingan dengan label Success. Tampilkan semua postingan
Senin, 31 Mei 2010
Sabtu, 26 September 2009
Meditation
From the Excerpt of 'Broken Open' by Elizabeth Lesser.
Meditation
I have been a student and practitioner of meditation for thirty years. I still find it difficult—at times boring and at other times confrontational. And I still find it valuable—nourishing, expansive, and illuminating. Sometimes I meditate every day; sometimes I go months without ever sitting on my meditation cushion. I have taken short meditation courses and spent most of my time waiting for the evening or weekend to be over. And I have gone on long, solitary retreats and surrendered to the practice, emptying myself of worry, falseness, restlessness, and complaints. Without hesitation, I can say that meditation practice has made a remarkable difference in my life.
People are attracted to meditation for a variety reasons, including these:
•to relax, physically and mentally;
•to keep the heart open and soft;
•to accept life on its own terms;
•to feel more alive, connected, and content;
•to find inner peace; and
•to make contact with other realms of consciousness, what some call the divine or God.
Meditation can help us achieve any of these—but only over time, and with dedication and work. We come to meditation feeling that parts of our life are difficult and that perhaps a meditation practice will make them less so. We want relief now. But that is not how meditation works. The desire for peace and happiness is noble; the expectation of instant results is unreasonable.
Meditation is a matter of slow and steady experience. It is not a cure. It is not a set of moral values. It is not a religion. It is a way—a way to be fully present, a way to be genuinely who we are, a way to look deeply at the nature of things, a way to rediscover the peace we already possess. It does not aim to get rid of anything bad, or to create anything good. It is an attitude of openness. The term for this attitude is mindfulness.
Full Excerpt on Oprah
Meditation
I have been a student and practitioner of meditation for thirty years. I still find it difficult—at times boring and at other times confrontational. And I still find it valuable—nourishing, expansive, and illuminating. Sometimes I meditate every day; sometimes I go months without ever sitting on my meditation cushion. I have taken short meditation courses and spent most of my time waiting for the evening or weekend to be over. And I have gone on long, solitary retreats and surrendered to the practice, emptying myself of worry, falseness, restlessness, and complaints. Without hesitation, I can say that meditation practice has made a remarkable difference in my life.
People are attracted to meditation for a variety reasons, including these:
•to relax, physically and mentally;
•to keep the heart open and soft;
•to accept life on its own terms;
•to feel more alive, connected, and content;
•to find inner peace; and
•to make contact with other realms of consciousness, what some call the divine or God.
Meditation can help us achieve any of these—but only over time, and with dedication and work. We come to meditation feeling that parts of our life are difficult and that perhaps a meditation practice will make them less so. We want relief now. But that is not how meditation works. The desire for peace and happiness is noble; the expectation of instant results is unreasonable.
Meditation is a matter of slow and steady experience. It is not a cure. It is not a set of moral values. It is not a religion. It is a way—a way to be fully present, a way to be genuinely who we are, a way to look deeply at the nature of things, a way to rediscover the peace we already possess. It does not aim to get rid of anything bad, or to create anything good. It is an attitude of openness. The term for this attitude is mindfulness.
Full Excerpt on Oprah
Selasa, 25 Desember 2007
Great inspiration from "I Live Inspired"
Chris Deutsch and Robert Foster, two American entrepreneurs are the founders of I Live Inspired, a website that sends out daily text messages carrying inspirational quotes authored by motivational experts in self-help, parenting, and business.
In October, Deutsch and Foster walked 100 miles through evocatively named cities in Indiana. The journey took them from Hope to Buddha and on to Bloomington, where the Dalai Lama was scheduled to attend a series of events at Indiana University and the Tibetan Mongolian Buddhist Cultural Center (TCC).
Deutsch and Foster did a symbolic, mindful walk to draw some attention and see if we could get a meeting that way with the Dalai Lama. It worked. The day the two arrived in Bloomington, they were granted a session with the Dalai Lama.
"We call them pilgrims," said Lisa Morrison, TCC's public relations director.
Deutsch and Foster were given permission to send out pre-approved quotes from the Dalai Lama. In return, they're donating to TCC 75 percent of the proceeds generated from the Dalai Lama-themed text messages.
Now their holiday dream is to meet Al Gore in order to include quotes from former vice president and recent Nobel Peace Prize laureate in their fledgling website.
In October, Deutsch and Foster walked 100 miles through evocatively named cities in Indiana. The journey took them from Hope to Buddha and on to Bloomington, where the Dalai Lama was scheduled to attend a series of events at Indiana University and the Tibetan Mongolian Buddhist Cultural Center (TCC).
Deutsch and Foster did a symbolic, mindful walk to draw some attention and see if we could get a meeting that way with the Dalai Lama. It worked. The day the two arrived in Bloomington, they were granted a session with the Dalai Lama.
"We call them pilgrims," said Lisa Morrison, TCC's public relations director.
Deutsch and Foster were given permission to send out pre-approved quotes from the Dalai Lama. In return, they're donating to TCC 75 percent of the proceeds generated from the Dalai Lama-themed text messages.
Now their holiday dream is to meet Al Gore in order to include quotes from former vice president and recent Nobel Peace Prize laureate in their fledgling website.
Rabu, 07 November 2007
Alibaba IPO soars to pre dot com heights
Alibaba.com is China’s largest business-to-business trading website for companies. On Tuesday, Alibaba.com saw its shares triple after its initial public offering rocketed 192% on the Hong Kong stock exchange.
Alibaba.com sold 858.9 million IPO shares, or 17% of its enlarged share capital, in a deal handled by Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs, and Morgan Stanley. The stock performance raised $1.5 billion in the largest high tech offering since Google went public in 2004.
Founded in 1999 as a bulletin board for businesses leads, the Web site connects companies looking to import and export Chinese goods. The company said recently that at the end of June its online marketplaces had more than 24 million members.
The IPO is being closely followed because it is rare for an Asian technology company to decide to list in Hong Kong. In the past, such companies have typically sought to join the technology-focused Nasdaq in the US.
In 2005, Yahoo paid $1bn and contributed its own struggling Chinese internet business in return for a stake its Alibaba.
Alibaba is valued at $8.8bn, while Yahoo’s investment is worth $3.4bn.
The success of this business-to-business Web site is the most visible sign that the Internet is opening entrepreneurial opportunities in a way never before seen in China. With more than 162 million Internet users, China is close to surpassing the United States - and that's a fraction in a country with a population of 1.3 billion.
Alibaba.com business model is making it easier for Chinese manufacturers to run their businesses and to connect with companies around the world.
Alibaba.com sold 858.9 million IPO shares, or 17% of its enlarged share capital, in a deal handled by Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs, and Morgan Stanley. The stock performance raised $1.5 billion in the largest high tech offering since Google went public in 2004.
Founded in 1999 as a bulletin board for businesses leads, the Web site connects companies looking to import and export Chinese goods. The company said recently that at the end of June its online marketplaces had more than 24 million members.
The IPO is being closely followed because it is rare for an Asian technology company to decide to list in Hong Kong. In the past, such companies have typically sought to join the technology-focused Nasdaq in the US.
In 2005, Yahoo paid $1bn and contributed its own struggling Chinese internet business in return for a stake its Alibaba.
Alibaba is valued at $8.8bn, while Yahoo’s investment is worth $3.4bn.
The success of this business-to-business Web site is the most visible sign that the Internet is opening entrepreneurial opportunities in a way never before seen in China. With more than 162 million Internet users, China is close to surpassing the United States - and that's a fraction in a country with a population of 1.3 billion.
Alibaba.com business model is making it easier for Chinese manufacturers to run their businesses and to connect with companies around the world.
Sabtu, 04 Agustus 2007
Success secrets from India's top entreprenur Ambani
Mr. Dhirubhai Ambani, one of India's top entrepreneur, a rags-to-riches story, reveals on Rediff the secrets of how he built the Reliance Industries.
* True entrepreneurship comes only from risk-taking.
* Pursue your goal, even in the face of difficulties. Convert difficulties into opportunities. Keep your morale high, in spite of setbacks. At the end you are bound to succeed.
* My advice to young entrepreneurs is not to accept defeat in the face of odds. Challenge negative forces with hope, self-confidence and conviction. I believe that ambition and initiative will ultimately triumph. The success of the young entrepreneur will be the key to India's transformation in the new millennium.
* Dhirubhai will go one day. But Reliance's employees and shareholders will keep it afloat. Reliance is now a concept in which the Ambanis have become irrelevant.
* I have trusted people and they have put their trust in me. I have encouraged youth, and they have never let me down. I have asked my people to take initiative and to take risks. It has paid me rich dividends. I insist on excellence. This helps us to be leaders. Reliance is built on some of these principles.
* The secret of Reliance's success was to have ambition and to know the minds of men.
* Growth has no limit at Reliance. I keep revising my vision. Only when you dream it you can do it.
* True entrepreneurship comes only from risk-taking.
* Pursue your goal, even in the face of difficulties. Convert difficulties into opportunities. Keep your morale high, in spite of setbacks. At the end you are bound to succeed.
* My advice to young entrepreneurs is not to accept defeat in the face of odds. Challenge negative forces with hope, self-confidence and conviction. I believe that ambition and initiative will ultimately triumph. The success of the young entrepreneur will be the key to India's transformation in the new millennium.
* Dhirubhai will go one day. But Reliance's employees and shareholders will keep it afloat. Reliance is now a concept in which the Ambanis have become irrelevant.
* I have trusted people and they have put their trust in me. I have encouraged youth, and they have never let me down. I have asked my people to take initiative and to take risks. It has paid me rich dividends. I insist on excellence. This helps us to be leaders. Reliance is built on some of these principles.
* The secret of Reliance's success was to have ambition and to know the minds of men.
* Growth has no limit at Reliance. I keep revising my vision. Only when you dream it you can do it.
Rabu, 23 Mei 2007
Milan dazzle over Liverpool in sweet revenge
AC Milan celebrate a 2-1 win over the English flag holders Liverpool. AC Milan's revenge mission was in sight of being averted making another Greek tragedy come true between these two teams when the referee's watch ran out of time some 20 seconds earlier.
Two years after losing a 3-0 lead, AC Milan lost on penalties to Liverpool in what is considered as the most gut-wrenching final of the European Champions league.
There was no rude shock for AC Milan this time and there was no miracle for Liverpool to claim the the biggest prize in European club soccer in the Olympic stadium of Athens.
In a tightly contested match, it was spurts of sheer brilliance from Kaka and Inzaghi that made the difference for Milan.
On the night that belonged to Italy, Liverpool's captain Steven Gerrad did everything right except find the opponent's net.
Paolo Maldini, wearing the captain's armband for AC Milan set an important milestone last night.
The AC Milan captain appeared in his eighth European Cup final, matching the record of Francisco Gento - Real Madrid's legendary winger of the Fifties and Sixties.
This win proves that Kaka is the best player in the world.
Senin, 07 Mei 2007
Kim Clijsters hangs up her racket
The former U.S. Open champion and former world no:1 player, Kim Clijsters announced her retirement from international tennis last Sunday.
At the age of 23, Clijsters is one of the youngest tennis players to retire in an era when records, money or the cult of celebrity have driven many athletes to prolong their careers.
With the daily grind of keeping her body match-fit becoming more and more unbearable, she earmarked 2007 as her final season on the tour more than 20 months ago.
Her announcement did not come as a surprise especially since she did not want another injury to ruin her wedding to American basketball player Brian Lynch in July.
Clijsters earned nearly $15 million in prize money, during a ten year career.
Explaining why she decided to quit, the popular player said, "Money is important, but not the most important thing in my life," she added. "Health and a private life are so much more important."
Her glowing smile and friendliness has always drawn her admirers, but it has also led many to say she lacked the killer instinct and the mean attitude needed to win more slams.
She goes into retirement at the top of her game as she is currently ranked fourth in the world. She also has left the 10,000,000 plus inhabitants of Belgium with a lasting legacy after helping the country to win their first Fed Cup title in 2001.
Looking back on her career, commentators say that she believed in a fair go for everybody. She fought hard in every match but would still applaud with her racquet when an opponent hit a great shot.
While she will be remembered for her tennis, it is her courtesy and dignity that place her above many athletes.
Minggu, 06 Mei 2007
Build Sound Character
SOUND CHARACTER IS OUR GREATEST ASSET BECAUSE IT PROVIDES THE POWER WITH WHICH WE MAY RIDE THE EMERGENCIES OF LIFE INSTEAD OF GOING DOWN UNDER THEM.
Without Positive Mental Attitude or PMA, life might be described as long periods of uncertainty punctuated by occasional emergencies that shake you to the very core of your being.
The emergencies may be financial, personal, or health related, but each must be dealt with separately and swiftly.
The surest way to deal with any crisis is to focus on solutions, not on the probable cause of the problem or who should be blamed for it.
Conduct a quick damage assessment, take the time to think through the alternatives and their consequences, and then act to implement the best solution.
If you deal with life’s emergencies as they occur-on your own terms-you will be a stronger, better person for having looked them in the eye and conquered them.
This positive message is from the Napoleon Hill Foundation. http://www.naphill.org/.
Without Positive Mental Attitude or PMA, life might be described as long periods of uncertainty punctuated by occasional emergencies that shake you to the very core of your being.
The emergencies may be financial, personal, or health related, but each must be dealt with separately and swiftly.
The surest way to deal with any crisis is to focus on solutions, not on the probable cause of the problem or who should be blamed for it.
Conduct a quick damage assessment, take the time to think through the alternatives and their consequences, and then act to implement the best solution.
If you deal with life’s emergencies as they occur-on your own terms-you will be a stronger, better person for having looked them in the eye and conquered them.
This positive message is from the Napoleon Hill Foundation. http://www.naphill.org/.
Kamis, 03 Mei 2007
Mixed singles- a new brand of tennis
Claycourt king Rafael Nadal wins in the battle of the surfaces. Photos: Reuters, AP
The organisers of this novel event experienced no problems save the worms that attacked the grass side of the court.
The only other difficulty- both players were allowed extra time during change overs to change shoes to suit each surface.
This is a nice try to put some fun back into the game apart from the brutal competitive spirit to win.
Rabu, 02 Mei 2007
AC Milan crush some dreams
Football is a magical game. It arouses passions like no other game does.
Milan, which has never lost to Manchester United over two legs, knocked the English team out of the European Championship as it did in the semifinals in 1958 and 1969, only with a superb performance.
The result ended United's hopes of repeating its 1999 treble of the Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup titles.
With history on its side, Milan has also crushed Manchester United's hopes of creating the first ever English final, were they to advance to the final and face familiar rivals Liverpool who beat Chelsea to book their berth in the final.
Greek authorities who have allotted to deploy 20,000 police officers from Athens and other Greek cities to control any violence at the final, would have a sigh of relief now that two English sides would not face each other.
Going up to defend a 3-2 lead from the first leg, United was acutely aware that they would have to play at their best to prevail over Milan .
As United manager Alex Ferguson ruefully said, "We never came out of the blocks.''
An Italian commentator wrote that it was an evening to remember both for Milan and Italian football as a whole for Milan's exhibition was majestic. He couldn't have been more true for this performance.
So the two most famous clubs in English football will not meet on the pitch of the Olympic Stadium in Athens, and neither will their followers have a chance to add to the existing ruins in that ancient city.
To the United manager's enduring credit, he acknowledged that his side was outclassed this time. There is no finger pointing at a refereeing conspiracy or an injury crisis.
Milan, which has never lost to Manchester United over two legs, knocked the English team out of the European Championship as it did in the semifinals in 1958 and 1969, only with a superb performance.
The result ended United's hopes of repeating its 1999 treble of the Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup titles.
With history on its side, Milan has also crushed Manchester United's hopes of creating the first ever English final, were they to advance to the final and face familiar rivals Liverpool who beat Chelsea to book their berth in the final.
Greek authorities who have allotted to deploy 20,000 police officers from Athens and other Greek cities to control any violence at the final, would have a sigh of relief now that two English sides would not face each other.
Going up to defend a 3-2 lead from the first leg, United was acutely aware that they would have to play at their best to prevail over Milan .
As United manager Alex Ferguson ruefully said, "We never came out of the blocks.''
An Italian commentator wrote that it was an evening to remember both for Milan and Italian football as a whole for Milan's exhibition was majestic. He couldn't have been more true for this performance.
So the two most famous clubs in English football will not meet on the pitch of the Olympic Stadium in Athens, and neither will their followers have a chance to add to the existing ruins in that ancient city.
To the United manager's enduring credit, he acknowledged that his side was outclassed this time. There is no finger pointing at a refereeing conspiracy or an injury crisis.
Sabtu, 28 April 2007
Playing mind games
In soccer, the English Premier League or EPL is widely regarded as one of the best leagues in the world along with Spain's La Liga and Italy's Serie A.
As the EPL season is drawing closer to the end, tensions are rising between the title contenders; defending champion Chelsea following closely on the heels of the current leader Manchester United.
The tensions rose to fever-pitch this week when Chelsea's outspoken manager Jose Mourinho alleged that Manchester United have benefited from refereeing bias this season.
Although Manchester United's manager Alex Ferguson gave a pass to Mourinho's barbs, Man United's supremely confident Ronaldo decided to jump in against his countryman.
In a remarkable exchange of insults, Portuguese television viewers were treated to their country's most famous manager accusing their country's most famous player of "lying" and warning Ronaldo that he would never be the best player in the world.
Mourinho was responding to a slight from Ronaldo that the Chelsea manager did not "know how to deal with his failures".
With Chelsea on for an unprecedented quadruple of trophies, and United chasing the treble, feelings are understandably running high.
The latest saga began after his Chelsea's draw with Newcastle, when Mourinho announced, tongue-in-cheek, that there were "new rules" that dictated his side would not be awarded penalties and that United would not have penalties awarded against them.
When the competition is this intense, managers of the top teams routinely indulge in playing mind games before the players take to the field, in order to gain a psychological advantage over opponents.
We saw the ugly side of players behaviour in the world cup final of 2006 between France and Italy played in Germany.
Zinedine Zidane, a three-time FIFA world player of the year, who is known to have a temper, was touted throughout the match by the Italian defender Materazzi, calling names and hurling him abusive language.
In the dying minutes of the evenly balanced game , to everyone's surprise, Zidane head-butted Materazzi. Zidane was ejected from the match, unceremoniously ending a glorious career. France lost the match on penalties plunging a nation into mass mourning.
As the EPL season is drawing closer to the end, tensions are rising between the title contenders; defending champion Chelsea following closely on the heels of the current leader Manchester United.
The tensions rose to fever-pitch this week when Chelsea's outspoken manager Jose Mourinho alleged that Manchester United have benefited from refereeing bias this season.
Although Manchester United's manager Alex Ferguson gave a pass to Mourinho's barbs, Man United's supremely confident Ronaldo decided to jump in against his countryman.
In a remarkable exchange of insults, Portuguese television viewers were treated to their country's most famous manager accusing their country's most famous player of "lying" and warning Ronaldo that he would never be the best player in the world.
Mourinho was responding to a slight from Ronaldo that the Chelsea manager did not "know how to deal with his failures".
With Chelsea on for an unprecedented quadruple of trophies, and United chasing the treble, feelings are understandably running high.
The latest saga began after his Chelsea's draw with Newcastle, when Mourinho announced, tongue-in-cheek, that there were "new rules" that dictated his side would not be awarded penalties and that United would not have penalties awarded against them.
When the competition is this intense, managers of the top teams routinely indulge in playing mind games before the players take to the field, in order to gain a psychological advantage over opponents.
We saw the ugly side of players behaviour in the world cup final of 2006 between France and Italy played in Germany.
Zinedine Zidane, a three-time FIFA world player of the year, who is known to have a temper, was touted throughout the match by the Italian defender Materazzi, calling names and hurling him abusive language.
In the dying minutes of the evenly balanced game , to everyone's surprise, Zidane head-butted Materazzi. Zidane was ejected from the match, unceremoniously ending a glorious career. France lost the match on penalties plunging a nation into mass mourning.
Jumat, 20 April 2007
The benefit of a positive mental attitude
YOUR MENTAL ATTITUDE IS THE MOST DEPENDABLE KEY TO YOUR PERSONALITY.
Your view of yourself will greatly influence how others perceive you. If you are a confident, cheerful, positive person, your co-workers, friends, and family will be attracted to your personality.
If you are unhappy, negative, and always complaining about your situation, others will be repelled. Even when at times you don’t feel very happy, by forcing yourself to behave in a positive fashion, you will find that you soon feel genuinely upbeat, because your subconscious mind doesn’t know the difference between an artificial emotion and the real thing. When you behave positively, you will positively influence everyone around you-including yourself.
This positive message is by the Napoleon Hill Foundation. http://www.naphill.org/.
Senin, 02 April 2007
Lloyd's has made fat profits
Lloyds of London, the venerable old-line British insurance house, has made a record profit of pound stg. 3.7 billion ($9 billion) last year but cautioned that 2007 might be less favourable and warned the market against reckless underwriting.
This is fascinating reading, considering the humble beginnings of this insurance industry and its conservative roots .
Lloyd's is not an insurance company. It is an insurance market of members. Lloyd's of London started at Edward Lloyd's coffeehouse around 1688.
It was a time when London was the busiest sea-port and the capital of the British Empire. Sea travel was dangerous and merchant ships filled with rich cargo, found themselves the victim of pirate attacks in addition to the natural perils of the sea.
All this made life very difficult for the merchants whose livelihood depended on their ships returning safely with their cargo intact.
Some businessmen including Edward Lloyd , sensing an opportunity, began to make deals whereby they promised to reimburse to the merchants the value of the cargo if it did not arrive at port in a fit state for sale.
In return for this insurance they demanded a premium. The value of the premium varied with the value of the cargo and, more importantly, with the risk being undertaken.
Each morning Lloyd used to send his waiters down to the dockside to bring news of the new ships that had arrived that night and he used to post this information on the walls of his establishment. This became known as Lloyd’s List and was soon being published as a daily newspaper of that name.
What began from a coffee house in London, gained legal footing when it became regulated by an Act of Parliament in 1871.
Since then Lloyd's has risen to become the world's most famous institution of insurance underwriting, a national symbol of prestige and a popular landmark attracting schoolchildren, tourists and architecture students.
This is fascinating reading, considering the humble beginnings of this insurance industry and its conservative roots .
Lloyd's is not an insurance company. It is an insurance market of members. Lloyd's of London started at Edward Lloyd's coffeehouse around 1688.
It was a time when London was the busiest sea-port and the capital of the British Empire. Sea travel was dangerous and merchant ships filled with rich cargo, found themselves the victim of pirate attacks in addition to the natural perils of the sea.
All this made life very difficult for the merchants whose livelihood depended on their ships returning safely with their cargo intact.
Some businessmen including Edward Lloyd , sensing an opportunity, began to make deals whereby they promised to reimburse to the merchants the value of the cargo if it did not arrive at port in a fit state for sale.
In return for this insurance they demanded a premium. The value of the premium varied with the value of the cargo and, more importantly, with the risk being undertaken.
Each morning Lloyd used to send his waiters down to the dockside to bring news of the new ships that had arrived that night and he used to post this information on the walls of his establishment. This became known as Lloyd’s List and was soon being published as a daily newspaper of that name.
What began from a coffee house in London, gained legal footing when it became regulated by an Act of Parliament in 1871.
Since then Lloyd's has risen to become the world's most famous institution of insurance underwriting, a national symbol of prestige and a popular landmark attracting schoolchildren, tourists and architecture students.
Sabtu, 17 Maret 2007
Irish march on St. Patrick's Day
The Irish cricket contingent at the Caribbean started the festival of St. Patrick's day, the anniversary to honour saints' deaths by crashing Pakistan out of the world cup.
Cricket is a quasi-religion in the Indian subcontinent. The day Pakistan was demolished by Ireland was also the day India lost to a weaker team, Bangladesh playing to its full potential.
The cricket mad nation of Pakistan is in mourning and the jury is out to decide the fate of the coach and the captain. Pakistan's captain, the affable Inzaman-ul-haq's illustreous career may be brought to an end. There will be no shortage of public opinion about the ineffective Packistan Cricket Board. Heads will certainly roll and discipline will have to be restored before fortune will bring back the past glory.
Knives are being sharpened in India whose fanatic cricket supporters see their team's back against the wall after their shock defeat to Bangaldesh. For India to advance to the knock-out phase it has to beat Bermuda on March 19 and Sri Lanka on March 23.
India knows beating Sri Lanka will not be a walk in the park. Rahul Dravid and co will have to pick themselves up and get the job done while millions are praying for their success.
Cricket is a quasi-religion in the Indian subcontinent. The day Pakistan was demolished by Ireland was also the day India lost to a weaker team, Bangladesh playing to its full potential.
The cricket mad nation of Pakistan is in mourning and the jury is out to decide the fate of the coach and the captain. Pakistan's captain, the affable Inzaman-ul-haq's illustreous career may be brought to an end. There will be no shortage of public opinion about the ineffective Packistan Cricket Board. Heads will certainly roll and discipline will have to be restored before fortune will bring back the past glory.
Knives are being sharpened in India whose fanatic cricket supporters see their team's back against the wall after their shock defeat to Bangaldesh. For India to advance to the knock-out phase it has to beat Bermuda on March 19 and Sri Lanka on March 23.
India knows beating Sri Lanka will not be a walk in the park. Rahul Dravid and co will have to pick themselves up and get the job done while millions are praying for their success.
Senin, 12 Maret 2007
Pakistani Cricketers promoting tourism
The Cricket World Cup is upon us and 16 cricketing nations have gathered at the West Indies for what promises is to be an exciting tournament.
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) well known for their poor managment and disarray have come up with an ingenious idea to promote tourism for Pakistan.
Pakistan team's premier fast bowlers Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif both tested positive for nandrolone last September but had lengthy doping bans quashed on appeal in December after claiming they had not knowingly taken the banned substance.
The Pakistan cricket team has been banned from speaking in English at World Cup news conferences to prevent players from being misquoted.
"This decision was taken by the Pakistan Cricket Board because it is our national language and because 2007 is our National Tourist Year so we are promoting Pakistan as well," said a team spokesman.
Skeptics say this a way for the PCB to control the players even more. One of the PCB officials will be acting as tranlator in chief.
Pakistan plays West Indies in the World Cup curtain raiser at Sabina Park, Jamaica on Tuesday.
Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) well known for their poor managment and disarray have come up with an ingenious idea to promote tourism for Pakistan.
Pakistan team's premier fast bowlers Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif both tested positive for nandrolone last September but had lengthy doping bans quashed on appeal in December after claiming they had not knowingly taken the banned substance.
The Pakistan cricket team has been banned from speaking in English at World Cup news conferences to prevent players from being misquoted.
"This decision was taken by the Pakistan Cricket Board because it is our national language and because 2007 is our National Tourist Year so we are promoting Pakistan as well," said a team spokesman.
Skeptics say this a way for the PCB to control the players even more. One of the PCB officials will be acting as tranlator in chief.
Pakistan plays West Indies in the World Cup curtain raiser at Sabina Park, Jamaica on Tuesday.
Senin, 05 Maret 2007
Being cool and getting addicted
The BBC Click programme highlights the 'rise of technology addiction', an addiction arising out of using cool gadgets which makes many people especially the younger generation feel fashionable to do so.
It was revealed at a technology conference in Geneva, Switzerland that "technology overload" is the price people have to pay for always-on communication, where the line between work and play has become blurred.
One major consequence of this phenomenon is that the line between work and private life is also much more blurred, and individuals highly dependent on techology to get by are reducing their capacity for social interaction.
It has become an important feature of business to inject fun into their products and services and the environments they operate in. In our lives, we will have to live with more technology which gives tremendous benefits to the people who can derive them without getting addicted.
It was revealed at a technology conference in Geneva, Switzerland that "technology overload" is the price people have to pay for always-on communication, where the line between work and play has become blurred.
One major consequence of this phenomenon is that the line between work and private life is also much more blurred, and individuals highly dependent on techology to get by are reducing their capacity for social interaction.
It has become an important feature of business to inject fun into their products and services and the environments they operate in. In our lives, we will have to live with more technology which gives tremendous benefits to the people who can derive them without getting addicted.
Sabtu, 03 Maret 2007
Defining Moments and Turning points
Most successful people can define the 'turning points' in their lives - single events that eventually shaped their future success.
All of us can probably remember some turning points in our own lives.
It is always difficult to know the most defining moment in one's life, though one can look back and see the different trajectories that extend across the life course. In many instances, a life transition such as getting married, the birth of a child or the loss of a loved one brings out a defining moment.
Life is full of transitions from starting school, graduating school, getting a job and getting retired. Important decisions are made at each of these turning points. The quality of decisions we make can have a profound effect on how we live out our lives.
We do not have to grope in the dark to look for these defining moments and turning points. Life will always throw up unexpected challenges but we can always plan and prepare to face them head on when they occur. We can get a good education, we can be gainfully employed, become a responsible member of the community and live a balanced lifestyle.
By planning to live our best life and setting out achievable goals, we can maximise our chances for success. We can also minimise having to react to external events.
All of us can probably remember some turning points in our own lives.
It is always difficult to know the most defining moment in one's life, though one can look back and see the different trajectories that extend across the life course. In many instances, a life transition such as getting married, the birth of a child or the loss of a loved one brings out a defining moment.
Life is full of transitions from starting school, graduating school, getting a job and getting retired. Important decisions are made at each of these turning points. The quality of decisions we make can have a profound effect on how we live out our lives.
We do not have to grope in the dark to look for these defining moments and turning points. Life will always throw up unexpected challenges but we can always plan and prepare to face them head on when they occur. We can get a good education, we can be gainfully employed, become a responsible member of the community and live a balanced lifestyle.
By planning to live our best life and setting out achievable goals, we can maximise our chances for success. We can also minimise having to react to external events.
Rabu, 28 Februari 2007
Wealthiest Nations not so child-friendly
According to a United Nations report, the United States and Britain are at the bottom of a U.N. survey of child welfare in 21 wealthy countries that assessed everything from infant mortality to whether children ate dinner with their parents or were bullied at school.
The Netherlands, followed by Sweden, Denmark and Finland, finished at the top of the rankings. According to the study, children fared worse in the U.S. and Britain — despite high overall levels of national wealth — because of greater economic inequality and poor levels of public support for families.
One of the studies researcher, Professor Jonathan Bradshaw of social policy at the University of York in Britain said that both United States and Britain did not invest as much in children as continental European countries do.
"What they have in common are very high levels of inequality, very high levels of child poverty, which is also associated with inequality, and in rather different ways poorly developed services to families with children," said Bradshaw.
The combination of a high rate of single mothers in both countries, and a decided lack in services to assist them has made it so that children often bear the brunt of inequalities and lack of effective social programs.
The world's wealthiest nation, the United States and Britain may not like the results. But the fact remains that the US and the UK have some serious work to do on child poverty.
In general, northern European countries with strong social welfare systems dominated the upper half of the rankings. Southern European countries, such as Spain, Italy and Portugal, ranked higher in terms of family support and levels of trust with friends and peers.
The Netherlands, followed by Sweden, Denmark and Finland, finished at the top of the rankings. According to the study, children fared worse in the U.S. and Britain — despite high overall levels of national wealth — because of greater economic inequality and poor levels of public support for families.
One of the studies researcher, Professor Jonathan Bradshaw of social policy at the University of York in Britain said that both United States and Britain did not invest as much in children as continental European countries do.
"What they have in common are very high levels of inequality, very high levels of child poverty, which is also associated with inequality, and in rather different ways poorly developed services to families with children," said Bradshaw.
The combination of a high rate of single mothers in both countries, and a decided lack in services to assist them has made it so that children often bear the brunt of inequalities and lack of effective social programs.
The world's wealthiest nation, the United States and Britain may not like the results. But the fact remains that the US and the UK have some serious work to do on child poverty.
In general, northern European countries with strong social welfare systems dominated the upper half of the rankings. Southern European countries, such as Spain, Italy and Portugal, ranked higher in terms of family support and levels of trust with friends and peers.
Kamis, 15 Februari 2007
Eto'o's ego got the better of him
Buddies again: Ronaldinha hugs Eto’o (back to camera) during Barcelona’s training session on Wednesday. The two had been caught in a war of words since Sunday. –Photo:ReutersThe Cameroon striker and Barcelona player Sameul Eto'o has created a row by blasting both his manager Frank Rijkaard and team-mate Ronaldhino and has revealed he would love to play for Arsenal.
After coming back from a 4 month knee injury, Eto'o was seen warming up but refused to come on when he was asked to do so with 5 minutes of play remaining in Sunday's match.
Eto'o, the top scorer in Spain last season, said: "I don't have to give any explanations to anyone. I will only give an explanation to the club if they ask me to."
Eto'o is sending the wrong message to many youngsters who may aspire to emulate his success. He owes an expalnation to his manager and since he is part of a team, he also has an obligation to his team mates.
In an attempt to close ranks, Barcelona haven’t punished Eto’o and the club is hoping that with the exchange of public hugs, the damaging rift has been diffused.
The top football clubs in the world are multi million dollar businesses and players face enormous competive pressure. Highly paid football agents scout for fresh talent and arrange to move players among clubs making the transfer market a lucrative industry.
With Eto'o publicly expressing discontent some of the super rich clubs like Chelsea and Liverpool may already be working to strike a deal with Barcelona n Eto'o.
Senin, 12 Februari 2007
Dixie shines in Grammys
The Dixie Chicks comprising of the Texas trio completed a defiant comeback on Sunday night, winning five Grammy awards after being shunned by the country music establishment over the group's anti-Bush comments leading up to the Iraq invasion.
As they accepted the honours, the Dixie girls, Martie Maguire, Natalie Maines and Emily Robinson did not use the stage this time as a platform for its well-known opposition to the war in Iraq.
But by the time the group accepted the evening-closing album-of-the-year award for Taking the Long Way, singer Natalie Maines who is the firebrand in the group said that members of the Recording Academy were clearly using their votes as a show of support, if not political expression, in favour of a band that has received death threats after its initial criticism of the U.S. President at a concert in Britain in early 2003.
Even amidst the bitter partisan political divide, freedom of expression protected by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, does seem to prevail.
As they accepted the honours, the Dixie girls, Martie Maguire, Natalie Maines and Emily Robinson did not use the stage this time as a platform for its well-known opposition to the war in Iraq.
But by the time the group accepted the evening-closing album-of-the-year award for Taking the Long Way, singer Natalie Maines who is the firebrand in the group said that members of the Recording Academy were clearly using their votes as a show of support, if not political expression, in favour of a band that has received death threats after its initial criticism of the U.S. President at a concert in Britain in early 2003.
Even amidst the bitter partisan political divide, freedom of expression protected by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, does seem to prevail.
Langganan:
Postingan (Atom)
