Perseverance - Taking a chance on some1
Jailed techie creates new prison software: How engineer convicted in a false dowry case built IT system to help inmates buy food and keep track of their court dates
By Sneha Agrawal
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/indiahome/indianews/...
Once a techie, always one. Even while passing 13 months in jail, engineer Amit Kumar Mishra created a piece of software that is making Indian prisons go high-tech.
Gurgaon-based Mishra, who is 31, was sent to prison in a false dowry death case in 2013 when he was in his late 20s.
While in prison, Mishra made the most of his time by putting his skills to use and created a piece of software, Phoenix, which increases the efficiency of the prison management system and makes the lives of inmates and officials easier and more productive.
While in prison, engineer Amit Kumar Mishra made the most of his time by putting his skills to use. He created a piece of software, Phoenix, which helps organise both staff and inmates. +2
While in prison, engineer Amit Kumar Mishra made the most of his time by putting his skills to use. He created a piece of software, Phoenix, which helps organise both staff and inmates.
In a letter dated September 17, 2015, addressed to all states and union territories, the Ministry of Home Affairs had recommended incorporation of prison management software, and Phoenix was mentioned in a list of suitable options along with three other pieces of software.
While his innovation is being talked about today, the going has been tough for Mishra. His wife committed suicide by taking poison within two years of their marriage. Even before he could recover from the tragedy of losing someone he doted on, his in-laws slapped sections 304 B (dowry death), 498 A (dowry) and 34 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) on him.
He and his family were implicated in a false dowry death case, for which he spent 13 months in judicial custody. His ailing parents spent three months in prison.
During his time in jail, Mishra observed several leakages in the prison management system.
“I was taken into custody even before I could make sense of what had happened. With no access to legal remedy for the first three months, I lived in confusion. Eventually, I realised there were several other inmates who barely knew about the current status of their cases. At the same time, I also understood that for prison officials, it was difficult to keep track of hundreds of inmates with no proper mechanism in place,” said Mishra.
With the help of Phoenix, kiosks that display the case records of an inmate from his thumb impression have been set up.
“The details include sections under which he has been facing custody, the current status of his case, the next date of hearing in court. For the prison authorities, the system helps them keep track of which inmate has to be sent for hearing and in which court. Possibilities of goof-ups have been significantly narrowed down,” Mishra said.
Mishra also noticed a problem with the coupon system in jails.
“Authorities issue coupons to inmates for buying products of daily need from the prison canteen. As the coupons are printed in whole numbers, inmates ended up spending more than what was required. It burned a hole in the pockets of those who were not financially strong and had to spend months in jail. Also, there were chances of such products being hoarded by the seller,” he said.
With no financial help from outside, Mishra himself had to manage with Rs 2,000-3,000.
“So I created a retail system that made the coupon system redundant. Now, an inmate, with his thumb impression, can buy any product from the canteen and the money will be debited directly from his account,” he explained.
“As time passed, I realised it was not easy to prove my innocence given the nature of cases slapped on me. The jail superintendent, who was sympathetic to me, told me that the only way to survive was to stay mentally fit. I decided to pursue my case while working on the software,” Mishra added.
Mishra was acquitted of all charges in July 2014. By February 2015, he had set up his company Invader Technologies. His software has proved to be path-breaking for prison management and has been installed in all jails in Haryana. It is being talked about in other states as well.
“After Haryana, Arunachal Pradesh is expected to install our software. We are already in talks with Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab and Assam,” he said.
Once a resident of the swanky DLF Phase II in Gurgaon, Mishra has now moved to government quarters in the Bhondsi Jail campus. His company is working on other software that will help prisons function better.
Though Mishra has been trying to leave his past behind, he still wonders why his wife committed suicide. He also has no idea why his in-laws, who treated him like a son, implicated him in a false case.
“I still do not know why my wife took her own life. If my in-laws had lost their daughter, I had also lost my wife. After I got acquitted, I wanted to meet the Investigation Officer in my case. He initially refused to meet me, but eventually did. I asked him if he thought I was guilty. He told me he always knew I was innocent. But the circumstances were not in my favour,” Mishra said.
🎈🎈🎈
बहुत समय पहले की बात है , एक
राजा को उपहार में किसी ने बाज
के दो बच्चे भेंट किये ।
“ आदमी ने
ऐसा ही किया।
इशारा मिलते ही दोनों बाज
उड़ान भरने लगे , पर जहाँ एक बाज
आसमान की ऊंचाइयों को छू
रहा था , वहीँ दूसरा , कुछ ऊपर जाकर वापस उसी डाल पर आकर बैठ
गया जिससे वो उड़ा था।
राजा को कुछ अजीब लगा.
“क्या बात है जहाँ एक बाज
इतनी अच्छी उड़ान भर रहा है वहीँ ये
दूसरा बाज उड़ना ही नहीं चाह रहा ?”,
राजा ने सवाल किया।
” जी हुजूर ,
इस बाज के साथ शुरू से
यही समस्या है , वो इस डाल
को छोड़ता ही नहीं।”
राजा को दोनों ही बाज प्रिय थे , और वो दुसरे बाज
को भी उसी तरह
उड़ना देखना चाहते थे।
“ “मालिक ! मैं तो एक
साधारण सा किसान हूँ , मैं ज्ञान
की ज्यादा बातें नहीं जानता , मैंने तो बस वो डाल काट दी जिसपर
बैठने का बाज आदि हो चुका था,
और जब वो डाल
ही नहीं रही तो वो भी अपने
साथी के साथ ऊपर उड़ने लगा। “
दोस्तों, हम सभी ऊँचा उड़ने के लिए ही बने हैं। लेकिन कई बार हम जो कर
रहे होते है उसके इतने आदि हो जाते हैं
कि अपनी ऊँची उड़ान भरने की , कुछ
बड़ा करने की काबिलियत को भूल
जाते हैं।
“Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity”
Last week मैं YouTube पे कुछ देख रहा था, तभी मुझे एक ऐड दिखा “Billions in Change”.
Ad बहुत interesting लगा उसमे कुछ ऐसे आविष्कारों के बारे में बताया गया जो दुनिया को बदल कर रख देंगे, ख़ास तौर से उनकी दुनिया जो गरीब हैं।
इस ऐड के पीछे एक शख्स था जिसका नाम है Manoj Bhargava. और आज मैं आपको उसी मनोज भार्गव के बारे में बता रहा हूँ जो कभी भारत के मठों में सन्यासी की तरह रहता था और जो आज America का richest Indian है।
आइये जानते हैं Manoj Bhargava की inspirational success story.मनोज भार्गव का जन्म 1952 में Lucknow में हुआ था। जब वो 14 साल के थे तो उनका परिवार Philadelphia, अमेरिका चला गया।
मनोज Maths wizard माने जाते थे और उन्हें वहां एक private boarding school में स्कालरशिप मिल गयी। Schooling पूरी होने के बाद 1972 में उन्हें दुनिया की सबसे अच्छी universities में से एक Princeton में दाखिला मिल गया।
पर एक साल पढाई करने के बाद मनोज को लगा कि इस पढाई से कुछ फायदा नहीं है। और वो कॉलेज ड्रॉपआउट हो गए। कॉलेज में उन्होंने कुछ सीखा हो या ना सीखा हो पर साथ में पढने वाले दुनिया के सबसे अमीर students के संपर्क में आकर वो ये जान गए कि बहुत पैसा होने पर भी लोग परेशान ही रहते हैं। यही कारण था कि मनोज आध्यात्म की तरफ मुड़ गए और इंडिया वापस आ गए। स्वामी विवेकानंद ने उन्हें बहुत प्रभावित किया और वे आज भी वो उनकी प्रेरणा से काम कर रहे हैं।
Manoj Bhargava 12 साल तक भारत के विभिन्न मठों में रहे और एक सन्यासी की तरह जीवन व्यतीत किया।
इस बीच वो कभी-कभार अमेरिका आते-जाते रहे और जीवन का अनुभव लेने के लिए कई unconventional काम किये- उन्होंने taxi चलायी, पत्थर ढोए, printing press में नौकरी की, etc.
मनोज कहते हैं-
कॉलेज के बाहर मुझे असली शिक्षा मिली।
90 के दशक में मनोज permanently अमेरिका चले गए।वहां जाकर उन्होंने एक company बनायीं Prime PVC Inc. (या शायद ये पहले से उनकी फॅमिली रन कर रही थी, I am not sure) जिसे अपनी कड़ी मेहनत से उन्होंने $20 million की कम्पनी बना दिया और अंत में year 2007 में 22 million dollar में एक firm को बेच दिया।
इस बीच Manoj Bhargava ने कई और कम्पनियाँ भी बनायीं जिसमे प्रमुख है Living Essentials जिसने 2004 में एक ऐसा energy drink बनया जिसने 8-9 साल के अन्दर अमेरिका के energy drink market के 90% हिस्से पे कब्ज़ा कर लिया और जो कभी एक monk था उसे एक billionaire बना दिया। उस drink क नाम था – 5-hour Energy
5 Hour Energy का idea कहाँ से आया ?
एक बार मनोज नयी technology की खोज में किसी trade fare में गए हुए थे। सुबह से लगातार कई meetings करने के कारण वो काफी थक गए। जिन लोगों के साथ अगली मीटिंग थी उनसे मनोज ने कुछ पीने के लिए माँगा ताकि थोड़ी energy आ सके।
उन्हें गिलास में कुछ पीने ले लिए दिया गया। इसे पीने के बाद अगले 7-8 घंटे तक मनोज तारो-ताजा रहे और बड़ी आसानी से अपना काम कर पाए। मनोज ने मन ही मन सोचा –
Wow, ये शानदार है, मैं इसे बेच सकता हूँ।
5 ऑवर एनर्जी
5 ऑवर एनर्जी
और फिर अगले 30 दिनों में उन्होंने अपने energy drink का फार्मूला तैयार किया जिसका नाम, “5-hour Energy” रखा गया।
मनोज ने जान-बूझ कर इसका साइज़ छोटा रखा। इसकी तीन वजहें थीं-
पहली, उनका मानना था कि ज़रूरी नहीं कि जो आदमी थका हो वो प्यासा भी हो इसलिए उसे इतनी बड़ी bottle देने की कोई ज़रूरत नही है।
दुसरा, bottle का साइज़ छोटा रखने से वो पेप्सी-कोक जैसे बड़े प्लेयर्स से cooling space में compete करने से बच जाते।
तीसरा, bottle की size छोटी होने से retailers को उन्हें सामने रखना पड़ता जिससे अधिक से अधिक लोग प्रोडक्ट को देख पाते।
Market में launch होने के कुछ महीनो में ही 5-hour Energy की demand बढ़ने लगी और देखते देखते ये अमेरिका का सबसे ज्यादा बिकने वाला energy drink बन गया।
Manoj Bhargava इसकी सफलता का श्रेय “common sense” और “we can do spirit” को देते हैं।
5-hour Energy at a glance:Launched in 2004
एक बोतल का दाम $3 (Rs। 200 approx) (सबसे महंगी energy ड्रिंक)
No. of Employees 65 + 250 ( 65 in Office + 250 in factory)
Sales in 2014 1.25 Billion Dollar ( लगभग 8300 करोड़ रुपये)
कौन पीता है ? जो लग अधिक मेहनत वाला काम करते हैं- ट्रक ड्राइवर्स, स्पोर्ट्स प्लेयर्स, soldiers या ऑफिस में अधिक काम करने वाले। बहुत से लोग शौकिया भी लेते हैं।
क्या है इसमें? एमिनो एसिड्स + कैफीन + विटामिन बी + etc
क्या होता है पीने से ? पीने से दीमाग एकाग्र हो जाता है और लगता है कि बहुत ENERGY आ गयी है।
कोई साइड इफेक्ट्स ? नहीं ( as per Manoj Bhargava)
कितनी पीनी चाहिए ? अधिक से अधिक 2 per day
कौन पी सकता है ? 12 साल से अधिक उम्र के लोग , pregnant women के लिए मना है।
5 Hour Energy की valuation 4 बिलियन डॉलर जिसमे 80% शेयर Manoj Bhargava का है।
मनोज इतने पैसों का करेंगे क्या?
अगर आप सोच रहे हैं कि मनोज भार्गव इतने पैसों का क्या करेंगे? तो बता दें कि वो पहले ही अपनी कमाई का 99% हिस्सा charity (परोपकार/ दान ) के लिए pledge कर चुके हैं। उनका कहना है-
अगर आपके पास ज़रूरत से ज्यादा पैसे हैं तो या तो आप उससे कोई मूर्खता करेंगे या अक्ल के काम करेंगे….मतलब आपके पास कोई चॉइस नहीं है।
मनोज भार्गव अपने पैसों से basically दो काम कर रहे हैं :
Charity में दे रहे हैं। अगले 10 सालों में 5000 करोड़ रुपये चैरिटी में लगाया जायेगा, जो पूरा का पूरा भारत में लगेगा।
ऐसे प्रोजेक्ट्स में लगा रहे हैं जिससे कुछ ऐसा इन्वेंट किया जा सके जिससे दुनिया की bottom half आबादी को फायदा मिल सके।
अगर सब charity में दे देंगे तो उनके बेटे का क्या होगा ?
मनोज का एक 23 साल का एक बेटा है जिसका नाम शान है। जब मनोज से ये प्रश्न किया गया तो उन्होंने कहा कि अपने बेटे को पैसे देकर मैं उसे बर्वाद नहीं करना चाहता। जब वो 10 साल का तभी बता दिया था कि उसे मुझसे कुछ नहीं मिलने वाला। तब बेटे ने कहा था , “ बहुत अच्छा! मैं खुद से कमाऊंगा।”
Charity में देते कैसे हैं ?
इस काम के लिए उन्होंने एक NGO (http://thehansfoundatio...g/) बनायी है जिसका बस ये काम है कि वो भारत की ऐसी NGOs को ढूंढती है जो अच्छा काम कर रही हैं और फिर ऐसी NGOs को financially support किया जाता है। NGOs help चाहती हैं तो उनके पास FCRA certificate होना चहिये।
ऐसे कौन से प्रोजेक्ट्स हैं जिससे मनोज दुनिया बदलने की सोच रहे हैं ?
बिजली पैदा करने की मशीन
बिजली पैदा करने की मशीन
मनोज तीन क्षेत्रों में काम कर रहे हैं :
Water : एक ऐसी मशीन जो समुद्र के खारे पानी को पीने योग्य बना देगी, वो भी बहुत कम कीमत पर।
Energy : एक ऐसी साइकिल जिसे आप अगर 1 घंटा चलाएंगे तो वो 24 घंटे तक बिजली देगी।
Health : एक ऐसी device जो बॉडी में ब्लड के सर्कुलेशन को बेहतर बना देगी जिससे कई सारी बीमारियाँ होंगी ही नहीं।
इनके बारे में और अधिक जानने के लिए यहाँ क्लिक करें। या YouTube पे इस विडियो को देखें।
दोस्तों, Manoj Bhargava का अब तक का सफ़र काफी interesting और successful रहा है। उनकी लाइफ हमें अपने दिल की आवाज़ सुनने और उसे follow करने की प्रेरणा देती है। बिजनेस में उनकी इतनी बड़ी सफलता से हमे ये भी सीखने को मिलता है कि Business करना कोई राकेट साइंस नहीं है, कोई भी इंसान common sense और “कर सकने की भावना” से एक सफल entrepreneur बन सकता है।
हम उन्हें उनकी उपलब्धियों के लिए ढेरों बधाई देते हैं और wish करते हैं कि उन्हें आगे भी इसी तरह सफलता मिलती रहे और वो दुनिया बदलने के अपने मिशन में कामयाब हों।
———
अगर आप भी एक Entrepreneur बनना चाहते हैं तो इन लेखों को ज़रूर पढ़ें :
करोड़पति बनना है तो नौकरी छोडिये !
कैसे बना मैं World’s Youngest CEO ?
Entrepreneur बनने के लिए क्या ज़रूरी है क्या नहीं ?
बार्बर से बिलिनेयर तक : A true story of an entrepreneur
Nice share @asoka
[ ♥♥ Creating Positive Energy In the Home]
A home that pulses with positive energy is a joy to live in. But what are the tricks to designing a space that attracts good vibes and repels negativity? Here are some easy and simple steps you can take that accentuate the positive at home.
Design details
Rooms that have flow, natural light and space are more likely to buzz with positive energy. If your home is cluttered, edit some of the stuff you don’t need from your life. This goes for furnishings as well as clothing and other possessions – if you haven’t used it in a year, do you really need to keep it? Rooms overflowing with furniture stifle positivity, so select your favorite essentials, then donate the rest to a good cause. Removing clutter is one of the chief principles of the ancient art of feng shui. Discarding excess material possessions and clutter is believed to allow positive energy to circulate more freely about the home, encouraging peace and serenity within.
Happy colors
Mood and ambience is hugely influenced by the colors we choose in our home décor. Dark, heavily pigmented paint shades suck the light from a room, shrinking the dimensions and giving a somber mood. To invite positive influences, choose colors that reflect the light, warm shades that lift the atmosphere and reference the natural world. Soft yellow and orange tones, merged with greens and creams that have a luminous quality, will all add fizz and freshness to rooms.
The power of light
Sunshine boosts positive energy levels, making you feel happier. Direct natural light into your home and improve your sense of well being in a subtle but measurable way. Light and airy rooms feel more spacious, are uplifting and inspiring to spend time in, and they also stimulate us into action and movement, rather than sedentary behavior. Design rooms in such a way that light has easy access from outside, keeping window treatments to a minimum and making sure trees and bushes do not block out the sun. Installing elegant and streamlined interior shutters for greater control makes a noticeable difference, because you can manage the natural light levels throughout the day, according to mood.
To further lift light levels, carefully placed mirrors can be used to reflect it back into the room, doubling up the energy levels. Light up dark corners and alcoves with mirrors and lamps, and fit a crystal chandelier for extra sparkle and movement.
Natural appeal
Feng shui fans recommend jade plants and interior water fountains to add positive power to the domestic interior. Just as good are freshly cut blooms placed so that their perfume and quiet beauty can dissipate into the atmosphere. Alternatively, spread the scents of frankincense and cinnamon essential oils, which neutralize negative energies, or rose and orange oils, which are aligned to love and joy in particular. Add several drops into a spritzer containing water, and with a few sprays, the mood of a room is transformed.
A house with positive energy levels directly impacts the occupants and how they feel. Banish dark moods and replace them with outward looking, positive thinking that works on every level. A great place to start making changes is in your close environment, so take a fresh look at your home and start taking some positive, energizing steps.
Top 10 New Year Resolutions
A New Year’s resolution is a self commitment that a person makes to achieve personal goals, projects, or reforming of a bad habit. This commitment is the driving force to perform the corrective and preventive actions throughout the next year in order for achieving the committed result.
Below are the top ten New Year Resolution which you can consider to chose from for your personal goals in next year:
1- Learning new things: Gaining more and more knowledge increases the wisdom level by giving you insightful depth in the field of your interest. Whether you are a professional, a businessman, student or a house wife you must learn new things in order to enhance your mental horizons and improving your life standards. You can do this by getting trainings, earning a new degree or certificate, subscribing to online communities or reading books.
2- Achieving Mental & Spiritual Heights: This one is my favorite as Mental peace and mental prosperity is the most critical aspect of life regardless of the financial situation. Even if you are rich, if you don’t have mental peace, you are missing a great blessing so you must work on the techniques to attain a humble and stable mind. This can be achieved by attaining positive personality, by having better control on Anger, by being less Reactive, and by avoiding Stress.
3- Financial Targets: Most of us work on this target all year round. However we do not strategize enough to achieve it. Primarily we spend a lot of money on our wants instead of our needs. A careful analysis must be done before you spend on anything. Another aspect of achieving financial growth is to increase your sources of income for example running a new business, changing your current job, investing in land or gold etc. You may want to read this side article about what is actual wealth and how to achieve this.
4- Health and Fitness: With the invention of new luxuries the life style is becoming more and more lazy consequently raising the bar for health related concerns. What adds fuel to the fire is our increased liking for fast foods and dining out in unhealthy restaurants. Junk food adds fats, results in high cholesterol and high Blood Pressure which increase the risk of heart disease leading us towards big disasters. Make a commitment to yourself to minimize eating fast foods and shift to vegetables and fruits. This cannot be done overnight so you have to change your current habits slowly and steadily.
5- New Career Move: I was listening to the interview of the CEO of Porsche selling company; the guy mentioned that autonomy is the most considerable reason people leave their job. Everyone wants more and more luxury, independence and growth in life. So you make this resolution to go high in your professional ladder this year. Carefully sense the market and make a smart move.
6- Cutting the clutters: This is not something to achieve rather to leave in order to gain indirect goals. Stats show that people who live simple life have higher happiness index. Basically what happens is that over the course of time we keep purchasing things because of our instant buying habit mixed with our intention to show-off and then eventually we dump these things in the closets or home store. Being too much materialistic and having the lust of acquiring more and more things, even if we don’t use them, takes us away from simple life which ultimately add extra layer to the complications in our lives . Now is the time to clear all those bulky things in the closet and store including old clothes, toys and other commodities to give in charity. Personally, I use 6 months formula" “If something has not been used for the last 6 months, there is a most likely chance that it will not be used in next 6 months so better to give this to poor people & family around me”
7- Spend more time with family: With more focus on materialistic things we have reduced our family time, sometimes our children are being referred to as new age orphans. With everyone busy on his smart phones, PDAs, laptops and Television we have almost killed the family union spirit which is adding complications in relationships resulting in serious consequences. Strong family bonding are an indicative of better happiness index. People who spend less time with families are comparatively less happier. Make a resolution this year to become a family guy. Spend time with them, spend money on family fun activities and you will feel a special mental peace eventually.
8- Getting Organized: Staying organized has many advantages in terms of having more time for yourself and family; in terms of saving money; peace of mind, better health, balanced life and improved professional/Social life. This involves being organized in terms of time, in terms of office desk, official work, differentiating between urgent and important tasks and organize them, maintaining a personal diary, maintaining a list of things-to-do.
9- Helping Others: Not a lot of people focus on this but I would really appeal you to consider this. Charity Services are the tax we pay back to society for living on earth. Almost all of the religions emphasize to its followers to take care of people around them. Practically speaking, you can assign 3-5% of your earnings for charity projects within your country or foreign countries who are less fortunate; having low or no food and/or having lack of other basic human necessities like water, clothes, medicines etc.
10- Quit Smoking and drinking: Understood that bad habits die hard but remember the fact that bad habits make you die early too, especially when it comes to habits of smoking and drinking. Quit them ASAP before they overcome your health. You already know that how these two habits affect your lungs, kidneys and levers. Quit them before they make you quit the world.
A visionary person like you can definitely achieve the targets by being proactive and analytical, by having consistency and Hard work and the ability to focus on the commitments you make. Make Effective decisions for the new year and work hard to achieve concrete results.
IDIOT SIGHTING.
My daughter and I went through the McDonald’s driveway window and I gave the cashier a $5 note.
Our total was $4.25, so I also handed her 25c.
She said, ‘you gave me too much money.’
I said, ‘Yes I know, but this way you can just give me a dollar coin back.’
She sighed and went to get the manager who asked me to repeat my request.
I did so, and he handed me back the 25c, and said ’We’re sorry but we don’t do that kind of thing.’
The cashier then proceeded to give me back 75 cents in change.
Do not confuse the people at MacD’s.
IDIOT SIGHTING.
We had to have the garage door repaired.
The repairman told us that one of our problems was that we did not have a ‘large’ enough motor on the opener.
I thought for a minute, and said that we had the largest one made at that time, a 1/2 horsepower.
He shook his head and said, ‘You need a 1/4 horsepower.’
I responded that 1/2 was larger than 1/4 and he said, ‘NOOO, it’s not. Four is larger than two.’
We haven’t used that repairman since…this happened in Ipswich, Qld
IDIOT SIGHTING.
I live in a semi rural area.
We recently had a new neighbour call the local council P & W office to request the removal of the WOMBAT CROSSING sign on our road.
The reason: ‘Too many wombats are being hit by cars out here! I don’t think this is a good place for them to be crossing anymore.’
Story from Collingwood, Melbourne.
IDIOT SIGHTING IN FOOD SERVICE.
My daughter went to a Mexican takeaway and ordered a taco.
She asked the person behind the counter for ‘minimal lettuce.’
He said he was sorry, but they only had iceberg lettuce.
From Bankstown, Sydney…..
IDIOT SIGHTING.
I was at the airport, checking in at the gate when an airport employee asked,
‘Has anyone put anything in your baggage without your knowledge?’
To which I replied, ‘If it was without my knowledge, how would I know?’
He smiled knowingly and nodded, ’That’s why we ask.’
This happened in Elizabeth S.A.
IDIOT SIGHTING.
The pedestrian light on the corner beeps when it’s safe to cross the street.
I was crossing with an ‘intellectually challenged’ co-worker of mine.
She asked if I knew what the beeper was for.
I explained that it signals blind people when the light is red.
Appalled, she responded, ‘what on earth are blind people doing driving?!’
She is a government employee in ATO Newcastle NSW AU.
IDIOT SIGHTING.
When my husband and I arrived at a car dealership to pick up our car after a service, we were told the keys had been locked in it.
We went to the service department and found a mechanic working feverishly to unlock the driver’s side door.
As I watched from the passenger side, I instinctively tried the door handle and discovered that it was unlocked.
‘Hey,’ I announced to the technician, ‘its open!’
His reply, ‘I know. I already did that side.’
STAY ALERT!
They walk among us, they breed, and they vote…….
Muslim Man Breaks Religious Barriers, Performs Hindu Friend’s Last Rites
Religion has at times come in the way of love, happiness and friendship. But this time it wasn’t to win.
Rising above his religious beliefs and the faith he practiced, Razzak Khan Tikari, a resident of Chhattisgarh, did what only a few of us have the heart to do. Breaking all religious barriers Razzak, despite being a follower of Islam, performed Hindu rites for his deceased friend, Santosh Singh.
image
Singh who belonged to Harda area and was living with his family in Baitul, was suffering from critical health condition to which he succumbed on 20 September. He is survived by his wife Chhaya and their eight-year-old daughter.
Unable to arrange money to perform proper religious rites for her deceased husband, Santosh’s wife was helpless. At this time, Santosh’s friend for years Razzak came forward and took the responsibility of carrying out all the religious rites and to cremate the body of his deceased friend. Razzak, despite being a Muslim, never let religion come in the way of his friendship. He performed all the rites as per Hindu tradition and cremated Santosh’s body.
“Religion should not become a barrier in friendship,” Razzak was quoted telling Catch News.
This certainly leaves us with one thought – is it really so difficult to keep religion aside and believe in the power of love and friendship. Well, with Razzak’s live example it doesn’t seem like it.
http://www.indiatimes.com/news/india/muslim-man...
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Muslim Man Breaks Religious Barriers, Performs Hindu Friend’s Last Rites
Religion has at times come in the way of love, happiness and friendship. But this time it wasn’t to win.
Rising above his religious beliefs and the faith he practiced, Razzak Khan Tikari, a resident of Chhattisgarh, did what only a few of us have the heart to do. Breaking all religious barriers Razzak, despite being a follower of Islam, performed Hindu rites for his deceased friend, Santosh Singh.
image
Singh who belonged to Harda area and was living with his family in Baitul, was suffering from critical health condition to which he succumbed on 20 September. He is survived by his wife Chhaya and their eight-year-old daughter.
Unable to arrange money to perform proper religious rites for her deceased husband, Santosh’s wife was helpless. At this time, Santosh’s friend for years Razzak came forward and took the responsibility of carrying out all the religious rites and to cremate the body of his deceased friend. Razzak, despite being a Muslim, never let religion come in the way of his friendship. He performed all the rites as per Hindu tradition and cremated Santosh’s body.
“Religion should not become a barrier in friendship,” Razzak was quoted telling Catch News.
This certainly leaves us with one thought – is it really so difficult to keep religion aside and believe in the power of love and friendship. Well, with Razzak’s live example it doesn’t seem like it.
http://www.indiatimes.com/news/india/muslim-man...
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@d@rokzz @Green Arrow @Gr@h@m@lkene™ @@dealdancer@@
@mahidada
@mahidada
who is
@mahidadiya
At the prodding of my friends I am writing this story. My name is Mildred Honor. I am a former elementary school Music Teacher from Des Moines, Iowa.
I have always supplemented my income by Teaching Piano Lessons…Something I have done for over 30 years. During those years, I found that Children have many levels of musical ability, and even though I have never had the prodigy, I have taught some very talented students. However, I have also had my share of what I call ’Musically Challenged Pupils.
One such Pupil being Robby. Robby was 11 years old when his Mother (a Single Mom) dropped him off for his first Piano Lesson.
I prefer that Students (especially Boys) begin at an earlier age, which I explained to Robby. But Robby said that it had always been his Mother’s Dream to hear him play the Piano, so I took him as a Student.
At the end of each weekly Lesson he would always say ‘My Mom’s going to hear me Play someday.’ But to me, it seemed hopeless, he just did not have any Inborn Ability.I only knew his Mother from a distance as she dropped Robby off or waited in her aged Car to pick him up. She always waved and smiled, but never dropped in;
Then one day Robby stopped coming for his Lessons. I thought about calling him, but Assumed that because of his lack of Ability he had decided to pursue something else. I was also glad that he had stopped coming. He was a Bad Advertisement for my Teaching!
Several Weeks later I mailed a flyer recital to the Students’ homes. To my surprise, Robby (who had received a flyer) asked if he could be in the Recital. I told him that the Recital was for current Pupils and that because he had dropped out, he really did not Qualify.
He told me that his Mother had been Sick and Unable to take him to his piano lessons, but that he had been practicing. ‘Please Miss Honor, I’ve just got to Play,’ he insisted. I don’t know what led me to allow him to play in the Recital – perhaps it was his insistence or maybe something inside of me saying that it would be all right;
The night of the Recital came and the high school gymnasium was packed with Parents, Relatives and Friends. I put Robby last in the Program, just before I was to come up and thank all the Students and Play a finishing piece. I thought that any damage he might do would come at the end of the Program and I could always salvage his poor performance through my ‘Curtain Closer’.
Well, the Recital went off without a Hitch, the Students had been Practicing and it Showed. Then Robby came up on the stage. His Clothes were Wrinkled and his Hair looked as though he had run an egg beater through it. ‘Why wasn’t he dressed up like the other Students?’ I thought. ‘Why didn’t his Mother at least make him Comb his Hair for this Special Night?’
Robby pulled out the Piano bench, and I was Surprised when he announced that he had chosen to play Mozart’s Concerto No.21 in C Major. I was not prepared for what I heard next. His fingers were light on the keys, they even danced nimbly on the Ivories. He went from Pianissimo to Fortissimo, from Allegro to Virtuoso; his Suspended Chords that Mozart demands were Magnificent! Never had I heard Mozart played so well by anyone his age.
After six and a half minutes, he ended in a Grand Crescendo, and everyone was on their feet in Wild Applause!!! Overcome and in Tears, I ran up on stage and put my arms around Robby in Joy;
‘I have never heard you Play like that Robby, how did you do it?’ Through the Microphone Robby explained: ’Well, Miss Honor, Remember I told you that my Mom was sick? Well, she actually had Cancer and Passed Away this Morning. And well… she was Born Deaf, so tonight was the first time she had ever heard me Play, and I wanted to make it Special.,
There wasn’t a Dry Eye in the house that evening. As People from Social Services led Robby from the stage to be placed in to Foster Care, I noticed that even their Eyes were red and Puffy. I thought to myself then how much Richer my Life had been for taking Robby as my Pupil.
No, I have never had a Prodigy, but that night I became a Prodigy… of Robby. He was the Teacher and I was the Pupil, for he had taught me the meaning of Perseverance and Love and Believing in Yourself, and may be even taking a chance on someone and you didn’t know why.
Robby was Killed years later in the Senseless Bombing of the Alfred P. Murray Federal Building in Oklahoma City in April, 1995.