Thursday, July 31, 2014

 
NARA'S NOTEPAD
 
VOLUME 10
 
AUGUST 2014
 
NUMBER 8
 
 
 
NARA'S NOTEPAD
 
IS
 
SUPPORTED
 
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READERS LIKE
 
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CELEBRATE
 
THE LITTLE THINGS

SPONSOR


 
 
NARA’S NOTEPAD
thank

Late Dr. A. Appa Rao*, Former Vice-Chancellor

 Acharya N. G. Ranga Agricultural University, Hyderabad for sponsoring March 2014 to Dec. 2014 issues.

 

*Dr A. Appa Rao passed away on 30 April 2014.

MEMO FROM NARA...



Generally, we talk anything about anyone whether we know or do not know about them. Talking about others is a hobby or a pass time for some who take to gossip in their own way. I used to hear them with keen interest because they talk and talk and without expecting any response from me. Sometimes I do not know the person about whom they talk so eloquently! Not only that, talking about a person and his or her family members and their children so accurately to someone for example like me has any meaning. In spite of that, they derive deep pleasure in emptying their thoughts about others. However much I try to understand them, I fail miserably. I used to think about such people and their intentions.

One of the things I could understand is that they like to tell others that how important they are and also how much he/she knows about others – good or bad. Revealing the life history of other people in an interesting fashion is of course a peculiar talent. Not all can do it, but some are experts. If they talk about people of equal standard we can understand but if they are indifferent category – for example, a businessman, a medical doctor, a politician, a lawyer – the points of view expressed may not be agreeable at all, because those people have a different kind of life-style than the one who discuss about them.

In fact, we don’t see people as they are, but we see them as we are. Therefore the opinions expressed are not at all correct. If a businessman talks about another businessman it is ok. But if a teacher talks about a businessman, it is absurd. We all talk about the lavish life style of politicians without knowing the characters of politicians. There are simple politicians as well as complex politicians whose life style is beyond our imagination. Criticizing such politicians in our angle is in fact absurd according to me.

Our thinking is limited to our life style alone. Politicians have big cars and dozens of people around them always. A simple citizen wonders why the politicians need such big cars and bodyguards and he tries to judge the politicians in his level of living. Therefore I feel that we have no business to talk bad about others but we have the right to talk about ourselves – good or bad.

While talking about oneself, one reveals all about his personal life, family matters and even the life secrets in order to get a prestige. Intelligent people hear calmly without revealing their own life secrets. Sharing one’s limited information to others always keeps one’s self-respect. Without understanding this simple principle of life many of us reveal more and get into trouble. People vary in their character, so they have to learn from their experience. No one can advise them except indicating the implications of talking too much to gain the attention of others.

How far is it good? I do not know!

FASTING


 
An important aspect of fasting is that it inculcates the quality of introspection. Introspection is the ability to undertake self-assessment and self-correction. It is very important for every man and woman and fasting seeks to instil this ability of introspection in every individual. Fasting apparently is a peaceful deed but in terms of effect it is a part of social behaviour. It helps an individual become a good member of society. Another aspect of fasting is to develop the ability to share for common good. When you fast you are able to experience the problems of those who live in poverty. This experience of fasting inculcates the spirit of philanthropy in the one who is fasting. – Rajat Malhotra.

SYMPTOMS OF SELF-ESTEEM




v  Feelings of inadequacy, inferiority, or incompetence.

v  Fear, anxiety, lack of confidence, and an unwillingness to try new things.

v  Reluctance to share opinions, ideas, perceptions, or feelings.

v  Fear of failure, rejection, criticism, or abandonment.

v  Self-doubt about our abilities, worthiness or lovability.

v  Feelings of not fitting in, of being innately flawed.

v  Inability to know who and when to trust.

v  Frequent episodes of “self-esteem attacks” and depression.

v  Under achieving or over achieving.

v  Poor boundaries, controlling behaviour, people-pleasing

TO QUOTE...




Everyone wants happiness. No one wants pain. But you can’t
 
have a rainbow, without little rain. – Anonymous

 

Every morning we wake up, we have twenty four brand-new
 
hours to live. What a precious gift! – Thich Nhat Hanh

FIND THE RIGHT BALANCE


v  Choose your life pattern yourself. Don’t be governed by others.

v  Harness habits and skills that allow you to make your own rules in this rat race.

v  Avoid talking work over lunch and dinner.

v  Switch off your mobile on Saturdays and Sundays, keep weekends for yourself. Don’t worry about being left behind.

v  Gradually reduce work hours. This does not mean compromising on the quality of work.

v  Refuse to feel guilty when you are not working.

v  Develop skill sets and an attitude that allows you to finish work within office hours. Don’t stay back just because your colleagues are doing so.

JUST TO LAUGH...



Husband calls up his wife. Honey, I was driving to Susan’s place and had a sudden puncture. The car skidded and rolled over several feet. I am now in hospital with a broken arm, several broken ribs, a shattered knee cap and severe concussion.

Wife: Who is Susan?

***************************************************************

“No woman can keep a secret,” said one man at a party.

A woman guest answered huffily, “Well, I have kept my age a secret since I was 21.”

“You’ll let it out some day,” the man insisted.

“Ha,” said the lady. “When a woman has kept a secret for 27 years, she can keep it for ever.”

***************************************************************

A jealous husband hired a private detective to spy on his wife, and get a video of her activities. A week later, they sat down together to watch the video. He sees his wife meeting a man in a park, relaxing at a café, dancing in a dimly-lit night club, laughing and enjoying.

“I can’t believe this,” the distraught husband said.

“Why not? It’s on the screen,” said the detective.

The husband replied, “I can’t believe my wife could be so much fun.”

GENOME EDITING




A genetic disease has been cured in living, adult animals for the first time using a revolutionary genome editing technique that can make the smallest changes to the vast data base of the DNA molecule with pinpoint accuracy. Scientists have used the genome editing technology to cure adult lab. Mice of an inherited liver disease by correcting a single “letter” of the genetic alphabet which has been mutated in a vital gene involved in liver metabolism. A similar mutation in the same gene causes the equivalent inherited liver disease in humans – and the successful repair of the genetic defect in lab. Mice raise hopes that the first clinical trials on patients could begin within a few years. The success is the latest achievement in the field of genome editing. This has been transformed by the discovery of crispr, a technology that allows scientists to make almost any DNA changes at precisely defined points on the chromosomes of animals or plants crispr – pronounced “crisper” – was initially discovered in 1987 as an immune defence used by bacteria against invading viruses. It is powerful genome editing potential in higher animals, including humans, was only fully realized in 2012 and 2013 when scientists showed that it can be combined with a DNA – sniping enzyme called Cas9 and used to edit the human genome. Since then there has been an explosion of interest in the technology because it is such a simple method of changing the individual letters of the human genome – the 3 billion “base pairs” of the DNA molecule – with an accuracy equivalent to correcting a single misspelt word in a 23-volume encyclopaedia.

STOICISM


 
STOICISM is a series of mental techniques and ways of life that allow you to decrease and then virtually eliminate all negative emotions such as anger, fear, anxiety and dissatisfaction, while simultaneously building up a tide of pure joy inside you jump around and boogie at unexpected moments, and occasionally shout out “ahh, Yeah!!” as discreetly as possible to yourself when the joy overflows.

 

 

 

Reward yourself once you have done a job well!


Meet you next month – September, 2014


 


Professor A. Narayanan, Ph. D., FISPP



Ph : 0422 2423017 Mobile : 098422 42301

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