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Archive for the ‘Peace’ Category

Mondo NaGaSaKi– Documentary Video on Hiroshima-Nagasaki Bombings Aftermath.



“Once presented, the facts will speak for themselves.” — Helen Caldicott, Nuclear Madness

The film examines of the uses of atomic bomb blast footage. It unearths footage long suppressed from the National Archives that shows Japanese victims of the blasts suffering weeks after the bombs had hit. It retells the experience of Japanese documentary Film-maker Akira Iwasaki.
Music by WWI. Mondo NaGaSaKi.
Producer: James Andrew Wagstaff.
Creative Commons license: Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States.

DEVASTATION CAUSED BY THE BOMBS
-According to the U.S. Department of Energy the immediate effects of the blast killed approximately 70,000 people in Hiroshima.
-Estimates of total deaths by the end of 1945 from burns, radiation and related disease, the effects of which were aggravated by lack of medical resources, range from 90,000 to 166,000.
-Some estimates state up to 200,000 had died by 1950, due to cancer and other long-term effects.
– Another study states that from 1950 to 2000, 46% of leukemia deaths and 11% of solid cancer deaths among bomb survivors were due to radiation from the bombs, the statistical excess being estimated to 94 leukemia and 848 solid cancers.
-At least eleven known prisoners of war died from the bombing.

“As far as his (Albert Einstein) own life was concerned, one thing seemed quite clear. ‘I made one great mistake in my life,’ he said to Linus Pauling, who spent an hour with him on the morning of November 11, 1954, ‘…when I signed the letter to President Roosevelt recommending that atom bombs be made; but there was some justification – the danger that the Germans would make them.'”.
~Ronald Clark, Einstein: The Life and Times, pg. 620.

Category:

Earth, Health, International, Japan, My world, Peace, Politics, Quotes, Science, Social Issues

Learning to ‘Agree to Disagree’


Honest disagreement is often a good sign of progress.(~Gandhi)

I bet Gandhi said this with me in his mind.

I have yet to find a person with whom I have a total agreement on all issues. No one ever does. The probability of such a person existing may be theoretically possible (though extremely miniscule) but practically, it is IMPOSSIBLE.

I have a family with Hubs and two kids. And an extended family with sibs, parents and in-laws. And then a huge set of real and virtual friends. We all seem to be disagreeing with each other, more than agreeing, on most of the issues.

Many a times I stand alone in disagreement with almost everyone else on the other side.
So what?

Diametrically varying views lead to differences. Differences beget disagreements. Disagreements lead to debates. Debates stretch to hot discussions. Discussions at times lead to dissensions. Dissensions lead to verbal dogfights. Dogfights end up in a drain of energy. Drain of energy for sure.

Gosh! Despite all this, there is a great thrill in differing—agreeing on everything itsy bitsy, tiny miny would be so boring.

Calling other’s opinion ‘wrong’, ‘ignorance’ , ‘denial’, ‘silly’ could be part of humor but if hurled seriously as allegations is just bigotry at its best.

One learns more from the differences than from agreements.( Reference: Gandhi’s above quote!).

What is important is to give due respect and credibility to other’s opinions too. And the debate should be for putting one’s point across instead of the attempt to make others agree to one’s perspective. To be able to get other’s perspective without necessarily agreeing to it is an art one learns through studying ‘logic’.

When certain issues or topics hold a passionate place in one’s heart and mind, it gets even more difficult to maintain ‘sanity’ in discussion. Not being afraid of registering one’s opinion -no matter how ‘odd’ it appears -to the general public around, definitely breeds doubts of ‘cynicism’, ‘eccentricity’ in other’s minds.

But to accept other person’s insanity as normal is an art too.

I have seen this art beautifully put in practice by my exceptionally tolerant husband. The concept of giving a ‘space’ to the other person and to agree to disagree– are two lessons I learned from him. And in fact, keep forgetting and keep relearning them, even till date.

I have tremendous respect for him and for almost everyone else who still consider me ‘worthy’ of a place in their friends list, despite my insane discussions on disagreements.

So notorious are my disagreements that hubs often jokes about my ‘sanity’ if I agree to anything wholeheartedly.

Tell you a secret, even I don’t feel ‘myself ‘ if I get to agree with others viewpoint easily.

Disagreements rock!

Category:

CULTURE, General, Peace, Personal, Politics, Quotes, Social Issues

What a Wonderful World –(of Aurora Borealis


In Alaska, Canada, Norway, Finland or northern Russia, on a clear night, a greenish glow is often seen in the sky, known as the “Northern Lights.”

During magnetic storms, the glow may move southwards, and on occasion it can be seen in much of the US. It often appears as a glow on the horizon, like the glow preceding sunrise, and has therefore become known among scientists as “aurora borealis” (“aurora” for short), Latin for “northern dawn.

To an observer, an aurora is a fascinating spectacle, constantly moving and changing. It usually consists of many near-vertical greenish rays, forming long arcs and curtains, which stretch like ribbons across the sky, often from horizon to horizon.
The location of auroras on Earth is strongly controlled by the Earth’s magnetism.

The aurora is made up of blue, green, and red light. The highest part of the auroral curtain is red, the middle is greenish-white and the lower edge is pink. These color variances are due to the nature of the atmosphere at these different altitudes and the way oxygen emits light.

Ancient Myths:

Ancient Eskimos thought that the aurora was a narrow torch lit pathway for departed souls going to heaven.

Others thought spirits happily playing soccer with a walrus skull caused the aurora.

The elders of Barrow, Alaska recall wielding knives to fend off the aurora in case it tried to carry them away.

To the Iglulik Eskimo, arsharneq or arshät was a powerful spirit who assisted shamans.

The philosopher Seneca wrote of Romans during a rare, red aurora rushing off to save the port of Ostia thinking the town was ablaze.

Indeed, what a wonderful world !

This blog is to honor the Mother Earth in Earth Week( 16-23 April 2011)

Category:

Art, Earth, International, Music, Peace, Science, Social Issues

Guantanamera – The Sandpipers


“Guantanamera” (“girl from Guantánamo”) is perhaps the best known Cuban song and that country’s most noted patriotic song.
The music for the song is regularly attributed to José Fernández Diaz, known as Joseíto Fernández, who claimed to have written it in 1929.
LEGEND: The original lyrics to “Guantanamera,” also written by Diaz, are about a woman from Guantanamo, the quintessential Guantanamera. The story told is about his relationship with that woman, and her eventual departure. These original lyrics are rarely used in the song anymore, although the chorus remains. The story being the chorus, as told by Diaz, is that he was on the street with friends one day and made a pass at a woman who walked by. She was from Guantanamo, and was offended by the pass, responding harshly.
( “guarija guantanamera,” which means peasant-woman from Guantanamo.)

“Guantanamera” by the Sandpipers trio charted in the US in September 1966, and in the UK the following month, and remains the group’s biggest hit. The record sleeve for their 1967 album, Guantanamera, was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Recording Package.

Guantanamera, guajira guantanamera,
Guantanamera, guajira guantanamera.
Yo soy un hombre sincero,
De don de crece la palma,
Yo soy un hombre sincero,
De don de crece la palma,
Yantes des morirme guiero,
Echar mis versos del alma,
Guantanamera, guajira, guantanamera
Guantanamera, guajira guantanamera.

Guantanamera, guajira guantanamera,
Guantanamera, guajira guantanamera.
I am a sincere man
From where the palm tree grows
And before dying I want
To share the verses of my soul.
Guantanamera, guajira, Guantanamera
Guantanamera, guajira, guantanamera,

Mi verso es de un verde claro
Y de un carmin encendido
Mi verso es de un verde claro
Y de un carmin encendido
Mi verso es un ciervo herido
Guantanamera, guajira, Guantanamera
Guantanamera, guajira, guantanamera,

My verse is light green
And it is flaming crimson
My verse is a wounded deer
Who seeks refuge on the mountain (or in the woods).
Guantanamera, guajira, Guantanamera
Guantanamera, guajira, Guantanamera

Category:

CULTURE, International, Music, Peace, Poetry, Women

We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.


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Wish we could preserve the beautiful landscapes of our planet Earth the way we received them from God.

Words of Wisdom:

“And this, our life, exempt from public haunt, finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, sermons in stones, and good in everything.”
~ William Shakespeare

“Earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s need, but not every man’s greed.”
~ Mohandas K. Gandhi

“There must be a reason why some people can afford to live well. They must have worked for it. I only feel angry when I see waste. When I see people throwing away things we could use.”
~ Mother Teresa (1910-1997)

“We shall require a substantially new manner of thinking if mankind is to survive.”
~Albert Einstein

Nature, to be commanded, must be obeyed.
– Francis Bacon,philosopher (1561-1626)

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.
~ William Blake Poet, painter (1757-1827)

Bottom Line:

If the creator had a purpose in equipping us with a neck, he surely meant us to stick it out.(~Arthur Koestler)
Yeah, stick it out against INJUSTICE & ABUSE OF OUR PLANET EARTH.

Category:

Earth, Film, International, Peace, Quotes, Science, Social Issues

Let’s Riot with Colors


 

I seriously think
we should develop
bombs from crayons
That blast into smilieys
as our next weapon-
of mass ‘construction’.

A color bomb,
a beauty bomb.
Launched from –
a happiness jet
or a unity drone,
as a peace missile.

And each time
a conflict erupts
we would drop one.
It would explode
high in the air
with a bang of hope
and send hundreds
or thousands,
even millions,
of  smileys.

Raining down on earth
with splashes of colorful
smiles, smiles, just smiles
rioting up in the air.

And we wouldn’t go cheap,
not little boxes of eight.
Boxes of sixty-four,
maybe hundreds
even million crayons
of colors, colors, just  colors
to smudge the smiley smiles
With silver and gold and copper,
magenta and peach and lime,
amber and umber and all the rest,
Colors of love, love, just  love.

Reaching down on earth
with colourful stunning smiles.
And people will cheer
laugh, giggle, go hysterical.
Get funny looks on  faces
the teary eyes shall twinkle.
With hopes embedded in dimples,
Peace sparkling from their teeth
And all that one will see
as far as eyes can reach
Is bliss, bliss, and just bliss.

Soft  in the background
there would  be an orchestra
playing a symphony
The musical notes
wrecking havoc
of peace and harmony
spilling magic in the air.

The beaming smilieys,
shall rock and roll
With hands in hand,
They’ll dance, dance, dance
in ecstasy insane.
All through the dark night
Until the dawn of ‘sanity’
awakens this asinine,
‘sleeping’ mankind.

( Inspired  by colors & smiles stolen from Holi, & from a quote by Robert Fulghum, with some words taken from it).

smiley1

 

Category:

Art, General, India, International, MY POETRY, Pakistan, Peace, Social Issues

“The world is beautiful, but has a disease called man”


“The mountains, rivers, earth, grasses, trees, and forests are always emanating a subtle, precious light, day and night, always emanating a subtle, precious sound, demonstrating and expounding to all people the unsurpassed ultimate truth”

“I sometimes think that God in creating man somewhat overestimated his ability”.
~Oscar Wilde

“There is a sufficiency in the world for man’s need but not for man’s greed.”
~Mohandas Gandhi

“The care of the Earth is our most ancient and most worthy, and after all our most pleasing responsibility. To cherish what remains of it and to foster its renewal is our only hope.”
~Wendell Berry

Category:

Art, Earth, Film, General, International, Peace, Quotes

I Salute You Japan



I see
It’s hunger
It’s cold
It’s homelessness
It’s radiation

I feel
It’s tough
It’s rough
It’s uncertain
It’s Hell

I watch
You’re calm
You’re brave
You’re patient
You’re resilient

I know
You’ll survive
You’ll overcome
You’ll beat it
You’ll thrive

Yes I know,
You’ll thrive
Once again.
Yes you will.

I salute  the mothers, the children, the old and the young men of Japan.
The whole world and I stand with you in this hour of despair.
I wish we learn the patience and perseverance from you, my friends.

Tears rolled down when I heard say a  BBC correspondent from Japan:

“When the food is distributed they patiently wait. All they get is half  a bowl of rice. Nobody complains. Incredible calm. This is First World Japan.”

 

Copy-Pasting this post from Facebook:

10 things to learn from Japan

by Ahang Rabbani on Sunday, March 27, 2011 at 6:27am

1.  THE CALM        Not a single visual of chest-beating or wild grief. Sorrow itself has been elevated.

2.  THE DIGNITY     Disciplined queues for water and groceries. Not a rough word or a crude gesture.

3.  THE ABILITY     The incredible architects, for instance. Buildings swayed but didn’t fall.

4.  THE GRACE       People bought only what they needed for the present, so everybody could get something.

5.  THE ORDER       No looting in shops. No honking and no overtaking on the roads. Just understanding.

6.  THE SACRIFICE   Fifty workers stayed back to pump sea water in the N-reactors. How will they ever be repaid?

7.  THE TENDERNESS  Restaurants cut prices. An unguarded ATM is left alone. The strong cared for the weak.

8.  THE TRAINING    The old and the children, everyone knew exactly what to do. And they did just that.

9.  THE MEDIA   They showed magnificent restraint in the bulletins.No silly report Only calm reportage.

10. THE CONSCIENCE  When the power went off in a store, people put things back on the shelves and left quietly

 

Category:

Art, General, International, Japan, MY POETRY, Peace, Social Issues