To Let Go

To let go does not mean to stop caring, it means I can’t do it for someone else.

To let go is not to cut myself off, it’s the realization that I can’t control another.

To let go is not to enable, but to allow learning from natural consequences.

To let go is to admit powerlessness, which means the outcome is not in my hands.

To let go is not to try to change or blame another, it’s to make the most of myself.

To let go is not to care for, but to care about.

To let go is not to fix, but to be supportive.

To let go is not to judge, but to allow another to be a human being.

To let go is not to be in the middle arranging all the outcomes, but to allow others to affect their own destinies.

To let go is not to be protective, it’s to permit another to face reality.

To let go is not to criticize, or regulate anyone, but to try to become what I dream I can do.

To let go is to fear less, and to love more.

-By Stephen.... I like it so sharing the good words. :)

How to Wistle

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How To Whistle Loudly

Whistling is a funny skill: folks who can whistle, wonder how anyone could have a problem with it. Folks who can't, wonder how anyone could ever produce such a sound. For those of you who can't, consider learning--a quick, loud, penetrating whistle has many useful applications and can be mastered with relative ease. (Note: there's nothing here on whistling Dixie or any other tuneful amusement.)

Introduction

What you'll need:

• Your fingers, washed (if you're starting a practice session)
• A mirror (optional)

Practice 5 minutes a day in the mirror, and you'll have it in a few weeks (at the most)
Terms to know:

1. Bevel: a sharply angled edge which air flows over and produces a tone. In the case of a whistle, the sound is created by the upper teeth and tongue forcing air on to the lower lip and teeth.
2. Sweet spot: the bevel's area of maximum efficiency, where the air is blown directly over the sharpest part of the bevel. Once you locate the sweet spot, your whistle will have a strong, clear tone, as opposed to a breathy, low-volume sound.

You'll be shown two techniques for whistling: one that uses your fingers, and another that doesn't. Say it's raining, your arms are full of shopping bags, and you need to flag a taxi. This no-hands whistle will allow you to emerge victorious in this situation and others. But the fingerless whistle is a little trickier to master, so you should practice the fingered whistle first. Just practice a little bit every day; soon pets and taxis alike will be at your beck and call.
Familiarize yourself with the different parts of your mouth, and get a feel for how they work together. It's mostly a matter of practicing whenever you get the chance: for example, walking a dog, applauding a live performance, or...flagging down a taxi.
If you can't produce any sort of whistle at present, maybe just loud wheezing sounds, you may want to try the fingered whistle first. Some say it's easier than the "no-hands" technique; others say they are equally easy (with practice.)
If you've set aside time to practice (highly recommended) then wash your hands first. It's good to be picky about what you put inside your mouth.

Method 1: Fingered Whistle

Tuck away your lips

First, your upper and lower lips must reach over to cover your teeth and be tucked into your mouth. Only the outer edges of your lips are visible, if at all.

1.) Choose your finger combination

The role of fingers is to keep the lips in place over the teeth. Experiment with the following combinations to discover which works best for you, depending on the size of your fingers and mouth. Regardless of your choice of fingers, their placement is the same: each are placed roughly halfway between the corners and center of lips, inserted to the first knuckle. (Again, this will vary depending on the size of your fingers and mouth.)
Your options are:

• a U-shape created with thumb and middle finger, or thumb and index finger, of either hand.
• right and left index fingers.
• right and left middle fingers.
• right and left pinkie fingers.

Now that your fingers are in place, be very clear on these two matters of form:

1. Your fingernails should be angled inwards, towards the center of the tongue, and not pointed straight in and towards the back of your mouth; and
2. your fingers should pull the lower lip fairly taut.

2.) Draw back the tongue

Now comes the crucial part of the whistle.
The tongue must be drawn back so that its front tip almost touches the bottom of the mouth a short distance behind the lower gums (about 1/2 inch/1 cm). This action also broadens and flattens the front edge of the tongue, allowing it to cover a wider portion of the lower back teeth.
The sound is produced by air flowing over a bevel, or a sharply angled edge. In this case, the sound is created by the upper teeth and tongue directing air onto the lower lip and teeth.

3.) Blow

Steps 3 and 4 follow each other very closely, if not simultaneously. Inhale deeply, and exhale over the top side of the tongue and lower lip, and out of your mouth. Some extra downward and outward pressure by the fingers onto the lips and teeth may be helpful. Experiment with the position of the fingers, the draw of the tongue, the angle of the jaw, and the strength of your exhalation. Adjusting with these will bring success.
Start off with a fairly gentle blow. You'll produce a whistle of lower volume at first, but you'll also have more breath to practice with if you don't spend it all in the first three seconds. As you blow, adjust your fingers, tongue and jaws to find the bevel's sweet spot. This is the area of maximum efficiency, where the air is blown directly over the sharpest part of the bevel. Once you locate the sweet spot, your whistle will have a strong, clear tone, as opposed to a breathy, low-volume sound.
Listen for these sounds: as you practice, your mouth will learn to focus the air onto the bevel's sweet spot with increasing accuracy. You'll probably hear the following: a breathy, low-volume tone that suddenly, as you adjust your fingers, mouth, or jaw, will switch to a clear, full, high-volume tone. Success! You're on the right track--your task now is to reproduce the mouth and hand position that led to the better whistle.

 

Method 2: Fingerless Whistle

The fingerless whistle is a natural outgrowth of the fingered whistle. In the first method, you use your fingers to keep the lip taut and in place. With the next method, you remove your fingers and don't use them at all (except to cross them for good luck). Instead of using your fingers, you rely on your muscles in your lips, cheeks, and jaw. Since this technique requires greater control of those muscles, it may be easier to master the fingered whistle first, and then move on to the fingerless method.

1.) Draw back lips

Begin by extending the lower jaw slightly, and pulling the corners of your mouth back a bit, towards your ears. Your bottom teeth should not be visible, but it's fine if your upper teeth are.
Your bottom lip should be quite taut against the lower teeth; if you have need help with this movement, press an index and middle fingertip on either side of the mouth to draw the lip slightly out to the corners. Note: this action is not an insertion of the fingers into the mouth, as the first method indicated. In this instance, you're simply stretching the lower lip a bit, and the fingertips aren't in the airstream.

2.) Draw back the tongue

Now comes the crucial part of the whistle.
The tongue must be drawn back so that it sort of floats in the mouth at the level of the lower front teeth. This action also broadens and flattens the front edge of the tongue, yet there's still a space between the tongue and the lower front teeth.
The sound of the whistle comes from air that is blown over a bevel, or a sharply angled edge. In this case, the sound is created by the upper teeth and tongue forcing air on to the lower lip and teeth.

3.) Blow

Steps 2 and 3 follow each other very closely, if not simultaneously.
Inhale deeply and exhale--the air should flow under your tongue, up through the space between the tongue and teeth, and out of the mouth. Experiment with the position of the fingers, the draw of the tongue, the angle of the jaw, and the strength of your exhalation.
Start off with a fairly gentle blow. You'll produce a whistle of lower volume, but you'll also have more breath to practice with if you don't spend it all in the first three seconds.
Using your upper lip and teeth, direct the air downwards and towards your lower teeth. The focus of the air is crucial for this technique--you should be able to feel the air on the underside of your tongue. And if your hold your finger below your lower lip, you should feel the downward thrust of air when you exhale.
As you blow, adjust your tongue and jaws to find the sweet spot. This is the area of maximum efficiency, where the air is blown directly over the sharpest part of the bevel. This results in a strong, clear tone that's constant, as opposed to a breathy, lower-volume sound that fades in and out.
Listen for the following: the sound you'll start with will sound as if you're letting air out of a tire. Every now and then, the clear and full tone will come through, and you'll know that it's only a matter of time before you're hailing every pet and taxi in your community.

Please leave me your comments below. How was easy was it for you to learn? What technique worked for you?

• WARNINGS:
• Don't do it at the wrong time. You'll end up being the "idiot who whistles" for the rest of your life. Don't do it too loudly or people may get mad.
• Make sure to wash your hands before attempting.

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Future Technology For Kids

His Dreams Come True!

One day this guy, who has been stranded on a desert island for ten years, sees an unusual speck on the horizon.

As the speck gets closer and closer, he begins to rule out the possibilities of a small boat, even a raft.

Suddenly, emerging from the surf comes this drop-dead gorgeous blonde woman in a wet suit and scuba gear.

She approaches him and asks seductively, "How long has it been since you've had a cigarette?"

"Ten years!" he says.

So she reaches over and unzips a waterproof pocket on her left sleeve and pulls out a fresh pack of cigarettes.

He takes one, lights it, and after a long drag, says, "Man, oh man!...Is that ever good!"

She then seductively inquires "How long has it been since you've had a sip of bourbon?"

Trembling, he replies, "Ten Years!"

So she reaches over and unzips a waterproof pocket on her right sleeve, then pulls out a flask, and gives it to him.

He opens the flask, takes a long swing, and says, "Wow, that's absolutely fantastic!"

After this she starts to slowly undue the long zipper running down the front of her wet suit, pauses and looks at him seductively,

 "And how long has it been since you've played around?"

The poor guy, with tears in his eyes, replies, "Damn! Don't tell me you've got golf clubs in there!"

Indian Government Imposes 5 SMS Per Day Limit For The Next 15 Days

In a very insane move by the Indian Government, a limit of 5 sms per day has been imposed on GSM and CDMA mobile users of India. From August 18, 2012, mobile users can send only 5 sms per day to the maximum after which the messages don’t get delivered with a prompt indication from the mobile operator.

The move was made by TRAI (Telecom Regulatory Authority of India) to curb the spread of rumors which was meant to spread fear and to vacate North Eastern Indian’s from certain states. Home Ministry said that the rumors led to the flee of North East Indian’s from states like Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra and hence the move was necessary. The rumor SMSs contained misleading information related to Assam Violence

The restriction does not apply on the transaction SMS related to Banking, Financial Institutions and Railway alerts.

Moreover, one cannot send more than 20 KB of data, not more than 5 MMS per day as well. According to some reports, the rule has not yet been implemented by Airtel, in some parts of the country.

When the 6th message was tried from Aircel, the following message was sent by the operator.

“Due to Govt. directives, More than 5 SMS per day are blocked. Please retry tomorrow. Anticipate your co-operation.”

Other operators will come up with a similar message ” Hi! You have sent 5 SMS today. As per Govt. guidelines, you can’t send more than 5 SMS today. Your SMS services will be resumed post Midnight.”

No inputs about what the existing users will do about their SMS Booster Packs which allows them to send 100 or 200 SMS per day depending on the pack. The money won’t be refunded and the validity of the pack can’t be extended either!

It’s a very disappointing news for Indian Youngsters! There seems to be no point in curbing the SMS limit to 5 per when already there has been a limit of 200 per day.

There are plenty of Alternatives available. If you are an Android or iPhone User, you can install WhatsApp, Viber Apps for free unlimited texting over the Internet, provided the receiving user also has that App installed on their mobile with proper access to the Internet.

A Confession

The elderly Italian man went to his parish priest and asked if the priest would hear his confession.

"Of course, my son," said the priest.

"Well, Father, at the beginning of World War Two, a beautiful woman knocked on my door and asked me to hide her from the Germans; I hid her in my attic, and they never found her."

"That's a wonderful thing, my son, and nothing that you need to confess," said the priest.

"It's worse, Father; I was weak, and told her that she had to pay for rent of the attic with her sexual favors," continued the old man.

"Well, it was a very difficult time, and you took a large risk - you would have suffered terribly at their hands if the Germans had found you hiding her; I know that God, in his wisdom and mercy, will balance the good and the evil, and judge you kindly," said the priest.

"Thanks, Father," said the old man. "That's a load off of my mind. Can I ask another question?"

"Of course, my son," said the priest.

The old man asked, "Do I need to tell her that the war is over?"

Business is Business

One day at kindergarten, a teacher said to the class of 5-year-olds,

'I'll give $5 to the child who can tell me who was the most famous man who ever lived.'

A little Irish boy put his hand up and said, 'It was St. Patrick.'

The Teacher said, 'Sorry Sean, that's not correct.'

Then a little Scottish boy put his hand up and said, 'It was St. Andrew.'
The Teacher replied, 'I'm sorry, Hamish, that's not right either.'

Finally, a little Jewish boy raised his hand and said, 'It was Jesus Christ.'

The teacher said, 'That's absolutely right,Marvin.
Come up here and I'll give you the $5.'

As the Teacher was giving Marvin his money,

she said, 'You know, Marvin, since you're Jewish, I was very surprised you said 'Jesus Christ '.

Marvin replied, 'Well. In my heart, I knew it was Moses, but business is business

Are We Gonna End Up Like This??

Had serious hearing problems for a number of years. He went to the doctor and the doctor was able to have him fitted for a set of hearing aids that allowed the gentleman to hear 100%
The elderly gentleman went back in a month to the doctor and the doctor said, 'Your hearing is perfect.. Your family must be really pleased that you can hear again.'
The gentleman replied, 'Oh, I haven't told my family yet.
I just sit around and listen to the conversations. I've changed my will three times!'
---------------------------
Two elderly gentlemen from a retirement centre were sitting on a bench under a tree when one turns to the other and says: 'Slim, I'm 83 years old now and I'm just full of aches and pains. I know you're about my age. How do you feel?'
Slim says, 'I feel just like a newborn baby.'
'Really!? Like a newborn baby!?'
'Yep. No hair, no teeth, and I think I just wet my pants.'
---------------------------
An elderly couple had dinner at another couple's house, and after eating, the wives left the table and went into the kitchen.
The two gentlemen were talking, and one said, 'Last night we went out to a new restaurant and it was really great... I would recommend it very highly.'
The other man said, 'What is the name of the restaurant?'
The first man thought and thought and finally said, 'What is the name of that flower you give to someone you love?
You know... The one that's red and has thorns.'
'Do you mean a rose?'
'Yes, that's the one,' replied the man. He then turned towards the kitchen and yelled, 'Rose, what's the name of that restaurant we went to last night?'
---------------------------
I love this one!
Hospital regulations require a wheel chair for patients being discharged. However, while working as a student nurse, I found one elderly gentleman already dressed and sitting on the bed with a suitcase at his feet, who insisted he didn't need my help to leave the hospital.
After a chat about rules being rules, he reluctantly let me wheel him to the elevator.
On the way down I asked him if his wife was meeting him.
'I don't know,' he said. 'She's still upstairs in the bathroom changing out of her hospital gown.'
---------------------------
Couple in their nineties are both having problems remembering things. During a checkup, the doctor tells them that they're physically okay, but they might want to start writing things down to help them remember…
Later that night, while watching TV, the old man gets up from his chair. 'Want anything while I'm in the kitchen?' he asks.
'Will you get me a bowl of ice cream?'
'Sure..'
'Don't you think you should write it down so you can remember it?' she asks.
'No, I can remember it.'
'Well, I'd like some strawberries on top, too. Maybe you should write it down, so as not to forget it?'
He says, 'I can remember that. You want a bowl of ice cream with strawberries.'
'I'd also like whipped cream. I'm certain you'll forget that, write it down?' she asks.
Irritated, he says, 'I don't need to write it down, I can remember it! Ice cream with strawberries and whipped cream - I got it, for goodness sake!'
Then he toddles into the kitchen. After about 20 minutes, The old man returns from the kitchen and hands his wife a plate of bacon and eggs.. She stares at the plate for a moment.
'Where's my toast ?'
 ---------------------------
A senior citizen said to his eighty-year old buddy:
'So I hear you're getting married?'
'Yep!'
'Do I know her?'
'Nope!'
'This woman, is she good looking?'
'Not really.'
'Is she a good cook?'
'Naw, she can't cook too well.'
'Does she have lots of money?'
'Nope! Poor as a church mouse.'
'Well, then, is she good in bed?'
'I don't know.'
'Why in the world do you want to marry her then?'
'Because she can still drive!'
 ---------------------------
Three old guys are out walking.
First one says, 'Windy, isn't it?'
Second one says, 'No, it's Thursday!'
Third one says, 'So am I. Let's go get a beer..'
 ---------------------------
A man was telling his neighbor, 'I just bought a new hearing aid. It cost me four thousand dollars, but it's state of the art.. It's perfect.'
'Really,' answered the neighbor . 'What kind is it?'
'Twelve thirty..'
 ---------------------------
Morris, an 82 year-old man, went to the doctor to get a physical.
A few days later, the doctor saw Morris walking down the street with a gorgeous young woman on his arm.
A couple of days later, the doctor spoke to Morris and said, 'You're really doing great, aren't you?'
Morris replied, 'Just doing what you said, Doc: 'Get a hot mamma and be cheerful.''
The doctor said, 'I didn't say that.. I said, 'You've got a heart murmur; be careful.'
 ---------------------------
And One more. . .!
A little old man shuffled slowly into an ice cream parlor and pulled himself slowly, painfully, up onto a stool… After catching his breath, he ordered a banana split.
The waitress asked kindly, 'Crushed nuts?'
'No,' he replied, 'Arthritis.'

Now , before you 'forget', send them on to some other folks you know who could use a good laugh.

I LOVE THIS DOCTOR

Q: Doctor, I've heard that cardiovascular exercise can prolong life; is this true?! 

A: Your heart is only good for so many beats, and that's it... don't waste them on exercise.. Everything wears out eventually. Speeding up your heart will not make you live longer; that's like saying you can extend the life of your car by driving it faster. Want to live longer? Take a nap.

Q: Should I cut down on meat and eat more fruits and vegetables?

A: You must grasp logistical efficiency. What does a cow eat? Hay and corn. And what are these? Vegetables. So a steak is nothing more than an efficient mechanism of delivering vegetables to your system. Need grain? Eat chicken. Beef is also a good source of field grass (green leafy vegetable). And a pork chop can give you 100% of your recommended daily allowance of vegetable products.

Q: Should I reduce my alcohol intake?

A: No, not at all. Wine is made from fruit. Brandy is distilled wine, which means they take the water out of the fruity bit so you get even more of the goodness that way. Beer is also made out of grain. Bottoms up!

Q: How can I calculate my body/fat ratio?

A: Well, if you have a body and you have fat, your ratio is one to one. If you have two bod, your ratio is two to one, etc.

Q: What are some of the advantages of participating in a regular exercise program?

A: Can't think of a single one, sorry. My philosophy is: No Pain...Good!

Q: Aren't fried foods bad for you? 

A: YOU'RE NOT LISTENING!!! .... Foods are fried these days in vegetable oil. In fact, they're permeated in it. How could getting more vegetables be bad for you?

Q: Will sit-ups help prevent me from getting a little soft around the middle?

A: Definitely not! When you exercise a muscle, it gets bigger. You should only be doing sit-ups if you want a bigger stomach.

Q: Is chocolate bad for me?

A: Are you crazy? HELLO Cocoa beans! Another vegetable!!! It's the best! Feel-good food around!

Q: Is swimming good for your figure?

A: If swimming is good for your figure, explain whales to me. 

Q: Is getting in-shape important for my lifestyle?

A: Hey! 'Round' is a shape! Well, I hope this has cleared up any misconceptions you may have had about food and diets.

And remember:

'Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways - Chardonnay in one hand - chocolate in the other - body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming 'WOO HOO, What a Ride'

AND......

For those of you who watch what you eat, here's the final word on nutrition and health.  It's a relief to know the truth after all those conflicting nutritional stud.

1. The Japanese eat very little fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.

2. The Mexicans eat a lot of fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.

3. The Chinese drink very little red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.

4. The Italians drink a lot of red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.

5. The Germans drink a lot of beers and eat lots of sausages and fats and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.

CONCLUSION :

Eat and drink what you like.

Speaking English is apparently what kills you.

HAHAHAHAHA

THE KISS

You'll notice that she didn't care if he was dirty, she didn't care if he smelled like burnt wood, she only knew this man saved her life and she thanked him from her heart the best way she could …

 

An IT Guy can Understand it better

Jack and Max are walking to religious service. Jack wonders whether it would be all right to smoke while praying.
Max replies, "Why don't you ask the Priest?"
So Jack goes up to the Priest and asks, "Priest, may I smoke while I pray?
But the Priest says, "No, my son, you may not. That's utter disrespect to our religion."
Jack goes back to his friend and tells him what the good Priest told him.
Max says, "I'm not surprised. You asked the wrong question. Let me try." And so Max goes up to the Priest and asks, "Priest, may I pray while I smoke?"
To which the Priest eagerly replies, "By all means, my son. By all means.."
                                
Moral:
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.
.
.
.
.
.
.                                                              

The reply you get depends on the question you ask…

For Example:
“Can I work on this project while I'm on leave..??”

Love-Play-Chose-Act-Live

TWO  Choices

What  would you do?....you make the choice. Don't look  for a punch line, there isn't one. Read it  anyway. My question is: Would you have made the  same choice?



At  a fundraising dinner for a school that serves  children with learning disabilities, the father  of one of the students delivered a speech that  would never be forgotten by all who attended.  After extolling the school and  its

dedicated staff, he offered a  question:

'When not interfered with by  outside influences, everything nature does, is  done with perfection.

Yet my son, Shay,  cannot learn things as other children do. He  cannot understand things as other children  do.

Where  is the natural order of things in my  son?'

The  audience was stilled by the  query.

The father continued. 'I  believe that when a child like Shay, who was  mentally and physically disabled comes into the  world, an opportunity to realize true human  nature presents itself, and it comes in the way  other people treat that child.'

Then he  told the following story:

Shay  and I had walked past a park where some boys  Shay knew were playing baseball. Shay asked, 'Do  you think they'll let me play?' I knew that most  of the boys would not want someone like Shay on  their team, but as a father I also  understood that if my son were allowed to play,  it would give him a much-needed sense of  belonging and some confidence to be accepted by  others in spite of his  handicaps.

I approached one of  the boys on the field and asked (not expecting  much) if Shay could play. The boy looked around  for guidance and said, 'We're losing by six runs  and the game is in the eighth inning. I guess he  can be on our team and we'll try to put him in  to bat in the ninth inning.'

Shay  struggled over to the team's bench and, with a  broad smile, put on a team shirt. I watched with  a small tear in my eye and warmth in my heart.  The boys saw my joy at my son being  accepted.

In the bottom of the eighth  inning, Shay's team scored a few runs but was  still behind by three.

In the top of the  ninth inning, Shay put on a glove and played in  the right field. Even though no hits came his  way, he was obviously ecstatic just to be in the  game and on the field, grinning from ear to ear  as I waved to him from the stands.

In the  bottom of the ninth inning, Shay's team scored  again..

Now, with two outs and the bases  loaded, the potential winning run was on base  and Shay was scheduled to be next at  bat.

At this juncture, do the  others let Shay bat and give away their chance  to win the game?

Surprisingly, Shay was  given the bat. Everyone knew that a hit was all  but impossible because Shay didn't even know how  to hold the bat properly, much less connect with  the ball.

However, as Shay  stepped up to the
plate, the pitcher,  recognizing that the other team was putting  winning aside for this moment in Shay's life,  moved in a few steps to lob the ball in softly  so Shay could at least make contact.

The  first pitch came and Shay swung clumsily and  missed.

The pitcher again took a few  steps forward to toss the ball softly towards  Shay.

As the pitch came in, Shay swung at  the ball and hit a slow ground ball right back  to the pitcher.

The game would  now be over.

The pitcher picked up the  soft grounder and could have easily thrown the  ball to the first baseman.

Shay would  have been out and that would have been the end  of the game.

Instead, the pitcher  threw the ball right over the first baseman's  head, out of reach of all team  mates.

Everyone from the stands and both  teams started yelling, 'Shay, run to  first!

Run to first!'

Never in his  life had Shay ever run that far, but he made it  to first base.

He scampered down the  baseline, wide-eyed and  startled.

Everyone yelled, 'Run  to second, run to second!'

Catching his  breath, Shay awkwardly ran towards second,  gleaming and struggling to make it to the  base.

By the time Shay rounded towards  second base, the right fielder had the ball. The  smallest guy on their team who now had his first  chance to be the hero for his team.

He  could have thrown the ball to the second-baseman  for the tag, but he understood the pitcher's  intentions so he, too, intentionally threw the  ball high and far over the third-baseman's  head.

Shay ran toward third base  deliriously as the runners ahead of him circled  the bases toward home.

All were  screaming, 'Shay, Shay, Shay, all the Way  Shay'

Shay reached third base  because the opposing shortstop ran to help him  by turning him in the direction of third base,  and shouted, 'Run to third!

Shay, run to  third!'

As Shay rounded third,  the boys from both teams, and the spectators,  were on their feet screaming, 'Shay, run home!  Run home!'

Shay ran to home, stepped on  the plate, and was cheered as the hero who hit  the grand slam and won the game for his  team

'That day', said the father  softly with tears now rolling down his face,  'the boys from both teams helped bring a piece  of true love and humanity into this  world'.

Shay didn't make it to  another summer. He died that winter, having  never forgotten being the hero and making me so  happy, and coming home and seeing his Mother  tearfully embrace her little hero of the day  !

AND NOW A LITTLE FOOT NOTE TO  THIS STORY:

We all send thousands of  jokes through the e-mail without a second  thought, but when it comes to sending messages  about life choices, people hesitate.

The  crude, vulgar, and often obscene pass freely  through cyberspace, but public discussion about  decency is too often suppressed in our schools  and workplaces.



If  you're thinking about forwarding this message,  chances are that you're probably sorting out the  people in your address book who aren't the  'appropriate' ones to receive this type of  message Well, the person who sent you this  believes that we all can make a  difference.

We  all have thousands of opportunities every single  day to help realize the 'natural order of  things.'

So many seemingly trivial  interactions between two people present us with  a choice:

Do we pass along a little spark  of love and humanity or do we pass up those  opportunities and leave the world a little bit  colder in the process?



A wise man  once said every society is judged by how it  treats it's least fortunate amongst  them.



You now have two  choices:

1. Delete
2.  Forward

Height of Being Genuine

A local officer for a Charity Organization realized that the organization had never received a donation from the town’s most successful lawyer. The person in charge of contributions called him to persuade him to contribute.

“Our research shows that out of a yearly income of at least $450,000 you haven’t given a dollar to charity. Wouldn’t you like to give back to the community in some way?”

The lawyer mulled this over for a moment and replied, “First, did your research also show that my mother is dying after a long illness, and has medical bills that are several times her annual income?”

Embarrassed, the Charity Officer mumbled, “Um … no.”

The lawyer interrupts, “or that my brother, a disabled veteran, is blind and confined to a wheelchair?”

The stricken United Way rep began to stammer out an apology, but was interrupted again.

“or that my sister’s husband died in a traffic accident,” the lawyer’s voice rising in indignation, “leaving her penniless with three children?!”

The humiliated Charity Officer, completely beaten, said simply, “I had no idea…”

On a roll, the lawyer cut him off once again, “So if I don’t give any money to them, why should I give any to you?”

Swine Flu Back in Pune

22nd March:
 The swine flu (H1N1) death toll went up to 7 as Vikas Sardesai (64) from Thergaon became the seventh person to succumb to the virus. He was admitted on March 11 and was suffering from fever, cough and drowsiness. 19 more cases of H1N1 virus were reported. 18 of them were from the PMC area and one from Pimpri Chinhwad. Five people are on ventilators. The total number of cases this month crossed 90. Deputy CM Ajit Pawar has directed the district collector to allocate Rs 1 cr from the the District Planning and Development Committee funds to purchase ventilators and ensure adequate medicine stock.
21st March:
 20 more people tested positive out of 1,505 screened yesterday. 39 year old Sanjay Joshi was the 6^th person in the district to succumb to swine flu. He passed away on 19^th March but swab samples delivered on 21^st confirmed that he had the virus. Doctors are optimistic that the rising temperature will help reduce the number of cases.
20th March:
  23 more people including 6 children tested positive for swine flu in the city taking the total numbers since March 5 to 65.  Health officials will check up on the schools these children studied for more cases. Immunity among children is generally lower for swine flu. Officials will want to avoid a repeat of 2009 when scores of children came down with disease and health officials said they’d be taking every precaution to prevent the disease from spreading among children. Two patients are still critical at KEM and Prayag hospital. Since the return of the H1N1 virus, this is the first time that such a large number of positive patients have been reported in a single day.
19th march:
 A 60-year-old S B Paigude was the latest victim to swine flu in Pune. He was a diabetes and hypertension patient. Paigude developed symptoms of cough and fever on March 15 and was admitted to a hospital when he developed breathlessness and Tamiflu was immediately given.
Eight new cases were detected on Monday while nine patients were successfully treated, officials said.
18th march:
Situation is now getting worse in Pune with the fourth victim (10-year-old Amrita suffering from Down’s syndrome) dying on Friday. Six more are critical and on ventilator support.
A high-level meeting was held to understand the cause and spread of the H1N1 (swine flu) virus and methods to check its spread. It was headed by J K Banthia, additional chief secretary and attended by people from the Directorate of Health Services, Mumbai’s Haffkine Institute, Pune’s National Institute of Virology and the Directorate of Medical education and research.
The committee discussed that the patients who died with swine flu are the ones who suffered from other co-morbid conditions (because their immunity was compromised) like diabetes, hypertension, Down’s syndrome, cancer etc. They checked the virus and announced that there is no mutation seen in its structure. The weather conditions in the last two months have been erratic with the difference in day and night temperatures being quite high, something whch could have compromised the immunity of the people as well as led to faster spread of the virus, they said.
The committee also concluded that only high-risk patients coming under category A will be tested forthe H1N1 infections. The categorization is as follows:

• Category C – mild symptoms like low-grade fever, cough, throat infections. 
• Category B – Patients with cough, running nose, headache. throat infection and fever above 38 degree centigrade. These patients are to be treated with a medicine called Tamiflu.
• Category A – Patients having all Category B complaints and have breathlessness. They should be tested immediately and admitted to hospitals, especially if they already suffer from co-morbid conditions like diabetes, hypertension, cancer or any chronic illnesses.

Marriage counselling

           After just a few years of marriage filled with constant arguments, a young man and his wifedecided the only way to save their marriage was to try counseling.

They had been at each other's throats for some time and felt that this was their last straw.
When they arrived at the counsellor's office, the counselor jumped right in and opened the floor for discussion. "What seems to be the problem?"
Immediately, the husband held his long face down without anything to say. In contrast, the wifebegan talking 90 miles an hour, describing all the wrongs within their marriage.
After 15 minutes of listening to the wife, the counselor went over to her, picked her up by her shoulders, kissed her passionately and sat her back down.
Afterwards, the wife sat speechless.
The marriage counselor looked over at the husband, who stared in disbelief.
The counselor said to the husband, "Your wife NEEDS that at least twice a week!"
The husband scratched his head and replied, "I can have her here on Tuesdays andThursdays."

THE STORM

          A lady was driving along with her father. They came upon a storm, and the young lady asked her father, What should I do?" He said "keep driving"..Cars began to pull over to the side, the storm was getting worse. "What should I do." The young ladyasked? "Keep driving," her father replied. On up a few feet, she noticed that eighteen wheelers were also pulling over. She told her dad, "I must pull o......ver, I can barely see ahead. It is terrible, and everyone is pulling over!" Her father told her,"Don't give up, just keep driving!" Now the storm was terrible, but she never stopped driving, and soon she could see a little more clearly. After a couple of miles she was again on dry land, and the sun came out. Her father said, "Now you can pull over and get out." She said "But why now?" He said "When you get out, look back at all the people that gave up and are still in the storm, because you never gave up your storm is now over. This is a testimony for anyone who is going through "hard times". Just because everyone else, even the strongest, gives up. You don't have to...if you keep going, soon your storm will be over and the sun will shine upon your face again.

The Valentine Story

Valentine's Day History and things

There are varying opinions as to the origin of Valentine's Day. Some experts state that it originated from St. Valentine, a Roman who was martyred for refusing to give up Christianity. He died on February 14, 269 A.D., the same day that had been devoted to love lotteries. Legend also says that St. Valentine left a farewell note for the jailer's daughter, who had become his friend, and signed it "From Your Valentine". Other aspects of the story say that Saint Valentine served as a priest at the temple during the reign of Emperor Claudius. Claudius then had Valentine jailed for defying him. In 496 A.D. Pope Gelasius set aside February 14 to honour St. Valentine.

Over time, February 14 has become the date for exchanging love messages and a celebration of St. Valentine, the patron saint of lovers. The date is marked by sending poems and simple gifts, such as flowers, to loved ones and secret loves. By far, Valentine's Day Flowers are the most popular gift today.

In the United States, Miss Esther Howland is given credit for sending the first valentine cards. Commercial valentines were introduced in the 1800's and now the date is very commercialised. The town of Loveland, Colorado, does a large post office business around February 14. The spirit of good continues as valentines are sent out with sentimental verses and children exchange valentine cards at school.

The History of Saint Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day started in the time of the Roman Empire. In ancient Rome, February 14th was a holiday to honour Juno. Juno was the Queen of the Roman Gods and Goddesses. The Romans also knew her as the Goddess of women and marriage. The following day, February 15th, began the Feast of Lupercalia.

The lives of young boys and girls were strictly separate. However, one of the customs of the young people was name drawing. On the eve of the festival of Lupercalia the names of Roman girls were written on slips of paper and placed into jars. Each young man would draw a girl's name from the jar and would then be partners for the duration of the festival with the girl whom he chose. Sometimes the pairing of the children lasted an entire year, and often, they would fall in love and would later marry.

Under the rule of Emperor Claudius II Rome was involved in many bloody and unpopular campaigns. Claudius the Cruel was having a difficult time getting soldiers to join his military leagues. He believed that the reason was that roman men did not want to leave their loves or families. As a result, Claudius cancelled all marriages and engagements in Rome. The good Saint Valentine was a priest at Rome in the days of Claudius II. He and Saint Marius aided the Christian martyrs and secretly married couples, and for this kind deed Saint Valentine was apprehended and dragged before the Prefect of Rome, who condemned him to be beaten to death with clubs and to have his head cut off. He suffered martyrdom on the 14th day of February, about the year 270. At that time it was the custom in Rome, a very ancient custom, indeed, to celebrate in the month of February the Lupercalia, feasts in honour of a heathen god. On these occasions, amidst a variety of pagan ceremonies, the names of young women were placed in a box, from which they were drawn by the men as chance directed.

The pastors of the early Christian Church in Rome endeavoured to do away with the pagan element in these feasts by substituting the names of saints for those of maidens. And as the Lupercalia began about the middle of February, the pastors appear to have chosen Saint Valentine's Day for the celebration of this new feaSt. So it seems that the custom of young men choosing maidens for valentines, or saints as patrons for the coming year, arose in this way.

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St. Valentine's Story

Let me introduce myself. My name is Valentine. I lived in Rome during the third century. That was long, long ago! At that time, Rome was ruled by an emperor named Claudius. I didn't like Emperor Claudius, and I wasn't the only one! A lot of people shared my feelings.

Claudius wanted to have a big army. He expected men to volunteer to join. Many men just did not want to fight in wars. They did not want to leave their wives and families. As you might have guessed, not many men signed up. This made Claudius furious. So what happened? He had a crazy idea. He thought that if men were not married, they would not mind joining the army. So Claudius decided not to allow any more marriages. Young people thought his new law was cruel. I thought it was preposterous! I certainly wasn't going to support that law!

Did I mention that I was a priest? One of my favourite activities was to marry couples. Even after Emperor Claudius passed his law, I kept on performing marriage ceremonies -- secretly, of course. It was really quite exciting. Imagine a small candlelit room with only the bride and groom and myself. We would whisper the words of the ceremony, listening all the while for the steps of soldiers.

One night, we did hear footsteps. It was scary! Thank goodness the couple I was marrying escaped in time. I was caught. (Not quite as light on my feet as I used to be, I guess.) I was thrown in jail and told that my punishment was death.

I tried to stay cheerful. And do you know what? Wonderful things happened. Many young people came to the jail to visit me. They threw flowers and notes up to my window. They wanted me to know that they, too, believed in love.

One of these young people was the daughter of the prison guard. Her father allowed her to visit me in the cell. Sometimes we would sit and talk for hours. She helped me to keep my spirits up. She agreed that I did the right thing by ignoring the Emperor and going ahead with the secret marriages. On the day I was to die, I left my friend a little note thanking her for her friendship and loyalty. I signed it, "Love from your Valentine."

I believe that note started the custom of exchanging love messages on Valentine's Day. It was written on the day I died, February 14, 269 A.D. Now, every year on this day, people remember. But most importantly, they think about love and friendship. And when they think of Emperor Claudius, they remember how he tried to stand in the way of love, and they laugh -- because they know that love can't be beaten!

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Valentine Traditions

Hundreds of years ago in England, many children dressed up as adults on Valentine's Day. They went singing from home to home. One verse they sang was:

Good morning to you, valentine;
Curl your locks as I do mine ---
Two before and three behind.
Good morning to you, valentine.

In Wales wooden love spoons were carved and given as gifts on February 14th. Hearts, keys and keyholes were favourite decorations on the spoons. The decoration meant, "You unlock my heart!"

In the Middle Ages, young men and women drew names from a bowl to see who their valentines would be. They would wear these names on their sleeves for one week. To wear your heart on your sleeve now means that it is easy for other people to know how you are feeling.

In some countries, a young woman may receive a gift of clothing from a young man. If she keeps the gift, it means she will marry him.

Some people used to believe that if a woman saw a robin flying overhead on Valentine's Day, it meant she would marry a sailor. If she saw a sparrow, she would marry a poor man and be very happy. If she saw a goldfinch, she would marry a millionaire.

A love seat is a wide chair. It was first made to seat one woman and her wide dress. Later, the love seat or courting seat had two sections, often in an S-shape. In this way, a couple could sit together -- but not too closely!

Think of five or six names of boys or girls you might marry, As you twist the stem of an apple, recite the names until the stem comes off. You will marry the person whose name you were saying when the stem fell off.

Pick a dandelion that has gone to seed. Take a deep breath and blow the seeds into the wind. Count the seeds that remain on the stem. That is the number of children you will have.

If you cut an apple in half and count how many seeds are inside, you will also know how many children you will have.