My SCRAPBOOK (సేకరణలు): A COLLECTION of articles in English and Telugu(తెలుగు), from various sources, on varied subjects. I do not claim credit for any of the contents of these postings as my own.A student's declaration made at the end of his answer paper, holds good to the articles here too:"I hereby declare that the answers written above are true to the best of my friend's knowledge and I claim no responsibility whatsoever of the correctness of the answers."

Tuesday, May 22, 2007

Height of stupidity- Political Satire


OLD VERSION...
The ant works hard in the withering heat all summer long building his house and laying up supplies for the winter. The grasshopper thinks the ant's a fool and laughs & dances & plays the summer away. Come winter, the ant is warm and well fed. The grasshopper has no food or shelter so he dies out in
the cold.


MODERN VERSION
The ant works hard in the withering heat all summer long, building his house and laying up supplies for the winter. The grasshopper thinks the ant's a fool and laughs & dances & plays the summer away. Come winter, the shivering grasshopper calls a press conference and demands to know why the ant should be allowed to be warm and well fed while others are cold and starving. NDTV, BBC, CNN show up to provide pictures of the shivering grasshopper next to a video of the ant in his comfortable home with a table filled with food. The World is stunned by the sharp contrast. How can this be that this poor grasshopper is allowed to suffer so? Arundhati Roy stages a demonstration in front of the ant's house. Medha Patkar goes on a fast along with other grasshoppers demanding that grasshoppers be relocated to warmer climates during winter. Amnesty International and Koffi Annan criticize the Indian Government for not upholding the fundamental rights of the grasshopper. The Internet is flooded with online petitions seeking support to the grasshopper (many promising Heaven and Everlasting Peace for prompt support as against the wrath of God for non-compliance). Opposition MP's stage a walkout. Left parties call for "Bharat Bandh" in West Bengal and Kerala demanding a Judicial Enquiry. CPM in Kerala immediately passes a law preventing Ants from working hard in the heat so as to bring about equality of po verty among ants and grasshoppers.
Lalu Prasad allocates one free coach to Grasshoppers on all Indian Railway Trains, aptly named as the 'Grasshopper Rath'. Finally, the Judicial Committee drafts the Prevention of Terrorism against Grasshoppers Act [POTAGA]", with effect from the beginning of the winter. Arjun Singh makes Special Reservation for Grass Hopper in educational Institutions & in Govt Services.The ant is fined for failing to comply with POTAGA and, having nothing left to pay his retroactive taxes, his home is confiscated by the Government and handed over to the grasshopper in a ceremony covered by NDTV. Arundhati Roy calls it "a triumph of justice". Lalu calls it 'Socialistic Justice'. CPM calls it the 'revolutionary resurgence of the down trodden' Koffi Annan invites the grasshopper to address the UN General Assembly. Many years later...The ant has since migrated to the US and set up a multi billion dollar company in silicon valley.100s of grasshoppers still die of starvation despite reservation somewhere in India ... As a result loosing lot of hard working ants and feeding the grasshoppers, India is still a developing country......

(An e-mail forward)
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Monday, May 21, 2007

Indian Scenes









(An e-mail forward)
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Sunday, May 20, 2007

కొల్లిపర బాలగంగాధర తిలక్


20,మే,2007 'ఈనాడు, ఆదివారం'సంచికలో కొల్లిపర బాలగంగాధర తిలక్ గారి గురించి చదువుతుంటే, నా చిన్నప్పుడు బహుశ 1958-59లో అనుకుంటా, హైదరాబాదు, నారాయణగూడాలోని దీపక్ మహల్ లో చూసిన 'ఎం.ఎల్.ఏ' సినిమా గుర్తుకుతెచ్చుకున్నా. అప్పుడు ఆ సినిమా వెనక చరిత్రగాని, ఆ డైరక్టరు గురించిగాని ఏమి తెలవదు.ఈ article చదువుతుంటే ఎన్నొ విశేషాలు తెలిశాయి. ఈ article లొని కొన్ని విశేషాలు మచ్చుకి:

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'భూసంస్కరణల ఉద్యమం పెద్ద తుపానులా దేశాన్ని వూపేస్తుంది. ఇప్పుడు ఎదురీతకు ప్రయత్నించడం శుద్ధ తెలివితక్కువ. పంచదార ఫ్యాక్టరీనో సిగరెట్టు ఫ్యాక్టరీనో పెడితే దానికి కావలసిన చెరుకూ పొగాకూ పండించుకోవడానికి ఎంత భూమైనా ఉండొచ్చు. దానికి పరిమితి లేదు... అదనపు భూములన్నీ షేరుధనం కింద రాసేసుకుందాం. షేర్లన్నీ మనవే కాబట్టి భూములన్నీ మన కిందే ఉంటాయి' ...ఎప్పుడో యాభై ఏళ్ల క్రితం విడుదలైన 'ఎం.ఎల్.ఎ.' సినిమాలో ఓ జమీందారు పాత్రధారి డైలాగులివి. సంస్కరణల భవిష్యత్తు ఎలా ఉండబోతోందో ముందే హెచ్చరించిన దార్శనికుడు కొల్లిపర బాలగంగాధర తిలక్ ఆలోచనల ప్రతిరూపం ఆ సినిమా........

"ముద్దుబిడ్డ, ఎం.ఎల్.ఎ., అత్తా ఒకింటికోడలే, భూమికోసం, ఛోటీ బహు, కంగన్... ఇలా నేను తీసిన సినిమాలు విజయవంతం అవడం ఒక ఎత్తయితే... తీయాలనుకుని తీయలేకపోయినవి మరొకఎత్తు. .............
స్టూడియోలకే పరిమితమైన సినీతారలనూ షూటింగుల్నీ మామూలు జనం మధ్యకి తీసుకొచ్చిన సినిమా నా 'ఎమ్మెల్యే'. రివోట్ కంట్రోల్ రాజకీయ హత్యలకు నాంది పలికిన చిత్రమూ అదే. అందులో ీదాసు' పాత్ర వేసిన జగ్గయ్యను చంపి యాక్సిడెంట్‌లా చిత్రీకరించడానికి ప్రయత్నిస్తారు ప్రత్యర్థులు. ఆ సీన్‌ని ఇప్పటి హైదరాబాద్ పబ్లిక్‌స్కూలు దగ్గర చిత్రీకరించాం. రిజర్వుడు అభ్యర్థులను ముందుంచి తెరవెనుక రాజకీయాలు (బ్యాక్‌సీట్ డ్రైవింగ్) నడిపే తీరును అప్పట్లోనే ఉహించి తీసిన సినిమా అది. దురదృష్టమేంటంటే... ఇప్పటికీ అదే జరుగుతోంది. ఆ పరిస్థితుల్లో ఏం మార్పు రాలేదు. .............

నేను సినీ పరిశ్రమలోకి రావడానికి కారణం మా మేనమామ. అవును! అక్కినేని లక్ష్మీవరప్రసాద్... ఎల్వీ ప్రసాద్ మా మావయ్య.
..............ఎడిటింగ్ లైన్‌లో స్థిరపడ్డాననుకున్న దశలోనే అనుకోకుండా దర్శకుణ్నయ్యాను. సావిత్రి హీరోయిన్‌గా తెలుగూ తమిళం భాషల్లో ఒకేసారి తీసిన 'జ్యోతి' నా వెుదటి సినిమా. ఆ సినిమా దర్శకనిర్మాతలకు చెలరేగిన గొడవల మూలాన కొంత షూటింగ్ పూర్తయ్యాక దర్శకుణ్ని తొలగించి ఆ బాధ్యతలు నాకప్పజెప్పారు. అక్షరాస్యత ప్రాముఖ్యతను చాటిచెప్పేలా అప్పటికప్పుడు ఓ పాట రాయించి ఆ సినిమాలో కలిపాను.
ఆ పాటకు అభినయించిన బాలనటి జోగమాంబ సహజనటి జయసుధ తల్లి.

ఆ తర్వాత తీసినదే 'ముద్దుబిడ్డ'. అప్పటికే 'పుట్టిల్లు' సినిమాతో హీరోయిన్ అయిన జమునకు నటిగా ఎంతో పేరుతెచ్చింది. అందులో నేను నృత్యకళాకారిణిగా పరిచయం చేసిన ీజ్యోతి'- హీరో సాయికుమార్ వాళ్లమ్మ. మూడో సినిమా 'ఎమ్మెల్యే'. ఆ సినిమా చర్చల్లో ఉన్నప్పుడే నాకో ఆలోచన వచ్చింది. కొత్తగా ఏర్పాటైన ఆంధ్రరాష్ట్రానికి రాజధాని ఏదన్న తర్జన భర్జనల అనంతరం హైదరాబాదును ఎన్నుకున్నారు. ఆ నేపథ్యంలో హైదరాబాద్ చారిత్రక, కళాత్మక ఘనతను వర్ణిస్తూ ఒకపాట పెట్టాలన్నదే ఆ ఆలోచన. ఆరుద్ర అద్భుతంగా రాశారా పాటని... 'ఇదేనండి ఇదేనండి భాగ్యనగరమూ మూడు కోట్ల ఆంధ్రులకూ ముఖ్యపట్టణం..'

అందులోనే 'నవో నవో బాపు మాకు న్యాయమార్గమే చూపు' అప్పట్లో స్వతంత్రదినోత్సవ వేడుకల్లో అంతా తప్పనిసరిగా పాడుకునే పాట. మధుర గాయని ఎస్.జానకి పరిశ్రమకు పరిచయమైంది ఈ చిత్రం ద్వారానే. ఆ పాట 'నీ ఆశ అడియాస...' జానకికి ఎంత పేరు తెచ్చిపెట్టిందో అందరికీ తెలిసిందే. ఇవే కాదు నా సినిమాల్లో నేనెంతో ఇష్టపడి రాయించుకున్న పాటలన్నీ జనాదరణ పొందినవే... 'జయమంగళ గౌరీ దేవీ, దయచూడుము చల్లని తల్లీ', 'అమ్మా చూడాలని ఉంది(ముద్దుబిడ్డ)', 'ఇదేమి లాహిరి ఇదేమి గారడి, ఎడారిలోన పూలుపూచి ఎంత సందడి (ఈడూజోడు)', 'ఓ పోయే పోయే చినదానా, నీ తీయని మనసూ నాదేనా', 'అందాలా రాముడు ఇందీవర శ్యాముడు, ఇనకులాబ్ది సోముడు ఎందువలన దేవుడు', 'కొండగాలి తిరిగిందీ గుండె వూసులాడిందీ' (ఉయ్యాలజంపాల)'... ఇలా చెప్పుకుంటూపోతే మా అనుపమ చిత్రాలన్నీ సంగీతపరంగా హిట్లే. "
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Conversations with God!

(From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

Conversations with God (sometimes abbreviated as "CwG") is a sequence of nine books written by Neale Donald Walsch. Each book is written as a dialogue in which Walsch asks questions and "God" answers. Walsch claims that these dialogues are truly inspired by God.

The first book of the Conversations with God series, "Conversations with God, Book 1: An Uncommon Dialogue," appeared on bookshelves in 1995, and quickly became a publishing phenomenon. Publishers Weekly reported this first book staying on the New York Times Best-Sellers List for 137 weeks[1] (over two and a half years). The succeeding volumes in the trilogy also appeared prominently on the New York Times Best-Sellers List.

The author describes the inception of the books as follows:
at a low period in his life, Walsch wrote an angry, imaginary letter to God asking questions about why his life wasn't working. After writing down all of his questions, the author claimed in his interview with Larry King he heard a voice over his right shoulder say: "Do you really want an answer to all these questions or are you just venting?" Though when he turned around he saw no one there, Walsch felt answers to his questions filling his mind and decided to write them down. The ensuing "dialogue" became the Conversations with God books.
Basis of the dialog

Containing nearly 3000 pages of material in total, the series presents a vast number of ideas. The second and third books in the original trilogy deal with political and social issues.

'CWG's basic messages
In Friendship with God (page 373), "God" presents four concepts which are central to the entire dialogue:

1. We are all One.
2. There's Enough.
3. There's Nothing We Have [an obligation] to Do.
4. Ours Is Not A Better Way, Ours Is Merely Another Way.

The first statement is understood to mean that existence is essentially nondual in nature. At the highest level there is no separation between anything and there is only one of us; there is only God, and everything is God.
The second statement, following from the first, means that we, in this seeming existence, lack nothing and if we choose to realize it, we have enough of whatever we think we need (or the means to create it) within us.
The third statement combines the first two to conclude that God, being all there is and is thus always sufficient unto Itself, has no need of anything and therefore has no requirements of humanity.
The final concept puts an end to our need to always be right. Given that we have and are everything, and there's nothing we have to do, there are an infinite number of ways to experience this, not just the one way we may have chosen so far.

According to the books, God recommends many economic and social changes if people want to make a more functional, adaptable, and sustainable world, recommends that more attention should focus on the environment. The conversations also teach that reincarnation and life on other planets exists.

God's motive for creation
In Walsch's first dialogue, God notes that "knowing" and "experiencing" oneself are different things. That-which-Is, cannot know itself fully, as it stands. It cannot know itself as love, since no other object exists to love. It cannot know itself as giving since nothing else exists to give to. It cannot experience itself in myriad ways.

This present creation then, in Walsch's viewpoint, is established by and within God, so that sentience can exist which does not directly remember its true nature as God. Split into a billion billion forms of life can live, experience, and recreate its nature as God, rather than just "know" itself as the creator in theory. It is essentially a game, entered into by agreement, to remember who and what we are and enjoy and create, knowing that ultimately there is no finish line that some will not reach, no understanding that is not without value, no act that does not add meaning to the future or for others. In Walsch's view we have a common interest in keeping the game going, for there is nothing else to do except to experience our existence and then experience more of it, to uncover deeper layers of truth and understanding. There are no external rules, because all experience is subjective, and is chosen. But within this, there are ways that (it is stated and implied) people will gradually come to see their thoughts, words, actions are either working or they are not working. A thing is either functional or disfunctional. These rememberings take place over "time," and over hundreds and thousands of lifetimes.

Nature of the dialogue
The voice of God states in Book 1 that words are not the truth, and thus readers must ultimately take what is being said and consult their own feelings to determine if they are in agreement with it. The voice says this is true of any other book or words we come across. Though the books bear the title Conversations with God and the author introduces the first book by stating he is "taking dictation" from God, the voice of God in the trilogy explains that the dialogue is God speaking to everyone all the time. The question is not to whom does God talk, but who listens. This is clarified by the statement that God can communicate with you in the next song you hear, the next breeze that caresses your ear, the next conversation you overhear. "All these devices are mine. All these avenues are open to me. I will speak to you if you invite me."

At the deepest level consciousness is and that there is only one "voice" regardless whether it is thought to belong to God, or an individual, or imagination. This leads to a statement of the Divine Dichotomy: that two contradictory truths can exist, neither making the other untrue. This is possible only in the realm of the relative, because, as was stated above, in the absolute all things are one thing, and there is nothing else.

Parallels in other belief systems
In the dialogue many philosophical ideas are presented that had already been advanced earlier by major Eastern and Western thinkers, but Walsch presents the information in language for modern readers and does not specifically cite any of these philosophers. In fact, Walsch claims that he had never known most of these ideas before his revelatory experiences. Since the beginning of the series, and especially in the latter volumes, Walsch and "God" acknowledge that most of the concepts presented are previously known to humanity, but are profound enough to warrant being explored repeatedly, and put into this cohesive unified form. Since humanity is still mired in strife and conflict, there is value in their restatement. Fundamental parts of Walsch's writings are also mirrored within other well known spiritual writings and traditions:

* Souls reincarnate to eventually experience God-realization (Bhagavad-Gita/Hinduism).
* Feelings are more important as a source of guidance than intellect (Rousseau).
* We are not here to learn anything new but to remember what we already know (Plato).
* Physical reality is an illusion (Hinduism/Buddhism's concept of maya).
* God is everything. (Spinoza / Brahman)
* God is self-experiential, in that it is the nature of the Universe to experience itself. (Hegel, and process theology as first outlined by Alfred North Whitehead)
* Good and evil do not exist (as absolutes, but can exist in a different context and for different reasons as Nietzsche).
* Reality is a representation created by will. (Schopenhauer)
* Nobody knowingly desires evil, even individuals such as Hitler. (Socrates)

Contemporary parallels
Contemporary writers whose philosophies agree with much of CwG includeRichard Bach author of Jonathan Livingston Seagull, Jane Roberts author of The Seth Material, popular psychologist and author Wayne Dyer, Eckhart Tolle author of The Power of Now (Tolle refers to much of this work in his reference sections in his own book).

Prophecies and predictions-
The CwG books sometimes make hints and suggestions about future events. An example of this is The Impeachment of Bill Clinton in book 2 of the trilogy. This account was first published in May of 1997, "God" told Walsch in Chapter 19 (p.226) that there were going to be "tremendous powers attempting to remove President Bill Clinton from office." Less than a year later, in 1998, the Lewinsky scandal broke and resulted in calls for Clinton's impeachment and possible eviction from his position. Eventually President Clinton was officially impeached, the resulting vote to convict and remove him from office then failed to win sufficient votes.

Bibliography and movies

The CwG series
The following are the nine books in the Conversations with God series. Each of these books is a conversation between Neale Donald Walsch and "God" with the following two exceptions: "Communion with God" is written only by "God", and "Conversations with God for Teens" compiles questions for God written by teens.

1. Conversations with God Book 1 (1995)
2. Conversations with God Book 2 (1997)
3. Conversations with God Book 3 (1998)
4. Friendship with God (1999)
5. Communion with God (2000)
6. Conversations with God for Teens (2001)
7. The New Revelations (2002)
8. Tomorrow's God: Our Greatest Spiritual Challenge (2003)
9. Home with God: In a Life That Never Ends (2006)

The first three books in the series are often called the CwG trilogy. Home with God tells us that it is the final book in the series.

Other CwG books
In addition to the nine books of the CwG series, there are also a number of guidebooks, meditation books, and other books adapted from the CwG series. The following books do not have any new information from the voice of God, but were written by Neale Donald Walsch to assist with understanding and applying the messages:

* Guidebook: Conversations with God Book 1 (1997)
* Meditations from Conversations with God Book 1 (1997)
* Meditations from Conversations with God Book 2 (1997)
* Re-Minder Cards: Conversations with God Book 1 (1998)
* The Little Soul and the Sun (illustrated parable) (1998)
* Questions and Answers on Conversations with God (1999)
* The Wedding Vows from Conversations with God (2000)
* The Little Soul and the Earth (illustrated parable) (2005)
* The Complete Conversations with God (first 3 books, Gift Edition) (2006)

Neale Donald Walsch has written a number of other books as well, (on his own), including What God Wants, and Applications for Living.

2006 movie
A Conversations with God movie dramatizing the author's experience opened in theatres across USA on October 27, 2006. Neale Donald Walsch is played by Henry Czerny (Mission: Impossible, The Pink Panther) in the film.

The DVD version of the film will be available starting February 27, 2007.
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