Certifying quality of hospital services

Last week I visited a hospital to see one of our relatives who had undergone heart by-pass surgery. The hospital introduces itself on its website as - " With over 7000 beds in 44 hospitals, a string of nursing and hospital management colleges and dual lifelines of pharmacies and diagnostic clinics providing a safety net across Asia, ......... is a healthcare powerhouse you can trust with your life. At ........ we unite exceptional clinical success rates and superior technology with centuries-old traditions of Eastern care and warmth, as we truly believe the world is our extended family - something our 14 million patients from 55 countries can warmly affirm".

A very nice statement indeed. The hospital also claims to be the first accredited hospital by Joint Commission International for quality of its services.

Impressed by all this I took a round of the hospital (no doubt only those areas where a visiter was allowed). The real situation was not impressive. The housekeeping was very poor. Preventive maintenance of fire hydrant system was not done as per maintenance plan. Pigeons were freely raoaming inside the visiter lounge. Pigeons droppings were everywhere, on walls, on floor, also on visiters' heads.

I wonder, what quality has been certified by JCI.

If empowered he can become Prime Minister of India

I was returning from work. With me was my client. Our car stopped at a busy traffic signal. It was little chilly in the air, so we have closed the windows. A boy approached us and tapped at the window glass. He extended his right hand and signalled us to give him him some money. My client is against begging. I also do not support it. We signalled him to move away. He looked at us for sometime and kept waving his hand. Then he moved away to another car. Traffic light turned green and we also moved.

This is routine on traffic signals in Delhi. Sometime it will be a girl child. Sometime a woman with a child in her arms. Every one of us is a witness to begging at traffic signals. Some of us give some money to them. Some say we should not encourage them.It is a problem no doubt. What should be done and how it should be done and who should do it? It is question which remains unanswered.

National Secretary, Bachpan Bachao Andolan, says, “The child beggars are part of a forced beggary racket. They are trained how to carry crutches to appear disabled on road and later paid Rs 10 or 20 as commission out of their daily earnings... There are gang leaders that include females also, who keep a check on the beggars so that they could not steal the money. Or if children are found doing so they are beaten black and blue for that... In Delhi, many individuals in Rohini’s Lal Quarters area, have been allegedly running training centres for child beggars. Areas like Delhi ’s Mahipalpur, Mehrauli and Vasant Kunj traffic signals are the main begging points.

We reached my place. I thanked my client. He said that he had been thinking. If properly empowered that kid could become India's Prime Minister. Yes, why not? I said it casually and smiling but it made me thinking. YES, WHY NOT?

Empowerment is what they need, but it is not a priority for those who can do it.

Let us pray for peace

There is so much violence in this world. Daily newspapers are full of news about killings of one human being by another human being. People burning with hate killed fellow human beings in Nandigram. Some people even justified these killings. Then Kolkata was rocked by violence. Yesterday hate mongers killed fellow humans in Lucknow, Varanasi and Faizabad. A distraught lover shot dead his ex-girlfriend's mother and uncle before turning the gun on himself.Such waste of precious human life.

Let us pray for peace. Let us do Shanti Paath.

Like Gayatri Mantra, Shantih Paath is also a very important mantra. It may be recited as a part of Shantiprakanam, however, a Yajna typically concludes with Shantih Paath mantra. This mantra is also not chanted for the purpose of material gains, physical or otherwise.

The poignant prayer in the mantra is for peace everywhere in the universe. The prayer is for every thing in the universe, space, earth, water, vegetation, all learned people, all gods and even peace be free from harm and be conducive for peace. As a final part of the mantra, the person chanting the mantra, requests the Lord to grant him or her that peace also.

Om Shantih, Shantih, Shantih.

Aadmi Ek Chehre Anek - Two faced Indians

Who should be the role model for Indian people? Recently I was faced with this question. My reply was that only such a person can be the role model who is in a state of consistency of Manasa, vacha, karmana . The word manasa refers to the mind, vacha refers to speech and karmana refers to actions. He who has synchronized these three aspects of human behaviour in his life. He who speaks exactly what he thinks and does only those things that he believes in. He must not speak something that he does not believe in. He should promise exactly what he can deliver. He must think before doing anything or saying something. He who loves all. He who does not hate anybody. He who does not discriminate. He who does not exploit. I was still speaking my mind when I was interrupted. Is it not expecting too much of an individual? Yes, I said but here we are not talking of normal people. We are talking of an individual who should be an ideal for others. Where we will find him and do we have such a person? No we do not have such a person. Perhaps God has stopped making such human beings. So I said, let us forget the basics and come to talk of real life. These days every body is his or her own role model. We, Indians really do not need any role model.

These days, people say one thing but do quite another. People advise others to be truthful but get upset when someone calls a spade a spade. In my childhood I read few sayings. One was - par updesh kushal bahutere. We take pride in advising any one at any time and while advising we act as though we know every thing about what we are advising. But in our own life we fail to act as per our own advice. Another saying was - doosro ko naseehat khud miyan phazeehat. This saying also has more or less the same meaning. I read one story by Krishan Chander. He compared people to onion. Keep on removing layers after layers but won't see the real face. Two faced Indians, somebody said. Yes, ek aadmi do chehere. Almost every Indian has two faces. Some even have more than two faces. Kya kahna chahiye - ek aadmi do chehere OR aadmi ek chehre anek. Kuch bhi kaho sab chalega.

Then there was a song - parde ke peechey kya hai? Koi nahin jaanta aur sab jaante hain, par koi maanta nahin. Somebody said, you seem to be talking about hypocrisyy. Yes, in English that is the right word. We Indians are very comfortable with this word. In fact we live it every moment of our life. The height of hypocrisy is that many Indians even do not know that they are being hypocritical. You tell them but they will not agree with you and tell you that you are being hypocritical. Both are right, you and they, both are practicing hypcrisy. In short, hypocrisy has become a way of life for us Indians.

Sometime back Rahul Gandhi spoke about the Congressmen's hypocrisy on khadi and alcohol. It angered those who wear kahdi and can not live without drinking. But in open they showered their love on Rahul Baba but inside ... (your guess is right). They respect Bapu and hang his photo in their office with slogan - 'high thinking simple living. But under the table they take bribe. Yesterday I typed 'passport office' in Google search box, the resultant list contained address of a blog - 'Delhi Bribe Rates'. Passport and bribe, do you see the relation? But it is not hypocrisy. It is a fact of life.

Indian politicians make laws but only for others to follow. When a law becomes inconvenient they change it. Prime Minister looses his sleep over the arrest of an Indian in Australia but sleeps soundly after many people are killed in Nandigram. CPM claims to be working for aam aadmi but sent its cadre to kill aam aadmi in Nandigram.

Somebody said yaar we asked a simple question about the role model and you started a lecture. I replied, bhai don't get angry. I am an Indian and you all are Indians. We all are hypocritical creatures. Only a more hypocritical individual can be our role model.

Are we in our senses when we talk of betterlife?

People live in a society. They have to move out of their house to go to office or on business, to meet their relatives & friends, to take part in social functions, in short to do this and that. For this they depend on the transport system. Some have their own transports. Some depend on public transport. It is natural for the people to expect a reliable, comfortable and safe public transport system. It is a part of their betterlife. But do they get it?

The answer is a very big NO. Delhi does not have a reliable, comfortable and safe public transport system. Blue line buses granted license by Delhi Govt provide a transport system totally opposite to what people need. It is not reliable, it is not comfortable, it is not safe. Rather these buses are licensed monsters killing innocent people when they run on roads. In this year 2007, 98 people have so far been killed by these monsters. With no human feelings in bus owners, bus drivers, transport minister and chief minister of Delhi, it will kill more people till this year ends. Next person to be killed may be me, you or anyone (exempted are politicians).

See some of the headlines:
Blueline mayhem continues: two more killed
Blueline bus strikes again, kills cyclist
Delhi HC anguished over Blueline bus accident
Blueline bus kills 5 in Sarita Vihar
Blueline buses: Licensed to kill, as Delhi CM hems and haws

Delhi CM is still there. Her transport minister is still there. Bus owners and drivers are still there. But unfortunate loved ones of many families are not there. No body is bothered about their loss. PM Manmohan is not loosing his sleep. He and Sonia Gandhi are expressing concern with Bhutto in Pakistan on the loss of lives in the blast.

This Govt is not capable to give betterlife to people. Let us stop wasting time on these unworthy humans. People should get together and create betterlife for each other. May God protect the common citizens of Delhi.

10 betterlife tips

I may warn you first. There is nothing new in these tips. You might be aware and might be trying to adopt them. Recently, I received a mail from gurlzgroup which included these tips. I liked the presentation. I thought, let me share the tips with other bloggers.

While I myself do not always end up managing to put each of the following tips into practice, I do make a big effort to do so each day. This is a list of many peoples' favorite tips to improving their life. All it takes is a little bit each day and you will see wondrous changes.

10. Get off to a Good Start

This means getting up early and eating breakfast. You will have much more energy throughout the day to follow the rest of these tips if you do! If you are so inclined, you can even include a little exercise in your morning routine. If you live with other people you can try to use this opportunity to get everyone together at the table to eat in the mornings. This is a nice way to start the day and a good way to ensure open lines of communication in a very busy household.

9. Keep a Schedule

It is a very good idea to write down the tasks you need to achieve in each day. As you complete them, tick them off. You should not, however, feel like you are bound to your list. If you don’t manage to do everything, it doesn’t matter - move any incomplete tasks from today on to tomorrow’s list. This is also a great help if you are a procrastinator.

8. Take a Break and have Fun

If you spend too much time in front of the computer, at your desk, or doing whatever it is that your occupation requires, you should take a break. This doesn’t mean you have to take time off work - it just means you should try to make better use of your non-work time to do something fun. I always have difficulty pulling myself away from the computer and as a result I don’t go out as often as I should on the weekend or in the evening. But every time I do - I wonder why I haven’t done it sooner. This is a good way to develop new interests, and friends and to break up the monotony of everyday life.

7. Be Generous

Generosity has a tendency to come back. By generosity I am not referring only to money. You can be generous with your smiles, your advice, and many other things. Always try to find a way to help others. One day you may be in great need and people you know will be more likely to come to your aid when they know that you would do the same for them. You might know someone that could use help around the home from time to time - not only are you doing a good thing by helping them out, but you may also make a great new friend.

6. Accept the things you can’t Change

When something bad happens in our lives, we try to fix them or change them. But sometimes we can’t. Often this leads us to spend hours moping and falling in to depression. If you can make yourself accept the things you cannot change - you will become a much happier person. Acceptance of these situations also allows us to start finding a way to cope much faster. For example, you may realize that you have only $10 left in your bank account that has to last the next 2 weeks. Instead of getting down about it, accept that you have no money and work out a way to survive on that amount. You can save yourself from wasting hours in a bad mood by just getting on with life. You will find much more serenity in life following this tip.

5. Learn a New Language

Learning another language is one of the best ways to improve your grasp on English. In my own experience, learning French at high school taught me so much more about grammar than English class ever did. In addition, when I later started studying Ancient Greek, I learnt a lot about the roots of English words - something I have found very useful in writing in the years since. As well as improving your knowledge of English, if you learn a living language you increase the number of places you might like to visit - or make those holidays much more enjoyable by being able to speak to the natives in their own tongue.

4. Break the Chain

If you have a lot of patterns in your life, try breaking them - do something different every day. Let’s say you always order the same meal at your regular Friday night restaurant. Why not try something else this Friday? Not only do you get to broaden your experiences of life, you open up many doors for the future. Not long ago I would never eat oriental foods or seafood. Then one day I decided that I would just try it. Seafood is now one of my favorite foods and I would hate to be without it. Because I discovered that I love Thai and Chinese food, I can eat in any restaurant I want. That first step also meant that I am now willing to try absolutely any food. My disliking for those foods had a much greater impact as well - I would only holiday in countries that had foods I felt safe with. Since then I have been to Oriental countries and loved it.

3. Face the Fear

Every day you should do something you don’t want to do - or feel uncomfortable doing. This varies in degrees for everyone, but we all have little things we can start out with. For example, you may not go to the gym because you fear everyone looking at you - do it anyway! In no time you will be so much more confident that you abolish the fear entirely and can move on to the next fear - maybe even something bigger. Living a fearless life gives you a confidence that is visible to others. Instead of building walls around ourselves, we should be tearing them down.

2. Forget Goals - Live for the Now

Lists of this nature almost always tell you to set and write goals. I am going to tell you the opposite. A very wise psychotherapist once told me that if you set a goal, and achieve it, you are often left with an empty feeling because the goal is not what you thought it would be. Not only does it not satisfy, you inevitably end up missing out on so much life by striving to reach something in the future. Having said this, I don’t think you should ignore the future - it is worth having some idea of what you might like to one day achieve - but don’t focus all of your energy on getting it. A good example of the difference is this: I have a goal to live in France. I spend 10 years trying to save up all my money so I can acheive that goal. In the meantime I am so busy scrimping and saving, that I can’t afford to go out with friends, I can’t afford to live in a nice home, and I am miserable because I am not living in France. On the other hand, if I simply decide that one day I would like to live in France, the idea is in my mind, but I continue to live and enjoy my life. In living my life, I am happy now and not focused on a distant goal. If it happens, great. If it doesn’t happen, I haven’t failed at anything. But who knows what wonderful things may happen in my life in the meantime? A very good fictitious example of this can be found in the film American Beauty.

1. Don’t Procrastinate

This is one I struggle with a lot in my own life. This has been a great challenge for me as I work from home, but taking this job has really helped me to stop putting things off and take control of my life. The feeling after completing a task you would normally put off is a great high - and certainly a much healthier one than some of the other highs in our lives. When you put something off, you are putting yourself into time-debt. You have to pay that debt back and almost always you end up having to do that at the most inconvenient time. By putting off writing an article for the site, for example, I end up having to write one at 7 at night when I would rather be watching a movie and having a drink! Your life will become so much more organized if you follow this rule.

Meal cooked by an angry wife

Have you ever thought, how many meals your mother or wife has cooked for you? No, perhaps you thought that why waste time thinking about it, as cooking meals is their job? I have thought about it, and I am grateful to them for it. Cooking nice and tasty meals for me is one great favour they have done to me. In summers I can not stand in the kitchen even for few minutes, but they continuously work their for hours. When we are watching our favourite movie, they go in the kitchen to prepare tea/coffee for me and in the process miss few good scenes, but never complain about it. They like a dish prepared in a particular manner but gladly prepare it the other way as I like it. Say few good words about the meals and the entire house will be filled with their joy. God has been very kind to us males by blessing our lives with the mother and wife.

You will be surprised as to why I am talking about it. Today I received a mail from gurlzgroup containing a photo with the caption - 'Meal cooked by an angry wife'.

It started a thought process, and this blogpost is the result. It is not that I did not like the picture. I enjoyed it. I also felt lucky that my wife had never cooked such a meal for me. Me and my wife are having a positive relationship and never get angry with each other.

What about you guys?

I collect tips and quotes for betterlife

Many opeople collect many things. I collect tips and quotes. These tips and quotes motivate us to create a betterlife for us and others. I have subscribed to many sites to receive these tips and quotes in my mail or on my blog. Then I share these tips and quotes with others. Here are some. Betterlife Tips - "Reflect on your good qualities. First, start with what you do well. Are you a good friend and mother? Remember on how you affect others in your life. Remember in every detail the good acts you've done. Recall a time when you were instrumental in making someone else happy. Allow yourself to feel grateful for yourself. Allow this gratitude to grow in your heart." - Jorge Cruise "Whenever you're being verbally assaulted, attacked, and accused, your goal must be to command respect because Tanks simply don't attack people they respect. Aggressive people require assertive responses. Your behavior must send a clear signal that you are strong and capable, since anything less is an invitation for further attacks. However, you must send this signal without becoming a Tank yourself." - Dr. Rick Brinkman & Dr. Rick Kirschner "We are what we eat. When we are under stress, we tend to fill ourselves with convenience food, which can be synonymous with 'junk.' Eating well must be part of any serious program to reduce stress levels. Make a start by minimizing bad habits. Breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince, and dine like a pauper." - Tim Handle Quote of the Day The real problem is not whether machines think but whether men do. B. F. Skinner And a poem by Nick Gordon "Jocelyn is more than meets the eye. On her, of course, all male eyes are glued. Clarity and wit are on a mission, Engaged to amplify her erudition, Lest students wonder whether, what, or why. Young enough to know how youth is wooed, Nor strict nor lax, she sets her own sights high." gurlzgroup Better Life Media Tips

Free Burma! - International Bloggers' Day for Burma on the 4th of October!

International bloggers are preparing an action to support the peaceful revolution in Burma. We want to set a sign for freedom and show our sympathy for these people who are fighting their cruel regime without weapons. These Bloggers are planning to refrain from posting to their blogs on October 4 and just put up one Banner with "Free Burma!".

read more | digg story

He keeps records of every rupee earned and spent by him

He is Mr. Padmanabhan Iyer, a retired engineer and is doing it for last 28 years. Now after 28.16 years, he knows that he earned Rs. 2.29 crore and spent Rs. 1.56 crore. Every time he or his wife, Padma Iyer, buy something or oblize a begger it is entered in a diary under separate heads. 'He is the meticulous type and not a miser', says proudly his wife. His notebooks are a visible proof of changing times, both in technology and price. From writing in a notebook he switched over to a Excel sheet on his computer.

He is a role model for the people in his own way. He hides nothing. His life is an open book. He pays all his taxes in time.

They silently work to create betterlife for others

It is a popular perception that Gen-Y are only interested in tank tops, camera phones and an expensive evening at PVR. In reality the youth on Delhi University campus also feels an urge to serve the community. Teaching the underprivileged kids in the neighborhood, taking holistic care for cancer and HIV-AIDS patients to generating consciousness about global warming are some of their activities where they spend at least 15-20 hours a week.

A student says that even if I am successful in educating two kids the purpose of my life will be served. Another student collects posters pasted on university walls and hand them over to a factory where differently-abled kids recycle them. If you search for such young boys and girls, you will come across many.

Let me also share with you the silent work being done by one of my client. An employee in his factory has two daughters. Mr. Bhalla has persuaded him to send them to school. He, on his part, has promised to foot the entire bill for education of one daughter. Another employee has fixed the marriage of his daughter. Mr. Bhalla has told him that entire expenses of reception of barat and food will be met by him.

Such things strengthens your belief in the goodness of human beings.

Negative attitude in governance and betterlife

From my daughter's blog"

"Why government has a negative attitude towards every issue of governance? Have you ever thought about it? Whether it is the issue of reservation in general, or specific to instututes of higher learning, Govt has taken an biassed approach keeping vote banks in mind. When we talk of uniform distribution of national resources, Govt comes out with a statement that people belonging to minority have first right to resources. Govt has gone in to nuclear deal without creating a national consensus on the issue. Even left parties under whose protection this Govt is working are not seeing eye to sye with the Govt. Govt policies create more disharmony on social issues then unity amongst various communities.

I don't know what to say but every issue I think of, I find the attitude of Govt is negative. Govt is in constant conflict with the judiciary and the common people. It is using police and CBI to force itself on the people.

This scenario is not good for democratic institutions."

My views:

With such negative attitude, how a Govt can provide betterlife to the people?

Policemen have forgetten that they are for protection of people

Human beings are the best creation of God. In Indian mythology, human beings are seen as image of God. It makes me sick when I see that many humans are living a life worst than animals. No body cares for them.

The institution of police was created to protect people especially those who are prone to exploitation. But policemen have forgotten it and exploit the same poor people. Newspapers are always full of news of policemen torturing and even killing these people and raping their women. Yesterday there was a news about two policemen visiting a house where they tortured a girl child to pressurize her mother for giving whereabouts of her husband. They left when the child became motionless. Doctors have declared that the child will not be able speak now. The chief of police does not find anything wrong in this. He blames the woman.

I suggest, why not reward such policemen with Bharat Ratna.

Janamashtami - Lord Krishna's Birthday

Sri Krishna, the ninth incarnation of Lord Vishnu is the most popular avatar and is regarded as purna avataar(complete incarnation). All other deities are regarded as his manifestation. His story and his exploits(leela) are numerous and very well known. To the Hindu, he is the supreme statesman, warrior, hero, philosopher, teacher and God himself. He is the great exponent of Bhagavadgita, the "song celestial".

Hariyali Teej aur Mehandi

Hariyali Teej is an important festival in Sawan month. Ladies keep fast, do pooja and apply mehandi on their hands. See my grand daughter with mehandi on hyer hands.

My picture gallery

Learn even from your enemies

Learning is an art. Every moment of life is a moment of learning. We learn from our parents, our relatives, our friends, our teachers, our leaders, even from our enemies. When Ravana fell down in the battle, Ram advised Lakshaman to go to him and learn his wisdom. Ravana was a great scholar, but due to various circumstances he became enemy of Ram. Now when he is dying, Ram says that we should learn from him his wisdom, or else it will go with him and human race will loose a great chance to be wise.

Good things, bad things

Our life is full of activity. There is no time when something or other is not happening in and around us. When good things happen to us we feel happy, but when bad things happen we feel sad. It is very simple to understand. It is very natural also.

We want only good things to happen to us. But it will always not happen just like that. We will have to work for it. We should look at life with a positive attitude. While saying or doing something we should think about the effect our words or actions will create on others. If the effect is going to be bad we should avoid saying or doing that thing. People ask me what good it will bring to us? I say, every action has a reaction. If we say or do good things to other people then other people will say or do good things to us. This is the theory of Karma. God Himself said this in Gita.

Sometimes it happens that inspite of our saying or doing good things to others they say or do only bad things to us. Here we should go to the theory of re-birth. The present behaviour of other person might be the reaction of our past actions, in this birth or previous births. Reaction to our present action will come in future and it will be only good.

Why people become violant on trivial issues?

I saw this message on a blog. I liked it. A small message, in fact an expression of concern on the increasing violence in society. Read it and share your concern.

"Newspapers are always full of cases of road rage, Delhi is at the top. People on slight provocation become violent. Some of them even do not hesitate to killing other person. Teachers beat their students to death. Children kill their parents. Wives kill their husbands and husband their wives. What is happening in Indian society? Where love has gone?

I feel so much distressed. What do you feel? "

Visit the following link. There is also a poll where you can vote.

Shun violence, only love

Neem (Divine Tree) and Sultry Heat

This summer’s sultry heat in Delhi has been very inconvenient for me. Prickly heat and itching on whole body have kept me indoors. I tried almost all prickly heat powders available in the market but all proved ineffective. Then someone suggested to take freshly picked Neem leaves with water, first thing in the morning. I did it and problem has been almost cured. Summer is still bothering me but not to that extent as it was before taking Neem leaves.

I thought, I should share this experience with others. I also want to include in my post some information on Neem (Wikipedia).

Neem (Azadirachta indica, syn. Melia azadirachta L., Antelaea azadirachta (L.) Adelb.) is a tree in the mahogany family Meliaceae. It is one of two species in the genus Azadirachta, and is native to Burma,India and Pakistan, growing in tropical and semi-tropical regions. Other vernacular names include Azad Dirakht (Persian), Margosa, Neeb (Arabic), Nimtree, Nimba (Sanskrit), Vepu, Vempu, Vepa (Telugu), Bevu in Kannada, Veppam in (Tamil) and Indian-lilac. Neem is a fast growing tree that can reach a height of 15-20 m, rarely to 35-40 m. It is evergreen but under severe drought it may shed most or nearly all of its leaves. The branches are wide spread. The fairly dense crown is roundish or oval and may reach the diameter of 15-20 m in old, free-standing specimens.

Neem flowers close-up

Usage

In India, the tree is variously known as 'Divine Tree',"Heal All","Nature's Drugstore", "Village Pharmacy" and "Panacea for all diseases". Products made from neem have proven medicinal properties as: antihelmintic, antifungal, antidiabetic, antibacterial, antiviral,and antifertility etc. It is particularly prescribed for skin disease (Puri, 1999).

• Neem twigs are used for brushing teeth in India and Pakistan. This practice is perhaps one of the earliest and most effective forms of dental care.
• All parts of the tree (seeds, leaves, flowers and bark) are used for preparing many different medical preparations.
• Neem oil is used for preparing cosmetics (soap, shampoo, balms and creams).
• Besides its use in traditional Indian medicine the neem tree is of great importance for its anti-desertification properties and possibly as a good carbon dioxide sink.
• Neem oil is useful for skin care such as acne, and keeping skin elasticity.
• Traditionally, patients suffering from Chicken Pox sleep on the leaves in India owing to its medicinal value.

Horticultural usages

Neem is a source of environment-friendly biopesticides. Among the isolated neem constituents, liminoids (such as Azadirachtin) are effective in insect growth-regulating activity. The unique feature of neem products is that they do not directly kill the pests, but alter the life-processing behavior in such a manner that the insect can no longer feed, breed or undergo metamorphosis.^[3] However, this does not mean that the plant extracts are harmful to all insects. Since, to be effective, the product has to be ingested, only the insects that feed on plant tissues succumb. Those that feed on nectar or other insects (such as spiders, butterflies, bees, and ladybugs) hardly accumulate significant concentrations of neem products.

Uses in pest and disease control

Neem is deemed very effective in the treatment of scabies although only preliminary scientific proof exists which still has to be corroborated, and is recommended for those who are sensitive to permethrin, a known insecticide which might be an irritant. Also, the scabies mite has yet to become resistant to neem, so in persistent cases neem has been shown to be very effective. There is also anecdotal evidence of its effectiveness in treating infestations of head lice in humans. It is also very good for treating worms (soak the branches and leaves in lukewarm water and then drink it).

Culinary use

The tender shoots and flowers of the neem tree are eaten as a vegetable in India. Neem flowers are very popular for their use in Ugadi Pachadi (soup like pickle) which is made on Ugadi day in South India.

Neem is also used in parts of mainland Southeast Asia, particularly in Cambodia (where it is known as sadao or sdao), Laos (where it is called kadao) and Vietnam (where it is called sầu đâu). Even lightly cooked, the flavour is quite bitter and thus the food is not enjoyed by all inhabitants of these nations, though it is believed to be good for one's health.

He went to school for a betterlife, teacher took away his life

Indra Sameer is a teacher, a lady teacher, a woman, but while taking an exam on July 26 she beat a student Arpit Kavadia following which he died. She was reportedly offended by Arpit's legs dangling outside his school desk and beat him mercilessly. Arpit's explanation that his legs are long and desk short, and he was not able to fold his legs did not satisfy this woman. She is now absconding. School authorities have terminated her services. Police have registered a case of murder against her. An unbearable loss for the Kavadia family in Udaipur.

Arpit's aunt want to know, ''Should a child be beaten so brutally just because his legs were dangling outside? Is it fair to inflict this kind of punishment on our child? What kind of a teacher is she?'' A student told, ''After the teacher had beaten him twice with the stick, Arpit asked her if she had punished him enough and whether he could sit down. This angered her even more and she started thrashing him even more strongly,''

Angry students of the Alok School where Arpit studied protested through the day demanding the teacher's arrest. They claim Arpit was a very well behaved student and he had done nothing for the teacher to lose her temper so violently.

Even if the law catches up with her and she pays the price for her brutality, the grief of loosing their teenaged son is likely to haunt Arpit's family throughout their lives.

Sometime back I saw on TV, a lady police constable, beating a man in police station because he was drunk and had misbehaved with a policeman.

What is happening to motherhood?

What is this deal we are talking about?

“That right (to ask for return of nuclear fuel and technology) has, of course, been preserved as it must under our law” – Nicholas Burns, US Under-Secretary.

“India retains right to conduct N-tests” – Manmohan Singh, Indian PM.

With these opposite views, how can India and US claim that they have a deal?

Manmohan Singh further says, “We reserve the right to test, and US has the right to react”. If this ‘act’ and ‘react’ is still going to be there then what deal we are talking about?

A deal means, all differences have been clearly resolved. It will be a great disservice to Indian Nation if Govt. leaves such differences unresolved. These unresolved issues will, in all probability, create problems in future. In the hurry to claim credit, the Govt should not leave problems for future Govts to handle and Indian people to face.

Police kills eight in Andhra Pradesh

It has become routine news. Everyday we read in newspapers about police killing people in this or that part of the country. This killing, like other killings, will be followed by accusations and counter-accusations. Political players will play political games. In open they will shout at each other. Behind the doors they will wine and dine together. After sometime, media, politicians, people will forget these killings. Those who have lost their nears and dears will only remember it.

After sometime another such incident will take place in another part of the country. The episode will be repeated with different actors.

If one cares to count it will be seen that Indian police in 60 years of independent India has killed more people than British police in the entire period India was under foreign rule.

Kishita sings a Hindi Rhym

Committed to ensure betterlife for her. May God bless her.

Sia, the naughty baby. looking so innocent

PM Manmohan Singh could not sleep

Should I say that India and Indians are very fortunate in having Manmohan Singh as Prime Minister of India, who could not sleep after seeing on TV the crying mother of Bangalore doctor arrested for terrorist attack in UK? Feeling the pain of others is a positive human trait, and for this PM should be complemented.

But it makes me sad when I find that this positive trait is selective. TV screen is full of crying mothers whose children have been killed by terrorists, by police, by blue line buses, negligence of government employees, man-made and natural disasters. This discriminatory attitude on the part of India’s PM makes this attitude negative. And here I feel that may be India and Indians are not fortunate in having Manmohan Singh as PM, who feels pained by the pain of one mother and is totally unmoved by the pain of other mothers.

The reason I know and also everybody else. But should vote-bank politics be played in human relations also?

How do you celebrate your birthday?

People celebrate their birthdays in different manners according to their beliefs, customs, importance of the occasion and their social standing.

July 10 was my birthday. First thing in the morning, all my family members wished me a very happy birthday. Then I received birthday wishes from my friends and relatives in and outside Delhi. After taking bath, I prayed like every other day, but today I offered especially prepared Prasadam to God. In the day, special items were prepared. In the evening I lighted candles in our home temple. Then I cut the cake. We do not blow off candles. It is against our culture. We took photographs. We made a video. Cake was given to all. My wife does not eat cake, so another sweet was given to her.

Then came the birthday gifts. It was something special:

- Multimedia keyboard from my wife,

- Wireless latest model mouse from my younger son’s wife,

- 1GB RAM from my younger son,

- NOKIA mobile 5200 from my elder son and his wife,

- A very colorful greeting card made by my elder grand daughter (five years old),

- A sweet piece of cake by my younger grand daughter (14 months old),

I was in need of all above. They guessed it and gifted to me.

Last year I got a gift, LG Laptop. On my wedding anniversary I got 1GB pen drive.

I feel so happy and grateful to God.

How do you celebrate your birthday, and how do you feel about the gifts you get?

Hum 2 hamare 23 - and we talk of betterlife to kids !!

As per a news item in TOI, A 40-year-old woman in Mewat district of Haryana gave birth to her 23rd child on Sunday. The baby was born to Bismillah (40) and Mohammad Ishaq (50) at the nearby Al-Afia Government Hospital in the district. The couple were married in 1976 and since then, Bismillah has given birth to 23 children, the latest addition being a female child who was born on Sunday and named Shabira.t The man, the machine and the family that does not believe in family planning.

God’s gifts

Speaking to MiD DAY, a happy and delighted father, Mohammad Ishaq said, “Yeh though sab Allah ki den hai, agar hamara chaubiswa baccha agle sal hua though woh bhi hum Allah ki den samjhenge. (All this is Allah’s gift. If we get a 24th child next year, we will welcome it too)”

Too many to recall

However, when MiD DAY asked him the names of his children, Ishaq had to take help from his son and neighbors.

“I find it very difficult to remember their names as they all look the same,” he said.

Ishaq, builds thatched roofs in nearby villages and ferries goods for shops in the vicinity for a living.

Hoping for support

Bismillah the mother of 23 children, hopes that her children will take care of her. “I feed my children chicken, mutton and chivda, with my daughters helping me in the cooking,” she says.

It is good for Indian society that there are not many such couples. They should be asked to how they are going to raise these 23 kids and those who are likely to come in future, and ensure that their children do not become laibility on the society.

..

Does anybody worry about kids?

Do people really worry about kids except their own? You ask me or anybody else, the answer will be a big NO. You ask politicians about kids’ safety, their empowerment; every politicians will give a big lecture and will project him/herself as a godfather of all kids. You ask school management, all of them will claim that they give topmost priority to kids’ safety. Yet buses carrying children to school meet with accidents.

A speeding minibus carrying schoolchildren overturned in east Delhi’s Preet Vihar on Monday morning, killing a parent and seriously injuring several of the students and a teacher. Some children suffered serious injuries on their faces and the condition of two girls was critical, doctors treating them at various city hospitals said. The police said the private minibus was carrying 25 children — apart from the teacher and parent — which was more than its capacity.

The Supreme Court (SC) had prescribed elaborate guidelines to minimize the risk that school children ran while travelling in private buses hired by schools to ferry them. The guidelines were meant for school buses all over the country. In the Capital, the Delhi Traffic Police started enforcing the guidelines from 2004.

But the exhaustive guidelines are observed more in the breach as the police lack the wherewithal to enforce them, keeping in view the 5,000-odd school buses that ply to pick up children from all parts of Delhi. Bus drivers are always in a hurry as they, after dropping the kids to school, have to pick up office-goers and take them to their destinations well before the strict in-time enforced by offices through swipe cards.

As for the drivers, the apex court had said that only those having five years' heavy vehicle driving experience would be eligible to ferry school children. A school bus driver would automatically be pulled out of the duty chart if he was booked twice for traffic related offences. It had fixed 40 kmph as the speed limit for school buses.

Apart from that, the SC had directed a series of preventive measures: first-aid box in the bus, doors to be fitted with proper locks, fire extinguisher, horizontal parallel grills on windows, school bag tray under the seat and provision for water. In addition, the court had made it mandatory for a supervisor, to be deputed by the school, to accompany the children — both while picking them for school and while dropping them back at home.

The guidelines, though welcomed by schools, are being observed in breach. While hiring chartered buses for ferrying students, school management should exercise control over the staff of the private buses through the contract. But they don’t do it. Rather schools look at it yet another way of making money.

Are Delhi CM and her Education Minister worried? Are PM and his HRD Minister worried? Is Delhi LG worried? Are Delhi Police worried? Are people of Delhi worried? It does not seem so. Accidents keep happening but they do not take any action. What betterlife they will give to the kids when buses are taking away their lives and they are simply looking like Bhishma and Dronacharya?

To know about SC guidelines click on

SC Guidelines

Exercise Your Right To Information

Triveni is a poor woman. She lives in a slum in East Delhi. She holds an Antyodaya card issued by the government to the poorest of the poor. However, it isn't easy to get ration from a ration shop. She didn't receive any grains for the last six months. Whenever she would go to the shop, the shop would either be closed or the shopkeeper would say that there was no stock. In February 2003, Triveni filed an application under the Right to Information Act asking for the quantity of ration issued to her as per records and also copies of cash memos purported to have been issued to her. Before she could take any action, the shopkeeper came to her house and pleaded with her not to take any action and that he would mend his ways in future. Since then, Triveni is getting right amount of ration at the right price. - www.parivartan.com

Vote for Love / Vote for Taj

Have you voted for Taj to be included in the list of seven wonders of the world?

If you have voted then you vote will be counted for love for all times to come.

If not, then this message is a reminder to you. Immediately vote for Taj.

Voting ends on 07/07/07.

SUCCESS OF RAILWAY MINISTER AT WHOSE COST?

This is the title of a blog post by vnraja on his blog - "Can we really build a disciplined Society?" on ibibo.blogs.com. Raja has logically analyzed the claim about so called success of the Railway Minister in transforming the Railways into a profitable organization and has concluded that it has happened at the cost of common men. Read the post:

"Much was talked about the so called success of the Railway Minister in transforming the Railways into a profitable organisation. He was also appreciated for doing this overnight. But none of the persons who appreciate the Minister seems to analyse how this can be done without affecting the common man.

As a common man and with the constraint of limited availability of information I wish to challenge everyone who advocates the theory that the present Railway Minister has made the Railways into a profitable organisation overnight without affecting the common man.

All those who talk about the Railways running in
profit all of a sudden should know that this is only at the cost of common man. The Railway Minister has burdened the common man on many accounts. Take for example the charging of Rs.10/- extra if you book a ticket for a travel not originating from the booking place.

This is in addition to the normal Reservation charges. This itself can generate so much of revenue as for long distance travel you ought to book a ticket for another train not crossing your ticket booking place. Don't think that the previous Railway Ministers were not capable of doing this. They wanted to extend the benefit of computerisation to the common man free of cost. During the time of introduction of Computerisation and subsequent linking of entire Indian Railways into a single system huge amount was spent by the railways. Even at these times the railways preferred to borne the entire cost itself. They avoided charging the common man which the Present Railway Minister is happily doing. While the entire infrastructure for this was established during previous regimes the present Railway Minister is harvesting the benefit!

Take another example to know how the present Railway Minister is not caring for the common man. This is my personal experience. I wanted to book two berths from Hosur to Mayiladuthurai in the Mysore - Mayiladuthurai Express. Hosur is an in between station in the Mysore -Mayiladuthurai route. Tickets were not available from Hosur to Mayiladuthurai and the waiting list was somewhere around 100 in the sleeper class general quota. But around 250 berths were freely available from Mysore to Mayiladuthurai in the same train for the same date in the same class in the general quota. So I asked for two tickets from Mysore to Mayiladuthurai with a request for boarding at Hosur as I was ready to pay the ticket fare from Mysore even though I am going to board the train at Hosur only. But the Reservation clerk said tickets like this can not be given. I was astonished by his reply. I wondered why such tickets can not be given. Boarding a train at an in between station is a facility enjoyed by us for many years - if the boarding point is mentioned at the time of booking the ticket.

By doing this what the railway minister says. You can not board the train at Hosur even though it stops at that station. You catch a bus, train or any mode, go all the way to Mysore, board the train there and travel to Mayiladuthurai crossing the HOSUR station. Otherwise book a TATKAL ticket with a boarding request at Hosur and board the train at Hosur.

Are you now able to realise why the Railways is earning huge profits? It is a cruel way of selling TATKAL tickets to generate revenue for the railways. Kindly study this case carefully. There are around 250 berths vacant in the train. These vacant berths were only in General Quota and not in TATKAL quota. You are given only a waitlisted ticket from the in between station. You are not given a ticket from the originating station with a request to board the train in an in between station. But you can buy a TATKAL ticket from the originating station with a request to board the train in an in between station by paying additional TATKAL charges. By this you are forced to buy TATKAL ticket from the originating station even though general quota tickets are freely available. What a shame that a Government owned Organisation is cheating people like this.

This is only a tip of the iceberg. I came to know of this only due to my personal experience. These things are silently done. The passengers may not be aware that they are denied tickets while a large number of berths are vacant in the train. There may be numerous other silent instructions from the Railways to maximise revenue.

There was another attempt to generate revenue which was withdrawn subsequently. The telescopic rate benefit was withdrawn for a brief period. If you want to travel for a long distance, reservation will be done only up to the place to which the particular train goes. If you have to board another train in your travel plan you have to buy a fresh ticket and a through ticket will not be given to you from your origin of travel. This will deny the passenger the benefit of telescopic rate which was enjoyed for many years. Likewise the increase in platform ticket price was also withdrawn immediately. Were these withdrawals due to public pressure or due to fear of negative image is not known.

Do you still think that the Railway has increased profit without affecting you common man!"

Stand up for child rights ........

..... and let no child face deprivation, discrimination or exploitation.

That is CRY - Child Rights and YOU

What CRY says -

"In India, millions of children do not go to school due to the lack of a secure livelihood for their families or simply, a lack of teachers, classrooms or toilets.

It is because of this reality that CRY - Child Rights and You exists today - to amplify the voice of children. We believe that children are citizens in their own right, entitled to the full spectrum of human rights.

At CRY, we do not believe in charity. Nor do we run schools, orphanages or dispensaries. Instead we partner grassroots-level NGOs working with children, their parents and communities. 28 years of working with and for children have taught us that resources have little to do with it. In over 2500 villages and slums across 18 States, we have witnessed transformational change happening. All it takes is communities becoming aware of their rights and coming together to ensure them. Not just by enrolling children in schools but by addressing the root causes that keep them hungry, illiterate, exploited and abused. Causes like gender, caste, livelihoods and displacement."

Visit CRY Website , know more about yourself and participate in a great humanitarian project.

CRY - Child Rights and YOU

Working to create betterlife for older people

HelpAge India is a registered, secular, apolitical, non-profit and a non-governmental national organization, registered under the Societies' Registration Act of 1860. Mr. R Venkataraman, former President of India is the patron of HelpAge India.

HelpAge India works for the cause and care of disadvantaged older persons to improve their quality of life.

Visit its website and be a part of this great humanitarian effort.

HelpAge India

Swami Ramdev, Yoga introduction - Part 1

Swami Ramdev, Quick introduction of pranayama yoga

President talks to spirits

If Pratibha Patil is elected as President of India then India will have a President against whom very allegations have been made and who talks to spirits. I don't understand why UPA under congress can not find any other person for this post.

The outgoing President is a missile technologist and the incoming is a person who talks to dead men. From a largest democracy India is suddenly going to become a country headed by a person talking to spirits.

Primary health care and empowerment of women

Primary health care and empowerment of women are very essential if we want to provide a betterlife to all the citizens. This is like building a strong base for a building to face all weathers in future. A healthy baby will become a healthy adult, a productive citizen who will contribute to the well-being of the people and society. To give birth and to gift such a citizen to the society, it is incumbant upon the society to ensure that the women is empowered.

Following is the link to a very well written article on this subject.

Primary health care and empowerment of women

Religion is a personal matter

Religion is a personal matter. All religions lead to God. Hinduism is my religion. It teaches me to respect all religions. Today there is lot of conflict in the society in the name of religion. This conflict should be removed and religion should be used to improve life of the people.

I invite introductory articles on various religions. Please send the articles to me at my e-mail address - suresh.betterlife@gmail.com. The articles, after review, will be posted on the blog. Review will be done only to ensure that articles do not include any offensive remarks about any religion. Articles should include, how life of people can be improved by practicing the religion as it has been taught by the religion.

Let us do our bit to give a betterlife to all.