LONDON WOMAN ARRESTED FOR RACIST RANT ON TRAIN

LONDON WOMAN CHARGED WITH A
RACIALLY AGGRAVATED PUBLIC OFFENCE

www.dailymail.co.uk - A woman has been charged with a racially aggravated public order offence, after an incident of a woman hurling racist abuse at train passengers was filmed and posted on YouTube. 
British Transport Police (BTP) launched an investigation after being made aware of a YouTube video which shows a woman taunting a group of black passengers. 
Jacqueline Williams, 47, of Slade Green, Kent, was arrested by police last night and is due to appear at Bexley Magistrates' Court this week. 
A woman, who appears to be in her 40s, is recorded saying: “Go home, go home where you belong” ... “You might have been born here, but I bet your grandparents and your great great grandparents weren’t.” ... “Yeah, go home. If yous belonged here you’d be pink-skinned, blonde-haired, blue eyes, green eyes.” ... “Go home the lot of you. You make me sick. It’s why the country’s like it f****** is.” 

And as she steps off the train at her destination, she continues her disgusting racist attack, saying: “F****** monkeys, the lot of you. Go home.” NHS worker Oliver Miller, 24, said his sister Leah, 21, was one of the victims of the rant. He said a woman got off the train at the same stop as Leah - who filmed the YouTube clip on her mobile phone - and continued to abuse her by saying she “walked like a m*****”. 
Oliver, who lives in Lewisham, south-east London with Leah, said: “My sister was working at the time - looking after a lady with learning difficulties - so was in a pretty vulnerable position. She was fuming when she phoned me up afterwards. 'You won't believe what just happened to me!' she said. She sent me the video she had filmed. She said she was on the train when an argument broke out between this woman and some other passengers, who were black.” 
“My sister was pretty upset and angry at what happened,” Oliver adds, “London is our home. Our father is Jamaican, but he's lived here since he was 14, and we were both born here.” 

London authorities have arrested a woman after video of her racially insulting Black passengers on a train was uploaded to YouTube. Jacqueline Williams, a Slade Green Kent native, has been charged with a racially-aggravated public offense order. Oliver Miller, whose sister was insulted by the woman, said “My sister got off the train at Abbey Wood - the same stop as the woman - and she said the woman continued abusing her on the platform. She said the woman kept saying: 'Look, you even walk like a monkey'. What right does this woman have to abuse my sister like that?” The 40-second film clip was posted on YouTube on October 30 and has been viewed by more than 1,100 people. If we think we are superior to others because of differences in our skin color, eyes or hair, we are showing an immeasurable ignorance in spiritual matters and reveals that our ego is drowning in the ocean of vanity and pride.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US? 

Racism is a complex of superiority and sometimes of inferiority. It is one of the great illusions of this world, because we are not this material body, ie we are not Chinese, or Germans, or even we are not men nor women, we are all subject to the same laws of the universe. ... The idea of superiority is a tremendous selfishness which souls suffer in the material world. However, the feeling of superiority over others is a reality that occurs in the same group of people, in the same race and even in the same family. To think you are superior is poison from the ego that is born of envy to God, by thinking: “I am the master”, “I am the teacher”, “I am the best.” This is the contamination of many people who often see others as objects to be exploited. The mentality of exploiting others goes against the mentality of being truly human beings. ... The language of the heart, is the most important language in the world, and besides, we just want to have relationships that are really heart to heart, and for this we must abandon pride.

Śrīla Bhakti Aloka Paramadvaiti Mahārāja :
“Vedic Wisdom: The Language of the Heart”
“The Brotherhood of the Races”
http://bhaktipedia.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php
http://bhaktipedia.org/espanol/index.php?n=sabidurias_vedicas.el_lenguaje_del_corazon

Published by dasavatara das - "Vedic Views on World News"
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YOUNG MAN KILLED HIMSELF DUE TO BULLYING

SUICIDE NOTE OF BULLIED MAN 20
PUBLISHED BY PARENTS AFTER HIS DEATH

www.dailymail.co.uk - The parents of a trainee teacher who killed himself because he had been bullied for years over his sexuality have published their son's suicide note in a local newspaper. Tim Ribberink, who was training to become a history teacher, killed himself last Thursday following years of bullying. But the decision by his parents Gerrit and Hetty Ribberink to publish their son's suicide note  has divided opinion in the Netherlands. 
In the newspaper, the suicide note is published along with Tim's death notice and a large smiling picture of him. It reads: “Dear Mum and Dad, All my life I have been ridiculed, abused, bullied and excluded. You guys are fantastic. I hope you’re not angry. Until we meet again, Tim.” His devastated parents, from Tilligte, east of Amsterdam, said they were not aware that there son was struggling to cope until he killed himself last Thursday. 

According to Irish Times.com, his parents have now asked police to investigate his death and in particular, to look at two fake messages which were posted in his name online. One of the messages dates back to 2010 with the second appearing last summer. It read: “I am a loser and a homo”. The parents are now hoping the police will be able to identify the bullies by investigating the fake messages. The decision by Tim's parents to publish the suicide note led to a massive reaction on Twitter. Despite some negative comments, the majority of posts supported the parents' decision to publish the note. Many called for tougher laws to deal with bulling. 
Within hours of the story about Tim's death emerging, his photograph was shared more than 5,000 times. The Twitter hashtag #timribberink has also been trending in the Netherlands. Last night, an emotional funeral took place at the Catholic church in Tilligte. Hundreds of friends and family attended, with many still shocked and angry about his death.

Bob van der Meer, a psychologist who specializes in the issues surrounding bullying, explains that “The suicide of Tim Ribberink just the tip of the iceberg and there are many children running around with suicidal thoughts because they are being bullied”. Ten percent of Dutch children and adolescents would be mobbed. “Pesten call” the Dutchman said aptly: Words are the victims often contaminated and can not resist. “But you can do something,” says van der Meer. Since 2006, schools have to keep a log of bullying, a “pest” protocol. But that was not enough: “We are shaken by such a case, but then nothing happens,” he adds. “Bullying makes you insecure and lonely. You really suicidal.” Again, while you're reading this, another child or teenager is being abused by his or her classmates or by internet. Say NO to bullying!

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US? 

The alarming rise of bullying in the schools ... inspired me to address bullying with an educationally-based yoga program during the school-day curriculum to teach ahimsa - nonviolence to self and others. I set up a pilot study to determine if yoga would result in a decrease in bullying. And it did. ... There is a huge need for this type of education for kids. With the constant advancement in technology, kids and teens are continually bombarded with external stimuli. ... The CK system teaches children how to balance their lives and how to communicate effectively. Students do not ask for asanas (yoga postures); they do ask for relaxation, concentration or conflict resolution scenarios. It is the lifestyle of yoga that sparks their interest. Yoga is an enjoyable way to learn self-reflection, introspection, and relaxation, which most children greatly appreciate. It helps them to counterbalance their reaction to the busy world they live in.

Ms Dee Marie, MA :
“Bullying Can Be Stopped With Yoga”
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rob-schware/yoga-bullying_b_1867274.html
CK - Calming Kids - Creating a Non-Violent World
www.calmingkidsyoga.org  -  facebook.com/calmingkidsyoga

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SENTENCED TO PRISON FOR USING STOLEN IDENTITIES

MAN USES IDS FROM DEAD PEOPLE
TO COLLECT MILLIONS FROM IRS IN US

www.opposingviews.com - Andrew J. Watts, a Barbados national, was sentenced in Chicago to 114 months in prison and ordered to pay restitution of just under $1.7 million for devising and executing a stolen identity federal income tax refund fraud scheme, the Justice Department and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced today. 
According to court documents, between 2007 and 2011, Watts filed false federal income tax returns in the names of deceased taxpayers seeking fraudulent refunds. Watts either signed the name of the deceased taxpayer to the tax return, or would falsely list himself as the deceased taxpayer’s representative. As part of the scheme, Watts filed over 470 false federal income tax returns, claiming fraudulent refunds in excess of $120 million, and the IRS issued refunds in excess of $10 million.  
Watts directed the IRS to either mail the refund checks to an address he controlled or to electronically deposit the refund into a bank account under his control.

“While all taxpayers are victims when criminals file false tax returns using stolen identities, those who falsely use the names of deceased individuals add to the grief and burdens of their families,” said Kathryn Keneally, Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department's Tax Division. “We will prosecute and seek just punishment against those who seek to commit these crimes.” 
“IRS-Criminal Investigation has made investigating refund fraud and identity theft a top priority and we will vigorously pursue those who undermine the integrity of the U.S. tax system,” said Richard Weber, Chief, IRS-Criminal Investigation. 
“Individuals who commit refund fraud and identity theft of this magnitude deserve to be punished to the fullest extent of the law.” On July 10, 2012, Watts pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.

Andrew Watts, 35, a Barbados national who stole the identities of hundreds of dead people in a scheme to collect many millions of dollars in bogus tax refunds from the U.S. government was sentenced to 9-1/2 years in prison. The man, who was in the United States legally, used the stolen identities to file 645 false federal tax returns between 2007 and 2011 and to claim more than $120 million in tax refunds. He used more than $1.6 million in refunds to rent apartments in New York, Beverly Hills and Chicago, buy a Mercedes Benz SUV and jewelry, provide cash to his girlfriend, and jet back and forth from California to New York. Another cheater who takes advantage of the civilization to live “a life of leisure and pleasure” by deceiving other people.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US? 

Human life is for only a few days. Still, it contains many troubles. In this very short life one should sincerely worship Lord Hari. The “civilization” you talk about is only a way to cheat the soul. Therefore I say that this “civilization” is only another word for “cheating”. When men walk on the path of truth, they are simple and honest. When men’s actions are a collection of lies, their hearts are full of cunning, their deeds are sins, and their words are empty flattery. That is your “civilization”. True civilization is not like that. In true civilization men are honest and sincere. Nowadays people merely hide the wickedness in their hearts, and that hiding they call “civilization”. The true meaning of “civilization” is “honesty and goodness”. What you call “civilization” is only cheating and wickedness.  Civilization that is sinless is found only among the Vaishnavas.

Śrīla Saccidananda Bhaktivinoda Thākura :
Jaiva-dharma (The Universal Religion)
Chapter Nine - Eternal Religion and Modern Science-Civilization
http://www.bvml.org/SBTP/JD/index.html
http://www.exoticindia.es/book/details/jaiva-dharma-universal-religion-IDJ890/

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MORE RACISM CLAIMS OVER PUPIL’S RED STRING

CHILDREN SUFFER RACIAL DISCRIMINATION
VERBAL ABUSE DUE TO WEARING RED STRINGS

Johannesburg (iol news) - Parents of several pupils at Parkdene Primary School in Boksburg assert their children have suffered racial discrimination and verbal abuse because they wore red strings around their wrists, as part of their Hindu religion. For years parents had been afraid to speak out, from fears of retaliation against their children. 
One third-grade boy's parents overcame that fear and objected to the principal, claiming his music teacher had shouted racial and derogatory slurs at him because he was wearing a red string around his wrist which is used by Hindus before the beginning of religious ceremonies and is part of their culture. They claim their son was ordered to take off the string and called a “coolie” several times in front of his classmates by his teacher - a racism hell that this student has endured since Grade 1, when that teacher first noticed the string and ordered him to remove it. But despite several such complaints, nothing had been done. The parents were told their son should wear a jersey to hide the red string. 

Desperate to get help for their son, who has been refusing to go to school, the couple took the matter to Gauteng Education MEC Barbara Creecy. The department is now investigating the matter. Other parents have since come forward, saying the problem has persisted for over two years, and other children are being threatened and verbally abused by the same teacher - the only teacher in the school that has a problem with the red string. The principal apologized to the parents, saying the matter had been sorted out and the pupil could wear his red string; he would not have to cover it with a jersey. 
But this response, coming only after intervention by authorities, does not satisfy the angry parents, who say he is not fit to be a principal, nobody using abusive language and name-calling should be allowed to teach, and no child should be made to hide his cultural or traditional beliefs.

Authorities from South African Department of Education are investigating alleged racial and religious discrimination at a Primary School in Boksburg, near Johannesburg. This follows complaints against a teacher who has been accused of harassing a Grade 3 pupil for wearing the sacred Hindu red string (Mauli or Kavlava) around his wrist. Only after the authorities' intervention the principal apologised for the discrimination the child has had to endure. One of parent wrote in an e-mail, “I know full well that this issue has been ongoing for over two years and many parents at this school did not come forward because they are scared of their children being victimised. Why must a child be made to hide his cultural or traditional beliefs? This teacher has no traditional values.” Social Sectarianism should have no place in modern societies.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US? 

It is fashionable in modern secular societies to regard sacred literature as the mythological musings of undeveloped people. Schools teach that with our current understanding of physics, medicine, psychology, democracy, and so on, we have little use for such writings except as literary art. Those who take scripture literally are pegged with pejorative terms such as “fundamentalists.” ... Certainly it is true that many stories in sacred writings seem fantastic to our scientific world. But many current technological wonders seemed fictional and implausible only a few decades ago. It is not, therefore, implausible that former societies could have had abilities and expertise unavailable today. ... Also, if a “religious” system claims that other genuine methods and scriptures are sinful, it should be abandoned as small-minded sectarianism.

Śrīmati Urmila devi dasi :
“Esteem for Sacred Writings”
http://urmila.me.uk/
http://www.krishna.com/esteem-sacred-writings

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POLISH WOMAN HELD FOR KILLING 5 NEWBORNS

POLISH WOMAN IN CUSTODY
FOR ALLEGEDLY KILLING BABIES

www.dailymail.co.uk - A Polish woman has been arrested on suspicion of killing at least five of her newborn babies, and hiding the bodies on her farm. The 41-year-old woman, identified only as Beata Z, gave birth to eight babies between 1998 and 2012, but only two, aged seven and ten, remain alive, said Maria Kudyba, a prosecutor in Lomza in northeastern Poland. Four bodies have been recovered from in the attic, cellar and the stable of the farm in where Beata Z, a widow, lived with her new partner and the two living children. 
Investigators are searching the farm in Hipolitowo village, outside Lomza, for a fifth body and are trying to determine the fate of the sixth baby. Social workers alerted police this summer when they saw no baby born after Beata Z appeared to have been pregnant. The woman will be held for at least three months while an investigation is carried out. 

During the investigation, autopsies will be held to confirm that Beata Z is the mother of the four dead babies. Ms Kudyba said: “We know that between 1998 and 2012, the woman gave birth to six children, four boys and two girls. They were born alive. We have established that five of them are dead. An investigation is under way to find out what happened to the sixth.” The woman has been questioned regarding the events, but prosecutors would only confirm that she will undergo psychiatric examination. 
Investigators refused to speculate about possible motives in the case, which has been widely covered by the Polish media. The alleged crimes have shocked the predominantly Catholic nation, where terminations of pregnancies are strictly controlled. Polish anti-abortion law only allows a termination if it threatens the life of the mother, the foetus is irreparably damaged, or the pregnancy resulted from a crime.

A Polish woman, Beata Z, has been arrested on suspicion of killing at least five of her newborn babies. A prosecutor said Beata gave birth to eight babies between 1998 and 2012, but only two remain alive. Four bodies of babies have been found on the woman's farm in Hipolitowo village. Investigators are searching for a fifth body and trying to determine the fate of the sixth baby. Poland, which is predominantly Catholic, has a strict anti-abortion law. Killing the fetus in the womb of the mother or later, when the baby is just born, are terrible crimes that can be analyzed from the karmic point of view. Both the soul in the fetus / baby and the soul in the mother who aborts / kills are implicated in reaping a karmic reaction (fruit) and in initiating a karmic reaction (seed) respectively.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US? 

Friend of my soul, aborting a child is like loosing our own fortune in life; it is an invitation to misery. After abortion, a person will not be able to look at a child without remembering the creature that was denied the right to live. ... It is probable that the child that is being aborted was once involved in abortion, and that the mother who is aborting will in her next birth be aborted - “an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth”. Nature’s law of action / reaction confirms that crimes like abortion the reaction is very strong; only God can forgive it. This means we must change our life and become messengers of love, offering protection towards children and animals. First, men cruelly kill animals. Later, they start to kill children in the mother’s womb; and finally they destroy themselves on the battlefields as well. That was the view of the philosopher and poet, Tolstoy; and that's the way nature works. ... In this world we need to be an instrument of God’s love, so repeat this daily prayer to stay in contact with God’s Love: “Oh my Lord, please let me be an instrument of Your Love”.

Śrīla Bhakti Aloka Paramadvaiti Mahārāja :
“All about Abortion”
http://vwonline.blogspot.com.ar/2006/03/vedic-wisdom-online.html
http://vwonline.blogspot.com.ar/2006/03/about-abortion.html

Published by dasavatara das - "Vedic Views on World News"
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WORLDWIDE INTEREST IN SANSKRIT

GLOBAL INTEREST IN ANCIENT SCRIPTURES
REVIVE “FORGOTTEN LANGUAGE” SANSKRIT

www.dailymail.co.uk -Cao Yan, a 36-year-old teacher from China, came to India last year on a mission to decode ancient Buddhist literature. Cao Yan picked up Sanskrit in the year-long training he received under retired professor Pushpa Dikhshit, an eminent Sanskrit scholar based in Chhattisgarh. Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan has 33,668 students enrolled in its centre for a non-formal certificate program. 
Cao is not the only one interested in learning the “forgotten language.” Professionals are learning Sanskrit to read ancient texts and use the knowledge in their current profession. “I teach Buddhist philosophy (in China). A lot of Buddhist scriptures were originally written in Sanskrit. So it was necessary for me to learn Sanskrit to be able to research and teach other students in this field,” Cao, who teaches at Wuhan University in China, said.

Nearer home, Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan is witnessing a turnaround in its fortunes. Established in 1972 by the ministry of human resource development, it's a deemed university with 11 campuses across the country. Nearly 750 students enrolled in its distance mode this year, which is up from about 300 students in its debut year in 2010 “We have engineers, teachers, businessmen and even farmers learning Sanskrit these days. They have perhaps realized that matter related to their work and life is available in Sanskrit books,” said Ratnamohan Jha, national coordinator of non-formal Sanskrit education. 
Increased awareness about Vaastu Shastra, Yoga and Ayurveda has also added to the relevance of Sanskrit. Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan's Delhi campus has 36 students in the current batch of its entry-level course, Shastri Bridge. Of them, seven are engineers, three are teachers and two are doctors. However, employment opportunities for Sanskrit learners are dismal.

Many professional people started to learn Sanskrit and many academics from foreign universities (such as Columbia University in the US, Margug University in Germany and Sorbonne University in France) appreciate Sanskrit and its heritage value. “People from other professions have started to value the source of all scientific and practical knowledge. And this has globalized Sanskrit in the process,” says Dr Pankaj K. Mishra, associate professor, department of Sanskrit, St Stephen's College. “Texts available in Sanskrit are so vast that one can find information about many topics and issues that we deal with today,” says Radha Vallabh Tripathi, Vice-chancellor, Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US? 

Sanskrit is the language of the Divine abodes. The Divine abodes are inhabited with unlimited Saints who are always drowned in the felicity of the Bliss of their beloved God. The language of these abodes is Sanskrit. So all the prime scriptures (Vedas and Puranas etc.) are in Sanskrit language, and this is also the language of the celestial abodes. The Sanskrit grammar is produced on the earth planet by the eternal Sages along with the Vedas and Puranas. Being the Divine language it is perfect by its own nature. ... The perfection of the pronunciation (of the consonants and the vowels) and the uniqueness of the grammar that stays the same in all the ages (from the very beginning of human civilization and up till today) are such features which themselves prove that Sanskrit is not manmade; it is a Divine gift to the people of this world.

Swami Prakashanand Saraswati (Shree Swamiji) :
“The True History and Religion of India”
“Synopsis” - “The Eternity of the Sanskrit Language and its Grammar”
http://encyclopediaofauthentichinduism.org/articles/11_the_divineness_of.htm
http://www.thevedicfoundation.org/the_true_history_and_the_religion_of_india/index.html

Published by dasavatara das - "Vedic Views on World News"
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ALIEN LIFE REQUIRES ASTEROID BELT LIKE OURS

ASTEROID BELTS COULD BE KEY
TO FINDING INTELLIGENT LIFE

www.huffingtonpost.com - Asteroid belts similar to the one between Mars and Jupiter appear to be rare beyond our solar system, implying that complex alien life may be rare as well, a new study reports. Fewer than 4 % of known alien solar systems are likely to have an asteroid belt like the one in our own neck of the woods, researchers found. Belts that look like ours may help spur the evolution of life, seeding rocky planets with water and complex chemicals but not pummeling the worlds with a constant barrage of violent impacts. 
“Our study shows that only a tiny fraction of planetary systems observed to date seem to have giant planets in the right location to produce an asteroid belt of the appropriate size, offering the potential for life on a nearby rocky planet,” study lead author Rebecca Martin, of the University of Colorado in Boulder, said. Most people regard asteroids as a threat to life. But asteroid impacts may have helped life get a foothold on our planet as well, scientists say. “Asteroids are thought to be a primary mechanism for distributing water and heavy metals across the Earth's surface, and possibly even the building blocks of life itself,” said Martin. 

For example, space rocks and comets likely delivered huge loads of water and organic compounds to the early Earth. And the theory of punctuated equilibrium suggests that occasional impacts could have helped accelerate the rate of biological evolution by disrupting the status quo and opening up new niches. Our solar system's asteroid belt formed where it did because Jupiter's powerful gravitational pull prevented the material in the region from glomming together to create a planet. And the belt looks as it does today because Jupiter moved just the right amount long ago. 
“To have such ideal conditions you need a giant planet like Jupiter that is just outside the asteroid belt [and] that migrated a little bit, but not through the belt,” said study co-author Mario Livio from Baltimore. “If a large planet like Jupiter migrates through the belt, it would scatter the material,” Livio added. “If, on the other hand, a large planet did not migrate at all, that, too, is not good because the asteroid belt would be too massive. There would be so much bombardment from asteroids that life may never evolve.”

A new study suggests that having the right kind of asteroid belt in a solar system could be essential to allow intelligent life in the universe – including here on Earth. "In our own history, if an impact hadn't killed off the dinosaurs, then mammals might not have evolved into intelligent life," said Rebecca Martin, from the University of Colorado. When you realize that the exactly right position of a big planet like Jupiter and the perfect asteroid belt (not too thick and not too thin) allowed evolution of complex lifeforms, there is no doubt that there is a much higher intelligence behind each of these details, an amazing perfect planning that allows all planetary systems may exist harmoniously.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US? 

The chief engineer of a complicated construction does not personally take part in the construction, but he knows every nook and corner because everything is done under his direction. He knows everything about the construction, both directly and indirectly. Similarly, the Personality of Godhead, who is the supreme engineer of this cosmic creation, knows every nook and corner, although affairs are being carried out by demigods. Beginning from Brahmā down to the insignificant ant, no one is independent in the material creation. The hand of the Lord is seen everywhere. All material elements as well as all spiritual sparks emanate from Him only. And whatever is created in this material world is but the interaction of two energies, the material and the spiritual, which emanate from the Absolute Truth, the Personality of Godhead, Śrī Krishna.

Śrīla A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda :
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (Bhāgavata Purāna)
SB 1.1.1 - Canto 1: “Creation”
Chapter 1: “Questions by the Sages”
Verse 1  -  http://vedabase.com

Published by dasavatara das - "Vedic Views on World News"
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US CADETS OBSERVE HINDU RELIGIOUS HOLIDAY

US AIR FORCE ACADEMY CELEBRATE
HINDU SERVICE IN THE CADET CHAPEL

USA - Air Force Academy Public Affairs - A group of 10 cadets and 20 other guests attended a Hindu service in the Cadet Chapel's multipurpose room Sept. 21 to honor one of the major Gods of the Hindu pantheon, marking the first Hindu service in the Cadet Chapel in recent memory. 
The Academy chaplain's office provided support for the event, which was led by Hindu priests with the Sri Venkateswara Temple of Colorado. Cadet 3rd Class Anish Bachu of Cadet Squadron 09 called the event historic and thanked the chaplains, particularly Chaplain (Col.) Robert Bruno and Chaplain (Lt. Col.) James Brantingham, for their support. “My mother approached Brantingham a few weeks ago regarding having a service for the Hindu cadets, and he immediately agreed,” Bachu said. “The chaplains were very excited for the Hindu cadets, and my chain of command was very open and encouraging as well.” 

The Ganesha Chaturthi service was held to observe the birthday of the Hindu God Ganesha, the remover of obstacles, according to Hindu theology. “Hindus typically pray to Ganesha before starting projects,” Bachu explains, “so the chance to observe His birthday early in the academic year was special.” 
Bachu's mother, Mythili Bachu, is the chairperson of the Council of Hindu Temples of North America and president of the United Hindu Jain Temples of Washington, D.C.  She worked with the Academy's chaplains to set up the observance. “I felt very satisfied with the whole program and very much grateful to the leadership for providing an opportunity for Hindu cadets to pray to our gods,” she said. “I am happy to see that we can have an annual service for all the Hindu cadets at the Academy. This is a great start for Hindus in the United States.”

Cadets from the US Air Force Academy and very special guests celebrate the birthday of Ganesha, one of the major gods of the Hindu pantheon, during a Sri Ganesh Chaturthi which took place last september in the Air Force Academy Cadet Chapel. “While the service was short, it was a good beginning for us Hindus, something we can relate to,” said Cadet 3rd Class Anish Bachu of Cadet Squadron 09. “We hope to see this as an annual event.” Hinduism is one of the world's largest religions, with between 900 million and 1 billion followers. It is also one of the world's oldest religions, with evidence of its existence going back more than 4,500 years. During Ganesh Chaturthi festival, large idols of Lord Ganesh are worshipped in thousands of places.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US? 

This celebrates the birth of Lord Ganesh, also called Vinayaka, his child form, as he is popularly known in southern India. He is the god of wisdom, prosperity and good luck. He also removes obstacles. Ganesh Chaturthi is celebrated on the fourth day of the lunar month that falls in August-September. ... Ganesh Chaturthi is very popular in the Indian state of Maharasthra. It is the most important of all Mumbai and Pune festivals and is celebrated with great aplomb amongst Marathi community worldwide. On the occasion of the Ganpati festival, a large number of deities are made of all possible sizes and people buy them to keep in their houses as a divine guest for one and a half, five, seven or ten days or twenty one days in exceptional cases after which the image is taken out ceremoniously and disposed of into the river, sea, or well for immersion (Visarjan). ... There is always a long queue for the darshan of this Ganapati and people don’t mind waiting for hours just for glimpse of their favorite God.

Stephen Knapp (Śrīpad Nandanandana dasa) :
“Hindu Festivals”
http://www.stephen-knapp.com/hindu_festivals.htm
http://www.stephen-knapp.com  -  http://www.stephenknapp.info/

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NEW WARNINGS ABOUT PREGNANCY & ANTIDEPRESSANTS

STUDY OF ANTIDEPRESSANTS IN PREGNANT
WOMEN FINDS MORE RISKS THAN BENEFITS

www.cbsnews.com - Commonly-prescribed SSRI antidepressants should be given to pregnant women with “great caution” because the drugs could raise risk for miscarriage, premature birth and health problems in both mom and a newborn baby, a new study concludes. For the study, published in the Oct. 31 issue of Human Reproduction, researchers from several Boston-area hospitals reviewed previously published studies that examined women with depression who took antidepressants while pregnant. 
Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs, are a popular type of antidepressants that block the reuptake of a brain chemical serotonin, which affects mood and emotional response. Such drugs include Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil and Lexapro. It was found that many studies showed SSRIs were no more effective, or slightly more effective, than placebo pills for treating depression in pregnant women.

Other evidence suggested SSRIs may make it more difficult to get pregnant for women taking fertility treatments. They review also found evidence of health risks for pregnant women taking antidepressants including an increase in miscarriage and two potentially dangerous conditions, pregnancy-induced hypertension and preeclampsia, especially if use extends beyond the first trimester. Premature birth was the “most pressing” obstetrical complication in more than 30 studies researchers reviewed. Urato said, “This is a significant finding because we know that babies born before 37 weeks are at risk for many short and long-term health problems.”
The researchers concluded that SSRI antidepressants should only be prescribed with great caution and with full counseling for women experiencing depression and trying to get pregnant.

According to the researchers, antidepressant use has increased 400 percent over the past 20 years, making the drugs the most commonly prescribed medication in the U.S. for people between 18 and 44 years of age - the childbearing age range for most women. However, women with severe depression (such as women with bipolar disorder, those who experience psychotic episodes, and those who are suicidal or have a history of suicide attempts) should not attempt to go off their antidepressants during pregnancy but try to seek help in beneficial practices such as Hatha Yoga and Pranayama.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US? 

Pranayama is extremely beneficial for children, young, middle aged and old people.  Everybody can practice pranayama irrespective of the age and problems. ... Regular practice of pranayama helps in the physical, mental and spiritual development. ... Yogasanas and pranayama are also suitable for women looking at their anatomy. They become beautiful, delicate, and healthy with a good figure. Their vitality also increases many times. The pregnant ladies get good benefits from pranayama. The ladies who practice asana-pranayama after conceiving, their womb develops in a healthy manner and gives proper nutrition to the child. The physical and mental pain caused during pregnancy is relieved easily. The child also remains healthy. The reproductive organs become healthy and capable to an extent that caesarian method is not required for delivering the child but a healthy child is born through normal delivery.

Remedy Spot.com - “Yoga and Pranayama”
“Importance of Pranayama”
Health, Ayurveda, Yoga and Natural Healing
Posted by Lakshmikant Dikshit - Published on 10-29-2011
http://www.remedyspot.com/articles/254-importance-pranayama.html

Published by dasavatara das - "Vedic Views on World News"
http://www.vedicviews-worldnews.blogspot.com.ar/

NYC HALLOWEEN PARADE 2012 CANCELLED

NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY POSTPONE
HALLOWEEN PARADE DUE TO SANDY

www.dailymail.co.uk - Ask any New Yorker or New Jerseyites what day today is and they might say Halloween - and they'd be dead wrong. Both the Big Apple and The Garden State have postponed their ghoulish festivities by decree of New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, who both declared the parades and trick-or-treating be moved to a later date when emergency responders have had a chance to secure their respective locales. Meanwhile, New York City initially cancelled their annual event, but today the Mayor announced it would be moved to next week. 
Halloween looked likely to be an uncharacteristically somber affair as up and down the East Coast people come to terms with Sandy's aftermath. Across New York and Westchester, around 811,000 people were without power - with that number reaching a staggering eight million along the Eastern Seaboard. The outages in Manhattan have been attributed to a huge explosion at an electrical substation, which blew up when it was apparently overwhelmed by floodwater. 

Traveling around the city remains difficult as it would still be four to five days before limited operation could begin on the New York subway, according to Bloomberg, with some reports estimating it might take as long as 21 days for service to become fully functioning. Halloween at the White House was all out cancelled due to Sandy. After three straight years of passing out goodies to area students and military children in the White House driveway, President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, broke their Halloween tradition this year because of superstorm Sandy that walloped the East Coast. 
Hundreds of treat bags containing White House M&Ms, an orange-frosted, pumpkin-shaped sugar cookie, jelly beans and some dried fruit were be delivered to the White House Military Office and to school districts in Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia that would have participated in the celebration. Pumpkins used to decorate the White House will be donated to area shelters.

It’s Halloween, that wonderful day when people get to consume large amounts of candy and go to parties dressed up in costumes; however this year it is not so happy. The traditional Halloween parade of ghouls, ghosts and monsters in Greenwich Village in New York City, which attracts thousands of visitors and NYC residents every year, has been cancelled for the first time in 39 years after widespread flooding brought on by Hurricane Sandy. When mundane Holidays involve simply sense enjoyment - which for a child can mean games, presents, fireworks, and special food - we are indirectly teaching our children that we are living for material pleasure.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US? 

If we wish to raise our children to be absorbed only in thoughts of Lord Krishna, how should we treat these secular holidays? One approach is, as far as possible, to ignore them. ... But sometimes even when a child’s parents are fully convinced that observing devotional holidays is sufficient, avoiding materialistic celebrations is difficult. ... A second approach, therefore, is to find a way of relating nondevotional celebrations to Krishna. ... For example, one year on Halloween some of my high school girls dressed up as male devotees and went door to door selling Srila Prabhupada’s books. ... On Halloween night in the United States, children dress in costumes and go from house to house collecting candy and other treats. If we decide to have our children celebrate mundane occasions in the same way as the materialists, we greatly risk raising children whose idea of happiness is materialistic.

Śrīmati Urmila devi dasi :
“Observing Secular Holidays”
http://urmila.me.uk/
http://www.krishna.com/observing-secular-holidays

Published by dasavatara das - "Vedic Views on World News"
http://www.vedicviews-worldnews.blogspot.com.ar/