FUKUSHIMA CATTLE UNDER SHIPMENT BAN

JAPAN BANS FUKUSHIMA  
BEEF SHIPMENTS OVER RADIATION

Tokyo (AFP) - Japan on Tuesday suspended cattle shipments from Fukushima prefecture on fears of radiation-tainted beef in the country’s meat distribution chain, four months after a nuclear accident in the region.  Around 650 beef cattle, including more than 500 from Fukushima alone, are thought to have been contaminated with radioactive caesium from hay they were fed before being sent to meat processing facilities across Japan since late March.  Beef from the cattle was shipped to most of Japan’s 47 prefectures and some of the meat is thought to have already been consumed.  Prime Minister Naoto Kan on Tuesday apologized before parliament for the issue. Hay stored outside is thought to have been contaminated by radioactive materials spewed by the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant in the weeks after it was hit by reactor meltdowns following the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.

In the latest food scare associated with the disaster, cows from farms outside the 20-kilometre (12-mile) Fukushima nuclear no-go zone were found to have eaten contaminated hay, raising fears that fallout reached a wider area than thought.  On Monday, Fukushima officials said they detected up to 157,000 becquerels of radioactive caesium per kilogram in straw used at some farms - about 520 times the government-designated limit.  The government has sought to reassure the public that there is no immediate health threat from eating standard quantities of the beef.  Japan has not set up a centralized system to check vegetables and meat for radiation, relying instead on testing carried out by local authorities.  Agriculture minister Michihiko Kano said Tuesday that his ministry would carry out checks across the country on rice straw for beef cattle.

Japan on Tuesday suspended cattle shipments from Fukushima prefecture on fears of radiation-tainted beef in the country's meat distribution chain.  The fears have spread as more cows from farms in the Fukushima region were found to have been trucked across the country after eating contaminated straw.  Revelations that contaminated food has reached markets have again raised food safety fears after radioactive materials were found in many goods including green vegetables, tea, milk and fish.  Despite such hardships they are still generating animal slaughter. When do they stop this chain of suffering?  

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US?

“Only man has a soul ... animals are simply ‘chemical reactions’”.  Accepting this twisted doctrine, truly unspeakable horrors are committed to millions of other living entities daily.  For the sake of the satisfaction of the tongue, animals are routinely slaughtered.  For the sake of vanity, for the sake of smelling pretty, animals are tortured in laboratories to test the lethal dosages of colognes and perfumes.  For the sake of fashion, animals are killed just for their fur or skin.  In the Buddhist scripture, the Dhammapada (129-130), the Buddha says, “All beings fear death and pain, life is dear to all; therefore the wise man will not kill or cause anything to be killed.”  And in the Hindu scriptures, the Padma Purana proclaims, “Ahimsa paramo dharma”: Non-violence to other living entities (ahimsa) is the highest (paramo) duty (dharma).

Śripad Yajnavalkya Dasa :
“Defending Dharma”  -  Chapter One:  “The Basis”
http://www.stephen-knapp.com/defending_dharma.htm

ECUADOR BANS ALCOHOL AFTER DEATHS

EQUADOR BANS ALCOHOL AFTER
21 DIE FROM BOOTLEG LIQUOR

Quito, Equador - Ecuador was observing a nationwide ban on alcohol Monday as police investigated the deaths of 21 people from toxic liquor, Hispanically Speaking News reported.  The emergency 72-hour measure was confirmed by the government Sunday, prohibiting the sale and consumption of alcohol, as police seized 208 liters (55 gallons) of apparently contaminated drinks.  More than 100 people were hospitalized at the weekend after drinking a homemade batch that was suspected to have been contaminated with methanol.  All of the deceased hailed from the eastern province of Los Rios, but problems with bootleg alcohol were reported across the South American nation.  Public health minister David Chiriboga said police officers had seized 28 containers, each with 55 gallons of alcohol contaminated with methanol. 

Methyl alcohol is a toxic substance sometimes used to illegally produce cheap liquor.  He said a law prohibiting the sale or consumption of alcohol had been in effect since Saturday in the area.  This was extended nationwide on Sunday so police and soldiers could step up their search to confiscate bootleg alcohol.  He also urged people to seek help if they started feeling nausea or were vomiting.  Other symptoms, he said, could include abdominal pain, blurred vision or difficulty in breathing.  The Committee for National Emergency Operations announced on Sunday that the ban was being extended to the rest of the country and imposed a state of exception. There have been reports of bootleg liquor being found in other provinces.  Police have so far made one arrest, Spanish news agency EFE reported.

The government of Ecuador has imposed a nationwide 72-hour ban on the sale and consumption of alcohol after receiving reports that 21 people had died from poisoning after consuming adulterated alcohol.  The drastic measure was imposed after more than 100 other people from the coastal town of Urdaneta, in the Los Rios province, were also hospitalized. The reason for the ban is to prevent more deaths and new cases of poisoning, said the authorities.  The desire of the living entity to come into the material world in order to enjoy intoxication, drink alcohol or other forbidden things is something easy to detect.  

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US?

Just today we have seen in the newspapers of Bombay that the government is going to repeal its prohibition laws. ... But unfortunately the citizens are so clever that they have increased illicit distillation of liquor, and although not being sold publicly in shops, liquor is being sold in public lavatories and similar abnormal places. Unable to check such illicit smuggling, the government has decided to manufacture the liquor at cheaper prices so that people can have their supply of intoxication directly from the government instead of purchasing it in public lavatories.  The government failed to change the hearts of the citizens from indulging in sinful life, so instead of losing the taxes they collect to inflate the treasury, they have decided to manufacture liquor to supply to the citizens who hanker after it.

Śrīla A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda :
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam - Canto 4: “Creation of the Fourth Order”
Chapter 20: “Lord Vishnu's Appearance in the Sacrificial Arena of Mahārāja Prithu”
Verse 21 - Bhaktivedanta VedaBase

VATICAN EJECTS CHINESE BISHOP

VATICAN EXCOMMUNICATES
BISHOP ORDAINED BY CHINESE STATE

ROME (AP) - A top Vatican adviser urged the Holy See on Thursday to take a harder line against China’s illicit ordinations of bishops, saying Rome’s current policy of compromise isn’t working.  Hong Kong Cardinal Joseph Zen denounced the third such ordination in eight months, which occurred earlier Thursday. The Rev. Joseph Huang Bingzhang was consecrated as bishop of Shantou, according to Liu Bainian, honorary president of the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association, which runs China’s Catholic churches.  The ordination deepened a standoff in which the Vatican insists the pope has sole right to appoint bishops and Beijing’s Communist leaders see that position as foreign interference in their internal affairs.  Zen held a news conference in New York to condemn the illicit ordinations. He questioned whether top Chinese officials were really behind them, suggesting they were more likely the work of Patriotic Association officials.

The Vatican was furious over the ordinations of the Rev. Guo Jincai in Chengde city in November and the Rev. Paul Lei Shiyin in Sichuan province just two weeks ago.  It does not recognize them as bishops, and said the ordination was illegitimate.   On Wednesday, Zen took out a half-page advertisement in Hong Kong’s mass-market Apple Daily newspaper to issue an “urgent appeal” to Chinese President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao.  Zen urged the two Chinese leaders to restrain “rogue public servants” who are “using violence to assist scum inside the church to force bishops, priests, and followers to do things against their consciences.”

The Vatican excommunicated a Chinese bishop as relations between the Catholic Church and the government in Beijing plunged to their lowest level in recent memory.  Beijing severed ties with the Holy See in 1951 after the Communist Party took power and set up its own church outside the pope's authority.  Faithful are allowed to worship only with the state-sanctioned church, which recognizes the pope as a spiritual leader but rejects his authority to appoint priests and bishops.  All this situation generates fear of being excommunicated and be considered outcaste from your religion, or even be sent to hell.  

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US?

With or without a church or institution, Hinduism shows and establishes that everyone has a personal and independent relationship with God, which only needs to be reawakened.  This is an important point. There are other religions that teach that your only connection with God is through the church, or the institution, without which you are excommunicated or eternally damned. Unlike this, the Vedic system teaches that everyone is a spiritual being, and, thus, automatically a part of a loving God with an eternal relationship with Him. This relationship only has to be reawakened, which is the purpose of the many instructions given by God in the Vedic texts. It is also the purpose of the spiritual teachers who try to help everyone revive this eternal but dormant relationship.

Stephen Knapp (Śrīpad Nandanandana dasa) :
Why Be A Hindu: “The Advantages of the Vedic Path”
“Followers of Vedic Philosophy Do Not Target Others for Conversion.”
http://www.stephen-knapp.com/why_be_a_hindu_booklet.htm
http://www.stephen-knapp.com  -  http://www.stephenknapp.info/

YOGA CAN TACKLE MENTAL DISORDERS

OM! YOGA THERAPY
CAN TACKLE DISORDERS

Bangalore (The Times of India) - Yoga is no longer a traditional fitness workout. The National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro-Sciences (Nimhans) not only has a 45-minute yoga package to treat psychiatric disorders like depression and schizophrenia, but has started comparing its curative effects with general medicine.  Doctors at Nimhans say their studies reveal evidence of biological changes in the body brought about by yoga. They prescribe yoga therapy along with medication in major ailments, while using yoga therapy alone for less serious disorders.  Nimhans is currently doing rigorous clinical trials on the impact of yoga in treatment. Doctors are also measuring biological parameters in patients after yoga therapy.

This project has been taken up as the scientific community has still not accepted the role of yoga despite even mainstream doctors prescribing it with allopathic treatment.  “In all our investigations, there is a high degree of evidence that yoga in different forms does have a curative effect in diseases like depression, memory loss in elderly persons, schizophrenia and others. We worked out specific protocols for yoga for specific neurological problems. The degree of improvement is comparable to that of medicine,” said Dr BN Gangadhar, programme director, Advanced Centre for Yoga, Nimhans.  “We found that chanting of ‘Om’ reduces activity of sensors which have become hyperactive in patients suffering from depression,” Gangadhar added.

The National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) from Bangalore in India, has been conducting Yoga research in patients with depression.  It also studies the effect of Yoga as an add-on therapy in immunological parameters of patients with Depression and offers treatment of Yoga therapy for people suffering from Depressión and for those diagnosed with Schizophrenia.  Not only Yoga, but Mantra Meditation also brings many benefits, both spiritual and material, and one of them is to reduce stress and regain mental health.  

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US?  

Clinical Test of the Benefits of Mantra Chanting was performed on three groups of sixty-two subjects, males and females of average age 25. They chanted the Hare Krishna Maha Mantra twenty-five minutes each day under strict clinical supervision. Results showed that regular chanting of the Hare Krishna Maha Mantra reduces Stress and depression and helps reduce bad habits & addictions. These results formed a PhD Thesis at Florida State University. Spiritual practitioners claim many benefits from Mantra Meditation such as increased realization of spiritual wisdom, inner peace and a strong communion with God and the spiritual realm. These effects may be experienced by following the designated spiritual path.

Śrīpad Bhakti Bhāvana Vishnu Mahārāja :
“Vedic Sound and Mantras”
“Scientific Verification of Vedic Knowledge”
http://www.gosai.com/
http://www.archaeologyonline.net/artifacts/scientific-verif-vedas.html

VOLCANO ERUPTS IN CENTRAL INDONESIA

INDONESIANS FLEE VOLCANO
ERUPTION ON MOUNT LOKON 

Jakarta (Indonesia) - An Indonesian volcano spit lava and smoke thousands of feet into the air early Friday, sending panicked residents fleeing down its slopes. There were no immediate reports of causalities.  The first eruption at Mount Lokon occurred at 10:46 p.m., said Brian Rulrone, a disaster management agency official. It was followed by a second powerful blast just after midnight and a third at 1:10 a.m. (See pictures of deadly volcano eruption in Indonesia.)  Darwis Sitinjak, another disaster official, told El Shinta radio from the scene that soldiers and police were helping rescuers evacuate about 500 people who live along the mountain’s fertile slopes.  They join 2,000 others who fled Wednesday after being warned to stay far from the 5,741-foot (1,750-meter) volcano, which has been on high alert for nearly a week, with small eruptions daily.

Indonesia, a vast archipelago of 235 million people, is prone to earthquakes and volcanoes because it sits along the Pacific “Ring of Fire,” a horseshoe-shaped string of faults that lines the Pacific Ocean.  Mount Lokon, in north Sulawesi province, is one of the country’s 129 active volcanos.  Its last major eruption in 1991 killed a Swiss hiker and forced thousands of people to flee their homes.  The eruption saw ash, sand and rocks thrown 1,500m (4,800ft) into the air, government volcanologist Kristianto was quoted as saying by the AFP news agency.  A 3.5-km (two mile) evacuation zone was established last weekend, within which around 28,000 people live, of whom 4,400 have been moved so far.  “There is no mass panic because the community has already been warned of the situation and we are continuing to evacuate people,” Kristianto added.

Mount Lokon, on Sulawesi, started erupting yesterday, according to reports.  Thousands of people on an Indonesian island have been forced to flee a fierce volcanic eruption.  There were no immediate reports of casualties.  The last month has seen a significant rise in volcanic activity in the area, but the alert status was raised to the highest level just days ago.  This material world is place of suffering (Dukhalya) and everyone is suffering due to one reason or other.  Suffering is inevitable as long as one  is spiritually unconscious and identifies with the mind and body.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US?

Every human is in the grip of miseries, since they entered in the realm of time and mind and had lost the awareness of self. Hence they are confused that why are they in grip of miseries. One yearns to get rid of misery and immortalize the pleasure forever. And the greatest misery is death. This death hounds every living soul, but fewer are there who have immortalized the death but number is much larger of those for whom death is an inevitable misery. Death is a suffering. Suffering is inevitable as long as one identifies with the mind and body i.e. as long as one is spiritually unconscious. ... The cause is forgetfulness of our eternal relation with the Supreme Lord Sree Krishna and while remaining in such state indulging in various non-approved activities, lead to incremental suffering.

 
Śrī Bhakti Vichar Vishnu Mahārāja :
“Become Immortal” - Sree Chaitanya Gaudiya Math
http://www.sreecgmath.org/scgmtimes/scgmtimes.php
http://www.speakingtree.in/public/1q5l5exz1dvhyfzmmc4e5k5wc/blog/Become-Immortal

A HINDU TEMPLE TREASURE DILEMM

HINDU SCRIPTURES GUIVE GUIDANCE
ON BIG PADMANABHASWAMI TREASURE

India (By Sri Dr. S.P. Sabharathnam) - The huge treasure unearthed in the Anantapadma Nabha Swami Temple should be handled very, very carefully.  What the temple authorities should have done first is the systematic performance of Svarnakarshana Bhairva Yagna and Nidhipati (Kubera) Yagna to get the permission from the concerned Deities to lay their hands on the treasure. Such rules are found in the Agamas. They have not done these yagnas.  As per the directions given in the Agamas under the chapter on “Mulakosa Bhakta Vivarana” (Allocation of the Divine Treasure) the treasure belongs solely to the Temple. Neither the Ruler of the country nor any other [human] supreme authority has a right to claim it.  The Agamas indicate that such treasure may not even have been deposited by humans. They may have appeared upon the performance of certain yagnas that could had taken place centuries before.
 
(1.) Golds and diamonds should be preserved as “Mulakosa” and from the interest available from this Kosa , one part should be utilized for the timely renovations and maintenance of the temple. These gold and diamond items should not be sold.  (2.) One part should be for education in general and education of Vedic and Agamic studies in particular.  (3.) One part should be for maintaining health centers and hospitals.  (4.) One part for maintaining Gosala and Gajasala.  (5.) One part for maintaining Gardens and flower plants for the temple.  (6.) One part for conducting the monthly festivals and yearly grand festivals (mahotsavas) without violation or omission.  (7.) One part for large scale anna dana(providing food for all the devotees).  (8.) One part for maintaining irrigation system and temple tank.  (9.) One part for the maintenance of other temples which are in need of financial help.  (10.) One part for the performance of Vedic Yagnas.  In this way, the directions continue further.

Why would the government demand that the vaults of the private Padmanabhaswami temple be opened?  It includes hundreds of golden chairs, jars and jeweled crowns, thousands of precious gems, sacks full of gold coins, and an image of Vishnu studded with 1,000 diamonds.  What to make of the priceless treasures?  Hindu shrines receive no government subsidies for their maintenance, and the idea of India’s government confiscating their treasure is thankfully anathema (sacrilege) to most observers.  This issue and other topics are detailed in the Agamas which are authorized Vedic Scriptures. 

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US?  

Agamas are the Smriti scriptures that were written as operating instructions  for Hindu worship in the three main sects of Hindu faith. These scriptures are the manuals for the construction of temples and installation of the idols, and for conducting various rituals, worship ceremonies (pujas), and festivals.   There are three different sets of these scriptures:  Shaiva Agamas - worship of Lord Shiva; Vaishnava Agamas - worship of Lord Vishnu and Shakti Agamas - worship of many goddesses. ... For Hindus, the temple is pivotal to all spiritual and religious activity. It is said that the Hindu temple is built on the design of human body. ... The Agamas contain several references for temple construction. Even the site of the temple is chosen carefully, which must be auspicious, or shubha. The idols of deities are made with special instructions.

Dr. Hiro Badlani:
“Hinduism - Path of the Ancient Wisdom”
Chapters 5 and 57 - http://hinduismpath.com/
http://hinduismpath.com/book-contents/chapter-5/
http://hinduismpath.com/book-contents/chapter-57/

US WOMAN CHARGED WITH CUTTING OFF HUSBAND’S PENIS

WOMAN CUTS OFF HUSBAND’S
PENIS WITH 10-INCH KNIFE IN LA

Los Angeles (AFP) - A 48-year-old Californian woman was charged Wednesday with allegedly drugging her estranged husband’s dinner then tying him to a bed and cutting off his penis.  Catherine Kieu Becker was charged with torture, bodily injury with a knife and aggravated mayhem - a felony that involves depriving a victim of “a limb, organ, or member of his or her body.”  If convicted on all charges she faces life in jail, said the Orange County District Attorney’s office after the alleged attack Monday in Garden Grove, southeast of Los Angeles.  In an incident recalling the infamous 1993 case of John Wayne Bobbitt - who had his penis reattached after a similar event - she hacked off her husband’s manhood on Monday, police said.

She rang 911 after the attack, telling officers that her husband “deserved it,” according to police.  “Officers arrived and located a male victim tied to the bed and bleeding from his groin area,” said a spokesman Tuesday, adding that she “had used an unknown type poison and/or drug in the male’s food to make him sleepy.  She tied him to the bed and as he woke the female cut off his penis with a knife. The female tossed the penis in the garbage disposal and turned the disposal to the ‘On’ position.”  
The 51-year-old man, whose named was not released, underwent emergency surgery and was listed in serious condition, the police said.  The couple was married on December 29, 2009.  In May, the husband filed for divorce from Catherine Becker, citing “irreconcilable differences,” reported KTLA.  It's unclear what exactly motivated Becker to allegedly perform this vicious attack.

A California woman cut off her husband’s penis and then told the police he “deserved it.”  48-year-old Catherine Kieu Becker allegedly cooked her husband drugged food.  When her husband was sleepy, she tied him to the bed.  When he woke up, she took off his pants, cut off his penis, put it in the garbage disposal, and turned on the disposal.   When a living entity comes in contact with the material creation, his eternal love for Krishna is transformed into lust, in association with the mode of passion.  Then again, when lust is unsatisfied, it turns into wrath.  To get freedom from anger, one should learn how to forgive.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US?

śrī-bhagavān uvāca / kāma esha krodha esha / rajo-guna-samudbhavah / mahāśano mahā-pāpmā / viddhy enam iha vairinam - “The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: It is lust only, Arjuna, which is born of contact with the material mode of passion and later transformed into wrath, and which is the all-devouring sinful enemy of this world.” (Bg. Chapter 3 “Karma-yoga” - Verse 37).
Question:  What is the main cause of violence and aggression?
Answer:  The cause is lust, unsatisfied desire. Krsna says, kama esa krodha esa, rajo-guna-samudbhavah (Bg. 3.37).  The dissatisfaction derived from the pursuit of material desire transforms into anger.  Passion transforms into ignorance, lust into anger.

Śrīla Bhakti Vedanta Tripurari Mahārāja :
Q & A with Swami B. V. Tripurari
“Sri Krishna:  When God Himself Falls in Love”
Sri Caitanya Sanga - April 17, 2001, Vol. III, No. 24
http://www.swami.org/pages/sanga/2001/2001_24.php

CHRISTIANS ISSUE RULE BOOK FOR SPREADING FAITH

CHRISTIAN COALITION ISSUES
RULE BOOK FOR SPREADING FAITH

Reuters - A coalition of major Christian churches including the Vatican launched a rule book on Tuesday for spreading their faith that aims to reduce hostility from Islam and other religions to efforts to convert their followers.  The code, entitled “Christian Witness in a Multi-Religious World: Recommendations for Conduct”, comes amid growing tension between small local Christian communities and majorities from other religions in many, especially Muslim, countries. This is often sparked by the activity of missionaries, both overt and covert, who seek to convert non-Christians, and are often denounced by local religious leaders - Muslim, Hindu or Buddhist - as enemies of what they see as the true faith.  

In some Islamic countries, a Muslim who converts to another faith can face the death penalty, and Christians who proclaim their religion are often accused of blasphemy, which can also be a capital offence.

It was unveiled at a Geneva news conference by the World Council of Churches, a senior Roman Catholic prelate and the World Evangelical Alliance.  It urges Christians wanting “to share the good news of God’s kingdom” - missionary work or simply publicly testifying to their faith - “to build relations of respect and trust with all religions” and adapt their approaches to local conditions.  It reaffirms their right to proselytize, or promote their beliefs and seek converts.  But it also urges them to abandon “inappropriate methods of exercising mission by resorting to deception and coercive means”, saying that such behavior “betray the gospel and may cause suffering to others”.

A five-page code of conduct was unveiled at a Geneva news conference by the World Council of Churches (WCC).  It urges Christians wanting “to share the good news of God’s kingdom” - missionary work - “to build relations of respect and trust with all religions” and adapt their approaches to local conditions.  The new code says conversion “is the work of the Holy Spirit,” but Christians should “conduct themselves with integrity, charity, compassion and humility, and overcome all arrogance, condescension and disparagement” with regard other religions. 

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US?

Hindus do not take it upon themselves to convert others to Hinduism. Theynever target a certain religion or faith to be subject to their criticism or attempts to be converted to Hinduism. They feel that the focus of any spiritual path should be on God, not on making or accumulating converts like some network marketing scheme that counts profits in terms of the quantity of followers it has. The effort should be in giving high quality spiritual education and, thus, by purity, inspire others to go toward God. Therefore, they have no motive to spread hate or lies or discord amongst any other community or religion. ... We should point out that real Hinduism, Vedic culture, is a most broad-minded and gentle way of life, and is not interested in campaigning for making converts. It is not part of the Hindu values to indulge in violence. Hinduism lets anyone choose the path they wish to take.

Stephen Knapp (Śrīpad Nandanandana dasa) :
Why Be A Hindu: “The Advantages of the Vedic Path”
“Followers of Vedic Philosophy Do Not Target Others for Conversion.”
http://www.stephen-knapp.com/why_be_a_hindu_booklet.htm
http://www.stephen-knapp.com  -  http://www.stephenknapp.info/

SECONDHAND SMOKE LINKED TO KIDS’ LEARNING DISABILITIES

SECONDHAND SMOKE LINKED TO
BEHAVIORAL PROBLEMS IN CHILDREN

www.healthnews.com - It’s commonly known that secondhand smoke exposure is a likely cause of asthma, ear problems, sudden infant death syndrome and other breathing issues in children; however, emerging evidence is finding there may be a correlation between secondhand smoke exposure and a less physical issue: behavior.  According to a study published this week in the journal Pediatrics, children growing up in a home with parents who smoke are more likely to develop behavioral problems,such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), as opposed to children raised in a smoke-free environment.  Through their study, which was published July 11th, researchers examined a 2007 U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention telephone survey of families which included 55,358 children under the age of twelve, 6 percent of which were exposed to secondhand smoke in the home.

The telephone survey queried parents whether a doctor or teacher had noticed ADHD or any other behavioral issue in the child, whether or not the child had received counseling and if anyone smoked in the home.  It was determined that approximately 8 percent of the children had learning disabilities, 6 percent had ADHD and about 4 percent had behavioral issues. Even after factors such as the parent’s educational and economic status were taken into account, it was still apparent that children who lived in homes with smokers were more likely to suffer from at least two behavioral-related conditions.

A new research shows secondhand smoke can contribute to ADHD and other learning disabilities in children.  Researchers estimate five million children under 12 are exposed to secondhand smoking in the home.  Secondhand smoke also increases the risk of respiratory problems and ear ailments.  This problem affects all the society.  Health and economic burdens might be reduced significantly if voluntary smoke-free home policies are rigorously introduced.  Try to quit smoking today!  Ask God for help and you will be able to do so.  

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US?  

My friend, to smoke is a big trap and you have become a victim of it, and you will need lots of endeavor to get rid of if.  Perhaps you tried already several times and even promised, nevertheless you feel dejected, weak and ashamed; and at the same time you play as if you would be the strong one, the brave one, the rebellious one, the American cowboy that finally shows the boast braveness of killing himself with that stupid bad habit.  Wake up! Your body does not belong to you. It is the property of God and Mother Nature. It is very useful and you can do many things to help others, so don’t be discouraged. You have a mission in this very life. We want you to be healthy with nice character. We don’t want you to be ashamed, hidden in the smoker’s corner, afflicted with own miseries. ... My friend you have to overcome yourself. Lift up your head! You will win like many others who already overcame their weakness.

Śrīla Bhakti Aloka Paramadvaiti Mahārāja :
Vedic Wisdom: “Cigarette addiction”
http://vedicwisdom.weebly.com/
http://vedicwisdom.weebly.com/cigarette-addiction.html

INDIAN TEMPLE MORE TREASURE TUMBLES OUT OF SHRINE

SRI PADMANABHA SWAMI TEMPLE
TREASURE CHAMBERS OPENED

Thiruvananthapuram, India - Treasure continued to tumble out of the Sree Padmanabha Swamy temple as a Supreme Court appointed committee found more gold idols, coins and other assets on the sixth day of inspection in the shrine’s hidden vaults.  Unconfirmed reports said the total value of all assets recovered from the shrine could be worth nearly US$ 22 billion.   Among the notable discoveries was an ancient gold statue of a three-and-a-half feet tall Lord Vishnu studded with precious diamonds and emeralds.  Sources said its value could not be assessed due to its antiquity.  There were also human figurines made of pure gold, each weighing 2.2 lbs. as well as 18-foot-long jewelery weighing 77 lbs. used to adorn the Deity.  Bags of coins and precious stones were also found in chamber A, one of six vaults marked A to F.

The treasure trove in Kerala temple includes a gold sheaf weighing 500 kilos, a 36-kilo golden veil, 1200 ‘Sarappalli’ golden chains, some sporting ‘navaratnas’, three gold stone-studded crowns, diamonds, precious stones, including cat’s eye, rubies and emeralds and 1,000 kg of gold coins.  Acting on a petition, the Kerala high court had in January asked the state government to take over the administration of the temple and also prepare an inventory of its assets. The shrine is run by a trust constituted by the royal family. On appeal, the SC stayed the take over part but gave nod to stock-taking.  According to legend, the Travancore kings had transferred loads of wealth, meant for use during famines to these secret chambers to protect them from the British.

Temples in India often have rich endowments, mainly from donations of gold and cash by pilgrims and wealthy patrons, but the wealth discovered at Padmanabhaswamy dwarfs the known assets of every other Indian temple. Such assets are typically meant to be used by administrators to operate temples and provide services to the poor, but they have often become the subject of heated disputes and controversies.   The state should not seek control of the temple or its treasure, because it is donated to the temple from disciples and believers; it's the property of the temple.  It has nothing to do with the state.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US?

The grihasthas should give contributions for constructing temples of the Supreme Lord and for preaching of Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā, or Krishna consciousness, all over the world.  In the śāstras - the Purānas and other Vedic literatures - there are so many narrations describing the transcendental activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and everyone should hear them again and again. ... That is the nature of transcendental literature. The Krishna consciousness movement therefore affords one an opportunity to spend his extra earnings for the benefit of all human society by expanding Krishna consciousness. In India especially we see hundreds and thousands of temples that were constructed by the wealthy men of society who did not want to be called thieves and be punished.

Śrīla A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda :
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam - Canto 7: “The Science of God”
Chapter 14: “Ideal Family Life” - Verse 8
Bhaktivedanta VedaBase

SPACE SHUTTLE ATLANTIS: FINAL LAUNCH

FINAL SHUTTLE LAUNCH THRILLS
CROWDS BUT CASTS PALL OVER HOUSTON

www.statesman.com - With a cry of encouragement from its commander, the Atlantis shuttle thundered into orbit Friday on a flight that will close out three decades of triumph and tragedy for NASA and usher in a period of uncertainty for the space program.  After some last-minute suspense over the weather and some launch pad equipment, Atlantis and its four astronauts blasted off in front of a crowd at Cape Canaveral, Fla., estimated at close to 1 million, the size of the throng that watched Apollo 11 shoot to the moon in 1969.  After Atlantis’ return, scheduled for July 20, it will be lights out for the shuttle program.  Thousands of workers - including about 1,800 in the Houston area - will be laid off within days.  Houston, home of Mission Control, also is getting hit in its ego. Aerospace ranks fourth among Houston’s industries, far behind king oil.  But it remains a matter of pride for a city whose baseball team is named the Astros and whose basketball team is the Rockets. 

Space is “part of our psyche here,” Parker said. “It’s how we view ourselves as a city.”  But that identity has taken three hard hits, and the loss of thousands of jobs will be another one.  The first blow came in 2004, when then-President George W. Bush announced the end of the space shuttle program. His plan was to replace it with a return-to-the-moon program run out of Houston.  Then in 2010, President Barack Obama canceled that over-budget Houston-centric shuttle replacement program. He proposed going to an asteroid in a plan that at the moment is less detailed. The concept relies on private companies to take NASA’s place in shuttling people to Earth’s orbit and the International Space Station.  With no successor to the space shuttle ready to fly, it will be at least three years before astronauts are launched again from U.S. soil.

At 11:29 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time on July 8, 2011, the Space Shuttle Atlantis lit its rockets and roared into space.  Four astronauts made the climb toward orbit and the International Space Station (ISS), where they will arrive tomorrow Sunday.  As Space Shuttle Atlantis made its final launch into space, hundreds of local workers who helped build the fleet decades ago watched the event with mixed emotions.  Space travel by mechanical means is not the accepted process to rise to other planets; but in case it could be achieved, it is not possible to transcend the material universe by mechanical means. The yogis are more advanced.  

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US?  

Their airships (of the denizens of heaven) are not like those we have invented in the modern age, which fly only from one country to another; their airplanes were capable of going from one planet to another. There are many such statements in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam from which we can understand that there were facilities to travel from one planet to another, especially in the higher planetary system, and who can say that they are not still traveling? The speed of our airplanes and space vehicles is very limited, but, as we have already studied, Kardama Muni traveled in outer space in an airplane which was like a city, and he journeyed to see all the different heavenly planets. That was not an ordinary airplane, nor was it ordinary space travel. Because Kardama Muni was such a powerful mystic yogī, his opulence was envied by the denizens of heaven.

Śrīla A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda :
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam - Canto 3: “The Status Quo”
Chapter 33: “Activities of Kapila” - Verse 15
Bhaktivedanta VedaBase

AMERICA JUST KEEPS GETTING FATTER

HOW FAT IS AMERICA? REPORT:

ADULTS GETTING FATTER EACH YEAR 

http://www.latimes.com - America continues to get fatter, according to a comprehensive new report on the nation’s weight crisis. Statistics for 2008-2010 show that 16 states are experiencing steep increases in adult obesity, and none has seen a notable downturn in the last four years.  Meanwhile, cases of Type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure that health experts have long warned would result from the nation’s broadening girth and sedentary ways are becoming increasingly widespread, according to the report, titled “F as in Fat,” released Thursday. Even Coloradans, long the nation’s slimmest citizens, are gaining excess pounds. With an obese population of 19.8% - it is the only state with an adult obesity rate below 20% -.  Colorado remains the caboose on the nation’s huffing, puffing train to fat land. But in just the last four years, the ranks of the obese even in Colorado have grown 0.7%. Colorado’s hypertension rates have risen significantly as well, to 21.2% of adults.

The report, prepared by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Trust for America’s Health, is their sixth annual state-by-state accounting of obesity.  In the last 15 years, the report said, adult obesity rates have doubled or nearly doubled in 17 states. Two decades ago, not a single state had an obesity rate above 15%. Now all states do.  Obesity remains a condition disproportionately affecting those with poor education and income, and closely tied to minority status. Among African American adults, obesity topped 40% in 15 states. Among Latinos, it topped 30% in 23 states.  Nearly a third of high school dropouts are obese, compared with 21.5% of those who graduated from college or technical school.

A comprehensive state-by-state report titled ‘F as in Fat’ shows that obesity rates continue to climb, along with diabetes and high blood pressure.  The report is based on surveys conducted annually to gauge how Americans’ behavior affects their health. Carried out by the University of Michigan’s School of Public Health, the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System culls information from more than 1.2 million American adults.  This happens not only in the U.S.  In almost all developed countries, 50% of the population is overweight.  We must learn to feed and be disciplined about the amount of food we eat.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US?

We eat and drink with discipline, moderation and regularity, because our vitality and strength do not depend on the amount you eat, but on what our body can digest and assimilate. The stomach needs space to work, so it only should be filled two thirds of its capacity, leaving the remaining third for air. This helps a lot to digest. Overeating produces many additional toxins that the body should be removed with great effort.  Digestion begins with chewing. ... We must acquire the habit of eating slowly; savoring much more each bite, and then a healthy instinct will announce we’re satisfied. ... Eating in moderation will also satisfy and refresh the mind, and you seek a real harmony to your body. If you eat too much, overloaded his body is shaken, tired, and ultimately hinder your mind.

Yoga Inbound :
“Health Inbound” - “Nutrition Inbound”
“The Art of Eating - Eat in Moderation”
Radha Charan d.d. - info@yogainbound.org
http://www.yogainbound.org/ws/salud-inbound
http://www.yogainbound.org/ws/salud-inbound/21-nutricion-inbound/47-el-arte-de-alimentarse