If you have a dream, don't waste your energies explaining why. - Paulo Coelho

Paulo Coelho on Twitter - "Fight for your dreams, and your dreams will fight for you"

FIFA World Cup 2010 - My predictions

We're not the favourites but we are among the hopefuls." Vicente del Bosque, Spain coach

The pre-quarters matches are here at the FIFA World Cup 2010. And the knock out stage start from today. Infact the first of the 8 matches is already underway. Its time to pick the favorites.. my heart sings for Argentina.. Messi in particular... but my calculations say it will be the Spaniards. Maradona's men will fall in the semi's hurdle. The best perfomance of Spain so far in the FIFA world cups is fourth place in 1950, but this time they will surprise the world. This worldcup has seen the domination of the Americas over Europe and other nations... So far, in the Eighteen editions, both these continents have shared equal honours winning 9 times each (different countries ofcourse). Brazil have won the World Cup a record five times, Italy have won four titles, and Germany are next with three titles. Uruguay and Argentina, with two titles each, and England and France, winning it one time each.

My prediction for 2010 - It will be Nederlands vs Spain in the finals with XAVI's men lifting the world cup on July 11th. The current Spanish team looks in good form... Villa's form so far in this South African edition has been good if not great, Iker's defence and XAVI's exuberance with the ball will be unstoppable.

Courtesy: FIFA.com

Pre-Quarters (16 teams)

M49: URG vs KOR - URG
M50: USA vs GHA - GHA
M51: GER vs ENG - ENG (win on penalties)
M52: ARG vs MEX - ARG
M53: NED vs SVK - NED
M54: BRA vs CHI - BRA
M55: PAR vs JPN - JPN (win on penalties)
M56: ESP vs POR - ESP (win on penalties)

Quarters (8 teams)

M57: NED vs BRA - NED (Yes, this will be the shocker!!)
M58: URG vs GHA - URG (win on penalties)
M59: ENG vs ARG - ARG
M60: JPN vs ESP - ESP


Semis (4 teams)

M61: NED vs URG - NED
M62: ESP vs ARG -ESP (win on penalties)

Finals (2 teams)

M64: NED vs ESP - ESP (Win by 3-1)

Take care of your thoughts

"Thoughts lead to purposes;
Purposes go forth in action;
Actions form habits;
Habits decide character;
Character fixes our destiny."

So take care of your thoughts!

Children's Day Thought

The hardest job kids face today is learning good manners without seeing any - Fred Astaire
APJ Abdul Kalam starts a newspaper "Billion Beats"

Former Indian President APJ Abdul Kalam was the people's President, and on the occasion of Children's Day, Kalam dons a new hat by turning editor for an online paper. Never one to sit idle, former President APJ Abdul Kalam has moved on. Today (November 14) is Children's Day - a day when Kalam launches his own e-paper, which will celebrate the success stories of ordinary Indians. Anantha Krishnan, National Affairs Editor, 'Billion Beats', puts it, "It all started with an informal chat with Dr Kalam. He felt that there's an overdose of politics, murders, crime and there's a lot of negative stories in print. So, he felt that we should celebrate the victories also. Children's Day seemed to be the right time to launch the paper. Dr Kalam wants all the success stories of scientists, agriculturists, farmers and technocrats. Basically 'Billion Beats', will try to bring to the fore, the tales of unsung heroes."

Source: Timesnow.tv

Words of Wisdom

Yesterday was one of those days where i was not myself. And just when i started feeling that everything within me was faling apart, a friend handed me a book "Way of Youth" by a Buddhist philosopher, Daisaku Ikeda. The approach of book is so very simple (and yet head on) in addressing the turbulences of a young mind, the concerns and questions that constantly poses. This book brings about a self directed transformation, making a powerful impact on the person reading it. For a young mind, looking for answers amidst lifes' strangest ways, this book strikes that chord of realisation of your truest self within you, that you have been looking for... what we really are, what we should really be to keep and maintain that unruffled peace and calm within. It brings about a change in your thoughts to regain your lost strength, and the lost "YOU". I would recommend this book for all the youngsters, go on, get a copy of it from your nearest book store.

"What kind of future do I envision for myself? What kind of self am I trying to develop? What do I want to accomplish in my life?" The thing is to paint this vision of your life in your heart as specifically as possible. That "painting" itself becomes the design of your future. The power of the heart enables us to actually create with our lives a wonderful masterpiece in accordance with that design." - Daisaku Ikeda

Time is of Essence

Indo-US Nuclear Deal

The operationalisation of the nuclear deal is getting into the crucial stage as both US and India work non-stop to make it a reality. While US is taking things up with the 45-nation NSG (Nuclear Suppliers Group) to get the necessary changes in the guidelines allowing the supplies to India as per the 123 agreement. India on the other hand has its Atomic Energy Commission chief and India's top nuclear scientist Anil Kakodkar at the 51st General Conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna, working to get an India-specific safeguard pact with IAEA which is required to proceed on the N-deal signed by India and US. The concern and the eagerness by the US adminstration to see it through (both at NSG and IAEA) was clearly on display when the US Ambassador David Mulford, addressing the fourth Indo-US Economic Summit said "Now, we must take the last steps. Time is of essence".

Swami Vivekananda (January 12, 1863 - July 4, 1902)

Big bright saffron turban… yes, the first thing that comes to our mind when we think of Swami Vivekananda is this. From when did Vivekananda start wearing the turban, and why? I just wanted to share this small piece of information, on this great monk who is believed to have walked like an "Incarnation of God". The turban that Vivekananda used to wear is believed to be suggested by Maharaja of Khetri. But some historians and researchers view that Vivekananda visited the Swamithope Pathi during his visit to Kanyakumari in December 1892 and believe that he was impressed by the principles behind rituals of this monistic faith, such as wearing a head gear during worship in temple, worshipping in front of mirror etc., and started wearing a turban from then on. Some say that Vivekananda received some spiritual instructions from the disciples of Ayya Vaikundar. It is also said by many that while he was a child, he was impressed by the turban of the horse cab driver, who used to ferry his father on his daily work. Subsequently when he renounced the world and took to sanyasa, he started using one himself.

On his birthday today lets experience one of the most famous and influential spiritual leaders of Vedanta, who is regarded by millions as the Messenger of God, through his preachings. This is what the greats had to say about Vivekananda:

Rabindranath Tagore - If you want to know India, study Vivekananda. In him everything is positive and nothing negative

Mahatma Gandhi - Swami Vivekananda's writings need no introduction from anybody. They make their own irresistible appeal.

Some of the sayings of Vivekananda:

As different streams having different sources all mingle their waters in the sea, so different tendencies various though they appear, crooked or straight, all lead to God.

Our duty is to encourage every one in his struggle to live up to his own highest idea, and strive at the same time to make the ideal as near as possible to the Truth.

All the powers in the universe are already ours. It is we who have put our hands before our eyes and cry that it is dark.

"Team Spirit did the trick."

This is what Graeme Smith, captian of South African cricket team, had to say after thrashing India 4-0 in the ODI series in South Africa.

How important is this team spirit… is team spirit the only success factor.. did the Indian team loose the series because they lacked it? Can you point the fingers at lack of motivation and self confidence in the team players? What does team sprit do to the team.. and to the individuals??? How important it is to keep self and the team motivated all the time? Well certainly, the Indian team's body language said it all. They lacked confidence, which was evident in their shot selections and the way they moved their feet when they faced the charging South African pacers Mkhaya Ntini, Andre Nel, Shaun Pollock on the field. It was soo much obvious watching on tv that the India cricket team is punctured in the mind.

Thinking positive, being strong, driving out the fears, working more than their potential is not just sports player’s recipe for success, but also for individuals in every walk of life. It has to come from within and all it takes is to look inside. This enlightened mind, this self realization brings strength to a person who has the urge to taste success. Be it your project team or your football team, be it in movie making, be it in an army defending the entire nation.. or be it your own small lovely family… everywhere… being positive and motivated just helps!!! You got to keep up the spirits at any cost :)

The Man who walked like an Incarnation of God

I happened to read an article about Swami Vivekananda in 'Wisdom'. The article was about the first couple of meetings betw Naren and Sri Ramakrishna. A classic of an article. I had thought that the first time they met was in Dakshineswar. But its not so, it was actually in Calcutta. A relation of Narendra used to advise him to visit Ramakrishna at Dakshineswar, who, he said, would be able to remove all his doubts about religion. In the year 1881 at the age of eighteen for the first time Narendra happened to meet Ramakrishna at the house of a neighbour. Sri Ramakrishna had gone to Calcutta to the house of a devotee which was near Narendra's. Devotional songs were to be sung during Sri Ramakrishna's visit, but the singer failed to show up. The devotees invited Narendra, their neighbor, to fill the gap, knowing he excelled in both singing and playing musical instruments.

Thus came Narendra to the house of the devotee and sang one of the most touching songs in Bengali. This was their first meeting and Sri Ramakrishna was visibly moved by the sincerity and quality of Narendra's voice. He invited Naren to visit Dakshineswar at his earliest convenience.

As the days passed, Naren began to grow restless about the various riddles that religion presented to him. He particularly wanted to meet a person who could talk about God with the authority of personal experience. In November of 1881 Narendra went to Dakshineswar with some classmates. The second meeting betw the Guru and the disciple was even more eventful. Sri Ramakrishna treated Narendra not as a stranger but as as old friend. Commenting on this first visit Narendra said, "It was most unusual kind of meeting. I could not understand the peculiar behaviour of that 'mad, monomaniac Brahmin'. I was reluctant to visit him again, but his simplicity, genuine renunciation, and love for God pulled me again and again, despite protests of logic and reason." His skepticism and logical mind was not ready to accept the 'powers' manifested in Sri Ramakrishna. He thought that this 'simple insane' Brahmin might be playing tricks with others in the form of hypnotism or mesmerism. In fact Swami Vivekananda postponed his next visit to Dakshineswar for about six months, although he had promised Sri Ramakrishna to visit him soon.

Swami Vivekananda's inspiring personality was well known both in India and in America during the last decade of the nineteenth century and the first decade of the twentieth. The unknown monk of India suddenly leapt into fame at the Parliament of Religions held in Chicago in 1893, at which he represented Hinduism. His vast knowledge of Eastern and Western culture as well as his deep spiritual insight, fervid eloquence, brilliant conversation, broad human sympathy, colourful personality, and handsome figure made an irresistible appeal to the many types of Americans who came in contact with him. People who saw or heard Vivekananda even once cherished his memory even after a lapse of more than half a century.

Lets salute the giant today, on his birthday, who is regarded as the "Man who walked like an Incarnation of God".

One of his preachings....

"Wherever there are many, there is fear, there is danger, there is conflict, there is strife. When it is all One, who is there to hate, who is there to struggle with? When it is all He, with whom can you fight? This explains the true nature of life; this explains the true nature of being. This is perfection, and this is God. As long as you see the many, you are under delusion."

Swami Vivekananda
(January 12, 1863 - July 4, 1902)

Riding High

Riding fast on my fiero on a bright sunny early morning was all that was required to spur me up for wat seemd to be quite a long day ahead at office. I started from home pretty early.. wantd to reach office before the Bangalore (bengaluru) traffic peaked. its a 15km ride from my home. and boy! it was one terrific ride today... no signals, not many vehicles, smooth ride all the way... felt as if the road was laid only for me. Also today was one of those mornings when u carry forward the feeling of larger than life attitude from the yesterdays !!! Feeling light and cheerful is certainly contagious.., moreover as they say - "The best way to cheer yourself up is to try to cheer somebody else up" ... so smile maadi!! :)

came across this nice quote

Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing.