TORNADO IN OKLAHOMA, USA

OKLAHOMA TORNADO FATALITIES
2 INFANTS, 10 CHILDREN IN ALL

www.washingtonpost.com - Two of the 24 people known to have been killed in the tornado that pulverized a suburb of Oklahoma City on Monday were infants. Seven of the dead were 8- and 9-year-old youngsters, the medical examiner’s office said, apparently students at the Plaza Towers Elementary School. The school was among hundreds of buildings reduced to rubble by the storm that devastated Moore, Okla., a city of 55,000 about 11 miles south of downtown Oklahoma City. 
Fourteen storm victims were adults. One of those adults has yet to be identified, said Amy Elliott, a spokeswoman for the medical examiner’s office. The names of seven others were withheld because family members have not yet been informed of their deaths.

Rescue crews are still searching through the remains of collapsed buildings, and officials have said repeatedly that the death toll from the tornado could rise. But Elliott said the number of bodies transported to the medical examiner’s office - and the “official number of confirmed deaths” - remained at 24 as of Wednesday morning. Most of the people died from blunt-force trauma. A few were asphyxiated. More than 200 people were injured by the tornado, and hundreds of homes, businesses and other buildings were destroyed. Preliminary damage estimates are running as high as $1 billion. 
Hundreds of other children at the school survived the tornado, huddling with their teachers in bathrooms, fleeing the building with frantic parents or seeking safety by pressing against interior walls.

In Moore, near Oklahoma, USA, search and rescue operations were winding down Wednesday as this battered, exhausted city mourned its dead and turned its attention to rebuilding for the future. "When the winds died down and the debris settled following Monday’s tornado in Oklahoma, residents began scrambling to find loved ones amid the rubble of homes and businesses and at least two schools. For some, that search ended in searing grief," published Jennifer Preston at The Lede blog. Why do so terrible tornadoes occur, while sometimes they are just strong winds? Why should we endure these calamities? Why are we here?

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US? 

Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu appeared in the mood of a devotee. In the form of Radharani, the Highest Guru, Nandanandana Krishna Himself appeared. Sanatana Goswami asked Him questions such as, "Who and what am I? Why am I burning from the three-fold afflictions [miseries caused by one's own body and mind, miseries caused by other living entities and miseries caused by the demigods in the form of natural disasters such as earthquakes, floods, hurricanes and so on]? What is the ultimate object and how are we to get it?" When we put these questions to a sadguru, then the time for emancipation from the entanglement of this non-eternal sphere has come. It was declared by Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu to Srila Sanatana Goswami. You must have these types of questions in mind.

Śrīla Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Mahārāja :
"The Glories Of HDG Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaj"
Boston Common, Boston, Massachusetts: 23 August 2002
http://bvml.org/SBBTM/tgohdgsacbsm.htm
Sree Chaitanya Gaudiya Math (SCGM)

Published by dasavatara das - "Vedic Views on World News"
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ANCIENT SYSTEM OF MATHEMATICS

VEDIC MATHEMATICS:
ANCIENT INDIAN KNOWLEDGE

www.indiadivine.org - Indian civilization has surprised academicians time and again with simple age old techniques for solving complex problems. Difficult problems or huge sums can often be solved immediately by the Vedic method or Vedic Mathematics technique, which is derived from the Ganita Sutra in the Vedas. Vedic Mathematics is the name given to the ancient system of Mathematics which was rediscovered from the Vedas between 1911 and 1918 by Sri Bharati Krsna Tirthaji (1884 - 1960). 
In the beginning of the 20th century, when there was a great interest in various Sanskrit texts in Europe, some scholars ridiculed certain texts were titled GANITA SUTRA, which means mathematics. The European scholars could not decipher any mathematics in the translations and therefore dismissed the texts as rubbish. 

Bharati Krsna wrote sixteen volumes expounding the Vedic system but these were unaccountably lost and when the loss was confirmed in his final years he wrote a single book - Vedic Mathematics. It was published in 1965, five years after his death. According to his research all of mathematics is based on sixteen Sutras, or word - formulae. For example, ‘Vertically and Crosswise’ is one of these Sutras. These formulae describe the way the mind naturally works and are therefore a great help in directing the student to the appropriate method of solution.
Perhaps the most striking feature of the Vedic system is its coherence. Instead of a hotchpotch of unrelated techniques the whole system is beautifully interrelated and unified. This unifying quality is very satisfying; it makes mathematics easy and enjoyable and encourages innovation.

Bharati Krsna, who himself was a scholar of Sanskrit, Mathematics, History and Philosophy, studied these texts and after lengthy and careful investigation was able to reconstruct the mathematics of the Vedas. The author of the article, the Editor of IndiaDivine.org, explains that "These striking and beautiful Vedic methods are just a part of a complete system of mathematics, which is far more systematic than the modern system. Vedic mathematics manifests the coherent and unified structure of mathematics and the methods are complimentary, direct and easy." In ancient India, mathematics served as a bridge between understanding material reality and the spiritual conception.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US? 

Spiritually advanced cultures were not ignorant of the principles of mathematics, but they saw no necessity to explore those principles beyond that which was helpful in the advancement of God realization. ... One of the foremost exponents of Vedic math, the late Bharati Krishna Tirtha Maharaja, author of Vedic Mathematics, has offered a glimpse into the sophistication of Vedic math. Drawing inspiration from the Atharva-veda, Tirtha Maharaja points to many sutras (codes) or aphorisms which appear to apply to every branch of mathematics: arithmetic, algebra, geometry (plane and solid), trigonometry (plane and spherical), conics (geometrical and analytical), astronomy, calculus (differential and integral), etc.

Śrīla Bhakti Bhavan Vishnu Mahārāja :
"Mathematics and the Spiritual Dimension"
http://gosai.com/ashrama/swami-bb-vishnu
http://www.vedicsciences.net/articles/vedic-mathematics.html
http://gosai.com/writings/mathematics-and-the-spiritual-dimension

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'DRAMATIC DECLINE' WARNING FOR PLANTS AND ANIMALS

CLIMATE CHANGE MAY BE CATASTROPHIC
TO A THIRD OF ALL ANIMALS ON EARTH

www.sciencerecorder.com - A new study published in Nature Climate Change suggests that if nothing is done to curb climate change, the impact on animal and plant life could be catastrophic. The study, which comprises of researchers from the U.K., Columbia and Australia, examined the impact of climate change (specifically rising temperature) on nearly 50, 000 different species. The team carried out climate modeling and examined three main factors: climate sensitivity, ocean mixing and climate-carbon feedback that amplifies the temperature.
By mapping the areas that would remain suitable for species habitation scientists were able to determine that there would be a great habitat loss unless mitigating factors emerge. 

According to the report, global warming will destroy over half the habitat of plant life and a third of the habitat of animal life, a transition that may occur as a tipping point or over long periods. Temperatures are predicted to rise seven degrees Fahrenheit by 2100 due to global warming, according the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The rise in temperature is largely due to burning fossil fuels, which retain heat and warm the atmosphere.
Over the past century, global temperatures have risen about 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit, according data presented by the National Academy of Sciences. If this temperature rise happens at the rate predicated, large range contractions can be expected among common and widespread species. The changes would likely lead to the extinction of some 34 % of animal species and 57 % of plant species, say scientists.

More than half of common plant species and a third of animals could see a serious decline in their habitat range because of climate change. The reason for the massive decline is largely due to the rapid change in temperature, which many species will struggle to adapt to over the course of just a few years. “Global-scale biodiversity will be significantly reduced if temperatures rise more than 2C and it would impoverish the biosphere and the ecosystem services it provides,” says Rachel Warren. We must respect and protect our Mother Earth. The sacred texts of the Hinduism contains many references to the worship of the Divine in Nature. 

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US? 

Millions of Hindus recite Sanskrit mantras daily to revere their rivers, mountains, trees, animals and the earth.  Hinduism is a remarkably diverse religious and cultural phenomenon, with many local and regional manifestations. Within this universe of beliefs, several important themes emerge:  • The earth can be seen as a manifestation of the goddess, and must be treated with respect.  • The five elements - space, air, fire, water and earth - are the foundation of an interconnected web of life.  • Dharma - often translated as “duty” - can be reinterpreted to include our responsibility to care for the earth.  • Simple living is a model for the development of sustainable economies.  • Our treatment of nature directly affects our karma. 

Pankaj Jain, Ph.D. :
‘Sustenance and Sustainability -
Dharma and Ecology of Hindu Communities’
http://fore.research.yale.edu/news/item/10-hindu-environmental-teachings/
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/religious-freedom/message/3325

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THE STORY OF PREEYA PRAKASH

GROWING UP HINDU IN UTAH:
THE STORY OF PREEYA PRAKASH

www.deseretnews.com - Preeya Prakash is difficult to define - even for Preeya Prakash. "I consider myself an American," she said during a recent break in classes at the University of Utah, where she is a 24-year-old graduate student with a BA in neuroscience from the University of Southern California. "And I'm a Utahn. I was born here in Salt Lake City. I have lived here all my life. I've got the accent and everything." She is also Indian. Her parents were both born and raised in India, and her hair, skin and handsome features bear the genetic imprint of a country in which she has never actually lived.
"When people ask me, 'Where are you from?' I always say, 'Well, I was born here,'" she says with characteristic wit and good humor. "And then they look at me and say, 'Well, yeah, but where are you ... you know ... from?' 

Things get a little more complicated for Preeya when you throw her Hindu beliefs and culture into the definitional equation. "Culturally, I am Hindu - and a pretty traditional Hindu, at that," she said while relaxing in one of the Marriott Library lounges. For Preeya, growing up Hindu in Utah has meant being part of a decided minority - racially, culturally and religiously. 
According to the U.S. Religious Landscape Survey conducted by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life, Utah's 9,000 Hindus comprise .5 percent of the state's population - a number consistent with the percentage of Hindus throughout the United States.
"I credit my parents for teaching me how to balance our Hindu culture with the culture of Utah," Preeya said. "We were Americans, we were Utahns, we were Indians, we were Hindu. We were all of these things, and we embraced all of them fully and completely."

Preeya Prakash is a student at the University of Utah (USA) and she also attends religious ceremonies at the Sri Ganesha Hindu Temple of Utah in South Jordan. “She credits her parents with helping her figure out how to balance all of those cultures and find peace and happiness in her life,” says Joseph Walker the author of this article. “For me, I kind of look to my faith as a guideline for how I should lead my life. It’s the part of me that keeps me grounded, that tells me who I am and that I am part of something bigger than myself,” she says. Hindus living in foreign countries must be examples of good citizens. Helping and serving others, whatever their religion, is the moral duty of every Hindu.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US? 

Hindus are at the threshold of a major transformation. After centuries of subjugation, they are now making bold and mammoth progress in various fields. ... The future decades may be challenging for Hindus in many ways. Synthesizing modern science with traditional religious activities may bring forth golden opportunities previously unimagined. Hindus must not fear or pull away from the new world of technology. Instead, they must use the same to enhance and adorn their spiritual and religious pursuits. ... Hindus in foreign countries must conduct themselves as virtual ambassadors of India. They may serve and love their new country with complete sincerity and honesty without disrupting the roots with the country of their origin.

Dr. Hiro Badlani :
“Hinduism - Path of the Ancient Wisdom”
“Conclusion: A Legacy for Hindu Youth Diaspora”
http://hinduismpath.com/
http://hinduismpath.com/book-contents/conclusion/

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SIDDHIS AND YOGIC POWERS

SIDDHIS, POWERS AND
MYSTICAL EXPERIENCES

www.indiadivine.org - It has become quite popular nowadays to speak about mystical experiences and "siddhis". Most yoga and meditation groups speak of them, along with other esoteric blabber such as the raising of kundalini, opening of chakras, and other things which no one has actually experienced. On one side we have new age gurus speaking of siddhis very cheaply as though they are as common as sand on a beach, and on the other hand we have "rationalists" who discount siddhis all together as mere fantasy. Siddhis are a reality, and the science behind them has been passed down from time immemorial by the rishis and preserved in the Vedic texts. 
In actuality nothing is mystic. Everything functions according to natural laws. The rishis (sages), by virtue of their expanded consciousness, understood the functioning of matter on the subtle levels of sound and mind, (however) they did not give much importance to material powers and perfections.

The  rishis were not interested in acquiring wealth, power, fame, etc. Their aim was much higher. How else can we explain the countless yogis, jnanis, tapasvis, siddhas, and rishis who dwell in the sacred realm of the Himalayas. High in the mountains, surrounded by a forest covered in snow. The rishis are there even today meditating on the banks of the Ganges. What keeps them there, living in apparent poverty? Are they fools, are they mad? No, on the contrary, the world is mad and we are all fools. For we are chasing after the broken glass of sense enjoyment, while they are offering us the diamonds of spiritual bliss. 
The rishis (sages) are calling to us. We must heed their call. Whether we are in the city or in the forest, it makes no difference. Internally we must all become rishis and sadhus - transcendentalists of the concrete jungle. "Be situated in your place and attain the goal of life," this is the message of the rishis and the Upanishads - sthane sthitah shruti gatam tanu-van-manobhih.

The Indian learned sages, or Rishis, performed austerities, contemplated, and meditated, seeking solutions for the eternal problems of mankind. "True transcendentalists have no interest in mundane material life," points Prabhu Jahnava Nitai Das, author of the article. "The aim of those following spiritual discipline is to become free from the desire to lord over material nature. Those seeking mystic perfections are motivated by their desire to control matter, subtle and gross." Srila Prabhupada has explained in Bg 6.20-23 that even those yogis who are attracted by the siddhis are not perfectly situated.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US? 

There is much rejectable element in the books on enjoyment-hunting, karma, jnaana, yoga or devotion mixed with these. ... If you read other books than the Bhagavatam you come under the influence of the processes of karma and jnaana, pleasure and pain, birth and death. You may get dharma (punya), artha (wealth) and kaama (fulfillment of desire). One, desirous of emancipation (moksha), may renounce the worldly life, but one such does not serve God. It is only the devotees that do it. God is not served even by the practice of astaanga-yoga which gives you siddhis or vidbhutis like animaa (power to be infinitesimal), laghimaa (power to be as light as hydrogen), etc. not to speak of the salvationist who may want to get rid of the weal and woe of the worldly life and to be the recipient of enjoyment in the negative form.

Śrīla Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thākura Prabhupāda :
The Pathway to Highest Blessedness
http://www.bvml.org/SBSST/tpthb.html
http://www.harekrsna.com/philosophy/bmgs/acaryas/bhaktisiddhanta/writings/pathway1.htm

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PALESTINIANS MARK 65 YEARS SINCE DISPLACEMENT

THOUSANDS OF PALESTINIANS MARK
'NAKBA DAY' IN GAZA, WEST BANK

www.reuters.com - Palestinians clashed with Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank on Wednesday during demonstrations to mark 65 years since what they call the Nakba (Catastrophe) when Israel's creation caused many to lose their homes and become refugees. A shell fired from Gaza, which is ruled by the Islamist movement Hamas, exploded in an open area of Israel but caused no injuries, according to an Israeli military spokesman. There was no immediate claim of responsibility from militants in Gaza.
Protesters skirmished with Israeli forces outside a refugee camp near the West Bank city of Hebron and at a prison near Ramallah, leaving several Palestinians injured. Israeli police in Jerusalem scuffled with Palestinian protesters, tossing stun grenades and making several arrests.

Thousands also rallied in the main square of Ramallah, the Palestinians' de facto capital while Jerusalem remains under Israeli control, holding up placards with the names of villages depopulated in 1948 and old keys, symbols of lost homes. Arab states failed in a 1948 war to stop the Jews settling in Palestine, who cited biblical ties to the land and a need for a Jewish state, which up to that time was under British colonial control. 
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is to return to the region on Tuesday in another bid to revive peace talks frozen since 2010. But a resolution remains elusive and many Palestinians cling to a desire for refugees and descendants to return to ancestral lands now in Israel - an idea Israel rejects, saying it would spell the end of the Jewish state.

The 65th anniversary of Nakba Day was commemorated today by Palestinians throughout Israel, the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and the Palestinian diaspora. The “Nakba (the catastrophe) Day” marks the day Israel was founded. In Palestinian towns, at exactly noon a memorial siren was sounded, its length 65 seconds, one second for every year Israel has existed. In the afternoon hours, Palestinian youths began clashing with IDF soldiers. They hurled stones at security forces who returned fire with riot dispersing equipment. Clashes are taking place among people and nations due to our mistaken sense of propriety; in fact we are not the owners of anything in this world.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US? 

Śrīla Prabhupāda said we must teach all over the world that Lord Krishna is the Owner and the Supreme Enjoyer.  The sense of ownership is extremely dangerous since it confuses us in our relationship with God.  When we believe to be the owners of something, we believe to be the enjoyers of that, for this reason to believe that something belongs to me is a great illusion; nothing is ours, not even our own body, that to say of others, or the things related to the body, such as children, family, money, facilities, etc.. Krishna often repeats in the Bhagavad-Gita that we must understand that nothing is ours, everything belongs to Him. ... Krishna says: “When you understand that I am the owner of all, everything belongs to Me and I am the enjoyer, then even you'll be My owner and enjoyer.”

Śrīla Atulananda Ācārya :
“Sense of Ownership”
“Words of Gurudeva”
http://www.atulanandadas.cl/
http://www.atulanandadas.cl/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=50
 

Published by dasavatara das - "Vedic Views on World News"
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PROMOTING PEACE AND TOLERANCE AMONG RELIGIONS

RELIGIOUS LEADERS GATHER TO
PROMOTE TOLERANCE, UNDERSTANDING

www.mywesttexas.com - In an effort to promote peace and tolerance, leaders from different religious backgrounds met last month in Midland, Texas, USA for an interfaith discussion. St. Nicholas' Episcopal Church played host to leaders of the Baptist, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim and Mormon faiths, and more than a hundred listeners. All of the religious leaders explained about their faith and what role it plays in the day-to-day lives of people all over the world. 
The Muslim faith was represented on stage by Imam Wazir Ali, of Houston.  "It was the plan of God that the world is a pluralistic place," said the iman Ali. "What he wants us to do instead of looking at pluralism and diversity as a problem, is look at it as an opportunity to benefit from the genius of other human beings and other cultures." 

The leaders spoke about how the different faiths can co-exist peaceably in today's world to complex issues such as what each religion teaches about death, resurrection and an afterlife. Satguru Bodhinatha Veylanswami, of Kauai's Hindu Monastery, explained that his faith does not teach about resurrection. The resurrection is such a foreign concept in the Hindu faith that he took time to explain the basis of it to people in the audience who might not recognize the term or know its meaning.
"This idea of the resurrection is focused on what's going to happen to the body, ... where the Hindu idea is focused on not the body, but the soul," he said. Also participating in the discussion were the Rev. Randel Everett, of First Baptist Church; Rabbi Holy Levin Cohn, of Temple Beth El in Odessa; and Jerry Zant, stake president of the Odessa Texas Stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Much of the messages - from all religions - had tones of tolerance, love, acceptance and harmony. Despite differing views on the specifics, all leaders seemed in agreement on the existence of a higher power and that power's desire for humans to live peacefully and in harmony, always caring for the needs of others. The most important thing that comes from the annual Interfaith Event is the effort for “sharing of knowledge and ideas, a quest for the truth,” said Adam Syed, a member of the Muslim Association of West Texas. We should encourage tolerance and reduce misconceptions of unfamiliar religions and traditions.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US? 

A sense of common interest can be fostered among individuals, if they know that they are inter-connected, are parts of one Organic System and are the sons and daughters of one Father.  Here is the task of all religions; to teach people that all beings of the world are closely inter-related.   Although steadfastness or firm belief in God (Nistha) according to some particular faith and eligibility of the individual is congenial for healthy spiritual growth of every individual, religious bigotry which begets enmity is condemnable, as it is against the real interest of the individual and society.  Real religion teaches love for one another.

Śrīla Bhakti Dayita Madhava Mahārāja :
“Realistic Solution for Diverse Humanity”
Speech at a ‘Spiritual Summit Conference’ - 1968 Calcutta.
Sree Chaitanya Gaudiya Math -  http://www.sreecgmath.org/scgmtimes/scgmsbdm.php

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MIDDLE-AGED SUICIDE RATE UP SHARPLY IN US

US SUICIDE RATE ROSE
SHARPLY AMONG MIDDLE-AGED

http://abcnews.go.com - The suicide rate among middle-aged Americans climbed a startling 28 % in a decade, a period that included the recession and the mortgage crisis, the government reported. The trend was most pronounced among white men and women in that age group. Their suicide rate jumped 40 % between 1999 and 2010. But the rates in younger and older people held steady. And there was little change among blacks, Hispanics and other ethnic groups.
Why did so many middle-aged whites - that is, those who are 35 to 64 years old - take their own lives? One theory suggests the recession caused more emotional trauma in whites, who tend not to have the same kind of church support and extended families that blacks and Hispanics do. Another theory notes that white have always had higher rates of depression and suicide, when they come to middle age.

During the 1999-2010 period, suicide went from the eighth leading cause of death among middle-aged Americans to the fourth, behind cancer, heart disease and accidents. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released the report, which was based on death certificates. People ages 35 to 64 account for about 57 % of suicides. For the entire U.S. population, there were 38,350 suicides in 2010, making it the nation's 10th leading cause of death, the CDC said. The overall national suicide rate has increased by 15 %. 
Suicide prevention efforts have tended to concentrate on teenagers and the elderly, but research over the past several years has begun to focus on the middle-aged. The new CDC report is being called the first to show how the trend is playing out nationally and to look in depth at the racial and geographic breakdown. The suicide rate registered a statistically significant increase in 39 out of 50 states. The West and the South had the highest suicide rates.

Suicide rates among middle-age Americans have risen sharply in the past decade, prompting concern that a generation who have faced years of economic worry and easy access to prescription painkillers may be particularly vulnerable to self-inflicted harm. Mike Stobbe, medical writer from AP, explains that this report contained information about how middle-aged people kill themselves: During the period studied, hangings overtook drug overdoses in that age group, becoming the No. 2 manner of suicide, whereas guns remained as the first instrument of death in nearly half of all suicides among the middle-aged in 2010. We should not commit suicide because we can use this human body to escape from this material entanglement and attain the highest goal of life divine.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US? 

This human life is so valuable that with it we can take the path of the highest divine conception. ... If we can use this human life in a valuable way, we can acquire the key by which to become free from the whole chain of life in this troublesome world. We can get rid of the bondage of all sorts of physical and mental troubles. The key is here, in this human form of life. Jiva Goswami says that lower life-forms have insufficient understanding to realize the highest truth. And in the higher life-forms, such as demigods, because previously acquired energy or karma has accumulated on all sides, the chief enjoying elements are surrounding the living being. It is difficult to escape the charm of those influences and begin the prospect of a fresh life in a higher plane of consciousness.

Śrīla Bhakti Raksaka Sridhara Mahārāja :
“The Golden Volcano of Divine Love”
Part 3 “Conclusion - A Drop of Divine Love”
Section: “Let us Take Poison ...”
http://bvml.org/SBRSM/index.htm
Bhaktivedanta Memorial Library

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A STRUGGLE TO OVERCOME MOUNTAINS OF WASTE

HONG KONG STRUGGLES
TO COMBAT WASTE CRISIS

http://main.omanobserver.om - An army of road sweepers and refuse collectors keep the streets clean in the heart of Hong Kong - but on the outskirts, growing mountains of waste are testament to what campaigners say is an environmental crisis. While the city may look well-kept, its three huge outdoor landfill sites are piled high with rubbish and are set to reach capacity by 2020, according to the government's Environmental Protection Department (EPD). Some predictions say the first one will be full in a year or two. 
The majority of the 13,000 tonnes of rubbish dumped at landfills in Hong Kong each day is termed 'municipal solid waste' (MSW), generated by households, business and industry. With a population of more than seven million, Hong Kong is sending 1.3 kg of MSW per person to landfills daily. 

Most of it is 'domestic waste' - rubbish from homes and institutions including schools, as well as refuse collected by public cleaning services, from food to furniture. Its per capita generation of domestic waste is significantly higher than other leading Asian cities, including Tokyo, Seoul and Taipei.
In a statement, the EPD acknowledged Hong Kong "has a waste crisis" and added that this can only be dealt with "by taking multi-pronged actions, ranging from waste reduction at source to enhancing waste recovery, as well as building a comprehensive and modern waste treatment infrastructure that can handle different types of waste". The government and green groups believe that waste charging for households and businesses according to the amount they dispose of is the key to reducing the amount of rubbish generated.

It is not the government the only one responsible of tonnes of rubbish which are dumped everywhere in the big cities, the public's attitude to consumption has been partly blamed for the problem. "We need to have a clear roadmap for waste reduction, otherwise our rubbish will be on the streets in seven years' time," environmental scientist Professor Jonathan Wong, of the Hong Kong Baptist University, said. "Hong Kong is a fast-moving city and people want to keep up with the trends, whether it's clothing or iPhones," said Angus Ho from the Hong Kong environmental NGO Greeners Action. Do not be a passive onlooker of the destruction of our world. Be active. Do something!

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US? 

Humanity has tried everything in the last few thousand years. Every economic and political system, as well as the industrialized, technological information age have failed to improve the human character and create a balanced environment. We are not leaving a healthy planet, let alone a system that works, in order to continue living as we have been used so far. ... Always separate the garbage strictly, recycling everything possible. ... No more plastics until there is NO other way out. Use wood toys for your children. Let them feel and love nature. Teach them about Mother Nature and Father Krishna. ... Organize and create civic action. Use natural products like leaf-plates, natural fiber shopping bags, and organic grown produce whenever available.

Śrīla Bhakti Aloka Paramadvaiti Mahārāja :
"Vaishnava Ecology"
"Body, Mind, and Soul in Harmony with Nature"
http://www.vrindavan.org/English/about/VaishnavaEcology.html

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SOLAR ECLIPSE VISIBLE TODAY IN AUSTRALIA

SPECTACULAR “RING OF FIRE”
ANNULAR SOLAR ECLIPSE IN AUSTRALIA

www.washingtonpost.com - Later yesterday and today over parts of Australia and the Pacific ocean, the moon passes in front of the sun, leaving behind all but a golden trail of light. The term for this dramatic alignment of the moon and sun is an annular or “ring of fire” solar eclipse. The last annular eclipse occurred May 20, 2012, and was viewable over parts of the western U.S. This year’s version will not be visible over North America, but will be broadcast online via the Slooh Space Camera for all to see.
The website Earth Sky provides a detailed location-based timeline of the eclipse evolution. And AccuWeather provides a forecast of sky conditions along the eclipse’s path; it is generally favorable for viewing. Here are some viewing tips for the solar annular eclipse. 

Do not look at the eclipse with the naked eye or with a camera or telescope without a solar filter. Doing so could cause irreversible eye damage. NASA warns: the concern over improper viewing of the Sun during an eclipse is for the development of “eclipse blindness” or retinal burns. For safe viewing with your eyes, obtain special solar eclipse sunglasses (ordinary sunglasses will not protect you) or create your own eclipse viewing device. For photographing the eclipse directly, you need a solar filter for your camera. Viewing or photographing the eclipse indirectly - via the ground - is possible without eye protection or filters.
The next solar eclipse viewable in the U.S. will be a partial solar eclipse on October 23, 2014. But just wait until August 21, 2017 when a total solar eclipse traverses the country crossing the U.S. from the Pacific to the Atlantic.

This first solar eclipse of 2013 occurs today. It will transform the sun into a dazzling "ring of fire" for observers in Australia, weather permitting. Also known as an annular eclipse, it  happens today, starting in Western Australia, it will move over the Northern Territory, crossing Cape York and passing through Papua New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. Two Aboriginal communities, Kowanyama and Pormpuraaw, will experience it in full, whereas other parts of the world only will be able to see a partial solar eclipse. These cosmic events reminds us when the gopīs of Vrindāvana and the residents of Gokula, met Krishna at Kuruksetra during a solar eclipse.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US? 

After His separation from Vṛndāvana and the innocent rural cowherd boys, girls, ladies and others, they all felt shock throughout their lives, and the separation of Rādhārāṇī, the most beloved cowherd girl, is beyond expression. Once they met at Kurukṣetra during a solar eclipse, and the feeling which was expressed by them is heartrending. ... Krishna, Baladeva and Subhadrā are represented in the famous Jagannātha temple of Purī, and the temple is still visited by thousands of pilgrims daily. This temple is in remembrance of the Lord's visit at Kuruksetra during an occasion of solar eclipse and His subsequent meeting with the residents of Vrindāvana. The meeting of Rādhā and Krishna during this occasion is a very pathetic story, and Lord Śrī Caitanya, in the ecstasy of Rādhārāṇī, always pined for Lord Śrī Krishna at Jagannātha Purī. 

Śrīla A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda :
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam - Canto 1: “Creation”
Chapter 10 - Verses 9 - 10
Chapter 13 - Verses 3 - 4
Bhaktivedanta VedaBase

Published by dasavatara das - "Vedic Views on World News"
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DO YOU BELIEVE IN THESE SUPERSTITIONS?

ARE YOU SUPERSTITIOUS?
DO YOU BELIEVE IN SUPERSTITIONS?

www.boldsky.com - There are many superstitions that are followed by people. We all are superstitious in some or the other way. We might deny that we are practical and not superstitious, but, at some point, we believe in it. For example, a black cat is always taken in the negative way. Similarly, Friday the 13th is another common superstition. These beliefs make us believe in ghosts and monsters. Here are the most common superstitions that have made us believe in many myths. Lets brief out ... 
Black Cat Crossing the Path: It is believed that a black cat crossing the path ahead of you brings bad luck. It is said that if you are going for some work, you will fail if you walk the path where a black cat crossed. People either throw stones and then walk or wait for someone else to cross. Bad Luck comes in Three: There is a common saying in Hinduism, “Teen tigada kaam bigada”. This means that bad luck comes when there are three. Be it a person or an object, the belief that three spoils the good luck is a myth. 

Friday the 13th: Friday has been considered as the unlucky day of the week. Moreover, 13th is considered as an unlucky number. When the two combine, it is a bad day. People fear to face Friday the 13 if anything wrong happens, we blame the day and date. Coin on the Ground: It is said that if you find a penny or note on the road or footpath, you should pick it up. It is a lucky sign that brings good luck. Eyelash to Make a Wish: If an eyelash is found under the eye then people place it carefully on the hand and make a wish. They believe that the eyelash will fulfil the wish as it travels to God.  
Itchy Palm: This is another common superstition. If the right palm itches, it means that you will either lose money or meet someone new in life. Whereas that if the left palm itches, it signifies money coming. Blinking Eye: The eyes blink because of the tissues but we take it as a superstition. People think that right eye blinking means bad luck for (women) and left eye blinking brings good news (for women). It is vice versa for men.

There are some common superstitions observed in many places worldwide. Amrisha, the writer of the article, has mentioned just a few of them. She also adds that there are two different believes associated with money. On one had, the superstitious believe that finding money is lucky and if you get it somewhere you should not disrespect it, so you should store the money and not spend it. On the other hand, it is said that you should not keep the money with you as it is not yours. You can either donate it to the poor or offer it to God. There are many faiths and superstitions which are not based on any revealed scriptures. It is not easy to completely get rid of superstition and ignorance.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US? 

As a general principle one should try to take the best from Eastern and Western culture and apply it to one's life. It is natural that one influenced by an Indian-based spiritual tradition will develop affinity for certain aspects of Hindu socio-religious culture. However, not every aspect of Hindu culture is spiritual. Many Hindu social customs are simply ethnic traditions, some are the result of outside influences, and some are even based on superstition. None of these have much to do with essential spirituality. ... Essential spiritual practices such as chanting Krsna nama are not based on one becoming a member of any particular culture. In fact the culture of Krsna bhakti (Krsnanusilanam), centered on the chanting of Krsna nama, is a spiritual culture unto itself. Krsnanusilanam can be incorporated into any ethnic culture or lifestyle.

Śrīla Bhakti Vedanta Tripurari Mahārāja :
“Krsna lila: The Highest Reality”
Q & A with Swami B. V. Tripurari
Śrī Caitanya Sanga - April 7, 2005, Vol. VII, No. 5
http://swami.org/index.html
http://swami.org/pages/sanga/2005/2005_5.php

Published by dasavatara das - "Vedic Views on World News"
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3 LONG-MISSING WOMEN FOUND ALIVE IN USA

THREE US WOMEN FOUND ALIVE
AFTER BEING MISSING FOR A DECADE

http://usnews.nbcnews.com - “Help me, I’m Amanda Berry.” With one frantic 911 call on Monday evening, three women missing for years were found in a Cleveland house where they had been held against their will by three brothers. “I’ve been kidnapped,” Berry, who disappeared a decade ago, told the dispatcher. “I’ve been missing for 10 years and I’m out here. I’m free now.” Authorities heaped praise on Berry, now 27 and the mother of a 6-year-old. Berry and two other women, Gina DeJesus and Michelle Knight, went missing between 2000 and 2004 in separate incidents. 
The women were all between the ages of 14 and 20 when they vanished. Neighbors and relatives celebrated the happy ending, but for some, the years had taken their toll. Three suspects are under arrest -- former school-bus driver Ariel Castro, 52, and his brothers Pedro, 54, and O'Neal, 50, police said.

Cleveland Mayor Frank Jackson said at a Tuesday press conference that there are many unanswered questions: “Why were they taken, how they were taken and how they remained undetected in the city of Cleveland for all this time?” The three women were taken to nearby Metro Health Medical hospital, along with Berry's child, officials said. All three women were released from the hospital Tuesday morning, the hospital said in a statement, after reporting earlier in the morning that they had been in "fair condition." “These three young ladies have provided us with the ultimate definition of survival and perseverance. The healing can now begin,” said Cleveland FBI Special Agent Stephen Anthony. The three disappearances had stumped police in Cleveland and shaken the community for years.

Three women who went missing separately about a decade ago, when they were in their teens, were found alive in a residential area of Cleveland, Ohio, USA, and three men - all brothers - were arrested. One of the women told a 911 dispatcher the person who had taken her was gone, and she pleaded for police officers to come and get her, saying, "I'm free now." Police said the women appeared to be in good health and they had been taken to a hospital to be reunited with relatives and to be evaluated. Committing violence is a heinous sin. Specially, cruelty toward women and innocent creatures causes great disturbances in the world.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US? 

There are three kinds of violence: violence toward human beings, violence toward animals, and violence toward demigods. Violence is born from hate. ... Violence toward other living entities is the root of all sinful activities. Those who are fortunate enough to engage in Krsna's devotional service naturally do not possess a propensity for violence. (Sajjana Tosani 9/8) ... There are two types of cruelty, cruelty toward humans and cruelty toward animals. Cruelty toward men and women causes great disturbances in the world. When people practice cruelty toward one another, compassion leaves the world and irreligiousness in the form of cruelty become prominent. (Caitanya-siksamrta 2/5).

Śrīla Saccidananda Bhaktivinoda Thākura :
‘Violence Toward the Living Entities’
“Śrī Bhaktivinoda Vānī Vaibhava” - Vol 2. “Abhidheya”
Compiled by Śrīpad Sundarānanda Vidyāvinoda
 

Published by dasavatara das - "Vedic Views on World News"
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