While millions starve.... Belgian farmers dump milk

Even as millions of people in third world countries in Africa, Asia, South America and a small population of poor in the US and EU member nations starve to death due to hunger, angry Belgian farmers dump 3 million litres of milk into agricultural fields. What kind of idiocy, expression of anger is this? I fail to understand. I have seen farmers dumping tomatoes onto the road in rural Karnataka (India) due to the same exasperation about prices. Though the quantities are never this much, it nevertheless is a great loss for not for the individual farmer or the country but the entire humanity.

In Sub Saharan Africa, thousands of people are starving to death. There are riots when Red Cross volunteers distribute food. A few thousand miles away in Europe this kind of gross wastage of milk is happening because a few politicians and corporations are fighting over the price of milk. Farmers are complaining that milk prices have dropped below production costs. The solution is simple stop producing so much milk and switch to other products. Process the milk and sell butter, cheese, and whole lot of milk products. For God's sake don't waste the milk and dump it into agricultural fields.

I guess the financial value of 790,000 gallons of milk is just $4 million not much for many European powers who continue to live on the wealth they looted from rest of the world during the past few centuries.

Looking for a used car? Look no further!!!

Buying a used cars can be quite difficult, considering how dealers try to manipulate the prices, conceal the records etc. I recently came across an automobile portal on the internet which offers a completely different perspective to car sales. The site focuses on used cars, new cars, leasing and research. The unique features of this site is that you can search cars, research cars, ask questions, compare prices from various dealers, read car reviews and do a whole lot of other stuff related to cars. There is an entire section on insurance and maintenance too. In this era of websites and car dealerships which focus entirely on selling and buying here is a different portal which provides a low down on the whole gamut of things. If you are in the market for a car, used or new check it out before you sign the dotted line.

New Orleans Visit and Lessons

A little over ten days ago it was the Labor day weekend which was an extended holiday across the US. We decided to take this opportunity to accomplish two things at the same time. Visit family in New Orleans and also take in the sights and sounds of this recently hurricane devastated city. It sounded like a good plan and this time we decided to undertake a road trip instead of an flight. I am glad we did it because the drive showed me a completely different part of the US, something which is yet wild, sparsely populated and still relatively natural.
The trip to Louisiana's Katrina-ravaged city helped me learn several lessons. The biggest lesson was that even in America the government doesn't bother about its poor and underprivileged. The trip exposed the murky underbelly of American capitalism and how the government, corporations, and the majority of this continent-sized country have simply ignored the small minority of people (estimated 1.5 million) who were affected by the Katrina. Despite the fact that US receiving millions of dollars of aid in cash from several countries including the poorest nations of the world. Here is a list of countries which provided cash-aid to the US when Katrina hit.

Kuwait	$500 million
Qatar	$100 million
United Arab Emirates	$100 million
South Korea	$30 million
Australia	$10 million
India	$5 million
China	$5 million
New Zealand	$2 million
Pakistan	$1.5 million
Bangladesh	$1 million

When I saw these numbers I was surprised to note that the developed nation of New Zealand contributed much lesser than India, which is a much poorer and still a third world nation and has a much larger population. Even Bangladesh which reels under its own floods, hurricanes, every year has given $1 billion towards aid. Apart from these contributions, US and international nonprofits have raised about $4.5 billion and corporations pledged about $1 billion.
According to the Wikipedia article the total devastation in New Orleans has been estimated at about $90 billion. Federal aid to provide relief to affected people a mere $16.7 billion for housing, $5.5 billion for roads, and $2 billion for highways and bridges. A few million here and there for other purposes. I am surprised that despite such widespread damage, fatalities and devastation the federal government has not done enough.

Even after five years of Katrina the lower 9th ward of New Orleans looks like a ghost town, broken down houses, uninhabited neighborhoods, home sites overgrown with weeds and brush, etc. If this were the scene in a third world nation I would not have been so surprised, but in the US which has flattened two nations in the past decade and which claims economic, military, infrastructural supremacy over all other nations in the world, this is pathetic.

Anyway I guess this is the way poor and oppressed are treated even in the heaven of freedom and equality.

This is where I will end today. I will be posting pictures and experiences of a swamp tour, handling alligators, a wild party night on Bourbon street and the return journey in the next few days.

DFW edition of Tour De Cure

Despite the heavy downpour bicycle enthusiasts across the DFW area participated in the four bicycle rides organized in various parts of the metro area. I volunteered for Tour de Cure organized by the American Diabetes Association, I was at the very first rest stop which was visited by all the riders except those who did the 5 mile route. I guess because of the many rides in the area riders were split between the events and there were only about 500-odd riders participating in the Tour de Cure. Organized to raise funds for diabetes research this ride has special meaning to me personally because both my parents are diabetic and I hope a cure is discovered soon so they can get off the pill and lead normal lives.
What I saw at the ride was even more surprising. There were several young children riding and volunteering for this ride who were diagnosed diabetic. But they were spirited and wanted to do something about it and hence they were there braving thunder storms and the sudden cold to cheer riders or to ride themselves.
I managed to capture some good images of the riders from my vantage point at rest stop 1. It was bad lighting and incessant drizzle so the pictures have not come out all that good, but here is perhaps the best of a bad lot. Do let me know what you feel about it.

Last set of pictures of the Buddhist temple, Houston

I have been posting the pictures of the spectacular Viet Namese Buddhist temple in Sugarland, Texas, one of the suburbs of Houston. The temple is so vast and has so many interesting sights that it is difficult to post all the pictures at one go. Anyway here is the last set of pictures shot in the sprawling temple complex which features expansive green lawns, artistic buildings, water bodies and parking lots.

Another Bell Tower

A large building in the temple, the library or discourse room I suppose

Rear view of the temple with fountain and sculptures

Sculpture of Buddha under the Bodhi tree in the shrine's Bonsai garden

Viet Namese Buddhist Temple, Houston - More Pictures

Yesterday I blogged about our last week's visit to Houston and the accidental discovery of the grand Viet Namese Buddhist temple. Due to paucity of time I couldn't upload all the pictures I wanted to in the blot post. This grand Buddhist shrine evokes awe and intrigue at the same time. There are several areas of the temple which would make any Hindu/ Buddhist feel proud. For instance the presence of the Ashoka Pillars crowned by Lions right at the entrance, a massive building known as "Dharma Hall", the verdant green acres around the shrines, the numerous images of Buddha installed amidst gardens and lawns, et al. I hope I could visit this temple again when I visit Houston and take in the beauty and spiritual vibrations. Here are more views of the temple.

The Bell Tower in the center of the shrine compound

Buddha idol in the garden contiguous to the shrine

Bridge across a water body to view the Buddha idol

Water body and the idols inside and outside it

Another religious symbol in the water body

Long shot of the Buddha statue

NB: More pictures to come shortly.

Viet Namese Buddhist Temple, Houston

Ashoka Chakra right at the entrance of the temple

Last weekend we had been to Houston to participate in the wonderful Krishna Janmashtami celebrations organized by the Hindus of Greater Houston. The day after the event we hung around in Houston to visit couple of friends and take in the Hindu sights of the city. We have seen everything there is to see in this city last year the museum of modern art, Downtown Aquarium, zoo, water wall, NASA space center, George Ranch and others. That is why this time we decided to take in only the spiritual sights of Hindus. It seems like there are millions of churches in every city in the US so I don't bother with them unless they are really spectacular or historically relevant.

Anyway coming back to our exploration we had planned on visiting the Swami Narayan temple. Unfortunately for us we found the wrong address on google and landed up in the wrong place. This was a misfortune in disguise because right next door to the address we found was this magnificent Viet Namese Buddhist temple. This shrine with its towering milky white statue of Buddha, artificial lakes, rolling grassy lawns and gardens, held me spellbound even as I enjoyed myself capturing photographs of the location.

I was heartened to see the Ashoka Pillar right at the entrance of the temple and also the Dharma Ghanta (Bell of Justice) installed in a tower adjacent to the sanctum. This is one temple which is resplendent of the glory of Eastern religions and non-violent philosophy. I wish some of our Hindu temples would be as imposing. The temple was choc-a-bloc with pious Viet Namese listening to a discourse.

Sanctum of the temple

The Dharma Ghanta inside its tower

Musings of a Laptop Computer

It was sometime in the year 2002 that I was created in a high-tech, aseptic, dust free, and air conditioned assembly line. After I was born several technicians tested my health and ensured that I was indeed alive and kicking. Then I was placed in the soft cushion of Styrofoam and sent to the store where several people came and looked at me. Every time a prospective buyer came I was subjected to all kinds of touches, jabs, and presses till finally one of them decided to take me home. That was several years ago and since then I have been living in and out of a leather bag.

Looking back over the years I feel like having lived a complete life with all its trails and tribulations. From being an object of desire and adulation to being an antiquated slow coach I have been there and done that.

Since the time I was put to work I have been loaded with software and some of them have been removed so that my processors will be less taxed and I will deliver results faster. In the beginning the kids wanted to play games, the teens wanted to watch movies and the parents would want to calculate house hold expenses and communicate with their friends. Now with younger and newer laptops available in the market, nobody wants to spend time with me. They complain that I am too slow, my colors have faded, I don't sound quite right, et al. Sometimes I wish I were faster and sleek like the Pavilion dv4t series from HP. Then they would have continued to love me more and spend time with me.

Recently I heard that HP is offering several coupon deals including a $30 discount on all orders above $150 and above at HP Home Store. The code SV2132 can be used while redeeming and this coupon is Valid through 10/31 or while supplies last. Restrictions and exclusions apply.

With so many offers I wonder how long I will be with this owners before being given away to charity or just sent for recycling???

Some Hindu Temples in Houston

During last week's visit to Houston we took a little time off to visit a few of the local Hindu temples. There are many and more glorious Hindu temples in Houston, but we didn't have time and also we didn't know their whereabouts. Hence we limited ourselves to a few temples. Unfortunately for us all the temples were closed on Sunday afternoon. As a result I could get pictures only from the outside. Most temples are located in a run-down part of the city and one of them is even occupying an old industrial warehouse. Here are the pictures....

Swami Narayan Temple, Houston

Ashta Lakshmi Temple, Houston - housed in an industrial warehouse

Ashta Lakshmi Temple, Houston - with its typical South Indian trappings

Krishna Janmashtami Celebrations in Texas

Lord Krishna, the god of love with his consort Radha

Over the weekend we had been to Houston to participate in the well organized, colorful, and wonderfully scintillating Krishna Janmashtami Celebrations. The festival was organized by Hindus of Greater Houston, a non-profit organization formed to promote Hinduism and remove the popular misconceptions about the oldest religion in the world. The beauty of the event was that there was no fees charged either for visitors or for vendors who kept booths. The only condition however was that only Hindu non-profit organizations were permitted to have booths.

This was the first time I felt a Hindu presence in the United States. Temples and other spiritual locations apart this was the only ceremony which had a pure Hindu feel to it. Part of the feel came from the fact that everyone who entered the auditorium were asked to remove their foot wear as a mark of respect to the deities installed there. Nearly every large temple in Houston had their booth with a picture of their deity or the Utsav Murti. This was one place where we could a glimpse of various gods and goddesses in one place.

The ceremonies were quite similar to those festivities organized in ashrams of modern Hindu Swamis like the Prasanna Trust or Art of Living Foundation. The highlight of the evening was live performance by Ghazal Maestro Anup Jalota who held the audience spellbound by his rendition of devotional songs dedicated to Lord Rama and Krishna.

There were numerous other performances by children, Krishna costume competition and the event was capped up by a Dandia or community dance which went on for about an hour and half. The devotional evening started off at 5.30 pm and continued until 1.00 am. As I came out of the auditorium I was heady in the spirituality and felt really happy that at last I have participated in a proper Hindu festival celebration. I wish similar festivals could be organized in Dallas too and every other American city where there is a Hindu presence.

Ceremonial welcome to guests on a carpet flanked by traditional figures

The center of attraction a mega rangoli with Radha-Krishna idol in the center

Ghazal Maestro Anup Jalota rendering soul soothing devotional songs

Packed auditorium during Anup Jalota's performance

The band of Guruvaurappan temple getting ready for performance

Lessons from a Banyan Sapling

I captured the above picture on the mobile phone camera. There is nothing significant in this picture at a first glance. Depending on the eye of the beholder there is a pillar, asphalt floor, cars... yes it is a parking lot. This is the parking lot of DFW Airport. The reason for this plant attracting my attention is simple. The surroundings are completely hostile, but still a tiny seed has taken root and broken through the asphalt, concrete and tarmac to be precise and grown into a sapling. Whether it grows into a tree or not is not the matter of consideration. The fact that this tiny seed without anyone caring for it or watering it has been able to pierce through the earth, gather nutrients and grow to this extent proves its mettle and determination.
I had heard a quote earlier in my life "The greatest oak tree was once a tiny seed". That is what I feel a lesson for all of us, be resilient, determined and never let your eyes stray from your goal. Then like this sapling here we too will be able to pierce through all the obstacles and succeed in reaching our goal.
On a lighter note
Even the mighty America can't tame nature. Plants grow even in the most strongly built parking lots.

Home Pooja Pictures

I had blogged about Ganesha Chathurthi celebrations in DFW and how we participated in various places. This was a kinda test for me to remember what we would do while I was in India and try to replicate the same as closely as possible. Of course it would be difficult to arrange for 108 types of leaves and blades of grass here unless we lived in our own home with a backyard. Our worship was simple, it would have been better had my parents been here. Hopefully next year we'll be with parents either here or in India to celebrate the festivals.
Here are some pictures of the worship we offered at home.