I Worked Hard to Achieve... What?

This guest post is written by Hugh DeBurgh. Author biography is at the bottom of this post. 

You must first be who you really are, then do what you need to do, in order to have what you want. ~ Margaret Young

Dear Friend,

Many years ago, when I was a "kid" in college, I knew what I had to do. I was determined to be a success. And in the go-go eighties, that meant earning big bucks. But I was never foolish enough to think that I would get rich quick. And neither did I buy into the eighties culture of flashy bling and drugs that destroyed so many fortunes as fast as they formed. I knew that to be a success, I had to find a plausible path to good money, live frugally, save and invest conservatively but intelligently, and work hard.

I was focused. I worked long hours. Longer than the average person did. I "knew" that successful people lived this way. They put off pleasure, in exchange for progress. I was proud of the fact that I would be well off and comfortable in my later years, while most of those fun-loving lazy types around me would see little progress in their lives. I would be at ease while the partiers would still be grinding away.

Those thoughts kept me working while others had fun.

I did save some money. I built a nice house - no small thing for a single guy under 30. And I poured every last dime I could into paying off my mortgage. And I got married. Had four kids. And built a nice business for myself.

Only one problem, though.

I had absolutely no interest in what I did for a living. None. I did it to advance my financial position. My choices were based on anticipated financial gain. My life was the result of a mathematical formula. And it was as cold as one, too. You see, I never understood the Margaret Young quote at the beginning of this piece. I never recall ever reading it. And if I did, perhaps I just ignored it. Because it did not fit into my world view.

My life is different now.

I live on the road. My family of six travels the world in search of new adventures and experiences. Money is a means to an end, not an end in itself. I learned the hard way that saving money is no guarantee that you can keep money. The recent series of stock market crashes proved that. And the price we all pay for living a life focused on the accumulation of wealth (which never does seem to accumulate) is to sacrifice the best years of our lives.

Know who you are. Know what really matters to you. Know how you really want to spend the rest of your days. Then, focus your attention on how you will accomplish that task. That is life in a nutshell. But so few approach it in this way. Most follow the model that I followed. And, as a result, spend countless years on the wrong path.

Time is life

Time is the one resource that we cannot recover. Therefore, it should be your most jealously guarded asset. Your next best asset is knowledge. The ability to leverage what is available to you to make the best use of your time. And the best use of your time is to live the life you love. That means spending the vast majority of your life actually living, instead of preparing to live. Young people often take time for granted. They imagine that they have a limitless supply. So it is no wonder that I thought I was following a wise road back then. I was the hard working ant, storing away food while the lazy grasshopper just hung around. I knew that the grasshopper would be begging at my door in the cold wintertime, but that I would be safe and warm. But life isn't as simple as a child's fairy tale. And life isn't a series of regular, predictable summers and winters. Life is unpredictable. You may only live another week. Or you may live 200 years. You simply do not know. And until science can tell us exactly how long we have left on this Earth, we cannot afford to take any of it for granted.

So, don't make the same mistake I did. And if you already have, it's not too late to change. I have. You can change your life's direction. You can start today. Wherever you are in your life, I wish you the best possible future, doing what you love most. And simply being you.

All the best,

Hugh

Hugh DeBurgh, the passionate warrior, has dedicated his life to the achievement of the ultimate family lifestyle. You can find him writing about Creative Family Lifestyle Design over at his blog, The Way of the Passionate Warrior. Currently he is on the second leg of a worldwide travel adventure with his wife and four young children. Follow Hugh on Twitter or visit his blog to catch all the action. 

Choosing a Drug Rehab: 5 Things to consider

Deciding to stop abusing drugs is one of the most important and hardest decisions one can take. Saying no to drugs after getting addicting to, is a tough, expensive and a lifelong process. On the process of recovery, choosing the right drug rehabilitation center is crucial and it can & will affect the effectiveness and efficiency of the recovery process. To help you choose the right drug rehab center, I have gathered some of the key factors which you should consider to narrow down your search.

Here are 5 things one should consider when selecting a drug rehab center:

Value against Money

 The treatment of drug addiction is costly. Private drug rehab centers can cost anything from $5000 to upwards of $20,000 a month. So you should go deep into the actual “value” you will derive from the rehab. Does the value exceed the money expensed or will you be paying more than you will get in return? Which rehab offers the most value? Value can be translated into duration of the program, well trained doctors and stuff, residential and recreational facilities, location of the rehab (closer to home = better), treatments provided etc.

Family Participation

Family plays a big role in recovering from drug addiction. So apart from other treatments, the involvement of family in the recovery process must be considered. The drug rehab center should allow a certain degree of family participation. Do you think that the amount of family participation opportunity provided is enough at your targeted rehab?

One-on-One Therapy

One-on-one therapy with a psychologist is another major element of recovering from drug abuse. Most of the private rehab centers provide this facility. But try to find out how many sessions there are in the program and what the duration of each session is. You should also consider the ratio of nurse/doctor to patient. There are some good rehabs who offer 1 nurse or more for every 5 patients.

After Care Therapy

Sobriety is a lifelong process. And not a single rehab center can guarantee a patient that he will recover from drug addiction immediately after he completes the treatment program at their rehab. So after care or follow up programs are really very important. You should check out what are the after care facilities provided by your targeted rehabilitation center and for how long they will provide this service.

Do you feel comfortable?

But the final and deciding factor to consider is, do you really feel comfortable going with your targeted rehab? Feeling comfortable is really important because you will be staying here for a while and if you don’t feel relaxed in the atmosphere of the rehab, the treatment will take longer time. So if you have any hesitation in your mind, even if you don’t know the reason, I would advice to clear that hesitation before getting yourself admitted there.

So these are the 5 things to consider when choosing a drug rehab center for stopping drug abuse. What did you think about these points? Feel free to share your views with us.

A healthy and happy life is all I want in life for you and me. Take care of yourself and be safe.

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Bloggers Unite for Human Rights

Even though human rights have been a topic of discussion for as long as I can remember, it is a burning issue now, especially after the recent occurring in Iran. Thanks to BloggersUnite bloggers all around the world have received the opportunity to unite on this issue and blog together to bring a change to this world.

Know Your Rights

Human rights refer to some basic rights and freedom which every person is entitled to have under any circumstance. These basic rights include freedom of speech, freedom of religion and culture, freedom to acquire knowledge, justice, safe childhood, physical safety etc. Sad but true, in many places of the world human rights are being severely violated everyday.

In this post, you’ll read about internet censorship, which is a form violation of a human rights.

Internet censorship is a violation of human right as it contradicts with freedom of speech and knowledge. Internet censorship is the process of blocking internet sites so that the users of a particular country or region can’t visit those sites. It also includes strict rules about publishing information on the internet, even when the information is on a private site or blog. Many countries adopt internet censorship to control the “source of knowledge and news”. Iran has very strict internet censorship rules. It has blocked more than 5 million sites including facebook and youtube. It has blocked political, human rights, women’s freedom and pornographic sites and blogs. Many bloggers and online activists have been brought to jail because the government was not happy with what they had to say. Iran is so strict about internet censorship, that it was one of the 13 countries who were labeled “enemies of the internet”.

I think internet censorship to this extend is not necessary. Every grown up should be given the right to choose between right and wrong by themselves. Everyone should have the right to gather knowledge from where ever they can and from every angle of a story. Everyone should have the right to express their feelings in a non violent way. Blog is a great way to share views and opinions. Restraining this privilege is a very bad practice, according to me.

You can ignore the censorship with the help of this links:
1. Free Gate
2. Ultrasurf

How to get involved
To promote human rights the least you can do is you can blog about it. If you decide to blog about this issue to raise consciousness, you can consider these topics which were suggested by BloggersUnite.

1. The wrongful imprisonment of journalists covering assemblies.
2. Governments that ignore the plight of citizens left tot he mercy of gangs.
3. The censorship of the Internet in order to prevent freedom of expression.
4. Harsh punishments that include torture, forced labor, and starvation.
5. Sexual assault against women by members of military or militia.

Further reading:
Internet censorship in Iran
Human rights

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Bloggers Unite: World Population Day 2009

World Population Day is an annual event which is observed every year on July 11. The day seeks to raise awareness about the ever raising population of the world. World Population Day started its journey in 1989 and it’s the 20th anniversary of this day. The theme of this year is “Fight Poverty, Educate Girls”. Thanks to Bloggers Unite for arranging a platform to blog about this issue under its banner.

Let's get on the same page

On July 11, 1987 the estimated population of the world was 5 billion. In 2000, world population reached 6.06 billion. And after 9 years, on this day, the estimated world population is 6,761,217,750 (and counting) which indicates a 78 million population increase per year. It is feared that world population might reach up to10.7 billion in the year 2050.

Where are you planning to house that entire people?

How are you planning to feed them?

Because of the ever rising population poverty is increasing, quality of life and standard of living is decreasing and it is also having a toll on the ecosystem and the environment. Wild species are becoming extinct 50-100 faster than they naturally do. Even though the population growth is slowing down, more than 90 percent of the current growth is triggered by the developing countries. In those developing countries, normally the number of properly educated women is much smaller, when compared to the number of educated men. Lack of female education is a major cause of population increase. That’s why world leaders are putting so much emphasis to female education to slow down this population explosion.

Change begins with you

I’d like to address another issue which is family planning and birth control. In my country of 150 million people, many care very less about these two very important issues. Millions of people living in villages (and cities too) don’t just feel shy about family planning, they hate it. They leave their family size in the hands of faith which is a direct result of poor or no education. Thanks to many myths about family planning and precautions, the path of my country’s prosperity is hampered in a great deal. For those who don’t know yet, my country- Bangladesh is the most densely populated country in the world, where overpopulation is considered the main problem.

Now it’s your turn

You have heard what I have to say about world population and now it’s your turn. Share your views and opinions. Are you from an economically developed country or a developing country? Is your country overpopulated or is the population of your country rapidly rising? What can be the best possible solution to this problem? Is raising awareness enough to fight this global problem?

More links about population:
World Clock
Population Facts

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Bloggers Unite: For a Free Iran

First of all, I’d like to beg the forgiveness to the people of Iran and to Neda Agha Soltan for being ignorant for so long. For not keeping my eyes open for what is happening around me. How could I be so self centered?

As I gradually started to go deeper into the current issues of Iran, I was literally shocked and at one stage- afraid. The videos, which youtube is offering us, are horrifying. The video clip of Neda Agha Soltan dying in the street of Iran made me shiver. Looking at her eyes has made me realize why people of Iran call her the “voice of Iran”. Without saying a single word she said and commanded everything that day.

Rest in peace Neda

Current condition of Iran

I’m not going to comment on whether the 10th Iranian presidential election 2009 was fare or not as I don’t understand politics that well. But I must say that a fair election is one of the most basic rights of a person. And if there is enough reason to believe that the election wasn’t fair, then the government should come forward and show some proof on their behalf. Using force and fire power is miles away from the right thing to do. And this kind of behavior will definitely go (has gone) against them. Their method of subduing the mass people by capturing, injuring and killing people will never work. The official death count by far is 32. This can be called anything but democracy and freedom.

The freedom of speech and communication has also been reduced by the Iranian government which is really a shameful act. More than five million websites have been blocked/filtered including facebook and youtube. Before announcing the result of the election on 13th June, net connection was taken away for about 45 minutes which also can arise many doubts in our minds.

A controversial vantage point

Actually the protest didn't start right away after the announcement of the election result. Even though there were a few clashes at the night of the announcement, the "current" protest started 3 days after it. And for that reason many believe that international organizations like CIA and Mossad has taken advantage of the unrest in Iran and influenced it so that it gets out of proportion. This unstable situation might help them to crawl over Iran again. For those who doesn't know, CIA lost their "strong influence" over Iran in 1979. To add to this, America doesn't like Ahmedinejad because of many issues regarding Nuclear Power.

The "possible" main reasons behind this protest

1. For the demand of a fair election and a change.
2. For taking away the powers from Ahmedinejad.
3. For taking away Ahmedinejad from the power so that America can finally have a talk with the Iranian government about nuclear issues.
4. For regaining the powerful position of CIA in Iran.
5. What's your view on this?

Our support

People of Iran, never think that you are alone. We are with you. You are not fighting alone. We know that during the protest your basic human rights have been violated badly and as a citizen of the world, we can not let that happen. We will fight with you for your rights.

Our demands

1. Stop arresting peaceful protesters and oppositions right now. Release those who were taken captive by the government just because they "shared their views".
2. Freedom of speech.
3. An open internet access.
4. End of violence in Iran.
5. I demand a “show cause” for the government for their recent activities.
6. I demand a transparent election commission.
7. CIA or/and Mossad must not stick their nose in this national issue of Iran.

I DEMAND A FREE IRAN

Take action

1. Write a blog post and share your voice.
2. If you don’t have a blog then comment on relating posts.
3. Turn your profile pictures green or put a green badge to your profile picture. Use this to turn your twitter profile green.
4. Sign an online petition to UN.
5.Any suggestions?

Bloggers Unite has set the floor for us to unite our voices to show our support for a free Iran. As I always say, individual efforts can result in a big change when put together. So, don’t be hesitant about sharing your voice with the world. Prior to this event, I actually didn’t know much about these occurring in Iran. Thanks to Bloggers Unite for making me aware. I hope that it makes more people aware of what is going on in there.

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Bloggers Unite: Say No to Drug Abuse

Today is the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Drug Trafficking. The aim of this day is to raise consciousness against drug abuse and its dark effects on human body, mind and the society.

Don't let drugs control your life

What is drug abuse?

Drug abuse is the use of illicit drugs or the abuse of prescription or over-the-counter drugs for purposes other than those for which they are indicated or in a manner or in quantities other than directed. Source

There are many reason for a teenager or a young adult to fall victim to this. Depression, trying to fit in, trying to relax or just simply trying to experiment can be some of the reasons for abusing drugs. But none of these can work as an excuse.

Some facts about drug abuse

The book called "The Straight Facts About the Most Used and Abused Drugs from Alcohol to Ecstasy" has some very horrifying facts about drug addiction. You can collect this book from amazon.

Illegal drugs are spreading its wings over the world very quickly. The amount of money one can get by selling illegal drugs, drag thousands into drug trafficking. Currently there are about 208 million illegal drug users all over the world. The death toll for drug abuse is also very high. In USA alone 19,171 people die every year due to drug abuse. The demand for drugs in the society is increasing day by day. As the price of drugs is very high, crime rate has also raised so that the addicted people can collect the drug money.

What can we do?

We must raise awareness about the effects of taking drugs. Blogs and other media can be a nice platform for this.

Family members should be really supportive and they should keep a close eye on their youngster growing up. Drug users go through a sudden behavior and daily routine change. Parents should be aware of these changes. Taking proper steps in the early stages of addiction is far better and safer than reacting later.

Once someone is addicted to drugs and alcohol, it’s very hard for them to get away from this dark lifestyle. Professional help is needed to overcome this curse. But above all they need strong determination and support from their friends and family. Without this, I think that recovering from addiction will be next to impossible.

Addiction treatment is a way out of the endless loop of personal defeat, crime, and risky situations.

Authority must stand on a strict position to reduce and eradicate drug trafficking. As long as drugs are available in the streets, the number of illegal drug users will increase. We have to stand beside the government and create a social barricade to keep the illicit drugs out.

If you write a post on this day or on this issue, please be sure to notify me, as I’ll love to read your post.

Thanks to Bloggers Unite for giving us the floor to write about this serious issue.

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This was the 100th post of this blog

Tipaimukh Dam Project: We have to Protest

What is the power of a blog? What changes can a blog bring? Do bloggers love their country? What price are they willing to pay for that love? Are they brave enough?

I am frustrated. I am frustrated because at this moment I am not being able to do anything but to write. Will writing solve this great problem of ours? Will writing solve any problem of ours?

After the project of Farakka Dam, India is starting another similar project which is equally (if not more) dangerous for the ecology and Bangladesh. India has taken Tipaimukh Hydro Electric Project in hand. It involves creating a dam in an international river- Barak, in the state of Manipur, just 200 km away from the Bangladesh border. According to international laws, without the permission of the downstream river nation, one country can not control the flow of a multination river. But it is very sad that India cares little about what Bangladesh has to say about this issue. They proceeded with their plans without even consulting Bangladesh.




E-Pao lists the consequences of building this dam in this location:

1. A total land of 826.20 sq. km will be submerged for ever.
2. More than 40,000 people will be rendered landless.
3. Eight villages situated at the Barak Valley will be completely underwater.
4. About 27,242 hectares of cultivable land will be lost.
5. Increase in salinity of ground water will be unsafe for drinking thereby causing a lot of problems to the people.
6. Many more at the E-Pao site.

If India builds the dam on the River Barak, the water-flow of the River Meghna in Bangladesh will be hampered in a great deal. This will dry up 350 km long Shurma and 110 km long Kushiara River. As a result the north eastern Bangladesh will face severe environmental and economical consequences. It is considered that Sylhet, which is full of flora and fauna, will turn into a desert if this dam is built. Thousands of people and many organizations form the both countries are protesting against this project as it is a great threat to the ecology. Another thing to know is that there had been major earthquakes (8+) in the last 50 years on the location of the dam. But Indian government is going ahead with this project as they planned.

As bloggers the minimum thing to do is to write posts about this issue and create a mass protest against it. I invite all the bloggers across the world especially in Bangladesh and India to raise their voice against this injustice. Let’s fight legally to save the thousands of people, their lands and the environment.

What can we do as bloggers, readers and responsible persons?
1. Write a blog post. If you write a post about this issue I’ll be happy to read your post and link back to some posts.
2. Sign an online petition.
3. Join the Facebook group on this issue.
4. Any suggestions?

these badges can be used in blog posts

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Further reading (outside links):
No to Tipaimukh Dam
Damned Hearings of Proposed Tipaimukh Dam
Amra Tipaimukh Badher Biruddhe (bangla blog)

What not to do to Fall Asleep

I am facing another old problem of mine (again), which is sleep disorder. No matter what I do (sorry, but I am against sleeping pills), it seems like I can not sleep for more than 4 hours a day. And that gets really tiring if it continues for 10 days straight.

The things which I’m doing (or have done) to fall asleep are probably the wrong thing to do as they are not working at all. In fact they are working in the opposite direction. So, I’m pointing out those things, so that you don’t make the same mistake…

5 not-to-do-things to fall asleep:

1. If you are suddenly awake at the middle of the night, never ever play games or use net on your phone to pass time until you fall back asleep. This will never work. The bright light of the phone near your eyes will devastate whatever sleep you have left in you.

2. Don’t think about what your next blog post is going to be about. This might be beneficial to your blog, but I don’t think this will be any help to fall asleep. I read in some book that if you concentrate on a matter your brain gets tired and you fall asleep. But I don’t know why, but concentrating on a serious matter at night, evaporates my sleep completely.

3. Don’t change your position too quickly and too fast.

4. Don’t watch too much television before going to bed. This will definitely hamper your sleep.

5. I did this thing for a few days which didn’t work. I tried to work out before going to bed so that my body gets tired enough to fall asleep. But later I came to know that you are not supposed to work out in atleast 3 hours before bed time. If you get too tired it’s often hard to sleep.

I want to sleep so badly, but I am not sleepy… oh! :’(

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World Environment Day 2009: Duty Calls

The theme of World Environment Day 2009 is “Your planet needs you! Unite to combat climate change.” This theme is to remind us about our involvement with the environment and the planet. Everything we do can and will effect the environment directly or indirectly. As our irrational and careless steps will devastate the environment, our “green steps” will come in handy in protecting it.

On this day, I am requesting you to take a minute of your time to look around and appreciate the planet around you. This beautiful world might not be so beautiful after a few years, if we don't act now.

Some random things you can do to protect the environment:

1. Plant a tree; help UNEP achieve the Billion Tree Campaign.
2. Learn how to reduce water wastage in home and try to maintain it.
3. Look for to alternative sources of energy like Renewable Energy.
4. Let’s switch off.
5. Don’t drive if you can walk the distance.
6. Reuse and recycle.
7. Protect endangered animals.
8. Visit UNEP’s Easily Green Your Daily Routine.

Small changes can and will result in a big solution if we all contribute. Make sure that you do your part and notify others to do their part.

What changes have you made to your home or your habit to help the environment? If you have posted on World Environment Day 2009 share the summary and the link of the post on the comment section. I'm very interested in reading your posts on this subject.

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Related posts from this blog:
Bloggers Unite: Earth Day 2009
I Do My Part

Ways to Reduce Water Wastage in Home

A little introduction

Water is the most important element of any creature’s life. A person can survive weeks without any food, but none can survive 3 days without any water.

Getting on the same page

Like many developing countries, Bangladesh has a severe crisis for pure drinking water. Due to pollution, very bad distribution system and wastage people living in the congested urban areas has to deal with this crisis everyday. Because of water pollution, the water of many rivers are now too polluted to be treated in the water treatment facilities. In many places the water people gets is just too dirty to use as there are literally worms in the water. They have to stand in lines for hours to get a bucket or bottle full of fresh water. This is not just the scene of my country. Many developing countries are faced with this same problem. I am just using the name of my country because I can relate to it.

People all around the world are having a very hard time coping with this problem. And we, who have no shortage of fresh water supply, are using more than we actually need, we are wasting it.

Ways to stop water wastage in home

1. 40% of all the water used in a household is being flushed down the toilet. No one needs all that water for that purpose. Using low flush tanks can solve this wastage. You reduce the tank space by putting a bottle full of water or stones in it. This will reduce water wastage in some extend. For example, if you live in a family of three and you put a half liter bottle inside the flush tank, you will be saving 270 liters of water every month. And please, don’t use your toilet as an ashtray or dustbin.

2. 20 gallons of water per day can be wasted through very small leaks in faucets or pipes. The number can be multiplied if the leak is bigger. So often check the pipelines for leaks.

3. Using bath-tabs wastes a lot of water. Taking a shower consumes much less water. And honestly, I don’t think taking a shower of one hour is a “need”.

4. Closing the tap carefully is a wise thing to do. Sometimes due to carelessness we leave the tap running even after our work there is done. If a running tap drops one drop of water each second, you’ll have wasted 4 liters of water during your sleep. You can use a water meter to check for water leaks. Water meter can be a useful tool for checking for any leaks.

5. Many people keep the water running while they are brushing their teeth or washing dishes which is not at all a necessity. Please turn the tap off after you have wetted your toothbrush.

6. Wash multiple cloths together if possible. Washing them one dress at a time, requires more water than washing multiples at once.

6. During the war in Rwanda, Bangladesh Army went there on a peace keeping mission on behalf of UN. They had to face with the problem of severe lack of water there. To cope up with this problem they followed certain rules. I am not requesting anyone to follow these rules. I am just pointing it out because I think this is something that everyone should know.

* They laid a paper on their plates and then served food so that the dishes would not require cleaning.

* They used and re-used water 3 times to consume less fresh water. First they collected the water they used in shower and re-used it to wash dirty clothes. Then finally they re-used the same water in toilets.

Gross? No. It’s called lack of water and the power of wishful thinking.

I hope this post was helpful. If you have any more ideas about saving water in our day to day life please let us know by writing it down in the comment section.

The aim of this post:
1. Making people conscious.
2. Showing people some ways to stop wasting water in their homes.
3. Inspiring people to respect the natural elements.

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You have read what I had to say. Now it's your turn to share your views...

Related website: Eartheasy

Bloggers Unite: Hunger and Hope

Thanks to Bloggers Unite for giving me the floor to write this post on Hunger and Hope.

I am feeling a little embarrassed as I am writing a post about hunger with a full stomach. I will not dare to ask for forgiveness to my readers and the 963 million hungry people for this.

What is hunger?

Hunger is not just a feeling; it is the most extreme form of poverty. Hunger is not the need to have another hamburger; it is the need to eat something today so that you can live to fight another day.

Some dirty facts

Even though the world currently produces enough food to feed 12 billion people, it is failing to properly feed 6.7 billion people. Due to whatever reasons almost a billion people are considered “hungry”. In the last 19 years (from 1990), the number of hungry people in the world has been increased by 120 million people. On the average, the earth loses one person every second as a result of hunger. 60% of all child deaths are caused by hunger. On the average, a child dies every five seconds due to extreme hunger. Are these numbers enough to move us?

Hunger and Hope

As we are the more privileged people of the world, it’s our duty to extend our hands to the poor and hungry people. We have to give them some light of hope so that they can dare to dream about a better future. We have to start this moral uplifting movement in our local areas first and grow from there gradually. Many charity organizations are already working for this purpose. We can join them (World Food Program, Operation Blessing International) and donate money to help the people in need. You can also choose and buy a meaningful gift from Heifer International's gift catalog and help the hungry people. Moreover we can try to get poor people on there feet so that they don’t have to be hungry anymore. At least we can feed some hungry people once in a while.

Remember, we are not isolated islands. Everyone of us is connected to one another. If half of your body is paralyzed, will you feel happy or do nothing about it? If your answer is “no” then the poor condition of the hungry people should concern you. Then you should try your level best to lessen their pain.

Peace

Related posts:
Fighting for a Cause
let's Open Our Eyes
Bloggers Unite: Earth Day 2009

Pakistan and a Blogger's Thoughts

I wonder what is the future of the Middle East and South Asian countries. One after one, countries are falling down not only to terrorism but also to so called foreign “peace promoting wars”. Afghanistan and Iraq have already been devastated due to these issues. Terror attacks have been going on for a long time in India. Palestine is a dangerous place for the Muslims to live in. Peace in Bangladesh is also being hampered by the “muslim extremists”.

Now let’s come to the issue of Pakistan. Recent occurring in Pakistan has worried me a lot. I definitely don’t want to see the fall of this nuclear-power-nation to some terrorist organization. It will be a great threat to any civilization on this planet. I don’t know what politics is being played between the Pakistani government and the Talibans, but will feel a heavy sense of relief if I see Pakistani army blocking the forward march of this group of “muslim extremists”. And they have to do this before foreign soldiers come to the rescue and start another bullsh*t “peace promoting war”.

I hope these extremists stop their forward march before they reach Bangladesh. Sorry for being a little selfish but I don’t want to see my country being devastated by terrorists and foreign soldiers.

Peace

Bloggers Unite: Earth Day 2009

If you don’t care for this world, please don’t waste your time reading this post.

Today is the 39th anniversary of the Earth Day. The bloggers all around the world is participating in this day by answering the call of Bloggers Unite and writing a blog post on this day.

What is Earth Day?

I was having a lot of trouble fully understanding the meaning of the Earth Day. I wasn’t fully sure about what to write. So I had to google a lot to have a little idea. So according to my understanding the Earth Day is a day to observe the need to protect the earth and its equilibrium. It is also the day to raise awareness among mass people so that we can start performing for the betterment of the earth. It is a day to start appreciating the world around us and to stop abusing the environment for our selfish betterment.

A very brief history

Thanks to Gaylord Nelson, Richard Nixon and Denis Hayes, the Earth Day movement began its journey back in 1970. On the first Earth Day 20 million people came together and participated voluntarily. But now, on the 39th anniversary, over 500 million people and 175 countries are celebrating this day and working hard to protect the environment.

Let’s get on the same page

Is the world really dying? Yes. Because the resources are limited and we are speeding up the process by spending too much energy and polluting the environment. Willingly or unwillingly we are killing this world. Technically we have no love for this beautiful earth whatsoever as we abuse it all the time. Did you know that we could have reduced 95% carbon monoxide emission per person if we just rode on buses rather than cars? Because of our carelessness the world has become such a place which is dangerous for us to live in. For example, according to World Health Organization, in Cairo breathing daily air is like smoking 20 cigarettes a day! We are cutting down trees every second without any “backup plan” which has devastating effects over our environment; our earth. Rainforests used to cover 14% of land surface. But now it covers less than 6%. As a result the world is heating up, ice caps are melting and the environmental equilibrium is getting destroyed in a rapid pace. I wonder how long it will take to announce “the world is no more suitable for the mankind to live”. Is this what we want?

Let’s unite

Let’s try to bring a change. Let’s start to look forward to a better future where pollution is a yesterday’s topic.

* Let’s look for alternative ways to meet our energy needs. Renewable energy will play a vital role here. Renewable energy is generated from natural resources like wind, sunlight, rain, tide, geothermal heat. Windmill a wonderful example of the source of renewable energy. We have to try to set up windmills locally to meet the need of electricity. Further reading: wiki renewable energy


* We have to stop using plastic bags. A normal plastic bag can take up to 450 years to dissolve. Plastic bags (polybag) are also hard to recycle. That’s why we have to use paper bags instead.

* Though coal is a very common source of energy, it causes a lot of damage to our environment. We have to make this world coal free. Again, the alternative is renewable energy.

* Cutting down trees without any plan has to come to an end. If we cut down trees, we must plant atleast 2 trees there to fill up that empty space. If possible try to plant a tree in your backyard (or anywhere you like) within seven days.

* Replace your ordinary light bulbs with energy saving bulbs. And don’t forget to switch off the light/fan whenever you leave the room. Further reading: this time ~ this space

* Don’t ride on your car that much. Use bus, train and bicycle or just walk. It will reduce air pollution, oil/gas consumption and traffic jam. But if you really prefer to ride avoid mass transport, then you can use smart cars and bikes ran by electricity. It is important if you want to reduce 95% carbon monoxide emission caused by yourself.

* We have to have a control over the dangerously rising population. Over population spoils almost every act of saving the mother earth.

The Earth Day has a great responsibility; the responsibility to make people aware, the responsibility to start bringing a change- a change towards better, cleaner and greener future. And it is YOU who holds the responsibility of making this day count. I feel really happy to be born on this wonderful and meaningful day. I feel honored when I see that The Earth Day is also my birthday.

Peace

Related articles:
How Much Do You Care For The Environment
I Do My Part

Burning Heat Pouring Down

Bangladesh is in its mid summer right now. It’s so hot and humid out there. Even inside my room, with the fan spinning at full speed, it’s really hard not to sweat. Outside it’s 35 degrees Celsius or 95 degrees Fahrenheit. I wonder what the man at Asad-Gate is doing now! I bet he has no place to go but the roadside shed where he is seen all the time. No one is waiting for him with a cool glass of water with ice floating on top. Hmm… I must be real fortunate.

Rain should come pouring down in 2-3 weeks. I guess then the heat will be reduced at least a little. Waiting for the rainy season to come… I love to bathe in the rain sometimes.

But the rainy season also brings disasters with it. Every year during this season Bangladesh suffers from terrible flood and inevitably after that, famine. Flood washes away a huge portion of our corps.

I blame us for this regular flood. If we didn’t fill up all those canals and marshy lands for our own “property development” we could have reduced the severe ness of the floods. It’s a matter of common sense that if we fill up low lands, water will eventually come up to the higher lands and will overflow everything.

I wonder what that person feels about the upcoming rainy season! I wonder what that man will do during that season! Does he have any favorite season? Which one will it be then? Summer- when he has to burn in heat? Monsoon- when he has to get drenched in every rain of the season? Or Winter- when he has to cover his body with only a torn piece of cloth?

I must be real fortunate.

A Reminder: Why I Shouldn’t Smoke

It is sad but true that for the last couple of days (for a week to be exact) I have been smoking cigarettes. It’s not like that I’ve never smoked before but for the last few days I’m doing it regularly. I feel extremely bad about it and this post is basically written to remind me of why I shouldn’t smoke.

For some people smoking helps to calm them down. Maybe that’s my reason of doing it as I am going through a rough time. But that’s no excuse. Smoking harms us a lot more than it benefits us. At first it might seem to relief us from depression but that’s not the case as no substantial proof has been found yet (correct me if I’m wrong). Every year hundreds of thousands people die because of diseases caused by smoking cigarettes.

There are tons of reasons why I shouldn’t smoke. I’m pointing out some of those which I can relate to the most.

Smoking reduces our overall fitness. It robs oxygen from muscles, brain and body tissue. So the whole body has to work much harder. I can’t take the risk of being unfit.

Smoking may cause shortness of breath and Asthma. I have recently joined ‘one hundred push-ups training program’ and I want to go all the way. I am also dying to get into the army, which requires extreme physical fitness. So I can’t afford to have shortness of breath or asthma.

Smoking may cause impotence/infertility. Who wants that?

It causes various cancers including lung cancer. It tar coats our lungs like soot in a chimney and causes cancer. A 20-a-day smoker breathes in up to a full cup (210 g) of tar in a year. Smoking increases the chances of stroke and heart attack.

I don’t like to unnecessarily waste money…another reason not to smoke.

I hate the following picture. I don't want my lungs to look like this.

Smoking cigarettes is not only bad for the smoker; it’s also bad for the people around him. When a person inhales the smoke exhaled from the lungs of a smoker or the smoke coming from a cigarette, it is called secondhand smoking or passive smoking. Second hand smoke contains almost 4000 chemicals, 200 of which are poisonous, 63 of which cause cancer. So, passive smoking is as dangerous as direct smoking. So, when I smoke, the person next to me also gets affected without doing anything wrong. I don’t want to see yet another person suffering for my sins.

Further reading: effects of smoking, effects on human body, WIKI smoking

To draw a conclusion to this post let me say that I am done with smoking. I am not completely addicted to it so getting rid of it would be relatively easy.

Let It Go Away

This post was influenced by TimeThief’s great post Do You Love Yourself?

I think to move ahead in life it’s very important to let go of certain things. Punishing yourself for the same things over and over again is -above all- unfair to you.

No human life is perfect. We make mistakes, don’t we? Over the past few years I’ve done some terrible things which I can never be proud of. I have taken some difficult decisions which I could have avoided. It’s not like that the choices I had were any less hard.

It’s very important to seek forgiveness- not from others but from your own inner-self. Forgive yourself and just let it go. If you can change the consequences of the past activities, then great. But if you can’t, don’t bother too much. Let go the anger you are holding in from your rough childhood. Let go the burden of shame that haunts you. Let it go. And be strong. Be strong to make sure that the same sh*t never happens to you again.

Accept yourself for who you are, not for who you wanted to be. Be true to yourself. Love yourself. If admitting is the first step towards self improvement and forgiving is the second, loving yourself and letting go should be the third…atleast in my opinion.

AIDS: Attitude Towards The Victims

In my last post I have discussed about the symptoms, prevention and some other stuff about AIDS. In this post I will try to talk about the behavior/attitude of other’s, towards the HIV/AIDS victims.

In many countries, especially in developing countries people seem to ignore and sometimes insult the HIV victims. And as far as I can understand the reason behind this is how HIV spreads. As you all know HIV/AIDS spreads through body fluids like infected blood, semen, vaginal fluid and breast milk (not saliva). And two of the main means of transferring these fluids are through unsafe sex and drugs. That’s why in many countries like Bangladesh and India people consider AIDS victims as the rotten section of a society.

Bangladesh still has a minimal number of HIV/AIDS infected people. At present there are about 1,495 people who are carrying this virus. The majority of these people are drug addicts, sex workers and non-resident Bangladeshis. In our country (and I know in India also) people who are HIV+ are often socially segregated. Not only the society but also their own family starts to hate that dying person. They become socially unwanted and left alone to rot. IMO because of this kind of attitude they die long before their deaths.

In Bangladesh premarital sex is unexpected (!). Having multiple partners is strictly prohibited by the society. And I think drug is unwanted all over the world. So when a person falls a victim to AIDS he also becomes unwanted in the societies of this subcontinent (mainly because of ‘social values’). There’s also another reason behind this kind of attitude towards them, which is misconception. People of these developing countries usually don’t have a clear knowledge about HIV/AIDS. They often think that AIDS spreads through wind, food or water or by touching the HIV+ person. So they don’t eat, live, drink with the HIV+ person. They don’t even feel comfortable going near that person. They have to count their last days being trapped in their own room, which is very heart breaking. (HIV AIDS *does not* spread like this)

Dear readers and fellow country-men, I’ll not comment on whether this kind of behavior is right or wrong. That’s up to you to decide. But think, doesn’t that dying person need a little support from his family and friends? Is it so hard to forgive someone?

Bloggers Unite : AIDS

Once again bloggers all around the world are united to discuss one very serious global issue- AIDS. Its aim is to raise consciousness about this epidemic. I thank BloggersUnite for this arrangement.

A Little Knowledge

Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome or commonly known as AIDS is caused by Human ImmuneDeficiency Virus aka HIV. Many researchers believe that HIV was originated in Sub-Saharan-Africa in early 20th century. HIV destroys the immune system of our body and makes us vulnerable to all sorts of viruses and bacteria. In simpler word HIV makes us to go into battle without any armor or weapons. The final stage of being contaminated by HIV is called having AIDS. If an HIV positive person doesn’t undergo treatment in time, it may take 8-10 years for him to become contaminated by AIDS. And let me tell you that *no cure* for AIDS/HIV has been invented yet. In time treatments can only *prolong* the lives of HIV positive persons.


A Little Statistics

AIDS is an epidemic. Though the number of HIV victims has reduced over the last couple of years we are still in extreme danger. Currently there are some 32.2 million people in the world who are living with this disease. In 2007 alone about 2.1 million people including 330,000 children were killed by this life-talking (not ‘life-threatening’) disease. Three-quarters of these deaths occurred in Sub Saharan Africa. More than 11 million children have been orphaned by AIDS. The number of HIV contamination in Bangladesh is low. At present there are some 1,495 victims of this virus in our country. But we are also at high risk as our neighboring countries like India (2-3 million) and Myanmar (200,000-520,000) have a higher percentage of people who are carrying this disease.


How Is It Transmitted

One can only be contaminated by AIDS by another *HIV/AIDS victim*. HIV/AIDS is transmitted through body fluids like *infected* blood, semen, vaginal fluid and breast milk. It *does not* spread through saliva. Drug addicts are often found HIV positive as they often seem to share a common needle when they injected drugs in their bodies. If they have one HIV+ person among them they all get contaminated by using the same needle he used earlier. Not caring (or not knowing) about safe sex is one of the main causes of AIDS. Having multiple unfaithful/careless sex partners increase the risk of being contaminated by sex. Prostitution and homosexuality play a major role in AIDS. Birth control pills can’t prevent AIDS or other sexual diseases. Not wearing condoms properly or not wearing them at all can/will increase the number of HIV+ persons. If an HIV positive woman conceives a baby there is a high *chance* that the baby will born being contaminated by HIV/AIDS. I advice HIV+ mothers to not to breast feed their children as it can kill him eventually.

AIDS *does not* spread by French kissing (unless there is blood in the mouth), taking bath in the same bathtub, eating in the same plate, drinking in the same glass or sharing the same bed.


Some Symptoms

Many people don’t have any symptoms at the early stage of HIV infection. Some may suffer from flu-like illness after 3-6 months of contamination- this illness may include fever, tiredness, diarrhoea, headache, enlarged lymph nodes etc. HIV triggers various diseases which normally don’t affect human body. It increases the risk of various cancers. The later symptoms of HIV contamination may include massive weight loss, lack of energy, lack of concentration, memory loss, personality change, shortness of breath, severe pain in arms and feet, vaginal infections, frequent fever and headache.


Prevention Is Better Than Cure

Once again let me say that there is (still) no cure for HIV/AIDS. So prevention is the only way.

*Be Smart, Use a Condom*
As no one will listen to me if I talk about abstinence, I will talk about safe sex instead. Try to be faithful to you spouse/partner. If you have multiple sex partners than you must use condoms as condoms (male/female) are the only sure way to prevent HIV contamination by sexual intercourses. If you are at the giving end of oral sex then you must keep a good oral hygiene and remember *not to* brush right before/after giving oral sex. The person at the receiving end of oral sex does not get contaminated by HIV (unless the giver’s mouth is bloody). *Source: AIDS and oral sex, male/female condoms.

*Don’t Do Drugs*
Don’t do drugs. But if you do, then be sure not to inject ‘stuff’ in you. But if you do, then don’t use the same needle.

Friends, let’s be safe. Let’s love our lives and respect the feelings of the person next to us. I strongly believe that by raising awareness, by being aware we can fight this global epidemic. I believe that one day soon AIDS will vanish from this beautiful earth of ours. Let’s be safe.

*This post was the runner up in a blog carnival.

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Admitting is the First Step...

Post is written by Kristi Johnson AKA Kikolani

A writer, poet and photographer
Author of Kikolani | poetry, photography, blogging tips and more


This is a phrase commonly used when talking about addiction, but can be applied to any point when you come to realize there is something that needs to be taken care of in your life: a problem that needs a solution, or an issue that needs to be resolved. But the way we admit to ourselves that there is a problem can be the difference between beginning the path towards a solution and going into despair.

For example, an overweight person can look in the mirror, and say one of two things to themselves: "Yes, I am overweight and need to start getting back into shape" or "I am so overweight, nothing can help me now." If they say the former, they are more motivated to start a good diet/exercise program. If they say the latter, however, they are more than likely not going to change any of their habits, and will continue to stay unhealthy. Likewise, a depressed person can wake up and say, "I have depression, and I will never be happy again." Or they can say, "Yes, I have depression, but I know that it comes and goes - the clouds will lift and the sun will shine again." And an addict could say, "Addiction is an incurable disease, I cannot fight it." Or they can say, "Yes, I am addicted, but I am also strong enough to find the support I need to control the addiction instead of letting it control me."

So the next time you are struggling with something, whether it is with weight issues, depression, addiction, financial stress, etc., think about the way you admit the problem to yourself. Make sure that the way you do it does state the problem factually, but also is optimistic in terms of being able to come to a solution. Admitting should be the first step towards change in the right direction, and not another step in the same direction.





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Anger Management- Controlling Your Anger

What is anger?

Anger is a normal yet very effective way to alert us when something in our life is not working properly or has gone wrong. When a person is threatened or feels like he is being threatened by something/someone he can be angry. You can tell easily if a person is angry or not by judging his vocal tone, body language, response and expressions. (see wikipedia for more on this subject)


Is being angry a wrong thing?

NO. Anger is not bad. Being angry can help you in many ways. It gives you the courage to take up challenges and overcome obstacles. I consider anger to be an X-factor which can help you to succeed. Anger also may give a little protection to us and our family. No, being angry is not wrong.


Then why are you talking about Anger Management?

Though anger can be a beneficial thing, it can prove to be very dangerous if it’s out of control. That’s the problem with most of us- we just don’t know how to control it. As a result we end up hurting ourselves and the person next to us. A really bad temper is also very harmful for a human body. Let’s just say if anyone says that, he is so mad right now that his blood is boiling…he won’t be lying that much.


When do I know if my anger is out of control?

Some common signs are,

1. Getting angry at slightest of mistakes. Getting angry mostly at others.

2. Shouting at something/someone without hardly any reason.

3. Hitting things when you become angry.

4. Hurting yourself- such as cutting yourself, punching in the wall or door, taking drugs or smoking cigarettes to calm down (never do these stuff).

5. Normal things starting you to irritate you more then ever.

6. Anger lasting a long time even after the event is over.


How to manage anger/calm down?

1. When you are getting mad at something take a long breath and little time out. Step away from the situation and think about why you are getting this much angry.

2. Try to figure out why usually you get angry. If you see any signs and if you think that you are being triggered to be angry, then try to take steps to avoid it. Don’t get into tricky situations.

3. Exercise regularly. It will take lot of pressure and stress away from you. If you are angry then go for a short jog. You can throw some basketballs or throw a tennis ball in the wall for sometimes to calm down. But be sure not to irritate anyone during this process or they will irritate you even more and it would be a lot harder to calm down. The basement is a nice place to do it. You can bye a punching bag and take out your anger on it.

4. I am sure you have heard of this thousands of times before but it really works. So I’m going to say it one more time. Count to/from ten. Give yourself a little time to calm down.

5. Spend time with your loved ones. Talk to them. Go on family vacations once in a while. It will refresh your mind.

6. Meditate. (I don’t know much about meditation. So I’m going to leave this subject alone)

I don’t recommend holding anger inside you. Let it come out, but not in a destructive way. You can use humor as a shield. Don’t let anger take control over your life. If you like this post, then feel free to comment and subscribe to stay connected. Add your own views and methods to calm down.

Peace

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