The true light that gives light to every man .John 1:9

They were two rather ordinary vases of flowers. They sat at opposite ends of
the table in church. They showed no flower-arranging skill - they were just simple
bunches of single mauve chrysanthemums standing there modestly and quietly.

Then the clouds outside parted and the sun shone in through a window high in the
church wall. It picked out just one vase. The dull mauve flowers were transformed,
suddenly blazing with colour, the edges of the petals bright with light. They looked
glorious, standing out from the shadowed wall behind. The other flowers at the far
end of the table were still half hidden in the gloom.

It's amazing what a little sudden sunlight can do. I sat and thanked God for light
and the unexpected beauty it can bring. My eyes kept moving from one bunch of
flowers to the other. "Which was I?" I wondered. The dull, almost colourless flowers
in the shade or was my life etched in light? A touch of light can bring new colour,
new life, even new meaning to things.

So often in the Gospels Jesus talks about truth as light. About bringing light into
dark places. And Jesus himself is described as "the true light that gives light to
everyone." Let him light up your life today.

And another thing - plants can't live without light. Can we?

Lord of all beauty, shine your light
on me today that I may brighten up
the lives of those I meet.

Everybody fights over nobody's bill

New Delhi, Dec. 28: Rumour has it that leader of the Lok Sabha, Pranab Mukherjee, read out the "sense of the House" wrong in end-August. Rumour has it the sense of the House was never to install a "strong and effective" Lokpal, the sense of the House was always to postpone the prospect, as it has been for more than 40 years.

"And rightly, wouldn't you think?" wondered one of the scribes of the bill, assured that there were no flies on the wall as he spoke, the door was shut and a sting-cam had not invaded his space.

"Nehru didn't do it, Indiraji did not, Vajpayee did not and they must have had good reason. And we have now convinced ourselves we have greater wisdom than all of them put together? What travesty!"

It's a rumour that the noveau advocates of Lokpal, this side and that of the Parliament floor, actually endorse the idea; they've been hectored into it.

But that cannot be told as truth because truth, last heard, was still hostage to the dictatorship of political correctness. It has deemed all the institutions of democracy incapable of fighting off corruption and it has decreed that all must agree. It is no rumour that the political class submitted to that decree, against its own will and wisdom.

"The terrible problem is," one member of Parliament said, again strictly off the record, "we are having to applaud the birth of a demon in our midst, we are having to celebrate a damned charter of no-confidence in ourselves."

What makes rumour of patent truth is that nobody ' or very few ' will put their names to the sentiment. Between private conviction and public posturing, between the Central Hall of Parliament and the floor of the House, lies a chasm so deep it balks the collective sense of nearly 900 elected members of the Indian republic.

What is it that has driven them to speak, act, vote against their own sense and creed? A mob moment? A scary siege? An inflamed street? Lack of will ' and spine ' to meet any of that squarely? "Frankly, I can tell you none of the better-known democracies have anything like the Lokpal we have constructed," confessed a junior minister. "But somehow we have got pushed into it. Why only us, even the Opposition, frankly, is in terror of what we might end up enacting, but we have become competitive crowd-pleasers, there will be wages to pay, if not today, tomorrow."

This was a baby nobody seemed to want, but now that it has been forced into fullness, nobody wants to be seen forsaking it. They are competing to wish upon it greater health and vigour, but secretly they are all wishing it dead without, of course, having to take the blame for it; best if it can be blamed on the other.

Witness that no side in Parliament has rushed to embrace the Lokpal; they've all only been interested in inoculating it with correctives of their choosing. This is a flawed baby. Nobody's stepping up to say this is a baby they did not wish in the first place.

Bar a few exceptions like Lalu Prasad, who is himself so politically anaemic he has ceased to effect anything but the odd round of laughter. But give it to Lalu. He stood and said for the record what the rest of Parliament is only able to express in anonymous whispers: "This is a dangerous move, you are signing the death warrant of elected democracy, history will not forgive you for this."

A stealthy masquerade has unfolded behind the clamorous adoption of the Lokpal bill in the Lok Sabha, a deception play that has distorted both reality and perception.

Well-timed walkouts brokered in the backrooms, mock battles devised by rival political managers, amendments inserted last-hour, deals struck between allies and adversaries alike, a whole choreography of pretexts and subtexts aimed at securing one common end: turn the death of the Lokpal into a bewildering whodunit. Kill it, let no one take the blame.

The Lokpal is, of course, not dead, it has just been born, but let that not take away from the elaborate effort.

Conventional wisdom is that the defeat of the constitutional amendment last night is a huge embarrassment to the Congress, especially to its prince charming, Rahul Gandhi, who floated the idea to begin with. But there may be more convention, less wisdom in reaching that conclusion.

Consider this: close to 10 members of Rahul's own band were not present to vote the amendment. Many of them may have been attending the wedding of the granddaughter of Dinsha Patel, a Congress MP, in Gujarat. How did that come to be? There was a whip in place. Are we to believe they defied it? Defied Rahul's own diktat? If they did, they deserve not show-causes and admonishment but bravery awards at the Republic Day parade.

But no, comes the explanation from Congress managers, their absence did not matter because even if they had been there, we did not have the numbers to push the constitutional amendment through.

Cat stepping out of bag and mewing aloud: the Congress always knew Rahul's effort was headed for defeat, the idea to bring it was merely to put the blame on the BJP and secure scoring points. Banish the thought that Rahul or the Congress were embarrassed ' even devastated, as some are suggesting ' by that defeat. Don't be taken by the long faces, the outrage at the BJP's betrayal. They all knew what was coming, the BJP included.

Does it say something that the petulant midwives of the Lokpal inexplicably suspended the chaotic delivery rituals today, leaving the emaciated entity huffed out of the Lok Sabha on the gurney, waiting to be patted to life by the Upper House?

They were meant to attend to it first thing upon recovering from last night's exertions this morning. Then word came it had been parcelled off to Hyderabad for presidential approval. Procedures, the due process. Then the afternoon was set as witching hour.

But that too came to pass with an unstated putting off. It's now meant to happen on the morrow but should you take the midwives aside and ask, you're likely to get a sense they are keener on a burial than on birth.

Each amendment, they'd tell you, is aimed at making that baby stronger, better, but each has a likeness to the bayonet ' send that thing to hell with good intentions!
The BJP has planned a slew in the Rajya Sabha to add to the catalogue of correctives they moved last night in the Lok Sabha. They have now been joined by the Trinamul Congress, rockjawed on securing guarantees for states to fashion Lokayuktas after their own will.

Nobody will say they really do not want a watchdog institution scanning them ' that would mean defying correctness ' but each is trying to divine a way to delay and defer. Just what happened to reservation for women in legislatures ' everybody swears by the idea, nobody will commit to it. That commitment is as well-crafted a rumour as the sense of the House Pranab Mukherjee read out at the end of August.

How to Handle Annoying Colleagues

No matter how much you try to restrain yourself, try to keep your calm like a monk,

at some point, an annoying colleague who makes your skin crawl and makes you grind your teeth in utter disgust is likely to break your threshold of patience. You might reason that after a certain point, such an outburst is justified but at workplaces, such things can prove damaging for your professional life. Here, are a few tips to handle irritating office colleagues in a manner that puts you at ease and neutralizes chances of your emotional eruptions:

She’s a Blink & Miss Type: Don’t Take It, Instead Server It To Her

Her ability to complete work within deadlines despite being perpetually absent from her desk would even embarrass Houdini. It is not magic really but women are expert at manipulating folks around them and getting their work done, using the stolen time
for chatting on the phone or just idling away with a cup of coffee. Don’t accept her callousness. Next time, there is a team meeting, ensure that you bring up the topic of individual breaks being recorded/managed in some way. Clearly state that you have seen some folks take undue advantage of the management’s liberties. Even if your boss is a habitual break-seeker, he cannot refuse a matter that involves actual, employee work time being wasted.

Yes, He Procrastinates—So, You Get Nagging

On some people, talking about deadlines is just wasted. They couldn’t care less about the world around them, including their office colleagues, which includes You. Here, you have to be a bit proactive. Take the initiative in setting-up reminders across all forms of supplies available to you. This can include paste-it desk slips, SMS, reminder calls, reminder emails and using any other form of office communication. Nag him to the extent that not doing your work feels like being constipated for days—if he won’t get “it” done, doing anything else would be uneasy.

She’s Too Polite But Doesn’t Work—Be Even More Courteous & Make Her Work

Some people have mastered the art of seeming so polite; it seems as if saying ‘No’ to them or not abiding by their opinions is equal to saying ‘No’ to World Peace! Women tend to do this a lot, smiling and cajoling you into unwanted situations, leaving
you biting your nails later when you realize how misguiding her smile was. Use her weapon, against her. Be overtly gracious to her, even when arguing your point. Put-on that plastic smile that Miss World contestants do so impeccably, even when you vehemently dump her perspective in front of everybody. Keep reminding her of the things she hasn’t done without a hint of anger. Feeling that her own wonder drug is being used on her is sure to make her suffer.

He Interrupts You, Using Tit-for-Tat As A Tool

Folks who have an obsession towards interrupting others can be found in nearly every workplace. Yes, such irksome habits can make you literally feel like banging his head against the wall—don’t do it, instead play his game, against him. For a week or two, ensure that you don’t leave any opportunity of interrupting your perennial intruder. Do this with the kind of regularity that would even put him to shame. If he dares to question your behavior, you have won the moment—just tell him that this is exactly how he irritates you and everybody else.

Top 10 Foods to try before 2012

There are two types of men in this world. One that eat to live and the other that only live so that they can eat.
Apart from your regular paranthas, idlis or burgers there are some killer food items across the globe that you most probably have only heard of but never tried. Now that you have read our reasons on why this world will end in 2012, you should be pretty sure that its not too long before you die.
However, dying without giving a try to some of the world's most revered foods doesn't seem like a good way to go. These are the top 10 foods you should try before you die i.e. 2012.

10. Lamb Kebabs, Afghanistan

Though Afghanistan isn't one place you'd like to spend your last days at, the tender grilled meat is something you'd keep with you long after leaving the Afghan nation (alive of course). The slightly charred garlicky lamb is found in most streetside eateries in Afghanistan where you might even find some casual gun-trotters for company.

9. Steak Tartare, Spain

Originally a French cuisine, the steak tartare is primarily minced raw beef mixed with capers, mustard, pepper, topped with a raw egg most of the times. The velvety texture and luxurious taste scores above the normal steak any given day. Don't worry about the health concerns surrounding raw meat since you're gonna die anyway.

8. Pastrami Sandwich, NYC

One reason why you have to have it was because Meg Ryan had it. It was this legendary sandwich that Meg Ryan was having in the fake orgasm scene in 'When Harry Met Sally' at Katz's Delicatessen. Hopefully you can have the same experience she had while gorging on it.

7. Pho, Vietnam

This is perhaps the simplest food in the entire list. Pho is a local Vietnamese dish and is a noodle soup combined with slices of meat. The broth is incredibly tasty while the meat is lauded for its great quality. The highlight of the dish is that it is fragrant, balanced and very tasty.

6. Escargot, Paris

You just have to try some snails before you you die because just sitting there wondering how others eat it is plain boring. While people all around the globe eat snails, it is the French that revel in these tasty molluscs. They are basically served as appetisers and cooked with garlic and parsley butter.

5. Oysters, Ireland

Oysters are said to be excellent sources of vitamins and minerals so you have some consolation here. Oysters are especially celebrated in Ireland and Irish oysters are particularly defined by its meat content which is considerably more than those around the world. There's even something called an Oyster festival in Ireland where all kind of oyster-centric activities, including tasting, take place.

4. Cheese Fondue, Switzerland

This is a communal delicacy of the Swiss. Basically, it is melted cheese kept in a liquid state by placing it over a burner. It is usually stored in an earthenware pot and other ingredients like wine, and cherry brandy are also added to it. The liquid food is said to be so delicious that it not only travels to you stomach but also deep down your heart.

3. Peking Duck, Beijing

Beijing's imperial food finds honourable mention in most people's food bucket list. The whole duck is served to you in a platter if you order for it. While the skin is sweet, golden and crispy, the meat is unbelievably succulent. For a change, stop bickering about China and its government and let this Chinese delicacy take you to a different world.

2. White Truffles, Italy

We simply cannot leave Italy out of the list because it is the country that gave us pizza and pasta apart from many other delicious foods. White truffles (basically mushrooms) are hugely expensive and cost almost a good $15,000/kg which is something that makes it even more appealing. The complex but delicate taste makes it a prized ingredient in dishes and chefs are very careful about their handling of it.

1. Fugu, Japan

This Japanese gourmet food can be fatal, if not prepared by the right hands. The putterfish (Fugu in Japanese) reportedly kills about 300 people in Japan each year because of the toxins present in it. However, the taste of the fish, as swore by food lovers around the world, is to die for which explains its strong presence in the list.

Indians prefer cash over gifts: Survey

51% Indians feel that gifting cash also helps manage festival-related expenses including the unforeseen costs associated with physical purchases
When it comes to festival gifting, Indians don't practice what they preach. According to an independent global gifting survey conducted by Wakefield Research and commissioned by Western Union, India is the most fiscally responsible country surveyed with 72 % spending more than they had budgeted. Survey found that people are more alike than different when it comes to festival shopping, saving money, and wanting to please their loved ones.
Indians are resilient, even though they haven't adhered to budgets in the last festival season, 87 % still plan to make a budget for future festival gifting. The pressure to find the perfect gift for loved ones gets to Indians and their budgeting, as it does for people from Brazil, Germany, Mexico, South Africa, UAE, UK and US.
Indians don't gift in the same spirit as they prefer. More than half of Indians (51%) would rather receive a cash gift of Rs1000 over a physical gift of the same value. However, when Indians eventually gift to family and loved ones, a majority (65%) opt for a physical gift at the risk of overspending.
Indians most like to make the lives of their children (36%), mum (26%) and dad (13%) better, over spoiling their significant other (4%). This in in contrast to all the other countries surveyed which gave greater priority to making their significant others' lives better (13-31%).
"Indians may not have to empty their pockets to find the perfect gift after all," said Kiran Shetty, regional Vice President, Western Union India.
"Giving cash is an easy way for gift givers to make their loved one's day better allowing them to purchase what they really want and need. Gifting cash also helps better manage festival-related expenses including the unforeseen costs associated with physical purchases — gift choice, transportation, wrapping and overall time constraints," he said.
According to the survey, only 28% spent exactly or less than what they had budgeted, and 72% exceeded their budget. Here are the highlights of the survey.
Budget Blueprint: More Indians are planning ahead when it comes to their future festival spending; 87% plan on making a budget.
Busted Budgets: Indians may have good intentions, but many don't think they'll necessarily stick to a budget this year; 68% said they will spend more money than they have budgeted to find the perfect gift.
Festivals dilemmas: Finding the perfect gift (21%) was the number one worry among Indians. Overspending (18%) is also high on the list, tied for second with seeing family (18%). Other top concerns include eating too much or being unhealthy (13%), and work commitments (12%).
Cash anytime: Over half of Indians (51%) would rather have Rs 1000 in cash than a gift worth Rs 1000. Despite this, more than two-thirds (65%) are — mistakenly — not likely to be gifting cash to those on their gift lists.
Thrifty Thinking: Festival expenses add up quickly, and 88% of Indians are cutting back on luxuries to meet them. In particular, many will avoid spending on clothing (45%), eating at restaurants (38%), and spending on entertainment (37%).
Responsible receivers: Those that get what they wish for — cold hard cash — would most likely spend it wisely. Saving or investing it (31%) is the top way Indians would spend their festival cash. This is followed by using it for festival-related spending other than gifts (24%), using it to buy a gift for someone else (17%), and donating it to charity (12%).
Community giving: Despite the financial stress the festival season can sometimes bring, 65% are planning on donating to a charity. Most Indians prefer to donate clothing (34%), cash (32%), food (23%) and time (9%).
The survey, commissioned by Western Union and conducted by Wakefield Research polled nationally representative adults aged 18 years and older between September 21 and October 21, 2011 in the following countries: 1,000 respondents in the U.S., 500 respondents in Mexico, 500 respondents in Germany, 500 respondents in India, 500 respondents in Brazil, 500 respondents in the UAE, 500 respondents in S. Africa, and 500 respondents in the U.K.

10 unusual New Year’s resolutions

Learn a decent party trick

You know that party trick you’ve got, the one that always comes out after a couple of drinks? Think about it; is it really so impressive in the cold light of day? If the answer is no, it’s about time you learned a new trick; one that will really impress. Mastering a new skill – no matter how pointless – can increase your self-esteem, as well as earning you some serious social kudos next time you reveal it in public. For a physical challenge, why not work on your flexibility for a spot of contortion, or give yourself a mental challenge and learn how to recite the alphabet backwards in less than 10 seconds.

Get your photo taken in five interesting places

If you’ve got the travel bug and want to see a bit more of the world, why not make it a New Year’s resolution to visit five interesting places you’ve always wanted to see? Even better, make a visual record of the year by making sure you get a photo of yourself taken in each place. Good photo opportunities include inside an igloo in Lapland, on the Great Wall of China, inside a volcanic crater or floating in the Dead Sea, but use your imagination to think of your own – the world’s your oyster after all.

Break a record

Want to give your confidence a boost and work towards a new challenge? Then make this the year that you break a record! You could aim at breaking a personal fitness record or, if you want to aim a little higher, set your sights on a world one. With lots of diverse (and bizarre) records there for the taking, this may not be as difficult as you think. Perhaps you could burn off some calories with the world’s longest kiss, the longest time spent bouncing on a bouncy castle or the fastest one mile run completed wearing swim fins... Yes, these are all real world record titles if you fancy your chances!

Make a new friend a month

Fact: friends are great for your health, and the more you have of them the better. So, why not make it a New Year’s resolution to start collecting them? To expand your social circle, try to make one new friend a month by making a conscious effort to attend more social events, chat to strangers and get introductions to friends of friends. Making friends with people with different personalities and interests from you can be particularly beneficial in helping you to broaden your horizons, explore different sides of your personality and find new ways to get the most out of life.

Develop a good relationship with your body

Many traditional New Year’s resolutions centre around improving our bodies in some way, whether by taking up a diet or joining a gym. Next year, make it your resolution to start to love the body you’ve got instead. While this doesn’t mean you can’t make changes to your diet and fitness regime if your health requires it, it does mean starting to love who you are in the process. Work on improving your body confidence by focusing on the things you do like rather than those you don’t, and learn to dress according to your body shape, showing off your favourite features.

Learn something you never learned as a child

You may run your own company, pay your own bills and parallel-park like a pro, but do you know how to do a handstand or ride a bike? For this New Year’s resolution it’s time to nurture your inner child and learn that thing that you never learned to do. Whether it’s the number of days in each month, how to spell ‘necessary’ correctly, how to ride a bike or swim, we all have something we never learned as a child that everyone else seems to know. Set this to rights and have some fun at the same time by redressing this gap in your knowledge. Your younger self would be proud!

Try a new food each week

Rather than cutting out foods from your diet as with so many New Year’s resolutions, opt to add more foods in to your diet next year instead (bonus points if they’re green!). Many of us don’t eat a varied enough diet, so ensure you are getting all the nutrients your body needs – as well as enhancing your enjoyment of food – by making a resolution to try a new food each week. Try hitting the fruit and veg aisle first to sample some exotic fruit and vegetables you may have yet to try, such as dragon fruit, lychees, romanescu and plantain.

Make the usual unusual

It’s easy to get into a rut where we do the same things day in, day out, with our days passing us by as a routine-filled blur. Next year, spice up your routine by vowing to do one small thing differently each day or week. Wear something you wouldn’t normally wear, run a different route, or order a different coffee perhaps. Also, don’t fall into the trap of postponing your happiness by saving everything special “for best”. Instead, brighten up a routine day every so often by donning your diamond earrings, swapping faded comfy knickers for your favourite silk underwear, or eating those fancy chocolates washed down with a glass of champagne!

Sort out a financial worry

To help get your year off to a good start, try getting your finances in order by making a resolution to sort out one area of financial worry. Perhaps you spend a fortune on petrol or maybe it is your food bills that are blowing your budget? Try to think of some alternatives to the main causes of financial stress, such as cycling to work instead of driving, growing your own vegetables or making your own beauty products. Not only will coming up with alternative solutions help you save some money, you may find that you enjoy them and that they boost your health too.

Do something nice for others every day

Many of our resolutions (these included) are inwardly focused, concentrating on ways to become thinner, healthier, wealthier people. However, while there is nothing wrong with improving yourself, it’s worth remembering there’s a whole world out there too. Next year, why not make a resolution to focus outwards instead and help make the world a better place. Plan to do one nice thing a day for someone else; whether it’s something small like giving a compliment, or something potentially life-saving like donating blood or sponsoring a child in need. By knowing you are making a difference, you will also indirectly boost your own happiness and sense of achievement.

Indian auto majors look for acquisitions in Europe

Already several Indian automobile companies have fledged their wings abroad and now it has been reported in The Financial Express that the slowdown in Europe may give another chance to Indian automobile firms to hunt for cheaper acquisitions or joint ventures for better technologies and market expansions.The report quoted Vikas Sehgal, global head of automotive and MD, Rothschild, a global financial M&A advisory as saying “We expect more mergers and acquisitions in two-wheelers and trucks than in cars in the Indian automotive industry in the coming decade. One would not be surprised if TVS Motor Company, Bajaj Auto or Hero MotoCorp go out to buy a global two-wheeler maker. We cannot say now if it’s American, Korean, Japanese or Chinese, but the segment will see some big ticket buyouts by Indian makers.’’
It was reported that the signs are already visible. India’s largest two-wheeler maker Hero MotoCorp, which broke its venture with Japanese Honda Motor in December 2010, has begun investing in new technologies and R&D to sell bikes in the overseas market. The Munjals-owned firm needs to speed up as it can sell products with Honda technology only until June 2014. Some of the global targets for Indian two-wheeler players include Ducati and Harley-Davidson, Sehgal added, since these are niche players in the sports and touring bike categories, respectively.
The report mentioned that weakening economy and falling asset prices attract Indian buyers. The report quoted Kumar Kandaswami, a senior director at Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu India, as saying “Asset prices have seen a fall in Europe in the auto parts segment, too, as demand from major markets remain muted and capacities lie under-utilised. There are many small and medium auto component makers in Europe which are private equity-owned and they may look at exiting. Technology and customer base of these companies would be attractive for Indian firms.”
It was mentioned in the report that Indian companies have spent less on purchases. Companies spent $352.38 million for M&As between calendar January and now, one fourth of 2010. Smaller truck and bus makers such as Iveco and Paccar, compared to giants Volvo, Scania and Daimler, would be open for tie ups or buyouts in India, Seghal said. “Indian and Chinese players will consolidate and define the automotive industry worldwide,” Sehgal said. Rothschild estimates that by 2030, India will be the second largest automotive market in the world by sales, overtaking the US. India will add over 20 percent of the global capacity in the next 10 years. Indian domestic automakers sold 11.3 million units between April and November 2011, data from the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers’ report released on December 8 showed, it was reported.

i1 Supercar Series set to unveil drivers and car at Yas Marina circuit in Abu Dhabi

The much awaited i1 Supercar Series has confirmed that it will host its first ever pre-season test on December 20th at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi. This test at the famed F1 venue will also see the unveiling of the drivers, both international and local, who will participate in the first season of the motorsport league. As a prelude to the racing league, set to take center stage with its first race in January 2012, the drivers will get a chance to test the Radical SR3, the single make car being used for the series. The curiosity around who would be the drivers for the series would finally be quelled with Darshan M, CEO, i1 Supercar Series announcing the impressive driver line-up on Monday, 19th December.
Being held at the popular Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi, the pre-season test would be the first time the drivers would get their hands on the powerful Radical SR3 car, noted for its speed and safety features. Darshan M, CEO, Machdar Motorsports said, “We are delighted to finally get down to business and let all the action do the talking. We will unveil all the drivers at Abu Dhabi and would like to confirm that we have some great names associated with the series. This is the first time that the drivers get their hands on the Radical SR3 so we are hoping they share the same enthusiasm as we do.”
The series, which is committed to developing motorsport in the country, is keen to give the youngsters a chance to shine on an international platform. The young Indian drivers confirmed for the test include Aditya Patel, Vishnu Prasad, Amrittajit Ghosh, Parth Ghorpade and Chirag Malhotra amongst others would be given a chance to prove themselves in the series. This will be the only time the drivers would get an opportunity to drive the Radical SR3 before the series takes off in January. Darshan added, “We have always believed in promoting Indian driving talent and this series will give them international exposure. The pre-season test would give an opportunity for the young Indian talent to gain a lot of experience from some of the world’s finest drivers. We are very excited about the new series and are confident this series would be a huge success with both Indian and International audiences. ”