TFTD - 28/05/2012

Thought for the day

" If you desire the path of sincerity, develop a love for obscurity. Flee from the clatter and clinks of fame. Be like the roots of a tree; it keeps the tree upright and gives it life, but it itself is hidden underneath the earth and eyes cannot see it." – Mohammed

Take home – Directors Special - Ridley Scott

One of the more respected and prolific filmmakers in modern cinema, director-producer Ridley Scott amassed a portfolio containing some of the most critically and commercially successful movies of all time. Emerging from the world of television commercial production, Scott was nearly 40 years old by the time he helmed his first feature "The Duellists" (1977). Its lackluster reception left audiences ill-prepared for the massive impact that came next with the classic science-fiction/horror film "Alien" (1979). Although a commercial disaster at the time, "Blade Runner" (1982) would later be regarded as one of the most influential sci-fi movies ever made, while Scott's on-set behavior during production earned him a lasting reputation as an exceptionally stubborn and difficult director. The years that followed were marked by the ebb and flow of disappointment and triumph, as illustrated by efforts like "Legend" (1985), "Thelma & Louise" (1991), "White Squall" (1996) and "Gladiator" (2000). Remarkably, Scott moved into the next millennium with an even steadier output of work that included such highlights as "Black Hawk Down" (2001), "Kingdom of Heaven" (2005), "American Gangster" (2007) and "Robin Hood" (2010). Having settled into a more efficient and actor-friendly style of filmmaking during the second half of his career, Scott enjoyed the luxury of tackling themes of personal interest on film projects endowed with budgets less-proven directors could only dream of.

Scott reteamed with Crowe for the espionage thriller "Body of Lies" (2008), co-starring Leonardo DiCaprio in the role of a CIA operative used as a pawn by his supervisor (Crowe) in a high stakes game between Western and Arab intelligence agencies. Under the Scott Free banner, he executive-produced the medieval miniseries "The Pillars of the Earth" (Starz, 2010), based on the novel by Ken Follett, in addition to similar duties on the well-regarded drama series "The Good Wife" (CBS, 2009- ), starring Julianna Margulies. It was once more into the breach with Crowe in the title role of the legendary hero "Robin Hood" (2010), for a visually spectacular epic that, nonetheless, drew the ire of many critics for its historical inaccuracies and the narrative liberties taken with such an iconic tale. In 2011, Scott began production on the highly-anticipated "Prometheus" (2012). A science-fiction thriller initially intended as a prequel to "Alien," the director later insisted that while it shared a certain amount of that seminal film's creative DNA, "Prometheus" would very much be its own movie, tackling "unique, large and provocative" new ideas.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ridley_Scott

http://movies.yahoo.com/person/ridley-scott/biography.html

Picture for the day – Red Wood Tree, California

Partway up a 350-foot tree, botanist Marie Antoine (at right) passes a slender core sample of its wood—750 years of redwood biography—to canopy ecologist Giacomo Renzullo. Research now shows that the older such trees get, the more wood they put on.

Wisdom Message

The Law of Karma is not an irreversible iron law. Dedication to the divine and purification of thoughts, words and deeds invite divine benediction. The effects of karma can be modified and its rigour, mitigated through grace. When vices hold sway over your heart, it becomes foul and sooty. The flames of desire, anger and miserliness (kaama, krodha and lobha) leave char within your heart. Do not despair or lose heart if vices trouble you. There is no place where God is not present. There is no being to whom He denies blessings. Grace manifests itself by quenching the flames within your heart and confers bliss which desire, anger and miserliness can never confer. God is immanent and eternal. Follow the path and obey the ideals laid down by the Lord with relentless discipline. Your mind will be purified and divine grace will be reflected therein. - Baba

Article for the day – The salesman of Brazil

http://www.economist.com/node/21555907?fsrc=scn/tw_ec/the_salesman_of_brazil

TFTD - 23/05/2012

Thought for the day

" Focus less on what others think of you; don't allow your energy to be drained by worrying. Place your energy into moving you towards a higher level. Look beyond the presumptions that others imagine and connect with your highest vision. Keep in mind; what anyone else thinks of you is none of your business." -  Marcia Small-Persaud

Take home – Frida Kahlo

Kahlo was a Mexican painter, born in Coyoacán. Perhaps best known for her self-portraits, Kahlo's work is remembered for its "pain and passion", and its intense, vibrant colors. Her work has been celebrated in Mexico as emblematic of national and indigenous tradition, and by feminists for its uncompromising depiction of the female experience and form. Mexican culture and Amerindian cultural tradition figure prominently in her work, which has sometimes been characterized as Naïve art or folk art. Her work has also been described as "surrealist", and in 1938 one surrealist described Kahlo herself as a "ribbon around a bomb".

Kahlo suffered lifelong health problems, many of which stemmed from a traffic accident in her teenage years. These issues are reflected in her works, more than half of which are self-portraits of one sort or another. Kahlo suggested, "I paint myself because I am so often alone and because I am the subject I know best."  She also stated, "I was born a bitch. I was born a painter

During her lifetime, Frida created some 200 paintings, drawings and sketches related to her experiences in life, physical and emotional pain and her turbulent relationship with Diego. She produced 143 paintings, 55 of which are self-portraits. When asked why she painted so many self-portraits, Frida replied: "Because I am so often alone....because I am the subject I know best."

Today, more than half a century after her death, her paintings fetch more money than any other female artist. A visit to the Museo Frida Kahlo is like taking a step back in time. All of her personal effects are displayed throughout the house and everything seems to be just as she left it. One gets the feeling that she still lives there but has just briefly stepped out to allow you to tour her private sanctuary. She is gone now but her legacy will live on forever….

Picture for the day – Yosemite Climber

With no rope to save him, Dean Potter scales a route on Glacier Point called Heaven.

Wisdom Message

" Other people's perspectives and perceptions only define what's best through them. It does not necessarily relate to what's good in you, for you and for all. They are only a temporary guidance and sometimes memories of their own personal life experiences. It is not your destiny. Follow your dream, which lives in you, is revealed to you by God and found in the deepness of your own soul. If you must listen to every person's stories and accept every personal opinion as valuable, you will find yourself wandering. Other's opinions are only for consideration. It does not mean you have to accept them or receive them. It is just another option that you're allowed to choose. Everything is already from within you! Find that dream and follow your own creative mind. Use others as guidance and listen to the voice from within!" -  Christian Han

Article for the day - Apple by the numbers

http://mashable.com/2012/05/22/apple-by-the-numbers-infographic/

TFTD - 22/05/2012

Thought for the day

“For me, the different religions are beautiful flowers from the same garden, or they are branches of the same majestic tree. Therefore, they are equally true, though being received and interpreted through human instruments equally imperfect.”  -  Mahatma Gandhi

Take home – The core of Earth (Video documentary)

For centuries we have dreamt of reaching the centre of the Earth. Now scientists are uncovering a bizarre and alien world that lies 4,000 miles beneath our feet, unlike anything we know on the surface. It is a planet buried within the planet we know, where storms rage within a sea of white-hot metal and a giant forest of crystals make up a metal core the size of the Moon.

 

Horizon follows scientists who are conducting experiments to recreate this core within their own laboratories, with surprising results.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yhREYCs3vcc

Picture for the day- Biking in Utah

Taken last July out on the salt flats on the border of Utah and Nevada with a good friend of mine who is an aspiring triathlete.

Wisdom Message

When fire rages and gets destructive, you immediately try to put it out by throwing sand and water, is it not? In most buildings, people keep a stock of these in readiness. Are you aware that you have six flames burning inside you? They are lust, anger, greed, attachment, pride and hatred. They can emerge any time. What do you have in store to put them out? Always keep a ready stock of Truth, Right Conduct, Peace, Love and Non-Violence in plenty. These five will help you scotch the flames of your six enemies, whenever they are lit; these values are very effective extinguishers. - Baba

Article for the day

http://itdecs.com/2011/03/brazil-economy-achieves-highest-growth-in-25-years/

TFTD - 21/05/2012

Thought for the day

"The appearance of things change according to the emotions, and thus we see magic and beauty in them, while the magic and beauty are really in ourselves." - Khalil Gibran

Take home – Go Green Guy – Josh Tickell

Josh Tickell is a thought leader in the green industrial space whose career spans a mix of journalism, innovation and design. In 1997, after traveling across the United States in a van powered by biodiesel that he processed in a self-made refinery, he penned the world's best selling book on biofuel, From the Fryer to the Fuel Tank, which has been sold in over 30 countries and has been credited with the creation of hundreds of successful large scale biorefineries. His first feature movie, FUEL won the Sundance Audience Award for Best Documentary, was released theatrically in the United States and became a global sensation gaining over 1 million viewers on Netflix, iTunes, Hulu and CNBC.

He consults on issues ranging from new greentech product launches, to consumer attitudes toward batteries, to legislative strategies, to operations-wide waste to energy technology installations for companies such as Green Mountain Energy Resources, Clif Bar, Yum Brands, Audi, General Motors and William Morris Endeavour. Tickell has been a featured guest on Jay Leno's The Tonight Show and Good Morning America. He is a regularly featured opinion leader in news stories on CNN, Discovery, Reuters, NBC, Fox and NPR. Articles on Tickell, his films, and green energy work have appeared in the Los Angeles Times, New York Times, USA Today, The Huffington Post, Hustler Magazine, Maxim Magazine, Popular Mechanics and thousands of international newspapers and magazines.

Having grown up in and around the oil industry in Louisiana, Josh Tickell remains actively engaged in the role that oil and gas operations play in the fate of Louisiana's delicate wetlands. In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Tickell lead a disaster relief project for which his nonprofit organization was selected by President William J. Clinton as part of the Inaugural Clinton Global Initiative on Climate Change.

 

With his wife Rebecca Harrell Tickell, he co-directed the recent Cannes Film Festival movie, The Big Fix. The film explores possible connections between corporate and political malfeasance and the 2010 Gulf of Mexico oil spill. The filmmaking duo then completed their third film, FREEDOM, the first movie ever to include a complete road map to wean America off of oil using affordable, available, scalable and actionable energy solutions.

http://joshtickell.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Josh_Tickell

http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/fuel/

Picture for the day

Angel Falls, the world’s highest waterfall, is on the table-top mountain of Auyantepui which means “Mountain of Evil” or “Devil’s Mountain” in the native Pemon people’s language. This amazing waterfall is 3,212 feet high and plunges 2,648 ft over the edge of the Auyantepui mountain in the Canaima National Park. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Angel Falls is 19 times higher than Niagria Falls and is one of the 28 finalists in the New 7 Wonders of Nature competition — in fact it is considered to be a highly probable winner. Although this famous waterfall is one of Venezuela’s top tourist attractions, it’s not so easy for the faint of heart to reach. Traversing through the jungle is a surreal adventure in itself and has been compared to traveling through a ‘Lost World.’ There is an isolated jungle to trek, a flight to reach Canaima camp, and then a river trip to reach the base of the falls. Some adrenaline junkies make this journey for one reason, adventurous ‘angels’ come to fall off Devil’s Mountain

Wisdom Message

Man is awake and yet not Awake. His wakefulness is very thin, his wakefulness is almost of no use. He is not asleep, that is true, but he is not awake either — he is in limbo, in the middle. He has awakened from the world of animals, but he is fast asleep to the world of gods. Man is a transitory period. Man is not a being but a becoming — on the way. The past is left behind and the future is not attained yet. Hence the agony, the anguish: man is torn apart. The past pulls him back. To be an animal again seems to be pleasant, and it is, because it has not the agony of man and the anguish and the anxiety of man.

If you watch the animals you will feel jealous. Walt Whitman has written it exactly in his diaries that: “Whenever I see animals, I feel jealous. We have missed something.” We have not missed really, but the peace, the calm, the collectedness of the animal is lost. The animal is happy because he is unaware — unaware of death, unaware of the problems of life. The animal is happy because there is no consciousness. Consciousness first brings pain, because suddenly you become aware of a thousand and one problems facing you. You have to encounter them, you have to solve them or dissolve them. All peace disappears. But human consciousness is still worthwhile. And I don’t agree with Walt Whitman, I agree with Socrates who say.: “I would like to be a discontented Socrates rather than a contented pig.” The statement of Socrates is of immense value. It has to be understood by every seeker, because the goal is ahead; there is no going back. The pig may look contented — because he is not aware, not really because he is contented. But to know discontent one needs consciousness .Josh Tickell holds an undergraduate degree in Sustainable Living from the New College of South Florida and a Masters in Film from Florida State University's School of Motion Picture, Television and Recording Arts. --- Osho

Article for the day

Why social learning benefits your business

http://mashable.com/2012/05/19/social-learning/

[TFTD] - 16/05/2012

Thought for the day

“I see in the near future a crisis approaching that unnerves me and causes me to tremble for the safety of my country. . . . Corporations have been enthroned, an era of corruption in high places will follow, and the money-power of the country will endeavor to prolong its reign by working upon the prejudices of the people until the wealth is aggregated in a few hands and the Republic is destroyed.” -  Abraham Lincoln

Take home – Machine Gun Preacher – Sam Childers

Sam Childers is a former gang biker who now dedicates his life and resources to rescue children in the war zone of South Sudan. Childers and his wife Lynn founded and operate Angels of East Africa, the Children's Village Orphanage in Nimule, South Sudan. 13 years later the orphanage is the largest in Southern Sudan and has fed and housed over 1,000 children. Today, more than 200 children call the orphanage home. Unfortunately there are still many Sudanese children suffering and in need of rescue.

The local people though he was mad. At the time, the Lord’s Resistance Army, a brutal rebel militia that had kidnapped 30 thousand children and murdered hundreds of thousands of villagers, was laying waste to the area. But Sam was adamant: God had told him to build the orphanage in Nimule and that’s where he was going to build it. He returned to the U.S.A, sold his construction business and sent the money to Africa.

Slowly the orphanage began to take shape. During the day Sam cleared the brush and built the huts that would house the children. During the evening, he slept under a mosquito net slung from a tree: bible in one hand, AK47 in the other.

Meanwhile, in Pennsylvania, Lynn and Sam’s daughter Paige fought a battle of their own. The family car was repossessed and a foreclosure notice was issued on the house. Sam had enough money to pay the outstanding mortgage or finish the orphanage. He couldn’t afford both so he sent the money to Africa.

With the orphanage finished, Sam began to lead armed missions to rescue children from the LRA. It wasn’t long before tales of his exploits spread and villagers began to call him “The Machine Gun Preacher.”

Sam and Lynn still live in the same house in Pennsylvania and are just as dedicated to the plight of the Sudanese children as they were 13 years ago. Sam’s biography, Another Man’s War, is currently being made into a Hollywood feature film starring Gerard Butler. The film is due for release in September 2011.

http://www.machinegunpreacher.org/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sam_Childers

Picture for the day

Alex Honnold takes on the third zigzag of Half Dome without a rope. He has just one more difficult section, or pitch, in the last three before reaching the summit.

 

Wisdom Message

he root cause of all difficulties experienced by man is forgetfulness of his spiritual reality and identification with his body. The body is only the vesture of the Indwelling Spirit. By immersing himself in body-consciousness, man develops egoism and possessiveness, which in turn give rise to many other vices. He forgets his inherent divinity and fails to use the senses and organs he is endowed with in the right way. Your senses are God-given gifts. They should be used only for sacred purposes and should not be misused. Entertain only sacred thoughts and engage yourselves only in sacred deeds. Thereby, you will be sanctifying your lives. There is only one royal road to realizing God. It is the path of Divine love. You have come from the Divine and your destiny is to merge in the Divine. - Baba

TFTD - 15/05/2012

Thought for the day

“You cannot run away from weakness;

you must some time fight it out or perish;

and if that be so,

why not now, and where you stand?”

Picture of the day

A Guarani Indian is removed from Brazil's Supreme Federal Court in Brasilia by security guards after he disrupted a session of judging the constitutionality of racial quotas in public universities

Genius at work, painting with mouth and feet

The organization “Associação dos Pintores com a Boca e os Pés (Asociation of painters with mouth and feet)” was founded in 1965 by Eric Stegmann, who was born handicapped and became a famous painter. For the last couple of decades, the association is promoting and campaigning for those handicapped artists and their families. It is an international organization and has branches in Brazil, Philippines and other countries. The foundation encourages the artists by providing better and free education, support their families, provide painting materials and simple, smart campaigns. It is fascinating and captivating the sense of greatness, creativity and independence these artists (the warriors) acquired through their mindfulness. Their way of life has shown the humanity that the challenges in life is inevitable and permeable, however it could be battled and succeeded.  

 http://unexploredbrazil.blogspot.com.br/2012/05/genius-at-work-painting-with-mouth-and.html

Wisdom Message

Life is a long pilgrimage along the rough and torturous road of this world. But, with the Name of God on his lips, the pilgrim will know no thirst; with the Form of God in his heart, he will feel no exhaustion. The company of the holy will inspire him to travel in hope and faith. The assurance that God is ever near will lend strength to his limbs. Remember that with every step, you are nearing God; and God too, takes ten steps towards you when you take one step towards Him. This journey does not have any halts; it is one continuous journey, through tears and smiles, through birth and death. When the road ends, and the Goal is attained, the pilgrim finds that he has travelled only from himself to himself, that the God he sought was all the while in him, around him, with him, and beside him! He himself was always Divine.

Article for the day – The future of Facebook

http://www.forbes.com/sites/reuvencohen/2012/05/11/the-future-of-facebook-mining-the-human-cloud/

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TFTD - 14/05/2012

Thought for the day

“ A person who masters himself through self-control and discipline is truly undefeatable” - Budha

Take home – Ken Robinson

Sir Ken Robinson, PhD is an internationally recognized leader in the development of education, creativity and innovation.  He is also one of the world’s leading speakers with a profound impact on audiences everywhere.  The videos of his famous 2006 and 2010 talks to the prestigious TED Conference have been seen by an estimated 200 million people in over 150 countries.

He works with governments in Europe, Asia and the USA, with international agencies, Fortune 500 companies and some of the world’s leading cultural organizations. In 1998, he led a national commission on creativity, education and the economy for the UK Government. All Our Futures: Creativity, Culture and Education (The Robinson Report) was published to wide acclaim in 1999. He was the central figure in developing a strategy for creative and economic development as part of the Peace Process in Northern Ireland, working with the ministers for training, education enterprise and culture. The resulting blueprint for change, Unlocking Creativity, was adopted by politicians of all parties and by business, education and cultural leaders across the Province. He was one of four international advisors to the Singapore Government for its strategy to become the creative hub of South East Asia.

His book The Element: How Finding Your Passion Changes Everything (Penguin/Viking 2009) is a New York Times best seller and has been translated into twenty-one languages. His latest book is a 10th anniversary edition of his classic work on creativity and innovation, Out of Our Minds: Learning to be Creative (Capstone/Wiley).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ken_Robinson_(educationalist)

http://sirkenrobinson.com/skr/

Picture of the day

Russian military vehicles make their way down a road during a rehearsal for the Victory Day military parade which will take place at Moscow's Red Square on May 9 to celebrate 67 years since victory in WWII

Deep Brasil

“Deep Brasil” is a musical project by the legendary ethno-ambient electronic band “Deep Forest” which was released in 2008. Yet another magical fusion of ethnical twists with the beats of Brazilian beats. Eric Mouquet’s beautiful composition is flavored by the voice of Flavio Dell’Isola.

The project sends a strong and vibrant message about deforestation, extinction of species and the stake of indigenous people. The music “Africa Brasil ” demonstrates the rich influence of African music and the cultural coincidences in the Brazilian community. This music will trigger the listeners to move their feet on the rhythm of the Afro-Brazilian beat. The music showers praises on the beauty of Brazil, its large lush green tropical rainforests, large deposits of fresh water, animals and plants living in diversity, cuisine and energy of people. The “Deep Brasil” offers large dollops of mixed emotions, bliss and love, embarking a new level of co-existence between humans and nature.  

To read and see the videos in detail follow the link

http://unexploredbrazil.blogspot.com.br/2012/05/deep-brasil-musical-project.html

Article for the day – nine things successful people do differently

http://blogs.hbr.org/cs/2011/02/nine_things_successful_people.html?goback=.gde_1141097_member_114042212

Note:-

Please revert if you would like to unsubscribe TFTD (Thought for the day). Also, forward the TFTD to your friends. The same is available at  www.t-f-t-d.blogspot.com