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Raghu Vyas' 'Krishna' Paintings Celebrate The Beauty of Figurative Art New Delhi, Delhi, IND, 2009-01-12 04:12:40 (IndiaPRwire.com) http://www.raghuvyas.in/ Born in Basholi, a small town in Jammu, one can trace three significant influences in Raghu Vyas's works. The first is linked to his roots in Basholi, famous for its Pahari miniature paintings. The detailed nuances of colours and form seen in his work reflect this influence. The second is at a spiritual level where he surrenders to Krishna in his paintings. Third, he is deeply inspired by the pictorial arrangements and techniques of renaissance art. With Indian cinema all set to celebrate Raja Ravi Varma's realistic canvases with Ketan Mehta's soon-to-be released Rang Rasiya, it's perhaps time for the artworld to once again applaud the everlasting beauty of figurative art. Ragini Arts hosts the preview of 'KRISHNA - Romantic Fantasy In Peacock Forest'; a solo exhibition of twenty-one figurative paintings by Delhi-based artist Raghu Vyas on January 17, 2009 at The Oberoi, New Delhi. The exhibition will then move to Visual Arts Gallery, India Habitat Centre from January 28, 2009 to February 01, 2009. Says Nidhi Jain, Director, Ragini Arts: "The various moods and postures of Krishna reflect the contours of Raghu Vyas's intense relationship with his god. In a creative process filtered through bhakti, he has constructed and deconstructed Krishna in this series." Says Raghu Vyas, "There are two lights - one in your head (imagination) and one that lights the room, my Krishna paintings are lit by the light of imagination, the real light. It is an emotional light that can convey a feeling, a mood or an idea, the light of nostalgia of a distant memory, the light of the magical garden of childhood. The forms and models used in my work are a product of my dreams. Working for the last two years towards this exhibition, I have tried to express the Sakhi Bhav of Krishna. The predominance of the peacock and peacock feathers reflects this, as traditionally in Krishna worship the peacock epitomizes the sakhi bhava." Born in Basholi, a small town in Jammu, one can trace three significant influences in Raghu Vyas's works. The first is linked to his roots in Basholi, famous for its Pahari miniature paintings. The detailed nuances of colours and form seen in his work reflect this influence. The second is at a spiritual level where he surrenders to Krishna in his paintings. Third, he is deeply inspired by the pictorial arrangements and techniques of renaissance art. A devotee of Krishna, Raghu Vyashas depicted his personal, religious and spiritual encounter with Krishna. With carefully managed light and shade effects, his luminous paintings portray the youthful and beautiful Krishna, the creator of illusion and 'raas' in the world. Raghu Vyas' palette is dominated by traditional Indian colours used to portray green peacock feathers, yellow robes, golden flute, blue God and pink lotuses. The Divine Saviour shows Krishna not only as the popular, pastoral god of love and peace but also a universal saviour who not only saves Draupadi's honour, but humanity as a whole. Echoing a similar sentiment is the painting Angels in a Peacock Forest where people seated with a blue Vishnu are seen flying through a sea of peacock feathers. Here one sees the fruit of Raghu Vyas's encounter with European Christian art in the depiction of trumpet blowing angels flying at various levels. In another work titled Krishna in the Lotus pond, Raghu Vyas has invoked diverse imagery such as placing a flute playing Krishna flanked by a peacock and a woman, wearing the same lotus pink and peacock feathers on the bank of a lake, full of pink lotus flowers. Popular association of Vishnu with Lakshmi with pink lotuses as the goddess of fertility and prosperity is combined with the love pangs of separated lovers that epitomize Krishna imagery in shringara rasa. Erotic love is predominant in works like The Virahini Nayika andThe Lover's Music which shows the gopi or Radha seated on a couch in the foreground with Krishna floating in a lotus pond with a pair of hamsa, the traditional symbol of erotic love. Through a depiction of a singing Meera entranced by her own imagined figure of a flute playing Krishna, Raghu Vyas has painted his devotion with an emphasis on devotee imagery. Despite the overwhelming use of traditional imagery, there is a strong presence of contemporary motifs as well. In A Shrine in a Cupboard I, Raghu Vyas illustrates the varied ritual practices of everyday life through a bust of Krishna, his symbol, a metal peacock, a conch, an open book and other accruements of household worship lying on two shelves of a cupboard. While in another similar work titled, A Shrine in a Cupboard II, he depicts the entire domestic shrine alongside various other objects of popular devotion such as metal plaques and calendar images. From this, he moves onto the next stage of religious experience, where the devotee visualizes the presence of the Divine Flautist within his little shrine. In The Shrine Within, Krishna occupies the mundane space within the household, sanctifying and interacting with the devotee at a more intimate level. The transition from the external symbols of ritual to the inner experiential world of the bhakt (devotee) is very interesting. Similarly, in Who Lives Here?, the viewer can see Krishna seated on a chair beside a covered table, with a framed image in the popular mould hanging above him, through an open door. The suggestion that the seated figure is real presence, not just an icon is reinforced through this kind of juxtaposition of Krishna's anthropomorphic presence with the printed/painted image. Similarly, other works too depict the grandeur and love that flows from Krishna and as Raghu Vyas hopes will "put back figurative, realistic art back on the art map"! - End -

It says, that this will be the greenest city on earth... <embed src="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWVsi0UtmgI&hl=de&fs=1&color1=0xcc2550&color2=0xe87a9f" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344">

Planet Earth is the center of the universe in that sense that from here the human beings move up to the heavenly planets or go to the 7 lower planetary systems. And as soon the results of their pious and impious activities is used up, they return to the Earth to start a next chapter. It seems that on the heavenly planets the enjoyment is so intense that although there're pious souls, they cannot become detached from material sense enjoyment and actually situated in pure devotional service. Opposite is true on the lower planets, sinful life and suffering is of such kind that you cannot easily perform bhakti-yoga. So they all have to return, either to go back to Godhead or to start a new chapter of a material career - in heaven or lower planets. In this sense the Earth is a real center of the universe. If the Earth is also mathematically the center is rather unplausible because in vedic culture everything is connected with functionality. Since planet Earth is moving we cannot be exactly in the center of the universe. At present, Earth orbits the Sun once for every roughly 366.26 times it rotates about its axis. This length of time is a sidereal year, which is equal to 365.26 solar days. The Earth's axis of rotation is tilted 23.4° away from the perpendicular to its orbital plane, producing seasonal variations on the planet's surface with a period of one tropical year (365.24 solar days).

Probably not only US but anywhere else. WHY THE US GOVERNMENT REQUIRES WARNING LABELS ON TOOTHPASTE WARNING Keep out of the reach of children under 6 years of age. If you accidentally swallow more than used for bushing, seek professional assistance or contact a Poison Control Center immediately. As with other toothpaste, if irritation occurs discontinue use. <table border="1" bordercolor="#999999" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" width="400"> <tbody><tr> <td>DIRECTIONS: Adults and children 2 years and older. Apply toothpaste onto a soft bristle toothbrush. Brush thoroughly after meals or at least twice a day or as directed by a dentist or physician. Children under 6 years: To minimize swallowing, use a pea sized amount supervise brushing until good habits are established. Children under 2 years: Ask a dentist or physician. </td> </tr> </tbody></table> The above guidelines are the typical warning labels and directions for toothpaste. Let’s examine the ingredients found in most toothpaste’s to find out why the FDA requires warning labels. The following are common ingredients found in toothpaste: hydrated silica, sorbitol, sodium saccharin, titanium dioxide, glycerin, sodium lauryl/laureth sulfate, and sodium fluoride. Hydrated silica is made from a crystallized compound found in quartz, sand, and flint and is primarily used as an abrasive in toothpaste. Sorbitol and sodium saccharin are both sweeteners and used as carriers and sweeteners in toothpaste. Titanium dioxide is a pigment used for providing brightness and whiteness to such products as paint, plastics, paper, inks, fibers, food, and cosmetics; and is used as a stain remover/whitener in toothpaste. Glycerin is a syrupy, sweet, colorless or yellowish liquid obtained from fats and oils and used as a solvent, antifreeze, plasticizer, and sweetener in the manufacture of dynamite, cosmetics, liquid soaps, inks, and lubricants. Glycerin prevents toothpaste from drying out and helps maintain product consistency. Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) is a powerful surfactant (wetting agents) and detergent. It has industrial and cosmetic uses and is used around the world in clinically studies as a skin irritant. The molecule is small enough to penetrate the skin and can enter the blood stream being carried to every organ of the body. SLS is used in toothpaste as a foaming and cleansing agent. Sodium fluoride is a colorless crystalline salt used in fluoridation of water, in treatment of tooth decay, and as an insecticide and disinfectant. Sodium fluoride is used in toothpaste to harden the enamel of the teeth to prevent tooth decay. You are probably as shocked as we were to discover what’s in toothpaste, and what we are exposing ourselves and our children to everyday. Although there are proponents that warn against the use of all of the above ingredients, sodium fluoride is the one ingredient that triggered the FDA to require warning labels on toothpaste. Here are some facts about fluoride. The FDA lists fluoride as an “unapproved new drug” and the EPA lists fluoride as a “contaminant”. Fluoride has never received “FDA Approval” and is considered to be a toxic waste product from the fertilizer industry. A July 1998 report for The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry states that at least 22% of all American children now have dental fluorosis as a result of ingesting too much fluoride. Fluorosis is light spots and discoloration forming on developing teeth of children. In advanced cases pitting of teeth can occur. Fluoride has been linked to many harmful health effects including: Alzheimer’s, kidney damage, gastrointestinal problems, cancer, genetic damage, neurological impairment, bone and tooth decay, arthritis, and osteoporosis. Check the Internet for government and scientific reports validating this see http://www.zerowasteamerica.org/Fluoride.htm. Battelle released the results of its study of fluorides and rats in April 1989. The study showed a dose-dependent relationship between the incidence of oral cancerous tumors and fluorides. After learning this, the National Cancer Institute did a study and found that as exposure to fluoridation increases, so does the incidence of oral cancer; sometimes by as much as 50%. In 1990 forty US dentist brought a case against the American Dental Association contending that the Association purposefully shielded the public from data that links fluoride to genetic defects, cancer and other health problems (Columbus Dispatch, Oct 21, 1990). Since 1990 over 45 US cities have rejected fluoridation. Ninety eight percent of Europe’s drinking water is now fluoride free. In 1986-1987, a study involving 39,207 children aged 5-17 showed no statistical difference in decay of teeth from using non-fluoridated or fluoridated water (Dr J. Yiamouyiannus Water Fluoridation & Tooth Decay Study, Fluoride 23:pp55-67, 1990.). The FDA has determined toothpaste containing sodium fluoride enough of a risk to require warning labels. Historically, when the FDA requires warning labels there is a good reason for it. Look at the progression of cigarette warning labels: 1970 - Caution: Smoking may be hazardous to your health; 2000 – Surgeon Generals Warning: Smoking causes lung cancer, heart disease, emphysema, and may complicate pregnancy. Although there is a growing movement against the use of fluoride, there are also some big companies with deep pockets and strong lobbyist in Washington DC that want to continue selling fluoride. We suggest you find a use a safe, alternative to fluoridated toothpaste. For an all natural solution to fluoridated toothpaste, gum disease, gingivitis, bleeding gums and bad breath check out this highly effective product. 100% guaranteed to work. <!-- #EndEditable --> <!-- #BeginLibraryItem "/Library/FTCarticles.lbi" --> <!-- ***** InSite Code Snippet Start ***** --> <!-- ***** COPYRIGHT SITEBRAND.COM INC. ***** --> <!--- SITEBRAND CONTENT SPACE 600_175 2.1 START ---> <!--- SITEBRAND CONTENT SPACE END ---> <!-- ***** InSite Server Code Snippet End ***** -->

"Lord Krishna recounts in the Bhagavad Gita — that the seeds of failure are usually sown in the good times because of the lure and enticement to adharma and asatya." Seeds of failure usually sown in good times http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2009/01/12/stories/2009011250390900.htm <hr color="brown" noshade="noshade"> In every country or company which is accused of abuse, the traits are all the same: abuses of power, breach of ethics, undermining of honest accounting, deception of both public and private watchdog groups…. <hr color="brown" noshade="noshade"> Mohan Murti On the eventful 7/1 evening I went to the only English bookshop in Cologne and browsed the books it had on corporate governance to see if they gave me any ideas for my column theme. There was just one book specifically on corporate governance, in the accounting section, a dry and dull book with chapters on formal rules and procedures. I let that remain on the shelf. A few feet away I saw a book titled The Rise and Fall of Enron and thought maybe that would more stimulating in generating ideas on corporate governance, both good and bad! Then I saw a book by Donald Keough, former president of Coca-Cola, titled The Ten Commandments for Business FAILURE. I picked that book. Much of what the author wrote, centred around what Lord Krishna recounts in the Bhagavad Gita — that the seeds of failure are usually sown in the good times because of the lure and enticement to adharma and asatya. When conditions deteriorate and failure is imminent it is often too late to rectify the situation. When Satyam fell Financial wizards, accounting tigers and company law gurus are all having discussions on the fall of the Raju regime. What is surprising is that as recent as in September 2008, the so-called world’s leading rating agency Standard and Poor - Risk Control Indices reiterated a ‘buy’ option to investors on ADSs (American Depository Shares) of Satyam Computer Services calling it a “buffet fitting stock”. I wonder why this rating agency is still not yet blacklisted by India. Systemic Rot The Satyam episode and the Mumbai terror strike may appear to be a far cry from ground realities, but a closer and deeper look reveals interconnections that stem from systemic rot — crooked politicians, corrupt judiciary, dishonest administration and deceitful populace. A nation where police and intelligence reforms have been wilfully thwarted by the political class and vested interests within the system for decades and a realm of poor, ignorant, feeble, selfish civilians who just do not care. In June last year, there was evidence that some MPs were paid Rs 25 crore per vote-switch. We even had the scandalous episode where an MP took out wads after wads of currency notes to substantiate their claim that horse-trading had taken place and heavy cash was used to ‘purchase’ MPs for the trial of strength. There have been no serious investigations on these incidents. And, Indians with their ephemeral memories, have conveniently forgotten to ask, why? In the past week, there have been a lot of adjectives used to describe what happened. Let’s call this what it really is: It is greed, pure and straightforward. In every country or company which is accused of abuse, the traits are all the same: abuses of power, breach of ethics, undermining of honest accounting, deception of both public and private watchdog groups and, sometimes, the willing cooperation of such groups. Basics forgotten In each case, checks and balances failed, and people tried to get away with gains made at somebody else’s expense. In the corporate sector, it is also true that abuses occur when — some media, some analysts, some management teams seemed to forget the basics. Basics like: management should manage the company, not manage the share price; management means balancing short-term returns with long-term investment; and that a CEO must think of a decade, not simply a quarter. Basics like: real profit, real cash flow and real balance sheets matter. Basics like: trust, integrity and responsibility matter. There is no question who paid the biggest price: it’s been the average investors and ordinary people who have or will either lose their jobs, lose their life savings, lose their pension funds — or, lose all three. The EU formula Company law and corporate governance are right at the heart of the political agenda, in continental Europe. That’s because economies only work if not just companies but even nations are run efficiently and transparently. In this context, European corporate and political governance can be a model for India. The European Commission does not have any Europe-wide code. The legal codes of EU countries are so diverse, and the social meaning of a company differs between countries, that trying to impose one model is madness. The markets decide. A well regulated market with protection for shareholders, but without excessive legislation. In understanding the European formula for good governance, I am reminded of the use of the negative in the expression of limitations used through the ages and always as a form of ‘liberation’ — the Ten Commandments given to Moses and the Israelites — and the rule of law in jurisprudence. This means that everything is permitted except that which is forbidden. As to the substance of the detailed ethical, financial, control, environmental, moral values or limitations, these are well understood — and again equally applicable in the political, civil and business context, as any other. Winning Companies In Europe, winning companies are seen as those who not only increase profits by maintaining the highest standards, but those who increase social value at the same time — and that more and more shareowners, customers, partners and employees begin rewarding companies that fuel social change through business initiatives. Corporate Europe believes that reputation is the one thing that can take a century or more to build — but that can be lost overnight. Europe values the fact that managing a company, not a share price, means balancing the requirements of shareowners, customers, employees and communities. And managing a company for the long-term, not just the short-term, requires building sustainable value for shareowners and customers and employees and communities. Generally, good corporate and political governance in Europe boils down to principles of dharma or righteousness — trust, honesty, values, good citizenship. <tagline type="std">(The author is former Europe Director, CII, and lives in Cologne, Germany.</tagline>

Indian 'boy genius' shares skills <!-- S BO --> <!-- S IBYL --> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="466"> <tbody><tr> <td valign="bottom"> By Shalini Joshi BBC News, Dehradun, Uttarakhand </td> </tr> </tbody></table> <!-- E IBYL --> <!-- S IIMA --> <table align="right" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="226"> <tbody><tr><td> It's not clear whether Aman's teaching skills match his computer skills </td></tr> </tbody></table> <!-- E IIMA --> <!-- S SF -->An eight-year-old boy in India who specialises in animation for films has begun teaching his skills to adults. Aman Rehman, from Dehradun in the north Indian state of Uttarakhand, is also seeking to win a Guinness Book of World Records "Young Achiever" award. Aman learned computers while his friends played in the fields and has made more than 1,000 animated movies. He is known as the "Little Bill Gates" - famous all over the state after learning his trade as a toddler. <!-- E SF --> 'Fascinated' Aman comes from a humble background. His father is an illiterate scooter mechanic and has to support four children - Aman being the youngest - along with his wife. <!-- S IIMA --> <table align="right" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="226"> <tbody><tr><td> Aman Rehman is India's latest child prodigy </td></tr> </tbody></table> <!-- E IIMA --> When one reaches the clock tower of Dehradun and asks for his address it seems everybody knows him as Computerwala Bachha. Aman showed interest in computers at the tender age of three. "His father bought a second-hand computer for our oldest son. We never imagined that it would be remotely interesting to our youngest son. But he was fascinated by it and watched his brother's every move on the cursor," Aman's mother Shabnam Rehman remembers. "After his brother went to college Aman used to work on the computer secretly. I was scared at that time but by Allah's grace he has made all of us proud." Aman's father, M Rehman, says that at first he never realised his son's talent. "My friends advised me to introduce him to some computer experts but they did not take him seriously," he said. But after a week of immense lobbying Mr Rehman convinced the authorities at Dehradun's College of Interactive Arts to watch his son perform on the computers. Scholarship After seeing his skills, the college offered him a place. Within a month he had written his own programme and had learnt the animation course in less than three months - it normally takes 15 months to complete. <!-- S IIMA --> <table align="right" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="226"> <tbody><tr><td> The child's talents have taken even his parents by surprise </td></tr> </tbody></table> <!-- E IIMA --> Aman has now applied for an entry in the in the Young Achiever's category of the Guinness Book of World Records. "I am the youngest computer animator. No other child of my age can make animation movies," he says proudly. "I am sure that I will get an entry into the Guinness book and am waiting for that big day." His father claims that an Australian company has made approaches to his son, but both are adamant that they want to carry on working in India. In recognising his computer skills, the College of Interactive Arts has now provided him with a scholarship, the state government has given him a laptop and 100,000 rupees ($2,073). "Such is the price of a child prodigy these days," said one member of staff.

Wonder who will buy it - doesnt look good tho when New Vrindavan indulges in such kind of business. Forgot to check link above doesnt work, this is the correct link, http://cgi.ebay.com/Signed-Letter-A.C.-Bhaktivedanta-Swami-Prabhupada-_W0QQitemZ350150475883QQcmdZViewItemQQimsxZ20090108?IMSfp=TL090108118007r11896

http://www.theness.com/neurologicablog/?p=326 An examination of the human eye can serve as an example of such an analysis. I will take a decidedly medical perspective - I am a physician and physicians are familiar with all the way in which biology can go wrong. Diseases and medical problems often arise from the quirkiness of bottom-up design, so I will examine various aspects of eye anatomy and discuss how they lead to functional problems that could easily have been avoided by a more rational top-down design. The Retina The first figure above is the human eye, cut away to show the internal structures, including the retina, which lines this inside of the globe of the eye and is the tissue layer that reacts to light. The second figure below is a microscopic view of all the layers that make up the retina. In this figure light would enter from the bottom and travel up to the receptors (rods and cones) near the top. The most obvious design flaw of the retina is that the cellular layers are backwards. Light has to travel through multiple layers in order to get to the rods and cones that act as the photo-receptors. There is no functional reason for this arrangement - it is purely quirky and contingent. Even in a healthy and normally functioning eye this arrangement causes problems. Because the nerve fibers coming from the rods and cones need to come together as the optic nerve, which then has to travel back to the brain, there needs to be a hole in the retina through which the optic nerve can travel. This hole creates a blind spot in each eye. Our brains compensate for this blind spot so that we normally don’t perceive it - but it’s there. From a practical point of view this is a minor compromise to visual function, but it is completely unnecessary. If the rods and cones were simply turned around so that their cell bodies and axons were behind them (oriented to the direction of light) then there would be no need for a blind spot at all. Some creationists have tried to counter this argument by saying the layers need to be arranged this way. For example, Dr. George Marshall in an interview for answersingenesis.org says: The light-detecting structures within photoreceptor cells are located in the stack of discs. These discs are being continually replaced by the formation of new ones at the cell body end of the stack, thereby pushing older discs down the stack. Those discs at the other end of the stack are ‘swallowed’ by a single layer of retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells. RPE cells are highly active, and for this they need a very large blood supply—the choroid. Unlike the retina, which is virtually transparent, the choroid is virtually opaque, because of the vast numbers of red blood cells within it. For the retina to be wired the way that Professor Richard Dawkins suggested, would require the choroid to come between the photoreceptor cells and the light, for RPE cells must be kept in intimate contact with both the choroid and photoreceptor to perform their job. Anybody who has had the misfortune of a hemorrhage in front of the retina will testify as to how well red blood cells block out the light. This answer is unsatisfactory, however, because it assumes that certain elements of the current retinal design are necessary and unchangeable - which is only the case in a contingent system, but is certainly not the case in a top-down designed system. For example, the rods and cones could have been designed so that the photoreceptor discs are produced at the top (meaning the layer closest to the direction of light), with older ones moving backward toward the bottom of the cells where they are absorbed. Below this absorption layer could be the blood vessels and the axons from the rods and cones could also leave from the bottom of the rods and cones through this opaque absorption layer (the RPE). The point is - a top-down designer could arrange the cells and the cell layers in any configuration that could logically work, and it is certainly possible to conceive of workable configurations that place the photoreceptors at the top, rather than the bottom. Evolution, or a bottom-up system, cannot do this. It is constrained by existing anatomy. Also - the evolutionary line that led to modern squid evolved eyes independently from the vertebrate line leading to humans. The squid eye has the photoreceptor layer at the top of the retina, unlike the vertebrate configuration which has it at the bottom. It is therefore demonstrably possible for this better configuration to work. Evolutionary contingency reaches different results from different histories, but why would a top-down designer use a superior design in one case and a sub-optimal design in another? Even worse than the backward arrangement of the rods and cones is the fact that the blood vessels that feed the retinal sit on top of the retina - between the light source and the receptive layer. A more logical arrangement would be to have the blood vessels feed the retina from behind, so that they do not get in the way. In healthy eyes the blood vessels do not cause any perceptible problem (but they are also partly responsible for the blind spot), but they do limit the total amount of light reaching the rods and cones. The real problem is that they are vulnerable to various diseases. About 80% of diabetics who have had diabetes for 10 years will develop diabetic retinopathy. In response to chronic ischemia (relative lack of oxygen) the retina will produce chemical signals that tell the blood vessels to proliferate to increase the blood supply. Because the blood vessels are above the retina, they increasingly get in the way, obscuring vision. At present the primary treatment of diabetic retinopathy is to use a laser to burn some of the blood vessels and decrease their proliferation. Having the blood vessels in front of the retina also means that even a small retinal hemorrhage can significantly impair vision. And finally, any edema or inflammation that occurs within the cell layers in front of the rods and cones will likewise impair vision. All of this could have been avoided or minimized were the rods and cones placed in the most superficial layer of the retinal, rather than buried at the bottom. Tomorrow I will continue with further examples of sub-optimal eye design.

July 12, 1976, New York Ramesvara: They are convinced that dinosaurs, these gigantic animals, were living on this planet millions of years ago. They found some bones, and they have created the form of the animal body. Prabhupada: If they were, it is still now. We don’t say it is extinct. Tamala Krsna: But you’ve explained that even if not here then it must be on another planet. Prabhupada: Yes, another. Cannot be extinct, that is not possible. Yes, propaganda. That is the cause of India’s cultural falldown. These Britishers simply made propaganda that “Whatever you have got in India, this is all allegory, fiction. These sastras are nothing. But now you are learning from us England’s work in India, that is your real… You are becoming civilized now. Otherwise, you are in the utopia, and all these sastras, throw it out.” Because that was Lord Macauley’s policy. Lord Macauley was sent to report how Indians can be governed nicely. So he reported that if you keep the Indians as Indians, you will never be able to govern them, because they are superior. You make propaganda that they are inferior and they will imitate you and then you can… That they did. Jayatirtha: The Indians would never be able to compete on the Britishers’ platform. Prabhupada: No. Under the British rule, from the childhood they are subjected to the propaganda. We read one book, small book, by M. Ghose. The subject matter was England’s work in India. That was a compulsory reading book in the schools. And in that book, it was simply stated that “we are uncivilized, but since the Britishers have come, we are becoming civilized. “This is the subject matter of that book, “England’s work in India.” So everything Indian… The Jawaharlal is the typical example—everything Indian is bad. That was his philosophy. Gandhi was trying to get the Indians back to village. His philosophy was that these capitalists, they are exploiting these poor men, so all these poor men, they should go back to village and be satisfied with the village economy, not to come out. Actually that’s a very nice program. But as soon as Gandhi died, or he was killed, the whole program was changed—industrialization and attract the poor man and let them live in wretched condition of city life. Gandhi’s policy was to make them happy by agriculture in the village, produce their own cloth, not in the mill but in charka. Jayatirtha: Spinning wheel.

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During Brahma's night only the heavenly planets remain. The lower planets are newly created every morning. "During his night Brahma sleeps and the three planetary systems meet destruction. This is called naimittika or occasional annihilation. (SB 12.4.2-4)" SB 3.10.7-9: Sitting on top of the lotus, which was spread throughout the universe, Brahma contemplated on how to create all the planets. Brahma then entered in the whorl of the lotus and divided it into three divisions and then into fourteen divisions. The seeds of all the planets in the universe were impregnated in the lotus by the Supreme Lord. The material world and the living entities were already generated in seedling forms by the Lord and Brahma was to disseminate the seedlings all over the universe. (SB 3.10.7 purport)

VAISHNAV ‘VIVAH’ WEDDINGS IN ANDHRA January 10th, 2009 | Category: Traditional Weddings The most important factor in the weddings among the Vaishnava Brahmin community belonging to the Andhra Pradesh, a south Indian state, is the matching of horoscopes of the boy and the girl, although the family background and the tradition are also considered. For them it is essential that the ‘gothrams’ (ancestral lineage) of the two families are different. In their weddings it is important that the seven ‘rishis’ or sages too must have different names. These ‘rishis’ were the celestial beings from whom the human race is supposed to have originated. Once the horoscopes of a boy and girl are compared and matched an auspicious date is fixed for the engagement ceremony that starts with a ‘Ganapathi Puja. In the presence of elders from both families the parents exchange ‘Thamboolams’/platters containing betel leaves, betel nuts, fruits, flowers, vermilion and ‘pasupu’(turmeric) along with the marriage document known as ‘lagna patrika’ which the ‘pujari’/priest reads aloud to the elders , the acceptance of the alliance between the two families. The time, date and venue for the wedding are also fixed at this time. In the ritual ‘Kalyana rata’, the first pole, decorated with turmeric powder, mango leaves and ‘rangoli’ designs, of the wedding ‘pandal’/canopy erected for the wedding rites, is fixed firmly into the ground amidst the chanting of Vedic mantras by the priest. ‘Nalugu’, purely a ladies function held one or two days prior to the wedding has the bride and the groom in their respective houses anointed with oil by the elders and after an oil bath they wear silk outfits and a mark, ‘Kalyana thilakan’ is made on the forehead with vermilion. The bride and the groom remain in their homes till the completion of the wedding ceremonies. In the same evening the ‘sumangalis’(not widows) pound turmeric and the bride distributes ‘thamboolams’ containing bangles, vermilion, flowers and fruits to the ladies who, in turn, bless her for a long happy married life. Now onwards a wind instrument, ’nadeswaram’, similar to the clarinet, but bigger, is played for all auspicious ceremonies accompanied by a ‘melam’ or drum. Then a small ‘puja’/prayer is held with the bride in silk outfits. Nine types of grains, ‘Navadhanyams’, are sprinkled on nine white-painted, soil-filled earthen plates and kept for sixteen days to germinate. After the wedding, on the sixteenth day, the ‘mangalsuthrams’, 108 strands of sacred thread dipped in turmeric and twisted, are strung together. This ritual is followed by the immersion of the germinated grains in a flowing stream. All wedding rituals start with ‘Snathakam’ in which the groom, after an oil bath, ‘mangala snanam’ conducts a ‘puja’/prayer before ‘agnihotram’, the sacred fire, dressed in a ‘pancha’/dhoti and an upper cloth called ‘angavastram’. Then he makes a mock pilgrimage known as ‘Kashi yatra’ renouncing all worldly pleasures. He is stopped by the bride’s brother who pleads with him to abandon his plan, instead lead a family life with his sister. After much cajoling the groom agrees to get married. At this time the bride performs ‘Gowri puja for the blessings of Goddess Gowri Devi. The bride’s maternal uncles lift her and carry her to the ‘kalyana mandapam’ where she is seated opposite the groom and a screen is held between them to prevent to see each other till the auspicious time (‘shubhamuhurtham’) for the wedding ceremonies. The bride is draped in an attractive costly silk sari, auspicious color being red, but other bright colors are also preferred and it is lavishly embellished with fine embroidery zari works. The upper part of the body is covered with a jacket known as blouse or choli that highlights the sari. Her hair is adorned with a special type of flowers. The gold bridal jewelry is decorated with unique Hyderabadi pearls. She wears dazzling earrings, necklaces and a lot of bangles, anklets and toe-rings. The groom is seen in a dhoti worn in the traditional style. In the ritual ‘kanyadanam, the couple performs a ‘Ganapathi puja’ and the bride’s mother pours water for the father to wash the groom’s feet. The bride takes a coconut in her palms and her father takes her hands and places them in the groom’s hands while water is poured over them. The officiating priest asks the couple to tie a ‘kankanam’, the sacred thread on each other’s right wrist. The bride’s parents give the ‘madhuparkams’ to the bride and groom to wear. These white handloom clothes with red or green border are soaked in turmeric water to give them a yellow color. They are given a pair of camphor garlands to wear along with the ‘madhuparkams’ and they walk towards the wedding hall. At an auspicious time, the groom places the ‘jeera karra+bellam’, a mixture of cumin seeds and jaggery crushed together and kept on a betel leaf’, on the bride’s head and then places it on his head. Before the ‘mangalyadharanam’, tying of the sacred yellow thread, elderly women remove the screen between the couple and instead hold a yoke through which the ‘mangalsutras’ are passed. The bride is asked to sit on the groom’s left side and the priest ties the sacred yellow thread around their necks. A few drops of milk are sprinkled on the ‘mangalsutras’ to purify them. The groom ties the ‘mangalyam’ or the ‘mangalsutra around the bride’s neck with two knots while the groom’s sister ties the third one. Again the groom ties a ‘dharba’ girdle, a sacred thread made of dry grass and blessed by the priest, around the bride’s waist; so that the bride will not become a widow. The main wedding ceremony comes to an end by the groom’s sister performing an ‘aarthi’. ‘Thalambralu’ is a beautiful and interesting ceremony in the Andhra weddings. The couple pours rice, the staple food, in abundance over each other’s head in a joyous manner, indicating prosperity and abundance. The bride’s sari ‘pallu’ and the groom’s upper cloth are tied together, followed by a small homam or prayer performed by the newly weds. The groom repeats the mantras chanted by the priest while he leads the bride to take seven steps, Saptapathy. The traditional wedding feast is served on a banana leaf along with a large variety of delicacies to the enjoyment of the guests. In the ritual ‘laja Homam’, the bride’s brother places puffed rice or ‘laja’ in her palms and she offers it to the sacred fire. Three different mantras are chanted while the offerings are made three times, The couple is then shown the celestial star, Arundhati to encourage the bride to lead a virtuous life like the Goddess ‘Arundhati’, a name for chastity. To mark the fulfillment of all wedding rituals, the ‘dharba girdle is removed from the couple. ‘Nagavalli’ consists of the ceremonies dealing with the induction of the bride into her household duties and the display of the gifts given to her. The groom ties a string of black beads, specially threaded by unmarried girls, around his wife’s neck. Then holding her right foot and chanting a mantra, the groom keeps it on a granite grinding stone, ‘sannu kallu’. He slips silver toe rings/’matti’ on to each of the bride’s second toe. In the midst of this ceremony, the groom’s people give her presents like jewelry, saris and sweets and these are viewed by all assembled there. In the emotional and tearful bridal send off, ‘appagintalu/vadigantu biyyam’ to the groom’s house, her mother places some rice, a tiny sandalwood doll, a small silver bowl, the root of yam and ‘chalmidi’, a sweetmeat, in the upper cloth of the ‘madhuparkam’ that is tied around When the couple arrives at the groom’s house his mother receives them by giving milk and fruit. The bride is asked to light the ‘Venkateswara deepam’, a lamp of rice and jaggery and filled with ghee, in the prayer room and also to boil milk on the stove. The couple has to observe ‘Satyanarayana Vritham’, a fasting in front of Lord Satyanarayana till the end of the ‘puja’/prayer.

<arttitle>6 lakh workers leave China's industrial heartland, this can mean only one thing, people see no more future in their own homeland. </arttitle><arttitle>6 lakh workers leave China's industrial heartland</arttitle> <arttitle> BEIJING: About 600,000 migrant workers left south China's industrial heartland last year as the economic crisis caused exports to shrink and forced factories to close, a senior official said on Thursday. </arttitle><table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td align="left" valign="top">The number of migrants departing Guangdong province, one of the world's top makers of toys and electronic appliances, accelerated in 2008 as the situation worsened, said provincial deputy governor Huang Longyun. "This year the situation is more serious than at any other time since the start of the decade, indeed since the Asian financial crisis," he told a briefing in Beijing. By the middle of last year, when the financial crisis was still in its embryonic stage, only 143,100 had left Guangdong, but the number reached half a million at the end of October and has now hit 600,000. Guangdong's export sector may have been the single most important factor in China's economic boom, and it has been helped by migrant workers who have gone to the province from China's destitute interior in search of better lives. Huang did not give an overall figure for the number of migrant workers in the province, but earlier data said they numbered between 25 and 30 million. Data unveiled at the briefing showed why the migrants were leaving, stating that Guangdong's economy grew by 10.1 percent last year, down from 14.7 percent in 2007. Exports, the lifeblood of the province, expanded by just 5.6 percent in 2008, down from 22.3 percent the year before, the statistics indicated. The health of Guangdong is essential for China's overall wellbeing, as the Pearl River Delta, the province's most active economic area, provides much of the nation's growth impetus. Together with the Yangtze River Delta further north it takes up just 2.6 percent of China's land area, but accounts for one third of its gross domestic product and 40 percent of its fiscal revenues, according to government data. <!-- google_ad_section_end --> <table style="margin-top: 10px; margin-right: 8px; margin-bottom: 4px;" align="left" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td id="bellyad"></td></tr></tbody></table> </td> </tr> <tr> <td height="7"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td align="right"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td height="7"> </td></tr></tbody></table><arttitle> </arttitle>

No conspiracy theory, just look into the passports. 78% of the Palestinians are Jewish Muslims and Jewish Christians. Why they should fight against their own people? Same situation with Jordan, Syria, Iran - these people have all Jewish blood in their veins. Yasser Arafat, August 24, 1929 – November 11, 2004, officiating for 40 years as chief of the PLO - Arafat received in 1994 the Nobel Peace Prize. His passport says, although born in Cairo/Egypt, his mother, Zahwa Abul Saud, was from a Jerusalem family.

Could be that the whole war in the Middle East is all staged, a media campaign, in order to keep the funds from Europe and US coming in. Why should they fight for 60 years? They found out how much the rest of the world is paying and therefore keep the reporting about a terrible war going and going. Probably in 300 years from now on they still will write, "They did it again." It is a business.

I'm not a globalist, but things look like as if the Bhagavatam points to our governments as the real culprits. Presently people believe that the globalization trap is the root of lots of evil. However, it is the governments who let it all happen.

“Especially with the increase of Kali-yuga, people will be disturbed by two things especially. What is that? Scarcity of food and taxation. That is stated in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. Durbhiksa-kara-piditah. Kara means taxation. The people will be embarrassed for want of food, at the same time, every year, increase of taxation. That is stated in the Bhagavata. Durbhiksa-kara-piditah. So much disturbed that they will give up their hearth and home and go away in the forest. Durbhiksa-kara-piditah. Acchinna-dara-dravina yasyanti giri-kananam. Dara-dravina, money, wife, children, everything—they will be disgusted: “Now it is impossible to maintain. Let me go away.” Yasyanti giri-kananam.” Bhagavad-gita 7.3 by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada Nairobi, October 29, 1975

Interesting article from http://www.answersingenesis.org/ Why Did God Make Viruses? <!-- Semi-technical --> by Dr. Jean K. Lightner January 7, 2009 There are some fundamental differences in how creationists and evolutionists view life. Biblical creationists believe that God created life according to their kinds with the ability to reproduce and fill the earth.¹ This view includes the concepts that God had purpose in what He created and that it originally was very good.² In contrast, evolutionists view life as all descending from a single common ancestor by chance processes. Evolutionary arguments tend to imply that life isn’t really very complex or well designed. For example, 100 years ago a cell was promoted as being nothing more than a blob of protoplasm, implying that it wouldn’t be difficult for it to arise by chance. This proved to be wrong; cells are incredibly complex structures.³ At one time evolutionists argued that organs or structures with no known function actually had no function; at the time this included hundreds of organs and structures in the human body. Instead these were believed to be vestiges of evolution. This argument has become rather vestigial itself, as these organs have been found to have function.⁴ Yet, this argument reappeared in genetics. Most of the DNA in our bodies does not code for proteins, so it was labeled “junk DNA” by evolutionists that assumed it has no function. As research continues it is becoming clear that this DNA has numerous essential functions.⁵ The evolutionary worldview has a dismal track record for anticipating the astounding complexity in life uncovered by scientific research. If God created everything good and with a purpose, why are there disease-causing bacteria and viruses in the world? It is true that we first learned about bacteria and viruses because of the problems they cause. Bacteria have been studied in considerable detail and are now recognized to be mainly helpful and absolutely essential for life on earth; bacteria that cause disease (which occurred as a result of the Fall) are the exceptions, not the rule. But what about viruses: what purpose could they possibly have? What Is a Virus? Viruses are a bit of an enigma. They contain DNA or RNA which are found in all living things. This is packaged in a protein coat. Despite this, viruses are not usually considered living because they are not made up of cells and cannot reproduce by themselves. Instead, the virus will inject the DNA or RNA into a living cell, and the cell will make copies of the virus and assemble them so they can spread.⁶ Viruses vary considerably in their ability to cause disease. Many known viruses are not associated with disease at all. Others cause mild symptoms that may often go undetected. Some, like the HIV virus that causes AIDS in people, appear to have come from another species where they do not cause disease. Given our current knowledge of viruses, it is quite reasonable to believe that disease-causing viruses are descended from viruses that were once not harmful.⁷ It has been suggested that they have played an important role in maintaining life on earth—somewhat similar to the way bacteria do.⁸ In fact, they may play a role in solving an intriguing puzzle that faces creationists. A Creationist Puzzle The biblical record tells of a global Flood when all created kinds of unclean⁹ land animals were reduced to a population of two, the pair that was preserved with Noah on the Ark.¹⁰ After the Flood, these animals reproduced and filled the earth again.¹¹ Today many of these kinds are represented by whole families. For example, the dog family (Canidae) is believed to represent a created kind.¹² However, this is a very diverse group of animals. There are foxes that are adapted to living in the arctic, and others that live in the desert. There is incredible variety seen in modern domestic dog breeds. Where did all this variety come from? And how could it arise so quickly given that the Flood occurred around 4300 years ago?¹³ The answer to this puzzle is probably quite complex. Some of the variety would have been carried by the pair of animals on the Ark. When parents pass traits on to their offspring, these traits can appear in new combinations in the offspring (Mendelian genetics). Natural selection can weed some existing traits out of a population. However, a close examination reveals that genetic changes have also arisen in this time.¹⁴ Many of these changes do not appear accidental and do not directly cause disease. For this reason, some creationists have proposed that God “designed animals to be able to undergo genetic mutations which would enable them to adapt to a wide range of environmental challenges while minimizing risk.”¹⁵ Isn’t That Evolution? It is important to recognize that biologists use several distinct definitions for evolution that are often blurred together as if they are synonymous.¹⁶ Evolution is sometimes defined as “change in the genetic makeup (or gene frequency) of a population over time.” This has been observed; both creationists and evolutionists recognize this as important in building models to help us understand what likely happened in the past. A second definition of evolution involves the idea that all life descended from a common ancestor over millions of years through naturalistic processes. This has not been observed. In fact, it is in direct opposition to the testimony God (the eyewitness to creation) gives us in the Bible. The idea that all life has a common ancestor requires the assumption that the Bible’s history is false, and the assumption that changes which do occur could produce the variety of life we see today from a single-celled ancestor.¹⁷ With regard to the first definition of evolution, creationists and evolutionists differ in the pattern of genetic changes they should expect to see. The creation model predicts that degenerative changes can occur because mankind sinned and brought death into the world.¹⁸ It also predicts that adaptive changes could occur because God cares for His creation and intends for the earth to be inhabited.¹⁹ Both types of changes have been observed. The fact that some foxes are adapted to live in the arctic while others are adapted to live in the desert fits perfectly with this biblical teaching. While evolutionists accept that these types of changes occur, their model requires that most genetic changes add information to the genome. This pattern has not been observed. Without this pattern they cannot account for the many organs and complex biochemical pathways that exist in animals today.²⁰ Scientific observations show that there is an overall pattern of decay seen in the genome which is the opposite of what the evolutionary model would predict.²¹ Another difference is the source of the genetic change. Evolutionists assume that random mutations and natural selection can account for the genetic changes that are seen. Since the underlying mechanism is naturalistic, changes were expected to be very slow. Contrary to their expectations, rapid adaptation has been observed, and evolutionists have had to adjust their thinking to accept this. Furthermore, detailed studies of the pattern in genetic differences within related animals don’t make sense if mutations are assumed to always be essentially random events.²² Something else is clearly going on here. It appears that God has placed some incredible programming into the genomes of the animals he created, and viruses may play some role in this. Evidence of Horizontal Gene Transfer Interestingly, there are some portions of DNA in animals that look like they came from a virus. While some of these were likely originally present in the genome since they have essential functions, others may have been introduced by viruses.²³ A number of years ago, one creationist proposed that horizontal gene flow (genes picked up from somewhere in the environment rather than inherited from parents) may help to explain rapid adaptation and the interesting pattern of DNA in animals. In fact, the author lists 13 different biological phenomena that might be explained by horizontal gene flow.²⁴ Since viruses carry genetic material (DNA or RNA), they are the most logical agents to suspect in transferring genes. While horizontal gene transfer would not change the identity of an animal (i.e., it would still belong to the same kind), it could rapidly provide a source of genetic variability that allows for rapid adaptation. If this is the case, then viruses were created “good” (as in <cite class="bibleref" title="Genesis 1">Genesis 1</cite>) with a support role much like bacteria are known to have. While the evidence is largely circumstantial, further scientific investigation does seem to support these ideas.²⁵ In fact, a recent PNAS article has brought some new information to light. Previous studies had suggested horizontal transfer between closely related species. This study identified a large section of DNA (~2.9 kb) that was approximately 96% identical in a marsupial (opossum), several placentals (mouse, rat, bushbaby, tenrec, and little brown bat), a reptile (anole lizard), and an amphibian (African clawed frog). It was absent from the 27 other animals surveyed (which included human and Jamaican fruit bat). This sequence appears to have been incorporated into an existing functional gene in rats and mice, although its specific function is not yet known.²⁶ Because of the pattern observed, it appears that horizontal gene transfer was concentrated at some time in the past and perhaps occurred via a DNA virus.²⁷ Interestingly, several species (anole and opossum) are from Central/South America, several are restricted to Africa (bushbay, tenrec), and the others have a wider geographical distribution.²⁸ This suggests that the transfer may have occurred early post-Flood or been intercontinental in scope.²⁹ Since most scientists are heavily influenced by the evolutionary worldview, they often miss indicators of purpose. For example, the section of DNA discussed above is a transposon (a type of mobile genetic element or transposable element). After the putative transfer, it was copied and integrated into several different parts of the genome in the various species. This requires that the proper tools (e.g., enzymes) be in place so that the section of DNA can be incorporated into the genome initially, then modified and copied appropriately. Given that decay has occurred over time, it is not surprising to creationists that there are examples of transposons where this process doesn’t work properly and disease occurs. Diseases draw attention and research dollars, so the problems associated with transposons have been recognized before the benefits are understood (much like was true of bacteria). Many people still view these mobile genetic elements as “parasitic” or “selfish.” However, they are quite widespread in the genome of plants, animals, and man. If their insertion was always purely “random,” it seems they should more consistently cause problems in a complex system such as the genome.³⁰ Therefore, it seems more logical to believe that transposons have purpose and were designed in a way to benefit their possessor. The Bible Explains the Paradox The biblical view explains an important paradox we see in the world around us. It anticipates the complexity that is constantly being uncovered by scientific research; God is an all-wise Creator and would be expected to use awesome design patterns and programming. It also explains the decay observed because mankind sinned and brought death into the world; the world is now in bondage to decay.³¹ This is an exciting time to be a creationist researcher, as the tremendous volume of scientific research is helping to provide answers to questions that have been asked for decades.

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Did man really walk on the Moon or was it the ultimate camera trick, asks David Milne? In the early hours of May 16, 1990, after a week spent watching old video footage of man on the Moon, a thought was turning into an obsession in the mind of Ralph Rene. (01-01-09) "How can the flag be fluttering," the 47 year old American kept asking himself, "when there's no wind on the atmosphere free Moon?" That moment was to be the beginning of an incredible Space odyssey for the self-taught engineer from New Jersey. He started investigating the Apollo Moon landings, scouring every NASA film, photo and report with a growing sense of wonder, until finally reaching an awesome conclusion: America had never put a man on the Moon. The giant leap for mankind was fake. It is of course the conspiracy theory to end all conspiracy theories. But Rene has now put all his findings into a startling book entitled NASA Mooned America. Published by himself, it's being sold by mail order - and is a compelling read. The story lifts off in 1961 with Russia firing Yuri Gagarin into space, leaving a panicked America trailing in the space race. At an emergency meeting of Congress, President Kennedy proposed the ultimate face saver, put a man on the Moon. With an impassioned speech he secured the plan an unbelievable 40 billion dollars. And so, says Rene (and a growing number of astro-physicists are beginning to agree with him), the great Moon hoax was born. Between 1969 and 1972, seven Apollo ships headed to the Moon. Six claim to have made it, with the ill fated Apollo 13--whose oxygen tanks apparently exploded halfway--being the only casualties. But with the exception of the known rocks, which could have been easily mocked up in a lab, the photographs and film footage are the only proof that the Eagle ever landed. And Rene believes they're fake. For a start, he says, the TV footage was hopeless. The world tuned in to watch what looked like two blurred white ghosts gambol threw rocks and dust. Part of the reason for the low quality was that, strangely, NASA provided no direct link up. So networks actually had to film "man's greatest achievement" from a TV screen in Houston--a deliberate ploy, says Rene, so that nobody could properly examine it. By contrast, the still photos were stunning. Yet that's just the problem. The astronauts took thousands of pictures, each one perfectly exposed and sharply focused. Not one was badly composed or even blurred. As Rene points out, that's not all: The cameras had no white meters or view finders. So the astronauts achieved this feet without being able to see what they were doing. There film stock was unaffected by the intense peaks and powerful cosmic radiation on the Moon, conditions that should have made it useless. They managed to adjust their cameras, change film and swap filters in pressurized clubs. It should have been almost impossible to bend their fingers. . Award winning British photographer David Persey is convinced the pictures are fake. His astonishing findings are explained alongside the pictures on these pages, but the basic points are as follows: The shadows could only have been created with multiple light sources and, in particular, powerful spotlights. But the only light source on the Moon was the sun. The American flag and the words "United States" are always brightly lit, even when everything around is in shadow. Not one still picture matches the film footage, yet NASA claims both were shot at the same time. The pictures are so perfect, each one would have taken a slick advertising agency hours to put them together. But the astronauts managed it repeatedly. David Persey believes the mistakes were deliberate, left there by "whistle blowers", who were keen for the truth to one day get out. If Persey is right and the pictures are fake, then we've only NASA's word that man ever went to the Moon. And, asks Rene, why would anyone fake pictures of an event that actually happened? The questions don't stop there. Outer space is awash with deadly radiation that emanates from solar flares firing out from the sun. Standard astronauts orbiting earth in near space, like those who recently fixed the Hubble telescope, are protected by the earth's Van Allen belt. But the Moon is 240,000 miles distant, way outside this safe band. And, during the Apollo flights, astronomical data shows there were no less than 1,485 such flares. John Mauldin, a physicist who works for NASA, once said shielding at least two meters thick would be needed. Yet the walls of the Lunar Landers which took astronauts from the spaceship to the moons surface were, said NASA, "about the thickness of heavy duty aluminum foil". How could that stop this deadly radiation? And if the astronauts were protected by their space suits, why didn't rescue workers use such protective gear at the Chernobyl meltdown, which released only a fraction of the dose astronauts would encounter? Not one Apollo astronaut ever contracted cancer--not even the Apollo 16 crew who were on their way to the Moon when a big flare started. "They should have been fried," says Rene. Furthermore, every Apollo mission before number 11 (the first to the Moon) was plagued with around 20,000 defects a-piece. Yet, with the exception of Apollo 13, NASA claims there wasn't one major technical problem on any of their Moon missions. Just one defect could have blown the whole thing. "The odds against this are so unlikely that God must have been the co-pilot," says Rene. Several years after NASA claimed its first Moon landing, Buzz Aldrin "the second man on the Moon"--was asked at a banquet what it felt like to step on to the lunar surface. Aldrin staggered to his feet and left the room crying uncontrollably. It would not be the last time he did this. "It strikes me he's suffering from trying to live out a very big lie," says Rene. Aldrin may also fear for his life. Virgil Grissom, a NASA astronaut, was due to pilot Apollo 1. In January 1967, he baited the Apollo program by hanging a lemon on his Apollo capsule (in the US, unroadworthy cars are called lemons) and told his wife Betty: "if there is ever a serious accident in the space program, it's likely to be me." Nobody knows what fuelled his fears, but by the end of the month he and his two co-pilots were dead, burnt to death during a test run when their capsule, pumped full of high pressure pure oxygen, exploded. Scientists couldn't believe NASA's carelessness--even a chemistry student in high school knows high pressure oxygen is extremely explosive. In fact, before the first manned Apollo fight even cleared the launch pad, a total of 11 would be astronauts were dead. Apart from the three who were incinerated, seven died in plane crashes and one in a car smash. Now this is a spectacular accident rate. "One wonders if these 'accidents' weren't NASA's way of correcting mistakes," says Rene. "Of saying that some of these men didn't have the sort of 'right stuff' they were looking for." NASA won't respond to any of these claims, their press office will only say that the Moon landings happened and the pictures are real. But a NASA public affairs officer called Julian Scheer once delighted 200 guests at a private party with footage of astronauts apparently on a lunar landscape. It had been made on a mission film set and was identical to what NASA claimed was they real lunar landscape. "The purpose of this film," Scheer told the enthralled group, "is to indicate that you really can fake things on the ground, almost to the point of deception." He then invited his audience to "come to your own decision about whether or not man actually did walk on the Moon". A sudden attack of honesty? You bet, says Rene, who claims the only real thing about the Apollo missions were the lift offs. The astronauts simply have to be on board, he says, in case the rocket exploded. "It was the easiest way to ensure NASA wasn't left with three astronauts who ought to be dead," he claims, adding that they came down a day or so later, out of the public eye (global surveillance wasn't what it is now) and into the safe hands of NASA officials, who whisked them off to prepare for the big day a week later. And now NASA is planning another giant step--project Outreach, a one trillion dollar manned mission to Mars. "Think what they'll be able to mock up with today's computer graphics," says Rene chillingly. "Special effects was in its infancy in the 60's. This time round will have no way of determining the truth." Space oddities: Apollo 14 astronaut Allen Shepard played golf on the Moon. In front of a worldwide TV audience, Mission Control teased him about slicing the ball to the right. Yet a slice is caused by uneven air flow over the ball. The Moon has no atmosphere and no air. A camera panned upwards to catch Apollo 16's Lunar Lander lifting off the Moon. Who did the filming? One NASA picture from Apollo 11 is looking up at Neil Armstrong about to take his giant step for mankind. The photographer must have been lying on the planet surface. If Armstrong was the first man on the Moon, then who took the shot? The pressure inside a space suit was greater than inside a football. The astronauts should have been puffed out like the Michelin Man, but were seen freely bending their joints. The Moon landings took place during the Cold War. Why didn't America make a signal on the Moon that could be seen from Earth? The PR would have been phenomenal and it could have been easily done with magnesium flares. Text from pictures in the article show only two men walked on the Moon during the Apollo 12 mission. Yet the astronaut reflected in the visor has no camera. Who took the shot? The flags shadow goes behind the rock so doesn't match the dark line in the foreground, which looks like a line cord. So the shadow to the lower right of the spaceman must be the flag. Where is his shadow? And why is the flag fluttering? How can the flag be brightly lit when its not facing any light ? And where, in all of these shots, are the stars? The Lander weighed 17 tons yet the astronauts feet seem to have made a bigger dent in the dust. The powerful booster rocket at the base of the Lunar Lander was fired to slow descent to the moons service. Yet it has left no traces of blasting on the dust underneath. It should have created a small crater, yet the booster looks like it's never been fired...

Moon is described as category of planet, not that every Moon is mentioned separately. There're millions of planets and millions of Moons. Just like Jupiter, you see the Jupiter Moon clearly on pic below rotating closely around Jupiter and thus creating the Moon effects like waxing Moon, waning Moon and full Moon. This is only possible when quickly orbiting around a planet. Affecting the tides, growth of vegetables and the emotions of the living entities. There're even symptoms of being moonstruck, but as soon the Moon moves further it is gone. So these effects can only happen when a Moon quickly rotates around a planet very closely. Total solar eclipse is when the Moon is in between the Sun and the planet and not when the Moon is behind the Sun. Problem is that there is obviously a group of people working hard to make Prabhupada's statements look just wrong. Tapes disappeared, tapes manipulated etc.

Just use your common sense man, Indraloka, Brahmaloka, Shivaloka, Agniloka, Vayuloka, Varunaloka, Adityaloka, they are Billions of miles away, do they get Moon light. Of course, but not from our little Moon which is just 384403 kilometers (238857 miles) away from the Earth. Therefore we have this quickly changing full Moon, new Moon, half Moon, because it is so close, quickly orbiting around the Earth with short distance. Our Moon is meant to give Moonlight for the Earth but not for other planets. There're million of planets, who all get Moonlight. But from different Moons. Although our Moon is close, still, like many karmis who doubt that NASA actually went there Prabhupada also rejected this idea of a Moon landing.

When Prabhupada spoke of the Moon further away then the Sun he cannot have meant our Moon which takes 27.3 days to complete one orbit around the Earth. If you have a telescope you can see every crater on our Moon, because it is so close. It is an Earth trabant, simple to understand.

Prabhupada: No, atheist, that is there should be reasonable proposal. If you speak something nonsense, that “I exist,” why he, does he bring the word God, if God does not exist? God is there, but He denies the existence. That is atheism. Otherwise, why bringing the word God? If God does not exist, why he is bringing the word God? Philosophy Discussions with His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada Jean-Paul Sartre Atheist buses denying God’s existence take to streets Martin Beckford – Telegraph.co.uk January 7, 2009 Organisers originally hoped to put the message on just a handful of London buses, as an antidote to posters put up by religious groups which they claimed were “threatening eternal damnation” to non-believers. But after the campaign received high-profile support from the prominent atheist Prof Richard Dawkins and the British Humanist Association, the modest £5,500 target was met within minutes and more than £140,000 has now been donated since the launch in October. Enough money has now been raised to place the message – “There’s probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life” – on 200 bendy buses in the capital for a month, with the first ones taking to the streets . A further 600 buses carrying the adverts will be seen by passengers and passers-by in cities across England, Wales and Scotland, from Aberdeen and Dundee to York, Coventry, Swansea and Bristol. In addition, two large LCD screens bearing the atheist message have been placed in Oxford Street, central London, while 1,000 posters containing quotes from well-known non-believers will be placed on Underground trains for two weeks starting on Monday. They feature lines doubting the existence of God, and celebrating the natural world, written by Albert Einstein, Katharine Hepburn, Douglas Adams and Emily Dickinson. It is the first ever atheist advertising campaign to take place in Britain, and similar adverts are now also running on public transport in America and Spain. Ariane Sherine, a writer who first thought of the atheist bus adverts, said: “You wait ages for an atheist bus, then 800 come along at once. I hope they will brighten people’s days and make them smile on their way to work.” The campaign has even been welcomed by religious groups for increasing the profile of debate about faith, and although there was tight security outside the launch event by the Royal Albert Hall, the campaigners have not received any threats from fundamentalists. Paul Woolley, director of Theos, a theology think tank which donated £50 to the cause, said: “The posters will encourage people to consider the most important question we will ever face in our lives.” Some atheist supporters of the campaign were disappointed that the wording of the adverts did not declare categorically that God does not exist, although there were fears that this could break advertising guidelines. Prof Dawkins, the renowned evolutionary biologist and author of The God Delusion, said: “I wanted something stronger but with hindsight I think it’s probably a good thing because it makes people think. It’s just food for thought – people will have conversations in pubs when they see these buses.” Hanne Stinson, chief executive of the British Humanist Association, said the adverts were “overwhelmingly positive” and were intended to reassure agnostics and atheists that there is nothing wrong with not believing in God. www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/4141765/Atheist-buses-denying-Gods-existence-take-to-streets.html

Right, Jack Nickelson, there's a Moon that goes around our Earth but read Kulas post, he rejects Prabhupada because Prabhupada says, the Moon is further away than the Sun. Btw, almost every planet has its own little Moon. So, there're millions of these little Moons in this Universe, but only one big heavenly Moon.