$11 Million Bonanza

Subject: $11 Million Bonanza

By PROMOD PURI

When the news finally reaches every nook and corner of India from Kashmir to Kanyakumari that the BC Government gives away $11 million to set up an event here in the province for 2014 Bollywood awards, a lot of Indian media outlets would line up for this generous bounty.

 

And why not!

 

Conceding the Provincial Liberals somehow come back to power, as they should not give up hope because much has been invested thru the "ethnicgate" in the growing and thriving ethnic market, that eleven million dollar affair would be repeated next year too.

 

The TOIFA will come back along with other media contenders like HTFA (Hindusthan Times Film Award), IEFA (Indian Express Film Award), or even the Chandigarh Tribune to apply for this no-question-asked liberal grant.

 

As the provincial government has not laid out strict terms and conditions for this massive dole, except that the event should promote BC for tourism or some business that any media outfit, big or small, can apply for the sponsor money.

 

So media folks in India, hurry up. Rope in the who's who in the glamorous world of Bollywood, have some Liberal connection, just write on top of the application "to promote BC", submit it and get your guaranteed $11 million bonanza from the considerate tax-payers’  representatives in the provincial government. 

 

And here in the province, in addition to the acclaimed boost to BC tourism and business, the 11-million-dollar kick-start would also help in providing some career opportunities for exiting politicians to dance along in the alluring world of Planet Bollywood. Sure, some of these politicians are well qualified for variety of roles in the Indian film industry, and one BC politician has publicly demonstrated his acting skills on stage and expressed his intended Bollywood foray at the award ceremony last week.

 

( Promod Puri is the former editor and publisher of South Asian publication, The Link ).

I WANT TO BE A CANADIAN SENATOR

I WANT TO BE A CANADIAN SENATOR
-A Satire

By Promod Puri

Lately, I am having viral itch to be appointed a Canadian Senator.

I must admit that, perhaps like most Canadian citizens, I have a very limited insight about what the job description is of being a Senator. 

However, I do know that one of the determining and pressing tasks a Senator has to undergo is to travel, and travel a lot. It could be travel within this vast country or any where else in the world as long as a Senator is roaming he or she is performing the job.

And here I perfectly qualify to become a Senator as I love traveling. Send me anywhere in the world I'm adaptable, though my preference would be sunny and warmer places,especially in winter months.

I have already earned thousands of mileage of being a frequent traveller that I'm well entitled for the job notably when it is related to travel.

Beside being an experienced ever-moving itinerant my other qualifications of being a rightful and exemplary Canadian citizen are as follow:

1. I have lived in Winnipeg and walked around Main & Portage several winter months for several years that I truly know what a Canadian winter is like.

2. Although I have never played and seldom seen a live hockey game, I follow this Canadian sport and cultural icon on TV including the world-famous after-defeat street show in Vancouver.

3. I have travelled Canada relatively more than an average Canadian from British Columbia to Quebec, and this summer I plan to cover the Atlantic provinces as well (if I am appointed Senator).

4. I am a non-partisan middle-of-the-road main-street Canadian having no membership ever to any political party, though I must admit that I voted just couple of times for the Green Party, and never voted for the Conservative.

5. Yes, I have RRSP too.

If I am appointed Senator I promise that I will do my job relating to travel to the best of my physical ability, and report back to tax payers every month all the expenses absorbed without waiting for any audit.

I hope to be seen,rather unseen, as touring Senator all over the globe especially in Hawaii, Tahiti, Bora Bora or even Timbuktu.

Here, I must concede that I won't be a trendsetter, but I'm confident that within one year of my appointment I can beat any record relating to travel  expense.

NANAK DUKHIYA SABB SANSAR

That is the universal truth. Agony, misery, pain, suffering, both physical and emotional, and in all degrees of intensity are the realities of life experienced by all beings without exception. In the midst of bliss, peace and pleasure, life means jitters of distress, grief and worries as well.

There is hardly any escape from these taxing and unpleasant realities littered all the way toward life's end. The sufferings could be innocently or naively self-inflicted, or by fellow beings. Elements of nature and the so-called fate also play their minor or major roles to accompany man's lifelong journey thru calamity and disaster.

Stresses and strains in our lives for one reason or the other give enough jerks to create the turbulences as smooth ride to cover life's journey becomes a rarity.

So, who is at absolute peace. Certainly nobody. 

Can we redefine peace to accommodate those tensions and sufferings which otherwise we cannot shake off, rather we have to live with them. 

In this exploration to seek that  serenity and tranquility in the midst of torments and troubles, woes and worries, adversities and afflictions let us re-evaluate and narrow down our understanding of that guiding force from whom in desperation we often seek answers to our whys.

And that guiding mover is the eternal spirit which in the first place buzz us for our acceptance of the adversity (Nanak calls it hukam razai ). And that prepares us to tackle a calamity with cool mind effectively and decisively, rather being agitative or in panic.

Miracles from that eternal spirit need not be expected, but what is expected is the courage and strength to tackle suffering with grace and dignity.

Sure, this is not an easy exercise, but the utmost and unshaken faith in our resolve to accept, face and tackle unfortunate circumstances leads us to that sought -after perception of forming the solid base from where one can realize the supreme power. 

Regarding perception or understanding of the solid base let us get more clear on that by setting aside for a moment the most popular assumption that God, he or  she, is a person. And bring in another individuality and nature of his or her as  just performing an action. So when we seek or gather courage and strength to handle any calamity or suffering and use those forces as part of our actions that very activity itself is god in live manifestation. 

And once that foundation or base, meaning God in the image of action, is recognized as the platform from where to handle and abate distress and tribulation then certainly with conviction one can get inspired to comprehend that.................

SO SUKHIYA JIS NAAM ADHAAR.

By Promod Puri

Vancouver, Canada.

Simple Thought

In my humble spiritual thinking my religion is short, simple and flexible that it can fit comfortably in any other religion.

Highlights From The Book "Biology Of Belief"

HIGHLIGHTS FROM BIOLOGY OF BELIEF

1. A cell’s life is controlled by the physical and energetic environment and not by its genes. Genes are simply molecular blueprints used in the construction of cells, tissues and organs.

2. The environment serves as a contractor who reads and engages those genetic blueprints and is ultimately responsible for the character of cell’s life.

3. It’s single cell’s awareness of the environment, not its genes, that sets into motion the mechanism of life.

(The question is: who or what is that physical and energetic environment working from outside responsible for mechanism of a cell’s life).

4. That if single cells are controlled by their awareness of the environment so too are we trillion-celled human beings.

5. Just like a single cell, the character of our lives is determined not by our genes, but by our responses to the environmental signals that propel life.

6. Our well-developed nervous system, headed by our big brain, is a testament that our awareness is far more complicated than that of a single cell.

7. When our uniquely human minds get involved, we can choose to perceive the environment in different ways, unlike a single cell whose awareness in more reflective.

8. Signal transdation science recognizes that the fate and behavior of an organism is directly linked to its perception of the environment. In simple terms, the character of our life is based upon how we perceive it.

9. Understanding on a scientific level how cells respond to our thoughts and perceptions illuminates the path to personal empowerment.

10. That scientific premise has one major flaw – genes cannot turn themselves on or off. In more scientific terms, genes are not self emergent. Something in the environment has to trigger that gene activity.

11. You are in truth a cooperative community of approximately fifty trillion single-celled citizens.

12. Human beings are multi-cellular organisms – we must inherently share basic behavioral patterns with our own cells.

13. Genes are physical memories of an organism’s learned experiences.

14. DARWIN: In my opinion the greatest error which I have committed has been not allowing sufficient weight to the direct action of the environments that is food, climate, etc, independently of natural selection….. when I wrote the Origin, and for some years afterwards, I could find little evidence of the direct action of the environment; now there is a large body of the evidence.

15. The vast majority of people come into this world with genes that would enable them to live happy and healthy life.

The diseases that are today’s scourges – diabetes, heart disease and cancer – short circuit a happy and healthy life. These diseases, however, are not the result of a single gene, but a complex interaction among multiple genes and environmental factors.

16. When I provided a healthy environment for my cells, they thrived, when the environment less than optimal, the cells faltered. When I adjusted the environment these sick cells revitalized.

17. Cells are made up of four types of very large molecules:

a. polysaccharides (complex sugar)

b. lipids (fats)

c. nucleic acids (DNA/RNA)

d proteins

18. The hereditary information passed on generation after generation is contained in chromosomes, thread like structures chromosomes are incorporated into the cell’s nucleus. Chromosomes are essentially comprised of only two kinds of molecules, proteins and DNA. It is DNA that actually contained hereditary information.

19. Epigenetics: the science which literary means control above genetics.

Epigenetics research has established that blueprints passed down thru generations are not set in concrete at birth.

20. Genes are not destiny.

21. Environmental influences, including nutrition, stress and emotions, can modify those genes without changing their basic blueprints. And those modifications can be passed on to future generations as surely as DNA blueprints are passed on via the double helix.

22. Cell membrane = cell membrain

23. The true secret of life does not lie in the famed double helix. The true secret of life lies in understanding the elegantly simple biological mechanisms of the magical membrane, the mechanism by which your body translates environmental signals into behavior.

24. We are the drivers of our own biology; just I’m the driver of the word processing program.

25. Quantum physicist discovered that physical atoms are made up of vortices of energy that are constantly spinning and vibrating, each atom is like a wobbly spinning top that radiates energy.

26. Because each energy atom has its own specific energy signature (wobble), assembly of atoms (molecules) collectively radiate their own identifying energy patterns. So material structures in the universe, including you and me, radiates a unique energy signature.

27. The atom has no physical structure.

28. Atoms are made of invisible energy not tangible matter.

29. Matter can be simultaneously be defined as a solid (particle) and as an immaterial force (wave).

30. The fact that energy and matter are one and the same is precisely what Einstein recognized when he concluded that E=mc2. Simply stated, this equation reveals that energy (E) = matter (m, mass) multiplied by the speed of light squared (c2).

31. Einstein revealed that we do not live in a universe with discrete, physical objects separated by dead space. The universe is one indivisible, dynamic whole in which energy and matter are so deeply entangled it is impossible to consider them independent elements.

32. Universe is actually made out of energy.

33. Most biological disfunctions (except injuries due to physical trauma) start at the cell level of a cell’s molecules and ions.

34. Positive thoughts are a biological mandate for a happy and healthy life.

35. Mahatama Gandhi: Your beliefs become your thoughts

Your thoughts become your words

Your words become your actions

Your actions become your habits

Your habits become your values

Your values become your destiny.

36. The most beautiful and profound emotion we can experience is the sensation of the mystical. It is the power of all true science.

- Albert Einstein

37. We all represent a small part of the whole, a small part of God.

Trip To Bellingham

OUR ONE DAY OUTING TO BELLINGHAM

By Promod Puri

One of the joys of living in Vancouver, BC, is its close adjacency to Bellingham, WA, just a 45- minute to one hour drive, which can be planned just at the spur of moment any time, any day, with the simple proposition "let us go across the border".

And the motion is considered, accepted and acted upon instantly most of the time as we love going to Bellingham, our most favourite day-trip hangout for the past over 30 years.

However, before we proceed a little preparation is needed, like collecting our border entry point document, in our case just the Nexus card, some US dollars, no prohibited items like fruit and vegetables. And finally to check that our car gas indicator almost touching the zero level, if not, the trip can be put off till it "makes sense" to cross the border. After all the U.S. is still the "land of cheap milk and cheap gas".

With a long or short list of items to buy depending on when our last shopping spree was, we are all set to hit highway 99 straight
toward the two-choiced border entry points,Peacearch or the Truck-crossing to the US gateway town of Blaine.

Hassle free border crossing is not 100 percent guaranteed every time we undertake the trip. But over the years as we are quite familiar with most of the questions asked at the border checkpoint and our brief and seasoned responses along with the Nexus card that border crossing has lately become quite fast and friendly with occasional greetings like "have a good time".

Blaine is a small town, and for most Canadians living close to the border it is the place to fill up cheap US gas or pick up few jugs of milk and assorted cheese.

But before we say cheese and put on some smile for those savings one has to watch the city's overly canny speed limit of 25 mph, which can easily net anybody driving over that limit with an agitating fine of US $150. We had that hefty $150 punch once, and will never forget that, nor we can proudly say that we were caught speeding at 29 mph.

Fortunately, one does not have to pass thru Blaine's residential streets to be the victim of speeding fine as the border crossing straightway leads south on Highway 5 towards our targeted destination of Bellingham.

From the border it takes just 20 minutes, a distance of 27 kms, to reach the scenic city of Bellingham which has waterfront in the west and majestic view of Mt. Baker in the east, in the north is Canada and toward south is rest of America.

Numerous parks, lakes, museums and other attractions including refurbished and revived historic downtown contribute to the splendor of Bellingham.

With the population of over 80,000 and despite being the 12th largest city in the Washington state,Bellingham still has the small city flavor. A popular US personal finance magazine has voted it one of the top retirement cities in the country. Not a bad idea for many Canadians who flock to expensive White Rock, the retirement town overlooking the US border.

Well, our addicted trips to Bellingham is already a sort of retirement activity, especially with low tide traffic on weekdays compared to weekend border invasion. And like hundreds of other Canadians who visit Bellingham every day our objective is the same, a day-long leisure time of simple pleasures of life.

Our simple pleasure outing is kicked off at MacDonald for the freshly-brewed Columbian coffee at the senior discounted price of just $1 each all inclusive. And that gives us the needed boost to follow rest of the no-fixed agenda to keep us recreationally busy during rest of the one-day vacation.

Shopping and browsing around in a mall or at different stores occupy most of the time, and there is quite an excitement to grab items which are either really at good price compared to the one on this side of the border or of better quality and different.

And that is certainly one major reason Canadians flock to border towns or cities for both essential and non-essential items including grocery items. After all, who does not like bargains.

No wonder, on any weekday and especially on Saturday, Sunday or holiday, we Canadians outnumber Americans as is evidenced by the number of our vehicles in the parking lots of most shopping areas.

There is always a big lineup at Bellingham Costco on Meridian Road, sometime the wait is almost 20 to 30 minutes, for the comparatively much cheaper American gas than the one available in Canada. And the same is true inside the store for milk which is less than half the price what we pay here.

It is an interesting scene when Costco staff are filling in the milk shelves from one side, and the customers, of course mostly Canadians, grabbing the jugs from the other side simultaneously. And it could be novel idea, refreshing too, that for more efficient and faster delivery if Costco install some milk pumps as well.

Beside the frugal and bargain shopping, where the savings are quite remarkable, Bellingham offers a good selection of luscious restaurants. From Mexican to Italian to regular steakhouse and multi-item buffet all are both pleasing on taste and wallet. Again we cannot escape the bargains here too. Great food and in plenty with very reasonable prices, that is only in America.

Whatever we save on shopping or on gas, the money is well spent to have a relaxing time at a dining place with cheaper beer or wine. And after our hectic and engaging jaunt it is time to return home with our Bellingham bargain loot.

Honesty is the best policy when facing the Canadian border checkpoint officials in responding their "where, when, how-much", etc questions, and then it is mostly hassle-free and friendly go-ahead "thankyou" gesture.

Cruise Culture and Captain's Role

By Promod Puri

The titanic disaster of Costa Concordia beside being investigated and the legal proceedings against its captain, offers an opportunity to review the prevailing culture on a luxury cruise ship.

In its ever changing community of a few hundred or thousand vacationing passengers the captain beside being the top man to run his empire of floating small kingdom, is also the socialite icon to host and enthusiastically participate in lots of exclusive parties both for his crew and many priveledged customers belonging to all sorts of cruise clubs promoted by all the cruise lines.

All these social events,probably part of cruise holiday attraction, gives a very vivid impression that the main job of the captain in his well groomed personality is socializing with lots of food and booze. And the latest revelation that the captain was having alcohol with a blonde girl just before the disaster supports the fact that romantic socializing is an acceptable cruise social norm.

In this role of a socialite captain the basic responsibility of running the ship in utmost safety is either becomes secondary or forgotten. In view of this latest tragedy, it is advisable to restrict the ship's captain to his primary job of just looking after the ship and sailing it with maximum safety.