Reflections from the Village Bard
We now see so much acrimony in politics that holds no bar in defaming the opposition in crude and unsubstantiated allegations that makes me think of Machiavelli. The fight for power has always been like war where no rules apply so the politicians throw away all that is decent and resort to dirty politics. I…
There is a culture of impunity that exists everywhere for those who abuse others and get away with it. The post looks at the root cause and the ways an abused person may learn to defend himself or herself. I have written about the depredation of women who are subjected to sexual abuse in the…
International students in class with laptops Studying in prestigious universities abroad remains a dream of many students because only a few get admitted while others get discouraged due to high cost. I look at the growth of private universities that are being run as businesses that cater to the rich but leave behind many brilliant…
Malala Yousafzai who fights for female education Gender equality still has a long way to go in male dominated societies where men try to control women who want equal rights for them. They are afraid of educated, talented and skillful women who may far outshine them so they use obsolete traditions to put them down…
This highlights the problem of miscommunication today that is exacerbated by the new technology of cell phones and the media. The need to communicate through abbreviation of words and a mixture of two or more languages has had significant influence on how people communicate or miscommunicate. Once in my class of communication in California…
We need to be aware that all animals are precious whether domestic or wild so they should be loved and protected. This awareness should be taught to every child in every school in the world so that the future generation will learn to love the animals and protect them. Many species will become extinct…
This post deals with the subject of sheer human courage called mettle that can bring about profound changes in the society and challenges the wrongdoers but often suffers the consequences in terms of personal sacrifices. It is a loaded word that means far more than what it implies so simply. The mettle of…
The countries fight wars for various reasons and to support the war, they set up vast military industrial complexes to make war materials that later become their prime export earners to fuel other wars. Such complexes were never dismantled after the war in the name of preserving jobs so it comes under scrutiny…
We know what democracy is but we do not see a perfect example of it in most countries including the United States so democracy may mean different things to different people. The most we can say is that it is in progress and may take a long time to achieve universal education and…
We all want to prevent cruelty to animals but we see many are tortured or killed in the name of profit and greed. One day the poachers will make the beautiful animals extinct, making our world poorer so they must be stopped by any means. Compassion by the NGOs can help save the animals…
Lawrence of Arabia The destiny awaits everyone but some people make their own destiny by their audacious efforts and strong will power. For such people, destiny is not engraved in stone who take matters in their own hands and decide to shape the future. The post looks at what it takes to change…
There are many traditional healers in all parts of the world who render a great service to poor people by healing them of their illnesses at a minimum cost and who are selfless people who often give medicines free. Gabar Buri was one of them but she was a charitable soul whose knowledge…
Animal protection and their welfare does not rate very high in many countries where poachers and legal hunters are decimating their numbers. This looks at the river dolphins that have been poached to extinction but many other animals face the same tragedy everyday. We need to be aware that all animals have a right…
The reform in the justice system worldwide to make it easier for the poor people to get justice at a minimum cost and hassle is long overdue but it faces many challenges due to vested interests of non-reformists. This looks at many issues that need addressing as well as the parallel justice system…
He was a great man who spent 28 years in a South African jail because he wanted a free South Africa where all races could live in peace and harmony under a democracy for all. In jail he suffered and did not know when or if they would kill him but he persevered…
The trend now is to learn a foreign language along with your higher education that makes you qualified over others lacking such skills therefore more employable if you happen to have the right kind of education that is in demand. But the influence of mother tongue and poorly qualified teachers to teach foreign…
The gun violence in many countries is taking many lives yet this problem can be solved as some countries show the way. The recent tragedy in a Florida High school where a person killed scores of innocent students who had no idea that their lives were to end soon in such a meaningless…
Vatican complex in Rome Vatican as the seat of the Roman Catholic faith faces many challenges such as the serious nature of pedophilia among the clergy and the dilution of the faith among certain populace who are disillusioned by the scandals in the church. It also faces serious challenges from the Protestants…
Florence Nightingale Nursing is a noble profession that is often under-appreciated. The high standard Florence Nightingale set for all nurses still guides them and motivates them. We should all learn to appreciate them and give them our whole hearted thanks because they bring us back to health through their care and empathy…
The art of writing using calligraphy has been practiced since a very long time when people learned to write beautifully using only quills and brushes. The art of writing has been diminished over a period of time as people now do not learn the art and have poor penmanship. This studies the art of writing…