Dear All,

Please vote for me. I am standing as a candidate for One Young World. One Young World is a platform where I will be able to represent the youth of today and address the challenges facing the world today.
Please vote for me, so that I can become a delegate in February 2010:

http://apps.facebook.com/oywcandidates/entry/384/


Thanking you in anticipation.

Sincerely,
Wajahat Nassar

Dear All,
I have started a new project Online Model UN, the first training session has been planned on 11 July 2009.
The first conference will be held online from 15 to 18th July 2009.
Please send an email of interest to wajahat.nassar@gmail.com by 10th of July 2009.

Thank you

Yours sincerely,
Wajahat Nassar

The Guest House
This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.
A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.
Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they are a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out
for some new delight.
The dark thought, the shame, the malice,
meet them at the door laughing and invite them in.
Be grateful for whatever comes.
Because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.
--Jelaluddin Rumi,
translation by Coleman Barks

The Pulse Of God
The limbs of a tree reached
down and lifted me, thinking
I was it's child,
and
in the meadows
my spirit becomes so quiet
that if I put my cheek
against the earth's body
I feel the pulse of God,
"tell me the way you
do that birds....
enter the private chambers
of my Lord?"
and they all sang,
they just SANG.
I gathered it was time
to become a musician,
and I did.
Years passed, and the
sky reached down
one day and lifted
me
and the birds noticed and spoke,
"how do you enter
the sun like
that and
know
the
pulse
of
God?"
From Saint Thomas Aquinas

Prince Michael Angel

an original Poem by Clarlita Zarate

In Memory of Michael Jackson


In a kingdom of all colors
dwells our beloved brother.
He has made his home in heaven
above where moments are made of
dreams come true.

It is where the greatest power is love.
Michael is dancing with angels now.
They sing his songs
because, my lord,
it pleases you.

The virgin calls out to him,
"Young Michael."
Her eyes are soft and kind.
Then she asks him as she takes his hands,
"Are you lonely for something you left behind?"

Michael answers, "I miss my fans."

By Clarita Zarate
written for Michael Jackson, forever.

Los Angeles police under scrutiny in Jackson death
By LINDA DEUTSCH and THOMAS WATKINS, AP
L. Michael Jackson.Investigation

The rented home of Michael Jackson seen from the air, Monday, June 29, 2009,...


LOS ANGELES — The investigation of Michael Jackson's death is widening as questions intensify about the drugs he took, the doctors who provided them and the actions of police.

Why didn't police seal the mansion where he had been living? Why were moving vans seen at the home, and were any items removed before police wrapped up their search? Why didn't they get immediate search warrants? Why did they tow away a doctor's car right after the death but not declare the home a crime scene?

Los Angeles police say proper procedures were followed based on the circumstances officers encountered when they were called to the home at 12:21 p.m. on June 25. A doctor was attending to Jackson and stayed with him when he was placed in an ambulance at 1:07 p.m. There was no sign of foul play.

Others say police should have assumed it was possible a crime occurred and taken precautions to ensure the scene was not disrupted so evidence wasn't lost or tainted.

"If I was the chief detective on the case, I would have said, 'We don't know what's going on. We should seal the scene,'" said defense attorney Harland Braun, who has represented celebrities including Robert Blake, Roseanne and Gary Busey. "You always have to think of the worst-case scenario and you have to think fast. I would have sealed the scene just because it was Michael Jackson."

Whether the Jackson probe turns into a criminal investigation hinges on what evidence emerges involving the drugs. Charges could be brought if authorities determine Jackson had been overly prescribed medications, if he had been given drugs inappropriate for his medical needs, or if doctors knowingly prescribed Jackson medications under an assumed name.

It's still not known what caused Jackson's death at age 50. The pop star went into cardiac arrest in his bedroom and his personal physician, Dr. Conrad Murray, performed CPR while an ambulance was called, according to Murray's lawyers. Murray has spoken to police and authorities say he is not a suspect, though his actions have come under scrutiny because his own lawyers acknowledge it may have taken up to a half-hour for an ambulance to be summoned.

An autopsy was conducted but results are not expected for several weeks. The Jackson family had a second autopsy performed and those results also are pending.

On Wednesday, The Associated Press learned Los Angeles police asked the Drug Enforcement Administration to assist in the investigation.

DEA agents participated in the investigation of the 2007 overdose death of Anna Nicole Smith at a Florida hotel. California Attorney General Jerry Brown investigated her former boyfriend and two of her doctors.

Brown handed the investigation over to the Los Angeles district attorney's office, which filed charges of conspiring to provide Smith with prescription drugs.

Brown said the suspects broke the law because Smith was a "known addict." The former boyfriend and doctors denied the charges.

The DEA also probed whether painkillers found in actor Heath Ledger's system after his death last year were obtained illegally. Federal prosecutors did not charge anyone.

Jean Rosenbluth, a University of Southern California law professor, said the agency's involvement in the Jackson case suggests authorities are looking into whether drugs came from out of state. Murray lives in Las Vegas and is licensed to practice in Texas, Nevada and California.

Federal drug regulations include controls over whether and how frequently a doctor can write prescriptions over the phone, and DEA agents could be looking to see if these rules were broken, Rosenbluth said.

"You can't just get on the phone and continue to prescribe something for someone without having seen them for a long period of time," she said.

Jackson had a well-known history of using prescription medications, especially painkillers. Following his death, Cherilyn Lee, a registered nurse who had worked for Jackson, told the AP she repeatedly rejected his demands for the drug Diprivan, also known as Propofol. It's a potent anesthetic used in operating rooms and it would be highly unusual to have it in a private home.

Uri Geller, a former Jackson confidant, said he tried to keep Jackson from abusing painkillers and other prescription drugs, but others in the singer's circle kept him supplied.

"When Michael asked for something, he got it," Geller said in a telephone interview from his suburban London home.

Jackson had multiple doctors and many others like Geller who came in and out of his life. Which people are being interviewed by police is unclear because the LAPD has said virtually nothing about the probe.

"I am not going to make any comments on the investigation," Commander Patrick Gannon, the designated police spokesman on the Jackson case, said by e-mail Thursday.

Any evidence would be turned over to the district attorney's office, which has final say on criminal charges.

One of the key questions is why it took four days for police to issue a search warrant and remove medications from Jackson's home.

Although the home wasn't declared a crime scene, police did tow Murray's car the evening of the death to look for potential evidence.

Vernon J. Geberth, former commanding officer of the Bronx Homicide Task force in New York, said police should have known they were dealing with an extraordinary situation.

"If it's a high-profile person, you have to do more than you would do ordinarily," he said.

Still, Geberth, who now acts as a private forensic consultant, said he believes the LAPD acted appropriately.

"Having a doctor present altered the equation. It was not a homicide scene. It was an emergency medical scene," he said.

Police spokesman Lt. John Romero declined to comment when asked if the LAPD was reviewing its handling of the investigation.

Rosenbluth said if the case ends up as a criminal prosecution, any defense attorney would seize on the LAPD's failure to immediately seal Jackson's home.

"If you can get even one juror think, I don't know, maybe somebody fiddled with the medicine before the police came in and collected it, that's reasonable doubt," she said. "All that the defense attorney needs is one juror."

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

It brings Joy to my heart to hear that Michael Jackson wills complete and sole custody of his children to his mother!!!.
I am grateful to him for the beautiful music and for leaving a third of his great fortune to charity. I pray that it goes straight to the needy children he wants it given to.
RIP dear Michael
I know you are with angels!
Clarita

Whatever My President decides is ok with me. It is the first time in my life I have ever trusted and felt affection for a president and his family!
May they always stay blessed!

opama .. and The pyramids and sphinx

Sustainable development cannot be achieved in Africa without the establishment of an effective intergeneration partnership for sustainability among the young people and the other generation. If Africa has challenges today, these are mere preludes to the looming threats of tomorrow. The youth have deep stakes in the future and we are eager to contribute our quota. The future belongs to us. The youths are full of ideas and we are waiting to share them


Why do we not involve the young people from Africa? An environment where elders believed that they have the monopoly of knowledge cannot lead into a sustainable future!. “Provide all, especially children and youth, with educational opportunities that empower them to contribute actively to Sustainable development.” (Earth Charter 2000).

As a follow up to my participation at the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development 17th session and in line with my Earth Charter Special Project, I am organizing a “Dialogue with the Elders Forum” on Intergeneration Partnership for Sustainability with grant from Earth Charter International on June 6th in Abuja.

The "Dialogue with the Elders" Forum is in partnership with Youth Aid Organization for Africa (YAOFA) and will focus more on the Earth Charter as a tool for achieving environmental sustainability and Intergenerational Partnership for Sustainability among youths and older generations. "Based on the conviction that intergenerational partnerships are essential for achieving a just, sustainable, and peaceful world".


The meeting is aimed at bringing all youths in the Earth Charter Family to meet with Earth Charter Nigeria "Elders" as well as bring more youths into the Earth Charter Youth Initiative family and also inspire the formation of new Earth Charter youth Groups across the country. It will also afford us the opportunity to meet with invited guests who have a role to play in sustainability issues in Nigeria like the media, government and CSOs and people living in a community.

Date : June 6th 2009
Venue: Conference Room, Youth Aid Organization for Africa (YAOFA), 983,
Ahmadu Bello way, Opposite Legislative
Quarters, Apo, Abuja

Be there!!

The Scorpion and the Frog

One day, a scorpion looked around at the mountain where he lived and decided that he wanted a change. So he set out on a journey through the forests and hills. He climbed over rocks and under vines and kept going until he reached a river.

The river was wide and swift, and the scorpion stopped to reconsider the situation. He couldn't see any way across. So he ran upriver and then checked downriver, all the while thinking that he might have to turn back.

Suddenly, he saw a frog sitting in the rushes by the bank of the stream on the other side of the river. He decided to ask the frog for help getting across the stream.

"Hellooo Mr. Frog!" called the scorpion across the water, "Would you be so kind as to give me a ride on your back across the river?"

"Well now, Mr. Scorpion! How do I know that if I try to help you, you wont try to kill me?" asked the frog hesitantly.

"Because," the scorpion replied, "If I try to kill you, then I would die too, for you see I cannot swim!"

Now this seemed to make sense to the frog. But he asked. "What about when I get close to the bank? You could still try to kill me and get back to the shore!"

"This is true," agreed the scorpion, "But then I wouldn't be able to get to the other side of the river!"

"Alright then...how do I know you wont just wait till we get to the other side and THEN kill me?" said the frog.

"Ahh...," crooned the scorpion, "Because you see, once you've taken me to the other side of this river, I will be so grateful for your help, that it would hardly be fair to reward you with death, now would it?!"

So the frog agreed to take the scorpion across the river. He swam over to the bank and settled himself near the mud to pick up his passenger. The scorpion crawled onto the frog's back, his sharp claws prickling into the frog's soft hide, and the frog slid into the river. The muddy water swirled around them, but the frog stayed near the surface so the scorpion would not drown. He kicked strongly through the first half of the stream, his flippers paddling wildly against the current.

Halfway across the river, the frog suddenly felt a sharp sting in his back and, out of the corner of his eye, saw the scorpion remove his stinger from the frog's back. A deadening numbness began to creep into his limbs.

"You fool!" croaked the frog, "Now we shall both die! Why on earth did you do that?"

The scorpion shrugged, and did a little jig on the drownings frog's back.

"I could not help myself. It is my nature."

Then they both sank into the muddy waters of the swiftly flowing river.

Self destruction - "Its my Nature", said the Scorpion...
An Interesting article regarding this fable

The frog is altruistic I read somewhere and that is you and I. But we also need to be pragmatic and realistic. It is the nature of people to act as who they are. People do not change their basic character and it is not always easy to identify the scorpions as they disguise themselves very well. So you do what President Reagan said about the Russians when they agreed to dismantle their nuclear arsenal. You trust but verify. You never give strangers access to money or decision making with out a long time of proving themselves, that you always have two signatures and you have a board of directors approve all decisions. That is how NGO’s and business operates. You can trust with small things. If someone does not justify, explain, show proof in details, or defers or deflects and does not answer, that is not ethical, professional, in any culture of the world. People have different customs, but if they are sincere they will prove it that is culturally appropriate but they will show they are friends and trustworthy. Trust your instincts. You have a rare ability to see where so many are blind. Trust the sight that comes from your heart and not your eyes alone.

The Calf-Path

by Sam Walter Foss (1858-1911)

One day, through the primeval wood,
A calf walked home, as good calves should;
But made a trail all bent askew,
A crooked trail, as all calves do.

Since then three hundred years have fled,
And, I infer, the calf is dead.
But still he left behind his trail,
And thereby hangs my moral tale.

The trail was taken up next day
By a lone dog that passed that way;
And then a wise bellwether sheep
Pursued the trail o’er vale and steep,
And drew the flock behind him, too,
As good bellwethers always do.

And from that day, o’er hill and glade,
Through those old woods a path was made,
And many men wound in and out,
And dodged and turned and bent about,
And uttered words of righteous wrath
Because ’twas such a crooked path;
But still they followed — do not laugh —
The first migrations of that calf,
And through this winding wood-way stalked
Because he wobbled when he walked.

This forest path became a lane,
That bent, and turned, and turned again.
This crooked lane became a road,
Where many a poor horse with his load
Toiled on beneath the burning sun,
And traveled some three miles in one.
And thus a century and a half
They trod the footsteps of that calf.

The years passed on in swiftness fleet.
The road became a village street,
And this, before men were aware,
A city’s crowded thoroughfare,
And soon the central street was this
Of a renowned metropolis;
And men two centuries and a half
Trod in the footsteps of that calf.

Each day a hundred thousand rout
Followed that zigzag calf about,
And o’er his crooked journey went
The traffic of a continent.
A hundred thousand men were led
By one calf near three centuries dead.
They follow still his crooked way,
And lose one hundred years a day,
For thus such reverence is lent
To well-established precedent.

A moral lesson this might teach
Were I ordained and called to preach;
For men are prone to go it blind
Along the calf-paths of the mind,
And work away from sun to sun
To do what other men have done.
They follow in the beaten track,
And out and in, and forth and back,
And still their devious course pursue,
To keep the path that others do.

They keep the path a sacred groove,
Along which all their lives they move;
But how the wise old wood-gods laugh,
Who saw the first primeval calf!
Ah, many things this tale might teach —
But I am not ordained to preach.

TASK

Colorss Foundation champions support of the disabled, the needy, and the disadvantaged. We foster mainstream integration of marginalized populations.

Colorss foundation has got different volunteer opportunity at this moment. Please email us at : emailcolorss@gmail.com

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Project Iris: This project is for the VI (visually impaired) a simple device that will help identify Indian Currency denomination. This project intends to break the stigma and discrimination faced by them, we aim to make them self sufficient and self reliant. This project works in two phases: Phase 1: Distribution of the device. Phase 2: Rehabilitation and inducing vocational training for the VI who are using the device.

Project Enhance: Project Enhance empowers the disabled, and facilitates their inclusion into mainstream life, by training participants in karate, while providing guidance for artistic expression. This program uses sports and the arts as tools to promote physical well-being while also improving mental health.

Colorss of Life: 'Colorss of Life' is an e-magazine with limited print distribution copies and pdf file for on line distribution. The children involved in the project will write, draw and provide contents. This activity will require them to learn a number of important life and career skills, not only the understanding of using technology and media to create something worthwhile, but also important skills of cooperation, teamwork, discipline, time management and perhaps above all, taking responsibility for their own work.

Newsletter: Colorss needs a newsletter that can give regular updates on the projects honor the volunteers for their support and provide a space for volunteers to voice their opinions, views and share their experiences.

Volunteer Opportunity

1. Psychologist for testing and analysis
1. Psychologists working in different areas are required for our ongoing projects. We are working with disabled as well able-bodied children of India. Psychologists are required for doing the analysis of the child. Carry out the needful testing and give us their valuable feedback.

Highlights: We are asking for a one year commitment to this position as we need someone in post who can really get to know the children and their families and the other psychologists. We want online volunteers. If any volunteer is wiling to be on the project site it would be really nice.

Qualifications: We are looking for a psychologist, ideally with a background in educational and clinical or child psychology.

2. Child counselor
1. Child Counselors are required to address needs and problem of the child. Help us to carry out the needs assessment of the child and guide us as and when required

Highlights: We are asking for a one year commitment to this position as we need someone in post who can really get to know the children and their families and the other psychologists. We want online volunteers. If any volunteer is wiling to be on the project site it would be really nice.

Qualifications: We are looking for a psychologist, ideally with a background in educational and clinical or child psychology.

3. Special Educator
1. Special Educator, who works with physical disabilities, mentally disabled, multiple disabilities and visually impaired are required to assist us on the ongoing projects.

Highlights: We are asking for a one year commitment to this position as we need Volunteers involved in special care projects to be highly patient and motivated and sometimes need to be highly skilled). It is important to understand that these students learn at slower rates due to their disabilities and that they require much more time and care. But more importantly, you should be open-minded to the challenges that may arise from dealing with children and adults with disabilities. If any volunteer is wiling to be on the project site it would be really nice.

Qualifications: We are looking for a special educator working with children with disabilities.

4. Vocational trainer
1. Online vocational trainer is required to trainer our staff or volunteers who will directly at the site.

Highlights: We are asking for a one year commitment to this position as we need Volunteers involved in organizing vocational training for children with disability. The trainer should be able to help us with developing different training programs based on needs assessments done by the psychologist. It is important to understand that these students learn at slower rates due to their disabilities and that they require much more time and care. But more importantly, you should be open-minded to the challenges that may arise from dealing with children and adults with disabilities. If any volunteer is wiling to be on the project site it would be really nice.

Qualifications: We are looking for a vocational trainer working with children with disabilities who is self motivated and loves to accept challenges.

5. Database manager – Initially we want to design the database program. Once it’s done we want a long term volunteer who can maintain and upgrade the system.
1. Database manager is required who can compile a program that can help us retrieve the entire data of a child. This database program will help us to maintain and check the development of any child in any of our projects.

Highlights: We are asking for a one year commitment to this position as we need Volunteers who can design a database program that will help us have the entire record of the child with one click. This database would be installed at every site and should be updated universally. It should be secure and protected. This program needs to maintained and upgraded as and when required.

Qualifications: We are looking for programmer who can help us with this task.

6. Public Relation
1. Public Relation volunteer is required who can represent us on different occasions, be it a meeting with corporate or schools or organizations.

Highlights: We are asking for a one year commitment to this position. The volunteer will be responsible to develop opportunities for positive public relations. Develop corporate tie-ups and help the organization achieve its aims and objective. The ideal candidate for this volunteer position is a one who is a current Public Relations Professional, or one with extensive background in PR, who is seeking an altruistic outlet for their talents. Having good connections within the local PR community is a plus but not essential

Qualifications: We are looking for volunteer who has appropriate qualification and should be articulate and have excellent writing skills.

7. Translator - English to Hindi, Gujarati and Marathi
1. Volunteers are required for translating documents from English to Hindi, Gujarati and Marathi language

Highlights: We are asking for a one year commitment to this position. However the translation job will be sparse. The volunteer will be responsible to translate organizations documents i.e its aims and objective, project details, questionnaire and similar things. As we work among poor and municipal school. Couple of documents we require in regional language.

Qualifications: We are looking for volunteer who has fluency in required languages along with excellent command over English language.

Please email at emailcolorss@gmail.com

The work shop was conducted for 15 visually impaired children of 8th grade who are residing at Pune Blind School hostel. These children are studying in the municipal school Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose which is able bodied school. Inclusive education is happening however these VI children need attention to deal with this inclusion.

The workshop covered the following topics

Day one: Grooming and eating habits

Day two – day three covered up in day two: - Socially acceptable behavior / and Social Skills

The workshop was focused on teaching important skills required by a visually impaired child who is moving to higher secondary school. If these skills are practiced and enforced by teacher regularly then there would be a definite change in personality and will enhance better mental health.

Creating a lot of sensationalism and news stories on so called epidemics
is a way of overthrowing a government. A couple of hundred deaths worldwide from this disease is hardly a reason for global panic. It is an old military tactic that puts fear in people and causes discrimination. Dividing them is a trick they use to put a corrupt government in power through the use of fear, control, isolation, intimidation of present leaders[ by making them look incapable of taking care of the people], and creating great financial difficulties that threaten their society. It has been going on for ages. If people buy into these dirty tricks they will be very sorry afterwards. What comes to them once the corrupt regime has established itself, by creating chaos, is far worse than anything they could ever have imagined.