Good Samaritan

Just read a news item. Very much want to share with y’all.
 

Erode is a small town in Tamil Nadu.  A gentleman is running a small vegetarian eatery there.  He parcels the mid-day meals and gives to 20 people every day for just one rupee each.  Why is he doing this?  This is what he said.  I will paraphrase:
 

There is a hospital near my eatery.  People from neighboring villages, who are sick, are admitted there as in-patients.  The food for patients is provided by the hospital.  But the hospital cannot provide food for those (relatives/friends) who are staying there and attending the patients.  Most of them are very poor.  They cannot afford to give Rs.25.00 that I generally charge for lunch.  Therefore, they skip the lunch and go hungry.
 

Since I am in the food business, I cannot be just a silent spectator to this.  Therefore, I have arranged with the hospital to give daily “tokens” to those poor relatives/friends so that they come here, give the token and one rupee and get the lunch.
 

Why he charges one rupee and why not give for free?
 

If I give them for free, their pride will be hurt.  That is why I am charging a nominal fee of one rupee.

Why parcel the food and give them as “take out” and why not let them eat in the restaurant?

I parcel the food with generous helping.  Each parcel has enough food for 2 or 3 persons.  Therefore, they can take the food parcel and share with someone else also.

Glad to see that even today there are people like him in this world.

Lucky December?

Next month, December 2012, will have 5 Saturdays. 5 Sundays, and 5 Mondays.  I am also informed that this is happening after 823 years.

Someone told me that this is considered very lucky month.   The Chinese call this the Money Bag.

Since I have nothing else to do, I did some research.  I found this combination (Saturday, Sunday, Monday) happened in December 2007 and will happen again in December 2018.

Therefore, this 823 year story is a big BS.

Also, there is this Doomsday phenomenon  for December 21, 2012.  Believers say this is as per Mayan Calendar.

Come to think of it, December 2012 is really going to be a lucky month.

What do you think?

Knee Taking

Football is a popular game in USA.  It is more famous here than cricket in India.  It is not soccer or rugby.  It is sometimes called American Football by non-Americans.  Every city in USA has organized football leagues for kids starting from the age of 5.  They are put into different levels by age and weight.  They play several games each year.  Parents, family, and friends of all players come to root their teams.  The grounds are so noicy, you would sometime mistake that there is an India-Pakistan cricket match going on there.

Then these kids play high school football representing their schools.  They then move on to college football.  A few talented and lucky players become professionals and make millions of dollars each year, playing only 16 regular games.

There is a custom in the kids level and high school level football games.  It is called “taking a knee” when a player is injured.  Does not matter if the injured player is your own team or opponent, They will kneel down until the player is removed from the field.

 

(Courtesy: Yahoo)

One coach said:

We take a knee and we pray for that player, that the injury is not serious or life-threatening

Sounds like a good practice that every kid in every sport should follow worldwide.

I asked a football expert.  He said:  Kids are asked to drop to one knee not so much out of respect but to keep them under control while the coach tends to the injury.

Always several explanations for every action.  At least, we will take the good ones.

PS: If someone thinks knee taking is demonstrating Christian belief, it can be changed somewhat to suit the local custom and beliefs.  It is the thought that counts, i.e. pray for the injured player whether he/she is on your team or your opponent’s team.