What is Environmental Sustainability?

Environmental sustainability is the ability to maintain the qualities that are valued in the physical environment.

For example, most people want to sustain (maintain):

• human life
  
• the capabilities that the natural environment has to maintain the living conditions for people and other species (eg. clean water and air, a suitable climate)
  
• the aspects of the environment that produce renewable resources such as water, timber, fish, solar energy
  
• the functioning of society, despite non-renewable resource depletion
  
• the quality of life for all people, the livability and beauty of the environment
  

Threats to these aspects of the environment mean that there is a risk that these things will not be maintained. For example, the large-scale extraction of non-renewable resources (such as minerals, coal and oil) or damage done to the natural environment can create threats of serious decline in quality or destruction or extinction.

Traditionally, when environmental problems arise environmental managers work out how to reduce the damage or wastage. But it is not always easy to work out exactly when and where threats will have their effects and often the impacts are hard to reverse. So increasingly environmental managers adopt strategies aimed to prevent damage being done in the first place. A full sustainability program needs to include actions to prevent threats and impacts from arising, actions to protect the environment from threats and damage, and restoration to reverse damage already done.

Sustainability issues arise wherever there is a risk of difficult or irreversible loss of the things or qualities of the environment that people value. And whenever there are such risks there is a degree of urgency to take action.

Environmental sustainability programs include actions to reduce the use of physical resources, the adoption of a 'recycle everything/buy recycled' approach, the use of renewable rather than depletable resources, the redesign of production processes and products to eliminate the production of toxic materials, and the protection and restoration of natural habitats and environments valued for their livability or beauty.

LANGUAGE LABORATORY

Introduction

Good communication skills are indispensable for the success of any professional.  If one wants to reach out to people, he or she has to speak their language.  The English language, in particular, has become essential in the lives of young people who aspire to advance their careers anywhere in the world.  English language learning has therefore become a must for any Indian student today.

Language learning is not the same as learning any other subject.  It is not confined to writing an examination and getting a degree or award.  The four skills of reading, writing, listening and speaking have to be practiced.  Being able to communicate well is the most important factor when seeking a placement in a company or institution.  Communication involves one's ability to listen carefully so as to grasp the meaning and to respond in turn with apt words and clarity of pronunciation.

The language laboratory plays an important role in the language learning process.  This article discusses the various features of the language laboratory.  As it is a technological aid for learning, it has a number of advanced facilities that can help a student to learn a language with proficiency to communicate.  It has become inevitable in today's context but, at the same time, it poses certain challenges.  This article attempts to highlight the significance of the language laboratory and its challenges imposed on the learner and the teacher.

 

The Need for a Language Laboratory 

It is required of any learner to have a good command of the language for communication purposes, with clarity and accuracy being vital for effective and efficient communication.  What helps one to acquire such proficiency in a language is the process and the method of learning that language.

The curriculum of the present educational system in India does not have a laboratory session for arts subjects.  Only those who study science subjects have practical work, which is undertaken in a laboratory.  Hence, a laboratory for language learning is something new to Indian students, whereas it is very common in Western countries to train children in the laboratory to enrich their language learning experiences.

Scientific advancements have produced a number of innovative products to assist the learning process.  Innovative products such as digital multimedia control, wireless headsets and microphones, the interactive response pad, etc. are very useful for students learning languages for communication.  These interactive tools are designed to enhance not only language teaching but also class room grading and distance learning.

The language laboratory is very useful for assessing students' speech.  It provides students with the technical tools to get the best samples of pronunciation of the language. The electronic devices used in the laboratory will stimulate the eyes and ears of the learner to acquire the language quickly and easily.  The laboratory's collection is designed to assist learners in the acquisition and maintenance of aural comprehension, oral and written proficiency, and cultural awareness.  The language laboratory offers broadcasting, television programmes, web-assisted materials and videotaped off-air recordings in the target language.  In short, a learner can get the experience of having interaction with native speakers through the laboratory.  Hence, the language laboratory has become the need of the hour in any language learning process for communication.

 

Kinds of Language Laboratory

The language laboratory assists educators in delivering foreign language instruction, and has been through many developmental stages over the years. 

Four kinds of laboratories are being focused on here:

Conventional Laboratory

This is the primitive form of the language laboratory.  The conventional lab has a tape recorder and a few audiocassettes of the target language to teach the learners. The teacher plays the tape and the learners listen to it and learn the pronunciation.  As it is used in a normal classroom setup, it is prone to distractions and this type of laboratory is no longer common.

Lingua Phone Laboratory 

This is again a conventional type of lab, with a little modernization.  Learners are given a headset to listen to the audiocassettes being played.  Here distractions are minimized and a certain amount of clarity in listening is possible. 

There is also a modernized lingua phone laboratory available today, which uses an electronic device that has two functions.  It works as a cassette player with all the features of a normal cassette player on the left side, and as a repeater on the right side that helps one to record one's voice and play it back for comparison.

Computer Assisted Language Laboratory (CALL)  

CALL uses the computer to teach language.  The language course materials are already fed into the computer and are displayed according to the features available in the system. Nowadays, there are also laboratories with computers with a connection to the Internet.  These are called Web Assisted Language Laboratories (WALL).  The development of CALL has been gradual, and this development has been categorized into three distinct phases: Behavioristic CALL, Communicative CALL and Integrative CALL (Barson & Debski, 1996).  Though the development of CALL has been gradual, its acceptance has come slowly and unevenly.

Multimedia Hi-Tech Language Laboratory   

There is a lot of software available on the market that can be used in the multimedia language laboratory, for example:

 

Renet

Aristoclass

Hiclass

Globarina

Console OCL-908W

Histudio MHi Tech 

Online Software

 

 

The Significance and Relevance of the Language Laboratory  

The significance of the language laboratory has been much felt in the domain of communication.  We live in a multilingual and multicultural world, which is being shrunk to the size of a village by the advancement of science and technology.  The language laboratory exists to help one to use technology effectively to communicate.  It is not merely for learning a single language, but can be used for teaching a number of languages efficiently.  To acquire a sensibility for the sounds and rhythm of a language, one has to hear the best samples of a spoken language (Richards, 2001).  This is precisely the function of the language laboratory.  Some highlights of the language laboratory are given below: 

• It is a tool designed for teaching any language.
  
• It helps one to learn pronunciation, accent, stress and all other aspects of the phonetics of a language.
  
• Effective communicative training programmes for the general public, private and corporate sectors, junior and senior level officers can be given through the lab.
  
• Web-content creation, the setting up of in-house news magazines, corporate publicity and identity, and teaching materials can be generated through the language laboratory. 
  
• General documentation, software documentation and all forms of technical documentation can be done.
  
• Experts can utilize the laboratory for creating and editing scientific and technical materials for teaching language.
  
• The language laboratory enables one to conduct courses for various groups of people like students, faculties, businesspeople, etc.
  
• Short-term and long-term coaching classes for international examinations like IELTS, TOEFL and other competitive examinations can be organized.
  

  9.      Online courses and paperless examinations can be conducted through the language laboratory.
  

As the ability to communicate effectively has become the prerequisite for anyone who ventures into a new profession, the need for developing such a skill is a much-felt phenomenon today.  Both governmental and private institutions focus their attention on students developing their communicative skills.  As technology has entered into every aspect of human life, it has extended its advanced products into the field of communication.  So everyone strives to get the best on the market.

It is a fact that most students who do not find a placement after completion of their technical studies are very much dependent on their ability to express themselves and their knowledge efficiently.  While emphasizing the importance of employment-oriented education, Dr. Thiruvasagam, the Vice-Chancellor of Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, explained that "personality development and communication skills are equally important for students in finding respectable jobs in addition to their academic records" (The Hindu, 25/09/06).  He also urged all the principals of affiliated colleges to have a language laboratory on the campus and to motivate management to appoint a trained instructor specifically for the laboratories.

The Anna University in Chennai has circulated a note to all its affiliated colleges to set up language laboratories on their premises to enable students to develop their communicative skills.  The vice-chancellor of Bharathiar University has requested the board of studies for English to reduce the conventional teaching of English prose and poetry, and has allocated 50% of the teaching time for communicative English (The Hindu, 11/09/06).  Almost all technical colleges in the Coimbatore region have already opened language laboratories.  Though the cost of the installation of a language laboratory is very high, institutions have invested in them for their students' benefit. 

 

Conclusion

The language laboratory is a very helpful tool for practicing and assessing one's speech in any language.  It provides a facility which allows the student to listen to model pronunciation, repeat and record the same, listen to their performance and compare with the model, and do self-assessment.  Since the language laboratory gives every learner of any language freedom to learn at their own pace, it is flexible and does not necessarily require a teacher all the time.  At the same time, it is possible for teachers to provide assistance individually and collectively.  The language laboratory allows every participant his or her privacy to speak and listen. 

ENVIRONMENT MOVEMENTS IN INDIA

BISHNOI MOVEMENT : it was started in 400 years ago by a Sage known as Sombaji. in Rajasthan, a large number of trees are still worshiped by devotees. people resisted the cutting of such tree & advocated movement against deforestation. CHIPKO MOVEMENT : It was started in 1973 is the Chamoli district of Uttranchal, Chipko movement was against deforestation. Sunderlal Bahueguna , Gauri devi & Chandi Prasad Bhatt were prominent leaders of this movement. NARMADA BACHAO ANDOLAN : it is a movement against building multi-purpose dam over Narmada river which will ultimately result in flood & water logging in large area covered by about 1,00,000 people. the movement is led by Medha Potekar, Baba Amte & Arundhati Roy. SILENT VALLEY MOVEMENT : it was a movement against a hydro-electric project on the river Kuthipuzha, atributory at Preiyar river. in fact, the project site is covered by evergreen forest which is a home of many rare species of plants & fauna which many be destroyed by submergence. BALIYAPAL MOVEMENT : It is a movement against testing of missiles on the land of Baliyal villagers which may lead to interfertitlity of soil.

BISHNOI MOVEMENT

In the year 1471 A.D., there was a severe drought in a village called Pipasar of Rajasthan. The drought lasted for three years. Every bit of grass and plants were chopped to feed the animals. Children starved, cattle were dying and there was not a drop of water. People left their homes to search for water. At that time, there was a man called 'Jambeshwar' who was acutely pained at the tragedy but wisely learnt a lesson. He noticed that, unlike in the past, the land was not able to withstand the destruction from the drought as a large number of trees had been felled. If life was to survive, people must understand the value of environment. He preached that the way in which we lived should be in harmony with nature and not against it. He came to be known as Guru Maharaj Jambaji. Jambaji put down his thoughts into 29 principles which are followed by his disciples who are known as Bishnois (20+9) or twentyniners. According to the religion preached by Jambaji, there was strict ban on:-
- Killing of any animals or bird;
- Felling of a green tree.

The unique religion of conservation was taken up by a large number of people in Rajasthan and the number of Bishnois increased to the entire village communities. This helped to make villages greener and restore the natural ecosystems. Vegetation naturally helped to recharge the ground water.

About 300 years after this religion was founded, the soldiers of king of Jodhpur tried to cut trees in a Bishnoi village of Khejadali so that a new place may be built for the king. The Bishnois tried to reason with them and stop them but in vain. But true of their religion, the Bishnois hugged the trees to protect them. The soldiers attacked them to overcome the protest and 363 Bishnois were killed. When the king heard of this massacre and the unique religion, he was overcome by people's devotion. He ordered his men to withdraw, gave the religion state sanction and ensured that the wishes of Bishnois were respected in future.

Even today, after many generations, Bishnois continue to protect the trees and animals. One can spot a Bishnoi village easily as being more green and abundant in wildlife. The population of Black Buck, which is in the list of endangered species, is found to be in greater number in Bishnoi villages than outside.

In today's environment, when many places are facing acute shortage of water and pollution of air, land and water, we need to take a lesson from Bishnois. Conservation is a religion every human being should adopt.

CHIPKO MOVEMENT The

In the 1970s, an organized resistance to the destruction of forests spread throughout India and came to be known as the Chipko movement. The name of the movement comes from the word 'embrace', as the villagers hugged the trees, and prevented the contractors' from felling them.

Not many people know that over the last few centuries many communities in India have helped save nature. One such is the Bishnoi community of Rajasthan. The original 'Chipko movement' was started around 260 years back in the early part of the 18^th century in Rajasthan by this community. A large group of them from 84 villages led by a lady called Amrita Devi laid down their lives in an effort to protect the trees from being felled on the orders of the Maharaja (King) of Jodhpur. After this incident, the maharaja gave a strong royal decree preventing the cutting of trees in all Bishnoi villages.

In the 20th century, it began in the hills where the forests are the main source of livelihood, since agricultural activities cannot be carried out easily. The Chipko movement of 1973 was one of the most famous among these. The first Chipko action took place spontaneously in April 1973 in the village of Mandal in the upper Alakananda valley and over the next five years spread to many districts of the Himalayas in Uttar Pradesh. It was sparked off by the government's decision to allot a plot of forest area in the Alaknanda valley to a sports goods company. This angered the villagers because their similar demand to use wood for making agricultural tools had been earlier denied. With encouragement from a local NGO (non-governmental organization), DGSS (Dasoli Gram Swarajya Sangh), the women of the area, under the leadership of an activist, Chandi Prasad Bhatt, went into the forest and formed a circle around the trees preventing the men from cutting them down.

The success achieved by this protest led to similar protests in other parts of the country. From their origins as a spontaneous protest against logging abuses in Uttar Pradesh in the Himalayas, supporters of the Chipko movement, mainly village women, have successfully banned the felling of trees in a number of regions and influenced natural resource policy in India. Dhoom Singh Negi, Bachni Devi and many other village women, were the first to save trees by hugging them. They coined the slogan: 'What do the forests bear? Soil, water and pure air'. The success of the Chipko movement in the hills saved thousands of trees from being felled.

Some other persons have also been involved in this movement and have given it proper direction. Mr Sunderlal Bahuguna, a Gandhian activist and philosopher, whose appeal to Mrs Indira Gandhi, the then Prime Minister of India, resulted in the green-felling ban. Mr Bahuguna coined the Chipko slogan: 'ecology is permanent economy'. Mr Chandi Prasad Bhatt, is another leader of the Chipko movement. He encouraged the development of local industries based on the conservation and sustainable use of forest wealth for local benefit. Mr Ghanasyam Raturi, the Chipko poet, whose songs echo throughout the Himalayas of Uttar Pradesh, wrote a poem describing the method of embracing the trees to save them from felling:

' Embrace the trees and
Save them from being felled;
The property of our hills,
Save them from being looted.'

The Chipko protests in Uttar Pradesh achieved a major victory in 1980 with a 15-year ban on green felling in the Himalayan forests of that state by the order of Mrs Indira Gandhi, the then Prime Minister of India. Since then, the movement has spread to many states in the country. In addition to the 15-year ban in Uttar Pradesh, the movement has stopped felling in the Western Ghats and the Vindhyas and has generated pressure for a natural resource policy that is more sensitive to people's needs and ecological requirements.

NARMADA BACHAO ANDOLAN

Narmada Bachao Andolan is the most powerful mass movement, started in 1985, against the construction of huge dam on the Narmada river. Narmada is the India's largest west flowing river, which supports a large variety of people with distinguished culture and tradition ranging from the indigenous (tribal) people inhabited in the jungles here to the large number of rural population. The proposed Sardar Sarovar Dam and Narmada Sagar will displace more than 250,000 people. The big fight is over the resettlement or the rehabilitation of these people. The two proposals are already under construction, supported by US$550 million loan by the world bank. There are plans to build over 3000 big and small dams along the river.

It is a multi crore project that will generate a big revenue for the government. The Narmada Valley Development plan is the the most promised and most challenging plan in the history of India. The proponents are of the view that it will produce 1450 MW of electricity and pure drinking water to 40 million people covering thousand of villages and towns. Some of the dams have been already been completed such as Tawa and Bargi Dams. But the opponents says that this hydro project will devastate human lives and bio diversity by destroying thousand of acres of forests and agricultural land. On the other hand it will overall deprive thousands of people of their livelihood. They believe that the water and energy could be provided to the people through alternative technological means, that would be ecologically beneficial.

Led by one of the prominent leader Medha Patkar, it has now been turned into the International protest, gaining support from NGO'S all around the globe. Protestors are agitating the issue through the mass media, hunger strikes, massive marches, rallies and the through the on screen of several documentary films. Although they have been protesting peacefully, but they been harassed, arrested and beaten up by the police several times. The Narmada Bachao Andolan has been pressurizing the world bank to withdraw its loan from the project through media.

The strong protests through out the country not only made impact on the local people but has also influenced the several famous celebrities like film star Aamir Khan , who has made open efforts to support Narmada Bachao Andolan. He said he only want that those who have been rendered homeless should be given a roof. He pleaded to the common people to take part in the moment and come up with the best possible solutions.

SILENT VALLEY MOVEMENT

Save Silent Valley was a social movement aimed at the protection of Silent valley, an evergreen tropical forest in the Palakkad district of Kerala, India. It was started in 1973 to save the Silent Valley Reserve Forest in from being flooded by a hydroelectric project. The valley was declared as Silent Valley National Park in 1985.

Kuntipuzha one of the major rivers takes its origin in the flush green forests of Silent valley. In 1928 the location at Sairandhri on the Kunthipuzha River was identified as an ideal site for electricity generation. A study and survey was conducted in 1958 of the area about the possibility of a hydroelectric project of 120 MV and one costing Rs. 17 Crore was later proposed by the Kerala State Electricity Board.

The Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) decided to implement the Silent Valley Hydro-Electric Project (SVHEP) centered on a dam across the Kunthipuzha River in 1973. The resulting reservoir would have flood 8.3 km² of virgin rainforest. The proposal was enquired by National Committee on Environmental Planning and Co-ordination (NCEPC) and suggested 17 safeguards to be implemented in case the project implemented. A shortage of funds delayed activity. Even then from 1974 to 1975 a very large number of trees were felled in the area.KSEB announced its plan to begin dam construction in 1973

After the announcement of imminent dam construction the valley became the focal point of "Save Silent Valley", India's fiercest environmental debate of the decade. Because of concern about the endangered lion-tailed macaque, the issue was brought to public attention. Romulus Whitaker, founder of the Madras Snake Park and the Madras Crocodile Bank, was probably the first person to draw public attention to the small and remote area.^[3] In 1977 the Kerala Forest Research Institute carried out an Ecological Impact study of the Silent Valley area and proposed that the area be declared a Biosphere Reserve.

In 1978 Smt. Indira Gandhi, the Honorable Prime Minister of India, approved the project, with the condition that the State Government enact Legislation ensuring the necessary safeguards. Also that year the IUCN (Ashkhabad, USSR, 1978) passed a resolution recommending protection of Lion-tailed Macaques in Silent Valley and Kalakkad and the controversy heated up. In 1979 the Government of Kerala passed Legislation regarding the Silent Valley Protection Area (Protection of Ecological balance Act of 1979) and issued a notification declaring the exclusion of the Hydroelectric Project Area from the proposed National Park.

Kerala Sasthra Sahithya Parishath (KSSP) effectively aroused public opinion on the requirement to save Silent Valley. They also published a Techno-economic and Socio-Political assessment report on the Silent Valley Hydroelectric project. The poet
activist
Sugathakumari played an important role in the silent valley protest and her poem "Marathinu Stuthi" (Ode to a Tree) became a symbol for the protest from the intellectual community and was the opening song/prayer of most of the "save the Silent Valley" campaign meetings.^[4] Dr. Salim Ali, eminent ornithologist of the Bombay Natural History Society, visited the Valley and appealed for cancellation of the Hydroelectric Project.^[5] A petition of writ was filed before the High Court of Kerala, against the clear cutting of forests in the Hydroelectric Project area and the court ordered a stop to the clear cutting.

Dr. M.S. Swaminathan, the renowned Agricultural Scientist, and then Secretary to the Department of Agriculture, called at the Silent Valley region and his suggestion was 389.52 km² including the Silent Valley (89.52 km²), New Amarambalam (80 km²), Attappadi (120 km²) in Kerala and Kunda in Tamilnadu (100 km²) reserve forests, should be made into a National Rainforest Biosphere Reserve, with the aim of "preventing erosion of valuable genes from the area".^[6]Listen:(8:46) to Dr. M. S. Swaminathan speaking on Sustainable Development, p.83, August 27, 2002

In January 1980 the Hon. High Court of Kerala lifted the ban on clear cutting, but then the Hon. Prime Minister of India requested the Government of Kerala to stop further works in the project area until all aspects were fully discussed. In December, the Government of Kelala declared the Silent Valley area, excluding the Hydroelectric Project area, as a National Park.

In 1982 a multidisciplinary committee with Prof. M. G. K. Menon as chairman, was created to decide if the Hydroelectric Project was feasible without any significant ecological damage. Early in 1983, Prof. Menon's Committee submitted its report. After a careful study of the Menon report, the Hon. Prime Minister of India decided to abandon the Project. On October 31, 1984 Indira Gandhi was assassinated and on November 15 the Silent Valley forests were declared as a National Park, though the boundaries of the Silent Valley Park were limited and no buffer zone was created, despite recommendations by expert committees and scientists.

A New Dam proposal

In 2001 a new Hydro project was proposed and the "Man vs. Monkey debate" was revived. The proposed site of the dam (64.5 m high and 275 m long) is just 3.5 km downstream of the old dam site at Sairandhiri, 500 m outside the National Park boundary.[8]. The 84 km² catchment of the project area included 79 km² of the Silent Valley National Park.

The Kerala Minister for Electricity called The Pathrakkadavu dam (PHEP) an "eco-friendly alternative" to the old Silent Valley project. The PHEP was designed as a run-off-the-river project with an installed capacity of 70 MW in the first phase (105 MW eventually) and an energy generation of 214 million units (Mu) with a minimal gross storage of 0.872 million cubic metres. The claim was that the submergence area of the PHEP would be a negligible .041 km² compared to 8.30 km² submergence of the 1970s (SVHEP).[9]. However, The spectacular waterfall between the Neelikkal and Pathrakkadavu hills bordering the Silent Valley will disappear if the proposed Pathrakkadavu hydro-electric project is implemented.[10] - Image

During January to May 2003 a rapid Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) was carried out during by the Thiruvananthapuram-based Environmental Resources Research Centre and its report was released in December, stating that forest lost due to the project would be just .2216 km², not including the 7.4 km approach road and land to be acquired for the powerhouse in Karapadam.

BALIYAPAL MOVEMENT

 

    The Government of India decided to setup a missile testing range at Baliyapal in Orissa. Baliyapal become a centre of controversy because the area to be taken for the testing range area a very fertile area with thick population. The Government could not implement its decision because of the strong resistance of the people.

 

THE PLCHIMADA STRUGGLE

"It is a new experience for us that water becomes a market commodity .It is alien to ourhabits. To sell bottled water is unjust and anti- nature."

Veloor Swaminathan states the rationale of the struggle in these simple statements.Thestruggle against the multi-national Coca-Cola factory at Plachimada of Perumatty Panchayat in Chittoor Taluk of Palakkad district, Kerala has shown unique consistency and perseverance for the last two years. It has attracted considerable amount of international media attention and thus being projected as a symbolic model of resistance against multi-national colonization. As a result, similar struggles against Coca-Cola and the exploitation of scarce groundwater resources for its sake, is gaining momentum in Sivaganga in Tamilnadu and in Orissa. All these struggles have to be viewed in a perspective that would unveil the ruthless exploitative face of globalization and its agents, the multi-national giants. Rugmini (46), a resident of Plachimada colony, says that she does not experience any water scarcity before the company started functioning.

 

"We live here for the last 20 years. Before two years we need not have to go out to fetch water. But today we walk a distance of two and a half kilometers to collect two pots of water. The Panchayath who is supposed to serve the people dose not take any action to resolve this problem".

 

They for more than one and a half years are agitating against the human rights violation of the factory. People representing the five most affected colonies adjacent to the factory, who belong to Eravala, Malasar tribal communities and other scheduled cast communities have been holding demonstrations and sit-in strike in front the factory for the last one and a half years .On April 22nd 2002,around2000 men, women and children dwelling around the Hindustan Coca-

Cola Beverages Pvt. Ltd at Plachimada, picketed the factory and gave an ultimatum to the authorities to quit immediately. The Adivasi Gotrasabha leader Ms. C.K.Janu inaugurated the overwhelming function. The police arrested all the people participated in the function. Blockades, Dharna and Picketing were all resorted to during this continuous protest against

the wrongs of the mighty by the poor and the weak.

The police accusing them of raising slogans against the multinational company, blocking the workers from entering the factory and indulging in anti-social activities, registered several cases against these poor people and their leaders. The company filed a case (OP No.11598) in the High Court demanding police protection from these 'anti- social elements'. The accused were Vilayodi Venugopal (Chairman,Adivasi Protection Council),Veloor Swaminathan(Convenor, Action Council) Subrahmanyan, Murukesan, Kochikkadu Mani,and Pazhaniswmi. But the High Court accepted a counter petition in file submitted by the Action Council explaining that they were waging a very just protest and it was their legitimate right to demonstrate in a peaceful and democratic manner. The MNC was clever enough to influence the media not to give coverage to the struggle. Obviously the news papers except a few cannot go against the interests of the MNCs like the HCC. Political parties, irrespective of their ideologies for or against globalization and WTO, have wooed their best to protect the interests of the factory depriving the basic rights and physical existence of those who elected them to power. As the days went by the national media just cannot but to give due coverage as the struggle was gaining momentum and international media attention Cases were registered one after another but it didn't affect the morale or political will of the people whatever be the financial burden it rendered.The giant factory that can literally dictate terms to political rulers, law enforcement agencies, civil servants etc., used its money power and muscle power to silence the people and it has been partly successful so much so that the police department, despite the fact that the petition by the factory for Police protection was dismissed by the high court of Kerala, has mis-informed the people that the factory has been granted police protection by the high court. There is heavy deployment of

police at the gate of the factory threatening the poor people of dire consequences if any attempt is made against the smooth functioning of the factor.

THE STORY OF ANTI COCA-COLA STRUGGLE AT PLACHIMADA KERALA

http://74.125.155.132/search?q=cache:o8qxzrp5oicJ:org.ntnu.no/attac/dokumentene/cocacola/PlachimandaKerala_VAK.pdf+plachimada+issue&cd=18&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=in

Action Research

http://www.scribd.com/share/upload/14279252/10qonrlbbvvaa5hlw41o

community school

A community school is a public school that acts as the hub of its community by engaging community resources to offer a range of on-site programs and services that support the success of students and their families.  Every community school looks slightly different, because it is developed through mutually beneficial partnerships with students, families, community agencies, businesses, and residents that are unique to that community.  The community school model is often characterized by these four components:

1.  Partnership between the school and at least one community-based organization; 
2.  Development of an advisory board with broad representation from the community; 
3.  Programs and services that support the academic success of students, and; 
4.  A full-time community school director or coordinator to manage all out-of-school time activities.

Community schools focus on the whole child by providing resources to support academics, health and social services.  At the same time, youth and community development occur.  This is accomplished through community engagement, which in turn leads to improved student learning, stronger families and healthier communities. Schools become the centers of their community and are open to everyone - all day, every day, evenings and weekends. 

The end goals of community schools are tangible and crucial to the future of this country.  The goals are: 

• Children are ready and able to learn when they enter school and every day thereafter, achieving higher standards.
  
• Young people are well prepared to be productive adults in the workplace and at their homes.
  
• Families and neighborhoods are reconnected, safe, supportive and engaged.
  
• Parents and community members are involved with school and life-long learning.
  

Powerful Quotes for Teachers

"If kids come to us from strong, healthy functioning families, it makes our job easier. If they do not come to us from strong, healthy, functioning families, it makes our job more important"    .
-Barbara Colorose

"Teachers affect eternity; no one can tell where their influence stops. "    - Henry Brooks Adams

"Teaching is not a lost art, but the regard for it is a lost tradition "    —Jacques Barzun

"The man (or woman) who can make hard things easy is the educator"    —Ralph Waldo Emerson

"Students don't care how much you know until they know how much you care"    - Anonymous

"Children are like wet cement, whatever falls on them makes an impression"    - - Haim Ginott

 

"The test of a good teacher is not how many questions he can ask his pupils that they will answer readily, but how many questions he inspires them to ask him which he finds it hard to answer"    --Alice Wellington Rollins

"Teaching kids to count is fine, but teaching them what counts is best"    --Bob Talbert

"Listen to the MUSTN'TS, child.
Listen to the DON'TS
Listen to the SHOULDN'TS
The IMPOSSIBLES, the WON'TS
Listen to the NEVER HAVES
Then listen close to me-
Anything can happen, child,
ANYTHING can be."    -Shel Silverstein

"The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires"    --William A. Ward

"Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire"     -William Butler Yeats

"If we teach today's students as we taught yesterday's, we rob them of tomorrow"    -John Dewey

"Teaching is the one profession that creates all other professions"    -Unknown

 

"It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge"    -Albert Einstein

"A child cannot be taught by anyone who despises him, and a child cannot afford to be fooled"    - James Baldwin

"Education is not to reform students or amuse them or to make them expert technicians. It is to unsettle their minds, widen their horizons, inflame their intellects, teach them to think straight, if possible" —Robert M. Hutchins

"If a child can't learn the way we teach, maybe we should teach the way they learn"    -Ignacio 'Nacho' Estrada

"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit"        -- Aristotle

"As a general rule, teachers teach more by what they are than by what they say"    - Unknown

"Never do anything for a student that he he is capable of doing for himself. If you do you, you'll make him an educational cripple…a pedagogical paraplegic"

-Howard Hendricks

Avoid the Top 10 Interview Mistakes

 

The best way to avoid the most common and dangerous interview mistakes is to think ahead and decide not to make them... Read on for a whistle-stop tour of the top ten interview clangers! 1. Lying Although it's tempting, it doesn't work. By all means gloss over the unflattering things. But out-right fibbing NEVER pays. Mark Twain said: "If you tell the truth, you never have to remember anything." Think about it. They will catch you out later. 2. Slating your current company or boss Fed up with your current job and would give anything to leave because they've treated you badly? Your job interview is NOT the time to seek revenge. Bear in mind that the interviewer will be listening to your answers and thinking about what it would be like to work with you. Ask yourself: do you like working with people who constantly criticise others? Isn't it a bit wearing? The trouble is that the interviewer draws massive conclusions from your answers. So your throwaway comment about your boss or employer may be interpreted to be your "standard" way of thinking. It makes you look bad, not your employer. 3. Being Rude If you find you were accidentally rude, then apologise calmly and genuinely. Then leave it behind you and get on with the rest of the interview. If you dwell on it, it will affect your performance. What's "rude"? Well, that depends on your audience. As a rule of thumb, avoid cracking jokes about potentially sensitive topics and beware of being too "pally" with the interviewer: polite and friendly is enough. After all, you're not in the pub with them. So stay professional. Also bear in mind that everyone you meet could be involved in the selection process. So blanking the receptionist or talking down to the junior members of staff could cost you the job. 4. Complaining Ok, so your train journey might have been a nightmare and maybe you thought the tube would never arrive, or the tailbacks on the motorway were endless. But your interviewer doesn't want to know that! Complaining, even in jest, is not a recommended icebreaker. It may be completely harmless, or it might simply make the interviewer switch off. Don't let complaining set the tone for the interview! 5. Talking about people you don't get on with at work These days, it's common to be asked how you deal with conflict. Companies realise the importance of interpersonal relationships in the working environment. So if they ask you about difficult people or situations, make sure you hold back from character assassination and blaming others for problems because it won't do you any favours! If you accidentally do "break" this rule, apologise and explain what you "really" meant. 6. Not Being Prepared Re-read the relevant version of your CV and the job advert, just before the interview. You'd be surprised how many people can't remember what they wrote on their CV. And if you remember what type of person the job advert was looking for, it's easier to demonstrate that you have those qualities. Make sure you've brought with you anything you were asked for. It's fine to bring a note-pad and pen, but make sure they're tidy. It's even ok to bring notes with you; particularly if you have any questions you want to ask. It shows you're taking the job application seriously. Ill-prepared candidates rarely get job offers. 7. Appearing to be too nervous, or too confident If you appear too nervous they'll think you're not confident enough to do the job. However, appearing too confident will make them think you won't fit into the team. If interview nerves are an issue for you, it's worth getting practical help from a professional, such as an interview coach. 8. Making a weak first impression Unfortunately, no matter how hard the interviewer tries, a lot of "don't want to hire them" decisions are made in the first few minutes of contact. If you make a strong first impression, the interviewer will be more inclined to overlook "imperfections" in your answers. 9. Not having researched the company As a general rule, the more famous the brand, the more they will expect you to have done your homework. Researching the company shows you're serious about the job. 10. Putting your foot in it and not noticing Yes, we know, you didn't mean to put your foot in it. But it doesn't really matter what you intended. What counts is how the other person reacts. So what can you do? Be prepared to simply say "sorry, that's not what I meant!" This requires you to actually be paying attention to the interviewer, rather than your own thoughts and feelings. Once you've apologised, leave it there, take a deep breath to help you relax and move on with the job interview.

The Power of Personal Values

1. Introduction to Values A value is a belief, a mission, or a philosophy that is meaningful. Whether we are consciously aware of them or not, every individual has a core set of personal values. Values can range from the commonplace, such as the belief in hard work and punctuality, to the more psychological, such as self-reliance, concern for others, and harmony of purpose. When we examine the lives of famous people, we often see how personal values guided them, propelling them to the top of their fields. For example, one actor was motivated by his commitment to social justice, which led to important acting roles related to that value that made him world famous. Likewise, a well-known business CEO was motivated by the personal value that technology should be easy to use, which caused his company to spawn a technology revolution. Whatever one's values, when we take them to heart and implement them in the smallest details of our lives, great accomplishment and success are sure to follow. Just as individuals subscribe to values, so do organizations and institutions. In fact, if we were to examine any company, we would discover that one or more business values was the key to their success. Examples are -- -- Sears' commitment to trusting the customer. [From the 19th century onward, any product could be returned to the company with a money back guarantee, which engendered great trust in both directions, enabling booming sales, and, the great success for the firm that followed.] -- Apple Computer's belief in the values of solving problems of society. [The company created the IPod player and ITunes online music store to overcome a conflict between those who sought to download copyrighted music for free and the music industry which sought to protect its artists and its revenues.] -- Marriott's values of systemization and standardization. [The company created a standard model hotel, and then duplicated it hundreds of time around the world, enabling it to grow incredibly fast, and become the leader of its industry.] Likewise, we see how political parities and politicians subscribe to certain core values -- ranging from helping the poor, easing the burden of the middle class, improving the environment, making government responsive and efficient, engendering loyalty and unity, and so forth. The key point to keep in mind about values is that implementing them energizes everything concerned with it. For an individual, committing to and applying values releases fresh energies, which always attract success, achievement, and well-being. Likewise, when companies or other institutions adopt values, individuals working at the organization become energized, as do its customers, its products and services, and everyone and everything else associated with that organization. We can energize our lives by making the full effort to implement the values we subscribe to. Once we identify values that are meaningful to us, we can develop strategies to implement them. When we make the determined effort to implement those strategies, good fortune it sure to follow -- in the form of new opportunities, new sources of revenue and income, and other forms of material and psychological benefit. We may even notice that as we implement values, we experiences instances of "life response" -- where good fortune suddenly comes to us from seemingly out of nowhere, defying our normal perceptions of what is logical and possible. Below is a list of important personal values culled from years of observing individual success. Common personal values Accomplishment, Success Accountability Accuracy Adventure All for one & one for all Beauty Calm, quietude, peace Challenge Change Cleanliness, orderliness Collaboration Commitment Communication Community Competence Competition Concern for others Connection Content over form Continuous improvement Cooperation Coordination Creativity Customer satisfaction Decisiveness Delight of being, joy Democracy Discipline Discovery Diversity Ease of Use Efficiency Equality Excellence Fairness Faith Faithfulness Family Family feeling Flair Freedom Friendship Fun Global view Good will Goodness Gratitude Hard work Harmony Honesty Honor Improvement Independence Individuality Inner peace, calm, quietude Innovation Integrity Intensity Justice Knowledge Leadership Love, Romance Loyalty Maximum utilization  (of time, resources) Meaning Merit Money Openness Patriotism Peace, Non-violence Perfection Personal Growth Pleasure Power Practicality Preservation Privacy Progress Prosperity, Wealth Punctuality Quality of work Regularity Reliability Resourcefulness Respect for others Responsiveness Results-oriented Rule of Law Safety Satisfying others Security Self-givingness Self-reliance Self-thinking Service  (to others, society) Simplicity Skill Solving Problems Speed Spirit in life (using) Stability Standardization Status Strength Succeed; A will to- Success, Achievement Systemization Teamwork Timeliness Tolerance Tradition Tranquility Trust Truth Unity Variety Wisdom   2. Power  of Values to Shape Our Lives In the mid 1970s, I made a decision to move to California from New York City, where I was raised. Why I did so, and why I made other decisive turns in my life is the subject of this essay. My first thought on the subject is that I took these actions simply because I was motivated to do so. And yet, what really motivates us in life are the things we truly value. Then what were the values that compelled me to move to California -- in particular to the San Francisco Bay Area -- where I have resided for these last 30 years? Well, it is true that after five years attending college at frigid Syracuse University in upstate New York I was compelled to seek the warmer climes of California. But I could have moved south to Florida or to the Southwestern parts of the US. However, having been raised in the urban/suburban environment of New York City, I valued culture and a certain type of urban sophistication I might not find in those other locales. I also enjoyed being near the water, not only because of its shimmering beauty, but because cities at the edge of the great oceans tend to attract a diversity of people and a richness of culture from around the world. Though climate, beauty, diversity, and culture influenced my decision, there must have been something more specific that compelled me to move to this region. Looking at it in retrospect, I have concluded that I came to the area because of the existence of Marin County -- the progressive community that lies directly across the Golden Gate Bridge from San Francisco. Marin County at the time (and still is) was the prosperous land where many of the creative musicians, artists, and thinkers of the 1970s lived. From the articles and reports I had read while living on the East coast, the people who lived in that region were involved with matters that meant a great deal to me -- i.e. aspects of life that I truly valued. And because I deeply believed in those things, I wanted to be near them; to somehow participate in their way of life. And so I headed out to the SF Bay Area in 1975 in earnest -- and never looked back. But I have still not identified the specific values of the Marinites that compelled me to join them. Let me try to list them for you. For one, the residents were in the vanguard of the changes going in society at the time -- including an appreciation of Eastern culture and spirituality, a concern for the quality of the physical environment, a dissatisfaction with the mindless materialism of modern life, the rejection of conformity of the previous generation, and the development of new forms of music that expressed their new world view. These were the underlying values that drove me to the region. These were the ideals and beliefs that shaped my life at the time, compelling me to venture across country. Each of us is motivated to move our lives in certain directions. That motivation is determined by the values we subscribe to. Our values are thus the formations and ideations of thought, the distinct formulations of understanding that express what we perceive to be important truths about life. These ideals are then reinforced by our emotions and feelings, which turn those mental perception into a vital passion that we hope to realize in our lives. Whether we actually make the effort to implement them is another matter. Without values or beliefs, we would be mechanical-like beings, driven here and there by the vicissitudes of life. Without values, we would be creature-like, compelled to action solely by our urges and passions. In this inhuman existence, there would be little consideration for truths we hold dear, let alone implement them to ennoble and enrich our lives. In this reality devoid of values, we would live unconscious lives, without meaning or purpose. On the other hand, when we take to values, we live a purposeful and dynamic existence -- i.e. we become truly human. This being the case, what are the truths of life, i.e. the personal values that you believe in? What are the cherished ideals and beliefs that have shaped your life; that are motivating and driving your life today? Why not take a little time and come up with a short list, and then consider how each has or currently is shaping your life. If we think about it, we will see that people relate to personal values in a number of ways. Thoughtful people are continually thinking about those things they cherish and believe in. Powerful people are also motivated and driven to implement them in their lives. In fact, the most successful people are constantly evaluating their values, and are continually driven to turn them into a living reality. For these individuals, values are an inexhaustible source of inner power that energizes them to no end; driving them to the heights of success, while bringing about deep fulfillment in their lives. Interestingly, not only do values energize us, but when we implement them, it energizes everything they come in contact with! If I apply the value of customer service and delight when I speak with the client, I energize the conversation, which leads to greater response from the person on the other end, who is now motivated to purchase the services I am offering. Also, if I am truly sincere in my belief in customer satisfaction, I create an added value that reinforces and builds on the first one. A combination of values applied to a situation dramatically energizes circumstances, which not only increases the likelihood of success, but turns the interaction into an enjoyable, even thrilling experience. Thus, implementing values have an innate capacity to create more energy, accomplishment, and joy in living. Values are actually a very special power in the universe. It is one our minds can grasp for the purpose of uplifting life. Values are actually spiritual skills -- a divine gift that comes to us from the infinite Source of things. The highest of principles -- such as Oneness, Love, Beauty, and others -- descend from the heavens, and are reinterpreted as values by our minds. For example, the spiritual principle of Oneness is recognized by our minds as values of cooperation, integration, teamwork, and others. Likewise, the universal principle of Love expresses through values of goodness, selflessness, self-givingness, openness, tolerance, respect for others, and a number of others. The last twenty-five years has seen an explosion in an interest in values. Tom Peters' book 'In Search of Excellence' started the ball rolling for values in the workplace. Religious leaders speak of family values, nations speak of moral values, spiritual teachers speak of the highest values of gratitude, benevolence, and self-givingness; even self-surrender to the Divine. Values drive us, motivate us, move life, move us forward -- enabling progress even evolution. Values are what enables life to take the Next Step -- whether they drive our own individual lives in a positive direction; improve the economic, social, and cultural conditions of a nation; or move society forward in its never-ending ascending path of progress. Tolerance, openness, respect for the individual, and teamwork are several great human values, while Oneness, Love, Beauty, and Truth are some of higher spiritual values that they derive from. At certain points, the human and spiritual values come together and blend into one another, expressing through spiritualized human values such as selflessness, self-givingness, and gratitude. Values are expressions of emotionalized truths that when implemented energize whatever they come in contact with, enabling the greatest positive results with the least effort in the shortest period of time -- whether it is for the individual, a collective, or society as a whole. Values are the nexus to our future progress. It is the call of the Divine to the minds of men to seek a better life -- to pursue ultimate delight and fulfillment in life.   3. Advanced Thoughts on Values What is a Value? Values are psychological objects. Although we cannot see or touch them, they are every bit as real as any physical object. People may dedicate their entire lives or even give up their lives to pursue their values, as so many loyal patriots have done fighting for values of freedom, equality and human rights during the past two centuries. We all have values that determine our decisions and guide our lives. Those who value their individuality take responsibility, are self-reliant and act with self-respect. Those who value truthfulness cannot bring themselves to tell a lie. Those who value family or friendship sacrifice their personal interests for the good of others. Those who value goodness cannot bring themselves to do something they know is wrong. We express values in our relations with other people when we are loyal, reliable, honest, generous, trusting, trustworthy, feel a sense of responsibility for family, friends, co-workers, our organization, community or country. On a more physical level, we may place great value on cleanliness, punctuality, orderliness, accuracy, quality, and physical perfection in whatever we do.   Values, Accomplishment, and our Psychological Energies Accomplishment in life depends not only on physical energy, but even more on the intensity of psychological energy we are able to bring to our action. Interest, commitment, determination, passion, drive, enthusiasm are some of the ways in which we characterize the intensity of our psychological energy. It turns out that values direct our psychological energies for accomplishment. The scholar with a passion for accuracy will expend enormous energy in the search for facts and the effort to impartially verify them. Once he does so, his work will be relied upon by others and gain a reputation for its veracity. The gymnast or figure skater with a passion for perfection will continue to practice throughout her career to hone her skills, moved by the quest for the value of perfection – that score of perfect 10. The artist, musician, engineer, the chef, the flight attendant, the accountant are all guided by values in the execution of their work and the results they achieve are directly related to the level of values they attain. Thus, we see that Values determine the intensity and flow of our psychological energies. In the end, the quality of the values we embrace and the intensity of our commitment to them determines the level of our accomplishment in life. Values as the Highest Psychological Form for Accomplishment We can see a continuum of psychological forms from data to values. Data are mental facts derived from sense observation. Information is data organized by the physical mind into meaningful relationships. Thoughts are specific conclusions or observations drawn from the information. Ideas are generalized conceptions derived from specific thoughts. Opinions are thoughts which the mind endorses and the ego identifies as its own. Beliefs are ideas which the mind endorses and the mental ego identifies with as true for its life. Attitudes are opinions endorsed and energized by the vital ego. Values are idealized conceptions that are endorsed by the personality. In terms of accomplishment, thoughts are mental forms of energy which do not necessarily lead to action. Ideas carry the energy of mental understanding. Opinions carry the force of mental conviction. Attitudes carry the vital force of our emotional endorsement. Values carry the power of psychological commitment and determination. Values issue from a deeper or higher center of motivation in our personalities and therefore carry far greater power than our opinions and attitudes.   Origin of Values - from Life and from Spirit From below, society acquires values through a long process of trial and error experimentation with various approaches to life. Over years and centuries, the collective comes to recognize that certain principles or guidelines are essential for the survival or vital for the growth of the individual and the community. They learn by experience to value these essential principles and pass them on to future generations as cultural guidelines for action. They discover that cleanliness is essential for heath. Punctuality and regularity of action are essential for success in agriculture. Honesty and truthfulness are essential in trade. Loyalty and patriotism are essential for the integrity and defense of the community. Responsibility, generosity and self-sacrifice are the bedrocks of the family. From above, enlightened individuals directly experienced higher states of spiritual consciousness and perceived self-existent truths of the spiritual reality that manifested the universe. They discovered the essence of what we call God, Spirit or Divinity expresses itself as fundamental spiritual values in the universe such as Freedom, Peace, Truth, Unity, Goodness, Harmony, Beauty, Love, Joy, and Self-Giving. They recognized that the more you strive to live by these values, the higher you rise in consciousness and the more the higher spiritual consciousness enters your being and expresses in your life. The wise perceived that the values derived from life experience are derivative truths and lower expressions of these same higher spiritual values and stepping stones on the ascending stair of evolution. E.g. the human value of tolerance can be said to be a reflection and melding of the spiritual values of Freedom, Goodness, and Harmony; and the value of honesty is honesty is a reflection of the spiritual value of Truth.   4. Example Values Here are some thoughts on several of the more interesting personal values listed above: Simplicity In this time of great complexity and hurry, there is no more important personal value than "simplicity." Taking the time to simplify anything that is overly complex is a very helpful skill in these rapidly accelerating times. Simplifying a work not only streamlines it, but make it more effective and productive, leading to greater results when compared to its former complex arrangement. Strategies: -Take any important work or project in your life and come up with at least two ways to simplify it. -Develop a half dozen ways to simplify your life. Harmony Harmony is the coming together of disparate elements for common purpose. It is the moving together of varied or opposing forces, so that they emerge in a higher truth that all can benefit from (not merely a compromised truth). The value of Teamwork is one variation of the value of Harmony, as is the value of Organization. Harmony is such noble and elevated a value that it can be considered a spiritual value. Strategies: Make harmony a permanent personal value that you believe in and practice. Over the next few days and weeks notice points of conflict that appear in your work and life and seek to implement a higher truth, or point of view, or action in each situation that can harmonize the opposing ideas, conflicts between people, and other forms of opposition. Content Over Form We know the expression "don't judge a book by its cover". It means that is what is inside that is important, not the superficial surface. This expresses in a variety of ways in life. For example, any serious person will judge the truer, deeper meaning of a thing, rather than merely its outer form. A tendency to react to the outer aspect and not its intrinsic value prevents one from getting at the heart, the inherent truth of the matter, taking one away from the full knowledge that would have led to right decisions and actions, and thusgreat accomplishment and success in life. It is from the depths of situations and circumstance that you find its essence. For example, if one admires another's social position, instead of their true accomplishment, including the values they subscribe to, you will miss the key to their success, and therefore fail to learn from it. Or, if you are merely evaluating a person from the shallow perspective of their appearance, or quickly coming to a conclusion based on a brief acquaintance, then you also miss the deeper and wider truths behind. If you judge a book by its cover you will never get to know the depths of others, and the true meaning of life's situations. Strategies: Consider various circumstances in your life where the outer or surface form is more important to you than its intrinsic content and value. Adjust your attitudes and beliefs accordingly. Concern for Others Perhaps the single most powerful way to succeed in life is to have more concern for our fellow human beings.  Normally, we are overwhelmingly concerned about our own selves, driven by our own personal motives and ambitions. However, the happiest people literally lose themselves in the feelings, thoughts, and aspirations of others. Are you ready to "forget yourself" and be genuinely interested in the welfare of others?  Are you willing to be tolerant and kind to others, listen attentively and silently to their words, be non-judgmental, and open to their opinions and points of view?  If you are, you're an excellent candidate for great success in life, not to mention an ever-increasing personal happiness and joy. Strategies: Try a little experiment. When you meet with others, immediately put yourself in their shoes. Think only of what they want. Listen carefully to their thoughts and feelings, and show genuine concern and empathy. Do this for the entire meeting. Now watch how the interaction goes. Watch how the energy level of the other person increases. The other individual becomes more animated and involved. In addition, if you watch closely, you may notice some interesting things starting to happen. An unthought of point of view or perspective may be raised in the conversation. New ideas or fresh new insights are suddenly revealed. Or, a new interesting idea, project or event might suddenly come out of the discussion. This all happens because you have shifted your concern toward the other person. Practicality Often people with great talent, artistic temperament, or other qualities fail to achieve because they are not practical in their thoughts and deeds. For example, when important opportunities come their way, they shun them; or they have a prejudiced view about the value of money, i.e. they shun it. Any attempt on one's part to be more practical will rapidly catapult one from one's current status towards the pinnacle of success. Strategies: List two to four ways you have been or are impractical in life. Now make an effort to your ways. keep reaffirming your new approach till it becomes part of your being. If you are not sure if and how you are impractical, why not be brave and ask those who are looking out for your best interests for their opinions. Integrity, Honesty Sometimes people don't say what they mean in order to hide something, protect themselves or someone else, or simply because they are trying to deceive in order to gain from circumstance. Do you have any of these traits? If so, why (i.e. where do they come from)? What can you do to overcome these tendencies?   Results-Oriented Some people do their work to keep busy, occupied, entertained or otherwise pass the time. A key to success and achievement in life is to insure that the activities you are engaged leads to a constructive, useful purpose. Those who value real results from actions they take make far greater use of their time, leading to higher levels of success and achievement in life. Hard Work It is universally agreed that hard work is one of the keys to success in life and work. Without it, few can succeed. A person may not be hard working for a number of reasons -- the influence of parents, a lack of energy, a lack of motivation, a bad experience, pure laziness, etc. Consider why you may not be hard working, and then make a determined effort to change the behavior. Keep up the effort over time. Watch how life continually blossoms with good fortune! Continuous Improvement/Progress One of the most interesting values in life is one's innate desire for continuous improvement. Both individuals and organizations, such as a business, can adopt this value. For example, continuous improvement for an individual might can come in the form of a continuous urge to increase one's knowledge and skills in an area, a desire to improve one's attitudes and temperament, or a desire to do things better or get the best out of things. A company on the other hand can implement the value by continually evaluating and upgrading its procedures, the way it interacts with its customers, the way it treats its employees, and many other ways. Any value when applied can create a positive response from life. Consider this example where an individuals interest in implementing the values of continuous improvement for her company created a positive result that came out of nowhere.: I am working in Railway Recruitment Board and in-charge of entire pre-examination work. We have an elaborate procedure for conducting examinations and have to work in so many stages. A week back I was discussing with my Chairman the possibility of candidates giving their examinations electronically, which may also bring down expenditure. But my Chairman was apprehensive and it ended our discussion. But within myself, I strongly believed that it was possible. After two/three days he called me to say that he has got an invitation from a Foreign based Computer Firm who were launching their new software, and since he was preoccupied he had proposed my name to represent our organization. When I attended, to my surprise I could learn that the software was all about enabling candidates to give different types of examinations through Computers. I not only enjoyed the program but also could interact and get clarifications on various points of its practical feasibility. (For more on this extraordinary phenomenon of "life response," click here.) Respect for the Individual One of the most significant personal values is to look on every person as a special, unique individual. This form of deep respect for each person has the power of generating good will, great happiness, and great achievement. -Every time you meet someone listen to their story and show and feel a great interest and respect. Also, see what unique perspective, knowledge, or insight they can offer. Then be totally responsive to their interests. Make this a regular daily habit in life. Ultimately, make this a value that you cherish.   SELF-ANALYSIS: -Think about two to five values that have shaped your life. If necessary, refer to the list above. Also think about specific ways they have benefited you in your life. -Now review the list above and consider which one or two new values you would like to implement in your life. Now think about the specific ways you can implement them. Then come up with a detailed action plan (using specific dates for action) to implement the values in your life. Make sure you review your plan down the line to evaluate the progress you are making so far. -Make your values, including, your new values, the cornerstone of your life. Contemplate them deeply and see that they fill all aspects of your life and being.