POWER OF WORDS Nov 20, 2009 8:08 pm Mood: OPTIMISTIC, 4 Views A group of frogs were traveling through the woods, and two of them fell into a deep pit. All the other frogs gathered around the pit. When they saw how deep the pit was, they told the two frogs that they were as good as dead. The two frogs ignored the comments and tried to jump up out of the pit with all of their might. The other frogs kept telling them to stop, that they were as good as dead. Finally, one of the frogs took heed to what the other frogs were saying and gave up. He fell down and died. The other frog continued to jump as hard as he could. Once again, the crowd of frogs yelled at him to stop the pain and just die. He jumped even harder and finally made it out. When he got out, the other frogs said, "Did you not hear us?" The frog explained to them that he was deaf. He thought they were encouraging him the entire time. This story teaches two lessons: 1. There is power of life and death in the tongue. An encouraging word to someone who is down can lift them up and help them make it through the day. 2. A destructive word to someone who is down can be what it takes to kill them. Be careful of what you say. Speak life to those who cross your path. The power of words....it is sometimes hard to understand that an encouraging word can go such a long way. Anyone can speak words that tend to rob another of the spirit to continue in difficult times. Special is the person who will take the time to encourage another. I received this story from a very dear friend and thought of sharing this with all at SFF. 0 Comments

GENDER WARS Nov 14, 2009 11:38 pm Mood: cheerful, 51 Views IN THE WAR BETWEEN SEXES, THERE IS FAR TOO MUCH COLLUSION AND SEX BETWEEN BELLIGERENTS. 0 Comments

FLU PREVENION _ POWER OF HUMBLE ONIONS Nov 10, 2009 7:36 am Mood: calm, 141 Views In 1919 when the flu killed 40 million people there was this Doctor that visited the many farmers to see if he could help them combat the flu. Many of the farmers and their family had contracted it and many died. The doctor came upon this one farm and, to his surprise, everyone was very healthy. When the doctor asked what the farmer was doing that was different the wife replied that she had placed an unpeeled onion in a dish in the rooms of the home, (probably only two rooms back then). The doctor couldn't believe it and asked if he could have one of the onions and place it under the microscope. She gave him one and when he did this, he did find the flu virus in the onion. It obviously absorbed the bacteria, therefore, the flu did not spread. This story was originally narrated by a hairdresser in AZ. She said that several years ago many of her employees were coming down with the flu and so were many of her customers. The next year she placed several bowls with onions around in her shop. To her surprise, none of her staff got sick. It must work.. (And no, she was not in the onion business.) Just buy some onions and place them in bowls around your home. If you work at a desk, place one or two in your office or under your desk or even on top somewhere. Try it and see what happens. We did it last year and we never got the flu. If this helps you and your loved ones from getting sick, all the better. If, at all, you get the flu, it might only be a very mild case. Whatever, what have you to lose? Just a few bucks on onions!!!!!! !!!!!!!! 4 Comments

HELP Nov 10, 2009 7:21 am Mood: contemplative, 122 Views A four year old child had a next door neighbor, an elderly gentleman, who had recently lost his wife. Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman's yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there. When his Mother asked what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said, 'Nothing, I just helped him cry.' 3 Comments

DIWALI Oct 17, 2009 9:19 am Mood: cheerful, 421 Views BEST WISHES TO EVERYONE AT IFF FOR DIWALI. MAY YOUR HAPPINESS GROOW WITH EACH PASSING DAY. GOVIND 0 Comments

PROFILES IN COURAGE - RUKHASANA Oct 1, 2009 12:04 am Mood: calm, 584 Views Following close on the heels of Rashida Begum is the story of another brave young lady in Kashmir. Young Rukhsana killed Abu Osama, a leader of the banned outfit, Lashkar-e-Toiba, who barged into her home. The incident occurred at Upper Kalsi, 45 kms from Rajouri town, when the militants, after entry into the family house, started assaulting Noor Hussain and his wife Rashida. Rukhsana and her brother Aijaz (a class 12 student) were cowering and hiding under a cot. Seeing the parents being beaten up mercilessly, the sister-brother duo, first hit one of the militants with an axe and then snatched his gun and fired at him killing him on the spot. The other militant was also beaten up and he dropped his weapon and ran out escaping by jumping through an open window. Rukhsana's axe attack on Abu Osama resulted in her getting the rifle from Abu Osama following which the other militant's rifle was also in the hands of Aijaz. Kudos to this brave daughter of India and Kashmir - please join me in encouraging all our brothers and sisters in Jammu and Kashmir to deal with militants violating their homes and personnae similarly and prove to the world that the so called freedom fighters are no champions of the Kashmiris. 0 Comments

BRAVE RASHIDA BEGUM Sep 28, 2009 5:08 pm Mood: contemplative, 625 Views This happened in a remote Jammu village on Dusshra. As the country bid farewell to goddess Durga, the demon-slayer, on Dashami and witnessed the evil king Ravana being vanquished on Dussehra, a humble Muslim woman in a remote Jammu village slew a dreaded Lashkar terrorist single-handedly. Exhibiting astonishing, raw courage, Rashida Begum took on the two terrorists who had barged into her home late Sunday night in Thana Mandi village in Rajouri district. The woman, in her early forties, grabbed an axe and swung it wildly, killing one of the armed terrorists and injuring the other. Seeing his partner meet a bloody end, the other terrorist fled in sheer dread. Two terrorists of Lashkar-e-Taiba, the Pakistan-based group that carried out the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, had entered Noor Ahmad's home around 9pm with the intention of holding the family hostage. The two also wanted information on possible local targets that Noor and his family members refused to provide. Angered by the resistance, the two began beating them up, threatening to eliminate the family, when Noor's wife, Rashida, took them by surprise, pouncing on one of them from behind. She brought down an axe in powerful blows, killing the terrorist on the spot. She then charged at his partner who, nonplussed, was trying to gather his wits. Rashida and the rest of the family members soon overpowered him and snatched his weapon. However, the terrorist escaped under the cover of darkness, but not before receiving sharp cuts in the face-off with brave Rashida. It is just a matter of hours when the injured terrorist is likely to be apprehended. Let there be many more Rashidas and may God give similar strength to their timorous mates and male children. 4 Comments

GREEN TEA (RECIPE) & BENEFITS Sep 27, 2009 8:36 am Mood: calm, 740 Views Green tea does so much more for us than provide a few minutes of tea-sipping pleasure! Did you know that green tea has been shown to have many health benefits, including fighting the effects of aging and reducing the risk of some cancers? And green tea can also be used externally to make your skin glow, heal blemishes, cuts, and rashes, soothe strained or tired eyes, fight body odor, and more. We’ll tell you more about the health benefits of drinking green tea, and give you the formula for a wonderful all-purpose Green Tea Soother Spray (you can use it as a mouthwash, a blemish-healer, and a whole lot more), as well as a great tip for keeping shoes and feet fresh. Learn the secrets of green tea for better health and body care. Green Tea for Health According to Professor Takuo Okada, “Vitamin E reduces the number of peroxide lipids, which slows down cell degeneration and the aging process. Green tea has been shown to be twenty times more active in this respect than Vitamin E.” The polyphenols in green tea appear to reduce the risks of certain cancers. These powerful antioxidants help control the activity of free radicals, the unstable compounds that can destroy cells and are implicated n a host of diseases, not just cancer. Researchers in Great Britain discovered that drinking four or five cups of green tea a day might help reduce both high cholesterol and high blood pressure, and that both black and green teas were shown to inhibit ultraviolet B light-induced skin cancers. Green tea fights against flues and other viral diseases, strengthens capillaries, and prevents infection. Green Tea for Beautiful Body Care Green Tea Soothing Spray This great soother has many uses (see below). Use unflavored, unscented plain green tea. INGREDIENTS 1 cup green tea leaves 1 quart spring water 1. Steep the tea leaves in boiling water for 20 minutes. 2. Cool and strain the liquid into a sterilized bottle and refrigerate. Uses for Soothing Spray: 1. As a cooling, refreshing bath splash. 2. As a perk-up for tired feet. 3. As an anti-fungal foot soak. Soak feet in a quart of soother and do not rinse. 4. Use as a mouthwash. 5. For minor cuts, rashes, or abrasions: saturate a cotton pad with soother and apply to injury for five minutes. Repeat. This can be done up to 4 times a day. 6. To soothe minor sunburn, soak a cloth in the soother and place on sunburned area. Keep on for about 15 minutes. 7. To freshen strained or tired eyes, soak cotton pads in green tea solution, squeeze out excess, and lay gently on eyelids. Let pads rest on lids for about 10 minutes. Repeat if necessary. This reduces puffiness and red eyes. 8. Use as a blemish remedy. Splash on face or dot on blemish with pure cotton. Do not rinse. Great Idea for Fresher Shoes and Feet A great use for leftover leaves after brewing: Allow spent tea leaves to dry, then crush them and sprinkle in shoes and socks to help keep feet healthy. Or fill an old nylon stocking with the dried leaves and place in your shoes. This has been adapted from an article by Annie Bond at a care site and reproduced with many thanks to her and for the benefit of all of us at IFF. 9 Comments

DUSSEHRA (OR VIJAYADASHMI) Sep 27, 2009 12:35 am Mood: ECSTATIC & ENERGETIC, 703 Views WISHING ALL AT IFF A GREAT DUSSEHRA WHICH CELEBRATES VICTORY OF GOOD OVER EVIL. MAY THE FESTIVAL BRING PERENNIAL HAPPINESS TO THOSE WHO ARE UNHAPPY, GOOD HEALTH TO THOSE WHO ARE UNWELL AND LOVE TO THOSE WHO FEEL UNLOVED. GOVIND 4 Comments

MILITARY COMMON SENSE RULES Sep 23, 2009 9:38 am Mood: amused, 677 Views COMMON SENSE - YOU SHALL BE ISSUED IT WITH YOUR RATIONS EVERY MORNING ==========================>>>>>>>> A lot of life's problems can be explained by the U.S. Military and its applications of common sense ... 1. "Sometimes I think war is God's way of teaching us geography." (Paul Rodriguez) 2. "A slipping gear could let your M203 grenade launcher fire when you least expect it. That would make you quite unpopular in what's left of your unit." (Army's magazine of preventive maintenance ). 3. "Aim towards the Enemy." (Instruction printed on US M79 Rocket Launcher) 4. When the pin is pulled, Mr. Grenade is not our friend. (U.S. Marine Corps) 5. Cluster bombing from B-52s is very, very accurate. The bombs always hit the ground. (U.S. Air Force) 6. If the enemy is in range, so are you. (Infantry Journal) 7. It is generally inadvisable to eject directly over the area you just bombed. (US Air Force Manual) 8. Whoever said the pen is mightier than the sword obviously never encountered automatic weapons. (Gen. MacArthur) 9. Try to look unimportant; they may be low on ammo. (Infantry Journal) 10. You, you, and you . . . Panic. The rest of you, come with me. (Marine Gunnery Sergeant) 11. Tracers work both ways. (US Army Ordnance) 12. Five second fuses only last three seconds. (Infantry Journal) 13. Don't ever be the first, don't ever be the last, and don't ever volunteer to do anything. (US Navy Seaman) 14. Bravery is being the only one who knows you're afraid. (David Hackworth) 15. If your attack is going too well, you have walked into an ambush. (Infantry Journal) 16. Any ship can be a minesweeper... once. (Admiral Hornblower) 17. Never tell the Platoon Sergeant you have nothing to do. (Unknown Marine Recruit) 18. Don't draw fire; it irritates the people around you. (Your Buddies) 19. Mines are equal opportunity weapons. (Army Platoon Sergeant) 20. If you find yourself in a fair fight, you didn't plan your mission properly. (David Hackworth) 21. Your job is to kill the other person before they kill you so that your national leaders can negotiate a peace that will last as long as it takes the ink to dry. (Drill Instructor) 2 Comments

61 M