Friday, February 27, 2009

Slumdog Millionnaire

David Denby, the movie critic of New Yorker dismisses Slumdog as “fairy tale for adults” and states:  “What I will remember of ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ is a disorderly exploitation of disorder, a kind of visual salad of glowing rotten fruit, constantly tossed. I object to the way that the director, Danny Boyle, orchestrates Jamal’s life.  Boyle has created what looks like a jumpy, hyper-edited commercial for poverty—he uses the squalor and violence touristically, as an aspect of the fabulous.”

The editor of La Lassurophobe on the other hand says, “Boyle has captured the rich tapestry of Indian life, expressed how a country so mired in such extreme poverty can manage to triumph as one of the world’s great democracies nonetheless.  The Bollywood dance number that finishes the picture shows there heroic people thumbing their nose at tragedy and daring to be happy despite their circumstances.  Rather than turning into bleak, morose devils yearning to bring forth a dictator like Stalin, the people of India choose hope and defiance.”

Bravo we say to Slumdog Millionaire; it winning 8 Oscars would be a minor victory for those who struggle for democracy throughout the world.

Dear members, what do you think the movie means for India and its image? Would you like to discuss this issue with the much accomplished Ms. Neelam Man Singh who has established her forte all over the world through theatre and who has studied other societies while treating the audiences the world over to some excellent plays directed by her.

Ms. Neelam Man Singh will be our chief guest this Monday, 2nd March 2009 and talk to us on the current debate of what Slundog Millionaire means to India and the world.

AP

Thursday, February 26, 2009

Join CATS for Blood

Blood - one component in your body that you recover within 24 hours and in just 5 minutes, you would have perhaps saved three lives. 

Voluntary blood donation is the most noble act that one can perform every three months without fail...year after year. And we have people like our selfless CATS, a self-motivated group of CEOs, executives and entrepreneurs, who besides being adventurous never go back to their promise to the world they live in.  And religiously, every third month, they are bringing their families and friends to donate blood and help our Club, meet the need for blood by the children who are operated free for congenital cardiac disease under Rotary Heartline Project. 

On 27th February once again, the 5th time, the members of CATS - Chandigarh Adventures, Treks & Sports, are getting together from 9:00am till 5pm at Rotary & Blood Bank Society Resource Centre in Sector 37, to contribute to this cause...selflessly.  Let's join to cheer them up, and bring our own staff to be a part of the drive. 

Friday, January 30, 2009

Polio: Every Rotarian's Commitment to Every Child

As a Rotarian we have a commitment. A commitment that we made to the children of the world, and the generation to come, that we will rid this earth of Polio.  Most of the world is already free...thanks to the concerted effort that the Rotarians have put together. Our country, unfortunately, remains one of the four countries in the world, which have yet to kick it out and protect our children. 

It is time for each one of us...for every Rotarian...for every member in a Rotary family, to rise once again and let not the efforts of 20 years of hard work go waste. 

We are almost there. We can do it.  Being a Rotarian it is a great responsibility that we had taken upon ourselves and we just cannot step back and hope that someone would be out there on Sunday morning to administer the drop anyway.  Who someone? It is only YOU who can make the difference, and no one else. If YOU get out of your bed on Sunday morning, say your prayers, express your gratitude to the God for blessing you with all His bounties and good health, and dress up to be there in the morning with the firm belief that YOU would check it out every where and anywhere, whether a child under five, has taken the polio drop. If not, YOU will have complete the task. 

Count the number of children you have touched today and administered polio drops. Count the number of children you have checked whether his finger had the permanent mark assuring that the child has been protected.  And even if you are able to do it even for one child...it will make a tremendous amount of difference to the lives of the children. Because we hope that on Sunday, YOU will not be alone.  There are Rotarians from USA, Canada, Cayman Island, Jamaica, and Australia, who have flown in just for two days to be a part of this world-wide movement, to join you, and reach out to the maximum number of children who are at risk. 

Let's be there. YOU will be there I'm sure. Because YOU are a Rotarian...who stands by the word. 

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

RI Theme and Role of Rotarians

The 2009-10 RI theme acknowledges the important role individual Rotary clubs will play in shaping the future of Rotary.

RI President-elect John Kenny unveiled the theme, The Future of Rotary Is in Your Hands, on Monday during the opening plenary session of the International Assembly , an annual training event in San Diego, California, USA, for incoming district governors.

"The future of Rotary will not be shaped at RI headquarters -- it will be shaped in each and every Rotary club," Kenny said, "because it is for each of us -- as Rotarians -- to do what is necessary to keep Rotary strong."

Kenny acknowledged the foundation established by past Rotary leaders and laid the responsibility for building upon that success on every Rotarian.

"Each one of us is standing on the shoulders of generations of Rotarians past, and it is our responsibility to determine Rotary’s future," Kenny said.

"Everything begins and ends with our clubs," he said. "Our clubs can and do work together; they work through their own districts, in cooperation with other clubs and districts, and with the support of our Foundation.

"But at the end of the day, everything that we accomplish is done through the strength of our clubs. And so each club must have autonomy to serve where and how it can serve best."

At the same time, Kenny highlighted the importance of the RI Strategic Plan , adopted by the RI Board of Directors, as an essential tool in providing continuity. 

"The plan is designed to strengthen and proclaim the core values of Rotary: service, fellowship, diversity, integrity, and leadership," Kenny said. The training sessions for incoming governors during the weeklong assembly are all tied to some component of the strategic plan, and a final group discussion on Saturday will seek to tie all the pieces together and show the future district leaders how to take the strategic plan to the club level.

Kenny concluded his remarks by sharing a favorite saying from his homeland, Scotland: "We must look beyond our own parish pump."

"It means that we must look beyond our own home and our own community," Kenny said. "We must look beyond our own needs, and we must be aware that ours is only one community, of one country, of the many communities and countries in this world."