ISSUE : 46 VOLUME : 31 13-06-2012 PAGES - 4

MEDIA-TODAY - A FRANK TALK BY PROF BELLIAPPAMEDIA-TODAY - A FRANK TALK BY PROF BELLIAPPAMEDIA-TODAY - A FRANK TALK BY PROF BELLIAPPAMEDIA-TODAY - A FRANK TALK BY PROF BELLIAPPAProf Belliappa is not new to Midtown and there are sweet memories to savor every time he has participated in M i d t o w n even t s . H i s seamless flow

of English Language spell binds audience and 6th June was no different.The fe l lowship had mouthwater ing chanabathura, crisp and sumptuous deliciously served on behalf of Toofan Chandu as part of his B-Day celebrations, spiraled the moods. Our President looking more confident than ever before, now master of the occasions, called the meeting to order and as part of protocol recognized the achievers Rtn Rock and Rtn Gopal who were not present last week apart from customary Birthday and Anniversary celebration calls. Rtn Dr Prahlad introduced Prof Belliappa highlighting his personal achievements.Prof Belliappa began with Reminiscences of

the evening delicacy and his association with Midtown. He quickly moved to the subject of the evening and narrated his own experience in learning and mastering English Language. He being generalist relishes knowledge from any source and in his years of teaching and administrative experience has gained authority on several subjects. Media seems to be a subject he wanted to tear apart to some audience disgusted with the present developments and Midtown was lucky to be that audience. He related primarily between print media and audiovisual media and took several instances to justify print media is better in terms of journalistic ethics compared to the other media. He did not spare the modern day netas and babus who are the toast of today’s media and dwelt in length on issue of corruption. Midtowners instantly liked his openness and during interaction had barrage of questions which resulted in interesting conversations. Master Blaster Harish was aptly chosen to propose vote of thanks and he not only lived up but was the icing on the cake for the evening. A nice take away in one of the last meets of Raaghu’s year blessed with sweet memories. - S B C

M r . K a r t h i k Chidambaram, Vice President AITA, S/o Union Home Minister Mr. P. Chidambaram w a s i n M y s o r e recently. He was invited to our club during 2012-13 by President elect Rtn. Vishwanath and PP Rtn. Alagappan

President's MessageLast week we had Prof. Dr.K.C.Belliappa, Retired Vice Chancellor of Central University of

Arunachala Pradesh as the speaker. He spoke about Role of Media Today. Being a English teacher himself, his speech was excellent. I hope you all enjoyed it. I thank Rtn. Ravindra Babu for bringing him to the Club.

Friends we have almost come to the end of the Rotary Year 2011-12. On this occasion I would like to invite you all along with your family for a get together of President’s Dinner on 30th Saturday, June at Hotel Grand Maurya. Please treat this as my personal invitation & grace the occasion. Looking forward to meet you all with family on the last day of my Presidentship.

Today let us lend our hand to Chayadevi Anaathashrama. Let us reach within to Embrace Humanity.

Bye till next week….

Thank YouRtn. Raghavendra

13-06-2012

Dear friends,

President Raaghu is all set to

wind up ‘Embrace within to reach

humanity’ year, whereas President

Elect Rtn. Vishwa is all set to cruise the ‘Peace

through fellowship’ year. Raaghu’s was a glorious

year and Vishwa plans to break the records and

take club to newer heights. All I can say is that

Midtown is now going through its enticing period

–hope it will be back to back mega hits.

Raaghu perhaps finished most of the

formalities of thanks giving during one of the

previous meetings when we had celebration of the

accomplishment of Awards. He has made it clear

that during the official president’s dinner which is

scheduled on June 30th there will be no speeches

and formalities. So friends, those of you who want

to express your appreciation to the magnificent

year, here is a platform in About Us. Pen down your

feelings, appreciations, criticisms if any, and mail it

to prahlad_ka@yahoo.com. It will be my proud

privilege to bring it in my last issue on June 30th

where I sign off and pass on the pen to the next

editor Seenannna. So friends, take the pen or boot

your computer, this is the last opportunity. Hope to

see lots and lots of mails.

Lisbon RI Convention LogoTwo simple lines define the boat

hull and sail. The leaning of the sail lends a sense of movement and serenity to the logo. The sail being the propelling force of the silent vessel, its presence signifies serenity and peace. The Rotary symbol on the left is reminiscent of a

helm, the device that controls the direction of the vessel, and integrates seamlessly the concept as a whole.

The blue, yellow and white colors were chosen as they the Rotary colors and favor a harmonious chromatic combination.

- Rtn. Rakesh Babu

Nostalgic Combodia Through Wajid’s Lens

3 13-06-2012

I suspect that the most basic and powerful way to

connect to another person is to listen. Just listen.

Perhaps the most important thing we ever give each

other is our attention. And especially if it’s given from the

heart. When people are talking, there’s no need to do

anything but receive them. Just take them in. Listen to

what they’re saying. Care about it. Most times caring

about it is even more important than understanding it.

Most of us don’t value ourselves or our love enough to

know this. It has taken me along time to believe in the

power of simple saying, "I’m so sorry," when someone is

in pain. And meaning it.

One of my patients told me that when she tried to tell

her story people often interrupted to tell her that they

once had something just like that happen to them.

Subtly her pain became a story about themselves.

Eventually she stopped talking to most people. It was

just too lonely. We connect through listening. When we

interrupt what someone is saying to let them know that

we understand, we move the focus of attention to

ourselves. When we listen, they know we care. Many

people with cancer can talk about the relief of having

someone just listen.

I have even learned to respond to someone crying

by just listening. In the old days I used to reach for the

tissues, until I realized that passing a person a tissue

may be just another way to shut them down, to take

them out of their experience of sadness and grief. Now I

just listen. When they have cried all they need to cry,

they find me there with them.

This simple thing has not been that easy to learn. It

certainly went against everything I had been taught

since I was very young. I thought people listened only

because they were too timid to speak or did not know

the answer. A loving silence often has far more power to

heal and to connect than the most well intentioned

words.

JUST LISTENJUST LISTENJUST LISTEN India’s oldest granny Sowmi Akka

While women in India normally have a lifespan of 60–65 years, Sowmi Akka, the oldest grandmother in the country is 120 years old, hails from Coimbatore city and still seems in pink of health. Sowmi Akka said that eating healthy diet helped her to live longer and a problem free life. She also mentioned that she is self–reliant to perform all kind of domestic work such as cooking, cleaning the house and buying vegetables from the market. Meanwhile, her granddaughter, Amarawathy said that Sowmi Akka’s eldest daughter is 95 and the entire family participated in the family reunion. (Source: The Indian Express, June 12, 2012)

Fourth Place in Rotary Photo contest : Shot in Gitagum, Philippines. Says Benson, “I usually am not partial to sunset photography, but this photograph, with the silhouette of the two boys with their poles reflected in the water, offers a modern, graphic twist while the sunset looms magnificently in the background.”. Carlo Antonio Romero, Rotary Club of Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines

Next Week in Midtown

Club Assembly

Date: 20-06-2012 at 6.30pm

Venue : RCL Hall, JLB Road

New Rotarian Action Group helps countries grow food that suits

their nutritional needsWhen Australian Bruce French went to Papua New

Guinea as an agriculture instructor 40 years ago, his students asked him to teach them about native edible plants.

“I knew nothing about Papua New Guinea food plants,” he recalls. “So I had to start learning.”

The result was a series of books on indigenous food plants, and the not-for-profit Food Plants International, which maintains a database of 25,000 edible plants that includes descriptions, lists of countries and climates where they grow, photos and drawings, and cooking methods.

“There are thousands of nutritious plants, but people don’t have any information about them,” says Buz Green, an agriculturalist and member of the Rotary Club of Devonport North, Australia. “We’re trying to bridge some of the gaps.

“Rotarian teams in developing countries inevitably identify hunger, malnutrition, and food security as critical issues,” Green explains. “They tend to look to Western solutions to address food production issues.”

Nutritional profileThe problem, he says, is that Western crops don’t have

the right nutritional profile for people in the developing world, whose diets often have little variety. Indigenous crops can allow them to eat more nutritiously and are already adapted to local pests, diseases, and climatic conditions.

The “green revolution” of the 1950s and ’60s, for example, led to increased agricultural productivity in Asian countries, but also to unforeseen effects. The weeds that grew in rice paddies had served as the primary source of vitamin A for villagers in India, and when those weeds were eradicated, the people became deficient.

“Virtually every woman in the tropical world is anemic,” French adds. “We go there with cabbages and make the situation 10 times worse.”

Learn GrowFrench and Green launched the Learn Grow project in

June 2007 to help people in developing countries grow local food that suits their nutritional needs. Early last year, the RI Board recognized the Food Plant Solutions Rotarian Action Group, whose 195 members will help Rotarians implement Learn Grow efforts, according to its chair, Past RI Director John Thorne, of the Rotary Club of North Hobart, Australia.

In August 2010, Learn Grow launched a pilot project in the Solomon Islands, producing a compendium of local edible plants, field guides for growers, and a book on crops for schools and community groups. Local organizations provide support and distribute information. The project team has received inquiries from 20 developing countries; another effort is underway in the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste.

The principles of eating locally are gaining momentum in the Western world, French says. “My children and lots of other people thought I was eccentric for 35 years. Now I’ve become fairly trendy in my old age.”

Rtn. Pradeep Kumar14-06-2012

Mobile: 9742122507

Happy

Birthday

Rtn. PHF. Narasimha R16-06-2012

Mobile: 9845540472

Rtn. Balaji K J18-06-2012

Mobile: 9900509018

Rtn. PP. PHF. Sundara Raja Rao20-06-2012

Mobile: 9343830682

Rtn. A. N. Aiyanna & Shalini09-06-2012 ; Cell : 9844009049

Wedding Anniversary

ORGANIC VEGETABLES FOR THE WIFE

My wife asked me to buy ORGANIC vegetables from the market. I went and looked around and couldn't find any.

So I grabbed an old, tired looking employee and said, "These vegetables are for my wife. Have they been sprayed with any poisonous chemicals?"

"The produce guy looked at me and said:---“No. You'll have to do that yourself."