The Hindu Business Line : Bangalore and Beijing vs Boston

With an eye of US Presidency is `a candidate who happens to be black, rather than `the black candidate'' — Barack Obama. The latest news is about his questioning the way some rappers talk about women in songs. They were "degrading their sisters", and "that doesn't inspire me," he has said, comparing the lyrics to the derogatory language used by embattled radio host Don Imus, as http://abcnews.go.com reports in a story dated April 13. `Obama Returns Lobbyists' Donations,' reads a headline on http://thecaucus.blogs. nytimes.com, dated April 14.

Here is a book that compiles the views of the Democratic hopeful for the top job, on `everything from abortion to the Middle East': Barack Obama In His Own Words, edited by Lisa Rogak (www.landmarkonthenet. com). "No longer can we assume that a high-school education in Boston is enough to compete for a job that could easily go to a college-educated student in Bangalore or Beijing," is a snatch on education' from Obama's June 2006 address at the University of Massachusetts. On jobs, he says: "I would focus on improving funding for job-training programs and changing tax codes to give corporations incentives to stay in the country rather than go overseas."

Will he be the next occupant of the White House?

Alertness pays

Quality of your life depends on the quality of your attention, says Swami Dr Parthasarthy in Transforming Personality. Ancient Indian sages called this avadhana, one learns. "Avadhana refers to the attention we give with an alert mind to a thing or person or whatever is at hand." Knowledge dawns in the mind only if the mind is alert, explains the author. "Alertness of the mind is a primary condition for intellectual development. Knowledge grows proportionally to our alertness, that is, the more attentive we are, the more we get to know, whatever be the subject." Therefore, whether you read or hear, see or talk, do it with attention. Alertness is only the first of four major aspects in developing the intellect.

For an alert read.

Tailpiece

"What do you think about the CD matter?"

"Quite seedy!"

http://BookPeek.blogspot.com

D. Murali