Tuesday 30 March 2010

A funny moment

This joke put a smile on my face and I share it with you:

A man was sent to Hell for his sins. As he was being taken
to his place, he passed a room where he saw a lawyer with
a woman. The man said: "What a ripoff; I have to roast
for all eternity, but that lawyer gets to spend it with
a beautiful woman." Jabbing the man with his pitchfork,
the escorting demon snarled: " Who are you to question
that woman's punishment?"

Friday 26 March 2010

21st Century Genius

Dr Grigory Yakovlevich Perelman who had solved a 100 year
old mathematical problem did not accept $ 1 million prize.

Why?!

There are lots of different reactions to this case; but we should
look the matter from his point of view in order to be able to
understand the reason. In 1999, the Clay Mathematics Institute
announced a $1 million prize for anyone who can solve this
problem that has been unsolved since 1904 in mathematics.

In 2002, Dr Perelman announced his solution; in 2003 he
went to the US and gave a series of talks on his solution.
It stirred much jealousy among mathematicians who wished
for a long time to find a solution for this problem;
especially Shing-Tung Yau, a Chinese mathematician
who lives in the US.
Tung Yau did whatever he could to postpone the
verification of the solution. Finally, in 2006,
Dr Perelman's solution was recognised and in
March 2010 he was awarded $ 1 million!

It was too late, Dr Perelman withdrew from mathematics
and now lives in Saint Petersbourg where he was born
with his mother. He has said that he is not in search of
money or fame and he does not like to be displayed
like an animal in the zoo. And in his rare interview
with The New Yorker he said:

"It is not people who break ethical standards who are
regarded as aliens, it is people like me who are isolated.
...even those mathematicians who are more or less honest
are conformists and tolerate those who are dishonest..I cannot
stay a pet and say nothing. That is why I had to quit."

Dr Perelman, a true genius with admirable principles,
behind the closed door of his apartment answered the
media query over the reason of his refusal to accept the
prize: "I have all I want".

Wednesday 24 March 2010

Spring

I was walking in the park and thinking about the wonder
of nature and I thought that we cannot find anything more
beautiful than a tranquilizing sunny spring day.

Monday 22 March 2010

Work of art

Harsh reality about some works of art: the artist died in
misery while suffering from economic hardship...several
years later in 1960 his painting was sold for $55,000...and
then the same painting was resold in 2009 and this time for
the amount of $142 million. There are many cases like this.
Of course these prices are manipulated prices rather than
real prices. But does it make any change to what happened
to the artist?

Thursday 18 March 2010

The first day of spring and Cyrus Cylinder



March 21, the first day of the spring, is the International
Day of Nowruz. It has been over 3000 years that Persian
celebrate the first day of spring which is the beginning of
the year in Iranian calendar. The festival of Nowruz is
celebrated in many countries that were influenced by
the Persian empire. When Cyrus the Great, king of Persia
in 539B.C. conquered Babylon showed great respect towards
the religious beliefs and cultural traditions of other races;
he allowed the Jews to return to the promised land. These
qualities earned him the respect of all the people over whom
he ruled. And the Cyrus Cylinder has been called "the world's
first declaration of human rights."
The Nowruz celebration has remained intact for several
thousand years; this celebration along with reading
beautiful Persian poetry bringing joy and hope to every
Iranian, no matter where they reside.

Wednesday 17 March 2010

The guest


I invited a guest into my house;
Asked him to sit in the place of honour;
But my guest never left;
Now he has made my home his own.
A poet

Monday 15 March 2010

Family


All happy families resemble one another,
each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.
Leo Tolstoy

Saturday 13 March 2010

The bet

David had been jobless for months; all his job applications either
refused or unanswered; he had huge debts and was desperate
to find a job. One day he bet with his father that he would find
a job. The above image shows him walking on the streets of
London seeking for job and announcing he is prepared to work
first month free! Fortunately he received positive responses
from potential employers and many job interviews offer. This
case is interesting and shows where there is a will, there is a way.

Thursday 11 March 2010

Happiness


Everyone chases after happiness, not noticing that
happiness is right at their heels.
Bertolt Brecht

Tuesday 9 March 2010

Fatal negligence

It is a shocking, but real story. Last week, South Korean police
arrested a couple for starving their 3-month-old daughter to
death while they were busy playing a computer game for hours.
Online, similar to Second Life website, they were raising a virtual
character of a girl and they completely forgot to feed their real
baby!!!This is the fatal consequence of the extreme behaviours.
Did they like their daughter? The answer is Yes; the problem
was their ignorance and idiocy. An old Persian proverb says
that a wise enemy is better than a stupid friend; it is true; because
a wise person always avoids extreme behaviours and follows a
well balanced life even towards his or her enemy, if there is one!!

Sunday 7 March 2010

Debt


Home life ceases to be free and beautiful as soon as
it is founded on borrowing and debt.
Henrik Ibsen

Friday 5 March 2010

Affection

Love is what makes two people sit in the middle of a bench
when there is plenty of room at both ends.
A writer

Tuesday 2 March 2010

Homeschooling

There are some parents who do not like what their
children are learning in the school and prefer to teach
them at home. Different countries have different rules
for homeschooling. In the U.S. there are 2 million
children in homeschooling community; there is not
much restriction in the UK; France regularly monitors
them; in Austria, they have to take annual tests; in
Sweden, parents have to get permission; in Spain and
Netherlands, it is allowed only under very exceptional
circumstances; in Germany, parents can be fined and
lose custody of their children for homeschooling them;
in Brazil, it is banned.Homeschooling parents want to
shield their children from negative influences. The
critics say that it could help foster the development
of a sect and nothing can replace the experience of
school. Of course it all depends on the parents and
whether they are able to manage it properly or not.