The Pursuit of Happyness

How to help the environment?

Concerned about the environment but feeling overwhelmed by all the issues out there? Feeling discouraged about how you as an individual can really make a difference? Not to worry. Here, I’ve compiled a short list of easy and practical ways to how you can help the environment.

For example, things like walking to the grocery store and using a reel mower will reduce air pollution and energy use, while also reducing the time you spend at the gym! Additionally, if you get your kids to follow your example by using human power more, you can do your part to help reduce child obesity and diabetes.

These are some things we can do to help the environment:

• Prevent energy leaks at home.
• Switch as many bulbs as possible in your home to compact fluorescent bulbs.
• Use a low-flow shower head.
• Plant trees in your yard and community.
• Turn off lights and electronic devices when you’re not using them.
• Fix water leaks in the bathroom, kitchen, landscaping, etc.
• Use solar energy to dry your clothes.
• Recycling.

Our environment is very important and therefore it is everyone's responsibility to take care of it. Every day, our environment is being dumped with tremendous wastes. This will be minimized if everyone does something. Remember that taking care of the environment is not only a few people's concern, but it must be done by everyone. This is a big job for all of us, but doing it with other people throughout the world will make the work easier.

Hard Ball

HardBall takes the viewer into the lives of some extraordinary kids, who all have the hope of making something worthwhile and right in their life, and the one man to help them with this, is going to learn something pretty important along the way about him from these smart and willful kids.

HardBall tells the story of Conor O' Neill (Keanu Reeves) a lost soul who only seems to find him sinking faster into booze and more dangerously into his own foolish lifestyle as a gambler. With his slimy gambling buddy Ticky (John Hawkes), Conor is in some serious financial trouble. He owes lots of green to some unsympathetic and hungry loan sharks.

Each kid has something unique and special to offer the movie such as Jefferson Albert Tibbs, who suffers from asthma and being overweight, but tries so hard to keep it from bringing him down, G-Baby a determined tike with so much spunk and love of the game and Miles Pennfield, the pitcher who without his headphones and rap music can't tune out the background noises of the rivaling team's obnoxiousness.

What made this movie so special were the performances from the kids. They captured my heart and made this a true sentimental and heartfelt movie to be enjoyed and respected.

HardBall has a message, and sure there is language, violence, and a horribly painful scene, which nobody would want to happen to their child, especially nowadays with all the violence staring us in the face, but the point is this is how their lives are being lived, so it makes sense to show the real picture and not just candy coat it. At the same time, it shows that just because you live in a tough neighborhood doesn't mean you don't have feelings, compassion, or dreams you want to make become a reality.

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

Changes

Mahatma Gandhi believed that we must be the change we want to see in the world. This was well demonstrated when he helped India gain its independence. Gandhi was a revolutionary man, but he accomplished India's emergence as a nation without starting a revolution. In fact, he advocated no violence. One of the most powerful countries in the world yielded to the commitment of one man and the dream of millions.

What change can we effect? What's the difference we want to make in the world?

Gandhi said, "In a gentle way you can shake the world." Here are some things that I believe you can think about on how to do that:

1.Know that all significant change throughout history has occurred not because of nations, armies, governments and certainly not committees. They happened as a result of the courage and commitment of individuals. People like Albert Einstein, Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Edison and Rosa Parks. They might not have done it alone, but they were, without question, the change makers.

2.Believe that you have a unique purpose and potential in the world. It's not so much something to create as to be discovered. And it's up to you to discover it. Believe that you can and will make a difference.

3. To be the change you want to see in the world, you don't have to be loud. You don't have to be eloquent. You don't have to be elected. You don't even have to be particularly smart or well educated. You do, however, have to be committed.

4. Take personal responsibility. Never think "it's not my job". It's a cop-out to say, "What can I do, I'm only one person." You don't need everyone's cooperation or anyone's permission to make changes.

5. Don't wait for things to be right in order to begin. Change is messy. Things will never be just right. Follow Teddy Roosevelt's timeless advice, "Do what you can, with what you have, where you are."

In order for things to change, YOU have to change. We can't change others; we can only change ourselves. However, when WE change, it changes everything. And in doing so, we truly can be the change we want to see in the world.

Storytelling

The man who couldn't wash the dishes

There was an old man who lived in a little old green house in a little winding street lined with humongous green, green trees! The old man lived all alone in his little old green house. He did not care very much for doing his dishes every day, he let them build up and up and up until one morning, he went into the kitchen to have his usual bowl of porridge for breakfast but there were no bowls left in the cupboard. He turned around to the sink and what did he see? A great big pile of dishes, they were stacked SO high, they nearly touched the ceiling! "Oh, no!" he cried, "I can't wash all these dishes, I'm so hungry what shall I do?

If he didn't wash the dishes, He wouldn't be able to eat. He looked back at the tall pile of dirty dishes and said to him, "I hope I will come up with an idea great!!!

He thought and thought until one day, he went to the store and found bowls. The bowls were $9.9999999999999, so he bought one bowl and cleaned it every day, and the pile of dishes sat there. While he was pacing around in his house, he noticed a very strange looking lamp in the corner of his kitchen. He went to pick it up and CLABAMMMMMMM! A genie appeared! The genie said "Now you will be granted 1 wish. Be careful what you wish for. "I know what I need more than anything else," said the man. "I wish for a dishwasher! One that is already installed in my kitchen," he shouted. BANG! The man looked behind him and there was a dishwasher.

He had so many dishes that they wouldn't all fit. It took him 34 days to wash all of the dishes. He was so happy to have clean dishes, he decided to have a party and invite all of his friends. They could come but only if they would wear green. And once again it took him 34 days to wash the dishes from the party!! And that day forward he wore a dish washing charm that reminded him to do his dishes every day. But, the silliest thing of all went he goes out to buy clothes he always goes to the kitchen aisle.

One thundery afternoon day when the green old man was out shopping he went into the kitchen aisle he saw a great big shiny white fridge and went over to take a look inside. He opened the door and looked inside, next minute, golp!!! CRUNCH CRUNCH CRUNCH the fridge gobbled him up. The shop assistant came over to see what the entire racket was about but all she found was a pile of green clothes with the locket on top covered in silver, but then the big guys butt made the monster have a headache.

The army came to investigate the little green house, and found the shiny white fridge fill with dishes. The police-men never found out what happened to the little green men, and people still wonder what happened to him and he installed icy tower.

Culture

Culture

Costa Ricans, as people in other countries, are caught between old cultural forces and new ones that influence especially its young inhabitants. Ticos as a whole still respect conservative values, but they're starting to adopt several American cultural traits. Even then, Costa Ricans still possess a unique identity that distinguishes them from other places and even from their neighboring countries.

Ticos are pretty homogeneous racially and culturally speaking, since only 1% of their population is considered to be Indian, and the other Black and Chinese minorities aren't very numerous. A traveler going through Latin America will notice the Ticos's relative "whiteness" when compared to the people of other places. Ticos also have a very high level of education, and the literacy rate is 96%.

Besides traditions that revolve around the family, there are also several significant religious celebrations. The main religious events are: Easter Week or Semana Santa, Christmas Week and August second, which is the celebration of the Virgin of the Angels. Most of the "Ticos" are very conservative individuals who don't usually welcome "strange" or different ideas.

India is the opposite of Costa Rica. The culture of India is an amalgamation of all their diverse sub-cultures spread all over the Indian subcontinent and traditions, which are several millennia old.

India is the birth place of Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism, collectively known as Indian religions. They are one of the most religiously diverse nations in the world, with some of the most deeply religious societies and cultures. Religion still plays a central and definitive role in the life of many of its people.

Also, family plays a significant role in the Indian culture. For generations, India has had a prevailing tradition of the joint family system. It is a system under which extended members of a family, parents, children, the children’s spouses and their offspring, etc. live together. Usually, the eldest male member is the head in the joint Indian family system.

Finally, I think Costa Rica has several things to improve like infrastructure, and telecommunications. However I think Costa Rica is the best country around the world, which has been privileged with a great biodiversity, beaches, peace, and an excellent tropical weather.

Indian Culture: