IF- Poem by Rudyard Kipling

If—

BY RUDYARD KIPLING

        

      

 

(‘Brother Square-Toes’—Rewards and Fairies)

If you can keep your head when all about you   

    Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,   

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,

    But make allowance for their doubting too;   

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,

    Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,

Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,

    And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream—and not make dreams your master;   

    If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim;   

If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster

    And treat those two impostors just the same;   

If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken

    Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,

Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,

    And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings

    And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,

And lose, and start again at your beginnings

    And never breathe a word about your loss;

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew

    To serve your turn long after they are gone,   

And so hold on when there is nothing in you

    Except the Will which says to them: ‘Hold on!’

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,   

    Or walk with Kings—nor lose the common touch,

If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,

    If all men count with you, but none too much;

If you can fill the unforgiving minute

    With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,   

Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,   

    And—which is more—you’ll be a Man, my son!

Living in the Moment-WikiHow

How to Live in the Moment

Living in the moment is all about living like there's no tomorrow. To do this, you must realize beauty in every moment, and in everyday activities. It’s a conscious act that requires participation, not just observation, but the reward is a richer, fuller life. This is your life, now live!

EditSteps

1. 1
   Dance like nobody's watching. While you may or may not like dancing, no matter who's not watching, the idea embodied in those 4 words sums the entire experience of living in the moment.
2. 2
   Be optimistic.
   • If you care—if you even consider—who's looking, you're performing. Your goal is to dance well, to impress (or at least not disappoint) your audience. To live in the moment, to "dance like nobody's watching," you have to forget about performing for others and simply accept the moment for what it is.
3. 3
   Take notice of the world. No matter what you're doing, notice the moments that surround you. Maybe on your way to work or school, you go over a beautiful bridge, or you get a view of the sunrise behind the city buildings.
   • When you walk down the street, look at the way the light reflects off the buildings, the tree line, and the birds that manage to nest in random corners and cracks. The simple act of tilting your chin can give you a whole new perspective on the place you live.
   • Really look at a flower. Okay, so you know it’s pretty. What is pretty? What does it smell like, besides itself? How many petals does it have? Do the leaves spiral up the stem like a staircase or branch out on opposite sides every now and then? Are there any bugs going about their lives on this plant? Do you think they’re even aware of your existence?
   • Realizing that whether these things are great or small, you are part of that singular moment when all these things come together. When you realize you are a part of every moment that you've lived through, you'll be almost there. When you stop realizing it, and just live it, you will be all the way there.
4. 4
   Focus on whatever you're doing. Even if you're just walking, or wiping the counter, or shuffling cards—how does it feel? There's probably some kind of commentary spinning through your mind, and it probably has to do with something other than what you're doing. Let those thoughts go and focus on what is (not what was, or what could be). In Buddhism, this is referred to as mindfulness.
   • Just breathe. When the moment begins to escape you, as it will certainly try to do, breathe. Take a very deep breath, through your nose, as deep as you can. Listen to the air moving into your body, and feel your lungs swell. Breathe out slowly through your mouth, letting the air escape on its own.
   • Pay attention to your other senses—touch, sight, smell, sound, and taste. Pretend it's the very last time you'll ever experience whatever you're experiencing. Have you ever been so engrossed in something that it seemed like the rest of the world just disappeared? Living in the moment is about creating that state of mind at any time. Slow down, and try to savor the present.
   • Listen to the world. The birds, the sounds of one car passing, the conversations of distant strangers, the cracks and creaks of the building as it heats and cools, the planes overhead, the footsteps of passers-by. The moment is all around you.
5. 
   5
   Smile when you wake up. You can set the tone of appreciation and awareness for the next 24 hours by simply waking up and smiling.^[1] Don't wake up with a groan and a smash of your alarm clock. There's scientific proof that the expressions that you make with your face can actually influence how you feel.^[2] In particular, true happiness is most closely tied to a Duchenne smile which involves smiling with your eyes, as well as your mouth.^[3] 
   
   • Visualize all the good things that are going to happen to you today. Got a presentation to give? Imagine the laughs you’ll get for your jokes and the ovation you’ll receive at the end. Got a busy day of cleaning? Imagine how good it’ll feel to sit down with a delicious tea and admire your cozy living space when it’s all done.
6. 
   6
   Commit random, spontaneous acts of kindness. Whether it's donating 1 dollar to a fund at the pharmacy, picking up litter, or helping victims of natural disasters, keep alert in every moment of your day for some way in which you can make the world a better place. Even the smallest thing, like complimenting someone, can bring joy. It's the most spontaneous and unexpected acts of kindness that produce the greatest impact, and you can't be sensitive to those kinds of opportunities unless you're living in the moment. 
   
   • Have an old or sick neighbor who doesn’t get many visitors? Stop by with some cookies, a pot of coffee, or a jug of lemonade. If it’s someone who won’t let you leave once they’ve got your attention, dig in and enjoy their stories. People are a lot more interesting than you think.
7. 
   7
   Minimize activities that dull your awareness of the moment. What are you doing that tempts your mind to run away from the present? For most people, watching television puts you in a passive state of mind, and time slips right by. Daydreaming and getting lost in a good movie or book isn't bad, but it's not living in the moment because it places your concentration on something that isn't right here, right now; it's a form of escapism. Don't zone out; zone in. Do things that are active, and that encourage you to look around and engage the world in that moment. Gardening, playing a game, knitting, and playing an instrument are all activities that lend themselves to mindfulness. So get off the computer after reading this article! 
   
   • Choose at least one day a week to turn off your cell phone, your computer, your radio, your TV, and whatever other gadgets you use to distract yourself. Spend that day riding your bike to a café, gardening, having a friend over for tea, drawing something you see out the window, or exploring a new area of your town or city.
   • Narrow down your absolute favorite shows, write them into your schedule, and only turn on the TV at those times. Like to nod off to late-night television? Try herbal tea instead. Channel-surf when you’re bored? Get a hobby. Watch game-shows during dinner? Cook yourself something special and savor every bite of it.
8. 8
   Be thankful for what is. When you find yourself wishing for something you don't have, or wishing your life would be different, start your quest for your wish by being thankful for what is already in your life. This will bring you back to the present moment. Make a list of what you are thankful for right now, even if all you can think of is that you are alive and can breathe. You don't want to miss the gifts right in front of you, because you are always looking beyond what is in the present moment to what once was or what might be. If you are thankful for what is, you'll be happy to be in the moment – instead of dreaming about being happy someplace else.

EditTips

• Watch your breath, by noticing your breathing pattern your mind naturally quiets and pays more attention to the present moment.
• Think about how happy your good deed could make someone!
• Step outside of yourself and view yourself as if you are watching yourself on a movie screen. See how important this current scene (present moment) is to the character on screen.
• Never climb down the ladder of life.
• Don't be afraid to be your self and never let anyone change you cause you are perfect the way you are.
• Face your fears.
• Focus on your body language. It can bring you in the moment and increase your confidence.
• Participate in active conversation and engage in the subject matter with another human.
• Children don't worry about the future; they play and enjoy every moment for what it is. They haven't yet learned to think ahead, or mull over the past, so take the opportunity to learn from them.
• Always show kindness.
• Listen to music and enjoy it. Express yourself by dancing to it or singing along.
• Forgive. Many of us carry grudges with us that haunt us, and those grudges also prevent us from opening our hearts to others because we're scared of getting hurt again.

 

Edit 

Be good anyways...

Technology disconnects...!!!

Sometimes we ignore the most important people in our life but its about time to STOP and make them feel how important they are for us. 

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_AhTNx0AnSU

Why Do You Think You Think?

Why Do You Think You Think?

An excerpt from the Atlas shrugged, book by Ayn Rand

·         Thought is a primitive superstition. Reason is an irrational idea.

·         The childish notion that we are able to think has been mankind's costliest error.

·         What you think you think is an illusion created by your glands, your emotions and, in the last analysis, by the content of your stomach.

·         That gray matter you're so proud of is like a mirror in an amusement park which transmits to you nothing but distorted signals from a reality forever beyond your grasp.

·         The more certain you feel of your rational conclusions, the more certain you are to be wrong. Your brain being an instrument of distortion, the more active the brain the greater the distortion.

·         The giants of the intellect, whom you admire so much, once taught you that the earth was flat and that the atom was the smallest particle of matter. The entire history of science is a progression of exploded fallacies, not of achievements.

·         The more we know, the more we learn that we know nothing.

·         Only the crassest ignoramus can still hold to the old-fashioned notion that seeing is believing. That which you see is the first thing to disbelieve.

·         A scientist knows that a stone is not a stone at all. It is, in fact, identical with a feather pillow. Both are only a cloud formation of the same invisible, whirling particles. But, you say, you can't use a stone for a pillow? Well, that merely proves your helplessness in the face of actual reality.

·         The latest scientific discoveries have demonstrated conclusively that our reason is incapable of dealing with the nature of the universe. These discoveries have led scientists to contradictions which are impossible, according to the human mind, but which exist in reality nonetheless.

·          Do not expect consistency. Everything is a contradiction of everything else. Nothing exists but contradictions.

·         Do not look for 'common sense.' To demand 'sense' is the hallmark of nonsense. Nature does not make sense. Nothing makes sense. The only crusaders for 'sense' are the studious type of adolescent old maid who can't find a boy friend, and the old-fashioned shopkeeper who thinks that the universe is as simple as his neat little inventory and beloved cash register.

·         Let us break the chains of the prejudice called Logic. Are we going to be stopped by a syllogism?

·         So you think you're sure of your opinions? You cannot be sure of anything. Are you going to endanger the harmony of your community, your fellowship with your neighbors, your standing, reputation, good name and financial security-for the sake of an illusion? For the sake of the mirage of thinking that you think? Are you going to run risks and court disasters-at a precarious time like ours-by opposing the existing social order in the name of those imaginary notions of yours which you call your convictions? You say that you're sure you're right? Nobody is right, or ever can be. You feel that the world around you is wrong? You have no means to know it. Everything is wrong in human eyes-so why fight it? Don't argue. Accept. Adjust yourself. Obey.

                                                      ************

UPSC 2013-new pattern

B. Main Examination

The written examination will consist of the following papers:

Paper-I
Section 1 Essay 200 Marks
Section 2 English Comprehension
& English Précis 100 Marks
(Of Matriculation/ Xth standard
level)

Paper-II
General Studies–I 250Marks
(Indian Heritage and Culture,
History and Geography of the World
and Society)

Paper-III
General Studies –II 250 Marks
(Governance, Constitution,
Polity, Social Justice and
International relations)

Paper-IV
General Studies –III 250 Marks
(Technology, Economic Development,
Bio-diversity, Environment, Security
and Disaster Management)

Paper-V
General Studies –IV 250 Marks
(Ethics, Integrity and Aptitude)

Paper-VI
Optional Subject – Paper 1 250 Marks

Paper-VII
Optional Subject – Paper 2 250 Marks

Sub Total (Written test) 1800 Marks

Personality Test 275 Marks.
Grand Total 2075 Marks

Syllabus

PAPER-I
Essay: Candidates will be required to write an essay on a specific topic. The choice of subjects will be given.
They will be expected to keep closely to the subject of the essay to arrange their ideas in orderly fashion, and to
write concisely. Credit will be given for effective and exact expression.
English Comprehension & English Precis will be to test the English language Comprehension and English
précis writing skills (at 10th standard level).

PAPER-II
General Studies- I: Indian Heritage and Culture, History and Geography of the World and Society.
 Indian culture will cover the salient aspects of Art Forms, Literature and Architecture from ancient to
modern times.
 Modern Indian history from about the middle of the eighteenth century until the present- significant
events, personalities, issues
 The Freedom Struggle - its various stages and important contributors /contributions from different
parts of the country.
 Post-independence consolidation and reorganization within the country.
 History of the world will include events from 18th century such as industrial revolution, world wars,
redrawal of national boundaries, colonization, decolonization, political philosophies like communism,
capitalism, socialism etc.- their forms and effect on the society.
 Salient features of Indian Society, Diversity of India.
 Role of women and women’s organization, population and associated issues, poverty and
developmental issues, urbanization, their problems and their remedies.
 Effects of globalization on Indian society
 Social empowerment, communalism, regionalism & secularism.
 Salient features of world’s physical geography.
 Distribution of key natural resources across the world (including South Asia and the Indian subcontinent);
factors responsible for the location of primary, secondary, and tertiary sector industries in
various parts of the world (including India)
 Important Geophysical phenomena such as earthquakes, Tsunami, Volcanic activity, cyclone etc.,
geographical features and their location- changes in critical geographical features (including waterbodies
and ice-caps) and in flora and fauna and the effects of such changes.

PAPER-III
General Studies- II: Governance, Constitution, Polity, Social Justice and International relations.
 Indian Constitution- historical underpinnings, evolution, features, amendments, significant provisions
and basic structure.
 Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States, issues and challenges pertaining to the
federal structure, devolution of powers and finances up to local levels and challenges therein.
 Separation of powers between various organs dispute redressal mechanisms and institutions.
 Comparison of the Indian constitutional scheme with that of other countries
 Parliament and State Legislatures - structure, functioning, conduct of business, powers & privileges
and issues arising out of these.
 Structure, organization and functioning of the Executive and the Judiciary Ministries and Departments
of the Government; pressure groups and formal/informal associations and their role in the Polity.
 Salient features of the Representation of People’s Act.
 Appointment to various Constitutional posts, powers, functions and responsibilities of various
Constitutional Bodies.
 Statutory, regulatory and various quasi-judicial bodies
 Government policies and interventions for development in various sectors and issues arising out of
their design and implementation.
 Development processes and the development industry- the role of NGOs, SHGs, various groups and
associations, donors, charities, institutional and other stakeholders
 Welfare schemes for vulnerable sections of the population by the Centre and States and the
performance of these schemes; mechanisms, laws, institutions and Bodies constituted for the
protection and betterment of these vulnerable sections.
 Issues relating to development and management of Social Sector/Services relating to Health,
Education, Human Resources.
 Issues relating to poverty and hunger.
 Important aspects of governance, transparency and accountability, e-governance- applications,
models, successes, limitations, and potential; citizens charters, transparency & accountability and
institutional and other measures.
 Role of civil services in a democracy.
 India and its neighborhood- relations.
 Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s
interests
 Effect of policies and politics of developed and developing countries on India’s interests, Indian
diaspora.
 Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure, mandate.

PAPER-IV
General Studies-III: Technology, Economic Development, Bio diversity, Environment, Security and Disaster Management.
 Indian Economy and issues relating to planning, mobilization of resources, growth, development and
employment.
 Inclusive growth and issues arising from it.
 Government Budgeting.
 Major crops cropping patterns in various parts of the country, different types of irrigation and
irrigation systems storage, transport and marketing of agricultural produce and issues and related
constraints; e-technology in the aid of farmers
 Issues related to direct and indirect farm subsidies and minimum support prices; Public Distribution
System- objectives, functioning, limitations, revamping; issues of buffer stocks and food security;
Technology missions; economics of animal-rearing.
 Food processing and related industries in India- scope and significance, location, upstream and
downstream requirements, supply chain management.
 Land reforms in India.
 Effects of liberalization on the economy, changes in industrial policy and their effects on industrial
growth.
 Infrastructure: Energy, Ports, Roads, Airports, Railways etc.
 Investment models.
 Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life
 Achievements of Indians in science & technology; indigenization of technology and developing new
technology.
 Awareness in the fields of IT, Space, Computers, robotics, nano-technology, bio-technology and
issues relating to intellectual property rights.
 Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation, environmental impact assessment
 Disaster and disaster management.
 Linkages between development and spread of extremism.
 Role of external state and non-state actors in creating challenges to internal security.
 Challenges to internal security through communication networks, role of media and social networking
sites in internal security challenges, basics of cyber security; money-laundering and its prevention
 Security challenges and their management in border areas; linkages of organized crime with
terrorism
 Various Security forces and agencies and their mandate

PAPER-V
General Studies- IV: Ethics, Integrity, and Aptitude
This paper will include questions to test the candidates’ attitude and approach to issues relating to integrity,
probity in public life and his problem solving approach to various issues and conflicts faced by him in dealing
with society. Questions may utilise the case study approach to determine these aspects. The following broad
areas will be covered.
 Ethics and Human Interface: Essence, determinants and consequences of Ethics in human actions;
dimensions of ethics; ethics in private and public relationships. Human Values – lessons from the
lives and teachings of great leaders, reformers and administrators; role of family, society and
educational institutions in inculcating values.
 Attitude: content, structure, function; its influence and relation with thought and behaviour; moral and
political attitudes; social influence and persuasion.
 Aptitude and foundational values for Civil Service , integrity, impartiality and non-partisanship,
objectivity, dedication to public service, empathy, tolerance and compassion towards the weakersections.
 Emotional intelligence-concepts, and their utilities and application in administration and governance.
 Contributions of moral thinkers and philosophers from India and world.
 Public/Civil service values and Ethics in Public administration: Status and problems; ethical concerns
and dilemmas in government and private institutions; laws, rules, regulations and conscience as
sources of ethical guidance; accountability and ethical governance; strengthening of ethical and moral
values in governance; ethical issues in international relations and funding; corporate governance.
 Probity in Governance: Concept of public service; Philosophical basis of governance and probity;
Information sharing and transparency in government, Right to Information, Codes of Ethics, Codes of
Conduct, Citizen’s Charters, Work culture, Quality of service delivery, Utilization of public funds,
challenges of corruption.
 Case Studies on above issues.

PAPER-VI & PAPER VII
Optional Subject Papers I & II
Candidates may choose any optional subject from amongst the list of subjects given in para 2 (Group 1).
However, if a candidate has graduated in any of the literatures of languages indicated in Group-2 , with the
literature as the main subject, then the candidate can also opt for that particular literature subject as an
optional subject.