How much to give?

     This week CNN posted the Top 10 CNN Heroes for 2010.You get to vote for the person ,as many times as you want ,you think has made a significant impact in various fields through their efforts and initiative.I found one whom we have been involved with and felt proud of it.Scientifically this is called "Helpers High"-endorphins release in your body which gives an elation (like being high) when you feel good/happy for donating to a cause.
     Reading and voting for each of those "entries" for this "competition" kinda empowers me ,like a reality show.Come to think of it.THIS is as real as it gets.The hard thing is for me is to prioritize which of these entrants get my vote. Therein lies the dilemma..Am I eligible ,worthy of making that decision?Does the one who comes 10th not deserve as much of my contribution or vote as the one who came first.
    The american tax payer contributes $3000(earning above $100K) .Sometimes charity does not mean money but volunteering and time for charitable activities,donating blood etc.We are doing neither of these to be in the average group.We plan to this year and choose charities here in the US and India.(again not that other countries deserve less).
    Reference :http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=content.view&cpid=736&print=1
Few of the organizations that we are involved with:

• http:/www.akshayatrust.org
• http://www.thulir.org
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page
• http://www.butterflieschildrights.org/profile.php
• http://www.indiateam.org/ -Through this organization you can decide whom to help.A little more involved and needs resources in India to complete your project.We did a build of classroom benches and desks and utensils for midday meals.

Reading Hindu

      Reading the Hindu online version always transports me back to Chennai.The sections I mostly read Are by state-Tamilnadu and then drill down to Chennai,Coimbatore.The way Hindu captures each city's news is fascinating.These are not in-depth coverages,sometimes they leave you hanging,these are tidbits.At a glance under "Chennai",we get the Naattu Nadappu(as my mom used to say).
      Then we move onto the "In Chennai Today".This is my favorite..Over the years I have seen the tidbits under this section expand quite significantly.Sections under those are Religion,Culture,General.These provide information on recitals,competition,meetings,gatherings,functions.And depending on the season and festivals there is more to digest.
      What this gives me is a glimpse of  how people are changing,adapting to change in Chennai.The connection that i can establish,as though I am seeing this city morph and sometimes when they don't.I react to this in some way in my life here.It is like an observer,non-participant watching the time go by.