Unity In Diversity

Moments are priceless. Like the one below.

Unity In Diversity

This picture was snapped on the occasion of Janmashthami (Lord Krishna's Birthday). 

The proud parents of the little boy were  taking him to school to participate in the Fancy Dress Competition, dressed as Lord Krishna herself, when photographer Javed Raja captured this moment. 

This was in the Indian city of Ahmedabad, in the state of Gujrat, and was published in the Indian Express on 19th August 2011.

It showcases the multi-cultural diversity in India and it's underlying unity.

Touch Wood.

Wall Graffiti

It was just a couple of days back that hurricane Irene hurtled across the US East Coast, leaving behind lots of rains, water, floods, along with destruction to life and property. 

The Americans did their best to prepare for Irene. Apart from the clinical preparations, what stood out was the spirit of the people. This is beautifully echoed in the pictures below.

Hate Irene Graffiti

Hurricane Irene Graffiti

Hurricane Irene Hopeful Graffiti

You Are Not Welcome Graffiti

Graffiti's commonly give an outlet to the people's thoughts, in the most tense, difficult, and special moments.

If this was about Irene, have a look at some pictures in Libya. A revolution in Libya has almost overthrown Muammar Gadaffi's regime. These are some pictures right when the revolution was its fiery high.

Libya Revolution Graffiti

Libya Graffiti Against Gadaffi

And if you think of wars, one of the first name that would come to your name would be George Bush. He launched an assault in Afghanistan in 2001 to overthrow the Taliban, and later in Iran to take on Saddam Hussein.

People had to resort to street graffiti to stop Bush from starting anymore wars.

USA Graffiti Stop War And Bush

Bush started the pursuit of Osama Bin Laden in 2001. Barack Obama completed his task in 2011. Osama Bin Laden was taken out in a compound in the garrison town on Abbotabad, Pakistan.

Pakistan Graffiti Long Live Bin Laden

Bin Laden seemed to have a huge following in Abbotabad. His legacy will live on in the town.

Moving onto England. When Wayne Rooney contemplated a move to Manchester City from his parent club Manchester United, the fans were furious. This is what Rooney got for thinking about such an audacious move. 

Wayne Rooney Hate Graffiti

This was most ruthless. Rooney and his wife must have spent some sleepless nights after seeing this graffiti threat.

Next stop - Russia. Vladimir Putin is running strong. After becoming the  Prime Minister of Russia, he held the position of The President for 8 years starting 2000. Later, he had his protege Dmitry Medvedev become the President while he himself became the Prime Minister.

Later next year, once again, he plans to contest the Presidential Elections. Considering all this, this graffiti on Vladimir Putin in Russia is not surprising

Russia Putin Graffiti

Moving onto China.

In China - Graffiti Against Capitalism

And somewhere in Germany.

Anti Nazism Graffiti

Need I say more??

Love elicits the best in you. And they say you can paint a town red with Love. Well, this fellow believed in it, and acted accordingly - in spirit and action.

I Miss You Love Graffiti

And then some interesting stuff. This must have been the anger of some parent as he or she saw their child fall in love with Coke. 

Coke Graffiti

Business opportunities come in varied shapes and sizes. If you have graffiti's, you can make money by removing graffiti's. But that doesn't spare you from becoming a victim.

Graffiti Removal Graffiti

Finally, why do people paint graffiti's?

If there is one quote which will summarize the thoughts of a graffiti painters, this is one.

Blank Wall Graffiti

P.S. The credit for these beautiful pictures goes to the painters who painted the beautiful graffiti's. And the men and women out there for taking their snaps. And Google for bringing them to me and you.

Two No's

This is a story about an advertisement and an interesting photograph in today's national newspaper. Beyond that, this is a story about English language.

Well, here goes the first advertisement - splashed on the first page of a national daily - The Times Of India.

Have a look at the advertisement above. The sentence "Subsequent to this pre-payment the Company will have NO liability of a single paisa." has been plaguing my mind since the time I have read it.

With my limited knowledge of English language, I think the above sentence does not look correct.  However, Microsoft Word seems to give a green signal to this sentence.

In my opinion, it should have been "Subsequent to this pre-payment the Company will NOT have a liability of a single paisa."

Maybe it was the urge to showcase that bold NO that made the content writers choose the current style.

Moving onto a second picture, once again from The Times Of India.

This is a picture from Dhaka, Bangladesh of people thronging the train to head home on the occasion of Id.

The snap itself will awe you. The mass of people on the train, those inside who are not seen, and the many thousands on the platform reflects an imbalance between the needs and the resources.

In this picture, apart from the sheer number of people, the picture title registered in my mind.

Once again a No.

The sentence "We Don't Need No Reservation" seems incorrect. This time, Microsoft Word agrees with me.

The correct sentence should have been "We Don't Need Any Reservation".

They say, Two No's make a Yes. For me, it was not the case here. Although the first No is debatable, The Two No's have got a thumbs down from me.

What do you guys out there think about it??

Interesting Searches

Google has transformed the way people search over the internet. Blogger has given a way to ordinary people like me to hone their writing skills. And Clicky, my tracker, has given a beautiful way of tracking visitor stats. 

Here is an interesting compilation of the search queries of some visitors who landed on my blog in the last 7 days.

• A breath of freshness in late August
• A happy girl is the future of India
• Accepting and facing problems
• She is a real beauty
• Beds on the beach
• False consciousness culturally instilled of religion
• Has Kris retired from Infosys
• Hina Rabbani khar married
• Hina Rabbani khar vital stats
• How to pray to god for rewinding time
• I Like You
• Ignorance is not an excuse
• Ignorance is not bliss 
• I'm sorry  
• In god we trust 2011
• Inspiration words of thanks for a job well done
• Internet addiction  
• Is not chivalry dead
• Shuffle really really
• We live our lives in compartments
• Were there two operation Geronimo, one at abbotabad in Pakistan and other at a cine studio in Israel or the US
• What does a hair color say about a people
• What is the main aim of Jan lokpalbill
• Who invented the Facebook like button
• Why did Mao zedong create maoism
• You are a real beauty 

The list has been compiled with all due respects to the visitors. After all, we all, including me, look for answers to different and varied questions on the internet.

In God We Trust

This is a picture of a Puja (an offering to God Almighty) before the first flight of a brand new airplane purchased by Kingfisher Airlines of India. 

In God We Trust

It showcases the faith and belief we mortals hold in Him. 

In simple words, In God We Trust.

The Corrupt Politician

Recently, while watching the movie "The Hunt For Red October", I came across a dialogue which painted a very apt picture of corrupt politicians.

The Corrupt Politician

"Listen, I'm a politician, which means I'm a cheat and a liar, and when I'm not kissing babies, I'm stealing their lollipops, but it also means that I keep my options open."

What a beautiful way to describe these cheats!! It's time to chuck these guys out of the system.

Hina Rabbani Khar

Hina Rabbani Khar - For all practical purposes, till more than a month back, she was a nondescript Pakistani lady and a Minister of State in the Government of Pakistan.

Since her appointment as The Foreign Minister of Pakistan, and her subsequent visit to India on an official mission, she has taken India and the entire Indian sub-continent by storm.

Hina Rabbani Khar In Pakistan's National Assembly

India Pakistan relations have been difficult for the last sixty years or so. Right from the time of Independence from the Britishers, there have been numerous flare ups. And as an up side , there have been several attempts to bring back things to normal.  

The 80's and 90's belonged to Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto. They alternated between power for these two decades. After a peaceful Army coup in 1999, the then Pakistani General Pervez Musharraf assumed the presidency. 

Now we have a lady who has been entrusted with the task of bringing more confidence between the nations. She is Hina Rabbani Khar. 

Hina Rabbani Khar 

All of thirty four years, a few weeks back, the lady embarked upon the most important mission of her life. As a foreign minister, she came to India.

So who exactly is Hina Khar?

Well, her vital stats first. She is a lady of 34 years. Born in 1977 to an influential and political family in Pakistan's Punjab province, she is a business woman by profession.

Hina is married and is blessed with two daughters and a son. She is passionate about polo and trekking. And being a businesswoman, she is the owner of a popular lounge in Lahore.

Hina Rabbani Khar With Her Baby Child

She has been in the dirty world of Politics since 2002. She has been elected twice to Pakistan's National Assembly twice. 

In Feb 2011, she was appointed as a Minister of State for Foreign Affairs in the Pakistani Government. And on 20 Jul 2011, she was elevated to the post of The Foreign Minister of Pakistan, after the resignation of her predecessor.

Hina Rabbani Khar In Delhi

Immediately after her appointment to this important post, she embarked on a visit to India. Most people wondered, how would a lady with minimal experience in the fluid world of international politics be able to essay this role? 

Well, all these questions were forgotten as soon as she landed in India.

Hina Khar Arriving In India

Her calmness stands out in this picture. And her eyes reflect strong determination. I think she would have been saying a small prayer as she stepped out of the Air Force plane.

Once she was out on the tarmac, India's media went frenzy with her fashion style. Her elegant blue dress, her expensive hand bag and her couture were the center of attraction. Politics had taken a back seat. Her smile had floored everyone.

Smiling Hina

And as she waved to the Indian media, they simply went ga-ga. Only if she was an Indian and with the Indian National Congress, she would have been the brand ambassador for their election symbol - "The Palm".

Hina Khar Waving

Not disturbed by the attention she received, she went about doing the tasks on her hand. Even before meeting anyone from the Government of India, she met the separatist pro-Pakistani leaders from Jammu and Kashmir. 

This meeting of hers evoked strong adverse reactions from the Indian media. She had however completed her task.

Later she had an meeting with India's Foreign Minister, SM Krishna. Krishna is 79 years old, 45 years senior to Hina. Needless to say, his political experience is more than Hina's age. Yet, she was not awed by such stats. It can be reflected in her firm handshake.

Hina Rabbani Khar and SM Krishna - Her Firm Handshake

Her poise is indomitable. Being a business woman, she has brought in a level of professionalism in her official missions.

Later she gained an audience with the BJP leader, LK Advani. Advani, who is famous for his anti-Pak rhetoric, too was impressed by Hina. He presented her with a bouquet of red roses.

Hina Khar and LK Advani - Red Roses

I wonder what Advani said to Hina, which evoked a shy smile from her.

Most importantly, she also met the Indian Prime Minister - Manmohan Singh. She listened to him with rapt attention as Manmohan shared his two cents on the future of India Pakistan relations.

Hina Khar And Manmohan Singh

In a matter of two days, she met who's who of Indian politics. Whatever little interactions she would have had with them will hold in good stead for Hina over the coming years. 

Managing the Foreign Ministry would mean dealing with bully-friend USA, rival India, "friend or a foe" Afghanistan and it's Taliban, good friend China and other such big wig countries. 

On a lighter note, her attractive looks and elegant personality have been a source of many jokes in India. 

The Hina Effect

If she ever decides to act in Indian movies, the Bollywood starlets would be left high and dry. Her charm offensive has worked wonders.

To Hina With Love  

Hina Khar

Pakistan is at a turning point with the recent killing of Osama Bin Laden. And Hina will be Pakistan's face across the world, as she jets sets across the capitals selling Pakistan.

Chivalry Is Not Dead

Chivalry Is Not Dead

Starring LK Advani, BJP leader from India, all of 83 years and Hina Rabbani Khar, the Foreign Minister of Pakistan, with just 34 years under the sun, this picture says it all.

Need I say more?

A Cup Of Tea

In the sweltering English summer, with India playing England in a high powered Test series, the match breaks for the Tea Break.

Rahul Dravid

The commentator says - "Well, the batsman really needs a cup of tea!!"

A Cup Of Tea

Makes me wonder - do these stylish players, these days, really have a cup of tea in the Tea Break in a Test Match??

When Organisations Are Irrational

It stuns me the way organisations do business. And I had an interaction with one such organisation today.

Today morning, I called up a popular Call Taxi Service in Hyderabad, a city in India, - to book a cab later in the evening. This has been the Taxi Service I have been using for quite some while.

As soon as I rang up these guys, the caller tune announced - "Thank You for calling Easy Cabs, the most popular Radio Taxi Service in India". I was impressed. And glad that they had achieved this "most popular" landmark. 

After that, it was all down hill!!!

Your Reputation  Jumped Down the Cliff 

Soon, I was for in a pleasant surprise when the automated caller tune announced that a convenience charge of Rs. 30 will be charged for booking on the phone. 

I said to myself - "What non-sense. This is another tactic to fleece your customers. You take pride in the fact that you are a popular Radio Taxi Service. Yet, you charge your customers a fee of Rs. 30 to book for the service through the phone - which made you popular in the first place". Very unfair, I said.

Till the time my phone was answered by the operator, I wondered what are the other mechnasims where I could book the same service - without the convenience charge. 

This company does not have a fleet which you can see everywhere on the road, and you can just wave off the taxi, like you do in cities like Bombay and London, for a ride to the destination. Nothing was striking my mind.

Soon the operator came online. I booked my cab and inquired about the convenience charges with him. He indicated that if the booking is done on the internet, the company won't levy any service charge. Another non-sense. 

What Silly Ideas Evoke?

What if I am at some place having a dinner, and wanting to go back home in the taxi? Do I log into the internet? Does everyone have a mobile phone powered by internet? Or should I rush into the nearest internet cafe, pay another Rs. 25 to use the cafe, and book the taxi. It is simply silly.

I requested the operator to cancel my booking, indicating that I will book through the internet. I logged into the site and tried to book the taxi, for 11 0 clock in the evening today. 

Out popped an error message - "Internet booking is allowed only 24 hours prior to the service." Another piece of non-sense. Does it mean that If I have go somewhere locally, I need to plan 24 hours in advance? Guys, are you booking a chartered super jumbo plane for me?

Stupid Ideas

This entire exercise left me flabbergasted. 

I wonder who had designed this entire idea. I wonder how reputed organisations like these adopt some silly, obnoxious ideas. 

There will be people who will appreciate this business idea. But for me, this idea is a utter non-starter.

Well, I can conclude only point - These days everything can be passed, even if its irrational. Being sensible means being foolish.

These Days

These day I have to

Stand On a Single Hand and Do A Dance

Be Supremely Flexible 

Stretch Myself To The Hilt

Keep The Ball Rolling - Come What May

Stretch Myself In One Direction - Look In The Other

And What Not

Well, I am not a fan of Baba Ramdev. Neither am I joining the Indian gymnastics team. I am a simple individual doing an ordinary job. Yet, I have to do all of these acrobatics.

Lastly, I have to be very agile and flexible, conciliatory and nimble. Yet, there is one thing that should be least agile and spry. My mind!! 

Ignorance Is Not Bliss

Ignorance is bliss. Or so they said. 

Is this inter personal behavior as simple they make out to be? And does it give the same result...a state of bliss...always? Another important point to contemplate is whether it has the same impact on all parties involved in the situation?

The answer would be a overwhelming No. 

Is Ignorance Bliss?

Let's take the case of a man and a lady. After being a good friend of hers, something goes wrong and the lady stops talking to the guy. Ignoring his calls and other communication attempts, she tries to isolate herself from this person. 

That's her attempt to ignore the person who she thinks is caustic to her and makes an attempt to work towards a state of bliss. And what about the guy in question?  He is down and out. And horribly miserable. 

Fast forward to some business case. After being a leader in a particular market, this top notch organisation sniffs some competition from a  new player in the market. Having a monopoly, the firm thinks that the newbie does not stand a chance to impact it in any way. 

Ignoring them, their clever strategy, their superior product, and the taste for new things by the masses, the old company starts loosing steam. And the new kid on the street emerges as a winner. 

So much for ignorance. 

Knowledge Vs Ignorance

The newbie does take a lesson in corporate policy...of not to ignore the smallest of the warnings , even at the expense of sounding alarmist. This very fact had made them a winner, and this should not make them a loser.    

Consider the ICC Cricket World Cup Finals. The toss is a crucial element in the game of cricket. The captain threw the coin and the other captain made the call. 

Dhoni, India's captain, tossed up the coin and Kumar Sangakarra of Sri Lanka made the call. The referee heard him mumble, but he was not sure whether he called "Heads" or "Tails". In the heat of the moment, everyone ignored the call and thought that things would work out correctly. 

And they didn't. The toss had to be redone. Luckily, Dhoni lost the toss, Sri Lanka chose to bat, and India went on to win the World Cup finals. 

If, only if, India had lost the match - the Indian society would not have forgiven the referee. 

If you are a person responsible for something or someone, like being a parent or a professional, you would have come across several situations where you would have thought - only if I had not ignored it. 

Ignorance Is Not An Excuse

Yes, ignorance does offer a short term peace of mind. In the long term, the result would be unpredictable. And as a matter of prudence, it will be better he we don't ignore the point.

Think about the silly boy who ignored the hints and overtures from the pretty girl, on whom he had a crush. As he just procrastinated on whether he was seeing things, he ignored her. Over a period of time, she lost interest in the boy. And then he is just another boy.   

Try to get back your thoughts when you were a student. Under huge pressure to study a huge syllabus, you skipped or ignored a lesson. Only to shudder to see some mandatory questions from that chapter in the exam. 

More and More Ignorance

Ignore at your own risk. Never ignore willfully. Even if the probability of the occurrence of the unexpected situation   is less, it may indeed occur. And hopefully, not ignoring will yield you a favorable result. 

Ignorance does not pay. Ignorance is not bliss.