ZInger Spree: Blog

Lack of Initiative !

Thu, 13 Nov 2008 18:13:45 GMT

Yet another random collection of thoughts by me. Why random, I don’t know. Why not something specific ,on some topic, some issue, something a bit focused. What should I say. Interestingly, I believe that my writings depict me well . A personality that is little bit of this and some bits of that ; not dedicated and not ambitious at all. Its not just me, I think all of my nation is passing through a stae of mind that is uncertain and scattered.

I always appreciate those who initiate tasks. Any task actually. From little brave steps to bold strides, no matter what the situation is ; the word “do” always sells.

Taking an initiative is not everyone’s cup of tea as different factors are there that halt people from taking initiatives. So many times we want to do something new , something extra or something productive but could not find ourselves kick off. There can be various reasons for that , some of the causes could be the ones put below.

People can be afraid of criticism as well as of rejection. A strong sense of fear that their ideas and action might result in criticism or in worst case simply would get rejected , stop them to start anything new , take an initiative or take a lead. They prefer working in their comfort zones on same routine stuff they have always been doing.

Another phenomenon that sucks away energies of an “initiator to – be” is nothing but the same old “Fear of failure”. One wants to be a triumphant entrepreneur, fiery leader of the nation or an eloquent performer but fear of failure stops that person from acting.

Fear of limelight is yet another type of anxiety when a humble arse person does not want to be get noticed. Such people are so much anxious of getting attention that they try to be indifferent and silent most of the times. Their thoughts keep circling around “What will they think ? What will people say” kind of queries. They tend to avoid giving their concrete opinions and try to follow others.They keep doing what they are doing and whatever they are told and rarely start something on their own.

Fear of consequences of success is a type of barrier that can occur at times too. Initiating a task and successfully achieving it leads to possible change in present circumstances of the person. That person might get promotion or expectation of people could get higher as well as workloads can be increased. Therefore, such a person will keep doing the routine tasks and will avoid anything extra coming in the way.

What we need to do is, to identify what is stopping us from execute ; that we have been wanting to do for some time and what state is our state of mind that is not letting us to take initiatives improve our lives and surroundings.

You must stand alone !

Sun, 09 Nov 2008 09:22:22 GMT

There comes a time when you must stand alone.

You must feel confident enough within yourself to follow your own dreams.

You must be willing to make sacrifices.

You must be capable of changing and rearranging your priorities so that your final goal can be achieved.

Sometimes, familiarity and comfort need to be challenged.

There are times when you must take a few extra chances and create your own realities.

Be strong enough to at least try to make your life better.

Be confident enough that you won't settle for a compromise just to get by.

Appreciate yourself by allowing yourself the opportunities to grow, develop, and find your true sense of purpose in this life.

Don't stand in someone else's shadow when it's your sunlight that should lead the way.

(ANONYMOUS)

Mismatch !

Sat, 25 Oct 2008 18:59:35 GMT

That was a so called Eid night at the end of September. I was working in the yard whole night as I was supposed to count equipment (assets) ,take their pictures or put some other evidence that we have those assets with us. An Indian guy Saji Joseph was helping me with task. It was hot over there, yeah even at night we were sweating like anything while working in yard.

Our conversation went like this .!

Me : Your English is perfect !

Saji Joseph: Haha

Me: Why are you laughing, mate?

SJ : Well, it is my English is supposed to be good I guess, as I have masters degree in English literature

Me : Oh damn ! what the hell are you doing here then ?

SJ : Exactly !

Me: What were you doing before coming into this lucrative “dirty” oil work ?

SJ: I was lecturer in a junior college in Jamaica , West Indies and before that I was working in a bookstore in Amsterdam, Holland.

Me: See, I knew that when I met you that you don’t belong to this place. haha

SJ : Yes man , but somehow I have accepted it as my fate and probably I’ll keep working in this labour intensive ,illiterate environment as the money is good.

Me: aahh ! Money ! The harsh reality of life.

…………………………………………………………………………………..

Somehow , I got rid of my co-workers as we were waiting for someone at airport , I took taxi and went to Villagio. It is an interesting mall in Doha built on style of Venice. They even have boats over there just like they have in Venice.(Hell yeah , I have been to the real Venice as well). Lighting system is amazing , the roof (sky) turns light blue with clouds at day becomes dark with stars glowing at night time. Walking through Villagio actually , makes one calms and serene ,away from hustle and bustle , stress and mess ups of city and the work life itself.

I did some shopping for my family. I live for that day actually , the shopping day. I bear everything , the stress, immense ,work load ,harsh criticism and all that stupid stuff for the day of shopping for my family. The day before I go home. Anyway, I was in H& M , a UK based brand . Got some stuff and while I was paying met that cheerful young sales assistant probably from India , as he was smiling and greeting customers. That took me back to around 2 years time ,when I was working in Manchester ,Primark on till banks. That was a busy but fun job for me. So many young people around ,so much laughter ,jokes and gossips going on.

Well , I said to that guy , seems like a nice working environment, yeah?

Sales Guy : Yes, Indeed. Its not that hard ,people are good and I have this opportunity of interacting with lots of people.

Me: How long have you been in Qatar.

SG: 1.5 months and I like this place , so far.

Me: That’s good , mate . You should enjoy it , you are working in this clean and nice environment , that must be satisfying for you.

SG: yeah. But still ,” no place like home”

Me: True

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Another UK brand , "Boots" was full of young female staff , there was just one guy .The lucky bastard . While paying for my stuff , I could not resist myself and uttered ,

Me: Hey bro , what a good place to work isn’t it?

The Not so smiley sales guy : Is it?

Me: Heck yeah ! So many women , Hahaha

TNSSG : Oh you are talking in that sense. Well yes you can say so , but I am not happy here.

Me: A bit astound by his frank remark about his job , I inquired , why so?

TNSSG: Because I have done diploma as a Flight steward and that is what I want to be.

Me: Oh I see.

TNSSG : I have been applying at places but nothing happened. Now I want someone to help me with getting a job in Qatar Airways. Don’t know who can help me.

Me: Anyway bro, all the best with your job search. But don’t forget to enjoy your current job meanwhile.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Thattil : Do you know , how much that Qatar Gas inspector earns? He gets 900 Dollars per day. That is a fat salary.

Me: Yes it is. I guess If you keep working in oil industry then you can sort our your life easily. But you will miss your “life” at the same time.

Put your mouth where your money is !

Wed, 22 Oct 2008 16:41:11 GMT

by Anjum Niaz

After China's reluctance to bail us out, what next? The Saudis were shy to say they will give us oil on deferred payment; they have since gone silent. The Americans did promise us some millions but are today scurrying like scared rabbits stopping their own economy from collapse. The UAE royal family will cough up cash for old time's sake but only if we hand over our family silver to them on a platter. We have no cash to keep the IMF wolf away from the door. Pakistan has begged from all, but none has come forth with money, only hollow promises.

Knock, knock. Enter the big bad wolf. With our economy in the emergency ward, the IMF will shove its painful economic drip down our throats to revive us. Do we deserve it? Yes, because our leaders, military and civilian, present and past, have been too busy living like emperors, building their own palaces in Pakistan and abroad, junketing abroad with toadies unlimited, lining their own pockets, hoarding dollars in their own foreign banks and looking the other way while their honchos have done the same. The rape by our leaders continues. The fear of God doesn't work on our leaders; the fear of IMF does.

If the world's second richest man Warren Buffet is willing to invest in his country's future by buying American stocks why can't Pakistan's suggested second richest man President Asif Ali Zardari and the fourth richest man Mian Nawaz Sharif invest in energy projects that can save Pakistan from going bankrupt? Just think about it. This is no idle talk but a practical solution to our biggest problem today: lack of energy.

"Put your mouth where your money is," writes Warren Buffet in a column recently. "Today my money and my mouth both say equities." A simple rule dictates his buying: "Be fearful when others are greedy, and be greedy when others are fearful. And most certainly, fear is now widespread, gripping even seasoned investors. But fears regarding the long-term prosperity of the nation's many sound companies make no sense. These businesses will indeed suffer earnings hiccups, as they always have. But most major companies will be setting new profit records 5, 10 and 20 years from now."

Pakistan cannot come close to America and its wealth. Cynics may point out that my citing Warren Buffet is therefore way off the mark. They may point out that Zardari and Sharif are no Warren Buffet. Granted. Darn, it's time we talked shop. Sharp-suited- smiler has done the international rounds but returned home empty handed. Zardari's last resort was China. He hoped that the Chinese would deposit $1.5 billion to $3 billion in the State Bank of Pakistan before his plane touched down in Karachi. That did not happen.

Why?

The much-celebrated democracy dividend engineered by the US and UK envoys and seconded by the Saudis and the UAE earlier this year saw the emasculation of Pervez Musharraf. The dictator was forced to issue the NRO which washed away the years of corruption our politicians were accused of and indicted for in courts here and abroad. The death of Benazir Bhutto left in its wake a power vacuum that Zardari and company were not prepared for. The PPP co-chairman overnight became the accidental candidate and in turn got crushed under the welter of his own power. Consequently he bungled not once but many times. He allowed Farooq Naek and Latif Khosa to block the return of the chief justice. He allowed his ego to guide him in his choice of a subservient prime minister. He okayed Rehman Malik's underhand move to take control of the ISI. He let loose the dogs of war in Punjab all the while schmoozing with the Sharifs; trooping with the Americans (Ambassador Anne Patterson in Islamabad and Ambassador Zalmay Khalilzad in New York); cajoling the Saudis for free oil; humouring General Kayani and pampering Altaf Hussain of the MQM giving him what he wants.

The president is sagging under the tonnage of national and international pressure. Before going to China he told the reporters here that he was visiting Beijing after "24 years." Correction. He went in December 1993 (15 years ago) as the spouse of prime minister Benazir Bhutto. The couple was given a warm welcome and Benazir was simply outstanding. She won the hearts of the Chinese leaders. Witnessing her meeting at the Great Hall and her press conferences sent waves of pride among us, the media party that accompanied her. We were genuinely proud of our leader.

Today, her widower, the president, is trying too hard to emulate her. It's backfiring. Why did he make the ridiculous announcement to visit China every three months to educate himself and learn business secrets that enabled China to amass two trillion dollars in foreign exchange reserves? It's nothing but sanctimonious chatter. If he's sincere then he should look for answers in his own backyard, a country of 170 million working hard stiff. For too long our civilian governments have kept us drugged by feeding mind-numbing words like "democracy" and "awam ki khidmat" while engaging in widespread state plunder. The money they pocket is conveniently transferred to their Swiss banks with no questions asked by the greedy Swiss. Pakistanis wake up only after the deed is done and the government sacked. Everybody – the press, successive government, TV anchors and human rights champions suddenly scramble into the act of catching the thieves.

But it's too late and of course the IMF is called to clean up the mess.

Let's end this thieves and robbers statecraft. Our present leaders should cut out the long lectures and instead put their mouth where their money is. They need to set an example for the rest to follow. Begin by being honest, sincere and transparent. Let Raja Pervaiz Ashraf, minister of water and power, suffer the loadshedding as all others in Islamabad do. No exceptions please. Let his street in F-8 be in darkness and his home without electricity when our homes and streets are unlit. Let the president and prime minister show the awam that they too are burning the midnight oil looking for solutions to get back electricity in our homes and industries. Zardari deserves praise for getting a promise from the Chinese to build two more nuclear power plants, but in the meanwhile, he must pump up the public's confidence by investing his overseas wealth in the local banks. He and his cronies must jumpstart our economy by ruthlessly husbanding expenses.

Does JUI chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman deserve to enjoy perks and privileges meant for a federal minister? No Prime Minister! Why have you singled this man who changes his political affiliations like the weathercock? Why shower state largesse on him? Yusuf Raza Gilani, if he loves the maulana so much, should pay him a stipend from his own personal bank accounts, which like the other leaders, is hefty. Do you know how much our parliamentarians cost us annually? Each one of them at least us of Rs32 lakhs. In five years these 534 MPs would have deprived the national exchequer of Rs85,440,000, 000 (more than 800 crores). This is only their direct costs. Add to this a couple of more millions that our lawmakers, not all of them but most, make in shady deals and graft. We, the people, must demand that these fellows who come on television or make tall promises in print should put their money where their mouth is. They should invest in projects that generate electricity. And pronto!

The Zardari government has allowed the Dubai-based Abraaj Capital to control KESC. Farrukh Abbas has been appointed the CEO of Abraaj Capital Pakistan. Reliable sources inform me that he's drawing a monthly salary estimated at US$ 46,000 plus perks. In rupees this comes to Rs40 lakhs a month. Abbas, it may be said is related to Mrs Timmy Hakim Ali Zardari through marriage. Is this a case of sheer nepotism or merit? The jury will only come out when this government is a thing of the past. But you can't stop tongues from wagging. Everyone, sans the jiyalas is aware how the PPP is mismanaging governance.

Well, now you know why our foreign friends have shafted us. But hope springs eternal. The 'Friends of Pakistan' may yet rescue us from the IMF.

Peronal Space !

Fri, 03 Oct 2008 00:13:20 GMT

I like that part of the song ‘November Rain’ when it says that “Everybody needs sometime on their own”. Yes , indeed. According to a recent research , every normal human being needs to be alone at least for 2 hours a day.2 hours of their own, they don’t want anyone’s interference and they just want to be alone.

Personal space is not all about being alone. Its about being free of interference in your personal acts ,beliefs and in daily living. At times one has to determine their own space and tell others in some discreet language that they are not supposed to cross that limit. Many times we fail to communicate that at some point and suffer later. It is better to clear out things at start rather than feeling disgusted and isolated later. You don’t have to care about what they think because It is your life and you have every right to spend it the way you want.

Silence !

Thu, 02 Oct 2008 23:21:16 GMT

This is not silence of a dumb fuck

This is not silence of some ignorant fool

This is not just another quiet dimwit

This is not a cowardly non-communicator

This is not an illiterate moron having nothing to talk about

This is just a deliberate silence

Let the time come and something will be heard very soon !

The battle within

Tue, 23 Sep 2008 19:11:05 GMT

(Written during a small break at work because of server failure)

There are two forces of thought running into our minds. One asks us to confront while the other one urges to stay calm. One says , “do or die” where the other one puts up “ponder well and never rush” . The first one pushes us to “say what we want and do what we want without thinking about the consequences”. The second one forces us to behave a little sound and ask us to think twice before doing anything bold. The earlier one doesn’t care about dignity and respect that much, all it want is confrontation with oppressors and offenders and total freedom. While the later thought pattern, gives value to dignity and integrity more than anything else.

We pass through such phases some time in our lives , when we feel like keeping things real , set records straight and yell at every person who tries to manipulate us. We want to snatch back our freedom and personal space that we have been missing for some time. At that stage we want to do whatever we want. Protest , do some unrest , disobey ,denounce ,fight and be a rebel.

Then this damn second part of our brain , the reluctant one , the calmer one ,the foresighted one plays its part and urges us to keep our cool. It just balances things up. Heck why?

You question the rules you have to obey,

but nobody else seems bothered.

At times like these, you wonder if you're going crazy.

Actually, your complaints are perfectly justified,

but other people have learned to grin and bear the oppression,

because dwelling on it has made them miserable.

If you decide to challenge the powers that be,

you will have to do it on your own. Your chances of success are good,

but the going will get tough " ( ANONYMOUS )

Breaking the cycle !

Mon, 22 Sep 2008 18:01:27 GMT

I went to Najma today , right after my work. Najma is a busy central district of Doha , full of people , energy and life. There are cafes, restaurants,souvenir shops and other outlets dealing in wide variety of goods. At least one feels like back in life , for a change. I met fellows of my company there , had Ifat with them , took pictures and returned home. I was so tired but I prefered to go there as I wanted a little bit of change in my freakin' routine.

Now I am back in my home relaxing ,having tea and watching TV. There is a workload , I need to finish , there are documents I need do and there are tasks I have to peform in order to cope with ongoing Assets audit tomorrow . What the heck man ? What the heck ? I am not someone's slave. This company pays me for my work and the time I have at home is supposed to be mine only.Why should I waste this time on my office work ? Heck why?

I know ,I can only behave like a rebel in my writings. In real I'll be doing work just after half an hours, because if I won't do it then I might get in trouble. Grrrrr.....

I feel like a modern slave at times who has do deal with this stupid forced labour.

A new task !

Sat, 20 Sep 2008 18:35:34 GMT

It has been the toughest Ramadan for me so far. Tight schedule , less working hours and loads of workload. Anyway , so far I have been performing my tasks in a timely fashion. The last bit is here before the Eid holidays. I have been assigned the task of Physical count of Assets coming under Joint venture. We have to find items with specified serial numbers in the Joint Venture list and provide evidence by taking photographs of equipment. Equipment tranfered to off-shore will be shown on Delivery Tickets. It is a huge task ,especially when we look at bad weather, limited Ramadan timings as well as busy subordinates as they have to meet their day to day tasks too.

I can untilise three guys. Ok not too bad. I have started working on this assignment today and in my opinion, , it is going to take some time. I will accomplish this task ont ime, I have no doubt on that , but I have to work really hard in coming week together with my team. On Friday, I'll be either celebrating the accomplished task or will be worried about how to ask for 1-2 days extension. (Nah, I don't want that).

I am doing what is necessary and what is possible.Hopefully, it is going to be alright. INSHALLAH !

Ok , just an update ! My quick responses and communication during Inventory Audit , was praised by Operations Manager of our company. He said some good stuff about me in front of senior management. Phew ! Thank God, I am feeling better, more energetic and even more positive now.

"Hardwork never goes invain"

Bernard Lewis on Islamofascism and Terrorism

Mon, 15 Sep 2008 18:13:48 GMT

Foreign Policy: What do you see as the biggest misperception about Islam?

Bernard Lewis: Well, there are two. Sometimes one, sometimes the other, predominates. It depends when and where. I would call them the negative one and the positive one. The negative one sees Muslims as a collection of bloodthirsty barbarians offering people the choice of the Koran or the sword, and generally bringing tyranny and oppression wherever they go. And the other one is the exact opposite, what you might call the sanitized version, which presents Islam as a religion of love and peace, rather like the Quakers but without their aggressiveness. The truth is in its usual place, somewhere between the extremes.

FP: Do you believe in the "clash of civilizations" theory of Samuel P. Huntington, that the Islamic world and the West are destined to butt heads?

BL: Well, I don't go into destiny; I'm a historian and I deal with the past. But I certainly think there is something in the "clash of civilizations." What brought Islam and Christendom into conflict was not so much their differences as their resemblances. There are many religions in the world, but almost all of them are regional, local, ethnic, or whatever you choose to call it. Christianity and Islam are the only religions that claim universal truth. Christians and Muslims are the only people who claim they are the fortunate recipients of God's final message to humanity, which it is their duty not to keep selfishly to themselves—like the Jews or the Hindus or the Buddhists—but to bring to the rest of mankind, removing whatever obstacles there may be in the way.

So, we have two religions with a similar self-perception, a similar historical background, living side by side, and conflict becomes inevitable.

FP: You write in your chapter about radical Islam that most Muslims are not fundamentalists, and that most fundamentalists are not terrorists. That's not self-evident to everyone, so can you just explain it a little further?

BL: Naturally we hear about the acts of terror. Nobody ever wrote a headline saying "a million people went peacefully about their business yesterday and did nothing." Terrorism is very much the news of the moment and it is also the threat of the moment. It is a real menace, and I don't wish to understate that or diminish it in any way. But if one assumes that that's all there is to Islam, that's a grave mistake, because terrorism only comes from one brand of Islam, and even that one brand of Islam is not entirely committed to terrorism. But for a terrorist movement, you do need mass support.

FP: I noticed that you use the term "Islamofascism" in the conclusion of your book. That term has been hotly debated. What do you think? Is it harmful or useful?

BL: Well, I don't use it; I discuss it. I think one has to confront that this is a term that is used. I don't like it because it's insulting to Muslims. They see it as insulting to link the name of their religion with the most detestable of all the European movements. It's useful in the sense that it does distinguish real Islam from "Islamofascism," but I still feel that the connection is insulting, and I prefer to use the term "radical Islam."

FP: A lot of analysts, and this is especially something you hear from political leaders in the Muslim world, say that Islam has nothing to do with terrorism—that these are completely separate issues. Is that a view that you subscribe to? Some people say that terrorism is largely caused by occupation or a response to U.S. policy, not Islam.

BL: Well, I can't subscribe to it since the terrorists themselves claim to be acting in the name of Islam. There was one Muslim leader who said, not long ago, that it is wrong to speak about Muslim terrorism, because if a man commits an act of terrorism, he's not a Muslim. That's very nice, but that could also be interpreted as meaning that if a Muslim commits it, it doesn't count as terrorism.

When a large part of the Muslim world was under foreign rule, then you might say that terrorism was a result of imperialism, of imperial rule and occupation. But at the present time, almost the whole of the Muslim world has achieved its independence. They can no longer blame others for what goes wrong. They have to confront the realities of their own lives at home. A few places remain disputed, like Chechnya and Israel and some others, but these are relatively minor if you're talking about the Islamic world as a whole.

FP: Iraq, which used to be ruled by a Sunni ruler, is now being governed by Shiites. What does that mean in the context of Islamic history?

BL: I think it means a great deal. But what is important in Iraq is not that it's being ruled by the Shiites, but that it's being ruled by a democracy, by a free, elected government that faces a free opposition. It proves what is often disputed, that the development of democratic institutions in a Muslim Arab country is possible. A lot of people say, "No, it's impossible. It can't work. They can't do it." Well, it's difficult, but it's not impossible, and I think Iraq proves that. What is happening in Iraq I find profoundly encouraging. Of course, it is the ripple effect from Iraq that is causing alarm among all the tyrants that rule these countries [in the region]. If it works in Iraq, it could work elsewhere, and this is very disturbing [for tyrants].

FP: As someone who has spent so much time studying the Ottoman Empire, the history of Islam, and the region, is the future of Islam something that has a deep meaning to you personally? Where do you see the Muslim world headed in the next decade?

BL: I'm not a religious person. But I find things that are good and encouraging. Islam over the last 14 centuries has brought dignity and meaning to millions of drab and impoverished lives. It has created a great civilization that has gone through several different phases in several different countries. It is now going through a major crisis, and it could go either way. It could descend into a fanatical tyranny, which would be devastating for Muslims and a threat to the rest of the world. Or they may succeed in developing their own brand of democracy. When we talk about the possibility of democracy in the Islamic world, it doesn't have to be our kind. Our kind results from our own history and institutions. It's not a universal model. They can, and I think will, develop their own brand of democracy, by which I mean limited, civilized, responsible government. And there are signs of that.

Bernard Lewis is professor emeritus at Princeton University and the author of dozens of books, most recently Islam: The Religion and the People (Upper Saddle River: Wharton School Publishing, 2008), coauthored with Buntzie Ellis Churchill

crossroads !

Thu, 11 Sep 2008 22:25:05 GMT

I am at crossroads. I have to choose just one path yet again. Either confront it ,face it , fight through it or simply walk away gracefully ,clearing the field for them. It might not be that graceful though, as walking away means I’ll be accepting my defeat and letting them win without any resistance.

Whatever I do , I should be careful as I will not be able to redo/undo anything. The path of confrontation can be painful and can lead to further worsening of my image. On the other hand, walking away without defending myself will let them accuse me and put blame of anything on me as I won’t be there to say anything in my defense anymore. This is a complicated situation.

There is a self-explanatory third way out too , known as “status quo” . It will make things seem like going for a while but this path can bring me anxiety , leaving me fearful and downtrodden.

Anyway, I should not care what others think and must adopt an approach suitable for me and my future.

PERSISTENCE !

Mon, 08 Sep 2008 22:04:38 GMT

The majority of people are ready to throw their aims and purposes overboard, and give up at the first sign of opposition and misfortune. A few carry on despite all opposition until they attain their goal. These few are Ford, Carnegies ,Rockefellers , and Edisons.

The Process !

Fri, 05 Sep 2008 16:53:19 GMT

The process of persistence can be hard. Perservence is tough but can yield wonderful results.There comes a time when we almost forget that harsh time faced by us.The problem arises when we fail to enjoy this process and ruin our day to day lives, relationships and our ambitions get blurred because of discomfort of the initial process.We have to be happy in any situation as everything is temporary , nothing is eternal . No matter how good or how bad , everything comes to an end.

Gossip !

Fri, 05 Sep 2008 09:46:27 GMT

Next time someone starts to spread gossip, think of this:

In ancient Greece (469 - 399 BC), Socrates was widely lauded for his wisdom.

One day the great philosopher came upon an acquaintance who ran up to him excitedly and said, "Socrates, do you know what I just heard about one of your students?"

Wait a moment," Socrates replied. "Before you tell me I'd like you to pass a little test.It's called the Triple Filter Test."

"Triple filter?"

"That's right," Socrates continued. "Before you talk to me about my student let's take a m! oment to filter what you're going to say. The first filter is Truth. Have you made absolutely sure that what you are about to tell me is true?"

"No," the man said, "actually I just heard about it and..."

"All right," said Socrates. "So you don't really know if it's true or not. Now let's try the second filter, the filter of Goodness. Is what you are about to tell me about my student something good?"

"No, on the contrary..."

"So," Socrates continued, "you want to tell me something bad about him, even though you're not certain it's true?"

The man shrugged, a little embarrassed.

Socrates continued. "You may still pass the test though,because there is a third filter - the filter of Usefulness. Is what you want to tell me about my student going to be useful to me?"

"No, not really..."

"Well," concluded Socrates, "if what you want to tell me is neither True nor Good nor even Useful,! why tell it to me at all?"

The man was defeated and ashamed.

This is the reason Socrates was a great philosopher and held in such high esteem.

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It also explains why he never found out that Plato (his student) was having an affair with his wife.

Catgory 5 disaster !

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 13:38:48 GMT

GLOBAL VIEW
By BRET STEPHENS

September 2, 2008

If there's a case to be made against democracy, few countries make it better than Pakistan.

On Saturday, Pakistani legislators will elect a new president to replace Pervez Musharraf, the general-turned- strongman who resigned the office last month.

In one corner there is Mushahid Hussain Sayed, a former journalist and one-time political prisoner of Mr. Musharraf who is nonetheless running as the candidate of the general's old party. Mr. Mushahid, probably the best of the bunch, stands next to no chance of winning.

In another corner there is Saeeduzzaman Siddiqui, candidate of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's party. Mr. Sharif -- whose record includes bankrupting his country, presiding over a disastrous military campaign against India, and attempting to implement Sharia law while awarding himself near-dictatorial powers -- has made it clear he intends to gut the powers of the presidency should he return to office.

And then there is Asif Ali Zardari, the widower of slain former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and leader of the Pakistan People's Party. Mr. Zardari, who has compared himself to Jesus (an innocent accused of crimes he did not commit), is easily one of the most notorious figures in the long parade of horribles that make up the country's political history. He is, of course, expected to win Saturday's ballot handily.

Just how bad is Mr. Zardari? It would be a relief if it were true that he was merely suffering from dementia, a diagnosis offered by two New York psychiatrists last year. But that diagnosis seems to have been produced mainly with a view toward defending himself against corruption charges in a British court.

Mr. Zardari -- who earned the moniker "Mr. 10%" for allegedly demanding kickbacks during his wife's two terms in office -- has long been dogged by accusations of corruption. In 2003, a Swiss magistrate found him and Mrs. Bhutto guilty of laundering $10 million. Mr. Zardari has admitted to owning a 355-acre estate near London, despite coming from a family of relatively modest means and reporting little income at the time it was purchased. A 1998 report by the New York Times's John Burns suggests he may have made off with as much as $1.5 billion in kickbacks. This was at a time when his wife was piously claiming to represent the interests of Pakistan's impoverished masses and denouncing corrupt leaders who "leave the cupboard bare."

It's an open question whether Mr. Zardari will be more or less restrained in his behavior if he's elected: His return to politics has meant the dropping of all charges against him and the release of millions in frozen assets. (The presidency will also confer legal immunity.) That may make him one of the few men in Pakistan to get richer this year: The economy, which grew in an unprecedented way under Mr. Musharraf, has tanked under civilian management. The Karachi stock exchange has lost about a third of its value and the currency about a fifth in recent months. Markets often have better memories than voters.

It's also an open question whether Pakistan's increasingly dire security outlook will focus Mr. Zardari's mind on the urgent tasks of governance. Mr. Zardari has sought to parley himself internationally as a pro-Western candidate, and maybe he is. Yet over the weekend the Pakistani government agreed to stop its air strikes on the Taliban, in exchange for which Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, a religious party, agreed to throw its support to Mr. Zardari. The Taliban has used previous cease-fires to regroup and re-arm for operations against both Afghanistan and Islamabad.

Then there is al Qaeda, now openly endeavoring to use its last redoubts in Pakistan to take over the country. Last month, Ayman al-Zawahiri issued a long broadcast (in English, no less) denouncing Mr. Musharraf as an American tool and calling on Pakistan's army to come over to his side.

That call was unlikely to be heeded against Mr. Musharraf, who could count on the loyalty of his troops. But Mr. Zardari is a caricature of everything that's morally bankrupt with the country's Westernized elite, and thus an inviting propaganda target for al Qaeda and the Taliban. It doesn't help, either, that they are working fertile political soil: 71% of Pakistanis oppose cooperating with the U.S. in counterterrorism, and 51% oppose fighting the Taliban at all, according to a June poll.

Al Qaeda and the Taliban feed on chaos, and a Zardari presidency will almost certainly provide more of it. For Pakistanis, this is a self-inflicted wound and a rebuke to their democracy. For the rest of world, it's a matter of hoping that Pakistan will somehow muddle through. For now, however, this looks like a Category 5 hurricane, dark and vast and visible just offshore.

The Book !

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 17:43:06 GMT

I remember , 7-8 months ago I started writing a book. It was supposed to be collection of articles from different areas of life. Religions,civilizations,geopolitics,philosphy,consumer markets ,actually a combination of anecdotal text,autobiographical drafts and anylitical notes. Where has that book gone now? I don't know? Might be somewhere on my harddisk in pending tasks folder. I enjoy writing , doesn't matter how bad I am in grammar and stuff , I just love wiriting. I want to go ahead with my book.I believe when I'll be free and I'll have some time on my hands ,I'll be a bit more experience person and will be able to write about more experiences.Anyway, Its not the right time to restart writing. Lots of things are going on and I have to meet deadlines. :)

Still Smiling !

Mon, 01 Sep 2008 20:00:03 GMT

Upstream oil and gas sector is one of the most lucrative ones. Only if you survive the pressure and stress of operations based workload.

Wanderer !

Sun, 24 Aug 2008 10:31:25 GMT

I know streets of Islamabad to an extent that I often wonder my hometown is Lahore or Islamabad. Well , none of them are my hometowns. I believe my hometown is Karachi where I have spent initial years of my life. Not really , I don’t know what development have happened there during last decade and have lost in touch with that massive city. I guess my hometown should be Vehari a small town east of Multan where I had spent around 8 years. As per our traditions, town of father is supposed to be the town of the son, therefore I should belong to Hasilpur then. Oh right ! but then I don’t know people of Hasilpur that much except for extended family members , neither have I spent enough time over there.

Talking in a broader context , My country of origin is Pakistan , I have lived and studied here. Got my Masters degree from England and now I am working In Qatar. I don’t know If I’ll continue living in Qatar or change my location or job after a year or so. Anyway , I would like to be known as a “citizen of the world” ,rather than identified from my Nationality. That’s doesn’t mean I am not proud of my heritage and country. I love Pakistan and love my culture, traditions, language and food. heck yeah ! I want to be in a place where people around me should judge each other from their personalities , known on basis of Nationalities.

I was surprised to hear the words of country manager of my company. He assertively and straight forwardly said that he doesn’t want to see more Pakistanis in company. I don’t blame him ,he must have sensed something. Probably number of Pakistanis might be getting higher than other nationalities or he might have seen some problems created because of Pakistanis.

Forget it. All I wanted to say was , I had a good time in Islamabad. Met relatives and all those good old friends of university times. Jokes, cracks, laughter, restaurants ,multiplayer games, overnight stay and movies made the trip awesome. We were remembering those university times when most of our problems were revolving around assignments and other related things. Now I am back in Lahore ,doing almost nothing just relaxing and waiting for next week when I’ll be flying to Doha. I faced some bad times over there at work but eventually coped with it. I presume there is lot more to come. I don’t care. I’ll work hard without a question or a pause and things will remain alright. Last 4 months have taught me a lot. I have worked through a project where a new entity was created with a joint venture of two companies. It has taught me a lot. Time management, working under pressure, improved my communication skills and taught me how to tackle difficult people.

Extemporaneous Text 3

Sun, 24 Aug 2008 09:23:33 GMT

I always enjoy writing without a writing plan. When words keep coming like a flow river and I just write whatever comes in my mind ,without a question or a pause. I love it. As they on ‘run-time’ basis in computer sciences. There was a time when I knew much about computer sciences field. There are things we don’t know. We may know about them but we may not understand. What is the difference. Difference is huge, it’s just that they don’t want us to understand certain things, they will do everything to keep us ignorant. Ignorance is blessing at times, but not at times when things need to be changed and the system needs an overhaul. System was never on our side, it has been with the ruling force for centuries. Who are we then? Why can’t we rise up and speak for ourselves? Can’t we have a system that represents us. We the people. The actual people, the populations, communities, creeds not the ‘noble’ robbers. They talk about impeachment now. Who is doing that? And Who is being impeached. A robber of National wealth is accusing a General of mismanaging funds. Brilliant! Generals have a different mindset, they are trained to cope with difficult situations with strategy and force. Negotiations and discourse were drained out of their blood during their training , as they don’t have to use these skills in their career. They are defenders of homeland , warriors, strategists, patriots, a symbol of valor and gallantry. They enjoy a lifestyle of their own. It’s not that comfortable for them to easily mingle with civilians. They don’t understand civilians , neither do civilians comprehend military mindset. Military must not rule civilians, the consequences could be catastrophic. This is 21^st century , media rules the world and things that could had kept secret from public in the past ,can’t remain hidden so easily now. Role of media is definitely important , it should be free and fair but at the same time must not forget their responsibilities. Unfortunately, media can be manipulated and influenced by state and corporations, whoever gives them money. Creating panic , deviating from important developments and fabricating hoaxes have become norms for today’s media. People tend to believe what media is telling them and it is a grave mistake underestimating power of media. So , one of the first few things governments do is to straighten their relations with local media. They can’t afford any type of confrontation with them. Relations play a great role in an organization. Good relations and harmony among peers provides employees respect and a sense of importance. As a result, improved performance leads to better and efficient delivery of organizational tasks. What can we expect from an environment where trust issues are on rise, blame games are integral part of the work ethic and backbiting is a favourite pastime of employees? Tasks are accomplished ,work goes on and time keeps flying in such places too, but leaving people disgusted and defocused. Not so understandable thing is , If we have to spend most of our day time in office , with same colleagues then why don’t we keep good terms with them? What is the point in politics. One should be ‘man’ enough to accept responsibility of his actions. Ok …I’ll alter it a bit for associates having gender issues. “one should be ‘woman’ enough to accept responsibility of her actions”. This will not only make your life easier but will also be an example for others to follow. Doing so will be beneficial for overall organization.

What should I Say?

Sun, 03 Aug 2008 17:23:01 GMT

It has been ages since I've written anything.I don't know really what should I write. I am in Lahore , relaxing at home.I've spent last 4 days sleeping ,resting and doing almost nothing. Its fun to be with family again. I am trying my best not to think about anything about at work. I have seen enough ups and downs at work for last 3 months.Closing of Joint venture was in progress and it was killing us. Pressure,deadlines and work(forced labour in this case when you have to work till midnight at times).

It has not finished yet and we still have loads of work ahead. As I want to see good out of everything , I believe last 3 months have made me hard and a bit selfish, as well as more confident.

Anyway, Forget it. I am just relaxing now and will see when I'll return. There are number of thing here that are still pending.I am hoping to accomplish them before I go back. I want to see my friends in Islamabad too.

Salford Top 10 University in UK

Fri, 18 Jul 2008 10:00:18 GMT

Salford Top 10 University in UK

Salford has been rated one of the top ten universities in the country – and top in the North West – for the quality of its teaching. In a paper published in the Quality in Higher Education journal and reported in the Times Higher Education Supplement, Salford ranks ninth in the country alongside universities such as

Oxford and Leeds.The table’s findings – which measure Quality Assurance Agency teaching quality inspections – cover more than 1,000 inspections results published between 1995 and 2001.

“Professor Michael Harloe, Vice-Chancellor, said: “Salford greatly welcomes the results of this research. We are delighted that our experience of delivering high-quality, real-world teaching to students from diverse backgrounds has been validated.”

And, according to The Independent newspaper, the University of Salford is one of the top ten coolest places to live and study in the UK.

Andrew Snowden, President of Salford University Students’ Union said: “Salford has created a unique student experience. With £130m being spent on facilities and accommodation, combined with ever-rising academic standards, students are guaranteed a dynamic education. But it’s at the Students’ Union where

the out-of-hours life takes off – with the best bars around, our very own leisure centre and swimming pool, groundbreaking entertainment and pioneering activities. There’s never a dull moment at Salford.”

Things That Can Drive A Sane Person Insane

Fri, 18 Jul 2008 09:16:28 GMT


Things That Can Drive A Sane Person Insane:
 
· The tiny red string on the Band-Aid wrapper that never works.
 
· There are always one or two ice cubes that won't pop out of the
tray.
 
· You have to try on a pair of sunglasses with that stupid little
plastic tag in the middle of them.
 
· The person behind you in the supermarket runs his cart into the
back of your ankle.
 
· The elevator stops on every floor and nobody gets on.
 
· There's always a car riding your tail when you're slowing down
to find an address.
 
· You open a can of soup and the lid falls in.
 
· There's a dog in the neighborhood that barks at EVERYTHING!
 
· You can never put anything back in a box the way it came.
 
· Three hours and three meetings after lunch you look in the
mirror and discover a piece of parsley stuck to your front tooth.
 
· You drink from a soda can into which someone has extinguished a
cigarette.
 
· You slice your tongue licking an envelope.
 
· Your tire gauge lets out half the air while you're trying to
get a reading.
 
· A station comes in brilliantly when you're standing near the
radio but buzzes, drifts and spits every time you move away.
 
· You wash a garment with a tissue in the pocket and your entire
laundry comes out covered with lint.
 
· The car behind you blasts its horn because you let a pedestrian
finish crossing.
 
· A piece of foil candy wrapper makes electrical contact with
your filling.
 
· You set the alarm on your digital clock for 7 PM instead of 7
am.
 
· You rub on hand cream and can't turn the bathroom doorknob to
get out.
 
· Your glasses slide off your ears when you perspire.
 
· You can't look up the correct spelling of a word in the
dictionary because you don't know how to spell it.
 
· You have to inform five different sales people in the same
store that you're just browsing.

Aright !

Fri, 04 Jul 2008 21:03:42 GMT

Working late hours is making me sick . I am really hoping to get this Joint venture thingie done by this week.

Missing Myself !

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 21:36:52 GMT

I am not feeling like myself for sometime and obviously because of this I should be missing myself. I can’t find much time to ponder about things these days anyway.

Working late hours, coming home and eating whatever is there, watching what others are watching on TV, and then going to bed. I am missing even those insomniac nights when I had lots of time to think about things. The “real” things of life , fun, friends, history, wars, religions, geo-politics, business models, relationships, ideas to put into writing ,hopes, dreams and memories. I don’t know where these thoughts have gone have. The passion for music, love of food, urge for writing ,the motivation of going out , meeting new people and improving my social network and the pleasure of reading. Yes, I do miss all that.

Getting up in the morning running and having something for breakfast starts my day. And the day eventually ends with an uncomfortable calm and uneasy silence lasting for five to ten minutes , while I try to keep myself awake on bed with a head full of so many questions I don’t dare to ask myself. Then I fall asleep.

The time of growing up out of a world full of miracles, fantasies dreams had come in my life sometime ago. Harsh realities of life wait for me ahead. There is no real me, anymore.

“Twisted perceptions flow through my mind a never-ending doom slips through my soul the paper rips and my

heart is torn what is real is only an illusion time passes and dreams fade like the desert sun. ,irreversible changes occur,

I am only a memory “

I believe , I’ll be back to my “real” self soon. Probably ,it’s the pressure of new job, new country as well as new people that forced me to behave differently. I will come back soon. Very soon. At the same time, this process of ‘growing’ up all by myself has taught me some real lessons that I might never had learnt if I was back in the comfort of my home ,people and family.

resistance is natural !

Sat, 14 Jun 2008 13:55:34 GMT

Some people don’t accept incomers very well. They see their already developed comfort zone and personal space getting hurt because of new person’s arrival. They tend to resist change and try to avoid new comers as much they can ; any act of newcomer is perceived as negative and poor. New comers usually see themselves in a situation where they find them under pressure. Stress of getting adjusted to a newer environment, anxiety of learning “unwritten” and “hidden” rules of the new place. They feel like they are useless and they have disturbed other person to an extent. At such times, it is probable that one of the member loses temper and utter something unkind, with a every possibility of making things even worse. Time keeps flying and the hidden communication, silent swearing and unsaid things become part of their daily lives.

This case is not true for all situations as many strangers can get acquaintance in lesser time too. Either, person already there is more open to the change or the new comer behaves wisely and gives space to other person .Thus both of them have better chances of getting adjusted well with passage of time. Patience is very important as we might have to hear harsh things at times, but keeping your cool and not responding with same bad manner makes things even easier. The person, who has treated other harshly, becomes softer in embarrassment and to reverse the effect of bad treatment.

Interestingly, I am pretty vague, what point exactly, I wanted to put here; just felt like sharing the thought.

this and that !

Tue, 10 Jun 2008 20:44:32 GMT

I can't explain the expression of that Syrian guy who's foot was stuck between the metallic frame and the basket. It was sadness,pain and helpnessnes. It took them 15 minutes to cut that frame and free him from that trap. I could not hear painful cries so i rushed back to my office. Jasim was working in the yard along with his team and they were getting the equipment ready probably for Qatar Gas rig , when that incident happened. It was because of a little carelessnes as well as lack of following the procedure.

Luckily, his leg did not break and was given one week rest heal minor injuries up.

Very next day, me and my colleuage attended "IIF" (Injury and Incident Free) ,supervisory sklls workshop. It was a full day workshop in Intercontinental.Very useful and informative. At least it was an opportunity to have a chat with other professionals of fuel and energy sector. Food was awesome,the beach next to the hotal was great and the view was beautiful.

We have five cats living in our backyard , it is so intersting to see them running towards the person who opens the door. Its their way of asking for food. Well , it has become responsibilty of me and my hosuemates to feed these cats as they don't go anywhere else. Watching them playing ,running and eating is a good pastime as well.A week ago I saw a lil cute kitten , probably only one of them survived. Its mother is very protective and doesn't let any other cat touch the kitten. Whenever i go there the kitten runs away and rushes to its hideout. I am trying not to disturb its natural routine and keeping myself away from the kitten, because its so adorable I feel like eating it up.

We have Quality and Safety audit tomorrow. It is my first experience of facing an Audit team.Hopefully , its gonna be alright.

We see people at times ,who are not meant to do what they are doing. OK I may not make sense here. A driver having communication skills of a succesful salesman, a waiter who can sing like Kishore Kumar , a tea boy whose looks reminds of young Alpacino of God father times , a flamboyant performer working in dry environment of oil rigs, an innate researcher having thorough understaning of cultueres and geopolitics working as data entry clerk, a security guard having magnificient administration skills blah blah blah....ok where did it come from?

Looks like the whole world is in a mess. Ever rising fuel prices have made things worst for middle class and the poor. Elites and rich are alright.They were always fine , they will remain intact. I am just scared of the time when poor will rise up and snatch away all the wealth and power from rich. There will be class wars, there will be anarchy ,there will be bloodshed for sure. Those who will get killed will not know why they are getting killed , those who will be killing will have no idea the reason behind their grave actions as well.

Corporate Hall of Shame !

Fri, 30 May 2008 11:45:22 GMT

Source : www.stopcorporateabuse.org

Global warming. Toxics in toys. Sub-prime mortgage lenders preying on the poor. Hired U.S. guns killing civilians in Iraq - it’s been a year of widespread corporate abuse. We’ve picked eight nominees for you to vote on in the Corporate Hall of Shame.

(Archer Daniels Midland) for making Indonesia the world’s worst contributor to global warming (after the U.S. and China) through its clearing of endangered forests and wildlife habitat for palm oil plantations. First the good news: burning ‘biodiesel’ fuels emits less global warming pollution than burning standard, oil-based gasoline. Then the bad news: producing biofuels creates tons of global warming pollution – easily enough to offset any global warming benefits gained at the tail end of the process.

(Blackwater) for killing unarmed Iraqi civilians, hiring paramilitaries trained under military dictatorships, and using its close political and financial ties with the Bush Administration to secure lucrative contracts.They are known for silencing their critics too.

(Countrywide) for predatory mortgage lending to elderly and non-English-speaking borrowers, and for gouging minority borrowers with discriminatory rates and fees. These actions have forced nearly a quarter of borrowers into default, at the same time their CEO earned a $120 million salary.

(MATTEL) for producing tens of millions of lead-contaminated toys and aggressively lobbying against bans on other highly toxic chemicals.

(NESTLE) for numerous labor violations including child exploitation, contributing to the obesity epidemic, and threatening community water supplies for its bottled water brands.

(TOYOTA) for aggressively lobbying against increased fuel economy standards and state measures to reduce global warming gas emissions, while hypocritically spending millions to advertise its environmental leadership and popular Prius line.

(WAL-MART) for displacing local businesses, failing to cover employees under the corporation’s health plan, and opposing legislation that would increase homeland security.

(WENDY's) for its contribution — as America’s third largest fast food franchise — to the obesity epidemic, and for refusing to meet nutritional labeling guidelines.

Some Quotes

Sat, 24 May 2008 20:16:26 GMT

These quotes are not that original ,some of them have been copied , while some of them are a result of some inspiration. They are my favourite quotes and I would like to share them now.

The difference between unachievable and achievable ; failure and success ;impossible and possible is time.There is a time and place for everything.
Don't envy others, because you never know they might be in lot more mess than you.
Happiest of the people may not get the best things in their lives ; they just make the best out of whatever comes in their way.
Rusted ,plain,over said and ancient fact of life is : one who lives in the present ,spends a healthier and happier life.
Hard work never goes in vain.

and ,

Waqt bera kutta hai ; yeh wedday weddon ko wudd leta hai

blah blah blah !

Tue, 20 May 2008 19:58:47 GMT

I could not find time to see my favourite channels on TV .Whenever I went to lounge I saw a South Indian mate watching some Malayam channel. Kumar is back home and Vasu didn't come at time , so got to watch TV. While i was browsing through loads of Arabic channels i felt the urge to learn some Arabic langauge, specially when I saw those sports channels and the chanting and ranting on Arab footbal grounds. Anyway ,there was just one Paksitani channel and that was Dawn News, talking about some political crisis in Pakistan. Doesn't matter. I have already stopped taking interest in politics of my country after some dissappointments. I found CNN ,Fashion Arabia,Cartoon Network and yeah Aljazeera English. It was a news update. Myanmar's generals finally accepted UN aid offer. These basard generals are making their people suffer like anything. Even at the time of this catastrophic disaster they were not letting International help arrive in their country. Probably because they did not want to reveal their dirty secrets,mismanagemnt and poverty. Next news item was naturally about the neighbouring China. Devastation everywhere. Families,kids, old or young and their homes , situation was very bad after earthquake. This generation has seen a different China, a country that is progressive and that is gradually moving away from strict communist values. In the past everything was provided by the state, at events of celebration or at times of mournings, the state was considered the ultimate provider. That typical chinese mindset has been changed during the last decade with opening up of society and economy. Students,businesmen and other members of society joined hands and drove even from Beijing ,that is on 24 hours drive. This is probably the first time, as they were never allowed to form groups /organisations by the government in the past. Furtheremore, in South Africa ,locals are beating and killing immigrants ,who they blame for excessive competition in job market, inflation and crime. Immigrant families are scared and want to go back to their respective countries. Venezuela is protesting that U.S planes have flown over their air space. Well so bloody what? In Britian , Gordon Brown is vowing to take more steps to downplay effects of financial crunsh. I told you man, there must be some reason this prevailing banking system based in interest is HARAM in Islam. Thats all from the newsroom for today !

Imagine a workplace where you have just started. It is your first Full-Time job and you are expecting some kind of mentoring if not training. You get surprised by the fact that no one is there to tell you much and you have to take your own initiative to learn and understand processes and the system. They have not even provided you with a job description. You are hired on a position that was vacant from last 3 months and another guys has been running things smoothly even taks of that ex-employee(I guess). He is not willing to teach you that much, at least his atittude reveals that. You have to get up and take things in your hand by yourself.No one from higher management will ask what you doing. The situation seems like pretty confusing and even with passage of a week or so you don't seem to grasp things that much.What are you suppose to do? Any suggestion? :)

What does the future have in store for our planet?

Sat, 17 May 2008 20:50:34 GMT

We need to explore different areas to answer this question.We know, for example, that eventually our star, the Sun, will die and in doing so will destroy the Earth. The very distant future, then means the end of the Earth, but this will not occur for many millions of year and need not concern us here. It has also been suggested that our climate is changing and that we are at the beginning of another Ice Age, but opinion is divided. It is enough to say that large scale changes to the planet as a whole take place so slowly when compared to our short life span that they may go unnoticed, disguised by the much more rapid changes which man is causing to his own life and that of all other living creatures on Earth.

The usual way of attempting to ‘see’ into the future is to look at the way changes have occurred in the past up to the present day and then try to project into the future, but this is not easy because it is not always possible to anticipate the effects of a particular set of circumstances. Try a simple experiment. Draw two lines on a piece of paper at right angles to one another to form the axes of graph. The graph could represent, say, the rate at which a hot water bottle cooled after it was placed in your bed. Suppose one axis represented temperature and the other time. Suppose also that you had measured the temperature on two occasions so that you could plot two points on your graph. These could be joined by a straight line, and if you wanted to know the temperature of the bottle sometime later, you would simply project that straight line to the required point in time. But, if, in the meantime, someone removed the blankets from the bed, the bottle would cool much more quickly and your prediction would be wrong.

The subject of many science fiction stories deals with ideas of what conditions might be like in years to come. Some suggestions seem to be widely far fetched, but a hundred years ago who would have believed in the possibility of supersonic flight or submarines that can stay under the Arctic ice for two years without surfacing, or even in satellites circling Venus? On the other hand in the heyday of the motor car a few years ago, most of us would have laughed at the idea of fuel shortage. How do we know what the world’s population might be in a hundred or even twenty years time? Can we predict whether science and technology will be able to find solutions to the problems of overcrowding, food shortage, and pollution choking our rivers and seas, or the ever-decreasing numbers of wild animals and plants with the accompanying dangers to our own species. Will be able to able to take a rocket to a distant planet as easily as we can now take a bus to the next town, or will we return to more rural living, each community growing its own food and making clothes by hand? Then there are the danger of nuclear war. If man is to survive in peace and plenty, the watchword seems to be to try to foresee the consequence of any action rather than wait and see, by which time it may be too late.

Author : Some anonymous post on web

Energy !

Fri, 16 May 2008 13:44:40 GMT

Coming striaght out of a third world country ,it took me some time to digest the fact that Mid-Easterns leave their airconditioners ON even when they are out of home.

They are wasting energy , sucking up resources of Earth and disturbing the enviroment as much they can. On streets, their roads are crowded with brigth lights. When one light bulb can do , they have put like 20 bulbs pulling , eating up power generated through oil and releasing heat in the air.

All those campaigners around the world probably have turnred a blind eye on oil rich Mid-Easterns. I have been to several countries in Europe and have lived some time in England ,I never saw mis-use of energy that much.They pay heavy bills there, so they save energy at least for that. In the Mid-East power is so cheap that they probably love to waste it. That is not an excuse. At the other hand time Pakistanis can't think about wasting any electricity , as the whole country is plunged into darnkenss by excessive loadshedding. Our so called ,nuclear power state does not have sufficient energy ,even for civilian use rest apart and industrial use. Such a shame !

Writing on both sides of the paper,disposing off waste properly,avoiding shopping in plastic bags,recycling electronics,driving hybrid cars, avoiding driving cars at all,planting forests and turning lights off makes us feel good that we are atleast doing something for out mother Earth. In reality , effect of such GREEN activies are very very little as compard to exploitaion of Earth resources by newly developed high energy towns, fuel guzzling hummers, long haul holiday makers and by Industrial and food giants. They simply don't care.