Go chase the Somali pirates

New Post (134) : Go chase the Somali pirates

Some background (…& I QUOTE this one very interesting educational Q&A)

Quote (open)
---High Seas Trading - WHAT is it?
In short High Sea sale is when the cargo is already loaded on a ship and sailing on the high seas (international waters, under no jurisdiction) without actually being sold to the final buyer yet. Seller is looking for a buyer, while shipment is on the way. Once the cargo is sold, the captain of the vessel is notified to change course and deliver it to the new buyer’s port. Usually the ship is sailing in a certain direction (example: from Brazil to Middle East). Seller is looking for buyers in destination area (which in this example can be any Middle Eastern country, India, Pakistan, etc..)
---What is the REASON for selling on High Seas?
High Sea sale is done to avoid the burden of Local Sales Tax or VAT which would otherwise have to be paid by the final buyer if the cargo was first bought by the importer and then re-sold to the final buyer. What High Sea Sale does, is put the final buyer in the position of direct importer thus saving him an additional tax. For that reason, goods bought on the high seas, while the ship is in international waters are between 25% - 5% cheaper for the final buyer (depends on the Local Sales Tax / VAT rate in buyer’s country).
---Is High Sea Trading LEGAL?
“High seas sale” sounds like something done hush-hush in the middle of the ocean like we see in the movies. Which is why you have instinctively raised doubts about its authenticity and legality. Let me assure you, “high seas sale” is a perfectly legal transaction though the term might have a mysterious ring to it. High sea sale is simply turning the final buyer into direct importer, and thus saving on the Sales Tax / VAT which would have to be paid on the re-sale if the importer was involved as a middle man.
Quote (close)

If you survived that....erudite legalese.....then....read on.....

2. Now here is the catch:
Export vast quantities of sugar at a low price [ under the pretext of earning precious foreign exchange for your country ! ] thus creating an acute shortage locally in the country and a consequent huge spurt in local prices to consumers. Then { rise to the occasion grandly and } re-import the very same sugar from the high seas, at up to 3 times that out-going price…using the O-so-convenient high seas trading “modus operandi”.
It happens……………and NOT just with sugar.
This is piracy on the high seas. Legalized piracy. The difference ? The ransom is paid by common households. Who is it paid to ? I am not telling. Not here.

3. To my O-so-dumb friends in the news media as also to my O-so-smart friends in the news media who take us for being O-so dumb, I have this to say:
By all means---“Go chase the Somali pirates”.
That makes for a better …thrilling high adventure & riveting human drama… itsy-bitsy story !
Anything. To keep the truth from being told. The truth that needs telling.

PS: I enjoy my cup/s of tea without sugar. Tastes better. So I do not care anyways.

Charlie Brown

Understanding migration.

New Post (133) : Understanding migration.

This is a do-it-yourself exercise.

Run these “5” searches on any engine of your choosing with these key words:
[ One search at a time ]
[ Read up the top-10 search results on each search ]

-Migration
-Migration Kashmiri Pandit
-Migration Kashmiri Sikhs
-Migration Kashmiri Muslims.
-Justin Timberlake: What Goes Around Comes Around (Lyrics)

Let me not pre-judge the conclusions that you will quite inevitably come to.

Prove me wrong.
The adage “whatever you sow, so shall you reap” holds good in case of forced migration.
Prove me wrong.
So it is with the adage "The mills of justice grind slowly, but they grind exceedingly small."

Charlie Brown

A children's prayer in Urdu (by Allama Iqbal)

New Post (132) : A children's prayer in Urdu (by Allama Iqbal)

~~~A prayer that WE grown ups need to learn all over again~~~

Ahh...The purity of soul that only a child can invoke.

"Lap pe aati hai dua ban ke tamanna meri"...

Charlie Brown
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Chanson enfantine
(Français)

Le désir de mon cœur monte à mes lèvres comme une prière.

Dieu, fais ma vie semblable à celle d'une bougie, un guide lumineux,

Ma présence détruirait l'obscurité de ce monde,

Et ma lumière vive illuminerait tout l'espace.

Mes actions seraient pour mon pays, belles et admirées

Tout comme une fleur ajoute à la beauté d'un jardin.

Ma vie serait comme celle d'une mite qui aime la lumière et y vole, Ô Seigneur

Tel serait mon amour de la Connaissance, Ô Seigneur !

Ma tâche serait d'aider les pauvres

Et d'emplir d'amour la vie des égarés et des vieux

Ô Dieu, éloigne-moi du mal et du tort

Et garde-moi sur le sentier droit et vertueux.

---by Allama Iqbal

~~~A prayer that WE grown ups need to learn all over again~~~

Chanson enfantine
(Ourdou)

Lap pe aati hai dua ban ke tamanna meri
Lap pe aati hai dua ban ke tamanna meri

Zindgi shama ki surat ho Khudaya meri
Zindgi shama ki surat ho Khudaya meri

Door duniya ka mere dam se andhera hojaye
Door duniya ka mere dam se andhera hojaye

Har jagah mere chamakne se ujala hojaye
Har jagah mere chamakne se ujala hojaye

Ho mere dum se yohe mere watan ki zeenat
Ho mere dum se yohe mere watan ki zeenat

Jistara phool se hoti hai chaman ki zeenat
Jistara phool se hoti hai chaman ki zeenat

Zindigi ho meri parwaane ki soorat ya rab
Zindagi ho meri parwaane ki soorat ya rab

Ilm ki shama se ho mujko mohabat ya rab
Ilm ki shama se ho mujko mohabat ya rab

Ho mera kaam ghareebon ki himayat karna
Ho mera kaam ghareebon ki himayat karna

Dardmandon se, Zaeefon se muhabbat karna
Dardmandon se, Zaeefon se muhabbat karna

Mere Allah! Buraee se bachana mujhko
Mere Allah! Buraee se bachana mujhko

Naik jo raah ho us rah pe chalana mujhko
Naik jo raah ho us rah pe chalana mujhko.

---by Allama Iqbal

~~~A prayer that WE grown ups need to learn all over again~~~

In a cloud of dust !

New Post (131) : In a cloud of dust !

In the respectful memory of those of our parents who are no more with us in the body:

I have memories of NEERAJ the lyricist (himself) singing this song ***.
(&) Me sitting there with my parents in a small audience.

"kaaravaan guzar gayaa, gubaar dekhate rahe"...

Charlie Brown
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*** The words >>>

Swapn jhare phool se, meet chubhe shool se
lut gaye shringaar sabhi, baag ke babool se
aur ham khade khade, bahaar dekhate rahe
kaaravaan guzar gayaa, gubaar dekhate rahe
kaaravaan guzar gayaa, gubaar dekhate rahe

Aankh bhi khuli na thi ki haaya dhoop dhal gaee
paanv jab talaq uthe ki zindagi fisal gaee
paat paat jhad gaye ki shaakh shaakh jal gaee
chaah to nikal saki na par umar nikal gayi
par umar nikal gayi
geet ashk ban gaye, swapn ho dafan gaye
saath ke sabhi diye, dhuaan pahan-pahan gaye
aur ham jhuke-jhuke, mod par ruke-ruke
umr ke chadhaav kaa utaar dekhate rahe,
kaaravaan guzar..

Kyaa shabaab thaa ki phool phool pyaar kar uthaa
kyaa kamaal thaa ki dekh aayinaa sihar uthaa
is taraf zameen aur aasamaan udhar uthaa
thaamakar jigar uthaa ki jo milaa nazar uthaa
jo milaa nazar uthaa
par tabhi yahaan magar, aisi kuchh hawaa chali
lut gayi kali kali ki ghut gayi gali gali
aur ham lute-lutTe, waqt se pitet-pite
saans ki sharaab kaa khumaar dekhate rahe
kaaravaan guzar..

Haath the mile ke zulf chaand ki sanwaar doon
ho.nth the khule ke har bahaar ko pukaar loon
dard thaa diyaa gayaa ke har dukhi ko pyaar doon
aur saans yun ke swarg, bhoomi par utaar doon
bhoomi par utaar doon
ho sakaa na kuchh magar, shaam ban gayi sahar
wo uthi lahar ke Deh gaye kile bikhar bikhar
aur ham dare dare, neer nain mein bhare
odh kar kafan pade mazaar dekhate rahe,
kaaravaan guzar..

Maang bhar chali ke ek jab nayi nayi kiran
dholakein dhunak utheen thumak uthe charan charan
shor mach gayaa ke lo chali dulhan chali dulhan
gaanv sab umad padaa, bahak uthe nayan nayan
bahak uthe nayan nayan
par tabhi zahar bhari gaaz ek wah giri
punchh gayaa sindoor taar taar huyi choonari
aur ham ajaan se, door ke makaan se
paalaki liye huye kahaar dekhate rahe
kaaravaan guzar

Swapan jhare phool se, meet chubhe shool se
lut gaye shringaar sabhi baag ke babool se
aur ham khade khade bahaar dekhate rahe
kaaravaan guzar gaya gubbaar dekhate rahe
kaaravaan guzar gaya gubbaar dekhate rahe
kaaravaan guzar gaya gubbaar dekhate rahe

---by Neeraj

Breaks my heart !

Age is just a number.

New Post (130) : Age is just a number.

Know that…
”We are as old or as young as we think we are”.

Age and wisdom are not even "distant" cousins.

Enjoy the lyrics ***.

"Abhi To Mein Jawan Hoon"...

Charlie Brown
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

*** Abhi To Mein Jawan Hoon
Artist: Malika Pukhraj
Lyrics Contributed By: Abrar

hawaa bhii kHushagawaar hai, guloN peH bhii nikhaar hai
tarannumeiN hazaar hai, bahaar purbahaar hai

kahaaN chalaa hai saaqiyaa, idhar to lauT idhar to aa
arey, yeh dekhtaa hai kyaa? uThaa subuu, subuu uThaa

subuu uThaa, piyaalaa bhar, piyaalaa bhar ke de idhar
chaman ki simt kar nazar, samaaN to dekh bekHabar

woH kaali kaali badliyaaN , ufaq peH ho gayi ayaaN
woH ik hajum-e-maikashaaN, hai su-e-maikadaaH ravaaN

yeH kyaa gumaaN hai badgumaaN, samajh naH mujh ko naatavaaN
kHayaal-e-zuhad abhi kahaaN? abhi to maiN jawaan hooN

ibaadatoN kaa zikr hai, nijaat ki bhi fikr hai
junoon hai sawaab ka, kHayaal hai azaab kaa

magar suno to shekH ji, ajeeb shai haiN aap bhi
bhalaa shabaab-o-aashiqui!, alag huay bhi haiN kabhi?

hasiin jalwaaH raiz hoN, adaaeiN fitanaaH kHaiz hoN
havaaeiN itr baiz hoN, to shauq kyuN naH taiz hoN?

nigaah haai fitanaaH gar, koi idhar koi udhar
ubhaarate hooN aish par, to kyaa karey koi bashar?

chalo ji qissaaH mukHtasar, tumhaaraa nuqtaa-e-nazar
durust hai to ho magar, abhi to maiN jawaaN hooN

yeH gasht kohsaar ki, yeH sair ju-e-waar ki
yeH bulbuloN keH chahchahey, yeH gulrukHoN keH qah-qahey

kissi sey mail ho gayaa, to raNj-o-fikr kho gayaa
kabhi jo waqt so gayaa, yeH haNs gayaa woH ro gayaa

yeH ishq kii kahaaniyaaN, yeH ras bhari jawaaniyaaN
udhar sey meharbaaniyaaN, idhar sey lantaraaniyaaN

yeH aasmaan yeH zamiiN, nazzaraahaa-e-dilanashii.n
unHey hayaat aafareeN, bhalaa maiN chhoRh dooN yahiN

hai maut is qadar qariN, mujhey naH aayegaa yaqiN
nahiN nahiN, abhi nahiN, nahiN-nahiN abhi nahiN

naH gHam kashood-o-bast ka, balaNd ka naH past ka
naH bood ka naH hast ka, naH vaadaa-e-alast ka

ummid aur yaas gum, havaas gum qayaas gum
nazar sey aas-paas gum, hamaa, bajuz gilaas gum

naH mai meiN kuchh kami rahey, qadaaH sey hamdami rahey
nashist yeH jami rahey, yahi hama hami rahey

woH raag chheRh mutribaa, tarab-fizaa, alam-rubaa
asar sadaa-e-saaz ka, jigar meiN aag de lagaa

har ik lab pe ho sadaa, na haath rok saaqiyaa
pilaaye jaa pilaaye jaa, abhi to maiN jawaan hooN

--- by Hafeez Jallandhari

Beware of resorting to celebrity endorsements.

New Post (129) : Beware of resorting to celebrity endorsements.

Responsible advertisers ought to be aware of the downside with celebrity endorsement.

Here are “4” such cautions:

If the celebrity is strongly associated with the brand then the occurrence of any negative publicity about his life can spill over to the brand.

When a celebrity is used, there is a distinct risk of consumers focusing overly on the celebrity and not on the brand.

If the celebrity chooses to endorse several different products simultaneously this might leave the brand’s consumers confused.

Sometimes a company may use many different celebrities to appeal to different market segments. A multiplicity of endorsers could blur the brand image.

Advice I was given by an iconic ad woman: Use celebrity endorsement as an absolute last resort …i.e. when you are "too lazy" to come up with any worthwhile ideas.

She certainly made her point !

Charlie Brown

Tunisian haste has ignited a wider crisis with no end-gain !

New Post (128 ) : Tunisian haste has ignited a wider crisis with no end-gain !

To my friends in the Afro-Arab world: “Well begun is only half done.”
After achieving a forced regime change/s………….WHAT NEXT ?

On the surface---The word 'revolution' is employed to denote a change in socio-political institutions.

Consider these two definitions of a revolution.

A BROAD (process oriented definition) one, where revolution is
"any and all instances in which a state or a political regime is overthrown and thereby transformed by a popular movement in an irregular, extra constitutional and/or violent fashion"

and …a NARROW (outcome oriented definition) one, in which
"revolutions entail not only mass mobilization and regime change, but also more or less rapid and fundamental social, economic and/or cultural change, during or soon after the struggle for state power."

Question : Will the “broad” (PROCESS) currently under way, lead to the much sought “narrow” (OUTCOME) in a lasting sort of way ? ? ?

Democracy is NOT A MAGIC WAND !
[[[ The demon ALWAYS returns with a new mask on. ]]]................In these domino instances, could he creep back in with a scarier "fundamentalist" mask ? That's a possibility.

Footnote : I prefer the “slower cousin of revolution”-------------“evolution”.
... [[[ A revolution hacks the branches, while evolution changes the seed. ]]]

Charlie Brown