Pari Mahal

There is nothing in which the birds differ more from man than the way in which they can build and yet leave a landscape as it was before.

Death comes to all, but great achievements build a monument which shall endure until the sun grows cold. - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Above. Activity around Dal lake

Above. Dusk - shot from Parimahal..

All these are clicked on my Canon EOS 1000D. (Specifications on request)

Location (Pari Mahal, Srinagar)

Freedom Flotilla

EARLY yesterday morning, Israeli commandos attacked the flotilla trying to run the blockade of Gaza and bring 10,000 tonnes of humanitarian aid to the 1.5 million inhabitants. At least a dozen people were killed.

In military terms this was not a big operation, but its repercussions are enormous and could be disastrous. The forces of a nation have attacked unarmed vessels on the high seas, in flagrant violation of international law. What happened yesterday was a crime.

 Photograph: Reuters

I tried to dig more to justify this stance termed as a breach of law. Lets have a look at the legality of convoy raid.

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  The UN Charter on the Law of the Sea says only if a vessel is suspected to be transporting weapons, or weapons of mass destruction, can it be boarded in international waters. Otherwise the permission of the ship's flag carrying nation must be sought.
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  The charter allows for naval blockades, but the effect of the blockade on civilians must be proportionate to the effect on the military element for the blockade to be legally enforceable.
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  A ship trying to breach a blockade can be boarded and force may be used to stop it as long as it is "necessary and proportionate".
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  The Israeli Defense Forces say soldiers acted in self-defence.
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  An investigation, either by the UN or by the ship's flag-carrier Turkey, is required to find if the use of force was proportionate to a claim of self defence.

What does this attack mean for the peace process? And what has the Israeli public's response been to the international criticism? Let us see what is in store in the coming days..

Life around Dal - A Shikara

Clicked on my Canon EOS 1000D. (Specifications on request)

Monkey business can come back to bite

Clicked on my Canon EOS 1000D. (Specifications on request)

Thinking Inside The Box

Thinking outside the box is highly overrated: constraints exists in probably 99.9% of everything we do, whether we like it or not. This makes thinking outside the box very difficult, if not impossible, in most situations.

Creative thinking inside the box (the constraints) is essential and to me, a more important skill than thinking outside the box.

Pleasing everyone - you are on the wrong track!

The very idea of not pleasing everyone scares most people. But it is a requisite to position yourself against others in a way that matters. Doing this might create enemies. It will certainly unnerve your competitors.

If you are really being yourself, others are going to love you and others are going to hate you. The point is you’ll evoke some sort of reaction.

Not only should you not try to please everyone, you should actively try to speak to a certain group even if framing ideas in that way alienates others. That’s the problem with most people – they walk on eggshells and are afraid to have any sort of viewpoint. Yet analyzing, taking sides, causing controversy and being critical are all what makes for compelling conversation.

And her eyes, well looks can kill!!!!

A Kashmiri girl collecting fooder for her cattle.  

Clicked on my Canon EOS 1000D. (Specifications on request)