One Faith One World!

At last I have some time to reflect upon the past week that has been. O yes its been hectic, and I have had my good share of frustrations and what now times.
It is Ramzan ul Mubarak and for those of who don't know, one doesn't get to eat/drink anything for dawn to dusk, but thats just a part of the deal. This is the one time in the whole wide world when every believer has the same goals follows a common practice, and bows to the command of his master, his lord.
Ok lets not get into the technicalities, Warwick university has this chaplaincy for the believers; and believe me or not, the mosque forms the biggest part of it. No that doesn't mean it's huge, infact it's a small hall meant for prayers, students from all across the university, collect at the time of IFTAR (fast breaking) and discuss all sorts of things, yes! everyone gets plenty to eat as well (its free, and the contributions are absolutely voluntary).
Personally I like this a lot, at least I get to eat dinner, otherwise I am so lazy, I would rather starve than cook.
I came across students from different nationalities, there are the Arabs, the Chinese looking (Malasians, Indonasians, Koreans), Africans and o yes a lot of Pakistanis (I am yet to meet an Indian there). I come from Kashmir, on the present Indian side, I even met a couple of Kashmiri's from across the other side, it was a nice feeling, I learn't that I am the 3rd person from Kashmir ever to study there and the second to be on an MBA in this university or at least that is what I was told.
I don't know anyone here but you suddenly have so many brothers and people you know and feel a part of as soon as you step inside...the Mosque.

First Day At Uni

Well infact I came to this place once earlier also, but today it seems all so different, maybe because I know there is no going back home this time, yes for 1 year that is. Thats alright, I am fine don't worry.
Actually I am sitting on top of my Flat Building, no no not on the roof, the room allotted to me is here.
When I was given the key I felt I have been among the late arrivals and so didn't get a room on the ground floor, but hey thats not it, this flat is empty- yes EMPTY! as an old church, and what is left of it is me, yes Me Myself and again no Irene.
It would be an asset as days go by and people look for peace and privacy and try to concentrate upon their studies but until then you wont hear about any new characters in this blogger's tales.

Purchase Hickups

Its been a really terrible experience!
I placed an order with the call centre of the much spoken about Dell on 31st Aug 2007 and a gentleman from an Indian with a wanna get british accent got me into making the purchase, he was good to talk to initially that is. Becuase of the hurry I was in, to get my hands on my new laptop, the delivery date he promised, 17th Sep 2007 seemed quite acceptable to me. Days went, soon weeks; the online order status was still in Pre-Production getting me a little concerned. Ok! I got in touch with them, yes I had to initiate approaching them, for they didn't do it as is mentioned on thier website (ethics are process management is for banners and ads only...to tough to practice). Turns out, there is expected to be a delay in my order, the expected shipment date has jumped to 25th Sep 2007, but thats ok I guess.....turns out it isn't OK anymore, 16th and I get an e-mail from some so called Sales Expert or just wanna-be one, telling me and I quote, "the delilvery in no case will now be made on 17th Sep 2007 and we will contact you after the end of business tomorrow". Yes! that call never came, and I had to take the initiative and give them some stuff from my vocabulary (you know what I mean).
The Sales manager calls me this time and gives all sorts of excuses, he has this new piece of information for me...."the product will now be ready no earlier than second week of october and thats not a date I can promise you. Please dont waste your time and money if you think you can sue us, out Terms n Conditions have some bla bla bla".
Martaa kya na kartaa...I am mad, sad and in a mood thats really bad...can't do much about it, can I? Will have to settle with cancelling the order, and be bullied haaaaaah....(sigh)

The Spiral Road...

Its no more about your 9 to 9 local shop...

The "24 Hour Clock " is here.

It is important for businesses to remain competitive in the global economy, and the fact that less expensive skill sources exist, means you need to exploit them, Outsourcing is the Golden Key to the modern world where growth and comparative competitive advantage is the Mantra.
Existence of a less-costly means of production; This suggets that value associated with the factors of production has also fallen since its available cheaply somewhere else. Not just lower costs, Outsourcing has benefits for the economy whole economy: it is the Domestic Shareholders, Investors and the Consumers that reap the benefits. It not only reduces costs but can be adopted to avoid organizational problems that don't seem to be resolvable by internal re-organisation.

The Global Market is more free than ever before, with every country consolidating on its comparitive advantages. Money finds its own way, as a rule/law it will move towards the master where it is proves most effective and profitable.

Outsourcing does kill the low-skill domestic jobs but at the same time helps in creation of high-skill job market and thus leads the economy towards a specialized and high-skill human resource, assuming that the training and education system become more supportive to face this challenge.

Life is not fair, its survival of the fittest, the more you can adapt the better are you chances, Change is around the next bend and life is a spiral road.

The name of the game is CHESS

Yes CHESS!
A competitive game played between two players, believed to have its origins in India, yet not so popular in its home, guess what! Its more about brains than brawns. Anyways I am not here to discuss the history or poularity of the game, its not my cup of tea, TEA?? milk would be a better alternative for me-its mild.
Ok lets cut out the bla bla...I have been exposed to a lot of chess lately more than ever before, NO! I am not learning the game but my mate has a thing for it. Let me profile him a bit for you..hes an IT techie; and when I say Techie, I dont mean like the thousands we have now a days, flocking around..hes the real deal. Hes married, has a child, works nearly 12 hours a day and yet has time for chess, YES he has - the time you and me would be relaxing (TV, music, and lots of other stuff but Chess? naah!). Trust me it used to bother me initially but I learn that it was relaxation for him (realxation can you belive it by making your mind work after a long and asking day).
I had the chance to go to a Tourni (I use this term for a tournament on a small scale) with him, he had been looking forward to this for a while, it was the first time I was to experience this game being played at a professional level. For the 36 tables that were laid out (72 players that is) I could see more than 15 kids (of the age group to 7 to 12). The way these kids played; I ain't sure anymore if I should use the word KID for them. I had expected a quick exchange of armour at each table the way I would do it when I would play the game, if ever, once in a blue moon. Ahh I was disappointed, the game was slow, very slow (there are the BLIZZ-fast paced variants of the game too-this wasn't one of those), I wasn't to witness any exchanges for the first 1o minutes atleast, not that none was available - the way a layman like myself would see it, at least 5 points each side were ready to jump off the board.
I learnt its not just about the number of points you have on the board (that does make a difference sometimes however), but also the logistics (the position your points are on and the area of influence they have). There are even computer programs (not plain games but high end algorithm) that are available to challenge the human intellect, Chessmaster is one, Fritz is the most competant available these days with an average of 30 million moves calculated per second- can you believe.
Makes me wonder about the capabilities of the human mind and the power of imagination we have and where it can take us.

A Foreign Land?

Its been two months since I have been living in this foreign country, England or if you prefer, inglend. To tell you the truth as I see it, its not so foreign in terms of landscape as in people, considering where I come from (Kashmir Vale for those of you who don't know) , there is the obvious colour difference; shouldn't suggest that Kashmir's indigenous people are anywhere on the darker side, infact, move towards the countryside and you see English men and women all around, in face at least if not in language.

There has been so much migration/immigration, not just here, but everywhere on a Global level that is to say, there is a cultural mix everywhere you go. People indigenous and those coming in from elsewhere, adopt from and adapt to a range of choices as it suits them. The mix is so complex that it is hard to differenciate the indigenous from the immigrant, makes me think! The indigenous must have been an immigrant at one point in time, so its just a question of time and space for people to qualify for these adjectives. Remember America, the land of the immigrants yet so averse to immigration now.

Tread back a few years, ok may be some million years, to Hazrat Aadam (Mr Adam) and Hazrat Hawa (Ms EVE) don't we come from a single source as relatives in blood, yet we have become so seperated by the concept....COUNTRY. What is Country, Motherland, Fatherland...maybe names that unite people in oneness, or does it divide them into groups and sections? Take a close look at the globe dont the pieces that we see just fit in together?

My memory failed me!

I have been trying to recall my earlier blog name from the depths of my subconscious, where it it is fast asleep. Its been a couple of hours now, so here I am with a fresh one..

I think I am better off writing in the NOW than in the THEN untill I find my old blog...yes I don't quit easily, but thats another story altogether...