intellectual

a very educated person whose interests are studying and other activities that involve careful thinking and mental effort

polymath

a person who knows a lot about many different subjects

Marxism

a social, political, and economic theory that is based on the writings of Karl Marx

Leninism

the social, political, and economic principles and theories developed from Marxism by the Russian politician V. I. Lenin, supporting direct rule by workers

Merry Xmas, everyone! :-)

capitalism

an economic, political, and social system in which property, business, and industry are privately owned, directed towards making the greatest possible profits for successful organizations and people

communism

the belief in a society without different social classes in which the methods of production are owned and controlled by all its members and everyone works as much as they can and receives what they need

socialist

 a supporter of socialism or member of a socialist political party

socialism

the set of beliefs that states that all people are equal and should share equally in a country's money, or the political systems based on these beliefs

champagne socialist

a rich person who says he or she supports a fair society in which everyone has equal rights and the rich help the poor, but who may not behave in this way

designer socialist

someone who is powerful or rich but believes that people are equal and should have equal shares in the wealth of the country

the one percent (also the 1%)

 the richest one percent of people, who are said to have most of the money, property, and power in society 

Writing...

Cessna people say flying is heart-pounding, life-altering and soul-reaffirming. Writing SHOULD be like that. Heart-searching. :-)

https://www.donatekart.com

Provide warmth and comfort to a homeless person -- www.donatekart.com

 

tall poppy syndrome

 the fact that people do not like and often criticize other people who are successful

vo jo ham meñ tum meñ qarār thā tumheñ yaad ho ki na yaad ho 

.....

vo na.e gile vo shikāyateñ vo maze maze kī hikāyateñ 

vo har ek baat pe rūThnā tumheñ yaad ho ki na yaad ho 

......

jise aap ginte the āshnā jise aap kahte the bā-vafā 

maiñ vahī huuñ 'momin'-e-mubtalā tumheñ yaad ho ki na yaad ho

-- MOMIN KHAN MOMIN

 

ye mujhe chain kyuuñ nahīñ paḌtā 

ek hī shaḳhs thā jahān meñ kyā 

-- JAUN ELIYA

I just met an old Syrian woman...

I just met an old Syrian woman -- begging

She's this placard-like paper sheet saying I am Syrian

I am Syrian or I am from Syria

I spoke to her in broken Arabic

There's a time I think Indians used to work there in Syria?

I gave her some bucks

I feel so sorry for 'em

I think she's speaking very Bedouin-like Arabic

I've affinity with Arabs.

Even broken Arabic helps form a bond in a totally alien country

That's what I learned today

Love-hate relationship

Some are good -- some are arrogant

I think we shouldn't pigeonhole 'em

Just like all races...

Face your fear....

 

Face your fear eh?

 

Face your fears....

 

You DO NOT need a sieve anymore because you've a tea bag! :-)

 

compassion fatigue

medical : the physical and mental exhaustion and emotional withdrawal experienced by those who care for sick or traumatized people over an extended period of time

: apathy or indifference toward the suffering of others as the result of overexposure to tragic news stories and images and the subsequent appeals for assistance

the situation in which people stop thinking or worrying about a problem that is affecting a lot of people and stop giving money to them because the problem has continued for too long

profiler

 a person who predicts the likely behaviour or description of someone such as a criminal, based on the information that is available about them:

 Never rained like this before.

Almost 1 hour or so.

It hasn't stopped.

With such fierce intensity.

It's dwindling now.

A thunderclap or two: Gave me a real fright.

Made me realize: How Lilliputian I am.

 Choose the Right Synonym for mettle

COURAGE, METTLE, SPIRIT, RESOLUTION, TENACITY mean mental or moral strength to resist opposition, danger, or hardship. COURAGE implies firmness of mind and will in the face of danger or extreme difficulty.  the courage to support unpopular causes  METTLE suggests an ingrained capacity for meeting strain or difficulty with fortitude and resilience.  a challenge that will test your mettle SPIRIT also suggests a quality of temperament enabling one to hold one's own or keep up one's morale when opposed or threatened.  her spirit was unbroken by failure  RESOLUTION stresses firm determination to achieve one's ends.  the resolution of pioneer women  TENACITY adds to RESOLUTION implications of stubborn persistence and unwillingness to admit defeat.  held to their beliefs with great tenacity

old school tie

Definition of old school tie

1a: an attitude of conservatism, aplomb, and upper-class solidarity associated with English public school graduates

b: a necktie displaying the colors of an English public school

2: clannishness among members of an established clique

old-school

Definition of old-school (Entry 1 of 2)

1: adhering to traditional policies or practices

an old-school coach

2: characteristic or evocative of an earlier or original style, manner, or form

old-school music

horse-and-buggy

Definition of horse-and-buggy

1: of or relating to the era before the advent of certain socially revolutionizing inventions (such as the automobile)

2: clinging to outdated attitudes or ideas : OLD-FASHIONED

knockout drops

a drug, usually put secretly into your drink, that makes you sleep

Definition of knockout drops

: drops of a solution of a drug (such as chloral hydrate) put into a drink to produce unconsciousness or stupefaction

Definition of innumerate

English Language Learners Definition of innumerate
: unable to understand and do basic mathematics

innumeracy

a lack of ability to understand and use numbers in calculations

first-world problem

a problem that does not seem very important when you compare it to the serious problems people have in poorer parts of the world

first world problem

Definition of first world problem

: a usually minor or trivial problem or annoyance experienced by people in relatively affluent or privileged circumstances especially as contrasted with problems of greater social significance facing people in poor and underdeveloped parts of the world

be in your element

Definition of in one's element
: in a place or situation where one is comfortable and does well

to be happy because you are doing what you like or can do best

comfort zone

English Language Learners Definition of comfort zone

: a place, situation, or level where someone feels confident and comfortable

a situation in which you feel comfortable and in which your ability and determination are not being tested:

All about ransomware

Ever wondered what all the ransomware fuss is about? You've heard about it at the office or read about it in the news. Maybe you've got a pop-up on your computer screen right now warning of a ransomware infection. Well, if you’re curious to learn all there is to know about ransomware, you’ve come to the right place. We'll tell you about ransomware’s different forms, how you get it, where it came from, who it targets, and what to do to protect against it.

https://www.malwarebytes.com/ransomware/

Kevin Mitnick: Live Hack at CeBIT Global Conferences 2015

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NtzZBTjKngw

Check out this VDO guys. It's pretty interesting! :-) 

PABLOS HOLMAN Hacker, Inventor, and Entrepreneur in the United States

Pablos is a hacker, inventor and technology futurist with a unique ability to distill complex technology into practical tools. Always building the future, his projects include cryptocurrency in the 1990s; AI for stock market trading; building spaceships at Blue Origin for Jeff Bezos; the world’s smallest PC and 3D printers at Makerbot. Pablos helped start the Intellectual Ventures Lab for Nathan Myhrvold to support a wide range of invention projects, including a brain surgery tool; a machine to suppress hurricanes; a nuclear reactor powered by nuclear waste; and a machine that can shoot mosquitoes out of the sky with lasers - part of an impact invention effort to eradicate malaria with Bill Gates. A member of the most prolific team of inventors in the United States, Pablos has over 70 patents.

A world-renowned expert in 3D Printing, Artificial Intelligence, Big Data, Robotics, Automated Manufacturing, & Cryptocurrency, Pablos has contributed to visions for the future of urban transportation, entertainment, education, energy, manufacturing, health care, food delivery, sensor networks, payment systems & cloud computing.

With a unique ability to articulate practical solutions and visions for the future of technology, Pablos is often invited to speak at conferences about innovation, invention, hacking, technology & cyber security. He has spoken at Stanford, the United Nations, the World Economic Forum at Davos, the Microsoft CEO Summit, The FORTUNE CEO Summit, the CIA, Google Zeitgeist, The Milken Global Conference, and to many of the top tech companies and conferences in the world. His TED Talks have over 20 million views.

Currently, Pablos is working to rearchitect industries with the superpowers of automation, robotics & machine learning. He is on the faculty of Singularity University; founder of Komposite & Bombsheller; advisor to data.world & Glowforge.

https://pablosspeaks.com/

Fishy!

Dog tags: Got 'em -- finally! Yippee! :-)

working-class

belonging to a social group that consists of people who earn less than other groups, often being paid only for the hours or days that they work, and who usually do physical work rather than work for which you need an advanced education:

working-class people/families

He was born to Irish immigrants and grew up in a working-class neighbourhood.

the group of people in society who use physical skills in their jobs and are usually paid by the hour:


a working-class neighborhood/family

belonging or relating to the social group that consists of people who usually do physical work, and usually do not have much money or a very high level of education:

Most of our voters come from working-class backgrounds.
a working-class area

a working-class family

the working class

the social group that consists of people who usually do physical work, and usually do not have much money or a very high level of education:


She is a County Commissioner who fights for the working class.

Excerpt from my Blog post...

French is a good language. But we need to learn Sanskrit first. We've to take pride in being an Indian. A race that's shy of their own forefathers has no conscience. Particularly when their ancestors were people of indomitable courage and lofty values.

Favor Bank? Paulo Coelho (because this world is made up of contacts and nothing else.)

‘What is this Favor Bank?’

‘It was an American writer who first mentioned it. It’s the most powerful bank in the world, and you’ll find it in every sphere of life.’

‘What favors could I do for anyone?’

‘That doesn’t matter in the least. Let me give you an example: I know that one day, you’ll be very influential. I know this because, like you, I too was once ambitious, independent, honest. I no longer have the energy I once had, but I want to help you because I can’t or don’t want to grind to a halt just yet.

I start making deposits in your account – not cash deposits, you understand, but contacts. I introduce you to such and such a person, I arrange certain deals, as long as they’re legal. You know that you owe me something, but I never ask you for anything.’

‘And then one day…’

‘ One day, I’ll ask you for a favor. You do what I ask, I continue to help you, and other people see that you’re a decent, loyal sort of person and so they too make deposits in your account – always in the form of contacts, because this world is made up of contacts and nothing else. They too will one day ask you for a favor, and you will respect and help the people who have helped you. You’ll know everyone you need to know and your influence will keep on growing.’

‘I could refuse to do what you ask me to do.’

‘You could. The Favor Bank is a risky investment, just like any other bank. You refuse to grant the favor I asked you, in the belief that I helped you because you deserved to be helped, because everyone should recognize your talent. Fine, I say thank you very much and ask someone else into whose account I’ve also made various deposits, but from then on, everyone knows, without me having to say a word, that you are not to be trusted.

‘And…’

‘You’ll grow only half as much as you could have grown, and certainly not as much as you would have liked to. At a certain point, your life will begin to decline, you got halfway, but not all the way. Neither frustrated nor fulfilled. You’re neither cold nor hot, you’re lukewarm, and as an evangelist in some holy book says: “Lukewarm things are not pleasing to the palate.”‘

___________________

as told to the main character, the writer, in THE ZAHIR

Where did you learn to speak Arabic like this?

I find that this's the most hilarious scene in the movie:  Body of Lies.

Golshifteh Farahani asks Leonardo DiCaprio...

LOL ROFL

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tezz15pLGi8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vTeY6H581pg

Reprint: Sisyphus is in you.

Saturday, August 4, 2018

Mettle: Strength of spirit: Ability to continue despite difficulties.

There is no magic wand that could change boys into men but sheer, mammoth grit.

This is your life.

If you are a closet escapist opt for hot-air balloon ride. No one would ever suspect your timidity.

But if you have even a wee bit of pathfinding spunk --

Invoke the pygmy Sherpa-like relentlessness of spirit in you.

It would metamorphose into a real giant. Eventually.

Buckle down to Sisyphean ordeals.

Don't shy away from 'em.

Sisyphus is in you.

Listen to your inner voice.

Try not to muffle or squelch those echoes.

Reprint: Unconfessed mortal sins...

SATURDAY, JUNE 15, 2013

Unconfessed mortal sins...

I write for so many reasons. My writing is a mirror image of what I'm -- or what I've become. I write autobiographical accounts. I write to influence people. I write to change their mind-set. My life has always been a game of Snakes and Ladders. There're more snakes than ladders. I write to tell my comrades to watch out for Snakes. That's my way of being a Good Samaritan. I'm a modern-day samurai. My writing instrument is my sword.

This is my warped and deviant thinking: I believe there's no real and absolute fiction. It's reality morphed radically. And, it's almost autobiographical or semiautobiographical always -- inadvertent or deliberate. It's so -- at least in my case. In my offbeat monologic poems. In my wacky soliloquies. It's cathartic. It works just like medicinal leech. It's penance for unconfessed mortal sins. I don't know if this phenomenon is widespread universal -- or merely a personal idiosyncrasy of a schizophrenic wannabe writer like me.

POSTED BY MAQSOOD QURESHI AT 12:02 AM  

I was good-looking -- Wasn't I? LOL

modus vivendi

an arrangement allowing people or groups of people who have different opinions or beliefs to work or live together

English Language Learners Definition of modus vivendi
formal : an arrangement that helps people, groups, or countries work together peacefully even though they do not agree with each other

Those were the days of actual poetry! :-)

dil tayra dewaana hai sanam
jaantay ho tum? -- kuch na kahaygay ham

mobahhat ki kasam?
mohabbat ki kasam

Those were the days of actual poetry! LOL

tayri aankhow may jo suroor hai
saara isi ka tow kusoor hai

Definition of ripple effect

: a spreading, pervasive, and usually unintentional effect or influence

Definition of domino effect

: a cumulative effect produced when one event initiates a succession of similar events

hammer sth home

to make certain that something is understood by expressing it clearly and forcefully

common sense

: sound and prudent judgment based on a simple perception of the situation or facts

fearware

a type of cyber attack that exploits an existing sense of fear among people and encourages them to click on a link that will harm their computer

Cyber criminals are exploiting fears surrounding the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic to spread dangerous malware and hack government computer systems. Security experts have labelled the new trend “fearware”, warning that victims may be more susceptible to be tricked or scammed during times of global uncertainty.

Russian roulette: Secondary meaning

If you say that someone is playing Russian roulette, or that what they are doing is like playing Russian roulette, you mean that what they are doing is very dangerous because it involves unpredictable risks.

the action of taking very serious risks with something important

something resembling Russian roulette in its potential for disaster

Russian roulette

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russian_roulette

Russian roulette -- My comments: We've seen this in many movies but didn't know what it's called.

If someone plays Russian roulette, they fire a gun with only one bullet at their head without knowing whether it will shoot them.

a very dangerous game of chance where each player aims at their own head with a gun that has one bullet in it and five empty chambers (= spaces where bullets could go)

an act of bravado consisting of spinning the cylinder of a revolver loaded with one cartridge, pointing the muzzle at one's own head, and pulling the trigger

qismat to dekh TuuTī hai jā kar kahāñ kamand kuchh duur apne haath se jab la-bay baam rah gayā

accha My comments: I think English is so expressive / rich because it borrows words from other languages. No qualms about it! :-)

exclamation Indian English (also achha)

used for showing that you agree with something or understand something:
Accha, that's good. Go ahead!

used for showing surprise or happiness:
"I managed to buy it for half the price." "Accha!"

Dream come true eh? :-)

Washing Machine comes with zillions of knobs and an intimidating control panel -- it looks like a cockpit -- it's easier to fly a Flying Machine! LOL hehehehehe

Du‘aa’s (prayers) at times of distress

https://islamqa.info/en/answers/309/duaas-prayers-at-times-of-distress

Taj Mahal: In my point of view...

The Mughal emperor Shah Jahān didin't do anything except drained the Exchequer! Which rightfully belonged to -- perhaps -- starving peasants.

Ironically: It's not an icon of undying, eternal and timeless love but a sad, woeful collective tale of forced labor and bondslaves -- utterly and pityfully at the mercy of a lovelorn and loony tyrant and his whims and fancies!

Writing...

A big blunder in the movie: Maine Pyar Kiya :-)

Homing Pigeon goes back to its home. It doesn't go to your desired location!

This is a major misconception amongst people.

(A loud guffaw!)

Leap Day: February 29, 2020 :-)

A Leap Day, February 29, is added to the calendar during leap years. This extra day, also called Leap Year Day, makes the year 366 days long – not 365 days, like a common year.

According to an old Irish legend, or possibly history, St Brigid struck a deal with St Patrick to allow women to propose to men – and not just the other way around – every four years.
This is believed to have been introduced to balance the traditional roles of men and women in a similar way to how leap day balances the calendar.

https://www.timeanddate.com/date/leap-day.html

Movie: The Siege of Jadotville

Dialog: Something like:

You don't sacrifice queen to save pawn.

Sapir-Whorf hypothesis

the theory that human languages determine the structure of the real world as perceived by human beings, rather than vice versa, and that this structure is different and incommensurable from one language to another

Whorfian hypothesis

Definition of Whorfian hypothesis
: a theory in linguistics: one's language determines one's conception of the world

Movie: Arrival. My Comments.

In the movie: Arrival -- one thing I've liked so far is that: Synopsis of their dialogs is: Certain languages have edge over other languages -- Like certain languages limit your imagination -- others don't --

Does this explain why we ace in certain domains and lag behind in others?
To be continued...

Mister William Zinsser: For me and other novice, newbie, wannabe, would-be writers :-)

William Zinsser was a lifelong journalist and nonfiction writer—he began his career on the New York Herald Tribune in 1946—and was also a teacher, best known for his book On Writing Well, a companion held in affection by three generations of writers, reporters, editors, teachers and students. His 18 other books range from commentary (The Writer Who Stayed), memoir (Writing Places; Writing About Your Life) to travel (American Places), jazz (Mitchell & Ruff), American popular song (Easy to Remember), baseball (Spring Training) and the craft of writing (Writing to Learn). During the 1970s he was at Yale University, where he was master of Branford College and taught the influential nonfiction workshop that would start many writers and editors on their careers. From 2010 - 11 he wrote a weekly blog for The American Scholar, "Zinsser on Friday" about the craft of writing, popular culture, and the arts. That column recently won The National Magazine Award for digital commentary and has now been published as a book, The Writer Who Stayed (Paul Dry Books).

apolitical

not interested in or connected with politics, or not connected to any political party:
The organization insists that it is apolitical and does not identify with any one particular party.

apoliticism

the fact of having no interest in or connection with politics, or no connection with any political party

My New Year’s resolutions are: “in sha Allah”

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