Phoenix Reflections

What do I do for the world to recognize my existence? Simple! Make a ridiculous video and upload it on YouTube. A sure shot formula for visibility.

YouTube was the brain wave of two young men Steve Chan and Chad Hurley who never ventured into Web 2.0 with the idea of making it big. However they went on to be so popular that even Google could not resist buying this company at a price of $1.65 billion. The two freshmen have not been able to settle down with all the popularity yet, and YouTube has already scaled new heights of popularity.

YouTube works on the keywords ‘easy’ and ‘cheap’. Resigning from the technicalities and budget system of television or any other media outlet it allows people to display their video making talent. What more… you do not even need a studio to make a video. It is a potpourri of individual aspirations.

A few years back the world took its first steps on the path of globalization. YouTube ensures its massive spread by providing the public with around the world videos and images.

Who needs a degree when all I need are my tactics!!?

YouTube has brought the amateur and professional onto the same ground. (Unfortunate for those who slog to attain a degree.) Though the videos by amateurs lack the proficient touch, nevertheless they still manage to catch the attention of millions worldwide. Their capacity to entertain the onlooker is what determines their success. Thus it is noticed that unedited and non-tampered material generally has mass appeal. People openly accept flaws and are moving away from the perfect picture painted by most of the conventional media outlets.

YouTube is also a means for media material that has been rejected by other channels. For example: Nobody’s Watching a self-referential sitcom that was denied by the now defunct WB network in 2005 was openly accepted on YouTube. This became a huge success on the site and began getting rave reviews.

YouTube has become such an influential factor that some believe it to also be a determinant of the elections held in America. Thinking about it, the power bestowed upon this site, which ironically is at the mercy of humans, is sometimes scary.

So the title couch potato now stands corrected…it is now ‘bench chip’

Photogrpah: Kodak DX7590
Area: Sharjah Corniche

“It looks like Sharjah is under attack!” And no, it wasn’t the famed sandstorm that hit UAE a week back that my friend who was visiting me, could be heard exclaiming about. In fact he was astonished at the number of winged inhabitants that spread on the greens like a blanket of snow on the highway. Perhaps the phrase ‘Smile you are in Sharjah’ is apt for these avian foreigners rather than the human population. After all traffic is always under control in the skies!

Over the past few years the number of migratory birds has increased by manifolds. The only birds that were present to my field of vision were the pigeons (they do reproduce at a phenomenal rate!) and any other bird in such large aggregates was confined to the local zoo. But now, UAE is a temporary haven to varied species which were just text-book names once upon a time.

The UAE lies in the Afro-Eurasian migratory flyway. These birds are in transit, basking in the warmth of the UAE sun before they embark on the final leg of their journey to reach their southern destinations. Migratory birds travel in a group that assures their protection and avoids digression from their route. A marvelous sight is the creation of exquisite formations, like that of the arrow or army formation, when in flight.

The Emirates Bird Records Committee recorded an increase in the number of birds that flock to UAE’s comparatively warmer climate. However, where there has been an increase in migratory birds here, an article in the journal Biological Conservation, prepared by BirdLife International and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds states that the migratory birds that journey between Africa and Europe have reduced over the last 30 years. While UAE has gone that extra mile to convert their deserts into green cosmopolitans, welcoming shoes and wings alike, desertification and pesticides have plagued the once common temporary dwelling of these migratory birds. Thus changing their ‘holiday’ destination, they now flock here in hoards where feed is bountiful.

The most prominent of the migratory birds (at least to me) is the seagull. Known for its existence in a human habitat, this seabird’s migratory pattern depends on the availability of food resources on their route. Being an ecologically conscious country, UAE has thus become the perfect lodging for our feathered visitors.

Coming back to my friend’s statement, these birds, in such large numbers can be hazardous to travelers. They keep swooping down, their wings flapping vigorously right in front of the windshield. At one point the distraction put me off track and I was greeted with, what seemed like a million honks by fellow commuters. And if you aren’t in the safety of your vehicle, and instead plan to enjoy a walk on the corniche, then be mindful of all the hovering above your head. You never know, if they are having a bad day or hold a grudge, you’ll end up sporting a funky new hairdo!

How glorious a greeting the sun gives the mountains! ~John Muir

Natures glorious elements exist in harmony to bestow man with heavens wonders, inspiring his every creation and providing wings to his imagination.

Camera: Kodak DX7590
Location: Oman

While embarking on a bumpy journey on an elephant at the Dudhwa National Park on the India-Nepal border, we were assured that at this time of the year (around June) we would be graced by the presence of the National pride of India. All the energy spent keeping out the mosquitoes and fanning ourselves through the night, in the generator run quarters at the reserve would be worth it. Every penny would have been well spent, we were told. So ignoring all our aches we set out in the dewy morning to feast our eyes on The Tiger. Typically famous for Swamp Deer, it boasts of 101 tigers. At least it used to! Every time the puny bare chest guide cried out ‘mele’ my sister and I would roll our eyes and wait with abated breath for the striped animal, who’s solo call would cause a stir in the vicinity. Later on we realized ‘mele’ in fact was just to prevent our elephant from digressing. Well, we did get to enjoy the sights of the deer and the rhinos in their habitat but were devoid of one of the largest tourist attractor in India.

It’s no surprise though, noticing the situation of the Indian tiger today. Their road to extinction is reaching its destination unless there is an apparition of a solution to their fast declining number. The National Tiger Conservation Authority released an alarming census report on February 12^th, 2008 that holds the current population of the tiger to be at 1411. This figure takes into account 16 tiger states and is exclusive of Jharkhand and the Sunderbans. So if one calculates the fall of the number from when the last census was carried out, that is in 2002 then, my children get to see an India with only tales of its National Animal.

India used to boast 40% of the worlds tigers, now with the dwindling number it could well be a country where the tiger first disappears. Despite the numerous conservation organizations in India, the tiger seeks protection. The initial method of tiger counting relied on its pugmarks but its inaccuracy has recently come to the forefront. It has been speculated that previous tiger numbers may be deceiving and that the situation needs adequate methods for accuracy. Using camera’s to trace the tiger in its habitat has revealed this depressing situation.

Who likes to be blamed for the spilt milk? Apparently no one! The Protection Societies blame the states for going cold turkey over the issue. At the same time the population blames these organizations for not doing enough. The states…well blame the government of course! In this vicious circle of who stole the cookie the loss is of our national treasure.

Apart from preserving Mother Nature and her bounty for the future generations has it ever occurred to you that the existence of the tiger is in a way, though not immediate, linked to our survival? How you may ask? Water! The tiger can help conserve this precious resource that makes up 2/3^rd of man. This is no rocket science. It’s basic! As the food chain explains it: the carnivores feed on the herbivores and they feed on the green. With the depletion of the carnivore, the population of the herbivore spirals out of control and thus the green is uprooted. The spread of vegetation is required to protect the rainwater and safeguard the water levels. Thus the absence of the carnivore from the food chain will throw the ecological equilibrium off-track leaving the land parched.

The major reasons cited for the cause of the disappearance of this magnificent big cat have been poaching and habitat loss. Tiger skin can be sold for billions and their parts are used for medicinal reasons. Poachers are paid a few thousands by businessmen for the action, selling it abroad for astronomical amounts. An activist interviewed on NDTV- 24x7 referred to poaching as a simple task, which involves trapping the tiger though nets and then killing it with a sharp instrument. Forests are being cut down with the increase in the number of 0’s in the Indian population. Due to this, the tiger wanders into human territory and as any alien is feared and therefore shot down. States have failed to educate farmers on a peaceful co-existence with this relative of the domestic cat.

In this dire situation what can be done and what has India decided to do? Well for one STOP cutting down our forests! Imagine the helplessness if one’s house caught fire. Despite the introduction of the Tiger Protection Force the lack of funds has disabled it from hiring skilled individuals who can keep poaching at bay. The government budget must be reworked to provide prime priority to conservation of nature. It’s a mutual benefit system. Tourism pay and without natures beauties there is no addition to the country’s economy. Sates and local communities need to work in tandem and take tough action to weed out the offenders.

The power of ‘we’ is relentless. The tiger is our valuable possession and we, the force of tomorrow can help in our own little ways to ensure that our possession is taken care of. Living away from India, it may be difficult to directly participate in the nation wide program but we have the power to educate. Words are like wildfire. A spark is sufficient to cause an uproar. Join online campaigns to save the tiger. Our tiny endeavors can do wonders in persuading the government to action. Convey your thoughts on the issue. Let’s not allow Jim Corbett’s hero and the legacy of India suffer the fate of the Dodo!

India tiger population declines
Wildlife Protection Society of India
Indian Tiger Welfare Society

It was a week after my graduation. My job hunt had been a success. I managed to land a job with a multinational corporation and that too as an Assistant Customer Relation Manager. Yup! No bribe here. Sheer charisma must say! The very reason I was popular among the chic’s in college. Envy of friends and a favorite of faculty.

So I was draining myself in vodka while cracking hollow jokes about my boss with a bunch of colleagues. Since we all had lost our sanity the whole world seemed like a comic strip and all the characters had come to life. However, I assume, somewhere at the back of my head the animal mating senses were still alive and kicking. You can’t blame a man for looking around for a catch. We are born to admire sexy women. And the vodka clearly accentuated it.

After what almost seemed like an hour of worthless existence I began to gather myself. Displaying my acrobatic tactics I headed towards the exit only to be obstructed by the security. (What? I swear I haven’t touched a woman in my life. I’m innocent.) Oh! I hadn’t paid for my drinks. Sheepishly grinning at the guard I swayed towards the bartender, and placed a $ 50 bill on the counter. He shoves the money back in my direction and said it wasn’t required. Ok! Either I hadn’t drunk at all or the bartender was gay. In a while I got to know it was neither. Apparently the lady at the table in the left dingy corner had taken care of my bill. Sigh! If only I had known sooner I would have consumed a few more drinks.

I advanced towards her trying with all my might to come across as a dignified human being. So… there were two women at the table But why were they dressed alike? As I moved closer I realized it was the alcohol and there was, just, oh my God! One amazing woman at the table. Was this a mirage? She was the most stunning lady I had ever laid my eyes on. Foxy yet conservative, confident yet warm. The glow on her unmade up face proved that all the girls I had previously dated would have paled in her existence. She looked up from the table and signaled for me to take a seat. Trying hard not to gape and portray myself as a jackass I accepted the offer. We exchanged our personal information and pleasantries. All this while, it did not occur to me to thank her, the very reason I had headed in her direction in the first place. I was so overwhelmed by her presence that the surroundings seemed to dissolve away. She asked me about my whereabouts and everything just poured out, like an unfixed faucet spluttering water all over the place. You see, I may not come across as a person of a few words, but the fact is I generally do not divulge into my family problems. However Maya seemed too close to heart. I was so engrossed with my own tales that I rarely asked her about her life and neither did she offer to inform.

After a while or maybe 2 hours the alcohol started wearing off. It was around 1:00 am. Better make a move or else I would be awarded with the title of the ‘first man to keep his job for the least number of hours’. I took Maya’s leave with the promise I’d meet her the next day at the same time. She just smiled. That means she’d be there. I hoped for her to be there.

All I could do the whole of the next day goes without saying. Seemed like she had possessed me. Keeping my composure I went through the day only in anticipation of the night to follow.

At around 7:00 pm the women in me took over. No I’m not gay….but who said guys don’t have a female streak especially when it comes to dressing for that special one. First it was, should I wear my heart boxers or the Simpson’s one? Would it matter? Next, Would I come across as imposing if I dressed formal…let’s stick with the casual look! But then would she take me to be a jerk?

And follow it did…but only to my disappointment Maya was nowhere in sight. I decided to keep myself sober for her sake so that we could have an intellectual conversation rather than me ranting away to glory. 11:30……12:15….I passed my hours with glasses of soda and conversations with fellow drinkers. 1:00….she was nowhere to be seen. What an idiot I must have been the other day, that she decided to never frequent this bar ever again!!? Missed an opportunity for a blossoming relationship. If only I could reverse back time. Beginning to lose patience I finally asked the bartender about her. He looked at me all confused. On asking him again, he burst out into a guffaw. Surprised I asked him what the matter was. This made him laugh all the more. Is everyone insane in this universe?

Hmmm…..no I figured it was just me. Maya, a segment of my fantasy. Maya the alcohol. Maya, a character at a bar. Maya, a creation of a drunkard. Maya…..a wall facing the table in the dingy corner.