Mohammed Safi Shamsi

Hey! looking for me?

Hi! I am Safi.

This is my personal web presence.

I work as an editor at a leading media house.

I am a communicator, journalist, and digital content creator. I have invested over 20 years in my domain with exposure to print, television, and digital mediums. 

Our city, our trams:)

As a student, one of the best (and one out of the few) things to experience in our city (Calcutta, then, now Kolkata) was trams. 

During schooling years, and till college days, trams remained a close associate. There was something 'organic' about these machines, that roared like monsters while passing through narrower roads like Elliot Road (south-central Kolkata).

I had my favourite routes too. One of these is the Maidan route, which connects Esplanade to Kidderpore (and other southern localities). Off-office hours, any tram route was a rejoicing experience. Besides being a cost-effective and slow journey, it was always a safe ride. 

Of course, whenever I took a tram for a journey, there was always a plan-B if something goes wrong on the way. A temporary power-cut (trams don't pollute as they pass by, as they run on electricity), trams running off the tracks, some repair work taking place on the way, a traffic-choked road, a protest or hundreds of people walking in a rally disrupting traffic movement, suspension of service due to water-logging on the streets - anything was a possibility.

Statistically, trams had a steady frequency during office hours.

As the city evolved, and newer modes got added - metro train routes, auto-rickshaws on shorter routes, personal two-wheelers, trams were expected to compete.

...

As a citizen, I observed that trams continued to thrive. There were beautiful attempts - special trams, special occasions, campaigns, etc. The city planners and citizens have differing opinions. Personally, we all want to experience a smooth flow of traffic. But people who have grown up with trams do love these machines, and so do most Kolkatans.

...

Recently, as I stood by the roadside to board a bus, I saw a single-coach tram headed my way. These are AC coaches with wifi facility. While to us it may sound 'costly', the ticket is priced at just Rs 20 for a journey that may cost much more if you take an aggregator-app-cab for the same journey. The interior was neatly done, the door was functional, the seats were good.

...

We love trams in our city like we love many other things in the city of joy. It doesn't matter if you differ. :)

#Kolkata #Trams #pollutionfree #cityofjoy #transportation #cityguide #mohammedsafishamsi

Keying in 'I love you' is not pinging three hearts!

 

Are we losing our ability to express our inner self? Go a decade, or rather two, deeper into what was the norm. Write, write, write - just one step of the quad-write, read, speak, hear - we adhered to, when it came to learning language.

Such a powerful tool, having evolved over thousands of years, is now stooping low before clicks that pixelate our view and then transfer it miles away in moments. Will we stop writing, having accepted speech and visual as the new norms? 

It's tough, indeed, to learn to write. Learn, at first, to identify symbols (letters) that express not only what's in front of the eye but also within. Then join the same symbols to express basic ideas. Again, learn to combine the phrases and sentences to give birth to something that has the potential to revolutionise the present, and the future. 

Can the visuals and the audio do all of the stuff that we did with text for ages. Is it the return of the cave-age of visuals. A thumbs-up (confession: I frequently use in chat-responses), or down, is a quick expression or response. An emoji, perhaps, expresses more than saying 'thanks', 'ha-ha', 'I like your expression'. But, it also restricts boldness and leaves response partly open to interpretation. 'I love you' is not same as pinging a 'heart'. 'I missed you', 'let's catch up', 'you are my best buddy' - how many phrases can we express with visuals?

Then comes a higher stage when you don't only understand what you write, but also what the writing actually depicts - a second layer, a certain mood, a certain meaning, a piece of writing which is open-ended and you are left clueless or with clues to decode the meaning. 

The plots we build before the climax, as we are telling a story, textually. The poetry 'Full stop'

Just as 'Full stop' cannot replace '.', visuals while being important cannot eat away the letters. There's no blaming here. Acquiring the ability to master writing always meant hard work. Then, or now. There's no generational change to blame. Only the hardworking souls will continue to master the art and science and commerce of writing. Rest can find the shorter route to expression, and so will they discover the world, only on smaller a canvas. Happy writing!

photo courtesy: Hannah Olinger (writing), Annie Spratt (rose)/ Unsplash

Ghosts! Are they gone from stories for good?

Ghosts! These seem to have disappeared from the chats, fables and literature we have grown up reading. The entities we grew up listening stories about, have gone missing in the digital age. Rather, the term is now used in senses that depict our fears. But the once close-to-living-physical entity, the ghost, is no longer around!

In the just-pre-internet age, we were more into reading and watching the relatively new-entrant cable TV. The books and magazine still touched upon tales that talked of the supernatural. The television channels showed stories that aroused horror. The evening talks still had something to discuss that was mysterious and supernatural.

It's 2021. The biggest ghosts are the virus and hunger that continue to haunt.

There's so much of science and tech, as well as so much of misinformation. Yet, we don't care if on a dark evening or late night an entity in white robes appears suddenly midway as we walk home. There are a plenty of cameras to monitor. And, our mobile phones, perhaps, are the best gadgets that make such a thought even more interesting.

So, more a quest to 'discover' something that makes good content for our social platforms rather than the fear of the supernatural, keeps us excited. 'I saw a ghost' - say this and people will consider you a liar. 'Show' a video clip, and you are the talk, you may get extra views on that 'evident' video that could even be debated about - about how you manipulated the video or how there's something fake about the video, or how some moving object you captured is anything but a ghost.

Why are we so still concerned about the 'supernatural'? Life's so boring without tales. It's the fantasy, the stories of bravery, the stories of challenges that humans take, that keep us excited. The adrenaline-trigger of the real world is far more interesting than one you come across in a video game.

Sweet dreams! Stay safe, good night.

photo courtesy: Photo by Michael Mouritz on Unsplash

Yes, we will!

A walled-living is like being a fish in an aquarium. You can see the world. The world can observe you, perhaps, through your social posts. The information flow is unobstructed. But, it's a life that can be observed, lesser felt.

The virus has taken away the handshakes and the hugs. The laughter, the smiles, the tears that make us human are missing. Yet, the hope's a feeling that's keeping us going.

We are countering the virus, it's year-2. World over, the efforts are on. You curb it one place, it resurfaces elsewhere. But we must not give in, nor give up.

It's one of those moments in sapiens' timeline where efforts need to be consorted. There's nothing individual, nothing personal. It's all about standing up united.

It may take a while. But we will make it to the other side.

Yes, we will.

Do you dream? I do.

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The world’s at home! And these days, you too, with it. It’s a never-been-before ‘vacation’. How have you been? Did you have the time to ponder over everything, around and within? How has been your thinking, what have you been thinking about (other than the virus)? Are you dreaming these days?

A major concern among the effects of the stay-home phase is the effect on our minds. Besides physical fitness and financial stability, mental health is a big big-concern. So, are you dreaming these days?

I do dream. As I have always done. In fact, I am living in a dream, which will open up to a beautiful world, to a world different from what we lived, light years ago. All the science fiction put together, ever written, is unmatched with our present. Unlike stories we have read – Clarke’s, Wells' or anyone else’s – we are living through a story, where we all are characters of the plot. All of us, across the globe. We are fighting against a virus, a small piece of biological material, that somewhere got discarded as we climbed our evolution ladder. This virus is the big unexpected snake we encounter as we throw the die while playing snakes and ladders. We will crawl ahead and gain pace, climbing yet another ladder.

Nature is all about outcomes and permutations and combinations as we push hard against boundaries. We are humans. The game is several-outcomes strong. Luckily or unluckily, this outcome is not we ever desired or expected. But it happened. This time ‘It’ played better. It’s a Darwinian moment!

Do you dream? I do. I dream of a better world. An ideal world. An ‘unattainable’ world. I dream of peace. Of priorities that help us stay happier as humans so that we focus on discovering more of this infinite sky, so that we have a beautiful planet to live on, so that we dissolve differences, so that life becomes a beautiful experience for everyone, so that our kids in future when they look back at us, do it with affection. Even during this live-in-sci-fi moment in real life, yes, I dream.
Do you dream? I do.

Photos by Johannes Plenio on Unsplash

We will not let the ‘code’ ruin us!

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It’s still. The dangerous code has housed itself in thousands of people. The expected progression is more than geometric. We are hosts. But we will not let this devilish code ruin us, no matter if it has the audacity to hide and mutate. We will break the chain – we will not let it overcome us. The human within believes so, refusing to give in to an entity that multiplies at the cost of thousands of lives.

Hereafter, once we return to normalcy (which of course we will, no matter if it takes a little time), our priorities will differ. We will have to make a wiser choice about how to utilise our limited resources and how to share them. 

We need science, science, and science. We need scientific temper, a real one.

Senior citizens tell me they can’t recall such a situation, such helplessness. We have had viruses discovered and contained in specific regions. We have had natural calamities, conflicts, and accidents. Yet, this one so far seems mightier than we first thought!

When we overcome this menace, in the near future, will we be different people? Will we continue with our routine lives, which we are craving for, or are we going to give a little more thinking to our relationship with nature? Will we continue to move on with our self-centred approach, or will we take our planet seriously? Will we tell our children the importance of food and why we should cook only as much as we need and not waste it? Will we talk more about conserving nature, limited supply of drinking water, pollution, ecosystem? What about switching off lights and appliances at home when not in use? The importance of using shared modes of transportation? We need to think about all of these. We have limited resources and we now have to use these wisely.

This virus for sure has brought us pain. It has made all of us pause and think how precious and delicate we are, despite all that we claim to be. We aren’t superhumans! We are far from conquering everything in the universe. We can’t shy away from the fact that we have duties as much as we have rights.

Let’s start afresh. Let’s set our priorities right. The Earth, for many centuries, will still be our home. But, only if we know how to keep our house in order.

Photo by tamara garcevic on Unsplash

The infamous virus and us!

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I do not know what’s up at your end. During our collective fight against the infamous virus, like many countries, we are staying home for three weeks. While today was the first day of the nationwide lockdown, in Kolkata we have been avoiding streets for a few days, already. You may have made certain observations, I am sharing mine.

I live in the heart of the city. We are a busy juncture most hours during the day. There are two major observations.

There are no honking and polluting vehicles on the street. The air is cleaner.

I am also hearing birds chirp in the early hours, not just at dawn. There are at least three sounds distinctly different. The crows that appear at my window expecting food, are more relaxed and calm, possibly more hungry.

People are at home. What all are they doing? Playing carrom, watching tv, or are just absorbing web content. There are others reading, cooking or even writing. Some people, as I see on their social posts, are returning to their hobbies, which in the daily grind got lost in distant past.

Many people are rediscovering how best to utilise the resources at disposal and not waste anything, be it a spoon of sugar or a few biscuits.

This phase is teaching us many things. The most important one is the importance of people in our life. It’s also making us realise how difficult it is to live with no friends! This is also the moment that’s letting us know the importance of the Internet and social media as well as how important it is to meet people face-to-face. There is no substitute for the ‘real’ people.

How are you doing out there? The world is a small place. No matter which part of the world you are in, we share the same concern. Stay blessed. Do share a few words, just in case you may feel like. I am eager to hear from you, here on my blog.

Yours,
Fellow Sapien.

Photo by Chang Duong on Unsplash

If you stay home, we all stay safe!

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‘If’! Have you read the poem by Rudyard Kipling? It was taught to us in school. Ever since it has kept coming back to me, ever I have looked for something that helps me decide a future course of action. It stayed with me through the college years, through my career as a journalist. And even now, it’s a first-read before I think of what to do next.

‘If’! It has also been with me in computer science. Taught as a part of the conditional statement ‘If-Then’; it again taught me that many things in life are conditional – profession, people, loved ones, friends, colleagues, health and wealth.

What if? If only… Not if you… Well, if you agree… how many times somebody or some people talk to you each day, each week, each year, with conditions?

Some of the ‘Ifs’ are legitimate in life. Such Ifs help us decide and take bold decisions. Such ‘Ifs’ are a pre-condition to our actions. Such ‘Ifs’, like ones in Kipling’s ‘If’ help us build ourselves. Yet there are ‘Ifs’ that demotivate us. We have our personal list of ‘Ifs’, we define – legitimate or illegitimate.

Life throws us opportunities. Most of these come bundled with ‘Ifs’. Yet, such opportunities are many times preceded by hurdles and harsh phases. It’s human to face challenges and still be positive. Humans have overcome hurdles and discovered opportunities. We have committed mistakes. It’s human. Yet it’s superhuman to learn from our mistakes and not to repeat the same.

Our greed and selfishness can serve us well, but not for all times. We are a group-creature, like many species in nature. Those who care for others beside self, indeed have a better life gauged in the context of a species’s evolution. If any among us would have not thought beyond our self, we wouldn’t have succeeded in building our modern civilization. Despite our differences, we collaborate.

The challenge today is to collaborate. The challenge is to have an unselfish approach. We are humans. Realise this without ‘Ifs’ and the opportunities will follow. One world, one promise, as we pledge in scouting. We shall overcome harsh hurdles, now and ever. Those who fail to realise this, this time, aren’t adequately prepared for the new dawn ahead. For the next 100, 1000, 10000 years. The future is of ‘Ifs’ that bring us together and not of ‘Ifs’ that divide us. Fellow humans, I am happy to be you, without ‘Ifs’.

* IF you stay home for the next prescribed duration, we all stay safe. 
#fight covid-19

Photo by Bonnie Kittle on Unsplash

Fight fakes, if you want the virus to perish faster!

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There is a thin line between facts and fantasies. Like between science fiction and physical world. 

(I am compelled to call the real world physical, as we are already living or tend to live in multiple realities – virtual, real, mathematical/statistical-plausible outcomes, our visions and our primitive mental construct – dreams).

A virus is out there in the open. It’s challenging our patience. It’s challenging every notion, belief, reality. We are behaving in different ways. We want a solution. Amid this, there are people who are spinning fake news. Many among us either with good intent to make others aware or to share freshly acquired knowledge, fall prey to this menace. 

We share something which in turn has the potential to disturb our fight against this menace. Please stop falling for such beautifully crafted messages that offer you fake hope. Don’t fall for anything with ‘pseudo’ as a prefix. If you don’t understand, stick to traditional media brands known for presenting cross-checked facts, or check out direct web links of authentic institutions like World Health Organisation and government sites.

This is also a phase when a lot of people are trying to peddle unscientific theories – which recommend medicine, practices and immunity boosters as remedies. Dude, we have hundreds of qualified and trained teams globally trying to look for a solution. In our countries and globally. By falling prey to fake news and pseudosciences, you are only shattering the faith in these dedicated humans.

The numbers are scary. We need to act and react sensibly. While you know things, there is a large section of population with access to technology and web, yet not conscious about the fakers and pseudosciences.

It’s also time to share science and facts and discard and reject every piece of cooked-up data beautifully packed and served to us. Don’t give in to fakes. By inculcating scientific practices in our cultures and societies, globally, we will not only help our own people and our nations but also humanity as a whole. The fight against the virus is pure science. Let’s get through this situation with patience and logic.

Virus: Photo by CDC on Unsplash

Masked person: Photo by Free To Use Sounds on Unsplash

Researcher: Photo by CDC on Unsplash

Alone? Just hold on. After the night, it’s a fresh morning!

Each morning as my sleep slowly dissolves and realisation creeps in that I am breathing, I am a living being, it’s just a wonderful feeling. Every morning is a pledge to the beautiful thing called life. We are lucky that we are living beings. Further, we aren’t only living, we ‘feel’, we ‘understand’, we ‘think’! We are alone for a few moments, before we get up and join the rest of the world for the day ahead.

Alone, yes, we at times are alone. All to ourselves. Recall. All the moments and phases in life when you were alone. How did you feel? Wasn’t there an urge to get back to people you want to be with? Whether you love, like or dislike a person or a people, you are programmed to be with them. Offline or term it ‘online’. But you are with at least someone, or some people in life. You aren’t programmed to be ‘alone’. That’s not human.

While studying for an exam, we are alone. While away on an assignment, away from the city, we are alone. Fallen sick. That’s again extreme loneliness, having to stay in bed. Being away from people makes us realise, what we actually are, not what we pretend to be. Given a choice to have at least one person around, or to have none all your life, certainly we go with the first option. We are human.

All that’s ingrained in our primitively wired mind is collaboration. Prejudice, jealousy and such feelings may have been vital in cave-years, not definitely in years ahead. We have to make a choice in the larger interest of humanity.

Realise. What’s better. Lots of friends, each different, or just a few mirrors that just reflect our opinions and nod each time we look into them. There is no newness in such a matrix.

The sleep dissolves. Each morning, I feel so thankful to the Unseen, to life. I return to a new world, with fresh ambitions and pledge. With lots of love. The anguish, if any, of the previous day, having melted away, leaving a feel of a year gone-by.

I am no more alone. It’s always a new world, new people, new day ahead.

Alone? Just relax and think back. It’s just a long night. The sunrise is a wait-away. But don’t you continue with loneliness once you start your day this time. Feel human. Don’t hate. Love.

Shall we meet on the otherside of this night. Wait. It’s got to go. The sunrise is a wait-away. We will all be there. The spirit! That’s what makes us human. Just a wait-away. We won’t be alone. Never. Ever!

Lead photo by Matthew Henry on Unsplash
Photo by Sasha Freemind on Unsplash

Hello World!

Hey folks!
So sorry, I was off this blog for a while.
Believe you me, I don't write here for gaining analytics, for ads.
It's just the belief that somewhere out there in the world, just like me, there must be some people like-minded.
Well, if that's my concern, then what's on my mind?
It's just one thing - communicating with humans, more and more, as and when possible.
It helps in learning, all through, in life.
I am an Indian, I am a Muslim, I am a journalist...we all have multiple introductions. So do you.
This morning when I got up, I got up with an intent of writing out to you - out there - somewhere hundreds of miles away - yet someone, some people, I have had no luck of connecting yet.

Good morning!
A letter, that was long due to you. I wish it reaches you.
My comments section is for you, just in case you may wanna say Hi Safi! :)
Best.

Photo by Green Chameleon on Unsplash

We are a happy people in our old city. (Are you?)

We-in-Kolkata love rain in-general. From childish age to day, water-logged streets is an annual scrap-book add-on. We love rain. A home in a city by the river, it's a great joy - so is the city of joy a joy.
These days, it's raining. A summer true in feel has just passed by. The heat is subsiding. It's pleasant. Mosquitoes are also our annual add-on. A part of our lives. This season as well, mosquitoes-new are stinging.
The yellow taxi has stayed on. It's a beauty. After sunset, these appear like beautiful metallic toys in the glare of the street lamps, these are beautiful. Despite the arrival of aggregator-served cabs, the yellow taxis still refuse you a trip, unafraid, undeterred by the new mode. If at night, I ask for a trip with full-confidence of being refused. They live up to my expectations most of the time. It gives me great joy at being refused. Then I avail the online cab. It's such a happy-feel.
People are critical of the city, especially ones who have left us for 'better' lifestyles and 'pay'. They have worked 'hard' to 'achieve' in life. Ones who have grown up, here, once.
Newer patches of once-open-fields surrounding our old city are now home to real estate. Some occupied, some still awaiting new residents. The fresh lots in credit cycles help money business thrive. There is happiness stored in these vacant buildings, takers are earning elsewhere to become complete owners someday.
We are a happy people, in our old city.
Food, you get all varieties, just name it, at all prices. Even at home, it's now possible to enjoy your favourite food with complete pleasure. Reasonable pricing, many believe, when they compare food costs with other cities.
We enjoy variety and look for options in our world limited by strong ideologies and resources - two constraints we have always lived with.
Politics? We have so many options to talk about.
Media? In terms of content it's a 'wow' city. But you need eyes to see. Only some see it. Others see and yet ignore it. Perhaps we don't have the routine crime stories so 'strong' to feed broadcast production every day. The 'prime time': we are important at least once a week! There are wonderful stories for rest of the country. Some in city get angry, some hyper at nationally-reported stories. Some laugh while watching.
But city of joy is loved by all, no matter which side of the fence the critics sit. Every one has some Kolkata-connect.

We are a happy people, in our old city. (Are you?)

Go To Home/Main Page

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Give your mind a moment. Reboot!

When your mind goes blank and you stare at the blinking cursor, it's a rebooting occurring within. The thoughts are too many. As sparkling clusters of neurons glow up with a hyper frequency, there's something happening. The next big idea is struggling to come forward? Have you felt that?

What you do in such a situation. Put more pressure on self, shut-down your laptop or just leave your workstation and go for a cup of coffee or a short walk? Do you make calls or fiddle with tv-remote?

Everyday decision-making gets hung-up just like scribblers come across writer's block. This is a moment for thinking within. Keep cool. Take a break.

There's something definitely out there or within which your mind is subconsciously focused on. There is some mental calculation on at the back-end. Only the conscious mind is unaware. We just believe that we are mentally stuck. There's some definite calculation the mind is processing.

Experts will explain this moment better in scientific frameworks and in contexts of different disciplines of academic domain.

It's a great day ahead and you are stuck! Keep cool. It's a thinking moment. A moment that's decisive and you are at a small junction of choices. 10-9-8-7...3-2-1. It's going to get away. The day will be normal again. Give your mind a moment. Reboot!

When your 'buddy' ignores your phone call, find a new one!

It happens. You may have misjudged, categorising them as friends - because you grew up with them in some school, college or university. It may be so that they were 'best' category colleagues at some point in time. They no longer entertain calls, receive yet ignore when it comes to calling back. It happens.

But realisation of such a behaviour is what's called experience. I had a very close friend, once. We studied together post-college. There was regular or at least once-in-a-while interaction. As my 'close friend' became more engrossed in his career, he picked up well with his new city and friends. Several attempts, thereafter I lost him to the crowd. A gap of a few years, he was commenting and liking my posts. I had no options but to ignore. The damage was done already.

A second instance of a 'friend' in the profession. We lost connect, yet somehow after years we were able to join on phone. We liked talking as we had similar pointers for discussion. The interaction is over: case-02.

If I mentioned the above two, I must mention a wonderful case too. I was able to connect to a friend 16 years later. After him came the whole group I was disconnected with all those years. We are now in a regular chat mode, different cities, profiles, but connected.

We make a mistake at understanding people, but we realise at some point in time. Not everyone you come across is a 'friend'. There are people who are connected 'unconditionally'. Yet there are many who try to see through some purpose for staying in touch. The second category is of 'professionals' who somehow get into our 'friend' circle. It's only the first category which is 'friends'.

Time for a reality check? While everyone is a 'friend', most will disappear like changing seasons. Give up those who enact being one; nature always throws in a new season. There are many more people you are still to meet ahead in life. Who knows some of your best friends are still to come in your life! Move on, gals and guys!



Photo by Matheus Ferrero on Unsplash

Let’s innovate each day!

“All the world’s a stage”, the greatest dramatist had told us. Yes, we perform each day. Most have the same role to play – each day, each month, for all years. Yet there are some, who don’t gather dust with the mundane biological cycle, termed life. They innovate and make each day a better day.

Baden Powell, the founder of scouting movement, in his last message urged the followers to leave this world a little better place than they found it, so that when their turn comes to die they may not regret but die in happiness.

The innovator within us looks for the vent. There is so much achievable but we keep ignoring what our heart wants us to do. We have multiple excuses – collectively termed responsibilites.

A bit of gardening? A little cooking? Reading the book that was purchased months ago with great zeal and kept on the shelf with the rest lot of unread books? Don’t you, at times, feel like singing? Ever wished I can go for the poetic walk, wondering “lonely as a cloud”, “Beside the lake, beneath the trees”? In absence of learning, we give up some day. The day starts and before our thoughts materialise, it ends.

The innovator-within, keeps waiting all life. We refuse to give it the vent. Each passing day makes us redundant. Competition scores over our school-life skills acquired long ago. Fear transforms us. We turn irrational, orthodoxy sets in. Tints of prejudices blocks our vision. The world appears monochrome. We fail to accept the fact that the world is a beautiful spectrum of colours.

Many of our problems are self-inflicted. There’s enough harm we have done to ourselves. Let’s discover the innovator-within. Let’s give it a chance before it’s really late. The passionate “you” has the ability to fit into so many roles. Why just stick to one? Let’s innovate life!

Photo by John-Mark Smith on Unsplash

A future without intelligent humans?

Photo by Steven Su on Unsplash

They will come from the sky! The aliens! HG Wells and beyond, science fiction fails to give up hope on discovering extraterrestrials. At times, a planet here-or-there discovered, brings in excitement.Where are they? Are they there? Theories abound the mental-plane.
What about real science? The pop-n-pulp fiction apart, there's a huge probability of life elsewhere, considering probability of existence of so many galaxies.
The missions to Moon and beyond by several space-players is just building up the tempo. If they don't come, we are ready to go out. It's another matter though that our reach is limited to a few of our system's planets. But again, a small step is a giant leap, as we know, for the mankind.
What's it going to be the day manned missions re-reach Moon. Unlike the Armstrong visit, this time the missions will have intense technology. And when we reach to Mars for the first time! Wow! I don't have words, yet to pre-define what my feelings will be that day!
Well, back home on Earth, we are mentally on the other side of progress. Failing economic policies across the globe present the darker side of things, which are not equally probable, yet can't be ruled out. Foolishness backed by obsolete idealism, in many parts of the world, is a great combination to slowdown all great projects the scientific temper can deliver us.
The world's is considered more knowledgeable. The bundles of data and stored information in servers is being considered a substitute for the scientific thought and learning through experiments. Universities and schools want to lower the pressure on students, consequently lowering the bars.
The extraterrestrial journeys of the future need intelligent humans. There can be no substitute for learning, despite all the technology at our disposal.

Do you lie?

Do you lie?

An old yet relevant question! People lie. They distort facts. They make promises not convincingly possible to keep. They believe not yet profess.

Several cultures ran their systems on pledges - no writing, no witnesses, if you promised something, you will deliver - that was the spirit.

What's now? Even if you give in writing, you are likely to cheat. Drag, delay. Does it make business sense at all? Many believe that one-time transactions are unimportant. Repeat customers are more to be cared for? What foolishness! A one-timer could be an yielding customer too, only if you have that perfect seller mind.

Let's take a parallel comparison. People are ready to trust you, given the aura you have built around yourself. You play with them and prefer fabrication over stating truths! What's it you expect. This won't be smartness in 2019! You will be marked. You will lose your credibility for all times to come.

Don't pretend. Don't mislead. Don't behave in an all-knowing fashion. Don't show self a decision maker, when you lack teeth. Be honest. Speak facts as they are.

One-time transactions that turn sour, have the potential to damage your credibility. Honesty has its takers. Fooling people will leave you in bad shape someday - business, social life... there's no substitute for being factually correct and authentic.

Learn from your mistakes. Talk facts. Because facts are sacrosanct, as they say in journalism.

Recession! Is it here? Did you feel it, yet?

Photo by Vijay Sadasivuni on Unsplash

As students of Economics in college, we were exposed to terms - recession, depression, etc. Way back in 2008/09 we felt the tremors. Some of it came back to us in 2011.

Is it here, again?

You read about it in newspapers, you hear about it in defiance. It's happening! They say. (Well the exclamation mark doesn't reflect mere joy each time it's used.)

So what's the way out if it's here. Hollywood films show you scenarios where the end of the world has arrived. But hold on! This is not a film. It can be scary for most of us who really aren't used to such a show!

What should you be doing in such a situation?

A few steps:

1. First, assess all what's at your disposal - money, anything else? (If the daily grind leaves you with some assets) No one's going to run away with your money, just have an assessment.

2. Liabilities - reduce these, limit  these, stop going for more. Don't just swipe the card, each time, like you do usually. Think before each unit goes out of your bank savings or adds on to your debt in form of fresh credit. Both things are drop-by-drop phenomenon, but makes a small pool at the end.

3. Budgeting: One thing that you read everywhere, but still hesitate to follow.

4. New sources of income? Haha. Yes you may laugh, but don't stop looking for more!

5. Investments: It may be time to take a stock of existing ones and eye for assets going low. Check with your investment advisor.

Recession, if it comes, don't be surprised. If it's in and you haven't realised, perhaps you are a rich person :-)

Cheap backpacker-stay and hostels

Photo by Jason Blackeye on Unsplash

These days you will find unbelievably cheap stay offers on platforms that aggregate hostels for backpackers. It can be as low as 2 dollars per night! Are these for real? Those who are travelling to foreign countries as tourists should be extra cautious.

As a traveller you should be really cautious before booking one of these. In many cities, especially B-cities, such hostels have propped up. Thanks to aggregating and promotional techniques. It's easier to get noticed as you search for these, these promotional posts look out for you.

Instance-01

I am told of one such instance. When one of these hostels was booked online and the person concerned went to check-in. He was shown a fine-print on the portal that asked for a specific type of ID-card. If you had any other ID card, the offer was invalid. The person was asked to cancel the booking. He was asked to book again on the spot at price prevalent at the hostel.

Instance-02

A tourist was promised a cheap bunk-bed in an AC dorm. However, after midnight, the AC was switched off. This happened the following nights of stay too.

Budget is an important part of your travel, but don't just succumb to low pricing. It can affect your entire travel span.

How to choose hostels?

* First thing is definitely to read reviews, posted online. Go for the worst review first. Gradually climb up to higher stars. However don't be 100% confident of what the reviews promise. There can be fake profiles too.

* Look for the posted photographs. These may give you hints of the actual property.

* Do a general search for the property in a search engine. It may just fish out what all has been posted about the same.

* Look for the locality on map. It may not be a real good location, in case pricing figures very low.

* A top-posted hostel on the platform can be a promoted post.

As you travel, you learn more about backpacking and associated concerns. It's also a wise decision to travel in small groups. Well, happy going! Stay safe and save where you need to without getting tempted by what's posted online.