Made In Japan. Self-Destruction In Pakistan. What A Shame! Will YOU Not Think?

by Imran Anwar

A friend of mine in Pakistan emailed me some photographs of the Japanese cities destroyed by American Atomic Bombs, and how they have risen from the ashes in 60 years.

It was so ironic to see that and compare Pakistan and Japan, and see how two nations of intelligent hard-working people took such divergent paths, over the same course of time and turmoil....

From 1947 to about 1967 Pakistan started rising from the heartbreak of partition to a somewhat economically developing nation. We had greater prosperity than the masses of India and better GDP than even South Korea.

We then spent most of the 1967-1977 period dismantling our economy - with civil war, defeat and then nationalization.

From 1977 to about 1987, thanks to the (CIA-driven dictator) General Zia-driven funding of fundamentalist ideologies, we saw Pakistan start a mental and social regression, which would make even Iranian clerics scratch their turbaned heads.

In the 20-years period of 1987-2007 (until today, so to speak) we have seen Pakistan brought to the brink of self-destruction. With money for missiles and nuclear weapons, Pakistan has no money or common sense to have invested in power generation to meet its own needs since several decades.

Forget industrial development, or even competing with other evolving economies in areas like software, and technology.

Despite constant load-shedding only the Conspiracy Factory of Pakistan continues to operate at peak capacity.

Even America ran out of ideas on conspiracies after the Moon Landing Hoax, Kennedy Assassination and Jimmy Hoffa conspiracies. Pakistan is the world's leading producer now. The best new conspiracies have Made in Pakistan engraved on them, while Made In Japan is now written on only the highest quality advanced technology products.

With our silent acquiescence, sitting in our air-conditioned (except for load-shedding hours) homes, we make the usual tccch-tcch sounds of afsos and regret, then do our bit to contribute to the manufacture of new conspiracy theories — while the stinking, unwashed, jihadi terrorists, murderous Jahilan-AlQatlian kill fellow Muslims and Pakistanis every day.

But, instead of recognizing the deadly cancer that grows in the midst of every major national organ (and organization), and dealing with that deadly disease, even supposedly intelligent, educated and professional Pakistanis see an American or Jewish conspiracy in everything. Instead of aggressively targeting the supporters of the Taliban and AlQaeda, who are now entrenched in mosques and madrassahs even in major cities, not just the stone-age rocky villages of the Northern territories, Pakistanis simply live by "Blame America, Wait For Allah".

We expect Allah to either press the Undo button or automagically fix everything. Pakistanis have mastered the fine art of tea-trolley discussions on whom to blame. They have elevated to a science the creation of Unified Theories of Conspiracy that would baffle even Einstein and confound Prof. Abdus Salam.

People now increasingly talk about the centuries old glory days of Muslims, instead of acting for a brighter future of Pakistan. They pontificate about how wonderful the Khalifas were, as if a Political-Religious Messiah can be divined from tea leaves in Fine China cups, to bring us bright eyed sunshine-filled futures.

And, all they think they need to do is hold tea parties - and attend Friday prayers once in a while - for this magic to happen.

Instead, all these people need to wake up and smell the coffee. Instead of a revival of a theoretical Ottoman Caliphate, we are becoming the Ostrich Caliphate of Pakistan. We run, as gracelessly as that creature, towards our own destruction - but only when we do not have our heads stuck in the sands of time and a romanticized history.

Forget history, damn the future, we can't even be certain of our todays, much less our tomorrows. We have jihadis, most funded by fellow Muslims and Pakistanis, killing our own soldiers, blowing up our women and children.

It is no secret that AlQaeda and the Taliban want to steal Pakistan's nuclear weapons. I suspect many Pakistanis probably secretly harbor a silent approval for the theft of one nuclear device. They secretly hope for such a device to somehow be used to "punish" all those they hold responsible for their own failures - as they successfully craft conspiracy theories. They mentally paint targets on Washington, New York, Tel Aviv, New Delhi.

"Ah," such people think, "if only 'they' can be blown up, all of Pakistan's problems would be fixed and the Muslim Ummah would shine again."

But, people, THINK about it.

Even if the jihadis were to succeed in grabbing one nuclear device, the likelihood of their "Islamic Bomb" getting to the USA, or even Israel, is 0.000000001%.

Wake up and do the Math. That means there is 99.999999999% likelihood they would detonate a device within Pakistan, in a major city...... One can only imagine what a nuclear explosion in a Pakistani city would do to a nation already on the brink of tearing itself apart at the seams. Maybe that is what Pakistanis secretly want? A full hard reboot of the system.

Maybe they look at Japan. It was destroyed and in far worse shape in 1945 than Pakistan was in 1947. Yet, see the path it took — from two nuclear bombs annihilating entire cities, military occupation, subjugation, war tribunals killing off the entire former leadership, and worse...

See below how incredibly Japan, ironically a nation big on suicides, chose to live on, to shine and rise from the ashes.... while Pakistanis silently witness a collective national suicide, at the hands of Muslim suicide-murderers, killing in the name of Islam.

We watch fellow Muslims trigger bomb timers, lighting fuses of death. We see Pakistanis' psyche smoldering, a rage fueled by the ugly, bearded hoards of semi-literate mullahs whom we can't even get to shut off their loudspeakers at 3AM for fear of a fatwa against us. We watch, every day, our cities exploding and Pakistan's future going down in flames...

And, still, collectively we all immediately blame anyone, anyone, but our own internal demons, our own created beasts, and worse, far worse, our own reality-avoiding selves.

What a shame, what a shame, what a shame....

I think it is time to think.... Afa'laa tataa'fakka'roon..... "Will You Not Think?"

IMRAN

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Pictures: http://flickr.com/imrananwar/

PS I could not find the actual site or blog these photos came from, so they are produced here for appreciation. If you own these pictures, kindly let me know so I can attribute you for these stunning photos and link to your blog or album. Thank you.

======
Begin forwarded message:

From: Irfan R
To: IMRAN

!!!!!! When there is a will, there is a way !!!!!!!!

HIROSHIMA 64 YRS LATER...
Hiroshima , Nagasaki 1945

We all know that Hiroshima and Nagasaki
were destroyed in August 1945 after explosion of atomic bombs.

However we know less about the progress
made by the people of that land during the
past 62 years.

Here are some photos...

HIROSHIMA THE COLORFUL CITY


Now





Hard to believe isn't it???

Sun Signs Out, Sets Off Home, Over Dark Daymark Outdoors

 

Sun/Sign/Out. Sun Signs Out, Sets Off Home, Over Dark Daymark Outdoors - IMRAN™, originally uploaded by ImranAnwar.

The sun signs out from a full day's work. It sets off for home and sets off a home on the water in brilliantly dark silhouette.

In time, the sun sets over a dark daymark, set in the channel, splitting the sun's reflections on the water, separating shallow water from deep, providing one more geometric and symmetric element in this imagery, this memory — electronically etched in the silicon of a memory card, eternally aligned in the magnets of a hard drive, permanently painted on the neurons of a mind dazzled by the sights it saw in a wondrous lifetime.

Stiltsville, in the channel outside Biscayne Bay in Miami, Florida, is a place I have seen more spectacular marine sunsets from my yacht than any place else.

Just idling the engines, soaking in the sights of the ends of a passion filled afternoon, the juices of the day melting over the shades of dusk, I captured this with my Nikon D300. No cropping.

I saw the sign, the sun, out of the blue and into the red, and my sun sign (Gemini) made me see the duality of the moment melding time and tide flowing past and rising ahead. It made me vow, like the sun set to rise again, I too would be back, to make new memories, of another day, on another day. Amen.

 

© 2010 IMRAN 

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PS1 No color processing, only frame & title added in Photoshop. I could have reduced highlights on the sun and lightened shadows on the house and sign but just wanted to savor it as it was.

PS2 I did notice a stunning amount of greater detail in this image the Nikon stored as a TIFF compared to the JPGs I normally save. The camera has a memory card large enough to store TIFFs in any outing. But at that time I was concerned about the iPhoto library growing too large for my MacBook Pro's hard drive. Even with 99% images as JPGs it is already over 50GB. With another 60GB for my iTunes library, pretty soon, I'd have no space left for anything else.

PS3 The horizon IS level. The water gets shallower to the left and the sky was darker to the right, making the satiny reflection appear dipping towards the left, but you will see the actual horizon is level.

Eyes Rise To High Rise, Monterey Touching Skies

From NYC Street, Eyes Rise To High Rise, Monterey Touching Skies - IMRAN™, originally uploaded by ImranAnwar.

The Monterey, on 96th Street and Third Avenue, in the tony Carnegie Hills part of Manhattan, NY, was my home for nearly 3 wonderful years, 1992-1995.

During a recent trip to NYC I took the #6 Lexington Avenue train to the area. I was happy to see the doorman and concierge still remembered me after 15 years.

I met some of the most beautiful people and some of the most special people entered my life in this amazing building. From the beautiful, brilliant and then-beloved Beth to the amazing angel-faced and angel-hearted Allegra, from the lovable lovely Lipika to one of Revlon's "10 Most Beautiful Women" the exquisitely beautiful, funny, sweet and one-in-a-million Julie. From the awesome dude Askari, to the lucky F16 & airlines pilot and gentleman Kendall. All these and more are parts of memories from the amazing life I had at The Monterey.

Looking like a towering silo reaching into the sky, the lighting made it look even more beautiful. Taken from street level, with the busy intersection and the Islamic Center & Mosque behind me, this photo shows how the eye rises to this high-rise's peak... looking at my apartment just near the top floor. This view with the stunning bright sky that day and reddish tones of 5 PM winter NY sun show the vivid colors and the Normandie Court apartments and clouds reflecting in the glass and brick styled tower.

Being circular on the outer edge gave my large 1-bedroom luxury home the most stunning panoramic views. I could see Yankees Stadium, Mets Stadium and planes landing at LaGuardia Airport, cars on and boats under the Tri-Borough Bridge, East River, FDR Drive, Citicorp Center and if I leaned out I could at that time see the World Trade Center (but would probably fall out the window doing that).

I was the first tenant in my apartment in the new building and only left it when I built my dream home on Long Island.

I would love to go back and get an apartment there again, preferably my own again (21-H or higher) but it may not happen for a while. I was foolish enough to sublet the apartment to an African-American named Ali Yasin (Ali Yassin) who stayed there nearly 2 years but disappeared without paying 6 months rent. I am still searching for him (and the woman pastor named Ekutowsi Robinson who was his guarantor) because he caused severe financial and legal obligations with his sleazy behavior. (Caution if you ever do business with these people).

Until then, I can always look back to the memories I made in this building and know, there are others holding dear incredible memories as I do.

© 2010 IMRAN
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Not Much Room Ahead Of Mushroom Head!

From Down In The Dirt In Patchogue, Long Island, Not Much Room Ahead Of Mushroom Head! - IMRAN™, originally uploaded by ImranAnwar.

Talk about opposites. From the heights of the Eiffel Tower, looking down on Paris, at the end of Fall, in the previous photo, to lying in the East Patchogue Long Island dirt, at the end of Spring, in my roadway's flowerbeds, looking up at a mushroom.

From enjoying tiny mushrooms with a filet mignon dinner at the Eiffel on 12/6, to the eye falling on this beefy looking giant burger sized mushroom in Patchogue on 5/7. From being smartly dressed for sophisticated dining, savoring escargot in one of the most romantic spots, to being thankful I was wearing cargo pants for this shot, crawling ahead at snail's pace on the ground.

I was going for a walk, when I noticed this spectacularly large mushroom growing among the beds - where I have photographed a stunning iris previously posted. I immediately went back inside, grabbed the camera and came back.

Prostrating myself at the altar of alternate photography, but being careful not to sprawl too far into the sprawling community's entrance roadway (it's a private street but anyone taking the turn could publicly turn me into mushroom barley soup), I zoomed in, to parlay the mesmerizing lighting.

It was exactly 6 PM, so the late afternoon sun, coming from over my left shoulder, was casting yellow-red tones, making the mushroom almost glow with nuclear sharp edges. At the same time, the bush to the right and the grassy knoll to the left behind it were showing shadows of the trees above me, making that area look much darker than the mushroom.

Without letting the Mushroom Cloud my judgement, I quickly clicked 3 more shots, rising up, but not getting high, to say Hi to a passing neighbor.

The Nikon clicked at 1/500th second, the lens at 105 mm near full aperture, with ISO at 800 helped create some interesting bokeh with only a narrow band of mulch in very sharp focus at the feet of the head mushroom.

I have another photo I will post another time for which I have a clever title that did not apply here. So, I was scratching my head trying to be clever.

Mushroom Proud could apply but was not close enough to the usual Mushroom Cloud people know in common usage. (I'm waiting for a day I can find a mushroom on a hillside with clouds above it to photograph. LOL).

Since I'd gotten as close to the mushroom head to take this picture as I could, there was not much room ahead, and I remembered the name of the alternate music group Mushroomhead.

I am not sure just what kind of mushroom they're into, but Not Much Room Ahead Of Mushroomhead seemed appropriate.

Another lesson learnt. Never postpone a photo opp. Grab that camera when you see a chance to catch something unusual. Next evening, not only was it not as interesting lighting, I noticed that rabbits or something else chewed half the top off this mushroom!

We'll always have Paris, but we didn't have that mushroom forever. :)

© 2010 IMRAN
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I Atop Paris' Eiffel, Eye Fell On Paris Below

From Top Of Paris' Eiffel, Eye Fell On Paris Below, Under Towering Storm's Rise In Stunning Sky - IMRAN™ - PG13 Text, originally uploaded by ImranAnwar.

PG13
I Atop Paris' Eiffel, Eye Fell On Paris Below, Under Towering Storm's Rise In Stunning Sky

To be atop the Eiffel Tower in Paris for a romantic dinner at Christmas time is all you can imagine and more. I would have much preferred the amazing experience to be in stunningly clear rather than stormy weather.

Still, a line to get into the Eiffel Tower, and it's restaurants, snaked below it. Having made reservations through a reputable (though expensive) service meant we did not have to stand in line in the rain and were whisked to the elevators.

French cuisine, and the food in Paris in particular, are just magnificent experiences, subtle splendors of culinary delights. But the Eiffel Tower's two restaurants, which can be called fairly expensive and terribly expensive respectively, are nothing to write home about (or in modern times, to email or blog about). They are tourist traps and definitely not the finest that Paris offers. It's really about location-location-location! And, making the cash register, ring-ring-ring!

Though the restaurant had been filled to capacity, and there were people lounging about the top after dinner, the rain and stormy weather made it possible to take some unusual photos of the city of lights.

Having only the pocket Nikon S6, I could not do much except snap whatever I could in the terrible weather. Handheld shots were coming out boring or shaken/blurry most of that night. Even iPhoto enhancements recently did not do much to make up for the difficult photography day that was.

But the golden stormy sky through the metal mesh was captured by putting the camera down on metal supports and railings with the longest exposure I could get using the timer. The limited focus and non-existent metering options ensured the perfect overexposed sky of Gold through no talent of mine. Photoshop brightened and framed it today. Sadly I was also running out of battery - after a 12 hours day of sightseeing. So there are not too many photos of this dramatic trip...

A time of museum visits and stylish dinners, hectic days and sensual nights, dangerous liaisons and consummated fantasies, forced by forces of nature to take willing submissions, careless whispers and sweet surrenders, openly opening portals and secretly secreting dreams in spiral staircases making them stairways to heaven, living large with little deaths, explosive invasions and gentle withdrawals, passionate mergers and eventual tempestuous partings... marking the spots and leaving a mark, on the city, on the spot, on the soul.

Oui. Just another Evening In Paris. All and more than what this city of lovers has witnessed in its history-filled history, of loves and lovers, power lusts and lust's power, from the heights of it's story-filled storied multi-story tower to the singular depths of its passionate lover's soul.

© 2010 IMRAN
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loc: 48.8584752, 2.294697

(South) Country Road, Take(s) Me Home

(South) Country Road, Take(s) Me Home - IMRAN™, originally uploaded by ImranAnwar.

Just after Christmas 1993, snow still on the ground, I took a train from Manhattan for a real estate person to show me some areas to buy or build my first very own home and my first home in America. (I am blessed to have a family home we built in Lahore, Pakistan 25 years ago).

In East Patchogue, I was taken in by the beauty of the area. This road, created literally 80 years ago, the aptly named South Country Road, looked really beautiful and representative of the South Shore's "God's country" living charm and lifestyle, just over one hour away from Manhattan and a short drive away from the Hamptons. As a matter of fact, the area is affectionately called the Hamptons without the hassle!

Indeed, like the words of that great song, this (South) Country Road, Take(s) Me Home, to Heron Pointe, the place I now live and so belong.

I just fell in love with the beachfront property, and the spot I would build my dream home, within 30 seconds of stepping out of the car, right then, right there, on that very first visit at Christmas 1993.

It took half of 1994 for me to build up the commitment courage (and paperwork as a Green Card holder but non-citizen entrepreneur with no regular job) to commit to the contract. And that too I did when someone else made the builder an offer on "my" home lot.

Not being able to stall any further, I made the commitment, and the home was completed in time for my birthday in 1995. I have been blessed to live here for 15 years now.

Now, even as I face some truly challenging times, that can uproot me in every way imaginable, every time I am walking and get to this spot (from where my home is just over a mile away ahead and to the right on the water) it takes my breath away.

Exactly a month ago, May 9, 2010, a particularly difficult and dark day for me, was possibly the single most vivid, clear and bright Long Island day I have seen in a few years.

I simply pulled out the pocket Nikon S6, and, after waiting several minutes to find the road clear, took this shot.

I did not mind the bright Red Jeep receding into the distance, into the wild future just around the vanishing point, that dark bend in the road, giving contrasts of Red, Yellow and Green on the road, and Red, Blue and White with the sky.

South Country Road. It's taken me home for 15 blessed years. Where the road takes me, and what road I will be on, all I can do is continue on the drive of an amazing life, on this walk through time, spreading my wings, destination unknown.

I thank God for having blessed me more than I could have imagined and - as I have faith and pray - He will do even more in the days and years to come.

© 2010 IMRAN
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It's Terrorists Killing Pakistanis; Muslims, Christians & Ahmadis

I came upon an article by a Bruce Walker, at The New American web site. It was titled "Lahore, Pakistan: Muslims Killing Muslims."

I regret that article is quite misleading and using flawed "logic" to give the writer a chance to bash Islam. The writer's lack of understanding Islam is also obvious and his intellectual pretense quite exposed.

As a Pakistani Muslim, as a student leader at UET Lahore nearly 30 years ago, and now as an American citizen, I consider Ahmadis as Pakistani as me, if not more. (e.g. if they do not have dual citizenship like me).

However, even as a liberal Muslim, I am sorry to say this, but Ahmadis are not practicing Islam. That, however, does not make their citizenship of Pakistan, and right to a safe life there, any less than mine or yours.

A basic tenet of Islam is that Muhammad PBUH was the last Prophet. Ahmadis follow a man as a PROPHET who came and went without being a blip on humankind's radar.

That in itself shows that they are merely a cult that, despite their religious beliefs, has done quite well in Pakistan, and in spite of being officially designated non-Muslims. They generally fare better than Christians and Hindus in Pakistan, socially and economically.

Yes, there are shameful acts of violence against them, but sadly, not more but less than attacks against all of Pakistan in general.

Far more Sunni Muslims (and Shias) have been massacred by the evil AlQaeda and murderous stone-age Taliban than Ahmadis or Hindus or Christians combined. Writers like this article's author conveniently ignore that fact in jumping on every opportunity to malign Islam.

The Ahmadis call themselves Muslims and 4 million of them thrive in Pakistan. Though I am sure they would not be openly attacked or killed, as happened in the recent Lahore incident, I wonder how well Jews or Christians, especially in places with high concentrations of fundamentalist Christians or Jews, would accept a similar group.

Would Jews and Christians welcome a new cult announcing it was practicing Judaism or Christianity but following, say, Adolf Hitler or Stalin as their Prophet and the Messiah? Would Jews and Christians not call the cult as abhorrent to their basic religions if its basic premise was completely contrary to the most fundamental tenet of their religion?

Would they call its leader a heretic or a lunatic - or would they also fall on their knees to revere him as "the providential figure believed by Christians, Jews, and Muslims to return and foretell the end of the world, as well as being a preordained figure in Hinduism, the Bahaism, Zoroastrianism, and Buddhism" as the article stupidly, and disingenuously, refers to the Ahmadi cult's leader as?

Probably not!

So, remember, a terror attack that killed Ahmadis in this case, followed by an attack on a hospital that killed ordinary Pakistani Muslims indiscriminately, is a continuation of random bombing murders of Muslims in Pakistan, Iraq, and other countries.

It is an act of evil by a political-power seeking gang of zealots the CIA and the USA helped the dictator General Zia create 30 years ago, not some common form of Islam.

But, it is easy for people like Bruce Walker to sit in their cozy dens, seemingly smartly but intellectually falsely, bashing Islam - by making it sound like he's speaking for the betterment of Muslims. If only he was not ignoring the simple tragic violent fact...

It's Terrorists Killing Pakistanis; Muslims, Shias, Hindus, Christians and Ahmadis — either in random or specific attacks. AlQaeda and Taliban represent Islam as much as the Nazis exterminating Jews like rodents were representing Christianity (even though the historic fact of the Christian Church's role in that is well known).

So, those looking to bash all of Islam and all of Muslims for the actions of a few evil murderers (who kill Muslims daily!), remember, it works both ways.

AlQaeda is as representative of Islam as the Nazis were of Christianity or Hitler represented Prophet Jesus, or as the murderous blood-thristy Zionist Israelis massacring Palestinians represent Prophet Moses.

Technorati Tags: Imran Anwar, AlQaeda, America, Bigotry, Christ, Christianity, Imran, Imran Anwar, ImranAnwar, Intolerance, Iraq, Islam, Israel, Jesus, Muslims, Opinion, Pakistan, Palestine, Terrorism

Jet. Blue. Moon. Light. Moon. Flight.

Jet. Blue. Moonlight. MoonFlight - IMRAN™, originally uploaded by ImranAnwar.

I love the moon & it's effect on us. I love flying. I love jets. I love blue. I love photography. I love words. I love combining them all.

Yet, despite thinking about it dozens of time, I've not made a concerted effort to capture one of those beautiful images when a plane crosses in front of the moon.

The early rising moon, visible at blue hour times the day after my birthday, was not full but the day was cooler than usual.

Sitting on my deck, I saw a jet high in the sky to my right reflecting the falling sunlight with shiny contrails.

I quickly stepped in to grab the Nikon D300 camera. No time to check settings. No time to swap to the 300mm (450mm equiv) lens. No time to change settings from JPG to RAW for a greater detail picture.

I simply shot a couple of quick images while managing to keep both plane and moon in the handheld shot at full 200mm (300mm equiv) zoom.

Air at that level must have had an upward flow, giving the jet's vapor trail an upward drift, giving it the look of a Japanese brush stroke.

With the pale bright moon and the shiny jet plane almost perfectly balanced in the bottom right and top left one-thirds points, I was happy to capture this moment, not Made In Japan. I had Jet. Blue. Moon. Light. Flight.

Jet Blue Moonlight Moonflight.

I hope to capture one closer to a full moon, with a 300/450mm lens on a tripod with camera RAW but can't predict when that will be.

© 2010 IMRAN
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Happy Birthday Munna. Mini Me, Imran 1964 - by Anwaruddin (1932-2008)

Happy Birthday Munna. Mini Me, Imran 1964 - by Anwaruddin (1932-2008), originally uploaded by ImranAnwar.

My late beloved Father, Anwaruddin (1932-2008), took this photo of me in Montgomery (now Sahiwal), Pakistan, for my birthday in 1964. Having only a 2" print, I scanned it in to post today, on my birthday.

Munna is a popular nickname for "little boy" in Urdu, and that is what I was called as the Mini-Me you see above.

My beloved Mother put those shades on me, not just to be cool :-) but because just a few days earlier I had fallen on broken glass and nearly lost my left eye. You can see the hair shaved off above the wound area to keep it from falling in my eye or irritating the area. The stiches' scar is still listed as my major identification mark in travel documents.

This one's dedicated to you Abu. Your passion for appreciating beauty and photography I will carry with me to the end of my travel through this life.

© 1964 Anwaruddin
© 2010 Imran Anwar

Taken May 23, 1964 with an Argus 35mm on Agfa B/W Film, scanned May 23, 2010.

The Rock & Roll(ing Tides)

The Rock & Roll(ing Tides) - IMRAN™, originally uploaded by ImranAnwar.

The Rock & Rolling Tides Of Time
by Imran Anwar

There It Is! The Rock!
Shiny Old New Full Moon,
Rising Up, Again So Soon.
But Never Dull, Not Routine,
This Bright Uplifting Scene.
As Long Day's Wait Finally Ends
Towards A Heavy Night It Tends.
Gravity Pulls, What Matters?
Silently Lifts Bay's Dark Waters
Mass Of Land Had Held At Bay.

Roaring, Rolling, Tides Of Time
Quite Quiet, But Still Won't Stay
Raising Weighty Water's Tides.
Higher, Higher The Marker Rides
Highest, Highest I've Ever Seen,
Rising, Tiptoeing, To Tips Of Toes,
Tide Ripples, Time Flows.
Standing Still, Moon Above,
Insignificant I, Perched Upon
Imran Marina Finger Dock.


Words & Photo © 2010 IMRAN
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No Terrorism Monster Godzilla In House Of God, God's Villa

No Terrorism Monster Godzilla In House Of God, God's Villa - IMRAN™, originally uploaded by ImranAnwar.

The Faisal Mosque (in memory of the only pious King of modern Saudi Arabia, the assassinated Shah Faisal) on the outskirts of Islamabad, Pakistan, is among the largest houses of God in the world.

Just like the symmetry of the photograph above, the ironic similarity, rhyming and conceptual congruence between God's Villa and the monster Godzilla is intended to raise awareness, not to offend. It is up to us to have religious faiths in our lives to be better people, but also to stay involved in who and how someone speaks for our religions.

This is true regardless of what religion we practice, Islam, Christianity, Judaism, or other, non-monotheistic, religions, like Hinduism, etc. Without educated, sensible and intelligent people staying involved, religions can be hijacked, and God's Villa overtaken by the monster Godzilla of fanaticism, intolerance and terror.

So help me, God, to save the houses of God, from the actions of the Satanic, verses of hate-preaching and the No-SoulMan's Rush2Die and kill innocent children and people going to school or to prayer.

Also see, Heaven Vantage.

© 2008-2010 IMRAN™
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Cloud Computing Essential Considerations for Users, Vendors & Media

April 23, 2010 — Imran Anwar, ranked "Most Influential" in Cloud Computing on Twitter, clears the air on Cloud Computing. 10 minutes could save you 10 million or 10 months of trouble or more. You must view this, especially if you are an end-user or business/technology manager thinking about investing in Cloud Computing, or are a vendor/service provider offering or planning to offer services in this fast growing area, or if you are a member of the media or analyst community. The key points raised in this engaging brief video will save you a lot of heart ache and grief. Don't spend another minute or another Dollar on Cloud Computing without speaking to Imran Anwar.

Fire Water. Liquid Gold. Comet Alley View?

Fire Water. Liquid Gold. Comet Alley View? ;-) - IMRAN™, originally uploaded by ImranAnwar.

Before you accuse me of doing HDR work or clicking some random effects in PhotoShop, hear me out! LOL

It was a frigid day when I walked out to the beach to capture the sunset. My fingers were near frozen and (still being too lazy to read what all the buttons on my Nikon D300 do) I simply was squeezing and twisting buttons on it. ( Others from that day will be posted later).

As they say, "Given enough monkeys with enough typewriters at least one can produce the complete works of William Shakespeare..."

Fortunately, Shakespeare did not take pictures.

This photo may not win any awards but the over-saturated looking, somewhat overexposed yet nearly unreal reflections of the burning sky set the perfectly still water on fire.

The melting comet-like iced-rock on my beach and the unreal reflections around it simply added to the drama of the moment with melting Gold dust seeming to reflect on the ice. That of course made me insert my first French-word play pun in the title. :-)

© 2010 IMRAN™
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Whites Of Their Skies

Whites Of Their Skies - IMRAN™, originally uploaded by ImranAnwar.

I would love to only post "obviously" dramatic and stunning images taken in exotic locations or with my Nikon D300. But, I don't want to miss out sharing the unexpected "ordinary" sights of beauty I walk by every day even with just an old pocket camera in hand.

A photo from a late afternoon walk on South Country Road, East Patchogue, New York.

April 13, 2010 was a somewhat windy and cool day. I had to time the photos that day to avoid traffic that does get busier around 5 PM.

The falling sun's light made interesting patterns in the oncoming heavy clouds (will post that one another time). The newly blossoming trees' white shades created interesting effects against the gray sky, white clouds and green hedges while the old classy homes reflected on Robinson's Pond.

I found it interesting that even though I did not change the colors, the clouds in this size exported image look purple but just deep gray in the original sized image. Enhanced Contrast & lightened Shadows in iPhoto and framed in PhotoShop.

Reminds me of similar colors but opposite weather at this picture.

© 2010 IMRAN™
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Steal Not Non-Steel Magnolias' Magical Pretty Pink Floral Flo(a)tilla

Steal Not Non-Steel Magnolias' Magical Pretty Pink Floral Flo(a)tilla - IMRAN™, originally uploaded by ImranAnwar.

These pretty pink flowers seemed floating in the air on South Country Road, in East Patchogue, Long Island, New York, as I walked by.

I did not want anyone to think I Steal Magnolias ;-) . Taking care not to step onto the property they are on, I tried to capture the Floating Flowers Flotilla (hence the Floral Flo(a)tilla title).

I don't know the official name of this plant but those are the real pink colors of it, not Photoshop.

I am happy with my current "standard" Black frame with title and name presentation method in my stream, and my friends love it too. But, this image made it worth trying a white version. What do you think, compared to the version below?

© 2010 IMRAN
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Atop Foggy Bottom, Steamy Spirits Rise

Atop Foggy Bottom, Steamy Spirits Rise - IMRAN™ ____(iPhone Photo In Fog. Verse Worth Reading), originally uploaded by ImranAnwar.

Atop Foggy Bottom
by Imran Anwar

Hazy halos hovering low,
Hi, says cold steaming fog.
Silky shimmering, soft swirling,
Slinky, steamy, soulless spirits,
Densely ethereal dervishes
Dancing devils of heavy air
Alight darkly, walking on water
Collapsing, out of misty breath
Into another's unreal nothingness
Silently screaming, seeking solace
Dazed, drunken, doomed...
Moisture-laden dying ghosts.

Words & Image © 2010 IMRAN
--
iPhone 3GS photo in drizzle & fog, framed & overlaid with text effect. Note the steamy figures rising from the water.
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Dome Of The Rock - Heaven Is A Place On Earth

Dome Of The Rock. Heaven Is A Place On Earth. The Baths, Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands - IMRAN™, originally uploaded by ImranAnwar.

The Baths, Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands

People fight and kill for sandy pieces of land, on the gates of perceived heavens, when God has created heavens on earth we cannot give enough thanks for.

This dome shaped rock is a highlight of the stunning swath of beach at The Baths, in Virgin Gorda, the British Virgin Islands. A place that makes you say "Oh, God!" more than most places of worship.

The truth is, without justice, there cannot be peace on earth and the sands of time will churn with rivers of blood, as man kills man, to try to prove who is a bigger prince of peace. And, God, isn't that a shame on earth.

PS If you have not seen it, I highly recommend you watch KINGDOM OF HEAVEN (available on DVD).

© 2008-2010 IMRAN
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Image Notes: Taken on a Norwegian Cruise Lines cruise in 2008 with a pocket Nikon S6. Imported into iPhoto. No cropping. Did not reduce highlights which would make the rock top less shiny but it would dull the stunning water and sky colors. Reduced saturation a bit & added title frame in Photoshop.

Solar Cytoplasm Sets Sky(To)Plasma Display. (Dedicated To Dennis Hopper & All Those Fighting Terminal Illness)

Solar Cytoplasm Sets Sky(To)Plasma Display - IMRAN™ __ Please read: Dedicated to Dennis Hopper & All Those Fighting Terminal Illness, originally uploaded by ImranAnwar.

Since I was a kid, I loved puns, enjoyed Physics, hated Biology and despised Chemistry!

This is possibly the most science-related pun titles that is also (I hope!) philosophically deep. But it is quite simple at the same time.

The nuclear-hot core, Hydrogen burning nucleus of the sun, plasma ignited fires of the gigantic heavenly body, light its edges like a yellow membrane of fire. That all-consuming heat, across the spans of space, is also the source of energy for life, even in the most basic cellular (as in single-cell of living beings) organism.

Cytoplasm, in Biology, is the material between the cell membrane and its nucleus, the basic building block of life.

All living creatures, including us proud humans, with passion, blood and plasma coursing through our veins, are simply walking symphonies of a seemingly random but coordinated cacophony of chemical reactions in our own cell's cytoplasm. It's not strange when something goes wrong, it's a miracle that so much works so perfectly for so long, giving us a chance to achieve greatness beyond the humble cell we start from.

Bare branches of a sole tree stand in stark defiance against the falling sun. Yet its soul silently yearns to trap life-giving photons in a net of meshed dry limbs, so that new life may spring forth again from their tips.

We humans proudly walk by the sunset sky lit to plasma colors as in the moment above, to huddle in the safety and comfort of our nuclear family members. As we turn On our hi-def plasma displays to the Discovery Channel, we discover...

We, our planet, even our sun and solar system, appear to be tinier and tinier, nearly invisible, insignificant single cells of the universe the further we view from.

We are amazed. We are humbled. We realize that in life, until our death, it is our choice. We may be insignificant, but we can choose not to be inconsequential.

Even as the mighty sun falls, and daylight burns to an end, we can still seize the day to shine bright into the endless night.

Carpe Diem.

Dedicated to Dennis Hopper and all those fighting terminal illnesses. Fight on, live on, shine on, forever, you crazy diamond stars.

© 2010 IMRAN
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Note: This picture's colors were not processed or boosted. Only a frame was added with a title.

Songs Of Spring Flying & "Pink! I Soar"

As the inexorable march of time brings our days to a close, just past the Ides Of March, the clocks spring forward, back to their original times. Spring may be in the air, or at least around the corner of the winter clock's tearing eye --- as will be happier days and times one day on the calendar of life.

Blue skies are not immediately visible on the horizon and the darkness of night still stands, brooding, silently menacing, around the water's edge.

But even in impending dusk, the sky blushes pink for its fantasy-filled thoughts of the sensual dawn it yearns to be embraced by. The soul wonders. What shall I do with this moment?

One Day I'll Fly Away, but does it have to be now? Shall I seek refuge in stark branches with Broken Wings? Or go back to Learning To Fly so l can fly again to seek the new dawn -- which I have to believe is waiting over the horizon?

I think. I feel. I choose. I roar. 
"When eyes see Pink, I soar."

PS Sorry, I could not resist the puns on Pink Eye, Pink Eyesore, etc. for an image that is cool and pleasing to the eye. Of course the Pink Floyd song reference also reminded me of two other favorite songs, one from Randy Crawford and the other from the one-hit wonder Mister Mister.

© 2010 IMRAN
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Do You Know The Ides Of March, The March Of Time?

Do You Know The Ides Of March, The March Of Time - IMRAN™, originally uploaded by ImranAnwar.

I post few photos of myself here unless there is some significance to the image or event. Today is such a day. The Ides Of March are upon us.

The Ideas of March is the name given to March 15, a day dedicated to the Roman god Mars, in their ancient calendar. They held a military parade on the day. It was there and on this day Julius Caeser was assassinated in 44BC, despite being warned.

Life rushes forward, time marches on. Today is March the 15th, 2010. The Ides of March are upon us as the March of Time parades us past our glorious lives to our inescapable ends, the colors of our lives, like the colors of the title in this photo, sliding from the blue skies of joyous lives to the deepening pinks of the ending gentle sleep.

We eye the future, even as the seers of the Ides of March see something else. We do not warm to how they warn us of a different story. For we know only one way to live, no matter how far or near the end. We have to remain full of wonder, for the mystery of the unknown, whether of turning a page, or not turning a corner.

The end may be near, lurking like the dangerous stab in the heart by a trusted loved one, but the joy of having lived every minute as we wished is even nearer, deeper in our hearts, and that lives through all eternity, regardless of how glorious or how humble we are in the grand scheme of history.

"Et tu, Brute? Then fall Caesar!" wrote William Shakespeare.

When we hear the silent haunting melody accompanying an impending dusk, appearing, oh, so soon, on an amazing life, when we felt so close to the blue skies of tomorrow, we are left wonderously gasping in our final breaths....

If only.... if only....if only!
Such was life, Such is life.

Liberating Religions Trapped In A Cave Mentality

A Twitter ID, @thoughtandhumor, going by the name of Professor Howdy, sent me a tweet today. "Will pop culture be the end of historic Christianity", it said, with a link to an article by T. M. Moore titled Trapped in the Cave?

It refers to Plato's parable about cave prisoners who did not know there was more to life, and the universe, than the shadows and darkness that made up their daily existence… until one escapes and returns with news of the world out there.

The article is quite well written and readable for something that touches upon Philosophy and Religion.

It makes some excellent points, especially related to something like Philosophy, which is somewhat more logic and reason driven than Religion. Religion, especially the Bible-Thumping or Muslim-Blowing versions of it, which get most (negative) media attention tends to be increasingly driven by a total lack of intelligence. Such practice of religion seems increasingly based on an obvious strong attempt to actually curtail one's use of the very thought and conscience that God has given us.

This applies to the suited-booted smooth-talking, jet-setting, secretary-screwing, so-called Christian preachers who condemn victims of natural disasters in the name of God. I am certain Jesus Christ would personally bitch-slap these playboy preachers, if he was to return today.

It applies to the illiterate, unwashed, hell-bound suicide bombers and their un-Islamic so-called Muslim trainers, who plan and joyously carry out murder and mayhem among bazars filled with women and children, or who show their "bravery" by killing little girls going to school. Instead of 72 virgins in heaven, they can be assured 72 billion years of burning in eternal damnation.

The Jews in Occupied Palestine, the ones who cry over their holocaust, yet carry out one of their own, who keep Palestinians in what the Vatican also described as Concentration Camps, are not off the hook. Neither are the "peace-loving" Hindus who crush Muslims in Kashmir and other states, or put an evil cast of castes on what should all be equal human beings in the eyes of God. No one is above blame, though they all feel they, and their oh-so-obviously-perfect religion, are above blame, higher than the other religions.

Yet, almost each religion, in addition to laudable aspects, has much that is laughable. In this set of circumstances and global theological reality, ALL major religions can benefit from the advice the writer gives in his article. The writer proposes using elements of pop-culture to introduce more people to the spirit of philosophy. I concur with some of those fundamental propositions, for what I hope would enable a better, more human and intelligent practice of their religions.

In my humble opinion, most major religions were "progressive" ideas at their time, yet have become etched in stone in the sand-filled brains of their most virulent followers. We do not need to turn the Holy books politically correct, or do other such, often ridiculous, editing as some religions do as a palliate. It may please a small number of new adherents, but, I believe it comes at the cost of greater hardening of attitudes among the more conservative believers. That makes the effort both foolish and counterproductive.

I think enabling, even encouraging practicing Christians and Muslims (and others) to use more of their brains, and intelligence, instead of rote-indoctrination done to them since childhood, will actually make them better human beings in the practice of their own religions.

That means religions can go about again in their role of helping improve the human condition, the human experience, even as they still give people the opportunity to work for the improvement of the post-human afterlife they believe in.

Care must be taken, though, to ensure this is not, is not presented as, and does not come across as, an attempt to "edit and update" the basic tenets, the core values, of the basic faiths that make the religions what they are.

Otherwise, instead of opening minds, such attempts are more likely to lead to even more severe introverted responses from religious quarters and their most ardent followers.

Who needs more "Christmas Is Under Attack" or "The West Is Out To Destroy Islam" pedagogue blowhards emptying their lungs, with words from their empty brains, filling the airwaves, further poisoning instead of clearing the air, within and among religions.

What do you believe? And, what do you think?

Comment here, or let me know at http://twitter.com/imrananwar

When Life's In The Rough, Believe In Magic And Miracles

As I, along with countless millions in this country and around the world, face the most challenging times of my life, I do my best to remain the positive person I was since I was a child.

I usually do not blog with embedded content (because I like my blog to be a record of my creative efforts and also because you never know when the embedded content can be removed by the owner or poster). But, this Golf video clip is especially poignant.

You will find this clip entertaining for the sports value.

But at this difficult stage in life for so many of us, it is a great reminder to never give up hope, never lose faith and above all, never stop believing in magic you could not have imagined, good fortune you could not have planned.

Just when you think all is lost, your life is in the rough, the most amazing things can happen. Good fortune can appear when you least expect it. A gust of wind, or just the ultimate touch of God's hand can twist a blade of grass just so perfectly, that every thing lines up. And, it lines up far better than you could have set up, aimed for or taken at swing at.

Believe. Have faith. Smile. Above all, give thanks. Even if you don't get to ace every hole, or achieve very goal, what could be better than to have had a chance to play the game... of life.

Port, Hole, Whole Boat Peephole, British Virgin Islands

Port, Hole, Whole Boat Peephole, Virgin Islands.
Sounds So Sinful For So Heavenly A Place



The Baths at Virgin Gorda, in the Virgin Islands, are just an out of the world experience to visit and see.

Getting from the top of the hill to the rock formations, with convoluted steep climbs down through jutting rocks with rising water, narrow paths and scary little landings, enhance the thrill. You walk on planks to where pirates of yesteryear probably walked the plank. But now the scene is serene, and of peace and security.

The sky and sea look satin smooth while the rocks are textured and the light plays games to show rocky shades of olive and mocha on the sides.

You fall in love with it, especially when you see this view, like a port hole of the planet, a peep hole onto a world of boating, yachting, fun and frolic.

Being able to frame the whole catamaran in this triangular opening on what must be volcanic rocks spewed out of earth millennia ago, even with an old pocket Nikon Coolpix S6, was a fun and the picture came out very nice.

A must see place.

© 2008-2010 IMRAN
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Why? Why Now? Why Me? But, Still So Blessed

You all know how positive a person I am. But it is becoming so difficult every day.

Everything of any significance that I NEEDED to happen or fall into place correctly this week, singly or in total, went wrong or led into brick walls. Non-stop. But, I continued to laugh it off, and continued to plug away as I have for the last nearly 2 nightmare years.

But, it just does not stop. The surreally bad week ended just now with my lifeline iPhone 3GS falling out of my pocket (when the earphone cable snagged a chair & yanked it out), falling face down, on tiled floor and being smashed to pieces :-( .

This was just unbelievable bad luck and bad timing because it is the only phone and net connection I had. And, due to the real difficult time in my life, I can't afford to replace it right now.

"Why? Why now? Why me?" were the words of the song "Suzanna, I'm Crazy Loving You" that came to my mind (and the expression on my face, I am sure).

But, as I was walking home from where it happened, devastated at the new challenges that poses, the way things are rapidly crashing, and as all I built over 21 years vanishes before my eyes, the feeling of despair for the unnecessary and unfair loss, I considered how blessed I am.

I am so blessed --- in the dream life I have had, still have now with being alive, healthy & able, and the amazing life that lies ahead, once these worst days are over. God willing. So, Thank You, God, for all the blessings.

Your prayers in these toughest days of my life are appreciated.

400 Sunsets Fly By. Farewell, Father

Four Hundred Sunsets Fly By. Farewell, Father - IMRAN™, originally uploaded by ImranAnwar.

Time eternally flows on and on.
Taking with it beloved people,
Favorite places, precious lives.
Leaving in its turbulent wake,
Memories, smiles, seas of tears.
Savor and never ever forget,
Love, smiles, time, joy we get,
Before they fly forever, forever.

How fast 400 days went since I lost you, my beloved father. Yet, each felt like a century of sorrow. A lifetime of smiles and blessings you gave.

Now you and Ami have flown together, to heaven, forever. As tears roll down my face, I promise, I will not forget and will pray and love you both to my dying day, Abu.

Farewell, Father.

No processing was done to this image's colors. See bird more clearly slightly larger

18 Years Of A Million Tears. Mother's Memory 2/2

18 Years Of A Million Tears. Mother's Memory 2/2 - IMRAN™, uploaded by ImranAnwar.

2/2. The saddest day of my life, 18 years and a million tears ago.

I flew out of JFK the night of February 1, 1992, headed to Pakistan - where it was already 2/2/1992. I was going to see my beloved parents in Lahore. But, I was en route via Karachi. My Mom had insisted I stop there to condole the death of a relative and a friend's father there, the previous week.

The powerful PIA Boeing 747 jet engines hurtled me over the North Atlantic, erasing 600 miles per hour between my mother and me. But, there was an invisible infinite eternal distance of space and time growing silently, a cosmic chasm that no known power in the universe could shorten.

As the plane was flying towards Europe, life was flying away. As the aircraft was coming in for a landing, unknown to me, my mother's soul was taking off into the heavens beyond this world.

Landing in Karachi, I was smiling and happy, when I disembarked, clueless about what tragedy had struck me but I was unaware of. I went to the airline counter to check the status of my connecting flight to Lahore that was supposed to be for a few days later.

I was flirting with the young lady checking my reservation, asking for a nice window seat. She looked at me in a puzzled manner that I did not understand then. As she quietly typed on the keyboard my curious eye made me read a telex message on her desk, facing her.

As I read the upside down text, my breath left me, my heart stopped. I felt the hand of death clutch my heart...

"Please give priority seating...
Passenger Imran Anwar needs to be on next flight....
Has to attend Mother's funeral."

That is how I found out that my mother had died, just over 50 years old.

Instead of seeing my Mom to open the bags of gifts I was carrying for her and everyone, I would barely get home in time to carry her body for burial. Instead of her pinching my cheeks as she loved to do, all I got to do was touch her cheek one final time, as I fell on my knees next to her. She seemed just to have fallen asleep.

18 years later today, to the day, not a day goes by when I do not shed a tear for my beloved mother. Tears roll down my cheeks as I write these words, and every time I relive that moment.

Ami, I will love you forever, even after I die.


© IMRAN
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