This is a WindowsPhone Lumia 1020 time lapse of about one hour shown in 10 seconds.
Despite a heavily cloudy day, the suns’s beams slit the cloud and painted the sky in gorgeous colors that reflected on the waters of Tampa Bay at Apollo Beach.
Watch in HD for best colors.
I am thrilled when I see light cloud patterns across the low horizon at sunset time because they make for the most stunning sunset pictures.
Either a narrow dark band that splits the sky into bands of bright yellow, dark red and orange; or these almost paintbrush like light strokes of semi-opaque cloud that the sun’s light is able to pass through and paint over the edges in golden and red tones.
This SOOC (straight out of camera) Nikon D300 image was labeled with my name in Photoshop and straightened 0.4 degrees in iPhoto. I did not tweak any color or shade, not even to make the boat slicing through the water more visible.
This was just another of those stunning sunsets that make me bow my head in gratitude and amazement to God.
© 2014 IMRAN
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I was still a final year student at University of Engineering and Technology (Lahore, Pakistan) when Mir Shakil-ur-Rehman, the owner of the media empire in this NY Times story ( http://j.mp/1r9rVO6 ), invited me to work directly for him. I was 22 then.
I had met him a few times before, mostly as a student leader leading protest marches into his office when Jang, the leading Pakistan newspaper but that would cave in and give greater coverage to the Taliban cousins Jamate-Islami fundamentalists party. So it was an ironic twist to become one of his key people.
He originally invited me to write on a Youth page but in my first day visiting his office I saw how IBM people in Pakistan were about to rip him off by selling electric typewriters with changeable font balls as "desktop publishing systems". I made a comment about that.
Yes, I always spoke my mind regardless of the "stature" of the people in the room and continue to do so.
Shakil didn't sign the contract and immediately said, forget the youth page, I want you to sit with me here every day and advise me on anything you want. He had the foresight to see that my vision of technology changing media changing society changing the world was the missing piece in his media/society part of the equation.
I learned a lot of lessons from him, 90% of them good, and just 10% of them disappointments. That is a pretty amazing ratio in a world full of us imperfect people. And I am sure there have been times I must have disappointed him too. But I consider him one of the best teachers in my life besides my parents.
He did his best to dissuade me from going to Columbia Business School on a full scholarship, saying I would learn so much more as his right hand man. I have no doubt that would have been true, but I am glad I left. Yes, it would have been an amazing journey with Shakil, but I would still be an employee of a tycoon. I am blessed and grateful for all that life has brought my way on my own.
Our friendship continued over the last 25 years I spent in America. I literally flew in on a PIA flight carrying several thousands pounds of equipment for the well known News International which I was involved in the launch of. I literally flew in minutes before the newspaper went to press.
Shakil left the press building even as plates for the very first copies of the paper were being mounted onto presses. Even though it was a lifetime dream of his family coming true, he drove from the Jang Karachi building to the airport to personally receive me inside the terminal and then drove me to the press with him to see the very first copies of the newspaper roll off the press. I always honor him for how he has always honored me over the years.
Though we are not related at all, we used to look alike a bit. (Maybe the prominent nose LOL). He always treated me like a younger brother he did not have (unless I happened to ask for a raise LOL). And he would always laugh when I would affectionately mimic his distinctive manner and style of speaking.
One day we were in his magnificent office on the top floor of the Jang Building in Lahore when I did my impression of him. He was laughing out loud when his assistant (Fayyaz) said a well known but obnoxious person (son of a national leader), who had not personally met Shakil before, was there to visit.
Like in a comedy movie, Shakil thought my impression was so great I should meet that obnoxious person acting as Shakil and Shakil would become Imran. We both moved to the "drawing room" part of the office when the guest came in. And I have to say, I was so flawless in doing my Shakil impression the guest (who had spoken to MSR before on the phone) had no clue what happened. Shakil and I had to do everything in our power not to crack up laughing. We did not do that again, but I remember that and many other adventures, mid-day or midnight, that we shared with love, trust and affection.
Though Shakil and I do not get time to speak regularly now, I still consider him one of the smartest, most forward looking businessmen in the world. Yes, Jang, and the GEO channel, are brilliant commercial media organizations. But not once did I ever see action or hear any words come out of the mouth of Shakil (or his late father the great Mir Khalil ur Rehman, brother Javed, or his brilliant sons or daughters) that would ever be remotely considered anti-Pakistan or anti-Islam.
I laugh at former Playboy, by now probably Viagra-needing pro-fundamentalists, like Imran Khan (whom I once admired) and others making accusations against Shakil. It amazes me how many dumb idiots, especially on Twitter and FaceBook (places they exercise right to free speech), foaming at the mouth about wanting to have GEO shut down.
They do not know what it is like not to have these basic freedoms of expression. They do not know how to exercise the freedom of switching the channel if they do not like something. They want things to be exactly how they want them or to be shut down.
These idiots did not serve in newsrooms that were raided by scummy crooked military officers of evil dictator General Zia's regime to rip out stories being put in the next day's paper. They did not know journalists whose fingernails were ripped out by "security services" as we knew. They did not get court-martialed as an engineering student leader for leading marches against the military regime as I did.
They did not fall sleep on the floors of newspaper press buildings at 4AM to make sure nothing kept the presses from running. Shakil did, and I was proud to have been next to him in those times.
Long live democracy, freedom of speech, and a free Press, in Pakistan as well as USA.
And long live my friend Shakil and his family.
Surrendering Self-Control To Submissive Sky - IMRAN™
Another impossibly beautiful variation
of colors in the magical dusk
sensually revealing its core
opening incredibly breathtaking charms
to me for me mine mine mine
and leaves me breathless
as I surrender self control
to savor its total submission
on the planet sized canvas sheet
of the heavenly sky.
- Imran Anwar
© 2014-2018 IMRAN™
#poetry #poem #prose #erotica
My Late Mother And I, Happy Mother's Day, A Half Century Ago, Captured By My Late Father. —
Beloved Ami Jan, as you look down from your place in heaven, on this and every Mother’s Day, please know that every day that has passed since you left too soon 22 years ago has been a day devoted to loving, missing and remembering you.
One day the number of years that you have been gone will exceed the number of days I was blessed with your love, your presence, your prayers in every aspect of my life.
But I promise you my love for you will continue to flow even more deeply in my soul and the tears that roll down my cheeks as I write these lines that have never let up, never dried, will mark the passing of all the days I have yearned for you to somehow be back, even if it meant exchanging the remaining days of my life for you to have a chance to live again.
Happy Mother’s Day, Ami, will be when God wills for me to walk up to you in the afterlife, and say, I am your son, and I hope I lived a life that was worthy of having been your son. I love you, forever and beyond, Ami.
Imran
Mother’s Day 2014
Apollo Beach
A beautiful bird, shocking pink in real life, but appearing black in silhouette against this absolutely perfect sunset, flies by as another day of our lives flies by.
© 2014 IMRAN
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The original SOOC (straight out of camera) Nikon D300 image was taken handheld at 450mm eq zoom, converted in FaceBook and cropped square (to fit the darned Instagram format where I do not want to use their filters).
Surreal Magical Dusk Facing Me At My Blessed Home,
As I Bow My Head To God, For All That He Blessed Me With, And Even The Unanswered Prayers For What Was Not Meant To Be Despite My Best Efforts, For Only He Knows How Incredibly He Will Make My Dreams Come True Beyond My Own Imagination.
All I Can Do Is Fall On My Knees In Thanks For What He Already Blessed Me With, And For The Gifts Of Life, Health, Love, Family, Joy, Success And Happiness He Has In Store For Me. Amen!
- Imran Anwar
© 2014 IMRAN
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Stunning Sunset Magical Dusk #Florida. Click and be blown away. Savor this most incredible sunset and dusk with flashing colors filling the sky in this 15 seconds TimeLapse video I captured at home.http://youtu.be/uJzVwqak_4U
Take a setting sun even on a cloudy and darkening day which is grudgingly coming to an end.
Add some layers of clouds meandering about their short-lived hours of existence, as a bird flies by to nest for the night.
Mix in a boat with sunset worshippers caught in silhouette, as I watch from my blessed home, and you get another stunning magical moment, another memory, another blessing to lower my head in gratitude for, as I mutter my eternal thanks to God.
Imran Anwar
Apollo Beach, FL
Spring 2014
© 2014 IMRAN
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I have always been a supporter of democracy, imperfect as it is, over all forms of dictatorship and tyranny, whether ‘benevolent dictators' or hypocritical Kings supposedly custodians of holy places.
One reason Pakistan has always been overrun by its own military was that there were never any consequences to the military people who broke the constitution.
As in every society, sycophants will crawl at the feet of whoever has power, regardless of how evil or how illegal the dictator may be.
The worst cancer of religious intolerance, extremism and terrorism was injected into Pakistani society more than 30 years ago by the vile General Zia, who turned Islam into a weapon against democracy and moderation.
It was with a sense of hope that I read this news item today. Former #Pakistan Dictator Pervez Musharraf indicted on Treason!
General Musharaff was not bad as far as dictators go, and even did a few good things. Of course, he let power go to his head and paid the price. Even after being ousted he was delusional enough to return to Pakistan expecting to win back power.
I do not wish to see him condemned to death or anything that would be too extreme.
But, may this be a good start to the concept of "actions have consequences" and "no one is above the law" that Pakistan has long needed.
More than teaching Musharaff a lesson, I hope this teaches all politicians, and military people, that Pakistanis have awakened, the rule of law is getting established in the echelons of power, and that in time Pakistan can be a strong, stable, moderate democracy and a regional power of good. Amen.
A majestic Osprey that nests on my neighbor’s chimney takes off over Tampa Bay to hunt fish several times a day.
This spectacular moment was captured with my Lumia 1020 WindowsPhone as the low tide made the flats expand in front of my eyes.
With the Osprey soaring above Tampa Bay, I was reminded of the place I bought my Kayak, called Osprey Bay.
© 2014 IMRAN
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White Hot Sun Fights Dark Clouds On Amber Sky. 450mm Zoom handheld photo with a 7 years old Nikon D300 taken at my home in Apollo Beach last night, March 23, 2014.
© IMRAN
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The nearly 7 years old Nikon D300 still can capture some mesmerizing scenes at sunset.
This Tampa Bay sunset I shot at home in Florida, looks crooked because the cloud edge appears to slope. But it actually is straight if you would see the original larger photo I cropped this from.
But the brilliant burning red heart figure in the sky to right above, and the two almost human eye like dark blobs to the right of the stunning Gold sun with clouds sliding past it, make for a surreal scene.
© 2014 IMRAN
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http://flic.kr/p/mg6Aic
I took this macro photo with my WindowsPhone Lumia 1020 held as close to a new rose, blooming at my Florida home, as the lens could handle. This was cropped to 20% to show the detail of the sweet pink core of the rose sensually unfurling to receive the attention and love it hungered for.
© 2014 IMRAN
I was enjoying a calm, breezy, somewhat cool, but pleasant Florida winter afternoon. It was definitely a far cry from the 10F temperature I would have faced in NY.
As soon as I saw this band of clouds form over Tampa Bay, Florida, I knew it was going to make for a spectacular sunset.
In addition to the needed additional layers of clouds at different altitudes and distances, the darker cloud formation was wide enough to cover the sun and alost automatically set the scene for out of this world colors.
The good old Nikon D300 with a 450mm equivalent Nikkor lens were standing by as I watched the colors change from the house.
As a sole bird soared in the distance, I knew it was time to step outside and soak in this heavenly scene of God’s creation.
When the sun sunk over the horizon, I bent my head in Maghrib (sunset) prayers, and gave thanks to God for all that he has blessed me with. With your prayers and his blessings, may the best still lie ahead.
Imran Anwar
Apollo Beah, FL
3/3/2014
© 2014 IMRAN
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The sensual, sweet, blossoming, tender petals of this rose bush are just starting to unfurl in passionate embrace of life and joy.
This is just a photo with a 3 years old iPhone. It is the first flower on a new rose bush I planted at my home in Apollo Beach. The White wall provided a great natural backdrop.
The interesting twist is how this photo was taken in winter in Florida, whereas I would have to wait for summer for such shots in New York.
© 2014 IMRAN
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