Art is the triumph over chaos.

This is something worth sharing. In this video JR, who is the 2011 TED Prize winner is talking about his projects and arts and his experiences around the globe. Listening to this, I reminded myself 'Things do not change, we have to change'. 

Listen to him and get inspired. 

Bryan Adams - Do I have to say the words?

I had the opportunity to see Bryan Adams Live in Concert at Hitex grounds , here in Hyderabad. I still am struggling to get out of the hangover.

As a result, I thought of sharing some lesser or not known facts about this 18 going on 55 Canadian pop star. Here's the list:

1. Bryan Adams full name is Bryan Guy Adams.

2. He also has a brother named Bruce Adams.

3. Apart from being a successful singer, song-writer, guitarist, producer, actor and bassist, he is also a very good photographer.

4. Before becoming one of Canada's most successful names Bryan Adams used to work as a dishwasher.

5. In 2002 Bryan Adams was invited by Common Wealth to photograph Queen Elizabeth II  and Bryan's photos were used as Canadian postage stamp in 2004 and 2005.

6. Most of his HIT numbers were written for films and the only popular song that wasn't written for a film was 'Please Forgive Me'.

7. He also acted in several films, TWISTED TANGO being the latest that was released in 2004 starring Bryan Adams alongside super model Eva Herzigova.

8. Bryan Adams has sold nearly 70 million albums and 30 million singles worldwide.

9. Bryan Adams first album released when he was 15 back in 1975. Although his album 'Cuts like a knife' released in 1983, he rose to fame with the song Everything I Do which also was featured in Kevin Costner's Robin Hood.

10. Bryan Adams also has a philanthropic side. The Bryan Adams foundation has been set by him to advance  education and learning opportunities for children worldwide. He's also been doing in-numerous fund raising concerts.

11.  The song 'Oxygen' from the Bryan Adams album ELEVEN was part of the SHOTBYU initiative wherein the song was released and people were asked to shoot videos with their mobile phones and the best video was selected  as the official video for the song.

That's it from me, if you happen to know any other lesser known facts about Bryan Adams do share them. And yeah I also feel without Keith Scott there Bryan Adams wouldn't be so successful. 

 

Hand of hope

The following is an email I received recently and I felt the need of sharing it here. 

                                                                                                                 - via a friend of mine

The picture is that of a 21-week-old unborn baby named Samuel Alexander Armas, who is being operated on by surgeon named Joseph Bruner. The baby was diagnosed with spina bifida and would not survive if removed from his mother's womb. Little Samuel's mother, Julie Armas, is an obstetrics nurse in Atlanta. She knew of Dr. Bruner's remarkable surgical procedure. Practicing at Vanderbilt University Medical Centre in Nashville, he performs these special operations while the baby is still in the womb. During the procedure, the doctor removes the uterus via C-section and makes a small incision to operate on the baby.  As Dr. Bruner completed the surgery on Samuel, the little guy reached his tiny, but fully developed hand through the incision and firmly grasped the surgeon's finger. Dr.Bruner was reported as saying that when his finger was grasped, it was the most emotional moment of his life, and that for an instant during the procedure he was just frozen, totally immobile. The photograph captures this amazing event with perfect clarity.     

The editors titled the picture, "Hand of Hope." The text explaining the picture begins, "The tiny hand of 21-week-old foetus Samuel Alexander Armas emerges from the mother's uterus to grasp the finger of Dr. Joseph Bruner as if thanking the doctor for the gift of life." Little Samuel's mother said they "wept for days" when they saw the picture. She said,  "The photo reminds us pregnancy isn't about disability or an illness, it's about a little person" Samuel was born in perfect health, the operation was 100 percent successful.

The world needs to see this one and understand the fact that every life is a life and is valuable form the very time of its formation. 

Someone asked what's my favorite day

And that's how everyday becomes a new day for me.

five of i don't know how many

Here are some more lyrical excerpts I thought of sharing. This is the fifth post in the series and I am clueless as to how long I will be writing for the same label.


1. You raise me up by Josh Groban

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up... To more than I can be.

 This song can be regarded as a motivational although it reflects the feelings of someone who desperately needs someone else's support. It is universally acclaimed that behind every man's success there is a woman, but this song can be more than an elaboration of that proverb. We all need someone to inspire us to motivate us and to make us do things that we normally may feel nervous about. After all no man is an island, we all need someone to help us understand what we truly can do. At the end we all race and we raise only because we want to replace.

2. Burning in the skies by  Linkin Park

I used the deadwood to make the fire rise
The blood of innocence burning in the skies
I filled my cup with the rising of the sea
I poured it out in an ocean of debris

Contrary to the previous song, this is one of the good works by Linkin Park. The lyrics are dark and make you ponder about the mistakes although very subtly. It also hints about the necessary evil that prevails in our society. This song is about regret but still invokes some kind of hope with the line "don't apologise, i'm loosing what i don't deserve". The lyrics and the music have been styled and composed very beautifully bringing out the true essence of the song.

3. No illusions by 78 Saab 

I'm under no illusions now,
How can I see when I am blind
To all the same old thoughts now.
You sure do make it kinda tough,
Not gonna make me change my ways,
I've come too far for that now.

This song featured in one of the episodes of Gray's Anatomy. This song is a narrative and the narrator is attempting to justify the deeds and the shortcomings of his. All this is done, without alleging the opposite person and keeping the  benefit of doubt to himself. This song is all about hope and pesters you to move on in life.

I INTEND ©

It's been a fortnight since every man celebrated his birthday with the dawn of a new year and everything is still the way it was. There's inflation everywhere, people are sick, nation's in a crisis and what not. On the new year's eve however we were in a pretense and  celebrations, get to-gethers, resolutions became a part of this package. I personally do not believe in resolutions, especially those of the New Year's. I happen to celebrate every day as a new day and scheming about the future doesn't often yield anything constructive. However, upon being questioned and forced to tell my resolution if I were to ever make one, I thought of describing it lyrically and what best way to express it than with a poem. So, the below is a resolution of mine if i were ever to make one. It's been titles I INTEND.

poems i will write

that are short, happy and bright

books i will read

about love, morals and speed

words i will talk

sans pretence, prejudice and mock

songs i will listen

of rock, country and fusion

kind i will act

with joy, devotion and tact.

MNP : Mulling Network Providers

It's been quite a while that the bug of Mobile Number Portability has bit the ever growing Indian Mobile service users. It’s been done in a nemerous different ways in different nations. With TRAI launching MNP in Haryana in the past months, it's become a reality and the talk of the town for Indians.

So what exactly is MNP and how does it work? Does it allow me to retain my number? Can i opt for an exclusive service with other operator? can i change my location but retain my number? These and many such questions have been around since MNP was first talked about TRAI. 

MNP apparently is a process that has something in store for everyone. Be it the network providers or the lucky users. It entitles the subscribers with the freedom to choose from operators based on various criteria like the quality of services, pricing, customer service etc.

Indian Netork provides have been crying foul over MNP for this very reason. Although it provides a level ground for all the operators to compete, there seems to be reluctance though.

with MNP you can transfer from one mobile operator to another without having to change your number and this can happen in a single circle only and not across circles.  And the biggest misconception; MNP is not provided by MOBILE OPERATORS but by TRAI and DoT. The process for the consumer is very easy but is pretty tough on the backend wherein all the algorithms need to be properly tuned in so as to allow the interchanging of networks.  Telecom operators are already geared up and have been marketing about the PLUS sides of joining their network with Vodafone being the latest with their 'world is our playground' jingle. 

A brief infographic about working of MNP

A random survey depicting the reasons of customers who'd opt for MNP.

For more information about the porting codes, do's and dont's of MNP and other info please click ☛ ⓂⓃⓅ  or visit respective Mobile Operator's websites and check  what they have to save in their justification, click on the names to go to the respective websites.
AIRTEL     
Vodafone       
Idea                 
Uninor           
Tata DOCOMO  

 MNP  however has already been launched in Haryana  and TRAI claims to make it available in all other Indian states by January 20th, 2011. Let's see what's in store.