in love

Needless to say this photo (right) was one of a few which became iconic of the Vietnam war itself, and emblematises how the still photograph can have such profound impact on the public mind.

And of course, we can't argue with Horst Faas' words: - the editor who picked it up.

"These pictures were like you were struck by a star and you are convinced immediately as an editor that this is a good picture."

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But how many of us has heard of Nick Ut?

.

Face it, we tend to hear very little from the photographers whose images shape our consciousness of warfare. Name a conflict and it's likely a photo comes immediately to mind: the Afghanistan girl - Steve McCurry. the Viet Cong prisoner shot at point blank range - Eddie Adams.

Realising this a few movies and documentaries have been made in attempts to turn the lens of attention onto them. Unfortunately, (whilst some better than others) most of them seemed to have glamorised the lives of photojournalists and foreign correspondents.

Having the privilege to personally know a few, the reality is:

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photojournalism is one of the world's most difficult and demanding jobs, both physically and mentally

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- working under some of the world's most extreme and harsh conditions as well as witnessing things inhumanly possible.

To top it of, besides being hardly credited for their work and lowly paid (vi's-a-vi's the risks involved), it is a job that is most misunderstood, leaving many of them scarred by what they do.

Intrigued and drawn, I have and am (more so now) admittedly consumed and in love with the people behind the lenses for their Courage . Passion . Commitment . Faith . Believe . Contribution . Humanity . Strength . Humility . Sensibility . Hope . L.O.V.E. ...etc.

To all of you amazing photojournalist out there and in particular my friends, godspeed!

Penelope supports Zoriah

the thing about PROMOTION is ...

i was told last year's weekend banking was a blast.

applications were literally flying out of the faxes and printers in HQ while staff at the branches were physically jumping on a spot out of anxiety and frustration with the phone and fax lines jammed-up by the volume... of course the clock was ticking. we had 60 minutes to deliver on our promise or ...

the launch date was impeccable. a mere 48 hours before our competitors. we made a bang! yet again.

the new kid on the block did it (again).

we were proud. we were leering at our competitors who were wiping their sweats in production studios producing their tvc, negotiating last minute slots at premium prices, frantically throwing fliers into just about any letter boxes or over gates.

but us? we were physically, mentally and emotionally stretching ourselves, amassing millions in 48 hours... and we had 19 more days to go.

staff worked 21 days in a stretch. millions of calories were burnt just negotiating the marble stairs rushing applications from one desk to another. 2 am was a norm. parents and partners just didn't get it. we were too tired to explain. excitement, adrenaline and pride got us through the day, nights and fights.

it was worth every breath spent, every tear shed.

we were part of something big. a pioneer. we were changing the banking scene. we were leading and redefining branding and promotions in the banking industry. that was enough, as a reward.

+ + + + + + + +

.

.

weekend banking*08

it was naturally the thing to do again. or so we thought. planning and execution was done easily. some basic business process reengineering work when into it (taking last year's post mortem seriously). and we gathered more volunteers and set up more PCs and office equipment to deal with the volume. everything was under control... everything within our control at least, or so we thought.

.

our timeline had leaked into the market.

our competitors were hitting the tarmac as hard as us; just better.

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but we kept our hopes up ...

the thing is numbers do not lie. no matter how hard the campaign owners sliced and diced the data, the story was the same. it sucked. we were lagging...

so came the reasons and rationale behind the numbers. as the y-o-y data became increasingly evident that we have failed, the excuses emerged. by weekend two, everyone had kicked-up a notch in crafting stories and resorting to less desirable skin saving manoeuvres. the blames.

fact of the matter is folks: you are as good as your last deal.

and pardon me for stating the obvious, once launched, any promotion is passe.

so, wake up. smell the coffee. face the music and move on. while you're slumped in disbelief and depression, your competitors have gotten ahead.

... and that's the thing about PROMOTION.

flickr-ians that makes me tick {... or their work}

27 March PHOTOGRAPHY DAY

Left 2 Right / Top to Bottom:

5.12Photographie Zeynep Sporlink Zoriah

deepsan nandan reddy fatmanwalking razorbern lecercle

sergei.y Peter..initram5. Andwan Dalla*

Shoes Confessions

by Dayana Yochim [October 2, 2007]

I've kept this article in a special place for a good time now (as date shows). It was an email chain that was mailed to me by my sister. Unfortunately, I couldn't think of anyone to share with. See, it had to be someone who can totally relate to it; not another shoe hogger... but a compulsive shoe shopper who also understood the financial world. Someone who would break out in hives and laughter.

Then, I "found" this absolutely gorgeous photo by a fellow flickrian and I thought: what the heck, I gotta blog this! So kudos to both Dayana and Gods Emerald.

According to the findings of a new Consumer Reports National Research Center poll, I am way, way above average. Very gifted. An anomaly, one might say. I just happen to excel in the highly important area of shoe ownership.

According to the survey of more than 1,000 women across the country, 95% of American women are - compared to moi (with a margin of error of +/- 3.1%) - shoe amateurs.

Just look at the sorry track record of the average female's foot wear wardrobe. According to the poll, the typical woman ...

Owns only 19 pairs of kicks. Buys a pitiable four pairs of shoes per year. In addition: Just 33% of them have trouble finding room to store all their shoes. Only 60% have regretted at least one shoe purchase.

Ladies, if you want to compete, you've got to step it up.
You call that a shoe fetish?

Speaking from experience, the closet of a true shoe lover has barely enough room to accommodate an extra T-shirt. Purchasing only four pairs of shoes a year? Please. A true shoephile can score at least some foot-related product any where - Target, Costco, Ace Hardware, ExxonMobil. If you can't find a pair of flip-flops or waders before you get to the checkout counter, you're not even trying.

It's true that regretful shoe purchases are plentiful - but a true shoe pro doesn't rue a faulty purchase for long. She knows that the universal laws of shoe-shopping ensure that for every pair that pinches after she's already worn the soles on concrete, an antidote will present itself on the "take 50% off the lowest-marked price" rack. (And in her size!)

Find investment opportunities in your obsession
True shoe pros not only own an impressive collection of footwear, but also have the where withal to turn their obsession into a money making opportunity.

When you're looking for a pure wardrobe play - say, an abundance of casual sneakers or fashion forward winter boots - you of course go directly to the source. Same goes for investing, where companies like Steve Madden (Nasdaq: SHOO), Skechers (NYSE: SKX), and serial shoe company acquirer Wolverine World Wide (NYSE: WWW) often outperform the stocks of the storefronts that peddle them.

You don't have to buy into a trend to capitalize on it. Even the most hideous looking kicks can, well, kick butt in your portfolio. Case in point: Crocs (Nasdaq: CROX) stock has risen 367% since its February 2006 IPO.

But remember, ladies, fashion wanes (I doubt you're dying to strut around in UGGs this year) and fortunes tumble right along with it. Heelys (Nasdaq:HLYS), the maker of those concussion inducing kids' shoes with wheels, has plummeted around 75% since it went public in December 2006.

But if you're on the forefront of fashion (and perusing the storefronts for research), you'll spot these trends way before the Wall Street suits do.

There are glimmers of true shoe investors in the results of the Consumer Reports survey. For example:

• 13% of women have hidden a purchase from a significant other.
• 43% have been injured - at least "moderately" - by their shoes.
• 8% report more serious injuries such as sprains or breaks.

To these true shoe contenders, I click my peacock-blue, pointy-toed, leather-lined kitten heels twice in admiration. And I encourage you to take your obsession to the next level: Investing.

the www "friend" in person

(space)

"I @#$%-ing worked for ICR for two years!" the words of my trusted "girlfriend" echoed in my ears as I tried to concentrate on what MM was saying to me; blocking stray thoughts and comical conversations I've had with my "girlfriend" about the vivid and colourful characters he had created in ICR some 10 years back.

(space)

Yup. Met an internet friend. Sort of.

(space)

I wasn't disappointed. Hell no.

MM actually exceeded my expectations. Talked more than I expected he would and was outright blunt on occasions. Nothing out of character here.

(space)

Other than that, MM was what we had analysed him to be within 20 minutes of being online - yup, that will be 'work' by the 3 "sewer rats" {quote unquote MM undignified snooty reference to my 3 Indian IT buddies scattered at that moment of analysis in Bangalore, Manchester and Brussels} + the self assessed psychotic narcissistic me + the world wide web.

(space)

You'd actually be quite surprise what one can come up with on the web. The "prints" we would have left behind even if it were years ago. But never mind that for the moment, as I'd like to talk about my meet with the internet friend. Well, sort of in reference to the word FRIEND.

(space)

Between the both of us, I think MM was the disappointed party. Though his egocentric masochism wouldn't permit him to admit, his inability to shut the hole in his face and bite his tongue with sarcasm brought up the issue of my well composed being (repeatedly!)

(space)

A-ha. What did MM expect? Some drama queen exhibits? ... as he has confidently labelled me on facebook?

(sapce)

Oh well, first and foremost, I ain't a drama queen by any standards... a pale princess by comparison perhaps. But how should MM know given that his circle has always been limited to testosterone pumping male chauvinist?

(space)

Secondly, what was there really to bitch and scream about when I am doing random walkabouts, clicking away on my Nikon whilst trying not to analyse how phoney things are. Or aren't.

(space)

And last but not least, why bother when I am indulging myself in mouth watering, calories piling pecan nut ice-cream on a side walk cafe in linen cargo pants rather than some non-functional ensembles with my girlfriends (not!) at the BMW Sauber Petronas F1 party - now, there's where I would have had my claws out... meow.

(space)

Anyways, am off to watch Shakespeare Wallah and The Householder; 2 Indian classical movies by Ismail Merchant, which I am told has elements of wife beatings and all - elements of which MM has assured me were things of the past in India ... but, I really don't know if I should keep my reservations intact having heard that at the age of 33, Ama (mommy) still fetches his South Indian filtered coffee every morning and cousin-in-law insist that his wife scrubs his back when he takes his bath!

; )

* ICR: internet chat room MM: Maharashti Mumbaiker

i was spotted

i was estatic.
my emotional scale was tipped over instanteneously and as a male friend would put it in his dry-sarcasm-witty way "the chemicals stirred" ...

yes! they spotted me. the merchandisers of seeJanework

their stuff are truly guuuuurrrl-icious. and look at those lovely white shelves!

{ }ok-ok admittedly the store does look exactly like my newly refurbished loft - which is small and cozy with polished real floor boards (that i personally installed from 'rasak' planks bought from the local sawmill), off-white walls and white pieces of furniture with Scandinavian and Crewel embroidery furnishing ...

(space)

well, although everything is still in the preliminary stage, it was indeed a priviledge and a great ego boost ... + it goes to show that even bankruptcy suits can't difuse my passion for not3books and designs!!!

w0m3n !

when you're enjoying your own 'space' in the wee hours of the morning, the only welcome distraction is the "ping" sound of your IM from either a guy you so wanna be with but haven't got the guts to say or a buddy.

well, let's face it anything 'important' worth "ping-ing" at the expense of beauty sleep would be traffic stopping gossip involving people we absolutely detest but would take all pains to keep alive with only one purpose: our entertainment at their expense!

so, today's was about an ex-boss from hell {just when you thought Miranda from the Devil Wears Prada is bad ... trust me, this one is a B-I-T-C-H and i've only met her twice.}

anyway, to add colour to my narration let's call her "Ms. D" for disillusioned {quote-unquote my buddy}. Well, Ms. D usually calls every so often to announce her corporate 'advancements' and the last we heard she had 'removed' an incompetent, corrupt regional HR Director and took over. Just a couple of days ago it appears she was retrenched. When enquired further on the numbers that were affected by the downsizing and the retrenchment exercise details (as we normal HR-ians would), her reply was she was the only one.

hello?!?
that's not a RETRENCHMENT darlin'.
That's you - Ms. D - being freaking laid off!
Yooohooo... Ms. supposedly-Regional HR Director, of which 'Director' is a suspect, any idiot would be able to tell you that you were freaking laid off! SACKED. gottit?

the rest of the story from Ms. D was of course of no relevance since it revolved around how she was singled-out by an insecure boss who had just a minuscule of her capabilities ...etc.

But what puzzled me was the purpose of the call, since there was no motive of asking for help {yeah, like her pride will ever permit her to ask}. And if it was to 'share'... well, hardly! {we ain't your friend, gottit? and any day we will root for the poor souls you stepped on and clamoured to get your way up, not to mentioned your strategically positioned bosom on the... ahem... }

if anything, Ms. D, thank you - it was worth a fleeting moment of gossip and in this age of technology i shall flatter you with a blog entry in support of my good ol' pal that suffered your miserable self for 5 years!

+ + + + + + + +

as for all the other lovely women + 'women'

happy International Women's Day!

+ + + + + + + +

my COUNTRY, my RIGHTS: the 12th Malaysian General Elections

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)((

((()

Amusing myself during peak hours traffic along Jalan Ampang, I took a few random shots of the 12th Malaysian Election campaign.

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Unfortunately only the Barisan Nasional peripherals were visible along that particular stretch - plenty of them, mind you, which got me thinking:
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"geez, I sure wouldn't want my face stuck on tree trunks let along dustbins!"

Happy VOTING folks!

(space)(space)

... and with tis' comes the realities of 2008

s
p
a
c
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my desk
my timelines
my challenges
my amusements
(you've got to admit the homersapiens evolution is mindblowing far-nee!)

+ note the Guiness Coaster

i survived february!

i just dragged myself out of bed. last night wasn't a bad way to spent the leap year. no, no, i am not much into tradition. actually, i am NOT into tradition at all unless it suits me {read: did you say free time off work for Good Friday? Well, of course I am a devote Catholic. I just don't preach}

i was just having a lovely conversation last night (morning?) and recalled saying how i survived February without a soul asking me about any significant other or the probably soon-to-be change in marital status. oh you know, the usual snide (maybe not) remarks relatives and friends of parents would make to us, singletons.

yup, i survived Chinese New Year without a single query, which by all standards deserves the Guinness Book of World Records entry.

and oh, i also discovered a way to fend away any prospecting guys (who are usually disgusting L-O-S-E-Rs who thinks they have a shot just coz i am supposedly "expired") - here goes:

Prospecting LOSER: So, I hear you are single / available / on the market?
(what kind of freaking pick-up line is that?!?)

Me: Yes, as a matter of fact.
(smile - one has to maintain composure even if the desire to smack the bozo across his face with my Coach is extremely tempting or the idea of flexing my muscles on him)

Prospecting LOSER: And why is a highly eligible girl like you still single?

Me: (smile, bat eyelid for the dramatic effect, then respond - well, at least he got the 'highly eligible' right) How else do you think I travel around the world?


ha ha! Trust me, this subtle "I AM HIGH MAINTENANCE you idiot!" is sure to get the guy bolting! Tried and tested for perfection!