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MG Singh created new article Trump vs Hillary; the last lap.
The US presidential election held every 4 years is an event of great importance. Right from 1776 when George Washington became president a American selection has been held without fail every four years. Even when the country is in the midst of a war, a presidential election is always held. Thus during the height of the Second World War a election was held in 1941 and resulted in ROOSEVELT GETTING A 4th term as president. Roosevelt won 4 consecutive terms as US president. This long period of president by one man alarmed many in Congress who resolved to llimit a term as president to just two terms.i.e 8 years. This led to a constitutional amendment bill when Truman was president. Congress passed the bill which henceforth restricted a incumbent to just 2 terms as president.
The present man holding the chair is Barack Mohammed Obama. He finishes his term of 8 years in January 2017 and will have to make way for a new incumbent. Obama is the first Afro American to be president of USA. Obama won nomination the first time in 2008 and beat his rival Hillary Clinton. He belonged to the Democratic party. HisoHisorically America has ha a two party system, with the other party being the GOP or Republican party. History does not allow a third party and though any one can contest an election, the odds are heavily stackstacked against a third party or independent candidate. Thus a winner can only be either a Democrat or Republican party nominee.
This year the contest is basically between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. Hillary is the Democratic nominee while Donald has won the Republican nomination. There are 2 other candidates but they are oy in the 'also ran' category and have virtually zero chance of winning. Hillary had lost the nomination in 2008 to Obama, but she has bounced back and is eyeing the Oval office. Her husband was president for 2 terms from 1994'2000. His Presidency is distinguished for a string of sexual encounters in his office in the White House . Hillary was aware of these infidelities but she bore it stoically and is now reaping the benefit by bagging the Democrat nomination.
Trump on the other hand is the outsider. he was a business man and nobody gave him a chance, but he swept all before him like a steam roller and won the nomination. But he, by statements and action created a great divide in American society. Trump called for a wall to be built on the US-Mexican border to keep out Mexican immigrants and he also talked of racially profiling all Muslims and banning their entry into the USA for some time. This was music to many in the US establishment and also abroad like in India where the Hindu Sena, held prayers for his victory.
Trump is a man of action and his other statements are equally divisive. He has praised Saddam and said that his removal was a mistake and he has also said that Putin is a better president than Obama. Many in America have been offended, but the extreme right wing is his biggest support who see him as a man who is the whites " great hope". Donald started the election campaign with the 4th estate squarely against him and they manipulated opinion polls that show that Donald was lagging by many percentage points to Hillary. But now some sanity is restored and the latest polls show that Donald and Hillary are neck and neck with each other.
There is also the question of health and gender. Many in America are averse to any mention of gender, but the fact is there is no instance in history of a woman commander in Chief which Hillary will be in case she is the President of the USA. Her health also is infirm and there are reports that she had fainted once. Even a layman knows that a fainting fit is not something to be glossed over. She also had an attack of pneumonia and a whooping cough fit for many minutes at a election debate. These are not good signs and in contrast though Donald is not young at 70, yet he looks fitter and a better bet.
The election is nearing the last lap and very soon 8th November the day of the election will dawn. Both candidates are in a slug fest and passing comments against each other. Tough both are level at the moment there is a good chance that Donald may pull ahead, in that case for Hillary it will be so near yet too far. in case Hillary wins the American masses may have voted in a candidate who is not fit and has a tainted record. One wonders if she could be the Gorbachev of the USA. Time alone will tell what happens , but the great power the USA is gasping and needs a dynamic leader. Who will that be ?
9 years ago
usha manohar created new article Hiking - Healthy and fun filled outdoor activity!.
Introduction
I am not speaking about hiking which many people do simply to impress others because I have seen many people do that, put on sports gear, carry a back pack and walk for a kilometer or two on the outskirts of their cities, take some selfies and think they have done it all.
In fact, real hiking is done by the tribal people and villagers who walk for miles together each day to accomplish whatever it is they intend to and in the bargain added on many health benefits too. It is a way of life with them. They remain fit and healthy without any need to take extra precautions about their weight and since their food is basic and simple that too is not a worry. For most of these people walking from place to place is a necessity unlike most of us city dwellers who need to make time and look for opportunity since it is not easy to find open unpolluted places where one can walk freely. At the most one can hope to walk within the confinements of a public park or through the by lanes of our city.
Hiking and walking through open places
Coming back to Hiking, backpacking, nature walk and mountaineering - these are all outdoor activities of walking through hills and mountains to reach the summit to meet a challenge that we set for ourselves that have become very popular with people across world and is catching up here in India in a big way. It is one of the most enjoyable outdoor activities which anyone regardless of age can take up.
Many foreigners visiting India prefer to see places walking through little towns and tourist spots just to get the feel of the place and benefiting as well from the exercise and physical exertion. It is the feeling you get when you are out there in the open , amidst nature that is incomparable to any other experience. If you have the right company, then it is all the more fulfilling. I met an American Mexican couple who were touring India on feet, trekking through short routes that often took them through fields and hills which they had drawn themselves after consulting local people. I could see that they were enjoying the whole experience.
In India, Nature Trails and Resorts, offer hill walking and Camp craft to adults and children alike. However, there are no hill walking clubs in India which makes it difficult for people interested in trekking and backpacking since they have to depend on private guides and trails that are roughly drawn and often dangerous because of the lack of facilities. However if one is interested, it is not difficult to form a group of like- minded adventure loving people who could get together and plan fun-filled, outdoor activities. Besides being rejuvenating it is also a very healthy activity that keeps you fit at any age.
There are some people who prefer hiking alone. According to one of them known to me, it is better than having a group or a companion who may have different ideas to that of yours. When you are alone, you are your own master and can do what you want and go where you want and live as you like during that period. The only drawback may be a certain amount of danger this may pose to the individual when there are unexpected and unwanted intrusions.
A few helpful points to bear in mind while planning a trek either alone, with your family or friends
1. First of all, make a list of everything that may be needed during the hike and during emergencies that may arise during the trek.
2. Make sure that you wear sensible clothes that don’t come in the way or restrict your movement while you are walking on a rough terrain. A sturdy pair of waterproof walking shoes is a must because many a times we come across streams, waterfalls and rivers that may need to be crossed. It is also helpful to carry a small pair of scissors or a knife and some rope. Carrying all your essentials in a backpack is a very practical thing to do because your hands are free and you can carry more weight on your back without feeling the burden.
3. Less is more when you go trekking because the more you carry the heavier it becomes with each step. So, make sure that you carry the bare essentials like water, sufficient food, Insect repellent cream, face towel, pair of binoculars so that you don’t miss out on nature's wonders and a kit consisting of first aid and some medication for allergy and fever.
4. Camera or a smartphone can be very helpful for communication, and if necessary to click those unexpected moments of joy and wonder that nature sometimes bestows on us, so that you can later admire it as many times as you want, also share it with your loved ones and others.
5. Avoid treks that are known to be unsafe, dangerous and are infested with anti -socials or has steep slopes. There have been many incidents where innocent trekkers have been captured by anti -social elements or where trekkers have gone missing for days before outsiders became aware of the fact. Many deaths happen because the trekkers had not taken enough precaution before setting out.
6. Now, it has been advised by most hiking clubs that you carry a sturdy walking stick that has a firm grip with you when you walk through narrow mountain paths or climbing up a steep mountain side. It gives the added support and makes your climb or hike that much easier.
Conclusions
We must remember that life is short and one can take part in strenuous activities only if one is fit. To remain fit and healthy, it is essential to remain active. We cannot afford to waste a single minute that is at our disposal and activities like walking and trekking enhance the quality of our life because of the health benefits we derive from them. It is a complete experience that engulfs an individuals body and soul.
We need to teach our children and youngsters early in life to respect, admire and enjoy the outdoors and the abundance that nature has bestowed on us. Parents should plan treks and outdoor activities as often as possible rather than spend time in malls or let children spend long hours playing games in video and computer game parlors. The more exposure children have of outdoor life the more sensitive they become as adults. It is a known fact that nature lovers are also caring of other people and their needs, besides helping in preserving the environment.
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9 years ago
MG Singh created new article Iran boycots Haj this year and substitutes it with pilgrimage to holy shrine at Karbala.
Islam has 2 sects the Shia and Sunni sects. The majority is the Sunni's who constitute 80% of the entire Muslim world. The Shia's are in a minority and thus at the receiving end of sectarian violence. Most of the known terror groups all owe allegiance to the Sunni faith. Thus ISIS Daesh, Hamas, Hizbul-e - Mujaheddin etc are all from the Sunni sect. The biggest protagonist of the Sunni faith is Saudi Arabia while Iran is the center of the Shia faith.
Both sects believe in the Muslim holy scriptures and the Holy shrine at Mecca. They also believe in the Haj, yet both sects have fundamental differences. The Shia-Sunni divide is complete all over the world and is manifest in the politics of the Middle East as well. Iran and Saudi Arabia are into a proxy war in Yemen and Iraq as well as Syria.
The Iranians are not happy that the holy shrine is looked after by Saudi Arabia where the king is designated as the "custodian pf the Holy shrines of Mecca and Medina". There is no doubt that the Iranian charge that crowds control and mismanagement is the root cause of massive stampedes that have taken place in recent years. These stampedes have led to thousands being killed. It is inconceivable that pilgrims coming for a religious function like the Haj would be killed in stampedes. Last year hundreds of Irani citizens were killed in a stampede. This has angered Iran and their reaction is dictated by an anti-Saudi approach.
The clerics in Iran have called for the King to be removed as the custodian of the holy shrines as the Iranians feel the shrines are mismanaged. This year Iran and Saudi representatives started negotiations to decide how the Haj is to be conducted. the talks broke down and Iran was informed that its citizens were not welcome for the Haj. The Iranian government also issued an advisory asking its citizens to avoid going to Saudi Arabia for the Haj and in lieu visit the Holy shrine at Karbala in Iraq.
The shrine at karbala is the holiest of all Shia shrine and is located at the exact place the Shia Pir was martyred in 680 at the Battle of karbala. The shrine is extremely important and as per the archangel Gabriel the shrine at Karbala is the holiest of holy places on earth. It also adds that a Muslim for any reason whatsover cannot visit the shrine at Mecca for the Haj, then the visit to the Shrine at Karbala is of equal spiritual value and is equivalent to the Haj. All the benefits that accrue from a visit to Mecca are bestowed on anyone who visits Karbala.
The Iranian government has issued an advisory to all its citizens not to go on Haj to Mecca, but visit the holy shrine at Karbala. This was after talks between the Saudi government and Iran broke down on the issue of security to the Iranian Muslims who visit Mecca. The result is that over one million Shia Muslims from Iran have proceeded to teh Shrine at Karbala in Iraq. The Iraqi government has confirmed the figure and there is a chance that another one million may also go. The Shrine at Karbala has thus had millions of believers this year after the Saudi-Iran spat.
The divide in the Muslim world is complete. It is a fact of life that Saudi Arabia which is allied to the USA and Iran which is antagonist to the USA have drawn the swords. The Irani however have a point as security at the Mecca shrine leaves a lot to be desired. The fact that thousands are killed in stampedes or otherwise when on a Haj pilgrimage is a matter of concern. It does show that crowd management is poor and maybe the Saudi take a easy going attitude. Maybe for that reason the Iranian clerics have called for the shines at Mecca and Medina be removed from the clutches of the King of Saudi Arabia.
The Saudi dynasty represents an obscurantism of the worst kind and are in power because of the USA. One wonders that similarly the USA backed the Shah of Iran and once he was overthrown, the Americans could not get even a toe hold there. The ISIS and others are opposed to the royal dynasty who are in power by following archaic laws that leads to massive beheading. Iran is also a theocratic state but it is a democracy and women do have some rights there. the battle line are drawn and it will be interesting to see what happens further. In the meantime a proxy war is on and Iran has boycotted the Haj and replaced it with a pilgrimage to the holy shrine at Karbala.
9 years ago
MG Singh created new article Donald Trump Praises Putin and other 'Strong" leaders.
The US election campaign is in full swing and in just a few months on 8th November the die will be cast. There are 4 candidates, but only 2 matter. These are the Republican and Democratic party who have shaped the destiny of America ever since the 1776 War of Independence.
The two candidates are Donald Trump from the GOP or Republican Party and Hillary Clinton from the Democratic party. Out of these two Donald Trump is the dark horse. When he stood for the nomination of the Republican party no one gave him a chance. many even commented that he was a Buffon who would soon fade away. It didn't happen as per the script because Donald outboxed all his opponents like Ted Cruz, Jeb Bush, and Kasich and wrested the nomination.
The surprise is that Donald won despite making some statements that seemed out of character with the American ethos of liberalism and tolerance. He was castigated for his comments by many of the intellectuals , but he stuck to his guns and won. In short, the statements of Donald centered on the theme of making America Great. He repeatedly attacked the Obama administration as having let America down. he squarely blamed Obama and the Democratic party for the rise of the ISIS and Daesh.
Donald also mouthed words against the Muslim community as a group. He wanted to stop the coming of Muslims to the uSA and those who were in America needed to be racially profiled. He was able to strike a chord with the average American who felt that Islam was a threat to his way of life. Many Americans felt that Muslims had abused the freedom enshrined in the America constitution by following their own agenda and undermining the life in America by terror attacks.
At that time he said what to many American was a sacrilege. He praised Saddam Hussein and Muammar Gaddafi. What did he say? He said that both these leaders were 'strong' leaders who were very bad guys, but they fought America's war on terror by hanging scores of Muslim fundamentalists. ISIS was not in existence then but there were Muslims who espoused the Wahabbi concept of Islam and all were hanged to death by both Gaddafi and Saddam. Thus Donald said that it was a mistake to overthrow and help execute both these leaders.
The fact is that both these leaders when in power had decimated Muslim extremists and believers in the Wahabbi concept. Yes, they executed people but they ensured that there was a semblance of order all round. Donald admired them for being strong leaders. This surprisingly struck a chord with the average American who faced a Muslim threat.
Donald went on to articulate about constructing a wall on the Mexico- USA border for keeping out the illegal immigrants. Ther are 11 million illegal immigrants in the USa who do a lot of menial jobs, but in the perception of the average American they are a drain on the economy and taking the jobs of the locals. So Donald stretches a tune with the lower economic class of the US voters who felt that the Hispanic immigrants were a threat. His concept of a wall cannot be taken seriously but as an election ploy, it has worked.
Now Donald has stated twice that Putin was a strong leader'. He has gone on to say that Putin was a better president than Obama. Putin also has mouthed his admiration for Trump as a leader though he has been muted on the latest comment of Donald.
The surprise is the many in America do feel that Obama is a failure on many grounds. He is held responsible for the rise of Daesh nd ISIS and failure to modernize Saudi Arabia. He has perceived a failure in controlling North Korea and China and has made overtures to Iran for which thIraniansas are not gratefull but have snubbed America repeatedly. Right from the time of the hostage crisis during the time of Carter, Iran is a foe of the USA and now it appears in the Russian orbit by allowing Russian bombers to operate from its airfield.
These statements of Trump seem to have been liked among the common voters and now we can see that Donald has emerged neck and neck with Clinton though at one time he was trailing by 8 percentage points. This is a tremendous achievement and in case Donald can keep up the momentum he could be home and dry. In short, it will be the greatest upset in American electoral history.
The election is two months away and one can't be sure what will happen, but Hillary does look stale and carrying the legacy of Obama. This could be a double edge sword and she stands to lose a lot of voters who are diehard against a colored man as president and have an a paranoid fear of Islam.
9 years ago
Divya created new article Marketing and Social Media.
The world is becoming a smaller place day by day. Thanks to internet. We are very close to the people all around world and also have the option to directly connect to anyone in the world with a click using WhatsApp or Skype or other similar applications. The traditional ways of communication and marketing have undergone a phenomenal transformation with the advent of the internet. Here we will talk amount how social media marketing is gaining ground and helping the small businesses to make more money with least monetary investments.
Pros
We are all very much aware of the advantages on usage of internet. Though it has made the people lethargic and that is the least to say. We have come to expect everything to happen with a click. The new breed of work force would not even think about going to a bank to deposit money. He would rather do all that online from the comfort of his own. Who would not give into the temptation of doing all banking chores, all your grocery shopping etc. right from your AC rooms. No parking problems, no traffic, no crowds.
Cons
But obvious is the fact that you do not get to touch and feel what you buy. There is no inter personal relationship online to start with. Online frauds are on the rise, your personal information is available online, you do not “see” the person you are dealing with are some other factors which are considered as deterrents to the online wave.
Having said that I would like to talk more about the marketing of products and services and how it is developing and flourishing in this new era. With so many new apps available is desktop and mobile versions, marketing has taken on new dimensions
WhatsApp
As of Feb 2016, WhatsApp has more than 1 billion users globally. Now this is very huge number. Add to that the fact the messages and video sharing is free (India). If we were to analyze any other marketing models like through TV, ads, newspaper etc. we can see that there is a monetary aspect. You need to pay to get listed. Also the audience is limited. WhatsApp unlike these, gives you the access to the targeted user base with no cost involved. Even if WhatsApp was to be made chargeable, the charges would be bare minimum compared to others. WhatsApp allows small businesses who cannot hire a dedicated marketing team or software to expand its user base. There are no time limits here, no deadlines.
Facebook
Next best marketing tool today is Facebook. Unlike WhatsApp this platform allows real time communication between people. It also has the provisions to create pages, groups and shops to cater to the marketing needs of small businesses. It allows you to boost certain pages and groups with minimal monetary input. You have the flexibility and the freedom to create your own online store and show case your products. Once that is done, you just need to drive the traffic to your store. This again does not need a dedicated marketing team or software, any individual with interest and flare can do the job well. Facebook with its in build chatting feature, allows prospective buyers and sellers to “talk” to each other and negotiate. With both the buyer and seller having an individual profile also helps both parties to understand and judge each other better.
Twitter
This is another powerful platform. Twitter has mostly the elite cream of the market users. Here also its pretty easy to create brand of your own and publicize it or drag traffic to it. You can tweet and retweet your products and services to the targeted client base. You can start up discussions and forums. Hashtags are another very powerful and popular twitter tool. It can be used to create publicity streams and trends.
Housewives - Small and very small businesses
The section of the people who have most benefited from these social marketing have been the housewives with small and very small businesses. The number of housewives entering into home based initiatives are increasing day by day. They have businesses relating to clothes, accessories, food, gift items etc. You name it and they have it. This is a powerful means of providing the much needed financial independence to those who are unable to go out and work due personal and other reasons. With the help of these platforms they are able to create a client base spanning across cities, countries and even continents and this is not an exaggeration.
With the growing use of internet and its expanding user base, it is very likely to be the next big in thing in marketing and sales. In future also we should expect more such tools to come up which make the life of the marketing people easier and the competition more tough. And in the end as always the customer would be the real winner
References:
https://www.facebook.com/business/overview
https://www.searchenginejournal.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-whatsapp-marketing/161221/
http://www.cio.com/article/2380667/twitter/14-ways-to-use-twitter-to-market-your-business.html
9 years ago
shaloo walia created new article Hola Mohalla : Celebrating Valour.
Hola Mohalla is an annual Sikh festival which is celebrated on the day after Holi. It is an annual fair which is held for three days at Anandpur Sahib in Punjab, India. People from far off places come to Anandpur Sahib to attend Hola Mohalla and enjoy the daring feats of fighting prowess and listen to melodious kirtans, music & poetry. The event concludes with a majestic military-like procession near Takht Sri Keshgarh Sahib which is one of the five revered seats of Sikh authority.
The word Hola has been derived from 'halla' which means attack. Mohalla stand for an organized procession or an army column. Thus Hola Mohalla literally means 'the charge of an army'. Guru Gobind Singh Ji, the tenth Sikh Guru founded the tradition of Hola Mohalla. After establishing Khalsa Panth, Guru Gobind Singh Ji started the tradition of a massive Sikh gathering where mock battles, poetry contests and display of gatka, horse riding and other fighting skills were organized at Holagarh Fort. Guru Gobind Singh Ji started Hola Mohalla as an occasion for military drills and mock battles to train the army. Hola Mohalla was an occasion for Sikhs to to demonstrate their fighting skills in mock battles. Guru Gobind Singh organized the first Hola Mohalla in 1701.
Hola Mohalla is a reminder of courage and valour of the Sikhs who made supreme sacrifices during the Mughal regime. During the three days festival, the nihangs carry on the martial tradition with organizing mock battles, swordsmanship and horse riding. Daring feats like gatka, horse riding, sword fencing, archery are performed. Kirtans and religious lectures are held at the various gurudwaras at Anandpur Sahib. The highlight of the festival is the grand procession on the last day of the festival which is led by the Panj Pyaras starting from Takht Sri Keshgarh Sahib and passing through various historical gurudwaras like Qila Anandgarh, Mata Jitoji, Lohgarh Sahib etc. and finally ending at the Takht. The Nihangs dressed in traditional attires and carrying shining spears and swords look fierce as they gallop through the streets on horsebacks.
Langars or community kitchens are organized by local villagers for the people who have come to attend Hola Mohalla from various places. The nearby villages come forward to donate food material for the langar and the local women volunteer to cook and clean the utensils while the men take the responsibility of serving the food and cleaning the place. All the gurudwaras also serve langar on a grand scale.
Hola Mohalla serves as an occasion for the Sikhs to reaffirm their commitment to the principles laid down by the Gurus. It is an occasion to reaffirm unity and brotherhood. Hola Mohalla has been accorded the status of a National Festival recently by the Indian Government. Today the popularity of Hola Mohalla has grown into leaps and bounds. People from all over the world come to Anandpur Sahib to witness the festivities of Hola Mohalla and the locals welcome the visitors with open arms irrespective of caste, creed or religion.
9 years ago
shaloo walia created new article 10 Best Places to visit in Jaipur.
Rajasthan in India is the desert state which is also famous for its historical forts and palaces. The state of Rajasthan has a glorious history of brave Rajput rulers who preferred to die than to accept slavery of the Mughals. Jaipur is the capital of Rajasthan which offers many beautiful historical monuments for sight seeing. Rajasthan has a rich cultural heritage which is quite evident in Jaipur. You can taste the authentic Rajasthani cuisine consisiting of dal, bati, choorma and gatte ki sabji while watching the traditional kalbeliya dance at the Choki Dhani at Jaipur.
If you love shopping then Jaipur is just the right place for you. Jaipur is famous all over the world for precious gem stones. You can also buy beautiful fabrics & bed sheets etc in tie and dye or batic prints.Lac jewellery of Jaipur is also very famous. Brassware is another special item of Jaipur.
When planning a visit to Jaipur, don't miss out on these must see places:
City Palace City Palace is a palace complex which is a combination of Mughal, Rajput and European architecture. The palace complex which includes Chandra Mahal, Mubarak Mahal, Sri Govind Dev Temple & other buildings was built by Sawai Jai Singh II, the ruler of Amber.
Jantar Mantar Jantar Mantar has a collection of nineteen astronomical instruments and was built by King Sawai Jai Singh. This UNESCO World Heritage Site has the world's largest stone sundial.
Nahargarh Fort Nahargarh fort is one of the three beautiful forts which formed a strong defense ring for the city of Jaipur during ancient times. Situated at the top of a hill, Nahargarh offers a breathtaking view of Jaipur.
Jaigarh Fort Jaigarh fort was built by Sawai Jai Singh II to protect the Amber fort. Also known as Victory Fort, Jaigarh is famous for 'Jaivana', the world's largest cannon on wheels. Jaigarh fort has a palace complex, an armoury and a museum. It is connected to Amber fort through a series of subterranean passages.
Amber Fort Amber fort is a popular tourist destination. This opulent fort is constructed of redstone & marble and is laid out on four levels. Sheesh Mahal (mirror palace) inside the fort is magnificent.
Kanak Vrindavan Kanak Vrindavan is a beautiful garden situated in a valley surrounded by Aravali Hills. The garden has Lord Krishna's temple, a series of fountains and intricate marble decorations which mesmerise the visitors.
Hawa Mahal Hawa Mahal or the Palace of Winds is an architectural marvel. Constructed of redstone, Hawa Mahal is like a high screen wall with small windows so that the women of the royal family could witness the royal processions and street festivals from there.
Jal Mahal Jal Mahal (water palace) is situated in the middle of Maan Sagar lake. One reaches the palace through a boat ride. The decorated hallways and chambers of the palace are breathtaking.
Birla Mandir This beautiful temple in white marble is dedicated to Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Vishnu. It looks amazingly beautiful when lit at night,
Albert Hall Museum This oldest museum of the state functions as the State Museum of Rajasthan. Situated at Ram Niwas Garden, the museum displays rare artefacts and paintings along with other items of historic importance.
9 years ago
Arunima Singh replied to the topic Ban on Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes .
To get back 100% black money back from a morally paralyzed society is next to impossible. This move is a breakthrough and will definitely alert them for future. corruption can...
9 years ago
MG Singh created new article Dubai is an oasis of peace and development in the Middle East.
Dubai is a mega metropolis located on the edge of the Great Arabian Desert. It abuts the Arabian sea and in colloquial terminology, just a stone's throw from India across the Arabian sea.
Dubai is part of a conglomeration of 9 Arab sheikdoms that form the United Arab Republic with the capital at Abu Dhabi. The state of Dubai boasts the highest per capita income in Asia and is in the top bracket in the world. There is, however, a subtle difference from other nations as the local population is only about 15-20% and the balance almost 80% are expatriates with the majority from the sub-continent.Almost 50% are from India with citizens from Kerala dominating all over.
The Middle East is a volatile country with the entire area in turmoil. Starting from Iraq, Syra, Yemen,Saudi Arabia , Lebanon et all a strife of immense proportion is on. It is basically an internecine conflict or to use a more cogent word an incestuous conflict. A fight among Muslims themselves. There is a Shia-Sunni conflict, a national conflict, a terror conflict, a conflict for territory and one can name anything. The ISIS has a looming presence and the Shia -Sunni conflict is personified by the Iran-Saudi antagonism.
In this volatile atmosphere laced with violence, the UAE stands out as an oasis of peace. One reason is that cleverly the rulers have made the Muslim locals a minority and the majority are expats from the sub- continent and almost 50% are from India, with the majority from Kerala. This large expatriate population is unlikely to stir the cauldron of violence as they are more intent on earning money and getting rich, than fomenting trouble. The ruling elite is thus comparatively safe.
The ruling elite of Dubai and Abu Dhabi are also an enlightened lot. one cannot countenance that just across the border is Saudi Arabia where beheadings are common and this year over 50 beheadings have taken place. In contrast in the UAE though following the Sharia, there are no beheadings and in the last 10 years, only one man has been executed by a firing squad.
The rulers of the UAE are a pragmatic lot and have allowed Sikh gurudwara, Hindu temple, and churches to come up in their country. Recently Abu Dhabi has allotted land for a Hindu temple during the last visit of Narendra Modi. The ties with India are getting close as the crown prince prepares to attend the Republic Day Parade at Delhi as the Chief guest like Obama in 2017.
The rulers of Dubai and UAE are concentrating on economic development. The richness is there for all to see as Dubai is created into a world financial center. It is also the playground for tourists with exotic openings like golf under flood lights, racecourse , bars, and restaurants as well as resorts that compete with the best in the world. There is a veritable flood of tourists and Dubai is the second busiest airport in the world with 61 million visitors second only to New York. That's some achievement that can make people rise up and think.
The state of Dubai also allows expatriates to purchase property on a 99-year lease and as per figures available 60% of the property is bought by the well-heeled from India and the Government of Dubai regularly showcases and holds exhibitions of property sales in Mumbai and Delhi.
Dubai is like a mini India and some of the top owners of the business are Indians from Kerala. In fact, the owner of the Lulu chain of supermarkets all over the UAE is owned by a Kerala expatriate from India.
Dubai also allows offshore investment banking that is tax-free and firms from America and the EU have set up shop there. The growth is so fast that Dubai rivals London as a world business center. The rulers have set up state of art entertainment centers and the Ferrari wheel, Glass garden, vintage auto museum and resorts like the jebel Ali Mercure hotel attract droves of visitors.
Dubai is on a high and the expatriate population mans the entire civic and social services of city states. All credit for this development goes to the two rulers of Dubai and Abu Dhabi. In particular the ruler of Dubai the Shiekh Maktoum family deserves great credit for making the city of Dubai, safe, investor friendly and a real haven for tourists, not forgetting the by business environment.
With all around turmoil, the UAE is a shining example of what can be achieved and one wonders why others cant follow this recipe.
9 years ago
Arunima Singh replied to the topic Does our society welcome single parents??.
usha manohar wrote:
The birth certificate carries both names which shd be good enough. It is our curious and probing Indian mentality...
9 years ago
Arunima Singh said thank you to usha manohar for his/her reply to the topic Does our society welcome single parents??.
The birth certificate carries both names which shd be good enough. It is our curious and probing Indian mentality that take things too far. How does it matter whether the...
9 years ago
Arunima Singh replied to the topic Another New Feature for Tracking The Income By Govt.
Another feather in his thoughtful cap leaving with less loops and holes for culprits to escape. One adverse effect could be that people might destroy the black money instead...
9 years ago
rambabu liked a reply to the topic What according to you makes the best topic for discussion?.
9 years ago
MG Singh created new article Incirlik Base in Turkey of the USAF: Alarm Bells are Ringing.
Turkey has been a long time ally of the USA and a member of NATO since 1952. It is a nation with a population of 80 million and maintains the largest armed force in NATO. in short, it is a pivot of NATO. Turkey since the time of Kemal Ataturk has always allied with the west and at one time was a front line state against the Soviet Union. The Turks allowed nuclear weapons to be stationed on their soil for a possible retaliation against the Soviet Union.
As things stand the Incirlik air base in Turkey is the major strike base of the US Air Force and houses the F-15 and F-16 for operations against the ISIS and strikes against Assad in Syria. It houses about 50 nuclear warheads called the Jupiter B-1. The base is in focus now as after the attempted military coup in Turkey against Erdogan the Turks enforced a "no fly" zone and no aircraft of the USAF could fly for any mission. Only those aircraft which were on a mission were allowed to land back.
TheIncirlik base houses the headquarters of the US air force central command and has hangers and silos for the F-16/15 plus the nuclear bombs. The base was exposed as the President of Turkey Erdogan assumed ( he may have got reliable information) that the coup attempt by the military against him was engineered by the CIA. Much of this information to Erdogan was supplied by the Russians who had eavesdropped on the chatter on the radio ( in code) between the coup plotters and some officials of the CIA.
In addition, a cleric named Gulen, who is in self-imposed exile in the USA was thought by Erdogan to be part of the coup. Erdogan has asked for the handing over the cleric which has been refused by the US. This has led to bitterness and has seen the Turkish president proceed to Russia to mend fences with Putin. It may be recalled that the Turks had shot down a Russian fighter a few weeks back and relations had soured. The visit by Erdogan changed all that as he apologized for the shooting and made overtures to Russia.
Erdogan was extremely unhappy with the USA and he took it out on the US base. He not only imposed a no-fly zone but cut off external power to the base. This is a critical requirement and the base had to be run on internal power. The 2000 odd servicemen of the US armed forces were advised by the US command not to venture out of the base perimeter. In addition, special guards were posted for the nuclear assets.
The vulnerability of the base was exposed and it was the cause for alarm in the Pentagon. The actions of Erdogan became unpredictable as he set about arresting thousands of soldiers and other citizens who he thought had links with Gulen, CIA or the coup plotters. The commander of the Turkish airforce on the base was also arrested. These actions showed to the USA that nothing could be taken for granted. The base which is just 70 miles from the Syria border is extremely vulnerable to Jihadi attacks and there is a real danger of this WMD falling into the hands of the Jihadi elements or worse if Erdogan decided to appropriate the nuclear weapons for himself. The stationing of nuclear weapons in an unstable country by the USA is fraught with danger and now the Pentagon has realized what a blunder they have committed.
The Incirlik base is in the eye of the storm. A distrust has developed between the Turkish elements loyal to Erdogan and the coup plotters. The US secretary of State Kerry has called for restraint to Erdogan on his arresting thousands of so-called coup supporters. The arrested are close to 100,000. Erdogan is also planning to re-introduce the death penalty and that is cause for alarm to the EU. Erdogan would like to hang all the coup plotters so he can cement his rule. But history has shown that such dictators invariably fall as after 11 years of the rule even General Zia ul Haq of Pakistan was assassinated when his C-130 Hercules was crashed by incapacitated pilots. So Erdogan needs to worry in the aftermath of the coup.
The real cause of worry will, however, remain for the US. With Erdogan flirting with Russia and an unstable Turkey the nuclear weapons are at great risk. The USA was planning to remove them to Romania, but the plan has not been affected as yet. The weapons remain on the base and are a cause of great worry. One wonders when will the USA learn that there are no permanent allies only interests and Erdogan is like a bull in a China shop. He cannot be stopped except by another coup.
Image source https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recep_Tayyip_Erdo%C4%9Fan
9 years ago
Arunima Singh replied to the topic What according to you makes the best topic for discussion?.
I would also feel some topics of general interest featuring History, culture, mythology etc will be good to stimulate us to research and collect information. Moreover, will be...
9 years ago
Arunima Singh replied to the topic Trump Triumphs!.
Well right now he is going through the pain of facing the protest in the country which ironically elected him
9 years ago
Babu saroj replied to the topic What according to you makes the best topic for discussion?.
I think the news are always the first priority of any forum and that I think is the best way to be alive in the day to day conversation.
9 years ago
took the quiz Test your GK !!!.
This quiz is all about simple GK questions. If u score below 5,then u better update ur GK..Thank you.. Press Continue..
9 years ago
MG Singh created new article Trump vs Hillary; the last lap.
The US presidential election held every 4 years is an event of great importance. Right from 1776 when George Washington became president a American selection has been held without fail every four years. Even when the country is in the midst of a war, a presidential election is always held. Thus during the height of the Second World War a election was held in 1941 and resulted in ROOSEVELT GETTING A 4th term as president. Roosevelt won 4 consecutive terms as US president. This long period of president by one man alarmed many in Congress who resolved to llimit a term as president to just two terms.i.e 8 years. This led to a constitutional amendment bill when Truman was president. Congress passed the bill which henceforth restricted a incumbent to just 2 terms as president.
The present man holding the chair is Barack Mohammed Obama. He finishes his term of 8 years in January 2017 and will have to make way for a new incumbent. Obama is the first Afro American to be president of USA. Obama won nomination the first time in 2008 and beat his rival Hillary Clinton. He belonged to the Democratic party. HisoHisorically America has ha a two party system, with the other party being the GOP or Republican party. History does not allow a third party and though any one can contest an election, the odds are heavily stackstacked against a third party or independent candidate. Thus a winner can only be either a Democrat or Republican party nominee.
This year the contest is basically between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. Hillary is the Democratic nominee while Donald has won the Republican nomination. There are 2 other candidates but they are oy in the 'also ran' category and have virtually zero chance of winning. Hillary had lost the nomination in 2008 to Obama, but she has bounced back and is eyeing the Oval office. Her husband was president for 2 terms from 1994'2000. His Presidency is distinguished for a string of sexual encounters in his office in the White House . Hillary was aware of these infidelities but she bore it stoically and is now reaping the benefit by bagging the Democrat nomination.
Trump on the other hand is the outsider. he was a business man and nobody gave him a chance, but he swept all before him like a steam roller and won the nomination. But he, by statements and action created a great divide in American society. Trump called for a wall to be built on the US-Mexican border to keep out Mexican immigrants and he also talked of racially profiling all Muslims and banning their entry into the USA for some time. This was music to many in the US establishment and also abroad like in India where the Hindu Sena, held prayers for his victory.
Trump is a man of action and his other statements are equally divisive. He has praised Saddam and said that his removal was a mistake and he has also said that Putin is a better president than Obama. Many in America have been offended, but the extreme right wing is his biggest support who see him as a man who is the whites " great hope". Donald started the election campaign with the 4th estate squarely against him and they manipulated opinion polls that show that Donald was lagging by many percentage points to Hillary. But now some sanity is restored and the latest polls show that Donald and Hillary are neck and neck with each other.
There is also the question of health and gender. Many in America are averse to any mention of gender, but the fact is there is no instance in history of a woman commander in Chief which Hillary will be in case she is the President of the USA. Her health also is infirm and there are reports that she had fainted once. Even a layman knows that a fainting fit is not something to be glossed over. She also had an attack of pneumonia and a whooping cough fit for many minutes at a election debate. These are not good signs and in contrast though Donald is not young at 70, yet he looks fitter and a better bet.
The election is nearing the last lap and very soon 8th November the day of the election will dawn. Both candidates are in a slug fest and passing comments against each other. Tough both are level at the moment there is a good chance that Donald may pull ahead, in that case for Hillary it will be so near yet too far. in case Hillary wins the American masses may have voted in a candidate who is not fit and has a tainted record. One wonders if she could be the Gorbachev of the USA. Time alone will tell what happens , but the great power the USA is gasping and needs a dynamic leader. Who will that be ?
9 years ago
usha manohar created new article Hiking - Healthy and fun filled outdoor activity!.
Introduction
I am not speaking about hiking which many people do simply to impress others because I have seen many people do that, put on sports gear, carry a back pack and walk for a kilometer or two on the outskirts of their cities, take some selfies and think they have done it all.
In fact, real hiking is done by the tribal people and villagers who walk for miles together each day to accomplish whatever it is they intend to and in the bargain added on many health benefits too. It is a way of life with them. They remain fit and healthy without any need to take extra precautions about their weight and since their food is basic and simple that too is not a worry. For most of these people walking from place to place is a necessity unlike most of us city dwellers who need to make time and look for opportunity since it is not easy to find open unpolluted places where one can walk freely. At the most one can hope to walk within the confinements of a public park or through the by lanes of our city.
Hiking and walking through open places
Coming back to Hiking, backpacking, nature walk and mountaineering - these are all outdoor activities of walking through hills and mountains to reach the summit to meet a challenge that we set for ourselves that have become very popular with people across world and is catching up here in India in a big way. It is one of the most enjoyable outdoor activities which anyone regardless of age can take up.
Many foreigners visiting India prefer to see places walking through little towns and tourist spots just to get the feel of the place and benefiting as well from the exercise and physical exertion. It is the feeling you get when you are out there in the open , amidst nature that is incomparable to any other experience. If you have the right company, then it is all the more fulfilling. I met an American Mexican couple who were touring India on feet, trekking through short routes that often took them through fields and hills which they had drawn themselves after consulting local people. I could see that they were enjoying the whole experience.
In India, Nature Trails and Resorts, offer hill walking and Camp craft to adults and children alike. However, there are no hill walking clubs in India which makes it difficult for people interested in trekking and backpacking since they have to depend on private guides and trails that are roughly drawn and often dangerous because of the lack of facilities. However if one is interested, it is not difficult to form a group of like- minded adventure loving people who could get together and plan fun-filled, outdoor activities. Besides being rejuvenating it is also a very healthy activity that keeps you fit at any age.
There are some people who prefer hiking alone. According to one of them known to me, it is better than having a group or a companion who may have different ideas to that of yours. When you are alone, you are your own master and can do what you want and go where you want and live as you like during that period. The only drawback may be a certain amount of danger this may pose to the individual when there are unexpected and unwanted intrusions.
A few helpful points to bear in mind while planning a trek either alone, with your family or friends
1. First of all, make a list of everything that may be needed during the hike and during emergencies that may arise during the trek.
2. Make sure that you wear sensible clothes that don’t come in the way or restrict your movement while you are walking on a rough terrain. A sturdy pair of waterproof walking shoes is a must because many a times we come across streams, waterfalls and rivers that may need to be crossed. It is also helpful to carry a small pair of scissors or a knife and some rope. Carrying all your essentials in a backpack is a very practical thing to do because your hands are free and you can carry more weight on your back without feeling the burden.
3. Less is more when you go trekking because the more you carry the heavier it becomes with each step. So, make sure that you carry the bare essentials like water, sufficient food, Insect repellent cream, face towel, pair of binoculars so that you don’t miss out on nature's wonders and a kit consisting of first aid and some medication for allergy and fever.
4. Camera or a smartphone can be very helpful for communication, and if necessary to click those unexpected moments of joy and wonder that nature sometimes bestows on us, so that you can later admire it as many times as you want, also share it with your loved ones and others.
5. Avoid treks that are known to be unsafe, dangerous and are infested with anti -socials or has steep slopes. There have been many incidents where innocent trekkers have been captured by anti -social elements or where trekkers have gone missing for days before outsiders became aware of the fact. Many deaths happen because the trekkers had not taken enough precaution before setting out.
6. Now, it has been advised by most hiking clubs that you carry a sturdy walking stick that has a firm grip with you when you walk through narrow mountain paths or climbing up a steep mountain side. It gives the added support and makes your climb or hike that much easier.
Conclusions
We must remember that life is short and one can take part in strenuous activities only if one is fit. To remain fit and healthy, it is essential to remain active. We cannot afford to waste a single minute that is at our disposal and activities like walking and trekking enhance the quality of our life because of the health benefits we derive from them. It is a complete experience that engulfs an individuals body and soul.
We need to teach our children and youngsters early in life to respect, admire and enjoy the outdoors and the abundance that nature has bestowed on us. Parents should plan treks and outdoor activities as often as possible rather than spend time in malls or let children spend long hours playing games in video and computer game parlors. The more exposure children have of outdoor life the more sensitive they become as adults. It is a known fact that nature lovers are also caring of other people and their needs, besides helping in preserving the environment.
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9 years ago
MG Singh created new article Iran boycots Haj this year and substitutes it with pilgrimage to holy shrine at Karbala.
Islam has 2 sects the Shia and Sunni sects. The majority is the Sunni's who constitute 80% of the entire Muslim world. The Shia's are in a minority and thus at the receiving end of sectarian violence. Most of the known terror groups all owe allegiance to the Sunni faith. Thus ISIS Daesh, Hamas, Hizbul-e - Mujaheddin etc are all from the Sunni sect. The biggest protagonist of the Sunni faith is Saudi Arabia while Iran is the center of the Shia faith.
Both sects believe in the Muslim holy scriptures and the Holy shrine at Mecca. They also believe in the Haj, yet both sects have fundamental differences. The Shia-Sunni divide is complete all over the world and is manifest in the politics of the Middle East as well. Iran and Saudi Arabia are into a proxy war in Yemen and Iraq as well as Syria.
The Iranians are not happy that the holy shrine is looked after by Saudi Arabia where the king is designated as the "custodian pf the Holy shrines of Mecca and Medina". There is no doubt that the Iranian charge that crowds control and mismanagement is the root cause of massive stampedes that have taken place in recent years. These stampedes have led to thousands being killed. It is inconceivable that pilgrims coming for a religious function like the Haj would be killed in stampedes. Last year hundreds of Irani citizens were killed in a stampede. This has angered Iran and their reaction is dictated by an anti-Saudi approach.
The clerics in Iran have called for the King to be removed as the custodian of the holy shrines as the Iranians feel the shrines are mismanaged. This year Iran and Saudi representatives started negotiations to decide how the Haj is to be conducted. the talks broke down and Iran was informed that its citizens were not welcome for the Haj. The Iranian government also issued an advisory asking its citizens to avoid going to Saudi Arabia for the Haj and in lieu visit the Holy shrine at Karbala in Iraq.
The shrine at karbala is the holiest of all Shia shrine and is located at the exact place the Shia Pir was martyred in 680 at the Battle of karbala. The shrine is extremely important and as per the archangel Gabriel the shrine at Karbala is the holiest of holy places on earth. It also adds that a Muslim for any reason whatsover cannot visit the shrine at Mecca for the Haj, then the visit to the Shrine at Karbala is of equal spiritual value and is equivalent to the Haj. All the benefits that accrue from a visit to Mecca are bestowed on anyone who visits Karbala.
The Iranian government has issued an advisory to all its citizens not to go on Haj to Mecca, but visit the holy shrine at Karbala. This was after talks between the Saudi government and Iran broke down on the issue of security to the Iranian Muslims who visit Mecca. The result is that over one million Shia Muslims from Iran have proceeded to teh Shrine at Karbala in Iraq. The Iraqi government has confirmed the figure and there is a chance that another one million may also go. The Shrine at Karbala has thus had millions of believers this year after the Saudi-Iran spat.
The divide in the Muslim world is complete. It is a fact of life that Saudi Arabia which is allied to the USA and Iran which is antagonist to the USA have drawn the swords. The Irani however have a point as security at the Mecca shrine leaves a lot to be desired. The fact that thousands are killed in stampedes or otherwise when on a Haj pilgrimage is a matter of concern. It does show that crowd management is poor and maybe the Saudi take a easy going attitude. Maybe for that reason the Iranian clerics have called for the shines at Mecca and Medina be removed from the clutches of the King of Saudi Arabia.
The Saudi dynasty represents an obscurantism of the worst kind and are in power because of the USA. One wonders that similarly the USA backed the Shah of Iran and once he was overthrown, the Americans could not get even a toe hold there. The ISIS and others are opposed to the royal dynasty who are in power by following archaic laws that leads to massive beheading. Iran is also a theocratic state but it is a democracy and women do have some rights there. the battle line are drawn and it will be interesting to see what happens further. In the meantime a proxy war is on and Iran has boycotted the Haj and replaced it with a pilgrimage to the holy shrine at Karbala.
9 years ago
MG Singh created new article Donald Trump Praises Putin and other 'Strong" leaders.
The US election campaign is in full swing and in just a few months on 8th November the die will be cast. There are 4 candidates, but only 2 matter. These are the Republican and Democratic party who have shaped the destiny of America ever since the 1776 War of Independence.
The two candidates are Donald Trump from the GOP or Republican Party and Hillary Clinton from the Democratic party. Out of these two Donald Trump is the dark horse. When he stood for the nomination of the Republican party no one gave him a chance. many even commented that he was a Buffon who would soon fade away. It didn't happen as per the script because Donald outboxed all his opponents like Ted Cruz, Jeb Bush, and Kasich and wrested the nomination.
The surprise is that Donald won despite making some statements that seemed out of character with the American ethos of liberalism and tolerance. He was castigated for his comments by many of the intellectuals , but he stuck to his guns and won. In short, the statements of Donald centered on the theme of making America Great. He repeatedly attacked the Obama administration as having let America down. he squarely blamed Obama and the Democratic party for the rise of the ISIS and Daesh.
Donald also mouthed words against the Muslim community as a group. He wanted to stop the coming of Muslims to the uSA and those who were in America needed to be racially profiled. He was able to strike a chord with the average American who felt that Islam was a threat to his way of life. Many Americans felt that Muslims had abused the freedom enshrined in the America constitution by following their own agenda and undermining the life in America by terror attacks.
At that time he said what to many American was a sacrilege. He praised Saddam Hussein and Muammar Gaddafi. What did he say? He said that both these leaders were 'strong' leaders who were very bad guys, but they fought America's war on terror by hanging scores of Muslim fundamentalists. ISIS was not in existence then but there were Muslims who espoused the Wahabbi concept of Islam and all were hanged to death by both Gaddafi and Saddam. Thus Donald said that it was a mistake to overthrow and help execute both these leaders.
The fact is that both these leaders when in power had decimated Muslim extremists and believers in the Wahabbi concept. Yes, they executed people but they ensured that there was a semblance of order all round. Donald admired them for being strong leaders. This surprisingly struck a chord with the average American who faced a Muslim threat.
Donald went on to articulate about constructing a wall on the Mexico- USA border for keeping out the illegal immigrants. Ther are 11 million illegal immigrants in the USa who do a lot of menial jobs, but in the perception of the average American they are a drain on the economy and taking the jobs of the locals. So Donald stretches a tune with the lower economic class of the US voters who felt that the Hispanic immigrants were a threat. His concept of a wall cannot be taken seriously but as an election ploy, it has worked.
Now Donald has stated twice that Putin was a strong leader'. He has gone on to say that Putin was a better president than Obama. Putin also has mouthed his admiration for Trump as a leader though he has been muted on the latest comment of Donald.
The surprise is the many in America do feel that Obama is a failure on many grounds. He is held responsible for the rise of Daesh nd ISIS and failure to modernize Saudi Arabia. He has perceived a failure in controlling North Korea and China and has made overtures to Iran for which thIraniansas are not gratefull but have snubbed America repeatedly. Right from the time of the hostage crisis during the time of Carter, Iran is a foe of the USA and now it appears in the Russian orbit by allowing Russian bombers to operate from its airfield.
These statements of Trump seem to have been liked among the common voters and now we can see that Donald has emerged neck and neck with Clinton though at one time he was trailing by 8 percentage points. This is a tremendous achievement and in case Donald can keep up the momentum he could be home and dry. In short, it will be the greatest upset in American electoral history.
The election is two months away and one can't be sure what will happen, but Hillary does look stale and carrying the legacy of Obama. This could be a double edge sword and she stands to lose a lot of voters who are diehard against a colored man as president and have an a paranoid fear of Islam.
9 years ago
Divya created new article Marketing and Social Media.
The world is becoming a smaller place day by day. Thanks to internet. We are very close to the people all around world and also have the option to directly connect to anyone in the world with a click using WhatsApp or Skype or other similar applications. The traditional ways of communication and marketing have undergone a phenomenal transformation with the advent of the internet. Here we will talk amount how social media marketing is gaining ground and helping the small businesses to make more money with least monetary investments.
Pros
We are all very much aware of the advantages on usage of internet. Though it has made the people lethargic and that is the least to say. We have come to expect everything to happen with a click. The new breed of work force would not even think about going to a bank to deposit money. He would rather do all that online from the comfort of his own. Who would not give into the temptation of doing all banking chores, all your grocery shopping etc. right from your AC rooms. No parking problems, no traffic, no crowds.
Cons
But obvious is the fact that you do not get to touch and feel what you buy. There is no inter personal relationship online to start with. Online frauds are on the rise, your personal information is available online, you do not “see” the person you are dealing with are some other factors which are considered as deterrents to the online wave.
Having said that I would like to talk more about the marketing of products and services and how it is developing and flourishing in this new era. With so many new apps available is desktop and mobile versions, marketing has taken on new dimensions
WhatsApp
As of Feb 2016, WhatsApp has more than 1 billion users globally. Now this is very huge number. Add to that the fact the messages and video sharing is free (India). If we were to analyze any other marketing models like through TV, ads, newspaper etc. we can see that there is a monetary aspect. You need to pay to get listed. Also the audience is limited. WhatsApp unlike these, gives you the access to the targeted user base with no cost involved. Even if WhatsApp was to be made chargeable, the charges would be bare minimum compared to others. WhatsApp allows small businesses who cannot hire a dedicated marketing team or software to expand its user base. There are no time limits here, no deadlines.
Facebook
Next best marketing tool today is Facebook. Unlike WhatsApp this platform allows real time communication between people. It also has the provisions to create pages, groups and shops to cater to the marketing needs of small businesses. It allows you to boost certain pages and groups with minimal monetary input. You have the flexibility and the freedom to create your own online store and show case your products. Once that is done, you just need to drive the traffic to your store. This again does not need a dedicated marketing team or software, any individual with interest and flare can do the job well. Facebook with its in build chatting feature, allows prospective buyers and sellers to “talk” to each other and negotiate. With both the buyer and seller having an individual profile also helps both parties to understand and judge each other better.
Twitter
This is another powerful platform. Twitter has mostly the elite cream of the market users. Here also its pretty easy to create brand of your own and publicize it or drag traffic to it. You can tweet and retweet your products and services to the targeted client base. You can start up discussions and forums. Hashtags are another very powerful and popular twitter tool. It can be used to create publicity streams and trends.
Housewives - Small and very small businesses
The section of the people who have most benefited from these social marketing have been the housewives with small and very small businesses. The number of housewives entering into home based initiatives are increasing day by day. They have businesses relating to clothes, accessories, food, gift items etc. You name it and they have it. This is a powerful means of providing the much needed financial independence to those who are unable to go out and work due personal and other reasons. With the help of these platforms they are able to create a client base spanning across cities, countries and even continents and this is not an exaggeration.
With the growing use of internet and its expanding user base, it is very likely to be the next big in thing in marketing and sales. In future also we should expect more such tools to come up which make the life of the marketing people easier and the competition more tough. And in the end as always the customer would be the real winner
References:
https://www.facebook.com/business/overview
https://www.searchenginejournal.com/the-ultimate-guide-to-whatsapp-marketing/161221/
http://www.cio.com/article/2380667/twitter/14-ways-to-use-twitter-to-market-your-business.html
9 years ago
shaloo walia created new article Hola Mohalla : Celebrating Valour.
Hola Mohalla is an annual Sikh festival which is celebrated on the day after Holi. It is an annual fair which is held for three days at Anandpur Sahib in Punjab, India. People from far off places come to Anandpur Sahib to attend Hola Mohalla and enjoy the daring feats of fighting prowess and listen to melodious kirtans, music & poetry. The event concludes with a majestic military-like procession near Takht Sri Keshgarh Sahib which is one of the five revered seats of Sikh authority.
The word Hola has been derived from 'halla' which means attack. Mohalla stand for an organized procession or an army column. Thus Hola Mohalla literally means 'the charge of an army'. Guru Gobind Singh Ji, the tenth Sikh Guru founded the tradition of Hola Mohalla. After establishing Khalsa Panth, Guru Gobind Singh Ji started the tradition of a massive Sikh gathering where mock battles, poetry contests and display of gatka, horse riding and other fighting skills were organized at Holagarh Fort. Guru Gobind Singh Ji started Hola Mohalla as an occasion for military drills and mock battles to train the army. Hola Mohalla was an occasion for Sikhs to to demonstrate their fighting skills in mock battles. Guru Gobind Singh organized the first Hola Mohalla in 1701.
Hola Mohalla is a reminder of courage and valour of the Sikhs who made supreme sacrifices during the Mughal regime. During the three days festival, the nihangs carry on the martial tradition with organizing mock battles, swordsmanship and horse riding. Daring feats like gatka, horse riding, sword fencing, archery are performed. Kirtans and religious lectures are held at the various gurudwaras at Anandpur Sahib. The highlight of the festival is the grand procession on the last day of the festival which is led by the Panj Pyaras starting from Takht Sri Keshgarh Sahib and passing through various historical gurudwaras like Qila Anandgarh, Mata Jitoji, Lohgarh Sahib etc. and finally ending at the Takht. The Nihangs dressed in traditional attires and carrying shining spears and swords look fierce as they gallop through the streets on horsebacks.
Langars or community kitchens are organized by local villagers for the people who have come to attend Hola Mohalla from various places. The nearby villages come forward to donate food material for the langar and the local women volunteer to cook and clean the utensils while the men take the responsibility of serving the food and cleaning the place. All the gurudwaras also serve langar on a grand scale.
Hola Mohalla serves as an occasion for the Sikhs to reaffirm their commitment to the principles laid down by the Gurus. It is an occasion to reaffirm unity and brotherhood. Hola Mohalla has been accorded the status of a National Festival recently by the Indian Government. Today the popularity of Hola Mohalla has grown into leaps and bounds. People from all over the world come to Anandpur Sahib to witness the festivities of Hola Mohalla and the locals welcome the visitors with open arms irrespective of caste, creed or religion.
9 years ago
shaloo walia created new article 10 Best Places to visit in Jaipur.
Rajasthan in India is the desert state which is also famous for its historical forts and palaces. The state of Rajasthan has a glorious history of brave Rajput rulers who preferred to die than to accept slavery of the Mughals. Jaipur is the capital of Rajasthan which offers many beautiful historical monuments for sight seeing. Rajasthan has a rich cultural heritage which is quite evident in Jaipur. You can taste the authentic Rajasthani cuisine consisiting of dal, bati, choorma and gatte ki sabji while watching the traditional kalbeliya dance at the Choki Dhani at Jaipur.
If you love shopping then Jaipur is just the right place for you. Jaipur is famous all over the world for precious gem stones. You can also buy beautiful fabrics & bed sheets etc in tie and dye or batic prints.Lac jewellery of Jaipur is also very famous. Brassware is another special item of Jaipur.
When planning a visit to Jaipur, don't miss out on these must see places:
City Palace City Palace is a palace complex which is a combination of Mughal, Rajput and European architecture. The palace complex which includes Chandra Mahal, Mubarak Mahal, Sri Govind Dev Temple & other buildings was built by Sawai Jai Singh II, the ruler of Amber.
Jantar Mantar Jantar Mantar has a collection of nineteen astronomical instruments and was built by King Sawai Jai Singh. This UNESCO World Heritage Site has the world's largest stone sundial.
Nahargarh Fort Nahargarh fort is one of the three beautiful forts which formed a strong defense ring for the city of Jaipur during ancient times. Situated at the top of a hill, Nahargarh offers a breathtaking view of Jaipur.
Jaigarh Fort Jaigarh fort was built by Sawai Jai Singh II to protect the Amber fort. Also known as Victory Fort, Jaigarh is famous for 'Jaivana', the world's largest cannon on wheels. Jaigarh fort has a palace complex, an armoury and a museum. It is connected to Amber fort through a series of subterranean passages.
Amber Fort Amber fort is a popular tourist destination. This opulent fort is constructed of redstone & marble and is laid out on four levels. Sheesh Mahal (mirror palace) inside the fort is magnificent.
Kanak Vrindavan Kanak Vrindavan is a beautiful garden situated in a valley surrounded by Aravali Hills. The garden has Lord Krishna's temple, a series of fountains and intricate marble decorations which mesmerise the visitors.
Hawa Mahal Hawa Mahal or the Palace of Winds is an architectural marvel. Constructed of redstone, Hawa Mahal is like a high screen wall with small windows so that the women of the royal family could witness the royal processions and street festivals from there.
Jal Mahal Jal Mahal (water palace) is situated in the middle of Maan Sagar lake. One reaches the palace through a boat ride. The decorated hallways and chambers of the palace are breathtaking.
Birla Mandir This beautiful temple in white marble is dedicated to Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Vishnu. It looks amazingly beautiful when lit at night,
Albert Hall Museum This oldest museum of the state functions as the State Museum of Rajasthan. Situated at Ram Niwas Garden, the museum displays rare artefacts and paintings along with other items of historic importance.
9 years ago
Arunima Singh replied to the topic Ban on Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes .
To get back 100% black money back from a morally paralyzed society is next to impossible. This move is a breakthrough and will definitely alert them for future. corruption can...
9 years ago
MG Singh created new article Dubai is an oasis of peace and development in the Middle East.
Dubai is a mega metropolis located on the edge of the Great Arabian Desert. It abuts the Arabian sea and in colloquial terminology, just a stone's throw from India across the Arabian sea.
Dubai is part of a conglomeration of 9 Arab sheikdoms that form the United Arab Republic with the capital at Abu Dhabi. The state of Dubai boasts the highest per capita income in Asia and is in the top bracket in the world. There is, however, a subtle difference from other nations as the local population is only about 15-20% and the balance almost 80% are expatriates with the majority from the sub-continent.Almost 50% are from India with citizens from Kerala dominating all over.
The Middle East is a volatile country with the entire area in turmoil. Starting from Iraq, Syra, Yemen,Saudi Arabia , Lebanon et all a strife of immense proportion is on. It is basically an internecine conflict or to use a more cogent word an incestuous conflict. A fight among Muslims themselves. There is a Shia-Sunni conflict, a national conflict, a terror conflict, a conflict for territory and one can name anything. The ISIS has a looming presence and the Shia -Sunni conflict is personified by the Iran-Saudi antagonism.
In this volatile atmosphere laced with violence, the UAE stands out as an oasis of peace. One reason is that cleverly the rulers have made the Muslim locals a minority and the majority are expats from the sub- continent and almost 50% are from India, with the majority from Kerala. This large expatriate population is unlikely to stir the cauldron of violence as they are more intent on earning money and getting rich, than fomenting trouble. The ruling elite is thus comparatively safe.
The ruling elite of Dubai and Abu Dhabi are also an enlightened lot. one cannot countenance that just across the border is Saudi Arabia where beheadings are common and this year over 50 beheadings have taken place. In contrast in the UAE though following the Sharia, there are no beheadings and in the last 10 years, only one man has been executed by a firing squad.
The rulers of the UAE are a pragmatic lot and have allowed Sikh gurudwara, Hindu temple, and churches to come up in their country. Recently Abu Dhabi has allotted land for a Hindu temple during the last visit of Narendra Modi. The ties with India are getting close as the crown prince prepares to attend the Republic Day Parade at Delhi as the Chief guest like Obama in 2017.
The rulers of Dubai and UAE are concentrating on economic development. The richness is there for all to see as Dubai is created into a world financial center. It is also the playground for tourists with exotic openings like golf under flood lights, racecourse , bars, and restaurants as well as resorts that compete with the best in the world. There is a veritable flood of tourists and Dubai is the second busiest airport in the world with 61 million visitors second only to New York. That's some achievement that can make people rise up and think.
The state of Dubai also allows expatriates to purchase property on a 99-year lease and as per figures available 60% of the property is bought by the well-heeled from India and the Government of Dubai regularly showcases and holds exhibitions of property sales in Mumbai and Delhi.
Dubai is like a mini India and some of the top owners of the business are Indians from Kerala. In fact, the owner of the Lulu chain of supermarkets all over the UAE is owned by a Kerala expatriate from India.
Dubai also allows offshore investment banking that is tax-free and firms from America and the EU have set up shop there. The growth is so fast that Dubai rivals London as a world business center. The rulers have set up state of art entertainment centers and the Ferrari wheel, Glass garden, vintage auto museum and resorts like the jebel Ali Mercure hotel attract droves of visitors.
Dubai is on a high and the expatriate population mans the entire civic and social services of city states. All credit for this development goes to the two rulers of Dubai and Abu Dhabi. In particular the ruler of Dubai the Shiekh Maktoum family deserves great credit for making the city of Dubai, safe, investor friendly and a real haven for tourists, not forgetting the by business environment.
With all around turmoil, the UAE is a shining example of what can be achieved and one wonders why others cant follow this recipe.
9 years ago
Arunima Singh replied to the topic Does our society welcome single parents??.
usha manohar wrote:
The birth certificate carries both names which shd be good enough. It is our curious and probing Indian mentality...
9 years ago
Arunima Singh said thank you to usha manohar for his/her reply to the topic Does our society welcome single parents??.
The birth certificate carries both names which shd be good enough. It is our curious and probing Indian mentality that take things too far. How does it matter whether the...
9 years ago
Arunima Singh replied to the topic Another New Feature for Tracking The Income By Govt.
Another feather in his thoughtful cap leaving with less loops and holes for culprits to escape. One adverse effect could be that people might destroy the black money instead...
9 years ago
rambabu liked a reply to the topic What according to you makes the best topic for discussion?.
9 years ago
MG Singh created new article Incirlik Base in Turkey of the USAF: Alarm Bells are Ringing.
Turkey has been a long time ally of the USA and a member of NATO since 1952. It is a nation with a population of 80 million and maintains the largest armed force in NATO. in short, it is a pivot of NATO. Turkey since the time of Kemal Ataturk has always allied with the west and at one time was a front line state against the Soviet Union. The Turks allowed nuclear weapons to be stationed on their soil for a possible retaliation against the Soviet Union.
As things stand the Incirlik air base in Turkey is the major strike base of the US Air Force and houses the F-15 and F-16 for operations against the ISIS and strikes against Assad in Syria. It houses about 50 nuclear warheads called the Jupiter B-1. The base is in focus now as after the attempted military coup in Turkey against Erdogan the Turks enforced a "no fly" zone and no aircraft of the USAF could fly for any mission. Only those aircraft which were on a mission were allowed to land back.
TheIncirlik base houses the headquarters of the US air force central command and has hangers and silos for the F-16/15 plus the nuclear bombs. The base was exposed as the President of Turkey Erdogan assumed ( he may have got reliable information) that the coup attempt by the military against him was engineered by the CIA. Much of this information to Erdogan was supplied by the Russians who had eavesdropped on the chatter on the radio ( in code) between the coup plotters and some officials of the CIA.
In addition, a cleric named Gulen, who is in self-imposed exile in the USA was thought by Erdogan to be part of the coup. Erdogan has asked for the handing over the cleric which has been refused by the US. This has led to bitterness and has seen the Turkish president proceed to Russia to mend fences with Putin. It may be recalled that the Turks had shot down a Russian fighter a few weeks back and relations had soured. The visit by Erdogan changed all that as he apologized for the shooting and made overtures to Russia.
Erdogan was extremely unhappy with the USA and he took it out on the US base. He not only imposed a no-fly zone but cut off external power to the base. This is a critical requirement and the base had to be run on internal power. The 2000 odd servicemen of the US armed forces were advised by the US command not to venture out of the base perimeter. In addition, special guards were posted for the nuclear assets.
The vulnerability of the base was exposed and it was the cause for alarm in the Pentagon. The actions of Erdogan became unpredictable as he set about arresting thousands of soldiers and other citizens who he thought had links with Gulen, CIA or the coup plotters. The commander of the Turkish airforce on the base was also arrested. These actions showed to the USA that nothing could be taken for granted. The base which is just 70 miles from the Syria border is extremely vulnerable to Jihadi attacks and there is a real danger of this WMD falling into the hands of the Jihadi elements or worse if Erdogan decided to appropriate the nuclear weapons for himself. The stationing of nuclear weapons in an unstable country by the USA is fraught with danger and now the Pentagon has realized what a blunder they have committed.
The Incirlik base is in the eye of the storm. A distrust has developed between the Turkish elements loyal to Erdogan and the coup plotters. The US secretary of State Kerry has called for restraint to Erdogan on his arresting thousands of so-called coup supporters. The arrested are close to 100,000. Erdogan is also planning to re-introduce the death penalty and that is cause for alarm to the EU. Erdogan would like to hang all the coup plotters so he can cement his rule. But history has shown that such dictators invariably fall as after 11 years of the rule even General Zia ul Haq of Pakistan was assassinated when his C-130 Hercules was crashed by incapacitated pilots. So Erdogan needs to worry in the aftermath of the coup.
The real cause of worry will, however, remain for the US. With Erdogan flirting with Russia and an unstable Turkey the nuclear weapons are at great risk. The USA was planning to remove them to Romania, but the plan has not been affected as yet. The weapons remain on the base and are a cause of great worry. One wonders when will the USA learn that there are no permanent allies only interests and Erdogan is like a bull in a China shop. He cannot be stopped except by another coup.
Image source https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recep_Tayyip_Erdo%C4%9Fan
9 years ago
Arunima Singh replied to the topic What according to you makes the best topic for discussion?.
I would also feel some topics of general interest featuring History, culture, mythology etc will be good to stimulate us to research and collect information. Moreover, will be...
9 years ago
Arunima Singh replied to the topic Trump Triumphs!.
Well right now he is going through the pain of facing the protest in the country which ironically elected him
9 years ago
Babu saroj replied to the topic What according to you makes the best topic for discussion?.
I think the news are always the first priority of any forum and that I think is the best way to be alive in the day to day conversation.
9 years ago
took the quiz Test your GK !!!.
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9 years ago