Enlightened Engagement

If you use “orkut” for social networking purpose you would have noticed that you could use images in your posts. In those good old days people used ascii art to express their feelings and to impress others. Here are few…

xxxxxxxx________xxxxxxxx T
____xxxxxxxxxx______xxxxxxxxxxx H
___xxxxxxxxxxxxx___xxxxxxxxxxxxx A
___xxxxxxxxxxxxxx_xxxxxxxxxxxxxx N
___xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx K
____xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx S
_____xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
______xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
_________xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx F
___________xxxxxxxxxxxxx O
_____________xxxxxxxxx R
______________xxxxxx
_______________xxxx
_______________xxx B
______________xx E
_____________x I
___________x N
________xx G
______xxx
_____xxxx
___xxxxxx M
___xxxxxxx Y
____xxxxxxxx
______xxxxxxxx
________xxxxxxx F
_________xxxxxx R
_________xxxxxx I
________xxxxx E
_____xxxxxx N
____xxxx D
___xx  

”.,.,.-.-,-,._,””””.,.,.-.-,-,._,””’
..) `’-::;’>’(…….) `’-::;’>’(
./ . . . ` (. .\…../ . . . ` (. .\
.| . . . . .’). .|….| . . . . .’). .|
..\ . . . . / . /…..’\ . . . . / . /
…(\’._. /);/)…….(\’._. /);/)
….`;;-;-;;´………`;;-;-;;´
…….`)|´……………`)|´

………||. ,,-’|………..’||. ,,-’|
….( \.’||./_,/…….( \.’||./_,/
……`\||/’________`\||/
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||

………. _.—.(…………–._)
..(_.’………….`”-.-’`……`’.
…./………………/…………….\_)
(_|…. _,.-’”"‘-,-’”"‘-.,_…..|
….\../.–’……………..’–.\ ./_)
,__\).(_(_(…….)_)_)..)/_,
.\…(_, ( o)……….( o),_/…./
..`–.-` ‘-’..…c…… ‘-’ ..`-’-`
…..(o)\ ………………../.(o)
…………’-…._w_.….-’
……..…….-’…………’-.
…….…./.., .–. .–._ ..\
…..…../ /.(*.\/.*)`\ \
……../ /…\****/…..\ \
..…..\ \…..)***(……/ /
…….`\ .\./****\./\/
………`.//.’*****\; .|
…………/********\/
……. ,_/ _,-,_ _,-,_\_,
…….`–’ \..`|…../ ‘–’
……………`….|=/
…………….>..|…|
……………./…|…|
…………….|…/../

 ;,,,_____________`._________.´____________,,,;
‘Y888888bo.._______:______:______..od888888Y’
__8888888888b..____:_____:____.d8888888888
__88888Y’__`Y8b.____`___´___.d8Y’__`Y88888
_Y88888__.db.__.Yb.__’.__.’__.dY.__.db.__8888Y
___`888__Y88Y____¨b_(?)_d¨___Y88Y__888´
____888b___”” _______(.)_______””__.d888
___Y888888bd8g.”‘__…..’:'…..__’”.g8bd888888Y
_______’Y'___.8.___….d(?)b….___.8.___’Y’
________.!__.8′_.db_.d..’:’..b._db._’8.__!.
__________d88__’__.8_(.)_8.__’__88b
________d888b__.g8._.(?)._.8g.__d888b
_______:888888888Y’______’Y888888888:
_______’!_8888888´________`8888888_!’
_________’8Y__`”Y__________Y”´__Y8′
________’Y_______________________Y’
________!________________________!

´´´´´´´´´´´´´´oø1¶¶
´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´¶¶´´¶´¶1
´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´¶ø´´´´¶
´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´¶´´´´´1ø
´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´ø¢´´´´´´´´¶
´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´ø¶¶´´´´´´´´´´o$
´¶¶´´´´´´´´´¶¶¶´´´´´´´´´´´´´´$
7´17´´´´¶¶¶¶1´´´´´´´´´´¶¶ø¶¶o´7
´o¶¶¶ø$¶´´´´´´´´´´´´´´¶´´´´´´¶¶¶
o´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´¶¢´´´ø¶1¶´´¢
7¶´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´¶¶´¶¶1¶1o´´¶
´¶$´´´´´´´´´´71´´´´´´´¶¶´´¶ø´´´´´¶
´´$o´´´´´7ø1ø¶¶¶¶¶´´´´´¶´¶´´´´´´´¶
´´´¶¶´´´¶ø´´´´´1´¶¶´´´´¶´´´´´´´´´´¶
´´´´¢o´´¶´´ø¶¶o¶´1¶¶¶´´¶7´´´´´´´´´¶
´´´´´øo´$¶¶o´¶¶¶$´´´´¶´´¶o´´´´´´´´$
´´´´´´¢¶´´´´´´´´´´´´´7ø´´¶´´´´´´´´¶
´´´´´´´´¶´´´´´´´´´´´´´¶¶¶¶´´´´´¶´´¶
´´´´´´´´´¶´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´7¢¶¶¶´´¶
´´´´´´´´´´¶o´´´´´´´´´´´´øøoo´´¶¶´´¶
´´´´´´´´´´´ø¶´´´´´´´´´7¶´´´1¶¶´$´´¶
´´´´´´´´´´´´´¶¶´´´´´¶¶¶1¶¶¶¶´´7´´¶
´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´¶¶¢´´´´´1´´´´1´´´¶
´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´7¶¶¶´´´´´´´´oø¶
´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´7¶oøøø¢ friends forever …..

………((|))))))
………)))))@@))
………((((.._/…
……..,–/..(–…
……/.\.<\/>./…
….././.)…….)..
…././..)……/
…|.|../……(
…|.|./……./
…|.|(……..|
…/.)|/|……\
..|/ ‘.\..\___\
……..\….|…\
………\…|\…\
………|…|.)…)
………)…)/…/
……../…/…./
……./….|…/
……/…..|../
…../……|.|
…./…….|.|
…..’-,_…|_\
……..(.’”‘-`
………\(\_\
….\\\.,
….\.`|
…..).(…………
…..|.|…../¨*¨\§)
…. |.|….(/.`\…}.)
…..|.|….^/.^`}.§“´
…..\..\…\=….(.{..)’
……\..\….’-,..(…§(‘´’
……..\..\_.’…..(.(..(´’
………\.-’…….(..§.( §’
………/.’-.’…..).(..({´(‘
………\_(……(._;/\.\§´
………..\.’-'#`-´/…\.\´
………..)….#…(…/./
………/##….##\././
………###..####*/
………#########*
………*########*
………..*######*
…………..*#####*
…………….*####*
……………….*###*
…………………*###*
……………………*##
…………………….*##.
……………………#####.
……………….##########
………………####*__*####
………………..##_______#

´`¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶oooooo¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶
`¶¶¢¢o$¶¶´´´´´´´´´`¶¶¶¶ø¶¶¶
¶¢¢ø¶¶¶ø´´´´´´´´´´´´´´¶¶¶¶¶¶
¶¶ø¶¶¶´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´¶¶¶¶¶
¶¶¶´´´`´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´¶¶¶
o´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´o
o´´´´´´´¶ø´´´´´´´´´¶ø“`´´´o
o`´´´´´¶¶¶´´´´´´´´´¶¶¶“`´´o
o`´´´´¶¶¶¶´´´`´´´´´¶¶¶¶“´`o
´o`´´´¶¶¶¶`´`´´´´´´¶¶¶¶“´o
´´o`´´¶¶¶¶´´´¶¶¶¶“¶¶¶¶“o
´´´o´´´¶¶¶´´´´¶¶´“¶¶¶“o
´´´¶¶¶´´¶¶`´´´´´´´´¶¶`´´`¶¶¶
´`¶¶¢¶¶¶´´´“`¶¶¶´´`´´¶¶¶o¢¶¶
´¶¢7ooo¶¶¶¶¶¶`´´´`¶¶¶¶¶¶$o¢¢¶¶
¶$oooø¶´´´´´´`¶¶¶“`´´´´´¶¢oø¶
¶¶ooø¶´´´´´´´´`¶`´`´´´´´´¶ø7o¶
¶¶¶¶¶ø“´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´`¢¶ø¶¶
¶¶¶¶¶ø“´´´`´´`´´´`´´´´`¢¶¶¶¶
´¶¶¶¶¶ø“`´´`””””’“´´´´´¢¶¶¶¶
´´¶¶¶¶¶¶`´`´´´””’`´´´´o¶¶$oo¶
´´ø¶¶¶¶¶¶¶ø`´´´“`´´ø¶¶$øo¢¢¶¶
´¶¶øo¢øø¶¶¶$¶`´´´´¶`¶øoo¢o¢¢¢$¶
`¶o¢¢¢øøø$¶´´`¶ø¶“`¶¶ø¢ooo¢

´´´´´´´´´´´´´´¶´¶¶´¶¶
´´´´´´´´´¶¶¶¶´´´´´´¶¶¶¶¶¶
´´´´´´´¶¶´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´¶¶
´´´´´¶¶´´´´´´´´¶¶´´´´´´´´´´¶¶
´´´¶¶´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´¶¶
´´¶¶´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´¶¶
´´¶´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´¶´¶
´¶´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´¶´´´´´´´´´´´´´¶
´¶´´´´´´´´´´´´´¶¶¶¶´´´´´´´´´´´´´´¶
´¶´´´´´´´´´´´´¶¶´¶´´´´´´´´´´´¶´´´¶
´¶´´´´´´´´´´¶¶¶¶¶¶´´´´´´´¶¶¶¶´´´´¶
´¶´´´´´´´´´¶¶¶¶¶¶¶´´´´´´¶¶´´¶´´´´¶
´´¶´´´´´´´´¶¶¶¶¶´¶´´´´´¶¶¶¶¶¶´´´¶
´´¶¶´´´´´´´¶´´´´´¶´´´´¶¶¶¶¶¶´´´¶¶
´´´¶¶´´´´´´¶´´´´¶´´´´¶¶¶¶´´´´´¶
´´´´¶´´´´´´¶´´´¶´´´´´¶´´´´´´´¶
´´´´¶´´´´´´¶¶¶¶´´´´´´´´´¶´´¶¶
´´´´¶¶´´´´´´´´´´´´´´´¶¶¶´´¶
´´´´´¶¶¶´´´´´´´¶¶¶¶¶´´´´´´¶
´´´´´´´´¶¶¶´´´´´¶¶´´´´´´´¶¶
´´´´´´´´´´´´¶¶´´´´´¶¶¶¶¶¶´
´´´´´´´´´´¶¶´´´´´´¶¶´¶
´´´´´´´¶¶¶¶´´´´´´´´¶´¶¶
´´´´´´´´´¶´´¶¶´´´´´¶´´´¶
´´´´¶¶¶¶¶¶´¶´´´´´´´¶´´¶´
´´¶¶´´´¶¶¶¶´¶´´´´´´¶´´´¶¶¶¶¶¶¶
´´¶¶´´´´´´¶¶¶¶´´´´´¶´¶¶´´´´´¶¶
´´¶´´´´´´´´´´¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶´´´´´´´´´¶
´´´¶¶´´´´´´´´´¶´´´¶´´´´´´´´´´¶
´´´´¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶´´´¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶¶

****************************
********/\****/\****/\********
********\/****\/****\/********
********||****||****||********
********||****||****||********
********||****||****||********
***(——————————)****
***(————Happy———-)****
***(———-birthday———)****
***(——————————)****
***(___________________)****
****************************

….{\……. ______ …………
….{*.\…..(*~*~*)…/}@_@\@/@_@
…{.~.*\….////^^\../~_\@|@|@|@/
…{*….\..(((/.@.@./.*}__\@|@|@/
…{..*.~.\.)))c..=.)*..}____\\\|///
….{*…*.////’_/~`.~.}____.\\|//.
…..{~.*.((((.`.`\.*}’ ______\|/
……`{.~.)))`\.\))_.-:<**>_.=&=
………`{.(()..`\_.-’`_______/|\
………..`)/.`..|
…………(….\’ \
………….\….\ .\
……._ .__\…| /
…….|` `’…“Y;
…….|./“-../../
…….`’……|./

——————–.::::.
——————.::::::::.
—————–:::::::::::
————–..:::::::::::’
———–’:::::::::::::::
————-.:::::::::::’
———’::::::::::::::.
————–..:::::::::::.
———–“:::::::::::::::
————::::“::::::::’—–.:::.
———–::::’–’:::::’——.::::::::.
———.::::’—-:::::—-.:::::::’::::.
——–.:::’——:::::-.:::::::::’-':::::.
——-.::’——-:::::.:::::::::’—–’:::::.
——.::’——-::::::::::::::’——–“::::.
–…:::———::::::::::::’———

 …………(…(`.-“’´´-.´)…)……….
…………..)……–…….–….(………..
…………./……(o…_…o)….\……….
………….\………(..0..)……./……….
……….__.`.-._…’=’.._.-.´.__…….
……./…….’#.’#.,.–.,.#’.#.’….\…..
…….\__))……….’#'……… ((__/…..
__xxxxxxxxxxx______xxxxxxxxxx
_xxxxxxxxxxxxxx___xxxxxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
_xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
__xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
____xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
_______xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
_________xxxxxxxxxxxx
__________xxxxxxxxx
____________xxxxx
_____________xxx

_______________%%
______________%%%
_____________%%%%%
____________%%%%%%
_____________%%%%
_____________%%%
_____________%%%
_____________%%%
_____________%%%
_____________%%%
_____________%%%
_____________%%%
_____________%%%__%%
_____________%%%__%__%
_____________%%%___%__%
_____________%%%___%___%
_____________%%%___%___%
_______%%____%%%__%____%
______%__%__%%%%%%____%%
______%___%%_____%____%%
_______%____%%%%%____%%
________%___________%%
_________%_________%%
_________%%________%%
________%%_________%%%
_______%%___________%%%
______%%______MY______%%
_____%%_____LOVE_______%%
_____%%_________________%%
_____%%%________________%%
______%%_______________%%%
_______%%%____________%%%
_________%%%%________%%%
___________%%%%%%%%%
((
\\“.
\_`.“-.
( `.`.` `._ 
 `._`-.    `._
   \`–.   ,’ `.
    `–._  `.  .`.
     `–.— `. ` `.
         `.–  `;  .`._
           :-   :   ;. `.__,.,__ __
            `\  :       ,-(     ‘;o`>.
              `-.`:   ,’   `._ .:  (,-`,
                 \    ;      ;.  ,:
             ,”`-._>-:        ;,’  `—.,—.
             `>’”  “-`       ,’   “”:::::”.. `-.
              `;”‘_,  (\`\ _ `:::::::::::’”     `—.
               `-(_,’ -’),)\`.       _      .::::”‘  `—-._,-”")
                   \_,’: `.-’ `—–’ `–;-.   `.   “.`–.____/
                     `-^–’                \(-.  `.“-.`-=:-.__)
                                            `  `.`.`._`.-._`–.)
                                                 `-^—^–.`–

There are many more in the orkut. I wonder what a effort to make those art……you may find several web sites dedicated to ascii art. just try google.

If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

Here is a list of 50 funny proverbs that I liked most -

{Proverb : a short sentence based on long experience }

1. As long as your mistakes are new ones you can argue that you are making progress.

2. Do not insult the mother alligator until after you have  crossed the river. (Haitian)

3. Everyone loves justice in the affairs of others. (Italian)

4. Experience is a comb nature gives to men when they are bald. (Eastern)

5. Good judgment comes from bad experience, and a lot of that comes directly from bad judgment.

6. He who smiles in a crisis has found someone to blame.

7. If at first you don’t succeed, parachuting is not the sport for you.

8. If you really want to do something, you’ll find a way; if you don’t, you’ll find an excuse.

9. Laugh and the whole world laughs with you, cry and you cry alone. It’s called fair-weathered.

10. Mediocrity has certain attractions; it’s much less demanding than success.

11. Sex is like air: it’s not important unless you aren’t getting any.

12. Sometimes the light at the end of the tunnel really is an oncoming train.

13. Sometimes you’re the pigeon, sometimes you’re the statue.

14. Too many cooks spoil the broth. Let someone else prepare dinner.

15. When the mouse laughs at the cat, there is a hole nearby. (Nigeria)

16. Virtue is its own reward. But it’s also very boring.

17. Diplomacy is the art of saying “nice doggie”, whilst looking for a bigger stick.

18. Doctors clean the body, ministers the conscience, and lawyers the purse. (German)

19. It is better to exist unknown to the law and lawyers. (Irish)

20. Politicians are like diapers and need to be changed for the same reason.

21. When God wanted to punish man He invented lawyers. (Russian)

22. Make sure you are not irreplaceable: if you can’t be replaced, you can’t be promoted.

23. Beauty is in the eye of the beer holder.

24. He who drinks on credit will get drunk twice. (Serbian)

25. Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach him how to fish, and he will sit about in a boat and guzzle beer all day.

26. Age is a high price to pay for maturity.

27. By the time you are old enough to appreciate your parents you will have children of your own who take you for granted.

28. The secret of immortality is living a life worth remembering.

29. Anger is the outcome of the tongue working faster than the brain.

30. Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. (Then when you do criticize them, you’re a mile away and you have their shoes.)

31. The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits.

32. The tongue weighs relatively nothing, but so few people can hold it.

33. Artificial intelligence is no match for natural stupidity.

34. Never underestimate the power of stupid people in big groups.

35. It’s not the size of the dog in the fight that matters, it’s the size of the fight in the dog!

36. Minds are likeparachutes: they only work when open.

37. If you believe everything you read, better not read.

38. If you think no-one cares whether you’re dead or alive, try missing a couple of mortgage payments.

39. Take risks: if you win, you will be happy; if you don’t you will be wise.

40. Love your neighbours, but don’t pull down the fence.

41. When your enemy falls, don’t rejoice. But don’t pick him up either.

42. Yes, forgive your enemies whenever you can, but always remember their names.

43. As the best wine makes the sharpest vinegar, so can the truest lover turn into the worst enemy.

44. Fortune is like a woman: If you neglect her today, do not expect to regain her tomorrow.

45. There are two theories about arguing with women. neither works.

46. A man is a person who takes out the rubbish, then makes out he has just cleaned the house.

47. If you want to be criticized, get married. (Irish)

48. Never marry for money; you will borrow it cheaper. (Scottish)

49. Better the devil you know than the devil you don’t. (English)

50. We are all equal in the eyes of God and bus drivers. (German)  

If you liked those you will find more on a book “The Worlds funniest proverbs“  by James Alexander   Published in 2007  ISBN 978-1-906051-07-5

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

 MIT has a global airline industry program. Research reports and academic books on airlines are very rare. Here are few interesting facts on global airline industry and US airline industry published by MIT.  

• The global airline industry consists of over 2000 airlines operating more than 23,000 aircraft, providing service to over 3700 airports.
• In 2006, the world’s airlines flew almost 28 million scheduled flight departures and carried over 2 billion passengers.
• The growth of world air travel has averaged approximately 5% per year over the past 30 years.Historically, the annual growth in air travel has been about twice the annual growth in GDP. 
• In the US airline industry, approximately 100 certificated passenger airlines operate over 11 million flight departures per year, and carry over one-third of the world’s total air traffic.
• US airlines enplaned 745 million passengers in 2006 and reported over $160 billion in total revenues, with approximately 545,000 employees and over 8,000 aircraft operating 31,000 flights per day.
• After the world airline industry posted 4 consecutive years of losses totaling over $22 billion from 1990 to 1993, as a result of the Gulf War and subsequent economic recession, it returned to record profitability in the late 1990s, with total net profits in excess of $25 billion being reported by world airlines from 1995 to 1999.
• Airline industry plunged into record operating losses and a financial crisis between 2000 and 2005, with cumulative net losses of $40 billion.
• The profitability results for 2006 were positive for most conventional airlines, while several Low Cost operators struggled financially. The US industry as a whole posted an aggregate net profit of $3 billion (excluding restructuring and bankruptcy costs).
  The US industry is expected to post a $4 billion net profit in 2007.

Source : MIT global Airline industry program

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

 I recently got an email newsletter from importers.com with the following interesting information:

The world is trading more now than ever before!

- World trade now represents 47% of the World’s GDP, compared to just 10% in 1970
- International merchandise exports reached USD $11.7 Trillion in 2006, up 18% (USD $1.8 trillion) compared to 2005

Small & medium sized enterprises (SMEs) fuel world economies

- More than 95% of businesses in most countries are small (<100 employees)
- In most countries, more than half of all employees work in small businesses
- In many countries more than half of gross domestic product comes from small businesses
- In 2006, about $24 trillion of goods were produced by SMEs
- SMEs account for 25%-35% of internationally traded goods

The Internet is driving international trade

- With 1.2 billion users, 18.9% of the world’s population is now online
- The USA has the most Internet users (210 million), followed by China (162 million)
- According to research by Forrester, 80% of B2B buyers now search online before they purchase
- Over 80% of B2B buyers say that more than 50% of their suppliers are met online

Online fraud remains a worldwide threat

- According to Pricewaterhouse Coopers, one out of every 2 businesses has suffered economic crime in the past 2 years
- BuySafe.com reports that 76% of online buyers worry they will not get what they paid for and 72% say the trust problem is getting worse
- At Fraud.org, where Internet users complain about online fraud, 34% of all complaints were for “goods not delivered” and 33% were for “goods not delivered as promised”
- Surveys of B2B website users state that trust is the #1 sourcing challenge
- At most B2B websites, more than 90% of member companies are NOT verified

Internet or online trade is good but beware of the fraud as well.

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!

McKinsey Global Survey of Business Executives: Economic and hiring outlook , July 2007

{ The McKinsey Quarterly conducted the survey in June 2007 and received responses from 2,700 executives around the world. All data are weighted by the GDP of the constituent countries to adjust for differences in response rates. }
We all know about the loss of jobs to low-cost labor elsewhere. But McKinsey Global Surveys shows that the trend may be shifting.

Here are few key points from the survey :

• More than half of the executives at companies headquartered in the developed world say the majority of their new jobs will be created in the same country as the corporate headquarters.
• Only a quarter say that most new jobs created abroad will be the same as those now performed at home.
• Around the world, executives have consistently reported that far more companies plan to increase their workforces than to decrease them and that a majority of the new jobs will be created at home.
• Of the small number of jobs lost around the world, only 20 percent will be eliminated as a result of outsourcing,nearly three-quarters of the respondents who do not expect the size of their workforces to change say they don’t expect any significant function now performed in the home country to move elsewhere.

Original Article : http://www.mckinseyquarterly.com/Organization/Talent/McKinsey_Global_Survey_of_Business_Executives_Economic_and_hiring_outlook_July_2007

If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!