Dear friends,

Further to the lists of winners already announced. I take great pleasure in announcing overall best comments in English and Hindi. The winning comments have been chosen after perusing all winning comments across all categories.

Hearty Congratulations to all the winners, and participants who made this competition such a roaring success.

Here is the list of the final winners:

Overall Best Comments in English:

First Prize:

By: vistascan on May 03, 2008

"Just think, another five billion years and I’ll be able to retire."

It is said, "Many wise words are spoken in jest, but many more foolish ones are spoken in earnest." This comment is a reflection of the world we live in, and relevant to our festered times, where every overburdened person longs for the day when he/she can say enough is enough. Why can’t every object in the universe including the Sun look forward to a happy retired life… yes, why not?

Kudos to vistascan for coming up with a comment that not only made us laugh, but also made us think.

Second Prize:

By: flyingelephant on May 07, 2008

"Sunset issues Lover’s license"

In the mountain of comments, most people would have missed this innocuous looking comment. But, I believe brevity is the soul of wit. Four simple words that, once again, not only make us laugh but also unlock the long suppressed romantic memories that each of us have locked up somewhere in the deep recesses of our memory, but don’t care to admit. As the Sun sets and darkness envelops the scene, the lovers become more active in their physical expression of love. It’s as if the setting Sun has given them a licence to dare. For the lovers, the setting Sun is not just a beautiful picture, it is also a welcome opportunity for… well, I shall leave it to your imagination.

Kudos fe for spotting the licence!

Third Prize:

By: astrofreak1234 on May 05, 2008

"I love the sweet smell of dawn - our unique daily opportunity to smell time, to smell opportunity - each morning being, a new beginning."

The sweet smell of dawn, the sweet smell of time…? Well, most of us have weak olfactory senses; hence, all we can do is smell the morning coffee and not the opportunity. Unfortunately, these days, most people look for opportunities after the Sun has set, and under the cover of darkness:)

A lovely, inspiring thought. Every Sunrise is an opportunity, every opportunity taken, is a Sunrise in life.

Kudos to astrofeak for letting the nose lead the way :)

 

Overall Best Comments in Hindi:

First Prize:

By: dwivediakash on May 05, 2008

"yeh kambakht chand kahan hai...meri shift khatam hone ko hai aur woh gayab hai...mujhe overtime pasand nahi hai..."

In poetry, Moon is a symbol of beauty. Therefore, my guess is it is busy admiring itself in the mirror and has forgotten to rise and shine and keeping the Sun waiting. Unfortunately, my friend, the Sun has to deal with this problem every fortnight when the moon opens its chest of the choicest mirrors to examine its pock marked face.

Congrats!

Se
cond Prize:

By: Spy009 on May 04, 2008

"Dil teri yaadon ke sagar mein kahein doob gaya hai*****Meri zindagi ka suraj iss dhalti hui shaam mein kahein gharoob hua hai"

Sunsets have a special poetic significance, especially to all those jilted lovers for whom the Sun has set. Spy009 has used this lovely sunset to open his heart out with a lovely, touching comment.

Congrats!

Third Prize:

By: Sachinsan on May 07, 2008

"Haste haste, dheere dheere is duniya ko Alvida kehna hai....... Ki kisiko mere judai ka ehsaas hi na ho.........."

Yes Sachin, that is why we appreciate Sunsets... kisiko judai ka ehsaas hi nahi hota :) The Sun is a strange lover, it stays with us all day, but is not with us in the night when we need it most ;) Maybe, that’s the reason we appreciate the Moon more than the Sun.

Congrats to all once again!

Here is the link for accessing all photos and related comments:

Dear friends,

Here is the second list of winners for ‘comments in English’ in respect of Paul’s Sunrises and Sunsets Photo Competition. This list also contains 5 categories and the winners are:

Thought provoking:

First Prize:

By: vistascan on May 03, 2008

"Just think, another five billion years and I’ll be able to retire."

Second Prize:

By: sndaya on May 09, 2008

"I need leaves to synthesize your light"

Third Prize:

By: nidhi1 on May 08, 2008

"Enlightened earth!"

Inspirational:

First Prize:

By: astrofreak1234 on May 05, 2008

"I love the sweet smell of dawn - our unique daily opportunity to smell time, to smell opportunity - each morning being, a new beginning."

Second Prize:

By: paulose on May 07, 2008

"This is the spot from where Daya picked up the art of ’throwing light’ ;-)"

Third Prize:

By: sndaya on May 08, 2008

"Chariots of smoke with sunstroke Engine"

In a lighter vein:

First Prize:

By: flyingelephant on May 06, 2008

"The sun is looking like a Egg-fry, which is served as breakfast in the morning,

hence it’s Sunrise."

Second Prize:

By: paulose on May 07, 2008

"its me who gives the silver lining to the clouds ..and yet they block me!’

Third Prize:

By: derebail2008 on May 06, 2008

"exclusive beach portfolio"

Punny (intended and unintended):

First Prize:

By: flyingelephant on May 07, 2008

"Operation Daya-break!"

Second Prize:

By: paulose on May 06, 2008

"solar streak from astro freak ;-)"

Third Prize:

By: spikeguard on May 04, 2008

"The rays of knowledge are mightier then the spikes of blood!"

Melodramatic:

First Prize:

By: astrofreak1234 on May 05, 2008

"O radiant Dark! O darkly fostered ray! Thou hast a joy too deep for shallow Day."

Second Prize:

By: paulose on May 07, 2008

"I dont have monday blues, everyday is shining start for me!! .. (note: 5nov2007 is a monday) !!"

Third Prize:

By: psyched on May 03, 2008

"Nature’s glory polluted by human folly!"

The link to the photos and the comments is provided hereunder:

http://www
.mouthshut.com/Gallery/myphoto.
php?user=Paulsb02

Hearty Congratulations to all winners!

Please wait for my next post in which overall winners across all categories will be announced.

~mbf~

In continuation of Paul’s Sunrises and Sunsets Photo Competition, the first set of winners for comments in English are declared.

This list comprises of winners declared in 5 categories.

Straight from the Heart:

First Prize:

By: vyzz_kid on May 03, 2008

"And the sun quietens, getting ready for his beauty sleep.."

Second Prize:

By: rohitthebest on May 06, 2008

"foot marks on the sands of time."

Third Prize:

By: Sujyothi on May 10, 2008

"foot prints racing towards the Sun amidst water!"

 

Imaginat
ion running wild:

First Prize:

By: paulose on May 07, 2008

"sun taking a guard of honour by marching clouds"

Second Prize:

By: astrofreak1234 on May 05, 2008

"It looks as if a bonfire is lighted, the sky looks like an occean upturned... its a beauty..."

Third Prize:

By: nidhi1 on May 05, 2008

"Rays of hope are visible when the sun shines! This little guiding light of mine, I am gonna let it shine.. let it shine.. all the time.. let it shine.."

 

Delight
fully Naughty:

First Prize:

By: flyingelephant on May 07, 2008

"Sunset issues Lover’s license"

Second Prize:

By: paulose on May 07, 2008

sun: my shift is over, see if u can get into my shoes

Third Prize:

By: swatirohatgi on May 07, 2008

"a ball of fire............wanna play?? (nature says to us)"

 

Twi
st in the tale:

First Prize:

By: paulose on May 06, 2008

"Both sunrise & sunset are mayas, the sun stays still its the earth that rotates!! ..sab maaya hain, kahin dhoop hain toh kahin chaaya hain :)"

Second Prize:

By: aaryesdee on May 07, 2008

"Caught in to wrong job??? Naukari.com ka maafi hei."

Third Prize:

By: vistascan on May 03, 2008

"Edison, Meet the master"

 

Philosop
hical:

First Prize:

By: monoo on May 02, 2008

Sun says ’’My presence will not get you anything so i gift my absence to you it will take care the heat the sweat and the thirst --- here i go’’

Second Prize:

By: jaideepkhanduja on May 04, 2008

"see the arms spread on both sides by the sun - to absorb/take away all the sadness of this world and bring back a new hope/light/life/energy"

Third Prize:

By: rohitthebest on May 02, 2008

"everytime you go away, you take a piece of me with you!"

 

Here is the link to the Photo gallery for accessing all the comments.

http://www.
mouthshut.com/Gallery/myphoto.p
hp?user=Paulsb02

Hearty Congratulations to all winners!

~mbf~

 

Dear friends,

As mentioned in my earlier post, I am releasing first the list of winners for comments in Hindi.

The winners have been selected in 6 categories depending upon the nature of the comments.

So, here we go...

Naughty:

First Prize:

By: dwivediakash on May 05, 2008

"yeh kambakht chand kahan hai...meri shift khatam hone ko hai aur woh gayab hai...mujhe overtime pasand nahi hai..."

Second Prize:

By: Sachinsan on May 03, 2008

"Kaun Gaadi Khadi chhod gaya hai..... Leke Bhago, sunset to bahot milenge dekhneko:)"

Third Prize:

By: astrofreak1234 on May 03, 2008

"Sehra(desert) ki khaak(ashes) chaanne(to search) ke baad kya mila , doobta sooraj’’

Philosophica
l :

First Prize:

By: Spy009 on May 04, 2008

"Dil teri yaadon ke sagar mein kahein doob gaya hai*****Meri zindagi ka suraj iss dhalti hui shaam mein kahein gharoob hua hai"

Second Prize:

By: Sachinsan on May 07, 2008

"Haste haste, dheere dheere is duniya ko Alvida kehna hai....... Ki kisiko mere judai ka ehsaas hi na ho.........."

Third Prize:

By: dwivediakash on May 06, 2008

"Naadan baadal bhi kabhi kabhi kaisi gustakhi kar baithte hian...Sooraj ko bhala koi chupa sakta hai kabhi..."

Straight from the Heart:

First Prize:

By: swatirohatgi on May 07, 2008

"ek panchee choone chala aasman"

Second Prize:

By: madhuminal on May 03, 2008

"ret ke samnadar ne suraj ki khubsurati ko or bada diya"

Third Prize:

By: dwivediakash on May 06, 2008

"Jaise Sooraj Pani mien apni Soorat dekhna chahta hai..."

In a Lighter Vein:

First Prize:

By: astrofreak1234 on May 04, 2008

"Itne log khade hain, main doob raha hoon koi toh bachao.. bachao’’

Second Prize:

By: jaideepkhanduja on May 04, 2008

"ab chaand aayega apni chandni he saath aur suraj chup chup kar unhe dekhega...that is sunset..."

Third Prize:

By: fahad91 on May 04, 2008

"Meri batti gul hone wali hai!!!!!"

Imagination on the loose:

First Prize:

By: Sachinsan on May 07, 2008

"Sun: Are yaar Neend lagrahi, philips ka bulb chaloo karke so jao..... mai jau na........ bYe Bye............."

Sec
ond Prize:

By: jaideepkhanduja on May 07, 2008

"Ye paani ke samandar par aag ka zalzala Hain koson door par ek huye lagte hain"

Third Prize:

By: astrofreak1234 on May 06, 2008

"Raat ki kaalak hatane ko main aagaya"

Romantic:

First Prize:

By: dwivediakash on May 06, 2008

"Yeh sham ka haseeen manzar...yeh sahil aur samandar... "

Second Prize:

By: swatirohatgi on May 07, 2008

"maine baadlon ki chunariya lehraiyee................"

Third Prize:

By: spikeguard on May 08, 2008

"Suraj ne badalon ki chunri oodh lii aur kawaa bhi sharmaa gaya :D"

                       
               ******

Here is the link to the photo gallery where you can access the comments.

http://www.
mouthshut.com/Gallery/myphoto.p
hp?user=Paulsb02

Dear friends,

It has been a hard job sifting through an evalanche of enthusiastic comments from all of you who make MouthShut tick.

In the process, I’ve come across comments of different colours and different hues just like the photos of Sunrises and Sunsets.

I’ve gone through a spectrum of comments ranging from warm to melancholic, from witty to thought provoking, from inspiring to philosophic. I appreciate the efforts of all the members who posted such lovely comments and displayed such overwhelming enthusiasm and energy in this competition.

As you can see, Paul’s Photo Competition has been an unqualified success and the credit for this goes entirely to Paul, and, of course, your participation without which no competition would be successful.

Coming to the task on hand, that is, choosing the best comments... I reiterate that all the comments deserve appreciation. If some comments have scored over others it is just a matter of getting the right words, at the right time, in the right context. In a competition like this, the choice of words is as important as driving home a message.

Comments need not necessarily be long and verbose; even a few words can create magic as long as they are on target.

As a judge, I’ve decided to keep aside all comments based on popular songs for the simple reason that they lack creativity and originality. I’ve directed my efforts towards analysing and assessing those comments that are spontaneous, original, and how well they’re related to the subject in question. Believe me, I’ve read each and every comment at least five times to weigh each comment in relation to others. So, you can understand the effort that has gone into selecting the winning comments.

In view of the huge number of comments posted in Hindi, I thought it is unfair to compare, and judge, one comment in Hindi with another comment in English as each language has its own quaint expressions and ethos. Therefore, I shall declare separate winners for comments in Hindi and English. Winners will be announced in 10 categories in English and 6 categories in Hindi.

Apart from that overall winners in English and Hindi Category will also be announced.

Best wishes!

~mbf~

p.s. please wait for my next post in which I will declare winners in respect of comments in Hindi.

Friends, here’s the list of 12 photos that could have won a major prize on a different day. Unfortunately, I had too many good photos to contend with and so these didn’t make it to the top 5, but great shots nevertheless.

Photos that strike a chord:

Vishalvkal
e01

Vishal’s ‘Sun surfing the clouds’ pic is a treat for the eyes. Had it been touching the horizon I am sure it would have got more votes. The snaking river below adds to the beauty of the picture. In my view, a great photo.

Astrofreak1234:

Th
e evening Sun captured beautifully with light streaks in every direction. I call it ‘freak streaks’. The reason for the streaks could be because of the low resolution of the camera, but the picture does hold your attention.

Maaz_nawaz:

A photo of rare brilliance. The dark overhanging clouds instead of marring the picture have enhanced it. Combined with the still dark landscape, it gives the impression of a glowing pearl in an oyster or clamshell.

Hakoonamatata:

>A sunset that had the potential to be a great picture. If the Sun was allowed to reach the green cover before taking this picture, I think we would have witnessed a totally different Sunset. But sometimes, one doesn’t have the time to wait until the right moment especially if one is on the move.

Alk_ranjan:

A most unnatural Sunset. Looks like the Sun has downed the entire supply of OM, enough to make its head spin and the sky to look like amber. The Sun does look like it is contending with a major hangover. So much for the amber liquid.

Psyched:

Low resolution cameras don’t do too well under low light conditions. A great sunset hampered by the limitations of a cell phone. I can imagine how beautiful this picture would have been with a SLR or even a high-resolution digicam.

Rohitthebest:

An event of great anticipation finally takes place. Someone was standing too close to the camera and the fact that it was taken from a low-resolution camera didn’t help either. Low-resolution cameras impart unnatural hues to the scene, otherwise a perfect Sunset.

Kweldebs:

Most unnatural Sunset. When the Sun’s disc appears to be a four-pointed star then something is wrong with the lens. Generally, at this time of the day, the glare will not be that much and the camera should have captured the whole disc of the Sun. Looks more like a Starset than a Sunset. Maybe, the lens was greasy.

Mailsukhi:

Lack of a zoom lens probably hurt this photo more than anything else. Even the person in the frame is looking elsewhere and not interested in the distant Sunset. Once again, a potentially great scene ‘went down the sea.’

Nitesh1104:

Sunrise
s and Sunsets appear better when taken with a zoom lens or in telephoto mode and not in wide-angle or landscape mode. This picture too suffers on that count. Though the landscape looks beautiful, the same cannot be said about the Sunset.

Chintu25:

Neither a Sunset nor a Sunrise in the true sense of the term. But, there is something about this picture that conveys a message. The barren tree, devoid of leaves, seems to say… "This is our life under the hot tropical Sun, people uproot us in the name of development, and what little is left of us the harsh Sun sucks it away."

Jeeva:

Another long shot of the Sunset. The Sun sets as if fusing the land and the sea, and people seem to be walking towards the setting Sun in the hope of seeing the Sun’s handiwork. A distant setting Sun doesn’t look awe-inspiring. A lovely pic nevertheless.

~mbf~

p.s. I was forced to delete the links due to space constraints.  You're advised to visit Paulsb02's photo gallery in case you wish to examine the pics.

Friends, without boring you further, I straightaway announce the results of winners in the Sunset category:

Sudi
pto33 - First

This is what a Sunset ought to be. The setting Sun, the caressing waves, the wet sand, the fragmented clouds, the azure sky, the people enjoying the view, and even a little mountain jutting out into the sea. What more could you ask of a Sunset? Indeed, a scene frozen in time. Photography in late evening can be tricky making you miss out on the details. But Doc handled the scene as ‘clinically’ as he would a stunning patient;) My only grouse is there seems to be too much of unnatural diffusion. But then, even a perfect picture has its critics.

http://www.mouthshut.com/Ga
llery/myphoto.php?user=Paulsb02

Patenik - Second

The beauty of this picture is in the optimum gamma balance. Neither too dark nor too bright to get the right colours of a perfect Sunset. The Sun is just above the horizon, as it should be, for a perfect Sunset. The waters reflect a lovely tinge of metallic grey, the orange blush, the tiny specks of clouds basking in reflected sunlight, the authentic natural colour of the sky before sunset, and the narrow strip of land projecting into the water as if to collect the dying embers of the Sun all go to make up one of the most satisfying and mind calming sunsets. The photo is well composed, sharp, and clear despite the failing light. This is another photo I’d love to hang on my wall. Patenik has many great photos in his gallery, and this is surely one of them.

http://ww
w.mouthshut.com/Gallery/myphoto
.php?user=Paulsb02

Shriramsrinivasa - Third

Desert Sunsets by rule are good because of the rarefied atmosphere and lack of humidity. But still, you have to go out there and wait for the sun to set and click at the right time. People sometimes can be tempted to click too early which can spoil the picture, as the glare of the desert sun would be too much. Taken from an altitude the photo has captured the undulating sand dunes perfectly and, also, the setting, Sun which would not have been possible at, ground level. The sand dunes and the reddish hue almost give the impression of a Martian Sunset.

http://ww
w.mouthshut.com/Gallery/myphoto
.php?user=Paulsb02

Sachien - Fourth

The vast shimmering sea, the setting Sun, and a great cloud formation make up this stunning picture. Apart from a few specks of blue, the entire picture is composed of shades of grey with just a hint of the lightest browns around the horizon. Obviously, this photo was taken from a ship or boat in the sea and so nothing much is out there in the form of life or objects to complement the lovely scene. I am surprised at the brightness of the setting Sun and the silvery reflection of the waters. Normally, at this time of the day the light would be more reddish orange. This is a little different from the other normal orange Sunsets.

http://ww
w.mouthshut.com/Gallery/myphoto
.php?user=Paulsb02

Derebail2008 - Fifth

The caption is ‘lovers@sunset.’ I had my LCD monitor set at maximum brightness, but still, the picture failed to yield the details. I then put the pic through PhotoShop to brighten it up considerably and only then I was able to see all the detail that was masked in the original. This photo is different from others in the sense that this pic is taken with the intention of hiding the details where others are keen on showing the details. This picture focuses only on the sunset, the reflection on the water and from the clouds. Even the lovers, under normal viewing conditions, cannot be seen. I belong to the old school, and believe a photo should present as much detail as possible instead of masking it. Actually, when I brightened it the photo was looking a winner. But, I guess derebail2008 was looking to get a different effect by concealing rather than revealing. Come to think of it, this type of photography will surely ruin MS (I mean Mallika Sherawat).

http://ww
w.mouthshut.com/Gallery/myphoto
.php?user=Paulsb02

Kudos!!!

~mbf~

Dear friends, as I had already mentioned in my earlier post, I’ve chosen winners under two categories, Sunrise and Sunset. Out of the 26 photos in the fray, a predominant number fall under the Sunset category.

However, I’ve come across some great photos under the Sunrise category as well. Believe me, the job of selecting the winners in this category was quite difficult. Before I sat down to select the winners, I decided to ignore the voting trend and the ultimate winners as announced by Paul based on popular vote. This is not to imply that the voting system was in any way defective, on the contrary, it provided a reasonably consensual perspective of the voters’ choice. I totally bow down to and accept the popular verdict.

That said, I hasten to add that we had a system in place while announcing the competition, whereby, a chosen critic or judge will in turn choose the winners as per his sole judgement. I had a job to do, and I did it with utmost sincerity and dedication towards a fair and just selection of winners.

Without further ado, let me announce the first set of winners:

Spy009 - First Prize

Ah! A perfect Sunrise… The Sun is just above the horizon and gives the impression as though it is kissing the waters. The slight morning haze has caused dispersion of light, but the angle of the rays imparts a metallic glow to the waters giving the impression that the sea is filled with mercury. The golden glow reflected off a sea of mercury makes this picture unique. If only there was something in the foreground… a humanising element to break the monotony. Nevertheless, a standout photo.

http://www.mouthshut.com/Ga
llery/myphoto.php?user=Paulsb02


Sujyothi - Second Prize

A picture perfect Sunrise. Almost like a painting which I would love to hang on my wall. Compared to sunsets, sunrises are more difficult to compose and shoot because of the early morning haze, which tends to blur the image. Rarely, you will find the morning sun disc captured so beautifully. Additionally, the person behind the camera used the surrounding greenery to good effect. Not a perfectly clear pic, but then the morning haze has come in the way. But it does give the effect of a watercolour painting.

http://www.mouthshut.com/Ga
llery/myphoto.php?user=Paulsb02

Dayanidhi - Third Prize

An indirect picture of the Sunrise. You wouldn’t know the time of the day unless the photographer mentioned it, and here Daya ji says it’s 6.40 AM. The picture provides for an excellent study of light and shade characteristics of the morning scene. Not a true blue sunrise, but a picture worth cherishing because of the angle that captures streaks of light alternating with dark shadows. Honestly, this pic would have been great in a different context but since we are dealing with Sunrises and Sunsets, I feel it loses out a trifle.

http://www.mouthshut.com/Ga
llery/myphoto.php?user=Paulsb02

Other photos that had a lot to offer but narrowly missed out will be listed under the 12 consolation prizes category and the list will be posted shortly.

Kudos to the winners, and the participants… all the photos were worth giving a second, and third look.

~mbf~

The photo competition results will be out, shortly.

Paul had placed an onerous responsibility on me to judge the photos from a more critical angle irrespective of the fact that the results have been declared by him, based on popular vote.

As a judge, I’ve tried my best to judge the photos objectively, without favour or prejudice. I’ve not allowed any extraneous factors to influence my judgement except the 26 photos that were before me.

Judging such a huge number of photos was definitely not easy, in fact it was quite tricky. But a job had to be done and I had to focus all my energies towards this objective. As you all are well aware, critical selection is much more difficult than voting a winner.

While judging the photos I felt that clubbing Sunrises and Sunsets and placing them on the same pedestal for judging would be a little unfair. Sunrises, by their very nature cannot be compared to Sunsets. The morning conditions in most cases would be quite different from the evening conditions. Most Sunrises do not come out well due to various factors such as early morning haze, lack of resources available at that time of the day, not enough time to prepare for the Sunrise, etc.

Therefore, I have taken the liberty to select winners under two categories, i.e., Sunrise and Sunset. Of course, there are more photos under Sunset and this fact has also been taken into consideration.

In view of the above, I shall be announcing first, second, and third place under Sunrise category and first, second, third, fourth, and fifth place under the Sunset category. Apart from that, I shall also announce 12 consolation prize winners whose photos had a lot to offer but sadly missed out narrowly.

A lot of thought and analysis has gone into selection of all the winners, but, in a competition like this, some will win and some will lose. All those participants whose name does not figure in my list of winners does not in any way imply that their photos were not good enough… all the photos were really good, but I had to follow a certain set of parameters to select the winners. I hope people who do not agree with my judgement will realise my predicament.

Let me, however, make it clear that the judge’s decision is final and no appeal, from any quarters, will be entertained under any circumstances.

Thanks for being patient, and reading to the end :)

~mbf~

p.s. Watch this space for the winners to be announced shortly.

Now that most of the glitches have been set right and things are running smoothly, I decided to check my online savings account with MS Bank. Like, Uncle Scrooge it’s an exercise I take great pleasure in. The only hitch is that I can’t dive into my virtual bank balance.

Boy, was I glad I checked my balance! The first thing that struck me when I scrutinised my bank statement was that I could afford to buy anything in the MS Mart, yes, literally anything. I had, initially, planned to buy a Beach Villa but when I realised I could buy the Private Aeroplane I was more than a little tempted to do so.

But then, having my bheja fried by the summer heat, some Krazy4 thoughts entered my delirious mind, and I started imagining things…

------00000-----

First, if I bought myself an aeroplane I would become the first man to explore the uncharted skies of MS…. A sort of Vijay Mallya on MS. Just then, a naughty thought entered my mind… I’d also break FE dada’s heart. Now, how good or bad is that? Bolo bolo :)

To appease FE dada, I will name it OMfisher airlines. I could serve OM with his Orkut avatar emblazoned on the glasses with probably a short message from dada himself on Nicotine intake, inscribed below for good measure. I am sure dada will be OverwhelMed. And if dada permits, I could also serve kwel Fosters’ of course, with a written consent from Kweldebbs. Doc. Sudipto33 will be requested to be at hand for those who drink like a fish but have no bladder control. In addition, I could also make available for reading specially recommended books by Smits of Chintu25 fame. I could rope in Reviewer Shanti for providing brief reviews on the books for those who don’t care to read the whole book.

Now that drinks and books have been taken care of, it’s time to look at the menu. Our SkyChef Aaryesdee will be in charge of the pantry. He will bring with him all exotic recipes to tickle the taste buds (and tummies) of the passengers. Mouth watering chocolates and sweets will be served by Sweetsdesire.

In house movies, specially selected by Paul and Ipsita, will be screened which will, among others, include unreleased and unimagined flicks. Indian1969 will provide expert comments at the beginning, and voiceover during the course of the movie.

Since it’s a private jet, I am toying with the idea of presenting to my handpicked passengers a glimpse of the African Zulu War dance exclusively by Zuludancer, Adi bhai. In addition to that, Vee could be coaxed to walk the ramp half-naked displaying his strategically placed tattoos.

Astrofreak

, Tanna would be there to come up with her individual astrological predictions for the passengers… needless to say, most would be interested in knowing whether the plane would land safely in one piece. On learning who the pilot is, they’d prefer to pray instead of depending on ‘freaky’ predictions. In case of emergency, and feeling of suffocation, oxygen will be freely provided by shefalioxygen. Though the jet is capable of smoothly cutting through stormy weather and unrelenting thunder, as a precautionary measure, Spikeguard will be roped in to prevent any power outages.

On board security will be provided by Spy009 (Seraj). Passengers in depression, and depressing passengers, will be counselled during the flight by Psyched. Rohitthebest will monitor ‘first’ flights in the day. Night flights will be in the safe hands of Kalyaniraat.

On flight duty free shop will be well-stocked (courtesy MS Mart). There will be, apart from the usual stuff, tickles, pokes, pinches, slaps, punches, and kicks, for the amusement of discerning passengers. There will also be some exotic items like bikinis, kiss me’s and diamond studded platinum "Will you marry me" rings for passengers who carry their hearts on their sleeves.

Payal will present her usual inspiring thoughts for the day (you might need them). Vyzz_kid (Vyoma) will baby sit any naughty kids, in flight, who want to go outside and play. I might contact Madhurie for the air hostess job, in her spare time she can attend to complaints, if any, from the passengers and also fight for their rights. Swan (Swati) would also be invited to recite patriotic poetry in Hindi with a swan song to culminate the proceedings, by which time the plane would be ready to land.

All members who haven’t written a review as yet will be handpicked by me as passengers.

Ah! I forgot to give you the most important info… the jet will be piloted by FE junior2.

~mbf~