Once upon a time, there was a big pumpkin field. Pumpkins of different sizes grew up there. They had their birth there, passed their childhood, adolescence and youth under the sun, clouds and open sky. And when they earned their maturity they left their home in the field and went away with the farmer people so that the farmer people could make their living. They loved these farmer people because they had been very attentive to them. They protected them, bathed them with water and kept them safe from the bugs.

The farmer people gave the pumpkins to the merchant people. The pumpkins didn’t like the merchant people as much as the farmer people because they seemed a little unfriendly in comparison with the farmer people. However, the pumpkins seemed happy as they could help the merchant people make their living.

These merchant people gave the pumpkins to other people whom the pumpkins didn’t know much about. But they were happy that they were traveling and their travels were making others lives worthwhile. They were happy that they were being useful to others.

Back in the fields, the young pumpkins didn’t know much about these.  They just wanted to grow big in size and orange in color so that someday they will also be able to travel and help people. So they kept playing and growing with other pumpkins happily ever after.

(picture courtesy: southbrookpumpkinpatch.com)

Internet is the new TV

So you are not that couch potato anymore? Remember those days when you lived together with your TV and your favorite comfy sofa at the corner of drawing room? It just felt like heaven to have the remote in one hand and the bowl of French fires in another. Well those days are roughly gone. We boast about browsing the internet through computer and by doing that what we are actually doing? We complain about the net speed, not having Paypal in the country and not having a dislike button on facebook, search for beautiful girls or boys (at least with good profile picture!) on facebook, copy assignments, copy Wikipedia, play poker, play farmville, watch youtube, download good things and bad things (!) etc. Well, the thing is, we have remained the couch potatoes but we upgraded! Internet has become the new TV. (To tell the truth, I use internet sitting on the same couch I used to watch TV). Internet is the TV that is more customizable. It’s just the media of new age. Other things remain the same. You had 100 channels on your TV but internet gives you millions of websites. Voila! It’s not upgrade, its revolution.

We, the people, love stories. That’s the reason we used to watch TV. And maybe that’s the same driving factor that sticks us to the internet hours after hours. Ever thought why we are addicted to facebook? Why you plan to check it for five minutes but can’t get out before one hour?? It’s because Facebook is the website that gives you the maximum number of stories at one place. And we are addicted to stories. You get to know what’s happening with your friend’s life, what’s happening with his/ her ex’s life, whats the new video out that everybody is talking about, what is Lady GaGa doing and who checked your profile in facebook! Well, the last thing is a spam! Beware! However, the point is, I am still sitting in front of my PC with my Firefox open with a 10-15 tabs with my packet of Lays chips and getting fatter. I am still the couch potato but not with a TV but with a Samsung netbook and Qubee unlimited internet and maybe I’ll live my life like this happily ever after!

Weird Web Advertisement by Bismillah Mail

I was browsing over internet that day and a web advertisement got my attention. The ad says, “Are you a Yahoo or a Muslim?” It’s an ad of a new email service named “Bismillah Mail”. The unique thing is that this email service is solely targeted to the Muslim community of the world. Well, its true that a lot of business organizations have found the idea of producing products and services targeting Muslim community (i.e. Halal soaps, Halal foods, Azan notification etc.) But may be this is the first time a whole email service is being offered to a community. 
Personally I think these kinds of practice should be prohibited as IT is for all regardless any religion. And creating more differences between religions is not a good idea as these practices have never benefitted to anyone. However may be its okay with others to have an email service solely dedicated to a religious community. So lets be it.

But I have a problem with the usage of the language in that ad. The ad goes like this:

This is the meanest minded marketing communication I have ever seen. So what does the Bismillah Mail want to tell people with this line?? That, people who use yahoo are not Muslim? Or you can’t be Muslim if you are using Yahoo while BM (Bismillah Mail) is there? I mean, they could have said, “Are you Yahoo or Bismilah mail?” That would have made a lot better sense. I found this one really insane which is why I am writing about this. This is the perfect example of playing with people’s religious or spiritual feelings for doing business. A lot of people would be misguided with this ad be them Muslims or people following other religions.  
Then, I found the placement of the ad quite interesting. They presented this ad at web blog which consists the heading: 

”Mohamed Cartoonist to be honored”

Mohamed (sm) is the prophet of Muslim community. Years ago someone published cartoons of Mohamed (sm) which had created a lot of chaos in Muslim community. However this blog says that the cartoonist had been awarded at a conference on freedom of the press. So generally this news would have a negative impact on a Muslim person. Bismillah Mail put this ad here to get advantage of the negative impact on the mind of the readers of this news blog. 

Well, in the end I’d just call this advertisement effort a nasty one. “Bismillah” is a holy word to Muslims. It means, “In the name of Allah”. Bismillah Mail just positioned themselves as a narrow minded business organization who strive on confusing the belief of Muslims. Hopefully Bismillah Mail would understand their mistake soon and won’t do this kind job in future.