The frantic rush to shake with the groom

TIME: The Best Photos of the Year 2006
http://www.time.com/time/yip/2006/


ARTICLE: Arctic Ice May Melt by 2040
http://science.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=06/12/12/2029215&from=rss

Dark days are over... I think.

View of the storm. As I am writing, sky over Maale has cleared up and blue is visible again. If you are wondering about the location of the photo... Villigili island is in view. Hospital, Radio building and Traders association Mosque... from a visit to Foriegn Affairs Ministry.

Flickr Maldives meetup. Please contribute a suggestion.

If you are from Maldives... or in Maldives currently, why not join in the discussion.
http://flickr.com/groups/flickrmaldives/discuss/72157594396536308/

Nattu is sending invitations to the group. But anybody is free to be self invited.

Storm on the way

http://earthchangestv.com/gallery/Storm-Photos/4_G

Scene in front of water sports centre in Villigili island, where young enthusiasts visit and enjoy. Partly for entertainment and partly... to escape the over crowdedness of the neighbouring capital island.
But alas, good times don't always last that long, do they.
Six years on and this area has been dredged and converted into a harbour accomodating boats, And in the process, ruined the only piece of natural beach available for residents of these two islands.
Recreation facilities are put on hold for the time being.
Photo from 1999.

Are rulers... descendants from Hell?

Ordinary Bahrainis are using Google Earth to spy on the palaces, yachts, former national parks and waterfront properties (90% of the country) owned by the royal family and their cronies, while the rest of the country lives in squalor...

“Some of the palaces take up more space than three or four villages nearby and block access to the sea for fishermen. People knew this already. But they never saw it. All they saw were the surrounding walls,”

http://www.boingboing.net/2006/11/26/bahrainis_use_google.html

Familiar?

Do you want to play?

Too late.
Probably you must have already been brain washed by religion to participate in such a free game. Because religion itself teaches hypocrisy. Of mistrust of people. And hate. The moment religion comes into play, the whole play get spoilt with all sorts of rules. Sad.

Do you see the victorious v finger or the pack of paparazzi.
A bunch of photographers assemble to capture this group after a sports event featuring school children. When the photographer next to you has the same view as yours... the view automatically becomes, boring.
I am here sneaking behind the chief guest. Also one priority at this point: To stay hidden from rest of the cameras. And possibly not appearing on tonight's TV news.

Rebuilding Titanic

More like a Titanic repairing job.
These 4 men teams are brave and highly versatile. They are boat repairmen on call. Always mobile and ready to take over a job, irrespective of size or location. Spotted near an abandoned boatyard close to my home, today's' job is however not a one day job. Not from the massive hole they seem patching up.

Crowded

The capital island is a heavily congested city.
Not without cause. One third of the Country's population has scrambled to this tiny island in search of opportunity. Jobs, education and facilities are all centered around this island, roughly a square mile in size. What's a square mile? I don't know - it takes me half an hour to go around the island on a bike. Less if I am driving.
Maldives has a population of some 300,000 people and 1,200 islands. So what's with the fuss with this 1 island?

Thanks Sophie... for blogging my "ruthless democracy" photo.

http://sophiesfavoritephotos.blogspot.com/