Friday, April 18, 2008

Images in crystal...

Look at the star...

Black, white and the star!


Lost in focus!

The glass-cuts...

As delicate as a spider's web!

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

The Story of the Extension Letter

These days I am in the middle of getting my visa sorted.

A bit of background, I am here on a work permit which is in the process of being extended. Since the work permit is being extended the visa which goes along with it also needs to be extended.

The visa is handled by the Home Office - Border and Immigration Agency. But the Work Permit Extension is handled by a different department altogether.

I was waiting for my work permit extension letter to come through but I had to apply for the visa before the letter came. So I sent off the application (after a lot of confusion) with the letter to be sent once I got it.

Back to the story.

So today I got the letter. I called up the Home Office to ask them where to send the letter. After a 10 minute wait holding the phone, they told me that the address would be given to me by the Work Permits department and were helpful enough to give me a number.

So I called up the Work Permits department and after another 10 minute wait they tell me that I don't need to send the extension letter because the two departments 'do communicate with each other'.

This set the snake of doubt in my stomach.

I used the basic assumption that no government department anywhere in the world can be THAT efficient and called the Home Office again to confirm this fact. The reaction was a mixture of shock and horror. They wondered how come I was given this piece of wrong information because 'obviously they would need to see the extension letter'.

I thanked my common sense (and predictability of governments all over the world) got the address (which I suspect was pulled right off a website because that was the address I was originally going to send it at if I couldn't get the address).

When dealing with government machinery let me quote the X-Files:

" Trust No-one!"

But one thing I felt really happy about. That this among other things unifies countries all over the world!
Government departments always give out the wrong (and contradictory) information no matter how organised they may seem!

:)

Thursday, April 10, 2008

Stupidity

Was talking to a friend about stupidity and how sometimes one feels stupid... my perspective is:

Just as studying the depths of a pit doesn't reduce its depth.
Similarly studying acts of stupidity doesnt make those or any future acts less stupid.

:)

Tuesday, April 08, 2008

A Logical Quote on Women!

"Mr. Spock, the women on your planet are logical. That's the only planet in the galaxy that can make that claim."
-- Kirk (Star Trek Episode: Elaan of Troyius)

I saw this in an episode of Star Trek the other day. How true is that. I wonder if there is even one planet in the ENTIRE UNIVERSE with 'logical' women!

Monday, April 07, 2008

Tracks to Infinity!


These tracks come from somewhere and head somewhere else.

They bring a constant stream of information. Hopes and dreams, about a thousand stories!

Destinies meet and people leave. What a place, charged with emotions.

Saturday, April 05, 2008

Bath - on a freezing winter's day!



Two views of the track - at Bath Spa.


The cathedral through trees.




A diamond in the sky - through the trees.





Avon river at Bath with Pulteney Bridge.





Two trees.



Portrait view of the crescent.





Wideangle crescent.




Wild flower.





Pink and blue flowers.



Detail of architecture.



A set of columns.





Me at Bath.





Three trees in a park.



White flowers.






A close-up of the crescent building.



The same building crescent.



A sculpture.



Flowers.



An obelix through the trees.



Building with ivy over it.



An ornate lamp-post.



Another building in Bath.



A row of houses in Bath.



Close-up of a building with tower.



Another close-up of the building.


A church spire in Bath.



Another view of the Avon River at Bath



Avon River at Bath



The Bath City Centre!



A church in Bath.










Light me up!

Canary Wharf - at dusk!
In this day and age of environmental awareness, as I stood looking at this view from Greenwich Pier a thought entered my head: 'How come all these lights are on so late in the evening, are so many people working late or is it just for show?'
I wonder how much electricity this display of power uses. Canary Wharf is the financial centre of London, with HSBC on one side and Citicorp on the other. The area is covered by the Dockland Light Rail (DLR).

Fly Away!

The photograph represents Freedom!

I took this photograph by pointing the camera straight up through the open sun-roof of the car. With sun-roof open and the wind streaming in I just wanted to turn into a leaf and fly away!

Friday, April 04, 2008

Images of Stone and Sea

From the look-out... the white cliffs form the Isle of Wight.

Bournemouth Beach.

View from the look-out... towards Bournemouth Beach.

The call of the open sea!

The seascape!


Clear skies.

The waterfront at Bournemouth - at Dusk.

Stones at Stonehenge.

Detail of the stonework at Stonehenge.


A beautiful spot in the countryside.


A winding river through the countryside.


Green fields and a peaceful river.

The beautiful countryside once again!

A cute duck on the river!

The British countryside.