Loud Thinking

Archive for February, 2015

Some tips for the Pakistani team management to at least put up a semblance of a fight in 2nd ODI Vs NZ:

1. Shunt out Younis Khan from the playing eleven.

2. Must play with 5 repeat 5 regular bowlers.

3. If an early wicket falls in the 1st ten overs send Sarfraz as one down batsman.

An open invitation to snatch & grab…http://pakistanthinktank.org/tag/letter-to-pm

“Friends are those rare people who ask how we are, and then wait to hear the answer.”

— Ed Cunningham

“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.”

—Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929-1968)
Minister, Civil Rights Activist

Use Better Metaphors to Win an Audience Over

If you’re trying to engage an audience, using well-chosen metaphors can offer a shortcut to understanding. You just have to pick the right ones. Dig for connections that make an idea clearer in your mind. The brighter the idea shines for you, the more likely it is to resonate with your audience. Very few people, if any, can come up with a brilliant metaphor on the first try. Brainstorm some ideas. Write down obvious choices right away to get them out of your head and to make room for more creative ones. For example, to illustrate partnership, steer clear of the cliché handshake in front of a globe, and go for something like a photo of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. To illustrate a goal, avoid the bull’s eye and opt for something more unique, like a maze. The more unusual the metaphor, the more it’ll stand out in people’s minds.

Adapted from “Finding the Right Metaphor for Your Presentation” by Nancy Duarte.

My letter titled “Prices of petroleum products” published today by the the daily “The Express Tribune”.

Prices of petroleum products
By Letter Published: February 2, 2015

LAHORE: Dear Mr Prime Minister,
The three recent steps — the activation of the National Action Plan against terrorism, reduction in prices of petroleum products and the swift controlling of the shortage of petrol in the province of Punjab — initiated under your direct command, speaks volumes about your concerns regarding public welfare issues, for which you deserve full kudos.

In this regard, I solicit your attention towards the fragile economic situation of Pakistan and the golden opportunity available to us, in the shape of an international decline in the prices of petroleum products.

Pakistan’s economy is heavily burdened by the sheer weight of debt servicing which, in the coming days, will keep on increasing.

We must find some out-of-the-box solution to eliminate the debt burden of the country as soon as possible. Considering that the poorest of the poor have had negligible benefit from any trickle-down effect of petroleum price cuts, at least as far as public-sector transport fares are concerned, it is proposed that the financial benefit of any further reductions in petroleum products’ prices (except for kerosene) should be deposited in a National Debt Servicing Fund to meet the most important financial needs of the country.

I am sure many financial wizards will oppose this proposal and bring their own reasons for not accepting the above suggestion. But nevertheless, they should be told that no solution is perfect/ideal and the country cannot shift its focus from its major issues while battling minor problems.

Syed Nayyar Uddin Ahmad

Published in The Express Tribune, February 2nd, 2015.

“The best teamwork comes from men who are working independently toward one goal in unison.”

— James Cash Penney

My letter published today by the daily “Pakistan Observer”.

A WAY TO REDUCE DEBT BURDEN

Pakistan Observer
Home News
A WAY TO REDUCE DEBT BURDEN
Syed Nayyar uddin Ahmad

Sunday, February 01, 2015 – Three recent steps (activation of National Action Plan against terrorism, reduction of the prices of petroleum products [sans the lubricants] and swiftly controlling the shortages of petrol in the province of Punjab) initiated under PM Nawaz Sharif’s direct command, speaks volumes about his concerns regarding the public welfare issues, for which you deserves full kudos. In this regards, I invite his attention towards the fragile economic situation of Pakistan and the golden opportunity available to us, in the shape of an international decline of prices of the petroleum products. Pakistan’s economy is heavily burdened by the sheer weight of debt servicing, which in coming days will keep on increasing. We must find some out of the box solutions to eliminate the debt burden of the country soonest possible. Now considering that the poorest of the poor has had negligible benefit or the trickle down effect of the petroleum prices reductions, in at least the public sector transport fares’ segment and also considering that reduction of debt burden of the country is the prime strategic objective, it is proposed that the financial benefit of any further reduction(s) on the petroleum products prices (except of the kerosene oil) should be deposited in a National Debt Servicing Fund, to meet the most important financial need of the country. I am sure many financial wizards will oppose this proposal and bring their own reasons, to resist the above suggestion, but nevertheless, they should be told that no solution is perfect/ideal and the country can not shift its focus from its major issues, due to minor problems.

—Lahore