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MY VIEW

FRIDAY, MARCH 25, 2011

GURGAON-II

MY SPACE

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MOONING OVER

MY STORY | NIKHIL SHARDA

EXCELLENCE COSTS
Its better to be part of the rat race than be a lone cat, belives this Gurgaon resident
y preamble is aimed at all those who are trying to surpass the next; my sincerest word of advice is dont. Excellence costs dearly; mediocrity pays well. Keep near the zero; its safer and more comfortable at a C-level than a treacherous A -level. You can stand up and be counted; at an A level, you are pushed into a class apart. Its better to be trying than be crying, because so called success can lead into even more trying, and distressing, circumstances. As an also-ran, you may be called pint-sized; as a doomed winner, you will be ostracised. Its better to be a member and part of the rat race than be a lone cat. See Tom and his Jerries. Trust me, I know what Im talking about. I bagged a coveted job with an Australian colliery as a content manager, putting my heart and soul into the rigours of my assignments. My efforts were lauded by the leading international whos who, who recalled my stint as one of the big assets of the programme. At the end of the project, I find that I am not recalled. All attempts to contact Personnel were thwarted, paradoxically reducing me to

Light in the darkest of hours

Syed Zafar Mehdi

BIGGEST AND BRIGHTEST: The Moon as visible over Gurgaon. Skywatchers had dubbed it a supermoon due to its brightness. March 19. HT photo

Tthe world has five years to initiate another industrial revolution, one that is low on carbon emission, before runaway climate change becomes inevitable, say experts. On Earth Hour 2011, 8:30 pm on 26 March, people around the world will come together to call for action on climate change by doing something simple-turning off their lights for one hour.

the role of the leper. Even then, rigor mortis should have set in on my vigorous rigours, but it was yet too early to comprehend the wisdom of C level. In dogged pursuit, I freelanced to service a market leader in the hospitality sector, learning all the nuances of guest care, guest relations, sales promotion, interiors for theme restaurants, theme shows and programs etc and graduating on to secret audits on employee services, and other surveys on public acceptability of future politics. I was relying on the fact that my boss was US-trained, unbiased and quality conscious.

He consistently rated me as the best, which only served to redouble my efforts with the feeling that he seemed to have more faith in me than I had in myself. The mutually beneficial honeymoon went on for a year until the gravitational force of nepotism took over, bringing Indias zero into place. Even then, like Jude I was obscure. The only sane one to hang on to his Laurel was Hardy, and see what it got him - the position of a laughing stock. Destination achievement is a cul de sacyou can only turn and go back. As told to htshopper

Making history Earth Hour 2011 will witness the assemblage of over one billion people in more than 6,000 cities, turning off lights for one hour on one night. Iconic buildings and landmarks like Acropolis, Eiffel Tower, Hiroshima Peace Gardens and the Pyramids will go dark for an hour. In India, actor Vidya Balan has pledged support for Earth Hour 2011 while Hindustan Times is a partner of the campaign.

Miranda Kerr is one of the ambassadors for Earth Hour

Cycle of adventure starts rolling

Varun Jain

Being a mediaperson was never this much fun! Organised by Firefox on March 16, the mountain-biking ride on the Aravalli range in Surajkund, meant specially for mediapersons, was a hit right from the word go. This ride was just the pre-

view of the 35km mountain biking race named as Firestorm which will take place on March 26. The organiser of Firestorm, Shiv Inder Singh said, Firestorm will be held across a stretch of approximately 35km long in the tricky mountain range of the Aravalli Hills. It is expected that about 120 cycling-enthusiasts are expected to participate in the event. He adds, Cycling is not only good for health but will also reduce the emission of carbon dioxide to a considerable extent, thus creating a fresh and healthy environment for our own survival. One participant said, This is the ultimate in adventure. Im loving it!

The 35km mountain biking race was organised at the Aravalli Hills; even cycles need a break! (left)