THOUGHTFORTHEDAY

The metaphor for Palestine is stronger than the Palestine of reality. — Mahmoud Darwish

The metaphor for Palestine is stronger than the Palestine of reality. — Mahmoud Darwish ...

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05 Feb 2025

We ought to be using nuclear power. It’s a renewable source of energy. — George W Bush

We ought to be using nuclear power. It’s a renewable source of energy. — George W Bush ...

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04 Feb 2025

Upper classes are a nation’s past; the middle class is its future. — Ayn Rand

Upper classes are a nation’s past; the middle class is its future. — Ayn Rand ...

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03 Feb 2025

Neither the government nor the economy can live beyond its means year after year. — Manmohan Singh

Neither the government nor the economy can live beyond its means year after year. — Manmohan Singh ...

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02 Feb 2025

Hindu Dharma is like a boundless ocean teeming with priceless gems. — Mahatma Gandhi

Hindu Dharma is like a boundless ocean teeming with priceless gems. — Mahatma Gandhi ...

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31 Jan 2025

The ear of the leader must ring with the voices of the people. — Woodrow Wilson

The ear of the leader must ring with the voices of the people. — Woodrow Wilson ...

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30 Jan 2025

The police must obey the law while enforcing the law. — Earl Warren

The police must obey the law while enforcing the law. — Earl Warren ...

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29 Jan 2025

India is becoming a large middle-income country, too complex & varied to be controlled centrally. — Raghuram Rajan

India is becoming a large middle-income country, too complex & varied to be controlled centrally. — Raghuram Rajan ...

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28 Jan 2025

No religion is responsible for terrorism. People are responsible for violence and terrorism. — Barack Obama

No religion is responsible for terrorism. People are responsible for violence and terrorism. — Barack Obama ...

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27 Jan 2025

Good relations with our neighbours are essential for peace, stability and prosperity in the region. — Manmohan Singh

Good relations with our neighbours are essential for peace, stability and prosperity in the region. — Manmohan Singh ...

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24 Jan 2025

Corruption and hypocrisy ought not to be inevitable products of democracy. — Mahatma Gandhi

Corruption and hypocrisy ought not to be inevitable products of democracy. — Mahatma Gandhi ...

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23 Jan 2025

Getting ready for a global pandemic is every bit as important as nuclear deterrence. — Bill Gates

Getting ready for a global pandemic is every bit as important as nuclear deterrence. — Bill Gates ...

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22 Jan 2025

A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a moulder of consensus. — Martin Luther King, Jr

A genuine leader is not a searcher for consensus but a moulder of consensus. — Martin Luther King, Jr ...

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21 Jan 2025

The 21st century will be the Asian century. — Kishore Mahbubani

The 21st century will be the Asian century. — Kishore Mahbubani ...

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20 Jan 2025

The 21st century will be the Asian century. — Kishore Mahbubani

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20 Jan 2025

We must adjust to changing times and still hold to unchanging principles. — Jimmy Carter

We must adjust to changing times and still hold to unchanging principles. — Jimmy Carter ...

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19 Jan 2025

Radicalism and extremism exist in every society on some level. — Edward Snowden

Radicalism and extremism exist in every society on some level. — Edward Snowden ...

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17 Jan 2025

Hatred is the coward’s revenge for being intimidated. — George Bernard Shaw

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16 Jan 2025

The greater the power, the more dangerous the abuse. — Edmund Burke

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15 Jan 2025

ALBERT Einstein told the world, “Everything is relative”. A clever tweak to this truism popped up on my phone the other day: “For some people who amass power and wealth for their relatives, ‘relative is everything’.” I chuckled at this satirical jab as I recalled an incident. It happened more than a decade ago at an ATM booth located in a fuel station complex on the outskirts of Muscat, the capital of Oman, where I worked for nearly 13 years. As a white-collar professional, I had maintained a self-imposed minimum balance of Rs 50,000 (in equivalent local currency of Omani riyals) in my account, mainly to cater to emergencies like an unforeseen trip to India. However, during one month, I incurred several unplanned expenses. As I entered the ATM booth and withdrew money, I knew that my bank balance had dropped to Rs 30,000, breaching my safety net by Rs 20,000. This realisation made me uneasy as I stepped out of the booth. Just then, a young Indian expat worker in a blue coverall hesitantly approached me. “Saab, I don’t know how to operate these machines. Can you help me?” he asked, holding out his ATM card. “What do you want to do?” I asked. “I want to deposit money into my account,” he said, holding two one-riyal notes amounting to Rs 350. “This machine is for withdrawal. You’ll need a CDM — a cash deposit machine,” I explained. Watching his confused look, I quickly reassured him, “No problem. I’ll help you.” Guiding him to the nearby CDM, I deposited his money. As I handed back his ATM card, he hesitantly looked at me and said, “Saab, I need one more favour.” “What is it?” I asked, my impatience growing. “I want to withdraw five riyals from my account,” he said, his voice faltering. I was perplexed. “Withdraw five riyals — in other words, just Rs 875? Is he up to some prank on me?” I said to myself. “Then why did you deposit two riyals just now?” I asked him. His answer floored me. “The ATM doesn’t allow withdrawals of less than five riyals, and I only have three in my account. That’s why I deposited two riyals, so I can take out my entire five riyals.” Moved by his financial plight, I immediately took him back to the ATM and withdrew his five riyals for him. Driving back home, I felt a surge of conflicting emotions. Just a few minutes ago, I had felt bad for not being able to maintain a minimum balance of Rs 50,000 in my account. Now, after meeting this worker, I understood how blessed I was. Indeed, Einstein was dead right about relativity.

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