Wednesday, December 28, 2005

Celebs Gone Wild; 2005's Weirdest Moments...


To think we thought Brad and Jen were the ideal couple! That Tom Cruise was normal! That Nick and Jessica and were in it for love — not publicity! And that Michael Jackson might have been guilty!

This year opened our eyes all right — although we probably wished we had kept them shut.


Check out some of them:

2005 Year in Review: Strange Celeb Events

And the Year's Review of the Best Movies, Best Albums, Hookups & Breakups in the world of glitz and 'ollywood:

2005 Year in Review

Sunday, December 25, 2005

Jingle All the Way; Merry Christmas!



Believe it or not Jingle Bells, one of the most famous American Christmas songs, was originally written for Thanksgiving! The author and composer of Jingle Bells was a minister called James Pierpoint who composed the song in 1857 for children celebrating his Boston Sunday School Thanksgiving. The song was so popular that it was repeated at Christmas, and indeed Jingle Bells has been reprised ever since.

The essence of a traditional Christmas is captured in the lyrics of Jingle Bells and the sound effects using the bells have become synonymous with the arrival of Father Christmas or Santa Claus to the delight of children of all ages!



JINGLE ALL THE WAY

Dashing through the snow
In a one horse open sleigh
O'er the fields we go
Laughing all the way
Bells on bob tails ring
Making spirits bright
What fun it is to laugh and sing
A sleighing song tonight

Oh, jingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the way
Oh, what fun it is to ride
In a one horse open sleigh
Jingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the way
Oh, what fun it is to ride
In a one horse open sleigh

A day or two ago
I thought I'd take a ride
And soon Miss Fanny Bright
Was seated by my side
The horse was lean and lank
Misfortune seemed his lot
We got into a drifted bank
And then we got upsot

Oh, jingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the way
Oh, what fun it is to ride
In a one horse open sleigh
Jingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the way
Oh, what fun it is to ride
In a one horse open sleigh yeah

Jingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the way
Oh, what fun it is to ride
In a one horse open sleigh
Jingle bells, jingle bells
Jingle all the way
Oh, what fun it is to ride
In a one horse open sleigh

Thursday, December 22, 2005

Life, as if grounded

This week's beginning has marked my worst illness in months.

I'm feeling totally blowed out with a 102 F temperature and a severe flu & throat infection. Headache, body pain, shivering & nose + eye-water flows have been the natural followers. Miserable it is already if I donot recover soon, it'll be adding more trouble in form of University absentees.

Although, there doesn't seem to be any eatable thing, that I have ever showed dislike for, however, this time I don't feel like having anything at all. I hope it's normal in case of such an illness.

Winter has been rough and dry this time around resulting in widespread coughs and running noses. We hope to get the first rain of the season, soon, that will help reducing misery of the poor beings...

For me, until I recover from this fever added infection, life's as if grounded...

Monday, December 19, 2005

The Hectic Times!

This previous week has been quite a hectic one, making me unable to come online or writing anything.

We are having our home renovated with additional wood-work, texture paints and carpet-makeovers. It's been nearly three months since we started this. As for those living in my country, there's no disagreement about labor giving a tough time to the renovater. It's really a damn hectic job to get things done here.

Wednesday, December 14, 2005

The Kill Game...

Killing your own citizens by assuming them as terrorists, attacking sovereignity of other nations with wrong intelligence on WMDs, under the cover of dealing with terrorism; It's getting uglier for the people ruling this country...

"Rigoberto Alpizar, a 44-year-old US citizen, was killed in the air bridge after running out of the plane pursued by marshals who had broken their cover.

No bomb was found on Mr Alpizar whose wife had tried to explain he had a mental illness, one witness said.

Mary Gardner, a fellow passenger, told local television that the man had run frantically down the aisle of the Boeing 757 screaming while his wife tried to explain he was ill.


"I did hear the lady say her husband was bi-polar and had not had his medication," she said. "I saw the woman... she was hysterical."

Mr Alpizar had arrived in Miami, Florida, from Ecuador and was boarding a flight to Orlando at about 1410 local time (1910 GMT).

Local police and federal officers are investigating the incident, but officials say so far there is no hint of any links to terrorism. However, as a precaution, federal air marshals were deployed in airports across the country.

Television images showed police and emergency response officers surrounding the plane after the incident."


News coutesy of BBC NEWS

Thursday, December 08, 2005

Possible, positive effect of a tragedy

It's nice to hear about the two arch-rivals coordinating with each other in this moment of sheer destruction.

Pakistan and India have set up 5 crossing points for exchange of relief supplies on the LOC (Line of Control) in disputed territory of Kashmir. Plans are to open these points also for the citizens of both Azad and Occupied Kashmir to help reunite families in distress.


This may be the first of steps to improve relations with each other and to resolve all of mutual conflicts including Kashmir.

October 8, surely will be remembered as the darkest day in Pakistan's history, however, if in its wake we are able to resolve this 58 year-old dispute with India, it would become a blessing in disguise...

Map courtesy of BBC News

Monday, December 05, 2005

In memory of my toothbrush, OB...

Dear OB,

I hope this letter finds you in the best of hygiene. I am doing fine but things aren't the same without you.

It came to me as a shock, when I was unable to find you in my brush-cup in the toilet that unfateful day. Your mysterious disappearance made me feel so sad that I still haven't been able to go for a replacement. Tears fill my eyes, and I cannot resist the pain whenever one of my finger touches the aching tooth during early morning finger-pasting of my teeth.

Although the toothache is to be blamed for the suffering, however, your absence surely is a substantial enhancer.

Immediately after the discovery of your disappearance, I had informed the concerned authorities. Investigations are going on with all those who use or even have entered my bathroom mistakenly.

I still remember the day I nick-named you my dear OB. Oh, and the way you always showed your likeness for the nick by giving me a sparkle on your Oral-B logo, using the bulb-light, has made me cry a many times.

O! OB, your services to the hygiene of my teeth have been immense and they, surely, cannot be forgotten by me so easily.

I know, what you are trying to say; that the life must go on. And it should better be, but let me tell you one thing, that no other toothbrush can take your place as my dear OB. I'm always going to miss you just like my very first teeth that I lost to the Tooth fairy in my childhood.

May God keep you shinning and transparent as ever.

Yours,

Hasan; Sparkle too Good

Thursday, December 01, 2005

Know when will you be dead!

Won't it be interesting to know when will you be dead or to see how many seconds of your life are left!

Do share your feelings after calculating your death-date and watching the countdown of your life at DeathClock...

You scared to click??

Thursday, November 24, 2005

Symptoms of Addiction to Internet ! ! ! !

1. A friend stops to see you since your phone has been busy-----for a year!!!!!"
2. You forgot how to work the TV remote control.
3. You see something funny and scream, "LOL, LOL."
4. You tell everyone, that after surgery, your mom went to ICQ ......instead of ICU!
5. You sign off and your screen says you were on for 3 days and 45 minutes.
6. You placed the refrigerator beside your computer.
7. You buy a laptop and a cell phone so you can have ICQ in your car.
8. Tech support calls YOU for help.
9. You beg your friends to get an account so you can "hang out."
10. You get a second phone line just to call out for pizza.
11. You purchase a vanity car license plate with your screen name on it.
12. You say "he he he he" or "heh heh heh" instead of laughing.
13. You say "SCROLL UP" when someone asks what it was you said.
14. You find out divorce papers had been served on you 6 months ago.
15. You talk on the phone with the same person you are sending an instant message to. (uh oh...I've done this! LOL)
16. You look at an annoying person off line and wish that you had your ignore
button handy.
17. You start to experience "withdrawal" after not being online for awhile.
18. You say......."Where did the time go??"
19. You sit on ICQ for 6 hours for that certain special person to sign on.
20. You get up in the morning and go online before getting your coffee.
21. .....You end your sentences with.....three or more periods.......
22. Your shoes are suddenly 2 sizes too small.
23. You think faster than the computer. <----Not difficult for me
24. You enter a room and get greeted by 25 people with {{{hugs}}} and ** kisses**.
25. Being called a newbie is a major insult to you.
26. You're on the phone and say BRB.
27. Your teacher or boss recommends a drug test for the blood shot eyes.
28. Your answering machine/voice mail sounds a little like this...."BRB. Leave your S/N
and I'll TTYL ASAP".
29. You get up at 2:00 AM to go to the bathroom and turn the computer on instead.
30. You need to be pried from your computer by the Jaws-of-life.

Tuesday, November 22, 2005

The Exam Fever

Starting from yesterday, I've totally been stuck in my mid-term exams.
The first one was of Business Law and I'm writing this when the next one, Macroeconomics, is just round the corner.

Hope to perform well and be back in time to update you people with the latest of my ideas, thoughts and favorite things...

Wish me best of luck!

Friday, November 18, 2005

Review: 'Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire'



If the third film in the Harry Potter series, last year's "Prisoner of Azkaban," seemed frightening with its soul-sucking Dementors and its German expressionist aesthetic, then the fourth installment, "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire," will have kids quaking in their seats and perhaps wishing they had an invisibility cloak to hide beneath.

This "Potter" earns its PG-13 rating a first for the previously PG series about the boy wizard as Harry grows into adolescence and learns more about his powers and his past. Of course, young fans have already devoured the J.K. Rowling books that provide the basis for the films, so they know what's coming. (The author is up to No. 6 out of seven planned.) But reading it on the page and seeing it on the screen can be two entirely different experiences, and several scenes will be disturbing to viewers regardless of age.

"Goblet of Fire" features the return of the dreaded Lord Voldemort He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named the dark warlock who killed Harry's parents and tried to kill him, too, when he was just an infant. (Having survived the attack is what gives Harry a certain mystique among his professors and classmates at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry; it also gave him his trademark lightning-bolt scar on his forehead.)

As played by an unrecognizable Ralph Fiennes, Voldemort appears hairless and noseless, hissing and threatening in the moonlight a smooth, almost effeminate incarnation of the Devil, surrounded by cloaked minions.

Even scarier, though, is the maze Harry must navigate as a competitor in the dangerous Triwizard Tournament. The giant hedges that serve as the maze walls aren't just tall and the pathways aren't just narrow they're also predatory, collapsing violently on their inhabitants, sensing and feeding on their fears, trying to swallow them whole. (Bet Stanley Kubrick wishes he'd thought of that when he made "The Shining")

While these are the most extreme examples of the movie's intensity, they're also the ones that are the most emotionally powerful. Director Mike Newell has crafted a film full of images that are vast and wondrous, but strangely detached and obviously artificial, similar to the look of the "Lord of the Rings" movies. You can appreciate the enormity of the visuals, but they seem so distant, it's difficult to feel engaged by them.

But with Newell at the helm the first English director following American Chris Columbus, who did the first two parts, and Mexican Alfonso Cuaron, who did the third and best thus far "Goblet of Fire" seems more in touch with the innate Britishness of Rowling's books, both in its sense of humor and in its boarding-school setting.

Read the Full Review here...



Watch "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" Trailers and Clips

Wednesday, November 16, 2005

PIA creates world commercial aviation history

Pakistan Inter-national Airlines (PIA) has created world commercial aviation history by flying newly-manufactured Boeing 777 LR (Long Range)-- the first airline in the world to fly it from Hong Kong to Heathrow -- the wrong way around the globe.

According to a press release on Thursday, flying from Hong Kong it went overhead Japan, then across the Pacific Ocean flying over Hawaii to overhead San Francisco, then onwards across North American continent to overhead New York, flying still farther across the Atlantic Ocean to land at Heathrow Airport, London, non-stop and in one giant leap lasting slightly less than 24 hours.

The trip which broke 18 minutes flight time record of Airbus 340 and also Boeing's 747-400's record from London to Sydney, flew 12,600 miles or more than half circumference of the globe.

Flying at 83 Mach or 17 Mach less than the speed of sound, the 35 persons onboard, including eight cockpit crew members, witnessed two sunrises and even had scheduled sleep timings in the bunkers onboard. Among five Boeing pilots were Capt Susana Darcy, Boeing 777 Test Pilot and Capt Frank Santoni, representing the Boeing Company.

Along with five Boeing pilots, Commander Asif Reza, senior vice president flight operations PIA, was in command and assisted by Captain Mohammed Ilyas Malik, designated as check pilot Boeing 777 in PIA, to fly the aircraft as Boeing's "Launch Customer", pending delivery of this very first plane to PIA, registered in Pakistan AP-BGY.

A Singapore Airline pilot was also on board, as the Singapore Airline is evaluating buying this airplane after PIA.

The event was reminiscent of another such record breaking flight by PIA nearly four decades earlier, when commander Abdullah Baig, the most famous pilot of PIA flying newly manufactured Boeing 720, eased into a jet stream during cruise with consummate skill to break the London-Karachi flight time record. staff report.

Source: Daily Times Newspaper

Monday, November 14, 2005

The Tsunami survival!

I was on a comfortable vacation at a paradise island. Music, cocktails, beaches, Palm trees, sun n' sand, all were quite plentiful there. I can remember how enjoyable was each moment spent on that heaven.

But, then, it was that unfateful morning. After having a good night's sleep, I came out of my personal cabin facing the shore of a beach and found out that the waves were behaving strangely.

I, actually saw the height, size and force of the waves increase by each landing on the shore. In no time, I could figure out that the next one's going to thrash the cottages. Worried and terrified, I ran into mine, locked it and got hold of one of the two steel poles supporting the roof. And then, it was the one big water splash that went through the wooden walls of the cabin by breaking the cottage into shatters. With eyes closed, I could feel water lifting me up from the ground. It felt like I had slipped into a deep cold-water swimming pool. Despite loosing solid land under my feet, the grip on pole was strong enough to prevent me from being washed away back to the sea.

The sea was calm, once again, and, I was lying on the same beach but with nothing except ruins of wood and steel in view. As I managed to get out of the trauma, the best thing that happened to me was that I woke up!

Man! that was one freaky dream...

Saturday, November 12, 2005

Humor from Great Minds

“As you get older three things happen. The first is your memory goes, and I can't remember the other two...”
Sir Norman Wisdom

“One of the most difficult things in the world is to convince a woman that even a bargain costs money.”
Edgar Watson Howe

“A true friend is one who overlooks your failures and tolerates your success!”
Doug Larson

“A harmful truth is always better then...a useful lie!”
Eric Bolton

“When I was a kid I used to pray every night for a new bike. Then I realized that The Lord doesn't work that way, so I stole one and asked him to forgive me.”
Erno Philips

“ I only go to work on days that don't end in a 'y'.”
Robert Paul

“We spend the first twelve months of our children's liv! es teaching them to walk and talk and the next twelve telling them to sit down and shut up.”
Phyllis Diller

“Laughter is the closest distance between two people.”
Victor Borge

“Start every day with a smile and get it over with.”
W.C. Fields

“Everything is funny as long as it is happening to somebody else.”
Will Rogers

“Always get married early in the morning. That way, if it doesn't work out, you haven't wasted a whole day.”
Mickey Rooney

“Women now have choices. They can be married, not married, have a job, not have a job, be married with children, unmarried with children.
Men have the same choice we've always had: work or prison.”
Tim Allen

“If you never want to see a man again, say, 'I love you, I want to marry you. I want to have children...' - they leave skid marks.”
Rita Rudner

“I'm not afraid to die. I just don't want to be there when it happens.”
Woody Allen

“Advice is what we ask for when we already know the answer but wish we didn't.”
Erica Jong

“Don't take life too seriously, you'll never get out of it alive.”
Elbert Hubbard

“Always and never are two words you should always remember never to use.”
Wendell Johnson

“I've been in love with the same woman for forty-one years. If my wife finds out, she'll kill me.”
Henry Youngman

Thursday, November 10, 2005

Balance Sheet of Life

Our Birth is our Opening Balance
Our Death is our Closing Balance

Our Prejudiced Views are our Liabilities
Our Creative Ideas are our Assets

Heart is our Current Asset
Soul is our Fixed Asset

Brain is our Fixed Deposit
Thinking is our Current Account

Achievements are our Capital
Character & Morals, our Stock-in-Trade

Friends are our General Reserves
Values & Behaviour are our Goodwill

Patience is our Interest Earned
Love is our Dividend

Children are our Bonus Issues
Education is Brands / Patents

Knowledge is our Investment
Experience is our Premium Account

The Aim is to Tally the Balance Sheet Accurately.
The Goal is to get the Best Presented Accounts Award

Tuesday, November 08, 2005

Choorian; the Eid colors



Choorian or Bangles are an essential part of Eid festivities. Made up of colorful glass, these bangles are most popular among girls and women of all ages.

As part of the celebrations, male members of the family buy this stuff for their mothers, sisters and children.



Choorian add colors to happy occasions like eid and marriages and are a sign of happiness and joy.



Well before the Eid day, street markets all across the city are full of colors and beautiful designs with women trying on & buying these as part of their Eid shopping. These are some of the views from Chand Raat; the night before Eid...

Friday, November 04, 2005

Eid Mubarak from Hasan Mubarak

Dear All,

Assalam o Alaikum

I would like to wish all of my family, friends and fellow bloggers a very very happy & prosperous EID.

_./'\._¸¸.•¤**¤•.¸.•¤**¤•.¸.•¤¤•.¸.•
.•*´¨: *•. .•* *EID MUBARAK**•. .•
/.•*•.\ ¸..•¤**¤•.,.•¤**¤•.*. ¤•..,.•

_./'\._¸¸.•¤**¤•.¸.•¤**¤•.¸.•¤•.
*•. .•* * EID MUBARAK* *•. .•*
/.•*•.\ ¸..•¤**¤•.,.•¤**¤•..,.•¤**

_./'\._¸¸.•¤**¤•.¸.•¤**¤•.¸.•¤¤•.¸.•
.•*´¨: *•. .•* *EID MUBARAK**•. .•
/.•*•.\ ¸..•¤**¤•.,.•¤**¤•.*. ¤•..,.•

May this Eid bring you all the happiness, health and wealth. And may your life be filled with success and many more triumphant moments. Amen!

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Thursday, November 03, 2005

Its EID!; Sharing a sad moment of happiness...

The moon sighting has just been announced which means that we, here in Pakistan, will celebrate the happy, holy occasion of EID tomorrow.

EID is to Muslims as Christmas is to Christians. It comes as a gift from God for those who kept fasting throughout the Holy month of Ramadan. It is for those who have 'actually' learnt something during this period of self-control and patience.

EID will be celebrated tomorrow. The early morning prayer ceremony will mark the beginning of the occasion. Later during the day friends and family will have reunions and celebrations. There will be charity, there will be sharing and there would be fun too.

But, in many ways, this EID will be different from the previpous ones. It is because EID will not be all about happiness for hundred of thousands of our fellows this time. It would, rather, be an occasion that will grieve them for the moments spent with their loved ones as many of them are no more.

We will celebrate with then as we are never going to forget our brothers and sisters in grief.

May God help them smile and celebrate again, forever and ever! Amen.

Wednesday, November 02, 2005

Photographer of the Year 2005

I just came across "2005 News website Photographer of the Year" competition at BBC NEWS' website.

My personal vote went to Tom Sullam for the above picture. I loved the above picture for its color contrasts. The silvers, greys and the goldens in this photograph are just mind-blowing.

What do you say about this picture??



You can also vote for your very choice at:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/4392574.stm

Tuesday, November 01, 2005

The Last Wish...

If you were in this situation, what would you last wish for?

Monday, October 31, 2005

Hello Halloween!

"Halloween" at Wikipedia:

"Halloween is an observance celebrated on the night of October 31, usually by children dressing in costumes and going door-to-door collecting candy. It is celebrated in much of the Western world, though most common in the United States, Ireland, the United Kingdom, Canada and sometimes in Australia and New Zealand. Irish, Scots and other immigrants brought older versions of the tradition to North America in the 19th century. Most other Western countries have embraced Halloween as a part of American pop culture in the late 20th century.

The term "Halloween" is derived from Hallowe'en, an old contraction, still retained in Scotland and some parts of Canada, of "All Hallow's Eve," so called as it is the day before All Saints day (observed by some Christians, including Roman Catholics), which used to be called "All Hallows," derived from All Hallowed Souls. In Ireland, the name was Hallow Eve and this name is still used by some older people. Halloween was formerly also sometimes called All Saints' Eve. The holiday was a day of religious festivities in various northern European pagan traditions, until it was appropriated by Christian missionaries and given a Christian reinterpretation. In Mexico, All Saint's Day, following Halloween, is the Day of the Dead.

Halloween is also called Pooky Night in some parts of Ireland, presumably named after the púca, a mischievous spirit.

In Britain and Ireland in particular, the pagan Celts celebrated the Day of the Dead on All Hallows Day (1st November). The spirits supposedly rose from the dead and, in order to attract them, food was left on the doors. To scare off the evil spirits, the Celts wore masks. When the Romans invaded Britain, they embellished the tradition with their own, which is the celebration of the harvest and honoring the dead. These traditions were then passed on to the United States and Canada.

Halloween is sometimes associated with the occult. Many European cultural traditions hold that Halloween is one of the "liminal" times of the year when the spirit world can make contact with the natural world and when magic is most potent (see, for example, Catalan mythology about witches).

Anoka, Minnesota, USA, self-proclaimed "Halloween Capital of the World," celebrates with a large civic parade.

Salem, Massachusetts, USA, also has laid claim to the title "Halloween Capital of the World," though Salem has tried to seperate itself from its history in the subject of witchcraft. Despite that, the city does see a great deal of tourism surrounding the Salem witch trials, especially around Halloween."

By the way, What Monster do you wish to be??

Saturday, October 29, 2005

Checking your Moral Sense...

Moral Dilemma

This test only has one question, but it's a very important one. By giving an honest answer, you will discover where you stand morally. The test features an unlikely, completely fictional situation in which you will have to make a decision. Remember that your answer needs to be honest, yet spontaneous. Please scroll down slowly and give due consideration to each line.

THE SITUATION

You are in Florida, Miami to be specific. There is chaos all around you caused by a hurricane with severe flooding. This is a flood of biblical proportions.

You are photo journalist working for a major newspaper, and you're caught in the middle of this epic disaster. The situation is nearly hopeless. You're trying to shoot career-making photos. There are houses and people swirling around you, some disappearing under the water. Nature is unleashing all of its destructive fury yet you are relatively safe in a boat with some food and a mobile phone.

THE TEST

Suddenly you see a man in the water. He is desperately fighting for his life, trying not to be taken down with the debris. You move closer. Somehow the man looks familiar. You suddenly realize who it is.

It's the president of the US - George W. Bush.

At the same time you notice that the raging waters are about to take him under forever. You have two options; you can save the life of the president, or you can shoot a dramatic Pulitzer Prize winning photo, documenting the death of one of the world's most famous and powerful men.

THE QUESTION

Here's the question, and please give an honest answer from the heart....








Would you select high contrast colour film, or would you go with the classic simplicity of black and white?

Thursday, October 27, 2005

Watch Out!, for the demon's coming


The fear's rising, the omens are not so good. It could be anywhere; even at your nearest McDonald's regardless of where on earth you live. Bird Flu's coming back...

hoooo ha ha ha!

Watch out for next time you sneeze after having Chicken in your meal; it may not be a good sign either for the late chicken or for you own health.

Watch out man, watch out!

Wednesday, October 26, 2005

Water; God's Blessing by Drops

More than seven more hours to go and I'm already feeling thirsty like anything. My throat has been dry for a good many 'ticks' and now I think it would lead to malfunctioning of my voice box. I've never been that dry-throated for the last 20 days of fasting.

It seems like my taste buds are producing much less effective saliva these days. Just like mercury, it is gulped by me without wetting my throat.

Warning Warning: These signs show that I am soon going to start coughing (khaou khaou), which, in turn would restrict consumption of hot and spicy pakkorras, chilli sauce stuff and chilled liquids at Iftaar time.


Keeping a Roza, as Muslims call it; the act of fasting, helps us in experiencing the hard life lived by our less previliged brothers and sisters. And right now, I can realize the misery of millions of people living without SAFE drinking water or just even water, as in case of thousands who have been unable to get relief in Northern parts of my own country.

Water, indeed, is one of God's greatest blessings on humanity. And, today, I can realize this more than before...

Tuesday, October 25, 2005

Brownie in a Box...

Yesterday, I gave a small scale eat-feast to all of my friends; a brownie in a box. Yes, it was my belated birthday treat; one of the first steps towards normalizing my life.

Keeping in view the impossibility of taking my friends out for a feast, I found this one as quite a feasible and an affordable option. Each one of my friend was granted a box with a brownie. Some of them, however, were able to fool me and got more than a single box.
It was quite interesting to see people peeking repeatedly into their boxes and not being able to taste or even touch those choco fudges. Everyone was getting tempted by the aroma of fresh dark chocolate in walnuts and the doubly double chocolate brownies by Masoom's. It was such a case due to the Holy month of Ramadan during which all of Muslims fast, and for my friends, it wasn't before a full one and a half hours that they could taste this heavenly stuff.

I wonder if there was someone who was unable to hold on till 5:25; the Iftaar time.

Are you, too, getting tempted ??

Sunday, October 23, 2005

Hoping for the good times to return

It surely has been a difficult time for all of us here in Pakistan. The month of Ramadan always brings up a new flavour to life in the form of celebrations, Iftaar parties and, last but not least, the joyous occasion of Eid. But, this time around, everything's so gloomy and sad. It isn't only about the surroundings, it is also about the people who have not smiled, about the flowers that haven't bloomed and about the birds that haven't sung since that unfateful day.

The only thing I want to believe is that good times are going to return. Those beautiful valleys will again be filled with the melodious jingles of life. Everyone would be happy and merry again. People will smile; they will celebrate again, like they used to do before.

The incurred loss can not be recovered, therefore, we should try to work for a better future for the sake of those who have suffered, and for our country as a whole.

Life will be going on, and it must be for the better. But, we should promise that we will keep helping our brothers and sisters who have been through this tragedy, that we will not ignore the surviving and will keep remembering those who have left us.

We'll reconstruct Springfield High School alongwith hundreds of other schools that have been grounded, and just like it was used to, this land will again bloom like a paradise, forever.

This is the only way we can recover from this tragedy, the losses brought by it and from the sorrows that have followed it...

Thursday, October 20, 2005

The act of helping the helpless...

In view of the calamity causing thousands of deaths in Pakistan, we at IBIT, University of the Punjab, launched a full scale relief drive. The relief effort was fully backed and co-ordinated by the SEC (Student Executive Committee), of which, I am the Secretary.

Sacks of warm clothes

The response was overwhemling with people helping us in collection of supplies, medicines and cash. In a short span of just 4 days, we were able to collect more than Rs.100,000. This was in addition to assembly of 120 family boxes containing basic supplies in the form of packets of pulses, wheat, rice, sugar, salt, biscuits, 2 bottles of water, 2 packs of milk, a blanket/quilt, some clothes, candles and matches.

Friends helping in preparation of Family Boxes

A Family Box

Other goods, that were collected in bulk and packed up separately, included warm clothes, bottled water, packaged milk, grains, juices and big boxes of medical supplies.

Food collections

Most of the collected money was spent on buying much-needed tents to be used as shelter by people suffering from hunger, thirst and the up-coming freezing winter.

Being a member of the SEC, I, alongwith other members, had to sacrifice some of my lectures, a bit of studies and had to devote much time and effort. But, it surely was not in vain. As our first truck carrying goods and tents has reached the affected areas yeasterday, I feel more delighted and satisfied than ever, for being able to HELP someone in need.

Tuesday, October 18, 2005

Stepping into 19th Saal (year)

Today's the first day in 19th year of my life. Yes, yesterday was my birthday and I feel quite delighted about turning 19.

Like the previous one, this birthday also fell in the Holy month of Ramadan; the month of fasting in Islam. For that reason, it did spare me from giving any treat to my friends and fellows for the time being. However, I know they are not going to let go of me after all. I'm still considering different options for that.

This birthday was strange in the sense that the first person to wish me was a complete stranger. It happened so that I had to visit a bank for some purpose on Sunday, 16th of October. While I was filling the forms, the Bank Manager whom I had hardly met before wished me Happy Birthday! in advance... It came out that he had already checked on my birthdate on the forms before my arrival.

The day 'was' special for me and despite being in a sad state of mind for the last few days, I decided to forget everything else. My elder brother was the first one to come up with a present in the form of a Mobile reload prepaid card of considerable monetary value. The younger fellow gave me a Nirala laddoo box; it was so sweet of him. Parents, as always, blessed me with their blessings and some very Blue currency notes. The celebration was as simple as it could get. However, a bigger family eat-out Birthday Iftaari is still due...

Monday, October 17, 2005

Mercy for All...

It has been quite a couple of days when the earth shattered once happy towns and villages in the north by turning them into rubble. With relief and rescue efforts in full swing, much more sad stories and accounts have to come up and be reported on National and International media. Deaths in thousands, injuries in hundreds of thousands; the toll is rising with every passing day.

The hardest part of this reality is its connection with the ultimate End. I don't want to think about it because i am not prepared for it. Whatever the reality be, may it be in the best of interest of those who believe in truth and goodness.

For the time being, I want to forget everything about what has happened after the killer quake or what is going to happen when temperature scales are going to dip below zero degrees in the region where millions are shelterless with nothing except grief and sorrow as their only belongings.

Right now, I just know that, despite being angry over our wrongdoings, our Lord is the most Merciful too. And I have always believed that this other side of Him is much stronger and much more active. Strongly believing in this I just want to say;

Oh God! I pray for thy mercy for all; for all those who belong to You and also for those who BELIEVE that You still are there to bless us...

Thursday, October 13, 2005

More Links to Help...


Here are some of more links through which you can help the victims of the worst earthquake ever to hit Pakistan:

1. Unicef
www.unicef.org.uk

2. Disasters Emergency Committee (UK)
www.dec.org.uk

3. World Food Programme
www.wfp.org

4. UNHCR
www.unhcr.ch

5. Kashmir International Relief Fund
www.kirf.org

6. Red Cross/ Red Crescent
www.icrc.org

Wednesday, October 12, 2005

Let us help them not loose hope. Help!


With more than 40,000 feared dead and 42,000 injured, people in Pakistan desparately need 'your' help.

Lives won't be the same for 3 million Pakistanis who have lost everything. Let us help them not loose hope. Come forward and donate as generously as possible.

Here are some of the many ways in which you can help the victims of this horrifying tragedy:

Insanity Works
Organized List of Relief Efforts
Pak Quake
Edhi Foundation International Offices
Pakistan Red Crecent (Hilal-e-Ahmar)
South Asia Quake-Help Blog
Oxfam UK
Islamic Relief

Tuesday, October 11, 2005

The Young and the Dead


- A father unable to speak, unable to cry, carrying body of a nearly 4-year boy in his trembling arms.

- A teenage boy crying of pain as rescuers try to break concrete that has sandwiched his lower body.

- A 9 year old boy in a school uniform, weeping without being able to speak anything except shouting; "My brother's in there, my brother's 'still' in there."

- A mother looks at the dead cold face of her young son and is not able to look back; starts screaming and breaks down with shock.

All of the above are some of the many scenes that have been terrifing the people of my country in the aftermath of the 7.6 scale earth-shake. The devastation caused by Saturday's earthquake has been so enormous that even I felt my eyes being unusually wet while watching the video footage on T.V.

The victims of Pakistan's worst natural calamity include more than 40,000 dead and nearly 50,000 injured. It's heart-shattering to know about 300 school children burried under debris of a Balakot primary school in one bulletin followed by another announcement declaring 1,500 boys missing in another college building collapse in Bagh.

I still remember when I was in London as Turkey mourned over thousands dead in an earthquake back in 1999. It was so terrifying to see the destruction, that I thanked GOD for saving me and my people of the calamity that had been the cause of so many human deaths.

Never, ever could have I imagined that the same could happen right here in Pakistan. The shattered buildings, perishing dead, heart-thumping crys, motionless hands, thirstless lips, empty faces and those rock-dry eyes are signs of what happens when GOD sends warnings to those who have lost His path. But, then I look at the innocent children who have been the main victims, and who were too young to do any wrong deeds. I end up giving up in the will of GOD, as we believe whatever He does, does it right.

May GOD bless all who have suffered from this tragedy including those who have lost their family, friends or loved ones and those of us, who He saved by a slight geographical difference.

Monday, October 10, 2005

The razed World!

The Day that shook us!

It is not that much easy to make me awake early in the morning, especillay on a lazy Saturday. It was proved wrong this Saturday when a shockingly jolty Earthquake struck Lahore. As I started hearing windows rattling, I could only imagine heavy downpour that may have marked the arrival of winter. But then, it was like someone shaking me fiercely. This made me sit up on my bed. As I tried to remove the sleepy curtain off my eyes, to my utter horror, I found my elder brother standing under a door panel. It, then, came to my conscious that I was sitting on my bed when the whole house was shaking like I have never seen before. Immediatley, after gaining full senses I rushed to another panel while shouting to get my little brother awake.

The horrific quake lasted for an unusual 2+ minutes as it continued to scare the hell out of us. The shaking walls made the chandelier in our TV- lounge swing as if it was going to come down any moment. The rattling sound made by windows was making the scene even more terrifying.

To make it worse another wave, though of lighter intensity, followed the first one just after five minutes. Later, we came to know that parts of Northern Pakistan were struck with the strongest earthquake in Pakistan's history at 8:55 AM Saturday morning. The shaky phenomenon continued for a good two-three minutes.

The earthquake panicked people in at least 14 major Pakistani cities including the capital; Islamabad, its twin city Rawalpindi, Lahore, Peshawar, Faisalabad, Sialkot. However, the worst struck were the parts of Northern Pakistan including Azad Kashmir where thousands are feared dead.

Wednesday, October 05, 2005

Handling "5", Five...

my buddy Atif tagged me for the first time to do this:

5 years ago:

First of all I was 5 years younger than what I am today. I was in my teens and loved to read Young Times. The most favorite topics of discussion among friends included talks about parents' restrictions on poor teens, the newly discovered idea of privacy, ways to increase our pocket money, and about just how to prepare for the next test at the Academy...

As studies were getting serious in the 9th grade, I was made to join a strict academy for after-school coaching. Now, I wonder I really didn't need that coz it really didn't make me an Einstein afterall.

1 year ago:

To my parents' delight, I was peforming great in studies. This came just after I didn't get the first position in Lahore Intermediate Board. The reason, which they still donot believe in, was simple; I simply wasn't interested in Engineering.

Despite getting admission into one of the most prestigious Engineering Universities in Pakistan (i.e. NUST), I had decided to switch my field of studies for good. And that's why my parents are proud of my performance as an under-training Marketing Manager with multiple scholarships achieved to date.

5 Songs which I know all the words to:

- Tere Bina Dil Naa Lagay - Faakhir
- My Heart Will Go - Celine Dion
- Kahani Mohabbat Ki - Strings
- Najanay Kyun - Strings
- Woh Lamhey- Atif Aslam

Don't laugh at me, but seriously, I really cannot remember any of those lyrics for long.

5 snacks I enjoy:

- Mc Chicken with Cheese
- Zinger by KFC
- Nando's Flame Grilled Chicken & Chiken Burger
- Coke n' Fries (I just love having them together)
- Stuffed Chicken Breast with Pineapple sauce

5 Things I’d like to do with 100$ million:

- Building myself a huge mansion in the center of my own golf course
- Constructing an underground mass-transit for Lahore
- Saving some of it for my days at Stanford or Oxford
- Buying my mom a brand new Beetle & gifting my Dad a gracious BMW
- Investing for future

and I really don't wanna say it but as a formality;I would save some for the rainy day.

Did I exceed my balance limits?

5 places I would run away to:

- my home & my farm house(when I'll have one)
- the paradise; without any accountability for my sins
- Malaysia
- Bath, UK
- Lake Saif-al-Maluk, Northern Areas, Pakistan

5 thing I would never wear:

- Bracelets
- Glasses
- Braces
- A greedy smile (like that Grinch's)
- any Girly stuff .

5 Favourite TV shows:

- Megastructures
- Fear Factor
- Oprah Winfrey Show
- Des Pardes
- Any documentary on Pakistan by a foreign film-maker/traveller

5 Greatest joys:

- Getting appreciated by Parents and Friends
- Getting scholarship in each semester
- Buying a new mobile phone
- Going for Umrah and visiting the UK next year
- Elimination of all grievances in the World
plus one more
- The ultimate discovery of my own self

5 favorite toys:

- My Burago Beetle
- My Lego Service Station
- My age-old, battery-operated Jumbo Jet
- My brother's PS2
- My huge collection of miniature models of Automobiles; "Dinkies"

5 people I am tagging: Yasir, Brea, AsianSmiles, Amna, Ayesha

Monday, October 03, 2005

Bakra Baychara! (Poor Goat!)


Can you imagine yourself standing like this bakra (goat) in front of a crowd in hundreds!

The image was captured by me at a local festival...

Friday, September 30, 2005

Let the Fun begin...

We are all set for the Wall's Fun Carnival coming up tomorrow. I, alongwith many of my fellows, am working as a paid volunteer there. Today was our orientation and we are looking for some seroius fun tomorrow!


The Venue at Fortress Stadium, Lahore


We'll be having great Ice Creamy Fun!

Here's where you will find me selling the tickets wearing a Wall's T-shirt

Thursday, September 29, 2005

Chirpy immigrants to Pakistan decreasing...

Millions of migratory birds head towards Pakistan from Europe and Central Asian to escape winter, said wildlife experts. However, they warned that the number of migratory birds, and local birds, found in the city and surrounding areas had decreased because of tree cutting, pollution and massive constructions.

Experts said that every year birds from Europe and Central Asian states came to the Pakistani wetlands for winter. They said that migratory birds flew over Karakorum, Suleiman Ranges and Hindukush along the Indus River, adding that the route was famously known as flyway 4 because of the number of birds using it (there are seven flyways worldwide). They said the route was commonly called the Indus flyway.

Migratory birds start reaching Pakistan as winter approaches and keep migrating from September to February and fly back in March, said the experts. They said that an important reason for birds migrating to other regions was food, saying that it was not available in indigenous habitats during winter. They added that other factors included temperature changes and reduced hours of daylight.

However, the experts said the loss of natural habitat was a major reason for the decrease in migratory birds visiting Pakistan. They said that a 70 percent decline had been observed in the migratory birds’ population in Punjab in recent years. They added that a number of bird species had vanished from Lahore and adjacent areas because of tree cutting, pollution and dust. They said, “Birds like parrots, magpies, drongoes, pigeons and doves can rarely be seen in Lahore or surrounding areas.”

The excessive plantation of decorative and ornamental plants has damaged the natural habitat of bird because they cannot find food on ornamental plants, said the experts. They said that trees such as acacia, sisso, mulberry and poplar, on which birds feed, were cut down in large numbers and made native birds’ lives difficult.

An article by Shoaib Ahmed

Wednesday, September 28, 2005

Ringtones worth billions!

Mobile phone users in the UK will be spending $1.3 bn on downloading ringtones, music, games and other content to their handsets this year, as expected by market analysts Mintel. Mintel says, it will be an 18-fold increase on the amount spent on dowloads in 2002.


The total number of mobile download sales is expected to reach 760 million this year, from just 30 million in 2002.

Come on people! there are much more productive uses of those slick gadgets in your hands. Just imagine, if that amount could have been donated to AIDS victims in countries like Zambia using the same SMS technology...

Tuesday, September 27, 2005

the yester-problem with the Blogger...

I tried logging on to the Blogger network yesterday, but, I wasn't able to.

We all know connections are not that much reliable here in Pakistan. However, I'm sure quite many of you sitting anywhere else experienced the same problem...

Friday, September 23, 2005

G.T road tey baraikaan lagiyan...


Traffic was bumper-to-bumper as a million people were warned to leave the US Gulf Coast ahead of Hurricane Rita’s arrival.

Alright alright, It's not funny but I just cannot help singing the song whenever I see traffic jams...

Photo courtesy of BBC World News

Thursday, September 22, 2005

You got to be a victim to travel by air for free...

I had much more to say that's why I decided to add another post rather than extending the previous one...

All these NGOs have been collecting donations from all over the world in the name of protecting and fighting for women like Ms. Mai in Pakistan. There is nothing bad in that.

BUT, right here, we can see what kind of luxuries have become afordable to those who have been the victims of such horrific incidents.

For example, Ms. Mai is seen quite often travelling by air from Multan to Islamabad along with her brother. Is this mandatory for a rape victim to travel by air by spending Rs. 3,000 to Rs. 4000 for a return ticket in a country where 35% of the whole population lives below poverty line.

Would not those who don't have a dollar to earn a day get tempted?

And why don't those who are financing these luxuries spend the same amount of money on patients who cannot afford hospital fees?

the global exploitation of women...

After what have been happening around here for the past few years, Pakistan is now surely seen a place where women are treated as commodities.

I'm talking about some of those high-profile rape cases including that of Mukhtar Mai, Dr.Shazia, & Sonia Naz etc. There is no doubt about the exploitation of women all over the world whether it is in the East or in the West. Pakistan is surely not an exception.

Can you imagine that the only state of New York may have a lot more cases of rape reported than those taking place in the whole of Pakistan in a particular year.

As far as President Musharaf's remarks about the current situation in his own country are concerned, whether what he says is true or false, it does not suit head of a state to talk about his own countrymen in front of the International media like this.

The exploitation is there, not only in Pakistan, rather, all over the world. And only strict implemetation of Law can ensure eradication of such evils from our societies.

There have been very very few occasions when I have agreed with or supported President Musharaf, but, at his point of investigating those NGOs that have been using such incidents to raise their profile or to gain personal gains causing damage to Pakistan's image internationally, I strongly support him.

Wednesday, September 21, 2005

The art of doing nothing...

Believe me it really isn't an easy thing to do...

Doing nothing is an art and for those who can practice it are one of the luckiest persons.

It will not be wrong to say that there is not a single moment when you are not doing anything. Even when you are physically at rest, your mind is at work. I can imagine myself sitting on a comfortable rocking chair, my eyes closed, still, my head is aching due to the 100 km/hr speed of thought processes running in my mind.

Same is the case when you're asleep, as you are in an act of sleeping.

In my opinion, only death can take you to the stage where you have nothing to do, nothing to think or dream about.

And, obviously, those who can rest by being in an act of doing nothing have nothing to worry about; lucky people.

Monday, September 19, 2005

the one dinner party!

After a very boring Sunday, I was more than ready for an evening out.

It was great to hear that we already were invited to a party at a society get-together.
We were there well before the hosts arrived.

It was the best place to have a open-air party these days. The weather was perfect with a little breeze brushing faces. The aura was even more than perfect with the live Violen and Tabla duo jingling the oldie melodies.

The food was delicious as it always is and the party went really well!

I depserately needed that just before starting another hectic semester at my University...

Saturday, September 17, 2005

Most Effective Theories of Conflict Prevention:

The Golden Arches Theory of Conflict Prevention

Countries with McDonald's branches don't go to war with one another. ( Held true until the1999 U.S. bombing of Belgrade)

The Dell Theory of Conflict Prevention

Countries that are part of the Dell supply chain don't go to war with one another. (Still holds true)

Friedmanese-English Dictionary; phrases used by Tom Friedman in his writings and speeches.

Tom Friedman is the one man that charms the world's most influential people. His twice-weekly columns in the New York Times and the four books written by him are equally lauded by the politicians, bureaucrats, capitalists, CEOs, the gurus of globalization, celebrities, royalties and elites from the world over... So much so that even Queen Rania of Jordan likes to share her fries with him at socialite parties.

His latest book, The World Is Flat got published this April and still is near the top of bestseller list.

Wednesday, September 14, 2005

the joys of my first job...

Guess what, I am sitting at my first job ever and I still have been able to write this post.

It would surely sound strange that I am on a three-day internship. This job, although, not required by my course, is teaching me a lot. And, yes, I am not getting paid for tick-ticking this keyboad only for three days.

I'm sure, this experience would add another bunch of skills to my career as I am learning a lot new things by working in a professional Marketing company for the first time.

Monday, September 12, 2005

Mickey goes Cantonese...


Disney has opened a new $1.8bn (£1bn) theme park in Hong Kong, the firm's biggest foray into the Chinese market.

Hong Kong Disneyland, based on Lantau Island, is expected to attract more than five-and-a-half million visitors in its first year.

The project is 57% owned by the Hong Kong government, and is expected to generate $19bn over the next 40 years.

Characters such as Alice in Wonderland sing and speak in Cantonese, while Chinese food is sold around the park.

The theme park was opened by Chinese Vice-President Zeng Qinghong and other guests included Hong Kong's chief executive Donald Tsang and Disney boss Michael Eisner.

Guests watched a traditional Chinese lion dance performed in front of an enormous fairytale-style castle.

Disney hopes the park will tap into Hong Kong's appeal to newly-wealthy mainland Chinese and their children as a shopping and leisure centre.

Source: BBC NEWS

Sunday, September 11, 2005

the more civilized world...

"Not a single tourist caught in the tsunami was mugged. Now with all this happening in the United States we can easily see where the civilized part of the world's population is."

Sajeewa Chinthaka, a 36-year-old Sri Lankan man, on the looting and crime in New Orleans after the hurrincane.

PERSPECTIVES, Newsweek
September 12, 2005

Friday, September 09, 2005

the windy & wetty change...

It rained quite heartily today, and this makes the summer say bye bye.
After all, it's September, and the change should start atleast when half of the month has already passed...

I really enjoyed the weather today. The most fun part was when me and my little brother both sat down on our garden chairs right in the middle of the garden with all the rain water wetting us all over...

The weather forecast predicts more rains in the next few days, so gear up for the real wetty and windy Lahore!

Thursday, September 08, 2005

The moment of celebration...

Hurray!

I just got result for my 6th semester today. And to my great pleasure, I scored a whole 4 GPA in this semester...

This came along with A+s in all of the five subjects:

1. Marketing Research A+
2. Selling and Sales Force Management A+
3. System Implementation & Design A+
4. E-Commerce A+
5. Introduction to Philosophy A+

Now, sounding more like an actor getting Oscar for the Best Actor category; I want to thank GOD, my family, my friends and to all those who helped me and prayed for my success...

It's time to celebrate. I just want to forget everything else and just rock n roll!

Wednesday, September 07, 2005

The Result Panic

For the past few days there have been rumors about our semester result being out...
However, I'm quite sure about it as I confirmed it from my University.

Although, all the exams went perfectly smooth and I am really expecting to perform very well, still, there is a hidden fear of anticipation and a little panic in my head and heart...

Hope everything goes as fine as smooth white yougurt...

Tuesday, September 06, 2005

I love Jerry the MOuse!


I think Jerry's one of the most adorable and cutest cartoon fellows around us... I just can't stop loving the Tom and Jerry show!

Monday, September 05, 2005

When a Tooth aches...

I have already had enough of toothaches and dentist visits as my jaw was deprived of 4 and a half precious teeth in dental treatment about 6 years back...

It was just yesterday when I started feeling that another one was unnecessarily being sensitive to ultra chills of Ice Creams and cold-drinks.

No No No No. Not Again. I'm not going to tolerate this strange behavior of that ultra smart whitish guy sitting in my mouth.

Still, I am quite concerned about the matter as those of you who already had some kind of tooth treatment would strongly agree with me that a visit to dentist is the scariest of all...

God bless my teeth!

Sunday, September 04, 2005

Fun Facts About Virgo

With an acute attention to detail, the Virgo is the sign in the zodiac most dedicated to serving. Their deep sense of the humane leads them to caregiving like no other, while their methodical approach to life ensures that nothing is missed. The Virgo is often gentle and delicate, preferring to step back and analyze before moving ahead.

Friends and Family

A Virgo is a helpful friend to have indeed. They are excellent at giving advice, and they really know how to problem solve. You'll find that a Virgo will remind you to take good care of yourself, as health is a focal point for them. And when the meal is done, they'll be the first to jump up and start the dishes. Loving and dedicated to family, the Virgo is also first on the scene when care is needed. When someone reaches old age or is ill, the Virgo will be there doing all that is needed. The Virgo is not known for showing their feelings. They prefer to show through deed than by word.

Career and Money

"I analyze" is the key phrase for the Virgo personality, while "practicality" is the keyword. Industrious, discriminating, and scientific by nature, the Virgo really knows how to get to the heart of the matter. They are exceptionally methodical and do well in jobs that require organization. If there's anything out of order, set a Virgo to the task!

When focused on a task, the Virgo will push themselves to perfection, leaving no stone unturned. They are exacting and take great pride in a job done to the absolute best of their ability. When they feel their talent falls short, they'll turn to the books to learn whatever they need to improve. Careers suited to this sign include being a doctor, nurse, psychologist, teacher, writer, and critic.

Virgos are excellent with their money. They generally keep a strict grasp on what they spend, and strive to put away as much money as they can. They plan well in advance for expenditures, and when it comes to shopping, they aren't apt to overspend. Every now and then the Virgo can be seen buying themselves something of beauty, though. They love the arts and enjoy decorating their homes with taste.

Love

It's important for the Virgo lover to feel needed by their mates. Tactile, methodical and willing to take as long as is needed, they make excellent lovers. Virgos prefer to have a few strong connections rather than many partners. Life partners are chosen based on how important and needed the Virgo feels they are in their lives.

VIRGO TIDBITS

Virgo Birthdays
August 22 - September 22

Health
Each sign has a part of the anatomy attached to it, making this the area of the body most sensitive to stimulation. The anatomical areas for Virgo are the intestines, liver, pancreas, gall bladder, lower plexus, and the upper bowel.

Ruling Planet
The ruling planet for Virgo is Mercury. Representing intellectual urge and the avenue of expression, this planet rules reason, rationalization, words, awareness and communication. Its action is quick and it also deals with travel, speaking, writing, trade, and emotional capacity and technique.

Colors
The colors of choice for Virgo are green and dark brown.

Gemstone
Virgo's star stone is the sardonyx - the reddish brown variety.

Lucky Numbers
Virgo's lucky numbers are 2, 5, and 7.

Compatibility
Virgos are most compatible with Capricorn and Taurus.

Opposite Sign
The opposite sign for Virgo is Pisces.

The Perfect Gift
The best gifts for a Virgo are health-related items.

Likes
Animals, beauty, eating healthy, orderliness.

Dislikes
Sloppiness, squalor, being wrong, chaos.

Famous Virgos
Stephen King, Charlie Sheen, Mother Teresa, Sophia Loren, and Mickey Mouse

An Article from MSN Astrology

Friday, September 02, 2005

The Half-Blood Prince got finished...



I've finished the Half-Blood Prince...

Not in sense of killing someone, rather, I'm talking about J.K Rowling's latest "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince"...

I enjoyed reading this piece of Magical fantasy set in the wonderful world of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry. The book had its own chills and thrills that were much more meaningful and acceptable than the previous versions.

Although, I still consider the fourth installment as the best, still, "The Half-Blood Prince" was almost of the same calibre.

The characters including that of Harry's and his friends' have become more mature as they talk about "strange feelings" for those who they love, but, cannot confess or accept.

One of the main character of the whole series dies out in this part; yes, another one who's very close to Harry.

The last three to four chapters are the most dramatic that shape the ultimate end of the story and make you look forward to the last part much more eagerly...

One big happening: Harry falls for Ginny Weasley...

I'm not going to reveal any more of the story, which, you would have to find out by reading it yourself. However, for all the Harry Potter fans, who think that the "Order of the Phoenix" was no good and who still haven't read "The Half-Blood Prince", I would assure that this one is surely going to make you love Harry Potter much more.

Thursday, September 01, 2005

"My neighbourhood is under water.

There are corpses all over the city. The stores are being looted.
All residents of New Orleans are now refugees.

Now I have a taste of what people in war ravaged countries go through.
Please pray for us. My future is murky.

My children cannot grasp the scope of this catastrophe.
My friends are missing. Take me away from this madness."

IHSAN MAHDI, NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA

Wednesday, August 31, 2005

The Play Place fun...

Last weekend i tried something very unusual...

Although, anyone would disqualify me in terms of my age and height (not to mention my weight) to allow me into those McDonald's play places, however, on my li'al brother and smaller cousins' insisting, I hopped into the plastic Play Place at one of the McDonald's in my town.

When I came out, I was amazed to find the structure standing perfectly upright; it withstood my weight... Those who know me wont believe me though!

I bet you wont have tried it since you turned 14...

You and your Boss...

When you take a long time, you're slow.
When your boss takes a long time, he's thorough.

When you apply for leave, you must be going for an interview.
When your boss applies for leave, it's because he's overworked.

When you don't do it, you're lazy.
When your boss doesn't do it, he's too busy.

When you're on a day off sick, you're always sick.
When your boss is on a day off sick, he must be very ill.

When you make a mistake, you're an idiot.
When your boss makes a mistake, he's only human.

When doing something without being told, you're overstepping your authority.
When your boss does the same thing, that's initiative.

When you take a stand, you're being bull-headed.
When your boss does it, he's being firm.

When you overlooked the rules of etiquette, you're being rude.
When your boss skips a few rules, he's being original.

When you please your boss, you're brown-nosing.
When your boss pleases his boss, he's being co-operative.

When you're out of the office, you're wandering around.
When your boss is out of the office, he's on business.

Tuesday, August 30, 2005

The Saints get their stadium thrashed...

The sturdy stadium, designed to withstand 200mph 320kph winds, suffered from the elements even as people sheltered inside, wind and rain ripped protective tiles from the roof.

Superdome stadium, the home of the NFL's New Orleans Saints and now a makeshift shelter housed thousands spending the nights under the 77,000-seat stadium as Katrina knocked out power and submerged part of the low-lying city in up to 6ft (2m) of rising water. .

Part of the roof of the stadium was also torn apart by the catstrophic storm.

News Correspondents in the city say walls of water have been running down the skyscrapers like waterfalls. Palm trees have been felled, shops wrecked and cars hurled across streets strewn with shattered glass.

A miser's wife...

There was a man who had worked all of his life, had saved all of his money, and was a real miser when it came to his money. Just before he died, he said to his wife, "When I die, I want you to take all my money and put it in the casket with me. I want to take my money to the afterlife with me."

And so he got his wife to promise him with all of her heart that when he died, she would put all of the money in the casket with him.

Well, he died. He was stretched out in the casket, his wife was sitting there in black, and her friend was sitting next to her. When they finished the ceremony, just before the undertakers got ready to close the casket, the wife said, "Wait just a minute!"

She had a box with her; she came over with the box and put it in the casket. Then the undertakers locked the casket down, and they rolled it away.

So her friend said, "Girl, I know you weren't fool enough to put all that money in there with your husband." The loyal wife replied, "Listen, I'm an honest loyal wife, I can't go back on my word. I promised him that I was going to put that money in that casket with him." "You mean to tell me you put that money in the casket with him!!!!?" "I sure did," said the wife. "I got it all together, put it into my account and wrote him a check. If he can cash it, he can spend it."

Monday, August 29, 2005

Getting started of Potter...

Atlast, after a delay caused by my semester finals, I have just started the latest book in the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince...

Many of my fellows have finished it in a day or two, however, i will try to enjoy reading it through a span of a week or so...

I'm not a die-hard Potter fan, however, I really fancy the fascinating world of the non-Muggles created by Ms. Rowling. On the other hand, I have some serious reservations regarding stupid sort of behavior of some of the characters of this world and a few baseless situations in which the characters are sometimes put into.

Still, I hope to enjoy this read and i can still guess what's going to be the end of this latest installment.

A drowned paradise...


A firefighter crosses a flooded street in the Swiss capital, Berne, after heavy rains paralyse many areas of the country.

Picture coutesy of BBC News

Saturday, August 27, 2005

Standards of Living...


You always talk about poor standards of living of millions of human beings all across the world.

Nobody does even care about these poor chickens!

Friday, August 26, 2005

Finally, It's Over...

After a hectic one-week full of reading, cramming, screeming, phoning, early wakeups, headaches, toothaches and sleepless nights; at last, it's over and I'm free.

I just went through my 6th semester's final papers and hope to do well too, Inshallah.

There are a lot of pending tasks to be done including clearing the mess of rough pages, notes, books and notebooks plus rearrangment of my own cupboard and wardrobe...But, for now, I just want to chill and rest.

After all, you donot get semester breaks very often.

And does not everybody need a break!

Tuesday, August 23, 2005

The soothing shades of green...


The canal is to Lahore just as the Thames is to London, although not in sense of its commercial importance. It is the most beautiful piece of nature that runs all through Lahore...

When the sun blazes down on the Earth and as you travel home after a hectic day, the shades of trees kneeling over the canal water give your eyes a very soothing effect...

Friday, August 19, 2005

A Tribute: My moments with the Eggs (Anday)...

In the morning they help you fill your all-night hungry tummies; in the afternoon, when you have egg-fried rice at a Chinese restaurant for a business lunch, you dont think about them... The cycle continues as you shop for more in the evening and put them in a chilling magical casket named Fridge....

How can we be so selfish and not think about this tasty-yummy-humble-dead-but-alive thingy named "An Egg".

O Egg! I thank you for all the hards-chills you have to face just to satisfy my selfish-always-hungry taste-buds....I salute you and admire your service to the whole of eating human kind...

Thank you so much...

Thursday, August 18, 2005

Pakistan's mystical Islam thrives

I loved this article by BBC's Karachi correspondent, Asim Butt.
Hence, I'm sharing it with you...

the link is: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/4746019.stm

Hope you will like it too...

Wednesday, August 17, 2005

Are you talking to me!


Hey you! Are you talkin to me....

Tuesday, August 16, 2005

Lahorites spent Rs.500 million on Independence Day!

According to Daily Jang, Pakistan's most circulated newspaper, Lahorites spent Rs. 500,000,000 ($ 8,300,000) on Flags, Decorations, Lightings, Badges and other "Pakistan" labelled merchandise as they lavishly & enthuastically celebrated Pakistan's 58th Independence Day on 14th of August...

Whole-sale markets in Lahore sold some 15 million Flags, 150 million small paper flag packs (Jhandian) & 20 million badges as part of the celebrations.

Lahore is the provincial capital of Punjab province and the second biggest city in Pakistan...

Monday, August 15, 2005

I'll go for "Hockey"


A House; supporter of "Hockey" candidate...

The Election Nights...


It's the scene of the skyline in small towns, cities & rural areas of Punjab these days. Elections are in full swing and upsized electric-lit Election symbols can be seen on top of the supporters' houses. When you look around while standing on your house's rooftop, the sight is pretty enjoyable...

Vote for "Paggrri" (Turban)


As the local council elections approach, campaigns are at their high... Above is a poster for a candidate named Chaudhry Ishfaq Ahmad Jiggar whose election symbol is Paggrri (Turban) that can also be seen on the upper right of the poster.

Paggrri itself is a symbol of pride and honor in rural Punjab, NWFP and Balochistan....

Caption the Ducklings...

Saturday, August 13, 2005

About all that's "Happening"...

As the National Independence Day approaches, spirits of people are at all-year high. In addition to the Independence Day buzz, local government elections have given a new kind of "nightlife" to the city...

Yesterday, I had a chance to visit the local marketplace near my house. It was unusual for this place to have this much acitiviy. I observed several Land Cruisers and Hondas painted with the election candidates' slogans and "election symbols" pass by me. There were a lot of people sitting on chairs enjoying cokes as they cheered to support their candidate. People continued to enter and exit a "tent" set up for the supporters.

On the other hand, One could see children gathered at a make-shift stall buying Pakistan flags, badges and other decorations. The melodious patriotic tunes jingling all around. "Yeh tera Pakistan hai, yeh mera Pakistan hai", "Watan ki Mitti, gawah rehna", "Jeevay Jeevay Pakistan".

Whatsoever the problems be, this occasion surely makes one feel proud to be what we are and gives an extra boost to our love for our Country...

In short, it's pretty enjoyable to go out in the evening to have a stroll and observe people cheer for their candidates and enjoy the happiness of being independent these days. It's just because we donot have much reasons to celebrate, so when such occasions come, we should enjoy them to the fullest...

Friday, August 12, 2005

Three Steps forward...


Three steps forward & One step back
What happens if it's the balance I lack

The war against no one...

Following the course of events, including the London bombings, that followed 9/11, we can predict that this "War on Terror" will not last any sooner. And we can predict a lot more innocent victims to this stupid, baseless war.

Even if this was carried out by Muslim extremeists, it's nothing unexpected. Afterall you have to pay a price for being United States' closest ally in a war that Mr Bush himself called as a crusade against the Muslims. And as long as US soldiers keep on desecrating the Holy Quran, you cannot expect Muslim extremists to remain calm.

I strongly condemn attacks on civilians, even those carried on the Israelis. But can you think of just one Palestinian or Iraqi family and the sufferings that they had to face from Israeli and American forces.

Why the lives of 55 Londoners are precious than thousands of innocent Iraqis, Afghans who died in this war without committng any offense? Can you think of the brutal act in which dozens of the same family died in bombing by the American Airforce on a wedding party in Afghanistan earlier? ....

It simply is "Tit for Tat". You stop this illegitimate War on Terror and so will the extremists stop attacks on the "Civilized" world.

Wednesday, August 10, 2005

My "Big" Problems...

My first"Big" problem is that I am "Big" in size which may cause "Big" health problems in future, only if, I donot plan "Big" exercise sessions at the "Big" jogging track near my not so "Big" house. Secondly, I also have a "Big" problem of committing "Big" mistakes that have resulted in "Big" blunders and became the "Big" cause of some "Big" heart-breaks. Still, the "Big" problem persists as I continue to like "Big" burgers, drive "Big" cars and have a "Big" passion for "Big" skyscrapers, "Big" planes and for the "Big" love that is still lying dormant in my considerably "Big" heart. My "Big" heart, itself, is in search of a "Big" tenant to occupy its "Big" empty space. Another "Big" problem with my "Big" heart is that it hardly follows the "Big" orders from my not so "Big" mind, which, still has "Big" ideas stored in its "Big" imagination. It prompts me to think "Big" and to have a "Big" desire to make it "Big" in life. And, finally, I have a "Big" wish that may I be blessed by God the "Big" who has all the "Big"ness in His "Big" qualities and Who created this word "Big" itself....

Tracks & Trails


This picture was taken by me when i was travelling on a train through Changa Manga Jungle Reserve & Resort near Lahore...

Tuesday, August 09, 2005

The Feeling of Flying Free


As the Independence Day approaches, the celebrations are gearing up. From the street vendors who sell "Pakistan" labelled merchandise to the youthfulls who are participating in the preparation for these celebrations with full zeal and zest...

Still, when I close my eyes, I can not have the feeling of flying free like this bird . I do imagine myself flying; but with my wings clipped with corruption, my claws tied with red-tape, poverty stuffed in my mouth, my beak thirsty for a drop of literacy and my chest stamped with the word "Terrorist".

Yet, I can see my destination far across the vast seas I'm currently flying over. Hope is in my eyes and my heart is filled with determination & the will to fight....

I still have got a reason to celebrate "Independence Day"...

My Favorite Jingle these days...


Roshni Ka Safar, Chahe Lamba Sahi;
Hum Ne Thaani Hai Yeh, Hum Ko Thumna Nahin

(The road to light is, although, too long;
Yet, we are determined to reach there)

Aao Sajaein Kushion Kay Melay;
Bol Kay Lub Azaad Hain Teray

(Come and Join us as we celebrate Happiness;
And speak as your voice is set free)

Jo Sapna Tumhara, Wohi Hai Hamara;
Sitaron Se Aage, Thikana Hamara

(Your dream is our dream;
Our destiny is far beyond the stars)

Telenor; Ab Chaho Kuch Barh Ke
(Telenor; Expect More)

This jingle for Telenor-Pakistan has been beautifully sung by Faakhir and I simply love the commercial...

When the drains overflow...


When the rain continues coming down for hours; this is how our city's drainage belly overflows.....

However, this may have helped many of us by giving a free car-wash to our moving machines...

Monday, August 08, 2005

Recalling my Schools...

Throughout my childhood, I've traveled and lived at different places across the country. If I remeber it right, I have been to almost nine different schools in eight different cities for my primary education...

Attending so many different schools enabled me to interact with people from diverse cultures and backgrounds. Apart from that, I had an opportunity to make many school friends...

I do miss all my schools and fellows with whom I have lost contact...

Maine Phone Kyun Kiya... (Why the hell I phoned Aishwarya?)


He better be regretting the damn phone call that he made to Aishwarya....Shouldn't he?

Suggest a Caption...


Oops! Next time, do drive carefully...

Pakistan's forehead touches the foot of heaven...


Three of the earth's mighty mountain systems - the Hindukush, the Himalayas and the Karakoram adorn Pakistan's forehead; while 40 of the world's 50 highest mountains and five of the 14 highest peaks, including 8,611 meter world's second highest K-2 or Mt. Godwin Austin, are located in Pakistan.

With an assemblage of 35 giant peaks over 7,315 meters, Pakistan's northern region is regarded as the climbers' paradise. Pakistan has more glaciers than any other land outside the poles.

The abundance of glaciers, large lakes and green valleys combine at places to produce holiday resorts, including Gilgit, Hunza and Yasin in the west and the valleys of Chitral, Dir, Kaghan and Swatin the east, where glistering silver rivulets meander through the valleys, profusely dotting them with scenic spots, thick forests of pine and junipers and a vast variety of fauna and flora and earning the reputation of being the most enchanting tourist resorts on the earth.

from an article by Alauddin Masood

I am still looking forward to an excursion to the Northern Areas; the land of breath-taking views and overwhelming natural beauty...

Sunday, August 07, 2005

It's Raining Man...

The weather, here in Lahore, has been so refreshing as it rained for a good many hours.

The rain started off nearly 4:00 in the morning and resumed again at 11:00 AM. It's been the third rain since we had the first monsoon downpour.

Today's rain has been followed by a cool breeze that had a soothing effect on all of us who have been expecting suffocation due to humidity after it. Blazing sun surely needed a break apart from relieving heat-stricken Lahorites.

It's been a pleasant change from the intense July summer.

Lahore Metblogs