A bloody 2007 comes to an end

So the year 2007 finally comes to an end. It was an year marred by extreme violence in Pakistan and by the looks of it, things are set to get worse. With horrendous incidents like May 12, July 10(Storming of Lal Masjid), October 18 and now December 27! The year also witnessed a record number of suicide bombings across the country. Taking a look at the South Asian Terrorism Portal page for violent incidents in Pakistan since 1988, it is indeed shocking to see that over 60% of the page lists incidents that occurred in 2007 alone! Sad!

Hence, keeping all the recent bloodshed in mind I wish you a safe and peaceful 2008! May we emerge a stronger, united and a fully democratic nation come December 2008. Lastly, here's a nice excerpt from a new year wish I received:

The New Year is set before us like an unwritten volume--- all its pages blank. Let us write upon each day's page things that at the end of the year we will look upon with rejoicing rather than regret. Let us look behind us with understanding, before us with faith, and around us with love. We are given a fresh start not only at the beginning of the year, but every morning when we wake up. We have the chance to start anew and make things right. Keep the books with your soul at the close of this year as it is a good preparation to start the New Year. May God help us to be kind, fair and wise in all of our affairs. May we say "I love you" with deeds of kindness and acts of caring.

Amen!

All hell breaks loose as BB is assassinated

I'm speechless.... don't know what to say really. When I heard of the attack, I wasn't really shocked since suicide attacks have now sadly become the norm in our country. It was when the news broke of her death, thats when it started to sink in. Bhutto was dead - a name revered among millions in Pakistan (especially here in Sindh). I have been critical of her in the past, but shit, this is just plain barbarism ... the height of intolerance! Do they not realize that the very existence of this great country has now been plunged into danger by this heinous act!? Who is behind the killing? What are their motives? Who is supposed to gain from all this?!

Meanwhile, all hell's breaking loose here in Karachi. Factories, hospitals, cars being burnt ... god knows how much blood will be spilled tonight. I sincerely hope you and your loved ones are somewhere safe because I know many people are still stuck outside and have been unable to reach their homes. There's just one advice for the people of Karachi right now - stay the @%$ put!!

Bakra Eid Mubaraks!

I'd like to wish everyone around a very joyous Eid and hope your qurbanis are accepted by the Almighty. I don't wanna sound rude or anything, but there seems to be an increasing trend of showing off whenever this Eid comes around. Maybe, I should just my trap shut about this but I can't help but wonder if people have so much frigging money, why don't they spend on something more useful - for the society, helping the poor et al.

Lastly, it was saddening to hear of Amin Gulgee's murder yesterday. A society bereft of artists has been robbed of its crown jewel. And then there was that train accident near Mehrabpur - again, one that happens every year or two sadly. Everywhere you look, there is death; people are dying. Echoing Dehog's call, are we doing anything about it?

Lost in Semantics

I don't usually post emails on my blog but this one too damn funny! =)

SOCIALISM: You have 2 cows and you give one to your neighbor.

COMMUNISM: You have 2 cows; the Government takes both and gives you some milk.

FASCISM: You have 2 cows; the Government takes both and sells you some milk.

NAZISM: You have 2 cows. The Government takes both and shoots you.

BUREAUCRATISM: You have 2 cows; the Government takes both, shoots one, milks the other and throws the milk away...

TRADITIONAL CAPITALISM: You have two cows. You sell one and buy a bull. Your herd multiplies, and the economy grows. You sell them and retire on the income.

AN AMERICAN CORPORATION: You have two cows. You sell one, and force the other to produce the milk of four cows. Later, you hire a consultant to analyze why the cow dropped dead.

A FRENCH CORPORATION: You have two cows. You go on strike because you want three cows.

A JAPANESE CORPORATION: You have two cows. You redesign them so they are one-tenth the size of an ordinary cow and produce twenty times the milk. You then create a clever cow cartoon image called Cowkimon and market them World-Wide.

A GERMAN CORPORATION: You have two cows. You re-engineer them so they live for 100 years, eat once a month, and milk themselves.

AN ITALIAN CORPORATION: You have two cows, but you don't know where they are. You break for lunch.

A RUSSIAN CORPORATION: You have two cows. You count them and learn you have five cows. You count them again and learn you have 42 cows. You count them again and learn you have 2 cows. You stop counting cows and open another bottle of vodka.

A SWISS CORPORATION: You have 5000 cows, none of which belong to you. You charge others for storing them.

A CHINESE CORPORATION: You have two cows. You have 300 people milking them. You claim full employment, high bovine productivity, and arrest the newsman who reported the numbers.

AN INDIAN CORPORATION: You have two cows. You worship them.

Try to understand what your boss trying to say actually

Having started working professional since May of this year, and then reading this list below, I now KNOW how valid these points really are. Read away ...

1."We will do it" means "You will do it"

2."You have done a great job" means "More work to be given to you"

3."We are working on it" means "We have not yet started working on the same"

4."Tomorrow first thing in the morning" means "It's not getting done "Atleast not tomorrow!"

5."After discussion we will decide-I am very open to views" means "I have already decided, I will tell you what to do"

6."There was a slight miscommunication" means "We had actually lied"

7."Lets call a meeting and discuss" means "I have no time now, will talk later"

8."We can always do it" means "We actually cannot do the same on time"

9."We are on the right track but there needs to be a slight extension of the deadline" means "The project is screwed up, we cannot deliver on time."

10."We had slight differences of opinion "means "We had actually fought"

11."Make a list of the work that you do and let's see how I can help you" means "Anyway you have to find a way out no help from me"

12."You should have told me earlier" means "Well even if you told me earlier that would have made hardly any difference!"

13."We need to find out the real reason" means "Well I will tell you where your fault is"

14."Well Family is important; your leave is always granted. Just ensure that the work is not affected," means, "Well you know..."

15."We are a team," means, "I am not the only one to be blamed"

16."That's actually a good question" means "I do not know anything about it"

17."All the Best" means "You are in trouble"

The World’s Most Famous Photoshop Fakes

While that might be a creative opportunity for artistic photographers and designers, for news editors, it can all be a bit of a nightmare — and for readers too when the photos skip the newspapers and land straight in your mailbox. Here are seven of the most famous photoshop fakes.

read more | digg story

Merriam-Webster Add w00t to Dictionary

Congratulations World of Warcraft addicts. Give yourselves a pat on the back, Halo-ers; you and all the other gamers and internet fans out there have collectively legitimized 1337 speak. Teachers weep, meanwhile, w00t!

read more | digg story

My Gmail goes LEET!

:)

For those who don't know what that means, read this.

Work, work

Life's been busy as hell of late at work. Been putting in long hours for something I volunteered for and now I feel shouldn't have done it :(. Kher, I had no idea it would get this bad at work but you could always count on our management to screw things up beyond repair! I'm glad I won't be here for long.

Pen Pricks

Lazim hai, hum bhi daikhain gay

An awesome piece put together by Dr. Adil Najam over at Pakistaniat.

The line that stood out for me was Quaid's affirmation:

Musalmaan ... Museebat mein ... Kabhi Ghabraya Nahi Karta!

What more can I say? God Bless Pakistan!

Sweet Revenge

Congratulations to Team Pakistan for an excellent victory today! I must admit I had given up hope after India had posted a 300+ total but what do ya know! Pak chased it! And in some fashion! All credit to the lads and a much-needed boost for a nation reeling from the effects of a brainsick ruler!

Mush has gone MAD!

There could be no other sane explanation for it. The lust for power has gone to this guy's head to the extent that he's now willing to break every freaking law and curb every possible independent voice in the country just so that he could have things HIS way. Sadly, as a result, the ignominy of a fourth Martial Law (under the cloak of 'Emergency Plus') is upon us; all news channels are off-air since Saturday and several lawyers, politicians and activists are under arrest or confined to their homes under duress.

Good thing they haven't clamped down on the Internet so far - or else we'd be doomed. I say that because I (and thousands more I'm sure) have been flocking on web sites to get the latest updates as all channels have been forcefully blacked-out. The common man, though, is deprived of this facility and hence has been left vulnerable to rumors like this that did the proverbial rounds today before it was dismissed by Mr. Pervaiz "I'll do anything to please the West" Musharraf. In his words, it was the "Joke of the Highest Order". You said it right Mush, you have indeed played a "Joke of the Highest Order" on the people of Pakistan. Congratulations!

Another day, Another bombing

Today saw yet another suicide bombing, this time targeting the airforce personnel in Sargodha. It sent a shiver down my spine as I read the breaking news on BBC Online since one of my cousins is an airforce officer and works there! Thank God he's safe and wasn't on duty at that time, but that couple of minutes of uncertainty made me realize the helplessness and fear people must face in such situations and worst yet, the unfortunate people who lose friends/family in such incidents doesn't even bear thinking about!

Pakistan is turning out to be a battlefield between pro-American and pro-Taleban forces. We are sadly paying the price for a supposed "War On Terror" whose very foundations were based on evidence conjured up by its instigators from faulty intelligence - it was more like a cloak for their ulterior motives. It is indeed sad to see some people still believe what the Bush administration says even after failures of such magnitude in the form of their needless invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan. Their hands are stained with the blood of thousands of innocent civilians in both of these countries as rightly reminded by a brave protester in this photo. They should be treated as war criminals and tried in a court of law for murdering thousands of completely innocent men, women and children.

For now, what the future holds for our country is anybody's guess. The sensitive situation is set to prevail as the military seeks to further strengthen its grip on state affairs with news once again doing the rounds of an impending declaration of emergency across the country. I hope it doesn't come to that, and let's hope we do have elections - although, again, I doubt they'll be free and fair. I can't help but think we're screwed either way! Your thoughts?

Rotund

All work and no play makes Johnny a fat boy! For sure I mean! What did ya expect?! These software jobs with their odd timings and sedentary styles are the perfect recipe to become chubby and overweight. So much for all my efforts of last year when I managed to lose no less than 7Kgs! (Seriously!) Now I would give just about anything to go back to that state :(!

'Rotund' describes me (with my considerable girth) just about perfectly. Damn you Mcdonalds, KFC, Pizza Hut, Chocolates and M&Ms!! I'll have my revenge ya'hear! Speaking of M&Ms, I know there's a packet lying in the freezer right now and I know it won't be there by tonight! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah ...

H.E.L.P!

Violence grips Karachi - AGAIN!

I woke up this morning from the plangent sound of my mobile alerting me to the receipt of a new message; who knew what calamity it was going to report. It was Teeth Maestro's message through the Twitter Karachi channel that over a 100 people had been killed in a bomb explosion near Benazir's convoy! What the #$#%$! I said to myself. If there was one thing we'd been grateful for the previous day, it was that there'd been no untoward incidents reported all day across the city. But sadly, the day ended on a bloody note - yet again.

The name Karachi must have become synonymous with violence and bloodshed for those foreign folk. No wonder they don't want to travel here, because you never know who might blow up what in pursuit of their twisted and hidden (or perhaps not so hidden) agendas. Another thing that saddens me is the sort of response from the so called "educated" people on a prominent place like Karachi MetBlogs. Just by going through the comments here and here, you could why we are the way we are. When the educated lot are truly "jaahil" by nature, when such people harbor feelings of hatred and animosity towards a fellow human being, no wonder the entire nation has become intolerant beyond recognition!

I don't know what else to say really; the death toll from last night leaves May 12 and 12 Rabbi ul Awwal calamities in the shadows. May ALLAH grant peace and patience to the dead and their families, and destroy all those connected with this heinous act and fail them in such sick and demented agenda of theirs. Amen.

Eid Mubaraks!

Ramzan whizzed by faster than ever for me this time! And here we are, once again, on the eve of that delirious day we all look forward to. Sadly, not even such a joyous occasion is riddled with controversy in this dear country of ours. The disunity is so evident! :( I'll leave the ranting to another post; for now, wishing everyone who reads this post bauhat bauhat EID MUBARAK! :)

God Bless us All - especially our country! Amen!

On the current political scene

This couldn't be more appropriate right now ....

baaziicha e atfaal hai duniyaa mere aagay
hotaa hai shaboroz tamaashaa mere aagay

Sham Democracy

I am left utterly speechless as the crème de la crème of corrupt politicians are once again joining hands to rule this dear country of ours! The sight of all those losers in National Assembly clapping and celebrating Mushy's re-election was truly sickening! I mean how freaking low can you get?! Selling your soul to the man who has America's blessings, and what about BB - who's going to pay back the billions she's looted and will loot over the next 5 years?!! What will happen to Zardari - will he be let loose to fill his pockets with state wealth YET AGAIN?! Are their previous deeds all forgotten, JUST LIKE THAT?!

No one has the right to absolve the criminals of the state - no one! Where is the Supreme Court now?! If there's any semblance of law and order left in this country, they should immediately take notice of this disgraceful ordinance and render it null and void at once!

I am simply outraged, incensed and vexed at the hypocrisy of the people who claim to be the representatives of the people of Pakistan. And don't even get me started about Mushy! He has lost what little credibility he had as a leader, as his actions have demonstrated that he'll do just about anything to stay in power - sanction the heinous acts of May 12, violate the constitution, exceed his term in office as Military Chief, hold more office than legally allowed, form alliances with known plunderers - the list goes on and on!

The stage drama of his re-election and the so-called "deal" with BB has exposed everyone and everything. Kinda ironic when you think that such looters are going to be leading the Land of the Pure!

PTCL Broadband

For someone who lives in a city suburb like me, getting the state-of-the-art facilities like DSL from ISPs is always a pain. Although DSL and Cable have been around for a couple of years in the city, no ISP had bothered to expand it to remote telephone exchanges like mine. And so my area had been starved of broadband connectivity uptill now when PTCL decided to start off their broadband operations. And you know what, within days of starting off, they had received hundred of applications! I wonder why other ISPs didn't see the wisdom in starting off in such remote and previously cut-off areas as well, since a lack of competition would have resulted to scores of people signing up for them! Anyway, I couldn't be more happier and signed up instantly for a 256kbps connection costing me Rs. 1199/month.

The service has been pretty good so far, except for a couple of days ago when the PTCL link had been damaged rendering DSL inoperable for 5-6 hours. Bearable I'd say .. but the speed's been damn good at all times. Another thing that works in my favor is the Fiber Optic line I switched to last year, finally giving up on the old copper lines, which seemed to never get rid of their noise problem. I don't know if it's mal-management or what, but the PTCL guys can't seem to keep the copper wires running devoid of noise for a week straight! Good thing I switched to fiber optic which is just wonderful ... even on dial-up!

So, all in all, I'm a happy PTCL customer - so far! :)

TV Series Galore!

For those of us still reeling from our defeat to India at the Twenty20 final, there couldn't be a better way to move on than to switch the focus to a brand new season of some awesome TV series! I'm talking about Prison Break and Heroes ladies and gentlemen! PB's third season kicked off last week (and I'm downloading it right now on my DSL!) and Heroes season two is set to start next week! So, all in all, we're in for a treat of TV Series!! wohoo ... and not before long, LOST will come back too and the tv season will be in full swing.

Naheeeen!!

Naheeeeeeeeen!! was what I cried out when Misbah lofted his cheeky flick attempt to fine leg, only to be caught by that bugger Sreesanth! It felt like an ineffable thump in my chest! What a pulsating game! and what heartbreak at the end! :( Full credit to Misbah though for making a game out of nothing, when the team once again choked when it mattered the most ... but it was Misbah who single-handedly won us the game ... almost!

Losing to India is doubly painful ... but I guess I'll get over it slowly!

Image courtesy Cricinfo.com.

Congrats Team Pakistan!

I write this post having just witnessed the Pakistani side overcome New Zealand in Cape Town - with relative ease I must say, even though Pakistan lost some wickets and it seemingly became tight in the end, but with so many wickets in hand you expect a team to win ... so Congratulations to all for a job well done!

It is a pleasant surprise to see our side playing so well after the much-vaunted debacle at the ODI World Cup earlier this year. It's been like a breath of fresh air in times when Pakistani sports are possibly at their lowest ebb. Hockey's going down the drain; Squash looks far from its glorious past, and there aren't any others we're real good at ... so cherish the moment while they last I say! It's gonna be one heck of a final for sure! And I hope we win ... It would be welcome distraction from all the violence and political turmoil the people of this country have had to live with over the past few weeks. With all the doom and gloom elsewhere, I'm sure a victory on Monday would go a long way in raising our spirits as a nation.

Go Team Pakistan! Make us Proud!

Dr. Pervez Hoodbhoy's keynote at NED Convention 2007

An excellent keynote delivered by Dr. Pervez Hoodbhoy at the recently held NED Alumni Convention in Silicon Valley. He talks about the power of ideas and how our universities need to be the center of ideas. He also talks about how simply allocating millions of rupees to the HEC budget isnt going to bring about a change in the country. You'll be astonished to hear some of the examples he gave of the misuse of such valuable funding. Like I said, a MUST Listen!

5 Myths About Terrorism

Six years after 9/11, all too many Americans still have only a vague idea of what does -- and doesn't -- motivate terrorists. It doesn't help that many politicians exploit the anxiety that terrorism evokes to promote their own agendas.

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StumbleUpon

This site is for those *free* moments you get at work or home when you got nothing important to do except surf around the web. Well, there couldn't be a more excellent alternative to installing the StumbleUpon toolbar. All you gotta do is sign-up on their site and choose your Interests (more like the kind of sites you'd love to visit in free time) - popular choices include online games, quizzes, optical illusions and the like.

Once installed, it sits nicely there below the address bar and once you're free, you click on the "Stumble" button to start stumbling and visiting random and cool sites in the process :). I've found some great sites using this service and I recommend you try it out!

Happy Surfing!

Peter answers...

We've had this prank going on at work today about PeterAnswers.com. If you haven't seen it yet, then you need to cuz it's great fun and an ideal way to play a prank on friends/family etc. All you gotta do is visit the site where you'll be presented with a petition and a question field. Try going through it normally the first time just to familiarize yourself with the site. Note the colon ":" at the end of each of these queries. This is essential because without it, you will not be able to proceed to the question box. Once you type the phrase and enter the colon your cursor will automatically be in the question box. You can ask any question you like, but you must end it with a question mark "?".

Now, how to pull the prank:

1. Gather a friend or two and sit at the computer. You must be the one typing in order for the prank to work. :)
   
2. Have someone else think of a question. You need to know the question before you type anything.
3. Type a period "." in the "Insert Petition" box. You'll notice that the letter "P" will appear instead of a period.
4. Type in the answer to the question. As you type each letter or number of the answer, the screen will display one more letter of the phrase, "Peter, please answer the following question:" This means no one will know that you're typing the answer to the question, because it looks like you're typing, "Peter, please answer the following question:".
5. Type another period "." when you're done entering the answer. When you type another period, the next letter of the petition phrase ("Peter, please answer the following question:") will appear.
6. Complete the petition phrase. Once you've typed the second period, the actual letters you type will show up on the screen. Now, just finish the phrase, being sure to end it with the colon.
7. Type in the question. Just as above, the cursor will jump to the question box as soon as you enter the colon. Type the question that was asked, and end it with a question mark. Peter will think for a second and then display the answer that you typed.
8. Watch your friends freak out as they see the answer right! If your friends don't know that you typed in the answer, they will be flabbergasted! :). You can probably keep them amazed for quite a while as long as they don't start paying close attention to what your fingers are actually typing ... heh :)

Have fun! ;)

Choosing a career path

I have always been a strong advocate of choosing a profession based on one's interest rather than some market-condition or financial basis. I know this may not be particularly easy, especially for someone living in Pakistan, but I, for one, can't imagine how people can decide to study something or become someone they never *really* wanted to! To me that is totally absurd!

Take my case, I have always been fond of Computers - Computer Sciences in particular. I was fortunate enough to pursue a degree based on my interest rather than on some shabby market condition. I was always going to become a Computer Engineer no matter what. And for all those who thought the market had been saturated of Computer Engineers and there were going to be no more jobs available for a while - I would just like to say that instead of using your short-sighted thinking and going after the market, why not concentrate on getting a professional degree of your liking and working hard to be the best in it. It is only through love and passion for your interests that you will be able to go the extra mile and contribute to its advancement. Alhamdulillah today, there are plenty of job opportunities available for software and system engineers in Karachi and the rest of the country.

Someone forwarded me the following link some time ago, and I'd like to share it seeing that we're talking about CS. It's a nice little article on the several attainable degrees in the Computer Sciences discipline. Check it out to figure out the nuances of each of those degrees:
http://compsci.ca/blog/6-degrees-of-computer-science/

Also, what ticks me off a lot is the lack of research aptitude in today's students. Nobody likes to work independently and pursue a specialization - at least in the several engineering fields that I know of. That may well be because of household pressures etc. but how can you expect a country to prosper when there are little or no specialized people being produced every year! Just compare our research publications with those of other countries and you'll know why we are where we are - staring at the abyss.

Power sharing or Power saving?

It seems Mushy is bent on keeping the President's chair for as long as humanly possible - and for that, he's now performed the cardinal sin of negotiating with those who he once vowed to stop getting back in power! Such a true reflection of politics in this country, where you go back on your word at your convenience!

I wonder how long will the "people" bear such madness in the name of ruling. It is a nation we're talking about here, and yet all these freaking idiots care about is getting back into power and serving their assumed Gods and Goddesses sitting all the way across the Atlantic! How shallow can you get really!

I've said it a million times, no sane person would ever want those two jack**** to return to power but since when did the government did what its people wanted? It seems we're destined for another stint of looting and plundering in the name of restoration of democracy. The only way those two could stay out of power is when the Supreme Court rules against them too. Surely there's enough evidence around to convict those two of their misdeeds while they were in power. Here's hoping something of that sort materializes.

Funny Connecticut Sign

:)

To see or not to see...

There is an ongoing debate these days over Shoaib Mansoor's film Khuda Kay Liyay. There's already a Fatwa out doing the proverbial rounds on the net discouraging people from watching the film - but I, for one, intend to see it and form my own opinion of it rather than take their word for it. I won't be surprised if the mullahs have taken the insults out of context - just like they started parading these fatwas against that Apple product that resembled the cube and that the mullahs mistook for a look-alike of Ka'aba. Nut bags!

Watch the trailer here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAoTD072n04

Pakistan on National Geographic

September’s national geographic magazine features an article by Don Belt, titled “Struggle for the soul of Pakistan”. It’s available online at:
http://www7.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0709/pakistan/pakistan.html

Worth a read. Do check it out.

I STILL love Pakistan

In response to BuzzVines' Still Love Pakistan Campaign

I STILL love Pakistan because it's my identity. No matter where I go, I will ALWAYS be recognized as a Pakistani - and am damn proud of it. Sure the people who've ruled my country have left no stone unturned in ruining and looting it for their personal gain but that does not change what Pakistan stands for, WHY we fought for it and what personal sacrifices it took to achieve it - that will always remain the same. And that is why I'll always love Pakistan.

Happy Birthday to me!

23 years of loitering, ignorance and hypocrisy ... and its set to continue ! =)

Rock on razzman! :P

Oh and special thanks to all those who wished on this momentous day ... especially my office buddies! Thanks guys !

Of Energy and Motivation

While having a discussion on our way back from work on Friday night, a co-worker talked about how there are two types of motivation that drive us: Intrinsic and Extrinsic. Intrinsic motivation is from within, when one forces oneself to achieve something absolutely necessary, for instance, in order to make ends meet. And then there is extrinsic motivation; such motivation is dependent on external things such as getting money, promotion or praise from superiors.

Anyhow, what I've always wondered is how people manage to muster the motivation and energy to engage in so many activities that they have little time left for themselves at the end of the day. Through the course of University and Work, I've seen people who besides studying/working also undertake tutoring at tuition centers or at homes or perform some other tasks besides working leaving me wondering how on earth do they find the energy to do this all week in week out?! I must be a lazy bum by their standards as I can't even manage to drag myself to the gym every now and then! :(

A cousin of mine, an exercise freak I must add, will have my head when he finds out I haven't been to the fitness center in 3 weeks! (having taken a 6-month membership!) :P Nevermind that, the question is how to find the motivation required to get so much done?! A mondo cool physique ? An impressed girl ? Nah ... I guess I'll have to keep looking for something better to increase my infinitesimal levels of motivation. Got any ideas ?

Haye Accounting

My latest job requires me to get acquainted with Accounting and its principles leading up to some advanced concepts too. Now for someone who has an engineering background, this is no easy task I tell you! In fact, the first few sessions were so boring, I almost fell asleep! :P … Thankfully, now I have started getting the hang of it a bit as some bull has made its way in me head if you know what I’m saying! :)

Two cheers for Accrual-based accounting apparently, it follows the US GAAP principle where as cash-based does not. Something to do with realizing revenue at the proper time. The real mind-boggling stuff for any accounting newbie is to learn when certain types of accounts are debited and when they are credited. Couldn't they just make one freaking rule for everything?! I guess not! Asset and expense accounts, apparently, are debited on increase and credited on decrease whereas liability, equity and revenue accounts are credited on increase and debited on decrease! You see my predicament? Now we talk of acquisitions and depreciations like it’s our jargon … uff … still needs some getting used to. More on it later.

What the hell is going on ?

Three attacks in as many days that have left over 65 people dead! What on earth is happening in Pakistan ?! To be brutally honest, I did support the operation ... but not the way it was carried out. There were startling revelations afterwards ... most notably of White Phosphorous being used by the Army and of course Dr. Shahid Masood's column in JANG.

The conditions haven't been this bad for some time. All security forces in Pakistan are under constant attack by suicide bombers and sympathizers of Ghazi Rasheed. Did we need to kill each and every person inside the mosque to prove our point ?! Like I said in the case of Bugti, I refuse to believe that this was the only option ... despite what Mushy said on the telly. Killing your own people brutally does not make an example out of them, it makes martyrs out of them that will haunt Pakistani forces for years to come!

Also, never have I witnessed Pak Army being lambasted by its own people so much before. I think it also important to understand that for all its discipline, all it is doing is following orders. The soldiers know what they are told by their superiors and do what they are ordered to do. I just hope the situation stabilizes and we do not have any more bombings - although I highly doubt it.

You know what sickens me the most?! That even if we get rid of Mushy, there is no one to turn to. Bibi and Sharif sahab are convicted looters and criminals and should not be allowed another term. Who does that leave then? The MMA ? Please! Who else ? No one! Our predicament is such that not only are we screwed right now ... there is potential to be screwed ever so more in the future if the govt. changes for the worse. Only time will tell.

Tandrusti Hazaar Naimat Hay

I've had this freaking cough for the last three freaking weeks and it took a turn for the worst last night! Damn! Now it's real bad and I know I could have prevented it :(! The doctor seemed startled as to how it could get so bad from the last time I visited him ... Anyway, a bit of 'BADD PARHAIZI' and there you go..

Right now, I got a running nose, a cough that is so bad ... it's not even funny! And as a result of all this, I have a bad fever too !

Changed Life

It's been a while since I last posted to this blog. A lot has happened after May ... I've gotten a job at a software house in down here in Karachi and life's been changed ever since. I am sure everyone takes their time getting used to a working life where you have to spend the best part of the day at this singe place all week long! Believe me, it takes some getting used to for a fresh graduate! Anyway, the experience has been worthwhile and I hope it continues to be that way for as long as I stay here.

Life really gets busy tenfold when youi start a job. I can't seem to remember if I've ever craved for weekends this much before :)! All of the week's work now invariably gets dumped on the weekend and all the movies, TV series etc. have to wait till the weekend too. I finished the LOST - Season 3 last week and have now started watching the Star Trek - The Next Generation series. Besides that, I read Digital Fortress and plan to get my hands on the The 11th Commandment which a friend recommended. So all in all, life is whizzing at warp ten speed and while having to witness unusually high amounts of rain. And there's more fore casted for tomorrow and day after ... damn!

Aftermath of 5/12

In the wake of the bloodiest couple of days the city has witnessed in years, much is being said by all parties involved that day - mostly pointing the finger at each other. But one thing's for certain, the ruling party in Sindh (MQM) has given the most inane reason for not letting law-enforcement agencies (Police/Rangers) interfere with the ongoing bloodshed. They argue it would have resulted in even more loss of lives! Why don't they just admit that the whole thing was deliberated, that their workers roamed free with ammunition since the preceding night, blocking roads, digging trenches, patrolling the bridges on Shara-e-Faisal. In short, every thing we witnessed on 5/12 was set up so as to send a message to CJ and his collaborators that Karachi, supposedly, rests at the mercy of these bastards who can disrupt life in Pakistan's biggest metropolis at their leisure! And how conveniently have they now crawled back into their holes by closing all sector and unit offices to lay low for a while - are they not typical tactics of criminals ?!

Some links to shocking revelations by people that were there along with some news reports:

A Doctor's Account
http://karachi.metblogs.com/archives/2007/05/is_this_what_ha.phtml

Journalist's Account
http://karachi.metblogs.com/archives/2007/05/a_tt_to_my_head.phtml

Memories of a bloodbath survivor
http://www.dawn.com/2007/05/17/local10.htm

Governor confirms no orders
http://www.bbc.co.uk/urdu/pakistan/story/2007/05/070514_security_plan_rza.shtml

Melancholic Monday

Today was supposed to be my first day at work! Yes people! I've been hired by a new and upcoming software house. But mushy and that sterile bastard in London decided to push their two-bit agenda with the deaths of 41 people ! Khuda inn sab to jald ghaarat karay. Ameen! Hoping the city comes back to normal tomorrow.

City under siege

MQM and their servile scum of followers held the city under siege all day long today as violence erupted at several places. The city had not witnessed such an outburst of violence in years and the blame squarely lies on the government and its inability to control the law and order situation which seemingly went out of hand once the first shot was fired. It is no secret that MQM used government resources in preparing for the rally, including the buses of several universities, but what unfolded before our eyes on LIVE television was simply appalling! AAJ TV caught MQM thugs taking position at Gurumander chowrangi live. Their shocking footage showed a black government vehicle, among others, laden with explosives roaming Gurumandir area. For this, AAJ building came under heavy fire by you know and was then forced to stop its broadcast. The firing continued for hours and has just ceased (7pm) according to reports.

Elsewhere, places in and around Shahrah-e-Faisal continued to experience violence throughout the day as rival workers turned the road into a battlefield. MQM has long been known to be a terrorist organization, no matter how much they try to hide their vile face, they always end up showing it on days like this. Teeth Maestro was there and then when the first shot was fired by MQM thugs on a peaceful rally in support of CJP. Read his account of the fiasco that followed here: http://karachi.metblogs.com/archives/2007/05/karachi_witness.phtml

And then that despicable excuse for a human being - Altaf Hussain - started his speech like he was reciting a Majlis. Needless to say that he placed the blame on CJP and the opposition for the entire situation in Karachi. I can't tell you how his statements and those of his servile ministers made my blood boil !! I hope he meets his fate soon, the scumbag. Weapons used by his supporters today should only be in the hands of law-enforcement agencies, and the fact that they had an endless supply of ammunition, as reported by Talat Hussain, goes to show what kind of a party they truly are.

Arguably the lowest point of the day came when GEO reported that an ambulance driver taking a couple of wounded people was intercepted and shot dead by members of the opposing group! Another ambulance that came for his dead body was then burnt and its driver narrowly escaped himself! Shocking!! I can't tell you how pissed off I am today for not being able to do anything as my city burns while mushy and his puppets celebrate in Islamabad.

I can go on and on venting my anger on these two-bit morons who happen to be our leaders, who are willing to let all hell break loose in Karachi just to stay in power and manipulate us further. It is clear there was no law and order in the city today, and rival political workers fired at each other without being intercepted by the Police or Rangers. The situation is bound to remain tense for a couple of days further. God Help Us.

Quote

A quote I heard the other day...

"I don't think you can judge people by what they think or say, you can only judge them by what they do."

So true! How often do we see people "talking" as if they're the noblest and the most honest human being alive, yet their actions (or accusations leveled against them by others) say otherwise. Perfect example in this case seem to be our politicians, lying and plotting their way into power and doing everything in their grasp to stay there.

As far as personal experience goes, I've seen people "talking" their way into other's good books; stringing together sweet-sounding sentences and kissing up to others just to make them look more eloquent and subservient. In a place like Pakistan, there's almost nothing you can't get done by dishing out some dough; a place where 'sifaarish' and 'rishwat' rule supreme. I remember on my way back from a trip 3 years ago, I witnessed ASF officials fleecing this poor African guy at the airport; apparently, he had an issue with his Passport and they were willing to let him go if he paid them a handsome sum. Although initially loath to the idea he caved in eventually, after which they took his wallet and expertly took out all the money holding it under a desk so that no one else could see. It was a sad sight - a sight typical of Pakistani servicemen.

Why do we all like to cheat so much?! Whatever happened to our character! Sometimes I think there is no hope for us - and then I fear the worst. I hope I'm wrong. How long can you sustain a nation supposedly a follower of the noblest of beings yet their common men defy all that he stood for ? Something's got to give.

What do you MEAN I'm not going to die?

A British man who went on a wild spending spree after doctors said he only had a short time to live wants compensation because the diagnosis was wrong and he is now healthy -- but broke.



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Air conditioned bus shelters!

World's first air-conditioned bus shelters ! No points for guessing where - it's Dubai!

My comments ? FOR THE LOVE OF GOD! IF YA GOT SO MUCH POWER IN RESERVE WHY NOT SEND SOME OVER TO US POOR SUFFERERS OF KARACHI! :(

Normalcy Returns

My life has been on a virtual standstill for the last 2 months as I've preparing for the tumultuous experience that is the GRE! Anyway, I got two projects today and I couldn't be happier! I haven't done any programming or graphics work in over 2 months and it felt so strange. So you can imagine my delight at being offered work again. I guess as long as someone doesn't hire me full-time, I'll keep plugging away on Rent a Coder! ;)

Not to mention I finally have the luxury of watching Champions League games LIVE late into the night! Also, Star Trek - Deep Space Nine, LOST and last and best of 'em all ... HEROES! What an awesome series that is!

Wohoo!

Yess!! I did it!! I have been dreaming of scoring decent in the GRE for months!! and now to have finally done it, it feels so freaking wonderful!

Even though I did not have a very good test but it was good enough to get me 1350, which is by no means a bad score. I didn't so well in Math unfortunately :(, falling 30 points short of my target of 750, but then I more than made up for it in Verbal! So there! I feel so free and relieved to finally have gotten over with this dreadful test.

Anyway, final score was Verbal: 630, Quantitative: 720. The Writing part went well and I should score 4.5-5 (out of 6) hopefully.

D-Day Looms

Countdown has started to the day I take the dreaded test that will have a big say in the direction my life takes in the coming months. A good score will increase my chances of attending a good graduate school; So, here's to me getting a reasonably good score and hoping future events turn out the way I want them to!

Another visit to GoAish

I went home thoroughly satisfied from my last visit to GoAish - when I did Paintballing - and this time it was my turn to try out the other much vaunted offerings of adventure they had. I still didn't get to try out everything - did the High Rope Course, Swing and Wall Climbing this time. It seems it'll take *another* visit to the park to try out the remaining adventures - Short Course and the Quad Bikes that is!

The High Rope Course costs Rs. 200 and it's definitely worth it! The trainers are professional and they are there to help you every step of the way but once you're up there 50 feet in the air stranded on some people wondering how to overcome the next obstacle, you are ofcourse on your own :)! Nevertheless, the training is pretty helpful and once you get the hang of it, it's pretty simple and the only thing you have to keep in check are your nerves !

The Swing, which costs Rs. 50, is the absolute BEST part ! It is simply awesome I tell you! ... You get to sit on the edge of a tower-like structure well above the ground; Then, they clamp you to this elastic swing connected to two poles up front (see pic below) and the scary thing is it PULLS you towards it ! You literally have to conjure up the courage to let go ! It's like to falling down a good 20-30 feet and especially when someone's pulling you down, you know you wouldn't wanna let go ! Anyways, once you do let go ... you fall down until the swing pulls you up and sends you into a pendulum-like motion that is quite fantastic ! Your heartbeat goes up in a flash but the whole experience is absolutely wonderful and you would want to try it all over again! I was no different and tried it again before we left the park. Not to mention I went back an extremely satisfied customer AGAIN !

Here's me doing the swing ...


Hats off to them for bringing such a thing to Karachi! Like I said earlier about paintballing, you MUST ALSO try the swing ! It is awesome ! Mark my words! :)

GoAish

Me and my University buddies went to the new GoAish Adventure Park the other day to check out the new `Paintball Arena` that had been set up there. A friend had played this game in Lahore and was all praises for it, especially for the CS-addicts (and there are quite a lot of them nowadays!). Anyway, around 15 of us gathered at the 'Arena' inside GoAish relishing the prospect of kicking each other's butt!

The 'Arena' is nothing more than cleared out "Jhaarian" with chopped-down trees and rocks placed there as objects for taking cover. Nevertheless, the fact that they've bothered to work on bringing something like this to Karachi is admirable. A single game costs Rs. 200 which gets you 12 bullets, and for every extra bullet you pay Rs. 8. Kher, we bought ourselves a game, listened to some instructions and finally donned the warlike gear they gave us which was reminiscent of CS uniforms. Although the guns were a bit shabby, the headgear made the CS-transformation complete! We looked like real soldiers believe me, too bad we didn't have a cam to capture it. The bullets, meanwhile, are small and full of paint but they hurt like hell once you get hit trust me ! :P

There were a number of flags spread across the Arena and the objective to collect as many as a team can until they run out of bullets. I was in the black team and once the game started, started running here and there calling on my `Call of Duty` exploits to take cover, order covering fire and grab the closest flag. Needless to say, the entire operation was not without pain and I got hit more than anybody else i.e., a whopping 16 times ! :P The bullets, I tell you, hit you like a pebble thrown at 30mph! Especially if you happen to venture off into the enemy territory and get spotted, evoking a fearsome response from the opposition. Yeah, imagine being the sole target of 5 people raining bullets on you from all directions !! Ouch! It hurts and I've got marks all over my body to prove it!

I've been nursing those bruises ever since ... but still dying to go back with my cousins next week :P! The whole experience was really fun and although the game didn't last as long as we'd hoped for, everyone still enjoyed and had a great time ! There are other interesting activities there too, like Wall-Climbing, Quad Bikes, Rope Courses etc. They are worth checking out but very tiring physically. All in all, a wonderful place to go and spend your pastime. If you're a CS addict or enjoy playing first-person shooters, you must go paintballing ! The more the merrier, take as many friends as you possibly can. It is the perfect place to practice your headshot-skills in real time! Good Shootin' ;)!

TOEFL iBT Preparation Tips

I have been thinking of doing this post for quite a while now since a lot of people have asked me for helpful tips and links to resources on the web for preparation of the TOEFL iBT (a revamped version of the TOEFL CBT). For starters, iBT stands for Internet-Based Testing as opposed to CBT which stood for Computer-Based Testing. From what I've learnt by giving the old Paper-based TOEFL and CBT, the new iBT is considerably 'harder' and a lot more challenging, especially with the addition of a brand new Speaking section.

You can complete information on TOEFL from the ETS website located at: http://www.ets.org/toefl. TOEFL tests are held 2-3 times a week at two test centers in Karachi (one in Gulistan-e-Jouhar and the other in P.E.C.H.S). As for the format, the new iBT consists of four sections each of 30 marks namely Reading, Listening, Speaking and Writing. Anything above 85 constitutes a good score on the iBT, although I've seen a requirement as high as 100 in the case of some top-notch universities in the US and elsewhere in the world.

Anyway, moving on to some helpful resources on the web which I found extremely useful during my prep.

Free Practice iBT Test
http://www.free-english.com/TOEFL-iBT-practice-test.aspx

Excellent Blog with Speaking Examples
http://www.teachers-international.com/wordpress/?cat=10

Sample Questions
http://www.fulbright.cz/download/toefl-ibt-sample-questions-2006.pdf

iBT Tips
http://www.transint.boun.edu.tr/toefl/belgeler/tips.pdf

Score Comparison Tables
http://www.ets.org/Media/Tests/TOEFL/pdf/TOEFL_iBT_Score_Comparison_Tables.pdf

Make sure you also download all the TOEFL material from the ETS website, including the Official Bulletin, Test Center Locations etc. Registering for the iBT also gives you access to TOEFL-Access, a portal for students with a lot of helpful material on it. Plus, you can always Google for more TOEFL resources on the web.

The only downside with the new iBT is it's length in my opinion. The test lasts around 4 hours with only a 10-minute break between the Listening and Speaking sections. Nevertheless, the test (although revamped and much more challenging than before) is still not overly difficult as it is sometimes made out to be. With good practice, you can score great too ! All the best !

Farewell Bob

The news of Bob Woolmer's sudden demise was pretty shocking for me like everyone else. At a time when tempers were flaring high across the country over Pakistan's woeful ousting of the WC and the team was being cursed from left, right and center (The news channels playing their part too sadly), news suddenly broke of his demise and everyone went silent. More in shock than anything else; and then the tributes started pouring in. Ironic, but true. I felt real sad for the guy who had only one match to go as Pakistan's Coach (and I don't think he had plans to extend his contract). He was exposed to a lot of stress already coaching a mercurial Pakistani Cricket Team that undergoes more ups and downs then your regular Disneyland roller coaster! That said, I guess this loss was too hard to take for him and he finally gave in. Although it's hard to imagine someone as light-hearted and firm (from what his colleagues say) would give in to stress like this. Nevertheless, he might not have been successful at turning a team of prima donas into anything resembling professional cricketers but you can't fault him for not trying hard enough. As DAWN rightly points out in today's Sports section, he was the man who brought computerized coaching to Pakistani Cricket - a trend that could only be positive.

I agree wholeheartedly with Adil Najam' suggestion that National Stadium, Karachi should be renamed to Woolmer Stadium in honor of his services to Pakistan Cricket. Elsewhere on the blogosphere, Adnan Siddiqui has written a moving post on Woolmer entitled `Dear Bob! Please Forgive Us!`. There are plenty more tributes over at Cricket Bloggers of Pakistan.

Farwell Bob! R.I.P.

Black Day

What unfolded before our very eyes today was nothing less than appalling! So much for projecting a 'soft' image of Pakistan Mushy! At this juncture, when the country is dealing with it's worst judicial crisis, the police stormed the office of GEO TV in an ignominious turn of events that defied belief!

In fact, for the last couple of days starting from that jackass Wasi Zafar's comments on Voice of America to Kamran Khan's show being pulled from air, the country has become a laughing stock on the international stage amid the deepening judicial crisis which seems set to go on for considerable length of time. No wonder people in the West have this image of us in their minds of scores of people protesting on the streets for one reason or another and not only protesting but violently dissenting, bringing life in cities to a standstill and either being roughed-up themselves or causing extensive loss of property either way reaffirming their belief that Muslims are no more than violent and despondent hoodlums disseminating nothing but malevolence amongst themselves and towards other nations of the world.

It remains to be seen what direction these cataclysmic events take next and I, for one, solemnly pray that this is over asap. Amen ! God save Pakistan.

Grade 3 Geography Test

Try to place all of the US states correctly on a map within a certain amount of time. A lot harder than I thought, and pretty fun too.



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The Impossible Quiz

One of the most annoying yet fun things I've seen on the web in a while. A host of the most meaningless questions you can ever accumulate in one place! Take this quiz and try to finish it if you can! Best of luck! ;)

Here's the URL: http://www.deviantart.com/view/49231637/

P.S. It takes quite a while to load but worry not, it's well worth the wait!

Amreeki Pithu Ka Junoon!

I couldn't help but chuckle at this title written on a banner held by some people protesting the recent dismissal of the Chief Justice by our President. That is exactly what Mushy seems to have become sadly of late, giving into everything the US has been asking him to do in return for military and financial aid. He argues, however, that any sane person leading Pakistan would do the same things he has done simply because they are in the 'national interest' of Pakistan.

This term often gets me since it follows from ideologies of introversion and possessing a egocentric attitude towards fellow countries who have stood by us when we needed them. The Democrats are clearly against courting any favors to Pakistan and if they find themselves in power come 2008, Pakistan may well see some harsh words being spoken to them by the incumbents of `White House`. I bet given the opportunity, they would love to cut all such support to Pakistan leaving us 'out in the cold', marking an end to the honeymoon period between us. What policy would be adopt then ?

On VISTA!

Cool or what ?! More to come...

What Am I?

You are The Hierophant

Divine Wisdom. Manifestation. Explanation. Teaching.

All things relating to education, patience, help from superiors.The Hierophant is often considered to be a Guardian Angel.

The Hierophant's purpose is to bring the spiritual down to Earth. Where the High Priestess between her two pillars deals with realms beyond this Earth, the Hierophant (or High Priest) deals with worldly problems. He is well suited to do this because he strives to create harmony and peace in the midst of a crisis. The Hierophant's only problem is that he can be stubborn and hidebound. At his best, he is wise and soothing, at his worst, he is an unbending traditionalist.

What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.

Just upgraded to the new blogger ! Kinda cool!

Graduated !

Duplicate post on razzita.blogspot.com and razzman.blogspot.com

We had our convocation today the NED University and I, along with my batch mates, were officially graduated ! The chief guest, Dr. Eshrat ul Ibad, was a no show leaving us wondering whether he'd gone headlong to welcome Meera jee into their prestigious (read pilfering) political party!

In terms of what to do next ... I'm keeping my options open for now, let's see what the future has in store for me.

How much is your blog worth ?

Here's a neat little utility that will calculate the monetary value of your blog based on it's populary using the Technorati API. Needless to say, my blog's value comes out a whopping $0.00! :P But some other blogs I read are worth quite a lot apparently - like Teeth Maestro's blog is valued around $64,000!

So, how much is YOUR blog worth ? Go here and find out!
http://www.business-opportunities.biz/projects/how-much-is-your-blog-worth/

If I were in South Park ...

I'd look something like this I believe ...


You can make your own South Park character here :
http://spstudio.julia.hosting-friends.de/sp-studio.swf

Amazing bit of work by those guys.

Third Cricket Test and Ashura

It was saddening, almost shocking for me, to see that the third test which commences on the 26th of January will have its last two days on the 9th and 10th of Muharram. Being a Muslim nation, I think the team could at least have requested the concerned authorities to move the test forward by a day or two. The 10th of Muharram is no ordinary day and it shouldn't be marked as such. I pity those who do not treat it as that and then wonder why the Muslim World, collectively, is facing the hardships it is facing today.

How to become a web designer

Finally a full guide on how to be a perfect web designer. Maybe now some people will actually develop some good skills. I can only pray. God be with you.

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So, Saddam is dead

I don't think there's any doubting that he met his deserved fate finally. Maybe he deserved even worse ... for the countless crimes he committed during his long reign as the undisputed Iraqi President. There were two things about this event that really pissed me off ... here goes ...

First of all, the timing of his hanging. Why on earth did they choose Eid ?! Moreover, they showed images of 'Shias' celebrating and rejoicing holding Muqtada Sadr's posters et al. If this is not American propaganda then I don't know what is! It is obvious they are trying to fuel the already catastrophic peace situation in Iraq by giving rise to even more sectarian differences. I fear there will be no turning back for Iraq now as the Sunnis will most likely adopt Saddam as a hero who gave his life for them. The sad thing is the American media is constantly showing these images as if purposely portraying the idea that it was the Shias who hanged him, with images of them reciting Durood and reveling.

Secondly, the people here in Pakistan who are portraying him as a HERO! Go f*** yourself I say! ... You have to be the most ignorant person alive to have the nerve to call him anything remotely resembling a hero. His hands are stained with the blood of thousands, if not millions. He surely deserved to die a more painful death.

But you can't help but wonder there's a BIG plan behind all this American bullcrap strategy of divide and conqeur. Thankfully, we've been given a new lease of life after Hezbollah's offensive and Iran's strong stance against the US on the nuclear issue. Everyone else, apparently, is ready to give in to American pressure. It'll be interesting to see how all this pans out.