Posted in academic on June 19, 2008 | 9 Comments »
Because it’s Thursday, let us take a moment to remember how there was life before:
Credit cards. Yes, indeed. In 1989, when Uncle Mushtaq, our neighbor in Lahore in the PCSIR housing campus, had his total salary of Rs. 5000 picked from his pocket one month, that meant that that month was going to be [...]
Posted in Uncategorized on June 3, 2008 | 5 Comments »
When I first traveled abroad as an adult (to Cambridge, U.K.), I was shocked by the nightlife. Not the bars, which I didn’t frequent - by the fact that shopping and restaurants closed so very early! I continue to be disappointed by the early closing of shopping and restaurants - except MacDonald’s and bars/clubs - [...]
Posted in Uncategorized on May 15, 2008 | 6 Comments »
Alia Sabur at 19 is the youngest college professor, which beats a 300 year old record. She started reading and talking at 8 months and at 10 was in college. She got her MS and PhD in materials science at Drexel University.
Examples such as Alia’s make parents like me wonder for a moment - are [...]
Posted in Uncategorized on May 15, 2008 | 1 Comment »
An excellent idea to exclude cellphones from flights. But what about the passengers who cannot modulate the pitch of their voices and who insist on yammering all 2 hours of a late evening flight? “Sir, I’m sorry, the other passengers are uncomfortable with having you on this flight to DC. We’ll have to drop you [...]
Posted in Uncategorized on May 1, 2008 | 8 Comments »
This is what is wrong with the world. (hat-tip to Jasmine).
While millions starve for the simplest meal, while millions worldwide thirst for clean water, while millions go without shelter from the elements, while millions go without safety, education, jobs, and healthcare, there are self-absorbed, warped souls in the world that would spend $1.3million for a [...]
Posted in Uncategorized on April 27, 2008 | 12 Comments »
I had my Sony VAIO for four years before I had serious problems. I just got this Dell XPS M1210 this year. It’s already crashing and freezing continuously.
For someone who is starting a new job and writing a book manuscript, this is serious trouble. When I need to get a spot of work done, when [...]
Posted in Uncategorized on April 25, 2008 | 7 Comments »
Thanks to Baraka, a fellow nostalgic Lahorite, I have found Lahore Nama. The blog is a treasure-chest of jewels for those who love the old, old and very, very modern city of Lahore. Lahore is where I spent most of my life. It is one of the largest cities in Pakistan, just on the border [...]
Posted in Pakistan, spiritual on March 8, 2008 | 2 Comments »
This is an old post from autumn of 2006 that I thought deserved a re-run.
A couple of nights ago, I went out a night stroll.
I went out, leaving Svend doing his homework in front of “The Towering Inferno,” and Raihana playing on the carpet. I must be selfish and seek my inner space, I thought.
Then [...]
Posted in USA, religion, spiritual on January 22, 2008 | 4 Comments »
This is a post from the old Koonj blog:
When we bought my Forester (here in Athens, GA), it had a bumper sticker that said: “ATHEISM IS ARROGANCE.”
I mean, you all know I’m not a fan of atheism. But I just wouldn’t want to be the one to say ATHEISM IS ARROGANCE IN ALL CASES.
I might [...]
Posted in Uncategorized on January 16, 2008 | 11 Comments »
Since 9/11/01 heightened security concerns at airports have made it all but impossible to lock your baggage. You are told that you might lock it, but TSA will break the lock if they need to subject it to additional inspection. I generally don’t bother, and I usually put fairly blind trust in security personnel.
No more. [...]
