Clowning it is not

The websites in cyberdom are endless, and offer a plethora of content comprising information, interactive activities and more. But there is another kind which, from the look of it, makes one wonder at the reason behind their creation, and the fact that they are running so successfully now.

I Hate Clowns is one such website that seems quite pointless, but can actually be a morale booster for many, particularly those who dislike clowns, whatever their reasons may be. Pretty novel idea one would say, but perhaps it will make some one wonder if hating ‘something’ deserves an entire website. But no matter what your answer is, this website certainly deserves to be explored.

The first thing which will strike you the minute you log on is the fact that there is actually a very real fear of clowns among people. And these people have coined a new term to be added on the list of phobias: Caulrophobia. You will also find out why it is that certain people fear clowns as much as others fear heights or closed spaces.

There is quite interesting stuff to read here. For starters, there is an entire story written by the webmaster explaining his run-in with the clowns, detailing how he first came across them, what made him dislike them for eternity, and why he was inspired to create this website. Check to see how many things you agree with. Also, you can read up on the different stages that this website has gone through, to evolve into its present, sophisticated look.

Then, there are the stories posted by many visitors to this website who have their own, scary encounters with clowns, whether in real life or through television, which have made them swear off clowns for good. One characteristic feature of all the stories is that writers always thought themselves to be weird or strange to actually dislike someone who is supposed to be entertaining. But a visit here made them realise they are just as normal as the rest, and are only suffering from a phobia.

For those of you who have a website or a blog, there is some free stuff here too. You can, for instance, download free stickers from the relevant section and put them up on your blog or website. There are also a couple of screensavers if you want your PC to proclaim your phobia (if indeed you think you have one). There is actually an online store with loads of anti-clown merchandise but really, you would rather spend that money on something worthwhile. And besides, a sticker does a pretty good job of revealing your phobia on your blog.

As with every website, this one too has forums where anti-clown community can share stories and discuss their phobia with others. If you are simply here to find out what the brouhaha is all about, you can put across your queries to the anti-clown community and get some answers. And if you have some extra time to while away, there is an assortment of anti-clown games to play as well.

In short, this website is actually quite serious and not, as it would appear at first glance, clowning away with its visitors. The stories do seem pretty serious and so, it would not hurt if you drop a line of sympathy to these self-proclaimed caulrophobics.

---

To find out more about caulrophobia, log on to http://www.ihateclowns.com/

Call of the code

Going abroad for good, for official visit or spending vacations have become very common and it is not unusual to come across a family which is spread over not less then in two continents. You will probably find examples in your own family. Hence being in touch with a relative or a friend on frequent basis has now become more important than ever.

Fortunately, there are now numerous options to keep in touch under confined budget, without having to sacrifice good old telephonic conversations. Calling cards is a great example, since you end up keeping a certain budget and yet are able to talk to your family and friends. the other, more techie way is to call via internet.

But whether you use internet telephony or ‘offline’ calling cards, one thing which is a must to know is the code of the country where you wish to call. This is a very busy life and people have hectic routine, and more-often-than-not at the time you have to make an overseas call, the memory goes blank and you end up in opening your telephone diary. But technology offers you a far easier opyion, and here comes the Country Calling Codes. This is the website which will definitely make things easy for you.

As the name suggests, this website is all about the calling codes of various countries. Once you log onto it, the website will simply ask which country you are calling from as well as the country you wish to call to. It then gives you the required calling code.

But those who are not searching for a particular country, and instead like to browse for the sake of getting to know countries and their calling codes, then this website will be a great asset. All you need to do is to access the appropriate option and the list of alphabets opens in front of you. Choose any letter; the website will display an entire list of names of the countries beginning with that particular alphabet along with their respective codes.

This will be particularly valuable to people who host their own website or maintain a blog. They can put this little handy tool on their blog or website so that their visitors can avail this service and find out the calling code for any country if they want to. Country Calling Codes has an entire section dedicated to webmasters. You can access the appropriate HTML code to insert in your template so that the calling code box shows up on your blog/website. There are different styles of boxes to choose from as well.

So basically even though this website is very simple, it is rather convenient, especially when it comes to calling up people in foreign countries.

To find out the country code for anywhere across the globe, log onto http://www.countrycallingcodes.com/

Play your TV non-stop

It was said that checking e-mail and chatting were two of the most common activities for people in cyberspace. Of course, they still are the most popular activities, but a third, more recent addition is video uploading, sharing and viewing. The phenomena of sharing videos has come about amid faster connection options, along with easy availability of recording options, which enable even the novices to capture just about anything on video and upload it on the internet for a worldwide audience. And one factor which catalysed this process of sharing online videos is no other than YouTube.

Given the popularity of the website, it should not come as a surprise then, that a local version of YouTube is now available, complete with local content to satiate the appetite of all those who cannot get enough from their televisions. ChaltaTV is the new kid on the block – a place where you can view and share your own videos just as easily as you would do so at YouTube.

The philosophy behind this website, considering recent political events and curbs on the mass media, is simply ‘freedom of expression.’ You can upload whatever you think the world needs to know – there are no bars. ChaltaTV’s philosophy is just that: TV chalta rahay.

If you are here to watch some interesting videos, then there are plenty of channels to choose from. You can watch videos related to sports, entertainment, politics, comedy, travel and religion among many others. Advertisements seem to be the most popular category here with a total of 199 videos, while entertainment is a close second with no less than166 videos. If you think other categories should be added, there is an option for you to convey your thoughts on the matter to the webmaster.

ChaltaTV also facilitates those who have videos to share with a large audience. It does not matter if you have videos stored on your cell phone or digital camera, you can easily use the upload option to post them to this website. Moreover, there are options that you can use to specify whether the video is private or public. If you want the video to be displayed only to your family and friends, then mark it as private. Videos that are free for all to view are of course, marked as public.

The privacy policy of this website is short and simple. They pledge to keep your information private, not sell your information to third parties and not spam you. One can only hope that they keep their word.

Considering that the website contains videos only, it is surprisingly fast to load on dial-up. However, you have to have Adobe Flash Player installed for the videos to play properly.

Overall, the website is still in the beta stage. But there is no doubt that once the Pakistani community starts to make full and efficient use of it, there will be a wider selection of videos as well as diversity of content to choose from.

No more sharing

OK, so who has my book? ‘Do you mind telling me where my copy of Rebecca is?’ I demanded of my sister late one night.

‘I think someone has borrowed it,’ was the reply.
‘And hopefully that someone has a name?’ I shot back.

My sister sighed. ‘Look, I have no idea who has it. That someone has never bothered to return it. All we can do is think of all the people who borrow books from us and ask them if they have it. How come you suddenly remembered Rebecca at this unearthly hour anyway?’ It was my turn to sigh. Book borrowing is something all book lovers thrive on and relate to. In a city like ours, where there is a persistent dearth of public libraries and where prices of cell phones go down faster than that of reading material, borrowing books is the only decent way to get your hands on or devour a wide variety of books. And come to think of it, it happens to be a lot of fun too. There is something entirely satisfying about going into a friend’s house empty-handed and coming out with an armful of books.

The same notion extends to shopping for books. Whenever a fellow book lover and I shop together, we never buy the same books. ‘Hey, I have that book already. Don’t buy it. You can borrow it from me when I’m done reading it,’ is a much heard-of statement at book fairs and stores. And so the process goes on. The so far undefined rules of book borrowing are akin to stating the obvious. It goes without saying that when you borrow a book, you read it and return it at the earliest opportunity—simple, right? Wrong!

As simple and obvious as the given rules may be, they are regarded in much the same league as the timings on wedding invites. Hence there are only a very few people who actually honour the fact that the book they are reading is borrowed, and that one fine day they should or will have to return it.

This leads me to classify book borrowers into three very distinct categories. Let’s start with the most positive category: the ‘dutiful borrowers’. These borrowers, as the name suggests, follow the rules meticulously. They keep a very good track of which book they have borrowed from whom. They also take very good care of the books they borrow. And they make it their top most priority to read the book at their earliest and return it. And yes, they expect the same consideration from the people to whom they have lent their books. It goes without saying that these poor souls are often disappointed.

The cause of their disappointment is sometimes people who fall in the next category of borrowers who can be aptly termed ‘lethargic borrowers.’ These borrowers are ones who have impossibly hectic schedules, but are still keen on reading good books. Hence, they borrow books extensively but, owing to a very hectic lifestyle, they can only manage to read a page or two everyday. Now, don’t get me wrong. I realise that today’s life is fast paced; everyone already has a lot on their schedules, and it’s not that easy to make time to read books in a short span of time. It’s understandable that most people can only manage a couple of pages daily. The point is that if you lend your book to a lethargic borrower, there is some hope that the book will come back to you one day even if it takes up to six months for it to finish.

At least in the above two cases your books are returned to you. The third category of the ‘lost borrowers’ comprises of people to whom if you lend your books; they have an excellent chance of getting lost. Yep, these lost borrowers borrow books with extreme enthusiasm and line up the borrowed books on their shelves and forget all about them. Sometimes, the book borrowers even forget who they had borrowed the book from.

If you are a dutiful borrower and keep track of these lost ones, try asking some of them to return your books — they will give you their most woebegone expressions and tell you very sadly that they have not ‘yet’ had time to read the books they borrowed. They will then ask to keep those books for another year probably, and even at the end of that year they will be no close to actually opening the said book. Yes, it is actually a lost cause.

An extension of the lost borrowers are the soulless borrowers. They will enthusiastically lend out your books to their friends or relatives, without keeping track of which book they gave to whom. You will only find that out when you ask for the books. At such times you can only hope that the people who now have your books belong to the dutiful category, otherwise you can just forget about seeing those books ever again.

So there you have it — a neat categorisation of those who borrow books in order to fulfill their thirst for reading. These categories are by no means exhaustive. One can actually write a whole book on them. However, these are the categories I have made after experiencing all three types of borrowers and having agonised over lost books, some of them being the books received as prizes from my school days.

Now I must go figure out who has my copy of Rebecca and Maps for Lost Lovers.

Heart of the matter

It is quite a sorry state that the while the world today is becoming technologically advanced in terms of medicine, it has given rise to new physical ailments. For example, diseases related to heart have become quite common. In fact, latest research says that younger people, particularly women, are now more prone to heart diseases that can prove to be fatal.

The causes, obviously, are directly related current lifestyles. Earlier, people ate healthy, unadulterated food and practiced vigorous physical exercises, which kept them fit. On the contrary, the present generation is growing up on ready-made, fast food and avoid any kind of physical labour. Unfortunately, these practices translate into health problems like erratic blood pressure, obesity, cholesterol, diabetes, ulcer and of course, heart diseases.

For those who are concerned about their health, the ‘Heart Health’ is a website that must be checked out. It discusses a plethora of information on everything related to a healthy heart, and obviously everything which can be a threat. Whether you are looking for information on a specific heart disease, or just visiting to assure yourself that you are not at any risk, Heart Health will definitely help you out. The best thing is that all the information here has been verified by cardiovascular experts.

The website is divided into four main sections which is a huge help especially if you are searching for discussion on a specific problem. If you are just browsing, then it is advisable to check each of these four sections in detail.

The first section called ‘Conditions and Diseases’ delves into all the diseases related to the heart and their major symptoms. A list of symptoms is already present for the convenience of the surfer, and all you will need to do is to select the ones which concern you.

This section also has a range of quizzes which you can take to analyse where your heart stands now. There are news items as well, which focus on the impact of an unhealthy lifestyle on the heart. Also, there are featured guides on topics like heart attack, stroke, blood clots and a range of other diseases.

There is another section on ‘Procedures and Tests’ that give information about the different surgeries and treatments which patients with heart diseases have to go through. If you are suffering from any heart disease, this section will help you immensely in understanding the exact treatment and its outcome. It also helps in getting to know about the functioning of devices like electro cardiogram, etc.

‘Drugs and Medication’ is an extension of the section that discusses treatment. Here, you will find ample information on different drugs that are used for the treatment of the heart diseases, and how they work. And although, it gets bit technical, it does give out a lot of information regarding various drugs.

The last section ‘Prevention Centre’ discusses preventive measures. Here, you can find everything ranging from how to follow a healthy diet and how stress increases the risk of heart disease.

---

To pave your way towards a healthy heart, log onto http://heart.health.ivillage.com

Bowled over

Obviously, it is quite understandable if most of you are not feeling very kindly towards Pakistan cricket team at present, considering their abysmal loss in the one-day series against India. At the time of writing this article, Pakistan has just lost the fourth one day international in the five match series, giving India a 3-1 lead.

However, the current situation aside, cricket in Pakistan is definitely one of the most popular sports, and quite heavily sponsored as well. There are many avid fans who enjoy not just matches involving Pakistan, but also follow cricket in general, particularly, if it involves renowned teams like Australia or South Africa. And besides keeping themselves updated on the different matches and on going series, cricket fans worldwide form a significant online presence. This presence ensures that there are many websites which are solely dedicated to enable these fans to keep track of matches, read comments by experts and of course, discuss everything and anything thoroughly among themselves.

If you are a cricket fan, then no doubt you must have come across some of these websites at one point or another. However, one website which definitely stands out among the rest is Cricket 365 (http://www.cricket365.com). As the name suggests, this website is all about cricket and has just about everything related to cricket categorised effectively. Hence, whatever your purpose for visiting the website, you are sure to find something for yourself.

For instance, if you are at work and cannot watch the matches, you can straightaway access the live tracker from this website, and see the scores as they are updated. Alright, it is not the same as watching a match live, but it is certainly the next best option available. You can also use this option if none of your available sports channels are telecasting the matches live.

There is a section on cricket news as well. Here, you can find out all the latest news regarding matches, the tournaments and the players. There are match reports and match previews, plus in-depth analysis and follow-ups of any conflict between/among players. Statements given to the mainstream press are also reported here. So you can find out what is happening on the Warne-Muralitharan front, read up on what Sachin Tendulkar has to say about his recent unfinished centuries, and which player has signed up for which county.

Apart from news, there is a separate section dedicated to major teams. Each section carries news pertaining to that specific country only. Also, there are detailed profiles of player with the test and one-day statistics. Featured teams include Australia, India, Pakistan, SriLanka, South Africa and others.

There is a separate section for counties as well. If you are interested in county cricket, then you can use this to keep yourself updated on all that is happening on county level in the cricket.

There are some other interesting features as well. These features are divided into ‘soap box’ and ‘guest speakers.’ These basically constitute the expert opinions on the different aspects of cricket. So, if you want to read all about chacha cricket, look no further than this section.

As with every website these days, this one too comes with a blog and forums. The forums, of course, are the place where you can interact with cricket fans all over the world, rejoice in your team’s victory and rant and rave when they lose. There is an exclusive section on ‘Your say.’ All you need to do is register yourself and you will be ready to post your comments which are equivalent of ‘Letters to the editor.’

So basically, if you have time and the inclination – and of course if you are a die hard cricket fan – then log on to http://www.cricket365.com , and watch cricket all around the year.

Up for a laugh?

When it comes to auctioning on the web, or anything related to it, people tend to log on to ebay. Of course, ebay is one of the most popular places in the cyberspace to buy and sell stuff, but it is certainly not the only place for auctions. In fact, there are many other places dedicated for online sales, and – better believe it – few websites even poke fun at them.

Disturbing Auctions is one website that falls in the latter category. It is dedicated to stuff that people auction online, with the intention of generating a lighter look and quite a few laughs. You are not supposed to buy or sell anything here. You only can marvel at the diversity of things that are present there. And of course, you wonder what exactly does one do with these things anyway?

Even though the website says that ‘one man’s trash is another man’s treasure,’ – hence motivating many to sell the clutter in their homes and offices – you will eventually realise that some trash is really trash. And try as one might to jazz up these little odds and ends, you cannot deny the fact that they are just that – odds and ends. And most of the time, they do not serve even a single useful purpose for anyone to purchase them.

So how did this website come about? The webmasters have apparently gone through the cyberspace and checked out the things that people have put up for selling online at some of the auction websites. They have selected some of the most bizarre and useless items, and collected them for this website. Hence, Disturbing Auctions not only gives you a detailed description of such strange stuff, but each item also comes with an illustration to help you visualise it better. The price, of course, is also included which will certainly make you wonder who out this up for sale, and more importantly, who buys this stuff.

There are many options regarding how you would like to view the items posted here. You can either go through all of them courtesy a slideshow available on the website, or you can access the item that interests you the most. All items are categorised by art, clothing and accessories, cuisine, emotionally scary toys, figurines, furnishings, literature, terrifying dolls and miscellaneous. If you think these categories sound interesting wait till you see the items listed under them an intriguing experience, to say the least.

Another option that you have is to view the items as they are posted on a daily basis. Here, the items are categorised by the date on which they were put on the website. This will help you access the latest items to grace Disturbing Auctions.

What is more? If you come across a strange item that has been put up for an auction, you can create an account here and let the entire online world know what you have found. So the website comes with an interactive purpose as well.

Interestingly, in spite of all the fun that is poked at these on-sale items, the webmasters have mentioned that there are indeed many of them which have been bought by people. Well, as they say, this world is a strange place. And cyberspace is not no different. Who knows, you may end up buying something totally bizarre!

To check out this stuff and more, log on to http://www.disturbingauctions.com/

Cynics aboard

If you are one of those people who actually read all the emails that are forwarded to you, then you may have come across a definition of cynic. He/she is a person who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing. In fact, in today’s word, it is apparently ‘fashionable’ to be a cynic, which may explain the ever-growing number of the species. So whether you think yourself as a cynic, or want to know more about this not-so-rare breed, then The Cynic’s Sanctuary is the website to dig.

The website begins by explaining a brief history of cynicism. It is said that cynics have been here around since the time of Socrates, and the word is ‘cynic’ is actually derived from Greek which means dog. Yes ‘Dog’! This revelation may take away some people’s wish to join the club. There is a also section ‘What are Cynics?’ in which you can read up the entire history of who the earlier cynics were, about their beliefs and about the more famous ones.

This section goes on to explain the meaning of cynicism that has changed from earlier to the contemporary period. Further it has some of the dictionary definitions of cynicism contrasted with the need of it, so do not be amazed if you find yourself a cynic. If anything, this will certainly boost your ego.

Then comes the most interesting part: Are you actually a cynic? It is easy to label one’s self as a cynic, but to actually confirm that you are one, take the test given on this website. Called the ‘Official Cynic’s Self Test,’ this will present you some fifteen different statements where you have to specify whether the answer is ‘yes’ or ‘no’. After all, it takes a lot more than just reading a few books on the topic to be branded a cynic.

If you’ve cleared the test, then read on. If not, even then read on. The website gives no less than 714 reasons that justify the existence of cynicism. So there is a good chance that even if you were not a cynic earlier, you just might be converted. After all, there are enough reasons around what with living with back stabbers, hypocrites, dictators, software bugs, computer viruses and spam. Adding to this is the continuous headache of being underemployed, overworked, reprimanded, ignored, framed or demoted, and you will realise that this world is quite a difficult place to live in.

Of course, it is quite possible that besides these 700 plus reasons, there are other and more diverse reasons to be a cynic. If that is the case with you, then you will find the section on what you are cynical about, which is quite interactive and you can have your say about the subject, read others’ posts. Moreover, you can even find very unique reasons for cynicism.

While most cynicism comes for free at this website, you will have to pay for the Cynic’s Dictionary. But by the time you have finished reading this entire website, you may actually have had enough of it. Who knows, it may even turn you off! In any case, a few sample of definitions from that dictionary for presented for free, in the hope that they may motivate you into buying it.

For many, this may be a complete waste of time is terms of utility, but it is not such a bad reading for passing time. And besides, if you really are a cynic, it might just give boost to your ego!

---

To read more about the subject, log on to, http://www.i-cynic.com/

A virtual feeling

A large number of activities, which are a part and parcel of everyday life, now come with the prefix 'e' for electronic, for instance, e- banking, e-mail and e-shopping to name a few. However, one aspect of personal communication, which has now fallen by and large to the electronic domain, is the trend of card sending and receiving. Yep, in this day and age, e-cards rule.

Previously, if one wanted to give someone a card on any occasion, whether it was a get well soon or Eid card, the process was long and required a lot of effort, like, going to a shop, browsing through all the cards available, reading the messages on them and then finally deciding upon the right one, writing down a personal message and then either giving the card in person or sending it by post.

Electronic cards make this process faster and more convenient. There is a much wider selection of cards available on various websites around the cyberspace. All you need is to browse the different websites, make your selection and enter the contact details and your message. The card will be instantly delivered to your recipient's mailbox and you will get an instant notification whenever the e-card is viewed.

Not only the e-cards but also their websites are quite attractive and appealing. Many websites allow you to edit and customise the card according to your preference. This flexibility to choose one's own colour scheme and in some cases, the text of the e-card itself, is one of their merits over conventional paper cards.

Another major advantage of electronic cards is that they are economical. Posting a card through mail would mean a drain on your budget plus you cannot even be sure if it will reach them on time or not. An e-card is free of such hassles.

However, as with everything else that is online, e-cards have their flip side as well. First and foremost, a lot of people feel that e-cards are just that - virtual. They are devoid of the real feelings with which a "hard copy card" is given. Electronic cards are considered by many to be highly impersonal.

But of course if one starts looking at it from that angle, then even the real cards can seem like mere wordiness. However, the effort that goes into sending a "hard copy card" does make the whole thing seem more real. Whereas an e-card by comparison is a mere point and click affair, which hardly takes more than five minutes.

One major issue related to e-cards is the numerous "mirror" websites, which have started to appear in cyberspace. There are now two categories of e-card websites. There is the "parent" website which is the genuine website, and then there are these "mirror" websites which contain almost the same layout as the parent website but they are faster to load and you can easily see the logo of the parent website imprinted on individual e-cards.

Some of these mirror websites are indeed harmless. But one major thing to keep in mind is that the mirror website can easily be a very sophisticated means of collecting email addresses, which means that you would be getting twice the amount of junk mail that you normally do. The best course of action is to be vigilant. Instead of giving out your personal email address here, it would be best for you to have a separate email address purely for sending out e-cards, so that even if you are spammed, at least it will not affect you that badly. After all, if that email address is purely for sending e-cards, then it's highly unlikely that you will be checking it that often.

While e-cards can be used as a means of spamming, they can also be used for phenomena called "phishing." In this you receive an email saying that says that you have received a greeting card. You click on the link and are told to enter your email address and password to access your card. And if you are naive enough to do that, then you will be given an assortment of e-cards to send them elsewhere rather than having access to any e-card sent to you. If any e-card website asks you to enter about your details to access your e-card, then warning bells should go off in your head. However, in spite of the cons, e-cards are quite popular.

Cut the clutter

Are you one of those people who, in spite of carrying a truck load of work, end up completing nothing? Do you begin your tasks just hours before the deadline? Are you stressed out because the list of your incomplete jobs keeps growing so that you are unable to keep track of them anymore? If your answer to any of these questions is a big yes, then it is time to get your life back in order.

Get Organized Now is a website that will help people who want to accomplish their tasks, whether household chores or workplace assignments, in the best possible manner. This website is flooded with ideas, newsletters, blog entries, checklists and much more to help one achieve one’s goals. The underlying aim is to assist people in organising their homes, offices and eventually lives.

But first thing first: Not everything on this website is for free. To avoid wasting time reading promotional material when you know you will not be ordering anything, visit the ‘Idea Pak’ section first after logging on. This section contains some very useful free stuff that this website gives out.

At the core of this free stuff is Idea Pak: a plethora of tips on how to manage time more effectively, manage clutter at home and office and set goals and priorities right. However, do not expect to find all this information on the website; you will have to enter your e-mail address to receive answer to your queries in your inbox. This also obviously means that you will be a recipient to all future updates on the website as well. Irksome, as this sounds – we all hate crowded inboxes – this is a small price to pay, particularly if Idea Pak actually helps us in getting ourselves organised.

Besides mailing ideas, there are other helpful sections on the website as well. For instance, quick tips are added in relevant sections regularly. One such tip says that we should have a special area in our room to serve as a ‘reading nook,’ comprising a chair, a side-table and of course, books. To perk up this space we can place bookmarks and a reading lamp. This little effort will ensure that we are motivated to take out time daily for some leisure reading.

The ‘Articles’ section is updated every month with how-to articles. At the time of writing this review, the articles pertain to clutter management, which one can imagine, is a huge issue with people. If you happen to be one of those people who are extremely reluctant to throw away even small bits of paper, you will probably benefit from the advice on how to de-clutter your home and avoid getting hit by the clutter bug.

The website also advertises many products like to-do list software and books like Easy Organizers, but obviously they are not for free. So either be willing to dole out cash, or make the best out of the articles, weekly newsletter, discussion forums, quick tips and the blog.

---

So what are you waiting for? Now is the time to organize yourself. Log on to http://www.getorganizednow.com/

What's cooking?

Whether we eat to live, or live to eat, there is no denying that we all enjoy good food. And many of us would recall the times when we craved for something more than, and other than the usual everyday cuisine. Normally we end up picking up the first menu card that we can reach, and order a pizza, or burgers and sink our teeth in the forbidden delights. Yet, there are times when our taste buds would rather opt for a scrumptious home-made recipe — but something that is different from everyday fare.

Recipe Zaar (http://www.recipezaar.com) is your answer to all these cravings. This website is must treat, not just for those who love cooking, but also those who enjoy good food. What is more, this website is not just about searching and printing recipes only. There is so much to do here that it can easily keep you occupied for hours.

But before anything else, create an account here, which is free and easy. Of course, you can browse many sections of this website even without signing up. But it is always smarter to create an account and then sign in as soon as you visit the site so that you can thoroughly enjoy all the member benefits.

The website has been divided into recipes, cookbooks, menus and a community. In the recipes section, you can browse more than 2,45,000 recipes which have been categorised in various ways. You can either browse them by courses (salads, appetisers, desserts etc.) or ingredients (say, if you want to make a chocolate flavoured dish) or for mealtimes like, brunch, lunch, dinner etc.

There are many other categories of browsing recipes as well, which you can use according to your requirement.

With each recipe that you view on the website, you have various options. You can correct typos or other errors. You can even review the recipe (and you do not necessarily have to have tried it beforehand). You can post your comments and suggests improvements or alterations to recipes as well.

The cookbooks have been uploaded by the members. If you feel you are a chef-in-making, or just are a cooking enthusiast, you can write your own recipes and upload your own cookbooks on the website. Other members will then be able to read, review and rate your recipes. Cookbooks are searchable by tags, for instance, Asian, cookies, desserts or vegetables. There are hundreds of tags and once you click on a tag, all cookbooks which have been tagged with that particular keyword will be displayed for you.

The community section is the place where you can carry on conversations with other cooking enthusiasts, and discuss the recipes that you tried and tested. If you are looking for a specific recipe, you can request it as well, and someone just might have it for you. As mentioned before, it can easily keep you occupied for hours.

There is also an elaborate help section for you, along with the frequently asked questions regarding the usage of this website and there is a kitchen dictionary too. Plus, there is a measurement converter in case you need to convert any measurements given in the recipe.

Probably the best thing is that unlike other cooking websites which have recipes with ingredients one cannot comprehend, let alone buy, this one has recipes for things as desi as ‘green chutney sandwiches.’ So basically, recipe zaar is the place to be for all the cooking buffs out there.

Hijabified Concerns during Weddings

When one talks about hijab generally, it is mostly to do with whether or not hijab is obligatory, who to observe hijab in front of and is the covering of face essential? Of course, these are all valid questions, which must be and have been answered at length by many scholars. This article then, will move away from these questions and look at a phenomena, which is, to say the least, quite disturbing when it comes to hijab. And that phenomena is the wedding of a hijabified girl.

The wedding itself, of course, is a happy occasion for all. But if the bride is someone who observes strict hijab, then certain guidelines automatically become binding, not only on her family members and in-laws, but on her friends as well. And, unfortunately, these very guidelines are the ones they usually choose to ignore. And sometimes, the fact is, they do not even think in those directions.

So, what are the directions? First and foremost, let's analyse some of our routine wedding practices. If you attend any wedding, you generally want to snap some photographs and take them back with you to either show them or email them to those family members who didn't attend. You also want to keep them with you as a token of good memories. But if the bride observes hijab, and she is dressed up for the wedding day only because the function is segregated, then ask yourself -- should you snap her photographs, while she is decked up?

The answer, of course, depends on who you will be showing the photographs to. If you cannot be careful about what you do with those photographs, it would be better not to snap them at all. After all, if those photos inadvertantly fall in the hands of someone who shouldn't be seeing them (namely your brothers or male relatives), it will be a gross violation of your friend's hijab on your part.

The second of our routine practices is making videos. The reasons are the same as photographs. This has become common especially after the advent of cell phone cameras. Now, everyone seems to have a video recorder on their cell phones, which is used liberally in weddings. Again, the same directions apply. If the bride observes hijab, it is better not to take her video. And in this day and age, when you have no idea when your cell phone might be snatched, it would be a good idea not to store any photos and videos in your phone. You have no idea in whose hands they might fall in and what he would do with them.

Coming back to weddings, one step which some families take is prohibiting photographs and videos altogether at their functions. If you go to such a wedding, and are stopped from taking a photograph, don't take any offence. Some people really do have issues with these things and it would be nice if you respect that.

Let's now talk about what generally happens during the wedding of a hijabied girl, and how, consciously or unconsciously, her friends and family members end up doing things, which are not only in gross violation of her hijab, but are also upsetting to the hijabified girls among the clan as well.

It is generally observed that irrespective of how strictly the bride observes hijab, a whole bunch of people from her own clan as well as in-laws surround her, snapping her photographs at random at a time when she is dressed up to the fullest, courtesy a segregated function. And even though there are girls who choose to be strict at that time and decline to be photographed, at the severe risk of offending even their in-laws, there are many others who don't dare to speak up in fear of being ostracized by their family later. The issue of these girls, of course, is that you don't know who the photographs might be showed to later on.

Another trend, which is generally witnessed during a hijabified wedding function is that the photographs are snapped by a female photographer. This is a positive step, no doubt about that. But then, the family or the in-laws give them to a male developer for printing. That, of course, defeats the entire purpose of a segregated wedding and a female photographer. The question arises, do you really need those photographs in print that badly so as to actually sacrifice someone's hijab on the way? Then, once the photographs are developed, huge albums are made and showed around to family members, whether they are male or female. Again, this amounts to nothing but a gross violation of the girl's hijab. And in this case, it is worse, because in some cases she doesn't even know that her album is being showed around indiscriminately.

Moreover, there are some families who just don't bother taking the hijab of the bride seriously. They end up having non-segregated functions, with male photographers. The poor girl has to pose in front of them for her wedding portfolio, because, in most of the cases, she is too scared to speak up.

At the end of the day, unfortunately, there are a very few people who actually follow a strict code to ensure that they respect the hijab of the girl getting married. Therefore, as a wedding attender, it becomes our responsibility to act sensibly and not only respect their hijab ourselves, but get others to do so too.

Advice for hijabified brides

This is a word of advice to all the hijabified girls getting married.

• Instead of running away when your wedding ceremony is being discussed, take an active part in it and ensure that all functions of your family are segregated. Make sure your family does not book a male photographer/male video maker.

• For the functions of the in-laws, get your parents to talk to your in-laws about having segregated functions and ensure there are no male photographers.

• There are loads of female photographers and female waitresses available. Get your family and in-laws to avail their services.

• Make sure your in-laws know your ideas about hijab and especially the fact that you are strict about it.

• Designate a couple of like-minded friends around you on the day of your functions to keep a watch out around you and politely request people against snapping your photographs indiscriminately.

• Be firm if you have to, and decline having your photograph taken indiscriminately yourself if you have to.

• Have your hijab handy so that you can quickly don it if any male members of your family come in the ladies section. You can ask a friend to hold on to your hijab for you and give it to you the minute you need it.

• If there is no way your family/in-laws agree to a segregated ceremony, get them to make a special enclosure for you so that you don't have to sit on the stage. You can also get a matching hijab stitched with your wedding dress so that your 'satar' is covered at all times.

• Understand that you cannot please anyone. There will be people who will be offended by your adherence to your hijab. Some will tell you off. Others will call you an extemist. Your key is to be firm, yet polite. And, of course, make loads and loads of duas to Allah Almighty to make things easier for you.

• Realise that there may be loads of girls attending your wedding who may look to you as their source of inspiration. If you falter in your hijab at this critical time, these hijabified girls might lose hope. And if you truly respect your hijab, it will inspire them to do the same, or at least convince them that there is such a thing as a hijabified wedding.

• And finally, learn to stand up for yourselves. Once you start voicing your concerns, a very clear message will go out that you are indeed very serious about your hijab and would like people to give it due respect. If you remain quiet, the automatic message that will go across is that you are one of those people who really don't mind anything going on. So, be firm on what you believe is right.

And they live on in our hearts

Almost all bookaholics have, at one time or another, wished that some of the characters that they have read about actually existed. The reasons can be elaborate or trivial. It can be something they said, a noble deed they did or the simple way in which they responded to adversities in life. It can be that you see people around you in some of these characters, or you wish for certain people to be like specific fictional characters.

A tête-à-tête with some avid book lovers reveals that they each have their own list of characters that they admire. Graduate student Hira Tahir says, ‘the characters I want to be real are Mr Knightley from Emma, Michael Olson from Christopher Pike’s Final Friends Trilogy and Sirius Black, from the Harry Potter series. Put plainly, they are all very fanciable. Sirius is hot, handsome and one of the most talented wizards of his age. Michael is very intelligent. He has the most beautiful set of brains you ever laid eyes on. Mr Knightley is a true gentleman - a dying breed.’

Mahwash Ajaz, who is a faculty member at a private university, names Albus Dumbledore (Harry Potter series), Emily Starr (Emily of New Moon series by Lucy Maud Montgomery), Professor Henry Higgins (Pygmalion by Bernard Shaw), Hamlet (Hamlet by William Shakespeare) and Atticus Finch (To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee) as her all-time favorite characters.

‘Dumbledore’s a sage’, she says. ‘He’s the man with answers. In a world of confusion, who doesn’t want someone like that? Emily Starr is possibly the most interesting kid of her age. She writes poetry, waits for ‘the flash’, a thrill that goes through her at odd inspiring moments, and apparently has a vivid imagination. A child like that would be extremely fun (or a handful) to have around. Professor Henry Higgins is a confirmed bachelor with a love for phonetics. Nothing could be more interesting than blasting apart his reasons against marriage. I picked Hamlet because I want to finally lay rest the debate regarding the Oedipus complex. That’s right. I want Hamlet to be real because I want him to go into therapy.’

Interestingly, Nausheen Fazal ur Rehman also cites Albus Dumbledore and Atticus Finch as her favorite characters along with Jane Eyre (Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte) and Sydney Carton (Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens). ‘Albus Dumbledore is extremely intelligent and powerful, he possesses qualities of immense kindness and infinite wisdom, and has the ability to see good in people who are generally not accepted by most’, she says. ‘Jane Eyre is no doubt the strongest heroine in literary fiction to date. In the book she is not described as a beautiful woman, instead she is rather plain-featured, simple and small. However, there is a well-defined beauty about her, and that is her heart. She is also very reserved which adds to the beauty of her character. She possesses an unusual sense of morality when it comes to making decisions. She stands out from other female protagonists who are generally beautiful, and initially shallow and overly passionate. Not only is Jane a strong character, she is also a strong woman.’

‘Atticus Finch is a very upright character; he represents the moral ideal of both a lawyer and a human being. He is intelligent, brutally honest, highly moral, a tireless crusader for good causes (even hopeless ones), a pacifist and, for the most part, devoid of any of the racial or class prejudices afflicting the other citizens of the fictional town of Maycomb. As for Sydney Carton, his dual personality, one that is selfless and sensitive, as well as self-pitying and inconsiderate, makes him one of the most fascinating characters in English literature. Carton makes the great sacrifice for Lucie. He dies a redeemed hero.’

Atticus Finch is also popular with undergraduate student Sarah Akram. But she cautions, ‘to name fictional characters that we would want to come to life is a very difficult task. During the course of our reading, we may fall in love with characters like Catherine and Heathcliff, Hamlet, Maggie Tulliver (The Mill on the Floss by George Eliot), etc. but can we actually accept the presence of such highly individualistic characters in our lives? Despite all the depth and profundity, which are traits common to all these characters, they would be — in my opinion — hard to cope with in real life’.

‘Nevertheless, there are some characters which, if they existed in real, would be admired by many if not all. And most of these characters are those that are quite moral by nature. Atticus Finch is one such character. Morally upright, full of wisdom and integrity, he is a man of principles. He never looks down upon those who differ with him. Such is the magnanimity of his character. His speech is never merely words — it is a collection of words that opens an entirely new world before the reader to experience and reflect upon.’

Seher Farouk names Gilbert Blythe (Anne series by Lucy Maud Montgomery), Rhett Butler and Scarlett O’Hara (Gone with the Wind) as the characters that she admires. ‘Gilbert Blythe is very popular amongst many’, she explains ‘He’s a true lover, loyal husband, sweet father, ambitious doctor and good-looking companion. Rhett Butler is a strong-headed, passionate yet sensible lover. He may not be very good-looking but has the killing charm to behold any female. Scarlett is a character who can add spice to an otherwise routine life — she is an unstable character, but very attractive personality. Such people can be difficult but they possess an aura and charm that attracts attention.’

No doubt it takes a very active imagination and sheer talent on the part of the author to create characters like Mr Darcy and Max de Winter the stir the emotions of readers. It takes some talent to come up with the likes of Gilbert Blythe and Anne Shirley who make one yearn for them to exist in real life. The creators of such memorable characters have ensured that their creations will live in the hearts of readers for generations to come.

Earth to Google

How would you like to browse through the entire Earth from your PC or laptop? What is it like to see your own house as it is visible in satellite photos? How about navigating to your favourite shopping mall or eat-out? All this and more is possible only though a software called Google Earth (http://earth.google.com) . It is likely that most of you would have heard of Google Earth and its wonders, but have you ever explored it thoroughly to discover most of its uses?

First and foremost, what you really need to do in order to appreciate the many uses of Google Earth is to download it. The software is available for free on the website if you only want it for your personal use. There are different versions here available for various businesses as well. And these versions are obviously with advanced features and hence, need to be purchased. But if you are an ordinary, internet-savvy individual, the free version will more than suffice.

Once you have downloaded and installed Google Earth, you are ready to explore it. To start, you can type the name of the continent in the search box and then the name of the country and the software will zoom into that particular place. You can then browse different cities, and also areas within the city. For places in Karachi, for instance, the names of different areas may be spelled differently so it would be better to manually browse for the location rather than type the name of a place and be told that it does not exist.

Google Earth basically shows you how your desired area looks in satellite photos. There are certain countries in which you can enter a specific address and the software will take you to that very spot. Unfortunately, Pakistan is not included in the list of those countries.

The website of is quite helpful when it comes to guiding you on how to use it. There is a detailed section on Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), where you can determine if your system can really supports Google Earth, and whether or not your graphics card can enable the software to be run smoothly. The system requirements have been explained in detail as well.

Moreover, there is an entire Product Tour as well which you can take to find out the different uses of Google Earth. Did you know, for instance, that you can actually use it to find out your business prospects in a certain area? Or did you have the slightest idea that you can actually get driving instructions to and from your destination? This is just a sneak preview of what Google Earth has in store for you.

Apart from all the technical details, there are links to some very interesting Google Earth blogs. Yes, there are people who actually blog exclusively about Google Earth, and you can read up all that they have written about the new and exciting features of the software that they discovered while using it. Bugs found and fixed have also been covered in detail.

Plus, there is an entire Google Earth community, which has created its own different ways of using the software to explore outer space as well as within the Earth. These users have created their own files, which you can download and open in your Google Earth to discover just how exciting your experience can get. There is an archive of these files at your disposal as well, so rest assured, you will find something that appeals to you.

The latest addition to Google Earth is its version 4.2: a literally out-of-the-world experience which enables you to explore the outer space. So now you can view and skies and various galaxies, and the best part is that not only can you view them, you can discuss them with other users in the community as well, and keep yourself updated through a special blog.

Moreover, if you happen to be somewhat of a tech-savvy architect, you can avail the services of Google Sketch Up to build three-dimensional models of just about anything. As the website says, you can design anything ‘from a shoebox to a skyscraper.’ This is not all: once you finish designing your models, you can place them on Google Earth as a user-created file.

So there you have it – there is a whole new world out there waiting for you to explore it, and Google Earth is only one of the means to help you along the way.

Picture Perfect

I magine the following scenario. You are sitting on the Internet and you cannot wait to join a really fascinating website your friend told you about. You are really keen to make your very own profile, list down your hobbies and your likes and dislikes, join new forums and interact with people of your age and interests. After you have sat down and filled out the detailed forms on the said website, a webpage comes up which asks you to upload a photograph to be displayed with your profile. You hunt down your latest and best looking photo from the ones that were recently snapped with your digital camera, and in no time at all, you have a profile ready with you smiling from ear to ear in the photograph alongside it.Then, you discover that there is actually an option to add an entire album. Well, you access the photographs of your latest class get-together and put up the entire stock of photographs complete with captions.But wait a second. Should you be using that photograph option in the first place? If you look closely, it is not at all necessary to display a photograph. You can easily skip that step. But why should you? Why should your profile look bland when everyone else’s is looking so sophisticated because of the lovely personal photographs?The question of whether you should or should not put up your photograph online is, of course, something that you have to answer yourself. But there are a few things that must be kept in mind at all times. Many websites ask you to display your photograph, but the issues remain the same. Let’s take a quick look at some of these issues with the photographs.The first issue of course, is privacy. It is important to realise that this is the Internet one is talking about. Anyone and everyone who has a computer and an Internet connection can log on to the same website. And hence, anyone in the world can view your complete profile and photograph. And maybe it does not concern you if someone from somewhere across Africa sees your photo, but what if people in your city come to recognise you?There can be many people not just in your city but the area in which you live who use the same website and interact with you online. Would you like it if someone stopped you in the supermarket and demanded of you as to why you wrote something on a community or why you never replied to his/her message? If your profile is without a photograph, no one would be able to recognise you by face. You would have a protective shield around you. But once you reveal what you look like, well, then you pretty much give yourself away.Closely related to the privacy issue is the security concern. As mentioned earlier, your photograph is your basic identity. There are many people on the Internet who would simply glance at your profile and hence your photograph, and then move on to do their work. But there are many others who would not have such noble intentions.Over the Internet, it is really easy to save just about any photograph on one’s own personal computer and then manipulate it. With new and advanced photo editing software available in the market, it would be really easy for anyone who is good at graphic designing to save your photograph and do just about whatever he/she wants to do with it. The scariest part is that you will never know who did it or where does your photo reach or for what purposes it is used.And if you think this is exaggeration beyond measure, here is a little incident to reinforce the theory. Some months back, there was a message floating around a popular social networking website, Orkut, that there are many spammers on the lookout for those female members of the website who have put up their photographs so that they can save and manipulate their photos for their own not-so-noble intentions.Another point to consider is the privacy policy of the website where you are putting up your photo. The fact is that these privacy policies, which are freely available for you to read on their websites, have very cleverly written a few things which you can only find out when you go through them very carefully. At the start of the policy document of course, they tell you that they will protect your information, but many of them clarify somewhere in the middle that any information you share on their website (along with the photograph) can be exchanged with third parties. Very few websites actually define who these third parties actually are, and how this information will be used.So basically you should be considering these basic issues when deciding whether or not to display your photograph for public viewing online. Of course, there is a great temptation to put up photos like everyone else, and sometimes you just have to stop yourself from doing what everyone else is doing. But there are a few things which you can do which would address your safety concerns and ensure that you enjoy your time in cyberspace.First and foremost, you can avail the picture option on websites to show off your photography skills. Take photos of your plants or the sunrise, and put those up. You will have an exotic picture to go with your profile and it won’t be a personal picture either. There are loads of possibilities once you have the digital camera, and there’s no reason why you cannot experiment by snapping different photos and putting them up online for everyone to see without compromising your privacy and security.Of course there are times when you want to share your photos with your friends. There are times when there is a family event and you need to show the photos to your relatives living abroad. For such purposes, you can use websites like Shutterfly (www.shutterfly.com). On that website, you simply need to make an account, upload your photographs, label them as private so that only those who you choose can see them and then of course share the link with your family and friends.The privacy policy of Shutterfly clarifies that “In order to provide quality products, the Shutterfly employees and third-party service providers fulfilling your order or providing Customer Support to you may see your pictures.” Of course, this means that your photographs are not completely private here as well, but this is definitely better than everyone and anyone being able to see them off a website.Certain people trust websites like Facebook (www.facebook.com) to put up their photographs because the viewer ship is restricted to friends only. When asked, students had a similar take on this issue, as far as Facebook is concerned.“Yes, I am concerned about privacy issues and I don’t trust the websites,” said Azmat Ashraf. “But I think that it is relatively safer to put up photos on Facebook because only your friends can see them and not everyone else, unlike Orkut where whoever clicks on your profile, can see everything about you.”Rabya Ali agreed: “I think it is safe to put pictures on Facebook. I’m specifically talking about the pictures in my albums because only my friends can view those pictures. Putting up my picture made it easier for my old friends from school/college and elsewhere to recognise and contact me.”Once you find a website which suits you, another thing to bear in mind when putting up and sharing photos is that the photos must be of you only. You must absolutely make sure in this scenario that you only share photos of yourself. It would be an act of courtesy to respect your friend’s trust in you, by not putting up your friend’s photos online, irrespective of whether or not the concerned friend has an issue with it.So basically it is not just the privacy paranoia which has to reign. All that is needed is some vigilance rather than a lax attitude towards these so-called non-issues. If you take the necessary steps to ensure your privacy and security, and learn to go through the privacy policy of whichever website you are trusting to share your photographs, it would ultimately ensure that no one abuses or manipulates your photos. And at the end of the day, you can enjoy a hassle-free experience in cyberspace.

Greetings made easy

IT IS that time of the year again – the time when new clothes, shoes, accessories and jewellery take prime importance in our lives. It is the time to put mehendi on our hands, prepare sevyaan and other mouth-watering food. Above all, it is the time to rejoice, meet one’s friends and relatives, and of course to collect loads of Eidi. But the spirit of Eid remains if you have not wished your loved ones.

Among various ways of celebrating the Eid, one of the most obvious is the use of technology to send Eid wishes by e-cards or electronic cards that are definitely a major part in celebration. This is mainly because there are loads of family members and friends, who cannot be attained daily life, also there are others who happen to be settled abroad. And in this fast-paced life, e-cards are far more convenient than buying a whole lot of hard copy cards, personalising them, and then posting them to different destinations.

You can always send e-cards to people in the same city as well, instead of having to call them up. Besides, e-cards can be mailed to wider social circle – which include people who are mere acquaintances that you would only remember on occasions. This way, you not only save time, but money as well, and then you can also focus on writing a few paper cards for very close friends and family members.

So what’s the best place for e-cards? If you write, ‘Eid e-cards’ and Google it, you are sure to find a plethora of websites which offer free Eid-ul-Fitr e-cards. But there is one website which definitely stands out among the whole lot: Eid E-cards at http://www.eid-ecards.com

The best thing about the website is the neat division of categories so that no matter who you want to send an e-card to, be it family or friend, there is the precise category of e-cards. There is also a category of ‘thank you’ e-cards to reply to those who were considerate enough to send you one. There are invitation cards too, in case you are planning something special for your friends or family members this Eid and want to invite people over. There is also one entire section for ‘formal greetings’ in case you want to wish your colleagues or even your boss.

Of course, once you have chosen a category, all you need to do is to browse through the available cards in each category and click your selection to fill in the required details, preview your e-card and hit send on the required date.

But before you get excited about such a handy website, here is a word of caution. This website seems to be serving as a front page for the Eid greeting e-cards which are already available on another website. The only plus point of visiting this site, instead of the parent website, is that the former usually takes longer to load. Besides, parent websites mostly contains general e-cards websites, so it would take longer to navigate to the section on e-cards by going through different categories. This website offers more convenience. All you need to do is type a URL and you have the entire selection of e-cards at your disposal.

So basically, it is all about saving time while you are online. And even if you have a miserable connection, this website is sure to work.

Research? No, thank you

Come the final year at any university, and the thought which plagues the minds of students (apart from the fact that they now have just one year to brave through university) is whether they should opt for research. Research is optional in many instances. It is entirely up to the student to decide whether or not he or she feels up to the task. It is, after all, no easy feat. But the fact that research is optional at university level can become the very reason for the decline of the research culture in this country.

Why is that? The simple reason is that when research is something that one can opt for, then more often than not, many students choose not to opt for it at all. And when you have a whole generation of students who is disillusioned with the thought of doing research, then who will lead the next generation when they come at this stage?

Putting aside the question of the future, the present quest is to discover what exactly is it that makes students opt out of research? Why do they feel that research is not something which is worth undertaking? When approached, students explained the nature of research in their respective institutes and the general attitude of their peers towards it.

Summaiyah Ali has recently graduated from a business school. She explained that her institute has facilities for research at every level, but students are not willing to undertake it. The time factor plays a crucial role in this as instead of being spread over the entire year, the research work is too concentrated towards the end of the semester.

“The time schedule for the research project is usually not very carefully planned, and depends on the whims of the teachers,” she said. “As a result of this, students end up doing it as a pressure peeve in the last days of the semester, whilst studying for the exams too.”

She felt that the attitude of the teachers towards research was also questionable, and that students were not the only ones to be blamed. “Teachers usually don’t take an interest in the research itself,” she said emphatically. “Very few teachers actually read the research reports, and on the rare occasions that they do actually read them, they misuse them. For instance, one professor asked us for online copies of our reports, and then he erased the name of the student and put his own in, and sent the report to some international conference.”

Plagiarism of course is another story altogether, and an issue which has been much written about. However, it continues unabated by students and teachers alike, and hence definitely acts as a deterrent to those who are honestly looking to undertake something original.

Provision of facilities is also something which many universities lack. They allow students to do research but do not assist them properly by for instance, providing them access to international research journals and papers and providing them with the knowledge of modern and Internet-based research methods and statistical analysis. Hence, students feel they are left mostly on their own to fend for themselves.

“Our teachers help us to the best of their abilities,” said Farah Inam, who undertook social sciences research in her final year. “But they cannot give you what they don’t have. The university just provides you with guidance or what we say lip-service. Yes we need their guidance but this is not the only thing we need for research. We need facilities — things in concrete terms like Internet facility, proper record of periodicals, photocopier, printer, etc. The attitude of the non-teaching staff also gets to you. For instance, I found the library staff cooperative but sometimes they show rigidity and don’t realize your sincerity for work.”

The phenomena of being left on your own once you decide to undertake research is a very real fear amongst some students. Research already is something which is new, and something which has only been theoretically taught. Applying theory to actual research is definitely something which seems to be an overwhelming task. And once students have decided that they will not be getting any guidance, they seem to believe that there is no use undertaking any research project. Some students, however, feel that this no-guidance theory is rather overstated.

“It is tough to do research at any level and you definitely need to have interest as well as stamina,” emphasised Nida Khan, who also took up social science research in her final year. “But students too lack clear ideas and interest. They want quick results. They are not willing to put in their time and effort into something long-term, so they simply shy away from research.”

When it comes to IT research, the scenario is not too different from business and social sciences. Zenia Arshad, who is majoring in computer science, felt that many students in her institute were there simply to gain a degree and a job –- the general mindset which rules. Research does not feature in the picture at all.

“Research requires dedication, enthusiasm and interest. These three things are, unfortunately, what most of the students don’t have. The rewards of research are not very obvious,” she said. “But still there are some who do opt for it. I’ve a couple of classmates working on research projects as a part of MIC (Microsoft Innovation Center). They are the ones enthusiastic about their field of study. In the end, it’s a matter of interest.”

So what should be done about this? There are very real factors deterring students from research and surely they need to be dealt with. On the personal level, if the students themselves are lazy and not willing to invest their time in research, there is little any management can do, no matter how efficient. But surely some changes can be initiated for those who are really interested in pursuing a career in research and starting at university level.

Farah Inam felt that the idea of research being optional was very correct, as worthless researches were worse than no research at all. “Not every student should be given research projects; only those who are capable. The university should carefully evaluate every student before allowing him/her to do research projects. But once they decide upon the capability, they must then invent in those students as well and provide them with the proper facilities.”

Shireen Azfar, who taught as a cooperative teacher in Karachi University had the following suggestions. “The overall environment should be conducive and students from the very commencement of their professional degrees should be given assignments and projects which are research focused and require a lot of information digging. This nurtures their minds in the direction to find it interesting and challenging to do a research study.”

At the end of the day then, until some serious steps are taken, research will continue to be treated with a certain degree of wariness. Of course there will always be some students who choose to take the initiative in spite of the odds, but that is no reason why others cannot be motivated to do the same.

Sinfully yours

CHOCOLATE, the first love of all mankind! Everyone craves for chocolate whether it is a bar or a slab, or a dessert made out this sinfully yummy, gooey dark brown elixir. It serves no ends and promises a few minutes of sheer delight as one digs into and relishes the chocolate treat. So it is no surprise that chocolates are also given as present to those and by those who are true chocoholics.

Chocolate.com is one website which truly caters to these chocoholics. But before your mouth waters in anticipation, let me warn you. There is only so much use you can make of this website. It is basically a venue for online shopping for chocolates. And if you are not planning to buy anything from here, then the sight of scrumptious chocolate treats will only increase your longing for them, depressing you even further. But let us be optimistic enough to whatever we can get from this website.

To begin with, there is an extensive section on recipes which are either based on chocolates, or include it. So the next time you are attempted to try out something really different in terms of a chocolate-related dish, look no further. The interesting part in the recipes is that they all involve ingredients which are easily accessible. You can always experiment with something new like white chocolate cheese cake or chocolate banana custard.

Other than the recipes, there is a useful tips section as well, which is a great guide on different ways of using chocolate while cooking. For instance, there is an article on how you should store chocolate when you want to make use of it in cooking anything. Such hints will ensure that the recipe turns out as amazing as it is portrayed on the website.

For those who do not easily give in to this mouth-watering delight, there is an interesting research section on chocolates, which makes for quite an enlightening read. It quotes a study that has scientifically proven that dark chocolate is one of the most significant factors in lowering the blood pressure. So here is a chance of snubbing your doctor when he tells you to lay off chocolates. But interestingly, the research has showed that white chocolate does not lowers blood pressure. Well, one has to treat facts like these with caution since the website is dedicated to selling chocolates.

If, however, you cannot resist the temptation and order online (at your on own risk), then there is definitely a wide range of options available. All the chocolate products are categorised in several ways, so you can avail the option which is most convenient for you. You can use the budget category to search for products that falls between your desired price range. Or you can access the products by their category of chocolate for instance; white chocolate, milk chocolate, brownies or cakes. There are so many different categories here that you will certainly be spoilt for choice.

For whatever reason you visit this website, it is sure to cheer you up especially if you are one of those people whose spirits are lifted at the mere sight of chocolate. And there is no guarantee that you may end up running to your refrigerator or the store to sink your teeth in this sinful indulgence.

Check out various chocolate treats at http://www.chocolate.com

What a racket

IT is quite encouraging to see that even though cricket and hockey are the major domains of sports in this country, there is a sizeable number of people who can be classified as avid tennis fans. Of course, Aisam-ul-Haq’s recent winning spree may have motivated a lot of them to begin appreciating the game. And for those among you who are interested in reading about the latest news on tennis and the likes of Justine Henin, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, Pro Tennis Fan is right up your alley.

Pro Tennis Fan caters to those who have developed interest in tennis recently, as well as those who have been watching the game for years. Being a blog, Pro Tennis Fan actually makes a very interesting read since it not only keeps one updated on all that is happening in the world of tennis, but also carries blogger’s views on the current scenario. At the time of writing this review, the US Open is in full swing. Having entered the semi-final stage, it has been marked with its share of controversies and disappointments. Few of the highlights include Serena Williams being dubbed ‘classless’ courtesy her comments at the post-match press conference after losing out to Justine Henin in the quarter-finals, and Rafael Nadal being knocked out of the tournament. Needless to say, the blog is pretty much dominated by news of the US Open at this point.

There is also a commentary on the matches and players’ activities. The case in point is the retirement announcement of Tim Henman. The blogger has also added his comments regarding who has and has not made it to the quarter-finals.

What makes the blogger’s comments far more interesting and readable is that the entries are short and to the point. He has not rambled on about anything, so it is easy to keep yourself updated quickly.

In addition, some applicable and appropriate links are provided to interesting articles from all over the cyberspace. So you can, for instance, check out who Jon Wertheim of Sports Illustrated has chosen as the winner at the current Grand Slam.

Another worthwhile feature of the website is that the posts have been categorised not by topic, but by the players. So if you are looking for specific stories regarding any player from James Blake to Dinara Safina, simply select the name from the side bar and you will have access to all the entries about that player. There are links to the official and unofficial websites of different players as well. So if you are a die-hard fan, you can surf those as well.

The blogger invites his readers to have their say as well. Unfortunately, despite its great content, there are few readers as can be judged by the number of entries for each blog, which are two comments at the most.

So the next time you log onto the internet to check out the latest scores on Yahoo Tennis, make sure you visit Pro Tennis Fan.

Keep up-to-date in the world of tennis. Log on to http://www.protennisfan.com/

Watch what you download

WHO has not heard of YouTube? At some point, most of us have received a link to a YouTube video by email. And sometimes there are links to YouTube videos on different websites and forums as well.

The point being that video sharing is something that has become quite popular over the years, and as the trend becomes more popular, the websites which cater to video buffs have increased as well. Apart from YouTube, there are other sites like Yahoo! Videos, Zippy Videos and Metacafe to name a few.

But life is never this easy. If there is a hitch in these video sharing websites, it occurs when you have to watch them online. The content of these videos is streamed to the respective website which means that - barring a few websites - there is no download link at all, even if you go through the HTML of the webpage to extract one. So what do you do if you want to download a video? Or what if your connection is not good enough to allow you to watch videos online?

The solution lies in Video Downloader (http://www.videodownloader.net). It is basically a handy tool which will extract the download link of whichever video you are watching at the moment. Then click on that link to download the respective video from that website.

If you are using Firefox as your browser, then all you have to do is download a small add-on from this website and install it in your Firefox. Then, whenever you have a specific webpage opened with the streaming video, all you need to do is to click on the Video Downloader icon and a pop-up window will appear, giving you the download link.

One of the best features of this website is that it supports many video sharing websites which include You Tube and Zippy Videos. Also, if you are not interested in downloading or installing, the website has the facility by which you can simply copy and paste the link of the page which has the video you want to watch, and click download. The website will handle the rest of the work for you.

Trouble is, sometimes, the downloader does bungle up the links a little bit. Resultantly, instead of the download link, you end up getting something completely different. Nevertheless, if it you are lucky, you will get the right link. And if things are not working at all, you can always get in touch with the developer of this tool, who has left his email address on the website.

Another little problem which we used to face when using Video Downloader is that the download link had the extension of .flv instead of .wmv. This means that even if we did manage to download the entire video, we could not play it in your standard Windows Media Player or Real Player. This problem has also been solved. There is a link on the website to download the FLV Player so that even if you are getting links with a .flv extension, all you need to do is download that very player to watch your videos.

At the end of the day though, if your connection is working fine, you can have a collection of all your favourite videos. Then it is up to you whether to store them on the PC/Laptop or burn them on CD/DVD. All thanks to the Video Downloader.

To watch the videos of your choice, log onto http://www.videodownloader.net.

Website a day, eh?

HUNTING websites is an interesting as well as a tiresome task. You have to be specific about what exactly you are searching for in order to put correct keywords in the search engine to get as close a result as possible. But if you simply want to browse through different websites, then you must have a good deal of knowledge about the search engines which you can visit other than Yahoo and Google. However, it should be kept in mind that more or less all search engines carry the same URL of websites.

This is where a website like Cool Site of the Day comes in. This website offers a newsletter service in which the subscriber receives a link to a new website everyday through e-mail. For those of us, who are wary about submitting our e-mail address to a new website and are already irritated recipient of unlimited spam, then we can simply visit the website daily and can check out the link of the day.

The website is pretty much to the point. The homepage is clutter-free, and very neatly structured. It does not dwell on lengthy descriptions of the daily highlights. Instead, if you click on the appropriate link, it will take you to the the day’s website. You can also, always leave your feedback about the selected webpage in the drop down menu that lingers at the top for a while.

The website also allows you to visit a random site. Simply click on the icon which says, ‘Random Cool Site’ and you will find yet another website to browse through. The archive of links is available as well – comprising all those websites which have already been featured on Cool Site of the Day. So, if you are not content with just one website per day, or if the site is not according to your liking, you can access the archive and browse many more.

If you own a website, and are looking for a platform to launch, then here is your chance. This website features an option in which one of the submitted sites is picked as the cool website of the day. You just have to use the online form to submit the website. It will be reviewed and if found up to the mark, will make it in the queue of the cool site of the day. There is just one catch here. Apparently, this website is rather popular so they charge fee for reviewing your website. But if you feel it is worth it, go ahead.

And of course, if you like this website and find it useful for the internet gurus like yourself, then you can help in promoting it, especially if you own a blog or a site. There is a range of different banners and buttons available here that can be downloaded and put up on your blog. However, a very important omission is the accompanying HTML code with these banners and buttons. If the code was given, even the novices among us could have easily inserted the link in your website or blog. As it happens, only those familiar with HTML can use this promotional business.

It is true that once-a-day services such as these have been around for a long time and have been very popular, but they exist precisely for their utility and the convenience they offer to all those internet users who are genuinely interested in browsing new and interactive websites.

To access a new website every day, log onto http://www.coolsiteoftheday.com/

For your eyes only

Magazines and newspapers not only help in satiating the appetite of reading enthusiasts, but also keep people updated on all that is happening around the world. Newspapers fulfil the latter function better than magazines do, which tend to fall in the area of entertainment. There are many who cannot start their day without reading a newspaper, while there are others cannot wait for the month to begin so that they can get their hands on the latest issue of their favourite magazines.

Fortunately, the internet world also offers such services, and websites like All you can Read mainly cater to newspaper and magazine lovers. The website is basically a database of magazines and newspapers from around the world. It contains links to up to 23,000 publications printed in different regions and continents.

At the first glance, this may put you off since the homepage shows a lot of links and not any reading material in particular. However, once you begin navigating the website you can make most out of it. The magazines and newspapers are categorised by regions as well as interests. So while you can access all the newspapers published in Japan and Brazil, you can also catch up on all the different genres of magazines published around the world which are categorised by special interest and the target audience to which they cater to.

The newspapers, on the other hand, are categorised by continents, and then further sub-divided into countries.

Once you access the area of your interest, you can start browsing the content they offer. For example, if you are inclined towards magazines that deals with women issues, you can access the appropriate link from the main page and you will find a list of such magazines. These are hyperlinked to their official websites. Some official websites offer only subscription while some come with full text of articles published in the most current issue. These articles can be in both HTML or in PDF format, so you can easily save them to your computer to read them later.

The website can be of invaluable use to those of you who may be doing some formal research at any level. If you wish to find any kind of material that is published in foreign publications, or even if you want to analyse the image of Pakistan in the foreign press, this place is right up your alley.

If you are the kind who love to thumb through your magazine or newspaper in anticipation of what is coming next, then the online version may not attract you as much. However, on the whole, despite a few visual problems, courtesy a fine print, the website is a real treasure trove for those who do not mind reading on the monitors.

At the end of the day then, it is all about how much passion you have for reading and how keen you are to have a healthy stock of publications coming your way via cyberspace. And there is always the option of taking print outs, the moment your eyes scream for mercy from staring at the screen

---

To access foreign newspapers and magazines, log onto http://www.allyoucanread.com

Bridges, anyone?

It was a scorching afternoon. Two students got off a mini bus and stood at the pavement to cross the road. It was a busy street and at the peak of the rush hour, all forms of vehicles were zooming past, making the task at hand seem rather difficult. One of the students would put a foot forward and then hurriedly withdraw it in the face of a speeding car or a racing bus. These students stood there for quite some time before they were finally able to zoom in and out between the fast-moving traffic to reach the other side of the road. Had someone nearby stopped to sympathise with the plight of these students, the sympathy would have turned to incredulity at the sight of a pedestrian bridge right above where the students stood.

And this is actually the real plight. Most of the students love to believe they are immortal. Why else would they race their bikes on a busy road, or put up a show of resistance whenever they are asked to hand over their cell phones? However, no one and absolutely no one can beat those who choose to cross a road in spite of the pedestrian bridge right over their heads.

All major roads of Karachi are filled with vehicular traffic at all times. The problem in crossing these roads is increased by the fact that there is no traffic signal nearby. If a traffic signal is present, then there is at least some hope that the flow of traffic will stop for some time, hence allowing some of the lucky ones to reach the other side of the road.

This is where pedestrian bridges come in. There are many pedestrian bridges in Karachi. All of them have been constructed at key locations i.e. roads that have a heavy traffic flow at all times. At places like Hyderi and Shahrah-i-Faisal to name a few, these bridges should ideally ensure that people cross the road safely without risking their lives. After all, that’s why they are there in the first place. However, when it comes to effectively using these bridges, the situation is exactly the opposite.

Most of the students view these bridges as a sheer waste of time. It is quite sad to observe that the pedestrian bridge in front of the Ayesha Bawany Academy at Shahrah-i-Faisal, for one, is vacated most of the times. In spite of the heavy traffic, these students think it is actually quite thrilling to zoom in between rows of cars to reach the other end.

So why do people stay away from the pedestrian bridges and choose to cross the roads? There are many explanations given on that front. Time obviously is the main issue. The fact that the time to climb the stairs of the pedestrian bridge and get off at the other end is exactly the same, if not less, than waiting for the road to clear a bit so that it can be crossed safely, is lost on most people. The common perception is that crossing the road instead of using the bridge takes less time, which of course may not be entirely true all the time.

“It’s our mindset. We love to take shortcuts,” says a disgusted Hina, a student of a reputed business institute. “The thought of doing things the right, fair and socially accepted way never enters our minds. No wonder we are in the mess we are.”

Fatima, an ‘O’ Level student, also attributes this to the mindset. “Students don’t make use of the pedestrian bridge because they’re too lazy to climb the steps. They think it’s a waste of time and energy. And then it’s all about how we think we can just cross the road as and when we wish and it’s the drivers’ responsibility to stop when they see us. It’s all about mindset, I tell you.”

This does actually apply to those who cross the road while a bridge is above them. Obviously those who cross the road in a hurry because the bridge is at a considerable distance or isn’t present at all in that area do have some excuse. No wonder certain people have actually written letters to newspapers requesting more bridges to be constructed on roads like Shahrah-i-Faisal for the convenience of those who do use these bridges.

Back to those who don’t, another reason why students think it is better to cross the road than use the bridge is because pedestrian bridges aren’t perceived as “safe” in the first place. Most of the times, the stairs are wobbly and seem to sag under one’s weight. The considerable empty space between one stair and the next also seems to be a bit too much.

“I have been a regular user of the pedestrian bridge at Shahrah-i-Faisal. But it is a frightening experience every day,” revealed Saira, a student whose school is around the bridge. “I am always afraid that the stairs or the bridge itself will give way under me. Even when I am on the bridge itself, the floor isn’t stable enough. No wonder there are only a few people really making use of that bridge.”

Another main issue doesn’t really have anything to do with the pedestrian bridges themselves, but is related to the demographics and characteristics of the individual. For instance, if someone has a phobia of heights, then it is unlikely that he/she will use the pedestrian bridge to cross the road. And there are many young people who do genuinely have that phobia.

Similarly, it is thought that the elderly people would also have a problem crossing the bridge as there are quite a number of stairs leading to them in the first place. But surprisingly, they are the more cautious lot, with the younger lot being more reckless and daring.

“My grandfather, who is of age, uses the metal pedestrian bridge to cross the road, but would definitely prefer to do it directly, because it gets very tiring for him. Following from a simple science explanation, metal has more gravity working on it than cement or stone, so while climbing the bridge only, he gets tired enough,” explained Javeria, a student of Karachi University.

Javeria, who herself is a regular user of pedestrian bridges at Nursery and Hyderi feels that bridges can sometimes be a source of embarrassment not to mention untimely injuries. “I have slipped twice while getting off these bridges. Believe me, slipping on the steps of a pedestrian bridge brings a lot of embarrassment together with a lot of bruises, sprained ankles, and broken backs,” she adds vehemently.

An interesting point to note is that when there is a railing dividing the two sides of the roads, almost everyone uses the pedestrian bridge. The bridge in front of the Federal Urdu University is a case in point. That bridge is almost always crowded and of course, this is not to undermine the fact that the students are socially aware that they must cross the road using the pedestrian bridge. However, one cannot help but notice the divider between the two roads which means that crossing it on foot is futile, as one wouldn’t be able to get on the other side anyway.

In spite of the problems, one cannot deny the importance of pedestrian bridges. There are periodic announcements by the city nazim that more bridges will be constructed, and one can easily see quite a few bridges under construction in different parts of the city. This is of course welcome news to a sizable majority that plays safe and doesn’t make an issue of crossing the pedestrian bridges.

People who do not seem to realise their importance do have a point, but at the end of the day, it is advisable to use something that has been constructed for your convenience only, even if you have to spend some extra time or effort doing so.