To come up with something creative – be it a movie, a book, or an advertisement – is no mean feat. It requires toil and sweat and even a small editing mistake can lead to sometimes hilarious, sometimes disastrous consequences. But humans being humans, will make editing mistakes – something which an intelligent viewer can quickly catch. Slip-ups — a website designed by some very observant viewers is an assortment of mistakes taken from different and well-known movies, books and television programmes. Of course, there must be zillions of such goof ups everywhere and this makes a comprehensive compilation quite an impossible task. However, the website team chooses the most interesting and amusing slip-ups that they receive.
The two sections worth checking out are dedicated to the top 25 slip-ups and the recent 25 additions to the database. The former section has the most popular slip-ups – the popularity is determined through visitor voting, so do not forget to rate anything that you read here. The latter section features the latest errors to be loaded in the database.
What is interesting about the entries in these two sections is that if they belong to any movie or television show, there is a link in the sidebar which takes you to more errors in the same show. So if you find a ranking for an error in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, and read up on it, there will be a web-link at hand, which you can use to discover more bloopers in the same movie.
Apart from random browsing, you can also access errors by categories. All the slip-ups have been categorised into books, movies, television and quotes. So if you are interested in finding out, for instance, the type of mistakes which can creep into books even after extensive editing, you can log onto the section on books and search.
Other features are pretty similar to what would find on other sites. There is a newsletter which you can subscribe to which will give you updates. There is a feedback form which you can use to let the webmasters know what you think of their effort. Plus, if you have something of your own to share, you can send it for review. In fact, if you have some spare time on your hands, you can even apply to become an online editor. If you get the post, you will be able to review all the slip-ups that visitors send for posting to the website and select the most amusing and entertaining ones.
Overall, this is quite a hilarious website to surf – one, which can become quite handy if you are bored in your office or in a bad mood at home. Above all, if your boss chastises you for an editing error, you can always refere him/her to this website, and innocently comment on how much worse it could be.
To find out the amusing consequences of lapses in editing, log on to http://www.slipups.com
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Call of the Books
With the coming of the internet, book reading has taken a backseat. Most people, especially youngsters, end up spending more time navigating and exploring cyberdom, and for them, the internet has become the main source of information. Not surprisingly, this leaves little time for reading books, a habit fast disappearing in the youth.
Fortunately, there are many websites which are trying to instill the concept of book reading, one of which is Shelfari (you may have received invitations in your inbox to join the website). Even though, this website does not exactly promote reading habit per se, but it is a good source to indulge in the treasure trove of books and to hobnob with other book readers. The basic theme and structure of Shelfari is similar to a social networking website. The major difference is that unlike Orkut and Facebook, you get to interact specifically with book lovers from around the world.
The first thing to do when you log on to Shelfari is to create an account. This is a very simple process requiring your full name, e-mail address and a password. The next step is something which should best be skipped. At this stage, you will be asked to search for your friends who are already on Shelfari by entering your username and password for common e-mail accounts like hotmail, Yahoo! and Gmail. While one can try and search for friends this way, the fact remains that you never know when this information might be used to send repeated invitations to everyone in your contact list. The safer bet will be to invite people by entering individual e-mail addresses. Once you have created an account, you can start adding books to your bookshelf. All you need to do is to search for the book by its title, author and/or ISBN. When the relevant search results are displayed, choose and click. These books will then show up on your profile under various categories – books which you are currently reading, those that you have read, and those that you plan to read, etc.
Similar to Orkut which holds communities, Shelfari has Groups. These groups are again related to books and reading in some way. You can join groups related to authors and writing, book clubs, world literature and so on. The category of authors and writing carries groups for individual writers as well, so if you are a fan of Paulo Coelho or Jane Austen, you will find many like-minded individuals to interact with and discuss various authors and their literary works.
The main idea behind Shelfari is to create a global community where book lovers can come together, express their reading tastes and habits, learn more about the new books on the block which are worth reading and of course, interact with like-minded people from around the world. To spend time on this website and then go out to buy some of the books would definitely be classified as having the best of both the online and the offline worlds when it comes to leisure reading.
To meet book lovers from around the world, log on to: http://www.shelfari.com
Fortunately, there are many websites which are trying to instill the concept of book reading, one of which is Shelfari (you may have received invitations in your inbox to join the website). Even though, this website does not exactly promote reading habit per se, but it is a good source to indulge in the treasure trove of books and to hobnob with other book readers. The basic theme and structure of Shelfari is similar to a social networking website. The major difference is that unlike Orkut and Facebook, you get to interact specifically with book lovers from around the world.
The first thing to do when you log on to Shelfari is to create an account. This is a very simple process requiring your full name, e-mail address and a password. The next step is something which should best be skipped. At this stage, you will be asked to search for your friends who are already on Shelfari by entering your username and password for common e-mail accounts like hotmail, Yahoo! and Gmail. While one can try and search for friends this way, the fact remains that you never know when this information might be used to send repeated invitations to everyone in your contact list. The safer bet will be to invite people by entering individual e-mail addresses. Once you have created an account, you can start adding books to your bookshelf. All you need to do is to search for the book by its title, author and/or ISBN. When the relevant search results are displayed, choose and click. These books will then show up on your profile under various categories – books which you are currently reading, those that you have read, and those that you plan to read, etc.
Similar to Orkut which holds communities, Shelfari has Groups. These groups are again related to books and reading in some way. You can join groups related to authors and writing, book clubs, world literature and so on. The category of authors and writing carries groups for individual writers as well, so if you are a fan of Paulo Coelho or Jane Austen, you will find many like-minded individuals to interact with and discuss various authors and their literary works.
The main idea behind Shelfari is to create a global community where book lovers can come together, express their reading tastes and habits, learn more about the new books on the block which are worth reading and of course, interact with like-minded people from around the world. To spend time on this website and then go out to buy some of the books would definitely be classified as having the best of both the online and the offline worlds when it comes to leisure reading.
To meet book lovers from around the world, log on to: http://www.shelfari.com
Saturday, March 8, 2008
Watch out... while on the move
It was a typical week day. The mini bus was jam packed, mostly with university students. When this bus screeched to a halt on the next stop, two school-going girls boarded the ladies section. With huge bags on their shoulders, it was clear that they were having trouble standing amidst so many people. The size of the bag was also making it difficult for others to stand hence a lot of under-the-breath grumbling began. When these girls had to get off, there was a huge hustle and bustle as they made their way towards the exit, the bag hitting quite a few people yet again.
Whether students are school-going or college-going, conveyance is one of the main issues to be dealt with. When the students are very young, parents prefer that they pick and drop children from school themselves; sometimes, a driver is hired for this very purpose. As they grow older, some parents rely on the transport system of the school itself. Hence, the school vans come in the picture.
However, all families are not as privileged. They either have one car which cannot be spared for the children, or they cannot afford to buy and maintain a car in the first place. There are some families which cannot pay the exorbitant fees of the private vans month after month. For the children of such families, public transport becomes a more convenient and affordable means of travelling to and from their school.
There are quite a few choices when it comes to commuting in public transport. And of course, each form of transport comes with its own share of advantages and disadvantages. What’s important is that if you are going to and from your school in a public transport, you must know some basic safety and convenience measures to follow with each. Let’s take a look at each in turn.
Buses
The main advantage of travelling in a bus is that the fare is considerably lower than other forms of transport. Also, it is a very “public” form of transport — there are quite a few passengers in every bus so even if you are travelling alone, it is a relief to see at least some people headed in the same direction as you are.
However, travelling in buses requires a higher degree of caution as well. First and foremost, if you are a school-going girl, and you’re travelling alone, it is better not to board a bus which has an empty ladies section. It is preferable to board one which has some ladies already travelling in it.
Also, you must avoid getting into a bus which is full. It is a common occurrence that students push their way in, bags and all, even if they only get some space on the very last step. This is highly dangerous, especially if you’re carrying a heavy bag. Bus drivers are notorious for travelling at unusually high speeds and applying brakes quite suddenly. So make sure there is at least some space to stand inside the bus before you get on.
Moreover, once you board the bus it is better to take your bag off your shoulder and carry it in your hand. This is mainly because of the scenario described above where students move about in the bus, totally oblivious to the fact that their bag is hitting quite a few people. Even if you find a seat, take your bag off first and put it in the lap. It is again quite common to see that when students sit on the seat, they don’t take their bags off. The result is that the bag occupies the entire seat and the student in question is almost falling off.
Another major reason to take the bag off and keeping it in your full view is that there have been too many cases of bus robberies. Cunning pickpockets, both male and female, are known to carefully zip open bags and purses of oblivious owners to quietly pilfer the valuables — money and cell phones.
And this brings us to another very important safeguard while travelling in buses. Cell phones are now quite common even with school-going children, in spite of many schools having enforced a strict ban on the same. It often happens that the minute anyone gets a seat, he/she fishes out the cell phone from the bag and starts messaging or playing games. Nothing can alert a potential thief more easily to the fact that you possess a cell phone which can easily be taken away from you as well.
The best thing to do if you are carrying a cell phone, is to place it in the inside pocket of your school bag, and only take it out to attend a very urgent phone call. Also, it would be advisable to have it on silent or vibration mode when you are travelling in a bus. This will ensure that even if it rings in the bus, you will be the only person who hears it.
Taxis
Travelling in taxis is definitely more comfortable, even if the taxi driver takes a huge amount of money for that comfort. But if you’re a female student, it is advisable to travel in taxis only when you’re with an adult or if you’re travelling with a large group of girls. As elders say quite often, taxis are closed spaces and hence, not quite safe if you’re alone.
Rickshaws
Rickshaws are probably the most convenient if you’re travelling alone and have to cover a short distance. Apart from the noise and, of course, the exorbitant fare that rickshaw drivers often charge for even the smallest distance, rickshaws come in handy when the bus stop is at a good distance from your house.One thing which is quite noticeable with reference to school-going children hiring rickshaws is that when they stop a rickshaw, they go right in the middle of the lane to talk to the driver, give him the directions and settle the fare. Crossing to the middle of the road or lane is highly dangerous because that is the time when even lanes are filled with school vans and cars. So whenever you stop a rickshaw, make sure it comes towards the footpath where you are standing.
Yes travelling in public transport may seem like a big hassle. But the truth is, these different forms of transport are quite convenient. They reduce your dependence on private transport, and ensure that you learn the different areas and routes more quickly. Also, you get to learn how to travel alone right from your school-going age. Pubic transport also toughens one up. This is because you really get to rough it out outside your sheltered home and school environment. So at the end of the day, public transport is quite advantageous in more ways than one. But one must learn to exercise certain precautions in order to travel safe in more ways than one.
Whether students are school-going or college-going, conveyance is one of the main issues to be dealt with. When the students are very young, parents prefer that they pick and drop children from school themselves; sometimes, a driver is hired for this very purpose. As they grow older, some parents rely on the transport system of the school itself. Hence, the school vans come in the picture.
However, all families are not as privileged. They either have one car which cannot be spared for the children, or they cannot afford to buy and maintain a car in the first place. There are some families which cannot pay the exorbitant fees of the private vans month after month. For the children of such families, public transport becomes a more convenient and affordable means of travelling to and from their school.
There are quite a few choices when it comes to commuting in public transport. And of course, each form of transport comes with its own share of advantages and disadvantages. What’s important is that if you are going to and from your school in a public transport, you must know some basic safety and convenience measures to follow with each. Let’s take a look at each in turn.
Buses
The main advantage of travelling in a bus is that the fare is considerably lower than other forms of transport. Also, it is a very “public” form of transport — there are quite a few passengers in every bus so even if you are travelling alone, it is a relief to see at least some people headed in the same direction as you are.
However, travelling in buses requires a higher degree of caution as well. First and foremost, if you are a school-going girl, and you’re travelling alone, it is better not to board a bus which has an empty ladies section. It is preferable to board one which has some ladies already travelling in it.
Also, you must avoid getting into a bus which is full. It is a common occurrence that students push their way in, bags and all, even if they only get some space on the very last step. This is highly dangerous, especially if you’re carrying a heavy bag. Bus drivers are notorious for travelling at unusually high speeds and applying brakes quite suddenly. So make sure there is at least some space to stand inside the bus before you get on.
Moreover, once you board the bus it is better to take your bag off your shoulder and carry it in your hand. This is mainly because of the scenario described above where students move about in the bus, totally oblivious to the fact that their bag is hitting quite a few people. Even if you find a seat, take your bag off first and put it in the lap. It is again quite common to see that when students sit on the seat, they don’t take their bags off. The result is that the bag occupies the entire seat and the student in question is almost falling off.
Another major reason to take the bag off and keeping it in your full view is that there have been too many cases of bus robberies. Cunning pickpockets, both male and female, are known to carefully zip open bags and purses of oblivious owners to quietly pilfer the valuables — money and cell phones.
And this brings us to another very important safeguard while travelling in buses. Cell phones are now quite common even with school-going children, in spite of many schools having enforced a strict ban on the same. It often happens that the minute anyone gets a seat, he/she fishes out the cell phone from the bag and starts messaging or playing games. Nothing can alert a potential thief more easily to the fact that you possess a cell phone which can easily be taken away from you as well.
The best thing to do if you are carrying a cell phone, is to place it in the inside pocket of your school bag, and only take it out to attend a very urgent phone call. Also, it would be advisable to have it on silent or vibration mode when you are travelling in a bus. This will ensure that even if it rings in the bus, you will be the only person who hears it.
Taxis
Travelling in taxis is definitely more comfortable, even if the taxi driver takes a huge amount of money for that comfort. But if you’re a female student, it is advisable to travel in taxis only when you’re with an adult or if you’re travelling with a large group of girls. As elders say quite often, taxis are closed spaces and hence, not quite safe if you’re alone.
Rickshaws
Rickshaws are probably the most convenient if you’re travelling alone and have to cover a short distance. Apart from the noise and, of course, the exorbitant fare that rickshaw drivers often charge for even the smallest distance, rickshaws come in handy when the bus stop is at a good distance from your house.One thing which is quite noticeable with reference to school-going children hiring rickshaws is that when they stop a rickshaw, they go right in the middle of the lane to talk to the driver, give him the directions and settle the fare. Crossing to the middle of the road or lane is highly dangerous because that is the time when even lanes are filled with school vans and cars. So whenever you stop a rickshaw, make sure it comes towards the footpath where you are standing.
Yes travelling in public transport may seem like a big hassle. But the truth is, these different forms of transport are quite convenient. They reduce your dependence on private transport, and ensure that you learn the different areas and routes more quickly. Also, you get to learn how to travel alone right from your school-going age. Pubic transport also toughens one up. This is because you really get to rough it out outside your sheltered home and school environment. So at the end of the day, public transport is quite advantageous in more ways than one. But one must learn to exercise certain precautions in order to travel safe in more ways than one.
WOMEN’S DAY SPECIAL:: It’s a woman’s world out there
When it comes to working women, generally there are those who build a career to satisfy one’s intellectual needs, and those who take up jobs to make ends meet. The latter do not have the luxury of deciding whether to work or not, they just have to – even if the job is menial, low-paying and offers little satisfaction. Whether you have entered the workplace forced by circumstances , or started a career to further your personal and intellectual development, Women’s Media is the website to visit. This web spot is exclusively dedicated to working women.
Women’s Media is the brainchild of three friends who launched it about seven years ago. One of the friends, Nancy Clark, is the current CEO of the website, and you can read about the humble beginnings of this venture, its aims and objectives, its current reach and of course, how you can help in expanding the content and making it more relevant to working women.
You can use this website in several ways. For example, you can either check it out for self-motivation on the days you are feeling rather low; or read it to give yourself the reassurance that you are not the only one who has to face the workplace blues. And of course, if you are one of those who have daily skirmishes with your superiors, then you can always visit this website and give vent to your anger.
The different sections highlight various aspects in the life of a working woman. Each section has a plethora of self-help and how-to articles dealing with that particular aspect. The first section deals with career progress. You will find all the information you need on giving interviews, being an efficient leader, building up self-confidence, being motivating to do the routine tasks and maintaining your concentration.
The second section is on self-employment. This section pertains to women entrepreneurs and businesswomen. If you are either of the two, you can find some interesting information on how to design your own business, do successful consultancy, build your contacts through networking and how to use your blog for business success.
‘Working mothers’ is the title of the next section, which has all the resources for those women who are struggling to strike a balance between their job and children. This section has tips on beating stress, containing anger, trying to keep flexible timings at work, and most importantly, how to balance family and career.
Handling finances is a major task, and so, the website dedicates a section on ways to achieve financial success. You can read up on financial freedom, financial planning, retirement planning and budgeting. The section on personal development ensures that you have proper guidance on setting your goals and targets, and working towards achieving them.
There is also a newsletter facility available on the website, if you are interested in finding out about the new articles that have been added. Moreover, as in most sites nowadays, you will find a blog where you can speak out, comment on various topics that have been put up and give vent to your workplace frustrations.
Overall, this website is quite informative and enlightening, so if you feel grumpy at work, simply surf this website, and start reading.
An ode to working women and their issues: http://www.womensmedia.com/
Women’s Media is the brainchild of three friends who launched it about seven years ago. One of the friends, Nancy Clark, is the current CEO of the website, and you can read about the humble beginnings of this venture, its aims and objectives, its current reach and of course, how you can help in expanding the content and making it more relevant to working women.
You can use this website in several ways. For example, you can either check it out for self-motivation on the days you are feeling rather low; or read it to give yourself the reassurance that you are not the only one who has to face the workplace blues. And of course, if you are one of those who have daily skirmishes with your superiors, then you can always visit this website and give vent to your anger.
The different sections highlight various aspects in the life of a working woman. Each section has a plethora of self-help and how-to articles dealing with that particular aspect. The first section deals with career progress. You will find all the information you need on giving interviews, being an efficient leader, building up self-confidence, being motivating to do the routine tasks and maintaining your concentration.
The second section is on self-employment. This section pertains to women entrepreneurs and businesswomen. If you are either of the two, you can find some interesting information on how to design your own business, do successful consultancy, build your contacts through networking and how to use your blog for business success.
‘Working mothers’ is the title of the next section, which has all the resources for those women who are struggling to strike a balance between their job and children. This section has tips on beating stress, containing anger, trying to keep flexible timings at work, and most importantly, how to balance family and career.
Handling finances is a major task, and so, the website dedicates a section on ways to achieve financial success. You can read up on financial freedom, financial planning, retirement planning and budgeting. The section on personal development ensures that you have proper guidance on setting your goals and targets, and working towards achieving them.
There is also a newsletter facility available on the website, if you are interested in finding out about the new articles that have been added. Moreover, as in most sites nowadays, you will find a blog where you can speak out, comment on various topics that have been put up and give vent to your workplace frustrations.
Overall, this website is quite informative and enlightening, so if you feel grumpy at work, simply surf this website, and start reading.
An ode to working women and their issues: http://www.womensmedia.com/
Saturday, March 1, 2008
The laughter therapy
They say that laughter is the best medicine, and in this day and age of constant stress, we need it in large doses. One way to get your funny bone tickling is through cyberspace, where you can find many humour-related websites – like Comedy Zone. Unique in its own right, this website claims to be the hottest spot for jokes and cartoons.
Comedy Zone will grab your attention on the very first visit courtesy its colourful layout that simply defines fun and play. You will find many links on the homepage; there is also a side bar and a links bar under the banner. Both of these bars feature links to the same sections. So basically, it would be better to start from the left sidebar, and access the relevant content.
The first section features jokes. The plethora of jokes and humorous stories are categorised neatly into a number of sub-sections, some of which include political, computer, sports, travel and education. You will also find jokes on cultural differences and others which are aptly labelled as ‘insults.’ It goes without saying that such jokes should not be narrated in public. There are jokes for kids as well, but placed in a seperate section.
The next section comprises funny pictures. These pictures pertain to optical illusions, workplace blues, celebrities and sports. The section is followed by cartoons. Interestingly, instead of featuring any cartoons here, this section carries links to some of the best resources for cartoons on the web, as well as links to the profiles of cartoonists.
Furthermore, there is a section on quotes that has a number of humorous quotes on different aspects of life ranging from arts, lifestyle, government, politics, sports, technology and even science. The political section is definitely a laugh, since it features actual quotes by some very renowned people.
The trivia section, as the name suggests, is full of facts and figures. Comedy Zone itself states that these facts are fun, but totally irrelevant and useless. They include facts on movies, music, animals and even crime, which you can go through during your leisure time and enjoy.
One useful and highly convenient facility is that all the content carries a link at the bottom of the page which says ‘E-mail this page to a friend.’ So, if you want to share anything with your friends, you need not send them the link of the website – you can simply send the link of the specific item.
It is another story altogether if you are someone to whom humour does not come naturally. However, if you are in the mood to have a good laugh or two, this website can definitely cheer you up in no time.
In mood for some fun and laughter? Visit http://www.comedy-zone.net
Comedy Zone will grab your attention on the very first visit courtesy its colourful layout that simply defines fun and play. You will find many links on the homepage; there is also a side bar and a links bar under the banner. Both of these bars feature links to the same sections. So basically, it would be better to start from the left sidebar, and access the relevant content.
The first section features jokes. The plethora of jokes and humorous stories are categorised neatly into a number of sub-sections, some of which include political, computer, sports, travel and education. You will also find jokes on cultural differences and others which are aptly labelled as ‘insults.’ It goes without saying that such jokes should not be narrated in public. There are jokes for kids as well, but placed in a seperate section.
The next section comprises funny pictures. These pictures pertain to optical illusions, workplace blues, celebrities and sports. The section is followed by cartoons. Interestingly, instead of featuring any cartoons here, this section carries links to some of the best resources for cartoons on the web, as well as links to the profiles of cartoonists.
Furthermore, there is a section on quotes that has a number of humorous quotes on different aspects of life ranging from arts, lifestyle, government, politics, sports, technology and even science. The political section is definitely a laugh, since it features actual quotes by some very renowned people.
The trivia section, as the name suggests, is full of facts and figures. Comedy Zone itself states that these facts are fun, but totally irrelevant and useless. They include facts on movies, music, animals and even crime, which you can go through during your leisure time and enjoy.
One useful and highly convenient facility is that all the content carries a link at the bottom of the page which says ‘E-mail this page to a friend.’ So, if you want to share anything with your friends, you need not send them the link of the website – you can simply send the link of the specific item.
It is another story altogether if you are someone to whom humour does not come naturally. However, if you are in the mood to have a good laugh or two, this website can definitely cheer you up in no time.
In mood for some fun and laughter? Visit http://www.comedy-zone.net
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
The Avoidable Void
I stared into space, tired of aimlessly leafing through a book, which was no longer interesting enough to hold my attention.
What to do? I wondered.
There was plenty all right. There was some homework, but I just didn’t want to go near my books right now. There was some typing my mother had asked me to do, but the computer was occupied and anyway I wasn’t in the mood for that as well. I know, suddenly a brainwave struck. There is still something called television. Soon I was sitting in front of the TV and watching “The Music Hour.”
For many of you, the above scenario should look familiar. It happens quite frequently that all of a sudden, even with many things to do, life suddenly seems to have this big void which nothing seems to fill.
There just seems to loom something in the air, beyond boredom of course, which is full of nothingness and emptiness. Time in these hours seems to pass by painstakingly slowly.
To pass this annoyingly slow moving time, you tend to do anything which seems the most interesting without thinking twice. Some of these “anythings” include: -
- Reading a book especially a novel right from the beginning. The novel may be Stephen King or even Judith McNaught but who cares?
- Calling up a friend to catch on the latest gossip
- Opening the computer and starting to chat with anyone (preferably on mIRC [an Internet Relay Chat program]).
- Sitting back on the chair and gazing out of the window, daydreaming.
- Flipping through TV channels and watching any movie or music program or a play which can hold your attention.
Yes, time does pass more quickly when you indulge in such activities. But just think of all the time you have wasted in reading that Stephen King or watching the new music video by Destiny’s Child (uncensored) or discussing who was wearing what at the party last week.
Couldn’t this time had been more effectively utilized using the same means and the same devices? No doubt it would have been. So the next time you have these lapses of boredom, follow the guidelines given below. They will ensure that your precious time is spent in the way that will, God willing, earn you numerous rewards.
FIRST: At all times, remember that you will be held accountable for every second spent in this world. It may be all too well to yield into the temptation to indulge in gossip or read a trashy romantic novel. But think of what will be the answer to give to Allah (SWT) on the Day of Judgement as to why this time in the prime of youth was wasted?
If you emboss this fact on your mind that every second is to be accounted for, it is very likely that you will be able to control the urge to waste even a second of that time in any unproductive work.
SECOND: Get organized. An idle mind becomes the devil’s factory, its center of
attention.
At all times, keep a list of things to do. With schools reopening after vacations, you can easily allot the time you have in the evenings between studies and things you would like to do in the time which is left.
Regarding the latter, make sure you have a long enough list, so if you are not in the mood to do one, you can easily do one of the others.
FINALLY: Now comes the big question: How to organize that free time to ensure it is
not spent in any unproductive work which is analogous to wasting time. At the same time, how to avoid the unavoidable void as well? Here are a few suggestions: -
- If you are a bookworm, get hold of some nice Islamic books to add to your library. With the advent of the internet and worldwide access to large databases, there are many websites which offer a free download of books.
- Fancy yourself a writer? If you love writing, then you can have a very long list of things to do based on your passion:
- Write a review of your favorite Islamic website for any local internet newspaper/magazine such as SoundVision.
- Read newspapers daily. If there are any articles which seem to suggest measures contrary to the Islamic teachings, pick up your pen and write a reply to it. Numerous times we have seen articles bashing Islamic rulings as well. Write a counter to that as well. Or if you see an opinion which is in accordance with the code of life we call Islam then write something to strengthen the person’s argument.
- Write for Islamic websites. You have SoundVision’s own teenage page where you can write good Islamic articles. There are numerous other websites which would welcome similar articles. The research, which you may undertake while writing for some websites, will definitely go a long way in furthering your own knowledge about your religion. And think about it: the article you write and which gets published is widely accessible to a diverse audience.
- Join a website as a reviewer and link editor. You can help increase the volume of Islamic websites in that search engine.
- Join a local website and share thoughts and opinions on current affairs.
- Keep some time daily for reading the Holy Quran. You will definitely pick up innumerable blessings. Try reading at least a page everyday. Set one time for this, so you can make it your routine. The Holy Prophet (S.A.W.) is reported to have said:
“(The) heart also gets rusted as iron becomes rusted by water.” When asked, “What is that which removes the rusting of hearts?” The Prophet of Allah (S.A.W.) replied, “Rusting of heart is removed by constantly remembering death and reciting the Quran.”
Also, read the translation and Tafsir of the section you read as well, since it will help you understand the Quran better. - Call up your friends, but refrain from gossip. Remember, small minds discuss people. And you can talk about so many other things: a book you’ve read, a program you’ve watched or a website visited. You can even share the knowledge which you have gained from reading those books or Tafsir.
- Watch TV by all means. But watch informative stuff. No, I don’t mean that you should watch nothing but news. But there are thought-provoking programs which come at all times, ranging from discussions on current affairs to plays based on classical novels which make for an interesting watch.
- Invocation: which is a lot better than aimless daydreaming. To remember Allah all you need to do is just recite the invocations you know.
- There are always classes or Halaqas in which people learn Quranic Arabic or Tajweed (proper pronunciation of the Quran). Find out about them and try attending if they are in your vicinity. This is something extra you can do while you continue with your studies.
- Volunteer for some organization like any hospital or educational institute. Many of these are understaffed and you will go a long way in gaining valuable work experience.
So there you have it, a whole range of stuff to do. Of course all of it does not mean that you sit back and wonder why Islam is such a difficult religion to follow and how you cannot do anything. Of course you can do a whole lot of things, but the important thing to remember is: do what makes the best use of your time. This is the key to avoiding the void in life.
The beauty of one’s faith is shunning away from all non-productive work.
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Been there, bought that
There are many instances when we go to new places for shopping, window shopping, or visit a new restaurant. In times like these, we always look for those people who have already been there or at least can give an idea about the good and the bad features of the place.
My 3 Cents (http://www.my3cents.com) is one such web spot which builds on this very concept. The phrase ‘my 3 cents’ is indicative of the fact that everyone can contribute their opinion to this website for the benefit of those who are planning to buy something or have already bought. These opinions basically pertain to various products, retail outlets, websites of electronic shopping and much more.
The website features reviews of various products that different people have used and websites that they have visited. When you are about to venture into an unknown domain, for instance, Amazon.com for the very first time, you may not have an idea about how to navigate on the website. Here, you can read about the experiences other people faced with the same website. You will then have a better idea about the reliability of the publishers, what the payment options are, and of course, which scams to watch out for.
My 3 Cents itself is a very extensive website. The best place to start would be the drop-down box which reads ‘Reviews by category.’ Here, you can select the product category for which you want consumer advice. There are loads of products here from ‘Food and Health’ to ‘Travel and Credit cards’. Just select your desired category and read other consumers’ opinion. For your convenience the reviews are categorised by informative, compliments and complaints, so you immediately know which way the review is going.
Of course, it is important to remember that this is not a local website, which means a lot of reviews of products may not be relevant. But there are quite a few which you will discover as you probe deeper. Many different websites, where people do electronic shopping, are reviewed extensively as well. For example, eBay, Amazon and MacDonald’s have been covered here.
Other features of the website include consumer review updates, where follow-ups of the reviews are posted, so you can have an idea in case a product improves or declines in quality. There is also a consumer news blog, where you can post your comments and read others’ views as well.
Overall, this is a pretty useful website for anyone who wants a word of advice. Moreover, you can also share your experiences or reviews by creating an account here. This will give some local flavour and make it even more relevant to the people of this country.
To read consumer reviews of a wide range of products, log on to http://www.my3cents.com
My 3 Cents (http://www.my3cents.com) is one such web spot which builds on this very concept. The phrase ‘my 3 cents’ is indicative of the fact that everyone can contribute their opinion to this website for the benefit of those who are planning to buy something or have already bought. These opinions basically pertain to various products, retail outlets, websites of electronic shopping and much more.
The website features reviews of various products that different people have used and websites that they have visited. When you are about to venture into an unknown domain, for instance, Amazon.com for the very first time, you may not have an idea about how to navigate on the website. Here, you can read about the experiences other people faced with the same website. You will then have a better idea about the reliability of the publishers, what the payment options are, and of course, which scams to watch out for.
My 3 Cents itself is a very extensive website. The best place to start would be the drop-down box which reads ‘Reviews by category.’ Here, you can select the product category for which you want consumer advice. There are loads of products here from ‘Food and Health’ to ‘Travel and Credit cards’. Just select your desired category and read other consumers’ opinion. For your convenience the reviews are categorised by informative, compliments and complaints, so you immediately know which way the review is going.
Of course, it is important to remember that this is not a local website, which means a lot of reviews of products may not be relevant. But there are quite a few which you will discover as you probe deeper. Many different websites, where people do electronic shopping, are reviewed extensively as well. For example, eBay, Amazon and MacDonald’s have been covered here.
Other features of the website include consumer review updates, where follow-ups of the reviews are posted, so you can have an idea in case a product improves or declines in quality. There is also a consumer news blog, where you can post your comments and read others’ views as well.
Overall, this is a pretty useful website for anyone who wants a word of advice. Moreover, you can also share your experiences or reviews by creating an account here. This will give some local flavour and make it even more relevant to the people of this country.
To read consumer reviews of a wide range of products, log on to http://www.my3cents.com
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