Hafsa Ahsan looks at some scientific and environmental issue that made news last year
This is the beginning of 2009, and looking back, one can only marvel at the many achievements that this year has witnessed. From scientific discoveries to medical breakthroughs and space-related insights, science and technology in 2008 have been there and done almost everything.
Here is a brief flashback of the major events that took place in the course of last year, which will surely have a much bigger impact in the years to come.
NATURAL DISASTERS
ReliefWeb’s listing of the natural disasters of 2008 illustrates that many countries were on the receiving end of nature’s wrath this year. Earthquakes, hurricanes, floods and volcanic eruptions took place all over the world.
The earthquake which caused the most damage hit Central China in May 2008, killing over 80,000 people and rendering 10 million people homeless (according to Reuters). CNN reported the earthquake as being the worst-ever in a generation. Measuring 7.9, the epicentre of the quake was Sichuan Province. Poor weather combined with equally poor logistics delayed the rescue and rehabilitation efforts. Moreover, the constant aftershocks triggered landslides as well, adding to the misery of the victims.
Pakistan, too, was not spared this year when it came to earthquakes. The Baluchistan province was hit by a 6.4 earthquake, followed by another one, again measuring 6.4. Over two hundred people lost their lives, while 120,000 were rendered homeless. Countries like Iran and the island of Simeulue, in Indonesia, were also hit by very powerful earthquake. Volcanic eruptions happened in Chile and Columbia.
SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERIES
Thanks to UC Berkeley, the Invisibility Cloak has an existence outside the world of Harry Potter. The university scientists used nanowire grown inside a porous aluminium tube to create a sheeting 10 times thinner than a piece of paper. Once an object was wrapped in this sheet, it would be invisible in light. Now this is something a lot of people would love to get their hands on!
When it comes to security systems, face recognition technologies are invaluable. Till now these technologies were not 100 per cent accurate because of variations in the images that were captured. This year, R. Jenkins and A. M. Burton from the University of Glasgow, discovered that if the camera captures multiple images of the same individual and produces an average image of sorts, the result would be more accurate than when only one image was captured.
As the price hike of petrol continues the world over, there is an increasing emphasis on discovering new ways in which fuels can be generated. The latest means on the block through which it can be done is sugar. A group of researchers discovered there is a process whereby sugar from plant biomass can be converted into liquid transportation fuel. Now this is surely a sweet way to travel!
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
It is disheartening to note that the call to “go green” still has not found commercial backing.
This year, researchers David B. Lobell, Marshall B. Burke, Claudia Tebaldi, Michael D. Mastrandrea, Walter P. Falcon and Rosamond L. Naylor combined statistical crop models with global climate projections for 2030 to analyse the risks of crops in 12 regions across the world. These 12 regions are already home to malnourished populations.
And the results of this research indicate that there is a possibility of a harmful impact on crops in the regions of South Asia and South America. On a more heartening note, a team of researchers discovered that high levels of carbon dioxide, which increase ocean acidification, do NOT decrease the process of calcification by marina organisms, as was previously thought. And a pressure of carbon dioxide actually increases this process, thus increasing the production of calcium carbonate.
Some disturbing findings, with regard to global warming also came to light. It was discovered that as the world climate becomes warmer, the solubility of oxygen in ocean water will significantly decrease. This will spell disaster for marine organisms and, eventually, for those on land.
Furthermore, a team of researchers studied 704 reef-building micro organisms and then rated them according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) standards of extinction risk. It was discovered that one-third of these species are at a threat for extinction, due to factors such as pollution, over-fishing and increased sea surface temperatures. And this in turn puts the coral reefs at a risk of extinction too.
OUT IN SPACE
In May, Nasa’s Phoenix Lander visited, for the first time ever, the polar region of Mars. However, it did not really find anything that could change the image of Mars as a “dead world.” In June, Swiss astronomer Michel Mayor got luckier than that — he discovered 45 exoplanets with extremely hot orbits.
MEDICAL ACHIEVEMENTS
Stem cell research is one of the most exciting and most controversial avenues of science. In July, researchers at Harvard and Columbia University generated the first motor neurons from stem cells in two elderly women with Lou Gehrig’s disease, also known as ALS. The method they used did not require the use of embryos at all — instead, they simply built upon a technique developed in 2006 by Shinya Yamanaka, a scientist in Kyoto University. This technique involved reprogramming a patient’s ordinary skin cells, causing it to behave like stem cells.
Later, these cells would be coaxed into the desired tissue-specific cells. This breakthrough means that scientists can now closely study the progress of ALS disease. This will enable them to suggest a more effective treatment for it.
Alzheimer’s disease is definitely a painful one, and there is no cure for it. However, 2008 witnessed the discovery of four new genes which emerged after a study of 1300 plus families. Although their exact role in Alzheimer’s is not known yet, researchers think they may contribute to the death of nerve cells. The newly identified genes may shed light on how to keep those nerves alive, something which may be an important target for future therapies.
All children and many adults hate receiving immunisation injections. There is good news for such children and their parents as a new vaccine Pentacel was discovered which will collectively immunise children from diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio and haemophilic influenza type B.
It has to be administered in four different doses and the toddlers who have received this injection so far have showed minor side effects like fever and swelling.
The above was by no means an exhaustive list. There were many milestones in the field of science and all of them have, in some way or another, contributed to make 2008 a remarkable year.
Saturday, January 3, 2009
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Books on the Blog
Hafsa Ahsan zooms in on a book blog that is a perfect treat for book lovers
Blogging is a phenomenon which has increasingly gained pace in the past few years.
As each year passes, the types of blogs too increase along with the numbers. From personal blogs, the focus has now shifted to more impersonal blogging — with blogs as diverse as food and political blogs.
Literary blogs in general, and book blogs in particular, have also become common place now. While book blogs are still a distant concept on the local scene as far as the Pakistani blogsphere is concerned, internationally more and more publishing houses are dedicating their website space to blogs where they publish news and views for crazy bookworms.
The Millions Blog is one such blog which not only makes an interesting read, but apparently it is a blog with some influence. According to the description, it has been featured in the UK’s mainstream media as well. The blog, instead of being maintained by one person, it is a group blog. Hence, a visitor to this blog can read a large variety of posts and opinions. There are also many guest bloggers here, with their own different outlooks reflecting in their posts.
You can either read this blog in the reverse chronological order — or you can simply point and click at some of the many categories in which the posts have been divided. Interestingly, in stark contrast to the conventional way in which blog posts are organised, The Millions has divided its posts quite uniquely. Blogs usually use the tag option to put specific labels on that post — one can then point and click at that label to access the posts pertaining to a specific subject.
The Millions has categories like “Books that I read in 2006” and “Books that I read in 2007”. The books have mainly been reviewed between 2004 and 2008. Moreover, there is a “Book Question” category that include all the questions which have been asked about books and publishing — and the answers that bloggers have given. There is also a segment of Quarterly Reports — analysing the trends in the publishing industry published by Barnes and Nobles.
There are, however, some aspects of the layout which can be improved. For starters, the sidebar is extremely cluttered. Though the headings and their text are distinguishable from each other, it becomes a little tiresome to scroll through the huge list of books reviewed in the past. It would have been neater to have links for the years in which the books were reviewed, and then the list of books would appear on a separate page.
But apart from this minor glitch, the information on this website is comprehensive and the website itself can easily be considered as a haven for an average book lover. Each post is appropriately linked to the concerned website, and even though the posts are quite long, they make for an extremely interesting read.
To find out more about the world of books and publishing, log onto http://www.themillionsblog.com/
Blogging is a phenomenon which has increasingly gained pace in the past few years.
As each year passes, the types of blogs too increase along with the numbers. From personal blogs, the focus has now shifted to more impersonal blogging — with blogs as diverse as food and political blogs.
Literary blogs in general, and book blogs in particular, have also become common place now. While book blogs are still a distant concept on the local scene as far as the Pakistani blogsphere is concerned, internationally more and more publishing houses are dedicating their website space to blogs where they publish news and views for crazy bookworms.
The Millions Blog is one such blog which not only makes an interesting read, but apparently it is a blog with some influence. According to the description, it has been featured in the UK’s mainstream media as well. The blog, instead of being maintained by one person, it is a group blog. Hence, a visitor to this blog can read a large variety of posts and opinions. There are also many guest bloggers here, with their own different outlooks reflecting in their posts.
You can either read this blog in the reverse chronological order — or you can simply point and click at some of the many categories in which the posts have been divided. Interestingly, in stark contrast to the conventional way in which blog posts are organised, The Millions has divided its posts quite uniquely. Blogs usually use the tag option to put specific labels on that post — one can then point and click at that label to access the posts pertaining to a specific subject.
The Millions has categories like “Books that I read in 2006” and “Books that I read in 2007”. The books have mainly been reviewed between 2004 and 2008. Moreover, there is a “Book Question” category that include all the questions which have been asked about books and publishing — and the answers that bloggers have given. There is also a segment of Quarterly Reports — analysing the trends in the publishing industry published by Barnes and Nobles.
There are, however, some aspects of the layout which can be improved. For starters, the sidebar is extremely cluttered. Though the headings and their text are distinguishable from each other, it becomes a little tiresome to scroll through the huge list of books reviewed in the past. It would have been neater to have links for the years in which the books were reviewed, and then the list of books would appear on a separate page.
But apart from this minor glitch, the information on this website is comprehensive and the website itself can easily be considered as a haven for an average book lover. Each post is appropriately linked to the concerned website, and even though the posts are quite long, they make for an extremely interesting read.
To find out more about the world of books and publishing, log onto http://www.themillionsblog.com/
Saturday, December 6, 2008
The Road To Wordscraper
Hafsa Ahsan analyses the outcome of banning Scrabulous, a board game that literally made people come out in the street.
Most of you who were passionate about playing Scrabulous on Facebook must have found that the Scrabulous application is no more there, and the link to the page says, “Sorry, but your use of this application has been restricted.”
This apparent taking down of the website was quite intriguing. The brainchild of Indian brothers, Jayant and Rajat Agarwalla, Scrabulous (launched in 2005 as a website and in 2007 as a Facebook application) was essentially inspired from the Scrabble board game.
The layout of the board and the style of scoring were similar to the traditional Scrabble board. But Scrabulous offered something which went down very well with the general public — their application on Facebook not only enabled people to play the game with their friends online, but also play random games with people from around the world. Based on the number of games won or lost, each player would be assigned a rating.
However, the real Scrabble, unfortunately, did not look upon this ‘plagiarism’ of its board game too kindly. And one can argue that they had a good reason. Scrabulous was essentially a rip-off of Scrabble – the same board, the same tiles and the same scoring. What was attractive about it was the functionality and diversity of options that it offered to online users. But copyright infringement is not something a corporation takes lightly, so before long, Scrabble and Scrabulous were at war – both offline and online.
The offline war was a legal lawsuit that was filed by Hasbro (the owners of Scrabble in the USA and Canada) and Mattel (owner of Scrabble worldwide). In cyberspace, Electronic Arts, creators of the electronic version of Scrabble, worked on producing a similar application for Facebook users. When news of the lawsuit became public, along with the possibility of Scrabulous being banned, there was a public outcry.
Users of Scrabulous were outraged at the potential “Scrabulous blackout” that they faced. Fans of Scrabulous gathered and rallied together under the “Save Scrabulous” banner. Many groups were created with the same rallying cry — Mattel and Hasbro should strike some sort of deal with the Agarwalla brothers, and let people enjoy the game. There were many others, of course, who felt that copyright infringement should not go unnoticed. However, Scrabulous fans remained adamant on their stance.
One of the arguments put forward by the “Save Scrabulous” members was that in the long run, Mattel and Hasbro were benefiting from Scrabulous. Many parents admitted that after being hooked to Scrabulous, they went out and purchased the Scrabble board game for their children. In a way, Scrabulous was marketing the board of Scrabble. However, it appeared that this argument was discarded as well.
Facebook took down the Scrabulous application, only for American and Canadian users first, and then for the entire world. The beta version of Scrabble application was launched on Facebook. On the face of it, Scrabble seemed to have won the battle.
But, in the long-run, did it really? Following the Scrabulous blackout, there was another rallying cry — “Boycott Hasbro/Mattel.” Many people who were part of the “Save Scrabulous” campaign vowed that they will never purchase a Scrabble board again. As one can imagine, if scores of people can make and stick to this vow, it does not spell very good times ahead for Hasbro/Mattel.
Moreover, even though the Scrabulous website (http://www.scrabulous.com) was banned, it re-emerged under another name. Scrabulous is now Lexulous (http://www.lexulous.com).
Interestingly, they have not made many changes; except changing the website’s name and layout. However, the room names, rating system and, essentially, the functions have remained intact. A court ruling in New Delhi forbids the Agarwalla brothers and their company from using any name that was similar to Scrabble for their games.
On Facebook, the features of Scrabulous have been transferred to Wordscraper, another board game. Here, users have the option of creating their own board and defining their own rules. The option of playing multiple games with random users around the world is very much intact. Many users of Scrabulous are delighted with this refreshing approach to Scrabble. And the best part is that no one can accuse Wordscraper of being a rip-off.
Wordscraper has been around since January 2008, but has only recently gained popularity. This is because it gives the players options to create their own games. And obviously, anyone who wants to emulate an original Scrabble board can easily do so (minus the two blank tiles).
Sci-tech World got in touch with some Wordscraper users to ask them how they are enjoying the new application, and how they would compare it with the ‘official’ Scrabble application. This is what they had to say:
“I love Wordscraper, especially the fact that there is an option for random rules, making each game different. I loved Scrabulous and was totally addicted. I hate Scrabble on Facebook, with its stupid glitzy stars when you get a word and the awful colours! I still have a few games to finish and then I will never use it again,” declared Lee-Ann Wilson, a player from Cape Town, South Africa.
“I think the whole feud is stupid and greedy,” said Savannah Jordan, from New York. “As it was said before, having Scrabulous on Facebook had a lot of people going out and purchasing the board games when they would not have done so before. I do not like the new Scrabble application because you cannot play with people from other countries and the whole point was to meet people from other places.”
“Wordscraper is even better than Scrabulous. For example: the ‘random board’ option gives it a twist and makes it even more challenging, as does the ‘create your own board’ option,” explained G Jane Bradford from Canada.
Raihana Sideek, from Singapore is not too fond of Wordscraper, “The classical scrabble board is always unique and that’s where you can see a talented player,” she said. “Wordscraper is only good for people who are looking for something fun and a change. You cannot use your playing skills on this board. It all depends on where the tiles are placed and you can have some unfair advantages. There are weirdoes creating all sorts of senseless boards as well. The scrabble board will always be my first choice.”
To sum it up, this is not just another example of copyright infringement and online piracy of games. It is about how an issue should be handled — and how the general public has to be appeased and taken into confidence. Mattel/Hasbro tried to clamp down on Scrabulous to the best of their efforts, however, it just bounced back with a different name, and loads of other options which has made it even more popular with the users. At the end of the day, this is all that matters.
Most of you who were passionate about playing Scrabulous on Facebook must have found that the Scrabulous application is no more there, and the link to the page says, “Sorry, but your use of this application has been restricted.”
This apparent taking down of the website was quite intriguing. The brainchild of Indian brothers, Jayant and Rajat Agarwalla, Scrabulous (launched in 2005 as a website and in 2007 as a Facebook application) was essentially inspired from the Scrabble board game.
The layout of the board and the style of scoring were similar to the traditional Scrabble board. But Scrabulous offered something which went down very well with the general public — their application on Facebook not only enabled people to play the game with their friends online, but also play random games with people from around the world. Based on the number of games won or lost, each player would be assigned a rating.
However, the real Scrabble, unfortunately, did not look upon this ‘plagiarism’ of its board game too kindly. And one can argue that they had a good reason. Scrabulous was essentially a rip-off of Scrabble – the same board, the same tiles and the same scoring. What was attractive about it was the functionality and diversity of options that it offered to online users. But copyright infringement is not something a corporation takes lightly, so before long, Scrabble and Scrabulous were at war – both offline and online.
The offline war was a legal lawsuit that was filed by Hasbro (the owners of Scrabble in the USA and Canada) and Mattel (owner of Scrabble worldwide). In cyberspace, Electronic Arts, creators of the electronic version of Scrabble, worked on producing a similar application for Facebook users. When news of the lawsuit became public, along with the possibility of Scrabulous being banned, there was a public outcry.
Users of Scrabulous were outraged at the potential “Scrabulous blackout” that they faced. Fans of Scrabulous gathered and rallied together under the “Save Scrabulous” banner. Many groups were created with the same rallying cry — Mattel and Hasbro should strike some sort of deal with the Agarwalla brothers, and let people enjoy the game. There were many others, of course, who felt that copyright infringement should not go unnoticed. However, Scrabulous fans remained adamant on their stance.
One of the arguments put forward by the “Save Scrabulous” members was that in the long run, Mattel and Hasbro were benefiting from Scrabulous. Many parents admitted that after being hooked to Scrabulous, they went out and purchased the Scrabble board game for their children. In a way, Scrabulous was marketing the board of Scrabble. However, it appeared that this argument was discarded as well.
Facebook took down the Scrabulous application, only for American and Canadian users first, and then for the entire world. The beta version of Scrabble application was launched on Facebook. On the face of it, Scrabble seemed to have won the battle.
But, in the long-run, did it really? Following the Scrabulous blackout, there was another rallying cry — “Boycott Hasbro/Mattel.” Many people who were part of the “Save Scrabulous” campaign vowed that they will never purchase a Scrabble board again. As one can imagine, if scores of people can make and stick to this vow, it does not spell very good times ahead for Hasbro/Mattel.
Moreover, even though the Scrabulous website (http://www.scrabulous.com) was banned, it re-emerged under another name. Scrabulous is now Lexulous (http://www.lexulous.com).
Interestingly, they have not made many changes; except changing the website’s name and layout. However, the room names, rating system and, essentially, the functions have remained intact. A court ruling in New Delhi forbids the Agarwalla brothers and their company from using any name that was similar to Scrabble for their games.
On Facebook, the features of Scrabulous have been transferred to Wordscraper, another board game. Here, users have the option of creating their own board and defining their own rules. The option of playing multiple games with random users around the world is very much intact. Many users of Scrabulous are delighted with this refreshing approach to Scrabble. And the best part is that no one can accuse Wordscraper of being a rip-off.
Wordscraper has been around since January 2008, but has only recently gained popularity. This is because it gives the players options to create their own games. And obviously, anyone who wants to emulate an original Scrabble board can easily do so (minus the two blank tiles).
Sci-tech World got in touch with some Wordscraper users to ask them how they are enjoying the new application, and how they would compare it with the ‘official’ Scrabble application. This is what they had to say:
“I love Wordscraper, especially the fact that there is an option for random rules, making each game different. I loved Scrabulous and was totally addicted. I hate Scrabble on Facebook, with its stupid glitzy stars when you get a word and the awful colours! I still have a few games to finish and then I will never use it again,” declared Lee-Ann Wilson, a player from Cape Town, South Africa.
“I think the whole feud is stupid and greedy,” said Savannah Jordan, from New York. “As it was said before, having Scrabulous on Facebook had a lot of people going out and purchasing the board games when they would not have done so before. I do not like the new Scrabble application because you cannot play with people from other countries and the whole point was to meet people from other places.”
“Wordscraper is even better than Scrabulous. For example: the ‘random board’ option gives it a twist and makes it even more challenging, as does the ‘create your own board’ option,” explained G Jane Bradford from Canada.
Raihana Sideek, from Singapore is not too fond of Wordscraper, “The classical scrabble board is always unique and that’s where you can see a talented player,” she said. “Wordscraper is only good for people who are looking for something fun and a change. You cannot use your playing skills on this board. It all depends on where the tiles are placed and you can have some unfair advantages. There are weirdoes creating all sorts of senseless boards as well. The scrabble board will always be my first choice.”
To sum it up, this is not just another example of copyright infringement and online piracy of games. It is about how an issue should be handled — and how the general public has to be appeased and taken into confidence. Mattel/Hasbro tried to clamp down on Scrabulous to the best of their efforts, however, it just bounced back with a different name, and loads of other options which has made it even more popular with the users. At the end of the day, this is all that matters.
The Joy Of Parenting
Here is a website that gives some useful information on child development and education, with fun-filled activities for both children and parents
It is a common belief that one can never imagine the rollercoaster ride that is parenthood until one actually becomes a parent.
And through this rollercoaster ride numerous advices and cautions given to the parents by the elder generation of the family, especially to young, first-time parents. Interestingly, now with more nuclear family setups around, parents are now turning to the internet to read up on the different aspects of parenting and then try out whatever suits them best. Apparently, seeking the advice of elders and trying the methods of the older generation is no more in vogue.
And frankly speaking, with elaborate websites such as PBS Parents on the block, who can really blame these parents? PBS Parents is highly illustrative, rich in content and has all the nitty-grittiness of parenting which would make any website surfer want to visit it again and again. This is not surprising, considering that the wealth of information which is here can only be digested over a nice, long span of time.
PBS Parents has categories which ensure that you go directly into the section of your interest. There is Child Development, Education, Fun and Games, Advice and many other sections. It is actually quite difficult to decide where to start from — probably the best place to begin will be determined by the age range which your children fall in.
Within each section, there are loads of self-help and how-to articles detailing how you can deal with different issues related to your children. There are also many different tools in each section — for instance, the Child Development Section has a tracker.
You can select the age of your child from the tracker and read up to analyse whether s/he falls into the defined, specific characteristics which are normal for children of his/her age. Moreover, in the Education section, the Book Finder tool will help you to get hold of books according to your child’s age.
There are many different blogs here as well. These blogs are maintained by people who want to share the joys and pains pf being a parent. Interestingly, reading up on real-life cases is always more reassuring — of course, you may feel differently. In any case, it is good to know that this website has considered both ways of disseminating information.
On the layout side, the website is definitely very aesthetically designed. It will appeal to you and make you want to visit it repeatedly. However, the sheer amount of information can seem a bit overwhelming at first. Also, the website seems cluttered at times – you can be at a complete loss as to where to go. The first thing would be to take one section at a time and then move to the other.
The website offers interesting ways to break away the conventional role-playing of parents by providing loads of fun activities to download and play with children. Certainly some activities might have to be tailored to make them suitable to children in the local context. To find out all the different activities you can engage in with your children, log on to http://www.pbs.org/parents/ — H.A
It is a common belief that one can never imagine the rollercoaster ride that is parenthood until one actually becomes a parent.
And through this rollercoaster ride numerous advices and cautions given to the parents by the elder generation of the family, especially to young, first-time parents. Interestingly, now with more nuclear family setups around, parents are now turning to the internet to read up on the different aspects of parenting and then try out whatever suits them best. Apparently, seeking the advice of elders and trying the methods of the older generation is no more in vogue.
And frankly speaking, with elaborate websites such as PBS Parents on the block, who can really blame these parents? PBS Parents is highly illustrative, rich in content and has all the nitty-grittiness of parenting which would make any website surfer want to visit it again and again. This is not surprising, considering that the wealth of information which is here can only be digested over a nice, long span of time.
PBS Parents has categories which ensure that you go directly into the section of your interest. There is Child Development, Education, Fun and Games, Advice and many other sections. It is actually quite difficult to decide where to start from — probably the best place to begin will be determined by the age range which your children fall in.
Within each section, there are loads of self-help and how-to articles detailing how you can deal with different issues related to your children. There are also many different tools in each section — for instance, the Child Development Section has a tracker.
You can select the age of your child from the tracker and read up to analyse whether s/he falls into the defined, specific characteristics which are normal for children of his/her age. Moreover, in the Education section, the Book Finder tool will help you to get hold of books according to your child’s age.
There are many different blogs here as well. These blogs are maintained by people who want to share the joys and pains pf being a parent. Interestingly, reading up on real-life cases is always more reassuring — of course, you may feel differently. In any case, it is good to know that this website has considered both ways of disseminating information.
On the layout side, the website is definitely very aesthetically designed. It will appeal to you and make you want to visit it repeatedly. However, the sheer amount of information can seem a bit overwhelming at first. Also, the website seems cluttered at times – you can be at a complete loss as to where to go. The first thing would be to take one section at a time and then move to the other.
The website offers interesting ways to break away the conventional role-playing of parents by providing loads of fun activities to download and play with children. Certainly some activities might have to be tailored to make them suitable to children in the local context. To find out all the different activities you can engage in with your children, log on to http://www.pbs.org/parents/ — H.A
Saturday, November 22, 2008
The Power Of Words
Words have the creative power to build up and to tear down... Here is a website that features beautiful quotes. Find out which one inspires you, writes Hafsa Ahsan
How often does it happen that you are totally down in the dumps because nothing seems to go right in life. Well, most of the time, the feeling is usually the result of a bad day. But sometimes, there does seem to be a genuine need for something to lift one’s spirits and give one a dose of motivation. At such times, people turn to different things, depending on their personality and inclination.
For at least some of those people, different quotations by others, some well-known and others not quite famous, are a way of finding that silver lining in the clouds of their life. World of Inspiration is one website which is designed to cater to these people.
As the title suggests, this website has a comprehensive collection of quotations mainly divided into 14 categories – ranging from business, character and enthusiasm to happiness, romance, leadership and success. Most of the quotations are indeed beautiful and would definitely serve to make you think and ponder over them.
The website is laid out beautifully and you will not find any unnecessary information. There is one menu of links on the homepage, along with a list of recently added quotations; and even though Google Ad Sense does have a presence here as well, it does not look quite as intrusive and out of place as it does on some of the other websites.
However, at times, it does feel as if this website is too empty. The simply, uncluttered look is definitely commendable, however, one does feel that some extra titbits could have been added to give more functionality to the website and motivate first-time visitors to log on it again.
As it should happen, once you have gone through the quotes, there is very little to do here. Some links to similar resources on the web or a blog detailing the updates to the website and inviting comments from visitors could have been added to make the website a more useful resource. Moreover, the latter would have added a much-needed element of interactivity to the website.
But one must not take credit from where it is due. The website is definitely a very motivating one and just the place to come when you need a dose of inspiration. To get your dose of quotable quotes, log onto http://www.worldofinspiration.com/
How often does it happen that you are totally down in the dumps because nothing seems to go right in life. Well, most of the time, the feeling is usually the result of a bad day. But sometimes, there does seem to be a genuine need for something to lift one’s spirits and give one a dose of motivation. At such times, people turn to different things, depending on their personality and inclination.
For at least some of those people, different quotations by others, some well-known and others not quite famous, are a way of finding that silver lining in the clouds of their life. World of Inspiration is one website which is designed to cater to these people.
As the title suggests, this website has a comprehensive collection of quotations mainly divided into 14 categories – ranging from business, character and enthusiasm to happiness, romance, leadership and success. Most of the quotations are indeed beautiful and would definitely serve to make you think and ponder over them.
The website is laid out beautifully and you will not find any unnecessary information. There is one menu of links on the homepage, along with a list of recently added quotations; and even though Google Ad Sense does have a presence here as well, it does not look quite as intrusive and out of place as it does on some of the other websites.
However, at times, it does feel as if this website is too empty. The simply, uncluttered look is definitely commendable, however, one does feel that some extra titbits could have been added to give more functionality to the website and motivate first-time visitors to log on it again.
As it should happen, once you have gone through the quotes, there is very little to do here. Some links to similar resources on the web or a blog detailing the updates to the website and inviting comments from visitors could have been added to make the website a more useful resource. Moreover, the latter would have added a much-needed element of interactivity to the website.
But one must not take credit from where it is due. The website is definitely a very motivating one and just the place to come when you need a dose of inspiration. To get your dose of quotable quotes, log onto http://www.worldofinspiration.com/
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Fun With Words
Hafsa Ahsan takes you to a website where you can play interesting word games and enhance your vocabulary
Quite often when you are trying to write something, say an essay or a speech, suddenly you are stuck for words. Sure, you know what you want to say — and the Urdu equivalent might even be floating in your brain at that particular point — but that particular word eludes you.
This is only one of the signs that you need to improve your vocabulary. Interestingly, there are loads of websites out there which are designed to help you do just that. There is yet another category of websites which contain hints and tips towards the same end, for instance, use flash cards, read books, etc. The list is endless and so are the possible places where you can look for help and things you can do to add to your word bank.
Among some of the better websites is “Learning Vocabulary.” This website contains loads and loads of different word games which are specifically designed to help you improve your vocabulary. At the same time, these games also ensure that you do not just learn the meaning of a new word — you also learn how to use it. The latter part is way more productive and it would ensure that you actually make good use of the words which you add to your bank.
The games which you can choose from include crossword, hangman and word search. All these games require flash, so do make sure you have it installed on your PC. Once you are here, all you need to do is select the game, then select the word list and you are ready to go.
It is great to be able to choose the word list from which you want the words to be included in the game you are playing. This ensures that the games are relevant to all age groups. You can choose an easier word list if you are in the younger age group. And if you are applying to foreign universities and giving exams like SAT or IELTS, you can choose a difficult level and revise your vocabulary through these games.
While you are here, you might also want to check out the Vocabulary Blog which is updated with hints and tips as to how to improve your vocabulary. Apart from that, the blog will also guide you to similar resources around cyberspace, which you can avail according to your level.
What makes this site a bit unwelcoming is the colour scheme that can end up making you pine for a pair of sunglasses. The bright yellow and blue scheme might just put some of you off. Apart from the glitch with the colour scheme, the website is pretty much to-the-point – with instructions on the main page as to how you can effectively use word games for a higher purpose. Unfortunately, one cannot call this website uncluttered as Google Ads make an unceremonious presence right on top of the homepage.
At the end of the day, however, don’t let the minor faults deter you from playing the games themselves. These are quite interesting games and apart from relieving your boredom, will definitely help you increase your word bank
To improve your vocabulary the fun way, log onto http://www.vocabulary.co.il/
Quite often when you are trying to write something, say an essay or a speech, suddenly you are stuck for words. Sure, you know what you want to say — and the Urdu equivalent might even be floating in your brain at that particular point — but that particular word eludes you.
This is only one of the signs that you need to improve your vocabulary. Interestingly, there are loads of websites out there which are designed to help you do just that. There is yet another category of websites which contain hints and tips towards the same end, for instance, use flash cards, read books, etc. The list is endless and so are the possible places where you can look for help and things you can do to add to your word bank.
Among some of the better websites is “Learning Vocabulary.” This website contains loads and loads of different word games which are specifically designed to help you improve your vocabulary. At the same time, these games also ensure that you do not just learn the meaning of a new word — you also learn how to use it. The latter part is way more productive and it would ensure that you actually make good use of the words which you add to your bank.
The games which you can choose from include crossword, hangman and word search. All these games require flash, so do make sure you have it installed on your PC. Once you are here, all you need to do is select the game, then select the word list and you are ready to go.
It is great to be able to choose the word list from which you want the words to be included in the game you are playing. This ensures that the games are relevant to all age groups. You can choose an easier word list if you are in the younger age group. And if you are applying to foreign universities and giving exams like SAT or IELTS, you can choose a difficult level and revise your vocabulary through these games.
While you are here, you might also want to check out the Vocabulary Blog which is updated with hints and tips as to how to improve your vocabulary. Apart from that, the blog will also guide you to similar resources around cyberspace, which you can avail according to your level.
What makes this site a bit unwelcoming is the colour scheme that can end up making you pine for a pair of sunglasses. The bright yellow and blue scheme might just put some of you off. Apart from the glitch with the colour scheme, the website is pretty much to-the-point – with instructions on the main page as to how you can effectively use word games for a higher purpose. Unfortunately, one cannot call this website uncluttered as Google Ads make an unceremonious presence right on top of the homepage.
At the end of the day, however, don’t let the minor faults deter you from playing the games themselves. These are quite interesting games and apart from relieving your boredom, will definitely help you increase your word bank
To improve your vocabulary the fun way, log onto http://www.vocabulary.co.il/
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Let’s Fix It
Troubled with sudden breaking down of appliances? Here are some simple ways to correct and amend things on your own, writes Hafsa Ahsan
Imagine the following scenarios: just when you start pressing your clothes for the party and your iron breaks down and when you are making toasts for the kids in the morning, your toaster gives up on you.
In scenarios like these and many others, the common sequence of events which follows is usually that you call up the respective company and ask them to send over a technician to check out your malfunctioning appliance, or take it to the repair shop yourself. At other times, you avail the service of your plumber or electrician. Either way, the process costs you both your precious time and a lot of money.
How would you feel when you know that you can actually amend anything that has broken down? Of course, unruffled! But for this, you need to log on to How to Mend It — a website that can actually make you good enough to repair your appliances whenever they start to act up. This is a comprehensive how-to website which will help you get most of your malfunctioning things working again — or so the website claims.
The site is pretty user friendly. To choose the correct category of appliances, you have a set of instructions on the homepage. Of course, you can easily use the search option if you are in a hurry. However, if you are here to browse, the list of categories is quite interesting, ranging from bathroom appliances, cameras and computers to kitchen and office appliances, to security systems and telephones. In a nutshell, even if something has not broken down, you can still come here and check out what can be done if it ever does.
Within different categories, there are various questions — where you just need to check if the information you are looking for has already been answered. If not, you can follow the steps to post your question and then wait for the answer.
However, the layout of the website is definitely a bit confusing. The categories have been set out vertically instead of horizontally which would have given it a neater look. Yet, the search box and instructions right at top of the homepage are two pros of the website.
At the end of the day, there would be no harm in trying out some of the steps mentioned here. If that works, you can actually save up on both time and cost. But remember, if you are not confident enough in these technical matters then do not try to take any risks for something that could result in a mishap.
To find out how to repair anything which has broken down in your house, log onto http://www.howtomendit.com/
Imagine the following scenarios: just when you start pressing your clothes for the party and your iron breaks down and when you are making toasts for the kids in the morning, your toaster gives up on you.
In scenarios like these and many others, the common sequence of events which follows is usually that you call up the respective company and ask them to send over a technician to check out your malfunctioning appliance, or take it to the repair shop yourself. At other times, you avail the service of your plumber or electrician. Either way, the process costs you both your precious time and a lot of money.
How would you feel when you know that you can actually amend anything that has broken down? Of course, unruffled! But for this, you need to log on to How to Mend It — a website that can actually make you good enough to repair your appliances whenever they start to act up. This is a comprehensive how-to website which will help you get most of your malfunctioning things working again — or so the website claims.
The site is pretty user friendly. To choose the correct category of appliances, you have a set of instructions on the homepage. Of course, you can easily use the search option if you are in a hurry. However, if you are here to browse, the list of categories is quite interesting, ranging from bathroom appliances, cameras and computers to kitchen and office appliances, to security systems and telephones. In a nutshell, even if something has not broken down, you can still come here and check out what can be done if it ever does.
Within different categories, there are various questions — where you just need to check if the information you are looking for has already been answered. If not, you can follow the steps to post your question and then wait for the answer.
However, the layout of the website is definitely a bit confusing. The categories have been set out vertically instead of horizontally which would have given it a neater look. Yet, the search box and instructions right at top of the homepage are two pros of the website.
At the end of the day, there would be no harm in trying out some of the steps mentioned here. If that works, you can actually save up on both time and cost. But remember, if you are not confident enough in these technical matters then do not try to take any risks for something that could result in a mishap.
To find out how to repair anything which has broken down in your house, log onto http://www.howtomendit.com/
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