iPhone vs BlackBerry

When buying a smartphone, one is often confronted with the option of whether to buy a BlackBerry or an iPhone. I have never owned one and it doesn't seem likely that I'll buy one in the near future, but I know of several people who own one or the other and I've often seen them compare their handsets. Based on their experiences, I've tried to summarize the comparison of these two options.

Based on the feedback I have received, Blackberry loses on almost all counts. The BlackBerry is not flexible in terms of email sources, whereas with the iPhone, you can pull emails from a variety of different commonly used email services. Furthermore, the iPhone has a much wider third party application market. This includes office productivity, communication and collaboration applications as well as games. For instance, you can easily install Skype on an iPhone. Many of these third party applications are free, too.

So, if you ask my advice on whether to buy an iPhone or a BlackBerry, I'd say go for an iPhone.

(Image courtesy puremobile.ca)

U-turns on Lahore Ring Road

I have recently traveled on the Lahore Ring Road on a couple of trips to Sialkot. I found it to be extremely useful. It helped us avoid terrible city traffic. Whereas, I used to take one and a half hours to reach Muridke, on the ring road, the travel time dropped to just fifty five minutes.

One concern that I had on the Lahore Ring Road, though, is that there are several locations for taking U-turns on it. For a road where there is little traffic and vehicles travel at speeds near 100 kph, U-turns can and will result in terrible accidents. Accidents due to vehicles taking U-turns will be much fewer in comparison to those caused by pedestrians and animal carts and other slow moving vehicles moving from one side of the road to the other. I believe that educating people is the only permanent solution, but the U-turns should also be shutdown. One in need of turning around can safely take the next exit, make a U-turn on the side road and then re-embark upon the Lahore Ring Road. I hope someone in some avenue of power gets a word.

IT ka-BOOM

The IT sector has lately bloomed creating lots of tech jobs in Pakistan. Foreign projects also brought diversified experience to Pakistani IT workers and added valuable expertise to their skillset. However, this report in today's edition of The News about a trend of foreign companies closing down their business in Pakistan is alarming.

Of course, it is not completely unexpected on two accounts. First, you need first class connectivity to the rest of the world. While Pakistan's Internet connectivity is several times better than what it used to be ten years ago, but it still can not be termed reliable and first class. The Internet connectivity business is not where it should be. Second, we can not guarantee uninterrupted business operation due to the prevalent and consistently deteriorating condition of law and order.

Unfortunately, proper heed has not been paid to these alarming conditions. One can only hope that some urgent attention will be paid to these trouble areas, soon. Otherwise, I'm afraid that the IT boom will go ka-BOOM.

World can't fully pay

According to US Special Representative for Pakistan and Afghanistan, the world can't fully pay for Pakistan floods disaster. But the fact of the matter is, believe it or not, Pakistanis alone are enough to take care of the whole mess.

Smuggling goes on through Nato’s NLC containers: SC - TheNews Internationl

An alarming report. Smuggling goes on through Nato’s NLC containers: SC.

Switching banks

I've been an unwilling National Bank of Pakistan customer for a long time. I'm primarily an ATM user, and their ATM is open 24 hours A YEAR. Forget about 1-Link services to access my account using a different bank's ATM, I have only been able to access my account through NBP's ATMs at only two other branches in Lahore a few times.

I've been unsatisfied with their service for years. I finally mustered the strength to make the switch today. I went to Standard Chartered Bank at DHA and opened an account with them. Start of a new banking era for me.

Sialkot water

Both of my parents were born in Sialkot. My father used to point out to me that most Mr. Pakistan title holders are from the Gujranwala district, which is where Sialkot is situated. He used to tell me that it is because the water in that district is very good. We used to notice how we start feeling hungry when we drink water in Sialkot whereas Karachi's water fills one's stomach leaving no appetite.

Yesterday, during my recent visit to Sialkot, I noticed how yellowish the water was. Alas, Sialkot's water, it seems, isn't what it used to be. The baltis, maggas and floors are stained yellowish. Lots of people fetch drinking water from a water filtration plant.

Who's in control

I am wondering, who is in control? Not philosophically, but in Pakistan. Is the President the ruler? Is the Prime Minister the ruler? How do I check? I guess if I asked them to get rid of the shortage of gasoline in the country for just one hour, if they were in control, they could do it. Or maybe at least for fifteen minutes. Heck, if they can get rid of the shortage for even one minute at will, I'd accept that they are in control. But they can't. So, who really is in charge?

jazba-e-qurbani

I was driving with my family from Sialkot to Lahore yesterday. During the road trip, I really noticed the spirit of sacrifice that the pedestrians displayed. They were really willing to sacrifice their life by coming in front of the traffic on G.T. Road.

73A, PK 302, Sep 16, 2010

After eid, on September 16, 2010, I traveled back to Lahore from Karachi on PIA's flight PK 302. I was assigned a window seat 73A. When I boarded the aircraft, the Boeing 747, I discovered that a girl was already sitting on the aisle seat next to mine. I requested her some room so that I could sit. She pointed to a different seat and requested if I could sit on that seat nearby instead. I suggested that the other seat might have been assigned to someone else. She requested if I could take that seat anyway until anyone comes to it. I agreed.
As I took the other seat, a group of women requested the crew to reassign their seating so that they wouldn't have to sit next to strange men and would sit together. I vacated the seat that I had temporarily occupied, so that the crew would get an accurate picture of what was available. After I had stood for a few minutes, the girl next to my originally assigned seat perhaps felt pity for me and asked me to take my original seat, 73A. I thanked her and took my seat. She then asked if I'd like to switch seats. I told her it was her call, I was equally OK with a window or aisle seat. She requested that we switch seats, and so we did.
During the flight, she kept nodding off to sleep for short intervals. Throughout the flight, I kept feeling sorry that she was in a naturally uncomfortable position. I wouldn't even look toward the window because it might look like I was looking at her. I squeezed myself into one side of the seat near the isle. I kept trying to muster enough strength to apologize to her for any inconvenience I must've caused her, but I was too nervous to do that. What if she thought "free honay key koshish ker raha hay"? Whenever I thought I had the strength to say it, she seemed to have drifted off to sleep. Whenever she would wake up, I'd lose my strength. Well, eventually, after the plane had landed, I spoke in a small voice, "I'm sorry, I made you uncomfortable during the flight." She nicely replied, "Oh, not at all."
It turned out, she was a really nice person. She asked me if I traveled to Lahore a lot. I told her that I don't travel often, but my parents live in Karachi and I've been living in Lahore because of my PhD studies. She asked me where I'm doing my PhD at and I told her that I'm going to LUMS. In reply, she asked me which subject I'm doing my PhD in, and I told her that I was doing a PhD in Computer Science.
Conscious as I was of not engaging her too much, I didn't say a word after that. Later on, I thought that there was nothing to be afraid of. She was a nice person and wouldn't have considered it odd if I asked her what she did. It would've made her feel a bit more at ease, perhaps. I guess it's too late now.
When the queue of passengers started moving off the plane, I asked her if she had a bag in the overhead compartment that she needed help with. She guided me towards her bag, which I took down for her. It wasn't too heavy or anything. I was in front of her in the queue of passengers getting off the plane when I spotted a couple of bags belonging to my parents in an overhead compartment (my parents were also traveling on the same flight). I squeezed into a seat row to allow her move on before I took those two bags. She insisted that I go ahead before her, but I suggested otherwise. The two bags were a bit heavy and I didn't want her to wait on my account. And that was that.
Pretty ordinary stuff for most people, but for me, it's been a while since I've met a girl who is nice. Most girls I see these days are, for lack of a nice word, bitchy. And to think that I didn't even ask her name, or tell her mine. All I said when parting was that it was nice to meet her, and that wasn't a formality. It certainly was very nice to meet her.

Imran Khan Foundation

I haven't yet blogged about the catastrophic disasters caused by the recent floods in Pakistan. A disaster of such proportions mandates a huge rehabilitation effort. Unfortunately, our government's reputation apropos corruption means that potential donors are reluctant to give. This creates a huge void.
The only ray of light in this sad situation is Imran Khan. A figure who may have political foes, but no one disputes his integrity and ability to spearhead a massive relief operation. Imran Khan has founded a platform called Imran Khan Foundation to handle the flood relief efforts. Imran Khan Foundation will be dispatching a convoy consisting of hundreds of trucks to the flood affected areas tomorrow. This event will be televised during the Telethon on Geo TV.
Imran Khan Foundation is on twitter, has a Facebook page, and their website is coming up soon. For potential donors abroad, IKF already have a US chapter with an active website. The website has all information to enable you to give to IKF using cheques, Paypal or credit cards. Help out and spread the word!

Hooo Aaaaah

Many thanks to Muhammad Safdar Iqbal for pointing this out. It feels good to be noticed, recognized and appreciated.

Transformers 3

Yes, these are three transformers. Compare the desi transformer with the other two. The desi one is so ugly and the foreigner transformers are so cute. I pulled the foreigners out of a computer's power supply. I don't know what their rating is or how I might be able to reuse them, yet.

uncalled for

This guy is telling that guy to not make comments on cricket? (and concentrate on coaching)
What a shame!

Food for thought

Some food for thought for the young aspiring leaders of not only organizations in our country but also of the country itself.
I was reflecting the other day how our political "leaders" and other "leaders" get pissed off when asked probing questions by the journalists. While sometimes the latter can be bitchy, the former are in the limelight, and they should be prepared and accepting of the questioning. People have the right to ask questions of you. At least feel privileged, because no one asks those who don't matter.
The other day, PCB Chair, Mr. Ijaz Butt was visibly and clearly out of control when addressing the media. Come on, old chap, our nation is sensitive about cricket, with the kind of performance by our country's team over the years, you should expect to be asked stinging questions.
On a related note, I noticed how Mr. Ijaz was insisting that he was doing everything according to the PCB's question. Notice how the leaders of the organizations and of our country, for that matter, contend that they are not doing anything wrong. The leader might as well not be corrupt, might follow all rules and regulations, but if the organization is not functioning properly, in our nation, the leader does not take the blame. In case of a train wreck, a few linemen are shown the door.

I guess they feel their responsibility ends at doing the right thing themselves. That is not the case, leaders of today and those of tomorrow. Your responsibility, as a leader is to ensure that your organization functions correctly. Most other nations realize this. Think about it.

Taxonomy of a Secular Mind

A couple of friends of mine authored this. I'm posting it here on their request:

Apologist: Is not one who survived Apollo 13.
Mullah apologist: Is one who disagrees with me and asks different questions.
Intellectual: Is one who agrees with me and asks the same questions that I do.
Religion: A flogging, stoning, amputating ... movement started about 1400 years ago (reference: Pervez Hoodhbhoy's talk "Why we are not a nation and how can we become one")
Rational: Anything against religion (as defined above).
Irrational: Everything else.
Faith: Accepting irrational (defined above) as true. Axioms of science are exempted.
Science: Accepting rational (defined above) as true.
Blind faith: Faith (defined above) of mullah apologist (defined above).
Scientific: Anything I can observe (even if in imagination) or another intellectual (defined above) can, and no one else.
Respecting opinion: Accepting everything rational (defined above), and ridiculing everything else.
Taliban: Should be brutally killed.
Democracy: (Imported from double speak) Anything a secular person says. PS: Double speak implies if a secular contradicts two definitions of democracy, then both are true but only one is applicable which is rational (defined above) in course of argument at that time.

To oversee or to overlook?

I've seen this mistake several times. This time around, I saw it when I accidentally bumped into a resume of someone who had done an O levels from Beaconhouse School, A levels from Lahore Grammar School and a BSc Honors from LUMS. She says that she "overlooked placements and internships of students." I believe the correct term would be to "oversee placements."

South Africa keen to host series

South Africa are keen to host Pakistan's "home" series against them. Who wouldn't! Consider all the money they would make. The least of which will be the forex that the team will take with them. Hotel costs, shopping, hanging out, etc. And we have plentiful forex as a nation to plounder.
With the current performance, I think the players should be asked to pull their own weight, or at least some of it, until they start to show results. Slap the tour expenses on them for a change.

Doodh key nehrain

Here's to those who ask what the reposed CJ has done. To those who contested the reposing of wrongfully deposed judges wouldn't cause flow of milk streams, you missed the whole point. The point was that wrongful injustice has been done by those in power for way too long. It was a symbolic struggle to say, enough is enough.

Comparing

So, I guess the new idiom would be "comparing apples and googles?"