September 2006

The Archives

politics
What Pakistanis are Concerned About
09.30.06 | Permalink | 2 Comments

The issues that concern today’s Pakistani (and my own opinion in some cases - don’t want to be left behind):

Jihad – having conveniently removed Jihad from the 5 pillars of Islam, today’s muslims try vainly to justify its existence at all, perhaps because the Western translation of Jihad sticks far more strongly than the actual [...]
politics
More Hypocrisy
09.21.06 | Permalink | Comment?

In 1996, after the first invasion of Iraq, and the subsequent sanctions, Madeleine Albright was asked: “We have heard that a half million children have died,.. I mean, that’s more children than died in Hiroshima. And — and you know, is the price worth it?” Albright replied, “I think this is a very hard choice, [...]
civics and society
“Be A Con” House Education II
09.20.06 | Permalink | 3 Comments

Mrs. Kasuri, Chairperson of the Beaconhouse School System, has an interesting view of her schools and the standard of education imparted at these schools. Taken from her message on the Beaconhouse website, here are excerpts, and the discrepancies in her statements:
We support one of the highest students: staff ratios in the country of 1:15.

Wrong, the [...]
civics and society
“Be A Con” House Education I
09.19.06 | Permalink | Comment?

When my family came back to Pakistan in 1985, my sister and I were admitted to a relatively new school in Clifton: Beaconhouse Public School. With a foreigner as Principal, the Clifton Campus (the school, now a “system” had branches in Lahore, Islamabad and Karachi at the time, perhaps 20 branches all told) attracted a [...]
civics and society
The Non-Pakistani Pakistani
09.13.06 | Permalink | Comment?

Pakistan’s elite might be considered the counter balance to the extremism that lives here: a minute percentage of the population that is educated and monied, urbanized off-spring of wealthy feudal landowners, an enterprising Upper Middle Class of mostly migrant muslims from India, and some expatriates who are returning to Pakistan and bringing a glimpse of [...]
politics
Blatantly Partisan or Simply Irresponsible? Republicans Strike!
09.06.06 | Permalink | Comment?

On September 4th, 2006, Dawn, Pakistan’s largest and oldest English language newspaper, covered the results of a poll carried out by a non-Pakistani organization, on the return of exiled leaders to Pakistani Politics. The headline dramatically read: “66pc Want Exiled Leaders Back“. The article clearly lists the poll as a credible source of information, a [...]
design
The Wider World
09.02.06 | Permalink | Comment?

Gutta cavat lapidem, non vi sed saepe cadendo (The drop excavates the stone, not with force but by falling often) - Ovid
As children, everything is new for us, and our observational skills develop, or retard, according to the level of curiosity we are allowed to display. Parents with social strictures, rules of etiquette and the [...]
politics
Blue Chip
09.02.06 | Permalink | Comment?

By giving myself a profession, designer, I think I have made the mistake of falling victim to my own press. This title now is who I am, not a facet of my personality, but my whole personality.
design
Design’s Conflict Zone
09.02.06 | Permalink | Comment?

I spend some time every day surfing other designers’ portfolios, looking, more importantly, for the roots of their inspiration for each piece. I vividly remember one site where the designer placed photographs of random places (a public crossing painted on the road) next to a finished design piece, showing the root of his inspiration, and [...]