Who Wants to be a Wordsmith?

A few weeks ago, there was an essay competition. There were many topics but the one I chose to write on was “Rights and Obligations of Parents”. I submitted an entry and with your support and prayers, I got 80,379^th position amongst 80,380 participants. Relieved, I wondered who the one person could be whom I had beaten. And to my surprise, it was me. They have entered my name twice! I shall post that essay on the blog sometime in the future for you people to read. And before that competition, I participated in another essay competition about science fiction and as usual, I came last. So my friends, an ingenious idea came into my mind. I should announce to hold an essay/post/poem/writing competition on our blog. Next I would submit an article with a pseudonym (Forensic Biologist) and then after thoroughly reading every post, I would declare Forensic Biologist as the winner of the competition. So in order to do this exercise, I request you all kindly submit your writings if you want these to be posted on our blog as guest posts. And if I won, I will treat you all with a lavish party, all expenses paid by yourselves. Following are the rules.  

Birthday, Acknowledgment and Stats

Background

Look at the picture below. What can you see? A baby with a mother, and you can feel the emotions, compassion and the love of a mother for her child. So what is special about this picture? The baby is symbolically the 7 billionth baby born in the World. But does the mother care? To her the baby is worth more than the 7billion minus 1 people around the world. It was April 12, 2011. Time was 11:37PST and I got the computer generated reply from the Newspaper to which I had submitted my article for the 10^th time. Somehow, I remembered about a friend having a blog and his requesting us to comment on it. It was a long time ago. So I thought why not try to have my own blog. And hence, I posted my first blog exactly 1 year ago. Even though there were around 150 million more blogs already online but still I wanted to have my own. Just like the mother of the 7 billionth baby loving her child, I love my blog.

Please Pray for Her...

“main apni sis ki profile pai hoon... kabhi vo bhi yahan shouq say aya jaya karti thi.... ajj vo hum main hotay hoay hum main nahi..... she is in coma.... plz all frnds ..pray for her ..........”.

(I am on my sister profile. At times, she would come here with zeal and zest. Today she is not with us even though living. She is in coma. Please friends pray for her)

I got this status update on a friend’s FB wall. And by this I thought that a sister of my friend is in coma. So I would pray for her. Through texts and FB we were in touch. And yesterday she asked, “Who are you?” I shot back, “Who are you?” She replied I am her sister. And suddenly everything was changed. I was in shock. I asked where is my friend and she replied that don’t know where is she please pray for her. I came back to the FB page and re-read this update and now I think how dumb I was. It was clearly written that it was my friend who is in coma. She is in coma for at least the last couple of weeks. Doctors are not sure what to say. I request everybody who visits our blog that please pray for her.

Thank you.

Life is a Thousand Miles Journey; Let's Start Today

Years come and go. During the course of years a lot of things happen in life. So many things go unquestioned and a lot of questions go unanswered. Some of the questions have the great influence in our lives and sometimes they play very important role to survive they are not based on the consumption of oxygen per day but they are more important than oxygen. There are few words which remain unsaid while others go unheard. Some dreams are buried alive while some are born dead. Happiness and gloom walk together hand in hand. Things that sometimes make us laugh become a reason to cry and then life moves on. This is what life actually is.

Hujra – the Oldest Social Club

Hujra is considered to be the most important part of the Pukhtoon culture. It can be loosely translated as a social club. From the western mountainous terrains of Pakistan to the heart of Afghanistan and throughout the world, where there are Pukhtoons, there exists the Hujra.  Exclusively for the male population, it serves host to all parts of social life of the Pukhtoon society, from resolving internal community disputes to the ceremonies of wedding.  Being prospered for centuries, the very existence of Hujra is threatened, due in part to modernization and in part to the Western democracy.

The Alchemist's Diary

It was the summer of 1999. We had just moved into our new house, in yet a new city. After few days, we somehow managed to set our stuff in the house. One day, out of curiosity, I entered the underground hall. At the end of it, there was that tiny little room. Even though it was a sunny noon, in that hall it was absolute dark. With the torch light, I dared to enter it. There was a small rusty padlock. I touched it and the hall echoed with a clicking sound. The lock opened and with it, my heart skipped a beat out of fear. Gathering courage, I entered and the room was almost empty! There were no windows, no cupboards, no furniture or anything. And then when I was about to leave the room, my foot struck something and with it I fainted.

Show Me the Meaning of Being Lively

It is sometime in the month of november, 2008. The day is saturday and it is the last lecture before the final exam. The dial on the wall shows it is 9.25 A.M. and we are waiting for our English class teacher. Yes, being a non-English speaking country, we need English lectures even at Ph.D. level. It is more of a communication and writing class. In comes the teacher, sits as usual. and out of the blue, he says today is going to be a debate. We are surprised. How can he? The topic is "Life is Absurd?". Even though nothing pleases me more than an extempore writing, the exact opposite is true when it comes to speeches and that too an impromptu one. But unfortunately or fortunately, I am not feeling well and can not take part or else I would have liked to utter a few incoherent sentences in my blabber.

Born Identity: DNA Testing

The world is full of obvious things which nobody by any chance ever observes.

– Sherlock Holmes

It was said a century ago when there was no concept of DNA. But today DNA identification is used as the ultimate and irrefutable tool in criminal justice system and paternity disputes, immigration, endangered species movement, among many other applications. Forensic science has moved a long way from the time of Sherlock Holmes and the obvious things are surely observed in specialized laboratories with utmost care.

TEACHER, PREACHER OR DICTATOR???

A seven year old child asked his mother, “Mama, are there schools in hell too?” feeling surprised his mother said “NO.” The child said, “Then why do people fear to go to hell?”

Surely a joke. An innocent thought of an innocent mind but thought provoking, nevertheless. Why do children, of all ages, fear their teachers or going to school?

Teacher is taken for as an initiator, a guide, a mentor and a moralist. He is expected to be a paragon of knowledge and morality. He is expected to work hard and sincerely discharge the duty of imparting knowledge, assigned to him.

Sherlock Holmes in Lahore: Part 2

A diamond is forever. This line was immortalized by De Beers and when we think of diamonds, the first image which comes to mind is that of the prospectors of Kimberley, South Africa, or the markets of Belgium or Surat, India. But in Lahore when the topic is diamond market, it means only and only one place: Shahi Mohalla (Royal Neighbourhood). Established by the Mughal Emperors some 500 years ago, it is located in the proximity of the Shahi Qila (Royal Fort) and Badshahi Masjid (Royal Mosque). The royals and the elites used to visit this place to entertain themselves with the music, singing and dancing. The most famous musicians and dancers used to live here. The beautiful girls (called Heeras or Diamonds) sat in the balcony type stalls to attract the visitors. Even though when the British came and the place was diluted with the ‘other’ trade, still there are dancers and musicians living in the area. But now it is synonymous with the Red Light area of Lahore. And then of those balcony type houses, one is converted into a 5-star restaurant, known is Cooco's Den, by one of the Area’s own, Iqbal Hussain, a maestro of arts and painting. The restaurant is frequented by elites of the city as well as foreigners. Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson are sitting on the roof top enjoying the food.

Sherlock Holmes and the Mysterious Patient

Sherlock Holmes is sitting in room number 221 in a five star hotel of Lahore. He along with his friend and colleague, Dr. John Watson, is on vacations. Dr. Watson is reading local news on his iPad while Holmes is busy staring down the windows observing the people in the street below. The intercom rings and the operator says that there is a Mr. Rana Mujeeb wants to see him. Both men look each other with surprised expression and then tell the operator to send the man in. Mr. Mujeeb is looking pale, is about 60 year old and visibly rich but worried. He barges in to the room and asks almost pleadingly for help to Mr. Holmes, but upon seeing another man in the room, he stops midway through his sentence.

Up Close and Personal with NTS-GAT

"So how are you going with the Lambs?", casually I asked her. "I am not very fond of food", she replied. I was surprised. I asked again, "I mean the book that I gave you? Charles and Mary Lamb?" "Oh. No, I haven't started it yet.", she shot back. Anxious, I persisted, "and the movie that I recommended to you? Pygmalion." I was about to add to the list of movies when she interrupted. "Look, I am right now preparing for GAT test. Only one week left and I have just reached the letter Q and still 2000 words left to be memorized". I gave it up. I would not be able to memorize 300 words in 300  years. But there she was, memorizing all those words. 

And Yet I am Jobless

It is said that there is no alternative to experience. I did not agree with that until I learned it the hard way. After years of futile efforts and false hopes, I did not get a job or a scholarship.  As far as I can remember, I have applied and been rejected for about 20 scholarships. Moreover, I have been declined the same number of jobs over the past few years. So I feel confident that in this physical universe that we inhabit, if there is one person qualified enough to comment on the state of employment that should be me. Now that all other options are exhausted, I thought of putting up my case before you people and you should decide why I could not get anything despite all my efforts? Here is my resume. Read it and then decide.

Merchant of Virus

Two kids were playing with their football. The others were on the see-saw. And there in the corner, three kids were fighting with each other on the slide. Some were playing hide and seek. And there were others playing cricket and handball and other games. The park was crowded on a Sunday evening as most of the kids came there to enjoy their one day of leisure. And there in the shades of the tree in the corner, a silhouette of a man, standing, holding a box in his hands. His eyes were scanning the entire park, children and parents busy in different sports. He was not interested in sports. He was more interested in what was going to happen to all those people. Yes something terrible. In 3 days!

Future of the Future

          “My kid is going to be the most famous doctor in the country”, my mother used to say every morning when she would send me to school. “I do not want to be a doctor. I want to sleep and play.” I would invariably reply. This is the common scene in almost every home of our country. Thankfully, wish of every mother is not fulfilled otherwise it would have become impossible for doctors to find any patients to treat. And after completing my education, I am not a doctor but I am happy with my profession and am passionate about my job. 

A Tale of Two Friends

Once upon a time Truth and Falsehood met each other on the road. “Good afternoon”, said Truth “Good afternoon”, returned Falsehood. “And how are you doing these days?” asked Falsehood. “Not very well at all, I ‘m afraid”, sighed Truth, “Times are tough for a fellow like me, you know”. “Yes I can see that”, said Falsehood glancing up and down at Truth ragged clothes, “You look like you haven’t had a bite to eat in quite some time.”

Guest Post

This week I could not update my blog as I have written a guest post for a friend's blog Madhulika Speaks. You can read it here if you want to. Have a nice week.

Research Publication

It is required for a Ph.D candidate to have at least one research publication before he/she is awarded the degree. After spending so many years and still having no publication, I tried to be smart and publish something. Unfortunately, there are people still wiser than me and hence, I couldn't publish anything. Panicked, I tried something else. I sent it to a journal which didn't exist. And viola! it was published. On Facebook. Some of my facebook friends have seen it already but for those who have not, I am publishing it on Blogger. Enjoy.

The Way You Make Me Feel

So this was it. The moment of break up. Between me and her. Those of you who are or have been in some kind of relationship in your lives will know what it feels like. If I say it hurts, it will be an understatement. The heartache, the emptiness, the rage. It is like a complete black out in one’s life. In fact, it is like you no more want her to be alive. And I am sure she will be feeling the same but since she does not have a blog so we will never know. So the moment arrived for us after what I feel like decades of relationship.

Criminal Genes and the Human Genome

In the movie, Minority Report, the PreCrime Police prevent crimes and arrest people before they commit the crime. It sounds incredible and almost impossible that it would ever happen in the real world. But rethink. It is very much possible and may be put into routine use in the very near future albeit the technology to prevent crime will be entirely different from that of the movie, which relied upon the knowledge of psychics. In real world, we will be using our very own DNA as the basis for all this process.