Emoticon impact
Friday, 17 January 2025
This article appeared in Spider.tm
The idea of graphically depicting human emotions is not new. BBC claims that “the original smiley was created in 1964 by commercial artist Harvey Ball.” Russian writer Vladimir Nobaokov, who authored Lolita, answered a question in 1969 and was quoted by Scott E. Fahlman as saying, “I often think there should exist a special typographical sign for a smile—some sort of concave mark, a supine round bracket.”
Labels: In Print, Information Technology, Spider
posted by S A J Shirazi @ Friday, January 17, 2025,
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Texting
Thursday, 16 January 2025
We are living through texting times. It is time when the surgeon performs a life-saving surgery in Africa with instructions texted from a friend in London, the trucker crashes into a pool because he was texting while driving, the 15-year-old girl wins 50,000 for texting – in a championship, the Finnish author writes an entire book in text messages, the teenager girl falls in a manhole while texting, the Brit woman sets the record for world's fastest SMS texting, the man sets the world record for the most text messages sent in a month – over 180,000, the two men get a $26k bill trying to set a text messaging record, the girl sends 200 messages to help Haiti, the mobile company tries to set the record for world's fastest texting while skydiving and more, when Christian Lander, author of Stuff White People Like predicts that “there is a good chance that all great stories in the twenty-first century will be told via text message and when books like Texts From Last Night: no one remembers sending are creating waves.
Share your revealing, funny, substantial, and engaging text messages in the comment section here. I will publish them while concealing the identity of the sender and or receiver.Read more »
Labels: In Print, Nation, Technology, Texting
posted by S A J Shirazi @ Thursday, January 16, 2025,
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Abbas Khan in Sabaq-e-Urdu
Tuesday, 14 January 2025
Labels: Abbas Khan, Books, Fiction, Literature, Urdu
posted by S A J Shirazi @ Tuesday, January 14, 2025,
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Fading romance of writing letters and greetings
Saturday, 11 January 2025
The sense of financial, social or personal insecurity has blemished the traditional joy and excitement associated with Eid ul Fitr this year. The series of terror attacks, skyrocketing inflation and the sluggish economy have changed even our cultural landscape. Result: Like many cultural hallmarks of festive days, the old tradition of buying greeting cards and sending them to friends and family member seems to be fading away.
Exchange of greeting cards plays an important role in display of love, affection, emotions and nearness. In our society, it has been an established tradition to send greetings on Eid days as well as on occasions like birthdays, marriages, charismas, New Year, on passing exams just to name a few.
Labels: World Post Day
posted by S A J Shirazi @ Saturday, January 11, 2025,
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Reliving Memories
Thursday, 9 January 2025
This article appeared in Daily The Nation
There are lessons in the first landscapes of every one's life. Mine is a vista of green paddy fields, smoking with Salt Range mist, against a setting of ribbon of River Jhelum which from distance looked like a shore of another land altogether. The rough, rugged hill range appears very inviting against a sky withering with the morning, interrupted by the dawns’ red and blue brush strokes. My first learning in life is also rooted in my village.
There are lessons in the first landscapes of every one's life. Mine is a vista of green paddy fields, smoking with Salt Range mist, against a setting of ribbon of River Jhelum which from distance looked like a shore of another land altogether. The rough, rugged hill range appears very inviting against a sky withering with the morning, interrupted by the dawns’ red and blue brush strokes. My first learning in life is also rooted in my village.
In rural areas, people still live without accessible roads or other civic amenities of this modern age that are taken for granted in the urban areas. No telephone or the Internet, (in our village) even electricity is a recent phenomenon; so many villages are still without it. You see one village and you have seen all. This was the setting where I spent the first twenty years of my life savoring the freedom of adulthood. It is where I decided what (and how) I wanted to do with life. It is where my mother, brothers, and friends live. It is where I return whenever my active life allows me to. It is where I want to settle and spend my future.
Read more »Labels: In Print, Nation, Traditional Culture
posted by S A J Shirazi @ Thursday, January 09, 2025,
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Forever doesn't exist...
Labels: Chasing Life
posted by S A J Shirazi @ Wednesday, January 08, 2025,
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Khalid 4 and beyond
When I joined 55 PMA Long Course, I landed up in K-4. Rest is all history. And good thing is that Brig (Retd) Jalal Hameed Bhati has documented the history and published it – a yearlong hard and meticulous work. Result is that I am reliving history (and contemplating why I did what I did and how life took me on unknown path). I feel as if it is all about me. I am sure other platoon mates will be feeling the same way.
I will offer my comment after I read the book that I got today (Thanks to Nauman Siddiqui). Let me add that this is not military history but personal memorabilia that reflects upon comradeship and association of about four decades. Also, this kind of work is first of its nature in the history of the Pakistan Army. No other platoon or even a course has been documented this way. This will give a lot to the family of 55 PMA and the next generations.
Thanks Jalal HB, tuse waqiae great ho.
Labels: 55 PMA, Men At Their Best
posted by S A J Shirazi @ Wednesday, January 08, 2025,
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Hari Yupuya to Harappa
Research by Sonia Saleem
Harappa or “Hari-Yupuya” as mentioned in the “Rig Veda” marked the height of urban development of the Indus valley civilization at 2600 B.C.E till 1900 B.C.E. for 700 years. Harappa is located in the present day province of Punjab, near Gogera, and in its full glory was the perfect prototype of a fully developed city of the Indus valley civilization. It was the perfect reflection of the kind of organized thought which the Rig Veda emphasized. [Wheeler, Kenoyer].[go over page 25 at the end].
Harappa has the same humble beginnings as any other large city. It began as a village settlement, gradually growing over the centuries to accommodate renowned craft industries, world accessible markets, and clean residential areas and cemeteries. Harappa is 128,800 hinterland, and 150 hectares in area. Harappa city was so developed and central to the Indus Empire that the name Harappa became synonymous with the dominant culture at the time, followed by all the other cities in the Indus region, right down to Kutch on the coast in present day India. [Rehman, Kenoyer].
Read more »Harappa or “Hari-Yupuya” as mentioned in the “Rig Veda” marked the height of urban development of the Indus valley civilization at 2600 B.C.E till 1900 B.C.E. for 700 years. Harappa is located in the present day province of Punjab, near Gogera, and in its full glory was the perfect prototype of a fully developed city of the Indus valley civilization. It was the perfect reflection of the kind of organized thought which the Rig Veda emphasized. [Wheeler, Kenoyer].[go over page 25 at the end].
Harappa has the same humble beginnings as any other large city. It began as a village settlement, gradually growing over the centuries to accommodate renowned craft industries, world accessible markets, and clean residential areas and cemeteries. Harappa is 128,800 hinterland, and 150 hectares in area. Harappa city was so developed and central to the Indus Empire that the name Harappa became synonymous with the dominant culture at the time, followed by all the other cities in the Indus region, right down to Kutch on the coast in present day India. [Rehman, Kenoyer].
Labels: Travel
posted by S A J Shirazi @ Wednesday, January 08, 2025,
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Celebrating Abbas Khan – a story writer
Tuesday, 7 January 2025
Abbas Khan is one of the moist celebrated story writers of our time. His other published work includes three novels and seven short story books (Zakham Gawah Hain, Tu Aur Tu and Mein Aur Umrao Jan Ada (novels), Dharti Binam Akash, Tensikh-e-Insan, Qalam, Kursi Aur Wardi, Us Adalat Men, Jism Ka Johar (short story books) and Reza Reza Keenat and Pal Pal (afsancha -- shortest story books) and a philosophical compilation Din Mein Charagh.
Though there are many in Pakistan, both in English and Urdu languages, with claims to be masters of the fiction writing, what makes Abbas Khan the standout by a distance is that his is no ordinary story writing. One only calls it such as a matter of convenience, or perhaps for wan of an expression capable of summing up his piece in one work. In effect, what Abbas Khan gives you is substance that goes far beyond a fiction piece, for he just doesn’t write about social issues and society. Each of his story is a free flowing specimen, with most knowledgeable description of dreams, wishes, culture, vision and yes, love woven into the story - and in language that is fluent and crisp, and also at places containing a fair dose of humor and sarcasm. The work that he presents turns most of his work into literary masterpieces.
Read more »Labels: Abbas Khan, Books, Fiction, Literature, Writers
posted by S A J Shirazi @ Tuesday, January 07, 2025,
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Anything a man loves, he takes care of. Remember that.
Labels: Chasing Life
posted by S A J Shirazi @ Monday, January 06, 2025,
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