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Have you ever noticed females and lizards can't stay in the same room? It's like a universal phenomenon between the fair sex and the reptile where the ultimatum is always 'It stays or I stay'. So it happens that even though I don't suffer from herpetophobia, I am still not their fan and don't like to in be the same social gathering as them!
Now the other day, after coming back from work I was ready for a hot, steamy bath when I noticed a baby lizard on the bathroom ceiling challenging me to come inside!So I rushed out telling Ami to do something about it. (I have problems killing roaches, unless it’s a baby roach). She asked to me to get a jahroo (broom) so that she can bring the lizard down and get rid of it. (All of you must have seen the broom attached to long pole which is used for cleaning the fans and room ceilings). But since our ceiling is a bit out of reach because of the long walls, the task fell on poor me as Ami wasn’t able to reach it! Imagine my disgust trying to hit Lizzie Junior to get her to come down and face the music.
Well, at first I was just hitting the places in its vicinity and even then I was not technically screaming but my mouth would continue to emit noises that can be considered close to it. However, it was having no affect on LJ (the name reminds me of MJ from Spider Man!) who continued to roam freely. So after a lot of discussion (read arguments) where Ami kept telling me to beat it rather then hit close by it (I had this feeling LJ wouldn’t mind taking revenge by falling on me!) I finally struck it. And viola! LJ came crashing down to the floor. And I forgot to mention, large quantities of insect killing spray was used before all the adventure began and LJ took to the heart her fall from grace (ceiling) and kept withering and finally breathed her last.
Here ends my killing spree and finally I was able to take a bath peacefully without any reptiles around me.
P.S For all those who like/adore lizards, I am sorry for killing a member of the family. But it can surely be termed as a collateral damage! Also pictures taken from google images!
“Feeling guilty about wasting time on computer solitaire? Join the growing guilt-free multitude at FreeRice.com, an online game with redeeming social value.”
USA Today
While going through Reader's Digest Asia a few months back, I came across a small advertisement about a website called FreeRice which claimed to donating rice to feed hungry people around the world, if you play the vocabulary game on their web site. I was skeptical at first but knowing RD Asia would not print anything that they don't consider authentic, so I gave it a shot.
A bit of googling concluded that it's supported by UN Food Programme and sponsors such as Uniliver provides the rice to be sent to the needy. Also, rice is taken from the developing countries thereby minimizing the cost of reaching the famished. [Source: UN Food Programme].
The game is straightforward; you are given a word and multiple choices to select the correct meaning. For every correct reply, 20 grains of rice are donated and you can play as long as you want without the need to register and provide any details about you. It’s a great vocabulary booster and there are options to start from zero vocab level and let it judge your ranking and query for words within that range. Or, start from a specified level and proceed from there on. Also, you can set the option for quizzing you again on the words for which you answered incorrectly to assess your memorizing quality.
Killing two birds by one stone was never that easy. On one hand you are contributing to a cause, while on the other hand you are playing a game to exercise your mind and learn a few new words. So whoever is studying for their SAT/GRE/IBA and LUMS, get smart and save money (from Anees Hussain :P). And whoever tries, do let me know your vocabulary levels!
After the euphoria of the first post has dimmed and the overwhelming response received (I can take a few liberties here as the writers do when they blend fact and fiction) has truly surprised me, I have been busy thinking about my second entry. A few things did come up like the faux pas committed at our new PM # 26th first speech to the nation. It is at the same time both hilarious and shockingly disgraceful that mismanagement could occur at such a high level. It makes you wonder (oh well, we already know!) how the state matters are decided and executed when the dear PM gets this type of treatment.
But coming to my post, if you were thinking that I am going to discuss and play the blame game, be assured this is not going to be the case. Our TV channels are welcomed to all the discussions, debates, so called behas-o-mubahisa on talk shows where each person is out there to ridicule and degrade everyone else.
Being an ardent reader that I am, today I'll share with you my thoughts about a book that I recently read. It’s called Wild Fire by Nelson De Mille. I have read a few novels by the author including May Day, Plum Island, The Lion’s Game, Up Country and Night Fall. I got hooked on from Plum Island, where John Corey a NYPD cop, a smart aleck filled with dry wit and disrespect for the authority is convalescing from gun shot wounds to no-man’s-land (go figure it out ;) ) and stumbles on a homicide. However after the post-9/11 era, author has really gone after Muslims and Islam. His two novels The Lion’s Game (where a Libyan terrorist named Asad Khalil comes to US of A, causes loads of destruction in the land of dreams and escapes as well!) and Wild Fire are based on portraying Muslims as the worst threat to the whole world which needs to be eliminated.
In the novel, De Mille uses a rumor by the name of Wild Fire (started after 9/11) and I quote from his notes
“I personally believe that some variation of Wild Fire (by another code name) actually exists, and if it doesn’t, it should”
Wild Fire actually is a pro-active response to nuclear terrorism where all the Islamic heads of the states (no other country can be held responsible for a nuke war; even the one who has used them!) are warned that if they use weapons of mass destruction (WMD is the best excuse to invade any other country and free them!) on the US of A soil, at most 100 Muslim cities and other targets will automatically be retaliated against using nuclear retaliation.
And the point to note is that even in a nuclear war, they plan to save the oil reserves for themselves and plan on bombing the areas which doesn’t affect oil. Now, any attack on US of A will be assumed to be by Muslims so you can try guessing what happens next! Ten points to anybody who can guess the ending! I haven't been a spoilt sport and given the plot away because there is much more the story :)
The book also discusses the conspiracy theory that the 9/11 was caused by US administration so that they get an excuse to declare war on Iraq. Overall, the novel is OK but the Wild Fire plan; sourness against Muslims did really put me off. He has also tried portraying where all Americans don't hate Muslims and vice versa and people are concerned about loss of innocent human lives etc etc to balance out the negativity i guess. John Corey (if you have ever read him before) is good as ever though.
Disclaimer: All views expressed above are mine and do not constitute marketing/publicity stunt for the author. Freedom of expression exists and I have a right to comment on what I like and what appalls me. You either hold the same views or totally against it. There is no fuzziness in between! Also, I copied the comics from web and I didn't intend to violate any copyright or any other infringements laws knowingly or unknowingly.
P.S. Plum Island and Mayday is missing from my collection. Anybody who has them knowingly or unknowingly can/should return it. No harm will be done to him/her.
The day or rather the evening has arrived.
Finally, I am on the blogosphere waves which took quiet an effort. First, I have lazy bones and the thought of getting down and writing a whole post seemed such a big effort :). Today, at work reading Love in the time of cholera and listening to Alvida from Life In a Metro, a bulb went up in my mind about putting the time to better use and start blogging! (Those who are wondering why I was reading a novel while at office; well, it's another story).
However, note to all wanna-be bloggers: All the artistic blogging address names are taken so all of you should just hurry up. I began with rambler and a few others which were already in use. So I contacted one of my colleagues Rabia and we both ventured on a journey to find the best original and innovative address. She came up with loads of suggestions but to our dismay all were unavailable. After an hour of this activity, I ended up following my backup plan and keeping my nick as my blog address.
So, here I am and just got another tip from the guru (Rabia) who tells me that the first blog should an introduction to what you’ll be blogging about. Right now I don’t have a clue. I just have a vague plan and I plan to write about anything/everything that inspires/motivates/delights/angers/saddens me. Or maybe all the posts will be decided on spur-of-the-moment (SOTM). And as my friends and I know SOTM plans are the best ones we have ever made. Hopefuly, the same can be said of my posts.
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