The Express Tribune Magazine - April 14

APRIL 14-20 2013

Power Hungry We’re paying through the nose for our energy habits so here are some ways to save on the bill

APRIL 14-20 2013

Travel

Barcelona - from Gaudi to Gujranwala

32

Farahnaz Zahidi speaks to the Pakistanis who have made a life in Spain

Cover Story

Power hungry How can you save on your electricity bill by making a few changes at home?

We speak to the experts...

18

4

Portfolio

The graveyard shift at Gadani Arif Soomro photographs the dangerous work at this ship-breaking yard

36Regulars

6 People & Parties: Out and about with the beautiful people 39 TV: Hitchcock’s Psycho comes alive with A&E’s Bates Motel 42 Tech: Stuff that pushes our buttons

Magazine Editor: Mahim Maher and Sub-Editors: Ameer Hamza and Dilaira Mondegarian.

Creative Team: Amna Iqbal, Jamal Khurshid, Anam Haleem, Essa Malik, Maha Haider, Faizan Dawood, Samra Aamir, Sanober Ahmed.

Publisher: Bilal A Lakhani. Executive Editor: Muhammad Ziauddin. Editor: Kamal Siddiqi.

For feedback and submissions: magazine@tribune.com.pk Printed: uniprint@unigraph.com

PEOPLE & PARTIES

Maria B and Zeba Bakhtiar

Huma Adnan

Areej Fatima

Shaz with Samer Mehdi

Emmad with Munaf, Aymen and Sabeen

6

Faisal Qureishi APRIL 14-20 2013

Asad Tareen

PHOTOS COURTESY TAKEII

Maria B launches her lawn collection in Karachi

APRIL 14-20 2013

PEOPLE & PARTIES

Mueen Afzal, Ali Agha, Imran Qureshi, Jehanzeb Khan

AkzoNobel Pakistan Limited unveils its first ICI Dulux Decorative Centre in Lahore Saad, Sadia Hamid and Amal

Muddassir Khalid and Fawad Mirza

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Sophiya Khan and Imtisal APRIL 14-20 2013

Asad Qazi and Mohsin Naqvi

PHOTOS COURTESY BILAL MUKHTAR EVENTS & PR

Shahid Butt, Naveed, Imran Khalid

APRIL 14-20 2013

PEOPLE & PARTIES

Amna Naqvi, Aisha Khalid and Zaira

Aneeka and Imran Qureshi

Juliane and Alizeh

Wardha Mahroosh and Faisal Qureshi

Brinille & Marc

10 APRIL 14-20 2013

Erum and Huma

Fauzia and Salima Hashmi

PHOTOS COURTESY LOTUS CLIENT MANAGEMENT AND PR

National College of Arts celebrates Imran Qureshi as the Deutsche Bank Artist of the Year 2013 in Lahore

APRIL 14-20 2013

Shehroz and Syra

Adeela Badshaw and Nishey

Alizeh Raheem, Fatima Amir and Maha Burney

Unilever Pakistan launches the Toni&Guy Hair meet Wardrobe in Karachi Asma Mumtaz, Ehsan Malik and Fareshteh Aslam

Maliha Rehman and Kiran Haroon

12 APRIL 14-20 2013

Sneha and Natasha Shazdeh and Nida

PHOTOS COURTESY CATALYST PR AND MARKETING COMPANY

PEOPLE & PARTIES

Iqra Mughal and Laila Zuberi

PHOTOS COURTESY FASHION WORLD PAKISTAN

The 2013 Must Have Fashion Exhibition opens in Islamabad Fatima Jadoon Keyran Saba

Guests

Saima Malik, Sundas Satti and Saman Lubna

Bushra Farooq APRIL 14-20 2013

13

PEOPLE & PARTIES

Al-Fatah launches its department store in Islamabad

PHOTOS COURTESY VERVE PR

Mr & Mrs Anis

Mr & Mrs Irfan

Salwa and Sara

Bina and Sumaira

Omar and Mona

Sarah and Arifa Zubaida

14 APRIL 14-20 2013

Sardar Tanveeer

Tanya and Shahida Zahra

PHOTOS COURTESY VERVE PR

Urooj, Arsalan and Nadia

Zoya, Naveen and Sama

Rabia, Nadia and Sania Hina and Shandana

Moin and Tahir

15 APRIL 14-20 2013

COVER STORY

Power 18 APRIL 14-20 2013

Hungry The less you burn the more you earn, that’s what the supporters of energy-efficient housing say — and with a few small changes anyone in Pakistan can bring their electricity bill down

BY ZAIN SIDDIQUI

It is a stretch but some architects would argue that postcolonial complexes had a hand in contributing to our power crisis today. We used to know how to build our homes for the Pakistani climate.

“The goras ruined all that,” says architect Shahid Abdulla. “We started closing our houses and shutting out the wind in our attempt to ape the west.”

We put in ACs to cool down even though, at least in Karachi’s case, we were blessed with a cool southwesterly breeze, which blows in from the sea for nearly nine months of the year.

Indeed, houses built in the city prior to the mid-1960s incorporated this weather element by including a veranda on the southwest side where a family could sit and enjoy their evening tea.

In the villages of Sindh, housing design developed over generations, without external influence. From the thickness of their walls to the orientation of their courtyards, a home’s every architectural detail responded to the environment. In Thatta, for example, houses had wind-

catchers, a traditional Persian architectural element that creates natural ventilation.

“Local is not ghatiya, as the well-travelled and the socalled ‘educated’ people like to believe,” says Abdulla.

“You belong to this region and your house should be indigenous to it.”

This is all very well and good for anyone planning to build a home. But what are people with houses to do now to save on their electricity bill, be energy efficient and in the process environmentally friendly? We spoke to a few experts on small changes, some expensive but worth it in the long run, and others relatively cheaper, that any homeowner can make starting today.

“Your first cost will always be high whenever you set out to do some optimisation around the house,” says Farhan Mehboob, a consulting engineer who has worked on major building projects in Pakistan and abroad, and who lectures internationally on energy efficiency. “But remember that your savings will also be significantly high19 er, especially in the long run.”

(Continued on page 26)

APRIL 14-20 2013

COVER STORY

Air Conditioning

The roof over your head Consider insulation to begin with. Farhan Mehboob stresses the need for proper insulation on roofs and in walls, and the right kind of glazing for windows. These are factors that will help determine the size of air conditioning units you will want to use to cool your home. A well-insulated home requires smaller air conditioners, and hence lesser energy.

One simple trick recommended by Hira Qadeer, an architect at the Design Office of the Aga Khan University Hospital, is covering your roof with old flower pots — something which will act as great insulation as their conical shape dissipates heat. Another option is to build a secondary structure over your roof, like one made out of an insulation material like fibreglass.

Shahid Abdulla says walls can be insulated by growing creepers along them. They are a neat way of keeping the building green while providing excellent insulation.

“Grow deciduous trees, which are leafy in the summers and provide shade, but drop their leaves in the winters to allow more sunlight to reach your home,” he adds.

The added benefit of growing a lot of indigenous vegetation around your house, is that it invites birds, who add to the atmosphere.

Your neighbours Many people forget that heat is lost and gained through walls as well and not just the roof. This is important if you’re living in an apartment building.

Temperature differences on both sides of the partition

Walls Building walls with internal cavities is a good idea, as they provide a layer of insulation which will keep heat out in the summer and in during the winter.

You no longer need a two-foot wide wall to achieve that level of insulation — a 14-inch brick that is hollow on the inside will do the trick. Consider using red bricks if they are available in your region. They are the ideal ‘green’ building material, as they are made from clay and are completely recyclable. In Lahore they cost between Rs5,200 to Rs6,000 per 1,000 batch and this depends on the quality of brick and coal as some kilns bake them on tyres and some on coal. In Karachi, it costs Rs3,500 per 1,000 batch.

26 APRIL 14-20 2013

Don’t go cheap. It costs in the long run. Consider getting what are called variant refrigerant flow units. They are the latest in air-conditioning technology as they intelligently modulate their use of electricity according to your needs.

For example, they will run at, say, half capacity during evening or late night as temperatures are lower then and they will need less energy to cool the air. The newer technology acts like the regulators of ceiling fans, using only as much energy as is necessary to achieve the desired temperature.

“The peak consumption of these models is only 1.1 units, meaning a 60% saving on the bill even if they run at peak capacity most of the time,” explains Farhan Mehboob, a consulting engineer. “These units cost 2.5 to three times the average air conditioner, but think about their investment worth.” He recommends putting them in your bedrooms, which you use the most. Do not waste money putting them everywhere around the house.

“Avoid putting your exComparison ternal air conditioning units too close to each other,” Mehboob says. The hot air units of electricity are expelled from one unit in the consumed by a 1 ton process of air conditioning Chinese air conditioner for gets sucked into the other every ton of air conditionunit, meaning it has to work ing it produces over 1hr harder and thus use more energy to cool. “The unit that is receiving the hot air will units is consumed by the consume 20% to 50% more more expensive air condienergy. It is the worst and tioners, but it saves 20% most wasteful thing you can on your electricity bill possibly do,” he adds.

1.8

1.4

TVs — the red light Check the energy efficiency ratings on the set before buying. You can buy a plasma TV for Rs60,000, which will consume 200 watts of electricity or you can buy an LED TV for Rs100,000, but it will use only 40 watts. This will reduce your electricity bill by 80%.

Appliances use energy even in standby mode. Switch them off when you’re not using them. Disconnect the power supply: even that tiny red light uses electricity and it all adds to costs in the long run.

wall will have a direct affect on your electricity bill. “If it is 20 degrees in my room, and 27 degrees in my neighbour’s room, the laws of physics dictate that heat will flow into my room from my neighbour’s room — meaning my air conditioner will have to use more electricity to keep my room cool at 20 degrees,” Mehboob explains. Similarly, you should consider putting in false ceilings too.

Double glazing Double-glazed windows minimise heat transfer as do tinted windows that restrict too much sunlight from penetrating and heating up your house in the summers.

Overhangs for windows also keep them shaded from direct sunlight. But ask an architect or building engineer to work out an optimum angle for the overhang so that it cuts out direct sunlight during the summer months but lets it in during the winters, when the sun rides lower in the sky.

With new technology, you can consider using more glass on the south side of your house, with enough shade over it to cut out direct sun rays. In the winters, the sun moves south, and your house will automatically let in the sun, allowing it to warm up your house for free. The simple beauty of adopting this measure is that the sun moves north in the summers, and you can prevent heat gain if those windows are properly shaded.

LED bulbs — the future of lighting The energy saver was the first revolution in lighting solutions after the halogen bulb. Similarly, the light-emitting diode or LED bulb is the harbinger of another revolution.

According to Faizan Malik, the proprietor of Litelogy — a branded outlet of Philips home lighting accessories — the company has introduced the warm white and white colours as direct replacements to the energy savers already in use in many households.

You may want to start off with lighting only the most frequently used places in your house with LEDs, to rationalise their cost with what they save you in terms of your energy bill.

“Prices of branded LEDs will fall, definitely, as they have over the past few years,” Malik says. “However, you must remember that a branded product charges you more because it delivers on what it promises you. A lot of money goes into perfecting the build, the quality and the life of such products, and companies will always recover R&D costs from consumers.”

The same amount of light 24-Watt energy saver = 60-Watt halogen bulb = 9-Watt LED = 60% savings on your bill

Or you could take the Chinese option. “Chinese bulbs come dirt cheap as compared to the branded ones,” says Malik.

“There is a Rs300 LED bulb in the market, for which a similar branded Philips replacement costs nearly Rs3,000. They are usually cheap rip-offs though, and tend to lose their light intensity and energy efficiency over time.”

9-Watt LED

24-Watt energy saver

2-yr warranty

1-yr warranty

5-yr life span*

2-year life span

(*if used for eight hours daily)

SOURCE: Faizan Malik, the proprietor of Litelogy — a branded outlet of Philips home lighting accessories

Cost 9-Watt LED

Rs1,300

6-Watt LED

Rs1,000

24-Watt energy saver* Chinese LED import

Rs300 Rs300 *A direct substitute for a 9-Watt LED APRIL 14-20 2013

27

COVER STORY

Solar water heater & kits They are a good choice to heat water during the colder months. Solar units are environmentally friendly and can now be installed on your roof. A lot of companies in Pakistan now offer solar kits for the home and the technology is steadily becoming cheaper. A 100-ltr heater starts at Rs28,000 and they go up to Rs43,000 for 200 litres. All of them can heat water to 80 degrees in six to eight hours.

Plumbing — plug it up Consider installing taps that turn off automatically if they y is using g them. Auto Taps p q detect that nobody quoted us the 2,500 for imported Grohe starting price Rs22,500 oes for showers. Do ones. The same goes ubs, as they are away with bathtubs, ease your wawasteful and increase sarily. ter usage unnecessarily.

Cooling down According to Abdulla, as long as a house’s temperature ranges between 24 to 27 degrees, human beings feel comfortable. Or, if you can maintain a five-degree differential from the outside temperature, that too is enough.

Most experienced architects feel that there is no need to plug in large air conditioners around your house, especially in cities which enjoy cool evenings. Cross-ventilation helps ensure that wind keeps circulating through the house, keeping you comfortable through what is called the evaporative cooling effect.

When combined with walls that have cavities and appropriate cross-ventilation, AKU’s Qadeer estimates you can save up to 30% of your energy bill.

The thicker the wall, the more time it takes the outside heat to penetrate in during the summer, or out in the winter. This has a direct impact on how much air conditioning (and hence electricity) you will need to cool your house, or alternatively keep them warm.

“In the olden days,” recalls Abdulla, “homes were made for the summers, with thick walls that provided insulation. They were made of stone, so they did not allow builders to include large windows in the design: that property helped them minimise unwanted heat loss and gain.”

Abdulla and many other architects are proponents of greener architecture, which is mostly about not being wasteful. “You shut out natural light and put in light

bulbs — that’s wasteful,” he points out. “The weather may be pleasant outside, but you have an air conditioner running away inside. That’s wasteful.”

Across Pakistan, our architectural history has actually been a very green one. Our forefathers used to sit on charpoys in the evening and enjoy the breeze. Our living rooms were airy, and families would minimise the use of electricity by sleeping together in one room, under one fan. Perhaps those days are gone now in certain cities, but as our electricity bill climbs perhaps we need to consider using technology that helps bringing it down while also being energy efficient. T

Toilets — smart flushing You can buy toilets with two flush volume button options for solid or liquid waste.

This helps save on water and your bill as water is pumped into your tanks using electric motors. Their starting price is about Rs7,000.

If possible install a two-pipe sewerage system which differentiates between ‘black water’, used to flush human excreta and goes directly into the sewer and ‘gray water’ that can be saved. This is the used water from showering and cleaning and can be reused for the toilet flush or to water your plants after some minor chemical treatment.

28 APRIL 14-20 2013

TRAVEL

Where Gaudi meets Gujranwala Farahnaz Zahidi discovers that you can order a cup of tea here in Punjabi and still have a very Spanish experience

I have arrived in Barcelona: el corazón del Mediterráneo. Spain, the land with Andalusia in the south, of AlHambra where La Ghalib ilAllah (there is no conqueror but Allah) remains inscribed at every turn of the head, centuries after the worldly conquerors have left. The dark lure of Gaudi beckons, truck art pales in comparison. It will be 10 days of hearing nothing but the seductive lisp of the Catalan ‘c’ and its rolling honeyed vowels. I am soaking it all up, taking my first walk down the tree-lined Rambla del Poblenou...

“Baji jee, Pakistan toun aaye o tussi? Koi chaa shaa?”

The all-too familiar invitation came from a 23-year-old Salman aka Sunny. He stood outside his dhaaba-sized restaurant whose signboard was in Spanish but also carried the telltale ‘halal’ stamp in Arabic. In a corner a man stood in front of a gambling slot machine. A couple by the window pored over the menu while sipping their glasses of house wine. People queued up for the €5 meals of falafel, samosa and doner kebab takeaways.

And so, I accepted Sunny’s offer for tea and with it an invitation to enter the world of Pakcelona as the Pakistanis of Barcelona fondly refer to it.

According to estimates, there are at least 35,000 Pakistanis in this city, one of the highest numbers in any Eu32 ropean city, barring those in the UK. It is a proletarian exAPRIL 14-20 2013

istence. They own or work in butcher shops, convenience stores, the small pay phone locutorios, Internet cafes and restaurants. Some have taken up the latest business of selling beer from street stalls. Pakistani labourers sweat on Spanish construction sites. A majority of them hail from Punjab, mostly Gujranwala and Gujrat, Jhelum.

Understandably, Punjabi is the most common first language spoken among them. That is the language Sunny speaks, although Spanish is his first. “Kaisee gal karday o tusee?” he says as he dismisses my offer to pay for the many postprandial coffees at his establishment. “Pakistan toun mehman aaye o, coffee de paisey chaddo!” And in the same breath he will turn to a customer who has walked through the door: “Hola. ¿Cómo estás? ¿Qué te gustaría?” Hey there, how are you? What do you fancy having to eat?

Sunny came to Barcelona when he was barely five years old. His first crush, his first day at school, his first scraped knee, all happened on its streets. “I visit Pakistan every couple of years to meet my daadi,” he explains. “But I crave coming back when I am [there]. Barcelona set hai jee.” A football match flickers across the huge TV in a corner. Sunny is, naturally, cheering for Barça.

Life is good and is getting better. Sunny’s father owns a chain of restaurants today. But when he arrived 18 years ago he was empty handed. The initial sleep-deprived years were an obstacle course of odd jobs, dodging im-

migration laws and the law enforcers. He couldn’t go back home to see the family till he got the work permit. “Abbaji has worked hard at making us comfortable,” admits Sunny.

Pakistanis began settling in Spain, mainly in Barcelona, in the 1970s, but a greater influx was seen after 2000. In a post 9/11 world, unskilled labour found it harder to immigrate to the US. Spain, however, had no such qualms.

Relaxed immigration laws strengthened the gravitational pull.

“The laws are not so strict,” says Ikram, 27, who came here on a tourist visa two years ago, and never went back. “Usually within three years or so one can get a work permit.” And then he grins. “Even if they put us behind bars, it will be for a few days and then we are out.” He has found a job serving food in a more upscale restaurant right across the Sagrada Família church, Antoni Gaudí’s unfinished masterpiece.

On the surface, Barcelona may seem like an unusual choice for a Pakistani from Jhelum or say Gujrat. But 35-year-old Sajid has an explanation that is simple, elegant and evidence of Barcelona’s multicultural tolerance: “Moderate weather. Greater acceptability among the friendly locals... Barcelona is the best! Nowhere [else] have I been so comfortable.” He should know after hav-

ing looked for jobs in Italy and other European countries. Today he works as a helper at Sunny’s restaurant and even sleeps there at night, a discomfort he gladly suffers as he dreams of a bigger future that is just within his reach. He earns about 600 euros a month.

“Convert that into rupees,” he challenges with pride. It comes to about Rs90,000 which is roughly what an entry-level MBA is paid in a bank in Karachi.

Half of the money is sent back to Pakistan and now that Sajid has acquired a Cuenta Ajena or work permit there are plans to bring his wife and children over as soon as he can save up for a small home. “Ab Pakistan mein kya rakha hai jee?” What is left in Pakistan?

Thus, for many workers who would never earn as much back home, Pakistan may not seem as attractive in the long run now. But this does not always mean that moving to other countries comes without its challenges. While there may not be much anti-Muslim or anti-Pakistan bias in Barcelona, sometimes events can alter the landscape. For example, the immigrants went through a bit of a rough spot in 2008 with arrests of 12 Pakistanis on suspicion of planning terrorist attacks on the Barcelona subway station. It is perhaps testament to the immigrant’s resilience that

There are at least 35,000 Pakistanis in this city, the most in any European, barring the UK

33 APRIL 14-20 2013

TRAVEL

while the Pakistani community was a bit frazzled temporarily, it sprung back to claim its space eventually.

While I saw many Pakistani men working in Barcelona, Pakistani women were not a visible part of Spain’s workforce. There were none in areas that make Barcelona what it is — its centres of art and history. I looked around for them as I stepped out of the spectacular Casa Llotja de Mar, a 14th century Gothic building which used to be the city’s stock exchange till the 20th century. I didn’t see any at the 16th century fort Castell de Montjuïc, a popular spot for families on weekends. The few I did catch were at the Maremagnum shopping mall, moving around only in close groups, doing exactly what I was doing there searching for good deals.

Pakcelona may prosper as migrant communities can and do financially. Indeed some traditional values adjust to accommodate economics which Sunny sheepishly calls “compromise”. For example, he sells liquor and bacon along with the halal food. But his 18-year-old sister is not allowed to leave the house unchaperoned. “We may have moved to Barcelona,” he says, “But we have not forgotten our religious and traditional values.” It appears that the community has unspoken rules that limit complete assimilation. These rules apply much more strictly to the womenfolk. But when it comes to marriage, men have to adhere to certain rules too. While Sunny may date local senoritas, he is quite sure he will marry a Pakistani girl.

“Shaadi mazaaq naheen hai jee,” he says. Marriage isn’t a joke.

“It should be a girl who can adjust with my family. A goree couldn’t.”T 34 Names have been changed on request of those interviewed.

APRIL 14-20 2013

Photo by Bernard Gagnon

PORTFOLIO

the graveyard shift

TEXT AND PHOTOS BY ARIF SOOMRO

The Gadani ship-breaking yard is the world’s third largest such enterprise. Stretched across a 10 km long beachfront, it is about 50 kilometres northwest of Karachi.

In the 1980s, Gadani was the largest ship-breaking yard in the world. Since then, competition from newer facilities in India and Bangladesh has led to a significant reduction in its output.

Over one million tons of steel is scavenged here each year. Still, there are no personal or environmental safety precautions. Fifteen thousand impoverished Pakistanis

risk their lives every day, tearing down ships in the sun.

They earn as little as Rs400 a day. About 70% of these workers, who include helpers, welders, crane operators and cleaners, come from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

Working in this graveyard of ships is a gruelling and dangerous job. By some assessments, it is the world’s deadliest job. Labourers tear down the ships piece by piece, working with chemicals such as mercur y or lead, without safety equipment such as helmets, gloves, belts or fire -retardant clothing. T

PORTFOLIO

TELEVISION

A&E’s new series looks at the teenage years of Norman Bates before he unraveled to become Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho

BY ZAHRAH MAZHAR

Too close for comfort Oedipal closeness has few signs, unless you are watching really closely. In the case of Norman Bates and his mother Norma Bates the creepy mother-son bond goes beyond more than just one alphabetic letter in the new A&E television series Bates Motel. This prequel by executive producers Carlton Cuse of Lost and Kerry Ehrin of Friday Night Lights offers a fresh Hitchcockian look into what happened in the fictitious years that led up to Psycho — the film that forever changed horror.

The first episode opens with the writers giving us a hint at the undertones by using lines from the movie His Girl Friday: “Are you going to live with your mother?” Cary Grant’s character sneakily asks his ex-girlfriend’s fiancé, to which the man replies “Just for the first year.”

Bates Motel, which has aired four episodes so far, tells the story of Norman (Freddie Highmore of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) — an intelligent but fidgety 17-year-old — and his highly co-dependent mother, Norma (Vera Farmiga). After the mysterious death of Norman’s father, they move to a rundown motel to start a new life.

We see Norman struggling to fit into his new high school, a possible love interest, blood-stained carpets in the murky motel, a suspicious sheriff and a corpse in the shower. And all the while, in the background, Norma manipulates his adolescent mind into thinking he can never leave her side.

“We’re like two peas in a pod,” the teenager assures his mother, while quoting lines from Jane Eyre. “There’s a cord between our hearts. We share the same blood.”

The question is whether the writers will go down the same road as the movie, with Norman eventually murdering his mother and developing a split personality. Since creepy and cryptic seem be the theme raking in high ratings for television networks — The Walking Dead (AMC), Dexter (Showtime) and The Vampire Diaries (CW) to name a few — A&E has also thrown its name in the ring. The network, however, has chosen to go with the more familiar Bates family which already has a fan base, making it easier for the network to market this product. The challenge lies in the writers being able to expand on the lives of two of the most lonesome characters of the big screen. The show airs every Friday in the United States on A&E. T

From the big screen to the small screen Hannibal The cannibalistic serial killer, Dr Hannibal Lect Lecter, is back — this time on the small screen and much younger. The series has only aired one episode up till now but Mads Mikkelsen (Casino Royale) has already won our hearts with his sharp dressing, slick hair and his culinary expertise (minus his choice of meat). Hannibal is dark and intense, (compared to him Dexter looks like a vegetarian) but it will be interesting to see how Lecter keeps getting away with a human-only diet for so long.

Smallville We all know the movie Superman Superman.

Here too, much like Bates Motel, the television series Smallville, set over ten seasons, tells you everything you need to know about how the adopted boy learns to use his powers to save the world (without the spandex — in the first few seasons at least). Taking story lines from DC’s original comics, the TV script introduces Kent’s parents, his high school sweetheart, his arch nemesis Lex Luthor and other super heroes.

The Carrie Diaries Th What was Carrie Bradshaw like before the Manolo Blahniks and Mr Big? How did this ballerina-bodied icon become the personification of Sex and the City where she reigned with Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte from 1998 to 2004?

You can find out about it in The Carrie Diaries that is set in 1984. She is good looking and in a small town with nothing to do. It’s hard to say, however, how the audience will react to the missing elements which made Sex and the City a cult series.

APRIL 14-20 2013

39

FEATURE

JULY 4-10 2010

JULY 4-10 2010

FEATURE TECH

M

Stuff that pushes our buttons

BY KHURRAM BAIG

en never grow up, or at least that is the common gripe. We are also accused of playing with toys. Actually, we do not play with toys. We collect action figures. We use gadgets and we install apps on our ‘smart’ phones.

Some people argue that for a toyy to be classified as a g gadget, g it has to be pretty much useless, but something you absolutely need to get. Here are a fe few ew w new ne ew w ones on ness th that hatt w we think are worth mentioning T

Hovercraft golf cart US pro golfer Bubba Watson recently showed off his new ride, a hovercraft golf cart that can go where no golfer has gone before. It is less damaging to the green than a cart and can take shortcuts over water. It didn’t seem to have much of an impact on Bubba’s game though.

Solar-powered cell phone charger How many times has your phone died during a power outage? Bona fide geeks will suggest the solar-powered cell phone charger. It comes with a nifty set of accessories and adapters so you can charge pretty much any phone on the planet — anywhere the sun shines.

It isn’t expensive, given the technology.

You can buy it locally for Rs800.

42 APRIL 14-20 JULY LY 4 LY 4-10 -1 0 20 2010 0 10 12013 0

Transformer USB flash drive Tra It doesn’t doe have x-ray vision or the ability to vault over the Empire building, but it is definitely cool. Consider having 8GB p pi re State S that turns into a leopard. It doesn’t look to bad as a o storage of sto t desktop desk de skkto to ornament either while simultaneously storing all your secret e codes that you need to hack into the mainframe. Order iitt online onl o nli from Amazon.com or magiclamp.pk for about Rs1,300.

The Button 2.0 Now you never again have to worry about uncomfortable headsets or tangled handsfree cables while jogging or driving. With The Button 2.0 — you will have to do the actual stitching on to your shirt — you will enjoy more freedom than ever before all just for Rs500 (available online).

Slide-out keyboard for touch-screen phone For the Qwerty keyboard dinosaur fans, they have come up with this ugly piece of plastic that converts the sleek iPhone into a clunky Blackberry. The slide-out version can be left clipped on and will not obstruct the available he screen. It is av locally for ab about bo Rs4,000 and can be ordered o online nline fr from symbios.pk.

iPhone zoom lens I get this all the time: If I wanted to take really cool pics or wanted to become a photographer I would buy a real camera. But how many of us will lug around a camera given how good phone cams are?

The only thing they lack, except in rare cases, is an optical zoom lens.

Meet the 8x optical zoom for your iPhone that comes with a clip-on cover. You can get it at most shops which sell accessories, for Rs3,500. Ignore that you can’t adjust the zoom — it is set to 8x. Minor limitation, right?

JULY 4-10 2010

FEATURE

JULY 4-10 2010