The Express Tribune T2 - April 23

21

THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, APRIL 23, 2011

playground The puzzling pyramids Have you seen buildings that seem to always be under construction even though we have cranes, bulldozers and all kinds of equipment? Well the ancient Egyptians didn’t have any modern tools, but the pyramids they built are still standing after THOUSANDS of years!

The pyramids are one of the world’s greatest historical mysteries, filled with many hidden secrets: clues about what life (and death) was like in Ancient Egypt.

Why were the pyramids built?

The pyramids were built to bury Egyptian kings called the Pharaohs and other members of the Royal families.

The ancient Egyptians believed that if the Pharaoh’s body could be mummified after death, they would live forever. The stone tombs were designed to protect the buried Pharaoh’s body

and his belongings. These pyramids were of many different sizes.

Where were they built?

Most of the pyramids can be found on the western side of the Nile River.

The reason they built the pyramids next to the Nile River was so it would be easier to get the blocks to the pyramid. The stones could be bought nearer to the pyramid building site by boat.

The Great Pyramid There are actually over 100 pyramids in Egypt but the three largest and best-preserved of these were built at Giza, with the Great Pyramid being the largest and the most famous.

It was built for the Pharaoh Khufu.

When it was built, it was 146 metres (480 feet) tall. However, time has worn the pyramid down to 138 me-

tres (455.4 feet) and it still continues to erode. The pyramid was once covered with limestone that was polished and believed to be left white.

How was the Great Pyramid built?

Have you ever thought about how the Ancient Egyptians pulled 70 ton granite slabs up an earthen ramp—without the benefit of wheels—up to the Great Pyramid? How did they carve granite, with pure copper? In some cases, adjacent blocks fit so well together that, even today, a human hair cannot be inserted between them.

The mystery of how the Great Pyramids of Giza were built remains unsolved to date. Throughout history, there have been many theories regarding this because constructing the Egyptian pyramids was no small feat. Some even believe aliens helped build them, while others think slaves

were forced to build them. Ancient documents reveal that it took years, usually decades, for even one of the ancient Egyptian pyramids to be built.

Since it took so long, one of the first things a Pharoah would do after being crowned is start building his own pyramid! This way it could be ready when he died. Naturally, this cost a lot of money, so it’s no surprise the Egyptians started to go broke!

Another mystery related to the Great Pyramids is the Sphinx (with the body of a lion, the wings of a bird and the head of a man). No one seems to be quite sure why this great statue stands in front of the pyramids. Many scholars say that the Sphinx was constructed in order to guard the great pyramid. The real reason is not known and due to the Sphinx’s rapid rate of deterioration; its secrets may never be uncovered.

The legend of the Sphinx According to legend, the Sphinx was quite a nasty character, and used to hang around in far-off places waiting for travellers. It would then ask a riddle, and if you got it wrong...you’d get eaten!

Do you dare match wits with the Sphinx? Keep reading...

Quiz it!

1. Riddle of the Sphinx Q. What goes on four legs in the morning, on two legs at noon, and on three legs in the evening?

A.

A man, who crawls on all fours as a baby, walks on two legs as an adult, and walks with a cane in old age.

Wordsearch

2. The Pyramids were built to... a. Plant fruits and vegetables b. To bury kings c. To store money

?

“What has one head, one foot and four legs? “ A Bed What is the center of gravity?

The letter ‘V’!

GRAPHIC: ESSA MALK

The turtle took two chocolates to Texas to teach Thomas to tie his boots. How many T’s in that?

There are 2 T’s in THAT! Can you spell rotted with two letters?

DK (decay) What starts with a P and ends with an E and has a million letters in it?

Mini great pyramid

Post Office!

(1)

(2)

(3)

(4)

ha ha ha

JOKES Why shouldn’t you tell an egg a joke?

Because it might crack up!

What do you get from a pampered cow?

Spoiled milk.

Why do fish live in salt water?

(5)

(6)

(7)

Because pepper makes them sneeze!

What do elves learn in school?

The elf-abet!

Why was the computer cold?

It left its Windows open!

(8)

I saw S Susie i sitting itti iin a shoe h shine shop. Where she sits she shines, and where she shines she sits.

The thirty-three thieves thought that they thrilled the throne throughout Thursday.

Materials Needed Scissors, A-4 paper, tape and glue.

Instructions: 1. Download an Egyptian pyramid template (http://www.istad.org/ lenses/make-pyramid/pyramid-template.jpg) and print out four copies of it.

2. Cut out the template (all the shaded and textured areas in one piece).

Don’t worry if the edges aren’t perfect; just don’t cut off any points of the triangle.

3. Carefully fold the bottom square

(10)

(9)

and side flaps back, using the dark lines of the triangle as a guide.

Accurate folds are the key to making the pyramid look great. Once you’ve got a fold in the right spot, gently run a fingernail along it on a flat surface to make it sharp.

4. Cut and fold the other three faces of the pyramid in exactly the same way.

5. Use two small pieces of clear tape to join two faces of the pyramid along one side. The easiest method is to lay the two triangles back to back with the side flaps sandwiched be-

tween them and then fold the tape over the outside edge that’s formed.

6. Now, on the inside, tape the two flaps together. Or you could glue

(12)

them together, in which case you don’t need the tape on the outside!

7. Fasten together all four patterns.

Each time you add a new triangle/ face, you can fold it back to back with the one next to it to help get them lined up.

8. Joining the last two is a little tricky.

Pinch the inside flaps together (as in the picture) when taping the outside edge.

9. Here’s what they look like on the inside. Each pair of flaps is taped together inside the pyramid. They

(11) work like struts.

10. Fold the bottom squares under so that each covers the one beneath it.

Only tape the last (outermost) one to the one beneath it. If you tape all of them, they warp the pyramid’s shape.

11. Here’s what the bottom should look like after you’ve taped it...

12. And you’re done!

Kids, don’t forget to ask your parents before you start handling scissors or making a mess!

Games kids can play on a road trip the car). The guessers are given one clue: “I spy with my little eye something that is (insert first letter of object’s name, the object’s colour, or maybe the object’s shape.)” Guessers try to figure out the object, and the winner gets to create his or her own mystery object.

5. Mazes: Before leaving for the

the most boxes wins.

2. Alphabet game: Go through the alphabet with a theme.

For example, we try to match each letter of the alphabet to a hockey team or player or each letter to an animal.

1. Dot game: First, make several rows of evenly spaced dots.

Each player takes turns drawing a line between a pair of dots.

The dots must be adjacent, but can be anywhere on the page.

The goal is to close four sides of a box. Each time you create a box, write your initial in it to get a point. The player who creates

3. Who would win in a fight: In this, kids pick superheroes

(Superman vs. Batman), Star Wars characters (Yoda vs. 1,000 battle droids), animals (a hippo or a crocodile), dinosaurs (a Diplodocus or a Spinosaurus).

Each of them then choose a winner and explains why.

4. I spy: One person in the car looks around and chooses an object (it can be in or out of

trip, kids can buy some activity books with mazes. These can entertain them for quite some time.

6. Tic-Tac-Toe: It’s very simple.

Just give the kids a notebook and let them play the oldfashioned game.

7. Books: This is a great time when kids can enhance their

reading skills. Kids, remember to put your favourite or recently bought story books/novels in your backpack.

SOURCE: STLTODAY.COM

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THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, APRIL 23, 2011

campus CAREER GUIDE

Psychology

Get up, stand up The youth of Pakistan is willing and ready to go the extra mile to bring about a positive change and the time is not far when miracles will happen…

The ‘science’ of psychology helps you understand how the human mind works, hence contributing immensely to the betterment of human beings. It ensures a fulfilling career abroad and is an upcoming field in Pakistan as well. In our society, paying a visit to a psychologist is often considered to be a taboo since people believe that only the mentally-ill make appointments with psychologists. Fortunately, this mindset is gradually changing.

Career options One can find employment after doing a Bachelors in Psychology, but a Masters degree takes you leaps ahead. Career opportunities in Pakistan are present according to the following categories: Forensic psychology provides career opportunities in law enforcement and criminal justice. Career paths include adult/ juvenile probation, incarceration rehabilitation programmes and programme consultation. Forensic Psychologists study and understand the behaviour of the criminally insane and analyse criminal intent in legal cases.

Clinical psychology is typically involved in the treatment and assessment of mental illnesses. It also treats and assesses psychiatric problems and abnormal behaviour. There are numerous avenues available for a clinical psychologist varying from private practice to an academic position at a college or even in a medical setting. Some psychologists work directly with clients who suffer from psychiatric disorders. Some of the job functions of the clinical psychologist are offering testimony in a legal case, conducting research, treatment of psychological problems and assessing psychological disorders.

Educational psychology is concerned with children’s learning and development and aims to bring about a positive change for children. Educational psychologists have skills in a range of psychological and educational assessment techniques. It provides different methods of helping children and young people who are experiencing difficulties in learning, behaviour or social adjustment. Very few schools in Pakistan have adopted this facility.

What is required?

1. Patience (people may take time to recover and many therapy techniques have to be tried before finding the right one.)

2. Passion to help people (directly or indirectly).

3. Speaking skills (the right tone and the right words are necessary so the patient feels at ease).

4.Listening skills (as important as speaking skills so the concerned person knows that you are actually interested in treating her/ him).

5. Excellent powers of observation (keen in noting the body language as well as what is being said).

6.The ability to build trust (it’s important that the patient is able to confide in whomever he speaks to).

Where to go for a degree?

Bahria University, the University of Peshawar, International Islamic University, the University of Karachi and the Virtual University of Pakistan are a few places that offer this degree.

SNIPPETS

Hubert H.Humphrey Fellowship Competition 2012-13

Deadline: June 8, 2011 The United States Education Foundation in Pakistan (USEFP) is accepting applications for the Hubert H. Humphrey Programme.

This non-degree programme is designed for mid-career professionals and lasts between 10-12 months of graduate level, non degree academic coursework and an opportunity to work in the US in the relevant field. The grant funds tuition, airfare, a living stipend and health insurance. The USEFP will also assist in the visa process. Applicants must be Pakistani citizens with a minimum of five years working experience coupled with a Master’s degree and a guarantee of re-employment upon return to Pakistan. For further details visit http://www.usefpakistan.org/Humphrey.html.

KIRAN NAZISH

Hai jazba, junoon tou himmat na haar...” seems to have become the national anthem of the youth in Pakistan, not only during the recent cricket matches but generally as well. From the neighbourhood to campus youth associations to the more prominent youth NGO’s and alliances, Pakistani youth today is out-there and doing it.

Along the years, since I formed the Empowering Youth Organisation (EYO) in 2006, and while we were working for the earthquake victims on various rehabilitation projects, I met some of the most brilliant and promising leaders of tomorrow. Most of them share the same attitude — as Rabi-ur-Rehman, an engineer and founder of Karachi Youth Organistion (KYO) puts it, “We don’t need to wait for the government to solve our problems. 63 years have proven that they are incapable. Now we are here and we will stand for Pakistan.”

In a world where parents, teachers and the government tag youth as being dependent and lazy; the youth in Pakistan have risen to the challenge in every national situation and initiated a parlance of ‘can-do’ and ‘willdo’. They do not come empty-handed.

They come with a spark, with a passion that fuels them constantly to go ahead. With this enormous energy, they struggle everyday to “bring the change they want to see in the world, particularly in their own country.”

Youth organisations and forums have contributed immensely in generating a healthy and forward-looking environment for the youth of today.

With initiatives like Young Leaders

Conference (YLC) and Youth Parliaments (there are two of them, each with thousands of active members all over the country); there are innumerable opportunities and options for the young generation to contribute to social development. Some of these organisations work independently while others collaborate in order to be more effective and attain quick results.

It may not be wrong to say that today’s 16-year-old is more politically aware and decisive of his/her political polarity than a 26-year-old, perhaps two decades back. “We are not like our past generations, who slacked around and let corruption barge into our societies and penetrate our civic, governmental and social systems,” says Hiba Khalid, a student at LUMS, and Head of Lahore Operations of EYO. “Our previous generation was an abysmal lot who made either terribly weedy decisions or had severely shadowed perceptions that led to the weakness we are submerged in today. But I believe that today’s youth is much more aware and willing to participate in social development. We are warm and honest towards Pakistan and we will ensure it rises again.”

What these youngsters today are accomplishing is enormous; breaking down colossal walls and moving ahead. Of late, the disasters and national calamity that shook the country has seen the youth coming out to the forefront and spreading hope. Last year on August 14, when the nation was morose and worrying about the floods, a dozen young university students marched out from Do-Talwar in

We don’t need to wait for the government to solve our problems

∑

Rabi-ur-Rehman Engineer and founder of Karachi Youth Organistion

Karachi, with boxes in their hands, collecting funds from people on the streets. Within a couple of hours, they had gathered around Rs 0.4 million for the flood victims. This is just one of the many ways the Pakistani youth is making a difference today.

The shining stars Among the many youth organisations that have really made a difference with their efforts, Pakistan Youth Alliance (PYA) is so far the most prominent and almost avantgarde group. It was prominent in helping flood victims with persistent relief efforts.

Ali Abbas Zaidi, the founder of the PYA that started in 2007 after Musharraf’s emergency rule, says, “Our aim is to create socio-political awareness in the country.” The PYA has more than 20,000 active members

in Pakistan and abroad. To date, the PYA has made 34 deliveries of goods to flood affectees worth Rs 35 million helping around 44,000 affected families. The PYA also helped Miradore Productions (an event management company) materialise their dream of having an international youth conference in Pakistan. Even though the current socio-political situation of Pakistan is not very accommodating, these young stars worked day and night to pull this event and were successful in doing so. The event was none other than the International Youth Conference & Festival 2010 (IYC2010) held in Islamabad. The event that aimed to ‘Build bridges across the world’ had 78 young participants from 22 different countries. It was Zaidi who brought different organisations and the government on one platform to work together for the youth. The foreign youngsters were surprised to see how open and interactive Pakistani people are. “Most of them were so shocked and happy to come here, that they promised to promote Pakistan in their countries and urge a positive image in whatever way they can,” Zaidi said.

After months of sleepless nights, the team of IYC2010 recently exchanged text messages saying, “We are bored, let’s take it forward and do something bigger.” So let’s wait and watch what these young great minds are coming up with next…

What the government has to say?

These young minds have been quite successful in impressing the Youth Minister of Sindh, Faisal Sabzwari.

He says, “In our days, we didn’t see

so much enthusiasm in the youth and there were very few student unions in universities.” He encouraged students to come forward and join politics regardless of what their professional background is. He believes that the youngsters today are much more aware and down-to-earth and they don’t hesitate in expressing themselves, which is the best part.

Want to be a change-agent?

In the current chaos and social and political struggle that our country is suffering from, many passionate youth hesitate to come out and express themselves. For those who don’t know where to turn, KHUDI is here to support any form of anti-extremism initiative.

They conduct regular awareness programmes and have made quite an impact with their work in very little time.

Khudi is open to all and if you have an idea for change, it is ready to support you to bring that idea to life.

KHUDI’s Founder Majid Nawaz says, “Come to us with your ideas and vision and develop your own local franchises. Initiate exciting projects and set up your own work. Let us all work together to build this country again, brick by brick. This will not happen overnight, we cannot promise a sudden change, but if we stand together and start working through collaborations and consensus-based work, we will see a positive change in our generation, just as we have seen a negative change over the last ten years.

Don’t give up, Pakistan is your identity, and to give up would be to give up on yourselves!”

GRAPHIC: ESSA MALK

Strangers in a strange land Most students from countries like Kenya, Bangladesh, Somalia, Iran and Nepal do not always know what they are getting themselves into when they arrive in Pakistan...

NOMAN AHMED & SAFEENA YASEEN

Kofi Annan MBA Scholarships for Developing Country Students Date: September 30, annually The Kofi Annan MBA Fellowship provides the opportunity for talented and motivated students from developing countries who do not belong to a privileged class and lack sufficient financial means to study management at the European School of Management and Technology (ESMT) in Berlin, Germany and graduate with a prestigious MBA. Upon return to their home countries, the fellows are expected to contribute to the strengthening of entrepreneurial capacity and the fostering of a stable market economy as an effective catalyst for their country’s development, job creation, and poverty alleviation.

For the one-year fellowship grant up to three fellowships are available each year. A limited number of GMAT fee waivers are also available to candidates who can demonstrate financial need.

The fellows will have a full scholarship from the ESMT plus fair compensation for costs like travel, accommodation, and program-related fees. The eligible candidates must hold a Bachelor degree of any kind, a minimum of three years’ professional experience, GMAT and fluency in written and spoken English. For further details log on to http://www.esmt.org/eng/mba-emba/ kofi-annan-fellowship/.

You can send your contributions and suggestions to t2@tribune.com.pk

When international students arrive as freshmen in Pakistan, they have to deal with concerns like homesickness, culture shock, religious differences and language barriers. Amongst all these concerns, overcoming the language barrier is the most challenging one.

Watching a solitary Kenyan student at the University of Karachi clad in a traditional ‘boubou’ (a flowing widesleeved robe worn by Africans) with headphones on, gave us an impression that perhaps this is an expression of disinclination towards her environs. But when Margaret talks, she talks sense, “My mother tongue is Swahili but one ought to know Urdu in order to socialise in this country. Unluckily, I still have an injured sense of Urdu,” she chuckled, “I can understand but cannot speak Urdu. So, I really feel language is a barrier between my individual and social life.”

Echoing Margaret’s thought,

a Somali student Haleema Abdul Fatah also holds the language barrier responsible for the alienation of foreign students from the rest of the society.

“English is a commonly understood language in Pakistan but English isn’t widely spoken in many of the countries we international students hail from.

At times, we are not able to communicate our thoughts fluently or if we manage to speak, then Pakistanis find it difficult to understand and respond,” she says. On the other hand, Mahsima Tasbihi, an Iranian student of Pharmaceutics, expressed her resentment towards the administration of the University of Karachi.

“The KU clearly mentions in its prospectus that the medium of instruction for all courses would be English, and even the Students’ Advisor assured me in this regard. However, once I got the admission and I’m here, no one bothers to pay attention to my woes. Almost

GRAPHIC: JAMAL KHURSHID

all course supervisors deliver their lectures in an amalgam of incomprehensible Urdu and English.” Unavailability of scholarships for Iranian stu-

dents in any other part of the world has added to Tasbihi’s miseries. Consequently, she’s been studying on self-finance paying Rs75,000 per semester.

From institution to institution, the predicament of foreign students remains pretty much the same. In Sindh Medical College (SMC), amid frequent bursts of youthful laughter, our centre of attention was a rather alienated group of students – ‘the foreigners’, as identified by the local students of this institution.

Sitting in one corner of the cafeteria situated by the wall of the SMC’s vast atrium, they seem completely immersed in their own world.

However, there have been students who are conversant with English but drew an entirely different picture. A Nepali student, Bhawna Khakurel said, “I don’t find any difficulty in comprehending the lectures and the teachers are very supportive at the SMC. But knowing English isn’t all that you can have for good. If you speak in English, even rickshaw and taxi drivers demand a high fare, which Pakistanis would find many times more than the

customary one.”

A Yemeni trio — Bakil Saleh Ahmed, Mohammed Saeed Kazim and Nasr Al Shawash think differently. They believe, “Language alone isn’t the only means of communication. In order to exchange well wishes or feelings of care, we can even use our smiles. But in Pakistan, people seem to suffer from mood-swing disorders. On one given day, you’d find them pretty affable but the very next day they’d pass by as if they don’t even recognise you.”

Though for the most part, foreign students praise Pakistanis for their hospitality but time and again the language and cultural barriers prevent them from mixing with their fellow students.

A Sri Lankan medical student, Aqeel Azmi, rightfully asserts, “Before issuing visas, our embassies should run programmes for language counselling so that students can easily adjust in the country they are heading to.”

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THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, APRIL 23, 2011

blogosphere

to veil or not to veil

Is the veil not cool enough The ban is just a way of bullying women who choose to wear external religious symbols, and therefore is against the values of fraternity and tolerance

NILOFAR ANSHER

Is it difficult to be a woman, a Muslim and a self-proclaimed fighter of gender discrimination – and not support the French government’s ban on the burqa?

I do not support the ban on the face veil. It is tantamount to human rights violations against minorities.

population. Roughly 2,000 of the 5-6 million Muslim population in France prefer to wear veils. If a dress code is being enforced, let it be uniform. Perhaps the government should codify the dos and don’ts of what is appropriate or inappropriate to wear in France. Then we can all follow the dictum: when in Rome, do as the Romans do.

What is French culture?

Whither democracy?

The French government says that the face veil is discriminatory against women and is a symbol of oppression and servitude; a veil doesn’t allow women to integrate into society and distances the Muslim population from adopting French culture.

In the drama that followed the arrest of a woman who dared not to bare, one question keeps nagging me. What is French culture about? Is it just designer brands that cater to a ‘Westernised’ concept of beauty?

Whose concept of modernity are Muslim women supposed to accept?

If they give up their full body shifts and adopt jeans and shirts, would they be representatives of a modern French society? Do they need to have shimmery cosmetics and leather bags? Do women in French provinces and villages really have similar clothing choices? I doubt it.

Some feminists have strongly supported the burqa ban, saying it’s an anachronism and outdated tool of patriarchy. Honestly, I agree with them. From a religious viewpoint, it’s clear that the Holy Quran doesn’t make any reference to a full body or facial veil at all.

However, face veils and head scarves are not just religious. They also form a part of many other traditions around the world. How can a democratic government force a minority population to give up their identity? Why shouldn’t citizens have the right to express their affiliations through their clothing when it really doesn’t affect public discourse?

Veiled by choice

The ban is imposed on one tiny section of an already tiny Muslim

Those fighting for the rights of the ‘oppressed’ Muslim women should take a vote of confidence first. Let’s ask them if they want to be represented by us — the so-called progressive, anti-religious, anti-cultural feminists who push their idea of equality onto women who might

Freedom of choice

It is just a piece of cloth

When in Rome…

MANAL SHAKIR

@Asad: The ban on the burqa is an open form of discrimination against Islam. They do not want practicing Muslims in their country, plain and simple. They are simply unwelcome in France.

@Pakistani: I wear a hijab and no one has forced me. I don’t know why people judge me. I don’t judge ladies who wear veils or miniskirts.

@Saima: This veil ban is a perfect example of intolerance.

Being a Muslim woman, I started to cover my head a few years ago. And I cannot describe how secure, respected, protected and complete I felt!

@Habib: The ban is ridiculous. This is the same foolishness shown by extremist Muslims who pressure womenfolk to wear the burqa.

@Zaraaq: I don’t get the ban. People fail to understand that some women wear the burqa by choice. What someone wears is no one’s concern but their own.

@Sarah Haider: I strongly condemn the ban, because it reflects how narrow minded these so-called ‘liberals’ are.

Ever saw a ban on a Sikh’s turban?

As a Muslim woman, I do not think we should let a veil define us. Whether an individual is Muslim or not, no piece of cloth, or lack thereof, should define him or her.

As someone who grew up in both the Muslim and nonMuslim worlds, I’ve had a chance to meet all kinds of people, and it is not their clothing that has defined them. It is the individual’s mentality and actions.

In my opinion, in religion there are a few definitive ‘rights’ and ‘wrongs’ and they are different for everyone.

Some people look at their religion and change their lifestyle to fit it. Others maintain the life they want, and change their religion to fit the lifestyle.

Rules must be followed Since the face veil has been banned in France, the unfortunate or fortunate truth is that if you are a citizen of the country you must abide by it. One has to obey the law.

Just as in Saudi Arabia, there are rules and regulations one must follow. A woman in Saudi Arabia cannot fly anywhere without the consent of her mehram. A woman in Saudi Arabia cannot even drive.

Unfair? Maybe. However, these rules and actions are justified by the ruling elite. Therefore, it

It is not clothing that defines an individual

have different viewpoints about equality. Do we ever pause to think about women who willingly choose to adopt religious symbols or outward signifiers as a mark of their practice?

Don’t criticise religion It is against the values of fraternity and tolerance to criticise religion as an outdated institution and champion the cause of a non-religious, secular existence. Every human being belongs to a group, community, class, idea, ideology, circle or affiliated to institutions and clubs.

What would your first reaction be if your membership to a club was denied or revoked on account of your clothing, religious background or the language you speak? For women who do not want to wear the veil, all measures must be taken to support them with resources in the form of help lines, NGOs, civic institutions that reach out to distressed women, etcetera.

The French ban on the face veil is nothing more than bullying.

French Muslim women and men are not forcing their customs on non-Muslims. French Muslim women — unlike their Saudi Arabian counterparts — have access to professional and career choices, education and literacy, social and political participation, financial independence and what not. Give them the freedom to dress as they please.

On the face of it, it is the ‘liberals’ who are behaving like those frequently labelled as ‘orthodox’. I smell fear, and it is against Islam.

Rule of democracy @Prasad: I don’t believe the head scarf or the burqa is an expression of religion and as more women are free of this burden to maintain morality in society, the more egalitarian society will become.

@Ali Arbab: is a law that has to be followed.

As someone who does not wear a veil, the law has no impact on me personally, but I would like to know how women in France feel about the decision. Maybe a veil is their way of expressing themselves, or maybe they are forced to wear it, I don’t know, but while it could be a number of reasons, I think if there is a big enough fuss about it in these respective countries, the French Muslim population can deal with it through their political process.

An inanimate object I don’t believe this debate should be taken out of context. I believe people need to keep things in perspective. A veil is a piece of cloth, just like a beard is only facial hair. It does not say Muslim or nonMuslim. It is a physical symbol which portrays what an individual may feel, and as long as no one is forcing you to change your belief, a piece of cloth should remain what it is, an inanimate object.

Visit http://blogs.tribune.com.pk to join the conversation.

From the EU point of view in general and France in particular, may be they just want the element of fundamental Islam to stay away from them.

@John: Every society lives by certain customs and cultural adaptations. Women wearing shorts in public places is frowned upon in Pakistan or punished in Saudi. Can one claim cultural freedom?

@Deen Sheikh: Why does no one write about the day to day intolerance shown by religious people towards non practising Muslims?

@Isfand: The burqa ban is a good thing. It has nothing to do with Islam and simply has to do with the Arab culture.

@Ali Sina: Modern nation-building certainly means discarding medieval sand-blocking garbs and any other such annoyances!

DESIGN & ILLUSTRATION: JAMAL KHURSHID

24

THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, APRIL 23, 2011

offbeat Tallest teen still growing

Gorilla meets duck: love at first sight After wandering into a gorilla enclosure, this feathered guest probably hoped to duck out without being seen.

But one friendly ape seemed determined to persuade it to stay a little longer — scooping the duckling into his arms for a hug.

Four-year-old Komale held the tiny creature up to his face and nuzzled it before cuddling it against his body.

But his very warm welcome failed to win over the terrified duckling, which tried several times to wrestle free before finally making its escape and rejoining its family.

A spokesman for Bristol Zoo said: “The baby gorillas are always fascinated by the ducklings which arrive every spring.

They often try to catch them but this is the first time we have seen them actually pick one up — it was very sweet. Komale lives with his two sisters Kera and Namoki and they are very playful together.”

Komale was born at the zoo after its mother Salome was treated with the fertility drug Clomifene in an attempt to boost the endangered species of Western lowland gorillas.

The number of Western lowland gorillas in the wild has fallen by 90 per cent in the past 60 years as animals have been shot for bushmeat while deforestation has damaged their environment.

SOURCE: DAILYMAIL.CO.UK

Towering head and shoulders above her parents Malee Duangdee, at six-feet 10 inches is one of the world’s tallest teenagers. Weighing 287 pounds, the 19-year-old from eastern Thailand has suffered painful school memories of bullies and a lifetime of loneliness.

“I used to feel like a freak, school children used to bully me and call me names,” she said. “But since leaving school I’ve tried to feel more comfortable with who I am. I’ve gotten used to living on my own, but it’s hard.”

Malee’s mother, Ji, 40, did not realise Malee was ‘different’ until she was around nine-years-old when she began to grow much faster than her school friends. “She looked different to her friends and I got a little worried,” Ji said. “I took her to the doctor because I wanted to be sure there was nothing seriously wrong with her.”

But Malee was diagnosed with a brain tumour, which was pressing on a nerve causing a hormone imbalance. As a result, Malee has also lost her eyesight.

Malee needs an injection every three months to control the benign brain tumour and stop her from growing. For the time being, Malee’s condition appears to be under control and her life has turned around.

She no longer attends school and is glad those days are behind her. Malee now spends all her time with her family, especially her three-year-old little sister, Daoruang. “I’ve never had a boyfriend. I don’t think marriage is possible for someone like me, I’m just too different,” Malee said.

Malee was in The Guinness Book of World Records as the tallest girl in January, 2009.

SOURCE: TELEGRAPH.CO.UK

See no evil...hear it all

Hong Dong: the million-dollar dog All pet lovers love to spend on buying the best pet in town, but a Chinese industrialist has taken the lead with his recent purchase of an eleven-month-old red Tibetan Mastiff pup named Big Splash (Hong Dong).

He paid a record breaking 10 million Yuan (Rs127.5 million) for the three-foot-tall, 180-pound dog.

Tibetan mastiffs are said to have guarded nomad camps and monasteries, and are rarely seen outside of Tibet. Thought to be among the world’s oldest and most respected breeds, legend claims that Genghis Khan had a Tibetan mastiff and so did Buddha. The breed was also popular among European royalty and in the early 19th century, King George IV owned a pair of Tibetan Mastiffs.

Among the wealthier classes in China, this breed of dog has become as much of a status symbol as an expensive sports car or diamond-encrusted Cartier watch. Once these dogs fetched a few hundred dollars, but the rising demand to own one has driven up the price to hundreds of thousands of dollars. In 2009, another Tibetan Mastiff known as Yangtze River, sold for $500,000 (Rs42.5 million).

“Raised on a diet of beef, chicken, abalone and sea cucumber, Big Splash is a perfect specimen. He has excellent genes and will be a good breeding dog. When I started in this business, 10 years ago, I never thought we would see such a price,” said the dog’s breeder who is only known as Lou. Believe it or not, the Chinese man may even be able to get some of his money back by using the dog as a stud. He may even be able to charge as much as $100,000 (Rs8.5 million) for a doggy roll in the hay with his prize canine.

SOURCE: WEIRDASIANEWS.COM

A real-life Scissorhands!

A man crippled in a horrific mountaineering accident is climbing again thanks to revolutionary new prosthetic hands complete with built-in ice-axes.

Stephen Ball, 54, from Newbiggin, Cumbria, fell 2,000 feet down Mount McKinley, one of America’s tallest mountains, and lost part of his left hand, his right fingers and his right foot to severe frost bite. His left leg also had to be amputated after it was shattered in 12 places.

After the horrific fall in 1999, the father-of-four thought his climbing days were over until he approached leading prosthetic technician, Phil Myers.

The pair eventually came up with the ground-breaking “axe hands” which have been specially designed for ice climbing.

Stephen said: “Even straight after the accident I knew I couldn’t give up. I went to Phil to get my new leg and while I was there I asked for his help with some custommade hands.”

He added, “He’s very innovative and he won’t let obstacles get in his way. These hands are quite specialised and I adapted to them really easily and I am now climbing better than I could have ever imagined.’

SOURCE: DAILYMAIL.CO.UK

Always say dye

A UK farmer painted his entire flock of sheep orange to discourage thieves, after a rise in sheep rustling. John Heard (we swear that’s his real name!) decided desperate measures were needed to stop the raids that were decimating his flocks.

And his solution to the problem has created an eye-catching sensation on his farm after he turned his sheep orange.

The 48-year-old has put his flock of 250 blackface ewes through a harmless dip of orange dye making them so highly visible that wary thieves are giving them a wide berth. Heard, who runs his livestock farm near Okehampton, Devon had lost 200 sheep over the past few years but says the orange dye is working wonders.

He explained:”Sheep rustling has become a big problem with ewes worth around £140 (Rs20,000) each. My flock roams Dartmoor and I was getting mighty fed-up with losing so many. My son James suggested the orange dye and although it produces some strange looking sheep it has done the trick and I haven’t lost one this year.”

The non-toxic dye does the sheep no harm and they are lambing in peace this year, added Heard. The dye eventually wears off with no side effects for the animals but has caused bemused reactions from onlookers.

Heard said,” Other farmers as well as a fair few ramblers have been shocked but others have said they are now willing to try the idea if it works. At the moment it is doing exactly what I hoped it would and stopping the rustlers in their tracks.”

SOURCE: TELEGRAPH.CO.UK

Couples’ cow carcass causes customs craziness A couple tried to check a dead cow onto a transatlantic flight, Virgin Atlantic has revealed in a list of the most bizarre items passengers have attempted to bring onto flights.

The couple in question arrived at New York’s JFK airport with the carcass wrapped up on a trolley and attempted to board a flight to Heathrow airport in London with the dead cow.

Unsurprisingly, staff refused to allow the pair to check in their bizarre luggage.

A survey by Virgin Atlantic revealed a giant wheel of cheese and cutlery stolen from a previous flight were also among the items brought in to airports. One couple even tried to check in a bag of sand, sea and water to help themselves remember the holiday in Grenada during which they fell in love.

Commenting on the findings, director of corporate communications Greg Dawson, said: ‘Virgin Atlantic check in staff see thousands of passengers on a daily basis but every now and then, a passenger will arrive at check in with something you would never expect – it certainly brightens up their day.’

SOURCE: METRO.CO.UK

A blind girl who is fluent in four languages has become the youngest interpreter to work at the European Parliament — at the age of ten.

Alexia Sloane lost her sight when she was two, following a brain tumour. But she has excelled at languages and is already fluent in English, French, Spanish and Mandarin — and is learning German.

Now she has experienced her dream job of working as an interpreter after an English MEP Robert Sturdy invited her to the parliament building in Brussels.

Alexia has been tri-lingual since birth as her mother, a teacher, is half French and half Spanish, while her father, Richard, is English.

She started talking and communicating in all three languages before she lost her sight but adapted quickly to her blindness. By the age of four, she was reading and writing in Braille.

When she was six, Alexia added Mandarin to her portfolio. She will soon be sitting a GCSE in the language having achieved an A* in French and Spanish last year. The girl is now learning German at school in Cambridge.

Alexia has wanted to be an interpreter since she was six and chose to go to the European Parliament as her prize when she won a young achiever of the year award.

She asked if she could shadow interpreters and Mr Sturdy agreed to take her along as his guest.

Alexia worked with the head of interpreting and had a real taste of life in parliament.

‘It was fantastic and I’m absolutely determined now to become an interpreter,’ she said.

SOURCE: METRO.CO.UK

Feeling flush? A loo for £3,900

Spending a penny is about to become a lot more expensive with the introduction of a new toilet costing £3,900 (Rs 550,000).

For those feeling a bit flush, an American manufacturer has created the ultimate lavatory, which comes with a heated seat and foot-warming hot air vents.

But the makers of the newly developed Numi have gone even further in their attempt to give buyers the most luxurious experience possible.

They have fitted the toilet with a touch-screen computer panel and a built-in sound system with speakers playing either preprogrammed music or FM radio.

It can also be used as a bidet, with the ability to customise the pressure and temperature of the water.

Other features include a deodoriser, motion-activated seat and lid, illuminated side panels and environmental shoppers will be glad to hear there is even an eco-friendly flush option.

SOURCE: TELEGRAPH.CO.UK