The Express Tribune T2 - September 24

21

THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, SEPTEMBER 24, 2011

Explore

Seven wonders of the ancient world Colossus of Rhodes:-

Maze

Statue of Zeus at Olympia:

Lighthouse of Alexandria

PHOTO: CRYSTALINKS.COM

This statue was situated at Olympia. This was made by the famous sculptor Phidias in the year 433 B.C. The hair and beard of this 12- metre-high statue were made of gold. Its body was made of ivory and the eyes of precious diamonds.

Fun fact Even in a sitting position, the statue of Zeus was forty feet high. The throne was made of cedar and embedded with precious jewels.

PHOTO: CRYSTALINKS.COM

Approximately 37 metres high, this was located at Rhodes Island. It was constructed in the year 304 B.C., but 66 years after its construction, this statue was destroyed in an earthquake. The monument, which was nearly 30 metres high and stood on a pedestal that added another ten metres, guarded the entrance of the harbour.

Fun fact When the Colossus fell, the statue was so large that people couldn’t wrap their arms around its thumb. Later on, the Colossus simply vanished from existence. To this day, no one knows why.

The Pyramids of Egypt

PHOTO: KIDSGEN.COM

The Lighthouse of Alexandria was a tower built between 280 and 247 BC on the island of Pharos at Alexandria, Egypt. Its purpose was to guide sailors into the harbour at night time.

It was approximately between 120 and 140 metres, and for many centuries, it was among the tallest man-made structures on Earth.

Fun fact Its light was said to have been visible for 55 kilometres out to sea

PHOTO: 1UPTRAVEL.COM

Hanging gardens of Babylon

SOURCE: KINGTUTONE.COM

The pyramids of Egypt are truly a wonder. The first pyramid was built around 2630 BC–2611 BC. The pyramids are the tombs of the Egyptian rulers. The biggest pyramid is located at Giza, a small town near Cairo. This is the tomb of Pharaoh Cheops and his queen.

Fun fact 100,000 people were used to build the great pyramids which were used to house the body of the dead pharaoh.

Mausoleum of Maussollos at Halicarnassus

Temple of Artemis at Ephesus ha ha ha

PHOTO: PURPLEOPURPLE.COM th

In 9 century BC, King Nebuchadnezzar had the garden built for his wife Amytis. They were built with a series of terraces, one on top of another. Each terrace had enough soil depth to grow trees. The gardens were high and irrigation was done by pumping water from the river Euphrates through a hidden network of pipes.

Fun fact The hanging gardens of Babylon were a present to Nebuchadnezzar’s wife that contained exotic plants and animals, which were imported from all over the world.

Inside the inner walls, there were fortresses and temples containing immense statues of gold.

Why do mummies tell no secrets?

Because they keep things under wraps.

What did the baby pyramid say to the other pyramid?

How’s your mummy?

Why couldn’t the mummy answer the phone?

She was tied up!

Why don’t mummies take vacations?

They are afraid they will relax and unwind.

Where do mummies go for a swim?

To the Dead Sea! Why did the mummy call the doctor?

How to make

Because he was coffin.

Why did the mummy go to the movies alone?

Because he didn’t have any body to go with.

String of Leaves Make a string of leaves to decorate a room. You can drape the strings across rooms, over windows and from the chandeliers.

Supplies needed: •

• • • •

Construction paper (orange, red, yellow, brown, and other earth tones) Crayons or markers Scissors Glue, tape, or staples A long piece of green or brown yarn or string

Instructions: Draw a leaf on a piece of construction paper.

Make sure to draw a thick stem on the top (your leaf will hang from this stem, which will

be folded over).

Cut out the leaf.

Draw the leaf veins if you wish.

Fold the leaf’s stem in half.

Attach the leaf to a long string using tape, glue, or staples. Make more leaves and attach them to the string.

Hang your string of leaves across the room for a wonderful decoration.

SOURCE: .ENCHANTEDLEARNING.COM

PHOTO: CRYSTALINKS.COM

PHOTO: UNMUSEUM.ORG

This temple was constructed in the year 550 B.C in Ephesus Turkey, in honour of goddess Artemis, and was decorated with precious stones and metals.

Fun fact The temple was made for the goddess Artemis who was the goddess of wild nature and hunting.

The ruler of Halicarnassus King Maussollos wanted to build a tomb, but he died before its completion so his wife Artemisia completed the construction. At the top of the monument were the king and queen riding a horse driven chariot. It stood for centuries, but eventually fell into ruins.

Fun fact The mausoleum had statues of people, lions, horses, and other animals. The mausoleum is special because it isn’t dedicated to the Greek gods.

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THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, SEPTEMBER 24, 2011

literati for young readers

Embracing motherhood

SAMEEN AMER

Fisher’s novel offers a peak into a woman’s struggles with love and impending motherhood Books by Nancy Carlson Children’s author and illustrator Nancy Carlson has published dozens of books for young readers. The beginners’ books make use of easy to read language along with simple but colourful illustrations, and teach kids good values while offering important lessons.

SADIA BEHZAD

by her mother and the baby’s grandma-to-be (hence the book’s title) — she begins to write letters to her unborn child. She wants that her child be handed over the letters, later on in life, by his/her father. Meanwhile, she recollects past events and scenarios which eventually lead to her currently-distraught period of gestation.

Despite being a successful and famous screenwriter at home and abroad, Cora found herself at a loss when it comes to her relationships. Hers has always been a “big, loud life” full of interesting (pun intended) occasions such as a failed marriage and recurrent onenight stands and transient affairs (eleven in number, to be precise, before she meets Ray).

Having been raised with a disdain for lawyers coupled with a disbelief in her ability to have a relationship, ironically Cora finds herself in a stable marriage with a lawyer.

Yet, she suffers with the subsequent failure of making her marriage work with a doting partner such as Ray. They do, however, reunite after breaking up, only to permanently call it quits.

When Cora’s friend William, seriously ill with AIDS, comes over to her, Cora realises that she needs Ray as her “quiet counsel” more than a lover. However, she already begins to see things from his point of view and as a result, she pities Ray for feeling neglected.

As the former lovers watch William embrace death, they are left closer to each other.

During the same phase of turmoil, their baby arrives. But as usual, their romance expires while the revelation of her pregnancy leaves Cora drenched in an adrenaline rush as she is faced with the tough decision to adopt a more mature attitude as she embraces motherhood.

Carrie Fisher, the author of Delusions, writes this partially autobiographical account of a single mother (who Fisher herself is), in a vivid manner which makes the reader empathise with the protagonist Cora Sharpe.

This compassion later transforms into a feeling of sympathy for her tentativeness (a word which the author uses quite often in the story), without the reader even knowing it.

Book: Delusions of Grandma Author: Carrie Fisher Genre: Fiction Publisher: Scribner UK

Excerpt Harriet’s Recital

Harriet loves to dance but hates the yearly recital, as she’s scared she’ll either trip or fall or her dress will rip or she wouldn’t remember her dance steps! After spending the whole week worrying that something will go wrong, Harriet is terrified on the day of the recital. Struck with stage fright, she wallows in self-doubt, until her teacher nudges her onto the stage. Tentative at first, Harriet eventually overcomes her fright, conquers her fears, and succeeds at performing onstage. A short and simple story accompanied by big, bright illustrations, Harriet’s Recital leaves young readers with the message that they should not let self-doubt or fear get the better of them.

Loudmouth George Earns His Allowance

‘Mama, I needed to ask you. Is there…I mean, can you remember anything that I might need to know that would help me to have a child?’

Viv smiled and rolled over onto her back. Cora was struck by how young and pretty her mother looked, like some freshly scrubbed country girl. With makeup, she was a beauty, from any angle. But now she looked like someone who ran barefoot through train cars, ignoring shoe imperatives and wishing on sunset and stars. Her eyes glittered in the dark, filled with secrets she wanted to tell.

But all she said was, ‘You’ll know just what to do, Cora.

You’re just like me — you hold it all inside until one day you have an ulcer. But you always know just what to do.’

Cora squirmed. ‘But Mama — ’ ‘Like with your friend William — you knew what to do with him — you told me so.’

‘Yeah, but — ’ ‘There is no real difference. When you love someone — when they’re family — you do whatever you can to make them feel better, to do what’s right for them ’cause they’re that important to you. Like with Grandpa, we’re taking him home, right? ’Cause that might be where he wants to go.

It’s not important in a way if he gets there — it’s that we’re taking him. And your being there for William, or for Bud, when he’s unhappy — it’s all the same. That’s the instinct you count on when you have a baby. That’s really truly all.’

The story opens with an allusion to a (in)famous Chinese curse: ‘May you live in interesting times.’ To the script doctor, Cora Sharpe, this curse by no means implies that she will have an interesting life. Quite the contrary, as a matter of fact. According to her, an interesting life does not normally encompass the “interesting times” invoked by the afore mentioned curse.

Cora was eight and a half months pregnant — the consequence of an impassioned and emotional sexual relationship with her exbeau, Ray, a lawyer. Concerned that she will not survive childbirth — a paranoia spurred

Odd couples

The memory Friendships don’t always have to be limited... of 9/11 Will the incident be mourned like the tragedy of Karbala for centuries to come?

Even though his mother has assigned him and his siblings chores for each day of the week during the summer vacation, George ignores everything he has to do, and instead spends the week having fun. But when Harriet suggests that they go out to see a movie, George realises that he can’t have his allowance till he finishes his chores. Instead of doing the work himself, he decides to get his brothers to do his chores for him by promising to take them along to watch the movie; the results, as you can probably guess, are disastrous, and George ultimately ends up doing nearly twice as much work as he had to begin with. The story shows that one should not shirk off one’s errands or pass them on to someone else, and encourages readers to value the importance of responsibility.

Think Happy!

SAMEEN AMER

Book: Unlikely Friendships: 47 Remarkable Stories from the Animal Kingdom Author: Jennifer S Holland Genre: Non-fiction Publisher: Workman Publishing Company

Excerpt

“Feeling sad? Cheer up! Life is a lot more fun when you think happy!,” begins the book, an ode to optimism and an invitation to partake in uplifting activities and thoughts. Think Happy! offers a collection of simple advice on how to make yourself feel happier. The pages suggest that you can do little things to brighten up your day, like be friendly, speak up, ask for help, stay calm, think happy thoughts, feel good about yourself, have fun, and “accept hugs from people who care about you, and hug them back, because hugs just feel good!”

The cheerful book encourages kids to take care of themselves as well as others, and will hopefully bring some happiness into their lives.

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

“Still, the attempt to pair the two species didn’t start out well.

When first introduced, Themba [the elephant] chased Albert [the sheep] around the watering hole, flapping his ears and lifting his tail to look as large and threatening as possible.

Albert fled, as sheep instinct demands, and hid for hours. Over three days of wary gestures and tentative touches, the pair finally accepted each other, and the result proved well worth the stressful beginning. ...

Once the bond took hold, elephant and sheep were inseparable. They’d nap in tandem, horse around together, and Themba would rest his trunk on Albert’s woolly back as they explored their enclosure or went in search of snacks. Though keepers expected Themba to imitate the elder Albert, instead the sheep became the copycat, even learning to feed on Themba’s favorite leaves — from a thorny acacia plant not typically part of a sheep’s diet.”

National Geographic magazine writer Jennifer Holland compiles tales of interspecies companionships in Unlikely Friendships, a collection of heartwarming stories about different animals that have unexpectedly found a friend in each other.

A treat for animal lovers, the book shares touching stories and charming pictures of disparate creatures that were willing to accept and befriend each other; even a few that are natural enemies put aside their differences to give the world a fascinating spectacle. In some stories the animals are brought together by fate, in others by human intervention; some are reluctant, others spontaneous;

The accounts of these relationships that seem to defy the laws of nature are uplifting some temporary, others lifelong; but all of them are touching and inspiring in their own ways.

There are tales of a stray cat that regularly visits and spends time with an Asiatic black bear at the Berlin zoo; a mare that protected a newborn fawn from predatory coyotes; a leopard’s nightly visits to a cow in a village in India; an iguana that gets along with housecats; the affectionate, albeit fleeting, bond between the macaque and the dove that grace the book’s cover; as well as stories of camaraderie between dogs and owls, cats and primates, and even a snake and a hamster, among many others. You can also see genealogical information in boxes along with each account, and get to learn a little about some of the species as you try to understand the connections between these unusual pairings.

The accounts of these relationships that seem to defy the laws of nature are uplifting, although at times heartbreak seeps into some of the episodes (like the lioness who adopted a baby oryx that was unfortunately snatched by another lion). On the whole, Unlikely Friendships is a charming collection of anomalous interspecies friendships, and it is inspiring to see these animals bond with each other, because if a cat and a rat can get along, then there is hope for the rest of us after all!

TAZEEN INAM

Book: The Sweetness of Tears Author: Nafisa Haji Genre: Fiction Publisher: William Morrow

Excerpt “A wise woman that I know once said that the tears we cry for others are tears of sweetness — to be appreciated as a sign of God’s love, and sorrow, for all of the justice that we lowly creatures, human beings who have not yet learned to be human, all of us, inflict on one another. It is a good thing, that we cry those sweet tears, she said. It is a good thing.”

The 9/11 attacks, which occurred over a decade ago, had a worldwide impact, spanning continents — from USA to Pakistan and from Afghanistan to the Middle East, the world reeled in its aftermath. And no one knows how long the memory of the tragedy — just like that of the calamity of Karbala — will continue to haunt future generations.

This is the point that Nafisa

Haji has tried to project in her book, The Sweetness of Tears. She uses theories of genetics and the complicated nature of US society, to draw the parallel of the significance of the memory of 9/11 with that of Karbala for Muslims. Haji’s ability to draw the connection between the emphasis on sacrifice and humanitarianism in evangelical Christianity and Shia Islam is commendable.

In the story, oppressed and tormented, Deena travels with the inquisitive and bold Jo in the quest for truth and tranquillity. They managed to redeem losses that have caused immense problems, both within and outside the family. Consequently, a joyous thanksgiving was celebrated by a family, with a complicated and confusing lineage.

The fictional tale is a story of salvation and redemption, that originates from the turmoil in several parts of the world, but ends up under one roof.

Nafisa Haji, with her second

novel, has employed themes of family, religion, lingual diversity, sectarian and national divisions to establish herself as an advocate of humanitarianism and peace. She skilfully and objectively deals with polarities like faith and uncertainty, betrayal and trust and so on.

Moreover, the quotations and verses used in the beginning of each chapter add colour to it; Haji’s use of Russian prose and literature is very interesting. Here is an example: “And life itself only an instant, Only the dissolving Of ourselves in all others As though in gift to them.”

Haji, in her work, seems to be following the new trend of writers who are focusing on themes of universal peace, humanitarianism and harmony.

Her work is a fast and easy read; it captivates the reader till the last page and the story resonates in the reader’s mind after he is done with it.

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THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, SEPTEMBER 24, 2011

blogosphere on the pitch What Pakistan gave cricket Pakistan continues its legacy of being the most innovative and creative nation of cricket AHMAD FUAD

Pakistan continues its legacy of being the most innovative and creative nation of cricket.

Now Saeed Ajmal is working on inventing a delivery that has never been delivered in the history of cricket.

A few days ago, he said that he was working on a new type of delivery, which he will bowl in an upcoming cricket series against England. In an interview with PakPassion. net, answering a question as to whether he has actually bowled this new type of delivery on which he was working on during the World Cup, Ajmal said: “I didn’t bowl it because I wanted to stick to my best and most reliable deliveries in such a high profile tournament. I just never got a chance to experiment it, but I am still working on it. I am saving it for the series against the world’s number 1 test team, England, and will not use it against Zimbabwe.”

Ajmal remained very elusive about his new delivery, and refused to reveal any details about it, referring to it as “a top secret”.

Pakistan has been phenomenal in bringing innovation to modern cricket. What Pakistan has contributed to the world of cricket is more than what any other nation has. Let’s review the contribution of Pakistani cricketers to this game:

Doosra Legendary off spinner Saqlain Mushtan invented the Doosra and delivered it successfully at an international level. No one could even think of delivering a leg spin from the middle finger of the right hand without changing his bowling action

but Saqlain did.

Saqlain invented,, mastered and then delivered it successfully at the highestt level. The Doosra’s effectiveness ness is appreciated all over the world.

Now, one cannott imagine an off spinner without ithout the Doosra, in modern cricket.

After Saqlain, every off spinner, including Muralidharan, had to be excellent in delivering this ball for his survival.

Saeed continues the tale of innovation and creativity y in cricket, after the successful invention on of the Doosra by Saqlain aqlain Mushtaq.

Saqlain, however, r, was not the first Pakistani istani cricketer who introduced duced something new to o the world of cricket. Pakistan kistan has a few other good d inventors in all the departments of cricket. t.

sk s forever skills forev ver i.e. Googlie Googlie e means me me Abdul Abdu Ab ul Qa Qadir, R Reverse everse S Sweep w ep we means m ean ns Jav Javed ved e Mia Miandad andad and nd Sl S Slo Slow w Delivery Delive De very m means eanss A Aqib qib Jave Javed. ve ed.

In Introducing ntr t od oducin ng Sp Spinners pinners ODIs to O DIs Al cr All credit forr thi tthiss g goes oes to Ab A Abdul dul du Qadir, Q Qad ir, who performed per erform rmed so well welll we in nO One ne Da Day y Internationals Inte nternati tionals that tha hatt tthe he e whole wh w hole o world world started startted e using g spinners spinn sp nners nne r in i lim limited imited o over ver games. ve Before B effor ore Qa Qadir, spinners ner rs w were erre not used in OD ODIs. DIs. Qadir is also a als o known k as tthe e world’s world’s m o s t creative bowler.

He He would wou ould

It was Pakistan who used field restriction for the first 15 overs for the first time at an international level. There is a misconception that Jayasuriya and Kaluwitharna introduced this technique.

If one sifts through history, one will find two brave openers Saeed Anwar and Saleem Yousuf who were used for this same technique in the late 80s. The rest of the world, including Sri Lanka started using the same strategy later. Shahid Afridi’s hundred runs in 37 balls is the best example of using opening overs.

Using last overs Pakistan’s W’s with their reverse swing, and Saqlain with his Doosra used the last 10 overs as death overs for the opposition. They made five Hat tricks in these overs and caused a major dent in the opponent’s strong batting line up.

Fight back Who can forget Javed Miandad’s last-ball sixer at Sharjah? Moreover, the 22 runs against favourites of the 4th World cup, West Indies, by tailenders Abdul Qadir and Saleem Jaffar was just spectacular.

The philosophy of fight back was given by Pakistani cricketers who have a long history of winning nail-biting matches.

Reverse Swing From Fazal Mehmood ood to Muhammad Amir, mir, Pakistan has always ways produced exceptional nal fast bowlers. Who can forget 7/1 by Sarfraz Nawaz waz (he took seven wickets and gave just one run) against Australia with an old ball?

Moreover, Mudassar Nazar’s golden arm and a post tea session, which earned five wickets for just 28 runs, was spectacular. Imran Khan’s exceptional spells against super powers like West Indies and Australia, too, cannot be overlooked.

In addition to this, the

Using first 15 overs

Ws’ of Pakistan, Wasim and Waqar were masters at bowling toe breakers and swinging yorkers with the old ball.

And now, every Pakistani fast bowler including Shoaib Akhtar, Umar Gul, Wahab Riaz, Muhammad Amir, and even the latest entry. Junaid Khan, has mastered the art.

The truth is that the re-

verse swing is synonymous with Pakistan in the world of cricket. Fast bowlers from the rest of the world have just followed in the footprints of Pakistani fast bowlers.

Indipper The Indipper belongs to Imran Khan, who not only invented, but mastered the delivery and

used it effectively against the world’s best batsmen.

Mastering the Googlie, Slow Delivery and Reverse Sweep Can you forget the “ball of the tournament” of the World Cup of 1992, which was delivered to Mark Greatbatch in the first semifinal? Do you remember dancing batsmen while

playing a dancing leg spinner and shocked bowlers on getting punished even on a “well bowled” delivery?

The story is all about Pakistani cricketers. Although the Slow Delivery, Googlie and Reverse Sweep were not invented by Pakistani players, they mastered it so well that their names have been attached to these

deliver 33 different types of effective and wicket taking deliveries, which were never named and could never be reproduced.

Even Shane Warne admires his verity and considers him the best spinner the world has ever seen.

Great Vivian Richards once said: “Give me Abdul and I will reduce my fast bowlers in one day cricket”.

Teesra now Now again, a Pakistani cricketer is working on a new invention.

Saeed Ajmal plans to deliver the Teesra against the world’s number one test team, England, in the upcoming series. Let us hope that this new invention restores Pakistan as the number one cricket team of the world again.

Dar’s the way I like it

No one does it like Afridi With the fastest ODI 100 and even more ODI wickets than Shane Warne, Afridi is our hero UMAIR QAZI

First, a five wicket haul to destroy Gloucestershire and then a belligerent 29 off 17 and 3-10 to roll over Sussex and lead Hampshire to the top of the table.

I don’t see why anyone would be surprised considering the number of match winning performances Afridi has come up with, in Pakistan colours.

There are a number of people who have doubted Afridi’s abilities at the international level — many who never thought he was capable of being the Pakistani captain, and many who thought it was a good move to remove him as the One Day International (ODI) and Twenty20 captain. Many even felt he didn’t deserve to play international cricket.

This post is for all those Afridi critics (and one for all his fans to enjoy) to show what he has achieved over his glittering 15years career for Pakistan.

1. He wasn’t fast just once, he was always fast I am sure you are aware that Afridi holds the record for the fastest ever ODI century. Its not only that — Afridi has scored three out of the 10 fastest 100s ever scored in ODIs. Jayasuriya is the only other batsman whose name appears more than once in this top 10.

That’s not all. Afridi has scored a 50 in 22 deliveries or less as many as seven times in ODI cricket! That is more times than any other batsman.

2. It rains sixes when Afridi bats Yes, he has hit more sixes than any other batsman in ODI cricket, but that’s not all. He has hit seven sixes or more in an ODI innings five times. No other batsman appears more than thrice in that list, which

includes names like Sanath Jayasuriya, Adam Gilchrist, Andrew Symonds, Shane Watson, Yuvraj Singh, Abdul Razzaq, Saurav Ganguly, Viv Richards, and all other regular six hitters that you can think of.

He sits seventh on the list, along with the one who is regarded the greatest of them all — Glenn McGrath!

3. He gives as good as he gets

Shahid Afridi has won the man of the match award for Pakistan in ODIs as many as 24 times! That is the same number of times as Inzamam has.

Only Saeed Anwar has managed it more times for Pakistan — 28. That is more man of the match awards than Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Imran Khan, Javed Miandad and the many other match winners that Pakistan has produced!

12. Very few have won games for Pakistan as many times as he has

Thirty-six is the answer and Herchelle Gibbs is the only one who has done it in an ODI, and Yuvraj Singh in a T20. But, no one has scored heavily off six deliveries as regularly as Afridi has. He has scored more than 25 runs in an over in an ODI on four different occasions.

4. His strike rate Afridi doesn’t hold the record for the highest career strike rate in ODIs anymore, but he has the highest career strike rate in ODIs for batsmen that have scored more than 600 career runs. Not only that, but Afridi has played a whopping 16 ODI innings, in which he has managed a strike rate above 200! That is more than what any other batsman has managed. The next best in the list is his compatriot Abdul Razzaq who has managed the feat seven times.

5. He started young Afridi holds the record of being the youngest ever ODI batsman to score a century. He was only 16 when he scored the fastest ever ODI century.

6. He is among the best

13. He catches them too

Afridi is one of the few all-rounders who ave scored a 50 and taken 5 wickets in the same ODI Younis have taken more wickets in ODIs for Pakistan than Afridi! This says something considering the high quality of bowlers that Pakistan has produced over the years.

8. And you say he is not a quality spinner…

7. He is multi-talented

More wickets than Saqlain Mushtaq, Mushtaq Ahmed, and Abdul Qadir for Pakistan in ODIs. Muralitharan, Anil Kumble, and Sanath Jayasuriya are the only spinners who have taken more ODI wickets than Afridi has. Yes, Afridi has more ODI wickets than Shane Warne!

Afridi is the 10th highest wicket taker of all time in ODI cricket.

Only Wasim Akram and Waqar

9. He gets them out consistently

Only Inzamam ul Haq, Mohammad Yousuf, Saeed Anwar, Javed Miandad, and Saleem Malik have scored more ODI runs for Pakistan than Afridi has.

Afridi is in a very elite company of bowlers who have taken five or more 5-wicket hauls in ODI cricket. He has done it five times, and only Wasim, Waqar, and Saqlain have done it more times for Pakistan.

10. And you say he is not consistent as a bowler Afridi has achieved the feat of taking four wickets or more in an ODI in three consecutive games. That is as many as the best of them have.

Only Inzamam and Younis Khan have caught more catches for Pakistan than Afridi has.

14. No one has been as dominant as him with the ball for Pakistan The 21 wickets that Shahid Afridi took in the ICC World Cup 2011 is the most that any Pakistani has ever taken in a single series. Only Waqar Younis has equalled the feat.

That is also the most wickets any Pakistani has taken in a World Cup.

15. He’s among the best all-rounders in the world Besides Sanath Jayasuriya and Shahid Afridi, no one else has scored more than 6,000 ODI runs and taken more than 300 ODI wickets. Afridi is also among the few all-rounders who have scored a 50 and taken five wickets in the same ODI.

11. He bowls them over a lot Only six other bowlers have got their wickets bowled out more times than Afridi has.

16. He does it in T20 cricket too How many times have you

heard that T20 cricket is not for the bowlers? Shahid Afridi is the highest wicket taker in T20s. He also holds the record for the best bowling figures in a T20 by a captain. Only Umar Gul has taken four or more wickets in a T20 more times than Afridi has.

17. No one has won more T20 games for their country than he does Afridi has won the man of the match award in a T20 six times, which is more than any other cricketer in the world.

Winning the Umpire of the year award 3 years in a row is no mean feat — Dar has truly made us proud

18. His bat also talks in T20s Afridi has scored 50+ in a T20 in three consecutive games.

Only Brendon McCullum has done it more times (four).

I might have missed a number of other Shahid Afridi records and feats in limited overs cricket, but this is quite a comprehensive list to quiet down all the critics that he has.

You still think that he is not a match winner?

That he doesn’t deserve to play for Pakistan?

That he doesn’t deserve to captain Pakistan in ODIs and T20?

“Well Pitched” has always regarded Afridi as Pakistan’s most valuable player, but even I wasn’t aware of how much Afridi has achieved during his cricket career for Pakistan.

This should be an eye opener for everyone.

I sincerely hope that he doesn’t miss any international cricket matches for Pakistan and continues to achieve more than he already has on the cricket field — not only for Hampshire and other domestic sides in Australia and Sri Lanka, but also for Pakistan.

Keep going, Boom Boom!

SALMAN QURESHI

Transparency International gave Pakistan a rating of 2.3 on its 2010 rankings. This puts Pakistan amongst the top 50 most corrupt nations in the world.

It’s not just the corruption at the governmental and institutional level that bothers me. It is the attitude of the man on the street towards it that worries me even more. The most dangerous aspect of the whole corruption problem, in my opinion, is that people don’t perceive corruption as bad, especially when they are involved in it. I’ve heard with my own ears statements such as: ‘It’s OK, who’s not corrupt? It’s no big deal.’ Mind you, this is not a statement made by your poor, illiterate rickshaw driver.

This is the declaration made by the supposedly educated middle and upper class of our society.

In the midst of all this, a Pakistani man, Aleem Dar wins the umpire of the Year award for the third year in a row.

The umpire is the ultimate rule of law on the ground. The potential bias of an umpire could hurt any team significantly during a game. It’s a position which offers great temptation to cheat. Yet a man from the most corrupt of nations, from probably the worst run sports board on the planet, from a society that is as crooked as its institutes, wins this award for the third time. Think about it.

Does Aleem Dar not command the highest amount of respect from you given the circumstances he has earned this award in? He has brought pride to our country in the most difficult of times. If anyone needs to be promoted as a role model to our youth, it is him. Our channels should be raining praises on this man. He should be on the billboards of the streets.

Yet, till now he isn’t. Not many people would even recognize him if he walked right past them. And this reflects our current scenario. I request humbly that we rename the Gaddafi stadium after this man.

DESIGN: ESSA MALIK

24

THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE, SEPTEMBER 24, 2011

offbeat Sunny side up

US astronomers say they have discovered the first planet that is orbiting two Suns, much like the fictional home of Luke Skywalker featured in Star Wars.

Skywalker’s native planet of Tatooine was hot and desert-like, but this planet, called Kepler-16b, is a freezing cold place about the size of Saturn, orbiting two parent Suns in a near perfect circle about 200 light years away.

The planet was glimpsed with the US space agency’s Kepler space telescope, which monitors the brightness of 155,000 stars.

“This discovery is stunning,” said co-author Alan Boss of the Carnegie Institution for Science Department of Terrestrial Magnetism.

“Once again, what used to be science fiction has turned into reality.”

While astronomers have previously glimpsed planets they believed were orbiting two stars, they had never before seen one actually passing in front of its two Suns so this discovery offers the first proof.

“Kepler-16b is the first confirmed, unambiguous example of a circumbinary planet — a planet orbiting not one, but two stars,” said co-author Josh Carter of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics.

“Once again, we’re finding that our solar system is only one example of the variety of planetary systems nature can create.”

If there were people on Kepler-16b, they could relax to the view of a double sunset, but such a scenario is highly unlikely due to the planet’s extreme frigid surface temperature of -73 to -101 Celsius.

The chill is likely due to the fact that even though the planet has two Suns, which it orbits every 229 days at a distance of 105 million kilometres, they are smaller and cooler than our single Sun. One of Kepler-16b’s Suns is 20 per cent as massive as ours, and the other is 69 per cent as massive.

While the planet orbits them, the two Suns dance with each other in an “eccentric 41-day orbit,” the study said.

The study was led by Kepler scientist Laurance Doyle of the Californiabased SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) Institute.

SOURCE: NEWS.NINEMSN.COM.AU

Eek... It’s a giant leek!

Nailed!

A Las Vegas woman has won the Guinness World Record for having the longest finger nails in the world.

Chris Walton, 45, hasn’t clipped her finger nails in 18 years.

Her nails measure a total of 19 feet 9 inches — 10ft 2 inches on her left hand and 9ft 7 inches on her right. She does her own makeup and household chores despite the challenges posed by her extremely long nails.

“I hate all the cleaning, but I do it. And the makeup, I only wear so much,” said Ms Walton, who is a professional singer.

One daily activity that does prove difficult is getting change out of her pocket, she said.

But she uses her knuckles to text on a mobile phone. Now that she has won the record she plans to get rid of the nails, but will have to do it slowly because: “I’m so used to having nails I’d be running into walls and doors.”

Guinness spokesman Stuart Claxton said Ms Walton was a “unique beauty”.

The previous recordholder was Lee Redmond, of Salt Lake City, whose nails measured a total of 28 feet until she lost them in a 2009 car crash.

SOURCE: WEB.ORANGE.CO.UK

Gardener John Pearson, has claimed a world record by growing a leek weighing 9.2kg (20lb 5oz) at a horticultural ral show in Stanley, Co Durham.

Mr Pearson proudly showed owed off the giant vegetable at the event. vent.

‘I’m very pleased to have ve set a new record at what is a beautiful show,’ the Sunderland derland man said.

The retired groundsman n is a record veteran having already registered the biggest pair and trio of leeks back in 2002.

The 63-year-old remained humble and said he owed his success to previous winner John Soulsby, who had given him good seeds to use.

‘I’m proud to have the world record, but anyone could grow a leek like this — if they had the right pips,’ he said.

Mr Pearson checks the weight of his leeks by using a specially adapted machine that is normally used to weigh suitcases.

World’s longest tongue

Everyone needs a challenge to sink their teeth into — but for Chanel Tapper that would be rather unwise, as she has the longest tongue in the world which will feature in the 2012 Guinness Book of World Records.

The student from California has a serpent-like tongue that is double the normal size.

The huge organ measures 3.8 inches (9.75 cm) from tip to top lip.

Ms Tapper’s tongue is around the same size as an average chocolate bar and could stretch across the palm of your hand.

The world record holder said she received a positive reaction when she showed her tongue to the public.

“They’ll ask me to do it again,” she said.

“Some girls/women have screamed and jumped back and if there are other people around the person who saw my tongue will tell the nearest next to them.”

‘I’ll often get asked questions like, ‘can you touch your nose or elbow?’ and “Do you choke people when you kiss them?”’

“But always one way or the other they’re entertained by seeing it.”

SOURCE: METRO.CO.UK

Robot to attempt Hawaii triathlon

After scaling the cliff walls of the Grand Canyon and driving the Le Mans racetrack for 24 hours, a tiny Japanese robot is set for a new challenge — Hawaii’s grueling Ironman Triathlon course.

Fitted with three different bodies and three rechargeable batteries, the hand-sized “Evolta” from electronics firm Panasonic will swim, bicycle and run its way through one of the world’s toughest triathlon routes, the company said.

SOURCE: THENEWS.COM.PK

SOURCE: METRO.CO.UK

Attack of the snails

Is that a snake in your pants?

A Brazilian man who was caught at Miami airport trying to smuggle seven baby pythons and three baby tortoises concealed in his underwear and pockets was fined $400 (Rs35 084) by a US judge.

Simon Turola Borges, 30, pled guilty to smuggling and was sentenced by US District Judge Patricia A Seitz to time served, two years of supervised release, and a $400 (Rs35 084) fine. He was ordered to be deported.

Prosecutors said Borges initially denied having anything hidden in his pants when Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers at the airport pulled him aside for a further search after he went through a body scanner while preparing to board a flight to Brazil last month.

“Subsequently, he was asked to empty his cargo pants pockets, and he removed two hatchling pythons tightly wrapped in nylon pantyhose,” prosecutors said in a statement.

When he was asked to remove any foreign objects from his groin area “Borges pulled his underwear away from his body and removed two nylon pantyhose containing numerous snakes and tortoises,” the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida added in the statement.

SOURCE: REUTERS.COM

Diamond thief caught — by x-ray

A thief in Spain who stole a diamond from a British woman — and then swallowed it — was caught when police forced him to undergo an X-ray. The theft happened when two British women entered a restaurant in Marbella and one of them left her handbag on the floor.

“Two well-dressed men came in, one sitting at the bar and the other next to the woman,” a police spokesman said.

When the men left, the woman discovered her handbag, containing valuables including a pendant with a £10,000 (Rs1.4 million) diamond and nearly £2,000 (Rs274 414) in cash, had disappeared.

Hours later, police stopped a car at a routine checkpoint and found the four occupants had criminal records.

Inside the vehicle they also discovered a handbag as well as valuables and cash, which they later identified as belonging to the British woman. All that was missing was the diamond.

“During the operation, officers noticed one of the men putting his hand to his mouth,” police said.

“This gesture and the fact that they had found the pendant without the diamond made the police think he may have swallowed it.”

“To find the stone, those arrested were taken to a medical centre where they underwent X-rays, and the diamond was located inside the stomach of one of them, who admitted swallowing it.”

SOURCE: WEB.ORANGE.CO.UK

Parents film 4-yearold daughter driving Chinese police say they are powerless to act against the parents of a four-year-old girl, who filmed her driving their car.

The little girl appeared to be driving at speed, even overtaking several vehicles, during her two minutes behind the wheel.

In the clip, which has been uploaded online, the parents, from Jinan, Shandong Province, kept reminding their daughter to concentrate. The mother was sitting in the passenger seat, while the father sat behind the girl, who didn’t even wear a safety belt.

At one stage, the girl queued for traffic lights in the wrong lane but managed to manoeuvre the vehicle into the neighbouring lane.

Eventually the father says: “Jia Zheng, stop the car. Let Daddy drive.” He then jumps out of the back and into the driver’s seat, while the girl crawls over to sit on her mother’s knee.

The video shows the parents had fit extensions to the brake and accelerator pedals to allow their daughter to control the car.

Local police spokesman Li Xiaobin revealed that there was very little they could do, under Chinese law.

“Kids absolutely are not allowed to drive,” he said. “However, as for drivers under 14 years old, we can’t give them tickets.”

“If we caught them, we could only educate the parents. In the worst scenario, if an accident happened, we could only ask the parents as guardians to compensate the other parties.”

Giant African snails have invaded Miami which are 8 inches long and 4 inches wide. The snails are not only damaging plants but are also the reason behind several residents of the city experiencing high fever.

The city administration is concerned over the invasion and so far 1,000 giant snails have been found within a one-square mile radius. Authorities are trying to determine the cause of the outbreak of the snails.

SOURCE: GEO.TV

All you can’t eat

SOURCE: WEB.ORANGE.CO.UK

A Saudi restaurant has started fining diners if they order more than they can eat.

Fahad Al Anezi, owner of the Marmar Restaurant in the city of Dammam, said he wanted to avoid wasting food.

He also wanted to encourage customers to be less extravagant with their orders.

“There are many clients who make large orders in order to impress the people around them and boost their social prestige,” he said. Diners were made to pay an extra charge which was decided depending on how much food they left, he added.

SOURCE: WEB.ORANGE.CO.UK