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Pakistani English

It has now been over 50 years since the British left our part of the world, their language stayed behind. The Americans and the Australians in the course of time have developed their version of English, the Americans have also changed the spellings and even the pronounciations of many words. So there is no reason why English as it is spoken in the streets be not accepted as the English of our country. Schools teach English - but it is a standard which does not conform to the way the language is actually spoken and written. Latin died as a spoken language because it was too rigid with its rules, only those languages survive which change, adapt and are flexible. The standards of English set in Britain, USA are not the same as those in Pakistan. English can only survive if it adjusts to local conditions. There are so many words and phrases, which would make no sense 'proper English' for instance - "Don't eat my ears" and "Don't eat my brain" these are ...

Why?

Why cannot my monthly electricity bill not be Rs 6 instead of it being Rs 8000 my telephone bill Rs 2 instead of Rs 3000 and my gas bill 2 paisas instead of Rs 150? Why cannot the air fare to anywhere in the country be Rs 3 instead of beings several thousand as much? Why is there no network of 8 lane motorways connecting every town and city? Why cannot petrol cost 2 paisas per litre? Why cannot I buy a brand new car for Rs 10? Why does it have to cost as much 10 Kgs of gold? Why cannot I hold the hands of my girl friend and not be ogled at hundreds of people? Why are there no discos? Why are there no bars? Why are there no nightclubs/strip clubs? Why are there no casinos? Why are there no massage parlors? Why is trying to commit suicide considered a crime and not a symptom of deep despair? Why is being gay or lesbian treated as a crime? Why is our cinema industry as good as dead? Why is there mass unemployment and extreme poverty? Why do not nude beaches exist here? Why are feudal lord...

Unspoken

Burgeoning inflexions to make unrealities seem perfections – semblance of inchoate voices breaking the passions of uncertainty in a void breaking the silence of truth. The beginnings meandering in a violent upsurge of passionate discrimination. Tormented souls clamouring for righteous ire to salve their passionate need for vengeance. Uncertainty fills the minds of men the greed of whom is limitless and the desires abound to ravage the world. Violent moments in everyone’s past remain memories till revenge emerges as a solution. Bright unassembled thoughts – illogical and uncertain to enter the violent field of perpetual life we live in. Somewhere there is a semblance of reality – but who is it knows if it is only a façade. Wordless truth, unspoken ideas flourish in the mind, there is no beginning but no ending. A story with no ending is one chosen if it is enjoyed. But a story with an ending is credible – for all living things are born, they live and they die. How long that life will ...

The death of trade unions

With the exception of the trade unions of journalists, almost all trade unions have been eliminated, even the trade unions of journalists are ineffective - because the junta's interests are towards supporting the owners of large companies. All labour laws are inconsequential, people get jobs, there is no such thing as an appointment letter which states salaries and benefits. Some people are working but their pay is not assured, they might as well be slaves. The journalists cannot get decent increase in their salaries,because the owners of the publications are not willing to pay them. The maximum a full time working journalist can expect to receive is US$430, but the average is US$150 or less. The owners of publications have started TV and radio stations which cost millions of dollars to set up, but are unwilling to pay journalists nearly US$1000 per month, which is a reasonable amount, considering that everything has become so expensive. The situation is going from bad to wor...

Fear of statues

Prominent places in Karachi do not have statues, they have old military equipment of all the forces or rocks facings. Statues are not seen as work of art which should be placed in different places – statues are reviled, because it reminds them of Hinduism, because Hindu deities are depicted in statues. But not every statue is a Hindu deity – it is a work of art and should be appreciated as such. Paintings do not show people, instead of doing that, calligraphy is promoted and presented as art, which is patently absurd. The development of art is stunted because of religious bigotry and prejudice. Some religious fanatics will not pray, if they see a statue is in front of them, assuming that if a statue is in front of them and they pray, then they have made the statue their god – which is ridiculous. If they belief in the omnipresence of God, the statue in front of them is irrelevant and is not transformed into a deity. Religious fanaticism has no limits and apparently has no cure. Pain...

TV cable operators dillema

Although cable TV exists in the country, the cable operators are faced with major dillema. On the one hand they have to please their subscribers and give them the channels they want to see on the other they face a stupid oppressive government which imposes penalties on them for showing unacceptable channels. Why does the military interfere in the privacy of the people? What is it trying to prove? Stupid leaders make stupid decisions. The Internet and cable TV should be freed of the junta's control. When this will happen it is impossible to know.

Science fiction - Nonsense devices

In Star Trek - the devices most commonly used are are transporters - fancy names for teleportation devices, then there are replicators - not to be confused with the evil Replicators of Stargate Sg1. These replicators can synthesise complex items such not only food, but only plates, cups and glasses - what if this two devices were combined. - transporters could be used to transport food into our bellies, transport out all body wastes - so you never have to go to the bathroom. Replicators could be used to make weapons of all kinds - doctors do not inject anything in the patient - the ships computer is so smart it can transport out a tumour or replicate the right drug and transport into a patients body - in fact the ships computer will be constantly monitoring the crew's health. Why should robots be four limbed creatures they can be like octopus but with many more arms so that they can each arm can do be doing different things at the same. All space travel shows have these ships bre...