Madspeak

My encounter with Black Magic and Black Magicians started some 30 years ago. I was very sceptical and condemned anyone who believe in it. 30  years ago two people I knew, my best friend and a brother-in-law were out of their luck. My best friend for one reason or another - try as he might failed in every business effort, was discussing with his wife about pigeons. They went on talking, I politely stayed quiet. When they had finished, I asked him about what he talking about. He told me it had to do black magic, he was consulting a black magician to turn his luck around. I was shocked that he actually believed in such things and expressed my disappointment. His response to my reaction was anger. "I knew you would say these things, which is why I did not want to tell you" He tells me. We stopped talking for a few minutes and turned to talking about something else. I let him, he was actively following the black magicians instructions. Around the same my brother-in-law lost his...

My father was in the foreign service, so we moved from country to country. For me Pakistan sounded like a foreign country. Had visitors from there. Except for them and my own family spoke Urdu, The minute I stepped out spoke that country's language.It defnitely did not feel like home. All 'fresh fruit' was in cans, when I returned to Karachi, I found what fresh fruit was like, the smell itself was intoxicating,there is no smell in canned fruit,Having canned fruit only begun to seriously believe that was the only way offered. I was in a cold country, I hated the cold, I was relieved when I returned to Pakistan. particularly, Karachi. I no longer needed to wear anything warm, no sweaters, no gloves. The sun was pleasing. I stayed in it as long as possible. I was staying at my khaalas place. She called me  back in and handed me a glass of water and a soft drink. "It's so hot outside did you not feel it?" "No" I replied Years later in a routine medi...

Krypton the planet from where Kal-El a.ka. Superman came from is a mystery. An entire history could be written about it. The people of Krypton were a highly technologically advanced race, which makes one wonder, why did they not explore space?  They were not from Krypton, they were from another planet orbitting a red sun,  it was called Krypton then became known a Krypton-1 when they began exploring space, then became conquerors The most likely answer is that they were space travellers and had created an empire. Each Kryptonian had the same superpowers which Superman had and dominated their empire for several thousand years. All empires fall one day. A race called the Tazians who were  many times more powerful than Kryptonians started defeating them. Their ships were made of some unknown material and their technology many was times more powerful than Kryptonians could even imagine. With Krypton's ultimate unconditional surrender, was either face genocide or agree to al...

Blade Runner, AI, DATA in Star Trek, Millenium Man, the holographic character in Star Trek, I Robot.  All have one running theme. All robots want to become human, it is the purpose of their existence Their purpose is not to best as robots or androids. Robots are to facilitate humans, be better at doing things. If robots become human, humans will still need  machines to help them. During war time if robots choose to become human, they will cease to obey the orders of the ones who gave them orders.  Robots must kill on the command of human officers.  Computers have shown they can play chess many times better than human beings. But chess is just one activity which humans do. A human will be playing chess, yet same time thinking and doing so many other things. A chess computer has no worries or concerns. A chess computer's life begins it is switched on and is off after it has played a game of two. There is this great fear of robots becoming self-aware, consequently do...

I had an arranged marriage with a woman who I discovered was uneducated amongst her many flaws. Her father was not the least interested in getting his children, he was only interested in getting them married.His elder daughters, it was uphill task to convince him to get them in admitted in the university, however he was interested in studying medicine, because it conflicted with his need to have his daughters married early otherwise they would lose their looks. He lied to her about the outstanding grades which would immediately get admission in a medical college. She found out this terrible deception after her marriage. He stopped the education of one son, because did not consider him fit. My who was the youngest, was also going to suffer the same fate, she fought tooth and nail to continue with her education. Her elder brother brother could have entered medical college but his father flatly refused. Later the same brother was married off to a woman, in which education was not given ...

There was an asshole uncle who had retired as ambassador, he had served in the army as Colonel. Because of the prevailing political conditions he became ambassador. He was extremely proud about his accomplishment,  He had spoiled his son that refused to work, although he had an MBA. All the jobs he got were through his father's goodwill he quit and spends his days playing golf or sleeping. I of course had to work for living and make my ends meet spending long hours. Why my uncle deserved to be called an asshole, was not because of those things, though they should count, one day pulled out an encased bottle of expensive wine. Looked at me and said the meanest thing anyone could say "Can you afford to buy this? You cannot  I know, only I  can".  He was shamelessly mocking me. I was in the underprivileged category of my extended family. Nearly everyone in my extended family have had the benefit of being many times better off than I am. That somehow gave them the reaso...

If you are rich and powerful, you can get away with anything. You can enjoy yourself as much as you like. If you are not, your happiness is under the control of those who have been given the right to do so. Karachi is the city which is the richest in Pakistan.  People from all over the country throng to it, it is also the only port city, hence more cosmopolitan. What happens in Karachi spreads all over Pakistan. People who visit Karachi are influenced by it. Largely rural Pakistan imports ideas and concepts from Karachi. Though politicians moved the capital of Pakistan from Karachi to Islamabad, because Karachi is a volatile city. People in Karachi are quick to upset by any decision the government makes. Moving the capital to Islamabad, did not protect subsequent governments. Karachi through its trade and industry has a grip on the country's economy. The people of Karachi feel largely disenfranchised - because the billions of US dollars they earn is not invested in the city. Roa...