linus the creator

Linus almost sounds like Calvin when he makes a snowman but in the end, he shows he really is Linus...



Calvin is very active in the winters - this site is a testament to his creativity - read and enjoy

For those unaware of it, Calvin and Hobbes were two real life people from the 16th and 17th centuries whose philosophy about life is mirorred in the characters by their creator Bill Waterson

Wikipedia links to John Calvin, Thomas Hobbes and Calvin & Hobbes, the comic strip

new hotmail

hotmail, following the footsteps of gmail are using ajax to run their service



I received an email telling me that being a "VIP" hotmail member, I am invited to use their service - dunno what made me a VIP - maybe they are aware that we have many status-conscious people in Pakistan - yes, I am in Pakistan, only I set my location to USA to try one of those tricks for increasing mailbox storage

The service is nice and slick with an outlook like interface drag/drop for moving messages to folders and right-click context menus

In a clear "inspiration" from gmail, they have added auto-complete in the mailto address bar, their news about this feature is well worth a read:

"Start typing a name and—pow!—up pops a list of possible recipients from your contact list. Click on the one you want and you're done."

It's the "pow!" that converted me.... (sarcasm)

tv shows from too long ago

I remember very vaguely a few TV shows from the early 80's when I was in pre-school

Back in those days, there was only one channel, PTV, which showed (as far I remember) just one English TV show per week - since there was (and still is) a strict censorship policy in place, the shows hacked in places to make them kid-friendly

I was reminiscing with friends about them and was amazed to find they remembered almost all of them

If you grew up in Pakistan in the 80's, you might remember them too, being primary TV viewing for kids, in addition to Nazia, Zoheb songs

These are listed in the order I remember them being played on PTV, I am sorry I cannot find better links to the shows

1. Chips
2. The Man from Atlantis
3. Tales of the Golden Monkey
4. Voyagers
5. The Powers of Matthew Star
6. The Fall Guy
7. Airwolf
8. Knight Rider

follow-up on the mess-up

[Update:
. Bob responds to the controversy
. USAID's page about education reforms in PK
. Congressional Research Service Report (CSR) on education reforms in PK]

My last post was about a poem that is now part of the 11th Year curriculum for Pakistani students - the first letter of each verse of the poem reads the name of the US President

After a ruckus was raised in the Pakistani newspapers, the Education Ministry has announced that it will withdraw the poem from the textbook from next year - of course, no heads will roll, "it was an honest mistake", "our intentions were clean" - these are the words we will hear - a simple google search for one verse of the poem would have clarified the source - but who uses computers in the Ministry? They are certainly nothing more than decoration pieces for them

Of course, the real reason is that the poem must have had the stamp of approval of the Education Ministry and now lowly book editor would dare to raise his voice, even if he could

For those unaware of this, the US government is funnelling in money to "help improve" Pakistani education currculum - the Pakistani government (and all its predecessors) being more loyal than the king, fall head over heels to appease the Americans whenever they can and hence this poem

I imagine it went something like this in the funding agency's office:

Some guy in USAID: Dude, let's play a trick on these Pakis and send them this poem - bet you 10 bucks they will publish it without reading it
Another guy in USAID: Bet you 20 bucks they will publish it even after they read it

It must be said that USAID is doing a lot for education in the country - even the MBA programs in our top business schools are fully funded (tuition & living expenses) - see the info on financial aid at LUMS

I emailed the gentleman who wrote the poem, probably in 2003 - he was kind enough to write back in a very positive way - I really appreciate him for doing this - the response is produced below:

Dear Sami,

If I'm correct in assuming that your blog is Sami's Place, I must say
it's a very nice blog. You keep it updated much better than I do mine.
I do respect your feelings in the "Shameful" post. I don't recall
authorizing the reprint in the Pakistani educational textbook. To be
fair, I sometimes e-mail permission for limited copying without paying
too much attention to details, so I'm not sure.

While I still admire GWB, I have learned since I wrote "The Leader"
that he certainly has some shortcomings in the leadership role. The
vertical spelling of the president's name is, of course, intentional.
Even at the time I published it, along with the questions on the
worksheet, there were included these notes to the teacher in the
answer keys:

The Leader
Best answered in discussion format:
1. Student should refer to text when putting a characteristic in his own
words.
2.Answers may vary.
3. There is a clue in addition to inference: The name is spelled out
down the left column. Respect any opinion if student backs it with a
reason or reasons.
4. Answers may vary.
In other words, no brainwashing intended!

Thanks for writing and good luck with your blog.

Bob (RHL)

Please note the the author does not hide the fact that the name of George W Bush is hidden in the poem (link)

shameful

What a dark day for Pakistan and for the students of Pakistan... this poem is now a part of the high-school syllabus for all Pakistani students


link to bbcurdu story

If you cannot read the above, don't worry - it was lifted from another source, read it in its full glory here - do check out the questionnaire at the end of the poem

Who does this remind you of? Read just the first letter of each verse and see what it all spells...

What a bloddy sovereign country we are... I wonder which picture now hangs in the Education Minstry where Jinnah's used to be?

(I wanted this blog to be apolitical - unfortunately, that's getting tough so I will start posting some news related to "politics" or "international relations" as I see fit - be assured, it will be interesting....)

how to tick people off

this is doing the rounds on mailing lists these days... i refrain from publishing from these sources but this is too funny to pass up

how many people have actually tried one of these?

1. Leave the copy machine set to reduce 200%, extra dark, 17 inch paper, 99 copies.
2. In the memo field of all your checks, write "for sexual favors."
3. Specify that your drive-through order is "TO-GO."
4. If you have a glass eye, tap on it occasionally with your pen while talking to others.
5. Stomp on little plastic ketchup packets.
6. Insist on keeping your car windshield wipers running in all weather conditions "to keep them tuned up."
7. Reply to everything someone says with "that's what you think."
8. Practice making fax and modem noises.
9. Highlight irrelevant information in scientific papers and "cc" them to your boss.
10. Make beeping noises when a large person backs up.
11. Finish all your sentences with the words "in accordance with prophesy."
12. Signal that a conversation is over by clamping your hands over your ears and grimacing.
13. Disassemble your pen and "accidentally" flip the ink cartridge across the room.
14. Holler random numbers while someone is counting.
15. Adjust the tint on your TV so that all the people are green, and insist to others that you "like it that way."
16. Staple pages in the middle of the page.
17. Publicly investigate just how slowly you can make a croaking noise.
18. Honk and wave to strangers.
19. Decline to be seated at a restaurant, and simply eat their complimentary mints at the cash register.
20. TYPE IN UPPERCASE.
21. type only in lowercase.
22. dont use any punctuation either
23. Buy a large quantity of orange traffic cones and reroute whole streets.
24. Repeat the following conversation a dozen times.
"DO YOU HEAR THAT?"
"What?"
"Never mind, it's gone now."
25. As much as possible, skip rather than walk.
26. Try playing the William Tell Overture by tapping on the bottom of your chin. When nearly done, announce "No, wait, I messed it up," and repeat.
27. Ask people what gender they are.
28. While making presentations, occasionally bob your head like a parakeet.
29. Sit in your front yard pointing a hair dryer at passing cars to see if they slow down.
30. Sing along at the opera.
31. Go to a poetry recital and ask why each poem doesn't rhyme.
32. Ask your co-workers mysterious questions and then scribble their answers in a notebook. Mutter something about "psychological profiles."

ex googler talks about his days

a 42 year old marketing guy joined google in '99 - he has now left google and is writing a blog of his experiences - very good read and very high on the del.icio.us rankings - xooglers

Excerpt:
"When Sergey showed up, my initial impression was even more reassuring. He was wearing gym shorts, a tee shirt and inline skates. He had obviously been playing hard. I'd known better than to wear a tie, but he took office casual to a new level."

wish my office was this casual... maybe when I start my own tech company.....

my firefox

Following is a list of extensions that are *must-use* if you are a firefox user - if you are'nt one, do yourself a favor and go get it

. adblock - gives you the option to right click on an ad image and select "block image" or iframe or url with a wildcard (e.g. *_ad_click*) - the image is removed alongwith the whitespace that would have been left behind

Use the script here in tandem to give the best adblocking support

. apart from the heavy loading time, the one thing that was stopping me from switching to firefox was the terrible usage of tabs inside firefox - ctrl-tab opened the next tab in the firefox window and not the last selected - e.g. if you have 10 windows open on your windows machine and you opened window # 5 and then window # 8, pressing alt-tab would open 5 & 8 alternatively - in firefox doing the same for tabs would open tab 9 after tab 8 and then tab 10 next... grrrr.... fortunately we have lasttab now - not only it opens the previous tab but also gives a menu listing all the current tabs in the window

. this extension saves the state of your browser in real time (did not feel any difference in system performance on my p4/512 mb ram) - it's great in case your browser crashes with many tabs open - it even saves the text you are typing in an edit-box !

. one of the most annoying things on the web is when java applets decide to loading without asking you first - noscript can disable them (asking you politely at the bottom of the screen whether you want to run it or not) - it also disables javascript too - not sure if this is really useful...

. mouse gestures really improves your browsing experience, now you can only move your mouse without clicking to open and close tabs and windows - trust me, it's not an indication of laziness...

. firefox has a problem with adobe pdf files - use this extension to receive a prompt about whether you want to download the file

. use this extension to bypass compulsory website registration on websites (these come up often if you regularly read google news)

. stumbleupon - probably the best thing next to google for web browsing afficiandos

. I left Greasemonkey for the end but in the long term, this will probably overtake all the extensions - this is essentially a piece of code that acts as an extension engine - it lets people write scripts that can be run inside this extension - the coolest thing is that these are scripts, not compiled dll's or even zipped xpi files - so you can change variables, add functionality if you know even the most basic javascripting. Installation is very simple

1. just install the greasemoney extension and restart firefox

2. Next search for the best site-specific and generic scripts here and here

3. Click on the script you want to install - a whitepage with javscript mumbo-jumbo will open up - just click Options-> Install User Script and click OK on the window that opens up

4. Refresh the page on which you want to see the script action and you are ready to go

I have installed quite a few scripts including:

. Gmail delete button - this one is buggy, use the "smart" Gmail Delete Button
. adblocker
. bookBurro (let's you see prices of different books on different sites side-by-side, fantastic!!)

Please let me know of any other extensions if they are necessary for your firefox browsing

Murphy's love laws

:)

• All the good ones are taken.

• If the person isn't taken, there's a reason.

• Brains x Beauty x Availability = Constant.

          This constant is always zero.

• Money can't buy love, but it sure gets you a great bargaining position.

More here

ms live

microsoft finally decides to go the google way through it's Live initiative - i.e. embrace online("live"), free, integrated services (think google maps integrated with local search, gmail integrated with orkut) using a combination of Javascript and DHTML called Ajax

Ajax is cool since it HTML, Javascript and basic database services and you don't need extra plugins like Flash etc. to create lightly animated, dynamic web pages (check out the google personalized page and protopage)

Some of the "new" inventions include"

"It’s all new web mail, built from the ground up. Preview your e-mail without loading a new page each time...."
Gmail copycat?

"Coming soon - This will be the next-generation MSN Messenger. The name is new, but it will still be free to download Messenger and use most of its features"
How about an option to cut out the crappy ads? Right now the only way to do it is through hacking the resource file

dapnhe & apollo

Adel Adili is an Iranian artist who was one of the winners of the Master & Servant Challenge at cgTalk, held earlier this year - this leading CGI forum hosts a now annual heavily sponsored contest based on a phrase and people create imagery using 2D and 3D software - it's essentially a contest for the emerging and the relatively well established artists to showcase their work to the world



© adel adili

Click here to read and see how the image was created - if you have ever wondered how they create those beautiful masterpieces, this is it

Adel's entry was based on the mythological story of Apollo, the Greek god, chasing Daphne, a nymph, who prayed to be changed to a tree in order to save her modesty (! - sounds like an Eastern story :)

pumpkins in the field

Sam Javanrouh proves his pictures are the most beautiful in a photoblog on the entire 'net


© ddoi

See larger images here and here

(writing this again - blogger ate my entry text :(

drag the div

ever wondered how you can drag and move the boxes in the personalized Ggl homepage?

Here is an excellent tutorial on how to do it... the Ggl page (and maps & gmail too) uses Ajax, a combination of different technologies and techniques to achieve this effect - the ability to drag and move the div elements takes place using javascript

see the previous post for more on ajax

ajax

Found this tutorial on Ajax through del.icio.us, the tagged bookmarks website

http://dhtmlnirvana.com/ajax/ajax_tutorial/#

(my del.icio.us page is here)

The tutorials starts from the basics and builds it up - have'nt gone through it completely but seems to be one of the best tutorials on the subject yet

Ajax is an acronym given to a collection of existing technologiesan which are intended to improved the user's web surfing experience by reducing the time taken between a click-button -> page submit -> page refresh with new data - Ajax reloads the data in a table or an image in a div etc. without an annoying page refresh

Ggl uses Ajax extensively including in maps, personalized home and gmail

Some other very good examples of Ajax usage are protoPage and start.com, supposedly the MSN portal for people with a normal aesthetic sense

get your war on

Get You War On is a comic strip highly critical of US foreign and domestic policy following the war in Afghanisation - think of it as Doonesbury meets South Park meets whitehouse.org - it's vitriolic, incisive and takes a jab at everything the Bush government and it's stoolies are supposed to believe in



© get your war on

It's highly readable from the start - but be warned, it's not for kids or the faint hearted - the humor may seem off to people who think Everybody Loves Raymond is cute and The Simpsons is too rude

quake stricken areas

On Saturday, Oct 8, 2005, Pakistan was struck by a major earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale

Google Earth now has imagery and other data available with respect to the quake stricken areas


© Google Earth - Margalla Towers, Sector F10, Islamabad

The kmz file for this imagery is located here

Here is the link for updated data availability on current events

Updates on the Google Earth maps database are available here

big brother

© peanuts.com

piri reis map

In 1929, a group of historians found an amazing map drawn on a gazelle skin.
Research showed that it was a genuine document drawn in 1513 by Piri Reis, a famous admiral of the Turkish fleet in the sixteenth century.


The Piri Reis map shows the western coast of Africa, the eastern coast of South America, and the northern coast of Antarctica. The northern coastline of Antarctica is perfectly detailed. The most puzzling however is not so much how Piri Reis managed to draw such an accurate map of the Antarctic region 300 years before it was discovered, but that the map shows the coastline under the ice. Geological evidence confirms that the latest date Queen Maud Land could have been charted in an ice-free state is 4000 BC.

link

notpr0n

Updated 11/01/05 - Sweet, this post is top of Ggl's search results for notPr0n passwords

It is what the name implies, not pr0n!!

This is a web based game similar to... i don't think it has a precedent

You need to go from one screen to the other by giving a username/password or changing the url or clicking in a "special way"... it's very difficult sometimes and the creator of the game could have designed a couple of levels in a better way, imho but it's very interesting and when you pass a level, it's very satisfying :)

It's easier if you have some basic knowledge about how url's work and how a web page looks like in the web page source...

Unlike puzzle based games like the Monkey Island series, I found it easier to do without anyone looking over my shoulder

[WARNING!! MAJOR SPOILERS FOLLOW - do not read below unless u r stuck on a level and pulling hairs from your head... there are not hints, just answers...]

below is a list of the username, passwords for all the level I have done.. I will keep updating as I go along (notpr0n keeps changing passwords frequently since they come up in forums etc so I cannot confirm if these still work)

(level - username/password - url)
1 - click door - http://www.deathball.net/notpron/levelone.htm
2 - change level2 to level3 or open door quickly - http://deathball.net/notpron/not/level2.htm
3 - change false to true in url - http://www.deathball.net/notpron/false/gototheothersite.htm
4 - voodoo/power - http://deathball.net/notpron/true/gototheothersite.htm
5 - simple/songs - http://deathball.net/notpron/google/shestheoneforme.htm
6 - kill/hour - http://deathball.net/notpron/nothing/hesgotitall.htm
7 - http://deathball.net/notpron/sdrawkcab/tieman.htm - rename to http://deathball.net/notpron/sdrawkcab/rediar.htm
8 - inverted/levelten - http://deathball.net/notpron/sdrawkcab/rediar.htm
9 - turnmeon/deadman - http://deathball.net/notpron/luv2music/paulisdead.htm
10 - grey/world - http://deathball.net/notpron/wrong/roawr.htm
11 - funcking/pans - http://deathball.net/notpron/reality/mystery.htm
12 - remote/control - http://deathball.net/notpron/blame/crossview.htm
13 - devil/hell - http://deathball.net/notpron/ps/afterdeath.htm
14 - déjà vu - http://deathball.net/notpron/neo/beenthere.htm
15 - random/shit - http://deathball.net/notpron/rusty/board.htm
16 - doom/murder - http://deathball.net/notpron/zoo/mznvh.htm
17 - change pron.htm to lamp.htm - http://deathball.net/notpron/finale/pron.htm
18 - change lamp to deaf - http://deathball.net/notpron/finale/lamp.htm
19 - weird/stuff - http://deathball.net/notpron/finale/deaf.htm
20 - really/unfair - http://deathball.net/notpron/windows/something.php

clouds over ottawa

© topleftpixel

This is Ottowa, seen from Sam Javanrouh's camera

definition of work

© c&h

"killer mountain" resue attempt

Tomaz Humar is one of Slovenia's best-known mountain climbers

Recently he attempted to climb the treacherous Nanga Parbat, located in Northern Pakistan. It is popularly referred to as the "killer mountain" since many mountaineers have died attempting to climb it.


© humar.com

He got stuck on the way there and was rescued in a daring attempt by the Pakistan Army pilots. Please note that flying in a chopper, in the thin air at 6000 meters, is a very difficult thing to do

Tomaz has posted pictures and videos of his resuce attempt. Do check it out, they are really amazing

linus rules!!

© comics.com

click photo if u cannot see all 4 cells

Daily Dose of Imagery is a photoblog by Sam Javanrouh, a Canada based Iranian. He takes a photo every day when walking or cycling to or from work. All his photos are truly fantastic and help to take off the burden on a working day.


"Old reflected on new" © Sam Javanrouh 2005

In my opinion, his is the best photoblog by far on the web... keep it up, Sam!

I really wanted to do this since I joined my present workplace...

There were interesting patterns in the seismic images taken of the earth's subsurface (to detect cavities, potentially for oil; very basic process in oil exploration)... and I wondered if a portrait could be made out of these seismic images... so here is my first attempt at making a seismic portrait of Jinnah, founder of Pakistan.


(688 X 1024) © sami jan

It was made using 17 tiles cut from a seismic image and fed to easyMosaic2005... the greyed areas were introduced by the software, they were necessary to bring out the features... maybe if someone spends more time on making better tiles for the seismic image, there will be no need for this greying

A print-out on A-4 sized paper looks pretty good