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Sounds familiar fellow TIPians?

Quoting an article from DAWN BLOG

The love life of LUMS students

by Asif Akhtar

…The complainant starts by pointing at freshmen and ‘some seniors’ who have to ‘seek physical consolation from the members of opposite sex many times in a day’ on campus premises and in public sight. Then she proceeds – like one would in any good paper assignment – to back her claims with examples as evidence:

Quoting few instances: (Readers’ Discretion is advised)

1) Standing at the main entrance, a girl stands on tip of her toes and kisses a boy good bye.

2) Lying in the lawn in front of the library, a boy rolls over the girl….

READ MORE

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Remembering Eqbal Ahmed.

I am a fan of Eqbal Ahmed.

In times that we live in plagued by imperialism and intellectual terrorism of the dominant philosophies over more oriental ones; and being from a country that is probably the most infected with brutal fallout of American war in Afghanistan – I miss him more.

His was a sane voice, measured and dispassionately accurate about even the most volatile political situations he lived through. His commentaries right from the start on Algerian struggle against the French, on colonization of Middle East at a time when the entire world was going through the decolonization process, on Indochinese struggle against ‘draining the sea’ tactics of Pentagon and on the militant pseudo- Jihad as a ‘conglomerate’ rather than a spiritual struggle as it is commonly perceived to be, all speaks volumes of sharp analysis of political crises.

The genius of this kind is rare. The contrast is even starker at the backdrop of the nascent Pakistani media that talks relentlessly about terrorism, Jihad, America, Taliban and Pakistani government, and yet fail to raise a distinct and compelling voice of reason to national and international audience. Continue reading “Remembering Eqbal Ahmed.”

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Random

Textile and polymer materials share quite a few characteristics with biological skin. The fact that textiles may get absorbed in biological tissues is advantageous for us in many ways. But what if at some stage we discover a textile/polymer that in its process of assimilation with body tissues does not lose its characteristics? What if the implanted polymer and the skin ‘react’ to produce a new material? For instance, a cell’s atoms that can go on to ‘polymerize’ like a plastic producing an ever continuous chain similar to a streptococci until ‘termination’ occurs. Is living polymer a possibility?

I had a bad dream last night- I saw I was losing a tooth. Now, I know this since childhood that it means that I’ll be harmed in some way. My experience pushes me to believe in this absurdity religiously. But that’s funny, what does teeth falling out has to do with a mishap?? Who has set this symbolized standard? And if you are a Darwinist, even then isn’t it strangely interesting that our subconscious brain adopted a ‘falling tooth’ as a warning signal of a future that even our conscious brain isn’t aware of??

Can we ‘technically’ classify human hair as textile fiber? Continue reading “Random”

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King.

Hum a song with sounds of ma-pa-ba ; of h and j ; of a-e-i-o.
Focus on how a slight pressure of your tiny tongue muscle here or there, the indiscernible twitch of lips like this or that produce such a variety of phonemes.

Our subconscious intelligence meticulously manages these tiny details of our larynx and orals, and they do it all the time; their instances of errors abysmally low!

When I think about it – the degree of sophisticated design that comes into play even when I say the simple word ‘koe-a-ck’- it’s kingly.

.. I feel haughtily satisfied .

I
ana
ego..its all about me.

Oh dear inanimate world,
its all about me!

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On Adl and Zulm

Chomsky’s work “For reasons of State” is an excellent work for anyone interested in the subject of imperialism or Indochina recent political history. It exposes the mindset of power-intoxicated, organized ideologies who are bent upon imposing their thoughts and principles across the world, even if the east does not agree.

There are many terms in political science that define such a mindset of backroom boys- though to my mind there is nothing technical about intolerance and forceful and brute imposition of ideologies.

In simple and easy terms, its ‘zulm’ (the Arabic word, not the Urdu one) and nothing else. Democracy or free world maybe noble to the west, but if the east doesn’t agree, and “democratically” refers to Ho Chi Minh as “Uncle Ho”, no one has no right to insult their intellect or torture them to abandon red ideologies.

Chomsky quotes the horrifying mindset of a Vietnamese veteran : Continue reading “On Adl and Zulm”

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Designers and Metrosexuality

There is this general perception among people of our society and also throughout the globe that the male associated with textile or fashion designing careers tend to go femme in nature.

Is this true?

I know this fashion giant from Pakistan who conducts ‘No Reservation’ at Dawn, sometimes goes off the tangent in exhibiting certain collected hand gestures, and I cant help but associate him with Begum Nawazish.

But other than that I don’t think pink ties or pierced ears or long hair makes a guy look like a girl. In fact, I believe it’s a test of your masculinity. If you can still throw out a gent’s aura with all that fashion involved, there is absolutely no insecurity you should have with regards to you being a gentleman inside.

Back to the point, why do change in mannerisms happen? Men have been associated with aesthetics and designing clothes and interiors and even objects and cuisines for ages, but never before has this trend of feminism among males emerged as such a distinct characteristic.

Is that bad because guys are supposed to be tall, dark and handsome; and also crude, undisciplined and rowdy?

Or is it good because ‘neatness’ should apply to all irrespective of the genders. And well, what exactly is wrong with being a metrosexual?

Btw are there any metrosexuals at TIP?

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Ode

Ode to the rectangular-bricked curve
To the pond that’s niched in the wet-green lush
To second floor view of seven patterned plants
That umbrellas calmly in assorted parasols
Ode to the flow of varnished wood strip
Depressed midway in the interior of the walls

Ode to the sound of water gushing
From a kingly intrusion of a pathway fountain
And one at the centre with a women’s pride.
The alcove set apart for wild palette mix
Juxtaposed and contrasted with polished tiles
Softness with concrete; colors with white!