Choosing a new laptop is a daunting task indeed. Just go to any market and you will be amazed and dazed by the variety available. Of the many Dells, HPs, Sonys, Samsungs and Fujitsus, which one is for you? Leave this, google the words “buy laptop online” and you are sure to get 10 million plus results in under 0.18 seconds which will scare the daylights out of you. Feeling lost? Fret not, this little guide will guide you 
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My family was due to arrive from my in-laws after a two week long vacation about two years back and I wanted to surprise my kids with a gift. From the pet market I got a small cute teeny weeny duckling, for them. By the time I placed the little birdie in my car I had changed my mind. I went back and got a bald, ugly baby parrot which could not have been more than a week old. Little did I know this creature would become so attached to us and we to it. Frankly, I wasn’t even sure if it would survive. As all previous attempts at rearing one had gone in vain.
One of my friends father is a retired doctor. He lived for a good part of his life here in Pakistan. Later he worked for a couple of years in UAE. Now he has moved to Canada for good. The walking stick aided man and his wife come to Pakistan during winters and head back to their abode for summers when it is pleasant over there. They came to Pakistan about fifteen years back (after a hiatus of four years), I haven’t met them only once since then, somewhere in 2003. I distinctly remember meeting the old man in 1998. It was winters and we were having coffee. After some Gup Shup I asked the old man what he found different this time on his latest visit to his (once) native country. “Utter lawlessness”, he said, “Beta (son) utter lawlessness”. The answer shook me from inside out, because I think we had gotten used to this decaying system so much that wrong was no more wrong. And right was unheard of. Mind you I am talking of 15 years back! 1998!
Things have now reached a stage which cannot be described in words. In fact one can describe them in events like jumping the line, over speeding, not giving right of way, crossing the red light etc etc. I am pretty sure things have gone from bad to worse since then. And I am not sure if the worst is still to come. But I sometimes wonder what the old man would have to say if I ever met him now? Would it be “Gross Lawlessness”, or “Sheer lawlessness”, or “pure lawlessness”?
What does this picture tell you? Does it convey a contorted message? Is it a joke? A mockery of the non-existent respect for laws in our decrepit society? A bold show-off message to all, that I have been to the US? A message to the indifferent Police in our country? A blatant display of machismo? If at all to me this is reminiscent of a sick mind suffering in severity from inferiority complex.
I have been to a number of countries like Turkey, China, Saudia, UAE, UK and the US. In all these countries the US stands out, but for a number of reasons. Instead of writing a log paragraph I will number them down.
On a recent trip to Rawalpindi I went to Idris Book Bank to buy some school books for my daughter. The school books section is located on first floor. I proceeded there and asked the salesman for the required books. He handed me the books and off I went to the counter. The clerk handed me a receipt and told me to collect the books from main counter on ground floor (after making the payment there). I expected someone from the shop to escort me downstairs with a bag full of books to the payment counter. But, instead he placed the contents in a box and pressed a button. The box started its slow descent to the ground floor. It was in fact a small conveyer belt system which they have installed between the ground and first floor counters. I hurried to downstairs to find the books ready at the counter. Deftly, I made the payment and was handed over the books nicely packed. I was really impressed with their efficiency and service. This is the first time I have seen someone making use to technology to increase efficiency.
Tehzeeb (previously Rahat Bakers) in Rawalpindi has a reputation for selling the best ice cream in Rawalpindi/Islamabad. Besides this it also has an assortment of shakes on the menu. The best out of them is Cheeko shake. A glass of chilled Cheeko shake is as good as a meal. Whenever, I go to Pindi I make it a point to visit Tehzeeb Bakers for some ice cream and shake. Its always hard to decide what to order, the shake or the ice cream. A number of times I have ordered both. This time, I ordered a large scoop of Tutti Frutti ice cream for my wife and a Cheeko shake for myself. The agreement being that we would share. So after emptying my glass half I traded it with my wife for a half cup of ice cream! It was awesome, as always. 
Some of my friends may not agree with this but I have strong reasons to say this, one must carry a handgun with him/her, at least in Pakistan. The ever deteriorating law and order situation, the inability of the LEAs to control incidents from terrorism to bank robberies to muggings, and apathy of public and a general sense of lawlessness forces me to say this.
Photo Source: www.tribune.com.pk
The say a picture is worth a thousand words, here its worth a million. This happened on the 14th of August 2013, Independence Day of Pakistan. A huge crowd had gathered at the Quaid-e-Azam’s mausoleum as happens every year to pay their respects to the Father of the Nation. And then, one young man started climbing the huge structure un-aided. The entertainment starved crowd applauded and then others followed, there was jubilation for the young men were climbing The Quaid’s mausoleum unaided, which was a brave act, indeed.
I did a post on Habibi Restaurant sometime back, but that was about their outlet on University Road and its take home service. They do have a Habibi Village on Ring Road as well. I decided to try it out just yesterday as I heard from a cousin their Bar BQ fish is superb. And superb it was indeed. The outlet is located about 3 kms from the Hayatabad-Ring Road entrance. There is a separate hall for gents and families, but we preferred to sit in the family lawns as the weather was really good.
Continue reading Habibi Restaurant (Ring Road) – A fishy experience
My Random Ramblings 