10 things I hate about 2011
1. The MATCH. Whether 2011 was going to be a year to remember or one that was to be abided only through the haze of pharmaceutical aids depended entirely on one cricket match. Thanks a lot for that Misbah.
2. My speed course in fashion. Being a journalist means I have to be adept at a lot of things: speedily writing down what people more powerful than me say, resourcefully doing Google searches to cover for my ignorance. I didn’t realise it would also mean having to recognise the price and provenance of hand bags dangling from our foreign minister’s arm.
3. The lack of an international villain. On May 2, the US not only eliminated our sovereignty, they also took out the one consensus candidate we had for a James Bond-style bogeyman. Sure, Qaddafi and Kim Jong II could have fit the bill but they were too eccentric and, more importantly, dead for that.
4. Loadshedding. Yes, this could be a perennial complaint but, for me, this year was the worst. I endured sleepless sweaty nights during the Karachi summer then went right around and spent the winter in Islamabad where gas loadshedding made a hot shower in the morning a purely theoretical ideal
5. The year was such a tease. No one really wants a military coup but they sure are fun to live through. Remember seeing that awesome shot of Musharraf firing a gun, which appeared to be the only footage of the general news channels had on October 8? This year we were regularly told the army was about to take over. (Un)fortunately, it never happened.
6. The rise of the PTI. Settle down, PTI trolls! I say this out of boredom not hatred. There are few duller things in the world than the low-cal speeches given by politicians at rallies. By becoming newsworthy, the PTI forced us to sit through hours of rally coverage. For that they should never be forgiven.
7. Veena Malik’s hands. Because they covered what every man wanted to see.
8. The ubiquity of the “Spring” suffix. We don’t have a spring in Pakistan, whether referred to seasonally or governmentally. And we don’t need one. We got rid of our dictator long before the Arabs so please spare me the rant on the need for a revolution in Pakistan.
9. The Oscars. They’re so predictable that by now it should stop making me this angry. But the fact that Oscar voters are so dense as to choose a Best Movie that has been engineered to fit every Oscar criteria is maddening. The King’s Speech had it all: a period setting and a dude with a disability.
10. Glee. A once fun TV show which decided this year it didn’t want to have storylines. Nor did it want songs that anyone would actually want to hear.
Published in The Express Tribune, Sunday Magazine, January 1st, 2012.
[/COLOR]---------- Post added at 06:22 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:20 PM ----------
A round-up of a few of the top polls run on The Express Tribune website in 2011.
Poll results reflect the views of a sample of visitors to the Tribune site and Facebook page.[/COLOR]
CLEAR CUT (over 75% consensus)
In your opinion, should dual nationality holders be allowed to contest elections in Pakistan?
No (78%, 879 Votes)
Yes (22%, 247 Votes)
Total Voters: 1126
Do you find the use of SMS marketing by brands to be useful or an annoyance?
Annoyance (86%, 842 Votes)
Useful (14%, 133 Votes)
Total Voters: 975
Do you believe the state can be entrusted to collect zakat?
No (87%, 642 Votes)
Yes (13%, 94 Votes)
Total Voters: 736
Are you for or against the death penalty?
For (76%, 631 Votes)
Against (24%, 199 Votes)
Total Voters: 830
Do you think eating in public should be a criminal offence during Ramazan?
No (79%, 2379 Votes)
Yes (21%, 631 Votes)
Do you think the parliament has lost its worth?
Yes: 84% (414 votes)
No: 16% (80 votes)
Total votes: 494
Do you feel Facebook and Twitter can impact mainstream politics?
Yes (78%, 717 Votes)
No (22%, 204 Votes)
Total Voters: 921
Prime Minister Gilani said Pakistan has made progress despite the odds. Do you agree?
Disagree (92%, 975 Votes)
Agree (8%, 82 Votes)
Total Voters: 1057
Do you believe overseas Pakistanis and people with dual nationalities should be allowed to vote in Pakistan’s elections?
Yes (78%, 1130 Votes)
No (22%, 310 Votes)
Total Voters: 1440
Do you believe the Tehreek-e-Taliban could ever be sincere in talks with Pakistan?
No (76%, 733 Votes)
Yes (24%, 236 Votes)
Total Voters: 969
Do you believe the PPP has a chance of winning the next general elections?
No (81%, 1419 Votes)
Yes (19%, 323 Votes)
Total Voters: 1742
Have current Pak-US tensions fuelled anti-Americanism within your social circle?
Yes (83%, 940 Votes)
No (17%, 199 Votes)
Total Voters: 1139
Do you believe the media in Pakistan is working in an ethical and professional manner?
No (91%, 499 Votes)
Yes (9%, 47 Votes)
Total Voters: 546
Do you believe there is a foreign conspiracy to disintegrate Pakistan?
Yes (76%, 628 Votes)
No (24%, 200 Votes)
Total Voters: 828
GENERAL AGREEMENT (60-75% consensus)
Do you believe Pakistan shares equal blame with the US for the NATO airstrike?
No (68%, 492 Votes)
Yes (32%, 227 Votes)
Total Voters: 719
In your opinion, should Pervez Musharraf return to Pakistan in January 2012?
Yes (68%, 740 Votes)
No (32%, 350 Votes)
Total Voters: 1090
Have you ever felt uncomfortable because of what you wear?
No (61%, 441 Votes)
Yes (39%, 277 Votes)
Total Voters: 718
Will Pakistan benefit from increased trade with India?
Yes (64%, 276 Votes)
No (36%, 153 Votes)
Total Voters: 429
Do you approve or disapprove of Sherry Rehman’s appointment as Ambassador to the US?
Approve: 67% (892 votes)
Disapprove: 33% (434 votes)
Total votes: 1,326
Do you believe granting the Most Favoured Nation status to India is in Pakistan’s interest?
Yes (61%, 343 Votes)
No (39%, 215 Votes)
Total Voters: 558
Do you agree or disagree with the idea of global nuclear disarmament?
Agree (72%, 493 Votes)
Disagree (28%, 195 Votes)
Total Voters: 688
Given the current power crisis, are two weekly holidays for offices a good idea?
No (64%, 671 Votes)
Yes (36%, 370 Votes)
Total Voters: 1041
Do you approve or disapprove of cousin marriages?
Disapprove (70%, 767 Votes)
Approve (30%, 335 Votes)
Total Voters: 1,102
DEBATABLE (roughly divided consensus)
Should the Pakistan Army launch an operation in North Waziristan?
Yes 302 (43%)
No 406 (57%)
Total Voters: 708
Should Saudi Arabia act as a peace broker between Pakistan and the Tehreek-e-Taliban?
No (51%, 393 Votes)
Yes (49%, 371 Votes)
Total Voters: 764
Do you feel there is religious freedom in Pakistan?
Yes (55%, 971 Votes)
No (45%, 786 Votes)
Total Voters: 1757
In your opinion, should Shahid Afridi be made captain of the Pakistan cricket team?
No (50%, 315 Votes)
Yes (50%, 311 Votes)
Total Voters: 626
Source: Clubbed
Do you believe Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan is supported by the establishment?
No (48%, 698 Votes)
Yes (52%, 755 Votes)
Total Voters: 1453
---------------------
Certainly, this year 2012 will be worst year for Pakistan than 2011. In order to avoid this headaches, I will probably retired from posting.
1. The MATCH. Whether 2011 was going to be a year to remember or one that was to be abided only through the haze of pharmaceutical aids depended entirely on one cricket match. Thanks a lot for that Misbah.
2. My speed course in fashion. Being a journalist means I have to be adept at a lot of things: speedily writing down what people more powerful than me say, resourcefully doing Google searches to cover for my ignorance. I didn’t realise it would also mean having to recognise the price and provenance of hand bags dangling from our foreign minister’s arm.
3. The lack of an international villain. On May 2, the US not only eliminated our sovereignty, they also took out the one consensus candidate we had for a James Bond-style bogeyman. Sure, Qaddafi and Kim Jong II could have fit the bill but they were too eccentric and, more importantly, dead for that.
4. Loadshedding. Yes, this could be a perennial complaint but, for me, this year was the worst. I endured sleepless sweaty nights during the Karachi summer then went right around and spent the winter in Islamabad where gas loadshedding made a hot shower in the morning a purely theoretical ideal
5. The year was such a tease. No one really wants a military coup but they sure are fun to live through. Remember seeing that awesome shot of Musharraf firing a gun, which appeared to be the only footage of the general news channels had on October 8? This year we were regularly told the army was about to take over. (Un)fortunately, it never happened.
6. The rise of the PTI. Settle down, PTI trolls! I say this out of boredom not hatred. There are few duller things in the world than the low-cal speeches given by politicians at rallies. By becoming newsworthy, the PTI forced us to sit through hours of rally coverage. For that they should never be forgiven.
7. Veena Malik’s hands. Because they covered what every man wanted to see.
8. The ubiquity of the “Spring” suffix. We don’t have a spring in Pakistan, whether referred to seasonally or governmentally. And we don’t need one. We got rid of our dictator long before the Arabs so please spare me the rant on the need for a revolution in Pakistan.
9. The Oscars. They’re so predictable that by now it should stop making me this angry. But the fact that Oscar voters are so dense as to choose a Best Movie that has been engineered to fit every Oscar criteria is maddening. The King’s Speech had it all: a period setting and a dude with a disability.
10. Glee. A once fun TV show which decided this year it didn’t want to have storylines. Nor did it want songs that anyone would actually want to hear.
Published in The Express Tribune, Sunday Magazine, January 1st, 2012.
[/COLOR]---------- Post added at 06:22 PM ---------- Previous post was at 06:20 PM ----------
A round-up of a few of the top polls run on The Express Tribune website in 2011.
Poll results reflect the views of a sample of visitors to the Tribune site and Facebook page.[/COLOR]
CLEAR CUT (over 75% consensus)
In your opinion, should dual nationality holders be allowed to contest elections in Pakistan?
No (78%, 879 Votes)
Yes (22%, 247 Votes)
Total Voters: 1126
Do you find the use of SMS marketing by brands to be useful or an annoyance?
Annoyance (86%, 842 Votes)
Useful (14%, 133 Votes)
Total Voters: 975
Do you believe the state can be entrusted to collect zakat?
No (87%, 642 Votes)
Yes (13%, 94 Votes)
Total Voters: 736
Are you for or against the death penalty?
For (76%, 631 Votes)
Against (24%, 199 Votes)
Total Voters: 830
Do you think eating in public should be a criminal offence during Ramazan?
No (79%, 2379 Votes)
Yes (21%, 631 Votes)
Do you think the parliament has lost its worth?
Yes: 84% (414 votes)
No: 16% (80 votes)
Total votes: 494
Do you feel Facebook and Twitter can impact mainstream politics?
Yes (78%, 717 Votes)
No (22%, 204 Votes)
Total Voters: 921
Prime Minister Gilani said Pakistan has made progress despite the odds. Do you agree?
Disagree (92%, 975 Votes)
Agree (8%, 82 Votes)
Total Voters: 1057
Do you believe overseas Pakistanis and people with dual nationalities should be allowed to vote in Pakistan’s elections?
Yes (78%, 1130 Votes)
No (22%, 310 Votes)
Total Voters: 1440
Do you believe the Tehreek-e-Taliban could ever be sincere in talks with Pakistan?
No (76%, 733 Votes)
Yes (24%, 236 Votes)
Total Voters: 969
Do you believe the PPP has a chance of winning the next general elections?
No (81%, 1419 Votes)
Yes (19%, 323 Votes)
Total Voters: 1742
Have current Pak-US tensions fuelled anti-Americanism within your social circle?
Yes (83%, 940 Votes)
No (17%, 199 Votes)
Total Voters: 1139
Do you believe the media in Pakistan is working in an ethical and professional manner?
No (91%, 499 Votes)
Yes (9%, 47 Votes)
Total Voters: 546
Do you believe there is a foreign conspiracy to disintegrate Pakistan?
Yes (76%, 628 Votes)
No (24%, 200 Votes)
Total Voters: 828
GENERAL AGREEMENT (60-75% consensus)
Do you believe Pakistan shares equal blame with the US for the NATO airstrike?
No (68%, 492 Votes)
Yes (32%, 227 Votes)
Total Voters: 719
In your opinion, should Pervez Musharraf return to Pakistan in January 2012?
Yes (68%, 740 Votes)
No (32%, 350 Votes)
Total Voters: 1090
Have you ever felt uncomfortable because of what you wear?
No (61%, 441 Votes)
Yes (39%, 277 Votes)
Total Voters: 718
Will Pakistan benefit from increased trade with India?
Yes (64%, 276 Votes)
No (36%, 153 Votes)
Total Voters: 429
Do you approve or disapprove of Sherry Rehman’s appointment as Ambassador to the US?
Approve: 67% (892 votes)
Disapprove: 33% (434 votes)
Total votes: 1,326
Do you believe granting the Most Favoured Nation status to India is in Pakistan’s interest?
Yes (61%, 343 Votes)
No (39%, 215 Votes)
Total Voters: 558
Do you agree or disagree with the idea of global nuclear disarmament?
Agree (72%, 493 Votes)
Disagree (28%, 195 Votes)
Total Voters: 688
Given the current power crisis, are two weekly holidays for offices a good idea?
No (64%, 671 Votes)
Yes (36%, 370 Votes)
Total Voters: 1041
Do you approve or disapprove of cousin marriages?
Disapprove (70%, 767 Votes)
Approve (30%, 335 Votes)
Total Voters: 1,102
DEBATABLE (roughly divided consensus)
Should the Pakistan Army launch an operation in North Waziristan?
Yes 302 (43%)
No 406 (57%)
Total Voters: 708
Should Saudi Arabia act as a peace broker between Pakistan and the Tehreek-e-Taliban?
No (51%, 393 Votes)
Yes (49%, 371 Votes)
Total Voters: 764
Do you feel there is religious freedom in Pakistan?
Yes (55%, 971 Votes)
No (45%, 786 Votes)
Total Voters: 1757
In your opinion, should Shahid Afridi be made captain of the Pakistan cricket team?
No (50%, 315 Votes)
Yes (50%, 311 Votes)
Total Voters: 626
Source: Clubbed
Do you believe Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan is supported by the establishment?
No (48%, 698 Votes)
Yes (52%, 755 Votes)
Total Voters: 1453
---------------------
Certainly, this year 2012 will be worst year for Pakistan than 2011. In order to avoid this headaches, I will probably retired from posting.
