Combatting the silent killer

pinktober 

Instep speaks to Dr. Amina Khan about breast cancer and how early detection can save lives

“1 in 8 women get breast cancer. Today I’m the one,” actress Julia Louis-Dreyfus wrote in a social media post in September 2017. Her disease was diagnosed at Stage II; that is, the cancer was confined to the breast area. In the subsequent months, she underwent six rounds of chemotherapy and a double mastectomy. A year later, she revealed she was in remission.

Singer Sarah Harding wasn’t as lucky. After putting off a doctor’s visit at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic when she first noticed symptoms, the Girls Aloud star eventually ended up battling Stage IV breast cancer – advanced disease that had spread to other parts of the body and was effectively terminal. She succumbed to the ailment in September this year.

Around the globe, breast cancer is busy casting a shadow on the lives of numerous women (and even some men). According to the World Health Organization, 2.3 million women were diagnosed with breast cancer last year and the disease was responsible for 685,000 deaths worldwide. But as daunting as these numbers may seem, the situation is not hopeless; far from it. Thanks to advances in medical science, women now have more treatment options than ever before. And therapy can be highly effective, given just one caveat: the disease is identified early.

“We lose very few patients in early stage breast cancer because we have really good treatment,” a scrubs-clad Dr. Amina Khan tells me on a busy Friday morning. She is a consultant surgical oncologist at Shaukat Khanum Memorial Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, where she has spent over 15 years helping save lives. “Breast cancer treatment in Stages I and II has a more than 94 percent success rate,” she continues. “Even Stage III now has a really good prognosis. Only Stage IV – that is, metastatic disease – is where we are not doing so well.”

In all its many forms, cancer – the result of a disturbance in our internal checks and balances due to which the body loses control of when to stop cell multiplication – ranks among the most prevalent diseases that plague our bodies. But we have come a long way in how we tackle this so-called emperor of all maladies. Surgery excises the malignant tumour; chemotherapy drugs kill the excess mass as well as the cells generating this new growth; radiation therapy zaps the mother cells that are producing the growth; and targeted treatment counters specific proteins on the cancer, destroying the abnormal cells without harming the normal ones and thereby reducing side effects. 

Of the over 100 types of cancers that affect humans, breast cancer is the most frequently occurring. And Dr. Amina opines that this is actually a good thing. “Some cancer had to have the highest incidence. Fortunately it’s breast cancer. And I would say fortunately because it is one of the cancers that we know how to treat.” There are cancers – like pancreatic and lung – where the prognosis is dismal. But with breast cancer, the situation is far more optimistic. “We have made such tremendous progress in treatment that now for early stage disease, we are almost talking about a cure for breast cancer.”

That is precisely why it is important to catch the disease as early as possible. Awareness of the symptoms certainly helps. The most common sign, of course, is a lump. “A lump is an abnormal thickening or an area which is harder or more firm than the rest of the breast,” Dr. Amina explains. “Breast cancer lumps,” she elaborates, “are generally painless. That’s why breast cancer is called the silent killer. Breast cancer grows silently; it [usually] does not cause any pain. It’s just completely [mute] till it becomes a really aggressive tumour.” Also worth noting, she points out, is that despite a very common misconception, such lumps and bumps are not normal during pregnancy and breastfeeding and they need to be monitored. Basically every lump that a woman feels in the breast needs to be biopsied, she opines.

“Other signs,” she continues, “can be skin changes, a rash that doesn’t go away, a nipple that becomes excoriated, ulcerated, or starts bleeding, and lumps in the armpit area.”

To notice these changes, women need to be more aware of their bodies, which is only possible if we check ourselves regularly. Self-examination is recommended for women in their 20s and 30s, a baseline mammogram is advised between the ages of 35 and 40, while yearly (or every other year if there are financial constraints) mammograms are suggested for ladies aged 40 onwards. “In Stages I and II, the lumps are so small that you can hardly feel them. The hand of the patient or doctor is not sensitive enough to pick these little tiny cancers which we want to find. The only way to find them is imaging through mammograms and ultrasounds.”

More meticulous surveillance is advised for individuals with a higher risk of developing breast cancer. “There are unmodifiable risk factors – ones that we can’t change but we really need to know about so that we can be cognisant that our risk is high or low – and modifiable risk factors – factors that we have a control over and can change.”

Unmodifiable factors, Dr. Amina details, include the female gender (99% of breast cancer will happen to women; only 1% in men), increasing age (there is low incidence in the 20s and 30s; the risk starts escalating in 40s and 50s, and becomes really high in 60s), having a family history of breast cancer (especially first degree relatives with breast cancer or other cancers; BRCA mutation testing is advised in such cases), mutation in certain genes, and our hormonal milieu (higher risk for girls who develop early and reach menarche at a young age, women who reach menopause at a late stage, women who don’t have children or have their first child very late and perform less breast feeding).

Modifiable factors, on the other hand include everything that goes with a healthy lifestyle: “lots of sleep, healthy diet, regular exercise, maintaining your weight within the average BMI range, no alcohol, no smoking, no sedentary lifestyle.”

“In Stage 0, the cancer is handled with surgery and radiation, and hormone therapy if it is hormone receptor positive, but there is no chemotherapy, so that is huge. Similarly for early Stage I, there is no chemo. In late Stage I and Stages II, III, and IV, chemo comes in as well as all the toxicity [and side effects] that come with it. And when the tumour burden is higher and there is more cancer to fight, it can spread to other parts of the body. You’re trying to kill it in multiple spots, and then it becomes difficult to handle,” she reiterates.

So ladies – and also gents – be vigilant. And encourage your loved ones to do the same. We may not have conquered this nefarious disease altogether just yet, but we can still defeat it. And ultimately it’s early detection that can make a world of difference.

- Sameen Amer

Instep, The News on Sunday - 31st October, 2021 *

“Early detection leads to longer survival rates and reduced mortality and morbidity.” – Dr. Ayesha Isani Majeed

pinktober

To help women with breast cancer screening, the Federal Breast Cancer Screening Centre offers free screening facilities all year round

When you speak to Professor Ayesha Isani Majeed, you can immediately tell just how passionate she is about her work. She is the head of radiology and the head of the Federal Breast Cancer Screening Centre at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences in Islamabad, where she has been working towards providing women with free screening facilities. And you can tell just how important her work is when you see what a big difference screening can make.

“Early detection leads to longer survival rates and reduced mortality and morbidity,” she tells Instep. The survival rates for Stage I and II breast cancer, according to the statistics she has shared, are above 98 percent and 95 percent respectively. But the numbers fall as the stages advance. Stage III has a survival rate of 60 to 70 percent, while Stage IV sadly sees a further decline to below 50 percent. “[Unfortunately,] in our country, women usually come with stage III and stage IV cancer. Screening can help us detect the cancer at Stage I and Stage II [which vastly improves the prognosis].”

Women are encouraged to monitor their breasts by performing self-examinations and also getting clinical examinations wherein trained health professionals – like nurses, lady health workers, general practitioners, and specialists – physically check the breast for lumps and changes. 

Breast screening tests are also highly recommended. Below the age of 40, ultrasounds are advised, while women over 40 are suggested to get mammography. “Recently with younger women getting breast cancer, the American College of Radiology has advocated that mammography can be started at 35 for those who are at high risk and have family history,” Dr. Ayesha informs.

To help women with this testing, the Federal Breast Cancer Screening Centre offers free screening facilities all year round, six days a week, and the centre hopes to continue its work while raising awareness regarding the importance of screening for early detection.

“Pakistan has a higher rate of breast cancer than any other Asian country,” Dr. Ayesha says. “One in every 9 women suffers from breast cancer. According to the Global Cancer Observatory, 34,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer [in Pakistan every year], a number that will double in 2040 to 64,000. The establishment of a ‘one stop breast clinic’ is the answer to the cultural, financial, mental, and physical needs of the women of Pakistan, so that triple assessment can be performed by a surgeon, radiologist, and pathologist under one roof in a single visit. We aim to make the Federal Breast Cancer Screening Centre a role model for other such similar centres in different districts of Pakistan so that this lethal disease is eradicated at the grassroots level.” We hope, for all our sakes, that they manage to achieve just that.

- Sameen Amer

Instep, The News on Sunday - 31st October, 2021 *

Pet smart

vet wise

Animal lovers can sometimes stumble across a problem regarding their furry, feathered, or scaled friends that they can’t figure out the solution to. So we have asked veterinarian Dr. Faheem Ahmad to help our readers with their animal-related queries.

Taking care of stray cats

Question: The interview of vet Dr. Faheem was really good.  I have a few questions for him. First, I want to say that we don’t have good and reliable pet shops and vet clinics in Karachi, and that is why we have to go to ordinary vet clinics for medicines and vaccines when my cats get sick. My cats are strays. I picked them from the street when they were born. Their mother disappeared after some time. They are playful. They are around 6 months old.
Here are my queries:
1. How do I find out if my cat is sick? What symptoms should I look out for? Sometimes I don’t understand.
2. My friends say that the person who keeps pets should also get some medical treatment to protect themselves from germs. What sort of treatment is that? Can you briefly talk about it and who to talk to about it – the vet or a general doctor?
3. Is it safe to keep stray cats? What should I keep in mind while cleaning them? They jump a lot when you throw water on them so I soak a piece of towel in Dettol water and wipe their body. I know it is not enough.
4. What sort of food should I feed my cats? I give them milk, chicken liver, chicken meat, and also chichare. I have seen cat food in the supermarket but I have no idea what to buy.
Thank you so much. I look forward to seeing the answers to my questions. – Farah Sikandar, Karachi

Answer: Thanks for your compliments regarding my interview. Here are the answers to your questions:
1. Signs of illness: It’s very simple. Just look at the behaviour of the cat (if he’s dull or hyper), changes in the eyes (any discharge), dietary issues (he will stop eating if he’s ill), and also see the consistency of the faeces.
2. Precautions: Yes, you have to be careful, especially when the animal is suffering from any disease. In normal condition, some owners – not all – may suffer from allergy due to the cat’s fur; for that, you have to regularly brush the cats. Moreover, to avoid any serious infection from cats, vaccinate your cat from a reputed vet who will issue a proper vaccination card.
3. Cleaning: If the cat does not like bathing, then there is no need to bathe the cat regularly. Only bathe when it is required. Otherwise you can clean the cat with a wet towel. Don’t use Dettol. You can get some proper medicated shampoo from any reputed shop.
4. Diet: There are some pet food brands which are good, like Purina, NutraGold, Whiskas, Reflex, Acticlog – these are good from my practical experience. Otherwise you can give the cat chicken meat, preferably not raw. Don’t give liver [in a large quantity] to cats, as this is poisonous for cats.

Trying to pick a reliable vet

Question: The Vet to the Rescue cover story was very interesting. The veterinarian suggested that people should trust their vet, but there are so many instances of vets mistreating and mishandling animals, even losing animals in their care and seeming unconcerned about the death of animals they were treating, that it becomes hard to trust the life of an animal we love into the care of a relative stranger. How can I tell if the vet I am taking my pet to is reliable? Are there any qualities or qualifications that I should look for or ask them about? How, basically, do I find out which vet to trust (from the very few choices I have)? – Anon.

Answer: Frankly speaking, dealing with a pet is not an easy job. It is actually very difficult, as the animals don’t exactly tell you the problem. It is all about experience, knowledge, and Allah ki shifa. So for me, all the vets who are continually practicing are good. Moreover, most of the doctors have displayed their degrees online and at their clinic; you can always check their qualification before letting them treat your pet.

Helping a cat suffering from dietary issues

Question: I have read your article Vet to the Rescue and I really liked it. Actually, I also own a cat and for the past few months, my 1-year-old cat has been throwing up a few times a week, sometimes a few times a day. My vet has tested her blood, and changed her to a low residue food diet, but nothing seems to help. My cat has also chewed all the fur off her right shoulder blade. What should I do? Should I change vets and get a second opinion? We got another cat in December and had a baby in April. She acts fine otherwise. Please help! – Mamoona Khalid

Answer: The first thing is whether the cat is dewormed or not. If not, you should get her dewormed. Secondly, I would suggest that you change your cat’s diet to a reputable brand. Switch to a reputable diet, feeding her the exact quantity mentioned on the pack, and divide it into small portions given over the course of the day. You can apply an Elizabethan collar to stop her from eating fur, as fur can also be the main reason for an upset stomach. As far as changing the vet goes, you can, of course, get a second opinion.

Thanks to our readers who wrote in with their animal-related queries, and good luck taking care of your animal friends! For any further questions regarding animal care or the veterinary field, feel free to drop Us a line at sameenamer [at] hotmail [dot] com.

*****

Food you should not feed animals

Pet owners might be tempted to share a few bites of their meals with their animal companions, but that isn’t always a good idea. Similarly, leaving your snacks or medicine unattended could give your pet the chance to ingest something unsuitable for animals, which could have dire consequences for your pet. There are several food items and substances that may be safe for humans but could have adverse – even lethal – effects on animals.

Here are some such food items that you should not feed your cats and dogs:

• Alcohol
• Chocolate
• Coffee
• Caffeine
• Citrus
• Coconut
• Garlic
• Grapes
• Nuts
• Onion
• Salty snacks

- S.A.

Us Magazine, The News - 1st December, 2017 *

Vet to the rescue

cover story: interview

Any animal lover will readily tell you that having an animal friend in your life can be very rewarding. But just like us, our little companions too can suffer from the occasional malady. It’s a good thing then that veterinary doctors are on hand to provide both preventive and curative treatment to our furry, feathered, and scaled buddies.

Dr. Faheem Ahmad is one such vet, dedicated to helping the animals – both pets and strays – that are brought to his clinic. In a conversation with Us, the veterinary surgeon tells us about the experience of both studying and working in his field of expertise …

Us: Please tell Us a bit about yourself.
Dr. Faheem Ahmad: I’m a veterinary surgeon. I’m the eldest child in the family – I have two younger siblings, a brother and a sister. I recently got married, so now I feel I have more liabilities, fulfilling not just the responsibilities of a son and brother but a husband too. I completed my D.V.M. (Doctor of Veterinary Medicine) degree in 2015 from University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (UVAS) Lahore and recently completed my postgraduate (M.Phil.) degree in veterinary surgery from the same university. Professionally I am running my father’s private clinic, Saleem Veterinary Clinic and Pet Shop, in Lahore.

Us: What prompted you to become a veterinarian?
Dr. Faheem: Since I opened my eyes, I was involved with animals as my father is a vet. Growing up, I became more interested in them. My father used to take me along with him when he used to go for visits, and gradually I started indulging in his clinical activities. I simply loved watching him and sometime even assisted him in handling the animals. I was very intrigued. It was then that I decided I would become a veterinary surgeon and Alhamdulillah (by the grace of God) I am one now.

Us: How has your experience of studying at the University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences Lahore been? And how do you feel about the standard of veterinary schools in Pakistan as compared to their international counterparts?
Dr. Faheem: It was a different type of experience, as university is a unique part of life where one has to prepare oneself to get into a practical field. I learnt a lot at university; I was one of the most active students and was the university proctor (representative) throughout my university life. I was a member and held key posts in different student veterinary clubs. Under the banner of those societies, I organized many free deworming, vaccination, and medical treatment camps at different villages, especially before Bakra Eid festivals. I also managed to take part as a veterinary officer in a carpet vaccination program organized by the Livestock Department. We went to flood affected areas of Pakistan to provide free veterinary services. So it was a very active, practical experience.
University provided me with a platform to sharpen my skills. UVAS is always thriving hard to get advanced equipment and impart the latest knowledge so that we can easily compete with the world.

Us: What are some of the salient features of the veterinary science curriculum?
Dr. Faheem: It is a very diverse field. From learning the basic anatomy of large and small domestic animals to getting familiarized with the physiology, understanding the basic pathological pathways, genetics, bioinformatics, drugs and clinical medicine, along with surgery. It also involves the knowledge of animal products, like milk, meat, wool, etcetera.

Us: Can you please tell Us about your work experience so far?
Dr. Faheem: I did internships at Lahore Zoo, Bahawalpur Zoo, and with Houbara Foundation Pakistan. I was also nominated for training by International Fund for Houbara to U.A.E. for the duration of 45 days. I received training at Falcon Hospital Abu Dhabi, Al Ain Zoo, and National Avian Research Centre, Sweihan, U.A.E. I just returned from China after attending a training program on traditional Chinese veterinary medicine and acupuncture techniques in animals. Adding to that, I have also attended many other international and national trainings and workshops. I am also serving as a consultant at an equine farm. I have not given up on voluntary work, most importantly stray animals on the streets. I provide free check-ups for the stray injured animals at the clinic. I ran a pilot project of shelter for small, stray animals with the collaboration of USAID back in 2013. Currently I am working on a proposal for the welfare of stray animals.

Us: How is the experience of working as a veterinarian in Pakistan? Have you felt a significant difference between working in Pakistan and abroad?
Dr. Faheem: It’s very challenging to work here, as for most owners their pets are not their priority. There is bare concept of regular health check-up and no proper vaccination or proper care is given to pets. So far, I have experienced that the majority of people bring their pets to the clinic in very poor condition after trying home remedies which makes it very difficult for us to treat them. In my opinion, this lack of attention to pets is due to the care free attitude of most of the owners who complain of their busy schedules, although getting an appointment from a vet is easier and the cost that is incurred is a lot cheaper than in the west.  

Us: You have treated many different animals so far. Which animal is the easiest to deal with? And which is the most challenging?
Dr. Faheem: In my opinion, no animal is difficult to treat if it is being regularly checked up and brought to the clinic for early diagnosis. On the other hand, every animal becomes challenging when brought at a critical stage specially when the initial stages were ignored or the animal wasn’t given proper care.

Us: You must come across animals that you can’t save. How do you cope with that?
Dr. Faheem: I believe every patient brought to my clinic, or those I treat elsewhere, is my responsibility. Being a surgeon and physician, I always try my best to save their life. Despite the fact that God is in charge of both life and death and one can only try, let me tell you honestly, seeing them go away or putting them down when there is no solution has never been easy for me. 

Us: Along with the animals, you also have to deal with their owners. Is there anything you wish pet owners would do differently?
Dr. Faheem: Yes indeed! I have many times faced great problems as we don't only have to treat the animals but also deal with the owners. We should only keep a pet if we can take care of it like our own children. There are many owners who keep a pet just to boast about – it’s more of a status symbol. They don’t bother to take proper care, like general check-up, vaccination, grooming, etcetera and it is only when their pet is in critical condition that they feel the need of seeking medical help and rush to us, the vets. Secondly, they should trust their vet. Most importantly, animals are very sensitive to care and love in terms of not only getting proper healthy nutrition but also time and attention; otherwise animals go into stress.

Us: What advice do you have for animal lovers who can’t afford veterinary care?
Dr. Faheem: Call a veterinary clinic that provides free consultation for those who can't afford treatment, like our clinic – we give subsidized rates to people who can’t afford it. But do get them checked in time.

Us: Human medicines seem to generally be prescribed to animals in Pakistan. Why are veterinary medicines not (easily) available here? Is there anything that can be done about this issue?
Dr. Faheem: Yes, unfortunately we have no option other than prescribing human medicines due to the lack of proper finances and attention to veterinary pharmaceuticals as far as small animals are concerned. 

Us: You did internships at the Lahore and Bahawalpur Zoo. How was the experience? How do you feel about the state of zoos in Pakistan? And how do you feel about zoos in general?
Dr. Faheem: It has always been an amazing experience working in zoos. We have huge potential and it needs further assistance by government and non-government bodies.   

Us: You are passionate about helping stray animals. What can the rest of us do to help?
Dr. Faheem: The most important thing is, if you see an injured or sick animal, give them first aid only if you have the knowledge about it; otherwise bring it immediately to the nearest veterinary clinic for proper treatment.

Us: Do you have any advice for students who are considering adopting a career in veterinary medicine?
Dr. Faheem: It's simply the best and most satisfying career, especially seeing an animal recover. It is a vast and diverse field; after D.V.M., one can join several areas, like dairy, meat, poultry, wildlife, etcetera. If you have passion for animals and you know that you can handle it, then you should go for it. Good luck.

- Sameen Amer

Have any questions for Dr. Faheem about animal care or want to know more about the veterinary field? Then send Us your queries at sameenamer [at] hotmail [dot] com, and we’ll print his replies to your questions in an upcoming issue.

Us Magazine, The News - 13th October, 2017 *

Mastering the Art of Cooking

sam's kitchen

Not by Julia Child, clearly 

Disclaimer: The contents of this article are for entertainment purposes only. The author and magazine will not be responsible for the mess you make if you try any of these recipes, which, the writer assures you, are 100 percent inaccurate and result in the preparation of food that is completely inedible.

APPETIZERS 

* Puff pastry bites 

Ingredients:
•    1 cup flour
•    1 stick butter
•    Chopped mixed vegetables
•    1 egg
•    1 pack mozzarella cheese
•    Salt
•    Pepper

Method:
 -    Turn on the oven. Notice that it isn’t working. Call the repairman. Wait for repairman to show up and fix the oven. Pay the repairman.
-    Turn on the tap. See that the kitchen sink is blocked. Call the plumber. Wait for plumber to show up and fix the drain. Pay the plumber.
-    Decide you’re tired and need a break. Turn on the computer. Discover that the computer isn’t working. Call tech support. Yes, it is plugged in. Yes, you tried restarting it. Yes, this isn’t an ID-Ten-T error. Wait for technician to show up and fix the computer. Pay the technician.
-    Spend the next three hours looking for a website that says appetizers aren’t trendy anymore. Decide you love that website, and skip straight to the main course.

* Quick nibbles 

Ingredients:
•    1 pack biscuits
•    1 pack crisps
•    1 pack peanuts
•    1 pack avocado dip
•    Carrots

Method:
-    Go to the cupboard. Take out a packet of biscuits. Taste biscuit. Discover it’s stale. Throw out biscuits.
-    Go back to the cupboard. Take out a packet of crisps. Try one. Gag. Ask who the hell was stupid enough to buy the chilli and beetroot flavour. Throw out crisps.
-    Go to the drawer. Take out a packet of peanuts. Try one. Decide that they're too tasty to share and keep them for yourself.
-    Go to the fridge. Take out the avocado dip. Open lid. Gag from toxic fumes. Read label – NOT avocado dip; actually hummus ... mouldy hummus. Throw out dip.
-    Go back to the fridge. Take out the carrots. Decide that just because there’s no dip doesn't mean you can’t have dippers. Consider suggesting it’s an existential dip and all in the mind. Grin at smug, pretentious suggestion. Look at carrot. See that carrots aren't meant to be that floppy. Throw out carrots.
-    Remember reading on a website that appetizers aren’t trendy anymore. Recall that you loved that website, and skip straight to the main course. Eat another peanut.


MAIN COURSE

* Curry 

Ingredients:
•    1 cup lentils
•    1 medium onion chopped
•    1 sm … ah, screw it!

Method:
 -    Go to your nearest dhaba and just buy a plate of daal. Where’s the sense in spending your time and energy cooking something that is readily available? Be smarter than that!

* Meat pie 

Ingredients:
•    3.14159 kg boneless meat
•    3.14159 cups flour
•    3.14159 sticks of butter
•    3.14159 eggs
•    3.14159 teaspoon spices
•    3.14159 teaspoon salt
•    3.14159 teaspoon pepper

Method:
 -    Take some veal. Stare at the veal. Think about where it came from. Realize this was once a baby cow. You can’t possibly eat a baby cow. Why did you even buy this in the first place? Put away the veal.
-    Take some beef. Stare at the beef. Could this have been the baby cow’s mom? Or dad, you don’t know the gender. You can’t eat someone’s mom or dad. Put away the beef.
-    Take some mutton. Stare at the mutton. Realize this was once a beautiful sheep or goat. Feel sad. Put away the mutton.
-    Take some chicken meat. Stare at the chicken meat. Think of how cute chickens are. Put away the chicken meat.
-    Feed the meats to the cat.
-    Become a vegetarian.

* Stir fried vegetables 

Ingredients:
•    Vegetables
•    Seasoning

Method:
 -    Oh come on! The dish is called “stir fried vegetables”. You take vegetables and stir fry them. You need a recipe for that? Seriously?!


SIDES 

* Boiled rice

Ingredients: 
•    1 cup rice
•    1 cup water

Method:
-    Go to the kitchen.
-    Put some rice in a pan along with an equal amount of water.
-    Place the pan on the stove and turn the heat to medium.
-    Go back to your room and start doing something else.
-    When the smoke alarm goes off, you’ll know that the rice is done.
-    Just take the unburnt rice from the top and serve.

* Salad 

Ingredients:
•    Lettuce
•    Tomato
•    Feta cheese
•    Capsicum
•    Cucumber
•    Avocado

Method:
-    Chop the cheese into small pieces. Eat a few pieces of the cheese to get a good sense of its flavour.
-    Now cut some cucumber. Try mixing it with some of the cheese you just chopped and see how you like the combination.
-    Cut the tomatoes and capsicum. Add these to the remaining cheese, and see how your pallet feels about it.
-    Cut the avocado. Eat.
-    Finish the remaining cucumber.
-    By now you’ll only be left with the lettuce. Chop the lettuce, put in a bowl, and serve.


DESSERTS

* Cake

Ingredients:
•    3 eggs
•    ½ cup sugar
•    1 cup self-rising flour
•    1 stick butter

Method:
-    Gather all your family members in the kitchen.
-    Find a nice, comfortable chair to sit on. Sit down. Make yourself comfortable.
-    Ask your mom to whip together the eggs until fluffy, mix the butter and sugar, and then fold in the flour.
-    Direct your little sister to grease a cake tin.
-    Tell your brother to preheat the oven.
-    Now pour the mixture your mom prepared into the pan your sister greased and stick it in the oven your brother preheated, and leave it to bake.
-    After 30 minutes, ask if your dad could please take the cake out of the oven and place it on a rack to cool.
-    Serve with buttercream along with a generous helping of self-compliments regarding your baking proficiencies.

* Fruit Surprise

Ingredients:
•    Cherries
•    Pineapple
•    Peaches
•    Strawberries
•    Apples 

Method:
-    Open a can of cherries.
-    Open a can of pineapples.
-    Open a can of peaches.
-    Open a can of strawberries.
-    Open a can of apples.
-    Put all the fruit in a bowl. Now add a tin of peas for the surprise. Mix. Serve.


SNACKS 

* Potato cutlets 

Ingredients:
•    You know, cutlets and stuff

Method:
-    Decide that you want to eat potato cutlets.
-    Realize that you don’t have any cutlets. Run to the shop to get some frozen cutlets. Return.
-    Realize that you don’t have any bread. Run to the shop to get some bread. Return.
-    Realize that you don’t have any ketchup. Run to the shop to get some ketchup. Return.
-    Realize that you don’t have any mayonnaise. Run to the shop to get some mayonnaise. Return.
-    Heat the cutlets, put each between two slices of bread with some ketchup and mayonnaise. Realize that you don’t have any soda…and one can’t possibly eat cutlets without soda. Run to the shop to get some soda. Return.
-    Realize you’re super tired from all the running, and take a nap. Wake up. Decide the cutlets are now cold and you don’t feel like eating them anymore. Throw them out.

* Macaroni and cheese 

Ingredients:
•    1 box mac and cheese

Method:
-    Buy a box of macaroni and cheese.
-    Follow the instructions on the box. You’re smart enough for that, aren’t you? Good.
-    Serve.

* Pizza 

Ingredients:
•    Flour
•    Yeast
•    Olive Oil
•    Water
•    Cheese and toppings
•    Salt

Method:
-    Mix flour and yeast in a bowl with a pinch of salt, and then add oil and water.
-    Knead the dough. Then put it back in the bowl and leave in a warm place for an hour.
-    Roll out the dough, put in a pizza pan, add desired toppings, and place in preheated oven.
-    Take out of the oven after about 20 minutes. The base will have become like wood and the toppings will have taken on the texture of rubber.
-    Now get a hammer and chisel, and try to force the pizza out of the pan.
-    When that fails, call the nearest pizza place and order a large pizza, preferably with extra cheese. Enjoy.

- By Sameen Amer 

Us Magazine, The News - 22nd September, 2017 *

In remembrance of Abdul Sattar Edhi

in memoriam

Whenever we’re about to lose faith in humanity (which is something that’s depressingly easy to accomplish - all you need to do is turn on the television), someone comes along to give us hope and prove that humans are indeed capable of greatness. From the man who spent decades struggling against apartheid and then forgave his persecutors, to the woman who dedicated her life to helping the destitute, there have been a handful of remarkable people who have strived to change the world we live in and made sure they left it a better place.

And we are blessed that one of these incredible figures was our very own champion of the poor, Abdul Sattar Edhi.

From his humble beginnings to his efforts in creating the country’s biggest welfare organization, the world’s greatest humanitarian defied the odds and spent decades helping reshape Pakistan. Even though he is no longer with us, his work will continue helping countless people for generations to come. And we must make sure that we continue to follow in his footsteps and fulfil the directive he left us in his last words: “meray mulk kae ghareeboun ka khayal rakhna”.

Edhi sahab’s kindness, compassion, and humbleness were all remarkable, and his love for everyone - irrespective of their status, cast, creed, or colour - was truly inspirational. He didn’t need an award to validate his accomplishments; his contributions to our society are emphatically visible and speak for themselves.

The most inspiring thing for me (as a friend of all the neighbourhood strays and a crazy cat lady in the making) was that the Edhi Foundation didn’t only undertake the monumental task of helping people - through services that include ambulances, shelters, orphanages, nursing homes and rehabilitation centres - but also provided sanctuary to animals and made sure that our distressed furry and feathered buddies had somewhere to go.

It is a universally acknowledged fact that Edhi sahab had a heart of gold, and no matter how much gratitude we show towards him isn’t enough. Few people have ever had the kind of impact on the world that Abdul Sattar Edhi did. There has never been - and probably will never be - anyone quite like him. And it is now our duty to follow his example and make sure both his name and work live forever.

- Sameen Amer

Us Magazine, The News - 22nd July, 2016 *

Stay Clean

interview

Cristina von Sperling Afridi tells Us about her new anti-drug foundation

It’s a serious health issue that can have harmful consequences and even claim the lives of those it ensnares. Yet drug abuse isn’t a topic that is widely addressed in our society. Now, inspired by a personal tragedy, Cristina von Sperling Afridi has started the Karim Khan Afridi Welfare Foundation, a non-profit organisation that aims to raise awareness about drug abuse and hopefully curb its prevalence amongst the youth of Pakistan. In an interview with Us, the founder of the foundation talks about what led to the creation of the organization and what she hopes to achieve with this initiative:

Us: Please tell us a bit about your background and life before you came to Pakistan.
Cristina von Sperling Afridi: I was born in Brazil into a German family who had settled in Brazil for the past four generations. I studied art in Italy and then moved back to Brazil. I worked in Brazil in various capacities, from marketing director to interior designer to entrepreneurship.

Us: What brought you to Pakistan? And how has your life changed since then?
Cristina: I met Tariq Afridi in Brazil. He was the Pakistani ambassador there. He played polo and I enjoyed horse show jumping. I suppose our love for horses brought us together. We got married. After Brazil, we were posted to Jordan, Portugal, and Libya. Then we came to Pakistan.

Us: Could you please tell us about the tragedy that led to the creation of the Karim Khan Afridi Welfare Foundation (KKAWF)?
Cristina: My son, who was 19, passed away, most probably due to drugs as he was a healthy boy. He went out with friends one night. We never expected that he would not return to us. He had just finished his A Levels and had many dre
ams. I was told to hide the truth regarding what may have caused his death - drugs. I was not going to do that. Hiding such things is the main reason why drug abuse has spread so rampantly in Pakistan. I could either sit and sulk about the tragedy that I was faced with or do something to eradicate this menace that is consuming our youth. I decided the latter and established the Karim Khan Afridi Welfare Foundation.

Us: We’d love to know more about your son, Karim Khan Afridi. What was he like?

Cristina: He was a popular young teenager. He enjoyed sports and was passionate about his roots. You could say he was a proud Pathan. He had the traits of a leader and was, at the same time, kind. People loved being around him.

Us: What do you aim to achieve with KKAWF?
Cristina: A difference. To improve the existing situation. To make both the youth and their parents aware of this menace. To educate them on the negative impact that this will have on their lives and to engage through the four pillars of the organization, which are: drug awareness, sports, the environment, and developing civic sense. Our aim would be to develop the personalities and lives of the youth to such an extent that they have no place for drugs.

Us: What are some of the initiatives that you have planned for the foundation so far?
Cristina: The first project, which is in process at the moment, is the production of a play on drug abuse that will be staged in all major cities of Pakistan. In addition, it will be filmed and shown to both public and private schools. Both English and Urdu versions of the play will be available for distribution. The first performance of this play was staged in Islamabad on September 1 at Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA). Through interaction with students attending the play we will appoint some students as ambassadors of the foundation working in their respective schools.
Simultaneously, we will be commencing our sports campaign. We hope to partner with the relevant ministries to make sports facilities available for schools and to engage the students in healthy interschool competitions.
In addition, KKAWF is planning on developing a wing named MAD, which stands for Mothers Against Drugs. MAD will consist of volunteers who will spread the drug awareness campaigns in their respective localities.

Us: The play about the destructive nature of drug use, the foundation’s first project, is titled 19: A Shattered Dream. Is it based on your personal experience? What can you tell us about the play?
Cristina: One of the forms of pure expression is the theatre. I had met Mushfiq Murshed and he wrote a play for this cause. This play reflects my own story; however, the writer has been given the liberty to build fictitious scenes in order to get the message across in the most powerful way. Dr. Farooq Beg and Huma Beg of Serendip joined this project as directors and producers. We feel that the desired impact will be made with our target audience which is the youngsters of Pakistan and their parents.

Us: A number of prominent political figures were present at the official launch ceremony of KKAWF. Is the foundation associated with a political party? If not, then how will you ensure that the foundation remains politically neutral?
Cristina: The foundation and its cause are apolitical. There is no political affiliation. If we were to affiliate with any political party it would jeopardize the cause, as its motivating factor is keeping the youth of the entire nation drug free, and a political agenda will only damage and restrict the foundation’s objectives.

Us: The focus of the foundation seems to be on educational ventures aimed to increase awareness and prevent drug abuse and addiction. Will the organization also offer practical help for rehabilitating those who are already abusing drugs?
Cristina: Our main focus is drug awareness. However, the organization has links with psychiatrists, psychologists, and rehab centres, and any individual identified with drug issues will be referred to them. The foundation’s core goal is to reverse this trend of drug abuse in schools by engaging the youth in multiple activities that will develop them into confident and useful members of society.

Us: Any message for the readers of Us and the youth of Pakistan?
Cristina: Stay clean.

-  By Sameen Amer

Us Magazine, The News - 17th September, 2015 *

Debunked!

cover story

Exposing common misconceptions, one myth at a time

“Don’t believe everything you hear,” says an old adage, and that just might be the best advice you’ll ever get. With the (both intentional and unintentional) prevalence of misinformation around us, many of the things that make their way to our eyes and ears aren’t rooted in reality. Accounts are misrelated, facts are manipulated, data is misquoted, and sometimes incidents play a game of Chinese whisper before they make their way to our ears, getting distorted along the way. All too often, the truth is the casualty.

So it shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone that there are many commonly held myths and beliefs that simply aren’t true, but since they have been relayed to us repeatedly, we haven’t stopped to challenge them.

Here’s a look at some such misconceptions. Brace yourself, and delve right in.

Human beings use only ten percent of their brains

Possibly just those who still believe this myth. The tagline for Luc Besson’s new film Lucy reads, “The average person uses 10% of their brain capacity. Imagine what she could do with 100%.” Gee, I don’t know, maybe she could point out how ridiculous the premise of this movie is? The undisputed fact is that large portions of our brain do not remain unused. The brain is a complex organ, and any injury or disease that causes damage to even a relatively small part (let alone 90%) of it can have devastating effects on a person’s wellbeing. To perform the many functions we continuously do to survive, all parts of the brain are active during the course of a day, with certain areas more active than others depending on our actions. So while the notion of harnessing our 90% unused mental potential may sound promising, it is entirely unreal.

There is blue blood in veins

Au contraire. That is nothing but a myth. Have you ever seen blue blood? No? That’s because there is no such thing. Human blood is always red, although its shades may vary. Oxygenated (arterial) blood is bright red, while deoxygenated (venous) blood is dark red. But if you try to spot your veins on, for instance, your hands or wrists, their colour might confuse you. If blood is red, then why exactly are veins blue? Well, they aren’t. They just appear to be because of light diffusion and perception. Only blue light penetrates the skin all the way to the veins, so this is the colour that is reflected back. Mystery solved!

Lemmings are suicidal

Hold the Prozac – the lemmings would like to tell you that they’re doing just fine, but thanks for your concern. The small furry creatures are best known for committing mass suicide, but, despite what Walt Disney wants you to believe, the rodents don’t jump off cliffs to embrace death en masse. A rise in population density sometimes forces groups to migrate, and during the process many might drown when the waters they traverse test their physical capabilities; while they can swim, exhaustion may strike if they try to cross large bodies of water. The suicidal behaviour that is depicted in the 1958 Disney documentary White Wilderness was staged, and the fabricated scenes perpetuated the myth that has no basis in actual lemming behaviour.

The Great Wall of China is visible from outer space

Only if you have a powerful telescope. The Great Wall of China is often cited as the only man-made object visible with the unaided eye from space, but that isn’t accurate. It is very hard to see (and even harder to distinguish) the Great Wall from Low Earth Orbit with the naked eye, a task made even more difficult by the fact that it is the same colour and texture as the area surrounding it. And the Wall definitely isn’t visible from the Moon, as is often claimed. It is estimated that a viewer would need to have 17,000 times better vision than normal to see the Wall from the Moon.

Strawberries are berries

It’s right there in the name: strawBERRY. And it’s a fallacy. Yes, that’s right, strawberries are liars. A berry is “a fruit produced from a single flower and containing one ovary”. A strawberry, on the other hand, forms from a flower that has many ovaries, and is an “aggregate accessory fruit”, which means its fleshy part is derived from the receptacle that holds the ovaries and the aggregates merge into a single fruit. So what are some actual berries? Grapes, avocados, bananas, tomatoes, and watermelons! Who knew?

Sitting close to a television is dangerous for your health

Only if you’re still using a 1960s General Electric television, in which case you probably have bigger problems than this myth! According to Live Science, in the late ‘60s, GE sold a batch of faulty TV sets that emitted as much as 100,000 times more radiation than is considered safe. Sitting a few feet away from these units and restricting viewing to an hour or so minimised the adverse effects of the x-ray emissions, and the defective units were promptly recalled and repaired. But the myth lingered on, with people perpetually suspicious of the effects this radiation was having on their health and especially eyesight. Cathode ray tube TVs emitted low levels of x-ray radiation that was not dangerous for viewers, and modern LCD and plasma screens don’t give off any radiation at all. Concentrating on any screen for hours can, however, cause eyestrain, so don’t forget to blink!

Different parts of the tongue exclusively sense different tastes

Not true. All regions of the tongue sense all taste sensations, although different parts are more sensitive to certain tastes and can better detect certain flavours. So what’s with the tongue map then? It was a theory from the early 1900s gleamed from a research on relative sensitivity to the four basic tastes (bitter, sour, salt, sweet), which was taken out of context, simplified, and disseminated. Later research disproved it (and you can simply debunk it yourself by licking some salt with the supposedly “sweet” sensing tip of your tongue), but the misconception about the tongue’s strict regional exclusivity to different tastes has persisted.

Cracking knuckles causes arthritis

Or maybe it doesn’t. So far, this claim remains unsupported. In theory, habitually cracking your knuckles (popping the air out of the synovial fluid in the joint cavity) could cause damage to the cartilage covering the joint, but studies have not found definitive proof that this actually happens. Doctor Donald Unger even won the 2009 Ig Noble prize for his research in this matter, which he conducted for more than sixty years by cracked the knuckles of only his left (and not right) hand every day, eventually developing no ailment in either hand. More comprehensive studies have found no difference in the prevalence of osteoarthritis between those who did crack their knuckles and those who did not. Although everyone agrees that the cracking sounds awful, so please don’t do it anyway!

There is a dark side of the moon

Just as much as there is a dark side of the Earth. We popularly call it “night”. The moon does not have a fixed “dark side”. From our vantage point, it has a nearside (the one we can see) and a far side (which isn’t visible from Earth, but can be seen by spacecrafts and probes). We can’t see the far side from our planet because the Moon’s rotation syncs perfectly with its orbit around the Earth, but that doesn’t mean it is “dark”. That side actually receives sunlight on a daily basis. As Pink Floyd summed up in the song ‘Eclipse’ from their seminal classic The Dark Side of the Moon, “There is no dark side of the moon, really. Matter of fact it’s all dark. (The only thing that makes it look alight is the Sun.)”

Bats are blind

Well, they would be if it weren’t for the fact that they aren’t. No species of bats are blind. Some have better vision than others, and many can see quite well. Of course bats also use echolocation (making sounds that bounce off nearby objects, giving them a sense of distance and direction), but that doesn’t mean they can’t see. So from now on, “blind as a bat” means “not blind at all”. Spread the word.

Lightning never strikes the same place twice

Tell that to skyscrapers! Lightning isn’t well versed in myths and strikes wherever it pleases, however-many times it likes. It can even strike the same spot multiple times within a single storm. Tall towers and skyscrapers are the most common targets of repeated lightning strikes, and can receive hundreds of hits per year. So lightning will almost certainly strike the same place twice. Just give it some time.

Christmas marks Christ’s birth

Symbolically, yes. Literally, no. The commemoration of Jesus Christ’s birth on the 25th of December in the form of Christmas is a widely observed holiday, but it isn’t literally Christ’s birthday. History indicates that the date for Christmas might have been popularised because it already marked pagan religious celebrations with solar connotations. As for his actual date of birth, no one really knows for sure, but it is unlikely to be on the 25th of December. Biblical verses cast doubt on the birth being in wintery December, although different explanations and interpretations have led to various speculative dates (spread throughout the year) for the event.

“Elementary, my dear Watson”

No, this phrase was never uttered by Sherlock Holmes in any of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s canonical written works. Holmes did say “Elementary” and “my dear Watson”; he just didn’t say them together at the same time. The closest proximity they have is when the two phrases are uttered a few lines apart near the beginning of The Crooked Man (1893), but they appear in reverse order. That, however, hasn’t stopped “Elementary, my dear Watson” from becoming ingrained in popular culture as a line said by the beloved detective to his trusty sidekick.

Blue whales are the largest animals in the world

The jellyfish would beg to differ. Although it depends on how you define “large”. If the criterion is length, then the lion’s mane jellyfish also contends the title; their largest known specimen was 37 meters (120 feet) in length, which is longer than a blue whale and is considered one of the longest known animals on our planet. If you want to categorise by weight though, then even dinosaurs cannot compete with the mighty blue whale, which is the heaviest animal that is ever known to have existed.

- By Sameen Amer

Us Magazine, The News - 10th October, 2014 *

The Internet’s most famous felines

online celebs

They’ve spent years asking if they can haz cheezeburger, looking down from ceilings, playing people off on their keyboards, and generally being the overlords of the Internet, and their popularity is showing no signs of waning. Cats very emphatically rule the Web. No matter what they look like or where they come from, post their photos online and the Internet is bound to collectively fall in love with them. Some in particular have won global fame. Here are a few of the most famous kitties in the online world:

Maru

The Internet loves Maru, and Maru loves cardboard boxes. If there is a box, Maru will try to squeeze into it, and viewers will be endlessly amused by his antics. The Scottish Fold feline, who is nearly 7-years-old, lives in Japan with his owner who goes by the pseudonym Mugumogu, and isn’t just a big celebrity in his own country – where he appears in commercials and releases books and DVDs – but is loved by Netizens (and YouTube viewers in particular) all over the world.

Colonel Meow

The late great Colonel Meow bid farewell to his loving minions earlier this year, but his legacy prevails on the Interwebs. Before his life was cut short because of health problems when he was just 2-years-old, the Himalayan-Persian crossbreed started gathering followers around the globe after pictures of his scowling face were posted on the Internet by his American owners, slave beasts Anne Marie Avey and Eric Rosario. And he even found home in the record books for having the longest fur (9 inches) in the feline world.

Lil Bub

When she isn’t busy starring in her web series, making documentaries, appearing in other television and web shows, and doing meet and greets and photo shoots, Lil Bub lives in Indiana with her owner Mike Bridavsky, who adopted her despite her unusual looks which have since made her a star. Born with several genetic mutations and a bone disorder that have given her a “perma-kitten” appearance, the adorable cat who is almost 3-years-old has won hearts the world over since first appearing online in late 2011. And just like Tard, Bub has also “written” a book: Lil Bub’s Lil Book: The Extraordinary Life of the Most Amazing Cat on the Planet (2013).

Venus

No, that’s not the magic of Photoshop; it’s just a wonder of nature. Half her face is black, the other half orange; one eye green, and the other blue. And with her stunning chimera characteristics that have given her such distinctive looks, Venus the “two-faced cat” has attracted the Internet’s attention since photos of her first appeared online in 2012. And the kitty has even inspired a stuffed toy, a cuddly plush version of herself.

Henri

He is the star of the best cat videos ever made and his existential musings have captivated viewers. The subject of the excellent short films by Will Braden (who has also authored Henri, le Chat Noir: The Existential Musings of an Angst-Filled Cat) since 2007, this 10-year-old tuxedo cat from Seattle may not have opposable thumbs, but he opposes everything. Yes, it clearly isn’t easy being Henri, but where would we be without his take on the emptiness of life?

Tardar Sauce

And then of course there is the queen of grumpiness herself: Tardar Sauce. Ever since her picture was posted on Reddit by her owner Tabatha Bundesen’s brother Bryan nearly one and a half years ago, Tard has become an internationally recognised superstar. Feline dwarfism and an under-bite have given this 2-year-old mixed breed cat the grumpy look that has made the Internet fall in love with her. And even though she is very calm and nice in real life, her sardonic online persona and sarcastic take on life never cease to offer laughs to her fans. Add to that her growing empire (estimated to be worth a million dollars!) that includes merchandising deals and even a planned feature film adaptation, and you have a feline that doesn’t actually have too many reasons to be grumpy after all!

By Sameen Amer

Us Magazine, The News - 18th July, 2014 *

Of shattered hopes and renewed expectations

white paper

Dear outgoing government people,

Hello, and congratulations on completing your five year tenure as the Government of Pakistan. It isn’t clear whether one should be impressed or appalled by the fact that you guys are the first Pakistani government to ever do so. At any rate, I would like to tell you that you did a great job running this country. Well, I WOULD like to tell you that, but I can’t because I’m quite fond of the current size of my nose and don’t particularly want it to become longer; it just wouldn’t suit me is all.

At any rate, you are now a part of the history of this country, and will forever remain so, no matter how much some of us may wish that we could, well, wish you away. Wouldn’t it be something if we could just collectively wake up from the nightmare that has been the last decade and find ourselves in a country that is peaceful, prosperous, and actually has electricity for more than half the day?

Speaking of which … what exactly DID your administration have against electricity? The reasons for your deep-rooted hatred for power generation never became fully apparent to me. What was up with the whole no power for 12 or 15 or 18 hours a day thing? Was it the misappropriation of funds, the lack of power plants, the unavailability of natural gas, or just plain misadministration? Or were you simply trying to make us more grateful for what we have, as we yearned for the good old times when there was only 6 hours of load shedding per day, while teaching us endurance and patience? In which case, touché! Lesson learned.

Before we go any further, I would like to clarify that I do fully appreciate the efforts that you did make to turn Pakistan into an even better country. For instance, who can forget your response to that marathon bombing after which you guys brought the whole city to a standstill while you quickly identified the two suspects, combed the entire area for these men, and didn’t rest until you found both culprits, and … oh wait, that was America. Sorry, my bad. I'm sure you would have done something about the bombings and shooting too had they not turned into white noise over the years. But hey, you did make the valiant effort of turning off our mobile phones, so who can say you guys weren’t as dynamic and effective as the American forces?

While with the Americans, it was an unforgettable highlight of your regime when the U.S. Navy SEALS violated our sovereignty to carry out a covert operation in Abbottabad and assassinate the most wanted man in the universe, he who must not be named. It’s hard to decide whether his presence in this country or the U.S. operation, right under your noses yet without your knowledge, was more shocking. Or maybe it was your inability to stop the U.S. drone attacks in our north western regions? How about I leave it up to you? You can let me know what you found most appalling. Send me a tweet when you figure it out.

I’d say leave a message on my YouTube video wherein I read this letter to you, but you have very astutely made that impossible. I applaud your decision to block an entire portal that hosts millions of useful, educational, and entertaining clips because of one man’s display of stupidity and insensitivity, instead of only blocking that depraved piece of work. That’s just the kind of smart and intelligent administration that you were. Letting one degenerate disrupt something for millions of people is always the right way to go.

As we part, I would like to thank you for being coerced into holding elections this May. Leaving just might be the best thing you did for this country. You will forever have our gratitude for it. Now let’s see if you have brought this country to the point where we think your best replacement is an ex cricket player, or if we still need more lessons in patience and endurance and therefore opt to go for five more years under the likes of you.

Oh and thanks for the inflation too. We would have had no idea what to do with all our money without your help, so muchos gracias for making sure that all of it goes towards feeding our families and putting food on the table. If we’re lucky enough, that is. And my commiserations to you for the Supreme Court’s efforts to thwart your attempts of becoming the richest people in Switzerland. Maybe next time.

Despairingly yours,

A citizen who may or may not be a teeny tiny little bit disgruntled

*****

Dear new government folk,

Hello, and congratulations on winning the elections. It brings me great joy to see you in power, because now you will improve the education system, help business flourish, eradicate poverty, fix the energy crisis, and bring peace to this country, just as you promised. I, of course, believe all your promises. Partly because no matter how hard you and your predecessors have tried, I still carry the hope in my heart that someday someone will prove that the term “honest politician” isn’t an oxymoron. And partly because I’m a gullible idiot. Well, mostly because I’m a gullible idiot.

Which makes what I’m about to say all the more important: for the love of what’s left of my sanity (and you can very clearly see that not much remains), please do something about the load shedding. I am not so much close to losing my marbles as I am to taking all my marbles and then smashing them to smithereens with a giant hammer. Yes, we are a resilient people, but that doesn’t mean you have to take our resilience as a challenge. Give us a break. And don’t, for the second time in a row, make us regret our collective democratic choice.

Democracy, as we’ve seen in the last few weeks, is a peculiar thing. First we watch you all sling mud at each other for a while; then – after all your faults and flaws have been thoroughly highlighted – anoint one of you as our leader; and then wonder why things aren’t getting better for our country. A tongue in cheek political ideology suggests that anyone who wants to be a politician shouldn’t be allowed to be one, and the last few years add credence to this claim. Despite all that, there’s a sense of empowerment and exhilaration that comes with the electoral process, one that isn’t diminished by the fact that we have to choose between less than ideal options. Ultimately, and perhaps in a triumph of hope over experience, it is still good to see that we have now elected you as our new government and done so despite the many uncertainties that surrounded the process.

Once again, a most hearty hurrah to you on making the utterly splendid decision of opting to take the reins of a country that is about as stable as francium. By some celestial miracle, be different and be better. Be the anomaly. Be the change we yearn for and deserve. As they say, third time’s the charm.

May the force be with you. Heaven knows you’ll need it.

Skeptically yours,

A disgruntled citizen who is trying really hard to fake optimism

- S.A.

Us Magazine, The News - 17th May, 2013

It's not waste until you waste it

campus

Making the most of a piece of writing paper is another way to reduce waste on campus

In the back row of a classroom, a pair of mischievous hands expertly transform a dull handout into a paper plane. As soon as the teacher looks the other way, the projectile is launched, and flies gracefully over the heads of the two girls who are busy passing messages back and forth on torn scraps of paper and the boy who is doodling on his notebook instead of taking notes, before landing a few feet from its destination: the wastepaper basket. Little do they realize that all four of them have just contributed to the waste of a precious resource: paper.

From books and notebooks to answer booklets, printouts, and handouts, paper is an integral part of school and university life, silently and faithfully helping students with the learning process. Perhaps because it is so ubiquitous and easy to take for granted, we hardly ever stop and think about it; even more so, it is often easy to overlook the fact that paper is made from trees, and that its wastage has both economic and environmental costs.

Beginning from the admission process with the brochures and applications, and ending at the answer booklet for the very last exam (or even at receiving the final transcript and degree), students leave behind a long paper trail. But as inevitable as this usage may be, it sometimes goes unnoticed that there is occasionally an unnecessary waste of paper.

This misuse is prevalent at all levels: students print on one side of a paper, sometimes even write on one side of the sheet, and discard notebooks at the end of a semester even when there are blank pages left; teachers print unnecessary handouts, and ask students to turn in printed or written work instead of emailing it; prints are taken without proofing, and then discarded because of minor errors; at some places that offer free printing facilities, pages that were printed are never picked up; multiple sheets are stapled together to make answer booklets for examinations, and even if one page is used, the entire booklet becomes obsolete; and much more.

Such waste, however, can be avoided to conserve resources if and when possible by taking small steps such as the following:

• Avoid printer abuse: For rough drafts, print on both sides of the paper, try to use narrow margins, and reduce font size if possible; if the document is for submission, make sure that it is error free before clicking print.
• Reuse paper: Utilize old notebooks with unused pages for rough work; reuse erroneous printed documents as scrap paper for notes; use the blank sides of pages no longer required as a scratch pad.
• Use electronic transmission and copies: Ask to submit assignments electronically, if possible; use softcopies of documents when convenient; see if the notes that are being sent to parents can be emailed, or use a sibling list to prevent duplicates.
• Minimize waste in other areas: Recycle unwanted paper; photocopy on both sides; go for reusable cups and plates in the café instead of paper ones; carry a handkerchief instead of using tissue papers; avoid the use of paper towels; minimize the use of post-it notes; and submit books no longer needed to a library or book bank.

If we try, we can all find ways that are most relevant to our situation, and can help save paper and the resources used to make it as well as decrease the waste created by its misuse.

- By Sameen Amer

The Express Tribune - 2nd July, 2011

Scrap that

hobby

We all try to capture the important moments of our lives in the form of photographs, and on occasion save some items – like ticket stubs, postcards, newspaper clippings, or even words scribbled on a piece of paper – that remind us of a time or event that we don’t want to forget. Each and every one of us has stuff lying around that takes us back to special moments; if you want to organize and add flair to your collection of such memorabilia, then you might want to try scrapbooking, a hobby that not only lets you unleash your creativity but also helps you artistically preserve your memories.

Scrapbooking involves combining photos and memorable items supplemented by accompanying thoughts and encompassed in decorative templates, so as to display the significance of that item or event. To create meaningful archives, photographs are arranged on a paper along with relevant clippings and notes, with explanatory text added to detail the experience in order to document important information next to the images; decorative elements are then added to the page that reflect the scrapbooker’s style and feelings as well as complement the photos, so that the final product relays a story and communicates the underlying sentiment or message in a more expressive way than any of the individual items could have done separately.

Basic scrapbooking materials include background papers, albums for storage, adhesives, archival pens, cutting and mounting tools, and decorative elements, like patterned paper, stickers, laces, ribbons, and other embellishments. The quality of scrapbooking supplies can, however, vary according to budget. You can use any paper, even plain paper or a notebook, if you so wish, although such material is unlikely to last in the long term and can also damage your photos and clippings. Proper scrapbooking supplies (like acid free paper and safe-for-photos adhesives) can range from expensive to more economical options; such supplies are specifically treated so that they don’t damage the things you want to preserve or severely deteriorate over time, and are therefore a better choice for safety and longevity.

If you’re short on cash, then you can also try its computer-based variant: digital scrapbooking. Digiscrapping lets you use scrapbooking software for building pages around digital/scanned photographs; you can create your own templates, and also find (both free and for-a-price) kits, elements, backgrounds, and tools online. Computer scrapbooking is easier than its traditional counterpart, and will save you both time and money, while making it easy to share the final product with others.

Scrapbooking is an activity that can be enjoyed be people of all ages. Scrapbooks can be created just for fun, as an outlet for creative expression and style, or to preserve personal or family history, and can also be made as a present for a family member or a friend. The hobby can also be social; scrappers can host events in which they get together and work on their pages, which can help them make more friends who enjoy the same hobby. Scrapbooking can potentially combine photography, journaling, and art; it can not only be creatively fulfilling but also gives you artistically preserved memories that you can cherish later on in your life and share with loved ones.

- Sameen Amer

The Express Tribune - 13th March, 2011