Tsunami - The disaster

Was it an inkling of the doomsday???

May God almighty help all of those who are struggling for the survival, May God give them the courage and strength to overcome this disaster, May the souls of all dead live in peace. (Amen)

When I look at the Image blow, I wonder that we were under the God's mercy, otherwise a little change in the center of earthquake (God forbid) things might have been different for us too. (Thanks to Allah)




Image Source : www.bbc.co.uk

Have a look at the animation below to observe how Tsunami spread.

http://staff.aist.go.jp/kenji.satake/animation.gif

Sattelite images of Banda Aceh, Sri lanka and Indonesia

http://www.digitalglobe.com/tsunami_gallery.html


M Tabraiz Feham

Google's Beta Mystery - Any Answers?

On my last post Mr Raffay Bin Ali raised a very thoughtful question that “Why Google continue to offer several services in Beta? To avoid potential lawsuits?

I took a little bit of time to dig in to this matter and instead of getting it solved, got a bit more confused. Here I am listing some of findings if you can figure it out better…

What Google describes of a “Beta Service”?

“This means Google does not guarantee the availability of the service. Since this is an experimental service, Google may take the service down for maintenance or discontinue the service entirely.”

Of all the Google’s services over 66% are being offered in Beta. Take some insights on this article.
http://blog.searchenginewatch.com/blog/041202-075953

I think in all the major Beta services, Google News is the one that can create a lot of controversy of copyrights etc. This article draws some pictures on it.

“Google News: Beta Not Make Money”
http://www.wired.com/news/culture/0,1284,65106,00.html

“Google News In Beta to Avoid Ad Lawsuits?”
http://blog.searchenginewatch.com/blog/040929-073339


Some people describe labeling “Beta” as a “Marketing gimmick”, but to what extend?
http://marketingplaybook.com/2004/...

http://www.fundneider.de/mt/archives...


And some says Google has changed the meaning of “Beta”
http://www.cybergrain.com/archives/2004/11/google_betas_ar.html


Currently Goolge cannot generate any revenues from these Beta Services. Would Google be able continue these services in future? People like me are seriously addicted of some of the services, so what would happen if the services are discontinued?

The answers remain bleak.

M Tabraiz Feham

Google Zeitgeist 2004 Published

Goolge has published 2004's "Google Zeitgeist" based on popular queries, search patterns, trends, surprises etc.

Have a look at it here.
http://www.google.com/press/zeitgeist.html

This year Google has also provided an interactive edition that is also worth visiting.
http://www.google.com/press/zeitgeist2004/index.html

Not surprisingly Pakistan gets in to the top 10 of "Google Popular Country News Searches".

Britney Spears tops the "Popular Queries" now for two consecutive years.

M Tabraiz Feham

The Taxi Wala!

Today on my way to NIPA, as I sat in a "Kali Taxi" the driver asked me "You are the only one?" (Yes… in English). I had to think for a second and then I sad "Yes just I am going". (Meant' no body was accompanying me). Then he started asking me questions, like “Do you teach there?” etc. and his medium was mostly English (Although not with that eloquence but he was able to convey his message). After a mile or so a traffic police constable stopped us (routine check victim). The driver took the documents and came back in three to fours minutes (I thought his documents were all o.k.). So to my curiosity I asked him “Why did he stopp you”. He said vehemently,“Millat ka pasban hai Muhammad Ali Jinnah”, and looked at me with a slight smile on his face and it took me at least 10 seconds to understand what he actually said. Then he started elaborating it “Qaide-e-Azam go every where, Quide-a-Azam he hain jo sab ko bacha laitain hain. Paisa phaink …. Tamasha dekh”. Then finally I uttered “Lekin aakhir kab tak?”

“Zulm phir zulm hai…… bharta hai to! mit jata hai”

On this he said!

”Kon jeeta hai teri zulf kay sar honay tak”

And I had no comment for that.
After that he kept discussing the men in power and on important posts, stating that “most of them are non-technical and simple insincere. Even if they show a little sincerity the things would be so different”

As NIPA came, in my normal and formal “Nice meeting you!”, hidden was much, much more.

M Tabraiz Feham

Karachi's Online Graveyard

http://www.wadi-a-hussain.com - The Website of a Karachi's online graveyard. This is first experience of a virtual graveyard in Muslim world. You can search the graves with different criteria, use "Call Service" for various graveyard services and most of all you can download or stream the funeral movie clips.

I think it is a good step especially for those living abroad. But the virtual graveyard visiting can never replace the essence of actually visiting the graveyard for your loved ones and performing all those rituals. Our religion asks us to visit graveyards and offer prays, and there are certainly several spiritual benefits of it.



But as our ulema get to know about it, this matter can get controvercial.

M Tabraiz Feham

MSN Spaces - Watch out Blogger

Now finally Microsoft makes it to the blogging as well ....... Microsoft is offering a blogging service named "MSN Spaces" . The blog goes with a "Photo Album", "Custom Music Library" and "List" with several other features such as posting through the mobile.

It seems Google is distracting Microsoft to such an extend; that they are having to re-think about who actually their rivals & competitors are.

(Microsoft is already struggling in trying to match or even come closure to Google in "Web Searching" by offering new msn search engine (Beta) - http://beta.search.msn.com/ - But recently Google announced that its index of WebPages is now 8 billion :) ........ now what are they going to do???????)

The battle contineous.........

M Tabraiz Feham