COMPUTER PRACTICES
Professor Paul Hambleton
July 17, 2008
By,
Samina Tauhid
GAS PRICES AND US.
It really is amazing how our daily lives are affected by one little hike in the price of gasoline. Common people like me are not educated enough to understand what and who is controlling the prices of gas and other commodities. We are more concerned with using our time to find a way to manage our daily budget instead of trying to investigate the cause. If you fall under the low income category, you really are a loser. And I mean it. You are a real loser. You lose on your daily groceries, you lose on your kids’ entertainment, because of so much stress you lose on your own health, ‘the most important gift’ from God, which we all take for granted.
A layman like me is not aware of the game played by real market players like Shell, Caltex, ESSO or any private distributors for that matter who are making their own profits by an artificial price hike. Just a peek in the quarterly reports of these giant oil companies shows what a huge profit these companies are making. Their economic outlook shows no losses.
Saudi Arabia and other OPEC nations have increased their oil production just recently and still there’s no change, or rather, no cut down in gas prices what so ever. Why? And it’s a big WHY with a big question mark? I don’t know the answer to this question, as I’m not an economist, but I know one thing for sure: the soaring gas prices and that of the other commodities have made everyone’s lives miserable to some extent.
Like many others, the increase in gas prices directly affects me as well. I have consulted some of my colleagues, friends, and neighbors on the matter. They all shared the same opinion: they are in misery because of the gas prices. “I drive 55 km to work which is 110 km daily. My company is not paying for my gas,” says Omar, a friend. At the end of the month, he ends up paying more on his credit card bills. This is a relatable story to most people, like me, who drive back and forth from work, school, and home. We are under a tremendous stress. Our health is at stake.
Some of our friends have cancelled their vacations and they are not alone I stand with them. “We simply can’t afford to go anywhere,” says my husband Khateeb. Oh no! I cringed inside with anger. I had been planning on a vacation to visit my brother’s family in Florida for so long. “I deserve this vacation. I’ve been working full time and studying full time. Don’t you think I need a break?” I snapped back.
“Yes you do, take a break and stay home. No more vacations on the credit card. Otherwise, you’ll end up working harder to pay off the bills,” says my husband.
“I can check cheap tickets dot com,” my son popped in, but bogged down quickly as he saw his dad’s eyes staring at him.
Fun apart, if we look at the third world countries, we are a bunch of lucky ones. I talked to my father in Pakistan and I was shocked to hear the prices of gas and that of basic goods like rice and flour. The gas price ranges from Rs 85-95 per liter. That’s why more people are turning towards changing their car system to CNG, a natural gas kit. Poor people can no longer even afford to buy basic necessities such as food; they are relying on charities. The middle class society is working harder to get their means of income and expenses sorted out. The society on the whole is declining towards poverty.
We are lucky to be here in Canada. At least we are feeding ourselves and our families here and back home. Thank God for that. I’m sure none of us have slept on an empty stomach or have had to walk 20-30 km to work as most people are doing in the third world countries.
We must think rationally and use the three R’s, reduce, reuse and recycle as much as possible. If we all use car pool and walk to work or else where, it might help save some money at the end.
Monday, July 21, 2008
Saturday, July 19, 2008
clear blue sky of Beijeng
This photo is sent to me by a very good friend of mine who lives in Beijing and runs a Cambridge( English) school. His name is Hadyn Adam.He is a true educationalist. Himself a Cambrige University grad, has travelled a lot but loves China more than any other country. He has made China his second home.This photo he took is in the context of an environmental issue raised by CNN and BBC.
ANGEL IN DISGUISE....IN MY NEIGHBOURHOOD
ANGEL IN DISGUISE ….IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD
Who says there are no angels in this world? I believe in God and angels: I also believe there are angels around us who are in disguise. They look like you and me, ordinary people. God sent them to our world for our help. They could be in the shape of a doctor, a bus driver, a teacher, or just someone next door. You never know who they may be or what form they may appear as.
My next door neighbor, Gina, believes in angels too. She is an accountant, a single mother and has raised two boys. Her beliefs became stronger after an incident, or rather, an accident.
Her teenage son had invited some of his friends to his house a few weeks back. Gina and her younger son left the house to give the kids some privacy. Her eldest son, James 17, and three of his friends were having a good time, until one of them suggested to go to his house. James offered his services in driving his friend to his house near Square One. To remind you, this is happening in my neighborhood, which is Derry and Mavis, quite a distance from Square One. Additionally, James does not hold a driver’s license; he only had a G1 at the time. The teenagers got excited and no one tried to put sense into James’s head.
Unfortunately, Gina had left her car home not thinking about such an incident occurring for obvious reason of James’s lack of proper license.
James put all his friends in the car and left home. While they were still in the neighborhood, James thought of just driving inside the Crescent: luck or God’s grace was playing its part here.
He drove around slowly at first, and then picked up the speed in the excitement. The second time they came to the curve of the crescent, another car, speedily driving on the wrong side of the road, was about to come crashing into James’s car. James had to turn all the way to his right in order to avoid a head on collision. He managed to do that, but hit the curb sliding and crushing three trees on his way. The car was so badly damaged between the trees that they were unable to push it down to the road.
Here comes the angel; a man, another neighbor, Ted Phu, who had been sitting outside had witnessed the whole accident and he came to the rescue of these careless teenagers. He tried his best to help them physically, but couldn’t do much. So, he called a tow truck right away on his expense. Ted stayed with the boys till the tow truck arrived and provided his support till the end. James told him about his G1 license and Ted was not shocked since it’s nothing new for a teenager to get excited to drive in order to impress his friends. According to Ted, the other guy was either drunk or was on a cell phone since he was the one who was driving on the wrong side. “He didn’t call the cops, thank God! Otherwise, I would’ve been in big trouble and my mom might have had a heart attack,” says James. James went to a nearby ATM to reimburse Ted for his generous loan. Good thinking, James!
James learned his lesson the hard way. His mom was so shocked that she couldn’t even talk to anyone for a week or so.
“What if the cops had come? What in the world would’ve happened if they had collided or had gone to the Mavis road? What if Ted wasn’t there? I was worried to death thinking about the other boys,” Said Gina. Gina conveyed her gratitude to Ted the very next day, “I was speechless, I cried in front of him, and he understood…I didn’t even have a CAA membership and can’t afford a hike in my insurance.”
Ted is a young guy who used to live at the corner of our street, but has recently moved to another place. Our angel, as Gina and I named him, has spread his wings and gone elsewhere. He must be watching over other kids in some other neighborhood. Wherever he may be, his neighbors are extremely fortunate.
Who says there are no angels in this world? I believe in God and angels: I also believe there are angels around us who are in disguise. They look like you and me, ordinary people. God sent them to our world for our help. They could be in the shape of a doctor, a bus driver, a teacher, or just someone next door. You never know who they may be or what form they may appear as.
My next door neighbor, Gina, believes in angels too. She is an accountant, a single mother and has raised two boys. Her beliefs became stronger after an incident, or rather, an accident.
Her teenage son had invited some of his friends to his house a few weeks back. Gina and her younger son left the house to give the kids some privacy. Her eldest son, James 17, and three of his friends were having a good time, until one of them suggested to go to his house. James offered his services in driving his friend to his house near Square One. To remind you, this is happening in my neighborhood, which is Derry and Mavis, quite a distance from Square One. Additionally, James does not hold a driver’s license; he only had a G1 at the time. The teenagers got excited and no one tried to put sense into James’s head.
Unfortunately, Gina had left her car home not thinking about such an incident occurring for obvious reason of James’s lack of proper license.
James put all his friends in the car and left home. While they were still in the neighborhood, James thought of just driving inside the Crescent: luck or God’s grace was playing its part here.
He drove around slowly at first, and then picked up the speed in the excitement. The second time they came to the curve of the crescent, another car, speedily driving on the wrong side of the road, was about to come crashing into James’s car. James had to turn all the way to his right in order to avoid a head on collision. He managed to do that, but hit the curb sliding and crushing three trees on his way. The car was so badly damaged between the trees that they were unable to push it down to the road.
Here comes the angel; a man, another neighbor, Ted Phu, who had been sitting outside had witnessed the whole accident and he came to the rescue of these careless teenagers. He tried his best to help them physically, but couldn’t do much. So, he called a tow truck right away on his expense. Ted stayed with the boys till the tow truck arrived and provided his support till the end. James told him about his G1 license and Ted was not shocked since it’s nothing new for a teenager to get excited to drive in order to impress his friends. According to Ted, the other guy was either drunk or was on a cell phone since he was the one who was driving on the wrong side. “He didn’t call the cops, thank God! Otherwise, I would’ve been in big trouble and my mom might have had a heart attack,” says James. James went to a nearby ATM to reimburse Ted for his generous loan. Good thinking, James!
James learned his lesson the hard way. His mom was so shocked that she couldn’t even talk to anyone for a week or so.
“What if the cops had come? What in the world would’ve happened if they had collided or had gone to the Mavis road? What if Ted wasn’t there? I was worried to death thinking about the other boys,” Said Gina. Gina conveyed her gratitude to Ted the very next day, “I was speechless, I cried in front of him, and he understood…I didn’t even have a CAA membership and can’t afford a hike in my insurance.”
Ted is a young guy who used to live at the corner of our street, but has recently moved to another place. Our angel, as Gina and I named him, has spread his wings and gone elsewhere. He must be watching over other kids in some other neighborhood. Wherever he may be, his neighbors are extremely fortunate.
Friday, July 4, 2008
My son's graduation photo.
Hi Paul and my friends, here's a picture of my son's graduation. He graduated from Father Michael Goetz secondary school. The graduation ceremony was very colorful, though the main color was blue because of the graduation gowns. The official color of the Gators is green. Mayor Hazel Mc Callion was the guest of honour.I cried through all the speeches even though my son had warned me against it,and shooting the ceremony with my camcorder at the same time. My son was telling the student next to him that the only lady in the crowd who is crying is my mom.It was really an emotional moment for me and an important mile stone for my baby. As time passes fast I can see him graduating from the university soon.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
My recent visit to Niagara Falls.
Hi everyone, how was your long weekend? I was busy at work on Monday and Friday as everyone booked the long weekend off. I had to work extra hours. Well, on Saturday my brother's family gave us a surprise visit from Florida. We went to Niagara Falls. Wonderful weather!! We really had a blast of a time. We enjoyed the ride on Maid of the Mist and the giant Ferris wheel. To see the falls from the top was really thrilling. The down town was bustling with tourists, it was so alive and colorful. The live bands playing added a bonus entertainment. I particularly enjoyed the Golden Elvis, a guy dressed like Elvis acted like a mechanical dummy. The choreography was so good I couldn't make out the difference initially. Another interesting scene was that of the fudge making,right in front of you,which can be sampled afterwards. All in all it was day full of fun and entertainment, beside the time spent with family and loved ones is always rewarding. PS
John, I was planning to take them to Niagara on the lake but we didn't have much time.
Saturday, June 28, 2008
EURO CUP 2008
EURO CUP 2008
Professor Paul Hambleton
By, Samina Tauhid
June 22, 2008
Soccer, as sweet as Tiramisu
If one wants to see multiculturalism at its best, one should visit my street. Why my street? My street is totally multicultural with Indians, Pakistanis, Chinese, Arabs, Portuguese, Italians, and Polish residents. You name it and we have them; all ethnic Canadians living in perfect harmony. When I say, ‘in perfect harmony’, I really mean it. This harmony is one which is seen through sports played on the street by kids.
These kids play all kinds of games from basketball to ice hockey, from cricket to soccer. The best part of these sports is the participation of kids of all ages and sometimes the involvement of parents in the evenings all of which brings more life to our street.
Street hockey is played in winter and cricket in summer while basketball is an all season favorite.
The kids follow the latest trends too. They follow Stanley Cup, World Cup, and currently, the Euro cup.
I’m always intrigued by these kids as they vary from 9/10 years to 15/16 years of age. They play together as two perfect teams. I remember when we used to play cricket back home as kids, our older brothers or cousins would treat us as ‘extras’ to just field or fetch stuff for them like water or towels. This would really make us angry and frustrated. It’s more rewarding to see these kids play as one unified team and brings back the memories of childhood back that makes me think “when these youngsters can live in perfect unison, why can’t we?”
These children are a perfect role model for a unified Canada
Talking about unity I must give credit to sports of any kind that brings everyone together. We forget our differences and remember one thing which is to ‘have blast of a time.’
As soon as the Euro Cup started, our street turned into a soccer field. Some of the neighbors have flags of different Euro cup playing countries displayed outside their houses and cars.
One of my neighbors, Sergio Demalo, has turned his garage into a sitting room with nice chairs and couches; one of his walls is covered with a giant Portuguese flag and the other wall with an Italian flag, (why an Italian flag? The answer will be provided soon). Underneath the flag is a big screen TV. It’s the best use of the garage I’ve ever seen. You can very well visualize how colorful my street must look with flags of all nations displayed every where.
Since most of the games are in the afternoon or early in the evenings, this gentleman who is a retiree, opens his garage for kids and adults who are back from school or work to watch Euro cup matches with his own family. I wish my schedule allowed for me to take part in more of the harmonious bonding festivities as I have, unfortunately, only been able to watch one game with them.
“I used to play soccer when I was a kid and played it in college team too. It’s in my blood as it is in most of the Europeans,’ Says my neighbor Sergio. “I’m fond of all kinds of sports like hockey and basketball since I’ve been living in Canada for the past 32 years, but soccer is my favorite.” Sergio tells me.
Sergio’s wife is Italian, (the reason for the Italian flag on the other wall) which makes it more interesting. She too is a soccer fan. They both support their respective teams, but aren’t happy when one of them loses. Wilma, Sergio’s wife, was so thrilled to see Italy made it to the quarter finals that she made us Tiramisu the same evening. Oh, how I wish Italy would win the tournament! She has promised Tiramisu on Italy’s victory, “I will make Tiramisu and Portuguese cream rolls if my team wins the Cup.” Wilma makes a pact with us, our street soccer team, and me.
“Please Lord, let Italy win. Amen.” I prayed in my heart. I’ve never tasted a dessert so good in my life.
I’m a big diplomat when it comes to sports other then cricket. I usually support the underdog team, or the team my friends are supporting. For instance, I was totally supporting Portuguese until quarter finals and not just because of Sergio; I have a few other Portuguese friends at work. We showed our solidarity there. Once Portugal was out, I needed some other team to cheer, so why not Italy? At least then I would get to eat my new favorite dessert!
I like the straightforwardness of soccer. Soccer is easy to understand, universally accepted, and less time consuming .Unlike Cricket, soccer is short and sweet, (no relation to Tiramisu). I somehow keep revolving around the sweetness of the game and the dessert we are promised; it must be something to do with my big sweet tooth otherwise, I’ve never behaved like this in my life. It’s easy to give in to temptation, but this kind of temptation, shame on me!
How truly small a place the world really is can very well be experienced here on our street. The Euro Cup is not only followed by the European Canadians, but all of us from different continents of the world. It’s not just the sports bars who telecast the games live, but different vendors in the malls and other regular restaurants are following the trend. It has become a good sign of unity and a way to bring people together. I love to see the enthusiasm in the atmosphere these days in the malls.
Two of my colleagues at work went to Europe to watch one of the initial matches. They were saving for this vacation for a long time and were really thrilled to actually go to Europe during a time of such sports enthusiasm, “I’m totally thrilled and so excited you can’t imagine,” says a bubbly Veronica. Clive was equally excited but not as vocal as Veronica.
They stayed in Vienna, Austria. Vienna is considered the centre of all the Euro 2008 hype. “The host country had a fan zone which is actually a portion of the city blocked off just for the soccer crazed fans from all over Europe which holds nine big screens along a 2 km stretch. Patriotic fans from the participating countries gather at game time with flags, scarves and jerseys to show their support for the respective team.” Tells, an equally flamboyant Clive.
As a matter of fact if you see what Clive and Veronica experienced in Vienna, I experienced the same thrill here in Canada through the sport lovers like Sergio and the kids of my street. The fan zone of Vienna was created here in Sergio’s garage unconsciously.
This mirroring effect of Vienna and Canada is a proof how universal sports are and games like these teach us that we can be unified and share a single culture through a child’s favorite thing to do …play.
Too bad I didn’t get my Tiramisu! Italy is out but I’m still following the tournament on line waiting for any team to win so that I have an excuse to celebrate with sweets.
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