Cars of the Future

Check out the wonderful realm of the future of cars, where the possibilities are endless and anything is possible. From air-powered to battery operated cars, cars have come a long way since their invention in the late 1700's. Inventors then dreamed of a "horseless carriage", a vehicle that could travel under its own power. The cars in 1700 were but mere steam-propelled road vehicles, and were extremely unreliable - they made noise, destroyed roads and even exploded in your face (Ford). Since then cars have made much progress and now we travel in air-conditioned sedans fitted with gadgets and gizmos like car radios, cigarette lighters and such. Cars today are not just a mode of transport, but also a luxury item, one to be ridden in comfort, and style.

Also check out these videos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ssOqBp7YA1k&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eiwtpZAN5Zs&feature=related

Express Tribune Launched

The Express Tribune by the Express Media Group was launched in Karachi, Pakistan on Monday, April 12th 2010. The Express Tribune is the first internationally affiliated newspaper in Pakistan. It is a new English language daily newspaper which covers a variety of topics ranging from politics to the economy, foreign policy to investment and sports to culture. The paper's motto is to deliver news that is both informative and insightful. The Express Tribune is part of the Express Media Group’s other flagship media brands which include, the Daily Express Express News, and Express 24/7, Pakistan’s only 24-hour English language news channel. Reader's from my journalism class critically analysed the paper and appreciated the printed version of the newspaper. In sight, it is quite graceful and elegant. However, the content and cost (Rs. 25 each)showed that it was directed to the upper elite class.

Vandalism or Art?

"An Israeli girl looks at a graffiti artist spray-painting a bomb shelter in the southern Israeli town of Sderot, neighbouring the Gaza Strip. A group of foreign urban artists are in Israel decorating bomb shelters in Sderot, a town frequently targeted by home-made rockets from the neighbouring Gaza Strip."

"Details of graffiti spray-painted on a wall in Kabul. On walls around Afghanistan's scrappy capital, where million-dollar mansions line rutted, unmade roads, anonymous grafitti artists are daubing their disapproving take on the devastating cost of war."

"Pedestrians walk past street art in Hosier Lane that contained a street art stencil by British graffiti artist Bansky in central Melbourne."

"Ultra orthodox Jews look at Spanish graffiti artists working on a large spray painted portrait of the Lubavitcher Rabbi, Menachem Mendel Schneerson, (1902-1994), known for his follower as the “Messiah”, on the outside of a bomb shelter of Chabad Center in the southern Israeli town of Sderot, neighbouring the Gaza Strip."

"A pedestrian stands near street art in Hosier Lane that contained a street art stencil by British graffiti artist Bansky in central Melbourne. An Australian council is rueing a decision to send street cleaners into the Melbourne lane after they painted over a priceless stencil of a rat by the celebrated graffiti artist Banksy."






Photos by AFP and Reuters.

Menacing Mascots

Did you ever look at your team's mascot and wonder who was inside? Or punch a giant Mickey Mouse or Barney in the stomach and run away? Mascot's are meant to be abused and ridiculed. For example, imagine a lion mascot that represents a school's hockey team. They consider the lion a valuable team supporter. The lion is supposed to encourage the team and revive hope when they're down. In a way, it represents their achievements; the respect the lion is given shows the amount of respect the team has gained by triumphing over others. The mascot is the team's pride. In order to damage the team's pride and insult them, enemies resort to beating up the mascot. Mascot's are bullied and pushed around when people are frustrated and need something/someone to deflect their anger at. Therefore, mascots should never be given a discriminating image, because this would turn the semi-harmless abuse and ridicule of a mascot into a hate crime.

However, there are some ignorant teams who do not realize the true consequences of their disrespectful actions. For example, the "Washington Bloodthirsty Savages"

Having an ethnic identity as your team mascot is practically like making fun of them, i.e. racist and discriminating. Should it be acceptable? Should there be a law? Is it justified? Supporters of Native American mascots often say the team names are a sign of respect, but they cannot see beyond their own attachment to these emblems to realize that the names and images demean an entire ethnic group and its culture.

Even a young high school student writes out against offensive, demeaning Native American school mascots:

http://blog.syracuse.com/voices/2009/01/indian_mascot_is_blatant_disre.html

Unless you want this to be the next scenario, say NO to RACISM and degrading mascots!

Men Are Better Than Women

"Feminism is a bunch of bullshit.... Women are racists... Marriage is 100% the fault of women.... Every woman is a cheating whore...Women don’t wear watches; they wear bracelets. Women wearing bracelets is like dropping a bus of retarded kids off in front of a taffy pulling machine. They can just stare for hours and never get bored."

Dick Masterson's book "Men Are Better Than Women" has completely outraged women accross the world. Check out what Dr. Phill has to say about it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0xoKiH8JJM&feature=player_embedded

Moulin Rouge

Moulin Rouge, the musical directed by Shah Sharabeel, has finally come to Karachi. The play opened on April 22nd and will go on till May 9th at the Arts Council. A total of 35 actors, a crew of 15 back stage artists, and Centre Stage Productions put up a phenomenal show with the help of Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture and Warid Telecom. The musical tragedy is set in the bohemian underworld of paris. The plot is about a young poet named Christian who wants to write about truth, beauty, freedom and love, but falls in love with the French courtesan Satine.

To Karachi With Love by D.U.C.K

The photography exhibition at the second floor started from the 1st week of March and continued till 17th March. This exhibition, titled “To Karachi With Love” was organized by D.U.C.K (Designers United for a Cause Karachi) and ReBuild-ReBound. These non-profit Organizations, initiated by Indus Valley Alumni, brought together designers, photographers, sculptors and visual artists to exhibit their work, create awareness and raise funds for humanitarian causes. To Karachi With Love was one of a series of events aimed to raise awareness about the loss of lives and destruction that followed the suicide blast on Ashura at Bolton Market in Karachi. All funds collected will go to the rebuilding of the market and surrounding area. All of the proceeds will go towards renowned architect, Shahid Abdullah’s efforts to reconstruct the affected area and to the shopkeepers who suffered a loss of Rs. 30-40 billion in total. Their lives have been put on hold and may never be the same again, but the purpose of this exhibition was to help bring about change; to reassure Karachi that the youth still has hope and will fight terrorists with love.