Masked Are Us All Humans Today

Masked are us all humans today !

Equipped with our true arsenal 

Always played in disguise..

Masks our very own play cards .. 

Masks that we carefully wore..

For specific times, 

For specific people, 

For specific purpose..

Us Humans!!

We always adored masks..

Worried what would come..

If we showed our true faces..

Played, played well us humans ..

Mastered hypocrisy..

Didn’t care if neighbours die in poverty..

Made sure our cauldrons are filled to the brim..

What if people around die, die along with all their Kin..

Bizarre fashions..

Did all we could to what God blessed us..

Humiliated bodies..

Queer clothes..

Stocked shoes

Played with food

Suffocated the very nature ..

That nurtured us .. 

from the wombs to healing the wounds..

We didn’t care and played in disguise..

Tarnished our very original beings in greed..

Mastered the art of Mask !!

Until a tiny..

Invisible yet invincible Virus..!

Taught us what centuries lacked  ..

Caught us when armies couldn’t ..

Squeezed us, Gathered us all around the hearth.

Showed each other and to every being on earth..

Masked are us All Humans today !!

So was our choice, So be the norm..

Masked are us all Humans Today !!!

THE EXPERIENCES UNFOLDED WITH TIME REMIND, RATHER ALARM US TO UNDERSTAND THE CRUX OF LIFE"

In Model Town Park here in Lahore after taking a 2 km run and exercising for almost 20 minutes I am sitting by an elderly man tall & slim dressed in blue Tee and formal pants with black joggers tied up, smoking puffs of cigarettes. I tried to drag one of the blue chairs apart to maintain distance but he offered me to sit beside. Soon after I have sat, a man probably a friend of this old guy of same age and physique came and joined the company.

Looking at these old men calm and quiet peering deep into the sky I fathom a realistic lesson of Life. Probably these men are if not at the end definitely nearing the finish line of life which I don't know if they deem a race but we the youth of this age do and compete putting every joy and blessing that we can relish behind, knowing not what the real fruit of life is.

Taking this petty Android screen out of my pocket which most of us can't resist avoiding for more than 5 minutes, I fly from Korea to China, Canada to UK through most of the states of of-course US which how come a modern man of my age can miss any news about. And then through Europe, Australia,Turkey and Dubai, I reach back to my profile with a fantastic swipe up my proud screen of information and awareness. I come to know about whether the man behind mass shooting in Vegas is Killed or not, whether Trump has taken some actions to revisit the gun laws or how ferocious Sanders is with his wit against Trump in a part of world which is thousands of miles away from where my friends, my family, my work, my country and my people are.

I see my friend taking his masters class in South Korea, another eating burgers in Canada and one having coffee at Starbucks in US or if you ask I can tell you that a senior of mine had great workout in a famous Gym in UK and other was feeling out of the world with his best company of friends in Switzerland.

Well well the point is I am still here, here around my own people whom I not sometimes but often miss to care about. Here I am around and among the company of my own friends having same culture, language and customs but still I don't talk to them. I don't sit with them.These elderly men around me this time are not chained to these petty screens. They are discussing weather, looking at each other asking about health and enjoying puffs which they even share and believe me they are practically laughing on jokes that they share. Not showing each other on their cell phones memes, funny tweets or intelligently carved joke lines on a famous FB Fun Page. No, they don't have time peeking into virtual world that doesn't exist in their company which has a physical existence right here.

It has turned dark and the lights around in the park have started glowing up so are the thoughts in my mind but my body exhausted and down like the day which just lost itself to the dusk.
My mind cannot despise these experiences around. My eyes can't turn blind at these lively sittings and my ears deaf to the sincere chatters these elderly men share.
These experiences remind, rather alarm us to realize the crux of Life.

We today, badly need to instantly get aside of this meaningless race and quest the real goals of life and relish the blessings in form of Health, Family and Friends.
Race and competition is something that no doubt keeps you going but it deviates you from realizing what wealth you possess and throws you into obsession, comparison and ultimately discontent that is why most people of this so called modern era have fallen prey to stress and psychological complexes.
Enough said, now time to act. So closing this petty screen down going to enjoy the greenery around, praise the beautiful nature though its dark and try to talk to a friend who is around and cares and practically take measures to bring about goodness among my company and in the society where I not virtually but Physically exist.

Ending with this Quote of Paulo Coelho:
"The most important thing in all human relationships is conversation, but people don’t talk anymore, they don’t sit down to talk and listen. They go to the theater, the cinema, watch television, listen to the radio, read books, but they almost never talk. If we want to change the world, we have to go back to a time when warriors would gather around a fire and tell stories."

By:
Shahid Amin

( Model Town Central Park, October 6th 2017, Lahore)

The Scary Face of Rain..

Rain is usually a blessing as it brings to us the basic and most important element of life, water. Mostly in hot regions or especially in summers it is considered soothing with cold breeze and drizzle..

But this blessing if continues for a longer time with high intensity turns into a calamity creating pretty precarious situations.

Heavy rain is a major cause of road accidents:

When downpour continues immensely for a longer time, it accumulates on unpaved roads creating muck and mess. On paved roads e-g Roads and highways, high intensity rain hinders smooth drive affecting the sight distance. There is a greater chance of skidding of vehicles on rain slick roads which result in loss of life in form of accidents.

Floods and Erosion a worst case scenario:

When precipitation accumulates on land for longer time, it causes floods and erosion of soil. In cities and other populated areas, where no proper drainage facilities are available, heavy rains storm roads and even residential colonies. Most of the time we witness people losing everything they have.

On hilly terrains, continuous rainfall makes the soil too loose. The sloping areas with less vegetation can no more stay intact ultimately sliding down in form of erosion. This situation is worst as it results in loss of life, property and vegetation.

Look around for live electrical wires !!

Most of the time people are oblivious of this very critical point to ponder. When you are in a situation where heavy rain has surrounded everything around you, you must look for electrical wires around. In such situations when everything around you is wet, you are very likely to be hit by an electrical jolt, which in worst cases can be fetal. So keep away from electrical poles and wires during rainfall.

Children… An easy prey to heavy rain:

Most of the people do not look for where their children are during heavy rainfall. One must understand that heavy rains flood the streets where mostly children keep busy playing. Children can no more sustain the fast and high impact of water and in worst cases be carried away. So one should not only take care of family but also keep an eye on others as well.

Your life is more important than your work:

In a situation where you get up early in the morning, witnessing heavy downpour out in your backyard, you got to think seriously if it is okay to go for office? When there is heavy rain outside, you should take all precautionary measures before deciding to get out of your doorstep. If you have a bike, you should have a proper waterproof outfit. You should have an umbrella which is petty yet a fruitful gadget that can save your important things such as your cell phones and other documents.

Heavy rainfall is detrimental to buildings:(Old and under construction)

Heavy rainfall has a very adverse impact on buildings under construction. The continued downpour affects the foundation of structures which is the key to stability. When water accumulates in the surrounding of the buildings, it results in seepage. Seepage is devastating to foundation of building ultimately causing failure and catastrophe.

On the other hand old buildings which do not undergo proper rehabilitation in regular intervals are an easy prey to heavy rainfall. Most of the old buildings and residential areas are reported to have caved in during heavy rains.

Keeping in view the above factors one must understand that where rain brings relief during hot summers it can equally throw you into life threatening situations.

Therefore one must take all precautions .

PAVEMENT( Road and Highway)

What is a Pavement?

It is a structure or a set of layers which serves as a medium for smooth passage of traffic ( light or heavy) by distributing the load to the ground .

Types of Pavement:

There are two types of pavements in general

1-      Flexible Pavements

2-      Rigid Pavement

Flexible Pavement:

·         It is the pavement which consists of certain layers e-g

·         Wearing course which is the top layer

·         Base course which is below the wearing course generally consists of aggregates.

·         Sub Base course which comes below the base course.. usually not needed

·         Subgrade which is the lowest part of the pavement is generally the natural ground compacted.

Types of flexible Pavements:

Flexible pavements are further of three types according to the aggregates used

1-      Densely graded

2-      Uniformly graded

3-      Gap graded

According to depth they are further of three types:

1-      Partial depth

2-      Full depth

3-      Other (CRAM)

Rigid Pavements:

In this type of pavement the load is transferred to ground by the beam action of a concrete slab PCC or RCC. It consists of following layers:

·         Wearing course which is the topmost layer consisting of bitumen and asphalt

·         Below the wearing course concrete slab is provided with is 6” to 12” according to traffic.

·         Base/Sub base course too is optional( usually of aggregate)

·         Sub grade which is compacted natural ground

Types of Rigid Pavements:

There are two main types of rigid pavements

1-      Continuously reinforced concrete pavements(CRCP)

2-      Jointed  plain concrete pavements(JPCP)

Continuously reinforced concrete pavement consists of a continuous reinforced bar passing throughout the slab.

Jointed plain concrete pavement consists of longitudinal and transverse joints which are held together by dowels and tie bars.

Flexible and Rigid Pavement comparison

Flexible pavements:

•          They have Deep foundations / multi layer construction

•          Energy is consumed  due to transportation of materials

•          Increasing cost of asphalt due to high oil prices

Rigid pavements

•          Generally have Single layer

•          Generally last for longer time

Failure types:

Following are the failures types in the rigid and flexible pavements

Flexible Pavement:

·         Fatigue cracking

·         Rutting

·         Thermal Cracking

Rigid Pavements:

·         Fatigue cracking

·         Pumping or erosion

·         Faulting

·         Spalling

·        Erosion

Safety is an important Consideration:

s

Wish Time Had been a Circle……

      

Soaring high with you in my dreams…

Emotions overflow, domains no more green…

Mind shackled in moments of past..

Heart smitten…why so much had they a cost??

Wish time had been a circle…

Wish moments had soon a rehearsal..

        Then I would've been a stubborn audience..

With my heart longing return of a past circle…

With eyes gazing each one in that rehearsal…

As if, looking for you was life’s part and parcel…

 How a dolt had I been to the rest…..but……

Finding  you was like life at its best………………..

 The moment I had a glimpse of yours…..

My pounding heart had a halt for a while….

Then feelings hailed like rain in a desert….

Telling me, this is how love maneuvers……..

           Fortunes of desperate suitors……

           Goals of dying movers ………..

FLOWERS IN THE WILD

          

"Born in the wild bred in a rich mire

Flowers have a perfume, all that we admire

Scared the poor, blown the children, elders crying a sigh

My country is doomed with terror, and set ablaze in a fire

Soldiers of my motherland our hearts go out for you

Go crumple those barbarians, kill all of them we desire

Faded the faces turn, no more the candles burn

Visit a martyr's house, bet you find any face with a smile

A caring  brother, a loving spouse.. A only son, a cousin just twenty one

Leaves the loved ones lifeless, a soul when departs in a gunfire

Flowers in the wild, colorful and elegant, with fragrance not that mild

Envious me as always, over fortune of the ones, who die but never expire"

These words are dedicated to the Martyrs, the Men and Women who died, fighting with bravado and courage to protect their Nations be it any country around the Globe.

In these critical circumstances around the world, where terrorism, brutal killings, hatred, religious and sectarian violence, honor killing, collateral damage, target killing, bomb blasts in short trauma of every sort has rooted in, these words are a preamble of privilege for the departed souls who sacrificed everything for us, for a better world.

Coffee is a Blessing !! (The Science proving its Fruitful Impacts on Human Health)

Coffee…As we all know but so far we have not been able to peep into its real benefits…

Well a cup of coffee is actually a blessing with its multifarious aspects which are of quite important for human health. Health is the key.

Coffee is widely used by people around the world, in fact a number of addicts are there who won’t just let their day go without a cup rather cups of coffee.

Coffee is Good for keeping us Alert

The presence of caffeine instills alertness in people who drink coffee. Researchers in the US Army Research Institute for Environmental Medicine have come to know “positive effects of caffeine on tasks requiring speeded responses and continuous vigilance”

So here we go alert with a cup of coffee.

Coffee, A Source Of Antioxidants:

Researchers from University of Scranton after their test on a a number of people have come to know that coffee is a great source of antioxidants. This is really the best thing about this drink as antioxidants are our strength against numerous diseases. With a wealth of antioxidants in body, one can lead a healthy life.

Aroma of Coffee can relieve you from stress and sleeplessness:

A study with tests made of rats has reveled that the fragrance of coffee is quite a triggering agent to instill brain in developing proteins which have “healthful antioxidant properties known to protect nerve cells from stress-related damage”.

It could help fight Cancer

Various researches have shown that intake of coffee is a source to fight cancer. As mentioned earlier about coffee producing antioxidants in body supports this notion being true to greater extent.

The cancer includes uterine cancer, skin cancer, liver cancer and colon cancer. Those who are prone to cancer, increase your coffee intake guys!

  

You are suffering from Memory Loss? Coffee will help you

Scientists at the University of South Florida and Miami have found that consumption of coffee in elderly people can help them recover their memory loss issue ultimately saving them from becoming a patient of Alzheimer’s.

Coffee can help Athletes Perform Best

Coffee has caffeine which increases the fatty acid amount in the bloodstream. Consumption of coffee before exercise or games can help burn the fatty acids in bloodstream first allowing the carbohydrate storage in your body stay in reserve for you. You will be surprised to know Tennis giant Serena Williams accredited her first victory of 2015 to “the really good cup of coffee” that she drank during the break time of the game.

Consumption of Coffee can reduce risk of Type 2 Diabetes

Researchers in China have found that those who drink 4 cups of coffee a day can have the benefit in a reduced risk of falling prey to Type 2 diabetes. The researchers believe that the two components in coffee hinder “misfolding” process of amylin which is the probable cause of the problem.

How much coffee intake there should be?

Professor Joe Vinson from the University of Scranton after studying the fruitful aspects of coffee suggests a moderate consumption. To him, one to two cups a day is beneficial. According to general intake, 400 mg of caffeine is fine with a normal person. This logic also allows one take three to four cups of coffee a day.

So, enjoy your day with a fruitful cup of coffee that is no less than a blessing!