Windows XP Service Pack 3
Release candidate 1 of this service pack is available in a limited distribution. You probably don’t want to mess with it yet. There’s nothing in it so compelling that you need to install a pre-release set of fixes and minor features. It is an important service pack though, because it makes one baseline platform for the most popular version of Windows, bringing them up to date with the latest fixes and some new features
There are two new features added to Windows with SP3: Black hole router detection, in which the networking stack tries to determine if routers are silently discarding packets. Also added is support for NAP (Network Access Protection), which lets network administrators set policies for system configuration and health, for instance by requiring that specific updates be installed before a client be allowed to log on to the network.
It’s about time Microsoft came out with SP3, In my opinion its been long overdue, Now only if SP3 can undo some screw ups that SP2 caused, life would be fine again.
The Call Center Blues
I recently had the pleasure of joining the “Phone Banking” department of a local bank and it’s ben about 4 months or so that I’ve been working there. Before this I never thought I would NEVER work in a call center before this but when the oppurtunity came up I decided to jump up and grab it, and I’m glad I did. It’s not so bad working in a call center, I’ve met all kinds of people, friendly people surprisingly.
Working in a call center is not like a 9 to 5 job, one of the perks are that it rarely happens that one has to stay back and get over loaded with work, Afterall, we are not doing much except giving the Bank a voice and dealing with all kinds of weird cutomers all day long. It has taught me alot, now I can understand the numbers in punjabi aswll, I know how many different kinds of NIC numbers there are, How much free time people in Lahore have and that half of Pakistan has some sort of debt burden or something of the sort.
It definately has taught me alot about managing time and how to pretend to be busy when ur not really doing anythig except idling. I take pride in the fact that I know more about the bank policies and SOP’s than the people in the branches all over Pakistan, I can just call any branch from work and just say “This is Omar, from Head Office” and there’s instant respect on the other end hehehe
Anyways, enough ramblings for now…I will continue when I’m coherrent 
Till I write again…
Oh the Embarrasment!
Like every Pakistani all over the world, I too am very sadened by the state of our cricket team. Once the best in the world are now loosing to West Indies and Ireland. Not to discriminate against them but Pakistan has always been a much stronger team than either of the two and many others. Yet our defeat at the hands of Ireland yesterday was a big blow. It’s sad to see that our team has had PATHETIC performance through out the series.I am going to denouce my faith in the Pakistani Cricket team and find a new team to support since our boy’s have decided that they’re going to suck through out!
Saba & The Jordan MC
CONGRATULATIONS
SABA
AIESEC Karachi members are truly living the Vision created 2 years ago! Saba will be leaving for Jordan in May where she will take up the role of MCVP ER & Finance for the AIESEC in Jordan. This is a huge deal for AIESEC Pakistan because AIESEC Pakistan members on International MC’s was part of the vision along side getting Full Membership Status.
VP ICX-C
After the AGM where I was officially legislated as the new Vice President Incoming Exchange Corporate for AIESEC Karachi.
A few nights before that I had submitted my plans to our Local Committee President Saaim Khan and I was VERY excited to see how the general membership would react to those. The inevitable 10 minutes of Q & A was not dreaded as the ones before during elections because I had gone through longer and tougher Q & A’s. This was a walk in the park after those intense sessions.
I was a proud person standing there knowing that I would have the chance to effect changes in my LC from this day on. It’s a great feeling knowing that you`ll be leading a team of highly developed individuals to achieve great things.
At this point I was thinking that one year is a long time but after the realization hit me that it’s going to be so real I figured that one year isnt going to be a long time. I just hope I can carry forward the EB 06-07 “Evolve, Empower, Excel” legacy.
Whats your “Windows Whine?”
I recently saw a blog post called “What’s your “Linux Whine?” and I thought it was very interesting reading about all the different problems people face and the features they wish they had when they move to a different operating system. Personally for me, such forums are a great place to get answers. Since Merlin Mann asked the Mac lovers about their whines, and Robitaille’s Blogasked the question about Linux, I decided to get it started on Windows.
So what are your window’s whines? Let me start by sharing some of mine
1. The lack of Plug n Play support for my Webcam. Even though the box said it was a Plug n Play cam, Windows XP had a tough time finding the right drivers for it.
2. I don’t like the Windows Genuine Advantage check. It seems like Microsoft doesnt trust the average users to buy their software. Yes It is a security measure in a market that is dominated by piracy but I still don’t like it
3. Internet Explorer 7 is the worst browser I have used. Not only is it a Microsoft product which is Obviously riddled with bugs, it’s been made too complicated.
This isnt really a whine but I just had to say that I love Windows Media Player 11!
Today and Tommoro!
Black Magic? Do humans have the power?
The weirdest day was yesterday when I walked into a small house with broken doors and strange room right in front of me. Walking into that room I found myself sitting with a few strange people who I was told do Black Magic. I never believed in these things and my friends decided to change my mind by taking me to the shadiest place in Karachi.
After a long discussion on what these people do and how they do it I was shocked to see that these men sitting before me looking very normal. They were just like any other person with nothing different about them. They weren’t wearing black robes, they did not have long dirty nails or a crooked nose. Nothing was out of the ordinary in this house but I knew why I was there and I knew what these people were capable off.
People believe that these men control spirits and that they have the power to use these spirits to perform the tasks they give them. It’s scary stuff but I guess it can happen. I’ve heard a lot about black magic being used to control people’s actions etc. etc. I have asked my friends to take me to another man they call Major. Supposedly he can tell me things that I have never told anyone.
Private Eye Augie is on the case! This Mystery will soon be cracked!!!
Stay tuned!
Full Membership party
After 2 years of hard work, dedication and commitment to the organization, AIESEC Pakistan has finally achieved the goal that it set out to achieve a year ago and to celebrate this momentous occasion the MC threw a party on their super sexy Roof!
That night will never be forgotten, from Emad’s speech while standing on a water tank to Rabia and Sharmeen running around giving out “Welcome to the Full Membership Party” cards to the flip chart on the wall where people left their comments. The Jives, the Cakes, the people with cake all over their face.
Nuff said! Check out the pictures 
Karachism
Khurram recently sent out an email that highlighted the key points of how one can detect a Karachite from the rest of the herd. Take the test, See if you have the Karachite spirit in you!
You know you’re from Karachi when…
1. You get shocked when someone stops at a yellow light
2. You never really know what to say when someone asks you what there is to
see in Karachi
3. You give “missed calls”
4. You’ve never really seen a tourist(except AIESECERs)
5. Its December and you attend 5 mehndis/shaadis in one night and end up
meeting the same people at each of them
6. You use the phrases “what’s the scene?” “scene on hai” or “whose she
sceening with?”
7. You still have some of Everest Videos movies and don’t plan to return
them
8. You’ve met a Parsi
9. You’ve given an exam at Regent Plaza
10. You feel you never have to wait in line if you are with “lay-diss”
(ladies)
11. You’ve bought a DVD of a movie that hasn’t even been released yet
12. You actually go “out for coffee”
13. You used to go for tuition’s even though didn’t need them
14. You say that you really like that restaurant/shop and someone says “oh
yea, my family owns that”
15. You categorize people as “burgers” or “meals”
16. You roll down your car window and you can actually touch the car next to
you
17. You go by landmarks not street names
18. Your only argument in the Lahore/Karachi debate is “well we have a
beach”
19. You own either a Suzuki Corolla or a Civic
20. You never realized that North Nazimabad was actually in the North
21. You never have dinner before 1am in shaadi season
22. You’ve always wondered what “khayaban” meant
23. You know the “telefun” number by heart even though you don’t know what
“telefun” is/does
24. You blame everything on K.E.S.C
25. Your school gets closed when it rains
26. You know you are in Karachi when there is two-way traffic on a one-way
road.
27 You are a Karachiite when there is no such thing as over time yet
everyone sits in their office till after 9 pm .
28 You don’t take the police seriously at all.
29 You are afraid to go to a hospital because you might get a disease.
30 You have at least 5 servings of some form of caffeine each day.
31. There is no such thing as lunch.
32 To you wildlife means crows.
33. You think cows live on the streets.
34. Sunday morning starts at 1 pm.
35. You ll go to the coolest place to eat but on your way back will want
paan from the khoka.
36. Winter means the first 15 days of January.
37. A short drive takes 25 minutes to get from A to B.
38. You actually pray for the electricity to come back.
39. Eating at KFC is a life and death gamble.
40. You can smell fish while driving and don’t complain.
41. I’m on Shahrah-e-Faisal is always a valid excuse for arriving late.
42. A road with bumps and manholes still qualifies as a road.
43. Beggars travel in the local bus.
44. You see street lights on during the day and not during the night.
45. You’re a Karachiite when you think public buses kill people everyday.
46. You think people are not cool if they haven’t been robbed at least 3
times in their life.
47. You know you’re in karachi if you can’t go home when the president is in
town.
48. You go to sleep listening to rickshaws and wake up to the sound of one.
49. Your lungs have enough smoke to match a chain smoker.
50. You know your city is a hole but you love it anyways.
I got 47/50 on this one which means that I’m a PURE KARACHITE
