Some years ago when I joined a workout class at a health club, I was surprised to find a good number of middle-aged ladies enrolled in it too. Sure, they were interested in losing a few inches here and there, like everyone else, but they had been instructed by the doctors to exercise in order to manage the post-menopausal effects and disorders, such as joint pains. They are the lucky and enlightened few who realise that many of the physical problems they are going through is due to menopause…
The catastrophic 2019-2020 summer season in Australia is an apocalyptic warning of what climate change can do to other parts of the world. While structures can be rebuilt and fauna regrown, the loss of human and animal life is a tragedy beyond recovery Bush fires in Australia have been going on since September 2019 and there is no end in sight. As of January 8, 2020, 26 people were confirmed dead in the bush fires that burned more than 12 million acres, destroyed 5,900 buildings, with more than 2300 homes…
This koala mum and her joey were among the lucky ones rescued from the bush fires in Australia. (Photo: Darren/Jimboomba Police, via Facebook) A large area of the 1,700-square mile Kangaroo Island — lying southwest of Adelaide, off the mainland of South Australia — is protected as nature reserves that boasted a number of extremely rare and localised fauna and flora in Australia. But this was before bush fires consumed an estimated 600 square miles, or one third, of the island, according to NASA. According to official figures, the fires…
Record-breaking temperatures in 2019 had devastating effects on all regions and all living things. Here is a look at how the weather played havoc the whole year with devastating results. It is alarming that scientists and researchers don’t need to give us proof of climate change being real now — nature has done that, increasingly so in the last decade, particularly last year. In 2019, except for hardcore climate-change deniers such as politicians and business heads, everyone was concerned about the climatic events that affected them and countless others around…
Photo: Stockvault THE realm of liberal arts, particularly humanities and social sciences, is experiencing a comeback of sorts. All universities and institutions of higher education worth their salt are now seeing an increase in enrolment in such disciplines. While the pursuit of vocational and professional degrees is still the main thrust of most students, the non-conformists among them who are more interested in getting an education for life and learning – and not just for getting a job – embrace humanities and social sciences. Even in A and O Levels,…
Karachi during winter is at its best, though winter in Karachi isn’t the best you expect out of winter Winter in Karachi …. Okay, let’s start again. Winter in Karachi … how about Karachi during winter? Hmmmm … this sounds a lot better. Karachi during winter is at its best, though winter in Karachi isn’t the best you expect out of winter. Winter here is actually a short break — two-month-long if we are lucky — from humidity and heat; just about enough to give us some excuse…
All the medicines in the world are in some way derived from herbs and medicinal plants, and these have also been used from the beginning of time, so why not turn directly to natural cures for winter ailments Desperate situations call for desperate measures. And when can one be more desperate than situations when the doctor’s prescriptions have been tried time and again without success. Desperate, one tends to try out a few herbal remedies which mothers and grandmothers are always recommending. And, more often than not, one finds…
All it took was a single sentence by an Aussie and the confidence acquired after my almost lifelong association with English and a Masters degree in it, disappeared into thin air. Never having heard the Australian English accent before, for weeks after my arrival in Sydney, I could not understand most of the conversation taking place. My confusion was taken as a sign of my ignorance of the language. Everyone was patient with me and gave me sympathetic looks, making sure they spoke slowly and repeated themselves. Even after I…
The transition from a single working girl to a married working woman requires a lot of adjustments and an understanding mother-in-law The move over from being a single working girl to a married working woman initially seemed mighty tough. Soon after my engagement, all and sundry started asking me if I would keep on working after getting married, as if a girl only works to kill time before someone hitches her up. I have got to accept that I did wonder about my future hubby and in-laws having a problem…
Many things which make us mad don’t deserve the attention we give them, and the emotional and physical discomfort we put ourselves through on their account. So why think about things that are not in our control and lose sleep over them? Everyone seems to be under some sort of stress these days. And some people are spending more time talking about it, as if it is the latest fashion, than doing anything constructive to ward it off. Most people think that stress can only be taken care of…
Our soft skills are responsible for success in both our professional and personal lives and need to be nurtured from a young age There are some skills that will make students do well in studies and there are some skills that will make them do well in life. Schools and colleges generally focus on having a curriculum that makes students well equipped to land a good job. They nurture skills that are classified as ‘hard skills’, that are testable through exams and which include professional skills such as accountancy, medical…
Sometimes when dreams are about to come true, one is seized by the sudden fear that the reality may not be as beautiful as the dream itself. This was the fear I felt when we were about to arrive in Maldives, for I had been daydreaming of going to these islands for a long time. Looking back, I realise that dreams cannot do justice to a place as breathtaking as Maldives. We arrived early April one morning in Maldives. The plane started descending but as I could only see water,…
How you respond to emerging trends and exploit their potential is key to the success of your organisation.” The business world today is much more uncertain than it ever was before, which is why self-help books and management theorists are all so popular. And one such popular management gurus is Tom Peters, whose first book In Search of Excellence appeared way back in 1982, and is considered one of the best business books of all time. It made him famous and rich, but Tom Peters being Tom Peters, wanted more.…
Deciding which book to read can be really difficult, particularly if you have to choose one or a few from many in a bookshop. Friends are the best guides who tell you which books they enjoyed and which books you should stir clear of. But sometimes you may grow up to discover some real classics that you missed out on. The Puffin Good Reading Guide for Children tells you everything you wanted to know about books for children, but didn’t know whom to ask. The author, Ruskin Bond, himself…
I went to watch Aladdin with rather low expectations, but determined to enjoy the family outing with a number of kids in the group. Surprisingly, both the adults and children enjoyed the movie a lot, and for many reasons. Firstly, this live-action remake of a classic story that’s been around in the animated form offers fans a chance to enjoy it in a different flavour, with real actors adding more life to the action. Secondly, all the computer-generated effects add awesome magic to the action and the 3D takes the…