Hardees gives you Pleasure Beyond Measure!

Hello friends,

I was one of the first one to scream in delight when I found out Hardees was opening up in Lahore. Hardees, in my opinion, does much better burgers than McDonalds, though Burger King is still the "king" of them all. However, given the lack of choices of good quality burgers in Lahore, Hardees was welcomed with open arms and hungry mouths!

While I love the burgers, I wasn't too happy with Hardees advertising campaigns. Maybe it's just me, but I seem to detect a little bit of sexual innuendos in their advertisement. Take their motto- which I haven't seen in any other Hardees over the world-  "Pleasure Beyond Measure." Now that slogan sounds like some catchy, witty slogan for some condom ad. I recently captured another one of their ad for their hand-scooped ice-cream. The motto here is "Its better when you do it with hands." I am pretty sure someone in the ad agency must have thought to have a play on words and to imply double meaning and equate having a Hardees burger to having an orgasm.

Cheers,

Mansour

Getting the UK Visa from Lahore!

Dear friends,

One of the challenges being in Pakistan, and having a Pakistani passport, is to get a visa. I never had any issues getting visas for the UK, USA, Europe and other countries from my previous hometown of Jeddah, KSA and Dubai, UAE. I didn't have any problem getting visas for Thailand and Malaysia as well from here in Lahore, and I don't think I should have any problem of getting my UK visa. Still, a part of me is wondering whether I will really get it or not. Take a case for example: my dad, having been to the UK for the last 30 years, had his visa rejected when he applied from Lahore. The reason they gave him was that he had "too much money" and will go "settle" with his son in London. My dad appealed and they granted him a visa in one week. His visa is valid for 10 years. I also applied for 10 years and if I get that then I will be one very grateful person! 

The process of applying for a visa isn't that hard from here in Lahore. Obviously you need to have your forms filled out as complete as possible and attach the necessary documents. Two key documents are your bank statement (that needs to show you have a regular income and enough money for your trip to the UK) and a letter from your sponsor (be it your relative, sibling, company, university) and finally a photograph taken that fits their 35mm x 45mm criteria, among other specifications. If you are missing any of these three, your application will be rejected right there and then. I saw one too many people in the visa center with wrong pictures, no letters and incomplete forms. 

You will need to make an appointment, and I advise you to avail the Premium Lounge or PL (more on that in next part). Once you get the appointment, show up at least 15 minutes earlier and wait for your turn. Once you are in, you will need to show your original ID card to be admitted further in. Once inside the building, you will be given a token after which you need to pay your fees. Then you will be taken in to the PL. 

The best thing IS the PL facility. By just paying Rs.3000 extra, you get to deal with one of the lovely staff who will go through your application and make sure everything is there. In my case, I had my sponsor letter, sponsor's bank statement, sponsor's bio-data page, my company's letter, salary slip, my sources of income (rental incomes from stocks and apartments) and my bank statement. After submission I had to get my finger prints scanned and another picture taken. I have been told to expect my passport in 15-20 working days, which makes it the last week of June.I have been given a tracking number too which I can use to track my passport online. By the time I came home, I received an email and a text message on my Blackberry that my application form has been sent to the British High Commission.

As I understand my passport and application form will now go to Abu Dhabi for acceptance or rejection. I hope I have some good news by the end of the month. 

To apply for your own UK Visa, check out the UK Border Agency Visa Services homepage. To apply from Lahore, check out the local Pakistan page.

Cheers. 

Mansour

Cement Thrower and Cement Catcher (video)

Hey you all, 

Even though we are in 2011, there are still some ancient construction methods that's fast and cheap and effective. Want to get cement to a higher place: simply pick some cement in a shovel and with all the force throw it to the person who is on the floor above and he will catch it in his bowl. Voila!

More videos to come soon!

Mansour 

Writer's block?

Hey friends,

You will have to bear with me for a while I try to get back into the habit of writing. I don't have that many ideas in my head right now- or let me put it this way: I have loads of things on my mind but I certainly can't put it out there.

I want to write a review for Insidious which we all watched on my birthday and I can't even get down to writing that. I think this is called Writer's Block and I want to over come it.

Mansour

Burning Hot Sun

Hey you all, 

The temperature in Lahore has hit a high of 44 degrees centigrade of late. Today it's 41 degrees centigrade but it feels like 48 degrees centigrade! I don't know how much worse it will get, but certain areas of Pakistan (Haroonabad) has hit 50 degrees centigrade already. I am lucky to be driving to work in an automatic car with a powerful AC that cools me down in an instant. I see others driving on motorcycles and open horse cart and rickshaws and even cars with windows rolled down. It gets so hot at work that productivity level goes down. I wish I would wear shorts and t-shirts to work.

However, what I don't get is how some people can drink hot tea in such hot temperatures. Contrary to popular belief, the people who I know drink hot tea say it actually cools them down. I am sure there must be a very good reason why the Chinese are fond of drinking warm water and tea at all times (and stay slim too!)

Speaking of the hot sun, I am reminded of a good movie I saw called Sunshine directed by Danny Boyle (who directed Slumdog Millionaire). I should re-watch Sunshine.

See you all!

Mansour 

The Most Awesome Birthday Present Ever! :D

Hey friends,

My parents gave me the most awesome birthday present ever- a new set of hearing aids. It's only after 3 to 4 years that I change my hearing aids because one set usually lasts this long. Newer technologies and newer developments have come up with newer models of hearing aids. I've been using Widex for the longest time possible and am shifting over to Oticon, a company based in Denmark. To help me make my mind up, I often visit my favorite hearing aids site Hearing Mojo, set up by a guy who is hard of hearing and set up a very useful website.

This type of hearing is the smallest available and they are called completely in the cana (CIC) as they go well inside the ear canal. The cool features on this particular model is that it has Spatial Sound and Power feature, so I am very excited about this. I shall be getting them this coming Friday. Here is what I am getting: (image from Oticon's website)

Will let you know what the experience is like after I get them on Friday. 

On another note, I am off from work on Saturday and I shall be going to work on my UK Visa application. It's been pending too long. I need to get my bank statement (thankfully I have enough money), get my picture taken and fill in the actual form. 

Cheers for now. 

Mansour 

Happy New Year!

Hello friends,

So I have once again decided to blog my heart out. I have one too many things on my mind right now and I feel like blurting them out here.

I am addicted to Farmville now. I know it's what you all expected me to blurt out, but yes, it's the truth. If there any place out there that can treat people who are addicted to Farmville, do let me know.

And oh, hope you all have a fabulous happy new year!

M

VIP Movement and Closed Shops

Dear friends,

I had written a letter to the editors of all the leading English newspaper in the nation. I am trying to do something about the VIP movement that is a nuisance to the shop we have. We are a small business trying to provide the best bakery products this side of the town, but the VIP makes it difficult as they force us to close down the shops for security purposes. I thought maybe I could start with the letters to the editors and if need be, take it to a higher level and do something about it! Here is my letter in Express Tribune and the other one in Daily Times with the cartoon!

Mansour

Plane Crash in Pakistan...!

They are saying it’s the worst aviation disaster in the history of Pakistan. 152 people have died when the plane crashed into the Margalla Hills. No doubt the entire nation is in mourning and rightfully so. Flags will fly at half mast.

Speculations and conspiracies theories are flying all over the nation as to what really happened. Initial reports claimed the black box has been found which was later refuted. The president of the Pakistan Airlines Association has said that the crash was due to pilot’s fatigue. Others say it was the weather: rainy, foggy and little visibility. My father knew the pilot personally and had just met him a few days ago. He claimed the pilot was one of the best ones Pakistan has ever had.

I however, think about the passengers. No one survived! Those sitting at the window seats must be wondering why they are flying so low alongside the mountains. Those sitting in the middle seats would have no idea what’s really happening outside. A newly-married couple were on their way for their honeymoon. A father was traveling with his three children. Did the pilot make any announcement of any sorts to warn the passengers? Were the passengers aware of what was happening aboard the flight?

This crash reminded me of the movie Final Destination as there were 12 people who had paid for their tickets but decided not to get on the flight at the last minute. Now that’s fate! They must be numb with shock as to how closely they avoided death. I shudder to even think of what the passengers must have been through- the fear, anxiety, tension, sense of helplessness and total confusion.

The rescue operations arrived late at the scene. Instead civil volunteers made it to the crash site in hopes for rescuing any survivors. Those relatives who had come to receive their loved ones were played havoc with. First reports came in that there were 5 survivors. Everyone must have hoped their loved ones were the surviving ones. Then news came in there were 8 survivors. Maybe the relatives’ hopes escalated beyond belief. Then came the cruel news that no one survived. All hopes must have been crushed to the ground.

Accidents happen. Natural disasters strike. People die. But this plane crash is one cruel way to die.

Family Politics...!

Hey there,

One of the downsides of living in a joint family system interacting with the extended family is family politics. You are bound to upset someone, hurt someone, rub someone the wrong way, offend someone and you incur their wrath. People love to talk and gossip and slander and backbite. People thrive on such information. People cannot be happy for others. I've been going through a similar situation where someone is maligning me for no good reason and I am hating every little bit of it. What fun is there spreading lies and gossiping about me? Why do I have to hear from random people asking me if the news is true or not? The worst part is that these very people are in my extended family so I cannot go thrash it out with them because then it will create tension between them and my parents which can lead to nasty brawls!

Someone famously said "today's gossip is tomorrow's headlines!" That's so true and what do I do?

M