Wednesday, November 02, 2005

Special Guest Wednesday

It is my honor this week to offer the following definition by S.A.J. Shirazi:

Development, n. The gradual deviation from what has been tested and has been working fine. It is process through which we wear new face.

About Shirazi: Shirazi is a blogger from Lahore, Pakistan who writes Light Within where he blogs about blogging, conversation, plus some really spectacular travelogs, like this one, which, having read,always have me ready to trade in my stuff and go. Shirazi is a very open and inviting moderator and many of his posts pose a question after which he typically gets out of the way to let his global readership discuss the topics. Light Within is as close as I'll get to watching The View.

Another notable, although less universal blog he writes, Lahore School of Economics, discusses events at the graduate school and would be an excellent resource for their students. A while back, Shirazi wrote about a conference there on Development Economics. As a former Economics student, I appreciate the resource a downloadable friend can be.

S A J Shirazi is a writer, educator, linguist, translator and blogger. His writing on Information Technology, travel, heritage, behavioral sciences, political economy, environment, public relations and management practices appear in Dawn, the News, the Nation, Spider, BootsnAll, CISPacrossCanada and other publications. Shirazi holds an MBA and linguistics (Russian) degrees. He has authored two books (Izhar, Ret Pe Tehreer) and translated Din Mein Charagh by Abbas Khan into Light Within. Pretty august dignitary I brought home to y'all.

Oh, and Eid Mubarak (today or tomorrow) to Shirazi and Marwa and any other Muslim reading this!

How to be a Wednesday Guest: Email me at dpascover at mac dot com. On a future Wednesday, after putting up the current week guest post I'll email you a word to define and request your definition and a graphic representing either you or your definition by the following Saturday. No profanity, please.

25 comments:

Semisweet1 said...

Excellent definition, Shirazi. A bluer example for it would be "the process by which women get bigger boobs."

P.S. Thanks to all the Ambrosians for their wishes well yesterday.

Lila said...

Thanks for introducing us to Shirazi. Great definition. I'll have to check out "Light Within"... sounds interesting. Sounds like a smart guy!

Deb Sistrunk Nelson said...

Dr. Shirazi sounds absolutely fascinating. He does seem to have all the makings of a dignitary. Great profile, Doug.

Sar said...

Wow, what AP3 said.

I think I had something else to add, but after reading Semisweet's definition, I just lost it. (Semi - thanks for the morning laugh!)

Doug The Una said...

Haha, S. Is that how we treat august dignitaries? Shirazi, now you see where the "semi" comes from.

Aral, I think you've actually been there but yes, very smart guy. His imressive bio doesn't do him justice.

Ah! A shill! Welcome, DCS. A friend of Shirazi's is a friend of mine.

Sar, semisweet1 is dangerous that way. Glad you got a laugh though.

TLP said...

Good definition. Obviously he's too smart for me to argue with, so I won't offer my own.

When I hear the word I think of CNN and how they always have a "breaking development" for us. Ugh.

dddragon said...

ah, Semisweet, "development" can also go the other way, eh?

For me, development means more farmland has been turned into cookie-cutter housing.

Anonymous said...

We're duly honored.
That definition reminded me of the passage in C. S. Lewis' THE VOYAGE OF THE DAWN TREADER where Governor Gumpas, who presides over slave trading, asks King Caspian if he has ever heard of progress and development. King Caspian replies, "I have seen them both, in an egg."
(This is not verbatim, as I don't have the energy to hunt down the book wherever my children left it.)

Jamie Dawn said...

Hello Shirazi. Very fine definition.

The word "development" can sometimes be used interchangeably with the word "problem." It makes the problem sound less serious.
Example: There's been a development.

Doug The Una said...

Right, TLP and it's usually "Montenegro- will this chicken cross the road? Find out why celebrities are wondering, after this message."

Triple-D, S may not have seen that yet.

Weirsdo, I love those books. I'm really hoping the films are at least in the ballpark. Great quote, too.

Jamie Dawn, I have to remember to use that at work. "Oh, that report. There's a little development."

AsianSmiles said...

development... when an illusion becomes a delusion.

Anonymous said...

Hi Shirazi
Development: what we call the community in which there is tract housing on the east coast, and which I called jail, and couldn't wait to get out of.

But it's been redeveloped and looks very nice now

Cooper said...

Great definition I just can't compete. I like asiansmiles definition as well.



I've already checked out his site and it seems interesting.

Just in case Doug adds another birthday .... happy birthday to whomever.

Doug The Una said...

Asiansmiles, I love that. Bierce applauds from his anonymous grave.

Pia, that's great too. A for Irony.

Haha, Alice. Aral has one up.

Semisweet1 said...

I'm almost sure my treatment of your venerable stand-in originates from a trait handed down on your side of the family, Uncle D.

Development, n: What places and people other than we are continually undergoing, according to us.

Anonymous said...

Development, n. In the process of being ruined.

Doug The Una said...

S, I'm afraid you may be right.

Actonbell, try the new product. It's good for you.

Andrew, then what's progress?

mireille said...

MWAH *internet kiss*, Doug! xoxo

Doug The Una said...

Mireille, *blush*

a4g, very much up to your high standards.

Unknown said...

its what happens to negatives when they are kept in the dark

Minka said...

Sounds like a very smart guy...but no surprise there. They all congregate over here ;)
development, something that should happen in other countries that do not have our beliefs, customs or politial understanding ;)

Doug The Una said...

Nice and dark, Karma

You're right, Monika. No bird-brains over here.

Deb Sistrunk Nelson said...

I, too, like AsianSmiles' definition.

So I'm "a shill", Doug? Go ahead. Bust me in front of everyone! LOL
Thanks for the welcome. I've been to your site before, but I've been in "stealth" mode until now. :-)

I, too, say that any friend of Shirazi's is a friend of mine.
Great site. I'll visit often.

Doug The Una said...

I'll look forward to that, DCS. No need for camouflage over here, either.

S A J Shirazi said...

After sighting of moon last night, Eid has started here. Thanks for remebering and to sayong Eid Mubarak.