3 Tools to Measure Social Media Engagement & Referrers on Your Blog

While it is great to add social media sharing buttons and toolbars to your blog or website, it is even better to know how they are actually helping with your social engagement. The following free tools will help you learn just how well your site is doing on the social engagement front. 1. Topsy AnalyticsIf you want to see information about how many tweets your site is getting, you can start with Topsy Analytics. Simply enter your site:yourdomain.com to see the tweets for your site for the past day, week, two weeks, or month. Beneath the graph, you can also see the top links in the past 24 hours at a glance with the number of tweets each. Use this tool to see your own site’s activity, or enter two other competitors to see how...

Read more »

Occupy Your Rights: OWS: Occupy Buffalo Eviction

On February 2, 2012, OccupyBuffalo was forcefully evicted from Niagara Square in Buffalo, New York after peacefully occupying without a single infraction since October of 2011.This eviction was a result of a disagreement between OccupyBuffalo and the City of Buffalo. Originally, the City offered to extend a prior approved joint agreement from 2011 to occupy until March 8th, 2011. OccupyBuffalo wanted the agreement to run until the end of the March in order to find another location and to serve the needs of the community. Occupiers had until Wednesday [Feb 2] night as a deadline to leave, after 4 months of peaceful occupation. The occupation wished to further discuss this with the city. OccupyBuffalo denied the sudden and unexplained...

Read more »

We have failed you Sir Abdus Salam

Yesterday marked the 85th Birthday of Dr.Abdus Salam, theoretical physicist and the only Pakistani Nobel Laureate. He is not our national hero, his name is rarely ever mentioned, in his life the only befitting ‘honour’ we could provide him was a life in self exile, in his death however we went a step ahead by blanking out the term ‘Muslim’ from his epitaph. A member of the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission, a member of the Scientific Commission of Pakistan and the Chief Scientific Adviser to the President, Salam was one of the most prolific researchers in theoretical elementary particle physics. No minister or high government official attended his funeral. He was an Ahmadi. Happy Birthday Salam Sahab, we have failed you. Over...

Read more »

An imaginative angle to Pakistan’s English white wash

Once upon a time Pakistan cricket ruled the world. In eighties and early nineties they challenged the very best. After an agonizing period of underachievement in best part of late nineties came the worst phase when they became pariahs of the cricketing world. But then fortune changed as success started to smile upon them again. Pakistan, often, can do what others only dream of – in both success as well as failures. A whole decade from 1999 to 2010 was marred by controversies, shocking defeats and underachievement. The young generation will remember that era like ‘once upon a time we were so rubbish’, but a true fan or a chronic follower of Pakistan cricket will only give it a passing reference though in a sad and touching...

Read more »

Humsafar terrible appeal

Ashar stares at his love interest with desire that would give school girl goose bumps. PHOTO: PUBLICITY The appeal of Humsafar is obvious. You could cut through the weird chemistry between Khirad and Ashar, the hero authors of romance novels would be envious of. Eye candy, nakedly sexual, he stares arduously at his love interest with desire that would give the Grammarian and the Aisha Bawany schoolgirl goose bumps. He is clean cut. He smiles infrequently and when he does, it seems as if it were a gift. Physical contact is at a minimum. Sex is implied, and there is a chastity reminiscent of...

Read more »

Foreign policy of Pakistan is too narrowly focused

One thing that bothers me about how Pakistan conducts its foreign policy is how narrowly it is focused on a few states. The four horsemen of Pakistan’s foreign policy are: the U.S., China, Saudi Arabia, and India. These states take an overwhelming and disproportionate level of our government’s interest, time, money, effort. Almost everything we do is run through the prism of relations with one or more of these states. Now, it’s trivially true that some partners and/or rivals will be more important than others, depending on history, geography, the distribution of power, and so on. This much is true for all countries. What’s unique, or at least noteworthy, about the situation in Pakistan is the near-absence of other areas and regions...

Read more »

Army chief accountable for drone attacks: Dr AQ Khan

ISLAMABAD - Renowned nuclear scientist Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan on Wednesday said that the army chief was answerable for the US drone attacks inside Pakistan because he has taken an oath for safeguarding the borders of the country. "If India attacks Pakistan then will the army chief retaliate or wait for the permission of the rulers," Dr AQ Khan questioned. Talking to media persons here, he said Pakistani rulers are virtually the slaves of the US, adding that Pakistan People's Party (PPP) while voting against Syria in the United Nation Security Council (UNSC) even did not consult China. DR. AQ Khan lamented that the PPP has forgotten that Basharul Assad's father was the only person who supported Bhutto when the entire world left him...

Read more »

Pakistan signs pact with Google to promote tourist sites

Under the agreement, Google Inc will promote historical and tourist sites on the internet, particularly Google Maps, to promote worldwide awareness about Punjab Province's heritage. Pakistani authorities and Google have signed an agreement to use Google Maps to promote historical and tourist sites across the country's most populous province of Punjab. The Punjab provincial government and Google Inc yesterday signed a memorandum of understanding for cooperation in  information technology at the Arfa Karim Software Technology Park in Lahore. Under the agreement, Google Inc will promote historical and tourist sites on the internet, particularly Google Maps, to promote worldwide awareness about Punjab's heritage. Punjab Tourism...

Read more »

Maldives ex-leader 'a coup victim'

New Maldives president Mohammed Waheed Hassan denies he was behind a plot to oust his predecessor Mohamed Nasheed   Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed has said was forced from office in a coup and demanded that his successor immediately resign.Mr Nasheed was greeted by roaring applause as he spoke to about 2,000 members of his party in the capital, Male, a day after he resigned when police joined widening street protests against his government. He was replaced by his former vice president, Mohammed Waheed Hassan, who denied claims there was a plot to oust Mr Nasheed and called for the creation of a national unity government. The Maldivian Democratic Party reaffirmed...

Read more »

EU set to adopt new sanctions against Syria

BRUSSELS — A senior EU official say the bloc will soon impose harsher sanctions against Syria as it seeks to weaken the regime and end President Bashar Assad's crackdown against political opponents. Pro-Syrian regime supporters wave Syrian and Russian flags as they cheer a convoy believed to be transporting Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Damascus, Syria, Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2012. Thousands of Syrians waving Russian flags cheered Russia's foreign minister as he arrived in Damascus Tuesday for talks with embattled President Bashar Assad on the country's escalating violence. (AP Photo/Muzaffar Salman) Pro-Syrian regime protesters hold a banner in Arabic that reads, "Thanks Russia," as they cheer a convoy believed...

Read more »

Nawaz Sharif says No consensus on 20th amendment without independent EC

Chief of his own faction Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Muhammad Nawaz Sharif has categorically said that the government could not evolved consensus on 20th amendment unless it meets his party’s demand of independent election commission. He was talking to media in Bahawalpur on Wednesday. While replying to a query, former prime minister said that he supported formation of Bahawalpur province as it had nothing to do with ethnicity. When asked to comment on Prime Minister Gilani's remarks that Bahawalpur province was not viable, Nawaz said Gilani could not stick to his remarks. He said that general election should be held as earlier as it could be because it was in the interest...

Read more »

Pakistan talks with Nato, Afghan forces

This is the first meeting between the three forces after the deadly US airstrikes on a Salala checkpost that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers on Nov 26 last year.—File Photo RAWALPINDI: Representatives of the Pakistan Army held a meeting with the Nato-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and the Afghan National Army at a border coordination centre in Torkham on Wednesday, DawnNews reported. The Pakistan Army was represented by Director General Military Operations Major General Ishfaq Nadeem Ahmed. According to a statement by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the meeting was held in an effort to improve coordination between the three forces. “The meeting is part of a tripartite engagement to discuss and improve...

Read more »

7,000 kg whale shark docks in Karachi Fish Harbour

In what is believed to be one of the biggest catch in the high seas, Pakistani fishermen have caught a giant whale shark - about 36 foot long and weighing over 7,000 kg. The fishermen bought the giant fish to the Karachi Fish Harbour and claimed to have found it dead in the open sea. Though some experts believed that the shark might have been killed after it got entangled in a net, The Dawn daily reported. Pic/AFP The whale shark was taken out of the channel with the help of two cranes amid rapturous applause by hundreds of onlookers. "I have bought the fish, which usually has no significant commercial value, with the help of my friends just to appreciate the efforts of the fishermen who deserve some reward after spending...

Read more »

Andy Murray praises instant impact of new coach Ivan Lendl

 Andy Murray believes new coach Ivan Lendl has improved his game already. The British number one appointed Lendl, the winner of eight Grand Slam titles, in December. Murray reached the semi-finals of the Australian Open before losing a five-set thriller to Novak Djokovic, but says Lendl has made a difference. "I spent five days with him before the Australian Open and I feel like I improved just in those days," Murray told the BBC. "I'll go and spend a lot more time with him and work harder, and that's really all that you can do." World number four Murray has 22 ATP titles to his name but has yet to win a Grand Slam after losing three finals. Ivan Lendl factfile Born March, 1960 in Ostrava, Czech...

Read more »

Graeme Swann rubbishes Andy Flower's claim England lost to Pakistan due to taking too long a winter break

Graeme Swann refuses to accept England coach Andy Flower's claim that the whitewash defeat to Pakistan was in large part due to the fact the side arrived in the UAE underprepared after taking an extended two month winter break. In a spin: Graeme Swann says England's failure against spin rather than complacency or being underprepared cost England against Pakistan  Photo: ACTION IMA...

Read more »

Two Indian ministers resign after being caught watching porn in assembly

Bangalore: Two Karnataka ministers, an Indian state, had to resign after being caught watching porn videos during assembly session, India media reported on Wednesday.According to reports, television cameras caught two BJP ministers — Lakshman Savadi and CC Patil —watching pornography on their cellphones.Reports said Savadi holds the cooperation portfolio while Patil is women and child development minister.The ministers were caught in the act even as the House was in the middle of a heated debate, sparking country-wide furor...

Read more »