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Printed from https://writing.com/main/profile/reviews/drtaher
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1,433 Public Reviews Given
1,719 Total Reviews Given
Public Reviews
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Rated: E | (3.0)
Dear Rima,

Nice account. There is a good grasp of the actual science behind the story, and I liked that this was told from the POV of Venus. There is a liberal use of literary license, e.g. Earth did not name the land masses continents, man did. However, that is okay. I did find a few mistakes and can send you a word by word edit if you should so desire.

Keep writing!

Taher


*Gold* My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!" Open in new Window..
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Review of Writing.Com 101  Open in new Window.
In affiliation with WdC SuperPower Reviewers Group  Open in new Window.
Rated: E | (5.0)
Dear Storymistress,

Your instructions were up to the mark, and I was able to set up my offsite email from my Android Phone without any trouble. I appreciate the trouble you and your team have taken to enable this very useful feature. Thank you very much.

Dr. Taher
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Review of Death Wink  Open in new Window.
Rated: 13+ | (3.5)
Dear Kotaro Author Icon

Thank you for sharing a well-written and unusual story with us. I am a complete stranger when it comes to Japan, and your story, with its visible underbelly, showed me a face of Japan I would not really care to see if I visited the country as a peace-loving law-abiding tourist!

The particulars of the game that your item shared with us were a first-time for me, so I really enjoyed reading them. The beginning and the body of the item were strong and compelled us to read further. In contrast, the end was a little timid and more of an epilogue rather than a shocker. Perhaps you might want to trim the ending and leave the readers to guess what happened to the survivors. Just my suggestion.

Dr. Taher
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Review of Is It Worth It?  Open in new Window.
In affiliation with  Open in new Window.
Rated: ASR | (3.5)
Dear BIG BAD WOLF is Merry Author Icon,

You made me cry! What a lovely ode to parenthood. I could not detect any major interruptions of flow, mistakes of syntax, or any other errors. The poem read more like a movie, it took me down a journey of over 40 years ... wonderful.

Be blessed. Yes, it is worth every bit. Write on!

Dr. Taher
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Review of Whistle  Open in new Window.
Rated: 18+ | (3.5)
Dear {suser;hope75},

Thank you for sharing this eerie story with us. Although there was no direct dialogue or interesting punctuations, the flow of the story was maintained well and you did a good job of it by describing the events in a very logical sequence. The fate of the two main protagonists of the story was lamentable, but that is exactly what a reader like me would appreciate.

There were a few errors here and there .... and if you wish, i can point them out to you in a subsequent mail.

Taher
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In affiliation with  Open in new Window.
Rated: 13+ | (4.5)
Dear SWPoet Author Icon

What a moving essay. Rising from the ashes like a Phoenix really rounded off a well-written reprise on parenting a child as well as managing a nation. The ruse of metaphor worked well here, and I enjoyed your periodic jumps from simple parenting of a child to parenting, guiding and managing a nation with some semblance of control, albeit not too restrictive.

Thanks for sharing this with us. On behalf of "Team India" Open in new Window., my best wishes for a win in Round 1 of PWW.

Taher
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In affiliation with  Open in new Window.
Rated: 13+ | (4.5)
Dear SWPoet Author Icon,

Hi. I am Taher, and it is a pleasure to return to your port after a long long time. Being a member of "Team India" Open in new Window. for PWW, I was curious to see what your team had churned out, and when I finished reading this poem, I realised that our team's poem is indeed up against stiff competition from yours. A poet emerges, pencil poised like a weapon from the darkness and hiding ... wow. What a strong image!

Wish you all the best in the Round.

Dr. Taher
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In affiliation with  Open in new Window.
Rated: E | (4.0)
Dear Doctor,

Thank you for referring us to your article. I think I may have read it in its earlier avatar, but might not have rated it at that time. The February 2012 update, in my humble opinion, adds nothing more to the article than what is already stated earlier by you.

This article will not be taken seriously by readers (read patriotic American citizens) because they will, as is usual for them, continue to bury their heads in the sand and dream of how great their nation is. To make impact, you will have to provide genuine references rather than base it on "this is what I learned from my economist friends" type of reference. Why not do more indepth research and come up with references to support more of what you have stated (I do acknowledge that you have provided some references, but these are not enough). Try and avoid Wiki references, American references will be best, as the citizens of USA will believe only their own experts.

I think you need to explain why India and China are still doing all right in spite of the crisis in the US and Europe. You have mentioned this in passing when you said that they are the beneficiaries of the demands for goods and services ... but I think that, to a large extent, this may be, at least in the case of India, also due to more prudent savings-based policies of Reserve Bank of India and a more strict personal code of financial conduct that Indian citizens still possess ... although the mall culture is threatening to overwhelm the large Indian middle class and putting them in danger of a crisis too.

To sum up: a great aticle, Needs more references to lend credibility. Needs further material to explain why Asian countries have escaped going down with the WCW.

Thank you for sharing this point of view with us.

-drtaher
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Review of Doing My Part  Open in new Window.
In affiliation with  Open in new Window.
Rated: ASR | (4.0)
Dear Kenzie Author Icon

Hello from an old friend who has been truant from the site for nearly a year. It was a pleasure to visit your port through the "Random Read" button.

Your item is over 9 years old, but its relevance to environment is fresh even today. However, and I say this with knowledge, most of today's newspapers are made from recycled paper and not as many trees are cut down for them as, say, what used to be the case a decade ago. Perhaps you would have grasped this fact as well. I do not know if you continue to not buy newspapers even today. If you don't, I appreciate your resolve and tenacity. If you do (buy them, that is), I do not think it matters for the reason I shared with you above.

I liked your telling of your parental history in respect of them purchasing and perusing the papers every single day, and how you went about a detailed reading and how you used the information to score brownie points with your girl friends in those days. It was extremely enjoyable to read that.

Thank you for allowing us to read and review your work.

-drtaher

My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Go Noticed" Open in new Window..
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In affiliation with  Open in new Window.
Rated: 13+ | (5.0)
Hello, katwoman45 Author Icon,

I am really overwhelmed to read this immensely wonderful poem. You have a felicity to tell simple things in a very nice way. Euphemism, metaphor, alliteration, simile, you have used such lovely language that I could not but use these superlative phrases for you.

Anything to criticise? None.

The verse that expands on her past experiences (There had been other sacrifices ... hear) was my favourite one as it told of miseries indescribable and yet told much more than it did in those 25 odd words.

Write On!

-drtaher

My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Go Noticed" Open in new Window..
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Review of A Fresh Start  Open in new Window.
In affiliation with  Open in new Window.
Rated: E | (5.0)
Dear

Hi! I am Taher and I came to your item through The "Reviews" page. Did you actually send this poem to your wife? And what was the result, if I may be so bold as to ask? As this is a personal poem, I have decided not to even look for errors of grammar, rhyming or syntax. Your heart it is that is speaking to your beloved, and so be it. This is also the reason I am rating it with FIVE *Star* !

Title, rating, genres and brief description: Perfect!

Contents of this item:

This is a sincere heart-felt poem and says what it has to say in beautifully designed lines. Most of the lines rhyme well too, and give a sense of clean, unadulterated, old-fashioned romance mingled with common sense and a feeling of maturity that belies the years.

Beginning and Ending lines:

They are really super, and I don't think anyone can improve these!

Flow and rhythm:

Very nice flow, and the idea that the poet is willing to let bygones be bygones, as well as willing to swear that he will not pursue past mistakes nor awaken ghosts of past problems, is fantastic.

Format, spacing, indenting, etc.: and
Grammar and composition:


All nicely done.


What things I liked:

Most importantly, the fact that you don't mind publicly writing about such a personal topic. And the fact that there is nothing here but honesty and loyalty from a soldier to his wife.

What things I did not like:

Nothing.

Suggestions on improvement:

None whatsoever. Keep up the good work. Thank you for sharing this with us!

This one will be appended to my reviews
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Review of EARTH VOYAGE  Open in new Window.
In affiliation with  Open in new Window.
Rated: ASR | (4.0)
Dear Dean,

Amazing imagery is what my first impression was on reading the poem. Somehow, though, it is a very pessimistic view of things. Humans who have almost brought the earth on its knees are too intelligent not to devise some great invention within the next fifty years and save the earth from annihilation. We are on the brink, yes, but we still have time to think and save ourselves and the planet from doom. We will do this, of that I am very hopeful. I want us all to think positively, and dream not about stale rivers of blood, but of waves of positivity and innate goodness that will be our redeeming qualities.

Thank you for sending us a stark reminder of what can be if we do not correct our course. Good luck in the contest.

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= drtaher
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In affiliation with  Open in new Window.
Rated: E | (4.5)
Arpita,

This is a genuinely superb forum! I think this is the first time a newbie has created a help forum for people fo their own kind. I am impressed by your smooth use of WritingML and emoticons, as well as the superb links that you have created all throughout the main page.

Here is wishing you lots of good luck, community recognition, friends, merit badges, GPs, and all the other things you wish to have on WDC.


Taher

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Review of The Cafeteria  Open in new Window.
In affiliation with  Open in new Window.
Rated: 13+ | (2.5)
Hi! My name is Taher, and I came to your story through the front page under "Read a Newbie". First of all, welcome to Writing.com. Once you immerse yourself in this site, you will forget all the other things that are there on or off the web. It is that addictive. I wish you a good outing on WdC, and request you to keep in touch. If ever you need help, don't hesitate to contact me.

I am going to review this story in some length. While pointing out the positives, I might also draw your attention to negative things if there are any. Please bear with me as I read the story through before commenting anything at all.

*Reading* *Smile*


Title, brief description, rating and Genre-type:

Your title, brief description and genres are perfect. I would modify your rating to 18+ as the story has the F-word many times in it.

The beginning:

Your telling of the circumstances around the later part of the story was very interesting and done with near perfection. However, without any say-so, the close friends of the narrator seemed to apparate from nowhere. You should have eased them in with a brief statement that you were with your friends, and maybe added a few lines about them - their appearance or mannerisms or behaviour, or idiosyncrasies - or whatever.

The body of the work:

I liked the conversational style throughout the story. You are either a college-going student yourself, or are very familiar with the lingo teens and young adults use in college. I think if you double space the lines throughout the dialogue, and use a new line for EACH AND EVERY NEW QUOTATION, no matter how small it is, the item will become more readable. I see that the entire story has some double line breaks, thus enabling the reader to skip from one scene to the next, and this is wonderful. Have you considered using three asterisks or dashes or something like that to make this even more easily visible?

The craft of story-telling and the grammar:

I would rate you average on the first, and in need of a few spelling and grammar checks on the second. The use of slang should be, as far as possible, within a dialogue, and not in the narration, because the narration is by the author, while the dialogue is by the character within the story. For example, using "kinda" instead of "kind of".

The ending and the overall effect of the story:

The ending was a really pleasant and interesting surprise, and it rated high on my list. It is a good twist indeed, and the final dialogue links the whole story together, so no complaints here!

What I liked:

As I stated above, I liked your writing style and your ending.

What I did not like:

There is nothing here that I did not like ... except that, as I said earlier, you might want to use double spacing between your dialogue lines, and do a good spelling and grammar check here.

Suggestions for improvement:

I usually refrain from pointing out errors, but if you need that kind of editing, do let me know, and I will do it for you, albeit at my own leisure.


That's all.

Thanks for a nice read!

** Image ID #1595480 Unavailable **
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In affiliation with  Open in new Window.
Rated: 13+ | (2.5)
Dear

Hi! I am Taher and I came to your item through the Comedy NL. Congratulations on being featured there.

Title, rating, genres and brief description:

Absolutely nothing wrong there, though you will be surprised how many profanities under 13s all over the world already know!

Contents of this item:

This is, as you describe, a personal, emotional experience of your having to eat the ice-cream in the title. As such, I would have liked you to express yourself much more than what you have done. Perhaps a racing heart, or a sinking feeling in the stomach, or nausea ... something that would take the poem to not just "telling", but "showing".

Beginning and Ending lines:

Considering that this is a four-line poem, I am of the firm opinion that every single word must count. Using the full name of the ice-cream in both the opening and ending lines is a needless repetition. You could have used the last line for delivering a punch that would make the reader laugh.

I have another suggestion. Why not include a few lines on inviting the reader to taste the ice-cream or tell you what they felt when they had a similar experience or something equally nice.

Flow and rhythm:

The lines look equal in size, but when you recite the poem aloud, the cadence just isn't there.

Format, spacing, indenting, etc.:

No problems there.

Grammar and composition:

None here either.

What things I liked:

I liked the way you told us something about a food that you paid for and didn't enjoy. Experiences, both positive and negative, teach individuals something or the other, and telling them like this ... sharing them with us ... is a wonderful thing.

What things I did not like:

I did not "not like" anything, except what has already been told above.


** Image ID #1613765 Unavailable **
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Review of The Chaser.  Open in new Window.
In affiliation with  Open in new Window.
Rated: 13+ | (3.5)
Hi! My name is Taher, and I came to your story through a browsing of your port.

In my review, while pointing out the positives, I might also draw your attention to negative things if there are any. Please bear with me as I read the story through before commenting anything at all.

First out, let me say that writing a story in just 55 words is commendable.

*Reading* *Smile*


Title, brief description, rating and Genre-type:

I am a bit more in favour of "pursuer" than chaser, although they probably mean one and the same thing. The reason I choose that word is that it is more polished, closer to the reality of an individual that follows someone doggedly, and more well defined. Chaser may as well mean a guy who chases a drug through his nose. So, with "pursuer" there is less ambiguity. The choice of Genres and rating are appropriate.

The beginning:

You could have put in some more facts had you "precised" the first two lines. Just think over it and see what you can do there.

The body of the work:

This is very much okay, given that the entire story is told in just over three lines. The choice of "simpered" is a bit off the actual emotion. I would have preferred a simpler "said". When the guy hasn't done anything wrong, why should he simper?

The craft of story-telling and the grammar:

Reasonably good. Instead of "crossed arms", I would have gone with "Arms crossed".

The ending and the overall effect of the story:

A climax or an anticlimax works best when the event is really shocking to the reader. In that sense, this was a very good try.

What I liked/disliked:

I liked the content of the story. There was nothing to be disliked.

Suggestions for improvement:

Already given above.


That's all.

Thanks for a nice read!

This one will be appended to my reviews
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In affiliation with  Open in new Window.
Rated: E | (4.0)
Dear Guptaji,

Thank you for a well-written experience account of your stay, and your observations on America and Americans. I am waiting for you to write a little more about your son, his family and so on, but perhaps that will have to be off-wdc. I agree on most of the above points, and do feel that this is a very balanced write-up on a country that you so passionately write against in most of your other work.

Taher

** Image ID #1537325 Unavailable **
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In affiliation with SIMPLY POSITIVE GROUP  Open in new Window.
Rated: E | (4.5)
Dear Vanillafire,

It is true that what man proposes, God has His own way to go about: whether one's wishes will or won't be granted is entirely up to His disposition. The protagonist of this story has held and comforted and loved a soul that was to be welcomed in his/her home as a sibling. However, due to some extenuating circumstances, this was not to be. The adoption process, as you mention it in the short description, failed to conclude positively and the process got aborted. In such an event, your continuing the "relationship" in the form of unrequited love is a very good thing!

Thank you for sharing this item with us.

** Image ID #1594066 Unavailable **
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In affiliation with  Open in new Window.
Rated: E | (4.5)
Dear Guptaji,

This is a very nice poem. You have shown the thinking of an insecure, deeply loving but realistic young man who would rather face rejection that uncertainty in matters of the heart. At the same time, his devotion to her shows through in the way the man wishes her well and prays for her happiness.

The contraction "D'you" in place of Do you takes a little away from the poem, but I imagine you did that to adhere to the metre. I am sure a poet of your calibre can circumvent this with some other, more skillful words!

Taher

** Image ID #1594066 Unavailable **
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In affiliation with SIMPLY POSITIVE GROUP  Open in new Window.
Rated: E | (4.5)
Dear Fyn

That's fantastic! As I am not a judge, I am at liberty to review and enjoy all the poems. This one took my breath away NINE times. I think you could realign some lines to make 9-line stanzas! What do you think?

I think you have a real good comic poem and I wish you good luck in the contest!

P.S. The mandatory line count and the "This item is submitted for blah blah is missing. Please go to the main forum and copy paste that line! Also, please add the line count.

Taher

Donated for by Sister Of Mercy, this photo sig is created by Kiyasama.
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In affiliation with SIMPLY POSITIVE GROUP  Open in new Window.
Rated: E | (4.0)
Dear HB,

Congratulations on being featured this week in Simply Positive. This is an excellent fable-like story that has a lesson for all its readers. Although not technically perfect, the story is full of sibling fun, innocence and a magical quality that often exists between twins. One does have to stretch one's imagination to believe that two different people can have the same dream on two days, and they even found the metaphysical answer to their needs!

Thanks for sharing this with us!

Taher

Donated for by Sister Of Mercy, this photo sig is created by Kiyasama.
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In affiliation with Showering Acts of Joy Group  Open in new Window.
Rated: E | (4.5)
Dear Adriana,

This is so true! Of course, since you wrote this item, WDC has made it possible for writers to set the reviews/ratings to "Reviews Only", thereby doing away with the stars altogether. However, as you so rightly said, we are human, and we have been used to seeing those purple stars. They are so uplifting when found in abundance, aren't they?

I enjoyed reading this item. And, before you go and ask me if I found something wrong and therefore rated you a tad below perfect, it is the very same thing that I pointed out to you in the first paragraph. You could re-edit this item to let readers know that that option can be exercised if stars don't mean so much to them.

*Bigsmile*

Taher

Donated for by Sister Of Mercy, this photo sig is created by Kiyasama.
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In affiliation with SIMPLY POSITIVE GROUP  Open in new Window.
Rated: ASR | (4.5)
Dear Mike,

Some time ago, you had submitted this item in one of my review request forums. I am sorry that I was unable to review this at that time. I am Taher, and I think your preface says it all. The fact that you wrote it when you were younger does not change the fact that this is a well-written item and explores the mind of a lonely person very adequately. At a few points, I did feel a "kinship" with you, for I, too, am, at heart, a loner, though not alone. My wife and I have been together now for over 18 years, and yet, I let myself be alone to ruminate. I liked your metaphors of climbing over personal walls a lot.

Thank you for sharing this with us.

Taher

Donated for by Sister Of Mercy, this photo sig is created by Kiyasama.
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In affiliation with SIMPLY POSITIVE GROUP  Open in new Window.
Rated: 18+ | (5.0)
Dear Bob,

Thank you for pointing us to your story through the action NL. This is a fantastic story of spooks, mystery, drama, action, deceit and clairvoyance speaking through the heart and mind of a writer who visits a house with a bloody past. I enjoyed the story because you have used some great devices like a swing between the past and the present and the use of a different font for telling us about these things. Carolina never appeared to be mentally slow at any point in the story. Nor did her father seem to be particularly villainish. In the end, we are talking about some very normal characters in the grip of unusual surroundings and even stranger circumstances. The story's setting reminded me of Heathcliff and his heroine in the famous classic of yore, Wuthering Heights.

Thank you for sharing this with us.

- drtaher

Donated for by Sister Of Mercy, this photo sig is created by Kiyasama.
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In affiliation with WDC Frontliners Group  Open in new Window.
Rated: E | (5.0)
Dear Falguni,

I have set the ball rolling, and I sure hope you have a good reviewing season this year. Do try and colour this group page a little so that it is more attractive. Congratulations on getting upgraded for the time being.

Thank you and God Bless.

- Dr. Taher

Donated for by Sister Of Mercy, this photo sig is created by Kiyasama.
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