My Perspective on Life, Law, and Everything Else.

Conan O'Brien Can't Stop

2011-06-30T06:16:00.002+03:00

This is not going to be a long post.
I am writing it to remember this in the future.
I am currently in New York for work. I went into this new art Cinema close to where I'm staying, to watch the Conan O'Brien documentary & I loved it. That guy is the best late night show host ever.
Anyway on my way out, I bumped into Michael Moore the very famous Academy-Award winning sensationalist documentary maker who happened to be watching the same movie! I approached him & we discussed the movie. He really liked it too.
Thats it.
P.S. Sorry for the lack of posts recently, I am extremely busy lately but I am still committed to updating this blog in the future.

Me playing my new piece entitled: Montreux De Lucia (Original Piano Composition)

2010-09-01T09:09:00.003+03:00

I've been extremely busy over the summer & thus haven't been able to update this blog for the longest time. But, rest assured, I will update it very soon with a long post about, among other things, my summer holiday and one of the inspirations for this piece.

I hope you enjoy it!

Me playing 'To Zanarkand' (Cover)

2010-06-21T21:43:00.005+03:00

Here is me playing the music piece that made me want to learn how to play the piano in the first place... (NOTE: Click HERE to access the video on YouTube or watch it on the video embedded below)

It's called 'To Zanarkand' & it is a piece from the - multi-million copies sold - videogame entitled Final Fantasy X which was developed by Square (now known as SquareEnix).

If you liked the piece, please buy the original from Amazon or iTunes or any other respectable retailer. The CD Album is called 'Final Fantasy X: Piano Collections' and the piece is called 'To Zanarkand'. The Album is full of great pieces like this one too... You should definitely check it out if you haven't already.

Hope you enjoy it...

Marriage in Qatar

2010-01-19T15:32:00.002+03:00

Disclaimer: This article was published in a book entitled Qatar: Then & Now. I have decided to publish it on my blog too.

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Marriage in Qatar

The acceleration and pace at which Qatar has transformed, judging just by the last decade is staggering. So staggering indeed, the word 'rapid' doesn't seem to do it justice anymore. As such, I think it is only wise to limit my opinion on how Qatar has changed to specific social areas in a Qatari citizen's life. I will concentrate on the social aspects which I think need our dire attention which, as a result, may make my opinion piece seem overly critical to the reader but I hope that the reader realizes that I am only critical because I care about my country; I care about improving it even further and making it as great as I know it could be. And also, because I am sure the other essays in this book have touched upon a lot of the positive aspects of the transformation of Qatar which I am in no way denying. I concede that there are a lot of positive aspects to the transformation that Qatar has been through (one of which, is the existence of this very book you are reading) but I want to concentrate on what has perhaps escaped through the cracks or is possibly a new phenomenon that got created as a side effect of the transformation and improvement that is still on-going here. The main purpose is, therefore, to shed some light on these issues that need to be addressed and will be the foundations upon which we can begin to formulate a remedy for them. A remedy that can negate these social problems from ever spawning bigger and more complex problems that could be even harder to deal with and would end up plaguing the society as a whole prohibiting it from ever reaching its true potential.

Qatar has generally progressed in an unprecedented rate and has achieved a lot in terms of improving education, building a stronger economy, having an exceptionally high employment rate, maintaining safety and staying true to its conservative traditional roots. Looking at these alone, one cannot help but be impressed and proud... and rightly so, these are all worthy of our pride. But dig a little bit below the surface and you will discover some deeply engraved social problems that need to be addressed. I will discuss only one of them here.

Traditional (arranged) marriage

Typical marriages between Qatari families are arranged. The mom (usually) goes scouting for 'eligible' women and decides which one suites her son best. The son can sometimes see a picture of the 'chosen girl' before-hand (depending on the girl's family views of course - some don't even allow that). He may not speak to her though, until after engagement and even then, they cannot go out to a restaurant or anywhere else unless there is a male chaperon accompanying them (usually the chosen girl's younger brother). They can talk on the phone though. So, practically speaking, they get to know each other mainly by phone and at least in theory, if they realize they are incompatible for any reason, the engagement is off. Then they go back to square one where the mom scouts for other eligible women. This is a purely traditional phenomenon and it is absurdly outdated. I understand that this was the norm back in the days of our parents generation but the difference between the world we, the new generation, live in, and the world they lived in is huge. We, the young adults in Qatar, are a testament to one of the biggest generation gaps that ever existed in this world. A generation gap that has been widened beyond belief by the unprecedented development Qatar has been through and by the interconnectedness of this globalised era which makes the whole world seem like one huge village. I understand, therefore, the importance of preserving our traditions and values; but I also understand that some of these traditions no longer make sense because they simply do not work anymore. The new generation is enlightened and has seen more, therefore expects more. Is it such a stretch to expect marriage to be, at the very least, with someone you know well enough to be able to decide whether that person is compatible with you on a mental, spiritual, and emotional level? This is a person you are going to spend the rest of your life with, for god's sake! How can you decide on whether that person is the one you want to spend your life with just by talking with him/her on the phone? Am I the only one who thinks this is preposterous and is an injustice to all of us young Qataris? Surely, I am not, but I suspect most of us settle for it as it is the only way for traditional Qatari families to marry because where else can you meet the opposite sex here? Everything else that relates with contact between the opposite sex is looked down upon; it is a taboo and we have to just accept it. For example, According to Rand-Qatar Policy Institute, 76% of Qatari women who participated in their survey, refuse to get employment in the private sector because it is a mixed gender environment (source: The Peninsula; Sat, Nov 1, 2008; p1). Why, I ask, do we have to accept this as the norm without even so much as questioning it? I am all for preserving our traditions and culture but not when those traditions no longer make sense either rationally or religiously. I have painted a picture that is perhaps guilty of generalization but I contend that it is still based on what the majority of Qatari families are like. There are exceptions nowadays to these rules and in the spirit of integrity I mention those here, but it is important to emphasize that those are nevertheless exceptions to the norm. We need to truly debate whether traditional arranged marriages merit their existence as the only ‘real’ acceptable way of getting married in Qatar, in this day and age. If not, what are the alternative ways of getting married that are considered to be still viable here (keep in mind, according to the RQPI survey 76% of women don’t even want to work in a place that allows contact with the other sex)? There needs to be a rational discussion in a public sphere between the young Qatari adults that discuss these questions. That will be the first step towards truly adapting and taking advantage of all that our ever-changing, ever-improving country is providing for us. I believe that that will be the beginning of the process of designing a remedy that fixes at least one of the aspects in our society that escaped through the cracks of improvement.

Our Boat Trip...

2009-12-04T03:25:00.004+03:00

A friend of mine called me up one day and said "Mo, how about we go fishing?" to which I replied with a definite "I'm in". That set the wheel in motion for this trip. My friend called the tourism company that rents out the dow's (i.e. the big old traditional Arab boats) and we each called all of our friends to join. We managed to get 31 people to join us in a relatively short period. My friend accredited this feat to the great invention of facebook. I, on the other hand, accredit it to the great invention of the telephone (without which there would have been no facebook). Anyway, it was an interesting group of people with diverse backgrounds. We had people from the US, Croatia, UK, Lebanon, Syria, Egypt, Kuwait, Qatar (obviously), India, Bosnia, and others I can't remember. It was interesting having that many nationalities in one boat. It was even more interesting to note that we all made it back alive.

The agreed day arrived. I remember it was a Saturday. We all woke up early and drove to the port at the Corniche and there it was, our boat; ported and waiting for us to board it. It was large and had chairs on its roof. When I got there, my friend who arranged this trip with me, took me to one side and whispered: "it's shark season... they told me" signaling with his eyes at the direction of the people working on the boat. "They want me to sign something about waiving their liability in case someone gets hurt". I laughed at that, then asked if he actually signed anything yet. He said he didn't. I said "good, don't!".

Anyway, I walked back to the group of friends who already made it on time. We exchanged pleasantries and then I mischievously proclaimed to the group that it is shark season and that everyone should be careful. The reactions were priceless. Some gasped, others laughed but the funniest one was from a guy who recently came from the UK and was uh, how shall I say this without offending anyone... Really fat! Upon hearing what I said, he literally took a step back, his face changed from a relaxed just woke up expression to one that looked like he just saw a ghost, and then said with a classic London accent (and remember these are his words): "fuckin... and NOW you tell us!?" which made a few of us (including me) laugh hysterically. That made him furious and shout "who the fuck do you think the sharks would bite off you skinny bastard!" as he moved his arms up and down as if to emphasize the seriousness of the matter. I almost died laughing at that moment. In between my laughter and my attempts to breathe, I heard him shout "...LOOK AT THESE!" as he pointed at his legs. I think I blacked out from laughter upon hearing that. I'm laughing just remembering it. That guy has a great sense of humor about his weight. And boy does he eat.

When everyone arrived, we got aboard the ship and we set sails. We all almost automatically spread out on the boat. Each sub-group took an edge and sat there playing cards with each other. I played a few times in a team till we beat the opposing team, then I moved on. Sat with a few of the people I met there and got to know them better as I waited for our boat to reach the fishing spot. As we got deeper and deeper into the sea, the waves got bigger and bigger, and I felt myself getting sicker and sicker. Motion sickness sucks... I never had that before. Not on a boat at least (I had it once in a theme park ride when I was 13). I therefore decided to stand up and move around the boat in order to distract myself from the motion sickness that I was feeling. So I thought I'd check out the roof and see what was going on over there. Went up the ladder slowly, in order not to upset my stomach, got high enough to the point where my head sprung out on to the roof area and got a full feet-level view of what was going on there. I remember this clearly, I turned my head slowly and saw someone on the suntanning chair ... tanning. Nothing strange there. Turned my head further, and saw something... well, strange. I saw two other guys up there, both shirtless (still don't know why) and one was holding the other guy's hand that was closed into a fist and was slowly guiding it to his body while saying: "...and if someone comes and does this...". That's all I needed to see and hear to know that I would have a better chance of not getting sick if I was to go back down the ladder. Turned my head to the suntanning person and said: "I'm not even going to ask..." and climbed back down and just sat in a corner by myself. I realized I felt sicker now that I have seen the 'wild' stuff happening on the roof than I was just moments before. The boat kept rocking backwards and forwards, which made me feel too ill to even think. A friend of mine noticed the pain I was feeling and asked if I would like to take some motion sickness pills, I looked up at him and said "thank you for offering me those pills now... moments before I'm about to die, especially since the pills take 30 minutes to actually start its effect!" He offered them anyway and I was desperate, so I took the box from him and began reading the side-effects. There was a long list, but what caught my eyes was that the side effects included nausea. I thought that was perfect, the pill can literally cause the very effect it is suppose to be healing. This reminded me of the time I bought milk in the UK and the allergy information box on the carton actually stated in red that 'this product may contain milk!'

Anyway, I was desperate as I said so I took the pills. It unfortunately did not help. In fact, I felt so ill after taking them I actually had to lie down. That same friend recommended I go on the roof and lie down there as, according to him, I wont feel the waves as much up there. I was too ill to argue (or think it through) so I just let him help me walk up to the ladder, and I mustered all the energy I got to climb the ladder by myself and from there he helped me get to the side bench on the roof. I lied down there on my back and opened my eyes only to find the suns rays shinning so bright, it actually hurt my eyes to open them. So I turned my head away only to lay my sights on an even more painful image. The two shirtless guys were still doing whatever the hell they were doing, except this time, one of them got the other pinned down on the floor, I could hear the guy on top saying "... and that's how you pin him down when he's coming at you..." I actually turned my head away and just stared directly at the sun. I thought screw this, I don't care if I go blind at least I won't have to see that sight ever again.

I just covered my eyes after that. Unfortunately though, I couldn't cover my ears. I could still hear them and I guess the good thing that came out of that, is my subsequent deduction that they were actually practicing some fighting moves. I still don't get why they had to be shirtless though... Whatever floats their boat I guess, but I really did not want to be anywhere near them while they were doing that. I was feeling too ill to move . I just lied there, eyes covered with my hands, and kept hearing them talk about how they would handle a bad guy lunging at them like this or like that.
I honestly don't know what hell is like. But lying there hearing them and being unable to move or speak, felt to me like I was in hell. At a certain point I was compelled to sit up as I was having difficulty breathing. I sat up, leaned forward and just put my head down. I felt awful and I knew I was going to throw up soon. I knew I had a choice too. I could either, throw up outside the boat in the sea, or I could just throw up on the roof and stink up the whole roof area. As I was about to turn to throw up outside, I heard one of the shirtless two say "what if someone does this...", that's when I decided I'd rather throw up on the roof instead. And I did just that. Twice. I never felt more proud of myself for throwing up, than I did that day. It was fantastic. I threw up all over the roof, and stunk up the whole place. I washed my face with a water bottle my friends got me and just went back down.
The shirtless two were still showing off their 'fight' moves to one another even after I threw up there. As I went down the ladder and heard the noise coming from them getting lower and lower till it became almost inaudible, I felt miraculously much better. I felt great in fact. Which made me wonder whether it was indeed motion sickness that was making feel ill all along. I don't really know.

We didn't actually reach the fishing spot because it was too windy so we just stopped next to an island and swam around. It was fun. No shark attacks thankfully. We all got back on the boat, ate lunch and sailed back home.

March of the Unrelenting; By: mmk080

2009-11-15T23:45:00.007+03:00

This is my third composition and the one that took the longest to write. let me know what you think...

Sorry about the blurriness at the edges, will try to fix it tomorrow when I get the time (Updated: it's fixed now). And again, hit the YouTube button at the bottom right hand corner of the video if you want to watch it in HQ.

Enjoy...

Writing again...

2009-11-10T23:39:00.011+03:00

I attended a mini two-day writing workshop that I only realized was in fact a memoir-only writing workshop after I joined (and it was too late to quietly walk out unnoticed). So, I decided to stay and see what it's like.

We did a number of exercises there about specific major events in our lives and our teacher (the author of a book called "love in a headscarf" and a blog called spirit21 ) explained that these activities will be revealing to us and will hopefully make us realize that what one might think is uninteresting about their life, is really quite the opposite.

One of the activities involved each of us to write five of our most memorable vivid events in our lives in chronological order and then write down our feelings for each one. Then she asked each of us to look at what we wrote down and tell her how it makes us feel... and honestly, I looked at it and thought... "I really need to get myself a life." I always say that half jokingly, but now, as I looked at the most memorable vivid moments of my life, I realized there was more truth to what I used to say than I'd like to believe.

The teacher herself was amazing. She was articulate, clear and enthusiastic. But, I really hated the course. I didn't just hate it; it was more like torture to me. I tried so hard not to seem uninterested or skeptical so that I don't ruin it for the others. That kind of forced me to try and play along. Thinking about my most vivid events in my life made me remember moments which I'd rather not remember. So I stayed quite most of the time. Made a few odd (lame) jokes here and there, that a very few people actually got (and I bet regretted too), just so that I get my mind off of things.

Memoirs, by their very nature, require you to be self-conceited in a way. The fact that this course is for University students or fresh graduates is just beyond me. You think any student's 20ish years in this life automatically makes them wise enough to write something that will help people in some way or is in any way worth reading? if they do, I say they should get over themselves. To me, I am 24 and I think my real life is just beginning. I'm not saying that I wasn't surprised by some of my classmates samples of writings they read out loud. On the contrary, some of them were really deep and thought-provoking. But quite honestly, non of them made me want to read a memoir written by them or about them.

I think I also hated that course primarily because, I write, in a way, to escape from the burdens of life. Its escapism that attracted me to writing in the first place. When it comes to memoir writing, it required me to write about the very thing that I would like to escape from. So it was very disturbing for me. It felt numbing somehow... just like sometimes life makes you feel. It was also strangely humbling to hear all of the people in the workshop write and/or speak about their life/memoir. It made me realize that I never really appreciated how much anguish or pain people go through everywhere. I just got this feeling that ... I am just like millions of others before me, every feeling has been felt millions of times before and so is every action and every move that I've done. I just got a feeling of discomfort at the very notion that kept creeping up on me ... That I am just a number among billions of others.

I am probably way over-thinking this but, alas, those are my random thoughts.

Fallen Leaves; By mmk080

2009-09-25T01:13:00.003+03:00

Here is my new composition. It was a month or so in the making. Let me know what you think...

P.S. The lighting (or lack thereof) was, and still is, intentional...

Bloggers block

2009-08-21T17:44:00.018+03:00

I have started a number of posts over the last few months and non of them were good enough for publishing. I think there are a number of reasons for that but it fundamentally boils down to a dilemma that I am facing when writing in this blog now. On the one hand, I don't want to get too personal here. But, on the other hand, this was one of the main reasons I started this blog; to have a place where I can write about whatever pleases me ( yes, including personal matters if I chose to). I can't do that anymore. It is so easy to find out who I am and what I do; that now, I just have to go through so much anguish trying to think of everyone who might read this and anyone who might get offended by it. This blog could end up being very detrimental to me and my career in the future. So, I thought of closing down this blog... I thought, maybe I should just stop blogging, possibly start twittering instead. Maybe get me a facebook account and flickr account too. Start poking people and taking pictures of ... stuff. But then I thought, "Naah...". And so I will probably continue doing what I already have been doing for years now. Blogging and emailing. Because if I don't, who else will?

So if the previous paragraph is a testament to anything; its that I really don't know what to blog about anymore. I have, what I'd like to call, 'Blogger's block' which is kind of like a writer's block except its for bloggers ... i.e. I don't know what to write about to be honest. I don't want to use this blog to give you lectures about what I think is wrong in this world or what I think people should do to be morally upright and happy. In other words, I don't wanna be no Oprah (not that I watch her show at all. Its just, sometimes, as I am surfing through the TV channels, I happen to come across her show that comes on every Sun-Wed at 2pm on MBC4. And when I come across her show, I, by sheer coincidence, drop the remote on the floor and find myself too lazy to extend my arms a few centi-meters to pick it up again and change the channel. So I am kind of forced to watch Oprah... every Sun-Wed at 2pm... on MBC4... forced...).

I also don't want this blog to be a diary of what goes on in my real life, at least not 'everything' that goes on in my life. I just write what I think is interesting and worthy of sharing with you all. So that is what I am going to do. I don't promise any time-line or schedule for posting (as I have tried that and failed). But I will make sure every post I publish counts (that I guarantee).

With that being said. I think I gotta mention this very weird incident I had on the plane taking me from Rome to London (over this summer holiday). It was a British Airways plane, and seriously, the word plane needs to have such a wide and flexible meaning if it were to describe that piece of machinery that I was on... it looked like the wings were held up by duct-tape! The propellers were shaking even before we took off! The fact that I am alive is beyond me.
But that's not what I really wanted to mention... I was sitting on the window isle (which gave me a fantastic view of the shaking propeller and duct-tape wings holding it together) and there were two empty seats next to me. I was getting comfortable and quite nervous at the site I was witnessing out of my window view so I took out my book which I was reading prior to getting on that "plane" and started reading where I left off. The book was called 'Happier' (see my book shelf on the sidebar of my blog). Anyway, this young Italian fella came and sat on the empty seat next to me. And next to him, an Italian girl who accompanied him on to the "plane" sat in the last empty seat. The plane took off (thank god) and I just delved into my book to distract me from the shaking wings and propellers.

The book was really interesting. It was written by a Harvard professor called Tal Ben-Shahar and it's very academic in nature. There is non of that '12 steps to eternal happiness' nonsense. It is very much a rationale discussion based on the positive psychology movement and its very clear in the flow of ideas its written in. But what's even more interesting was what happened on the plane while I was reading it.

Here I was really deep in thought reading a paragraph about how to become generally happier this year than the year before bla bla and as I was reading that, I saw, through my peripheral vision, the Italian girl extending her arms and touching the guy sitting next to me on his arms first. Then moved to ... well, touch other areas of his body until she landed on his... "stuff"... and I am trying to read this paragraph on how to be happier bla bla but I could not concentrate because that girl was touching that guy's you know what and kind of ... playing with ...the "stuff"! So I tried to move the book and read it in a position where it would block my peripheral vision from seeing this debauchery that is happening in the seat right next to me but I couldn't because the seats were really tight-spaced.

I got a little angry at how rude they were but my mood suddenly changed. It dawned on me right then; how absurdly ironic that moment was. There I was, reading a book about happiness and this guy sitting next to me was simply getting "happy" without lifting a finger. I laughed at myself. Closed my book and with it my eyes. Then dreamt of a happier place where life wasn't constantly and metaphorically slapping me on the face.

Overwhelmed...

2009-06-11T23:17:00.011+03:00

I am overwhelmed by the amount of people who actually commented on my previous post and on their unbelievably sweet, kind comments that have truly humbled me. My unrelenting gratitude goes to each and every one of you who commented and read my post.

I have a few responses to a couple of the commentors to my previous post though. I will just get right to it.

@Anon (2nd one): There has not been any definitive tests that show or determine for certain any link between vaccinations and autism. I have taken the same vaccinations as my little sister and so did all my other siblings and non of us have become autistic. I read so many stories and articles/essays/books about these speculations about vaccinations causing autism and to be honest, non of them were built on anything more than a variation of, "after the vaccinations I noticed my son/daughter changing". And it is usually always the mother's who make these speculations (at least from my sample of readings I made on this topic), which makes me wonder whether it is only a mother's way of trying to find someone to blame for what has happened to her dear child in order to help her deal with the situation or whether it is actually what happened.

Do the chemicals in the vaccinations cause problems in the person taking them? I don't know. However, as of present time, autism has not been proven to be directly linked to vaccinations. It's causes are still unknown that is what I can tell you is known for sure.

@ Nasser: Thanks for your kind comments. I really appreciate the fact that you found my blog (and blogposts) good enough to be shared on different popular sites for Qataris. It was flattering to see all those commentors on the other sites say all those nice things about my little sister and myself. But, Nasser, I don't use my real name in this blog for a reason. I just don't see the point for me to use it here to be honest. Plus I'm generally a private person. Please, the next time you want to link to my blog or reproduce any of my blog posts, just credit it with my nickname (mmk080) and a link to this blog (as per the Creative Commons License seen at the bottom of the site).

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And to all commentors,

Your amazingly sweet comments overwhelmed me. I appreciate each and every one of you for taking the time to actually comment on my previous post. I am especially grateful to all your prayers, I am sure it is no coincidence that after writing that post and your prayers, my sister actually uttered her first words to me in I don't know how long... It's been a few days now and she started speaking again (not like before, it's just one word or so at a time but its still great).

Thank you all for everything.

Stay tuned as there are more posts in the pipelines.

My Little Sister

2009-05-23T01:37:00.017+03:00

I actually deliberated for a very long time with myself about whether or not I should write this. But after a public reading event I participated in last week, I was given some advice by someone I met there who said, "if you get worried about how people would react to your written works, you will never be a good writer." So, in the spirit of what he told me, I have decided to write this post.

My little sister was born in 1995. She is the youngest one in the family and was diagnosed with Down Syndrome disorder when she was born. It's a chromosomal disorder that affects the child's cognitive abilities and facial appearance (in varying degrees). It was her who inspired me to write a "Work of Fiction" which eventually got published.

My sister grew up as a happy child. She learned to walk when she was a year and a half, I believe, and learned to talk when she was 3. In other words, a bit longer than what the average time it would take for a normal child to master these two vital techniques. But, she managed to develop a refined sense of humor much faster than any kid I know could. She always managed to make us laugh in the house. It was such a raw sense of humor that you could never really see coming.
For example, I used to go up to her kiss her and ask curiously,

"how much do you love me?"
"as much as the sea." she would answer in the most nonchalant tone.
"and how much else?" I would ask.
"as much as the sky" she would reply in the same tone.
I would then see how far I could take it and would repeat
"and how much else?"
she would pause for a few seconds and then say,
"as much as the Boat" in an aha! kind of tone.

I remember she used to love watching music video clips and liked to dance like the girls on the clips did. She loved to sing as well. And reenact her favorite moments of the Khaleeji Soap Dramas. I remember this one time I was with my aunt upstairs, and all of a sudden my little sister comes barging in wearing a small hijab that she put on her head and started shouting at me. I knew she was reenacting a scene from this 'mosalsal' or Gulf Soap drama we saw together on TV that afternoon so I just played along. I tried to calm her down by apologizing. But she continued shouting back at me and finally said "NO! I am divorcing you!". At that moment my aunt and I exchanged surprised shocked glances at one another. 'I don't remember seeing anyone on the show we watched this afternoon say that' I thought. Then I heard myself say, "but why!?" and she replied "... cuz I am pregnant!" then simply walked out after leaving that bombshell of a line. At that moment my aunt and I just burst out laughing... My sister was around 8 yrs old at the time and she just had the biggest imagination ever.

The day I was suppose to leave the country to head to the UK to attend my first year of University, I came back home at night and went straight to the sitting room downstairs to say goodbye to my little sister whom I knew will have to go to bed soon. As soon as I walked into the sitting room, I found a bunch of my little cousins there with my sister and they all came to hug me and say goodbye (one of them asked me to get her a present when I come back right after the hug) but my sister refused to get off her chair and say goodbye. I walked up to her and said:

"I am leaving habeebti, don't you want to hug me before I leave?"

She did not even acknowledge what I said. I won't lie, I was a bit hurt by that. I kissed her really quickly and ran up to my room to pack my bags (last minute packing is my thing). As I was closing the last suitcase, sitting on the floor, trying to figure out how this number lock works, I heard small footsteps in the corridor behind me. Before I had a chance to turn around to see who it was, I felt these small arms wrapping around my body from behind. As soon I saw the arms, I knew it was those belonging to my little sister, who kept hugging me real tight for awhile. She then kissed me on the cheek and left the room to sleep.

While I was in the UK studying to get my law degree, I used to get phone calls from back home every now and again giving me updates of what is happening there. I grew concerned when they told me that my amazing, sensitive, funny little sister has stopped speaking. At first they thought it was her just being very moody. I feared something worse but decided to wait it out, maybe it was my little sister's form of rebellion, I thought. Weeks passed, which became months, and still not even one word was uttered by my little sister. It was like she has taken a vow of silence. I went back home on one of the holidays, saw it with my own eyes. She would communicate with hand gestures, she would stare at her hands for a long time and would do repetitive movements over and over again. She would, for example, continuously stack her numbered cards in a pattern on the carpet (usually a square, sometimes rectangle) and would rock back and forth on her chair over and over again when a song comes on tv. She would also get highly irritated if you interrupt her continuous movements and sometimes, when we call her name she wouldn't even hear us. It was like she was in another world. My mom and other sister would get quite ticked off by this. They assumed my little sister was being arrogant or stubborn and to be honest, I don't blame them; at times I thought that too.

A few months after that, I was back in Cardiff to continue my University studies, my mom took my little sis to get her diagnosed by a child psychiatrist back home. I didn't know at the time about that. But I remember calling my mom one day and telling her what I feared... which is that my sis is showing signs of autism. She said no, the doctor told her my little sister was depressed and prescribed some antidepressants for her a few months ago. I almost flipped out. There is no way she was depressed. She was only 10. I asked my mom to please take her to another doctor and ask specifically to check whether she has autism or not.
After noticing my sister getting worse after taking the antidepressants my mom took my advice and took her to another doctor who was actually doing his doctoral thesis on autism and asked him to diagnose my little sister. According to the doctor, my mom's description of my little sister's behavior was an indication of an extreme case of autism. Since there is no definitive test for autism, nor any real definition of what autism is exactly ( autism is like an umbrella term for a spectrum of disorders or conditions ), one is therefore forced to rely on the parents assessment. What is known, however, is that autistic kids behavior follows a certain pattern and if it is not mitigated at an early stage it will only get worse over time.

Autism is usually identified in the time period before a child hits the three year old mark, but since my little sister had down syndrome (which affects her cognitive abilities) it was harder for my family and I to identify autistic behavior from down syndrome behavior. And to be honest, my little sister didn't show any autistic attributes until she reached 10 yrs old or so. Which makes me almost certain her autism is not the typical kind. What she has is, I believe, called Regressive autism which basically means, the child grows up and develops their speech and social skills normally but then begins to regress into their own world and lose those skills. This is what happened to my little sister.

I came back from university and the little sister that I knew... the one who loved to dance and sing, who used to tell me her love for me was as much as the boat, who hugged me right before I left the country to study abroad ... was no longer there.

I guess what I am trying to say here is that... I miss my little sister...

"Finding Your Inner Peace"; By mmk080

2009-05-12T06:24:00.005+03:00

As promised, here is my composition entitled "Finding Your Inner Peace". I hope you enjoy it. Again I am merely a beginner, just started playing the piano recently. Never played an instrument before in my life...

Looking forward to hearing your feedback.

P.S. You can watch the video in widescreen mode by clicking on the YouTube button on the bottom right hand corner of the screen.

As a thank you for my loyal subscribers...

2009-05-08T22:11:00.005+03:00

I have a surprise in the making to all of you who are still subscribed to me even with, what can only justifiably seem as, neglect to this blog of mine. I admit it, I have neglected this blog for quite some time now. I have been beyond busy. Work, the gym, what remains of a social life, and my new hobby (playing on the piano) makes little time to work on quality posts for this blog. And I reject the idea that posting more frequently in a blog is more valuable than quality of what is written. I have a standard I have set for myself to, at the very least, make someone smile or find any blog post of mine enjoyable to read. And no, I don't write on this blog to get extra followers or subscribers. I write in this blog because I have an outlet here to reach a wider net of people than my immediate social circle. A type of people that I could not ever even imagine being able to meet let alone communicate with.

I therefore have decided to publish a video in the few coming days (if I find our video cam if not then only the sound recording) of a piano composition I have written recently. It came to me after midnight on a weekday. I couldn't sleep and I had work the next day so I just decided to play on the piano to relax myself expound all the energy I have left so that I can sleep. I played and ... I found a musical rift that was not too bad. Noted the chords down on a piece of paper. Noticed it was 2:30 am and I had only 3 hrs to sleep. But i think the composition was worth it. I worked on it some more. And I am still trying to perfect it. Its a simple melody but I think it sounds not too bad.

Please stay tuned for my composition.

The Book Launch Event: What Happened?

2009-03-15T19:36:00.022+03:00

This post describes what happened in the book launch event which I participated in and have mentioned in my previous post.I will begin by taking you through how my day started and then subsequently work my way up to the end of the event.

It was a Wednesday and I had a conference to attend to in the morning for work. I also had a meeting to to attend in the late morning that lasts up to mid afternoon. Then, another meeting popped up at the last minute which started right after lunch and did not end till 6:30pm. As a matter of fact it did not end then, I just had to excuse myself since I needed to be at the book launch venue at 7pm.

My original intention was that I would use all afternoon to prepare for the event in which I will be one of the first speakers where I am expected to read a small portion of my article that is getting published in the book. That obviously did not happen because of that meeting that popped out of nowhere. So there I was at 7 pm in the avenue where the event was suppose to be held, and I was exhausted. I scanned for the closest good coffee place and got myself a caffiene shot to keep me on my feet and not collapse.

Holding my Latte cup in one hand, I casually strolled in the avenue which is now semi-full. My first thought at that moment was "Shit, I did not print out my article... this is just wonderful!". Then I noticed a stack of the published book and heard a sigh of relief come out of me. I just picked one up and sat down to wait for the editor to come (whom I have emailed for quite some time yet never met). She finally did arrive and I introduced myself, shook hands then sat back down and kept sipping from my caffiene/fuel cup. Found a friend there who also happened to be one of the speakers in the event. Chatted with him for a bit. Then a girl from the row in front of us, turned around asked which one of us is [insert my real name here]. I replied,"That's me..." in an unsure tone. She thanked me profusely for writing such a wonderful article, and said she was glad there are Qatari guys who think this way. I was too tired to show any emotions at that point so I told her I was glad she liked it, then the event started.

Cover of the book

There was first the anouncements, Sponsor's comments, then the editor's welcoming speech. Then my name was called as the first speaker. I was too tired to be nervous. People clapped as I walked up to the stand. I sat down, placed the book on the table facing everyone and held the mic with my left arm. Then I began by introducing myself. I paused after every sentence because I was thinking of what to say next while I was there (since I didn't have time to prepare). I explained why I wrote my article (which was critical of typical marriages in Qatar) and my explanation was something along these lines:

"[pause]... My article is about marriage in Qatar... I wrote this article because I am a 23 year old male who ... fulfills all the 'eligibility reguirements for marriage' that... are set by society... And therefore ... Society, in a way, imposes on me the fact that I should be thinking about marriage right now... [long pause] ... And I have...

My thoughts, and conclusions or outcomes that came out from my thoughts are in my article in this book."

Anyway, I read the first paragraph of my article after that since I didn't have time to choose a paragraph to read (as no time to prepare) then repeated my speech in Arabic.

After the event ended I walked towards my friends and colleagues who managed to come to see me speak publicly. Thanked them for coming and they complimented me on a great speech. They then had to leave so I decided to walk back towards the editor to thank her again before I left.

As I was on my way to the editor, a Qatari woman in her 40s/50s (I think... she was with her 10 year old daughter) stopped me and I remember thinking to myself, "here it comes, the sandal on my face is coming as I predicted..." and I prepared for some harsh words thrown in from her as well. But she did nothing of that kind. Instead, she extended her arms and gave me a copy of the book and asked me to sign it! I remember I was caught off guard by her request and I heard myself say "...Why?". She replied politely and explained that she would really like having the writers signatures on the book and said, and I quote, "god bless you for that article". That made me almost blush. I smiled and took the book from her hands and wanted to sign it real quickly to fulfill this wonderfully nice woman's wish. After managing to locate a pen, I signed her book and thanked her for coming.

Then the weirdest thing happened. I handed the book back to the Qatari woman, then saw what looked like a stampede of girls who wanted my signature (mind you, I am sure I am not the only speaker they wanted a signature from but still...). I was overwhelmed. I did not see this coming. I was signing so many books (some girls had three books each for me to sign), that towards the end of it, I got so used to signing books, I would sign without even looking. I would sign the book whilst simultaneously talking to the owner of the book and asking each one where they were from and what they do then wrap it up by thanking them for coming and then smile politely.

It was quite a unique experience, and I never saw this coming. I felt like some kind of celebrity and what surprised me even more is the fact that I never felt any different. I was still myself. I still felt grounded and didnt feel like any of it got to my head which, I guess could be a symptom of my exhaustion... but I choose to think that it is just my good strong character ... I guess I may never know.

In conclusion, considering how I am a celebrity now. Anyone here who wants me to send them a signed book will be required to send a cheque by the amount of $250 to my bank account or through paypal :P

Public reading: Souq Waqif, Wed, 11th Feb. Doha, Qatar

2009-03-07T14:25:00.012+03:00

I wrote an opinion piece a few months ago entitled "Marriage in Qatar". I wrote it after reading a news article in one of the local newspapers in November of last year, about a book which focuses on how Qatar has transformed. I emailed the editor of the book asking if it would be okay to submit an article. She told me the deadline for submission passed months ago but 'send me your piece' and she will let me know if she could include it in the book. So, I spent around 3 hours writing what I think is wrong with the way people marry here. It did not take much time to write because I have this frustration that is bottled up regarding this issue which is affecting me now more than ever. It was like I just threw up everything that was causing me pain into words on a sheet. I felt better after finishing it and felt a bit lighter too. Anyway, I sent what I wrote and it is now getting published in a book that is launching next week. Here is a description what the book is about:

DOHA: Souq Waqif, in collaboration with the Qatar Foundation, will launch this month the second book in the Qatar Narratives series, Qatar: Then and Now (pictured), which features essays on the present generation’s reflections on how life has changed in Qatar since the last generation.
“We will be launching the book, Qatar: Then and Now, before the end of this month. This volume highlights male and female writers who submitted essays, opinion pieces, and memoirs through which they invite readers to explore how everyday issues are addressed in modern society as opposed to methods used by previous generations of Qatar,” said Maya Saikali, art director of Souq Waqif.

SOURCE: Peninsula, 7th of March 09

I am going to be one of four writers who will do a public reading of a segment of their written piece in the book launch event. So, if you happen to be in Qatar, come to Souq Waqif and go to the Waqif Art Center at 7pm this Wednesday and cheer me on!

Since Souq Waqif will have a number of bedawins (very traditional Arabs), I have a feeling one of them will hear my "open minded" views that are critical of typical marriages here and decide the only way to deal with me is to throw their sandals or shoes at my direction... Note to self: Gotta call George Bush and ask him how he dodged those flying shoes.

Hope to see anyone of you who can make it, there.

BBC decides it will not air a fund-raising appeal for Gaza

2009-01-23T22:27:00.016+03:00

The BBC, along with other broadcasters in the UK, decided against airing a fund raising appeal for Gaza arguing it would compromise their "public confidence and impartiality". (Source)

In unrelated news, a Miss World finalist has had her hands and feet amputated due to a rare virus she caught which was, unfortunately, misdiagnosed and eventually lead to the amputation. I have decided against providing a link to a charity dedicated to helping the handicapped in order for my blog not to lose its public confidence and impartiality... I do not want my blog to take the side of the virus or the handicapped in order for it to stay 'objective' and 'accurate'.

sigh...
When did journalistic integrity and rationality go out of style?

If providing an outlet for humanitarian support to victims is undermining impartiality,then the only impartiality this effects, is the one which separates compassion & mercy from mercilessness & tyranny.
Impartial is another word for being fair. How can avoiding to make decisions that compel you to choose between compassion and tyranny, be avoided by claiming that it will undermine your fairness? By avoiding to make such decisions you have, by your own avoidance, made an unfair and partial decision. Which, in effect, shakes the confidence the public had in you. Shame on you, BBC.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Links:
Gaza fund-raising Appeal
Handicapped Charity
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

UPDATE: BBC defends its decision after it was criticised.
UPDATE II: Brazilian model who lost hands,feet to infection dies.

Song for Gaza

2009-01-22T18:57:00.009+03:00

Check out the Artist's site HERE for full lyrics and bio.

And yes, I am still alive (in case anyone was wondering that :P).

Does this look like me or what?

2008-11-26T23:05:00.006+03:00

I created this avatar on my Xbox Live account out of boredom the other day. I tried to stay true to what I look like in real life. Concentrated on the lines below my eyes, fashion style (or lack thereof), hair, facial hair, height, body type and general skin colour. Its not exactly like me but its close... Not sure about the feminine pose though (I tried changing it but I couldn't!)... Anyway just thought I'd share that with you all.

A declaration...

2008-11-09T19:50:00.004+03:00

I no longer feel like I can write about whatever I want here in this blog. I am an Arab after all... writing about whatever we feel like is not really part of who we are and what we stand for as a race. I will not tell you what I think we stand for in this day & age because then I would contradict what I said in the previous sentence. As a result, I am afraid my blog will always seem destitute in a way. But rest assured, I am going to try to write about my odd experiences here & there and I will continue with my experimental works of fiction... I have to, it is by necessity not choice that I have to do this.

I hope you bare with me through these long periods of stagnation in between posts and thanks to all my regular readers, it is truly comforting to know that there are people out there who can relate somehow with what I am saying.

There is an Arabic saying I'd like to conclude with (this is a rough translation I made):

"I never argued with a knowledgeable person and lost; nor have I ever argued with an ignorant person and not lose...".

The Dilemma of Prey & Predator (Part 2)

2008-10-26T21:02:00.019+03:00

Disclaimer:

PART 1 is available here

All characters in this story are fictional. Any resemblance to real people is purely coincidental. Views and opinions expressed by those characters are for entertainment purposes only and do not necessarily represent the view of the author.

Gerome, was a tall man, with defined features and a full head of hair. He had an oval face stretched from top to bottom and hollow rings around his eyes with a clean shaven face and a good set of teeth, considering his age. He looked like a man who saw enough of this world to make him seem, to the lay person at least, as emotionless. But he was anything but emotionless, in fact, everything about him was driven by his emotions yet no one can tell from his outer shell. Overall he looked above average (arbitrarily speaking of course, considering how the standard is an inherently draconian conventional beauty), but was more on the skinny side.

He was holding the digital voice recorder in his right hands, as he always does this time of day. The recorder was gripped so tight his whole arm was shaking. He somehow, though, managed to press the record button (after several missed attempts) and began articulating his thoughts into it:

“I like it when I make women cry. It soothes me. Don’t get me wrong. I am not psycho, I am not sadomasochistic - I do not get off of making women cry - I am just a man. We like to feel like we are in control." His tone suddenly changes to a squeeky high pitched voice (reminiscent of some women's natural voice). "Women always complain about how their luck with men is always "horrible". How they always end up with the worst men who treat them like they are nothing but worthless objects." His voice gets even squeakier now, words start blurting out of his mouth. 'oo Janet he treats me badly, he doesn't listen to me, or talk to me. JANET he is not the same man he was when we first dated-" His voice automatically returns to its normal deep self and cuts in line almost shouting "Of course he isn't, you see he already got into your pants!" Gerome had a look of disgust on his face after saying that. But that look did not stay that way for long, every part of his facial muscles slowly relaxed to its normal position then went a little further making him look like a puppy who was almost going to cry. "-but I am going to give him one more chance..." "One more chance... how stupid are they? Can't they see that this is what they want... what they crave?" "Months later, numerous repeats of the same ever-tried sentence and poor Janet hears the same sentence from her dear friend saying in the ever so familiar exasperated tone, "ooh but he is not the same, he treats me badly but... but I think I can change him." "Bitches, public announcement, men don't change! Nu-uh, not even a little. Get it through your thick heads and stop deluding yourselves AND AND HERE IS A NEWS FLASH WE DONT WANT YOU TO CHANGE EITHER! new hair cut that makes your head look like a fucking melon? no thanks I prefer you looked like a human being! How about a new nose? boobs? CHIN!? NO just let them be thank you very much" Gerome suddenly exhausted collapsed on his green recliner chair. He continued in a quieter less direct tone now;

"In reality, that’s exactly what women want... to be treated horribly, to be kept on their feet at all times. They don’t want a guy who treats them well and does what they want. They don’t want a guy who stands up for what is right, because that’s dull, uninteresting; It is the very antithesis of creativity, the very antithesis of the art of luring women. It is, however, the best way to get them to bolt. Trust me, I should know-”

There was a knock on the door that interrupted his line of thought and compelled him to stop recording. He walked out of his bedroom, worked his way towards the door and then opened it . It was the pizza delivery guy bringing his pizzas with a smile. The pizzas were handed and he politely thanked him with a generous tip. He couldn't remember ordering pizzas but this always happens after an intense recording session. Gerome threw the pizzas on the coffee table then re-pressed the record button on his voice recorder and continued speaking into it.

“I like it when they scream too. That is the fuel that keeps me going. When I am groping a woman, squeezing her body, and hearing her scream her lungs out, I can feel like someone in this world is coming close to the pain that I go through each and every day. The scare that she experiences, the shock of realising that what she planned, and expects to happen is all gone, and instead is replaced by something spontaneous and quite alien to her. It is my way of luring women. Other men like to buy flowers (boooring!), take them to a movie & dinner (looosers), or cook for them (gay... just plain gay. Men's place is not the kitchen... except if its to be within easy reach of the sharp instruments in which case ... I totally understand)" a smirk started forming on his face. "My style? I like to hide in alleyways and jump on women when they can’t see me. I like to drug them after I make sure they scream ... and scream (that's the really essential part). Then I take them back home, and we live happily ever after... the good thing is there are a lot of Janets where I keep 'her'.”

Gerome took deep breaths after that. Mostly, to control himself but also in order not to lose it again. His neighbours could hear what he is saying. Besides, he can't afford to get excited these days as he was already off of his game. He couldn't even jump on that girl in the dark alleyway for some reason. Now, his voice suddenly changes into a tone so different to the previous ones, it is almost as if it is not coming from him (save for his mouth moving in just the right moments). Gerome, channeling this alien voice, starts speaking very ferociously, jumbling words together in the process:

“But sometimes things transform. I can see monsters hiding, lurking in the shadows of people’s expectations and perceptions. These monsters are intangible, but are very real. We all have them... women especially. These monsters scare me, I can’t deal with them. Whenever these monsters start showing their ugly profiles, I start moving as far away as possible from the source... or should I say, from the woman. It is what makes my hobby so difficult-" Memories from the past start pouring in "-I...I can't... I just cantitsNOTWORKING NONOTNOW.“

Gerome stopped the recording and threw the recorder on the coffee table in front of him. His hands then automatically reverted back to what now seems like its normal position, on his head, holding it like its a football. He was covering his face and fell on the floor in a semi-fetus position. He landed on the floor upright, and started rocking back and forth murmuring words that are unintelligible to anyone but himself all but for one word. One simple word, that escaped his series of incomprehensible jargon, "Please". It was repeated over and over again.

I wander

2008-09-27T01:47:00.000+03:00

I have wondered all along,
What it is like to be wrong

I have never felt like I belong,
Yet, here I am writing this song

I am neither here nor there,
Indifferent about any affair

Going through life thinking,
What is it that I am missing?

Desensitization, is what I am subjected to
Stupidity, is all that I am accustomed to

Intelligence was only a façade,
it was blindness masquerading in what I thought I had

It feels like I'm in an abyss,
in an abyss of absence

Absence which hinders any form of bliss,
which creates the very notion of numbness

I hope one day reason will triumph
beyond tradition, beyond even today's science

The Dilemma of Prey & Predator (Part 1)

2008-09-07T03:25:00.006+03:00

It all started one night in a secluded dark alleyway. She was moving as fast as she could without actually running. In her mind, running would be a sign of weakness. Predators would be alarmed by loud foot steps and sense the fear, or so she thought. Thinking of all the news stories she read lately about girls going missing and coming back not recalling anything from the moment they went missing but whom otherwise seem like their true selves made her heartbeats race. She hears footsteps behind her. She walks faster. Footsteps getting louder. She simply could not take it anymore and turned around suddenly whilst readying her lungs for some serious "Help me" screams. Nothing but a cat and her two little kittens trying to eat whatever they can from the garbage can. Saying she was relieved would be an understatement. She was more than relieved. She was almost ecstatic about it. That's how she was, every feeling was very much shown and expressed without constraints. Sometimes those feelings seem out of place but in her mind they were as normal as any natural emotion in any given situation. Seeing the cats comforted her. It reassured her that no one was behind her and she was right. No one was behind her. The predator was in fact, right beside her, crouched in a corner, ready to leap on to his prey and paralyse it! But the predator didnt. It did not seem right to him for some reason. He stayed crouched as he saw her walk out the alleyway and on to the main road. A feeling of disgust arose from within him. A disgust in himself and how he handled the situation. A situation he has experienced numerous amounts of times in the past. He got up and started making his way back home. "The Great George, my ass" he murmured to himself.

She got up the front steps to her apartment building. Got the keys out from her purse and used it to get inside. "Is that you, Janet?" a familiar voice was shouting from somewhere inside the apartment. "Yes dad, its me" Janet answered in an exasperated tone.

"Your mom is dead" said her dad, out of the blue.

"..."

"I killed her... I did. I told her I would take care of her but I lied. I told her we could beat this... this... but I wasnt by her side. I had to work to be able to afford the medication. But she died because I wasnt there beside her. And she died today because of me"

"Dad, my mom died 3 years ago." Janet said in as calm a tone she could muster with what little energy she had after her recent alleyway scare.

"I ... Why?"

"She had cancer. You were always by her side, Dad."

"I was..."

"Yes, you were. Do you want me to make you something to eat?"

"Tuna sandwich...?"

Janet took off her jacket and placed it on the coat hanger then made her way to the kitchen. She quickly put the sandwich together and took it back to the living room. But she found her dad already fast asleep. Drool dribbling from his mouth onto his flannel shirt. She took a blanket and tucked him in. This scenario is all too familiar to her. Janet doesn't want to admit it. She doesn't want to listen to the doctors diagnosis. Or to the numerous amounts of tests he was put through. Or his behaviour lately. She can't. Because if she did, it would mean she has lost the only person left for her. And that's simply not something her brain can process. But the symptoms are there, showing their annoying faces to her day after day. One of these symptoms included her dad reliving his wife's death every night. It is painful to watch but Janet tries to make them pass easier for her dad.

Janet is in her bed now ready to go to sleep. She closes her eyes.

"Memory loss, difficulty moving, inability to recall recently heard facts, difficulty embarking on everyday activities, mood swings, and behavioural changes... All symptoms of Alzhiemer's disease. I am sorry" The doctor says.
"No he doesn't. Do your damn tests again!" she shouts at the doctor. But he is no longer there. Looking around, she realises it was just a dream. A very surreal dream.

Apologies for not posting as frequently as I should

2008-08-23T04:41:00.005+03:00

I do not really have an excuse. I have been doing absolutely nothing but eat, read and sleep. I am still waiting to start my job. My physical exam was all good. My contract is being drawn up as we speak and I am just sitting home... waiting and waiting. So I dont really know why I am not blogging that much. I guess there isn't much going on to blog about. No spurts of creativity arising either. Just going through the motions.

It's quite depressing having nothing to do all day. I try to flesh out all my errands to fill up my days and thus get a sense of purpose in life but sometimes, I run out of errands and I end up doing the most peculiar things with my time. Take for example two days ago. I was going to the bookstore to get some sand paper for a project my sister was doing. On the way there, I saw a music instrument shop and I found myself walking towards it. I went in and the salesman asked me how he could help. I replied with a very confident and surprisingly purposeful, "I am looking for a piano" in a tone which surprised me more than anyone. It was a tone of a determined man in search of something very specific and certain. He nodded and showed me up stairs. 10 minutes later, I decided I was going to buy one of the pianos displayed.

Came back home that day with a bag of sand paper which I promptly handed to my sister. She casually said thank you and asked if that was all I bought from there. I said "no, I also bought a newspaper and will probably buy a piano". My mom, took her gaze off of her favourite tv show for a second then said, "you should" in a semi sarcastic tone, not sure if I was serious or not.

I've had my new piano for 2 nights now. I always wanted to learn to play the piano and now I am doing just that. It's keeping me sane these days. Also, my novel of the week has, as always, been a life-saver. I just finished reading Captain Corelli's Mandolin after a person I know recommended it to me. It's a mesmerizing, awe-inspiring masterpiece. I wish I could reach this level of sophistication in my future written works which I aspire to make one day.

Another update in my blog is the list of 'the 5 most recent books I have finished reading' which I have just insterted in my blogs layout and will continuously update as I go along.

Bored beyond belief,
mmk080.

I just couldn't pee in the cup...

2008-08-12T13:19:00.031+03:00

Disclaimer: This post contains some very graphic language, like the words "yellow substance" & "pee". Reader discretion is advised. But if you read this far, might as well continue because those were the two most graphic words used in this post.

I had to do a complete physical check up before I started work. So I went to the medical center. Entered the building and went straight to the receptionist who quickly pointed me to a room in a manner that made it look like these instructions have become second nature to her. I followed her instructions, and got in to find a room full of people. It had two office tables - one empty (probably a guy on vacation) and the other table was occupied by a nice African woman working solitarily. Had to wait 30 min before she got to me. She finished my paperwork really quickly and told me to go to the lab to give "samples". I thanked her and proceeded to the lab. Got lost as I did not know where the lab is, so I was forced to go back to the receptionist and ask her another question. The Qatari receptionist shot me this look that expressed grave annoyance but I guess she gave me the benefit of the doubt since she told me exactly where the lab was without adding "-you ass" at the end of the sentence... at least, not out loud.

As soon as I entered the lab, I noticed the same people who were in the room I was in a few minutes ago. One of them was sitting down, apparently already dealt with the nurse behind the non-existent glass window (its like a square cut out from the wall) . The other guy was leaning on the window edge waiting for the nurse to finish entering his information into the PC. So I just queued up behind him and waited for him to finish. My mind then wandered off and next thing I know, I find an old Indian guy who apparently entered the lab and simply walked right past me to stand adjacent to the guy talking to the nurse. I got pissed but thought he was old and I just let it slide this time. So after the nurse finished with the first guy then the old indian guy whom, apparently, was also entering & providing his wifes info as well as his (taking an excruciatingly long time without any sense of remorse for cutting the line) it was my turn. I said hello to the clearly bored-out-of-her-mind Philipino nurse and she simply hummed "uhm ... uhm ... um...urgh...wh... uhm" after I gave her my information in the sequence I heard her ask the customary questions to the previous two people. Then, without uttering a single full word, she knelt down and got back up to standing position with a small red-capped cup in her hand. She placed the small cup within my reach and said "Ball". I stared at it, then back at her and heard myself say "ball?". "Yes, Ball. Bol" she replied in an agitated tone. I stared back at her and decided to just stay quite for a second... I knew what she meant but I would rather she pronounces it right or say it in English. After my cold stare and clueless look she added "Uriiine" and pointed at the cup. I took the cup and said, "thanks" with a small grin on my face.

I went and stood outside of the small occupied rest room in the lab. Looked around the room which was basically a waiting area for men. There were at least three men each sitting down with a blank expression on their face and a small newly filled cup of yellow substance inside. The door to the rest room opens and the old indian comes out with his cup grasped in his two hands like it's the holy grail and with a look of pride in his eyes for some reason. I decided not to ponder why he could possibly be proud because no rational theory would ever be pleasing to me or anyone else. I got in to the rest room and locked it up. Gave myself an imaginary pat on the back to encourage me and began to unscrew the red cap from the small cup. I tried to, you know, but unfortunately nothing would come out (Since I already went to the bathroom at home before I came to the medical center). I kept trying to think of relaxing thoughts in the hopes that they would help me finish my business. But all they managed to do was make me feel half asleep. So I just got out with the look of defeat on my face. I could see all the other guys looking at me with their acheivements stored in the small cups they were holding and I decided I needed to get out of the lab to find some water I could drink in order to help speed the process.

Looked around for a water cooler but I couldn't find any so, again, I was forced to ask the receptionist. She pointed me to a corridor and I followed it. Found a water cooler hidden away in one of the turns and I think I drank about 8 cups of water. I could honestly feel the water in my stomach churning and moving while I was walking back to the Lab. Got inside and sat in the now empty waiting room then just stared at the floor trying to think of other ways I could speed the process. Looked back up and found the nurse gazing at me. I got a little uncomfortable from that so I told her in as cool a tone as I could muster that "I couldn't go" as I rolled my eyes at the rest-room's direction. She smiled, told me to go drink more water. I did. Went back and waited. I saw man after man going in to the restroom with an empty cup and coming out a minute later triumphantly with a full cup. And that just depressed me. "How can they pee on demand?" I thought to myself silently. I went in to the rest room after that and tried but there was too much pressure. So I kept thinking of the beach to relax and it was working I was almost there. Then, just before I was ready to go, I heard this extremely loud bang on the door and it just completely messed it up. I came out to find a Qatari man in his 40s who honestly looked like a gorilla who just came out of the jungle and let himself go (beer belly and everything). I gave him a look of disgust and he just walked right passed me. I decided at that very moment that it was time for me to leave and come back tomorrow. So I queued up outside the non existent window to give back the empty cup and get back my papers. Next thing I know, the gorilla man comes out with his full cup and he simply cuts through the queue and stands right in front of me... That's when it hit me, when I realised that this is what I am going to have to deal with for the rest of my life... at work, in the streets, in the malls, everywhere. I just felt so low after that. Handed in my empty cup with the look of defeat in my eyes and said, "give me my papers. I will come tomorrow."

Drove back home, sat in the living room. Found myself with the urge to go to the bathroom... went there and I pee'd three times in a row, I kid you not. It was extremely frustrating. They wouldn't let me take the cup home with me for fear that I would use someone else's "specimen". After my marathon in the bathroom, I just fell asleep from lack of energy that was expounded on dealing with the queue-illiterate mentality that I am surrounded by.

I will be in Oman tomorrow...

2008-07-29T02:44:00.005+03:00

I will go to visit my good friend Blue-Chi in Oman tomorrow and I will be staying there for 3 days. For this momentous occasion, I have created this blog http://3daysinoman.blogspot.com where I will be live blogging my impressions of Oman as I see it through my 100% Qatari eyes (well, technically 50% Qatari eyes, since my Mom was Saudi before my Dad married her but anyway).

Everynight, Blue-Chi & I Will post a simple schedule of places we are going to visit the next day (including estimated times, locations in Muscat, etc), so if you want to witness a Qatari specimen walking amongst you just make sure to keep visiting that blog throughout these upcoming three days (Tue 29th till Fri 1st of Aug). Also, I would love to meet my readers and fellow bloggers who happen to be in Oman. So if you happen to be in Oman during that time and have some free time to kill plus willingness to meet a Qatari nobody with his fellow Omani friend; you will know where & how to find us.

I Graduated Yesterday!

2008-07-15T22:26:00.014+03:00

It never sunk in. I never really felt like I made it. When I got my results and realised I passed, my reaction was not what you would expect. I did not call my family to tell them about this good news or jump up and down in joy. I literally went "oh..." in my head, then proceeded to do what I usually do at that time of day - switched on Arrested Development and ate lunch.

Weeks later, I still didn't feel anything regarding my achievement. It was anti-climatic if anything. I looked forward to starting my job, my real life but nothing else really. I went to my graduation yesterday ( you can check out the free streaming HERE click on the Monday 14th of July 1:30pm ceremony, Cardiff Law School - turn to the 13:00 minute to skip the boring intro. I am actually the 6th guy they call out (the one who mistakenly has his tie under his white graduation scarf) which is pretty cool). When I put my graduation robe earlier that morning, I felt nothing. Went to my graduation ceremony hall, sat down and felt nothing. Went next to the stage, my name got called out, walked on stage & shook the Head Master's hands but still felt nothing. You can literally see it in the Graduation streaming(Click HERE for Broadband & HERE for Dial-up, skip to 13:00 min I am Mo (6th guy called out)), I looked like I was walking to Starbucks or to the grocery store, was not nervous at all. When I went to sit down after the "hand shake and receivement", I felt like I just wasted my time and my family's time (whom I am truly grateful to, for making the time and effort to come see me). I just kept dozing off after I sat down, losing any hope that I would get any sense of satisfaction or relief for all the hard work that I put into my studies. That is until the last sentence that the last presenter in the ceremony said, where she stated something like:

"... Confident that your studies have been a valuable contribution to your lives, and a determination that your talents will be used in the service of humanity"

That's when it hit me. When it really sunk in. I felt a sense of relief. All my hard work did not go to waste after all.

One of the most interesting articles I've read in a long time...

2008-07-10T02:12:00.003+03:00

The article is about Qatar. I think it is quite objective but please let me know what you think.

Click Here for the New York Times article

I got published again

2008-07-04T03:54:00.011+03:00

This time in an academic journal. To be more specific, "The Cardiff University Student Law Journal". Here is a picture of the cover.

Also, this time they actually published my real name! Check it out:

For people who actually want to read my published essay in full, Click Here. I have to warn you though, it is quite dry and full of grammatical mistakes since I wrote this essay, including its necessary research, in less than two days (and apparently the Journal's editor isn't very good because most of the essays in this journal contained grammatical & spelling mistakes). It's ironic really, that the essay I spent the shortest amount of time & effort on, gets to be the one that earns me the highest grade out of all my other essays, & gets published too. I tried applying this technique (of rushing through my essay in two days) for my land law assignment this year and it did not turn out as well. The good thing though, was that it was a non-assessed essay so I guess I was saved.

My Results...

2008-06-27T16:40:00.012+03:00

I am sure most of you don't really care about this. I just can't see how this could possibly be interesting to anyone who does not know me personally. But I am proud of it and want to share it with you all. Today the Uni published the results but NOT the individual marks for each module. In other words, they just tell you whether you passed or failed each module, the actual marks for each module on the other hand, will be released in July.

My end of year results:

That's it. I am graduating in a couple of weeks. I am a law graduate... God, that sounds... wrong. It seems like only yesterday when I landed here in Cardiff and met Blue_Chi, who truly has been like a mentor to me (that makes him sound so much older than he actually is, he is in fact only 2 years older than me). Honestly, one of the most important things that I feel I was blessed and privileged to have been able to experience here in Cardiff University, was getting to know people like Blue Chi, who, impressively, has been able to put up with my peculiarities & quirks for a whole year (which is no easy feat!) and has taught me a lot about life in general, even though he might not know it. Thanks so much dude!

... I am, for the first time in many dark dark months, actually happy. I want to thank all of you bloggers out there (you know who you are) for making my year a more bearable one. I am not going to go all sentimental now and say something about how much I care about you all or how special you all are. No, you are not special people. You are special virtual entities & persona's that are absolutely great and entertaining. If you all (well, most of you) are like your alter virtual persona in real life, I think we all could look forward to a better future for us & our children.

I am working on a new video project...

2008-06-20T13:48:00.004+03:00

Here is what you can expect from my new video project:

My picture
My friend's picture
My voice narrating what's going on (Plus weird accent).
Humour?

I've been working on it for some time now, it just took time to find a suitable video editing program ( do not use Windows Movie Maker!) and I also got a life... which takes some time away from my project too.

You can expect it published soon in this blog.

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P.S. The digital version of the University Newspaper edition that has my short story published has just been put on their website. If you want to check it out, Click HERE (it's a 21.3MB PDF file). My short story is on page 34 of the PDF. In the real life version, it's in the back page of the seperate supplemant that is attached to the main newspaper.

Tagged... again

2008-06-15T04:50:00.008+03:00

Alright, lets just get right into it. Here are the rules of the tag:

1. Link the person(s) who tagged you (Grey)
2. Mention these rules on your blog.
3. Tell about 6 unspectacular quirks of yours.
4. Tag 6 following bloggers by linking them.
5. Leave a comment on each of the tagged blogger’s blogs letting them know they’ve been tagged.

Six Unspectacular quirks of mines are as follows:

1. I hate tags. I really do, I despise them with my very being & soul. I understand that they are good for page ranks etc. I also understand that they can be good fun. However, I don't like them. I feel like they are a new generation of chain mail, except with chain mail they kinda have a purpose (usually selling a stupid rumor or product). I am just too nice not to comply when someone tags me. So that's why I am doing this, Grey's blog is quite entertaining, so this is like my thank you to Grey for keeping it up!

2. I can sleep for a really long time. My friends back home called me King of Sleep. My all time record of sleeping was 17 hours- straight. My cousin slept for 17hrs 30min so I am hoping this summer when I get back home I can break his record and go for an 18 hr straight (there isn't much else you can do in Qatar).

3. I talk to myself sometimes. My brother thinks I am in the brink of becoming insane when he hears me do that... actually my family in general think I am becoming quite erratic... & they are right, I am becoming quite erratic... because of them! I love them and will do everything I can for them, but I think I need to get my own life now. I just need them to stop giving me lectures when really, all they want me to become is a carbon-copy of them... which, I simply am unable to do. I tried. I just got a different mentality. They are just going to have to accept the fact that I am not the brother/son that they want me to be... I am better than that. It will take them some time to appreciate that, as soon as they let go of there incessant lecturing.

4. I've got a temper. I believe I inherited it from my dad. No, I know I inherited it from my dad. It sucks, but I developed this amazing defence mechanism that kicks in whenever I feel like I am getting angry. It's called sarcasm... truly saved my life a number of times.

5. I am too nice. I would go out of my way not to hurt people's feelings, sometimes even on the expense of me sounding weird.

6. Almost everyone who knows me can be split into two groups. People who think I am 'quite slow' or 'not the sharpest tool in the shed' & people who think I am a genius. The former group has had more weight but the balance is slowly shifting now. I am hoping my parents perception of me will shift into the latter group sometime in the near future... I want that for the sake of my perception of them. I don't think I am a genius or anything like that, but I know for a fact I am not slow.

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NEW TAG GAME!!

Here are the rules for my new mmk080-created tag game.

(i) List the person who tagged you.
(ii) Promise yourself that you will ignore every tag other than this one from now on. Reading these rules means you hereby accept them as a binding contract that can be enforced against you. In the case of breach of said rule, punishment will be imposed in the form of guilt caused by knowing that you have just made mmk080 cry. And lets face it, no one would like to see that.
Do it for mmk080. Do it for yourself.
(iii) I Tag everyone in the world right now and everyone that will exist in the future.

I got published...

2008-06-09T18:45:00.011+03:00

Remember the short story I posted on this blog awhile ago? you know, this one? well I emailed it to the editor of the University newspaper about a month ago and she emailed back the next day telling me that she cant "just publish fiction on the newspaper" but that they do this creative writing supplement twice a year which the book editor is in charge of, adding that she forwarded my email to that book editor. That was the last I heard from the newspaper crew, until last week when the book editor asked me if I would like to provide my name to accompany my story or leave it anonymous. I emailed him back promptly giving him my real name and email. So my story is published in the last issue of the newspaper for this year and my real name is apparently Anonymous... Check it out:

Click on the pic to get a larger version.
(Digital Version - turn to p.34)

Actually I am glad my name wasn't attached to the story... I mean, can you imagine if it was? It would be pandemonium! Girls would go mental for me ... OK, that last sentence was self-deprecating sarcasm so please do not think for a second that I really meant that. Writing a short story that gets published is no match for a guy who can 'binge drink' or whatever the hell stereotypical students do here... Apparently that's what most girls in Uni go for (No they are not... at least, I hope not).

Anyway, this reminds me of an incident that happened in high school. I remember I was in Grade 9 (14-15 yrs old) at the time. There were two groups for English class, low group (i.e. English as a second language) and high group (English as a first language, which also included literature from Shakespeare etc.). I was in the latter group in Grade 9 and during high school I really didn't care about anything so I did the minimum of what I had to do when it comes to homework or any type of school work.
However, this one day I went back home from school and my dad, unusually, gave me this lecture about how important school is bla bla bla which, surprisingly worked! I was motivated and decided to do my English homework (it consisted of writing a short story or essay; can't quite remember about what exactly) as best as I possibly could. So I did a first draft, second draft, and a final draft, which I subsequently handed in to my English teacher, Mrs Wales. I can still remember her name and even, the way she looked; She was from Indian or Pakistani descent but was born and raised in Britain (had this thick British accent and everything).

The day after I handed in my homework, Mrs Wales went around the room, as she normally does, and gave out the corrected homeworks. When she came over to my table, she threw my homework on the desk in front of me and said, "tell whoever wrote this, it was good". I replied with a very deserved, "WHAT?"

"Clearly, you didn't write this" said Mrs Wales as she was continuing to hand in the other students homework
"I wrote this!" I said, in a shocked tone.
"No, I know your abilities and you are not capable of writing this"

So I kept arguing & arguing with her until she got angry, which made her shout really loudly. So I just stayed quite. Went back home that day, told my parents what happened and they just shrugged it off (so to speak). A few weeks later she moved me to the low group English class. I just didn't give a shit about English after that.

Well, I hope Mrs Wales ends up reading this blog post somehow... if you are in fact reading this, Mrs Wales (who worked in Qatar International School in 1999 or 1998), I have something to tell you... You were wrong about me, you oppressive Bitch!

Double Tagged

2008-06-08T02:53:00.010+03:00

Today must be my lucky day. I've been double tagged. And even though I am not really into this whole tagging scene, I feel like I owe the bloggers who tagged me to comply with their tag game as they have provided me with much needed stress relief (through their entertaining blogs) in the days before the exams and I am thus very grateful. Let's start with Suburban as she was the first one who tagged me.

Here are the rules for the new Suburban-made tag game:

Go to your refrigerator, and describe the contents in the style of a movie tag line
Locate the least popular condiment in and tell us what it is
Name the most embarrassing thing in your fridge / freezer and justify it's presence there.
Tag five people, and acknowledge who tagged you.

Here are my answers:

The half cut cucumber has endured immeasurable pain but it was nothing compared to what the year old cheese has been put through. Love (Camera zooms in at tomatoes). Romance (Camera moves and aims at the chili). Action (Camera stays at the chili). Betrayal (picture of slender canned olives flashes by). And forgiveness (picture of barbecue sauce that fades out into a black screen slowly).

Coming to a cinema near you this July. Rated R 18+.
Coca Cola... Apparently drinking this means I support Israel and the Saudi friends which I am hanging out with these days (who really are genuinely good people) literally refuse to drink it and instead demand Pepsi... I will blog about that later though.
It's in my freezer. It's a competition between two items there. Either it is the 4 pieces of Beef Burgers that I bought a year ago which have an expiry date of 17 May (no year printed though... I assume it is 2007 since I bought it before last years exams in May). Or it is this mysterious box that is in the top shelf of the freezer that has been frozen shut, I am not sure but I think it is a box of chicken nuggets that my brother and I bought two years ago when we moved into this apartment (well, used to be a box of nuggets... I have no idea what it turned into now and no way of finding out what either since the ice has formed a barrier that acts like a lock that cannot be opened by no key).
I acknowledged who tagged me above and I tag the first 5 people who comment on this blog post and who haven't been tagged by this game before (I am sorry but I just don't believe I can even think of this many bloggers at this early hour of the wee mornin to link to or name specifically).

-------------------------------------------------

Second tag came from my good friend Blue_Chi, and it's rules are as follows:

# Pick up the nearest book.
# Open to page 123.
# Locate the fifth sentence.
# Post the next three sentences on your blog and in so doing...
# Tag five people, and acknowledge who tagged you.

The book is called Autism Spectrum Disorders: The Complete Guide. I located the fifth sentence on page 123 and here are the next three sentences that proceeded it:

We did everything together: ate dinner as a family every night, rode our bikes, played tennis, watched TV (the few hours a week we were allowed), went to church and socialised with other families. We had very little time on our own and were not encouraged to join clubs that would take us away from our family activities.
So I had always expected that when I had a family, though it would be much smaller, it would be the same kind of close-knit family life with shared activities.

I tag the first 5 people who comment on this blog post and who have not been tagged. (I suck at this tagging game, I know).

The Exams...

2008-06-01T19:02:00.022+03:00

Big Pearl & Grey have asked me about my exams & how they were which, I think, is a great question for me to address this nagging topic that I've been meaning to blog about for quite some time now. The topic is about how fundamentally flawed the law exams in UK universities generally are (NB. I have only experienced exams in Cardiff Law School but I am assuming most credible UK universities have a very similar exam system).

I have blogged about the pressures of exams a while back and some of you might think I was a bit over-dramatic with my mountain climbing analogy (I am so sorry about that by the way, its just that this is what law reduced me to; the use of mountain climbing analogies & feeling like 10 years have been shaved off of my life expectancy, is all I have now) but even though I am naturally a "worrier", the pressure you are faced with from these flawed exams is so immense that... well, lets just say if it wasn't for my family & friend's support, I don't know how I would've dealt with it.

Why are the exams flawed? because doing the law exams here is like gambling; Nay, it IS gambling. I will not go into the details because I don't want to bore you. What I will discuss, however, is the devastating effect it has on some students.

So I've been in Cardiff University for three years now (those exams I just done are hopefully my last exams & I will graduate this July since in the UK it only takes 3 years to graduate). In my freshman year of university doing the first year of the undergraduate law degree there was an incident which I think demonstrates the amount of pressure we get put through in the law degree (unnecessary pressure, if I may add, mostly caused by the inherent gambling quality of the exams). A final year law student from India who had been studying in Cardiff University for two years, committed suicide during the revision period before the exams (here is the University paper article about the incident). Now, I know it's an 'extreme' example of what the pressures of the exams can have on some students but I really think it highlights how impossible the law exams might seem even to a clever person like the aforementioned student from India (who was actually a graduate of Delhi University when he first embarked in his, unfortunately incomplete, law degree here in Cardiff Uni).
I really did not know that student, so I guess when I heard about this (from Blue_Chi in the library) I just thought he did not know how to handle the stress...

Fast forward to this year (ie 2 yrs later), I met this guy who is a Muslim (and thus against suicide in all its forms supposedly) and who is a really friendly dude and very socially active. He was one of those familiar faces you meet in the supermarket & have a little chat with though you don't know him that well but you've met him so many times that you end up thinking of him as a 'friend'...
He jumped off of his 5th floor apartment this January in an attempt to commit suicide. He was studying Law in Cardiff Uni doing a postgraduate course. Apparently he jumped off when he found out he failed one of his modules. Fortunately though, his stupid suicide attempt failed. He is alive & well with no lasting injuries. After being taken to the hospital and operated on, the doctors said it was a miracle he is still alive. I did not hear the doctors say that, my other friend told me, since I did not go visit him in the hospital after his suicide attempt. I am just very awkward in these situations. I can just imagine myself going up to him, while he was on his hospital bed with bandages all around his body, put my hands on his shoulders and say, "Better luck next time, man" or something equally inappropriate. So I just did not visit him. I am also pissed off that he would do such a stupid thing because he failed a module. But then again a part of me can understand the state of mind that a student is in when he is embarking on exams or just dealing with the pressures of this degree, especially if you are alone in a foreign land without your family.

I felt helpless in the revision period and I literally went through all the five stages of grief and relived them every 30 minutes (I kid you not). First there was Denial; "I have no exams". Then Anger; "Screw the exams!". Bargaining; "Can't I have one more day before the exams?". Depression; "I am going to die in the end so what's the point?". Acceptance; "I accept that I will fail in the exams".

But I digress, going back to the main topic, law exams are flawed because they have an inherent gambling quality to them and the pressure is very immense since most core modules are based on a 100% exam with no assessed essays (plenty of compulsory non assessed ones to waste your time though) therefore if you wake up on the "wrong side of the bed" on the day of the exam, all the work you've done all year equates to nothing.

However, I have finished all my exams now and overall I did better than I expected. I hope all the work that I put into my studies will pay off in the end. Looking back at my 3 years in Cardiff Law School I can honestly say it is an excellent university, except for the flawed exam system of course, and I had an amazing time here. I would highly recommend this Uni to anyone interested in studying law in the UK. Just keep in mind how the element of chance is going to play a bigger part in your degree mark than anything else and then you'll be good to go!

P.S. This is just my opinion and I am aware that some law students may not share my sentiments however, I just thought I would share it here with you guys because I have nothing else to do... I think I am going to go play xbox now.

Guess whose back?

2008-05-28T20:14:00.002+03:00

That's right, "Jo" finished his exams today...

Any questions?

I am standing at the bottom of a huge mountain

2008-05-15T03:40:00.006+03:00

I am looking up at the mountain, contemplating how enormously steep and astronomically gigantic it is. I have to climb to the top of the mountain. I have to reach the top, but I do not know what the shadows of the rocks that stick out of the steepness of the mountain are hiding from me. But I cannot dwell on that I need to keep on moving. I feel like turning back and moving away from facing the mountain. Move away to a stress-free life of not caring, but I digress. I have to persevere through this, to climb to the furthest reaches of the mountain. I need to do this. I have no choice... I just wish I can make it back again in one piece.

My exam is tomorrow. Wish me luck.

P.S. Sorry but I am not going to update this blog till I finish my last exam on the 28th of May. Bare with me for a few weeks.

My constantly changing name...

2008-05-01T22:42:00.008+03:00

I love Starbucks. It is like a second home to me... except, one that is available everywhere around the world. There is a Starbucks literally 2 min away by foot from where I am currently residing, so I always go there to get my daily cup of Latte.

They started this new system in my local Starbucks where they ask for your name or initials after you order your drink to avoid any confusion about whose drink it is when you go to collect it. So anyway, every week day there is usually a different barista and the conversation goes something like this:

"Hi! can I have a Grande Latte to go?"
"Take away or to stay in?"
"To go..."
"Name or initials please"
"Mo..."
Barista stares at me for a sec. "Name or initials to put down on your drink" (apparently she thought I said No as oppose to Mo)
"Mo... EM- O!"
"Aah, ok"

I pay and they usually get my name right but occasionally they get it wrong. Today, was one of those days...

My name is Mio today. Apparently, I come from a family of Cats!

This is what I've been doing for the last week or so (which I will continue to do for the next month... YAY!)

2008-04-26T06:17:00.013+03:00

Wake up. Brush Teeth, check email while brushing. Check again to make sure no emails were received. Tell yourself it's ok, a lot of people don't get emails everyday. Continue to repeat that till you believe it. Then wash face and take a shower. After that get dressed, which suddenly awakens the wild side of you and with that side of you awaken, you simply let loose and... Go to the library to study for 9 hours straight. Get back to an empty flat starving only to realise you've got so much more work ahead of you which blocks your appetite. So you instead write a blog post. Hello!

Anyway, I thought you guys might enjoy seeing my revision technique. It is suppose to make remembering things simpler and supposedly makes things clearer too. It's called Mind Maps. And I am currently using the iMindMap software which isn't cheap (i.e. it's not free) but does the job better than the other programs I've used (at least in my opinion, it does).

Here is the mind map which shows this topic, from one of my law modules, in it's "clearest" and "simplest" form. Make sure to click on the pic then zoom in to the middle cloud and branch out from there.

It is the "Three Certainties" topic from my Trusts & Equity course which, by the way, is grrrrrrrreat!

I need your best wishes as I am going to do my last exams in 3 weeks and as you can tell from the mind map above... I need all the wishes I can get!

The best thing about YouTube videos is the people's comments

2008-04-19T14:20:00.005+03:00

They are very insightful and so eloquent that I am simply mesmerised by their true simplicity and depth of meaning. A classic example is highlighted in this wonderful video:

The sad thing is, this is not a wholly uncommon thing amongst youtube commenters. The good thing though, is that these provide invaluable means of entertainment for everyone else.

A Work of Fiction.

2008-04-15T04:17:00.022+03:00

This is a story about a young boy who comes from an upper-class family in a conservative society. His family is considered quite large by normative means but isn't very rare by conservative society standards. He has five siblings in total and he is bang on in the middle. He is the youngest of four boys but also a middle child. He has two younger sisters; the youngest of whom is a 'person with special needs'. Her eyes are Asian-like, her tongue is a little bigger than normal, she is the ray of light in a home that would otherwise be pitch-black; she breathes life into a home that would otherwise suffocate; she brings peace to a house over-ridden with war; she looks like every other person with this condition, she is a Down syndrome child...

The young boy had quite a normal childhood considering he was the youngest of four boys. He played, he got bullied, he laughed, he loved, he got hurt, but he always managed to project a sense of naive optimism... that is until he was abused. He didn't know at the time... but his child inner siren went off and he made a stop to it - whatever it was. Little did he know that 'whatever it was' was in fact, a moment that would haunt him for the rest of his life; a moment that defines everything about him- every action, every personality trait, every touch, and every emotion; a moment which has caused him to withdraw from the world for several years; a moment which has brought darkness in the eyes of the young boy; darkness to a home that seems like a workshop for crushing souls because it was there... it is still there.

Then his baby sister was born. "There were complications, she has a small hole in her heart" that's what they told him when he inquired about why it was taking so long for mommy to get back from the hospital. He could recall it did not take that long for a baby to come out of mom's tummy last time, he was leaning with his elbow on the evidence, he was leaning with his elbow on his other sister's head.

A week later, his mom holding his new little sister appeared through the front door. The little thing in his mom's arms looked like the cutest little person he had ever seen. She was fast asleep, pale, and extremely kissable. He ran and hugged his mom first, but it felt strange... there was something wrong. This was not the mom he knew before. She looked like her, she sounded like her, but she seemed... different, almost ... broken. He brushed those thoughts away as a symptom of the "whatever it was" experience, and plus, he thought, his little sister did have a hole in her heart which from what he has seen in cartoons, is something easily fixable with a little band-aid and a hug, but deduced it can still cause a mom to be worrisome and distant for awhile.

A few months with the new baby made the young boy get accustomed to her. Her hair grew straight and she seemed very energetic, even when she couldn't see anyone around. His mom, however, was still as distant as ever. He would notice her going to the bathroom quite a lot when he and his siblings were around their new little sister. But he didn’t think anything of it. He loved hanging out with his baby sister everyday and nothing seemed to convince him to leave her alone. However, he eventually forced himself to find the time away from his little sister to hang out with his cousin one day. This cousin wasn't the most pleasant kid in the world, his idea of having fun is bullying smaller sized kids (which pretty much included everyone in his school since he was huge) and eating tooth-paste (he seemed particularly fond of ‘Signal 2’ brand of toothpaste). The young boy caught the cousin eating toothpaste once, he never told him he knew his secret. But he was the young boy’s cousin so he had to entertain him since he was nevertheless a guest at his home. Everything was going as typical as a day with that cousin could go; it was boring, annoying, and occasionally funny. The young boy heard a lot of hurtful words from the cousin over the years but he always managed to brush them off as immature tooth-paste eating blabber. But this day there were words that simply stuck to this young boy’s head; "I heard your sis is a mongoloid".

The young boy kept thinking about what that word meant and sought to find a definition in his 'childrens dictionary' but with no avail. So after exhausting all other feasible options he decided it was time to ask his mom about it. He went into her room and found his little sister lying on her baby mat sleeping, and his mom sitting on the couch reading a newspaper. After finding the right timing, which took him about 10 minutes after sitting down next to his mom pretending to read a magazine, the young boy asked:

"Mom..."
"yes?"
"What is a mongoloid?"
It was like the question was a flamed arrow that struck her heart.
"Where did you hear that word!?" his mom snapped back
"My cousin told me, that she was a mongoloid…" The young boy said whilst pointing at his baby sister.
"..."

Tears started rolling off of mommy’s eyes... she was crying and he didn't know what he did wrong. He started crying as well and leaped off of the chair and hugged her real tight. The tears were rolling off her eyes and falling on the young boy's shoulder. He was never the same after that. It was only later that day that his oldest brother explained to him that that 'Mongoloid' term was used, in that instance, as a derogatory name for people with their sister's condition; people with Down Syndrome.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Notes about this story:

This piece got published. Click Here to See the post I wrote about that.

My inspiration for writing this piece is My Little Sister (Click to read about her).

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Where is the love?

2008-04-10T00:51:00.017+03:00

I am ashamed of each and everyone of you so called "Arab bloggers" or "bloggers residing in an Arab country". Non of you blogged about this most momentous of all weeks. I am of course referring to the "Mazayen Al-Ibl" week-long competition, where all the fair camels in the Arab world gather in Saudia Arabia this week to be pit against one another in a pure battle of... not stamina, not speed... but beauty.

(Pic source Wikipedia)

The camel voted most beautiful can reportedly fetch as high as 1,000,000+ Saudi Riyals. But how does one distinguish between an attractive camel and a not so attractive one? well, I will let Sultan Al-Qahtani, one of the organisers of the event (as reported here), answer.
When asked about this he said: "the nose should be long and droop down, that's more beautiful". But that's not all, "the ears should stand back and the neck should be long. The hump should be high but slightly to the back."

It's weird because those are the exact features I look for in a woman...

Some female camels in the competition are reportedly forced to wear harnesses around their "privates" in order to counter the many attempts from male camels to mount them. To be fair, those male camels were probably used to months of lonely travel in the deserts and thus never saw female camels (because they were back home cooking stuff and cleaning, of course) before, let alone a high concentration of 'beautiful' ones in such a small space at the same time, so I am afraid they couldn't keep it in... they couldn't help but go with their instincts which all point to... you guessed it, mounting them all. This problem compelled the organizers of the event to create a "two strikes and you're out" mounting rule. In other words, if the same camel tries to mount another camel twice then he will be escorted away and disqualified; and lets just say, it's the humiliation that really gets to those offending male camels.

(Source)

Text message extravaganza!

2008-04-06T17:47:00.015+03:00

The title and aim of this blog is to provide "My Perspective on Life, Law, and Everything Else". I am going to be ambitious and state that, this post right here, will encapsulate the essence of what I am trying to provide in this blog as a whole. I know what you are thinking, I have just inflated the expectations of all my reader(s) so high, to the point where, arguably, this post will never be able to reach nor meet. I beg to differ, but in the end it will all be up to you, the reader(s) to decide whether I have reached those high expectations I have imposed on this post or not.

I think that my blog has been lacking some of my personality that my friends in real life have experienced. My last two posts have been a little more personal, which I think explains why my visitor statistics have improved 100% (from 1 visitor each day to a big whopping 2 visitors each day) and for that, I want to thank myself (the first visitor) and my good friend Blue-Chi (my second visitor) I could not have done this without you guys!

Therefore, I thought long and hard about how I can make the visitors increase by another 100% (in other words, I thought, how can I let my personality shine through more clearly in my blog?) and then I got it. I found just the right way to let this happen naturally. And that is by typing in the most notable TXT messages that I have sent out to a variety of people I know and then publish it in this blog to let people get to know the real me. And hence, possibly gain an extra two visitors... or perhaps lose two....

So here are the most notable txt messages I have sent out recently. I would just like to note that my phone has a QWERTY keyboard so some of the messages are long because of that (plus, I love txting!). Also, I have completely taken out any personal information like the names of friends I have sent these txt messages to or any other private info for obvious reasons.

My perspective on Life (Txt message #1):

After a realisation I recently made, I thought I'd share it with my friend...

From: Me

To: A good friend of mine

Dude...
U know u don't have a life if the only thing that gets you down on a Saturday, is your highlighter pens running out.

My perspective on Law ( Txt message #2):

After receiving an Arabic message, that was in essence, equivalent to a chain-mail, and was essentially an announcement that, roughly translated, states that a Muslim group decided to protest the film "fitna" (Which I have already discussed here) from being published by claiming that it is all Muslim's duty to boycott Dutch products from 10th of April to the 25th of April and stated that it is only 15 days so adhere to the boycott loyally THIS TIME [emphasis added]. Then they added that I should apply this msg to myself first then send it to all the people I know to get "ajir" or religious virtue. Here is my reply to the relative that sent me this:

From: Me

To: A relative of mine

The Unity of brain and conciseness has decided that the boycotting of dutch food products goes against our very humanity and ideals as muslim human beings. The Dutch government did everything they could reasonably do to prohibit the movie entitled "Fitna" from being published, yet the lone MP that backed that film decided to publish it through the internet where there are no laws for prohibiting such a thing nor any "real" ways of policing the upload of such things by individuals.
Dear brothers & sisters, there are hooligans in every race, ethnicity or country. Do not seal the fate of a whole country's economic stability on the basis of one hooligan's work. It is not right.

Please apply this msg to yourself and imagine how you'd feel if the whole fate of your country's economy is based on the actions of one hooligan who happens to have a government job and shares your nationality. Share this with people you know and I hope, your brain and conscience will shine thru.

Lets just say my relative wasn't impressed with that txt message I sent.

My perspective on everything else (Txt message # 3):

From: Me

To: My landlord

Hello [landlord's name] this is [me],

Firstly, I want to thank u for fulfilling your landlord duties promptly when it came to fixing that leaky pipe, I really appreciate it.

However, I would appreciate it even more if u at the very least, let me have a say when u decide on making renovations to the flat (i had no problems with the floor in kitchen, the water was drying). In the last week or so i've had no privacy. The people u sent knock on my door at 4, 5pm and sometimes at 8, 9am whenever they felt like it, until i told them they cant do that.
2day, one of the guys fixing the supposedly broken floor in the kitchen literally came into the flat while im in bed [since they work for the company that deals with the maintenance of this building, the concierge gave them the key to my flat, hence he was able to get in], opened the door to my room without knocking... it was clearly a mistake by his part but i am very uncomfortable these last few days and very unhappy with the way things have been handled.

I am sorry for the long msg but i just got to get this off of my chest.

And there you have it; my post; my blog; my self.

(if you enjoyed this please comment, I'd love to hear your opinions!)

Customer service comparison: Arab vs Western way to customer satisfaction

2008-04-05T15:35:00.012+03:00

I recently had an experience with the customer service department in a company I have bought a product from (Bose) which evoked strong feelings from within me. But before I go on, I'd like for people to first examine the Arab way of dealing with customers and for that, I will refer you to three excellent posts from three blogs (that I really enjoy) which illustrate the Arab way perfectly.

Arab way to customer service:

First of all, I want you to click and read this short but vividly described experience between Kishor Cariappa and a waiter.

Secondly, look at BlueChi's eloquently described experience with a company called Emax.

Thirdly, Suburban wrote a harrowingly funny experience about the same aforementioned company Emax but then decided to edit her post once they fixed her product AND I am sure, after Emax realised that her blog is read by many people who actually started to link to her, it seems she got a little bit of respect (see the power of bloggers?).

Finally, I think it is fair to say, that those experiences are not confined to Oman only, but are very evident in Qatar (as well as other Arab countries I've visited) to the point where this is what I, and most people I know, expect from companies generally. I am not going to mention any specific incident I had in Qatar because frankly, I had a lot of them to the point where it just became one of those day-to-day living problems that is just "normal" and expected by people.

Western way to customer service:

For the "alternative" way to customer service I will simply state my most recent experience with a company's customer service here in the UK. That company is Bose, and I was contacting them through email so here is what happened:

From: Me

To: Bose's Customer Service dept.

Date: 4th of March

Hello, I bought one of your Bose Ipod Sound docks (white) when they first came out [Which was in 2005!] to compliment my (then) new ipod mini but then I bought a nano and now an ipod touch and I had to simply put up with this extra space when plugging my new thinner ipods.

Can you please send me the new docks for the ipod touch and ipod nano (not ipod nano phat but the 2nd generation thinner one)?

Thanks in any case,
Kind Regards,

Me

I honestly wrote this due to boredom, not expecting any reply. It is clearly rushed as you can tell. A day later I get this:

From: Bose Customer Service Dept.

To: Me

Date: 5th of March

Dear Mr [Me]

Thank you for your recent e-mail to BOSE®.

All post 3^rd generation iPod#s with an integrated docking connection are compatible with the SoundDock digital music system, the required docking insert adaptor, to enable you to utilise the insert supplied by Apple with your iPod, is now included with the system on all new purchases.

However, I have arranged to send you one, please allow 5-7 days for delivery.

Please contact us on 0800 614 293 (Mon. - Fri. 8.30am - 8.30pm; Sat. & Sun. 9.00am - 8.00pm). One of our representatives will be happy to assist you with any further questions you may have. Alternatively, visit our website at <www.bose.co.uk>.

Yours sincerely,

Tony Wijaszko

Customer Service

Bose Ltd

I read this and remember the strong feelings that were invoked from within me that I mentioned in the beginning of the post? Those feelings were feelings of utter shock and confusion. "Is that it?" I thought out loud. Aren't they going to make me go talk to someone in London or something? or perhaps pay the postage costs even? Or even prove that I do have their product that I claim I have by sending a picture of it perhaps? More importantly, I thought, aren't they going to insult me?
Nope, they want nothing from me but my satisfaction. It took them a month to actually ship it and for me to receive it. But the part I wanted for the product was actually sent for free and without any strings attached.

Conclusion:

I am quite homesick these days so a part of me kind of wished Bose would screw me over so that I can get a feeling of nostalgia and thus ease my homesickness but oh well! I guess you can't always get what you want. And to Bose, you have just gained a loyal customer!

My view on the current situation regarding the Dutch film (entitled "Fitna") that attacks Islam.

2008-03-29T11:06:00.010+03:00

First of all, I would like to refer you to this techcrunch post which made me write about this issue. I made a comment on that post which I am going to reproduce here. My comment caused great disagreement and anger. I am just giving out my point of view. It is just an opinion. That's all. Here it is:

"I am going to respectfully disagree with most of you here.

I am all for freedom of speech and expression. I understand the importance of upholding that right and I understand that if you stop a video that offends a person(s) then you would probably have little videos out there on youtube or google video or whatever.

However, this video is purely an act of provocation to Muslims. And it is not like insulting a whole group for their appearance or actions or even personalities etc.; it is in fact, insulting what they hold the dearest and most precious in their life, it is like insulting their very being and soul. So do not expect Muslims (me being one of them) to just see this video, shrug their shoulders like they are in “the Brady Bunch” or “Happy Days” and say “Oh well.” This is insulting and we’ll be vocal about it. Of course I am in no way approving of any act of violence in any form or shape and I am ashamed of anyone who uses this religion as an excuse for violence as a response to such weak acts of provocation like this video…

Legally the entrenched right of Freedom of speech and expression (Human Rights Act 1998 s.12, 13 here in the UK) can be overruled if it is deemed that the information being published will be a threat to public safety e.g. publishing sensitive information from an ex spy (say) which could hurt the government and ultimately the people. Legally this video was refused publication because it was a threat to public safety … why? because it is completely an act of provocation and frankly a very low blow built upon ridiculous unsubstantiated allegations with no message other than Islam = Terrorists and also completely insulting us by for example, the scene where u hear pages being torn and a message coming on the screen saying “that was not the Quran being torn”…

I think their should also be another exception to the noble-natured right of freedom of speech and expression but not a legal exception but an ethical moral one… some of you might of heard of it. It is called common decency. But law is law … not morals… the latter is up to the individual to uphold there are no real policing to that.

So now, this video having been denied entrance through the official channels, is using the internet - where there are basically no real laws or at least its a grey area nowadays to publish it in. Fine. But what about your morals? Don’t you have any common decency? (I am speaking to the dutch makers and MP who helped put this video online after being rejected from publishing it legally).

I hope this at least makes u get a better idea of why Muslims are vocal about such things. Don’t let the makers of this video fool you. This is not their way of trying to reinforce the noble-natured right of Freedom of Speech as much as it is a pure act of provocation to Muslims generally.

Sorry for the long comment."

I think I need to make myself clearer here. Let me summarise the aforementioned comment which got wonderful thought-provoking comments that attacked not only my view but me personally and my blog!

Prelude: I do not condone any form of violence in any way, shape or form. I cannot emphasise this enough.

My first point: this video is clearly an act of provocation. It is full of hate and ridiculous unsubstantiated allegations against islam.

2nd point: I think it is OK to voice your disapproval of a film creating a message like that. I gave Legal reasons for that (look at my comment above) and moral reasons why it is wrong to publish such a film.

3rd point: I am all for Freedom of Speech and Expression. Please do not think that because I disapprove of this particular vile video I wish to halt freedom of speech or expression. I don't. I am just saying that Muslims won't like it and very rightly so if I may add. So sure post it on the internet but don't expect us Muslims to simply stay quite about it. They will voice their disapproval of it. I don't think only Muslims will voice their disapproval of it either, it is a downright vile film. Of course I reiterate, I do not condone any form of violence whatsoever. This blog post right here is an example of what I mean by voicing disapproval.

4th and final point: People!! this is just an opinion. You do not have to agree with it! But please consider what I am saying and hopefully you can see where I am coming from. If you can't, though, can't we just agree to disagree?

My theory on "love".

2008-03-28T03:15:00.007+03:00

Before I start I just want to state that calling this a theory is a bit of a stretch. It is just my understanding or my view that i have developed from personal experiences and experiences shared to me by my friends surrounding the topic of love. I have come to put this idea into words after I somehow ended up in this quite unique new blog (I think the blogger commented on a blog I was reading one day and I just happened to click on the blogger's name and ended up there). Anyway, here is my "theory on love".

I think love is highly over-rated. I truly believe that love is NOT eternal. It is temporary, just like a lit candle - sooner or later the wax will run out and the fire will burn out. Ultimately love is a temporary high, just like sex (although, arguably, a longer lasting temporary high - but nonetheless still temporary). Fortunately though, when love burns out what is left is what I like to call the byproducts of love; Namely : trust, compassion, respect, companionship (you know, sex! usually reserved for partners, sometimes friends (I hear); hopefully not for families), etc. This is, however, by no means an exhaustive list of those byproducts, just the main ones.

I think that what people (men or women) are really after, is infact those byproducts. Their oblique intention is those byproducts (even though they might not conciously be aware of that). Their direct intention is "love" but their oblique intention or should I say, what they subconciously deem as a virtually certain event to occur, is those byproducts of love. And it is those byproducts which we are all after, not love.

Of course those byproducts can individually be acheived by other means besides love, I am aware of that. But I believe the easiest, most satisfying way to get these bundles of "byproducts" is through love. That's why most people are yearning for love. They are really yearning for someone they can trust, be compassionate about, respect, etc.

Obviously, this is only a "theory" from a 22 yr old guy so you should probably take it with a grain of salt. To be honest, I am not sure if this is what I keep telling myself to feel better to the fact that I still did not find "true love" or if it is actually what I believe. I think it is more of the latter...

Here is the blog post that inspired this comment and inspired me to put my ideas into words, and hence in this blog.

The Corrections; By Jonathan Franzen

2008-03-15T02:30:00.012+03:00

The 653 page novel entitled "The Corrections" is a unique work of fiction. It is unique because first of all, it is a big novel, my hands literally got tired from holding it whilst in bed before going to sleep every night. I honestly think my biceps grew a bit bigger because of how heavy the book was. It is also unique because there is no "real" story; there is no "real" over-arching plot or narrative to it. The Corrections is essentially 5 stories each concerning one of five characters who are all connected by the very fact that they are members of the same family; to be more specific, the Lambert family.The 5 plots each have cameos from the other four family members and you will sometimes get to see the same situation but from the other character's perspective accompanied with their own commentary and view on what is actually happening. Franzen managed to pull this time jumping off and made it seem seamless.

Picture source: Wikipedia.org

After reading three of Dean Koontz's books (in a relatively short period, at least to me), I grew a bit frustrated for I kept feeling this totally predictable sensation when reading stories. I kept seeing a common theme not only in Dean Koontz's books but in almost all fiction novels I have read till now. A totally cliched, everything will end up fine in the end, kind of feeling. And if everything did not end with a disguised form of "and they lived happily ever after", they just end with a completely anti-climax ending that simply ruins the whole novel for me (an example of this would be Douglas Coupland's JPod). Another example would be where the main character will always look like he/she is either going to die or is in a predicament he/she cannot escape from unscathed, only to miraculously escape from it truimphantly - it's a common theme I have come to expect from such novels (an example of that besides ANY Dean Koontz book would be Dan Brown's books, and more specifically, Angels and Demons where the main character (Robert Langdon) was at one point towards the end of the story pushed out of a helicopter and he survived the fall by using his PANTS as a PARACHUTE... completely ruined an otherwise excellent book).

Franzen managed to reignite my otherwise dwindiling interest in novels by completely avoiding the aforementioned common theme landmines in his novel. He managed to do that by not having a "real" overarching plot. There are no real answers given to the complex issues that he deals with in his book, there is no patronizing "and they all lived happily ever after". It's a real story with real characters that are imperfect just like everyone of us. I will give a small description of the five characters without mentioning any spoilers.

Enid and Alfred are the parents of Gary, Chip, and Denise (in chronological order). Alfred was an engineer in this company concerned with making railway tracks. He quit his job just 6 months before he was entitled for retirement. Enid is the housewife who used to try her hardest to deal with her stubborn husband who not only quit his job he has worked on for years, but done so without telling her the reasons for quitting. Also, she refuses to acknowledge that Alfred has Parkinson's (I keep confusing it with Alzhiemer's for some reason) disease now. As a matter of fact, the story in essence relates to everyone, including Alfred himself, denying the existence of his condition until it gets too much to simply look passed...

Gary, the oldest son, is a successful man living with his beautiful wife and three boys in the city. His wife does not like his mom, Enid, very much. I will not say anymore about him or his plot except the fact that I enjoyed his particular plot the most.

Chip is the intellectual in the family, he lives alone and teaches in a college. He has a particular dislike for capitalist societies and the excessive commercializing in society nowadays. He is also working on a script for a play and owes his sister Denise a large amount of money which is something causing him great distress. I will not say anymore about him except to mention that it is the most unpredictable plot I have ever read.

Denise is a rising star chef working in the city. Her story is the juiciest story with lots of drama. Again, it was unpredictable and very satisfying how the character developed through the plot.
All these characters and plots are connected by Enid trying to get the whole family for one last christmas dinner in their home at St. Jude (their hometown and place where Enid and Alfred currently reside).

I have enjoyed this novel immensely. So much so that I have searched for interviews with Franzen and found quite a few good ones (the most notable is Charlie Rose's video interview). One of the most interesting tidbits of information I learned was that this book is the only book to ever be selected to join Oprah's book club and then later removed. Usually, a book is selected to be in the Oprah book club then weeks later Oprah will interview the author on her show - which as I mentioned before didn't happen. In a nutshell he made remarks in an interview after being selected by Oprah about how it made him "uncomfortable" and how he did not want a "logo of corporate ownership" stuck on his book cover. Obviously, Oprah wasn't too fond of those remarks so she simply removed his book from the selection (unprecedented to this day) and cancelled the interview with him issuing this statement to her fans in her website. Almost all the articles written about this incident were on Oprah's side and sure it is her show she can do what she wants with it but I cannot help but sympathize with him (see this article). For his side of the story after the Oprah incident which is sure to haunt him for the rest of his career, watch the aforementioned video interview.

This book has been awarded the prestigious National Book Award, his acceptance speech is available on their website.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys well-written, original, immersive works of fiction.

I am very excited to anounce this site...

2007-12-31T06:40:00.000+03:00

It's been in the works for more than half a year. I have already mentioned it twice. It's about this fictional character that my friend and I created which is greatly inspired by the people around us. I hope you enjoy the blog as much as we did creating it. If you enjoy the blog feel free to link to it. As a matter of fact, we will appreciate it immensely if you did. Word of mouth goes a long way!

We are planning on writing two posts each week, save for exam time of course. Again, I hope you like the site as I have tried to absorb all the criticism I have received from the provisional Therman Merman posts and have applied them to the new and improved Dewey Merman!

Click Here for the site!

A post for a good cause...

2007-10-22T02:52:00.000+03:00

The Oman Web Awards 2007 is coming up, read what Blue_Chi has written about the Oman Web Awards 2006 and the Oman Web Awards 2005.

I hope this helps.

A new series of posts...

2007-10-05T08:34:00.000+03:00

If you recall correctly, I have once mentioned a blog I was working on with a friend about a fictitious character who was inspired by someone I knew personally. Well there were some hiccups along the way and some "personal" difficulties that made the new blog project come to a screeching halt. But worry not, I have decided to instead, post the initial already made posts here as a new series in my blog I'd like to call, The Diaries of Therman Merman. I hope you enjoy them. The continuation of this project will be dependant on how well it is received by you. I hope you enjoy them as much as I did when I wrote them.

A post from a city called Crewe...

2007-08-27T05:58:00.000+03:00

How did i get here? Why? Where is it located exactly? ... Well, let me first tell you the trigger that caused the series of events that ultimately led me to Crewe.

I woke up to the sound of my mobile ringing louder than it ever did. I Extended my arm and hit the answer button. "hello?" i said almost incomprehensibly. "hey Mo, are you still asleep?"
"Yes i was ..."
"i see... How are you?"
"i'm doing fine thanks"
"you are coming to us in london like your father said right?"
"sure, yes... It's just that i ruined my sleeping schedule and would bother my brother (who sleeps in the same room as me in the hotel in london). Why don't i just meet you guys in heathrow airport
? I can just use the heathrow express train..."
"no, your dad wants you here... And don't worry about your brother he does not(have "nafs 5aysah") an attitude or is quickly irritable as he doesnt mind you using the tv ir you making any noise while he's asleep (clearly calling me a guy with nafs 5aysah as i have complained to her once about him switchin on the tv on al jazeera while i was asleep once... I'm a light sleeper... And would rather not sleep while subconsciously listening to reports about people dying in the middle east) alright?"
i was wide awake now, shocked and a little scarred. I fell silent for a couple of seconds then simply said, "inshallah"
then she hung up.

apparently i have a nafs 5aysah... She knows me best, as they say. Needless to say, i couldn't get what she said out of my mind. I know I shouldnt make a big deal out of this but i simply couldn't think of anything else for the whole day.

I went to the train station with my bags. Got on to the train and started reading my novel. Next thing i hear was the train stewardess asking me where i was heading. "to london paddington" i said immediatly. She replied, "no you're not."
"i'm not?" i said hesitantly. "no you have to take the mornin train from Crewe".
"Crewe... Where is that?"
"it's near manchester."
then she left. I took the wrong train as clearly, my mind was pre-occupied with other things.

i called 118118 as soon as i reached Crewe and got the # to a taxi company. Called for a cab and headed to the exit. I waited for a few min while i looked around. I instantly spotted a big red sign that says "Royal Hotel". So i instinctively worked towards it (and ignored the taxi company's missed cal)l.

and there you have it. I am writing this post using my mobile in my 25 pound a night room in royal hotel.

I am catchin a train from here at 6 am to london eustone then change to london paddington.

i will add a picture of my room when/if i reach home safely.

and also if something happens to me i want my preordered copy of halo 3 to be donated to someone who will appreciate it as much as i would.

My never ending summer in Qatar...

2007-08-04T02:21:00.000+03:00

Here is how my never ending summer in the land where time stands still (except if you're in traffic of course, in which case time goes twice as fast just so that you end up late) develops. So check this out, the other day I didn't go to sleep. You see I like to do productive things in my free time so instead of sleeping at night like everyone else... I instead, choose not to. And yes, that is as close as I got this summer to a productive activity. Impressive, I know. so anyway, at around 6am I thought i would just leave the house and go to Costa Coffee because my allergy from the damn cat that likes to sit in the front porch 24/7 is getting much worse these past few days and plus I wanted to finish this novel I started readin. I put my clothes on, opened the front door and I saw the most horrific thing you can imagine. There was... you know what? I will let the picture I took with my mobile do the talking.

The slut had kittens...

And guess where they set up base? exactly outside the front door. My allergy was getting worse because of the damn extra kittens.
So after the food poisoning I now cannot sit in the living room downstairs with my family for very long b/c that's when the cat allergy kicks in thanks to the slut and her kittens leaning on the front door from outside... I bet the kitten are bastards too. I see no father coming to check up on them.

Poor bastards are going to get bullied in highschool. Especially the black one... I could kick them off the front porch... but they look so young and helpless so I just just decided to sacrifice my health at least till they go to college or something. The black one looks like a scholar. And the kitten taking a peak from behind the wall (upper left hand corner of the pic) she'll end up a slut like her mom... I can feel it.

Wow...

2007-07-24T14:55:00.000+03:00

My last post got a record number of ZERO comments. I am so glad I made a big enough dent in the blogosphere to reach this record number of comments. Man I am so pumped to write bigger, better and badder posts now that I got this record number of comments. I mean, wow. Zero.

I guess I shouldn't expect anyone to comment straight away. It has only been a day since I published the last post. I haven't updated this blog for so long so it's only natural that the actual visitor who used to log in, kind of realised the delusional state he was in and snapped out of his dementia. Because surely, anyone who enjoys my ramblings clearly needs to go to psychotherapy. And I would advice sooner rather than later too. Trust me, I know what my ramblings could lead to.

So, now that I have insulted my last visitor away from ever visiting this blog, I will commence to again, assure ... well, myself now... that I will continue posting. And regularly. Also, I ordered Getting Things Done as per my friend's recommendation, thus it can only mean even more posts because when I think productivity, I think useless blog.

My battle with boredom...

2007-07-23T14:16:00.001+03:00

I have been battling with boredom for what seems like forever now. I open my eyes every morning and hear my inner voice say in an excited tone, "Neat-o, you're up! Boy do I have a great schedule for you today." Apparently, my inner voice is one that belongs to an American sitcom kid character from the 70s. Think Bobby Brady from the Brady Bunch "Do you want to hear it?" the voice continues. "Alright. Fir... st .... he... hell!...hello?... teh..con..nection...s.....bad...can't..." then silence. The line is dead. I try to summon my inner voice again but I get the all too familiar machine asking me to record my message after the *BEEP*. I usually hang up after the beep but I thought what the hell. "umm hello? inner voice? I know you're there... Tell me what's on my schedule today? what am I suppose to do first? your voice skipped and I didnt quite catch any of the last part, sir. I am sure a 21 yr old man like myself has plenty to do in a summer as wonderful as this one. I have to admit I am getting the impression that you staged the bad connection scenario because you have no schedule for me. And also, because we are not really on a phone line. You are merely but a figment of my imagination. Anyway, if that is the case, I am afraid you will have to pay... very neato-ly. Call me as soon as u get this." Then I mentally hang up. I thought if I said something that ridiculed his word choices on the answering machine whilst threatening him it will have all the more impact. But sadly the only person ridiculed by my neato word plug was myself.

I get up from bed and instinctively head to the bathroom to brush my teeth, wash my face then do my morning push-ups. I then commence to take a quick shower and wait for my inner voice to reply to my message. 15 minutes after my shower and still no call or txt message. "It looks like the only thing I can do today is hang out with my friends... AGAIN" I think to myself. "Oh but wait, I forgot about the unbelievable traffic outside." "You know what!? I will not go out" I state out loud. "I will simply stay in today and read my novel."

----------------------

This has been more or less what I've been doing every day for the past 2 months. If you think that this post is a bit weird well, then you are right! it is. Do you know why though? it's because today is a weird day. Check this out. I decide to read my novel this morning in Starbucks. Nothing weird about that. After ordering my latte and waiting for my drink to be done however, this philipino staff member, whom I can only nicely describe as gay with a high pitched voice, as he was walking passed me from behind said, out of the blue, "you shouldn't eat lots of chicken, sir". I swear I am not making this up. This is weird because I didn't order chicken, hell I don't think starbucks served chicken nor am I remotely fat. I turned around and he was cleaning the table so I thought he must've been talking to someone else. But he wasn't. Apparently when he realised that I didnt fathom what he said he came to me, pointed at my arms and said "this is because you eat lots of chicken"... I thought this is not helpful is he speaking metaphorically or something? is my arms suppose to symbolise the arms that's crushing chickens due to the bird flu virus? then I looked down at my arms and it all made sense. He was referring to the spots on my arms, or should I say pimples or zits.
Nothing major or worth all this hassle but damn couldn't he think of a better opening to this conversation other than "don't eat lots of chicken, sir"? I mean I can think of a few myself. Like, here is one, how about he approaches me from the front and say "Hello"? Or better yet, instead of approaching me he could mind his freaking business and just not approach me!!?

In conclusion, I would like to apologise to my reader(s) for the lack of new posts that was caused by my boredom over-taking my very being and soul. I have good news though. I am back. And with a vengeance. I will be posting regularly and we can beat the wretched boredom together. Whose with me!?

Volunteer work...

2007-06-11T20:58:00.000+03:00

I have always wanted to do some volunteer work. Today, I can say, I have always considered to do some more volunteer work.

I volunteered to help out in a local homeless shelter with a couple of friends. I kept asking my friends what it was like (since they did it a few times before) before we reached the shelter and they said "oh don't worry, we'll probably only clean the kitchen or something like that". And I thought to myself, as long as there is no cooking involved I am perfectly happy with that. I also asked them not to abandon me as I am pretty new to this volunteering world and they laughed but when they realised i was serious, hesitantly nodded.

We walked to a new part of Cardiff that I have never seen before. We took a turn into this narrow alleyway and one of my friends said there it is as she was pointing at a building that had a police van parked in front of it. As soon as I saw it I said out loud "that's not a good sign". They said nothing in response and continued walking. We walked in to the front yard of the shelter and it was like a big empty parking area with different groups of homeless people sitting around in different areas. It was like the forgotton land, the neglected part of society, the social dustbin of Cardiff.

Incomplete --- Doesn't look like I will finish writing this post anytime soon so I will post it in an incomplete fashion as opposed to not posting anything at all.

I really should get "Getting Things Done" like Blue Chi recommended

I will always be successful in my professional career

2007-06-04T17:33:00.000+03:00

Authority you ask? I will not only give an authority ... I will give you a prospective one. Some might even say it is "the" authority when it comes to this type of situation. Here it is:

That's right. It's the all mighty power of the fortune cookie. I received this today from the local chinese restaurant I go to. The woman that works there felt sorry for me and so offered me a fortune cookie to cheer me up. And it sure did.

As you have probably deduced from the last two paragraphs, I have lost my mind due to my one month revision time spent in solitude. I am going crazy in here and in desperate need of stress-free living (sounds like a detergent commercial huh?) again. It will all be over tomorrow. I can see the light at the end of the cave (referring to the exams as a cave and not tunnel cuz that symbolises life).

Wish me luck, or you know what? I do not need your wishes! I have my fortune cookie and that is more than enough to satisfy my insecurities relating to exams, my future career, my life, social life, family relations, political affinities, diet concerns, and so on and so forth.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have an exam to revise for and fail in.

Good Day!

Voluntary Religion in England & Wales

2007-05-06T03:03:00.000+03:00

Voluntary religious rules & structures:

Davies v Presbyterian Church of Wales [1986] 1 WLR 323:

D, a minister, asserts that he had been employed by the church under a contract service and alleged he had been unfairly dismissed.
Held: HL agreed with CA and decided it was not a contract of employment. However, it was possible for a person carrying out spiritual duties to be under a contract of employment NOT in the present case though. Reasons were b/c D's duties were dictated by his conscience not by a contract.

Charity law and reform:

Barralet v A-G. [1980]:

Involved the issue of whether a secular association, which dealt with exposing superficial beleifs and discuss ethics/morality, is considered be a religious charity.
Held: Religion was concerned with man's relationship with God, ethics with man's relationship with man. "the main element of religion were belief in and worship of God..." Not a religious charity.

Court's willingness to intervene (remedies in contract, trust and tort):

Forbes v Eden (1867)
A court of law will not interfere with the rules of a voluntary addociation unless to protect some civil right or interest which is said to be infringed by their operation.
Davies v Presbyterian Church of Wales (mentioned above).
Blake v Associated Newspapers [2003] EWHC 1960:
Blake was made a bishop. Daily Newspaper claimed he was "sham/pretend bishop". He sued DM for Defamation. Court decided that the only way is to find out if he was really a bishop. Court declined to decide on that issue though.

Court's willingness to intervene (employment remedies):

Percy v Church of Scotland of National Mission [2006]:

D was a female minister who was accused of sexual irregularities which she might have done. She resigned but claims she only did so b/c of fear of disciplinary punishment.

Usually the obligations between church and minister is not a legally-binding relationship. But not always without any legal effect.

Held: she was under a contract to do specific things highlighted in the terms and conditions therefore she was under a contract to execute work

"The nature of the mutual obligations [of church and minister], their breadth and looseness, and the circumstances in which they were undertaken, point away from a legally-binding relationship. But this principle... cannot be carried into arrangements which on their face are to be expected to give rise to legally-binding obligations... It is time to recognise that employment arrangements between a church and its ministers should not lightly be taken as intended to have no legal effect."

Court's willingness to intervene (public law remedies):

R v Chief Rabbi ex p. Wachmann [1992]:

W was a Rabbi in a jewish congregation which was associated with a bigger jewish association. He was having sexual intercourse with anumber of the girls working with him in the synagogue. Was dismissed after being exposed.

Held: Judicial review not available for him. If he wants to fight decision he must do so in the realm of civil contract law.

Intellectual Property Copyright Overview...

2007-05-05T03:58:00.000+03:00

Requires Originality:

Literary
Dramatic
Musical
Artistic

Literary Works (excluding databases and computer programs):

University of London Press v Tutorial Press [1916]:

Student stole examinations paper and copied questions then returned papers. Argued there were no copyright in the papers.
Held: Papers set by examiners were "literary works" under CA 1911.
Anacon v Environmental Research [1994]:

An electrical circuit diagram can be put in a list of connections.
Held: Like a foreign language. It is a literary work.

Dramatic Works (e.g. scripted plays):

*Norowzian v Arks (No.2) CA [2000]:

N produced film called 'Joy'. Used film technique 'jump cutting'.
D, Arks, produced a film called "Anticipation" which was used as an adverting by Guinness.
N claimed infringement of "Joy", which he maintained was a dramatic work.

HELD:
Trial judge held "Joy" was not a dramatic work for purposes of CDPA 1988.
Court of Appeal disagreed, held it was a dramatic work. "Joy" was a dramatic work b/c it was capable of being performed before an audience.
Features of "Joy" such as its rhythm, pace and movement, use of 'jump-cutting' were not themselves subject to copyright protection.
After expert choreographer gave evidence that there had been no copying of a substantial part of Joy NO INFRINGEMENT.
Green v Broadcasting Corp of New Zealand:

P creator of a T.V. show in the U.K. entitled "opportunity knocks". The show was a talent contest. Claimed copyright on scripts and Dramatic format of the show.

Held: Dramatic format of a television show had to have some certainty in its subject matter to be entitled to copyright protected. Also D used idea and not expression of idea.

Musical Works (S.3(1) CDPA 1988):

Includes arrangements, re-arrangements, orchestration etc.
Hyperion Records v Dr Sawkins [2005]:

Sawkins wrote new performing editions of some of Lalande's famous baroque musical compositions. He added figured bass and also corrected some notes.

Although 'Musical Work' is not defined in the CDPA 1988, it cannot be restricted only to actual notes.

Held: in favour of Sawkins. Justification = songs could not be played without his work on them.

CDPA 1988 S 3(2) and (3):

"Need for recording of Literary, Dramatic, and Musical Works."
Electronic recording suffices.
What if someone other than author records it?

Walter v Lane [1900]:
Verbatim speech made. Journalist made notes of it. Then wrote an article from the notes he made.
Held: Journalist owns copyright on the article constructing most of the speech and person who made the speech cannot stop him from publishing it as it is made from his notes.

Artistic Works (S4 CDPA 1988):

S 4(1):
"Includes Graphic works, photographs, sculptures or collages irrespective of artistic quality."
Graphic works are extensively defined in S 4(2).
Hi-Tech Autoparts Ltd v Towergate Two Ltd [2002]:

Metal plates used to make rubber mats were held to be engraving.
S 4(2) "Sculptures":
Wham-O v Lincoln [1985]:
Mould for a Frisbee was held to be a sculpture.
J & S Davis (holdings) Ltd v Wright Health Group Ltd:
Model for dental impression trays are not sculptures.
Metic v Maughan [1997]:
Industrial processes cannot result in a sculpture. No accurate definition of sculptures exists but court suggests a workable definition could be "a three-dimensional work made by an artists hand."

Artistic Craftsmanship (Must have artistic quality!):

Hensher v Restawhile (HL) [1976]:
HL held: for a work to be of artistic craftsmanship it must have some artistic quality.

Contrast with...
Merlet v Mothercare plc [1986]:
A baby cape was held not to be a work of artistic craftsmanship.

Justification = the baby cape is a work of craftsmanship only not artistic craftsmanship b/c there was no aesthetic appeal it was purely a functional design.

Works Requiring a (mechanical) act of creation:

Film - S 5B CDPA 1988
Norowzian v Arks (No1) [1988]: Mentioned above.
Film Copyright protects the actual signal on which the film is recorded on.
The soundtrack in a film can also be protected as a sound recording.
Sound Recording - S 5A
Broadcasts - S6:
Internet 'webcasts' are only protected by broadcasts if they are broadcasted live and people cannot stream it whenever they want.
Published Editions (typographical arrangements) - S.8:
The Newspaper Licensing Agency Ltd v Marks & Spencer PLC [2001]:

It was suggested that the skill and labour used in the creation of typographical arrangements can only be expressed in nothing less than a page.
Copies in Copies?
Sound recordings, films, published editions could not be proteced by copyright if it is a copy of an earlier (recording/film/edition). Authority CDPA relevant sections mentioned on each category above.

Functions of Criminal Law and The Principle of Legality

2007-05-04T03:37:00.000+03:00

Relationship between morality and law:

Devlin - Criminal Law should enforce central core of morality.
Mills - immorality alone is insufficient.

Sources of Criminal Law:

Two primary sources: common law and legislation.

The Principle of Legality:

'No one shall be guilty of any penal offence on account of any act or omission which did not constitute a penal offence at the time when it was commited. Nor shall a heavier penalty be imposed than the one that was applicable at the time the penal offence was committed.' Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
No retrospective legislation.

Principle of Legality and Common Law:

Shaw v DPP [1962]:
D's published a "ladies directory" containing contact details of prostitutes.
They were convicted of conspiracy to corrupt public morals contrary to the Obscene Publications Act 1956.
Ratio of Shaw v DPP:
(a) The courts, as 'moral guardians', can make law!
OR
(b) The courts can look at previous authorities, 'find law' and apply it to new circumstances.
Knuller v DPP [1973]:
D's published a magazine with advertisements for homosexual contacts.
Convicted of conspiracy to corrupt public morals and conspiracy to outrage public decency.

Common Law Abolition of the Marital Exemption to Rape:

R v R [1992]:
D attempted to have sexual intercourse with his estranged wife without her consent.
HL held: The marital rape exemption was no longer justified because of the changed status of women in marriage.
CR v The United Kingdom [1996]:
Euopean Court of Human Rights: CR convicted of attempted rape of his wife.

"ECHR Article 7 cannot ... outlaw the gradual clarification of the rules of criminal liability through judicial interpretation from case to case, provided that the resultant development is consistent witht he essence of the offence and could reasonably be foreseen."

Reform: Codification and the Law Commission:

Law Commission (1989) 'The Report and Draft Criminal Code Bill for England and Wales' Law Com No. 177:

Too vast. Hard to enact.
Law Commission (1993) 'Legislating the Criminal Code: Offences Against the Person and General Principles' Law Com No 218:

Legislating ideas most in need for reform.
Law Commission Consultation Paper (2006) 'A New Homicide Act for England and Wales?' LCCP 177:

Also deals with general principles of criminal law.

Voluntary Religion and the Courts

2007-05-03T05:08:00.000+03:00

Examples of disputes:

is a member 'in good standing'?
Has a rite been correctly administered? Is a marriage religiously valid?
should an office-bearer be removed?

Remedies sought:

Private law (contract and trust).
Public law (judicial review)
Private law (tort)
Family law (marriage validity)
Employment law (unfair dismissal, discrimination)

Contract and trust

leading case:

Forbes v Eden (1867):
"Save for the due disposal and administration of property, there is no authority in the Courts either of England or Scotland to take cognizance of the rules of a voluntary society entered into merely for the regulation of its own affairs." per Lord Cranworth
Internal rules affecing material interests:

Davis v Presbyterian Church of Wales (1986):
D was appointed as a minister in Church of Wales. Co W was accused of unfairly dismissing him.
"The law imposes on the Church a duty to administer its property in accordance with the provisions of the book of rules." per Lord Templeman.
A Marriage case:

Lindo v Belisario (1795):
Sir William Scott was forced to look at jewish law ot determine whether or not it was a valid marriage. Held: it was not a valid jewish marriage.
N.B. Under Marriage Act 1966 all except Jews and Quakers were required to get married the same way as Christians.

Public law remedies:

Leading case:

R v Chief Rabbi ex p. Wachmann (1992):
W was a Rabbi appointed by jewish congregation which was associated with a bigger jewish association. He was having sexual intercourse with a number of girls working with him in the Synagogue.
Judicial review not available in this case. If he wants to fight his dismissal he must do it with civil contract law.

"Th court must inevitably be wary of entering so self-evidently sensitive an area, straying across the well-recognised divide betweenchurch and state." per Simon Brown J
Cases following Wachmann:

R v Imam of Bury Park Mosque ex p. Sulaiman [1994]
R v London Beth Din ex p. Bloom [1998]
R v Provincial Court of the Church in Wales ex p. Williams (1998)
In all of these cases, Wachmann was cited with approval.

But contrast; R v Rabbinical Commission ex p. Cohen (1987; licencing of shochetim under Slaughterhouses Act 1974 Sch. 1) If it involves government statutes then government will act!
Criticism of Wachmann:

(a) Suggests principled 'church/state' divide
(b) Wrong to assume courts never rule on Jewish law [Lindo v Belisario]
Suggestions for change:

Scottish Judicial Review-equivalent may extend to decisions of religious or sports bodies - if they act irregularly, oppressively or unfairly.

HRA 1998 may assist? unlikely on cases so far.
A defamation case:

Blake v Associated Newspapers Ltd. (2003):
Blake was made a bishop. Daily Mail newspaper accused him of being a "sham/pretend bishop". He sued DM for defamation. Court decided hat the only way is to find out if he was really a bishop. The court was not able to define bishop.

Employment law:

An employee has the right not to be unfairly dismissed by his employer. Employment Rights Act 1996, s.94(1)
In this Act 'contract of employment' means a contract of service or apprenticeship, whether express or implied, and (if it is express) whether oral or in writing. S. 230(2)
[It is unlawful for an employer to discriminate against a woman in relation to... dismissal] Sex discrimination Act 1975, s.6(2)
'Employment' means employment under a contract of service or of apprenticeship or a contract personally to execte any work or labour. S.82(1)

Is a minister of religion employed?

By God?
Contradicting views:

Rogers v Booth [1973]: "no intention to confer on one another enforceable rights and obligations?" per Sir Wilfred Greene MR.

Scottish Insurance Commissioners v Curch of Scotland [1914]: "I think that the position of an assistant minister in these Churches is not that of a person who undertakes work defined by contract but of a person who holds an ecclesiastical office, and who performs the duties of that office subject to the control and direction of any particular master." per Lord Kinnear.
Further argument: agreement to contract out of courts' protection and submit exclusively to hierarchical jurisdiction? - but is it a free decision and does the law permit contracting-out?
A minister is not bound by a contract of service.

President of the Methodist Conference v Parfitt [1983]
"I have no hesitation in concluding that the relationship between a church and a minister is not apt [absent clear contrary intention] to be regulated by a contract of service." per Dillon LJ
But the relationship between a church and minister is a contract nonetheless.

Daviesv Presbyterian Church of Wales [1986] (again!)
"The law imposes on the Church a duty to administer its property in accordance with the provisions of the book of rules." per Lord Templeman
A contract to execute work.

If 'office' is given a broad meaning, holding an office and being an employee are not inconsistent.

Percy v C of S Board of National Mission [2005]:
P was a female minister who was accused of sexual irregularities that she might have done. She resigned but claims she did so b/c of her fear of disciplinary behaviour.

"The nature of the mutual obligations [of church and minister], their breadth and looseness, and the circumstances in which they were undertaken, point away from a legally-binding relationship. But this principle... cannot be carried into arrangements which on their face are to be expected to give rise to legally-binding obligations... It is time to recognise that employment arrangements between a church and its ministers should not lightly be taken as intended to have no legal effect."

Religion in Schools: Religious Education and Worship

2007-04-30T04:54:00.000+03:00

Summary:

1. Religious Education:

ECHR, Art. 2: duty to respect right to religious education.
State law: Education Act 1996; School Standards and Framework Act 1998
Syllabus must reflect fact that religious traditions of Great Britain is mainly Christian.
Syllabus must take into account teaching and practices of other principal religions.
Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education (SACRE): is appointed by Local Education Authority (LEA) and is composed of C of E and other representatives.
Parental right to access information concerning RE.
Parental right to withdraw children and send elsewhere.

2. Religious Worship:

There must be a daily act of collective worship in State Schools.
Act of worship must be wholly or mainly Christian in nature.
SACRE monitors provision of worship; it may even disapply this requirement to a particular student if appropriate.
Schemes for worship challengeable in courts for lack of Christian content.
(R and D (1992 unreported): two mothers complained that religious education was inadequately provided in their sons primary school. Judge refused to consider aspect of case on the basis that the children already moved schools).
Each pupil must take part in the daily act of worship but parents may withdraw.

3. Religion and Discipline:

School uniform policy vs religious garb.

Begum v Denbigh HS, Luton [2004] CA:
B a 15 yr old Muslim girl who sought to wear Muslim shalwar kameeze (long tunic and baggy trousers). School decided that B could not enter the school unless she wore the prescribed school uniform; but she could not agree due to her religious beliefs. School refused her entry.
She claimed this violated her ECHR Art 9 right to manifest her religion practice and observance. She sought mandatory order to admit damages.

The case ultimately reaches the HL who conclude that there was no interference with B's Art. 9 right to manifest religion b/c:
(a) B voluntarily chose that school.
(b) There was no difficulty for B to attend another school.
(c) There were other schools in the area were happy with jilbab.
(d) The school went to "unusual lengths" to make its uniform policy.
(e) Nicholls dissenting: Was not sure whether there was interference with B's Art. 9 right.
(g) Hoffmann: schools do not have to have Human Rights textbooks at their elbow.

And even if there had been interference with B's Art. 9(1) right, it was justifiable under Art. 9.2 b/c:
(a) It was prescribed by law for the school to have authority to institute a uniform policy.
(b) It was necessary in a democratic society.
(c) B was not denied a right to education as there were other schools available.
(d) The right to education is not a right to attend a particular school.
Corporal Punishment + religious conviction.

R v SSE, ex p Williamson [2005] HL:
Case involved Christian schools which sought to administer corporal correction on religious grounds.
HL held this was unlawful. The SSFA 1998 amending EA 1996 s.548) provide that corporal punishment cannot be justified.

The school argued decision was breach of Art. 9 ECHR or Art. 2(1). Held: Manifesting religious belied by the use of corporal punishment was not in the best interests of the child.
Teachers and religious observance.

Ahmad v Inner London EA [1978]:
A is a Muslim employed as a primary schoolteacher under a contract which required full-time service. Never mentioned to employer he has to attend prayers in Mosque every Friday then return to work. He refused an offer of employment on a four and half day basis and left his employment subsequently claiming unfair dismissal on the basis that his employer's refusal to allow him to be absent for 45 min every Friday.

Tribunal dismissed claim. A appealed to CA which also dismissed his claim. He finally appealed to European Commission which again dismissed his appeal claiming it was manifestly ill-founded on the basis that the education authority gave consideration to A's religious freedom by offering part-time post and thus the contract must be fulfilled.

4. Religious Schools (usually voluntary-aided):

22,000 state maintained schools in England; 7,000 have a religious charcter.
RE in religious schools may be in accordance with LEA syllabus or tenets religion.
Schools designated as religious schools; must satisfy legal criteria.
Religious schools may employ religious criteria for admission.

Legal definition of Religion

2007-04-16T01:32:00.000+03:00

Meanings of Religion: A First Step:

(a) There is a practical legal relevance for a definition as it is used in a number of Statutes including:

Human Rights Act 1998, s.13: 'religious organisations'
Data Protection Act 1998, Sched. 4: body or association existing for 'religious purposes'.
Law od charities: 'advancement of religion'.

(b) The nature of religion: theism and faith: judicial approaches:

Religion is about relations between humans and God.
The definition of religion is an objective not a subjective matter
Religion involves faith and worship (intellect and action)

Re South Place Ethical Society, Barralet v AG [1980] 3 All ER

"It seems to me that two of the essential attributes of religion are faith and worship; faith in a god and worship of that god."

NOTE: Whilst a theistic element is essential, there appears to e no requirement that the religion has to be monotheistic: a White Paper on charities noted that Hinduism, a religion usually considered to be polytheistic, had charities registered by the Charity Commissioners.

Religion involves reverence to a supreme being.
The courts are reluctant to define religion with a high degree of percision.

Ecclesiastical Law:

(1) Religious perspectives:

Ecclesiastical law is law made by a church for itself:

Roman Catholic: 'Ecclesiastical law is distinguished according to its origin either as divine or as human law'; divine law consists of that set of 'norms... laid down by God' for the church and 'human law (purely ecclesiastical law) is either the result of legislation or custom' (Georg May: Roman Catholic).

(2) European perspectives:

Ecclesiastical law is te law of the State applicable to religious organisations (eg Spain: el derecho eclesiastico del estado; Germany: Staatskirchenrecht)

(3) Civil Law Perspectives: English Law:

'The term "ecclesiastical law"... means the law relating to any matter concerning the Church of England administered and enforced in any court'.

'The ecclesiastical law of England... is part of the general law of England - of the common law - in that wider sense which embraces all the ancient and approved customs of England which form Law' (Mackanocie v Lord Penzance (1991) 6 App Cas 424 at 446 per Lord Blackburn)

Problems:

Definitions are formulated without refernece to agreed definitional criteria.
Definitions which focus on enforcement do not distinguish between 'enforced' and 'enforceable'.
Definitins over concentrate on judicial enforcement.
In England, if ecclesiastical law is part of the law of the land the decisions of the courts of the Church of England should bind civil courts - but they do not.

Canon Law (Christian Churches: hierarchical and Episcopal (ie with bishops):

(1) narrow definitions:

'Canon law is principally concerned with the practical life of the Church'; 'it springs from the will of Christ, but its minute and detailed rles come from human agents... that is, the pope and the bishops' (ladislas Orsy: Roman Catholic).

(2) Wide definitions:

Canon law is 'so much of the law of England as is concerned with the regulation of affairs of the Church of England'.

(3) The subjects of canon law:

Ecclesiastical government (institutions, eg synods)
Ministry (rights and duties of ecclesiastical persons, eg bishops, clergy, laity)
Doctrine (church teaching) and liturgy (public worship).
Rites of the church (baptism, confirmation, eucharis, marriage, confession)
Church property and finance (acquisition, administration, disposal).

Jewish Law:

Jewish identity is shaped in part by halakhah (Jewish Law). This 'defines the broad sphere of religious observance and signficantly influences the norms and practices of communal governance, and its study [is[ a spiritual and intellectual experience' (Blindstein).

For Jews, the Torah (or 'the teaching', also 'the law') is the revealed will of God, received by Moses on Mount Sinai. The Talmud is the body of learning about the Torah.
The principal sources of Jewish Law are:

Codes
Commentaries
Responsa (responsum is reply to a religious-legal question)
Enactments (ie ordinances)
Custom

Islamic Law:

Islam - submission to Allah

Muslim - one who lives according to the will of Allah.

Shari'ah - lieterally: path leading to watering place: islamic Muhammaden law.

Sunnis (90%); Shi'ites (10%).

(1) Sources:

Qur'an: sacred book of divine revelation (via Gabriel) to Mohammed (PBuH) (570-632)
Sunna: Practice and statements of Mohammad (PBuH) (recorded in hadith, traditions).
Ijma: juristic consensus of scholars derived from juristic effort or ijtihad
Qiyas: analogical reasoning.

(2) The Schools and Science of Islamic Law:

Hanafi - ra'y (opinion) (founded by Hanifa: 700-767)
Maliki - dependence on Qur'an and Sunna (Malik: 710-795)
Shafi'i - develops understanding of the four sources (Al-Shafi'i: 767-820)
Hanbali - the strictest school (Hanbal:780-855)

(3) The Four Sciences of Islamic Law:

Prophetic tradition (hadith)
Qur'anic exegesis (tafsir)
Theology (kalam)
Law (fiqh)

(4) Subjects and Scope of Islamic Law:

relations with God (ibadat and the five pillars of Islam).
relations between humans (mu'amalat)
classes of acts: obligatory; desirable; indifferent; unobjectionable; prohibited.

(5) Classifications of Laws:

Penal Law
The Law of Transactions
Family Law
The Law of Succession
Procedure and Evidence

Religion and Law: A Sociological Perspective

2007-04-15T20:29:00.000+03:00

I. Religion, Socialisation and Individualisation

1. The Definition of Religion:

(a) Sociological definitions:

Sociologist commonly define religion as either substantive and/or functional.

Substantive definition: ideas that religion is a 'belief in spiritual things'. It is activities of the mind. For some definition is a subjective matter solely for the person involved.

Functional definition: religion is seen as a system of beliefs, acts and rituals referring to the sacred which binds people together into social groups; religion is necessary for society to satisfy its needs.

Each approach was subject to criticism and development. In short, religion concerns the sacred and supernatural, beliefs, practices, and morals.

(b) Legal definitions

The State in its law commonly uses the terms 'religion', 'religious organisation', 'religious purposes' and religious 'belief and practice'. However, THERE IS NO SINGLE DEFINITION OF RELIGION IN THE FORMAL (WRITTEN) LAW.

Judicial definitions are less elaborate than those of sociology, yet elements of both substantive and functional approaches surface, but not fully or conciously. Courts (eg) define religion objectovely as concerning 'relations with God': 'the two essential attributes of religion are faith and worship; faith in a god and worship of that god' (Barralet [1980]). Courts also claim to be 'perfectly impartial in matters of religion' (Carroll [1931] 1 KB 317). This may be contrasted with objective-functional tests in (eg) Australian law: religion is 'belief in a supernatural Being' and 'acceptance of canons of conduct... to give effect to that belief' (Church of the New Faith v Commissioner for Payroll Tax (1983)), and subjective-substantive tests in American law: 'whether the beliefs professed... are sincerely held and... are, in his own scheme of things, religious' (US v Seeger (1965)).

2. The Individuality and Sociality of Religion:

(a) Sociology of Religion: Religion as an Individual v Group phenomenon

Some view religion as an autonomous and individualistic human experience, outside the social environment, a matter of solitary feelings and acts in relation to the devine. Others emphasise the social nature of religion as a group phenomenon.

In 1915, Durkheim described religion's real function and said it is ' to awaken within the worshipper a certain state of soul, composed of moral force and confidence. The essential thing is that men are assembled, that sentiments are felt in common and expressed in common acts, but the particular nature of these sentiments and acts s something secondaryand contingent'.

Marx, on the other hand, described religion by saying it is 'the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, just as it is the spirit of a spiritless situation. It is the opium of the people'.

For reductionists, as a religious system is a social system, so a religious organisation is 'an affiliation regulator' in which individuals as social entities express themselves in actions regulated by norms. According to the so-called phenomenological approach, religion is seen to:

provide meaning for the individual.
represent a source of social stability
link the individual with the larger social group; and
create order through shared worldviews about reality and humankind.

Religion originates in the individual not society (though society shapes religion), a basic human necessity providing rewards/compensation for the unachievable in this life.

(b) The Law: Religion as the Activities of Individuals and Collectives

Legal evidence is conflicting. On the one hand, the classical approach of the common law tended towards the individualistic nature of religion: the focus of freedom of religious belief and practice was the individual. On the other hand, most parliamentary statutes on religion have historically, dealt with religious collectives or classes, and only rarely with religious practice by the individual.

Today, however, the Human Rights Act 1998 treats free religious belief and practice as exercisd both 'by religious organisation (itself or its members collectively)' (s.13), and by the individual ' either alone or in community with others and in public or private'.

3. Religion, Social Stability and Change:

(a) Sociology

For some, religion maintains social stability and individual well being by:

providing a sense of belonging and of obligations to others
adherence to moral code, reinforcement of the collective conscience,
expression through symbolic rituals, so that
the social order itself may have a sacred quality.

It is not religious doctrines themselves that are important but the social bonds affected byy integration of people into a religious collective, micro-society.

(b) The Law

"The government fully recognises the benefits that derive from the maintenance of religion." Home Office: Administration of Grants.

"any religion is at least likely to be better than none" Neville Estates v Madden [1962] Ch 852

to take a person "outside his own petty cares and lead him to think of others". Holmes v AG (1981) unreported.

Also, the court decisions represent largely untapped sources for the influence of: religious groups on the development of law, unsolicited or solicited - and recent government practices of consultation with churches are noteworthy, and religious ideas in judicial decisions (eg biblical teaching as the basis of the 'neighbour principle' in tort law).

A new type of Blog...

2007-04-12T20:24:00.000+03:00

I am very excited to announce a new blog I am working on in collaboration with one of my good friends. It will be based on the life of a fictional character inspired by a certain person we know in real life. The blog will be launched soon. It will be written in first person perspective; in other words, it will be as if the fictitious person is writing on his online diary. We asked for permission from our friend to use him as our inspiration to creating this fictitious character and he reluctantly agreed but imposed a clause of complete anonymity and so I will commence to tell you his full name ... Just kidding, i can never breach the oral contract we made.

A lot of the stories the fictitious person speaks of will be things that our "anonymous" friend actually experienced and will therefore, we hope, make him more believable and easy to relate to; whilst, still being entertaining and interesting.

Me and my good friend while in the preliminary stages of creating this blog (we are half way there) made a conscious decision to not mention which religion this fictitious character belongs to in order to appeal to a wider audience and not deprive people from experiencing this fascinating character in account to different religious opinions, though "God" will be referred to from time to time in the course of conversations the fictitious character has in order to keep true to the essence of what makes this inspiring friend of ours so interesting and original.

Since it will be written in first person perspective, I will make cameos in some of the stories the fictitious character speaks of. However, real names will not be used and thus it will add to the value of the new blog for people who already know me personally to try and identify which character is actually inspired by me. It was truly interesting to be speaking about myself from someone else's point of view and I tried to be unbiased and describe myself as our anonymous friend would describe me.

I will keep you updated on this new blog and provide a link once it launches. I really hope it will be as enjoyable to read as it was for us to write and hopefully publish. Of course, I will not abandon this blog and it will always be my kind of haven where I could speak freely and unwind without wandering or worrying about how friends or relatives would react to the things I say (even though I know some of them actually are reading it!).

This is another poem I wrote...

2007-03-30T15:58:00.001+03:00

I was in the airport waiting for the plane crew to let us board the plane. I wrote what came to mind at the time. I used my qwerty mobile phone keyboard and saved it there. I sometimes think it sounds a bit comical but other times not so much (tell me what you think).

Surrounded by people,

yet all alone

Surrounded by pain,

reasons unknown

Reminders of days,

I'd rather leave at bay

Emotional development halted,

but hey, it's all OK

There are principles I live by,

yes, they cause me pain

Without those time will fly,

but then, there will be no gain

I don't like myself,

but, admire my ideals in a loop

Happiness locked in a shelf,

unlocking similar to a military coup

There I was at 2am in the morning...

2007-02-08T20:58:00.000+03:00

Working on my 6000 word essay on how prisons are used as a social control bla bla blaa when I suddenly got fed up and decided to take a little break and check out ebay to see how much those Ricky Gervais Fame Stand Up tour tickets are going for. I knew they were going to be expensive especially since he broke the record for "ticket sales for a live concert tour" where 100,000 tickets were sold in 9 minutes! I was lucky though, I found an amazing bargain!

I am going to go in 30 minutes to watch my favourite comedian doing stand up! Isn't this amazing!? especially since my seat is in a great position check it out.
My seat is in Block 2 row CC which is 3 rows from the stage AND is in the middle!

MMK

===============Update================

I just came back. Firstly, it turns out that row CC actually is about 24 rows back not 3 rows back . I found that out after the girl who actually has a seat on the 3rd row came and told me its her seat I'm sitting in. Secondly, I go back to find the seat I'm suppose to sit on and I find some guy already sitting on it. At that moment I thought to myself, "haha! now the tables have changed, now I am going to be the embarassor instead of the embarassee!". I told him that the seat was mine in a "it's ok you're not that stupid" kind of tone. He shows me his ticket and it turns out, it actually is his seat. Click on the ticket picture above and u'll see why. The date on the ticket is 8th of March not 8th of Feb. Ricky Gervais is doing two shows in Cardiff one today and the other next month. Being the idiot that I am, I just assumed the ticket I bought from ebay is for the feb one.

Anyway, I went and spoke to the reception and they were nice enough to find me a seat at the back. I barely could see Ricky...But at least I could hear him. Which after taking that picture I wish I didn't since he made jokes about his opinion on God ........... Lets just say they weren't in sync with my opinions.
He also repeated some of the jokes he made in talk show programs like Late show with David Letterman. Besides that though, it was a good stand-up comedy show.

In conclusion, 2 years ago a friend of mine told me that he honestly thinks he is smarter than me and I honestly got a bit offended. I thought how could he be so sure? Well, now I know...

Yours truly,
The idiot

My Therapy

2006-12-23T12:46:00.001+03:00

This is a poem I wrote. The previous post is what inspired me to do this. It turned out more therapeutic than I had anticipated. Hence, the name of the poem "My Therapy". Hope it doesn't suck that much...

I am not looking to aggrieve, nor am I looking for love,

I am looking for peace within myself

I am not looking to make someone proud, nor look upon a cloud

All I want is happiness

Flatter yourself not, I am not looking for adoration either

All I want is happiness

You would think, seeing you would be hard now

But all I feel is regret

Nothing is stopping me from finding happiness

So why am I writing this?

I cannot still have feelings for you

What about my ego? What about my pride?

You did not want to be friends, let alone anything else

Am I that pathetic, that sad; unable to even forget you?

Am I deemed incapable to befriend

Or is awkwardness forcing you to avoid me?

Do I really feel regret when I see you

Or is it easier to believe that I do?

Is my pride disguising what I really feel;

Could I be in love with you?

I do not know what love means

All I know is that this is as close as I've ever been

You never gave me a chance to get to know you,

Not as a friend or as anything else

You have done nothing but avoid me

When I have done everything to befriend you

How can I be in love with you

After all I've been through

It all makes sense now, I am not in love with you,

I am in love with what I imagined you to be

All those daydreams, all those sleepless nights,

Caused by an imaginary person

Never in my life have I ever loved you,It is what I envisioned you to be,

which I've loved, all along

MMK

Here is a song that really touched my heart...

2006-12-14T04:13:00.000+03:00

Its an arabic song I translated. This is amatuer work and in no way indicative of what the author of the lyrics meant when he wrote them. It is my adaptation or my understanding of his song translated in Engish. The song was sang by Rashed Al-Majed and it was beautifully written and articulated (in arabic) by the recently deceased Talal Al-Rasheed who was shot dead when he was ambushed by an armed group in Algeria. He was hunting for gazelles and other animals in that area. Talal was known for his bedawin style lyrics in his poems. A very wealthy Saudi Arabian man who comes from a family that once ruled the northern part of what we now know as Saudia Arabia back when it was not united yet. The Al-Saoud family (the current rulers of Saudia Arabia) are responsible for uniting all of the land that we all now call The Kingdom of Saudia Arabia. But anyway back to the song... here is my translation to it. The song is called 'allamteni' which means "You taught me."

You taught me how to love, you taught me how to care,

Teach me how to forget you, teach me how to neglect you

Oh sea how I'm lost in you

Both shore and mooring line

Come over, come over

Rub my tears away and go

Come over, come over

Bring me another heart and go

Come over, come over

If you remember the wounds

Oh oppressor of looks

How stingy you are at giving them

When I have given you both eyes and eyelids

That's the bed and there's the bed covers

Oh wound where do I begin

When you've been with me since my birth

My arms refused to abide

It refused to wave goodbye to you

Just teach me how to be all but dried up

Since I was unable to teach you how to be loyal

Oh sea I'm so lost in you

Both shore and mooring line

You taught me how to love, how to care

Teach me how to forget you and teach me how to neglect you

Never in my life have I seen such an exceptionally well executed piece of work like this one

2006-12-05T23:16:00.000+03:00

Season Five of 24 exceeds in almost every area over ALL (that's right ALL) other TV shows. Let me put it this way, Season Five of 24 has raised the bar so high that it is no longer fair to compare any other TV show to it. AAA Hollywood action movies hope to reach the exceptional high quality that 24 has set this season.

It has a wonderful cast of actors who not only bring the characters to life but actually make you believe that these absolutely horrific circumstance may occur in a single day, which is no easy task!

It starts with an almost unprecedented season opener that I have ever had the pleasure to witness. I remember I was eating my dinner when I stuck the first disc in my DVD player and hit the play button. 5 minutes or so into the episode my jaw dropped to the floor with half chewed food still in my mouth (my brother did not appreciate that very much) and I couldn't close my mouth for the next 10 minutes (By that time my bro. had had enough and left the room).

After watching that episode, I couldn't help but think to myself that the plot can only go downhill from there because how can you top that? Well the next few episodes completely blew that theory out of the water. There is a constant stream of twists and surprises that are both completely unpredictable and very satisfying. Half way through the season it got so good I seriously wandered if it was illegal for any TV series to be this good. Season Five is absolutely phenomenal!

If you haven't seen any of the previous seasons and are wandering whether that would hinder your almost imminent enjoyment of this fine work then you would be glad to hear that the season premier has a small recap at the beginning of the episode that does a very good job at bringing you up to speed and summarises pretty well, the events that led to the certain state of affairs that the characters are already in.
Yes, you would understand this season better if you saw the previous season/s first but it will NOT hinder your enjoyment if you didn't.

This season got 5 Emmy Awards including Best Drama. Go buy the DVD.

MMK

This is the only thing that is making me think twice before going to the new James Bond movie

2006-11-16T15:25:00.000+03:00

There are no gadgets! No gadgets like my, oh so dear microwave.

Parliamentary Sovereignty

2006-08-26T03:06:00.000+03:00

An important characteristic of our (the British) constitution has been that Parliament, not the constitution was the supreme legal authority.
Our courts have had no power to declare laws duly passed by Parliament invalid.

According to Blackstone “What Parliament doth, no power on earth can undo.”

“In theory,” said Dicey, “Parliament has total power. It is sovereign.”

Dicey's view of Parliamentary Supremacy

Parliament was competent to pass laws on any subject.
Its laws could regulate the activities of anyone anywhere.
Parliament could not bind its successors as to the content, manner and form of subsequent legislation.
Laws passed by Parliament could not be challenged in the courts.

The legal limitations on the scope of Parliament's power.

Dicey argued that there was no legal limitation on the scope of Parliament's power.
Sir Ivor Jennings once said “If Parliament enacts that smoking in the streets of Paris is an offence then, in the eyes of the English courts it is an offence.”
However, Political considerations may make it unlikely, even inconceivable that Parliament might legislate in a particular manner.
Certainly there are many internal and external political limitations on Parliament's freedom of action.
For example, the European Communities Act 1972, S.2(1) gives present and future community law legal force in the United Kingdom.
And S.2(2) provides for the implementation of Community Law by means of secondary legislation but the Act does not specifically prohibit Parliament from enacting conflicting legislation.

The power of Parliament to bind its successors

The courts have long accepted Dicey's view that Parliament has no power to bind its successors either as to the manner or as to the form of subsequent legislation.
In Godden v Hales (1686) Parliament was entitled to ignore any provision in an earlier Act purporting to prevent the Act being repealed either expressly or by implication.
Reinforced in Ellen Street Estates Ltd v The Minister of Health (CA, 1934) “The one thing Parliament cannot do is to bind its successor” (Maughtan L.J.)

The statute of Westminster: Independence Acts

It has been argued that these have been entrenched as, in terms of the political realities of the situation, it is inconceivable that Parliament would repeal them. (Lord Denning M.R. In Blackburn v The Att-Gen (CA, 1971))

In Madzimbamuto v Lardner Burke (PC, 1969) Lord Reid said that even if Parliament acted improperly or unwisely, it was not open to the courts to say that it had acted illegaly and that the resultant legislation.
Within our legal system, Parliament appears to have the legal power to repeal any law, even to act contrary to the principles of international law. The courts would simply uphold the latest intention of Parliament. (British Coal Aorp. V The King (HL, 1935)).

The European Communities Act 1972

Several grounds have been suggested for holding that this Act cannot be repealed:

That by joining the European Economic Community, a new order was created. Within that new order Parliament no longer all powerful and cannot amend or repeal any statute by which that order was established. The European Communities Act, it is argued, is such a contituent statute and is accordingly entrenched.
That by assigning rights and powers to the community in accordance with the Treaty provisions Member States have limited their sovereign rights in such a way as to make it impossible to withdraw unilaterally.

However, there is no evidence to suggest that the British courts would accept this view. Lord Denning in Macarthy Ltd v Smith (CA, 1979) clearly envisaged that Parliament could repeal the 1972 Act although it would have to be done expressly and not by implication.
Ultimately, the validity of legislation depends on the rules of recognition employed by our judges.

It has been suggested... that the courts will recognise as valid only legislation which has been passed by both houses and given the royal assent, has not been repealed expressly or by implication and which accords with our obligations under community law.

A limitation on The Doctrine of Implied Repeal

In Thoburn v Sunderland City Council (QB, 2001) Law L.J. Stated that the common law had come to recognise that there were... ordinary and constitutional statutes.

While ordinary statutes may be repealed by implication, the latter can only be repealed by express words on the face of the statute. The European Communities Act was such a statute.

Laws passed by Parliament cannot be challenged in the courts

Traditionally our courts have refused to consider the validity of an Act of Parliament.

Substantive validity

Until the seventeenth century the courts would declare Acts of Parliament void if they considered them contrary to natural law, repugnant to the law or impossible to be performed.

In R v Jordan (1967), Jordan, who had been sentenced for offences under the Race Relations Act 1965... He alleged that the statute in question was invalid in that it conflicted with a fundament principle of natural law, the right of free speech.

The argument was rejected by the court which simply stated that it had no power to consider the validity of an Act of Parliament.

This view was endorsed by the House of Lords in British Rail Board v Pikin (HL, 1974) and followed in Martin v O'Sullivan (CA, 1982).

Procedural irregularity

Acts of Parliament have also been challenged on the ground that they have been improperly passed.

In 1842 a Private Act of Parliament was challenged on this ground (Edinbrugh & Dalkeith Railway v Wauchope (HL, 1842)). Lord Campbell, upholding the validity of the Act, refused to investigate the internal workings of Parliament saying that if the Act appeared valid on its face, then it must be accepted by the courts.

It can be argued that there is a clear difference between finding that Parliament has failed to follow its own procedural rules and from saying that Parliament does not have power to legislate in a particular way.

The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council appeared to give some support to this distinction. (in Att-Gen for New South Wales v Trethawan (PC, 1932)).

Membership of the EU – Its effect on Parliamentary supremacy

In the view of the European Court, the courts of the Member States should give supremacy to Community Law (Costa v ENEL, 1964).

The European Communities Act 1972 section 2(4) provides “... any enactment passed or to be passed other than one contained in this part of this Act, shall be construed and have effect subject to the foregoing provisions of this section...”

Section 2(4) gives supremacy to Community Law.

Initially the English courts took the view that English Law and Community Law were of equal status and that, by the doctrine of implied repeal, the courts should give effect to whatever represented the latest intention of Parliament.

The traditional view on sovereignty by arguing that community law is not supplanting English Law. “It is part of our law which overrides any other part which is inconsistent with it.” (per Lord Denning M.R. In Macarthys v Smith (CA, 1981)).

But where there is clear indication that Parliament did not intend and intentionally and expressly act inconsistently with it, Lord Denning felt it was the duty of our courts to follow the domestic statutes.

... In R v The Secretary of State for Transport, ex parte Factortame Ltd (HL, 1990)... The House of Lords in Factortame 1 (1989) refused to grant interim relief ... on a further reference (Factortame No. 2 (1991)), the Court of Justice reiterated the well established principle of law which prevented Community law from having full effect. The matter then came back to the House of Lords in 1990. On this occasion their Lordships granted interim relief.

Thus the House of Lords had effectively suspended the operation of the Merchant Shipping Act by accepting that, here there was a conflict, Community Law must prevail.

In R v Secretary of State for Employment Ex p. EOC (HL, 1994), Lord Keith said that the effect of Factortame decisions was that certain provisions of UK primary legislation could be held to be invalid in their purported to nationals of Member States of the EU.

Separation of Powers

2006-08-26T02:59:00.000+03:00

Fundamental principle idea, doctrine: conventional, legal, quasi-legal aspects.
Purpose: Separation of Powers explains the distribution of power but is largely power-limiting.
The control of power depends on its fragmentation (Harlow).
Classical view: 3 government functions : legislative, executive – administrative, judicial.
Separation of Powers may be approached as descriptive or as prescriptive (it requires).

Constitutional theory: no single doctrine or model, but many (vile); for example:

Separation of Persons: Constitution forbids different branches to consist of the same people (prevent over-concentration of power) (Montesqui; Locke).
Isolationist or non-participation model: constitution assigns one function to one institution and forbids interference by others in its exercise. E.g. Vertical: Roman Catholic Church – Canon Law: three hierarchys (power confined).
Participation of control model: checks and balances: institutions in different branches are empowered to control exercise of power by bodies in other branches (e.g. Horizontal: US constitution: congress, president supreme court); Marshall suggests this is the most sophisticated of the SOP models.

Constitutional practice in the UK debate amongst theorists (e.g. DeSmith v Munro).

Separation of persons: Composition laws illustrate this in its prescriptive form e.g. House of Commons Disqualifications Act 1975: e.g. Judges civil servants barred from membership of HC as legislature (compare e.g. Monarch : fusion).
Isolationist Model: (a) authorisation to tax assigned to legislature (parliamentary statute authorises executive to levy), executive cannot levy without statutory authority (Wiltshire Diaries); (b) parliamentary sovereignty; law – making (by statute) assigned to parliament, courts cannot dis apply statute. (Diplock in Duport); (c ) Royal Prerogative (mainly executive functions courts cannot question exercise (classical idea); but, at the same time e.g.: executive may be empowered by parliamentary statute to make secondary legislation.
Control Model: e.g. Royal prerogative: executive act of dissolution of legislature Parliament administrative law: judicial review of executive action; but the judges are the legislators of the common law (Munro: e.g. Shaw, Knuller) (exceptions to isolationist model represent illustrations of the control model).

Case study: illustrates the difficulties in identifying which SP model operates in UK.

Haughton v Smith (1975) HL refuses to recognise attempting the impossible as criminal (to do so would unsurp Parliament law-making: Hail sham): isolationist.
Law Commission (1980) (executive) recommends change in law (new crime) and reversal of the decision in Haughton v Smith.
Criminal Attempts Act 1981, s.1: person is guilty of attempt to commit an offence 'even though facts are such that commission of it is impossible.'
Anderton v Ryan (1985) HL: Parliament failed to create a new offence (asinine if guilty only when there is mens rea; dissenting judge (edmund David): new offence created; majority employs control model (and frustrates Parliament).
Shivpuri (1987): HL reverses Ryan decision by invoking 1966 practice direction (i.e. Reassertion of isolationist approach).

Possible Conclusion:

“The difficulties with the doctrine arise mainly if an attempt is made to regard it as absolute. Certainly the doctrine continues to shape constitutional arrangements, and [it] influences decisions, and in some limited form is necessary both for efficiency and liberty.” (Munro).

Human Rights

2006-08-26T02:54:00.000+03:00

The origins of Human Rights

Modern view of Human rights starts in the 18^th century as a philosiphical concept – rights inherent in being human.
Developed as a political doctrine in revolutions C18th against oppressive rulers.
French declaration of the Rights of Man (1789).
American Bill of Rights (1791).

Human Rights and Democracy

Conceived as rights against oppressive rulers.
Becomes part of liberal democratic theory.
Rights that override even popular will or that of democratically elected government.

Nature of Rights

Civil and political rights

e.g. Freedom of the person; freedom of expression; freedom of association: right to a fair trial.

Social and economic rights

e.g. Right to employment, right to shelter: right to health care.

Traditional British Approach Civil Liberties

Freedom to do anything that is not restricted by common law or statute.
Recall Dicey's analysis to the rule of law in the constitution:
Entick v Carrington (1765)
“The great end, for which men entered into society was to secure their property. That right is preserved sacred and incommunicable in all instances, where it has not been taken away or abridged by some public law for the good of the whole.” (Lord Camden CJ).
Presumptions in interpretation of statutes (see JR (illegality))
(a) No taxation without parliamentary authority
(b) Presumption in favour of personal liberty.
(c) Presumption in favour of freedom of expression.
Principles of natural justice (right to a fair trial).

Shifts since Dicey

Limitations of common law in development of new rights in changed society:

Malone v MPC [1979]
If the tapping of telephones by the post office at the request of the police can be carried out any breach of law. It does not require any statutory power to justify it: it can be lawfully done simply because there is nothing to make it unlawful.
Rights against discrimination.

Shift to Legislative Protection

Legislative responses to particular political issues:

Race Relations Act 1976
Makes it unlawful to discrimination against a person, directly or indirectly on racial grounds in employment; education; housing; and in the provision of goods, facilities and services.
Sex Discrimination Act 1975.
This Act prohibits direct or indirect sex discrimination against individuals in employment and can apply to both men and women of any age.
Disability Discrimination Act 1985
Legislation designed to encourage provides to offer services to disabled people without discrimination due to their disability. Aspects of the Act impact on the design of premises, licensed hackney carriages and trains and the provision of services.
Data Protection Act 1998
The Act gives you the right to access information held about you by organisations can use information that they hold – including how they acquire, store, share or dispose of it.
Freedom of Information Act 2000
General right of public access to information recorded by state authorities.

Status of Convention in UK law.

Dualist and Monist approaches to international law obligations.
Before HRA (Human Rights Act) no direct use of convention in UK courts.
Referred to: Derbyshire CC v Times Newspapers.
A local authority brought a libel (A false publication that damages a person's reputation) action against a newspaper which had questioned its handling of a super equation fund.

Court of Appeal applied Art.10 of the European Convention on Human Rights in finding that a local authority cannot sue for libel.
Limits on use of Convention (Malone v MPC; Brind v Home Secretary)

Article 3 – Prohibition of Torture

No one shall be subjected to torture or to inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.

Article 10 – Freedom of Expression

Everyone has the right to freedom of expression. This right shall include freedom to hold opinions and to receive and import information and ideas without interference by public authority and regardless of frontiers.

The exercise of these freedoms, since it carries with it duties may be subject to laws and restrictions like:

national security
prevention of disorder or crime
Protection of health or morals
Protection of the reputation or rights of others.
Preventing the disclosure of information received in confidence.
Maintaining the authority and impartiality of the judiciary.

Convention mechanism for enforcement

Convention imposes duty on states parties 'to secure everyone within their jurisdiction' the convention rights and freedoms (Art 1).

European Court of Human Rights

Petition to the European Court of Human Rights (nothing to do with the ECJ!)
Court sits in 3 forms:
(1) Committee of 3 (admissibility)
(2) Chamber of 7 (merits).
(3) Grand chamber of 17 (serious question of interpretation or risk of if judgements).
Court gives judgement – may award compensation.
Government then bound to take remedial action.
Action reviewed by Committee of Ministers of C of E (Nothing to do with Council of Ministers of EU).

Effect of ECHR on Law in UK

Decisions of the European Court of Human Rights had a substantial effect.
Prisoners rights (privacy of correspondence; access to legal advice and courts: openness of prison regime).
Military discipline
Corporal punishment in schools.
Telephone tapping.
Extradition to USA where risk of death row.

Incorporating the Convention in UK Law.

For Incorporation

Rights must be enforceable against the state.
Parliament not effective to protect the individual and minorities.
Judges may hold executive (and legislature?) in check – distanced from politics – will act on principle not political convenience.
Better for UK courts to protect rights that European Court of Human Rights (EctHR).

Arguments against incorporation

UK home-grown protection of rights better than alien charter of rights.
Parliament is the proper protector of freedoms.
Incorporation would bring the judges into the centre of political controversy..
Judges lack democratic legitimacy.

Human Rights Act 1998

Into force 2^nd October 2000. (Why the delay? To give the chance to train the judges!)
'Convention Rights' enforceable in the UK courts.
- set out in schedule to the Act.
Unlawful for 'public authority' to act incompatibly with convention rights.

Decisions on Compatibility

A victim of an unlawful act (s7). May bring proceedings or rely on the convention rights in any legal proceedings.
It may grant such relief or remedy, or make such order, within its powers as it considers just and appropriate. (s8)

S7.-(1) A person who claims that a public authority has acted (or proposes to act) in a way which is made unlawful.
(a) Bring proceedings against the authority under this Act in the appropriate court or tribunal, or
(b)Rely on the convention right or rights concerned in any legal proceedings but only if he is (or would be) a victim of the unlawful act.

Public Authority

Section 6(3) includes:
(a) a court or tribunal, and
(b) any person certain of whose functions are of a public nature.

R (on the application of Heather and Others) v Leonard Cheshire Foundation and another (2002)

Local authorities had duties to disabled people to provide residential accomodation.
They placed applicants in LCH home.
LCF announced change of use of home; alternative accommodation.
Breach of Article 8?Respect for ' private and family life', 'home'

Parliamentary Sovereignty

Houses of Parliament not public authorities.
Avoidance of conflict statement of compatibility
Communications Act 2003.
Derogation (Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001).

Interpretation

3(1) So far as it is possible to do so, primary legislation and subordinate legislation must be read and given effect in a way which is compatible with the convention rights.

Declarations of Incompatibility – Section 4

If the court is satisfied that the provision is incompatible with a convention right, it may make a declaration of that incompatibility.

Declaration

(a) Does not affect the validity, continuing operation or enforcement of the provision in respect of which it is given; and
(b) Is not binding on the parties to the proceedings in which it is made.
When Court is considering a declaration shall give notice to minister.
If a Minister of the Crown considers that there are compelling reasons he may by order make such amendments to the legislation as he considers necessary to remove the incompatibility (S.10).

Courts :- England & Wales that may make a declarations

House of Lords
Judicial Committee of the Privy Council.
Court of Appeal
Courts Martial appeal court.
High Courts.

New material...

2006-08-07T13:54:00.000+03:00

I was looking at my past blog posts the other day, and I realised something. I needed new material to write about. Something other than Conan O'brien or the Red Hot Chili Peppers. Something fresh to mix things up a little bit. Something to break the formulaic and linear type of posts that are taking over my blog. The fact that its been two months since I posted anything should help.

The paragraph above is what academics like to call "complete and utter Bullshit". You can never get too much Conan. Here is another clip from a Finnish TV show where he was interviewed by 2 Kids. It is hilarious!

The power of Conan O'Brien

2006-06-12T02:10:00.000+03:00

As you have probably heard (unless you've been living under a rock... which was living under another rock... inside an ancient cave of some sort... and with no contact to living things ... I think you get the idea), Conan O'Brien helped the current president of Finland win the elections by showing pictures of HER and him side by side on his show.

He used the apparent "resemblance" they have (they are both red heads) to crack jokes about her and how they are, in fact, long lost twins. Finland's citizens response was not what I had expected. As a matter of fact, it was the complete opposite of what I expected. It was a major factor in her winning the elections and even she acknowledged the fact that without him, she would not have won! She invited him to her country and had a date (more like a meeting) with him on valentine's day to show her appreciation.

Now that you know the background of the story, watch this hilarious video of Conan in an interview in a Finnish TV show. (Hint: Look at the male presentor pretending like he understands Conan's jokes)

The ramblings of a mad man!

2006-04-26T00:50:00.001+03:00

I was sitting on the plane with my head down, really pondering the possibility of the existence of life on other planets and how weird it would be to actually see an alien etc. Then a voice from the speakers started regurgitating the typical speech before lift off "bla bla... incase of an emergency please look at the instruction video that is playing on the screens located in front of you”. I look up at the screen and there was a clip of an elephant on fire ... I am not kidding! I looked closer and the elephant was not actually on fire but had candles on his head.

I then realised that I do not really care about seeing aliens anymore... there are people who put candles on elephant's heads, you just cannot get any weirder than that. I want to meet those people.

P.S. 5 min or so after the elephant clip, the real instructional video came on. Do not get me started on that clip. Those people in the instructional video are always depicted with a smile in their little faces even though they always seem to end up in the same extremely dangerous situations. Some people just never learn.

MK

More Red Hot Chili Peppers!

2006-03-29T21:58:00.000+03:00

Here is their new single's cover:

Dani California, the new single from RCHP is getting a lot of hype. Mark my words, this single is going to be a sure hit, whether people like it or not. The Red Hot Chili Peppers('s) name/image is going to sell their new album alone. The chance that it is going to flunk is so low that i would be absolutely shocked if it did not contribute to making the album a platinum selling one. Check out a video of the band talking about their new single.

Apparently not all of their songs are about nothing... even the writer of the songs did not know that...

MK

Watch the comedic genius that is Conan O'Brien in one of his classic sketches

2006-03-28T00:55:00.001+03:00

Aaah comedy does not get any better than that... or does it? Here is another clip which I thought was hilarious HOWEVER it deals with a very sensitive issue which might be offending to some. I sometimes feel guilty laughing at it. Viewer discretion is advised.

[The videos in this post have been edited out due to copyright infringements]

I still love this show though.

Red Hot Chili Peppers...

2006-03-21T02:36:00.000+03:00

The band of four lunatics who created the best rock/funk songs I have ever heard in my life. Red Hot Chili Peppers. Instead of talking about their numerous achievements or try to explain how original and truly "unique" they are, I will let the video (below) do the talking for me. Just hit the play button in the embedded video player below and as an added bonus you will get a small taste of their new single "Dani California" at the end of it.

Red Hot Chili Peppers
Stadium Arcadium - May 9th, 2006

I'm currently reading Anthony Kiedis's (the Band's frontman) autobiography entitled "Scar Tissue" which he wrote with ghost writer Larry Sloman. One section in particular stuck in my mind. A 12 year old Anthony staying with his father (who lives alone in California and happens to be a hippie) over the summer, sees him selling drugs from his trailer park and then snorting some with his friends afterwards too. His father did not mind his son seeing that as a matter of fact, he takes little Anthony with him to nightclubs to party after getting high and then scores with a different young girl every night. That was the everyday routine for little Anthony in the Summer.

After a couple of days of this routine little Anthony got bored of watching and decided to ask his father for some drugs not expecting to get approval... his father must've felt very proud because he not only gave him some drugs but showed him how to roll them up & smoke them! what a father, huh?

A couple of days after that, little Anthony gets bored of watching his father having sex with beautiful girls every night so he goes up to his father and asks if he could have sex with this particular girl, whom his father brought back home that day... His father said "Ok! but only this one time" (because he obviously realised that letting his son do that more than once is just wrong... once is ok though...) then took his 12 yr old son and the girl to his bedroom and convinced her to have sex with his son.
How screwed up is that!? He had sex with a fully grown woman when he was 12! when I was 12, my highest priority was collecting Pokemon! That's effed up right there.

Thanks for reading.

MK

A site i stumbled upon...

2006-03-16T16:58:00.000+03:00

I want you to visit this site which I found completely appalling! and frankly i am offended and hurt by it. So much so I ended up reading the terms of service of blogger and found a section which might help me bring that site down. Here it is:

"12. MEMBER CONDUCT Member is solely responsible for the contents of his or her transmissions through the Service. Member's use of the Service is subject to all applicable local, state, national and international laws and regulations.....

Member agrees not to transmit through the Service any unlawful, harassing, libelous, abusive, threatening, or harmful material of any kind or nature. Member further agrees not to transmit any material that encourages conduct that could constitute a criminal offense, give rise to civil liability or otherwise violate any applicable local, state, national or international law or regulation. Attempts to gain unauthorized access to other computer systems are prohibited." 1

I will bring this to Blogger's attention soon but I wanted to know whether YOU think i will have a strong case or not, first(fellow law students... Blue Chi? jmoney? what do you guys think?)

It's been a while... (Explicit)

2006-03-07T04:13:00.001+03:00

I want to keep this blog alive. So i will talk about Law and everything else. You ready for it? Here it goes.

What is law? is it a set of rules that are considered to be "right" by society and are enforced by them? is it there to uphold justice? if so, who's idea of justice is it, yours or mines? Why do dogs have cold nose's? Why do parents think that their kids like clowns and aren't in fact terrified by them? Why are you still reading this?

If you're wandering why i'm asking these questions... it's because it is past my bed time and i can't sleep.

A friend of mine told me today that i should take a hot shower before i go to sleep then put a lavender flower under my pillow to help me go to sleep. She said "it (the lavender flower smell) will make you feel relaxed". I replied " Yes and it is also very gay". The conversation ended right after I said that. What a conversation stopper, huh? I just didn't feel like talking right at that moment.

Another friend of mine told me this famous quote once. He said "keep your friends close and your enemies closer" (thanks for the correction, jmoney). I think its a bullshit famous quote. Who said that? tell me, who? I want to look him in the eyes and say "what a bullshit theory" then slap him with my gloves (look at video below) like i'm some kind of nobleman.

Let me elaborate and explain where i'm coming from here. What if your enemy really really stank, i mean, seriously smelled horrible like some kind of man who ate a lot of curry then played cricket all day and didn't take a shower for ... his entire life, would you be close to him? huh!? answer me, *****!? NO, you won't. Now, i know whoever said that didn't mean literally be closer to your enemies but its past midnight, i'm tired and i can't sleep so i am sorry if i offended anyone. Except Dutch people, i'm not sorry if I offended you guys.

For my conclusion i will leave you with this really famous quote:

"Kids, you tried your best, and you failed miserably. The lesson is: never try."
-- Homer Simpson

MMK

Hilarious clips

2005-12-14T04:25:00.000+03:00

Check them out:

Family Guy clip: Stewie onboard plane. Enough Said.

Asian Backstreet Boys: I was honestly speechless when i saw this... then i burst out laughing for 3 minutes straight. i'll tell you one thing though, you'll either find it extremly hilarious or extremely weird.

Cool robot dancer: This clip is more amazing than it is funny. That kid can do the robot dance and still make it look cool. That's skill right there.

The Clips are provided by Google Video.

Hope you enjoyed the clips.

MK

Watch one of the funniest shows currently on TV ... for free

2005-12-07T22:10:00.000+03:00

You can stream the first premiere episode of season 2 for free! And it is legal, obviously, because u know me; i'd never encourage you to download copyrighted tv shows in great video quality for free from bittorrent websites like mininova.org, torrentspy.com, lokitorrent.com, torrentreactor.net, Kazaa, Imesh, Limewire, etc. now would i?

Check it out, its subtle humor not the laugh out loud kind, so give it a chance.

Here is the LINK TO THE OFFICE season 2 premiere (american remake).

My Xbox 360 campout (plan), Which also happens to be my first camp out (plan) ever.

2005-12-04T04:04:00.000+03:00

It all started when i came across this picture on the morning of 1/12/05 ( xbox 360 launches 2/12/05).
It's Tesco's (UK's K-Mart equivalent) xbox 360 allocations for the whole of the UK. the first column after the city's name is how many Xbox 360 system's are going to be in that particular Tesco. The second column shows how many core systems are going to be there. As you can probably tell, there aren't a lot of systems on sale.

What makes this list so great is the fact that Tesco's don't take pre-orders. They sell on a first come first serve basis. Most videogame stores here in Cardiff, don't even take pre-orders for the system anymore! and the one's that do, will tell you that you will not get your system till February of next year!

I planned it all out, i was going to camp outside Tesco before midnight that day, with nothing more than an umbrella and lack of a social life motivating me. Then i realised that i was an idiot, an a** if you will, because Tesco is open 24 hours a day ... i didn't have to camp out.

Anyway, i got out of my flat at 11 pm (i wanted to be there early just in case). My flatmate decided to come with me after seeing how much the xbox 360 system's are going for on Ebay, and i don't blame him! One xbox 360 system was sold for $6000+! (are people retarded or just plain insane!?).

It was raining, it was windy, it was the best of times, it was the worst of times... it was horrible, it was exciting and finally.... it just plain sucked. We reached Tesco all wet with water dripping off of us, and rushed to the electronics section. Everything went in slow motion after that (bullet time for you gamers out there). We found employees stacking a lot of new boxes on the shelves. I couldn't see what kind of boxes they were but i didn't care. i thought, there must be, atleast, one xbox 360 in between those. "damn, this is it, i'm finally getting my hands on an xbox 360 with perfect dark zero" i thought. i looked at my watch just to make sure, it was 11:30 pm, 30 minutes before the official xbox 360 launch. I walked up to one of the employees, he looked at me and smiled. I got worried. "Hey, do you have the xbox 360 in stock yet?" my flatmate asked him nervously and he simply replied "sold out".

Everything went dark after that. Mainly due to me closing my eyes. I was shocked and depressed. The employee noticed my dissapointment and said "They've been sold out from 7pm today". I don't know if he wanted to make me feel better or just get on my nerves even more. Either way, I wanted to punch him and say "that's illegal bitch!" or something cool like "thats against the law motha ******" but i didn't. I just walked away with my head down.

I thought nothing would cheer me up now, till i found houmous on the shelf... aah the houmous. I don't particularly like houmous but Tesco's houmous is incredible. If someone came up to me and offered me the last xbox 360 for free or the last houmous for 10 pounds ... well.. i'd probably take the xbox 360 but you catch my drift, right? (if you did, please email me because i sure as hell didn't).

I guess the moral of this story is, go buy yourself houmous if you can't buy an xbox 360.

Thanks for reading.

MK.

My first post in my first blog in my first year of university which coincidently, happens to be my first year living away from home...

2005-12-03T04:21:00.000+03:00

You know how people say "university life is incredible!" and "university is da bomb" well i hate to break it to you guys (or guy, its a new blog i don't expect a lot of people to read this) but university life is not incredible... maybe its "da bomb" though... i don't really know what that means so i can't really comment on that. University life is OK! nothing more.

I know this post is short but this is my first one, so cut me some slack alright? It's not like i have nothing to do eh? What, you think im some kind of cheap filth that just types anything that comes into his mind!?
Well i DO have things to do and some people happen to like cheap filth so... yyeeeaaah.. take that!

Thanks for reading this. i meant every word of it with all my heart.
Yours truly
MK (Trust No One).