sat, 17.06 : party at my place, in honour of some friends who would be leaving for good this summer
tue, 20.06 : satay (malaysia barbeque) in the sun at imad vais place
fri, 23.06 : graduation party (half graduation for some, including me) hosted by ailin vabi. (photos)
sun, 25.06 : omitas birthday (omita, a bangladeshi woman with a danish family)
(i think its more than explanatory)
photo credit - ailin vabi, as usual
29.6.06
28.6.06
summer vacation, but its work as usual
my current sem at uni got over in mid june and the next doesnt begin before september. this two and half months in between is supposedly summer vacation.with the weather as good as it can be (at times!!!) all i should be doing is having fun in the sun. instead, my days are spent me trying to get in grips with tons of matlab coding, simulation and paper (technical papers, not newspaper) reading. gosh!!! i just wish i hadnt gone out of my way and ask the supervisors for some extra work over the break... just to keep alive my volatile (and short-living) memory cells.
well, the only condolence i can find is 'poro ebong poro, je pore she boro' or 'knowledge is power', though i know well thats only an utopian phrase.
27.6.06
small kindness
earlier today while reading the quran, i was simply overtaken by the inherent message of surah ma'oun (small kindness, surah 107). just read on and you will discover the beauty of it yourself.
i realized the message of quran is wide and deep, but its our narrow outlook and limited-senses that fails to read beyond the words.
In the name of Allah, the Beneficient, the Merciful!
Have you seen him who denies Our religion?
It is he who harshly repels the orphan
and does not urge others to feed the needy.
Woe to those who pray
but are heedless of their prayers;
who put on a show of piety
but refuse to give even the smallest help to others.
The surah stresses unequivocally that, if the essence of faith does not manifest itself in men's behaviour then there IS no faith.
"Have you seen him who denies Our religion? It is he who harshly repels the orphan and does not urge others to feed the needy."
(One) who harshly repels the orphan and does not urge others to feed the needy is thus identified by the Qur'an as the one who denies the religion of Islam? This definition may sound surprising but in fact, this is the core of the whole matter. For if the truth of Islam has in any degree touched his heart, one could commit no such acts.
True belief in Islam is not a spoken word but an overall change of the individual's heart, motivating him to benevolence and goodwill for all his fellow beings that are in need of his care and protection. Allah does not want mere words from His servants but demands deeds to support the spoken words which, otherwise, are as weightless and valueless as blown ash.
through Islam Allah wishes human life to be elevated, happy, based on pure motives and characterised by mutual compassion, brotherhood and purity of hearts and behaviour.
To where then is humanity driving itself?
Away from this abundance of mercy?
Away from this wonderful and sublime path?
How can mankind debase itself to living in the wilderness of a wretched and gloomy Ignorance when it beholds the sparkling light of faith before its very eyes at the cross-roads where it now stands?
read more >>
i realized the message of quran is wide and deep, but its our narrow outlook and limited-senses that fails to read beyond the words.
In the name of Allah, the Beneficient, the Merciful!
Have you seen him who denies Our religion?
It is he who harshly repels the orphan
and does not urge others to feed the needy.
Woe to those who pray
but are heedless of their prayers;
who put on a show of piety
but refuse to give even the smallest help to others.
The surah stresses unequivocally that, if the essence of faith does not manifest itself in men's behaviour then there IS no faith.
"Have you seen him who denies Our religion? It is he who harshly repels the orphan and does not urge others to feed the needy."
(One) who harshly repels the orphan and does not urge others to feed the needy is thus identified by the Qur'an as the one who denies the religion of Islam? This definition may sound surprising but in fact, this is the core of the whole matter. For if the truth of Islam has in any degree touched his heart, one could commit no such acts.
True belief in Islam is not a spoken word but an overall change of the individual's heart, motivating him to benevolence and goodwill for all his fellow beings that are in need of his care and protection. Allah does not want mere words from His servants but demands deeds to support the spoken words which, otherwise, are as weightless and valueless as blown ash.
through Islam Allah wishes human life to be elevated, happy, based on pure motives and characterised by mutual compassion, brotherhood and purity of hearts and behaviour.
To where then is humanity driving itself?
Away from this abundance of mercy?
Away from this wonderful and sublime path?
How can mankind debase itself to living in the wilderness of a wretched and gloomy Ignorance when it beholds the sparkling light of faith before its very eyes at the cross-roads where it now stands?
read more >>
25.6.06
today's link : tall stories
The alarming news flashed across America's TV screens on Thursday evening: government agents had thwarted an al-Qa'ida plot, using home-grown American terrorists, to blow up the Sears Tower in Chicago in a ghastly repeat of 9/11.
When the dust had settled barely 24 hours later, a rather more modest version of events had emerged. The seven young black men arrested at a warehouse in Miami and Atlanta had never been in touch with al-Qa'ida, and had no explosives. Their "plan" to destroy America's tallest building was little more than wishful thinking...
read more >>
When the dust had settled barely 24 hours later, a rather more modest version of events had emerged. The seven young black men arrested at a warehouse in Miami and Atlanta had never been in touch with al-Qa'ida, and had no explosives. Their "plan" to destroy America's tallest building was little more than wishful thinking...
read more >>
friendship
This story tells about two friends that were walking through the desert.
At one point during the trip they started arguing and one of the friends hit the other in the face.
The one that had been hit was hurt, but without a further word, wrote down in the sand:
“TODAY MY BEST FRIEND HIT ME IN THE FACE.”
They carried on walking until they came across an oasis, where they decided to freshen up and bathe.
But the one that had been hit before got caught in the mud and was about to drown, but the friend saved him. After he had recovered, he wrote down on a stone:
“TODAY MY BEST FRIEND SAVED MY LIFE.”
The friend that had hit his best friend and had then saved him asked:
“After I hit you, you wrote in the sand and now you are writing on stone, why?”
The other friend answered:
“When someone hurts us we should write it down in sand so that the wind can forgive us by blowing it away.”
“But when someone does something nice for us, we should engrave it in stone, where no wind can ever blow it away.”
LEARN TO WRITE DOWN YOUR PAIN IN SAND AND TO ENGRAVE THE GOOD EXPERIENCES IN STONE.
At one point during the trip they started arguing and one of the friends hit the other in the face.
The one that had been hit was hurt, but without a further word, wrote down in the sand:
“TODAY MY BEST FRIEND HIT ME IN THE FACE.”
They carried on walking until they came across an oasis, where they decided to freshen up and bathe.
But the one that had been hit before got caught in the mud and was about to drown, but the friend saved him. After he had recovered, he wrote down on a stone:
“TODAY MY BEST FRIEND SAVED MY LIFE.”
The friend that had hit his best friend and had then saved him asked:
“After I hit you, you wrote in the sand and now you are writing on stone, why?”
The other friend answered:
“When someone hurts us we should write it down in sand so that the wind can forgive us by blowing it away.”
“But when someone does something nice for us, we should engrave it in stone, where no wind can ever blow it away.”
LEARN TO WRITE DOWN YOUR PAIN IN SAND AND TO ENGRAVE THE GOOD EXPERIENCES IN STONE.
19.6.06
FBI: obl not wanted for 9/11
the fbi's "most wanted terrorists" web page does not state that obl is wanted for the september 11, 2001 attacks on the world trade center and the pentagon. when asked why there is no mention of 9/11 on the fbi's web page, rex tomb, the fbi's chief of investigative publicity, is reported to have said, "the reason why 9/11 is not mentioned on obl's most wanted page is because the fbi has no hard evidence connecting obl to 9/11."
read more >>
read more >>
18.6.06
of booze, babes and broken bottles
in the last weekend of may, otherwise quite town of aalborg, denmark turns into a sea of mass crowd. its the annual 'karneval i aalborg' (carnival in aalborg). since 1983, aalborg hosts this annual event celebrating fantasy and coming of spring through carnival traditions. its a celebration of life, spring and fantasy despite religious and political differences. the carnival is seen as a medium for creative folk culture, with the crowd engaging passionately in the rhythmical and musical display.
like others, i too was well looking forward to this much hyped up event, only to return with a sour experience.
first, it was the broken beer bottles paving my bicycle ride. having been 'once bitten', i 'ever shy' and indeed walked half of the way. after all, last time i had a leak, it costed me 148 kroner (~usd 25).
once at the spot, the welcoming sight was of drunk men and women pissing in the open. i must thank the sisters though, for they had the courtesy to find telephone booths. hmmm... it seems being drunk has its advantages.
i wont go into further details, but within ten minutes, i found myself heading home with a mixed experience. well, though i could smell all the fun and fervor swimming in the atmosphere, i really didnt feel comfortable at how the women were treated. probably, the system is such that they are sort of 'pressured', either through peers, or by themselves (to make oneself fit in) to dress as scantily as possible.
well, in my opinion, that was very derogatory to the honour / status of woman.
would we ever learn to view men and women as human and respect them for who they are rather than what their outlook is?
or appreciate the fact that folklore and culture isnt all about sensuality?
i wonder!
11.6.06
'Israel has a right to defend itself'
"Israeli artillery shells have struck a group of Palestinian civilians at a beach in Bait Lahiya in northern Gaza, killing seven people, including three children, aged one, three and 10. The shells were fired on Friday by Israeli gunboats stationed just off the Mediterranean coast."The dead and the wounded Palestinians were having a picnic on the beach as it was the weekly holiday." (excerpted)
Palestinian President termed it "Bloody Massacre" and urged international bodies to intervene! On the other hand, Israel "regret(s) any harm caused to innocent civilians".
and according to Sean McCormack, spokesman for the US State Department, "Israel has a right to defend itself."
very well said. one year old babies picnicing in the beach is a threat to Israel's national security. Who knows, one day, these babies growing up in subhumane conditions without even the basic human necessities (thanks to Israeli 'generosity' and endorsement by the custodian of Human Rights in the universe, Mr. US) might be hurling stones at sophisticated Israeli tanks!!!
remebering june 8, 1967
june 8, 1967 is that fateful day when a United States Navy intelligence ship, USS LIBERTY, was attacked off the coast of Gaza by the Israeli military. It was the fourth day of the Arab-Israeli War, fought to secure the state of Israel in Palestine.
The Israeli government insists that the attack was a tragic accident. But according to reports and statements of knowledgeable American official,it was deliberate and the Israeli story untrue.
"...the board of inquiry (concluded) that the Israelis knew exactly what they were doing in attacking the Liberty."
-- the then CIA Director Richard Helms
know more
The Israeli government insists that the attack was a tragic accident. But according to reports and statements of knowledgeable American official,it was deliberate and the Israeli story untrue.
"...the board of inquiry (concluded) that the Israelis knew exactly what they were doing in attacking the Liberty."
-- the then CIA Director Richard Helms
know more
10.6.06
buddhijibee hotta: intellectual cleansing
in my opinion, our biggest loss as a nation during the liberation war is the brutal mass-murdering of 114 intellectuals on 14th of december, 1971. whoever did it made sure, the country is left without the head it will need to stand on its feet after independence. and i must say, till date we have not been able to make up for the lost intelligentsia.
iraq's visiting 'guests' (the bloody occupiers) are doing exactly the same, as observed in a recently published article. 'just kill their intellectuals, and the country will have no people to lead them'. good technique guys - it worked for Bangladesh!!!
iraq's visiting 'guests' (the bloody occupiers) are doing exactly the same, as observed in a recently published article. 'just kill their intellectuals, and the country will have no people to lead them'. good technique guys - it worked for Bangladesh!!!
manush manusher jonno
this cute little smiley angel that you see on the picture is prapti. i well suppose many of you have seen her before, at least those blogging at somewhere. probably this appeal had already been circulated in bangladehsi english blogosphere, but it doesnt hurt to repeat it again. the original posts in bangla are this and this.
in brief >>
every one of us have babies in our families, either our own, or our brothers'/sisters'. these cutie muties are the centre of attraction for the families, bringing new sources of joy and happiness every single day. its the same with prapti, and no member of her family can imagine a day without the sunshine she brings upon them all.
however, unlike other babies, prapti's sweet smile is ind death-bed. the deadly disease lukemia is on an all out effort to hijack thier sunshine from this world. but being in the primary stage, experts say, it is still curable, provided she is treated for three long years. and ofcourse, the required financial means for this is burdensome for a middle-income family like her parents'.
>>
as appealed in the bangla blog, i would say, going out of our way to do a little for this wont hurt any of us. but just as 'droplets of water makes an ocean', this little kind steps on our side would add up to an enormous help for this little sweetheart. and in the process, we earn ourselves the credit of saving a life, and the hundreds of smile that it would take away with it.
be you in Bangladesh, or abroad, please try to do whatever you can.
(p.s. if you have not read the linked bangla blog posts, i would kindly urge you to do so. thanks)
thank you bdblogs
here goes a long overdue thanks to bdblogs.net
few days back i received a comment saying my blog feeds to bangladeshi blog aggregator. wow! i dint even know if there were people visiting my blog, other than those who i force to do so!!!
hmmmm.....
thumbs up bdblogs.
few days back i received a comment saying my blog feeds to bangladeshi blog aggregator. wow! i dint even know if there were people visiting my blog, other than those who i force to do so!!!
hmmmm.....
thumbs up bdblogs.
4.6.06
Todays link
Israeli secret agent threatened to kill me, says Briton
A British charity worker has revealed how he was threatened with death by the Israeli secret service while he was detained for three weeks without charge.
Read the rest
A British charity worker has revealed how he was threatened with death by the Israeli secret service while he was detained for three weeks without charge.
Read the rest
3.6.06
joke of the year
'Opposition leader Sheikh Hasina has been nominated for the prestigious Mother Teresa Award for the political leader’s service to humanity, which was the lifelong preoccupation of the world-famous missionary.
Kolkata-based Mother Teresa Foundation has selected the opposition Awami League chief for the award for 2006. Indian High Commissioner Veena Sikri conveyed the decision to Sheikh Hasina at her Sudha Sadan residence yesterday (Friday) afternoon.
"It’s a great achievement for Bangladesh and for me, too," said the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament in welcoming the Foundation’s decision.' [1]
i bet mother teressa will have a heart attack up there in the heavens.
how about nijami for shadhinota podok (independence award)!!!
----------------------------
[1] daily the independent. 03 june 2006.
Kolkata-based Mother Teresa Foundation has selected the opposition Awami League chief for the award for 2006. Indian High Commissioner Veena Sikri conveyed the decision to Sheikh Hasina at her Sudha Sadan residence yesterday (Friday) afternoon.
"It’s a great achievement for Bangladesh and for me, too," said the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament in welcoming the Foundation’s decision.' [1]
i bet mother teressa will have a heart attack up there in the heavens.
how about nijami for shadhinota podok (independence award)!!!
----------------------------
[1] daily the independent. 03 june 2006.
2.6.06
welcome back, fuad
our course structure here at aau is quite funny and pretty lenient, with evaluation for most of the semester courses included in that one big project students have to tackle.
this 31st was the submission date for us this semester. spent couple of sleepless nights (nevertheless, the sleep was well compensated the following day) and finally we handed in a 127 page semester thesis. it was one daunting task. but thats not the end of it. we hav to defend our work, which is on the 14th, and that means no respite till then!!! (hmmm... hav u noticed that i am never short of excuses to not keep my blog well updated?)
but there are couple of things, playing around in my head, and i would be more than happy to flush them off. right on to the respective blogs they are intended for. and i can tell you, its some pretty interesting stuffs!!! (never miss any chance to sell yourself :-) ). okay! i am gonna let you on the secret right away... (p.s. you are the first to know)
1. 'experience the Quran project'
its been a while, i had been toying with the idea of having a quran discussion group/forum to see the quran through our own eyes. all (taking part) would have to read a selected exegesis of a selected chapter/verses of the Holy Quran, and then discuss it on following two points:
i - what did i learn from or how do i see these verses.
ii - how can i practice these verses in my life.
since this blog is mainly for my personal experiences, i would use the other blog for it. as soon there are enough interested people to constitute a healthy discussion, we do hope to get going. so if you are interested, do please drop a comment.
2. passion runs deep in me for Bangladesh, my motherland. i feel the bangla blog community has strong potentials to do something fruitful and effective for her, and i hav planned a three part 'motivational talk' to go into my bangla blog. well, most, if not all, ideas are from mr amrkhaleds life makers series.
so off i go, on my mission blogomania. i will still be more than happy to receive my family and friends blessings. and one last thing, looking at the stats, i hardly hv people reading my blog... so if you have accidentally drop by, it would be nice to say hi. (pity this poor old fella')
this 31st was the submission date for us this semester. spent couple of sleepless nights (nevertheless, the sleep was well compensated the following day) and finally we handed in a 127 page semester thesis. it was one daunting task. but thats not the end of it. we hav to defend our work, which is on the 14th, and that means no respite till then!!! (hmmm... hav u noticed that i am never short of excuses to not keep my blog well updated?)
but there are couple of things, playing around in my head, and i would be more than happy to flush them off. right on to the respective blogs they are intended for. and i can tell you, its some pretty interesting stuffs!!! (never miss any chance to sell yourself :-) ). okay! i am gonna let you on the secret right away... (p.s. you are the first to know)
1. 'experience the Quran project'
its been a while, i had been toying with the idea of having a quran discussion group/forum to see the quran through our own eyes. all (taking part) would have to read a selected exegesis of a selected chapter/verses of the Holy Quran, and then discuss it on following two points:
i - what did i learn from or how do i see these verses.
ii - how can i practice these verses in my life.
since this blog is mainly for my personal experiences, i would use the other blog for it. as soon there are enough interested people to constitute a healthy discussion, we do hope to get going. so if you are interested, do please drop a comment.
2. passion runs deep in me for Bangladesh, my motherland. i feel the bangla blog community has strong potentials to do something fruitful and effective for her, and i hav planned a three part 'motivational talk' to go into my bangla blog. well, most, if not all, ideas are from mr amrkhaleds life makers series.
so off i go, on my mission blogomania. i will still be more than happy to receive my family and friends blessings. and one last thing, looking at the stats, i hardly hv people reading my blog... so if you have accidentally drop by, it would be nice to say hi. (pity this poor old fella')
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