If there is just one thing I want in the world!

I want to go to this bloody concert Dammit… and if you don’t know what the big deal is about the picture below… you shouldn’t be reading this blog, go paint your nails or check the oil on your car or something.
omg.
I wish I wish I wish! Rage Against The Machine! Bjork! DJ Shadow! the Roots!
I can’t believe this… It’s absolutely crap being stuck at the bottom of Africa when a concert like this is coming up! Wow… somebody get be a bag I’m hyperventilating.
RATM are Re-uniting for a concert!!! yoh yoh yoh… :P unfortunately, Day Three is already Sold out :(

Even so… I so hope that this is something BIGGER…

Technorati Tags: Coachella, Concert

Why I Love South Africa…

Here is something interesting; it is a speech by Guy Lundy of Dimension Data Business Solutions:

Below is a speech I gave the other night. It went down so well with the audience that a number of people asked me for copies of it. So I thought I may as well share it with other people too so they can spread the message,
especially those living overseas and those who care about spreading a positive message about South Africa.

“I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

Many years ago I was an exchange student in the USA, and every morning in my school, as in all schools across America, all classes came to a halt as the Pledge of Allegiance came over the loudspeaker system and every student stood to repeat these words.

I was quite amazed by this display of daily brainwashing in so-called “land of the free”. But in hindsight it isn’t actually that amazing, because we’ve all experienced how Americans are just so proud to be American. No
matter how big their problems, and heaven knows they’ve got a lot of them, Americans will still spend hours telling you how fantastic their country is, and in fact, how it is better than, pretty much anywhere else in the world.

What a contrast then, when I later spent a few years in London and I ended up actively avoiding other South Africans. Why? Because frankly their negativity about our homeland irritated me so much! These people who will gladly put new South African flags on their cars and support a whole cottage industry importing biltong and NikNaks to munch on as they cheer on the Springboks at Twickenham, will spend hours telling anyone who will listen just how awful it is in South Africa, how lucky they are to be in London and how they are never going back because it’s in such a mess. At the time I put it down to the fact that they were justifying why they were
holed up in their dingy little flats under grey London skies while their friends and family enjoyed the sunshine on Camps Bay beach. However, when I came home, expecting to be greeted by the smiles of new South Africans
everywhere, I was very disappointed to find that exactly the same attitude is pervasive right here. The number of people, who asked me why I came back here and why on earth I had brought my French wife with me, simply amazed me. I would have thought the answer was perfectly obvious.

I was later very disturbed, although not surprised, to hear that our president found it necessary to make a point to South African businessmen that they should stop running down their own country on overseas business trips. Can anyone tell me what it is that makes sense about running down your own home to foreign people that you would like to visit here and invest here?

It seems to me like inviting your boss to dinner at your house in the hope of getting a promotion but discouraging him from coming because you’re a terrible cook and your dog bites. Yes, we have problems, but so does everybody else. Sure, the Rand is down the toilet, but if you look closely enough, you’ll see that just about every other emerging market country has suffered from the same woes – and that includes Australia and New Zealand,
which everyone seems in such a rush to get to. And aren’t we lucky that we aren’t living in Argentina with their currency crisis? Sure, our neighbour, Zimbabwe, is run by a mad, despotic fool, but man am I glad that I’m not a
Pakistani. We have AIDS and we also have an army of people trying to find a cure for it * possibly more vigorously than anywhere else since we have the most to lose from it. We do have corruption, and the Americans have George W.  Bush, whether they like it or not. We’ve got all sorts of problems, yes, but must we be so hard on ourselves? In many ways we are far better off in South Africa as a whole than we have been at any time in our history.

Our people are getting educated and housed at a world-beating rate, we have amongst the world’s cheapest electricity, our inflation is the lowest it’s been in my lifetime, we have an economic growth rate and there is development everywhere you look.

We have so much going for us; we have so many good people, such an interesting mix of cultures; we have so much beautiful countryside and natural resources that we can draw from – we really have such a bright future ahead of us. Let us concentrate on the positive things that surround us every day, the sunshine, the people, the beauty, and the progress. Constantly criticising our country can only do harm for you personally, your personal feeling of happiness and well-being and for the country that you know from the bottom of your heart that you love, otherwise you wouldn’t be here.

Ladies and Gentlemen, I implore you, do not run down South Africa, neither at home nor overseas. Become ambassadors for your country.  Welcome foreign guests and point out how far we have come and how far we’re going to go how they need to watch out for us on the world stage.  And if you’re overseas on business or holiday (if you can afford it), tell people how much South Africa has going for it and invite them to come and see for themselves.

I have devised my own pledge of allegiance and I’d like to repeat it to you now : “I pledge allegiance to the flag of the Republic of South Africa and to the interesting people, places and idiosyncrasies for which it stands, one nation under several religions, languages and cultures, yet indivisible, with freedom, basic needs and progress for all.”

That is my pledge of allegiance to my home, our home. I pledge to help others see what is so good about it.
Our Beloved Country!!! South Africa, almost alone amongst emerging market economies, is set to escape virtually unscathed from the latest bout of investor panic sweeping the developing world’s fragile economies (The Times, London, August 2001)

The SA banking sector has been consistently ranked in the top 10 in terms of competitiveness (MD, Switzerland). When Nelson Mandela was inaugurated President in 1994, SA was insolvent (liabilities exceeded assets).

Today the Government’s deficit is negligible – one of only a handful of countries in this position. We’ve had single digit inflation since 1993 – following 20 years of double-digit inflation.

Mortgage rates are at their lowest level since 1988. South Africa is one of only 12 countries, where we can drink water from a tap. Our tap water was found to be the 3rd best quality in the entire world.

Remember 15 years ago, in 1986: A state of emergency was declared White men did two years compulsory military service * 64 184 black people were removed from “white areas” * 3989 people were detained without trial * Our economic growth rate was 0.7 percent – today it is 3% * 64 countries had sports boycotts against SA!!!

South African wines win international awards every year and we have the longest wine route in the world. Nelson Mandela, an international icon of forgiveness, tolerance, and humanity is our favourite son. The Kruger Park has the most innovative management of a national park anywhere in the world – and is the world’s most profitable game park. Eskom is the largest producer of coal-fired electricity in the world and South Africans pay the least for electricity in the world. South African Breweries is the 4th largest brewer in the world and produces over 50% of China’s beer!

Mercedes Benz C Class, BMW 3 Series and VW Golf/Jetta vehicles for all right-hand drive markets throughout the world are produced in South Africa. Didata grew from a local IT service provider into a huge, global networking company with branches in 30 countries. The Cape Peninsula has more species
of plants here per hectare than any other area of the world.

Magnificent highways, warm, friendly, vibrant rainbow people!  The world’s most progressive Constitution Kreepy Kraulies – a South African invention – Mrs Ball’s chutney and biltong. The world’s best looking population.

“For every guy who holds up a gun, there are 99 who hold out a hand of friendship” – Dennis Beckett, journalist.

This is something I’ve never done, but after reading this, all I ask from you is to send this on, to your friends, family and others. Let us in this way deal with our negatives and let us try to be positive. By being
positive we can continue to go far in life and we can all strive for a better and more positive life and country.

Regards to you all, peace, and positive thinking – that’s the way to go!

Class of ’99

This weekend made me realise that no matter what distance or delay… the friendships I have made… the important ones… don’t fade, at all. Boys who relocated… Syria, Qatar, whereever… boys down the road who, because of work and whatever, we see less often… still, we meet and it’s like nothing’s changed. Strong as Ever.

It’s a good feeling, to have friends like that. A singular vision among friends and our love for Islam, it kind of transcends a lot of things. And now… we’re all progressing through real adulthood trying to find our way in accomplishing whatever vision we might have had… different acts in the same scene.

And what a fluke! I was going to JHB for research with work and ended up running into a non-stop nostalgia and friends session with boys who just happened to be in the same place even though a week before we were all in three different countries! I don’t see any coincidence in this… I see Providence.  Plus got to see my bro’s and the other boys back from Hajj, their stories were absolutely hard core. Yeah… Providence.

Sunday was brilliant… had Akhalwaya’s at Emmarentia dam with boys and girls who I haven’t seen in ages. was brilliant.. something about the water and the trees (and the people) that just relaxes you… and JHB just ROCKS!
I also realised how grateful I should be.  No matter how much shit happens, there’s no way I can be ungrateful for everyhting I have… I have so much and I’m not even sure I deserve it.  I have no right to complain and I can’t really bitch and moan about anything… I have so much. Shukr.

Oh, and there’s plans in action to get out of Durbs! Pls Make Dua! Woohoo!

…on my play list at the moment: NaS feat. Will.I.Am – Hip Hop is Dead, My Chemical Romance – Welcome to the Black Parade and U2 & Greenday – The Saints Are Coming

Cinematic

Wrote a review at Muslim Movie Reviews for the best movie I’ve seen so far… The Departed.  Yo ucan read the review if you want to know what I thought about the movie, I had to steal this few snippets from Saaleha though…

Frank Costello: When you decide to be something, you can be it. That’s what they don’t tell you in the church. When I was your age they would say we can become cops, or criminals. Today, what I’m saying to you is this: when you’re facing a loaded gun, what’s the difference?
—

Kneecapped Bankrobber: [after being shot in the knee] I thought you were supposed to go into shock! I’m not in shock! It fuckin hurts!
—

Fitzy: I don’t believe it.
Mr. French: What can’t you believe?
Fitzy: I spent all fucking night dragging the poor bastard in there. Tell me how they find him so fast? Somebody walking a fucking dog ? What fucking size a dog is that? Has to be a big fucking dog, man. I spent all night doing it man.
[pause, Frank stares at him]
Fitzy: I’m embarrassed. I still don’t believe he was a cop, I don’t believe it.
Frank Costello: The COPS… are saying he’s a cop… so I won’t look for the cop. Are you soft, Fitz? When I tell you… to dump a body in the marsh, you dump him *IN* the marsh. Not where some guy from John Hancock goes every Thursday, TO GET A FUCKING BLOWJOB!
[Fitzy laughs, Frank hits him]
Frank Costello: Don’t laugh! This ain’t Reality TV!
—

Billy Costigan: [Referring to Costello] Do you want him to chop me up and feed me to the poor, huh, is that what you want?
—

Oliver Queenan: All cell phone signals are under surveillance, due to the courtesy of our Federal friends over there.
Ellerby: Patriot Act, Patriot Act! I love it, I love it, I love it!
—

Providence Gangster #1: Come on Babu, I can’t do any more. I can’t go off, please don’t make me go back empty handed. Please don’t do this. I wanna help you.
Pakistani Proprietor: Come to my store next Friday. I’ll give you the money…
Providence Gangster #1: This is Friday Babu, how many times I gotta tell you?
Pakistani Proprietor: You keep calling me Babu, it’s ‘Singh’ motherfucker!
Providence Gangster #1: I’m trying to help you. Don’t you understand?
Pakistani Proprietor: You keep on telling me ‘I’m your friend’.
Providence Gangster #1: Yeah.
Pakistani Proprietor: You don’t even know my fucking name!
—

Dignam: I’m the guy who does his job. You must be the other guy.

Brilliant Movie.. I loved it… Totally Gangster. 

I brushed past a few art movies too… One which ended up just being a poor excuse for porn weaved in with some weird love story was Lie with me .. Like Borat, Don’t bother going to watch it, the movie has no use, it’s a waste of time.  I also watched Running with Scissors which, I have to admit, made me laugh a bit mainly because the characters were so insanely out of their minds really had issues.  It was like a mix of some real family issues and some really really crazy people.

Deja Vu was cool, but catch it on DVD rather… its another Jerry Bruckheimer movie… I was expecting more dialogue on the whole time-travel, changing-the-past philosophy angle… but it just became another good action story with lots of explosions and gunshots.

Some australian movies which actually got my attention recently was Wolf Creek which was not bad really… something sort of like Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and this too was a true story, but you have to sort of get into the movie to enjoy it and leave your critic hat at home… it was pretty damn scary. 

The other Aussie movie I seen was Three Dollars, this was a pretty good movie which shows a normal family man who’s living a pretty stable life until he makes a decision to stand for something he believes in… and then he loses his job and things start to fall apart.  It made me realise the fragility of our lives… our little gilded cages and how everything can really fall apart for us as well, but we take a lot for granted.  It was good and I do recommend it :)

Peace,

M.

It’s them, it’s not me.

We’re all Terrorists/Freedom Fighters waiting to happen… depending on which side you on. Take Mandela for example… he said he was just an ordinary man in extra-ordinary circumstances, but one thing is for sure… he decided to be there… he CHOSE to do what he did.

Ask a kid what he thinks the school bully is… a terrorist maybe? How are we gonna spin pop psychology this time to suit our little precious needs?

If your father molested you as a kid, it’s kind of okay that you end up a serial rapist… is it really that simple? Don’t people make choices anymore or does something have to be blamed and everyhting will be okay? The past, your parents, some guy who flipped you off in traffic, a pissed off teacher, postal workers…

Didn’t anybody ever have the notion that maybe, just maybe… the person who did that horrible act is one sadistic, crazy motherfucker… who CHOSE to do what he/she did?

…’said the shotgun to the head.

M.