Zizou for President!!!!

Axel F with Crazy frog

Cannot help but notice

Been in the business for some time and quite frankly have run out of good topics to post on many occasions. but looking at some newcomers, it surprises me that most of them are posting philosophical thoughts or stuff that has deep meaning or posting rhetorical queries. If that is the life that you all live then you all belong in the himalayas contemplating life. If that is not the life that you live, then your queries belong to google answers or yahoo questions....

Dang, i just answered some of those rhetorical questions... and i am posting one myself :)

bee veree scared

Invasion of privacy by a company we all use.

http://blog.washingtonpost.com/securityfix/2006/04/microsoft_expands_antipiracy_p.html

In short, it is time each one of us installs ZoneAlarm on our computers to see which programs are accessing the internet without our knowledge. And please shut the "automatic download and install" option and rather keep an "automatic notify for availability of updates"

just to keep busy

Actually there were two questions zipping in the head -
[1] Dawah inside the community or outside the community?
I feel there is a big human analysis that can be used to describe this situation (PHD material) - Dint get a decent childhood and hence is inclination towards "inside" the community and other such philosophical jargon just to say that this person needs to be corrected.

[2] why are the workers in whole food/organic stores all tattooed and pierced with long unkept hair or prmoting gothic cultures?

keeping busy

No human analysis, no geeky stuff addition, no more good stories.
just
[1] Arsenal
[2] Phoenix Suns - Playoff was awesome!! Now only professional football and professional wrestling left to be seen live.
[3] New Boss (at work)
[4] A good Quran competition.

Nice story

A new family in town comes to a masjid for a halaqa hoping to meet atleast one new person. They come early, pray, sit through the halaqa and then wait and then leave. They are slightly disappointed and wonder if they were white americans they would have had someone receive them with a smiling face, or if they were recent reverts then people would have been more inviting. They wonder if there was some other masjid that probably has more to offer.

One thing that I like about Toastmasters is that every officer that holds a position has one important job - Greet Guests with a smiling face and invite them to speak about their opinion on the meeting. There are many more things that we can learn positively from the toastmaster handbook. But this stands out - Greet Guests and give a voice to their face.

The above story was first evident in L.A. Basic assumption was that the community there was huge and hence no one really bothered. Dr. Hassan Hathout actually in one of his khutbahs had pointed out the growing indifference that we had created to the person beside us. We did not even shake hands with them after prayer, let alone know his name. He had enforced a strict reminder for that khutbah that we shake hands and introduce ourselves to the two people beside you. That had helped. I never thought I would need to refer to something like this again.

An american muslim identity exists mostly on paper (as yet); the above story was enacted on two different desi families who had visited ICC over the last month, but somehow the brownies dawah factor was missing.

May Allah give us the ability to be better (dawah givers -sorry dont know the correct words).

we bow to thee oh workaholic

ACM Programming contest

Visit the link please for the winners.

What surprises me is that Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology is ranked higher that Caltech and all the IITs that participated. Sharif University, Iran is above BUET.

Wot say !!!

Scream time

Angel Sweets - on dobson and chandler has great Mango icecream and pineapple and many more. Slightly better than the think coldstone stuff.

Bahama (something) on Elliot and Rural has some 42 flavors for shaved ice and i recommend cream with it.

Over an out - not using my brains too much right now.

Not important

Our local Imam, went to great extent to explain how the Salaf showed their love for Muhammad (Peace Be upon him). However he did not take a definite stance towards the celebration that results on his birthday. So I want to share the Link that vehemently exhorts us not to introduce innovations in Islam.

The main point from this article is:
With regard to celebrating the day on which the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was born, it should be noted that he (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not tell us to celebrate this day, and he himself (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) did not celebrate it, nor did his companions (may Allaah be pleased with them). They loved the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) far more than we do, yet despite that they did not celebrate this day. Hence we do not celebrate this day, in obedience to the command of Allaah Who has commanded us to follow the commands of His Prophet. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“And whatsoever the Messenger (Muhammad) gives you, take it; and whatsoever he forbids you, abstain (from it)” [al-Hashr 59:7]

This is the reason why I do not believe that the Naqshbandiya Foundation is correct. In my opinion they have isolated this artificial day of importance as an annual event to talk about/celebrate this sole subject. I would be really glad if they could organize another one of their lectures on some other days.

I also would like to hear opinions of oppposition if anyone has any.

One Nation

Dragging myself on some days to the office, I come across one bumper sticker that gets my mood up - ONE NATION UNDER EDUCATED.

I never really bothered to spend further time, since it was the election season, and what-the-heck the politicians will do anything to get them votes.

But in the last two days the One Nation Under my skin is haunting me- one nation under survelliance, one nation under therapy, one nation under DEBT.

Though there is one thing that is not under - One Nation Over-Weight