Tuesday, April 29, 2008
These are exciting times
If you have been following the political situation of Pakistan you know that a powder keg is about to explode. There is one day left until the Chief Justice of Pakistan, Iftikhar Chaudhry will be reinstated. If he isn’t there will be mass rioting and all out breakdown of society. How did we reach this critical position?
Well it all started when Musharraf thought he was running his own little fiefdom. When the Supreme Court of Pakistan declared his actions to be unconstitutional. What did he do? He did what any other military dictator does when his throne is threatened. Neutralize the threat. He had Iftikhar Chaudhry thrown out of the court. And I mean this in the most literal sense. There is a picture of this distinguished gentleman being manhandled by Army police like a common thug. He spent several months under house arrest along with his family.
People spoke up against this injustice and called for Pervez Musharraf to step down. Of course stepping down isn’t in his vocabulary so he further consolidated his rule by declaring martial law. Now the army quite literally ruled the nation. All forms of protest were brutally smothered. Human right activists were dragged from their homes and arrested. Independent media was curtailed. Those were very scary times and you had to be careful with what you said.
However thanks to international pressure he had to undo what he did and allow for free and fair elections. Past experience had proven that elections don’t work because they do not represent the will of the people. Many political parties boycotted the sham elections. However two major player’s the PPP (Benazir Bhutto’s party) and the PML-N (Nawaz Sharif’s party) contested the elections along with two other major parties, which were loyal to Musharraf. Everyone assumed that the elections would be rigged and that the parties loyal to the king would win.
But the day after February 18 (election day) we learned that the opposition won by a landslide! People say that it was the army that stood up and told Musharraf enough is enough. We won’t help you rig this election and the will of the people must prevail. By the grace of God it did. With Musharraf’s cronies ousted from parliament and a lack of support from the army he was cornered. But to his credit his foes gave him some breathing space.
The coalition formed between the PPP and PML-N is fragile. Asif Ali Zardari husband to the late Benazir Bhutto is running her party. They managed to put a PPP representative in the Prime Minister’s office. However a lack of coordination is keeping the coalition from doing the same thing with the President’s office. Why is this? Well Zardari is essentially a playboy not a politician. Benazir provided for him while he lived it up. He got caught doing some shady business deals and was sent to prison for eight years. Rumor has it that Benazir didn’t miss him. Then the unimaginable happened Bhutto who is affectionately called BB by the people was assassinated.
If you have been following this blog from the beginning you know that this event was the sole catalyst, which drove me to blogging. I tell all in the first three posts which can be read here, here and here. After Zardari had a chance to grieve he seems very nonchalant about his wife’s death. When asked about the disputed cause of death, he very matter of frankly states that he watched the video in which the bullet went in from one side of her head and came out the other, thus confirming cause of death. I don’t know how he can stomach saying that if he truly loved her. Plus Asif Zardari has mixed feelings about bringing back the judge. On the one hand he liked to see Pervez gone on the other hand he fears that the judge is going to dig up his old case files and find him guilty of even more corruption charges. In this situation most people agree that we can undermine those charges for the greater good but still there is no guarantee.
At any rate, Sharif is en route to Dubai to meet with the playboy turned politician. The nation is anxiously waiting to see if these guys can pull it together and bring back the people’s champion, the rightful Chief Justice of Pakistan, Iftikhar Chaudhry.
UPDATE: The deadline has come and passed and Chaudhry hasn't been reinstated. The world didn't end as anticipated. That's only because the coalition has promised come through but require more time for talks and deliberation in Parliament. (You need them to pass legislation that will allow for the reinstatement) Either way analyst have already called this the rebirth of Pakistan. This is the stuff of legends.
2nd UPDATE: A new deadline has been given, now they say he'll be reinstated on 12th May. People are taking a wait and see approach. However if the coalition doesn't come through Chaudhry backers will take to the streets. It's fitting how they chose 12th May as the day to restore the rightful chief justice it was on that day that the social order did indeed breakdown.
Well it all started when Musharraf thought he was running his own little fiefdom. When the Supreme Court of Pakistan declared his actions to be unconstitutional. What did he do? He did what any other military dictator does when his throne is threatened. Neutralize the threat. He had Iftikhar Chaudhry thrown out of the court. And I mean this in the most literal sense. There is a picture of this distinguished gentleman being manhandled by Army police like a common thug. He spent several months under house arrest along with his family.
People spoke up against this injustice and called for Pervez Musharraf to step down. Of course stepping down isn’t in his vocabulary so he further consolidated his rule by declaring martial law. Now the army quite literally ruled the nation. All forms of protest were brutally smothered. Human right activists were dragged from their homes and arrested. Independent media was curtailed. Those were very scary times and you had to be careful with what you said.
However thanks to international pressure he had to undo what he did and allow for free and fair elections. Past experience had proven that elections don’t work because they do not represent the will of the people. Many political parties boycotted the sham elections. However two major player’s the PPP (Benazir Bhutto’s party) and the PML-N (Nawaz Sharif’s party) contested the elections along with two other major parties, which were loyal to Musharraf. Everyone assumed that the elections would be rigged and that the parties loyal to the king would win.
But the day after February 18 (election day) we learned that the opposition won by a landslide! People say that it was the army that stood up and told Musharraf enough is enough. We won’t help you rig this election and the will of the people must prevail. By the grace of God it did. With Musharraf’s cronies ousted from parliament and a lack of support from the army he was cornered. But to his credit his foes gave him some breathing space.
The coalition formed between the PPP and PML-N is fragile. Asif Ali Zardari husband to the late Benazir Bhutto is running her party. They managed to put a PPP representative in the Prime Minister’s office. However a lack of coordination is keeping the coalition from doing the same thing with the President’s office. Why is this? Well Zardari is essentially a playboy not a politician. Benazir provided for him while he lived it up. He got caught doing some shady business deals and was sent to prison for eight years. Rumor has it that Benazir didn’t miss him. Then the unimaginable happened Bhutto who is affectionately called BB by the people was assassinated.
If you have been following this blog from the beginning you know that this event was the sole catalyst, which drove me to blogging. I tell all in the first three posts which can be read here, here and here. After Zardari had a chance to grieve he seems very nonchalant about his wife’s death. When asked about the disputed cause of death, he very matter of frankly states that he watched the video in which the bullet went in from one side of her head and came out the other, thus confirming cause of death. I don’t know how he can stomach saying that if he truly loved her. Plus Asif Zardari has mixed feelings about bringing back the judge. On the one hand he liked to see Pervez gone on the other hand he fears that the judge is going to dig up his old case files and find him guilty of even more corruption charges. In this situation most people agree that we can undermine those charges for the greater good but still there is no guarantee.
At any rate, Sharif is en route to Dubai to meet with the playboy turned politician. The nation is anxiously waiting to see if these guys can pull it together and bring back the people’s champion, the rightful Chief Justice of Pakistan, Iftikhar Chaudhry.
UPDATE: The deadline has come and passed and Chaudhry hasn't been reinstated. The world didn't end as anticipated. That's only because the coalition has promised come through but require more time for talks and deliberation in Parliament. (You need them to pass legislation that will allow for the reinstatement) Either way analyst have already called this the rebirth of Pakistan. This is the stuff of legends.
2nd UPDATE: A new deadline has been given, now they say he'll be reinstated on 12th May. People are taking a wait and see approach. However if the coalition doesn't come through Chaudhry backers will take to the streets. It's fitting how they chose 12th May as the day to restore the rightful chief justice it was on that day that the social order did indeed breakdown.
Monday, April 28, 2008
Must See
Check out these Star Wars Posters from Japan. They're absolutely amazing. The artists have added their own cultural touch and created something truly unique. Here's a sneak peak:


Although I am not much of an anime fan, I can appreciate this interpretation. I like how their eyes are almost jewel like.
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Tech Art
Thought I share some screenshots with you guys. These are from a project that I did a while back in college (undergrad). It was for a computer graphics course. We were supposed to make a computer program that could manipulate a 3D object. I got really into it and came up with a really nifty shape to mess around with. Other people just stuck with cubes, boring.

I fleshed out the shape in Flash. To get a feel for the coordinates. They have to be passed as parameters to an algorithm that converts them into 3D coordinates.

The actual application was built with Visual Studio .NET using MFC. Notice how the menu bar comes with a host of options for manipulating the shape. Scaling was the most difficult option to implement.



Here are some "action" scenes of the shape after it had received various transformations. The last one looks kinda cool. Like a space tunnel leading to someplace exotic. I got a good grade on this one which makes sense I had fun making it and it showed. Now that I think about it I am always happiest when dealing with things that combine technology and art. Like Science and fiction or computers and programming.
People say well programming is a discipline and anyone can do it as long as they have a reference manual handy. Not so. The reference manual will tell them what to program not how to program. The how comes from the programmer who comes up with novel solutions to problems using his experience and intuition. That is the art.

I fleshed out the shape in Flash. To get a feel for the coordinates. They have to be passed as parameters to an algorithm that converts them into 3D coordinates.
The actual application was built with Visual Studio .NET using MFC. Notice how the menu bar comes with a host of options for manipulating the shape. Scaling was the most difficult option to implement.
Here are some "action" scenes of the shape after it had received various transformations. The last one looks kinda cool. Like a space tunnel leading to someplace exotic. I got a good grade on this one which makes sense I had fun making it and it showed. Now that I think about it I am always happiest when dealing with things that combine technology and art. Like Science and fiction or computers and programming.
People say well programming is a discipline and anyone can do it as long as they have a reference manual handy. Not so. The reference manual will tell them what to program not how to program. The how comes from the programmer who comes up with novel solutions to problems using his experience and intuition. That is the art.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Weekend Assingment #213
Mystery novels are too hard to follow, dragons are cool, vampires are scary, and science fiction is da bomb. I tried reading Moby Dick the cultural references go way over my head I tried plowing through but couldn't stand reading another reference to hypos, pistol and ball, or skylarking! Surprisingly though I was able to finish 20,000 leagues under the sea and war of the worlds. Partly because they talked about technology enough times to keep me interested.
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Want to learn more about the weekend assingment?
Then check out Karen's Blog!=========================================================
I like watching action movies with spies in them same goes for biographies. Although I did enjoy reading the exploits of Bat Masterson as he grew up in the wild west. My technical books don't have the word dummy in their titles. Mostly they have a practicioners approach or field guide or the authoritative edition etc. I like to escape that's why I read novels although I keep in touch with the real world with various online newspapers.
I tend not to lend my books to other people, nor do any of my co-workers. They say they will just to be nice but they never do. So I wind up buying it for myself.
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Want to learn more about the weekend assingment?
Then check out Karen's Blog!=========================================================
Friday, April 25, 2008
Things that I like to say
There are things that I like to say. But I don't mention them here. Partly because of extreme onsets of paranoia and partly because I am extremely self conscious. I have some pretty strong political views that I express to a few close friends. I don't mention them here for fear of attracting the wrong kind of attention.
However I believe strongly in my opinions and wish to share them with the world. That's why I find writing stories to be such a great outlet for my pent up energy. I need that release it's therapeutic.
Also there are a lot of social squabbles that I have been involved in. They can make for some interesting posts. But I am not sure if the other people involved would appreciate their personal matters splattered across my blog.
So that leaves only middle of the road topics to talk about. Some people find them fascinating others don't. I am fine with that. It may make for a mundane reading experience but at least it's a safe bet.
However I believe strongly in my opinions and wish to share them with the world. That's why I find writing stories to be such a great outlet for my pent up energy. I need that release it's therapeutic.
Also there are a lot of social squabbles that I have been involved in. They can make for some interesting posts. But I am not sure if the other people involved would appreciate their personal matters splattered across my blog.
So that leaves only middle of the road topics to talk about. Some people find them fascinating others don't. I am fine with that. It may make for a mundane reading experience but at least it's a safe bet.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
sorry folks
I have nothing for you today. That's becuase I am feeling under the weather. Plus there are things that I have to take care of. And then I have a class that will suck up more of my time. Last time I checked you can't blog during a lecture. Apparently it's rude.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
What do you look like?
I figured now that my blog readers know me a bit better, they may be wondering whose the guy behind the question mark avatar. So I am coming out of my "shell" so to speak. The picture you see is me with my glasses off. There lying around on the table. I am farsighted and can't see things close up with my glasses on. So I take them off when in front of the computer or when I am reading a book. I look even nerdier with them on. I have a picture of me in all my nerdy glory but the lesser said about that the better.
My glasses are pretty old and the lenses are scratched up pretty good. I've been advised to get a new pair but never seem to get the time. Maybe when I pull an eye muscle I will. I am at a restaurant named Nandos. They started in South Africa and feature mostly chicken. These dishes have a distinctly Portuguese flavor to them. Higly recommended. All though I am not sure if they made it to the states yet.
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Calling all Sophie from Shinola writers!
If you were part of Sophie from Shinola you’re gonna love what I have in store for you. As promised I started work on compiling all parts of the story into one document, tweaked it with some desktop publishing wizardry and viola! You’ve got Sophie from Shinola - the compiled edition. A must have for die hard Sophie fans everywhere!
It came out quite nicely; I am especially pleased with the front cover. You can download it using the “Free E-book” button in the sidebar (it’s a 1.16 MB pdf file). Consider this as a gift from your beloved Lord Farthum. I expect daily doses of homage in return. The e-book should also prove entertaining to non-participants as well. Enjoy!
UPDATE: Now the e-book contains all installments and four possible endings. I redid my "desktop" note and threw in an ending as well, be sure to check it out. On a more technical note the pdf is now 1.3 MBs plus anyone linking to the file does NOT have to make changes to the html. It'll work as is.
It came out quite nicely; I am especially pleased with the front cover. You can download it using the “Free E-book” button in the sidebar (it’s a 1.16 MB pdf file). Consider this as a gift from your beloved Lord Farthum. I expect daily doses of homage in return. The e-book should also prove entertaining to non-participants as well. Enjoy!
UPDATE: Now the e-book contains all installments and four possible endings. I redid my "desktop" note and threw in an ending as well, be sure to check it out. On a more technical note the pdf is now 1.3 MBs plus anyone linking to the file does NOT have to make changes to the html. It'll work as is.
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Weekend Assingment #212
As many of you already know I am pretty good at writing fiction. This isn't the case with writing poetry. The less said about my attempts at this style of literature the better. So you won't find any botched sonnets, couplets or haiku here. (believe me this is for your own good)
That's not to say I don't enjoy poetry I dabble in it every so often. Some rock songs have excellent lyrics that can be considered poetry. Stuff by the Wallflowers, Creed and even Metallica fits into this category.
But if I were to name a favorite poet I would have to turn to my heritage and invoke the late master of the Urdu Language Allama Iqbal. His stirring poetry was the catalyst for galvanizing the masses who ultimately ousted the British Empire from the Subcontinent. He is credited with being the first to formely propose a seperate homeland for the Muslims of India, however he was unable to see this new nation as he died before its birth.
He is also known for presenting Islamic ideals in an eloquent manner through his prose. He wrote primarily in the Urdu and Persian language. Some of his work has been translated into other languages, including English. A must read for anyone interested in Islam or the culture of Muslims in the Indian Subcontinent.
=========================================================
Want to learn more about the weekend assingment?
Then check out Karen's Blog!=========================================================
That's not to say I don't enjoy poetry I dabble in it every so often. Some rock songs have excellent lyrics that can be considered poetry. Stuff by the Wallflowers, Creed and even Metallica fits into this category.
But if I were to name a favorite poet I would have to turn to my heritage and invoke the late master of the Urdu Language Allama Iqbal. His stirring poetry was the catalyst for galvanizing the masses who ultimately ousted the British Empire from the Subcontinent. He is credited with being the first to formely propose a seperate homeland for the Muslims of India, however he was unable to see this new nation as he died before its birth.
He is also known for presenting Islamic ideals in an eloquent manner through his prose. He wrote primarily in the Urdu and Persian language. Some of his work has been translated into other languages, including English. A must read for anyone interested in Islam or the culture of Muslims in the Indian Subcontinent.
=========================================================
Want to learn more about the weekend assingment?
Then check out Karen's Blog!=========================================================
Friday, April 18, 2008
religious hierarchies
With the high profile visit of the Pope to the US, I started thinking about the religious hierarchy in Islam. A masjid is run primarly by the Imam and muezzin. The imam is responsible for leading the faithful in prayer while the muezzin calls the faithful to prayers by broadcasting the azan (think of it as church bells except with a human voice). In olden times the muezzin would climb to the top of the masjid's minaret and make his annoucement from there. Now a days thanks to electricity and powerful sound equipment the azan can be broadcasted with a microphone. What's the best placement for the megaphones, the top of the minaret of course! In case of emergencies the muezzin is fully capable of leading prayers.
The imam is basically a religious scholar he has devoted his life to understanding Islam. However he doesn't know everything and people are encouraged to correct him if they find him in error. To this extent every Muslim is required to have some knowledge of his or her faith. The depth and breadth of your knowledge depends on how much time you are willing to put in. However if a person has acquired basic knowledge and is able to pray by himself he can also lead a congregation in prayer. So in that instance a doctor or lawyer or an engineer can play the role of an imam!
I am fascinated by the Catholic Church. At a superficial level I think all those shiny robes and baubles look cool. Something out of Lord of the Rings! From a historical perspective the Church has played a major role in global events. And to this day it is an important player in world politics. I am amazed by how rigorous the church hierarchy is. What does it take to manage all those Cardinals, Bishops, Archbishops spread through out the world? I know the Chinese government took offense at its catholics after they swore allegiance to the Vatican. They feared a state within a state.
Then again they fear all forms of religion including the scant Muslim community who has been living there for centuries close to the China/Pakistan border. At this point I could easily delve in to the fallicies of Communism but then I would have to change the post title and that would be plain silly!
The imam is basically a religious scholar he has devoted his life to understanding Islam. However he doesn't know everything and people are encouraged to correct him if they find him in error. To this extent every Muslim is required to have some knowledge of his or her faith. The depth and breadth of your knowledge depends on how much time you are willing to put in. However if a person has acquired basic knowledge and is able to pray by himself he can also lead a congregation in prayer. So in that instance a doctor or lawyer or an engineer can play the role of an imam!
I am fascinated by the Catholic Church. At a superficial level I think all those shiny robes and baubles look cool. Something out of Lord of the Rings! From a historical perspective the Church has played a major role in global events. And to this day it is an important player in world politics. I am amazed by how rigorous the church hierarchy is. What does it take to manage all those Cardinals, Bishops, Archbishops spread through out the world? I know the Chinese government took offense at its catholics after they swore allegiance to the Vatican. They feared a state within a state.
Then again they fear all forms of religion including the scant Muslim community who has been living there for centuries close to the China/Pakistan border. At this point I could easily delve in to the fallicies of Communism but then I would have to change the post title and that would be plain silly!
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
nostalgic gaming systems
John is cleaning out his closet because he had to let plumbers access his pipes (yes that does sound wierd). He pulled out a whole mess of stuff, you can find out about it on his blog. What I found most interesting was how he his kept vintage gaming systems. I was pointing to the screen saying me too! me too! I also partake in such foolishness. Of course the gaming machine of my youth isn't as old as an Atari (sorry John). But it does earn vintage points.
I am talking about my Sega Saturn. It all started in the 8th grade. My parents promised me a gaming system for the simple reason that all my other friends had one. So naturally by law I had to have one too. I didn't do any research before buying the Sega Saturn after all I wasn't spending my money. As soon as Toy 'R Us put up the first display model I knew I had to have one. They had another gaming system next to it something by the name of Playstation. But I didn't like the control or the color or even its name. Yes even back then I was a book worm and derived pleasure from words.
So Sega Saturn it was. I brought home the machine and was hooked instantly. I was feeling pretty good about my purchase when I learned that retailers were dropping prices. That's when I got a bit concerned. It wasn't until others started picking on me for buying crappy machine that I realized my folly. Of course when Sony took over the gaming market Sega had to bail out. It had to cut its losses and practically was giving away games for the Saturn. I made out like a bandit during that time. And scooped up as many titles as I could.
A few years later my family decided to move. I could have sold it to funcoland but didn't have the heart (it still looks cooler than the PS). So I packed it up and took it with me. Even though it stopped working a while back I still keep it with me tucked away in the back of my closet. It has tremendous sentimental value for me I must have spent hours playing command and conquer on it, racing through daytona beach, or blasting baddies from outer space.
I am talking about my Sega Saturn. It all started in the 8th grade. My parents promised me a gaming system for the simple reason that all my other friends had one. So naturally by law I had to have one too. I didn't do any research before buying the Sega Saturn after all I wasn't spending my money. As soon as Toy 'R Us put up the first display model I knew I had to have one. They had another gaming system next to it something by the name of Playstation. But I didn't like the control or the color or even its name. Yes even back then I was a book worm and derived pleasure from words.
So Sega Saturn it was. I brought home the machine and was hooked instantly. I was feeling pretty good about my purchase when I learned that retailers were dropping prices. That's when I got a bit concerned. It wasn't until others started picking on me for buying crappy machine that I realized my folly. Of course when Sony took over the gaming market Sega had to bail out. It had to cut its losses and practically was giving away games for the Saturn. I made out like a bandit during that time. And scooped up as many titles as I could.
A few years later my family decided to move. I could have sold it to funcoland but didn't have the heart (it still looks cooler than the PS). So I packed it up and took it with me. Even though it stopped working a while back I still keep it with me tucked away in the back of my closet. It has tremendous sentimental value for me I must have spent hours playing command and conquer on it, racing through daytona beach, or blasting baddies from outer space.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
A month of Sci-fi, wrapup
I started reviewing a bunch of DVDs that I got and watched over a one month period. I first mentioned them here. I finished all of them but never got around to reviewing them. So here goes:
REVIEW 4: Beowulf didn't come with a rating and I was surprised by how vulgar some of the scenes were. I assumed that since it was a computer animated film it will play nice (think pixar movies). But I was sadly mistaken. Right away I was greeted with lewd scenes, when the first bodies were ripped apart for their blood I figured the rating wouldn't be G. Aside from that it was a pretty good story it certainly has stood the test of time.
BONUS REVIEW: Apparently the stars were in alignment and I was able to catch a sci-fi movie on cable. This was with Christian Bale in Equilibrium. It's your typical story of a repressive society in the future that tries to rid human ills by changing human nature. In this case they take away emotions so that no one will hate and there wouldn't be anymore wars. Of course the negative impact of this is that there isn't any concept of love and society suffers because of that. My mom watched this movie with me and even though she doesn't like science fiction she liked the message this story gave. I would have to agree.
REVIEW 4: Beowulf didn't come with a rating and I was surprised by how vulgar some of the scenes were. I assumed that since it was a computer animated film it will play nice (think pixar movies). But I was sadly mistaken. Right away I was greeted with lewd scenes, when the first bodies were ripped apart for their blood I figured the rating wouldn't be G. Aside from that it was a pretty good story it certainly has stood the test of time.
BONUS REVIEW: Apparently the stars were in alignment and I was able to catch a sci-fi movie on cable. This was with Christian Bale in Equilibrium. It's your typical story of a repressive society in the future that tries to rid human ills by changing human nature. In this case they take away emotions so that no one will hate and there wouldn't be anymore wars. Of course the negative impact of this is that there isn't any concept of love and society suffers because of that. My mom watched this movie with me and even though she doesn't like science fiction she liked the message this story gave. I would have to agree.
Saturday, April 12, 2008
Weekend Assingment #211
Karen wants to know what color thumbs we have. To be honest it took some time to wrap my mind around what she was actually asking. Luckily the green thumb photo took care of that. So what color is my thumb? I would have to say that it is chrome plated because I am a bit of a metal head and have no gardening skills. I found plants to be...ehm...boring. (Yes I realize that now I am a marked man and will be hunted down by the horticulturist society. I'll have to hide behind a force field until things die down.) The thing is I don't have the patience to tend to a vegtable that will just such sit there and do nothing...nothing! At the very most it will tilt itself to get more sunlight. I could do that in my sleep!






That's not to say I don't appreciate plant life. I like lettuce on my burgers, the venus flytrap is cool, flowers are pretty and some pointy leave plants can trip you out (not that I know anything about that :)
My dear Mother on the other hand loves planting flowers. In fact our household garden is all due to her. I just admire it from a distance while it blossoms under her watchful supervision. Tell me how well she did:
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Want to learn more about the weekend assingment?
Then check out Karen's Blog!=========================================================
Friday, April 11, 2008
the 1000 hit mark
Recently my blog hit the 1,000 hit mark (I suppose it should be hits but that sounds retarded). This was due in part to helping out with writing "Sophie from Shinola". Those posts grossed the highest amount of comments ever. Yay!
But my accomplishments pale in comparison to Nathan over on Polybloggimous. We started blogging at about the same time but his blog has reached the 5,000 hit mark, holy cow! I suppose his more laid back and dare I say zany style of writing makes a difference. Apparently my introspections aren't crowd pleasers. Oh well you are who you are. Since I've been contributing to his blog waaaay before BS that makes me UCF material so I'll be taking my place in The House of Lords. Call me Lord Farthum! Muhahahahaha....ha!
But my accomplishments pale in comparison to Nathan over on Polybloggimous. We started blogging at about the same time but his blog has reached the 5,000 hit mark, holy cow! I suppose his more laid back and dare I say zany style of writing makes a difference. Apparently my introspections aren't crowd pleasers. Oh well you are who you are. Since I've been contributing to his blog waaaay before BS that makes me UCF material so I'll be taking my place in The House of Lords. Call me Lord Farthum! Muhahahahaha....ha!
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Sophie from Shinola, part 23
Here is my second contribution to the round robin challenge that I have taken part in. It's been fun, I liked how my characters were so well recieved by the other writers. The story elements that I set up carried through for quite awhile, something I didn't expect when I was writing my part. That means they like me they really like me!
Here's a link to Part 22 written by Jeri and hosted on her website. It's nice to see the internet fixed again ;)
Sophie from Shinola, part 23
Blink/Sophie’s body had been badly beaten. The failed attempt at disabling the weapons systems control had alerted the Trageth. Their security forces immediately took action and quickly apprehended the intruders. The Trageth were not known for their kindness and used harsh methods when interrogating prisoners. Sophie’s conscious had to recede and allow Blink’s to take over during the ordeal. His firm resolve enabled him to withstand the brutal beating yet not reveal any critical details of his mission.
Now left alone to lick his wounds Sophie returned. “My goodness what did they do to you…to us?” Blink did not allow Sophie to interface with the nervous system.
“Don’t worry dear it’s nothing. We should be back to our old self in no time.” He licked a deep cut with his tongue, the saliva’s natural coagulating enzymes would help to stem the flow of blood. His broken ribs would not mend so easily.
“We have to find a way off.” Sophie pleaded
“Yes I realize this.” His mind tried to come up with a plan of action. His training told him to ignore the pain and focus on the mission. But Blink knew they were near death and could not find the strength to think.
The Trageth sent in their doctor, a sadistic gnome of a man. He pried and prodded the unconscious body checking for any life signs. He felt no remorse as his hand held diagnostic device registered sharp spikes in the body’s pain receptors during the examination.
“It’s still alive.” A hidden communication device carried his words to his superiors “But I don’t think it can take another round of questioning. Might as well dispose of it in the incinerators.”
The doctor could not hear their reply. It was drowned out by the sound of seared metal. The blood caked walls of the interrogation room were lit ablaze. The eastern wall fell in a flood of molten metal. From behind the curtain of fire two projectiles screamed through and neatly embedded themselves in the doctor’s frontal lobes.
A gigantic dreadnought clambered into the room. “Agent 2375 I am SpaceForce dreadnought UCF-17 I have been dispatched for your immediate retrieval.” The mega machine’s sensor’s surveyed its surrounding “Come with me if you want to live.”
next up is Michelle K.
Here's a link to Part 22 written by Jeri and hosted on her website. It's nice to see the internet fixed again ;)
Sophie from Shinola, part 23
Blink/Sophie’s body had been badly beaten. The failed attempt at disabling the weapons systems control had alerted the Trageth. Their security forces immediately took action and quickly apprehended the intruders. The Trageth were not known for their kindness and used harsh methods when interrogating prisoners. Sophie’s conscious had to recede and allow Blink’s to take over during the ordeal. His firm resolve enabled him to withstand the brutal beating yet not reveal any critical details of his mission.
Now left alone to lick his wounds Sophie returned. “My goodness what did they do to you…to us?” Blink did not allow Sophie to interface with the nervous system.
“Don’t worry dear it’s nothing. We should be back to our old self in no time.” He licked a deep cut with his tongue, the saliva’s natural coagulating enzymes would help to stem the flow of blood. His broken ribs would not mend so easily.
“We have to find a way off.” Sophie pleaded
“Yes I realize this.” His mind tried to come up with a plan of action. His training told him to ignore the pain and focus on the mission. But Blink knew they were near death and could not find the strength to think.
The Trageth sent in their doctor, a sadistic gnome of a man. He pried and prodded the unconscious body checking for any life signs. He felt no remorse as his hand held diagnostic device registered sharp spikes in the body’s pain receptors during the examination.
“It’s still alive.” A hidden communication device carried his words to his superiors “But I don’t think it can take another round of questioning. Might as well dispose of it in the incinerators.”
The doctor could not hear their reply. It was drowned out by the sound of seared metal. The blood caked walls of the interrogation room were lit ablaze. The eastern wall fell in a flood of molten metal. From behind the curtain of fire two projectiles screamed through and neatly embedded themselves in the doctor’s frontal lobes.
A gigantic dreadnought clambered into the room. “Agent 2375 I am SpaceForce dreadnought UCF-17 I have been dispatched for your immediate retrieval.” The mega machine’s sensor’s surveyed its surrounding “Come with me if you want to live.”
next up is Michelle K.
Sunday, April 6, 2008
who do you know?
I have been often asked "Do you know any other Saqibs?" I have to pull out a mental rolodex of all the people I know. I usually am only able to come up with one guy. He's a family friend and is a photographer.
Thanks to the internet and blogging I was able to connect to Saqib Ali a Maryland State Legislator. I went through his blog and found that he's very popular and is doing some great work for the people of Maryland. Plus he sticks up for minorities (yes, he's a democrat) which is a big plus point. That's why his blog has earned a place in my blog roll check it out!
So far the Saqibs I know are a Software engineer, photographer, and a politician. Can you add to the list?
UPDATE: I met a Saqib Sadiq on Facebook he's from Norway and doesn't speak English, bummer.
Thanks to the internet and blogging I was able to connect to Saqib Ali a Maryland State Legislator. I went through his blog and found that he's very popular and is doing some great work for the people of Maryland. Plus he sticks up for minorities (yes, he's a democrat) which is a big plus point. That's why his blog has earned a place in my blog roll check it out!
So far the Saqibs I know are a Software engineer, photographer, and a politician. Can you add to the list?
UPDATE: I met a Saqib Sadiq on Facebook he's from Norway and doesn't speak English, bummer.
Friday, April 4, 2008
In loving memory...
Today is my grandfather's birthday. If he were alive he would have been 84 years old. I have tremendous respect for my father's father. He was a strong and energetic man. I remember that he would give the strongest bear hugs. I asked him why he squeezed so hard and he replied that the strength he put in his hugs was proportional to his love for me.
He mostly lived with my older uncle but when ever he came over to visit it was always a special treat. We would prep the guest room for his arrival and my mom would cook his favorite dishes. He always had a couple of dollars for us kids. We were free to buy whatever we wanted.
Of course I only knew him as a grandparent. It turns out he lived through some interesting times. He was there when the rule of the British Raj ceased to exist and the Indian subcontinent was divided into Muslim Pakistan and Hindu India. He had only recently married my grandmother at the time. I remember him recalling a harrowing tale of crossing the border into Pakistan. The newlywed couple had chartered a plane but were not able to get on it. Regretfully they had to travel over land via train. Violent clashes between Hindu and Muslim factions made this a perilous journey. At one stop he recalled seeing bodies strewn about, vultures surrounding them, to full to fly away.
Luckily he made it to the relative safety of the newly formed country. There he started a family and became one of the first group of pharmacists produced by that nation. It goes without saying that the United States played a big part in shaping Pakistan in its early years. Parke Davis set up a factory in the port city of Karachi. My grandfather was selected to be the floor manager. He did a stand up job during his tenure.
He raised his children to be upstanding citizens and productive members of society. Soon enough they decided to immigrate to the US. At the time only a handful of immigrants were leaving Asia for greener pastures. Once his children settled down in their adopted homeland they asked him to join them. With the recent death of my grandmother (whom I have never met) he decided to comply.
And so it went he lived his life surrounded by the love of his children and grandchildren. He will be remembered as a loving grandparent and a intrepid pioneer.
He mostly lived with my older uncle but when ever he came over to visit it was always a special treat. We would prep the guest room for his arrival and my mom would cook his favorite dishes. He always had a couple of dollars for us kids. We were free to buy whatever we wanted.
Of course I only knew him as a grandparent. It turns out he lived through some interesting times. He was there when the rule of the British Raj ceased to exist and the Indian subcontinent was divided into Muslim Pakistan and Hindu India. He had only recently married my grandmother at the time. I remember him recalling a harrowing tale of crossing the border into Pakistan. The newlywed couple had chartered a plane but were not able to get on it. Regretfully they had to travel over land via train. Violent clashes between Hindu and Muslim factions made this a perilous journey. At one stop he recalled seeing bodies strewn about, vultures surrounding them, to full to fly away.
Luckily he made it to the relative safety of the newly formed country. There he started a family and became one of the first group of pharmacists produced by that nation. It goes without saying that the United States played a big part in shaping Pakistan in its early years. Parke Davis set up a factory in the port city of Karachi. My grandfather was selected to be the floor manager. He did a stand up job during his tenure.
He raised his children to be upstanding citizens and productive members of society. Soon enough they decided to immigrate to the US. At the time only a handful of immigrants were leaving Asia for greener pastures. Once his children settled down in their adopted homeland they asked him to join them. With the recent death of my grandmother (whom I have never met) he decided to comply.
And so it went he lived his life surrounded by the love of his children and grandchildren. He will be remembered as a loving grandparent and a intrepid pioneer.
Thursday, April 3, 2008
The Internet and its impact on human relations
A recent round robin challenge that I participated in got me thinking about friendships. Thanks to the Internet we can now divide our friends into two broad categories. Simply put they are online and offline friends. Offline friends are those that you meet in the real world. They might be friends that you have grown up with them and have managed to stay close into adulthood. Then there are people you meet around the neighborhood. I usually need some kind of catalyst to get me talking to a person I don’t know. In my case the local Mosque served that purpose. I met some really nice people there.
Then there are acquaintances that you meet during your time at a school or an office or for some people during their tour of duty. Sometimes these relations blossom into a friendship that last even when the two of you have left a particular place. The Internet sure comes in handy at times like these. I lost touch with my High School buddies. I was pleased to find most of them on Face book, which became a big reason for joining that site.
But then there are some friends you meet purely in cyber space. I know that this isn’t anything new. This has been going on for quite a while. In the late 90’s chat rooms were notorious for harboring predators. Who enticed people to meet them in the real world. These kind of meetings turned ugly when you realized that the 16 year old girl you thought you were talking to turns out be a 30 year old man. People have wised up and are extra cautious about these things.
Then there are acquaintances that you meet during your time at a school or an office or for some people during their tour of duty. Sometimes these relations blossom into a friendship that last even when the two of you have left a particular place. The Internet sure comes in handy at times like these. I lost touch with my High School buddies. I was pleased to find most of them on Face book, which became a big reason for joining that site.
But then there are some friends you meet purely in cyber space. I know that this isn’t anything new. This has been going on for quite a while. In the late 90’s chat rooms were notorious for harboring predators. Who enticed people to meet them in the real world. These kind of meetings turned ugly when you realized that the 16 year old girl you thought you were talking to turns out be a 30 year old man. People have wised up and are extra cautious about these things.
A blog can also be a powerful social networking tool. You can express your thoughts and opinions to basically anyone. And if you promote your site people will start to drop by and listen to what you have to say. Just like in the real world it takes a while for a reader to warm up to you. But they eventually do. And the results can be amazing. Who knew solid friendships could be forged purely through the written word?

Wednesday, April 2, 2008
The best posts of Mar ‘08
It’s that time of month again! Time to wrap up March by reflecting on the best posts of the month. As usual I’ll give you links to selected posts. After reading the posts indicate which one you liked the most by leaving a comment. The entry with the highest votes will be short listed for a competition we will hold at the end of the year where you’ll get to vote on the best post of the year!
Last month’s winner was The Virtual Tour of Karachi
Here are this month’s entries:
March 2, 2008:
Meet the Iranian Women's Police Force
Here's look at the Women’s only wing of the Iranian Police Force. Most Muslim Countries have a separate branch of police to deal with the female public. It’s a sign of respect, although I am sure this group of ladies can do some serious damage if provoked.
March 13, 2008
Mosques from around the world
Here is a beautiful collection of Mosques from around the world. Some of them represent classic architecture from the golden age of the Islamic Civilization. Others are more recent creations.
March 19, 2008
A moment of silence, please
This is my tribute to the one and only Arthur C. Clarke.
March 26, 2008
A trip around my room
Here’s a look at some of my favorite stuff from my childhood, teenage years, and adult life. Those that know me best will probably recognize some of these things.
So which one did you like the best? I promise if you vote you’ll get a shiny gold star sticker.
Last month’s winner was The Virtual Tour of Karachi
Here are this month’s entries:
March 2, 2008:
Meet the Iranian Women's Police Force
Here's look at the Women’s only wing of the Iranian Police Force. Most Muslim Countries have a separate branch of police to deal with the female public. It’s a sign of respect, although I am sure this group of ladies can do some serious damage if provoked.
March 13, 2008
Mosques from around the world
Here is a beautiful collection of Mosques from around the world. Some of them represent classic architecture from the golden age of the Islamic Civilization. Others are more recent creations.
March 19, 2008
A moment of silence, please
This is my tribute to the one and only Arthur C. Clarke.
March 26, 2008
A trip around my room
Here’s a look at some of my favorite stuff from my childhood, teenage years, and adult life. Those that know me best will probably recognize some of these things.
So which one did you like the best? I promise if you vote you’ll get a shiny gold star sticker.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
Sophie From Shinola, Part 7
Over on Polybloggimous Nathan, Your friendly location manager, is up to no good. He invited me and others to a round robin challenge in which we all take turns writing a scene for a story. It's called Sophie from Shinola it's about a new space force cadet. Anywho I got Nathan's email telling me my turn was up. I couldn't respond because I had class and it got really late and I went to sleep (I know I am such a whimp). Hopefully this gets to everyone before the 24 hour deadline. BTW you seem like a crazy enough bunch of kids where do I sign up for UCF membership?
Here is a link to part 6 written by jeri but posted on nathan's site due to the internet breaking down (which is something that can so not happen).
Preface:
I picked up a thread started by shawn in Part 2 of the story. He mentions the imminent arrival of a sterilization fleet. I knew right away I had to do something with that. Luckily no one beat me to it. You'll notice that I take some hints from Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy in this scene. Plus I leave a thread wide open for the next writer. Hopefully she'll want to take it.
Here is a link to part 6 written by jeri but posted on nathan's site due to the internet breaking down (which is something that can so not happen).
Preface:
I picked up a thread started by shawn in Part 2 of the story. He mentions the imminent arrival of a sterilization fleet. I knew right away I had to do something with that. Luckily no one beat me to it. You'll notice that I take some hints from Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy in this scene. Plus I leave a thread wide open for the next writer. Hopefully she'll want to take it.
Sophie From Shinola, Part 7
The sterilization fleet gracefully descended into Chenolla VI’s orbit. The pulsating signal from the decaying beryllium mine lit up the useless and hollowed planet. The Space Force had a low tolerance for unproductive planets. They were given the chance to voluntarily secede from the interplanetary alliance however the petty humans responded with only pleas for compassion and understanding. Retched creatures! Their only desire is to suck upon the resources of the alliance. This cancerous parasite must be terminated.
Tactical officer Farthum Bardabuff’s multiple appendages deftly danced over the weapon’s console. The sentient being that had taken over this primitive life from used its superior intellect to simultaneously program the brain wave scanner and ready the ionic disrupters. The scanner was programmed to detect all single brained life forms and feed coordinates into the disruptor’s targeting actuators.
After the global scan was complete Farthum was ready to commence bombardment. But there was a problem. He would have to report this to the council. From the back of his head he secreted two putrid lips. Which conveniently cupped a com phone.
“Ah supreme councilor, please excuse this interruption, but there is a problem with one of the coordinates.”
“What is it?” a harsh voice responded
“I’ve detected a dual brained life form could be one of ours”
“Farthuuuum!!! Termination protocols clearly state to teleport all space force cadets to a duly designated vessel belonging to the sterilization fleet before commencing bombardment. You already know this so why are you bothering me during my skull rub?!”
“Uh councilor so sorry to inconvenience you there is a human in close proximity I wouldn’t want to bring it on board as well. At this distance the teleporter is not…precise.”
“Very well I authorize the use of precision force. Deploy the hunter seeker droid.”
the next part can be found at Michelle K.'s blog.
The sterilization fleet gracefully descended into Chenolla VI’s orbit. The pulsating signal from the decaying beryllium mine lit up the useless and hollowed planet. The Space Force had a low tolerance for unproductive planets. They were given the chance to voluntarily secede from the interplanetary alliance however the petty humans responded with only pleas for compassion and understanding. Retched creatures! Their only desire is to suck upon the resources of the alliance. This cancerous parasite must be terminated.
Tactical officer Farthum Bardabuff’s multiple appendages deftly danced over the weapon’s console. The sentient being that had taken over this primitive life from used its superior intellect to simultaneously program the brain wave scanner and ready the ionic disrupters. The scanner was programmed to detect all single brained life forms and feed coordinates into the disruptor’s targeting actuators.
After the global scan was complete Farthum was ready to commence bombardment. But there was a problem. He would have to report this to the council. From the back of his head he secreted two putrid lips. Which conveniently cupped a com phone.
“Ah supreme councilor, please excuse this interruption, but there is a problem with one of the coordinates.”
“What is it?” a harsh voice responded
“I’ve detected a dual brained life form could be one of ours”
“Farthuuuum!!! Termination protocols clearly state to teleport all space force cadets to a duly designated vessel belonging to the sterilization fleet before commencing bombardment. You already know this so why are you bothering me during my skull rub?!”
“Uh councilor so sorry to inconvenience you there is a human in close proximity I wouldn’t want to bring it on board as well. At this distance the teleporter is not…precise.”
“Very well I authorize the use of precision force. Deploy the hunter seeker droid.”
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