Hope your in the Mah'mood' for this blog..

Red white and battered...

2010-10-16T22:04:00.002-02:00

Hey Y'all

This will be my last post from the US on this trip at least as im writing it in the lounge at houston before i board my flight..

Well i had a pretty crazy time since my last post as i left my friends in LA and headed north and then east , as I went from San Fransico to Yoshmite National Park to Las Vegas to Grand Canyon to Phoneix Arizona and now back to Houston!

I am so exhausted and just bewildered by the last 3 weeks! It feels like i been here forever..

San Fran was fun, as my friend in LA put it, if the west coast and the east coast had a city it would be San Fran, and i can c exactyly what it means, its liberal and yet hard working, its mixed and expensive, quite densley populated but good public transport, i would recommend to go, as it is a beautiful city and has alot of things to c and do! Especialy going tyo the Yshimite National Park, which is like 3 hours there, its a stunning national park and has these amazing waterfalls, and the biggest trees i have even seen in my life, there called like Sequoias trees or something and they are unbelievable, you need to google that shit seriously HUGE!

Aneway, so then heading the vegas, the real Silicon Valley, as its just full of girls with fake breasts! Now you hear stories about Vegas and you hear the ridiculous stories about how Vegas is a bit of a family destination, well those people are smoking crack, there is guys handing out cards of women2ur door on the street, there is girls wearing next to nothing just walking about and this is during the day so u can only imagine what happens at night. This is not to say all was bad, far from it, the food was some of the best i have ever had, they have top class chefs and restaurants and at verygood prices, the shows on offer are amazing,. i went to c a comedyt club which was very funny and then david copperfield and that was unbelievable and something i dont think i would have been able to in many other places, so u c it does have its postives but the gamblign and the women and night activites do overbear alot on the city!
Im not a fan of buffets anymore, but if u r, they are nuts about them, i find myself spending the same as i would on a buffet in a normal restaurant and at least then i get exactly what i want, and the concept of it, goes against my priciples and beliefs where you fill yourself up and waste alot of food, in Islam your only supposed to fill your stomach up a 1/3 of food, 1/3 of water and 1/3 of air, and so clearly going to a buffet will reduce the chances of such a feat dramatically.

Also what i find weird is how 'celebs' and i use the term lightly celebrate their bdays in one of the clubs there and the clubs advertise it, like Kim Khadasian did it whilst i was there and the girl from Friday night Lights, and the girl from Beveerly Hills 90210 is going to be doing it as well, and its just really bizare, but they at the same time manage to attract huge names, this week along, russel peters was going a night,cheer, b.o.b., shakira, amr diab and many others...so for those living there i could imagine it would be pretty cool. Talking about living here, i was told its the fast growing city in the US, partly probably bnecause there is no income tax! And locals get cheap entry to most of the shows and nights and cheaper offers so i can c the benefit!

There is this huge new development called City Centre, which is a joint venture between MGM grand and Dubai world, at first i thought it didnt contain gambling as its really swish and obviously the gambling and the Dubai element, however my faith in the relgious values of Dubai were misplaced and it turns out they have huge casions there as well! However i got to say Dubai and Vegas reminded me of each other, both are in the desert and built into huge metropolis cities and both have a very superficial level and are questioned by its neighbours on its ethics but are still kinda desired and envied and used as the local or international party destinations...

Anyway I better board my plane soon, but i hope my next piece wont be like in a few months like it often is and i manage to sustain this, and the next time i write ill be 27, inshallah, and so i need to start fixing up and looking sharp *(in the immortal words of dizzy) and ill let you know what i end up doing for my bday though right now i just want to chill, but will c once im back home in Doha...

aneway take care and

Asif

Contentment...

2010-10-08T13:29:00.005-02:00

Hey,

So i been all over the place the last few days, well and truly nailed Cali and even went south to Mexico, which isnt that different from many places in California where there is large his-spanic speaking communities. I found out that his-spanic actually means Spanish speaking people, so technically doesn't mean Brazilian but the rest of south and central American communities, i guess it was always going to be natural migration where the south and central Americans will slowly infiltrate North where there is the land of opportunity and supposedly a land offering a better life than the one they are in. However I sincerely beg to differ, after spending time int he US, yep its has its positives and negatives like most places but for me the negatives for outweigh the negatives in living here.

I met this Russian waitress in a Shisha bar the other night in LA, and she was telling me how she works 2 jobs, and has been here a year, she loves it but says how shes always working, and its hard to make a living with the high costs of living and the way things are, i mean i think there are ways you can make money here and its an entrepreneurs dream with the opportunities available, but im quite averse to most business and money making things personally, im just not geared that way, i much prefer a normal job and just a normal salary, I really wish i was wired to be set up like a business and after seeing the social network (which i highly recommend) it shows just how one good idea and some luck and you can just be on your way, but the thing is with Mark Zuckerburg, he managed to make the right decisions, ie he didnt sell out too early or go for advertisements when others would have, and you think what if i made that decision to sell up to early. In the film, it explains the history of the guy who set up the Victoria Secret (the lingerie shop)and how basically he sold it for like something like 10 million and like 2-3 years later it was worth 500 million and he committed suicide, and the thing is he didnt even set it up in the first place for a business but something for his wife or something, and then it made me think how the most important thing one can do is be satisfied with what we have i guess and for some its to do with accepting that not everything is always equal on the surface. However as a Muslim, we must believe in equality, and so thats why i said on the surface, because we believe in a Just God and therefore the world must be just and balanced if not now, it will be later, and so that kinda gets you by, when you face those times where you think how does that person live or feel (when you see poverty or persecution)...

Contentment, is often a word i use in my life, as people ask me why i am so happy or always smiling, firstly im not, and secondly when i am, its down to contentment, there are many other people who are more fortunate than i am in every sense fo the word, relgious, better looking, richer, intelligent, etc etc but the important thing is to be happy with one self, i mean of course there are things we all want to change within each other but im really content and i guess because of this contentment i dont have the drive to do businesses i guess or like investments i dunno because at the moment im content regarding my life but i guess if I was like a new immigrant, like my father, or the his-spanic community in USA then inshallah (God willing) i would have that drive like the new immigrants have but because im 2nd generation i dont have anweay im off to magic mountain inshallah today! so will write soon!

Anyway a bit more about my trip, so i went to San Diego and its a really beautiful city, i was highly impressed it was very military centric as its right on the boarder but despite that or maybe because of it, its a really stunning place. LA on the other hand is like any other large city in that its got its nice neighbour hoods but generally its quite grimey...so not been hugley impressed! If i was to move i would either go for San Fran or San Diego as the other cities havent really done it for me!

Take care

Asif

Successful...i think not..

2010-10-05T22:46:00.004-02:00

Hey,

So i got some feedback from some important people in my life regarding the blog and how to improve it, and inshallah will try to make those improvements in the forthcoming blogs...i have felt myself that sometimes the blog can at times lack some quality (i know rare for someone with my attention to detail) and even quantity (i know rare for someone of my stature) but it has and that has to do with the time i was writing the blogs, as it usually was at the end of the day and my jet lag is still in effect. So i tend to sleep in the early evenings here and then be awake again by night, so its been quite difficult to write as im half dead during that time!

Anyway today we spent the day driving back to LA, where im currently writing this now, in the valley,which is like a suburb of Los Angles, but we just rented a ford mustang convertible for the rest of the week, as i wanted to do LA like in the movies, u know cruising blah blah, i know cheesy as hell and jus a tad cliche but for those who know me i can be pretty darn cheesy. Anyway so we are awaiting for some 5ft columbian friend, called Helmut, of my cousin/friend, called Obby, and will head down to mexico tonight so it should be intresting. LAst time i went out with these guys was in London in my first year of Uni, and its really weird as it seems like things have become fullcircle, in that back then i had a crush on a girl and then obviously over time it subsided and now that girl has gotten more into my life recently, nothing going on but and it just feels really weird, like im right back to 8 years ago...and its the same people in my life all over again, i dont know how to describe it, but i was hoping this trip would provide a welcome distraction anyway to my life and give me time to ponder my thoughts and next moves...

Often people say that you have the world at your feet, and often that person saying it is me, but when people say it to me, im not sure, as i know my weaknesses and frailties and am scared that i dont have what it takes to succeed, but then u can wonder whats the definition of success. A friend and kinda relative just had a second kid, aH, and hes 27, and im 27 in 2 weeks, and his FB status was like 27, married with 2 kids, like its his achievements and mashalllah (Thanks be to God) he has got alot to be proud of, but then u know i dont think hes like a banker or like driving a 6 series bmw or anything but he is settled and comfortable and has a strong deen (faith) in his relgion and so i would quantify him as being more succesful than most people i know. Then i look at myself, im say for arguments sake, 27, no wife, no gf, no kids (not that i know of :-p),not sure on future profession, no house (that i own myself), nothing have notable mention really, and i wonder how can people say i got the world at my feet or im successful when you look at things like that. I am not down, far from it, i am grateful to God for everything i do have and for everything that has happened, and i know he has blessed me so much with everything and im so fortunate to have what i have, but i do need to start making something of my life...

My current fb status is "When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not have a single bit of talent left, and could say, "I used everything you gave me". and its something i strongly believe in and i need to start doing it, and use it for the benefit of mankind, because i believe this is just the start of the journey and the work we put in here will only really gain the benefits later, thats not to say dont enjoy this life, on the contrary, i think if u do enjoy this life, it makes doing good things alot easier as you develop more happiness and love for this world and the people in it but its important to understand that this isnt the destination or end goal rather just the journey and theres no harm in enjoying the journey!

Anyway my journey will begin soon as the 5ft Columbian will be here so i better get ready...

inshallah will let you know what happens next time!

Take care

Asif

The Asian-Yank Dell Boy...

2010-10-05T01:29:00.004-02:00

Hey,

So i spent the last 2 days in san fran, and i gota say i love the city! its by far been my favourite city in the usa...come to think of it im not the biggest fan of the cities in the usa to be honest, the people are quite friendly dont get me wrong but the cities arent the best for tourists and the tipping culture and the added tax in different states makes it feel like your getting ripped off time and time again...

The family im staying with here reminds me of a dell-boy style situation but much more sophisticated. Like he has all these routers and cables in his computer room, and i was told as he runs those calling cards thru his house, so u know when u buy calling cards to call a certain country well they are routed through people like his set ups, pretty random i know! Also he put solar panels on his roof, and he sells back electricty to the electrical grid, lol, its just shows how at every situation someone people see an opportunity!

It goes on to make me thing about the usa and the mentality of the people, how hard working they are and how they focus on the green, and not the kind u think im talking bout but the dollar green! They are really hardowrking and i guess doesnt surproise me how for so long that the japanese and the usa were the largest economies if there people are so hardworking and focused on earnin and living to work, rather than the enjoying life, or maybe thats their enjoyment, earning alot of money and buying materialistic things or saving it jus cause they can!

Aneway today i went to Alcatrez its more developed than robben island and it feels more like a prison where as robben island was different because of the racial elements to it if u know what i mean... and i went on a tour of the city and like i said the most beautiful city i been by far in the usa!

anyway i better go but will try to write again inshallah

take care

Stormy

Do I take door number 1, 2 or 3??

2010-10-04T03:30:00.002-02:00

Hey

So I'm on my wAy to Frisco right now in a car with some distant relative kinda family friend, he really helped me out alot! aH

So now I been left with 3 options regarding what to do with my friend but I dont know which one to do!

1) my friends goes to the embassy on monday and sort it out asap and then come
either out here or if hes not got time then head to new york and il fly
out there and il meet him there.

2) i come to london via doha, this would be the earliest i would get
to u is wednesday and it will probably cost me around 700-800 pounds.

3) i come to london straight from here, i would get there for monday
night or tuesday morning probably, i probably would have to forsake my
ticket back to doha, and therefore would cost around 1000 pounds to
get back to doha at least...

as you can see, i have no clue what to do, and each element has its pros and cons, i was thinking of comin back to Europe but not anymore i am thinking of using the time and spend it here, for a few reasons mainly because its not like i have something to come back to England for, like apart from my family, if u know what i mean so i think i might as well make the most of it and spend time here unless things change i feel theres no purpose to go back jus yet...

Life is quite chilled in California definitely comparing to Texas and to my trip to the east coast! I don't like the whole taxation and the lack of community care and attitudes they got in the USA. also the lack of halal meat available is really difficult, I do get why so many yanks don't eat halal as it wud drive me nuts but maybe da r halal and I jus don't kno them or there in certain areas and it's the problem but like in sydeny for example u can get halal subway at the airport!

Well, i got a bit of time now to write, as its the evening now and we have driven to Frisco and are now at someones house i never met, my friend, his wife, his sister in law, their kids, and his mum all came with us and are staying at this familys house in the suburbs of San Fransisco in a place called heywood or something, aneway these trips remind me of the old days when i was growing up and we would go to like birmingham or London or somewhere and spend the weekend visiting another family and stay with them, eating proper indian/bengali food, and jus the way things are, kids running about, adults talking late in the night with the men in one room or side of the room and the women on the other, it brings back alot of memories these trips and though its a far cry from what i imagined this usa trip was going to be like i still think im seeing the usa in a way that i wouldnt have in the past, with the people who live here in the suburban environment. I still got to c the golden gate bridge and i am booked into alcateraz tour , so i think the main thing thats different from this trip than the one i wud havbe if i was on y own, is the nightlife, but i will come back and do the nightlife later on in the week!

ANYWAY i better go but inshallah will write soon!

Houston we have a problem...

2010-10-02T08:59:00.001-02:00

ok so i been thinking for a while to try to write a bit more, again probably as more of an outlet to me thoughts, ideas and just to get things off my chest , regardless of how feverlious they are...

well im currently in H-town as the locals say, which is Houston for those not in the know.

You hear its a vast city, and it is but i guess as i havent got a car its hard to exactly gather just how large it is.....

i was ready to write a lengthy piece but just got told by my friend whos supposed to be coming out that he cant as homeland security wont let him, im not sure why, he claimed he got the visa and the pass and everything, so i do not know what happened or why there was a problem but im really upset there was, its lucky for him in a way as we made limited number of bookings so he hasnt lost much money, however he has my driving license and so it screws things up a bit...also the other thing is i budgeted in such a way that things would be shared so its jus foooked alot of stuff up tbh,but aH in all situations, i guess its for the best!

so now i need to decide what ill do, and how to do it, lol well will c how rthings plans out inshallah all will work out well!

not really in the mood to write much more inshallah i will feel better and more int he mood tomorrow!

UN United...

2010-03-14T11:37:00.003-03:00

Hey,

So my days down under are coming to an end this week, i am writing this as i watch Man Utd press Fulham for a second goal, i havent spoken about football yet which must be a record for me. I guess its because I been away from the UN Knights and Man Utd a bit and been missing them both.

I been thinking of starting a UN Knights blog, and probably will do considering how the momentum for the team has grown considerably for UN Knights, we have our own kits now and have started to feel a real bond with each other, its a great spirit and season so far, we have had our tough times but we also had great times and that ended with us beating our rivals Bechtel (my employers 3-2).

Well United ended up winning 3-0 and the seasons final 8 games is going to be uber close, so i cant wait for how its going to go and with the champions league draw next week its going to hot up alot im so excited. The final this year is in madrid and i am very templed to head down there as i think i should be able to get the time off iA!

Talking about my work life balance, as usual i get so many comments about me traveling, never working etc but the thing is i do work and when i work i work hard and long hours, i have the mentality of a kinda play hard work hard but with a significant focus on effectivnesses... i think its so important to be efficent and effective and so i like to utalise my time as much as i can...

So i try to plan and see where and when i can do things and try to live to a certain order, that is why i can get leave and make it appear im away so frequent as i tey to remain as efficent as possible.

Anyway its proper late and im off the the set of Neighbours in the morning so will speak write more another time i guess.

Taje care

Stormy

Middle Class Lands...

2010-03-12T22:24:00.003-03:00

Hey,

So after spending some time in both Australia and New Zealand, i haven't seen that much extragrent riches nor that much extreme poorness. Yep you have the homeless in both countries but thats not an indiciment of the countries wealth rather a few individuals who have fallen on hard times.

I was on a boat cruise in Sydney and the thing the tour person kept on pointing out was like well on the right you have like Russle Crowe's flat which cost like 10 million dollars, or here is Rupert Murdochs (owner of News International) or Nicole Kidman, basically every rich or famous Australian but if you look at the places i mean some are nice but there not like grand homes most of them,alot are penthouse apartments on the harbour front, anyway if you were walking by you wouldnt be able to tell its someone famous or rich really, like well off yes but not billionaire or anything standard which they are.

That may have to do with the culture of the aussies and new zealanders as they dont appear to be that ostentatious as i have only seen one ferrari whilst i have been out here, a friend told me that was due to the high foregin car taxes as alot of cars here are locally made and are therefore considerably cheaper.

At the other end of the scale there are people who dont have like amazing jobs but manage to live very comfortably, like for example a friends extended family work in a department store here like say Debenhams in the UK or like bloomindales or something in the US, anyway both parents worked in the store since they moved to Oz, and from working there they have a nice house in the suburbs, 2 cars, managed to send their 2 kids to University, all from that job, and i think there is few countries you could do that but because everyone is looked after for in the society with beneficial employment terms it means more people can live comfortably.

For me i think the relatively low crime rate is a result of this social balance that they try to achieve, if you manage to wipe out discontent/poverty then crime as a result will fall and that is what i have seen here, its not completely eradicated by any means but say walkiing around a big city at night, i feel alot safer in Sydney, Auckland or Melbourne than say i would in Paris, New York or London.

Anyway i will leave with with something quite cool i found about the society's mindset is that the money here is waterproof, its made of like plastic material and so if you get into the water it wont be damaged.

Thanks

Stormy

The Great Whiite Land of Oz

2010-03-12T21:34:00.003-03:00

Hey,

So i am starting to getting back into my blog-mode ways and i may try to continue though will be a little hard when i am back in Doha as its usually the same routine, however will see how i feel when i get back to the gulf.

So last night i went to a Wu Tang concert of sorts where one old member, Raewokon (accuse the spelling) was performing, and what surprised me most was the demographic of the crowd, around 70 percent white, like 15 percent Oriental and 15% Indian or Black. If you were in the UK or USA i would be pretty much sure that it would be almost 100% in the latter category at least in the UK for sure.

Even Raewokan made a comment asking where all his 'niggars were at?' saying how he only sees like 6 black faces though there was maybe double that number (triple if you include his 'crew' in the crowd of around 150 and you could tell her was not used to performing to such a demographic. So where the heck are the black people in Oz?

Well when you walk around alot of Oz, I have been to Melbourne, Gold Coast, Brisbane and Sydney you will notice there are very few black people. The country is very white, though when you look into the society a bit more its not just white European, but like South Africans and Kiwis as well (though they are essentially originally white Europeans) and Middle Eastern, who with their skin complexion tend to look Mediterranean and so you cannot tell if there white European and pacific islanders who look a bit darker but nothing too different than an extremely tanned white European.

So there is a bit of diversity if you look into it and not to mention the LARGE number of Chinese and Indians there in Austraila and New Zeland for that matter. Its little wonder they have the largest populations in the world they seem to be everywhere.

But still why so few black people in Australia? I would have thought for Africans trying to escape persecution rather than seeking refugee status in Europe or USA it would make sense to go to Australia considering the climate and the easier immigration rules there than Europe. Its puzzling to me that it is this way though i think countries like Australia and Canada which have such low population density will in the future swell due to climate effect. Where populations in countries like Mauritius and Bangladesh will need to migrate due to the severe flooding in the land and there will be a need to relocate these people.

Anyway thats me for today...will hope to get another two out whilst im out here!

Take care

Stormy

A very random year passes by...

2010-03-10T04:22:00.002-03:00

Hola all,

Its been close to a year since i last updated this, and i have had a lot go on..

I went traveling all over to such places as Japan, S.Korea, Hong Kong, Taiwan,Philipines,Italy, Swiss,Greece,Turkey as well as UK and around the GCC as usual so i have done the enviorment no favours especially considering im traveling around Austraila and New Zealand.

People often are like WTF but im still relatively young and there is so much of this world that I want to travel and see, and now i have the physical health, the financial security and the desire to explore so for me its a perfect time. I have kinda got the travel bug quite badly, and have been trying something new during the second part of my trip,i been hosteling it, getting quite grimey.

For those that know me well will be shocked by that revelation, as i used to only stick to 5 star hotels, but despite the comforts and everything it sometimes felt a bit lonesome and odd whereas in a hostel your meeting new people all the time and your meeting people who have most likely been where u been or gone where your going and so can offer advice and share experiences, that human contact has been quite cool though i cant hostel it forever and would need to do it like off and on as i need my comforts.

Right now im writing this from Christchurch on the southern island of New Zealand. There is alot i want to see in New Zealand and it is an expensive things i want to do, so i need to save alot of money before my next visit here which God willing i will be able to do...

I have been amazed by some of the things i have seen whilst being out here and of my previous trips and in my next entry may compile a list of some of the most favourite or memorable things but for now will leave you with this place i went to see today which is just mindblowing...http://www.sanctuary.org.nz/

Anyway take care and will write soon!

Stormy

G20- the Path to God

2009-04-02T09:17:00.001-02:00

All,

So right now about 5000 miles away the world leaders are meeting to decide the future of billions of people in the world, its weird how essentially 20 people can really influence the lives of 6 billion people, some people say one man can make the difference (usually said in reference of Obama) however i think thats far too simplistic to state the world rests on his soldier, even saying it rests on 20 peoples shoulders is rather simplistic but its a good starting point for what I want to talk about..

Now i been watching alot of prision break and for those that watch know all about the 'company' those that dont it is about a 'company' that basically controls the world and does good and bad things in the world but from where i am in the series has the good intentions for the world even if it means people have to die on the way...

So where is the link with the 'company', the G20 , the UN, CIA etc ..... well the world we live in whatever polticial theory you follow esentially it is a group of people that controls the world, that pull its strings. When i start thinking of that i think what the freak is the point in making decisions if my opportunities are already determined ..then it came to me isnt this what i and many others feel when they think of God and the thought of pre-destination, and that is whats always at the back of my mind...

Howmuch of this life do we control and how much of this life is control, its a question i will never know the answer until possibly the day of judgement and even then i may never know, so im leaving these unaswered questions that used to bog me down all too frequently as i know my brain wil never be able to grasph the vastness of the answers. It is said that for those that believe in the big bang and the law that all of this came by chance, that takes as much belief as the belief in God and when im all alone thats who i turn to, my natural state is to turn to God so i believe thats the right state for me...If that means a few questions will go unasnwered then so be it!

Now about the G20 and the Company etc, well these guys think they are controlling things but they dont realise in that external source, the same source that brought about the economic crisis, the tsunami, etc is the force that dicates the world and not their money or political power. If history has taught has anything it is that something just cant be explained, like how did the Afganis beat the might soviet, yeh u might say US and the arabs helped the afgans but still for that country to win required somethign else, and im not jus saying it cuz there muslims, the same thing for the isrealis to beat the arabs in the 67 war (i think) it required something out of the ordinary to beat them, and i think God helped them. So to some its not making sense, now im saying the help the must have come from God and helped the JEws, but why does a muslim guy say this, well God rewards people and punishes others and in that instance i belive he was punishing the Muslims and rewarding the Jews after the tough times they occured in Europe in the 40's-50;s, God doesnt just help one relgion otherwise everyone would become that one fatih but instead tests us all, and it is up to us to decide which path we take to reach him...

Stormy's Knights

2009-03-31T06:48:00.001-02:00

Hey all,

Well its been a while, a number of times i have started writing and it
just ended pear shaped so this time im making a determined effort to
start it again...

So quite a bit has been going on in my life since my worldwind travel
tour, and I have not actually been away much since, only really a 11 day
trip to the uk so nothing really exciting to report on that front...

My football team UN Knights have had a mixed season, we havent got the
best record when you hear it you will be like WTF? Basically we played
13 games won 4 drawn 1 lost 8 which sounds quite poor but if you put it
into perspective this is our first season and its been tough getting a
team together which is essentially a group of strangers and getting them
to commit to a team and play week in and week out and dedicate a large
amount of their time to this team, a number of the players have
committed and become good friends of mine as I admire their desire and
commitment whilst others I have lost respect for because I have seen a
side of them that I don't like or don't respect. Football on the surface
is so superficial a group of guys kicking a ball about but its so much
more than that...What people don't see is the off the ball running,
making space for your team mates by making runs, covering for your
teammates if they make a mistake, building up your team mates morale
when it is down, there is a lot more to football than meets the eye and
when you get sucked in its so hard to pull out...
Man Utd are currently going thru a disastrous time in the league and
inshallah things will pick up but it's a truly testing time with our
arch-rivals Liverpool excelling its putting a lot of pressure on the
team and fans to excel, inshallah they will, but its really nervous
times ahead and im sure ill be commenting a lot more bout it inshallah
as the season reaches that infamous squeaky bum time~!

I also recently met someone that im getting to know and will see where
that leads but as usual with me there are a few complications but
masallah im really happy and she makes me really happy at least for the
time being...so will c how that goes...i will elaborate more again as
inshallah the blogs restart..

Aneway that's enough for now inshallah you will hear from me sooon...

Stormy

The Moment of Singapore

2009-01-03T21:49:00.001-03:00

hey hey

im writing this at like 4am local time in singapore, i havent been sleeping at the conventional hours as i want to stick to doha time otherwise ill be screwed when i go back to work.

Im watching this show called 'the moment of truth' its the most immoral show i have ever seen, its some american show where this person answers 50 questions and is polygraphed to make sure their telling the truth, aneway they then are asked on tv 21 of those questions and could win 500,000 dollars. There really personal questions like one of the questions was 'have u ever thought about having sex with another man whilst u were married to ur husband' and she answered yes, man it prides its self on the potential to break up marriages, what the hell, i cant believe a show like that exists, i mean its fairly intresting but to break peoples lives like that is jus
disgusting!

Aneway so let me tell u about my expeiences in malaysia, well u know the saying 'Malaysia truly asia' in all those adverts, well it certainly is, its like a microcosm of asia, as u have the indians, the chinese, the arabs and the malay which pretty much sums up most of asian regions and it seems they all really get on quite well, though not sure if the arabs fit in but the rest of them proper do. I met
loads of indians who call themselves malaysian, and im like but u look indian and they say how their grandparents came here and so basically their 2nd generation and made me think would my children(iA) consider them brits as in proper and not asian-british i doubt it but u never know if the people of malaysia are to go by then i think britain could learn a thing or two about integration!

Im not sure if its jus me and the places i go to or the people i attract but it seems like everywhere i go the sleezy people follow, again taxi drivers trying to offer 'good time' lol its so weird though i think if they see a single guy whos from the west or think im some dirty arab coming for sleeze its jus really shocking for a muslim country to be like this, i met alot of good muslims so dont get me wrong about the malaysian muslims but im jus saying their is a lot of other schenigans going on! Oh this book story going on at the moment was on new years eve this sex party was busted at some hotel and their was loads of drugs and alcohol and crazy stuff going on, aneway 2 of those arrested were like famous one a tv presenter and one a movie star or something and so its made it in all the papers, and they have
a relgious/morale police in malaysia and they busted them, and it turned out the drug dealer was a 20 year old student lol some crazy stuff if u read up on it jus bizare and makes ur mind wonder there hell this world is headed!

So about singapore, well its tiny, i think it must like the size of qatar maybe even smaller but its got 4 million people so pretty dense(2nd most dense country in the world after monaco supposedly though i think gaza and westbank might be as well so not sure if they were counted in the magazine i was reading) and the flag of singapore has the cresent on it which is a common sign associated with Islam and
supposedly singapore has 64 mosques so it has a fair few muslims, but didnt think it was enough for a cresent to be on the flag but yet there is one! Also like in malaysia integration is quite strong in singapore, i went to a shisha bar and there was alot of groups of indo-chinese mix however what i noticed was that the indians would like speak more amongst each other and the same with the chinese people so though they might all be friends i dont think its as integrated as malaysia is probably because the majority of the population (75percent) are chinese where as the majority is less in malaysia.

Oh one thing im impressed so far with singapore, is that they have like sin tax, where alchol and cigs are taxed heavyily to try and discourage it, and it seems quite a moralistic society aH which is quite good in this day and age, i mean yeh u have debaunchery and other things going on but where dont u, but at least its trying to do something bout it which is admirable in todays immoral world!

Aneway its like 5am now so i best sleep but take care and will inshallah write again soon!

Stormy

New Year in KL

2008-12-31T16:27:00.001-03:00

Hey to all and happy greogrian new year!

Man i witnessed the sickest firework show ever and if a muslim country puts on a firework show like that for a christian holiday then ill like to c wot the hell a proper christian country (uk doesnt count as its secular in reality!) would do it! IT was 5 solid minutes of the most brutally loud, most sparkling fireworks, and i had an amazing view from my hotel
i was thinking of watching it with the masses in KKLL park but thought i wouldnt slum it and jus be with the hotel guests by the swimming pool and watching it from there. I then walked around the city as the masses went bout celebrating/destroying the city,it was pandomium really, but was in good fun which was a nice change to the uk as i remeber there always used to be so much beef between people!

Aneway Malaysia is really techno advanced, clean, and quite modern in terms of society, like everyones pretty trendy, very cosmopolitan and in some ways alot more than the uk. Its weird as you see all these girls with the hijab and then in the same group of people there will be a girl with like a mini shirt and boobtube or something and ur like wot da hell, but its common here i suppose!

Also its like an arab playland i dont know if its like this always or just for new year but the number of arabs makes it feel like ur in the middle east in a way!

Anyway i best go as its late and im off to some mountain tomorrow so inshallah will write more tomrrow!

take care and welcome to 2009 which i dont think to be honest its that bad to celebrate it, i mean if ur not celebrating like 2009 years since crist but ur celebrating that u experienced another year on Gods earth and steped one step closer to life after death so its something to be happy bout i guess (though i get so scared thinking bout life after death and the thought of eternity but lets not get into that!)

aneway adios

Stormy

Bye bye 2008 hey hey to 2009

2008-12-30T16:40:00.002-03:00

Hey,

so this will most likely be my last post of the year as im off to kuala lumpar and singapore in a few hours , i used to be so nervous when i flew and now i couldnt be more chilled, i did my packing in like 15 mins after work, and then got food for the islamic talk at my house and then did the talk today on the topic "choices" within a islamic context, the reason i chose the topic was because for me the concept of choice is something that brought me back to Islam when i went astray, because i used to so much in my faith and i never understood so many aspects like why was i born a muslim and so and so wasnt, but its just a blessing from God, its like u find 1000000 pounds on the floor, your not going to question too much ur blessing ull jus accept it its like the same principle isnt it????

aneway as i previously said i got so many hopes for 2009 and aims, but thats on a personal level, but then there is other things that will happen on a global scale, such as peace between palestian and isreal, the future economy and stuff like that, in the Qu'ran there is something bout how the fturue society will regress and go back to like sword fighting and all this techno stuff will go back, and i think were seeing some of that with the economy becoming messed up and as a result i read the other day like iceland a country really affected by the credit crunch, is telling its citizens to go back to fishing and natural resources and stuff like that, and could be a sign of things to come where we dont have these high profile companies and jobs but fishing and farming become more prominent, then i think what the hell is the use of like working my ass off for a company if the economy will go pear shaped what good is my money?? aneway so i spoke bout my desire to learn arabic and thats something that will become a priority for me along with my wedding hunt, that is also become very important in my life!!

anyway i beta get going inshallah see you in the new year!!
Stormy

Stormys Guide to His Perfect Hunt

2008-12-30T05:21:00.000-03:00

All,

Well after my post yesterday i thought i would follow it up with the most important thing in my life at the moment, my desire to be wed. I have been wanting to get married for a while now, and i have started to take some serious steps in finding a wife, and i have been looking at venues and dates etc lol! The concept i guess of finding a wife might seem quite alien to a number of you, i mean you dont just find a wife, you find a girl, you fall in love, you live together or at least get engaged and then you marry would be the status quo for many of you, however in my culture, its more like you decide its time to get married you either tell your parents or extended family and friends who will propose people for you to get married and then you meet these potentials and get to know them and if you hit it off, before you know it your surrounded by 500 of your closest friends and family and having random sweets stuffed in your mouth! Im taking that route as its alot quicker, more suited to my custom and less sinful in Islam that the other route i mentioned.

I think the other route is a valid route and might be better in the long run but to be honest theirs no saying in either route, you have unsuccesful marriages in both types of societies, and so i think all you can do is pray to God and try to be good people and hope that it works.

I suppose as I mention you need to be good people, it reminds me of one of my key criterias in finding a girl. I want her to have a good heart and good natured, as i want to respect the girl and inshallah her to be a good influence on my children. I need her to be chilled, which is actually quite an important requirement as i believe its something that i strive to be, and remain calm in all situations and so therefore would want my wife to try to be the same. I know people say opposites attract and i think they do to an extent so it causes the relationship to have a balance but i think its also important the relationship has many similar bonds and characteristics between the two people.

I obviously want someone im attracted to but their lies the problem attraction, when people ask me what I find attractive its hard to say theres no 1 set girl and i suppose when people try setting me up with people they find it hard as i cant give them a type, however inshallah ill find one soon where im attracted to, as so far thats been the biggest stumbling block!

I used to say I dont care about how relgious she is, or i even used to say i dont mind if shes not muslim, but i have started to change my mind on this purely on the fact that because i believe as a Muslim i would have a better chance of reaching heaven then say a non-muslim purely because a non-muslim wouldnt have been praying, paying zakat and stuff but that doesnt mean either of us are guranteed of our destinations and i could easily end up in hell and they could end up in heaven but aneway i digress what i am trying to say is that so if i believe i could enter heaven i would like to think i could enter it with my wife and children and so would always be worried about the outcome of my wife if she wasnt muslim as i would fear that she may end up in hell! lol i know a bit dramatic but i dont know its the way my thinking has been going recently...

aneway this year like i said i plan to marry iA and am taking some serious steps to it, and once i find someone who fits me and i see a future with, then i have this book that i brought in the usa like a q+a book that i will inshallah go thru with the prospective person and find out if we are truly compatible, the scariest thing i think for me is my past and the vices i have if the person accepts them, thats the thin g and i guess its the same the other way around but i dont care to be honest on most things and so hope that i can find someone with an equally flippant attitude!

The final thing im considering is the potential future, so i need to find someone who i think will make a good family with and be a good mother and share the same ideals and hopes i do, so for example ideally i want 6 children, 3 of my own and 3 adopted inshallah, i would also if i cant get 6 children like to do fostering, so things like that i would want my wife to be intrested in. Also i want to go and study Arabic at some point in the near future in an intensive way, where i live in a proper arabic and islamic enviorment, where i can also study Islam into much greater detail and i would like a wife who has that same passion, like i said she wouldnt need to be relgious but just have that desire to expand on her belief.

Anyway i best go take care

Stormy

The Perpetual Motion of Hope....

2008-12-28T10:07:00.000-03:00

Hey,

Well the end of 2008 has literally flown by, and im not sure where the year went, it seems like i was getting ready for new years eve in 2007 just yesterday and now im about to enter 2009 inshallah....

Well im going to do a 3 part eiditon of my blog , what i expected from 2008, what i actually got from 2008 and what im hopeing for in 2009..will be my first entry, and the second part will be a look at what im hoping for in marriage... and the final part will be similar to last years with something you never knew about me!

So this entry will start to deal with what i was expecting for 2008, well for a start i was expecting to have been married i guess, as i was hoping my parents would have come around to the idea of me and Shamina. I had also hoped to have started the process of getting into a MBA school or even be at one already, i guess they were the two big things i was expecting for 2008 and the two things that i failed miserably in. As me and Shamina ended right at the start of the year, and the MBA dream died shortly after the summer, where due to financial and desire (I didnt have any desire to do it after doing the GMAT, as i just felt it wasnt for me, all this studying again and for what...there was jus nothing for me and if i was to do it would be for my dad and not me and i cant do that as i would only let everyone down even more if i went down that path).

So 2008 was despite those two big failures an important and happy year mA for myself, i traveled all over the world, this was kinda spured on from the shamina situation if im to be honest, as I jus thought f' it, im off to c the world and do the stuff i wanted to do but never got the chance to, so in that way i was kinda liberated and so this year saw me for the first time in a long time lead my own life without any inhibition, it was almost like i was back at uni in my first year which was one of the best years i have had, expect this year i didnt fail Islamically and masallah actually grew in my relgion in most ways and feel myself finally starting to become more spirtitually involved in my relgion. So the countries i travelled this year, well I went to Spain- Barce, Madrid and Ibiza which was something i always wanted to do, i also went all around Levant -Lebonan (twice), Syria, Jordan, Palestine, Isreal, Egypt, India west cost, USA - east cost, Sri Lanka, Amsterdam, thru out the gulf and the UK so aH i got to c many things and more importantly see 3 wonders of the world! so only 3 more left which inshallah will be done next year.

I also got a niece from my younger sister, and aH she is very beautiful and has grown on my incredibly, I saw my relations with my mum become much stronger and kinda my sisters, which is a good thing iA though we still have many issues as does any family I feel were moving in the right direction.

I became unsettled in my job however i started to become more settled in my job as the year progressed and now aH quite settled and enjoying it.

My Islam as is expected waved throughout from some quite sincere and hardcore to fairly liberal at times and softcore, and i think that was me trying to find my own middle path, for Islam is meant to be the middle way, not the extreme but not the softcore either, and im trying to find whats good for me and where i find i fit within Islam and Islam fits for me, im starting to feel comfatable in my faith however and thats something i havent previously felt so thats a good thing.

Well the final part of what happened in 2008 and what will continue in 2009 is my consilidation of the people in my life, i used to ammas acquantinces without having many real friends, especially when u grow up in a place like manchester were everyone kinda knows or knows of everyone else, u tend to know alot of people but dont have that bond, and the same thing happens at uni, and then in doha again where i meet alot of people and will ahve dinners and stuff with them but not become like good friends, and so my facebook was starting to look like a yellow pages list with just a host of people who i knew but werent really 'friends' so i started to consilidate and delete alot of people and so from ghoing to near 800 im down to 600ish at the moment and hope to go to 500 in the new year. However networking is important and so cant jus delete everyone apart from my closest friends and we all need some acquaintainces however theres some people who i know i wont ever chat to or will be friends with so im allowing them and will be doing the same with people on my phonebook on my phone. Anyway what happened this year was i developed a really good set of friends in Doha and that helped ease the whole Shamina situation, the MBA thing, and wot on paper might have looked like a bad year these people made this year a good one, and they helped me Islamically grow by attending the Islamic halaqa classes that i have been trying to set up in doha and they started at the end of feb/start of march and been doing on every tuesday bar one, which is pretty impressive and wouldnt have been possible by these friends. Also my friends in manchester, london i have consilidated and now have good friends who i tend to hang out with when im back and so each of the cities im in i have good people to be with and its nice.

Bilal also came and stayed with my during his elective and so for the first time in 3-4 years i was living with someone and it felt werid as i guess i developed alot of selfish habits that i realised only when i started to live with someone else, and was a good experience and was nice having someone around and despite the beef and there was a considerable amount of beef i think it did help our friendship and though u may act a fool and write some gay comment to this post he will agree with what i said!

aneway for 2009 what do i hope well this year i am determined to be married, and this i will go into details in my next post, and i also hope to live in Qatar for the next year iA and continue to travel the world and see the wonders of the world before my marriage and to end the year as a Haji with my wife....inshallah

Stormy

The one good time it is to be a Muslim...

2008-12-19T18:19:00.000-03:00

HEy All,

So had a nice day in Sri Lanka, went to a beautiful beach at this place called Mount Laviorous or something like that, it was recommended to me by my 2 sri lankan friends, Sadia and Muhammad so thoght since it was recommended by 2 different people i should go check it out, and it was really cool. was super clean, the sand was so soft, and the waves were amazing i dont think i ever seen such big waves, i think the reason it was so big was that the hotel kinda like dug the beach so its much higher than the sea and when u go into the water its jus below where the actual beach is so ur kinda into the high water straight away!

I went to the mosque today for Jummah and encounted some problems where they didnt allow my camera inside, supposedly as sri lankans believe taking photos is wrong in Islam...ummm not too sure bout that just think people loving making issues, but the mosque which is the grand mosque of colombo was not the greatest of mosques, as it was marble floored so quite hard to pray on, and it was not very well maintainted at all, though it was fairly large and spread of 3 floors and had cool wudu facilities by having these little pools at the entrance that was open for all to wash themselves!

Ok so the subject of this entry, well in Sri Lanka more than any other country i have visited including palestine/isreal i have had to show my passport at checkpoints, anyway one incident they again took exception to my phototaking though this time i wasnt actually taking any photos jus in a tuk tuk with a camera around my neck and i was called in my the police and militry and normally flashing the brit passport would keep me sweet, however not this time, they were being proper problematic, and in the end being a muslim worked in my favour, as there not worried about muslims or terrorist in the common sense but if i were hindu or tamil man they would have kicked off, so its pretty good relief that for once it benefited me in terms of security.
But despite all this i have got to say that Sri Lanka is one of the most religiously diverse countries i have been to, i have seen so many churches, mosques, temples and Buddas all over the place some right next to each other and seems everyone is fairly ok with it, i spoke to a muslim taxi driver who said the problem is mainly between the hindus and the buddhists (which always surprises me as when i originally learnt about buddhism and i learnt to quite a large exten, i always thought they were the most passive guys and who the hell would they fight with cuz its so entrinched in their relgion the sancticty of life so thought man their countires much be so peaceful, however if u c thailand and sri lakna and burma then guess u got to think otherwise) aneway the driver goes christians and muslims are like brothers here and that was surprising to hear as i not heard anyone say that EVER, was kinda refreshing to hear muslims at peace with some people!
Oh and one other thing i may have spotted a trend which again is quite surprising how sleezy and like thrivin sex industry it is here in Sri Lanka, like every taxi driver asks me if i want sri lankan girl or a 'massage' with 'jiggy jiggy' apart from one who asked me if i wanted a massage and i naturally thought oh no not again but then he goes oh but not jiggy jiggy and i was like thank God and then went on a rant on how disgusting the people are here and how i never realised that its such a sex tourism market, and then i thought of how its like thailand but more undercover as people dont know it, but then i thought wow the 2 countires that i have seen first hand massive sex tourism are both Buddhist countires so again jus surprised me i dont think its correlated but just intresting! lol

So anyway im off tomorrow back to Doha and then my sister comes on sunday with my favourite and only nephew Rayan and his father, my brother in law, anyway so gota plan their trip and when they leave im off to malaysia and singapore for new years much to the annoyance of my manager so u probably wont hear from me until then inshallah!

aneway take care

Asif

If you are to help the world...you must see the world!

2008-12-18T18:25:00.000-03:00

Hey All,

Its been relatively a bit of a break from the number of posts i was doing whilst in the states!

Well my time in the USA was really good, one of my best hols in recent memory to be honest, though i wasnt the biggest fan of NYE as its quite similar to London in that its really congested and heaving. I mean there is some cool things such as the rockafeller building and M+M store, the brookyln bridge and the usual famous things like the sky scrappers, statue of liberty etc...But the thing is the people are generally stuck up and quite unfriendly, I thought getting the tube was dodge in london, its not a touch on NYE where like everyone is keeping their headtown and it is FULL of weirdos and so poorly maintained that the tube in lodnon looks like a business class/first class form of transport compared to NYC subway system!

It wasnt all bad, the shopping was really good at least in New Jersey, where all the clothes do not have a tax, oh thats something that pissed me off that in the USA they add tax when u go to the till, and each state is different, so like say something is 9.99 it will turn out to be like 10.48 after tax so what da hell is da point in pricing something nicely like 9.99 when u r going to add tax, and its hassles if u pay cash for things, which is probably why cards are so populour in the US i guess.

Anyway since the end of my US trip I went to the UK and spent Eid in manchester, which involved standard missions to wilmslow road. I ended up going to wilmslow road almost every night, i used to go alot but only really to eat one of the worlds best chicken burgers..Kansas! now however they have opened like prob close to 10 all together shisha places along wimmy road and the back streets so its become a much a much more of a chilling destination, so i really like it, its myfavourite probably pasttime, apart from playing footy lol and relgious activities...but im talking bout when socialising with friends rather than shopping, shooting pool, coffee, clubbing etc i jus love smoking up! lol

Every time i go back home to Cheshire/manchester my heart kinda longs to return as though i travel the world there is no city in the world apart from maybe Mecca/Medina and Doha is quite high up there possibly because i know it so well and because its similar to manchester where like people know each other, u can drive from one part of the city to the other in not too much trouble so the whole city is pretty well connected and doesnt inhibit going out, like for example say if ur in west london and theres a dinner in east london u would probably reconsider going, same with dubai, if somethings going on in say Dubai Marina and ur in old dubai, ull prob be like hell no, whereas doha or manchester thats not really an issue which i love! So i got some decisions to make in the future but i think ill want to settle down in one of those 2 citites!

Ok so then after Manchester I went to London for a night, which was good and action packed, met alot of old uni friends which was really good and why though im not the biggest fan of london i keep going back! One thing people sometimes say is when i live in/near Manchester which is a great city, why did i go to london for university, well i had jus spent 7 years in manchester studying at Manchester Grammar and in the last couple of years i might as well have been a uni student as i was going out like one, and i knew if i went to london i would come back regulary to manchester and so still experience it. Also being in london as a student is probably the best time to experience london, u get alot of discounts in london when ur a student and u have so many things to experience and u have alot more time than when you maybe working after u graduate so would recommend everyone to study in a big city and work say in the summer in a placement so u get to experience working life in the city and see if its for u, i would recoomend that way at least thank God it worked for me.

Anyway i went back to doha and work, and i was dredging it and it was everything i imagined on my first day back i got absolutley nailed and just brought back so many bad memories of last year when i was really depressed at work and wanted to leave, but inshallah i learnt last year u have ur bad dAYS and u just got to work urself thru it, its been a big learning curve and the thing is i dont know where its heading but inshallah will work out!

PEople have been going on about how much holiday i get and putting Nazzer or the Evil eye on me, and so now i know im going to get my holidays harder to approve at work, aneway its not that i get alot of holidays but any time off i do get i make the most of it and thats the different between myself and others and the fact i spend my money on my travel while others may spend their money on other things and then complain oh how u get the money to travel just really pisses me off, this is part of the reason for the discontent at work and the subject of the title of this blog entry as i want to see the world and see what else is out there and how other people live, eat and get by and learn things from other cultures and see how Islam is in other parts of the world things like that!

So right now im in Sri Lanka, in Colombo, which is supposedly according to Islam where Adam (the first person and prophet in Islam) (pbuh) first lived and there is a foot step of him, which is like a giant footstep in todays world, however this is like 4-5 hours from colombo so i dont think ill be able to check it out in the short space of time which sucks as i want to c it inshallah another time!

Colombo reminds me a bit of Goa and i was going to say more advanced but probably not as though Goa has more like shacks and dodgy roads i think that it wants to be like that and so decides to kinda be a hippy town whereas sri lanka i think kinda is forced to be slightly more advanced but still has much proverty and lack of drainage. I never realised the beef between india and sri lanka, i been reading the newspapers and theres some serious beef man! lol and i never realised how close sri lanka was with palestine which gave me bare cheapies! lol

Its quite a seady place and alot of pervs lol im sure some of u maybe thinking hey thats my kinda town, lol but nah im jus an innocent guy and shocked by how some of the people are here!

anyway i best go take care

Stormy

The land of hope and opportunity and currently Stormy...

2008-12-05T21:55:00.001-03:00

Hey All,

So let me go into detail about my trip to the USA and my life in general as i write this im on the train between boston and new york, its like a 4-5 hour journey so i got a while, and i want to finish my book whilst im on the journey, sleep a bit and pray so i got to be efficent. Just now as i wrote what I got to do in the space of a few hours made me think of my mum, as you know my mum has been staying with me in Qatar and then we went to India together so she got to c me upclose and c how exactly i live and it proved to be rather irksome to her, i chose to live my life at a certain pace and enjoy it that way as i find peace in knowing that i will be busy and not say comtemplatng or sitting around, i HATE just shitting there, i dont mind chilling if im chatting but like sleeping or jus lazing i hate it, i not always been like this AND those that used to know me growning up know for sure i was a right proper bum, a bum to rival any of the great 'bums' in the world but something in me changed, i dont know if its i became a bit more relgious and so i want to do something for every minute thats God has given me on this planet but then if that was the reason i shud be doing good islamic things in all my spare time and unfortunatly thats not the case so what is it then...ummm i actually dont know but i know i have to multitask alot of the time...

Well Washington as i previously said is really clean and really well looked after understanbly well at least around the centre where all the goverment buildings and president lives, but i went to the watch Wrestling in DC at the Verizon Centre (actually its weird all the stadiums here are named after its sponsor its something i noticed that they advertise here at any opportunity, the way these guys take marketing is a joke, i saw adverts for anyone who wants to turn their personal car into an advert for some companies these companies will pay them and then theres this teacher i read in the 'washington post' who cant afford supplies for his students so has been selling advertising space on his exam papers i mean LOL wonly in America man! however come to think about it the naming of the stadium is getting more common in the uk i mean think about it, MEN Arena (manchester evening news arean) 02 Areana, Emirates stsdium) so i guess i should expect my kids to be taking tests with adverts from toys r us on the tests in the future if we continue down that slippertly slope!

Aneway regarding the wrestling, man it was really diverse crowd, you had people from all sorts of backgrounds da, i was shocked as it was in DC at the nuumber of black people there as it wasnt at all surprising to me if i went by the number of black people working in those musems and goverment buildings that i was visiting that there was going to be a black president actually i would probably wonder what the hell took him so long??? I expected to see alot more hispanics on my trip but i have yet to c a great number and instead been surprised by the number of oriental and black people i met and its so weird meeting a chinese person with a full american accent and not like broken english as u often c in the uk (espec with those dam persistant DVD sellers!)

So after Washington i went to Baltimore and checked out a real american town and went to the cheasecake factory restuarant which is something incredible and though i wanted to try new foods each time whilst in the USA i already been twice as the deserts are just something else!! I didnt spend long in Baltimore at least not long enuff to judge an opinon however i did manage to go and c one of my aims before my trip, the Islamic Bookstore.com warehouse lol its cool and i ordered an absoltu shit load of stuff!

Anyway onto what has so far been my favourite city/place in the US so far Philidelpia, its not as cheesy as i thought it would be nor creamy at all :P but it is as delightful as the its toast topping namesake sugguests! The city hasa certain buzz that i dont think any of the other cities i been had so far, the people are friendly, cool and have a different vibe to the other cities, i think there was something in it that remainded me of manchester, which i love considerbly, and therefore has an effect on my feelings, like london gets all the attention but its manachester that truly rocks as a city, and i think its the same with DC or New York and Phily, where despite it not being as famous as its neighbouring cities its the city that has all the charm! I went to an Ice Hockey game there and the crowd was like ALL white, a few orientals but thats it, i dont think its because phily is a white area but rather that ice hockey is a white sport, all the people in the team were white apart from like one chinese guy, ok to be fair hes probaly korean but you get my jist its like me saying one paki guy when hes indian u know wot im saying....

Aaaaaaaaaaaaanyway ok well i my first couple of interactions with the bengali usa community in phily as well as two of my taxi drivers i had were bengali which was cool, one of em was a prick thou he told me he married a girl from nigura (somewhere in central america) so i imagine shes hot and he was butters so he did well forhimself and the other guy was a bit of a freshy but he was a nice guy he told me how some bengali kid the other day got BATTered by a group of black guys, and that i shud be careful of like the black gangs here in phily,. well Will Smith told me that growing up in the song to Fresh PRince but i thanked him anyway for the advice....

So as usual i found a really cool shisha place in phily, and its not like the uk where the shisha vibe is jus bare chilled but it was like in a bar with a dj and so u had people smoking dancing and drinking and it was a really fun atmosphere and despite it being a tuesday night was relatively busy which i was quite impressed with and the people were really friendly and i was asked to join a number of tables and hang out and meet new people which was really cool and like jus summed up the people of this city where they have that as Lupe fiasco states the coolest of the cool...

I just saw a great scene, it was of the sunset on this lake and the lake was so still that it looked like it was a mirror o the sunset, then i thought about Forest Gump of when he was running around the USA he stated how he saw all the wonders of the mother earth whilst he was running and made me think that whilst i been traveling as i see so many different scenes but as you know im a country bumkin at my heart (knutsford is the architypical queintessentail english village/town) so i really apprciate the nature of the country (as i was going on about why i liked Goa so much recently) and the nature of the USA is really vast and as i travel on the train i get to see America the way hollywood shows us america and i mean by that those quaint little towns that with the autumn sun and browning of the leaves its so pictureesque it couldnt be made up, you see these beautiful little towns with the big timberframed houses that are usually around a lake and its really nice and though i been visiting the cities this is where like proper america lives i guess and the majority of the 300+ million populouaton lives and again like i said its properly why they love their country so much! i mean i know alot of america is under the poverty line and those areas are usually immigrant areas so hopefully inshallah their lives with improve now that an immigrant has taken over the whitehouse but for those living that american dream i dont begrudge them at all and made me think i wouldnt mind maybe one day to live it at least for a few years but who knows what the future holds apart from God...

So anyway from my time in Boston, I learnt that no matter where you are in the world a yuppie is a yuppie, the people here remainded me of everything i hated at UCL (and i loved UCL) and MGS (and yeh i loved MGS as well) (btw ucl and mgs stand for university college london and manachester grammar school respectively) where you have complete utter toffs who think their better than everyone else, it doesnt surprise me i guess considering harvard and MIT are both in boston and aload of other universities that are mostly full of arrogant so-so's. Walking around Harvard felt like back in the day when i used to visit my friends in Cambridge where its such a studious enviorment and the people though maybe friendly can tell they are up themselvles and in their own self-conceited world where they have their lives planned out for them. The way i might be coming across is like im a complete hater, im not at all and everyone is entitled to live their life as they c fit, but what i dont think is right for these people to look down on those that arent as fortunate as them... like theres a guy sitting next to be on the train man hes so public school hes absolutely hammered (as in drunk) and its like lunch time here, and if anyone else was in his condition like a black guy people would be like a hobo or thug but here people find it funny and socially acceptable as a typical rich boy attitude, and hes winning about being in normal class (and before those that travel with me in the uk i do not mind normal class and certainly dont moan about being in it on the train but if i can ill upgrade but here the trains are really good in normal clas and there really isnt a difference at least not one to throw drunken strop!

Anyway about Boston, well its 24percent irish and is where lilke the whole revolutoion against the English started so has strong links to the British and is a very white area more so than any other area i have seen so far in the US. I went to c the boston celtics and i was expecting as most of the team of the celtics is black that alot of the crowd would be black, but nah hardly a black face in the crowd i mean there were a few but hardly any surprisingly its like full of irish and itallien guys who it seemed spoke with like a slight american accent thrown into the irish and itallien accents they had. The people has i have constantly found on my trip are extemly friendly and really polite. I have come across relaltively few people who are rude, and ironically one of the most rudeest people i have met was this Muslim girl who studies at Harvard, I wanted to know where the Mosque was at Harvard to check it out but i couldnt c any muslims and finally i found a girl wearing a hijab so i asked her if she knew where the mosque was and she jus dismissed me and walked offf saying she was too busy??? im like WTF shame man the first muslim i c at Harvard and shes BARE stuck up and rude, hopefully that was an unfortunate coincidence and the other muslim students are nicer at harvard!

Ok so now on to the NYC the big apple and the city never sleeps meets the guy who hates sleep so shud be a good mix! inshallah will let you know how it does soon! take care

Stormy

Uncle Sams Adventures...

2008-12-05T10:04:00.003-03:00

Hey All,

Its been a while relatively since the previous few posts where i was posting almost every few days whilst in India, but now as i been so busy in USA not really had the chance..

Ok so ill start up since my lucky escape from the Mumbai attacks, well i was stucky in Mumbai that day on the thursday and was actually arrested by the Mumbai police as i was shopping around the city whilst my mum waited at the airport for me, i went into the city to do some Eid shopping and was doing my usual self and taking aload of picytures and i had bags of shopping so i brought a big black rucksack to put the shopping so it may have looked dodge, anyway i was questioned for a while and it was intresting experience i mean i been questioned by immigration officeirs and other people but with the indian probably because ofthe day they seemed so nervou and were looking into some random things like the book i was reading which was Salman Rushdies new book the 'Enchantees of Florence' which i think went in my favour as they were like ummm whats a supposed muslim activitist doing with one of his books. Then they went thru my photos on my camera and i had some dodgy pics in terms of like random guys praying in the street and stuff like that which obviousoy looked dodgy but then i had some other pics which in the end either make me look like the biggest perv they ever met or some proper fundo anyway eventually they let me go so i jus went straight back to the airport. I didnt choose to tell my mum as i know she would be worried especial qabout any future traveling i did, it wasnt a big things in the end and wouldnt have happened if the attacks didnt happen.

Anyway once i got back to doha, then i went to manchester and came to the usa via amsterdam which was the usually high standards it sets :p

So USA the land of opportunity and hope and supposedly the land of where muslims are at war with is for me after seeing it such a beautiful country. And for those that know me they cant believe probably i just said that but the people are so nice and its a really nice looking country. I arrived in Newark and my friend Tauseef came and met me, we drove down to some restaurant that provided halal food in jersey. ITs supposedly quite hard to find halal restaurants in the USA generally unless ur in a proper islamic area and they are few and far between so alot of americans end up eating anything but pork here and its common whereas for British muslims thats like a big no-no!

Anyway we then subsequently drove down to Washington DC and i ended up sleeping the whole journey which was quiye harsh on Tauseef as he made like the 5 hour journey on his own basically, i never really had a problem with my bodyclock over the last couple of years as i was only ever plus or minus 3 hours from like qatari time, where as this is like 7-8 hours so its harder to deal with but i think my body clock has finally DJUSTED.

So Washington was really beautiful the Goverment area of the mall is really well maintained and nicely done, the musuems are amazing and if you go you would have to check it out even if ur not into musuems.

I have to go now so inshallah will write more later...

Little decisions can save you your life….

2008-11-27T01:33:00.001-03:00

All,

As you all know I was planning on going to Mumbai today, and I had my reservations at the Oberoi hotel, which I heard is a bare nice hotel so got my friend Mr Bilal Anwar (the supposed masterminder of the underworld) to book it for me, however I get loads of txts all night asking if im ok there was some shooting in Mumbai and im like yeh of course I am im in Goa firstly and secondly if theres a shooting whats the chances I would get hit in a city of like 15 million.

Turns out it could be quite likely I would have got hit, as my hotel was overtaken by the attackers, and now there holding some hostages and stuff, man firstly I don’t know what to do, supposedly my flight to Mumbai is still cool, but noone is answering the from the hotel and I don’t know if I should still go to Mumbai and stay at say the Hyatt there or my friend Angali who is the one who called me this morning to tell me my hotel was overtaken has kindly offered to let me and my mum stay with her and her family which is in the suberbs of Mumbai. I feel bad for imposing so maybe just stay in Goa after all I have loved it a lot, I don’t know though I don’t like usually being deterred from visiting somewhere because of such reasons…

Im feeling really blessed right now, as I only decided to stay an extra night in goa as the Golden triangle was so tiring and we liked Goa so it made sense, but Thank God, we did, because I don’t know how it would have been last night in the hotel, I can imagine it being really scarry but kinda enthralling not in a sadistic way but like I don’t know just its quite intriguing as its like everyon is watching the news and watching whats going on so to be there would be like woah…

Aneway I got to go sort out our next steps and inshallah will sort out my next steps and will let you all know for sure :P

Take care

Stormy

Wheres the line for Metrosexuality????

2008-11-26T11:21:00.000-03:00

Hey,

Well I’m in beautiful Goa right now and man its amazing. It helps that im staying at the park hyatt but just driving around the state of Goa is unbelievable. I cant believe its part of India as it feels so free and hippyfied. I went to this flea market today that jus so happens to happen once a week on Wednesdays so I was kinda lucky to be honest but me and my mum both loved it, it was mainly full of tourists and a lot of them kinda hippy ones and it brought back uni days for me and probably the 70’s back for my mother.

Anyway about the subject of my blog, the whole metrosexual thing I believe I have spoken about it in the past where I am a self-confessed metrosexual. However even I may have gone past the line this time, ok well as you know I been getting massages in every city I travel to or at least try to, and I had 4 now in total in India. This time I thought I would splurge as its such a nice place and my mum was getting a facial so I went for some like super-duper 3-4hr session that would make me feel younger and more regunative (this desire may have come about after my much publicized ‘Quarter Life Crisis moment’) anyway so I decided to spend A LOT of money on this treatment, so like I go in and its supposed to be male on male and female on female but there was some sort of mix up lucky me I know ur thinking and it kinda was lol! So I get this pretty fit Nepali girl who tells me to go with her, and Im not used to Nepali girls, I mean theres thousands of guys in Doha that are Nepali but girls not one I met, so chit chat was a little awkward I couldn’t really start off with ohh my houseboy or security guy in my building is Nepali as I felt that was a slightly demeaning way to start a conversation, I mean think about it the only other person u know from that country is basically a servant I don’t know to…but to me its kinda rude or midly offensive.

Anyway she started off with telling me to put my feet in some hot water and then she cleansed them, and then massaged them, at this point I was kinda feelings like Eddie Murphy in ‘Coming to America’ lol anyway I wont go into the details too much but basically I got like a scrub a wrap, a massage and then a facial and there was a fruit platter at some point in the middle of all that and a shower but man it was awesome and what was quite cool is 2 became 1 as I got another girl to come in and do the facial part, who also happened to be a quite attractive nepali girl as there were no other guys available….lol so aneway the experience really was something and I don’t usually go for the whole shebang but I think from now on I will, most guys will testify that they don’t give a shit about their skin or at least their body skin maybe their face they will clean but the rest nah, and I was the same but I started to realize how its good, and I even kinda managed to find an Islamic releation though I don’t think Islam will approve about a woman doing it or maybe spending so much but noones perfect, oh and the Islamic releation is that we should all take care of our appearance and try to look good and clean as it will represent Islam and will show your taking care of Allahs creation.

So next im off to Mumbai or Bombay if ur hip yaaaar tomorrow and I will miss Goa I wont really miss any other place but Goa I love and will want to come back again for sure…

Anyway take care and inshallah will write from Bombay yaaaar!

Stormy

The Pink Effect...

2008-11-24T06:34:00.003-03:00

Hey,

So im writing this from jaipur, it is a pretty shitty city in terms of i think a place to live but its got alot of offer in terms of culutre and its beauty. The reason i think its a shit place to live, i havent seen much stuff for people to do, like cafes and nice reasaurants the whole place baring the tourist areas seems like a proper dive!

Anyway about the tourist stuff, well its really nice, theres this palace on the water that is amazing, ill be inshallah putting pics on facebook so u can c, and the pink buildings are cool cuz its so different and a really nice contrast to the city, as i said its a bit of a shit hole otherwise so having these nice pink buildings and random bits of grand and beautiful architecture is really nice.

The last post i wrote about Akbar in my title but never went into it, well Akbar used to be one of the mogul emperors of india, and he set up base between agra and jaipur i believe in a place called fattipur sakri or something liek that, aneway its again a pretty cool place, and im reading a book right now kinda to do with Akbar, called The Enchantress of Florence by Salman Rushdie, and its a pretty cool book and since im traveling around the moggul ends i kinda can relate to some of the descriptions in the book about the places which is pretty cool as wel. I will try to review the book once im done but i only jus started abouta fifth thru the book so its unfair to judge so far but im enjoying it.

Anyway tomorw im off to Goa, which should be intresting with my mum, but i doubt its like Ibiza or Sharm el Sheikh or at least i hope not, though i not been to Sharm, if it attracts people like Bilal Anwar then you got to be sceptical of places like that.

I found a shisha place right next to the hotel that this girl in the hotel told me about man its a sick place, its on this roof top of some office building and is so nice as u look over Jaipur and theres not many tall buildings in jaipur so u can see the stars and the whole city pretty well , and i was having Paan flavoured shisha which i only ever heard of in india i dont think u can get it anywhere else but its some serious smokking material!

I spent almost the last month with my mum which i have touched on before is quite unusual for myself as i dont tend to spend much time with my parents or family that much apart from fleeting visits every few months so its been pretty weird but kinda cool as i hope it has given my mum kinda hope that i aint that bad a son as she might have thought i was or used to be lol! Some people are really close to their family and its really nice while others are quite distant which is also ok if ur happy with it but i know some people who are distant because they think its cool or something which i think is pretty gay, as ur family or at least ur parents brought u up and did all they could for u to be the person you are, yeh fine they would have made mistakes but were human and im sure ill make mistakes with my kids and inshallah they will learn to forgive me for them, but in the end the love the family has for u cant be matched, thats not to say you should do as everything your parents say no not at all, as i have said there only humans and they can make wrong decisions that u maybe shouldnt follow but know that the decisions they make for you have ur best intrests at heart...

I guess what u know im getting at is what happened earlier in the year with me, it took me time to accept what happend and i dont know if i completely have yet to be honest, because it was kinda out of my hands but life moves on and inshallah i have to move with it, and i have no resentment towards my parents or family as all they wanted was the best for me...

When people ask me what i want in my future wife, i always reply that i want someone hot well when i go traveling i always see hot girls so they cant be a prerequireste to marriage or least my only condition i obviously do have others but ill go into them another time...aneway off to bed and prepare for Goa! inshallah will write again soon

take care

Stormy

Akbars ends and the drive to Jaipur!

2008-11-23T07:57:00.000-03:00

Hey all,

Im writing this from country inns hotel or soemthing which in the centre of jaipur, jaipur from what i seen so far is a bit of a shit hole, though has some western shops and stuff it seems it was all built TIME ago and this is one of the few decent hotels i seen in the whole place but still the delhi hotel smacked it out of all of them!

Ok so in each city im staying im getting a massage in the hotel, and the one in delhi is winning so far, you know when people say you got knots in you back due to stress well i actually had them, i dont think i ever had them before in my life, anyway the massuese got rid of most of them i think but india is really stresseful with the constant badgering (it doesnt help that im gonig to all the tourist sites i know but still! ) aneway i could have met my friends father in Delhi but it was getting late and by the time she got back to me with his details it was a choice between him and a tibetan 24year old and unfortuntly the tibetan won....anyway the one i had in Agra was really bad and just a bad experience, lets hop jaipur will be better!!

aneway i best go will write more soon inshallah

take care

Stormy

Awesome Agra 4th Wonder of the World DONE!

2008-11-22T10:38:00.002-03:00

Hey guys,

Well im writing from the hotel called Jaypee Palace Hotel in Agra, which is a pretty old school hotel but you can tell used to be BARE nice like 10-15 years ago and now is trying to be nice in an antiquey kinda way!

Anyway today was the main reason i came to India, to see the Taj Mahal, and it was really beautiful, i mean you hear it alot and when you see it in pics you have like ohhh thats nice, but when you see it in its majesty, its massive, beautifully planned out and for me because of the Islamic influence can releate to it more so than the other wonders of the world that I have seen. Also because of the history that surounds the Taj Mahal (for those that dont know wikipedia it, but essential the king built it for his deadwife in her honour and to hold her body ) so obviously has all of us metrosexuals already instrested because of the love surrounding the building but i think even the most macho guy would appreciate what went into the building. The guide was saying back then it cost 4 billion rupes and rupes back then were BUCKS so you can imagine just how much he wasted well wasted is the wrong word but spent.

Im sure now the indian goverment is making like 4 billion ruppes every 10 years probably off it in some way or another so hes given back to his country. Anyway Agra is much more touristy than Delhi however its also alot more rural and you see alot more animals in the streets and more street people, its weird because i would have thought as so many people come here they would try to hide the poverty but they havent really done so, which is a good thing as it elevates the situation to the outside world. Tomorrow i was told the turkish primem minster is coming to see the Taj, the architect for the Taj was from turkey and has alot of turkish and persian influences so im sure that will be raised, but the reason i was mentioning it was when you get world leaders coming im surprised as most countries try to hide their poverty from other countries India acknoledges it. Lets hope inshallah over time though that the wealth in this country will be better distributed.

Anyway tomorrow im off to jaipur, so inshallah will write from there! take care

Stormy

Delhi delights

2008-11-20T21:33:00.002-03:00

Hey hey,

Im in the indian capital and man was it crazy when we landed we had no clue me nor my mum what was going on, but man were stayingin a sick hotel thats costing me bucks to write this!lol so ill have to keep it short and sweet as i restart my blog, well the weather is really shit here! its really cloudy and had no clue when we were going to land as the pilot felt it was too foogy to land and he was right because when he eventually did it was on the shittest landings i had in my life! Me and mum though were ok as we were not mixing it with the rif-raf as i booked buisness class as its the first hols properly me and my mum had in time, so thought i would try at least to treat her.

The driving is the same as the uk ways and the same standard as Bangladesh ie a complete mess though you can turn the country has money you can also say its got some serious issues it needs to deal with first and thats just after being int he country for an hour!

Anyway i best go but inshallah will write more on the host city for the commenwealth games of 2010 and tomorrow im off for the main reason of my visit the 4th wonder in my list the Taj Mahal! come on! and i got alot of stuff that has happened over the past few months since my last entries so will inshallah be updating on that front as well!

aneway i really best go cuz it is costing me BARE! lol

aneway take care and inshallah you will here from me soon.

Stormy

Can you be selfish and selfless at the same time?

2008-08-06T16:36:00.000-02:00

Sometimes life with throw up opportunities or rather situations at you where you have to make a decision where you think the solution that is the best for you and sometimes what’s the best solution for someone else. The next paragraph doesn’t make sense as I cant go into it but im trying to process the thoughts in my head and so just writing down for myself.

Well I had such a situation where I really wanted to act in such a way but I know only I would profit, and I acted in such a way however it opened a can of worms and then I was forced to make a series of selfless choices however they have come across as selfless and I just messed a hell of a lot of things up! I’m still involved in the situation and so I’m not able to review in hindsight which is slightly unfortunate as I could really do with being at the end of my current predicament.

I don’t understand how life can be so balanced, I mean the pains and aches of love, and yet those bad feelings are compensated by the feelings of love and hope, and I speak to people and the number of people who understand what I am going through astounds me. Its like everyone has this feeling of equilibrium that exists in life, where you feel good in one aspect of ur time or time in ur life u felt crap in an equal measure on the other. Well now im feeling the negative side, and no matter what I do I cant get out of it, I try to do good actions for others hoping that somehow I would get like ‘karma’ back or ‘reward’ but I end up messing things up.

People are telling me u know its good that ur single and I was like yeh its awesome when I first became single, but then the freedom dies and you want that love and compassion that u used to have and you realize single life sucks so bad and the people who say that are either in shitty relationships or jus manwhores or whores because they enjoy the promiscuity of being single. However those that are in loving and caring relationships will tell you otherwise and that’s what I want.

For some people relationships, love etc are all overspoken and over-priortised but I don’t understand those people, because for me it’s the most important thing, human interaction after spiritual interaction is the most important thing in this life, and that’s why to love is the most important feeling, the love you have your neighbour, friend, brother, wife, is a feeling that cannot be surpassed, im trying to ground myself as some days im super happy and some days im super sad but inshallah in time the my mood at least on the negative side will simmer!

Aneway I know this has just been a random rant and very incoherent but it was important for me to write it.

Thanks

Asif

Around the world in 18 months!

2008-07-30T13:25:00.000-02:00

I have starting writing a post then just scrapped it a number of times over the last few weeks, I guess it’s a reflection of my feelings where I feel something then I try to rid myself of that feeling, then I feel something different or the same feeling again, im going through something I never been through before. I have broken up with a partner before, and I haven’t just broken up with someone or anything, but the girl I was thinking of marrying could be and inshallah will marry someone else. The reason for my choice of word inshallah, is that I want her to be happy and with Gods will see will be.

Its often said that if you truly love something then you will want the best for that person even if that persons future lies away from you, I used to think bollocks that’s only in fairly tales, and I still do as its so freaking hard to have such a self-less feeling, its so natural to look out for yourself and want the best for yourself, but you need to fight that urge and that desire and try to do what is better for everyone including the person you care for. I know in my heart how I feel and that’s all that should matter, someone once told me that to love and not be loved back (like a unrelenqeshed love) is like being a Shaheed (a term which has become quite famous in the west for what suicide bombers wish to be ie a martyr for God) and it really does hurt but to know that God understands the pain makes it a lot better, after all for me Islam is a way of life, and its just like go to mosque and pray then forget about it, it affects all aspects of my life and for the kinda guy I am even more so in the love and matters of the heart!

During the last few weeks I have had a lot going on in my life, I had my GMAT exam, where I got a score of 560 which isn’t the best, and I surprisingly f’ed up in the maths part, where I got like 38% ! I know ! for those who know me well, will know maths has always kinda been my strong side so to f’up in it, was shocking and the thing was during the test I knew I was f’ing up and I didn’t know what to do, I was jus like no way is this happening! Anyway by some miracle of God, the English part saved me where I got 69% and in the essay part 80% (but that doesn’t go to my score unfortunately) anyway my score is just about enough for Manchester Uni which is the place I want to go to but I still need to do a heft application form, however I think im going to re-do the test and hope inshallah to get a better score for myself and just to make the application state a bit easier.

I also been really busy planning my holidays as I have been making many personal goals in my life, and as such one of them is to see the remaining 7 wonders of the world that I haven’t seen by 1st January 2010! This has resulted in a hectic travel plan over the next 18 months, I will in addition to the 7 wonders aim to hit 30 cities in the world that I want to see, so far from now til 1st January 2009 I have planned, Madrid, Barcelona, Ibiza, Cairo, New York, Washington, Philidelphia, Boston, Mumbai, Agra, Jaipur, Delhi, Tehran and Kuala Lumpa. However this list includes cities I been to before, but I loved so wanted to re-visit, and it only includes 2 cities (Agra and Cairo) which has the wonders of the world, therefore along with the Great Wall and Petra I would have done all of the wonders that are in the eastern side of the world. The remaining 3 all in central and south America will inshallah be visited next year as I plan 2 trips, one trip to south America, and one trip to central America and west cost USA. I also want to visit Austraila at some point as well as new Zealand, however im thinking of possibly doing that as part of a honeymoon thing, or maybe I should go Africa for a honeymoon thing, I don’t know however I made this as one of my targets over the next few months to organize and inshallah plan to visit the 30 cities and see the 7 wonders by 2010!

Aneway I best go and get on with my life until next time!

Take care

A few of my gripes with the world....

2008-06-30T17:39:00.001-02:00

All,

Due to a really good reception ive had with my blog, i have decided to continue it even if my posts will be sporadic..

So im back in sunny Doha after my holiday and i feel really refreshed. Its weird as I get so many holidays with my job, yet i havent really been on a proper holiday for 2 years since my China travels, its because i been going back to the UK every opportunity i get. Well since things changed in my life it has allowed me to explore of Gods green earth and i am loving it.

I had such an amazing time away, and i have uploaded what i thought were the best 300 or so photos out of like 2000 pictures onto facebook so check them out. I tried to capture the feel of the cities i was in, and the feel of the cities is rarely in the scenery but the people of the country that is why so many of my pictures have random people in!

A couple of things have been bothering me so much, earlier today at work, this guy who will remain anonymous takes his job SUPER seriously, which im sure on paper all companies will love, but when in reality you see the impact people like that have on other people in the company then that desire and commitment will be seen s a detriment as they push people away and don't work in an effective manner, this guy is picking on this woman who is like one of the kindest and gentlist people in the office to the brink of tears, seeing a middle aged women crying due to some punk 30 something year old guys bullying is discussing and you cant get involved because its work related and will look even worse for her, but i just hate bullying and people who take their job super serious, as i always say you work to live and not live to work.

The other thing that has been bothering me was brought up by another friend and fellow blogger who said how he left facebook because of the things he saw on that regarding his friends and that he felt let down by it, and i thought it was nonsense and that you shouldn't be so judgemental and that if people are doing stuff you don't like or don't approve on facebook then you should try speaking to them rather than turning a blind eye, however i have recently been in that situation of where i saw some stuff on someone i had alot of respect for and was shocked to find some information on someone and was quite upset or more let down by that person and not sure what to say to be honest, i havent brought it up as i don't know how to or even if its my place to bring up, but its such a bad feeling having that where your disappointed in someone and im trying not to judge and there could be numerous explanations behind things, so its best not to but its a natural human emotion that is very hard to devoid from....

Anyway other updates in my life, well alot of my friends have recently left Doha, and so I am back to the situation of where i have some random friends like from this part of my life or that but no core- nucleus like i used, however it means i can spend some more time with myself, like reading and updating stuff on my files and photos and little things that i actually love doing, so in a way i am happy, and plus i have exams coming up for my mba so i gota start nailing the work! I been reading up on like if you dont do well what happens, and that will universitys know and they do so its shit me up even more, however inshallah my revision is going well so I wont mess up!
I read this thing the other day that was quite funny and quite true, well it says how like people say its cool to travel on your own and you find yourself etc etc and im one of those people that says all that, well they go its bull, and that really your just sitting in your hotel room wondering which mate to ring back home and txt and stuff, and its so true in my case, well its not really friend but its more like a partner but when you dont have one of them then it becomes a friend lol! The best kinda traveling i think is as a couple, because you get to share the memorable moments together and you also hopefully have similar intrests and so get to see everything you want which isnt always the case with mates!

aneway i best leave now, however inshallah ill write again soon!

Asif

Part 2 of the Homelands adventure...

2008-06-22T11:46:00.001-02:00

Ok well I prayed my Friday prayer and took about a gazillion photos which i probably will upload onto facebook.
Anyway after finishing the prayer and taking the photos i tried to find my driver, and with the help of people speaking to my driver I was able to find him, he then took me to the mount of the olives, which wasn’t anything great however the views from the top were breathtaking, where you got to see the whole city, and she the old city walls and the religious sites and tombs it was just amazing!

Then we went to the west bank and drove pretty much straight through security which i thought was a bit odd but then i realised the secuitry didn’t care who goes into the west bank just who comes from it, and its sad as their is no protection. This one guy from Bethleham was telling me that if an Isreali arab had him in his car in occupied Palestine, the isreali arab would get 6 months in prision, a fine and license taking away, he goes its worse to have a Palestine in your car than drugs, and that hit home. Then i saw the much publicised ‘Wall’ and it brought tears almost to my eyes, the messages people wrote saying like ‘you stood by while they built this’ and ‘is anyone watching what is happing’things along these lines, its so heartbraking, people often say its a prison but until you go and see you don’t realise how much, i mean some of the areas look fairly vibrant in the west bank like Bethleham but you go near the boarders and the outskirts and you see exactly what is going on, and the west bank is supposed to be semi-allied with Isreal so to imagine how bad it is in Gaza isn’t even worth mentioning. You feel so helpless and thats probably the worst feeling, it has to offer so much, you have Nazerth and Bethleham truly important sites for Islam and Cristianty and you have other areas where if opened up would be hiving with activity like Rumallah and Hebron but they don’t have that opportunity...

Then when we were leaving the west bank, we went through the security checkpoints and it was so weird seeing the solderis, you have these really young girls who look like proper jewish princess (those from Manchester will know what type im taking about) and they have these massive Guns and security vests, but then when you speak to them you get so infuriated because their just as ‘blonde’ she goes to me wheres ur visa, i go it was on a paper but they took it at the crossing, and she was like why was it on paper (its common for people to get Isreali stamps on a piece of paper as otherwise you wont be able to visit many Muslim countries with an isreali stamp) and all the security personal know the reasons why people ask for a stamp on a paper but their just being difficult. Anyway she then goes does Qatar not like isreal, whyyyy? And i go no they like but then i blagged i had to go to Saudi as well thinking thats obvious, and she goes does Saudi not like Isreal but whyyyy? And i thought u dumb b!tch i very rarely use such words but this was just a joke, and go no they don’t like and i don’t know why and she was like oh, at the end, then her general guy comes and he obviously knew and just said ok.. but its astonishing

Then i went back to my hotel which wasn’t the greatest espec for a supposed 4 star Golden Tulip hotel, its very good for those like me who just came to pray at Al Aqsa as its about a 10 mins walk and so in that sense is a perfect but in any other situation it is a joke! I had to go back anwway as my camera battery died,(like i said a gazillion photos!)
Aneway my plane has been called for Doha so will write the rest back in Doha inshallah...

ASif

Palestine the home land...part 1

2008-06-21T17:54:00.001-02:00

All,

I went to the home land of the main monotheistic faiths in the world (yes, even in Islam, where the land is considered sacred) Jerusalem, it was an experience that i will never forget for so many reasons. Let me tell you from the start because i want to share everything with you all...

Well a taxi came to pick me up at 6.30am and we went to King Hussein Bridge, which is the crossing to Palestine and is right next to the dead sea, there it was fairly straightforward and took about an hour in all to read the Palestian side, however thats where the problems started,..

The dreaded Isreali immigration police came into action and after hearing so much i was expecting the worst so i was pleasantly surprised that it wasn’t so bad, i mean it was bad and in any other situation or country it really wouldn’t have been acceptable but in this country there is not much else you can do. After being interrogated for about 30 mins following an hours weight i was told to weight a further 2 hours whilst the investigated everything i told them, in the end when i finally got my passport back 4 and a half hours had passed!!They wanted to hold me up even further as i went through one gate the next gate asked if i had been spoken to, what a joke , they were proper taking the piss, but the sly thing was they sent out this really nice women they send out who is really pleasant and she asks all the questions in a nice way, so you don’t feel unjust, but man in reflection u feel it! Oh iforgot to say i went through some sort of machine that blew air onto you, it was so weird but they certainly had all the latest technology. Though i spent a lot of time more than most,(prob because of the lebo and Syria part of my trip) this one guy i spoke to he was from South Africa, but looked like a religious Pakistani guy, with the beard, glasses, tupi and the Shalwar, and ask soon as he got of the bus they told him to follow them, forget the machines forget his baggage and they took him to some room and grilled him for time! Whilst his wife and mother in law got the bags and waited, i suppose he shouldn’t have worn what he did but at the same time talk about typecasting someone!

Aneway as I finally left the crossing departure point, someone was waiting for me with a sign with my name and a sick car, so off we went to Jersulam i thought i had missed Friday prayer (the main purpose behind my trip but turned out i was lucky Thank God, as i made it just in time! I was so happy, and felt really blessed as it was the whole point of what I went for...

Aneway im feeling tired so I will write the next part later...

Jordan the Republic of Palestine part 1

2008-06-21T17:53:00.000-02:00

After my time in Syria i went back to Beirut where i was going to join a lebo tour group to Syria however i find out the roads are too dangerous to travel because the day before fighting occurred near the Syrian border between Sunnis and Shias and the tour group felt it was too dangerous to conduct the trip in such a situation.. So i was a bit stuck but slightly relieved as i never been a fan of tour groups purely because of the lack of freedom and the claustrophobic nature i have.

So i booked a flight to Amman, which i don’t regret now as it was an enjoyable experience! :P! Enough said use your imagination! Anyway after arriving and going to the Crowne Plaza, i hit the ‘down town’ and it was actually alot better than i thought, i never been a fan of Jordan, i just thought it didn’t offer much, but after spending a number of days here, i have began to see it in a completely different light. Geographically its in such an interesting position, its land boarders Palestine, Iraq, Saudi and Syria and also has its southern tip near Egypt across the water, its river provides all the water to Palestine and Occupied Palestine and the most impressive thing is that there are 4 million Palestine living in Jordan with a Jordanese passport and only 3 million Jordanese of Jordanese heritage, i think thats really impressive, if only the GCC countries would do something similar to alleviate the problems of the people of Palestine.

Anyway in the downtown area you will see a really dirty and grimey side of Jordan but i would say its one of the best sides, full of culture and commotion, you see all sorts of charachters and can get some real bargains, one of the funniest things was the number of illegal dvd shops there is there its so rife and for a country that’s so pro west its quiet surprising.

I would liken Jordan to Dubai, i think Dubai is the GCC revision of Amman, where it is modern but also trying to keep some Islamic identity however little...

Anyway the next day I went to Jeresh which is like an old Roman town, im not one for stuff like that but it was quite cool, and then went to the dead sea which was really cool, you cant swim for shit there and if you get anything in your eye your proper screwed, however despite all that its an experience that you need to encounter. I went to put the mud stuff on myself which is supposed to be really therapeutic, however i fell in one of the holes that someone made and i cut my knee, however because the water was so salty my wound healed within a few minutes it was amazing!

I was planning on doing other tours in Jordan and take it easy however as i was walking back to my hotel from a morning stroll i saw a travel tour company i went inside and saw they had trips to Palestine, they were really expensive but it was do-able, i was so excited, i transferred some money into my account and went ahead with it, i thought though i planned to do it i should not let this opportunity pass and i didn’t i took it and now i can’t wait to go to the holy land!

Anyway inshallah my next post will be on the holy land...

Syrity of Contrasts

2008-06-19T20:45:00.001-02:00

All,

I would have written during my time in Syria but unfortunately facebook and alot of other webpages were blocked so instead you will be getting a monster post...
Well ill talk about my last days in Beirut, where Dala left on Sunday and we went to an area called Beit Mary, as you can tell from its name a Christian area, and from what i could tell the majority of the Christian neighbour hoods were fairly prominent i wouldn’t want to draw into it, but i don’t find it very surprising from my experience with Muslims as they tend to be so lazy, im one of the them, but if it wasn’t for the natural wealth that God has blessed the Muslims then the wealth of the 1.5 billion muslims in this world will be ridiculously low, i mean if u took the GCC nations wealth out of the equation then you wouldn’t even want to imagine how poor the Muslim world would be...

Anyway onto my trip to Syria, it started off ridiculously early at like 7.30am or something like that! Aneway we drove through some really picturesque scenes on our drive to the boarder. We went through numerous checkpoints, thankfully me and Mohammad managed to make it into Syria and then we went on our way to the Shereton in Damascus, where a collegue of Mohammad was meeting us whos Syrian, and he sepnt the next few days with us taking us out and getting cheap taki fayres and getting cheap Syrian goods!Man the shopping was so good in Syria, i hardly brought a thing in lebo land but in Syria i couldn’t almost stop, i loved it so many little souveniors, and things i didn’t go crazy but i did buy a number of little things!
In the evenings we went to the mountainous areas overlooked the whole city, and if you go up there you will see loads and loads of little green lights and each of those represents a mosque, and i was told Damascus is called the City of a Thousand mosques and i qute lietteraly thing it does have a thousand mosques! However when your up there you will also meet the other sides of Damascus, when loads of families take picnics and bring the kids, but then you will find the dirty side, with a girl coming up to me who asked to have a photo with me who i am sure is a prostitute, then i had an incredibly attractive hijabi girl asking me in Arabic basically “how am i doin” but i didn’t understand so i jus carried on walking, i asked my friend if he thought maybe she was also a prostitute but he said most likely not, and she was just curious to speak to a foreigner. Anyway i never seen such forward behaviour, but it didn’t stop there, one night i was on the internet reading news articles on bbc as i couldn’t sleep in the lobby of the hotel and a women was in the check-in desk and then she turned around a couple of times, then she got up and nodded at me, and then did it again, i thought maybe im missing something, or seeing something that wasn’t there, but she made it clear once she was in the lift with her telling me to get in, clearly i didn’t otherwise i wouldn’t be speaking about it lol! But im saying it to illustrate two things firstly how bad things are in supposedly Islamic states and secondly and more arguably more importantly how desireable i am!:P
Anyway i did like Damascus but i much preferred Lebanon because i think you know what your expecting in Lebanon but in Syria it tries to be something it isn’t like on the surface you see it as a practising Islamic state but in reality, people need to be careful their not mugged, prostitution is rife, alcohol consumption is widespread and it jus seems a much dirtier country..

Aneway i best go as i have a busy few days, but will keep you updated!

Take care

Lebo Land Part 4

2008-06-16T06:43:00.001-02:00

All,
Im writing this in a slight blur from the previous night where i returned to my infamous Red-Bull days for those that witnessed those times of my life will declare that I truly was a mess when i went sick on the Bull...and last night man i was on it!
I went to a show where they perform French, English and Arabic songs and it was a proper Lebo environment, full of everything i love and hate about this country, you had the show-offs the people so up themselves it boarded on the ridiculous, and then you had the care-free loving nation that is epitomised by my friend Dala. I had a good night and hadn’t been to such an environment for a long time, the last concert show thing i went to must have been like Usher or something ridiculous like that.
I keep forgetting to mention what happened at Jummah (Friday prayer), well i went to pray at this famous mosque called Omari, which was formally a Church and turned into a mosque i believe under the Ottomans, it is believed to have Yaya(John the Baptaists) arm in it, and also it had a hair from the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) however this hair was stolen during the civil war. Anyway after the prayer, me and Mohammad went to the man leading the prayer, the Iman to offer peace and blessings and got speaking, turned out he knew some people in the UK that i knew, a guy was there who was filming the prayer and he asked to speak to me, so after speaking to the Sheikh(another word for Imam kind of) i spoke to the film guy, who asked if i minded being part of a film documentary and answer in a few questions and everyone who knows me knows i love my 15mins!So i duly obliged and will inshallah be appearing on a film documentary near you soon!lol!

I am almost ready to go to Syria tomorrow however im pretty nervous though thankfully ill have Mohammad with me, i feel you cant be completely at ease in alot of these countries and you constantly have to be careful, like for example i took a picture of a picture of Nasrallah the Hizbollah leader here that is almost everywhere in the south and I was told that I should delete it incase the police check my pictures and stuff and im thinking come on, firstly im Sunni (sorry to label myself, because i hate it, i prefer to be known as Muslim but i suppose in situations like this its important to make the distinction) and so from what i believe the majority of Sunnis are against him, so that wouldn’t make sense, secondly its jus a photo of a photo and its not like pics of me and him getting wasted on red bull together or anything, i haven’t deleted it as i see it as ridiculous and inshallah it will be otherwise my next post might be from a Syrian or Jordanian prision!lol

Take care

Asif

Lebo Land Part 3

2008-06-16T06:40:00.000-02:00

All,

I am writing this in the car on the way back from sepnding most of th days ip in the mountains, Dala tells me its a very atypical lebo day, and if so this is the side of lebo culture that i admire. I went with Dala, Mohammad and Mohammads mother, Ma’aam as Mohammads has instructed me to call her, which is weird because for friends mothers in my usual culture of indo-bengali its common to call your friends mum as Auntie, so it feels a bit weird. Anyway regardless of what I call her, I think shes brilliant! So friendly and welcoming, you hear of Arab hospitality but you really see it with her and her family. Mohammad has a house in a small village called Ainab which is in the mountains of Lebanon, and his whole family come here every weekend and Dala told me her family do the same, the Grandparents kinda own the homes but all the children from all sides of the family come and its a really family atmosphere, and the spend the whole day from young to old, eating, smoking shisha, playing badminton, walking about and just talking.
I saw so many animals, one hell of a scary dog that surprising to me Dala was less scared than me but then again for the people who have seen me with dogs will know how shit scared i get! There were rabbits, roosters and rumours of snakes though im pretty sure Mo was referring to Jts infamous reference to snakes...
I went camera crazy today as did Dala and ended up takingover 200 photos in the space of a few hours which boarders on the ridiculous really lol but there was jus so many wicked photos to be had, especially ones captain the animated Lebanese characters!
I also met this guy whos Mohammads friend who was a Maronite and then reverted to Islam. He had some stories and told me how he couldn’t tell his parents at first and that even now 12 years on they don’t acknowledge it and he has to becareful who seems him at the mosque, inshallah the effort he is putting in will be rewarded because it seems like he has alot tribulations. HE told me it took his brother who is also a revert to speak to him for only 3 days of talking with his brother to believe he was following what wasn’t right for him and what is right for him, its reallt amazing always to speak to reverts, as they are often so passionate but the ones i met in the UK have most of the time don’t need to hide their new faith but in a country which is so divided by what is in your heart that any betraly in this aspect really is like a death curcse!

Aneway I best go but will keep u updated inshallah as I head to Syria in a couple of days!

Lebo Land Part 2

2008-06-14T07:34:00.002-02:00

The second instalment in my lebo adventures and its been as eventful as my previous few days! I am currently at a internet cafe that serves shisha and gives the net for free while u smoke! U got to love it!

Well the food i been munching has been excellent, i suppose living in Qatar has built me up quite well for my desire of Lebanese food obviously with the addition of my frequential visits to Edgewear road. Talking of which, it really has gone down hill with the smoking ban, even with the beautiful weather that London and the uk is experiencing i feel its lost its edge. Whereas i feel east London has stepped up in particular brick lane/Shoreditch, where i had bare jokes with Jay during my one night in London before my levant travels.
Also after spending several days on Whilmslow road in Manchester i am convinced more than ever is being colonised by the Arabs, its becoming almost a epidemic!I mean soon it was easily be 50-50 with the Indian restaurants, which for me is a shame as i was brought up with that being the asian playground and its sad to see it being shared with others...
Right i been away since the above, and now im in a downtown restaurant cafe, in a blistering Saturday midmorning heat, its so french, yet with the Azan playing in the blackground thats what i love about this land of mixed relgions!

Aneway im off to the mountains for lunch!

Lebo Land Part 1

2008-06-14T07:33:00.000-02:00

All,

I thought I would do some more on the blog and keep you all updated on my Levant Travels, well I arrived into Beirut almost 2 days ago, and it’s been non-stop really, from the moment of successfully securing a visa and meeting Dala and Mohammad at the airport to me writing this whilst watching Croatia hammer the Germans.
I arrived at night, and after dropping my stuff off at Mohammad’s I made my way with Moe and Dala to Beirut downtown and I found a city that is truly of vast contrasts. One minute will be driving by some beautiful European esque grand building then I’ll be next to some shacks that wouldn’t look out of place in my mothers homeland of Bangladesh...Then I’ll be looking at this grand beautiful mosque, which will be placed next to Church that if I wasn’t mistaken has a twin in Western Europe!
Today I had the freshest fish I have had in a long time and it was so nice, we went to this seaside town in the south of Lebanon near the Israel boarder, the food was just amazing and the people in the south were really nice, I was surprised I mean I heard they were nice in the south but they really were, and man the people were so beautiful, not just the girls but the guys as well, I know it might sound gay, but I’m just saying this lebo land is FULL of good looking people! I fit quite nicely in lol!! It’s like everywhere I’m looking there is a hottie around the corner, however in Beirut is where you meet the lebos u know and hate, where they are very unapproachable to like I’m approaching I’m jus enjoying my time with my friends but I been witnessing it.
To be honest the biggest thing I noticed was how all the different fractions get on and the role the army is playing in the country with all the checkpoints! Today I saw some of the UNfil people and tanks and was quite cool but scary to think that presence was around, thats the problem I have with lebo-land with all these constant reminders I’m not in safe hands, it makes u feel slightly trapped, and though those who live here think it’s great that the police and army have checkpoints and are around most corners but it just shocks me to c such a military presence in civil situations.
Anyway I better head out but inshallah I will write again soon...

Reversion...

2008-03-29T15:33:00.004-03:00

All,

As I watch the destruction of Villa by Man utd, all i can think of is how i love Rooney, its jus his commitment his passion and his love for the game, how can you not love the guy! I would love it if he was muslim, then he would have respect all around and not just for his skills in football.

What i am saying is not disrespectful to non-muslims on the contradictory i am praising people regardless of their origins,its more about having a profound respect on people who revert, (not convert, as in Islam we believe all people are born innocent and if they were to continue to grow in a natural state without being affected by worldly things like society, family) as they managed to find what I believe to be the truth whereas people like me were given it on a silver platter and manage to waste it...

Aneway lets just say its my dream to one day call wayne rooney my brother....in Islam..

Returnin to my roots on the day of Jummah...

2008-03-28T05:36:00.003-03:00

All,

I have just got back from a 3 hour early morning session of fishing, i caught my first ever fish on my own, i was so proud and happy.

It was easier in some ways than i imagined, as i thought it would be a lot more complex trying to get the fishing rod ready and getting fish, however the hard part was actually not getting the fish but getting the fish out of the water. I got 2 fish altogether and i got a further 2 more, however as i tried to pull them up i couldnt do it, and they got away, it was so annoying, However i think it will become part of my daily,

Now i am off to friday prayer, which is one of my favorite moments of the day...

I just got back from a mad rushed prayer, I normally pray at this mosque called fanaar which i beleive translates to light house, however i maybe wrong, anyway today i couldnt make it as i was bumming about after fishing, and started watching face-off, i know lame reason, aneway i went to a few mosques but they all had jus finsihed friday prayer, then i drove past one of the largest mosques in doha, ABu Bakr al Siddiqui mosque and fortunatly they had just started so i tried to find parking but i couldnt as it was packed out, so what i love bout this country is that it stops for prayer, and so i just parked up like loads of other people in the middle of the road and jus started praying, no worries bout traffic wardens jus raggoah parking, u got to love it!

Aneway im off to football now...

I just got back from football we played in the searing heat, it was a good game then ended with my team losing by 3 goals, however i set up 3 of our goals and in the dying seconds I had a 30 yard shot saved off the line, which would have caped a wonderful display!! lol! if i say so myself!

Its only 3.30pm and I have done so much already...

So I am back and its the end of my favourite day of the week, after my last writing, i went and had a shower and had an Arabic class with my teacher Mohammad, who incidently has become like my new sidekick, as we have a lot of common interests mainly pro evo and footy so we been spending alot of time together. Which is even more surprising since he is from Lebanon, which is one my most disliked countries in the respect the people who come from it and so for me to like him is quiet amazing.

Aneway then I spent the evening jud chillin and it was really nice, especially as i had previous night, as i was getting through some personal stuff, and i didn’t manage to sleep very well but inshallah (God willin)

Aneway thats enough for today inshallah ill write again soon...

So I am back and its the end of my favourite day of the week, after my last writing, i went and had a shower and had an Arabic class with my teacher Mohammad, who incidently has become like my new sidekick, as we have a lot of common interests mainly pro evo and footy so we been spending alot of time together. Which is even more surprising since he is from Lebanon, which is one my most disliked countries in the respect the people who come from it and so for me to like him is quiet amazing.

Aneway then I spent the evening jud chillin and it was really nice, especially as i had previous night, as i was getting through some personal stuff, and i didn’t manage to sleep very well but inshallah (God willin)

Aneway thats enough for today inshallah ill write again soon...

Another week passes by...

2008-03-22T12:50:00.003-03:00

All,

Its been a pretty hectic week for me since my last post, well I started a new Islamic study circle on Tuesday nights at my house, which had its first speaker on tuesday and i hope inshallah (God willing) that it will continue and not fade out like so many other things i start much to my own fault as well as the people who are part of the group or event...well heres hoping.

I been also planning my holidays this summer, now that my life has been forced to take a profound meaning and way, at present im in the search of that new way, however i have come up with some possible solutions or things that i would like to do with my life, one of which is to complete an MBA, visit Al-Aqsa and pray a friday prayer there, drive from Doha to London, and thats jus some of the intital targets I have had or ways to find some fullfillment in my life, i know there is no real fullfillement in life without love, and that Love is found for me with God, the Prophets and my family. I have the first two not to the extent i would like but i do, but i dont have the third, which may surprise some, but i dont mean my parents and sister but i mean my own family where im the head of the family however i have no idea when i will reach this target or part of my life...

Talking of love, and relationships, well I know in my relgion it states its wrong to go out with a girl/guy of even socialise with the opposite sex in a playful way, i understand the reasoning behind this and its a preventative measure to ensure that illicit relations to not start and therefore sex before marriage does not occur, however its not so black and white and relationships are very difficult, I was listening to an Islamic CD where it was stating how because of complexities in our society and traditions means that getting a marriage is a lot harder than it used to be and so people are bound to go into relationships because of the situation which doesnt make it right but at least there is reasoning behind it...I will elaborate more soon on this topic especially as its so close to my heart...

Take care

Asif

Islamic View on Judging and Hardships...

2008-03-15T12:44:00.002-03:00

All,

It is hard sometimes to not Judge and when we do judge its even harder to judge in a positive manner as we are so often to quick to say this person is like or this person is like that...Especially when it goes to think this person has it easy or hard. Hardship can be found in many different ways, not just monetary but also in terms of friendship and relationship...

Someone sent the below to me which may help you to understand how Judging and hardship should be seen in Islam:

The Prophet (saw) said, "On the Day of Judgement the Scales will be placed
and the people of prayer will be brought forward and they will be
compensated according to the Scales; then the people of fasting will be
brought forward and they will be compensated according to the Scales; then
the people of hajj will be brought forward and they will be compensated
according to the Scales; and then the people afflicted with hardships and
calamities [in the dunya] will be brought forward and the Scales will not
be used for them nor will their records be brought out, and they will be
given their reward without any account, so much so that the people who used
to be free of worries and calamities would wish that they were in their
position, such is the immensity of their reward from Allah the Exalted."

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

Umar (ra) said, "I swear by Allah! I have never been tested by hardship
except that Allah bestowed upon me due to it four blessings - the first is
that I was not tested through a sin; the second, that the hardship was not
greater than it was; the third, I wasn't deprived of being contented with
it; the fourth, I hope that I will be rewarded for it."

- both from Imam Ibn Hajr's book on Preparing for the Day of Judgement.

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

When we look at those who are achieving all that they wish for, we should remember the verse in the Quran that tells us - their enjoyment may not benefit them, in fact it may be the greatest loss that they experience. In the next life, or even years from now, you will realise that the way things happened was so much better for you than the way they could have happened. As for the resulting bitterness you may feel right now, I know it may not seem like it at the moment, but every trial places within us a humility and a sense of detachment from the world, which reminds us of who we truly are, and what place we have in the universe. Strength can only develop in your character when you go through difficult times, and these times are preparing you and making you a stronger, more resilient, wiser and mature human being inshaAllah. If any person hurts us, if a thorn pricks us, we are the ones rewarded. You are being granted many precious gifts by the grace of Allah. Every moment of sadness brings us closer to Allah, and we are reminded that He tests those whom He loves. What could be more precious than the love of our Creator.

Adios for now...

The Balance of Life...Karma vs God.

2008-03-12T07:33:00.003-03:00

All,

Well last night saw Liverpool qualify for the Champions League and Inter, oh my beloved Inter get knocked out, i was so annoyed, they got someone sent off in both legs for some gay referee decisions, but that happens all the time and though it does annoy me you can benefit, like Utd got screwed on Saturday against Portsmouth but the ref and linesman saved us against Tottenham last year with that goal that was disallowed even though it went over the line... So much like life i believe things in football eventually even themselves out...

I dont know how Islam and Karma fit intogether but i believe myself that everything you do and happens to you will result in a consequence, like for example if I steal some money den i think at some point in my life i will lose that or greater sum of money, by such means as a bad investment, physical loss, its stolen from me as well, it can be anything however the difference i think between Islam and Karma is that Islam deems that as being God being Just whereas Karma believes its the universe in action... so like this i would never cheat on someone as i feel someone could cheat on me and i would hate that and as far as i know noone has so i been blessed at least in that department! lol blessed as in cheating is so common now days...at least in my walk of life...

So there you have it for today...take care

Start of something special...

2008-03-11T17:36:00.002-03:00

All,

I have muchos to say about my life and where it is at the moment but i do not want to get into it to much not aqll now but slowly over time, i have decided to try to write at least once a week on the blog which wont be as hardcore as it used to be where i used to do 9 a month, not with all my restrictions on my time...

So I jus got back from my rest and relaxation trip and a lot happened in it, and i did alot of things and my life though in many ways seems in tatters seems more certain on things and i feel i have much more direction in my life despite being in a precarious position in some aspects of my life...

aneway enuff for now, i will expand next time...

24 and counting inshallah

2007-10-20T18:48:00.000-02:00

All, I celebrated my 24th birthday on thursday, it was a fairly quiet bday by my party ways but i had a good time and guess it reflected the new me! aneway i still do not have tbe net properly and i am still in the uk, however upon my return to doha, the blogmaster will be returning properly!!

Guess whos back

2007-10-16T17:49:00.000-02:00

Hallllllo da,

I'm back, however not as frequently as i used to be, aneway i will be writing inshallah again on my 24th birthday so watch this space!!

Take care

Asif

I thought I fucked my life up again when i was 19

2007-06-30T18:59:00.000-02:00

Ok you would think after my experience when i was 17 it wouldnt happen again but then 1st yr of uni happened and here it went all over again, i was wasting my life away except this time no1 was around to tell me, so it got worse, however lucky for me I wasnt on the right degree for me, and so by chance it worked out and i switches and now thank Allah i have managed to get a grip of my life once again and this time its firmly on the ground....

There you have it the life of Sheikh Asif Mahmood

I fucked up my life when I was 17

2007-06-30T18:56:00.000-02:00

For those who didnt know me back then, i majorly fucked up my life, I got decent GCSES after being on the road to medioreism, then at teh start of lower 6th when most people are canning the work to get good offers for uni i was fuckin about, and jus wasting my life away, and came very close to getting thrown out of MGS, thank Allah i didnt and manage to get my life back on track, but it was easily one of the worst years of my life....

Mr UCL-Qatar

2007-06-30T18:51:00.000-02:00

You might be interested in looking at the Qatar page in the
international students' section of the UCL website:
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/prospective-students/international-students/country-information/middle-east/qatar/

Enough Said....

Mr Construction

2007-06-30T18:44:00.000-02:00

I am an official Construction Ambassador appointed by the Construction Industry Train Board (CITB) which is a government initive to get people involved into Construction, and I am one of the Ambassadors!

Footy Legend

2007-06-30T18:30:00.000-02:00

Now many of you would believe this but I played for Man Utd when i was VERY young lol like 6-7 for this Man Utd schools, I received awards and stuff, i got them all locked up and still however then i found choclate ecclairs and the rest my friends is history...

Allow the old titles

2007-06-30T18:26:00.000-02:00

Man I cant stand doing the now this is qatar titles and im sure you guys hate it, from now on i promise no more titles! Now over the next 5 posts and this (6 in total i will reveal something about myself that you may or may not know)

1) I am a qualified English Teacher (well TEFL) I passed the course last year, and I have taught in China and am now teaching here in Qatar as part of a voluntary thing with work.

There you have it!

R+R 2

2007-06-28T05:03:00.000-02:00

All,

I have returned supposedly rested and relaxed though i got little of both whilst I was back in the UK, i did have a awesome time though! I dont understand people who say like if they were loaded like from a lottery they would continue to work, the best thing is when you can jus go out do what you want and when you want and dont worry about things like fiances or when you got to be in bed for or wake up for, thats what R+Rs are like, i just do what i want and when i want and its so liberating and as im working i dont need to really worry bout the finances!

Anyway will update more later on!

Adios

Now Thats What I Call Qatar 74: The 250million pound man

2007-06-03T17:00:00.000-02:00

Its only one and half weeks till im back in blighty!

So you maybe wondering who is this 250 million pound man? well its none other than ur author...and why u may ask, well let me give you some history, New Doha International Airport is a huge project, on of the biggest in the world, and unlike most airports or goverment projects everything is to the top end of the spectrum. The project is split into 2 areas(which are further split into 2 more sections so thers 4 sections altogether), and of those sections, the project is further split into buildings or functions/services (such as passgenger terminal, security, labour compound, land reclamation etc) anyway I have 5 packages which have been awarded and in the administration stage, which is the most for my my Area and the value of my projects totals around 250 million pounds which is the second most for my error, when i found out i was shocked!

I mean here i am 23 years old, not even one year out of university, and im managing 250million pounds worth of work its incredible and a true testament in how my company trusts its employees. DOnt get me wrong there are plenty of things i have problems with, however in this aspect I think for people heading out of univeristy should look to companies that really do trust each of there employees and not see the younger staff as soley assistants to the older members...

Aneway im off to pray then sleep

Au-revoir

Asif

Now Thats What I Call Qatar 73: Live for the Weekend

2007-06-01T21:19:00.001-02:00

Hola,

This is the weekend here in Doha, its my 'Saturday night'i know its friday, but as were one day ahead its like my saturday, aneway. I used to think i would hate working life hwen i was young i would really dread it, however im surprisingly enjoying it. I mean i know you have to work hard all week but the weekend is the highlight is for the weekend. I used to think about how in England everyone lives for the weekend, and in the typical english sake the piss up, however im understanding the love for the weekend alot more!

Aneway i best enjoy the rest of my weekend and will let u know on sunday wot i got up to this weekend!

Adios

Asif

Now Thats What I Call Qatar 72: iREST is the future

2007-05-31T16:14:00.000-02:00

Hola its the end of may and all I can say is im glad!

ITs been fuckin busy, fuckin crazy but in a way i loved it because today is the day i found the chair of my dreams...

Google iRest its SICK!

Aneway im off!

Bye

Now Thats What I Call Qatar 71: The Next Tiger Woods...

2007-05-30T18:50:00.000-02:00

All,

In the continuing evolution of my self and my life, I have joined the Marriott gym to improve a health and social life, I went for the first time today, it was awesome, the pool wasnt freezing but warm when you went in, and the jacuzzi was really enjoyable, I havent been in one for ages. Im not sure about the steam rooms, generally it makes me feel really uncomfortable,I know its supposed to be good for you but i just feel so off... Then come the most crazy aspect of the gym the cold plunge, it was freaking freezing, unbelievable, I just cant believe those people in the Russia who go swimming in ice pools, you jump in and everything just starts attacking u, unbelievable....

Also I have signed up for some extremely expensive golf lessons, i will hopefully pick up the basics, its the ultimate coporate tool, and everyone knows it, however i also think its quite a relaxing sport and different to footy so provides a nice contrast to my life...

Finally I jus heard Utd have almost signed two new players, at least in principle, and will add some much needed colour in the team :P! only joshin!

Aneway walikum salam

Asif

Now that's What I call Qatar 70: Innuendo

2007-05-30T10:38:00.000-02:00

I was pointed out by some of my readers the coincidence of my last post, with it being 69 and me talking bout SEXism, hahaha! some people, well they just never grow up!

However these types of Innuendos occur all the time, and more often than not there funny, but sometimes it causes people real discomfort.

The reason im talking bout this, is because a collegue of mine has just moved here and is finding it hard to fit in, and often it is sometimes its hard to make approprite jokes to people, like for some people they will love sexual innuendos whilst others hate it, or racist humour whilst others hate it...

Its often hard to find what people can accept when you meet them for the first time, that is why being tolerant and knowledgable about people is the best way to settle into anywhere you go. I have traveled but not a huge amount but if you are tolerant and knowledgeable i have found more often than not you can land on your feet!

Pretty random things to speak about but its been on my mind!

Aneway au-revoir..

Asif

Now Thats What I Call Qatar 69: Sexism

2007-05-29T16:28:00.000-02:00

I have wondered often about how in this world sexism affects us, in some ways im in favor of it, and in other ways im against it. Ill give some examples of where I think it can change or stay the same...

I mean in the work place, it if often you see men with the top jobs and you see women with the administer or secretarial jobs, however I feel there is no reason for this to happen and often in work when you do have a manager who is a women you do notice they can come in two varieties, one which is super macho to make up for the oestragen, and the really sensitive/nice ones, who in my opinon make a really good manager and make a good contrast to usual managers...

Sexism also occurs in our attitudes to life,where its ok for women to do certain things like be a housewife but its not ok for a man to be a househusband, its really upsetting how people arent free to live there lives in ways they want.

Its ok for a guy to be with as many girls as possible but if a girl does shes a hoe, if a guy smokes weed its cool if the girl does it its skanky...the list goes on, i mean if my son and daughter did it, i guess i would take the prejucidice of it, and be ok with my son and not so with my daughter, i dont know why but i guess we will always have those prejudices. However when it comes to others like my friends, i dont view my female friends who are off with guys as hoes, or anything like that, and if i have done something who am i to view it as bad on another person and even when I havent done it, i shouldnt look down...but its all too tempting and you need strong will to not become so judgemental...

Sexism will always be around, and as a guy im often going to have sexism in my favour, and in my selfish nature i love it!

I know its a pretty random topic but i been thinking about it alot, and just have become so aware of it with work and with my social life..

Aneway adios

Asif

Now Thats What I Call Qatar 68: Donde Esta Stormies Princess

2007-05-28T17:59:00.000-02:00

All,

Ok guys, I have to admit im pretty bummed with life, well not life, as its odd to be honest, as my life is actually quite good masallah, however with the whole parents thing and Shamina, its jus getting ridiculous, i have to put a face of happiness on the world whilst inside im full of horrible dilemmas, which very little people understand, and the slightest wrong move in these situations could be decisions you later regret for the rest of your life, its disgusting the feeling the regret that you make one move tthis way, or one move that way, you dont know the consequence of your choices, until its often to late...

I havent been to specfic and I dont intend to be except my mind is really confused with everything....

Anyway adios

Asif

Now Thats What I Call Qatar 67: Donde Esta Stormy

2007-05-25T20:40:00.000-02:00

Well well, where indeed is stormy, many of u have been emailing!

Well i appoligize for my absense and will be making it up shortly, i havent been up to much except working my tiny in my eyes yet rather large to the other humans eye ass off!

I have a friend visiting me in Doha, Matt Khallumadi ( i spelt his name wrong on purpose :P) aneway pretty cool, as hes my 1st friend to come out here, and so is nice him meeting all my new collegues and friends, its pretty late now, but i will post on sunday inshallah.

Take care

Asif

Now thats What I call Qatar 66: Leaving Qatar

2007-05-10T06:51:00.000-02:00

Im in the silver club lounge about to leave doha, my flight jus got called, im not feelin the flight! i cant decide if im going to sleep or watch films and mope about how i wish i had already landed, aneway take care i will be arriving in 8 hours inshallah!

Asif

Now Thats What I Call Qatar 65: FPL

2007-05-09T18:39:00.000-02:00

Now I know alot of my blogs are football centric and for many of you thats boring, however I cannot make appologizes for it, as football truly is a big part of my life! I love playing, watching it on tv, watching it live just amazing! Im watching chelsea vs man utd, with their second teams, its actually a good game, not so much technically but fiesty, and their has been a load of yellow cards and almost reds...

Aneway Fantasy premier league is like my herorin/cocaine call it wot u want im addicited, i would ring Bilal or Asaker or Baqer or Fern or James or anyone really and find out how my teams are doing, when i watch the games here in Qatar i would be watching it with the computer next to me to see how I am doing, i know how sad this might make me seem, but its the truth im a addict i jus love it!
It all stems from my pre-teen days at the Championship manager camp, wheree I would spend about 20 hours of the day at the computer playing a game for weeks to months on end, and I would treat it like a science, it was unbelievable the dedication I had and I have carried that forward to FPL now, and im not ashmed of it, I jus love it!

Aneway i best go and pack, I will let u know where i finish up in the league!

Take care

Asif

Now Thats What I Call Qatar 64: CHAMPIONES!!

2007-05-06T18:39:00.000-02:00

Da u have it, Champions of England, and though we aint gig to be champions of europe, i can take it this year! We are two short of Liverpools record of 18 championships, however I think in the next 3 years or so will equal their record...

We defintiely have the foundations in place, Edwin can be replaced by Ben Foster, and the rest of the team is good for the next 2-3 years or so, with hopefully Gerad Pique and Guisepe Rossi coming through the future is bright the future is RED!!

Aneway i been fairly absent in the last week,however will be updating a couple times before i fly off to england, this thursday! where im doubting ill be able to update my amazing blog that much!!

Adios for now!

Asif

Now Thats What I Call Qatar 63: It's da end of the month however no rent is due...

2007-04-30T17:14:00.000-02:00

All,

Well its the end of the month, and were almost in May, i cant believe it,a third of the year down, jus two thirds left, however when your working their isnt like something to look forward to so much, i mean whats the difference between 2007 and 2008,its just like when your in education each year is a progression to something however here the time scale is nothing and their is no beginging or end...

I have been putting in a hell a lot of effort in my work over the last few months, and as a reward they gave me even more work. its ironic, the harder work the more work you get, however i can honestly say i do enjoy my work, i never thought i would, as when i was growing up i hated all my work experiences and summer jobs, i seldom liked them however i do now!!

Tonight I went to a place called Qatar Guest Centre, you can google it, and its a place for bascially english speaking muslims and non-muslims to go and learn about Islam, its a really good place, and I might enrol in a calss, however im always worried about being trying to press their own beliefs on me, and that includes fellow muslims, i maybe dont follow Islam as I maybe should, and im aware of that, however i jus get touchly and think relgion really is a personal matter and i cant understand why people try to make people think otherwise..

Aneway im off to bed now..its quite late and i dont get much sleep these days cuz of the stupid construction site near my house keeps everyone up in my building, so its not the best conditions to put in a 12 hour day!

aneway adios

Asif

Now Thats What I Call Qatar 62:Shamina Update

2007-04-27T09:42:00.000-02:00

All,

Its a boiling hot Saturday, sorry i mean Friday, here in Qatar, im so scared of what is going to happen this summer the heat is going to unbearable, Shamina cant stand the heat and i would hate to think of what she would think of the weather this summer...

Well bout Shamina, its still very much in the air, no decisions have been made by my family, we have slightly more progressive talks, when my mum came, there was some testing conversations however if anything brought me and my mum closer together...we had a really good time when she was here. I hadnt really spent quality time with my mother for about the last 5 years, however we spent a good month togehter, reminded me of how valuable my mum is for me and all shes done for me, this made it harder for me to decide between my parents and shamina...

Its really ridiculous how someone has to make a choice like parents and a partner, i know im not alone in this choice, and for many young people from the Indian Sub-Contient, and Muslims of all origins they are from my knowledge having this problem,its such a shame as their is no problem within Islam for being biased on where somone is from, colour of skin, and for a man they can marry anyone of the book ( ie Christian, Muslim or Jew) and for a girl she should marry a Muslim( reason being the father usually dictates the families relgion, however in Judiasm they beleive its the mother that dictates and you can only be considered a Jew if your mother is a Jew). Well anyway in me and Shamins case were both muslim so their should really be a problem but oh wel their is at the moment but iA it will be resolved...

Im coming back next month with the little hope that we can get things back on track, and i will let you all know, however this summer is going to be key, as Shamina will be going to Bangladesh, and so there will be pressure on her if nothing happens between us for her to get married, so that is why something HAS to happen...

Well aneway i best go and bask in sun as its going to be sunset soon, take care...

Asif

Now Thats What I Call Qatar 61: There is only one Ronaldo no fuck THAT THERE IS ONLY ONE ROOOOOOOONEY

2007-04-24T16:56:00.000-02:00

Well we have started and man utd jus scored, i really freakin luv Ronaldo, however jus as im writing this fcukin Kaka jus scored twice, and now were losing, 2-1, i cant belive it,im so upset...from pure ectasy im on a complete downer...

Well let me tell u all about the wonderful world of Contracts...for those of you who dont know what I actually do for a living, I am officially a Contract Administrator, which officially means I am supposed to administer the contracts by analysisng the payments of the contract which I am invovlved in, chair progress meetings which occur every week to discuss how well the contractor is doing and what else needs to be done, and i have to manage any changes made to the contract which is actually very often normally in Construction. This is because the end-user often changes their mind on what they want or there are surprises when you build something(like finding something historical underground which means u have to build elsewhere) , things like this will result in a change in scope and mean the contractors entitled to usually more money or more time to cmoplete their project...

In addition to this role, my primary role is a Contract Formulator, where before someone is chosen to do the project I am incharge or choosing which contractor does the contract. So I write up the contract and then send it to different companies to bid for the contract, they then submit a technical and commerical bid after a lengthy process of going back and forth answering Tenderers (the name for potential contractors

SOrry but fuck me ROOOOOONEY come on, he jus scored a beautifull worked goal, were battering the itallien bastards now...I CANT STAND AC MILAN, aaaaahhhhrrrrrgggg we cant lose to the punks...

Aneway back to the exciting world of Contracts, so they submit their Tender Bid and we analyse the Technical first and make sure they are technicaly compliant, and we assess which is the best technically. Then after a bit of back and forth and clarifying what the tenders have put in their bid, we finally recommmend which one is the best to the client/end user...Then we open the Commerical Tender and see which Tender can do it for the best price, this is not always the cheapest as it depends what the client is after,aneway depending on the requirements of the Client we make a final recommendation and then negotitate with the tender certain terms in the contracts (cross the T's and dot the I's as some would say) and for this whole process i bascially administer that!!

So there you have it welcome to my world!

Now back to UTds whopping of AC Milan, we are pissing on em at the moment, i would end this entry but i want to wait til the match is over, iA we will get another goal, we freakin deserve it!

COOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOME ON!!!! Rooooooooooney legend scores a beauty, in my excitement i hit the off button on the power cord however i luckily managed to save it! ohhhhh man im jus pumped how da fcuk will i sleep tonight??????

Well adios

Asif

Now Thats What I Call Qatar 60: What Fitness?

2007-04-23T14:56:00.000-02:00

All,

Well its Monday Evenin here in Doha, im about to go swimming at my friends pool,im jus watchin Lost as i write this, a lot of people think its gone downhill,however i beg to differ, its become more familar but that is more to do with continuity, and now the initial shock factor of the show has gone it relies on more thought proving story lines, and not as much waiting around (ie a little more faster paced now)

I just got backed from swimming, in my effort to get fit im really trying hard,however for some reason i cant and its the most infuriting thing, sometimes i think when you get to a certain age/fitness level, their is no going back, i dont know if that is true, but for me im not seeing a big difference and its really annoying. However I think maybe all the swimming and the football im playing is at least helping my cardio and therefore my heart and lungs etc!

Tommorrow is the Man Utd vs Ac Milan game, im shitting it, i mean after wot we did to Roma I should be confident. however they nullfied us 2 years ago and Ac Milan can control any game i cant wait anyway! ill be writing tomorw as the game is being played...

Aneway take care

Asif

Now Thats What I Call Qatar 59: WTF is goin on!

2007-04-21T17:04:00.000-02:00

All,

I jus witnessed the biggest bullshit ever,man Utd drew with middlesborough,its a joke, it means chelsea hav the chance of getting the title,im getting so nervous....

Well on a lighter note, my fantasy football had a decent week, I could still do a lot better,its so exciting the last few weeks of the season, the last 7-8 months comes down to like 3 weeks, its a phenomenal feeling but leaves you so bitter when it al goes pear-shaped..

Well my weekend, i played football on Thursday,and scored a fantastic Van-Basten-esque, where i volleyed the ball from one corner of the area to the other side of the top corner of the goal, it was fantastic, i aint scored a beauty like that for ages...

After footy, I went home and got ready for my footy managers leaving party, which was fun, and a very expat affair...it all ended with everyone putting 10 Riyals for killer pool,which is where u have one shot to get a ball if you miss you lose a life, and you have three lives in total, its a really kool game, and good when you have a lot of people.

Then on Friday, I went to Friday prayer, and headed to a supermarket, before going for a swim in the blazing sun!Shortly after I wen to the Diplomatic club for a dinner for all Commerical Bank employees,(in Qatar all the major companies have at least once usually twice a year family fun days, where all employees and their familes are treated to a huge dinner and kinda party, usually at one of the 5* hotels, we had ours in November)well aneway that was good, i had some wicked food!lol

Anyway I have to go so will write more later...

Take Care

Asif

Now Thats What I Call Qatar 58: Bon Anniversie

2007-04-18T18:13:00.000-02:00

All,

Today is my 34 month anniversary with Shamina, its been a incredible journey with many twists and turns and more than likely their will be plenty more to come!

A lot of the people I work with are in relationships with their partners/wives back home, whereever they are from, my family is the same, and i guess i am used to it, but to others who are not it seems so weird. I guess it kinda depends on what you value and what you want from life. Clearly you tend to have a better quality of life when working abroad, and if your family doesnt come, you usually get more holidays, so though you dont spend day to day with your family, you have more opportunity to spend quality time with your family. SOmeone i met out here, told me how he used to work mad hours in the UK and never got to see his family, however now that he has come here, he seems them so much more now, and at first i ddint quite understand,however now being here I do see how one can ironically spend more time with the family than actually living with the family.

Also as side note, i think where i am is amazing placed in the world, in terms of traveling, its so wel placed, between Europe and Asia and so you can do alot of weekend trips to England, or Bangladesh/India...

Chelsea just beat West Ham 4-1, though i have little love for West Ham, (the only love I do have is, cuz their from East London and Shamina is from their) I wish they had jus done better, im so pissed, however my fantasy football had a fantastic week, well happy with that!lol!(cloud...silver lining!)

So tomorw is the weekend, cant freakin wait, I will be writing more this weekend,

Take care

Asif

Now that What I call Qatar 57: The Middle East Provst

2007-04-16T12:40:00.000-02:00

Dear All,

Its been a hectic time as I have emphasised and witnessed by my lack of entries, things will not be getting much better either but I will perserve, their is a lot I have to to speak about and alot on current affairs I want to discuss...its soo so time consuming!

I have also tried to become a lot mroe health concious, in terms of exercising, and spend time swimming 3-4 times a week, as well as playing footy and table tennis, however i have yet to give up on the DELICIOUS food they have here in Doha, for such a small place the amount of quality good is astounding. It really is, their isnt the greatest variation however the quality is good of what they have.

I am planning my trips back to the UK and Kuwait(to see my dad) and will hopefully hjave two nice trips seeing my family and friends...

well thats it for me, ohhh a couple of news updates I am currently trying to start up a Muslim Expat in Qatar Association (MEQA) and if anyone knows any western muslims in Qatar that would like to join let me know....

Also I have been appointed by my university, UCL, as being the International Recruitment Volunteer for the Qatar/Middle East region! im pretty proud of that!

Aneway take care of yourselves

Asif

Now thats What I call Qatar 56: When in Rome act like Valencian...

2007-04-10T18:22:00.000-02:00

All,

Watching Man utd vs Rome, man utd were winning 4-0 at home, now its 6-0 and jus became 6-1. Unbelievable stuff. Chelsea are drawing 1-1 the bastards, I want them out yet at the same time, if they go out they can concerntrate on the league and that could be problems for man utd especially as we still have to play em, however chelski still have to go to arsenal which isnt much these days..

Chelski jus scored the fcukin scum, im watchin it with a romanian friend, he said i shud be proud that English teams are in the semis but i jus dislike em, i have no national pride when it comes to english teams that are in direct competetion with utd...

Well their u have it were in the sems and we win 7-1 i cant belive it its like a rugby score!

As regards to fantasy football as I mentioned i just flopped, i went back for R+R and i jus seriously fcuked up, however i have found my bearings once again and im going for a late surge up the table, its going to be very tough, however I think I can do it,especially with the team that im building!

So there u have it Manchester united in the semis, i cant believe it, inshallah, we can do it! With Chelsea matching man utd step for step then its going to go to the wire, for all three competitions, if this seasons goes to form, then man utd and Chelsea will be playing each other 3 times in like 2 weeks,to decide the competitions!

Its al jus getting too intense, I cant believe it, aneway take care and basque in the glory that is Manchester United...and iA Knutsford Knights(my fantasy premier league team)...

Asif

Now Thats What I call Qatar 55:Last Day with Mum

2007-04-06T20:30:00.000-02:00

Hey,

Well I jus dont have much time these days, and like my last entry this will be very a lackluster attempt...My mum will be leaving later today (today being 2.30 in the mornin on Saturday the 7th, here in Qatar)

I have had a lot of work and with my responsibilities at work increasing at a incredible rate and with my mum being here, its jus impossible to do the 9 a month blog entries, however with mum leaving the void will be filled with stormy786!!

Aneway I will be starting to write properly in a few days, so expect some entries at some point!

Aneway take care

Asif

Now thats What I call Qatar 54: The last day of March

2007-03-30T20:01:00.000-02:00

Dear All,

I am going to give a lame edition right now,and i wont deny it its because im so tired and with my mum being here and work just pilling up I cant believe how hard everything is at the moment, I will be giving a Shamina update soon once my mum (and my dad) has left, its just so tiring and stressful.

So I have just been so stressed, and really cant right a decent column however this week I should be able to write two good entries...to keep my faithful readers happy!

Take care

Asif

Now thats What I call Qatar 53 : Education Part 2

2007-03-25T09:17:00.000-02:00

Now the second part I want to focus on is the MCB(muslim council of Britiain) guide for schools to deal with muslim students, i will give a brief breakdown of the guide, along with other peoples views(from the BBC):

The document says more needs to be done to respond positively to the concerns of Muslim pupils and parents.
It calls for special considerations for Muslims in almost every aspect of school life: collective worship, PE, dance, swimming, exams, school meals, sex education and parents' evenings.

The report rejects from the outset the policy that religion is a strictly private matter that lies outside the school's remit.

It says such an approach makes it "more difficult" for schools to respond positively to the "distinctive" needs of Muslim children.

Dress codes are one obvious source of potential problems. The MCB report is silent on the full-face veil.

But it does say schools "should accommodate" Muslim girls so they are allowed to wear "a full-length loose school skirt or loose trousers, a long-sleeved shirt and a head scarf".

It adds that the headscarf, properly tied, should also be allowed in PE and science. It also says that amulets containing Koranic verses "should not be considered as jewellery".

As for boys, the guidance says they should be allowed to wear beards. Like the girls, they should be allowed to wear tracksuits during sport and PE.

Changing for PE, which is a compulsory part of the national curriculum, is one of the more troublesome areas.

Many primary schools lack separate changing facilities for boys and girls. Younger children often change in classrooms. This guidance says they should use portable partitions.

It argues that all schools, including secondaries, should ideally have separate changing facilities with "individual changing cubicles".

Muslim children "should not be expected to participate in communal showering".

The compromise of allowing Muslim pupils to shower in bathing costumes is not acceptable either, says the guidance, because Islam also forbids being in the presence of nakedness.

Sports involving physical contact (basketball, for example) should happen only in single-gender groups.

Swimming is fraught with difficulties. Again schools are urged "to make every effort" to provide single-sex swimming lessons, as well as allowing Muslim girls to wear full leotards or leggings in the water.

During Ramadan, some pupils might wish to be excused swimming if they fear that swallowing water would break their fast.

There are many other areas in which Muslim pupils need special consideration:

they cannot take part in dance
school meals must include halal options
Islamic Studies should be offered to all Muslim pupils in RE at Key Stage 4 (GCSE level)
schools "should consider" offering Arabic to Muslim pupils.
The list is long: there are stipulations covering music, drama, art, school libraries, provision for prayers, school visits, and raffles.

Yesterday I quoted one of my least favourite newspapers, well to go along with the Telegraph the Daily Express is a equally vile, maybe even more so, aneway when the guide came out, the title in the express was

Muslims demand "Taleban-style" conditions in our schools, and this is why it pisses me off, it causes hysteria and unnneccesary panic, and the target audiance is middle class women (most likely white, and who have little contact with muslims) and so will play to the paranoia of these mums, that the 'muslims' are coming and will ruin you and your children...I have to admit I dont agree with a number of points raised and think its a little ridiculous but there is no mention of the Taleban in that guide and its meant to be a source of reference.
I think there was a need for some sort of a guide, as after all there are 400,000 Muslim pupils in school education and 96% of the them in state school, that figure must be like at least 5-10% of School kids are muslim, which is a huge number, and the teachers who have little knowledge of Islam will need to be more aware incase of cultural snesitiveites. I remeber when I was at school, i used to play on the fact that some of the teachers knew very little on Islam, and would miss lessons or even whole days due to somethign Islamically releated, and I wasnt the only one, and we could get away with that. However I would try pullin that on someone i knew who was clued up in Islam.

Something intresting raised is that the whole focus is on how schools should adapt to Muslim children and not Muslim children should adapt to School, and i think that is partly where we are going wrong. I mean it is a two way process where children come to learn and be socialise and school teach and offer convient venues for intergration and a harmonious society, at an early age a child has no prejudice no preconceptions,and so if you manage to get tolerance at a early age in children then their would be alot less beef(fighting) in the world!

While the MCB is correct to bring awareness of the fact that schools and society in general can indeed do much to become more aware and attune to minority religions, cultures and languages, this document verges on the bizarre. I grew up in Saudi Arabia, perhaps the strictest Islamic State of all, in a school with over a 100 nationalities, encompassing all faiths and traditions. Close to half the pupils were Muslim, and none of these issues from PE to dance were ever a source of conflict.
Saj Chakkalakal, London

The changing for PE issue is one which I think all parents should be concerned about as children develop at different rates and are entitled to some privacy. When I was at school, the girls from two classes got changed in one classroom and did Netball or whatever, whilst the boys did woodwork. Then the boys from the two classes got changed in the other room and did football whilst the girls sewed. And that was a one form entry primary school.
Jan, Birmingham

As someone who teaches in a secondary school I understand the importance of adapting to accommodate as many belief systems as possible. However, I feel that is up to the individual schools to make a decision as to what extent this happens. We are in essence a Christian country, and although I love having a mix of people our society, there needs to be acceptance of the fact that we are predominantly Christian.
Victoria, Brighton

I think that the increase in lack of Christian values has led to problems for the Muslim minority that didn't exist before and that is why the "guidance" provided by the MCB seems so burdensome to provide. Christianity has a lot of similarities with Islam and when our parents settled although they may have experienced racism they still felt safe because the values of Christianity meant that promiscuity was frowned upon and dress codes were modest. Now Christianity has nearly disappeared and politicians keep insisting on "Britishness". What is "Britishness"? Could the British born white person pass the citizenship test? What does a person have to be like to be British?
Zara, Bolton

This is a simple issue, the principle of "when in Rome" should apply here. If I move to a country where the culture is not what I'm accustomed to, it means that I must adapt, not the host country. I would research the culture before I went, not after I arrived.
George Denyer, Glenrothes,

The Muslims should adapt to our norms not the other way round. Do we have the Chinese insisting on everyone celebrating Chinese New Year or Hindus insisting on no beef, no we don't, they adapt to the cultural norms of this country.
Tom, Aylesbury

If a Muslim is allowed to wear a headscarf then other pupils can argue that they are being discriminated against by not being allowed to wear a hat or a hood. Treating a child different because of their religion only encourages a divide to exist. How can you teach children that everyone is equal when they see their friends being treated differently from them.
Sean, Scotland

The face veil is not simply a barrier to communication. Girls should not be required learn to separate themselves from boys and men. Schools are places where girls and boys learn to take their place as equals in the adult world. To allow Muslim girls to wear the face veil in schools would make teachers complicit in the unequal treatment of the girls and boys of one particular religion.
Elizabeth Foster, Oxford

What pupils wear at school is surely not a big issue. I can understand that a school would want everybody to wear the same uniform, but surely a uniform rules could be adapted for certain religious and cultural groups. The other issues: changing systems, employing specialist staff and erecting structures to accommodate Muslim requirements are more of a problem because (i) the cost and (ii) this will start to look like segregation - even apartheid - as different groups are treated differently.
Ken, Bristol

The one thing I have to say in response to the above views, is about the thing of well you live in this country so u have to live as we do, and when were in your country we live like u do. Well the Middle East and Asia dont really pride themselves on demoracy and try to be the 'beacon' of light that is meant to be the example of democracy or freedom. So yes if you lived in the Middle East you are expected to live in more stringent conditions, however if you live in England, despite it being a Christian country is supposed to by its very foreign policy nature supposed to encourage freedom of expression and will, and so for me wearing a hijab or niqab is a form of that expression. I also agree strongly with what Zara wrote, in that we live in a more secular society where relgious conduct has decreased over the years and thats played a large impact in allienating minority groups who still hold on to strong relgious morales...

Thats all from me Folks today...

Now that What I call Qatar 52: Education Part 1

2007-03-24T12:14:00.000-03:00

Dear All,

I been reading quite a lot of stuff regarding the education establishment in the UK, and have been overwhelmed by the state that the education system is in. Its absolutetly shocking and its going to get a whole lot worse, here is extract from a article I read by Mike Baker:
Picture the scene: the crumpets are toasting gently over the fire, the college butler is serving tea from the silver tray, bicycle clips and gowns have been removed, and the admissions tutors are settled in their deep leather armchairs, choosing next year's student intake.

As they sift through the piles of Ucas admissions forms, there is suddenly a triumphant shout from behind one tottering tower of papers. A don emerges, holding aloft an application form.

"Eureka! I've found one. Yes, a student from a state school, whose parents both left school at 16 and are now unemployed. And he is from an ethnic minority.

"What's more he was even placed in care for a few years while his parents were treated for drug addiction."

"Yes, but what were his A-level grades?" asks one of his colleagues, peering suspiciously over his bifocals.

"One E," comes the response.

"Oh well, let's offer him a place and a bursary, and do it quickly before the other universities grab him. Think what it'll do for our widening participation benchmarks."

Well basically the reason for the above situation possibly arrising is

"In future universities will be given this information - alongside details of parental occupation, ethnic background and whether or not applicants have been in care - ahead of the admissions process not, as now, after it is completed."

Now some of you deem me as a middle class, and a bit of a snob however i dont think its snobbish to think that if this plans goes ahead then its ridiculous, i mean im all for people from lower income/social standings attaining higher education but why should Children, who just like their less fortunate coutnerparts have no choice of where their family come from, prejudice is both ways.

Now I would never normally agree with one of the worst papers in England however when the Daily Telegraph's editorial commented ominously about "the creation of quotas" and of the middle-classes becoming the new "whipping boys". I had to concur.
Here is a example given in the article Mike Baker

"The problem for universities today is that most of them do not interview candidates. They see only exam grades, a head teacher's report, and a personal statement.

That is not a very rounded picture. Nor is it a very level playing field: some schools and some parents provide more help and coaching with personal statements than others. So, on this basis, perhaps some extra information will help create a more rounded picture of the applicant.

And if two candidates emerge with identical grades and similarly effusive head teachers' recommendations, how is the poor admissions tutor to decide between them?

Suppose candidate A is from an inner city "sink" school and is the child of recently arrived, poorly educated immigrants who speak no English at home.

And suppose candidate B came from a high-performing school and has parents who are graduates.

Which would you say had probably (and hold on to that "probably") showed the greater determination and drive to get to the grades they achieved?

More often than not it would, probably, be applicant A.

However, things may not be all that they seem on paper.

The middle-class student may have been ill, may have a special educational need, or may have endured a broken and unsupportive home.

They may in fact have had to show the greater drive and resilience."

I think what he is trying to say is, we actually require more information not less, and this example does illustrate that with the correct information then universitys can make more informed choices. However knowin if someones parents went to university has in my opinion no effect on weather the child is academically capable to go to university. I agree it might make them better prepared but inviersity is a differing experience for all, i know people whos family never went to unversity and yet they settled in and did well, whilst others whom had generations of families going to university, dislike it and just dont fit in. This shows in my opinion, being sons/daughters of graduates does not provide any indication of whether someone should get into a university or not.

Well thats my one cent, and tommorrow will be my other cent...

Take care

Asif

Now thats What I call Qatar 51: Shamina Update

2007-03-21T08:04:00.000-03:00

Dear All,

After my blitz last week, its all be quite at www.stormy786.blogspot.com , that is because my mum has come to town, which means DDAY for me and Shamina...

Its realistically one of the last chances we have to get our well my parents on board before the planned engagement this summer. So I need and want to get my family on board ASAP so we can have a "normal" wedding, now this is going to be turn out in two ways and I will give both scenarios, either way after some hesitation I will most likely be marrying Shamina..

So Scenario 1:

I speak to my mum and she goes AWOL and just refuses to accept Shamina has her daughter-in-law which in turn means my sisters too will reject her as a sister in law and most likely my dad will join the masses and add to the rejection, this will result in me going Solo, and trying to convince her family, to take me on my own and not as part of a family(as is the norm in Bengali Weddings). This will be very hard to accomplish and if they do not come on board then it will most likely result in me and Shamina being unmarried and will go our different ways, as she believes without the support of either parents it was be too hard to have a successful marriage, and I do see where she is coming from.

Scenario 2:

I speak to my mum and after a long and emotional chat I manage to convince her to accept Shamina as her sole daughter in law, and therefore in turn my sisters will accept her as a sister in law and most likely my dad will join he masses and add to the acceptance. Then as a family we approach Shaminas family who duly accept me and my family, and then we plan the wedding and have a engagement in July.

Its so straightforward scenario 2 but its such a distant reality right now, its near impossible to convince my mum, I am a eternal opportunist however Shamina is the eternal pessimist and her pessism has got to me and im nervous as hell bout this. There is a part of me that thinks that playing the fact that im the only son, I might be able to convince my mum, however its a long shot.

This Friday im taking her to Ritz for Brunch, and I am thinking that the perfect time, in a beautiful surroundings with amazing food and company I will tell her that I plan to marry Shamina this summer, and I want her to be part of it.

For those of you that are married, I am so envious you have all of this process out of the way, as its really heart wrenching, the choices one has to make in life. When you think of all the stuff most parents have done for their kids, its impossible to throw that away over someone you have known for a few years, however when that person means alot to you, it becomes a plausible reality, however in a ideal world I would have both and iA this is my ideal world where I can have both. I will continue to be optimistic on our chances, and Only time will tell if the glass is half full or half empty...

Take care

Asif

Now thats What I call Qatar 50: 50 NOT OUT in Qatar

2007-03-15T08:09:00.001-03:00

Its the big 5 - 0 here in Qatar, 50 entries whilst I been in Qatar, and lets hope I do alot more.

I have been thinkin of reducing my 9 a month to possibly 8 or 7 as its actually quite demanding and though it doesnt sound a lot it is.

I went out the other night with my functional manager and a few collegues, this funtional manager is quite high up in the company and was really insighful into how the company is run at a much higher level and obviously was good to socilise with the bosses bosses boss!

My work load is manageable at the moment in terms of my every day activity, however as I am a Area Warden, I have a lot of things to do with preparing stuff for the people who living in my area with respect to safety and security. Im also doing this thing called Six Sigma, where using mathamatic formulaes to try to better processes. I am training to be a yellow belt, and hopefully iA i will become one over the next couple of months.

I dont know if i mentioned Merit before, its this competetions that is held by Loughbrough univeristy, and invites people from all over the world to participate in running a virtual construction company. Bechtel has like 4 teams in it, and other companies have like 12 or soemthing stupid like that, aneway we started off really well, and was like in the top 50 out of over 300 teams, however we started to go down and now were just out of the top 100, however were still top of the bechtel teams so we have local bragging rights!!

There is a new shopping centre here in Qatar called Villagio, its amazing, it has a huge Carrerfour with a wicked electrical selection! They jus oppened a virgin megastore which has a really good booked section, and there are not many places where u can find decent books here in Qatar. It has lots of the fashion shops of oxford street, like Topman/topshop, Bershka, Hm,Zara,mango etc but the best thing is the river within the mall. It has a gondolla service for people to take u shop to shop, its such a novel idea, im sure its copied from somewhere else in the world but for me its a novel area.

I have decided to improve my quality of life here in Qatar, as I usually dont spend much money here in Qatar but now I am renting a car, i already had satalitle but now i got like the Platinum package as my mum is coming and also the cricket world cup! its going to be sooo good!
Im getting internet and phone line installed and Im getting my teeth fixed iA lol!(its about time i know!)

Last night saw the return to my illustraious football career with bechtel!it was a cracking performance and though i didnt play much i got really stuck in, shame about us losing 10-0. However I came on when it was 8-0 and they only scored 2 goals, I lost whatever fitness i built up in the last few weeks and now i need to restart again! However the cool thing abuot yesterday was i met someone who went to my old school. He was a couple years older than me, he was playing for the other team and is a teacher here in Qatar, hes enjoyin himself alot here and i think it will be good I know more and more people outside of work, and will hopefully lead me to become a better networker!

Well thats it for today its the weekend for me and if ur very lucky u may get a update over the weekend!

Take care
Asif

Now thats what I call Qatar 49 Incest: An Age-Old Taboo!

2007-03-14T05:07:00.000-03:00

Dear All,

I am going to continue my assult on the blogging world with yet another entry! I was disappointed not to find my blog in the list for one of the worlds best blogs, however I have only been doing this for about 8-9 months iA i will be the no.1 blogger on the net, (you can tell im not short of ambitition!)

I watched the Man utd game last night against Uefa All stars and was a really enjoyable game, however didnt think the fans really got into it, and its pretty hard to get into a game where their is not much riding on it. I was watching Fox Soccer report during the half time, and it was so gay the yanks commenting on football, the only guy that had any credibility on the show was a Scottish guy, the others jus seemed like such knobs, Aneway they did make an intresting point in how Man utd and Chelsea could play each other 3 times in one week to potentially decide three competetions. If that happens that will be immense, but my biggest fear is the fact that Squad rotation will become to most important factor and everyone knows Chelseas squad pisses on everyone elses in Europe, due the endless money that was going into the club.I still tink though they UTD could win two of those 3 matches just not sure which ones. I really hope Totenham beat Chelsea, as do Valencia it will be so awesome, as though they'll have less games than UTD they will be so down their morale will be way down! So Chelsea have a game tonight, and if Man City can do their city rivals a huge favour and beat them, then you got to belive the title is heading to Old Trafford!

Well apart from footy, I been reading alot of more stuff online, and thanks Fern for the comment yesterday to the previous entry, and for all those who emailed me comments. I was reading another intresting article, which I have included below( i was going to write a summary but decdied its too hard to condense and the whole thing is generally quite intresting) and thought I would share it with you...)

Incest: an age-old taboo

Forward thinking? Napoleon dropped incest from France's penal code
As a German brother and sister take their fight for the right to a sexual relationship to the country's highest court, the BBC News website's Clare Murphy looks at the history of the incest taboo and how it is changing.

When Henry VIII wanted to be rid of Anne Boleyn, he made sure she was accused of one particularly heinous crime: sleeping with her brother.

According to the great modern anthropologist Claude Levi Strauss, the incest taboo has been the driving force of humankind. By forcing man to find a mate outside the home, disparate, warring clans have been brought together and society has flourished.

Others see the abhorrence for sleeping with relatives as having a primarily biological motive - a human instinct to prevent defective genes being passed down.

"Society has long relied on the family unit as its basis," says sociologist Vikki Bell. "That's why it has been so important to keep family roles clear."

It is not hard to see how incest can make family life very complicated, potentially turning brothers into fathers and mothers into sisters.

Yet while most are clear that sexual acts between a related adult and child constitute abuse and as such must be punished, there is no modern consensus on whether society has the right to ban consensual sex between siblings, or indeed parent and adult child.

Too close to attract

If Sigmund Freud is to be believed, everyone would be sleeping with their close relatives given half a chance. Society had to keep these deep-seated desires in check, he argued.

No need, countered Finnish anthropologist Edward Westermarck, who said that if anything, close association in childhood automatically created sexual aversion - in other words, familiarity breeds contempt.

His theory was tested in a study of unrelated children growing up together in an Israeli kibbutz. Despite the parents being keen on their children forming relationships, the children themselves had no sexual interest in one another as they began to mature.

Here lies the daughter, here lies the father, here lies the sister, here lies the brother, here lie husband and wife, and yet there are only two bodies in the grave

16th Century French poem

The theory was also backed up by another study in Taiwan by a US academic Arthur Wolf.

He looked at two forms of marriage - one in which the two partners married as adults, and another in which the wife was taken into her future husband's household as a young child, growing up with him.

The latter produced more adultery, more divorces and fewer children than the former. This, he said, indicated closeness as children stifled rather than stimulated sexual feelings.

Locked up

But these cases, which in any event did not involve actual blood relatives, fitted uncomfortably with the only well documented case of a society which embraced sibling incest outright - that of Roman Egypt.

For about 300 years, a significant proportion of all marriages recorded were between brothers and sisters.

German brother and sister Patrick and Susan did not grow up together

The relationships appear to have been both social and reproductive.

But there might have been years between the siblings given the high rate of infant mortality, so sibling husband and wives may have barely grown up together.

The phenomenon of genetic sexual attraction - where siblings fall for each other on meeting after an estranged childhood - accounts for some of the high-profile incest cases of recent years.

In the German case, Patrick was brought up in a foster home while Susan remained with the biological parents, meeting for the first time when she was 16 and he 23.

And in the US case of Allen and Patricia Muth, which went to the Supreme Court in 2005, the sister was raised in care, not meeting her brother until she was 18.

Both of them have served prison sentences for incest.

Biological risks

Both of these relationships have produced children with special needs, although whether this resulted from their parents' biological proximity is unclear.

Some geneticists put the risk of producing a disabled child as high as 50%, but this is hotly debated. Opponents of the incest ban also argue there are double standards, noting that no-one would ban those with hereditary diseases from reproducing.

In some countries, the law has tried to take into account the risks while legalising incest in certain circumstances. In Brazil, an uncle and niece may have a relationship provided they undergo health checks.

In parts of the US, first cousins may marry if they are beyond reproductive age or ability.

Our moral guardians don't need to get too worked up about this

Joachim Renzikowski, criminologist

But even in countries where incest between adults is not prosecuted, the rights of both parents and children born of incest are not clear cut.

France dropped incest from the penal code under Napoleon - 200 years ago.

But siblings may not marry, and in 2004, a man who was having a sexual relationship with his half-sister was refused legal paternity of his own child.

In the Netherlands meanwhile, where consensual incest is no longer prosecuted, the legal status of the child born of such a relationship is ambiguous, according to Masha Antokolskaia, an expert in family law at the Free University in Amsterdam.

Sweden is the only country in Europe which allows marriage between siblings who share a parent.

"In many ways society no longer wants the state to intervene in private lives when it doesn't have to," she says. "But it is still not prepared to grant incestuous couples full rights."

There is also debate over how much laws affect behaviour. Some even argue that what is proscribed becomes all the more attractive.

Not according to Joachim Renzikowski, a criminal law professor at Germany's Halle University.

"I don't believe that because incest is banned, there's a certain attraction about doing it," he says.

"But I doubt equally that getting rid of our incest law will result in any measurable increase in cases. Our moral guardians don't need to get too worked up about this."

Well I think the article raises so many questions about mankind and about our society, what is inhearietly right or wrong, why do we take offence to one thing but not another, why is incest worthy of going to jail when its two consenting adults?, does the fact that a brother and sister whom havent been brought up together make it ok to be incesterious?, I have plently more questions and thoughts that were popping into my head, but before all that I want to accredit the people who introduced me to the ideology of Incest, its those fine people who made the show Brookside, (for those who dont know it, its a British Soap, that is based in scummy Liverpool and had a storyline of a attractive sister and her brother fallin in love, it was sick ill be honest and horried plently of people in the UK).

Incest passes racial or relgious lines and is generally seen as a human diesase, i know thats quite harsh, but what I mean is, it can happen to anyone and is irrespective of anything, its like someone getting Aids, in that its fairly random and anyone from any race or relgion is equally succsectible.

I am personally against incest, and the thought of it is sickening, however is that because of the way i brought up, or the soceity around me, if as the article states I was brought up in Roman Egyptian times then would I be more accepting of incest? what is it that makes me sick, especially if its two consenting adults. I am torn in my thinking, however something that i definelty know is wrong is throwing them in prison for it, i dont see how they are hurting or endangering society by being in love with your brother/sister. America and Germany prides itself on their democract ways and if Merkel(I cant stand her personally much prefered Schroder, but thats jus the socialist in me trying to get out) does not allow that couple rights to be together then does it not go against everything they stand for.

I just dont know what to say or think regarding the topic, as i continue to write the more I get confused, as Islamically I know its wrong, but so is Homosexuality, however I also have a belief that people are entitled to do as they please, and as long as it doesnt infringe others in their beliefs or manners than it really shouldnt be a issue.

Well those are my brief thoughts ,and because they are muddled, its clear that for me the issue is one of moral conflict where it goes agaisnt your nature in so many ways that it becomes acceptable in some of the ways.

Anyway take care

Asif

Now thats What I call Qatar 48: Hijacked by the Green Conspiracy

2007-03-13T12:07:00.000-03:00

Dear All,

I am starting to get settled back in to the qatari way of doing things. I am in the process of trying to lease a car, I have my eyes set on a renault clio, I like small cars and their alot easier to drive and park, Its cool having a Hummer or a Range but practicality wise the clio does it for me! So im in negotions with the company and hopefully they will agree to my price, i can be a hard bastard when bargaining and its something i really pride myself on. I accept in most eastern countires ill never get local rate however I always try to play the lowest western rate possible!

The draw for the champions league was made the other day and it looks promising for Man Utd, we have Roma which are my 2nd favourite team in Italy after Inter Milan, however the way Man utd are playing this season it will be hard for any team to beat them. I think Man utd must win at least 2 of the 3 tropies that are left, its going to be a REAL tense finish to the end of the year..not only in football but also fantasty football.
I am so pissed with myself, as one of the biggest gameweeks in history and I didnt make any subsitutions coupled with the fact that Arsenal and Chelsea play twice and I have all my Arsenal and Chelsea players on the subbench because they didnt play the previous week. I got so fcuked over its not funny, and basically all my hardwork for the last 7 months went down the hill over one week, its so heartwrenching.

Now about the previous entry regarding the women in Saudi, someone responded to me and because I felt it was very interesting, I will share it with you guys,

part of me, though i hate to admit is, is angered by the way the woman was dealt with. And, due to my lack of islamic education still believes to some extent that women are wrongly treated as inferior to ment eventho they are supposed to be the foundation of the future and all that, which in itself contradicts itself.. but anyway what one of the women said in your quote about islam not being modern enough and needs to update itself, she angered me so much. I dont understand how a religion, which implies divine intervention, can remain a religion if if it is meddled with and men allow themselves to make amendents as and when they please. such carelessness and arrogance defeats the purpose of religion as the words and instructions of God do not remain and this, in turn, leads to the religion being desolved to have just another theology to replace it. in such cases there is no point in religion as it will not serve its purpose.

I know im going on but I just cant put into words how rediculously preposterous i think what these ignorant people say.

Though it is hard to accept, Inequality between the sexes is inevitable despite how we try to get around it in the western world. i dont mean to sound ice aged but men and women do serve different purposed (though there are the few men who serve no purpose at all...but thats another story). if people want to adapt religion then they might as well not follow it because that means that they dont really have the faith that is required anyway. they might as well look into another religion or bocome an aitheist and live a good life anyway.

but how dare she say... All men have a Penis and our lives are pretty much ruled by it. Take away women from the equation and what happens, well Saudi happens, that's what. ? How dare she?? who is this lady and what is her position that enables her to make such sweeping judgements? she's so stupid!

Then the person decided to speak about a programe she saw the other day which was posing an alternative view of the reasons behind global warming and rise in carbon in the atmosphere. aparently, its all natural and the contributions that man makes to the levels of carbon in the atmosphere is next to nothing as the oceans produce vasts amounts of it and if we stopped emitting our carbon tomorrow there would be no impact. the world and the universe follows a certain cycle and we are scientifically at a point where the wordl is naturally getting warmer and ice caps are naturally melting and carbon levels are naturally rising. flooding and other changes in the climate has always happened and is inevitable despite our actions and things will get back to 'normal' in another few hundred years.

The reasons why politicians emphasise on us being more greener is that it is politically and economically more advantageous for the west and when they form alliances and create international laws to firstly curb fossil fuel useage and then to stop it their ulterior motive is to cripple the economies of the countries who have oil resources and make themselves, the countries who do not have an abundance of sources of oil and gas, richer. by making its population more greener they create another field in the economy where they can make profit. by advancing in green energy and solar power generation they cripple oil rich countries as they will not have to buy oil from them and force them not to sell or use it but instead buy their 'green' products. this is why they are producing all these stats to prove how the world is being ruined and pushed to and end.

And it made her convinced me that this whole go green thing might be just one big farce and me being the ultimate conspiracy lover, will always be quick to point the finger and I do think that their is a element of truth but it seems a little like its jumping on the anti-western goverment consiprircay bandwagon.

Now thats What I call Qatar 47: World of contrasts

2007-03-09T07:09:00.000-03:00

Dear All,

2 blogs in 2 days well someone has some writing to do right!

Well aneway as some of u may know im a keen photographer and i read the following article

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6385969.stm

Which is about this guy winning photograph of the year award at some press event, aneway, the photo is one of the war in lebanon in the summer and shows some lebanese in a mini cooper entering a area that has been destroyed and as usual the lebos look glamourous despite the carnage around them.

I do think its a fantastic picture that does really encaspulate the disgusting world the lebanese live in. For those who dont know me, i cant stand the majoirty of lebanese, at least the ones i met, there incredibly obnoxious, pompous and arrogant. The ones in the uk, the ones here, and the ones i met whereever i gone, and my feelings stay the same. The one thing that i feel they can be proud of is the one thing that the lebanese i meet are ashmed of, and thats Hezbolla. Now I dont regard them as a terroist organisation, and think if you were to label them a terroist organisation then u shud label MI6 or Mossad or CIA/FBI, because despite them not being the offical army of the country they protect their citizens, and with Hezbolla they also provide for them in a underhand way in my opinon. The lebanese i meet feel that they dont have protect them, so I ask them, well who does, and they will reply the goverment, or that they are not intrested about that and it doesnt affect them. So when their is indisriminite bombing and attacks against their family and friends who will they ask or seek protection from? and the reply is, it wont happen again, and this naivety is geniune. The society that exists in lebanon is plastic and i think this picture descipts that.

Finally about lebos i heard this fact that their are more lebos in brazil than in lebanaon, thats disgusting fact and shows what pride they have in their home land.

Aneway I also wanted to quickly speak about the cricket world cup starting next week i cant wait, my beloved bangladesh is in HOT FORM, they beat new zeland who jus thrashed Austrila so using the logic were better than Austraila. IF bangladesh dont win it, then i want england to win it, and if that doesnt happen either india or pakistan im undecided, as India is wheres my dads from and its having quite a few muslim players these days so itsa hard choice, but i cant wait!

Aneway i best be off take care
Asif

Now that What I call Qatar 46: The Unfair lashing?

2007-03-08T09:21:00.000-03:00

Its been a while since my last entry and its the first entry of the month which means im way behind my 9 a month target however i think i do have quite a lot to write about this month, with champs league footy back on and the never ending religious and war issues in the world and just my own trials and tribulations.

Today rather than talk about what i been gettup up2 over the last 9 days or so, i want to focus on a article that was brought to my attention by one of my readers from Qatar Living, here is the link

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,256980,00.html

Here's a summary:

A woman in Saudi Arabia meets a man in the mall and they get in his car to go somewhere, however i belive they do know each other. The man then kidnaps her, threatens to blackmail with a story about how they're having an affair out of wedlock, and she is raped 14 times by 7 different men in a matter of hours. Some of the men are captured and sentenced, but she receives a sentence of 90 lashes for being alone in a car with a man to whom she isn't married. She's currently appealing to the King to eliminate her sentence.(also turns out her brother battered her because of the whole incident)

I had mixed feelings as to whether i should write about this, as it shows Muslims and therefore Islam in a negative light, and as im fairly protectionist kind of a guy, it goes against my nature. However I feel despite the negative light its just such a terrible story it must be shared.

The obvious feeling is pure empathy for the women involved and outrage at the men and the government. I have been reading up peoples comments to the news stories in chat rooms in the middle east and alot of people are quick to jump on the wahabi hating bandwagon. Now the story isnt so much about the rape but the fact that the women is getting punished despite being rapped.

Now much more relgious people than me will be able to tell you if Islamically she was correct to get in the car or not (it has been reported supposedly she was kidnapped but that could just be a rumour) from my own learnings i believe if she got in the car consciously then Islamiclly its wrong unless their was a need for her to get in the car, (need being something like go to hospital or some sort of important/or emergency situation).

Now people who are brought up in the west therefore have a certain amount of Christian morales, and therefore dont see free-mixing as such a issue as it is in the muslim world, even myself as a Muslim in the west I dont see it so wrong in the UK(albelit im not the strictest muslim) however in the muslim world its completely different and in public its a complete faux-pas. With this in mind, when reading this story try to understand the culture and morales that exist here in the middle east and not for those reading in the UK and whereever, as obviously the decision to punish the women seems ludicrious there is some logical understanding.

It doesnt mean i agree with it, especially in hindsight of what happened. However if she didnt get raped then would it still be right to give her lashes?

Another point is, and this is common phase you hear as a british muslim or a minority if you leave near a strong BNP(british national party, basically nazi wannabes) area, 'your in England now(Saudi for this womens case) you got to live by English law and rules" and for a british muslim that means you get the laws used against u more(such as me at the airport when i was leaving the uk, the electronic thing didnt go off when i walked through yet I was still taken to be searched and everything, whilst most others jus walked through). Well aneway I have to accept the rules as i choose to have England as my home, and though for a lot of countires people cant choose where their home is, Saudis can, and this women chooses to live there and therefore she should abide by its rules.
I know im coming off as harsh, but in no way am i saying what happened to her is what she deserved for getting in the car, and rape is completely haram(unlawful) in Islam, and I hope the men who did it suffer, but that I see as a seperate issue.

Here are some of the comments I have found from other people regarding the topic in chat rooms:

"This something happens across the board. People tend to assume the actions of Saudis are indicative of Islam. However, the contrary tends to be true.
Rape is a major sin in Islam and only in saudia would someone apply the perverse logic of punishing the victim.
Wahbaism in my opinion justifies pre-Islamic cultural habits through an Islamic context.
Please do not look to the gulf for theological enlightenment, Islam itself isn't applied as the religion it's meant to be.
The cultural effect of wahbaism has lead to the perception of being devout seeming to take precedence over the spiritual teachings. Forgiveness for one, is an all too forgotten principle of Islam amongst this particular group.
I for one, as a Muslim am disgusted by this."

“Say for instance if I was in the US which has laws against murder and against drug selling. If I was in the middle of a drug deal when a fight happened. I was shot by someone. The police come and they arrest both of us for the drugs and him for the assault. They will not release me because I was still selling drugs which is against the law. I can argue all not long to the prosecutors and judge that I was the victim- i.e. aggravated assault attempted manslaughter.
The law stands I will still be prosecuted. This is their law in Saudi wheter we agree with it or not. They choose to have their law this way. The law against being with a non-mehram applies to men and women. It is a part of Sharia law rather a Muslim chooses to follow it or not is their choice. However if I am in a country whose laws are such then if I choose to break the law then I have to be ready for the consequences. It is the same as in the US some people saying I was only selling drugs to feed my family.
Newspapers like to report things slanted. The question is was her boyfriend also prosecuted using this law and the kidnapping. It did not say if he was a part of the rape group. A lot of people get outraged with certain laws but in any legal system the fault doesn't lie with the law it is usually the inequality in which it is applied. Selling cocaine in the US is against the law but it is applied differently depending on the form i.e. powder or crack. The legality is not questionable however the application/ powder versus crack is definitely questionable.”

“as a Muslim convert I won't pretend to be an expert on Islam, but I have tried to educate myself on my new religion with open eyes. I'm saddened therefore to see a number of replies to your story that state this is 'nothing to do with Islam and is a cultural thing', I do hope these replies are not from Muslims because this is very much to do with some of the basic tenants of Islam. A Woman cannot be alone with men unless that man is related to her as stated in the Quran or the Hadiths - period. Saudi operates a state of Shariah law and as such its citizens are required to follow that law. Both men and women breaking the law are liable for punishishment as detailed in Shariah.
The fact that the woman was alone in the car was an enabler (and I'm not saying the actual reason this happened) to the act of rape happening. The ideology behind a woman not being alone with a man is that if this does not happen then an awful crime like rape simply cannot be commited. The hadiths clearly state that men typically have weaknesses that can be uncontrolable, be it women, alcohol, gambling etc. A womans lone presence with a man can be the straw that breaks the cames back (yes i know this is really sad but just look at how often it happens!)”

“Is the punishment acceptable - I will leave that to those who know better than I.
Did they both commit a crime, the question that was originally asked - yes, in Shariah law they did.
The punishment meted out to the woman is disgraceful. Sadly though it is a reflection of what can happen in a country dominated by men where woman have little or no rights.
I have always thought that the Muslim religions view of women is its major downfall and marrs an otherwise noble religion in my mind.
It would seem from what I have read and what we have all seen in this country that the segregation of men and women goes against a human beings natural inclinations.
Men and women are meant to be together as equals Men are supposed to pursue women interact with women and they are a big part of our lives.
All men have a Penis and our lives are pretty much ruled by it. Take away women from the equation and what happens, well Saudi happens, that's what.
The Muslim religion for all its plus points is totally ruined by their attitude to women, if there views on Women were to change and adapt to the modern age then it would work.
Sadly this is not going to happen, unlike the Catholic church where the pope can change basic tenants of the religion if he chooses. The Muslim faith is governed by the "book" and is never going to be updated therefore it will only ever be up to individuals to change their personal views and adapt their own understanding of how they personally want to live and interpret the "book".
This is going to be a long slow and painful process and sadly countries such as Qatar and Saudi will always lag well behind the rest of the world when it come to human rights and the rights of the female population.”

Now I wont comment on all of them, as it will take me forever but I thought its quite a varied range of responses and is becoming a really topical issue here in the middle east and thought for the UK readers it’s a intresting topic and would welcome other peoples thoughts.

I would like to finally just say how people now days tend to diss religion(any relgion not just Islam) and say because of stories like this, atheism is much more ethical or high moral ground, however I really beg to differ, as because of religion I believe it really changes most people moral conscious and without it people really would act completely differently as they belive their decisions aren’t being governed the same way. Despite those men most likely claiming they were muslim they aren’t really, and im sure for most people being a athesist doesn’t mean you’re a rapist or a bad person. But what I am saying is that for those that follow relgion they will try to do more good in this world as they belive in their next life (be it them being re-born, or in heaven or hell) they will be judged and that will lead most religious people to be good people.

Anyway welcome back and hope you are all ok!

Asif

Ki--fak London

2007-02-27T22:24:00.001-03:00

Hey,

II have been in london for almost a week now, and feels good to be here, but it doesnt feel like home, andi dont know if Qatar feels like home or even knutsford anymore, i dont know if i have a 'home' in the tradiational sense, at least not just yet!

Anyway, let me tell u wot i been up2, I saw one of the most ridiculous things the other day, on a shopping street in London, (pretty much the main one, OXford Street) there wasa shop that described it-self as a shop of Luxury Toilets, where women can pay 1GBP and go to the toilet whilst shopping in a luxury toilet and refresh themselves, however i mean to dedicate a entire store to that was unbeliveable, i mean how the hell did the bank agree to give someone money for that? I jus dont get people nowdays!!

I had my class reunion for uni on Friday night, and it was really good, got to meet up with most of my friends who I hadnt seen for bout 6months, when we were studying we were constantly being told we were the future of the construction industry, and that basically alot of us would go on to become important in the construction industry, and with that thinkin I was thinkin we should always form a strong networking circle, where we can all help each other, and be friends and its good to hvae friends in others companies in ur industry and finally its always good to luk back on some of the best days in ur life with nostaligia and friends from dat time, so we need to continue meeting up, and i was thinkin of making it like once every 6months or so cuz i think that allows us to have enuff time to build up more stories so we dont have awarked silences as well as the fact that i live half way across the world and dont have time to always come back and others are also very busy with their own lives.

I went to the UCL Bangla show on saturday, i been looking forward to it alot cuz last year it was really good however this year it was good in parts there was something really lacking, their was no flow, and was a really mismatched performance, as some people were doing classical music, some hip hop dancing, some awful acting, some good singers, some bad singers, and just far too varied and way off the fusion vibe that man student asian productions try to go for, i still think the organisors did a good job and got alot of people

Ireland was awesome, i mean its everything u expect, full of friendly but passionate people sprinkled with the odd nutter, (one guy started shouting on how he hated england and to kill em all!!), the buildings reminded me of camrbdige as they looked like the colleges their, The shopping was really good and as its EU it meant shops like Zara which are european based were considerbly cheaper their than here in England. One the way their and on the plane back we were delayed and it really sucked as it meant less time in dublin and shamina getting in trouble with her family for getting back so late! I saw so many rats on the way back in the tube at night from heathrow, it was really disgusting and jus makes u think of that horrible statistic that for every human in the uk their is a rat, especially in london, its such a filth ridden city.

And on that note, ill leave you...

Take care

Asif

3 hours in&the bitchin begins....

2007-02-22T08:22:00.000-03:00

Dear All,

I'm back in the UK, it feels good though in the time i been here about 3 hours now i got more stressed than in 3months in Qatar! Firstly the MISSION between the plane and and the passport control, nothing like that in Qatar you walk off the plane and within 2 mins ur at passport control, then at passport control their was a huge queue,though its not the worst passport control queue i seen (that honour goes to Moroccon airport, Marakechs one where me and Shamina waited for about 2 hours or something ridiculous in a no-airconditioned building at 1am) it was still very tiresome. Following that the baggage carrosel had some techinical difficulties so had to go to 2 different carrosels, and then my bad was one of the last ones out, and FINALLY buying the ticket for the tube took fcukin time, and people wonder why so many brits move abroad..can u seriously blame them? U dont needto deal with this kinda bullshit in the middle east, if it wasnt for family and friends and Shamina i dont know how much i would come back, i mean it is my home, but days like these make me think how much easier life is over in qatar and how stressful life in london is. Manchester and more so knutsford to me has the good mix of things to do, and beautiful scenary and yet stress-free. I spend 40 quid on travel card+toppin up my oyster, that wud service me to drive like up and down qatar on that! Aneway i shud stop hating, lets c how the rest of the week goes.

Im supposed to be going to London fashion show opening day, but shamina is running late, so not sure, but oh well, i guess in london iz becum more stressed as there are other people i depend on and if those people dont fit to my timetable, i become stressed!

Aneway i best go take care

Now that What I call Qatar 45: The Underdog

2007-02-21T09:13:00.000-03:00

Well tonight I leave for Londres man im PUMPED! its goin to be sooooo tight, i cant wait, filled with bare addrenlin for thie worldwind trip, and it does feel like a worldwind trip, i mean im back for 10 days which seems alot, however when you have alot of places to go, alot of people to c and a lot of things to do, its nothing and though its called R+R (rest and relaxation) its going to be far from it....that at least until i reach the great northern town of Knutsford, where one can truly relax whilst basking in the northern sun and sipping the finest water after zamzam...(for those who dont know what Zamzam its the name of the famous spring in Islam that provided water for Maryam(Mary), Isa (Jesus's) mother whilst they were walking in the desert between two mountains when all of a sudden a sprin was found and that same spring provides all the water to those that come to Mecca. So basically its Holy water.)

I watched the man utd game last night, after smoking some shisha at this place called Ras - Al- Nassar, its kinda da place to be for shisa smokers, and for qatar its expensvie like 3-4 quid for a shisa, lol! considering the cheapest place in the uk is a 5 and for equivalent venues in the uk its more like 15quid im laughin! Aneway i was so concked out after the shisha, it felt like they had put next things in it, seriously i was so messed up, hadnt felt like thati n a while, however continued to watch the man utd game, and the other champions league games, and i am glad i did, as the Real vs Bayen game was a fantastic display of two giants of European football going at it, all the spanish teams left have tough fixtures coem to think about it, Valencia are playing my beloved Inter, and Barcelona are playing that scum that damages the great north-west name, Liverpool.
Man utd were there usual cheecky-selves, reminding me of the gloary days with displays like that, where everyone jus begins to hate them, the thing is i have a a tendancy to support the underdog, even when im playing football myself, i always( well not always as if the other team containts pricks I would b even more up for it) want the losing team to close the deficit, maybe not win but close it to make it more intreting and boast the other teams morale. So though Man utd have not won much for the last two years, i have been ok with it, and i really hope we win the league because Chelsea are jus a team full of pricks, but regarding the other compentations I want man utd to win but much prefer when their paying bastards like chelsea or real...

There have been reports that Christano Ronaldo wants to leave, unlike alot of utd fans, who i feel are in denial i think their true, i mean hes a sun-lover, yeh im sure he does like manchester(who wouldnt) but he has his heart set on espania and its so clear, if man utd lose him, they will be in trouble, because we dont have any other good wingers(giggs is not much of a winger now days as he plays centrally alot more) and others are squad players not the kinda players to play in a world XI like C.ronaldo is, they would need to re-invest that money they sell and buy about 2 very good quality players one ofr each wing and players who are the kind to command a spot in the team like Rooney, Scholes, Rio, g Nevile and VDS. Its weird how passionate people get about football, im one of them, howeveri draw the line at violence as i think that stupid, banter is fine but not fisty-cuffs! I can talk about football all day and night, and at time i do lose intrest however their is nothing like going to a game and feelin the energy of a encapsulating game with end to end football, its worth all the ticket price! (and not many games are now days!)

I know this entry has been a rather lackluster one, however i will try to improve next time, still feelin quite jadded from all that smoke!

Aneway i will post again hopefully iA tomrow.

Asif

Now thats what I call Qatar 44: Cultured Europeans

2007-02-19T11:16:00.001-03:00

To my readers..

I hope this entry finds you well, I am only 4 days from being back in the UK and I CANT WAIT!!!im so excited!!

I been pretty darn busy since my last entry, and where I left last time was with the big game against Canada. Well we won it 3-1, and it was a hard fought victory against a team that we should have beaten alot more convincingly! I started off as a subsitute and came on with a third of the first half to play in a left midfield postion, I did very little and hardly affected the game. So i started the second half as a sub again, however a third into the second half, I was brought on as it was 1-1 and was told to go in attack to form a 3-4-3 formation as apposed to our usual 4-4-2, I was on the left side of the 3 in attack, however this formation allowed me to have more time on the ball and give me more passing options, I got involved in the game so much so that I won a penatly, I was asked to take it but at 1-1 and we had already missed a penalty I politley declined, the person who did take it missed though, and missed a sitter of a rebound, nevertheless we continued to pound away and my performance generated rave reviews, and really boosted my confidence as well as my reputation within the company. Its weird but like doing well in something completely un-releated to work really does have a profound effect on my work life, such as people being nicer, friendly, more accomadating. I have always said the 3 key ways to be populour is, to be physically strong(people always love someone to protect them from harm, hench people are always populour), good looking (people who are good looking always have friends around them as people like to feel attractive and so hang around people who are good looking trying to boast their own confidence, when ironcially i think it works the other way. in that people are going to compare the two people and will actually make them look worse!) and finally the most obvious reason why people are populour, Money!(everyone loves rich people, goes with two above, in that they feel their part of the power,goodlooks, and wealth if they associate with people of that nature) The above 3 causes for popularity are more applicable to school or uni, however it can also be applied to work. And using that reasoning, I feel that for me I need to understand this is the way people are and with that u handle work or uni life, in that you need to be aware of why people tend to be nicer to other people than others, and learn to accept it.

Theres some beef going on between some of my friends whom are living together, and its a clash of personalities where some of them dont know who they really are, people say when you travel you learn who u are, or when your at uni you learn who u are, the thing is u never stop learning who u r, i agree u learn more about yourself, and your likes and dislikes alot more when your traveling or at uni. You learn at uni what kinda people you can live with, tolerate with, wot kinda friends are really your type of friends, and i dont think its no conincidience that the people who are having the clash are American. Purely because they dont travel as much as Europeans, they dont experience other cultures or what they like and dont like except in a American context, as a European im aware of many other european countries customs and attitudes which vary vastly and because of imigration within europe, people are aware of the customs and attitudes of manya african and asian countries regardless of their own origins. You ask Americans if they have the same global understanding and i can gurantee that they would be no where near as aware of other cultures...This means that for large multinational companies like Bechtel, they will have problems with some of the american staff abroad whoc cant adjust with people from other cultures....

Saying that though, I went last weekend to a managers house for dinner who was American . And I felt like a old man, it was the arch-typical dinner that you would see in the movies except having a brown face on the dinner table as well as the black face(brown in this instance) serving the food. some people may think too much colour in the room, however i was completetly accepted by all and it was a really good experience and I had a really good time. I found out that Sake is like japanese alchol(rice wine or something) and accidently had some in a sauce in the starters. But the food at the dinner was like WOW, i mean there were clams and mussles for starters, and then roast beef and lamb and jacket potatoes with sour cream, it was really good, one of the best meals i had in a long time and i dont eat red meat! some wicked desert that I didnt know what it was, however i was wondering if somethin containted alchol but was burned off does that still make it have alchol?I need to find out for sure however I was thinkin it wouldnt be as alcohol is flamable so if you burn it then it disappears right? or is that wishful thinkin?

Aneway back to the dinner, it was jus a really good night, got to know alot of people alot better, and learnt about this place in Bangkok called the Banana hotel, and I was informed its basically a whore house that has been serving the expat community since the 70's, and just made me laugh so much, because I know exactly the type of people who would go and it turns out they are there right now!! Also found out some unexpected people are regulars, and its a shame that Bangkok has sucha bad reputation yet its one of the greatest cities in the world, for its diversity and the fact that KFC is halal there...

Aneway i got to go but take care and expect to hear from me soon!!

Now thats What I Call Qatar 43: A Mormons Valentines

2007-02-14T16:26:00.000-03:00

Happy Valentines Day my readers...

Tonight is my big match, were playing Canada and it shud be a good match as our side is weakened and we all know that Canadians like their North American cuzzins sux@footy! Below is the league table for my footy and the fixtures coming up so u can predict which blog entries will be about football!
Standings
Team
GP
W
L
T
GF
GA
GD
Points

InterContinental
2
2
0
0
8
1
7
6

England
3
2
1
0
9
2
7
6

Scotland
3
2
1
0
7
3
4
6

Bechtel
2
1
1
0
6
5
1
3

CNA-Q
3
1
2
0
3
14
-11
3

Shell
3
0
3
0
3
11
-8
0

Copyright © 2007 Christopher T. Bartlett

Best Viewed with Internet Explorer

Schedule
Home Team
Guest Home
Refereeing Team
Date
Kickoff

Shell (0)
Scotland (4)
CNA-Q
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
7:00:00 PM

England (7)
CNA-Q (0)
Scotland
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
8:15:00 PM

Bechtel (2)
Scotland (3)
Shell
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
7:00:00 PM

CNA-Q (3)
Shell (1)
Bechtel
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
8:15:00 PM

Bechtel (4)
Shell (2)
England
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
7:00:00 PM

InterContinental (2)
England (1)
Shell
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
8:15:00 PM

England (1)
Scotland (0)
InterContinental
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
7:00:00 PM

CNA-Q (0)
InterContinental (6)
Scotland
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
8:15:00 PM

Shell
England
Bechtel
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
7:00:00 PM

CNA-Q
Bechtel
England
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
8:15:00 PM

I been scolling through the news and my emials and here is a intresting email a friend sent me, (thanks Bukhari) and there is a article from the guardian from it...

Step 1. Bomb a country with oil, use any and many excuses.
Step 2. Install a puppet government, too dumb or docile to disagree with you.
Step 3. Rebuild what you destroyed, but only allow companies you have
links with to do the rebuilding at many times the normal cost.
Step 4. Pay these companies with Oil money you have been 'holding' for
the country.
Step 5. Tell your grandchildren, that David Copperfield may have made
the statue of liberty dissappear, But you robbed an entire country in
broad daylight.

Below is a phase in step 4.
Flooding the country with so much money you start refering to it by
weight not amount, so people start handing it out like nothing.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,,2008189,00.html

Its mind bogling the kind of figures that are bein mentioned and where the hell has it gone, its tiehr to insurgents or american corps, either one isnt great really as the people of america and iraq are the ones who are getting screwed, however regarding the american citizens i found this poll quite intresting today check this question about the US election...
WOULD YOU VOTE FOR...

A woman? 88% say "Yes"

A black? 94% say "Yes"

A Mormon? 72% say "Yes"

Source: USA Today/Gallup poll, Feb 2007

Who says the world isnt prejudiced? purely by asking the question and giving those possible answers, its ridiculous. I would want to know how many of the people who were asked, responsed by asking the people asking the questions depends on who the candidate was. As I dont see how someone can make a good or bad president on being a women or being black. A Mormon is slightly different, as his faith could influence the decisions that they make, however saying that i still dont think a persons religious denomination without taking into account the character of that person is correct way of voting for a president!

Last night i watched WWE, it went thru a shite phase however now its gon back2bein awesome, the big PPV is on this weekend, i would love to watch it but i dont have the PPV channel and the timing will be when im at work, but this is nothing to the PPV in April the 1st! Wrestlemania, its like the Champs League final, or the superbowl of the wrestling calender. I cant wait, and with my favourite wrestler, John Cena champion it promises to be a sick event. Also randomly Donald Trump will be on the show at wrestlemania, im trying to get my head around why one of the richaest and famous guys in the US would want to be involved in WWE, whatever the reason its going to be great and i would recommend everyone to somehow see it!

SO the Sunni vs Shia beef, well you hear about it alot here, and in most countries in the Islamic world the shias are a minortiy, and so has never really been a issue. The countries where Shias either equal or dominate the population is Iran, Iraq, Bahrain, Lebanaon, India (has the 2nd largest shia population after Iran), and parts of the East Cost of Africa. Im sure there are others however their the ones that come to my mind. Now the Shias in the first 4 of those countries listed are taking control of the country and influencing the way the country goes forward, this has led Sunni countries like Saudi, Jordon, Qatar and Egypt to assess the situation and beef up their own security as they feel intimated by a stronger shia precense in the middle east. I know sunni muslims who ddont like Shias, however I am not one of them, I dont really believe as such in demoninations, i mean their are some forms of Islam that i think are completely distorted (i wont go into it incase i offend anyone) however I think Shias and Sunnis have so much in common that the differences between the two are minor and in my opinon isnt enough if God were to condem one to Hell and the other to Heaven on those beliefs.

So anyway regardless of my thoughts or beliefts the insurangants in Iraq and Lebanon see otherwise, and belive that there are two clear lines and your either sunni or shia (or druzze or christian in lebonanons case). I dont know whos fault it is, and find it incredible how there can be so much hatred, the US finds itself in such a difficult postion, however its a position they put themselves in, you have the Mehdi Army, which is one of the largest Shia armies in the world, and Hezzbolla, both strong Shia armies, then you have Al-Queda on the other side, who are numerous in numbers, has so many sister organisations (eg Islamists in Somalia) funding and represents Sunni Islam, the two sides are sworn enemies, however stuck in the middle of the two is the US and UK army in Baghdad. So it would be logical if someone in the army sugguest let the two destroy each other and then will come in when the winner is weakened and destroy them... and i feel thats what they will do. However their are grey areas, where picking sides is not stright forward, you have Hamas, which is a Sunni organisation and yet is closely linked to Hezbolla which is Shia, and you have Syria which is a Sunni country and it has extremly close ties to Iran(which is Shia) so trying to understand the whole political and socialical process that occurs in this small yet powerful region is the key to finding peace in the world, and yet noone is capatable enough to understand the reasoning why such alliances have formed and why the situation that has arisen has arised. For years people in the middle east has lived in peace, they built beautiful buildings, created wonderful civilasations, however now, despite all the naturl riches that the middle east has, it has so many man made horrors that could ultimetly be the end of it in my humble opinon.

Thats all from me , have a good night, and lets hope your with the ones u love...

Now Thats What I Call Qatar 42: Too much internet!

2007-02-13T15:24:00.000-03:00

Hello there,

Been under so much stress recently,Work is starting to really annoy me. I had my annual review and i did ok, was told some good things and some things that need improving,however overall i was consdiered to be performing to my grade, and its weird as I have a set of people who are for me, and a set who are against me with some sitting in the middle and some not having a clue whats going on, I have been told i go on the internet too much, i dont c why internet has become such a huge issue but it has, and its ridiculous, they pay me to do a job if i do that job then whats the problem, if i do the job quicker than others am i not entitled to relax for the remaining time, no i must continue to seek more work. I am not like that you see, I mean i want to do well and i am ambitious there is no denying that, however im not a slave and i refuse to be. If i were i would be in banking where at least the slaves are well paid.

Talking of money, I was thinking about the future and when or if I will return to the UK to work, I mean I sometimes dont c the point, i mean yes family there buts its not like they cant come out here to visit or I go and visit them, there are no taxes here in the middle east, lower crime rate, MUCH higher standard of living, and basically ill be working double the hours (incl. commuting time) in the UK yet earning half the money than I would in the Gulf. That does not add up to me, i mean we work so we can further our lives however I dont c how me going back to UK would make me further my earning growth.

I have so many decisions and dilemas coming up about work and u, its really consuming me. My mother is planning to come in Mid march to stay with me for a few weeks, and I am aiming to speak to her about Shamina, so theres another thing thats on my mind!

Aneway tommorrow i have a another football match and its lookin like ill have to play a key role as there are not many people in, so my fitness and my anxiety will really be put to the test!!

Also its valentines day i cant give too much away however i got a little bit of stuff planned even though im miles away, however i think will celebrate it when were back together next week! Though valentines is a commerical/Christian holiday,
I think like Christmas the message of the holiday is worth celebrating, (for valentines this is shows your loved one how your feel and celebrate the love you have) and (for Christmas i think the whole family getting together for at least one time in the year is a great idea) so taking away any relgigious significance i feel everyone should celebrate it!!

So i was going to talk about sunnis and shias however i dont have time so i cant but i promise at some point in Feb i will!!

for now Adios...

Asif

Now that's What I call Qatar 41: Hypocritical Asif...

2007-02-08T02:22:00.000-03:00

Dear All,

how goes things?

I been pretty busy with work, I have decided to start taking a more active role at work, and have been given 2 roles, so therefore have almost double the workload, but its a good sign as they think I can handle it. On top of that, I am participating in Six Sigma tasks, which is looking at ways to make the company more efficient in its process, and on top of that I am part of this competition called Merit, where teams all over the world compete to run a virtual construction company. Its a awesome, idea, and really cool, its hard work as is all the other things but means im alot more busier and therefore I appreciate my time off a lot more. Along with all this work, is my new football, table tennis and gym routine and to make it the tri-factor,I am trying to become more religious. Doing all this makes me feel really good about myself, and I am happy with the way my life is going. It makes me thing of how meaningless life was at uni, I mean it was great sleeping til 2pm going to sleep at 5am every night, doing what the hell I wanted when I wanted, there was no real constraints, however now there is and though at times I think about my student days, to be honest im glad its over. Especially during exam time, it was so hard, so much pressure, I mean theres pressure at work but that feeling of walking into a exam and knowing that if u fcuk up ur future cud be over...arrrr jus thinkin of the feeeling shits me!

My flatmate moved out of the apartments last week,into a villa wit a couple of the other boyz(women+men not married or related can not live together so theres no co-ed houses in Qatar!) its pretty nice apartment, and the accommodation here though expensive is really spacious especially compared to London.So now im living alone, well not alone,I obviously have my spiritual friend, Dr Jinn..its fcuked seriously, so much crazy stuff happens, wouldn't surprise if like the scene out of the Exorcist with the girl occurs one night, well messed up situation. I bet they probably built it on some burial ground the damn Arabs.

Talking of Aaaarabs, they been generally pissin me off lately, its mainly to do with their driving, but im weird as when someone else pisses em off I get the feeling there being racist bastardos but when I do im bein fair, its so hypricitical of me I know, but feels like im not cuz im muslim and allowed to diss em, its very ironic and I dont feel im the only one, as many people I know find it approiate to make critisms of things but if someone else says something then they are quick to dismiss it and maybe even become hostile to it, and I guess im like of those hypocritical knobs...
Aneway back to my hating of arabs, well it sometimes complexes me, I mean to be honest I have such a negative view of them and their manners and common sense,however once in a while you meet a well manaered logical thinkin Arab that makes u think they aint all dat bad, then after meeting one within 2 mins ull meet one of the knobs who drive like a mad-man and who have no respect for those around them.
It makes me think wot wud Bangladesh be like if they had the oil reserves of the gulf, would they show more humility or less, would they be more generous or less, its always quick to show faults in the gulf countries but makes u think that if another country were put in Saudis shoes how wud they behave.

The fact that Saudi has its huge oil reserve in a weird way has always made me belive in Islam more, I mean Mecca and Medina would never be as nice or as large as they are if Saudi couldnt afford it, they wouldnt have the infrastructure in place to accommodate millions of pilgrims every year without oil money, I know its a rather lame reason so base your faith on, however to me I think natural resources are placed by God for specific reasons in specific places,and we dont always know, however I know without being the no.1 oil producer in the world Islam under Saudis governance wouldnt be as big as it is now. Im not the biggest fan of Saudi to be honest and I will be writing a piece soon on the shia vs sunni beef that is engulfing the region and soon to be world but I have to give credit where credit is due and appreciate what Saudi has done for Islam...(again even though I dont agree with alot of it!)

Aneway thats enuff from my

Ziffa ( my nickname given to me by my french teacher back in high school)

Now thats What I call Qatar 40: Beef with Bob?

2007-02-04T11:00:00.001-03:00

Dear All,

My time is slowly becoming very limited,to complete nine entries to my blog a month is a challenging target however I will continue to perserve.

Well after writing my last blog and getting much needed encouragement from Shamina, I played football on Thursday, and i played one of the best games I have played for as long as I remeber and in the process winning back respect from my team-mates. I was named Man of theMatch, and scored over half of my team goals as well setting up about a quarter of the teams goals, I was energised, however the thing was I was playing 5-a side, and not 11-a-side like on Wednesday night, and i think that was the difference, I have become the urban player, the kinda footballer who likes to play one touch football,quick fast paced and tough football, 11-a-side is much more slower,and more thought-provoking, where as 5-a-side is a instinct kinda game and after all i have deadly instincts so im a natural!

Quite a few new people moved into my apartment block this weekend, I invited one of them to come and watch the liverpool vs everton game yesterday, and i shit u not, his name was Bob, always wanted a friend called Bob, aneway so this 40-50year old geeza and I was chillin and watchin the game, and speaking about past traveling experiences, and he told me him and his wife used to live in Jedda, so I said to him, oh well you were close to Mecca and Medina, but you werent allowed in, and he replies that "who would want to go there" in a degrotray manner, i laughed it off only to tell him later when he asked where i have been in the gulf, that I been to Mecca and Medina, and it clicked and he appoligized, and i was like its fine, and i was trying to play it cool, as Islam already has the repuatation of being a hard ass religion, and i wanted to to give the imperssion that muslims can take offense and accept mistakes,which it was and he appologized so i had no reason to continue the beef!

I have developed a sterling new exercise and life plan, where i have split my spare time outwise of work to 20 different sections and i fill the sections up with things ranging from gym,football,pool, swimming, cinema, religious learning,reading watching wrestling,etc, and i been trying to keep to it, its got to be flexible though as i might be really stressed or tired from work and unable to do anything, however so far its working, and supposedly the more exerise u do ironically the more energy u have, so hopefully i will become less and less tired with my new plan!

Tonight im playing football,and i cant wait, though im pretty sure im close to dropping dead and so if u dont hear from me again this week then u know why!

Aneway thats it for todays guys...

In a bit

Now that's what I call Qatar 39: Shell Sham

2007-02-01T07:55:00.000-03:00

Yo yo yo...

Well had my second game for team Bechtel, and we won 4-2 against Shell. So as a team it was a good game and a good result, however my personally, i had a game i would rather forget about, I came on as a sub at half time, and while i was sitting out, it made me think about professionals and how, when you see your not a starting and ur sitting on the pitch, obviously u want to win, however you also want to prove to people that u r good enough to be in the starting XI so u dont wanna see a perfect display whilst ur not on, unless ur confident of ur place on the team, i know its quite selfish but i think its partial human instinct, or more likely my own selfish nature!! However when i did come on, i wish i hadnt, i was put in at left back, and i thought midfield you need stamina,bloody hell, a wing back, needs bags of it! Also Im not left footed and found it really hard to be playing with a right foot on the left hand side, as my natural instinct would be to go towards the centre, and therefore lots of balls that went to the left of me, would go past me, after playing 3/4 or so of the second half I was subbed, to end my nightmare and any possiblity of me getting a starting XI place next week.

Well i havent really spoken much about my relationship with Shamina for a long time, well things between us r ok, when i went back we had a awesome time, and was just like I was back at uni except we had money to burn! We did so much in jus over a week it felt like a month, however now its been almost a month, and its felt like a year since I saw her...Distance really plays on a relationship, i have spoken bout it before, and even though i will be back soon, its jus hard, especially when that person u depend on. Its odd because when im actually da in the UK i dont realise how much I need her, or my friends or family, but when im gone i realise, and its hard to take, as its such a difference. However saying that, when im there, because of my argumentative nature, I will argue even more than normal with Shamina and my family jus to make up for lost time!lol

My parents are starting to really put their feet in, and im really starting to push for the marriage, as I want to be engaged this summer, it means ill be engaged at the age of 23, which for most people is considered to be too young, however I dont think it is, and i think its much dependant on the type of person you are, and if your ready for that kind of commitment. By coming here people thought maybe me and Shamina wouldnt last, it would break, however for me, its made me realise that when im alone, there is so much i want to share with her, its like the whole traveling alone thing i have touched on in the past, and hows its not fun on ur own, and u need to share it with someone, this has made me more commiteed to the cause, however my new found commitment means, my parents have become even more resilant to the idea...

Its not getting any easier, and im certainly in it for the long-haul, however jus how long it will continue I dont know, and neither does my family or Shamina. I was thinking about it recently from my parents point of view, they dont want something for their son, and will try to influence their choice by saying no, and I put myself into their shoes and see what would i do, would I be like cuz i said no, or would I try to explain to my son, and if he still didnt agree would i accept his decision. I dont know if i would to be honest, i mean im quite pig-stubborn, however I do think also im quite a logical fella, and think that if i couldnt persude my parents then there must be a reason why they feel so strongly and if they are of the right age, then accept their choice and give my blessings. Now what is the right age, well is it 16 o 18 like English law, or is it 21 or when you graduate? it is 5 years after u started working, i dont know if there is a right age, if my 23 year old son wanted to get married, I would accept it but if i disagreed with his choice, i would only agree to partly fund the wedding, if my parents gave me that option i would jump at it, but maybe thats just wishful thinkin!!

Aneway expect a monthy or at the very least once every 2 months a update on me and Sham...after all after Relgion there is only love that matters to me(and money$$$$)

take care

Asif

Now that's what I call Qatar 38: The debut of the Soccer Player...

2007-01-31T03:07:00.000-03:00

Dear All,

I messed up with my numbering, I thought I had done 7 for the month but turns out I did 8. So this one will be a bumper final one of the month issue!

Well I played my first competitive game for Soccer (after all I do play for a US company) and it was tough. I was running late and got lost on the way so I missed the warm up before the game, and so I was on the sub-bench, however to be honest I expected to be on the sub bench, as the starting defence is quite strong, so its hard to break into, anyway I was warming up on the sidelines, and the right midfielder felt tired, so I was told to come on for him, I was shitting myself, as you need a lot of pace to be in midfield generally or at least stamina, and as im on the right I need extra pace, anyway as I now have a natural instinct to defend, I was playing more of a right-wing back. My first few touches were ok, a ill shaky but ok. Each half was 30 mins, and I came on around 20-25mins of the first half. At halftime I told the manager, that I think I should go back as sub and wait for a defender to come off, but he told me im doing fine and to stay on. So with a lil confidence boost I started the second half, we were losing 1-0 at this point, (the scored when I wasn't on the pitch!) however I intercepted a pass in the middle of the pitch and it fell to one of our players who put through another of our players and we scored to go 1-1. Then we got another shortly after to make it 2-1. Then what I feel my best moment of the game came, the right back passed it to me, and I flicked it up and there was a guy coming to me on my side and from behind, and I flicked it over their head to our striker who was pretty much on his own with the goalkeeper, but he missed it, if it had gone in I would have been a legend! Made me so frustrated how my performance really does correlate with the rest of the team, like the saying their is no I in team. Anyway I played the whole of the second half, and we conceded 2 late goals, and lost the game 3-2, I have to say that they deserved it, as they did out-play us for most of the first half, and had more chances on goal. I spoke to the manager, saying next time I preferred to go Centre back or right back as I don't have the energy for mid-field not just yet anyway! Oh and i forgot something else, in the game some guy did a high tackle on me, and because im so used to playing 'ghettoo/street' football i jus played on, but the Ref blew his whistle for a foul, i forgot about the whole ref thing, but made me realise next time im going to be like Didlier Nigobra and jus fall all over the pitch when i get tackeled, what a difference the ref makes! I played football on sunday as well, in training, and i had a awesome game, i havent scored many goals for a long time, and i seriously lacked belief in my scoring ability but i was back to my glorious best, especially as i intercepted a ball and scored from my own half! I still wouldnt want to play in attack jus yet, but with the game against Shell tonight, u never know!

So the world of current affairs, well I have been telling people I would talk about it and I will but not as in depth as I would like to, as its quite old now. Well its the whole Somalia and Ethiopian battle against the Islamists, I think its ridiculous how a make-shift government that only exists because of western backing, allows a army from another country and destroy its own citizens. The attacks on the Islamists also largely hit civilian areas, when will the US learn, their PR (check out the BBC world poll) is getting destroyed and because they get involved in things that are clearly their biggest problem. To be honest im not really on the side of the Islamists as from some reports it seemed like they were the Taliban, and after learning of how oppressive they were I began to dislike them, In a ideal world the militants from both sides, the Ethiopians and the islamists or taleban and us army destroy each other, and allow all the chilled out people of the world, so jus enjoy their lives, because as long as one is dominant the world will not be safe.

It feels like the West or US is winning its battle with Islamic Militancy, from what I read, In the South of the Philippines, the group Abu Sayyaf, is being destroyed with philipeno troops backed by US ones, the Islamists retreated, The Lebanese government is trying to win back control of Hezbollah, The Fatah Party is over-riding Hamas right to govern, and Pakistan is attacking the Mountain areas to sort it all out. It seems like apart from Iraq, American is achieving its aims, and whilst American concentrates on all this, it allows China, Russia and India to become rival superpowers, China managed to achieve over 10% economic growth this year,and will soon have more internet users than USA, its clear that they will be a superpower. As with Russia with its vast energy supplies and the ever increasing dependency on it by the EU and Asia means Russia will generate vast sums of money and therefore increase its military mite especially considering the history it has with China and especially with USA. India is more difficult to assess, i mean they have frosty relations with China that is only starting to warm up, they do have good releation with USA and especially Russia, however due to its mixed relgious populoution, and extreme poverty, disputes with Pakistan, I dont think India will be able to compete with the other three but play a role like that of Japan, or UK,France,Germany and potentially Brazil. Its intresting how population sizes are becoming increasingly important, Brazil the most populous country in South America, Germany in the EU, then China,India and USA with the largest populations in that order, you would think though those countries have more workers, they still have to provide and pay more people. I think the only country really to adapt to large populations and achieve quality of life significantly is China, where its helped move around 300-400 million people out of poverty over the last 20 years. Its a phenomenal stat, and something they should be proud of.

There has been continuing fighting over the weekend between Hamas and Fatah, which is jus plain ridiciulous, i mean its not like they have enough to worry about yet fighting amonst each other, it jus saddens me sectarian violence, be in it Iraq, Ireland, Turkey or Palestine. Its a shame when people who would normally consider themselves brothers or sisters, end up killing each other because of the differences between em, its such a shame and i really dont want to go into it as its really upsetting.

Aneway im off now, got to get ready for the big game, however I will be back very soon(i promise!)

Adios

Asif

Now thats What I call Qatar 37: The XI Jinn

2007-01-24T07:46:00.000-03:00

Dear All,

Tonight I have my first proper competitive 11 a side football game for 2 years, and im well nervous! I have been put in defence, which im happy with, as I am no where near as fit as I was a few years ago (and that must be saying something considering I was never slim Jim then (except my time in Thailand....aaaahhh the skinny days!)) however I have a good reading of the game, and can make good passes, so I think as a centre back I can be useful, my heading is quite poor mainly due to my height and my fear of losing brain cells!
So tonights game is against Scotland, (there is a corporate league and one company decided to call their team Scotland)l, Shell, England and I don't know the names of the other two teams, are the rest of the teams that make up the league.

We play 10 games, and then have a playoff competition, where 4placed plays 1st and 2nd vs 3hird! I will keep you informed as to how we do!

My flat mate is moving out and moving with the guys across the corridor, and so I am trying to get moved in their flat across the corridor as its bigger, but I have to persuade the guy in charge, and its a long'ting! I felt quite down when the whole thing with them moving was going through and they asked me to move with em, but I felt it would be better to stay in my current place as I am happy with it, and they aren't far away,so we should all remain tight. But what I will really miss is someone else in the flat, as were both sure that the flat is haunted and im shittin myself when he leaves what will happen. The number of things that have happened is phenomenal and so vast would take 5 pages, however basically last night it confirmed my suspicions that something is not in the flat and building, and I am sure there is some sort of spirit (in Islam we call is a Jinn), as it keeps doing crazy shit,shit that u cant explain, and led me to running out of the building last night!! Lol I know alot of u will think im crazy but im telling u there is something up!

Anyway I know I have written much recently, however this weekend I plan to rectify that and write a good one as a penillutimate one for January.

Now that's what I call Qatar 36: Forgotton Tidbits...

2007-01-22T08:35:00.000-03:00

Yo yo

(the following was written on Sunday 21st January(my mums bday!)
its bright and beautiful Sunday morning in Doha, and I feel refreshed after the glorifies weekend!

I had a pleasant weekend, more so when I was watching Chelsea being destroyed by the scum of Liverpool, I was loving my prediction coming true, Kuyt scoring, however my biggest delight came when Brad Friedal the Blackburn goalkeeper, kicks the ball all the way to the blackburn attacker Matt Derbyshire, who scores, to give good ol Brad a assist,along with his clean sheet! not bad not bad at all, I was at best hoping he would get 2 clean sheets, so 12 points plus (double for making him captain) so 24, however hes performing well beyond my expectations!

There is a couple of things I have forgotten to mention over the last few editions, which I always mean to, firstly when I was writing my review of the year, I neglected to mention mine and Shaminas trip to Marrakech in Morocco, I guess I keep forgetting as Shamina didn't like it, so I kinda block it from my memory, as she just found the people to be and I found the people really money oriented, like noone would help you unless u gave em money, it was really bad, however it was a nice get away and after a terrible first night, we managed to settle down into a 5 star hotel resort, and it was so nice to get away for a week.

Now its Monday 22nd, and I jus witnessed one of the biggest robberies of mankind, I dont know how arsenal da wankers manage it, they did it in the fa cup final a couple years ago and again yesterday, its a joke, Im glad RVP is out with injury, and as my loyalty to man utd I will be selling him in my fantast football, hopefully for a man utd player, either rooney, larsson or saha.
Well were still comfatably in the lead in the premiership so im not too annoyed but would have been good to go 3 games up on chelsea!

Aneway I need to mention what Asaker Anwar did for me, as if it wasnt for him, I would be so bored every evening and weekends, on new years eve/day he spent hours giving me all the tv shows that I watch, such as Las Vegas, Weeds, Greys Anatomy, and Heros as well as loads of films, and I really appreciate what he did, as it kinda ruined his evening, yet he didnt say anything and it shows what a good guy he is, how hes related to that evil brother of his I never know, however theres always a black sheep in every family.

Aneway I best go take care

Asif

Now that's What I call Qatar 35 : The Racist..

2007-01-19T14:35:00.000-03:00

Well well heres another shot in the arm for those Stormy786 addicts....i
know who u r...

Well its the weekend in Doha, and its so chilled, I always loved Fridays,even in England, out of principle i would never do work on a friday, its bby
far my favourite day, and not because in Islam its considered the holy day> like Sunday in Christianity(or Saturday for Jews) but its jus like the
Crunchie (a UK choclate) Advert used to say, that Friday feeling.... its a
awesome feelin, where ur worries go away, and u can do as u please, sleep,
go out, u have no constraints, for those who know me well know just how
highly i regard my fridays!

Plus one of my close friends here in Qatar, just got a new car, the
H2(Hummer) and its a huge beast, that jus demolishes everything in front of
it, its so beautiful inside, easily the most comfatable thing i have been
in, its the closest thing to a tank that is allowed on the road probably,
yet its really fast and jus a sweet ride, i know i wont be able to drive
one, at least not yet, so if i do get one it wud be a h3.

I have been reading about shilpa sheetty in big brother in tke uk and her
alleged rasism against her, i havent seen the episodes but its making big
news througout hte world, well i dont have much to say about goody and the
other white trash, i mean within people like that the fact that their
uneducated and unaware of the implications of what they say, Im sure they
all thought they wud do well before the show started, and that especially
jade, that because she was populour once she wud be again, however what has
actually been evident is the lack of knowledge and lack of multicultrism
within the uk. People say the USA is a a hotebead for ignorance but i have
to say the UK and (Austraila for that matter) are not far behind, its not
that the people in big brother are rascist as such, because I think u need
to be intelligent to really be-prejudice against someones race, i rather
think that they are just purely ignorant to the fact that people of a
different skin colour to pink, wud be intelligent or succesful, its more of
a jealousy thing. Obviously their are under-tones of it being a white
supremcy thing, however generally i think with people like that, it pisses
me off but not because their being racists or discriminating btu the basis
their doing it on, I will be honest i look down on people like that, I have
had a 10x better education and living standard than the majority of people
with those views, and when they see my in the street they have their
negative thoughts, however I have my own thoughts and they are often of pity
when it coems to people like that...

It was Muhammad Alis bday the other day, and he may not reach his next
birthday as his Parkinson is getting worse, i feel really bad about it, and
its such a shame, I think hes a amazing person, and like Martin Luther,
Malcom X, and Rosa Parks changed the future for all african americans and i
wont go too much into but i think alot of em didnt take he opportunites
afforded to them by those above. Its a shame because they were all truly
revolutionary figures, and their actions shud be worth alot mroe than 1000's
of urban ghettos riddled with drugs and violence....

Finally i saw a accident a really bad one, it was so horrible, a van was driving through a junction and was full of asians, and a land cruiser went across the junction hitting the van, we hear a large bang, and the land cruiser hitting the traffic light. and a tyre flying in the air and rolling infront of us, it was like something wrong a film, i couldnt belive it! I ran out of my car, along with other people from other cars, iwas ringing 999 but no1 was answering (how fucked is it, that no1 wasanswering lucky other people were there ringing em, but imagine i was on my own) aneway there wasa old man in the land cruiser in the passenger seat, his door was stuck and he was bleeding all over his head, and his eye had blood in it, it was so graphic,and then we all tried opening the door but it wouldnt so we tried pulling i open still didnt, we then got his walking stick trying to jar the door open, by this time alot of other people had come around the car, so i left it, whilst all my other friend was waiting for me in the car, I ran to the other car and to c on the indians, and no1 was with them, i felt realyl bad as they were badly injured as well, yet everyone was with the arabs, i spoke to the driver tellin him to get out, but some arab told me to wait, i said no, because their was oil leaking from the car, and it was dangerous, the driver didnt seem tooo bad, however one of hisd passengers couldnt move, i went to him, and i saw he had blood under his clothes, it was terrible, by now the police and ambulence came, so my mate told me to leave, i felt so helpless, i really wantedt o help, and i waited to make sure the asians got some medical attention which they did finally towards the end, it was jus so scary really makes u think about driving...

aneway i best leave Well aneway thats me for today hope you all have a good day like I will cuz(drive SAFELY)
ITS FRIDAY!!!

Now that's what I call Qatar 34: What does Dubai, NFL,Roman, Heinze,LA Galaxy, This weekend All have in Common?? Read on to find out!

2007-01-18T04:48:00.000-03:00

Dear All,

2 entries in 3 days, woah someone's on a roll!! can I make it three this weekend? only time will tell only time will tell....

What they all have in common is that I will be talking about them!

Well one of the biggest news of last week was Beckhams deal to LA Galaxy, for a stupendous million dollars a week, that's some serious cash, even if the dollar is weak, the guy is making mega bucks for jus playing a sport he loves and doing it in a hot country,where he has everything he has ever wanted! Some people get all the luck. Well I think good on him, he has got slated so much in the past, for the world cup, for getting fame to his head, for his wife, for his fallout with fergie, for numerous things at Madrid, and so on, yet he is the one laughing whilst all the media who hate on him, are now watching him do things they only dreamt of. Regarding a footballing point of view, the quality of football wont be no-way near as high at Europe, however at his age, it might suit him, and I think he will be a success as he has a strong work-ethic. People say fergie got rid of him at the right time, maybe so but we haven't won much since he left, but I don't think he was the reason we did win cups and league, at least he wasn't the main reason anyway, however in terms of morale and sponsorship, the team lost out, and real Madrid cashed in, the stock already huge went higher, and its no surprise they over-took man utd as the richest club in the world. Thankfully man utd are finding their feet again, the same cant be said for Real madrid,

Mourino vs Roman, is this weeks big news, and I am not on anyone's side, I cant stand either one, and im glad with what's happing I hope both of em jus flop,and leave the game, I wouldn't wish death on anyone, so ill jus hope they go and retire and spend their millions and billions as they c fit, people say mourino has been good for the game, but for me since he came to the UK more and more teams are baseing themselves in a negative fashion like Chelsea does and not the attacking delights of Arsenal and Man utd, he has shown others that after a decade of exciting teams winning the premiership, a strong negative team is the only way to beat these attacking teams, and for me has taken alot of the fun out of the premiership. I would be pissed to pay and watch a Chelsea team of last yr, as it was jus so efficient the way they killed a team, it was disgusting but also u have to congratulate em for winning back2back championships, but I hope and think this yr is ours, and Roman and Mourino can jus continue to destroy the scum...

Super weekend of football with Man utd vs Arsenal and Chelsea vs Liverpool, my predictions 2-2 between man utd and arsenal, with Van perise scoring first, then Ronaldo and Scholes scoring for Man utd and then Hleb or Baptitsta scoring for Arsenal with a few minutes to go, and for the other game, I think it will be a boring 0-0 or maybe Liverpool will nick is 1-0 (Kuyt scoring!) purely because of the chaos at Chelsea at the moment coupled with the determination of Benetiz that hes not beaten mourino in the league yet! I cant wait!!

A big news in terms of International Sport is that the NFL is coming to London, its going to be really good I think for London and the NFL, as I think NFL has a big market in Europe, and London at the same time will show how diverse the sporting facilities are. I only got into NFL through the computer game John Madden and the numerous American Football films out there, all of which I enjoy, I haven't found one film about US football which I dont find interesting, also there is a new series out called Friday Night Lights, and its really good, theres something about it, I mean to me originally it seemed like jus a bunch of guys with loads of padding hitting each other, however its much more intrinsic, there are plays which the coach and quarterback work out, which pretty much make or break games. I feel the guy who has to catch the ball has the harder job than the guy who threw it, yet its the Quarterback who gets all the glory, I been watching a bit of it over here, theres so many breaks in it, it gets really annoying, as its not as flowing as UK football, or even Rugby, however I think watching it live wud be awesome and those going to it in London will bevery lucky.
The Ruler of Dubai plans to takeover Liverpool, God knows why he wants the 2nd most negative team in the league after Chelsea, However unlike Roman he wont throw his money at Liverpool as its a business investment and not emotionally attached to the murderous bastards... I really cant stand Liverpool, and I dont think people are at all fair, people talk of the team of the 80's and 70's, however it was because of them that all English sides got kicked out of Europe in the late 80's and people forget that or dont mention it enough, the screwed every team without getting any real individual penalty, I think its wrong,completely wrong and pisses me off, then they have the nerve to mock man utd fans about the Munich aircrash which was a great disaster that was at the fault of nobody, but if anyone mentions Hillsborough they get all touchy, such hypocrisy is what steams holligisim, and there is reasons why thugs fight each other over football apart from gang culture and machines, its what goes on in the pitch, and if one team is being favoured over others, then the fans c it as their fight to even the playing field, now days there is much but I have seen quite a few, including a MASSIVE holligan fight on Tottenham Court Road, where around 60 guys were involved, and there are stories about it throughout the UK. I think Sheikh Martoum needs to take some history lessons and c what exactly he is buying, and why despite all their records on the pitch, they are the black sheep of English football in my eyes.

And to end this football edition of my blog, Transfer Speculation, Heinze is supposedly leaving Man utd, im so gutted if that happens, because he is a player who plays with heart, Gary Neville (or G-Unit as he likes to be called) is one of my favourite players in the world, because he plays completely with his heart, and the same goes for Heinze, I think given the chance he shud be in the first XI, because he wud give 200% for the cause, it wud be a BIG mistake by Fergie. Regarding the other transfers I dont really care to much as theres nothing that big going on!

Well thats all Folks!

Hope you enjoyed it!(and I think ill do 1 monthly football one a month!)

Now that's what I call Qatar 33 : The Islamic Fantastic Four

2007-01-16T04:34:00.000-03:00

Dear All,

I have been quite a bit of a socialite over the last few days mingling with people and networking at various events in Qatar. I may or may not have made new friends, only time will tell if I call the people or people call me whom I swapped numbers with.

So where have I been making my new acquaintances I hear you ask, well it was at the 4th Doha Academy Conference, which brought together renowned Muslims around the world to give talks on their respective fields. Those who I went to see is Haji Noor Deen, (a Chinese Calligrapher) Sheik Hamaza Yusaf (A scholar who is an American re-revert,(I use re-revert as in Islam, it is believed that everyone is Born a Muslim so if one converts later to Islam, its believed they are converting back to their original faith)), Sami Yusaf (a Arab-British Singer who is famous across the Muslim world, the Mike Jackson of the Muslim World), and Peter Sanders (A Photographer, whom is a British revert)

Now to most of you, you will have very little idea of who any of those people were, however each of them have had a profound impact on not only Islamic culture but the World. Below are short profiles on the 4.

(Sourced http://www.thebritishmuseum.ac.uk/middleeastnow/word-into-art/artists/guanjiang.html
Haji Noor Deen Mi Guanjiang
Born Shandong Province, 1963

Haji Noor Deen is a prominent calligrapher who in 1997 became the first Chinese Muslim to be awarded the Egyptian Certificate of Arabic Calligraphy, and subsequently became a member of the Association to Egyptian Calligraphy. He teaches Arabic Calligraphy at the Islamic College in Zhen Zhou, China and is also a researcher into Islamic cultures at the Henan Academy of Sciences, Zhen Zhou. He has given several lectures on Islam in China And has participated in a number of workshops and talks on Arabic Calligraphy worldwide, including at Harvard University,USA;the University of Cambridge, UK;and, in 2005, the Globe Theatre, London. Between 2000 and 2003 he received a grant to tour and display his work at several universities in the United States.

Hamza Yusuf

(Source http://www.zaytuna.org/teacherMore.asp?id=9)

Hamza Yusuf was born in Washington State and raised in Northern California. In 1977, he became Muslim and subsequently travelled to the Muslim world and studied for ten years in the U. A. E., Saudi Arabia, as well as North and West Africa. He received teaching licenses in various Islamic subjects from several well-known scholars in various countries. After ten years of studies abroad, he returned to the USA and took degrees in Religious Studies and Health Care. He has travelled all over the world giving talks on Islam. He also founded Zaytuna Institute which has established an international reputation for presenting a classical picture of Islam in the West and which is dedicated to the revival of traditional study methods and the sciences of Islam. Shaykh Hamza is the first American lecturer to teach in Morocco's prestigious and oldest University, the Karaouine in Fes. In addition, he has translated into modern English several classical Arabic traditional texts and poems. Shaykh Hamza currently resides in Northern California with his wife and five children.
SAMI YUSUF

(source http://www.samiyusufonline.com/bio/index.html)

Born into an azerian family& raised in the UK, Sami started developing his natural vocal & musical skills seeing his father who is a very renowned musician & thus the promising Muslim singer was discovered at a very early age by his family to become a renowned artist himself.

Sami learnt to play a lot of instruments giving all the credits to his father who was his first mentor. Later he completed through obtaining scholarship to study composition at the Royal Academy of Music in London,

Soon after the new-comer was ready to get involved in the contemporary fine art or we can say islamic art by releasing his first hit AlMUA'LLIM album.

The Muslim singer who has just released his album in both English & Arabic has had a long history in the Muslim music industry and he is already the best selling muslim artist in the world. He merges the rhythm, completes it with words, and charges it with spirituality in his voice so that all beams with the sense of soul.

(source http://www.middleeastuk.com/culture/art/sanders/_

Peter Sanders
"..often when I'm taking pictures it seems as if I'm chasing a moment, like a beautiful bird that keeps escaping you"

Peter Sanders is a world renowned photographer. Born in London, he established himself in the 1960s shooting many of the pop stars of that era including Jimi Hedrix, Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, The Rolling Stones and The Doors. In 1971 he was granted the unique opportunity to photograph the rituals of Hajj or annual Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca. These images appeared in the Sunday Times Magazine, The Observer, among many other major journals in recognition of their rareness.

His empathy with the people he meets in many remote places in the world is reflected in his ability to capture unique and natural poses of people who may otherwise find his occuption suspect or intruding. His subject matter is a colourful mosaic of faces, facades and natural scenery and his talents as a photographer bring to home the beauty of distant lands and people, stealing all the colours of the rainbow that bridges east and west.

From the City of the Dead to the City of Light; from two million pilgrims on Hajj to the Empty Quarter; from the anguish of the impoverished to the wealthy cities of Saudi Arabia, Sanders' work opens the door to the unique, exotic lands of the Middle East, Africa, India, Central Asia and into the vast world of Islam.

As you can tell all these people are unique in their own individual ways. I have the fortunate pleasure to have met them all and spend time with them and the people around them. All apart from Haji Noor Deen could speak English, so I was able to communicate very well with them all, which was nice, as I was able to discuss thing openly with them. I have taken many pictures of the events and will be putting them up on facebook in the near future. The work by Peter Sanders, is truly exceptional, and its not just the photos he does but the captions that come with the photos fit so perfectly, that it adds greater meaning to the photos. If you get the chance to go to any of his exhibitions I would higly recommend it. The same goes for Haji Noor Deen, I have seen his work during my China travels, and was aware of that type of Calligraphy, however when you first see it, its so amazing, how two of the most ancient forms of writing are intertwined Arabic and Chinese again like the photos and the captions fit so well together.

I wont go into Sami Yusaf, except non-Muslims should listen to him, as he has a very good voice, and he has most of his songs in English and its just different to what you probably usually listen to.

Now regarding Sheik Hamza Yusaf, well I am a fan, I mean there are people who are not keen on the way he teaches, however I think the way he explains things are superb. He gives Western Muslims the right type of examples of when he speaks and isn't detached from society. In one of his talks he was saying how in the US there are 40,000 think-tanks, and that they are a key component in any society, and that if the Arab countries are to progress they will need to building think-tanks. Though the US has so many think-tanks, I don't quite see myself however the point in having so many think-tanks, as the US foreign policy and the domestic one to a extent is actually decided by a select few so whets the point in trying to think of new ideologies or thoughts, when really the impact is a minimum. He was also stating how, when we see tragedy in the world, we are often confused and don't understand the reasons behind it, and he gave an example of if a Ant was walking through the carpet, they wouldn't be able to differentiate anything within the carpet the way we can see the carpet, and the over-all design of the carpet, and like this its Gods view of the world. Its a common saying within religions that everything happens for a reason, and we just need to trust God, and I have seen many people not able to trust God anymore after something bad happened in their lives, and they didn't understand why, I thank-fully haven't had anything THAT terrible, and I hope when the time comes I will be able to Trust God.

Anyway thats it for me now, I know its slighly different to my usual entries, however I thought I would try somethign a little different, and hopefully enlighten a few people.

Take care

Asif

Now that's what I call Qatar 32: Bangham

2007-01-11T07:57:00.000-03:00

Good day to you All,

Today is Thursday and that for me means WEEKEND! its always a tough week when you come back from abroad on Sunday (the western worlds Monday) and have this constant jet-lag feeling, yet at the same time, you don't want to come earlier because it means less time on holiday or at home, so I try to tough it out for the week and then get rest at the weekend, which im planning to do this weekend.

The last entry was much more of a review than anything else so this one will be more about my thoughts about something close to my heart,

Well jus been reading the news and read this http://www.thedailystar.net/2007/01/09/d70109040331.htm

Oldham football team is going to be touring Bangladesh, first uk team to do, I think its really cool and great way to promote the team, I have very mixed feelings towards my mothers country, I mean I love it, and I am proud of being Bangladeshi, I think the country does have beautiful aspects, but there is so much wrong with the country, that I am complexed to understand how anyone can survive in such a atmosphere.It is always up there in the most corrupt countries in the world league, and I know alot of people say poverty drives crime and corruption, (think of all poor areas where u live, that is where most likely the highest crime will be) however its not that straight forward I think. I mean no matter the level of wealth of someone from the orient, they always tend to do well at education (OK im going to be saying some huge generalisations but still I think I have a valid point!) whereas people from Africa tend not to do well at education. Obviously there are anomalies, however I feel the vast majority of cases can be put in these cases, and there are plenty of stats. Now some will say well those Africans tend to be from poorer up bringing and don't have as many opportunities, however the Chinese people in the UK tend not to be overtly wealthy, and yet excel in school. Now I think its more down to work ethic and culture, the orient has a great wealth of intellectual knowledge whereas Africa has a strong physical- work ethic culture. That is why you see so many black people in sports.

Now getting back to Bangladesh, the thing is, it used to be part of India and Pakistan, yet Indians have this strong work ethic and Pakistan is kind of in the middle, whereas Bangladeshis continue to do terribly in school, and even worse in university and working life. This is where it gets confusing in terms of theories, I mean it cant be about wealth, as you have people from other poor backgrounds doing well, and it cant because of the culture or ethic of the country as Bangladesh has a similar culture to India, so what the hell is it??? I don't know to be honest, its something that greatly puzzles me, and is worrying for the future of British Bangladeshis, because the knowledge pool is decreasing by the day whilst other communities are taking advantage of being privileged to be schooled in the UK. If those kids who fuck up at school, go back to Africa and Bangladesh they would realise exactly how lucky they are, I lived in Bangladesh when I was growing up for 9 months, it wasn't long, however did have a impact on my life, and made me realise just how good the education is in the UK. I still messed up at school, but thank God, I managed to realise before it was too late. Unfortunately many kids these days don't realise till its to late.

I was speaking to a guy at my work, this Bangladeshi guy, who has a very low paid job, and was telling him Im having a problem finding a cleaner, and was worried about it, and then I asked him how he was, and he was like has ok, he has problems, but not like mine, implying we live in different worlds, it hit home, that though im doing well for myself here, there are so many other people who are just getting by, and I mean just. The conditions for low level people here are terrible, 15-20 guys in a small room, one toilet, they work 18 hours a day 6-7 days a week, some don't get paid as their employers screw them, its really terrible. The fact he is Bangladeshi makes me think that it could have been me in his position and he in mine, its just by Gods will, that I am me and he is him. It makes you feel like you can walk and the other person needs to use a wheelchair, I mean I need to make use of my life, and do good with it, as I have been blessed, like the guy with the legs, I have learnt to think that my education was a right I had but was a gift and I need to make use of it....

Well that's it for my folks,

Take care of yourselves and enjoy your weekend.

Asif

Now that's What I call Qatar 31: Sadam aka Jaguar Paw

2007-01-08T08:04:00.000-03:00

Dear All,

Its been a while since my last entry, I am back in the State of Qatar, therefore back to my usual titles of 'Now that's what I call Qatar'...

Well I was a extremely busy bunny when I went back to the UK, I went to Amsterdam and Brussels for day trips with Shamina which was so nice, and was really cool to get away from the hustle and bustle of London, even if for a day. Though I have grown to love London(still not a touch on the north though) there are many aspects I cant stand, one such aspect is TFL(transport for London) its so busy, so expensive its ridiculous, and constantly has engineering work or delays or some sort. I really despise it! However saying that, at least their is a public transport system, where in the Gulf there is no infrastructure for anything like that of London. Saying that Knutsford, which if I say so myself, is one of the nicest places in the UK has very little public transport, and considering the whole global warmin thing, its starting to get quite worrisome.

Amsterdam is a great city(not for the reasons that many of you think I say it for...though it is for those reasons as well) but in terms of the way it looks and it is, it seems so carefree, like Madrid, yet has the gothic feel of Prague, and it is surprisingly a clean city considering the activities its famous for. I have to say that the Museums their are really cool and there is a lot to learn. However me and Shamina, were thinking how hard must it be to bring up Children (Muslims ones in our case) with the things around, I mean girls in the windows, drug users and alcoholics everywhere, it must be such a surreal place to grow up with and have those morals, which are in direct contrast to most of the major faiths in the world.

Brussels was quite different, it felt like I was in the poor mans Paris, it was nice in a European way, and contained one of the coolest structures I have seen in my life, 'The Atom' (you have to check it out on line!) however I wouldn't recommend it, as to be honest the only thing special it really had was waffles and chocolate, the rest that is on offer is not worth going for.

Last night I went to see Apocolypto, it was awesome, I read the reviews and I was expecting alot, and thankfully it delivered. Usually I get disappointed when I look forward to a film, as it usually fails to deliver, however this film was so well shot, and so well filmed, it already for me makes it one of this years hits. The men in the film resemble the Brazilian football team with the main guy (thus this entries name) Jaguar Paw looks like Ronaldino, its uncanny and one of those against him looks ALOT like Roberto Carlos. Pretty much the whole Brazilian football team has a look-a-like and all the women in the film look Indian oddly. Anyhow, the film without ruining too much of it, is based on native America, and the wars that exist between different tribes, I wont say anymore except go see it!

I saw a film when I was in the UK with Shamina, called Perfume, A murders story, which is another crazy film with the most bizarre ending of a film I think I have ever seen, just for the ending its worth seeing the rest of the film. However something about the film and if you continue reading this paragraph I will ruin a little bit about the story so be warned! Well this man creates a perfume that is basically the ultimate aphrodisiac, and means that anyone who smells it wants to have sex, and basically it results in a priest and a nun having sex, which personally I find terribly insulting. I mean though im not Christian, I feel that too often especially Priests and Archbishops and Nuns are ridiculed in this manner, I mean you go to a fancy dress party, and your likely to see a tart in a nun outfit, or a guy in a monk outfit, with snide innuendos attached. I accept not everyone believes in God however for me its disrespectful to mock the religion or make it perverted, I mean the same goes for Muslim headscarves/jilabs(the long black gown worn by Muslims) there is supposedly Porn that contains images of women dressed in this manner, which I again find extremely disrespectful, It doesn't happen as much with Islam as it does with Christianity but with this subject I feel all religions are being targeted by the secular society growing around us.

And finally as many of you have asked me thoughts on the biggest news of the year so far, Sadam's Hanging. Well as a Sunni Muslim you may think I am being biased in what I say, however its not really anything to do with the Sunni/Shia divide that is occurring right now, as I am a big fan of Iran, and though it is supposedly behind all the actions of Shias in Iraq I think it is the only country to stand up for what it truly believes in the middle east. Unlike those of Saudi and Jordon and Egypt, which are so blatantly being forced to think and act differently to how the people of those country want them to act. This time however, it seems that everyone, the west and the sunnis are teaming up against the Shias about the hanging, and this will further cause conflict and I believe this year we will see the violence in Iraq spill over the region and will see new battles along the lines of Sunni vs. Shia, Fatah vs. Hamas, Israel vs. Hezbollah part 2, and I think the two major countries involved will be Saudi and Iran. They both will have a large role to play in the battles, and though Saudi has been relatively calm, its clear from the statements coming out of Riyadh that they are not comfortable with what is happening in the region and they must take a stand. There is no love lost between Iran and Saudi, and though millions of Iranians go to Saudi each year(for pilgrimage) the authorities are clearly not happy, as when I was there, it was clear they were did not approve of how the Iranians would treat certain things and pay respect to much to other things. Its a difficult time ahead in this troubled region and I don't see anything getting better with or without Sadam...

Well that's all folks and thank you for reading. Take care

Asif

A New Year (part 1)

2007-01-01T20:54:00.001-03:00

Dear All,

This will be a short post for the new year with a MUCH longer one to follow very shortly (hopefully tommorrow), well we are in 2007, and its amazing that its been 7 years since the millenium i jus cant believe it, it really does not seem that long ago.

Something I want to point out to look out for especially if your new to my blog, im dysleix and im proud of it, (also dyspraix bu thats for another day) so this blog will contain numerous spelling mistakes and i know its not hard to check the freakin spelling, but in my humble opinion i think i will lose part of the edge of my blog so plz bear with me, and lets all hope my spelling improves this new year!

A dissapoint day on the football front, for man utd and for my fantasy football! I made my transfer already even though the next round of football is 2 weeks away, i took out Louis Saha and brought in Kuyt (from liverpool) it means i have some serious money to spend on the rest of my team, so hopefully over the next few weeks i will start to stregten my team in other areas of the pitch!

There is a lot of stuff i need to write about such as the Sadam hanging, the war in Somalia, and the whole new year thing and what to expect from it, as well as my own thoughts about what i expect will happen this new year! But one thing is for sure, as long as im alive (and maybe even after im gone, as i know some of my loyal readers, may continue it) you will be getting no more however no less than 9 posts from me every month. Im not sure why its 9 but it is, and it works well, i dont over-burnden my readers but at the same time, I give enough to keep them intrested, or at least thats what i been told.

I hope to attract many more readers in this new year, and I would like peoples help in re-doing the page on my blog (www.stormy786.blogspot.com) and though i know alot of people read it on facebook or Qatar living, i hope to attract more people to my actual blog, well there partly my aims for this new year!

Aneway like i said this is part one and hopefully part 2 will be coming up very soon.

I hope everyone had a great new years night, whatever they did and wish everyone luck for this forthcoming year....

Asif