On the ban of Dr Naik (and his "gay-bashing Jew-hating" values)

I first heard of Dr Zakir Naik during the RIS event, in 2005.

"Oh, you don't know Dr Naik? He's the best!" Said some of my friends. "You will hear him give a speech and immediately a dozen people will convert on stage."

I am not a keen proponent of people converting on stage (religion, to me, should be private and in my opinion new converts should not be a prop). Still, I remember attending his talk and seeing it as very entertaining. There is no debate that he is a highly effective public speaker. Yet ... something wasn't right.

Later, I reflected on what he said. There are two posts in the past on this blog where I recalled his speeches. One is "No Fun Please, We Are Muslims". The other topic was "Music and Its Power".

I had the opportunity to hear him speak on a few occasions. Today, I can see some sugar coating by some of his ardent supporters but to me there remained no doubt that he has very rigid opinions on what Islam is and what Muslims can do. He would not allow non-Muslims living in a Muslim country to spread their own religion because "they are wrong". Music is something that should almost be banned. I didn't witness the famous excerpt where he is alleged to have said homosexuals and those leaving from Islam should be killed, but my impression was that his attitude wouldn't be the friendliest to them.

Clearly he said a woman's lack of modest clothing would lead to her getting raped. He cited some statistics about how many women are getting raped in the USA and Canada all the time. Women who are of age and not married to a husband would become "public property", said Dr Naik. I remember hearing the word "public property" in that context. And no one, not even the women, got outraged.

People loved him for being able to cite verse numbers and chapter numbers of various holy books of all religions to underscore a point he was making. To me, the conclusions he were drawing seemed quite far fetched, yet people got offended when I pointed them out. How can he, I said, for example, ban a Jewish guy from spreading the Torah in a Muslim country when the Prophet Muhammad himself did no such thing? According to Muslims the Prophet was the perfect man leading the perfect state, yet in his state there was singing in the wedding and women were not prohibited to ride on camels and graves were not destroyed and Jews/Christians/Idolaters were free to spread their religion, and yet, are we today more pious than the Prophet?

To me, Dr Naik may be right on some things, but he was also wrong on a lot of others. To me, his views are not something I can identify with as a Western Muslim.

Is that why did Canada banned him? I can shed no tears on his ban, and if the argument is that his views are incompatible with Canadians then it's a fact.

Yet ... in another Toronto Star article it is stated he is banned (in Britain) for "unacceptable behaviour".

I was there at his "Every Muslim should be a terrorist" speech. He is being totally misquoted out of context for that one. To even cite that as a reason is being intellectually dishonest. As for the other statements, I agree then he does not espouse pro-Western views, and perhaps promote (indirectly or directly) hatred against certain groups or religions.

Then, why is Ann Coulter then allowed entry to Canada? Here's some of her quotes:

"I think the government should be spying on all Arabs, engaging in torture as a televised spectator sport, dropping daisy cutters wantonly throughout the Middle East and sending liberals to Guantanamo."

"Not all Muslims may be terrorists, but all terrorists are Muslims."

"I don't know if [former U.S. President Bill Clinton is] gay. But [former U.S. Vice President] Al Gore - total fag."

"[Canadians] better hope the United States does not roll over one night and crush them. They are lucky we allow them to exist on the same continent."

Here is someone who has expressed hatred towards a religion (Islam), a group (gays/democrats/liberals), a Western country (Canada) and yet she is allowed entry to Canada. I could go on about other similar examples but it seems the ban on Dr Zakir Naik is hypocritical to say the least.

I agree that entry to Canada is a privilege for foreigners. But there should be a consistent fair set of standards applied when preventing entry. This is why I cannot support the ban on Dr Zakir Naik. He is no more gay-bashing anti-Canadian-values person than Ann Coulter.

I hope Muslims in Canada can use the ban as a positive development and turn this into an opportunity to develop home grown imams who espouse both Canadian and Islamic values (which are perfectly compatible - except, er, beer contests). Then we wouldn't need a faulty foreign role model.

Soccer Teams In Cricket

So as I watched England get thrashed by Germany today, I had the notion that England are a lot like India in cricket. Overhyped team, overpaid stars, a domestic league that is all glitz and glamour without being good. So I continued the train of thought, if each cricket team had to have a football substitute, which ones would they be?

India:

No doubt this is England. The IPL in India is what EPL is to English soccer - a league with lot of money and lot of talent, but not of the home team. Substandard quality but each time the World Cup comes around, they are supposedly the favourites. Until they go home.

Pakistan:

It's a tie.





Fighting between the team and coach, divisions within the team, charges of match fixing in the domestic league, the captain meeting with the President after another bad World Cup, yet on their day they can be mercurial and beat the best of the best, and yet flop the next day.

It's France and Italy for Pakistan.

Bangladesh:

They are the Cameroon. Always young players, always full of potential, always with a lot of promise, always exiting at the first round, always promising to "build on this". Living off one glorious run past the group stages of a bygone World Cup - that's Bangladesh for you.

South Africa:


Spain. An all star team. One of the firm favourites to win.

Crucial must-win match.

Chokers.

Enough said.

Sri Lanka:

Despite their pedigree and previous history, this team always flies into the World Cup with low expectations. Their players love each other and click as a team, and somehow ALWAYS manage to find a way into the finals or semi-finals, no matter what their pre-tournament form is. So fluid, a pleasure to watch, and thrilling when they win.



And with their record of crushing minnows, there is no doubt - Germany are the Sri Lanka of football.

Australia:

The big question.

Always the champion.

Always manages to find players to instantly slot into the team and be a world class player.

It takes a genius from the other team having an extra ordinary day with all the luck clicking to knock them out.

Any time.

So....

... just who are the Australians of world football?

No doubt....

there can only be one team.

BRAZIL.

World Cup 2010 - Round of 16 Predictions

Well well. Now we have halved the number of countries who came to South Africa with big dreams, here's how I see the next week happening.

Uruguay vs. South Korea South Korea looked good in their wins, and even in the game against Argentina they looked in with a chance until the late burst of goals. However, Uruguay got the X-factor who is Diego Forlan.

Prediction: 2-0 Uruguay.
Result: 2-1 Uruguay

USA vs. Ghana: Last World Cup Ghana stepped all over USA (literally) to a victory. They looked good, and disciplined, this time around. USA may always believe they are always in with a chance, but Ghana is Africa's last hope. Now if they can only find the net (both their goals have been penalties). Given that referees have been anti-US this time around, maybe it will happen again!

Prediction: 1-0 Ghana.
Result: 2-1 Ghana

Germany vs. England: The BIG ONE. England look finally like hitting their straps, and it reminds me of Canada at Vancouver, where they were playing their first round ice hockey games badly, and barely qualified, and then ran into Russia, and steam rolled them. Perhaps England are the same ... ? *hope*

Prediction: 2-1 England.
Result: 4-1 Germany

Argentina vs. Mexico: Good though Mexico has been, Argentina was in another level altogether.

Prediction: 2-0 Argentina.
Result: 3-1 Argentina

Holland vs. Slovakia: Holland hasn't played the total football we know they are capable of, yet they are getting the job done. Reminds me of South Africa in cricket, who never look good yet are machine like. Until they run into the eventual champions.

Prediction: 1-0 Holland.
Result: 2-1 Holland

Brazil vs. Chile: Brazil has their main players back while Chile have lost their first line up (or so it seemed) against Spain. Brazil should notch it up a gear (as I predicted, the game against Portugal was a yawn fest), and dispatch of a stubborn Chile.

Prediction: 2-1 Brazil.
Result: 3-0 Brazil

Paraguay vs. Japan: Did Japan ever think, even when they qualified second, that they would be facing Paraguay and not Italy? Their free kicks were really, really good and they just lost to Holland. But the South American team has shed off its traditional defensive game and played brightly. If Japan can avoid conceding an early goal, I expect them to hold out just enough for a win. That would be my upset prediction.

Prediction: 1-0 Japan.
Result: 0-0 Paraguay on penalties (5-3)

Spain vs. Portugal: I hope Spain thrashes Ronaldo (er, Portugal). Zidane once said when Spain learns how to win, they won't stop. Perhaps that will be true this World Cup.

Prediction: 2-1 Spain.

Now, what's your predictions?

World Cup 2010 - 1st Round Last Leg Predictions 2 of 2

Here's my predictions for the next couple of days' matches.

Paraguay vs. New Zealand: I would LOVE New Zealand to go through, but while they were successful in holding off Italy, Paraguay has one thing Italy are missing - a striker.

Prediction: 2-0 Paraguay.
Result: 0-0

Slovakia vs. Italy: On paper this is easily Italy's. Despite their hiccups, I am expecting an Italy victory. Hopefully, I am wrong.

Prediction: 1-0 Italy.
Result: 3-2 Slovakia

Denmark vs. Japan: This one is tough to call as both teams look resilient and in form despite a terrible warm up campaign. Denmark is the champion of long passes though, so I would hedge it in their favour.

Prediction: 2-1 Denmark.
Result: 3-1 Japan

Cameroon vs. Holland: No contest. Next to Algeria, Cameroon are probably the worst team from Africa. Without being their best, Holland has managed to produce the goods.

Prediction: 2-0 Holland.
Result: 2-1 Holland

Portugal vs. Brazil: With a potential to be the match of the day and both teams through (Brazil, mathematically, Portugal practically), I am expecting this to be a dull, cagey draw. A nothing to gain, nothing to lose for both.

Prediction: 1-1.
Result: 0-0

North Korea vs. Ivory Coast: Another African disappointment, at least they will hope for a victory here. North Korea has blown hot and cold, but the Ivory Coast should be able to win here. If however Portugal starts losing 3-0 in the other game, expect the Ivory Coast to then gun for it.

Prediction: 2-0 Ivory Coast.
Result: 3-0 Ivory Coast

Switzerland vs. Honduras: Can BOTH these teams lose? Please?

Prediction: 2-0 Switzerland.
Result: 0-0

Spain vs. Chile: They save the best for the last. Will a South American team taste defeat for the first time this world cup? This could be a time even with two victories you can go out. I am calling this for Chile though.

Prediction: 2-1 Chile.
Result: 2-1 Spain

World Cup 2010 - 1st Round Last Leg Predictions 1 of 2

With two legs of the group stages already done, tomorrow sees the last leg of the group games, with matches played simultaneously, begin. At the risk of getting egg on my face, here are my predictions:

Mexico vs. Uruguay: Both teams, you can say, "got the job done" so far. A draw would see both qualify, irregardless of other results. Yet, you have to feel they would both go for a win. One would get the early goal, the other team would equalize at the end, and then they would both indulge in time wasting.

Prediction: 1-1.
Result: 1-0 Uruguay

France vs. South Africa: the game means more for the hosts, but a disunited France should still be strong enough for them. Yet, I will ignore my head and go with my heart on this.

Prediction: 2-1 South Africa.
Result: 2-1 South Africa

Greece vs. Argentina: Argentina (well, Messi really) has been absolutely fabulous. Greeks will be all out to sea here. Greeks will defend hoping for a break that will never come, and Argentina only know one way to play.

Prediction: 3-0 Argentina.
Result: 2-0 Argentina

Nigeria vs. Korea: this is a strange group, with a 1-0 win enough for Nigeria to go through despite two defeats, if Argentina as expected beats Greece. Korea, though, looked good. Though I see a 2002 run to the semifinals difficult to repeat, I would tip a disciplined and more physically fit Korea to win over the misfiring Africans.

Prediction: 1-0 Korea.
Result: 2-2

Slovenia vs. England: Even if England wins, what's the point - they are absolutely rubbish. Lightning does not strike twice and I would expect them to score an early goal through a set piece and defend it like the Italians.

Prediction: 1-0 England.
Result: 1-0 England

USA vs. Algeria: The Americans have been good, really good. If not for a refereeing call, they would have won their last match. I expect them to easily win this one.

Prediction: 2-0 USA.
Result: 1-0 USA

Australia vs. Serbia: This one is hard to predict. You would think the Serbians would be favourites, but the Aussies are a stubborn dog. Yet, if not for a handball, Serbia would be sitting pretty at top of the group, and the Australians can't end the game with the same number of players they started with.

Prediction: 1-0 Serbia.
Result: 2-1 Australia

Ghana vs. Germany: All the African teams have been terrible so far, and Ghana had the only victory, yet they never look like scoring. In fact, both their goals have come from penalties. And the Germans looked really good against Australia. I expect normal service to resume and for Germany to eliminate the last African team standing.

Prediction: 2-1 Germany.
Result: 1-0 Germany

Next set of predictions on tomorrow (Wednesday) night.

Waving The Flag

The Wife and I recently met up with the charming Organica, who was visiting Toronto. Organica remarked she found it amazing that how many people were flying the flags of various countries participating at the World Cup from their cars. It wasn't like that in her home town. Indeed, of all the places I have visited, New York included, I don't think any city comes as diverse as Toronto.

Every four years when World Cup comes around you will see all the flags around Toronto. Some have two, three or more. Here's the post from the last World Cup.

At this time you will hear some radio commentators lament the flag that people are not flying two flags, one of the country they are supporting (mostly of their country of origin) and one of Canada - especially that Canada Day is so close.

They are mostly losers who have no love of soccer and in typical right wing mentality think that only waving the flag entails patriotism. I say fly whatever flag you want, and fly it proud! Now where's my Brazil flag?

It's a pity the South African flag won't fly much longer, unless the remarkable happens in their match against France

I usually support England, but with the dreadful way they are playing, even if they win the group and qualify, what's the point?

Lot's of support for Italy in Toronto. Lovely people, lovely country, but boring style of play for me. I want them out.

Now this sight you will never see in Bangladesh. Either you support Argentina or Brazil, not both!

Who are YOU cheering for?

At the local mosque: World Cup Has Begun

This Friday I took a day off and had the time to attend Friday noon prayers at the big mosque near home. I went to the 1.45 prayers, that way giving me enough time to come home and catch the 2^nd game of the World Cup.

The imam was giving a speech on ... the World Cup. Ah, this should be interesting!

"In Islam, there is NOTHING wrong with sports. Football is a good game and keeps you fit. So in Islam there is nothing WRONG with the game but ..."

I KNEW IT. There would be a "but". But why?

"some people take it too excess and forget their prayers and this is why it's very bad .."

Oh man! (Can I says Jeee-sus!) Why, of ALL the terrible problems facing your community you are taking out your anger on football?

I can say the following also.

"In Islam, there is NOTHING wrong with eating. Eating is a good activity and keeps you healthy. So in Islam there is nothing WRONG with the eating but some people take it to excess and miss the prayers ..."

Then the imam continued, "some people watch the games late at night and miss Fajr prayers."

Er, imam? If you take a look at the schedule (it's available on the CBC website) you can see all the games are in the morning in Canada. In fact, if you pray Fajr you can actually wake up in time to catch the earliest game! You are imam in Canada, why you are you giving the speech an imam in Bangladesh would make? I mean today, I woke up for Fajr prayers partly because the Algeria-Slovenia game was soon after. In hindsight I should have gone straight to bed (one team doesn't know how to score and the other doesn't want to score).

But, imam, what if I say, "some people catch a little 'action' *wink wink* late at night and miss Fajr prayers."

So if, imam, you are not warning about the eating and the 'action' why are you taking out your ire against the football World Cup? Surprisingly I haven't heard a thing about the Cricket World Cup. At 8 hours per game surely you are missing more than ONE prayer there!

It's not a unique thing. If you take a look at the supposedly #1 muslim blog MuslimMatters on their recent post about the World Cup, you will see all sort of weird comments. Some guys are concerned that players play in shorts.

There must be something wrong with some muslims if the sight of a MAN's bony knee can turn a muslim MAN on. And every concern about these supposed muslim creatures seem to be a woman's ankle or a guy's knee which turns them on. Must be some repressed people - these so-called salafists.

Why can't you just give thanks to God for the beautiful game that is soccer and pray to Allah so that your countries win and produce a decent squad? I mean, Canada's team can't beat a country like Honduras. Now that, would be a talking point.

I would love to see a cool imam who goes "ah the World Cup is here. Just for clarification I am supporting such-and-such team (perhaps England, to score against them you just shoot AT the goalie). But. I am also here taking care of my obligations to Allah. Which all of you can also. Never forget your prayers come first (and especially England needs all the prayers it can get). So, while you enjoy your games, eat and do 'other stuff', remember to give to charity, say your prayers and help the downtrodden."

Now that would be a great goal.

Why I support the Facebook ban by Bangladesh (and Pakistan)

Let us forget for the moment that the governments of Bangladesh and Pakistan are one of the most corrupt governments in history and they have anything but the welfare of their people in mind when they make decisions. Let's assume, for the purposes of this post, that they banned Facebook in their countries for the sole reason of "Everybody Draw Muhammad Day" page that was not taken down by Facebook.

Here is why I support such a ban.

1. It is not that the governments of Bangladesh and Pakistan banned public gatherings, freedom of speech, the internet or mass communication. A single website was banned. There are many ways to communicate to other people. So it's not that freedom of speech was curtailed. There are other social web networks.
   
   
2. Drawing a caricature of Muhammad showing him in a degrading fashion is offensive to the majority of Muslims. Just like calling a black man a negro is offensive in USA, promoting Nazi culture is offensive in Germany (and illegal) and denying the Holocaust is offensive in many European countries. Just because you don't find it offensive does not mean others don't. If you have the right to offend, then don't be surprised when people exercise their right to be offended.
   
   
3. Making fun of Muhammad is illegal in Pakistan and Bangladesh. Facebook is a company. By not taking down those pages it broke the laws in those countries. The countries therefore punished the company for breaking their laws. Facebook had to make a decision as to whether to stick to its values of "free speech" and operating in those countries, and it chose to ignore the laws. It therefore has to suffer the consequences.
   
   
4. If Facebook was really about "freedom of speech", as they say they are, then it seems they are very selective in their "freedom of speech". One gentleman from Pakistan decided to test their limits, and this is his story.
   
   
5. Making fun of the Prophet is hate speech - to Muslims. It may not be hate speech to you. Similarly, to many Bangladeshis who have never faced the wrath of Hitler, it's no big deal to praise some of his economic policies, but it's hate speech to Jews. If you support total freedom of speech then you have to support ALL hate speech.
   
   
6. I don't think we have complete and absolute freedom of speech. We never had. Every society has its taboos. Facebook breached one such taboo in those countries and got punished fair.
   
   
7. The ban is a non violent protest against Facebook's actions. If companies suffer financially through such actions, in the future they would be mindful of Muslim sensititivies if they want to do business with them.

Reaction to Gaza aid ship deaths - Translated

Source: BBC - Reaction to Gaza aid ship deaths

WHITE HOUSE SPOKESMAN WILLIAM BURTON
"The United States deeply regrets the loss of life and injuries sustained, and is currently working to understand the circumstances surrounding this tragedy."

What it means:
Thank God no one's talking about BP today. Those damn bastards better find a way to plug that oil well today. They got one more day now.

BAN KI-MOON, UN SECRETARY-GENERAL
I am shocked by reports of killings and injuries of people on boats carrying supplies for Gaza. I condemn this violence.

It is vital that there is a full investigation to determine exactly how this bloodshed took place. I believe Israel must urgently provide a full explanation.

What it means:
I am not shocked at all by the killings. Just sad. Israel as we expected. Time for a trip to New York to head this "investigation". I wonder if my wife has to do some shopping while I am there.

OFFICE OF BARONESS ASHTON, EU HIGH REPRESENTATIVE FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS
High Representative Catherine Ashton expresses her deep regret at the news of loss of life and violence and extends her sympathies to families of the dead and wounded. On behalf of the European Union, she demands a full inquiry about the circumstances in which this happened.

She reiterates the European Union's position regarding Gaza - the continued policy of closure is unacceptable and politically counterproductive

What it means:
Israel's blockade is bad. We condemn it. That's all the US will allow us to say.

AMR MOUSSA, ARAB LEAGUE SECRETARY-GENERAL
The Arab League's Secretary-General has called for an urgent meeting at the level of representatives to look into this heinous crime committed by Israeli forces against unarmed civilians that left scores of dead and wounded.

The Arab League strongly condemns this terrorist act.

What it means:
We who are without balls can all gather to watch the World Cup together.

WILLIAM HAGUE, UK FOREIGN SECRETARY
I deplore the loss of life during the interception of the Gaza flotilla.

We have consistently advised against attempting to access Gaza in this way, because of the risks involved. But at the same time, there is a clear need for Israel to act with restraint and in line with international obligations.

This news underlines the need to lift the restrictions on access to Gaza.

What it means:
Arabs, please continue to do your "Islamic banking" with us. See? We criticized Israel, as you asked. We will join you at the World Cup party.

MAHMOUD AHMADINEJAD, IRANIAN PRESIDENT
The inhuman action of the Zionist regime against the Palestinian people and preventing the humanitarian aid from reaching Gazans does not show this regime's strength, but is a sign of its weakness, and all this brings this sinister and fake regime closer than ever to its end.

What it means:
It's the Jews.

What it really means:
The inhuman action of the "clerical" regime against the Iranian people and preventing the universal values of freedom from reaching Iranians does not show this regime's strength, but is a sign of its weakness, and all this brings this sinister and fake regime closer than ever to its end.

TONY BLAIR, MIDDLE EAST ENVOY FOR THE INTERNATIONAL QUARTET
I express deep regret and shock at the tragic loss of life. There obviously has to be a full investigation into what has happened.

What it means:
I still have a job.

MARK REGEV, ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER'S SPOKESMAN
Though our naval servicemen were instructed to exercise maximum restraint, they were attacked. They were attacked with knives, with iron clubs, and also with live fire.

We have unfortunately 10 servicemen injured, one of them very, very seriously. The violence was initiated unfortunately by these activists, and this is regrettable.

What it means:
When I say this is regrettable, I mean this is a Public Relations nightmare. It will be that much harder to get donations for the Holocaust Museum now. Actually, it won't, but you know what I mean.

What it really means:
We don't care about any international law or treaty. And we are right because we said so. If you don't agree you are an anti-Semite.

Washington D.C.

It was a long weekend in Canada - Victoria Day. Since I neither have any knowledge nor desire in celebrating the birth of a monarch who has never set foot in Canada (nor do I think, most Canadians), I will cheer ANY reason for a holiday. So, we suddenly decided to check out the capital of our neighbour to the south. On to Washington D.C.

However, any trip to the US by any Canadian would not be complete without shopping. En route to D.C., we stopped by Grove City Prime Outlets.

With just a short time to spare, shops had to be selected and sacrifices made to maximize shopping time!

Our first stop in Washington next morning was the White House. We made our way to the rear of the building, where, for about 29 years and running, Concepcion Picciotto has been protesting over the atomic bomb.



The White House is indeed a glorious building. Did you know that Canadians (then British) burnt it down completely in the War of 1812? Of course then they got bored and came home.


Here's a view of the White House from the front. Unfortunately this is as close as they would allow us to approach. For tickets to visit the White House you have to reserve one up to 6 months in advance.


One can see the famous Washington Monument from almost any spot in the D.C. area.

Walking to the Monument on the way to the Mall.

A view of the Monument as seen from the World War II Memorial.

The Washington Monument as seen from near the Lincoln Memorial.

The setting of the Mall, with the White House, Monument, the Capitol and the Lincoln Memorial reminded me very much of the layout of Paris. You will see further down in the post, from the pictures I took from atop the Monument, that Paris has inspired Washington (as have ancient Greeko-Roman designs) a lot.

Abraham Lincoln's statue at the Lincoln Memorial.

Any visit to D.C. will be incomplete without visiting the Smithsonian museums. Due to time restrictions, we only could pick one and I chose the National Air and Space Museum. On our next visit, inshAllah, I plan to visit the Natural History Museum.

A mirror of the Hubble Telescope on display.

This was the toilet on Skylab space station. If you use your imagination, you can see what the function of the hose and the large hole on the wall was!

The first controllable air craft to fly - Kitty Hawk.

The next day was cloudy and overcast, unlike the previous day which was blazing hot. Even then, the long walk from downtown Mall to the Jefferson Memorial was very tiring - it was really humid. D.C. may have a much more connected subway system than Toronto, but one stupid rule they have is the day pass on the trains do not work on the buses - you have pay a separate fare.

Now, if you have read the The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown, you will know that it's set in Washington D.C. The Jefferson Memorial is mentioned in the book as America's Pantheon.

The Jefferson Memorial on the banks of the Tidal Basin.

Next, it was time to visit the Monument (or, as the Lost Symbol refers to it, America's obelisk). For this, you have to line for the (free) timed tickets they distribute. The office opens at 8.30 am but people line up from 7.30! We reached there at a leisurely pace at around 10 (after breakfast) and were very, very lucky to get the last 4 tickets left! As soon as got our tickets, the notice went up - "All tickets for the day are gone".

An epitaph at the entrance of the Monument.

The following images are those of Washington D.C. as seen from the top of the Monument. Now you can see why the city reminded me of Paris. I remember seeing a similar layout from the top of the Eiffel Tower.

The Capitol building, as seen from the top of the Monument.

The Lincoln and the WWII Memorials, as seen from the top of the Monument.

The White House, as seen from the top of the Monument.

In the final scenes of the Lost Symbol, Peter Langdon is atop the Monument and while descending, the book describes the commemorative stones placed in the stairwell. This is actually true, as we saw when the elevator taking us back down stopped for a bit for us to see those stones.


Our final visit was to the Capitol. For this, we were lucky enough to get a tour reservation during our stay.


Our tour started at the Capitol Visitor Center, then on to the Crypt, and then to the Capitol Rotunda and finally, to the National Statuary Hall.

The painting "The Apotheosis of Washington" on the Rotunda, which plays a part in the Lost Symbol.

Other famous paintings below the Rotunda of the Capitol Hill.

The Supreme Court of the United States.

Washington D.C. is a city with a lot of history and pomp, and is full of museums, especially for those interested in American history. The highways leading to the city pass through some gorgeous scenery. It's definitely a must do for someone interested in visiting America.

Kick For A Cause

Saturday two weeks from now, I have bravely signed up to play football (soccer to you Americans) once again after many millions of years. It's all for charity - the fund will support Braille equipment for blind school children in Bangladesh. It's organized by a few of my friends, and the flier is shown below.

Kick For A Cause
Charity Soccer Tournament

Join us for a great day of soccer & BBQ and support the
North York football community!

When: Saturday, May 29th 2010 12:00pm – 6:00pm

Where: George S. Henry Academy Soccer Field
(200 Graydon Hall Drive, Toronto, ON, M3A 3A6)

What: 6 vs. 6 outdoor soccer (5 players + goalkeeper)

Cost: $11/person (min: 6 players per team; max: 10 players per team)

The tournament social will include BBQ – burgers, hotdogs and pop – (free for participants) and awards for the winners. Bring your friends and support a great cause!

All teams are guaranteed two 25 minute games

Game officials

Got questions? Email us at nyfutbol@hotmail.com

So, if you are in North York area and are interested in playing a little recreational soccer (and support a good cause while you are at it) please contact the above email. Teams are already being formed and payments are required by May 21^st, 2010.

The iPhone Disease

If you are like me, you probably have a lot of friends (usually of the female variety) who are hooked on to their iPhones, swear by it and at every possible moment try to impress upon you as to how urgently you require an iPhone.

Now I can still have my (very) old phone, and an even older plan, as a result of which I would not pay Robbers Rogers a huge hefty monthly bill in data plans, and can concentrate on paying down my even heftier student loan first. However, this post is not about the telecommunications industry in Canada nor a discussion on where the idea of not being online all the time was viewed as common sense, but of a particular and a very contagious disease.

The iPhone disease.

This disease (it can be classified as a mental illness) manifests itself in many ways. Following are some symptoms.

I Have an App For That

Every normal conversation with an iPhone holder is interrupted with this favourite phrase of theirs. For example,

You: "I want to see how Ironman 2 is."

iPhone User: "Oh wait, I can tell you. I have an App for that. It's called Movie Review For Dummies iMovie."

[5 minutes of caressing the iPhone later]

iPhone User: "it has 3.5 stars ..."

You: "Hmm. I have some time to kill. I wonder where it's playing."

iPhone User: "Oh wait, I can tell you. I have an App for that. It's called Theatre For Dummies iTheatre."

[5 more minutes of caressing the iPhone later]

iPhone User: "it's playing in X, Y and Z. Do you want to book tickets? Coz... I have an App for that as well."

Touching the iPhone

Every iPhone user has to touch the iPhone every 5 minutes or less. It's a built in withdrawal symptom. Try it - talk to an iPhone user for 5 minutes and see if they don't whip out the monstrous brick every 5 minutes or less. You may be having a perfect conversation with them but they will still take it out, check something on it and then remark to you, "Oh isn't that funny? Look what Mike posted!"

Do I care what Mike posted? I was talking to you!

If it's not checking their email, or boasting about an app (see above), it's tweeting. Again, you will be having dinner, and the iPhone user will be tweeting:

"having dinner with @so-and-so. #fun!"

Why do you do this? It would be pathetic if not for the other iPhone user tweeting back:

"@iPhoneUser1 you too? Me too! #goodtimes #fun"

It's all an excuse to touch the iPhone.

Comparing Notes

As soon the iPhone user comes into contact with another iPhone user, there is some sort of signal which allows them to ascertain that the other person also belongs to this not-so-exclusive club. They will instantly both whip out their iPhones (see point above) and start comparing notes.

"Oh, what a nice skin."

"Oh, that's a nice screen filter."

"Oh, do you have this app? You must get this app. It tells you how much battery the other apps are using!"

"Oh really, nice! Btw you MUST get this app. It makes snide remarks about anyone not having phone with a data plan!"

"Oh lovely! But you MUST get this latest app. It automatically calculates how much happiness the iPhone is giving you and transfers an equivalent amount of money to Apple immediately."

"SWEET!"

So, if you and your friends have an iPhone, do check that you do not succumb to this deadly disease. It's very curable, I tell you.

- Posted from my iPhone

This Week in Toronto Through A Cellphone Camera

Spotted outside a Restaurant near Chinatown:


Being a Muslim, I can't verify his claim, but if you are looking for the best pork in the whole of North America, this is where you would go to.

Signs that Walmart is Going Even More Brown:




Yes - they are now selling cricket pads. I think these were around $30.

Because, in Toronto, We Want to be Very Clear



Er, ... FAIL!

Quick!!! In the 1 second it takes me to drive by an empty spot, can you tell me if I am allowed to park here?

Basking Robbins. 31c per scoop:




Do I really need a caption for this? :-D

Letter to South Park Creators

Dear South Park Creators,

Peace be upon those who follow the true path.

Recently, you broadcast an episode where the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) of Islam was portrayed as a bear. I found that portrayal very offensive.

The bear was fat.

From all accounts, Muhammad was physically a very fit and handsome man; some of his wives - he had more than one - are on record to say he had a six-pack. Unlike, say, 30% of Americans, who are obese, according to National Institutes of Health^[1]. Yet, you portray the average American as a healthy cartoon. So I also find your episode very discriminatory.

Moreover, your cartoon immediately drew comments from some "Muslim" organizations that would otherwise not garner any attention (somewhat like John McCain nowadays - is he still around?). They threatened you with violence. I also find that offensive.

To me, using the Quran to justify terrorism is more offensive than any cartoon of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

I also want to understand (and perhaps do a Ph.D - an online ad on your webpage tells me I could stay home and earn my degree in 4 months) why you hate Muhammad so.

Do you mock Muhammad because he preached against child infanticide? I noticed that you seem to kill Kenny McCormick in almost every episode. If you were Muslim you could not do that (even though Muslims have cheaper funeral costs - something to consider).

By the way, Wikipedia says ^[2] Muhammad gave women in Islam rights long denied to women until as late as 1965 - yet South Park hardly has any female characters. You might also want to look into that.

Why am I writing this letter to you? Well, honestly, I hope some webpages like this post and link to it, and perhaps quote the part I so helpfully bolded. It will improve my "ratings".

Is that why you made that episode? It makes sense now, as you were so quick after the threat to put out a modified "censored" episode. Almost like you expected it. It's not easy to produce work that fast. Trust me, I know. They allow facebook at my work place, just like yours.

However, I am honest. Unlike you, because you actually portrayed the Prophet before. And no one seemed to care. That must hurt.

I invite you to study more about the Prophet Muhammad and his religion of Islam. Wikipedia is a start, but if you want more information you have to visit a mosque. Say to them you drew the Prophet Muhammad and you want more information about him.

They will still greet you with "Salaam" or "Peace be upon you".

Regards,

Mezba

References:

1. http://www.professorshouse.com/family/health/percent-obese-americans.aspx
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women_in_Islam#Early_reforms_under_Islam

Bloggers in Lego

It's quite amazing when how much time you have on your hand when you are done your studies. So this morning, I stared at my Lego collection - and inspired by Nadia's recent post, an idea began to form.

Here, in no particular order, are some bloggers on my list in Lego.

Organica

Rain or shine, Organica reminds you to be green, and is recently busy with a garden at her local mosque.

Ahmed

Ahmed blogs at GeekiSiddique. His trademarked Perma-grin is enhanced even more as he discovers a giant chocolate!

Liya

Liya and V get ready to set off for their latest travelling adventure around the globe!

Haleem

Haleem (who blogs at Captain Chaos) goes on a bike ride, with the Toronto skyline in the back, accompanied by wife Mona.

Achelois

One of the Queens of the Blogosphere, Achelois combines British humour on life in the Middle East with other topics quite well!

Isheeta

Isheeta goes off on one of her many vacations to Dubai.

Nadia

In sandy Dubai, Nadia is ever ready with her DSLR camera to snap pictures!

Amir

Amir (who blogs at Tweels) in now back in Toronto with his ride.

Aafke

Aafke (of Clouddragon and Aafke Art fame) is shown here with her favourite horse.

Mezba

And finally, you have yours truly, Mezba, with The Wife.

Setup:

The pictures were all taken with a simple point and shoot Canon Cybershot camera (7 MP) in Macro mode and no flash. Here's a setup shot.

I. Am. Done.

I am done.

Wrote the final final exam of my MBA degree today. It was on Advanced Negotiations. Yes, we had a final exam for that course.

Someday, I will write about my (mostly fantastic) experience at Canada's top business school but for now, I feel ... free.

So, if you any of you are looking to hire a person capable of managing multiple complicated projects (hey, I have a wife, a career AND school!), with fantastic writing skills (but of course!), with skills AND experience (I will get you something), sophisticated and smart (not to mention - modest) ... you know how to reach me. :-)

My Wife was Right

My wife, henceforth to be referred to as The Wife, and I were going downtown in the morning. We started to argue over some fact. She refused to say I was right and I too stuck to my guns.

"C'mon, why don't we just Google it?" I told her. "It should be on wikipedia."

"Hmm." The wife thought for a moment. "OK, but I know I am right."

"We will see." I replied.

So since I was driving, she took out her iPhone and started to type. Minutes later, she triumphantly showed me the wiki page.

"LOOK! I am right!"

Hard as it was for me to admit it, she WAS right. Hmmph! I thought I was always right.

.

.

.

Later, I found out how she was right. The Wife had EDITED the wikipedia article.

Dubai vs. Toronto: Part 5 - Dubai or Toronto?

Part 1: The Myths of Dubai
Part 2: The Harsh Truth Facing Immigrants to Canada
Part 3: Living in Toronto
Part 4: The Islamic and Cultural Aspect
Part 5: Dubai or Toronto?

This has been a fun series. However, just a small housekeeping note: What I said throughout has been my experiences and from my perspective (er, it's my blog after all). I accept that other people can have equally valid but completely different perspectives.

In the Love Showdown series of Archie comics, Archie - when asked to choose between Betty and Veronica - ends up choosing Cheryl Blossom. In many ways, Toronto is Betty and Dubai is Veronica, and Archie - well he just got back from New York! :-D

One of the big pluses of Dubai is that crime is generally very low. We never kept our gold in safety deposit boxes in banks, nor did our houses have alarm security systems. Risks of home invasion or robberies were very minute. While the rich Arab students had access to drugs, your average brown student whose father would get upset if the kids got 98% in Maths was relatively secluded from the seedier side of high school teenage life.

Another fact that sounds paradoxical is that since you do not have a vote, since you don't have politics, some things actually run smoother! The government of Dubai did not debate in parliament and hold public meetings for years and wrangle amongst various government departments for funding for a subway system. They needed one, they went ahead and built one. Environmental concerns be damned. So what if Dubai is broke? Your taxes ain't going up. Similarly, their waterfront is a pleasure to visit (just ignore the coral reefs destroyed through all the dredging for the man made islands). Again, you don't have to worry too much about politics - people are mostly concerned about their own lives and the average Joe (or Ahmed) in Dubai leads a fairly comfortable life. I know it sounds a tad selfish but in Dubai, none of my taxes went to pay for people who were not bothered to seek work but were content to mooch off others.

So, why do many of us immigrants refuse to leave Toronto to return to Dubai? How in ten years have we managed to put down roots here that we could never have even after 20 or 40 years in Dubai?

The freedom of speech is, even if it is unapparent, a big factor. Human beings are designed to be free, by default. Even Allah says in the Quran that humans are given free will, something that differentiates us from the angels. Even if most people (like senior brown folk) are not concerned about Canadian politics or world events, it's something they unknowingly value.

Crime may be low in Dubai, but as I walk down the street a policeman (or worse, a local) may look at me the wrong way and I could get in trouble as an expat. The law is fluid there, depending on who is in trouble, and if I am in trouble, I am screwed. Here in Canada, in the general sense and all usual cases, unless I do something wrong, the law can't touch me. There's due process. I have gone to traffic court and testified against the Crown, and the policeman prosecuting me lost the case. I could never imagine this in Dubai. The government tells you to pay a fine, you just do it. And you hope never to get into trouble. Much less with a local.

Another big plus in my opinion is the blue passport. After three years in the country, Canada adopts you as one of her own. The whole citizenship ceremony, from starting with a form to taking the oath in court to obtaining the passport is deeply cherished amongst immigrants. The Canadian citizenship remains a highly valued one in the world and it's relatively easy to get. It's a tie that holds people here. They belong and are free to put down roots.

And put down roots they do. Houses are bought (no 99-year lease nonsense) and businesses are opened (no 51% local share crap) - this even without citizenship. And then, you pay taxes - and then worry about how those taxes get used - and now you are involved into thinking about how the country is run - your right as a citizen. You are now participating in the great Canadian experiment.

For me, personally, given all the plus and minuses, I choose to remain here for my own personal reasons.

For me, all my family and friends are here in Toronto. If I uproot myself to Dubai, it will be tough to go to a place, even if it's not completely foreign, and build a social network from scratch. Plus, I find that Bengalis living in Dubai have a very different mentality and way of thinking compared to Bengalis here.

Plus, there's really nothing to do in Dubai! I am not the type of guy to visit mall after mall - all malls look alike to me. In terms of recreation, I could probably do what I do here - bowling, cricket, ski (er not really in Dubai - sorry!). But sports and recreation facilities are top notch here - not to mention cycling tracks and Ontario probably the best outdoors for fishing, hiking etc.

Moreover, as someone who likes to travel, if I were in Dubai, I would have to fly out to somewhere - here I can go to lots of interesting places by road that are nearby. And every place here is different. You have the great and historical cities of the world - such as Montreal, New York, Washington, all some driving distance away.

Weather - half the year in Dubai it's really too hot to do anything. Here - summer is pleasant for lots of activities - and we have specific winter activities like skiing, curling and skating. I really enjoy the differences in seasons we get here. Now if only we could have the winter we had this year every year ...

In short, and to conclude ...



I really like Toronto. It may not be as glamorous as Manhattan or as fashionable as Paris or as in the news as Dubai - but it's home.