Buttertea at Sunrise

Buttertea at Sunrise: A Year in the Bhutan Himalaya by Britta Das is a nice autobio book. Based on her experience living in Bhutan as a physiotherapist in Mongar Hospital. Beautiful memoir of her with dramatic scenery of the Himalaya - peoples and environment - change her perspective between rich and poor, privilege and unfortunate, challenge and forgiveness. In a remote village hospital, she meet many unfortunate peoples with shocking condition - giving her new challenge between technology and cultural-ritual-taboo practices. Slowly she learns to understand the people and 'pressure' from the environment - the mysteries of tantric Buddhism and casts practices. Gaining insights into the traditions of this mystical kingdom, she makes lot of new frineds and falls in love with the environment and peoples, especially Dr. Bikul and Buddhism. Really, this book is very interesting for those interested with isolated country like Bhutan where people have to fight with their physical environment and tabo practises. Read it.

Slave

I just buy new non-fiction book from Waterstone, Slave: The True Story of a Girl's Lost Childhood and Her Fight for Survival, written by Mende Nazer and Damien Lewis. Seems like struggled & sadness story of a young girl. Hope i got chance to read it while fly back to Msia in April. Here i copy and do some alteration of the synopsis of the book from back cover page. Im so eager to know the truth of the story, especially the synopsis sounds unbelievable to me (i noted it in orange). But if it really 'happen', should i said; WTF of 'islam order' or 'muslim culture' they following? Read the synopsis below ...

Slave is a shocking first-person insight into the modern day slave trade. It is also a fascinating memoir of an African childhood and a moving testimony to a young girl's indomitable spirit in the face of adversity and shattered dreams. This book is an extraordinary story of a young Sudanese girl who was kidnapped and sold into slavery, and how, in Sept. 2000, she finally escaped to freedom.

That young girl is Mende Nazer, who grew up in the remote area of nuba Mountains of Sudan. Her happy childhood was cruelly cut short when raiders on horseback swept into her village. The Mujahidin hacked down terrified villagers, raped the women and abducted the children. Twelve-year-old Mende was one of them. (They called themselve as MUJAHIDIN, sounds very islamic, but they terrify and ruin other people life, do raping & abducting children for slavery?)

Mende was sold to an Arab woman in Khartoum. (Hah, so everything is about making money-slavery business by kidnapping children). Mende was stripped of her name and her freedom. She was kept as a domestic slave, an 'abid', without any pay or a single day off. Her food was the scraps left over from the family's plates, eaten with separate cutlery, and her bed was the floor of the garden shed, which was locked up each night. She endured this harsh and lonely existence without knowing whether her family was alive or dead, for seven long years. (So, what can i say. It's all about ARAB people again. The Jahiliyah mentality still 'alive' in their blood-they're, apparently, more ISLAMIC than other non-arab, but in reality, majority of them; fully of anger of me, they're RUBBISH and SHIT - what a shame!. This remind me to the reality of arab people customs and cultures, and islam practices among arabs, as written by Albert Hourani in his book - A History of The Arab Peoples).

In the spring of 2000, Mende was passed on by her master, like a parcel, to a relative in London. Eventually, she managed to make contact with other Nuba exiles who, with British journalist and filmmaker Damien Lewis, helped her escape for freedom. (Again and again, the one that always 'helping & saving' most of 'unfortunate' muslim, children or woman, even man, is always non-muslim, who muslim peoples always claim them as 'killer' and of course kafir. But what we do as a muslim, especially arabs? - fuckin shit hah?).

Sorry guys. I dont know why i cant go with arabs anymore. I really feel like they are the one that giving trouble to islam and othet non-arab muslim people with their 'jahilliyah mentality' that our prophet of Muhammad saw try to banish. Arab is Arab, or can i say Arab is Jahilliyah? or to be more polite, apparently, that Arab is STILL Jahilliyah?

Samira and Samir

Samira & Samir by Siba Shakib is an extraordinary true story of a young girl in the "man's world" in Afghanistan. Siba Shakib presented this trus story as a biography of Samira in novel writing format, so that when you read this book, it seems like you read a novel. Act., i plan to buy this book from amazon.co.uk. However, last week when i went to Waterstone, i saw it in non-fiction section and decided to buy it, although the price is much expensive from amazon.

Whats the story of Samira & Samir then? Samira, originally born as a girl was 'transformed' to be a man, as Samir. Her father, who desperate for boy as his first born, responsible in changing Samira becomes Samir. Samira vs Samir was taught as a boy by his father where she learns to fight, ride a horse, and shoot. She becomes a head of her family when her father is killed.

Problem occurs in her life when she becomes an adult girl. Shes in love with Bashir and want to live as Bashir's wife. Now shes in identity dilemma. Shes already well-known in her tribe as a 'male', but now has to announce her real identity to public. She follows her heart to be a woman, but hate to appear as a woman because her 'experienced' been a man before.

So what happen to her after she becomes a real woman? No more freedom for her anymore. This can be understood because in Afghanistan or maybe in other islamic country in middle-east, woman have no right in most everthings. In the case of Samira, shes living in mountainous area which laeding by tribe leader. If you read little bit more any book about middle-east social life and culture, you will understand why woman have no right in those area especially if you born in tribe group. But again, dont misunderstand between islam order and culture pressure. Its nothing to do with Islam, it just a matter of middle-east culture, i think, that put girl and woman at lowest status-like a slave-or can i say they still have jahilliyah mentality. What a shame! Lucky woman in Malaysia dont have to be 'part' of this kind of discrimination.

So, i would like to suggest you guys out there, read this book. Try to understand the difficulty to be a woman in arab-persian or middle-east diaspora. From here, maybe, you can get some idea why Amnesty always put those country or maybe other islamic country non-arab-persian, as 'slaving a woman', 'discriminating woman right' etc. And probably, you will understand why those woman from arab-persian diaspora who migrated to many western country, US & UK especially, converted to be a christian or maybe change to other religion or just a free-thinker. They just think that they got a 'freedom' from man's world in their homeland which fully with torture, slaving & discrimination. No wonder ISLAM seems such an 'evil religion' in most western eyes or non-muslim eyes because for them ISLAM is ARAB. And when it comes to ARAB...what a shame again.. culture dominating their life.. nothing to do with islam orders. Myself, im lucky that im a Malaysian muslim.

My Own Private Idaho

With Keanu Reeves & River Phoenix as a main actors in this film, My Own Private Idaho, directed by Gus Van Sant, is a nice film to watch. Just before you start to watch it, let me remind you that this film is under 18 category, and the background of the plot is gay drama? Whatever! Watch it first and then you interpret it by your own understanding.

Ok, the story is about two street hustlers, Mike (Phoenix) and Scott (Reeves). Mike is a narcoleptic young lad, fully with lonelines, try to dreams of his mother who abandoned him without love. Scott is a mayor son of Portland, has his own agenda to humiliating his father and abandon his hustler friends with their spiritual leader, Bob. Both of them involve in male prostitute for money. However, for Mike, when his friendship with Scott developed closer, plus with his lonelines, he 'desire' for Scott.

In searching for Mike's mom back to Mike hometown in Idaho, both of them having night-camped in the middle of dry land, and here, Mike expressed his feeling and desire to Scott. So how Scott react to it? "Two guys cant love each other" ... but the most important thing during the campfire scene is the meaning of love as a friend and brother that Scott show to Mike. Watch the 2nd clip below which focus on their conversation which i think touching and full with honesty from Mike and Scott. I like the way Mike had been directed during this scene which i think the used of 'soft and falter' voice to express his feeling was so real.

Back home to Mike brother house in Idaho, he got the true story of his mom 'relationship' with his brother, and now he and Scott plan to fly to Italy to discover his mom. In Italy, we can see the real man of Scott when he falling in love with Carmella, and leaving Mike alone again which already 'fragile & crestfallen'. Scott sent back Mike to Portland, and he enjoy his new life with Carmella in Italy. When Scott back home to Portland, he already change to a rich man and important person. So what will happen to his friendship with Mike who still 'struggling' with his narcoleptic, lonelines and hopelessness? Watch this film... i really recommend it to you... it just a matter of... open your mind when you watch it. For me, i like it very much. imdb=6.9 (2March2007)

The Motorcycle Diaries

The Motorcycle Diaries (Diarios de Motocicleta)-directed by Walter Salles Jr., sebuah filem menarik yg didasarkan dr diari dua org pengembara bermotorsikal sekitar tahun 1950an di Amerikan Latin. Dua pemgembara muda, Ernesto Guevara dan Alberto Granado set out a trip to discover the real Latin American with motorcycle, 'La Poderosa-500cc Norton'. Guevara, is a medical student and specializing in leprology, and Alberto becomes his 'driver'. They start their trip from Beunos Aires (Argentina), up to Chile, Peru and ended in Venezuela. During the trip, they facing many problems with their old bike. But that just a technical problem. The most important thing is they meet the real Latin American community with their ground difficulties and problems in their own land. Che' ended his journey in the leprosy camp site-isolated in the forest area in Venezuela. He already learned local community 'scary lives' along his journey, and now he has to deal with his real interest-leprosy. From here, he learn more about the disease and leprosiers, and 'ignorance's' among doctors and government. Their journey become an ethical and political and more than this movie-if you know Che' Guevara-you would understand his involvement in Cuban Revolution. For me, this movie is very interesting to understand the ground truth of native peoples in South America after they had been conquered and leaving such as 'stranger' in their own land, which occupied by Spanish. I love this movie very much and for those who like to understand Che' involvement as a revolusionist, maybe can start with this movie first to get some intro idea of Che', native Latin peoples, Cuban Revolt., and why even until now Che' supporters still 'admire' him. Im still looking for the Che' Guevara autobio from amazon.co.uk... imdb=7.9(25Feb2007)

Oldboy

Korean film directed by Park Chan-wook, Oldboy (Hangul) is very interesting film. In order to enjoy this film you must be patient, and more focus-thinking & thinking what is all about. I should remind you that the first part of the film probably will make you off & stop to watch it, but...be patient...keep watching until the end of it-you'll understand the issue-very interesting, i have to remind u elsewell that this is psychological thriller film, such like SAW. Dare to watch?

So, what is all about? It starts with Oh Dae-su, kidnapped by somebody on the street when he drunk. When he 'awake' from his drunk, he realise that he is in 'prison'. He has been kept in that 'prison' for 15 years without any contact with anybody. So, try to imagine his life in that 'secret prison' for 15 years! He becomes violent, suicidal, crazy, etc. However, without his knowledge, his behaviours in that prison room has been observed by the person who put him in that prison.

After 15 years, he is set free on the roof of a building from a big luggage with new clothes & his prison diaries. The first human contact with him is suicidal with notes "Even though I'm no more than a beast, don't I, too, have the right to live?" Dae-su try to understand what was really happened & ask the suicidal to tell him everything-can he get the answer?...

More on, he receives a call from the one who imprisoned him & offer him to play a game in order to help him to understand why all this happened to him. At the same time he also has a clue to find out the answer in his own way. Based on the taste of the dumplings that he ate for 15 years in prison, he finally found the right dumpling shop-Violet Blue Dragon- and follows the delivery boy based on one of his calls to the prison. Now, he already there-so what happen? Fighting time! But can he get the answer why he had been kept in there?

Just before all this fighting, again without his knowledge, he was arranged to meet Mi-do in the sushi bar. They becomes friend, and in-love, grow closer together. Dae-su tell her everthing & Mi-do decides to help him to find out the answer. The guy who contacted him to play a game, introduced himself as Woo-jin, give him another clue-'back to your old school'. From here, Dae-su discovers that Woo-jin was his schoolmate. The connection between them was Dae-su had spied Woo-jin & his sister, Soo-ah, and witnessed a sexual encounter between Woo-jin & Soo-ah. Act, Dae-su didnt know that Soo-ah is a sister of Woo-jin. Dae-su passed the scened he seen between both siblings to one of his friend, & suddently the 'hot event' grew out, & Soo-ah becoming pregnant? What a shame for Woo-jin & Soo-ah. Soo-ah decided to kill herself by threw herself over a dam, and this really a matter for Woo-jin.

After this second clue, Woo-jin invites Dae-su to his apartment to understand the connection of the story with his 'secret prison' & 'Woo-jin-Soo-ah' story. Here, we can see the confrantation between Dae-su and Woo-jin in order to defend the 'rumors' of Woo-jin and Soo-ah story & her death. When Woo-jin seems successful to make Dae-su to believe the truth, (that Woo-jin really love her sister, Soo-ah), Woo-jin give Dae-su another shock. He gives Dae-su a photo album that potrait himself, his wife & most important thing is his daughter-who? Mi-do!

What a shock! He had been kept in the secret prison to avoid him from his daughter so that when the time is coming for Woo-jin to release him, he & his daugher will not recognise each other. So Woo-jin planned a meeting between them in that sushi bar. Now, its come to Dae-su-how horrified-they already making love as a couples but now he realised everthing that Woo-jin wants him to 'discover' the feeling of love when he loving his sister. Dae-su begs Woo-jin not to tell Mi-do, but can Woo-jin accept his begging? What happen to Dae-su after this? What about Woo-jin-he dont want to live anymore after telling the truth to Dae-su-so-killing himself? And more important is what will happen between father-daughter relationship which already in-love, when at the end of the film, Mi-do comes to Dae-su and tell him that "I love you"...imdb=8.3(21Feb2007).

Myself, first time when i watched it already challenge me to 'play' Woo-jin game with Dae-su- & i like this film becuse this film will make you wait until the end in order to understand what really happen. I dont think this is a 'heavy' film. For me-it a film that can make you undertand that love is everything, vengeance for truth, & 'how to deal with your enemy'-ha ha. If one day i got 'serious' enemy, i might do the same way-kwang kwang...so beware!

Raise the Red Lantern

Satu lagi penghasilan filem oleh Zhang Yimao berjudul Da hong deng long gao gao gua (Raise the Red Lantern). Kisah berkisar mengenai seorg gadis kampung, Songlian, yg bersetuju utk mengahwini seorg lelaki kaya (The Master) yg telah pun mempunyai 3 org isteri. Amalan di rumah The Master pada waktu malam adalah The Master akan memilih untuk berada atau tidur dgn salah seorg isteri-isterinya dgn cara menghantar tanglung merah ke rumah isteri yg terpilih. Bg yg terpilih mrk akan gembira. Isteri pertama, Yuru, yg jarang terpilih tdklah terlalu mengambil kisah akan hal ini. isteri ke-2, Zhuoyan, sgt cemburu jika dia tdk terpilih & sentiasa mempunyai agenda tersendiri utk memikat The Master bg memilih beliau sbg teman di waktu mlm. Isteri ke-3, Meishan, yg masih muda, ditonjolkan sbg seorg yg sentiasa menimbulkan masalah pd waktu mlm sekiranya The Masters tdk memilih beliau sbg teman. Dlm pada itu, pembantu rumah The Master juga mempunyai hubungan sulit dgn The Master & beliau sgt sakit hati apabila Songlian selaku isteri ke-4 hadir sbg penghuni di rumah The Master. Di sebalik semua agenda tersembunyi masing-masing dlm memikat The Master, rumah The Master juga tersembunyi sejarah tragis bg isteri-isteri terdahulu yg menghantui setiap penghuni rumah ini.

Suatu ketika, Meishan terpaksa menceritakan hal sebenar kpd Songlian bhw dia tdklah cemburu kpd Songlian krn dia mempunyai buah hati lain di luar rumah The Master, iaitu doktor peribadi The Master, Dr. Gao. Meishan mengingatkan kpd Songlian spy berhati-hati dgn sikap baik yg ditunjukkan oleh Zhuoyan krn itu semua adalah tipu-helah yg bakal menjadi tragedi kpd Songlian sbgmana yg terjadi kpd isteri-isteri The Master yg terdahulu yg dihukum terkurung sampai mati di satu sudut tersembunyi di rumah tersebut-di mana hampir setiap mlm Songlian terdengar suara tangisan yg hiba.

Tanpa diduga, Songlian terkejut apabila mendapati pembantu rumah turut mempunyai tanglung merah yg sewajarnya hanya utk isteri-isteri The Master shj. Walau bagaimanapun Songlian mensyaki bhw pembantu rumah tersebut diarahkan oleh 'seseorg' utk menyimpan tanglung merah itu, namun krn pembantu rumah tdk mahu mendedahkan hal sebenar, & sebaliknya mengaku mencintai & mempunyai hubungan sulit dgn The Master, maka Songlian terpaksa meminta Yuru bertindak selaku ketua rumah krn The Master tiada pd ketika itu. Pembantu rumah dihukum utk tdk berganjak dr tmpt dia diadili (dlm kead musim sejuk) sehingga dia mati.

Pd masa yg sama juga, bg menarik minat The Master utk terus bersamanya, Songlian menipu bhw dia mengandungkan anak The Master. The Master telah mengarahkan Zhuoyan menjaga Songlian. Tanpa disedari ketika Songlian dlm kead. yg tdk stabil, telah menceritakan kpd Zhuoyan bhw dia tdk mengandung & turut dikisahkan percintaan tersembunyi Meishan dgn Dr. Gao kpd Zhuoyan. Zhuoyan melaporkan hal ini kpd The Master menyebabkan tanglung merah bg rumah Songlian tdk lg muncul-bermakna The Master tdk akan bersama Songlian. Pd masa yg sama, Zhuoyan menunggu peluang utk bertindak menangkap Meishan & Dr. Gao sbg bukti kedurjanaan mrk kpd The Master, & akhirnya peluang itu tiba. Meishan menyalahkan Songlian krn menyebarkan kisah percintaannya dgn dr. Gao. Songlian yg tdk tahu bagaimana percintaan tersembunyi itu boleh tersebar, rasa amat bersalah & menjadi tdk menentu apabila Meishan dibawa ke rumah hukuman utk dikurung. Ini menjadikan Songlian takut krn dia tahu pasti sesiapa sahaja yg dikurung dlm rumah hukuman itu akan mati. Perasaan bersalah & ketakutan yg amat sgt telah menjadikan kehidupan Songlian tdk menentu & akhirnya menjadi gila. Tanglung merah tdk lagi menyala di rumah Songlian buat selama-lamanya.

Aku menghayati cerita ini dgn mengambil kira amalan masyarakat Cina di zmn terdahulu yg sgt unik. Kepatuhan kpd suami, kuasa yg ada pd suami & isteri-isteri yg lebih tua, ritual dlm sesebuah keluarga besar, hukuman yg boleh dijatuhkan sendiri oleh ketua keluarga, & adab tinggal serumah serta hierarki dlm rumah yg unik. Tontonlah filem ini jika anda seorg yg minat dgn tradisi masy Cina di zmn lampau. imdb=7.8(20Feb2007) Aku titipkan clip sedutan dr cerita tersebut

How Green was My Valley

First time i watched this film (How Green was My Valley) in DVD format was last year, in black & white background, directed by John Ford in 1941. I love this film which originally based on Richard Llewellyn first novel, published in 1939-nostalgic look back at life in Wales, specifically inspired by his experiences in the Gilfach Goach area-fully with mining families. This is about Huw Morgan & his family life in a small Welsh village (Cwm Rhondda) in the south Wales at the beggining of the 20th century. Lives during that period among mining communities, including Morgan's family was so harsh. Huw, in this film, recalls his family experiences started with his brother marrieged, Ivor; his sister burgeoning romance, Angharad; preacher Mr. Gruffydd; his father as a coal miner, Gwilym; his mother, Beth; & his other three brothers with their own perspective that conflict with their father thinking. Huw suffers from legs injury, daily, watching his father & his brothers tensions of the strike. His sister, secretly in romance with Mr. Gruffydd, however had no choice when her parents agreed her to married with coal mining manager son. Huw's also has to fight alone with his schoolmates, as he differs from other 'rich born' kids in the school. His mother has to 'fight' with neighbours on her only daughter affairs with Gruffydd, & his father-with his stand on coal mining-at the end ended his life in coal mining underground tunnel. Overall, this is the film of humor, romance, courage, hardship, sadness & fragility of life and family relationships-and must seen for those who love something melancholic. imdb=7.9(19Feb2007)

Leap of Faith

Leap of Faith: Memoirs of an Unexpected Life by Queen Noor is dramatic & inspiring autobiography of American born woman in Arab world, especially Jordan. I read this book yesterday while doing laundry. Queen Noor, originally name was Lisa, first daughter of Najeeb Halaby & Doris Carlquist, becomes an important person (popular?) when she married with King Hussein of Jordan. In this book, reader can understand her role in many ways, which in general is a humanitarian activists. She such a brilliant woman in helping her husband & Arab peoples for peace in the middle of Middle-East conflict with Israel & the Western's. She support for King Hussein's campaign to bring peace to Arab nations. More than this, i think this book such as a historical-political story about her involvement in Middle-East conflict, and also the social story of the Jordanian Royal House. I think this is an alternative book for those who want to understand the realistic story of Arab-Israel-Western's conflict, writen in non-fiction style. I like the story very much.

The Edukators

Filem dr German ni mmg menarik. Tajuk The Edukators (Die Fetten Jahre sind vorbei) arahan Hans Weingartner (2004) ini mengisahkan 2 sahabat, Jan & Peter, sbg revolusionist, terlibat dlm aktiviti waktu malam yg pelik. Mrk akan mengunjungi rumah-rumah mewah yg ditinggalkan oleh pemilik yg pergi bercuti, lalu mengubah-suai kedudukan (rearrange) segala mcm peralatan yg ada dlm rumah tersebut sebagai bantahan terhdp apa yg mrk anggap penindasan & ketidakambilpedulian org-org kaya terhdp org-org miskin. Jule, pasangan Peter, scr tdk langsung terlibat dlm 'aktiviti' ini ketika Peter bercuti ke Spain di mana Jule telah mengikuti Jan & meminta Jan melakukan 'aktiviti' tersbt di rumah musuhnya, iaitu Hardenberg, di mana Jule telah diarahkan oleh mahkamah spy membayar kpd Hardenberg sebnyk 100,000 euros akibat kesilapan Jule melanggar kereta Mercedex Benz Hardenberg-ttp untuk melunaskan bayaran tersebut adalah sesuatu yg mustahil bg Jule. Ketika bersama Jan melakukan 'aktiviti mlm' di rumah Handenberg, scr tiba-tiba Handenberg pulang & mrk terperangkap. Oleh krn mrk bukan pembunuh ttp pada masa yg sama tdk mahu ditangkap, mrk terpaksa menculik Handenberg & terpaksa memaklumkan kejadian ini kpd Peter. Peter yg sama sekali tdk menyangka kejadian ini boleh berlaku sgt memarahi Jan krn melibatkan Jule dlm 'aktiviti' mrk. Mrk bertiga terpaksa melarikan diri ke suatu tmpt yg jauh dr Berlin bg memastikan keselamatan mrk-bersama dgn Handenberg sbg mangsa penculikan. Mrk telah melarikan diri ke sebuah kws tanah tinggi di mana Jule menggunakan rumah rehat pakciknya sbg tmpt perlindungan. Di sini, setiap watak dikembangkan dgn lebih terperinci sbg 'edukators' melalui konflik yg wujud antara Handenberg sbg mangsa penculikan dgn Peter, hubungan rahsia antara Jan dgn Jule, hubungan sahabat antara Peter dgn Jan, & hubungan Peter dgn Jule. Perkisahan scr 'edukators' ketika mrk bersama di tmpt perlindungan ini sgt menarik-suatu pengajaran yg sgt membina minda dicetuskan oleh pengarahan Hans Weingartner. Bagaimana mrk semua mengatasi konflik yg timbul?, & apa yg paling penting bagaimanakah kesudahan cerita ini?... Aku yg telah menonton cerita ini beberapa kali mmg sgt memuji akan kemampuan pengarahan yg berjaya menghasilkan konflik yg bersifat 'membina minda' & suatu konflik yg bersifat 'murni & baik' yg jarang aku temui dlm filem-filem yg bersifat penculikan. Mmg best. imdb=7.7(19Feb2007) Aku titipkan trailer clip & sedutan dr cerita ni bersama... http://www.diefettenjahre.de/index_flash.html

Spirited Away

Another anime movie from Studio Ghibli, Spirited Away (Sen to Chihiro no kamikakushi) directed by Hayao Miyazaki. Act, if im not wrong, this is the first anime movie from Studio Ghibli that open an eyes of audience on animmated movie especially from Japan. This movie won many awards-Golden Bear (Berlin-2002) & Best Animated Film (2003). This fantasy-adventure film is about 10 yr-old girl, Chihiro, who has to work hard to safe her parents where mysteriously turned into pigs. She got help from a young boy, Haku. All these happened in the Land of the Spirits, ruled by Yubaba-a demonic sorceress. So, can she help her parents from the cursed, what happen to Haku, & what happen to her after all of her support & kindness to help everybody-ghosts, bathhouse workers, Yubaba baby son, etc. Watch it-you will like it. imdb=8.5(19Feb2007) http://www.nausicaa.net/miyazaki/sen/

The Trouble with Islam Today

Controversial book-The Trouble with Islam Today: A Wake-up Call for Honesty and Change by Irshad Manji, which calls herself as a Muslim refusenik. So, what is all about? I would like to suggest to everybody..open your mind first if you want to read this book. Let me start with author background-so who is Irshad Manji? She is a refugee from Idi Amin regime (Uganda)-(im also interested with Idi Amin story-among cruellest leader in the world) & grew up in Canada. She wrote this book based on her experienced of 'struggling' from Idi Amin regime, secular public school & the Islamic religious school of madressa in Canada. Her idea in this book is about 'ijtihad'. Oh! i have to remind you elsewell that she is LESBIAN. Shock? Hem, so many readers said her idea in this book also based on her 'lesbianism' thinking. Well, what ever. Like what i said in the beginning-open your mind! I can say that 99% of her idea about the way muslim people have to 're-thinking' and 're-building' their life in modern world are 'dangerous'-if you are in traditional-thinking group. But-read, & try to understand her explaination & discussion on each issue. Very interesting. Even, many ulama' also agree with her. Just forget that shes lesbian, focus on her idea about 'ijtihad'. Myself, i like her idea on "If the Koran came to Prophet Muhammad as a message of peace, why did he command his army to kill an entire Jewish tribe?" Im always asking myself about this issue. For me, conflict between Israel-Palestine is between Zionist & Arab Palestine. Im still arguing if somebody say that this is the conflict between Muslim & Jewish. Of course, most of Zionist are Jewish but dont forget that most of them are American-European-Jewish, not purely Jewish. Watch Exodus, if you want to understand more about these zionist group. Understand Arab people stand & their history with Jewish, before and after they become Islam followers. Understand why other Arabs outside of Palestine doesnt really care the conflict. Their focus just on Al-Aqsa, not really on Arab-Palestine peoples. Read this book, read it...very interesting..not just Israel-Palestine issue, but also about women status, culture domination vs islam orders, straight vs homo & many others. I enjoy reading this book because i try to understand the troubles among muslim around the world. At least, i got some new idea how to think or justify what really happen in this world especially if it relating with muslim peoples & muslim world! http://www.muslim-refusenik.com/

Malena

Malena, kisah seorg gadis cantik di Italy berlatarbelakangkan zmn perang. Seblm aku perkisahkan Malena, aku just nak bagitau yg cerita ni sebenarnya dikisahkan drp seorg remaja yg syok & asyik observing Malena. Dgn kata lain-kisah Malena yg diperkisahkan oleh org lain. Ok, Malena gadis cantik ditinggalkan dek suami yg menyertai perang. Org ramai mempunyai buruk sangka & hina kpd dia especially isteri-isteri org sbb mrk tau suami-suami mrk gatal nak menggoda Malena. Hakikat sebenar, Malena tak layan sesiapa pun. Suatu ketika perkhabaran berita menyatakan suami Malena mati dlm peperangan-hem, apa lagi makin menggatal la si suami-suami org tu. Malena pulak merasakan spt tertekan dgn persekitarannya & akhirnya mengambil keputusan menjadi pelacur utk mendptkan duit bg menyara hidupnya dgn melayan tentera luar. Italy menang dlm peperangan & kesempatan ini diambil oleh isteri-isteri org yg mmg dah lama sakit ati kat Malena-mendera Malena dgn begitu teruk di jlnan & tiada siapa yg sudi membantu termasuk suami-suami org yg menggatal nak mengorat Malena seblm ini. Kesian Malena. Malena mengambil keputusan melarikan diri meninggalkan tmpt dia bermastautin. Suatu ketika, suami Malena pulang & org-ramai bagaikan tidak percaya dgn kepulangan beliau. Malangnya tiada siapa pun mahu memberitahu beliau akan kisah Malena & kehilangan Malena. Tp remaja yg memperkisahkan kisah ini telah memberikan sekeping surat scr sembunyi kpd suami Malena & menerangkan segalanya. Suami Malena pergi mencari Malena & membawa Malena pulang semula ke tmpt asalnya. Apa yg berlaku seterusnya...saksi kan babak-babak menarik di pasar terbuka bagaimana org ramai 'melayan' Malena & bagaimana pula kisah remaja yh mengkisahkan perkisahan ini-apakah ada interaksi antara mereka pada akhirnya? Tengok sendiri la kan...and, Monica Bellucci-you are such a sexy girl!imdb=7.3(19Feb2007)

Little House on the Prairie

Well, classic family drama series which popular in Msia during 1980s. Finally i decided to buy it after waiting quite long for Season 2. So, now i have Season 1 & 2-waiting to buy Season 3 to 9 which still not available in DVD in UK. Just to generalised this TV series-the background of it started in the late 1870s in Minnesota, America where Ingalls & his wife (Caroline) with their 3 daughters (Mary, Laura & Carrie) setteled up their new life there. They have to 'fight' in many ways for better life, foods, struggling with nature disaster, local prejudice & disease. It was everything about building better life under unfriendly environment (nature & human) from the first point they settled there until they achieved their goal-Happy Family. Very long story..but i really enjoy it.