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So does anyone know where I can get the iPhone unlocked, 8gb, firmware 1.1.2? Both hard/software unlocked. How much?
Note: This is going to be very unprofessional and roughly transcribed.
- PCO imposed due to Judiciary’s action against Executive and for working against War-on-Terror
- Only 4 Judges from Supreme Court take oath under new PCO
- 16 Judges in Lahore refuse to take oath
- 23 Judges refuse to take oath in Sigh High Court, only four take oath under PCO
- CJ of Peshawar High Court refused to take PCO oath
- 17 Judges Full Court Bench is now announced for Current Situation
- Top Generals are meeting General Musharraf in President House
- General Musharraf will perform “Meray Azeez Hum Watano” at 11:00 PST
- Police surround Imran Khan’s residence
- Aitezaz arrested
- Judges of Sindh High Court ordered to report to Governor House for new PCO oath
- Police surrounds house of Aitzaz Ahsan’s house
- Mobile phones shutdown in Islamabad by orders of National Security Council
- Supreme Court emergency session suspends PCO – Geo TV
- Suspension of 1973 Constitution is Martial Law – Dr. Shahid Masood
- 1973 Constitution Suspended in Pakistan
- ARMY Enters Supreme Court – Chief Justice Supreme Court Iftikhar Chauhdry fired by Army
- Emergency to be only imposed on Judiciary and Media – Geo TV
- Musharraf to perform “Meray Azeez Hum Watano” tonight
- Emergency Bar council meetings announced
- 30 minutes deadline given to all cable operators in Pakistan to stop Private TV Channels – ARY
- Roads to Judges colony in Islamabad blocked – ARY
- TV channels shutdown in Pakistan – ARY
Musharraf’s Speech
——————–
-pakistan is at a dangerous turn.
-internal stress.
-painful, important decision.
-if action not taken immediately, pakistan in danger.
-one promise: what ever i do, whatever decision i have taken, first and foremost taken on the foundation of pakistan. Pakistan first.
-above personal gains, considerations, pakistan first.
-Entire country thinks along the same lines.
-Past few months, Pakistan has faced many circumstances.
-Frankly speaking: fundamentalism, terrorism, suicide bombings all over pakistan at its edge.
-no one scared of law enforcement agencies.
-Sadly, all of this is also happening in the HEART of pakistan, Islamabad.
-trying to take rit of government. Govt. within a govt.
-Fundamental ideologies being imposed.
-In my view, this is a direct attack on Pakistan’s principles.
-Grave conditions.
-Government situation: semi-paralysis. All senior govt. officials taking rounds of courts. Being punished. Being embarassed in the courts.
-Therefore, they are not taking any decision. 100 suo-moto cases in the supreme court and 1000s of applications. All cases are concerned with govt executives.
-Law enforcement agencies: demoralized, particularly in Islamabad. No hope, lost hope: all officers being punished by the supreme court. 10 officers convicted. scared of action.
-Democracy: obstacles. 3 stage transition was proposed towards democracy. From failed, defaulted state. stage 1: 99-02 total control. Stage 2: 02-07 Democratic system, elected govts, senate, assemblies, etc.
-Overseen by Musharraf, governed by the democracy. Made a record, every institution completed their term. Last Stage of this transition: Was certain when assemblies finish their tenure, there will be presidential elections.
then general elections. Then elected govt. Political reconciliation. FULL democracy. I had hoped for this.
-Unfortunately, some elements are trying to interefere, causing obstacles, not allowing this even though all the time has passed, only a few months were left. Purposely, for personal political gain.
-With great sadness, I have to say We were going towards success and now everything indicates we’re going downwards, but I am still trying to stop.
-Investors, so much money coming in, has stopped. They are looking if Pakistan is going to be stable or should be establish somewhere else. 7 years of imrprovement, infrastructure, telecomm, IT, building and construction.
-Social sector: education and health: success based on this, unfortunately, god forbid, this hard work doesnt get washed.
-Based on all of these reasons, the country has become a victim of unhappiness.
-I am being mocked. I have been listening to this. Watching in disbelief. I had hoped that we will rise above all of the hardships. This has not happened. Conditions becoming worse.
-In media, I would like to say that even media (some channels) and some programs have contributed to this negativism, downslide. I am sad because this is the same media who I gave independance to. Only PTV existed.
Media needed to be independent. I asked to stop negativism. They can be independent but be responsible.
-I ask the entire country why this happened. I think this is because of judicial activism. The lawmakers are being challenged.
-On recommendation of the primeminister I sent supreme judicial council against the CJ. I had no personal gains. But i was pointed but I did not say anything but those events lead to this situation.
if one of us make a mistake, does not mean the whole country should be destabilized
above my ego, for stability of pakistan and its institutions, i accepted this decision.
-Thank you for giving me 57% of the votes for Presidential elections. But the case in the court still stuck. No judgement. Date keeps on slipping forward. Cloud of uncertainty.
-This country is in my heart, in my soul. I cannot watch it slide down.
-Time for action: Surveyed the entire situation. in this three pillar state, Judiciary, Executive, Legislation we need harmony.
Nawaz on Musharraf’s Speech
—————————
Shed all his anger on the supreme court.
Worse than Martial Law because attack on judiciary system.
Declared emergency because he thought that the judiciary would cast a decision against him.
Decision will be maked within 90 days.
If judges not allowed to enter supreme court, sit under a tree and make decisions.
The Hanging Apple Mac?
Posted on: October 28, 2007
Hello people,
I could not resist. I was in a communications lecture when my professor’s macbook stopped working. it hung half way through the presentation. Here’s why I couldn’t resist: I took a snapshot 
It’s cheap and alot of you will say that it’s a fake and all that jazz, but I swear upon all thing that are holy (to you) that I waited atleast 5 minutes before I took the picture so as to give the ‘book a chance to start working. Oh well. This is for you, Vasta
The Swirling Dervish
Posted on: September 16, 2007
Note: This is not a scholarly article. It is for one’s understanding of the Swirling Dervish and the practice.
“A secret turning in us
Makes the universe turn.
Head unaware of feet,
And feet head. Neither cares.
They keep turning.”
- Rumi
Today I write with much influence and love for the swirling dervish. Although the following passages have no scholarly value, they are very informative and nothing short of interesting.
The Dervish: Semazen, The Practice: Semah
The word Dervish, especially in European languages, refers to members of Sufi Muslim ascetic religious fraternities, known for their extreme poverty and austerity, similar to mendicant friars.
As Sufi practitioners, dervishes were known as a source of wisdom, medicine, poetry, enlightenment, and witticisms.
‘Semah’ is the Alevi ritual dance characterized by turning and swirling, this dance of worship has many varieties. ‘Semah’ is quite similar to pre-Islam
ic Turkish religious worship dances made by shamans. Performed by men and women to the accompaniment of the Bağlama, the Semah is an inseparable part of any ceremony. It symbolizes the putting off of one’s self and union with God.
The Semah is a mesmerizing, seven-century old ritual, which features beautiful costumes, hypnotic music with flutes, string and percussion, and the amazing sight of the Dervishes whirling. The ritual unites the three fundamental components of human nature: the mind (as knowledge and thought), the heart (through the expression of feelings, poetry and music), and the body (by activating life, by turning). These three elements are thoroughly joined both in theory and in practice and as perhaps in no other ritual or system of thought.
It is scientifically recognized that the fundamental condition of our existence is to revolve. There is no being or object which does not revolve, because all beings are comprised of revolving electrons, protons, and neutrons in atoms. Everything revolves, and the human being lives by means of the revolution of these particles, by the revolution of the blood in his body, and by the revolution of the stages of his life, by his coming from the earth and his returning to it.
By revolving in harmony with all things in nature the semazen testifies to the existence and the majesty of the Creator, thinks of Him, gives thanks to Him, and prays to Him.
The Semah ceremony represents the human being’s spiritual journey, an ascent by means of intelligence and love to Perfection (Kemal). Turning toward the truth, he grows through love, transcends the ego, meets the truth, and arrives at Perfection. Then he returns from this spiritual journey as one who has reached maturity and completion, able to love and serve the whole of creation and all creatures without discriminating in regard to belief, class, or race.
The Semah Ritual
In the symbolism of the Semah ritual, the semazen’s camel’s hair hat (sikke) represents the tombstone of the ego; his wide, white skirt represents the ego’s shroud. By removing his black cloak, he is spiritually reborn to the truth. At the beginning of the Semah, by holding his arms crosswise, the semazen appears to represent the number one, thus testifying to God’s unity. While whirling, his arms are open: his right arm is directed to the sky, ready to receive God’s beneficence; his left hand, upon which his eyes are fastened, is turned toward the earth. The semazen conveys God’s spiritual gift to those who are witnessing the Semah. Revolving from right to left around the heart, the semazen embraces all humanity with love. The human being has been created with love in order to love.
“All loves are a bridge to Divine love.
Yet, those who have not had a taste of it do not know!”
- Rumi
The Selams
During the Semah itself there are four selams, or musical movements, each with a distinct rhythm. At the beginning and close of each selam, the semazen testifies to God’s unity.
The First Selam represents the human being’s birth to truth through feeling and mind. It represents his complete acceptance of his condition as a creature created by God.
The Second Selam expresses the rapture of the human being witnessing the splendor of creation in front of God’s greatness and omnipotence.
The Third Selam is the rapture of dissolving into love and the sacrifice of the mind to love. It is complete submission, unity, the annihilation of self in 
the Beloved. This is the state that is known as Nirvana in Buddhism and Fana Fillah in Islam. The next stage in Islamic belief is the state of servanthood represented by the Prophet (P.B.U.H.), who is called God’s servant, foremost, and subsequently, His “messenger.” The aim of Semah is not unbroken ecstasy and loss of consciousness, but the realization of submission to God.
In the Fourth Selam, just as the Prophet (P.B.U.H.) ascends to the spiritual “Throne” and then returns to his task on earth, the whirling
dervish, after the ascent of his spiritual journey, returns to his task, to his servanthood. He is a servant of God, of His Books, of His Prophets (P.B.U.T.) of His whole creation. In the Qur’an this is expressed as:
“The messenger has believed in what was sent down to him from his Lord, and so did the believers. They believe in GOD, His angels, His scripture, and His messengers: “We make no distinction among any of His messengers.” They say, “We hear, and we obey.* Forgive us, our Lord. To You is the ultimate destiny.”"
- Surah Baqarah [2:285]
At the end of this salute, he demonstrates this again by his appearance, arms consciously and humbly crossed, representing the unity of God. Afterwards follows a recitation from the Qur’an, especially the verse:
“To God belong the East and the West,
and wherever you turn is the face of God.
He is the All-Embracing, the All-Knowing.”
- Surah Baqarah [2:115]
The ceremony ends with a prayer for the peace of the souls of all Prophets (P.B.U.T.) and believers. After the completion of the Semah, all the dervishes return silently to their rooms for meditation (tefekkur).
Sources:
Text
www.whirlingdervishes.ca/
www.wikipedia.org/
Images
www.greenspirit.org.uk/
http://mysticsaint.blogspot.com/
www.ittmt.org/
Hello there!
I have a course which goes by the name Film, Television and Society. Today was the first day and we watched Fahrenheit 9/11. Now, I’ll be honest here, I have not seen the movie before (partly because of the bad prints). However, I got into watching the movie today and so here’s my two cents:
The movie follows the basic fundamentals of a documentary: Voice-over narration, archival footage, factual and historical events. However, I think we all would agree that the minute we point a camera at something, the minute we cut the film or set the lighting, we are effectively causing imbalance in what is perhaps one of the greater (if not 
greatest) fallacies in motion film, which is, destroying the balance a documentary film is supposed to have. It starts out with facts and figures and continues to throw in random bits of information.
However, it skews reality: For one, it is completely one sided, that is, dislike or disapproval for the current president of the United States, George W. Bush. Alot of sarcastic comments thrown in here and there, along with overly dramatic background music makes one realize that this film is more of a Mockumentary. For instance, when the film talks about the votes in the state of Florida and who is going to take it away (George W. Bush, or Al Gore), there is some sort of hillbilly music playing in the background, sort of signifying the music you would here, perhaps in a pig-fighting contest.
Another thing to note is how the cuts between scenes are supposed to be sarcastic and hillarious: The cut from where the mother is crying about her son being dead in the war to a scene of perhaps Michael Moore interviewing Britney Spears (who at the time must have been roughly 16, but I could be wrong).
The last thing that I noted was how, perhaps, Michael Moore must have been in the game as much for the money as he was in for showing his blatant disapproval of George W. Bush. Note how Michael Moore talks about his home town and how it is a shabby place. One of the people interviewed mentioned that his hometown looked like Iraq amidst war. Coming from a town where most houses lack windows, and sometimes boarded up entrances, Michael Moore must have been looking for his big hit. Perhaps one of the reasons his film was a blockbuster must have indirectly stemmed from this desire to make some ‘moolah’.
I guess, as a film maker, you can (almost) never be balanced. We’re all human after all, and we are entitled to our opinion and – in some cases – impress it upon others. Ofcourse, individual style also makes a film a hit as we have seen in Fahrenheit 9/11, but we need to ask ourselves as technical artists: is this film remotely fair or does the scale lean completely to one side?
Happy Blogging!
